With the following note:

As promised, here is a pic of me in the t-shirt (excuse the badly taken pic, it was the best I could do alone):

Thanks @RSAWEB!

When we arrived in Cape Town (there was a large group of us from Johannesburg), we were told to choose a car from the fleet, get into groups of four and self-drive to a warehouse in Brackenfell. Everything was waiting for us: keys in car, parking ticket to exit the parkade, and directions to the warehouse. We got there easily with my directions, well not mine, but me directing the driver

After a short welcome, unveiling of the Spark and a quick performance by dancers, the formalities began.

We were told to get into the cars and tune in via FM transmitter to listen to the rest of the presentation.

Then the fun part began – driving the Spark! We got into groups of two and followed directions placed in the car, which took us to Franschoek. We had lunch, swapped drivers and drove back via a slightly different route.

The drive was scenic (well, it is Cape Town), and while I was doing 120km/h, I noticed a 60km/h sign with a camera below it. Oops. There was no point in slowing down; I (or rather General Motors) was going to pick up a fine anyway. Most of the journey was on a single lane road and there were lots of trucks. Overtaking was very tedious, but that’s what you’d expect from a car that size.

The Spark is a step up from the Spark Lite and two specification levels are offered, L and LS. Both are powered by a fuel-efficient 1.2L, 4-cylinder, 16-valve engine. The base L model offers power steering, air conditioning, radio / CD / MP3 player, Auxiliary USB port and driver & passenger airbags. The LS model additionally has electric side mirrors, ABS anti-lock brakes and remote boot release. These are just some of the features.

The Spark L is priced at R115 495 and the Spark LS is R125 495, which I’d say is ideal for students or as a first car. I wouldn’t be going out to buy one as I’d like a car with a bit more power. More information on the Chevrolet website here.

Thank you General Motors, for inviting me to drive the hot new Spark!

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.

What I like about the app is that it works smoothly. You turn the page by swiping your finger across, much the same way you do other stuff on an iPhone. I don’t mind that it is small, you just need to adjust the font to a size you’re comfortable with. You can also adjust the brightness of your screen, and font type. To make it more “authentic” you can even switch sepia on. Cool feature, as displayed below.

I don’t buy phones based on their extras like GPS capabilities, so I wouldn’t say that iBooks is a reason to get an iPhone 4. It’s just a nice add-on, the same way you would enjoy your Facebook or Twitter app. It’s convenient.

While I do think the app is cool, I don’t think I will be purchasing any books. In fact, I’d probably download free ones for when I’m at the airport or on the plane, to pass time.

Anyone else got the app? What do you think of it?

05:00 – Entered parking.
05:15 – Passed boom gates (there was a huge delay as the parking ticketing machine was not working).
05:20 – Joined the ticketing queue. We stood here for 35 minutes. 1 Machine was not functioning and about 20 minutes later, another machine was closed for maintenance.
05:55 – Tickets purchased.
06:12 – Got on-board the Gautrain and headed to OR Tambo.
06:25 – Arrived at OR Tambo.

When I got to Sandton station, I was slightly irritated that the boom gates were not functioning, and to make matters worse, the ticket queues seemed to go on forever. Out of the 5 ticketing machines, 2 were, at some stage, not working, which made me wonder if getting up at 4am was worth it.

Things improved once I boarded the Gautrain. For the first time, I felt like a tourist in my own country. I took loads of pictures because this was a historic moment. I wanted to capture everything, if possible. Even the Gautrain gold card that I purchased has “launch edition” printed on it, to mark the occasion.

Then the Gautrain took off. I’ve used the London Underground before, so the experience wasn’t totally new to me. But, what an experience! I think the fact that I could get to the airport in 12 minutes in my own country is what really made it such a fantastic journey. I was thoroughly impressed.

The operations process had a few hiccups and was not 100% ready for the launch today, but in time everything will be ironed out. We now have a world-class public transport system that we can be proud of.

Video footage taken from OR Tambo International:

I fetched my world cup tickets earlier today (in case you missed my Twitter and Facebook updates ), and I remember someone asking me how the name change would work if tickets get re-sold, etc, I can’t remember who.

From my understanding, the main applicant needs to present their ID at the stadium and can bring whomever they want as a guest, (if you fetched your tickets already, you will notice only the main applicant’s name appears on all tickets). If the main applicant cannot attend, and wants to sell it or give it to family/friends, they will need to sign an affidavit (really) along with a certified copy of their ID.

Fifa, keeping it real.

The netbook has a 10.1-inch frameless LED backlight screen, with a resolution of 1 024 x 600 pixels, which is ideal for a portable mobile work solution. Dimensions are 262mm (W) x 180mm (D) x 26.2mm (H). All models come with Windows 7 Starter edition.

What makes this netbook easy on the eye is that all the ports are neatly hidden in the chassis. To the left, you will find a VGA out, 1 x USB and a card reader (MMC/SD); to the right, a 1 x LAN, 2 x audio jacks (mic-in and headphone) and an additional USB, all conveniently tucked away. At the base is the mini VGA out cable. The stereo speakers are located at the bottom too, which might not have been the best idea, as sound is muffled.

Additionally, the netbook has a 1.3-megapixel camera, wireless LAN and Bluetooth. Connecting wirelessly to the internet and working with e-mail should yield about 3.5 hours. That’s only slightly better than the 900 series.

The keyboard is a decent size but the spaces between keys could have been eliminated for a more flowing feel. The unit has a matte finish, which is completely fingerprint-resistant – a definite plus.

The netbook ships with Intel’s second generation Atom N450 processor and when combined with Asus’ Super Hybrid Engine (SHE), which reduces energy consumption, battery life is extended. The battery is also removable, unlike the 1008HA model.

The 1008P Seashell Karim Rashid Eee PC is definitely not a netbook for the average student or for someone looking for a portable mobile work solution. It is more suited to a fashionista.

Written for Digital Life April / May 2010.

In the latest game to be released in the franchise, New Super Mario Bros. Wii (NSMB) proves to be challenging, hours of fun, and lets up to four players play at once. To highlight how special the title is considered, it is boxed in a red casing; it’s thus one of only two games ever to come in a non-white casing.

The storyline needs no introduction to die-hard fans. Princess Peach is kidnapped by Bowser on her birthday, leaving Mario, Luigi and the Toads to rescue her, passing through different levels and worlds, all while collecting coins along the way.

Most notable are the 2.5D effects. The game is in 2D, while some characters and objects are displayed in 3D, which is rendered on a 2D background, resulting in a 2.5D effect.

Players can choose to play as Mario, Luigi or one of the two Toad characters. Player 1 is always Mario in multiplayer mode, and if a character dies, he will re-emerge in a bubble and can be freed if any other player touches the bubble. NSMB includes Nintendo’s new ‘super guide’ feature, which guides a player through a level, after said player has failed eight consecutive times; this feature will probably attract new fans.

Game control on the Wii is no different to the original games, with the option to connect the Nunchuck for analog stick control. It might be easier playing with the Wii remote alone, held horizontally. The remote has to be shaken to launch spin attacks or pick up objects.

Power-ups from the old games are still in place, with the addition of new ones, such as the Ice Flower, which freezes enemies, and the Penguin Suit, which lets you throw ice balls and swim easily.

The game can be finished quickly but with hidden stages and alternate routes, it will keep you coming back for more. It’s a must for die-hard fans and all Wii enthusiasts.

Written for Digital Life April / May 2010.

I’ve compiled a list of my best / most useful / worth buying iPhone apps.

1. Dropbox – free
2. Hipstamatic – $1.99
3. Pano – $1.99
4. PS Mobile (Photoshop) – free
5. WordPress – free
6. Rock Band – $6.99
7. Plants vs. Zombies – $2.99
8. Doodle Jump – $0.99
9. Facebook – free
10. Tweetie  - $2.99 (Twitter to release it free as Twitter for iPhone “soon”)

If anyone reading this wants to share their favourites, please feel free to do so.

Note the crappy Vodacom signal I pick up at home and other places.