Abstract
The article proposes to model the phenomenon of the cell phone as
a wall-window. This model aims at explicating some of the
perceptions and experiences associated with cellular technology.
The wall-window model means that the cell phone simultaneously
separates the user from the physical surroundings (the wall), and
connects the user to a remote space (the window). The remote space
may be where the interlocutor resides or where information is
stored (e.g. the Internet). Most cell phone usage patterns are
modeled as a single dimension according to the level of distraction
or attention of the user. In order to accommodate nuanced situations
such as augmented reality, I suggest a two-dimensional layout: the
wall-window. The wall represents the attention to the immediate
physical environment, while the window represents the attention to
a remote space. The wall-window model further evolves once a
screen is woven into this layout. This addition is easily understood
due to the screen’s etymology, which is associated with the
concepts of shield or barrier. From a technical perspective, the
screen has become an integral part of the cell phone. Furthermore, a
screen itself is both a wall and a window. Lastly, once a cell phone
is supplemented with a screen, it is easier to refer to it as media.
And again, media fits into the wall-window model.