Free for a limited time only - download this before May 15th to get the full game for free.
http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store/app/angry-birds/9168c4f3-217b-4a29-b543-7513bb4ae2ed
10 May 2013
13 March 2013
Using multiple DSL accounts on D-Link DSL-2750U (or simply, running half-bridge mode)
A fairly straightforward post but I found myself stuck for a while so hopefully this will save someone else the same level of frustration (and a few hours) -
The D-Link DSL-2750U doesn't seem to have an option for "half-bridge" mode; it's either PPPoE or Bridging. To allow you to have a default account set up in the router, keep it set to PPPoE and to allow users to dial-in to whatever DSL account they want on a PC, make sure the option PPPoE pass-through is enabled.
It's that simple, and now you can have a main account for home and separate accounts for your work machine etc.
Enjoy!
The D-Link DSL-2750U doesn't seem to have an option for "half-bridge" mode; it's either PPPoE or Bridging. To allow you to have a default account set up in the router, keep it set to PPPoE and to allow users to dial-in to whatever DSL account they want on a PC, make sure the option PPPoE pass-through is enabled.
It's that simple, and now you can have a main account for home and separate accounts for your work machine etc.
Enjoy!
26 February 2013
Cell C contract considerations - just my opinion on how to save some cash
Cell C is - at least on the surface - doing a lot right at the moment, which to me is really no surprise since they've got the former Vodacom CEO now!
Simplifying the contracts has been a breath of fresh air - R1 gets you 1MB, 1SMS/MMS, 1 minute airtime (at 99c per minute per second billing).
Simplifying the contracts has been a breath of fresh air - R1 gets you 1MB, 1SMS/MMS, 1 minute airtime (at 99c per minute per second billing).
Cell C offers you a bunch of these "bundle" deals from R30 per month to R800pm.
The way I see this unfolding is unless you intend to use SMSs and lots of data, you don't want to pay for the bigger contracts, and here's my reasoning, by means of an example:
Allocated Minutes
|
Used Minutes
|
Out of Bundle Minutes
|
Carry-over Minutes
|
Cost per month
|
|
Straight up 100
|
100
|
153
|
53
|
0
|
R152.47
|
Straight up 200
|
200
|
153
|
0
|
47
|
R200.00
|
If you sign up for R100pm (100mins, 100SMSs, 100MB) then you can use up to 100 minutes without paying out extra. If you end up using 153 minutes, you'd pay 99c * 53 (which is R52.47) on top of your 100 minutes (R100) giving you a total usage for the month of R152.47. The alternative is to get the next one up - the R200 per month deal. In the same example above you'll use 153 minutes, bank 47 unused, and pay R200 - you've wasted R47 because if you're not using those 47 minutes, they're just sitting there slowly accumulating and eventually expiring. That's a R47 loss per month on airtime you're not using.
This is the important factor: Banking the minutes is irrelevant with Cell C because you will be storing up minutes you've not used, that you've paid for, and won't ever get around to using (exhibited by your average monthly usage) whereas the reverse is better - only pay for what you use and that's it - no risk of banked minutes expiring or paying for airtime you won't use.
Of course, the ONLY benefit to the extra R100pm on contract is the additional 100MB and 100SMSes but if you don't plan to use that much data, you're better off with my idea.
Over one year the Straight up 100 will cost you R1 829.64 and the Straight up 200 will cost you R2 400.00 which is almost four months paid up on Straight up 100.
So, in my opinion, pay for what you need and then go on pay-as-you-use because you won't end up with extra minutes being banked. The cost per minute remains 99c out of bundle anyway, so actually from a pure talktime perspective, it's cheaper to go with 99c per minute than the R1 per minute in bundle.
25 February 2013
Outsurance R400 promotion is a farce
Okay, so the heading is a bit sensationalist but it gets the attention it requires.
Basically, I am venting, and what better forum to vent than on my personal blog with its tens of thousands of visits?
Outsurance is so confident that it can offer you the cheapest premium around that it to give R400 to anyone who doesn't receive a cheaper quote from Outsurance.
Their text is as follows:
We are prepared to pay anybody R400 cash if we are unable to beat his/her current car insurancepremium when quoted on a like-for-like basis. It’s quite simple, if our quote on your car is more expensive than what you’re currently paying and you decide not to switch your insurance to us, you get cash. If we are cheaper, you get cash through your monthly savings with us. It’s a win-win situation for anyone that is not already an OUTsurance client.
The important bit is this: "if our quote on your car is more expensive than what you're currently paying and you decide not to switch your insurance to us, you get cash."
When I phoned Outsurance to get a quote on my car, I was given a price of R50 more per month than my current premium with their competitor, and told them I had a comparative quote from King Price Insurance for R300 cheaper per month. I genuinely could not understand the difference and asked the call centre agent - Julian - to help me get a lower premium.
Julian was adamant that I should not consider King Price. He threw arguments at me about how King Price is an unknown entity because I've never had a policy with them before and they are new upstarts and so on. I responded by saying I've never had a policy with Outsurance either so they're also an unknown entity for me and if Outsurance is - by his reasoning - so spectacular now then it must be remembered that they also had humble beginnings so I could not ignore King Price possibly growing into the same perceived league domination as Outsurance has today. I then said if Outsurance can't beat my current premium, I want the cash.
Julian simply refused to pay out, saying I had obtained a quote last year so I can't qualify for it again. I pointed out last time the quote was around five Rand cheaper so I didn't move across to Outsurance because it wasn't worth the admin and pain. Julian insisted I don't qualify again, and I said I have never qualified before - am I now being penalised because a few months ago I chose to not move across to Outsurance so I am disqualified now from getting the payout?
After a long and draining argument with Julian growing incredibly rude and cocky, I spoke to his call centre manager (Karl) and obtained some explanation that the last quote was received within the past 186 days (six months) which disqualifies me from getting a payout.
I don't understand how that's possible since I have never qualified before but there you have it - if you have ever received a quote from Outsurance up to six months prior - regardless of whether it was more or less - you cannot qualify for the R400 payout.
I wonder if I get my wife to phone in whether it will still reflect on their system...
Basically, I am venting, and what better forum to vent than on my personal blog with its tens of thousands of visits?
Outsurance is so confident that it can offer you the cheapest premium around that it to give R400 to anyone who doesn't receive a cheaper quote from Outsurance.
Their text is as follows:
We are prepared to pay anybody R400 cash if we are unable to beat his/her current car insurancepremium when quoted on a like-for-like basis. It’s quite simple, if our quote on your car is more expensive than what you’re currently paying and you decide not to switch your insurance to us, you get cash. If we are cheaper, you get cash through your monthly savings with us. It’s a win-win situation for anyone that is not already an OUTsurance client.
The important bit is this: "if our quote on your car is more expensive than what you're currently paying and you decide not to switch your insurance to us, you get cash."
When I phoned Outsurance to get a quote on my car, I was given a price of R50 more per month than my current premium with their competitor, and told them I had a comparative quote from King Price Insurance for R300 cheaper per month. I genuinely could not understand the difference and asked the call centre agent - Julian - to help me get a lower premium.
Julian was adamant that I should not consider King Price. He threw arguments at me about how King Price is an unknown entity because I've never had a policy with them before and they are new upstarts and so on. I responded by saying I've never had a policy with Outsurance either so they're also an unknown entity for me and if Outsurance is - by his reasoning - so spectacular now then it must be remembered that they also had humble beginnings so I could not ignore King Price possibly growing into the same perceived league domination as Outsurance has today. I then said if Outsurance can't beat my current premium, I want the cash.
Julian simply refused to pay out, saying I had obtained a quote last year so I can't qualify for it again. I pointed out last time the quote was around five Rand cheaper so I didn't move across to Outsurance because it wasn't worth the admin and pain. Julian insisted I don't qualify again, and I said I have never qualified before - am I now being penalised because a few months ago I chose to not move across to Outsurance so I am disqualified now from getting the payout?
After a long and draining argument with Julian growing incredibly rude and cocky, I spoke to his call centre manager (Karl) and obtained some explanation that the last quote was received within the past 186 days (six months) which disqualifies me from getting a payout.
I don't understand how that's possible since I have never qualified before but there you have it - if you have ever received a quote from Outsurance up to six months prior - regardless of whether it was more or less - you cannot qualify for the R400 payout.
I wonder if I get my wife to phone in whether it will still reflect on their system...
10 January 2013
Digital Photographs - how, what, where, why
The year is 2013 and it's well into the 21st Century now so it's safe to say we are in the digital age.
In the digital age almost everyone has a digital camera (either a dedicated one, or a cellphone, or a tablet, or a friend with one, etc.). It goes without saying, then, that with these digital cameras we are making digital photographs. As time goes by, and as storage expands, and as life goes on, we are taking more and more pictures and before we realise it, we are heaped with thousands of pictures that take up a whole lot of space. Finding a way to store these pictures securely is one thing, finding a way to organise them is another. Both are challenges that some of my friends and I have been facing for years, and since we live in South Africa and seem prone to house invasions, the need to store our pictures securely is a most pressing one.
Of course, it doesn't just end with "where" to store the pictures - being able to store our pictures securely AND preserving the metadata that we've spent hours of our lives adding to each picture is first prize because no-one wants to have to redo the metadata each and every time we recover our pictures.
Over the course of the next few posts, I will endeavour to unwrap the solution/s that my friends and I have considered over the years and which solutions we've settled down with. Hopefully someone out there will find this information useful, and if there's something even better than what we've settled on, you'll tell us about it!
Most of this conversation is derived from my buddy Hoky and I deciphering the best way forward to preserve our pictures (or in Hoky's case, what ones he has left after several unwarranted home invasions).
Our primary objectives are:
Below are some of the areas we'll explore in these posts (TBC):
In the digital age almost everyone has a digital camera (either a dedicated one, or a cellphone, or a tablet, or a friend with one, etc.). It goes without saying, then, that with these digital cameras we are making digital photographs. As time goes by, and as storage expands, and as life goes on, we are taking more and more pictures and before we realise it, we are heaped with thousands of pictures that take up a whole lot of space. Finding a way to store these pictures securely is one thing, finding a way to organise them is another. Both are challenges that some of my friends and I have been facing for years, and since we live in South Africa and seem prone to house invasions, the need to store our pictures securely is a most pressing one.
Of course, it doesn't just end with "where" to store the pictures - being able to store our pictures securely AND preserving the metadata that we've spent hours of our lives adding to each picture is first prize because no-one wants to have to redo the metadata each and every time we recover our pictures.
Over the course of the next few posts, I will endeavour to unwrap the solution/s that my friends and I have considered over the years and which solutions we've settled down with. Hopefully someone out there will find this information useful, and if there's something even better than what we've settled on, you'll tell us about it!
Most of this conversation is derived from my buddy Hoky and I deciphering the best way forward to preserve our pictures (or in Hoky's case, what ones he has left after several unwarranted home invasions).
Our primary objectives are:
- Find a site that
- allows unlimited photo storage,
- provides unlimited lifetime,
- stores original photo sizes,
- permits bulk downloads.
- Find software that allows us to
- embed metadata into the images rather than rely on a 3rd-party installed application that manages the metadata (if it crashes, we don't want to lose the metadata)
Below are some of the areas we'll explore in these posts (TBC):
- FREE storage - Facebook, Google+, Flickr
- Photo printing sites - Snapfish, Shutterfly
- Organiser software - Picasa vs. Windows Live Photo Gallery
14 December 2012
Metro 2033 for FREE on PC!
Go over to this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MetroVideoGame?sk=app_395840630491782 , like the page, download the file, and then grab the free key to unlock the game on Steam!
Happy gaming - it's a fantastic game!
Happy gaming - it's a fantastic game!
Duke Nukem 3D for free!
Santa has come early for PC and MAC users!
Go over to this page and grab for yourself Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition for free for a limited time only (expires 14:59 GMT today).
Here's the 'blurb on YouTube:
Go over to this page and grab for yourself Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition for free for a limited time only (expires 14:59 GMT today).
Here's the 'blurb on YouTube:
28 November 2012
A trick to get free delivery on TAKEALOT.COM
If you're into your online shopping as much as I am*, you'll probably do the odd purchase (or not so odd ;-)) from TAKEALOT.COM. The most frustrating part of the purchase is knowing you are going to have to pay R35 for delivery if your order is under R250; sometimes this doesn't make the purchase all that much appealing or even worthwhile (> 10% of the total purchase being added on as the delivery fee alone feels a bit steep).
The good news is if you do a frequent (or at least once every three years) shop at TAKEALOT.COM, you can spruce up your total to the required R250 minimum qualifier for free delivery by buying yourself TAKEALOT.COM vouchers!
I know this seems a bit silly to tie your money into TAKEALOT.COM, but if you are going to buy from them again in the future you may just be saving yourself that R35 delivery fee. Think about it after considering this example:
You want to buy a R150 item but will have to add on R35 for delivery (that's more than 20% of the actual product cost being added on as a delivery fee). If you buy a R100 voucher, your voucher is valid for 3 years and you don't pay for delivery now.
When you buy your next order six months later, you redeem your R100 from the voucher, and if your new order is over the R250 threshold, your delivery is free, so you won't need to buy another voucher, and in fact have spent less on the second order because of the redeemed voucher, and have realised the R35 saving from before!
I know this seems a bit like hard work for a saving but every bit counts, and if you are regularly buying under R250, you're essentially wasting R35 on each delivery.
I'm just saying, think about it. Be creative. You could end up saving yourself enough money from delivery fees (R35 per order) to pay for that R150 original order if you make four purchases a year!
* not that I do a lot of online purchases! My last order from TAKEALOT.COM was in June (that's almost six months ago)
The good news is if you do a frequent (or at least once every three years) shop at TAKEALOT.COM, you can spruce up your total to the required R250 minimum qualifier for free delivery by buying yourself TAKEALOT.COM vouchers!
I know this seems a bit silly to tie your money into TAKEALOT.COM, but if you are going to buy from them again in the future you may just be saving yourself that R35 delivery fee. Think about it after considering this example:
You want to buy a R150 item but will have to add on R35 for delivery (that's more than 20% of the actual product cost being added on as a delivery fee). If you buy a R100 voucher, your voucher is valid for 3 years and you don't pay for delivery now.
When you buy your next order six months later, you redeem your R100 from the voucher, and if your new order is over the R250 threshold, your delivery is free, so you won't need to buy another voucher, and in fact have spent less on the second order because of the redeemed voucher, and have realised the R35 saving from before!
I know this seems a bit like hard work for a saving but every bit counts, and if you are regularly buying under R250, you're essentially wasting R35 on each delivery.
I'm just saying, think about it. Be creative. You could end up saving yourself enough money from delivery fees (R35 per order) to pay for that R150 original order if you make four purchases a year!
* not that I do a lot of online purchases! My last order from TAKEALOT.COM was in June (that's almost six months ago)
15 November 2012
Xbox LIVE is 10 and to celebrate here's your FREE cupcakes!
Xbox LIVE turns 10 today and to celebrate, Microsoft is giving away some freebies (well, Wreckateer for 48 hours) and some half-priced games, depending on your zone.
Check out the full list of discounted titles here:
Check out the full list of discounted titles here:
- UK Xbox LIVE users
Castle Crashers
Fruit Ninja Kinect
Full House Poker
Geometry Wars Evolved
Bastion
Peggle - South Africa Xbox LIVE users
Castle Crashers
Fruit Ninja Kinect
Full House Poker - US Xbox LIVE users
Castle Crashers
Fruit Ninja Kinect
Full House Poker
Geometry Wars Evolved
Bastion
Peggle
Battlefield 1943
13 November 2012
FREE Tribute to 80's New Wave music download
Thanks to a tip-off from my buddy Graeme, here is a link to download a bunch of covers of classic 80's New Wave songs...
coma-online.com:
It started with this idea: the goth/industrial scene was highly influenced by the 80's New Wave scene and some of the bands in our little band of misfits even started out playing New Wave. Therefore, it only seemed natural to pay tribute to the music of the 80's New Wave ...
http://coma-online.com/?p=18036
coma-online.com:
It started with this idea: the goth/industrial scene was highly influenced by the 80's New Wave scene and some of the bands in our little band of misfits even started out playing New Wave. Therefore, it only seemed natural to pay tribute to the music of the 80's New Wave ...
http://coma-online.com/?p=18036
08 November 2012
FREE games (again) - Faerie Solitaire and Battlefield 1942
When there's the word "free" in a title, it always grabs my attention. Heck, as I've probably said countless times before I even buy fat free yoghurt because I don't want to have to pay for the fat when I can get it free.
There are two free games available now - one for a limited time only, so let's begin with that one:
There are two free games available now - one for a limited time only, so let's begin with that one:
- Faerie Solitaire activated on STEAM - go on over and buy it before it expires (8 November 10am Pacific Time which is around 8pm South Africa time). Get it now, keep it forever.
- Battlefield 1942 is also free now, forever (AFAIK). Go to ORIGIN, hit the demo section and claim your free copy! Still a great game IMHO.
05 November 2012
Telkom ADSL speed upgrades - manual prodding
Telkom has been long overdue in upgrading the entry-level DSL speeds in South Africa but thankfully, finally, the upgrades are here. Entry-level is now 1Mbps, up from a ghastly 384kbps (in 2012? You've got to be kidding me... even 1Mbps is ... well, let's just be grateful for the upgrade at all, shall we?).
In my experience, I've had to manually request my lines to be upgraded once the exchange was upgraded, and here are the steps to follow. Note that this applies to 384kbps (up to 1Mbps) and 1Mbps (up to 2Mbps). A head-nod goes to HandyTechTipper (and in turn, Michal Mierzwa, for pointing out this strategy in the MyBroadBand forums).
Besides the obvious reason of wanting to get the higher speeds as soon as possible, you probably want to jump the queue just in case they end up oversubscribing the service and you end up without any available ports on the new exchange!
How to make sure you get your line speed upgrade
In my experience, I've had to manually request my lines to be upgraded once the exchange was upgraded, and here are the steps to follow. Note that this applies to 384kbps (up to 1Mbps) and 1Mbps (up to 2Mbps). A head-nod goes to HandyTechTipper (and in turn, Michal Mierzwa, for pointing out this strategy in the MyBroadBand forums).
Besides the obvious reason of wanting to get the higher speeds as soon as possible, you probably want to jump the queue just in case they end up oversubscribing the service and you end up without any available ports on the new exchange!
How to make sure you get your line speed upgrade
- Run a speed test on your line:http://speedtest.mybroadband.
co.za/ or http://speedtest-rba.isdsl. net/ - Check that your line speed has increased at your exchange http://www.telkom.co.za/
checkadsl by entering your telephone number - Depending on the results, call 10210 (toll free from a Telkom land line)
- Go to the DSL technical guys
(the prompts are as follows, in case you want to bulldoze the buttons and skip the voices and waiting)... - 1 for existing customer
- Enter your 10 digit phone number
- 2 for more options
- 1 for DSL Technical support
- 3 for DSL Technical support
- Ask them to increase your line speed (you may have to explain to them that your exchange supports the high speed but your line is sync’ing at a lower speed)
- I've done this remotely, without being at home, and the first technician (or should I say, call centre agent) configured my line upgrade without me being at home to reset the router. That's all you need to do anyway; they 'flip a switch' and then you reset your router. This was done while I was at the shops and when I came home it was up at 1Mbps.
- Another incident occurred where the technician (ahem, call centre agent) insisted I need to be by the router when they do the upgrade because it can't be connected. I told them this wasn't necessary but they argued with me and eventually I had no choice but to relent (what do I know anyway, right? :)) and make sure the router was disconnected before they did the line speed upgrade. In this case they even had the audacity to check the connection was off before they ticked a checkbox.
- The moral of the story is: rather do it from home if you can, and prepare yourself for some uncooperative agents!
- Check your speed again:http://speedtest.mybroadband.
co.za/ or http://speedtest-rba.isdsl. net/
(or go to the router console and check at what speed it is synchronising)
I’ve gone up from 384kbps to 1Mbps ‘for free’ so I’m a happy camper.
30 October 2012
Stop Zombie Mouth with this Halloween freebie!
As their site (www.stopzombiemouth.com) says, "[they're] giving away Plants vs. Zombies download games as a sugar-free alternative, and you can join in the fun."
Grab yourself a free coupon (attached) and while you're at it, stash up a bunch in your reception area of your home so that when you get beset upon by miniaturised zombie-wannabes you can give them the gift of gaming instead of the prognosis of halitosis.
20 October 2012
12 October 2012
Transfer big files with Wetransfer.com
Simple solution for all those users that struggle to get big files shared with multiple recipients via email: www.wetransfer.com.
No need for 3rd-party software to be installed on any client machines, and you can send a file (up to 2GB in size) to up to twenty recipients. The nice part is, each recipient receives an individual email so they can't see whom else is included and it's pretty simple to use.
Nice for transferring big files without cluttering up e-mail queues.
No need for 3rd-party software to be installed on any client machines, and you can send a file (up to 2GB in size) to up to twenty recipients. The nice part is, each recipient receives an individual email so they can't see whom else is included and it's pretty simple to use.
Nice for transferring big files without cluttering up e-mail queues.
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