#1747: MobileMobs

Since, it seems, the entire world economy depends on mobile phones, today’s invention is a new way to market these devices.

People could answer a questionnaire online. This would categorise them as belonging predominantly to one of a dozen or so social groups (eg jocks, hipsters, fogeys, petrolheads, goths, barbies, nerds, etc).

The sales website would then present them with the phone most likely to fulfil their needs (based on both the casing design options and the pre-loaded software).

Not only would this reinforce both people’s sense of identity and community, it would also allow them to be identified by members of other social groups, enabling the starting of a face to face conversation or an evasive maneuvre.