Skype takes its show on the road

Bit by bit, big names from the computer world are forcing their way into the cell-phone business. First came apple game-changing iPhone. Next came word that Google is going to create its own software platform for a new breed of cell phone. Now skype, which popularized free or cheap calls over the internet, is set to launch a customized cell phone developed jointly with a company called 3, a wireless carrier in Europe, Asia and Australia.

Code-named the white phone, the Skype Technologies handset will be introduced by late October in Britain, Italy, Hong Kong and Australia, and will spread to 3's other five markets later, BusinessWeek has learned. There are no immediate plans to bring the device to North America, trough the two companies may try to license to other carriers or sells "unlocked" versions directly to the customers to use on the other networks.

The phone, developed along with a software outfit called iSkoot, will be equipped with multimedia capabilities and speedy web browsing. But its most prominent feature is the big button right above the regular keypad to activate Skype's hugely popular service for long-distance and international calls. Press the button and up comes a list of the user's Skype's buddies and regular phone contacts; click on an entry and the call goes through.

Skype calls on the cell phone will cost the same as on a computer or Skype cordless phone: free when speaking to other Skype users, pennies per minute when users dial regular phone numbers in most countries. 3, owned by Hong Kong's Hutchison Whampoa, won't charge extra for use of the Skype feature. But customers will need to spend a certain amount per month for other services, such as regular mobile calls, ringtones, or text messaging.

It's striking that a mobile carrier is pushing Skype to its subscribers. Most of the wireless industry is anxiously fighting to preserve its business model against a siege of new technologies and players. The major wireless carriers have made it impossible to use Internet phone services on most of their phones, fearful of how that technology has slashed away at once-robust revenue stream from traditional home and office telephones. Using Voice over Internet Protocol(VoIP) technology, Vonage and a growing number of cable-TV companies will have snared by more 15 million U.S. phone customers by year end, generating nearly $5 billion in revenue, says research firm TeleGeography.

Skype is betting that easy mobile access to its service will spur more overseas call traffic, a revenue stream whose growth has sharply slowed. A cheap international connection could prove a potent draw for wireless users, who often pay dollars per minute when calling across borders. Through Skype boasts 246 million accounts, only about a quarter to a third of those customers are regular users and the vast majority of their calls are free. Skype has struggled to turn its popularity into profits since it was bought two years ago by eBay, which recently acknowledged it overpaid by $1.4 billion in the $2.6 billion deal. That write-down gave eBay a $936 billion net loss for the third quarter, its first red ink in eight years.

Another intriguing twist: because eBay also owns online payment service PayPal, a Skype phone could become a springboard to using a mobile device to pay for products and services.That has been an elusive goad for U.S. wireless carriers, through places like Japan and Korea have been doing it for years.

Freedom?!!

MESCORP: Photo Session with Top Management of MMU and Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah IET 2006/2007 Group Photo

After one year of hard work in both IET and MESCORP, finally it comes to an end...I don't know how people out there will evaluate my results in this one year time, but what I am sure is I didn't regret joining MESCORP and IET, both projects have gained me priceless knowledge and experiences....Thanks to all my committees who stood by me and supported me along this journey, grateful have all of you contributed so much in it...what I regret the most is didn't get close with all of you, maybe sometimes I might look serious a bit, but I still can joke or laugh with you all one la...

A lot of people ask me what's my plan after MESCORP and IET??It's time to reward myself!!! I still don't have plans yet what I want to do for those extra time last time I devoted to clubs and societies, but I'm sure that the plans are still as colourful as last time...coming up next will be visiting my beloved friends in NTU on Sunday then off to Australia on Monday to meet friends and travel...Seem like I still owes a lot of updates in this blog, hopefully I am more free after coming back...haha..

07-07-07

It's a special day today, that's why I must blog before the end of 07-07-07..haha...Morning nothing happened, just normal routine work...At night was supposed to go to Jong Sheng's house for mahjong with yenson, but when I arrived there don't know why ended up to yenson's relatives party... it was like I was the only stranger at that party, luckily his uncle was friendly enough to chit-chat with us. oklah, there was still some chicks there, but was none of yenson and I's business...haha...coz they were at the other table...however, I still knew one of his cousins who just back from Canada, who look matured than her actual age, I was thinking like she's probably same age with us, but to my surprise she is younger than us... I think she talked with her Canadian accent which I didn't know whether it was the country slang or not because I never go to Canada before.

Then after that Jong Sheng joined in, we had men's talk at the children playground...I was fruitful and meaningful talk...at least I done something meaningful on this meaningful day....haha...That's what I replaced for my mahjong game on 7-7-2007, but still enjoyable and I had free flow of wine and food...not bad right ;)

Back from Japan...Home Sweet Home : )

Just back to Malaysia yesterday night after more than 1 week in Tokyo, really feel out of the loop of Malaysia current issue, know a little bit about Abdullah remarried and KL in serious flood, other than that, I have no ideas what's going on here...Even more surprised to me is my mom has sold my old Iswara to other people without my acknowledgment, I think it's a good news to me because I will be soon getting a new car!!!

And my results came out during my stay in Tokyo, luckily pass all my subjects, or else I won't have the mood to write this entry, now I still worry that what my Info Theory result will be as the paper is freaking hard until nobody in my course could answer any one question in full, so do I... It will surely give me a surprise when my grade is released....

For now, my home is full of stuffs that I brought back from Japan need to be unpacked, also have a ton clothes to be washed....so my detailed blog for Tokyo will be up in these few days....

Asakusa Temple

Finally.....

After two week of exam suffering, the freedom has finally come back to me!!!Feel so relaxing now, but don't know what to do, a bit lost, maybe after two weeks of almost sleepless night and busy study schedule, now suddenly become so free already until don't know what to do....

So all my friends out there if you like to call me out to yamcha, you're welcomed to give me a call...For those are in Singapore, I will be there probably from next Tuesday to Thursday, then I will be off to Japan from 2/6 to 11/6....I think this is the most hectic holidays I am going to have...;) Hope to see you all!!!

HOT!!HOT!!HOT!!!

I don't know why these few days the weather are freaking hot, I really couldn't do anything inside that small little room in my hostel block, studying and sleeping was too hot for me at that time, luckily the the photo session with chancellor was in the morning, or else I didn't how could I stand under the scorching sun wearing blazer....so the way I cool down myself everytime have this bad weather is to go here...

and eat this...my favourite looks cool??Of course la, this ice kacang cost me RM11.50 per bowl, how could it be don't look cool, the price already freaking cool...haha...and everytime I sure ask some friends to come with me to eat this coz I alone can't finish this whole big bowl...anyway, the taste is good, I would say this is one of the few best ice kacang I have ever tried.

Looking at this beautiful artificial waterfall, really can't resist the temptation to take a pic with it....haha

Let me rest for a while

p/s: don't ask me why i was wearing so formal on that day, I will explain in the later entry...those who know me very well should know why, I wear formal quite recently in campus ;)

Spider Frenzy

Spider is everywhere!!! I just heard todays' news saying that Spiderman 3 broke the record of movie industry in Malaysia by having the highest number of movie goer in a day...what a great achievement man...No wonder cinema is springing up like mushroom in Malaysia...

Yesterday just went to 1U with a friend hope to have a slice chance to watch Spiderman after failing to book tickets, but at the end also left the counter with disappointment after long queue there.

Just now in IEM Open House I met with a kid....What a spider fan...Initially I wanted to paint like him also, but I can't imagine how will look like after painting this....somemore my task was as an Emcee in that function, so I gave up my mind since I didn't want to scare the VIP away seeing an Emcee as a spiderman!!!

Update...need to STUDY from now on...

Final exam is coming soon and I still don't have any mood to study for it...these few days holidays aren't a good time for me to study maybe because my family all went off to Singapore already and I am now alone at home lazily don't know what to do...surfing aimlessly in the internet found nothing useful for me...Time passes very fast, and I promise myself must get better result than the last one, I don't want when I get my result next time I regret didn't study much....ok. so wish me luck man...