What an exciting surprise, a Nokia Lumia 800 just arrived on my desk, check this puppy out:
I need some time to play with it, but I’ll review it shortly!
270 seconds of summer video
This is an awesome video compilation of 270 seconds of summer during the course of 2011 by Samuel Ebat. Take a watch, it’s a feel good =)
Song is “Stay Close” by Delorean (RAC Remix).
MSC Opera to grace South African Shores
We are very excited to announce that as a big thank you for the enthusiasm shown by the South African market in taking up to local cruises, the MSC Opera will be sailing from South African shores for the 2012 / 2013 cruise season.
Whilst we will be sad to say good bye to the Melody, as she has become a firm friend of ours, it is wonderful to be able to offer the Cape Town clients, and of course the surrounding areas, an opportunity to experience the greater amenities on offer on the Sinfonia, as well as an expanded cruise schedule.
The Opera has both balcony cabins and balcony suites, which means more people can have a private outdoor area to sip their cocktail whilst enjoying the ocean views or sunsets. Heavenly!
The MSC Opera will arrive in Cape Town, South Africa for the first time ever on 19 November 2012 and will operate out of Durban from 22 November 2012 until early March 2013, taking over the popular Mozambique three and four night cruises from the MSC Sinfonia. The MSC Opera will thus be taking over the Sinfonia’s schedules and the Sinfonia will take over the Melody’s schedules
The introduction of the MSC Opera in the next season heralds a new level of cruising in the SA market as it boasts four restaurants, eleven themed bars & lounges, two pools, and two whirlpools. Glass walls form part of the decor in order to best exploit the fabulous ocean views.
Of course, children under 18 will continue to travel free on all MSC cruise ships, making this a great family get away. To cater for their tastes, the MSC Opera has a disco, video games room (with virtual reality games), internet café and the Buffalo Bill children’s play area.
For those planning a corporate get away for their organisation, it also features a high-tech vision sharing system, which will allow vision from any given source on the ship to be shared throughout the ship, or to specific lounges or public areas. Wi-fi Internet connection is available in all public areas.
If you have been hesitating about jumping onto the cruise bandwagon, you had better jump on feet-first, before you get left behind!
Google will pay you $25 for your privacy!
Google’s working on ways to get more information from all of us, and a new initiative spearheading this is called Screenwise. The idea behind Screenwise is that Google asks you to use a Google Chrome browser whilst you surf the Internet, thus allowing them to track your movements.
Of course, you ask yourself what’s the point, Google already knows all of this? Well, think about it like this, if you’re selected to be part of the program, Google will be able to study your movements on the Internet as you’ll no longer be anonymous. So, Google’s paying you for your privacy basically in order to refine its tools.
So what is Google paying?
If you’re accepted into the program, Google will reward you with a $5 Amazon coupon, then another after $5 every 3 months for a total of 12 months, so you’ll get $25 in total.
I certainly wouldn’t want to give away my privacy for just $25, but perhaps you would, and if you would, then you can click here to apply.
The Glitch Mob – Fortune Days
A good friend of mine just dropped me this tune and it’s a winner, take a listen!
Share The Soundtrack To Your Life With Soundtracking
There are many social networks out there, that allow you to share nearly everything in your life. Soundtracking is one of the newer social networks, with iPhone and Android apps, that allows you to share the soundtrack to your life.
You sign into the app with either your Facebook, Twitter or Foursquare account, which are integral to sharing the music that you’re listening to. The user interface is slick and functional, and the layout is pretty similar to Foursquare and Instagram, with buttons along the bottom and a pronounced sharing button in the middle.
By tapping on the sharing button, you can choose to share the song you’re listening to in one of three ways. You could either use the music search function, or use the music ID function, which works similarly to Soundhound and Shazam, which identifies music by ‘listening’ to the music you’re playing, or you could select the song that’s currently playing on your iPod app.
The nice thing about the app is that you can also add a photo to your post, either by taking a new picture, or uploading an existing one from your phone. You can also add a location to your post via Foursquare and add a description, which will make up the body of the text when sharing to Facebook and Twitter.
Once your post is shared, people viewing it get taken to a Soundtracking page, where they will have the option of previewing the song and buying it from iTunes. From here, they also have the option of liking the song, loving it and sharing a comment.
Soundtracking has an average four and a half star rating on the iTunes App Store and the reviews are all positive. Soundtracking adds a musical dimension to sharing, which is a welcome addition to social sharing apps.
Do you use Soundtracking? Do you think it has a place amongst the other social sharing apps? Let us know in the contents below.
Everyday Awesomeness – Win yourself some gadgets!
Are you in need of an extra USB port, a solar powered gadget charger or a cordless power tool? Awesome science and technology magazine, Popular Mechanics, is running the following competitions on their website.
Win 1 of 10 Unitek’s Infinity USB hubs – each worth R75
If you find yourself running out of USB ports on your laptop for your plethora of gadgets, then Unitek’s range of Infinity USB hubs could be just the thing you need. Each mini-hub comes with a different adaptor (USB, mini-USB, micro-USB or iPhone) on a 15 cm cable and a pass-through USB port, allowing you to daisychain as many units as you require. An external power adaptor supplies juice to the ports (and anything attached to them).
Win 1 of 3 Suntrica’s SolarStrap portable solar-powered chargers
Adventurers looking for a convenient way to power their mobile gadgetry should consider Suntrica’s SolarStrap portable solar-powered chargers. Two models are available – the basic SS-W100 (with three tips: Nokia 2,1 mm, Motorola mini-USB, and micro-USB) and the SS-W204 (made specifically for iPods and iPhones). Both feature splash-proof and virtually indestructible flexible solar panels and lithium-polymer battery packs with intelligent charge control electronics.
The 85 g SS-W100 provides over one hour of talk time (or 50 hours of standby time) from a one-hour solar charge. The SS-W204 comes in a range of funky colours, provides 16 minutes of talk time, and weighs 65 g. The batteries in both models can also be charged via a USB port, a vehicle’s 12 V auxiliary socket or a wall charger. Expect to pay about R400 for the SS-W100 and R800 for the SS-W204.
PM is giving away:
* 2x SS-W100, which ships with three tips: Nokia 2,1 mm, microUSB and Motorolla miniUSB
* 1x SS-W204 for iPods and iPhones
Win a Dremel Multi-Max 8300 tool worth R1 999
The Dremel 8300 variable-speed cordless Multi-Max oscillating tool offers power and freedom to take your DIY skills anywhere. With fast side-to-side motion, the Multi-Max can take on a variety of projects that involve repairing, remodelling or restoration – without the hassle of plugs and cords. Whether it’s cutting, grinding, sanding, scraping or grout removal, the Multi-Max provides optimal control and precision thanks to its high-performance motor with speed variability from 2 000 to 23 000 r/min. Ergonomic and safety features include a separate on/off switch that enables the speed setting to be maintained even after switch-off; Quick Fit™ for faster accessory change; soft-start and electric brake.
Longer runtime is possible thanks to the high-capacity 10,8 V lithium-ion battery. A “fuel gauge” lets you know when it’s time to recharge. The Multi-Max 8300 comes with a two-year warranty.
Included in this gift pack are 2 x 10,8 V Li-Ion batteries, charger, wood and metal flush cut blade, wood and drywall saw blade and delta sanding pad + 3x red wood + 3x white paint sanding sheets (60,120,240).
To stand a chance to win these prizes, visit the Popular Mechanics website.
Know of any other fantastic competitions? Share in the comments!
South Africa vs Great Britain men’s hockey this Saturday
The series of three test matches between the South African men’s hockey team and Great Britain comes to an end this Saturday, with the final match being played at Hartleyvale Stadium at 6pm. With the series tied at 1 – 1, it’s a fight for the series and bound to be a great game.
The first test match was won by the 12th-ranked South Africa after they beat Great Britain, ranked 4th in the world, 5 – 3 at Hartleyvale on Friday 3 February. It was thrilling, fast-paced game hugely enjoyed by the crowd of more than 3 000, and afterwards the South African team was mobbed by a large group of youngsters eager to get photos with and autographs from their heroes.
The second test was played in Stellenbosch last night in front of a 2 000-strong crowd. Though SA scored the first goal, Great Britain fought back to win the game 3 – 1. This means that Saturday’s game is the decider for the series. It would be great to see as many people come down to support the SA team as possible!
The SA team will also play Pinoke, the top Dutch hockey club from Amsterdam, on Thursday 9 February at 7pm and again on Sunday 12 February at 12pm, both games at Hartleyvale.
Tickets for the matches cost R30 for adults and R10 for children under 18. All proceeds go towards sending the SA team to an Olympic qualification tournament being held in Japan in April.
Written by Marc Pelteret, Chairman of Pinelands Hockey Club, home club of Austin Smith – SA men’s club captain
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