- Wired, Tuesday, November 29, 2005 11:15 AM
Wired has an interesting reporter's notebook about cell phone culture in Italy. Worldwide, Italy is second only to Hong Kong in its percentage of cell phone users, and has now become a leader
in 3G (third generation network) users, which means that many of their cell phones, including the reporter's, are capable of enhanced multimedia functions like video. These phones are also available
in the U.S., but are nowhere near mainstream. The author talks about how the video phone is transforming culture, about the aggressive flirting that goes on between men and women who can see but not
touch each other. She notes how even her most casual friends, comforted by the distance afforded by video phones, have brazenly asked her to "flash" them. Phone sex for the 21st century, indeed.
Read the whole story at Wired »