The Bandjoun nomad

The biggest air show in Africa came to us via Africa Air Defence Show. The year 2012 was meant to be a year of the skies. Being a biannual event, the AAD always attracts the best in aerospace within and outside South Africa. Although I'm really big on aerospace (so I think), I must confess that this was my first AAD air show. Being at the event I was quite ashamed that I hadn't attended more often when I had the chance. Anyway, when I was working at ATE , this show was always is Cape Town and most of us got the feeling that it was more of a business transaction than a day of entertainment. I'm so glad the latter is true. Going there both on a Saturday with Phenyo  and Sunday with my wife Lerato , it was a day to be remembered. We were close to 50000 people spread out across the sizzling hot Waterkloof Air base and yet to couldn't help feel this buzz of excitement from the little babinos in prams to the pensioners murmuring about the WWII days. For me the best part...

Bad move Apple: ditching Google Maps is a huge mistake for consumers : When two partners in business slowly make the transition to rival companies, there are bound to be some casualties. Apple and Google are perfect examples of this. As each company tries to find their happy medium of involvement with each other, services are going to be killed, support squashed and new alliances formed. Consumers should never be at a disadvantage because of it, but that’s exactly what has happened with Apple introducing their own mapping service instead of sticking with Google’s. Fans of Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android often find themselves in heated debates on just about any difference you can come up with between the two platforms. Discussing mobile policy and how it affects the future of technology is healthy. Especially when both sides can respect each other. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work like that. One of the oldest arguments between Android and iOS fans boils down to the specs and se...

A Secret Faith is a Shallow Faith : "Jesus asked him, 'What do you want me to do for you?' The blind man answered, 'Teacher, I want to see.'" (Mark 10:51 NCV) Go public with your goals in life! Announce your intention, the change you want to make in your life, what you're asking God to do. Clarify what you really want, and then state it publicly. You need to tell everybody, because a secret faith is a shallow faith. Mark 10:51 says, "Jesus asked him [Bartimaeus] 'What do you want me to do for you?' The blind man answered, 'Teacher, I want to see'" (NCV). Question: Why in the world did Jesus ask this? He walks over to a blind beggar who's sitting on the ground by the road and asks, "What would you like me to do for you?" Didn't he already know what the guy needed? Couldn't he read his mind? Didn't he know what the guy's problem was? Absolutely. So why in the world would Jesus look at him and say, ...

Gameloft teases Real Soccer 2013 in new video : Gameloft is at it again today teasing one of their most successful games for mobile devices. We all know it as Real Soccer 2013 but for the rest of the world this is Real Football. Today Gameloft has released some teaser images as well as a behind the scenes video of their 10th iteration of the popular game. Those Soccer fans will want to take a peek below. And yes, it’s Soccer! Real Soccer 2013 looks to be their best yet as they are claiming it to be the most immersive Soccer experience yet. I’ve always been a fan of the Real Soccer franchise and can’t wait to give the latest and greatest a try. The graphics look great but I’ll let you see for yourself. The Gameloft crew even went to Madrid to learn from the pros themselves with this latest version of the game, and hopes to take it to new heights. With stunning new graphics, improved visuals and lifelike physics this looks to be quite a fun gaming experience. Gameloft has even ...

Up, up and away: Gamera II team takes human-powered helicopter to new heights : The Gamera II team at the A. James Clark School of Engineering has certainly been keeping officials at the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) very busy this year. Kyle Gluesenkamp from the school's mechanical engineering department pedaled and cranked his way into the record books in June with a new official national record for human-powered helicopter flight with a time of 49.9 seconds, and now that too has been smashed. A new venue, and some vital modifications to the huge craft has resulted in the magic Sikorsky Prize 60-second barrier being surpassed for the very first time. Not only that, but Gamera II has also been taken up beyond eight feet before a serious crash landing put a stop to more record attempts... Continue Reading Up, up and away: Gamera II team takes human-powered helicopter to new heights Section: Aero Gizmo Tags: Helicopters , Human-Powered-Flight , Pedal-powered , Sikor...

World record quadrocopter swarm puts on impressive light show : Many see small quadrocopters as the future of surveillance, aerial photography, warfare and even construction , but a new demonstration involving a world record-setting swarm of 50 quadrocopters has shown the aircraft can also pull off some pretty impressive dance moves. .. Continue Reading World record quadrocopter swarm puts on impressive light show Section: Aero Gizmo Tags: Aircraft , Flight , Quadrocopter , UAV Related Articles: New 3D sensor should help UAVs avoid fender-benders Video update: Flying robots build a 6-meter tower Boeing demonstrates swarm technology Flying robots to build a 6-meter tower Quadrotors perform James Bond theme UPenn's GRASP lab unleashes a swarm of Nano Quadrotors