Impact of Technology on Society - Essay Example

? Impact of Technology on Society (Telephone) Impact of Technology on Society (Telephone Introduction Telephone technology has created a rapid change in the field of communication. The rapid advancement in the telephone technology in the 21st century has completely transformed the lifestyles of many users because this technology has made almost everything possible. Telephone technology has made communication cheaper in the today’s generation and users are now able to reach their families, relatives, and friends from different geographical areas faster (Murphy, 2009). The introduction of telephone technology has also enabled many entrepreneurs and companies to improve their sales volumes because this technology enables them to reach their customers easily and faster. Advancement of technology has fueled the use of telephone across the world. This is because telephone devices allow users to send instant messages, offer voice calls, and access to websites. However, the conveniences and pervasiveness have not brought benefits but also some numerous negative impacts (Murphy, 2009). The content of this paper will examine the telephone technology as a form of communication and the impacts it causes to the society. 2. Background 2.1What is telephone technology. A telephone is a telecommunication device that enables two or more parties to conduct a real time conversation when they are not close enough to hear each other talking directly. The device converts sound, efficient and most typically the human being's voice, into electronic signals appropriate for its transmission via data cables or other transmission channel over a wide distance, and replays such signals in an audible form to the users (Murphy, 2009). 2.2 When was the telephone invented and by whom? The telephone technology has resulted in an integral part in today’s life since its invention by Alexander Graham Bell in the 1876 (Murphy, 2009). The nineteenth century was the communication revolution era whereby there was invention of many communication devices. Researches argue that the nineteenth century’s greatest invention was the initiative of invention itself. The invention of telephone technology has had many impacts on the world. Telephone has also brought the current generation into the secondary oral age. The first telephone technology invention in the year 1876 by Alexander Graham Bell and additional development by other inventors, the telephone was the initial communication device in world history that enabled human beings to communicate directly with one another over large distances (Murphy, 2009). Rapidly, telephones became indispensable in government, business, households, and is currently the most used small communication device. 2.3 How does telephone work Telephones operate in a simple way. It captures the user’s voice vibrations through plates and coils and then translates the vibrations into electrical signals. The telephone amplifies these signals and then transmits them to another telephone device where the receiving device changes them to voice signals in the reverse form (Farndon, Manning & Walt Disney Company, 2003). When the receiver picks up the call, the telephone connects him or her to the network. When one dials a phone number, this number goes to the telephone provider requesting for connection with that number’s subscriber. The provider then times this conversation duration and bills it. In many countries, the telephone network is digital, therefore, the telephones behaves in a similar way like a computer, transmitting and receiving audio signals in binary codes (ones and zeroes) as an alternative of a continuous signal. When you convert tens to binary codes, you get an approximate whole number, which defines the telephone’s audio sample. This system can be used anywhere not only with telephones and its called PCM. That is how the telephone operates (Farndon, Manning & Walt Disney Company, 2003). 3. Impacts on society 3.1 What was the society like before development of telephone technology? In the year 1876 when Alexander Graham Bell invented the first telephone technology, he was not aware the extent to which this new technology will revolutionize the society for years and years to come. His main aim was to come up with a device that will enable communication over long distances faster (Misa, Brey & Feenberg, 2003). His invention did more than that aspiration; it transformed the globe in its entirety. Since the invention of telephone technology, society has transformed economically, socially, physically, spiritually, mentally, and educationally. Prior to the invention of telephone technology, people sent messages via mail and messenger. Because of long distances covered to deliver these messages, people only delivered the most vital messages. Many job opportunities that exist today due to the invention of telephone technology were non-existence during the “phoneless” centuries. For instance, the e-commerce industry and the telecommunications industry were not present during these “phoneless” times (Misa, Brey & Feenberg, 2003). If a person needed information regarding certain goods and services from a certain community, he, or she could ask friends or relatives, or even take their wagons and horses and travel to such areas to ensure the information for them. Before telephone technology invention, people would hardly migrate to places far from their homes in fear of not being able to keep in touch with their families and friends. Communities and societies had a mere form of social setting that it is currently (Misa, Brey & Feenberg, 2003). Strangers could communicate with one another and people would gather to discuss recent gossips and enjoy one another’s company. Nowadays, due to telephone technology advancement, people are no longer concerned with socializing with others such as our neighbors. The earliest people were aware about their surroundings and appreciated it more than the current technological society we are living in. Traditions were highly considered and culture expanded (Misa, Brey & Feenberg, 2003). 3.2 What was the society like immediately after the invention of telephone technology? Prior to invention of telephone technology, people relied on mail and messengers, which often took days or even weeks depending on the distance the messenger or mail was to cover. After the invention of the first telephone technology, only the wealthy people could afford the devices and the middle-class were able to install telephone lines in their homes (Restivo, 2005). Telephone technology enabled family members to remain connected (often family members were forced to split because of wars, or men travelled to other provinces or states or even other nations to search for job opportunities). Just the way computers are libraries at our fingertips, the initial telephone devices were much as excitement and magic (Restivo, 2005). Since the telephone technology invention, the world has transformed drastically. At first, telephone usage was not as trendy as it is currently since it was less affordable and prevalent. According to the history of telephone technology, the only access people had to telephone was the pay phones, which were only available at the local stores. Even since then, telephone had high demand. A lot has changed and the use telephone technology has exponentially increased and become an essential part in today’s life (Restivo, 2005). A telephone study carried out in Denmark in the year 1982 shows that the total number of telephone subscribers was 3819 and in the year 1994, this total grew to 290,159 users. This indicates how popular the telephone use has become. Currently, people use telephone for many different purposes such as conducting business, casual communication, and requesting for help if danger occurs (Restivo, 2005). 3.3 How does telephone technology impact modern society Telephone technology invention has highly affected the modern society. It has improved business’s efficiency, enabled people to save money, which they could incur in travelling forth, and back to deliver messages over a long distance. Telephone technology also made business transactions to be more quickly (Misa, Brey & Feenberg, 2003). It leads to real time communication around the globe and led to invention of the internet, which lets people communicate with other online. Currently, if you do not have a telephone you would not be able to communicate with other people. If you want to talk with others, you will have to go to their homes or working places, which will be hard and time consuming (Misa, Brey & Feenberg, 2003). Alexander Graham Bell has upgraded world’s communication making it much easier to communicate with other people despite the distance between them. Before telephone technology advancement, mail and messengers were the largest part of cultural communication. This was just because they were the only way of communication during that time. Telephones have now become a huge potion of the current culture. As telephone technology advanced, it also became more popular. The modern telephone technology has made the current society system more united and enhanced real time communication. This technology replaces the traditional long distance communication (Misa, Brey & Feenberg, 2003). In modern society, the telephone is a multi-purpose tool. People use it in many places such as business, home, and education. In the modern society, telephone technology is an entertainment source and illiterate resources as well academic choice. After invention of the telephone technology, the wealthy people could only afford the devices since the materials needed for the connection of telephone lines were very expensive. The inventor’s wish was to reduce the telephone material expense to enable the poor man afford these materials (Misa, Brey & Feenberg, 2003). Telephone use around the world has led to an increment of wealth, job opportunities, and improved communication means. Development of telephone technology has lead to the growth of city centers, and the notion of a modern worker society. Telephone technology has also lead to both job creation and destruction. The necessity for positions of messengers, telegraphers, and operators has eventually become virtually unnecessary (Misa, Brey & Feenberg, 2003). It has changed business pace and made the entire world smaller and easily accessible for all. The use of telephone technology has ensured security in many countries and helped to deal with emergencies. Telephone advancement is both a promoter and a conqueror of crime. People who install telephone-based alarms in their houses can easily scare aware suspicious strangers and those who need help in case of emergency call fire extinguishers, police, or doctors. Telephone technology has also transformed social relationship and interaction (Misa, Brey & Feenberg, 2003). Communication technology broadened people interaction since it enables long distance relationships. Telephone technology helps in trying to keep close relationships with communities and families. 4. Benefits and Drawbacks of telephone technology 4.1What are the benefits of telephone technology. Giving an example of how additive and important telephone technology is in today’s society, this paper explains a scenario of a person staying for weeks without a phone because it is out of service (Atkinson, 2007). As you walk around campus or business centers, you feel out of place. There happens to be no one around you that you feel comfortable socializing with since everybody is in deep phone conversations on their mobile phones. The only way for you to communicate with your family members is by travelling to a pay phone, which is tiresome. You will feel like you are loosing your entire mind, don’t have a mobile phone to communicate with other people in case of emergency, can’t communicate with your family members and friends if you feel like, can’t solve business matters when you have to, and even have no way of relieving yourself with familiar voices in stressful situations (Atkinson, 2007). This clearly shows that the modern advancement in telephone technology has in the simple word “benefited” the current generation. Telephones keeps people connected to the rest of the world, with their loved ones that live within the same town or city or even across the country borders. Telephone technology however, produces high-quality business for both small and corporate businesses (Atkinson, 2007). In case of emergence happening, telephone enables affected to connect with the right people for help. Telephone technology helps to save lives and enable people to connect with others more easily. 4.2 What are the drawbacks of telephone technology? Use of telephones has lead to increase in health complication such as ear damage and loss of memory. According to recent scientific research the use of mobile phones, pose hazard risk to human beings’ health. This is because mobile phones emit harmful radiation, which links to the brain cancer, therefore, leading to memory loss of the users (Information Resources Management Association & Khosrowpour, 2006). Cell phone manufacturers claim that radiation levels emitted by these devices are at acceptable levels, which cannot affect the health of human beings. However, it has proven scientifically that the continued use of mobile phones has shown the truth about the negative impacts of using cell phones for long hours. Furthermore, studies show that the cause of brain cancer is the continued use of mobile phones. For example, drivers who text and talk via phones while driving may distract their concentration, which may make them, cause accidents (Information Resources Management Association & Khosrowpour, 2006). Secondly, mobile phones are expensive starting from buying the phone itself and the subscriptions are expensive also. The cell phones’ pricing model is just similar to that of landlines, although their service is highly expensive than those of landlines. Using mobile phones is more expensing beginning from texting, voice calls, and downloading materials. The service provider companies’ limit the minutes of talking and making international calls are more expensive than making a local call (Information Resources Management Association & Khosrowpour, 2006). Making long distance calls per minute is expensive and the monthly billing rate is very high. However, despite the negative impacts that telephone technology has caused to the society, it has improved communication because of the device availability. The advancement of telephone technology has not only posed contemporary social impacts but also enabled people to connect with others effectively (Information Resources Management Association & Khosrowpour, 2006). Use of telephone technology has made communication faster, inexpensive, and easier in the interactive globe. Many people are now able to create friends, keep in touch with families and relatives, interconnect with customers, therefore, creating a world village because of the device portability. People are currently able to talk to anyone at any time and receive significant information and emergence calls through use of telephone devices (Information Resources Management Association & Khosrowpour, 2006). 5. Relevance of telephone to engineering Engineers harness mobile phone technology for use in medical imaging. With the innovative notion established by engineers at the California University, Berkeley, the omnipresent mobile phone could be used in medical imaging available to millions of population internationally (Harms, Baetz & Volti, 2004). World Health Organization claims that approximate three-quarters of the globe’s population have limited access to ultrasounds, magnetic resonance images, X-rays, and other medical technologies used for an extensive range of medical relevancies, for confirming tuberculosis to detecting tumors to monitoring fetuses. Conclusions In conclusion, although telephone technology has changed current communication making it easier and faster, this technology advancement has contributed to health negative impacts and are more expensive than the traditional forms of communication. First, the use of cell phones contributes to ear damages and loss of memory (Murphy, 2009). Secondly, these communication devices are expensive especially when calling people from abroad and their monthly subscription services are expensive. However, despite the negative challenges telephone technology causes to the society, it has improved communication due to its availability. Telephone use has made current communication faster and convenient since its invention. It has also made some positive impacts to business and education (Murphy, 2009). Telephone technology has transformed the social behaviors depending on the way people communicate with one another. This new technology fosters a wide range of current inventions such as the internet and cell phones, which results from the advancement of telephone technology. References Atkinson, S. G. (2007). Technology tips for small business. Chestertown, Md: s.n.. Farndon, J., Manning, R., & Walt Disney Company. (2003). How does a telephone work?. Burbank, Calif.: Disney Books by Mail. Harms, A. A., Baetz, B. W., & Volti, R. (2004). Engineering in time: The systematic of engineering history and its contemporary context. London: Imperial College Press Hutchby, I. (2001). Conversation and technology: From the telephone to the Internet. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press. Information Resources Management Association., & Khosrowpour, M. (2006). Emerging trends and challenges in information technology management. Hershey, Penn: Idea Group. Mercer, D. (2006). The telephone: The life story of a technology. Westport, Conn. [u.a.: Greenwood Press. Misa, T. J., Brey, P., & Feenberg, A. (2003). Modernity and Technology. Cambridge (Mass.: MIT press. Murphy, J. (2009). The telephone: Wiring America. New York: Chelsea House Publishers. Restivo, S. (2005). Science, technology, and society. Oxford [u.a.: Oxford Univ. Press. Read More