Putting 2.7 billion in context: Mobile phone users
A completely fascinating article by Tomi T Ahonen, which is a must read for most. The article compares mobile technology with that of the car, the phone (land-line), the TV and other life / culture changing technology.
Some of his findings are startling but on reflection, not surprising.
More phones sold last year than the total installed base of personal computers in use. Out of the 950 phones sold last year, two in three had built-in cameras, 30% had MP3 players. Four out of five had colour screens. All 950 million could access the web (at least via WAP), and all 950 million could send and receive SMS text messages. Over two in three were high speed; while one in five phones sold last year was a 3G phone.
Read Putting 2.7 billion in context: Mobile phone users.