Student Discount

I seem to be getting more requests for student discounts for ScreenCastsOnline memberships.

In response, I've setup a special discount code for anyone (students or teachers) in full time employment. You can now get a 50% discount off the standard joining fee of $57 USD bringing the cost of a full membership down to $28.50 USD (plus VAT if in the UK)

All you need to do is send me an email to screencastsonline@gmail.com from an educational email address. On receipt, I'll send you a discount code for 50% off. This offer does not extend to the renewal pricing (which remains at the ridiculously low price of just $25 for six months renewal) or to any existing members retrospectively.

Please feel free to spread the news!

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Changed my mind....

Been a strange week with regards to the iPhone 3G S

If you read my previous post, you'll assume that I'd pretty much decided to go with the PAYG option to save myself a few quid.

Well this week I very nearly decided not to upgrade at all. With all the discussions and upset over the pricing of the new iPhone, I really felt like I couldn't be bothered. A couple of podcasts later though, and I'm fired up again and will in fact be getting a 32GB with a standard 18 month plan.

Why?

Well if we put aside the reason for buying a new phone in the first place (it's my job, etc...) I sort of decided to put up with the extra expense as an insurance for the future. I know you have to configure the iPhone differently for PAYG and I just felt that it's possible I may miss out on some features when traveling. Plus I'm wondering if O2 may come to their senses in the future about tethering and implement some reasonable charging or even some sort of PAYG option just for tethering. What I'd really like to see is the ability to offset unused Phone minutes in exchange for tethered data - that would be perfect for me.

In fact, let me just Tweet that!

Right, done. - http://twitter.com/DonMcAllister/status/2175581591

One thing I've done differently this year is to pre-order from the CarPhone Warehouse.

I really couldn't cope with the palaver of dealing with the O2 store again, after queuing up for an hour or two only to see their network go into meltdown at 9am. Hopefully, I'll get the phone on Friday but this time round, I'm not that bothered if it takes an extra couple of days. Actually, I'm wondering if there will be much in the way of queues anywhere this year. The backlash over the pricing may well suppress the demand this time round, especially here in the UK, so expect much doom and gloom in the Press about the lack of buzz this time round.

Footnote: If anyone is interested, lost another 3lbs this week on my sensible eating plan. That brings me down to 14st 4lbs (200lbs or 91Kgs) Apparently, my target weight is 12st 4lbs so I'm estimating on loosing approx 2lbs per week (ManMania9 weeks excluded) so it could take me three months or so to get there. It's really no big deal at the moment and isn't causing me any grief, just eating sensibly and upped my exercise.

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The aftermath...

OK, So I was wrong about the new iPhone and they did announce it at WWDC 09. I have to say, they left it so late that I did think they might have missed it!

But it will be with us next week and yes, of course I want one!

Lots of gnashing of teeth and lots of upset people over on twitter about the pricing and lack of upgrade pricing here in the UK.

First off, the tethering pricing is just ridiculous, really. Totally off the wall.

Secondly, there is no subsidised upgrade path for existing users - Ouch!

Basically, you need to pay off your existing contact on the 3G iphone (in my case £245) then buy a new phone and a new 18 month or 12 month contract. That would take the cost of the new 32GB iPhone 3GS to over £500 plus £30 per month.

The problem here is that O2 took the hit with the upgrade for existing users from the 1st Gen iPhone to the 3G. I presume the numbers don't work out to do it a second time, so although it looks horrendous, a contract is a contract and there's not a lot you can do about it. In hindsight, perhaps it would have been better to offer 12 month contracts knowing that a new iPhone would be launched in 2009 (well a pretty safe bet!) Had a 12 month contract been available, I probably would have gone for that.

The experience has influenced what I'll be doing about the new iPhone 3GS.

Of course, I need one for my show (no I do, really), so it's a legitimate business expense (phew!) so I could write off the existing contract and let the business pay for it. It would make it feel better to say it's not actually a phone but my mobile Mac. I'd feel better paying £500 for a state of the art mobile internet device (which really what it is). The thing that really grates is having to take out another 18 month contract for £30 per month. I just don't use the phone that much, and what happens in another 12 months time?

The next iPhone is released with HD support, front facing camera, built in iChat, 802.11n, etc, etc.

So we'll be in the same boat again!

Some figures on the new 32GB iPhone 3GS and my options

Terminate contract and Pay Monthly = £245 + 274.23 + 18 x £29.38 = £1048.07 over 18 months

OMG!!!

Now luckily, I have an escape route.

My lad is off to University in September and will need a decent phone. So he will be the lucky recipient of my iPhone 3G with another 5 months contract left on it. So I won't cancel the contract. Yes, I'll still have to pay the £245 over this time but at least it will be getting used, I'll not be just giving O2 a nice present! This leaves me with two options for buying a new iPhone:

Pay Monthly = £274.23 + 18 x £29.38 = £803.07 over 18 months

Pay As You Go = £538.30 over 12 months

PAYG also includes 12 months unlimited web and Wifi. £25 worth of calls will probably last me a couple of months! There's no visual voicemail or call merging but that's no big deal for me, I hardly use it as a phone. There is also no Internet tethering but at the current prices, who cares.

So in 12 months, when the next phone is available, I'll have no contract and can upgrade with no penalties.

So in my eyes, the PAYG deal is the better deal for me!

What have I missed?

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Following WWDC 09 Keynote...

I've had a few tweets asking where I'll be following the keynote. So here are a few links that I'll be using. I much prefer the auto renewing pages, much less hassle to follow along. All these sites are auto-refreshing:

MacRumoursLive

ars technica

A new one this year is the gdgt live page which I'll be taking a look at.

However, the non autorefreshing page over at Engadget usually has some great photos.

My usual approach is to follow them all in separate browser windows for the first ten minutes or so, it's pretty easy to see who is on top in speed and detail after that. I then close down all except for the best two.

There's plenty more out there, feel free to leave your favourite in the comments!

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Countdown continued.....

Harking back to my previous blog post, fell off the wagon only a couple of times this week in my attempt to get a bit trimmer and fitter for MacMania09. Just too much Pizza on Friday night with friends and a humongous Sunday lunch :-(

Even so, I've managed to trim 3lbs off this week without going too berserk!

That brings me down to 14st 7lbs (203lb or 92Kgs) after 7 days.

More than happy with that!

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