In typical, irreverent fashion, the Register reports on a T-Mobile study that says cellular phone users are rude.
For those currently awaiting instructions from above, T-Mobile offers a handy list on how to avoid infuriating your co-workers:
- Ensure your mobile phone is off or on silent mode during meetings
- Do not answer calls during meetings
- Do not send text messages during meetings
- Do not leave your mobile device on the table in vibrate mode
- If you are expecting an important call during a meeting, let the participants know at the beginning of the meeting. When you receive the call, discreetly excuse yourself from the room
- Ask yourself: “Do I really need my mobile device for the time period of this meeting or can I leave it behind?”
- Leave laptops closed during meetings. Only open laptops if resources are needed to support the meeting
- Don’t check emails on either BlackBerry devices or laptops during meetings. If necessary, turn on ‘Out of Office’ to alert those emailing you that you will be in a meeting and are unable to respond immediately
- Remember to take your phone with you if you leave your desk, or turn the phone off or onto silent mode
- Ask your employer or HR department to provide a policy on the appropriate use of mobile devices in your workplace
All of which can be condensed into the employee-friendly: "Turn the f**king thing off".
This, of course, is one of the problems that Iotum is solving.
Alec Saunders is the Vice President of Developer Relations for BlackBerry maker Research in Motion. This is his personal blog, with his personal viewpoints. Prior to this Alec was the CEO and co-founder of Calliflower — the easiest way to hold a meeting, online, on a conference call, or on the go. A double-decade veteran of product management and marketing, he spent nine years at Microsoft where he helped launch Windows 95, the first two versions of Internet Explorer, the Universal Plug and Play initiative, the push into home markets, opt-in email marketing and what might well go down in history as the very first direct email list ever.
