Disposable Cell Phones Arrive 434
headGasket writes "After the disposable cameras, here comes the disposable cell phones. Ideal for trash talk. Seriously, there is a $5 incentive to not dispose of it in the trash and bring it back for a rebate on the next one." These seem like a nice alternative to being locked into a lengthy contract, or for people who only need a cell phone for a short period of time.
Um.. not a nice alternative.. (Score:5, Insightful)
I'd say it sounds quite wasteful, even if the phone is recyclable.. (how many will recycle it?)
There are alternatives to lengthy contracts, such as prepaid accounts.
And there are alternatives for people who need a phone for a short period: Renting.
I'll just chalk this all down as another symptom that some people can't get the idea that waste is BAD.
Re:Great for tourists (Score:1, Insightful)
Is it just me... (Score:5, Insightful)
(barring the T610, which is simple and gorgeous for it)
Disposable Items (Score:5, Insightful)
911? (Score:3, Insightful)
I don't really see the point of having a huge button for dialing 911.. it's really not that hard to dial, is it?
The website doesn't say, but I'd also be interested to know if dialing 911 is still allowed after your minutes have expired.
Pay phones (Score:5, Insightful)
Wouldn't this just do the same? I can see this as a boon for an illicit dealer.
How will "Law Enforcement" take this? (Score:5, Insightful)
what's the point? (Score:3, Insightful)
The disposable phone seems expensive (per minute) and mostly useless. The only real application I see is when you go somewhere for a short period of time and need a phone for a few weeks.
Health considerations (Score:3, Insightful)
Simon.
Re:Disposable Items (Score:1, Insightful)
Re:Um.. not a nice alternative.. (Score:3, Insightful)
I've noticed that in Oregon (where I lived last), where there's a mandatory 5 cent deposit per soda bottle or can, people are much more conscientious about returning them than here in Texas, where there is no deposit, stores won't pay you for them, and you have to go find a "can bank" or something to get paid 16 cents a pound, or whatever they give these days.
Now apply that with cell phones. Right now, sometimes providers will give you discounts to trade in your phone, or you can give them back and they supposedly give them to needy causes (though I've heard mostly they give them to outfits that fix and clean them and then sell them to nonprofits), but if you try to show up at the local household hazardous materials reclamation center, they want to charge you to take them!
Imagine if a $25 deposit fee was charged for each phone. Yes, you'd have more people stealing phones, probably. But you'd also have a lot more phones returned instead of winding up in landfills. You could apply a similar deposit fee to phone batteries as well, which are actually more likely to be thrown away.
Someone please explain this to me... (Score:5, Insightful)
And now, an idea to just throw away your mobile phone? Don't these people think about the environment? Yeah, I know, there's a 5$ incentive to return them, but you know as I know, that the average northamerican user of such device will think of the return as a nuisance and will gladly renounce to the 5$ and toss the phone. Even if only 10% does this, you still end up with huge quantities of toxic materials in the environment.
I'd like to kick the ass of the guy who launched this product.
Re:Is it just me... (Score:3, Insightful)
Sucky! (Score:2, Insightful)
And.. it's hard to believe they'll continue to live. It all looks like a fraud to me. Their site design looks quick-n-dirty, kinda like the site of Earth Station 5 [slashdot.org].
Re:Wop Hoo! (Score:5, Insightful)
What more could you ask for.
No contract. Anonymity. Low Prices. That's how cell phones are supposed to work. Don't want the man listening in on my phone calls.
Hrmph. I think my tin-foil hat is too tight.
Re:No product for Europe (Score:5, Insightful)
I can walk into any phone shop in Belgium and buy a pre-paid GSM card without leaving my name. I can then use that card in any GSM phone anywhere in Europe.
I am also aware of similar schemes in other European countries.
The criminals already have anonymous communication methods and that it is as it should be, because it means the rest of us do too.
Kristoph
Forgetting one thing... (Score:2, Insightful)
Does anyone really think you can recharge these things? Or that they have awesome shelf life? There's probably enough juice to get you through the minutes about twice (for safety) then you have to bring it in to replace the battery pack anyway.
Just a thought.
Why? (Score:5, Insightful)
It's not like the thing even does something you can't get now. Europe (and I hope the US) sell prepay and full featured phones starting from 50 euros - not just some crappy box that doesn't even have a display. So what is the point of this? I seriously doubt that this device is that much cheaper, and considerably more restricted in features and lifetime.
The $5 deposit is just a sop.
It's not like phones are the best devices from an environmental point of view (think of all the needlessly different battery and adaptor types), but at least they're not meant to be tossed away after so many minutes. In fact, most shops often have trade-in schemes for old models and pass them on to charities for refurbishment for third world countries. So some good comes from them.
Disposable does not equal cheap. (Score:2, Insightful)
No mention of the initial up front costs of the unit.
The call rate will certainly be higher to cover costs and make a profit, they do intend to make a profit right? Or are they hoping to pump the share price and make money by selling blocks of shares?
No sms text, means this tech is already dead in Europe and the rest of the world.
Anonymous mobile phone purchase is illegal in some countries, ever try buying a legal phone in France without ID?
Just who is the target customer? Business travellers? Poor students?
What's the point of a mobile if you can't be sure that the other party will still have the same phone number after a week? Who would you rather do business with e.g. on ebay?
Re:Um.. not a nice alternative.. (Score:2, Insightful)
And there are alternatives for people who need a phone for a short period: Renting.
But what about those of us who need untraceable throw-away phones for conducting our illegal terrorist activities? Before we had to rely on cloned cell phones, but with this new technology we may step up to legitimacy!
- yes, joking, not a terrorist, honest, don't even know how to fly.
terrorism (Score:3, Insightful)
this makes me think that when there's the chance to make some profit no fear-of-terrorist can stop it. it's interesting to see that this "culture of fear" only arises when profit is under threat, and is forgotten when no money can be harmed.
Re:Great for tourists (Score:3, Insightful)
I sell mobile phones for a living and I have to point out that this isn't true. A year ago most phones were dual band, with maybe 5 - 10% tri band. Recently it's been more like 33% to 50% tri band. Of course now I have moved on to selling 3G phones and the US has once again chosen a completely incompatible standard...
Re:Just buy a new simcard (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Look at the 2002 financials (Score:3, Insightful)
Someone's got to pay for this, you can do it with a subsidized contract or you can charge for the phone, and you've still got to find a way to make money.
Something like this comes up every couple of years [slashdot.org]. No reason to expect that this one is any more credible.
jeff
"Only In America" (Score:3, Insightful)
Not if they can make money by deliberate waste, anyway; that's obviously a much more important contribution to the American Way.
Re:Um.. not a nice alternative.. (Score:3, Insightful)
I believe that the prepaid options now available (in the US) all have the same fatal flaw: the minutes expire... use it or lose it!
If I could buy a prepaid phone and stretch the minutes out over months, I would do it in a second. But as far as I know this is not possible.
Someone please correct me if I am wrong about minutes expiring on every carrier's prepaid plan...
911 (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Wop Hoo! (Score:3, Insightful)
Vote for a democrat next time then.