The Return of the Phone Booth for Cell Phones

You may have thought you've seen the end of phone booths now that everyone has a cell phone—who needs a pay phone? But according to a recent Newsweek article, Salemi Industries of Woburn, Mass, is pushing cell phone booths called the Cell Zone in response to complaints about noisy cell phone gabbers and privacy concerns. The Cell Zone is aimed at libraries, stadiums, nightclubs, and restaurants— and may even be a worthy investment for physicians whose waiting rooms are often disturbed by this nuisance. The booth is priced between $2400 and $3500, offers retro-style options, modern ventilation systems, and blocks 30 to 40 decibels of noise. And while the article admits that some public cell phone chatterboxes are and always will be oblivious to annoyed bystanders who aren't interested in their problematic love life, it's nice to give people the option of being courteous or having privacy.