Telecoms bigwigs reveal their favourite gadgets and apps

The smartphone and tablet PC market is awash with great new devices such as the iPhone 4S, Galaxy Nexus and various new Android tablet PCs.

To find out which mobile device is the coolest is not easy, and looking at what the bigwigs in the mobile arena choose may help with this process.

The CEOs of cellular operators can get their hands on any device they want; if they are not happy with their phone they can simply change it for another one – no questions asked.

Here is what Vodacom, MTN and Cell C’s CEOs are using.

Karel Pienaar

MTN CEO Karel Pienaar makes sure he keeps abreast with the latest Apple and Android developments by using both an HTC Sensation XL and an iPhone 4S.

Pienaar’s favourite apps include FlyCasts, Zinio, Golf Shot GPS, Living Earth, Sound Hound, Puniverse, Gainfitness, Sasol ebirds, World Atlas and WhatsApp.

When it comes to PC versus Mac Pienaar is still undecided. “I use a MacBook Air for personal use and a Dell PC for work. I still can’t fully decide,” said Pienaar.

Alan Knott-Craig

Alan Knott-Craig, who will take over as Cell C CEO on 1 April 2012, currently uses an iPhone and an iPad. He also uses a Mac to complete his Apple ecosystem.

Knott-Craig’s favourite apps include News24, Zite, Google app, Goodreads, pUniverse and Soundhound.

Pieter Uys

Vodacom CEO Pieter Uys is currently using a Galaxy Note as both a tablet PC and a smartphone.

Uys’ favourite apps include the magazine platform Zinio and Twitter.

Uys is however not completely Apple free, and is using a Macbook Air for his computing purposes.

Jannie van Zyl

Former iBurst CEO and Vodacom exec Jannie van Zyl is playing it safe by using all three major smartphone brands.

“I currently use an iPhone 4, a Samsung Galaxy Nexus running ICS and a Blackberry 9860, all full-touch devices. I don’t think I’ll be able to type on those puny qwerty keyboards any more,” said Van Zyl.

“A full screen also gives the most real estate to work on with no space being wasted by a keyboard. Really love the Nexus’ form factor.”

When it comes to tablet PCs van Zyl is still rocking with his iPad 1. “I got my iPad 1 the day it launched in the US and it is still going strong. It has become such a powerful tool, I don’t use a laptop any more,” he said.

Van Zyl’s favourite apps include Zinio, Facebook, Twitter, Flipboard, Air video and Calorie Counter.

Van Zyl prefers Windows to Mac. “While the Apple Eco-system is above anything else in the category, I still love to fiddle too much to run a Mac. Come to think about it, I’ve got a MacBook somewhere,” jokes Van Zyl.

PC versus Mac

Local telecommunications and Internet Service Provider (ISP) executives are typically knowledgeable on all issues relating to technology and gadgets.

Their choice of computer platform and smartphone brand may therefore be used as sound advice to follow when forking out money for a new laptop or mobile phone.

Be warned – their opinions are diverse and even unconventional.

Roelf Diedericks

Neology CTO Roelf Diedericks said that since he “despises the ‘Church of the New Monopolistic Apple’, you can be sure that it’s a PC”.

“I like choice. Apple makes it their business to remove people’s choice,” said Diedericks.

When it comes to mobile phones, Diedericks is definitely not a smartphone enthusiast. “Smartphones are a misnomer. Tablets or laptops should be smart. Phones should be dumb. And have phenomenal battery life. That is all.”

Diedericks currently uses a Nokia E6. “With my previous crap-smart-phone I couldn’t last a day without a charge. Thus far with the E6 I can go for a week without a charge. Maybe more!”

Cybersmart MD Laurie Fialkov shares Diedericks’ view on smartphones. “I don’t use a smartphone. I don’t even use a phone with colour. I use the R189 phone that has a torch, which is the most important thing that you can have on a phone,” said Fialkov.

“I use my phone to make and receive calls and my computer to do computer stuff. I can’t abide touch screen phones – you drop it and there is R4,000 down the toilet. Also my fingers are too fat to type on a touch screen or smartphone keyboard,” said the Cybersmart MD.

Fialkov uses a Mac Mini for his computing purposes, but is certainly not an Apple fanboy. “I am pretty much operating system agnostic. The Mac Mini was the best value equipment at the time. My next machine will probably run Windows though,” she said.

From Diedericks and Fialkov’s feedback you may get the impression that telecoms and ISP big-wigs are techies who have little respect for smartphones or Apple and its shiny toys.

You would, however, be wrong.

Rudi Jansen - MWEB CEO

MWEB CEO Rudi Jansen is a huge Apple fan. When asked whether he prefers a PC or Mac, Rudi’s answer was simple: “There is no question. It is a Mac. I just love how all the Apple products integrate seamlessly”.

“I am a huge Apple iPhone supporter and have an iPhone 4. I have not upgraded to an iPhone 4S, but will rather wait for the iPhone 5 to arrive. My wife always complains I am married to my phone,” said Jansen.

ARC Telecoms’ CEO Steve Briggs shares Jansen’s love for Apple, and uses an iPhone 4 and an Apple Mac as a computer.

Derek Wilcocks

Internet Solutions MD Derek Wilcocks uses a BlackBerry Curve smartphone, and does not have a particular preference when it comes to computing platforms. Wilcocks said he uses a PC at work and an Apple Mac at home.

Wilcocks did however have an interesting story from his early days at Internet Solutions.

“In 1995, when I first joined Internet Solutions, I decided that the company would migrate to Mac. At the time Apple was headed for a rough patch, so the technology we acquired was not well supported at the time.”

“We really battled to make these computers work for us. That lesson has stuck with me and has made me more cautious about the technology I buy and how well it is supported,” said Wilcocks.

Douglas Reed

Vox Telecom CEO Douglas Reed also uses a BlackBerry smartphone, and like Wilcocks uses a PC at work and a Mac at home.