Open Source
It’s a well known fact that Microsoft has dominated the workplace, no one will dispute that. Now a not so well known fact is that all the tools you use on a daily basis actuallyhave a free alternative if you know where to look. This article is not going to pit Microsoft against open source vendors but rather enlighten you to your options.
A couple of questions to get you thinking:
Logitech Speaker Lapdesk N700
I am a tech geek through and through but I am one that loves my sport as well. So after an intense game of touch rugby there is nothing better than collapsing on my bed /couch and catching up with the latest tech news on my laptop. This is where the Speaker Lapdesk from Logitech could come in very handy.
Lapdesks are nothing new, throw a cushion onto a piece of wood and there you go. Those home jobs generally will do the job but there are two factors that come into play, heat and comfort. By the sounds of it Logitech has got this right and added a bit of entertainment value. (more…)
Update: The device has been confirmed and will be available at the end of March. Imagery coming soon. By the way, the picture below does not represent the Blue Bull’s device as it is based on the TomTom Start which is NOT pictured below.
Update: Go look here to see what it really looks like.
Blue Bulls TomTom Start
We heard about a TomTom and Blue Bulls collaboration for a new GPS the other day, in other words a Blue Bulls GPS that gives you directions to Loftus. We obviously had a look around and have no solid information other than a tweet from the TomTom South Africa Twitter account.
It apparently has a few of the Blue Bulls players giving you directions, one of them being Victor Matfield. Imagine that, “I got lost so called up ol’ Victor and he gave me directions, great guy that”. Let’s hope some of the players stick to Afrikaans though.
Sony Ericsson Vivaz
HD is quickly becoming the norm with almost every LCD monitor that is being sold out there having it as a non-optional extra. It would only be natural for the mobile market to follow and Sony Ericsson have come to the game with the Vivaz. Welcome to the next generation multimedia phone… we hope.
The phone does sound like it will have it all. The ability to capture, view and share HD video makes it seem like a very good phone to have, that is if it does it right. (more…)
Ultimate Ears Logo
For more than a decade, Ultimate Ears custom monitors – read earphones – (by Logitech) have changed the way music is performed for the biggest names in the industry. These guys have some serious ear gear starting from $49 (R450 after imports) all the way to about R10 000 for a custom made earphone that is handmade to perfectly fit your ear – yes, you actually have to get an ear impression for the earphones to be made for you. These earphones are definitely made for music professionals and die hard music fans who only accept the best sound quality.
For those music lovers, Ultimate Ears has developed a free iPhone App. The Ultimate Ears App lets you measure sound pressure levels and decibels with an SPL Meter. You can also watch artist interviews, see artist backstage photos and view videos of live performances from musicians that rock with Ultimate Ears’ in-ear monitors. The Ultimate Ears iPhone app is available now as a free download from the iPhone app store.
Blackberry Storm2
BlackBerry are taking South Africa by storm, and they could be doing this quite literally with the new BlackBerry Storm2. Like the first version of the Storm2, it is fully touch-screen keeping as few buttons on the phone as possible. I must admit, I quite like the look of it.
BlackBerry have also introduced a new SurePress technology on the Storm2 which gives feedback when the touch-screen is pressed. The screen also has multi-touch meaning that using Shift or Alt-key combinations are easier and allows typing on the screen to be faster and more efficient. (more…)
Probably one of the first inventions that would send humanity into it’s downward spiral of utter laziness must be the Clapper. Remember those devices that would allow you to to clap to turn things on and off? CLAP CLAP -- on, CLAP CLAP -- off. If not watch the video below:
Thankfully we are becoming more and more lazy with the invention of remotes and wireless controllers. Things could not get any easier, so we thought. 3-D gesture-recognition is coming into play that allows you to use hand and body motions to change settings like volume, channels, and even pause playback by using a “stop” signal with your hand. We saw glimpses of this last year with Microsoft announcing development of Project Natal which is gaming with gestures. We are looking for more information but are struggling to do so because we are so lazy.
Mzansi
Just got word of a local start up called Mzansi. Mzansi is a South African word for, ummm, “South Africa”. A really good name for a local start up I guess.
Mzansi is a URL shortner pretty much like any other URL shortner. Enter your extremely long(ish) URL and get a nice short one that you can use anywhere, forever. Exactly like this http://mzan.si/XJvM. Mzansi bagged the mzan.si domain which keeps the URL nice and short which is exactly what a URL shortening service needs to be doing. (more…)
WorldSIM Logo
There is nothing like going overseas with roaming activated and coming home to a huge cellphone bill. So many people don’t know the cost implications associated with roaming and the rest could not be bothered. In times like these you have to look at ways to lower costs and save every penny. Nashua Mobile have launched a product called WorldSIM, which is in essence a international prepaid mobile phone solution.
It is simple really; buy the WorldSIM at participating Nashua Mobile outlets (Sandton City, Canal Walk in Cape Town, and Brooklyn Design Quarter) and then load it with airtime from www.worldsim.com. The SIM costs R450 (not too bad) and has a monthly fee of about R10. (more…)
Logitech acquire LifeSize
Logitech – arguably the global leader in webcam technology – has aquired LifeSize Communications – a global leader in HD communication. It makes sense really. Take the guys who make cameras that allow you to see your friends from around the world and join them with the guys who provide a quality communication means for this and you have yourself a really good partnership.
“We believe the video communication opportunity is at an inflection point, providing us with a significant growth opportunity as we bring new technologies and added value to office and home environments,” said Gerald P. Quindlen, Logitech president and chief executive officer. “Through our combined strengths in high-definition, high-quality webcams, ease of use and interoperability, we plan to capitalize on this opportunity by delivering disruptive price/ performance offerings to the market. Logitech is a leader in PC video communications and LifeSize is a leader in HD video communications in the meeting room. Together we can make life-like, HD-quality video communication mainstream.”
The reality of chrystal clear communication with family, friends and colleagues is upon us and Logitech are making big steps in making sure they are right up front in their offering.
Sounds great. Obviously the recession didn’t hit all of us that hard!
URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) are the addresses of the internet. They are what you type into the top of your web browser to go to a website. Like everyone needs a pair of shoes (ok almost everyone) the internet needs URLs. With websites and blogs being started on a daily basis and “social sharing” gaining SPAM like traction these seemingly meaningless lengths of characters have actually started to become pretty damn important.
So why do we use URL shorteners? Well, for two mean reasons. The first is to make your URL’s more manageable. When you have a URL like http://www.jimsandsallysfamilyblog.com/2010/02/17/the-day-we-all-decided-to-start-shortening-our-urls it is plain to see why having a smaller 20 odd character URL would be much easier to share. The other reason is to save characters. With services such as Twitter only having 140 characters at your disposal, it is quite easy to see why having http://www.jimsandsallysfamilyblog.com/…shortening-urls would be a big waste of valuable real estate. (more…)
TomTom Go750
The TomTom Start, the TomTom XXL and TomTom GO 750 are 3 new devices that TomTom have launched that range from your simple GPS needs to in-depth GPS functionality.
“The new TomTom products enrich our offering in South Africa by providing our customers with a varied choice to match their individual preferences and needs.” says Joost Jetten, Vice President Sales Sub Sahara Africa of TomTom. “Frequent drivers may prefer the GO 750 with hands free calling, whereas other drivers may prefer the larger screen of the XXL or the simplicity and personalisation of Start.” (more…)
This is my first post on Tx Daily and I would like to start off with something simple. Keyboard shortcuts will increase the speed at which you get things done on your computer thereby improving your productivity. Here is a keyboard shortcuts tutorial video from cnet.com.
Other than the video, here are some more shortcuts: (more…)
TomTom Valentine's Day Device
TomTom are spreading the love and have released a specially designed gift for Valentine’s Day. They have made a ‘I’d Be Lost Without You’ navigation package which includes a pure white TomTom Start, Flaming Red StartSkin™, carry bag and pre-loaded Points of Interest (POIs) – cute.
Apparently this would be a great gift for Valentine’s Day especially if your special someone is a technology lover even though anyone would most likely appreciate it as a gift. Just be careful who you give it to though, it could make your Valentine’s Day pretty bleak if it is taken the wrong way – “So do you think my sense of direction is terrible?” or “Do you think I always get us lost?”. (more…)
Heineken Bot
Look, dogs are awesome and all that but a beer keg that comes to you and pours your beer might just get the best friend tag. The boys and possibly girls at Middlesex University (It’s in the UK – the beer drinking nation of the world) have really found the soft spot for men around the world by designing the Heineken Bot, a beer keg with a sonar sensing head and a fast food liquid(beer) pouring outlet. (more…)
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