The Big Tech Show Dings, pings and WhatsApp voice notes - other people’s tech habits that drive us mad
Feb 24, 2026
Saoirse Hanley, technology and culture journalist at the Irish Independent, explores the tech habits that bug us. They cover noisy phone alerts, loud media in public, double-screening and phone brightness in cinemas. WhatsApp voice notes and AI-written messages spark debate, plus social media photo trends and shared streaming account annoyances.
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Quiet Carriage Norms Clash With Real Human Noises
- The 'quiet carriage' ideal is compromised by small noises and physical tics, highlighting limits of enforced silence.
- Both hosts note throat clearing, yawning and restless movement still disturb fellow passengers despite signage.
Gym Headphone Bubble Masks Loud Breathing And Vocalising
- Wearing noise-cancelling headphones can make people unaware they're loud or vocalizing while jogging or at the gym.
- Saoirse confesses she voices along and pants on treadmills and later realises it may sound disruptive to others.
Dim Your Screen In Cinemas And Dark Venues
- Dim or turn off phone screens in dark shared venues like cinemas to avoid disrupting others.
- Adrian describes people opening phones on maximum brightness mid-film, shooting a beam of light across the cinema.