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April 18, 2005
Mobile Phone Backlash
Posted by Dana Blankenhorn
Evidence is increasing of a backlash against mobile phones and the behavior of those who over-use them. (The image comes from a page on celliquette from Indianchild.com.)
- Increasing numbers of people are actually faking calls, either to embarrass people, impress them, or just make them go away.
- The most popular ringtone? It's the sound of a ringing phone says MatrixM, which has no reason to lie about this since they sell ringtones.
- The heavily-hyped IDC mobility study indicates nearly 20% of mobile consumers consider themselves "minimalists," with basic needs, no desire for frills, and a great need for comfort and simplicity.
What is the meaning of all this?
To me this is all great news. The faking trend indicates a demand for "celliquette" among young users, much like the netiquette of my generation. The desire for a ringtone that sounds like a phone is echoed by my saintly wife, who has often expressed those precise sentiments. And the demands of the minimalists are very sound -- we won't have this technology seamlessly integrated in our lives until we as consumers demand it.
The backlash could not have come sooner.
Comments (4)
+ TrackBacks (0) | Category: Consumer Electronics | Telecommunications | cellular | computer interfaces | ethics
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Dana Blankenhorn has been a business journalist for over 25 years and has covered the online world professionally since 1985. He founded the "Interactive Age Daily" for CMP Media, and has written for the Chicago Tribune, Advertising Age, and dozens of other publications over the years.
1. Jesse Kopelman on April 18, 2005 12:27 PM writes...
I'm pretty sure all cell phones come with a built in ring that sounds like a typical modern landline ring. Are people asking for one that sounds like that old fashioned metal striking metal ring? I'm guessing the average person never bothers to even try all the rings that come built in their phone . . .
Permalink to Comment2. john douglas on April 18, 2005 04:58 PM writes...
this is pretty hilarious. i used that site, matrixm, a few times. i got my first ringtone from there, they had like 100000 ringtones of all kidns of oddness, but their #1 on their all time chart was "normal ringer" first time i saw that I laughed and made a comment to a friend who i was with, now here they go tellin the world. not sure what a site that specializes in selling all kinds of strange ringers has to gain by saying the most popular one is a normal one. world's a funny place i guess.
Permalink to Comment3. Joe Ruiz on April 19, 2005 01:28 AM writes...
I think MatrixM says this now because mobile is a cultural they really understand. It's kind of brilliant - they actually make an innovation just by saying such a thing at the right time. I joined them about a month ago because I sensed they were on to something. Little did I know...
Permalink to Comment4. Karl on April 23, 2005 02:08 PM writes...
There IS a cellphone backlash, because of the lack of common sense and courtesy among users, who seem to think they're using a wet-string third-world connection, so they up the volume of their conversations.
As for those who fake cell calls to look important, that's just pathetic.
There is a UK based company that sells CELL PHONE JAMMERS, one in the shape of a standard cellphone, which blocks inbound and outbound calls in the immediate vicinity, depending on coverage. Around $320US. I have my order in!
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