Originally posted here:
Ewan MacLeod: “MIR TV goes to Rome – Part Two: http://s3nt.com/d5c2” (via FriendFeed)

Originally posted here:
Ewan MacLeod: “MIR TV goes to Rome – Part Two: http://s3nt.com/d5c2” (via FriendFeed)

Read the rest here:
Ewan MacLeod: SXSW – where everybody knows your Twitter name (via FriendFeed)

Read the rest here:
Ewan MacLeod: SXSW – where everybody knows your Twitter name (via FriendFeed)

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Ewan MacLeod: The MIR Fallout

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Ewan MacLeod: “Twitter’s grown 1,689% from February 2008 to February 2009 compared to FB’s 114% growth. Someone’s been eating their Weetabix…” (via FriendFeed)

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Ewan MacLeod: “TFL destroys hopes of a mobile phone/Underground relationship http://tinyurl.com/cvr5t2.” (via FriendFeed)

Then you need to go out. Away from your computer.

You’ve got your handset with you but it’s a rubbish one that doesn’t do Google Talk or anything other than phoning or texting (think Motorola RAZR).

How do you continue the conversation?

Pick up the phone, usually.

Or, if you’re in the States, you can try use Google’s new Google Talk by Text function.

They’re really given this some thought.

When you move away from your computer, you can opt to still appear connected — and receive messages from your contacts as normal via text when you’re out and about.

This is BRILLIANT. Texts are delivered anywhere in the world (good old Google) and, what’s more, they’re delivered from independent MSISDNs (or different ‘phone numbers’).

Google have, imaginatively, bought a ton of 406 United States numbers (406 standing for G0O..gle). Heh.

What this means is that since they’ve got an array of phone numbers to play with, they can actually route messages to your contacts on particular dedicated numbers. So, for example, if you’re talking to me by Google Talk and I’m receiving your messages on my phone, I *ALWAYS* receive your messages from, say, 406 911 1919. I can put that in my addressbook now as ‘YourNameGoogleTalk’. When I text that number, the message will be routed into a chat between you and I.

Smart, smart, smart.

It’s unfortunately only working in the States at the moment. I daresay it would be quite easy to buy a block of UK numbers to do this — and they’re pretty cheap nowadays. So I can’t use it. Until I’m in the States and my stupid Sprint phone number works.

Here’s how you get it activated:

We’re just trying it out for cell phones in the United States right now, but you can send texts to your friends with US phone numbers from anywhere in the world. You can start by just typing a phone number into the search box in the chat window on the left, then select “Send SMS.” You can also select the contact you want to SMS first and then add their phone number.

If you’d like to try it out, let me know, I’ll experiment with you. Drop me a note or get me on ewansms@gmail.com.

They’ve finally got the message, received the signal, opened the missive – you get where we’re going with this – with the inclusion of the most frequently used mailing and messaging solutions around.

Over are the dark days where two polystyrene cups and a length of string is the best way to keep in contact with Nokia handsets.

Now they’ve listened to their people, taken heed at the requests and have brought to them a more solid foundation for messaging.

This new Ovi update surrounds getting email and messaging on their handsets, under the title ‘Nokia Messaging’.

Where there’s now integration with said platform for Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, Windows Live Hotmail and AOL mail to name but a few.

On top of that, as if that wasn’t enough, they’ve also introduced the inclusion of their IM counterparts
too. With the expected suspects of Google Talk and Yahoo! Messenger now all onboard.

There’s support too from what Nokia are quoting as thousands of ISPs around the world. We expect all of the above comes from the purchase of Oz communications a few months back. Who had a solid foundation in all of this and it just seems natural it’s now a part of Nokia

All this is accessible from their new online portal for Mail on Ovi with its now 1GB storage ceiling, offering up a single sign-in to accessing and creating Ovi email accounts.

Arriving globally this month in 12 languages, the beta is set to take on Series 40 devices first with others being around the corner. Although the web version sadly won’t be around until February 2009.

As for their Nokia Messaging platform, it’ll be launched first quarter of next year. With owners of N71 and N95 first having access to a trial of their push email services here from today.

This has been designed to support easy access and set up for mobile email, for better integration all their accounts. From how it was outlaid to us, it’s a simple process with no trauma at all.

In a reverse take on the new offering Ovi, this will be available for S60 devices with Series 40 coming along in the second half of 2009.

This does all seem to be gearing towards offering up Blackberry-esque services to all, without the premium on top.

Perhaps the most interesting part of this survey is that 35 percent of US users say they never use text messaging. At all. Ever. I’m struggling with this bit – I know shedloads of people who have no interesting in using any mobile data services, but not one who doesn’t send a text now and then.

While the free service isn’t exactly new, O2 has decided to bring it to the attention of consumers with a £4.5 million advertising campaign. This sort of service, I’d imagine, will be gold for anyone who’s found themselves on the wrong side of a pickpocket, a boozy night out or a clumsy phase.

Presumably if a user switches to a rival operator, their content is no longer accessible though. It’s a great way for O2 to convince customers not to churn, but I wonder if some sort of cross-operator storage might be a bit more handy?