Sunday, November 14, 2010

Put Your Thumbs Down

When I first entered the world of business there were still clubs whose dining rooms discouraged explicitly commercial discussions. Notepads and pens were to be kept off the table, and ladies and gentlemen engaged in the art of conversation with each other because cellphones did not exist.

That societal aspiration has been obliterated. Three decades ago a movie that was purely a dinner conversation captivated the critics; now it’s nearly unknown to the under-30 crowd. No longer do we look attentively at our meal companions. Our focus is on the small glowing screen, fingers pecking messages to people whom we rarely meet face-to-face.

Last week we imposed a new family rule: when more than one person is at the table, the machines are shut off. We’re starting to rediscover each other, but we'll see how long that resolution sticks. (How well I follow my own dictate will be tested if there’s breaking news on time-sensitive investments.)

The advertising campaign for Windows Phone 7 amusingly illustrates some of the dangers of becoming too involved with our smartphones.



Microsoft's claim that its mobile product contains more "glanceable" information is questioned by the WSJ's tech writer, Walt Mossberg. Nevertheless, kudos to MSFT for a witty ad.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

hello there thanks for your grat post, as usual ((o: