Slashdot Mirror
Mobile Phone Abuse and AbUsers
Doctor Hu writes "The Economist has a story ("Think Before You Talk") describing a new range of mobile phone prototypes designed by Ideo to discourage antisocial usage - devices ringing in concert halls, loud proclamations that the caller is on his way home, etc. The first of the series uses electric shocks to condition the user to talk at a non-intrusive level; the others are similarly ingenious. Not intended to be commercially produced, just to provoke discussion (and provide publicity for Ideo, presumably). Nice comment at the end from one of the designers that for devices like mobile phones, "user-centric" design needs to take the needs of people nearby the user into account as well."
apply the bitch slap in these situations....its effective, straight to the point, and works...
Ok, I don't give 2 shits about ringtones, but this cigarette talk just can't be left unaddressed. I smoke. And I toss my cigarettes wherever I want. You know why? Because I can't smoke where the ashtrays are or should be. Can't smoke indoors, even if all the people in the bar want to smoke (Ottawa smoking ban), can't smoke near exits (smoking ban, 10 meters from entrances to public buildings), so I smoke at home (where my butts go into ashtrays) and on the street. Now, if I had a smoking room, or if I could smoke in an area near the entrances, it'd be easy to put up ashtrays, but when the smokers have to scatter and walk around...
Next time I am smoking, I'll think of you, I'll try to flick my cigarette into a garbage can, not on the floor. I'll get my ass caned for arson, not littering!
Bloody non-smoking, right-to-breathe, right-to-get-all-nazi-on-smokers pantsies....