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 ISM
Newsflash
ISM now puts out a great newsletter with interviews, articles, and lots of color photos. See who is making waves at ISM these days. The newsflash can be downloaded as PDF file from the ISM website. Download it here! You'll need the Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this file. The Acrobat reader is available as a free download from Adobe.
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Texting
Takes over Manila
The New York Times featured an article entitled "Manila's Talk of the Town Is Text Messaging". If you haven't been back to Manila in a few years you probably have no idea what this is all about! Read on.... MANILA, Philippines -- Muslim insurgents battling Philippine troops in the south have a new weapon. When the shelling and gunfire let up, they send a barrage of scathing insults to Manila's forces by cell phone. "There is a text war among the MILF and our forces," said Brig. Gen. Eliseo Rio Jr., referring to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the larger of two rebel groups fighting for an independent state. "Our soldiers are texting insults to the MILF. And the MILF are sending the insults back." "Texting"? Yes, texting -- as in exchanging short typed messages over a cell phone. All over the Philippines, a verb has been born, and Filipinos use it whether they are speaking English or Tagalog. Sending e-mail on mobile phones, has also taken off in richer parts of the world: Europe, especially in Scandinavia, and in Japan and other East Asian countries, particularly among teen-agers. But in the Philippines, where incomes are far lower, it is even more popular. And it has spawned an entire subculture, complete with its own vocabulary, etiquette and tactical uses. It has become particularly popular here, in large part because text messaging is cheap while traditional telephone service is spotty and Internet access by computer is expensive. "It's evolved into something similar to chatting on the Internet," said Majidi John Bola, a 32-year-old company manager, as he sat poking away at his mobile phone at a Starbucks in Manila's business district. The difference is that while chat-room denizens sit in contemplative isolation, glued to computer screens, in the Philippines the "texters" are right out in the throng. Malls are infested with shoppers who appear to be navigating by cellular compass. Groups of diners sit ignoring one another, staring down at their phones as if fumbling with rosaries. Commuters, jaywalkers, even mourners -- everyone in the Philippines seems to be texting over the phone. Most use English, since messages usually can be typed more quickly than in Tagalog. Faye Siytangco, a 23-year-old airline sales representative, was not surprised when at the wake for a friend's father she saw people bowing their heads and gazing toward folded hands. But when their hands started beeping and their thumbs began to move, she realized to her astonishment that they were not, in fact, praying. "People were actually sitting there and texting," Siytangco said. "Filipinos don't see it as rude anymore." The popularity of the practice puts the Philippines at the forefront of wireless Internet usage, well ahead of much richer countries. Already, people can use their phones to send text messages to computers, and vice versa. Here as elsewhere, the newest mobile phones have access to an abridged World Wide Web. And not far away is new technology that is supposed to make browsing on a hand phone as easy and as fast as it is on a personal computer. Why is the new text message system so popular here? Many say it is the high-technology Filipino equivalent of gesticulating -- body language with an antenna. "Filipinos are very gregarious -- we like to talk a lot," said Rodolfo Salalima, a senior vice president at Globe Telecom, the local cellular operator benefiting most from the trend. They also love a good bargain. The craze for sending text messages by phone started last year, when Globe introduced prepaid cards that enabled students -- and soldiers -- too poor for a long-term subscription to start using cellular phones, which can be bought cheaply. Since talking on mobile phones costs 8 pesos a minute, about 20 cents, and sending text messages from them was free, people quickly figured out how to express themselves on a phone's alphanumeric keypad. After Globe's network ground to a halt a few times under the load, it instituted a 1 peso-a-message charge to promote "responsible" use of text messaging. That cut the average messages per customer in half, but the number of Globe customers has doubled. Generation Text, as the media dubbed it, was born. People using phones for text messages have developed a shorthand similar to that found in Internet chat rooms. "Where are you?" becomes "WRU." And "See you tonight" becomes "CU 2NYT." Not all the messages Globe's customers send are appreciated. The Philippine Department of Education finally had to ban the use of mobile phones in grade schools to stop kids from cheating: they were sending text answers to one another during exams. Police complain that drivers busy typing in traffic are causing accidents. Full NYT Article Texting takes over Manila [Free registration required] |
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Chismis
Corner Message Board
Jeepney Gang now has another way for alums to keep in touch! You can post an alumni related message on our "Chismis Corner" Message Board. Looking for a long lost friend?
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Only 6 more months
and we're going home! To the Thrilla in Manila.
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Finally there is
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