Can't make it to the funeral? Phone it in with the Phone Angel

What could further exemplify our society's sad continuing trend towards the obdurate and ultimately self-centered than the callous evasion of visiting a loved one's grave site by phoning it in? Or worse yet, the idea of burying your family with a cellphone device to facilitate this kind of behavior? Jürgen Bröther, the tasteless inventor of the Phone Angel thought it'd be a good idea to give the grieving a direct line to call which picks up and plays pack the sound of the grave soil in which it's buried—and to charge the emotionally distraught just under 2 large apiece for this. And what's worse, Bröther will even pay you a €50 "reward" for exhuming the device after the battery runs out in a year. Seriously, what can you even say to something like this?

[Via textually]

[fdisk @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM]

"Seriously, what can you even say to something like this?"

The word "asshat" comes to mind.

[Bozo @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM]

This only says tacky to me What's sad is there are morons out there who will buy it.

[Joe @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM]

At least for a change the society demonstrating a "sad continuing trend towards the obdurate and ultimately self-centered" (awesome phrase, by the way) is Germany, not the US.

[Dennis @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM]

How about a wireless time lapse infrared cam that takes snapshots every hour, to be played pback at a normal 30 fps; would we get the effect like in Indiana Jones and Temple of Doom, when the dude opens the thingy and all spirits are let out? Now, that's tasteless, too. Erie. This guy is sad, and like Bozo said, people will actually buy it; but, who will get that battery?

-Dennis-

[Fine James @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM]

I only wish I could "phone in" trips to the defecation receptical. Sitting on the throne takes too much of my productive time

[Tim @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM]

Not that it makes it more civil, but the device is only buried 11 inches below the ground. You don't actually have to exhume the corpse.

The real problem will be keeping the punks from digging up the graves in search of the $50 battery.

[Z @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM]

Listen to soil? What is that supposed to do? How is that supposed to help the grieving process? Yeah, great invention.

What a Loser.

Why don't people like this put their time and money into something productive?

[norebonomis @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM]

sick. but i hope to buried with some sort of technology so i can't say it's completely sick.

[dallasmarky @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM]

do they make a version that works for pets? i miss my Fluffy.

[Mac @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM]

If the deceased can have a cell battery that lasts for a year, why can't the living have one that lasts more than a week?

I agree with fdisk's description.

[Dennis @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM]

Is this a commercial for White Noise?

-Dennis-

[Bozo @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM]

#8, what sort of technology? I am not making fun of you or anything just curious what would you want to be buried with? I don't even want my silver left in my teeth knowing grave robbers of the future will probably be digging for everything they can. When I mean future I am speaking of 200+ yrs from now.

[Mark @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM]

Sounds like a great idea, I wonder if I can rig a solar panel to the unit so I will always be able to contact grandma.

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM]

I'm not sure why people bury the dead anyway, but if you're going to do it, why not be able to talk to them?

Don't most people who bury the dead believe the spirit/soul leave the body after death? Why keep the scraps?

[Ignite++ @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM]

#12, the grave robbers wouldnt know you didnt have silver or any other valuables until they dig you up. so, if they're gonna dig you up, theyre gonna dig you up

[Z @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM]

"Don't most people who bury the dead believe the spirit/soul leave the body after death? Why keep the scraps?"


You have GOT to be kidding me. Is this how you view loved ones who are deceased? Scraps? Gimme a break, man! Maybe this was your way of joking, but if not, haven't you ever been to a funeral in honor of someone you loved and cared for who passed away?

Loved ones who have passed on are remembered and buried out of honor and respect for them.

[Michael @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM]

What's next? A $997 "Death Cam?" Goodness, that little gadget is damn macabre.

[Vinnk @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM]

I'll get one of these, talk into it really load and scare the living crap out of puck goth kids who like to hang out at the cemetary.

[g.wygonik @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM]

he really should have found a way to turn the decaying body into energy to power the phone... then at least he could say "the spirit really does live on"...

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM]

"You have GOT to be kidding me. Is this how you view loved ones who are deceased? Scraps? Gimme a break, man! Maybe this was your way of joking, but if not, haven't you ever been to a funeral in honor of someone you loved and cared for who passed away?

Loved ones who have passed on are remembered and buried out of honor and respect for them."

I was half kidding, and yes, I've been to plenty of funerals.

You honor the person and the memory, not the body. I plan on being cremated. Not for everyone, but I don't think it's right to take up thousands of acres of useful land to save the dead. For what? Symbols and posessions of the deceased serve as more of a memory than a grave site.

Anyway, back to the gadget. #18 & #19 ++1

[Audio Maven @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM]

Follow the link to read the classic line about "the line not being dead unlike the recepient of the call."

He's sold three already. Even the inventor's mom wanted one.

[Garg @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM]

Jeff and Z : I agree with Jeff but he was kind of harsh in using the word "scraps". But hell yeah I'm gonna be cremated. Not looking forward to it.

But speaking of the device, hey its a great idea. Make a crazy invention and rip off people for thousands of dollars. I'm sure if I had the money I'd buy it

[Ken G. @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM]

What can one say? I guess that's free enterprise for you! Some people will try to make a buck on anything.

[Funeral Flowers @ Dec 19th 2005 1:04AM]

I'm not sure I agree with this. Funerals going overboard I suspect. Funerals should be traditional nontheless. I say save it for the techworld