Samsung Wave

So I’ve been asked to write a review on the Samsung Wave. For one I am no techy person who understands the in and outs of how the phone should work and what it should do, but I am highly addicted to gadgets and generally asses them in the way I know best – Can I use them? And can it do the things I want it to do?

For a phone that’s quiet a bit. I want it to be able to connect me to my social networks, make calls; sms a whole lot and take pictures and videos, since I am addicted to doing just that.

Like any other person who receives a new toy the first thing I did was get it out of its packaging and get my sim card into it as fast as possible and start it up. “Read the manual first,” people say, “Urr manual, who needs that”, is how I usually approach all gadgets and the Samsung Wave was no different.

Samsung Wave

I did end up opening the manual though just so I could get a better grip on this little gorgeous baby. Yes baby, it’s exactly that. Smooth to touch, easy to hold, but does things you don’t know a shitload about.

Playing with this little toy, it has the most amazing surprises. The touch screen is easy to use and sensitive to touch, better then the current phone I have. I hear its all scratch proof, but I was not willing to test it out, but you can see all about it here.  Once in the App Store download ARDefender [read Palesa’s review on it here]. This augmented reality game had me shooting around for hours, not forgetting the Need for Speed. Makes me feel like I’m a kid again turning the device like a joystick almost 180 degrees.

The music player is neat as well but the one thing I did love was the camera. I am a camera addict and this one lives up to expectations. Comparing it to my current phone camera it is a few megapixels short, but good, impressive, clean pictures as well as being able to take pictures faster then my normal phone. Also the camera has is an HD quality video camera which is amazing.

On those points the Samsung Wave is a definite must have.

My disappointment lay in the social media capabilities. Facebook and Twitter Apps need to be relooked at and redesigned. Twitter had me deleting friends ‘by mistake’ and Facebook was way too confusing and did not allow other improved functionality that can be found in iPhone and Blackberry apps.

Other then that this is one amazing beauty, which I refuse, may return. Techy’s remind me its all about Bada* – the new operating system by Samsung that the Wave uses, but to me its one of the most pleasurable little toys to add to my collection, once they up the game for the Twitter and Facebook App!

Samsung Wave capabilities

*Bada is Korean for Ocean therefore the whole Wave usage.

So its been a while and the reason I never lived up to my promise of blogging at least once a week, was because for the most part I had no passion in me to blog. The other part I got swamped with work and took on more then I could handle with some freebie work I was doing. Yes say it, I know you thinking it anyway – Douche Bag I am!

So the passion to write is slowly returning and the freebie work that I was doing was actually all about writing. I was writing blog posts and reviews for some sites out there. [No I am not sharing it with you, if you find it you do, if not it doesn’t have anything to do with you.]

I’ve also been jamming up my weekends with the Football mania that is gripping my beautiful country South Africa.

Managed to make it to the opening game of Soccer City, Johannesburg. Thanks to my lovely friend Aasia for organising the tickets and making sure I got there. Was so unreal to hear about 80 000 plus [close on to 95 000 I hear] fans blowing vuvuzelas*, cheering their team and bottom line getting into the spirit of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, though it was a Nedbank Cup final between Wits University and AmaZulus.

Capacity crowds at the opening of Soccer City

Then Sunday was all about chilling but Monday brought on another bought of Football Fever. Headed to Soweto once again to see my country South Africa take on Bulgaria. I felt the stadium tremble under the feet of the supporters, I head shouts and screams and vuvuzelas from people of every colour and race. I felt a country united and I had goosebumps, not from the cold, the entire night.

I also learnt that my country will be behind the player 101% even when we know they could be doing better, much better.

I could criticize the players here but that’s for a different blog and a different audience.

Orlando Stadium, Soweto, behind Bafana Bafana 101%

Another exciting and interesting event in the last four days with regards to football was the Kia Street Soccer experience. I watched Under 13’s play with such skill that would make grown men feel ashamed. I heard the streets of Alexandra township come alive cheering for teams of 6 players which had to have 2 girls in their team play to win a trophy. Also I heard that Kia will be taking all 4000 kids who participated in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban to a 2010 FIFA World Cup game, to be part of it and for these underprivileged kids to be able to say “I was there”.

Makes me realise that this world is such a beautiful place with so many great people who will always try to make a difference in peoples lives no matter what.

Winning team from the Kia Street Soccer - Soweto Young Ones

Thank you to the beautiful people out there with the biggest hearts.

PS: Did I mention I also watched GREASE at the theatro on Tuesday. Was amazing and once again Thank you to Aasia.

*Vuvuzelas: are horns or trumpets that are blown at almost every football game in South Africa. It increases the experience by 10 folds but can leave you hard of hearing or short of breath or even both . More info find it here and for pics you can find here.

Last week, shocking revelations concerning the activities of the ANC Youth League spokesperson Nyiko Floyd Shivambu came to the fore. According to a letter published in various news outlets, a complaint was laid by 19 political journalists with the Secretary General of the ANC, against Shivambu. This complaint letter detailed attempts by Shivambu to leak a dossier to certain journalists, purporting to expose the money laundering practices of Dumisani Lubisi, a journalist at the City Press. The letter also detailed the intimidation that followed when these journalists refused to publish these revelations.

We condemn in the strongest possible terms the reprisals against journalists by Shivambu. His actions constitute a blatant attack on media freedom and a grave infringement on Constitutional rights. It is a disturbing step towards dictatorial rule in South Africa.

We call on the ANC and the ANC Youth League to distance themselves from the actions of Shivambu. The media have, time and again, been a vital democratic safeguard by exposing the actions of individuals who have abused their positions of power for personal and political gain.

The press have played a vital role in the liberation struggle, operating under difficult and often dangerous conditions to document some of the most crucial moments in the struggle against apartheid. It is therefore distressing to note that certain people within the ruling party are willing to maliciously target journalists by invading their privacy and threatening their colleagues in a bid to silence them in their legitimate work.

We also note the breathtaking hubris displayed by Shivambu and the ANC Youth League President Julius Malema in their response to the letter of complaint. Shivambu and Malema clearly have no respect for the media and the rights afforded to the media by the Constitution of South Africa. Such a response serves only to reinforce the position that the motive for leaking the so-called dossier was not a legitimate concern, but a insolent effort to intimidate and bully a journalist who had exposed embarrassing information about the Youth League President.

We urge the ANC as a whole to reaffirm its commitment to media freedom and other Constitutional rights we enjoy as a country.

Blog Roll

http://thoughtleader.co.za/siphohlongwane
http://rwrant.co.za
http://vocfm.co.za/blogs/munadia/
http://vocfm.co.za/blogs/shafiqmorton/
http://blogs.news24.com/needpoint
http://capetowngirl.co.za
http://thoughtleader.co.za/sentletsediakanyo
http://thoughtleader.co.za/davidjsmith
http://letterdash.com/one-eye-only
http://boyuninterrupted.blogspot.com
http://amandasevasti.com
http://blog.empyrean.co.za/
http://letterdash.com/brencro
http://6000.co.za
http://chrisroper.co.za
http://pieftw.com
http://hamishpillay.wordpress.com
http://memoirs4kimya.blogspot.com
http://thoughtleader.co.za/azadessa
http://watkykjy.co.za
http://fredhatman.co.za
http://thelifeanddeathchronicles.blogspot.com/
http://blogs.timeslive.co.za/common-dialogue/
http://www.clivesimpkins.blogs.com/
http://mashadutoit.wordpress.com
http://nicharalambous.com
http://sarocks.co.za
http://blogs.timeslive.co.za/stompies/
http://helenmoffett.book.co.za/blog/
http://01universe.blogspot.com
http://groundwork.worpress.com
http://iwrotethisforyou.me
http://fionasnyckers.book.co.za
http://attentiontodetail.wordpress.com
http://blogs.women24.com/editor
http://www.missmillib.blogspot.com
http://snowgoose.co.za
http://dreamfoundry.co.za
http://www.vanoodle.blogspot.com
http://www.exmi.co.za
http://cat-dubai.blogspot.com
http://alistairfairweather.com
http://www.zanedickens.com
http://www.nickhuntdavis.com
http://guysa.blogspot.com
http://book.co.za
http://baldy.co.za
http://skinnylaminx.com
http://blogs.african-writing.com/zukiswa
http://www.mielie.wordpress.com
http://blogs.timeslive.co.za/gatherer/
http://thoughtleader.co.za/sarahbritten
http://stii.co.za
http://blogs.news24.com/FSB_AP
http://twistedkoeksuster.blogspot.com
http://whensmokegetsinyoureyes.blogspot.com/
http://trinklebean.wordpress.com
http://commentry.wordpress.com/
http://matthewbuckland.com
http://blogs.news24.com/colour-me-fran
http://gormendizer.co.za
http://helenmoffett.book.co.za/blog/
http://www.harassedmom.co.za
http://ravingfans.co.za
http://khadijapatel.co.za
http://simon.co.za/speakza
http://gnatj.com
http://moralfibre.co.za
http://www.exmi.co.za

http://fsi.org.za/

http://www.zahira.co.za

http://synapses.co.za
http://www.macgeek.co.za
http://greenwitch-musings.blogspot.com/

In our office you can never quite figure out what some one will say, do or write. This hilarious post below was written by Donna…

Yes I wanted to post it because… I CAN!!!

The advantages and disadvantages of having more than 19 kids

In this day and age, most people stop procreating at around three or four kids. If you’re Brangelina, you go up to six. But if you’re tempted to continue until you have more than 19 kids, here are the significant advantages and disadvantages:

The advantages

• You have a complete soccer team… and then some
• Fathers Day or Mothers Day is a real cash cow
• Chances are there’s a huge age difference between your oldest and youngest – so you’ll always have a babysitter
• Hand me down clothes are a real cost saving
• You’ll have at least 70 grandchildren and probably 180 great grandchildren
• You become the poster child for family planning
• You can run your own family business and never have to deal with the CCMA
• You will never be lonely… ever

The disadvantages

• You will never remember all their names or birthdays
• 20 kids equals at least one kiddies’ birthday party each month – have you ever been to a kiddies’ birthday party? Pure hell I tell you
• Imagine how many parent-teacher evenings you have to attend
• You will have to rent a bus for family outings
• Father Christmas will give your house a skip completely because it’s just too damn expensive
• Two words: medical bills
• Another two words: school bills
• One washing machine just won’t cut it
• You will always be broke
• You will be old young
• When you’re old, you’ll be the ping pong parent as they try fob you off on each other
• You have to have two and a half dinner and cutlery sets, and a really long dining room table
• You will never be able to touch the TV remote
• You will never be alone… ever

Nelson Mandela's walk to freedom - 11 February 1990

On this day 20 years ago one of the greatest men walked out of prison to the welcoming arms of his people.

Many people in South Africa today are remembering this day, but like many I was one of those too young to realise the meaning of it all. Sure my parents had set me down countless times and told me why this day was important and who Nelson Mandela was, but a six-year old only knows the excitement that surrounds her and not what is happening. I remember running around the room waiting to see the first images of the man everyone kept talking about.

Not only was is a memorable day because of his release to me, but it was also a hot, sunny one in Durban, meaning pool time for sure. Yes, thats how I remember it.

One thing though that everyone today seems to be forgetting is the if it wasn’t for the push and the person FW de Klerk is, we really would not be having much to celebrate. Mandela is a great man especially for calling for peace and holding a country together which threatened to spill the blood of innocent people, but I personally also have to give credit to de Klerk. Yes, he was part of the Apartheid system, yes his morals and ethics need questioning but he did set free the man who brought this nation together.

Thank you to de Klerk and thank you very very much to Tata Madiba, for giving me the opportunity to grow up FREE and to let me finish school, go to campus and be the person I want to be – in – SOUTH AFRICA!!!

***YouTube vid of the events of that day…20 years ago!!!***
BBC News: Nelson Mandela released from prison

Performers at opening ceremony

Told myself that I needed to start blogging again and more frequently but it never seems to happen. This is me making a concerted effort to blog at least once a week even if its only a picture or a video, even if it also only makes sense in my mind and not my readers. Maybe that way I can generate some interesting conversations on deciphering code.

I have this insane passion for sports and most of all for football/soccer*. This year is Africa’s year of football greatness.

But it was with sadness that we witnessed tragedy strike the Togo international team in Angola this past weekend. To top it all off CAF is lead by some pretty stupid people. The Togo team had decided to return to their country to bury the dead and then make a decision and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) asked that they stay and play in the AFCON [African Cup of Nations].

They removed themselves from the competition but have no decided that they would like to return and to play in the competition. CAF – the bloody idiots – are not allowing them to return to the competition.

Some one please explain the stupidity that lies behind such decisions?

Anyway, not only is CAF stupid but the world if they think that one incident in a country that is approximately more than 5000kms aways [ok I have no idea how far it is] should affect the World Cup in South Africa, shows how devious and low handed people can be.

I mean when there was a bombing in Atlanta AT the Olympics did the rest of the world ask the USA to call of the games or move it elsewhere. This happened in another country NOT in South Africa.

It is not a security risk to SA. We are ready we are prepared for this competition and we want the world to see us for us. Stop grouping all countries in AFRICA as one.

“I think everybody understands [the attack] has nothing to do with South Africa,” Jordaan said. “When there was a bomb in London no-one said we should not have 2012 in London so we cannot have double standards.”

“The world must be balanced and must not apply different standards when it comes to the African continent. Our World Cup is secure and we are confident because we have employed a lot of resources to safeguard the event in our country.”

Blatter wrote to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) president, Isaa Hayatou, saying: “I have faith in Africa, and it is with this faith that together we will organise world football’s showcase event in 2010.”

[Times Live, 10Jan10]

My condolences are with the Togo nationals.

On the other hand, with the opening game already played, and if that’s anything to go by, this is going to be one cracker of a AFCON competition. With Angola leading 4-0 to see the match finish in a 4 all draw, you know this is going to only get better and better. The usual teams are firm favourites – Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Ghana but anything can happen and I for one am excited to be watching African football.

Makes the lead up to the world cup all that more interesting. From today there is only 150days left to the biggest sporting event being kicked of in South Africa. Excitement only continues to mount and every time I see one of our amazing beautiful stadiums I get shivers and tingles down my spine. Also with the number of people coming into our country there is no doubt going to be some beautiful eye candy.

*Most of the world regard the beautiful game as football, but with Americanisation soccer has become as popular globally. Americans already had American football and therefore call football soccer.

Fireworks and laser light display during the opening ceremony

blog more often…blog about sense more often…must blog…blog…vlog…keep blogging…make time to blog…blog more often…yes blog…trying blogging…love blogging again…tell stories on my blog…yes i must…yes i will…yes…yes…yes!!!!

Delusional illusions always find me wondering if I am doing the right thing or not. For now I think I am and that’s all that matters.

So you asking yourself what am I going on about. Well I have changed professions. And moved to an amazing company. It’s all pretty cool and exciting and interesting. I may have sold my soul to agency life but for now it’s definitely the place I want to be at.

So I’m the newbie at Cerebra/Brandsh. Yes confusing, as I have no idea where I fall in as yet but apparently on both sides. Not that I’m complaining. This is me loving it!!

The new offices are pretty cool as well. I love the colours and I’m such a g33k for brightness. Apparently after my first day yesterday, I was over enthusiastic explaining the colours to my flatmate. Well they awesome and a def change from what I am usually use to.

This is definitely an entire new ball game for me. So hoping everyone prays for me.

Over and out!!

yes only in Johannesburg do you get snow in Summer. You wondering what the hell I’m going on about…well…last Friday saw me caught in a fierce hectic Hail Storm in Johannesburg. It hailed so much and so badly i was wondering if my poor car would survive the onslaught. The ground became iced sleet and the side walks, roofs, gardens covered in ice that blanket every surface making it look like snow.

I’ve been promising to write all I can about my trip about a month and a half back to Maputo, Mozambique. But along the way I lost the plot a bit. This is me here trying to rectify this little mishap.

Listening to Nickelback blasting in my ears and writing this hear quick summary of Maputo. Hoping the pics below express more then my words. As words fail me when describing places. It’s all about the senses when you travel Africa.

The sight, smells, sounds and tastes are hard to put down on paper. Maputo is no different. The experience there is nothing compared to Johannesburg and anywhere in South Africa for that matter.

Maputo ‘International’ Airport is small…no wait its TINY… in comparison to OR Tambo International. Security is almost non-existent… except every bag checked through is scanned and checked for items that can somehow be used to bribe you the traveller into parting with a few meticas (me-ti-cash) [local currency] or ZA Rands or US dollars… kaching!!

Balcony allows you a view of the runway…stand there long enough and if an Boeing lands [one of few that would land there] you can lose an eardrum. Or 2.

Maputo’s climate reminded me very much of my hometown Durban. I mean I was there in winter and its so hot outside that I can walk around in t-shirt and 3quaters. But at night a light pull over was needed. Lovely beautiful weather. Streets dusty and lined with sand. Sand running through my toes. Hair flying in the wind. Cool salty breeze from the ocean a street or two away.

Maputo is even more chilled then Cape Town and I have no idea if that’s a compliment of insult to Cape Town. Siesta on a Friday in Maputo is a 2 hour lunch break…don’t expect to get anything done at all during that time. Not even a street vendor in sight.

Decided on the one day off that I had, that I would tour the town. And tour I did. Not only was I fasting but I had this insane idea that I could walk about 20km plus with out eating and drinking just so that I could discover the fish market, the fruit and vegetable market and take to the beach and ocean.

Sand flying everywhere walk I did. The fish market for me was something else. Walking through rows and rows of freshly caught fish, lobsters the size of my arms, tiger prawns, mussels, crabs as big as my head was wow. <- Only word left in my meagre vocabulary that could describe the sight and sounds and smells.

Locals bargaining is definitely a sight to witness. Not that I understood much since Portuguese is foreign to me. The market ends with rows and rows of restaurants…waiters lining up to take your freshly chosen fish or squid or what ever you bought to make it up in the most amazing Portuguese basting around.

Only reason I know this is because we headed there for supper the one night and I ate the lobster that I had eyed out at the market the day before. Yes the same one that was as big as my arm. The multicoloured lovely fleshy lobster. I think the entire meal came to less then half of what you would pay in a South African restaurant. Lobster done Portuguese style over an open flame… amazing.

Not only that I think I ate most of my week away at nights. Nandos has nothing on original flame grilled Portuguese chicken. I think they need a lesson in that one.

Ok enough on the food, more about the place. Maputo like the rest of Mozambique is recovering from a civil war. You can still spot bullet holes here and there and the occasional demolished building. But it’s a thriving city. Lined with loads of development. Sky scrapers popping up everywhere and all Chinese investments at that.

They say you can judge a country by its roads…well Maputo has loads of work to do on their roads then. Potholes make JoBurg roads look safe. But then again no on in Maputo drove over 60km/h from what I saw. There were a few late night dodge mad capped drivers but in the 10 days I was there only saw 3 of those types. Every other person drove so slow I felt like telling them to step on it.

The police though and army officials are dodge. As soon as they notice you a foreigner well I hope to god you have your passport on you. Bribery is nothing compared to how hard they can make a simple stroll from where you just ate to the hotel a misery even though its only half a km away. ALWAYS carry your PASSPORT in where ever you go in Maputo!!!

Mozambique’s population is one of the poorest around but they definitely try hard to make an honest living. Selling oranges on the street that are peeled and cut at the top so that you can squeeze the juice out, to selling sim cards and credit and gum to even running someones stall at the market, they try. Outside the city on one of our excursions to a cashew factory and to where they grow vegetables to sell at the market I saw something amazing.

A tall towering stadium being constructed. Yes 2010 means enough to them as it means to us. New stadium in a poor area, because South Africa is willing to share some training matches with the neighbouring countries. Goose bump inducing moment. I only hope that the money was used in the best way and Mozambique can benefit while it watches its people suffer from hunger and floods and diseases.

Check out the pics

[View with PicLens]

123►