NTT tests out smelly mobiles

NTT Com’s engineers look like they might have a bit too much time on their hands: the company has revealed its planned to test its ‘Mobile Fragrance Communication (Kaori Tsushin Mobile)’ service for 10 days this month. Users taking part in the trial will be treated to smell emanating from their mobiles to accompany the content they’re viewing on the device.

The service will let users download Fragrance Playlists from i-mode, or files of recipes for specific fragrances together with visual and audio content, according to NTT. Using the phone’s infrared port, the fragrance data is transferred to a device that has been loaded with a selection of fragrances, with the device then mixes up to the right recipe and then emits them.

I can see the advertising appeal – the phone pumps out the smell of fresh bread when you see an ad for your local supermarket – but beyond that? But beyond that, the question remains what sort of content needs a smell to accompany it? The mind boggles.