Seamlessly Mobile?: Mobile Communication @ a Crossroads

2011 International Communication Association (ICA) Pre-Conference Workshop

May 25-26,

2011, Boston MA, USA

Mobile phones are becoming increasingly adept as ubiquitous tools that serve purposes beyond that of mere voice communication. How we conceptualize mobile‐mediated communication alongside computer‐mediated communication is less distinct as access to the Internet becomes more integrated into mobile phone devices. Are people moving toward a more seamless integration of mobile and computer media as supporting their communication needs? Is the integration of the Internet into mobile phones shifting how people conceptualize what it means to be “online” vs. “offline”? Does this shift in mobile communication bear any social consequences?