changing scapes

Can poor readability burn a hole in your wallet? Airtel broadband does it!

2010-01-23T16:52:00.014+05:30

It is a must read for those
who use Airtel broadband services in India
who have never analyzed their broadband bills
who still could not decipher the internet usage calculations provided by the ISPs

Just be aware that Airtel broadband seem to be using a simple usability/readability trick to boost their broadband revenues. Usually every user is given a usage cap in x GBs. Once they cross that limit, they would charged in 'pay per MB' model.

Here comes the tricky issue. As per the plan the usage limit is in GB(Gigabyte) unit, but the actual usage reading is shown in a weird nonstandard unit (1 unit =10 KBs). As most users wouldn't take the pain to convert the KBs in to GBs to check their actual usage, that turns advantage to Airtel. Say if you have a download limit of 5GB, you gotta check the usage every day in units, convert in to Gb to be assured that your haven't crossed the download limit. I am sure that 99.9% users wouldn't do this.

I initially thought that it was unintentional, but when I called up 121(customercare) for a clarification, they said that it cannot be changed as per internal policy. When I insisted, they started preaching me the magic formula and asked me to use this everyday to check my usage. here goes the magic formula UNITS*10/1024/1024 !@%#$^%#$*.

well , Can't you automate the system with the same formula and give me usage in Gb? Ans: Sorry, there are 8lacs customers doing this, we wouldn't make an exception for one request.

Just wondering that there was no complaint on this before , almost 8 lac customers were given the same formula to calculate their usage manually. Well, the moral of the story. If you are using Airtel broadband, monitor your usage carefully. there seems to be an evil design that is going to burn a hole in your wallet.

there are 3 ways you could save yourself from the menace .
1. Use the erratic magic formula everyday to check the actual usage
2. You could ask the customercare to introduce a change in their application( but the customer care blatantly refused to take even a complaint on this! ) Take it or leave it :)
3. Ditch Airtel and move on with other operator - That seems to be the most sensible one.

The concerns that I raised in this post aren't applicable only to Airtel. I have experienced poor readability issues in almost every other financial transaction, TAX returns etc... but we turn a blind eye to these small little but critical issues. Is there a way people could fight usability issues through lawsuits? How are you guys coping up with these?!

What you see isn't what you get!

Wait is over now – Android phones are coming!!

2008-09-25T12:03:00.005+05:30

With android phones waiting to come to market, Google marks the next mobile internet revolution. The G1 doesn’t hit UK stores until November. It will take some more time more to reach India.
Android, the mobile OS of the android phones is open source. This could potentially make Android a more innovative operating system than that used on the Apple iPhone, because the only limit to its potential is the imagination of those developers writing software for the platform.
The pricing of the android phone will bring down the price tag of many smart phones. It would be interesting what the other global mobile manufacturing giants have got to offer to keep their market share.
Will it bring out the best of the iPhone and blackberry in the future? Will it bring down the market share of Nokia? We will soon know the answers. The services that Google will offer via mobile internet would be its biggest advantage, Gmail, Google docs, maps, Reader to name a few. With these easily accessible to everyone, the growth of internet in India would hit sky high. Android phones might also become the first time internet use to millions of its future customers.
Will the customer always choose looks of the product over the functionality? Apple’s iPhone is far ahead in the looks department right now compared to G1. When LG and Samsung start to release their own android mobiles it would be tougher competition for Apple. With the likes of Apple store and iTunes threatened, it would be interesting to see the upcoming moves of Apple.
We would soon witness the battle of the mobile giants with Google taking center stage.

YouTube+ Click! = Game

2008-09-24T23:23:00.007+05:30

At Hexolabs, Our weekend workshop showed a new way of interactive story telling in online videos. We created a game (game alike) in YouTube which can be used for ebranding. Just a simple idea! we try finding fun in work!!

Why did we do it ?
The share of global internet users who visit YouTube is more than 16 percent, which is roughly 1,068,179,246 everyday. A huge user base like this can be effectively used to grow your business through proper eBranding. The text and the banner ads lose their value in this context, when the streaming video becomes the center of attraction.

Our research shows the branding videos with interactive story telling features retains user's interest for a longer duration. The interactive features in the videos gives immersive branding value. We are currently engaged in a research on this new advertising media which leverages YouTube as a gaming medium. Advertising through this medium guarantees more relevant brand experiences for the consumers.

Interactive story/game link - http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=4ahyHfNqquQ (Please don't forget to rate the video)
Hexolabs' channel - http://in.youtube.com/user/hexolabs(it is a good idea to subscribe and be updated about our research)

We would love to hear your valuable feedback. If you like this video, Please share it with your folks. If you are not, you may write to us at research@hexolabs.com

Condom ringtone - Push technology for social awareness

2008-09-07T14:58:00.006+05:30

Guess which Indian ring tone is being downloaded the most all over the world? No, it is not the latest Bollywood chartbuster, but a public health message that goes "condom, condom".

"People feel embarrassed when it comes to protection so we have to first take care of this. This is how we would be able to check the epidemic nature of the disease. The shock value coupled with bringing the subject out in the open will also help in dispelling the myths," MacPherson said Yvonne MacPherson, country director of the BBC World Service Trust, the international charity of the BBC.

Its makers are amazed by the popularity of the ring tone that was launched last month and aims to promote safe sex, the use of condom and to thus tackle the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country where about 2.5 mn people are estimated to be living with it.

"The 'condom a cappella' ringtone is really innovative. What is amazing is that India has started the trend of a ring tone which carries a social health message. People are excited about this ring tone internationally and are looking to India for this," MacPherson told media.

What has perhaps caught the imagination of the people is the fresh voice, sound and music, which are totally Indian.
"I think the ring tone has international appeal. It has quirky music and sound," said MacPherson.

In the three weeks since its launch, the makers have already received 257,744 SMS requests for download and over two mn hits on the website.

The ring tone can be downloaded by SMSing "CONDOM" to 56887 (download charges apply) or free from anywhere worldwide on the website www.condomcondom.org. The ring tone has been composed by Rupert Fernandes and sung by Vijay Prakash, who is a professional singer, and has chanted the word condom more than 50 times.

Mobile VAS in India: Numbers that you should know

2008-09-07T12:09:00.005+05:30

Mobile VAS Numbers for India:

Key Numbers as of March 2008

Total Mobile subcribers - 250mn
Avg. ARPU : Rs. 250/
Prepaid connection comprise 85% of total subscriber base.
VAS constitutes 7% of the total total telecom revenue for Indian operators.
Digital music (including CRBT and ringtones) constitutes 35% of VAS revenue
Almost half of Indians use ULCH (Ultra Low Cost Handsets)

ARPU Split of Rs 250

Voice + Rentals	90%	Rs 225	Includes Rentals, Activation Charges, etc.
P2P SMS (primarily) Also: GPRS Data, Call Roaming, CLI	5%	Rs 12.50	None of this flows through to the VAS Providers
Other VAS	5%	Rs 12.50	Rs 4,300 cr / $1 billion annualised revenue
Revenue for VASPs	17% of the 5% above	Rs 2	Rs 750 cr cr / $180 million annualised revenue

VAS Revenues by Category

Category	Penetration	Numbers (million)	Revenue (Rs / mo)	ARPU	Total Revenue (Rs / mo)	VAS Revenue (Rs / mo)	Annual VAS Revenue	Key Players
P2P SMS	35%	80 m	Rs 30	Rs 11	Rs 250 cr	Rs 3,500 cr
CRBT	25%	65 m	Rs 25	Rs 5.50	Rs 165 cr	Rs 30 cr	Rs 350 cr	OnMobile BhartiTele Hungama
IVR / Voice Portal	15%	30 m	Rs 20	Rs 3	Rs 60 cr	Rs 10 cr	Rs 125 cr	OnMobile One97 Cellebrum
Downloads (Ringtones, Wallpapers, Games)	10%	25 m	Rs 10	Re 1	Rs 25 cr	Rs 6 cr	Rs 75 cr	Hungama
SMS Subs.	5%	15 m	Rs 20	Re 1	Rs 30 cr	Rs 6 cr	Rs 75 cr	One97
P2A SMS	15%	30 m	Rs 6	Re 1	Rs 30 cr	Rs 6 cr	Rs 75 cr	IndiaTimes
Misc				Re 1	Rs 50 cr	Rs 5 cr	Rs 50 cr
TOTAL (ex-P2P SMS)		250 m		Rs 12.50	Rs 360 cr	Rs 63 cr	Rs 750 cr

Does this mean that VAS market is ~200mn industry only (though the expected CAGR is ~44% )?

Entities in VAS Value chain

Content/Application Owner - cos. like saregama/mauj/Rajshri who develop coyrighted content
Aggregator - aggregates content like games/wallpapers/ringtones and distributes it to suit customer needs [players : mauj, hungama mobile, indiatimes mobile etc]
software developer - develops applications (like payment/games/middleware etc.) for mobile VAS [players - mchek/July systems/webaroo/affle etc]
Technology Enabler - provides the platform that plugs into telco networks and acts like a bridge between aggregator and telcos [players include OnMobile, cellnext. mauj etc]

Operators still dominate the revenue sharing arrangement in VAS [Of the amount paid by end users, 60-70% is kept by operator, aggregator gets 20-25% and content app/owner gets 10-15% of the revenue]

reblogging from pluggd.in

Google's CHROME - Next assault on MSN

2008-09-02T17:38:00.013+05:30

The Mountain View, California-based company took the unusual step of announcing its latest product on the Labor Day holiday after it prematurely sent out a comic book ! had to gothrough all 31 pages comic presentation , though it looked great, lacked usability .The free browser, called ''Chrome,'' is supposed to be available for downloading from Tuesday in more than 100 countries for computers running on Microsoft's Windows operating system. Google said it's still working on versions compatible with Apple Inc.'s Mac computer and the Linux operating system.

For the past few years, Google has been trying to take advantage of its search engine's popularity to loosen Microsoft's grip on how most people interact with personal computers.

The assault so far has been focused on a bundle of computer programs, including word processing and spreadsheet applications, that Google offers as an alternative to one of Microsoft's biggest money makers, its Office suite of products.

Google has tried to make its alternatives more appealing and accessible by hosting them for free over Internet connections instead of requiring users to pay a licensing fee to install them on individual computers, as Microsoft typically does.

Find more at

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/fresh-take-on-browser.html

It is Blogday 2008

2008-09-01T17:43:00.003+05:30

Click on the link to view more about the Blogday. Happy blogging!

Google unveils Android Market Place" for content distribution

2008-08-30T18:55:00.005+05:30

It has been quite sometime since developer community heard from google on its much anticipated android phone and market place. Finally Big G has decided to share early details of how the application distribution will look like. Android Market will be an open content distribution system, which aims to help end users find, purchase, download and install various types of content on their Android-powered devices.

Though a date has not been set, Google might roll out a final release of Android Market shortly after the HTC Dream has hit store shelves.

More details can be found at
http://android-developers.blogspot.com/

An anthropological introduction to YouTube

2008-08-28T11:35:00.002+05:30

An Impressive insight on Youtube by Mike, Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology Kansas State University

Its facebook now!

2008-08-14T11:08:00.003+05:30

Facebook has overtaken MySpace to become the world's most popular social networking site with 132 million unique visitors in June, according to new figures from web tracking firm ComScore.

The study also found that Facebook's visitor growth far outpaced that of MySpace, with Facebook visits up 153 percent on an annual basis, compared to just three per cent growth for MySpace.

Other social networks showing strong global growth include Hi5 (100 per cent) Friendster (50 per cent), Orkut (41 per cent) and Bebo (32 per cent).

India's tele-density surpassing the 25 percent mark.

2008-08-11T16:10:00.007+05:30

Mobile telephony has grown rapidly in India, especially during the last three years, with India becoming the second-largest wireless market in the world, says a World bank study.

The number of wireless subscribers in the country has reached 250 million, making India the second-largest wireless market in the world, says the study, The Role of Mobile Phones in Sustainable Rural Poverty Reduction.

Currently, China is adding about 6-7 million new subscribers per month, India about 8-9 million and the US about 2-3 million, it notes.

It argues that mobile telephony has a positive impact on economic welfare by generating GDP; job generation (both in the mobile industry and the wider economy); productivity increases; and taxation revenue with mobile operators usually being a sizeable contributor.

Achieving Your Childhood Dreams

2008-07-27T19:43:00.003+05:30

Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch talks about pursuing your dreams. In his moving presentation, "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams," Pausch talked about his lessons learned and gave advice to students on how to achieve their own career and personal goals. I swear it is worth watching this 1 hour 16 mins video !

index, analyse, covert the clicks

2008-07-26T16:03:00.002+05:30

Well documented video, Just browse through the webinar.

walking direction from Newyork 35th st to 32nd street !

2008-07-23T15:30:00.004+05:30

vehicle map directions often do not offer appropriate directions for pedestrians. try out google walking maps (BETA/GAMMA) for the walking directions. I have not tried the accuracy yet... watch out the disclaimer message :)

Use caution when walking in unfamiliar areas.

mobileMANIA - how india adapts telecom technology?

2008-07-22T17:12:00.006+05:30

Just read an interesting article at ibnlive about how telecom penetration helps rickshaw pullers+ communters+ eco system.

A group of engineering graduates here has set up a concept called 'Ecocab call centre' to overcome the routine transportation problem.It has made the popular mode of local transportation—cycle rickshaw—just a phone call away.

Find more at
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/now-cycle-rickshaws-are-just-a-phone-call-away/69095-11.html

Future of Privacy !!!

2008-07-14T23:53:00.002+05:30

Though it looks funny, seriously raises some concerns about our online privacy. God and google are watching you!

looking for a SEO firm, READ this first !

2008-07-07T11:58:00.003+05:30

Google has given some of the interesting facts about SEO. May be it is worth a look.

http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=35291

SEO is an acronym for "search engine optimization" or "search engine optimizer." Deciding to hire an SEO is a big decision. Make sure to research the potential advantages as well as the damage that an irresponsible SEO can do to your site. Many SEOs and other agencies and consultants provide useful services for website owners, including:

Reviewing and providing recommendations on your site content or structure
Technical advice on website development: for example, hosting, redirects, error pages, use of JavaScript
Content development
Managing online business development campaigns
Keyword research
SEO training

Keep in mind that the Google search results page often includes paid advertising and free organic search results. It costs nothing to appear in our organic search results, and advertising with Google won't improve your ranking. Free resources such as Webmaster Tools, the official Webmaster Central blog, and our discussion group can provide you with a great deal of information about how to optimize your site for organic search. Many of these free sources, as well as information on paid search, can be found on Google Webmaster Central.

Before beginning your search for an SEO, it's a great idea to become an educated consumer and get familiar with how search engines work. We recommend starting here:

How Obama conquered the digital nation

2008-07-04T18:16:00.002+05:30

Having seen all the digital publicity campaign for US election and fund raising , I used to wonder what kinda companies would be involved in web 2.0 political campaign. Business week reveals the truth about company behind obama's digital campaign success.Blue State helped create the Web machine that brought in the bucks and built the buzz for Obama. Here goes the gaga about blue state digital.

...Democratic nominee has a secret weapon. It's a small, obscure firm called Blue State Digital, a market research-New Media hybrid that has played an instrumental role in fostering Obamamania. The campaign declined to discuss Blue State, but the firm says its handiwork and technology can be seen in the more than $200 million Obama has raised online, the 2 million phone calls made on the candidate's behalf, and in barackobama.com's social network of 850,000 users, who have organized 50,000 campaign events.
More on
http://www.bluestatedigital.com/pages/about/
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_27/b4091000977488.htm?link_position=link6

Useful Sites for Mobile Shopping

2008-06-15T23:50:00.002+05:30

Some new ways to shop while you are move. I found barcle as a simple and usable mobile shop front.

SMS

Smarter SMS (Sms the product description to 610-7627837 and get the lowest price online)
Frucall (Sms the barcode to 37811 to get the lower prices available)

Source: Mobile Weblog

Manuel Castells talks about Internet and Society

2008-06-07T11:16:00.003+05:30

excepts from his speech
- history shows that "people use technology that fits into what they are" – that people use technology to accommodate their lives, their needs, their interests, etc.
- He blames ideology, futurology, and media sensationalism for misperceptions of the Internet – in practice and social uses
- digital divide – the gap between those with access to technology and those without – and the three forms in which it exists: access, broadband and being in the Internet. "Once you're in, educational and cultural resources become amplified," he explains. "When introduced in the classroom environment, learning is accelerated, while children who are culturally deprived don't have the educational resources, so there is a disconnect."
- people would not change their lives to use the Internet. Rather, they would include it for work, study, social needs, shopping, music, etc. Those under the age of 30 were found to be multi-taskers – juggling Internet use with activities such as cell phone use, music, and television.
- "The more you use the Internet, the more social you are offline. The Internet adds, rather than subtracts, sociability."
Internet "is" society. "To understand how to develop new (technology), we have to understand society," he says. "Users 'are' the producers of the technology." His recommendation is making the engineering and design process as open as possible "for free." "This will change the world. People will absorb technology for themselves, in a more autonomous society."

--

Courtesy: Yahoo Research.

design thinking !

2008-05-30T18:49:00.001+05:30

An interesting pick from Harvard Business Review

Thinking like a designer can transform the way you develop products, services, processes—and even strategy.

Thomas Edison created the electric lightbulb and then wrapped an entire industry around it. The lightbulb is most often thought of as his signature invention, but Edison understood that the bulb was little more than a parlor trick without a system of electric power generation and transmission to make it truly useful. So he created that, too. Edison's approach was an early example of what is now called "design thinking"—a methodology that imbues the full spectrum of innovation activities with a human-centered design ethos.

Read more at
http://www.hbsp.harvard.edu/hbsp/hbr/articles/article.jsp?ml_action=get-article&articleID=R0806E&ml_issueid=BR0806&ml_subscriber=true&pageNumber=1&_requestid=21494

TRAI issues consultation paper on VAS Growth

2008-05-29T15:44:00.001+05:30

It comes as a great news to content developers that there could be a regulatory organization for fair practices in VAS distribution. These include the issues of the licensing obligation of telecom operators, need to bring content providers and aggregators called Value Added Service Providers (VASPs) under the licensing regime, as well as the approach for the growth, regulatory guidelines and terms and conditions in respect of licensing and provisioning of Value Added Services.

more on
http://www.trai.gov.in/trai/upload/ConsultationPapers/147/cpaper28may08.pdf

Google demos the HTC Dream with Android at I/O conference

2008-05-29T01:10:00.002+05:30

bright ideas for mobile startups

2008-04-17T13:40:00.002+05:30

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/02/0214_mwc_startups/index_01.htm

Enkin- Navigation concept for android platform

2008-04-17T13:32:00.001+05:30

"Enkin" introduces a new handheld navigation concept. It displays location-based content in a unique way that bridges the gap between reality and classic map-like representations. It combines GPS, orientation sensors, 3D graphics, live video, several web services and a novel user interface into an intuitive and light navigation system for mobile devices.

Source: http://enkin.net/

nomophobia spreading out !

2008-04-17T04:20:00.001+05:30

Are you feared of being out of mobile phone contact? you may have been affected by Nomophobia. Well, just go ahead and read some excerpts from Evening standard article.

Millions apparently suffer from "no mobile phobia" which has been given the name nomophobia.They have become so dependent on their mobile that discovering it is out of charge or simply misplacing it sends stress levels soaring.

Experts say nomophobia could affect up to 53 per cent of mobile phone users, with 48 per cent of women and 58 per cent of men questioned admitting to experiencing feelings of anxiety when they run out of battery or credit, lose their phone or have no network coverage.

Source:
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23468919-details/Nomophobia+is+the+fear+of+being+out+of+mobile+phone+contact+-+and+it's+the+plague+of+our+247+age/article.do

Hello World

2008-04-17T03:42:00.001+05:30