There have been a number of studies concerning the access and usage patterns of mobile phones since the first cellular phone appeared in 1979. With the appearance of the smart phone a recent field of research emerges within media and communication. This study focuses on what role a particular smart phone plays within the users’ communication practices. Combining individuality and mobility with communication, the iPhone changes the users’ way of communication completely. In addition to that, the use of the iPhone comprises self-representational characteristics. The study aims to research what role the user ascribes to the iPhone. A field observation of iPhone users combined with qualitative focus group interviews will present more insight in how the iPhone maintains the users’ interpersonal relationships and fulfils their communication motives. The field observation might bear some general aspects about usage patterns of the iPhone, especially in public spaces. Supplementing the field observation, the focus group interviews will give some information about personal usage patterns and about the iPhone’s status within individual perceptions. The use of smart phones like the iPhone influences the user’s ways of communication in positive as well as in negative ways. A constant access to various networks establishes a permanent availability, which entails major changes in the users’ way of communication and the users’ perception of time and space. In addition to that, the design and look of the gadget is a main appeal for iPhone users. Here the smart phone turns out to be an accessory with which people make statements to their surrounding. These statements can be of different nature. They can be based on image, fashion or design conscious in the user’s perception. This study intends to bring up new topics about the relationship between a technical device and its user

This thesis discusses the creation of a novel platform that incorporates multiple communication methods, including SMS, email and web-based technologies, for interacting with users of mobile communication devices. The platform utilises people in a mobile environment to solve a range of different application problems, where each problem is a separate and distinct scenario type with unique objectives. There are existing applications available that interact with users of mobile communication devices to provide a service, such as regular weather updates to the users. Other applications have been designed to manage and coordinate the users to perform tasks within a mobile environment, such as performing field studies for scientific purposes. However, the existing applications are designed for only one specific scenario, with the design and implementation solely focused on solving the objectives of that scenario. Each component of these applications needs to be developed from scratch in order to cater for the application s requirements. There is currently no integrated communications platform that offers a framework for supporting a range of different scenario types. The new platform, entitled the Connected-Mobile Platform, aims to support the rapid development and implementation of new scenarios. This platform is composed of a framework of generic components that enable the active running of multiple scenarios concurrently, with the ability to tailor to the requirements of new scenarios as they arise via a structured process. The platform facilitates a means to coordinate its users in order to tackle the objectives of a scenario. The thesis investigates several system architectures to determine an appropriate architectural design for constructing the proposed platform. The platform has a generic framework, based on a client-server architecture, to facilitate the inclusion of a multitude of scenarios. A scenario represents a problem or an event, whereby the platform can utilise and interact with users of mobile communication devices to attempt to solve the objectives of the scenario. Three mobile communication methods are supported; the Short Message Service, electronic mail and web-forms via the mobile internet. Users are able to select and switch between the different methods. The thesis describes the platform s tailored communication structure for scenarios and autonomous analysis of messages. The thesis discusses case studies of two different scenarios to evaluate the platform s facilities for rapid scenario development. The Diet Diary scenario, which is for individual users, aims to manage a user s daily calorie intake to help them reach their desired weight goal. The focus is on the platform s functionality for analysing and responding to messages autonomously. The Missing Persons scenario, which utilises multiple users, involves tracking and locating people who have been reported missing. The focus is on the platform s functionality for coordinating the multiple users, through the creation of assignments, in order to distribute the scenario objectives. The thesis concludes by highlighting the novel features of the platform and identifying opportunities for future work.

No abstract available / Dissertation (MInt(Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Architecture / unrestricted

The world’s population is increasing and every day, more people are coming to the cities. People are constantly relocating their houses for meeting their needs. As societies are growing and mobility in cities is raising, cities would face challenges like accommodating the population inexpensively and providing good quality of life and stable social and environmental infrastructure for them. However, due to the fixed regulated and unadaptable construction market, the architecture doesn’t meet the changing needs of inhabitants, therefore, every day the housing market is more unaffordable because of the high demand for housing developments, lands scarce, etc. Architecture needs to be flexible to adjust itself to the current market. Since most of the relocations and high demands for building new housing projects occur when built spaces fail to meet their occupants’ growing needs. This thesis tries to find an alternative framework for designing a flexible one whereby architecture is shaped by the user’s needs and can adjust itself in a long period. This thesis also works on designing an environment that responds to the social, economic, and environmental needs of residents as one united community. Therefore, it uses a shared living idea as an affordable alternative for making houses cheaper and creating a more stable social environment for inhabitants. The content of this thesis is categorized upon the following narrative. Firstly, this thesis is trying to deepen its understanding of the matter of shared living and its possible advantages and disadvantages for producing stable social and economical infrastructure. For this purpose, it analyses a notion of shared living and shared economy through studying successful case studies. Secondly, by studying and utilizing metabolic design criteria, the thesis will form an understanding of a more sustainable approach toward architecture and built environment to design an affordable housing system that provides high quality of life for inhabitants through responding to their needs. Thirdly, the thesis will frame its design strategy based on shared living perspective and metabolic design criteria. The thesis then will illustrate its steps and methods to achieve flexible architecture through designing its module, structure, and material. Lastly, it will discuss its findings on how the shared living approach and metabolic philosophy can aid architects to design more sustainable housing units that can meet their resident’s needs through a long period and make strong social, economic, and environmental infrastructure.