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我是IP网络+WiFi的技术鼓吹者，每出现与Wi-Fi有关的小终端就会非常留意，并尽量拆开来看看，虽然我大致知道其内脏都有什么货。
不明白中国为什么搞什么3G, 速度不快不慢的，只是让那些流氓的运营商搜刮老百姓的钱包。无处不在的IP网络以及WiFi才顺应民意，并支持所有人类精英在IP网络上开发的一些应用。跟我一起呼吁吧！
Zipit的产品一年前我就在Bust Buy看见过，功能不错，能够通过WiFi网络同MSN, AOL，Yahoo Message的用户进行在线交流，但是做工粗糙，其定位好像也是那些喜欢新潮的年轻一族。
马上要推出的Zipit可以同手机用户之间进行短信联系，每个月$4.99就可以发送3000条短信。
它可以像手机一样收短信，但是只限于授权的用户，这样能够挡住一些垃圾信息。
Zipit Wi-Fi Device Adds Text Messaging
(AP) -- A small South Carolina company says it has a cure for themodern plague of budget-busting cell-phone charges racked up byteenagers: a gadget for text-messaging that isn't a cell phone.
Zipit Wireless Inc. plans toannounce Tuesday that it will make available a text-messaging plan forits Zipit Wireless Messenger 2, a device the size of fat wallet thatuses Wi-Fi hotspots to do free instant messaging with AOL InstantMessenger, Yahoo Messenger and Windows Live Messenger.
Zipit users who sign up for atext-messaging plan will now be able to contact cell-phone users, aswell as communicate by instant message.
The plan will cost $4.99 for up to 3,000 messages per month when itformally launches in February. Between Dec. 20 and the launch, textmessaging is free on the device.
Cell-phone carriers typically charge 10 or 15 cents per textmessage, or $15 a month to add 1,500 or "unlimited" text messages to acalling plan. The service costs almost nothing to provide, making it"one of the most profitable applications known to man," according toMorgan Stanley's telecommunications analyst, Simon Flannery.
The Zipit 2 itself costs $149.99. It has a color screen andlaunched in November as a follow-up to the monochrome original Zipit,which came out in 2004.
The Zipit 2 will be able to receive as well as send text messages.But unlike a cell phone, the Zipit won't accept text messages fromnumbers that haven't been added to an approved list by the user, whichshould make it immune to spam sent as text messages. Also unlike a cellphone, it won't be able to send text messages to more than onerecipient at a time.
The Zipit belongs to a small category of devices that haveattempted to capitalize on the craze for instant messaging by making itavailable off the computer. Sony Corp.'s Mylo device, which was aimedat the college-aged, is another example.
Neither the Zipit nor the Mylo has found audiences as big asinstant messaging has generally. Frank Greer, chief executive ofGreenville, S.C.-based Zipit Wireless, said "tens of thousands" of theoriginal Zipit have sold, though he would not give sales figures.
The relatively slow pace of sales probably is due to the difficultyof marketing a wireless messaging device to people who already have one- the cell phone. Both the Zipit and the Mylo also need to be in aWi-Fi hotspot to function.
But Zipit 2's text-messaging feature - which can be added through adownloaded software update - will help close the gap with cell phones.
The original Zipit is not upgradeable.
The PC version of AOL Instant Messenger already allows text messaging to cell-phone users, who can also reply to the AIM user.
On the Net:
http://www.zipitwireless.com
Sony Mylo: http://www.learningcenter.sony.us/assets/itpd/mylo/prod/index.html |
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发表于 2007-12-30 15:20:49
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