Vodafone have come up with the idea of a "simple" mobile, intended presumably for those far off on the left hand side of the technology adoption bell curve (e.g. ones parents).
However, their idea of a simple mobile phone looks more like a 5 year old standard mobe than the elegant simple device you might have hoped for.
My concept for a simple phone would be:
- one line display for the number, big green light to indicate you have a signal.
- 12 buttons, 0-9 plus Send and Hangup
- no text, phone book (maybe make the phone out of some sort of wipe-clean material so you can write numbers on with a pencil)
Or even:
- no number display, tone feedback as you dial
- flip open to pickup/start dialing and hangup
- automated end of number detection, like a PSTN exchange does (I assume the data is there to know that a number starting 09 has 9 digits, 004420 has 14, etc)
Or even:
- no buttons, just a flip.
- on opening the phone you get connected to an operator, who asks who you want and puts you through
These phones could even become fogey fashion items through their elegant simplicity (not to mention small size...)
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Thursday, May 19, 2005
Living in a shoebox
There's an article in today's Herald about small flats being built in Auckland's CBD.
I can't see what's wrong with small apartments if people are willing to buy/rent them. I owned a studio flat in London for a while - I can't remember the exact size, but I'd be very surprised if it was over 30m2. It was perfectly adequate for my needs at the time and it certainly wasn't a slum - like most of my neighbours, I was a young professional who was willing to trade off a shorter journey to work and a lively neighbourhood for the extra space I would have had in suburbia.
I suspect that a lot of Aucklanders are opting for a personal, if small, flat over a shared house, which is perfectly reasonable. I can't see why Auckland City is preventing people from making this choice by imposing size limits.
I can't see what's wrong with small apartments if people are willing to buy/rent them. I owned a studio flat in London for a while - I can't remember the exact size, but I'd be very surprised if it was over 30m2. It was perfectly adequate for my needs at the time and it certainly wasn't a slum - like most of my neighbours, I was a young professional who was willing to trade off a shorter journey to work and a lively neighbourhood for the extra space I would have had in suburbia.
I suspect that a lot of Aucklanders are opting for a personal, if small, flat over a shared house, which is perfectly reasonable. I can't see why Auckland City is preventing people from making this choice by imposing size limits.
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
TV on demand
The BBC is to offer a range of programmes via video on demand. The catch is that they are putting in a DRM system to restrict content to their UK license payers.
Thought 1: How they plan to identify license payers? Presumably they will allow you to register given your license number or similar. Of course there will be a whole lot of trading of credentials, not to mention trading of MPEGs (especially given that the BBC will be under political pressure to make its content available via an open source codec - such codes not being compatible with effective DRM).
Thought 2: Currently one of the BBCs revenue sources is program syndication (selling Top Gear to Prime for instance). If they are distributing programmes directly to the UK (and consequently having them ripped off around the world) then this is going to undermine the price they can get for those programmes. They may wind up being able to get more money by offering the shows free with built in advertising than through syndication.
Thought 3: The BBC license fee is a compulsory tax on all UK TV users, enforced by law. If the BBC begins to electronically "lock" its content, then it calls into question the need for their "tax raising powers". Given that the UK is moving to a digital platform for broadcast TV in the next 10 years, this is likely to become an interesting issue.
Thought 1: How they plan to identify license payers? Presumably they will allow you to register given your license number or similar. Of course there will be a whole lot of trading of credentials, not to mention trading of MPEGs (especially given that the BBC will be under political pressure to make its content available via an open source codec - such codes not being compatible with effective DRM).
Thought 2: Currently one of the BBCs revenue sources is program syndication (selling Top Gear to Prime for instance). If they are distributing programmes directly to the UK (and consequently having them ripped off around the world) then this is going to undermine the price they can get for those programmes. They may wind up being able to get more money by offering the shows free with built in advertising than through syndication.
Thought 3: The BBC license fee is a compulsory tax on all UK TV users, enforced by law. If the BBC begins to electronically "lock" its content, then it calls into question the need for their "tax raising powers". Given that the UK is moving to a digital platform for broadcast TV in the next 10 years, this is likely to become an interesting issue.
Monday, May 16, 2005
Hack-a-bix
Various stories this morning in Computerworld and on TVNZ about Dick Hubbard's phone getting hacked.
How did this happen? Well, the default on mobile phone voicemail (Telecom & Vodafone) is that if you fetch voicemail from your own phone, you can access the service with no PIN. If you use another line (like a landline) you need to enter a PIN.
It makes the decision on whether it is "your" phone based on Caller ID. It would be reasonable to assume that this is a "telecoms grade" secure service - i.e. that without hacking a telephone exchange you can't fake a Caller ID.
Unfortunately this isn't the case - there are various dodgy companies in the US, such as the amusingly1 named Telespoof that will let you call out (for a small fee) with your choice of Caller ID. You can also apparently hack various mobiles to do this. The telcos have clearly allowed the generation/validation of caller ID to go rather too far down the food chain!
I guess what Telecom (and Vodafone) should now do is to get some software upgrades that either strip/reject caller ID from outside their network that claims to be from inside, and/or validate voicemail logins using the actual calling number. Having to enter a PIN every time I check voicemail is a real pain.
(Actually, I'd like my voicemail messages sent to me as an MMS, so I don't need to log in at all!)
1. "Spoof" is Kiwi slang for semen.
How did this happen? Well, the default on mobile phone voicemail (Telecom & Vodafone) is that if you fetch voicemail from your own phone, you can access the service with no PIN. If you use another line (like a landline) you need to enter a PIN.
It makes the decision on whether it is "your" phone based on Caller ID. It would be reasonable to assume that this is a "telecoms grade" secure service - i.e. that without hacking a telephone exchange you can't fake a Caller ID.
Unfortunately this isn't the case - there are various dodgy companies in the US, such as the amusingly1 named Telespoof that will let you call out (for a small fee) with your choice of Caller ID. You can also apparently hack various mobiles to do this. The telcos have clearly allowed the generation/validation of caller ID to go rather too far down the food chain!
I guess what Telecom (and Vodafone) should now do is to get some software upgrades that either strip/reject caller ID from outside their network that claims to be from inside, and/or validate voicemail logins using the actual calling number. Having to enter a PIN every time I check voicemail is a real pain.
(Actually, I'd like my voicemail messages sent to me as an MMS, so I don't need to log in at all!)
1. "Spoof" is Kiwi slang for semen.
Friday, May 13, 2005
"Alternative" world map
I came across this map while looking for holiday flights.
I love their view of the world:
- Asia, in keeping with standard Kiwi practice, stops at Thailand. India and the Middle East have been entirely omitted.
- Former Yugoslavia has a land border with Israel - I think this would lead to yet more conflict..
- Mexico is now part of the USA
- The Balinese have conquered the rest of Indonesia
- Australia is the worlds largest landmass, closely followed by New Zealand
I love their view of the world:
- Asia, in keeping with standard Kiwi practice, stops at Thailand. India and the Middle East have been entirely omitted.
- Former Yugoslavia has a land border with Israel - I think this would lead to yet more conflict..
- Mexico is now part of the USA
- The Balinese have conquered the rest of Indonesia
- Australia is the worlds largest landmass, closely followed by New Zealand
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