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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."

3 of 368 comments (clear)

  1. Why would you buy this? by gstevens · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Oh yes, I will voluntarily buy a cell phone that zaps me. . . sure. . .
    These features may be great for the people standing around the caller, but no one, other than perhaps a sadistic corporate purchasing department, would buy one of these.

  2. In Soviet Russia... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Redundant

    ...the phones abuse you! Oh... wait...

  3. Bombs Away by Aggrazel · · Score: -1, Redundant

    SoMo5 has a catapult-like device that can be used to trigger intrusive sounds on a nearby user's phone, anonymously alerting them that they are speaking too loudly.


    Man the catapult, he's talking too loud!

    Muahahahahaha

    Ready... aim.... FIRE!

    "Todays Lesson: How to protect yourself, against a man, armed with a cell phone catapult"