HOOKED ON MOBILE

I installed an TV from Telekom on my iPhone a few weeks ago. So far the only one watching the stuff is my 8 year old son. As it turned out, there are a couple of channels (like Cartoon Network) not available by our current cable provider. Honestly I installed the app just to test it, but I realized how handy it becomes on the train when I am embarking on long trips.

The only thing I can do with my iPhone in Prague is call and send SMS for an astronomical price. I mean really… Mobile operators are making a fortune for something that doesn’t really cost as much as they claim. 51 cents a minute is just plain stealing!

o everything started this last summer. My bike was basically dead and I wanted to go biking with my son, so I opened an account with “Call a Bike” the renting bike service from the Deutsche Bahn (trains) here in Germany. I used it and though – “this service needs an app to boost their business and make life easier for everyone”.

The UK-based ashortwalk has come up with a nice application called Mobiletide for those surfing and windsurfing fans. The application can calculate and display the state of the tide at just about any location around the world.

Happy slapping is nothing new. We’ve seen the documentaries, heard the stories and read the articles about it. What is surprising to me is how it keep spreading like a bad cancer among the young population around the world. Only a combined effort of equal intensity between citizens and organizations (governmental or not) will help find a solution for this criminal activity that is everything but happy.

Street Hacks: Jan Chipchase and Duncan Burns’ research for Nokia

Probably the toughest phone around, the S1 from Land rover. If Lara Croft, Rambo or Indiana Jones had a phone this would be it.

A few days ago I couldn’t help noticing a woman at Maximilianstrasse in Munich (the street with expensive fashion labels) using her mobile phone. The device was covered in pink leather, flashing a GUCCI logo on the back of it. My first reaction was: “Oh, GUCCI has also a phone just like PRADA… Of course!…” Later I realized it was just a leather case for a regular mobile phone. However, that kept me thinking about how we tend to turn simple electronic devices into symbols of status or simply customize them so tat they can somehow reflect our personalities.

Yesterday (29th of June) was the Mobile Monday event here in Munich. The Mobile Sports was the theme for the MoMo summer special. Despite some technical problems at the beginning of the event, I would say it was all and all very successful.