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Phonergeist?
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Needed: a term for when your phone makes calls to random entries in my address book on its own volition, usually as a byproduct of unintentional button-mashing. Somehow, my phone intuits the romance/dating-related entries and goes straight for them. It’s particularly enamored of one of my exes, which can be awkward. But not as awkward as the time it sent a discouraged suitor of mine five copies of a text message to a friend describing what I was going to wear that night.

I understand that keyboard lock (and probably looser jeans) would mostly solve this problem. But until I decide whether those are sacrifices I’m willing to make, I need something to describe this phenomenon. Ghost-dialing?

December 10, 2007 / Uncategorized

5 comments

I’ve always referred to it as “purse dialing” which I guess you could gender swap for “pocket dialing”.

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LPS says…

Yeah, I’ve always heard this referred to as “pocket dialing.”

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Yes, “pocket-dial” is the term around here. Keypad lock is de rigueur. Hopefully I don’t have to recount the tale of dry-hump-pocket-dial-to-the-parents in order to convince you. There is also a hot-boxing-the-van variation.

Incidentally, if your ex is someone it is awkward to dial randomly, you should consider taking the ex out of the phone.

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I pocket-shot about twenty pictures by accident this afternoon, all of them of the interior of my pants pocket.

You can also keep your phone in your coat pocket, at least while you’re out and about. I find that this is sometimes useful, as it helps me remember where I’ve left my phone more easily. It also makes it easier to fish out house keys.

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Nice! I love that there’s an established term for this phenomenon. It means I’m not alone, and it also now sounds more plausible when I have to explain it. No more: “Um, see … my phone does this, er, thing …”

My ex isn’t particularly awkward to occasionally dial randomly, but when he’s got missed calls from me once a week, I’m sure he can’t help wondering.

I’ll just have to get used to keypad lock.

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