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Showing posts from August, 2010

Trying out the Microsoft Word Blog post feature

I've never tried this feature before… one reason could be that I'm not an avid blogger and hence the reason for me to use Desktop applications to blog never occurred. I'm of the belief that communication through technology is not more of context but of accessibility. I would have never thought about publishing my random thoughts for others to read had there been no Internet. Leave alone publish; I would not have even maintained a personal diary. A reason why the twitter population is increasing day by day could be because of the accessibility to micro-blogging through mobile phones… Under the above presumption, I've decided to use a desktop application and write down my random thoughts as they come along. And since I have access to the MS Word feature anytime… maybe…maybe I would then begin to blog regularly J So far, the feature looks cool… except for the fact, I still haven't got to know how to insert pictures and to create labels. I'm sure these features

Who do they think I am?

I was mentioning in my earlier post that almost 80% of the SMS messages I receive are SPAM. Looking at the propositions they are offering me through SMS, I think this is what they think I am – their Target Customer. One Marketer thinks I am a pot-bellied person, and have some interesting schemes on buying slim belts for 0% interest on EMI’s According to another Marketer, I am a rich person who invests in properties. The number of Apartments for sale, realty projects that is coming up in Delhi and NCR I have the details of those in my SMS inbox. Another Marketer too thinks the same way bombarding me with 12% return of Investment through mutual funds. How I wish I fell in this category Yes, I am deeply into religion and devotion. With the service provider themselves sending me ‘exciting and interesting’ offers of VAS. Download a devotional song as ringtone or set it as a caller tune….else offers of Mobile wallpapers and screensavers of gods and goddesses is a daily norm Some other market

Trendspotting: The Future of SMS

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This year’s Independence Day was slightly different from the earlier year(s). No it is nothing to do with Flag hoisting, or the fact that it came on a Sunday (and thus a holiday that got wasted)…. It was different because I did not receive even a single SMS from my friends or acquaintances wishing me a Happy Independence Day. Strange, because over the past few year it was a norm that during festivals and occasions your mobile phone keeps buzzing continuously because of the deluge of SMS being received. Also…neither did I send any SMS to anyone. Well, it is not just Independence Day messages…. It is generally seen that people are slowly shifting from Short Message Services usage that the operators provide by default. Most of my SMS are limited to – I’m busy, call back category, My address/reference category, I’m avoiding talking to you category, and alternate to email category. While the industry trends show that the volume of SMS messages would grow for the next few years… (with Global

Hello, Is it Rajeev Rai speaking?

“Hello, aap Rajeev Rai-ji bol rahen hain?” I’ve been hearing this since the time I took a new mobile connection when I got transferred to Delhi (about 3 years back).. The calls on my new number asking for Rajeev Rai has been insistent and consistent over the last 3 years…. Phone calls from banks, friends, loan sharks, out of town relatives..and even from the mobile service provider!!! (Vodafone India you have an awesome database about your customers) Basis the inputs (from the wrong calls) I’ve been receiving on Rajeev Rai… I’ve been able to create a personality of Rajeev Rai…. I believe Rajeev Rai is around 35-40 years old….He would belong to SEC C category in terms of the socioeconomic classification… (Reason… most of the calls address him to either Rajeev Rai-ji and also some instances of him being referred to as ‘mama’ (Uncle)and almost all the calls are from people who speak vernacular Hindi) My strong guess is that he is/was a small shop owner… this number was his primary phone