We all remember Justine’s first iPhone bill [video] totaling 300 pages in August last year. It resulted in every website imaginable writing something about the story, and AT&T removing itemised data from their bills and allowing customers to opt-in to e-billing/paperless billing.
When Justine’s video was released I’d been using data on my Nokia 6280 for a few months. I used it to access Twitter Mobile and Facebook Mobile while I was away from my computer. It worked for me, but I had a limit of 3MB. When I started going over that, and being charged excess usage by the kilobyte, I had to upgrade to a larger data option. I started paying $14/mo for 20MB of data; with daily access to the aforementioned sites, I could keep within that ridiculous data limit.
The more I used data, the larger my phone bills became. (Prior to my data usage my phone bills would be 3-4 double-sided pages; after I began using data: ~10 double-sided pages.) Yes, every darn kilobyte was mentioned on paper!
Justine’s video inspired me go paperless on all my bills. I rang my bank; they did it over the phone in seconds. I have an old account with 3 Mobile where I only pay for what I use and I never use it, so I get a bill every few months saying ‘$0 due’; I rang them and they did it over the phone in seconds.
Then I rang Optus — the company I have my mobile bill with. Now, I love Optus; I’ve been with them for over 7 years. They told me I had to go to my Optus online account and check a box to get my bill as an e-bill. No problem. I go to sign in and my credentials fail. Okay, so I ring Optus and they reset my password and send the new one to my phone. I try it. Nada; it doesn’t work. I ring them again and they say it could be due to their whole system and website being upgraded; try back later.
I ring back after about a month. Same deal. I have to do it myself. I get Optus to reset my password again. It doesn’t work. Again
I give it another month or two. Same deal.
This goes on for months.
As my trip to the USA got closer and closer, I picked up my game a little; yes, despite my lovely nature, I can get fierce when I want something done. It can’t be done. I tell them “I’m going to America. No one will be home to get my bills (a lie). I need them send to my e-mail!!” They respond with “… privacy act … blah blah … Let me reset your password … rah rah …” UGH!!!!
Okay. So now I’m actually in America and I’ve called them three times (thank you Skype!) only to receive the same old deal: sign in and you can do it. They ask me if I want to reset my password. While I have global roaming ON, the signal seems to suck, so there’s no way I can get the password on my phone.
I ask them why they can’t do this for me. Privacy. I’m on the phone. I WANT YOU TO DO IT. I don’t care if you see the password; rahhh! They can’t send the new password to any other phone number either. They can’t send it to an e-mail. They pretty much suck at life. Oh, and the system is still being upgraded (10 MONTHS LATER).
The other night I called them again about another matter, and decided I might as well see if
they can set up e-billing for me. Nope. Although, this was the first customer representative to actually say “Sorry” (he was sincere too! — I think his name was Melvin; good guy!) for not being able to set up e-billing on my behalf; he can’t break the privacy policy.
Back to the environmental issue at hand. My dad showed me this article describing large iPhone bills in Australia due to itemised data.
Who works at these companies? A bunch of narrow-minded twats? If you lived in Australia and even knew about the iPhone prior to it’s official release, you would have known about Justine’s bill-in-a-box. Now Optus and other companies are going to offer paperless billing for the iPhone.
You’d think they’d learn from America’s mistakes, but nope; we’re often just as silly!
Brainstorm: Maybe now that this has been an issue in the news down under, I’ll now be able to get a customer representative to setup paperless billing for my Australian phone (currently suspended and not in use); hopeful thinking.
If not, then I hope they find this post and call me. Bias.
Yesterday, Jackie showed me this service called polyvore; a web-based application for creating collages using images pulled from the web.
Polyvore’s about page states: Polyvore is a unique, easy-to-use web-based application for mixing and matching products from any online store. Items are pulled together into a visual set of products that can be shared with anyone. Each product within the set is then linked back to the online store where it is available for purchase.
It is a lot more than that though. Jackie has been creating unique artworks all day.
Polyvore has an interface very similar to Flickr, so creative Flickr users will feel very much at home.
This is the first post since I officially launched this blog tonight. (For the past six months I’ve been slowly getting this blog looking and working perfectly. Now, I will use it to blog regularly. Giddy!)
Michelle (leggyblonde) is bringing the scrunchie back, and you better watch out because she’s serious!
I remember girls wearing scrunchies in primary school and even some in high school. It seems they’re not that popular outside of school. This fact is sad, because scrunchies are damn hot! Yes, if I was a girl, I’d wear one.
Although I don’t like Justin Timberlake’s music, I definitely thank him for inspiring Michelle to create this video. *Instant fave* and I was lolerskating up and down the stairs in my house.
Lyrics and favouriting available on the video page.
After about half an hour everything was back to normal and Viddler now has a new video page design. The most exciting new features — widescreen without letterboxing, faster player loading, new embedding options — are detailed on The Viddler Spotlight.
The very first thing I noticed, though, was how much more it looked like YouTube. I think the only difference between the two now is: Viddler has a larger player, better quality, does better widescreen, and displays the related videos slightly differently. And, yes, if the user allows it, you can download Viddler videos.
While Viddler’s on-site video viewing may make YouTube regulars feel comfortable on Viddler, I think previous designs were better, and people should be used to other video sites being different (in features and design).
The following images show Viddler (left) and YouTube (right) side by side:
Not logged in. Viewing widescreen videos. | Logged in. Viewing 4:3 videos. Click on the images to see full size versions.
As you can see, there isn’t too much difference until you get in close.
I’m not too sure why Viddler’s new design wasn’t shown to Viddlerers (for approval) like the grey bar was.
I admit, I don’t mind the grey bar, but I still would prefer the green one. I love the new features (yay for bug fixes), but I’m not to sure the YouTube design will grow on me.
Over the past several years I’ve grown out of Easter.
First, in my early teen years, I began to realise that hollow milk chocolate is the worst chocolate in the world. Can’t I pay $20 for a massive egg that’s filled?
Sure, Lindt (good Swiss chocolate) have their Easter Bunnies, but they’re still hollow; no fun!
Then, in my late teen years, I decided I’ve had enough chocolate. So I began to ask for different kinds of presents at Easter. Gladly, my parents agreed.
Easter Egg Hunts are fun, but when it’s just my sister and I there isn’t really any competition; we share.
In 2004, I remember asking everyone I knew (especially religious people) why on Earth did Easter change days that year. I swear it was always on April the 14th. Or 19th?
Every year since then I’ve asked people the same question. I believe I got an answer once, but it didn’t stick in my brain, so I’m clueless again.
I’m not very religious at all. I love God, Bruce Almighty, Jesus, Moses (because he parted the Red Sea or something), and most of all the Dalai Lama. But I wouldn’t be able to tell you what religious meaning Easter has.
Jesus died and rose again, right? Well how the heck can the date that happened change every year? Did the person (one of Jebuses disciples?) recording this in to the bible just write “Good Friday”? Because that disciple hated him or something?
I’m sure non-religious people have been confused about Easter since forever. If not, go me!
Now I’m probably going to have Tom Cruise and every other religion turn up at my door — or at least the comments section of this post — and start cramming it in to my brain. Which is kind of what I need/want? No, I will not come to CCCCCC on Sunday, but I’ll listen to your Easter Bunny story.
Now for a reason why holidays — in this case Easter — suck.
This evening I casually asked my sister why Supernatural wasn’t on TV last night. I didn’t expect much of an answer. She said “Probably because of the long weekend holiday …” That was enough to bring back memories of this time last year and make me furious!
Yes, once again, the TV networks aren’t airing any new content over the whole week leading up to the Easter holiday; No Supernatural, no LOST, and no House. Guess what, it looks like I’ll have more time to catch up on Lonelygirl15 and other new media form shows. w00t!
This got me so worked up that I decided I’m going to do an Easter edition of TPAN. Just like I did a Christmas edition. Yup, I’m going to record a show ON Easter. That’s how much I CARE about my audience.
The TV networks can have fun with their low ratings this week. kbye!
its been quite a morning. Flat tire. Loving on a big hill makes it so hard to change the tire
I was a bit confused by this. As I figure many people were. Hence, his next tweet:
ok. My iPhone typing is really bad. I meant to say “living” on a hill. But “loving” on a hill sounds a lot more fun.
The tweets following this mentioned requests by twitters to create a song from this accidental typo, recording the song, mixing the song (between performances, no less), and uploading it for us all to listen to.
In total this took Geoff less than 15 hours. Awesome!
This morning Allie and woke up really early, and went out to watch Queen Elizabeth II sail in to Sydney Harbour.
At 6am she strolled through the heads sounding her horn. We watched from Middle Head; a perfect view.
Once she’d past Middle Head, we got back in the car and went down the road to Bradleys Head. (I’d never been there before; the view of Sydney Harbour is the most amazing I’ve ever seen!) As we arrived the QE2 was just passing by. Perfect.
We shot some beautiful photographs, and I filmed the video below on Will’s Sony HDV video camera.
We all remember Justine’s first iPhone bill [video] totaling 300 pages in August last year. It resulted in every website imaginable writing something about the story, and AT&T removing itemised data from their bills and allowing customers to opt-in to e-billing/paperless billing.
