Hi All,

Today I will tell you how to use the ‘Register and Activate’your mobile number on Mouthshut.com. If your mobile number is not registered and activated giving points will become impossible.

MouthShut.com now has its own own number - 9769696967.

I think I heard a snigger: "What's the big deal about it?" So the reasons are as follows:
-It is cheap. Don't pay anything extra but enjoy the MouthShut Mobile Service just as much. Say goodbye to premium rates.
-You are not bound by any word limit.
-All our international members can also avail this service.

How do I register my Mobile number?

Login and go to 'My Dashboard'

Click on 'My Mouthshut Mobile' link in left hand section

Go to 'MouthShut Mobile' tab

Enter your Country code (+91 for India) and Mobile number in the text box provided and save it.

How do I activate My Mobile number?

Once the registration is done, the following message will be shown :

Please verify your number by sending the following code to +919769696967
ACT Activation Code

Now take your mobile and type the activation code which is displayed after you register in the following format :

ACT Activation Code and send it to +919769696967

Once you sent the code, you will get a confirmation that your mobile number has been successfully registered with MouthShut.com.

You can start sending SMS Reviews to MouthShut.com.

It's very, very simple! So start sending SMS reviews and earn points that will help you buy gifts for your friends.

Regards,
Vikram.

Hi everyone: To make your SMS Review feature a memorable experience, we have added a new feature. The comments which you receive on the web page of your SMS Review will also be available to you on your mobile phone. So, the minute you receive a comment, your Mobile Phone will go "Beep, Beep!"

While each SMS Review costs Rs 3/-, comments received on your Mobile Phone are absolutely free.

Let me know what you think of it.

Regards,

Jasmine Ahuja
Head - Member Support
MouthShut.com

Hi everyone:

Please go to your Account Page and check your points. Members who have written reviews and sent SMS reviews on August 9 and 10 have been awarded 200 and 100 points respectively.

A major chunk of survey participants too have been awarded 500 points for their participation. Other survey participants will be given points soon.

Keep the reviews, diaries and SMS reviews flowing.

Regards,
Jasmine Ahuja
Head - Member Support
MouthShut.com

Hi everyone: The week's about to end and I have some real dhamaal news for you. Time to earn some points folks. So get ready for some action.

You write one review and you earn 200 points.
You send one SMS review to 56767 and you earn 100 points.

Points mela starts 12:01 am Saturday and ends 11:59 pm Sunday.

So get, set, and go guys. Points will be added in your account Monday morning.

Regards,
Jasmine Ahuja
Head - Member Support
MouthShut.com

Hi all,

Today I will tell you how to use the ‘Video Reviews’feature. For the uninitiated, Video Reviews are a unique way of posting your reviews. Instead of only reading your reviews, people can now see your reviews or read and see them simultaneously.

How can you use this feature?
You can upload an appropriate video related to the product on which you are writing review. A video helps members understand the review visually. Most models of mobile phones now have video cameras. Pick your favorite product and tape yourself speaking about that product. Then come to MouthShut.com and load your review. You may also use more sophisticated video cams or webcams.

Do’s
On the ‘Write Review Page’, you can see a video icon at top of editor as shown in attached picture
· Click on that video icon in order to upload a video on your review page. A small layer will open in editor
· Browse your appropriate video file which is related to the product from your computer storage location. Your file will automatically start uploading once you select it.
· A status bar will display the status of your video upload. You can, meanwhile start writing your review.
Once the video gets uploaded, you can submit your review.

Don’ts:
Please DON’T click on the video icon in the editor if you are not going to Upload a video in your review. Click on the icon only if you have a video to upload.

How short or how long?
Upload videos between one to six minutes; the maximum size is 100MB.

What are the file formats we support?
You can use the following file formats .mpg, .avi, .mp4, .3gp, .wmv, .mov, .asf, .mpeg, .dat

Note : Posted updated diary as design of write review page has been changed.

Regards,
Vikram.

Hello everyone:

MouthShut.com has gone live with another new category - Kids.

Yes, we have a complete category devoted to products for children. The sub-categories included here are: Books, Coaching Classes, Games, Movies, Nursery/Playschools, Schools, Toysand TV Shows.

This new category can be accessed here: https://mouthshut.com/product/categories.php?cid=20

It's time to get the child within us out.

Regards,

Jasmine Ahuja

Head - Member Support

MouthShut.com

Hi all,

Today I will tell you about how to use ‘Share this review’feature on the Read Review page.


1. How is this feature useful to you?
You can share your favorite reviews by using this feature on sites like Delicious, Facebook, MySpace, Digg, Yahoo Bookmarks, Google Bookmarks etc
Keep all your bookmarks and access them from home, office, anywhere. Share your reviews with family, friends, and colleagues.

2. What do you need to do?
· Go to the review page you wish to share
For eg: This is the review which you want to share
https://mouthshut.com/review/Mahaswetha_-_Sudha_Murthy-14732 0-1.html
· Click on the ‘Share this review’ link beside Write Review tab
· Select any service in which you have account (Delicious, Facebook, MySpace, Digg , Yahoo Bookmarks, Google Bookmarks etc)
· Login with your service account details
· Post it and open your service account
· Click on your profile and there you will see your review has been book marked.

3. What is the use of this feature?
At any time you can read your favorite review and share it with your friends and family. Give your review the exposure it deserves. Let the whole world read it.

Updates :Name of Bookmark tab has changed to SHARE THIS REVIEW. Position of Share This Review tab has been changed as now it is shifted near to Write your own review button

Thanks,
Vikram.

It's time to honour some more members on MouthShut.com They have been doing some great work, have been extremely active and are without an iota of doubt, five of the most popular members around. Yes, five of them.

swan
monoo
derebail2008
aaryesdee
JaveedAhmedM

In recognition of the outstanding work done by them, MouthShut.com has decided to award these members with 1000 bonus points.

Standing ovation please!
The Red Carpet please!
Champagne please!
The bouquets please!

Hi All,

I am Vikram Kumar, I have been working in Mouthshut.com as a Technical Support Engineer since January 2007.

Now I am out here on the platform to take on Techincal Issues faced by you.

For any queries regarding Technical issues you can contact me through M2M or you can post a comment on my diaries.

-- Vikram Kumar

Earlier this year we decided to explore potential partnership opportunities with some of India's major Internet players including Google.

Saif Hasan, our Director of Communications Extraordinaire, was assigned the task of initiating contact with these companies. Things started to move forward with several within a matter of days. “What’s the status with Google?” I asked. Saif scratched his head and said "Trying to locate a contact there."

A few weeks later and we were ready to ink partnership agreement with seveal of these companies including one which has an exclamation mark in its name. At every juncture I would inquire: “What’s the status with Google?” Saif’s frustrating response reminded me of Birbal’s khichri: "Still trying to locate a contact there, Sir."

When two full months had passed and Saif was still trying to locate the right person at Google, I decided to take the matter into my own hands. Saif revealed that the contact numbers on Google’s website were wrong. When he did uncover a number, receptionists who answered had no clue as to who was in charge of what. The irony that the company that catalogs the World’s Information was clueless about its own body parts was not lost on me.

With a little hesitation I decided I would call Shailesh Rao, head of Google India. I had met Shailesh at an event a few months prior. In addition to exploring the partnership, I thought I would also bring to his attention the chaos any caller into Google India office faces. I doubt it is intended to be that way. It was entirely possible that the big chiefs were so busy solving the big problems that no one bothered to attend to the “simple and obvious” issues.

I started with Google India’s Mumbai office and asked to be connected to Mr. Shailesh Rao. The gentleman who answered spoke only Hindi (kaun mangta hai aap ko?). Sadly, I do not know the Hindi terms for a lot of business departments such as Business Development so I struggled. He ordered me to call Google Hyderabad office. I informed him that the Hyderabad office numbers are wrong on their website. After several frustrating attempts with the Mumbai office, I was finally able to obtain the (correct!) numbers to the Hyderabad office.

That’s when things got really frustrating.

On my eighth attempt a human voice answered the phone. Greeting me with a hurried “hello”, she put me on an indefinite hold. When she did finally return I had finished several lengthy tasks and consumed several cups of tea. I politely asked her to connect me to “Mr. Shailesh Rao, Managing Director, Google India”. “Wait, wait, wait, that’s too fast” her tone implied. “Can you repeat the name?” I did…four more times. Then she informed me she had what amounted to good news-bad news for me.

Running a search that took a lot longer than Google’s Search Engine would ever take, she found the name Shailesh Rao in her directory. That was the good news. The bad news was: “ Now, which Shailesh Rao do you want?” Obviously, there’s more than one person with the same name. I was tired. Very tired. Which Shailesh Rao? “The Big Boss, the Sensei, the Sultan, the Chief, the Don” I wanted to scream out. “Head of Google India” I managed to say. "Please call the Gurgaon India office ," she said and gave me their "Gurgaon number." Except, the number had a Delhi area code!

To make a long, tiring story short, I finally reached Google’s Gurgaon office. The phone was answered by a security guard. Look, is there a trend I am missing? Did the phone receptionist and security guard roles merge while I was busy doing other things? If so, will someone attend to cross-training security guards to have the skills of answering calls? Obviously, security guards spend time in the gym building muscles, not polishing their greeting skills.

Anyway, since Shailesh (the right Shailesh) was busy, I spoke with his executive assistant Aditi Dhingra. She was kind and patient as she heard me out.

I get very nervous when I have such experiences. Chaos of this variety is RARELY benign. It is often the signature of bigger problems inside. I am shocked that a company like Google which has executed flawlessly on some of technology's most difficult problems is struggling with such basic issues here in India. Yes, I am daring to criticize Google's Interface today - not the Web interface, the more critical interface it has with us here in India. Wrong phone numbers published on their website? Missing/untrained receptionists? Stone age employee directories? Yeh kya ho raha hai???

A highly successful CEO and a mentor once told me: “Your company’s phone number is like the front of your house. Pay attention to details because people will judge you by their experience at your doorsteps.” I hope Shailesh Rao gets the same message – no, not THAT Shailesh Rao, the other one, the one.