At your fingertips. Let do this 2Gether.

Such is the connected up and accelerated presence of the Geek Chic world it is always interesting when one pauses. And can take stock of the consequences of overly excessive (so the media would have us believe) forms of communication. Recently, following such criticism (‘blogging and Facebook, isn’t that just the biggest waste of time?’) I had tried to explain how such an ‘excessive’ focus and attention to social detail was in fact an essential life skill (and style) for the grown up world of the web. And so it is with delight that I'm in attendance of the Channel 4 led 2Gether Festival this week that provides opportunity to take a look at how digital technologies are changing our world. For better or for worse?

One of the major sources of confusion is ignorance over the functionality of blogging lifestyle and a connected social immersion. Misplaced concerns about the lack of quality contact and content in the context of social networking still lacks a clear and workable theorisation. I’ll be speaking on the Thursday and hope to engage with not only the ‘problems’ of such lifestyle, but to offer some solutions too.

The transformations of our culture, social structure and personal identity is as much about the disputed distinction between ‘quality’ face-to-face encounters compared to the ‘poorer’ mediated contact on SNSs and the rest of Web 2.0, as a lack of understanding about how to use such social tools.

So lets define this as a social speeding up of encounters. Communication is of the moment and for the moment. Missed that wall post? To respond two days later you’re either too late, or labelled as ‘neglectful’ of friends and ‘careless’ with messages. The speeding up and compression of actions puts an increased pressure on time. Unlike networks and social networking resources rather than being available in abundance time holds everyone accountable making contact scarce and if we are not careful a more harassed state.

Meanwhile time shifting aside on Thursday I’m going to enjoy the opportunity to meet and greet some of the best in other networks and create possibilities for change.

Masculine Parade

And so the iphone.

Now some of you are going to say that its only ‘envy’, and yes there is a certain level of lusting involved, but did anyone else find Apple’s launch of the iphone a tad over-masculinised?

I appreciate that as a Girl Geek, I am rather a rare creature compared to my male counterparts. Just take a look at the iphone queue; male geek, male geek, male geek, male… And I do hate to divide things along girl n boy lines; but runs through the store, high-fives, cheers and body slams does this not smack of testosterone over kill?

Where if I was queuing was my token Apple massage for example, free goody bag with say Burberry’s perfect accessory for the savvy and protective minded geek chic this season an iphone studded phone cover.

It doesn’t have to be everything for the boys, us Girl Geeks want in on the action too! Not least as my (male) friends’ iphone cover is well such a thing of horror that its encasement immediately transforms his most proud ‘appendage’ into something so unsightly that Ms Ugly Betty herself would be hard pressed not to gag at its vulgarity. Still there’s method in his bad taste inspired madness as his device is less than likely to be stolen, or drooled over for that matter. Apart from by me.

Too shallow? I hear you cry. Girls and boys this is the iphone, a gadget that (surprisingly for Apple) is not at the top of its innovation tree in terms of spec, but a device designed and destined for the beauty hall of fame of most desirable gadgets. Where ownership is about the ‘experience’ of the object and means a glazed look of satisfaction just by sending a text. I never thought SMSing could be so sensual. Mmm yummy. Plus if as my Silicon Valley contacts would have me believe for the first few days of iphone (pre)release lets just say there was a lust influx of above average male geek success in the courting department. Or maybe that just says something more about a lack of technique rather than any real ‘super’ powers of the iphone.

In terms of device appeal the iphone holds a high level of pure beauty fluidity, exquisite and feminine traits indeed. And yet on an unscientific account via The Guardian reporting only 7% of the queue were female. Does this mean that this device holds less Girl Geek appeal? Or did we all send our boyfriends down to sit in the queue and cold for us? Maybe we’ve already got ours via the States, unlocked it and marvelled at its key strokes. Whatever our reasons I hope we weren’t put off the crowds of male geek noise and parade of consumerism that Mr Apple sought to expertly concoct on a cold November morning.

Another version of this post appears on the Girly Geek blog, but I thought it particularly potent that it deserved exposure here too.