Mobile Technology

Washington Post staff writer Ellen McCarthy was online Tuesday, Aug. 2, at 11 a.m. ET to discuss how wireless devices, media players and portable computers are affecting people's lives.

On Sunday, she wrote about a man who's addicted to his BlackBerry. It was part of a special mobile device guide, called Gadgets to Go , that included an audio photo gallery produced by McCarthy and washingtonpost.com photographer Hunter Wilson.

A transcript follows.

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Ellen McCarthy: Thanks for popping into this chat today. I'd love to hear your thoughts and stories about the way technology is changing modern life, so fire away....

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Arlington, Va.: People have been "addicted" to new advices for years, walkmen, the first cell phones. What's different today?

Ellen McCarthy: I'm not sure anything's different today, except there are more gadgets around for us to be addicted to. Folks who wouldn't dream of carrying around a walkman now find themselves addicted to satellite radio because they can listen to virtually every ball game being played on earth. I suspect that even people who are self-proclaimed technophobes are finding themselves drawn into the cell phone world, if nothing else.

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Alexandria, Va.: My first reaction is to tell these "addicts" to get a life. But I guess they would argue that their lives are enhanced by the gadgets.

Ellen McCarthy: Right. In truth, that was my initial reaction too. But after spending some time with these people, it became clear that they see these gadgets as enablers--tools that let them get more out of life. I don't think that's the case for everyone, but for these people it certainly is.

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Fairfax: Currently mobile content is focused on games for the 13 to 25 age groups. Do you see a market for people aged 25 or higher for categories other than games? If so, in what areas?

Ellen McCarthy: The companies selling mobile technology definitely see a market for the over-25 population. I think games are part of that, but so is news, weather, music, entertainment and traffic information.

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Los Angeles, CA: I have no problem with the proliferation of mobile technology...it's the lack of common courtesy in the use of the devices that irks me. I don't care how melodic a tune your device plays...I don't want to hear it! I don't care how good a conversationalist you are...I don't wan't to hear it! Am I the only one?

Ellen McCarthy: Uh, no, you're not the only one. I'm not sure it's going to get any better, though. We might be stuck with other people's conversations for a while now...

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Fairfax, VA: PDAs, cel phones, mp3 players, cameras....

I predict one of two things will happen in the next few years:

- either everything will get crunched into a cell phone blackberry-like thing or

- guys will be carrying pocketbooks, like we've been doing forEVER. They'll toss in their wallet and checkbook, they'll call them gadget bags, but all they need is a compartment for makeup and they'll be purses.

Ellen McCarthy: Ha ha ha. I love the pocketbook prediction. It HAS been a problem for guys, though, hasn't it? First there was the belt clip solution and then the ensuing backlash. Phones are getting smaller, but they're not small enough yet. You could be right about the market for a gadget bag. Our we could bring back the fanny pack...

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Washington, D.C.: OK, what devices are you addicted to?

Ellen McCarthy: The honest answer is that I'm not a huge gadget addict. I carry a cell phone, of course, and have become a fan of text messaging, but that's really about it.

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Silver Spring, MD: These addicts might think their lives are enhanced. But what about the people around them? My personal and business relations suffer if the person I'm talking to is interrupted by a cell phone call, blackberry message, etc.

Ellen McCarthy: I think there are a lot of technology-related etiquette questions to be worked out. Whole books could be written on this, but would anybody listen? I suspect not.

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Dearborn MI: I was thinking of this question just yesterday.

I bought my first laptop in 1998, prior to this I only used Internet connected computers at work or a very slow Apple dial up at home. Now I'm constantly using my new laptop, working from home, often on the Internet, it seems that only while cooking/eating or sleeping do I ever put it down.

Though I'd hardly noticed it, and am just started considering it, I'm not sure this is a good/healthy lifestyle at all.

Ellen McCarthy: I think you have to figure out what works for you. If the computer is making you more productive AND bringing you joy, then I don't see a problem. If you feel like it's taking you away from other things, however, unplugging for an hour a day might be a worthy experiment.

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From a guy: Instead of hard leather-covered attache cases, now we all have soft-sided briefcases with shoulder straps... sometimes they have computers in them, but in my case it's a bunch of other stuff.

Ellen McCarthy: But what about Saturdays? Do you carry the briefcase then?

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Alexandria, VA: Are there really that many people who are willing to download contents to their cell phones, either for a one-time charge or a subscription? I am surprised by how popular Verizon's GetItNow has become, for example. I admitted I browsed throughout it just out of curiosity, but have never thought about paying for them.

Ellen McCarthy: Unlike the Internet, people are accustomed to paying for content on their cell phones. And there is a built in payment mechanism, since consumers are already getting billed monthly by the carrier. Ring tones and games are already a huge business, and it's only projected to grow.

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Bethesda, MD: The current issue (August) of MIT's Technology Review has a cover story on a similar subject, which the author (Wade Roush) calls the device influx "continuous computing". Your article is a great partner to that piece.

Will access to the Post's pieces remain on-line with free access beyond the usual two weeks? I have been linking to them and particularly pointing to the audio pieces, which are brilliant.

Ellen McCarthy: Thanks. I am told by our very talented moderator that the story will be online for more than two weeks.

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Connecti, ON: Here's a guerilla tactic for those situations where you're, say, in a restaurant or a grocery store line and someone is carrying on a truly inappropriate cell-phone conversation: Repeat everything they say, only much louder. Not for the faint of heart, but effective.

Ellen McCarthy: Wow, that's quite a strategy.

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Burke, Va.: The people you showed in your photo gallery all look young. Do you think that'll bode well for device sales as they mature and can't break the addiction?

washingtonpost.com: Our Technology, Ourselves

Ellen McCarthy: Oh, of course. Young people devoted to technology will be just as devoted as they age. That means constant upgrades to cell phones, blackberries and fancy televisions. And new generations will just want more...

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Cuba, New York: If anyone is thinking about writing (or adding a web-page) a technology etiquette book, perhaps a section about walking on a busy sidewalk with cell phone and blackberry in hand. Bumping into other people and infrastructure, dangerous and annoying!

And as for the man-tech-bag thing, a macho bag shaped like a tool box will probably be just the thing! Folks need to go on vacation for a week, forget the 'stuff' and see how much they enjoy people and nature.

Ellen McCarthy: A tool box, huh? I hope we have some fashion designers listening. I'm also happy to report that the gadget addict I profiled is now away at a week-long improve theater workshop where he won't have access to any of his technologies.

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Arlington, VA: What's your opinion on the recently proposed Samsung/XM mp3/sat-radio player? (Wow, that made for lots of slashes.)

I wonder why it hadn't been suggested before, frankly.

Ellen McCarthy: Convergence, convergence, convergence. I imagine its only a matter of years before that device will have all of those capabilities and a four slice toaster attached.

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Washington D.C.: I think the reason gadgets are so hot is because we live in a grab and go society - I mean look at how much the fast food industry has skyrocketed, not to mention food delivery both from restaurants and even grocery stores, people want things NOW, and that's where blackberries, cell phones etc come in to play, you don't have to wait to talk, do business, or jot down a note and its all handier and less person to person involved than using a pay phone or an Internet cafe.

Ellen McCarthy: Great point. I think technology is certainly changing our society, but society is also demanding technologies that can keep up with the pace of our lives now.

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Ellen McCarthy: Thanks for hanging out for this hour, everyone. Feel free to e-mail me with any other tech-related thoughts, mccarthye@washpost.com.

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Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.