DStv Now for Xbox and Hisense
Usage of DStv Now, the online DStv service available free to DStv customers, is increasing rapidly with more than two million plays of live and Catch Up content per week. In addition to using DStv Now to watch TV on tablets and smartphones, an increasing number of DStv customers are also opting to use it as their primary method of getting DStv on additional TVs in the house. This is set to increase with the release of two new big-screen TV apps, one for Xbox gaming consoles (Xbox One, Xbox One S, Xbox One X) and another for Hisense smart TVs (2018 and newer models).
Expect to pay: A free download.
Platform: Any of the Xbox One range of gaming consoles and 2018 or later Hisense smart TVs.
Stockists: Visit the store linked to your Xbox console or HiSense smart TV.
Santam Safety Ideas
Start-up businesses that have a FinTech or InsurTech business venture brewing are called to enter the third annual Santam Safety Ideas competition. Safety solutions or InsurTech ventures that are ready for piloting could win up to R150 000 worth of incubation support and R200 000 in seed funding.
The Safety Ideas competition was launched two years ago in partnership with LaunchLab, Stellenbosch University’s startup incubator that facilitates valuable connections for corporates and startups sourced from the startup ecosystem and partner universities in South Africa. The previous winners are Herman Bester and Anton Swanevelder, co-founders of MyLifeLine – a wearable panic device that won the competition last year; and Ntsako Mgiba and Ntandoyenkosi Shezi, co-founders of Jonga – a cost-effective security system for low income families, which won the competition in 2017.
Entries close on 28 February 2019. For more information on how to enter, visit: www.santam.co.za/safetyideas/
Click here to read about the FNB Snapchat lens, Spotify Free with data saver, and 00:37.
FNB with Snapchat lens
FNB has become the first bank in South Africa to use Snapchat lens, and the first financial institution to use Snapchat filters, as an interactive social media experience to drive brand engagement among young users.
The use of Snapchat lens is designed to make paying through Snapchat easier, as users simply have to take a selfie and can then apply a filter to authorise the app to make the payment at the point of sale.
FNB believes the introduction of technology like Snapchat lens shows its loyalty to its customers and that it is continually at the forefront of technology.
Platform: Android and iOS
Expect to pay: A free download
Stockists: Visit the store linked to your device.
Spotify Free with data saver
Spotify Free with data saver mode offers automatic bitrate streaming at 24kbps – perfect for when a user’s data is running low. Although this is a lot slower than other streaming services, users can listen to music for free for as long as they want – or until their data runs out. Unfortunately, though, when in Data Saver mode, the user is inundated with adverts.
Should they want to get rid of the adverts, they would need to upgrade to the premium version, which costs R59.99 per month.
Platform: Android and iOS
Expect to pay: A free download.
Stockists: Visit the store linked to your device.
00:37
It is January and just about everyone’s New Year’s resolution is to lose weight or get into shape. Many will be buying new gadgets and downloading apps to reach their desired fitness goal, but a simple app like 00:37 gets the job done efficiently and easily. The app acts as a basic timer for fitness activities, allowing the user to set the amount of time they want to dedicate for each exercise, as well as how many sets they want. It is one of the few fitness apps that lets one simply indicate how many times an exercise is to be performed. While the app itself doesn’t have exercise activities built into it, this is ideal if one already have an idea of the exercise one wants to do and want an app with a basic and uncluttered user interface to help reach the goal.
Platform: Android
Expect to pay: A free download
Stockists: Visit the Google Play Store.
Sean Bacher is a freelance technology writer. For more reviews and interviews, follow him on Twitter on @SeanBacher