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Archive for the ‘General’ Category
Text messages, emails and love, oh my
February 10th, 2012 a 10:25am
Confession: I love my phone. I take it everywhere. I feel anxious when it’s not around. I even sleep with it nearby. If you’re like me, you too have probably fallen in love with your smartphone over the past couple years. This love of technology got us thinking. Does our passion for gadgets and social media hurt human interaction or improve it? With Valentine’s Day around the corner, we decided to find out just how much technology affects relationships.
Technology keeping it exciting
According to a recent survey, 25% of Canadian technology users say the use of technology to stay connected with their significant other keeps their relationship exciting! And, it’s not just women who feel this way. Of that 25%, it was evenly split among men and women. Of those surveyed that think technology helps spice up the relationship, people from Quebec were the highest with 31% agreeing with this statement.
Time well wasted
How much time do you spend talking to your significant other each day? According to our research of Canadian technology users, the average young adult (18-24) spends 2.5 hours using technology to communicate to their boyfriend or girlfriend each day!
Dating and dumping
We all know technology can be used to connect people, but what about when it comes time to break it off? Overall, the phone remains the most popular method to hook up or break up. 48% of those surveyed have been asked out over the phone and 18% admitted to being dumped.
While 31% of 18-24 year olds surveyed said they have been asked out via a social networking site like Facebook, the favourite Gen Y approach is definitely the phone. More than half (60%) of 25-34 year olds surveyed have been asked out over the phone.
And what about text message? Can you really communicate your feelings in just a few characters? Apparently, you can. 27% of 18-24 year olds think it is totally fine to ask someone out on a first date through a text message. In fact, 40% say they’ve actually been asked out in a text message before. Only 12% have been dumped.
Of all Canadian technology users surveyed, the ladies are more open to being asked out via text than men. 14% of women versus 9% of men feel texting is a perfectly fine way to ask someone out on a first date. So guys, if you’re on the fence about sending that text to that special someone, I say go for it! It just might work out for you.
What do you think? Is technology hurting or helping romantic encounters?
Hungry for more stats? Check out the Rogers Innovation Report where we looked at technology predictions for 2012.
Miranda is a regular contributor to RedBoard
Information about our research: From January 13th to January 23rd 2012, an online survey was conducted among 1,403 randomly selected adult Canadians that own a smartphone or tablet and use texting, social networking, video calling, email, instant messaging, or BBM. All were Angus Reid Forum panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 2.6%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to region and gender. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.
Tags: Rogers device subsidies 101: Choose the option that’s right for you
January 24th, 2012 a 2:54pm
Our friends in legal have asked us to make some edits to this post. In the spirit of transparency, we wanted to let you know that the following text has been changed from when it was originally published. The primary fix is that we’ve re-written to clarify that all customers have a contract with Rogers, even when they choose a no-term, no cancellation fee option.
We know that some of you have had questions about fixed term wireless contracts and why they exist. What you may not know is that Rogers offers you choices, even when it comes to contracts. You can always be without a fixed term contract with Rogers if you choose to pay full price for your device upfront and pay for your services month-to-month.
Why do I need a fixed term contract?
When you enter into a contract, you receive a device or service at a reduced cost. The benefit of signing up for a 1, 2 or 3-year term is the upfront savings you get on the wireless device you want.
Wireless devices can cost hundreds of dollars depending on the model. You can choose to skip the fixed term contract and buy your device at full price, but sometimes, getting a break on the cost of that new quick messaging device, smartphone, tablet or RocketStick makes more sense and is easier on your wallet than paying for it outright.
What if I want out of my fixed term contract? What fees apply
We often get questions about cancellation fees and why they exist. As part of our ongoing commitment to our customers, we’ve implemented a new policy around what happens when customers with a fixed term choose to end their fixed term early.
Here’s the new policy:
- If you received a device subsidy when you signed up, and you want to cancel your service before the end of your fixed term, you will need to pay the Device Savings Recovery Fee (DSRF), which is based on your device subsidy.
- You can find the amount of your device subsidy (economic inducement) in your agreement. To calculate the DSRF, just divide the subsidy you received on your device by the length of your contract in months , multiply that number by the months left in your fixed term contract and of course, add applicable taxes.
- Did you get a bigger subsidy when you signed up because you have a data plan? Rogers offers additional subsidies to customers who sign up for both voice and data plans.
- The Additional Device Savings Recovery Fee (ADSRF) is charged to subscribers with data plans who cancel prior to the end of their term. You can also find the amount of your data plan subsidy (additional economic inducement) in your agreement.
- This is calculated the same way as the DSRF, taking into account the months left in your fixed term contract and the initial subsidy provided to you.
- The one-time service deactivation fee is $12.50 per line and charged to all term customers in provinces other than Quebec and Manitoba if they choose to cancel their services before the end of their fixed term. This fee helps to cover the administrative costs and charges associated with your cancellation.
It’s always important to understand what you’re paying for, which is why we’re trying to make it easier for customers to understand our device subsidies.
Heather is a regular contributor to RedBoard
Tags: Surpass your local business competition with Outrank
January 18th, 2012 a 11:30am
The following post also appeared on our business blog, RedBoard Biz.
Whether you’re a dentist, lawyer or plumber, bringing qualified, local customers to your door is essential to growing your business. Gone are the days of flipping through phonebooks to find local services – millions of Canadians are taking to the web and their mobile devices on a daily basis to find products and services, making it crucial for you, as a small business, to have an online presence.
To help you connect with local customers, we have launched Outrank, a new online marketing solution that helps small business grow their customer base by marketing effectively online and on mobile devices. Check out this video from the Outrank team that explains the service:
Specific features available in Outrank include:
- Website: A member of the Outrank team will work with you to create a professionally-designed website that showcases your business brand. The website will also convert site visitors into phone calls and will be developed with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) best practices.
- Paid Search Marketing: Dedicated marketing experts on the Outrank team will use a proprietary bidding algorithm to place your business’s ad prominently in the ads section of top search engines such as Google, Bing & Yahoo.
- Search Engine Optimization: Through set best practices for website development, maps optimization, custom content creation and link building, the Outrank team will work to achieve prominent placement in the “natural” section of top search engines for your business.
- Performance Dashboard: The dashboard provides access to campaign results including website traffic and metrics on the number of phone calls and emails your business receives as a result of your online advertising campaign.
To learn more about Outrank, check out www.RogersOutrank.com.
How do you attract local customers to your business?
Allison is a regular contributor to RedBoardBiz
: Tags: The launch of the Motorola RAZR…literally
January 3rd, 2012 a 1:30pm
Recently, we released a series of videos featuring the Motorola RAZR, available exclusively at Rogers. These videos were not your typical demo video or unboxing – quite the opposite (and a little more entertaining if you ask me!)
We shot the Motorola RAZR - with its heavy-duty Kevlar fiber coating and tough Corning Gorilla Glass – out of an air cannon through things like popcorn, pop, paint, canvas, an egg and a cake.
The Motorola RAZR video series were entertaining and not like other mobile demo videos. Don’t take my word for it. See for yourself in the series of videos below:
Motorola RAZR vs. The Baker’s Dozen:
The Motorola RAZR vs. The Movies:
Motorola RAZR vs. The Blank Canvas:
Think these are cool? Stay tuned. A special bonus video is coming soon!
UPDATE (January 6, 2012, 1:33 p.m): As promised, here is the special bonus video:
Miranda is a regular contributor to RedBoard
Tags: 2011 year in review: top 5 favourite posts
December 29th, 2011 a 10:00am
Well, that’s a wrap. 2011 is nearly done and we’ve had a great year here on RedBoard! We’ve covered everything from the iPhone 4S launch to the Royal Wedding and welcomed some new writers into the mix. To mark the end of a great year, we’re recapping our top 5 favourite posts of 2011.
- My Day as a Rogers Android: Our own @RogersMelanie got to live a childhood dream. On October 26, she dressed as the Android mascot at Android TO, Canada’s largest Android conference, and entertained more than 600 attendees throughout the day. To mark the momentous occasion, we filmed a video of her once-in-a-lifetime experience which generated more than 10,000 views.
- Canada’s first LTE network is live: Where were you the day Rogers launched Canada’s first LTE network? I was in Ottawa – the first city in Canada to experience LTE – to show off the capabilities of the latest global wireless technology at a launch event. On that day, we also announced that LTE would be coming to Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. And on September 28, we officially launched Rogers LTE in those cities.
- RedBoard Celebrates one year anniversary: On March 2, our blog turned 1. To mark this milestone, we held our first Tweetup in Toronto and invited RedBoard readers to come out and celebrate with us. For those outside the city, we held a contest to win RedBoard loot bags. We’re looking forward to celebrating our second birthday next year, as well as a first birthday for FilRouge, our new French blog, which launched in September of this year.
- Rogers launches new early upgrade offer: On May 6, we announced an early upgrade promotion that allows you to upgrade your device as early as six months into your existing contract term. We know many of our readers here on RedBoard are the kind of people that want the latest gadget as soon as it’s available. We were happy to offer this new option to provide our customers with this added freedom and flexibility.
- Rogers Innovation Report: top technology predictions for 2012: Just over a week ago, we launched the first Rogers Innovation Report, a regular report we’ll be doing to get Canadians views on technology. The best part? The infographic. This visual display of our findings revealed interesting statistics like the number of Canadians who sleep with their smartphones or have the urge to take them to the bathroom!
On behalf of the RedBoard team, we’d like to wish you a happy new year, and all the best in 2012. We’re looking forward to another great year.
Are there any topics you’d like to see us cover in 2012?
Miranda is a regular contributor to RedBoard
Tags: +1: Rogers launches Google+ page
December 1st, 2011 a 4:39pm
Recently, Google made brand pages available on Google+ and we are pleased to be among the first brands in Canada to set up our page.
According to Google, Google+ aims to make sharing on the web more like sharing in real life. For example, circles allow you to share relevant information with specific groups (like family, friends or coworkers) and the hangouts feature lets you chat face-to-face in real-time. The feature you’re probably most familiar with is the +1 button. When you click this, it basically gives that piece of content your public stamp of approval. When your friends or contacts search on Google, they are more likely to see this content.
If you’re still getting to know Google+, check out the tour here.
Once you’re up and running, make sure you head over to the Rogers page. We’re just getting started but we’d love your feedback on the kinds of things you’d like to see from us on this new channel. And if you see a post you like here on RedBoard, don’t forget to click the +1 button!
Are you on Google+ yet?
Miranda is a regular contributor to RedBoard
Tags: 2010 year in review: Our favourite videos
December 30th, 2010 a 9:57am
We’re big fans of online video. Our popular Rogers on Demand Online service was taken out of beta earlier this year giving you access to the hottest TV shows, movies and more via your web browser. As our CMO John Boynton said at Rogers TabLife TO earlier this month, soon we’ll be rolling out a version optimized for tablet users.
We’ve also created numerous video clips exclusively for RedBoard, allowing us to tell stories and do product demos in a new way and allowing you to quickly view and share content right on our website (or through our YouTube channel).
In part two of our series looking back at our favourite RedBoard moments, we present our five favourite RedBoard videos of the year, as well as why we’ve chosen each.
1. Next is Now: A whirlwind of data, statistics and predictions of what’s next for technology in Canada and worldwide, we unveiled this video at our Annual General Meeting in April.
2. Will It Blend? Rogers Handset Protection Guarantee: We sent our Miranda MacDonald down to Blendtec HQ in Utah to help spread the word on our Handset Protection Guarantee – and help prevent outoftheloopedness.
3. BlackBerry Torch 9800 Available from Rogers September 24: We realized you were really interested in the newest BlackBerry device when this preview of the Torch broke through the 10,000 mark in views on YouTube in just a few days. And yes, we agree: touchscreen + physical qwerty keyboard + BBM = awesome.
4. RIM’s David Neale on the New BlackBerry PlayBook and the Tablet Sector: In what became one of the world’s very first comprehensive demos of the soon-to-launch BlackBerry PlayBook, Neale unveils a prototype device, including a hands-on with the user interface, HD video and camera functionality. He also talks about what’s next for the tablet space in 2011 and beyond.
5. Rogers opens new Community Forums: A how-to video for our new Rogers Community Forums — a place to find solutions to technical issues, ask and reply to questions as well as discuss Rogers products and services.
Richard Bloom is a regular contributor to RedBoard.
Tags: 2010 year in review: Our favourite posts
December 29th, 2010 a 11:23am
What a year it’s been for us here on RedBoard.
Launched in March, we’ve published more than 100 posts, seen thousands of comments, served up hundreds of thousands of pageviews and even launched a companion blog – RedBoard Biz.
Looking back, if there is one thing we’ve learned, it’s that you’re passionate about the products and services we offer. We’re happy to have been able to share our stories as well as listen to what you have to say about how we can work better together. That’s the beauty of this medium – the two-way dialogue it facilitates and the creation of a real-time record of what’s important to you.
Indeed, we’ve heard you loud and clear.
In part one of our series looking back at our favourite RedBoard moments, we asked each of our contributors to pick their favourite post of the year, as well as why they’ve chosen each. Tomorrow, we’ll post our favourite videos.
- Highlights & video from Rogers TabLife TO (Rob Manne): If you couldn’t make it to our conference here at Rogers HQ in Toronto, you can experience every minute thanks to the wonders of Internet video.
- Let’s talk: Rogers unwraps RedBoard blog (Keith McArthur): The post that started it all, detailing what this site would be all about and getting your thoughts on what you want to discuss on RedBoard.
- Txting in a time of crisis: Answering the call for help (Miranda MacDonald): Rogers customers regularly open their wallets to help those in need by donating to important causes via their mobile phone. This post gave an overview of mobile giving as well as provided an update our Haitian relief efforts.
- Rogers Super Sports Pak: Every NFL snap in HD plus hockey, basketball and more (Richard Bloom): Is there anything better than watching the big game on a big screen with buddies? Heading into the 2010 NFL season, we launched some sweet new sports programming, including my personal fave: NFL RedZone.
- Rogers turns 50 today and we’re celebrating with a contest! (Stacey Fowler): How did we celebrate the 50th anniversary of our founder Ted Rogers’ purchase of a fledgling FM radio station and transforming into the company we know today? By getting your thoughts on how technology has changed your life for the better – and giving away a Wi-Fi + 3G 32GB iPad.
Richard Bloom is a regular contributor to RedBoard.
Tags: Tablets in focus: Rogers TabLife TO set for December 3rd
November 19th, 2010 a 1:23pm
On Friday, December 3, we’ll bring together experts in technology, business and media at Rogers TabLife TO, a half-day conference looking at how tablets are transforming the way we live, work and play.
We’re big fans – and users – of tablets. While 2010 saw their launch, 2011 is expected to be the year they take flight. This event will look at the implications of that growth and examine the new opportunities for users of all stripes – from big business to the average consumer.
Some of the questions we’ll be asking at TabLife TO include:
- How are people using tablets and where do they fit into our daily lives versus netbooks, smartphones and other devices?
- How are businesses using tablets to tackle critical challenges?
- Will tablets threaten or revolutionize the media landscape?
- How will our content and lives stay connected amid a proliferation of devices?
TabLife TO will take place at Rogers HQ in downtown Toronto. You can learn more about the event at tablife.ca.
Interested in joining us?
At 3 p.m. ET this Monday, Nov 22, we’ll open up a limited number of free tickets for TabLife TO on a first-come, first-served basis at tablife.ca. Your ticket includes admission to the event only, and you will be responsible for your own transportation to Toronto.
But don’t worry if you can’t make it down to the sessions. We’ll have preview material here on RedBoard leading up to the event, as well as comprehensive wrap-up coverage of highlights and insights.
So tell us: how are tablets changing the way you work and consume content? Do you have a tablet or want one? What would you like to see discussed at the event?
Richard Bloom is a regular contributor to RedBoard.
UPDATE (November 22, 3:00 PM): We have opened up a block of tickets for TabLife TO. You can register right now at tablife.ca.
UPDATE (November 22, 3:11 PM): Thanks for your interest and excitement about TabLife TO! Our limited number of tickets was reserved very quickly. Should we be able to open up another block of tickets, we’ll post an update to this post and via our @RogersBuzz Twitter account.
UPDATE (November 25, 9:45 AM): We will be opening up another block of free tickets to Rogers TabLife TO at 11 AM ET tomorrow (Friday, November 26) via tablife.ca.
UPDATE (November 26, 11:00 AM): We have opened up a block of tickets for TabLife TO. You can register right now at tablife.ca.
UPDATE (November 26, 12:40 PM): The block of tickets made available this morning are now gone. Should we be able to open up more tickets, we’ll post an update to this post and via our @RogersBuzz Twitter account.
UPDATE (December 2, 11:05 AM): A final block of tickets for TabLife TO are now available. Last chance to get one at tablife.ca.
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RedBoard celebrates one-year anniversary
In our introductory post on March 2, 2010 we told you that the name RedBoard is a metaphor for whiteboards used for collaboration and asked for your participation.
You took up this invitation with a passion that exceeded our wildest expectations.
You’ve shown us you care deeply about Rogers, our products and our policies. You haven’t been shy about sharing your feedback – good or bad.
Based on our research of engagement on other company blogs, we were expecting about five to ten comments per post. Instead, an average RedBoard post receives close to 100 comments. We’ve had more than one million site visits to RedBoard and more than 10,000 comments.
To thank you for making RedBoard a thriving community of two-way dialogue, we’d like to invite you to celebrate with us.
There are two options:
Check back on this post next week for pictures from the event.
UPDATE (March 3, 2011, 12:12 p.m.): Thanks to everyone who attended our Tweetup last night. It was great to get together and celebrate the thriving community that RedBoard has become. We’re looking forward to the year ahead. To check out some pictures from last night’s event, go here.
Keith McArthur is Senior Director of Social Media at Rogers
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