I've had an idea for a call-screening phone based on caller ID. It always rings, but the ringer is set to a different volume based on the caller ID. If the phone has never received a call from a particular number before, it flashes but remains silent. Let it go through to the answering machine if it's a telemarketer or wrong number. If you check your messages and hear that your friend has moved and this is their new number (for instance) you can instruct the phone to ring at low volume for that number. For close family, best friends and emergency numbers, the phone rings at a higher volume so that it can be heard, say, from the back yard.
The reason I like this idea of mine is that it expresses some priority about the caller before I get to the phone and pick it up. Nuisance callers get automatically ignored and my known contacts get through more easily.
Mokalus of Borg
PS - There would be an initial setup time where new numbers are important
PPS - After that, though, I think it would work well.
4 comments:
I like it.
It would definitely save the time that I sit there looking at the number going 'Do I know you? Should I answer? Hmmm, I don't know. The number LOOKS like it could be someone I know but I'm just not sure. Bugger it, I'll leave it. No, I'll get it. Ummm. Oh well, it's stopped ringing. Oh wait, there's a voicemail' and so forth and so on.
Of course, my parents have a silent number, so it's not all that helpful in that case.
But I like it.
Ah, yes, known people with perpetually unknown numbers. I hadn't considered that. I guess the answer is to call them once a week and harass them about getting a regular number instead. Maybe.
You're right. The general idea is for the phone to recognise people for you before you have to answer. If the phone is ringing loudly, you know it's someone you want to hear from.
About half my calls come through with no number information (probably the percentage varies by country), and about half of those are important or work-related.
Telemarketers. There should be a device the delivers an electric shock to the person on the other end of the line.
I think electric shocks for making telephone calls should be the default condition. If you're really important, people will put up with the pain in order to talk to you.
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