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Thumb tribe or sometimes thumb generation is a term used to describe a younger generation with members who are more adept at texting using their thumbs than talking on the phone. It identifies a trend among young people who use mobile phones for many activities, such as texting, email, entertainment and conversations, as opposed to using keyboards with traditional desktop computers. The term has been used by marketers to identify younger consumers. It marks a shift in the favorite digit, such that activities typically done by the forefinger, such as pointing at things or ringing doorbells, are being done with the thumb. It has been used in politics to identify persons who are not part of the younger generation, such as American politician Mitt Romney, who may have a mobile phone but does not use it dextrously. An effect is that for many young people, the thumb is physically stronger and more flexible, according to researchers. There are medical implications as well; excessive use of thumbs can lead to muscle pain and possible occupational problems.
The term was first used in Japan to identify the "younger generation of Japanese texters". Japanese youth used their keitai or mobile phone to download music, access Japan's version of Myspace called mixi, surf the web, check train timetables and so forth. Sometimes it permitted them to form smart mobs to assemble seemingly spontaneously. The Japanese texting style relied heavily on the thumb, according to a report in NBC News.
They've grown up in a world that is dynamically different from the one we lived in. What kind of cars do they want? And what gadgets? They don't even use computers - computers now perceived as going the way of B&W television. At what point do their childhood toys and t'ween technology devices merge? And what future outcomes do they, and marketer-manufacturers expect?