Navigation in male voice
Cellular companies make kosher plans
Photo: Visual/photos
New in MIRS: Kosher voice navigation
Haredis can also benefit from kosher voice navigation and to arrive at their desire location with help of male voice that will guide them
MIRS has launched a service based on GPS and voice and visual navigation for the Haredi sector that will be available from cellular devices authorized by the Rabbinical Council for Media Issues.
The voice navigation is based on an integrated application in the "kosher" cellular device – Motorola 760i. Verbal directions will be given in a male voice as well as visual location according to the address alone, as opposed to other navigational devices in which one can also search for places of entertainment.
MIRS is offering Motorola model 760i phones for a price of NIS 19.90 (USD 4.60) per month in 36 payments (NIS 716 – USD 164). The verbal navigation application will be free for the first two months, after which the price of the service will be NIS 14.95 (USD 3.40) per month.
Background
In December 2004, prominent rabbis of the Haredi community called the Haredi community not to use the cellular devices on the market because of the "impure" content offered in the devices, and forbade the publication of cellular ads in Haredi newspapers until an agreement would be reached with the cellular companies.For the purpose of negotiating with the cellular companies, the Haredi community appointed a Rabbinical Council for Media Issues whose members were authorized to check and approve the various mobile cellular devices.
The council decided on a number of applications for the kosher cellular phone which would allow making phone calls, using the phone book and calendar, but not connecting to the internet, sending and receiving SMS messages, pictures or any other content.
The MIRS company took up the challenge of the Haredi community at the beginning of March 2005 and launched for the first time a number of kosher cellular devices. The MIRS devices certified as kosher are: 90i, 265i, and 830i. A kosher seal is stamped on each device validating that it was certified by the Rabbinical Council. These are simple devices, capable essentially of carrying out walkie-talkie functions. They can make calls on the Sabbath, but only for the purpose of saving lives (to emergency numbers).
Following MIRS's lead, Cellcom and Pelephone have also agreed to market kosher phones to the Haredi public under the authority of the Rabbinical Council.
