Nokia's cellphone anthropologist Jan Chipchase - interviewed in depth here - blogged this week about the etiquette of connectivity. When is it OK to whip out a phone or laptop, and when is it not?
Chipchase gives the example of a UK cafe that discouraged customers from using laptops by targeting them with bustling cleaners. I've certainly been to places that seem to carefully cultivate an atmosphere that makes people feel they must leave their laptops in their bags, and steal outside to make or receive calls.
Here in London, lovers of non-connectivity were worried this week by suggestions that underground trains may soon get cellphone reception. Trains between cities here commonly have "quiet carriages" where the use of phones and music players is banned. But I think that is unlikely on the Tube - the march of connectivity is set to continue until we just don't question it anymore.
Laptops are largely tolerated in lecture halls and mobile phones are hardly ever banned anywhere anymore. We've rolled over, and adjusted.
Chipchase hints at the idea of places that actually jam mobile or Wi-Fi reception. Also unlikely, I think, but before patches without connectivity are completely eradicated, perhaps they'll become more celebrated for a while. They deserve some commemoration of their passing.
Tom Simonite, online technology editorLabels: cellphones, wirelessPosted by Tom at 5:15 PM
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