I thought that swapping phones to my new 3G iPhone (which I LOVE) would be easy this time because I had finally signed up to zyb. I was going to be able to move my contacts and calendar across from my Sony Ericsson P1i with the greatest of ease, not having to worry about how many contacts I’d have to delete first etc. I was feeling very smug.

Phase 1 – easy – moved everything onto the zyb platform easily, no problem synching etc. Phase 2, click on the iPhone, *&(%$#@, no 3G version. I’ll be checking back regularly in the hope that they will be upgrading soon. Think the product is great but the need to get to market as, or before, the latest phones come out or it’s a complete waste of time.

I know, an unrealistic demand given the pace of mobile development but a girl can dream.

If I’ve missed the update keep me posted.

Nice Design and 3G

Do you think the name was intended to suggest that Amazon expects to be able to create a love affair with digital reading that Sony’s ebook hasn’t managed? Well, they say “love is blind” and you’d have to be to given the bizarre looking device that they’ve come up with. Haven’t Steve Jobs and Philippe Starck both proved that design can create passionate advocates of funcitonal products? Obviously not to Amazon.

As an avid reader I’ve been fascintated by the idea of an ebook and even approached Sony here to see if we could try one out for our magazine, Charged. Oh, that’s right, we don’t read in Asia so no point letting us have one until they’ve proved it doesn’t work in the US. Anyway, whinging aside, the desire declined along with the e-books repuation, odd that, but is the Kindle rekindling that yearning?

I have to admit I do feel an itch that only a Kindle in my present pile might scratch but first of all I want to know 1. Am I allowed to download the titles I want in Asia or will we be left out in the cold like we were with iTunes for years? 2. Are they going to make it wireless just after I have bought it? 3. You can access the internet via the “whispernet”, a sprint-powered network STOP, FORGET IT, GAME OVER, US only.

Its a wonder that some of these companies haven’t worked out that people overseas have a huge mark-up added to their book bill once a book shop has added transport costs, duty and whatever else. Even if books are bought online there is the shipping cost so we spend MORE per book so would drool to be able to get hold of books at possibly half the price. We’re dying to be able to get our hands on new books at reasonable prices.

Well, IF it doesn’t turn out to be as cumbersome as it looks (although at 10.3oz its lighter than most paperbacks), and IF Amazon lets us buy books for USD10 overseas, and IF we are provided with a way to access the internet (and surely Wi-fi has to be the only option, what were they thinking) and IF they were available I’d be first in line.

In reality I suspect I’ll be reading the same books on my phone before Asia’s offered some proper alternatives.