So I got one of those DSTV Mobile units, “Drifta” is the name Multichoice has given the unit. They use a terrestrial technology called DVB-H (for hand-held), and currently it allows me to watch 12 channels for an additional subscription fee of R36.
Initially when I first saw the unit, I didn’t like the choice of channels, but now that I got the unit most of the channels makes sense. There are no movie channels, which was my first complaint, but I realize that despite the OK quality, I would never watch a movie neither on my iPhone nor on my iPad.
The Drifta
The channels I would watch is mainly news and sports, the two type of TV watching, that is not really the same if it is not live. So there are 4 SuperSports Channels and 2 News Channels, CNN and e-News, both of which are between my favourite news channels anyhow. So these 6 out of 12 are OK,
Then I also allow my iPhone/iPad to be used by my boys especially when we are in town, and they are bored. So for this purpose Sony MAX and Cartoon Network comes in handy, and my older son likes the music channel Trace.
There is another music channel, Channel-O, but he prefers Trace. I would not necessarily watch the remaining two channels, which is the (E)ntertainment Channel and Africa Magic, but considering that 10 out 12 channels could be on my “favourite list”, it is far better than my selection than on my “favourite list” on my DSTV decoder at home.
Ok, so on the “lighter” side – no pun intended – Judi and I have just consumed our lunch with the kids at this water land in Rustenburg. Judi swapped a food item with my son Julius, but since it wasn’t her food to eat in the first place we decided that Julius would keep the calories, all this leading to the Calorie Credit Trading idea.
Similar to the Carbon Footprint/Carbon Credit Trading movement, we believe that there should be room for a similar Calorie Credit exchange, where fat people in the west can keep enjoying their burgers and pizzas while the calories are distributed to the needy mostly around the equator. This calorie bourse or exchange will assure health and happiness all over the world. Last step is just to invent that technology that allows the calorie transfer to take place, because while we are not actually moving the CO/CO2 from the industrialized countries, we really, really want to move the calories.
Tags: carbon footprint, diet, Kilo joule
I have now been using my iPad for a months on the go … On the road. I mainly use the wireless access at home and at work, which have uncapped access to the Internet and therefore is neither slow nor expensive. But on the road I use the 3G.
Location based services is the next killer app of the Internet, and as with all things new I have to try it out, so mapping, my location, nearby friends, events, speed traps is dealt with through various apps.
So here is a wish list so far for an enhancement of the iPad Gps/location service:
- I wish I could setup a “blacklist” with a number of areas, identified by a Lat/Lon and a radius, selected on a map of course.
- Then for each of my apps I want to tell if the can use the location service (as you can today), but added the functionality Yes,No,Yes-outside the blacklist areas
- While I am at it, I also wish I could tell which apps could use my 3G, since lots of apps are continuing in the background.
Tags: iPad, Location based
Here are 4 cameras with new innovations, which shows were compact technology is going. Online, Geotagging, 3D, Robotic, Face and Smile recognition with integrated projector.
Nikon Coolpix S1000p
The Coolpix S1000pj has a 12.1-megapixel sensor, 5x wide-angle optical zoom and EXPEED digital processing as in the company’s DSLR range, but most interesting is the 10 lumen LED integrated projector that can create up to 40-inch VGA-quality picture.
In fact you can use the projector for not only photos but slideshows with effects and music, and Nikon include a stand and a remote for ease of operation.
Finepix Real 3D W1
The Finepix Real 3D W1has two lenses and two CCD sensors, which allow it to take 3D snaps, and show them on its 2.8in lenticular screen. Macro shots are also possible, but require you to take two snaps in quick succession – keeping the shot in focus while doing this takes a little practice.
Once you’ve taken a few 3D snaps, you can also get them printed on Fujifilm’s special lenticular paper or take out the SD card and show them off on the optional 8in Real 3D V1 photo frame. Naturally, the W1 also gives you the option of taking standard 2D, 10MP shots.
Sony Party-Shot
The Sony Party Shot DS1, a robotic mount that you place the camera in, then it uses Face Detection to scan the room, look for shots, and take them. The mount pans a full 360 degrees horizontally, and it tilts up and down. When the camera (has to be Sony TX1 or WX1) detects a face, it focuses, sets exposure, and grabs the shot. Additionally, the cameras have Smile Shutter™ technology that automatically captures a smile.
Samsung ST1000
With the ability to capture and share photo memories on the move, the Samsung ST1000 allows users to truly connect with family and friends. Packed full of innovation and encased in a sleek compact frame, the ST1000 incorporates an unprecedented combination of geo-tagging technology, Bluetooth 2.0, DLNA compatibility, and Wi-Fi connectivity options.
The camera’s wireless functionality enables users to send and post pictures almost as quickly as they take them, while its GPS capabilities keep track of where users travel, giving them the ability to manage their images intelligently with geographical location data embedded directly into each corresponding EXIF file. With the increasing importance of content sharing for consumers, the ST1000 provides an unrivalled experience and is a great way to keep one’s network of friends and family in the know.
A week ago or so my niece’s boyfriend got shot. He will recover, but it is still made me think long and hard about what to do about gun control.
Jacob Zuma has asked SAPS to come up with a plan, so why don’t we help out and come up with some ideas.
Here is one of my suggestions, one because I have a much more drastic idea I will write about another day.
Idea
My idea is simple: Why don’t we give bullets a serial number?
A conventional piece of gun ammunition contains a bullet and a casing where the gun powder is housed. The casing wraps around the bullets back end. The idea is to place an engraved serial number in the “foot” – the back-end of the bullet. The serial number cannot be filed of or otherwise erased without breaking the ammunition. The back-end of the bullet is also the part that normally survives any impact, and the bullet is the weapon that will be left at a crime scene. Check out the image. Read the rest of this entry »
Why don’t we have that kind of restriction on books? To be honest, even if we had, I wouldn’t be bothered to enforce them on my kids, but then again – I don’t enforce the rating from TV on my kids either, I simply warn them, and they are quite good taken my warnings seriously.
By why don’t we have ratings on books? We should, since we have ratings on other medias, such as TV and the internet. If your daughter is reading some serious book with a totally innocent title, you would have no clue how explicit the contents would be. I discussed this with a friend last night. And we realised that some of the more hectic either violent or sex oozing scenes from books we read over 20 years ago, is still fresh in our head. They certainly made an impact. We could also agree that what we read in a book and then imagined, is far more troublesome compared to what we ever would see in TV.
Actually the whole thing started for me, when I explained to another friend, that I don’t understand the TV rating system in South Africa. I was born in Denmark, and have only lived here in SA for the last 10 years, but I still don’t understand it.
How can it be that explicit nudity and sex – even more visual than the erotic movies shown is rated 18 and explicit violent movies is rated 16. I mean we are all here on the planet as a result of somebody had sex. It is certainly more natural than somebody has been carved up with a chainsaw.
And the erotic movies shown with the most severe age restriction is nothing compared to what you could read – Harold Robinson was used as an example in my discussion last night.
As I said, it is a rhetoric question. But I still wonder…
