South African tech journos indulging in beer and opinion…

Episodes in which we discussed Microsoft:

ZA Tech Show: Episode 27

This week we are joined by Jason Norwood-Young from the Mail & Guardian and Altech Autopage Celular’s CEO Craig Venter. We discuss:

  • The high court’s industry-changing decision regarding Altech Autopage Cellular and the VANS industry.
  • Comcast in the USA enforcing bandwidth caps at 250 gigabytes and the state of limited access in South Africa.
  • Mobile data routing.
  • Jason provides dodgy tips for hackers.
  • Mozilla Ubiquity - stitching Web content together has never been this easy or awesome.
  • Microsoft Silverlight, Adobe Flash, AIR and the future of Web apps.
  • Mark Surman leaving the Shuttleworth Foundation and joining the Mozilla Foundation as executive director.
  • Britons unhappy with the iPhone’s lack of Flash. Apparently the casing on the 3G iPhone cracks too.
  • The introduction of 802.11s and wireless mesh networks.
  • The legality of wireless user groups.
  • Boosting wireless signals. Don’t try this at home. Seriously.
  • The perceived danger of cellular waves (btw, check out this link if you, like Jon, want to know more about non-ionising radiation).

And more….

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ZA Tech Show: Episode 24

In this episode we discuss:

  • The launch of Getmo.com - a new media download service.
  • Zain/Celtel’s possible entry into the SA market.
  • Microsoft’s Tech Ed conference.
  • Red Hat setting up office in South Africa.
  • The IBM Microsoft-free desktop.
  • Ubuntu’s MID edition for portable internet devices.
  • MWEB becoming a reseller for Vodacom Service Provider.
  • ABSA and Telkom’s deal.
  • Neotel’s first television advert.
  • The state of spam.

And more…

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ZA Tech Show: Episode 23

This week Simon’s in Japan and joins us via Skype. We discuss:

  • The legality of MP3Fiesta.com.
  • The Hasbro and Mattel versus Scrabulous saga.
  • Yahoo! Music being closed down.
  • The new, not-so-great Cuil search engine.
  • iPhone 2.0.
  • The annual Govtech conference.
  • Telkom’s strike.
  • Vodacom’s new BEE deal.
  • Microsoft sponsoring the Apache Software Foundation.
  • The release of KDE 4.1.
  • The latest pre-release of Ubuntu Linux Intrepid Ibex.

And much more.

Direct file download (28MB)

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ZA Tech Show: Episode 20

In our 20th episode of ZA Tech Show we discuss:

  • The international launch of Apple’s 3G iPhone.
  • Pieter Uys taking over from Alan Knott-Craig as Vodacom Group CEO.
  • Vodacom’s content adaption service status.
  • ASUS Eee PC 1000 and the growing netbook market.
  • Multichoice’s new DSTV dual-view offering and the approaching launch of DSTV HD.
  • Digital media distribution and licensing.
  • Musica selling counterfeit Playstation accessories.
  • ISO’s rejection of the OOXML appeal.
  • The global DNS security update.

And more…

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ZA Tech Show: Episode 18

This week the ZA Tech Show crew is joined by Stefano Mattiello, Neotel’s head of enterprise services.

  • We talk to Matt about the progress Neotel is making in rolling out its network and bringing new services to market.
  • Discuss the problems associated with Vodacom’s new Vodafone Live! browsing ‘enhancements’ that break mobile applications and interfere with mobile Web browsing on the network.
  • Look at Nokia’s purchase and promised release of the Symbian mobile platform.
  • Speculate on the the mobile market, including rumours regarding the Playstation phone.
  • Remember Bill Gates’ last day at work and the extension of Windows XP support to 2014.
  • Talk about the future of operating systems.
  • Preview ICANN’s proposed introduction of new top-level domain names.
  • Give feedback on the Amazon decision to halt services via the South African Post Office.

And more…

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ZA Tech Show: Episode 15

This week we play soothsayer ahead of the WWDC announcement’s by Apple, so listen in and see if we were right about anything. Topics discussed include:

  • The local launch of Mario Kart for Wii.
  • The next-generation iPhone announcement at Apple’s WWDC.
  • Apple IMC’s policy on grey imports and resulting newspaper advertisement.
  • Other possible WWDC announcements, such as the rumoured Snow Leopard operating system.
  • eBook readers and what would make for a killer device in the space.
  • MWEB being sold by Naspers.
  • Verizon Business being sold to MTN.
  • The bid to buy Telkom’s share capital by the Mvelaphanda Group.
  • The necessity of a mobile strategy for Telkom.
  • New features in Gmail.
  • Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri’s exit from cabinet and strange mutterings in a recent speech.

And more…

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ZA Tech Show: Episode 13

We gather in an overcast Johannesburg this week, sans Ben Kelly, to discuss the following:

  • Open document formats and the SABS appealing ISO’s ratification of OOXML.
  • The ultra-portable and sub-notebook market and who’s doing what in the space.
  • Microsoft’s strategy for Windows on portables.
  • Online operating systems, ala Jooce.
  • Privacy online and why people trust Google.
  • Mashing-up social networks and examples of applications that do this, like Flock.
  • Instant messaging.
  • Red Hat’s Mugshot.
  • Vodacom’s WirelessG, iPass and other innovative wireless offerings, like Skyrove.
  • Utility bandwidth.
  • Final confirmation of Neotel’s consumer offerings, including uncapped solutions.

Direct file download.

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ZA Tech Show: Episode 12

In this week’s episode we’re giving away copies of Norton Antivirus, so take a listen for the details. We also discuss:

  • The release of Windows XP Service Pack 3.
  • The slow performance of Outlook in Vista.
  • WINE finally releasing version 1.0.
  • Mac4Lin.
  • Progress of the Linux desktop.
  • Pzizz - software that makes you sleep. Literally.
  • The possibility of a fibre-to-home solution from Neotel. And another slow but uncapped offering too.
  • World of Warcraft - and the new ZA Tech Show guild on Whisperwind, US. Send a message to ‘Rootsmanoova’ for an invite…
  • InfraCo’s West Coast cable and how it fits into the bigger bandwidth picture.
  • New, bigger caps coming to Telkom.
  • The first DSTV channel to go HD.
  • Noxious Nigel’s attack on local IT professionals and Internet privacy laws.
  • Bolton Deventer.
  • CNET being acquired by CBS.
  • Microsoft and Yahoo! revisited.
  • Jon and Google. Not a loving relationship.
  • Online verification and why captures are dead.

Durban is probably the best place to live for Fibre… go figure.

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ZA Tech Show: Episode 11

This week we take the ZATS crew back to its vanilla form. No guests, just raw chat. We discuss:

  • Cell C’s (possible) introduction of EDGE 2.
  • MTN’s acquisition talks.
  • The announcement of Nokia’s N78 and N96.
  • Microsoft PlaysForSure biting the big one.
  • The iPhone going global - and heading for South Africa on Vodafone.
  • Vodacom’s ridiculous water damage policy.
  • Apple IMC clamping down on grey Apple imports in SA.
  • Grand Theft Auto IV’s opening week earnings of half a billion dollars.
  • Communication’s minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri postponing her budget speech and bungling things up, as usual.

…and probably some other stuff too

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ZA Tech Show: Episode 7

All the usual geeks are resident for this episode, in which we discuss:

- A German MP attempting to stop Microsoft from doing business in the EU
- Gartner’s analysis concerning Windows
- The extended OEM period for Windows XP
- Google Apps
- WantItAll
- Podcamp SA
- EMC acquiring Iomega
- Symantec acquiring AppStream
- Adobe Media Player
- The sacking of David Bullard

Direct file download.

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