South African tech journos indulging in beer and opinion…

Episodes in which we discussed Vodacom:

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 25

This week we have a studio audience (even). And we discuss:

  • The massive changes taking place in South African television.
  • When and if we’ll ever see DVB-H in South Africa.
  • Initial impressions on the Nokia N96, now that we have one to review - and how much we love the E71.
  • Mobile phones on aeroplanes and why we can’t use them. Really.
  • Acer finally letting us know when we’ll see the Aspire One locally, with pricing.
  • Where netbooks belong and what they should cost.
  • WiMAX and Intel’s announced support for the technology.
  • Intel Centrino 2 and how it will change mobile computers.
  • USB 3.0 and Firewire 3200.
  • Cancelling cell contracts in South Africa.
  • Vodacom versus ICASA.

And Brett talks about his light saber. It makes him happy.

Direct file download (26MB)

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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…

Direct file download (26MB)

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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 22

Simon has lost his brain this week and Duncan’s attention span is missing too. Nevertheless, we attempt to compose ourselves and discuss:

  • Multichoice launching its DSTV HD service with PVR pricing and full details.
  • Nokia’s new E-series business smartphones.
  • MTN’s 7.1 billion rand investments, including fibre roll-out.
  • A former Vodacom executive being accused of perjury.
  • Papi Molotsane’s small fortune.
  • The debates at this year’s Internetix conference.
  • Jake White getting into blogging and vlogging with Youtube.
  • The “king of spam” committing suicide.

And much more…

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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…

Direct file download (35.9MB)

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ZA Tech Show: Episode 19

This week the ZA Tech Show crew is joined by Google South Africa’s country manager, Stafford Masie. We discuss:

  • Google’s mobile drive for SA.
  • Google Maps and the development of services for the local market.
  • Youtube.
  • Google Apps.
  • Local bandwidth costs and performance in terms of delivering services.
  • Social networking, its impact on business, and privacy online.
  • Google potentially surrendering Youtube logs to Viacom.
  • IS Labs incubating new web businesses in SA.
  • Local Web 2.0 development and what it needs to succeed.
  • Focused social networking ala Ning.
  • Using consumer-orientated web services for business.
  • The move from search to discovery.
  • The continuing uproar over Vodafone Live! banner injections and proxy manipulation on Vodacom’s network.
  • Nvidia’s price versus performance problems and AMD’s XGP external graphic’s solution for laptops.

And much more…

Direct file download.

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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 16

In this episode of ZA Tech Show we discuss:

  • The 3G iPhone along with educated guesses as to when we will see it in SA, and at what price.
  • The launch of Apple’s MobileMe service.
  • The Ace Aspire One sub-notebook and Eee PC killer.
  • Acer’s other market movements, including its launch of a gaming division.
  • Desktop Linux.
  • Red Hat’s patent achievements.
  • Impi Linux, enterprise Linux and competition in the open source space.
  • The launch of Firefox 3.
  • Plurk.
  • Adium X - now with Facebook Chat support.
  • Updates on the Apple IMC grey-import saga and Apple’s seeming disregard for developing markets.
  • The poo-flinging between Altech and IS.

And more! We’ll also soon be moving ZA Tech Show onto local bandwidth, so watch this space

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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…

Direct download.

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