Even mobile phone giant Nokia admits it does not know, but the company says it knows how people would likely behave in the future. And it seems it is not really mind-boggling as we thought it would be.

Designing mobile phones for the next three to 15 years is a job Nokia human behavioral researcher Jan Chipchase has to do. And he seems to be enjoying his job.

Chipchase, however, is first to admit that his job — although it follows certain methods — is not exactly hard science. The results of his team’s study are at best an “informed opinion” which would later serve as foundation for designing future mobile phones.

“Although we don’t know the future, we have an idea how people will behave in the future,” he said.

With over 250 people, the “design research” team of Nokia is faced with a daunting task of creating a communications device that would fit a global market composed of different cultures, lifestyle and language.

“We want to understand the sum of human experiences,” the Tokyo-based Chipchase said.

His team spends time understanding consumer behavior in different countries, hoping to find answers on how mobile phones play a role in people’s lives. From there, he hopes to find some ideas that would soon be integrated in the design of future mobile devices.

Chipchase admitted that Nokia has not yet conducted a consumer study in the Philippines, which he acknowledges as the center of innovative SMS applications, including mobile banking and micro-payments.

He said his group is planning to visit the Philippines sometime in early part of 2008.

“We do get invitations to visit your country,” he told INQUIRER.net in an interview after his media presentation.

In a four-year study on how illiterate people communicate, for instance, Nokia eventually came out with a mobile phone model that uses more icons instead of letters, preview-menu, and a “spoken menu” to allow users who cannot read or write to use mobile phones.

Another study done in South Korea on early adopters of mobile TV yielded an interesting finding: People actually want to share the experience of watching television on a little mobile device. But watching TV now becomes a bit of a romantic or intimate experience
because persons watching mobile TV have to stay close to each other, physically that is, Chipchase said.

Nokia has also done a “Where’s the phone study?” that hopes to find out how people keep their mobile handsets. The global study, which was done in 11 markets, discovered that 60 percent of males kept their handsets in their trousers, while 61 percent of females kept it safe in their handbags. The study eventually led the mobile phone maker to
find out why women have the higher percentage of missing calls.

Nokia has also discovered that older males prefer to carry their phones in a belt pouch, thus the need for more accessories.

“These studies teach us how people in a certain age, culture, etc. carry objects and how much amount of personalization they do their devices,” the Nokia executive said.

“When an object can be any shape or size, what shape or size should it be?” Chipchase asked.

This depends on the motivations of people when they communicate, he replied.

( www.inquirer.net )

“Kristine has never even met Tony,” Diet points out.

Both Greta and John have given statements to media. Greta says Tonyboy has forgiven her. John was man enough to admit that the pics were taken using his cell phone. I checked on both of them after the scandal broke. John texted me back: “I’m just not used to this kind of intrigues. I’m gonna take it easy from now on. ‘Yoko na! Hehe.” Just like moi, John wishes to kiss intrigues goodbye!

***

When it rains intrigues, it pours! Rufa Mae Quinto is drenched with the issues hounding her these days. The pix of Greta and John were taken during her birthday bash, so she’s being grilled for the real score. On top of that, she’s being linked to Mark Herras and Mark Bautista… plus, there’s her breakup with Erik Santos.

She sighs, “I’ve been trying to laugh and pretend everything’s OK but, deep inside, I’m sad. I hope people won’t judge Erik and me. I know it’s not the end for us but the beginning. We are both working so hard for our families; that’s why we don’t get to spend enough time together. We are trying to fix this.”

When one works too hard, love doesn’t come easy. Sometimes lovers should step back so they can see what they have.

Angels

ANGEL Locsin is on pins and needles: Her first venture as producer (“Angels”) is opening on June 20. It’s a trilogy of heartwarming stories. Angel is being unfairly accused of being “un-angelic” toward her home studio, GMA 7, for turning down the lead role in the local version of “Marimar.” She opted to take a two-month hiatus from show biz to take up fashion design in London. She laments, “I’ve been working too hard to make people happy. Now, I want to do something that will make me happy, something new. I hope they understand that even machines need to take a break.”

Isn’t she wary that someone will replace her while she’s gone? “That’s for the public to decide. I think there’s room for everybody.”

Will her rumored boyfriend Marvin Agustin go to London, too, and visit his “queen”? I remember Marvin telling me before about this girl he followed to Singapore. I wouldn’t be surprised if he does the same for Angel. He seems to be walking on cloud 9 with her. Locsin and Agustin sound just heavenly!

HAPEE together

Name it and, most likely, Lea Salonga has done it as far as reaping international acclaim is concerned. Her name has become synonymous to world-class Filipino talent.

So it’s but fitting that a 100 percent local brand that has held its own in a multinational brand- dominated market should tap Lea as their new endorser—Hapee toothpaste.

I keep in touch with Lea regularly via e-mail. Her site’s heading reads: The World According to Manang. She’s one fab manang who has the world at her feet. Her Hapee smile has truly launched a thousand shrieks.

Zzzz

IT’S K Brosas’ turn to shine as she makes her theater comeback in the re-staging of “Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah.” The musical will be produced by the Cultural Center of the Philippines and mounted at the RCBC Tower in Makati on June 22, 23, 24, 30 and July 1 (3 p.m. and 8 p.m.). It’s one riot of a show! And a fag hag like K will surely make you laugh non-stop.

Personal

THANKS more than words can say to all Pepsters (www.pep.ph bloggers) for their outpouring of support. I’m more than happy that I won the Pep poll regarding who the public believes in the recent controversy that I unwittingly got thrust into. I wish I could hug each of you. Your pro-Dolly comments keep my sanity intact (whatever is left of it, anyway).

More thanks

MERCI beaucoup to the National Press Club for inviting me as guest to their media forum on TV Ethics. With the polluted airwaves on local TV, some hosts ought to do some reviewing of their homework before facing the cam. As my colleague Ed de Leon puts it, “Some pseudo-hosts are just news readers. They are not true journalists. That’s why they don’t know where to draw the line in their interviews.”

Enough said.

In a report aired on the government station Radyo ng Bayan on Monday, Philippine National Police chief Dir. Gen. Oscar Calderon was quoted as saying that the arrangement was only temporary and that Ruffa fully knew about it.

This comes amid a public apology issued by Ruffa’s estranged husband Yilmaz Bektas and his assertion that he would not attack or harm the TV host-actress in any way.

Should Ruffa require further protection, she must seek a private security agency, Calderon was further quoted as saying.

Ruffa had sought PNP protection after she alleged that Yilmaz had threatened her with harm through text messages. He allegedly sent separate text messages to other members of her family hinting that something bad would happen to Ruffa.

( www.inquirer.net )

The national teams of Syria, Lebanon and powerhouse China are arriving to test the mettle of coach Chot Reyes’ squad, which is close to wrapping up its weeklong training stint in Belgrade, Serbia.

The Invitational tournament format calls for a single round-robin among the four teams, with the top two squads vying for the championship and the other two playing for third place.

Games on July 12 and 14 will be held at The Arena in San Juan City, while the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City will host the July 13 and 15 matches.

The Big Dome games on the 13th and the 15th will serve as curtain-raisers to the PBA Fiesta Conference Finals.

The Tokushima FIBA-Asia Championship, set July 28 to Aug. 5, will pick Asia’s representative to the Beijing Olympics next year.

As Olympics host, Asian champion China is seeded to the Games.

If the Chinese win the FIBA-Asia Championship, then the runner-up will go to Beijing as well. If China finishes neither in No. 1 nor No. 2, then only the FIBA-Asia champion gets a ticket to the Olympiad.

The Nationals, who are also playing in the Jones Cup tournament in Taipei early next month, are bracketed in the tough Group A with China, Jordan and Iran in the FIBA-Asia tournament.

( www.inquirer.net )