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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."
There will always be people who "have" to be reachable for one reason or another - on call, babysitter, etc etc.
A better idea would be to make people check their phone in the lobby, and having someone answer it for them.
Oh, I can't help quoting you because everything that you said rings true
The SoMo4 (the knock-knock phone) is a great idea, though. By being able to communicate not just that I want to talk, but the importance I place on the conversation, it makes it much easier for the other person to decide if it's a good time or not. Even for me, as a call receiver.
"Caller ID" phone numbers are a bad method of determining priority. People call for multiple reasons, and people call for all sorts of devices... including devices owned by another person. Any method of letting me know that someone who I trust is there and wants to talk to me is good. The "secret knock" would be tremendously functional, so that someone could get my attention regardless of where they're calling from.
Not that we explicitly need the "knock-knock" style, but if my cell phone provider always asked the caller "Select a Priority" before ringing me, and then letting me see that priority, it could enhance the experience for me. So when I'm just sitting around I can take those Priority-5 "Hey what's up?" calls, but when I go into the theater I could set my phone to reject everything but Prioirty-0 calls (which I would leave the theater take).
There are all sorts of "permission" issues for things, but this can be handled with passcode-type answers (where anything above a certain level requires a code to be accepted) or automated system permissions (calls from hospitals would always be allowed to go to a higher level than other calls), without requiring me to identify based on phone numbers.
A nice tech solution would be an interrupt message that explains to the incoming caller that the user is within a zone where cell phones work, but would not be welcomed. The caller then gets the option to allow a $1.50 charge to their phone to complete the call. Calling a doctor to an emergency is worth $1.50, calling little Jimmy to check up with him when he's out on a Friday night usually isn't.
You'd think that'd work wouldn't it? I distintly remember, at towards the end of the two towers, one schmuck who no only didn't turn off his ringer on his cell phone, but actually had a conversation on his phone in the theatre. When I was paying $14 to see the movie. People shushed him, people even shouted at him, but he kept on talking on his phone.
I'm sorry - if you're a doctor or something and have business that important, just get a beeper or use text messages or something.
I like what one of the local Movie Houses does
The put up a short that says "There is No problem with you getting a phone call during the movie , we'll wait"
An the footnote says that they will stop the movie, turn on the house lights, and wait
The next slide then encourages the REST of the audience to pelt the offender with popcorn
BTW The first time I was there after the notice went up, yep, someones cellphone rang. They stopped the movie, and started bring up the lights - you should see how fast the phone got hung up!
-- 73 de KG2V For the Children - RKBA! "You are what you do when it counts" - the Masso