Google has announced its annual Zeitgeist, a look at 2012 through the collective eyes of the world on the web.
Topping the list for overall trending South African searches in 2012 is free classifieds site OLX.
Singer Whitney Houston, who passed away in February this year, claims second place while the dance hit Gangnam Style and athlete Caster Semenya made it to the top ten of the overall trending searches.
Here are the lists:
South Africa Overall Trending Searches
OLX
Whitney Houston
Hurricane Sandy
Gangnam Style
Olympics
Velvet Sky
Caster Semenya
Diablo 3
Khanyi Mbau
iPad 3
Khanyi Mbau somehow managed to remain relevant on a list consisting of excelling athletes such as Usain Bolt and the space skydiver Felix Baumgartner. Baumgartner is popularly known for his jump to Earth from a helium balloon in the stratosphere on 14 October 2012.
He set the altitude record for a manned balloon flight, parachute jump from the highest altitude, and greatest free fall velocity.
South Africa trending: People
Whitney Houston
Caster Semenya
Khanyi Mbau
Chad le Clos
Usain Bolt
Lance Armstrong
Felix Baumgartner
Brown Dash
April Jones
Michael Clarke Duncan
Golden boy athlete Chad le Clos came second to Semenya in the most searched sports people. Both young stars trumped disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong.
South Africa trending: Sports People
Caster semenya
Chad le Clos
Usain Bolt
Lance Armstrong
Felix Baumgartner
Corrie Sanders
Thomas Madigage
Robin van Persie
Michael Phelps
John Cena
South Africa trending: Gadgets and phones
iPad 3
Samsung Galaxy S3
Samsung Galaxy S2
iPad Mini
Nokia N9
iPhone 4S
Nokia Lumia
Blackberry 9360
Galaxy S3
Blackberry 9320
The iPad 3 is the most searched gadget with the Samsung’s galaxy s3 and s2 claiming the second and third positions respectively.
Apple and Samsung together had the most searched for gadgets for 2012.
South Africa trending: Events
Hurricane Sandy
Euro 2012
Olympics 2012
Velvet Sky
Whitney Houston funeral
Mother’s Day 2012
Paralympics 2012
American idol 2012
Wimbledon 2012
Linkin Park South Africa
Overall trending: How to…
How to kiss
How to draw
How to love
How to study
How to meditate
How to hack
How to pray
How to crochet
How to knit
How to flirt
South Africa top trending: TV series
American Idol 2012
Terra Nova
Revenge
Alcatraz
X Factor
Revenge Season 2
Homeland
Celebrity Apprentice
Survivor Samoa
Master Chef South Africa
Riaan Cruywagen’s photos made it onto the trending top ten images along with Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj and popular boy band One Direction.
South Africa trending: Images
Lady Gaga
Funny Pictures
Nicki Minaj
Wedding Dresses
Happy Birthday
One Direction
Justin Bieber
Riaan Cruywagen
Love
Selena Gomez
* What is Google’s Year-End Zeitgeist? “Zeitgeist” means “the spirit of the times.” At the end of each year, Google celebrates this spirit by revisiting the year's top searches around the world.
