My other half often borrows my smartphone to make calls, and occasionally my friends do, too. The idea is to have a caller ID profile assigned to each of them, and use the front facing camera to identify the person calling out when they start dialing. This triggers that person's name/picture to appear on the caller ID of whomever it is they are calling. So basically, if my buddy Joe calls me from his phone, my caller ID will pop up Joe's name and picture. If his girlfriend calls me after he's gone to sleep.... Well, it'll display her name and picture and say "Ashley calling from Joe's phone".

A side benefit is that it could also be used to display an up-to-date contact photo every time someone calls. That would have to be enabled on both ends, and could be disabled from either end.

Probably requires a companion app on the phone being called, but it might also be able to synch with carrier caller ID databases and if that works, it could display the actual caller's ID on landlines as well.

If you want to get extra-complicated, users could upload a photo of themselves to a central app database. That way, if you have to borrow a stranger's phone (provided they also have the app installed) to call someone who has you in their contacts, it'll still display your name and photo and say "[your name] calling from stranger's phone".
-- 21 Quest, Mar 11 2014

cameo profile http://img0.etsysta....423700228_fafv.jpg
[not_morrison_rm, Mar 12 2014]

Individual ringtone http://www.halfbake...Individual ringtone
for Bungston. [21 Quest, Mar 13 2014]

//If his girlfriend calls me after he's gone to sleep....
-- not_morrison_rm, Mar 11 2014


her: "Honey, Why are you fondling my picture in front of the phone ?"

him: "No! I wasn't trying to sneak into your side of the phone. Uhhh It just happened to let me in. "

her: "Really?"
-- popbottle, Mar 11 2014


What about when you dial for them and then pass them the phone while the other end is ringing?

You need a database of ear shapes as well.
-- pocmloc, Mar 12 2014


//a database of ear shapes as well

Good idea, and could we have profiles in the style of cameos. A linky says a thousand words etc
-- not_morrison_rm, Mar 12 2014


No reason why not...
-- 21 Quest, Mar 12 2014


Great idea, though I never let ANYONE use my phone. I am selfish that way. (jk).
-- blissmiss, Mar 12 2014


Do people still hold phones to their ears? And turn imaginary cranks on the wall? I hold my phone right in front of me and bellow at it, like it was a bad hamster.
-- bungston, Mar 12 2014


Yes, a lot of people still hold it to their ears.
-- 21 Quest, Mar 12 2014


Really this app needs to give the ability to completely block calls from certain numbers, or from all numbers except certain numbers. The fact that smart phones can do everything else except block numbers means that this supersimple thing has been left out on purpose.
-- bungston, Mar 13 2014


There's already an app for that. It's called 'Mr. Number'. Blocks calls, texts, MMS... Has about a dozen blocking options. You can even block incoming calls from all numbers with a given area code. I've used it for years.
-- 21 Quest, Mar 13 2014



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