If you have ever read The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, then you will appreciate the Google Doodle today, which celebrates the 61st birthday of its author, the late, great Douglas Adams:
...and if you haven't read The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, then do yourself a favour and read it :)
You will laugh, guaranteed!
Which phone should I upgrade to?
Labels:
Android,
Apple,
Blackberry,
Galaxy S3,
Galaxy S4,
iPhone,
iPhone 5,
Lumia,
Lumia 920,
Mobile phone,
Motorola,
Nokia,
Symbian,
Z10
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It's almost that time again - when my cellular network cleverly gets me to sign up for another 2 year contract with them, by offering me a "free" upgrade to my existing cellular device.
That's right folks, Cell C are giving me a free new phone... not!
Anyway, I thought I would put it out there and get some suggestions on what my next handset should be.
Here's my cellular device history thus far, right from the very beginning... my very first Ericsson GA318...:
- Ericsson GA318
- Ericsson T10s
- Motorola Timeport T250
- Sagem MyX-5
- Sagem MyX-7
- Nokia 6100
- Nokia N80
- Nokia N95
- Nokia N97
- Nokia E7
So no prizes for guessing which brand I am most likely going with for my next phone... :)
Things are heating up in the smartphone arena though, and right now there are so many players out there, all manufacturing spectacular devices.
A few that spring to mind are:
- Nokia Lumia 920 - Nokia's make or break flagship Windows device, after their departure from the long-standing Symbian OS.
So far it has received rave reviews all over the web... (pardon my bias - I have supported Nokia for so many years... :)
So far it has received rave reviews all over the web... (pardon my bias - I have supported Nokia for so many years... :)
- Samsung Galaxy S3 - Samsung's hardware powerhouse, running Android and equipped with everything but intercontinental missiles... perhaps we will see those on the Galaxy S4...(which, incidentally launches in less than a month... what else will that bring I wonder?)
- Apple iPhone 5 - A strong contender by any account. Some feel that the evolutionary development of the 5 over the 4s has dropped Apple behind in the innovation stakes, yet this handset continues to garner steadfast support from Apple fans worldwide.
- Blackberry Z10 - Although Blackberry has been on a general decline in recent years, the Z10 packs in everything that Blackberry fans have asked for in the past. Featuring hardware that matches up to or exceeds current trends, can the Z10 pull Blackberry back from the brink?
Worth considering, I think...
Then there's HTC, Sony Ericsson, Motorola and others, all with their own unique spin on cutting edge smartphone technology.
It's a tough choice, and obviously my Nokia run has got me slightly biased in the direction of the Finns, but I still have a month or 2 to go, and in that time a lot can happen in the smartphone world.
So what should I get folks?
What would you get as your next smartphone upgrade?
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Martin Solveig - The Night Out: Awesome track & awesome video...
Labels:
Bruce Lee,
David Guetta,
Dick,
Disc jockey,
Dragonette,
Hello,
Martin Solveig,
Music video,
Night Out,
Paris
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Nowadays every Tom, Dick and Henri seems to think that they can sit behind a computer and churn out "musical" drivel that often (unfortunately) ends up on the charts, even though it required about as much imagination and creativity as I have inside one of my armpit hairs... and that 'aint a lot.
Let me not start a full out /rant about some of these modern day electronic artists, but it is really rare to come across someone who can create a decent track, in a climate currently filled with a maelstrom of musical mayhem...
Decent music is one aspect - the image and attitude that the artist portrays is another important one that stands out for me.
A commonly found image among electronic artists today is one of being too damn cool for school, with heads about as huge as boulders on their little shoulders.
It's as if being able to tell a computer program to make their music for them just transformed them into the Bruce Lee of the musical world, even though you usually never hear them sing or play an instrument in any of their tracks...
With all that out of the way, French DJ Martin Solveig simply rocks.
He's the guy who created the 2010 hit "Hello", in collaboration with Canadian act Dragonette (you will know it when you hear it, trust me).
The guy makes decent music. He can sing. He pokes fun at himself. His music videos are awesome, and funny to boot.
He often wears a silly headband, but somehow manages to pull it off like you or I simply never could.
His music video for "The Night Out" plays out on the streets of Paris, where he shares a date night with his girl as they cruise the streets on a scooter, go for a spot of clubbing, and finally see in the sunrise while enjoying breakfast on a river boat (all under the watchful eye of the seriously funny-looking guy steering the boat :)).
Very cool - see if you agree...:
Let me not start a full out /rant about some of these modern day electronic artists, but it is really rare to come across someone who can create a decent track, in a climate currently filled with a maelstrom of musical mayhem...
Decent music is one aspect - the image and attitude that the artist portrays is another important one that stands out for me.
A commonly found image among electronic artists today is one of being too damn cool for school, with heads about as huge as boulders on their little shoulders.
It's as if being able to tell a computer program to make their music for them just transformed them into the Bruce Lee of the musical world, even though you usually never hear them sing or play an instrument in any of their tracks...
With all that out of the way, French DJ Martin Solveig simply rocks.
He's the guy who created the 2010 hit "Hello", in collaboration with Canadian act Dragonette (you will know it when you hear it, trust me).
The guy makes decent music. He can sing. He pokes fun at himself. His music videos are awesome, and funny to boot.
He often wears a silly headband, but somehow manages to pull it off like you or I simply never could.
His music video for "The Night Out" plays out on the streets of Paris, where he shares a date night with his girl as they cruise the streets on a scooter, go for a spot of clubbing, and finally see in the sunrise while enjoying breakfast on a river boat (all under the watchful eye of the seriously funny-looking guy steering the boat :)).
Very cool - see if you agree...:
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Get set for Laidback Luke Tonight @ Lap, New Delhi
To all those confused people out there, THIS is what a biscuit looks like...
Labels:
Baking,
Biscuit,
Friday,
Graeme Smith,
Nice,
Recipe,
slang,
South Africa,
South African slang,
Teaspoon,
you biscuit
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South Africa is known for its unique slang and sayings that only we locals will ever understand.
I won't even start to go into them here - there are countless other sites and blogs that deal with the subject in more detail.
One of the ones that I hear a lot of late, has to do with this humble piece of food:
I won't even start to go into them here - there are countless other sites and blogs that deal with the subject in more detail.
One of the ones that I hear a lot of late, has to do with this humble piece of food:
Yes folks, it's a biscuit.
See those crumbs?
Note how it has been baked in an oven?
It's an edible and probably rather tasty baked good.
Note how it has been baked in an oven?
It's an edible and probably rather tasty baked good.
Usage (or abusage, if that's a word) of the humble biscuit, goes along the following lines:
- Graeme Smith smacks a six during an innings: A common response to this might be a fan shouting: "Graeme you biscuit!!!"
- Friday arrives...: Someone who has had a torrid week might be tempted to exclaim: "Friday you biscuit!!!"
Neither the captain of the South African cricket team, nor the last day of the workweek resemble a biscuit, at least not as far my eyes can see.
So there we have it - next time you want to compliment somebody or something that you like - remember the image above.
Then compare your object of affection with this image, and decide if you should be calling said object of affection, a "biscuit"...
Unless of course, you are opening a pack of delicious Tim Tams or something similar...
Then by all means, use the "you biscuit" compliment to your hearts delight :)
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Today's Bing Desktop background deserves some attention...
Check it out - click to enlarge:
Now I remember when I used to dabble about in a 3D rendering software package called Bryce 3D, and this is exactly the kind of image that you could create with it.
The difference is that this is an actual place, situated in Nevada, USA.
It is called Fly Geyser (also known as Fly Ranch Geyser), and it was accidentally created in 1916 during the drilling of a well - how surreal is this place???
Quite apt then, that this psychedelic marvel is situated not far from where the annual Burning Man Festival takes place in the Black Rock Desert.
Seriously cool - my bucket list just grew by one item :)
Read more about it here.
Check it out - click to enlarge:
Now I remember when I used to dabble about in a 3D rendering software package called Bryce 3D, and this is exactly the kind of image that you could create with it.
The difference is that this is an actual place, situated in Nevada, USA.
It is called Fly Geyser (also known as Fly Ranch Geyser), and it was accidentally created in 1916 during the drilling of a well - how surreal is this place???
Quite apt then, that this psychedelic marvel is situated not far from where the annual Burning Man Festival takes place in the Black Rock Desert.
Seriously cool - my bucket list just grew by one item :)
Read more about it here.
Related articles
Figured out the acronym yet?
Here's a clue - it has something to do with that Cupertino-based behemoth known as Apple Inc...
Well given their current position, the acronym should be pretty easy to work out:
Regardless of your opinion of Apple, it is clear that things are not quite as rosy for the company as they have been in the recent past.
Up until the iPhone 4s and the 3rd generation of the iPad, it looked as if the company were well set to become the world's next superpower.
Since the untimely departure of the man who is widely seen as the genius behind it all - the late, great Steve Jobs, the playing field has changed and Apple seem to have lost their edge somewhat, in a market that requires constant innovation to even think of keeping up with the pack.
I cannot even begin to contemplate what went on in the one of a kind brain that Steve Jobs carried around in his head, but he certainly had incredible vision and drive.
I imagine that once he had his mind set on an idea, nothing could get in the man's way until the idea was executed to absolute perfection.
So with that in mind, just what would Steve Jobs do right about now?
The iPhone 5 is decidedly lukewarm when compared with past iPhone models, software updates on the iPad have resulted in serious WIFI connectivity issues, flagship phones from other companies are presenting a serious challenge (Samsung Galaxy S3, Nokia Lumia 920 to name but 2...), Apple Maps has been found to be sub-standard when compared to other Map / GPS / Navigation offerings... the list goes on.
So as Apple's share price continues to fall, formerly loyal Apple supporters are beginning to see the technology giant as less than infallible, and without the iron fist leadership of Steve Jobs at the helm, does Tim Cook have what it takes to turn things around?
I reckon that what Apple need is some serious innovation - Steve Jobs style.
What might that amount to? Who knows...
All I can say is that forthcoming iPhones, iPads and iDevices are going to have to pack some astounding new functionality, because no longer is the lure of the Apple logo sufficient for the company to stay at the top.
What's your take?
Is this just another tiny speed bump for the fruity-techno-giant, or is the game changing so rapidly that Apple will soon be having to scramble?
Here's a clue - it has something to do with that Cupertino-based behemoth known as Apple Inc...
Well given their current position, the acronym should be pretty easy to work out:
- What would Steve Jobs do? -
| Steve Jobs shows off the white iPhone 4 at the 2010 Worldwide Developers Conference (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Up until the iPhone 4s and the 3rd generation of the iPad, it looked as if the company were well set to become the world's next superpower.
Since the untimely departure of the man who is widely seen as the genius behind it all - the late, great Steve Jobs, the playing field has changed and Apple seem to have lost their edge somewhat, in a market that requires constant innovation to even think of keeping up with the pack.
I cannot even begin to contemplate what went on in the one of a kind brain that Steve Jobs carried around in his head, but he certainly had incredible vision and drive.
I imagine that once he had his mind set on an idea, nothing could get in the man's way until the idea was executed to absolute perfection.
| Image via CrunchBase |
So with that in mind, just what would Steve Jobs do right about now?
The iPhone 5 is decidedly lukewarm when compared with past iPhone models, software updates on the iPad have resulted in serious WIFI connectivity issues, flagship phones from other companies are presenting a serious challenge (Samsung Galaxy S3, Nokia Lumia 920 to name but 2...), Apple Maps has been found to be sub-standard when compared to other Map / GPS / Navigation offerings... the list goes on.
So as Apple's share price continues to fall, formerly loyal Apple supporters are beginning to see the technology giant as less than infallible, and without the iron fist leadership of Steve Jobs at the helm, does Tim Cook have what it takes to turn things around?
I reckon that what Apple need is some serious innovation - Steve Jobs style.
What might that amount to? Who knows...
All I can say is that forthcoming iPhones, iPads and iDevices are going to have to pack some astounding new functionality, because no longer is the lure of the Apple logo sufficient for the company to stay at the top.
What's your take?
Is this just another tiny speed bump for the fruity-techno-giant, or is the game changing so rapidly that Apple will soon be having to scramble?
Related articles
2013 is the year of the Smoothie!
Labels:
Food,
Home,
Milk,
Naturalwise,
Peanut,
Peanut butter,
Recipe,
Smoothie,
Tablespoon,
Tribest PB250 Blender
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comments
Ah New Year's Resolutions - don't they come and go so quickly...
We create them so enthusiastically as we bid farewell to the old year, and then only days later they lie in tatters on the floor... well at least some of the time :)
This year, something that has grabbed my attention is the practice of taking solid food, adding various other types of solid food to it, adding some type of liquid, and then grinding it all up together until it becomes a drinkable meal... :)
Sounds strange, but that is the extended definition of a smoothie, and while it may seem a bit odd to liquify food and drink it instead of just eating it, the truth is that you would not ordinarily sit down to a meal comprising all of the items that go into a single simple smoothie.
Usually I would make do with a bowl of cereal with some milk in the mornings, but I recently found a really simple recipe for a peanut butter smoothie, which kicks serious butt.
It tastes fantastic and keeps me going far longer than would a normal cereal breakfast.
If you have a smoothie maker or a blender, try this recipe:
- 1 banana, sliced up;
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter (2 if you are a peanut-nut like me :);
- 2 tablespoons oats;
- 1 cup fresh milk;
- 2 cubes of ice
Obviously you can play around with the ingredients a bit - more oats if you like it thicker, or more milk if you want it more liquid etc.
If peanut butter 'aint your thing, then head over to http://www.yummly.com for some awesome ideas - on my smoothie quest I came across their site and they have recipes for pretty much anything!
Of course, in order to make anything even remotely resembling a smoothie, you are going to need a machine that can do the job well.
I searched the internet long and hard before I found something that spiked my interest...
Enter the Tribest PB250 Blender.
My quest led me to this site, where I found out all about this fantastic machine:
All of the other blenders I saw online also seemed decidedly cumbersome and inconvenient by comparison - the PB250 is a single-serving blender which makes it super compact.
Screw on lids are supplied with the blender as well, which means you can whip up your smoothie before work in the morning, pop on the lid and you are good to go.
A further benefit of the PB250 is the fact that its components are all BPA free - now if you don't know what BPA is, read up about it here.
Essentially, BPA is an organic compound which has been questioned for its safety and suitability for use in consumer products, so it certainly doesn't hurt that the PB250 is BPA free.
I have to say, this hard-working little blender has certainly created a fantastic New Year's resolution for me - one which is likely to last!
Now all this typing has worked up a bit of an appetite - think I'll go and make myself a smoothie right about now... ;)
We create them so enthusiastically as we bid farewell to the old year, and then only days later they lie in tatters on the floor... well at least some of the time :)
This year, something that has grabbed my attention is the practice of taking solid food, adding various other types of solid food to it, adding some type of liquid, and then grinding it all up together until it becomes a drinkable meal... :)
Sounds strange, but that is the extended definition of a smoothie, and while it may seem a bit odd to liquify food and drink it instead of just eating it, the truth is that you would not ordinarily sit down to a meal comprising all of the items that go into a single simple smoothie.
Usually I would make do with a bowl of cereal with some milk in the mornings, but I recently found a really simple recipe for a peanut butter smoothie, which kicks serious butt.
It tastes fantastic and keeps me going far longer than would a normal cereal breakfast.
If you have a smoothie maker or a blender, try this recipe:
- 1 banana, sliced up;
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter (2 if you are a peanut-nut like me :);
- 2 tablespoons oats;
- 1 cup fresh milk;
- 2 cubes of ice
Obviously you can play around with the ingredients a bit - more oats if you like it thicker, or more milk if you want it more liquid etc.
If peanut butter 'aint your thing, then head over to http://www.yummly.com for some awesome ideas - on my smoothie quest I came across their site and they have recipes for pretty much anything!
Of course, in order to make anything even remotely resembling a smoothie, you are going to need a machine that can do the job well.
I searched the internet long and hard before I found something that spiked my interest...
Enter the Tribest PB250 Blender.
My quest led me to this site, where I found out all about this fantastic machine:
Via the Naturalwise site, I was able to order the Tribest PB250 Blender online and have it delivered in 2 days.
It currently sells for R 995, which is pretty decent in the world of blenders and smoothie makers.
If you are interested in one of these, be sure to confirm the current price at the Naturalwise site.
Sporting a powerful 200 Watt motor, the PB250 makes easy work of fruit, ice, seeds, coffee beans and much more.
You can also make milkshakes, soups, sauces, even baby food!
The clear plastic containers also double as drinking cups, which means that you just pop the container off the blender and enjoy your smoothie straight away, and that means less cleaning up.
All of the other blenders I saw online also seemed decidedly cumbersome and inconvenient by comparison - the PB250 is a single-serving blender which makes it super compact.
Screw on lids are supplied with the blender as well, which means you can whip up your smoothie before work in the morning, pop on the lid and you are good to go.
A further benefit of the PB250 is the fact that its components are all BPA free - now if you don't know what BPA is, read up about it here.
Essentially, BPA is an organic compound which has been questioned for its safety and suitability for use in consumer products, so it certainly doesn't hurt that the PB250 is BPA free.
I have to say, this hard-working little blender has certainly created a fantastic New Year's resolution for me - one which is likely to last!
Now all this typing has worked up a bit of an appetite - think I'll go and make myself a smoothie right about now... ;)
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