I got to try one of iOS 5′s new features earlier today – wireless software update, because I left my cable at home. It was very simple, all I had to do was go into Settings > General > Software Update and begin! 

Wireless software updates only work when you’re connected to a WiFi network; not via 3G. You will get a message suggesting you connect to a power source, but that isn’t necessary as it only used 3% of my battery. The update is 44,6MB and shouldn’t take too long to download.

I admit, I got a bit nervous while looking at the status bar after the download and before the installation – I thought it timed out on me in the middle of the update; but all I had to do was be patient

The changelog is as follows:

1. Fixes bugs affecting battery life

2. Adds multitasking gestures for original iPad

3. Resolves bugs with Documents in the cloud

4. Improves voice recognition for Australian users using dictation (ha).

This post was written in response to a post on My Digital Life on what my top iPhone apps were. I’ve not included obvious apps like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc. In no order, they are:

1. Dropbox – free

Dropbox lets you sync files between your phone, laptop or PC. It is very handy when I don’t have my cable, I just stick files into Dropbox and it syncs to my Mac immediately. It supports Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, Android, mobile web. Not sure about BlackBerry. It has a password feature for your phone which is cool.

2. Google – free

If you have a Google account, chances are you are using many other Google products. As you can see from the list above what is supported. Google Goggles is supported under Search.

3. Instagram – free

If you have an iPhone, this is the first app I will suggest you get. You absolutely have to have it! It reached 1 million downloads very fast. It lets you add effects to pics you take, making it look really professional. It’s a social network app – you follow others and they follow you, so you can see what pics they share.

4. Camera+ – $0.99

This is undoubtedly the best photo editing app on the iPhone. I’ve used loads and this is the one I settled with. There are so many things you can do with one image. At $0.99, it is worth it.

5. Hipstamatic – $1.99

Hipstamatic lets you use different lenses and flashes to create cool effect, which look vintage, sort of. It also makes pics look good and you don’t have to a very good photographer to create cool pics. Here is an example:

I have to add that after I got Instagram, I stopped using this app as often.

6. Peggle (Pop Cap) – $2.99

I’ve been a fan of this game and have it on desktop, netbook, Mac and just had to get it on iPhone. If you played it, or any PopCap game, you will know how addictive it is.

7. Plants vs. Zombies (Pop Cap) – $2.99

Same description as above.

8. Trivial Pursuit (EA Games) – $0.99

I bought this when EA Games had a huge sale in December, most of the games were eventually marked down to less 75%. I also bought Ultimate Mortal Kombat, MMA, and Scrabble. All worth the sale price.

9. Talking Carl – free

This is just a fun, and mostly pointless app. Carl repeats everything you say. Amusing for a while but cool to show people and see how fascinated they get. Entertaining for kids too.

10. CheckMyTrip – free

I just recently got this app when I went to PE last week. I could access my trip info via my booking reference number. It also helped me when I used the self-check-in terminal.

Earlier this week, Cell C switched on it’s HSPA+ network in Gauteng. This means that we now have access to super-fast internet, at really affordable rates. According to Ookla (parent company of Speedtest.net), as of 15 November 2010, Cell C is the fastest network in South Africa.

I was given a USB speedstick (60GB over 12 months / 5GB a month) to test and was very impressed. Set-up was simple on my Mac. I plugged in the dongle and the installation screen popped-up, which took a few minutes and soon thereafter, I was ready to connect!  I picked up the following speed when I tested it at home:

The dongle is capable of up to 21.6Mbps. I guess I have to find the right spot in my house for best coverage / higher speeds but I’m quite happy with the results above. I downloaded a 40min episode of a TV show in less than 15 minutes. I have uncapped Neotel WiMax at home (2Mbps), so it’s pointless me using the dongle when I’m in my house. It goes everywhere with me, in my handbag, so I have access anywhere. You know how important that is

How does this compare to the Vodacom coverage I receive at home? For starters, I cannot make/receive a call – or do anything, let alone get full 3G coverage – from downstairs. Even if I have 2 bars of reception, I will not receive a phone call, but I will get an SMS to say “missed call” or voicemail.

When I go upstairs, into my main bedroom, I have to hop around my bed, trying to get the best signal. The last time I spoke to my mom, I had to dial her 5 times because of poor reception. If I’m lucky, I pick up 3G, or it’s either EDGE or GPRS (!).

Cell C is currently running a promotion on their speedsticks:

1) 2GB x 12 months = R149pm (contract) or R1499 (prepaid) – 7.2Mbps

2) 5GB x 12 months = R299pm (contract) or R2999 (prepaid) – 21Mbps

If you’re thinking of getting a mobile broadband solution, Cell C is your best option – it’s currently the cheapest and fastest available.

I was invited earlier today to get a sneak peek of the Nokia N8. The handsets are prototypes and from the demonstration I was given, I was very impressed.

If you’re a Nokia fan, and have been waiting very patiently for a revamped operating system, then you won’t be disappointed with Symbian^3. Most noticeable was the fast and responsive user interface, when browsing through the 4GB music library, with cover flow.

The wow-factors about this phone is: 12MP camera, HD recording and playback (720p), the fresh Symbian^3 OS.

What really sets this device apart is the built-in HDMI connection and USB-on-the-go. Two very handy features that any smartphone could do with. Additionally, the HDMI and USB cables are included in the box.

The N8 has 3.5″ capacitive touchscreen with a 640×360 resolution, comes with 16GB built-in memory (expandable via micro SD up to 32GB), FM transmitter, FM radio, mp3 player, free walk & drive navigation with Ovi Maps and 3 customisable homescreens.

According to Nokia, the handset will retail for under R6,000 on prepaid, and will be available on contract, by October 2010.

More information on the Nokia N8 here.

I received the Nokia 5330 mobile TV edition phone last week and did not have high expectations for it; who would? To add to that, the instructions attached clearly stated that it is part of a pilot program with DStv and is currently not available in South Africa. Hence, pricing has not yet been determined. It also said to expect glitches.

For the testing phase, (I’m not sure if this is applicable after it launches), a Vodacom SIM gives you 6 channels and an MTN SIM gives you 8 channels. I ended up buying an MTN SIM for the extra channels. After the initial hiccup (the phone was not fully set-up on DStv’s side), which Nokia assisted with, I finally got to test it. And by that I mean, I actually got to WATCH TV on a cellphone! And I was impressed!

I did not expect it to be as clear as it was, probably because this was new to me. I don’t know what the standard is. The earphones have a built-in receiver that is based on DVB-H (digital video broadcasting-handheld) technology. You do not use any data while watching TV. In order to watch a channel, you have to “purchase” content, which lasts for a month, so you don’t have to “purchase” every time. I did not pay for this, which I suspect is where a cost will come in, once launched.

Excuse the pic taken with a camera, there was no app available to take a screenshot.

The screen is 2.4″ with a 240×320 resolution. Most people to whom I’ve showed it, responded with “such a small screen”. Uh, you weren’t expecting a 40″, where you? Given that you’re going to be watching from a close distance, you don’t need a large screen; although the screen could be slightly bigger, but I’d say it’s pretty decent.

If the price is right, I think Nokia might have a winner here.

*EDIT* – I incorrectly stated that the Nokia 5330 does not have 3G, but it in fact does. Thanks to the anonymous person who brought it to my attention.

Yesterday was one of the best days of my working career (it was also the first time I found myself on the highway at 06h20)!

All thanks to Nokia, who flew ten Johannesburg-based journos down to their Cape Town event to meet the “masterminds” behind Ovi Maps (NAVTEQ), show us the behind-the-scenes of building the mapping database, let us see the N97 mini in the flesh and the highlight – letting us participate in a mini Amazing Race.

We were put into teams of four and sent off in BMW’s and Audi’s, using the Nokia N97 mini as a GPS. I was lucky enough to be in a team of 3 locals, who knew what the clues meant.

It was not a race to see who came first, though; points were given based on activities completed (bookmarking locations, MMSing pics and solving riddles etc). At each point, we had to find someone dressed in black who handed us our next clue. Team awesome (as I dubbed us) didn’t to too badly – we scooped 3rd place (there were 8 teams).

We were based at the 5 star 15 on Orange hotel. What a stunning hotel! I loved the modern interiors and especially liked the extra thought that went into the finishing touches. This is what the lifts look like:

There was a blend of media, bloggers and “industry experts”. The one thing most (if not all) of us had in common: Twitter. And tweet we did, during presentations. It’s amazing how it isn’t considered rude (anymore) to sit on your phone or laptop while being addressed.

But this is where Nokia comes in on top. They are using social media properly. It all comes down to them doing it in a way that isn’t ‘spammy’. Something a lot of companies have yet to learn.

Nokia South Africa have very kindly given me an N97 as a thank you for hosting their global ‘Search for N’ competition. I know some of you must have been sick of seeing consecutive Nokia posts so thanks for bearing with me during that time.

I received my N97 on Monday evening and the first thing I did once I hopped onto my wireless network was:

That was me testing the Facebook widget that came pre-installed. I have to admit I don’t like it, I prefer logging onto Facebook via Opera Mini. Btw, the Nokia default browser reminds me of Internet Explorer It definitely needs working on.

I’m still playing around and learning new stuff as I explore.. like finding out that I can use a widget slot for additional shortcuts:

As you can see in the image above, I have two rows of shortcut bars. Most of the widgets have real time updates and quite simply, I can’t afford to have it updating and eating away at a price of R2/MB. I’m looking into getting a data bundle soon. Just a small one though, for when I’m away from a PC. I still don’t use my full 10GB every month (Neotel).

I downloaded the native S60 Twitter client, Gravity and it’s a fantastic mobile application. It allows you to reply to tweets, RT, DM, favourite, unfollow etc and manage multiple accounts. It doesn’t come anywhere close to Twitter mobile. I’m currently making use of the trial period – it costs €10 at the Ovi store. I’ve also started downloading and installing random applications like a level, a handwritten recognition calculator, a bubble game etc. The novelty will wear off soon

Okay, I hate long drawn blog posts, so I’m going to stop here. If I find the time, will post a review.

When I got my hands on the HTC Magic (G2), the first thing I noticed was how slim and sleek it was, compared to its predecessor, the HTC Dream (G1). I’m no fan of HTC (hardware or OS) but I think this model is one that is decent enough to use. The phone has 6 buttons (home, menu, back and search and call & end call) and a trackball in the centre. To the left top side of the phone you will find an additional button that adjusts ring volume.

This is the first touch user interface phone I’ve used without a stylus and it didn’t take too long to get used to. The home screen is customizable and allows you to drag and drop icons anywhere on screen. If you swipe your finger across the screen, in both directions, you will see two additional ‘screens’. The one to the left displays your Google calendar and the one to the right, Google search.

The virtual touch keypad is similar to the iPhone and it’s much quicker using one finger to type. If you’re accessing sites that require a login and you have complicated passwords, you might find it a bother alternating between alpha and numeric keypads. There is an accelerometer on board that detects when the phone is tilted; this then changes the view to accomodate the angle you’re using the phone at, but this function only kicks in when you’re composing messages, reading email and browsing the internet.

The biggest draw card of the G2 is that it’s run on Google’s open source Android (v 1.5 “cupcake”) operating system. The OS upgrade includes features like uploading videos to Youtube and pictures to Picasa directly, copy and paste within webpages and keyboard with “auto complete” feature. It is very user-friendly, slick – no lag between apps, everything is seamlessly integrated and it just works (ok that was just a playful stab at Apple). It comes pre-loaded with Gmail, Gtalk, Google Maps, Google Search and Youtube. The first application I logged into was Gtalk, (the only IM I bother using) and my email & calendar synced automatically. Impressive.

Thereafter, every time I got a new email in my inbox, I got notification of it (an @ sign on the notification bar of the phone and a beep). I say inbox because I have a whole bunch of filters set up, (a lot of my emails go directly into my labels and skip the inbox), which I didn’t get notified for. These rules are the reason my sanity remained intact. I like that you can archive, label or delete emails from the device. Very handy.

If you’re relying on the phone for email and internet all day, additional to phone calls and SMS‘s, it would barely last the day. The first time I gave it a proper charge, I saw about 40% battery life by the end of the day, (which was a working day and could access my email and the internet at the office) I thought it should last me another day if used lightly. Not likely; by the next morning it was close to being dead. Very disappointing. If its any consolation, the G2 comes with an additional (USB) charger. While your phone is charging, you can see how far it has gone, percentage wise.

If there is anyone out there reading this and is seriously considering getting this phone*, I say get it – especially if you rely on Gmail, Google calendar and / Gtalk… that’s if you are not bothered by charging it everyday. Also, if you’re not aware, South Africans will not be able to purchase anything from the Android Market (unfortunately).

It feels weird using my Nokia N85 again.

*The HTC Magic is only available through Vodacom (@ R800 pm x 24 months on a Talk 500 package).
More info, specs etc for the HTC Magic can be found here.

Earlier today I attended the Nokia E75 launch, held at the Skin Sense Day Spa in Rivonia. As you might know I’m no corporate so phones in that range don’t interest me.

I got to play with the phone for a short while and if first impressions are anything to go by, I wouldn’t mind owning this handset. What I like about is that it’s light (much lighter than my N85) even though it has a slide out keyboard. It’s slim, sleek and well, stylish, especially in the deep red colour that it’s also available in. So it gets full marks in the ‘looks’ category but I can’t vouch for battery life etc.

Some plus points:

• supports mobile VPN
• Nokia Messaging – you only need your username & password (supports Gmail, Windows Live, Yahoo! [remind me again who uses Yahoo!], AOL).
• customizeable home screen views for business and personal. So when you get home, flip screens and no work mail coming in.
• data encryption for phone memory and microSD card

View full technical specs here.

Even though I don’t mind owning this device, I’d still pick the N97 over this

You might wonder why the comparison. These two products are hardly in the same category. But I think one might just put the other out of business. Given the state of the current economy, I don’t see consumers rushing out to buy laptops or notebooks. There have been reports that the netbook market is soaring and sales will grow by 65% this year. At the same time Nokia’s earnings have dropped in the first quarter of this year to €122 million, compared to last years €1.2 billion, during the same period.

Statistics aside, smart phones are now being created to give you the ultimate browsing experience. That’s what the touch-screen Nokia N97 promises. You can customize the phone’s home screen with widgets, watch high-quality movies, browse ‘real’ web pages etc. But what about the price tag that comes with a high-end phone like this? I’m not talking about business men and women who need these devices or the super rich. I’m talking about middle class working citizens who save up, look what the market has to offer, make comparisons and then decide what to go with.

Put yourself in this scenario – would you spend ± 6k on a cellphone and browse the web on a 3.5″ screen or spend about ± 4k and browse the internet on a 9″ screen, with full qwerty keyboard (98%)? It’s not a difficult decision.

The current mobile market is very competitive. It’s not like a few years ago where you knew exactly what phone you were getting. Now all phones offer the same features – so what do you go for?

I’ve reached a point where I don’t go for the phone that has all the coolest features. I’m not big on a GPS merged into a phone. (I think the two devices should remain separate). You can’t put everything onto a cell/smart phone. What happens if you get a call while your phone is taking you to your next destination of if you are recording an interview and your phone starts ringing? What about battery life?

I think if the average consumer is opting for a netbook, chances are he won’t be spending ± 6k on a smartphone.

Oh, I’d be lying if I said I don’t want to get my hands on the Nokia N97. Perhaps Nokia will let me play with one