Internet on your TV from Vodacom and MTN

[MrG]

I remember having this sorta thing in 1996 already. Good stuff.

 

[Polymathic]

I'd say a smartbook is way better option
Edit: Android Smartbook that is

 

[saffakanera]

Yep, not for youtube... great for reading the news, checking your gmail...
If you want more, you spend more...

:getout:

 

[GforceD]

Wrong.

Tech that nobody but encryptedbread wants.

Most South Africans would rather use their phone.

This is actually what it is,its basically a phone with tv out.

 

[BBSA]

Guys...dont forget this product is not really aimed at people like me and you. It will be aimed mostly at the lower end of the market. Poeple that cant afford a laptop or PC, but who happens to havea TV already.

.... and who can afford Vodacom data rates, where do you get these people?

 

[RichardG]

MTN

cheap alternative with which to use the Internet and browse the web.

VODACOM

affordable and easy Internet access using the customer’s existing television set

Please tell me what affordable internet should cost in South Africa?

Like seriously 100 meg of data ain't nothing I use that daily for browsing websites only.

Seriously to be honest I wouldn't even use this product 100 meg of data, I will stick with my BlackBerry for R59 per month(thank you) I don't have to worry about checking my data allocation and say should I visit myadsl today or should I visit another news organization.

 

[LazyLion]

Or you could just buy an HDMI switch and plug your TV directly into you computer or laptop.

 

[Beri]

go for it vodacom .... screw the poor a little more for their hard earn money. You are screwing the prapaid poor already.
I think there is a place in hell for you......
Dad we need the internet for my school work please. Sorry son no computer..... no dad vodascum will help us with everything for less that R800. then they screw us with R289 a gig

 

[Polymathic]

Or you could just buy an HDMI switch and plug your TV directly into you computer or laptop.

You totally missing the point of these devices

 

[homeboy]

just an idea why don`t dstv provide internet access and iclude it in your subcription, access email via your dish. or does icassa have say in that as well

 

[LazyLion]

You totally missing the point of these devices

Which is?

 

[BBSA]

Or you could just buy an HDMI switch and plug your TV directly into you computer or laptop.

It is for people who do not have a computer or laptop but can afford VC high data cost

 

[drukkie]

i've been doing that for years now....get a cheap mini pc and hook it up...
youtube now has playlist which is great for parties...music videos etc...
wireless mouse and keyboard and you are set...

 

[Gmac270]

The point of these devices is to offer the poorest of the poor access to the internet. There are problems, in that for around R1500, or double the price, you can get an old Pentium IV or Core 2 Duo, which to be honest is pretty good at surfing the internet and doing anything that is not aimed at playing the latest games. A cheap second hand computer will provide a general computing experience and do more for the poor bloke than a R800 device aimed at browsing the internet with limited capability.

Or they could make use of an embedded system, something with a VIA chipset or similar, that occupies a small form factor and runs the Linux operating system, a good example would be Android. This would provide a polished user interface and give a better computing experience on the TV although it would probably cost a little more.

Multichoice had something similar a few years back where those of us who owned satellite dishes could make use of the built in modem in the decoder to connect to the internet and send emails.

This device is nothing but empty promises that are going to cost the poor uninformed bloke in the street a fortune.

 

[Aztech]

So we'll be able to watch YouTube on our TVs? Won't that create some sort of quantum paradox thingy?

Between this and the LHC I expect nothing but trouble.

The offer includes a 2GB SD Card, a Prepaid SIM card and 100MB of data valid for the 3 months.

Three months?! 100MB isn't going to last three days, even using Opera.

I see the attraction of the device in markets that don't have decent fixed line internet access, but at the exorbitant data rates in SA it's a non-starter.

 

[LazyLion]

It is for people who do not have a computer or laptop but can afford VC high data cost

That's what I thought!

You can buy an entry level Celeron computer for R1600... and then use your cellphone connection for internet.

Over ten months you would have saved enough money to justify the cost of the computer.

 

[Sodan]

It is for people who do not have a computer or laptop but can afford VC high data cost

+1

And yet, with enough fart-marketing, people will actually by this product.

 

[farimir]

Of course you're going to find it boring when you have a couch, a TV, a smart-phone, an iPAD and a laptop and you can lie in front of the TV playing on your laptop / iPAD / smart-phone.

Ever crossed your mind you're not describing the vast majority of the population?

Try not be so narrow minded.

With all due respect, the majority of the population cannot afford Vodacom's ridiculous data pricing. PC hardware has become cheap enough for most people to afford (even if you have to buy secondhand), but the problem is monthly subscription and data fees. The majority of the population might just by accident spend their entire monthly salary by playing a few youtube videos.

 

[TwoCents1000]

With all due respect, the majority of the population cannot afford Vodacom's ridiculous data pricing. PC hardware has become cheap enough for most people to afford (even if you have to buy secondhand), but the problem is monthly subscription and data fees. The majority of the population might just by accident spend their entire monthly salary by playing a few youtube videos.

I did not say the data costs are not substantial.

I said it is narrow minded to think the 40 million+ people living in this country all have the luxuries people on this forum take for granted. And then scoff at some attempt to give access to information to these people.

You might have the ability to afford, maintain and power a PC. The vast majority of South African citizens don't.

How many young kids out there would love to get access to Wikipedia for a school project or just learn about the wider world? How many (disadvantaged) parents would love to afford their children the opportunity?

But they're most likely not educated themselves and live in a community where IT support is not available. And you expect them to maintain a PC?

Just because you might be a spoilt rich kid with access to all the toys you want, does not make a product that can teach a rural 7-year old about Madiba or the planets 'boring'.

And, by the way, go read up about pre-paid, to answer your last, and as narrow-minded, statement.

 

[AdriaanZA]

Yah it's so sad how certain people on the more prosperous end of the inequality fence think this is purely targeted at them.

I remember seeing satellite dishes on the sides of small houses in Soweto, just reiterating how TV is a great form of communication for many in this country. Hardware aside, I think it'd be great if this can move in the direction of the BlackBerry Internet service, allowing for more affordable bandwidth - especially for services like Wikipedia.

Imagine a young kid seeing something on TV that interests him. However, he gets limited info on that topic. It'd be great if all of a sudden he can use that same TV, with a device like this, find out almost all there is to know about that. Education through the internet really has the power to turn this country around in a very positive way, starting at the new generation, so hopefully this will be a success.