Well, well, would you look at that. It would appear that all the doom and gloom surrounding Rogers’ future plans for data plans has been for naught, and may be even better than my cynical mind had expected — which may very well be a first for Canada’s only GSM provider. Rogers Wireless have announced today that they will be extending the $30, 6 gigabyte promotional 3G data plan by another month, to be ending September 30th while they continue to revamp their eventual tier plans.
The extension comes hot on the heels of Rogers’ release of the Blackberry Bold last week, and is intended to give time for buyers of the popular executive toy the chance to take advantage of the current 3G promotional rate, which was originally to have ended August 31st. Fellow Canadians who have not yet had the chance to get their grubby hands around Apple’s latest and greatest are therefore being given a month’s reprieve to do so. Keep socking away those pennies, countrymen, you’ve got 33 days left to hop on the 6-gig data bandwagon.
Rogers have further intimated on future tier pricing for the iPhone and other smartphones, which have apparently been tailored around Rogers’ observations of how iPhone users consume data. “We learned a lot,” said Rogers spokeswoman Liz Hamilton of their monitoring of iPhone data usage patterns, “We were educated by customers by what they wanted and we were educated by customers by what they used.”
According to Rogers’ stats, just over 1% of iPhone users used more than 1GB of data in their first month, and about 95% used under 500MB. Although it is not explicitly stated, it is presumed that this is on-device internet usage. Since Rogers allows tethering of smartphones to full computers, these stats do not likely reflect tethered data usage — which, on the iPhone, would be restricted to those lucky enough to have nabbed Netshare before it was yanked from the iTunes store.
Based on my own personal usage, these numbers don’t actually surprise me. Although I haven’t done a great deal of rich content viewing, I’ve administered the blog, checked E-Mail, written portions of articles, uploaded images to my Facebook page, used the GPS with Google Maps, downloaded and installed apps from the App Store, and surfed the web, among other things, and my data usage after just three weeks is approaching 130MB. Granted, I was conservative for the first week or so as I monitored my usage carefully, but once I realized that I wasn’t burning through nearly as much as I thought I would, I began to use my data oblivious to usage, and I’m finding it very difficult to bust out of the 95% of <500MB users. Perhaps with tethering or even further extending my normal usage I could do so, but my usage habits have certainly made me realize that 6GB of monthly data is, for all intents and purposes, unlimited. I am genuinely curious how others stack up when it comes to data usage — how many of you burn through half a gig in a month? A gig? More? Have any of you eaten up over 6 gigs of data on your iPhone? I feel a poll coming on.
As for the planned tiers that Rogers will introduce on October 1st, full details on all tiers are not yet available, but a statement by Liz revealed that there will be a $25, 500MB monthly plan, as well as a $30 1GB monthly plan which, like current data plans, must be tacked on to a voice plan. Furthermore, Rogers will be introducing a “peace of mind protection plan,” which will take the form of periodic, free incoming text messages that inform users of their data usage when they cross certain thresholds, such as when they’ve consumed 80% of their monthly data allotment. Excess usage charges for users that go over their monthly allotment will also be capped at $100, which means that any data usage over and above your overage that exceeds $100 in charges will not cost you any extra.
I am fully aware of how strange it feels to type these words, but these plans actually aren’t that bad. It may not put us in the same league as AT&T, and we may still have one of the most expensive rates in the world by virtue of the mandatory 3-year contract, but on a month-to-month basis, we’re actually below the global average of US$71 a month on the lowest-end plan, which is $60/month — though that doesn’t include system access fees or taxes which, taken into account for Ontarians, would end up putting us slightly above that average at $75/month. We also pay extra for the Visual Voicemail bundle — an extra $15 — so that puts us at over $90/month for a properly decked plan.
I will withhold final judgment until October 1st, however, when I can see the full spectrum of plan tiers.
(via CBC News)
Written by Eric March on August 28th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on iPhone Canada and rogers iphone data plans and rogers promo data plan.
Box Contents: Apple Remote, Battery (CR 2032), User Guide
With the Apple Remote, you can take control of your Digital entertainment from anywhere in the room. Simply connect your iPod to a home Stereo or a speaker system, and experience songs, slideshows and more from across the room. Just plug your iPod into the Universal Dock and choose a playlist, slideshow or video. Ready to move on to the next song? No need to get up from your sofa--just press the forward button on the Apple Remote. Phone ringing? Just click pause, then pick up where you left off.
The Apple Remote also works with the new iMac G5. It combines with Front Row -- a menu-driven, full-screen Interface -- to make accessing your iMac's digital bounty from any seat in the room as simple as navigating your iPod. When you click the Apple Remote's Menu button, your Desktop fades and Front Row's sleek interface takes its place to give you control over your Music in iTunes, your photos in iPhoto, the videos in your Movies folder and whatever DVDs you want to play. Just sit back and enjoy the show. Control your iPod from a distance: Play, pause, control volume and skip back and forth between songs from across the room Control your iMac G5: Command your music, photos, videos and DVDs from anywhere in the room Requires the iPod Universal Dock and any iPod with a Dock connector ...
Written by iPod News admin on August 28th, 2008 with no comments.
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If you are going to choose one of the best gadgets out today, the iPhone is really one of the best options that you can have. It is tagged to be an all-around gadget that will be a necessity and at the same time be entertaining. It has several important features that a cell phone must have like picking up a call, browsing the Internet and all other major sorts of specs that phones typically have. In addition to that an iPod that will surely give your solemn times a twist. Now, one great feature that you have to consider is the ring tone feature. Now, let's discuss what good it can bring when we are using the iPhone.
1. If you want to be unique with your ring tone, you can actually have it done with your own iTunes. Can you believe that? Yes, as a matter of fact, you can mix and match whatever music you want to include as your tune. Make your own remix!
2. Know who is calling at all times. With your iPhone, you can make it possible to assign a certain ring tone to someone whom you want to identify. With assigning a ringtone of your choice to that persons number, you will already recognize who is calling you ahead of time. How great is that? You no longer have to scamper around the screen and see who is calling.
3. With iTunes available, it is very easy for you to access music that can be turned into your own ring tone. Well, if you just love a track so much and you just want to listen to it all the time, get it fresh from iTunes and assign it to be your ring tone. After all, if you get tired of it, you can simply change it at your convenience.
4. They say Macintosh products are very hard to use but do you know that you are just fooled by believing it? Once you get used to using a Mac, you will really appreciate it and probably think it's better than anything else. When dealing with the iPhone, it's no different. While talking about the ring tones it can have, you would be astounded at how you can easily navigate it for your own preference. Choose among the songs that you have and you will surely love how it works.
5. It serves as an audible caller ID. How comfortable do you think that will make you feel for you to get your own audio caller ID within your cell phone? Truly, it is such a great way for you to name it and benefit from it alot. All you have to do is assign a certain tone to a certain contact so it will be easy for you to recognize.
So you see, the iPhone is really the best phone that you would want to own. There has never been a time in history where man has had such technology. Home phones are virtually becoming obsolete as cell phones gain in popularity. Once you own one, you will start to use it and learn from it at the same time. The iPhone is on the cutting age of not only the wireless phone industry but also a communication revolution.
About the Author
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Technology News:Golf GPS Reviews
In countless fields of business, entertainment, health and medicine, Global Positioning System (GPS) is widely utilized. It's no longer new to our sense of hearing...
Written by iPod News admin on August 28th, 2008 with no comments.
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As most of you already know, Google’s been working on their own cellphone OS for quite some time now, and is just about ready for mass-production and release. Cellphone’s with Google’s Android OS will start selling a bit later on this year.
Android will feature an App Store-like store where all users of Android OS-operated cellphones can enter the store and purchase products - either free of charge, or for a price.
Google calls the Android application store the “Android Market”.
When comparing Google’s Android Market and Apple’s App Store (screenshots only), it would seem as if they are very much alike. One thing that looks as if it is missing is the absolute need of providing a screenshot to applications that are uploaded to the Android Market. The requirement of having to provide a screenshot within the App Store is one thing I enjoy very much because this way you can see what you’re downloading before you download it. Quality is key.
Other than that, you can’t really say much else with the screenshots provided this time around, although I must say, I like the Android Market’s dark theme quite a bit.
Read more about Android Development here.
(via Engadget)
Read on for a couple more screens.
Written by Jody Mitoma on August 28th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Android Market and Android Market vs App Store and App Store and Google Android Market and Google Market and Miscellaneous and News Related and Product Comparison and android and google android.
Brando’s the first to release an external battery with additional external speakers for the iPhone 3G, and it looks like a keeper. Not only does this work with the iPhone 3G, but the first-generation iPhone as well.
Specifications:
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- Capacity: 2400mAh
- Charging Time: ~3hrs
- Discharging time (to iPhone): ~3hrs
- Power of amplifier speaker: <1.5W
- Input Voltage: 4.8 ~ 5.5V
- Current input: 500-1000mA
- Output Voltage: 5.0 ~ 5.5V
- Current output: 100-1000mA
- Quiescent power drain: <50uA
- Weight: 93g
The iPower Portable Power Station with Speaker retails for $44.00, and can be purchased here in black, or white (for you white iPhone 3G owners out there).
(via Engadget)
Written by Jody Mitoma on August 28th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Accessories and Brando and External Battery and Speakers and External Speakers and external battery and iphone 3g.
