Coffee mug with built in pencil sharpener.

[Speck Tater]

I was watching TV last night and caught an ad for a cell phone with a built in camera and it struct me, why on earth would anyone buy something so completely useless? Sure, I use the phone. Sure I use a digital camera. But why on God's green earth would those two appliances be bundled together into one package?

It makes as much sense to me as a coffee mug with a built-in pencil sharpener or a pair of reading glasses with a built-in yo-yo. Who dreams up these new and improved ways to take money from morons?

[GOPisEvil]

1. Well, to be fair...

...how many times have you said, "If only I had a camera!!". I have a few times. Not really enough to justify the expense of one of these phones, but I understand the concept...

[Speck Tater]

3. I suppose I've also often said...

... I wish I had a can opener. But that doesn't mean I want my phone to also be a can opener.

[GOPisEvil]

4. *thinks* can opener, huh?

Where is Motorola's address? ;-)

LOL - point taken.

[Robb]

5. Well, you probably already have a can opener...

I suspect some large population of the people looking for a new phone also don't have a digital camera. So the 2-in-1 looks a little more attractive.

It should be noted I have little to no idea what I'm talking about. :)

[Speck Tater]

7. Here's the main thing wrong with the idea...

... When my phone conks out I can still take pictures. Put them into the same unit and if either one malfunctions you loose them both.

[trof]

2. Right up there with the beer mug

with the whistle in the handle.

[omshanti]

6. I kind of like the idea

of a coffee mug with a pencil sharpener. Sharpen your mind with caffeine and sharpen your pencils at the same time!

Hm... if you made the coffee mug in such a shape that the pencil sharpenings wouldn't touch the coffee, that might actually work. Like you could have a detachable bottom so you could discard the shavings.

(edited to muse further on the mechanical workings of a coffee mug with built-in pencil sharpener)

LOL

[Robb]

9. Engineer.

:evilgrin:

[omshanti]

12. unfortunately, yes.

:bounce:

[bowens43]

8. I don't have one but I do see a use for it.

Say you're out wandering around the flea market. You see something you just have to have but it's expensive! Call the SO and show it to him/her before spending the money. "Gee, honey, look at this great ???? and it's only a couple of hundred bucks!!"

Personally , I'd LOVE to have reading glasses with a built in yo-yo!!

[Blue-Jay]

10. I can sorta see how someone would use that in an office,

except for the fact that I haven't used an actual pencil in years. Everything is on the computer or using a pen.

Did you hear the one about the constipated mathematician?

He worked it out with a pencil! :D (I love that joke)

[THUNDER HANDS]

11. that reminds me of an ad I saw last night

For a digital tape measure that has a tape recorder in it so you an keep track of how much something measures.

I thought it was ingenious.

[TreasonousBastard]

13. Lotsa people are buying them, though.

How many times you been on the phone and one of you said "Holy Shit! You gotta see this!"

Now you can.

Then there's "What about this dining room set?"

And, "Yes, Honey, this is really a boring business trip. Look at this crap."

Or, "Check this out! Wish you were here."

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

14. Saw somewhere...

that some people are worried about these phone/cameras. To the effect that you might want to be careful the next time you're in a public restroom and somebody appears to be just talking on the phone.