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TRAI again

27.09.11

And now the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has smacked down on these practices with a sweeping injunction — the National Customer Call Preference Registry (a do-not-disturb directory), which allows consumers to opt out of these... Though that sounds like a pretty generous limit, and it has also exempted social networks, directory services, ticketing agencies, etc. Besides, who is TRAI to decide how many sweet nothings should be sent over SMS per couple, or how much professional communication is transacted through a to-the-point text message rather than a phone call. The point is, while TRAI might think that limiting the number of text messages will solve the problem by shifting the responsibility to telecom operators, it will end up making users pay for their own deliverance. India is an SMS-oriented cellphone culture, given that they used to be relatively cheaper than phone calls in the early years of the telecom boom. The telecom regulator should not try and impose limits on the volume of personal communication — it’s a user’s free choice, that she pays the carrier for. It has imposed an absurd fiat, trying to to muzzle text-spammers by capping text messages at 100 a day. Anyone with a cellphone in India knows the epic frustration of dealing with SMS-spam, those unwelcome pitches for real estate and sauna belts, promises to cure your nervousness of speaking in public, offers to find you friends, and heads-up on... You can fully block all commercial communication, or choose differential levels of availability to information on different segments, like banking, real estate, communication and entertainment, etc.

Source: Indian Express

MCC Now Offers Comprehensive Information App

21.09.11

Users can access a campus directory and GPS-enabled maps of the campuses. MOX, Datatel’s Mobile Access application, is a powerful app that provides students with a variety of information, including general college data, details on current campus events, notifications of priority registration and past-due library books,... "As a student who is constantly on the go, I rely on my cellphone as a primary source of communication—especially when taking multiple courses,” said Joshua Schwartz, a student representative on the college’s Information Technology All-College... Students also have had access to the free Blackboard Mobile Learn app since June, which allows access to assignments, announcements, grades, podcasts and discussion boards. To download the free MOX app, visit the appropriate app store for your device, and search for “MOX. According to a college press release, MCCC is the only community college in Pennsylvania to offer this app to students and the community. “Students who don’t have smartphones are still able to access Blackboard through our portal and can find all of the information from MOX on our website and portal. Now that almost everybody has a smartphone or a tablet computer (or both), MCCC has begun to offer its students two free mobile applications for access to information as general as campus maps and as personal as their grades. students and employees can also access calendars, class schedules and other information from the college’s portal after they log in with their MC3 username and password, said Celeste Schwartz, vice president for information technology at the school. “The Blackboard Mobile Learn app has made it possible to check in on discussion boards, find out when assignments are due, and even check my grades for a class. The new mobile app has definitely kept me in the loop while I'm on the go. ". “The great thing about these apps is that they complement information and tools that are already available,” Schwartz said in an email interview. Both MOX and Blackboard Mobile were developed by third-party vendors—Blackboard and Datatel, respectively—so the role of the college’s information technology department is to provide technical and back end support as needed, she said. At the moment, MCCC has no plans to help students with financial needs acquire the devices they need to access the apps and information. MCCC’s use of technology to help students achieve success has earned the school an A+ in the Center for Digital Education’s Digital Community College’s survey for 2008, 2009 and 2010. “The Blackboard app is primarily used by students who are currently enrolled in credit classes," Schwartz said. “The mobile app enables students to view assignments, grades, discussions and announcements on their smartphones. ” Once the application is downloaded and opened, select “Montgomery County Community College” from the list of colleges and universities.

Source: Patch.com