Monday, August 11, 2008

Around the world communication made easy

One day last week, family member Trisha watched her 7 month old niece Katie as she stirred and woke up in her cot, and then spent the next 15 minutes chatting with her and playing peek-a-boo. She was able to do this because Katie's mum in New Zealand put her laptop in the cot with Katie and skyped Trisha in England. Aunt and niece had lots of fun, and the whole experience was captured on video so that Trisha's brother (and Katie's Dad) could watch them playing when he came home from work. Amazing!

Today at the bus stop I got chatting with a total stranger and in the course of the conversation mentioned how I rely always on having a map book in the glove compartment of my car so that I can refer to it if I get lost. (I can get lost in a paper bag). Sometimes though it isn't there when I need it because other members of my family use it and then don't always put it back. My new bus stop friend whipped out his mobile phone and said he uses that - just tells it where he is and where he wants to go and he gets the answer. I should have told him that he could also use it to look up the library catalogue as well, but the bus came along.

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