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Mobile Phone Abuse and AbUsers

Posted by michael on from the sssssssssssssshhhhhh dept.

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."

4 of 368 comments (clear)

  1. How about... by Whispers_in_the_dark · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ... setting up licensed cell-phone free zones (such as concert halls etc) where phones cannot ring. The zones could have a small very low-power transmitter/scrambler that would inform/interrupt the cell phone so that it just wouldn't ring in those areas.

    1. Re:How about... by david.given · · Score: 5, Insightful
      ... setting up licensed cell-phone free zones (such as concert halls etc) where phones cannot ring. The zones could have a small very low-power transmitter/scrambler that would inform/interrupt the cell phone so that it just wouldn't ring in those areas.

      A better solution than just blocking everything would be to set up a microcell inside the theatre/concert hall/etc. Any calls to a phone inside the microcell get routed to the theatre/auditorium/whatever's reception, where a message can be left. If it's a genuine emergency, the message can be forwarded on.

      I gather this is actually possible, but I don't know why no-one's tried it.

  2. Talking in public by the_Bionic_lemming · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I can understand the frustration when folks talk in a movie theater during the show, or in an art gallery. At those times it should be right to express frustration and tell them to STFU (if they are or are not using a cell phone it doesn't matter).

    But a grocery line? A bus? A train? What the hell is wrong with using a cell phone there?

    I mean really - I never saw a parent staple their annoying brats mouth shut to stop it from yammering about how it wants that candy bar by the cash register - I don't see people duct taping their mouths on a train instead of conversing.

    If a cell phone user keeps it quiet, what the hell is the problem?

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  3. Re:Here's an idea... by Darth+Maul · · Score: 5, Insightful

    > If someone is bothering you with their
    > cell phone chatter in a place such as a
    > movie theater...

    How about just tell the person they're bothering you? What's wrong with us here in the US that we can't confront anyone anymore? Everyone has to just pretend that everyone is nice all the time, then of course talk about these people behind their backs.

    Just say something! You're not being rude; you're alerting this person to the fact that they are out of place in what they're doing. We'll all be better off.

    Yeah, I hate passive agressiveness.

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