Welcome to Hedgehogging. As you know from your own jobs, something is always happening in the wireless space. Some of it makes us stop what we’re doing to clap, boo or question these developments. This week’s column is a roundup of some of the wireless happenings that made us hedgehog last week.
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What is a phrase we can print that means lower than lowest, really, really, really bad taste? We couldn’t think of one. But Oasys Mobile has created a ringtone that simulates Mel Gibson’s recent arrest. If the wireless industry implodes, I’m blaming this.
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Verizon Wireless launched LG’s Chocolate device, hyping it as “part MP3 player, part phone, totally sweet”-confirming the pop culture maxim that hip phrases from three decades ago are now eligible for use as advertising catch phrases.
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On the opposite end of the spectrum, we received as a demo handset a basic Samsung voice phone running on Sprint Nextel’s CDMA network. On one hand a basic phone is somewhat refreshing at a time when handset manufacturers are attempting to cram more and more functionality-i.e. confusion-into handsets. On the other hand, the phone’s lack of extras leave us perplexed. No camera to snap incriminating photos of our co-workers and no wireless Web access to download the latest games or annoying ringtones (see bottom). The only thing we could figure to do with it was to send confusing text messages to friends hidden behind the handset’s out-of-state number. When presented with lemons…
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Last week, we told you about the cool Alltel racecar phone. It looks like a car, sounds like a car and features Ryan Newman of NASCAR fame. Now it turns out Alltel likes the phone as much as we do and is re-painting its actual NASCAR racecar to look like the phone. Now when Sprint Nextel-NASCAR’s lead sponsor-gets the Razr phone, will all the racetracks be redesigned to look like that handset? Or will it tout its tracks are as thin as a Razr?
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Interesting press release from satellite phone rental provider Allroad Communications touting the virtues of satellite phones. Some highlights:
“Satellite phones can work in your car. For under $200 you can buy a car antenna and adapter for an Iridium satellite phone, which will enable you to use your satellite phone whilst driving.” “You can buy a Globalstar satellite phone for as little as $749 … less than some high-end cell phones.” And you wonder why the satellite industry remains in neutral.
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Alaska Communications Systems is offering its digital subscriber line customers a free wireless PC card when they sign up for a mobile data plan that costs $30 a month. The unlimited wireless data plan offers EV-DO coverage in populated areas of the state and 1x speeds within the rest of ACS’ CDMA footprint, which includes south-central and southeastern Alaska as well as the state’s North Slope.
ACS’ offering is a momentous event in human history, for sure. Am I the only one surprised that there are actually telecommunications services in Alaska? I mean, aren’t they all still fighting with wolverines and living in caves up there? (For more ranting on this, visit Online Editor Mike Dano’s Worst of the Week column at RCRNews.com. It’s funny.)
