Always On

Hope and Fear in the Social Smartphone Era

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Pub Date 13 May 2021 | Archive Date 10 Jun 2021

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Description

We live at a time when billions have access to unbelievably powerful technology. The most extraordinary tool that has been invented in the last century, the smartphone, is forcing radical changes in the way we live and work - and unlike previous technologies it is in the hands of just about everyone.

Coupled with the rise of social media, this has ushered in a new era of deeply personal technology, where individuals now have the ability to work, create and communicate on their own terms, rather than wait for permission from giant corporations or governments. At least that is the optimistic view.

This book takes readers on a hectic ride through this turbulent era, as related by an author with a ringside seat to the key moments of the technology revolution. We will remember the excitement and wonder that came with the arrival of Apple's iPhone with all the promise it offered. We'll see tech empires rise and fall as these devices send shockwaves through every industry and leave the corporate titans of the analogue era floundering in their wake. We will see that early utopianism about the potential of the mobile social revolution to transform society for the better fade, as criminals, bullies and predators poison the well of social media. And we hear from those at the forefront of the tech revolution, including Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk, Tim Berners-Lee, Martha Lane-Fox and Jimmy Wales, to gain their unique insights and predictions for what may be to come.

Readers are immersed in the most important story of our times – the dramatic impact of hyperconnectivity, the smartphone and social media on everything from our democracy to our employment and our health. The final section of the book draws on the author's own personal experience with technology and medicine, considering how COVID-19 made us look again to computing in our battle to confront the greatest challenge of modern times.

We live at a time when billions have access to unbelievably powerful technology. The most extraordinary tool that has been invented in the last century, the smartphone, is forcing radical changes in...


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ISBN 9781472981172
PRICE £18.99 (GBP)

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Featured Reviews

This is a deeply personal book. Not just for the author – as he details the way technology has affected his Parkinson’s prognosis – but also for me. At times it feels like Rory has mined my work history for an array of tech anecdotes!

I was in the smartphone industry when the iPhone was launched. Rory perfectly captures the bewilderment of the tech sector, the frenzied reaction, the “this’ll-change-everything” mentality. The world was upended and Rory talks us through the ripples it caused in and beyond the industry.

Similarly, the behind-the-scenes view of the development of the Raspberry Pi is fascinating. I never knew just how tangled a path it took to get launched. We get the scoop on the false-starts and setbacks which, almost inevitably lead to great success. The ride through the explosive rise of social networking is similarly exciting – and he’s honest about where his predictions of success and failure were wide of the mark.

And then, we get the scoop on how it all went wrong. The rise of the web leads to the rise of the scammer. He expertly skewers the con-artists, self-promoting hucksters, and hype-chasers. The chapter on the Spinvox scandal is revelatory. A real insider’s view of the way a story develops and its repercussions for all involved. Musk gets a similar treatment. What starts with a promise to change the world is quickly shown to be hollow words from up with a cruel, ego-driven man.

The inevitable discussion on whether too much screen time is bad for the youth of today (probably not) is well handled. And the bizarre conspiracy theories around 5G are treated with the appropriate sympathy.

There’s a whole chapter on the NHSX Covid tracing app. Obviously I was extremely close to that story, but it’s an extremely fair assessment of its development. It is bizarre to see one’s sleepless nights captured and retold in the media!

And, in a flash, it’s over. I’d happily have read a dozen more chapters.

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An incredibly interesting look behind the scenes at the life of a longstanding BBC technology correspondent with a deep dive into the modern history of the smartphone era. While there is nothing new here for anyone who has been following technology news over the last two decades, this book is still a fascinating read through the stories of Rory Cellan-Jones' personal and professional experiences, such as meeting Elon Musk and Stephen Hawking for BBC interviews. It presents both sides of the technology-privacy argument that is becoming much more prominent with Amazon Alexa, Google and Apple invading our homes more than ever. A recommended read for anyone with at least a little curiosity in the evolution of smartphone technology to where we are today.

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An entertaining, readable look at the major changes brought about by smartphones and social media which explains things so that you don't need to be a geek to follow. Even when extending further into AI, bitcoin and such like Cellan-Jones explains complex ideas and technology in a very easy way.
This book allows the reader the chance to think about their own use of smartphones and social media, the impact it's having on our lives (both good, bad and yet undecided) and also has a section about the role that it's played during the Covid pandemic.
Thoroughly recommend this as a starting point for further discussion about where we're going, the ethics of the companies involved and our data, and what will undoubtedly be seen as a period of huge technological and social history change in years to come.

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