Theres a lot of talk these days about what exactly is imode? Im not really
that sure but ...
What I do know is Imode is a 'ripoff'. Wow Im brave to make such a
statement. Why?
For example, I hardly ever used my phone this month and yet have a bill for
1 man en. Thats almost a hundred aussie
dollars. I was thinking the other day how easily I have forgotten the value
of money since I came here. I would have never
scoffed at that back home. So I decided to reduce the plan and not use it
for speaking but just have it for imode access.
Another thing I also noticed about using Imode is that some sites I wanted
to sign up for such as music station and home banking sites would not accept
a signature on registry forms. I needed a Japanese registered 'hanko' stamp
which is annoying to go and
set up. I had lots of problems getting onto some sites as they wouldnt
accept it. It was simply not as easy as registering to
some sites such as CNN etc., Letters being sent back and forth all the time.
So I got the stamp and they still kept sending me
back letters saying I put my middle name in and can I stamp the middle line
having a cross through it...
Also, everyone wants the 209? Why? Because its new and trendy? I asked my
wife why she wants it? She said 'i dunno' but the
styling looks good but she stills wants it. You see its the hype of
advertising. They just keep sucking you in , in
droves. Its not so much different from the ones before? Nothing special
about the product itself but .. But people will
buy it. I saw the disney imode advertising today. They had this golden style
logo for imode and seemed to be
advertising in a way that was totally separate from the internet. After all,
its just characters and images but its
a start towards the full multimedia revolution which is on the doorstep.
Anyway, I think this kind of advertising
does well as Japanese move and think in groups. There is more a trend to buy
which is not unlike the Fendy,
Ferragamo and Louis Vitton stuff.
Im not so much the kind that has to buy something because everyone has one.
Thats why I like to post things in this group that are my own feelings with
my own titles as well as comment and read others. I feel its important to
express your own opinions and in that someone who thinks that is bs can just
not read or filter etc., I feel its important not to be railroaded by
someone who
is strong or snobbish on the intellectual side whilst respecting others
opinions. Thats important for me.
Today my flap came off my D502i. Of course I could put humpty back but for
some reason the flap wouldnt go back and kept sticking in the air? I fiddled
with it for ages trying to put it back but it was ng. So now I have to turn
it off or else its dialing away. Hmm...
Also, Imode in relation to the web and software development. Actually what
is bizaare to me is that IMode is being marketted away from the web rather
than 'in conjunction with'. Being a software developer, Imode is not a
challenge at all technically.
In fact, anyone can build imode so 12 years in the industry is not necessary
at all. Of course if it all goes java it will be
different but you dont have to know all of linux,nt,solaris or all the
languages at all. So in order to make money with Imode,
you have to become stronger in the business model end. Hmm... For example,
if you have a good product on the web thats
fine because its easier to access and people will then use their credit
card. However, not being on the official docomo menu
makes a big difference. It means that someone has to go way out of their way
to get to your site. Hence its tougher to make
money. One can get into imode's official menu but of course Japan is often
connections and who you know so its harder.
Anyway thats a mixed bag of feelings but thats what I was thinking...
Scott
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Received on Sun Aug 27 18:08:42 2000