# why didn't certain mobile/cellphone manufacturers think of this? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 18, 2005, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-certain-mobile-cellphone-manufacturers-think-of-this/331595 "2005-11-18T02:36:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-certain-mobile-cellphone-manufacturers-think-of-this/331595/1 "2005-11-18T02:36:01Z")
Like many other phones mine has only one screen. This screen switches off after a minute to conserve battery life. It switches off eventually if I have recieved a call or text. So without turning it back on I have no way of knowing I have missed a call or recieved a message. Now, why didn’t they think of changing the colour and/or frequency of the service light (which blips every few seconds) to indicate a new message or missed call? If my phone were programmed to blip a red light instead of a yellow one after it had recieved a messaged or missed call I would not need to disable the keylock and waste battery power and time to find out. ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-certain-mobile-cellphone-manufacturers-think-of-this/331595/2 "2005-11-18T02:43:23Z")
I don’t know about yours, but on mine the backlight turns off, but not the screen itself. Thus, with ample light and a decent angle, I can check without turning the backlight back on. Although mine will also beep at me if I missed a call. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-certain-mobile-cellphone-manufacturers-think-of-this/331595/3 "2005-11-18T02:43:55Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > Like many other phones mine has only one screen. This screen switches off after a minute to conserve battery life. It switches off eventually if I have recieved a call or text. So without turning it back on I have no way of knowing I have missed a call or recieved a message. > > Now, why didn’t they think of changing the colour and/or frequency of the service light (which blips every few seconds) to indicate a new message or missed call? > > If my phone were programmed to blip a red light instead of a yellow one after it had recieved a messaged or missed call I would not need to disable the keylock and waste battery power and time to find out. Not sure which era your phone is from (bronze, stone, iron, etc 🙂 ) but most of the phones I’ve seen do just what your suggesting. I have an led status light that has 10 or so different colors that I can program however. You can make your girlfriend green, your work orange, etc. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-certain-mobile-cellphone-manufacturers-think-of-this/331595/4 "2005-11-18T02:45:35Z")
Might we inquire what service you use? Let’s find you a new phone, it’ll be fun. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-certain-mobile-cellphone-manufacturers-think-of-this/331595/5 "2005-11-18T02:50:23Z")
My little light is usually off, but flashes green when I’m receiving a call, and red if I have a message. That only works for the first message, though. Once I open the phone to see that I have a missed call and a message, if I don’t check it, and get _other_ messages afterwards, it won’t warn me. Programming it for different colors for different people would be neat! ---
**Author:** ![JpnDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@JpnDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JpnDude)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-certain-mobile-cellphone-manufacturers-think-of-this/331595/6 "2005-11-18T03:39:14Z")
My cellphone in Japan, and most I have seen around here, do have an indicator light of various colors on the outside part of the phone. Some also have secondary smaller screen displays that shows you the call ID and time. It’s been like that for a few years now here. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-certain-mobile-cellphone-manufacturers-think-of-this/331595/7 "2005-11-18T03:47:01Z")
> [@Antigen](#): > > My little light is usually off, but flashes green when I’m receiving a call, and red if I have a message. That only works for the first message, though. Once I open the phone to see that I have a missed call and a message, if I don’t check it, and get _other_ messages afterwards, it won’t warn me. > > Programming it for different colors for different people would be neat! I have Sprint, and I know that most of the Sanyos (8100, 8200, etc) have the multicolor LEDs. In fact most of the newer phones have them, so next time you upgrade it should be a feature on the new phone. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-certain-mobile-cellphone-manufacturers-think-of-this/331595/8 "2005-11-18T03:48:40Z")
Phones have done this for years. Get a new phone ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-certain-mobile-cellphone-manufacturers-think-of-this/331595/9 "2005-11-18T07:40:29Z")
Or even get an old one. My one which I’m hoping will soon appreciate value through its vintage 😉 has such a light. ---
**Author:** ![gouda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c77e96/32.png) [@gouda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gouda)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-certain-mobile-cellphone-manufacturers-think-of-this/331595/10 "2005-11-18T13:18:44Z")
My Nokia 3660 doesn’t go completely blank. A band displaying the date and time keeps flashing its way across the screen. If I have any missed calls, it’ll display a missed call symbol instead, indicating how many too. Ditto for any messages. The backlight remains off, but it is easily noticeable.