In a recent conversation with a local university chair, we talked a good bit about the motivations behind an initiative like MMM and its eventual aims. One of these aims is to fill in some of the gaps that other areas of our various societies commonly find need. In context to that college, one of those gaps is within education.

Education is one part learning the necessary skills to succeed in the current environment, and another enabling the skillets to sustain life in future environments. As one educational professional put it (paraphrase) we don’t teach kids today to deal with our technology challenges, but the ones they will encounter when they enter the workforce/adult world in 2025.

This means that we aren’t advocating digital learning methods or multimedia communication channels because they are the hip thing to do, but because in the context of the world that is developing, these will be the primary (or only) channels, and our ability to both see the current and develop for the future is key to growth.

Our opinion here is that there’s a lot of creative and intellectual capital in churches that can and should be used for this. Not just in the respect of making Bibles available, or putting our message on every communication channel possible – but we have the potential to fill in gaps where policy or traditional methods are failing or aren’t sufficient.

My friend, in our conversation yesterday, pointed to a simple but profound question: if school districts can no longer afford social and creative educational programming, why wouldn’t the local church seek to fill that need because they have the need of trained producers for such efforts? If there is a problem with the reading and comprehension levels of students in some socio-economic classes, yet there are several churches in the community, why wouldn’t they band together to create the learning and elearning curriculums and resources to feed the need?

If you will, the technology in our hands allows us to be mortar to some of the walls that badly need attention around us. What is stopping us from addressing the gaps, or rather, what do we need to develop within our contexts to become the mortar to the walls around us?

Whenever the subject of reading the Bible comes up, there’s this beautiful mixture of terms. Some would refer to the content, while others about the literal bound pages. Since we’ve already talked about the future of publishing and bible software, let’s take a look at the literal book and some possibilities that the two already spoken for areas will have towards this definition.

Digital Isn’t to Be Assumed
Much like we are seeing on the side of publishing, the future of the book is that of the book being a digital container before it reclaimed as a print one. This doesn’t mean that everyone will always default to a digital bible, but that the ease of getting, annotating and keeping content will fall first to a digital construct than that of an analog one.

Don’t agree? Let’s take a similar position as Fraser Speirs who has embarked on a project where grade school-aged kids have been given iPads and as an educational community, are learning the good and bad about the book being first digital. Here’s something that stuck out from a recent post that you should probably also consider here:

#4: Won’t the children lack “proper” computer skills?

Define ‘proper’, ‘computer’ and ‘skills’. Now define them as commonly understood in the year 2023, which is when a pupil starting today will leave school.

I’ve never taught to specific software packages and never will. Of course, we have to use actual real software, but there’s a big difference between “teaching Excel” and “teaching spreadsheets”. Don’t forget we still have MacBooks and iMacs too.

This is a constant tension in educational technology: do you teach for the current “business environment” or do you teach for learning? I prefer the latter. I’m not doing this just to produce the next generation of cubicle fodder.

A child graduating our school this year started school when the Apple Pippin was still current. How can I possibly know what specific technologies will be used in their career? It’s beyond absurd to even pose the question.

In some respects, going digital will look like this. In the meantime, we can see going digital meaning that our Bibles in content take on this form of being digital, but then we use devices such as the iPad or BlackBerry Playbook to augment the print text with a set of digital reference materials.

Flipping Screens or Waving Lights
Once we get past the initial hardware of the device, we have to start thinking about interactions and input. In this post-iPhone era of mobile computing, everything starts with the touch and swipe methodology. And we’ve seen that when it is executed well – and content follows – that the experience isn’t just pleasing, but it also offer a heightened engaged experience (re: Flipboard for the iPad)).

There are a few examples towards what this can look like, but here are a few that I think are closer to the current decade than many others. The first is a conceptual mobile interface from Mozilla Labs called Seabird. The second a user experience video from TAT displaying how someone manages several screens in the year 2014 in an environment that’s meshed and connected with contextual information – to this video, concentrate on the interactions of the person at the workstation as that follows our discussion more closely.

As we can see here, the idea of a physical device is more or less falling away, and the point is the best ways to interact with the content. I will agree that some of the possibilities describe usage scenarios that are at best very optimistic, but then again, what were you doing with mobile devices six years ago versus now (that would be when MMM started compared to today)?

Paper’s Re-purposing
I have to admit, I only know a few people that really like the feel of paper. Most people only know how to get information from a paper, and so that’s where their mental models are stabilized. And as such, there’s a good chance that paper just won’t go away, but it will find a more valuable purpose (replacement and transformation; an example of this in progress here).

Take a look at the periodicals section of any bookstore. Now run your hands over various magazine, ignoring the content, but paying attention to textures, colors, and the feel of the paper. Notice something? The magazines that you take hold of denote this feeling of permanence and quality that’s just not matched by other magazines. Take a feel of those pieces that are published quarterly versus monthly or weekly; notice how these feel. There’s a weighter feel, they are thicker and the paper stock is notably better. This is the future of paper, and specifically when it comes to Bibles, we can expect to see some similar transformations.

Not that we really need more versions of the Bible to choose from, but we will see better quality versions. I’d argue that we might see a trimming of some of the fluffy versions, and see more attention to type and detail since paper will have to fight for that more ingrained role – a return to the family Bible perhaps?

Still Carried, Less Stigmatized
I don’t think that every context will be fine without carrying a Bible, even in today’s rising tide of those who preach from their iPad, there are questions about whether a traditional print Bible is more comfortable for the viewing audience or not.

What is clear though is that the traditional definitions of a book are being challenged, and this is good. We should now begin asking questions around whether its fine or not to just have the text in traditional places for show, or spoken for in digital devices where the proof of it is displayed in our lives and communities.

A physical Bible still makes a pronouncement towards where you stand and whom you stand with. And even between those ground which disagree about how to interpret, there is an understanding that if a Bible is present, that a conversation can begin.

Recalling a recent movie, The Book of Eli, and the scene at the end where the Bible was placed on a bookshelf with several other books of faith – this was the only book that was held in such esteem to not only have the power to cause the issues which backgrounded the movie, but also have the power to restore life to those left behind. The physical book was a sign of the power that we who believe on it carry; but without living what was on those pages, or being able to read it, people were domed to die in their ignorance. Will people believe that not having the traditional, paper-bound Bible that they don’t have the same power to live the text? Or, will engaging the text first from a digital context cause life to happen differently, and with a slightly different hue than it had previously? We’re still early, and that script is yet to be written.

Here at MMM, much of the topic selection and the resulting posts and research is driven by what we measure across several categories within mobile. We’ve noticed though that some content gets your eye balls moreso than some areas, and so we’d like to know from you what would you like to see MMM cover more or less of?

This week, MMM participated with WIP at the Verizon Developer Conference. We were invited by WIP to annotate the UnPanel session on day two, but ended up contributing towards one of the session conversations on cross-platform development.

As many developers find out quickly, and some users have figured out as they have gotten into Google Android-powered mobile devices, or have moved from one mobile platform to another, there are times when applications or content just doesn’t work so well. We kind of think about data as being something that is easy to transfer from one platform to another, but such doings are ripe with challenges and opportunities. At the Verizon Developer Conference (VDCC), we participated in facilitating a few panel discussions on cross-platform development and some of the challenges. The following three items came up the most in these conversations.

Fragmentation
The number one issue that developers said that they faced when trying to take an application, or apply a service across several mobile devices, is this issue of fragmentation. Fragmentation is basically when you have a single platform (for example Google Android), but there are variances in how that platform is implemented across devices. These variances can include input mechanisms (touch, keyboard, etc.), application program interfaces (APIs) which talk to hardware or services, and even carrier-specific functionality which doesn’t line up across the same device on different carriers (for example, cell ID information).

What happens is that when a new update to a platform comes out, or an offshoot of a current platform is produced, developers have to code their applications and/or services to account for these changes. And especially in the case of non-Apple iOS devices (where things are commonly similar across all of these devices), this causes the developer to have to spend more time acquiring the resources to test and approve their software across these variant platforms.

One of the things that frequently came to mind is the challenge that many of the developers of Bible software have towards this issue. I wonder how many of you deal with fragmentation, and whether you share the opinion that this isn’t something that’s going away, but might be solved with better tools?

Communication
Another impact to cross-platform development that was talked about in these sessions was that of communication with the carrier. For example, while fragmentation is an issue, developers who are proactive would like to hear from the carrier something towards devices, APIs, etc. which might not be support or might change when platforms are updated so that they can be faster able to adapt their products to those new devices.

On the carrier side, its difficult to respond to everyone individually, and so carrier involvement in developer networks, standards bodies, and a general attention to being open in communication is something that Verizon and others are doing a lot more of. The challenge for them (of course) is to be open without impacting their abilities to continue to offer differentiated products and services.

To you who are developers, or even users, what kinds of communication strategies would you like to see from developers, carriers, and other service providers to better allow you to make the move from one platform to another? Or, does this even matter, do you just need things to work?

Up-to-Date Market Information
Of the many issues that developers can have in making sure that they have a solid application or service, one of their challenges is making sure that they have up-to-date market information about platforms. Verizon’s Developer Center has some upcoming things in this area, as do some other developer networks. But, this is still the challenge.

As a resource and analyst, one of the challenges is always to promote the statistics and the information that allows developers to make sound decisions towards where they can make solid applications. For example, you will never hear MMM tell you that Symbian isn’t a good platform to develop for, unless your target audience for your content is in an area where Symbian is not a primary focus for the carrier/user base. In the same accord, as a developer, you have to broaden your research and analysis horizons beyond just those persons who are “louder” about what positions they have, and make sure that you are seeing those folks who are holding a contrary viewpoint.

That being said, it is difficult for many people to both develop an application/service, and keep on top of market trends. What would you like to see more of in terms of getting up-to-date market information for your respective target audiences? Where do you go for information now, and are those areas sufficient?

Conclusion
During the time at the Verizon Developer Conference, I was exposed to a subset of some of the general opinions that I hear developers go through. Much of MMM’s viewpoints are formed and spoken of in global contexts – this was a chance to center in on a specific US (only) carrier and what issues matter to them.

Stay tuned as in a future post we’ll talk some about these specific challenges and opportunities. And what you can do as developers and as a notable target market (re: faith-based organizations) to make your applications more visible and profitable both spiritually and economically.

This past weekend, got a chance to connect with some closet friends and had a great time with them. And while the iPad did make a solid appearance, and had its own space to be part of the show; the benefit of things was the fact that I was able to put the devices down.

Mobile devices are indeed something well entrenched into the fabric of many of our social moments. There’s calling people, sending pictures and messages, checking in to social networks, and even getting information about things going on around you. In some respects, mobile can play as that extended appendage.

And then there’s that other side of it where mobile is a distraction. You know, you are in that big quiet room and then someone’s mobile goes off. Or, you are in that family gathering and just the appearance of a mobile during that time sends the conversation and eyes of those around you into a sour place. Mobile is an extension, but in some places, that muscle better not be stretched so far.

The latter aspect of mobile was noted to me this weekend by a teenager. She likes her mobile, she likes what mobile can do. But she expressed how her parent’s use of mobile sometimes makes her feel as if she doesn’t count. I can remember being told similar by frinds when I’ve been too attached to my mobile and so it made me stand up and take notice. I started looking at how the parents used their mobile and it was definitely a mirror moment.

What was the reflection? Mobile is a solitary experience. There’s no amount of social networking that can take away from the feeling that others around you get when you dive into that small screen and take care of whatever it is that you want to deal with – but isolates you from those who desire/need you attention.

What causes us to go into that space and not even realize that others are being left out of our lives? The spiritual answer is pride, but I’d rather stay away from that for the moment. I’d like to ask about the perception of the user. When you are using your mobile, do you have any recognition of people around you? Do you pay attention to those times you are diving into your mobile where others are invested into your attention or time?

I know several project mangers who have spoken at length about this and it was simply hard for them to recognize initially. They were focused on a task that reached over into another place and time, and lost focus on the right-now. Many times, when they got back to that place of recognition, they realized all the time they left from loved ones. All the time they missed getting things done because they simply wanted to answer a notification and got lost soon after.

The solution is simple. Pay more attention to your surroundings and make the decision to put your device down. Just put it down and pay attention to your family, the fresh air, your congregation, your business… to God. Fathelessness can also happen when you are sitting right beside your daughter, more entrenched into Twitter than you are into them. Hope this blesses you.

Suffice to say, MMM has probably been a bit too late to the party with Twitter adoption (and don’t get us started about Facebook). But, the fact of the matter is that it does come in handy considering the wealth of content that contributes to the content here.

We aren’t stingy, and so in respect to those of you who might not see the things that happen at MMM’s Twitter account (@mobileminmag), here’s a breeze through of some of the wealth of content we’ve retweeted over the past weeks:

• @mcleod A Simple Request | Dangerously Irrelevant http://bit.ly/b9DIrH
• @NetsizeGuide @eLearningGuild: Mobile Learning Requires New Thinking in Measurement by Chad Udell : http://t.co/6ATFh50
• @arjwright: A Beautiful and Humbling Lesson on Values http://bit.ly/bc0xVw
• @camanpour: Obama told @GStephanopoulos that the pastor’s plan to burn Korans is “completely contrary to our values as Americans” http://bit.ly/cgpMjA
• @youversion: Bible App for Android gets updated! Read more on our blog – http://bit.ly/9kGv9z
• @andreascon: In next few years, the mobile industry will be shaken up by disintermediation much like the music industry did. Adaptability is survival.

There are a ton more that we rock through. And like any good person on Twitter, we have our share of generated content too (including the posts from this site).

So, if you are ever wondering where some of the homework comes from for content here, and how we lean on the relationships and knowledge that other industries have generated conversations about, take a peek towards MMM at Twitter, and join a nice conversation or two.

Our good friends over at WIP are this week’s host for the Carnival of the Mobilists. This week’s postings pick up on topics such as mobile development practices, marketing in the Brazilian mobile marketplace, and an assortment of other topics around the early fall season. Makes for a nice read and good net of what’s happening around mobile in several areas. Grab a cup of coffee and a quiet place and check it out.

…What will happen when the untapped knowledge of every patient, of every caregiver, of everyone who has something of value to share actually has the opportunity to share it?

That’s the next frontier.  It is no longer about access.  It’s about uploads. It’s about inputs.  It’s about learning from each other.

Patients are not the only ones who can benefit from this new model of participatory medicine. Institutions can too.

E-patient Dave deBronkart is a tech geek who also happens to be a cancer survivor. He used CaringBridge during his illness to stay in touch with his friends and family. He used ACOR to gather expert peer advice about kidney cancer. He used Beth Israel’s PatientSite to keep up to date on his treatments and communicate with his doctors.

Excellent post reflecting on and looking at the implications of the accessibility of information because of the advances made, and the advances that will come, in mobile and social web technologies as it relates to health management at the Pew Internet and American Life Project website. Read the rest of The Power of Mobile here.

It definitely is a matter of when, not if, mobile will take a larger role not just in health, but in education, government, and faith-based pursuits. What are some of these implications, and how do you approach these changes in light of what you want to use, and what’s being marketed to you?

Some of the insightful comments and approaches to mobile and web technology comes from the hearts and mouths of kids that I run across. Whether its their impressions of a device that I have, or just their general curiosity, there’s something about them (and some retirees) which grants a view into this paradigm shift in ways that only deep research seems to expose.

For example, this past weekend, I sat down with twin 10yr olds to talk about technology, their interests, and to offer them some wisdom on how to move forward. Now, your first thought might be, “they’re 10 – they will probably change their minds a few dozen times before they are 13. Why speak to them about this subject?” But, that’s just it. If their imaginations and passions are sparked now, and then matured and cultivated by parents, teachers, and other community members, these small passions become the actions by adults which change the world.

As we sat to chat, one of the twins asked me about the microprocessor in my iPad, and started to detail much of what he read by researching on Google (and elsewhere) about its internal components. He could tell me all that he read, but didn’t understand how it worked. I was delightfully surprised and took the time to answer his question – and give him and his brother some unsupervised time on my iPad.

You see, these kids were already acute to the abilities of using search engines to find the high-level information towards those things they are interested in. They were well acquainted with both the Internet their parents know, and the one their parents don’t want them to see. And like some kids I’ve come across, they are very respectful of those persons that will take the time with them to talk to them about their interests, and how they could use them right now to move forward, and what it could look like in the future.

These kids aren’t starting from penmanship classes with $2 calculators. They have mobile phones with unlimited SMS plans, and have already figured out how to connect IM, Facebook, and their parent’s email to them. They are curious to a fault. And are simply asking to be directed.

Their father and I talked about me coming to sit with them ever 2-3 months to see how they are progressing with tech and life, and to continue to give them pointers. I’m not just serving the kids, I’m also enabling the parents to understand the kind of knowledge that these kids are willing to find on their own. The parents need a means to cultivate this into mature understanding, and later wisdom in application.

I believe that as we see the age for kids with mobile and web access come down (some areas this is as young as 7/8, in the US its 11/12), we will see the need to cultivate this kind of conversation with them so that they don’t just get enamored with the shiny, but that they also learn the implications of the world that will soon be theirs to shape and mold.

So the next time you ask someone to speak to you like a 4th grader, just remember, the bar for what these kids know is a lot higher than what it was for you in some areas. Be prepared to address some heady topics, while cultivating the wisdom and understanding of things relevant  to both them and you, but which are also needed for a child that age to mature.

Over this summer, I’ve been blessed to meet and fellowship with Chip Furr. Chip is a pretty energetic guy, and as I’m finding out, he lives his life in such a way that there’s nothing between him and life except this thin place where God exists, manifests Himself, and [frequently] shocks all senses of things logical and normal. And my life this life that he lives, Chip’s book Thin Places, describes and leads the reader towards a startling end question: “are you all-in when it comes to your relationships with God, or content sitting on the sidelines?”

Thin Places is a collection of 17 stories, formatted and spoken more like journal entries, which describe some of these collisions between Chip and God – either directly or indirectly – and how they have compelled him to reflect on the actuality of the presence of God in our everyday lives. As a reader, you are taken through these entries and left to ponder this account of these God-happenings, while also being asked to consider your own run-ins with thin places between yourself and God.

One of the more positive notes about Thin Places is the set of questions (just three) which appear at the end of each entry. It almost creates a devotional-like approach to the book which allows you to take time and process not only the content of the entry, but your own response to God and life at these moments.

Though, there’s not a need to reflect. The format of the entries, and brevity of Thin Places (156pgs) allows you to read as fast or as slow as you’d like. I was able to finish the entire book in about 6hrs – but have it already scheduled to be read again, and take some different approaches towards some of those entries which struck my heart a bit hard.

On the negative side, some readers might find the swapping between journal/entries and teaching paragraphs a bit jarring. Much of Chip’s career as a pastor-teacher shines through, and while its helpful to get those teaching moments, some might feel that these might have been better left towards another edition of Thin Places, or even an end-chapter lesson for each entry.

Overall, I have to give a hearty recommendation to Thin Places. It is probably not a book for everyone – but it is the kind of book that almost anyone can get something from. In some respects, it reminds me of a few books which claim spirituality, but it offers that grounding in Christ without option that so many of those books often bring. About the only thing missing from Thin Places is a version for mobile devices/Kindles. I’m sure that will come in time given how much God’s already moved this project forward.

For more information about the author, and to purchase Thin Places, visit Chip Furr’s website.