Tag Archives: Globe

Globe gets the iPhone deal

Because everyone’s blogging about it (sort of), let me join the bandwagon. Here’s the official news from the Globe Corporate website:

Globe, SingTel, Bharti Airtel and Optus to bring iPhone to the region
Manila, 12 May 2008 – Globe, SingTel, Bharti Airtel and Optus today announced that they have signed an agreement with Apple to bring the iPhone to the Philippines, Singapore, India, and Australia later this year.

More information will be released at a later date.

And all the while I thought it was Smart who’s going to carry the much sought-after iPhone. I can’t remember where I heard it, but turns out it’s not true anyway.

Interestingly, a friend and I had a discussion about how the iPhone totally changed how telecommunications companies get the handsets they package with their plans. Being an ex-employee of a mobile telecommunications company made me agree with what my friend told me. Usually, the handset providers (Nokia, Ericsson, etc) give their handsets to the company, and the company chooses which handsets they’d be including in their plans. But when it comes to the iPhone, Apple was suddenly the one who’d be choosing among the mobile providers. Talk about 180-degree turn, yes?

And now they’ve chosen.

Not that it really matters…for me, anyway. Even if I really love being a MacBook user, and I love my iPod, I’m not much of a fan of the iPhone. I know I’m a techie and all, but for some reason, I really don’t like extravagant phones. Maybe I was psychologically brainwashed witha ll the cellphone thefts I’ve seen and heard all my life, which is why I prefer nice yet not so eye-candy phone so I can text outside in peace. I’d be more concerned with my fancy cellphone than my luggage if that’s the case. See why I love Captain Tal (my Nokia 6233) so much?

Plus I really don’t like anything touch screen. I’d be OC to the maximum level and I wouldn’t enjoy the gadget if I don’t use it the way it should. :D

As for Apple’s choice…I kind of wish they chose Smart, only because I’m a Smart subscriber, but I don’t really care that much at all. It’s not like I’m going to get the iPhone anyway.

But…who knows. Maybe I’d change my mind. Heh. Let’s see if Apple can make me fall in love with the iPhone just like most of the people I know too. :P

The (Ph)one that Got Away…and Came Back

This is a follow-up entry about my Smart Addict Mobile retention plan and new phone woes — yes an unexpected development!

So I was busy minding my own business last Monday, doing some work stuff and such when an unknown number suddenly calls my personal number. I look at it for a while, wondering if it’s a possible employer who found out about my skillz…so I answered it.

Me: Hello?
Smart Man (SM): Hello, good morning, is this [insert my Mom’s name here]?

I was dumbfounded for a while — why are they calling my number to look for my mom? Then I realized that it could be Smart.

Me: Uh…no, this is her daughter, I’m the one using this line…who is this?
SM: This is from Smart, we just want to inform you that your unit, Nokia 6233, is here.
Me: [pause] Ah okay.

Continue reading The (Ph)one that Got Away…and Came Back

The (Ph)one that Got Away

As many of you may have read here, I was planning to buy a new phone using Smart Addict Mobile’s retention plans. You also may have read that I am not relying on Smart to give me a new phone anymore…and here’s the story.

My postpaid contract is up to end by July and by their promo/rule/whatever, I can avail of the new phone by the time I am on the 18th month of my contract onwards. That was roughly by January. I had my eye on the much-praised Nokia 6233 based on the comments I got, and we placed an application of it around two months ago. I was on the waiting list, and they said the new unit will arrive within two to four weeks and they’d call me once it was there. Four weeks later, I went back to the Smart Wireless Center where I applied to follow up our application and they said that there was still no unit available, and since there was a queue for applications, I’m still on the waiting list. Disappointing again, but it’s okay, I’m a patient person, I could wait.

Continue reading The (Ph)one that Got Away

Speaking of…

Wow, it’s already February. Where did January go?

My thumb hurts. I’ve been texting the entire time since the time I commuted from the office just to finish off the free SMS of the test SIM cards I brought home. I am only at my first SIM which still has 30+ free SMS and I have about three more to go.

What shall I do for that? Anybody want a textmate until tomorrow lunchtime? I just need to send messages to someone until it runs out…but I’d use those to get a good conversation. :) My textmates right now are silent…I wonder why? Did they get tired of my texting? I hope not. Or is the signal just weak?

Speaking of SMS, I just heard of Globe’s new scheme for their Unlimited SMS service, and all I know is that people are going to complain (in fact, I got a message earlier about boycotting this new scheme), especially for those who bought a Globe SIM just because of their Unlimitxt service (namely, me). Comparing the highest and longest rate for all day unlimited texting, the old Php50/5days is now Php80/4days. From Php10/day to Php20/day! That’s not right. Okay, so they also have the unlimited day and unlimited night texting…say I turned the Day Unlimited, that’s Php30 for 2 days, and then Night Unlimited, that’s Php20 for 2 days…that’s Php50 for only 2 days! HELLO?!

Sorry, I just want to rant.

Speaking of phased outthe floppies have flopped. I remember playing with some speed-reading programs and decathlon games on our PC from time kopong-kopong days (translation: PCs with green and black screens running on MS-DOS :P), but that’s with mini-floppy disks, the one you can fan yourselves with and get a considerable amount of air. What I do remember about the microfloppy disks (3.5″) is that my brother and I used to play Jeopardy and Prince of Persia in my dad’s borrowed laptop. That’s with the black and white screen, still running on MS-DOS. :p I remember owning a lot of 3.5 floppies for backup of files, school work and even up to college, passing it for machine projects! I don’t know how to feel about it saying goodbye, since I hardly use diskettes anymore (too many corrupted diskettes and files lost because of mishandling…how sad). But it sure has a lot of “fond” memories associated with it somehow.

And speaking of memories…here’s something that would put the Blog Parteeh ’07 into the memories of more people: Bo SanchezPreacher in Blue Jeans episode of the Blog Parteeh ’07, featuring interviews of Jun, Noemi, Aileen and Sorsi, plus Marcelle‘s magic show for Bo. :) Sorsi told me after she was interviewed to get myself interviewed too, but I’m not much in front of the camera. I’m more of the behind-the-scenes person…but still, I was mentioned there! :D Now go watch it; I can’t embed it here without losing the text after the video.

Speaking of can’t…my test SIM that I’m supposed to be emptying of balance is not receiving any text messages. I can send, but I cannot receive anything at all. No wonder my textmates are now silent. Argh. Now how can I get rid of all those free text tomorrow?! All day texting until 5pm?! My poor thumb! :(

Maybe this means I shouldn’t bring “work” home.

Speaking of home…I better hit the sack. I want to get to work early tomorrow so I can get out at 6:30 for a blogger’s dinner at Makati. :D Good night everyone!