Wednesday, August 02, 2006

SingTel Internet SMS: Money No Enough

So you wanted to send an Internet SMS to your SingTel mobile-user friend, and you happily click at your "SingTel Internet SMS" bookmark in your favourite browser... :

What's that? Oh... there's no more Internet SMS service! It's been replaced with a *NEW* feature: Internet SMS Chat! Looks funky! And hip-hop! And super-cool, dude!

So you *click*, to register for a new account, and start filling in away happily at the details required there, and click *SEND* to send that Internet SMS to your friend.

Now you've done it, you fool. You didn't read the Terms and Conditions below, did you?


Here they are, in case you clicked too fast:

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Terms and Conditions of SingTel Mobile's Internet SMS Chat Service


1. Definitions and Interpretation

1.1 In these Terms and Conditions, the following words and expressions shall have the following meanings:
"Internet User" means any person who registers or utilises the Service.
"Service" means SingTel Mobile's Internet SMS Chat service.
"SingTel Mobile" means Singapore Telecom Mobile Pte Ltd.
"Short Message" means a text based message sent via standard GSM terminals or equipments by a sender to the Subscriber.
"Short Message Service" or "SMS" means the service of enabling user to send or receive Short Messages to or from mobile communication equipment or other similarly enabled equipment.
"Subscriber" means the recipient of the Short Message who is a subscriber of SingTel Mobile.


2. Service Requirements and Limitations

2.1 Registration

2.1.1 The Internet User must register to use the Service. The Internet User will be required to provide his/her name, email address, nickname, mobile number, year of birth, gender, country, operator and internet service provider in order to use the Service.

2.2 Service Description

2.2.1 The Service allows Internet Users to send Short Messages from computer terminals to Subscribers. The Internet User must key in the Subscriber's number before keying in the message and sending it out.

2.3 The Subscriber will only see the Internet User's nickname and a randomly generated number as the sender of the Short Message. The Subscriber can choose to reply to the Short Message by using the normal reply mechanism for SMS.

2.4 The Internet User acknowledges and agrees that :
(a) the Service is provided on an "as is" basis and that SingTel Mobile assumes no responsibility for the timeliness, deletion, misdelivery, non-delivery of the Short Message;
(b) the Internet User may receive certain communications from SingTel Mobile, such as administrative messages and that these communications are considered part of the Service;
(c) any new features introduced from time to time to augment or enhance the Service shall be subject to these Terms and Conditions;
(d) the Internet User is responsible for the content of the Short Message that the Internet User transmits using the Service;
(e) SingTel Mobile does not control the content in the Short Message that the Internet User sends via the Service and, as such, does not guarantee, and is not responsible for, the accuracy, integrity, legality or quality of such content;
(f) SingTel Mobile reserves the right to alter, modify, add to or otherwise vary these Terms and Conditions;
(g) SingTel Mobile may, in its sole discretion and without prior notice, terminate the Internet User's access to the Service if SingTel Mobile is of the opinion that the Internet User has breached any of these Terms and Conditions or has abused the Service.
(h) the Internet User shall fully indemnify and hold harmless SingTel Mobile at all times against all actions, claims, proceedings, costs (including legal costs incurred by SingTel Mobile in defending any such actions, claims or proceedings), liability, losses and damages whatsoever which may be brought or commenced against SingTel Mobile by any person and/or which SingTel Mobile may sustain, incur or suffer, as the case may be, directly or indirectly arising out of or in connection with the use of the Service; and
(i) SingTel Mobile shall not be liable to the Internet User or any third parties for any loss of damage of any kind incurred as a result of the use of the Service.

2.5 The Internet User agrees not to or not to allow or permit any other person to use the Service to:
(a) transmit any Short Messages which are improper, immoral, unlawful, racial, discriminating, harassing, embarrassing, libellous, abusive, threatening, harmful, obscene, 'spam' or otherwise include objectionable material of any kind or nature, or include any material that causes distress or violates the rights of a third party,
(b) send, or facilitate the sending of, unsolicited material ("Spam"), unsolicited advertising, promotional materials, or any other forms of solicitation, chain letters or junk messages to any person or system in a way that could be expected to adversely impact any network or facilities;
(c) create a false identity, or otherwise attempt to mislead others as to the identity of the sender or the origin of the Short Message;
(d) violate any other person's rights, or interfere with another person's use of the Service, including, without limitation by engaging in activities that result in, encourage or facilitate the distribution of viruses, worms, time bombs, Trojan horses, cancelbots, sniffer, or other code(s) that are designed to acquire information about other users or their activities without their approval;
(e) transmit any Short Messages that may infringe the intellectual property rights or other rights of third parties, including trademark, copyright or right of publicity; or
(f) to intentionally or unintentionally violate any applicable law.


3. Fees and Charges

3.1 The Internet User will not be charged for sending Short Messages using the Service.

3.2 The Subscriber who replies to the Short Message will be charged. Short Messages sent are part of the free local monthly bundled SMS for applicable price plans. A charge of 5.25¢ applies for each SMS sent beyond monthly local bundled SMS. In the event that the Subscriber is overseas, standard SMS roaming charges apply for SingTel Mobile customers. These charges are overseas network operator dependent.


4. Consent to Use and Disclose Internet Users' Information and Data

4.1 The Internet User agrees that SingTel Mobile shall be entitled to use or disclose any information or data disclosed by the Internet User.

4.2 By registering for the service, the Internet User agrees to receive required notices from SingTel Mobile electronically, targeted advertisements and periodic emails.

4.3 The Internet User further acknowledges and agrees that SingTel Mobile may access, preserve, monitor, use and disclose any information relating to the use of Service by the Internet User as reasonably necessary to
(a) provide, maintain and improve the Service, and to respond to requests for customer service by the Internet User;
(b) enforce these Terms and Conditions;
(c) comply with legal process; and
(d) respond to claims of violation of third party rights.
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"Looks like a standard Terms and Conditions page, what's the big deal man," you ask. Well, here's the scoop:

4.1 The Internet User agrees that SingTel Mobile shall be entitled to use or disclose any information or data disclosed by the Internet User.

Layman Translation: You may someday receive calls from companies you've never heard of, telling you that you've won a big prize.

4.2 By registering for the service, the Internet User agrees to receive required notices from SingTel Mobile electronically, targeted advertisements and periodic emails.

Layman Translation: "Hey, why am I receiving spam from SingTel in my email!!!" you exclaim. You agreed to receive the now-solicited-and-not-actually-unsolicited mails when you clicked that "I Agree" button, you fool.

4.3 The Internet User further acknowledges and agrees that SingTel Mobile may access, preserve, monitor, use and disclose any information relating to the use of Service by the Internet User as reasonably necessary to
(a) provide, maintain and improve the Service, and to respond to requests for customer service by the Internet User;
(b) enforce these Terms and Conditions;
(c) comply with legal process; and
(d) respond to claims of violation of third party rights.

Layman Translation: Your data is being monitored by somebody else who's not your friend.

Sunday, July 30, 2006

Eyes Like A Hawk...


So... if you are a customer of Cathay's Cineplexes, you must:
- Understand that there are 1,499 words in the Terms and Condition.
- Understand that you will have 3 minutes 30 seconds (thereabouts) by the time you get to this page.
- This means you have to be a speed reader at approximately 428 wpm (words per minute). The typical reader reads at 150-200 wpm.
- Able to comprehend fully complex sentences that are drawn up by lawyers or solicitors.
- Accomplish the reading objective in a matter of 4 minutes or so (it was 3:16 by the time I fiddled around getting the shot above), and still be able to fill out the form for purchasing the movie tickets online.

Or you could just go on and check that box, and when your tickets go missing or the transaction goes awry, you will only have yourself to blame for not reading the Terms and Conditions.

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Privileges vs. Entitlements

Article #1:
Taken from TODAY paper, dated 12th July 2006



Question #1: Why can't the same condition be applied to train travel?
Answer: Simple. Buses belong to SBS Transit. The MRT belongs to SMRT. The NEL belongs to SBS Transit. Two different companies, two different policies. They are not obliged to follow each other's company practices.

Did you understand that? OK, here's a more "youngster" answer just for you: If Apple is offering a $50 rebate for all iPod accessories purchased, must Creative follow suit and offer $50 for all their Zen accesories?

Question #2: After all, the trains are operating throughout the day, so the running costs are the same anyway.
Answer: So... going by your logic, SMRT should offer free rides to EVERY SINGLE PASSENGER, correct? Since the trains are operating throughout the day mah!!!

By the way, Aloysius Ang. You already answered your own doubts in your first sentence. The answer is "privileges".

Article #2:
Taken from TODAY paper, dated 20th July 2006 (NOT 17th July 2006 as Article #3 denotes)




There, the answer you are looking for. Privilege. NOT "entitlement".

Article #3:
Taken from TODAY paper, dated 24th July 2006


Question #1: Why don't they give a monthly limit instead of a daily one?
Answer: Does your mother give you $10 pocket money each day or $100 per week? Or does she give you $10,000 per year?

Also, the reason of "certain days when I need more than four rides to run errands..." is completely unfounded. Remember, the concession privilege is there only because you are studying. It is not for errand-running, or your club activities where you are not studying but are enjoying yourself travelling around town having fun.

Stop whining and get back to your heavily-scripted lives as a Singaporean.

What the F*** is WRONG with Yahoo! Mail?


Yahoo! Mail suffered an outage over the weekend. Mysteriously, it was not reported on the WWW (except maybe on this blog).

Not surprising, and possibly another "cover-it-all-up-so-you-can't-do-anything-about-us" issue.

Remember, there is always the ONE RULE TO RULE THEM ALL (http://sg.docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/):

18. EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY
YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT WE AND OUR LICENSORS, SUPPLIERS, VENDORS, PARENT, HOLDING, SUBSIDIARY AND RELATED COMPANIES, AFFILIATES, OFFICERS, AGENTS AND EMPLOYEES SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL, USE, DATA OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES...


Suck your thumbs, Yahoo! Mail users.

Sunday, July 23, 2006

On The Bus... #21 or The Haughty Bitch on PMS

An elderly woman boarded the bus, her face heavy with makeup and lipstick. She walked in a haughty manner (as if she owned the bus), and took a seat.

She did not pay for her bus fare.

The bus driver was an Indian man, and he got up from his drivers' seat, approaching the elderly woman and requesting her to pay her bus fare.

The woman began screaming and wailing and shouting in Malay at the Indian bus driver, and got up to walk to the front of the bus to pay her fare.

She stood beside the bus entrance, and pretended to pay her fare using the EZ-Link machine.

The bus driver witnessed her pretence.

She then again walked haughtily back to her seat, and plonked down in her seat, her head held up high as though she were the Queen of England.

The bus driver was helpless towards the haughty bitch's unruly behaviour, and he drove on.

Space Invaders...


The above article can be found in TODAY on the 17th July (Monday) 2006, under the "Voices" column.

A very well-writted article, with the highlights (IMHO) being boxed up in blue as you can see in the picture.

PS: On a side note, has anybody played Space Invaders before?

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

On The Bus... #20 or Idiotic Passengers Abound!

A crowded bus-ride in the evening during peak-hours could be made alot better if the following people did not exist:

1.) The bitch who scrambles for the bus exit when the bus is only 10 metres away from the next stop, presses the bus bell. The bus comes to a screeching halt, making other passengers fall down all over the bus.

The door opens, and the bitch looks around in a pretentious manner.

She gets off only at the next stop.

2.) A bunch of idiots who gets on the bus from the bus terminal, hogs all the seats on the bus. You and a bunch of other passengers who got on a couple of stops later are left standing in the crowded bus.

The bunch of idiots get off the bus a few stops later, shoving you and the other standing passengers aside in a great rush (see below).

3.) Somebody presses the bell, and the bus pulls into the stop. You look around to make way for alighting passengers, but there are none making their way to the exit.

The bus exit opens. Only then do you hear the rustlings of bags and belongings, accompanied with murmurs of "Excuse me".

The idiot who is alighting, comes from the last row, squeezing past passengers in a great rush.

The whole bus is waiting (see below).

4.) The idiot who gets off the bus at the last minute, reaches the exit but does not alight.

He/she pauses to dig into his/her bag to dig out the bloody-god-damned-where-the-hell-is-it-I-can't-find-it-because-I'm-an-idiotic-passenger-who-likes-to-make-the-whole-bus-wait-for-me-and-I-was-lazy-to-take-it-out-before-I-got-up-to-make-my-way-to-the-door EZ-Link card.

5.) A middle-aged woman reaches over your shoulder to tap her adult EZ-Link card (one beep, so it's an adult card). She gets off the bus only three stops away.

She's a fare cheat.