Smallville and a number of other TV series’ have been released based on the Superman character in recent years, but it has been a long time since a feature-film has been released in the Superman franchise. The upcoming Man of Steel movie looks set to break box-office records and keep reincarnate the super-hero for a whole new generation of fans. Watch the Man of Steel official trailer here to get a taste of what the movie will be like:
Oyster, Food and Wine Festival at Brightwater Commons
May 22nd, 2013
One of Jo’burg’s largest and most popular oyster festivals returns on the 1st and 2nd of June 2013. This year’s Oyster, Food and Wine Festival at Brightwater Commons Shopping Centre in Randburg is set to attract thousands of food and wine lovers from all over the city. Don’t wake up too early though, as doors to the Festival will only open at 11h00 (the perfect time to wake on a weekend) and close at 18h00.
The best part is that there is no entrance fee for either of the two days and the price of food and drinks is really affordable. Oysters will be priced from R12 to R20, depending on the size. A glass of wine can be purchased at the venue for R25. This will allow you to walk around the various wine circles tasting only the best wines.
Your South African Rands will have to be traded in for a “Oyster Bucks” and used at the show. This is a novel idea and will encourage a happy carnival-like spirit at the show.
The event grows increasingly popular every year. This year 45000 oysters and 300 different wines will be on offer – all from our local shores. And for those of you that can’t think of anything worse than gulping down a slimy sea creature, there will also be a food tent with only the most delicious food, including various varieties of breads, cheeses and chocolates.
Last year approximately 8 000 people attended the show and 38 000 were oysters sold. This means that each person had, on average, more than 4 oysters!
The festival is a perfect idea for a date (provided that your partner is not allergic to shellfish) as it will give you an opportunity to talk, sample many culinary delicacies together, and get away with spending less than 100 bucks each for the entire day!
Most Expensive House in Johannesburg, South Africa
May 21st, 2013
A property on 9th Street in the exclusive suburb of Hyde Park in Johannesburg has recently just gone onto the market, and is likely to be the most expensive house in Johannesburg, or at the very least, a firm contender for the top spot, priced at R38 000 000.
The exclusive area of Hyde Park in Johannesburg boasts some of the most opulent houses in South Africa, with basic apartments starting at prices of around R2 000 000, and houses easily fetching in excess of R10 000 000. The area’s appeal lies in the fact that it is extremely central, offers homeowners massive plots, and is one of Johannesburg’s most established suburbs. Hyde Park is resident to successful businessmen, politicians and various well-known South African personalities.
The R38 000 000 house is extremely modern, and features cutting-edge technology and luxury finishes. It is described as a double-volume glass mansion set on a 4 000 square meter plot, and it features, among other things:
- A manmade lake and stream;
- A boutique hotel-style swimming pool;
- A Zen-like meditation garden;
- A 12-seater cinema privé;
- An entertainer’s show kitchen;
- A gym;
- A library;
- A steam room;
- A cigar bar;
- A wine cellar; and
- 5 en suite bedrooms.
As if this wasn’t enough, the house has also been designed to be green and environmentally responsible, featuring solar energy for the low voltage LED lighting throughout the home, and borehole water for irrigation.
It will be interesting to see whether there is a buyer out there willing to pay the hefty asking price…
Awesome Holland / Amsterdam Video Advert
May 20th, 2013
Holland has so much more to offer as a tourist destination than just the “horticultural products” and “personal services” that attract visitors to Amsterdam… The Dutch government has launched this amazing video as part of it’s ad campaign, and it’s gone viral in a matter of days:
Launch of Google Glass in South Africa
May 17th, 2013
Google is set to launch its latest product dubbed Google Glass in South Africa, and the excitement is building as the launch date gets ever-closer.
Google is best known for its search engine, which is undoubtedly the most well known internet site on earth. The search engine’s popularity has even resulted in the creation of new words in the English language – “Googling” was never a verb in Shakespearian English, but nobody bats an eyelid when the term is used today to describe the act of searching the internet. Google’s revenue is generated primarily from advertising on the search engine.
Google has also expanded into the software market, with its wildly popular Android operating system being featured on numerous smartphones and tablet computers, and its Chrome internet browser gaining popularity. All of these initiatives have resulted in Google’s share price being at its highest level ever. Google’s latest foray is into the computer hardware market, with the development of Google Glass.
Well, we at Smaakit are taking it upon ourselves to enlighten you and give you an idea of whether Google Glass is truly a game-changer (like the creation of the internet was), or simply an over-hyped gimmick which will be remembered as nothing more than a blip in the history of technology and a creative but ill-conceived idea.
Google Glass is a computer. Not just any computer – one that you wear on your face. It will feature a miniature screen right above your right eye, and will be operated through a touch pad as well as voice commands, using a similar operating platform to a smartphone.
The device will feature a camera which is able to take photos as well as video, bluetooth and wifi internet connectivity, and predictably, will run on an Android operating system. Users will be able to use various applications such as Google Maps and Gmail on the device, and, of course, will be able to browse the internet and indulge in the pastime of Googling.
Google Glass is currently in a testing phase in the United States which started in 2012, and the planned launch date of the product is towards the end of 2013, with the launch of Google Glass in South Africa anticipated soon thereafter. The price of Google Glass during the testing phase is US$1 500.00 (around R13 500.00), but the retail price is set to be lower than this.
Will Google Glass change the world in any meaningful way? That remains to be seen. It is certainly a novel concept which will appeal to many people.
We are worried, however, that it may result in a technology overload, as users will effectively be “plugged-in” during all hours of their daily lives. Technology has already become a central feature of our lives, and the world’s constant accessibility to our personal space that it has created, through instant messaging, social networking and e-mails that can reach us 24/7 wherever we are, will only be further increased through Google Glass.
Whether this is a good or a bad thing is debatable. The real impact of this technology on our lives will become clear in the near future.
Blackberry’s BBM for iPhone and Android
May 16th, 2013
Blackberry, the embattled smartphone maker which enjoyed short-lived domination of the South African market, is hoping to re-establish its market dominance with its announcement that it will be launching its popular messaging service, BBM for iPhone and Android devices, in the form of a downloadable app.
Blackberry’s short stint of success in South Africa was owed largely to 2 factors: The first was the fact that South Africa’s mobile networks offered consumers unlimited internet access and messaging on Blackberry at a low fixed monthly fee, and the second was that prior to Whatsapp’s widespread use, BBM was the primary messaging platform, and given that it was only available on Blackberry handsets, they were the default choice of many consumers.
However, 2 major developments toppled Blackberry from its perch at the top of the roost. The first was the emergence of Whatsapp as a cross-device messaging platform, which allows users of all smartphones to message one another at extremely low data costs. The second was the decision take by South African cellular networks to cap data allocations to Blackberry users, with MTN being the first to implement a 200MB cap on their BIS offering.
What does the launch of the BBM app on iPhone and Android mean for the smartphone maker’s future in South Africa? We don’t think it will mean all that much. Whatsapp has already captured the cross-device messaging market, and based on Blackberry’s announcement, it does not seem as if BBM for iPhone and Android will offer anything significant that Whatsapp doesn’t already offer. Blackberry has hinted, however, at plans to transform BBM into a platform incorporating some social networking elements, including pages for brands to interact with the public.
Another significant announcement from the company, which may help to turn its misfortunes around to an extent, is that Blackberry will be launching a lower-cost handset aimed at emerging markets including South Africa. The new device has been dubbed the Q5, and will run on the new Blackberry 10 operating system. It will be available in red, black, white and pink.
Watch this space for updates on the new BBM app and the Blackberry Q5 handset.
Top Gear Festival in Durban, South Africa in 2013
May 15th, 2013
The Top Gear Festival in Durban, South Africa will take place on 15 and 16 June 2013. The festival will take place at the Moses Mabidha Stadium, which hosted a number of matches during the Fifa World Cup 2010, and tickets range from an affordable R250.00 each to a more expensive R2 100.00 each, depending on the preferred seating area.
The Top Gear Festival has come to South Africa a number of times now, first debuting on our shores in 2011. Past events have been highly successful, with sold-out events attracting petrol-heads from all over the country. Its success is owed to the widely viewed BBC TV show, Top Gear, which is presented by Jeremy Clarkson (who is one of those figures who you either love, or love to have), and which features the mysterious Stig, a skilful racing driver whose identity remains a mystery.
Tickets can be purchased online at iTickets, and we suggest that you secure your tickets as soon as possible, especially considering the growing interest and popularity of the show in our country.
The Top Gear festival will unfortunately not have any shows in Jozi or Cape Town during the upcoming tour of South Africa, and fans from these cities should make prior travelling arrangements to get to KZN. The roads to KZN will be packed over the long weekend when the festival is held, and it is advisable to rather book cheap flights online on one of South Africa’s many low cost airlines.
Organisers of the event are confident that this years Top Gear Festival in Durban will blow your mind. There is a wide range of things organised for the festival, but one in particular captured our attention… It has been confirmed that racing legend Mika Häkkinen will be featured in the show. The respected formula one champion has been to South Africa on a previous occasion when he participated in a formula one event held at Kyalami.
If getting your hands on a ticket is financially out of reach, you can always try win a ticket by listening to 5fm in the mornings between 6am and 9am, and entering the Top Gear competition featured on the show.
TechInBraam Initiative in Braamfontein, Johannesburg
May 14th, 2013
The Johannesburg city centre has experienced a regeneration process, with yuppie coffee shops opening up on street corners, a number of weekend markets, and various trendy retailers opening doors in the area. Plans are now afoot to launch the TechInBraam Initiative in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.
Following the success of Silicon Cape in Cape Town, TechInBraam is set to be a technology hub in Johannesburg, which will act as a catalyst in establishing an IT cluster for the local IT industry. The IT industry in Johannesburg is well-established, but is scattered in various parts of the city and does not have a central cluster.
The initiative is promising, and if successful, will add to the melting pot of creative energy in the inner city. It is still in the early stages, but it already has the support of technology giant Microsoft, as well as Wits University, which is located nearby.
TechInBraam has a number of events lined up during the coming months, which will serve to promote the initiative and build its following. Full details are available on the TechInBraam website.
Traditional African Gay Wedding in South Africa
May 10th, 2013
The small town of KwaDukuza in KwaZulu Natal was set abuzz in April 2013, when a young gay African couple said “I do”. This marked the first reported Traditional African Gay Wedding in South Africa, and was a big step for the country, as homosexuality is stigmatized in many African communities.
Watch the video of the wedding ceremony here:
Apply to go to Mars with the Mars One Project
May 9th, 2013
It could easily be the script of a science fiction movie…. it’s not – the Mars One project is undoubtedly the most radical concept for a reality television show ever conceived. It will involve participants traveling to Mars and setting up the first human settlement in place. Yes, by Mars, we ARE referring to the planet in our solar system.
The Mars One project is the brainchild of Bas Lansdorp, a Dutch entrepreneur who has launched a non-profit organisation which is currently taking applications from people who want to star in a reality television show, and be the first to establish a human settlement on the red planet.
The successful applicants will get fame and fortune. Actually, probably only fame (as there is no economy on Mars, and Earth money will not do them much good on the desolate rock that is Mars). And not much groupie love, as their fans will all be back on Earth. Successful applicants will, however, definitely secure a place in the history books. And free food for life.
The Mars One project intends sending a spacecraft to Mars in 2023, to transport four humans who are participants of the reality television show. More participants will be transported to Mars over the years that follow, with the plan being to have 20 people on Mars by 2033. Participants will live in an inflatable module on Mars, and food and water supplies will be transported to the planet for them. It will be similar to the Big Brother house, but on Mars.
Wondering if this all sounds too good to be true? Well, here’s the catch: the participants will die on Mars. The trip is a one-way journey with no return transport to Earth. There will be no chance for participants to see their friends and families in person again. The trip is also fraught with dangers – Mars is an unforgiving planet, and there is a danger of the spacecraft not even arriving on the planet in one piece. And, of course, there is also the ever-present danger that one of the other participants might lose his mind, kill you in your sleep and eat your face.
Despite these very real dangers and drawbacks, nearly 100 000 people have already applied to be considered as participants. The selection criteria include a public voting process, with votes being cast on the Mars One website.
10 South Africans have already applied to be considered as participants, and the first round of applications will close at the end of August 2013.
Watch this space… We will be keeping a close eye on the developments, and as always, we will keep you in the know as things develop.
