nico's posterous
Neem beheer oor jou rekord
DIE afgelope twee tot drie jaar was ekonomies 'n aaklige tyd vir mense oor die wêreld heen. Om deur so 'n ekonomiese traumatydperk te kom vat baie werk en baie opoffering.
Daar is heelwat opsies om natuurlik deur so 'n situasie te kom, soos kredietberading en die beste is natuurlik deur doeltreffende beplanning en opoffering. Ek gaan nie vandag te veel skryf oor hierdie deel nie.
Ek wil skryf oor die deel net nadat jy deur so 'n slegte tydperk gegaan het. Hoe weet jy dat jy weer jou kredietwaardigheid teruggekry hetω Hoe weet jy of jy nie dalk by die een of ander kredietburo as 'n swak betaler gelys is nieω
Ek dink die eerste stap is om ten minste te weet of jy gelys is of nie. Jy kan jaarliks 'n gratis verslag by een van die kredietburo's aanvra. Jy kan jou net by www.mytransunion.co.za registreer en dan stuur hulle vir jou 'n gratis verslag. Jy kan ook inteken om vir 'n baie lae bedrag deurlopend toegang tot jou verslag te hê.
Die ander diens wat jy kan gebruik, is www.credithealth.co.za. Jy kan hier 'n aantal dienste bekom, maar ek dink die heel beste diens wat hulle lewer, is 'n uiters volledige verslag oor jou en jou kredietrekord. Hierdie verslag is nie gratis nie. Hulle verskaf al jou inligting wat deur drie kredietburo's gelys word. In jou verslag wys hulle ook of jou kredietrekord verbeter of versleg.
Hoe beter jou rekord, hoe beter sal jou rentekoerse vir lenings wees. Jy sal verbaas wees oor hoe baie inligting die buro's oor jou het.
Dis tyd om beheer te neem en die eerste stap is om te weet hoe sake staan. As jy weet hoe dinge staan, is dit makliker om dit reg te stel.
. Nico Baird is 'n nuwe-media-kenner en kan gekontak word by nico@clicksa.co.za.
The ABC For 2011 School Kids
Latest from Nursery Schools:
A: APPLE
B: BLUETOOTH 
C: CHAT
D: DOWNLOAD
E: E MAIL
F: FACEBOOK
G: GOOGLE
H: HEWLETT PACKARD I: iPHONE 
J: JAVA K: KINGSTON
L: LAPTOP
M: MESSENGER
N: NERO
O: ORKUT
P: PICASSA
Q: QUICK HEAL
R: RAM
S: SERVER
T: TWITTER
U: USB
V: VISTA
W: WiFi
X: Xp
Y: YOU TUBE
Z: ZORPIA
----------------------------------------------------------------- This e-mail is subjected to the disclaimer that can be viewed at: * http://www.cut.ac.za/www/disclaimer/email_disclaimer -----------------------------------------------------------------
Old friends now just a click away
THIS past week I was contacted by a number of old friends. Friends that I have not heard from in about 20 years. Old school friends.
As you can imagine I was incredibly excited to once again talk to them and hear about what they have been up to in the past 20 years. Many of them have tied the knot and have kids that are about to leave school. To think that the last time I spoke to them they were in school with me.
The only reason I mention it is because just a few minutes ago a colleague of mine told me that he was so excited, because he had just made contact with an old school friend of his and they were going to have a quick drink after work.
I then realised that even though people are so quick to show all the negative things that can be associated with Facebook, we tend to take the power of Facebook to connect old friends for granted.
The only way in which you could connect with old friends before Facebook was to meet at your high school reunion or phone people who would maybe know where to find your friends and then you could phone them. It must have been a daunting task
Now it is easy. Just sign up for Facebook. Type in all the information you are willing to share and try to find one or two of your old friends.
As soon as you find one or two you will start to find more of them. This is not age specific.
I know of many 65-year-olds who are now connecting with old school friends on Facebook.
Plan that reunion. If you know a few of your old school friends and you can find them on Facebook, chances are good that you will find most of them.
. Nico Baird is a new media expert and can be contacted at nico@clicksa.co.za.
Old friends now just a click away
THIS past week I was contacted by a number of old friends. Friends that I have not heard from in about 20 years. Old school friends.
As you can imagine I was incredibly excited to once again talk to them and hear about what they have been up to in the past 20 years. Many of them have tied the knot and have kids that are about to leave school. To think that the last time I spoke to them they were in school with me.
The only reason I mention it is because just a few minutes ago a colleague of mine told me that he was so excited, because he had just made contact with an old school friend of his and they were going to have a quick drink after work.
I then realised that even though people are so quick to show all the negative things that can be associated with Facebook, we tend to take the power of Facebook to connect old friends for granted.
The only way in which you could connect with old friends before Facebook was to meet at your high school reunion or phone people who would maybe know where to find your friends and then you could phone them. It must have been a daunting task
Now it is easy. Just sign up for Facebook. Type in all the information you are willing to share and try to find one or two of your old friends.
As soon as you find one or two you will start to find more of them. This is not age specific.
I know of many 65-year-olds who are now connecting with old school friends on Facebook.
Plan that reunion. If you know a few of your old school friends and you can find them on Facebook, chances are good that you will find most of them.
. Nico Baird is a new media expert and can be contacted at nico@clicksa.co.za.
Kliek hier, kliek daar en siedaar
Nico Baird
DIT is vir my ongelooflik om te sien hoe die lewe sommer so vinnig voor my oë verander.
Jare terug as jy iets wou weet, het jy iemand gaan vra wat jy gehoop het die antwoord ken of die biblioteek besoek.
Dit was die jare toe die rooi Wêreldkennis-boeke die een kas in die TV-kamer vol gestaan het en as ons take gedoen het, het ons dit uit dié boeke gedoen.
As ons deesdae enigiets wil weet, spring ons op die internet en gaan dadelik na www.google.com.
Ons vingers tik dit sonder om twee keer te dink. Enigiets wat jy wil weet, tik jy in Google in en kliek op die soekfunksie.
Só het ek my huiswerk gedoen toe ek verlede week vir my ’n nuwe TV gaan koop het. Ek het ’n paar stappe verder gegaan. Ek het my sosiale netwerke geraadpleeg.
Daar is deesdae net te veel opsies en jy moet jou “eksterne brein” inspan. Jou sosiale netwerk het ongelooflike kennis.
Ek het op Facebook en Twitter gevra dat my netwerk vir my raad moet gee. Op albei netwerke het ek raad ontvang.
Sowat 54 boodskappe tussen die twee. Elke persoon het hul opinie gegee en hul ervarings gedeel en toe ek in die winkel staan, het ek geweet watter TV ek wil hê.
In een stadium toe ek tussen twee LED-stelle moes kies, onthou ek dat my een vriend op Facebook gesê het dat ek moet seker maak van ’n paar goed en dadelik het ek geweet watter televisiestel die beter keuse sou wees.
Het ek nie my netwerk genader nie, sou ek heel moontlik die verkeerde televisie gekies het.
Só het ons ontwikkel van ’n naslaanboek tot ’n gemeenskap van kennis om te help om die regte besluit te neem. Ons leef werklik in ongelooflike tye.
DIT is vir my ongelooflik om te sien hoe die lewe sommer so vinnig voor my oë verander.
Jare terug as jy iets wou weet, het jy iemand gaan vra wat jy gehoop het die antwoord ken of die biblioteek besoek.
Dit was die jare toe die rooi Wêreldkennis-boeke die een kas in die TV-kamer vol gestaan het en as ons take gedoen het, het ons dit uit dié boeke gedoen.
As ons deesdae enigiets wil weet, spring ons op die internet en gaan dadelik na www.google.com.
Ons vingers tik dit sonder om twee keer te dink. Enigiets wat jy wil weet, tik jy in Google in en kliek op die soekfunksie.
Só het ek my huiswerk gedoen toe ek verlede week vir my ’n nuwe TV gaan koop het. Ek het ’n paar stappe verder gegaan. Ek het my sosiale netwerke geraadpleeg.
Daar is deesdae net te veel opsies en jy moet jou “eksterne brein” inspan. Jou sosiale netwerk het ongelooflike kennis.
Ek het op Facebook en Twitter gevra dat my netwerk vir my raad moet gee. Op albei netwerke het ek raad ontvang.
Sowat 54 boodskappe tussen die twee. Elke persoon het hul opinie gegee en hul ervarings gedeel en toe ek in die winkel staan, het ek geweet watter TV ek wil hê.
In een stadium toe ek tussen twee LED-stelle moes kies, onthou ek dat my een vriend op Facebook gesê het dat ek moet seker maak van ’n paar goed en dadelik het ek geweet watter televisiestel die beter keuse sou wees.
Het ek nie my netwerk genader nie, sou ek heel moontlik die verkeerde televisie gekies het.
Só het ons ontwikkel van ’n naslaanboek tot ’n gemeenskap van kennis om te help om die regte besluit te neem. Ons leef werklik in ongelooflike tye.
Kies só wat jy wil eet
Nico Baird
HOEVEEL keer het dit al met jou gebeur dat jy by ’n nuwe restaurant kom, na die spyskaart kyk en wonder of dit wat jy gaan bestel werklik die moeite werd gaan wees? Deesdae gaan die pryse op en die porsies krimp.
Sou dinge nie makliker gewees het as daar ’n webblad of iets was waar jy kon gaan kyk na wat elke restaurant jou bied nie? Of sou dit nie wonderlik gewees het as jy op jou telefoon kon gaan kyk wat lekker is in jou omgewing nie?
Ek het reeds aan die einde van 2010 ’n wonderlike programmetjie op my telefoon afgelaai wat juis dit doen. Foodspotting (www.foodspotting.com) is ’n wonderlike nuwe webblad en ook program op die iPhone- en ook Android-telefone wat die lewe sommer lekker maak en jou die kans bied om nuwe geregte te probeer sonder om te moet raai.
Dié programmetjie (of app) is gratis om af te laai en te gebruik. Hier is wat gebeur. Almal wat dit gebruik, bou saam aan ’n wonderlike databasis van foto’s van geregte wat beskikbaar is. Jy gaan na jou gunsteling-restaurant en bestel jou gunsteling-geregte, jy neem dit af en sê wat jy daarvan dink. Dit word op die webblad gelys.
Nou kan enigiemand wat iewers iets soek om te eet op die web of op hul telefoon gaan kyk wat is lekker in die omgewing.
Sluit jou vandag aan en help bou aan die databasis. Dit is werklik pret om deel te neem en onthou, jy kan afneem en by die huis gaan oplaai as jy nie ’n telefoon het wat die programmetjie kan laat werk nie.
Gaan kyk ’n bietjie wat ek die afgelope twee maande in Bloemfontein geniet het.
HOEVEEL keer het dit al met jou gebeur dat jy by ’n nuwe restaurant kom, na die spyskaart kyk en wonder of dit wat jy gaan bestel werklik die moeite werd gaan wees? Deesdae gaan die pryse op en die porsies krimp.
Sou dinge nie makliker gewees het as daar ’n webblad of iets was waar jy kon gaan kyk na wat elke restaurant jou bied nie? Of sou dit nie wonderlik gewees het as jy op jou telefoon kon gaan kyk wat lekker is in jou omgewing nie?
Ek het reeds aan die einde van 2010 ’n wonderlike programmetjie op my telefoon afgelaai wat juis dit doen. Foodspotting (www.foodspotting.com) is ’n wonderlike nuwe webblad en ook program op die iPhone- en ook Android-telefone wat die lewe sommer lekker maak en jou die kans bied om nuwe geregte te probeer sonder om te moet raai.
Dié programmetjie (of app) is gratis om af te laai en te gebruik. Hier is wat gebeur. Almal wat dit gebruik, bou saam aan ’n wonderlike databasis van foto’s van geregte wat beskikbaar is. Jy gaan na jou gunsteling-restaurant en bestel jou gunsteling-geregte, jy neem dit af en sê wat jy daarvan dink. Dit word op die webblad gelys.
Nou kan enigiemand wat iewers iets soek om te eet op die web of op hul telefoon gaan kyk wat is lekker in die omgewing.
Sluit jou vandag aan en help bou aan die databasis. Dit is werklik pret om deel te neem en onthou, jy kan afneem en by die huis gaan oplaai as jy nie ’n telefoon het wat die programmetjie kan laat werk nie.
Gaan kyk ’n bietjie wat ek die afgelope twee maande in Bloemfontein geniet het.
CES gives a Sneak Peak
LAST week it was time for the annual Consumer Electronic Show (CES ) in Las Vegas. This show is presented to give distributers a chance to show what will be available this year and also give them a sneak peak of what is coming in the next few years.
Last year 3D televisions dominated the show and it also had a huge presence at this year's show, but this year there was a strong move towards getting rid of the glasses that you need to wear when watching a 3D TV. At the moment it is still in the beginning of being developed and it is not recommended that children under six years of age watch any of these televisions, but I am sure in two to three years we will start to see some of these televisions that are ready for consumers.
Tablet computers did not dominate as was expected, but there are loads of new innovative work being done in this field and also in the eReader field. The drive to make these devices easier to use and also cheaper is gaining traction and I believe that by December this year we will have affordable devices available in our market. Our mobile phones are also getting better and at the show there were a number of dual-core processor phones which actually now give you the processing power of your desktop computer on your cell phone. When you get to your office or home you just connect your phone to your screen and keyboard and you suddenly have a full-power computer. I followed CES online and I am still amazed at the things I have seen. We are in for an exciting time in the next two years.
Plan ahead this Christmas
CHRISTMAS is just around the corner. Maybe you are worried about the reces- sion, which is still hovering over your head. You know that you will need to buy Christmas gifts.
Early in the new year your son or daughter might be leaving to study at university or maybe they are returning to school for another year.
At this stage, careful planning could save you a whole lot of money. You will probably be asked to either buy a laptop or a computer. Or you may be told that you will have to provide internet access.
Balancing these requests during Christmas could make you the parent of the year. It could save you a lot of money in the next year.
Your budget will determine which models to buy, so I will give you some ideas.
Netbooks are great, and if you are able to afford it you can always think of buying a Samsung tablet or iPad. These new tablets are great, but in terms of functionality you will find it hard to beat a Netbook. You can install OpenOffice free of charge and it will provide you with most of the necessary tools.
The best option for connectivity at this stage is the CellC speedstick. You pay a fixed price, either per month or for the full year, and there will be no surprises. Connectivity is very important for research and for accessing class content and this is the best option available at the moment.
Lastly, shop around. There are many bargains available at the moment. You will get great deals online, so let your fingers and your feet do the walking.
Early in the new year your son or daughter might be leaving to study at university or maybe they are returning to school for another year.
At this stage, careful planning could save you a whole lot of money. You will probably be asked to either buy a laptop or a computer. Or you may be told that you will have to provide internet access.
Balancing these requests during Christmas could make you the parent of the year. It could save you a lot of money in the next year.
Your budget will determine which models to buy, so I will give you some ideas.
Netbooks are great, and if you are able to afford it you can always think of buying a Samsung tablet or iPad. These new tablets are great, but in terms of functionality you will find it hard to beat a Netbook. You can install OpenOffice free of charge and it will provide you with most of the necessary tools.
The best option for connectivity at this stage is the CellC speedstick. You pay a fixed price, either per month or for the full year, and there will be no surprises. Connectivity is very important for research and for accessing class content and this is the best option available at the moment.
Lastly, shop around. There are many bargains available at the moment. You will get great deals online, so let your fingers and your feet do the walking.
Backup your valuable data
WE have reached the end of another year and again it is time for those who budgeted well during the recession and the World Cup Tournament to go on holiday. It is however again time for me to ask you to please remember to make backups of all your valuable data before you hit the road. These days we live our lives digitally, we have all our valuable documents in digital format and all the photos we take are stored on our computers. We seldomly print our photos. While I am on the subject I have decided that it is time to print more of our memories and I am in the process of exploring photobook printing services in Bloemfontein. I will give you feedback in a future column. Back to backups. What would you save if your house was to burn down? In years gone by people used to run and fetch their photo albums. Will you now run and grab your computer? I have a better idea. First of all make backups of all your photos either on DVDs or on an external harddrive (or both). Prices are dropping and you can already get an external hard drive of about 1.5 terabyte for less than a R1 000. Prices will continue to go down, so just buy one for now. Your memories are worth so much more. A cheaper alternative is to use DVDs and they work just as well. Carbonite.com also offer unlimited backups for a year for about R500. I only recommend this if you have uncapped ADSL as it will use loads of bandwidth in a month. Do not try this on your mobile connection. Lastly remember to keep your backup far away from your main computer. Preferably at a friends house. Be safe and backup today.
