The HTC Desire was finally launched in Malaysia on 27th May 2010, and will be available exclusively via Maxis for one month. The RRP is RM2,199, while the promotional price is RM1,499 with a 12 month contract of a Maxis Rate Plan + Data Plan. The offer was so tempting that I dragged my family to a Maxis Centre with me today to find out more, and also to get my hands on one. After asking two questions, I decided that I don't want to sign up for the offer because it wouldn't be worth it for me (it'll probably be worth it for the peeps who are already signed up for a Value Plus Rate Plan). The answers that I got for the two questions I asked were negative:
1. The RM10 rebate on the Data Plan, which is included in the Maxis Android offer, will only be applicable for the 12-month contract period. After the contract period is over, the subscriber will have to pay the normal Data Plan rates.
2. If the data usage exceeds the limit for the Data Plan, the subscriber will have to pay additional charges on top of the Rate-Plan-plus-Data-Plan charges for the additional data used. In other words, the additional usage will not piggy back on the Rate Plan.
These were enough for me to stay away from the offer since my phone usage (for calls, texts, and MMS) hardly exceeds RM20 per month.
Oh, and another thing, I found out through a blog (Malaysia Mobile Tech News), that since one has to sign up for the contract (which, apparently, is only on the Data Plan), there is no flexibility of changing the Data Plan within the contract period.
Well, I can wait.
Saturday 29 May 2010
Sunday 9 May 2010
Appealing...but is it really?
When Maxis tweeted the below, I thought, "Wow! This sounds good, will wait till the HTC Desire is out in Malaysia and get this offer!"
Then, I remembered that the line I'm using is a supplementary line. So, that got me into calculating if it was really worth it (for me) to opt out of the supplementary plan and sign up for this offer.
Basically, these are the current figures of my current line:
- Monthly fixed charge: RM10.00
- Average monthly usage: RM10.00
That would be a total of RM20.00
And, for comparison, I'll add in a Data Plan. I'll choose the 500MB one, which is priced at RM58.00
Inclusive of the Data Plan, my monthly cost would be RM78.00, if I'm gonna stick with the supplementary line.
The phone, my choice for the purpose of this analysis, is the HTC Legend, which retails at RM1,999.00.
If I were to opt for the Android offer by Maxis, I will have to sign up as a new principal line holder as the Rate Plan choices are only applicable to principal lines.
As I don't call or text much, I'd go with the Value Plus 50 Rate Plan, which would bring my monthly usage charges to RM50.00.
There is a rebate of RM10.00 on the chosen Data Plan. So, by including the same Data Plan per above, the total monthly cost would be RM98.00.
The offer price by Maxis for the HTC Legend is RM1,399.00.
A summary of the above, inclusive of calculations:
Note: The offer calls for a 12-month contract, hence the calculations have been accounted for for a 12-months period, being the short-term projection. I've included another 12 months for a long-term projection (2 years).
All amounts are in Malaysian Ringgit (RM).
Another note for the above calculations:
My next-12-months figure is calculated on the basis that I opt out of the Value Plus 50 Rate Plan and revert back to my old plan - I don't make many calls or text many people anyways - and this would mean that I'll be paying an extra RM30.00 for the monthly charges. Total monthly usage charges = RM40.00.
Looks like after two years I'd still be better off with going for the offer.
Hold on, a few more calculations, just as a check.
So, after the middle of the third year, it'll be much more expensive for me to have opted for the offer, unless, of course, I switch back my line to be a supplementary line again right after the contract period ends (opportunity costs not taken into account). But switching the line one too many times is kinda troublesome (another part of me, being a kiam siap Malaysian, thinks otherwise).
Verdict: Will wait to see if Maxis will include the HTC Desire in the offer, when it has arrived in Malaysia, and the price before making a decision.
Maxis to offer WIDEST range of android phones starting May 1!Go to:http://bit.ly/aM5DjX for more info
Maxis Mobile
maxiscomms
Then, I remembered that the line I'm using is a supplementary line. So, that got me into calculating if it was really worth it (for me) to opt out of the supplementary plan and sign up for this offer.
Basically, these are the current figures of my current line:
- Monthly fixed charge: RM10.00
- Average monthly usage: RM10.00
That would be a total of RM20.00
And, for comparison, I'll add in a Data Plan. I'll choose the 500MB one, which is priced at RM58.00
Inclusive of the Data Plan, my monthly cost would be RM78.00, if I'm gonna stick with the supplementary line.
The phone, my choice for the purpose of this analysis, is the HTC Legend, which retails at RM1,999.00.
If I were to opt for the Android offer by Maxis, I will have to sign up as a new principal line holder as the Rate Plan choices are only applicable to principal lines.
As I don't call or text much, I'd go with the Value Plus 50 Rate Plan, which would bring my monthly usage charges to RM50.00.
There is a rebate of RM10.00 on the chosen Data Plan. So, by including the same Data Plan per above, the total monthly cost would be RM98.00.
The offer price by Maxis for the HTC Legend is RM1,399.00.
A summary of the above, inclusive of calculations:
Note: The offer calls for a 12-month contract, hence the calculations have been accounted for for a 12-months period, being the short-term projection. I've included another 12 months for a long-term projection (2 years).
All amounts are in Malaysian Ringgit (RM).
| Current Plan | Android Offer | |||
| Calls | Data | Calls | Data | |
| 20.00 | 58.00 | 50.00 | 58.00 | |
| Per month | 78.00 | Per month | 98.00 | |
| 12 months | 936.00 | 12 months | 1,176.00 | |
| Phone (RRP) | 1,999.00 | Phone (Offer) | 1,399.00 | |
| ST projection | 2,935.00 | ST projection | 2,575.00 | |
| Next 12 months | 936.00 | Next 12 months | 1,176.00 | |
| LT projection | 3,871.00 | LT projection | 3,751.00 | |
Another note for the above calculations:
My next-12-months figure is calculated on the basis that I opt out of the Value Plus 50 Rate Plan and revert back to my old plan - I don't make many calls or text many people anyways - and this would mean that I'll be paying an extra RM30.00 for the monthly charges. Total monthly usage charges = RM40.00.
Looks like after two years I'd still be better off with going for the offer.
Hold on, a few more calculations, just as a check.
How much I'd save by signing up for a 12-month contract on the offer:
| 1st 12 months | 360.00 |
| End of 2nd year | -240.00 |
| End of 3rd year | -240.00 |
| -120.00 | |
So, after the middle of the third year, it'll be much more expensive for me to have opted for the offer, unless, of course, I switch back my line to be a supplementary line again right after the contract period ends (opportunity costs not taken into account). But switching the line one too many times is kinda troublesome (another part of me, being a kiam siap Malaysian, thinks otherwise).
Verdict: Will wait to see if Maxis will include the HTC Desire in the offer, when it has arrived in Malaysia, and the price before making a decision.
Multitasking
No, I'm not gonna post about the new feature in the Apple iPhone OS 4. What's on my mind is more on the ability of humans to multitask. Although some of us usually comment that we can't multitask, in essence, we ARE multitasking without even knowing it. Yes, not all of us can type a message and listen to another person talk at the same time, or talk to someone over the phone while cutting our toenails - people who are able to do this are already super-multitasking, in my opinion. But when you think about our body functions, we're definitely multitasking. Our digestive system works at the same time that our heart pumps, and at that exact moment, gas exchange occurs in our alveoli (no, I was not good in the Bio-related science topics; had to Google this word). If you're like me, brain having difficulty co-ordinating multiple tasks, no worries, we're all still multitasking. :)
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