Islands in the DataStream

Now I wonder if my link to friendfeed supports the push…

Here’s another one.

Man, this sucks. It worked once but now it’s not working.

test

Wondering if the pubsubhubbub connection pushes to superfeedr.com

I know, I know.  This is like the 5th or 6th test post. Well, clearly I haven’t nailed this thing just yet, but I promise I’ll get it sooner or later… then the lame posts will stop. Well, at least the test posts will stop.  Will this update cause a post?

I think I may have figured out what the issue is with my RSS feed not propagating via Pubsubhubbub. Apparently between the time that I first subscribed to my blog feed with Google Reader way back and now, my actual RSS feed url has since changed.

Between that time and now, I have upgraded the version of Wordpress my server is running twice and I also changed the url convention as well.  Either one of these has caused my RSS feed url to change ever so slightly.  The old url still works but it would seem that the Pubsubhubbub plugin I installed is not working with the old feed url.  I am about to post this and test to see if it all works now.

Crossing my fingers….

I’ve just installed a Wordpress plugin for Pubsubhubbub created by Josh Fraser and I’m now testing it out. You can find the plugin here.

I’ve recently discovered the phenomenon that is The Big Bang Theory. I’m not referring to the attempt by science to explain the wonder that is God’s creation, but the less wondrous but thoroughly hilarious creation of the minds of Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady. I’m referring to the 30-minute sitcom that airs Mondays at 9:30 EST on the CBS network.

I caught a piece of an episode sometime last year or so and wasn’t that keen on the formula. A bunch of geeks living across the hall from an airhead blonde bombshell? Sounded like an overplayed cliche. It wasn’t until I took the time to watch a bunch of fan posted clips on Youtube when I realized how great an ensemble cast this show is.

I’ve found that I am drawn toward TV shows that are driven by the performances of the actors and put a greater focus on the relationships and personal growth of each character than purely on a clever or mysterious plot line. Nothing beats a well written character portrayed to the tee by an actor that fits the role. Except when you put a bunch of the same together and the chemistry just pops.

The Big Bang Theory, or TBBT as it is referred to by its fans, does just that. Not only are the guys that play the geeks totally believable but everyone can relate to them. Everyone has that inner geek in them, the love that they have of something not so socially acceptable. As much as you want to say that you sympathize with these guys, the truth is that really you can emapthize with them. And the fact that you won’t admit to that is proof positive that I’m right.

My first thoughts on the blonde neighbor, Penny, played by the bubbly Kaley Cuoco, was that she was a point of comic relief, providing an opportunity to exploit the shortcomings of the resident geeks weaknesses for easy laughs. Yes, she does play that role but has also become strangely assimilated into the group, growing her character and exposing her character to vulnerability and thus allowing the audience to relate to her on a level that they wouldn’t be able to otherwise.

Great writing, great acting and great chemistry. It’s the formula that everyone hopes for in producing entertainment, but rarely achieve.

Props to Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady and all the folks on the TBBT team for their success. May their ratings continue to reflect the greatness of the art that they are creating.

I did it. I bought an iPhone.  I am still able to boast that I was one of the Guam’s geekiest early adopters because I purchased a software unlocked iPhone from eBay well before Guam was officially on the iPhone map.

However, that piece of armor is no longer in my arsenal. It has been replaced by a White 32GB 3GS. But though I start by bragging about my new gear, this post is more about the latest war being waged on the wireless telecomm battlefield of guam.

Thanks to the powers that be at Apple coupled with the lethargic efforts of our local carriers, up until very recently, Guam wireless carriers were not able to obtain iPhones for sale to us Guammies.  A few local consumer electronic shops advertised unlocked iPhones for sale at astronomical prices. I was skeptical about these offerings and could never bring myself to inquire with these shops as to the reliability and genuineness of the units they were selling.

The only other option for us geeks was to forage for ourselves in the deep, dark recesses of eBay for that hidden gem that is a safely unlocked iPhone.

First came the hardware unlocked phones –  with solutions ranging from razor hacked sim cards to TurboSIMs from unknown vendors. How legal could that be? And even if it were legal, how reliable could it be? Remember, we’re talking about a several hundred dollar investment that could potentially be the most expensive paper weight you ever bought if you get burned. I couldn’t bring myself to taking this chance.

Eventually, the community of hackers intent on releasing the iPhone platform from the regulatory hands of Apple proper, found a way to unlock the iPhone using software alone.  I believe it was around the same time that Apple began distributing iPhones to countries and locales that would not allow Apple or their partner wireless carriers to lock the phones.  Thus began the proliferation of “factory unlocked” and “software unlocked” iPhones.

It was then that I felt confident enough to make the plunge and gamble on purchasing an unlocked iPhone from eBay.  My first iPhone, a white 16GB 3G, arrived earlier this year.  After much research, I confirmed that my phone was “software unlocked” by third-party software and NOT “factory unlocked”.  Boo hoo. I did not have the luxury of being able to receive the firmware updates that Apple distributes via iTunes. I was lucky enough to already have version 3.0, but when I got it, iTunes was already asking me to upgrade to 3.0.1. Today, it’s already at 3.1.2. That would prove to be the bane of my ownership of an unlocked iPhone.

When GTA MPulse announced that they would be officially selling the iPhone, my first reaction was that of mild amusement.  I thought, “Oh, how nice. Finally. That’s okay because I’ve already got an iPhone.”  But then, remembering the frustrations with my unlocked phone and it’s shortcomings, I began to contemplate a replacement.

GTA was smart to strike up their deal with Apple to sell the iPhone.  I don’t know how difficult it was or why it took so long for any of the local GSM carriers to make it happen but it was the smartest thing GTA has ever done in their wireless business plan.  Apple has set up the iPhone for long term success. In the mainland, the iPhone arguably is the only reason that AT&T continues to survive in the highly competitive market there.  GTA will ride on those coat-tails for years to come.

Another Guam carrier, Docomo Pacific also made a smart move, albeit not quite as smart as GTA.  They did not get the official license to sell iPhones in Guam. I’m not sure if Apple would be willing to give one to them now that GTA has one.  They haven’t given one to T-Mobile. But Docomo did realize that absolutely nothing would be able to compete with the pent up demand that has developed on Guam for the iPhone. Well, nothing except . . . the iPhone.

So they did what they knew would be the only thing they could to prevent a mass exodus of their non-contracted customers. They bought up a bunch of factory unlocked iPhones from some country that Apple sends unlocked iPhones and put a full page ad in the paper on GTA’s big launch day. They even offered them for essentially the exact same amount that GTA offered them. GTA’s pricing mirrors the Apple Store and AT&T stores. I have a feeling GTA’s pricing might be mandated by Apple as official resellers of the iPhone.  I’m sure Docomo is taking a big hit on the cost of the unit as I am certain they are paying premium dollar for the factory unlocked units they are procuring.  But so goes the battle for monthly access revenue, right?

Docomo has taken quite a beating from critics for their guerrilla marketing tactics.  Although I agree that their failure to beat GTA signing up with Apple is pretty sad (they are only the oldest and largest wireless carrier in Guam), I respect their marketing team for what needed to be done based on the situation at hand and actually acting on it.

That being said, I have to admit that I am a Docomo user. I have been a Docomo customer since their early years in the mid 90s when they were known as Guam Cellular and Paging with the exception of a short stint using iDen based push-to-talk phones with iConnect Guam. I have always been partial to Docomo as my experience has been that their cellular network is the most reliable and robust.  It will take more than an official Apple reseller license to get me to switch away from Docomo.

So fast foward to today, where I am the proud new owner of a factory unlocked iPhone courtesy of Docomo Pacific.  Sorry, GTA, you guys get credit for your efforts, but a cell phone is a cell phone –  and is only as good as the cell service it is attached to.

My best advice to all the telecomm companies out there is first establish what you consider to be core products and services and make those products transparent.  A wireless company advertising ‘reliable coverage’ makes it seem like that is a special feature.  Shouldn’t that be a given? Reliable and robust core services is what keeps your existing customer base from jumping ship at the next big marketing campaign of your competitors.

Once you’ve gotten a good handle on your core services, then don’t sit idle. Start growing your services with new and innovative products.  That’s what attracts new customers and grows your market base.

If you aren’t able to develop these primary business practices, then you’ll forever be damned to reactive marketing efforts and the growth of your business will be dictated by the market and your competitors and not the other way around.