3 posts tagged “3uk”

Nice, but why can't I buy on device as well as in store

If the above is a bit unclear click on it.  I can't make it any wider!   It shows what I saw on 3 UK's portal earlier.  My first impression was: it's a good idea.  My second impression was: ...but it's an obvious idea.  And finally my last impression, after clicking through, was: Er, I can buy any of these wonderful things for my mobile on my mobile - I can locate my nearest store but that is it!

They have my payment details, they have my address - couldn't they just take the extra amount off of my monthly bill?  This could even work with those on PAYG with a bit of thinking (although only really practical with cheaper items).

Oh and by the way, before I forget, there's 20% off all accessories for customers of 3 (if you can get down to one of their stores.)  That means those Vuzix glasses can be had for £160 (if I can do my sums right.)  Not sure whether that's a bargain or not as I've yet to try them.  After reading IDIOT TOYS' take on 'em and the amassed publicity shots I doubt I ever will!  I have enough trouble trying staying cool and hip (and failing miserably) as it is.

Yes, somebody really thought this was a good idea!

I bit the bullet and text 'STOP ALL'.  (Hopefully) stopping the premium rate service that I never asked for.  It cost me 10p which is a measly amount but that's not the point - I had to give money to fraudsters in order to not be defrauded out of even more!  These were the instructions of the industry regulator!

Now I've come to the real challenge.  I want my £1.50 (plus that 10p) refunded.  To do this I need to contact the scam artists on a premium rate number.  I'm now willing to do this.  However, it's just dawned on me that I have to give them my address in order to receive a cheque from them.  It's bad enough these thieves have my mobile phone number, I don't want them to have my address too.

Isn't it common sense to not give out your address to criminals?  I've learnt over the past week that some of these reverse-charge shortcode scams are connected to organised crime, money launderers and generally unsavoury figures.  Yet the phone companies and regulators advise us to contact these people in order to get a refund and to do so we have to give them our addresses!

I still want my money back, even if it is just £1.60 - but it's way too risky giving these guys my address for that amount.  I'm going to have to pester 3 (my mobile company) for the money instead.  Meanwhile, I'm gonna dig even deeper into Spread Media's dodgy dealings (another reason why I don't want them to have my address!)

The price on those Vuzix iWear video glasses from UK mobile operator 3 has come down to £199.95 - that's a £25 saving!  Well, to be honest I think that's the price they were meant to be sold at and that 3's accessory site had it wrong for some reason.

Coming down, the price is less!

Even at £199.95, is there anyone out there that's actually going to buy a pair?  Regardless of cost, I imagine that like the Slingbox before it, these Vuzix will go largely unnoticed due in part to lack of promotion.  There's not even that much info on them in the mobile blogosphere, many of the usual suspects have made no mention of them.

Even 3mobilebuzz made no mention of them until they saw my previous blog post!  Did the guys there even know about them I wonder?

Oh, and try finding the glasses on the 3's accessory site without using search (ie like if you were just browsing the site and had no idea these existed).  Good luck finding them!  To be fair the site appears to be run by a 3rd party on behalf of 3 and it's a new product line, maybe that will change sometime soon.

What price would be the right price for you?  If these really are as good as the (few) reviews I've seen say they are I'd be tempted to drop £100 ($200) on the table, maybe a bit more.  It's not like they're not worth more money, it's a question of just how useful will they be and what I feel I can justify spending.  Having said that the glasses I recently lost cost a little under £180 and don't do anything fancy other than unblurring my vision!

Maybe 3 should consider bundling a pair with some contracts or offering a discount on them in relation to what price plan you're on.  These coupled with Slingplayer on 3 would be amazing, a sign that we really are in the 21st Century even if we have a serious lack of flying cars.