No I am including email from all other devices. When you receive an email does it matter what device it came from. My point is that the universal email system is far larger than SMS/MMS.
Most all of my friends use smartphones. Of course people who have dumb phones cannot use email but most of them are moving to smartphones so they can use email.
Once you get into instant message services and twitter, their becomes less reason to use SMS/MMS as often.
Quote:
Originally Posted by w00master
And your numbers come from... where? Does it factor out Desktop emails, Notebook emails, PDA emails?
Beyond smartphone users (which comprise of a small percentage of the overall wireless cellular market), how many of your friends TRULY use email on their handsets? i'm betting it's about ZERO.
what i'd like to see the normal functionality of SMS ... that is SMS forwarding. this has been a major problem for many iphonian i came across. i,ve jailbroken my iphone and use third party app, but dont know if there is any security problems or not...
Not sure why anyone would want to use MMS anyway. The cost of these messages compared with their limitations stands in a stark contrast to the increased capabilities of real e-mail with attachments and the "free" (included) cost of sending e-mail from the iPhone.
In short, with MMS you pay more for something limited when you have something more capable at your disposal included in your base fees.
What is however a riddle, why Apple still can't get visual voicemail through the WiFi link. Particularly when roaming, getting visual voice mail can be a horrendously costly proposition.
No I am including email from all other devices. When you receive an email does it matter what device it came from. My point is that the universal email system is far larger than SMS/MMS.
Most all of my friends use smartphones. Of course people who have dumb phones cannot use email but most of them are moving to smartphones so they can use email.
Once you get into instant message services and twitter, their becomes less reason to use SMS/MMS as often.
This is why you don't understand why iPhone needs MMS. Most of the cellphone users in the US use regular handsets that CAN MMS and SMS, but either cannot do e-mail or their users aren't aware of email. Most of my friends use regular handsets that can MMS & SMS, but either cannot do e-mail or their users aren't aware of email.
A LOT of iPhone users (like myself) constantly gets the lame SMS msg to go to the MediaNET website (whatever it is) to view the MMS. Then it doesn't work, rinse and repeat. You then end up constantly trying to remind your friends and family *not* to MMS but try to send an e-mail instead. Rinse and repeat. Short answer: IT NEVER ENDS UP HAPPENING, and you end up in a repeat cycle.
It's a perception thing. Personally, I think we should cater to what is being used the most on cellphones: SMS and MMS.
Once email becomes the standard across all cellphones (which will be a VERY long time from now), then I can see getting rid of both SMS and MMS. However, this isn't the case and this isn't reality.
Again, if you don't want to use MMS, then don't use it. People like me as well as MANY other iPhone users (which is why the MMS issue CONSTANTLY continues to come up) know that it would take Apple & AT&T about a DAY to make this app or upgrade the exisiting SMS app. Problem solved.
Again, 99.9% of all handsets can do MMS, why is it such a problem for you anti-MMS people? Don't use it then! As for the rest of us, I'm freaking tired of having mobile Safari crash after trying to access the mediaNET site just so I can view a dumb picture.
This may be a regional or age difference. I'm in my mid 30's and live in New York City. I mostly communicate through email, some texting, and I rarely receive MMS.
I'm not really anti-MMS in of itself. I'm anti being charged money for inferior technology that costs the carriers next to nothing to implement. While their is a more ubiquitous superior technology that is free.
Quote:
Originally Posted by w00master
This is why you don't understand why iPhone needs MMS. Most of the cellphone users in the US use regular handsets that CAN MMS and SMS, but either cannot do e-mail or their users aren't aware of email. Most of my friends use regular handsets that can MMS & SMS, but either cannot do e-mail or their users aren't aware of email.
Again, 99.9% of all handsets can do MMS, why is it such a problem for you anti-MMS people? Don't use it then! As for the rest of us, I'm freaking tired of having mobile Safari crash after trying to access the mediaNET site just so I can view a dumb picture.
Isn't the Razr still the number #2 selling phone in the US. It doesn't have email abilities. Too many "free phone if you sign a contract for 2 years" are still being sold that can't do email. I'm sure MMS is here for awhile.
If ATT allowed MMS, it would make the fact that the iPhone can't do video recording yet stand out even more. I'm sure Apple/ATT are both working on a solution.
This may be a regional or age difference. I'm in my mid 30's and live in New York City. I mostly communicate through email, some texting, and I rarely receive MMS.
I'm not really anti-MMS in of itself. I'm anti being charged money for inferior technology that costs the carriers next to nothing to implement. While their is a more ubiquitous superior technology that is free.
Yes but I don't like it. I have no choice because I do have to use it. I can either get the minimum SMs plan or be charged for every SMS that is sent to me.
Yes but I don't like it. I have no choice because I do have to use it. I can either get the minimum SMs plan or be charged for every SMS that is sent to me.
I get it. But there wouldn't be any extra charges (other that what you already pay) if they added MMS support.
I am sort of in awe out of what a big deal is being made over this.
Especially since AT$T would likely RAPE you for this "benefit" (see their 20 cent per a-la-carte SMS fee), this seems to be not a big deal.
I have never understood the fascination with "texting" on a phone. A phone call is MUCH MORE EFFICIENT, unless the message is "bring milk home".
And I am not THAT OLD-I just believe the whole market was created by cellular companies to pad their already huge rates of return.
Your user name explains for your cluelessness.
In NZ it is cheaper to text message than phone; couple that with unlimited text plans (there are no unlimited voice plans in NZ) and predictatext, why even use the phone? I've got a $89.95 Nokia phone (the type I think they sell in the third world) - the voice is crap but since all I use it for is text messaging, thats all one needs. If you need to tell something more than what can fit in a text message then either shorten it or see him/her in person.
Btw, I'm 27, so it isn't as though I'm a young texting teeny bopper.
Can't believe you only get THREE messages stored. BRUTAL-What carrier is that?
That is Telus in Canada. Through lack of competition Canadians get screwed. Maybe new subscribers get more, but my two year plan has not changed - at least as far as I know.
Its kinda funny - they sell packages here - say a 40 dollar package to which they add various obligatory charges such as 911 access etc. One of those charges is called a system 'access fee' and everyone has to pay, on all the networks. The thing is is that there is no such thing, it is just a made-up fee. So in reality the 40 dollar deal is a 48 dollar deal before you've even began to add the extras. And don't get me started on the extras... I mean how much does it really cost to include caller id? Isn't it more matter of turing it off rather than on? etc etc...
Same story here-Universal Access fee is like $1.50/month and total sales taxes (including federally mandated) approach 25%. So my family plan for 2 3Gs and 1 Razr is $60+$10 for 3rd line + $30 for Data + $30 for data-$140-with sales tax it is $180.79 each month for an effective tax rate of 28.5%.
I travel to Canada frequently and bring my unlocked 2G for use on Rogers (I have a Burnaby BC prepaid number for several years now). If Teleus is anything like Rogers, I am sorry for you. 89 Cents to call the states, PLUS regular air time PLUS PLUS PLUS. I usually buy a prepaid long distance card at 7-11, can call the states for like a dime, plus regular air time. Have never tried the data on Rogers, I can only imagine how much THAT costs...
* There is not really a 160 character limit on SMS. The vast majority of phones and networks can tie up to 5 SMS messages together into a single message seamlessly. Besides the first S in SMS stands for short.
* The person who claimed that more emails are sent than text messages is speaking from a US view only. I would bet you plenty that in many countries in the world more SMS's are sent that emails. In the UK everybody text's each other, I even used to text clients instead of sending an email. In is actually much better at delivering a message to somebody when you want to read quickly.
* SMS is one of the greatest technologies ever devised. You know how I know that? Because it is a technology that was never thought of by the mobile operators. It is an accidental service that is credited as saving the ass of mobile operators in Europe in the late 90's. All SMS originally was designed for was for service messages from the network. Somebody thought it might be a fun thing to offer to customers and all of a sudden it turned into the biggest revenue earner for the operators there was. People in many countries spend much more on texts than they do on voice calls.
The only reason why the US never turned out to be text happy like Europe was because for years it was impossible to send texts to other networks in the US. The US was very backward in rolling out mobile phone technology whereas by 1999 everybody in the UK for had a mobile phone and many of them were sending 100's of texts a day.
Oh, and email has been available on most phones in the UK for at least 6 years. Every phone I have owned since 1992 has had an email client, there was just never any point using it as SMS was already there and was a much better option. I know it is hard to believe but SMS is still a better way of sending a text message to someone that email, some things just cannot be improved.
Because tethering for AT&T is another revenue stream, NetShare wasn't created with this in mind. However, the short answer to this is that AT&T and Apple are going to have tethering for the iPhone. AT&T has even SAID that it's coming. It's just a matter of time.
Again, I guarantee that the lack of MMS is not b/c of AT&T, but b/c of Apple.
Again, many other AT&T phones support tethering without an extra fee. The iPhone was singled out.
That makes sense, Scandinavian countries in general have a much more capable wireless network than the U.S. According to one previous poster they can even use the same 3G network on their computers without paying additional fees.
Even up here in Scandinavia, there are no such thing as free lunches. The addition fee for using the Telia 3G-network with a modem and the USB-equipped computer of your choice is $12 a month (if you already use Telia for xDSL, otherwise it's $25/month) with no limits on data. But, you can't use your regular SIM-card in the modem - yet...
* SMS is one of the greatest technologies ever devised. You know how I know that? Because it is a technology that was never thought of by the mobile operators. It is an accidental service that is credited as saving the ass of mobile operators in Europe in the late 90's. All SMS originally was designed for was for service messages from the network. Somebody thought it might be a fun thing to offer to customers and all of a sudden it turned into the biggest revenue earner for the operators there was. People in many countries spend much more on texts than they do on voice calls.
Interesting... so the mobile operators never thought of it, but they did invent it and roll it out to their users huh?
[CENTER]P.S. Due to the great response, it appears that a lot of stuff posted on the iPhone is by guys that don't or never had one. But still profess to be experts on the business models[/CENTER]Lots of misinformation being posted.
And for those who continue to display animosity towards Rogers, they don't charge for incoming text messages like AT&T or most of the rest of the world. As such, for most of us, we don't have to incur an additional service charge for something most of us don't really want.
Remember, if your provider does charge for any incoming text messages, you pay or it is added to your account whether or not you accept or even open them.
Comments
Most all of my friends use smartphones. Of course people who have dumb phones cannot use email but most of them are moving to smartphones so they can use email.
Once you get into instant message services and twitter, their becomes less reason to use SMS/MMS as often.
And your numbers come from... where? Does it factor out Desktop emails, Notebook emails, PDA emails?
Beyond smartphone users (which comprise of a small percentage of the overall wireless cellular market), how many of your friends TRULY use email on their handsets? i'm betting it's about ZERO.
w00master
In short, with MMS you pay more for something limited when you have something more capable at your disposal included in your base fees.
What is however a riddle, why Apple still can't get visual voicemail through the WiFi link. Particularly when roaming, getting visual voice mail can be a horrendously costly proposition.
No I am including email from all other devices. When you receive an email does it matter what device it came from. My point is that the universal email system is far larger than SMS/MMS.
Most all of my friends use smartphones. Of course people who have dumb phones cannot use email but most of them are moving to smartphones so they can use email.
Once you get into instant message services and twitter, their becomes less reason to use SMS/MMS as often.
This is why you don't understand why iPhone needs MMS. Most of the cellphone users in the US use regular handsets that CAN MMS and SMS, but either cannot do e-mail or their users aren't aware of email. Most of my friends use regular handsets that can MMS & SMS, but either cannot do e-mail or their users aren't aware of email.
A LOT of iPhone users (like myself) constantly gets the lame SMS msg to go to the MediaNET website (whatever it is) to view the MMS. Then it doesn't work, rinse and repeat. You then end up constantly trying to remind your friends and family *not* to MMS but try to send an e-mail instead. Rinse and repeat. Short answer: IT NEVER ENDS UP HAPPENING, and you end up in a repeat cycle.
It's a perception thing. Personally, I think we should cater to what is being used the most on cellphones: SMS and MMS.
Once email becomes the standard across all cellphones (which will be a VERY long time from now), then I can see getting rid of both SMS and MMS. However, this isn't the case and this isn't reality.
Again, if you don't want to use MMS, then don't use it. People like me as well as MANY other iPhone users (which is why the MMS issue CONSTANTLY continues to come up) know that it would take Apple & AT&T about a DAY to make this app or upgrade the exisiting SMS app. Problem solved.
Again, 99.9% of all handsets can do MMS, why is it such a problem for you anti-MMS people? Don't use it then! As for the rest of us, I'm freaking tired of having mobile Safari crash after trying to access the mediaNET site just so I can view a dumb picture.
w00master
I'm not really anti-MMS in of itself. I'm anti being charged money for inferior technology that costs the carriers next to nothing to implement. While their is a more ubiquitous superior technology that is free.
This is why you don't understand why iPhone needs MMS. Most of the cellphone users in the US use regular handsets that CAN MMS and SMS, but either cannot do e-mail or their users aren't aware of email. Most of my friends use regular handsets that can MMS & SMS, but either cannot do e-mail or their users aren't aware of email.
Again, 99.9% of all handsets can do MMS, why is it such a problem for you anti-MMS people? Don't use it then! As for the rest of us, I'm freaking tired of having mobile Safari crash after trying to access the mediaNET site just so I can view a dumb picture.
w00master
If ATT allowed MMS, it would make the fact that the iPhone can't do video recording yet stand out even more. I'm sure Apple/ATT are both working on a solution.
This may be a regional or age difference. I'm in my mid 30's and live in New York City. I mostly communicate through email, some texting, and I rarely receive MMS.
I'm not really anti-MMS in of itself. I'm anti being charged money for inferior technology that costs the carriers next to nothing to implement. While their is a more ubiquitous superior technology that is free.
Do you pay for SMS?
Yes but I don't like it. I have no choice because I do have to use it. I can either get the minimum SMs plan or be charged for every SMS that is sent to me.
I get it. But there wouldn't be any extra charges (other that what you already pay) if they added MMS support.
I am sort of in awe out of what a big deal is being made over this.
Especially since AT$T would likely RAPE you for this "benefit" (see their 20 cent per a-la-carte SMS fee), this seems to be not a big deal.
I have never understood the fascination with "texting" on a phone. A phone call is MUCH MORE EFFICIENT, unless the message is "bring milk home".
And I am not THAT OLD-I just believe the whole market was created by cellular companies to pad their already huge rates of return.
Your user name explains for your cluelessness.
In NZ it is cheaper to text message than phone; couple that with unlimited text plans (there are no unlimited voice plans in NZ) and predictatext, why even use the phone? I've got a $89.95 Nokia phone (the type I think they sell in the third world) - the voice is crap but since all I use it for is text messaging, thats all one needs. If you need to tell something more than what can fit in a text message then either shorten it or see him/her in person.
Btw, I'm 27, so it isn't as though I'm a young texting teeny bopper.
Can't believe you only get THREE messages stored. BRUTAL-What carrier is that?
That is Telus in Canada. Through lack of competition Canadians get screwed. Maybe new subscribers get more, but my two year plan has not changed - at least as far as I know.
Its kinda funny - they sell packages here - say a 40 dollar package to which they add various obligatory charges such as 911 access etc. One of those charges is called a system 'access fee' and everyone has to pay, on all the networks. The thing is is that there is no such thing, it is just a made-up fee. So in reality the 40 dollar deal is a 48 dollar deal before you've even began to add the extras. And don't get me started on the extras... I mean how much does it really cost to include caller id? Isn't it more matter of turing it off rather than on? etc etc...
Am I clueless about cell service in NZ-of course-are you about it here in the states? YEP!
Not sure why you felt the need to fire up the flame gun here-especially since it is clear we were talking about AT$T.
I travel to Canada frequently and bring my unlocked 2G for use on Rogers (I have a Burnaby BC prepaid number for several years now). If Teleus is anything like Rogers, I am sorry for you. 89 Cents to call the states, PLUS regular air time PLUS PLUS PLUS. I usually buy a prepaid long distance card at 7-11, can call the states for like a dime, plus regular air time. Have never tried the data on Rogers, I can only imagine how much THAT costs...
* There is not really a 160 character limit on SMS. The vast majority of phones and networks can tie up to 5 SMS messages together into a single message seamlessly. Besides the first S in SMS stands for short.
* The person who claimed that more emails are sent than text messages is speaking from a US view only. I would bet you plenty that in many countries in the world more SMS's are sent that emails. In the UK everybody text's each other, I even used to text clients instead of sending an email. In is actually much better at delivering a message to somebody when you want to read quickly.
* SMS is one of the greatest technologies ever devised. You know how I know that? Because it is a technology that was never thought of by the mobile operators. It is an accidental service that is credited as saving the ass of mobile operators in Europe in the late 90's. All SMS originally was designed for was for service messages from the network. Somebody thought it might be a fun thing to offer to customers and all of a sudden it turned into the biggest revenue earner for the operators there was. People in many countries spend much more on texts than they do on voice calls.
The only reason why the US never turned out to be text happy like Europe was because for years it was impossible to send texts to other networks in the US. The US was very backward in rolling out mobile phone technology whereas by 1999 everybody in the UK for had a mobile phone and many of them were sending 100's of texts a day.
Oh, and email has been available on most phones in the UK for at least 6 years. Every phone I have owned since 1992 has had an email client, there was just never any point using it as SMS was already there and was a much better option. I know it is hard to believe but SMS is still a better way of sending a text message to someone that email, some things just cannot be improved.
Bag of Hurt...?
Because tethering for AT&T is another revenue stream, NetShare wasn't created with this in mind. However, the short answer to this is that AT&T and Apple are going to have tethering for the iPhone. AT&T has even SAID that it's coming. It's just a matter of time.
Again, I guarantee that the lack of MMS is not b/c of AT&T, but b/c of Apple.
Again, many other AT&T phones support tethering without an extra fee. The iPhone was singled out.
That makes sense, Scandinavian countries in general have a much more capable wireless network than the U.S. According to one previous poster they can even use the same 3G network on their computers without paying additional fees.
Even up here in Scandinavia, there are no such thing as free lunches. The addition fee for using the Telia 3G-network with a modem and the USB-equipped computer of your choice is $12 a month (if you already use Telia for xDSL, otherwise it's $25/month) with no limits on data. But, you can't use your regular SIM-card in the modem - yet...
* SMS is one of the greatest technologies ever devised. You know how I know that? Because it is a technology that was never thought of by the mobile operators. It is an accidental service that is credited as saving the ass of mobile operators in Europe in the late 90's. All SMS originally was designed for was for service messages from the network. Somebody thought it might be a fun thing to offer to customers and all of a sudden it turned into the biggest revenue earner for the operators there was. People in many countries spend much more on texts than they do on voice calls.
Interesting... so the mobile operators never thought of it, but they did invent it and roll it out to their users huh?
Here is my current Rogers (Canada) bill.
Price of 3G 8G iPhone $199CND $153.37US
Service:.......................................... .....$CND.............................Description
Voice .............................................. $27 .................. ........300 minutes family plan (3 cell phones)
.................................................. ..... ....................free weekend and evening starting at 6PM
Data Usage Plan 6Gbs.......................$30 ...................(monthly average use last 3 months = 140 MBs)
3G Visual Voicemail Value Pack ........$11...................(1st month free) Visual Voicemail, Call Display,
.................................................. ..... ....................WhoCalled? & 2,500 Sent Text Messages (incoming are free)
System Access Fee ...........................$6.95
Total .............................................$74.9 5CDN $57.76US
Now that we have had time to get actual costs, it would be interesting to see what the rest of the world is really charging.
Would be interested in what Sweden charges. Anybody translate? http://www.telia.se/privat/produkter...is_privat.page And for those who continue to display animosity towards Rogers, they don't charge for incoming text messages like AT&T or most of the rest of the world. As such, for most of us, we don't have to incur an additional service charge for something most of us don't really want.
Remember, if your provider does charge for any incoming text messages, you pay or it is added to your account whether or not you accept or even open them.