Brought to you by: The Times Multimedia

The GRID is an extraordinary piece of technology and safety is always top of our agenda. The GRID provides you with a platform that allows you to share media and extend your social network. It is, however, a tool that needs to be used responsibly. Even if you�??re already familiar with the rules that apply to interacting in virtual spaces, keep returning to The GRIDs’ Privacy feature to ensure that you�??re applying it correctly.

How safe it is to broadcast your location?

The GRID uses triangulation also known as (GSM localization) to position users on a map, although this technology can be pretty accurate at times it is impossible for the system to pinpoint your exact GPS location, this means that the accuracy can vary from as close as 50m in some urban areas to almost 32km in rural areas, depending on network strength and availability.

Certain things should always be kept between you, your family and friends. These include your mobile number, your email address, and your residential address.

1. DO NOT provide this information on any of The GRIDs’ public platforms.
2. Your GRID contacts belong to a virtual world. We discourage you from meeting them in real life but encourage you to do so cautiously if that is what you choose. Remember, people may not be who you think they are.
3. The GRID provides approximate location information. With this in mind, make sure that strangers aren�??t able to locate and identify you through The GRID. Avoid posting public messages that provide this information.
4. Protect the rights of all GRID users by reporting abuses of the platform. Harassment and objectionable content will not be tolerated. The idea is that we all look after each other and keep the platform clean.

How is The GRID looking after users�?? privacy?

The GRID is committed to respecting the privacy of our users�?? personal data. To demonstrate their commitment, they created a Security and Privacy Statement in order to communicate our intent to provide effective processes for the appropriate handling of such private information and to comply with applicable legislation that governs the authentication, protection and disclosure of personal information.

What is The GRIDs�?? Security and Privacy Statement?

�??We will collect, store, process, transmit or otherwise handle private information only with your knowledge and consent. We do not distribute any of your personal information to third parties unless it’s required to deliver the products or services requested by you. In addition, we will not sell your personal information to third parties unless you give us your specific permission to do so. For example, we may disclose your data to a credit card company to obtain payment for a purchase you initiated. It may also be necessary to pass on your data to a supplier who will deliver the product on order. In addition, we may be obligated to disclose personal information to meet any legal or regulatory requirements of applicable laws.�??

So guys keep the content coming and remember that the GRID rewards users for good quality content, this month the person who drops the best blip will win a Nokia 6110 Navigator.

All the more reason to blip you world, one picture at a time.

To make the whole process of blipping content more enjoyable the GRID team has decided to reward users who drop interesting content to the map by throwing in a few great prizes. This months prize you may ask? A shiny new Nokia 6110 Navigator, to the user who drops the best blip.

Below you will see a few blips dropped recently on the GRID, these are great examples of quality blips. Ok thats enough of the boring details! Get blipping guys and may the best Blip win!.

The article goes on to show that by 2012 more than 100 million Europeans will be making use of such services. The most popular of such European services currently being mobile mapping services and search and navigation services. There also seems to be good growth in the use of social networking and tracking services.

Andre’ Malm an analyst from Berg Insight explains it as follows: �??All the pieces needed for successful LBS are more or less in place now. GPS is about to become a standard feature in mass-market handsets which are highly advanced and support third party applications. Many will try and a few players will most likely succeed in creating location-enabled mobile applications that will have the same impact on the mobile industry as MySpace and Facebook had on the Internet.�??

The reason for the sudden popularity of these LBS service you may ask? The answer is actually quite simple. Technology is vastly improving, newer high end handsets are becoming cheaper and more popular and finally companies are finally making services that users actually want to use.

With this in mind, the GRID team is excited to be a front runner in the South African LBS service industry, we are working very hard to make sure our location based services work on even the most basic WAP enabled handset in South Africa. We welcome all feedback regarding our product and if there are any additions or changes that you feel we should add please do not hesitate to let us know, because our product is your product! With your help we can improve The GRID for the benefit of all.

Congratulations to the following 3 Wii-ners

1. Thanyani Ramuhashi (Bloem)
2. Oddy Eghodamiem (PE)
3. Wesley Mackie (Potch)

Your Wii’s are on the way, Happy gaming guys.

In April get all your buddies to join the GRID. We are giving the GRIDSTER who gets the most friends to join during April a Nokia 6110 Navigator. Inviting buddies is simple: Go to the main menu > click on “identity” > click “refer a friend” type in your buddies number and click send. It’s really simple so give it a shot and may the best social net worker win!

As reported earlier The GRID was on location at universities throughout South Africa, during this time we ran a “get on the GRID and win” competition, students who registered on location stood the chance of winning a Wii.

The following students have been selected as the Wii-ners:

• Alex Funk of Stellenbosch (University of Stellenbosch)

• Henco of Pretoria (University of Pretoria)

• Mongezi Mahlangu of Brixton (UJ)

• Lezarie Adams of Rondebosch (UCT)

Congratulations to all the Wii-ners. We hope you enjoy your new toys.

To celebrate the launch of our new facebook application the GRID recently ran a small facebook competition. The rules where simple, add the GRID facebook app and win.

The prize you may ask, O just a few tickets to My Coke Fest 08, the response to the competition was amazing and we would like thank everyone who added the application.

The winners of the tickets where: Tasniem from Cape Town and Alan Swane of Johannesburg.

Any Bloggers, gadget guru�??s or journo’s who would like meet up with me on location should book their spot at the 27 Dinner. Space is limited so book fast.

See you guys there.

The Events feature on the GRID allows you to easily drop the location of your next event to the GRID map, you then invite all your buddies to the event, and thats it.

Events on the map are marked using a little red flag, to view any of the events on the map in your area simply click on flag.

Shortly after sending the invites, your buddies will receive notification of the invite and will be able to easily accept or decline the invite, they are also then able to view the location of the event on the interactive GRID map.

Other great features include being able to get easy driving directions to the event via facebook and for those of us who want to take the directions mobile, the directions can be SMSed directly to your mobile from within the facebook app.

Guys, the next time you plan an event why not give the GRID Events a try on facebook. Then if you have any user feedback regarding the app please feel free to drop me a line and let me know how you found using the app or how we can improve our service to you.

After many long hours of development and beta testing the GRID has just publicly launched its very own facebook application it is now available for everyone to use. Yes you heard me The GRID now has a shiny new facebook application.

The application is basically the same as the mobile and web version but it has a few nice tweaks.

A great new edition is the ability to mark events on The GRID map in facebook, making it easy for friends to find the location of your next party or event. To drop an event simply click on the GRID > “events tab” > navigate to the desired location of the event and then click the > “Add Event” tab, a form will open allowing you to enter the event details, when you are done, you can invite your contacts to the event and away you go.

To get started simply add The GRID application to your facebook account, then start sharing your location and blips with your facebook friends, its that easy.

So what are you waiting for GRIDSTERS go add this great new app today.

If you do not yet use the GRID now is a good time to join, simply fill in the easy online registration form and away you go.

PS. Don’t forget that for every buddy you refer you stand a better chance of winning.

Guys as with all internet applications this will only work if you and your buddies are online at the same time

To join us on location virtually use the following easy steps.

1. Register on the GRID - It’s FREE (you only pay data costs from your network provider) and by registering this weekend you can win a TREK Bike Worth R20 000.00
2. Once you have registered simply Login
3. Then from the main menu go to > Groups > Search Groups > Search for “Cycle Tour” and click > Join group

If you are at the event why not trek your progress or the progress of your buddies during the race or join us in a blipathon by drop as many blips as you can of the event. Our team members have already kick started the event by dropped blips of the entire route.

Looking forward to seeing you guys on location at this years Cape Argus Picknpay Cycle Tour

The mobizine or “UCT social guide” as some call it, features all the coolest social hotspots in and around the UCT campus.

This is the first of many mobizines coming your way this year from the GRID. To get you copy of the UCT mobizine SMS the word “guide” to 33313. SMS charged at 50c

Or download it free at this link: http://client.thegrid.co.za/cow/dl

As usual guys we welcome comments and suggestions about how we can improve on these apps please submit all suggestions to our forum.

The Nokia N96, N78, 6220 Classic and 6210 Navigator are amoung the great new additions to the Nokia family. Nokia plans initial roll out for the second and third quarters of 2008.
Nokia also showcased the new Nokia Maps 2.0 and their exciting new media sharing services called Ovi at the show.

Lets hope next year I can bring you live updates directly from the Mobile World Congress, this year though sadly I couldn’t make it.

Welcome to The GRID’s official Blog.

This blog will bring you the latest news from The Grid and its partners, we will also aim to keep you up to date with the latest gadget news, geek events and any other fun things we get our hands on.

Be sure to drop us a line every now and then to tell us what you would like to see on the Blog or anything else on your heart. My name is Simon, I will manage the smooth running of this Blog.

For users who are already addicted to the GRID and who want updates on the go just add the RSS reader and stay up to date.

If you have not already got The GRID > SMS �??grid�?? to 33313 to join The GRID
Then follow the easy instruction received via SMS.

If you after this you have any problems installing The GRID head over to the forum and get help fast.

Looking forward to seeing you on The GRID.

Regards

Simon