There has been so much press about the new iPhone 4 and its various pros and cons, that I doubt I need to educate you about them. The point is that people who have had the last two or three iPhones don’t give a toss about anything but owning the new one. And that includes me – even after watching this video which is so hilarious you may well need to sit down.

This has been watched nearly 7 million times.

What? Sorry? I can’t hear you…

Hah! Can’t WAIT for Digicape to get stock of the new iPhone 4! Signal problems or not – I want that thing inside my body. And anyway, who even makes phone calls these days? Honestly, phone calls count for around 2% of what I use on my current beast.

[thanks mike]

There are a lot of iPhone apps out there and, as much as I would like to focus on all of them, my attention has been fully diverted to the new kid on the my block, the iPad. By the way, did I tell you that I subscribed to 12 issues of Wallpaper magazine for £27? That’s like three hundred bucks for 12 issues – delivered to your iPad before they hit the shelves in the US and UK. That’s virtually the same price as two issues here – if you bought them from Exclusive books or Woolies.

While we’re on the subject, how does 13 quid for 26 issues of Rolling Stone magazine sound? R150 for 12 issues of Rolling Stone! Come on, man – you’re having a laugh!

Sorry, back to the point of the story – so I haven’t been focussing on iPhone apps for a while. That was before I visited Barnet Fair for a haircut last week (you gotta check this place out – PROPER barber vibe near &Union on Bree Street – old-school barber chairs, vinyl records, barber pole etc. So the owner, Steven Pitt (no spice) show me this app, called “FatBooth.” those of you who know the app “OldBooth” should be told that this puts OldBooth to shame! Check it out – this is what it did to my vibe, as we considered what would happen if I ate all the pies.

Seth thoroughly enjoys pastry and deep-fried foods

Absolutely AWESOME result! How bad does the very spaced-out facial hair look? God, it’s great! Old Steven from Barnett Fair reckons he ran it by a more overweight friend of his who absolutely flipped when he did it for him, lamenting that the app is only truly humorous when used on leaner people.

Fair enough.

The above pic is very different to this portrait that Cape Town photographer, Morne Van Zyl did of me.

Just to fill you in, Morne is working on a “Portrait Project” and has been snapping pics of all sorts of people around Cape Town – many of whom you will recognise. You might even find Die Antwoord there..

I think it’s a great initiative and the guy clearly knows what he is doing. Go check out his website and see if you recognise anyone.

I’ll be honest, I’m settling into the iPad quite nicely and starting to incorporate it into everyday life. I genuinely find typing on it (in portrait) an absolutely pleasure, typing at virtually the same speed as I do on a normal keyboard. Look at me, being all detailed and informative, like I’m not on my fifth double Bushmills. Christ, it’s been a while. Yup, so much so that I switched from Jammies to Bushies. No disrespect to Jamesons, it’s just that someone gave me a bottle of Bushmills and I ran out of Jammies and I opened the bottle of Bushies and… mmm, this stuff is good..

So anyway, the iPad.. I’ll tell you one thing, besides the movies and the TV shows (I have a US iTunes account, do you?) and magazines (before they hit the shelves overseas) including Vanity Fair, GQ, Hello!, Rolling Stone, Wallpaper, Maxim, TIME, OK, NatGeo and, of course, Harpers Bazaar, French Vogue and Marie Claire for The Muse, I can confirm that I read my first BOOK in a very long time – on my iPad.

Ja you heard me.

It stands to reason that there has been over three million sold in less than three months..

But that’s not the reason for this article..

That’s the reason for this article! The brand new made-for-chicks-but-I-just-don’t-care Gucci Cover will EASILY make you a better person. And if that tan colour is not your vibe, never fear – they have grey and black as well!

Fashionistas take note! If you have a passion for fashion and don’t mind spending several hundred dollars on a case to protect you iPad, check out the swanky new cases from Gucci. Keeping with Gucci’s tradition, each case will have the signature GG design. They will also include a Velcro strap closure to hold your iPad securely in place and a suede lining to keep it in mint condition.

[more]

Jeez, that’s enough, doll – you had me at “fashionistas!”

Would you like that cover inside you?

It’s simple. Land a small win on the overseas lotteries, buy your iPad, then get the cover.

You can only imagine the zone you can get into, listening to some vinyl, with a joint in one hand and your new iPad in the other – on the day that Google Maps goes live with “Google Street View” for Cape Town. My God, I have traipsed every square inch of this city, all from the comfort of The Safe House sofa!

First I popped in at Caprice to try out the 2oceansvibe cocktail:

Cafe Caprice on Google Maps “Street View”
Nice day they were having when they shot that!

Mmm, that was good!

Follow the link to see where else I went and also learn how to do this on your own computer or iPhone or iPad!

Read the rest of this entry »

The Apple Icon is one of the world’s most powerful brands.

Not only does it front the most economically powerful leisure technology manufacturer in the world, it is also a lesson in simple, elegant design with the aesthetic legs to carry it through multiple decades.

Which is precisely why you should slap a mo or a ‘fro on it.

Read the rest of this entry »

If you are thinking about going to South Africa for the 2010 World Cup, then this application is for you!

Let your iPhone or iPod Touch become your travel companion with The South Africa Travelers’ Kit, which contains essential information that you need to have at hand when visiting the Rainbow Nation for the World Cup, including:

- Emergency phone numbers. Just click on the number to dial it.

- Embassy and Consulate information for countries participating in the World Cup and other countries including Canada, Belgium, Ireland and India. Visit the embassies’ websites, write them an email or call them directly, all with just one click.

- Direct access to South Africa’s top restaurant guides and websites.

- Instant updates via RSS on World Cup news, Travelers’ Information, Sports and South African news.

- Access to maps that guide you from your current location in South Africa, to the different World Cup venues.

And look what happens when you click “MORE”:

You know where that last item will take you!

CLICK HERE to watch the video, which shows off the app and let’s you see everything it can do, before you get it!

You can have all this information at a glance with the South Africa Travelers’ Kit (find in in the AppStore HERE), just for US $3,99! Enjoy your trip!

Oh, and if you don’t have an iPhone yet, hurry down to Digicape and get your pronto!

These little Jobs/Gates filmstrips are doing the rounds.

They’re good.

I like that. I like it a lot.

You know when I refer to “quality humour.” Ja, well, that is quality humour.

There are TONS more. Follow the jump to check ‘em out.

Read the rest of this entry »

Yesterday was exactly one year since we published the now famous Cape Town Waterfront iStore article. To celebrate this milestone, we checked our Google stats and noted that that particular post is in the Top 20 most read articles on 2oceansvibe (ever!), with close on 8,000 views in the last 12 months (currently 7,675 visits)! It was narrowly pipped by the Portofino Restaurant article.

This obviously has a lot to do with the fact that the article comes in Google’s Top 5 for the search phrases, “cape town istore,” “cape town apple mac,” and “waterfront istore” (among others). As a result, 3,880 people have found the article in Google search results – without going through 2oceansvibe. ie. they went directly to the article from Google.

No apologies..

Because of this very high ranking for such broad search phrases, the comments section never really dies, and has so far received  153 comments! Wowsers – that’s a lot of interactivity and a helluva a long time and excessively high stats and figures, for a company to not respond. No, they never did. Nor did they attend to the copious amounts of people moaning in the comments section – the perfect forum to fix problems and tend to customer complaints.

Surely that must be some kind of record? You know, in terms of companies that don’t give a toss?

Be sure to check some of the most recent comments, including the one about their employees advising customers to rather buy their equipment at the shop next door.

Stunning – absolutely stunning!

Here’s to the next 12 months!

See you at Digicape.

My beautiful babies,

Daddy has snuck out of town for a month. I know I should have told you properly before I left, but if I had done that, you wouldn’t have let me leave. Everyone knows that an “Eagle Claw,” when performed by a model, is infinitely stronger than a Pit-Bull’s lock jaw. I couldn’t risk that, after all, Provence needs me too.

Yes, you heard me.. Provence. Or “Menerbes,” to be precise. To fill you in even further, Menerbes is in the Luberon Valley region of Provence. We have a sweet spot there and it’s about 20 minutes drive from Avignon.

Don’t judge me

So I flew from DF Malan to Amsterdam’s Schiphol (sounds like poephol – what a lag) airport, and then on to Marseilles airport. Yes, that’s in France – the same place where very short men are allowed to rule the country and bang Rolling Stone hand-me-down supermodels at the same time.

Then it’s 50 minute drive to Menerbes. Here’s a bit of background:

So much has been written about Provence and its villages that it is tempting to list what you’re NOT going to experience in Menerbes.

You’re not going to find hordes of tourists tramping up and down the tiny cobbled streets and peering into your windows; nor will you sight a souvenir stall selling t-shirts and other tacky memorabilia. Traffic is very limited (for residents only) due to the narrowness of the roads and there is almost no parking available, except for a car park located on the edge of the village.

There are no fast-food shops and only one, tiny fruit and vegetable store. A butcher and a bakery make up Menerbe’s entire food shopping complement.

Market day is on Thursday and well worth a visit – it is located in the public parking area, close to the bouledrome.

Menerbes is famous for its beauty, as well as the fact that Picasso’s lover Dora Maar lived there for 42 years. Her residence has been restored to its former grandeur and there are also a few art galleries you may wish to visit during your stay.

The village churches are definitely worth seeing, including a 12th Century chapel located on the edge of the town and Saint Hilaire Abbey just 3.5km away. There is also the fascinating truffle museum and wine-tasting centre (Maison de la Truffe et du Vin du Luberon), and corkscrew museum (Musée du Tire-bouchon).

However, it’s the view and the atmosphere that make Menerbes one of the most special places in Provence. Look one way and you are afforded panoramic views of the Luberon Valley, glance over your shoulder to take in the majestic Mont Ventoux. The valley is scattered with spaghetti-like threads of farm roads weaving patterns through the vineyards, cherry tree groves, irises, lavender and poppy fields – the classic delights of Provence laid out at your feet.

Menerbes has three restaurants ranging from mid-priced traditional fare, ‘cheap and cheerful’ meals and a spectacular terrace/bar.

[read more here]

Yes, you’re spot on – it’s a joke

Shame

Sorry, I forgot to mention that the mayor of the town is Yves Rousset-Rouard, who happens to be the man who gave the world the Emmanuelle films. He basically found soft porn. He also happens to own the Corkscrew Museum museum.

“Emmanuelle” – created by the mayor of Menerbes..

I would like to add that you shouldn’t worry or panic at all. Seriously, nothing will change on the website. All it means is that you won’t be able to touch my actual flesh. Truth be told, I’m actually trying to ween you off my flesh. You’re too old to have a doodoo, anyway.

I’m going to answer your next question before you ask it. YES, 2oceansvibe Radio will carry on as usual! I will be broadcasting live from Provence, just like we do every Friday morning 08h00 to 09h30. That’s how goddamn wired and hi-tech we are! I managed to fit all the 2OV Radio equipment into my new Thule wheelie bag – which means you will be getting the same high-quality sound and awesome vibes comin’ right atcha!

The new Macbook Pro and Thule wheelie bag
Easily the best wheelie bag I have had in my life!

Would it be showing off to tell you, in the same breath, that the Macbook Pro in the pic above is actually brand new. That’s right, my friends, it is the new Apple MacBook Pro 15″ 2.66GHz. I haven’t had a chance to make love to it yet, but I have a feeling that mood will be just right tonight..

Find the right Apple Mac for you – go to Digicape right now. They take special care of 2oceansvibers.

I must tell you that the metal detector guys at DF Malan and Schipol airport weren’t quite sure when the bag went through the X-Ray machine. I don’t know what it looks similar to, on the X-Ray, but the okes got really worked up. Then they opened it and the oke tuned me, “Are you a DJ?”

And I was like, “Ja, I’m a DJ.”

Which is hilarious, ‘cos I’m not. But I couldn’t exactly tell him the truth, that I am a global symbol of awesome vibes and smooth sexual flavours, which sometimes gets beamed over the internet. They wouldn’t have digged that.

Speaking of weening off, I have had to ween myself of De Grendel for the last few days, as there was no more room in my luggage. So I’m onto to the Provence Rose wine for the next month.

It’ll have to do!

To you..

So here’s to you – don’t think I don’t miss you. I do. I’m basically bleeding inside.

Just remember,

I love you

xxx

ps. you can read up about daily life in Provence on my dad’s blog – www.livingstylishlywell.com

It’s ironic that Cokey Falkow and I were talking about the iPad during Friday’s 2oceansvibe Radio Show; and then, not 48 hours later, a 2oceansviber sent the first documented picture of 2oceansvibe being read on the iPad – with Cokey Falkow appearing in the top article!

Congratulations Deán Stassen!

2oceansvibe.com is VERY at home on the new Apple iPad

Apparently 2oceansvibe is “a joke” on the new iPad, and people have been spotted licking the device, as the big 2OV gives itself a stretch in the iPad browser.

It won’t be long until I too will have the future in my hands from Digicape and then you can touch me on my iPad.

As the regulars would have noticed, 2oceansvibe has been plastered with ads for MWEB’s new uncapped broadband service – the first uncapped service in South Africa. They have a number of packages and there is one to suit every pocket and speed. I would like to tell you about my package.

Sis, don’t be rude – I know you’ve come very close to seeing my other package, but that’s not the one I’m talking about!

  
MWEB’s latest offering – uncapped broadband

Ok so as you can imagine, I chow through quite a lot of data – around 25Gb a month. Now that’s a helluva lot, even for small to medium sized companies, but it’s not just for my surfing and email needs. Now pay attention – I promise you need to hear this and will be glad you listened.

A while back we chatted about iTunes and how you can get a US account for your media needs – allowing you access to all the American music and movies and apps available on iTunes (our local offering features close on f-all). Then what you do is you buy iTunes vouchers with your normal credit card (US iTunes account won’t allow foreign credit cards) and redeem then via iTunes. Morally I don’t have a problem with this – the people who produced the media are being paid, and it’s better than the only other alternative which is stealing it for free online. But I’m not getting into that debate (if there is one?) right now.

All of that said, my incredibly large data usage comes from the fact that each movie on iTunes is about one gig. So I’ve got an Apple TV (you can get them at Digicape) connected to my plasma (and linked to my US iTunes account) which let’s me buy or rent movies (or TV shows) instantly ($3.99 to rent – around R30 – and a little bit more if you want HD). You don’t even need computer with this thing. I choose a movie, watch the trailer, click “ok” to pay and it starts playing the movie after 30 seconds (minimal buffer required with the 4Mb line). Obviously you could do this all with a slower line, you will just have to wait longer.

I don’t have that kind of time.

Over the last two week I paid for and watched The Bounty Hunter, An Education, The Hurt Locker, Food Inc., Precious, Zombieland, Up In The Air, The Informant and Bad Lieutenant – all of which are either on the local circuit, or haven’t got there yet. At a gig a piece, I would have been paying an extra R70 a movie with Telkom – and that’s before you factor in all the surfing and Weather Girls videos and downloads and all the crap you send me!

I listen to Johnny Vaughan on London’s Capital FM online through streaming audio and I speak to my friends and family for hours on Skype. I also receive some emails which are 20Mb in size and I don’t bat an eyelid.

I downloaded an 8Mb file the other day and it took 16 seconds. I was with Dave from Goldfish – ask him about it when you see him. He nearly shat himself.

This is where we are, guys. Seriously, get with it.

Get an uncapped broadband line at your place and start off with a normal (what you’re used to) speed like 512kbps. WITH line rental it costs R599. If you have an EXISTING Telkom line, it’s only R299 a month. Then you keep that line with Telkom and switch your data over to MWEB.

They have cheaper and slower than that available, but I’m afraid I won’t allow it.

I had a 4Mb Telkom account but switched over to MWEB and kept the Telkom line. So all I am paying MWEB is R539 a month (plus theTelkom 4Mb line for R362 a month). I’m saving over a grand a month.

Switching over from the existing Telkom vibe to MWEB took, literally, half an hour. I was on the phone to the MWEB guy and he told me exactly what to do. Then I called Telkom and cancelled my data, but kept the line. Honestly, it was too easy.

If you don’t think you need it, that’s because you’ve never had it. You’re just as restricted in your thinking as you are with your internet access. Which kind of makes sense if you look at where the world is right now. You cannot afford to carry on the way you are. You WILL get left behind. FACT. You simply cannot afford to stay in the dark any longer.

Grow up – get an uncapped MWEB account, and enjoy the revelation.

You’re not going to believe this, but someone who works for Apple apparently left the new unreleased iPhone 4G in a bar. The device made it’s way to our favourite tech geek website, Gizmodo, who broke it down for us. They have put together stacks of pics and videos of the beautiful little beast.

Check it out:

You are looking at Apple’s next iPhone. It was found lost in a bar in Redwood City, camouflaged to look like an iPhone 3GS. We got it. We disassembled it. It’s the real thing, and here are all the details.

While Apple may tinker with the final packaging and design of the final phone, it’s clear that the features in this lost-and-found next-generation iPhone are drastically new and drastically different from what came before. Here’s the detailed list of our findings:

What’s new
• Front-facing video chat camera
• Improved regular back-camera (the lens is quite noticeably larger than the iPhone 3GS)
• Camera flash
• Micro-SIM instead of standard SIM (like the iPad)
• Improved display. It’s unclear if it’s the 960×640 display thrown around before—it certainly looks like it, with the “Connect to iTunes” screen displaying much higher resolution than on a 3GS.
• What looks to be a secondary mic for noise cancellation, at the top, next to the headphone jack
• Split buttons for volume
• Power, mute, and volume buttons are all metallic

But that’s not all..

Read the rest of this entry »

I know some of you are getting tired of hearing about the iPad, but I’m afraid you’re going to have to get used to it – it’s only one of the more important advancements in media, techonology and communication the world has ever seen.

But not only that, it’s also tons of fun. Maybe this will help you get into it?

Do you think your iPad would make a great gaming device? Apparently the folks over at ThinkGeek think so too, as they’ve come up with the iCade concept accessory. It’s actually an arcade cabinet for your iPad, allowing you to slide in your iPad, docking it on the iCade, giving it traditional arcade controllers, and making the whole setup resemble the arcade machines from your younger days.

Once docked, launch the dedicated iCade app that will offer your classic games, and you’re good to go! Obviously you’re going to have long gaming sessions on this setup, since you’re reminiscing, and that’s why the docking station also allows you to charge your iPad at the same time, ensuring that you’ll never have to take a break from your gaming sessions. Would you buy this is it were turned into an actual product?

[more here]

Come on… that is AWESOME! And yes. The answer is YES, I would buy it.

I’d buy two, so that one will get to me sooner than the other.

[thanks simon]

When someone tells you that the operating system of all things Apple is “child’s play,” you don’t necessarily take them literally.

Perhaps you should – especially in the case of the latest Apple toy – the iPad.

Enjoy this video – it’ll knock your socks off!

Oh, so now it’s an educational tool as well.

This, from mobileindustryreview:

Whatever your viewpoint of the iPad, you do have to hand it to Apple. They’re nothing short of geniuses there in Cupertino. I’ve been watching the videos across the bank holiday weekend marvelling at just how natural the iPad user interface appears to be. As anyone with children will know, the iPhone has long been the ultimate ‘keep quiet’ tool for parents. I’ve observed it being deployed to dramatic effect, day after day, by many relieved parental units. Whether the child is 2 or 10, there’s something to keep their attention focused on for at least 10 minutes at a time (more, if you decide to give them the password to your account… danger lurks therein, though, especially with that TomTom app still at £60).

So the legions of children accustomed to tapping, scrolling, pinching and tilting the iPhone have, predictably, taken to the iPad like the proverbial flock of ducks to a stupidly sized lake.

Give an iPhone to a child who has never ever seen one and they’ll be an expert in moments. Such is the UI model. The home button gets me every time. The satisfaction, delight and confidence that comes from always being able to press that is palpable. Witness, for example, the little girl in the video below. She has, I imagine, recently got acquainted with the basics of the English language. She’s already used an iPhone. So the iPad? To a 2.5-year-old? No hassle. Watch as she readily clicks about it, swiping screens, tapping stuff — watch as, part way through, she drags the letters ‘L’, ‘I’, ‘O’ and ‘N’ into order to complete the word ‘LION’.

The fact that a 2.5-year-old can use the interface is simply staggering. Staggering.
[more here]

Very kak..

[thanks rob]

By now you will be well aware of the fact that I am seldom lured from my salubrious surroundings. Ubiquitous annual jaunts to south of France, LA and the med notwithstanding, tearing myself away from The Safe House and the majesty of Cape Town is not an activity I enter into lightly. Hence a trip to the bright lights of Jozi generally makes me wince behind the handcrafted lenses of my Ferragamos.

Yet this week an irresistible business opportunity and a session with the Aston Martin top brass took me northwards. I naturally tapped my network to establish where I should be to ensure that my vibe was maintained. It is critical to source environs that I am used to, to ease the separation anxiety from the opulence and convenience of my primary residence, the 5-star Cape Royale. Enter the Westcliff Hotel, Johannesburg. Now we’re talking. Style like I’m used to. Style you should strive for and opulence we crave, especially in Jozi.

From the moment I saw the beaming Wonga at the arrivals hall at Jan Smuts, slickly decked out in his regal driver kit, I knew that everything would be okay. Slick. Look, the drive around Jozi is probably not ever going to be a person with any sort of aesthetic sensibility’s wet dream – but the gem that is Wonga made it more than passable. Sure, the new 5 series isn’t the Jaguar I am normally driven around in. But I’m fine with it. Rental cars in foreign cities are generally a shit-show and should be given the wide berth – where possible.

Cool, to the power of Wonga

Essential then for me to gather my thoughts, bask in pristine environs and rediscover the vibe after the commute from the sublime to the not-so-sublime. Imagine my unadulterated joy then, to enter the tranquil world of the Westcliff. You will appreciate that I am well qualified to comment on hotels. The Cape Royale raises the bar pretty high, but the grandeur, style and class of the Westcliff are certainly also up there with the very best.

Suitably refreshed and buoyed by the prospect of a post-meeting infinity-pool session, we hit Jozi hard. The only way I know how. Gordon Gecko would have approved of the clinical, ruthless efficiency which underlined the meetings. In, out and what seemed like minutes later the great Wonga swung the beemer into the oasis that is the Westcliff – perched very nicely on a hilltop overlooking Egoli. Never rush – that is one of the secrets I’m happy to impart. Hence my carefully staggered meetings allowed me plenty of time to savour the delights the hotel has to offer.

The heated pool with Polo Lounge above and my suite to the left

Shame – my private garden leading to the pool

So there I was. Post-meeting domination. Sunset, poolside, cocktail in hand, angels trying to make their repeated stares in my direction subtle (and failing dismally), attentive waiters on hand. Naturally donning the hotels reassuringly heavy white gown, and I thought, on reflection, that Jozi is pretty damn cool if you can immerse yourself in this vibe. In its own way. I also understood just why Westcliff is something of an institution. And why 2oceansvibe Character, The Wedding Singer, chose to drop to one knee in this venerable locale.

Tea in the ‘Polo Lounge’ – terribly civilised..

“Do you know how to make a 2oceansvibe cocktail?”

With Europe now shedding its winter jacket I must confess that at times being in the hotel environment did transport me back to stays in romantic hotels lingering above the Italian Riveria. With a bit of imagination I could quite easily have thought I was swirling a crisp Chianti on the terrace at the Splendido in Portfofino. But then a roar from a lion in the zoo below reminded me that I was still on the Dark Continent. Or maybe the Jameson’s were kicking in. Anyway, I digress.

The views from the manicured lawns and perfectly perched infinity pool are seriously impressive and I was pretty blown away by the vistas over the Joburg Zoo from the pool terrace. So much so that I remarked the Joburg must surely be one of the largest, if not the largest, man-made forest on earth….. Indeed. Wiki it if you must. That’s what I’m here for – informing and keep you abreast of the trivia you should know. Like the fact that Jozi has a higher annual rainfall than London. No spice. Yes, please – go check.

Shame – sorry for you..

But what isn’t trivial is the level of service and quality of scenes at the Westcliff. Drinks, world class dinner overlooking the pool, more drinks. Fine. The beauty of staying at a place like this is the utter joy of indulging in the things which the Jozi heavy hitters who are there for drinks aren’t able to. Nothing better than swanning around in your toweling gown, much like Jack Nicholson would do on St Tropez yet. Because he can. While those there just for drinks or supper look on with the envy which is impossible to repress.

It is rare that I actually get vaguely excited about going to bed alone. Yes, that might sound borderline strange. But when you are positioned to the best suite in the house and your bed is bigger than most pools on the Radlantic you get my point. So a properly productive day, all conducted in the style and vibe I’ve grown accustomed to was complete.

The ever-attentative Dingani and co in their Polo Lounge outfits

Day 2 of the Jozi excursion couldn’t have been kicked off in more perfect fashion. I’m growing quite fond of egg white omelets with feta, ham and rocket. So a ridiculously sumptuous brekkie and a leisurely stroll around the perfectly manicured grounds and a few lengths of the (heated) pool was pretty much perfect. Weird to be in Joburg but in European vibes – but this could be the start of a new love affair.

The ever faithful Wonga delivered us safely to the airport and I must admit to being strangely nostalgic about leaving Jozi this time. It couldn’t have been run with greater precision if a Swiss outfit had arranged my itinerary. Great vibe.

Using my iPhone and my Photostich app, I made a stunning little panorama of the pool deck, overlooking Johannesburg.

Give it a click – you’ll enjoy it.

Click image for seriously impressive panorama pic

Nothing wrong with that, hey?

So as I watch the sun slip into the Atlantic my faith in Jozi has been restored. Slightly envious of those who get to spend more time in the Westcliff – but I’ll be back, for sure. Jozi may well need me.

Until next time.

That’s right, my lover. You asked for it, and daddy delivered!

I give you the all new 2oceansvibe mobile website! Perfect for viewing onyour iPhone or whatever other Godforsaken device you’re rolling with.

You go to the normal site and it just shows it in a mobile friendly way. Check, check, check it out..

Boom!

Now you’re talkin’ my language!

It loads up really quick and the response has been ok. And by “ok,” I mean phenomenal!

And no, I don’t know if there is a direct link to get to it – if your mobile device is good, it should pick it up and give you the right vibe.

NOW you’re living the holiday, my boet!

It didn’t take long for the first iPad porn site to appear. Now I know you will be able to access the usual porn sites on the iPad, but, without Flash capabilities, some of them might not work.

I assume! I mean, I don’t know anything about porn sites, but *ahem* it’s an interesting discussion, right? I think any commercially/economically/technologically inclined individual would be interested to note that they’ve launched some porn sites which have been tailor made for the iPad.

Like these guys:

VAN NUYS, CA–(Marketwire – April 1, 2010) – Adult entertainment studio Pink Visual announced today the launch of PinkVisualPad.com (just be careful when clicking that), a new website that is optimized for viewing on the much-anticipated iPad from Apple, which is due to hit shelves in the U.S. this Saturday, April 3.

pinkvisualpad.com – that’s where it’s all happening..
(NSFW – obviously..)

“We’re total Apple product nerds here at Pink Visual,” said Brand and Product Manager Kim Kysar. “As soon as Apple unveiled the iPad, we got to work on the site, even though we didn’t have much to go on at that point, other than the Safari engine. What we did know was that the iPad would sell like crazy, and that our customers and fans would expect Pink Visual to be at the forefront of the iPad porn market; with the launch of PinkVisualPad.com, that’s exactly where we are.”

Designed to adhere to webkit standards, PinkVisualPad.com makes extensive use of CSS, yielding a less graphic-heavy design and a faster loading site — crucial elements for a quick wank iPad users with slower WiFi connections, Kysar said.

ENJOY THIS: “we were the first company to have such a high volume of content for the iPhone and now we’re ready to ‘flip the switch’ for iPad porn as well. So, this won’t be some four-page-deep site with a few hundred clips; we’re talking about hours and hours of full-length scenes, including all of our most popular DVD titles.”

[more here]

That’s right, my friends, they’re just going to “flip the switch” to Pornville, USA!

Not that the Apple nerds who created the iPad are very pleased about it. No, sir! Do you think they had porn in mind when they made the sleek little toy?

Check out this video..

Just recently someone asked me why I am so focused on the iPad. “Hahahaha,” I said unto him, “you’re hysterical!” I focus on the iPad because it’s important. I focus on the iPad because there is a new shift in media and technology and delivery, which effects us all. I don’t even need to get into the reasons as to what this has to do with living the holiday – but I sincerely hope the nature of the thing and the advantages and portability clearly display direction towards an easier, more productive existence. And remember, “living the holiday” can be translated in many ways – if you’re working but it doesn’t feel like work and it feels like fun….. you’re living the holiday.

Get there.

But, for now, I think it’s important for us to see if the new iPad can blend.

Check it out:

Very interesting…

Did you think it would? I didn’t. But I’m impressed it did.

Can’t wait to get mine and try it out!

Have you ordered yours? I have.

[thanks dave]

I tell you what, I’m counting the days before this puppy appears at Digicape, But, in the meantime, the best we can do is check out these reviews from leading critics in the US. And they’re not looking too shabby!

And for those of you who continue to skip articles about the iPad – WAKE UP! Unless you’re over 80, you can’t carry on like that, my friend. This is happening. This is now.

The New York Times: “And the techies are right about another thing: The iPad is not a laptop. It’s not nearly as good for creating stuff. On the other hand, it’s infinitely more convenient for consuming it — books, music, video, photos, Web, e-mail and so on. For most people, manipulating these digital materials directly by touching them is a completely new experience — and a deeply satisfying one.”

Wall Street Journal: “If people see the iPad mainly as an extra device to carry around, it will likely have limited appeal. If, however, they see it as a way to replace heavier, bulkier computers much of the time—for Web surfing, email, social-networking, video- and photo-viewing, gaming, music and even some light content creation–it could be a game changer the way Apple’s iPhone has been.”

USA Today: “Apple has pretty much nailed it with this first iPad, though there’s certainly room for improvement. Nearly three years after making a splash with the iPhone, Apple has delivered another impressive product that largely lives up to the hype.”

Boing Boing: “Maybe the most exciting thing about iPad is the apps that aren’t here yet. [...] I like it a lot. But it’s the things I never knew it made possible — to be revealed or not in the coming months — that will determine whether I love it.”

PCMag: “There may be things it doesn’t do, but what it does do, it does remarkably well. Aside from the aforementioned limitations, there isn’t a lot else to gripe about. And to my great surprise, you can actually get real work done with the iPad.”

And there are even more – check out the Fast Company crib sheet for more inside info.

Until my iPad is ready, I’m freezing my body so that the waiting time doesn’t hurt so much..

Outside the San Francisco Apple Store on Saturday

The 50 Most Innovative Companies…on the iPad – The more globally and technologically aware of you lot will know that the highky anticipated Apple iPad finally hit shelves overseas this weekend. It sold something silly like 300,000 copies on it’s first day in the US, with total estimates looking at around 700,000. Here are some examples of the ways our Most Innovative Companies are taking advantage of Apple’s new tablet. [fastcompany]

World’s First iPad In Car – We asked you not to do it, but someone still went ahead and slapped an iPad into the dash of their Toyota truck to create what’s likely the world’s first iPad car installation not involving duct tape.Watching this video it’s hard to ignore how annoying, even in jest, the SoundMan Car Audio team behind the installation is, but the actual in-dash placement is clean and the use of a McIntosh amp is somewhat clever. We’re literally weeks away from in-car online streaming radio.. [jalopnik]

Apple Holding iPhone OS 4 Event – April 8th! – While we’re all in Apple mode, we might as well go the full hog. Yes folks — the world is turning upside down. Apple has announced an iPhone OS 4 event on April 8th at 10AM PT for a “sneak peek of the next generation of iPhone OS software.” So if you’re wondering about the future of the platform… your answers will appear sooner than you think. [engadget]

Tiger Woods Augusta Press Conference – Here is the complete transcript of Tiger Woods’ press conference on Monday at Augusta National. “I know that the players over the past few months have been bombarded by questions by all of you and the public as well. To all the players hopefully after asking questions at this press conference the players can be left alone to focus on the Masters and focus on their game. I apologize to them for having to endure what they’ve had to endure over the past few months.” [leeinks]

China Bans Bob Dylan, Confusing Him for ’60s Radical – It seems China has mistaken today’s essentially harmless Bob Dylan with the counterculture hero of the 1960s — the nation’s ministry of culture deemed the icon unfit for concerts in Shanghai and Beijing this spring. As a result, Dylan has canceled the rest of his east Asian tour. The Chinese gigs would have been a first for Dylan, 68, who still performs about 100 concerts per year. Hey, come to SA, my boyshay. [popeater]

Julius Malema Kills Kenny Rogers Lookalike – On Saturday night, Eugene Terreblanche, the leader of the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (AWB) was murdered on his farm in Ventersdorp. The alleged motive for the attack was a pay dispute between him and his slayers – two African gentlemen, aged 21 and 16 year, who hacked and bludgeoned him to death, using your garden variety knobkerrie and panga. [2oceansvibe]

Malema Denies Being Involved in Kenny Rogers Lookalike Death – With the murder of Eugene Terreblanche being seemingly linked to Julius Malemas calls to “kill the farmer,” Malema on Sunday denied responsibility, during an official visit to neighbouring Zimbabwe.”ANC will respond to that issue,” he said “On a personal capacity, I’m not going to respond to what people are saying. I’m in Zimbabwe now. I’m not linked to this.” [news24]

Sandra Bullock Fears Murder But Will File for Divorce – Sandra Bullock is terrified that Jesse James will try to kill her and then commit suicide, but she’s still filled out a divorce petition and will file it “any second,” writes Ian Halperin. The complaint alleges “physical and mental abuse,” sources say, and includes a request for a restraining order against James. Bullock “has barely slept the past couple of weeks” and is under 24-hour protection. [newser]

WikiLeaks VIDEO Exposes 2007 ‘Collateral Murder’ In Iraq – Calling it a case of “collateral murder,” the WikiLeaks Web site today released harrowing until-now secret video of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter in Baghdad in 2007 repeatedly opening fire on a group of men that included a Reuters photographer and his driver — and then on a van that stopped to rescue one of the wounded men. [huffington]

Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera review – I wanted to tell you about the aeronautical tradition of superleggera (super-light) construction; of aluminium lovingly formed over gun-cotton-wrapped, small-diameter steel tubes. But down in the pit lane of the Monteblanco circuit near Seville in Spain, an engine whirrs on its starter, catches and shimmers the air with its singular, uneven warble. Your eyes dart over the window. Exploring the devil in the detail of the expensive new Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera. [telegraph]

Sean Penn Sued For Making Death Threats – Sean Penn threatened to kill a paparazzo if he ever ran into him again … this according to a new lawsuit filed by the photog. Jordan Dawes alleges he was filming a documentary about paparazzi last October in Brentwood, CA when Penn suddenly began “kicking and punching” him. In the suit, filed in L.A. County Superior Court, Dawes says Penn broke his camera and then said “the next time I see you, you will be in a box.” Hahahahaha!! [tmz]

I’ve Seen Some Good Movies Lately – I’ve been watching some cool movies on my Apple TV recently. I wanted to recommend (write these down) An Education, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, The Informant, Fish Tank, Zombieland, Coco, A Serious Man, Good Hair, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, The Men Who Stare at Goats. Have a squizz at those. Some might be on at the cinema, some might be at the DVD store. But one things for sure – they’re ALL on the Apple TV. [appletv]

[thanks robert, andy]

I found this tool called Flight Track and I used it to keep an eye on The Muse’s flying progress during her recent trip to and from Dubai and Hong Kong.

You load it up and simply input the flight number and date of departure. Then BOOM! :

How rad is that!? – It tells you what time the plane left and if there were any delays, as well as the estimated time of arrival! All on your phone! Anywhere you are!! Some of you might be very impressed about that, but I’m starting to find tools like this normal.

But then I spotted that button at the top called “Map,” which I clicked. That’s when I became very fucking impressed with this little tool.

Check it out:

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!!! It shows you where the goddamn plane is! I mean it’s one thing for the people on the plane to see on their little screens where they are, but what about the people on the ground?

I think this Flight Track tool is bloody marvelous!

Now when I say “tool” I actually mean “app.” It’s just another one of the tons of “apps” you can get on an iPhone.

It costs a chunk of money, I know – but I personally guarantee it will change your life. Honestly, I’m not trying to show off – I’m only doing this to improve your life.

Go on, do it – it’s time..

A big welcome to the Griffin laptop stand, which raises the book to where I need it – thus improving my posture.

And then, just for kicks, try out the wireless (my bru) keyboard and mouse below. Just to further improve your vibe. And that mouse, that’s not a normal mouse. You can swipe your fingers across that beast and scroll around and zoom in and make scrolling “gestures” on it ALL NIGHT LONG!!! It’s wild!

Get it all now

You know with technology they always give things a version number? ‘cos they know things will improve and they will need to change the version number. Or if they give it a name, it’s always something like “Beast” or “Zion” – because it will eventually get old and fade away. They can’t call it something like “best” or “awesome,” because it will look stupid in years to come and it WON’T be the best anymore.

Then how amazing must the new Mac Mouse be, for them to confidently call it a “Magic Mouse.” That’s.the.name.of.the.thing! A fucking MAGIC MOUSE!!??? They’re willing to put their balls on the block that is will always be magic! Wow!

THEN you know – it’s gotta be incredible!

By the way those items are sitting on a glass table.

They’re not floating.

That will be next year when they bring out the MacBook “Fucking Awesome” model.