When the caller is a person whose number your cell phone recognizes, the cell phone turns into a picture of the person who's calling.
I don't mean "displays" a picture of the person's face on the screen. I mean renders it in 3-D, with the cell phone shaped like a little doll with screens wrapped completely around its head and torso. Turn the cell phone around and you can look at the back or side of the person who called you. It's cute!
Obviously, requires some prior preparation from you: you must take all the appropriate front/side/back pictures of your friend and run them through a commercial software package to make a 360-degree smoothable view. Then upload this to your cell phone.
(Don't tell me they already have this in Japan.)-- phundug, May 09 2004 Earthquake Sets Japan Back To 2147 https://www.theonio...-to-2147-1819569216 [Voice, May 10 2024] Yes, but what if the person you're calling is an amputee? Would a bit of your phone fall off?-- hippo, May 09 2024 [+]-- Voice, May 09 2024 They already have this in Japan ;p-- Skewed, May 09 2024 You wouldn't need any prior preparation if the caller's area had security cameras, LIDAR, or holographic capabilities. Anybody at all could be a homunculus in your pocket. I think it's a great idea but I hate the thought of some telemarketer pinching you to pay attention to the latest, greatest offer. Or worse. Much worse.
Can you strangle the homunculus without breaking your phone?-- minoradjustments, May 10 2024 random, halfbakery