Google Goggles

Google Goggles is a new visual search application for Android phones. Now you can search the web by taking a picture, instead of typing in words. Shoot a photo of a landmark, sign, logo, book cover or work of art to get matching search results for your image. For business information, just point your phone at a store, and Goggles will show you the name of the business, using the phone's GPS and compass.

http://www.google.com/mobile/goggles

Do Not Disturbe in INDIA

I can't sit down for dinner without having my phone ring a half-dozen times with stupid junk calls. From personal loans to life insurance, holiday discounts to club registrations, if someone's trying to sell it via telemarketer, they seem to think I'm a good target. How can I stop these calls?


Here is the solution!! From September 1st 2007 gov of India has launched this new bill where you can register with the your Telecom Service Provider to stop getting unsolicited calls.

Links to Mobile and Telecom Companies - Do Not Call / Disturb Registration Forms. Register with your respective service provider.

Bharti Airtel
BPL Mobile
Hutch
Idea Cellular
MTNL Delhi
MTNL Mumbai
Reliance Mobile
Tata Indicom Mobile
Spice Telecom Punjab
Spice Telecom Karnataka
Aircel Chennai
Aircel - Tamilnadu

BSNL users can SMS or call the Call center to register with the NDNC Registry

* To register with the National Do Not Call registry, simply send a SMS from your Mobile phone to 53733 with content DNC ACT.
* Customer Care - Call 1500


And then, finally, you can enjoy your dinner. :-)

Google files patent for mobile commerce

It would allow users to pay for goods via text message

Google Inc. has filed a patent that would allow users to pay for goods from vending machines and retailers -- as well as make larger payments -- via text message, or SMS (short message service) technology.

U.S. Patent 2007/0203836, called "Text message payment," was published last Thursday by Google engineer Ramy Dodin. The invention, dubbed Gpay in the supporting drawings, is described as "a computer-implemented method of effectuating a payment, comprising: receiving at a computer server system a text message from a payor containing a payment request comprising a payment amount sent by a payor device operating independently of the computer server system; debiting a payor account for an amount corresponding to the amount of the payment request; and crediting a payee account that is independent of the computer server system."

According to the drawings, users could use Gpay to make payments to various retailers, doctors or even their landscapers.

However, there are several companies, including two in the Philippines, that already offer such a service. Globe Telecom offers Globe GCash, a system that "enables any Globe or TM subscriber to send and receive money and make payments just through text/SMS." And Smart Communications Inc. offers Smartpadala, a cash remittance service via text.

It is unclear whether these two companies have filed patents for their technology in the U.S.

A Google spokesman said the patent filing doesn't necessarily mean Google plans to develop the technology described.

"We file patent applications on a variety of ideas that our employees come up with," a Google spokeswoman said in an e-mailed statement. "Some of those ideas later mature into real products or services, some don't. Prospective product announcements should not necessarily be inferred from our patent applications."

Source

Hutch sucks!!

I know I know.. there are a countless number of posts complaining about Hutch Service.. yes, you are correct this is just another such post.. plus one to the countless number of hutch's frustrated customers.

Just got a call from Hutch billing department, its a third party* asking me to pay my bill. I told them that I have few uncleared issues with the technical department and I will not until they clear those, not at least this time... as in the past I have made the same complain and they did nothing about it. So, the agent is furious (I don't know why) and hangs the phone on me. Hmmm, I was speechless... and after 10mins I get a call from another agent.. and asks me to pay.. Here goes our conversation..

Agent: Hello sir.. I am calling from Hutch billing department.. you need to pay the bill.

Me: Oh, 10mins ago a agent called me and I told her why I am not paying it.

Agent: Why Sir?

Me: I told her, do you want me to repeat it. Can I speak to your team lead.

Agent: She waits for a 2secs and says she is the team lead.

Me: (Laugh) Don't lie.. you sound like a fresher... go to hell. (I hung up)

I was sure the agent was no team lead... may be a trainee.. agent sounded like that. After 30mins I get one more call.. this time from a Manager... here goes the conversation..

Me: Hello...

Manager: Hello Sir, I am Ramya calling from Hutch, manage platinum and gold customers.

[I am their platinum customer.. because I get a huge bill at the end of every month, isn't this ridiculous that they differentiate their customer on the basis of how much they pay. So, that means they provide least service to the person who pays less.. or don't really care about them.]

Me: Its the third call in the past hour.. What do you guys want?

Manager: Sir, please tell me what is the problem I will solve it.

Me: I already made a complaint.. check the records.. solve it and call me.

Manager: Sir, according to the records you have some network issue.

Me: Its not some network issue.. I specified what it is.

Manager: Yes Sir.. you have to call a number thrice to get through it.. as it gives a network busy message.

Me: Yes, there is one more issue.. please report me on that too..

Manager: Sir I just have the record of one issue. What is the second one.. can you please let me know.

[Me... surprised that they did not even record my complaint :( ]

Me: I spoke to Leena, team lead of customer service department.. I made sure she understands everything.. so, she will know it.. please put her on conference.

Manager: Sorry I cannot do that..

Me: ok, please speak to her and get back to me.

Manager: Tell me what is the issue.. I will solve it.

Me: I don't wanna repeat it.. talk to Leena and get back. Also, did you guys at least made a note who the 2 agents who called me in past hour and what did they speak..

Manager: Yes.

Me: Can you please tell them not to lie and hung upon on the customer.

Manager: Sorry, they are from a agency and I will report. What did they lie?

[Ok.. here comes.. thats when I know it was third party (a agency) who called me]

Me: You said you know what they spoke.. listen to the recorded call again.

btw, did you observe she stopped saying sir and please.. Not that I want someone to call me sir or request me but I just sensed that she is pissed of me...

Manager: I will get bye.. you have a great day..

hehe.. she said that.. and hung up before I said bye.. lol.. these people will never change..


I have been having Network problems from past few months and after n number of complaints they don't solve it.. and they send me some stupid sms asking me to download HOT AISH, HOT BIPS.. hehe.. they do.. seriously.. So, all I asked them was to solve these network issues and stop sending me those crazy sms as I am paying for the service... they cannot advertise for the service I am paying...

The team lead (Leena), whom I complained about this issue asked me to send a sms to some 4 digit number (I don't remember the number) with a keyword 'DND' and that would take 72 hours to update that. AND THAT WOULD COST ME Rs.3... lol... can you imagine.. you pay for the service.. they still send you crazy download sms without your permission and then when you ask them to stop sending those sms.. they ask you in turn spend Rs. 3 to stop those ads.

I googled a bit and found out that I am not the only one who go through such horrible service.

http://www.complaints.com/directory/2005/september/3/9.htm
http://www.complaints.com/directory/2006/october/23/54.htm

Yeeks.. check this... "Results 1 - 10 of about 195,000 for hutch sucks. (0.09 seconds) "

Oh.. btw.. by now you might be thinking why don't I cancel the service and go with some other provider..??? Listen.. I have this number from past 4 years and cannot really give a trouble to my clients asking them to update my contact just because I am have a issue with it.


**Third Party, most of the service providing companies which think that they cannot get money out of few frustrated customers outsource this service to another company whose work is just calling such customers and make them pay the bill.

What is google doing to make orkut mobile?

In shor the answer to the above question would be Dodgeball.

O! what Dodgeball? okie... Dodgeball is another SNS (Social networking Site) which google acquired last year, just that it is a mobile social networking site unlike orkut which is not yet on mobile.

So, google is going to integrate Dodgeball and Orkut.. which will make orkut go mobile.

here are few reasons why I think Google is going to integrate Dodgeball and Orkut...




1. Orkut has much more than Dodgeball but the later is much better on mobile and has already covered 22 cities.

2. Social networking has been the biggest thing going in 2006 (MySpace, Facebook, Bebo, etc). And it looks like mobile will be big next year. So SNS + Mobile seems the logical sequel.

3. Demographics are similar between Orkut and Dodgeball. All evidence points to Dodgeball being used mostly by young people. In Brazil, home to 65-70% (this is interesting) of the Orkut user base, it is mostly 13-30 year olds who use Orkut.


Anyways, I am not yet sure if this is going to happen anytime soon but as John Battelle even kind of predicted it back in May 2005, with this comment: "What is Dodgeball? I dunno, but is seems like Orkut + Mobile done right, I think."

But for sure the future is SNS + Mobile, isn't it cool you know what your freinds are doing online when you are on a move, waiting for a freind on the street, chatting with friends in those never ending traficc jams or just finding a new freind who is also stuck in the same traffic jam (cool.. I am coming up with crzy ideas).. I am gona stop it here... Orkut in Mobile is definetly coooool.

Orkut on mobile

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