S60 Open to new features

Have you noticed Melodeo’s Mobilcast client? You can get podcasts on your phone. This solution does not require PC, you download directly to device. It might sound convenient but maybe timing is not right. Downloading is slow (old 3G marketing guy here complains about network speed) and downloading over cellular network is very expensive (if you are paying your own bills) but wait until WLAN+cellular phones are there, then this could be really something.

S60 PC suite has developed a lot from the early days. I can be honest, it was quite a nightmare, ate all PC resources and connection via IR, Bluetooth worked when there were no clouds over Manhattan and lot’s of northern lights in Rovaniemi or maybe successful connection was related to some other things – I never figured it out.

One big thing in 2005 is a new trend, some call it an experience economy. What is an experience economy? Some say it’s the biggest change in the economy since industrial revolution or invention of silicon chip. Is this just a trend, which fast goes away or real change in operating environment of the companies?

I lived without a private car about 5 years but I resorted 1 month ago. So I have now experienced wonderful life of searching a parking place in downtown area. Problems won’t stop when place is found. You better have suitable coins to parking meter. In Finland it’s quite easy to live without cash, plastic can be used almost everywhere so most likely there are no suitable coins in your pockets. But there is a mobile solution available. Parkit parking payment method is not a new service, but for me it was new and I used it first time today.

I tried S60 video sharing feature. Oh boy, it really made me a good impression. You make a normal voice call and during the call you can decide, if you want to share also video. Whole system is build so that after a normal voice call is activated, your phone actually connects to server and checks, if both ends are capable of video sharing. If both ends support the feature and 3G network is available, you can see share video option under the options-menu.

I had never paid my own mobile phone bills until I took year off and used that time for traveling. In 1994 Nokia gave me mobile phone and SIM. After that I have been using phone for free and not been thinking about a cost too much. During “no income year” my phone was roaming all the time. I became very clear that a roaming service is done only for business people, definitely not for poor backpackers. To be exact GSM roaming for voice and data services is done for business people, SMS is for everyone (no need to be a millionaire). I had a business trip to Singapore and Beijing recently. I managed to generate 200€ GPRS charges. I used my PC & Outlook twice to connect over packet data service. I’m not sure anymore what the target user group with this pricing scheme is.