All posts in Paid Post

More on Red Bull MOBILE

by Chris M on November 16, 2011 in Mobile, Paid Post with No comments

Back in March this year I wrote a post and made a video of a Red Bull MOBILE that I received. The device was powered by Android and as a first go at synergy between Red Bull and Cell C, it wasn’t a bad go at all. Well, Red Bull has evolved and they’re offering more now, in fact, their offering is quite awesome and in a space where it’s so competitive, I commend Red Bull for pushing forwards.

So, I’ve received a new Red Bull mobile device and this one’s wicked. Now, remember, I’m a serious Apple fan boy and have never really given Android much space in my life (side note: I realise that Android is going to grow and grow and become more awesome than ever), but with this device I’ve enjoyed exploring what Android has to offer and I’ve enjoyed Red Bull’s mobi site portal. Because Red Bull’s into high speed energy, entertainment, arts, sports and events, they bring this feeling to the device through their portal. Best part, users get exclusive and free access to the portal.

Here are two pics of the device:

red-bull-mobile-front
red-bull-mobile-back

There are other reasons why Red Bull’s offering is competitive and interesting:

  • Red Bull TV – 24 hours a day of Red Bull world
  • Consumption – thousands of interesting items to consume
  • Music – Stream thousands of items via the Red Bull Music Academy
  • Downloads – VOD files, static images, wallpapers, screensavers, lifestyle content and more

In our mobile space, these additions are so popular and being plugged into the lifestyle is where it’s at. Another awesome thing is that Red Bull users get access to free tickets for events and festivals as well as a copy of Red Bull’s rocking monthly magazine.

So if you’re interested in learning more, here are the links:

In the mobile space it’s crucial to know your options – each provider has a great list of value adds and Red Bull isn’t shy in this regard so head on over to their website and have a read, or join the Facebook Page and engage!

Gareth Cliff On Everything Review + Competition

by Chris M on October 27, 2011 in Paid Post with 25 Comments

A couple weeks ago I was sent two copies of Gareth Cliff’s new book for my fiance and I to read. My fiance’s an avid reader and therefore managed to read the entire book in a few days, so I’ve been a bit naughty and asked her to assist me with the review as I haven’t managed to get through the whole book yet. Nevertheless, it’s been read and we’ve got some thoughts to share with all of you:

I used to think Gareth Cliff was an opinionated fool who liked the sound of his own voice. That was before reading his book, “Gareth Cliff on Everything”. I still think he’s opinionated, but he is also very clever. This book is written with the kind of wit that allows complex, sensitive issues to be discussed simply, and with great humour. I found myself feeling throughout the book as though pertinent issues to the South African context were finally being discussed, by someone who had taken not only the time to know his facts, but also to know exactly how he felt about them. It was so refreshing to read a book that is so unashamedly truthful; there is no whispering around issues of race, class or gender in this book.

This book says exactly what most South Africans think, but are too scared to say out loud. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for something thought-provoking. Oh and it’s also pretty funny ;)

So there you have it, a book that’s worth recommending – in fact, how about I give some away?!

WIN A COPY

Just leave a comment below and two lucky readers will each win a copy of the book!

Web Africa boosts hosting services

by Chris M on January 18, 2011 in Industry News, Paid Post with No comments

Last year Web Africa announced the release of their Nitro Dedicated Servers and this was a complete hit, to such a point that they’re now making things even more incredible than before.

If you have a website, it will be hosted somewhere, now’s the time to look at what you get for what you’re paying and compare it to Web Africa. Here’s the scoop:

Overages are now 2 center per megabyte and bandwidth has been increased like this:

  • Nitro Server: 80GB (was 20GB)
  • Nitro Server+: 300GB (was 100GB)
  • Nitro Managed: 80GB (was 20GB)
  • Nitro Managed+: 300GB (was 100GB)

So, if you’re currently hosting with Web Africa, you’ll be automatically bumped up to these awesome packages. If you aren’t, be sure to click here and have a look at your options!

As more and more people start using the Internet, it’s really important that you check what you’re paying for hosting, deals like this don’t come around all the time, you could save a good amount of money if you keep your finger on the pulse.

I’ve compared these prices to a number of other hosting companies in South Africa and these really do take the lead!

Mediterranean Delicacies Christmas competition

by Reviewer on December 14, 2010 in Cuisine and Beverages, Paid Post with No comments

Mediterranean Delicacies are running a Christmas competition, which could stand one lucky person with a delicious, jam-packed hamper of goodies, like this..

How to Enter?

Simple.

  1. Visit the Mediterranean Delicacies Facebook Page and “like” it.
  2. Post a status update on your wall to “@Mediterranean Delicacies …. ” followed by telling us what your 3 favourite Mediterranean Delicacies dips are. Just start typing @Med…. and it will automati…cally give you the option for Mediterranean Delicacies.

That’s it!

The Facebook Page is new, so there are only 37 likes thus far, so if you enter, you’ve got a really great chance of winning – just thought I’d mention that :)

The competition closes on 20/12/2010 at 7PM.

Mediterranean Delicacies is a supplier of fine foods to the retail, restaurants and catering trade. Established in 1988, Mediterranean Delicacies, 15 years later, still remains popular and unique in South Africa.

You can purchase Mediterranean Delicacies products from Pick ‘n Pay, Shoprite Checkers and Spar.

50% Discount on all hosting packages

by Chris M on October 13, 2010 in Internet, Paid Post with 17 Comments

Finding the right hosting company isn’t always an easy task, most of them offer exactly the same services and you only really get to understand exactly what is on offer once you’ve signed up and tested it.

I host a lot of websites, from small income generators, to larger content driven sites to simple landing pages, the one thing in common is that they all need a place to be hosted and as you can imagine, this gets rather expensive so I’m always on the lookout for special offers :)

About a week ago I received an email from Newnet, a local company, which has been around since 2001 and is having a 9th Birthday celebration. What does that mean for you? Well, believe it or not (actually just believe it), they’re celebrating by giving all new users a 50% discount on all hosting packages (this applies to Linux Hosting, Windows Hosting, Email Hosting and DNS Hosting, and applies to Monthly, Six-monthly and Yearly paid orders) during the month of October!

450-x-100

I quickly got myself some linux hosting from them to give their services a try and I’m impressed thus far. The top of the range package is the Linux Platinum package, which gives you 4GB of space, 7GB of local traffic, or 70GB of International traffic, 400 email accounts, 25 MySQL databases and an assortment of other things such as Web Applications, Plesk Control Panel, and it’s only R290 per month without the 50% discount! So ye, that’s R145 for the month with the Birthday discount or only R133.00 per month if you order the yearly package and get the 50% discount on the full year. Honestly, I don’t think you’ll find cheaper local hosting from a reputable company.

I’m rather familiar with hosting, but what I did take note of on their website is the fact that everything is laid out incredibly well, it’s easy to navigate and they offer a number of tutorials along the way to help explain anything that might not make sense. No binding contracts and an Any-Time Money Back Guarantee offer you a low risk service. They take pride in providing a Personalised service with phone, email and helpdesk support to all clients, no matter the size or type of service you have with them.

So, if you’re looking for somewhere to do some local hosting at an amazing price, visit Newnet and use the coupon code “HOORAY-9″ to get your 50% discount!

Ricoh chooses Paperserve

by Reviewer on October 1, 2010 in Going Green, Paid Post with No comments

This just in from Paperserve, your leading, proudly South African, print management solutions company:

We are happy to announce that Ricoh South Africa has chosen Paperserve to form part of their software solutions portfolio which they will offer to their clients in Southern Africa.

Paperserve has over the last year implemented successfully across many of the vertical markets that Ricoh service. Managed print services is becoming more and more of a requirement and as such vendors are opening their doors to solutions that can service these demands.

According to Ricoh’s product marketing manager Werner Cronje, the choice to partner with Paperserve was not a hard one to make. “Paperserve’s product offering encompasses cutting edge technology as well as excellent client service in order to provide a robust and stable print management solution for our clients. In addition Paperserve is a Proudly South African company”

Well done Paperserve!

10 Reasons Why You Should Be Considering Online Dating

by Reviewer on September 14, 2010 in Internet, Paid Post with 9 Comments

If you think back to a few years ago, online dating was something that maybe one or two of your friends may have tried, but on the whole, it was something that no-one liked to admit to. Fast forward to this century, and you will find it hard to meet someone who hasn’t met someone special online. The dating trend has grown every year, and as technology and social networking advances, dating sites have become one of the simplest, coolest and easiest ways for singles to connect online.

Still not convinced? Here are 10 reasons why every single should give online dating a chance:

  1. Hundreds of singles are singing up to dating sites such as Head Over Heels every single day. That means hundreds of new singles out there, waiting to meet likeminded people.
  2. Matchmaking has become one of the hottest dating trends, helping many singles to meet securely online.
  3. You will be able to choose the types of singles you wish to date (that means no embarrassing set ups by well-meaning friends!).
  4. You will have the chance to make new friends, even if you don’t meet Mr or Mrs Right on the first date.
  5. With secure websites, careful screening and many other safety checks, internet dating has never been this safe or simple.
  6. Take charge of your life – rather than waiting for someone to find you, go out and find them instead. Who knows what romance could be around the corner!
  7. Find love at the click of your mouse through an easy to use cyber dating system that is as easy as pie.
  8. Browse profiles and search for singles who share your interests, passions and values.
  9. Online dating is affordable at sites such as Head Over Heels, with full memberships available at under R150 (that’s less than the price of a single date when you think about it like that).
  10. Find romance, flirting, fun and love, and give yourself the chance to meet the person of your dreams – all without every leaving the house.

Head Over Heels is giving lucky iMod readers a fantastic offer – if you sign up and use the codes IMOD or IM0D you will receive a limited membership discount of two months for the price of one!

Head to www.headoverheels.co.za and see why hundreds of singles are signing up for a chance to meet quality singles through the hottest online dating service around.

5 Things people forget when starting a business

by Chris M on September 3, 2010 in Business, Paid Post with 3 Comments

Last week I introduced you all to a course which teaches you how to start and manage a small business (Read specific information on the course by clicking here). Today I’m going to follow on from that post and give you a little more information about the course. I caught up with Gareth (Yes, he’s an author here on iMod), who is the Course Convener for the University of Cape Town Start and Manage a Small Business course, and asked him for some more information about the course as well as one other thing, which I’ll mention below.

Here’s what Gareth had to say, read carefully, Gareth knows his stuff:

For many of us, at one point or another in our lives, we’ve toyed with the idea of running our own business.  Whether it’s a millionaire business owner that’s inspired you, wanting to follow a suppressed passion and try something different, or just the desire to get out of the hum-drum, day-to-day rat-race, running your own business is what you want to do.  But where do you start?  The answer is: right here… Register for the UCT Start and Manage a Small Business course, take the first step towards achieving your dream!

If the past few years have taught us anything, it’s that we could all benefit from not relying on one employer for the rest of our lives.  Businesses closing up shop, retrenchments far and wide, investment returns plunging – it’s enough to make you want to bury your head in the sand.  But shying away from this area of your life is not the answer.  Getting to grips with the ins and outs of running your own show, however, most definitely is.

So whether you’re an aspirant entrepreneur wanting to move into the small business space for the first time, an employee wanting to brush up on your business know-how to improve your standing in the workplace, or a seasoned business owner wanting to tighten up and improve your existing operation, you’ve come to the right place!

Couldn’t have said it better myself!

Moving along, I love to dabble in new business and entrepreneurship, it’s a passion and gives me motivation to move forwards. With that in mind, I often move forwards too quickly and when I sat down and thought writing this post, I was really pleased to ask Gareth to tell me 5 things that people forget when starting a business, as I felt sharing this with you might be a great benefit:

  1. Running as a sole proprietorship shouldn’t be the default position to take when starting – there can be major tax benefits by going a different route.
  2. To keep a record (and keep the slips) when they buy and spend on anything when starting out – even if it’s just a note scribbled in a notebook…
  3. To have signed contracts for employees, customers and suppliers – the entrepreneurs are so busy selling, they forget to cover themselves legally!
  4. When you’re still small, you yourself are the biggest ad for the business – so you have to ‘manage your personal brand’ in a big way…
  5. The bank is definitely not the first place you should go for finance!

What Gareth also mentioned about those 5 points is that they all relate to the course modules including planning, legal, HR, marketing, finance.

If you enjoy business, you’ll probably be sitting there feeling a little buzzed like me – Why learn from your mistakes when you can have someone teaching you what the mistakes are and teaching you how to avoid them? Exactly what I tought ;)

So, you’re keen to learn more and do this great course, here’s the hook up:

  • Give Abby a shout on 021 685 4775
  • If you’re shy, pop her an email on abby@getsmarter.co.za
  • Read more on the course by clicking here

Right, that’s it, Abby’s waiting to hear from you :)

Learn how to start and manage a small business!

by Chris M on August 25, 2010 in Business, Paid Post with 26 Comments

When last did you study something? If you’re in the working world, you’ll probably sit there for a moment and wonder, that long ago?! I don’t blame you, studying normally takes up far too much time and any professional short course you might find won’t be accredited or it will cost you a fortune. That’s where GetSmarter comes in, GetSmarter is a specialist online training firm that works together with top universities and industry experts to present professional short courses throughout South Africa, a company who I’ve dealt with on several occasions and one which I’d vouch for. They’ve trained over 4000 people over the past 4 years across their portfolio of 11 courses and have 875 people signed up for the second half of 2010.

I guess you’re curious about the courses now aren’t you? Well, you all know about the wine course (iMod readers seemed to enjoy this one a lot, I kept getting enquiries about it!), I’ve blogged about this one before, oh and of course, the Internet super user course! These are just 2 of the 11 courses, most of which are presented n conjunction with the University of Cape Town, the other courses include topics such as project administration, Internet and the law, internet marketing, financial management, labour law, business writing and legal documents, guest house management and creative writing. That’s a powerful collection of courses!

The course that strikes me the most is their University of Cape Town Start and Manage a Small Business course. I’d like to think of myself as an entrepreneur – I might work a full time job, but I certainly do have other little things on the side that keep me busy.  I love the rush I get when I start something new, it’s a feeling I can’t explain – some of my ideas work and some don’t, of course, but what I can tell you is that I have no real training or anything and if I did, I bet I could tip the scale to favour me more! Anyway, let me not go off topic, the point I was making here was merely that if I could do a course like UCT Start and Manage a Small Business, I bet I could run some of my ideas far better than I do now! More and more people are starting little businesses on the side, life’s getting really expensive and the requirement to supplement a salary, in my opinion, could soon be a requirement – it’s a scary thought (There are 49 million people in South Africa!) The UCT Start and Manage a Small Business course will provide you with the following:

  • Learn how to start and run a small business in South Africa
  • Guides you through each stage of business establishment and management, from the conceptualisation of a new business idea, to the sale of your first product or service and the sustainable growth of your enterprise.
  • Highly practical 9-week part-time course presented online
  • Students receive a University of Cape Town certificate in Starting and Managing a Small Business

The course is 9 modules long and should only take approximately7 hours of your week.

If you’re interested in finding out more about the course or how much it costs or even when it starts, you have three options:

  1. Give Abby a shout on 021 685 4775
  2. If you’re shy, email her on abby@getsmarter.co.za
  3. Visit the course details on the website

I’d love to hear from you if you’re interested in doing it, if several of you jump on, I’ll join you! :D

A new Top Level Domain launched for South Africa

by Reviewer on July 15, 2010 in Internet, Paid Post with 8 Comments

For years, us South Africans have waited for faster and cheaper Internet and although it’s not perfect yet, it’s certainly moving in that direction, and quickly. We now have lines with speeds up to 4MB and thanks to Seacom, we now have uncapped Internet. Because of this, Internet has become affordable and every business has the opportunity to make use of the Internet. With such a high usage of Internet across the various industries, businesses are quickly realising that having a website is an important requirement!

More fortunate people, who have been using the Internet for many years, have registered most of the .co.za domains, this has put new companies at in a difficult position, whereby they are unable to find a domain name that suites them. What this does, is presents you with a situation where you might register a domain such as www.the-insurance-broker-south-africa.co.za, which may seem alright, but from a branding point of view, imagine how that would look on your business card or imagine asking someone to remember it, it’s just far too long!

According to Michael Kunz from ZABZ there’s a real need for a properly managed Top-Level Domain’s (TLD) and after two years of research and development they have finally launched za.bz.

One of the most dramatic improvements is that ZABZ does not use an archaic ticketing system. In fact, you can log directly into their system and view all your domains registered with them. Setting up ownership and nameservers is a doddle.

Simply hop over to www.za.bz and reserve your domain name now!

Page 1 of 41234