Cell Phones on the Playa for 09 (gifted!)

[playaphone]

I hope everyone is as excited a we are about attending this years burn. We were running under the radar with our project but it seems like things are starting to leak out so we might as well give you some insight as to what we will be doing at BRC city this year.

We have developed a new disposable, limited use cell phone and cell phone infrastructure that has applications in harsh environments and in extreme emergency type situations.

We have a limited number of these phones (10,000) that we will be gifting to those BRC citizens that would like to try this new technology for the time they are on the playa. There are no logos on the phones or the corresponding phone operating software and applications. The phones simply have BM09 on the cover. The phone will include these features:

free unlimited inbound and out bound US phone calls
unlimited text messaging
camera with picture and video uploads
applications to connect you to popular social networks

We will have a repeater station set up in our camp and we are bringing two more to set up across BMC. If you are interested in helping and have a camp around center camp or 7-9ish and f-h let us know. Unfortunately our camp was one of the 130 that did not get placed this year (nor have we received all of our early passes yet) but we are planning on setting up around H&3 and going live Monday. Please look for us if you are interested in participating.

See you in a few days and have a great burn.
Playa Phone

[pinemom]

Just dont come anywhere near Terminal city with a cell phone sticking out your ear!


Im warning you!

[AntiM]

No, thank you. Cell phones at your camp to use in case of emergency? Cool service. But cell phones throughout the city? I HATE the concept.

The whole point for me is to get the fuck away from the world. Having phones is not getting the fuck away from the world. Putting up with others on phones at the event? Not getting the fuck away from the world.

Too bad the leak didn't happen sooner, I'd have made bumperstickers:

Hang up and Participate.

If there's not commercial applications down the road, I'll eat your shorts.

Performance art: Acquire phone. Smash phone. Pick up phone MOOP. Can you hear me now?

[oneeyeddick]

I bet cell phones would work pretty good in a spud gun.

[Oldguy]

I haven't used a cellphone since my motorola analog went obsolete. I still carry it in my car though since the 911 service still exists. I would like to help beta-test your setup, just so I can contact someone if there is an personal emergency. My homephone is a life alert plan, limited use.

What's the fucking difference from cb's or radio phones? Just emf frequencies. We need to evolve. Maybe Dept.of mobility, various geezervilles, Rangers, or med tent people would be good testers.

I'll try to get out to 3 & H Monday morning. I need to learn how to use the new phones.

I sometimes wear an external hearing aid that some folks think is a bluetooth. If anyone trys to slap me down for that, they are going to get punched. If I go near Terminal City, I'll be kind, and go deaf. Fuck you very much, and I mean that in the most kindest, burner way.
____________________
edited to be politically correct.

[Shambala]

I love you guys, but if this actually works, I am going to come by your camp and piss on the ground. What the fuck are you trying to do to Burning Man? If everyone is carrying a cell phone, it will look like a shopping center back home with phones stuck to the sides of their faces.

Reconsider this gift(?).

[gyre]

I love you guys, but if this actually works, I am going to come by your camp and piss on the ground. What the fuck are you trying to do to Burning Man? If everyone is carrying a cell phone, it will look like a shopping center back home with phones stuck to the sides of their faces.

Reconsider this gift(?).

Don't you drive a mobile phone?

[C.f.M.]

Hate it. Haaaaate it. Hope I don't get drunk and see someone on a cell phone. Cock punch.

[FrankA]

ba ha ha...cock punch
I have not been to bm before but, one of the things I was really looking for ws turning the phone off and locking it in the glove compartment until I leave and, I will still do that. Now I get to tolerate rude folks on cell phones in the desart..?

[Jiva]

The "cell site on the playa" rumor was fairly plausible, but 10,000 disposable phones? No way.

Good one, though.

[dj_john69]

interesting.

I'll keep one in my rv in case of a real emergency. Can i call pr0n numbers for free ??

[theCryptofishist]

Are these the sorts that those criminal types always use on Law and Order.




(hey, boys and girls, are we giving this guy enough shte?

[ibdave]

We will have a repeater station set up in our camp and we are bringing two more to set up across BMC. If you are interested in helping and have a camp around center camp or 7-9ish and f-h let us know. Unfortunately our camp was one of the 130 that did not get placed this year (nor have we received all of our early passes yet) but we are planning on setting up around H&3 and going live Monday. Please look for us if you are interested in participating.

See you in a few days and have a great burn.
Playa Phone

Here's what I'm going to do.
I have a battery powered cell blocker that covers 30-40 foot range.
I also own the larger plug-in that covers about 400 yards of blocking power.. So I'm camped in the 3:00 BLOCK of the city. I also run a Gennie most of the time. So I'll bring and plug in the bigger cell blocker and have a cell phone free section of the city.
I have great fun with the portable blocker in crowded areas when I flick on the switch. I just might wait for a cell phone to past by and switch it on.. I should reach all the way over to the bOOby bar also...

[Shambala]

I love you guys, but if this actually works, I am going to come by your camp and piss on the ground. What the fuck are you trying to do to Burning Man? If everyone is carrying a cell phone, it will look like a shopping center back home with phones stuck to the sides of their faces.

Reconsider this gift(?).

Don't you drive a mobile phone?

Hey gyre,
Yes, but it's just a prop, you can't actually make a call on it! I did have a set-up in there that allowed some calls to be made from it.

If these folks spend just $5 for a disposable phone and pass out 10,000 of them, well, that a shitpot of money. By the way, I really wouldn't piss in their camp!

[Sensei]

Hate it. Haaaaate it. Hope I don't get drunk and see someone on a cell phone. Cock punch.

Oh really? I hope I don't get drunk and see any clueless, self-righteous newbies who think assault is funny.

[jkisha]

I think I'd like it better if they had a camp where people could go and make calls rather than having 10,000 people with phones talking all over the playa.

JK

[Sensei]

I'm not sure how that's any different from the 10,000 people who are already talking on Motorola 2-ways.

[bmix]

I gotta call "prank" on this one:

A) First post
B) Gifting 10,000 phones costs some serious $$$. Unless, of course, it's a corporate sponsorship, which opens up a whole 'nother can of worms...
C) Apparently, there's service on the playa now anyway. If this is indeed true, it would be the worst timing for a project of this sort that I could imagine.

For the record, I HATE HATE HATE the thought of cell phones on the playa. Half the reason I go is to not constantly hear that damn ring of the default world. However, I'm realistic enough to realize that it was going to happen sooner or later. Therefore, my response will be to pop the battery and stow my HTC in the glovebox for the duration. Problem solved, at least for me.

If there's cameraphones on the playa, my condolences go out to Critical Tits. If there's a thousand yahoos on either side of the path with streaming video, I can't see this part of Burning Man sticking around, and wouldn't blame the CT people one bit for closing the doors.

[oleg8888]

Not sure what is worth
Pranky, useless post
Or falks who take it for real

[King Salmon]

How much bandwidth do you have there?

Is it GSM? Could I use the data connection (EDGE, don't have 3G) on my own phone for my art project?

[ygmir]

Where's Simon?...........just sayin'.......

[Kinetik V]

There are effective countermeasures for everything...let the electronic cacophony war begin.

[gyre]

I think it's a great idea.
It will be funny to watch everyone realize they have no one to call except to say, "Guess where I'm calling from?"

[Sail Man]

I'm not sure how that's any different from the 10,000 people who are already talking on Motorola 2-ways.

Can't argue with that.

[AntiM]

I'm not sure how that's any different from the 10,000 people who are already talking on Motorola 2-ways.

Can't argue with that.

Motorola 2-ways don't reach the default world do they?

(Motorola 2-way sounds like what I used to do in the backseat of a car on Friday nights).

[Steven bradford]

If this is real, to all the people who hate the idea--

Don't Participate in it!

Sheesh.

signed, 12 time burner.

[wedeliver]

I don't believe for half a second that someone is going to give away cell phones, but I can see people calling each other, using the phone the same way we use the two ways.

(hurry, mutaytor is performing deep playa, come see)

[ygmir]

I just got called from near Esplanade and 5,,,,,,,crisp and clear.........


shudder.......

[CapSmashy]

I don't believe for half a second that someone is going to give away cell phones, but I can see people calling each other, using the phone the same way we use the two ways.

(hurry, mutaytor is performing deep playa, come see)

If the post is legit I would surmise that it would be a field testing roll out for an emergency cell phone/communication system. Such a system would have been majorly beneficial to have had during say Katrina when all the communications were knocked out.

A relatively isolated area with a history of harsh conditions and a large crowd of people to supply units to is an ideal testing ground for such technology and given the international demand for such technology and the benefits it could bring in a disaster area setting, giving away 10,000 debranded units would be nothing for a communications company since the phones cost next to nothing to produce.


At first thought, my primary objection to it would have been the streaming video aspect of it and then I realized there are already numerous video streams originating from Black Rock during the event. I was uploading pictures last year (on a limited basis) from an open network someone generously set up nearby... So I guess in reality, my primary objection to it is the fact that there may be 10,000 folks (or more if the stories are true about coverage making it to the playa) wandering around, yabbering their damn fool heads off on cell phones.

[wedeliver]

There are limitations to the system. The temp tower they just put up, if it works, can only handle 140 calls per minute.