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Free cell phone? No thanks

Google wants to give you free, ad-supported mobile phones (via). I think it’s a lousy idea.

A mobile phone is essentially an interrupt device, and not a leisure device. I use my phone either when I’m reminded that I need to call or SMS someone, or when I get an interrupt from the device itself that someone is calling or messaging me. Which means that my usage pattern is based on interrupting something I’m doing (which is presumably important / interesting), which means that the reason I’m interrupted had better be good. People I know calling to keep in touch, make plans or share information is fine. Strangers referred to me by people I know are fine. But nothing irritates me more than SMS ads or cold sales calls.

Showing ads while your surf or check email on your phone is still OK, but you can already do that since phones have web browsers and e-mail clients. I’m assuming any mobile service thats completely free will include interrupting ads, and thats simply not acceptable.

In general ads are acceptable under the following conditions: they should be a (preferably small) part of any activity that you’re engaged in (TV shows, surfing), not be hugely unobtrusive (I love text ads for this reason), but most importantly – I should not be forced to view them. I can mute the TV, and not look at ads while surfing on the web or reading a magazine. The usage of a phone, however is such that I have to process interrupts – I won’t be ignoring SMSes in case some genuine information is coming my way, which basically means every time the service owners wish, they can make me stop whatever I’m doing and force me to view an ad.

No thanks.

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