Digicel rebrands Data Plans as Data Lite, Data Plus and Data Max and complicates 2G and 3G Data

Telecom Provider Digicel’s Got Data fever or they’re just trying to confuse Jamaicans with multiple Data Offerings! This as on Friday February 21^st 2013, Digicel scuppered their Data Lite and Data Plus Prepaid Data Plans and replaced with three (3) new Data Plans as shown called Data Lite, Data Plus and Data Max.

These Data Plans apply to both Blackberry and smartphone users i.e. Apple iPhone and Google Android smartphones such as the DL600 and the newly minted DL700 as stated in my blog article entitled “Digicel has launched the DL700, an upgrade to the DL600 on Friday December 6th 2013 - The Alcatel One Touch Pop C3 is Digicel’s latest Unicorn that may be harder to catch”.

Confusion reigns as, yet again Digicel has taken something simple as Data and made it complicated! You can try texting 601 to 137, but that won’t help much unless you visit the Digicel website and read the page on the three (3) new Data Plans as shown called Data Lite, Data Plus and Data Max as well as Digicel FAQ on Digicel’s Data Plans.

Didn’t they just introduce Digicel DataFlex Card last week Friday February 14^th 2014 as I’d chronicled in my blog article entitled “Digicel’s launches DataFlex Prepaid Data Credit - Tablet Data Account top-up sans USSD codes as Data is Hot and Pay the Right Price Campaign needed once again”? The naming of the three indicates the type of users, and what they can do, based on usage patterns that Telecom Provider Digicel has determined from their internal Metrics derived from watching their Network Traffic.

Again this dropped out of the air without warning and no advertising on Television or mention in the newspaper. In fact, not even an ad on Digicel’s YouTube page; I had to again learn about this on Digicel’s Twitter and Digicel’s Facebook page!

First the Digicel’s Twitter posting….

Then the Digicel’s Facebook page, which interestingly has the advert prominently displayed as the Timeline Background as well…..

As per usual, the Digicel FAQ on Digicel’s Data Plans is as confusing to read as the instructions to put together an X-Ray Machine. After reading it to see if I could make heads or tails of it, I realized that what it basically means that contrary to what I’d said about Telecom Provider Digicel trying to make Data Service simple, they’ve decided to make it more complex. Even the Terms and Conditions of the Data Services aren’t straight enough for the layman to read and understand.

So here goes. First, the (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) codes have gotten….well, a lot more complicated. Here’s the lot of them.

The Data Plans are very similar to the ones listed in Geezam blog entitled “How to Access LIME or Digicel’s 4G Internet using an unlocked 4G LTE Modem Dongle, smartphone or Tablet” save that the Cost of the Data Plans have been lowered and the names of the Data Packages have been rebranded.

Again a nice graphic helps to explain the 4G Data Plans for smartphones and Tablets a little better, which bear a striking similarity to my Geezam blog article entitled “How to Access LIME or Digicel’s 4G Internet using an unlocked 4G LTE Modem Dongle, smartphone or Tablet”.

There are also new 4G Data Plans for Blackberry called Blackberry Max. Again similar procedures to activation of a Blackberry Max like a regular Blackberry Plan as explained in my Geezam blog article entitled “How to Set Up a Prepaid or Postpaid Blackberry Plan on your BB for LIME or Digicel”:

Finally for customers who apparently have some attachment issues to 2G Data and 2G Blackberry Plans, there are 2G Data and 2G Blackberry Plans Data just for them as well. The 2G Data Plans are, yet again, similar to those as described in my Geezam blog article entitled “How to get 2G or 3G Internet on your Mobile Phone in Jamaica”:

And as with all of Digicel offers, caveats abound in three (3) new Data Plans as shown called Data Lite, Data Plus and Data Max, all of which can be read, if you have the time, on Digicel FAQ on Digicel’s Data Plans:

1.      No video Calling or downloading or any activity that involves downloading while on Data Lite or Data Plus Plans

2.      Downloading or accessing Attachments is allowed in email on all three (3) Data Plans

3.      If you exceed you Data Plan, you’re instantly downgraded to 2G instead of being billed for the overage except in the case of Data Lite, Data Plus and 2G Data Plans. This is called Fair Usage

4.      2G Data Plans cannot be activated on Blackberrys and 2G Blackberry Plans, including Blackberry Max cannot be activated on Feature phones (like duh!)

Note too that Telecom Provider Digicel has finally added notifications to indicate to you when you’re close to finishing your Data Bundles, taking a leaf from Telecom Provider LIME as stated in my blog article entitled “LIME Jamaica introduces 30-day Data Plans for JA$300 and a free Alcatel One Touch T'Pop - How the Butler started the Smartphone Data Revolution”.

Telecom Provider Digicel has taken their Data Services and has re-complicated them yet again. Digicel DataFlex gave me hope for a simpler Data experience as pointed out in my blog article entitled “Digicel’s launches DataFlex Prepaid Data Credit - Tablet Data Account top-up sans USSD codes as Data is Hot and Pay the Right Price Campaign needed once again”.

Telecom Provider Digicel’s three (3) new Data Plans as shown called Data Lite, Data Plus and Data Max have dashed those hopes out the window yet again.

Amazon is planning to launch a Streaming Set Top Box by March 2014 - Amazon Prime Kindle Box is a Dash of Cinnamon and may be the ultimate savior of Gaming Consoles

Amazon is on an interesting roll!

Their futuristic Drone Delivery service dubbed Amazon PrimeAir was on my watch list for Technology developments that I expected in 2014 as stated in my blog article entitled “Tech Predictions for 2014 - PC killin' Tablets and Wearable Computers, Personal Drones and Autonomous Vehicles Hydrogen Fuelled Cars”. 

Now it seems a more down-to-Earth Development is set to take place in March 2014 for Earth’s Most Customer Centric Company, as Amazon alledgedly has plans to launch a Streaming Set Top Box in that month as stated in the article “Amazon readies its potentially game-changing set-top box, aims for March release”, published February 21, 2014 by Alex Tretbar, DigitalTrends.

This Streaming Set Top Box, codenamed “Cinnamon”, like Raj’s Dog in the Big Bang Theory, whether real or not, is a game changer. Mostly likely it’ll eventually be called the KindleBox and will work in tandem with its Tablet cousins the Amazon Kindle Fire series of Tablets as described in my blog article entitled “Amazon launches Kindle Fire HD and Kindle PaperWhite e-Readers - ACS-Xerox Call Centers in Jamaica ramp up as Kindle Fires begin to Sparkle”.

The Details as of now are sparse, but from my experience working at an Amazon Call Center back in 2011, most likely the service will be tied to Amazon Prime as argued in “Amazon reportedly prepping Web TV product for March”, published February 21, 2014 5:16 AM PST by Lance Whitney, CNET News. Amazon Prime members would probably be getting the Amazon Prime KindleBox (‘cause that’s what I’m calling it!) at a discount price or even free, so long as they’ve subscribed to Amazon’s Streaming content.

Amazon’s Game Console - VOD the ultimate savior of Gaming Consoles

But what has me excited is the possibly that this may be the long awaited US$299 Android-powered Console I’ve been pining away for as reported in the week of Tuesday January 28^th 2014 as stated  in “Long-rumored Amazon console set for 2014 at sub-$300 -- report”, published January 28, 2014 6:03 AM PST by Don Reisinger, CNET News.

Interestingly too, less than a week later on Wednesday February 5^th 2014, Amazon reportedly purchased Game Developer Double Helix, a Developer with some 20 years of experience in building Video Games with the expressed interest to build better Games as stated in “Amazon acquires game studio Double Helix Games”, published February 5, 2014 7:54 PM PST by Steven Musil, CNET News and “Amazon Acquires Video Gaming Studio Double Helix Games”, Posted Feb 5, 2014 by Sarah Perez and Colleen Taylor, TechCrunch.

I’d predicted this, suggesting that Apple, Google and the likes of Amazon would make a Set top box that doubles as a Gaming Console as stated in my blog article entitled “China allows Console Makers to manufacture Video Game Consoles in Shanghai Free Zone - Social Mobile Cloud Gaming Revival with Legit Chinese Customers and defense against Apple and Google” specifically to tap into the lucrative Chinese market.

Look like I may be right on the money if these reports pan out as right now, VOD (Video on Demand) may wind up being the ultimate savior of Gaming Consoles, as VOD is on the rise as noted in my blog article entitled “Cable TV subscriptions Declines as the Connected Home boost IPTV Streaming”. Stay tuned to my blog for more details as it happens!

LIME experiences 25% increase in Profits due to MTR - 4G LTE and FTTH like Bahamas with IPTV Streaming LIME TV will give LIME 3 Days to Kill

“Jamaicans can use a LIME phone and call a Digicel phone and it still works out cheaper than calling a Digicel to Digicel phone. We are now on an upward trajectory and this has been due to a hard- working team effort led by our managing director Gary Sinclair who has been absolutely fantastic. We remain committed to turning this great”

Chairman of LIME, Chris Dehring in an interview with Caribbean Business Report on Thursday February 13th 2014

Telecom Provider LIME has been making steady progress since the MTR (Mobile Termination Rate) adjustment by the OUR (Office of Utilities Regulation) on Monday July 1^st 2013 as stated in my blog article entitled “OUR sets Cross-Network Rates at JA$1.10 as of Monday July 1 2013 - Everything is Possible  as we’re Zombies for Data World War Z” as predicted by LIME Chairman Chris Dehring.

This based on some fresh statistics from Telecom Provider LIME as presented in “LIME sees 25% rise in Mobile subscriber base”, published Friday, February 14, 2014 BY SHAMILLE SCOTT Business reporter, The Jamaica Observer.

Their three (3) year plan of Mobile Dominance as detailed in my blog article entitled “LIME drops JA$2.99 Talk EZ to All Networks as Digicel promises something Bigger - Telecom Providers can bring The Heat via lower Priced Smartphones to spur 3G Data and Postpaid Plans” is on course.

But most importantly, Telecom Provider LIME can see increased growth if they roll out LIME FTTH (Fiber to the Home) and LIME 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) to carry the IPTV Streaming version LIME TV as argued in my blog article entitled “LIME poised to revamp and relaunch LIME TV in the Fourth Quarter of 2013 - A Rebranding of LIME TV for Live and VOD Streaming to push 4G LTE and FTTH Services is on The To Do List”.

Statistics from the Third Quarter of 2013 – MTR is a Good Look as LIME catches a break

The statistics are the most interesting I’ve come across to date for the Third Quarter of 2013:

1.         25% Operating profit increase compared to Third Quarter of 2012

2.         18% drop in Revenue

3.         7% increase in operating Expense

4.         23% increase in active subscribers

5.         42% increase in Mobile service revenue

6.         30% growth in broadband

Translated in numbers, the Third Quarter of 2013 wasn't all that bad:

1.      35,000 additional Mobile subscribers

2.      JA$792 million, up from JA$631.9 million during the Third Quarter of 2012

3.      JA$315.5 million loss down from $437.5 million during the Third Quarter of 2012

4.      JA$6 billion revenue up from $4.9 billion during the Third Quarter of 2012

5.      JA$120 million in restructuring expense

The revenue declines can be attributed to the following decisions:

1.      Restructuring Global Directory Services contract

2.      Reduction in national fixed-line retail rates

3.      Voluntary redundancy program undertaken during the quarter

Clearly the MTR is benefiting Telecom Provider LIME, as they’re on a road to recovery.

LIME can do more for Mobile and Broadband – LIME 4G LTE with LIME TV

Lucky for them, Browse and Talk packages came on line, helping to maintain their Landline base and reduce people leaving for Telecom Provider Digicel's DigiHome Services as described in my blog article entitled “LIME's Postpaid Plus and JA$200 per week Blackberry Plans - Browse and Talk is proof that Postpaid and Data Services are all the Rage as MNP and LNP approaches on May 2014”.  

Also, Christmas was good in terms of smartphones with similar spikes in the purchase of sub-US$200 smartphones in December 2013 an indication that smartphones are the new “thing” as noted in my blog article entitled “Jamaicans fall in love with Digicel's DL600 and DL700 during Christmas 2013 - Sub-US$100 smartphones driving rapid smartphone adoption in Jamaica as Manufacturing is Possible”.

Still, their smartphone offerings, aside from the expensive Apple iPhone 5S, the Gold Standard (literally) of smartphones is lackluster as noted in my blog article entitled “LIME JA$5000 plus GCT offer for the Huawei Ascend Y210 - LIME's Run and Jump for Digicel Supa DigiDealz Sales should have used the Huawei Ascend Y300”.

LIME needs to embrace the future – IPTV LIME TV over 4G LTE and FTTH is the Future

Also I’m awaiting news about the IPTV version of LIME TV, about which very little has been said in the Traditional Media or even on Social Media. It failed to launch in 2013 as promised along with FTTH (Fiber to The Home) as I’d anticipated in my blog article entitled “LIME poised to revamp and relaunch LIME TV in the Fourth Quarter of 2013 - A Rebranding of LIME TV for Live and VOD Streaming to push 4G LTE and FTTH Services is on The To Do List”.

If Telecom Provider LIME were to roll out an IPTV version of LIME TV, powered by 4G LTE or FTTH, it would boost them way past Telecom Provider Digicel and put the squarely in competition with FLOW. 4G LTE for customers would be commercially profitable, as Jamaicans love for Cable TV mirrors that of our American cousins. Even moreso if they can stream and watch it on any Internet-connected device, be it Laptops or Tablets as we slowly fall in love with these gadgets opined in my blog article entitled “Cable TV subscriptions Declines as the Connected Home boost IPTV Streaming”.

But Telecom Provider LIME must hurry. Columbus Communications, parent company of FLOW may have lost their FLOW President and CEO Michelle English to a promotion to Columbus Communication Offices. But they are squarely focused on growing their Corporate Data Services, be it Broadband Internet or Cloud Storage Services by taking advantage of the trend of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) at the Workplace as explained in my Geezam blog article entitled “Columbus Communications expects BYOD boost for Cloud Computing”.

So should Telecom Provider LIME. They can achieve this by taking advantage of growth areas, largely in Postpaid Mobile and Data Services and thus roll out 4G LTE as they’ve done in Bahamas as noted in my blog article entitled “Bahamas Telecommunications Company launched 4G LTE on Valentine's Day - Jamaicans need UNCHR Right to Broadband Access needed to empower Jamaicans before 4G LTE can go National”.

A roll out an IPTV version of LIME TV using 4G LTE and FTTH would woo consumers looking for an alternative to FLOW, Telecom Provider LIME’s real competitor as argued in my blog article entitled “LIME rolls out new Business themed ADSL and Local and International Landline Calling Bundles - DigiHome offense could Herald the coming of LIME FTTH and relaunch of LIME TV”.

@Philips Intelligent Lighting System delivers Li-Fi Network LBS Coupons using LED Lighting

“The beauty of the system is that retailers do not have to invest in additional infrastructure to house, power and support location beacons for indoor positioning. The Light fixtures themselves can communicate this information by virtue of their presence everywhere in the store.”

Philips Representative Gerben van der Lugt explaining how Philips Intelligent Lighting System works

Dutch company Philips is into more than just Lighting.

They’ve decided to shine a path in the lucrative sector of personalized LBS (Location Based Services) with their Intelligent Lighting System made up of LED (Light Emitting Diode) fixtures that communicate with your smartphone when Grocery shopping as stated in “PHILIPS CHALLENGES APPLE’S IBEACON WITH ‘INTELLIGENT LIGHTING SYSTEM’ FOR SHOPPERS”, published February 18, 2014 By Trevor Mogg, Digitaltrends.

But here’s the twist; Philips Intelligent Lighting System doesn’t communicate with you smartphone using Bluetooth like Apple iBeacon, but rather uses Light received via the smartphones cameras as explained in “Philips’ new intelligent store Lighting can track shoppers”, published FEB. 17, 2014 by David Meyer, GigaOM.

In essence, Philips Intelligent Lighting System is the first known example of a Li-Fi based LBS, with Li-Fi the Optical Equivalent of Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n) and a derivative of FLORA (Fiber Less Optical Receiver Array) Technology that can be use for Backhaul on Telecom Networks as explained in my blog article entitled  “EPSRC and University of Strathclyde researches FLORA based Li-Fi for developement in the next four years - Selena Gomez’s Come and Get It FLORA Li-Fi for Last Mile Internet to be Downloaded”.

The Intelligent Lighting System was unveiled at the Euroshop Retail Show in Düsseldorf, Germany, which started on Monday February 17^th 2014 and from the looks of it, it's very similar to Apple iBeacon as I'd explained in my blog article entitled “MLB testing out Apple's iBeacon to give New York Mets Fans Treats and Free Coupons - iBeacon a challenge to FourSquare”.

Their main difference is that the beacons in Philips Intelligent Lighting System are multi-functional i.e. they double as energy-saving Lighting fixtures that are powered by the premises power. They most likely receive their access to the Internet using the Powerline AV 500 or Homeplug AV Protocol as explained in “What is Power-Line networking?” Viewed 04/23/2013 by Lindsworth Deer, CNET News.

This saves on messy Ethernet CAT 5/6 Cableing wiring or the need to use Wi-Fi to connect the Lighting Fixtures to the Internet. And of course the Communication Technology from the Philips Intelligent Lighting System to the smartphone, which is effectively Data Transmitted via Light pulses from Bulbs that are nearby.

Something that PAMS (Port Authority Management Services Limited), the company that manages the “White Elephant” known as the Half-Way-Tree Transport Center, can consider as a means of encouraging commuters to buy items from the stores and thus drive revenue among smartphone toting as noted in my blog article entitled “PAMS to debut GOJ branded Food Court in Half-Way-Tree Transport Center - Making revenue from Unruly smartphone toting High School students via Cooked Food and JA$100 a week Wi-fi Internet”.

Philips Intelligent Lighting System uses Li-Fi – Future POC LBS Based on FLORA Derived Technology

Philips Intelligent Lighting System is elegantly simple.

It detects the shopper’s location by determining their proximity to a nearby LED Light fixture based on the known positions of the Li-Fi enable LED that are constantly sending Data via Li-Fi Network of LED. Then Smartphone then responds via using the flash on the camera to pulse on an off rapidly. These pulses are so rapid as to be invisible to the naked eye, appearing as if the light is constantly on!

The App for the store that’s running on the smartphone establishes communications with the Li-Fi Receiver inside of the Philips Intelligent Lighting System LED Bulbs. The Store App then receives and sends Data on what the customer is looking for and what’s on their Grocery List.

  

This may be product offers or guidance to the latest sales and even coupon offers, a flood of Data via an Optical Transmission system that’ll overwhelm the first time shopper toting their smartphone, but one they’ll love, because of the amount of information that a Li-Fi Network can theoretically carry to the smartphone.

Best of all, solves a problem I’ve had with Apple’s iBeacon, in that their System requires frequent maintenance to keep the iBeacon modules powered. Plus, Philips design blends in seamlessly with the Lighting by using the LED Lighting fixtures for BOTH power and a revolutionary form of communication, Li-Fi. 

This makes it suitable for Supermarkets, Transport Centers, Football Stadiums, Large Bars and Restaurants, Amusement Parks and any other Public venue that are lit up by these Energy-saving LEDs Jamaica can possibly manufacture in the future as opined in my blog article entitled “No news on progress of the Rare Earth Pilot Plant at JBI - Cuba-Jamaica CFL Project Heralds manufacturing of LED's, Li-Ion Batteries and Sapphire Screens in Jamaica”.

Albeit I’ve avoided gushing through most of this article, I must say I’m truly impressed by Philips Intelligent Lighting System. This as it uses a Li-Fi Network, the first of its kind and possibly the first practical application of a Li-Fi Network that I know. So if this becomes a finished product by the end of 2014. I’ll be more than thrilled!

Just remember, once your favourite location puts out a customized App using these Personalized LBS Services, be it Apple’s iBeacon or Philip’s Intelligent Lighting System, just saddle up yourself and get ready to be bombarded by In Secret (2013) Advertising and Coupons at the Speed of Light!

Facebook acquires WhatsApp for US$19 Billion - CEO Jan Koum promises no advertising

“You can continue to use WhatsApp no matter where in the world you are, or what smartphone you're using. And you can still count on absolutely no ads interrupting your communication. There would have been no partnership between our two companies if we had to compromise on the core principles that will always define our company, our vision and our product”

Founder and CEO Jan Koum on her personal blog reassuring WhatsApp members that Advertising will not become a part of WhatsApp

Facebook has just purchased the five year old company WhatsApp for a whopping US$19 Billion, apparently impressed (or Fearful) of the phenomenal rate of Growth of this Mobile Social Network as stated in “Facebook to acquire WhatsApp for $16B”, published February 19, 2014 2:11 PM PST by Jennifer Van Grove, CNET News. 

Either that or Facebook must have read my blog article predicting their death at the hands of a Mobile Social Network and decided not to take any chances of being beaten by WhatsApp’s as predicted in my blog article entitled “WhatsApp is now one-third the size of Facebook - Mobile Social Messaging American Hustler faces competition from the Rising Tide of Blackberry Messenger as they Herald Facebook's Death”.

However you spin it, this news has many shocked and clutching their smartphones as if they had a smartphone-heart attack as noted in “Facebook to buy WhatsApp for $19 billion in deal shocker”, published Thu Feb 20, 2014 3:36am EST BY GERRY SHIH AND SARAH MCBRIDE, Reuters. Whatever the reason, US$19 billion is a lot of cheese, and it’s not even Easter yet! For Founder and CEO Jan Koum, who symbolically signed the Agreement for Sale at the door of his old Welfare Office, this is great moment of triumph for the Russian immigrant whose immigration story should inspire legions of Immigrant Engineers to focus on their ideas and not be sidetracked as chronicled in “Exclusive: The Rags-To-Riches Tale Of How Jan Koum Built WhatsApp Into Facebook's New $19 Billion Baby”, published 2/19/2014 @ 7:58PM by Parmy Olson, Forbes.

From February 1, 2014

That’s not a typo by the way, folks, just missing info in the CNET News article; the payment made by the Big Blue Social Network to the “Green Hornet” Mobile Social Network is detailed in the SEC (Security Exchange Commission) filing as reported in “Facebook buys WhatsApp for $19 billion – yes, billion”, published February 19, 2014 By Andrew Couts, DigitalTrends as follows:

1.      US$4 billion in cash

2.      US$12 billion worth of Facebook stock up front

3.      US$3 billion in Facebook shares from 2014 to 2018 to WhatsApp’s founders and employees US$19 billion total ponied up to acquire WhatsApp

This is a lot more than the equally shocking amount that Facebook spend to acquire Instagram, which was US$1 billion. Still, Facebook’s spend is an expression of confidence in the performance of fledgling Mobile Social Network, which at the time of the acquisition was approximately 1/3 of Facebook’s size and boasts some impressive metrics as reported in “Facebook score a bargain with $16B acquisition of WhatsApp?”, published February 19, 2014 5:30 PM PST by Steven Musil, CNET News:

1.      450 million MAU (monthly active users) globally

2.      320 million DAU (daily active users)

3.      70 percent daily user engagement

4.      19 billion messages sent per day

5.      34 billion messages received per day

6.      600 million Photos uploaded daily

7.      200 Million Voice Messages sent daily

8.      100 million Video Messages sent daily

SMS (Short Messaging Service), despite its iniquitousness, is slowing globally, now down to  21 billion per day projected by Gigaom Malik OM in my blog article entitled “CTIA reports a 5% decline in US Texting as Instant Messaging ramps up - WhatsApp's now Top Gun as The Dead Zone leads Star Trek Into the Darkness”. As more persons switch to smartphones, IM (Instant Messaging) Platform usage explodes and services such as Kik, Snapchat, Whisper, BBM, Viber and WhatsApp are riding this wave.

As SMS’s growth slows with the Rising Tide of IM (Instant Messaging) a jewel in the crown of Mobile Social Networks, Facebook hopes to ride this way via WhatsApp acquisition, which allows them to provide a low-cost alternative to SMS to quote Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg: “As Facebook works to connect the entire world and build the infrastructure for a global community, WhatsApp will clearly help accelerate our progress. People use WhatApp as a replacement for SMS”.

Facebook panicked and brought WhatsApp – BBM and Google+ Coming to finish them off by 2016

Albeit comparing Apples to Oranges is never advisable, it’s still worth noting that these numbers for the Mobile Social Network WhatsApp best Facebook’s as noted in my blog article entitled “Facebook continues to grow despite challenges from Mobile Social Network - Facebook is Growing Strong like House Tyrell in Game of Thrones” and my Geezam blog article entitled “Facebook is Growing Strong with 1.15 Billion Active users in the Second Quarter of 2013”, which is still for the most part a Desktop based Social Network.

Good to note that despite the Engineering rhetoric of WhatsApp’s Founder and CEO Jan Koum in the article “WhatsApp: Don't sweat, Facebook buy won't change us”, published February 19, 2014 2:42 PM PST by Roger Cheng, CNET News and on Facebook, published February 19, 2014 by Jan Koum, WhatsApp, an advertising model IS IN THE WORKS, as Mobile Social Networks have to monetize to make revenue from all that Traffic.

The value place on WhatsApp is a “fear Value” not a fair one; Facebook is afraid that they’ll be made into dinosaurs by this younger, faster growing rival, so they just bought them out, plain and simple. No different from any company buying a rival with new technology fearing that they’ll upset their Apple Cart with some new Technology. Especially as the dead skeletons of past Social Networks such as MySpace, Friendser and Hi5 that failed to make the transition to Mobile Platforms still gives Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg nightmares!

So monetization via Advertising will definitely be the first change Facebook’s gonna make to WhatsApp. Same’s true for Snapchat, Kik and even the super anonymous Whisper as I’d chronicled in my blog article entitled “Whisper, the Anonymous Secret Sharing Social Mobile Network - Confession of Awkward Moment being revealed fuelled by the desire to Bare your Soul to Strangers”; they too are all working on monetization models that involve advertizing, or the possible resale of Statistical Metrics or even personal Data to Advertisers.

Also good to note that albeit this may get FB a bigger foot in the Mobile Social Network Game and thereby take over the world as noted in “Facebook's new 10-year plan? SMS -- aka WhatsApp”, published February 19, 2014 5:04 PM PST by Jennifer Van Grove, CNET News, they still have to contend with the two Big Elephants in the Room: BBM and Google+.

BBM currently has a phenomenal rate of adoption ever since it was let loose from Blackberry as I’d reported in my Geezam blog article “WhatsApp popularity fading as BBM’s the most downloaded IM App on iOS” and my blog article entitled “Blackberry Messenger is Most Downloaded in November 2013 and is poised to beat WhatsApp - BBM is now on the Rising Tide of the Mobile Social Messaging Network Summer of Love”, besting even WhatsApp during November 2013 in terms of downloads on Apple iOS. 

BBM 2.0 is now out since Thursday February 13^th 2014 and features Free VoIP Calling and Dropbox Integration, something that WhatsApp doesn’t have as reported in my blog article entitled “BBM 2.0 now with Voice and Dropbox Integration – WhatsApp beaten for sure as Free File Sharing and Voice Calling result in BBM Transcendence on Android and iOS”. WhatsApp has now begun charging US$0.99 per year for both Google Android and Apple iOS users after 1 year’s usage.

Google+ is coming to kick Facebook to the curb, based on the stats of their usage collated in my blog article entitled “Google+ is expanding rapidly and is set to beat Facebook by 2016 - Batman the Dark Knight Rises as the new Social Network King” and my Geezam blog article entitled “Winter is Coming as Google+ is on a collision course to beat Facebook by 2016”. So stay tuned for the real fireworks come 2016, as Mobile Social Networks in the form of BBM and Google+ gather momentum.

Facebook needs to saddle up this new horse with some advertising and quick! The revelry of the US$19 billion purchase will fade quickly when their acquisition starts to misfire against BBM and Google+, Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) of Mobile Social Networks.

Going back to Mother Earth - How to Reuse the Brita Water Filter in Water Purification Pitcher

If you own a Brita Water Purification Pitcher, you’d realize that it’s really nothing more than a Activated Charcoal Filter as I’d pointed out a long time ago in my blog article entitled “Water Sector Liberalization and the RainCatch Cloak - Activated Charcoal makes Potable WaterWorld”. If you’ve ever happened to shake up the Brita Water Filter, you’d notice that the Water coming out is black in colour, has a carbon-ish taste (not my favourite!) and is filled with little fleck of white colour, which is the crystalline Salts removed from the Water.

So how do you replace the Activated Charcoal Filter? Believe me when I say this will be my shortest blog article ever, as I believe its high time people in Jamaica stop buying Bottle Water or worse, spending money replacing those Brita Water Filters that you can refill yourself. Before I begin though, please note that Filtered Water isn’t free of Bacteria, merely free of dissolved mineral salts present in Potable Drinking Water from the Tap.

You may also notice that Water that’s completely free of minerals can cause headaches; Water needs to have some dissolved salts in it, necessitating that Filtered Water be used mainly for cooking and not kept solely for Drinking purposes! 

Thus a Brita Water Purification Pitcher, which you can buy on Amazon or Ebay (preferably), is only good for purifying that type of Water. If you want to purify Dirty Water or Water from unknown sources, you need to use a Solar Desalinator, instructions for its construction I’ve described in detail in my Geezam blog article entitled “How to Make Distilled Water using a Solar Desalinator”. Then you can follow the following DIY (Do It Yourself) Procedure as show in the Video below!

First you’ll need the following, most of which you can buy on Amazon or Ebay:

1.      ½” Drill Bit

2.      1/8” Drill Bit

3.      Granular Activated Charcoal

4.      Assistant who’s clearly sober and has steady hands

5.      Assorted Collection of Wooden Corks

6.      Bottle of Distilled or Bottled Water

7.      Brita Water Filter

8.      Brita Water Purification Pitcher

9.      Electric Drill

10.  Old Newspaper

11.  Rubber Mallet

12.  Wooden Table

The instructions are very simple, again the video being your guide:

1.      Dry out the Brita Water Purification Pitcher and remove the Brita Water Filter

2.      Spread some old newspaper on the Wooden Table, making it your work area

3.      Drill a pre-drill hole using the Drill fitted with the 1/8” Drill Bit, using your Assistant who’s clearly sober and has steady hands to hold the Brita Water Filter

4.      Drill the larger hole using the ½” Drill Bit and previous hole as your guide, using your Assistant who’s clearly sober and has steady hands to hold the Brita Water Filter

5.      Empty out the used Granular Activated Charcoal

6.      Use the Bottle of Distilled or Bottled Water to rinse out the Brita Water Filter

7.      Place the Dry Plastic Funnel and carefully siphon the new Granular Activated Charcoal you purchased on Amazon or Ebay into the Brita Water Filter, tapping the funnel and the Brita Water Filter to shake down any that has gotten stuck

8.      Once the Brita Water Filter is packed full, Cork the hole tightly with one of the Corks from the Assorted Collection of Wooden Cork, using the Rubber Mallet to tap it into place

9.      Give the Brita Water Filter filled with Granular Activated Charcoal and the hole corked with one of the Corks from the Assorted Collection of Wooden Cork one final shake.

10.  Fit the Brita Water Filter into the Brita Water Purification Pitcher and run the Water through the Bottle of Distilled or Bottled Water through the Filter to remove any Charcoal powder that’s inside the Filter

11.  When the Water finally becomes clear, it’s ready for regular usage again

The best thing about doing this is not just the amount of money you save on buying Activated Charcoal Filters for your Brita Water Purification Pitcher but also the fact that you can turn around and resell the Brita Water Purification Pitcher and provide the Refilling Services yourself. So long as your customer’s don’t have anything against Wooden Corks in their Brita Water Purification Pitcher!

Here’s where you can buy the Equiptment you need:

Granular Activated Charcoal on Ebay

Assorted Collection of Wooden Cork on Ebay

Brita Water Purification Pitcher on Amazon