Build Picturephones With an On-Off Switch

There is a simple response to Michael Schrage’s indictment of picture telephones (“Why Picturephones Are a Bad Call,” Sept. 26), and that is a simple on-off switch.

Granted, most times we do not want to be seen while on the telephone, but many times a picture is worth a thousand spoken words.

The solution to this dilemma is to have a switch that would have to be intentionally turned on before a person could be seen. That way, there would be no accidental viewings, as the switch would automatically go to off after each call.

The technology is available for the United States to build a picture telephone (videophone might be a better name). Are we going to surrender this lucrative field to the Japanese, as we did the VCR? I pray not, for it is time for America to be back in the forefront of electronics.

JOHN EVEREST

Burbank