Keynote Address
James W. Gabberty
DPS, MBA
Associate Professor of Information Systems
Pace University

10:15 A.M. – 11:15 A.M. Robert Van Fossan Theater

Where are we heading?:  The implications of our growing appetite for techno-appliances on teaching, learning, and society.”  

The rapid rise of techno-appliances such as the Apple iPhone, PMP (portable media player), Blackberry,  GPS (global positioning system) and other handheld devices coupled with advances in operating systems (Microsoft Mobile version 6, Apple OS X, Media Player 11), wireless technologies (Bluetooth, EDGE, Wi-Fi), voice communication technology (GSM, CDMA), wireless data technologies (EV-DO, 3G, etc…) and other personal convergence technologies have given rise to a level of consumer sophistication unforeseen since the dawn of personal computing.

The implications of this interconnected community consisting of millions of [mostly] younger generation consumers - interconnected by voice, video, data and location - challenges consumer products companies striving to keep pace by developing increasingly complex software applications (‘2 nd life’, for example). The short-term results are clear to see but the long-term forecast of the way in which individuals, businesses, and other social structures will be affected is still unclear. What does the emergence of end-users’ infospheres portend from the perspective of higher education? social responsibility? Social entrepreneurship? Business and community leaders? In this talk, Dr. Jim Gabberty will discuss some of the ways we seem to be heading as our appetite for various techo-appliances continues to grow.

About James W. Gabberty