Cellphone Jammer Disguised as a Pack of Cigs

Well I thought this was pretty cool and significant for those of us that get easily irked by people that keep their faces buried in their cell phones, or chat out loud in all places. I guess it is such an issue in China they decided to do something about it and as the article says, it is a polite way to address the situation. Polite for the jammer maybe, but I'm sure some users would protest!
This article made me think of family gatherings where all of my niece's and nephews sit around the dinner table transfixed on those tiny led screens, and the adults getting frustrated and having to demand them to take a break. Well now there is an alternative. I don't know why they chose a cig pack, unless most people in China smoke? I think a jammer disguised as a cell phone would be better. I'd kind of like to have one not just for practical matters, but to have a little fun with too.
Is this crossing a line, what do you think?

Yes, in mainland China, it's more polite to surreptitiously jam your friend's electronics than to tell them to turn the frickin' phone off.

Some guys just can't take a hint that flaunting their cellphones around polite company is just plain rude. Now most people would just ask the other party to please put the overpriced gadget away before they get a mouthful of fist, but this direct approach is considered rude for anyone who's not a hardened Brooklyn-er.
With their extensive background in subterfuge and espionage, it's no wonder that the overly-polite Chinese have come up with a much subtler solution: a cellphone jammer. Not just any signal-breaker either; it's cleverly disguised as a pack of cigarettes.
It blocks 3G, GSM, DCS, and PHS signals, so no matter the cellphone make and provider of your companion, you can be assured of a quiet, uninterrupted meeting. Just don't forget to bring an extra pack of smokes; you'll never know when the other guy will get so frustrated at getting no signal that he'll just need a cigarette or two to take the edge off.

[source: Chinavision via Geek Alerts]
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Peace,
spec

These should be used by all the big movie theaters out there. I don't go to watch a flick at the theater but maybe once a year these days, but damned every time I've been out in the 21st century some jackoff just has to be the annoying guy who answers the phone and doesn't seem to care that he's disturbing everyone else's movie experience.

reply to post by unityemissions

I had not thought of that but I do concur ue! If they are not talking, they are texting and that little light takes me right out of the escape fantasy I seek when going to the movies. I'd zap em'!

spec

nothing special - guess how they steal fancy cars no signal = no door locked...easy going

They need to force automobile manufacturers to put these in cars. They can turn off only when the car is in 'Park'.

Maybe then things would run a bit smother on the highways and streets.

reply to post by AnteBellum


Not a bad idea AB and we might actually see that idea come to fruition. I am sure insurers would like to create such a system, and a lot of the public would too for safety concerns.
Thanks for the reply...

Peace,
spec

I have a question about this....

Would this type of device be legal in say the USA or the UK?

I thought there might be laws against jamming devices?

On the other hand, I can think of occasions where I would have liked to use something like this.

reply to post by Arbitrageur


I think they are illegal because they block 911 services; there may be other legal issues as well. Nonetheless, I still want one.

And to the other person who mentioned, I think a lot of Chinese people do smoke, so that could be why they chose a cigarette pack.

Originally posted by Arbitrageur
I have a question about this....

Would this type of device be legal in say the USA or the UK?

It is illegal to use these devices in the US. However, some businesses (and even private citizens) can apply for a permit with the FCC to waive the law in situations where cell phone use creates a nuisance. The legalities of this fall under the Communications Act of 1934.

reply to post by Arbitrageur

In the UK it is illegal to use them except in France and the in the US, like the UK, laws exist that restrict their use, but not their possession. In the US the law has never been applied in court and carries an 11,000 dollar fine or up to 1 year in jail. The biggest concern is as mentioned, any disruption of emergency lines. These things have a range of 30-100 feet so I guess using them could create some undesired havoc. I would still like to have one but I guess I will pass for now. Besides, ordering one probably puts you on some undesirable list.
en.wikipedia.org...

Peace,
spec

These are illegal in the united states and UK.

Originally posted by speculativeoptimist
I would still like to have one but I guess I will pass for now. Besides, ordering one probably puts you on some undesirable list.

Thanks to everyone who replied about the my legality question.

speculativeoptimist, I suspect you're right about ending up on a list, I don't really want that so I guess I'll pass also.

Sometimes it would be nice but I don't want to interfere with any emergency calls.

Cheers!