Let’s talk about phone booths. First, Clark Kent barely ever transformed into Superman in a phone booth. Why would he—glass doors are see-through. Second, they can be a little scary. Ever see the 2002 Colin Farrell thriller Phone Booth ? If that doesn’t convince you to stay out of a glass box forever, what will? Well, now there’s coronavirus.
Today’s phone booths—aka privacy pods—provide a respite from open offices and cubicles, allowing a semblance of quiet and privacy. However, coworkers rotating through a 3x3 foot enclosed space can be a germ factory, requiring not-so-practical cleaning and disinfecting rituals between uses. That said, phone booths do offer an escape from the clamor and distractions of an open office. But is there a better way?
Let’s take a look at the PoppinPod Kolo 1 phone booth versus the MojoDome. The PoppinPod offers a tight and enclosed space for around $7K plus installation.
Meanwhile, the MojoDome features a flexible solution with a spacious sit-stand desk and retractable dome that provides for lighting, privacy, and acoustics for much less.
The PoppinPod Kolo 1 is roughly 40x40 inches square and 90 inches tall, a little claustrophobic for most Americans, but a perfect size if you are a pea.
"Doctor, My Eyes!" While consumer electronics vacillate between comically large , comically small and comically large again, desktop monitors get bigger and cheaper. This is fortunate because no matter who you are, your eyesight is not going to get better over time. Plus, dual monitors increase productivity in many professions.
To this end, the PoppinPod Kolo 1 includes a small shelf for small electronics or a cactus.
The MojoDome’s 58x43-inch desktop offers ample space for two 24-inch monitors placed with ergonomic and focal distance considerations. A cable management system keeps all those cords tidy as well.
As many office dwellers discovered while working from home during the pandemic, ergonomic chairs are a good thing. The PoppinPod Kolo 1 decided to sit this one out—the standard model has nowhere to sit but you can add a chair for $169 or pony up an additional $300 for a model that includes a stool.
MojoDome offers sit-stand flexibility, so you can take advantage of existing chairs, purchase ergonomic chairs of your choice and stand when you like. The press of a button raises the desk and dome so you can take a break from extended sitting. (While claiming that sitting is the new smoking might be a little extreme, extended sitting is clearly linked to poor health outcomes.)
Poor lighting can hurt productivity by causing headaches, eye strain and more. What people really want is customizable light at their workstations. Inside the PoppinPod Kolo 1, you can dim the light and adjust the color temperature from warm to cool—but this does nothing to help with lighting back at your desk. The MojoDome accommodates individual needs and preferences with a dimmable LED light strip controlled by a touch sensor on the desk.
The loud talkers, the keyboard pounders, the desk tappers, the YouTube watchers…all the people and activities that make up the hum of an office. It’s comforting and confounding at the same time. When you need peace for an important call or project, it’s time to quiet the noise.
Simply raise the MojoDome to block out surrounding sound while ensuring professional-sounding phone and video calls from within the space. The 12mm thick 100% polyester fiber panels are shaped for maximum acoustical absorption. The PoppinPod Kolo 1, with the door closed, is soundproof.
We’ll give them this: The PoppinPod has it all over the MojoDome when it comes to color options. The Kola 1 phone booth colors and accents include white, black, light gray, slate blue, clay, gold oak and brown walnut. The MojoDome is more of a blank slate, available in a neutral light gray that allows accent colors in walls and floors to take center stage. More colors will be available soon.
A one-person phone booth such as the PoppinPod Kolo 1 is clearly not designed for collaboration—at least not with people in the room with you. However, for nearly $14K—yes, that’s 14 thousand dollars—you can get a Kolo 2 that accommodates two people.
The beauty of the MojoDome is its flexibility. Domes up = privacy and quiet. Domes down = time to chat, problem solve, and brainstorm. The flexibility of the MojoDome effectively converts your open plan office space into an “open as needed” space.
The PoppinPod Kolo 1 has a standard installation fee of $500. MojoDome offers flexible plans to suit your needs, from do-it-yourself kits to full-space planning and installation from our experienced interior designers.
Back to the original question—is there a better way to gain control over an open office space? PoppinPod Kola 1 offers a soundproof box with space to stand and a small shelf for electronics. There are ventilation and lighting options for comfort plus power. For nearly $7K plus installation. The MojoDome provides a flexible sit-stand desk that allows for privacy or collaboration for much less. I'm talking less than half the cost.
Learn more about MojoDome HERE.