While we were at SxSW, Laura and I threw a Mobile Manners brunch with Intel. We gathered a group of very smart women to eat quiche and text one other about the irritating things people do with their gadgets.
Genevieve Bell, an Intel Fellow who studies how different cultures use technology, presented some of their mobile etiquette research.
During Genevieve’s presentation, I tweeted while she was talking (event hashtag, FTW), checked in to Foursquare, and texted with a person sitting two tables away from me. Afterward, I drove around town looking for a funeral parlor, because I’ve heard those are nice quiet places to make phone calls.
Everyone else was the picture of civility, even when the gift bags came out.
Now that’s some good home training.
The bags were a team effort amongst attendees, and as always we saved one for you. Maile brought her gorgeous Epiphanie Bags, and I set aside the Clover Laptop and Camera Bag in grey, which is the one I carry. Everywhere. And sometimes I spoon with it. It looks like this:
Elizabeth works for Twitter, but also has a letterpress business called Paperwheel Press. She brought everyone a couple of geeky letterpress thank you notes:
And finally, Intel threw in a copy of Emily Post’s Great Get Togethers:
To win, please leave your pinky out when you sip your tea, and leave your most profound mobile etiquette peeve in comments.
Please only enter once; I’ll leave comments open until Monday when I’ll announce the winner. I hope it’s you.
Mighty Girl 
Like so many others, people who won’t get off their phones when they’re checking out in a store. As someone who used to work in retail: If I knew a manager wasn’t around, and we weren’t too busy, I would stand there and wait for them to get off the phone before doing a thing.
Want the poor underpaid cashier to help you? Treat them like a human being and get off your phone. Thank you kindly.
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Texting while at a funeral church service has to be one of the worst things I’ve seen. Seriously…really? In church…is your phone that important. Ugh!
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The thing that bothers me most is when two people are visibly texting each other during a conversation with other people. It’s so rude! We all know what’s going on when one person presses send and the other person’s phone vibrates, then vice versa. It’s really no different than whispering!
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I work at the front desk of a non profit that sees sexual assault victims and I hate people who have to be on their cell phones while they are in our waiting room disturbing others who are waiting quietly.
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When you are truly trying to have some time “connecting” with a friend or loved one and they will not turn off the phone. seriously! unplug. you are telling me that whoever is texting you is more important than i am. it makes me a little stabbity.
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Texting while driving or even trying to navigate google maps while driving – put down the phone and DRIVE!!! And if I am sitting in the passenger seat and you need to know the directions, hand me the phone – I can look for you! 🙂
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Texting or checking for messages when in the presence of another person- one with whom you’re holding a conversation. Way to make your conversation partner feel second tier!
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Texting in movies, hands down.
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It drives me bonkers when I’m having a conversation with someone and they begin texting as we speak. Or when I am on the phone and my husband chain-texts me. Or when I am forced to endure teenagers talking on the phone (in a store or other public place). Or when I see a table full of people at a restaurant texting and checking status updates and carrying on their virtual social life while completely ignoring their actual social life. Wow… I have some issues here…
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Mobile devices in church. Give God one hour without all the interruptions. He will take care of everything.
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Distracted shoppers make me stabby. When the grocery store is crowded and I am trying to get in and out quickly, it never fails that someone is wandering around aimlessly blocking the aisles and chatting on the phone,
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Phone chatters in restaurants or coffee shops. They should all have to step outside like a smokers break or something. Second hand talking. That’s my peeve.
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I’m so glad that I am not alone on this one. Interupting a conversation to attend to your phone is humiliating for the person that you are speaking with and I hate it. I won’t put any effort to meet the person in IRL after that. I will likely get more of their attention if I remain virtual!
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I have to say risking my life as a passenger in a vehicle when the driver is texting, tweeting or emailing is my biggest pet peeve. Call me crazy 🙂
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Checking your smartphone while having a conversation with other people. Answering your phone while having a conversation with other people. I think the people right in front of you get dibs on your attention.
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I am one of the worst people I know for this, but the constant checking, checking, checking for the little blinking light. If I’m in the middle of a conversation, at work, visiting my in-laws(!), it’s terrible. I need help.
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texting while driving. not safe for anyone!!
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Being on the phone, talk or text, while driving. Hate it!
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My strongest mobile pet peeve…hmm this is actually hard to pick only onnneee! 😉
I would have to say though, since living here in Okinawa, Japan, us American’s living over here via Military are very intense with cell phones. The locals; not so much. The worst thing I have seen, that bothers me so much, is when a parent cannot get off the phone while shopping with their kids. To me, spending time with your loved ones is utterly important, but I have seen so many women that are either shopping with their kids, or even punishing their kids, but doing it while on the phone! Really?? Maybe the kids wouldn’t be acting up so much if they had their mothers FULL attention, one would think right? So yes, that is my most hated..opps..major pet peeve when it comes to Mobile Phone etiquette.
:o)
Thanks for this opportunity, what a lovely idea!
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I don’t mind people talking on their phones when you’re at a coffee shop usually, however it should be kept brief and at a tolerable volume level (which I am always having to remind my husband of)!!!
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Talking in the checkout! It’s so rude to everyone around you.
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Answering cell phone calls during a meal is by far my biggest pet peeve.
and the newest one that I had to add to my rude list was smart phone in bed. My husband has been warned that I will throw it out the window if it happens again 🙂
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I find it absolutely revolting for people to use their cell phone will cashing through at a store or ordering something at a restaurant. It’s so terribly rude and inconsiderate!
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I think *my phone* is rude to me. It’s rude to me when it doesn’t tell me I have a new voicemail. So, if I win the bag here, I think I will take that as a sign to buy an iPhone. Certainly an iPhone will have better manners.
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It really bothers me when people are talking on the phone while checking out at a store or coffee bar. It is beyond rude to the service person. When we are served by robots, I will be fine with this behavior. Until then, treat your fellow humans with a little respect!
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Oh, lord. Can I just say all of the above?
I’ll admit, I am guilty of checking my phone for texts/tweets when I’m out with friends, but they’re all usually doing it, too, so…two wrongs make a right? Also it really annoys me that my parents refuse to learn to text. Or, y’know, have their cell phones turned on AT ALL.
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driving while talking on the phone
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Not silencing your phone and fumbling in your bag for to turn it off when it goes off in lecture!
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I can’t stand it when people are walking and looking down at their phone. Pay attention to what you are doing!
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I hate when someone calls me (usually my poor dad) and leaves me a voicemail that they called. And that’s it. No other message, just I called, call me back. It’s a CELLPHONE!! I can see that you called, please don’t make me go through the voicemail process just for that!
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my pet peeve is when people speak so fast on voicemails that you cannot possibly get their return number.. or they forget to leave it.
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We are deep in conversation and your phone goes off with different beeps for each text message, received email, and calls from your boyfriend, mom, your mom’s boyfriend, etc.
These things bother us so much that my husband and I are the only people we know that have phones that only make calls. No smart capabilities, no internet, no texting, no nothing. It’s freedom!
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If you are going to text me….please tell me who you are. I don’t have everyone in my phone by name….UGH
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My pet peeve is arrogance and incompetence.
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Talking on the phone while in a public restroom.
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Lots of people said similar things, but I really hate when people are texting when they should be engaged in the world around them. For example, I have friends that will text/Tweet/whatever throughout an entire party when they should be ENJOYING the party. We all need to learn to put down the phone a lot more often.
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Someone texting someone else while I am trying to have a conversation with them in person!
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People who talk on their phones or text while someone is waiting on them, whether it be retail or at a restaurant. It’s just plain rude!
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Hands down the texting at a funeral. I go to a lot of them because of my work I go to a lot of them and there’s always someone’s nephew or something doing it. So embarrassing.
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My biggest pet peeve is when people say lol, when they are not really ever laughing out loud.
That bag is gorgeous!
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Worst thing ever is mobile phones ringing {there is vibrate and silence people} in a store, restaurant, movie, church, funeral {happened 3 times at a funeral I went to}!!!
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This is a tough one… texting in church…. I find very hmmm…”ungodly” but I also hate the folks who get on their cellphone and yick yack while I’m seeing their kid – my PATIENT! Is that text or phone call more important than your kid’s health?
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I have to choose one? Ok cell phones.PERIOD. I have one, I use it all the time but what happened to good old corded phones that tie you to one place so you will not stay on the phone too long. Going out and just talking to the person you are with. NOT 5 OTHERS. :S I miss the good old days.
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I dislike when people approach a salesperson, at any establishment, on their phone. Very rude. Its especially wonderful when they FINALLY hang up the phone, then look at the salesperson with a look of complete disdain and ask, “CAN you HELP me?!”
Thank you once again for giving us a chance to win some awesome gifts! Hugs to you and all you have been going through lately.
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I’d have to say the biggest mobile etiquette breach I’ve experienced is someone reading and replying to texts/IMs while breaking my heart (aka ending a several-year serious relationship).
Yeah.
(By the way, this is a great giveaway.) 🙂
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When people talk on their phones in public bathrooms. I have actually thought someone was talking to me when she said, “Hold on, someone in another stall thinks I’m talking to her.” Then I’m the one that feels stupid – why is that?
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Loud conversations. Also, when people leave voicemails saying, “Just calling to chat, I tried you at home but you didn’t answer so I thought I’d call your cell…” Chances are, if I’m not at home, I’m BUSY.
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It’s been said before but loud talking on the cell phone is so annoying. And if you are checking out/banking/ordering anything AND on the phone? You are a class A jerk.
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One word: Sexting. As if phone sex wasn’t difficult and awkward enough NOW this is common place to be sexy with someone. I’m just waiting–and by waiting, I mean cringing–for the app that assigns either special emoticons and/or noises for certain acts.
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I’m positive I’m pretty guilty when it comes to improper mobile manners. I try to be good though.
One thing I’m always very good about… and that truly irritates me… cell phones ringing in church. We don’t even go that often. We’re not weekly church goers. But I NEVER leave my phone un-silenced in church.
Also… people who don’t silence their phones during concerts/performances/whatever… even when they make a huge announcement about turning off phones right before the show starts.
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