Yahoo Local Search by SMS? Nooo,but try again...

Finally Yahoo! has jumped in the "local mobile search" bandwagon
started by Google.
This time, however, the Yahoo Send To Phone does, as the name clearly states, quite the opposite of the Google SMS search, and instead of enabling you to query the search engine by texting it the keywords and zip and receive the results in a SMS, you do the local search on your PC and send it to your phone to.... "save it". It's some kinda "rightclick, then click Save Target As, and then select My Phone". Only that you have to pay for it.(at your mobile operator's SMS charge rates - I am so sorry for all zee Germans out there reading my blog, I know you're paying 24 cents per SMS:( )

Is there any doubt that Google's SMS Search is waaaay more useful than a boring "save to my phone"...?

Kate Moss Break-up SMS to Pete Doherty

This is how far society has gone. First, it was the phone breakup. Then came the phone breakup rules (sex definitely excludes the break-up call), and now... the SMS break-up?
It's 160 characters, for the love of Pete!(pun intended)


Hi Pete. I just woke up this morning, and after a whole night sleeping on this thought, I decided that I need to tell it to you. I don't want to... (message character limit reached.:))

As of today, 27th of Jan 2005, I'm open to submissions for the Skype break-up and the Yahoo Messenger break-up. Let's all teach Kate a lesson!

HP putting an end to Camera Phone Voyeurism?

Since the camphone was invented, although I'm sticking to interconectivity and not integration and I haven't dumped my Fuji yet, we've all become personal paparazzi. I get MMSes with pictures of MYSELF shot through the glass of my office walls, while I was resting my face (you know, a few secs every hour...)
HP has filed a patent for a technology that can allow me to remotely and automatically blur a picture taken without my knowledge from a camphone, with the help of a "image inhibitor" module.
This would be very tricky, like every other new democratic feature that pops out now and then, because, as people abuse their camphone, they could also abuse their "image inhibitors" and render camphones useless. This reopens the debate about the public/personal space.
A British spokesman for the company said that they're not thinking of implementing the technology now, since it would require worldwide consumer and government support. DUH!!!
Anyway, as it's a long way before that's going to happen, so please stand still, honey, I'm taking you a mobile pic and sending it to all the people in my adress book.

Singapore students use SMS English in school

Apparently, the 19-25 generation in Singapore is raving about the fact that they're the only ones to understand the abbreviating, number substituting, and vowel-dropping nature and meaning of the SMS English and they're using it not only on mobile texting, but also "in reports (10 per cent), homework (11 per cent) and letter writing (24 per cent)".

Wud is SMS Eglsh?

SMS Eglsh is mor zan chat Eglsh, IRC Eglsh or IM Eglsh. SMS Eglsh has 2 fit in 160 chars evry tim its used. THIS asks for svr hackin!:) -this paragraph would have saved you 26 precious characters if you have smsed it*

The survey, quoted by Today Online also revealed other stuff I was about to write someday anyway. It looks like ten percent of people go over their mobile subscription fee because of the greediness of Phone operators that have rip-off prices even for sms...and 2 per cent even have to close down their phone because of the resulting high monthly fees.

Back to fun in the sun, 20 per cent admitted "that they had used their camera phones to take photos of strangers without their consent." This opens a whole new window of opportunity to voyeurism, since "I took you a photo while you were naked and put it on the internet" is such 1997 compared to "Stand still, honey, I'm taking you a mobile pic and sending it to all the people in my adress book."

Say cheese:)
Or,in sms EGLSH, SAY CHZ PPL!!!

*Whole straight English phrase:
SMS English is more than chat English, IRC English or IM English. SMS English has to fit in 160 characters every time it is used. THIS asks for severe hacking!:) -161 characters, smiley included.

SMS me a BEER

According to business statements, this company and this other company will soon enable your down-the-corner beer place to SMS you free beer offers (they can also send me free Bailey's or free White Russians, for that matter) straight to your mobile phone, by SMS. This will take off in the UK but will probably spread to other parts of the world as well.
The SMS will also tell you when to bring your free SMS coupon, and, why not, what do you have to do for it (stand on your hands for 30 secs or bring 2 more friends?:).
This isn't the first time SMSes and beer have crossed paths. Not since Buymeabeer.com opened for business on the web(on the .uk web at least). Here you can send beer (or other few drinks) to your friends by sms and to redeem them they have to go to the nearest "Corney& Barrow" bar and show the SMS with the code.
What can I say? www.beeresponsible.com then!!!

Acute tendonitis, meet The New Standard Keyboard

Yesterday I ran about the advantages of using your PC to send SMSes, one of them being the ergonomic PC keyboard. Well, a... New Standard Keyboard is on the way to make blogging and sending SMS from your PC even faster and effortless. For the first time in my life, the PC keyboard has less keys than the piano:), only 53 from 102. This New Standard Keyboard has the letters in alphabetical order, which should improve the learning curve of fast typing on it, and also pretends to have them arranged a lot better around the optimal typing area.

See all about it here.

Looks like we're about to break up with the current PC keyboard, derived from the ancient qwerty typewriter, born in 1873, and that "was actually designed to slow down the typist to prevent jamming the keys, and we’ve been stuck with that layout since."

"Survey": taxi passengers lose 200,000 phones,

Take care - according to Engadget taxi passengers lose 200,000 phones, 11,000 laptops. So there is a huge reason for backing up your mobile contacts :)
Survey: story

Zyb helps prevent "acute tendonitis"

Italians are texting eachother like crazy.(37 per cent of "raggazzi"s are addicted to their cellphones). Italian physicists are digging into the issue of excessive use of the phone keyboards to send SMSes, and found out that it can get you a disease they call "acute tendonitis". News reports here and here.

Well, NO FUCKING WONDER. Wasn't it already obvious that the tiny, finger-tiring, mind-wrecking cell keyboard is NOT suited for heavy texting and that by using it this way, and hurting your fingers like a maniac COULD HARM you?

Zyb has an answer: use your PC keyboard to send SMSes. In fact, screw your phone (so it won't screw you): USE YOUR PC! Sending SMSes from your PC gives you the PC keyboard to type text messages both fast and with no pain associated and the power of your PC to use a feature-rich application that beats the hell out of any phone's integrated software.

What is this Zyb I keep mentioning? Well, it depends on when you are reading this post. It can be something between an empty site with a logo (at posting time)and the biggest sms operator across the globe. Its aim is to become a first-class service allowing you and all other "acute tendonitis"-free sms maniacs to send messages to mobile phones all over the globe, straight from your PC, AND, at very low prices.

As a final thought, thank God that I don't have to use my phone to blog!;)

Google: "I'm feeling Skypy"

Timesonline gives the scoop on the next off-internet move of internet search leader Google. Apparently, Google is planning on launcing a free PC to PC, or even PC to phone system, a field which Skype has pioneered until now. Early predictions make connections with Google's Local Search Service, currently in beta, which could enable with the help of this technology, direct FREE calls to local businesses straight from Google's search results.

How's that for direct responses? Meet the really useful Yellow Pages of tomorrow. Just search for what you want and then call for free. Looking for a dentist? See all the dentists in your area, on your area's map, make a shortlist of the closest to your home, do a search for feedback on each by opening a name search for each in a new tab of your firefox browser, and then, call for free and make an appointment.

This isn't the first 'off-the-web' move of the search engine giant, that gathers more than a third of the internet's searches and projects selections of them on a giant screen in its office building's reception. Google has launched a SMS search service in 2004, which allows you to search by sms. The service is free, but SMS's are not. HOWEVER, SMS's could be almost free, thanks to a new service called Zyb. More on that tomorrow.

Telecom Asia - PLDT targets overseas Filipinos via MVNOs

Looks like we are not the only ones aiming for the xpad market -> PLDT targets overseas Filipinos via MVNOs on Telecom Asia.

SENT by mobiles

Here is one of the first art project where mobile phote are used as an ART FORM SENT - very nice to see something else the lockerrooms...

European carriers use text messsaging to collect donations for tsunami disaster relief

Via/By Peter Rojas Engadget

The Internet has definitely made collecting money for disaster relief easier than ever, but wireless carriers in Europe are taking things a step further and are making it possible for their subscribers to donate money to assist victims of the recent tsunami simply by sending an SMS text message to a special number. No credit cards or online forms to deal with, and the donation simply appears on your phone bill at the end of the month. So far over $15 million dollars has been raised this way in Italy, and similar services are being launched in France, Germany, and Portugal.


Use your phone to donate Tsunami Relief

SMS from your PC

We will use this blog for release notes and open discussions - maybe even for idea Forum.