[SML] Audience member phone cases

[billn at peak.org]

> I just heard about this product. Â It is from what I can read from the vague
> website, pouches that you lock an audience members cell phone in to keep them
> from recording a show. Â Some kind of field in the venue keeps them locked
> while inside. Â 
> http://overyondr.com/
> Anyone actually used them yet?   Good, bad, or indifferent? 
> Dale

Yes, the site is rather vague. The news stories provide a bit more
information. Once the pouch is locked, you have to touch the lock to a special
disc to unlock it. I like the idea, but am uncertain of the practicality in
many cases. But it appears that it is being used successfully - although the
news stories to not say if it has completely eliminated recording/texting.

First problem: You have to convince the people to allow placing their phones
in the cases. The people most willing to do that would probably not record the
show anyway.

Second: Unless you ensure the phone is muted before the phone is placed in the
case, then there is no way for the person to stop the ringing/beeps without
exiting the protected area.

To me, this means you would need to enforce a strict "no phone use in the
protected area - violators will be ejected" policy. There may be cities/states
that legally prohibit such an action.

How do you track cases for retrieval after the event?

And, what do they do with a person like me, who does not pack a cell phone?
Are the promoters going to demand that every patron have a phone that can be
locked up before they are admitted? Will patrons claiming to not have one be
subjected to a pat-down search?

Apparently the pouches can only be rented - for $2/pouch/day. That is fine for
a headliner show with $50+ admission prices, but who eats the cost for shows
with a low admission price?

Bill