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MyWirelessReview is a vision of the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Technologies, Wireless RERC.

The Wireless RERC promotes equitable access to and use of wireless technologies by people with disabilities and encourages adoption of universal design in future generations of wireless devices and applications through research, development, and training activities.
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Survey: Cell phones more important than wallets

A survey conducted by market research firm IDC and sponsored by Nortel Networks found that more people would take their cell phone over their wallets, keys or other item if they had to leave their home for 24 hours and could take only one thing.

More than 38 percent of the 2,367 people surveyed chose their mobile phones, less than 30 percent chose their wallets as the single most important item.

They study was trying to find out how many workers around the world can be defined as "hyperconnected," individuals who frequently use multiple devices (both wired and wireless) like cellphones and laptops, as well as applications like e-mail or social networking sites like Facebook. The survey classified the hyperconnected worker as someone who uses at least seven devices for work and personal access, in addition to at least nine applications like instant messaging, text messaging or web conferencing.

The study concluded that 16 percent of workers are hyperconnected, and the figure is growing. Another 36% are “increasingly connected”, using a minimum of four devices for work and personal access to six or more applications.

Here's the link to a news story on the study: http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/051408-hyperconnected-study.html?fsrc=netflash-rss.

I wonder how many people with disabilitities are hyperconnected or increasingly connected. What one thing would you take with them if they had to leave the home for 24 hours?

Are you hyperconnected, or merely increasingly connected?

3-in-1: Phone as wallet/access card

Posted by John Morris at 2008-05-16 14:59
In a few years people might not have to choose between their phone and their wallet, or their keys. A recent study forecast that by 2012 people will be able to use a phone as a wallet or as an access card (what we used to call simply keys).

By waving the mobile device over a wireless reader - and perhaps verifying identity by keying in your PIN number into the phone -- consumers will be able to make small purchases or gain access to controlled areas. The technology is already used for riding public transport systems in London and Tokyo, and could be expanded to numerous other venues.

See article at: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080515/tc_nm/cellphones_wallets_dc.

Court says money discriminates against blind people

Posted by John Morris at 2008-05-20 14:37
The phone-as-wallet might be a good thing for people with disabilities, especially those with visual limitations who find it difficult to identify the value of printed currency in the U.S.

The identical size and texture of US bills of all denominations has long been a cause of concern. But, just today the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld a decision by a lower court in 2006 that U.S. currency discriminates against blind people.

See story here: http://enews.earthlink.net/article/top?guid=20080520/48324cc0_3ca6_1552620080520604726808

It is not clear if the U.S. Treasury will have to redesign the national currency. And, even so, it could take a long time to implement. Maybe the phone-as-wallet will help mitigate the problem before then.
 
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