defza :: def - ZA

I predicted this in 2005.

You can read in the news how CellC seems to be performing poorly.

• Cell C’s signal fading fast
• CellC Downgraded [financially]

I sent them these emails back then, which they said they would forward to management, but probably didn’t. Which leads to the second reason they will go down - their 1) customer service people are useless.
(2) Not to mention they call them “Client Liaison Consultant”s, bleh)

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Just got an email from our Computer Science Department -

Hallo

Google besoek ons Dinsdag 12:00.

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2007/07/computer-science-resources-for.html

Translated from Afrikaans:

Google is visiting us Tuesday 12:00.

Awesome!

__(’Read the rest of this entry »’)

Google Calendar - probably the best online calendar you will find.

UPDATE: Get sms notifications of events on ANY calender! In fact, now you can schedule reminders for events on your personal calendar or any other calendar to which you’re subscribed.

NEW: Google calender mobile cellphone version!

Visit calendar.google.com on your mobile web browser.

• Multiple calendars on one account - so you can separate the different parts of your life/schedule (work, home, etc)
• Share events and calendars - You can let a calendar be show to the public or share a calendar with someone.
• Planning an event? - You can create invitations, send reminders and keep track of RSVPs right inside Google Calendar.

Now, the main reason for this post is the SMS/text notifications you can setup for any event! And it costs you nothing!

Staying on schedule
You can set up automatic event reminders, including mobile phone notifications, and instantly bring up anything on your calendar with the built-in search tool.

And they support all three networks in SA - MTN, CellC and Vodacom.

How to enable SMS notifications

• Login to Google Calendar with your Google Account details (same as your GMail)
• Click Settings at the top right.
• In the Calendar Settings page click on the Notifications button.
• Then enter your cell phone details and follow the instructions.
• You’re done. Now any notifications you put on an event will come in an SMS/text to your cellphone. All for free!

Poor Google has to foot the bill for all the SMSs sent. I wonder how viable it will turn out to be?

• Google Calendar Tour
• mycee.co.za - The guy who told me about this cool feature!
• goosync.com - You can sync Google Calendar to your mobile device for free as well.

Free MTN sms - South Africa.

And so, I’ve created the third sms wap site! wap.defza.com/mtn

By popular demand (ok, a few requests), I created a free mtn.co.za interface for their 5 free daily sms. It wasn’t as bad as I thought.

What’s cool about registering on mtn.co.za is that anyone can register (i.e. even vodacom and CellC customers).

MTN give you 5 free sms per day to other MTN numbers.

MTNwap!

wap.defza.com/mtn

Just one left now… virgin mobile ZA!

Amazing. There is just no other word to describe what this man, Riaan Manser, did.

The first person to circumnavigate the ENTIRE AFRICAN CONTINENT by bicycle.

37 000 kilometres … 34 countries. For two years, two months and two weeks, Riaan Manser has been sitting on a bicycle circumnavigating Africa. - An African Bike

I’ve been eagerly reading his articles in our local newspaper, the District Mail.
His unique stories are what adventures are made of!

He kept a journal of his journey, and took photographs, which you can find on his website africa 365.

He records some beautiful and sometimes harrowing experiences on his journey through places we will never see in our lives.

I’m sure that 90% of the time, he wasn’t cycling idyllically on tarred roads.

What an amazing feat… can’t wait for the book.

“Without challenge there isn’t achievement”

One man, one bicycle, one continent.
A legend stands.