Phonerism

What's Your Teeth Colour?

2005-08-22T01:09:00.000-07:00

Now I know most people will automatically responded with "White, of course" to this question if they are ever asked, with the exception of a few who might feel embarrassed or angry at someone trying to point out some deficiencies in their dental pigmentation.

Well, I am not talking about the human teeth in this article, but about the teeth of your technology. I am talking about Bluetooth.

What Is Bluetooth?
Bluetooth is the name given to a new technology using short-range radio links, intended to replace the cable(s) connecting portable and/or fixed electronic devices.

A Bluetooth chip is designed to replace cables by taking the information normally carried by the cable, and transmitting it at a special frequency to a receiver Bluetooth chip, which will then give the information received to the computer, phone whatever.

You can read more on Bluetooth technology by visiting here.

Bluetooth technology can be found in cellphones, computers, printers, projectors and some home electronics. It is a technology you have to live with as many manufacturers are now integrating it into their products, especially the mobile phone industry.

Infrared will soon disappeared and give way to Bluetooth just as floppy drive is now giving way to USB flash disks. Unlike infrared the Bluetooth devices trying to communicate with each other don't have to be within line of sight of each other. All they have to do is to be within acceptable distance range of communication which can be as long as 100 metres or less due to other obstacles like walls, partitions, etc.

What's The Use?

You can use Bluetooth to transfer files between your phone and laptop. If your laptop doesn't come with an in-built Bluetooth, you can use a Bluetooth adapter for that. Also you can exchange files wirelessly between two Bluetooth-enabled phones.
Also, You can browse the internet for free on your smartphone using Bluetooth connection. This I had my mentioned in my previous post on Internet Over Bluetooth
Also, You can network all your bluetooth devices (e.g. cellphones, PDAs, printers, laptops, etc) into a Personal Network Area (PAN) and work with them wirelessly.

Apart from these, there are still other ways through which the Bluetooth technology on phones are employed.

Bluejacking
This is an attempt to hi-jack the Bluetooth device (e cellphone) of another person without his or her concept. Hi-jack in this sense means trying to connect your device to, or send message, files, etc surreptitiously.

I used to amuse myself with this when i am bored especially in the office, library or cybercafe. This is how I do it:

I will ask my Bluetooth phone to search for other Bluetooth phones within range. Some phones that are in disproportion modes will be listed.
Then I will try to pair myself to these phones one after the other.
When the other phone asked me for it's Bluetooth passcode, i will enter either 0000 or 1111. With luck some phone's default passcodes are either of the two.
After connection, I will proceed to send messages like "U have been bluejacked", "Your phone has been invaded", etc to the other phone. This I do by creating a Contact without phone number but with a message as the Contact's name. Then I open the Contact and select Send Via BT in the Options menu.
I will secretly watch the reactions of people around me. Soon somebody close by will receive a text message, after reading it, he/she will be confused and starts looking around. I will proceed to send another text message.
Soon the person will with either switch off his/her phone or hurried away from the scene.

Now, there is an ethical issue concerning bluejacking; this is just to say that trying out the above procedure is entirely at your own risk.

Nevertheless bluetoothing has it's own problem, which has to do with security. I will discuss my personal experience on this in my next post.

Typical usage of bluetooth devices

Dangerous Call

2005-08-18T00:03:00.000-07:00

Make That Call & Risk Going To Jail

Make a telephone call while driving and face 3 months imprisonment or pay a fine of 5 thousand naira. Going by the feelers of a motion currently before the law makers of the country, the long hand of the law will soon caught up with motorists who are in the habits of making calls on their mobile phones while behind the wheel.

Exceptions are being granted to people making emergency calls to the Police, Firefighters and Ambulance Services. This is ok and reasonable, because of what use is your cellphone if you cannot place an emergency call when you need it just because you happened to be driving at that particular time? The question is, how do you determine bewtween who is making an emergency call and a frivolous call?

Hitherto, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) have been arresting motorists who make phone calls while driving in other to curb the menace of road accidents emanating from drivers who lost control of their vehicles while making calls. But as far as I am concerned, they are on their own as there is no law yet in the country banning the use of cellphones while driving. So, anybody who has the guts can take the FRSC to court and challenge their authority for doing so.

To say that a law is needed to enforce the 'Don't Make Calls While You Drive' ban is an understatement. As the saying goes, "Where there is no law there is no sin". Despite the dangers involved with making calls while driving, a lot of people still indulge in it.

Why Do People Make Calls While Driving?

To place an emergency call
To receive that all-important call which means life-and-death to them.
They have itching fingers and ears which cannot resist the ringing of a telephone.

Side-Effects Of Making Calls While Driving

The attention of the driver is divided as a result of distraction from the phone.
Considerable reduction of the driver's concentration on the road.
Accidents as a result of (1) & (2) above.

What Is The Real Issue Involved?

The real issue involved here is DISTRACTION. Not that making phone calls is evil on it's own, but it becomes dangerous when one is driving because the attention of the driver making or receiving the call is now divided between the road and the person at the other end of the phone. Since the human brain cannot effectively perform multi-tasking operation as a computer will do, then definitely, distractions will occur. Apart from phone calls while driving, there are still other things that can cause distractions to the driver.

Other Sources of Distraction While Driving

Discussion with passenger(s)
Eating while driving
Reading newspapers in traffic jams (can you believe that?)
Fiddling with the car's stereo
Children in the car calling for attention.

Summary

To sum it up, in other to reduce accidents on our roads, the lawmakers will do well to tackle the problem from the root and not just attacking only one of the symptoms. It will be more effective to look into other issues mentioned above and make laws that encompass all sources of distraction rather than focusing only on the use of cellphones while driving.

No call is worth dying for, live to make another call

Tom Flasher

2005-08-15T00:29:00.000-07:00

Flashing is a a mobile lifestyle that has come to stay with us. Some are receptive to it while others are impervious to it. Whether you like it or not, you either flash or you are being flashed. Flashing is the act of continually dialing a mobile line and then quickly hanging up before the person you are calling answers the call.

There are two types of flashers:

Occasional Flasher &
Habitual Flasher (aka Tom Flasher).

An Occasional Flasher flashes once in a while, under necessity, and will avoid it if possible.

The Tom Flasher flashes just for the fun of it, either out of necessity or boredom. I have two colleagues in the office who are friends. One of their pastimes is to flash each other, even in the middle of the night, no matter what time it is. They obviously enjoyed flashing.

Why Do People Flash?
People flash each other for several reasons, which include those mentioned below:

You want to call someone, but you don't have enough call credits. You flashed so that the person can call you back.
You want the other person to remember you.
It is a pre-arranged signal between both of you
You are bored and you just want to amuse yourself.

Side-Effects of Flashing

You may constitute a nuisance especially if the other person does not have your number.
You drain your phone's battery and weaken your phone's Call/End-Call buttons.
Repeated flashing contributes to the congestion of the network
You may end up with a sore thumb.

Alternative to Flashing

Send a text message instead
Borrow a friend's phone and use it to make your call
Go to a Call Centre and make your call.

The question now is, are you a Flasher? Which category do you belong to, Occasional or Habitual? Do you enjoy or resent being flashed? All these are questions begging for answers.

Flashing or calling, which one?

By Their Phones You shall Know Them

2005-08-09T23:53:00.000-07:00

Have someone ever brought out his or her phone somewhere and immediately all eyes are turned staring in admiration of the phone? Or the other way round, nobody even notice or remember the type of handset the person is using. By their phones you shall know them. You can judge what manner of a person is by his cellphone. There are four categories of people judging them by the phones they use.

Hi-Tech or Hi-Spend

This category of cellphone users are power users. You see them with sophisticated or very expensive handsets like Communicators, Pocket PCs or PDAs. The Hi-Techs are the techies or phone freaks and they don't normally have more than one of such phone types, and they maximise it's use. The Hi-Spends are the big boys with a lot of cash who usually have more than one of such expensive gadgets and may not necessarily know how to properly utilise the phone.

A typical Hi-Tech phone

The Fashionables

The Fashionables are those people who go for the medium range phones that have one or two functions which they desire like Camera, MP3 player or FM Radio. They like any of these features to be in their phones and they consider such before buying their phones.

The Call & Receive

Lower down in the scale, we have those who have no desire for any special feature in their phone or maybe they cannot afford to purchase a phone that has any special feature. So they console themselves with the saying that "I just want a phone that can call and receive, nothing more". So they go for the cheapest monochrome (non-colour) phones like Nokia 3310, or Sagem 3000.

Sting-O

Lastly, at the bottom of the category is the Sting-O group. These people believe that they can use a phone for 5 or 10 years, and they will do anything to ensure it. After buying their monochrome phone, they still go ahead to put it in a leather pouch. The phone will be forever imprisoned inside the pouch whether it is being charged or it is being used to make or receive call. Until the phone packed up, the owner will not give his fingers the joy of feeling the smoothness or the curves of the phone all because of the protective leather pouch.

A typical Sting-O phone

Where Do You Belong?

Having explained the four categories of cellphone users, I am sure by now you will know whether you are a hi-tech/hi-spend, a fashionable phone user, a just call and receive or you are a sting-o, which means the same thing as a 'stingy one'.

Now Who Is In Charge?

2005-07-29T00:05:00.000-07:00

I received a phone call yesterday morning from Trae, a fellow blogger and also a member of the Nairaland Forum. He told me that Globacom, one of the GSM operator in Nigeria has just increased it's recharge cards access days to the network. The N500 recharge card which used to be 5 days validity has now been increased to 20 days, while the N1000 which used to be 10 days before has now been increased to 40 days.

I recharged with Globacom's N500 recharge card this morning and confirmed that 20 days access to Glo's network has been added to my validity. I couldn't helped but say whaoh! I am not really surprised at the development, because I'd anticipated it. What really surprised me was the magnitude of increase in the access days. This is times 4!

Just last week MTN, another GSM operator increased it's access days, it was like a surprise to many of us. Now, in a counter-move, Glo also increased it's own access days just to neutralised the effects of what MTN's move might have done to the GSM market.

All these is fun to me. As long as this type of competition among the operators continues, we the consumers will smile. See how all of them are trying to woo us! Now who is in charge? It is we, the consumers of course. Gone are those days of making us to pay through our nose in order to service our GSM lines.

I don't know why Glo has to wait for MTN to increase it's access days before they came out with their own increase. Who is helping the other to make up it's mind? Is it MTN that is helping Globacom to make up it's mind or is it Glo's innovative approaches that helped MTN to make up it's mind?

Competition is Good
Who cares about the answer? All I know is that we are enjoying this. It is not always true that when two elephants fight, it is the grasses that get hurt. This time the grasses are having it cool. Who says competition is not good? It is good for the consumers. It means better services at moderate prices. The battle is not yet over, we must keep on being observant and ready to yell whenever the GSM operators fail to perform to our expectations.

Phonecular Nervosa

2005-07-27T00:22:00.000-07:00

Thank God for the GSM technology. It has changed how we communicate and interact with others. It has also exposed some ingrained habits in some of us, which nobody would have noticed were it not for cellphones. I mean some of us behave funny with our phones sometimes. Some of these behaviours are not just amusing, but can be damned irritating . You may have noticed it in yourself or others before. Lets examine together a couple of such behaviours with phones which I will refer to as Phonecular Nervosa. This is the act of behaving funny, weird or irritating with phones.

Master-Slave Relationship
Now I wonder how on earth a device bought with your own money can take control over your life. Some people phones are in control of their life instead of they being in control. I mean they are slaves to technologies.

I just can't imagine in the world why a rational human being will not heed simple instructions or behave in a socially acceptable manner when in possession of a cellphone. If there is a notice or verbal instructions that says 'Switch off your cellphones or put it in silent mode', then by all means do so.

A lot of times I am peeved when in a church or lecture room some folks phones will be ringing thereby distracting others. Even in libraries, some people will disturb others concentration by the incessant ringing of their cellphones. People are supposed to be quiet in these places and so common sense dictates that one should switch off his/her phone or put it in silent mode. GSM phones are no longer status symbols, but a tool for everyday use just like wrist watches.

Something funny happened one evening when I went to a church after closing from work. I came in a little late and so the service had already started and the whole congregation was in a prayer session. Just as I was getting ready to settle down and join in the action, the phone of a woman standing beside me rang inside her handbag. She stopped praying and quickly rummaged inside her bag for the handset, grabbed it and headed for the back of the church towards the toilet in order to receive her call. As she took a few steps forward, the phone stopped ringing, and she came back to her seat and put the phone back in the bag, praying as she was going and coming back.

Another prayer point was raised and everybody got into action again. The woman's phone rang again. She stopped her prayer and quickly grabbed the handset and ran towards the exit of the church this time, hoping to answer her call before it cuts off again. All this while she was praying as she grabbed the phone and ran towards the exit. Reaching halfway, she answered the call and started saying 'hello, hello', amidst the cacophony of many praying voices.

But then, before she can identify who the caller at the other end was, the call was terminated again. She now returned back to her seat, holding the phone in one hand, while shaking her head in prayer and keeping an ear opened for the phone to ring again. I watched her do all these and couldn't help but laughed. Prayer, she can't do; phone call she can't receive; and to concentrate, no way, because she had been held captive by her phone.

Indeed, this woman has been enslaved by her phone. She is suffering from phonecular nervosa. I don't know whether this story also applies to you, but if it does, then you urgently needed to see a shrink, no offence meant. You are no longer in control of your phone, but your phone is controlling your life.

Hello! Hello!! Is That Mr. Tom?
Phone calls are meant to be quite and private. Yet some people will yell at the top of their voices when making or receiving calls as if the whole world is interested in hearing what they are saying.

This is highly inconsiderate as everybody hearing them will be distracted. Except your handset is bad or the other party has hearing impairment, there is no need to shout when speaking on a phone. Civilize people don't shout on their phones but bush people do.

Have you ever see a man being carried by an Okada rider (commercial motorcyclist) and while he was being driven through the streets he will be busy yelling on his phone all in the name of making a call? His noise will be so much that people inside their houses will come out to see who is it that was making a racket. He is a proper candidate of phonecular nervosa.

To sum it all, phonecular nervosa is not a good thing to be associated with. It means you are not in control. It means you are not organised or co-coordinated. It makes one to be a specimen for a psychological examination. It should be avoided at all costs.

Bravo MTN!

2005-07-19T07:17:00.000-07:00

MTN has increased its access days!

I couldn't believe it either - I just found out that MTN has increased the access days on each recharge card. The 400 naira recharge card now comes with a 10 day access, the 750 Naira recharge card comes with a 30 days access, while that of 1500 Naira recharge card gives a whooping 60 days access!

The validity period has also been increased from 90 days to about a year or so.

The above was quoted directly from Nairaland forum, a popular Nigerian internet forum where Nigerians from home and abroad meet, hangout and discuss contemporary issues.

Being a critic of MTN myself, I took this news with a pinch of salt, But in other to prove them wrong, on my way home from work on Monday, I inserted my MTN Sim Card (which I have not used for the past 3 months or so) in my phone and went to recharge with N400. I purposely did that in order to confirm the veracity of the news I received from the forum.

This is because, earlier some folks have also been reporting in the forum that MTN is giving away one free SMS to its subscribers everyday. At the same time some members of the forums are still complaining that they are still being billed by MTN for all the SMS they sent that day. Since I've stopped using MTN for some time now, I couldn't really authenticate that.

Now, back to this issue of access days, I later dialed 556 after recharging with N400 to confirm my validity from the network, and it failed to connect. I tried throughout yesterday, and it will not go, but the *556# works, which does not display the validity. This was really annoying, considering that MTN is the only network in Nigeria that bills their customers for checking their validity or access to the network. Other operators will display the validity on the screen of your phone when checking your credit balance. Well, about 3 hours ago, I tried again and I received a confirmation that I have 10 days validity added to my MTN line from my last recharge, which was N400. This meant only one thing, that the story is true.

Well, I must say bravo to MTN. At least now, they are listening to the people. It pays MTN more to be a friendly network than the reputation it has previously gathered as being a money-conscious-sap-them-dry network. Just as one member in Nairaland aptly described MTN - 'Milk Those Nigerians'. I couldn't help but laughed when I read that.

What About SMS?
One area that still need to be addressed is the issue of the cost of SMS. I believe 15 Naira is too much for a text message. The GSM operators are cheating us. A text message should not cost more than 5 to 8 Naira maximum, as it does not congest the network. Those that are on contracts or post-paid should be sending SMS free or at least the first 100 SMS free. We need to look into this and make our dissatisfaction known to the GSM operators. It is by so doing, that we can get some relieve and not end up serving them with all our hard-earned money all in the name of servicing our GSM lines.

My Comments
Now, what do I have to say to this? Competition is good! We have to thank Globacom and VMobile for keeping MTN on their toes. If Globacom has not come, then MTN and his brother, VMobile would have milked us dry. They told us that Per Second Billing (PSB) cannot happened until after 3 years. Imagine! But when Glo introduced PSB, the whole story changed. Competition is very good. It prevents a monopoly or duopoly situation which existed between MTN and VMobile before the coming of Globacom. MTEL, being owned by the government, was as good as being non-existent then.

The battle has not yet be won. We must continue to criticise all these telecommunication companies that are not consumer-friendly. If we are all saying the same thing, then they will definitely listen.

Meanwhile, I congratulate MTN for listening to the voice of the people. With this now, I've revived my MTN line, to be used only in the night. But during the day, I stick to Glo, as Glo have more to offer me than MTN for the time being.

Technofreakinism

2005-07-05T08:57:00.000-07:00

Are you a freak when it comes to internet, cellphones or other telecommunication tools? Are you addicted to internet or mobile technologies? Now, using or being a regular user of any of these technologies does not qualify you to be a Technofreak. It does not mean that you are suffering from Technofreakinism. Technofreakinism is an affliction that is characterised by high obsession with technologies, especially telecommunication.

Now, suffering from Technofreakinism has it's own advantages or disadvantages. But it is hard for you to know that you are a Technofreak unless someone really spells it out for you. What makes someone to be a Technofreak? Behold, it is spelt out below so that you can judge for yourself whether you are afflicted or not.

Signs of Technofreakinism

Instead of using a regular pocket diary, you now jots notes on your PDA or smartphone
You now communicate with friends and relatives via emails, SMS & MMS
You can't do without browsing or chatting in a day
You can't remember the last time you bought somebody a card, you'd rather send an internet card.
You arrive at the gate of your house and use your cellphone to call someone from inside to come and open the gate for you.
You don't print photos anymore, you'd rather make screen savers out of their JPEG files.
You are always checking the Wednesdays issues of The Guardian newspaper for the price of the latest phones and other telecommunication gadgets.
You converted all your CDs to MP3 and play them on your mobile device.
You have at least three cellphones.
You spend thousands of Naira a week browsing on your cellphones when you could have done that for less in cybercafes.
You have more friends Online than those physically around you.
You have a compulsion to check your emails every 20 minutes on your PDA.
You now use your smartphone as your TV remote control.
While in the bedroom, your wife sends you an SMS from the kitchen that dinner is ready, and you reply with another SMS that you will join her shortly.
You wear Flash disks now instead of pendant.

Now, you can judge for yourself whether you are a technofreak or not based on the signs listed above. Are you afflicted with technofreakinism?

Sony Ericsson S700i Review

2005-06-15T04:19:00.000-07:00

The Sony Ericsson S700i is a phone to have. It is a phone with two sides - a camera side and a phone side. It has virtually all the features you may desire in any mobile phone. It came with a Megapixel camera, MP3 Player and FM Stereo. What more feature can you desire in a cellphone?

Phone side of the S700i

It opens in an unconventional swivel way which can be rotated 180 degree after opening. Besides, it features a large screen display with 256k colours. Finally, the phone has arrived for the technoids, who always want the latest.

Camera side of the S700i

Features of The S700i

Dimensions: 107 x 49 x 24 mm
Weight: 137g
Display Colour: 256k
Display Size: 240 x 320 pixels (with 180 degree swivel)
Infrared: No
Bluetooth: Yes
GPRS: Yes
USB Support: Yes
Java: Yes
MP3 Player: Yes
FM Stereo: Yes
MMS Support: Yes
Camera/Video: 1.3MP (1280x960 pixels) + video
Recording Media: Memory Stick Duo (32MB Included)

Pros

It has all the features you can desire in a mobile phone (Camera, MP3 Player, FM Stereo,
Java, Bluetooth, GPRS, etc)
Excellent Camera (1.3MP). With this you can take printable pictures
Large Screen Display to browse or view photos
MP3 As Ringtones. I can't emphasize enough how much I loved this feature in a cellphone.
Excellent Calls Sound. Sounds quality during calls is excellent, as true to Sony's tradition.

Cons

Too Fat & Heavy. It is not exactly a beautiful phone. Though when I compared it side by side with the Nokia 9300, this phone is lighter.
Memory Card Limitation. Expandable only to a maximum of 128MB. What a dumb thing to do! Certain Software Faults. This has been corrected with a new firmware.
No Full Screen Video Playback. What a shame considering the lovely big screen display!
The keypads design makes it clumsy to type SMS.
No EDGE. Sony Ericsson keeps lagging behind in this EDGE technology.
Low Capacity Address Book. Can be solved by new firmware.

Wish List
Wish the Memory can be expanded to 1GB. This would have made this phone to rock and compete seriously with the Nokia N90.

The S700i in slide-out position

Comments
The S700i is a camera phone which is both visually stunning and functionally impressive. If you are in love with camera phones, then this is the phone for you.

Also, if you like technical phones loaded with the latest technologies, and you don't mind the 128MB memory limitation, then you will find happiness with this phone.

The S700i opened and swivelled to 180 deg.

How To Ditch MTN

2005-06-11T00:48:00.000-07:00

Smart people use Glo while dumb people stick with MTN.

This was the concluding remark I gave to my colleague, Nancy, a week ago when I was trying to convince her to jettison her MTN line for Globacom.

She happened to use both MTN and Globacom lines, but uses the Glo's line only once in a while. And she has a Nokia 6230 handset that is capable of GPRS and sending MMS. This dialogue ensued between us:

Nancy: "MTN has wider coverage. It covers most of Nigera, but Glo has not as much coverage"

diakim: "Are you Ajala travel all over the world? Why do you need a network that covers most of Nigeria when you work and live in Lagos?"

Nancy: "Like when I travel to my village in the East".

diakim: "How many times do you travels to your village in a year?"

Nancy: "Only once in a year"

diakim: (laughs) "You see yourself now? You travel to the East only once in a year and yet you need a network that covers your village. Besides, Glo has already covered most of the interior villages in Nigeria, while MTN sticks only to the main towns or cities."

Nancy: "But suppose somebody calls me from where the network is not strong, and I am using Glo, I will not be able to receive the call."

diakim: "If your own network's reception is strong, you can always receive your calls anywhere. But if the caller's network's reception is not strong, there is nothing you can do about it, and it is not your fault.

Nancy: "If I switch to Glo now, I will miss many calls, as not many poeple know my Glo's line. And I don't want to carry two handsets".

diakim: "This is simple.

Step 1.
Recharge your Glo's line with N1500 or N2000. Then use it to send text message to all the important contacts on your phone saying that the Glo's line is your new line, and that anytime they can't reach you on the MTN line, they should call you on your Glo's line which will soon be replacing your MTN's line.

Step 2.
Insert your MTN SIM in your handset every morning before you leave for office. When you return in the evening, remove the MTN's Sim from your set and replaced it with the Glo's Sim card. Alternate it like this for about a month to allow your friends to get used to the Glo's line. After that, stop using the MTN line completely. I can guarantee you that if you follow these steps you will not miss any important call due to your change over to Glo's network."

Nancy was elated and very enthusiastic. She told me that she is going to change over to Glo immediately she reached home. This she did and started enjoying the wonderful benefits on the Globacom's network. Indeed, she is smart.

Smart People Use Glo

2005-06-11T00:39:00.000-07:00

Smart people use Glo while other people stick with MTN.

I just don't know why some people still want to stick with the MTN network despite the fact that MTN is not giving anything free to it's subscribers. While Globacom is giving away 35 free Glo-to-Glo SMS and free MMS till September ending to it's subscribers, MTN is giving away nothing. Instead they are just coming up with different adverts everyday. Even VMobile is given out free 18 SMS (to any network) to it's subscribers every month. MTN has no freebie to give to it's subscribers, and I don't think it is ready to give out any.

I was using both MTN and Glo's line before. But now, I've stopped using the MTN's line altogether. Globacom has endeared itself to my heart since it started the GPRS service. To me, GPRS has been the best thing to happen to the Nigeria's mobile telecommunication's industry.

Just imagine the convenience and the sheer pleasure of carrying an internet connection with you wherever you go with your cellphone. And if you are using a smartphone with a wide screen display, then you are in heaven. All these happened because Globacom brought the GPRS to Nigeria. If left to the cartel of MTN and VMobile alone, we will never smell the GPRS in Nigeria till another 10 years. Did they not told us that per second billings cannot be implemented untill 3 years? Thank God, Globacom came and delivered us from the the duopoly of MTN and VMobile.

What annoys me most about MTN is that when you recharge with N1500, you will have 15 days validity, but when you recharge with N750, you will have 5 days validity instead of 7 days. This is cheating! And nobody is complaining despite the fact that other networks gives extra days. All because of what? All because MTN has the widest coverage. Give me a break! Who needs the widest coverage? You cannot be in all places at all times. Or are you ubiquitous?

In Quest 2

2005-06-06T02:58:00.000-07:00

I am looking for an ideal handset that will have all the qualities I mentioned in my previous post. It might be difficult to find, as the idea of an ideal handset seems to me to be more like an Eldora do. The search is still on, but sooner or later, I will have to make a choice as soon as I have satisfied myself that I have considered all possible alternatives.

I have narrowed my choices down to these phones below:

1. Nokia 9500
2. Nokia 9300
3. Sony Ericsson P910i
4. Sony Ericsson S700i
5. i-Mate PDA2

All the sets listed above are good, but there seems one thing or the other lacking or not quite alright with each of them. Lets take them one by one.

Nokia 9500 Communicator
I must confess that I fell in love with all the wonderful features on this powerful Communicator.

But the problem is that it is too bulky to carry about, and there is no FM Stereo. Of what benefit is it to you a phone you can't carry with you to everywhere you want to go? Don't berate me for demanding for FM Stereo,I am in love with it. It is a handy feature to always have with you.

Nokia 9300 Communicator
This Communicator seems to be the most favoured candidate, as it is smaller and lighter than the 9500. How I like the wide screen (640 x 200)! That means I can browse full HTML web pages without scrolling to the left or to the right. I can also read my ezines and ebooks faster and better on it.

Then what is the shortcoming with it? No FM Stereo! This thing fizzles me. What is the craze about this FM Stereo? Why not buy a a portable FM receiver if I am so much hooked on this radio thing? I don't like carrying too many devices.

Nevertheless, this phone comes first in my ratings. It is just too good! I can't resist that wide screen. You can't find it on other phones.

Sony Ericsson P910i
The P910i PDA is a fine phone. I like it. It can use MP3 as ringtones. But the display is not as wide as the Nokia 9300/9500. Besides, I will like to upgrade the memory of any phone I use to 512MB or at least 256MB.

A Sony Ericsson Memory Stick Duo of 512MB or 256MB will cost a fortune in this part of the world. But I can purchase an MMC of same capacity for less than 50% of what it costs to purchase a Memory Stick Duo.

Also, the P910i has no FM Stereo and EDGE. Well, we don't have a network that supports EDGE now, but why pay the price of a new technology to get an older technology? Who knows, EDGE might catch up with us in Nigeria sooner than expected.
This phone is good and it comes third in my ratings.

Sony Ericsson S700i
This phone has all the features mentioned including MP3 as ringtones and FM Stereo. All the desired features missing in any of the aforementioned phones are complete in it. In addition, it got a powerful 2 Megapixels camera. It is a hi-tech phone. So, what is my grouse with it?

The memory can only be upgraded to a maximum of 128MB Memory Stick Duo. And I want 512MB! Sony Ericsson, why do such a dumb thing? Why limit the memory of this wonderful phone to only 128MB. It is a big let down.

Also, the keypads design are not too comfortable to type SMS. And I like texting more than calling! Apart from that, I am not too comfortable with the way the phone opens and slides out. I have a feeling it might soon split into two. I may be wrong concerning this, anyway.

Nevertheless, this phone is loaded with excellent features, and it comes fourth my ratings.

The Sony Ericsson S700i

i-Mate PDA2
I like this Windows Mobile Pocket PC. The CPU speed is 520MHz! It has a RAM of 128MB and a ROM of 64MB. This is a Pentium III system in your pocket! Also it features a megapixel camera, and you can expand the memory with MMC which is cheaper than Memory Stick Duo. It also features built-in Wireless Lan.

So, what is the shortcoming? It lacks the much desired FM Stereo, and also it is almost as heavy as the Nokia 9500, making it awkward in making or receiving calls.

Nevertheless, this PDA comes second in my ratings. I am impressed by the CPU speed and the RAM size. No other phone can beat these features.

The i-Mate PDA2

Other Phones
Other phones like Sony Ericsson K750i, W800 have been considered, but their screen are just too small. A large screen is a must for me in any phone.

The new Nokia N90 is a good consideration, but it got no FM Stereo, and is a little bit bulky on the backside because of the camera's design.

The Nokia N91 got every desired features (with FM Stereo and MP3 as ringtones), in addition to a whooping 4GB microdrive to load music, photos, etc. But the screen is just too small for me, a mere 176 x 208 pixels. Apart from the screen, this phone is superb.

In Quest of An Ideal Phone

2005-06-01T05:35:00.000-07:00

From a techie point of view, an ideal handset should make your life easier. Apart from making and receiving calls, it should support other features that makes life more meaningful to you.

I won't put my money on a phone if it does not support the following features:

Wide Display Screen
This needed for browsing the internet or reading downloaded ezines or ebooks on your cellphone. The wider the better. A 640 x 200 pixels is the best, but a 240 x 320 display screen is ideal.

Java
I wouldn't touch any cellphone that does not support java. I can't even imagine using a phone without java. With java, I can download java applicationj and games from the internet and install them on my phone. Java makes my phone more like a computer.

GPRS
With GPRS, you can browse the internet on your cellphone. The wider your phone's display, the much better you will enjoy the browsing. With GPRS, you always have internet with you whenever there is a coverage.

With a bluetooth enabled phone, you can transfer files between your phones and your PC. Also, you can synchronise your phone's emails and contacts with Microsoft Outlook. Above all, as explained in a previous post, you can browse internet for free on your cellphone using your bluetooth enabled PC as a gateway. Forget about infrared. Infrared is old school.

MP3 Player
Ability to play MP3 music is one of d great features in today's handsets. For all music lovers like myself, MP3 player is a must feature to consider before buying any handset.

Memory Card Slot
If you want to upload lots of music and photos into your phone, download and install several java application, then your phone must have a memory card slot to enable you to upgrade the memory that came with the phone. Phones that supports SD card or MMC are better since these cards are cheaper than the other types.

USB Connection
A USB connection will enable you to quickly connect your phone to your PC and quickly transfer files to your memory card. The files can be either MP3 music, photos, software, etc.

Document Viewer
Most recent smartphones have the capability to view Word, Excel and Powerpoint files. With large or expanded memory, your cellphone can be transformed into powerful handheld computer. That means you can download and read emails that have Word or Excel attachments.

Size / Shape
Now, a highly good and functional cellphone need not be too bulky or look like weird. Otherwise you will not enjoy it, nor be able to carry it around with ease and confidence. The size should be moderate, and the shape should be fine.

Other Features
The features mentioned below will make your phone great, but they don't necessarily make a good phone, in my own opinion.

Camera
A camera is a good feature in a phone. It is ideal for taking those occasionally rare picture like running into an old friend or school mate, or just when the groom is about to kiss the bride in a wedding programme, just before your friend cuts his/her birthday cake.

A word about Camera Phones
I notice that most people use the camera on their cellphones only the first few days of purchase; after that they never use it again. So what's the heck in carrying a camera phone?
Except for the new megapixels camera phones, you can't print most of the picture taken with your camera phone. And if you need to print megapixels pictures, why don't you buy a good digital camera? That is much better than a camera phone. And I bet you that you won't go to occasions trying to snap people with your camera phone. That will be very amusing.

FM Stereo
How I wish every cellphone has FM Stereo. I guess not everybody likes FM Stereo. If you have MP3 player on your phone why would you need an FM Stereo? The answer is the two are different in functions and purpose.

MP3 As Ringtones
This is a cool feature for any phone to have. You can use this feature to create unique ringtones for your phones. When your phone rings, people around you will turn their heads and look at you with envy.

Phones That Support These Features
The Nokia 6230,6260, 7710, 9500 and the Sony Ercisson S700i, K750i, W800 supports all the above features. Only Nokia 6260 and 7710 have Document Viewer.

The Nokia 9300, 9500 and Sony Ercisson P910i also meet the above criteria except that none have FM Stereo.

The i-Mate( JAM, PDA2, PDA2K) and PalmOne Treo 650 PDAs support all the above features, but none of them have FM Stereo. Also only Treo 650, PDA2K can have MP3s as ringtones.

Starcomms' Credit Fraud

2005-05-27T05:11:00.000-07:00

It is fraudulent the way Starcomms, a fixed wireless telephone operator in Nigeria has been eating it's subscriber's credits. If I load my Starcomms' landline (LSP 3000) with N1000 credit, that gives me 15 days access to make calls, provided I did not exhaust the credits before the end of the 15 days.

What currently happens now is that if I failed to recharge my phone by the 15th day, all remaining credits on the phone will be wiped out by Starcomms the following day. Then, I will be permitted to receive calls for another 15 days, following which my phone will be blocked from making or receiving calls if I didn't recharge my phone for another 15 days.

Now I think this issue of wiping out subscribers credits is fraudulent and totally unacceptable to me. My call credits belong to me since I had already paid for them, it does not belong to Starcomms. I can decide to use up all my credits within the first 15 days or retain some. It is totally unacceptable for Starcomms to force me or any other subscriber to use up call credits within 15 days or any other days.

I've discussed this issues with some friends who also have Starcomms LSP 3000 for home use like myself, they all gave the same complaints. So it is not an issue peculiar to myself alone. A female colleague had even taken her phone to Starcomms' head office and challenged them for the disappearance of her credits, and demanded that her credits should be refunded. But it all ended up being a waste of her time as she was informed that that is how the phone operates.

To me, I think this is a fraudulent way of charging consumers daily Access Fees which Starcomms claimed to have been cancelled with the introduction of the phone. The only thing I can do about this is to take this matter to the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC). If GSM operators are not wiping out credits, why should a fixed wireless operator do so?

Glo's GPRS Settings

2005-05-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

For those that may want to manually set their Glo's GPRS internet settings, the parameters are as outline below:

Provider: Glogwap
Access Point:Glogwap
Data Bearer: GPRS
Username: wap
Password: (blank)
Authentication: Normal
Gateway IP Address: 010.100.098.022
Homepage (url address): http://wap.gloworld.com
Connection security: Off
Port: (Leave Default or 9201)

This setting works for both my Nokia N-Gage and Siemens S55, therefore it has a high probability of working on your phone too.

Glo's Internet on S55

2005-05-24T04:20:00.000-07:00

For about two months now, I have been trying to activate the Globacom Internet over GPRS on my Siemens S55 cellphone but no success. After the crash of my Nokia N-Gage, I was left with no option than to configure Glo's GPRS internet on the S55.

Initially, I sent the SMS request to activate WAP on the set. I immediately received SMS reply which was meant to be the settings for the GPRS. But it wasn't readable and there was no option to save it. It doesn't looked like the settings I knew of previously. In short, it wasn't working.

I called the Glo's Customer Care line, and I was subjected to intermission of music and a stereotype female voice telling me to hold on as all Glo's Customers Care operators are currently busy. This continues for about 58 minutes. Almost an hour! Anyway, I decided to hold on to the end and see what will come out of it. I was particularly patient that evening. After all, they can't deduct more than the normal N20 from my credit. Needless to say, my arm acheed and my battery almost drained out.

And finally, a male voice introduced itself in the characteristic Globacom's manner; I meant polished and refined, and asked me my name and the problem. To cut a long story short, they reffered me to the nearest Glo's Centre, which is Opebi, saying that I will be sorted out there.

Anyway, I didn't go to the Glo's Centre. I brought out my old diary where I stored the configuration of Glo's GPRS and MMS settings of my Nokia N-Gage and manually configure the GPRS settings. The S55 has been branded by Orange network, so I saw a lot of entries on Orange Wap, GPRS and PAYG settings on the phone.

I tried to access the internet after configuring the GPRS, but I got an error message that it cannot access the GPRS service. After trying for several days, and resending activation messages to Globacom, I gave up. Quite unlike me. Maybe because I felt the screen of the S55 is too small to enjoy any wap service on it.

Well, I was surprised when on sunday morning, two days ago, while waiting for someone and fiddling with the phone, something prompted me to start the internet service on the S55. So, I switched on the phone's GPRS and opened the brower, and clicked on the Homepage. Before I could say 'Globacom', the browser opened to the Glo's wap homepage. I scrolled down to Ananova, clicked it, and it opened almost immediately. I opened Yahoo!, and then ESATO, and they all opened as if I am working on my PC. I bookmarked Nairaland.com, opened it and it opened straight without any delay. It was pure joy to me last sunday morning. That meant, I now have internet at my fingertips anytime I want it.

I later checked the internet profile on the phone and I discovered that it was the manual configuration that I did earlier on that wasn't working then, that is now working. I can't just explained what happened. Why wasn't it working before? Was there any problem with Glo's GPRS as of that time? I can't say. All, I know now is that I can't browse on my Siemens S55 before, but now I can browse.

What do I say to this? Up Glo!

Internet Over Bluetooth

2005-05-20T00:37:00.000-07:00

In a previous post I mentioned browsing the internet free on your cellphone via bluetooth, making use of your internet-connected PC as a gateway.

Now when I say browsing the internet free, I mean your mobile operator is not going to charge you for the browsing over bluetooth. Also, even though your mobile operator does not support GPRS, you can still browse the internet over bluetooth.

Conditions:

Your phone must support GPRS.
Your PC or laptop must be directly connected to the internet or connected to the internet of your workplace through your office's LAN.
Your phone must have a good XHTML/HTML browser (You can download the trial version of Opera at http://www.opera.com)

GPRS, standing for General Packet Radio Service, is the "new, improved" way of passing data over a mobile phone network, which includes browsing the internet.

The steps to do this are outlined below:

On Your PC

Install a bluetooth adapter and all its drivers
Pair computer with phone, authorize the connection and remember your computer's name that you use to pair the phone with. I called my computer FDA and my phone diakim. If you can't pair your computer with the phone, then this exercise is probably not for you.
Install pc suite. This software can be found in the CD that came with your phone, or download one from the manufacturer's website.

On Your Phone
4. go to settings->connection->access points
5. options->new access point->use default settings

Connection Name: (whatever you like, e.g. diakim-BT)
Data Bearer: GPRS
Access Point Name: your computer's name, the same name that shows up when you pair the bluetooth with the phone, e.g. FDA
User Name: none
Prompt Password: no
Password: none (leave alone)
Authentication: secure
Gateway IP add: 0.0.0.0

6. Now go back and you should see the access point you just set up.
7. Go back to connection settings->GPRS

GPRS Connection : When needed
8. Access Point: your computer's name,the same name that shows up when you pair the
bluetooth with the phone, e.g. FDA

9. Turn on bluetooth and connect your phone with PC suite
10. If you've done all of these step properly you can now use the internet on your phone via
bluetooth connection.

Limitation:
You can only browse if you are close to your PC, i.e. within the bluetooth signal range, within a range of not more than 50m. So whats the heck? Why not browse comfortably on your PC? Don't ask me, we do certain things just for the kicks. With this, I can browse on my phone while in another part of the building or in the toilet.

Don't Expect your browsing speed to be as fast as that of your PC.

NOTE: I tried this on my Nokia N-Gage and it worked like a charm. It should work on a different phone because the concept should be the same.

I am using UBT-B1 Wireless USB Bluetooth Adapter - 100 Meters, Class 1.

Nokia 7710 Review

2005-05-10T09:36:00.000-07:00

At last, Nokia has released it's much awaited first PDA cellphone. It is the first Nokia mobile phone with touchscreen and pen input. Ever since Nokia annouced it is going to release this phone in the first quarter of year 2005, I have been eagerly waiting for it, because the Nokia 7710 is everything other phones are trying to be.

If you want to listen listen to high quality music with excellent speaker and headset, then this phone is the best for you.

Are you the type that likes to impress others? You want heads to turn when you bring out your phone in the public? You want your cellphone to look diffferent from that of every Tom, Dick and Harry? Then go for the Nokia 7710.

Are you interested in taking extremely great photos with high video qulaity? Then the Nokia 7710 is the perfect phone, with its 1 Megapixel Camera.

Features of the Nokia 7710

Java: Yes
FM Stereo: Yes
MP3 Player: Yes
MMS: Yes
Camera/Video: Yes
Handwriting Recognition: Yes
GPRS/EGPRS: Yes
Bluetooth: Yes
Infrared: No
USB: No
Recording Media: MMC
Display: 640 x 320 pixels, 62k colours
MS Office Viewer: Yes
Weight: 189g
Dimension: 128x69.5x19 mm

Pros of The 7710

FM Stereo
Over 200MB User Memory. The phone came shipped with 128MB MMC
1 Megapixel Camera, 1152 x 864. Now you can take printable pictures
Large Screen Resolution: 640 x 320. It is hard to find another phone that can beat this.
A superb Internet Browser like Internet Explorer that can open almost all web pages.
Briliant Sound Quality for playing MP3s
EDGE Mobile for watching Television. Not supported yet in Nigeria.
Sketch functionality in images, with drawing capabilities.
Flash Player 6. Now you can download and play your favourites animations or cartoons
MP3s as Ringtones. I wouldn't trade-off this feature for anything in a mobile phone. Make your popular music to be your ringtone. This is a cool feature.

Cons of The 7710

Slow, especially at startup
Phone Hangs Often. Maybe once in a week or two. Hangs more often if you open too many applications.
Too Big for a Touchscreen Phone or PDA
No QWERTY Keyboard. But then the Touchscreen keyboard is just ok.
Instead of clicking on the touchscreen, you double-click. Now, this is queer.
Display Colours only 62k.
Short Battery Life. You need to recharge the phone once a day or two.
Carrying this phone you get curious look from people. Like side-talking with the Nokia N-Gage.
No Free games (except Try & Buy). If this is a major concern, then you are better off with the Nokia N-Gage designed majorly for gaming.
NO USB & Infrared Connection. This is very hard to imagine.

What is the Difference Between the Nokia 9500 & 7710?
The Nokia 9500 is a workphone while the Nokia 7710 is an entertainment phone. It is a mobile media device for high tech or computer literate individuals.

Wish List

Wish it were smaller
Wish it had Wi-Fi
Wish There is a USB Connection Support.

MY COMMENTS
No phone is perfect. If there is a perfect phone, then the phone manufacturers are out of business. If you really like this phone, and you are not intimidated by the shape or size, then go for it. You will have good value for your money.

Picture of the Nokia 7710

Sony Ericsson P910i Smartphone Review

2005-05-09T01:46:00.000-07:00

The Sony Ericsson P910i Smartphone is a phone to be admired and desired. It is a touchscreen PDA Smartphone that is ideal for both communication and entertainment. This is a phone that is dangerously competing with the latest Nokia 9500 Communicator.

Below are the main features of the phone:

Dimension: 115 x 68 x 26 (mm)
Weight: 155g
Display: 208 x 320 pixels, 256k Colours
Infrared: Yes
USB Support: Yes
GPRS: Yes
Bluetooth: Yes
Document Viewer: Yes
Java: Yes
MP3 Player: Yes
MMS: Yes
Camera/Video: Yes
Recording Media: Memory Stick Duo

Pros
Handwriting Recognition
Touch Screen Input
Opera Internet Browser
Can use MP3 files as a ringtone. This is a cool feature you can use to create your own unique ringtone. Let heads turn when your phone rings out with that special and popular music.

Cons
Hangs sometimes

Wish List
FM Stereo. An FM Stereo makes a complete entertainment on a phone.

COMMENTS
Buying one that is not pre-programmed by an operator and updating the phone's firmware may solve the problem of hanging.

Memory Sticks are more expensive than MMC cards used by Nokia phones. Therefore you will have to spend a little more for you to upgrade the memory of the SE P910i if you intend to play much music on the device. The device comes with a 64MB user internal memory and a 32MB Memory Stick Duo. The size is compact and it easily fit into the front pocket of my shirt. It comes with an attractive leather pouch.

SE P910i & NOKIA 9500
Dare compare the SE P910i and the Nokia 9500 Communicator?
No. The two phones are different. The Nokia 9500 is a Communicator designed with a specific end-user in mind, while the SE P910i is a PDA designed a different end-user in mind. Both phones are good in their own different functionalities.

Above all, the SE P910i is a beautiful and functional phone that makes browsing and emailing on-the-go easy. It is a phone that helps to keep you in touch anywhere, anytime.

Picture of the Sony Ericsson P910i Smartphone

Nokia 9300 & 9500 Communicators Review

2005-05-02T04:32:00.000-07:00

Nokia has just released two Smartphones Communicators to the market. The two communicators have more advanced features than the old Nokia 9210i communicator.
Both phones are packed with features for the techno-savvy individual. It is worth making a comparison between the two phones, Which will serve as a guide should you be interested in purchasing either of them.

It is important to note that these are not fancy phones; they are business phones. So, if you are looking for a stylish, fancy phone, you are making the wrong choice.

Nokia 9300 Features
Java, GPRS/EGPRS, MP3 Player, MMS-Enabled, Bluetooth, Infrared, USB Connection, Storage Media is MMC, Display (Pixels) 640x200 62k colour, MS Office Viewer, Weight 167g, Dimension(mm) 132x51x21

Nokia 9500 Features
Camera/Video, Java, GPRS/EGPRS, VPN Client, Wi-Fi, MP3 Player, MMS-Enabled, Bluetooth, Infrared, USB Connection, Storage Media is MMC, Display (Pixels) 640x200 62k colour, MS Office Viewer, Opera Browser, Weight 230g, Dimension(mm) 148x57x24

Pros of Both 9300 & 9500
Full QWERTY keyboard.
Great support for Microsoft Office documents of different versions (Word, Excel and Powerpoint).
80MB Internal Memory is really cool, with an extra 128MB on MMC that came with the phone, making a total of about 200MB memory for user to download applications, photos and music.
Although, the friend's phone I checked came without memory, because he purchased it earlier, the later release of the phone will come with 128MB of MMC, as explained by Nokia.

Pros of the 9500
The 9500 came with Acrobat Reader in the product's CD, which can be installed on the phone.
Wi-Fi Connection. Though, we currently have no network in Nigeria that supports his feature.
MP3 files as ringtones. Download Mp3 files to your phone and make them as your ringtones. Be unique with your ringtones and let those around you marvel anytime your phone rings.

Pros of the 9300
Smaller in size and weigh only 167g
Faster and more stable than the 9500

Cons of Both 9300 & 9500
No Handwriting Recognition (like Sony Ericsson P910i).
No Touchscreen input (like Sony Ericsson P910i). You will miss this feature especially when browsing the internet.
Display just 62k colours. Some phones are already 256k colours
No Backlight (means you can't type in the dark). This is a thumb-down for Nokia.
No Voice Tag. Means you can't use voice commands
No Vibrating Alert. When in silent mode, the phone better be sitting in front of you or you will miss your calls.

Wish List
Handwriting Recognition / Touchscreen input would have made both phones superb
FM Stereo (Though it is a business phone, it sure won't spoil things). I don't know while I like this FM things in a phone.

Cons of Nokia 9500
Too Slow to run some applications
Too Bulky (some people call it 'brick'). Well, it fits in without a bulge into the front pocket of my jeans trouser, but with the side pocket, it created a noticeable bulge. It is easier and better to carry the communicator with a belt clip.

My Comments:
These two phones are great if you are the type that likes to browse on your mobile phone. Also, if you can't do without having a computer with you, then either of these Communicators is a good choice.

The Nokia 9500 has more features than the 9300, like the Camera, Wi-Fi, VPN Client and Opera Internet Browser. These features cannot be ignored if you are techno-savvy.
However, if you do not need any of the extra features of the 9500, then, the Nokia 9300 will be a better choice, since it is smaller, and lighter.

Java: This enabled you to install and run java applications on mobile phones.

GPRS: For internet browsing on your mobile phone (if your network supports it).

VPN-Client: If your office network supports it, you can work remotely from home or while on the road.

USB-Connection: You used this to connect the Multimedia Memory Card on your phone to your PC. The MMC will appear as another disk on your system.

Bluetooth:
Bluetooth will enable you to connect your phone to your PC. This is more than a USB-Connection as you will have access to all features on the phone. With this you can synchronise your phone with Microsoft Outlook or browse the internet for free on your phone making your internet-connected PC as the Gateway.

Picture of the Nokia 9500 Communicator

Picture of the Nokia 9300 Communicator

Problem With My Nokia N-Gage

2005-04-29T08:18:00.000-07:00

I am having a serious problem with my Nokia N-Gage mobile handset. Every attempt to find a competent technician to repair it has failed. As a result, I have not been able to use it for GPRS or any other thing for a long time.

When switched on, the error message, "Device Startup Failure. Please Contact Retailer", will be displayed.

Anyway, I have not given up on it, it is just that I am a little bit too busy these days. I will take it to somewhere again next week.

Globacom Free MMS

2005-04-29T08:14:00.000-07:00

Just the day before yesterday I received a text message from Globacom, the only GSM operator in Nigeria that is curently providing GPRS service that it is extending free MMS to its subscribers till September 30th, 2005.

This is good news for all MMS lovers. But them I feel a little bit sad that my number one handset (Nokia N-Gage) is out of service. With it, I can enjoy the MMS facility to the full.

Though I still have another MMS-compatible handset, the Siemens S55, the screen is just too small for me, and beside it is not a full colour handset. Apart from that, it is cool, small, stylish and packed with a lot of other rich features.

All the same, I say Up Glo! Keep it up, U are the choice Network.