MarcForrest.com

Category: Tech News

  • Humanwrit.es launches !

    A couple of months ago I had supper with Jason Bagley & Rich Mulholland while I was in Cape Town. They told me about their exciting new project called Humanwrit.es which sounded very very cool !

    Humanwrit.es is a 192 page square format notebook you buy from the site for $20 (& $3 shipping in SA) and once you have done that, they donate 10 school workbooks back into the schools & communities. This means that even though you getting a super cool notebook, you also helping someone less fortunate out, and giving them access to something they would have never had before. The concept is very similar to the Tom Shoes business model which is hugely successful overseas, and gives children a pair of shoes for every pair of shoes bought through the site.

    I am really excited for Jason, Rich & Adrian, and wish them the best success in their venture. I know it will be a resounding success !! You can follow the Humanwrit.es story on their Facebook page and order your own Notebook at http://humanwrit.es/

    I have just placed my order, and I suggest you place yours soon :)

     

  • iDrifta DSTV Mobile decoder for iPad & iPhone

    Came across this a bit earlier…Very very cool…think I may just have to get me one :)

    The iDrifta plugs directly into the iPad, iPod Touch or iPhone, and uses the DSTV Mobile Decoder application. It comes in at a pretty reasonable R499 and is available at most Multichoice outlets & Service Centres. Very cool !

  • Enter your Mobile App in the SA App Awards

    Calling all local app developers – Entries now open for the App of the Year Awards

    The inaugural App of the Year Awards will be held at The Venue, in Rosebank Johannesburg in the second week of July. Showcasing locally developed applications that have made an impact on work and everyday life over the past 12 months, the event promises to celebrate South Africa’s technical talent and promote the country as an innovation hub in the mobile space.

    Brought to you by headline sponsors MTN Business and event organisers Creative Space Media, the Awards have already been recognised by a number of big names in the local telecommunications industry, with the likes of Apple/Core, Blackberry, Nokia and MTN throwing their weight behind the exciting event.

    Invitations for entries are now open in the following categories:

    • Best Blackberry App
    • Best Innovative HTML5 App
    • Best Enterprise App
    • Best Windows App
    • Best Android App
    • Best IOS App award
    • Most Innovative App
    • Best “garage” App Developer
    • Best App development house

    The evening promises to be an audiovisual feast and true multimedia extravaganza, attended by leading app developers, members of the mobile industry and local social media celebrities.

    To be a part of the mobile industry’s premier showcase and stand a chance of winning some fantastic prizes, please email Belinda at Creative Space Media: [email protected] for submission forms and further information. Please note that all entry forms and submission fees of R200 per entry are to reach Creative Space Media by the 18 May 2012.

     

  • 1-2-Pay-Online – Virtual Prepaid credit card

    I met up with the guys the other night, while I was I Joburg, from a new startup company called 1-2-Pay-Online. They offer very unique service which allows you to top up a one time virtual credit card that can be used for online shopping on South African sites.

    The service is pretty unique in that you are instantly provided with your card number, expiry date & CCV number. First you need to top up your 1-2-Pay-Online account with any amount you want, and then from there, you can top the card up to a maximum of R200 for each use (they are looking at increasing this) from the account. Whatever is not used is then returned back into your “holding” account. Once you have requested the card you can download a PDF of the card with the first 12 number while the last 4 digits are SMS’d to you, minimizing the risk of fraud.

    We tested this out by buying an iTunes Voucher from EvoPoints and had absolutely no issues at all. Payment went through without any issues and I received the voucher instantly. This is a handy type of service if you need to buy something online, but don’t want to risk exposing your credit card, or if you need to be “discreet” with some of your purchases

    The guys are working a couple of exciting products, and I’m looking forward to seeing what they come up with next.

    Disclaimer: I have previously advised 1-2-Pay-Online on some Social Media strategy, but this has in no way affected the above blog post

     

  • 80.5% of Facebook users in South Africa access via Mobile

    I came across a very interesting stat today which shows how important Mobile is in South Africa. According to the latest Facebook Mobile stats at Socialbakers.com, Facebook now has 54% of it’s users accessing the platform via Mobile.

    In South Africa, 80.5% of Facebook users access the Facebook network via Mobile ! That is HUGE !! We have around 4.5 million (the 34th biggest “Facebook Country”) registered Facebook users in South Africa and that means around 3.62 million of them are accessing via the Mobile Facebook site or apps. There are only 2 other countries, Brunei & Nigeria that beat us,with Nigeria at 81.2%

    Here is the full infographic from Socialbakers.com