Holsterwatching at CTIA

I’ve been choc-a-bloc with meetings all throughout CTIA but every now and then, an interview has been finishing early.

It doesn’t happen often. But when it does, I’ve been indulging in a spot of holsterwatching. That is, observing the mobile use of the industry itself.

It’s terminally depressing on one hand — and on the other hand, excellent news.

For example, there are Blackberries *everywhere*. Every second handset is a Blackberry. This generally bodes well, but I’m still seeing rubbish handsets being brandished by folk who really should know better.

Take, for instance, the countless executives walking around with Motorola RAZR handsets stuck to their heads. It really shouldn’t be allowed. Unless you work for Motorola — in which case, our group-wide sympathies are with you.

CTIA should be a place of mobile brilliance — a celebration of all things mobile. Push the mobile boundaries. And all that jazz.

There’s absolutely no excuse to be walking about with a Motorola RAZR first edition handset nowadays. No excuse. Wear it on a holster and you really deserve a good slapping.

I’m not keeping it to myself though. Oh no.

I’ve deployed the video camera. I am aiming to bring you a series of examples — live video examples — of ridiculous folk sporting ridiculous handsets. These are people who are formulating wireless policy. I’ve pointed the camera at anything that caught my attention. I haven’t quite managed to get the guy walking about with THREE mobile holsters on his belt yet. Every time I see him, it would look rather conspicuous of I started fumbling for the record switch.

Bluetooth-sodding-headsets are also captured in their full glory. Particularly the chap who was sat having a drink with his friends in the ‘W’ Hotel — The W of all places — wearing his rubbish Jawbone.

Bluetooth headsets are for chauffeurs, Fedex chaps and plumbers. Everyone else? No.