Toby Shapshak

If you’re looking for that feature in Microsoft Word or Excel and you can’t remember where you originally found it, you’re not alone. About 80% of feature requests from users already exist in Office, says Cyril Belikoff, information worker business group manager for Microsoft South Africa.

Eric van Zyl is finally happy with the service from his cellphone provider. He was the first subscriber to switch from his old network to South Africa’s newest operator, Virgin Mobile, taking advantage of the long-awaited mobile number portability (MNP).

Why pay for an expensive productivity package like Office when you can use one for free, online, from any ­computer? Google is hoping that millions of web users are thinking this — and has begun offering just that.

A little more than a year ago cellphone banking was a fad for those who could tell the difference between WAP, WIG and USSD. Now on the brink of mass market uptake, cellphone banking is expected to bring in R650-million in transactions over December for the big four banks.

It’s an old tune that has been playing in South Africa for years — unless we get viable and cheap broadband the country will be left behind. The digital divide may separate those with a computer or internet access from those without but the broadband divide carves what few million internet users South Africa has from the rest of the online world.

Three times a week, Brian Ibbott sits in his converted basement in his Denver house and plays his favourite cover songs. He explains their origins, reveals little-known musical trivia and indulges in the light banter of a polished radio host. Then he quietly posts these half-hour radio shows online and 40 000 listeners download them and listen either on their computers or iPods.