A GRAVE JOKE ON UNDERTAKERS — Some malicious wag at Providence, R.I. has been playing a grave practical joke on the undertakers there, by summoning them over the telephone to bring freezers, candlesticks and coffin for persons alleged to be dead. In each case the denouement was highly farcical, and the reputed corpses are now hunting in a lively manner for that telephonist.
Paul Collins uncovers the birth of the prank call. [more inside]
posted by Horace Rumpole on Nov 6, 2011 - 28 comments

Wired: "Who 'Ruled the Air' in 1910, and Who Rules It Now?". Also see: Vintage AdBrowser (Previously): Communications Ads of the: 1910's, 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's.
posted by zarq on Oct 25, 2010 - 9 comments

Thinking of getting an iPhone? There is an alternative, you know. It's a bit complicated, but this video will help you understand how to use it. (SLYT)
posted by grumblebee on Mar 29, 2010 - 58 comments

The Smoking Gun turns the table on a group of pranksters allegedly responsible for terrorizing strangers over the phone: Outing An Online Outlaw describes how the group leader used skype, an unprotected wifi connection and his mothers bedroom to engage in what TSG calls "an orgy of criminal activity."
posted by krautland on Aug 4, 2009 - 65 comments

Google's Android goes live for demo. Lots of video and stills. Cache.
posted by loquacious on May 28, 2008 - 62 comments

The son of industrial designer Hartmut Esslinger (creator of the distinct styling of the Apple IIc and subsequent products, as well as founder of frog design) shares memories and photographs (auf Deutsch; Google cache) of Apple's early attempts at an iPhone.
posted by Blazecock Pileon on Jul 18, 2007 - 6 comments

Maddox on iPhone
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 on Jul 17, 2007 - 92 comments

For four months, the Kuykendalls, the Prices and the McKays say they’ve been harassed and threatened by mysterious cell phone stalkers who track their every move and occasionally lurk by their homes late at night, screaming and banging on walls. Police can’t seem to stop them. The late-night visitors vanish before officers arrive. The families say investigators have a hard time believing the stalkers can control cell phones without touching them and suspect an elaborate hoax. Complaints to their phone companies do no good – the families say they’ve been told what the stalkers are doing is impossible.
posted by daninnj on Jun 29, 2007 - 99 comments

Blogs by Phone - for when your family and friends have trouble keeping up with your blog posts. (YouTube video from SixApart)
posted by divabat on Dec 22, 2006 - 23 comments

Use the badly named Tglo to call any phone in the USA for free, and to SMS anyone in the world (maybe) for free.
posted by riotgrrl69 on Aug 6, 2006 - 18 comments

During a 1987 radio broadcast, Dutch comedian and writer Wim de Bie decided to take Ry Cooder up on his offer and give him a call. Hilarity ensued (RealAudio). Note: the song is played until about 1'55", phone conversation follows.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane on Aug 2, 2006 - 27 comments

What would you do if your opponent's elderly constituents needed a ride to vote? Jam their phone lines of course.
posted by LinemanBear on Jul 1, 2004 - 17 comments

The day the dinnertime phone calls stopped. We've previously discussed the new national do-not-call list on Mefi, but this Salon piece puts a new spin on the subject. Millions of rural Americans will inevitably lose telemarketing jobs because telemarketing will be regulated out of business. But the government isn't regulating them out of business, it is just providing a way for people to choose not to participate in this business scheme. The people who add their names to the list are the people who are going to hang up in the telelmarketer's face anyways, so where's the harm in this list? And what about the DMA's 10 reasons to protect the teleservices industry?
posted by archimago on Jul 15, 2003 - 64 comments

Giving telemarketers a taste of their own medicine. It seems too good to be true, but Tom Mabe is managing to make money by messing with their minds. His tormenting even extends to the web. His page is currently the top result on a Google for telemarketers, which is likely a thorn in their side. He's thought up some great responses to use when for some strange reason you just can't hang up the phone. Besides saying you're dead, what have you said to get rid of them?
posted by jaden on May 23, 2002 - 62 comments

Can't remember your phone number? At the phonespell.org website you can get a list of all the possible word combinations made by your phone number. If you have 1's and 0's in your number, the possibilities are fewer.
posted by altojen on Feb 26, 2002 - 34 comments

Your Phone Number Touch Tones Are Copyrighted! Not to mention the touch tone sequence to just about any other phone number you'll ever dial. You've got two choices: a) Pay a licensing fee, or b) throw all your telecommunications equipment away.

Brilliant. Wish I had thought of it.
posted by tpoh.org on Oct 4, 2001 - 15 comments

Kill all the phones. Kill all the phones.
posted by alan on Jul 11, 2000 - 10 comments

Dial a CEO: Every month, Working Assets Long Distance, a phone plan managed by a progressive San Francisco-based citizen-action group dedicated to environmental and social-justice issues, highlights on its customers' phone bill two issues currently under debate (violence against women, gun control, road-building in national parks, etc.), plus the telephone numbers of the top corporate or political people involved in the issue, whose cage you can rattle at no charge. Targets have included senators, congressmen and the US president, as well as CEOs like Exxon/Mobil's Lee Raymond and Home Depot's Arthur Blank. "It's important to target the CEOs directly because they have ultimate responsibility for these issues," says Working Assets citizen action director Janet Nudelman. "They don't like it when they receive four or five thousand calls, but it certainly gets their attention"
posted by palegirl on Jul 2, 2000 - 4 comments