Mig33 and MXIT

Everyone has been talking about it, doing it, experiencing a new sub culture of trend. Chatting for cheaper it is, it has become the latest dating and friendship making avenue and also the tool for predators alike to commit heinous crimes.
As sending and receiving data over mobile networks becomes more prevalent, companies are launching new applications and hardware to make entering text messages easier and faster. Vendors are being driven to release products because of increased popularity of WAP (wireless application protocol) services, mobile e-mail, mobile microbrowsers and SMS (short messaging service).
Indianspice went undercover into the matrix of mig33 and that of mxit to understand this long existent medium of communication.

About the mobile chat applications
Mig33 is a chat tool that you can install on any phone that will allow you to message other Mig33 users anywhere in the world. All you need to become part of the network is to have a GPRS enabled mobile phone and a quick setup of the application to your cell phone.

Mxit is the alternative application that has swept South Africa by storm. Most Mxit users are more at ease with this application as they have been using it for a longer period of time. But it has its disadvantages for use. For one the creator of Mxit regulates the varied rooms and charges for you to interact in the Chat rooms. It even has its own currency called Moola’s that allow you to send a set amount of messages in a Chat room. After you have exhausted your funds, its time for you to buy more Moola’s.

Usability of the applications
Mig33 is more savvy in its approach to design and user end usage. You just got to be fast on the draw in the chatrooms to get your say in the chat room. In a matter of seconds the topic can change amongst the users and your point of say can be seen as old news.

Mxit is slower in approach and the chat rooms are very boring. I understand the creators logical approach to limit users to their geographic location for all intents and purposes of interaction and filtered marketing strategies but its still not the way to go. Note to Mxit: Remember there is freedom of speech and the masses will find a way to override it.

Mig33 is more flexible. How you might ask? It’s the choice of the users to create rooms by their choice of topic and intent. You may create rooms for your own pleasure and entertainment for your mates and also interact in other rooms. The slick and nifty design of the Graphic User interface is also wicked.

How much does it cost?
Mig33 is actually free believe it or not. All that you get charged for is the browsing time you spend on having your GPRS connection enabled.

Mxit, however is not free. Here you are charged for each message you send on the application for a mere 2 cents per message. And then also its your GPRS cost as well.

Safety and privacy
Privacy is one thing we all want to maintain if we are a mxit or mig33 user. But there is the dumb lot of people that just never learn. So I went off in the direction of hacking.

I hooked up with a just one person that has hacked hundreds of Mxit accounts and even did a few right in front of me. Mxit is more vulnerable to hacking than Mig33. For one to hack Mxit accounts its simple you either get to know one person and chain react a series of interesting questions to them and eventually get to their pin for Mxit.

Then the technology side has a few cracker tools to punch in a Mxit users nickname and it will process a new password for that Mxit users account without them knowing.

The algorithm for verification of the user is not that secure from what I could see when this kid did it for me. Yes I say KID as this desi boy is just 18 years old.

He (lets call him Warlock) admitted that Mxit is easier than Mig33. For hacking Mig33 he has yet to accomplish this. Right now Warlock has decided to stick with knocking out Mxit accounts and more so he does it from his phone. No fancy laptop or desktop.

Exploring the persona of the individuals in these chat rooms
The average mxit person is open to psychologically changing their style of communication to other Mxit users. There are some of those that are in the rooms that are totally geekified but go thru a make over to become the HotStud as their nickname (in internet speak the word for nickname is Handle). The same for the real life bikini babe to christen herself as SuperWoman. Its for some, an escape from reality to mould a new identity. For others, it’s a chat tool to keep in touch with friends and meet new friends for purposes that may vary.

Mig33 on the other is more aggressive, for the South African user it’s a new tool to them still. And there are many Mxit users that are slowly being converted from Mxit to Mig33.

The urban Jungle of Chat
For the urban metrosexual, ubersexual, hottie babe it’s a tool to meet friends, find a date and a host of other activities and intents. Some we shall not speak of mind you.

The office worker gets hooked too
For the average Joe Soap that uses a pc, they have become hooked on other chat applications that allow them to interact with friends, family and co-workers. Some of the more popular applications are MSN, Yahoo, Google Chat, AIM etc. so with that in focus it seemed a like a pretty good idea to stay online as much as possible so it was possible for Mxit and Mig33 to integrate the flexibility of allowing Joe Soap to sign in with his chat accounts. Both Mxit and Mig33 allow you to sign on your MSN accounts to their chat applications so even when you away from your PC you may still have access to chatting to their friends, family and co-workers. A plus and a bargain, to always be online.

Emoticons
What are these you may ask. Well they are a series input combinations that will allow text to convert to images for example to show a smiley face you would punch in on your phone : ) this would convert to the smiley face. There are many varied types.

Now that we have introduced you to the mobile chat world, here give it a try to see what we are talking about, what everyone is doing out in the World Wide Web of Mobile

For Mxit
Just go to www.mxit.co.za/wap from your phone, select your make and model and download.For more information on Mxit click here http://forum.mxit.co.za/

For Mig33 http://www.mig33.com

grabbed from N/A