GET A JOB ON YOUR PHONE
MOBILE phones have sure become the new personal computer in many parts of the world, especially India. These days you can do almost anything on a phone, that you would have previously done on a p.c. You can do your banking online, as this story illustrates. You can look for love. In countries such as India, many are now using their handphones to search for jobs. In India, the service is available to both job seekers and providers. It even works on phones which are not Internet-enabled.
"City based Altruist Technologies has taken the lead in designing this product and within two months of its launch about 47,000 customers have already registered themselves for this service in Punjab," wrote Preeti Parashar in the Financial Express last July regarding mobile job search. "Talking to FE, Anuj Aggarwal, managing director: 'The service is available pan India but presently we are promoting it in the northern region. Phase one of its launch is going on and then it will be popularised across all states in the country. To make it more user friendly we have added certain verticals on specific career related queries like consultants for immigration, language barriers and counselling through our call center. The aim is to broad base the job search mechanism for people who don't have internet access.'
"Altruist has transformed the internet model of job offerings to make it available to the mobile phone subscribers through SMS/call. Anuj further added: 'Job portals like naukri, monster etc also provide this service but their primary source is internet but for this service mobile phone is the primary source and there is an option of carrying on with the process on the site- jobsonphone.com as well. After getting the feedback from the customers we have accommodated a few changes in the service like simplification of the questions asked by employers etc. We are planning to launch this product in the international market within a year...'"
Thursday, July 3, 2008
TELECOM DEALS SHOW ASIAN CROSS-BORDER PUSH
REUTERS REPORTS: "A burst of telecom deals across Asia underscores the rising confidence and desire among industry executives to seek growth beyond their borders through acquisitions, partnerships and outside investors.
"The deals involve not just China, which adds 8.5 million new mobile phone subscribers per month, or India, the world's fastest growing mobile market.
"Telecoms in Malaysia and Indonesia are getting into the mix, hoping to boost profits by linking up with other parts of Asia's massive and growing consumer base.
Despite the credit crunch and drop in global M&A activity, telecom acquisitions into or out of Asia (excluding Japan) are on pace to match the $59.8 billion worth of deals reached last year, according to Thomson Reuters data.
"'Asian management teams are increasingly more confident and more ambitious in their ability to run large global operations and derive cost synergies,' said Rahul Shukla, Citigroup's Asia head of technology, media and telecom (TMT) investment banking.
"Shukla's team is advising AK Khan & Co. in its deal with NTT DoCoMo Inc. NTT DoCoMo, Japan's top mobile phone operator, said last month it planned to buy AK Khan's 30 percent stake in Bangladesh's number three cellphone carrier Aktel for $350 million, gaining a foothold in one of Asia's fastest growing mobile markets.
"Indonesia's top mobile firm, PT Telekomunikasi Selular, last month said it was in talks with Qatar Telecom to bring its mobile payments business to the Middle East.
"Idea Cellular, India's fifth-largest mobile operator, said last week it will buy a 40.8 percent stake in smaller rival Spice Telecom worth $508 million. The deal allows Malaysia's TM International, a unit of Telekom Malaysia, a piece of the Indian market, the fastest growing mobile phone market in the world.
"Reliance Communications, India's number two mobile operator, and South Africa's MTN Group continue to discuss a possible combination that would create a top-10 global telecoms firm with operations in about two dozen countries.
"China Mobile, the country's top mobile operator, denied it bid for MTN in May when it was first in play, but said it was interested in the South Africa market.
"Meanwhile, Chinese privately held telecom equipment maker Huawei Technologies is auctioning off a majority stake in its handset division -- worth several billion dollars -- hoping to partner with a firm to help the unit expand in the United States..."
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
U MOBILE OFFERS NEW 3G MOBILE PLAN
BERNAMA REPORTED IN KUALA LUMPUR YESTERDAY: "U Mobile Sdn Bhd, Malaysia's newest third-generation (3G) service provider, has introduced the 018 Prepaid -- its first prepaid package.
"It is set to break the 3G market norm with its unique value proposition of a free starter pack, per-second billing and 8 sen per short messaging service across all networks anytime.
"In a statement here Monday, the company said as customers would only be charged for what they used, per-second billing would yield good savings across all types of users whether for long or short calls.
"The free starter pack is pre-loaded with RM1 talk time credit.
"U Mobile is currently the only 3G service provider in Malaysia to offer per-second billing for both postpaid and prepaid plans.
"The company also launched two new postpaid plans -- U68 and U98 -- Monday.
"The former offers even lower call rates to maximise the benefits of per-second billing with the flexibility of no contract periods.
"Meanwhile, the U98 comes with phone bundling with a selection of high-, medium- and low-end phones offered at special prices with an 18-month contract.
"The company is also offering a special SIM only version of its popular Surf with U, high speed mobile Internet (without modem) package, at a slightly cheaper rate and higher flexibility.
"The 018 Prepaid, U38, U68, U98 plans and Surf with U (without modem) packages are now available at all major mobile phone retailers in the country as well as at U Mobile's flagship store at Berjaya Times Square.
"It is also available at its service centre at Sunway Pyramid..."
FRIENDSTER ALERTS GO MOBILE
SOCIAL NETWORKING SITE FRIENDSTER HAS INTRODUCED FRIENDSTER TEXT ALERTS, A SUITE OF ALERTS COVERING ACTIVITY ON ONE'S FRIENDSTER NETWORK, SENT DIRECTLY TO THEIR MOBILE DEVICES VIA TEXT MESSAGES. (The story comes from SDA Asia Magazine.)
"This new capability, which will be available for users in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines will allow Friendster users to receive text message alerts for friend requests, new messages, comments, bulletins and more. When such activity takes place within their network of friends on Friendster, they will receive a text message on their mobile phone. Users will also be able to share and communicate on Friendster by sending a text message to Friendster to update content on their profile, such as shoutouts and bulletins, send messages, and reply to friend requests.
"According to Friendster, this new capability will increase timely communication among users and support and encourage network activity while Friendster users are away from a computer.
"'Recent studies have shown that about 90 per cent of Asia's mobile phone subscribers use SMS text messaging, and some of the highest per subscriber usage of text messaging is in countries in Southeast Asia. It's only natural to combine the most popular mobile feature – text messaging – with the most popular social network in Asia,' said David Jones, vice president of global marketing for Friendster.
"'Since SMS text messaging technology is universally available on over 1.2 billion mobile phones in use today in Asia, all of our 52 million users in Asia that have mobile phones can subscribe to Friendster Text Alerts and stay connected when they are on the go and away from a computer.'
"Friendster Text Alerts is Friendster's second mobile offering and complements Friendster's successful mobile site, m.friendster.com, launched in May 2008.
"Friendster is the 7th largest website in the world and the #1 social network in Asia..."
NGA HAD ASKED ME, BEFORE MY MOST RECENT TRIP TO VIETNAM, TO PICK UP A CELLPHONE FOR HER IN SINGAPORE. Specifically, she wanted a Nokia -- a Nokia 6300 (or perhaps a 6230i). "When you come singapore," she said on GMail chat (2008/04/01/15:42, it was a nice sunny day in Tokyo, I was all exalted and excited about my coming trip to Vietnam, squeezed between my Clestra job in the early morning, and my night shift on the phones high over Shinjuku)... "When you come Singapore can you ask price phone 6230i and 6300 help me because myfriend has just bough. she said me phone in singapore is cheaper than viet nam. Viet nam expensive.i bough for mother V3i 2689000 viet nam dong but myfriend tell me it was expensive in singapore is only 2350000 vnd."
Now I am not much of a shopper generally, nowhere near as good a shopper as Nga, who I observed in combat in Vietnam -- she knows how to get a good deal. Like some other men, shopping fills me with a sense of anxiety and dread -- especially shopping for something I don't really understand. I always got girlfriends to help me buy cellphones in Japan, and the one that I did buy for myself, one stark sunny cold Christmas Day in Akihabara, was pink. Why did I buy a pink phone? Because I panicked, and just picked up the first thing I saw, hoping rather forlornly, that pink didn't mean feminine in my new adopted home country of Japan (of course, it did, and it still does.) If I had done the hard comparisons, shopped around, thought about it, I would have bought something completely different. At least something with a more masculine color! But I am a hunter, not a gatherer, and when I enter a shop or mall or department store, I think of nothing but getting out of there as fast as possible. I am there for the quick kill. And when it comes to shopping, shopping for mobile phones (or cell phones, or hand phones, or whatever you want to call them) is the hardest, most tedious kind of shopping imaginable, because the plans are so complicated, and there are so many pro's and cons to weigh. At least in Japan I am a little used to the cell phone (keitai system), but outside of Japan, in countries like Singapore and Vietnam and The Philippines and India, I am a complete novice. On top of that, shopping for someone else is also that much more difficult than shopping for yourself, because you risk the extra burden of shame if you should blunder. I was only going to be in Singapore one short day en route to Vietnam as part of the Obsessive Love and the Rolling of the Dice, and I didn't know the city particularly well. If I had my way I would have spent the day soaking up the souks in Kampung Glam, or hanging with my feathered friends at Jurong Park. But Nga wanted me to find out how much the Nokia 6300 or 6230i models costed in Singapore, and presumably to buy one of them on her behalf. So I had to do it. One motivator: if I bought her a phone, I would be able to talk to her on it. And that might help usovercome the inevitable loneliness, caused by living in a long-distance relationship, in totally different countries. But once I got to Singapore I found that everything was more expensive than I had anticipated, and I started to worry, that I didn't have enough money to buy the phone.
iLounge wrote in its 2005 technology report on Malaysia and in particular the capital KL: "Some of the malls here have literally multiple tens of phone shops, many official resellers, and they're loaded with Nokia, Sony, Samsung, and yes, Motorola phones. As in Singapore, these shops are already selling Motorola's latest SLVR and PEBL phones, which carriers haven't yet released in the United States. Since people in Malaysia clearly like their mobile phones, and these phones are so widely available and marketed, this may be the best possible place to sell an inexpensive iTunes phone to build iPod awareness. (We donft think that this is as viable a strategy in other countries, but here, it makes sense.) Past ROKR debacle aside, there is unquestionably some value in using Motorola's existing vendor channels over here - at least, for the right product."
"I know because I was here in 1984. [Short story: Arriving in Singapore late at night by bus from Malaysia, I was an inexperienced backpacker alone in a totally new environment. Still I had my tent and was determined to use it. Walking past a downtown park around midnight looking for a good spot to plant the thing, a local Indian, Mr Balasubramanian, told me it was impossible to camp in Singapore, due to the local laws and lack of space. Impossbile is not a word in my vocabulary, so I told him not to worry, I'd keep looking. Realizing I'd be arrested, he invited me to stay at his house in Toa Payoh...]
he guy helped install my old SIM card, load the address book, install a new 2GB memory card, case etc. Total cost including Sing tax was $785 Sing (US$515), a chunk of which I'll get back at the airport by showing the Customs I'm leaving with the device. So far the thing seems to works pretty good, just have to remember to pick it up everytime I put it down and try not to drop it in the toilet..."
u s e d + h a n d p h o n e s
I MET A NICE GIRL IN HO CHI MINH CITY VIETNAM, AND WE GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER ON THE NET, AND EVENTUALLY, LUST TURNED TO LOVE, OF THE OBSESSIVE KIND. I was en route to another dose of tropical romance when, in the old trade center of Singapore, Nga asked me to pick up a cell phone for her there. This immediately threw me into a spin, because shopping is not my forte, especially shopping for cell phones, or hand phones as they called in Singapore (and the surrounding Malay world.) I didn't know Singapore that well, and I would only be staying in the city about 30 hours, before my flight to HCMC. As it turned out, finding the phone Nga wanted wasn't really the problem, I saw it on sale all over the place -- the problem was cash flow. And my particular, localised lack of it, and my fears that it would run out if I wasn't more careful. More on that later. First, if you are new to Singapore, or are a Singaporean looking for a handphone, where do you buy them? It should be said, that every residential area of Singapore has a few mobile phone shops -- even the area where I ended up staying, near the East Coast Parkway. Nick above recommended Toa Payoh, where Blazing the Used Handphone Specialist has six branches. Now used cellphones (or handphones, using the local lingo) may well be a Singaporean thing -- I have never heard or seen of them in Japan. Japanese people would never recycle an item as intimate as a cellphone -- that would be like buying used underwear. The legendary Danny Choo, on his way to conquering Japan, has written: "In Singapore, people change their phones all the time, usually within one or 2 years or even a few months! That is why there are lot of 2nd hand phone shops around the neighborhood that will greatly buy your phone and resell it."
If you want to buy or sell a used handphone online, here are some Singapore centric sites:
DikDekDikDek proclaims itself as the used handphone and gaming specialist of Singapore. If you want to trade in your handphone for cash, you can see the value of your model, here. At the time of writing, a used Nokia 1100 can earn you $25 (Singapore dollars), while a Motorola A1200 can make you $170. If you happen to have an O2 ZINC model, you can offload it at DikDek, for $400.
My Mobile Ware descibes itself as a mobile phone community and forum, and a portal for the buying and selling of phones. This includes used phones, naturlich. The last time I checked, the cream of the crop in the used handphone department included a Sony Ericsson W960i for $650, a Samsung E250 for $110, and a Nokia 6500 slie for $400.
A full catalogue of the phone types on sale covers Apple,
BenQ,
Blackberry,
Dmobo,
Dopod,
Eten,
HP,
HTC,
Hua Wei,
LG,
Mitsubishi,
Motorola,
NEC,
Nokia,
O2,
PalmOne,
Panasonic,
Pantech,
Samsung,
Sharp,
Siemens,
Softbank,
Sony Ericsson,
Toshiba,
Treo and
Zircon models.
Subaru Mobile offers plenty of resources for Singaporeans interested in phones (both new and used), ringtones and accessories. It attracts requests from beyond the shores of the republic -- the last time I checked, a poster from Vietnam wrote: "I wanna get a M600i sony Ericson. Do you have it? And if yes, how can I buy it?" So Nga isn't the only Viet keen to pick up a new or used handphone in Singapore!
VERTU - Signature Rs.5,54,000
1 Reliance BLACKBERRY - 8830 Rs.30,990
2 VERTU - Constellation Rs.2,79,000
2 Reliance BLACKBERRY - Curve 8330 Rs.25,990
3 VERTU - Ascent Rs.2,22,000
3 Reliance RD 10000 Rs.24,990
4 NOKIA - 8800 Saphhire Arte Rs.49,800 4 Reliance BLACKBERRY - Pearl 8130 Rs.24,990
5 ASUS - Lamborghini ZX1 Rs.47,000 5 Reliance HTC S720 Rs.19,500
6 SAMSUNG - INNOV8 Rs.42,749 6 Reliance HTC P3000 Rs.16,500
7 SAMSUNG - OMNIA (16GB) Rs.37,249 7 Reliance BLACKBERRY - 8703 E Rs.15,990
8 APPLE - iPhone 3G ( 16GB ) Rs.36,100 8 Reliance Samsung 2 ON Rs.14,999
9 NOKIA - E90 Rs.35,500 9 Reliance LG 9800 Rs.14,999
10 NOKIA - N96 Rs.34,999 10 Reliance LG 9100 Rs.12,990
11 BLACKBERRY - Bold Rs.34,990 11 Reliance Nokia 2228 Rs.5,400
12 BLACKBERRY - 8820 Rs.31,990 12 Reliance LG RD 6600 Rs.4,990
13 APPLE - iPhone 3G ( 8GB ) Rs.31,000 13 Reliance Nokia 2505 Rs.3,699
14 BLACKBERRY - 8800 Rs.29,990 14 Reliance LG 6100 Rs.2,699
15 HTC - Touch Cruise Rs.28,400 15 Reliance LG 3600 Rs.1,799
16 HTC - Ty TN II Rs.28,400 16 Reliance LG 3500 Rs.1,399
17 HTC - Touch Dual Rs.26,600 17 Reliance LG 3510 Rs.1,199
18 HTC - Touch Diamond Rs.26,500
19 NOKIA - N95 8GB Rs.25,500 1 Tata Indicom Motorola Moto Q Rs.12,500
20 MOTORAZR2 V8 Luxury Rs.25,499 2 Tata Indicom Nokia 6275 Rs.9,999
21 BLACKBERRY - 8310 Rs.24,990 3 Tata Indicom Samsung Duo Rs.8,999
22 BLACKBERRY - Pearl 8120 Rs.24,990 4 Tata Indicom Motorola Razor V3C Rs.7,500
23 ASUS - P535 Rs.24,900 5 Tata Indicom Samsung Max Rs.7,200
24 SONYERICSSON - W960i Rs.24,000 6 Tata Indicom Samsung Flo Rs.6,999
25 BLACKBERRY - 8300 Rs.23,990 7 Tata Indicom Nokia 6088 Rs.6,200
26 ASUS - M930 Rs.23,900 8 Tata Indicom Samsung Champ FM Rs.1,799
27 BLACKBERRY - Pearl 8110 Rs.23,500 9 Tata Indicom Samsung Raaga Rs.1,699
28 PALM - Treo 750 Rs.22,990 10 Tata Indicom Samsung Hero Rs.999
29 NOKIA - N85 Rs.22,000 11 Tata Indicom ZTE C332 Rs.999
30 SONYERICSSON - W980i Rs.22,000
31 BLACKBERRY - Pearl 8100 Rs.21,990 1 Virgin Mobile vSleek Rs.4,499
32 ASUS - P750 Rs.21,900 2 Virgin Mobile vKewl Rs.3,499
33 NOKIA - N79 Rs.21,000 3 Virgin Mobile vBling Rs.2,199
34 HTC P4350 Rs.20,500 4 Virgin Mobile vSwing Rs.1,799
35 SAMSUNG - i780 Rs.20,449 5 Virgin Mobile vTrendy Rs.1,499
36 MOTORAZR2 V9 Ferrari Rs.20,299
37 NOKIA - E66 Rs.20,000
38 SONYERICSSON - C902 Rs.20,000
39 SONYERICSSON - G900 Rs.20,000
40 NOKIA - E71 Rs.19,800
41 NOKIA - N82 Rs.19,500
42 SAMSUNG - TOUCHWIZ F480 Rs.19,399
43 NOKIA - N95 Rs.19,000
44 SONYERICSSON - K850i Rs.19,000
45 LG - SECRET KF750 Rs.18,990
46 HTC - P3470 Rs.18,500
47 NOKIA - 6220 Classic Rs.17,600
48 HTC - P3300 Rs.17,100
49 SONYERICSSON - P1i Rs.17,100
50 SONYERICSSON - W880i Rs.17,000
51 HTC P3350 Rs.16,900
52 HTC - C720W Rs.16,500
53 MOTOZINE - ZN5 Rs.16,299
54 ASUS - P525 Rs.16,000
55 NOKIA - E61i Rs.16,000
56 NOKIA - 6210 Navigator Rs.16,000
57 LG - KC550 Rs.15,990
58 LG - KT610 Rs.15,990
59 SPICE - S1000 Rs.15,949
60 ASUS - P527 Rs.15,900
61 SONYERICSSON - G700 Rs.15,400
62 SONYERICSSON - W760i Rs.15,200
63 SONYERICSSON - M600i Rs.15,000
64 BLACKBERRY - 8700G Rs.14,990
65 NOKIA - N78 Rs.14,900
66 SONYERICSSON - W830i Rs.14,900
67 SONYERICSSON - W910i Rs.14,900
68 SONYERICSSON - W890i Rs.14,895
69 MOOMING - A1600 Rs.14,599
70 NOKIA - N81 8GB Rs.14,400
71 SPICE - D-1100 Rs.14,199
72 PALM - Centro Rs.13,990
73 ASUS - M 530 w Rs.13,900
74 NOKIA - 6110 Rs.13,600
75 HTC - Touch Rs.13,500
76 HTC - S710 Rs.13,300
77 SONYERICSSON - T650i Rs.13,200
78 MOTOROKR - E8 Rs.12,999
79 NOKIA - 6500 Slider Rs.12,900
80 SAMSUNG - S7330 Rs.12,799
81 SAMSUNG - D880 Rs.12,649
82 SAMSUNG - Beat 450 Rs.12,599
83 MOTORAZR2 V8 Rs.12,499
84 ASUS - P526 Rs.12,300
85 NOKIA - 6500 Classic Rs.12,100
86 ASUS - P320 Rs.12,000
87 SONYERICSSON - K810i Rs.12,000
88 NOKIA - 5610 Rs.11,400
89 NOKIA - E51 Rs.11,400
90 NOKIA - N73 Edge Rs.11,300
91 SAMSUNG - i200 Rs.11,099
92 NOKIA - 7610 Supernova Rs.11,000
93 LG - KF510 Rs.10,990
94 MOTOROKR - U9 Rs.10,699
95 NOKIA - 5320 Rs.10,200
96 SONYERICSSON - W580i Rs.10,100
97 SAMSUNG - Beat 270 Rs.9,999
98 SAMSUNG - U800 Rs.9,999
99 SAMSUNG - D780 Rs.9,799
100 SONYERICSSON - K660i Rs.9,700
101 SONYERICSSON - K790i Rs.9,700
102 SONYERICSSON - W810i Rs.9,700
103 HTC - P3400i Rs.9,500
104 NOKIA - N70m Rs.9,500
105 SONYERICSSON - W660i Rs.9,300
106 MOTOROKR - E6 Rs.9,299
107 LG - KM501 Rs.9,249
108 NOKIA - 5310 Rs.9,200
109 NOKIA - 3600 slide Rs.9,200
110 SAMSUNG - E840 Rs.8,999
111 SONYERICSSON - S500i Rs.8,900
112 SONYERICSSON - W610i Rs.8,900
113 SPICE - S900 Rs.8,899
114 SONYERICSSON - W700i Rs.8,700
115 SPICE - S950 Rs.8,500
116 MOTOROLA - EM30 Rs.8,299
117 NOKIA - 5220 Rs.7,900
118 SONYERICSSON - G502 Rs.7,900
119 SONYERICSSON - W380i Rs.7,900
120 SAMSUNG - L700 Rs.7,899
121 NOKIA - 7310 Supernova Rs.7,800
122 SAGEM - Bleu 670z Rs.7,799
123 SAMSUNG - J800 Rs.7,749
124 SONYERICSSON - K530 Rs.7,600
125 SONYERICSSON - K750i Rs.7,600
126 NOKIA - N72 Rs.7,500
127 LG - KM380T Rs.7,499
128 MOTOYUVA - A810 Rs.7,499
129 SPICE - D88n Rs.7,349
130 SPICE - D88 Rs.7,249
131 INTEX - IN 5050 Rs.7,200
132 NOKIA - 3120 Classic Rs.7,190
133 SONYERICSSON - K550i Rs.7,150
134 SPICE - X-1 Rs.7,099
135 NOKIA - 6300 Rs.6,800
136 SONYERICSSON - W350i Rs.6,750
137 SAGEM - Bleu My 700x Rs.6,699
138 SAGEM - Bleu 670 Rs.6,599
139 MOTOROLA - L9 Rs.6,499
140 SAGEM - Bleu 476x (GSM+CDMA) Rs.6,300
141 SAGEM - Bleu 475x (GSM+CDMA) Rs.6,300
142 MOTOROLA - ZN200 Rs.6,299
143 SPICE - C810 Rs.6,249
144 SPICE - D90 Rs.6,199
145 SPICE - D80 Rs.6,199
146 SAMSUNG - J700 Rs.6,099
147 SPICE - S920n Rs.6,049
148 SONYERICSSON - Z555i Rs.6,000
149 SAGEM - Bleu 455x Rs.5,999
150 SAGEM - Bleu 460x Rs.5,999
151 SPICE - S909 Rs.5,699
152 SAGEM - Bleu 470x Rs.5,600
153 INTEX - IN 5544 Rs.5,500
154 HAIER - twinn Rs.5,499
155 SAGEM - Bleu 551z Rs.5,499
156 SPICE - S9 Rs.5,449
157 SPICE - S820 Rs.5,349
158 NOKIA - 3500 Classic Rs.5,300
159 SAGEM - Bleu 471x Rs.5,299
160 SAMSUNG - E251 Rs.5,099
161 INTEX - IN 3333 Rs.4,999
162 INTEX - IN 4444 Rs.4,999
163 SAGEM - Bleu 651z Rs.4,999
164 SONYERICSSON - T303i Rs.4,900
165 SAGEM - Bleu 555x Rs.4,899
166 HAIER - Double Rs.4,799
167 SAMSUNG - J150 Rs.4,749
168 NOKIA - 6085 Rs.4,700
169 SAGEM - Bleu 556x Rs.4,600
170 LG - Dynamite KP220 Rs.4,549
171 SPICE - S7 Rs.4,549
172 NOKIA - 2680 Slider Rs.4,500
173 NOKIA - 3110 Rs.4,400
174 LG - Dynamite KP199 Rs.4,399
175 SAMSUNG - E250 Rs.4,399
176 SPICE - S707 Rs.4,399
177 SONYERICSSON - W200i Rs.4,300
178 SONYERICSSON - R306 Rs.4,300
179 SAGEM - Bleu 454x Rs.4,299
180 NOKIA - 5000 Rs.4,275
181 SONYERICSSON - T280i Rs.4,150
182 SAGEM - Bleu 466x Rs.4,100
183 SONYERICSSON - R300 Rs.4,100
184 SPICE - S808n Rs.4,099
185 SPICE - S700 Rs.3,949
186 LG - Dynamite KG195 Rs.3,899
187 SPICE - S710 Rs.3,899
188 SAGEM - Bleu 458x Rs.3,699
189 NOKIA - 2630 Rs.3,600
190 SONYERICSSON - K320i Rs.3,600
191 SAGEM - Bleu 450z Rs.3,499
192 SPICE - S705 Rs.3,499
193 SAMSUNG - Guru 520 Rs.3,449
194 MOTOROLA - W388 Rs.3,399
195 NOKIA - 6070 Rs.3,300
196 SAGEM - Bleu 453x Rs.3,300
197 SAMSUNG - M150 Rs.3,299
198 NOKIA - 2760 Rs.3,250
199 SONYERICSSON - T250i Rs.3,200
200 SAGEM - Bleu 449x Rs.3,149
201 HAIER - CHECK! Rs.3,099
202 NOKIA - 2600 Classic Rs.3,000
203 INTEX - IN 2233 Rs.2,899
204 MOTOROLA - W270 Rs.2,899
205 SPICE - S606 Rs.2,899
206 SPICE - S650 Rs.2,799
207 LG - Bullet KP110 Rs.2,749
208 SAMSUNG - Guru 310R Rs.2,749
209 SPICE - S600n Rs.2,749
210 SAGEM - Bleu 351x Rs.2,699
211 NOKIA - 1680 Classic Rs.2,650
212 SONYERICSSON - K220i Rs.2,600
213 SAGEM - Bleu 355x Rs.2,599
214 SPICE - S585 Rs.2,599
215 SAMSUNG - Guru 300 Rs.2,549
216 MOTOROLA - W230 Rs.2,499
217 SAMSUNG - Guru 220 Rs.2,499
218 SAMSUNG - Guru 200 Rs.2,249
219 SPICE - S570 Rs.2,249
220 INTEX - IN 2010 Rs.2,200
221 SAMSUNG - Guru 210 Rs.2,049
222 NOKIA - 2626 Rs.1,999
223 SPICE - S580 Rs.1,999
224 SAGEM - Bleu 253x Rs.1,950
225 INTEX - IN 2020 Rs.1,899
226 SAMSUNG - C160 Rs.1,849
227 SONYERICSSON - J120i Rs.1,800
228 MOTOROLA - W181 Rs.1,799
229 NOKIA - 1650 Rs.1,799
230 SAGEM - Bleu 214x Rs.1,799
231 LG - Bullet KP106 B Rs.1,749
232 SONYERICSSON - J110i Rs.1,700
233 INTEX - IN 1210 Rs.1,699
234 LG - Bullet KG288 Rs.1,649
235 SAGEM - Bleu 255x Rs.1,649
236 SAGEM - Bleu 250x Rs.1,600
237 SAMSUNG - Guru 130T Rs.1,599
238 SPICE - S5 Rs.1,599
239 SPICE - S525 Rs.1,599
240 HAIER - Wow! Rs.1,549
241 SAMSUNG - Guru 130 Rs.1,549
242 SAMSUNG - Guru 100 Rs.1,549
243 NOKIA - 1209 Rs.1,499
244 SAMSUNG - Guru 145 Rs.1,499
245 NOKIA - 1208 Rs.1,425
246 LG - Bullet KG285 Rs.1,399
247 SPICE - S501 Rs.1,399
248 SAGEM - Bleu 245x Rs.1,350
249 SPICE - S415 Rs.1,249
250 NOKIA - 1200 Rs.1,200
In 1952 SAS was the first airline in the world to introduce Tourist Class, a discounted ticket with certain conditions. The entire airline industry later followed suit. At the beginning of the 1980s it launched a new service concept for business travel, SAS EuroClass, and received the coveted Airline of the Year Award in 1984.
Today, SAS develops products and services based on the watchwords of simplicity, choice and care. Emphasis is placed on providing travel service on the customer's own terms. One indication of how much this is appreciated by customers is the fact that the SAS frequent flyer programme, EuroBonus, was voted best in the world in a ballot of some 84,000 frequent travellers worldwide for the third consecutive year in 1999.
With 21 million passengers a year SAS is one of the largest airlines in Europe and the 15th largest in the world. Each day SAS operates more than 1,000 flights. SAS was founded in the spirit of international cooperation. This same spirit was applied in May 1997 when SAS founded Star Alliance together with Air Canada, Lufthansa, United Airlines and Thai Airways International, offering convenient connections throughout an integrated global traffic system.
HOW FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAMS WORK?
As HowStuffWorks reports: "If you travel by plane at all, you've probably thought about getting a frequent flyer card so you can earn miles for free travel. Or, you may already have an assortment of frequent flyer cards riding around in your wallet. Today's frequent flyer (FF) programs offer benefits above and beyond free air travel. And, you can earn miles without even traveling anywhere.
CDMA phones generally do not require a SIM card as with all GSM phones. Unfortunately, GSM and CDMA are not compatible with each other.
Hence, to answer your question, Korea uses CDMA 800 network-compatible phones without a need for a SIM card, and this will NOT work in Singapore. There isn't a slot for your SIM card anyway.
The same will go to all Singapore users; you wouldn't be able to use your GSM phones in Korea.
The iPhone is totally different from the way existing mobile phones have been designed, itfs a huge leap of improvement to the usability of the mobile phones. The iPhones are expected to be released in Europe in 2008 and to be released in Asia around 2009. The iPhone is going to influence how the future mobiles phones will be designed, and instead of waiting for the future to arrive, why not put the future in your hands right now? You can get an unlocked iPhone now at http://www.iPhone-Singapore.com/ and be the envy of your friends!
For iPhone pictures and iPhone videos and buy iPhone online, please visit http://www.iPhone-Singapore.com/
It all started in 1981, when American Airlines introduced a program called AAdvantage. Their purpose was simple: to reward customers for using the airline and promote future customer loyalty. American started the program by using their customer database. They tracked the members' number of flown miles and put together a reward system of "a mile earned for a mile traveled." To round out the array of services for the travel customer, American also included Hertz rental cars and Hyatt hotel stays in the program. It was an instant success. United Airlines almost immediately debuted their Mileage Plus program and upped the ante by offering an "enrollment bonus" of 5,000 miles! As expected, the other major domestic airlines soon followed suit.
Accrual Calculator: This calculator will help you determine the number of KrisFlyer miles you could earn when you fly to various destinations on Singapore Airlines, SilkAir or our partner airlines.
For example:
Tokyo (Narita) to Changi, Singapore: 3329 miles economy class, rising to 4994 miles for first class.
Sydney (Kingsford Smith Airport) to Singapore: 3912 miles (rising to 5868 miles for first class.) ANA Frequent Flyer Benefits
This comes from my friend the very frequent flyer Kenichi of Tokyo Ryokan near Asakusa:
"Everything at http://www.anaco.jp/amc_e/.
If you are a Platinum Member (flew already 50,000 miles and more), then NRT -- JFK would give you a free NRT -- HKG flight. For economy round trip to JFK would give you NRT -- KTM (Kathmandu) on business class (one year open ticket.)
"Three (3) round trips to JFK (economy) would give you two (2) economy class round trips to SGN (HCMC) if you were a Platinum Member. Three round trips to Singapore (economy) would give you one economy class round trip to SGN (HCMC) if you were a Platinum Member.
"Travel more, get more!"
m o t o r o l a + m o b i l e s
DID MOTOROLA DEPEND TOO MUCH ON ITS MOBILE SERVICES DIVISION, AND PARTICULARLY, DID IT DEPEND TOO MUCH ON THE RAZR MOBILE PHONE SERIES? These are the crucial questions, as 2008 gets underway, and the state of the business landscape, becomes ever clear. Mobile 88 wrote at the start of '08: "Motorola Malaysia is strengthening its mobile services division, which is the biggest contributor to the group's income.
"Country president Mohd Asri Hassan Sabri said the group was facing some challenges in this division and had been working hard to address them.
"We had a huge success with the RAZR mobile phone series initially, but we have realised that we had over-relied on the series.
"'We have been working on several approaches to bring the division back to profitability,' he told StarBiz in an interview..."
As everyone knows, Motorola Malaysia recently opened its first one-stop concept store, Motostore, at Suria KLCC. Asri said the opening of the flagship store was one way for Motorola to get closer to its customers.
Motorola Malaysia also sees WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) as an opportunity. It will provide its expertise to local telcos involved in this area.
In more Motorola related news, Aarvidi's Weblog writes (March 2, 2008): "Highly-confidential correspondence confirms that the Penang state government had asked the federal government to offer a RM1 billion project to American telecommunications giant Motorola in a desperate attempt to retain the latter's investment in the state.
"If this wasn't done, the Gerakan-led state government warned Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi that its 'catastrophic impact' would be 'politically very detrimental' especially in the run-up to the general elections on March 8.
"The stunning revelation comes as the opposition intensifies its attacks on the Gerakan state government over the sliding performance of the island's economy. Koh has been on the defensive repeatedly denying such claims.
"It would cause a total of 10,000 jobs to be lost of which 4,000 are direct jobs in the Motorola facility in Penang and the remaining 6,000 jobs among Motorola suppliers and vendors in the country.
"So is is obvious Gerakan was not maintaining the economic climate well. Motorola would have shifted its operations to China. A thorough study is required to look into the problems of other electronic giants and correct them.The elections is a blessing to the 10,000 workers, without which the federal government would not have raised a finger to help, the Badawi corridors would have taken preference.
"Most of the foreign investors want to move and new ones are reluctant to come, the government should make extensive studies to find out the problems the existing companies face and overcome them if possible.
"New investors prefer neighboring countries, cheesed off by our 30% equity rules and other stringent measures. If nothing is done, Malaysia is dead..."
Skor Career says (April 6, 2008): "Motorola is closing its Singapore operation, barely 3 months after announcing its expansion plan in Penang, Malaysia. The Singapore plant mainly manufacturers the mobile phone devices.
"Motorola's plant in Singapore accommodates about 700 workers, and most of them will be laid off before the year ends. A statement by the company said that the company is moving its operation to 'other Motorola facilities worldwide.' The move is also said to be part of Motorola's plan to cut $500 million dollars off their worldwide expenditure.
"According to the number of sources, more job cuts are expected to come which will see more than 10,000 employees worldwide losing their jobs since the beginning of the year. While the manufacturing of the mobile services will go, it is said that the company will maintain their Singapore HQ, including the research and development center.
"Ironically, in a stunning move, Motorola announced back in February 2008 its plan to expand their Malaysia operation, particularly in Bayan Lepan, Penang - a move that raised eyebrows of a number of groups. In the announcement, RM350 million will be invested and 700 jobs will be created, a sum equals to the number of job loss expected in Singapore.
"Trouble brewing?
"The latest development is set to send shivers to over 4000 employees in Motorola Malaysia, in addition to tens of thousands indirect employees working with the outsourced vendors, relying on businesses from Motorola. The news and media are depicting Motorola's predicament as 'free falling', and is soon to lose their status as the 3rd biggest mobile phone maker in the world. The company has also confirmed its move to split its troubled mobile division as a separate entity.
"Motorola Malaysia was one of the survivors that stood firm on its ground during the Asian economic downturn in the late 90s, and now is set to face another round of test..."
Wrote one of the knowledgable writer-folks at Ft.com: "Bright, shining Changi Airport is one of the very few immigration desks I have passed through that offer bowls of sweets as you wait to have your passport examined - on my last trip, they were Fox's Glacier Fruits." And last but not least, SavvyTraveller writes: "I actually look forward to a trip to Singapore just for the airport. I've never seen anything like it. I mean, how often do you hear the sounds of fake birds at an airport? I'm in the orchid garden, home to a small pond and the soundtrack of chirping birds. It's a tiny island of plants surrounded by a sea of carpet right in the middle of the departure terminal. For something less serene, let's wander upstairs and take in a free movie..."
These writers have said it all, and better than I can say it myself. Changi Airport is cool. I can't wait until I make it down to the Singaporean island again, and enjoy a long layover at the airport.
APART FROM STAR ALLIANCE OF COURSE, WHAT IS THE BEST FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAM (IN ASIA AT LEAST?) A Smart Asia article by Libby Peacock looked into this very issue. Peacock wrote:
First thing to remember is not every flight will earn you miles. That discounted economy ticket may be easy on the pocket, but the low fare may gather no miles – or a vastly reduced percentage. With Malaysia Airlinesf Enrich, certain discounted Economy fares earn 70 percent of miles. Cathay Pacific frequent fliers earn anything from zero to 50 percent flying discounted Economy. Group tickets may not bring the miles you expect (with Korean Airfs SKYPASS, they only earn you 80 percent of normal Economy miles). With Flying Returns, the joint Air India and Indian Airlines FFP, promotional fares earn 70 percent of normal Economy mileage points.
Some programmes are more generous than others. In March 2006, Virgin Atlanticfs Flying Club implemented some changes, allowing members to earn miles on all flights, including the airlinefs lowest Economy fares. It also introduced mileage bonuses for Silver and Gold members. The only flights not qualifying for miles are ones bought with redemption awards in the first place. Fair enough.
"Royal, has two elite categories above basic: Silver and Gold. It is one of few programs allowing members 100 percent of miles even for discounted Economy flights. Royal Skies frequent flyers get 125 percent of miles for discounted Business fares. Full-fare Business earns 150 percent. Qantasfs Frequent Flyer has a minimum points guarantee: members earn at least 1,000 points on Economy, and at least 1,250 on Business or First. Singapore Airlinesf KrisFlyer warns that certain categories of economy class tickets gare ineligible for mileage accrualh.
"China Airlines Dynasty Flyer members donft earn mileage for tickets sold at discounts of 50 percent or more. Free, infant, barter, charter, excess baggage, airline and travel industry discount tickets donft earn miles either. Always check with the airline or travel agent whether your flight will accrue miles..."
6 -- A sports bar with a complicated payment system, which seems to involve the manager having to validate every purchase, and the signing of paperwork. This frequently results in the staff forgetting to give change to customers, and customers getting angry and storming off to find another bar (of which there are many, thankfully!)
7 -- A free movie cinema (that's right, a free cinema in an airport!) with a big screen and cinema-style seats and 24-hour rotation. The only thing missing is the popcorn. And the only catch is all the movies they play seem to be cheesy B-grade American movies, the sort that might appeal to teenagers (and Singaporeans, no doubt!)
8 -- Countless restaurants offering an international range -- sushi or Indian curries, for example. There is one particular Indian curry shop at Changi which I adore, which I visited in the initial phases of my first trip to Iceland. Says Laura: "There is a fantastic indian restraunt on the second floor in terminal 1, has the best Dosai (Indian pancake with a yummy potato filling) and its pretty cheap too."
Those dosais were a little too rich for me and combined with the cheese I couldn't even finish them. But thanks for the tip Laura! And although I haven't ever passed the night there yet, I am sure my time will come soon -- and that will be one of the great experiences of my life!
9 -- Traditional culture shows using live actors. On my last visit in August 2003 there was a Chinese magician-cum-martial artist juggling plates and catching knives and so on. At one point his assistant tried to ram a sharp spear through his throat. By some Shaolin magic of mind-over-matter, the martial artist was able to stop the spear from piercing his neck. The assistant pushed and pushed, the spear started to bend almost 180 degrees -- and the only wound the martial artist suffered was a little blood. This little blood was enough to freak out some Scandinavian children in the crowd, who had to run back to the shields of their mothers.
10 -- A downstairs foodcourt set up in the typical Singapore "hawker's market" style, featuring such delicious dishes as chicken laksa (you need tissues because it sure is spicy!).
11 -- A science museum and "Timezone Australia" arcade lounge...
12 -- Designated napping areas and specially designed snooze chairs free of charge. Or, for $AUS23 for three hours, you can sleep in your own chamber at the shower, fitness and lifestyle centre. A room with television and a private bathroom in the Ambassador Transit Hotel - which is within the airport - costs $AUS44, or a budget room with shared bathroom is $AUS30.
13 -- If pampering is on your itinerary, the Aromazone massage centre has aromatherapy, reflexology and massage treatments. A one-hour aromatherapeutic massage treatment costs $AUS58. A traditional foot reflexology session, helpful in relaxing nerves and tracing "qi" imbalances, is $30 per half-hour, as is a head-and-shoulder massage.
14 -- Changi's fitness centre or the gym in the Ambassador Transit Hotel have sessions for between $AUS8 and $AUS12 (including hire of sports attire and footwear). At the rooftop swimming pool and jacuzzi complex, a swim and shower costs $AUS10. You must bring your own swimwear but soap, shampoo, shower gel, moisturising lotion and towels are provided. If you're feeling a bit out of puff after your workout, head to the oxygen bar, where 10 minutes of pure oxygen costs $AUS12.
Anyway, you get the picture: it is one kick-ass airport, consistently voted the best in the world. You could spend the day in there, and still find things to do. Maybe start the day with a swim in the pool, a massage, check out the science museum, and then catch a cheesy movie in the cinema. By this time it is lunchtime so you could order some of of the huge cheese dosas and mango juice they serve in one of the Indian restaurants, or perhaps a round of sushi. Since it is now afternoon it is okay to start drinking, so I would hit the bars for a chance to meet fellow travellers waiting for their planes, or to watch a bit of TV (there are special viewing lounges set aside for CNN or BBC or the Discovery Channel, for example, as well as sports areas where you can watch boxing or the golf.) There are options all round, and plenty of beverages to be consumed.
c h a n g i + a i r p o r t
ULTIMATELY IT WAS BAD TIMING AND JUMPY NERVES, RATHER THAN A LACK OF CASH, WHICH PREVENTED ME FROM BUYING NGA'S PHONE. We just couldn't hook up, electronically. We just kept missing each other. After finding that Nokia she wanted near the Malay Cultural Village I went to an Internet cafe downtown and emailed her the price, saying I would await her instructions before purchasing. I mean, I didn't want to make a buy that she didn't want, especially with money so tight. check out Ho John Lee's blog. Unlike me, Ho John Lee has actually stayed in the transit airport (not my style -- I am more likely to be found sleeping outside on the concourse with plugs stuffed in my ears!) Ho John Lee says:
Sony Style: Changi International Airport, Terminal 3.
This is said to be the first retail outlet of its kind (in other words, a Sony retail outlet in an airport) in the world, and it is part of the whole swag of world firsts, which has recently being netted by Singapore's Changi Airport. The products at this airside shop have been selected according to a suitably travel related theme: if you are passing through, expect to find VAOI laptops, computer accessories, Cyber-shot digital cameras, Handycam, Playstation, Walkman audio equipment and Sony Ericsson mobile phones.
Vertu: Changi International Airport, Terminal 3. On my way back to Japan after seeing Nga, I had an afternoon to evening to spend in Changi's new Terminal 3, and I was actually looking forward to it. It is almost impossible to get bored in such a place, and I could have done with a few extra hours -- I was just getting stuck into the Chinese frontier period movie in the upstairs cinema, when it was time to board my plane. I will be back! Anyway, while I was there I happened to pass the Terminal's luxury Vertu outlet. According to the airport's promotional literature: "Expertly hand-assembled and tested in Vertu's dedicated workshop in England, each Vertu handset is a finely crafted masterpiece of art and technology. Its first travel retail boutique in Asia, Vertu in Terminal 3 will feature the newly assembled Ascent Ti, a 3G, quad based GSM phone. It boasts of a 3 megapixel camera, a Titanium chassis, cowhide leather back, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal face and polished ceramic."
There is an important distinction between air miles or points, and gtierh or gstatush miles or points. Most FFPs work along similar principles. Air miles or points (earned by flying or buying services from FFP partners) make up the gcurrencyh you need to redeem tickets. Tier or status miles, on the other hand, collected through actually flying, allow you to progress to higher membership levels within your programme. The higher your level, the more benefits you get (typical perks include extra baggage allowance, dedicated check-in, the use of airport lounges, priority waiting lists, priority for upgrades and so on). Several programmes have three elite tiers above basic, although some, such as Malaysia Airlines and Thai Airways International, manage quite well with two.
Members of Cathay Pacificfs FFP, Marco Polo Club, earn gClub Milesh that are used to determine their membership tier (20 club sectors or 30,000 miles for Silver, 40 sectors or 60,000 miles for Gold and 80 sectors or 120,000 miles for Diamond). All Marco Polo club members are also enrolled in the Asia Miles program (www.asiamiles.com), and it is Asia Miles that can be redeemed for flights or other awards. Here is where it becomes potentially confusing: Marco Polo members can also earn Club Miles when flying with other OneWorld partner airlines, while Asia Miles can also be earned when flying with Cathayfs 17 Asia Miles airline partners.
Similarly, Qantas Frequent Flyer gstatush credits are separate from frequent flyer points. The number of status credits you earn is determined by cabin class and distance flown – the more credits you earn, the sooner you can achieve a higher status. Qantas Frequent Flyer, with Bronze (entry level), Silver, Gold and Platinum cards, is the largest FFP in the Australian region, with over four million members. Partner airlines include OneWorld alliance members such as Cathay Pacific and British Airways.
AIR CHINA
"Use of the terminal 1 transit hotel gym, showers, and swimming pool are included in the room charge, but can also be purchased separately. The transit hotel gym has a fairly new Precor treadmill (was finally replaced this spring), a stationary cycle, and a few weight machines, and a rack of dumbbells. The shared gym showers are much nicer than the ones in the rooms. They're equipped with glass doors and soap dispensers, while the ones in the rooms have just a curtain, with a drain in the floor (so the whole bathroom floor gets wet), and little packets of soap (which are hard to open).
"The swimming pool is on the roof of the building, and is accessible through the Terminal 1 gym. The pool doesnE½EE½EE½EE½ft open until something like 9am, so IE½EE½EE½EE½fve only used it on a couple of occasions when my outgoing flight was delayed.
"The Terminal 2 transit hotel doesn't have a gym, but the separately operated Plaza premium lounge and gym nearby is much nicer than the Terminal 1 gym. The desk can also supply you with exercise clothes, although you still need to bring your own running shoes. Their gym has several nice treadmills, along with a newer weight machine, hand weights, and mats for yoga. They also have showers, nap rooms, oxygen therapy, and a lounge with snacks."
s h o p + l i s t
ONE OF THE OUTSTANDING ASPECTS OF CHANGI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS THE ABUNDANCE OF HIGH TECH GIZMOS WHICH CAN BE USED FREELY (AND FOR FREE) BY PASSENGERS. The e-hub on the second floor of the Transit Lounge, for example, VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) capability, or IP phone technology. In other words, you can simply touch the screen to: make a free local phone call (international calls can be paid for by credit card), send free SMS to your friends, send free e-mails with video and/or voice, send free e-cards with your photo, print your personalised luggage tags, read the latest news and so on.
3G Handphone Shop: 1 Maritime Square, #01-32 Harbour Front Centre, Singapore.
s u r i a k l c c + t e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s
JUST AS IN SINGAPORE AND INDONESIA, CELLPHONES ARE CALLED HANDPHONES in Malaysia. If you want to pick up a handphone while you are in Kuala Lumpur, KLCC Suria is as good a place as any. There are six dedicated telecommunication stations in the Twin Towers:
D@Mobile: Suria KLCC Center Court, K22. Phone: 03/2166 7699. Dr Mobile Clinic: Ampang Mall, C68. Phone: 03/2161 1699. Motorola: Ramlee Mall, 331. Phone: 03/2164 1990.
Late last year (2007) Mobile 88 reported: "Motorola will be giving consumers a sneak preview of the much awaited RAZR2 V8 Luxury Edition on 10 December. The RAZR2 V8 Luxury Edition is a stunning blend of cutting-edge technology and bold, sophisticated detail that is the pinnacle of ultra-premium cool. Bathed in gold and clothed in snake-like skin, it includes a full suite of features and accessories for fashion conscious consumers seeking a glamorous design.
"To mark its significance, Motorola is organising a Special Preview from 12 noon to 4.00pm on 10 December at the MOTOSTORE in Suria KLCC. Consumers will need to register at www.hellomoto.com/my to be one of the first in line to view and purchase the special edition handset during this Special Preview. Registration is open from now till December 7, 23:59hours and is limited to the first 50 consumers. Those who are unable to register or are not one of the first 50 consumers need not worry, as Motorola will be holding a general showcase after 4.00pm, during which time consumers will be able to purchase the special edition phones..." Nokia: Park Mall, K33. Phone: 03/2070 0190. Sony Ericsson: Ramlee Mall, 318. Phone: 03/2026 9969. The Hello Station: Ramlee Mall, 317. Phone: 03/2161 2332.
NOKIA SHOPS:
#01-47 The Central; Level 1 K8 Funan DigitaLife Mall; #02-38 Great World City; #04-17 NTUC Hougang Mall; #02-21 Jurong Point; 53 Ang Mo Kio Ave 3 #01-27 AMK Hub; #02-30 Bishan Junction 8; #03-18 Tiong Bahru; #02-09 Vivo City CENTRAL:
3 Mobile @ Best Denki VivoCity #02-07; #05/01 Ngee Ann City Podium AWF Communications #01-26 People's Park Center CitiLink Group #02-92 Suntec City Mall; #02-001Q elife@Suntec Computation and Communication #01-45 Tiong Bahru Plaza Eng Ho Bee #02-12 Sim Lim Tower G-Force Network #03-20 Raffles City; #B2-63 Plaza Singapura; Hai Chew Electronics #01-53/54 Sim Lim Square Max Handphone and Electronic #01-81 People's Park Complex Max Yes #05-K30 Funan IT Mall Mohamed Mustafa & Samsuddin Co 145 Syed Alwi Road Mustafa Centre RoyalPlus Pacific #02-28 Sim Lim Tower; #04-24 Sim Lim Square Star 5 Technologies #02-001D elife@Suntec Tele-station VivoCity #01-23 EAST:
3 Mobile #01-02A Tampines Mart; Blk 211 New Upper Changi Road #01-747 Bedok Central; #05-22 Century Square 3 Mobile @ Best Denki #04-04/05 Century Square; #02-33 Parkway Parade Complex; ATLAS Telecom Blk 83 Marine Parade Central #01-556; Centel Corp #01-08 East Point CitiLink Group 315 Geylang Rd; G-Force Network #02-341 Loyang Point GSMLink Blk 214 Bedok North Street 1 #01-177; H2Hub Blk 208 Bedok Central 1 #01-679; Handphone Shop Blk 211 New Upper Changi Road #01-747 J-Force 810 Geylang Road #01-01 City Plaza OnLine Mobile Blk 201D Tampines Street 21 #01-1113 Planet Telecoms #05-05 Century Square Computation and Communcation #B1-15 White Sands Shopping Centre
Alcatel
http://www.alcatel.com.my/
Avaxx - Nokia
http://www.avaxx.com/
Club Nokia
http://www.club.nokia.com.my/
Dancom
http://www.dancom.com.my/
Wisma Dancom, Lot 5 Lorong 51A/227B, 46100 Petaling Jaya
Tel: 03 7966 8888, Fax: 03 7957 5777
Dopod - HTC
http://www.dopodasia.com/ (regional site)
Tel: 03 5569 8878
Eten - M500 PDA phone
http://www.jassavenue.com.my/
Jazz Avenue Sdn Bhd
Suite 5-1, 5 th Floor, Wisma UOA ll, Jalan Pinang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2171 2270 (Careline) , 2171 2271, Fax: 03 2171 1278
Ericsson
http://www.ericsson.com.my/
Innostream
http://www.innostream.com/ (global site)
Southall Sdn Bhd
108 & 109, Block A, Kelana Business Centre, 97 Jalan SS7/2, 47301 Petaling Jaya
Tel: 03 03 7492 1117
Integrated Communications - Mobile phone reseller
http://www.incomms.com/
Kimiwa Trading - Handphones & accessories
http://www.phone.com.my/
76 Jalan Raja Laut, Kuala Lumpur, 50350 Malaysia
Tel: 03 2694 4060, Fax: 03 2691 7012
LG Mobile
http://www.lge.com.my/
Tel: 1 800 822 822 (Service Line), Fax: 03 7491 2800
M Mobile
http://www.mmobile.com.my/
VC Communications Sdn Bhd
Tel: 03 7883 8363 (Customer Service)
Motorola
http://malaysia.motorola.com/pcs/
15th Floor Menara Luxor, 6B, Persiaran Tropicana, 47410 Petaling Jaya
Tel: 03 7880 0580, Fax: 03 7880 0590
MotoServiceOne
11, Jalan SS 21/60, Damansara Utama, 47400 Petaling Jaya
Tel: 03 7727 7530, Fax: 03 7727 7560
MS Cellular
http://www.mscellular.com.my/
Multilink - Mobiles & PDAs - Dallab, Mitac
http://www.multilink-m.com.my/
Multilink Mobile (M) Sdn Bhd
Unit 41- 7, The Boulevard, Mid Valley City, Lingkaran Syed Putra, 59200 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2283 4567, Fax: 03 2282 6688
Nokia Malaysia
http://www.nokia.com.my/
O2 - Xda, Xphone, smartphone
http://www.seeo2.com/ (global site)
Repair Centre:
8, 3rd flr, Jalan PJS 11/28, Bandar Sunway Metro, 46150 Petaling Jaya
P & A Shop - Online hand phones & accessories
http://www.pashop.com.my/
Unit T-041 & T-042, Paragon Point, Jalan Bunga Tanjung, Taman Putra, 68000 Ampang
Tel: 03 4297 7322, Fax: 03 4293 3322
Sagem
http://www.winningmobile.com.my/
Winning Mobile Sdn Bhd
14.01 Level 14 Menara Genesis, 33 Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2142 7878, Fax: 03 2141 7878
Samsung
http://my.samsungmobile.com/
Tel: 1 800 88 9999
Siemens
http://www.siemens.com.my/
Sony Ericsson
http://www.sonyericsson.com/my/
Startel
http://www.startel.com.my/
Startel (M) Sdn Bhd
135 - A, Indah UPC, Batu 3 1/2, Jalan Klang Lama, 58000 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 7983 7833, Fax: 03 7983 3887
T.Choice Malaysia Sdn Bhd
B808, Block B, Kelana Square, Jalan SS7/26, Kelana Jaya, 47301 Petaling Jaya
Tel: 03 7880 9889, Fax: 03 7880 0266
Where & how? Getting there: MyCen Map | Directions | MyCen Location (what's this?)
Travel Fon - Special low roaming rate Mobile phone rental at KLIA airport by Redtone
http://www.travelfon.com/
Xplore
Alpha Tech Distribution
http://www.alphatech.com.my/
Zitron - Nokia
http://www.zitron.com.my/
11th Floor, Menara BGI, Plaza Berjaya, Jalan Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2145 9086, Fax: 03 2141 9462
Where & how? Getting there: Map | Directions | MyCen Location (what's this?)
Deimos is selling brand new Nokia N81 8GB cell phones! The phones are available for purchase at our shop in Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia. The phones are priced at RM 1,350.00 per new set. Leave a message here if interested.
Terms and Conditions
1. Available for purchase at our shop in Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
2. Availability of stock is subject to supplierfs availability
3. After sales service provided at shop
4. Standard sales package offered
5. Two years warranty
WEST:
3 Mobile Blk 449 Clementi Ave 3 #01-263; Blk 727 Clementi West St 2 #01-240; #L2-16 IMM Building; Blk 501 Jurong West Street 51 #01-271 3 Mobile @ Best Denki #02-14/15/22/23 IMM Building Apple Telecom #02-02 Lot 1 Shopper's Mall Comms Equipments Blk 132 Jurong East St 13 #01-281 G-Force Network #03-11 West Mall; #01-15A Jurong Entertainment Centre Handphone Shop #01-47 Taman Jurong Shopping Centre J Com #02-37 Bukit Panjang Plaza Planet Telecoms #01-21 Jurong Entertainment Centre POD Blk 495 Jurong West Street 41 #01-114
s o n y + e x p e r i e n c e
Sony Ericsson Concept Shop: #04-Isetan, Wisma Atria. More information: more information here.
Sony di Pro Shop: Parkway Parade, Level 2. Map: Interactive map here. Phone: 6346 2822.
Singapore, December 15, 2005 – The Christmas season is just around the corner and the ideal present for music lovers has arrived just in time. Sony Ericsson brings today the highly anticipated first 3G-enabled Walkman phone - the W900i - to stores in Singapore.
The W900i is a high quality fully specified music player, phone, and imaging device capable of super-fast downloads of all types of multimedia – music, video and graphics. With the inception of the W900i, Sony Ericsson now boasts a collection of three fully functional Walkman phones with unique features that appeal to different consumers in the market. The two Walkman phones launched earlier this year include the award-winning W800i and the fun-filled W550i that offers a game console experience.
gThe W900i, along with the rest of the Walkman phone family, will establish a new lifestyle habit of enjoying superb quality music and video and a full internet web experience on the move, from a single mobile device,h says Jack Tan, Branch Manager, Sony Ericsson Singapore. gIn our first UMTS Walkman phone, we have combined fast download speeds with superb sound quality and crystal clear 30-frames-a-second video recording and play-back in a really simple and easy to use device. The W900i will not only appeal as a music phone - its superb communications, multimedia and imaging functionality will appeal to all those wanting a true multimedia capable device. This is truly the perfect Christmas gift for your loved one who wants the latest mobile gadget with a stylish design and extensive features for work and play.h
Music transfer and download
One of the most appealing features of the W900i is how easy it is to import, transfer, play and manage music files. Tracks can be imported from a variety of sources, either over-the-air direct to the phone if it supports an available operator music download service, or via a PC.
Transferring digital music files from a PC to the phone is a simple edrag and dropf and the W900i is also fully compatible with user-copied content from all leading music management software packages.
The W900ifs large internal 470MB user free memory provides space for between 120 and 240 songs. The storage capacity can be easily increased by inserting a Memory Stick PRO Duo, which is currently available in retail outlets at up to 2GB, providing space for up to 1,000 tracks. Music files can be stored in all the key formats: MP3, AAC or AAC+, MIDI, WAV and XMF.
Functionality and design
The versatile swivel design makes it easy to multi-task between the W900ifs many functions, a feature which gives the phone an advantage over dedicated music players. The direct music buttons get the user swiftly into the Walkman player where it is possible to scroll through play lists, artists or individual songs. Users who do not want to miss calls while they are listening to music will love the fact that the phonefs ringtone cuts into the audio and pauses the track while the user takes the call.
The phone swivels open automatically with the lightest of touches, revealing a large keypad. Virtually all functions can be performed with the phone closed - users can read messages or search through their music library without opening the phone.
Imaging and multimedia
More than a fully featured music player, the W900i is a highly advanced imaging and multimedia device with broadband-fast download speeds; smooth, responsive browse capabilities; and a large, 2.2 inch QVGA 262K TFT screen, one of the brightest ever seen on a mobile phone.
The 2 Megapixel, autofocus camera with LED flash- or picture-light, is perfect for capturing priceless moments. Sony Ericssonfs dual fronted design, allows the camera to be operated with both hands in a horizontal position for maximum stability. The camera also shoots video at up to 30fps (frames per second), double the speed of most conventional imaging phones and the playback quality threshold for television.
With the supplied Adobe PC software, pictures and videos can be easily imported to a PC as soon as the phone is connected using the fast USB connection. They can then be edited, printed and shared using the easy-to-use and powerful Adobe software, and videos can be played back using Apple QuickTime Player.
As an entertainment device, the W900i exploits the UMTS-delivered capabilities to the full, delivering fast and smooth download and browsing of video, games, sound and graphics. The high performance 3D Java gaming engine is put to the test with the embedded Asphalt Urban GT 3D from Gameloft, where users can experience the thrills of extreme racing at the wheel of the ultimate sports cars.
Accessories
The W900i is the first Sony Ericsson phone to be supplied with a Stereo Portable Handsfree HPM-80 with remote control, allowing the user to operate the Walkman player without removing it from their pocket. A USB cable and Disc2Phone PC software for transfer and management of music files are also included in the box.
The W900i is now available in stores island-wide at the following recommended retail prices:
With a standard two-year mobile plan -S$1,098
Without plan - S$1,198
Best Denki Co., Ltd. (®ļŠxXgdķ, Kabushiki-gaisha Besuto Denki?) (TYO: 8175) is a Japanese electronics retailer with outlets across Japan, Indonesia ,Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Best Denki headquarters is located in Fukuoka. Previously, in Singapore, it was known as "Yaohan Best", when it started operations there in 1985. After Yaohan's bankruptcy, the store was changed to its current name. The store has also a service sector that does repair, transportation of goods and after sale service for its franchise stores.
There are twelve stores in Singapore, with the flagship store located at Ngee Ann City.
The newest store in Jakarta is located at Senayan City and is the largest Best Denki store outside Japan.
NOT EVERYONE HAS THE SAME VIEW OF CHANGI AIRPORT AS I DO -- and some people are downright negative in their assessments. Malachy Roscoe for example had this misadventure to relate:
Having transited through Singapore recently from Perth to London I was only too happy to have a few hours to explore what most of your contributors claim is the worldE½EE½EE½EE½s best airport. My outward flight had such a tight connection I had no opportunity to enjoy any of the facilities. As a Star Alliance Gold card holder I looked forward to experiencing the hospitality of Singapore airlines and hoped that the service they offered on the ground was equal to that offered in the air. Unfortunately I was left disappointed on both counts. The airport was crowded with very little seating available even at 4am, I found the large selection of shops offering pretty much the same selection as one another and the layout was confusing and cramped. Regarding the hospitality of Singapore airlines, as I approached their business lounge I was quickly turned away and instructed to visit the dedicated Star Alliance lounge. On entering the lounge the attendant in true Singapore style was welcoming and helpful; I requested a shower which was my main reason for visiting and was informed showers were available inside the lounge and given a towel and toiletry kit. I entered the lounge to find it extremely small for such a large hub and a major alliances lounge. There was one shower which you had to queue for and no seats became available during the 1 hour wait for the shower to become free. There was not even an attendant to clean the shower between customers! The food and beverage selection was atrocious and no reading material was to be found.
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v i s a + n e w s
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