Cell Phone - All you need when you leave your house

Starbucks' acceptance of electronic payments via a mobile application puts the company ahead of the curve on the technology front.  The move by Starbucks is an example of the first step in the further advancement of mobile devices as we know them.  There is a vision among mobile device innovators of a world where the only thing a person needs to carry with them when they hit the road is their cell phone.  Starbucks adopting this payment process demonstrates that the corporate world is open to the vision as well.

Near Field Communication could possibly expand into the future mainstream form of payment.  Much like it is hard to imagine the world today without credit and debit cards, there is a strong likelihood that we won't be able to imagine the world in ten years without NFC.  Mobile device companies would like to see credit card companies move their cards into smart phones via NFC.  If this were completely integrated, many people would not need their wallet anymore as they could scan their phone at store counters for all purchases, just like consumers can do now at Starbucks.

Another future wave of technology for mobile devices is the installation of RFID.  This technology adds day to day convenience for employees that do a lot of their work out of the office. But wait, it gets better.   With RFID technology, key fobs (the car keys that are now used among many brands that allows push start in vehicles) can be integrated into smart phones, as documented at thecarconnection.com.  The way this works is that a vehicle can sense when the key fob is around the car and allows the person to push the ignition button to start the car.  If this technology makes it on to the mobile device, there will be no need to carry around car keys.

Today, when a person leaves their home to go to work or anywhere else, they typically carry their wallet, car keys, and cell phone.  In the future, the only thing they may need is the cell phone.  Society is always looking for speed and convenience.  Therefore, NFC, along with all the other potential technologies, will be desired by consumers and companies.  Because of this I believe Starbucks' new electronic payment app is here to stay and expand with one caveat: 10 years from now, don't lose your smart phone.

Referenced: http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.fiu.edu/docview/215959329/12D0AFE48571E7AF7C4/4?accountid=10901

http://www.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1044760_coming-soon-smart-key-fobs-and-corresponding-smartphone-apps

Cracking Down on Music Piracy

Governments across the globe are continuously passing legislation in efforts to combat piracy. Recent efforts have been well documented in this article. Countries of note are China and Mexico, which have some of the highest piracy rates in the world.  The article shows how not only the developed countries, but all countries are doing their part in an effort to reduce music piracy.

The problem is that these laws tend to be a step behind the latest innovations in music piracy.  It is practically impossible for legislation to keep up with any kind of technology so music piracy is an issue that will persist for years to come.  Governments can only do their best to limit music piracy and their campaign against pre-release music piracy is a step in the right direction.

The future of music piracy is more of the same.  Governments can continue to crack down on certain programs and sites, but other innovators will continue to find loopholes and create new technology to keep music piracy alive.  The main reason the illegal industry will continue to prosper is because of the high demand for free music.  The majority of that demand comes from young consumers with a small source of disposable income, which will always drive them towards cheaper alternatives, in this case free.

I believe that if piracy were to ever be eliminated, it would have to be done by cutting down the demand for free music.  Without demand, there is no incentive for individuals to create new programs that provide pirated music.  However, the issue of eliminating demand is a very difficult one that will require millions of dollars and likely would not be undertaken by any government.

Referenced: Birmingham Post http://www.lexisnexis.com.ezproxy.fiu.edu/hottopics/lnacademic/