In the science fiction novel Woman on the Edge of Time, first published in 1976, Marge
Piercy envisaged a future society in which the characters would have 'kenners', mobile
communication and personal memory prosthetics strapped to the wrist and connected to a
world wide electronic network. In March 2006, Piercy's kenner, in effect, became a reality
when Nokia announced its 4G mobile phone designed to strap to the user's wrist. This
chapter focuses on evolving memory forms in relation to the digital media prosthetic of the …

82 Aruui Rcading rlllrltimedia lorns, archive atrd share lnaterial in ways that are deeply
pelsorral and yet instantl', collective throrrgh bcing linked to a global merlloryscape of the
World Widc Web. This has also been conbi ed with the drive to increase the mobile pltone's
portability. Wjtirilt a couple of decades, mobile phones have gone from being the size of a
holsebrick to devices that are slirn, sleek and light, clippcd to belts or sljpping into clothing
pockets and straps of ltandbags, rrith sonre models designed to lit on tlle wrist. ln tllis rcspect …