June 2007 – Nico Baird
Disconnect for balance in life
Posted on June 14, 2007 by nicobaird
THIS weekend will be the first weekend that I spend cut off from my laptop and the internet in about five years. I have become a digital native even though, due to my age, I should probably be seen as a digital immigrant.
I have this uneasy feeling that while I am away, something may happen and I will miss it. I know that I am a little more connected and computer bound than most people, purely because I am constantly searching for the next great thing online, but have we become too dependent on constant connectedness?
The ability to have knowledge at your fingertips and to instantly connect with almost anybody anywhere? I also heard that the cellphone reception is very poor where I am going which is an added bonus, forcing me to adjust to that sort of situation.
I can almost see all the heads of people who know me nod and I can hear them say “finally!” Each week I advocate the use of the internet and the integration thereof in our daily lives, but this week I want to ask you to at least have balance.
We do need technology to make our lives easier and we do need the internet to communicate and have access to vast amounts of knowledge.
But each now and again, we have to switch off, take a step back and just enjoy all that nature has to give us.
I just hope that I can survive being cut off for an entire weekend.
Posted in Home, Online, South Africa, Uncategorized, Websites
VOIP now has voice in SA
Posted on June 8, 2007 by nicobaird
GET YOUR FREE 087 NUMBER NOW! CLICK HERE!
FINALLY VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) is getting a voice in South Africa. For a while now we have been able to make calls over the internet using services like Skype and Yahoo messenger. But we have not really been able to replace fixed landlines or cell phones. You were also not able to have your own VOIP Telephone number. Finally there is a service available in the form of FreeTel which was launched last month that offers you this and much more.
Now you can get your own online phone number. These 087 numbers enable users of landlines and cellular phones to dial your VOIP number and get in touch with you.
If you have friends who have also registered for the service and installed the software you can chat with them online. The subscription to the service starts at under R30 per month.
If you want to phone a friend on his cell phone all you have to do is “charge” your account with a desired amount. Even friends and relatives overseas can have their own 087 number making it easy to contact them.
All you have to do is go to www.my087.com and register online. After you have received your confirmation email you download the PC softphone to start using your TelFree 087 number. Your subscription includes online call record, account, conference, voicemail and lots more.
But that is not where this service stops.
You can also have an entire business network of phones on this network and you can purchase handsets to enable this and make life a little easier and cheaper.
Visit www.my087.com and get your free number today and join the communication revolution online.
Posted in Innovation, Internet, Online, Websites
Ontmoet dalk só ‘die regte een’
Posted on June 1, 2007 by nicobaird
EK het ongeveer ‘n jaar gelede ook ‘n rubriek geskryf oor hoe jy jou lewensmaat op die Internet kan ontmoet. Die onderwerp het vandag weer opgekom met ‘n gesprek wat ek met ‘n vriendin gehad het.
Sy is vas oortuig daarvan dat ‘n mens eerder maar aan ‘n slegte verhouding moet vasklou, want waar op die aarde ontmoet jy op 30 ­iemand. Dit was vir my duidelik dat ek weer hierdie onderwerp moet aanraak.
Daar is baie plekke op die internet waar jy mense kan ontmoet en daar is honderde mense hier uit ons streek wat reeds geregistreer het vir van hierdie dienste. Jy leer ken die persoon voor die tyd op die internet en daarna kan julle mekaar vir ‘n koppie koffie ontmoet. Tradisionele plekke soos ‘n klub en kroeg is seker vir baie mense die ideale plek om iemand te ontmoet, maar ek wonder of dit werklik so ‘n goeie plek vir ‘n langtermynverhouding is.
Kliek hier om te gaan loer by een van die grootste dienste waar jy dalk net die regte een moontlik kan raakloop! Indien jy iemand sien waarin jy belangstel en met wie jy boodskappe wil verwissel, kan jy aansluit. Jou persoonlike kontakinligting – soos jou e-pos-adres – word nie aan die ander persoon bekend gemaak nie. As jy dan later besluit om jou inligting aan die ander persoon bekend te maak kan jy dit self stuur.
Dis net belangrik dat jy onthou dat daar baie maniere is om mense te ontmoet en dat daar duisende mense daar buite is wat ook op soek is na “die regte een”.
Posted in Afrikaans, Blogs, Home, Innovation, Internet, Online, South Africa, Uncategorized, Websites