 | |||||||||||||
| | | |||||||||||
| |
|
| | |||||||||
| | | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
| ||||
| | | ||
| | | | |
| | | ||
| ||||
| ||||
| | | ||
| | | | |
| | | ||
| ||||
 | ||||
| | | ||
| | | | |
| | | ||
| ||||
| 19 Dec 2007 - Telstra HIPTOP SLIDE - One for the Kids | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
As a Blackberry user, I do enjoy having constant access to email, but the cost of a blackberry plan on top of a normal phone plan can really tip you over the edge. So it's hard to conceive a time when you would want your kids to have a blackberry - Telstra have a solution. The HIPTOP SLIDE - Known in the USA as the SIDEKICK, this is a 'funky' looking device that is aimed squarly at the youth market. Instant messaging with Messenger or Yahoo, SMS, Email, Contacts, Camera, Games, Web and of course a phone! Up front, lets be clear, it's not the leading device in the world for quality or speed - its not NextG, nor is the camera all that flash, and it does NOT do video - however, leaving those things aside, it is a fantastic device for kids who are messaging or SMS'ing their mates. OUCH you are thinking, how much are those SMS's going to cost - well HERE is where I think the Hiptop is a winner. This is available on a $30 per month plan - unlimited emails, yahoo/live messaging, and SMS's. That's right, UNLIMITED SMS's. Phone calls are additional, and I think that's where Telstra are thinking $$ - Kids can't resist making calls, so at 30c for every 30 seconds plus a 27c flag fall you COULD be stung. IF you can control the kids calling, and encourge use for just SMS/Email etc, then this is a real winner. It has a great design, which I found hard to use - but I have fat fingers! The menu is controlled by a mousewheel style thing just like the blackberry, and the menu's inside the programs are easy to pick up. The Device also allows for direct integration with MySpace which should also appeal directly to Telstra's Target market for this device! A couple of other drawbacks are the Mp3 player which only plays off an optional Micro SD card and the non standard headphone jack - that can be annoying... But I personally don't see this as a multimedia device - kids are still going to want an iPod!! No doubt children will hook straight onto this one - and as I say, for just $30 a month - EXCELLENT for controlling those crazy SMS costs.. for full details: http://www.telstra.com.au/hiptop/index.htm | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Share your thoughts: Added: Wednesday, 19 Dec 2007 11:30 am it would great for my son, when hes out of town, to keep intouch, its a great gadet joanne mack, harrington park add your comment: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||
| | | ||
| | | | |
| | | ||
| ||||