Talk:1809: xkcd Phone 5

Explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb.
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Darn, I was almost fast enough to get the cot-caught merger explanation in there. That being said, now I really want a phone with a Zelda style hook shot. Andyd273 (talk) 14:02, 10 March 2017 (UTC) --I just came to say the same. I want the hookshot! 172.68.78.100 14:05, 10 March 2017 (UTC)

It's way more likely that this refers to the Zelda hook shot, as it looks like a little tube where some sort of grappling hook could potentially shoot out from. It doesn't look like it could shoot out basketballs, though. 108.162.238.17 15:28, 10 March 2017 (UTC)

It looks like "Hook Shot" is a clever suggestion for a feature name: the lens attaches to the camera with a 'hook' so you can take great 'shot's. Schnitz (talk) 18:01, 10 March 2017 (UTC)

And how is the Hook shot not a DotA/DotA 2 reference? My first reaction upon seeing the Hook shot was DotA. See http://dota2.gamepedia.com/Clockwerk and http://dota.wikia.com/wiki/Clockwerk --162.158.126.28 14:10, 13 March 2017 (UTC)

It's worth noting that most of the Loran-C system (which presumably is what would be used on a phone) has been decommissioned in the last decade or so, including all the stations operated by the US and Canadian governments. 162.158.62.201 15:52, 10 March 2017 (UTC)

Notice the new what if? Electrofishing for Whales released the day before this comic! Only 9 days between releases... --Kynde (talk) 16:33, 10 March 2017 (UTC)

OFF TOPIC: Can you imagine how much Randall must have been laughing while looking at all those funny electrofishing sources he is citing... ROFL--Dgbrt (talk) 19:44, 10 March 2017 (UTC)

LORAN -- I was under the impression that the US LORAN base stations were turned off in 2010. Perhaps a few years later in some other parts of the world. So a LORAN reciever is of less use than a chocolate teapot.--162.158.62.21 18:08, 10 March 2017 (UTC)

I understand "Can Feel Pain" as the next step up for Siri (or Google or Alexa or...) to become conscious. 108.162.219.160 18:18, 10 March 2017 (UTC)

The phone is slightly round. What could this mean? It's not like Galaxy Edge.--Dgbrt (talk) 19:44, 10 March 2017 (UTC)

I think part of the joke of "Squelch knob" is that a lot of people simply don't know what a squelch knob does. May as well put this mysterious knob on a phone, too. Does anyone else agree? 162.158.106.18 01:36, 11 March 2017 (UTC)

It was really funny for me personally that this comic came out this Friday as right before I came home and saw the new xkcd phone I had just picked up my new smartphone. It was "just" a Samsung so great I didn't see this first because then I would have been disappointed by the few features my new phone has. But at least it is now easier to make such a comment like this on the phone --Kynde (talk) 16:17, 11 March 2017 (UTC)

Pokemon spoiler inside (rot 13): Va rcvfbqr 16 bs gur Cbxrzba bevtvany frevrf, Nfu, Zvfgl, Oebpx, Wrffvr, naq Wnzrf, nybat jvgu gurve znal Cbxrzba, ner genccrq ba n obng. Orvat irel uhatel, gurl pbafvqre rngvat Wnzrf'f Zntvxnec, hagvy Zrbjgu ovgrf Zntvxnec...naq oernxf uvf grrgu.162.158.78.208 21:05, 11 March 2017 (UTC)

Vf vg ernyyl n fcbvyre gb erirny n cybg cbvag 18+ lrnef nsgre gur bevtvany nve qngr?These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For (talk) 03:14, 12 March 2017 (UTC)

Every time I see another one in this lame series I get a stronger impression that this is Randall's way of "phoning in" a comic when his creative well goes dry. tbc (talk) 04:32, 12 March 2017 (UTC)

"there is an xkcd Phone 2 available" - really? (Not really.) Real "haptic" (touch) technology on devices includes producing the sensation of touching a real version of a virtual object, as well as a device sensing not only being touched, but how it is touched. On the other hand, I don't think our relationships with devices will be improved if they can feel pain. Or fear, which logically comes next. That's wrong, even if they are already doing it to us. [email protected] 141.101.98.160 03:34, 13 March 2017 (UTC)

I think "retina storage" is like a retina scanner -- except it's not read-only. --172.68.54.112 05:05, 13 March 2017 (UTC)

Regarding the E-ZPass partnership ... I wasn't aware that you need to stop to in order to throw the coins into the coin basket. Sure, you need to remember to release the quarter a full 3 seconds before passing the basket if you are traveling more than 60 MPH, as mentioned in fortune. -- Hkmaly (talk) 01:11, 17 March 2017 (UTC)

Layout question[edit]

We have five xkcd phone explanations. Three of them are using a bullet list and two (including this) use a table. I prefer the bullets, not only because it's easier for editors. A table cell where the text needs a couple of lines is either bad text or bad layout. I think it's the layout. What do you think?--Dgbrt (talk) 19:57, 10 March 2017 (UTC)

I like the table but I do not wish to use the time to change any of these explanations. Also it is not important to me but I would prefer the five explanations used the same layout. So I would not object if all where made into bullets lists. --Kynde (talk) 08:14, 11 March 2017 (UTC)
It's me - I have copied the tabular layout from the other phone comic explanation. I like tables more than bullet lists even if the explanation is large, because tables keep explained items visually separate, so you can easily find the one you're looking for - and there's a sortable version. It is more troublesome for editors indeed. Maybe we should use wiki definition lists (which translate directly to HTML definition lists) to combine the best of both worlds. It may be possible to add some nice CSS for a better look but I don't know how do do it in a wiki. Or maybe create some new pretty macro? I don't know anything about creating wiki macros. Below I put an example definition list to show how to write it in wiki markup and how it looks like - definitely better than bullet list IMHO. -- Malgond (talk) 10:38, 13 March 2017 (UTC)

Definition list example:

something to explain
long and windy explanation of a really trivial topic that users of this site really love to write
xkcd
just a point in four-letter namespace
Hi Malgond, there was only one phone with a table; three others using simple headers for the items. Looks much better and it's also easier to read. But nested bullet lists are even worse. And no professional writer would use a table like this here.--Dgbrt (talk) 21:10, 13 March 2017 (UTC)
Indeed; I have used a table only because it looks better for me. Opinions may vary. We need some decision here - and someone willing to put in effort to reformat explanations to an agreed standard. How about me trying to reformat this explanation into a definition list? It can be easily undone if the consensus is it doesn't look good... -- Malgond (talk) 09:18, 14 March 2017 (UTC)
Thanks Malgond, your first version was hard to understand because of the missing indent relating to the discussion. I've changed your proposal slightly because the text should begin in a new line. Otherwise many people won't understand the formatting. And I like this proposal also because there are no bullets or even worse nested bullets. I'm eager to see your edit.--Dgbrt (talk) 16:54, 14 March 2017 (UTC)


The page refers to "monroe". Is this standard? --141.101.107.18 12:40, 14 March 2017 (UTC)

Can't see Monroe here but if so it should be Randall.--Dgbrt (talk) 16:54, 14 March 2017 (UTC)

>>Trims hair fed into charging port

I think this is a marketing response to the iphone pulling facial hair. 108.162.241.124 00:36, 25 October 2017 (UTC)

large -> great; thin -> fine; thicker -> coarser; less -> lesser; would -> should; phones -> phone's; long and slim -> slender; children -> kids; long -> fore; big -> great; thickness, length -> span; physical -> real; like -> -like; Darn -> Knit; fast -> swift; ... -> ...?; traveling -> faring; nice < niais < nescius := not-skilled -> well, ass; hard -> touh; won't -> shan't Lysdexia (talk) 20:40, 25 July 2019 (UTC)