Technology News

Price : R1,199  -  ( R1850 in Shops )

How to Buy : Go to Our Website or Contact me on 0848517229 or via  email or on Skype : lloyd.lopes

This is a new original Vodafone HSDPA 7.2MBPS modem stick. ( In original packaging )

It is unlocked , and can work with any 3G network , including MTN , Vodacom , Cell C and Virgin , and any other 3G or HSDPA network worldwide.

It comes with a Prepaid Vodacom SIM card.

Shipping is R55 overnight counter to counter , and R35 over 4 days counter to counter.

We have just received stock  of these K3520 USB Modems ( As of 09 November 2009 ).

Here are some vital stats :

• 7.2 MBPS download speed
• 384kbps upload speed
• Size: 6cm x 2cm
• Comes with Mac Drivers on CD
• Works out of the box with Windows XP , Vista and Windows 7
• Works on 32Bit and 64bit versions of the above systems – right out of the box.
• Comes with preloaded prepaid Vodacom SIM with 20MB internet – just plug in and surf!
• This is LOCAL stock – we are located in Westville, Durban , South Africa and dispatch from stock IN our shop.
• How to Buy : Contact me on 0848517229 or lloydlopes@retromod.co.za or on Skype : lloyd.lopes

How am I protected if I buy from you?

• We offer a 7 day dead on arrival guarantee.
• If you are concerned about not receiving the item via the post , then why not pick up and pay cash/EFT..? We are located in Durban and will deliver…
• If you buy directly from us and receive it via the post , then you can ONLY pay by EFT ( So scammers don’t bother OK? ). The bank ( Standard Bank in this case ) keep tabs on us , know everything about us , and provide you with protection and dispute resolution avenues if you are not satisfied.
• The modems are provided through RetroMod CC , a close corporation in SA which has assets and can be sued.
• We are pretty much ALWAYS contactable. We are happy to answer your questions BEFORE you buy ( So ASK ). Contact me on 0848517229 or lloydlopes@retromod.co.za or on Skype : lloyd.lopes
• Just an afterthought – we actually don’t want to scam you. Its not profitable for us. We want you to be 100% happy.

Some FAQ :

• What kind of warranty do I get with these modems?  :  These modems have been unlocked so you can use them with any 3G network worldwide. This is great for those who travel , or who want to change networks ( such as from MTN to Vodacom ) on a whim , but the modification voids the warranty. However , We give you a 100% refund Guarantee that the modem will work on arrival. The modem is pretty indestructible unless you wet it or burn it. I have stood on them , sat on them , dropped them and they still work ;-).
• Why are these modems cheaper than in a typical Vodacom shop? – What’s the catch?   : The  modems are about 30-40% cheaper than in the shops. Our price is reasonable , but not cheap.  We’re offering them to you at the price they should be sold at. Vodacom is way overcharging for them – and we take advantage of this by undercutting them – resulting in a win – win situation for us and for you.
• Can I Pickup the modem from you? I’m also in Durban!  : Sure – just arrange a pickup time with us ( 0848517229 ) and we’ll send someone round. No direct pickups are allowed. You are welcome to pay COD

Google Chrome was launched yesterday and I had some spare time– so I downloaded it and had a poke around.  Google claims that this browser is faster, more secure and will establish a “base” for all Internet applications to run on. The browser is open source, boasts a new JavaScript engine and many improvements to the user interface typically found on browsers such as Internet Explorer and Firefox.

Ultimately, I think Google built this browser for many of their own reasons that they do not punt in their media releases.:

• Google is drawing closer and closer to the limit of what they can do when it comes to building applications for a web browser. As applications such as Gmail , Google docs and Google apps get more and more advanced in the pursuit of competing with their desktop software counterparts, they will need a more advanced flexible framework to operate under.
• Google’s drive of “indexing the world’s information” has hit somewhat of a brick wall.  They’ve indexed just about everything except information derived from user behaviour.  One of the ways to gather information about user behaviour is to build a browser that tracks it.  Now, integrated with the other solutions that Google provides, this information can be used to produce better search results, better spam filtering and more user centric applications.
• The fact that Google did not previously own the foundation upon which its business relied was a threat to its sustainability.  Google established relations with Mozilla but this only reduced the risk marginally.  In order to secure the future of its business, Google backward integrated into the browser market.

Taking a look at the actual browser, I find that it is in fact faster — especially with any site involving JavaScript like Facebook , Youtube and others.  It has a more instantaneous feel to it, rather than the “click and load” type usually experienced by the browsers.  It has a couple of the other useful features — like a list of your most recently visited sites appearing when you open a new tab, an integrated search and URL bar , and a much more skeletonized user interface.

The content inside the browser really comes out at you, without the bulk of menus, toolbars and the like.  Like most demons bent on destruction, I actually tried to crash the browser, trip it up and slow it down. I failed miserably in this regard.  Google’s new method of running each tab as a separate process meant anything I tried resulted in a “sad face” screen appearing while the rest of the browser carried on its merry way.

I use a couple of applications where the browser automatically has to reload itself every few seconds, and certainly in IE and Firefox this created the problem where the whole browser was unusable until these processes had finished.  Now, with Google Chrome , I can carry on working in another tab with out opening a whole new browser window.

Google chrome is currently in beta, and a lot of the plug-ins that I use with Internet Explorer and Firefox are not compatible yet.  Unfortunately, plug-ins such as Roboform and the Webmaster plug-in are essential to me.  I will move over to using Google chrome completely when these applications become available.

“There’s something in the air” read the banners outside the convention
center where the Macworld Expo 2008 was to be held.

Fans of the Apple computer company were interested in what this catchphrase meant, and patiently waited for the Apple keynote speech, delivered by Steve Jobs on January 15, 2008.

When the speech began, Apple introduced the new time capsule, updates
for the Iphone and the Ipod touch, and the announcement of movie rentals
available through Itunes.

Steve left the stage after that last announcement while someone from Sony was speaking. He returned, nonchalantly, with a manilla envelope, which looked to be empty. What happened next amazed everyone!

Steve opened the envelope and pulled out some silver device! It was the
Macbook Air! This is what was in the air! Apples’s new superthin notebook, the worlds thinnest notebook computer!

This notebook model fits in between the pre-existing Macbook and Macbook
Pro lines, with the base model starting at $1999 US.
This notebook features a 13.3 inch LED backlit widescreen monitor with a
standard resolution of 1280×900, a full-size backlit keyboard and weighs
just 3 pounds.

There are two options for hard drives. First, you can get the standard
hard drive, which holds 80 gigs, which is pretty good for a computer
this thin. But in the upgraded model, you can get a 64 gig SSD or Solid
State Drive. This is a new technology that allows for more information
to be stored within a smaller area and allows your computers CPU to
access the stored information faster.

Every Macbook Air comes with 2gb of onboard RAM. This is a very high
amount for this type of notebook computer.

There are a few problems with the Macbook Air, though. It does not
include an optical drive. There are two options for this - you can either
buy an external Superdrive which apple is offering that was built
especially for the Macbook Air, or you can use Apples new sharing
feature which allows the Macbook Air to share an optical drive with a
preexisting computer.

The next problem is the processor speed. The standard model comes with
an Intel core 2 duo chip with 1.6ghz. The upgraded model comes with the
same chip, but the speed is up to 1.8 GHZ.

These are significant downgrades from the Macbook Pro and even the
standard Macbook line.
The Macbook Air supposedly has 5 hours of battery time, but you will not
be able to get that length of usage with any intense computing.
The Macbook Air uses the same OSX leopard operating system that all
other Macs use, which is the best operating system around.
There is also only 1 USB port on the side of the computer, where the
standard Macbook Pro has 3 USB and 2 Firewire. This could be seen as a
disadvantage to some.

All in all, this would be a great computer for someone who is using it
in conjunction with a pre-existing apple desktop. This is by no means a
desktop replacement. While some of the features sound exciting, this
computer is not that much of a power machine, but more of a fashion
statement.