A group of four, seated at a table, waiting for lunch to be served but they’re hardly talking, much less looking, at one another because each one is so busy swiping and tapping on their smartphones. It seems like everything’s wrong with this picture, but it’s a sight that’s getting more and more common to behold.
Cue the release of the noPhone– a revolutionary non-phone that brings back the social in social gatherings. It’s a “toilet-resistant” fake phone with no camera, no Bluetooth or WiFi connectivity, and no phone functions. In fact, it’s more like a paper weight than an actual phone except for its shape.
The noPhone was designed with the goal of encouraging users to “always have a rectangle of smooth, cold plastic to clutch without forgoing any potential engagement with your direct environment.”
You might have figured out by now that the whole thing is a joke, but it’s premise does get you thinking about how people have evolved socially with the advent of 4G and with the rise in popularity of mobile devices.
VIA [ C|NET ]