i-mode Reviewers

What's it gonna take?

Hi
This girl has some interesting comments (read them here ) about what it's going to take for Starhub to make the i-mode successful. She concentrates on the phone models, with a bit of content and pricing thrown in. Funnily enough I agree with her on this.

Singapore seems to be a market that is very keen on the latest and greatest phone models (in the same way that you might describe a starving lion as "very keen on finding an easy meal"). Most people that I have shown the i-mode too seem to like the service, but dislike the phone. The new NEC phone IS a good looker, but the market still needs to have more choice in the phones for i-mode.

I don't think that with the current content there will be enough of an incentive for the masses to go for the i-mode stuff. If there were some really cool phones then I think that more people would subscribe just to get the phones, and the i-mode content would be an extra, rather than the i-mode being the reason to buy the phone...

Maybe it's not the killer app that we are waiting for, but more like the killer phone.
J

Sites still buggy

I think one of the reasons the i-mode is not getting rave reviews in Singapore could be because content providers aren't delivering. Over two months, I have highlighted many problems of broken links, cumbersome navigation, interactive systems that don't work, and so on.

Today, I checked out IQ Tests Singapore, a site which provides all kinds of tests. You know, those that ask you tons of questions and then give you a character analysis? It seemed like fun and I was deciding whether to subscribe to it at $3, when I found a link for a free test.

It didn't work. I was asked for my name, age and gender, after which I clicked on the button that said "Take the Test". I was immediately brought back to the homepage. No test. I tried it again, same thing. I don't think I want to pay $3 to access the other tests now.

Singaporeans are spoilt by cheap 24/7 Internet connectivity. We are used to getting free websites on the Internet for a low monthly flat rate. Sure, many sites on the Net are broken and problematic, too, but at least we don't have to pay for them. We're certainly not going to pay extra to visit buggy sites on the i-mode.

I cannot deny there is good content on the i-mode. There are content providers who do provide bug-free quality content. But there are also many others who don't and they are giving the i-mode a bad name. Perhaps their sites are buggy because cHTML is new to them. If that's the case, maybe they should waive subscription fees until they can get everything under control. Or perhaps StarHub could impose stricter guidelines on fee-charging content providers.

Wouldn't hurt anyone to do that, would it?
Sheylara

Happy New Year!

2005 is drawing to a close. In two hours' time, the whole Singapore will be counting down to the new year. I will be out there counting, too, so I'm getting this new year's wish out first.

Here's wishing all readers a fantastic 2006. May all your resolutions be fulfilled and may the i-mode shine in the new year. Despite its shortcomings, I think the i-mode is really cool and I thank StarHub for bringing it to Singapore and for letting us try it for so long.

Have a good one.
Sheylara

More phone models wanted

As December draws to a close and the free site subscription promo is almost over, I am now frantically unsubscribing to the nearly 40 i-mode sites I had subscribed to over the last two months. It's a painful task, that.

I still have two or three more months to go before I have to return my NEC 600i, so I'm probably keeping a few subscriptions alive till then, like The Straits Times and Street Directory. Or maybe not the latter because it's not 100% failsafe, with sometimes vague or wrong directions and inefficient routes.

The i-mode is a handy gadget to have once in a while. Like, for checking on cinema times when you're out, or reading the news while waiting for someone. I'm going to miss it when it's gone. I would like to get it, but I don't like the current phone models, so I'll hoping for something better to come along that will make the i-mode a must-have.

Maybe a pink Hello Kitty i-mode phone?

Sheylara

The Killer App

Hi
Well, the end of December is nearly upon us and the free part of the i-mode trial is drawing to a close. We still have January to play with it, but we'll have to pay to play from now on.
As the trial period runs down I am still largely undecided about whether I will be continuing my subscription or not. The new NEC phone is BIG incentive (look for the review soon), but I am still humming and hawing over whether the i-mode is worth the hassle of the switchover or whether I should just let it go...
The big trouble is that I haven't managed to identify anything that I can't live without. I love the news on my phone, I find the StreetDirectory useful, but I can live without them. What I am searching for is that killer app that will be impossible to live without. Something like SMS on your ordinary phone.
So, can I prevail upon you (the readers) to add some comments about what you would really like i-mode to do and maybe we'll come to enough of a consensus to get Starhub to add it in and let me satisfy my craving for tech toys too :o)
J

Review: Ministry of Sound

Everyone's still excited over the launch of MoS the last weekend. I haven't checked the place out, so I thought the next best thing would be to check out the MoS site on my i-mode.

They're having a promotion right now. Subscribe to the site and enter a weekly draw to win a CD and 2 entry passes. Nothing too attractive, but better than nothing. =P

In terms of content, the site has the mandatory music news, reviews, ringtones and wallpapers. Nothing fancy. There's a section for MoS fans to read about the latest events and promotions organised by the club, so they can keep updated on the go.

Always a good thing, no?
Sheylara

NEC 412i preview

Hi
I was over at my contact's office yesterday and I got to see and handle the NEC 412i. The first thing I did was to whip out my Moto RAZR. The 412i is smaller in every respect except the length (it is around 5mm longer). For someone who, like me, likes phones to be small this was incredible. I thought that Motorola had done a good job with the RAZR, but this was even better...
There are only two potential downsides that i can see: (1) the keys are a little small for someone with fingers the size of mine, and (2) The screen is not as good as I had hoped for. It does have a great active matrix (something lacking on the RAZR), but it is smaller and has fewer colours than I would have liked ideally.
Having said that... I really do like it and I will be trying to get my hands on one asap.
J

The i-mode commercial

I don't watch TV much, but I've seen the i-mode commercial a few times. I think it's a little weird but it's not too bad. Strange, though, many people seem to hate it. Here are some comments from bloggers about it:

Mel: "The stupid I mode song is playing i think it's super annoying haha! and not it's super lame too."

Garbage Gia: "The TV advert seems to grow on my family. Each starts humming the TV tune i like i mode again and again. We didn't like it and didn't get it."

Gerald: "Starhub's iMode publicity campaign.. I don't think I need to say much about this. because I DON'T LIKE iMode. mostly because I am completely unfamiliar with it (the ad doesn't even make me curious about it) and because it is simply the most irritating 30seconds ever."

bg chua: "my sis kept me up all night till like 4 am with her "I LOVE I-MODE" advertisement she saw at the fone shop. and not like she knows what the hell it means. imagine someone hollering the same thing non stop in your ear for hours."

What about you? Do you like the commercial? If not, any ideas how it could be better? (Like, maybe, cast me as the model instead? Haha.)

Sheylara

Review: Mister-i Contactos

Okay, here's another free service for people who need more friends or for those who have nothing better to do. Mister-i Contactos (under Chat) is one of those typical friend-finder/matchmaker sites.

Get an account, enter your particulars and profile, upload a photo, video or audio file, and then wait for someone to be smitten by you. Or go on and drool or laugh at other people's photos. (Some photos are likely bogus because I just saw Angelina Jolie on the site.)

After signing up, you can send a message, send a flower or rate other members on a scale of 1 to 10. You can also "Find your Perfect Partner!" by keying in the attributes you want in a partner. There's also a real-time chat function which is pretty cool for when you're bored and if phone-typing doesn't drive you nuts.

Like I said, typical. But it's free and portable, so no harm signing up if only for laughs.

Sheylara

New Phone... and it's small!

Hi
Starhub have apparently been thinnking about the phone models that they launched the i-mode service with and found them wanting. I hear from my contacts inside Starhub that they listened to the customer feedback about the phones and went out to look for something better.
And this is what they have come up with:

The NEC 412i. I am told that this is the "world’s thinnest phone – it is even thinner than the Moto Razr". Since I already own a Razr, I am really interested in this one. It is apparently going to be priced at $288 (with a $200 trade in). I don't know what counts as a $200 trade-in, but I plan to find out.

Here are some cut-and-paste specs:
  *  VIDEO WALLPAPER AND VIDEO PHONEBOOK – to get a movie as a wallpaper and see a video of your friend when they are calling
    * DIGITAL 5X ZOOM / 1.3 Mega pixels CAMERA AND PICTURE PERSONALISATION – to take and send high quality pictures
    * MP3 PLAYER – To listen to you favourite music wherever and whenever you want
    * BLUETOOTH™ - To connect without wires
    * SYNC ML – To connect your phone to your PC to easily transfer data
    * PictBridge – To print your pictures directly from your phone
    * i-mode™ SERVICES - to send and receive email and surf the web
    * Java™ ENABLED – to download the latest games and applications
    * TRI-BAND – to stay connected in five continents
    * GPRS [ENABLED] – fast Internet connection
    * SMS, EMS, MMS AND EMAIL [ENABLED] – to send and receive text, graphic images, colour pictures and audio messages
    * LARGE 65,536 COLOUR QVGA SCREEN. SECOND EXTERNAL SCREEN, CLOCK AND 12 COLOUR LED BACKLIGHT
    * HIGH QUALITY 64 CHORD POLYPHONIC SOUNDS – download the latest ring tones

CNETs review  - Read it here

Well, it's nice to know that someone listens...
J