Phones & Skirts

Lately in Japan, a fad of taking pictures up women's skirts has been in the news. This is such a culturally interesting phenomenon that – yours truly, Hard Hitting News Hound – needed to get to the bottom of it (no pun intended).
What better place to start than at the electronics store where the "offending devices" are being sold.
Salesperson: May I help you?
HHNH: Yes... er... I am interested in the devices that the people in the news have been using to take pictures up women's skirts. What do you in the business think about this trend.
Salesperson: Trend? Ha ha! I understand completely!
No problem! (He inexplicably winked at me.)
Let me show you some of the more popular models over here.
You DO know that ALL phones sold in Japan HAVE to make a sound when a still shot is made, right? I just want to be sure you know the basics...
HHNH: Really?
Salesperson: Yes.
So what has become really popular these days is taking videos. You can edit out still shots later if you want.
Here.... have a look at this one. The iPhones are popular but I think they are really too big for this kind of work.
I find...
I mean... if someone wanted to take those kinds of pictures...
um... what I mean to say is that nowadays we offer a lot of phones that are very slim and inconspicuous and which also take video. Their main feature is that they fit into your pocket very easily.
HHNH: You don't say...
Salesperson: Yes. So there are basically two types... the "one box" type and the "extendable type" phones. The iPhone and similar are the one box type of phone, and I find that they really don't give you much extension...
I mean... hahahaha!
If you want to take pictures, it is often best to have a little reach.
So I am recommending the extendable type of phone. Like this one! Look how when you slide open the lid it really extends the camera almost 10 centimeters!
I have this model. It works really great!
HHNH: How nice....
Salesperson: Oh! Another thing about the shutter sound. Some phones make more noise than others, so if you really need to take the still shots instead of the video, you will want to choose the quieter ones. Generally, your one-box type phones make more noise than the others. Take mine here; for example, it's not so bad. Here, let me show you. I will take a picture and you tell me what you think?
HHNH: Er.... OK....
Salesperson: (aims phone at the phone display in the store and presses the camera button) See? Hardly any sound at all. You can also disable the shutter sound if you really want to take still shots. Or you can soften the sound by putting tape or a seal on the back of the phone like this. (He shows me a large Hello Kitty seal on the back of his phone.)
HHNH: How interesting...
Salesperson: You can also take pictures with portable media players like the JAL guy used. These have the advantage of not making any sound and also look less like a camera. That's where that university professor was so stupid, using a mirror when he could EASILY have taken pictures. And that guy in Okinawa! What an idiot, using a camera! There is really no reason to be so obvious! It is so easy to get really good pictures up women's skirts without being noticed... there are whole web sites devoted to posting them! You really should check them out; do you want the URLs? I have them right here on my phone!
HHNH: It's OK. Thank you so much for your help.
Salesperson: So do you want one of these phones?
HHNH: No, thank you very much.
Salesperson: How about this portable media player with a camera function? Nobody will notice even in a crowded train!
HHNH: It's OK. Thanks.
Salesperson: Well, don't try anything with YOUR phone. It's an antique!
HHNH: Yes, thank you for the advice.