Screen ‘privacy shield’ comes to the iPhone at last

by Alex Zaharov-Reutt

Thursday, 14 February 2008

Page 1 of 3 ! If you’ve ever been worried about ‘wandering eyes’ looking at your iPhone screen when you’re using it, and wished there was a way to keep whatever you’re looking at private, a new privacy shield reminiscent of the one from 3M for notebook computers is finally available. In Japan, where mobile phone usage is potentially the highest in the world, and where mobile phones are liberally used in trains and many other places where ‘wandering eyes’ could easily be watching every single last thing you’re doing on your phone, ‘privacy shields’ for phone screens are very popular. That’s because the Japanese phones have been highly advanced for years, with locals usign their phones as mini computers, not only sending messages and making calls but surfing the web and taking advantage of many other features. In the crowded, cramped spaces of Japanese bullet trains, using a ‘privacy shield’ is one of the few ways to actually get some true privacy in such a populous and relatively small nation. But it’s not only the Japanese that now do this, as smartphones are in use worldwide, with people using them to surf all manner of websites, compose SMS and MMS messages, and interacting with other programs. And as many of today’s smartphones, like the iPhone, have very large screens, with very wide viewing angles, it really is quite simple for anyone sitting next to you to ‘spy’ on your mobile phone activities. Privacy shields have also become quite popular for notebook and laptop users who often find themselves in cafes, airport lounges, in planes, trains, their offices or anywhere else they like to use their computers where other people could easily be hovering around. There’s something seductive about a screen – if it’s on, people like to look. They don’t necessarily care what you’re doing, although clearly there would be some real cases of industrial espionage. But if there’s a simple way to stop people from looking at your screen, on whichever device, there will always be some people that want to take up the option. Now I've been using a 3M Privacy Screen on my notebook computer for a couple of years now, and I love it, and ever since I purchased an iPhone, I've wanted something similar, just because the technology is available and I don't see why those around me should see what I am doing, as it really isn't anyone else's business. For more on desktop and notebook privacy screens - and that iPhone privacy screen (which also works with the Palm Treo and the HTC Touch) - please read onto page 2! << First page <   1 2 3 Next page > Last page - Post your comment >>

 

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