Mobile phones a bad invention say the British

Stan Beer
Saturday, 17 February 2007 07:25

IT Industry - Strategy

Many of us complain from time to time that our mobile phone makes us too accessible but we just can't bring ourselves to turn the damned thing off. Well according to a BBC poll, the British think the mobile phone is the second worst invention of all time.

In fact, the only thing worse than a mobile phone as far as the Brits in a survey of more than 4000 readers of BBC Focus are concerned is a weapon. According to the poll, in the worst invention contest 35% voted for weapons, 17% nominated mobile phones, nuclear power, TV and the Sinclair C5 electric car tied for third place with 9%, the car and cigarettes were next with 6% of the vote each, followed by fast food (3%), speed cameras (3%) and religion (2%).

Perhaps the best thing that could be said about this poll is that most polls would probably agree that weapons have not exactly been a boon for mankind, although some may argue that it enabled us to rise to the top of the food chain.

However, any poll that lists mobile phones, TV, nuclear power and the car as being among the worst inventions in history has got to be suspect. Mobile phones, TVs and cars are among the most ubiquitous inventions on the planet, and nuclear power stations are one of the major sources of electricity throughout Europe and the US, besides being emmissions free.

Then again, readers of BBC Focus magazine may not be truly representative of the wider populace. Take for example, the high proportion who listed the Sinclair C5 electric three-wheel car, which was launched in 1985 to howls of derision. Many young people in their late teens through to their early 30s would probably have never even heard of that invention.

And we always thought that a bad invention was one that didn't sell. Mobile phones are selling at around 1 billion a year.