HeresHow Gadget Talk 

Will the U.S. Start Envying Canadian Wireless Subscribers?

Canadians have long prided ourselves on being passionately and frequently angered by our wireless phone carriers. As WIND Mobile Chairman Tony Lacavera put it during his keynote speech at the Canadian Telecom Summit in Toronto last month: "Trash talking your mobile service provider has almost become as much a pastime as supporting hockey." It seems, however, that with the latest infusion of new carriers, combined with reduced plan pricing, and new initiatives like unlocked phones, the trash talking may be moving south, alongside Major League Baseball (MLB) or the National Football League (NFL) instead of the rinks of our popular sport, eh.

First, it was the unlimited plans. In Canada, none of the Big Three carriers, Bell, Rogers, and Telus, offer truly unlimited data surfing. And the argument from Canadians was always: "the U.S. carriers offer it, so why can't we?" Now that isn't exactly true. AT&T recently got rid of its unlimited option, replacing it with much less favourable options: 200 MB for US$15/mo. or 2 GB for US$25/mo.

Then, there's the whole phone exclusivity deal. While us Canucks still find ourselves waiting in the wings for at least a few weeks every time a new iPhone comes out, it appears that we're now snagging other devices long before the U.S. market does. Many Android-based phones launched in Canada before they did in the U.S.; in fact, Rogers was the first North American carrier to offer the HTC Dream and Magic Android phones; the second and third phones based on the Android platform to officially hit the market. Other carriers, like Sony Ericsson and LG, have launched devices through Canadian carriers before they've hit any carrier in the U.S.

Back to the iPhone, while Canadians won't see it until this Friday, July 30, Apple Canada has confirmed that it will sell an unlocked version online or through one of its storefronts. Sure, it's a bit pricy. But this means 1) you can go to any carrier you want; 2) you can switch carriers any time you want and pop in a new SIM card; and 3) you can travel outside of the U.S. and use an international SIM card. But note that when I say you can switch carriers, you're limited to the Big Three and their affiliate brands: both WIND Mobile and Mobilicity operate on the AWS spectrum, and Public Mobile (which doesn't offer data at all) operates on the G-band spectrum; both of which are different from the band on which the Big Three operate. This means you can't just pop a SIM card from one of these carriers into an iPhone and use it with one of their plans.

Then there's choice. We've always cried that customers in the U.S. have more choice when it comes to carriers. Now not only do we have several new wireless carriers, plus more regional players coming; we also have the iPhone, one of the most highly coveted devices, available through three carriers and five brands! In the U.S., those who want it must go with AT&T. No choice there.

All things considered, even if the new carriers aren't offering highly coveted devices like the iPhone, their voice, text, and data plans are encouraging other carriers to take a serious look at their offerings. And with Bell, Rogers, and Telus now all operating on the GSM HSPA band, thus making carrier-switching possible while using the same device, the future in wireless is looking much brighter here than in the U.S.

In other words, Canadians, while we still have a long way to go in terms of getting rid of hidden fees, reducing fees for things like SMS, and affording more access to data, we really should commit the trash talking to the Leafs, Canucks, and the Habs for now. Looking stateside, they might very well have much more to complain about.

Published: 07/27/2010 09:25:05 AM UTC By Christine Persaud

Becoming an HD Snob: It's More Than the Sizzle to the Steak

I never thought I'd be a snob. I've always prided myself on accepting others; and never thumbing my nose at anything. But alas, after watching a primetime television show in (*gasp*) standard definition yesterday, I've realized that I've become a snob. An HD snob, that is.

This isn't anything new. I have watched HD content 99% of the time for the past few years, only reverting to SD if the HD channel was experiencing technical issues, or if I was watching online. But I just didn't realize the level at which my snobbiness had reached until I really put it to the test.

After some convincing from a few colleagues, I picked up the first three seasons of the AMC series Mad Men on Blu-ray a few months ago. I watched every episode of the set-in-the-‘60s drama in their full, high-definition glory. The women's outfits and flawless makeup were reproduced with beautiful, crystal clear colour and detail. The men's black suits melted into the screen's bezel. And the painful and intrigued looks on Don Draper's visage as he faced his demons and presented his creative advertising ideas came across with so much conviction, in large part because I could see every pore of his face, every crinkle of his eye, every bead of sweat running down his temples.

The fourth season of the show debuted last night on AMC; a network that my provider, Rogers Cable, only offers in standard-definition. I'm told that the program is available in high-definition On Demand the day after it airs. But I was so excited to watch this highly-anticipated first episode that I figured "I'll just catch the SD version. How bad could it be?"

The answer? Bad enough that I almost turned it off and opted to wait until today. I started watching with the tiny image in the centre of my 55" screen, pesky black bars all around it. Ugh, this is horrible. Then, out of desperation, I decided to make one of the biggest mistakes that an average customer does: blow the image up to fill the screen. The result? A grainy, low-resolution image that looked almost like I was watching the program through a spy camera 1,000 miles away. Not to mention that the cinched waists of the women became wrapped around what appeared to be much larger bodies. No thanks. Back to the tiny image, it is.

Here comes a close-up on Draper's face. All I see is a blur that I presume is supposed to be his skin, but looks more like really bad paintbrush strokes. Somehow, Betty Draper doesn't look as stunning in standard-def; without really seeing that she never has a single hair out of place, I can't appreciate the perfection that is supposed to embody her character. Joan Holloway's always bright and form-fitting-yet-professional, frocks simply don't have the same "pop" like they do in HD. The swirling smoke as the boys converse in the office while cranking butts is virtually unnoticeable; in HD, I could almost smell the nicotine through the TV screen.

Then there's the scene-by-scene issue. I feel like my pinhole spy cam has zoomed right in on the subjects, and I'm missing integral parts of what's going on in the background because I'm not getting the full 16:9 aspect ratio. For example, in a scene in the restaurant when Don meet the reporter for Advertising Age, I'm sure there's so much more to that venue that I just can't see. In the scene when they walk through the office, I feel like so much detail that really helps to set the scene was just left by the wayside, unviewable but the dastardly 4:3 picture. I wanted to walk up to the screen and scroll the image from side-to-side so I could see the whole picture!

What does this mean? First, I'm going to catch Mad Men On Demand at some point this week in order to get the full effect. I'll admit that with some programming; game shows, for instance; watching in HD won't be so critical. In some cases, I've even watched primetime programs online, submitting to the dodgy quality simply because 1) it's the only option available to me, or 2) I'm viewing it on such a small screen (17") that the quality issues aren't as apparent as they are on a large screen TV. But in most cases, and especially with such intense shows like Mad Men, or some of my other favourites, being able to see the program like the director and creator intended isn't just about getting a clearer image; it can really effect the way a scene, a character, a story line, is viewed, both literally and figuratively.

For those who haven't yet jumped on the HD bandwagon, or claim that the differences aren't noticeable or important enough to warrant upgrading, I assure you that this isn't the case; even if you just spend your days watching reruns of Law & Order and catching reality shows like American Idol. Think of it like a Big Mac versus a prime rib steak. The Big Mac will suffice, and in fact it's quite good. But you probably feel like something's missing as you're eating it, and chances are you won't feel too great once you're done.

The latest and greatest flat panel TVs, and even some older ones, afford stunning picture quality. We often use the analogy of the "steak without the sizzle." In my eyes, watching SD on a screen that can support so much more is like not opting for the steak at all. All I'm saying is that it would be a shame to enjoy a night out at a high-end restaurant and only order the burger. Call me a snob if you like. But I take my TV medium-rare, and no, I don't want fries with that.

Photo: www.freedigitalphotos.net

Published: 07/26/2010 02:33:04 PM UTC By Christine Persaud

Using the Bud Phone

Now that I've had time try out the Bud Phone, a virtual phone that lets you make and receive free phone calls via a computer (see related blog from yesterday for full details,) here are a few things you should note about the service:

Don't Register with a Number That Requires an Extension: When registering, don't use a business phone number, or any number that requires an extension. Why? To verify your account, the system will place an automated call to you, requesting that you input a three-digit verification number that has been sent to your e-mail address. Naturally, if you use an office number, the automated system won't be able to dial that extension to get directly to you. And your receptionist will likely be left scratching her head at the weird call she just got from "bud phone?" Given this, it's also important to use a phone number that's accessible to you right now; in other words, don't sign up from work, and use your home phone number to register.

Can't Dial Extensions, Use Automated Services: The service's disdain for extensions doesn't end there. Once a call is connected, the virtual dialpad is essentially rendered useless. This means you can't dial an extension number. Although most systems will eventually put you through to a switchboard or reception if no command is inputted, there's another drawback to this: you can't pay your bills through telephone banking, or call the service department and dial "1" for English, "2" for technical support, and so forth. Bummer. The Bud Phone will, however, recognize when you click virtual keys to navigate through its own voicemail menu.

Application Must be Running for Calls to Come Through: Note that calls will only be received if your computer is on and the Bud Phone application is running (and of course you're connected to high-speed Internet). This means if the app is closed, you can't collect voicemail either; the caller simply gets dead air. However, there is a way around that. (See next point.)

Calls Can be Forwarded to a Cell, Landline: A call forwarding feature called Follow Me lets you link your Bud Phone account with a cell phone, landline, or office phone. If someone calls the special number and you reject the call, or the app isn't running, the call will route to the alternate number you've provided. If you don't pick up there either, the caller will be routed back to the Bud Phone voice mail service, and you can pick up the message once you're back at the PC. In terms of timing, you can select for how many seconds you'd like the line to ring before picking up the call. The voicemail message is a standard "the person you have reached is not available..." and it doesn't appear as though there's a way to personalize it. Why would I want to have calls from a PC-based number routed to my cell? For one, it's an easy way to collect voice messages, know they're there, but not have to pay for cellular voice mail service. Of course the limitation is that you can't check these voice messages until you are online with the PC. It's also a nice way to keep in touch with overseas friends and family; if you see an incoming or missed call, you'll know they're trying to reach you, and know you'll have an audio message to look forward to once you get home. Sure, there are so many other ways to connect. But sometimes hearing someone's voice, especially when they're thousands of miles away, makes a world of difference.

Free Calls Can Only be Made to Specific Canadian Cities: Note that free outgoing calls can only be made to numbers in specific cities in Canada (the entire list is here http://budphone.ca//cityListing). But incoming calls can be received from anywhere in the world. Consequently, the best way to handle overseas communication might be a quick e-mail or SMS that says "hey, I'm online now. Call me." Then proceed with a 100% free conversation.

No iPad Support: Unfortunately, the Bud Phone requires a Windows or Mac operating system. Since the iPad runs on the iPhone OS, it can be assumed that the Bud Phone would not work on the unit. That's a shame, since the iPad would make for a great mobile phone; and it would also add to the ongoing jokes about the iPad being "just an oversized iPhone."

Other Personalization Features: To further personalize the experience, you can do things like set speed dials, blacklist unwanted callers, and even select a desired ring tone. Get this: the ringtone can come from your own music collection! Pretty neat. You can also add a contact list of others who are using the same service, and even chat with them online through the Bud Phone interface. An entire call history can also be viewed.

Bottom line: The Bud Phone isn't the most sophisticated VoIP calling technology out there. But it's free. And it does work.

Published: 07/22/2010 04:31:09 PM UTC By Christine Persaud

Facebook Celebrates 500M Users With 'Stories'

You'd think with a count of 500 million, Facebook members would have some interesting stories to share about how the social networking Website has played a part in their lives. And this is exactly what Founder Mark Zuckerberg is banking on with the new Stories application.

To celebrate essentially taking over the entire wired world, Facebook has devised an application, http://stories.facebook.com/, where users can write about their most memorable Facebook connections, situations, reunions, etc. For example, a woman used her status updates as a lifeline for a group of people traveling in Haiti during the earthquake, claims Facebook. After a man found himself in the unemployment line, a mass note to all of "his" friends ended up leading to a fruitful new job. A father reunites with his daughter after 15 years through the magic of the Web. It all sounds like great material for a made-for-TV movie (wait, aren't they indeed turning the story behind Facebook into a movie?) but what Facebook is looking for are these real stories of connecting through the social networking site. Interesting how Facebook didn't cite the well-known example of 19-year-old Colton Harris-Moore, who has been on a crime spree for the past two years, taunting police through his Facebook page. But anyway...

The application will let users search through stories via a world map, or view them by themes like love, family, reunions, sports, and college.

While many will be inspiring tales of love, happiness, support, and encouragement, it's no surprise that some humorous ones will slip in there. A few I've found: one gal mentions that Facebook has "made her realize that all 16-year-old boys are horrible." Or the couple who plans to get married (one's in Canada, one's in Indonesia) even though they've never met one another in person. Er, ok. There are an endless number of shameless self-promos as well, as la "Facebook helped me meet my current business partner, and things are going well. Check out our Website at..."

The idea is clever, managing to play on people's egocentric and voyeuristic tendencies. But it also achieves one very important task: solidifying Facebook's position as a dominant and important part of 21st century culture. Of course stories will be pushed to friends' news feeds, and can be "liked." The most liked items will then be featured in a "most popular" section. And if promotion among members wasn't enough, the feature is already being promoted through a number of other partners, including LIVESTRONG.com, Justin Bieber, Cristiano Ronaldo, and The American Red Cross; just to name a few.

Published: 07/21/2010 03:21:29 PM UTC By Christine Persaud

Beer AND Free Phone Calls From Anywhere?

Move over Skype: a new initiative aims to allow Canadians to make and receive phone calls from a computer via virtually anywhere in the world. What does this have to do with beer, you ask? The Cambridge, ON-based creator Fibernetics Corp. has partnered with Budweiser to call the technology the Bud Phone.

The service, which will function as a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service, and thus require a high-speed Internet connection, assigns each user a unique, 10-digit phone number. Download the application to a Mac or PC, and the computer essentially becomes a phone, allowing you to make and receive calls (911 services, by law, are supported), and collect and retrieve voicemail via the computer's built-in speakers (or connected speakers or headphones.) Dial-out using the virtual, on-screen keypad; and callers can reach you using that unique phone number you were assigned at registration. Think of the service as an alternative to landline, except without the land part of the equation. And since you're calling from the Internet, long distance and overseas calls won't cost a thing; just like with Skype, Vonage, and other VoIP-based services. The software application is also free. Geez, it could only get better if free beer were spewed out from the CD-ROM drive!

"What we're aiming to do is take the 'home' out of 'home phone line' by offering a free service that will allow users to keep in touch while remaining mobile and flexible," says Chief Marketing Officer John Stix.

Naturally, the service is aimed at the younger generation, many of whom no longer have home phones, relying solely on cellular connectivity and online to communicate with others.

"We're hoping to close the communication gap," adds Stix, "allowing a generation of computer-savvy, interconnected youth to converse over the phone in real-time without having to be tied to any particular location or to the cost of a residential land-line."

The marketing tie-in with Budweiser will, no doubt, help in reaching this demographic, and getting the word out about the technology. I have attempted to sign up and give the service a go, but have not yet been able to log in. Upon sign up, in addition to asking a few survey questions about your beer-drinking habits (smart move), the form also requires that you await a verification call to the alternate number you provided to officially confirm the account via a three-digit PIN. This call is supposed to come within "a few minutes," of signing up, but alas, 15 minutes later, I'm still waiting...

Stay tuned for more details once I get the service up and running.

Published: 07/20/2010 11:08:12 AM UTC By Christine Persaud

Funny Tales From the Retail Sales Floor: Part 2

Earlier this year, I ran some funny stories from the retail sales floor, as provided by our readers, consumers, and from old archived issues of the magazine. Here's part-two of that section for your entertainment.

Why, Just Write it Off, Of Course!

While I was working in a family-operated shop (Unruh's TV) in Chilliwack, BC, a kid came in and asked me if I could talk to him about car audio. His idea was that we would get about $10K worth of gear in his car and "sponsor" him. When I asked where he thought the money would come from, his answer was priceless. "You can write it off!" he declared. So I asked him if he knew what "writing off" meant? "Well," he replied, "it's like tax that you write off and get it back." At this point, I'm thinking, OK, someone has to make things simpler for him. So I ask if he had a $10 bill, which he did. I then asked him to place it on the counter, and he hesitantly complied. I took the $10 bill, replaced it with a loonie, and said: "here's your $10 bucks. You can write the other $9 off." He looked at it for two seconds and politely asked if he could get his money back. I gave it back and took my loonie. The kid did come back, and we sold him a smaller system that he was quite proud of.

Elliot Cohen, Vancouver, BC

Extended Warranty & the Green Banana

My friend came back from a ladies club charity meeting and told me this true story about one of the club members. She is 99-year-old and went into a local electronics chain store to buy a big screen TV and a new laptop. She felt it was time to upgrade both units as the laptop was getting slow and the TV not so bright anymore. After making her selections, she spotted a Blu-ray player on sale and took it as well. In hearing this story, I was amazed that someone at 99 years young wants a faster laptop and even knows what a Blu-ray is! At the check out, you get the usual sales pitch about the merits of extended warranty. A four-year extended warranty was offered to the woman. At the end of the sales pitch, she replied: "Honey, at my age, I don't even buy green bananas." I hope I'm half as sharp as she is when I reach that age.

Andrej Baca, Peterborough ON

The Secret Door

I was working at a camera/audio store in Winnipeg in the ‘80s. It was December, so the store was quite busy. It was my first night being in charge of the store as an assistant manager. As the day went on, the till got fuller and fuller with bills to the point where we could no longer close the drawer. I emptied all the bills and put them in a bag. Then I needed a safe place in which to store the bag. In the back room, I noticed a small safe imbedded in the floor. I put in the money and slammed the lid shut. The next day, my boss phoned me saying the till was short almost $10,000. I told him I had put the money in the safe. He said, "What safe?" It turns out they never used that safe because nobody knew the combination. They had to bring in a jack hammer and a torch to get the money out. After that, the remaining hole in the floor was called "Garry's Chasm," and it stayed there for years.

Garry Harrison, Kelowna, BC

I'll Have that Cable on Ice, Please

A customer came into a store I call on regularly. The store had closed about 10-15 minutes earlier, and we were outside having a BBQ and refreshments since it was a beautiful summer day. The gentleman was very stressed out as he needed a long length of cable to get his satellite working for the weekend, and it was Friday. The owner said: "we are out of ice, so if you run down to the store and get four bags, we will terminate a cable to your desired length." The customer found this just as entertaining as we did, brought us back the ice, and was one happy customer.

James Drew, Whitby, ON

Do you have a funny story you'd like to see published in this blog? Contact us at letterstotheeditor@marketnews.ca!

Published: 07/19/2010 09:24:10 AM UTC By Christine Persaud