Connections Beta

"Eventually everything connects - people, ideas, objects. The quality of the connections is the key to quality per se." Charles Eames

How do people connect to others? Nokia? Connecting people? What exactly is Nokia doing? Allowing people to connect to others anywhere anytime with a device? How about those who do not own a Nokia phone? They do not communicate with others?

Of course they still do, but not via a Nokia phone. The phone itself is not a touchpoint, but a channel or platform which enables touchpoint to take place. Other channels include face-to-face, fax, telegraph, mail, email and instant messaging (IM) such as MSN and GTalk.

The penetration rate of mobile phone in Hong Kong in 2006 is around 130%, which implies that one Hongkonger owns more than one mobile phone.

If mobile phone is used as a measure of connectiveness among people, then Hong Kong should be a country full of warmth, since it has the highest penetration rate in the world. However, in one research report, Hongkong people are seen as selfish, harsh, and cunning.

People do not want to be disconnected. They develop every means to stay connected, which results in a flat world. However, how can there be a close bond if the communication is always done virtually and remotely?

There is no feel nor touch. There is simply no intimacy. Skype, MSN, ICQ, and all those IM tools... are they bringing everyone closer to each other, or are they separating people by providing a small cyber-space for everyone to shy away from everything?

What exactly connects people together?

Relevance? Common interests? Or serendipity?