Economist.com.

How you use your mobile phone has long reflected where you live. But the spirit of the machines may be wiping away cultural differences

TECHNOLOGIES tend to be global, both by nature and by name. Say “television”, “computer” or “internet” anywhere and chances are you will be understood. But hand-held phones? For this ubiquitous technology, mankind suffers from a Tower of Babel syndrome. Under millions of Christmas trees North and South Americans have been unwrapping cell phones or celulares. Yet to Britons and Spaniards they are mobiles or móviles. Germans and Finns refer to them as Handys and kännykät, respectively, because they fit in your hand. The Chinese, too, make calls on a sho ji, or “hand machine”. And in Japan the term of art is keitai, which roughly means “something you can carry with you”.

This disjunction is revealing for an object that, in the space of a decade, has become as essential to human functioning as a pair of shoes. Mobile phones do not share a single global moniker because the origins of their names are deeply cultural. “Cellular” refers to how modern wireless networks are built, pointing to a technological worldview in America. “Mobile” emphasises that the device is untethered, which fits the roaming, once-imperial British style. Handy highlights the importance of functionality, much appreciated in Germany.

When I travel to Congo in a few days, I need to be able to use my phone with a SIM card from a local carrier like Vodacom or Zain.  AT&T works well in the capital city of Kinshasa only.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank God, many church members are using social media to connect outside of that one hour on Sunday morning.  But most of that communication is outside the content of the church's mission. 

What's missing is the 'shared interest'.  So, most churches are not 'tribes'. 

Seth's Blog: In search of customer intimacy.

Many brands want deep and long-lasting relationships with their customers.

Social media makes these interactions even more likely, because it encourages customers to speak up and to connect.

If Apple officially opens the iPhone system, then the bad guys (virus writers) will come in the door with the good guys.  If Apple keeps the iPhone system closed, then users will continue to jail-break the iPhone to make it more useful and personal.

I am ready for a Windows Mobile vs iPhone commercial.

Security firms cannot protect the iPhone from threats | IT PRO.

The security firm F-Secure has said that it would like to secure the iPhone from mobile security threats, but cannot due to the closed-off nature of the system.

The firm already offers security technology for mobile phones with Symbian and Windows Mobile systems, and in the future will offer protection for Android.

F-Secure chief research officer Mikko Hypponen said that people have asked for iPhone protection before, but it can't be developed.

“None of the existing anti-virus vendors can make one, without help from Apple," he said.

“Apple hasn’t been too interested in developing anti-virus solutions for the iPhone, because there are no viruses, which of course, isn’t exactly true.”

He said that recent worm outbreaks targeted jail-broken iPhones, and Apple wasn’t interested in protecting these, as it didn’t approve of jail-breaking to begin with.

“So our recommendation is to avoid jail-broken phones, because it will weaken the security of a phone, whether the iPhone or any other device,” he said.

Unfortunately, mobile technology is leveling the playing field in favor of big guys on Main Street.  The guys on "Dirt Path" will have to step it up and implement mobile technology.

In December, some pilots in mobile bank by Dirt Path will start in Uganda and Congo.  

Mobile banking holds the key to tap rural areas

New Delhi (PTI): With increasing cell phone penetration in the country, the mobile commerce space — comprising both banking services and payments — offers more opportunities for banks to reach out to the rural population.

"Mobile banking offers an opportunity for banks to reach out to the rural population and doing business in rural areas has become more viable," Divakar Goswami, who is an executive manager at global consultancy firm Deloitte Research told PTI.

According to him, in India, the penetration of mobiles is much higher as compared to that of banks, which makes the concept of mobile banking more viable.

Internet via the mobile phone will propel development in Africa.  Mobile technology will surpass the internet boom. 

Multichoice, Zain in new bill payment deal

NAIROBI, Kenya Jul 29 - Mobile telephone operator Zain and pay TV Company Multichoice have entered into a partnership agreement that will see subscribers pay their DSTV bills through Zain’s money transfer service Zap.

Speaking during the launch, Zain Managing Director Rene Meza said the deal is geared towards passing the benefits of advanced technology, as well as the fast evolving world of mobile commerce, to the consumer.

“Our focus has been product innovation and development of competitive services by building up our Zap system,” he said.

Multichoice General Manager Stephen Isaboke lauded the new partnership saying subscribers will now be able to pay for their DSTV services at their convenience.

“Our customers will now conveniently pay for their DSTV services from the comfort of their mobile phones,” he said.

Twitter has helped my blogs.  I have incorporated Twitter into my social media scheme.  As David Risley says, Twitter is one of those outposts to drive traffic to your landing page. 

Since Twitter is a tool of social media like blogging, Facebook, etc.; why would you add a bad or negative tool?

I have a front facing video mobile phone for over two years.  Unfortunately, I have not been able to make a video call.  After AT&T advertised it Video Sharing, I tried in vain for over two hours trying to get it added to my account.  No such luck!

Mobile Video Calling could be a boom for small businesses, nonprofits, and churches.   

Could the Nokia Skype Deal Activate Mobile Video Calling?

Now back to video for a moment… Video calling usage is low for a few reasons.  First are the data costs, but I think even more importantly is that the service is operator provisioned - at least on the integrated front.  The 3rd party options work, but are also have limiting factors as they require some advanced planning on both sides to make sure everyone has the right applications and connections on either their PC or mobile.  Skype on the other hand is a fairly ubiquitous application and something you can expect to find on the other end of a lot of people’s PCs today.  I’ve even been seeing Skype on national TV lately on Oprah, the Today Show and not a commerical but in actual use as part of the show.  These are programs watched by (again) millions of people who are seeing  Skype in action.  One video call with my parents and they could easily see AND hear (Skype’s voice quality is awesome) the benefits.

To avoid misunderstanding, you should explain yourself more.  Just don't make it too long!

"Communication is about 90 percent nonverbal, and so when you communicate in person you have the ability for people to see your heart.  You have the ability to communicate with your face and body language, and that's very effective." The Blogging Church, Five Questions with Perry Noble

Churches and nonprofits would do good to cast their vision with their blog.  

"A blog is a natural place to talk about upcoming events.  One main reason people read a blog is to stay current with what's going on at your church.  On a blog, you're not limited to the emotionless reporting of dry facts."  The Blogging Church, Chapter 4