Remember the hit drama series of the 90s, Bophelo Ke Semphego, which aired on SABC? The storyline revolved around a man who lived with his mother. The main character, Nkwisheng, was in love with three beautiful women who all contested for his attention and his heart. You’re probably wondering how a drama series fits into a techno article.

For the past three weeks I have been spending my time with two sleek, stylish and affordable mobile phones I recently got from Mi-fone for a review. Mi-fone is the first African mobile device brand in the market.

The beauty of Mi-fone devices is that they have features just like other phones currently on the market, and yet do not have the expensive price tag attached to them. The two Mi-fone devices contesting for my attention were the Mi-Q5 and the Mi-A100. Both beauties differ in functionality, but have common features, including the powerful music link.

Mi-Q5

The Mi-Q 5 is a handset sporting a QWERTY keypad, FM radio, and the ability to send and receive MMS and SMS. The device also features GPRS, WAP, an MP3 player, 1 GB memory card and accommodates two SIM cards. The phone comes with bluetooth, a digital camera, and has capability to run Java apps and social networking apps (MSN and Facebook). The Mi-Q5 can easily access Mxit and e-mails too.

Mi-A100

The other beauty was the lightweight Mi-A100. The touchscreen device runs on an Android 2.2 operating system, has a camera, can easily browse the internet and is also good on social networking. This beauty can receive and send MMS and SMS, has a navigator, FM radio, an MP3 player, 1GB memory card, dual SIM, wi-fi, bluetooth and can record sound.

My verdict… both the Mi-Q5 and Mi-A100 deserve my attention!

Ash “de flesh” Mokwena 

When Nokia Chief Executive, Stephen Elop, took over the reigns at the Finnish company in September 2010, he made it clear that Nokia had to catch up to other techno giants such as Apple inc, Samsung, and Blackberry in the highly competitive smartphone market.

Shortly after joining Nokia, like any other captain of a sinking ship, Elop sent a memo titled “Burning Platform” to his employees, warning that if Nokia does not move with the future, it will “fall of the tree like a tree house that is not well-built.”

In February 2011, Elop announced a new strategy for Nokia which included shifting its smartphone operating system from Symbian to Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7. The mobile maker, at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, showcased a beauty named Lumia 900 and other devices to be released as 2012 develops.

The Lumia 900 will be hitting the United States market on the 8^th of this month. It comes with a 4.3 inch clear display, a 1GHZ single-core CPU, 512 MB RAM and an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera with an f/2.2 Carl Zeiss lens and LED flash. The ‘little brother’ of the Lumia 800 runs on a Microsoft Windows operating system and will come in blue and black, while the white version will be released later this month. Should you be one of those without a GTE network, the phone will be shipping with HSPA+.

The United Kingdom and some parts of the world could get the Lumia 900 in June but Nokia has not released the date when the phone will be hitting our shores… Well, seems we will have to patiently wait for this baby to arrive.

-  Ash “da flesh” Mokwena

Sony’s latest handheld gaming console, the PlayStation Vita, takes gaming to another level. The PS Vita is the most impressive and the sleekest handheld console ever manufactured… of course, that is my own opinion and that of a number of techno reviewers. The console has a two quad-core processor, a 5-inch touchscreen OLED display, dual analogue stick controls and games that go way beyond what any other portable device in the market is currently capable of.

The PS Vita’s competitor, the Nintendo 3DS which wields 3D optics as its catch card, cannot compete with the Vita in terms of graphics. The PS Vita offers a home console experience on the move, and that is what puts it in its own class. The PS Vita is the successor to the Sony PSP and the console looks different. The PS Vita is “the Beast among Men” or should I say it’s the current “champ” of handheld consoles.  The console measures 7.2 inches from end-to-end and a height of 3.3 inches and a thickness of 0.73, which makes it the biggest Sony handheld device at the moment. This Wifi model weighs about 260g which is 20g lighter than its predecessor.

The base of the PS Vita houses a USB connector for charging and for connecting to the PS3, a headphone/microphone adapter and the memory card slot. The rear of the PS Vita has a brand new touchpad, a rear 0.3mp camera and a microphone. With Japan rebuilding its economy and the US and Europe currently trying to solve their own economic mess, the PS Vita might just struggle to show good figures.

Retail Price: R2999,95 for the Wifi console and R3599,95 for the 3G console

Where: Sony stores or Incredible Connection stores

- Ash”da flesh” Mokwena 

Twitter has rolled out an option that allows you to read tweets beyond your native language. The new feature automatically translates tweets into various languages with the help of Bing Translator. A Twitter spokesperson said that they started rolling out the feature to a number of users last week to help them better connect and interact with others regardless of language.

The spokesperson also added that they “want to help people connect and discover what’s new no matter where they are on the planet or what languages they speak.”

Twitter users will be able to click on a non- English tweet and see a translated version of the message. Thai site Faceblog.in.th has taken screenshots of tweets written in Thai, Japanese, and Korean and it shows a translation in English.

Twitter made this possible by teaming up with Bing Translator, a free translation service that changes texts and web pages into various languages. At the moment it’s unclear when Twitter will make the new feature available to all members. For now, you and I have to wait till we can access this new feature.

- Ash ”da fleash” Mokwena

DMC is only producing 500,000 electric DeLorean models for next year with 100,000 orders already received. The asking price? Each DeLorean carries a sticker price from $90,000 to $100,000

The Consumer Electronics Show is the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow that takes place at the Las Vegas Convention Centre every January. The event sets the sector’s agenda for the year with major players of the technology space unveiling their new developments.

Some industry critics have questioned the event’s relevance and with Microsoft announcing that this is their last appearance at the event, some think the event has passed its sell-by-date. This year saw the commercial launch of a new display technology called OLED (Organic light-emitting diode). The TV sets are thin and lighter than current models and TV manufacturing giants LG and Samsung unveiled 55inch sets.

Windows PC version of Mirosoft's motion-sensing Kinect Motion Control device

Microsoft provided the opening keynote address, which they have been doing for the past 14 years; the CEO Steve Ballmer announced the Windows PC version of the Kinect Motion Control device, which uses gestures to control its Xbox Games. Ballmer also showed off the newest version of Windows 8 which is due out later this year. Nokia revealed that they will release their Windows-running Lumia 900 in the US, a market where Nokia seems to have lost share in for the past couple of years. Nokia CEO Stephen Elop is pretty adamant that the company will regain its market share in the US.

Research in Motion announced a software upgrade to their Blackberry Playbook tablet that will give it email and messenger apps. Samsung also announced that they will also release the Galaxy Tab 7.7. Samsung and LG joined Sony in offering Google TV, a service which is set to bring the net to television sets as well as an estimated 80,000 movies and TV shows.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7

Intel proclaimed that this is the year of the Ultrabook. Ultrabooks are thinner, lighter and portable like Apple’s Macbook Air. Lenovo announced its idea, Pad Yoga, which works just like a tablet, and HP unveiled the Envy Spectre.

The One Laptop Per Child initiative has a new tablet by the name of XO 3.0, a customizable device that starts at $100

The exhibition was attended by 140,000 people and had 3100 exhibitors. Among those who attended were celebs such as Justin Timberlake, Justin Bieber, Will Smith and Will.i.am. It’s believed that Will.i.am is involved in an Ultrabook advertising campaign, and that he will be touring 12 cities, creating 12 songs and engaging with 12 charity ventures. This year promises to be another technology-crazy year and my advice to you, the consumer who has an interest in technology, reserve some cash because you don’t want to be left behind!

The Nintendo Wii U console was first unveiled in June 2011 at the Electronic Entertainment Expo. The main feature of the console is its built-in touch screen which either supplements or replicates the game play displayed on the television screen.

This eighth generation console is expected to be released early 2012. The Wii U is Nintendo’s sixth home console and the first Nintendo console to produce 1080p high-definition graphics and features a new controller with an embedded touch screen and a webcam. It will be fully backwards compatible with Wii, and Wii U games can support compatibility with peripherals such as the Wii remote, Wii MotionPlus and the Wii balance board. With this offering Nintendo plans to change the gamers’ perception on its console and to “lure” more gamers.

The difference between the Nintendo Wii U and other major players of the gaming consoles is its ability to continue the game while your TV set is switched off. Clearly Nintendo is tired of playing third or forth best and they are gearing up to push for better sales. Let’s hope this much talked about Wii U lives up to expectations.

- Ash” da flesh” Mokwena

Recently RIM announced two new phones set to dazzle the smartphone market, the Blackberry Bold 9790 and the Blackberry 9380 Curve. It’s believed that both devices will run on the new Blackberry 7 operating system and will offer enhanced multimedia, social and productive features, as well as several pre-installed Apps.

The Blackberry Bold 9790 comes with touch display and a QWERTY keyboard and optical trackpad. It features 1GHZ processor, 8GB onboard memory and an expandable memory card slot for up to 32GB of extra storage and not forgetting its 5 megapixel camera. The device can be used for work or play with its web browsing, multimedia and document composing capabilities.

The Blackberry 9380 Curve is more compact and stylish. It comes with touch display and has no keyboard or buttons to speak of. The device features 3.2 inch high resolution display, Blackberry Messenger, pre-installed Apps such as Facebook and twitter, 5 megapixel camera with flash and video recording.

Let’s hope in Africa we won’t wait long for these beauties to hit our shores.

The MAD network was launched at Cool Runnings, Fourways last Saturday. It took about twelve months to plan and put it together.

The MAD network is set to change the way charities are funded as it combines the social media phenomenon with innate human desire to assist charities. Doug Anderson, the brain behind the MAD network, explained that the social network allows people to make donations to the registered charities of their choice without spending a cent of their income. How this will work is donations will be funded by advertisers, who in return will be matched with the consumers they wish to target. It also allows individuals to interact much the same as on other social networks. Every time a MAD person is exposed to an ad or interacts with an ad they earn points, which can then be allocated to charities of their choice, meaning charities can exchange points for money from the MAD network.

This is without a doubt a brilliant idea and I surely think we should all join the MAD network and help the needy.

- Ash “DA FLESH” Mokwena

The creation of the internet gave birth to a fantastic phenomenon. Social networks have influenced and changed the way we communicate.

Over the last couple of years we’ve witnessed a lot of social networks develop or being developed, by enthusiastic, creative and innovative minds. These minds are behind the technology revolution. This revolution gave birth to sites such as Google, Linkendln, Facebook, Twitter, Delicious, Flickr, MySpace, Renren, MXit, Skype and YouTube, to mention a few. Little did we know a few years ago that some of these social sites would be used to promote political revolutions such as the recent Arab Spring. Social networks have made the world a small place; take for instance, now we can share photos with loved ones who are miles away, and we have the luxury to send instant messages to check if they’re also doing well.

Social networks work quickly to transmit a message, be it by writing on someone’s wall on Facebook or tweeting, and having an instant chat with a mate or girlfriend on Mxit. Today we “post, like and share.” Professionals such as journalists, politicians, advertisers, marketers, musicians, artists, interior designers, business executives, etc, use social networks to promote their work or to inform the public about the developments in the world.

I just wonder which social network site will still have an effect on how we communicate in the next 10 to 15 years. Will it be Facebook, Twitter, Mxit, Linkendln? Or are we going to see new sites which probably will come up with something relatively new and fresh?

Samsung has developed a sensational notebook which gives much-needed help to that business person who’s always on the road promoting and looking for business, and who even travels at remote places. We chatted with Phillip Henning, the Samsung Notebook PC Product Owner at Samsung Electronics South Africa, to give us more information on the Samsung Solar-Powered Netbook. Interview by Ash “da flesh” Mokwena:

AM: What is the Samsung NC215 Solar Powered Netbook all about?
PH: Samsung have created this unique, lightweight device which is all about innovation, power-saving and of course, going green.

AM: What happens if the Netbook is left under the sun for more than 30 minutes and also when someone works under the sun?
PH: The unit has a UV protective casing which protects the device against UV rays. Additionally, the unit can be left in direct sunlight for 2 hours and it will produce a charge so that the Netbook can be used for an additional hour. This essentially means that the Netbook can be charged through the traditional wall socket or directly via the sun. Furthermore, if using the Netbook outside the sun, the battery will charge while power is being drawn off the battery by using the Netbook.

AM: When was the Samsung Solar Powered Netbook released and what’s the retail price?
PH: The Solar Powered Netbook is currently available in the market through selected Incredible Connection outlets at a recommended retail price of R3 999 including VAT

AM: Could we label the Solar Powered Netbook as the “Tiger Woods” of the Netbooks? Read the full story

Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple Inc, a company which revolutionised the technology world died on the 5^th of October 2011, leaving many around the world asking: “how can someone with so much money not be able to defeat pancreatic cancer?”

Jobs invented the iPod, iPad, iPhone, iCloud, and the iMac to mention a few. These creations changed how business executives did business and certainly brought joy in the consumers live. Jobs started changing lives from 1976 at a California home in a garage. Jobs established what Don Draper, the hero of the TV series MAD MEN calls a “sentimental bond” with consumers. The man certainly knew what the consumer wanted. Jobs once said, “What people want most was easily accessible knowledge and limitless entertainment, carried lightly, an entire library of music at your fingertips, a phone that answered questions, a tablet that could bring you the world.”

Steve Jobs introduced words like nano, shuffle and app – words which have influenced the business world and touched the consumer. Jobs transformed numerous industries and changed billions of lives with his inventions. People compared his work to that of Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and Leonardo Da Vinci.

Through his creativity, Steve Jobs knew how to please the consumer and surely profited from his creativity. He was Bold, Brave and Talented. He lived life to the fullest and enjoyed the journey to success.

RIP Steve Jobs (1955-2011)

-          Ash “da flesh” Mokwena

It’s believed this phone has award-winning features and will be one of the best and fastest 4G LTE devices in the market. The device has a dual-core processor, but it’s not yet clear if it’s going to be the Tegra 2 or an OMAP4. It comes with two cameras. The Droid will feature an HDMI port which will also allow for mirror mode. It runs on an Andriod Froyo 2.2 Operating System which can be upgraded to Gingerbread 2.3 Operating System. The phone weighs about 158g and comes with upgraded 4.5 inch QHD TFT capacitive touch screen with 540 x 960 pixel resolution. The device will feature 16GB internal storage and 2GB ROM and 1GB RAM . It is bound to cause a stir and its competitors will be watching its performance closely.

Lenovo joined the tablet fray by announcing two tablets aimed at consumers and one for businesses: the IdeaPad K1, The IdeaPad P1 and a business-centric ThinkPad tablet. The 10.1 inch IdeaPad K1, which runs the Android 3.1 Honeycomb operating system is firmly aimed at consumers and will ship preloaded with more than forty apps, including Angry Birds, Kindle and Documents To Go. Lenovo’s IdeaPad P1 takes the road less travelled by shipping with Windows 7, which is not really suitably used by tablets. It has a stylus which is presumably to help with “touch”, while also running on an Intel 1.5 GHZ processor, while other  Lenovo offerings run the speedy Tegra 2 dual-core processor. The tablets are available in the US and are scheduled to be available worldwide in the third quarter of the year.  We can only hope the tablets reach our shores.

Apple Inc recently launched its own cloud computing service at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference. The iCloud is more like a hard drive in the sky. It’s an effortless way to access just about everything on all your devices. It stores your content so it’s always accessible from your iPad, iPod Touch, Mac or PC, giving you instant access to your music, apps, latest photos and more. It also keeps your e-mails, contacts and calendars up to date across all your devices. The service also backs up your information, so there’s nothing to worry about should something go wrong.