MobiK: Free ad-based SMS service, plus rewards, goes live (UPDATE: SHONK FACTOR 5)
A new ad-based free messaging service has just gone live here in Australia (ie, at 10am today), called MobiK. Two big features: 1) free text messaging through a web interface and 2) a rewards program based on participating in research, activities and getting friends to join (y’know, like Amway!)
One thing is clear, you’re going to need a critical mass of friends on board to make it worth the effort, but once you do you could score everything from easier to reach rewards like recharge cards and ringtones, up to iPods and consoles.
Of course, there are many pros and cons…
UPDATE (17-09-07): After a weird outage and then a reader complaint about unfulfilled reward claims, we’ve done some checking and it seems mobiK has recently gone what could be best described as ‘pear-shaped’. If you can still use this at time of reading, best to only use as a free SMS source — don’t do it for the ‘K’. We’ll have more news in a new post when we can confirm exactly what is going down. The blessing / curse of the service is it is a member-to-member system, which stops anyone from spamming you, but it also means you really do need your crew on board if you are to get good value from the service. But again, it’s free, so ‘value’ is pretty solid.
You also want to have a web-enabled phone to get the best value, so you can access the mobile version of the site to send outbound messages. Messages are limited to 120 characters, with a 40 character ad appended to it.
The good idea part of the ad system is that it is intended to be very targeted, so you’ll see stuff you are actually interested in and that suits your age and lifestyle. The guys behind it all have already been running something similar in Asia (but they are actually Aussies - though at a briefing last week I found the CEO sounds JUST like Tarantino!) and they’re confident they can get a good range of ads running.
How do you earn points? They’ll invite customers that fit certain profiles to take part in surveys and market research, which will reward you with ‘K’, the reward currency. MobiK reckons savvy members could end up being able to cover their phone costs by redeeming for recharge cards, or just score some ringtone / wallpapers if they aren’t too fussy, but for long-term savers you can go for big stuff like handsets, consoles, and iPods.
It’s pretty clear too that 1K is worth 1c, with stuff like the PS3 listed at 99,900K.
I think this is one of the better free services I’ve seen, and unlike your average online reward program you’re actually getting a good free service whether you earn many rewards or not. So what do you think?
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Comments
At least it looks like this service might stick around for a while.
I don’t know if anyone remembers years ago there was going to be a free isp (green frog or something) for the major city’s that just never took off.
alot of reward programs aren’t worth the time to even look at, but i might start using this just for the use of sending sms’s from the net.
Pros and cons indeed… and the site is certainly not giving anything away in terms of who’s behind the initiative or where they’re based or how to get in touch…
I’d hate to see what kind of services these adverts “target” considering most people I know only use their mobile phone for drug deals and sex…
@Richard, I did meet with the execs behind mobiK last week (NDA’d until today’s launch), and they seem to have a pretty solid background, with the pre-existing Asian business giving them plenty of capital to launch here (I believe as a combined business they are profitable at launch).
The team has big experience in the business of selling ads into non-standard spaces, so they do seem to be looking for that magical win-win for users and marketers.
I’m happy to pay the 25 cents for ad free sms.
cool concept and it’s not too much… pity it’s only member based though. I know a lot of my friends don’t use their phones for web stuff, so I’m not sure how well it’ll take off.
Maybe with the younger crowd?
@Alan, One of those such “free” ISP’s was “goConnect”. I was a member in Melbourne when i was on dial-up. When my paid for hours on my real ISP were used up, i’d jump on goConnect, and get a few adds every hour to watch.
Worked great, then they slowly moved to incorporating free and paid accounts, then just disappeared altogether.
WOW!! I loved it. one of the coolest new sites I have seen for a while. The SMS tool is pretty cool and I have been able to load tonnes of my friend from my hotmail contacts so I got into it straight away.
Can’t wait till mobiK offers free phone calls.
JT
I love this service, me and my buddies are constantly using it as we can send as many sms messgaes per day as we want and we save some cash for better things like….Beer! :)
Mobik.com can’t opened. What happen?
Mobik.com can`t opened. What heppen?
hiiii
any one got mp3 player or any other gifts from mobik
pls share with us
hey guys
i earned 25000 K in mobik and ordered a mp3 player for 21000K
but no information still i got
what do u think guys are they are making fools ?
thanks
mac
Hi MAC, I’m following up through their PR channels to see what the deal is. Things sound a bit messed up over there, between that big outage and what you are saying.
hi seamus
thanks
but what abt contact !!!
they have not mentioned their location
(or am not getting that in their site ?)
wonder the site aims to advertises but not mentioned the contact no any where
(if they mentioned at least it shud be got in a easy way.
they want to send a mail to advertise and the marketing team follow up ! )
also i forwded my invitation after i ordered one thing from mobiK store it seems they have stoped adding K to my aaccount viola !!!
seems they playing trick to gain popularity.
thanks
MAC
ha ha
good joke it seems !!!
in their web site there is no single line about
the dispatchment of the products to the users
from their store
its just stupid silly trick to get publicity
thanks
dickson
Mac, if you go through http://www.mobik.com/corporate/ (which is also the ‘About Us’ link at the bottom of the main page) you can find further contact details there. Might be worth giving them a ring while I try to chase down word through other channels.
hi Seamus
r u work for mobiK customer care ?
no one finding any links in that site for contact
except u :)
btw no one will earn K as they are not adding referrals
when some one registered !!!
i noticed while 3, 4 freinds registering to in the site !!!
thanks
chandan
Where the heck are you looking, Chandan?
http://www.mobik.com/corporate/contactus.html
Right there! Hello?
Things have definitely gone to shonk city there. We’re starting to get a bit of information, but it seems the business behind it all is acting very, very strangely.
We’re trying to confirm the situation, but right now it seems it’s good for free SMS stuff, but no good for the K.
i called once. no one took the call :D
thanks
chandan :D
Hey guys
in that site only we can send SMS to the users
who are registered. ie mobiK user can send to
other mobik users only !!!
so down grading started from that site.
cheers
Mathew
I also have a problem: my Nokia 6300 is not coming for TWO mounts. I am not sure if it would come at all..
Seamus, is there any information?
Thanks
ah well i actually joined in new zealand when it first opened, ohhh how wonderful it was before the mobik member only shamozal, then it all went to shite, you gotta admit the user friendly interface and graphics were fantastic, and the principal seemed to be working, spose the accountants killed it in the end
that site is just a spam dont use that
those ugly monkeys not given any products
when i asked those bloody a** holes replied that they dont have supply in my country
i suggest you to stay away from such a cheap graded companies
mobik is wanted software for free