One word to describe Canada --- SLOW

[sanch]

Re: RE: One word to describe Canada --- SLOW

Oh. Just to give you another example . I bought a new cell phone outside of Canada back in 2004 dec. I came back trying to find a mini-SD memory card for it. I went to all these big stores, no one knew what it was. Until I year later, they finally had it. Luckily that I bought one oversea when I bought the phone.

Anyway, if you are still not convinced, I guess you are so used to it. Good for you.

peace

I don't see any clues as to where richmond is from.

But Richmond does have a problem with the management of time.

In the above example Richmond bought a cell phone abroad and then once back in Canada tried to buy a card for it. Apparently forgetting that he already owned the card he ran around to big stores looking for the card. Obviously the exercise was a waste of time.

Now I just spent a couple of months in Toronto and Montreal and I found all the electronics up to date. I am on a North American plan and so my cell phone service is identical to that in the US.

I also searched out electronics on occasion and my experience was that the individual would simply look it up on-line. That's how they do it.

I have to order most of my stuff on-line anyway. A battery for my camera yesterday and a new toner cartridge for my printer today. Usually I go to the site for Best Buy or some other store and look for the product and the site tells me if it is available in the store.

No need to run around to stores trying to find something you don't really need. The marvel of technology.

 

[#juan]

I have a hundred and fifty movies on VHS that I've either bought or taped over the last twenty odd years. I'm told that if I burn them onto a DVD, there is a chance that in five or ten years, they won't be playable because the aluminum will oxidize. I'm sure I have tapes that are close to thirty years old and they play just fine. In my estimation, it is the newer CD and DVD systems that are not living up to their expectations. Don't throw out VHS until there is something to replace it.

 

[Sassylassie]

Notice how few of us shop at Walmart, spew spit. Lee Valley rocks, Home Hardware is my second home. Canadian Tire is in my will. I always spend my money at Mom and Pop shops, I try and keep it local.

If you read Cell by Steven King you will throw your cell phone away. Scary, scary.

 

[sha_zapple]

RE: One word to describe

Me and Canadian tire is a Love/Hate relationship.

The people that work there are idiots, and always pass off my questions to another department. They dont know what they even have in the store, and rainchecks usually are lost and never to be seen again.

That being said, if I can walk in and find things without any employee interference then its the best place in the world.

 

[Kreskin]

My daughters Godfather retired from a financial institution where he managed one of the biggest bank branches in Canada - 250 staff at one branch. You don't get that job without being passionate about both customer service and business. Once retired, the owner of a Canadian Tire shop asked him to manage their store. He was reluctant but took it on. Knowing him as well as I do I thought `oh man, that store will never be the same again'. He doesn't pull any punches - I knew the slackers were in for a life of hell. I think he ended up firing half of the store, trained the rest in the use of common sense, and sales results were the largest the store had ever seen by a long shot. You didn't want to be the one who lost the raincheck.

He cracks me up, I love the guy.

 

[I think not]

Re: RE: One word to describe Canada --- SLOW

And after all these years, there are still no coverage in Subway. Hmmmm.......

That might have something to do with you being "underground". radio signals don't pass easily through concrete & earth. Also, this isn't a lack of technology issue, maybe you should petition your cell phone carrier to work out a deal with the ttc to provide signal underground?

Actually that doesn't matter. For underground installations (subways, tunnels etc...) they use radiating cable, and by the way I hate for it. Everytime I use the subway there are teenagers on the phone yapping throughout the whole ride. You're better of without it! Don't let them do it!

 

[Researcher87]

East Side Scotian you work for Cingular tech support. Cool, I work activations for T-Mobile. Cool isn't it.

However, I wouldn't want to make it a career, met some nice Americans however, for every nice American you might have one or two people who are just rude or want something out of you when they don't deserve it.

To the point, America is better than Canada in cell phones, not by much but their rate plans are way better. We get like 300 minutes in a good deal, they can get up to 5,000 for the same price.

However, European mobile phones are five times better than American phones, and ten times better than Canadian mobile phones and then the Japanese have ten times better than the European phones. Get the idea.

The only mobile phones we may possibly be better in is African, Middle Eastern and Australia possibly.

 

[I think not]

I never understood this European cell phones are better than North American. When you dial the phone do you get the other person on the line? What does anyone expect from a cell phone?

 

[Researcher87]

What makes European phones better is they can be used anywhere their ban can be used in all European countries, Canada, America, Africa Asia, while American phones you need the right fregency to work even in Europe. And they have other features as well.

 

[I think not]

What makes European phones better is they can be used anywhere their ban can be used in all European countries, Canada, America, Africa Asia, while American phones you need the right fregency to work even in Europe. And they have other features as well.

Well I can see the cell phone working in other countries being a convenience, although I'm sure an expensive one. I see your point though.

BTW, I use Cingular, 4000 minutes $99 a month, and what is not used, rolls over.

 

[TenPenny]

I think the problem is that he is referring to Toronto; the rest of the country is way beyond that. Maybe richmond should get out more; if richmond was looking for a mini-SD memory card back in 2004, he/she/it should have come to New Brunswick. They were available there. We don't wait in bank lines, we use the internet. It's a cool idea. You should try it.

 

[DurkaDurka]

Re: RE: One word to describe Canada --- SLOW

And after all these years, there are still no coverage in Subway. Hmmmm.......

That might have something to do with you being "underground". radio signals don't pass easily through concrete & earth. Also, this isn't a lack of technology issue, maybe you should petition your cell phone carrier to work out a deal with the ttc to provide signal underground?

Actually that doesn't matter. For underground installations (subways, tunnels etc...) they use radiating cable, and by the way I hate for it. Everytime I use the subway there are teenagers on the phone yapping throughout the whole ride. You're better of without it! Don't let them do it!

I understand that, what i was suggesting is that the provider (ie bell, rogers) has to work out a deal with the transit company to run the cables underground.

 

[Carmoral]

CDMA is garbage anyway. GSM is much better and far more useful. Canada has both so does that really matter?

I agree, the company I work for here in the UK provide cell phones for Americans and Canadians travelling abroad and to use in their countries, and many people swap over to GSM simply because it is more widely available all over the world.

When I first moved to Edmonton back in 1999, my dad back in the UK had a cell phone, I went to Fido and got one as well, it was slightly more expensive to buy, but far more superior in technology. As for shopping, my god! Have you been to West Edmonton Mall, I find the service back in Canada second to none, here in the UK, your lucky if the sales person looks your way; they are so friendly and make shopping a pleasant experience. I really didn’t find the banks much different to here in the UK, I think it just depends on who they are serving at the time, and how much needs to be done.

Canada is a great place to live, you should feel lucky your there, and not moan, cant stand it when people from other countries move to some other country, then have the audacity to moan about it, if you don’t like it, why do you stay? :?

 

[Andem]

To clarify the mobile phone thing, its true that a mobile will come out first here... but give it 4-5 months and the same or similar phone will be available in Canada, usually through Rogers. I know, because I bought my handy here in Germany and was back to visit Canada a few months later and Rogers was advertising the phone as being available in the next month.. albeit under a slightly different model number, but the same phone.

Here in Europe, the cost of having a mobile is extremely expensive and you can expect to pay 0.49€ per minute if you call a different network, and 0.19€ to call a landline. It also costs a lot more than in Canada to call from a landline to a cell phone.

That's the reason why SMS is so popular here, even though an SMS still costs more than in Canada.

The reason why the TTC is not allowing the carriers to install networks in the underground is for safety reasons.. they interfere with the safety communications systems on the TTC and hense provides a similar situation as to why you can't use mobiles on an airplane.

 

[jimmoyer]

Even if you're not using your cell phone and
merely have it on, "they" can track where you've
been and where you are.

True ?

And what, Sassy, did Stephen King have to say
in "Cell" ? Any special highlights ???

 

[richmondrichmond]

Another example.

I have been to two large banks in downtown Toronto. One time I was trying to get $8000 cash and I was told that I needed to call them 1 day in advance. Another time, I was trying to get some foreign currency at the Main Branch, again the teller told me they need a day in advance to prepare that. WTF? What a joke. Do you want more examples? :>

 

[Proud American]

Good grief Canada is slow because we don't wonder around with cell phones glued to our ears chatting with our Mommies. You give him hell Durkadurka.

Lord people can be pompous at times, I own a cell phone which is kept in the truck for emergencies. It's a Ford so I have only one number on speed dial, the tow truck company. Canada is not slow we are relaxed.

LOL Sassie, that's not fair..I own a Ford truck and mine has NEVER given me any problems.....lol...

 

[Curiosity]

Sassy/ProudAmerican

Girls please....riding around in Ford Trucks????

Shhhhhhhhh they'll want to take our vote back next.

 

[ponygurl]

Well.. perhaps we are slow here. I mean.. we encourage our children to stay in school until at least age 17.. unlike China , where they are encouraged to enter the workforce at age 7.

=')

 

[Blackleaf]

lots of land

How's that an advantage? There's only 32 million of you.