We have already started working on a couple of projects, and a couple of weeks ago were approached by Seth & the guys from 2oceansVibe radio to develop the 2oceansVibe iPhone app (iTunes link) for the online radio station. The app is still pretty simple in terms on functionality but it does allow you to listen to the awesome 2oceansVibe radio stream on your iPhone. The app supports background audio, which means you can use your phone & other apps while the stream is running in the background. There were still be loads more development around this app with some exciting things to come in the future. Check out the post on 2oceansVibe.com about the app

Welcome to the 2oceansvibe Media app!
Please feel free to download and tune in to the irreverent yet relevant sounds of 2oceansvibe Radio – South Africa’s first mainstream online radio station – broadcasting live from our studios in the Cape quarter Lifestyle Village, Cape Town!
Look out for updates as we turn this app into something even more life changing than it already is!

There is also a new logo on the way, which should be here within the next week or so. But I also want to hear your opinion on how I can make the site better, and improve it to be the number 1 resource for all things iPhone in South Africa.

To celebrate the new look, I have 2 $10 iTunes store vouchers to give away for anyone that leaves a comment using the form below.The vouchers can be used in the US iTunes store to buy apps or music.

Winners will be chosen randomly, using random.org, and Winners need to ensure they have a US iTunes account. Competition will close at 8am on Wed 28 July

Congrats to @Vincenthofmann and @martinvstraaten for being the lucky 2 to win the iTunes Voucher…Thanks to everyone who entered !!

Well, today is a pretty exciting day, because I can finally let the cat out of the bag, and reveal, a project I have been working on for the last couple of months. Introducing the SA Lotto App iPhone app (iTunes Link).

Over the last couple of months I have been working with a chap down in Cape Town called Juliaan Evenwel on this app, and today it was (finally) approved by Apple. Juliaan did most of the iPhone groundwork, and designed the app, while I gave input on the functionality and design aspect of the app. Big Big thanks go to Juliaan on the work he has put into this app. He has spent hours and hours on this project. Respect

The app will show all the latest results from the South African lottery, as well a couple of cool features such as a random Quick Pick generator. Another funky feature is the ability to choose your own numbers which the app will then match up to the drawn ones, and show you if you have won.

This is the app store description we have set:

SA Lotto App offers you the most comprehensive iPhone South African Lotto App

Features of the app include:
* Simple and intuitive user interface
* Instant results from Lotto, Lotto Plus & Powerball draws as soon as they are made available.
* Full prize division payouts for Lotto, Lotto Plus & Powerball.
* Full draw information including machine used as well as draw number etc.
* Quick pick numbers with hot & cold indicators as well as number appearances.
* Pick your own numbers to match up to winning numbers to see if you have won.

* This App Requires a working internet connection (WiFi or 3G) to download the latest results and statistics.

To see more info about SA Lotto App, head on over http://www.salottoapp.com or download it from the app store at – http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sa-lotto/id378928613?mt=8

I would love to hear feedback and comments on the app and if you have any suggestions on how we can change the app, we would really appreciate it. This is just the start of a couple of what is destined to become a really great South African iPhone app.

The game, which is based on a favorite childhood game called “Dots & Boxes”. Remember ? That game you used to play against your sibling where you had to draw a line between the dots to make a square and the person with the most squares wins ? Yip, thats the one. Except, the team that developed the app, have made it look really really cool, and totally addictive. So much so, that my 5 year old and I are jostling for iPhone supremecy on “Hemmed in”. Ever had a 5 year old beat you at a game you used to be a master of when you were 5 ? Eish….

To get an idea of what the game is all about, check out the video below:

The game also has a couple of challenging levels which make it a bit more tough to beat the computer. The awesome thing about the game though, for me, is the ability to play against another hemmed in player, using the built in 2 player mode, using Bluetooth.

Here is the info on the app from the app store:

A fun game of strategy, Hemmed In is all about taking turns to join the buttons and beat your opponent by closing a square before they can cotton on!

‘Hem in’ a square to win a point, with the winner being the player with the most points once the entire grid has been filled.

This puzzle game is the perfect time killer while you’re waiting for the train, sitting on a plane or when you just need to zone out. For a low price you’ll have loads of fun stitching up your opponent in Hemmed In.

Hemmed In is based on a the classical puzzle game most commonly known as Dots and Boxes. This pencil and paper game was first published in 1889 by Édouard Lucas and is also known as:
- Dots
- Smart Dots
- Boxes
- Squares
- Carrie’s Dots
- Dots and Dashes
- Paddocks
- Dot Boxing

All in all, the game is very very cool, and I can see myself and my 5 year old spending many many hours in front of the iPhone fighting this one out

For more info, check out the official Hemmed in app site – http://hemmedinapp.com. If you would like to win a copy of “Hemmed in”, simply retweet this post using the retweet button on the top right hand side of this post, and by 8pm today (Tuesday), I will do a random draw for 4 peeps to win a promo code (US store only !!)

The app is pretty basic in functionality, but is a real mind boggler when trying to catch out your mates. When the app opens up, you choose (think of) a number from a sheet of numbers. Using a couple of Yes & No questions, the app will eventually tell you which number you picked. Very clever

I also have 5 promo codes to give away for you to give the app a bash. To win a promo code, retweet this post using the Retweet button on the side of the post, or just leave a comment below. I will choose a winner using Randomize.org. Competition closes on Friday 2nd April at 12pm.

Also keep your eyes peeled for the new app that Juliaan is working on. I have been helping a bit on the side, and I can promise you it is going to be a cracker

The app, which covers all the news from the Supersport site, also includes a very cool “Live Scores” feature, which allows you to follow all the latest scores from various sport games happening live around the world. This is very cool for cricket or rugby games, where you would like a quick peek at the score while on the go. I used it over the weekend to catch up on the latest soccer scores while I was out at a friends house.

The app also allows you to choice a specific sport category, and lets you see the news related to that sport. This means, if you would like to see news on just Formula 1 racing, you can do so, by choosing the F1 category.

All in all, the app is a must have for sports fanatics, and is Free on the iTunes Store

From their site:

This iGumtree App is a FREE iPhone App that gives you access to the hundreds of thousands of classifieds ads posted on the Gumtree websites around the world. In addition to browsing and searching Gumtree ads, you can post an ad to Gumtree direct from your iPhone for FREE! The iGumtree iPhone App brings everything that is great about the Gumtree classifieds websites direct to your iPhone!

With the iGumtree iPhone App you can …
Search, browse and contact a Gumtree advertiser:
- perform simple keyword searches, price range searches or category searches
- browse any of the stuff for sale, rentals, shared accommodation, jobs, pets, cars, community or other     categories
- view search results in a list format, on a Google map or in cover flow format
- view ad details and ad photos
- contact the poster via the built in contact form, or call the poster directly from your iPhone
- have Google driving directions from your current location to the ad’s address emailed to you
- have favourite ads emailed to your friends

Post your own ad on Gumtree for FREE:
- use the iPhone camera or built-in picture library to ad photos to your ad
- post your ad straight from your iPhone
Check out the information page in the iGumtree App for more details on iGumtree’s features

The app is only available in the South African app store, and not in the US store. I am not 100% sure who developed this app, but think it may be an international company as the app is generic and can be used for different Gumtree sites.

The app can be downloaded from the app store here

South Africa had to wait a bit for their mapsets to appear on the app store, but eventually they arrived with Navigon making its entrance first. TomTom was available sneaky sneaky, but has since made it debut in the app store. Finally NDrive, a relatively unknown GPS provider also came onto the scene with their app. So far NDrive seems to be the most popular in terms of reviews from users on the South African app store, because both Navigon & TomTom mapsets in the app are hugely outdated. With road name changes taking place in South Africa daily, and all the road upgrades & changes being made for next years World Cup, the mapsets need to be fully up to date and upgraded regularly.

I thought I would take a quick look at the 3 apps on offer as well as provide some links to the reviews to see what the people are saying. Most of the reviews I have found have been on the South African app store.

Mobile Navigator Southern Africa (Opens iTunes)

Price: $99.99 (±R770)

Size: 128MB

Mapset: Navteq

iTunes Rating: 3.5 stars – Comments Link

Comments: Reading through most of the reviews online people are really upset by the fact on how outdated the maps are, and how slow the app is. The mapset seems to be from around 2007, which doesn’t really cut it given the changes to the roads since then. This is the most expensive app out of the lot, and has received a number of 1 star reviews in the app store.

Tom Tom Southern Africa (Opens iTunes)

Price: $79.99 (±R620)

Size: 140MB

Mapset: TomTom Mapset

iTunes Rating: 3.5 – Comments Link

Comments: Again, reading through the comments the maps seem very out of date. I have seen a version of this app on a mates phone, and being TomTom fan, I wasn’t hugely impressed. The app seems really slow and “clunky”. I expected a bit more out the TomTom app given the hype that surrounded it at WWDC. Hopefully they can redeem themselves by bringing out an update to see the new road changes in South Africa. Out of the 3, it also looks the most “basic” to me.

NDrive South Africa (Opens iTunes)

Price: $69.99 (±R540)

Size: 144 MB

Mapset: Mapit (Q3 2009)

iTunes Rating: 4.5 – Comments Link

Comments: Judging by the comments on the review in the app store, it would seem that this is the best GPS navigational app in South Africa so far. The fact that they are using a local company for the mapset, Mapit, and it is the latest version, says something about the app. It is also the cheapest of the 3. I also saw a really cool option in the screenshots that allows you to see some of the buildings in 3D. It also has a built in Adventure mode, which allows you to use it while walking or geocaching.

By the looks of things NDrive takes the cake with this one, but I am really hoping that TomTom & Navigon comes to the party and updates the mapsets. We have fantastic mapping companies in South Africa, and they should be using them. I still wonder why the likes of Garmin haven’t come to the party. Added to the fact that there is talk of the Google Maps app becoming a fully fledged navigational app, it is sure going to be an interesting few months ahead.

Cross posted on http://www.marcforrest.com

I have been using this app for the last couple of months, and I can honestly say this is by far one of the best apps to come out of South Africa yet. The information is pretty much real time, and allows you to import your full share portfolio from a number of sites, such as Fin24.com or Sharenet.

Portfoolio tracks equities, indicies, unit trusts and Single Stock futures. You can also take a quick glance at a ticker which shows the current price of the shares in your portfolio, which shows you a red or a green figure depending on the movement of the stock.

The app also has a feed for SENS news alerts, as well as real time push notifications should your share drop below a specified percentage, as well as push notifications for the SENS alerts.

You can download Portfoolio from the app store here -> http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=333260218&mt=8

NAVIGON AG, Europe’s fastest growing GPS brand, today announced the availability of a South African version of its on-board navigation software in the iPhone App Store. The MobileNavigator transforms the iPhone into a complete navigation device with turn-by-turn voice directions and unique features such as adjustable audio-visual speed warnings, branded point of interest icons along the route, direct navigation to contacts saved in the address book, full integration of the iPod control and much more.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, 28 September 2009 — NAVIGON is a world-leading manufacturer of navigation solutions and the first top-tier provider to launch an iPhone navigation app for South Africa. The Germany-based company is a navigation expert across all platforms standing for high-quality GPS navigation on pocket PCs, PNDs and mobile phones. NAVIGON’s iPhone solution has already been extremely successful in Europe, North America and Australia. It quickly reached top positions in the local App Stores. The software features a very easy to use interface that is seamlessly integrated into the overall iPhone experience. It is packed with NAVIGON’s hallmark navigation features such as Speed Assistant providing audio warnings when exceeding speed limits to an adjustable degree, a handy Take Me Home button and sophisticated and elegant map views including branded POIs along the route. Taking advantage of the iPhone’s own functionalities, the app even allows navigating to contacts saved on the phone’s address book, to directly call the number of a point of interest such as a hotel or restaurant, share a location or destination with friends via email or listen to music from the iPod while navigating.

The MobileNavigator transforms any iPhone 3G, equipped with at least Apple OS 3.0 operating system, or iPhone 3G S into a complete navigation device. After downloading the GPS application, the software and map data is saved directly on the device. This means that users don’t have to pay subscription fees or wait for map downloads during the navigation.

“By making the MobileNavigator for the iPhone available for users in South Africa, we are taking another step towards the future market of GPS navigation on mobile phones,” said Gerhard Mayr, Vice President World-Wide Mobile Phone & New Markets of NAVIGON AG. “The combination of NAVIGON’s signature navigation features with typical functions from the iPhone creates an integrated and unique experience.”

The NAVIGON solution sells for $99.99 and is equipped with maps of South Africa from NAVTEQ. It will be available for a promotional price of $74.99 until October 15.

Key features of the NAVIGON MobileNavigator for the iPhone:

• Speed Assistant with adjustable audio-visual warning.
• Direct Access allows navigation to contacts saved in the iPhone’s address book.
• Location Sharing. This feature makes it easier to meet-up with friends and acquaintances. Users can share their own location, an address or a point of interest such as a restaurant or museum with other people via email.
• Route Planning. NAVIGON’s route planning function enables users to plan a route with different destinations ahead of a trip.
• Call POI’s. The call POI function allows to directly call the number of a POI such as a restaurant or hotel by simply clicking on the number.
• Seamless integration of the iPod control. Users can access the iPod functions while navigating. During voice announcements, the volume of the music smoothly fades out.
• Automatic Day and Night Mode. Depending on the time and location, the map colors change for optimal display visibility at all times.
• Branded POIs and POIs along the route
• Take Me Home Button
• 2D and 3D map view.
• Automatic switch between portrait and landscape format.
• Intelligent address entry.
• Real signpost display.

For more information and FAQs, please visit: www.navigon.com/iphone.

You will also find NAVIGON on the following platforms:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/NAVIGON_.
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/NAVIGONcom
Facebook: http://facebook.twi.bz/Ob