Highs and low downs on World Cup

Where's the nearest...?

MTN has launched Compass, a location-based service that enables customers to find points of interest (POI) closest to where they are, using either their cellphone or the internet. This service gives location information and directions for a range of POI categories from which to choose, including the World Cup stadiums, local weather information, fast food outlets, nearby shopping malls, petrol stations, accommodation and more. The information they are looking for can be sent as an SMS directly to a cellphone and includes a web link that will enable them to access an online map on a cellphone, which will provide street-by-street directions from the current location to the selected POI. It is available to all its current customers, through AfriGIS, a Wireless Application Service Provider, at a service fee of 21c per 20 seconds and a content cost of R1.00.

Alternatively log onto Hummba.com, a social networking site committed to connecting travellers and imparting travel information through its free audio guides on all the nine host cities, available by downloading directly to a mobile phone. The mobile application is compatible with Nokia, IPhone and Android mobile phones and the Blackberry application will be available from early June. The application will be available to download from all the relevant application stores. Over 200 clips in different guides, detail information from culture, games being hosted, teams that are playing, information on stadiums to what attractions are recommended in the particular cities, food, transport and weather.

Brand ambassadors ready to report

Bennie McCarthy and Matthew Booth

McCarthy and Booth will be uploading exclusive content including photos, videos as well as status updates to the Hummba.com website, allowing users get an insider's look at these football stars and their journey through the 2010 Football World Cup. Features on the site include breadcrumbs, which are single geo-tagged photos that can be taken and uploaded and given a description. Footprints allow users to track their routes while uploading geo-tagged photos. The site has entered into a beneficial partnership with Adidas, who are proudly sponsoring the Players group, where all the content uploaded by its ambassadors will be displayed. Users will post their message of support and will stand the chance to win autographed Bafana Bafana soccer shirts and soccer balls every Friday during the World Cup.

In with a prayer

The Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba proposed a prayer for the 2010 FIFA World Cup yesterday Monday 24 May 2010 and encouraged many people, of many backgrounds to join in praying it daily in the coming weeks. He went on to say "We know from experience that sport is potentially a tremendous catalyst for good. Sport can bring people of different races and religions together, building the confidence of young people and promoting social cohesion, both within this country and across the whole human family."

God bless the 2010 World Cup:
bless those who compete, and those who watch,
bless those who host, and those who visit,
and help all who love the 'the beautiful game'
grow in the love you have given us to share. Amen

Sing it out proud

DJ Cleo's track, Shapa Bafana Shapa, is the title track of the official Bafana Bafana double album, to be released soon by Gallo Records. Says Neil Greenberg of the choice as the official song for Bafana Bafana: "Without detracting from the other artists at all, it was the cream of the crop. It just seemed to fit as the (team's) theme song." The album will feature a CD of new tracks, including Chomee, Jozi, Skwatta Kamp, Speedy and Stoan, Eddy Grant, Kurt Darren, Cantona featuring Dr Victor, Jamali, Don Clarke and Leon Schuster, and Don Clarke and the Crutch Mullets. The second CD includes the best of South African music, with evergreen hits by Lucky Dube, Stimela, Mango Groove, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, Vicky Sampson, Thandiswa Mazwai, West Nkosi and Dr Victor.