Take the time to look around you sometime in a public setting. Observe the people around you. Sit on one of those benches at the mall and pay attention to what you see.
Yes, you will see shoppers, and there will be those who engage others in conversation. However, you will likely notice a husband calling his wife by cell phone to ask questions about a potential purchase. You will probably see many teens pulling out a cell phone or Blackberry to either read or send a text message. A husband exhausted from shopping might use a portable device to check emails, sports scores or news. A twenty-something will likely be walking with ear buds in place listening to the soundtrack of their own existence through a portable mp3 device.
Even more traditional shopping venues are being infiltrated with the predominate influence of alternative media. No matter where we go we can be in touch with virtually anyone from anywhere.
A husband needs to pick up something at a lawn and garden store while his wife needs something from a candle shop. They go to the shopping center in the same vehicle, but go different directions. They use cell phones to reconnect with each other when...