Dial "S" for Smell

Alternative title for this blog: Smell My Cell

From Mobile media:

Samsung Develops 'Smell Tones'

Fri Mar 24, 2006 10:14 pm "Samsung Electronics has developed a perfume spraying cell phone to release "smell tones" when incoming calls are received. Photo: Mobile phone with perfume spraying apparatus According to the recently filed patent application, controls are also available to adjust the type or amount of perfume sprayed. And when the perfume is used up, exchangeable cartridges can be reloaded. The invention uses a pressurized heating chamber to store one or more scents. Using an ultrasonic controller triggered by the press of a button or an incoming call, perfume is excited and released into the air. However practicality may hinder its integration and eventual product release. The spray unit adds considerable bulk, contrary to slimmer and smaller market trends. "It may be difficult to embed a perfume spraying apparatus in a small and lightweight mobile phone," the application states. And more fundamentally, "the perfume may stain the mobile phone or the user's clothes." Mobile multimedia has grown to become a $9.1 billion industry. With ringtones and more recently ringback tones projected at making up 12% of total music sales by 2008, consumers continue to look for new customizations. And Samsung is hard at work to find new ways to differentiate mobile phones."

Wow- as if I needed another reason not to get a cell phone. Now people have to worry about their practical joker buddies swapping out their perfumed cartridges with the inevitable "joke fart smell" cartridges that will come out via third party vendors.

Although it does provide people with chronic gas problems an out to cover up their physical dilemma.

"Hey, Joe, did you just let one rip?"

"Not me, man- it was my cell phone. Excuse me while I take this call."

Is he strong? Listen, bub...

Spider-Man 3 trailer is up at Sony's website:

Trailer

It looks pretty cool. I never quite got the whole "Venom" thing, though. The whole appeal of that character. He's, what, an embittered photojournalist in the alien suit that Spider-Man brought back from Battleworld? (Secret Wars reference. Yes, I'm a comic geek.)



In other words, he's just a bulked up, psychotic Peter Parker in black and white with a ridiculously oversized jaw and gigantic tongue who drools all over the place. Big whoop.

(Don't even get me started on the whole "Venom: Lethal Protector" thing from the 90's. Geek.)

Still, it looks like it should be pretty cool, although I fear that they may be going into the Batman Returns "put too many elements into the mixture" bit- I count Sandman, Venom (Parker and Eddie Brock versions), Green/Hobgoblin, and Black Cat (or at least Felicia Hardy, the platinum blonde Pete's dancing with). Overkill? We'll see.

Governmental Efficiency Rant

I've been trying to contact the immigration office all morning, in order to do some investigative work for my job. It took me at least 20 minutes to navigate through the phone options before I could finally find an option that would connect me to, you know, a live person. Then, when I did that, I was informed that the wait would be at least 30 minutes, but a good time to try them might be on Wednesday or Thursday. Then the automated service hung up on me.

Tried again 40 minutes later, and after holding for another 20 minutes, I get through to a person. She begins asking me all sorts of questions that I know are not related to my issue, so I cut her off and ask the real question I need answered. She then informs me that I need to call a different number, since I am a DSO.

Fine. I call that number, and get through to a live operator (once again, about a 20 minute wait). When I get through to her, and describe the problem, she refers me back to the first number. "But I already called them, and they referred me to you," I say. She says she knows, that it isn't the first time that has happened, and that they shouldn't have done that. But I need to talk to the people at the first number.

So that's what, close to two hours of my day gone, and still without an answer to my original question? Geez. I can see where some governmental spending cuts could be made right there.

Post the First

Dabbled (ever so briefly) with blogging a couple of years ago, but something in me decided it's time to give this a real shot. Not that I have anything particularly noteworthy to say, I guess, but I'm hopeful that it will help me to focus my thoughts a bit. Anyway.

That's the first one. Yippee!