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a little black box called a phone jammer. Illegal in this country (UK), the United States and most of the European Union, the basic version costs as little as £25 in Hong Kong. By sending out a blizzard of radio waves, the cigarette packet-sized gadget will knock out a mobile phone signal within a radius of five to 10 yards. A more expensive version can take out a whole train. Very James Bond.
[technology.timesonline.co.uk...]
I had no idea these little gadgets were so cheap. Has anyone used one? I agree with the article that some conversations are ok but we have all been in situations where the idea of grabbing the phone and throwing it out of the closest window is more than appealing.
I am definitely getting myself one on my next trip to Hong Kong.
[edited by: Visit_Thailand at 9:44 am (utc) on Nov. 19, 2007]
hmm, I don't know if it is illegal here, but could be as important as having a cell phone :)
[edited by: Habtom at 9:49 am (utc) on Nov. 19, 2007]
Planes, if they ever do allow mobiles, would be great too.
This is one of the most exciting bits of technology I have heard about in ages.
hmmm, on second thoughts, might not be the best place to use a signal jammer!
hmmm, on second thoughts, might not be the best place to use a signal jammer!
Mmm, had not considered that, but yes on thinking about it, you could be right!
hmmm, on second thoughts, might not be the best place to use a signal jammer!Mmm, had not considered that, but yes on thinking about it, you could be right!
Perhaps that is why they are illegal in most civilised countries. :~}
If they are freely available they could be a very cheap way for a suicide nutter to take out a plane.
You'll be off the train before anyone's phones work to call the police.
Or, you hop on a train, jam everyone's phones, then rob them. You'll be off the train before anyone's phones work to call the police.
Now you are just giving people ideas! ;-)
I can see how it can be put to the wrong uses but that is the same with a lot of technology these days. Still a cool toy, if you use it within reason.
Anyone going that way please let me know, you can definately pick one up for me!
I would use it to block people who are using their phone while driving! (Now illegal in the UK).
Are you still allowed to use handsfree sets in the UK to talk on the mobile?
allowed to use handsfree sets
Yes, although I believe hardcore road safety people still campaign against them. To be honest I kinda agree, I've been talking on the phone before and gone the wrong way 'cos I've not been concentrating. But that said, I spend a long time on the road, and I use the time to make calls, without that time my days would be considerably longer.
If they are freely available they could be a very cheap way for a suicide nutter to take out a plane.
Doubtful but I'm no expert on it. The reason phones are banned from planes is the very same reason, they don't want them interfering with the instrumentation. However they did try this on Mythbusters, if you're from the US you might be familiar with it. Not sure if its shown overseas. They try and prove or disprove your common everyday myths, if they can't under normal conditions they try to recreate it under any circumstances.
They used a modern executive jet and of course the cell phone didn't touch it. Then then used a giant antennae powered externally and again it didn't' touch it. I'd imagine you would need quite a large device with a very large power supply to mess with the instruments.
All these tests were performed on the ground though. :P
Not sure if its shown overseas
Yeah we have it in the UK, it's brilliant. I've not seen that one though, although the outcome doesn't surprise me in the slightest. We have a program called Brainiac where they test things too, not as good as Mythbusters but they tested the mobile phone at petrol station.
The test was: fill a caravan with open containers full of petrol, and spray some petrol around the place for good measure. Place 50 mobile phones in the caravan, all with different ring/vibrate settings. Call all 50 phones at once.
Nothing happened with that either.
Then they got a guy wearing polyester to walk around for a minute, then touch a wire that was grounded in the caravan. Big boom!
Conclusive proof that it's more dangerous to wear polyester than use a phone at a petrol station, and I imagine on a plane too.
Mythbusters
Yes we get it in Asia too. Is quite good, but not as good as some as the programmes on the Discovery Channel and Nat Geo.
There is not much more annoying than having someone stare you in the face while they say, "Hi, how are you?" --- only to realize they are talking to someone on their blue-tooth ear-bud equipped cell -- then they look at you like YOU'RE the idiot when you say "Hi" back.
Yes, and I remember the first person I ever saw someone using Bluetooth. It was not mainstream at the time, and I knew very little about it, but found watching this guy having a full one sided conversation with himself quite amusing. Little did I know....
