Ramsco's Women Empowerment Initiative Recognized Among Top BRICS Businesswomen Practices for 2025    Egypt, Elsewedy review progress on Ain Sokhna phosphate complex    Gold prices end July with modest gains    Pakistan says successfully concluded 'landmark trade deal' with US    Egypt's FM, US envoy discuss Gaza ceasefire, Iran nuclear talks    Modon Holding posts AED 2.1bn net profit in H1 2025    Egypt's Electricity Ministry says new power cable for Giza area operational    Egypt's Al-Sisi, Italian defence minister discuss Gaza, security cooperation    Egypt's FM discusses Gaza, Nile dam with US senators    Aid airdrops intensify as famine deepens in Gaza amid mounting international criticism    Health minister showcases AI's impact on healthcare at Huawei Cloud Summit    On anti-trafficking day, Egypt's PM calls fight a 'moral and humanitarian duty'    Federal Reserve maintains interest rates    Egypt strengthens healthcare partnerships to enhance maternity, multiple sclerosis, and stroke care    Egypt keeps Gaza aid flowing, total tops 533,000 tons: minister    Indian Embassy to launch cultural festival in Assiut, film fest in Cairo    Egyptian aid convoy heads toward Gaza as humanitarian crisis deepens    Culture minister launches national plan to revive film industry, modernise cinematic assets    Rafah Crossing 'never been closed for one day' from Egypt: PM    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Egypt, Oman discuss environmental cooperation    Egypt's EDA explores pharma cooperation with Belarus    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Risky, maybe; indispensable, sure
Published in The Egyptian Gazette on 30 - 10 - 2012

THE debut over the past few days of some smartphone apps specifically intended to provide users with instant info on hurricane Sandy direction, speed and, more crucially, on recommended safety measures, will probably turn the cellular phone into history's unrivalled multi-purpose hand-held device.
Throughout the known history of mankind, no other single device has, in the span of less than two decades, witnessed such enhancements as to combine such wonderful and previously unthinkable capabilities of accessing the Internet, developing the social media networks and linking economic activities, in addition to offering mobile communications, data transfer and file sharing.
The net result of this watershed transition has been the provision of almost unlimited space for human skills, communicability and instantaneous multi-tasking. As such, smartphones have tremendously shaped many, if not most, of the patterns of human activities from the very much personal through to economic and international exchanges.
According to widespread estimates, the number of smartphone users in the world has now exceeded the one billion figure, which means that nearly one sixth of the world population do live, act and react in the cellular-based cyberspace as much as they do in the real, physical world.
The figure for the ordinary mobile phone, the non-smart device, stands at nearly twice larger. Noticeably, the difference is as much quantitative, given that ordinary mobiles are used mainly and primarily as a means of voice communication or simply as a more convenient alternative to landline sets.
It follows that the vast majority of smartphone users the world over do enjoy real chances of advancing their own lives and getting access to information and knowledge even whilst on the go. Again, these people represent nearly one sixth of the world population and one half of the overall number of mobile phone users.
It is, however, a fact of life that no invention is exclusively perfect; and the cellular phone, be it ordinary or smart, is no exception. Since the start of the peak spread of the hand-held device in the nineties of the 20th century, there have been frequent reports suggesting serious health hazards, including brain cancer.
And we keep hearing, every now and then, of some suspected links between the use of mobile phones and dangerous diseases though none of these links has been scientifically proven and independently verified beyond doubt.
A Wall Street Journal report suggested the other day that cellphones are great for both sharing photos and bacteria. But the cellphone is in no way the only device that we daily use by placing it closely to our ears, mouths and noses-- admittedly the body organs that bacteria prefer mostly to intrude into our bodies. The observation brings forth a question as to why the same accusation was not raised against fixed cable telephony sets.
In the world of today, the cellphone has established itself as an indispensable means of social life, so much so that every user gets confused and feels alienated once he/she loses or misplaces the device. Whatever the risks involved, and be they real or suspected, the cellphone, its apps and its almost limitless usages, will remain for the foreseeable future a pre-requisite of life in all societies across the globe.


Clic here to read the story from its source.