Vodafone 3G Casual Data finally 'affordable'???

Vodafone NZ have just releasd details of new casual broadband data costs:

http://www.vodafone.co.nz/mobile-data/3g-broadband-plans.jsp

$1 a day for a data cap of 10MB for casual data - a HUGE improvement of the previous 1c per KB = $10000/GB!

It's also a change that this casual data 'plan' can be used on PREPAY - you don't have to have a voice plan. At last a 'cheap' data plan for students!!!

blogit

testing blogit web app ok iPod touch http://blogit.typepad.com

iPod Touch V2 software & Apps

The v2.0 software ($9US) for the ipod touch adds several new features - including third party applications that can be either synched from iTunes or downloaded directly to the iPod. My favourite apps so far include: Mobile Flickr uploader, Shozu, and the ability to take snapshots of the iPod screen (hold down 'home' button & press 'off' button to capture screenshot to 'saved pictures' folder on iPod) - great for creating examples & tutorials, and a way of creating images on the iPod touch without a camera ;-) .






The above Apps (Top line are web apps, rest are from itunes App store) are all free except Mobile Flickr (a bargain at $5).

The V2 software update adds ann 'Apps' store icon to the iPod main screen - apps can be purchased & downloaded directly over WiFi to the iPod Touch. To purchase (or download freebies) and synch to iPod via iTunes you need to update iTunes to V7.7 - this adds an 'applications' menu to iTunes.

Screenshots of several iPod Apps below:



NetNewsWire (free) - RSS reader that synchs with http://www.newsgator.com account online, as well as desktop and Java mobile readers (NetNewsWire on Mac, FeedDemon on PC, Newsgator Go on Java capable phone).



AIM Instant Messanger App (Free). AIM or .Mac only.



VR Viewing App (Free). Also allows you to link to and share your own VR content.



Mobile Flickr ($5). Although other apps link to Flickr for free (e.g. Shozu), Mobile Flickr provides access to almost all of your Flickr account options from the iPod Touch. So I thought the small investment worthwhile!



SHOZU (Free) on iPod Touch. A great app for uploading pics and comments to a host of popular blog and media sites, and downloading a selection of Podcasts.A couple of issues with Shozu though:

1. Unfortunately Shozu appears to only synch with one mobile device - so each mobile device requires it's own Shozu account or Shozu gets 'confused' and posts go missing!

2. Shozu only posts to your blog host by uploading a picture - no text only blog posts from Shozu. However, this is nicely covered by a Web App from Sixapart - BLOGIT. I've made a web app shortcut to Blogit on my iPod Touch and linked my Blogger, Wordpress, and VOX blogs to Blogit.

What I'd really like to see is an iPod/iPhone app version of my favourite Mac Blog editor "MarsEdit"!

The Apps really find wings with the iPhone - using the camera for capture & 3G connectivity - but they also significantly enhance the iPod Touch as well.

Vodafone NZ Charges "Like a Wounded Bull" For iPhone 3G

Vodafone NZ Charges "Like a Wounded Bull" For iPhone 3G: "

New Zealand will be the first country in the world to get the Apple iPhone 3G, because of the country's position on the international dateline. Vodafone NZ is the carrier which is offering the iPhone, but its pricing plans - released today - have attracted a storm of criticism. Vodafone NZ has decided to charge extortionist prices for the iPhone 3G. Kiwis (including yours truly) are naturally outraged.

The top of the line price is $250 per month for the 16GB iPhone 3G (plus $349 to buy the phone). For that kiwis get a measly 1GB data per month and have to sign for a 24 month contract. The cheapest deal for kiwis is the 8GB black iPhone 3G, for $80 per month (but you have to shell out $549 clams for the phone). Here are the full details from Vodafone NZ's website::

Here's the total price, courtesy of Ben Gracewood and Geekzone:

Note that kiwis can just buy the phone only, without the plan. But the price is a far cry from the $199 touted a month ago when the iPhone 3G was announced. To buy the phone sans plan will cost kiwis $979 for the 8GB and $1129 for the 16GB.

Unfortunately this goes to show once again that phone carriers are greedy opportunists. It also makes a mockery of Apple's claims at its conference last month that it would cost just $199.

On local NZ news tonight, TV3 presenter John Campbell grilled Vodafone marketing executive Mark Rushworth, noting that Vodafone was 'charging like a wounded bull'. The Vodafone spokesman had no response other than a rote description of their outrageous pricing plans. You can see a video of the interview here.

There is currently a petition on Facebook, started by Michael McGimpsey. Go sign it, even if you're not from NZ (very likely, given that less than 1% of our readers are from there). Carrier greed worldwide is probably the major reason why the Mobile Web is struggling to take off.

"

(Via Read/WriteWeb.)

Elearning Guidelines

Poster presentations at herdsa2008