Abstract
The establishment of collective relationships is a native characteristic of individuals. Living in a recluse way cannot be considered part of human nature. Individuals have always been organized in communities in which they establish relationships with other individuals, which usually live in one particular area. Proximity among individuals is one of the characteristics that motivate the creation of communities.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Interaction: Interaction in this context is the communication among individuals that constitute communities, virtual communities, or mobile virtual communities.
Virtual Communities: Communities enabling individuals to interact through computer-based tools, such as e-mails, forums, whiteboards, instant messaging, audio/video conference sessions, and so forth.
Mobile Virtual Communities: Communities constituted by individuals using mobile and wireless computational devices. These communities enable individuals to exchange information and knowledge, anytime and anywhere.
Wireless Applications: Applications that communicate through wireless technologies such as infrared, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPRS, and so forth. These technologies ease the use of these applications since they avoid cumbersome cables.
Communities: A set of individuals living in a particular area and/or sharing common interests. Communities promote establishment of collective relationships among individuals.
Mobile Applications: Mobile applications are targeted at mobile computational devices such as mobile phones, handhelds, smartphones, tablet PCs, PDAs, and so forth. These applications enable users to access their services regardless of their location, since they carry their devices.
Connectivity: Connectivity in this context is the capability of mobile and wireless computational devices to operate in network environments, allowing the interaction of their owners.