MTS i-mode: Dinner is served, or an egg on a plate Samurai Mobile-Review

The official beginning of the story was laid on December 17 last year, when the president of MTS Vasily Sidorov took an active part in the coloring of the traditional Japanese egg. Fun activities symbolized the launching of a new business project and carried out jointly with the governing party NTT DoCoMo. This momentous event could be considered the beginning of the expansion of the Japanese standard i-mode in Russia.

Mysterious i-mode is quite successful, "is sweeping the globe, in Europe alone the number of new users is growing at a rate of more than a million" imodnikov "per year. The main advantage for the operator - a relatively modest investment financial returns can be very high. According to the experience of other European countries - increasing ARPU reached 10.6 euros per month, and increase ARPU, MTS is now very much hurt. For i-mode subscribers - intuitive and friendly interface, ingenious simplicity of the whole complex rather complex services.

MTS received the exclusive right to distribute the i-mode in Russia and the right to subsequent expansion of the zone of the contract for other CIS countries, in relation to Russia took advantage of this right. How well - remains to be seen, but almost 50 million i-mode users around the world today do not doubt the convenience and practicality of this technology. Contract - a contract, but the phrase "exclusive right" should not cause a sacred awe. Let's say I get exclusive rights to distribute the procedure hara-kiri in Russia, so what? It's not the fact that the commercial potential of this technology will allow me to recoup the costs of acquiring licenses. Let's see how popular i-mode will be on the expanses of Russia and (maybe) near abroad. The main issue of last year's press conference: "Why i-mode so beautiful / handsome and what is radically different from the half-dead WAP-GPRS, is used today mainly for paid download pictures and music?" The question asked by many different forms, a specific response had been received. Mr Takeshi Natsuno, managing director of NTT DoCoMo, instead of answering, deeply and passionately painted the benefits of technology. Conditional-specific response can be considered the statement "it is impossible to describe, it must be seen with my own eyes!". Well, let's look together.Three weeks before the scheduled beginning of the operation i-mode basic services are already running, the interface is quite functional.

Phones have to change

Handsets supporting i-mode is produced quite a lot, but the site NTT DoCoMo is better not to go - one disorder. By the beginning of commercial operation of i-mode in Russia the choice of terminals will be small, about 6 models. Including the NEC N411i, N343i, and Samsung S342i, S410i, LG L342i. Sales of vehicles with the support of i-mode will be implemented in the offices of MTS and the salons of "The Messenger". The issue with the prices still open, but had been promised enough humane rates from $ 150 for the most "budget" model with the i-mode. It is likely that in the initial stages of implementation of the tube will be subsidized by operators and vendors together. Need to replace the phone - a serious disadvantage, but this will have to accept. By the way, is not necessarily negative, first look at the price. It is not excluded that due to marketing discounts device with i-mode will be cheaper than their normal "classmate."

I want to be a fool!

The concept of "friendly interface" among the Russian advanced enthusiasts usually refer to a simple and succinct definition "for a fool." A sort of perpetual snobbery computer guru, who in the days of Windows 3.1 to recognize only the "pure" DOS, in a pinch with a file manager Norton Commander type as an add-in. The same fully applies to the modern technology of mobile communication, at least in the area of ​​access to numerous additional resources. Indeed, almost all i-mode service in some way can be accessed via WAP-access. Enough to understand the options, sign up on a pair of triple-resources, create a couple of profiles that prescribe the appropriate links / settings in your phone, etc. It is not easy, but quite capable of qualified users. And what about the rest? There is no real alternative, although work in this direction is: You may receive settings in automatic mode, the WAP-portal operators integrate email-services, MMS-interfaces are trying to simplify. Study, develop intelligent machines, you will become smarter and you will have schazte! But not stupid the Japanese for some reason, wanted to feel "stupid" six years ago and this is quite successful. Even the most cursory view menyushek i-mode gives rise to jealousy: simple, intuitive and humane. No digging in the settings of the phone, WAP-resources research and development of menus embedded browsers, all "on hand" in the truest sense of the word.Additional and important advantage - "portability" user experience on different models of handsets, when you change your phone does not have to learn anew.

Just like all brilliant

The basic idea - to combine all the necessary services into one common unit and to simplify access to individual blocks. This model of the device (Samsung S342i) I was unfamiliar, and indeed the experience of working with pipes of this manufacturer almost was not. "Help" to i-mode (as it is) did not read for the sake of purity of the experiment. Time for "development" services took four minutes, including two or three went to the awareness of the features are not the most comfortable joystick in the world. I think that a modern teenager of either sex to cope with this important task more quickly.

All the necessary background information on i-mode is readily available and visitors can have fun in his spare time studying it. Although seriously doubt such a need. But the menu iISSA caused great interest, sorry that is not yet available. I'd like to believe that reality is a imodovaya version of CCIS with all its attendant amenities and additional opportunities for service management, order details etc. I have nothing against the ACCA, with its voice menu, but it is better to see once than hear a hundred times. An additional plus - will not have to be shipped over the network voice traffic, ie launch iISSA in the interest and the operator.

I-mode portal

The central part of the whole structure of the new service. It is out of the navigation for WAP-users, but also a beginner will not get lost. The peculiarity of habit-tree structure is that the content of different suppliers is aligned with a single model. Ie Switching between the resources actually included in the portal and portal content servers is seamless and completely change the interface intensifies, or other principles of navigation. Resources are indeed many and they are all carefully and logically assembled "under the common roof." Begin to understand the Japanese, most of whom had no idea comes to go somewhere "left" behind the border of their habitat i-mode: grouped in a single menu is more than enough resources to meet all the needs of mobile info-average user.

Detailed examination of even a small fraction of resources, time was not, however, confirm: function as its own and external resources. Open all pages bright enough (tested in several different locations in Moscow), delays at crossings between the resources have been noted.While not all external resources are registered, and the prescription is not all the content available, but the beginning of operation of all on the idea should work fine.

Not all resources are equally useful

Feel free to count myself among the "children high school age," and therefore a warning 18 + in the same section did not stop. Incidentally, today mobile telephony is successfully consumed by various contingents, ranging from older groups of kindergarten. In conjunction with imodnym-friendly interface can happen violation age limit. But this is a separate issue, and unbecoming to shift to the operator taking care of children of their own morality. Gave the child the connected phone - is responsible for the consequences of their actions. All the more so if you want access you can close the password. But we digress from the topic portal i-mode. So, what we see in the conditional exclusion zone? See a well-functioning service, but more because we have nothing in the testing phase is not interested, right? Well, maybe to prove the statement "Best Kamasutra Russia!" and in case anything happens to claim the MTS. Although it is not clear from the quality parameters, "Kama Sutra", this is not the signal power in decibels. Joke - a joke, but to the "object test" to get it was not possible, although at each transition to the next submenu phone regularly ate GPRS-traffic. On the fourth or fifth stage of deepening the menu has been chosen "Variations threesome, would like to pick up artwork on the theme of cooperation between the three major GSM-operators. The plan did not succeed: in the end I was asked to pay a $ 3-per-view - a dollar for party composition. Instead, awareness of "variations" suggested read the terms of a paid subscription. Could at least prevent from the beginning ...

On stage, a thoughtful study of the content found most interesting. It turns out that a considerable portion of the resources i-mode is provided on a fee basis. And we do not offer you otmusolivat crumpled Dollars for reading an interesting article, or view at least interesting poses, and asked to immediately pay the bulk, then there really a trifle! What fractional levy a one-time fee for viewing a particular piece of content was too difficult for billing, here and decided to issue full access as a subscription for a month? It is unlikely - the same selling ring tones and pictures splash at retail.

There was an assumption that is very extra money they want for entertainment content with a pronounced erotic bias. And the more pronounced, the more content. That in general it would be quite logical, such resources worldwide free of charge on all cylinders.However, there it was! Exactly the same situation with another press, and a portrait of the governor does not fit the definition of "erotic pictures" even if the most violent fantasies. Well, to read - so read, pay 0,5-3 dollars a month and you can explore your favorite newspaper or magazine at least to blueing display or a full charge the battery. Of course, GPRS-traffic is paid for separately. And, of course, 0,5-3 dollars not for "all at once, but separately for each resource. Someone for one's eyes is enough "Kama Sutra" or "Playboy" and lover of view on the screen the entire binder of newspapers and magazines may not have enough salary. Also do not forget about the traditional approach for operators in the billing of services: if a positive balance in the account subscription price will be regularly on monthly basis without any additional requests / confirmations.

To say the truth: the portal there is a considerable amount of free information. Available free of charge with the news feeds, digest some of the articles, watch the weather forecast. You can download fun as "native" portal anecdotes and hilarious compilation on Muz-TV. Can still be free to visit the section "Information Sites" and found the three most important information resources of the Internet: paid order bouquets, Pay Order movies / books in-store Ozon, and "Sport-Express." In the end, you can just wander through the website sections and to estimate the feasibility of purchase order or other content. Slightly alarming scheme browsing i-mode: it appears that the information is not cached, and traffic will have to pay each time you return to the main menu. But surely not undertake to say, is not excluded feature with i-mode-content of this particular phone model.

Still, we are not yet the Japanese and Russian user's curiosity extends to including and beyond the carefully delineated zones portal i-mode. Visiting party WAP-resource is also not forbidden, enter any address provided, and the browser displays almost correctly the Russian-language WAP-page. However, in this mode, the intervals between words disappear. Funny defect Russification for some reason does not manifest in the pages of the portal i-mode, but is present at all other sites - including the MTS WAP-site. Again, maybe "lame" Russification particular phone model.

Who's there? It's me, the postman Imodkin!

Communication capabilities of the platform - a topic for another conversation. Each user i-mode automatically becomes the proud owner of the postal address of the form 89161234567@imode.mts.ru, if desired address can be changed directly through the menu i-mode.E-mail client is integrated into the structure of i-mode and offers the convenience of work and wealth of options, works almost flawlessly. As a thoroughbred "adult" client after the first call to the mail service loads the welcome letter, properly rake native encoding. Configure does not need anything, total plug-and-play. Delivery mode is configured: by default - immediately and without user intervention (corresponding icon appears on the display), but you can enable delivery on demand. However, to put mail forward from the usual address, I would poosteregsya: the current dominance of spam abominable in itself, but even if every sentence "moving without problems!" at a price to pay for traffic i-mode! C on the other hand, it can for the better: look, spammers would get seriously i-mode users, and will suffer "movers" happy fate of one of the leaders of the Center for American English. "

On the mail server i-mode is good and right processed image attachments (pictures). With a total weight of the letter to 10 kb (default-setting) once the image is transferred to the phone, with a larger volume of file attachments is updated on the server and the phone is only transmitted a letter plus a link to the file. Reference to "work" 10 days, after which the file is automatically deleted from the server. One can argue that most modern phones can easily take a letter size and 200 kb, but this limit still reasonable and justified. The underlying ideology of maximum simplicity and friendliness requires such "durakoustoychivyh" decisions, no one should face unexpected problems when downloading mail. Skilled users are not particularly suffer: a unified structure of i-mode link opens directly from the email body and lying on the server image "touch" is no different from ordinary investments, not taking up this phone. It is not excluded that at the start of commercial operation will be implemented by receiving attachments of up to 100 or 300 kb depending on the model of the terminal. It remains an open question time mail delivery: now a plain text email is delivered to the i-mode phone in the middle for 2 minutes, a letter with the placement of attachments on the server - for 40 minutes. Apparently, the system is still in the process of debugging / tuning.

Tablespoon of tar in this barrel of honey - supported attachment format. Take only pictures, ringtones and video clips. However, the phone itself does not understand the other attachments, and advanced smartphone on the i-mode is unlikely to entice. The size of the text is sent, too, is not unlimited - up to 2000 characters Unicode (Russian letters) or 4000 latin characters. If the message is longer, it will suffer the fate of the picture - can be read on the server by reference.

As already mentioned, the main e-mail encoding i-mode until everything is in order. The idea of ​​e-mail address in the form of telephone ownership is not new, but the fact that its implementation encouraged.For example, an email will be perfectly handled by email2SMS, it drops all the "tail" of the address together with the dog: the recipient of the letter not only to read the text, but also be able to call the sender of a Tychkov button. Similarly, owners of smartphones, recipient of the letter will immediately make a adresbuk phone number and email-address. Trifle, but it's nice.

Additional important options are e-mail client:

• Function iMMS - the ability to send email directly to the phone without the support of i-mode, but with support for MMS
• Function of i-Shot - simplified Sending photos to another user i-mode, or by e-mail
• Function of i-Motion - similar to i-Shot, but with reference to the movie footage.

Where, when and how much

i-mode in the MTS network plans to launch the first of September (renamed "The Day of Knowledge" in "Imoden?), will connect callers contract tariff plans and tariff plans" Jeans "in Moscow, Moscow region, St. Petersburg and Leningrad region. The service will be available in the network coverage of GPRS MTS roaming partners.

Connecting the i-mode subscribers of MTS is free, although the replacement or acquisition will have to fork tubes. The first month of use i-mode - for free, the traffic is not charged. Fee for service will be charged.

The cost of i-"fashionable" traffic after first month will presumably much lower than GPRS-WAP: from $ 0.03 per 10 kb, depending on time of day. It is also assumed the appearance of "unlimited" calling plans.

Summary

Perhaps even for any of the techno-mobile news was not so hard to draw conclusions. Too many pros and cons of both gathered at different pan. However, we will try.

• In itself an interesting and attractive service. If you find out something useful and enjoyable functions exist for every user: from beginner to the most qualified. Although it can be assumed scale of the disaster on the admission of very beginner to the same iISSA: will still jump for joy from some jeans in the other for $ 3 per dive
• Mobile "guru" i-mode will hardly mind: traffic, though cheaper WAP-GPRS, but considerably more expensive than conventional Internet-GPRS. But who knows, who knows ... hacking illegally imported into Russia phones i-mode has not been canceled
• For many casual users i-mode will be "the most it is" - maximum pleasure with minimum headache. "Advanced", but too lazy to like
• Selection of phones while poor, the functionality of the proposed models is far from the definition of "super-feature-rich." This is understandable: much of the functionality of the system takes over and duplicate these functions in your phone like nowhere. But the price tags on the apparatus can be happy.
• As population growth "i-mods" increasing importance will acquire the ease, convenience and cheapness of intersystem communication, but it is a question of the future.

Personal opinion: the initial popularity of the new service by 60% will be determined by prices and attractive phone, even at 20-30% - the intensity of the campaign. 10-20 percent of future users buy phones with i-mode is quite consciously, carefully weighing the advantages of the new service. A certain number of people that no matter what they want to feel a novelty for consumers in this category, the issue price becomes secondary.But the piece interesting and attractive, you have to i-mode does not take away.