* Sam Kome <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> [070226 19:41]: > When my mother/brother/friend in the US wants to buy a phone, they are > very likely to go to one or two cell phone outlet stores, RTFMA, and see > a plethora of plans with minutes and calling circles and > free-after-x-o'clock. They will not be able to reasonably compare these > to each other without performing sophisticated systems analysis on the > fly. They will and do sign up for 2 year contracts _and/or_ locked > devices.
Stupid users^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^Husers that don't care, or don't compare plans are an universal problem. Trust me, comparing calling plans in Europe is not less complicated than in the US. > > This by the way, makes my job (creating mobile content) more difficult, > so I have both the philosphical and selfish professional incentives to > try to both educate the general public and solve the core problem as I > see it, which is a sea of proprietary devices that have lousy software > and worse user interfaces. > > How'd I do? Still childish boring bullshit? Well, it's not exactly a stellar observation, and yes, the OpenMoko platform has some promise, if it succeeds, to change the realities in the cellular industry. But it won't be fast, nor do I expect it to happen without some severe backfighting. (Consider, not only there is a known ecosystem that is to the (shortsighted) benefit of the companies involved, the group that has the most to gain from OpenMoko are the endusers. Worse the powerusers, which are a bad deal for the networks anyway. I do compare plans, and I tend to use what I buy.) Andreas > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Shawn > Rutledge > Sent: Monday, February 26, 2007 12:51 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Locked phones (was Re: A timely rant: Time for SIM-free > phones.) > > SIMs are great - I don't like SIM-free phones like Verizon ones that > require somebody at Verizon to switch the service to a different > phone. With GSM you just switch the SIM yourself. Of course it would > also be nice to be able to use different devices without having to > physically switch the SIM (like use the GPRS connection in a laptop or > PDA). Anyway "SIM-free" is misleading as you are using it, because > you are actually complaining about locked phones that will only work > on one network. And BTW it's not so hard to buy new unlocked phones > on the net if you are willing to pay unsubsidized prices for them. > > As for Jobs, I think he negotiated a lot of unique stuff that cannot > typically be negotiated with a carrier. It's too bad the phone still > costs $500-600 even with a contract. Makes me wonder what the real > manufacturing cost is; is the hardware that super-duper or are they > just wanting to have even better margins than they get on ipods? > > On 2/26/07, Sam Kome <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > We should paper the world with (something like) this rant ahead of the > wide release of Neo1973. > > > > The fettered masses really don't get it yet. > > > > > > > > Covers 8 myths which drive folks to buy locked phones and/or 2yr > contracts: > > > > > http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/features/item/Its_time_to_buy_SIM-free_ph > ones.php > > > > > > > > "How would Apple fans react if the latest Mac computer was exclusively > locked to a particular ISP, was only available to people who live in > that ISP's service area, and people had to sign up to a 2 year contract > with that ISP? The Apple fans would be mad as hell, so why on earth are > they having to put up with exactly the same restrictions on a portable, > pocket-sized Mac computer called the iPhone?" > > > > > > > > "How is it that Finland, a poorer, lower-density country without phone > contracts, and with a law banning locked phones, developed far better > phone coverage than America, the land of locked phones and 2 year > contracts?" > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Sam Kome > > UX Team Member > > > > www.motricity.com > > view corporate video > > > > > > > > NOTICE: This e-mail message is for the sole use of the intended > recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information of > Motricity. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is > prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the > sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. > > _______________________________________________ > > OpenMoko community mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > OpenMoko community mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community > > NOTICE: This e-mail message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) > and may contain confidential and privileged information of Motricity. Any > unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you > are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and > destroy all copies of the original message. > > _______________________________________________ > OpenMoko community mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community _______________________________________________ OpenMoko community mailing list [email protected] http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community
