Phone-app For Your Toilet???

Okay, this whole smartphone-crazed culture is taking things too far. I’ve watched couples in coffee shops who don’t say a word to each other because each is too busy texting, and I’ve been in dinner conversations where one or more people suddenly drop out of the conversation because what’s on their phone is more interesting than talking with the people they’re with.

And for the life of me, I don’t understand how people can read novels on that tiny screen, or movies for that matter. Many people, however, seem to love doing just that. That’s why there is chocolate and vanilla, people have different tastes.

It seems to me that some people are using their phones, not so much to stay in touch with each other, but to remove themselves from society, too build a wall around them with this little window into the outside world.

I’m okay with all that. I am. I understand that there are many useful apps that make a complicated life easier. But I also believe you can take things too far, and I think the Japanese firm Lixil has just crossed the line by launching a smartphone-friendly toilet that you control via its very own Android app.

The Satis toilet allows users to open and close the lid remotely, moderate the jet spray feature, pipe music through the toilet's built-in speakers, keep a diary of your every movement, and monitor your electricity and water use.

This takes the smart-phone, IMHO, out of the realm of useful and into the territory of status symbol. Are people really so lazy they can’t turn and flip a manual button? I don’t think so. And who the hell needs a diary of bowel movements? Is life really getting to the point where a person can’t take a shit without their phone? I’m sorry, this is a ridiculous display of prestige.

In a world still saddled with wars, violence, hunger, poverty, why are intelligent people spending their time and energy on these kinds of products?