Design vs Art Blog

It seems that lately internet telephone services have been out of the news, not many exciting new features, but recently I have learned about the new Jajah Buttons.

The configuration process could be a little bit confusing at the beginning with the system requiring a Screenname that can not be changed once you set it up (plus, FAQ section does not have a search feature!).

But the service seems to be interesting: it is a button you can paste in your blog, website, eBay auction and email signature. Then, when somebody sees that button and fills it with his or her telephone number Jajah connects that person with you. The owner of the button is the one paying for the phone call.

This could be a good idea for people interested in being contacted. It also allows you to change your phone number, block certain ones and reject calls.

eBay has recently deleted all listings containing the Jajah Button. The is that eBay owns Skype, a direct competitor. Too bad, eBay.

In my opinion, the button’s design is very smart, giving the possibility to choose different colors and sizes. At the beginning I thought that users would not click there, but Jajah guys were smart and placed an “information icon”, when clicked it tells you what is that Jajah Button about and makes clear that the call is free of charge.

This is the Jajah Button:

Popularity: 12% [?]

Now that the Apple iPhone release is confirmed to be on November 9 in the UK, France and Germany, I would like to tell you why I will replace my new Nokia E61 with an iPhone.

Internet
Getting access to the internet everywhere and being able to see web sites on a “big” display was the main reason I bought the E61. Well, I have to say that not even this is well done by this mobile that comes with two different browsers, one for normal web pages and other for wap ones, so you have to switch between them all the time.

Also, checking sites is not as nice and comfortable as with the iPhone, with which you can easily zoom in, select and point. Ajax support is also missing on the Nokia E61.

Synchronization
I am not a Mac user but synchronizing through iTunes is a fantastic feature. Right now I have to use a very user-unfriendly application provided by Nokia that makes my life boring while trying to put my music, videos and pictures into my phone.

General Design
The Nokia E61 has many design and usability flaws. Like trying to open an Excel file that was imported from the computer is a pain, with the phone telling you that the document is in “another” format, but ridiculous enough at the end displays it.

The navigation through menus is also badly design, having to go back and forth all the time. When you want to activate the Silent mode you have to go to a special menu, click on Silence, then Option, then Activate, then it will display a message saying that the Silence mode is activated, then it goes back the Profiles menu (why I would like to stay there if I have just changed the profile?!). Puuufff, this telephone is making my life more complicated.

Price
I have just checked the prices in the UK and with plans starting at £35 with unlimited internet access this mobile is not going to be more expensive than my previous one.

I am waiting for the Apple iPhone release in Germany!

Popularity: 18% [?]