The Rise of the Convergence Device
When most people hear the term “convergence device”, they’ll likely think it’s some sort of science fiction device, some Star Trek McGuffin or other. However, if you look at the definition of the term, namely that it’s a device that combines the functionalities of several previously separate devices, things become a whole lot clearer pretty quickly. You see, most of us carry just such a convergence device on a daily basis, our smartphone, although in fairness, modern phones seem like something out of science fiction at times. They are however true convergence devices, combining a phone, media player, mobile office, games console and generally a pretty good camera all into one single device. Some of the latest models can even communicate with satellites, truly bringing these devices into Star Trek territory. However, for all their futuristic capabilities, it’s surprising just how long smartphones, and convergence devices in general, have been around. The term itself was coined all ...
