Is There Room for an IM only Device ? 238
tealover writes "MSNBC Has an article about a new device from Motorola that they're marketing that just does IM. It' called IMFree. Kind of a combination of a cordless phone and pager; There is a base station that plugs into a USB port in your computer, so it's only portable in relation to the base station. Sounds and looks like the kids would like this."
IM on my sanyo 4900 (Score:4, Interesting)
Maybe not IM only... (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Maybe not IM only... (Score:1)
What would be really cool... (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:What would be really cool... (Score:1)
Why not just get a laptop with a bluetooth port?
Re:What would be really cool... (Score:1)
Re:What would be really cool... (Score:1)
Mind you, it's probably not worth the effort.
Re:What would be really cool... (Score:3, Insightful)
Just buy a really old one second hand and run an X server on it. All you really need is a 486 with >16M if the applications are running remotely.
Re:What would be really cool... (Score:2, Interesting)
Yeah, it's late, I should go to bed.
Re:What would be really cool... (Score:1)
Of course, it still sucks.
Re:What would be really cool... (Score:2)
Ok, so its not a totally dumb terminal, but it would/could be a minimal diskless client...
Re:What would be really cool... (Score:1, Funny)
[This stupid comment brought to you by a Beowulf cluster of neurons.]
Re:What would be really cool... (Score:5, Informative)
So something from the early 90's would work then?
NCD explora 451 + Oronco Prisim2 wireless card + a cheap AP + your linux server.
I have 6 of them running this way and at $15.00 each for the NCD terminals, $35.00 each for the wireless cards, monitors,keyboards, mice were free.. I got off really cheap.
There are 2 problems with this. Web and text stuff only, and mercilessly kill anyone that set's gnome to use a screensaver or tries to listen to a mp3 on their NCD terminal.... Just as an example to the others...
the hard part of this setup is the whiners that can't live without a 1600X1200 at 32 bit color resolutions. (800X600 is best for a 10 baseT network, which 802.11b is equilivant to) they also need to be publically killed as an example to the others. (A good sysadmin keeps his users cowering in fear)
although, I have recently started ditching the wireless cards at that location and ran Cat5e.. gives them 100 base, a switch, and is overall cheaper... even with an electrician pulling the wire at $120.00 an hour.
Re:What would be really cool... (Score:2)
Hm. I can't live without 1600x1200 at 32 bit resolution, but I am the sysadmin. How do I keep myself cowering in fear? It'd certainly be much cheaper...
-JDF
Rather useless it seems (Score:4, Insightful)
If this were mobile, MAYBE it'd be worthwhile but my phone already has this covered (e-mail, c-mail).
Re:Rather useless it seems (Score:5, Insightful)
Because you can sit on the couch, or in your favorite chair, or in the backyard enjoying the sun, while someone else uses the computer in the living room. Remember this is targeted to kids who don't own their own computers, and especially not laptops.
You can already use AIM from a cell phone, but sometimes reception isn't good inside your house. This is cheaper than a cell phone, and should be much easier to use (bigger screen/keyboard) while you're at home.
Re:Rather useless it seems (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Rather useless it seems (Score:4, Interesting)
So you have two teenagers... are you going to buy another computer so they'll stop fighting over who can chat when? -That- seems like having an extraneous hardware device that this product can do for under $100.
SMS ? (Score:5, Interesting)
The situation has gone so far that studies have shown teens to use their thumbs for stuff that the previous generation would have used the index finger for. Like dialing an ordinary phone, or pressing the doorbell.
Re:SMS ? (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:SMS ? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:SMS ? (Score:2)
Re:SMS ? (Score:2)
Apparently if a cell tower is down due to maintanence, the other towers in the area do treat voice as a priority, and also when the networks are very congested, it can happen.
Tim
Re:SMS ? (Score:5, Informative)
In Europe, where SMS is huge, It doesn't cost 40cents/message. It is only in the US where they can get away with charging that much. When I lived in Germany it cost around 1 cent a message and I sent 5-10 messages a day. Now that I live in the US and it costs quite a bit more, I send around 5-10 messages a month.
Re:SMS ? (Score:2)
Re:SMS ? (Score:2)
Now why in the world would someone use a plan with unlimited incoming / restricted outgoing SMS? How about
Re:SMS ? (Score:2)
How about unlimited data (about 144 kbit/s)
How about unlimited minutes after 9PM to 5AM and Saturday/Sunday?
How about no charges for roaming anywhere in the country?
How about unlimited minutes to anyone on the same carrier?
How about 500 minutes to use anytime else?
How about never paying long distance calling anywhere in the US and Canada?
I get all these. I pay $40 per month, and I never have to worry when or how I call. I don
t budget my SMS messeges or my data bytes.
The parent
Re:SMS ? (Score:2)
Throw on wireless web and phone insurance and that's my plan. I just wish coverage was better in my area, I lose signal everywhere.
Re:SMS ? (Score:3, Funny)
Girls too?
Re:SMS ? (Score:5, Interesting)
SMS Stats [gsmworld.com]
Re:SMS ? (Score:2, Interesting)
i remember a bunch of scientists came over to study the SMS phenomenon that's going on here. apparently the cellphone services here have to keep upgrading constantly to keep up with all the messages flying around. not that they're complaining - they're making a killing anyway
Re:SMS ? (Score:2)
Many of them actually hold full conversations in SMS, not just a single one or two messages.
I personally dont have a cell phone - and dont want one. I have managed to avoid requiring one - even when I was managing a 25 person IT staff. pager and terminal access only.
It's catching on (Score:2)
Over the past year or two, SMS prices have dropped considerably and providers have been pushing and marketing those features more.
It seems especially common to be marketed for prepaid phones - SMS on prepaid phones seems to be about the same cost as "contract" phones, while voice minutes are much more expensive. In addition, SMS is in addition to most contract plans, while it is taken from your prepaid allowance i
Re:SMS ? (Score:2)
God, you're being ripped off almost as bad as I am on broadband, $100/mo for DSL (no cable available). Here in Norway a SMS costs 68 øre, which is 10 US cents. And that's on a low-end subscription ($3/mo before calls). The German post that says it's 1 cent is full of crap though, but still not bad
Re:SMS ? (Score:2, Insightful)
More over, SMS is not IM. It's not completely unlike IM, but it does not offer the one thing IM has to offer: you know before you send the message that the recipient is (somewhere) there, logged in. With SMS you send the message, and hope that the person has their mobile phone turned on (I found this a problem in the US, people trying to avoid incoming calls, because those use up the precious minutes). Even if you have the delivery
Re:SMS ? (Score:2)
The mobile phone systems in the US sounds horrible. Where I live, SMS is IM. Messages are delivered within 2 seconds, and only very very rarely there's a delay. Delivery confirmation is just as swift.
IM device vs. PDA (Score:5, Insightful)
First of all, the limitation because of a base station, really hurts it's image. It would be very cool if I could Jabber in the train, but I don't think I will Jabber on my couch, when my PC is ten meters away.
The second Bag Thing is the huge competion between PDAs and IM devices. Why would I pay for a (probably expensive too) IM device, when I can get a PDA with 802.11b? A PDA gives me much more features, including Instant Messaging. I currently have the Zaurus SL-5500, and I'm really happy to have it, I can do just anything with it, including Instant Messaging.
I think this device has a chance, but only if the prices are (much) lower than the PDA prices, or if it's going to support GPRS/UMTS/etc.
Re:IM device vs. PDA (Score:2, Insightful)
The article (you did read it, didn't you?) says this IM device will be $99.99. How much did your PDA cost? If you don't already have a PDA and don't want the PDA's other features, this makes more sense. Obviously their t
Re:IM device vs. PDA (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:IM device vs. PDA (Score:5, Insightful)
I'm not so sure, When I'm programming I usually like a reasonably comfortable computer chair and a big desk; When I do my web browsing, im'ing and mp3 listening I use a computer that I set up next to my bed so that I can lay down while i'm doing it. Before I set this up I found myself going to watch tv on my comfortable couch instead. So much of my day to day entertainment comes from my computer that i'm lead to believe there's a real market for making computers more entertainment friendly. ie. being more comfortable while using them.
My old laptop (Score:4, Interesting)
My senior year of college, I had a desktop and a laptop. The desktop was always kept reasonably up-to-date for my entire college career. (That year it was a 1.1 GHz Athlon with DDR memory, etc etc.)
The laptop was an old cheap beat-up POS. Pentium 200MMX, 128M, 12" screen.
I used the laptop 95% of the time that year, for one reason: Even though the chair at my computer desk was pretty comfortable, the couch in my apartment's living room was ten times more comfortable. I pretty much did all my work that year either on the couch or sitting in a folding chair in the front lawn.
Thank God for 802.11
Re:IM device vs. PDA (Score:2)
Couldn't agree more [slashdot.org]
I think you're right (Score:2)
Re:IM on the Z? (Score:2)
Oh God another one... (Score:5, Interesting)
After that crap V101 [motorola.ca], you think they might just go after quality and customer service instead.
I'll wait 'till Nokia makes one. I need my phones to last longer than a few weeks.
Hmmm (Score:1)
Also, don't some cell phones have AIM integration? If someone owns one, I would like to hear how their mobile phone compares to both normal computers and this device.
I have one. (Score:3, Informative)
Typing on it's a little annoying at first, but I can manage it ok now. It's nice to have when I need to get ahold of someone and I know they're probably
Why this will work (Score:5, Insightful)
I wouldn't want one of these for myself. I do a lot with the computer, and usually just have AIM running in the background; when I'm not at the computer I probably am busy doing something and don't have time for IM. I'm not in their target market though. A lot of less tech-savvy people use the computer exclusively for communicating with people (via IM or e-mail) and surfing the web, and don't necessarily do both at the same time; for them, this would free them from having to sit in front of the computer, which they only do now because it's the only way to use IM/e-mail/the web.
Re:Why this will work (Score:1)
Sory to break it to you, but the teenage girls tend not to hang out on slashdot...
Not quite sure why.
blackberry keyboard layout (Score:2, Interesting)
Most people (Score:2, Insightful)
When cell phone prices eventually drop to the point where everyone can afford them (which I guess may be now), then an IM only device will be kind of unnecessary. That is, unless it's a dirt cheap service.
Re:Most people (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Most people (Score:1)
Maybe... (Score:4, Interesting)
wonder how long it will be till someone makes it run on linux .. *ducks*
Surely the main benefit of these is... (Score:5, Insightful)
I know that when I go home for a weekend or something, the likelyhood of being able to check my email, the latest
I think this sort of thing could come as a breath of fresh air for other members of the house hold
Also IMing age is usually self-concious age and so privacy hilst IMing is usually of the upmost importance (I know it is for my sister), thus the ability to do it from their bedrooms, for instance, would probably be very much appreciated.
Just my thoughts on it,
Alex
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Any fool can talk, but it takes a smart man to listen
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Re:Surely the main benefit of these is... (Score:2)
You could put together a computer together pretty cheaple. If al you need to do is check email, and browse, then go to the good will, get a pentium 1 system, and 10Mbit hub. You could probably do that for 100 bucks(the price of the IM device)
aol (Score:2, Interesting)
version of this, integrate it with
their services (emphasis on aim),
and send out these things for free instead
of the damned cdroms (including a
net installer for their pc & game console software
in the im device).
(or someone else should)
/. Effect on MSNBC? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:/. Effect on MSNBC? (Score:1)
Redundant technology (Score:4, Interesting)
(not the) United States of SMS (Score:2)
With so many cellular providers, and text messaging being chained to only customers of the same provider, I've found it to be essentially useless.
Not to mention that I consider my Nokia phone to be a rather unwieldy device for typing messages - I wonder if everyone that uses SMS has a better device than I, or if they're just willing to tolerate them more than I.
Re:(not the) United States of SMS (Score:2)
With so many cellular providers, and text messaging being chained to only customers of the same provider, I've found it to be essentially useless.
That's a difference with Europe then. I can SMS to any provider for the same cost.
Re:(not the) United States of SMS (Score:2)
I have a Nokia 6210. I found that with a little practice the keypad is fine for entering short messages. You just have to try it till you get the hang of it. For longer messages I do tend to use the SMS software on my Palm (m100 and m515 [palm.com], I'm migrating from the m100 to the m515) as it's slightly quicker.
Stephen
Cost (Score:2)
SMS is often *cheaper* on prepaid plans than contract plans. Unfortunately, almost no one except teenagers go for prepaid plans because the individual minutes are so expensive, and you don't get massive quantities of offpeak time. (I have virtually unlimited night/weekend calling.) The only reason teenagers go prepaid is because they legally are prohibited from getting a contract plan until they're 18.
As to the interface - I have a Ky
Re:Cost (Score:2)
I have an idea besides IM (Score:1, Interesting)
Admin your *nix box from anywhere (Within your home. Who would of thought), Or watch the cpu usage.. This thing has alot more uses, Then one thinks at first look.
But does it have encryption?
Doesn't sound all that earth-shattering to me (Score:1)
Is there something I'm missing here?
wow no more BRB's... (Score:1, Funny)
Linux will make use of it somehow (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Linux will make use of it somehow (Score:2)
big (Score:5, Funny)
and this is new how? (Score:1)
Related to IBM? (Score:2, Interesting)
I believe Motorola is trying to expand its market after losing ground with apple.
802.11b (Score:2)
MyAirMail.com (Score:4, Interesting)
He showed me their latest product : MyAirMail.
It was exactly the same thing as mentioned above except that it would send and receive real emails and be 4-times smaller.
So, is there a market for this new im device when there has already been such products in the past ?
Re:MyAirMail.com (Score:2)
Integrating IM & mobile phones (not SMS!) (Score:2, Interesting)
Cybiko does this (Score:4, Informative)
[cybiko.com]
Cybiko does this [devrs.com]. Am I supposed
to dance around and clap at motorola's innovative entry into the teen PDA
market?
P.S. I'm just P.O'd slash doesn't do more coverage on this device, I
have 3, they're a hell of a lot better than luggin a laptop through the house
for IRC or IM'ing. Really cool toy.
Re:Cybiko does this (Score:2)
IMO they really missed the boat. It had a ton of potential for hacking but the company was never really open with the internals. I had one set up to pick mp3s and play them through my stereo but never did much with it after that. I also invisioned an add on to the Palm that would work them to work together but that never got past the drawing board.
Another decent technology gone because it didn't
IMFree: *Bad* choice of name... (Score:2, Funny)
IMFree reads like "I'm free", which just happens to be the catchphrase of a character in a British sitcom from the '70s called 'Are you being served?' [beebfun.com]. The character, played by John Inman, was extremely camp [minki.net] (1970s British shorthand for gay).
Even today, you occasionally hear people call
Re:IMFree: *Bad* choice of name... (Score:2)
Oh he-LLO mother!
French Connection United Kingdom (Score:2)
Re:Some people just don't care (Score:2)
Hack possibilities (Score:2, Interesting)
Is it me, or... (Score:3, Funny)
And also...it is just me or does the picture of the columnist make him look like a guy who drives a pickup with a (heavily stocked) gun rack?
Re:Is it me, or... (Score:2)
Pretty limited market here. If you have friends who don't have 2way texting cellphones but have MSN Messenger, and you want to IM while you're walking around the house but not when you leave the house, then yes, this is for you! For most people, they'd either use a text messaging cellphone to send short messages or they'd sit down at their computers w
Getting Closer... (Score:4, Funny)
We may never know. Please suggest some features that you would need in a Porn-Only Device (or POD(tm)). From both a hardware and software point of view, we probably now have the technology to achieve such technology. (i.e. left-hand-only controls (or right), media player, kleenex dispenser...)
PODtm features (Score:2)
Cross referencing mobile phone triangulation with personals adverts in seedy magazines I guess. We have the technology.
I see another Who song being used commercially... (Score:3, Interesting)
"IMFree...IMFree...and freedom tastes of reality..."
I want an IM standard, pleeeease (Score:2)
Check out Jabber's IETF page [jabber.org]. I hope XMPP pulls it off. It's hurting my social life -- this no IMing!
AOL Mobile Communicator (Score:2, Informative)
The device costs $99.95 and the service is $29.95 a month, which is in addition to the monthly AOL membership fee. The service is only available to AOL members.
This one also did AOL E-mail so I guess its fair to say it wasn't an "IM Only" device- but its major selling point IMO was that it did AIM before you could get AIM on cellphones. I think you can still buy it from them!
Look beyond the tunnel (Score:4, Interesting)
"Motorola is marketing IMfree to young teens, and to young teenage girls in particular, because they found this group was a heavy user of instant messaging services."
Now I know that many of you Junior Slashbots out there are very proud of the fact that you've been using Linux and Jabber since before they were cool. However, the market for AIM is enormous among young teens. In homes with broadband, many AIM users have started leaving themselves signed in 24/7. This leads to some contention, as it's impractical to run more than one instance of AIM on a home PC. In a home with, say, one PC and three kids, mom can type a letter while her kids use the AIM devices wirelessly. Total cost for the kids' hardware: $300.
Now, I'd like to see a $100 handheld terminal device that would sell well among the Slashdot crowd. Remember, it has to include wireless Ethernet, a color screen, Bluetooth, compatibility with all bands of GSM, at least 128 MB of RAM, an MP3 and Ogg Vorbis player, a Gecko-based web browser, a terminal which can run any shell imaginable, Perl, a C compiler, an 80 GB hard drive, a usable keyboard, FireWire, USB 2.0, and Infrared. And it has to run Linux.
Emphatic No! (Score:2)
Only thing I wish is that they made small compact cell phones like the Moto T720, which I have, and gave them an easy computer hotsync option.. like their bulky big brothers the PDA phones. The thing already has a color screen and some memory.. function for calender's, and storing names and addresses and all that jazz. No easy way to hotsync t
Re:Emphatic No! **Change** (Score:2)
Well my Rant is still viable I think.. though now sorta offtopic Ugh..
Eh Seems like an OK product
otherwise its gadgetry.. people will get it.. they'll use it
why bother (Score:3, Insightful)
I fail to understand what the appeal is, unless the younger generation has an aversion to actually using the spoken word.
Max
Re:why bother (Score:2)
No. :) (Score:2)
IMfree Pictures (Score:2)
Base Unit and Accessories [amazon.com] (500x500)
Diagram of Keys [mobil.cz]
Generic 1 [thenewsmarket.com]
Generic 2 [thenewsmarket.com]
Generic 3 [thenewsmarket.com]
The last three were grabbed from The News Market [thenewsmarket.com]. Maybe someone with an account can post the full size copies?
cool idea. so/so implementation (Score:2)
Re:Text incase of Slashdotting (Score:5, Funny)