Blog entries tagged Google

Gadget hit (or near miss) list

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 21:51:24 +0100

It’s officially...uuhhmm... official: I’m a killer.

Not a MAN killer (or whatever the female equivalent of a lady killer is then), but something far FAR worse.

I slaughter gadgets.

*Hangs head in mortification*

Actually, since my deeds are never coolly premeditated or intentional, I’m more of a manslaughterer.

Here then is a hit (or near miss) list of electronic devices that I have managed to destroy either completely or partiRead More...

Google keeps getting better

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 07:26:41 +0100

If you know anything about Grahamstown weather, it’s that it is the most unpredictable, ever changing aspect which makes this town a little less exciting than it is to start off with. Google is similar in nature.

What started off as a basic search engine has turned into an empire that could give a number of countries a run for their money… Literally. According to Quora, the equity value of the firm was estimated to be $186 billion in April 2011. So it is not surprising thaRead More...

Google plus games, a threat to Facebook?

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 21:54:39 +0100

Google Plus which is Google’s recent attempt to create a social network is branching out and has just implemented a Games feature to its social network. Users are now able to play games while they are on Google Plus much like Facebook.

This is a big year for Google as they have launched a large social network in front of the world's top social network, Facebook. After the launch of Google Plus the statistics show that it is much better than what Facebook had in its early dRead More...

Social Media: 6 best practices

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 07:54:01 +0100

Social media is like Google’s elusive Algorithm which keeps search engine marketers on their toes around the clock. It’s a constantly changing and evolving species of technology meshed with 2-way communication channels, audience scope and UGC.

Everywhere we turn, we’re told that we should have this social networking account and that micro-blogging account – but this is all very jarring lingo to some.

Photo from The Glastonbury Festival website

The next time you take a stroll around your local electronics store, wander past the camera section and listen to the sales talk. On your trip past the multicoloured Nikons, you’ll probably be followed by a shop assistant who says things like “Now, this one here, it’s aRead More...

Google Music: the pisher for now

Tue, 17 May 2011 08:49:53 +0100

Doll, just when you thought Google had enough control over pretty much everything, the macher’s have to bring out Google Music.

A chutzpah some say, imperialism argues others.

How it works

Music Beta is a cloud based music streaming service which allows users to upload up to 20 000 songs onto the Google cloud. Once this is done, the user is able to stream their sonRead More...

The next stage for Google: looking into buildings?

Thu, 05 May 2011 19:05:27 +0100

So if there is one thing I have come to realize it is this: Google have always been innovating and moving ahead. Every time you think Google just pushed the barrier they will step up ad do it again.

Anyways most recently they made this announcement that we will soon be able to see into buildings. Yeah, i now it sounds super creepy and something you wouldn't want but as it turns out it is not for residential areas so don't worry no one is going to be looking into your house anytime soonRead More...

"No one cares about your ideas."

Wed, 04 May 2011 06:42:06 +0100

I am part of a small online business in Grahamstown. My partner and I found a problem and created a solution. Lucky for us the site took off and has been a success.

We decided to start a second site, one which was more general and catered for a bigger audience. After hard work and perseverance, this site failed.

During the development of company A, we kept things on the down low. But soon before our big launch date, we learnt that another group of students had created a site simRead More...

Android is Socialist. Apple is Capitalist.

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 07:15:19 +0100

I was talking to my sister the other day, the one that resembles a kichel. She was asking me what the difference is between all the phones that are on the market.

In particular, she asked me about this “Androg” thing she had read about.

“Androg”, I repeated.

“Ya man, that little green robot thing. What’s up with that?”

“Oh, you mean Android”, I giggled.

I tried to explain to her that Android was just anotRead More...

I see some fruit and little green men in your future

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 22:19:45 +0100

What brand was your first phone? Was it one of those virtually indestructible Nokia 3310s, complete with the classic polyphonic ‘Nokia tune’? Or an Alcatel, Motorola or an Erikson (before they gained the ‘Sony’ prefix)? Many of these brands are now fading into relative obscurity or fighting for survival Read More...

You brushed your teeth! (EXP 500) You just Leveled Up! (What is Gamification?)

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 16:20:00 +0100

Alright. I'm new to this so bear with me (and forgive me if I seem a bit rigid, I'm far too used to academic writing!)

For those of you not in the know, Gamification is, as you might have guessed, the process of encoding information and change-processes within traditional "gaming" structures. For example, putting bottles in a bin for points instead of just for that "feel-good-because-I'm-recycling-feeling", is an example of Gamification.

The biggest difference between GamiRead More...

Do you know where to find Facebook?

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 21:05:21 +0100

Just a quick question:

Facebook has a lot of users, right? Think I read somewhere that Facebook had 60o million users in January 2011, give or take a million or two. Now would we be wrong to presume that the majority of those users are intelligent people? They have to be. People from all walks of life have FB accounts. From your average Jane and John, right up to doctors and lawyers, and even political leaders. People with degrees. Smart people.

So why is "Facebook" the mostRead More...

HelloPeter is my new Google

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 16:51:14 +0100

Remember how, in the old days, we'd Google somebody to find any intriguing gossip about them? Or perhaps give a quick glance in the general direction of their facebook profile? Before all the stringent privacy settings...

I have a new tool now to satisfy my stalking needs. Peter. No, he is not some sort of Private Eye to do all the dirty work. I'm talking about Hello Peter.

I first became familiar with this site when I had a run in with the South African Post Office, rightRead More...

Google Contacts - why its for you...

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 10:14:54 +0100

If your one of those people like me, your constantly plagued by lost cellphones, new SIM cards , mis-recording and down right laziness, leading to the loss of your cellphone contacts, this article is for you, as a kid I basically gave up taking down numbers and details on my cellphone, looking up to my grandfather, the man had a fool-proof system, a tiny booklet placed in his top corner pocket, only on 2 occasions did he have to make amends with this book he told me, both due to rain damage hRead More...

Is Google Becoming Useless?

Sun, 09 Jan 2011 17:59:03 +0100

I've been on Twitter for a minute now, and I'm following a diverse group of people, from sports stars to Hip Hop heads to IT crowd guys...and @StaffordMassie posted something very intriguing. He posted an article that peered into the uselessness of Google...It read's something like this:

Google is also a synonym for 666.
Google is taking over everyone's lives.
Google only gives SEO'd searches, which can sometimes be useless.

in Google's defense, it's a businessRead More...

Don't wing it - Bing it!

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 19:03:45 +0100

Do any of these names mean anything to you. Lycos, Alta Vista, Ask Jeeves, Yahoo? Yes, obviously they are all search engines which had their heyday in the 90s. Although all of them are still operating they have all lost massive market share to Google. Ask Jeeves, which was a favourite of mine in the ‘old days’ is closing shop.

When last did any of you use any of these search engines? Do any of you use any of these on a regular basis? I am guessing that the answer from Read More...

Easy Technology – Translator, say what?

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 17:12:09 +0100

Easy Technology – Translator, say what?

We go into raptures over all the new technology that we literally have at our fingertips on a daily basis. For all the praise we give this technology, there is a flipside to this very shiny coin.

The youth of today have practically been born with some sort of techno-gadget in their hands. This is of course in itself not a bad thing. What is however shocking, is just how much the youth of toRead More...