A couple weeks ago we made public a new enhancement for our Syner-G SMS Service(piso text). The feature is called kaClose. It makes using the phone-to-phone Syner-G service even easier and more convenient for our Guam users.
In a nutshell, it allows you to give your favorite four contacts a separate number that you can send text to without needing to put the nickname in the beginning. In addition, you can now save the numbers directly in your phone for quicker access and directly reply to their text.
To use kaClose, just log into into your Syner-G account at www.gabriel-tech.com and go to the "Manage My Account" screen. At the bottom is the kaClose section. For each of your most used contacts(up to 4) put their nickname in the kaClose Nickname fields. You don't have to fill up the fields. Once that is done just click on the "Set My kaClose" button and you are finished.
We would like to thank you for your continued patronage and are looking forward to creating/improving our services to better serve you.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Syner-G Phone to Phone
As requested, we just implemented a change to make the Phone-to-Phone text messages that users send to the Philippines visible in the user's Syner-G Message History.
We invite our users to email us if you have any suggestions or feature requests.
We invite our users to email us if you have any suggestions or feature requests.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Guam Wireless Ecosystem
I find it kind of funny that fairly recently literally all of Guam's wireless carriers have come out with text messaging services similar to our pisotext service. Similar, but not the same.
I am glad to see that our tiny operation is making waves in the greater telco industry. It took them a while but I think they are finally figuring out what we knew since 2001. IT&E has been particularly aggressive in promoting their service. Too bad the implementations are way off and not what the consumers want/need.
That is why Syner-G remains king of the hill and servant of the Filipino people worldwide.
I am glad to see that our tiny operation is making waves in the greater telco industry. It took them a while but I think they are finally figuring out what we knew since 2001. IT&E has been particularly aggressive in promoting their service. Too bad the implementations are way off and not what the consumers want/need.
That is why Syner-G remains king of the hill and servant of the Filipino people worldwide.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Twas A Busy Week
Manny got interviewed yesterday for a short article in the newspaper, Guam Pacific Daily, News Business Section, about our business and our recently awarded patent(U.S. Patent No. 7,369,865). A photographer also came by today to take a couple pics of us. Check out the Monday edition of the GuamPDN. :-)
Mpulse, the wireless carrier operated by GTA Teleguam just soft launched their InfoTXT. It is an SMS based PhoneBook Directory and Movie Listing service for Guam that we built and run for them.
We also are working on some added features to make our already simple Syner-G SMS Service even simpler. For those use the Syner-G Phone to Phone service, be on the lookout, it will help greatly simplify everything.
Be sure to always visit Gabriel Technologies, inc. and this blog for regularly for updates and new features.
Mpulse, the wireless carrier operated by GTA Teleguam just soft launched their InfoTXT. It is an SMS based PhoneBook Directory and Movie Listing service for Guam that we built and run for them.
We also are working on some added features to make our already simple Syner-G SMS Service even simpler. For those use the Syner-G Phone to Phone service, be on the lookout, it will help greatly simplify everything.
Be sure to always visit Gabriel Technologies, inc. and this blog for regularly for updates and new features.
Friday, April 3, 2009
E-Load your Friends and Family in the Philippines from your Syner-G Account
Hi folks, sorry, it has been a while since I posted anything on this blog. I promise to increase the frequency. :-)
Things have moved along and we have been working to improve the Syner-G system and provide more services. Recently we introduced the option to E-load your contacts without even needing to log into your Syner-G account. All you have to do is send a text message to 1-671-988-7964 with the name of the contact and the amount to load(100p or 300p). We can E-load all the major wireless carriers in the Philippines.
So remember to give the gift of E-Load to keep the text conversation going.
Visit Gabriel Technologies, Inc. for more information.
Things have moved along and we have been working to improve the Syner-G system and provide more services. Recently we introduced the option to E-load your contacts without even needing to log into your Syner-G account. All you have to do is send a text message to 1-671-988-7964 with the name of the contact and the amount to load(100p or 300p). We can E-load all the major wireless carriers in the Philippines.
So remember to give the gift of E-Load to keep the text conversation going.
Visit Gabriel Technologies, Inc. for more information.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Parts of the Twitter service has has numerous downtimes this month and is developing a reputation of been down a heap. Now I hear there are multiple high profile Twitter users making the switch to FriendFeed.
Could Twitter be the next Friendster? The Twitter user base is a relatively small, highly niche market, and the are basically operating without a valid business plan so the possibility is there. So, every day that passes with problems, this possibility increases.
I strangely find it so interesting that I have to check the stats.twitter.com everyday to see if anything interesting happened on that day, sort of like a reality show. I will just have to watch the unfolding drama. Until the next episode...
Could Twitter be the next Friendster? The Twitter user base is a relatively small, highly niche market, and the are basically operating without a valid business plan so the possibility is there. So, every day that passes with problems, this possibility increases.
I strangely find it so interesting that I have to check the stats.twitter.com everyday to see if anything interesting happened on that day, sort of like a reality show. I will just have to watch the unfolding drama. Until the next episode...
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Downtime
Our SMS service was down from 3am to around noon today due to connectivity issues at the Philippine end. We are back online but the system may take a little while to normalize. Thousands of messages queued as a result of the loss of connectivity but will be delivered shortly.
We apologize for the inconvenience.
We apologize for the inconvenience.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Syner-G SMS Services
Funny thing happened a couple months ago when we met with the management of one of the leading wireless carriers here on Guam, we got around to comparing numbers. Apparently we do more SMS traffic to/from the Philippines on one day than they do in one month. We could literally see their jaws drop at the numbers we were giving them.
Given that we met with a leading wireless carrier(maybe the biggest) and there are only around 5 carriers here, the numbers of the other carriers would not be that far off. If we multiplied the monthly average for the carrier by 5, the multiple would still not equal our daily average. Very cool.
Now admittedly, SMS is not a big money maker for the carriers. They sort of just leverage SMS to get the voice traffic, so while our traffic is high, they are still the one making the money.
We love the fact that we are disrupting the communications industry on Guam with our tiny (3 person) operation. Not bad for a service that was built from scratch by us. I can only imagine what we can do if we had the money/budget of the big communications companies.
Be sure keep a watch out though, we are still building enhancements and new services all the time. Maybe we can disrupt another industry...
Given that we met with a leading wireless carrier(maybe the biggest) and there are only around 5 carriers here, the numbers of the other carriers would not be that far off. If we multiplied the monthly average for the carrier by 5, the multiple would still not equal our daily average. Very cool.
Now admittedly, SMS is not a big money maker for the carriers. They sort of just leverage SMS to get the voice traffic, so while our traffic is high, they are still the one making the money.
We love the fact that we are disrupting the communications industry on Guam with our tiny (3 person) operation. Not bad for a service that was built from scratch by us. I can only imagine what we can do if we had the money/budget of the big communications companies.
Be sure keep a watch out though, we are still building enhancements and new services all the time. Maybe we can disrupt another industry...
Monday, May 5, 2008
MicroHoo No More
If you haven't heard, Microsoft withdrew it's proposal to buy Yahoo. Too bad, it would have been interesting to see what Microsoft would try to do with it. IMHO it would have been an EPIC FAIL but fun to watch just the same.
Supposedly Yahoo was going to be the vehicle Microsoft would use to try to catch up to Google in Search, and they missed the bus. What is Microsoft to do now? The thing for them to remember, is Search is still in it's infancy and is essentially confined to the PC.
Personal life stream search accessible on any device will be the future.
Supposedly Yahoo was going to be the vehicle Microsoft would use to try to catch up to Google in Search, and they missed the bus. What is Microsoft to do now? The thing for them to remember, is Search is still in it's infancy and is essentially confined to the PC.
Personal life stream search accessible on any device will be the future.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Microsoft Loves Xobni
Techcrunch has an article about Microsoft signing a Letter of Intent to to buy Xobni. Xobni has an Outlook plugin that turns your inbox into your own personal social network. It looks like a pretty nifty program although I haven't used it myself. It is still in Beta Invite mode.
What is interesting to me is the question posted by one of the readers. He asked why didn't Microsoft just buy Plaxo instead, since to him it fit more into Microsoft's strategy. I posit that there are two main reasons.
First, Xobni is an Outlook plugin, if it experiences a significant uptake then there is immediately more reason to use outlook. Tie-in means market share.
Second, buying them means Xobni won't port the plugin to other mail clients, effectively killing the possibility of a Xobni user to move to a different mail client or even OS.
Hmmm... Maybe that should be the strategy for startups that have a cool idea and want to get bought out quickly.
1. Build something on the Microsoft platform exclusively.
2. Build some buzz about your product.
3. Get a LOI from Microsoft. Cha-Ching!!!!
What is interesting to me is the question posted by one of the readers. He asked why didn't Microsoft just buy Plaxo instead, since to him it fit more into Microsoft's strategy. I posit that there are two main reasons.
First, Xobni is an Outlook plugin, if it experiences a significant uptake then there is immediately more reason to use outlook. Tie-in means market share.
Second, buying them means Xobni won't port the plugin to other mail clients, effectively killing the possibility of a Xobni user to move to a different mail client or even OS.
Hmmm... Maybe that should be the strategy for startups that have a cool idea and want to get bought out quickly.
1. Build something on the Microsoft platform exclusively.
2. Build some buzz about your product.
3. Get a LOI from Microsoft. Cha-Ching!!!!
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Windows 7
There has been a lot of talk about Microsoft's coming "Windows 7" OS and whether it will be modular. Meaning you will pay once to get the base OS, then pay again to get the features you need. Presumably this ends up saving the consumer money since you will spend only on the stuff want in your system. In addition people see it as a way to get the monopoly monkey off Microsoft's back.
Looks good on paper but I say nay! Not gonna work fellas. First off, nobody wants to pay twice to get a product that should have been complete to begin with. Secondly, it is the control of the kernel that the monopoly watchers are really looking at. Since Microsoft has strict control of the kernel, from its APIs, to its development, to its documentation, no one can ever hope to really compete on a level playing field.
In my opinion, This is what Microsoft should do:
1. Release the kernel in Open Source - this will lift the Monopoly hammer, and as an added benefit, the Open Source Community will be automatically enlisted to find and fix any bugs in the kernel.
(Note, this will not work for kernels of existing products, you will just be inviting trouble from hackers looking to find exploits. It would work much better for future release kernels. In fact, making or using an Open Source kernel from the get go may be the best option.)
2. Build then distribute the base OS pack for free. This should include the kernel, drivers, a basic interface and a SDK. The SDK is needed to get Developers excited about building products for your OS. (Remember, there is always going to be more developer outside your company than within, no matter how big your company is, also think about your recent brain drain.)
3. Build enhanced features. In particular, build features that take advantage of the cloud(online storage, enhanced communication and online backup come to mind), then charge for the features, something like $10 per year for home users and $20 per year for business users. Low enough to entice everyone to pay instead of having to forgo the use of the extra services. A killer app may be needed here.
4. Then there are server services for companies/organizations that you can build and charge for, such as mail and collaboration.
These steps particularly good at getting rid of the piracy problem since you are no longer selling products. Services are going to be your game.
So Microsoft, if you need help implementing this don't hesitate to contact me, I don't mind being hired as a consultant.... hehe.
Looks good on paper but I say nay! Not gonna work fellas. First off, nobody wants to pay twice to get a product that should have been complete to begin with. Secondly, it is the control of the kernel that the monopoly watchers are really looking at. Since Microsoft has strict control of the kernel, from its APIs, to its development, to its documentation, no one can ever hope to really compete on a level playing field.
In my opinion, This is what Microsoft should do:
1. Release the kernel in Open Source - this will lift the Monopoly hammer, and as an added benefit, the Open Source Community will be automatically enlisted to find and fix any bugs in the kernel.
(Note, this will not work for kernels of existing products, you will just be inviting trouble from hackers looking to find exploits. It would work much better for future release kernels. In fact, making or using an Open Source kernel from the get go may be the best option.)
2. Build then distribute the base OS pack for free. This should include the kernel, drivers, a basic interface and a SDK. The SDK is needed to get Developers excited about building products for your OS. (Remember, there is always going to be more developer outside your company than within, no matter how big your company is, also think about your recent brain drain.)
3. Build enhanced features. In particular, build features that take advantage of the cloud(online storage, enhanced communication and online backup come to mind), then charge for the features, something like $10 per year for home users and $20 per year for business users. Low enough to entice everyone to pay instead of having to forgo the use of the extra services. A killer app may be needed here.
4. Then there are server services for companies/organizations that you can build and charge for, such as mail and collaboration.
These steps particularly good at getting rid of the piracy problem since you are no longer selling products. Services are going to be your game.
So Microsoft, if you need help implementing this don't hesitate to contact me, I don't mind being hired as a consultant.... hehe.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Incrementalism
I really enjoyed Jeff Nolan's article entitled "Incrementalism and The New New Thing ". It was also a sentiment echoed by Om Malik in a blog post referring to Jeff's article.
It is a thought that I am sure a lot of us have had for a while. The 2.0 startup crowd seems to have adopted a "With A Twist" strategy. i.e. Take a look at what website is hot and build a clone with a slight twist. The twist, more often than not, is nothing more than an improvement or added feature in the service. Real innovative web services are still few and far between. Now either we are running out of big ideas or entrepreneurs are just trying to make a quick buck. I really hope it is the latter.
On the flip side, it is kind of interesting that two of the biggest things to blow up in the past two years, Facebook and Twitter, still have to find a viable business model.
It is a thought that I am sure a lot of us have had for a while. The 2.0 startup crowd seems to have adopted a "With A Twist" strategy. i.e. Take a look at what website is hot and build a clone with a slight twist. The twist, more often than not, is nothing more than an improvement or added feature in the service. Real innovative web services are still few and far between. Now either we are running out of big ideas or entrepreneurs are just trying to make a quick buck. I really hope it is the latter.
On the flip side, it is kind of interesting that two of the biggest things to blow up in the past two years, Facebook and Twitter, still have to find a viable business model.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Apple's World Domination Ambitions
A couple days ago John's Blog added an entry about Apple and the recent software update addition. It has people up in arms.
Their worries? The fact that Apple was kind of underhanded in the way they were trying to get users to start using Safari as their browser. But can you really blame them? They were just leveraging their domination in one area of the desktop to try to get into another vertical. Any company worth their salt will try things like this. Although I do think they should have been more upfront about it and not try to sneak it in as a software update to iTunes. A splash dialog maybe?!?!?
More important is what all this signals. It seems that this is just the latest salvo in the war that Apple is waging on Internet user with the ultimate goal of dominating the Internet. Other shots included the iPhone itself, only being able to develop web apps on the iPhone(at least initially), no Flash, and Safari's move to Windows, among others.
But why? Because they want developers to think of the Mac/iPhone platform first when building the next killer web app. Initially only allowing developers to develop web apps on the iPhone was specifically designed to encourage this. When the next must have web app runs best using a mac or iPhone, people will be encouraged to buy those products. Think monopoly. This may not be all bad because Apple does build awesome products, but diversity is the Spice of life.
Let's just hope they don't try to develop their own Flash like platform or start encouraging developers to put "Best Viewed in iPhone" tags at the bottom of pages. Hehe.
Their worries? The fact that Apple was kind of underhanded in the way they were trying to get users to start using Safari as their browser. But can you really blame them? They were just leveraging their domination in one area of the desktop to try to get into another vertical. Any company worth their salt will try things like this. Although I do think they should have been more upfront about it and not try to sneak it in as a software update to iTunes. A splash dialog maybe?!?!?
More important is what all this signals. It seems that this is just the latest salvo in the war that Apple is waging on Internet user with the ultimate goal of dominating the Internet. Other shots included the iPhone itself, only being able to develop web apps on the iPhone(at least initially), no Flash, and Safari's move to Windows, among others.
But why? Because they want developers to think of the Mac/iPhone platform first when building the next killer web app. Initially only allowing developers to develop web apps on the iPhone was specifically designed to encourage this. When the next must have web app runs best using a mac or iPhone, people will be encouraged to buy those products. Think monopoly. This may not be all bad because Apple does build awesome products, but diversity is the Spice of life.
Let's just hope they don't try to develop their own Flash like platform or start encouraging developers to put "Best Viewed in iPhone" tags at the bottom of pages. Hehe.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Superb Attention Grab
Paul Kedrosky's blog entry entitled "Google Announces Layoffs" is simply brilliant! ...well the title is brilliant at least anyway.
A throwback to the practice of old media, it makes you go WHAT!!! and forces you to immediately click on it to find out more.
Hehe, Mr. Kedrosky, you got me.
A throwback to the practice of old media, it makes you go WHAT!!! and forces you to immediately click on it to find out more.
Hehe, Mr. Kedrosky, you got me.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
MyTexMoCo
Hi Everyone,
We just released a beta product called MyTexMoCo. Basically it is a script that you insert into your webpage or profile page such as Facebook, MySpace or Friendster. People visiting your page can send and receive text(SMS) messages to and from you even if they don't know your cell phone number.
Currently it is only available to Syner-G users. For more information, log into your account at the Gabriel-tech homepage then click on the Syner-G Apps button. Or check this out.
Thanks,
GTECH
We just released a beta product called MyTexMoCo. Basically it is a script that you insert into your webpage or profile page such as Facebook, MySpace or Friendster. People visiting your page can send and receive text(SMS) messages to and from you even if they don't know your cell phone number.
Currently it is only available to Syner-G users. For more information, log into your account at the Gabriel-tech homepage then click on the Syner-G Apps button. Or check this out.
Thanks,
GTECH
Monday, March 3, 2008
Yahoo!
PinoyTechBlog reported yesterday that Yahoo! is setting up an office in the Philippines. Very cool considering all that is happening with Yahoo! right now. Just recently I read somewhere that one thousand people were let go in Yahoo! in the US.
I guess they are making a pretty penny from the Philippine community. Yehey!!! Uh... I mean Yahoo!!!
I guess they are making a pretty penny from the Philippine community. Yehey!!! Uh... I mean Yahoo!!!
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Google Under Fire
There are lots of reporters and bloggers reporting today on the downward trend in paid clicks and Google in particular. Is anyone really surprised? Even the fine folks in Google were probably thinking, when the f*ck in this sh*t gonna calm down!?! All the fluff pieces about Google in the media has skewed the stock into keeping on flying up, up, up and away.
For a while there some people were probably thinking Google can buck the economy's downturn. Sorry. They are good, but not that good.
For a while there some people were probably thinking Google can buck the economy's downturn. Sorry. They are good, but not that good.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Click Fraud
TechCrunch's Erick Schonfeld has an article on the rising rate of click fraud industry wide. It is now at a whopping 28 percent. Wow!!! Are the gamers(ad click gamers) winning? It seems so.
If I was a potential advertiser, that number would certainly cause me to take a step back and to really evaluate the risk versus reward. Something needs to be done about it and fast. Although online advertising still has a huge advantage over old media advertising, an increasing click fraud rate could potentially negate it and stall the switch of advertising dollars.
If I was a potential advertiser, that number would certainly cause me to take a step back and to really evaluate the risk versus reward. Something needs to be done about it and fast. Although online advertising still has a huge advantage over old media advertising, an increasing click fraud rate could potentially negate it and stall the switch of advertising dollars.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Social Networking Hiccup
BBC has an article citing that the major social networks like Facebook and MySpace registered a user base drop. Interesting... Although the general trend should still be growth in the sector, I fear there are going to be more hiccups along the way. Remember folks, consumers are fickle, fickle, fickle, and the some rumblings of an anti-social network sentiment.
Facebook's numerous major missteps are not helping either.
Facebook's numerous major missteps are not helping either.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Microsoft Eats Yahoo!?
Whoa!!! Microsoft just announced the offer to buy Yahoo! for almost 45Billion. I wonder what Google's reply will be... Hmmm.... An attempt to buy Gabriel Tech maybe? hehe.
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