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NO BLACKBERRY? YOU CAN STILL TEXT FREE!
GOOGLE EARTH – A PALEONTOLOGIST’S BEST FRIEND Google has become synonymous with ‘search’, but the discovery of the fossil remains of a previously unknown species of hominid gives new meaning to ‘googling’. The scientists who found the treasure used Google Earth to locate unexplored cave sites and fossil deposits in South Africa. Scientists announced the discovery of a new species of hominid, thanks to fossils whose whereabouts were located with the help of Google Earth. Dating back almost two million years, Australopithecus sediba was discovered in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site in South Africa. The species appears to have had long arms, like an ape; short powerful hands; and long legs capable of striding and possibly running like a human. Lee Berger, a palaeoanthropologist from the University of the Witwatersrand, began using Google Earth back in 2008 and initially used the technology primarily to map the 130 or so caves and 20 fossil deposits he and his colleagues had already identified over the past decades. Scientists around the world are touting the discovery as an extremely significant one and it seems likely that Google Earth and other technologies will continue to play a role in such discovery. (Source: Katherine Noyes for TechNewsWorld)
For those who don’t own a BlackBerry, but still want the free, instant messaging service for their smartphone, look no further. WhatsApp is a smartphone-to-smartphone messenger/chat application that allows you to carry on a conversation in real time with your mobile contacts without having to pay for SMS. WhatsApp Messenger is currently available for iPhone and BlackBerry and yes, iPhone and BlackBerry owners can message each other! In addition to basic chat functionality, iPhone users can also enjoy unlimited MMS features that let you share images, video and audio media. This instant messaging application and chat service works over your existing Internet data plan - because WhatsApp uses the same Internet data plan that you
PAYPAL LAUNCHES LOCALLY PayPal and First National Bank have joined forces to bring full PayPal functionality to the South African e-commerce environment. This new service allows clients to top up and move funds to their qualifying FNB accounts from their PayPal accounts. This newly available service will also enable international businesses and individuals to transact with South African service providers via a secure and convenient payment service, without having to divulge any potentially risky confidential information. The service is currently limited to FNB account-holders, who can open a PayPal account, link it to their FNB account and receive payments in 21 different currencies, which will be automatically converted to Rands.
POWER TO THE PEOPLE Since its inception in 1994, the South African cellular phone market has been nothing short of prolific, with an impressive 30 million handsets in circulation. With figures like these, it is obvious that these cellphone users would require battery chargers for their phones… but what happens when you need to urgently recharge your cellphone when out and about? Mobile Juice gives South Africans the answer to that question. A Mobile Juice was started by Bongani Tshabalala in response to the need for out T of home cellphone battery recharging. The company is set to establish units across South Africa that will provide
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use for email and web browsing, there is no cost to message and stay in touch with your friends. And if you have an iPhone, WhatsApp automatically works with your existing contacts – there is no hassle of adding friends, creating accounts, or memorizing and sharing PINs and login name. There are a million applications available… but WhatsApp is definitely one of the most useful. For more information, go to www.whatsapp.com
battery charging in high traffic public areas. Mobile Juice is compatible with 95% of all cellular handset models, including devices used abroad. This allows one to recharge one’s phone when it is required, where it is required. The best part? This service is free of charge to users. Each Mobile Juice unit is able to recharge two cellphone batteries simultaneously. The battery is removed from the handset and deposited into the machine and secured by a user chosen pin code. The process is simple with voice prompts that will guide the user through the process. The unit is able to fully charge the majority of mobile phone batteries in 20 minutes. For further information about Mobile Juice, please call 011 783 2661/7 or visit www.mobilejuice.co.za
THE END OF BARCODES AND SUPERMARKET QUEUES? A new tag that seeks to replace barcodes has been designed by Researchers from Sunchon National University in Suncheon in South Korea and Rice University in Houston. The RFID (radio frequency identification) tag that can be printed directly onto packaging and uses ink that’s laced with carbon nanotubes to print electronics directly onto paper or plastic packaging. RFID tags are already commonplace in passports and library books, but the problem with these is that they’re made from silicon, which is more expensive than paper. The best part about these new RFID tags is that you can run your trolley past a sensor, and it can detail the inventory of your shopping cart, instantly. No more queueing, no more having to deal with incompetent cashiers and barcodes that won’t scan – turning every supermarket into a convenience store.