WWSJD...? :)

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:

- What would Steve Jobs do? -

Steve Jobs shows off the white iPhone 4 at the 2010 Worldwide Developers Conference
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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.

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?

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2013 is the year of the Smoothie!

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:

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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