Infrastructure in My Daily Life

Infrastructure in My Daily Life
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Infrastructure in My Daily Life
Infrastructures are not transparent for everybody, and their workability becomes increasingly complex as they scale up. They might be easier to use, but harder to see (Bowker & Star, 1999). Currently, smartphones have become ubiquitous, and the population owning these electronic devices has been rapidly increasing. These gadgets have the high processing power, and the technology used to make them is highly dynamic, meaning the hardware and software change within a short period. Smartphones enable people to communicate effectively by calling, texting, or video calling. They also connect to the Internet, making it easy for users to engage in a myriad of activities. For instance, users can access social media platforms, send email messages, transfer money, take photos and share with others on the web, and entertain themselves by listening to music among other numerous things.
As an infrastructure, smartphones make various things possible. For instance, individuals can communicate with others regardless of their geographical location, transact online, purchase things online, book flights, make hotel reservations, and businesses can keep in touch with their customers. Despite smartphones being easier to use, not many people understand how they work. Users just carry them around to use when the need arises without minding the complexity of these electronic devices. A smartphone is an infrastructure that enables and constrains my everyday life.
Embeddedness
Infrastructure comprises or is founded by other technologies, social arrangements, and structures (Bowker & Star, 1999). Smartphones are embedded or sunk into other structures, including the computer system, battery, memory, sensors, and camera. The social arrangements of these gadgets make it easier for individuals to use. For example, users can take photos and store them on the device. When the smartphone is connected to the Internet, the stored pictures can be shared with others on social media platforms. In addition, individuals can create and edit documents using various apps. The most significant thing about smartphones is that they use or are compatible with other technologies, including hardware and software. For instance, users can download various apps depending on what they want to achieve. When one wants to edit a photo, an individual can download a Photoshop for the smartphone. If the person wants to call for free when connected to the Internet, one can use WhatsApp, Viber, or Skype. Moreover, a smartphone can get connected to a tablet, laptop, and desktop using a cable or Bluetooth to share files.
Reach or Scope
Reach or scope entails temporal or spatial, meaning that the infrastructure can reach beyond one-site practice or a single event (Bowker & Star, 1999). Currently, smartphones are used in different parts of the globe. They have become very powerful communication tools since they are portable. Regardless of the type or brand of smartphone that a person is using, the user can communicate with others without challenges. The broadband network and the Internet make it possible for individuals to communicate. Smartphones can be used beyond a single event since they are not only meant for calling or texting. They can take photos and enable users to edit them. Furthermore, users can carry crucial data with these electronic devices or create hotspots to enable them to connect other devices, such as computers to the web.
Learned as Part of Membership
This section entails the organizational arrangements and taken-for-grantedness of artifacts in a community of practice. New participants are naturally familiarized with the object as they become members (Bowker & Star, 1999). So far, social worlds or communities of practice do not take smartphones for granted, but they rely on these objects. Smartphones are vital electronic devices that have transformed the communication industry. They have made it possible for individuals to stay in touch. Many communities rely on these gadgets to communicate, share information, see what is happening globally, share photos, contribute to discussion forums, enroll in online courses, transact online, and search for relevant information in various fields.
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