Come on, lets face it: printers are not that exciting. They just sit in the corner of the room, and are expected to spit out the occasional document. Same from scanners – we use them occasionally, and then we dread having to use the software on our machines. So someone really has to bring something new to the table to make people sit up and take notice.

Lexmark‘s Genesis is one of those printers. First off – it looks different. Its big black slab, with an upright scanner on the front of the device, and a big 4 inch capacitative touch screen. It is solidly put together – none of that cheap feel I normally associated with Lexmark printers of the past. Lets first talk about the scanner. This device scans much faster than any other scanner out there, because it does not use a traditional the traditional flourescent bulb which sweeps slowly accross the page.Instead the Genesis simply has a CCD like the one in many digital cameras, and then just takes a picture of the document in perfect clarity, in all of two seconds.

In fact, the moment you put a page inside the scanner, the front screen already shows a picture of the document being “scanned”. Click the scan button on the screen, and within two seconds the page or photo appears on your desktop. This just makes me wonder – why doesnt all scanners work like this? The only drawback to the printer is that it does not have a paper feeder for scanning – you have to manually place each page on the scanbed. You can however scan multiple photos at once, using clips on the top of the scanbed, as can be seen below.

The other big feature of the Genesis is its large capacitative touch screen on the front. While many printers these days come with colour screens with which to preview images, the Lexmark is entirely touch driven. The screen can be used to quickly scan, copy or fax, which we are all used to. However – Lexmark added a feature called SmartSolutions, which enable you to download small “apps” to your printer (currently available on the high end Lexmarks). For example, you can place a page in the scanner, click on SmartSolutions, and then fire that page off to your Evernote account, just like that. It works for social networks as well – Send a memory card’s photos directly to Facebook. Scan a press release directly to Twitter. Quickly print the following week’s weather report from Accuweather. Check and print Google analytics results from your website. View photos from your Flickr account. See your Google Calendar for the day… You get the idea! Its pretty easy to add these widgets – you add it on screen on your printer, which then communicates with your PC (or Mac) and installs the app you want on the printer. Once the apps are installed, the printer does not need your PC to use the widgets.

Now you have to ask – is this really necessary in a printer? Well, it depends on who wants to use it. I think for household members who are not overly technical, this printer really does save a lot of hassle. I really like the use of the widgets – because there is very few things that frustrate me more than having to deal with scanner software. For example, I like to use the “Email to Me”  app, so pages I scan just arrive in my inbox. No messing with scanning software if I dont want to. I like that.

Oh yes – its a inkjet printer as well. And a very good one at that. Pages print quickly, and the quality is pretty great. Photo prints require inkjet photo paper, otherwise the images do appear washed out, which is a common issue with photos on inkjets. More simple graphics look stunning however, and black and white text is very crisp. It claims to print around 30 pages per minute, but I never got close to that, rather 15 ppm in “eco-mode” (but it does take around 15 seconds before it prints out that first page). The eco mode also enables duplex printing, which is handy. Now a inkjet printer is never cheap to operate, and the Genesis does not really fix that, but it can handle extra large cartridges which do lower the cost per page somewhat.

The printer has 802.11n networking built in, so setup is easy, and you can place it anywhere within your wifi’s range. It functioned well in my home environment, and I never had any software issues. Another cool feature is that you can print photos directly from your iPhone. You install the Lexmark printing app, choose the photo from your iPhone’s photo library, and it prints out. However – this is not Airprint, which I was quite disappointed by. Maybe it can be added with a firmware update, Lexmark?

Overall I was very impressed by the Lexmark Genesis. It is clearly marketed as a upmarket device, and drops the almost disposable feel of cheaper printers (the packaging with all its folders and binders, and the should be a clue already). Print and scanning performance is good for home and office environments, if you take into account the cost of inkjet printing. The standout feature however is the touch screen with the SmartSolution apps. No, I do not believe that these All-in-one devices need “apps” but it really does cut down on effort and does save time. The easy of quickly adding a document to my Evernote library is still great, and something I can really get used to.

All in all I believe that Lexmark does have a product differentiator with its SmartSolutions software, and I hope they add to as many of their printers as possible, not only the high end ones like the Genesis. I have used HP’s similiar services, but I did not find it as polished as the Lexmark software.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Pros:

• Good looks (for a printer)
• Very fast scanning
• SmartSolution apps are genuinely useful
• Good printing quality
• High perceived build quality

Cons:

• Quite large for a AIO device
• Not a cheapy
• No paper feeder for high volume scanning

Cost: $ 400, SA pricing still unavailable (will update), Warranty: 3 years

The iPhone 4 is a classy looking device – with all its steel and glass surfaces it really does feel like a high end gadget. One problem though – glass is fragile. It might be made of Gorilla Glass (on the front at least), but even scratch proof glass is no match for a few feet drop onto a hard surface. Luckily I have not experienced the spider-web like cracks on any of my phones, but I have always treated them with the necessary respect. If however you are someone who is a bit harder on your gadgets, or you work in a environment where your phone can easily be damaged, you might want to look at the Griffin Survivor case.

The specifications are impressive:

• Independently tested and certified to meet conditions outlined in US Department of Defense MIL-STD-810 and UK Department of Defense Def-Stan 00-35
• Integral Display shield deflects Wind/Rain (Test: Up to 200 mm/hr for 1 hour)
• Rigid internal frame protects from Shock/Drop (Test: Drop on flat concrete surface from 6′/1.8 m)
• Sealed ports block Blown Sand/Dust (up to 18 m/sec for 1 hour)
• Silicone cladding blocks vibration (18 hrs at 20-2000 Hz)
• Multi-position clip attaches securely to pack strap or belt

But these do not really tell the full story – Griffin decided to stress test the case on an actual iPhone, and it really does seem to live up its name. If you are someone who does not like to see gadgets abused – you might not want to see this. They really try to break the phone, and only in the end do they manage to kill it with something I am pretty sure no phone can survive:

At around $50 it is not cheap – but if you have an expensive phone and you really do go around in environments that can damage your phone, it might not be a bad investment…

Get your calendar out, get a pen, and mark the 20^th September 2011 as the day when Gears of War 3, one of this year’s biggest blockbuster titles, launches worldwide.

Gears of War 3 is the glorious conclusion to one of the most memorable sagas in video games’ history and this is a date you certainly don’t want to miss.

The story takes place eighteen months after the events of Gears of War 2 and the loss of the human stronghold of Jacinto.  Marcus, Baird, Dom and company continue their fight to save human civilization, as they battle the Locust and face new threats from within the planet throughout the campaign mode.

Here is what else you can expect from 2011’s most highly anticipated game:

• An enthralling cinematic story that captivates players in an intimately intense action game
• Five-on-five multiplayer experience as well as four player campaign co-op experience
• New Xbox Live multiplayer game modes including ‘Beast Mode’ – offering a new twist to the game where you take on the role of the locust horde and their assorted variations!
• New maps including: Trenches which features an impressive sand storm that reduces your visibility, as well as Overpass, Mercy, Checkout, and Thrashball.
• New weapons including: The Bayonet Charge, The Retro Lancer, The Sawed-off Shotgun, The OneShot – a heavy sniper rifle that shoots through shields or cover for a surprise one shot kill, The Incendiary Grenade, The Digger Launcher and a few subtle tweaks to old favourites Hammerburst and The Classic Lancer. And don’t forget that each weapon now has its own execution move!

Stay tuned for more updates, and keep your eyes peeled for more news on the Official Multiplayer Public Beta coming soon!

Follow South Africa’s local Xbox 360 Twitter page @Xbox360ZA and on the Facebook page Xbox 360 South Africa.

The South African business sector, including government, is divided into three equally-sized cloud banks: those with their head in the cloud, those planning to get their heads in the cloud, and a third group keeping their feet on terra firma.

This is according to the recent “Cloud Computing Market Dynamics in Middle East and Africa (MEA)” report, compiled by Springboard Research on behalf of Microsoft. The report found a “surprisingly high” awareness of cloud computing in the region, compared to other growth markets such as Asia Pacific.

Cloud computing is a collection of IT-enabled resources and capabilities that can be delivered via the internet or an internal network as a service.

Fully two-thirds of South African businesses are either currently using, or planning, cloud computing initiatives, according to Springboard Research lead analysts Michael Barnes and James Erickson. The cloud laggards – those companies and government entities not employing cloud services at all – are waiting for improved bandwidth and lower costs before they even consider moving into the cloud. However, the massive technology investments made before the World Cup have left the country with a fairly robust ICT infrastructure, which should act as the catalyst for increased growth within the sector.Storage is currently the most widely used cloud-based solution in South Africa, with email a close second (albeit 12% lower than the regional average). Disaster recovery is generally used by bigger enterprises, with more than 1 000 employees, rather than smaller organisations, while the telecoms / media sector, manufacturing and the public sector make most use of cloud-based email.

South African organisations are bullish on the cost savings potential of cloud. Approximately 56% of respondents view cloud computing as primarily a cost-saving initiative. Just over a third (36%) of South African respondents view cloud as a strategic investment, although Microsoft’s Desmond Nair says this figure is “increasing daily” as companies become more confident with cloud solutions.The report found that small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), particularly in the 100-299 employee range, are the most aggressive adopters, with 71% currently using or actively planning to adopt cloud-based solutions. Meanwhile, 63% of large organisations are currently using or actively planning cloud initiatives.

“One of the ‘easy wins’ of cloud computing is that that it frees up significant resources within a business’ technology infrastructure almost immediately, that can be redirected to other areas,” said Nair. “Once those savings are rolling in, though, companies start looking at ways of using the cloud to innovate around their core business processes.”Nair said that although there were significant opportunities for industries like telecoms, finance and the public sector to take advantage of the cost-saving potential and flexibility presented by the cloud, many were still in the early stages of adoption. The report suggests that public sector (81%) and telecoms/media (75%) consider cloud most relevant to their organisations.

JJ Milner, the MD of hosted infrastructure provider Global Micro, which has been providing cloud-based services to local businesses since 1999, said skills levels among service providers would be a significant factor in driving cloud adoption. “The cloud space is evolving so fast that there’s a clear gap emerging between the ‘knows’ and the ‘know-nots’,” said Milner. “Companies are being swept along by the promise of cost-savings, but the vendors that thrive in this space are going to be the ones that best understand their clients’ needs and provide the right services for their specific businesses. There’s a lot of hype out there, and it’s important that companies find a partner who knows what they’re doing.”

The report highlighted lack of knowledge and security are the primary cloud-related concerns in South Africa – but a large percentage of respondents (45%) believe that cloud computing is either more secure than, or just as secure as, on-premise solutions.

There are early cloud success stories. The local government-owned Cape Town Broadband Fibre Optic Network, which went live in May 2010 and is worth around US$17 million, is successfully linking 50 municipal buildings, giving those connected more than 1 000 times the bandwidth they had before.

In the private sector, Medi-Clinic Hospital Group’s Cloud solution is set to save the group around US$650,000 by avoiding a bandwidth upgrade for sites within their network and increase download speed by up to 80%.

Springboard sees bandwidth as an ongoing inhibitor to cloud uptake in South Africa. Many cloud applications are still too bandwidth intensive to be fully utilised by South African SMEs. They generally use a DSL connection, which gives at best a 4MB download and 640k upload speed – not enough for most cloud applications.

However, this is changing rapidly, says Microsoft’s Nair. Submarine cable projects such as SEACOM, WACS, EASSy and others will greatly improve broadband capacity and affordability, and added to ongoing telecommunications infrastructure improvements being undertaken by the likes of Ericsson, MTN, Neotel, Huawei, Cell C and others, South Africa’s capacity for working in the cloud is “improving by the day.”

The report was based on interviews with 40 small, 30 medium and 30 large enterprises in South Africa. Respondents consisted of approximately 83% IT decision-makers and 17% business decision-makers in banking / financial services, telco’s & manufacturing, oil & gas, public sector and 19% other businesses.

And I just had to add this little piece of wisdom from Dilbert. While I do believe in the opportunities that the cloud offers, it is really funny to see how many people see it as the silver bullet to fix all IT problems:

This incredible visualization was made by the folks at Google just to show how quickly Android is taking off worldwide. Look out for the little countdown timer to mark the launch of high profile Android phones:

Little sad to see SA not really featuring in the activations – just small little dots on Cape Town and Johannesburg every now and then. But seeing as Android is becoming an almost universal operating system over many different brand’s smartphones, it is only a matter of time before Africa will also feature heavily. Wonder if Blackberry and Apple did a similiar visualization – what it would look like?

Maybe the folks at ZADroid have some interesting insights?

So a few days ago we reviewed the new Navv GPS app for iPhone and we were impressed by the relatively low price, and the quality of the maps and POIs. But we were not so impressed by a few missing features… Well, good news – Navv has updated the app significantly:

• Support for Multitasking
• Retina Graphics
• iPhone native keyboard
• On device speed camera updates
• Latest NAVTEQ mapset from December 2010
• 3D rendered buildings
• Adventure Mode

So if you downloaded NAVV in the past – it is totally worth the effort to download the update.

As part of Navv’s update news we managed to get our hands on 5 copies, so we want to give this to our readers. It’s pretty easy – simply tweet the following:

RT @bandwidthblog: Win a free copy of the fully featured Navv GPS app – retweet to enter! http://bit.ly/dUk26G

Click here for a easy retweet.

Bandwidthblog will select five winners based on retweets. Winners will be announced here on Bandwidth Blog and Twitter on 25 February at 10:00 AM. Good luck!

Update: The winners of the Navv GPS South Africa app: @matrics, @pakeevy, @louisvdm, @adielslarmie and @willemlabu – Congratulations. I will be in contact with you soon…

So the latest iPhone does have a pretty remarkable camera with great detail, and also brilliant low light performance. But sometimes all that image accuracy does not quite translate into pictures with the right “feel”. Yes, you have much more control over the images by just uploading them to your PC and editing them from there, but where is the fun in that? These apps allow you to be creative with your images, and instantly share the pictures right from your phone. After all, isnt that what a smartphone is all about?

So here is BB’s list of the best camera apps you can find on iPhone right now:

Instagram: (Free)

Instagram follows pretty much the same idea as Hipstamatic (see below), its only free. However, the service is reliant on you signing up for the Instagr.am service which is not as bad as it sounds. The Instagram app comes with numerous filters which also give the same “analog” feel as Hipstamatic, only you do not pay extra for additional filters. The instagr.am web integration is actually the better part – once you sign up it checks for friends (from facebook or twitter) to see who also has instagram installed on their phones. It then creates a very cool timeline of images taken by your friends. Still one of my favourite iPhone apps.

Colorsplash: ($1)

The concept behind this app is simple – you take a colour photo, it creates a grayscale image, then you simply touch the portions of the image you want to return to colour. The effect is actually pretty great – you can accentuate certain portions of a image, which you can send off, or if you have additional image editors on your phone, edit it further.

Path: (Free)

Path follows a similiar idea to Instagr.am in that you and your friends share moments from your life with each other. Whereas an app like Facebook just allows random photo uploads, Path encourages you to tag your photos with captions, emotions, locations and other people. The interface is stunning – in fact many apps can take a few pointers from Path. You are limited to sharing with only 50 friends, making it much more personal than using something like Facebook (hands up the people who have friends on Facebook they hardly know…). Like Wired Magazine put it: “…posting on Path is not an act of broadcasting or self-promotion, but sharing a moment with someone who really knows you.”  The only issue I have with Path is that at the moment it does not look as popular as Instagr.am, so not many of my friends were using the app already.  If you want a better idea, I recommend you look at the video below.

360 Panorama: ($2)

Click the next image to enlarge:

This is one of my favourites as well. While I do not use it all the time, sometimes a certain scene simply cannot be captured with a standard photo. Using the iPhone 4′s gyro meter, Pano 360 senses your phone’s position is 3 dimensions, enabling you to stitch together images which creates large panoramic scenes. The images can then be sent in an email, or can be reopened by the app, and you can still move the phone around to get a sense of direction. While great for landscapes, it is particularly handy for anything you need to get a sense of 3D space as well – for example, property surveying. Well worth the cost.

Adobe Photoshop Express: (Free)

First off – do not let the name fool you. This is not the Photoshop you have on your PC, with its almost limitless array of intimidating functions. The app is actually super simple to use – simply snap a few images, or select an image from your Library. The interface is very intuitive – you simply select icons from the screen which give you Crop, Straighten, Rotate, Flip, Exposure, Saturation, Tint, B&W, Contrast, Sketch, Soft Focus, Sharpen, Effects (of which there are many) and different borders. Most of those options have gradial control – you simply shift your finger left and right on the screen to select how much effect on the photo you need. While this Top 5 list is primarily for the iPhone Adobe Photoshop Express is a universal app that is even better on the iPad. All that screen real estate does make for some great image editing. I highly recommend this app – in fact, its free, so its a must have…

Honourable Mention:

Hipstamatic: ($2)

Hipstamatic tries to mimic old toy cameras, and the “analog” feel of the photos do really make them look great. You can easily switch between lenses, films and flashes -which all modify the images. The app comes with quite a few of these, but the user can purchase additional “hipstapacks” – which typically includes a themed pack of a lens, film and flash. I like using this app, but the need to purchase additional effects does bother me a bit. I see the use of in-app purchases with free apps, but dont make me spend additional money on an app I already purchased…

The concept of group buying has exploded in recent years largely due to the massive growth of Groupon. Their acquisition spree has motivated entrepreneurs all over the world to try clone Groupon’s success in their local market and hope to be one of the lucky startups to exit at the hands of American players’ mammoth $1 Billion funding round.

In South Africa two local entrepreneurs have done just that – Dan and Wayne from Twangoo – by selling 100% of their company to Groupon for an undisclosed amount (our guess is around the $1 Mil mark but some sources say its x6 that amount!).

Groupon’s purchase of Twangoo was one of three acquisitions the US company concluded recently. The other two are Indian daily deal site SoSata and Israeli company Grouper. There have been reports that local media giant Naspers also wanted to acquire Twangoo but lost out to Groupon in the end.

Groupon is looking to dominate every market – even our own, by betting that group buying will be huge in South Africa even though retail coupons have never taken off like they did in America.

“Collective buying is in its infancy in India, Israel and SA but we see strong potential,” says Groupon president and chief operating officer Rob Solomon in a statement.

The Twangoo acquisition seems to be a talent grab as Groupon looks to setup sales and marketing teams in each country by acquiring clones. The technology that powers Twangoo will no longer be used and the Twangoo website is set to shut down soon. Groupon SA will operate under the ‘MyCityDeal’ brand which was another Groupon acquisition in Europe.

What does the Groupon/Twangoo acquisition mean for other players in our local (but small) market? Like Ubuntudeal, WiCount, Dealio, OneDayOnly and more niche sites like Saleswine. We suspect that most of the sites that don’t have any deals on their homepage currently won’t be around this time next year. Although, the race is not over yet – we have it on good authority that a big local media player will be entering the group buying space pretty soon.

Back to the interview -

We spoke to Twangoo founders and asked them about the Groupon deal – was it a cash and/or stock acquisition, how well Twangoo was doing before, why they don’t own groupon.co.za, what their plans are for mobile seeing as they are in a mobile dominated market and how they approached Groupon to setup the acquisition?

The term Twangoo is slang for ‘Tuangou’ the Chinese term for group buying. There is even a well established Chinese group buying site called Twangoo – twangoo.com, seems Dan and Wayne named their company after the Chinese leader? Was there anything original about their Twangoo operation? Does it matter? Say what you like – they just made a few million in under a year.

Let’s call it ‘Right place at the right time’.

Click play below.

Video edited by Le Roux and Nadine, article contribution by David.