Instant Messaging (IM) services have grown very popular over the years. Those of us who have been around for long are probably still fans of Yahoo Messenger. Then there’s Google Talk.

But there are new kids on the block, the most popular of which is WhatsApp. Besides that, there are also Kik, Ping, Blackberry Messenger, ChatOn, iMessenger, and FaceBook Chat.

Regardless of how popular IM services have been, however, there is one nagging problem – the non-universal nature of the services.

Both WhatsApp and Kik are available for all major smartphone platforms – Android, Symbian, iOS, Blackberry. Viber is available only for Android and iOS. Whatever the reach of each service, the user has to know about them first and then go install them to their phones.

For example, If I have WhatsApp installed and running on my phone, some of my contacts may not have it on theirs. Some of them may be using Kik or BBM or some other service. Problem.

WhatsApp has been the most popular. For the purpose of this discussion, let us assume that everyone we know is using this service. WhatsApp is a paid service and after a trial free period, a subscription is required. Not everyone will pay for the service. As such, I will end up losing some contacts.

SMS – From Messaging To Instant Messaging

Short Message Service (SMS) has been around for ages. It was not designed as an IM service, but shall we consider the possibility of its evolution into one?

SMS is ubiquitous. SMS is built into the GSM technology of networks. Its capability is built into every mobile in production. These two points mean that the problem of universality is solved (or removed from the way). In addition, it is always-on as long as your phone is switched on and within coverage area. No configuration needed to get it working.

Would it be too difficult to evolve SMS into an IM service? I don’t think so – and I think that this is eventually what will happen.

Already, the modern conversation-style user interface of SMS in modern smartphones has taken it one step closer to the IM goal.

How fast will this transition or evolution happen? I don’t know. But I am sticking my neck out that it will eventually. SMS will evolve into the mother of all mobile IM services.

Comments welcome!

You may not be aware of it, but Twitter offers a service that allows you post updates using good old SMS. Yes; you do not need an internet connection in order to tweet or receive notifications of your mentions.

Setting up your phone allows you to:

• Send tweets with text messaging on your phone.
• Receive texts for DMs and the tweets from users you want to be notified about.

Networks

Of the four GSM networks in Nigeria, three currently offer this access – MTN, Airtel, and Glo. Unfortunately, Etisalat is not in the picture yet.

You can setup text messaging for Twitter either on the Twitter website, or on your phone using SMS.

SetUp Online

Go to the Twitter website, login to your account, and go to your Settings menu. Select the “Mobile” tab. Complete the setup process.

You have options to select what sort of notifications you want to receive.

SetUp With Your Phone

In your phone SMS menu, send START or SIGNUP as an SMS to the relevant shorrtcode:

• On MTN/Airtel, Send to 40404
• On Glo, send to 20644

You will be required to complete a one-time login with your username (Twitter handle) and password.

Now You Can Tweet From Your Phone

To tweet, just compose your tweet using your phone’s SMS menu and send to the relevant shortcode for your network (40404 for MTN and Airtel; and 20644 for Glo).

Each tweet is billed your network’s standard SMS rate.

Note also that twitter’s limits is 140 characters. So, though SMS lets you type up to 160 characters, you must keep your tweets below 140.

Twitter commands

Here are a few useful commands for using SMS for Twitter! Send these commands to Twitter:

- FOLLOW username (to start following a user)
- UNFOLLOW username (to stop following a user)
- ON/OFF (to turn all Tweet notifications on or off)
- ON/OFF username (Set Tweet notifications for a user on or off; you’ll still be following them even if you set it to off)
- GET username (Shows you the latest tweet from any user)
- RETWEET username (Retweet a user’s latest tweet)
- FAVORITE username (Favorite a user’s latest tweet)
- DM username your-message (Send a direct message to a user)

Hope you find this useful during those periods that your network’s internet connection is acting up and you are having Twitter withdrawal symptoms

The concept of convergence in mobility is focused on one device handling every task required by the user. In the beginning, we had PDAs and mobile phones. Then as the idea of convergence gained ground, PDA features began to be incorporated into phones and the smartphone was eventually given birth to.

For years now, the smartphone was the champion of convergence. But that concept does not look like it will see mass adoption anymore unless and until certain factors on ground change.

Let’s face it, power users are pushing their smartphones too hard these days. Take my situation – my Nokia N8 has an always-on 3G connection, busy synchronising my mail, contacts and calendar via Microsoft Exchange.

My Twitter account also stays connected all the time. There’s yahoo Messenger when I need it, and the ocassional web browsing. I also enjoy music on my device. Lastly, there’s voice calls and SMS.

Put all these together on a touchscreen slab, and with current battery technology on mobiles, you know it is insanity for me to expect the N8 to last through a full day.

This is why I am becoming increasingly convinced that we are soon going to witness the end of convergence. With a tablet, I would be able to move certain tasks off my smartphone, thus improving its battery life by stretches.

This was my experience while I had the Apple iPad. Music, appointments, email, social networking and web browsing were moved completely to the iPad, and my phone had less to do.

On the phone front, I had a very capable phone, SMS, and a superb camera. This resulted in longer-lasting batteries on the phone. And less worries.

This is my perfect combination. I am likely to adopt this combination. This means that when picking a primary smartphone, I will always be on the lookout for the following features:

1. Excellent call quality
2. Good SMS functionality
3. Top-notch camera

As for my choice of a tablet, I do not know for sure yet. I want a tablet with 3G radio built-in. I would also need hotspot functionality, so i can share its internet access with my netbook when I do need to use that.

The iPad 2 springs to mind immediately, especially also considering its superb battery performance. However, I do not like the lack of a phone and SMS interface on the iPad range (for loading airtime and subscribing to data plans) – and please don’t mention jailbreaking to me. Not interested.

But even some of the Android alternatives lack these features too. Its a jungle out there, and choosing a tablet is becoming a daunting task.

Still, I am only in the conceptual stage of this plan. I will cross that bridge when I get there. Or perhaps some new, great development in mobile phone batteries will arrive and make this article obsolete.

In the meantime, let’s hear from you: if you were to adopt a phone-and-tablet strategy, what would inform your choices? Comments please.

goldSMS is a mobile messaging app which allows you send SINGLE and BULK text messages to any phone number in the world without having to use the airtime from your phone company. goldSMS is an application developed here in Nigeria that helps you send SMS for as low as N1 per message.

According to the developers, the application can be installed to replace your phone’s built-in SMS application. goldSMS uses the same data plan that you use for e-mail and browsing, and is available for Symbian, BlackBerry, Android and iOS devices.

App Name: goldSMS
Developers: Cybergold Integrated Solutions
Location: Benin
Download: www.cybergoldng.com/goldsms-download.html

Tariffs and telecomm products are one of those things that have always spirals downwards in Nigeria, no matter how much inflation spirals, telecoms prices keep dropping.

On the heels of MTN new tariffs, Globacom have just launched a new set of voice/SMS tariff plans, labelled; More Classic, More Prime, More Business, and More Power. Those who live in Lagos can now rejoice, as they are not currently enjoying the Glo Infinito package which was recently introduced in twenty four states. Of course, Lagos was excluded. While a few individuals resident in Lagos have reported that they are active on the plan, I tried it but I was still billed based on the old rate.

The benefits of the new Glo plans include:

• Uniform Tariff to ALL Networks
• NO Rentals
• NO Condition offers, NO complications
• Huge savings
• No Deposit, Instant Access, Cost control
• Offers instant connectivity and International Direct Dialing facility

We are still waiting for the changes that Barti Airtel of India (the new owners of Zain Nigeria) are going to introduce. We are also still waiting for Glo to implement the reduced internet subscription prices that they promised.

This is the time for the operators to fight and the time for subscribers to smile.

More details on Glo’s new voice/SMS plans are available on the Glo website.

It is looking like the widespread uptake of Glo’s recently announced Glo Infinito voice tariffs is beginning to take its toll on network integrity.

In the last few days, it looks like it has gotten more common to be told “Sorry, your call cannnot be completed now. Please try again later” when attempting a call.

In addition, from around 9.00 p.m. daily, getting and maintaining an internet connection becomes problematic at our end here. This is a phenomenon that was peculiar to MTN internet before now.

While less common, we have also faced internet connectivity issues during the day time as well. Speeds have dropped too.

Whether this is a fallout of Glo Infinito uptake or not, it needs to be addressed. I used to confidently tell people that Glo High Speed Internet was the most stable mobile internet service around. That is looking like a thing of the past.

What has your experience with voice, SMS and mobile internet on Glo been since the new Glo Infinito tariffs came into effect?

CDMA mobile network operator, Starcomms Nigeria, has provided subscribers to its internet services with new options to pay for their subscriptions. The options include:

• Recharge cards
• SMS through direct airtime debit
• Interswitch debit/ATM cards

Subscribers who want to use these options need to register online at www.starcomms.com.

In addition to making it possible for subscribers to tweet via SMS on its network, Starcomms has also launched a Facebook and Hi5 service that works via SMS.

To get going, simply send ‘STAR’ to 33397. Cost is N8/SMS.

Subscribers can also get their Friends’ wall updates on Facebook by sending ‘FB upd’ to the same number, 33397. Same tariff.

Starcomms subscribers no longer need internet access in order to tweet. All they need is their Starcomms line and phone. SMS tweets cost N10 per SMS.

To register for the service, send: “reg username password” to 33399.

Anyone tried it out yet?

GSM mobile operator, Etisalat, has launched a package that delivers a bundle of services including:

• 3MB worth of FREE browsing monthly
• free midnight calls to other EasyCliq members
• Facebook update service via SMS
• MMS uploads to Facebook gallery
• 10 FREE MMS monthly
• Free downloads of wallpapers, ringtones and screensavers from the Etisalat portal
• Talk ‘n’ Share
• Bonus on incoming calls: 5 minutes of incoming calls gives you 1 free minute bonus airtime
• SMS to other EasyCliq members: N5; Send one and get one FREE
• N0.40 per second to other EasyCliq members peak; N0.25 per second off-peak; N0.50 per second to all others

To enjoy the service, purchase an EasyCliq pack, which gives you four SIM cards that you can share with the individuals in your clique. The numbers in the pack are sequential too, so its easy to remember them.

More details:
- EasyCliq Pricing
- EasyCliq Services

Every year, to mark my birthday, I treat myself to a new mobile phone. Usually, it is a smartphone. This year, however, I have departed slightly from the regular pattern and gotten myself a mid-tier non-smartphone.

While traditionally a Nokia and Sony Ericsson fan, I have been getting quite adventurous for some time now, straying into the territory of other manufacturers, including Palm and Samsung. Well, the adventurous streak in me is apparently still at work.

I got myself an LG this time. My very first LG. Yes; life’s good!

The LG KS360

The KS360 is an interesting device from LG that sports a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a stunning 240 x 320 pixel, 2.4 inch, display with touch screen dialling functionality, GPRS and EDGE, Bluetooth, 2 MPX camera, FM radio, threaded SMS view, and microSD slot, among others. It is primarilly targeted at heavy messaging people.

KS360 beside the E90

The size difference is amazing! The KS360 is the size of a regular phone and weighs only 108g.

The KS360 with Keyboard Slid Out

I’ll be doing a full review soon, so watch this space!

In June 2005, Mobile Africa published an article in which Mr. Tayo Ajakaye raised issues (and some very valid ones too) about the quality of value added services being provided by GSM network operators (see: Value Added Services: Who Uses Them?

I followed that article with a rejoinder, RE: Value Added Services: Who Uses Them?, in which I faulted Mr. Ajakaiye’s argument, though I agreed with him that quality of service needed (and gasp – still needs) improvement.

Who uses value added services? Let’s look at two popular ones: Mobile Internet and SMS.

Mobile Internet
Let’s take WAP (mobile internet): Opera’s State of the Mobile Web report for 2008 says that Nigeria was the 2nd fastest growing mobile internet community in the period under review (with 1854% growth), and is currently globally number 12 on the mobile internet usage scale.

An incredibly large number of Nigerians must be using value added services. As far back as 2006, the BBC had reported that in July of that year, 61% of its international traffic from mobile devices (a whopping 13.2 million page views in one month alone) was from Nigeria.

SMS

Let’s not go there. The SMS market is so rich today that there’s no point flogging the statistics. TV reality shows run interactive SMS campaigns, businesses and non-profit organisations use SMS notifications to reach their target audiences, and there are already interactive SMS applications deployed for instance in banking, financial, and web hosting services.

An incredibly huge amount of Nigerians have been using value added services for years.

Are these services perfect yet? Dream on. It is a long road ahead, but warts and all, value added services by GSM (and CDMA) operators have made a huge difference in the Nigeria before GSM and Nigeria after GSM.

Mobile value added services are here to stay.