Talk:2212: Cell Phone Functions

I know of someone who DID build a taser into a phone... (but that's all it is now, was no space for the phone's electronics anymore) 172.69.54.39 08:05, 7 October 2019 (UTC)

Well, there are actual commercial taser phone cases available for purchase today - here's one example. Not necessarily a good idea and not legal everywhere, but it exists. --NeatNit (talk) 12:03, 7 October 2019 (UTC)

It seems a bit peculiar that one of the move "obvious" devices a cellphone can replace is missing: the watch. JohnHawkinson (talk) 08:18, 7 October 2019 (UTC)

That's because no one sane would do that ;) Some may use a Smart Watch instead of a classic watch but except of the case when you were used to pocket watches anyways a replacement of a wacth by a phone would be a downgrade usability wise. /edit: That being said: My personal "Now" bar is at the first quarter (more or less at the web browser's bar end) Elektrizikekswerk (talk) 08:29, 7 October 2019 (UTC)

I realize it's unlikely you're being entirely serious here, but the same argument applies to almost all of the devices listed in this comic. So…no, that's not the reason for its omission. JohnHawkinson (talk) 08:33, 7 October 2019 (UTC)

Actually I was dead serious. Well except of the "no one sane" part. I don't want to offend anyone :) In the time you take your phone out of the pocket to check the time I've looked thrice at my wrist watch Elektrizikekswerk (talk) 08:54, 7 October 2019 (UTC)

The time taken isn't awfully relevant, unless you're checking the time awfully frequently. For the number of times a day I need to check the time when I'm not at a computer or already looking at my phone, the convenience of a wristwatch could easily be outweighed by the inconvenience of taking it off and putting in on each day. 162.158.178.69 09:34, 7 October 2019 (UTC)

Assuming you'd put it off. ;) (Despite the emoticon I'm serious again. I only put my watch off to change the battery) And even if I would put it off it would be more likely I forgot my phone on my desk than forgetting to put the watch on. I'm wearing a wrist watch since I was 8 or 9. But granted, the time is not as relevant as the fact that you have to put a device from out of somewhere and push a button to activate the screen just to check time. But in the end it's just a matter of personal taste and habit, I guess. Elektrizikekswerk (talk) 10:02, 7 October 2019 (UTC)

there was a brief period between ubiquitous cell/mobile phone use and the advent of the smartwatch where experts predicted the demise of the watch other than as a piece of jewellery Boatster (talk) 08:46, 7 October 2019 (UTC)

Try to translate "die eierlegende Wollmilchsau" 162.158.89.97 09:52, 7 October 2019 (UTC)

There is a terrible movie - Shorts: The Adventures of the Wishing Rock - where everyone has a device called The Black Box that can do all of that, as well as pretty much anything. Its function changes kind of like a Rubik's Cube. It's an obvious parody of smartphones, except that it came out right around the time they were getting popular so I'm not sure if smartphones are the true inspiration. I can't recommend that movie (really, it's awful) but this comic reminded me of it and I wanted to share. --NeatNit (talk) 10:11, 7 October 2019 (UTC)

Re: steering wheel, there was a James Bond movie (Pierce Brosnan era I think) where he could control a car from a phone (they were not yet called smartphones at the time). I wouldn't be surprised that the technology has already been implemented, even though I don't want to think of the legal consequences if this became mainstream: "Honestly officer, I wasn't LOOKING at my phone, I was DRIVING my car!"162.158.155.110 11:30, 7 October 2019 (UTC)

sure it's *technically* possible: all you need is to pair the gyro/accelerometer of your phone with your car's servo steering. any vehicle with a parking assistant can be controlled that way (and security researchers have demonstrated that in impressive talks back in 2015: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OobLb1McxnI). -- //gir.st/ (talk) 11:37, 7 October 2019 (UTC)

I've written a first draft of the explanation and transcript, but I don't have time for anything else today. It turned out more high-flown than I intended, so feel free to reword as necessary. Also, because I'm sure it'll come up eventually, regarding the transcript: since Randall has not given any time scale, we should refrain from over-interpreting when something happened. For the joke to get through, knowing which elements happened in the past and which (might) happen in the future is enough. -- //gir.st/ (talk) 11:33, 7 October 2019 (UTC)