Form factor flip

Okay, being a left-hander, I don’t mind reasonable accomodations to my, ah, handicap. There are, in fact, design issues with some items that make use of them by left-handers less efficient or, in fact, dangerous.

But cell phones?

Steven Day, the left-handed Corporate Affairs Director at Virgin Mobile, said: “We have been approached by thousands of left-handed customers who told us they wanted a phone which would work for them. Britain’s seven million left-handed people should not be ignored and Virgin Mobile is the first mobile company in the world to offer a solution to this problem working in partnership with Sony Ericsson. We are confident there will be huge interest in this product.”

Huh>

Looking at the phone, it’s got a standard, symmetric layout. The keypad numbers are reversed, and the Yes/No buttons (which I assume function as Call/Stop, etc.) are reversed, too (though the colors aren’t).

I can’t figure out, though, how, in any way, it’s more efficient or safer or whatever for lefties. I’ve never felt particularly oppressed by cell phone (or desktop phone kepyad) design, and this just seems to be something that would promote more miskeying, not less (unless we’re going to have reversed keypads for all left-handers on all technologies everywhere).

Or maybe — juuuuust maybe — it’s publicity stunt by Virgin Mobile.

(I’d almost think it was an April Fools gag, but it’s too subtle, and it’s datelined the 31st.)

Look, someone wants to make life easier on lefties? Get rid of those electronic credit card signature pads in stores that have the pen wired into the right-hand side, forcing lefties to drape the cord across the signing surface. They do make them (because I’ve used them) with the pen wired to the top, which is equally (in)convenient for all.

(via Boulder Dude)