Why We Never Talk Anymore

[Commentary] In the last few decades, our daily modes of communication have changed entirely -- from voice to increasingly text and hopefully soon video based methods.

Today, I cringe at the idea of a phone call. Blame it on poor quality of the cell phone networks, but voice isn't much fun. Instead, I've replaced what was a standard mode of communication -- phones and faxes -- with newer, Internet-based communications. Despite their noisiness, email, instant messages, Twitter and Facebook are more appealing. As other people migrate to them as well, they are even more so. When I actually have to talk to someone, I can call, and for that I almost always use Skype, since it's on everyone's desk (so to speak), and is mostly free. All business-related calls are made from that account, making it easier to free myself from the office. So what do I do with my mobile phone? Well I use my BlackBerry Bold for sending e-mails and instant messages via Google Talk. For text messaging! Unlike my regular Rolodex, I have the 150 most important people in my life programmed into the device. According to the Nielsen Company, folks below the age of 24 text more often than using voice calls, with older people using more voice in correlation with their age. As more and more mobile natives grow older, we'll see text usage increase. Why not? It's immediate, simple and easy. More importantly, it has the intimacy of voice and efficiency of email. I bet in a few years, SMS will still be going strong, and voice will be replaced by something new entirely!