Bell undercuts Rogers iPhone plans for Samsung Instinct
After posting only yesterday A Canadian alternative to the iPhone, which was about the Samsung Instinct and the implications of a competitive pricing plan by Telus or Bell, news is out that Bell will be offering the Samsung Instinct with an Unlimited data plan. What does this mean for the much more expensive Rogers iPhone plan? If the instinct has a great web experience, I may be swayed. The Instinct also costs less to purchase than the iPhone and has two and three year plans. The Globe and Mail also says that an unlimited data plan will cost $10.
This really heats things up in the Canadian wireless space. Maybe Bell did not want to be lumped in with Rogers, or maybe someone is realizing that competition in Canada is coming and possibly even government regulation and now is the time to start impressing customers. Who knows, but this is definitely good news.
UPDATE: Telus will also be offering the Instinct and the HTC Touch Diamond with an unlimited data plan.
A Canadian alternative to iPhone?
Canadians may soon have an alternative to the iPhone. The Samsung Instinct, sometimes referred to as an iPhone Killer. The big news for Canadians is that the Samsung Instinct while similar to the iPhone in features will be CDMA. This means that it will most likely be on the Telus and Bell networks.
My first thought was; with all the noise about Rogers iPhone prices this could be a real chance for the Samsung Instinct to shine. If Bell or Telus were to set competitive prices that beat Rogers then people may flock to the Instict—sadly, I doubt this will be the case. If Bell and Telus do set a similar price scheme I doubt people will care much about it. There is a prestige that goes with Apple products regardless of how similar other products are. If prices are the same as the iPhone I doubt we will see online petitions like ruinediphone.com. A more reasonable data plan may however lure some of us towards the Instinct. I want an iPhone, but at the end of the day I’ll settle for web access and a reasonable data plan.
One of the interesting features that the Instinct has is haptic technology. This allows the screen to actually vibrate once you have hit the keys. One of the things that has bothered me about touch technology to date is the lack of tactile feedback (and grimy screens). That’s why the phone that stands out the most for me right now is the HTC Touch Pro with Android.
The instinct should be available sometime this summer in Canada. For more details read Is Samsung Instinct really an iPhone killer?
Using WordPress custom fields for toggling plugins
More and more I find myself using WordPress as a CMS. This requires a little more customization than you would need for the average out of the box blog experience but WordPress can make a wonderful little CMS. Custom fields are just one way to gain finer control over your pages and posts both for blog or CMS functionality.
Why am I so addicted to the web?
I’m a web addict, but chances are, you the reader are too. Is this necessarily a bad thing? I don’t think so, we are moving towards a world where many of us will be continuously connected to the web throughout the day. This could be at a traditional desk and computer or through some kind of mobile device—the web will always be at our finger tips. Some people might spell out doom and gloom scenarios, but I think they are short sighted and pessimistic. Why is the allure of the web so strong, and is it good?
