What is Digg?13 Comments
- DevanJedi, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Calling me a shill are you? I have a blog with movie reviews (http://www.widescreenglory.com) that the link comes from; doesn't sound like the perfect location for 'shilling'. Let me know if you disagree with any of my arguments. Do you think doctors on call will go see movies? Do you think parents with kids at the babysitter's will go? How about emergencies? The other aspect is of the legality of doing it in the first place. I understand I may be playing devil's advocate, but these are legitimate concerns. The primary reason I keep a cell phone is for the safety and security (that is, being able to call or be reached in emergencies). I believe this is the case for a lot of people. I don't want theater owners depriving me of this.
- jaspinDroid, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Here's why I don't like cell phone jamming:
I don't use a cell phone because of danger of putting a high powered microwave device very close to my brain. I don't care if you think it's an issue or not, it is for me and that's why I choose to not use a cell phone.
The way they block cell phone signals is by sending out microwaves on a frequency that effectively cancels out the cell phone's signal. Therefore, inundating an area with high frequency microwaves.
This means that if I went to a theater that had cell phone blocking technology in place it would be the equivalent of me sitting next to a person using a cell phone for the whole movie. - DevanJedi, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1That is exactly my point- me and other people who share my opinion will stay away from the theaters... and they will end up losing business.
And while I do not have the right to use a cell phone in their theater, I do have a choice as to where I spend my money. From this NYT article: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/17/movies/MoviesFeatures/17thea.html?pagewanted=2&adxnnl=0&adxnnlx=1135013271-ejhpZtfFiP8tnCGKFtRiTw
"Moviegoers' biggest complaint, however, is ticket prices. A recent online study found that price was the reason most often cited by those polled for staying away, far more than movie quality or rude behavior." - DevanJedi, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0@jaspinDroid, that's actually not a bad point!
- dever, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0jaspinDroid: I guess you have never heard of a faraday cage, which is the method that would be employed to jam cell phones in theaters. Your assumption that the theater would flood the room with microwaves is absurd and illegal.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faraday_cage
http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/cellular/operations/blockingjamming.html
As for the topic at hand: I think it's a good idea. I would welcome the jamming of cell phones and other wireless devices in movie theaters. Leaving the decision up to movie goers hasn't worked. There's always someone who thinks its their right to impose their ringing or flashing cell phone upon you, or invade your space with their private conversation. I support not giving them the chance.
Lets not forgot that we'd be in a dark theater, cell phones and blackberrys cause light pollution and disturb the atmosphere, they can be extremely bright in a dark theater. I've never seen a cell phone that didn't light up when a call came in or buttons were pressed.
If you can't handle not having your cell phone for the duration of the movie, then you shouldn't go to the movies. It's downright selfish to think everyone in the theater should be (potentially) interrupted by your cell phone. - jaspinDroid, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0@dever: It isn't absurd, they already sell devices which do exactly that. In fact I have read articles about several places that use these devices, such as some churches, and it has raised great controversy.
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1058/is_8_119/ai_85106525
"The device emits low-power radio signals that block the cell phone communications. The jammers are also used to create quiet zones in restaurants, movie theaters and libraries."
Here is an example of such a cell phone jammer being sold on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.ca/CELL-PHONE-SIGNAL-BLOCKER-3G-GSM-CDMA-ALL-NETWORKS_W0QQitemZ5845358987QQcategoryZ294QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I know what a faraday cage is but I didn't think a theater would spend so much money to block cell phones; it would pretty expensive to turn a whole cinema into a faraday cage, much cheaper to just install a few cell phone jammers. They aren't illegal everywhere yet, by the way.
If they do plan to stop cellphones with a faraday cage then I think that might be an acceptable solution. But what about the cell phone signal that is within the faraday cage? When a cellphone is used in a car the microwave radiation fills the entire car and increases power to escape the metal enclosure. If several people were attempting to use cell phones within the theater-turned-faraday cage would the signal be amplified and bounced around continuously within the theater? - jaspinDroid, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Also Denver, your comment about flooding an area with microwaves being "illegal": cell phones already do just that. If you are within several feet of a person using a cellphone the radiation is affecting you. If you are in a car or on a bus with a person using a cell phone the signal FLOODS the entire vehicle affecting all passengers. I wish it was illegal to flood an area with microwaves but that would be bad for business.
- DevanJedi, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0@shoop, Not likely- there are a vast number of legitimate reasons that will prevent it; from national security to the fact that the radio spectrum is owned by the people and only licensed out by the government. Jamming the public spectrum because it is an annoyance to you is like cutting down power lines because they are inconvenient to the architecture of your establishment.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Jamming cell phones won’t stop here; it will start popping up in restaurants, super markets, soccer games, football games and more.... You name it, it will happen.
- MrBiggz, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0Well for people like me who are flat out fed up with people's disrespectful and arrogant supposed "entitlement" to conversating whenever and wherever (I am most peeved at those who drive with cell phones with research CLEARLY showing it is even worse than DRINKING AND DRIVING!) Suffice to say, whenever my newly order Cell Phone Jammer is finally in my hands... they will be following my law of the road... no cell phones while driving which will be strictly enforced.. and I will use it to personally piss the living hell out of people just because I can... like I said.. Im just spitting back the same callous and rude behavior right back at the source:)
- DevanJedi, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0That is exactly what I am saying- a siginificant number of people may choose to go to the movies LESS than they used to. Which makes it a bad idea for the theater owners. So in effect, you have agreed with me. And it would be an inconvenience for me, which makes it a bad idea for me.
I am not talking about letting people have their phones ring; but I do know of many people (doctors, parents with kids at home, etc) who leave their phone on vibrate and sit in the aisle in case there is an emergency and they have to leave. I repeat, vibrate... no lights, no rings. This is a legitimate concern. - schwit, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0http://www.cnn.com/video/player/player.html?url=/video/showbiz/2005/12/21/hammer.theatre.cell.phone.ban.cnn&checkAgain=false&wm=native_nm
If a person can not stand a couple of hours of cell phone separation then they shouldn't go to the movies. Go someplace else that allows cell phones or rent a movie and stay home.
As for the law, if it gets changed then there's no legal issue.
As for depriving you, you don't have a right to use a cell phone in their theater. - schwit, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0This guy has got to be a shill for the cell phone industry.
The theaters have tried to be nice by asking people to to turn off the phones. That hasn't worked. Now they want to turn them off remotely.
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