13 comments

• 

  Mike42

  7 months ago

  "A killer function we’ve always considered for good high speed networks is video calling and something we’re getting more and more into. So when we noticed there wasn’t a camera on its front we were puzzled. Vodafone’s response was “the iPhone doesn’t have one either”, which came out quite churlish."
  
  er.....Rob, if you are indeed invoking the collective MIR 'we' then - what are you guys smoking!?!
  
  Evidence please. Show me who uses videocalling. Why is it 'killer'? Can an MNO charge more for it? Will consumers pay more?
  
  Videocalling came out of the 3GPP standards body more as a we-can-and-think-we-can-charge-the-earth-for-it-so-we-will rather than real consumer demand for it. People may have been asked if they wanted it in focus groups and responded yes. But If you ask me would I like my mobile to make coffee as well I might say yes too. Doesn't mean the practicalities will lead to heavy use.
  
  There are quite basic physiological and psychological reasons why videocalling will NEVER EVER take off. No matter how good the quality, no matter how free. Even if you PAID people a small rate to receive videocalls, they wouldn't.
  
  Reality check please MIR!
  
  /m
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• 

  Ben Smith

  7 months ago

  I completely agree - the video call we made on the show a few weeks back *really* was the fist time I had ever done it... and although fun (ish) on that occasion I can't think of a single occasion I'd use it in 'everyday life'.... and I get free video calling minutes on Three so I could without the high costs...!
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• 

  hello N96

  7 months ago

  i did it once 3 years ago when i got a N70. likewise never did it again.
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• 

  James Whatley

  7 months ago

  Really glad you two pulled him on this - I read this while mobile over the weekend and just didn't have the time to respond properly..
  
  "Killer Function" ?!?!!
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• 

  Mike42

  7 months ago

  C'mon Mr MacLeod!
  
  What kind of team blog are you running here? laizzes faire or benevolent dictatorship? Where's the ducks in line? Which flagpole did this get run up? Who saluted?
  
  
  (I'm waaaay too busy to think for myself, so prefer to outsource it to you guys)
  
  
  /m (I think)
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• 

  Ben Smith

  7 months ago

  Apologies - sometimes independent thought does slip through the net. We'll set about a programme of 'voluntary' re-education for the people in question. In the meantime let's re-cap:
  
  'Unlimited' - Bad.
  'video calling' - toss.
  'Stefan Constantinescucucucu's trousers' - 'from a market'.
  
  Here endeth the lesson. Please stand for hymn 214.
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• 

  hello N96

  7 months ago

  that 'purpose built' thing is utter PR bullshit.
  there is no way on earth vodafone / verizon drove this project from the drawing board
  but got signed up LATE on at pre production stage.
  
  this product would of come to market with or without them
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• 

  Rob

  7 months ago

  Hi 'Hello N96',
  
  This was mentioned to us by a senior Vodafone person AND a senior BlackBerry person, with no input from PR of any kind.
  
  Rob
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• 

  Mac Morrison

  7 months ago

  here's some pr wool, its eye shaped, and has an easy pull tag.
  
  senior people never say anything that PR hasn't told them too, unless it's about golf.
  
  excuse my multi-disqus personality disorder.
  reply
• 

  Mike42

  7 months ago

  Hmmm....as of right now, VF's site shows the £25 (600 minutes / UL* texts) tariff costing £300 up front for the Storm over 18 months - just a tad more than £99 mentioned above. And that has NO internet OR email. On a Blackberry. Yep.
  
  You need to spend an extra £10/month to get email & web.
  
  Seems to be £720 over 18 months is the cheapest way to get a Storm. Good for business users, but in these times pretty steep for a consumer.
  
  
  *And here's one for Dan:
  
  Unlimited Texts
  The Unlimited Texts extra allows you to send unlimited amount of texts every month for free. Only available on an 18 month contract. Fair usage policy applies.
  
  Unlimited Mobile Internet
  Browse the internet on your mobile without a daily limit, our pack gives you unlimited Mobile Internet and web email access. (fair usage applies)
  
  How did it go Dan? "f*^k you Unlimited, f*^k you in your face" :-)
  
  
  /m
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• 

  Rob

  7 months ago

  Hi 'Mike42',
  
  Thank you for your comments overall :)
  
  The '£25, with the phone costing £99' was from a sheet Vodafone had the briefing on the day .. we expect it to be made public soon.
  
  Rob
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• 

  Mike42

  7 months ago

  ....especially with their market share going down the pan and trouble all over.....they need something to stimulate interest...although at £25 / £99 up front, on a device likely to have cost them $200 at least (that new screen probably wipes out savings made dropping WiFi), such a tariff would look like a damp squib compared to VF's usual silly-money earners.
  
  Time will tell.....
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• 

  TerenceEden

  7 months ago

  (I work for Vodafone - with some of the people responsible for Storm. My comments are unofficial and *highly* biased.)
  
  Re: The Video Store. At the moment, there's no "iTunes"-esque video download shop. However, Vodafone live has mobile TV - so you can watch live TV on the device. You can also download the usual range of free and paid-for videos and clips (film trailers, x-factor, YouTube, comedy clips, adult, etc).
  
  The device comes with 1GB built in - I'll agree that the extra 1GB isn't the most generous. That said, a 45 minute TV show usually encodes to about 350MB. Whack the encoding options down to compensate for the smaller screen and you can easily fit 4 - 5 hours of video on the device.
  
  Oh, and video calling, I like it :-) I think as more and more businesses move to video conferencing to save money on travel, it could be a killer app next year. Mind you, there is a distinct lack of a 3G - IM bridge... so maybe not.
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