Wireless

Why mobile search is different

An interesting item by Omar Tawakol at SearchInsider on why mobile search needs to be different from desk-top search.

…assuring a pleasing mobile search means a number of things, including: providing consumers a click-saving experience that returns answers instead of links; inferring a consumer’s context from his or her device, location and other information within ranking algorithms; balancing the subscriber’s short-term and long-term preferences to present personalized, relevant results that adapt to a consumer’s changing context; and providing rich client interfaces with streamlined interfaces including custom shortcuts, auto-completion of search terms, or voice inputs to simplify the user experience.

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Internet company neglects website

Toronto Hydro Telecom One Zone 

Is anyone at Toronto Hydro Telecom embarrassed by – or even aware of – the woeful state of their website?

This is the company that operates One Zone, which it touts as Canada’s most extensive wireless internet system, covering six square kilometres of downtown Toronto.

In radio commercials this week, TH Telecom proclaims that the One Zone service is still free, although various charging packages are “coming soon”.

But on the TH Telecom website, you can read on one page that the free trial will end March 7 (which is almost two weeks ago) and on another page:

One Zone™ will be free to all users until mid-April 2007. After that time, three different packages will be offered:

  • A pre-paid monthly subscription priced at $29 per month
  • A daily subscription including 24 consecutive hours of use priced at $10
  • An hourly subscription at $5

It makes me wonder whether TH Telecom really knows when its free service will end. And if mid-April is correct, then why not tell everyone the exact date on the website and in the radio spots?

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