Update on Skype Phone

I have just made my 1st call with the Linksys Wireless Skype Phone. It ROCKS!!!

It is as easy as using a reglar cordless phone. Type in the number, it dials and you are connected. The connection was a little dodgy but it soon sorted itself out and it wasn't really the phone's fault at all.

Setting the phone up on the PC was child's play with a simple CD insertion, instalation and there you go. Instant calls via Skype Out.

I will let you know more as things go along.

GIVEAWAY!!! Last Few Days

Just a couple of days now for you to get your answer in to win:

- 10 copies of Norton Internet Security (NIS) 2006

- 15 copies of Norton Anti Virus 2006

- 5 copies of Norton Systems Works

All you have to do is send an email to jon.gericke@gmail.com with the answer to the following:

Who can supply a complete Windows Backup solution and have been advertising on this site for the last month?

I will never give out your e-mail address, in fact, I don't even know how to do it. Postage of the boxes will be on my account and all you have to do is check your inbox for the announcement that you won your prize, then wait for it to get delivered.

Cheers

Jon

FIFA Wold Cup coming soon

The chance to play with your heroes for soccer’s most important trophy became a reality this week after Electronic Arts started to ship the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ game to stores around the world. The event’s only officially licensed videogame has developed enhanced gameplay attributes and stunning graphics that bring to life close to 100 superstars, and captures all of the spirit and pageantry of the real-world tournament. It is the closest fans can come to experiencing 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™ without playing in it.

Along with the release of 2006 FIFA World Cup, EA and FIFA announced the extension of their long-term partnership, making EA the worldwide and exclusive FIFA Licensee for soccer action simulation, manager and arcade-style games across all console platforms, PC, handheld platforms, mobile phones and online formats. The on-going partnership will allow EA to continue to bring the most genuine soccer gaming experiences to consumers with the authenticity of the FIFA soccer world, and includes games for the future FIFA World Cups in 2010 and 2014. Working together, EA and FIFA will continue to bring their combined passion for interactive sports entertainment to millions of sports fans around the world for years to come.

“Renewing our strategic partnership with FIFA will enable us to continue to deliver the most authentic football titles to fans who have helped to make our FIFA games the most successful football videogame franchise in the world,” said EA’s Gerhard Florin, Executive Vice President and General Manager for International Publishing.

In 2006 FIFA World Cup, users step into the heart of the action as they play their favorite team or most loathed opponent. Featuring stunning visual representations of the world’s superstar players, gamers experience the 12 official stadiums as they take their team from qualification to glory. In addition to taking control of one of 127 national teams, players will enjoy groundbreaking new play modes. Global Challenge tests even the biggest soccer fanatic by recreating classic moments in FIFA World Cup history with modern teams. True champions can challenge their friends in eight-way multiplayer matches and take advantage of tremendous in-game un-lockable content such as legendary players and exclusive licensed football apparel.

2006 FIFA World Cup, developed by EA Canada under the EA SPORTS™ brand, ships today in North America and on April 28 in Europe and Asia on the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox® and Xbox 360™ video game systems from Microsoft, Nintendo GameCube™, Nintendo DS™, and Game Boy® Advance, PC and mobile. It will ship on the PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) system in May. The game is rated “E” (Everyone) by the ESRB and has a PEGI rating of 3+.

IE7 is here!

It looks as if Microsoft are onto a good thing. I have been using Forefox for around six months now and I was starting to get into it. From the outset, I am not one of these people that can tweek code and work in the source. I download and use.

Internet Explorer 7 promises all that Firefox offers and more. For one thing, it seems faster than Firefox if that is possible. The download is also small when you compare it to other Microsoft products. I guess that the next patch will be bigger than the original download if I know Microsoft.

Tab browsing is in IE7 as is RSS and pop-up blocking. There is another cool feature and that is Physhing identification. Every page you load is checked to see if it is ligitimate.

I have been playing with IE7 for a couple of hours now and I see no reason to use Firefox anymore. Check back here soon to get a full review.

The Canon MV900 series camcorder

A new range of fully feature entry-level miniDV Canon camcorders are now available through Pinnacle Micro.

Optimised for high-resolution 16:9 video recording, all four compact MV900 series camcorders - the MV960, MV950, MV930 and MV900 - can take full advantage of playback on wide-screen television sets. All of the camcorders also boast a 25x optical zoom, with variable zoom speeds for increased control, and DIGIC DV processing.

Combining true wide-screen 16:9 shooting with a standard 4:3 mode, the new models have a wide 2.7" colour LCD screen with Level Marker, ensuring that the shooting subject is perfectly positioned in the centre of the frame.

With a 0.3" colour Electronic View Finder (EVF) with letterbox display also featured, however users choose to shoot the resulting wide-screen images can be monitored exactly as they will appear on the TV screen.

All four MV900 series camcorders are equipped with a powerful 25x optical zoom with Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS). The MV960 and MV950 also feature an enhanced 1000x digital zoom, while an 800x digital zoom is available on MV930 and MV900 models. For even greater control, all camcorders offer variable zoom speeds.

For the first time, all of Canon's entry-level miniDV camcorders employ the DIGIC DV image processor. DIGIC DV provides MV960, MV950 and MV930 models with separate processing paths for video and still images (saved to a memory card), and all four models benefit from optimised colour reproduction, ensuring that both video footage and still photographs remain faithful to the shooting subject.

"The entire MV900 series has been substantially re-designed, improving on both the balance and the handling of the predecessor MV800 series," says El-Marie Kruger, Canon brand manager at Pinnacle Micro.

"Naturally, all MV900 series camcorders look smart. The models have distinctive, eye-catching colour schemes: silver metallic (MV960 and MV950), snow silver (MV930) or blue metallic (MV900)."

Further, at just 115 x 92 x 49mm, and weighing just 380g, the MV900 series combine frorm and function. Key camcorder functions are controlled via just six convenient buttons and a joystick controller. An easy shooting mode is available, which switches all the important settings to automatic at the touch of a single button.

Tiny car beats traffic jams

A tiny ecological car that can nip through peak-hour gridlock was launched in Britain today after three years of research financed by the EU.

The three-wheeled, 1m-wide vehicle runs on natural gas and consumes 2.5 litres of fuel per 100km.

Known as the Clever – Compact Low Emission Vehicle for Urban Transport – the streamlined car is easy to park and can transport a driver and one passenger, seated in the back.

Researchers from Bath University, western England, have been testing a prototype of the car, which is the product of a jointly-run project by engineers from Britain, France, Germany and Austria in collaboration with BMW.

The Bath team developed a unique tilting suspension on the vehicle.

The car's chassis tilts automatically, like a motorbike, as it turns corners, helping it remain stable.

Dr Geraint Owen, senior lecturer in mechanical engineering at Bath University said: "It's the first vehicle that has used hydraulics to enable it to move like a motorcycle, but to drive like a car."

The project was financed with £1.5 million ($3.6 million) from the EU.

Five of the cars have been produced so far, but Owen said Brussels was considering trials in other cities.

The estimated cost of production, if mass-produced, is between £5000 ($12,005) and £10,000 ($24,009.)

With a maximum speed of 60 miles (about 100km) per hour, the car goes from 0-to-40 miles per hour in seven seconds.

Linksys Wireless Skype Phone

I am getting one of these for a couple of weeks to review. Below is the press release, so feel free to take a gander, but expect some personal words from me on the phone in 14 days...

The Linksys Wireless Skype Phone is a new cordless phone that takes free Skype Internet phone calling off the computer and puts it into the hands of callers. The phone provides callers with a convenient alternative to making free Skype calls, giving them the freedom to make the calls wherever they are in the home or office.

The kit includes a handset, charger and a USB base station that plugs into a computer’s USB port. The handset can read and display callers’ Skype contact list on its built-in illuminated display, letting callers know which of their Skype contacts are online and ready to be called.

The handset also supports SkypeOut, SkypeIn and Skype Voicemail, low-cost premium services that allow callers to make and receive calls to family, friends and colleagues using traditional landlines or mobile phones, and send and receive messages up to 10 minutes long. It rings when a Skype or SkypeIn call comes in, and shows the caller’s ID on the screen. The mute button allows for privacy, while the speakerphone function can be used to let others join in. The phone can even be used as an intercom, as each base station supports up to four handsets.

In short, the Linksys Wireless Skype Phone provides all the functionality of a regular phone, through Skype. It offers the convenience of a cordless phone and all its features, plus the high-quality voice reception obtained from Skype on the PC, without being tied to the computer.

Comstor is the exclusive local distributor and is able to advise on the nearest distributor with stock. Louis Cloete, Linksys Product Manager, can be contacted on 011 233 3333. The recommended retail price is R1199.

Stylish, Desirable, Delectable – LG Electronics brings LG Chocolate Phone to South Africa

The LG Chocolate phone, which was launched in Korea last November, has already sold over 300,000 units in 3 months and won two European design awards (iF Design Award and Red dot Design Award for its unique styling and user interface).

Its popularity among celebrities and socialites has led to the handset claiming over 7% of the total handset market in Korea, arguably the world’s most competitive marketplace for mobile communications.

“At LG, we firmly believe that technology is nothing without design,” said Mike Sidwell, Director GSM Sales and Marketing of LG Electronics.

“We strive to make all our products look great, and with our Black Label Series we have raised the bar in terms of style and technological innovation. As the world’s first phone features touch keypad, the LG Chocolate phone breaks the mould in how handsets look and feel without compromising on functionality.”

This newly launched version of the LG Chocolate phone will be tailored to suit the South African market and therefore differ slightly from the one launched in Korea.

Another set of Nokia Phones

Nokia's L'Amour Collection was released at the Fashion TV Cafe in Sandton on Wednesday night. Besides the hot girls and some hot fashion from Stoned Cherry, the phones weren't too shabby either.

Aimed squarely at the female of the species, the new phone collection are styled to fit in your handback and fit your style. It has an African feel with leather and African colours to match the way our fashion is moving.

The picture here is just of the 7380, which is slimline and very easy to fit in your smallest of handbags. When the screen is off, it turns into a mirror for lipstick touch ups and anything else you might want to see behind you, like a guy? One tricky addition is the keylessness, is that a word? The phone has no numbers. You move a wheel like an iPod and it is actually quite easy to use after a couple of tries.

The other phones are much the same just with better styling.

Read more about the phones by downloading the .PDF's of the 7360, 7370 and 7380.

E-Series family of devices expands Nokia’s offering to the business world

Nokia has announced the addition of three new models to its portfolio of business-optimised devices. The Nokia E60, Nokia E61 and Nokia E70, the first of the new Nokia Eseries, are distinctively different in design and allow businesses of all sizes to mobilise their workforce. Nokia Eseries models combine attractive and easy-to-use designs that appeal to individual business users with new underlying technologies that allow IT departments to effectively manage security settings, corporate applications and data. Each of the devices is designed to accommodate must-have mobile applications needed in today’s business world like mobile email and advanced voice calling functions.

The Nokia E60, Nokia E61 and Nokia E70 support today’s most popular and newly announced corporate mobile email solutions like BlackBerry Connect, GoodLink from Good Technology, Inc., Nokia Business Center, Seven Mobile Mail, Seven Always-On Mail and Visto Mobile.

The new devices are built on the latest edition of the Series 60 Platform, the world’s leading smartphone software platform. Series 60 3^rd Edition together with Symbian OS v. 9.1 provide an identical application environment for the Nokia E60, Nokia E61 and Nokia E70. They include a variety of GSM frequencies and 3G (WCDMA) cellular network support for seamless roaming across different countries, as well as a range of local connectivity options such as WLAN, Bluetooth and Infrared and are USB 2.0 compatible.

The Nokia E60, Nokia E61 and Nokia E70 also feature superior voice functionality and quality when compared to other devices that combine PDA-like features with a mobile phone. The devices support advanced voice services, such as Internet (Voice over IP) phone calls, Push to talk, and other SIP-based rich call services giving businesses a variety of ways to make it easier for employees to collaborate or respond rapidly in or out of the office. Companies deploying an Avaya or Cisco IP PBX can connect the new Nokia devices directly to their corporate phone networks, enabling functions employees have come to expect from a corporate network like four-digit dialing and assisted call answering.

The Nokia E60: A classic design with unmatched voice features

The Nokia E60 provides the uncompromised look, comfort and usability of a classically designed mobile phone. Supporting an array of advanced call features from integrated speakerphone and conference calling to voice-aided applications like Push to talk, and IP-based telephony, the Nokia E60 is the best mobile device for active voice communications—in and out of the office. The Nokia E60 offers fast and flexible data connections with WCDMA enabling wide area connections and WLAN offers a cost effective option for local access. Although optimized for one-handed use, its large color screen makes email and calendar entries easy.

The Nokia E61: Built for mobile email

The Nokia E61 is designed in the familiar style of today’s most popular mobile email devices. Yet it is incredibly slim and packed with powerful new functionality. A cinch to use with either hand, the device has a four-way joystick and full keyboard combined with a wide 16 million color screen making mobile email easier than ever before. Supporting multiple mobile email clients like BlackBerry Connect, GoodLink, Nokia Business Center, Seven Mobile Mail, Seven Always-On Mail, and Visto Mobile, the Nokia E61 provides seamless and encrypted mobile connectivity. Full attachment handling (documents, spreadsheets, presentations, PDF viewer and ZIP manager) and an editing function (document, spreadsheet and presentation) are included. The Nokia E61 also includes the same advanced business call features and IP-based telephony functions as the Nokia E60 and Nokia E70. The Nokia E61 can send and receive emails, even when on a phone call.

The Nokia E70: The all-in-one messaging device

At first glance, the Nokia E70 looks like a modern smartphone. Open it up and find a full messaging keyboard for fast and easy thumb typing, a generous color screen for viewing emails, plus attachments (document, spreadsheet, presentation, PDF viewer and ZIP manager) and an editing function (document, spreadsheet, presentation) for staying up-to-date with the inbox. Like the Nokia E60 and Nokia E61, the Nokia E70 supports a common set of applications like advanced voice and email.

Vodacom announces free 3G HSDPA upgrades

Due to the recent successful introduction of HSDPA to the South African market, Vodacom today announced that, effective 21 April 2006, any customer who owns a locally purchased Vodacom 3G Data Connect Card can visit any Vodacom approved outlet for a free swop-out for a 3G HSDPA Data Connect Card – dependant on availability of stock and proof of original purchase within South Africa.

Customers who upgraded to the HSDPA offering in the last month can receive a credit on their account by visiting their original point of purchase.

Vodacom’s HSDPA network offers users downlink speeds of up to 1.8 Megabits per second, which is faster than ADSL and up to 5 times faster than 3G.

Dependant on ICASA approval, the market can also look forward to further reductions in certain Vodacom data tariffs in the near future.

Microsoft launches isiZulu Language Interface Pack for Windows XP

Microsoft South Africa today announced details of the general availability of the isiZulu Language Interface Pack (LIP) for Windows XP, which forms part of Microsoft’s global local language program.

Speaking at the Sibaya Cultural Centre in eThekwini, Gordon Frazer, managing director of Microsoft South Africa said: “Partnership and collaboration are at the centre of how we do business and through our work with the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB); the isiZulu National Language Body; national Government through the departments of Education; Communication and Science and Technology amongst others, the academic community; the many translators and the Zulu community; we have aimed to deliver a localisation that is linguistically correct for the South African market.”

Before today's announcement Microsoft provided desktop language coverage for approximately 40 languages. Through the technology available in the Local Language Program and collaboration with local and regional governments, Microsoft plans to add an additional 40 languages in the near future.

“We regard Microsoft’s local language programme as groundbreaking - to assist users with an interface in the languages of their choice and regard this as another important step towards actualising multilingualism,” says Professor Cynthia Marivate, CEO of PanSALB.

Adds Frazer: “We hope to encourage participation in the community and the world beyond, by providing South Africans with access to technology in local vernaculars that not only honours cultural distinctions, but facilitates the preservation of language and culture.”

Standardising technical terminology is an important first step to developing a local IT industry and Microsoft South Africa has worked with academia to translate the core terms glossary for each of the languages in development. With a view to maintaining linguistic excellence, the completed glossaries are sent to the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB), for verification and the sign-off of the final builds.

“Available as free download, users can install the isiZulu LIP as a layer on top of an existing original version of Windows XP.

“We know that we have a long way to go, to translate our eleven official languages, but are looking forward to announcing Setswana and Afrikaans over the next two months, with a further commitment to additional languages for Windows Vista. We are also working on localizing Microsoft Office in the same manner,” concludes Frazer.

“We look forward to a good working relationship with Microsoft and its local language programme – our partners in the development of functional computing and language skills,” concludes Marivate.

Download it here....

LG unveils the “Emotional” series LCD monitor

LG has introduced its latest innovative LCD monitor, the “Emotional” series. The “Emotional” series was conceived with the concept of creating a premium design series, setting an example for its next-generation monitors.

LG’s LCD monitors have continuously gained well-deserved brand recognition through the premium designs of the “LX40” series. The “Emotional” series goes one step further, presenting not only visual beauty, but also emotional sensation for the user.

The “Emotional” series offers the world’s most innovative contrast ratio of 1600:1, lightening fast response time of 4ms, crisp and clear image via f-engine, and an ultra slim depth of 18mm.

The “Emotional” series seeks to provide relief and composure from everyday hassles of long hours of computer use and also sensitivity derived from its simple and elegant outline. The effort and craftsmanship committed to the series, makes it a masterpiece worthy of possession.

The “Emotional” series provides three types of stands with a black and white colour selection and a luxurious gloss finish for the final touch to allow consumers to choose the style they desire.

The “Emotional” series is not simply a monitor; it is a revolutionary user-friendly concept that enables emotional communication between user and product.

IBM Researchers and Engineers to Create 'SecureBlue' World

IBM has announced a breakthrough new technology designed to greatly increase the security of consumer products, medical devices, government applications and digital media. Developed by IBM Research and codenamed 'SecureBlue', the new technology helps enable mainframe-inspired security previously only available in secure data centres.

"With this technology, IBM is the first in the industry to enable strongly secure devices and products in a manner never before possible," says Bevan Lock, IBM South Africa Systems Evangelist. "SecureBlue protects the confidentiality and integrity of information on a device even from an adversary that has physical access to or physical control of the device."

As the use of various forms of digital devices becomes increasingly widespread and more essential, and information becomes more distributed and thus more vulnerable, this kind of strong security becomes increasingly important since devices can be lost or stolen.

SecureBlue is a security architecture that can be built into a microprocessor chip which provides capabilities that have not been previously available in embedded processor products. It protects the security of microprocessor chips as well as the security of an entire microprocessor-based device. Because it is based on secure hardware rather than software techniques, it provides strong protection for secrets and strong defences against reverse-engineering and tampering.

With mainframe-inspired security, SecureBlue can be used to protect the confidentiality of all the information on a device including documents, presentations and software as well as the keys that are used for communications security or digital signatures.

"Security is the highest priority in a data centre and in a secure network - but it is only half the equation. To have a truly secure system, security must be addressed end to end - from the data centre all the way to the end user," Lock says. "SecureBlue has the potential to be a security 'seal of approval' in industries such as consumer, medical, government and defence as well as digital media."

Cryptography-based protection against unauthorised access is a security feature normally reserved for high-end computers, making it difficult for hackers to break into or corrupt electronic systems. By providing the overlaying 'on chip' security layer, SecureBlue removes a major barrier to the widespread use of crypto-based strong protection. While encryption should be applied wherever data exists at any given time - whether being processed, stored or transmitted over a network, traditionally its use outside the data centre has been costly and impractical because it requires a great deal of processing power to constantly encrypt and decrypt data.

SecureBlue lays the groundwork for strong security to be built viably and efficiently into the processors that lie at the heart of even low-cost, consumer electronic products, and can greatly improve security in our network-centric world.

IBM Technology Collaboration Solutions will collaborate with clients and partners across key consumer electronic, medical, government and digital media industries in the integration of SecureBlue into products and solutions. IBM Technology Collaboration Solutions will license the technology, provide engineering, collaboration and design services to implement SecureBlue into customer designs, and even help manufacture the product for clients.

"Security is of paramount importance in electronic systems, as more and more personal and financial data is being transmitted and stored electronically. Exposures exist anywhere that data resides, which is increasingly moving from secure data centres to less secure PCs, cell phones, and PDAs that are attached to equally vulnerable wireless networks," Lock says.

Links2Blogs

The way I understand it, the best way to move you blog up the Google searches, is to have more and more people linking to your site. There are a number of ways to do it. Ask people, have a great blog that people like to link to, or you can go the easy route....

In steps, Link2Blogs.com. A site that does the linking for you. If you go to my Sport Section, you will see the block on the right towards the bottom of the page. It's simple, neat and it seems to work. At least, it promises it will work. I will run it for a month and see if it makes any difference at all.

On another topic. Don't forget that the Symantec GIVEAWAY is still on and entries are coming in fast. You only have until the end of the month to enter.

Finally, can anyoe explain why this site is getting massive hits from people looking for "Exhibitionism" in search engines? Maybe we should follow the lowest common denominator and post porn. Just kiding.

Ridiculous Call Costs

I have finally made a couple of Skype Calls over the last few months and I am thinking of changing forever. With just a couple of minutes of research, I found some amazing facts that I think I will share with you now.

Using Skype Out, which is thier name for making calls from my PC to any land line in thee world, a call from South Africa to the UK is R0.145 per minute or 14.5 cents per minute. Same call on a Telkom landline is R1.70 per minute. In fact, the cost of a minute on Skype is the same as 7 seconds on a Telkom line.

Now I know that you have to add the cost of the ISP and the ADSL onto the whole cost but if you have them already, why not get 53 seconds freee on every minute? Plug a small microphone into your PC and away you go. Buy the 10 Euro package and you could talk forever.

We have only spoken to mates and family in the UK iver the holidays and today is the day after Easter, so we will chat again today via Skype to Skype and that is FREE!!! I love technology.

Popular Mechanics

I am an avid reader of Popular Mechanics Magazine. One of the main reasons I read it is not for the cars or the "make at home DIY section". It has to do with new and better energy use.

This month has a whole section on Solar homes and hybrid trains. New use of energy and creating new efficiant versions of things we have today is one of the things I love. There is also a whole article on fuel cell powered motorbikes. Does it get any better?

As this is a gadget blog, the 1st place I go to in Popular Mechanics, is the Great Stuff section. Thier version of cool gadgets. Out of the page, popped the Bug Zapper for only R95. It's a tennis racket with a charge that zaps bugs like those blue light thingies at butcheries around the world. How much fun can this thing be?

You can buy one of those silly guns that zap flies or you can experience the joy of sending enough volts through a bug to get them to explode! Does it get any better?

MWeb give you the control!

With Easter holidays around the corner, your kids will be spending more time at home watching television, hanging out with friends and surfing the web. For the last holidays you finally got an always-available ADSL connection because with the kids downloading games, music and information from the Internet, the dial-up costs were killing you. So while you can now safely budget for your internet expenses and they can enjoy the faster, always-available Internet access, you’re now worried about what exactly it is they’re being exposed to online.

The Internet is a marvellous resource – for research, education, news, leisure and socialising. But let’s not be fooled, just like anything where society at large has access, there are some risks. While the best parental guidance is undoubtedly physical supervision, you often can’t be leaning over their shoulders while they surf or chat to friends via email. So how do you control what they’re viewing without physically padlocking the keyboard?

The latest and most effective tool for controlling what your kids are able to access online is a new software product from MWEB called Web Filter. Available free to MWEB members, Web Filter is a unique filtering solution for Internet content where rules can be created for each user to create separate surfing restrictions on a single computer. Using an easy category-based listing, you can control exactly what websites can or cannot be accessed, giving you peace of mind when you’re not there.

Natalie Thayer, General Manager of MWEB Home, says children these days are learning to use the Internet in primary school and while there is no substitute for physically being there to check on them when they’re online, this is often not practical for many parents.

“It’s important for parents to feel comfortable with their children’s use of the Internet and so we are offering an effective way of being able to control exactly what kids can access online. Web Filter utilises the world’s largest and most current categorised list of websites (URLs), which is organised into 59 different categories (such as pornography, illegal activities, violence, gambling and sex). Parents can then select which categories are out of bounds for each user.”

Once the software has been installed, a simple programme allows parents to easily set up the filter categories and apply them to the different users of the computer. For example, you may want your teenage son to be able to access information on sexual health, but you might not think it appropriate for your eight year old daughter. You can also specify the kind of programmes that may or may not be downloaded from the Internet, such as online games or chat programmes.

So how do you get it? MWEB members can simply log on and download the software from the MWEB site. Web Filter works on any computer and with any Internet connection

MWEB’s Web Filter is also ideally suited to small businesses that want to restrict unacceptable Internet use among staff in order to increase productivity. It is also suitable for schools and other educational institutions, where more than one user has access to the same computer.

For more information, including a list of filter categories go to www.mweb.co.za and click on Web Filter.

Oooooooo, baby! Get down and groove in your crib! It's the iTod MP3 player for babies!

Yup, now you've seen everything. It's the iTod MP3 player specially manufactured to meet the exacting requirements of your music-addicted baby. Fisher-Price is behind this technological marvel, and you can get one for a reported $78. (Have no fear... baby ain't gonna lose no hearing... the device includes volume-restricted headphones.)

What's next? iFoetus?

Problem with this story is that I've searched the Fisher-Price website for details, and can't find any. But I've found dozens of news references to it on Google. Could this be a late April Fool's joke?

Thanks yet again to the monster folk at Gizmodo for word about this.

Technorati Tags: baby, fisher-price, gadgets, gizmo, mp3

COMING TO BRITAIN: FIRST CELLPHONE-ONLY MUSIC SINGLE

"Stop Me" by the Anglo-Italian dance group Planet Funk is to make a bit of music history when it becomes the first single in Britain to be distributed solely by mobile phone.

British cellphone operator 3, a wholly owned unit of Hong Kong's Hutchison Whampoa group that runs the biggest 3G network in Europe, said it will offer the single to its customers on May 8.

"Mobile is a great way to reach impulsive consumers who want to buy and listen to music wherever they are," said 3's marketing director Graeme Oxby, noting that 3's audio sales now account for 3.7 percent of the singles chart.

It will cost 99 pence (70 euro cents, 57 US cents) to download "Stop Me".

Last week "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley became the first single to hit number one in the British charts as a download only.

IBURST DROPS MODEM PRICES AND SCRAPS CONNECTION FEES

iBurst celebrates its first birthday this month with presents to customers in the form of reduced prices on desktop and laptop modems and antennas, the scrapping of connection fees on monthly and 24-month contracts and free next-day delivery to customers in major centres.

Price reductions to celebrate the 1 April 2005 launch of iBurst vary from 22% to 13%. Customers can view the new pricing effective immediately on www.iburst.co.za.

Other changes include renaming of the Gig 1, Gig 3, Gig 6 and Gig 9 packages as G1, G3, G6 and G9, respectively. The i-Go Lite package is now available with a 24-month contract for both the desktop and laptop modem options while the desktop modem is now available with a 24-month i-Go contract.

The iBurst system is being deployed nationwide in the two regional powerhouses of Australia and South Africa. Several large-scale deployments are planned in other countries including Kenya, Ghana, Lebanon and Canada.

iBurst was previously trading as Wireless Business Solutions (WBS) when it changed its company name to that of its mobile broadband Internet product from 1 April 2006.

The iBurst customer care call centre can be reached 24 hours a day either via telephone (0861 927 4357) or email (helpdesk@iburstgroup.co.za).

VMware's Ultimate Virtual Appliance Challenge Contest

Local VMware distributor, Workgroup, has announced VMware's Ultimate Virtual Appliance Challenge contest with prizes totalling $200 000 to foster continued innovation in developing virtual appliances.

Grant Mufford, VMware product manager at Workgroup, explains that virtual appliances are pre-built, pre-configured and ready-to-run software applications, all packaged within virtual machines. He says they can be run using VMware virtualisation products, including VMware Player and VMware Server, which are both available for free download at www.vmware.com/download.

"The Appliance Challenge gives VMware a chance to recognise and reward innovation from the community and promote turnkey software experiences through virtualisation," he adds.

The Ultimate Virtual Appliance Challenge is open to participants worldwide with the first prize of $100 000, second prize of $50 000 and third prize of $25 000. Best Collegiate Appliance, Best Consumer Appliance, Best Develop Appliance, Best Server Appliance and VMTN Community Choice Appliance awards will be given with each winner receiving $5 000.

The Challenge judging panel will be led by Mendel Rosenblum, co-founder and chief scientists at VMware, and consists of many distinguished international judges, including South African's own Mark Shuttleworth, founder of Ubuntu Linux.

"This competition highlights the way that VMWare works within the community to promote the benefits of their products", says Grant "It's the users and their solutions that take a great product and make it fantastic."

Challenge details and registration information are available at www.vmware.com/challenge or www.workgroup.co.za VMware plans to announce the winners on August 14, 2006 at LinuxWorld. For further information, interested parties should contact Grant Mufford on the following number, (011) 654-6113 or the following mail address: grantm@workgroup.com .

The Wearable Sleeping Bag from Musuc in Chile

So it's pretty obvious that the nights must get gruesomely chilly in Chile. Else why would design-firm Musuc come up with this delicious concept in sleeping bags? It's called the Selk'bag, and you wear it. Which means you can get up to all sorts of shenanigans at night. Including sleeping in whatever position you choose, without being scrunched into the standard coffin-shape most sleeping bags force you to adopt.

Thanks to our buddies at Gizmodo for the heads up on this one.

Technorati Tags: gadgets, sleeping, chile, musuc, gizmodo, gadgets

Europeans Love .eu

Hundreds of thousands of Europeans rushed to sign up for .eu Internet domain suffixes on Friday, the first day for registrations by individuals, the European Commission said.

"The demand of European citizens and companies will show whether they believe in Europe," Commissioner for Information and Society Viviane Reding told reporters. In addition to the .eu domain, each of the 25 member countries has its own domain suffix, as well as the familiar .com, .org and .int. names to choose from.

Reding said about 300,000 people had applied for the .eu suffix in the first hour on Friday.

European residents can apply by going to domain registrars listed at www.eurid.org, the Commission said.

The domain name has been open to businesses and organisations since December with more than 300,000 applications, of which 54,000 have been approved.

The Commission expects EURiD to register around 240,000 companies and organisations by the end of this year.

That figure is small compared with the 40 million .com domain names, about 10 million German .de names and .net with 7 million names, a Commission official said.

The registrars listed at EURiD offer varying prices and annual fees, and the Commission advised consumers to shop around.

Mesal Gear Solid – Snake Escape

Solid Snake has run in to trouble and only one man ape can help… Enter, Pipo Snake: the super-sneaking simian who’s the only monkey tough enough to help our hero escape.

Fans of Metal Gear may remember the Ape Escape monkeys popping up in Metal Gear Solid 3. Now, thanks to the legendary creator of the MGS franchise, Hideo Kojima, Solid Snake makes a guest appearance in Ape Escape 3’s crazy stealth mini-game: Mesal Gear Solid – Snake Escape.

Solid Snake has been captured and, in a state of desperation, the authorities have called for the one monkey with the stealth skills necessary to bust him out: Pipo Snake. It’s a dangerous mission spanning 10 heavily guarded levels from Fort Banana to the Wild West. In true Metal Gear style, Pipo Snake must fight with bosses, rescue hostages, dodge guards, crawl under gaps, hang from ledges and, of course, hide under cardboard boxes.

Carrying weapons including a banana gun, pineapple grenades and melon bombs, Pipo Snake is armed with some of the world’s most fruity weapons to help him in his mission. But it’s not all covert operations and deadly assassins as Pipo also gets to check out sexy Ape posters when he is not engaged in battle. These chimps know how to have some fun, even in a war zone!

It’s a jungle out there, but this is one monkey who is ready for the challenge. Anything that stands in his way gets liquidised – into jungle juice!

Mesal Gear Solid is a game within a game and adds a whole new element to Ape Escape 3 – you’ll never look at a banana in the same way!

The camera made me do it, officer!

Oh man. There's a whole new avenue open to exhibitionists... recording yourself on a memory chip, and surreptitiously inserting said chip into a piece of consumer gadgetry in a shop.

This story weighs in as one of the dumbest bits of business in Business 2.0's list of the 101 Dumbest Moments in Business. (Did you notice that I repeated 'Business' four times in one paragraph?)

58. Book burning? Next time try a memory-card burning instead.

In March a Minneapolis-area Wal-Mart sells customer Tina Ellison a digital camera. After she takes it home, her children begin playing with it and discover that the camera comes with free content -- a video of a man violating himself, recorded on the supposedly new camera's memory card. The store replaces her camera and offers to provide her children with counseling.

Technorati Tags: dumb business, idiocy, gadgets, exhibitionism

The podcast that's not available for download.

Priceless folly often comes free of charge. In 2005's 101 Dumbest Moments in Business list, compiled by Business 2.0, I came across this entry, which really shows how awful the world can be for geeks.

53. KBore.

In May, Infinity Broadcasting switches San Francisco radio station KYCY to an all-podcast format promoted as "KYOU Radio." Among the programming highlights: "My Daily Commute" (a guy mulling his mortality while driving to work), "Rock and Roll Jew Show" (the latest hits from Israel), and "The Worst Music You've Ever Heard" ('nuff said). Meanwhile, KYCY shows it's still fuzzy on the difference between podcasting and merely turning one's station over to amateurs: The "podcasts" are to be broadcast over the airwaves but are not made available for downloading.

Technorati Tags: podcast, dumb business, idiocy, gadgets

Catch a wake up, mon! Two devices to stop you from oversleeping.

Gizmodo reports that a Japanese company called Takanoha has manufactured a device that you hook behind your ear. It measures the speed of your head movements and estimates whether or not you're falling asleep. Nodding off? The thing vibrates, jolting you back to the waking world.

I4U News gives us an amazing pillow that'll literally blow your mind. When it's time to wake up, this little sucker's gonna inflate a bit. Every seven seconds it inflates a bit more. Until you get up and switch it off. How's that for getting you upright in a comfie way?

Technorati Tags: gadgets, technology, sleep, alarm, wake up

Online Blues

We seem to be sticking with a little bit of a musical theme for a little while which is supposed to be Ninjah's beat, but it's not everyday that you find a site that puts a smile on your face.

Desktopblues is a cute little sight that will get boring after 10 minutes but those 10 minutes will be spent with you trying all sorts of things. If you like music, blues and trying new things then click on Desktopblues and get down, mama.

D-Link DUB-AV300

Pinnacle Micro has announced the local availability of D-Link's high-speed digital audio/video (AV) grabber - the DUB-AV300 - a device that allows users to connect analogue cameras, camcorders and VCRs to their PCs.

The DUB-AV300 allows users to attach analogue cameras to carry out video conferencing, video mails, surveillance and periodic or long-time recording from the PC.

Tiens Lange, networking brand manager at Pinnacle Micro, says the AV300 uses built-in hardware MEPG 1/2/4 encoder/decoder IC capable of processing video stream data, providing very high-speed analogue-to-digital conversion from an analogue camera/camcorder/VCR interface to the PC through USB 2.0 connectivity.

"The USB port can also connect to a downstream USB hub, if the PC is connected to such a device," says Lange. "For connection to VHS camcorders and VCRs, the DUB-AV300 provides an S-jack and RCA AV input, allowing the PCs USB bus to take AV streams from the analogue device."

The DUB-AV300 allows users to capture 30 frames per second at a resolution of 720 x 480 directly to the PCs hard disk via the USB bus. It captures CD quality stereo audio at 16 bits, 24KHz sampling rates with AV synchronising feature. This snapshot function lets users catch these images directly from the video source.

Lange says that with the user-friendly DVD Plus program that comes standard with the package, users can easily transfer the capture bit stream into other standard formats, including AV1, MPEG4, VCD, DVD and so on.

"Video editing software for family movies is bundled with this device to allow users to edit and save digital video on the hard drive or CD and users can easily attach the recorded digital video to emails, capture still frames and set up motion-sensing video recording," he concludes.

iBike Mount

As the ever increasing additions to your iPod grow, you can now listen to the soothing sounds of your favourite tune instead of your rasping breathe and thumping heart as you slot your iPod Nano onto this cute little number. As an ex-cyclist myself, it isn't the best idea in the world to not hear cars and busses and taxis coming up from behind, and the sweat really does a number on your headphones, but it is still a clever idea. You can, however, hook it up to a pram or your trolley while you go shopping or anything with a thick bar, I will leave that to your imagination.

Computer Software That Can Turn You Into a Songwriter

I happened upon this article in the NY Times today about software that is great for all new musicins out there. Ninjah probably has no use for it, but you never know, it might make you lots of money. The question is, though, if you use this software to write and create a great piece of music that gets some airplay, who earns the cadh?

I'M not a musician, but I recently composed and recorded a song. More than that, in a Paul McCartneyesque fit of post-Beatles hubris, I played all the instruments and produced and engineered the entire thing, even though I have no experience producing and engineering anything more complicated than a Bombay martini.

The title is "Eventide," meant to evoke not some ye olde troubadour's serenade but the trademark I glimpsed on a fearsome-looking piece of sound reinforcement equipment backstage at a Ted Nugent concert. "Eventide" is four blistering minutes and 31 seconds long; it features three electric guitars, electric bass, grand piano, electric piano, two string sections, synthesizer, drums, congas, bongos, tambourine and shaker. I think it's smashing, frankly — the old "Avengers" theme smudged with the dark atmospherics of Sigur Ros.

There's just one thing: I didn't compose "Eventide" any more than Ashlee Simpson sang "Pieces of Me" on "Saturday Night Live." The song sprang from computer-sampled snippets of musical instruments that I stitched together using Apple Computer's GarageBand software. GarageBand is a denatured version of industry-standard recording software that allows amateurs to cobble together a song using nothing but the program's digital instruments. You preview the samples from a Chinese-menu-like array, drag them into a virtual mixing console, push them this way and that, and voilà! The software automatically renders the composition into a tidy audio file that can be posted to Web sites like MySpace.com, which teems with thousands of MP3 files from would-be Coldplays and Alicia Keyses.

Read more of Michael Walker's article in the NY Times here.....