I don’t like working in the office. I’m there now, trying to do a column, and all I get is lots of people yelling on the phone, in their cubicles, in my cubicle. I can’t believe that once I used to write stories in an open-plan newsroom. I suppose it’s a skill worth working on, … Read more
Want to save a few bucks and convert an old wireless phone into a Skype phone? Check out Jarnaker.com: By having the phone off hook I carefully inserted my little screwdriver here and there until a heard a click in the handset. And when I found that click I injected a signal from my MP3 … Read more
Exactly a month after my first one, I just got another SkypeIn miscall to my UK number. The guy was very apologetic, but what is it with us Brits that we can’t dial the right number? It also made me realise there’s no way to mute the call or divert it to voicemail on Skype. … Read more
Ringtones. The day of the fancy, polyphonic, clip-from-your-favorite-song-or-theme-tune ringtone is here. Especially in North Asia, it seems. And it’s annoying. It’s like hearing someone turning on a radio full-blast and then turning it off, and jabbering instead. Either you’re just beginning to get into the music, or recognise it, and it’s off. I thought I would … Read more
I’m getting increasingly concerned about the potential for serious ‘texting accidents’ (what I’m going to call textcidents). These occur when two or more people are walking along texting into their cellphone and, oblivious of their surroundings, bump into each other. I’ve already advocated public ‘SMS Crannies’, where people can move out of the flow of … Read more