Mobile Social Software - Potentials and Limitations of Enabling Social Networking on Mobile Devices

Abstract

Driven by the increased usage of information and communication technology (ICT) the typical behavior and the acting of users in private as well as inprofessional settings changed dramatically over the last years. Modern applications of ICT are seen as instruments to fulfill the wants and needs of heterogeneous user groups. Above of all, the event of the Internet as well as the omnipresent availability of computing systems and mobile technologies altered the communication between users. For instance nowadays a lot of them regularly use web-based search engines to search for information, they chat with friends, upload and share pictures which they took for instance with their mobile phone camera, and last but not least they download and share music files to listen to them on their mobile devices. Against this background the users already experience the medial convergence which they have to create actively. Within the context described above one of the most important influencing factors from a socio-technical perspective and from a user-oriented point of view is the altered understanding of the community-term. The activity that single individuals come together to form and organize networks is seen as a central part of human nature. Everyone has the need to feel important in her/his own particular way and to be respected and admired by others. While some excel at presenting themselves in public, others search for alternatives to gain respect. Nevertheless everyone usually is a member of several communities or personal networksbe it the own family, a circle of close friends, be it an apartment community or the neighborhood, work colleagues or sports clubs. The Internet provides new opportunities to realize these relationships. Small online communities have grown into huge portals, weblogs have established themselves as a new medium and a form of social contact and the number of private websites and personal repositories (such like on myspace.com) is enormous. Furthermore a lot of people are using virtual worlds to present themselves to others. Anonymity and the ability to meet people on a non-personal basis have made it easier for many to present oneself. It becomes almost an essential need for all of us to be a member or part of one or more web-based social groups. To this end, then, users turn their attention more and more to such social networks regardless of customer group, age, sex, educational level, career, or social background. They have needs for organizing their everyday lives, planning their time and arranging meetings, while on the other hand they also want to discuss personal experiences. Wanting to satisfy these needs, people turn to ICT-supported content sharing platforms, weblog communities etc. where they can make available self-created content to closed or even public circles of people. In this context several examples illustrate that the permanent networking at any place is evolving to a central need for several user groups. From there we aim on providing starting points, how the currently existing ...

Technical and Organizational Potentials of Value Networks for Ubiquitous Information Products and Services: Exploring the Role of Cloud Computing

“…5. Usability [32]; [33]: Simple use and quick connection to services. Similar Interaction [33]: The interaction from other users in the area made possible by open communication standards and interface technologies such as Bluetooth.…”

“…2007) [32] x x x (Buse 2002) [33] x x x x x 1. Localization [32]; [33]: Time and location-independent use of mobile devices through the use of GPS applications, GSM or UMTS services and RFID technologies.…”

“…Personalization [32]; [33]: Enabling individual services by the use of identification features such as built-in SIM card, the phone number or RFID 4. Context-specificity [32]; [33]: Retrievable of offerings, suitable to location and time of each environment, with mobile terminals, for example on social networks. 5.…”

“…Cost efficiency [32]; [33]: Supports potentials for design and use of provided services and increases the demand, such as ubiquitous computing 7. Security [32]; [33]: Deals with aspects of the increased security and privacy, particularly by the identification of the user (e.g. SIM card or RFID).…”

“…Local independence (Ubiquity) [32]; [33]: Connection and message exchange, irrespective of location; Permanent availability [32]; [33]: Aspects of continuous availability to mobile infrastructures 3. Personalization [32]; [33]: Enabling individual services by the use of identification features such as built-in SIM card, the phone number or RFID 4. Context-specificity [32]; [33]: Retrievable of offerings, suitable to location and time of each environment, with mobile terminals, for example on social networks.…”