If you're tired of interrupted dinner conversations because someone just had to check their latest Snapchat, you might enjoy this new placemat from Ikea. The design is simple and still lets people keep their phone on the table but in a less obnoxious way.
Part of its new Sittning Collection, the "Logged Out" placemat ($2), which will arrive in September, has a dedicated pocket for smartphones. So it won't entirely eliminate anyone using their smartphone during a meal, but it makes it more obvious when they're being rude. Plus, it might help put people at ease who just need to have their phone near them at all times.
Sure, we should just stay off our phones when we're with a real person, but this isn't a bad compromise at all — it's just another example of how to adapt to our new lives with technology.
Whether you like the idea or not, Ikea is definitely thinking ahead of the game again — and trying to make life a little easier.