• [from steve_portigal] Blu Develops a Social Networking Device for Smokers [NYTimes.com] – [While it's a bit of a weird idea, it seems to fit with the already weird e-cigarette better than the very old-school tobacco experience] The new “smart packs" ($80 for 5 e-cigarettes) emit and search for the radio signals of other packs. When they get within 50 feet, the packs vibrate and flash a blue light. Packs can be set to exchange information about their owners, like contact information on social networking sites, that can be downloaded to computers. The packs also conveniently vibrate when a smoker nears a retail outlet that sells Blu cigarettes. Later versions will be tethered to a smartphone through an app. Adam Alfandary, 24 was skeptical. He said that the social aspects of smoking were a part of the reason he continued to light up, but he scoffed at the idea of a cigarette that would do the social part for him. “I think that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard in my life. And I’m saying that in full acknowledgment that smoking is one of the dumbest things I can do.”

Tags: blu, cigarette, connection, digital, e-cigarette, electronics, networking, quickies, smoking, social, technology

One Response to “ChittahChattah Quickies”

We should start documenting ideas like this one, that look like they came straight off a whiteboard from an ideation session without any further refinement, thought, testing or development. Yes, there’s something social about smoking… no, packs that perform redundant tasks to the much more powerful smartphones already in people’s pockets do not leverage that cultural opportunity. There might be something fun or game-like there though if the idea had been further explored? I wish we could know how this idea came to be a reality and how sales are impacted.

Incidentally, I saw someone smoking one of these at a restaurant in London and was initially startled (“Someone’s smoking!”) then a little jealous as I wished these had been around when I was a smoker as I might have quit sooner!

Comment by Julie Norvaisas 05.18.11 @ 4:47 pm