There is a great article (by Sara Corbett) in this week’s The NY Times Magazine about a Nokia research team that spends their time in the developing world determining what needs to be in the next generation of mobile phones in order to meet the needs of these economies. What the article makes readily apparent is that cellphones are the life blood of the world, and this is especially true of the third world.

The best quote from the article is:

“Nokia’s research team has spoken to rickshaw drivers, prostitutes, shopkeepers and farmers, and they all say that their income goes up when they all have access to a cellphone.”

The “flatness” of the world continues to be demonstrated in every possible way. And the cool gadgets of the world not only make life more entertaining, but they also make it more productive.