35% of Brits Admit to Using Their Phone While on the Loo

A survey, conducted by iGIZMO, into the gadget habits of British people has found that Brits often exhibit possessive, rude or downright peculiar behaviour when it comes to using their mobile phones and favourite gadgets, including over a third of people who admit to using their phone whilst on the toilet.

Furthermore, much like airhead hotel heiress Paris Hilton, an estimated 730,000 of the UK's population have chatted on their mobile while in the throes of passion with a lover. However, during sex and sitting on the toilet are not the only strange and inappropriate places Brits as a nation use our phones, a macabre 2% even said they had chatted whilst attending a funeral.

Ross Burridge, Editor of iGIZMO magazine commented "We're a nation that loves our gadgets and it seems we take our mobiles everywhere with us - even to the lavatory. It's amazing to think that some people will even chat and text while in the throes of passion or at funerals. Our survey also revealed some even stranger places that people admitted using their mobiles, such as while having a filling - and even during a rectal examination."

Green Gadgets

On average, it was found that many UK residents own two mobiles and two MP3 players each, meaning that 240 million unwanted gadgets are going to waste in Britain alone. Furthermore, only 36% of respondents said they would consider recycling their old phone or giving it to charity - the exception being older consumers (+65 years), with over half claiming they conscientiously recycle old electronics.

The UK-wide survey looked into the gadget usage habits of nearly 10,000 male and female consumers aged 16 - 45.

Strangest place to use your phone:

• Over a third have chatted to friends on a mobile whilst on the toilet at work, at home or in a public lavatory
• 2% of mobile users have chatted whilst at a funeral
• 1.2% have held a mobile conversation whilst having sex
• 20% of people have been told they use their mobile too much by friends, family or colleagues
• Some other responses included: 'whilst having a filling at the dentist', 'whilst having a rectal examination', 'at Princess Diana's funeral' and 'in Brixton on a Friday night.'

Priorities:

• A mobile phone and an MP3 player are ranked higher on the list of priorities than beer, wine, spirits and smoking
• Under 24s value socialising and their mobile second only to their family
• Women value their mobile second only to their family and health.
• Nearly 9% of under 16s view their mobile phone as more important than their family, their health and their family.
• Consumers are more concerned about the loss of an MP3 Player or mobile phone than losing a handbag or briefcase

Posted to the site on 5th August 2008

Posted to: www.cellular-news.com/story/32873.php