Today is Facebook Suicide Day. What I suspect is a very small group of Facebook users plan to delete their accounts along with all their personal information residing on the social networking service. The reason they’re doing this is due to Facebook’s shifting privacy policies and what seems to be a personal problem with the company’s young CEO Mark Zuckerberg. I won’t be deleting anything today except a few press releases in my inbox. But that doesn’t mean I approve of Facebook’s user privacy policies either. (more…)

American news network CNN has launched a free iPhone application called ‘My South Africa Essentials‘ in collaboration with SA Tourism. The app was developed by CNN’s International Advertising Sales team and is the first ever app created by CNN for an advertising client.

CNN says the app is part of its ‘My South Africa’ brand campaign that was launched two years ago to raise the profile of South Africa to business and leisure travellers in the lead up to World Cup 2010.

The app allows users to view South African city guides, maps, travel tips and World Cup information and view photographs, send messages to friends, find weather and financial information and a range of other things. It’s clearly geared for tourists but should be useful for local users too. (more…)

Online payment service PayPal launched in South Africa on Thursday with local partner First National Bank (FNB). South Africans can now receive funds via the service, whereas before their use was restricted to sending money.

On Wednesday I met with FNB’s GM for complimentary online services Chris Savides who explained that PayPal would be a boon for local businesses who now had a cost effective way of receiving funds internationally. Savides was joined by PayPal representatives Sara Gorman and Oded Zehavi who were in South Africa for the launch. (more…)

The international version of Amazon’s Kindle ebook reader started shipping today, bringing the product to over 100 countries outside of the USA. I’ve tried to cover all of the questions people may have about the device:

Cost and ordering
The international Kindle sells for $279 (around R2100) and shipping to South Africa is billed at an additional $20 (about R130). Delivery to SA, says Amazon, should take 2 to 7 days. However, be aware that you are likely to be billed for VAT and customs duties when the device lands in your country. The total price of the Kindle is therefore likely to be around the R2600 mark once everything has been factored in – Amazon says it should not cost more than that.

The only way to get a new international Kindle is to buy it from Amazon and have it shipped to you.

Wireless delivery of books, newspapers and other content is included in the price of publications (about $9.99 or R75 for newly released books) and will work in any country that supports it, so you can buy books while traveling and not have to worry about data costs. This is exclusive to international Kindle users – the American, CDMA-version Kindle’s wireless connection only allows for free delivery in the US. An additional $1.99 is charged elsewhere.

Here is an interactive map of countries that have support for Kindle Wireless.

Localisation
The international Kindle ships with a US plug adapter, so you will need a converter to use this in South Africa. However, the Kindle also ships with a USB cable that is used to both transfer data to and from the device and charge it. The Kindle uses a standard USB ‘micro-b’ adapter, so you can also use any standard-compliant third-party plug or adapter. (more…)