A Jacket to Shush Your Phone
![]() |
A post on Gizmodo today points out an interesting design for a jacket with a pocket that automatically silences your phone by blocking radio waves, from U.K. designer Victor Johansson. The Escape Jacket also features an NFC chip in its lining that is intended to turn a phone’s antenna off when placed inside so it won’t run down the battery by fruitlessly searching for a signal.
While we don’t always want to wear a jacket (and most of us still don’t have NFC-equipped phones), the basic idea of garments that can allow us to easily cut ourselves off from digital communication is a good one. There are plenty of situations when I have to remember to silence my phone (movies and meetings, to name just two), and sometimes it’s nice to just disable digital missives altogether. Having a method as simple as a special pocket to make it happen makes a lot of sense. As the designer notes, shoving your phone into the pocket could also be a delightfully dramatic way to end a phone call.
I’m not that interested in a jacket pocket specifically, but a pocket in a messenger bag? Sign me up.
Deep Dive
Uncategorized

It will soon be easy for self-driving cars to hide in plain sight. We shouldn’t let them.
If they ever hit our roads for real, other drivers need to know exactly what they are.

Maximize business value with data-driven strategies
Every organization is now collecting data, but few are truly data driven. Here are five ways data can transform your business.

Cryptocurrency fuels new business opportunities
As adoption of digital assets accelerates, companies are investing in innovative products and services.

Where to get abortion pills and how to use them
New US restrictions could turn abortion into do-it-yourself medicine, but there might be legal risks.
Stay connected

Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.