Post A Phone: the no-frills, mailable landline

Sure, we're well aware that essentially any landline phone is mailable per se, but Priestman Goode's Post A Phone barely requires more than a single first-class stamp. Granted, it's still a concept for now, but this creation would be created from recyclable cardboard or plastic, have the ability to "pop out of a A5 envelope" and measure in at just four-millimeters in depth. Designed to act as a "fail safe and simple guarantee of communication," this disposable landline device should be just the thing for traveling spies and undercover two-timers.

[Via Core77]

[DickHardknocks @ Oct 4th 2007 12:03PM]

So, I could concievably carry this around and tap into landlines to dial up phone sex and no one would ever know?

[Jugomugo @ Oct 4th 2007 2:17PM]

Indeed.

[Sebastian @ Oct 4th 2007 12:08PM]

Great! Will it come with touchscreen?
Ooops sorry... where it says "phone" I read "iPhone".

[Tucker @ Oct 4th 2007 12:09PM]

"Excuse me, sir, but might I ask what you're doing under my desk with that envelope?"

[Erik @ Oct 4th 2007 12:17PM]

you're kidding right?

[duane crowder @ Oct 4th 2007 12:19PM]

I'm sorry, but I just can't think of any need what-so-ever for this device. Nice to know phones can be made so thin now, but completely useless at whatever price point in my opinion.

[Nex @ Oct 4th 2007 2:17PM]

recently in the town i live in a couple of kids knocked on a elderly mans door and took all his phones and then robbed him. after the robbery the man had to walk to the neighbors house to use the phone to call the cops. one of these tucked away in a filing cabinet would have been great. the criminals wouldn't have gotten such a head start and the feeble old man wouldn't have had to walk such a distance.. in my opinion this would make for a great emergency phone, left in a drawer or a cabinet.

[johnzilla @ Oct 4th 2007 3:09PM]

Sounds like the old guy needed a gun, not a cheapo envelope phone.

[steve @ Oct 4th 2007 12:21PM]

Concept was used in the movie Ultraviolet. phone was printed on demand from a vending machine and disposed up immediately after use.

[Michael C. Sherrin @ Oct 4th 2007 12:26PM]

So now in emergencies, I have to carry a back-up phone for my back-up phone (or my cell phone, basically) and pray there's an easy-access land-line outlet around? Or is this just a nice home accessories. Maybe I'm missing the point? I'll call someone on my cell phone and see if they can clear it up.

*******

Michael C. Sherrin
http://www.prodigeek.com/

[Ondra Soukup @ Oct 4th 2007 12:29PM]

I think I'm replacing my trusty old beige box now...only one thing...does it pulse dialing ?

[Ian @ Oct 4th 2007 12:41PM]

Errr This is a solution to what problem?

[Wes @ Oct 4th 2007 4:56PM]

Lack of space.

Soon all gadgets, from PMPs to laptops to foleos will come this way, for easy storage.

Let's see.... where did I file that Xbox.... v for video game or m for microsoft????

[brett.chandler @ Oct 4th 2007 12:49PM]

Interesting, though the plug looks like it's a bit on the fragile side...

BTW, for those wondering what question this is an answer to, bear in mind that an awful lot of households now rely on cordless phones, which are rendered useless in a power outage.

This could certainly slip nicely into a household emergency kit.

[johnzilla @ Oct 4th 2007 3:07PM]

And an awful lot of households use VoIP, therefore having no active landline jack for these phones to function.

I agree with others...this is a solution looking for a problem.

[joetron2030 @ Oct 4th 2007 3:42PM]

@johnzilla

Even if many are moving to VOIP or mobile phones only, I can't think of many existing houses that don't have at least one telephone jack in them.

Also, consider the possibility (no matter how remote) of a power failure and overload of a region's mobile carriers' networks.

More often than not, the telco line is usually still up and functional.

[Megan @ Oct 4th 2007 4:23PM]

@ johnzilla,

Most homes have land-line connections, and more often then not, even if you don't have a subscription to the phone company, you still can dial out for 911 or the operator, who can connect you to 911. I

[mike @ Oct 4th 2007 12:51PM]

Now if this was a PrePaid phone that you could mail to someone so that they could call you long distance, then THAT would be a cool card to send.

[strider_mt2k @ Oct 4th 2007 1:00PM]

Excellent!

[Dr Buzz0 @ Oct 4th 2007 1:22PM]

So... it's gaurenteed communications as long as you have a phone jack, then?

[Christopher Powers @ Oct 4th 2007 1:30PM]

I'm just disappointed that they opted not to build it to legacy specs and include a rotary dial... When will these people learn not to abandon their core users..

Heh heh...

Chris

[Xtopher Robin @ Oct 4th 2007 1:31PM]

Haha, reminds me of the disposable cell phone in Ultraviolet. Only, not out of a vending machine, tethered to a landline (if you have one), and not nearly as cool. lol

[Alexander @ Oct 4th 2007 1:46PM]

Now, if this was a VOIP phone, loaded with minutes... Then this would be something.

[TarsTarkas @ Oct 4th 2007 2:29PM]

And I thought Keira Knightly's chest was flat. Well, at least and I touch this.

[John M @ Oct 4th 2007 2:32PM]

agreed...it needs to be pre paid like a calling card...That would be amazing!

[Philip @ Oct 4th 2007 3:52PM]

Now it only needs wi-fi voIP

[Xee @ Oct 4th 2007 4:02PM]

So instead of having a big, heavy phone keeping you tied landline you'll have a light, thin phone keeping you tied to a landline.

Brilliant!

[The ZeroCorpse @ Oct 4th 2007 4:49PM]

Here's the situation: You lose power. There's a black or something. You go to make a call to report the power outage, call 911, or order pizza, and you realize all your phones are cordless and electronic. You effectively have no working phone in the house because the ones you have attached to the landline all require electricity to work. You threw out the corded phone ages ago.

With this, you have a corded phone around. You don't have a corded phone taking up much space, but you have it if you need it.

How about this: You're out for the night, and your cell phone dies. You don't have change for a pay phone and nobody's letting you use their landline (or nobody's around to let you). You DO have the paper phone in your briefcase, though, and so you pop it out, wander around in the mall, nightclub, or department store, and find a free phone jack. Boom. You've got the ability to call for a cab or check in with your wife.

Finally-- You're a germophobe. You won't use a public phone for fear of getting germs, and you won't even use hotel phones because you're convinced the maid never cleans it and WHO KNOWS what other people have done with the hotel phone? Easy solution-- Disposable phone! You know it's sanitary and hasn't been stuck up some stranger's butt by a hooker. Every Single Time you use it, you know the disposable phone is clean and fresh.

I could go on, but I'l leave you with that image.

[Paco @ Oct 4th 2007 5:01PM]

hmmm well... If they make it out of cardboard is is much more biodegradable then a plastic phone. Other then that my cordless phone has a batter in the base that says it will last for 8 hours & I have a backup corded phone... somewhere... in a box I would guess.

[Paco @ Oct 4th 2007 5:02PM]

hmmm well... If they make it out of cardboard is is much more
biodegradable then a plastic phone. Other then that my cordless phone
has a batter in the base that says it will last for 8 hours & I have a
backup corded phone... somewhere... in a box I would guess.

[Matthew Hilario @ Oct 4th 2007 5:29PM]

paper mario called.
he wants his phone back.

[Alex B @ Oct 4th 2007 5:35PM]

Seems like most people agree this is only useful as a spare backup phone if your wireless/cordless phones are out, so the "posting" (aka mailing) part of this concept is pointless. But even as a cheap corded phone this is pointless - cheap corded phones are already available everywhere for a few bucks, the only thing that's different about this one is that it's thinner (and probably more fragile). Unless you live in a space capsule, you probably have some room somewhere to stash an extra phone.

[Michael @ Oct 4th 2007 5:36PM]

Did anyone else think the headline said "landmine" at first? Maybe not. But I did. So yeah.


Interesting idea still though.

[Pepe @ Oct 4th 2007 6:22PM]

Following the links to the source is often helpful. This is the Industrial Designer's website:
http://www.priestmangoode.com/about/about.html

It might clear the "function" questions up...

The post on Engadget is linked through from a design blog. Design things are often just that, (wonderful) designs:
http://www.dezeen.com/2007/10/02/post-a-phone-by-priestman-goode/

If nothing else, it's cool publicity for this Goode guy.

[Mike van Lammeren @ Oct 5th 2007 1:01AM]

Come on, you don't really believe that typical potential users are "traveling spies and undercover two-timers", do you? The only time you really need a landline is when you need to get out of The Matrix!