Educational history and related topics

¶ … Messaging or Short Message Service (SMS)

In Contemporary Culture

After the Second World War, technological advancement increasingly progressed especially after the television was introduced to the commercial market. After the advent of television, various technologies were innovated, including the computer technology that we are now enjoying and utilizing. The new computer technology became the catalyst for more advancements to come our way, and one of the sectors that benefited from these new technologies are the communications sector. Communications technology include the Internet, mobile phones, satellite broadcasting, and other innovations that developed and made communication more prevalent, improved, and clearer especially for people communicating or sharing information from distant places. The communications technology that the contemporary culture has will be the focus of this paper, particularly the advancements made to telephone communication. Telephones are considered one of the most vital devices invented over many centuries. Telephones evolved from being the telephone with a headset and number dial, then it became wireless and can be carried out within a few meters away from the phone set, and eventually, telephones became more mobile, and these phones are what we call now as mobile phones or cellphones. One of the most important innovations that were made immobile phone technology is the text messaging or short message service (SMS) that is now prevalent in almost all parts of the world. When before, the main function of mobile phones is to make calling more mobile, the advent of SMS made it possible for people not to talk in all places (near or far), but also to send out text, that is, written messages to people from far places.

Aside from the mobility of the said SMS technology, another advantage of this technology is that it avoids the nuisance or irritability of answering phone calls whenever you are inside a movie/theater house, a meeting, or important functions. By text messaging, people can communicate 'quietly,' and with more convenience on the receiver's part. Also, SMS technology is cheaper compared to phone calls, and the receiver has easier command from the sender because messages can be 'manipulated' and shortened without the fuss and long wait (even emotional harassment) when dealing with 'compromising situations' that often happen with phone calls. SMS technology also encouraged the proliferation of mobile phone models that offer user-friendly programs and functions, and these mobile phones are also becoming more trendy and flexible in style, which means that phone companies are becoming more flexible in suiting their products according to the customers' (diversified) taste. More importantly, SMS technology made it possible for constant communication to happen between families and friends, since it is cheaper and easier to use. However, SMS technology has its disadvantages. One disadvantage of the said technology is that in the same way it makes communication constant and easier for the user, the constant irritation of messages received from unknown senders is one negative result of the said technology. Also, false messages and chain messages (similar to chain letters) are proliferating in this new communications technology, and one cannot really verify the truth or falsity of these received messages. Nevertheless, the advantages of SMS technology clearly outweigh its disadvantages to the people/consumers. Because of this, many people around the world are now enjoying the advantages of SMS technology, which makes people communicate, nationally or internationally, across nations, societies, and cultures, without spending so much money, effortlessly, and without too much time consumption. Indeed, text messaging is a revolutionary innovation that today's technology had contributed advantageously in America's (and the world's) contemporary culture.