6 ms·

I could see police lobbying to have this kind of technology required in all mobile devices. Just look at the DMCA and how it is used to enforce anti-consumer te

I could see police lobbying to have this kind of technology required in all mobile devices. Just look at the DMCA and how it is used to enforce anti-consumer technologies like region coding. However, the IR technology described in the patent is so easily circumvented that it's hardly worth anything. So, that's good news if our country takes another (probably unsurprising) huge step in the dystopian direction.

invertd 15y ago
Yup...the radio (wi-fi, 4G, LTE etc) version of this patent might be just around the corner.
Joakal 15y ago
It's already mandatory (Korea/Japan) for phones to make sounds when taking a picture. It's one of the aims to curb perverts. [0] [0] https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Camera_phone#Social_impact https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Camera_phone#...
- pavel_lishin 15y ago
  Ugh. I hate it when any of my devices make sounds without me explicitly allowing it to, both in principle and on a practical level. (Dear Macbook, please shut the fuck up forever so I don't wake up my girlfriend at night when I boot you up.)
  - crocowhile 15y ago
    http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20031220154651763#comments http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=2003122015465176...
    - pavel_lishin 15y ago
      Thanks! It's kind of ridiculous that I have to dig through a Japanese-language-only website to find a Beta software to simply control the fact that my computer moos like a cow with intestinal distress every time it boots up.
      - epochwolf 15y ago
        If you mute the computer before rebooting, it doesn't make any noise.
        mirkules 15y ago
        This works in Snow Leopard (and possibly Leopard), but in Tiger it definitely didn't work.
  - scdc 15y ago
    try plugging a headphone jack into the audio-out on your Macbook when booting if you don't want to hear the chime.
    - calloc 15y ago
      This does not work. The headphone/speakers output is software controlled and as such at boot even with the headphones plugged in the chime will sound.
- kragen 15y ago
  It is not, however, mandatory that they continue to make sounds when they are recording video.

invertd 15y ago

Yup...the radio (wi-fi, 4G, LTE etc) version of this patent might be just around the corner.

Joakal 15y ago

It's already mandatory (Korea/Japan) for phones to make sounds when taking a picture. It's one of the aims to curb perverts. [0] [0] https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Camera_phone#Social_impact https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Camera_phone#...

pavel_lishin 15y ago
Ugh. I hate it when any of my devices make sounds without me explicitly allowing it to, both in principle and on a practical level. (Dear Macbook, please shut the fuck up forever so I don't wake up my girlfriend at night when I boot you up.)
- crocowhile 15y ago
  http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20031220154651763#comments http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=2003122015465176...
  - pavel_lishin 15y ago
    Thanks! It's kind of ridiculous that I have to dig through a Japanese-language-only website to find a Beta software to simply control the fact that my computer moos like a cow with intestinal distress every time it boots up.
    - epochwolf 15y ago
      If you mute the computer before rebooting, it doesn't make any noise.
      - mirkules 15y ago
        This works in Snow Leopard (and possibly Leopard), but in Tiger it definitely didn't work.
- scdc 15y ago
  try plugging a headphone jack into the audio-out on your Macbook when booting if you don't want to hear the chime.
  - calloc 15y ago
    This does not work. The headphone/speakers output is software controlled and as such at boot even with the headphones plugged in the chime will sound.
kragen 15y ago
It is not, however, mandatory that they continue to make sounds when they are recording video.