After almost 21 months of my stay in Minneapolis-US, I was just back home at that time. I did not have a cell phone. I had a landline, so I did not feel the real need for a cell phone. This was just before my engagement. People talked about me as if I am a very strange person because I did not have a cell phone. Only then I realized how cell phone had become an integral part of our lives with-in a span of less than 2 years (while I was not in the country...!). Cell phone is okay; a feature in cell phone has become very important in many people's day-to-day lives.
It's been a month now since Apple announced about its product iPhone. While the debates of whether this product will succeed or fail in the market have almost faded away, I had a doubt about a feature in this product. The feature, which has become very important in many people's day-to-day lives. That’s gonna be the deciding factor for many people whether to buy or not.
Apple's portal states that iPhone combines three products — a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a breakthrough Internet communications device with desktop-class email, web browsing, maps, and searching — into one small and lightweight handheld device. iPhone also introduces an entirely new user interface based on a large multi-touch display and pioneering new software, letting you control everything with just your fingers. So it ushers in an era of software power and sophistication never before seen in a mobile device, completely redefining what you can do on a mobile phone. ...Blah...blah...blah....
It's been a month now since Apple announced about its product iPhone. While the debates of whether this product will succeed or fail in the market have almost faded away, I had a doubt about a feature in this product. The feature, which has become very important in many people's day-to-day lives. That’s gonna be the deciding factor for many people whether to buy or not.
Apple's portal states that iPhone combines three products — a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a breakthrough Internet communications device with desktop-class email, web browsing, maps, and searching — into one small and lightweight handheld device. iPhone also introduces an entirely new user interface based on a large multi-touch display and pioneering new software, letting you control everything with just your fingers. So it ushers in an era of software power and sophistication never before seen in a mobile device, completely redefining what you can do on a mobile phone. ...Blah...blah...blah....
All these are okay;
Can I make missed calls using iPhone?
What if iPhone does not have that feature? Say, you dial a number, you can't terminate the call, it has to be answered or rings to the fullest or gets to the voice mail. Would you buy a phone with such feature?
No kidding. I enabled international dialling feature in my phone just to make missed calls. I would leave a missed call to my friends' phone, they would call back (well, most of the time). (You must ask my friend Arasan how much he is spending on phone bill after I enabled ISD in my phone).
This article in Hidustan Times says that Indians are (in)famous for missed calls - communicating without answering the calls. Article lists some points that we Indians communicate effectively through "missed calls".
Points from the article are:
"I'm thinking about you"
"Call me back."
"To let the other person know that someone has reached some place safely"
The article missed out an important point..."To annoy someone" (or read it "To tease your close ones"). Have you ever done that? Are you using 'missed calls' for anything other than this? Please share it, I am sure it would be very helpful to lot of souls.
Article also states that mobile companies are losing money because of 'missed calls' (obviously!). What if mobile companies & phone manufacturers decide to somehow stop this great feature? That's my main worry.
17 comments:
I have also experienced the situations when people would see me like a strange creature if I would say I do not like cell phones.
Also, I do not understand this concept of Value Adds in Cell phones. Cell Phones with Cams, MP3 players, FM Radio, Bluetooth, etc equivalent to a small computer. What are these people actually trying to market?
If you are going to sell onions and if you are going to peel the onions(ready to cook) and sell, then it is value add.
But if you begin selling a basket full of vegetables in which Onion is also present, then it means you have already changed your business. You are no more a onion trader.
Similary, almost all the cellphone companies have changed their business. They do not market cell phones anymore. They market something that has cell phone as a part of it.
I do not know what will be the next provision to be added to cellphones..May be like Star wars.. The person at the other end can see you in a 3 dimensionsal way..
But I could find only one practical USE of Cellphones:-
1: Have you taken Break fast?
2: mmmmm..mmmm.... Ya.
1: Aahaaaaaa! What have you taken?
2: Ooooooooo! Idly
1: Great! I also took same idli. (How the same Idly????) Have you taken chutney...
2: No... Yar.. Hehehehhe...
1: No....o. Try it. It will be great..(A great invention)
2: HeHeheheeeee....
1: HeHeheheeeee....
...............
This is the only use of Cell phones...
Since I need to spend most of then time with Cell phone, I don’t like cell phones. However I should agree that Cell phones are changed most of the lives in the 21st Century.
Cell phones must be used in the proper manner like business person they can improve their business links.
For me Cell phone is something which is stopping me to speak to my parents when I meet them. Because most of the things I used speak on Cell phone. So nothing is left for me to speak when I meet them. So it has really reduced my face to face interaction with my parents. Also my monthly bill is increasing like anything.
Really I would like to move to the olden days where we had nothing. Just work hard and eat well and sleep; that’s it.
Nowadays people are becoming technology dependent. At least we should be careful in passing this message to our children.
Here we go ‘’MISSED CALLS’’;
‘’MISSED CALL’’ is a gift for the people who want save some portion of their monthly bill. I believe if missed call is not there, most of the people don’t buy the cell phones.
Cell phone companies should put a rule like;
If a girl is giving more than 3 missed calls then they should charge that girl for the missed call.
ENGU THENJU MISSED CALLA CORRECTA USEPANDARATHU PONUGATHAN.
ORU SELA PERU EPAVAME MISSED CALL MATUM THAN PANUVANGA. EVENGALE ELLAM ANNIYANTA SOLE THANDIGNUM.
MISSED CALLKKU REPLY PANNI ROMBA NONDHUPOI IRUKKARU NAMMA Babujini ....
Give him one big OOOOOOOOO..
Coming to the point "MISSED CALLS"
I do agree MISSED CALLS is mainly used to save some portion of Monthly bill.
But then u will not use the concept of missed call to everyone.
except to a very close one.As babujini requested that's not punishable matter by anniyan.
Few person they do only missed call..i agree...but not all...
How you take the call and respond them that depends how many missed calls you are getting....
As sarangan told Value add to cellphone is worthless...
But as far as my thoughts...
Technology in cellphone has improved a lot...
Peeling the onion and giving to you is not technology..that's allowing you to be more lazy...
Each and every technology has its own advantage and disavantage.
We have to choose accordingly for our use.
If u like computer to carry rather than cellphone you can as well do it..
you cannot live without using "communication" whether u use landline,cell,computer etc...
Missed Call, Thats a good feature. I receive frequent missed calls from you and from my family :)-
Me without a cell phone, that's Impossible. I cant Imagine a life without cell phone. There were times during initial stage of my career life, I used to ask others why do we need cell phones ??!!
I remember that first cell phone which I was using was yours seeni :)- (Motorola T190 or something)
Sarang -
Market loves gadgets with multiple features or multiple value adds.
That onion story is okay. But a slight change in the way we should look at it. All you need is onion. But you are given onions with other vegetables as (free?)add-ons. If you are a person who needs other vegetables too, you get benefited. If not, no harm.
"This is the only use of Cell phones... " - You should get a girl friend to appreciate the use of cell phone.
Babu –
I have heard of so many problems such as heart attack, cell phones bursting etc. The problem that you have mentioned that ‘cell phone is stopping me to speak to my parents when I meet them’, is very unique.
I agree with you on the comment that girls are the effective users of ‘missed calls’ (With all due respects to Indian female community). Speaking from my own experience. :)
Anusha -
I agree that 'missed call' is not a punishable thing. (See, a girl always has favorable opinion on missed calls – no offense meant)
Yep technology is boon not bane. Take it if you like; leave it if you don’t.
Arasa -
My special thanks to you for returning my missed calls.
By the way when are you going to return my cell phone (T191).
Do you know missed calls in landline? it happnens in my home. My sister will call my mom ( ring 5 seconds second ring) my aunt (two ring after 10 seconds two more ring). My mother used to tell who is calling based on the number of missed rings (???) and she will call them back. My dad was the one who worried about this missed ring as he has to pay the bill.
In US it does not matter as it is only airtime minutes but in India as the incoming is free and caller is charged, sometimes missed call is a nuisance. Though missed call mean lot of things mostly it is call me back. People normally don't leave missed call for me as I will return their call only later point of time. In my opinion if something is urgent somebody will leave voicemail. Since voicemail is not famous in India missed call plays the monopoly.
But Seeni I laughed for two days when I accidentally picked your missed call and the conversation after that.
Feature without missed call will definitely fail in India but it should not impact much in other part.
Value adds are basically make you spent more, if you are planning to buy vegetables along with onion then bag of mixed vegetable is a value addition, but if you need only onion then it is value minus. Like sony ericsson 910 (what arasan).
To me missed call is not a punishable crime, sometimes it is logical like it is better a guy in US calling guy in India. If both are in same country, leaving missed call for saving money does not look good.
Life without cell phones?? OMG!! I just cant imagine.. It gives a great sense of security.. just holding it!! and oh yeah.. i use missed calls!! one missed call.. i'll be ready in 5 min.. 2 missed calls.. i'll be ready in 10 ;-)
Barani -
Missed calls in Landline....interesting..necessity is the mother of inventions. Graham Bell invented the phone we discovered missed calls.
By the way Barani, I left a missed call on your mobile last night. Still waiting for you respond.
Nithya -
Well...another innovative way of using the missed call.
Looks like it's true that girls are very effective and innovative when it comes to using 'missed calls'.
Sony Ericson 910..Grrrr...Chutney, sambhar, rice, idly, dosai, biryani, chapathi, poori, kurma, and of course with Onion too...
Barani, unnai thaanda thedi kittu irukaen.....
Ha..ha...ha...Arasa, I can understand your feelings.
Barani - ippadi sneji vittuttiyaeda?
I topup my mobile only to give missed calls...
Venkat - I think that is the advantage of pre-paid. You can keep your expense under control. :)
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