I like to keep abreast of the technology industry in general, and one of the recent articles published by the inquirer piqued my interest.

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1932583/offers-unlimited-smartphones

Its all about data plans from '3' and how they have gone from a 1 gig limit to an unlimited tariff.

The problem with the article is this quote, from Marc Allera, Three's sales and marketing director.

"We expect to see more people using mobiles than PCs to access the internet by 2015."

It's the sort of sensationalist statement that is supposed to create a band-wagon, let alone entice people to jump on it.

My point is that the mobile revolution is already here. It is taking place already. People are subtly integrating smart mobile devices into heir everyday life, without really realising it. The statement above is supposed to make you think, "Hey why aren't I using my phone for all my surfing! I need to do that too!".

The reality is far different. Your home pc (or Mac) is a multi functioning beast. It plays the role of several different appliances, all happily bundled into one. You surf, play games, do your banking, watch TV and a whole host of other activities, because it is an adaptable technology platform.

Your smart mobile device is not a replacement product. It's not even in competition.

To quote a recent argument I was involved in, if a PC/Mac is a 'Car' then a smart mobile device is a 'motorbike'. They both fulfil similar roles, but in totally different ways. Just as you would use each type of transport for specific journeys, you would use your pc/phone for different tasks. To suggest that the functionality of the two is totally interchangeable is wrong.

Suggesting that more people are going to use a mobile to browse the internet on does not signify an increase in mobile browsing, it signifies a fundamental shift in how people use the internet. And that sort of social change is never driven by technology.