Started in 2005, the SA Blog Awards has created a platform for different South African blogs to get their name out there and compete with other SA blogs.

The SA Blog Awards is run by new CEO JP Naude, stalwart Chris Rawlinson and Huddlemind CEO Dave Duarte, with ad-hoc technical development and assistance from Miguel dos Santos.

The Blog Awards have 3 phases to them:

1. Nomination Phase - 2^nd Aug to 27 Aug

This determines the top ten in each category, the blogs with the most nominations in each category move forward in the competition. This stage is open to public and bloggers.

2. Public Vote phase

The top 10 of each category gets a spot on the SA Blog Awards website, as well as a custom widget which they can add to their blog. Anyone can vote.

3. The Judges Phase

The judging panel will be shown the number of public votes for each of the blogs in the relevant categories, as well as relevant site stats from Afrigator, Alexa and Google where available. Judges will vote for their allocated category/categories.

Judges will then be asked to vote for the winner of the SA Blog of The Year award from the winners of the 24 categories.

Judges votes count for 30% of the category section (70% from the public),and 100% for the SA Blog of The Year, they are asked to take the public vote into consideration for all categories, as well as SA Blog of The Year.

For a list of the categories, click here.

For more information, visit the SA Blog Awards website and start voting!

Every few months a new buzz word or two pops up and we all run around trying to find out as much as we can.  In the last while the words ‘cloud computing’ seems to be making the rounds.  Not something new but definitely something useful that has people talking.  

For those that are not acquainted with the term as yet, basically it means that one is now able to load documents, pictures, media, etc on to a server that is managed by someone else. You would then be able to access your information anytime, anywhere and you would not have the worry of maintenance of the server.  It’s worry free storage, well almost.

At the end of 2009, David Linthicum  posted a blog with the 5 trends for cloud computing in 2010, as he sees it.  He says in the blog that cloud computing will begin to grow this year and that bigger companies will join in and smaller cloud providing companies will disappear. For the full article click here.

1-4 November 2010 there will be a Cloud Computing expo, in Santa Clara, California.  The expo will be looking at the cloud computing as a whole and  help the delegates to become more acquainted with the term.

The one issue that pops up when cloud computing is mentioned is the safety of it all.  I read this really interesting blog, Cloud Tweaks, that points out all these issues, and really gives one something to think about and leaves room for entrepreneurs to fill a gap in the market.

Though like with anything, only time can really tell, by the looks of things we will all soon be living and working in one big cloud.

What would be a great way to get your audience’s full attention? By giving them their own earphones of course!

Via Greater Stellenbosch

Many of you might respond to “Silent Gigs” with a big “HUH?” But SA band, TONIK came up with an idea that enables each audience member to listen to gigs at his/her desired volume level.

TONIK, Jann Krynauw and Ronan Skillen, creates an unique atmosphere by supplying each audience member with a pair of wireless earphones with its own volume control.

It provides a detailed and very personal atmosphere. However because of the very ‘live’ environment and highly detailed microphone transmission one is actually more part of the whole event than ever before. People are literally in control of their own sound. If you like it loud you can turn up your volume and down for more sensitive listeners.

I would image that to watch this from a distance would be quite a funny sight, but if you are part of the audience, the experience will be amazing! When listening to their songs, you quickly feel the need to put on headphones and, depending on your mood, turn the volume to create the perfect atmosphere in which you can just close your eyes and forget about the world around you! Now imagine that with a live band…

For more information visit their website: www.tonik.co.za

The Blackberry Torch was introduced yesterday at a invitation only news conference in New York.  The Torch is said to be the competition for the iPhone and Droid, though initial reviews of the phone were not all that enthusiastic.

So the feud between the iPhone and the Blackberry continues, and with the world becoming more about where you are than what you do, smart phones are soon to take over. 

The one thing that always comes to my mind when the feud is brought up is "How do I know which one suites me?” I mean what is the feud all about are all smart phones not the same?  Is it not simply a matter of which stye fits you best?

There are not really and definitive list or stats when it comes to something like that (I’ve checked), the basic answer is that there are personality and situational differences that should lead you in the right direction for you as a person.

So, by now we’ve all heard of the Amazon Kindle, now with its DX 9.7" Display, Graphite, 3G version and according to a report today on Techwatch , Amazon is at the moment selling 143 eBooks for every 100 hardback books. Certainly good news for the rain forest advocates!
And then there was iPad, selling 3.27 million units and counting…!
The Sony ereader has been around for a while now, though not getting too much publicity for its efforts. It has 3 versions on sale: Touch Edition, Reader Daily Edition and Pocket Edition.
Barnes & Noble, the world’s biggest bookseller recently decided that they too should enter the market and launched the Nook.
Borders, another major US book retailer launched the Kobo even before B&N launched the Nook and had to reduce their selling prices when the Nook came out. It has far less features than the Nook. It does not have Wifi, let alone 3G, only Bluetooth.

Then there’s the WePad guys from Germany who had to rebrand to WeTab due to some pressure from Apple.

Ever heard about The Skiff Reader, The Plastic Logic Que , Alex e-reader, the  Samsung e101, The iRiver Story, Edge from Entourage Systems, the Libre Pro, Bookeen’s Cybook Orizon, DMC WorldWide’s Ocean and Tidal readers, or even the JetBook? I must say, I have not heard of any of these until I started writing this post. See ZDNET for more on these new ones.

Anyway, the point that I’m trying to get to is not how happy I am that digital technology is progressing so well or that reading is getting cool again. Neither is it the fact that there will still be scope for good writers, authors and journalists. No!

It is my concern with fact that everyone of the major ereaders only allow for content specifically tailored to their platform.

No way can you read a Kindle book on your Nook or a Borders book on your WeTab. Sure, you can get the Kindle application for your iPad, but you must first have the Kindle, right? Surely Apple want you to buy iBooks.

This is where I get worried. I still recall ( yes, I’m that old) how I was asked at the video store whether I wanted to rent a VHS or Betamax video. Now all the betamax video machines are somewhere in Nigeria!

I have not heard the words "convergence" and "ebook readers" mentioned in the same sentence. Every ereader supplier makes his own arrangements with publishers or retailers ( unless owned by the retailer) and it seems that they are all moving further apart from each other.

Though I may have a mac and you a PC and though we may use different browsers, we can still view the same web sites. Same goes for buying a book at an airport shop or online ( the printed version) and being able to read it. Not so with the plethora of ereaders and their "books".

That electronic books ( if that is even a phrase that makes sense) are the future, or more specifically, the present is a fact. How this non-convergence will play out remains to be seen.

Next week I’ll be visiting the Cape Town Book Fair to see firtshand to what extent South African publishers and authors have embraced the ebook since my visit last year which was indeed disappointing in this regard.

This blog posting was written by Japie Swanepoel

There’s a new trend heading our way…

Cell C is taking mobile phone technology one step further with yet another innovation. By downloading Cell C’s new PhotoCode application powered by BeeTagg, your phone becomes a key to a whole new world of possibilities.

 ~ Cell C

This new feature takes QR codes to a new level!

BUT WHAT IS A QR CODE?

According to Wikipedia a QR code is a matrix barcode or two-dimensional code, readable by QR scanners, mobile phones with cameras, and smartphones.

Because smartphones is a must-have this season, and almost everyone has a cellphone with a camera, Cell C, together with their partners (YOU, Huisgenoot, People, Sunday Times, The Times, 5fm, MultiChoice and Oppikoppi) has managed to see the possibilities that these so-called QR codes have to offer.

HOW IT WORKS:

First of all, you have to download the application to your phone. This is very easy and fast! Sms your name to 32357 (free for Cell C customers, R1 to MTN and Vodacom), click on the link that will be sent to you, and download!

Secondly, you take a picture of any QR code with your PhotoCode reader.

And lastly, your PhotoCode reader will analyze the QR code and ask you if you want to go to the link that represents that particular QR code. It’s as easy as that!

STILL DON’T UNDERSTAND? HERE’S SOME EXAMPLES:

Via Memeburn

• You notice an ad for an upcoming gig by a local music star and the PhotoCode printed alongside it allows you to download one of their tracks as a ringtone.
• You are attending an exclusive new event and a PhotoCode gives you the password to the VIP area.
• You are in the Cell C store and by snapping a picture of a PhotoCode you can find out all there is to know about any product on the shelves.

This could open up a whole new world to many industries! Some Twitter users have even joined in. When will you join?

For more information, visit Cell C

A geek is no longer the sad guy that sits in the front of the classroom, brings the teacher apples and does everyone’s homework. Those day are gone, as now being called a geek is something a bit more trendy and is considered to something of a compliment.

Let’s look at the way that things have unfolded in the last few years. There are so many records of people (as described above) and that is now the employer of all the guys that would not do their own homework, so I am sure that Bill Gates or Steve Jobs are rather happy with the way that things turned out in the end.

Even though the term may not be that derogatory anymore, ‘geeks’ still tend to keep together with blogs, forums, websites, and a constant update for the list of toys for the ‘geek community’.

We have complied a check list of ways to indentify a geek:

1. You know you are a geek when you buy a new gadget just for the thrill of it.
2. you prefer talking to people via the internet or text because you claim that it is easier.
3. You remember web addresses faster than phone numbers or physical addresses.
4. When you have more e-mail addresses than you really need.
5. When the value of your gadgets are more than that of your car.
6. You have spare commuter and cellphone parts laying around your home
7. You always have a flash drive in your pocket.
8. When you are the one person that your family and friends turn to for computer and internet help.
9. If you have ever used a really simple password and thought that it was genius (e.g. 12345)
10. You own the latest iPhone and you are amazed at all the cool features, ALL THE TIME.

Though this is not a cast in stone indication, if you said yes or nodded at most of these then it is time to wake up to the reality and embrace your inner geek.  Or if you need any further convincing or would like a second opinion, click here

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Everything is becoming more interactive, kids can now help the characters of a DVD find the missing pieces or help build a house from the couch in their lounge. Gaming companies have found a way to get us off our seats and to be inside the game, so to speak. You can now control you cell phone with a touch and the list could go on. The question as with anything else in the world remains is this enough or do we want to interact with everything that we come in contact with.

An article that I read recently has said that Google is thinking of making the advertisements more interactive. It is not hard to believe that it could actually work or that organisations would go for it as buyers are easier convinced when there is actual interaction.

I went on to read a few more articles and a headline caught my eye, 3D TV will be a part of your living room by 2013, I immediately stopped and read exactly what this was all about. Isn’t it amazing how we as humans want to control everything? So they are trying to have the viewers and regular TV watchers have the full 3D experience at home all the time, nice one.

The thing is that world has become more social and interaction is key for an enjoyable life (with or without social media) but we need to be sure that we realise that there are situations that should stay out of the virtual world before we forget what is real.

The social media universe is known for its quick updates on news and current events - most of the times people tweet about something that hasn’t reached the news yet.

But unfortunately, this also holds a negative side as people tend to trust anything news-related they see on Twitter or other social media platforms.

This happened this week with Dutch DJ and musician, Tiësto:

The world of dance music woke up yesterday morning (Thursday July 8th 2010) to the tragic news that the global DJ & Producer Tiësto had died in a car accident!  - ilikemusic.com

The internet was flooded with tweets and messages which stated that the DJ was in a car accident - it even gave specifics like the involvement of alcohol and speeding, and where exactly it took place.

Tiësto quickly realised that while he was busy tweeting, people were mourning about his death. Though he says he has no idea where the rumours began, he did not let it get him down and tweeted:

This just shows that though social media delivers the message extremely quickly, it is not always the right message…

Sources: ilikemusic.com, techtree.com, newsfeed.com