Hummba

Cape Town claims the Travellers’ Choice Awards top spot

2012-01-27T09:00:00.002+02:00

Cape Town has been named the best holiday destination in the world by US-based travel website TripAdvisor. The site released its Travellers’ Choice Awards for the year earlier this week and the Mother City managed to beat the likes of Sydney, Paris and Rio de Janiero to claim the top spot.

Here at Hummba, we’ve always considered Cape Town to be one of the top places to visit on your travels. We’ve got several intelligent audio guides on Cape Town, which give you information about the numerous attractions that the city has on offer.

Hummba’s Cape Town City Guide for example, gives you all the information you’ll need when visiting the Mother City. From Table Mountain to Camps Bay, to the beautiful Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and everything in between, Hummba audio guides cover all the bases.

More than three million people passed through Cape Town’s famous V&A Waterfront over the recent December holidays, further cementing its position as the top tourist attraction in Africa. The Cape Winelands are also a favourite amongst visitors and Hummba has audio guides to several wine routes in the area.

Our intelligent audio guides use GPS technology to provide you with travel information relevant to your location, and are available on the iPhone and Android smartphones. We also provide offline maps, which mean you won’t be running up your data bill while you’re looking for the next exciting place to visit.

Congratulations to Cape Town from all of us here at Hummba on being selected the top destination in the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards. For more information about Hummba, or to download free audio guides on Cape Town and some of the world’s other top destinations, visit www.hummba.com.

The holidays are long over, so you better start planning your next one!

2012-01-23T08:18:00.002+02:00

Many of us are still recovering from the end of year holidays, but January is actually the perfect time to plan the next one. The Easter break in April provides a great excuse for a mid-year getaway and what better place to go than Rome?

The Italian capital is an incredible place to visit at any time of the year, but even more so during Easter. Rome comes alive as the Vatican City celebrates the Christian holy week and whether you’re religious or not, it really is worth a visit. Tens of thousands of pilgrims and inquisitive tourists visit Saint Peter’s Square to attend one of the Pope’s numerous public masses. The pageantry associated with Easter in Rome is simply breathtaking.

A walking tour of the city is one of the best ways to experience all that Rome has to offer during this busy holiday season. Take a stroll through the ancient Roman Forum or visit the historic Colosseum. The beautiful Spanish Steps and the world-renowned Trevi Fountain should also be firmly placed on every tourist’s itinerary when visiting the city.

You can download free audio guides to some of the hottest attractions in and around Rome. Check out the audio walking tour of the city or explore some of the famous districts, squares and streets of Rome.

Happy travels in 2012!

Intelligent audio guide for Paris now available on the Android Marketplace

2012-01-19T13:40:00.002+02:00

Paris is one of Europe’s major tourist destinations, and has been for hundreds of years. Millions of people travel from all over the world to experience the city’s many cultural, historic and culinary attractions.

The problem is however, that there’s so much to keep you occupied in the City of Light and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. That’s where Hummba comes in. Our intelligent audio guide to the city, which is available on the Android Marketplace, uses smartphone GPS technology to provide you with information about points of interest near your location.

You’ll be able to plan your trip to Paris, while you’re on the go. Find out about places to see and things to do as you move around the city. Our guides will help you experience the sights of Paris that you might otherwise have missed. It’s like having a personal tour guide, right there on your Android phone.

Some of the points of interest featured in this guide include La Defènse, which is one of Europe’s busiest business districts. You’ll also find information about the historic Palace of Versailles and the picturesque Luxemburg Gardens. Visit the historic Arc de Triomphe monument, which sits on the end of the famous Avenue des Champs-Ėlysées or marvel at the awe-inspiring architecture of the Notre Dame Cathedral.

The guide also features offline maps, which means you won’t be running up your data bill while you’re looking for the next exciting place to go.

Hummba’s intelligent audio guide to Paris is available on the Android Marketplace for $5.99 and can be downloaded directly onto your smartphone here. For more information about Hummba or about our intelligent guides that speak to you, visit www.hummba.com.

Intelligent audio guide for London now available on the Android Marketplace

2012-01-18T13:30:00.001+02:00

Millions of people visit London every year, making the city the one of the top tourist destinations in the world. The thriving metropolis on the River Thames captivates inquisitive travellers with its distinctly British appeal, as well as its numerous attractions and well known landmarks.

While the annual tourist numbers look impressive, they are still expected to go up even more this year, as London will host the 2012 Olympic Games. Tens of thousands of tourists are set to arrive from the rest of the United Kingdom, mainland Europe, and even further afield. The city will certainly be gearing up for this surge in visitors in the coming months.

There’s so much to see and do in London, and a trip to the city can be a daunting task for even the most seasoned traveller. That’s why Hummba decided to put together an intelligent audio travel guide to the city, available for download on the Android Marketplace.

The guide uses smartphone GPS technology to provide you with information about points of interest near your location. You can find out all about Buckingham Palace for example, while you watch the changing of the guard. Hummba’s intelligent audio guides will help you discover places to see and things to do that you might otherwise have missed. It’s like having your own personal tour guide.

Some of the attractions featured in the guide include Piccadilly Circus, which is lined with hundreds of restaurants, bars and shops, and has long been a favourite meeting place for locals and tourists alike. London’s famous Hyde Park, which serves as the venue for spectacular outdoor music concerts and festivals is also featured. For the more culturally inclined, this guide offers you all the information you need about London’s many museums and theatres, including a detailed look at the famous West End theatre district.

The intelligent audio guide to London is available on the Android Marketplace for $5.99 and can be downloaded directly onto your smartphone here. For more information about Hummba or about our intelligent guides that speak to you, visit www.hummba.com.

Intelligent audio guide for New York now available on the Android Marketplace

2012-01-17T08:55:00.001+02:00

A trip to New York City should be at the top of every traveller’s wish list. The city that never sleeps is one of the most densely populated places in the world, and yet still manages to draw in millions of tourists every year. This can partly be attributed to the city’s numerous iconic landmarks, like the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building, but also to the quirky, cosmopolitan atmosphere that the city exudes.

To help you discover more about New York City, Hummba put together an intelligent audio guide to Midtown Manhattan. The guide is available on the Android Marketplace and uses smartphone GPS technology to provide you with information about points of interest near your location. This means you’ll discover places that you might otherwise have missed.

Take a walk down New York’s famous Fifth Avenue or explore the historic Hell’s Kitchen area of Manhattan in more detail. Visit the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, which once served as a powerful aircraft carrier during World War 2 or experience one of the best views of the city from the Top of the Rock. Use this guide to give you more information about Grand Central Station or to help you find your way to the Madame Tussaud’s wax museum.

The guide also features offline maps, which means you won’t be running up your data bill while you’re looking for the next exciting place to go.

The intelligent audio guide to New York is available on the Android Marketplace for $5.99 and can be downloaded directly onto your smartphone here. For more information about Hummba or about our intelligent guides that speak to you, visit www.hummba.com.

Hummba launches intelligent audio guides onto the Android Marketplace

2012-01-16T10:01:00.001+02:00

London, Paris and New York are three of the most well-known cities in the world, each with its own distinct feel and personality. All three are incredibly popular tourist destinations and play host to millions of visitors every year. The one thing the trio have in common is that a traveller can spend days there and still not get the chance to experience everything on offer.

With Hummba’s intelligent audio guides however, you can now get the most of your visit to London, Paris or New York. The guides are available on the Android Marketplace and contain audio information about numerous tourist attractions in each of the three cities.

Explore Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park in London, or take a trip to the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre in the heart of Paris. You could even use our guide to accompany you on a walking tour of Midtown Manhattan, taking in the sights of the Big Apple.

Our intelligent audio guides use smartphone GPS technology to provide you with information about points of interest near to your location. Discover places to see and things to do that you might otherwise have missed. No more searching through cumbersome guide books. It’s like having your own personal tour guide, right there on your Andoid phone!

The guides also provide offline maps, which mean you won’t be running up your data bill while you’re looking for the next exciting place to visit.

The guides are available for $5.99 each, and can be downloaded directly onto your Android phone: London, Paris and New York. For more information about Hummba or about our intelligent guides that speak to you, visit www.hummba.com.

It's going to be a big year for London...

2012-01-09T10:01:00.011+02:00

Few people will argue that London is not the place to be in 2012. The London Olympics are expected to be some of the most watched sporting events in history and Queen Elizabeth II’s upcoming Diamond Jubilee has already got the entire country in the mood for a party.

Celebrations in honour of the Jubilee are set to begin already on the 6th of February. This will mark the 60th anniversary of Elizabeth’s ascension to the British throne. The real show however is only scheduled to kick off in June, just a few weeks before the Summer Olympics.

Britons will be graced with a four-day holiday and a Diamond Jubilee concert produced by Gary Barlow (one of the head judges on the X-Factor reality television show). A maritime parade of more than 1,000 boats will make its way up the River Thames and the Queen herself is expected to join the flotilla atop a golden barge. Events have also been organised in several Commonwealth countries around the world, including Australia and Canada.

London hosted the Olympics back in 1908 and 1948, and with this year’s event it will become the first city to host the modern Games on three occasions. Kicking off on the 27th of July and running until the 12th of August, the London Olympics will be a big tourist draw card for the entire United Kingdom. Music lovers will also be pleased to hear that English rock legends Pink Floyd are expected to reunite to perform at the Olympics and Sir Paul McCartney will also make an appearance at the Games.

If you’re looking to experience one of 2012’s hottest holiday destinations, London really should be at the top of your list. Download our free audio travel guides to help you discover more about the must-see attractions of London, or let us guide you on a walking tour of the city.

Visit the Cape Winelands this holiday season.

2011-12-26T21:01:00.000+02:00

It’s no secret that South African wines are held in high regard all over the world. The majority of the country’s vineyards are however only found in the Western Cape Province. Grapes flourish in the region’s mild Mediterranean climate, and this can be seen by the fact that there are some 560 wineries in the Cape region. Wine tourism has become one of South Africa’s fastest-growing industries, and thousands of people visit the Cape’s numerous wine routes every year. The good news is that Hummba has free audio guides to some of the best.

There are several well known wine routes within the city of Cape Town, and the Constantia Wine Route is arguably one of the most popular. The route is classified as one of the city’s Big Six tourist destinations and features the oldest wine farm in the country, Groot Constantia. The Steenberg Wine Estate is also well worth a visit, as is the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.

The Durbanville Wine Route is a favourite amongst visitors to Cape Town. The route sits just a short drive outside the city centre and is home to some of the best wineries in the Cape, including the Durbanville Hills, Bloemendal and Meerendal wine estates. The majestic Tygerberg Hills give visitors the ideal backdrop for a pleasant afternoon of wine tasting.

If you fancy going a bit further afield, then the Stellenbosch Wine Route is the perfect place for a day trip. About 45 minutes’ drive from Cape Town, the route is regarded as the birthplace of Pinotage wines. This is where one can find the famous Spier Wine Estate. Boasting the first five-star hotel in the country, Spier is one of the most luxurious tourist attractions in South Africa. Oude Libertas and the Delheim Wine Estate can also be found on this route.

A visit to the Franschoek Wine Route should also be included on the itinerary of every traveller to the Cape. A scenic drive along the Helshoogte Pass, with a visit to the Boschendal and La Motte wine estates, is the perfect way to spend any afternoon.

Hummba’s got free audio travel guides to all these wine routes and much more. You can download the guides directly onto your Android or iPhone. Check out these links for more information: Constantia, Durbanville, Stellenbosch, and Franschoek.

The convenience of technology has drastically changed the way we travel

2011-12-19T09:11:00.000+02:00

There’s no denying that the way we travel has changed. Making holiday arrangements, which used to take days, weeks or even months, can now be done in an instant. The reason for this is quite simple: travellers are embracing the convenience of technology.

The internet has led the charge when it comes to innovations in travel. Booking your flights, accommodation and vehicle hire online are common occurrences. The fact that you can do all this from the comfort of your own home, outside normal working hours, has only added to the method’s popularity.

But now the mobile phone has entered the fray and there’s no need even to have access to a computer. There are hundreds of Android and iPhone applications specifically designed to help travellers and at Hummba, we’re doing just that.

With Hummba, you can download free audio guides directly onto your mobile phone. We’ve got informative guides for hundreds of tourist attractions all over the world. Our location-based technology means you’ll get the information you need, when you need it most.

The Hummba app uses your phone’s GPS location to point out interesting things to see and do nearby. Your mobile phone can be your own personal tour guide as you take a walking tour of New York or Paris, for example.

With Hummba, you can also share your travel experiences, as they happen. Create a travel route and tag pictures along the way. It’s the perfect way to keep your friends and family in the loop while you’re on the move.

Visit Hummba.com to find out more about our free audio travel guides for your mobile phone.

So it’s the end of the world in 2012, but that’s no reason to skip your holiday!

2011-12-12T20:01:00.000+02:00

It’s a well-known theory that the ancient Mayan civilization predicted the end of the world would take place on the 21st of December, 2012. At Hummba.com, we think this is the perfect excuse for a holiday. Many of us will not get the opportunity to take a break in 2011, but that just means we’re way ahead in our planning for next year. Let’s take a look at some of the hottest destinations for 2012...

Thousands of people are expected to flock to Cancun in Mexico, in celebration of the end of the world. However, parties are being planned in many different cities for what will undoubtedly become a global event. If it really is the end, we might as well go out with a bang, right? But 2012 will be as long a year as any, and we’ll need something to do in the months before our impending doom.

The London Olympic Games are expected to draw thousands of people to Britain in July and August. Hummba’s audio travel guides of London will be the perfect companion for anyone visiting the city during this massive sporting event.

Sao Paulo is also coming out guns blazing in 2012. The city will host the first ever Brazilian edition of the famous Lollapalooza music festival in early April. The Foo Fighters, Calvin Harris and the Arctic Monkeys are just a few of the internationally-renowned artists featured on the line up. Find out more about this vibrant city while you’re there, with the Hummba audio travel guide.

The Netherlands is expecting an influx of tourists throughout 2012, due to the phasing out of the sale of questionable substances from the country’s infamous coffee shops. The ban will only be imposed in Amsterdam from the beginning of 2013, so many people are expected to visit the city before then. Hummba.com’s audio travel guide for Amsterdam will help you discover more about this fascinating place.

Auckland will be one of the first major cities in the world to experience the predicted last day. Even before hosting the successful 2011 Rugby World Cup, New Zealand was a favourite tourist destination. The entire island nation is known for its spectacular scenery, and Hummba’s audio travel guide for Auckland will help you explore this paradise in more detail.

These are just a few of the extraordinary places you can visit next year. Hummba’s audio travel guides can be downloaded directly onto your iPhone or Android mobile phone, which means you’ll have guides to hundreds of tourist attractions right in the palm of your hand.

Just remember, it’s not the end of the world if you’re not going on holiday this year. Start planning your 2012 getaway right now.

Find inspiration as you travel through the City of Angels

2011-12-05T20:01:00.000+02:00

When one thinks of Los Angeles, images of Hollywood and dazzling red-carpet premieres almost immediately come to mind. California’s famous film hub is known the world over, but there’s more to this city on the US West Coast than just the glamour of Tinseltown.

Los Angeles is one of the biggest cities in the USA, coming in second to its rival on the East Coast, New York. Founded back in 1781, the city’s rich heritage makes it one of the most diverse and interesting places in the world. Areas like Chinatown and Little Tokyo have become two of the city’s most visited tourist attractions.

If you’re in Los Angeles on a walking tour, then the Bunker Hill Steps are certainly worth a visit. Hummba’s Los Angeles guide will point you to this famous landmark, as well as many more of the city’s well-known attractions.

Museum junkies must be sure to indulge in some of Los Angeles’s 841 museums; the highest concentration of museums in the entire USA. The Museum of Neon Art, the Grammy Museum, and the Old Plaza Firehouse are just some of LA’s impressive collection.

Union Station is one of downtown Los Angeles’ most famous buildings. The station has an enormous waiting area and is considered to be an architectural masterpiece. Another of the city’s awe-inspiring structures is the California Plaza, which consists of two massive skyscrapers. The plaza features numerous tourist attractions and is a favourite for locals and tourists alike.

As you travel around North America, be sure to download your free audio travel guides from Hummba, including New York City and Chicago.

Don’t just Travel....iTravel!

2011-11-28T13:53:00.000+02:00

If you haven’t noticed, you’re living in the dark ages while the rest of the world is....well, living in the iWorld. Of course, we’re referring to the iPhone. It is a line of internet and multimedia enabled smartphones marketed by AppleInc. The late Steve Jobs, unveiled the iPhone to the public in 2007 at the Macworld 2007 convention in San Francisco.

The iPhone went on sale in the US on June 29th, 2007 and the passionate reaction to the launch of the iPhone resulted in sections of the media christening it the ‘Jesus phone’. It can function as a video camera, a camera phone, a portable media player, an internet client with email and web browsing capabilities, can send texts and receive visual voicemail and has both Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity. The user interface is built around the device’s multi-touch screen, including a virtual keyboard instead of a physical one. The world is literally in the hands of any iPhone user.

It’s been taking the world by storm. Interestingly, Apple sold 6.1 million original iPhone units over 5 quarters. And recorded sales have been growing since, so much so that by the end of 2010, a total of 73.5 million iPhones were sold. It’s iMadness.

The App Store was launched in mid 2008 and third party as well as Apple application software is available. Currently, the App Store has over 500 000 applications approved by Apple. These applications have diverse functions, including games, reference, GPS navigation, social networking, security and advertising for television shows, films and celebrities.
In terms of the travel industry, it’s smarter to iTravel, than traditionally travel. And because iPhone’s have become the new computers and laptops, audio guides have become the new traditional tour guides. Cutting out the middle man and letting traveller’s experience their destinations in their own time, as well as providing the specific information they need when travelling, is simplifying and revolutionising this industry.

For Hummba, in particular, that means being able to not only provide audio guides for iPhone, but free audio guides for the iPhone. Our range of free audio guides include all of the major cities around the world from the City of Lights, Paris, to the Big Apple, New York.

And with all these cities, we bring you free audio guides that suit any traveller’s taste in what you want to experience. Monuments, landmarks, museums, natural wonders, historical importance, specific routes of interest and theatres are a few of the audio guides for iPhone that we have available for download. Our travel application allows iPhone as well as iPad users to share their travel experiences while being engaged and travelling the 21st century way, iTravelling.

Listen to your City Guide, not your heart-Paris-ile-de-France

2011-11-23T15:01:00.000+02:00

If Alice could have chosen a real world wonderland, it would have been Paris. Paris has many nicknames, but it’s most famous is “La Ville-Lumière”, meaning City of Light or the Illuminated City. This nickname was acquired because of its fame as a centre of education and ideas during the Age of Enlightenment and later to its early adoption of street lighting.

First and even repeat visits to France can be intimidating; every square inch of the country seems to be seeping with history and beauty. There are so many noteworthy attractions on offer from mass popularity and historic importance to sheer aesthetic appeal. It’s easy to get lost here and even easier to try and follow your heart in Paris, the proverbial city of love.

Hummba has extensively researched and admittedly fallen in love with creating Paris audio guides. Our audio guides in Paris cover everything! Three of the most famous Parisian Landmarks are the 12th century cathedral Notre Dame de Paris on the Ile de la Cite, the Napoleonic Arc De Triomphe and the 19th century Eiffel Tower. By downloading our Must See Attractions-Paris audio guide, we take you on a journey of discovery, entertaining you about these landmarks and many more.

If monuments are what tickle your travel taste buds, our Monuments-Paris Audio Guide is exactly what you need to guide you through the masses of monuments on offer. The line of monuments in Paris begins with the Louvre and continues through the Tuileries Gardens, the Champs-Elysees, and the Arc de Triomphe, centred in the Place de l'Étoile circus.

As well as monuments and the most popular attractions, Theatre has traditionally occupied a large place in Parisian culture and our Theatres-Paris Audio Guide, is aimed at the traveller seeking an even more cultural experience in France, if that’s even possible. The greatest theatrical places covered range from the Opera Garnier, which features classic ballets and opera’s to the modern Opera Bastille, which features a mixed repertoire of classic and modern productions.

Of course, no trip to France would be complete without many visits to some of the most famous museums in the world. Starting of course with the Louvre, this is the site of the world’s largest and most diverse collections of pre-20th century painting, sculpture and decorative objects and is well known as one of Paris’s best attractions. But with our Museums-Paris Audio Guide, we’ll transport you into an old world Paris and allow you to experience all the most noteworthy of historical museums.

Paris probably has more familiar landmarks that any other city in the world. Because of this, travellers arrive with all sorts of expectations of grand vistas, of intellectuals discussing life and the universe in quaint coffee shops, of romance along the seine and our favourite, of rude people who won’t speak English. Our audio guides in Paris will open up this city to you and you’ll soon discover that it is enchanting almost everywhere, at any time. And you’ll be back because of it.

All you need is Cape Town and your Audio Guide

2011-11-17T14:09:00.000+02:00

Cape Town is undoubtedly spectacular. It is a city that has the widest range of attractions in the world, this includes the favourites like Table Mountain, Robben Island, the beautiful Kirstenbosch Gardens, the Cape Winelands and of course, Cape Point. But aside from its wealth of natural assets, its home to colourful characters from a cross section of cultures and has an enthralling history.

This key tourist destination is well known for its beaches, forests, mountains and wildlife but at the same time offers international visitors world class service in some of the best hotels, restaurants, tourists attractions and shopping malls in the world. It’s the unique inter-mingling of nature and city life that has earned it its nickname as the Mother City.

Hummba has specially designed many Cape Town City Guides, all available for free and that can easily be downloaded onto your mobile phone. Audio guides Cape Town are a preferred way of exploring every nook and cranny of what the city has to offer. From the many wine farm routes in the famous Cape Winelands and the historical churches dotted all over the city , to a Cape Town City Guide Walking Tour, every aspect of this city is covered and to suit the traveller’s taste in attractions.

One of the many recommended pastimes in Cape Town, is a walk around the inner city. Historical churches, lively flea markets, quaint coffee shops and exquisite art galleries are in abundance in the city. But it’s important to know where to go and what the myriad of attractions have on offer.

Our Cape Town City Guide Walking Tour is our most popular downloadable audio guide. A privately guide walking tour allows you to meet the locals, be informed and entertained by many of the rich heritage stories, explore the many hidden treasures as well as the biggest attractions in the city and do it all at your own leisure.
When visiting Cape Town, don’t get stuck with the time constraints of traditional tour guides, or the hassle of having to visit tourism offices to get cumbersome maps.

Log onto Hummba.com, browse the many Cape Town City Guides we have on offer and get downloading. With Hummba, all you need is Cape Town and one of our audio guides Cape Town, to fall in love with a city of hope, creative freedom and an incredible spirit.

Audio Guides -The Mobile Experience

2011-11-11T11:48:00.000+02:00

There’s no doubt that mobile phones are having a profound effect on the travel industry. With the technological advancements available, everything from booking hotel rooms and making dinner reservations to checking the weather and availability of flights, can all be done in the palm of your hand. Mobile phones are now the number one travel accessories.

With the mobile revolution making life all the more simple and convenient, mobile phone audio guides are providing traveller’s with a unique and interesting enhancement on their journeys around the world. One fact about traveller’s that simply can’t be ignored, is the thirst for knowledge. People are searching for learning orientated travel.

Traditionally, a tour would be booked, schedules would be adhered to and it was the luck of the draw if you had picked the right sightseeing tour. Today, mobile phone audio guides are shaping the way you travel, keeping you entertained and allowing you to experience everything in your own time.

If you’re in Paris and all you’re interested in seeing are the masses of museums on offer, a quick download of an audio guide devoted solely to museums in Paris would be the best option for you. If you’re in London and want to experience the best of London Theatre, a quick download will give you all the information you would need on what would be showing and where. There is no reason to be stuck in queues or paging through travel books or simply asking around for directions and assistance.
Information is vital on any trip but that is not the only reason to download mobile phone audio guides. The experience they provide is one that cannot be rivalled. Mobile phone audio guides transport people to other times and places, creating stories set against rich layers of music and sound effects. They help you escape into a cinematic audio tour experience.

Every site has a story to tell. By using mobile phone audio guides you’re bringing to life whatever site you are visiting. Imagine for a moment being entertained by the love story of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal while standing in front of the Taj Mahal or learning about the Eiffel Tower and its origins while staring out of the steel structure. One of the many goals of a mobile phone audio guide is to enrich a travel experience and make every site a memorable one.

Hummba provides these mobile phone audio guides. Hummba wants to impart all the necessary knowledge of what to see, what to do, where to go and how to get there to the stories that will make a lasting impression of a time and place. A comprehensive collection of mobile phone audio guides includes everything from must see attractions and city walking tours, to museums, natural attractions and everything in between. Let Hummba enhance your mobile phone audio guide experience!

Hummba.com launches multi-language website

2011-11-04T09:38:00.000+02:00

Hummba.com is pleased to announce the launch of multi-language on their website. Hummba already offers selected guides in Spanish, Catalan, German and French, and now it features content in Spanish and Catalan. Further plans are underway to offer of content and guides in other languages.

Hummba.com is a travel community that lets travellers download free city guides and share travel experiences directly from their mobile phones.

Hummba’s mobile application is currently available on iPhone and Android app stores.

Key Features

City Guides - Download and listen to free location aware city guides by Tourism Radio. And explore over 100 destinations around the world.

Footprints – Lets you create a route of your travels and tag multiple pictures to places you have visited and share them.

Breadcrumbs – Lets you take a single picture and it is tagged to the place you are visiting

Groups – A great way to stay connected with friends and family and share travel experiences on the go. Post content on the group wall, leave breadcrumbs or a footprint for friends to see and invite others to join the travelling fun.

CEO Mark Allewell says: “This is an exciting time for Hummba.com, with the launch of multi language, we are confident that our travellers community and city guides will not only enhance a travellers journey but extend our reach even further in the travel industry.”

Explore new places and share your travel experiences with Hummba on your mobile phone. Sign up now!

Travel the World with your cell phone as your guide!

2011-11-03T09:48:00.000+02:00

We are a technology driven society, there’s no doubt about it. Many of us love new gadgets, the latest killer app or just simply, technology that makes our lives easier with new features and benefits. In terms of travel, a new world of easy, convenient and fun, has revolutionised our journeys and all thanks to our cell phones. The entire world can be accessed by the press of a key.

When you pack for an international trip, there are always a few essentials that should be taken into consideration. This, of course, includes a passport but the cell phone comes a close second to being the top essential on any travellers list.

Whether your travels are for business or pleasure, a cell phone can be a huge convenience when trekking around Stockholm, Sydney, or Sao Paulo. You can keep in touch with clients, fellow travellers, or the folks back home as well as make hotel, dinner, or show reservations, or send "wish you were here" camera phone photos. And more importantly, it's a great way to reach you in an emergency. But in terms of enhancing travel experiences, audio city guides are the sole reason a cell phone should be taken on trips.

Sightseeing and tourism is about providing travellers with exceptional experiences. Every sight, every landmark, every monument, every city, has a story that wants to be told and with the use of audio city guides, these stories can be shared with the convenience your cell phone as your guide. By using audio city guides, we’ve eliminated the time restrictions and limited information of traditional travel, it’s all instant, exactly what we want and at our own pace.

Great tour experiences provide a lot more than just convenience. They have the power to shape and change how we think and feel about the world around us. Audio city guides immerse travellers in breathtaking stories that are set against backdrops of stunning sound effects and vibrant musical scores.

Hummba has been involved in creating a range of downloadable audio city guides that have included many cities, destinations and regions and we’ve discovered that through a story supplied by the convenience of a cell phone, it is able to ignite the imagination and inspire the human spirit in ways that simply weren’t possible, until now. Travelling the world with your cell phone and Hummba as your guide, is the best travel decision you can make.

Maps V.S Audio Guides - 21st Century Travelling

2011-10-24T15:10:00.000+02:00

The travel industry is rapidly being changed. The reason? Mobile and social trends are allowing traveller’s to experience their surroundings like never before. Traditional travelling included a map, a few travel books and a thirst for adventure. But in the traditional manner, so much can be lost from the experience.

A map can lead travellers to exactly where they want to go but it can’t capture the traveller’s imagination. When traveller’s download mobile audio guides, they are lead to precise locations and given a detailed and entertaining glimpse into where they are and what they are seeing. Another benefit of audio guides is that it can provide insights into places that are hidden and unexplored but are not the conventional interests that would be highlighted on a map.

Audio guides are about the story they tell, the information they share and the entertainment value they provide. For the same reason film makes invest millions to tell their version of a story to captivate audiences in cinemas all over the world, audio guides are designed to share fun and enriching stories to tourists and travellers. In all honesty, can a map alone provide this?

To download mobile audio guides is to take a step into 21st century travelling and open up a whole new world within your travels. In an age where the cellphone is king, leisure travellers are estimated to spend nearly $102 billion online this year and 40% more in the next five years, mobiles being a critical player in this growth. It’s time to throw away the maps and let audio guides take the lead in the new way of travelling.

Hummba is a key player in providing quality audio guides, visit our site to download mobile audio guides on a range of different cities, towns and regions. Search for guides on Hummba

Paris, the City of Love - Must See Attractions

2011-10-19T14:18:00.000+02:00

Paris is undoubtedly the world’s most popular city destination. Well informed, eloquent and oh-so-romantic , this city is a philosopher, a poet, a crooner. Nicknamed the city of love as well as the city of lights, every square inch of it seems to be seeping with history and beauty. The only drawback to this city is the daunting task of figuring out where to go and what to see. It’s must see attractions list, is a must figure out priority before embarking on all experiences Paris.

More than any other landmark, the Eiffel Tower is one of those attractions. It has come to represent an elegant and contemporary Paris. This iron tower was built for the 1889 World Exposition by Gustave Eiffel and was wildly unpopular with Parisians when it was unveiled and was almost torn down. Since then, it has attracted over 220 million visitors and it is hard to imagine Paris without it.

Another on the essentials list is the Louvre, to learn the Louvre inside and out, you might actually need a lifetime. It is the site of the world’s largest and most diverse collections of pre-20th century painting, sculpture and decorative objects and is often referred to as one of Paris’s best attractions. The palace itself is testament to a rich history spanning from the medieval period to the present.

If you’re on a Paris walking tour, walking over the bridge from the Louvre to the Musee d’Orsay is highly recommended and see the figurative bridge between classical and modern art. Housing the world's most important collection of impressionist and post-impressionist painting, the Musee d'Orsay's light, airy rooms whir you through three floors of modern wonders, from Degas' ethereal dancers to Monet's water lilies, all the way to Gaugin's leafy jungles. There are also major works by Van Gogh, Delacroix and Manet.

The 164 foot Arc de Triomphe commissioned by Emperor Napoleon evokes sheer military power and triumph. It was built in an age when leaders erected monuments in their own honour. The arch’s beautiful sculptures and reliefs commemorate Napoleons generals and soldiers. Visiting the Arc de Triomphe when on a Paris walking tour is a great way to begin or culminate a walk down the equally grandiose Avenue de Champs-Elysees. You won’t help but feel grand yourself.

Paris is a Mecca for artists, writers and everyday individuals looking to spark their creative side. Hummba has been inspired by this city and has created an extensive range of audio guides. This includes an audio guide Paris-Must See Attractions. From churches, cathedrals and museums to a Paris walking tour, leisure activities and gardens, everything from the most popular attractions to the hidden gems has been covered. Download them now and experience the city of love the Hummba way!

The Best Way to Explore Amsterdam-On Foot

2011-10-13T10:57:00.000+02:00

Amsterdam is by nature a walking city. Nowhere else will you find so many points of interest within a single square kilometre. Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands with impressive architecture, lovely canals that criss cross the city, great shopping and friendly people, who nearly all speak English well. There is something for everyone here, from culture and history to exciting nightlife and the relaxing charm of an old European city.

A point of interest worth noting while on your Amsterdam walking tour is the Jordaan District. The Jordaan is the most sung about neighbourhood of Amsterdam and is famous for its cafés, restaurants, shops, markets, narrow streets and - most of all - its atmosphere. The Jordaan was once a typical working-class neighbourhood but over the years has been descended upon by students, artisans and other life-loving bohemians.

And of course, a trip to Amsterdam wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the Red Light District. This is the oldest part of the city and prostitution is limited to certain streets, mainly side streets and alleys but the district is considered to include the canals and some adjoining streets. The area has many sex shops and peep show bars and is a favourite for bachelors celebrating a stag night.

Although the nightly entertainment is what this part of the city if famous for, it is a residential district and has many bars and restaurants and also includes historic buildings and museums. This is also where the oldest church in Amsterdam is situated, the Netherlands gothic Oude Kerk.

The Van Gogh Museum is another unique experience when on an Amsterdam walking tour. The museum houses the largest collection of paintings by Vincent Van Gogh in the world. It gives visitors the opportunity to see the artist’s developments throughout the years and compare his works to other artists form the 19th century all housed in this collection. The museum also holds an extensive collection of exhibitions on various subjects from 19th century art history.

An Amsterdam walking tour comes highly recommended and Hummba’s audio guide Amsterdam will pinpoint everything from the most popular attractions to the little gems that simply can’t be missed. An example of one of these little gems are the engraved gable stones. Before house numbers were introduced on canal houses during Napoleons occupation, engraved gable stones indicating the resident’s trade or profession served as identification purposes and some can still be seen today.
Download the Hummba audio guide Amsterdam now for these little tidbits and more interesting and engaging information on places to see in Amsterdam. Happy Walking!

City Breaks and Popular Holiday Destinations - United Kingdom, London

2011-10-07T09:19:00.000+02:00

London is without a doubt one of the world’s greatest capital cities. You could holiday in London for three months and still not see every attraction that it has to offer. London attracts 20 million international visitors per year, making it the world's most visited in terms of international visits. London attractions are diverse, from history, royalty and theatre to shopping, fashion, clubbing and classical arts; there is something to suit every taste.

The problem with London attractions are the numbers. There is so much to see and do, you could get lost in the intimidating task of prioritising what you should and shouldn’t see. We’ve already established that audio guides are your new best friend and Hummba is pleased to let you know that with our extensive range of London Guides, London doesn’t have to be a daunting city but a city itching to be explored.

Some of the noteworthy London attractions are, Buckingham Palace, where approximately 15 million tourists visit each year, the Tower of London, an historic royal fortress that holds the crown jewels of England and the famous Tower Bridge, which is often mistaken by tourists as London Bridge. Visiting all the ‘must see places’ is always on the agenda for travellers. Our London Guide-Must See Places, will take you on a journey through all the mainstream and popular London attractions that have made this city a favourite.

London is well known for its offering of world-class museums, many of which offer free entry. The British Museum holds seven million exhibits including the Rosetta Stone and the world’s oldest mummy, Lindow Man. The Victoria and Albert Museum in Kensington is the world’s largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of 4.5 million objects. In a city where history is seeped into the very streets, a museum tour is well worth it. Hummba’s London Guide-Museums, covers all of them and will lead you to the ones that interest you the most.

Hummba’s London Guides cover everything from the theatres and churches to monuments and bridges and palaces and everything in between. Take your pick from our extensive offering and experience the real London that keeps visitors coming back for more.

Audio Walking Tours - Your New Best Friend

2011-09-29T09:17:00.000+02:00

Audio walking tours are your new best friend. They’re the friends that make sure you don’t miss out on anything when walking major cities all over the world. Best explored on foot, is better when explored with an audio walking tour.

There is a diverse offering of audio walking tours and thanks to the popularity of the iPod and the MP3 player, a new area of the travel market has been made available. Downloading the audio walking tour that best suits your needs is the tricky part. You need to make sure that you are getting your money’s worth. And that’s where we come in.

The creation of our audio walking tours consists of planning interesting routes, writing great scripts and producing a product worthy of your money and your time. We have a great time making them and you have a great time experiencing them.
Experiencing the attractions along a specific route is not the only purpose of our audio walking tours. One of our key features are our maps. Simple and straight forward, it makes sense to have a copy with you, even if you’re hearing the instructions. Print a copy with the route clearly marked and the attractions highlighted.

Flexibility and quality information is also what our audio walking tours offer. We give you all the information you need when visiting attractions around major cities. There is nothing more frustrating than planning a trip and being disappointed that some of the attractions you wanted to see are closed. We want you to be in the right place at the right time as well as learn as much as possible at your own pace.

Exploring, especially while walking is bound to make you hungry and many of the attractions along the audio walking tour routes have eating facilities. Whether you decide to stay for a cup of tea or a hearty lunch, we have shared many of the culinary highlights that attractions have to offer. It makes it easier for you decide where and what you want to eat.

All in all, our audio walking tours are designed to share a wealth of information with you. Keeping you entertained and making sure you’re exploration is not only convenient and enjoyable but cost effective as well. Search for guides in your country

Travel is becoming more social!

2011-09-21T11:06:00.000+02:00

People are using technology and social networks to tap into the wisdom of friends to make good travel decisions.

With the growing adoption of web-enabled phones, there are plenty of travel apps that help you during the full travel cycle of Dreaming, Researching, Booking, Experiencing and Sharing.

Hummba is certainly one of them, providing free travel guides and social tools to enhance your travel experiences as they happen.
Our location-aware audio travel guides let you explore new destinations independently.

Footprints let you track your route and tag photos to the locations
Breadcrumbs let you take pictures and tag them to places you are visiting
You can also create Travel Groups, invite your friends and family too it and upload content directly from your mobile.

The Hummba travel application is available for iPhone and Android handsets in the relevant app stores.
To find out more about Hummba check out our video here

With Hummba on your phone you can travel smart!

The Digital Traveller

2011-09-16T11:09:00.000+02:00

Banish your old travel guide books and join the digital revolution - it'll make your trip a whole lot more enjoyable.

Gone are the days of visiting your local travel agent or hauling around an obscene number of travel accessories such as travel books, cameras, video cameras, laptops and other paraphernailia. A digital travel revolution is on the rise thanks to smart phones. By simply downloading mobile applications, travellers can book flights and make reservations, automatically check into airports and hotels, use their phones as a GPS device, currency converter, get online maps and driving instructions, organise their travel itineraries, keep close track of their expenses, network, get-up-to-the-minute travel alerts and locate nearby friends and businesses.

Old School vs New School

Our favourite top travel apps

Hummba
This all in one mobile application allows you to download free travel audio guides to over 100 countries around the world, and share you travel experiences as they happen in a unique way by allowing uploads of geo-tagged photos, routes and travel posts. Download app

Healix travel
This application helps you find out what vaccinations you need when travelling. It also provides information on travel risks and gives useful health advice. Download app

Tripit
Once travellers have made their reservations, or booked their flights, Tripit is an application that can scan travellers confirmation emails and ensure that they have the flight and hotels confirmation details. Download app

XE Currency Converter
This mobile app converts all currencies and gives the user real-time foreign exchange rates. Download app

Wikitude
See the world with different eyes - your phone's camera that is. Wikitude is an augmented-reality global travel guide which overlays wikipedia and other user-contributed content over the phones camera view, giving you information on your surroundings. Download app

Google translate
Language barriers are always a problem while on the go. This universal translator has more than 50 languages, and travellers can speak the phrases and hear corresponding translations. Download app

Auckland the pulse of the Rugby World Cup 2011

2011-09-07T09:23:00.000+02:00

Excitement is running high, with only hours left until the Rugby World Cup officially begins with the opening game being played between New Zealand and Tonga in Auckland on Friday 9th September at 20:30.
Springbok supporters will be flocking to New Zealand or gathering around televisions in their thousands to support the boys in green and watch them defend their world champion title and hopefully bring the trophy home again.
Auckland will host the final, semi-finals, two quarterfinals and nine pool matches. The games will be played at Eden Park and Harbour Stadium.

As the “City of Sails” readies itself to showcase what it has to offer, it is clear rugby fans and travellers have a lot to look forward too.

Make sure you don’t miss out on anything that this beautiful city has to offer with our free travel guide of Auckland. This guide is available on iPhone and Android handsets. Simply download the Hummba guide onto your phone and start walking. This app does not need to connect to the internet - so roaming charges are not an issue!

Our application also lets you take geo-tagged photos and routes and travel posts. Why not share your World Cup experience and make your friends jealous.
Download it here

Your own virtual tour guide

2011-05-17T11:47:00.000+02:00

Hummba provides a platform for users to stay in touch easily and communicate their travel experiences in a fun and exciting way but the focus is also on communicating quality information to travellers on the go. If knowledge is power, then having an insider willing to share information on tourist hotspots as well as the hidden gems in cities explored by all, is the best way to make sure that a trip is enjoyed to its fullest.

In a digital age where information is readily accessible, Hummba provides a useful travel tool to do just that. Hummba Audio Guides are free and can be downloaded straight onto your mobile phone. There are essentially two types of Hummba Audio Guides, the first are the points of interest guides. These guides give in depth information on highlighting specific points of interest. Imagine finding yourself in London, wondering what theatres you should be catching a show at, but you’re daunted at the amount of theatres on offer. Downloading the London Theatres Guide will point you in the right direction.

The second type of Hummba Audio Guides on offer are the greater location and points of interest guides. These guides give users a glimpse into the areas they are exploring as well as highlighting local attractions that are well worth a visit. From the big smoke to the big apple, our Midtown Manhattan Guide includes information on the neighbourhoods you will be travelling through, telling you how they got started and where to explore as well as point out the hotspots along the way.

With a range of guides on over 100 countries there is not a part of the world that can be left unexplored. The mobile application is currently available for Iphone and Android handsets in the relevant application stores. Start downloading and enrich your travel experience with Hummba.com!

Hummba launches a new travel tool for travellers

2011-05-04T09:09:00.000+02:00

After months of development and beta testing, we are pleased to announce the launch of Hummba.com’s new website and mobile application for travellers.

Hummba transforms your phone into the ultimate travel accessory, that gives you localized content when you need it. It also lets you share your travel experiences as they happen in a new and exciting way. The mobile application is currently available for iPhones and Android and is available in the app stores.

We have been hard at work making Hummba better. The new user experience includes a simplified navigation and design, improved search functions, a faster loading website and new functionality, and in the next few weeks we’ll be taking you through all the improvements and new features.

In the coming months, we plan on continuing to improve our offering which will include, more social sharing capabilities, Hummba support forum, more audio guides, new mobile applications and enhancements.

Want to find out what Hummba is in a nutshell? Check out our Hummba explained video below that was created by Blink Tower.

Stay connected with your friends while you travel and share experiences. Join the Hummba travel community now. Sign up

Follow us on Facebook, and Twitter.

Crossing the Pacific

2011-02-24T11:08:00.000+02:00

As the short month of February comes to a close, the crew aboard the Turanor are making their way across the crystal blue Pacific Ocean.

Since we last checked in on the Turanor here on the Hummba blog, the worlds largest solar powered catamaran has made history. Just over a week ago, the vessel officially covered a greater distance then any solar powered vessel before it. The record was previously held by the Midnight Solar Team, who covered a distance of 9364 miles. If things keep going as well as they are now for the crew on board, Team Turanor will set an incredible record. This is considering that they are currently sailing all the way back to the south of France. Other news from the Turanor, is that the vessel is headed for the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia as they cross the magnificent Pacific Ocean. Any vessel making it's way across the worlds largest oceanic division is going to encounter a few hiccups, especially if they're relying on nothing more then the power of the sun.Wind has been a slight issue for the crew but the large catamaran is still going strong.

So the crew await the suns rays to take them all the way back to where their journey began. They are currently in the middle of the Pacific and are miles away from land and civilization and you can track their amazing voyage on Hummba.com. All you have to do is sign up to Hummba.com and join the Planet Solar Group. This way you can also be a part of this ground breaking event in the world of solar power at sea.

Check out the Planetsolar group on Hummba for constant updates from the crew on board right - here http://www.hummba.com/turanor.

Hummba.com and NileGuide.com team up in a content and technology partnership

2011-02-11T16:01:00.000+02:00

Combining unique patent pending mobile technology, reliable travel advice and content, Hummba.com has partnered with NileGuide.com to launch location based travel guides.
Using our unique patent pending technology, our guides, once started, play when the user either enters a location or passes a point of interest with information. Guides for Cairo, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington are now available and there will be more destinations to follow.
These guides are available in the following application stores:
• Android Marketplace
• iTunes
On Hummba, a traveller's community, users are also able to create footprint travel routes and tag pictures to them, create breadcrumbs, which are picture blogs, follow friends where ever they are in the world in real time and sync all the data through Facebook.
“ As NileGuide.com is one of the best travel information resources online, we’re happy to be in this partnership. Location based audio guides will give their existing users another great tool on their travels” says Chief Imagination Officer of Hummba.com, Mark Allewell.
More about NileGuide.com
Through a global network of local experts and content partnerships with many of the world’s most trusted travel publishers, NileGuide provides a one-stop resource that makes the trip planning process fast, fun and personalized, helping travelers make the most of their trips. NileGuide’s website and mobile applications offer access to hundreds of thousands of points of interest around the world, including hotels, activities, restaurants and suggested itineraries. For information visit Nileguide.com

Anchors Away

2011-02-09T13:05:00.000+02:00

The world's largest solar powered Catamaran is heading for the history books, as the Turanor is about to set off for the worlds first solar voyage expedition across the Pacific Ocean.

Of course this is very exciting news for all of us at Hummba.com and all our users, who have been following the solar powered vessel for the past 5 months! Considering that this is the Turanor's maiden voyage,it's safe to say that things have been going swimmingly well for the catamaran and the crew on board. Looking at some of the recent updates from the crew on Hummba.com,"Team Turanor" are set to leave the Galapagos Archipelago. This means that once again they will be relying solely on the power of the sun, for 6000 kilometers, until they reach Polynesia. Like so many explorers before them, the team will be heading for the Pacific crossing but they don't have sails or high powered engines. Out in the middle of the Pacific, it will be just the crew, the Turanor a vast blue ocean and the sun.

Sign up or keep checking the Planet Solar Group on Hummba.com, for more as this piece of history unfolds.

Chasing the Sun in 2011

2011-01-20T11:09:00.000+02:00

It's been an eventful start to 2011 for the crew aboard the Turanor. The unique solar powered catamaran, has been on a round the world expedition, since the impressive boat set off from the scenic shores of Monte Carlo, in late September 2010.

Since that momentous occasion, the boat relying solely on the power of the sun and the crew on board have crossed the Atlantic, encountered playful dolphins and are now chasing the sun, in the vicinity of the Galapogos Islands. In case you can't quite put your finger on where exactly these islands are, Galapogos is made up of a collection of Volcanic islands,spread around the equator in the Pacific Ocean. In other words, the worlds most innovative example of solar powered transport on water, is just west of Ecuador. Six days ago the Turanor crossed into the Pacific Ocean and luckily the weather has been hot and humid of late. With reports of whales and dolphins welcoming the crew and their solar powered pioneer on water, it's safe to say that things are looking very promising on this voyage.

Just two days ago, team Turanor came across an area,covered in trash. With in these polluted waters, the crew managed to rescue a turtle which was trapped by the rope of a boy. The turtle was in danger as a mackerel had been circling it. However they managed to free their newly found friend, who seemed to acknowledge them for a minute before he headed out into the glistening waters of the Pacific.

This incredible encounter, is just one of the many memorable moments that the crew have had on their journey aboard the Turanor so far. Follow this exciting event in the field of solar power on Hummba.com. We receive constant updates from the crew on board. So sign up to Hummba.com and join the Planet Solar Group, if you wish to follow this exiting voyage around the globe as the Turanor continues to chase the sun.

Check out the Planet Solar Group right here - http://www.hummba.com/turanor

From Monaco to Mexico

2010-12-06T15:04:00.000+02:00

It's taken just under 70 days for the world's largest solar powered catamaran and her crew to make it to Mexico, on this incredible vessels voyage around the globe.

The Turanor is currently making it's way along the Southern Mexican Gulf and the crew continue to rely on the power of the sun as they push on against the Gulf Stream. Here at Hummba.com we've received loads of feedback from our users and many others who are just intrigued by the Turanor and what her and the crew have achieved so far. It is difficult to answer so many of your questions but here's all you really need to know. The Turanor set off from Monaco in South Western Europe, so if you live between the Gulf of Mexico and the famous French Sovereign State, the Turanor could be coming your way soon. Otherwise, sign up to the Planet Solar group on Hummba.com. Once you're board with Hummba and this informative group, you can be a part of this momentous event.

With constant updates and pictures posted by the crew members on board the Turanor, all our users can watch this exciting voyage from their phones and computer screens.

Check it all out here www.hummba.com/turanor

So Long Atlantic

2010-11-19T14:52:00.000+02:00

The news is in! The world's largest solar powered ship has made it to the American's, on it's maiden voyage around the globe.

In just 26 days the Turanor has managed to sail across the Atlantic Ocean as the crew have spotted their first islands in the Caribbean. With the power of the sun's rays pushing the vessel and her crew on, team Turanor have come along way. Live updates from the crew have told us that they've all switched on their mobiles in order to pick up the local network. They are also extremely happy to feel like they're part of civilisation once again, considering that they've been floating in the Atlantic and praying for sunshine for weeks now. Another interesting fact that the reports have told us is that the crew hadn't seen land for over three weeks. This was a first for some of the team, so you can imagine how delighted they were when they spotted the Anguilla Island, the first sign that they had officially made it across the Atlantic.

Their journey is not over yet though, as this is a round the world expedition. So for more updates and pictures from this voyage, all you have to do is log onto Hummba.com.

We are extremely proud of the Turanor and her crew here at Hummba.com, so much so that we'd like you to check them out for yourselves right here

- http://www.hummba.com/Map.aspx#gid=1963

New Facebook app for BlackBerry-Courtesy of iol.com

2010-11-12T14:03:00.000+02:00

Courtesy of iol.com:

Facebook for BlackBerry v 1.9 incorporates user feedback and adds Facebook Places and BlackBerry Maps integration.

Facebook Places

Facebook Places allows you to see where your friends are and what they're up to. Users can tag the friends they're with, add comments about the place they are checked into and add additional information as they move around.

GPS and BB Maps Integration

The app integrates with BlackBerry Maps, allowing users to view their location, where their friends are and also get directions to and from Facebook Places.

The new app builds on previous versions, and now includes:

# An updated navigation bar

# Search for people and pages

# Integration with universal search on BlackBerry 6 devices

# Viewing friends' profile pictures and Pages from the Friends list page

The existing app already allows BlackBerry smartphone users to:

# Receive friend requests, wall posts and messages automatically

# Set up a unique alert (vibration and/or ringtone) for Facebook related content

# Quickly access essential features – convenient onscreen icons let users change their status, upload a photo, add a friend, poke someone, write on a wall, or send a message.

# Invite friends to join Facebook and accept new friend requests

# Scroll through messages and notifications as they do with email messages

# Snap and post pictures along with a caption and tags in a few easy steps – the photo upload feature is also integrated with the BlackBerry smartphone camera and photo management applications on the smartphone

# The new application is available to download for free from BlackBerry App World.

Bring on the Atlantic

2010-11-05T09:58:00.000+02:00

Since the world's largest solar power catamaran set off on it's ground breaking voyage around the globe, the vessel has continued to chase the sun all the way to the Atlantic.

Here at Hummba.com we've been watching the Turanor and her six crew members make their way from Monaco, through the clear blue waters of the Mediterranean and past north west Africa. Now the team continue to savor all they can from the sun as they make their way across the Atlantic Ocean. The most recent updates we've received directly from the crew, live on Hummba.com tell us that all is going smoothly. As per usual the crew have posted regular updates of their expedition, two days ago they were closer to the African Continent then the America's and yesterday the Turanor crossed the Tropic of Cancer. Last we heard from them, the crew had been snorkeling in the calm Atlantic and had spotted some interesting underwater creatures.

See for yourselves what the outcome of this exciting adventure will hold for the two crew members and the powerful catamaran, they're on route with on Hummba.com. Sign up to the PlanetSolar Group and the entire globe will literally unfold before your eyes, on your computer screen. Check out the Planet Solar Group right here - www.hummba.com/turanor

Jack Presents Stellenbosch

2010-10-25T16:15:00.000+02:00

Hummba's resident travel nut has been at it again and this time he's chosen an extra special route, which should appeal to all our thirsty travelers out there.

This month Jack Hummba decided it was high time he visited one of his favorite parts of the world. Now coming form a traveler who could direct you through the city center of Prague on old years eve with ease or would be able to direct you to the best place to find Mozzarella in Naples, I'd have to be talking about an extra special travel destination. The funny thing is, that Jack has chosen a tourist attraction just outside the city of Cape Town, on the scenic south west coast of South Africa. Jack does enjoy his wine and if that doesn't give it away, then here it is Jack Hummba payed a visit to the Stellenbosch Wine Route. This true South African gem is a made up of a cluster of wine farms and most of these wineries are renowned for their award winning wines.The farms and their rolling vineyards are conveniently situated amongst the mountains in the tranquil surroundings of the historic Stellenbosch wine making region.

Jack's latest Footprint on his one and only social networking and travel site, Hummba.com brings all the vino, fine hospitality and impeccable scenery to your computer screens. Jack visited his favorite wine farms, the town of Stellenbosch and many other note worth sites along the way and caught all his favorites on camera.

So check out Jack's latest, excellent adventure through this amazing wine route in the form of a Footprint on www.Hummba.com or just click on the link for a preveiw.
http://www.hummba.com/Map.aspx#ufid=1390,111372450

More from the Turanor

2010-10-14T09:22:00.000+02:00

As I write this weeks blog, the Turanor, also known as the worlds most advanced solar catamaran, is already making it's way past the north west coast of Africa and hasn't shown any signs of stopping.

In case you've been out of the loop for the past few weeks, the Turanor is a large and impressive boat, on a round the world expedition relying solely on the power of the sun. The boat is a fresh and unique new entry to the field of technology on water, equipped with cutting edge technology. The Turanor and it's crew began their ground breaking voyage, setting off from Monaco on September 27th and here at Hummba we've been following the vessel and her crew as they've braved the seas of the Mediterranean so far. Hummba Users, followers of this blog and fans of our travel mascot, Jack Hummba have been receiving frequent updates on the Turnor's voyage. If you really want to go the extra mile, why not sign up to the Planet Solar group on Hummba.com? Group members have been commenting on pictures of the Turanor in action and even been receiving reports and coordinates from the catamaran's skipper.

Reports of good weather and dolphins following the impressive ship popped up on the Planet Solar group just over a week ago. The crew did experience bad weather on their way out of Tangiers but the last update Hummba received from the crew was four hours ago and all was fine.

Racing the Sun

2010-10-05T14:35:00.000+02:00

Last week the Hummba blog featured the start of a round the globe expedition, undertaken by the worlds largest solar powered ship. The Turanor is not just an eye catching ship with an interesting name. Let's put it this way, the vessel and it's small crew are attempting to sail around the world, while relying solely on the power of the sun. If there's no light, then the journey could very easily come to an end.

Now that we're on the same page, I think it would be a good time for an update. The Turanor set off from Monaco last week and is doing fine. The last update we received here at Hummba,told us that they've moved closer to the European continent in order to catch more of the suns rays. How do we know this? It's simple we're following this solar powered icon and the crew through out their voyage, right here on Hummba.com. Just in case your unfamiliar with what Hummba is, log onto www.Hummba.com, once you're on there have a look around. If you're fond of traveling you should feel right at home, then go the extra mile by signing up to the PlanetSolar Group. Once you've joined, you too can watch this important event in the world of mobility unfold on your very own PC screen.

For anyone out there who hasn't signed up yet, here's a sneak peak at what you can expect to see, as you follow the Turanor's progress. I already mentioned, direct updates from the crew, other Hummba users commenting on the group and pictures of the large vessel making it's way around the world. Lastly what I enjoy doing the most as a member, is following the group live on Hummba.

So race the sun your selves on www.Hummba.com

Set Sail with Hummba

2010-09-28T09:47:00.000+02:00

Ever since I was a young child, I've heard stories on the news and read in novels about men and woman who have sailed around the world. These days when the public are informed of another planned attempt or completed journey undertaken by residents of this planet across this globe we live on, not everyone is all that impressed. Back in the days of daring explorers like Captain Cook he must have been the talk of the town for decades after he arrived home. Now days humans aren't too easily impressed but if you think that once you've followed one ship around the world you've followed them all, then you're horribly mistaken. The ship in question is called the Turanor and she's not your average vessel. Oh no, this powerful piece of machinery is a new and unique addition to the world of boating. The Turanor, is a high performance catamaran, powered by the sun and on the brink of making history during it's time at sea. It's quite fitting that the worlds largest

This was to good an opportunity for the team at Hummba.com and our resident travel nut, Jack Hummba to miss. We will be tracking this fascinating vessel as the crew navigate their way through harsh seas and past island paradise, back to where they started. So here's your chance, sign up to travel and lifestyle and social network Hummba.com, join the PlanetSolar Group and you too can follow this solar powered boats ground breaking voyage from port to port.

The Turanor's movements will become a regular fixture right here on this Hummba blog, so if you are interested it would be best to keep up, as we see the world with the help of solar power.

The City of Light and Love

2010-09-21T10:49:00.000+02:00

Paris is regarded as one of the most influential cities in the world,this enormous metropolitan area, has been immortalized in film and by countless painters and now with the help of Hummba.com, travelers can view Notre Dame, the Catacombs and the Eiffel Tower like never before.

Ever since I can remember, I've associated Paris with romance. Now this may be true but contrary to popular belief France's capital city is actually nicknamed the City of Lights and not the city of love. This has nothing to do with a sudden identity crisis that the locals may have developed, considering that when you Google Paris now days, you have to specify that you're after the French city and not a celeb with the same name, who has become synonymous with a distinct form of love. If you've visited the city before, it's not hard to see why Paris(in France) has been granted such a descriptive nickname and now with the help of a nifty social networking, travel site visitors can see the city in a whole new light. If you're asking yourself right now, how far Hummba.com will actually go when it comes to informative travel audio guides the answer is simple,any where in the world you want!

Hummba's Guides in the fair city of Paris are made up of detailed and accurate info on the ever popular museums, notable Parisian buildings and a step by step walking tour of the city center. One of my personal favorites when it comes to attractions in Paris would have to be the many bridges over the River Seine. Each bridge tells a story, which all make up the fascinating history of this age old city. Hummba incorporates these bridges into a guide along with the iconic churches and note worthy theaters in Paris. So log on to Hummba.com and enjoy these guides to the attractions that have kept visitors flowing into the City of Light and romance for centuries.

Discover Madrid with Hummba

2010-09-13T14:52:00.000+02:00

Anyone thinking of paying a visit to Spain's capital city anytime soon, shouldn't leave the house with out logging onto Hummba.com.

I can't think of another site that offers such an extensive and informative travel experience in Madrid. Not only will Hummba's Madrid guides give you the lowdown, on the cities vibrant quarters and ever popular museums but users can hear these guides in 5 different languages. Is there another spot on the net where you can get hold of accurate travel guides on one of the most visited cities in Europe in French, German, Italian Spanish and English. To be honest Hummba is a site for travel enthusiasts, created by seasoned travelers so in the long run, a visit to Madrid is like a walk in the park for the Hummba team. Now, if you happen to find yourself in Madrid by coincidence or on a backpacking holiday, Hummba guides will be there with you every step of the way.

Here's a chance for tourists and even Spanish locals to experience this multicultural European city in 5 different languages. Now that's what I call traveling in true Hummba style.

Jack Hummba hit's Franschhoek

2010-09-06T14:18:00.000+02:00

There's nothing quite like making your way over the infamous Hellshoogte Pass and locking eyes with what I like to call the French Quarter of the Cape Winelands. Believe it or not Franschhoek is a not only one of the oldest towns in South Africa but it was originally started by the French Huguenots. The town has grown in leaps and bounds since the Huguenot's first decided to set up shop in this picturesque area of the Cape. So it's no surprise that Hummba.com's very own travel guru, Jack Hummba would decide to pay a visit to this unique French village.

Jack Hummba's latest footprint, that can be seen on Hummba.com, provides would be and seasoned visitors to Franschhoek with a detailed introduction to the town. Jack has caught some fantastic images of the surrounding mountain ranges and vineyards that can be viewed in the area, before you even officially enter the delightful village.Users can see just what Jack got up to on his visit to the town, which included him stopping in at top restaurant venues and wine farms that have played a large part in putting Franschhoek on the map. Enjoy a fine glass of the area's ever popular wine at the Moreson Vineyard or have a an unforgettable experience at the Tasting Room and Reuben's Restaurant. Anyone who just glances at the pics taken along the way, will know that Jack got very excited when he reached the Huguenot Monument. Jack took some splendid pictures of this fascinating part of the town. So if you think once you've seen Franschhoek, you've seen it all I can guarantee you that Jack will prove you wrong.

Check out Jack's Footprint right here - http://www.hummba.com/Map.aspx#ufid=1390,102360600

A True London Experience

2010-08-31T09:31:00.000+02:00

It's been called the Old Smoke, some simply know it as England's capital, call this historic city whatever you want, London is an extremely popular travel destination for family holidays, backpackers and work related trips. Now with the help of Hummba.com, visitors to this extraordinary part of the world can experience this timeless city like never before.

Anyone who's seen London before should be able to give you a detailed run down of just how much of a mad house the city center can get. Now I'm not talking about Park Avenue during "rush hour" but Piccadilly and Oxford Street can be a nightmare for out-of-towners at any given time of day. Put it this way, Londoner's need to get where they're going, whether it's a hippie girl from an island off Greece, or an aspiring engineer from small town Indiana they're not going to wait for you if they've got some where to be. So in my opinion it's best to know where you're going and where you are, this way you can see more, experience more and have a better time on your journey. This is where Hummba comes into the equation. Now imagine walking through Leicester Square on your way to Covent Garden or Tottenham Court Road with your own tour guide in your side pocket. You won't even notice the hustle and bustle of the city, while you're listening to Hummba.com's very own detailed guides to England's city that hardly ever sleeps.

If it's theater you after then the Hummba will give you a detailed run down of Her Majesty's Theater, the Haymarket and many more renowned venues in the West End and in other parts of the city. With Hummba you'll be first in line for fresh goods at any of the markets within the M5, you'll know the best times to visit palaces and bridges that have stood that are older then the residents of London and make your way through the age old city center with ease.

Visiting London can be compared to stepping into a time machine and taking a look back at a time, when things seemed a lot simpler then the world can be today. So why not have a true London experience with Hummba's London Guides?

Wine and Dine with Hummba.com

2010-08-24T14:36:00.000+02:00

It’s no big secret that the Cape winelands area, just outside of Cape Town is one of the most popular travel destinations in the whole of South Africa. So why not tackle this series of unforgettable wine routes in true style, with Hummba.com?

Here at Hummba.com, we all enjoy a good day out in the winelands, just a short drive out of the Mother City. So it’s quite fitting that our users have access to detailed audio guides, which will direct them to some of the best wine farms, restaurants and notable landmarks in this renowned part of the world. With the use of Hummba’s Guides, wine lovers can experience the famous Stellenbosch Wine Route, try the tasty reds on offer along the Paarl route and even visit the wineries in the Durbanville Hills. These informative travel guides will tell you everything you’ll need to know during a visit, to these incredibly scenic areas. If you’re after a specific winery or special type of wine, Hummba will be there with you every step of way. You’ll return home from the wineland’s with new found knowledge of wine making methods, Cape Dutch Architecture and the history of the most visited vineyards in the Cape.

There’s more, the French settlement of Franschhoek could easily be one of the best kept secrets in the Western Cape. This vibrant town’s old world charm and great hospitality has made the Franschhoek Wine Route Guide one of the best our site has to offer. The Constantia Wine Route may be situated in the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town but that doesn’t stop it from being one of the best of the lot. With wineries that have been in existence for centuries, Constantia is certainly worth visiting and is another highlight on Hummba Guides.

There’s only so much that can be said about the impeccable sweeping vineyards which make up the landscape of the Western Cape region. You’ll have to see them first hand and with the help of Hummba, you could be enjoying great tasting wine and only the best home grown and international cuisine, in the shade of South Africa’s finest mountain ranges before you know it.

See the World With Jack Hummba

2010-08-20T12:59:00.000+02:00

It’s time for all you travelers and would be travelers out there to quit complaining about the price of accommodation on your holiday to California, or the boring boat tour you took through Venice. Jack Hummba is here to give you pointers from where ever he may be in the world and even show you pictures of his travels on Hummba.com.

When I was kid, I would often kill time when I was meant to be studying by running my finger along the continents of the globe, on a large world map I had printed on my desk. One day I took a break and went outside to the pool area, where my father was also pretending to be hard at work. I couldn’t hold it in any longer, I told him straight out, that one day I wanted to visit every country on earth, from Yemen to Alaska. I went on to say that I’d take pictures of the Taj Mahal and walk across Sydney Harbour Bridge. My old man’s answer was short and sweet as per usual. He looked up from his weekly gun magazine and said “good luck, don’t you have some studying to do or something”. As you can imagine I wasn’t too happy with my father and his words of so called wisdom. That was up until I was introduced to a chap by the name of Jack Hummba.

In case you’re unfamiliar with the name Jack Hummba, allow me to full in. Jack is Hummba.com’s very own ambassador who is quite the traveler. He’s a jet setter, who gets a big kick out of visiting the most popular travel destinations on the planet. Since Hummba.com is an online traveler’s social networking site, it’s quite fitting that such a worldly individual like Jack should represent the site from where ever he is on the globe. Sure Jack Hummba can often be spotted visiting popular travel destinations like New York, Paris, London and Amsterdam but what I like about following him on Hummba is that he also introduces you to brand new attractions in lands you may have never heard of. Jack makes his way around the world from Shanghai to the Suez Canal and uploads pictures of his travels along the way. So if you were hoping to visit Morocco anytime soon, Jack can help you decide if it really is the place for you.

Over the next couple of months Hummba.com’s ambassador will go the extra mile and upload images of his travels across South Africa, hosts of the recent Football World Cup. Starting off in the scenic French community of Franschhoek in the Cape Winelands and making his way to some of the most popular and under rated tourist destinations on the Southern African continent, Jack will not disappoint his followers and will be uploading “pics” of rolling vineyards and incredible white sand beaches . If only the young me had access to something like Hummba.com back then. Follow Jack closely because he’s the kind of guy who could sipping on latte’s in Paris and next thing you know he’s trekking through the Himalaya’s.

New Addition To Hummba

2010-06-14T16:27:00.000+02:00

If all the excitement over the past weekend wasn't enough for you, Hummba.com has something new to make your 2010 Football experience even more enjoyable.

If you haven't signed up to the Hummba Players group on hummba.com, let's just say you're missing out. This group offers football fans the chance to follow the 2010 World Cup through the camera lens of South Africa's star players. So far Bafana Bafana defender, Matthew Booth has uploaded pics from his iPhone of the local side paying a visit to former South African President Nelson Mandela, being greeted by thousands of fans in the opening stages of the tournament and even snap shots of himself at some of the great South African sports venues, being used during the tournament. Now equipped with a new profile viewer,hummba users can jump from the hummba players group to any profile on the site.

This is just one new reason to sign up to this new exciting travel experience. All you have to do is go to www.hummba.com, sign up and join the hummba players website. Before you know you'll be one up on any football fanatic, following the 2010 Football World Cup in South Africa.

The Wait Is Over

2010-06-10T09:39:00.000+02:00

The 2010 World Cup kicks off tomorrow afternoon when the hosts, Bafana Bafana take on Mexico at Soccer City in Soweto. News broadcasts showed the world that the people of South Africa are behind their team and can't wait to see the results, after 6 years of preparation for this extremely important sporting event.

If you missed the news or you didn't see receive an email from your family members like I did, then your in luck. Luckily Hummba brand ambassador and South African defender, Matthew Booth was on hand and was kind enough to take a video on his iPhone of the crowd that gathered in Sandton yesterday. You'll be able to view this video taken from the top of the Bafana Bafana bus as it passed through the affluent Johannesburg suburb yesterday.

Just sign up to hummba.com and join the hummba players group and you'll be able to see the clip for yourselves but beware the cheers from the excited crowd may hurt your eardrums.

Live on Hummba

2010-06-07T16:11:00.000+02:00

So your fridge is stocked, your TV is tuned in and you've been following your teams movements on the web and the news. I'd hate to break it to you but you're missing out. It's no secret the 2010 World Cup is upon us, this Friday all eyes will be on South Africa as the Football World Cup Opening Ceremony signals the start of one of the biggest events in the world of sport.

Hummba.com will be there every step of the way as Bafana Bafana keep our users enthralled, with live pics of the teams movements and videos of everything that goes on behind the scenes. Last week Bafana defender, Matthew Booth uploaded his own pictures directly from his mobile of the teams visit to the Nelson Mandela Foundation. Matthew even uploaded video footage of our boys in green and gold at the event, along with pics of the former president himself.

These are events that are unfolding as we speak and you'll only have the chance to see them on hummba.com. Just sign up to hummba.com, join our Hummba Players group and you can follow the team and their movements live on your mobile, while you wait in line at the bank or watch football in the pub with your mates. When you're on Hummba, take a look at the recent video of Bafana Bafana, when they were on their way to meet the Danish squads this past weekend, you won't see this on television.

Bafana Meet Madhiba

2010-06-04T14:33:00.000+02:00

This time next week the wait will be over and the 2010 Football World Cup will have started. In that case here's something that should interest any football fan.

Yesterday Bafana Bafana defender and Hummba brand ambassender Matthew Booth enjoyed a day out at the Nelson Mandela Foundation. Booth and the rest of the team met with the ex president, who might well be the most famous man in the world.

If you think this is old news then think again because Booth uploaded his own pictures he took at the foundation. If you'd like to see these pics for yourself, then sign up to Hummba.com and join the hummba players group. That's all it takes and you won't find these pics anywhere else. So if you wish to see Matthew Booth and his teammates hanging out at the Mandela Foundation it's all waiting for you on hummba.com.

The Great Outdoors

2010-06-02T15:22:00.000+02:00

The first thing that pops into my head when I think about South Africa, is wide open spaces. This beautiful part of the world is one of the few places on earth where you can go on safari when ever you feel like it. Now with the use of hummba.com, our handy social networking site, exploring the scenic South African out doors will never be the same. Now visitors can touch down in the mother city and find out exactly where they want to go, simply by switching on their mobile phones. While your plane is still coming to a stop on the runway, you can easily locate and find out what you'll need to know, about some of the best game reserves in the country.

Just log onto Hummba and download the Cape Town Nature Reserves Guide. Not only will our uses be able to visit all these incredible natural attractions, they can also pick up information about these reserves.

So if the idea of trekking over white sandy dunes at the Macassar Dunes Nature Reserve or discovering a true South African wetland at the Zandvlei Esturay intrigues you, then let Hummba be your key to the great out doors.

Win With Hummba

2010-05-31T09:17:00.000+02:00

This is your chance football fans, here at Hummba.com we're giving away some extra special prizes.

If you haven't noticed by now, we can't wait for the World Cup to get started. Bafana Bafana fever has gripped all of us at Hummba and we want you to enjoy all the action with us. As the excitement unfolds in our 9 host cities around South Africa, we will be with you every step of the way. Not only will our users be able to follow our brand ambassadors, Matthew Booth and Benni Mcarthy in real time from their mobile phones, now you can get your hands on your very own autographed Bafana Bafana football shirt. Imagine being at a game during the tournament, proudly wearing your shirt signed by our two resident football stars.

It's so simple, all you have to do is sign up to hummba, join the hummba players group and post a supportive comment. We'll be giving away a signed shirt every Friday, along with your very own soccer ball.

So hopefully we'll be receiving a long list of uplifting comments and you'll be receiving your autographed shirt and foot ball soon.

Wherever You Are in The World

2010-05-28T10:26:00.000+02:00

If you had told a seasoned traveler during the 1980's that one day the easiest way to explore the most popular tourist destinations in the world, would be made easy with a mobile phone, the jet setters probably would have laughed in your face. Now with Hummba.com backpackers, first time travelers and anyone on business abroad can explore the most visited cities in the world like never before. It doesn't matter if your boss wants you in the boardroom in Piccadilly Circus by noon and all you want to is see Hyde Park. With Hummba's free travel guides you'll know exactly where to go and you'll learn something about the famous city park when you get there. Our guides aren't just for visitors to London. You'll be able to find the Roman Coliseum in no time, explore the Bund in Shanghai like a local and plan your evening on Broadway in New York and all you'll need is your mobile.

Sign up on hummba.com now, download one of our free travel guides and explore the globe like never before.

Let Hummba Be Your Guide

2010-05-26T15:20:00.000+02:00

Any Football fan preparing to make their way to Cape Town for the 2010 Football World Cup, should log onto hummba.com right now for a journey of a lifetime.

Hummba will make a visitor to South Africa feel right at home with it's guide to the city of Cape Town for the World Cup of Football. Allow Hummba to be your own personal tour guide as you discover all the wonders of the Mother City. It's so easy, all you have to do is sign up on hummba and download the Cape Town 2010 Football World Cup Guide. What's more is that it won't cost a cent, yes the guide is free! Not only will you be able to pin point where Cape Town's best sandy beaches, theaters and wine farms are but your informative guide will tell you exactly what you need to know, about these fine attractions. If you're still not convinced Hummba will give you the low down on culture, cuisine and all the football action that will be going on in the city.

Most importantly this guide will lead you straight to Green Point Stadium, so you can enjoy a stress free, footballing holiday during your time in Cape town.

Hummba's Audio Guides

2010-05-25T10:57:00.000+02:00

Hummba.com, your free virtual tour guide during the 2010 Football World Cup

Hummba would like to announce the availability of FREE audio travel guides on all the 9 nine host cities of the 2010 Football World Cup. Hummba.com is our new social networking site committed to connecting avid travelers and imparting quality and accurate travel information through the use of our free audio guides, available by downloading directly to a mobile phone.

17 Day's to Go

2010-05-24T14:50:00.000+02:00

As I made my may through the center of the Mother City this morning, something caught my eye.It was an enormous number 17 I saw on a billboard, perched up on one of Cape Towns best known city off ramps. The fact that 17 is my favorite number had nothing to do with it, I just couldn't take my eyes off the large red digits. It could have something to do with a memory I have from the year 2004. It seems like only yesterday I was pouring pints of beer in a sports bar, when it was announced that South Africa would host the Football World Cup in 2010. The regulars cheered and informed me that it was going to be a great event in the history of our country, especially for South African sport. Six years have passed and here I was driving passed a promotional symbol, which told me that the first kick off was just over 2 weeks away.It's crazy to think that the World Cup is here already, it feels like only yesterday that I first heard the news.

I took a moment to think about how much things have changed in my life since then and all the work that has gone into preparation for the World Cup, then it hit me like a sack of bricks. Back in 2004 I had never heard of social networking! Well put it this way.I certainly didn't think that when this tournament eventually took place on my home turf, that I would be able to log onto a site like Hummba.com, upload my own personal pictures with the use of my mobile and see what star players Benni Mcarthy and Matthew Booth have to say about all the action on and off the football pitch. Yes, you heard right for those of you who've been in the dark for the past few weeks, you may be interested to know that two Bafana Bafana players are on board with us here at Hummba, as our official brand ambassadors.

Founder of Hummba.com Mark Allewell hung out with 6 foot tall Matthew and the ever charismatic Benni in Johannesburg recently and the boys look just as excited as we all are here at Hummba.com.

Can You Feel It?

2010-05-21T10:50:00.000+02:00

Any South African will tell you that things are heating up all over the country now that the first 2010 World Cup kick off is just a few short weeks away.

Here at Hummba.com things are just as exciting! With South African footballers Benni Mcarthy and Matthew Booth as our brand ambassadors, football fans can follow all the action on and off the pitch through live picture and videos of our star players. Put it this way, if Benni and Mathew hop on a plane from Johannesburg down to Cape Town for a game, you'll be able to follow them on Hummba. Where else can football enthusiasts view live videos of their team warming up before a World Cup game, or track their favorite players movements during the tournament? What's more is that this has already begun, Hummba users can now follow the build up to what could well be the biggest event of 2010 Football World Cup directly from their mobile phones.

Imagine sitting on the couch at home or in the pub, just before kick off and watching pictures pop up on your phone of Bafana Bafana as they prepare themselves for a World Cup game on their home turf. This is a reality with Hummba.com as we support our team and make this important time for sport in South Africa a truly memorable experience.

Be a part of it all on and join the Hummba players group on http://www.hummba.com/adidas.

Your Virtual Tour Guide

2010-05-17T15:36:00.000+02:00

We at Hummba know how important it is to travel and most importantly to travel wisely, that's why we offer you comprehensive guides that allow you to experience every nook and cranny of every place you want to visit. From Cape Town's Walking Tour of the City Bowl to London's Theatre Guide, we cater for all your needs and understand that when visiting a city, a virtual tour guide is the preferred choice.

Above all else, we understand that traveling is expensive. With all the costs of flights, accommodation and actual spending money, the price tag is a heavy one, that's why our audio guides are absoultely FREE! It doesn't get better than that. Saving on costs and receiving an outstanding service.

So what are you waiting for? Download one (or more) of our quality guides directly to your mobile phone and start experiencing the city of your choice in a new and exciting way. Happy Travels!

Kids Will Be Kids

2010-05-14T11:08:00.000+02:00

Children's inventiveness and sneakiness will never seize to surprise me. If you're a parent you will understand the constant testing of boundaries as they try to figure out who they are and what place they have in this world. Sometimes it gets out of hand and may have some serious consequences but one things for sure, you have to commend them for trying.

Students in Argentina tested the boundaries to an extreme that was both inventive and a serious issue. By creating a facebook group, they figured out a way to get 11 000 students to ditch class and meet in the town square, this of course, inspired copy cats all wanting to get into the cutting class action. Go figure, one kid does it and they all have to do it!

But before they could high five and enjoy their freedom, parents and teachers had caught onto them, as they do and had the court ban these types of groups on Facebook. Sorry kids, but I'm with the parents on this one. When you're at school it feels like you've been sentenced to life but it's only when you're older you realize how beneficial it was and wished that you had payed more attention rather than pass notes about the boy with blue eyes and surfer blonde hair.

However I find myself awed at the resourcefulness and initiative this kids had to plan their escape, sort of a prison break via facebook. So if we were to grade this little "assignment" I'd give you guys an B+, why not an A? I'm glad you asked, because you got caught. While I sit here having a good chuckle to myself, I realize that this is no laughing matter but if we can't laugh about it, what else is there to do, cry? No, that wont do, all we can do is try and stay one step ahead and figure out for ourselves what else they could possibly do while using facebook. Happy investigating.

This is our Time to Shine

2010-05-13T15:23:00.001+02:00

The World Cup draws near and we can feel the fever already, the sound of the vuvuzela in the streets, the chattering of excited football fans as they nitpick over scores and predictions and at Hummba we are doing all we can to ensure that you get front row seats to all the football action and so much more!

As you know we are all about moving and what better way to move through the World Cup action with our new brand ambassadors, Matthew Booth and Benni McCarthy. Yes, that's right, two of South Africa's footballing elite have joined the Hummba community and are loving it! Be an insider and track our esteemed players live as they move from the change rooms to the pitch, join our exclusive Football groups and leave them a comment of encouragement.

And of course, it wouldn't be Hummba if we didn't throw in a little bonus. Sign up, join a group and tell us what you think Bafana Bafana's chances are in the 2010 Fifa World Cup and you could win autographed shirts and soccer balls from your beloved players.

Start moving with Hummba.com!

New! New! New!

2010-04-16T11:34:00.000+02:00

We at Hummba, are constantly brainstorming new ways to help make your Hummba experience all it can possibly be! We are creating a Hummba world and want each and every user to feel part of this great community.

So this month before our much anticipated launch, we have added some new features I'd love to tell you about. First up are our very popular breadcrumbs, before you would only be able to upload them from your mobile phone, we found this limiting and decided to allow our users to upload from their PC as well. This allows more freedom in uploading photo's and allows you to share photo's you have taken when not on Hummba.

I've already told you about Hummba's new location based video feed but allow me to be a little more descriptive about what it is you can do. Groups, as with facebook, are very popular with self promotion as well as promoting a brand or company, video feeds can now be uploaded to groups, ensuring that whatever message you want to send, comes across loud and clear.

Lastly, a new facebook application has been created for Hummba that allows users to view their Breadcrumbs, Footprints, and their friends Breadcrumbs, Footprints and location on Facebook.

As you can see, we are accommodating your needs as an avid social media user and will continue to please you with our new features and upgrades as well as keep you posted. Keep using Hummba and if you have any suggestions or comments you'd like to share with us, feel free, we are always more than willing to lend an ear! Happy travels!

The Next Step-Location Based Video

2010-04-14T13:00:00.000+02:00

Remember when YouTube came out? It was a video feeding frenzy, people from all over the world rushed to their PC's to upload all that they could from music video's to self made promo's and everything in between. I originally thought it was all text, all of the time, but it seems to be all video, all of the time. Even Twitter, famous for it's "one liners" is part of the video craze, every person's tweet is littered with links to video's. What can I say? We are a visual nation.

This is what we took into careful consideration here at the brains of Hummba.com, you're new way of connecting and we are excited to announce launching the location-based video application today!

We would love to hear from you so drop us a line and tell us how you feel about our new feature! One things for sure, this blogger is loving it and uploading constantly!

Did Someone Say Guides?

2010-03-29T13:05:00.000+02:00

Traveling, although a break from the mundane routine of life, it can be quite stressful. In some cases, you need a holiday to rest from the holiday you just had. But there's nothing more exciting than experiencing the sites and sounds of a new place. A genuine concern is missing out on 'not to be missed' attractions and people can spend weeks googling the different attractions and making countless lists, in order to prepare for the trip of a lifetime.

In today's society that shouldn't even be necessary. And thanks to Hummba.com it doesn't have to be. A brilliant new feature has just been released taking the hassle right of your trip. Once you reach the destination of your choice, search for the guides that are relevant to the area and download to your mobile phone.

Countless guides have been added to Hummba.com all with quality information on what to do when in the city of your choice. From walking tours, to specific information such as theatres in the area, you're not going to miss anything and might even find a few attractions that aren't well known but tickle your fancy in any case. To experience a place to it's fullest you need the inside scoop and that's exactly what Hummba.com provides.

Of course we know this isn't the only brilliant feature, send messages to your friends, update your status, create footprints that can be tracked by your friends and revel in the technology of geo-tagged photo's. The opportunities are endless, what are you waiting for? Sign up and get the edge in social networking and traveling.

A New Way of Connecting

2010-03-23T11:42:00.000+02:00

Mark Zuckerberg and Chris Hughes are the names synonymous with social networking, revolutionizing the way we connect. But what happens after you've developed the most successful social networking site on the planet? When you've made your millions? For Chris Hughes it was the challenge of becoming Barack Obama's online arm in the campaign of a lifetime. Now that's one techie I would definitely want on my side. in fact, Obama's online efforts have been credited with contributing to his November 2008 victory over John McCain. But this technology genius wants more and he's determined to do it with his new site, Jumo.

It;s not what you think, there will be no farmville or endless quizzes or updating your status, this project is aimed for the greater good. Hughes announced the launch of the non-profit new venture on his personal blog at chrishughes.tumblr.com. "There are no magic solutions to the challenges our world faces," Jumo.com says on its home page. "But there are millions of people around the globe who work each day to improve the lives of others," it says. "Unfortunately, there are millions more who don't know how to meaningfully help. "Jumo brings together everyday individuals and organizations to speed the pace of global change," it says. "We connect people to the issues, organizations, and individuals relevant to them to foster lasting relationships and meaningful action."

Now this is a story to start the day with. And, once again, taking a very simple concept and sky rocketing it into popularity is something Hughes has a master degree in. This brilliant concept is exactly what this world needs, with so much poverty around every corner, it's everyone's responsibility to get involved and assist where they can. I know this blogger will. So I take my hat off to you Hughes, this is going to be your best project yet.

iCheat

2010-03-10T10:12:00.000+02:00

Tiger Woods. Images of a golf legend getting down and dirty with countless women is most likely what springs to mind first. And so it should, the cheater gets caught, like that's never happened before. What amazes me is that the jokes that were flying around the office, happened within minutes of that story breaking. Opportunities sprung from other people's misery, it's the way of the world unfortunately.

That's why when TigerText came out, I wasn't in the least bit surprised. It's a new iPhone application that allows user to send text messages and once the message is read it is instantly deleted, leaving no trace of infidelity. This includes erasing received and dialled calls logs. Of course, I found this quite amusing when I first read it, can you imagine all the hassle that could have been spared in the case of our billionaire golfer if he had had this application? But there are other questions that plague the mind when thinking of this application.

There was a comment from a reader on the article I had read stating "This application is actually making cheating easier! I wish one of the people who developed this thing gets the worst of this application. They are encouraging cheating. I can't believe this!" A good point. But I don't tend to agree wholeheartedly. An application like this doesn't encourage cheating, if someone wants to cheat they will, regardless of an Iphone application but I do think that it's not the most moral of applications.

But when it comes to phone applications as with the internet or technology, it's definitely not about morality, it's about the freedom to choose. It's about being given the options of new advances and deciding whether or not to use them based on your set of values and opinions. Not everyone is the same and someone who maybe believes that it is alright to cheat (I'm sure there are people out there) this is something they would choose to use purely because it is something that will help them with something they believe is ok to do. It's like the great pornography debate, some believe it can spice up a stale marriage, others believe its filth that shouldn't be entertained. It all boils down to choice and of course making loads of cash for the developers.

Oops.....

2010-03-09T10:00:00.000+02:00

With technology rapidly taking over the world in the 21st century, there are bound to be some bumps in the road. But who knew that Jury Duty would be one of them? There is an outcry in the US because Jurors are causing mistrials, exclusion of jurors, and imposition of fines because of their techno savvy and claiming that there is nothing said to prohibit them from using the net, going onto facebook or even tweeting during a court case.

Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon challenged her misdemeanor embezzlement conviction after discovering five jurors "friended" one another on Facebook during the trial. This is only one of the many instances of techno Jurors causing havoc with the system. New restrictions will have to be put in place to ensure that when you have a juror, they are as objective as possible. Personally I believe that this shouldn't even have to be said, but apparently it does.

Social networking and the internet has become so ingrained in our day to day lives that it's become routine. Tweeting or updating your facebook status is almost an unconscious action but when it comes to the issues of the law, awareness is what is needed and breaking the habit for the allotted amount of time is imperative. Objectivity is the name of this game, and adding fellow jurors as friends on your facebook account is hindering this important process. Take it seriously, how would you feel on trial with a bunch of tweeting jurors?

Videogame Makers Racing to Develop iPad Games

2010-03-08T09:44:00.000+02:00

Courtesy of IOL Technology:

Washington – As an electronic reader, Apple's iPad has been touted as a possible Kindle killer but what has videogame makers buzzing is the potential of the touchscreen tablet computer as a gaming platform.

"It's going to be a really powerful handheld game console," said Asbjoern Soendergaard, founder and chief executive officer of Tactile Entertainment. "It's going to be an awesome gaming experience."

Soendergaard's Denmark-based company is building a pet simulation game for the iPhone called Pocket Creatures and he said the iPad will allow the game developers to add "features that we only thought we could a year ago."
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The iPad's larger screen, rich graphics and processing power has videogame and application developers around the world racing to put the final touches on programs for the iPad in time for when it hits the stores next month.

Free and paid applications for the iPhone - more than 150 000 to date - helped make the smartphone a smash hit and developers are hoping for similar success with the iPad, which goes on sale in the United States on April 3 and in nine other countries at the end of the month.

"We're very excited about the iPad because it gives us more room to play," said Brian Meehan, the head of worldwide product development at Sourcebits, a company focused on mobile applications and gaming with offices in Atlanta and Bangalore, India.

"It's got a larger screen obviously and more CPU," Meehan said of the iPad's central processing unit, what Tactile's Soendergaard described as the "power under the hood."

Besides games, one of Sourcebits most successful products is Knocking Live Video, which allows iPhone owners to share live video with each other and has attracted over 750 000 users in just three months.

"We'll ultimately build that out for the iPad," Meehan said.

"For gaming, the iPad's going to be kind of in a bit of a world of its own," he added.

"If you look at Sony's PSP and all the other portable gaming devices they may be a little bit bigger than the iPod Touch or the iPhone but they're all in that same size area.

"Now you have this device that's also going to be able to connect to (the Internet)," he said. "That in itself is a big playing field for everybody in the gaming world."

Soendergaard said the iPad is "different from the iPhone where you have your personal apps" and predicted it will be "a family device, a shared device.

"On the multi-player side it's going to be really exciting," he said. "Maybe you can play board games on it."

Mike Rasmussen of Durham, North Carolina-based Republic of Fun, publisher of Slug Wars and other iPhone titles, agreed, saying the iPad opens up all kinds of new possibilities for game makers.

"It's about the right size to place down on a table between four people," said Rasmussen, whose title at Republic of Fun is "el presidente" in keeping with the name of his company.

"We've really started thinking about it as kind of the ultimate board game device which can create really interactive, fun, multi-player experiences for groups of people that just are not possible on a device like the iPhone."

Game makers are not the only ones bullish about the iPad. So are financial analysts and application developers.

"We were able to demo the (iPad) at the launch event and were impressed by the gaming and e-book experience in particular," said Ben Reitzes, an analyst at Barclays Capital.

"We found the gaming experience to be far superior to the smaller screen platforms and wouldn't be surprised if gaming popularity turned out to be one of the gadget's big surprises," Reitzes said in a research note on Friday.

PointAbout, a Washington-based technology company which has built iPhone applications for the White House, the US Coast Guard and The Washington Post among others, is looking to adapt its popular AppMakr service to the iPad.

AppMakr can make iPhone applications for as little as $199 (about R1 400) and has been used to build 3 800 iPhone programs in just the six weeks since it was launched, said PointAbout co-founder and chief operating officer Daniel Odio.

"We will probably end up adding iPad into AppMakr so that people can build low-cost iPad apps," Odio said. "I imagine it's going to take us three to six months to do that but it is our goal." - AFP

Something Out of a Science Fiction Movie

2010-03-05T11:23:00.000+02:00

Technology is developing at such a rate that's it's almost impossible to stay in the loop but that's why events such as the CeBIT fair, which is being held in Berlin, comes in very handy. It showcases new technology in a fun and informative way. But there's always a show stopper, taking all the glory from the other displays and this year is no exception.

This year it's brain-wave monitoring technology, devices that allow people to write letters or play pinball using only the power of their brains. It's been a major drawcard at this years high-tech fair. All you have to do is be set up to the machine that looks like a shower cap with wires attached and concentrate on what it is you want to do. These activities may seem trivial but this technology could one day save your life.

Scientists are researching ways to monitor motorists' brain waves to improve reaction times in a crash. In an emergency stop situation, the brain activity kicks in on average around 200 milliseconds before even an alert driver can hit the brake.There is no question of braking automatically for a driver, that would be a loss of control on the drivers part and I'm sure there are many people out there that wouldn't feel too comfortable giving up their control of the vehicle they are driving. But there are other things the car could do in a crucial moment, such as tighten the seat belt. Using this brain-wave monitoring technology, a car can also tell whether the driver is drowsy or not, potentially warning him or her to take a break.

Another breakthrough would be for the disabled, they would be able to operate devices using their minds or be able to communicate. This truly feels like something out of a science fiction movie. This kind of technology is mind blowing. Forgive the pun(wink). I can't wait to see what they come up with next! Time travel?

One Skype at a Time

2010-03-04T15:42:00.000+02:00

Skype is taking over the globe, one free call at a time. It's now taken a second major leap into the wireless market in just a few short weeks. They have recently unveiled software from Top phone maker Nokia Oyj which could run on more than 200 million smartphones around the world. The new Skype for Symbian software is available for free download from Nokia's Ovi Store to consumers globally.

You must be wondering, if you're not a technology junkie, what leap did Skype take originally? Skype made its first major leap into cellphones in mid February, striking a deal with the largest US mobile carrier Verizon Wireless. There is no stopping this gravy train, Skype already has 520 million registered users and has been the biggest thing since slice bread since it started in 2003. Free calls on your computer? on your phone? who knew?

Although these are major steps for the Skype team, it's been a tough nut to crack. Most telecommunication operators have seen our much beloved Skype as a threat to their core business of voice calls. But it seems times are a changing. I'm even tempted to say, maybe Oprah is the catalyst for this, because we all know, once you're on Oprah, everyone wants a piece of you. (wink)

His Holiness the Tweeter

2010-02-24T13:23:00.000+02:00

While driving to work this morning I caught the end of a conversation on the radio, from what I could gather, they were talking about the Dalai Lama being on Twitter. Of course I dismissed this and though I had caught the end of a prank but as I was scouring the news, it was there in black and white.

The Tibetan spiritual leader has joined the micro blogging service Twitter and he's attracted over 55 000 followers in only two days. His feed-@Dalailama-was launched on Monday. Where did this come from and why? These are the questions I've been asking. He apparently met with Evan Williams in Los Angeles who is one of Twitters founders. His Holiness was pitched the idea of using it and according to the founder laughed about it but after the meeting the tweets began.

Before you get excited and start looking him up for his pearls of wisdom, the only tweets that have been posted so far are links to articles and photos of his activities during his current US visit. But who knows, he could share a few noteworthy tweets in the future with us? A fake Dalai Lama account had been set up over a year ago and because of it, the founders have started verified accounts but that faker attracted tens of thousands of followers so it shouldn't be long for the real Dalai Lama to exceed those numbers. I know I'll definitely be one of them.

The Techno Dating Dance

2010-02-18T11:39:00.000+02:00

Dating has always been a difficult task, there are certain rules that have been perfected over time and when the internet came along, the dating game changed forever. You don't need to interact with people on a personal level anymore, you could MySpace them, send them an email, a message on Facebook, join an internet dating site that can search through its database for your perfect match! It's all text, all of the time. I believe it takes the fun out of meeting someone naturally, but I can also understand the desire to avoid the awkwardness of a first meeting, the uncomfortable silences and the need to impress.

Keeping this is mind, I came across a new dating game, Flitter, a curve ball in the technological world of dating. It's inspired by none other than the world renowned Twitter. A group of web-savvy singles suit up and number themselves and enter a room filled with fellow tweeters. The tweets start fast and furiously as people size up the potential dates, writing who they would like to hook up with and eventually a face to face meeting, only if you're interested, is all set up. It's a sure fire away to dodge the bullet of rejection.

The reviews are mixed, some say it's the perfect way to sift through the crowd to find the person that tickles your fancy while others think it hampers being able to approach the person you're interested in. I think it must be extremely interesting to watch, a bunch of guests gazing closely at their iPhones and Blackberrys in a dimly lit room, their thumbs tapping away at their mobile devices on Twitter. This test run was hosted in Canada and it seems to have been a hit. I have a feeling this is only the beginning in a string of new dating ideas, as technology advances, so does the dating game.

Smartphones Under Threat

2010-02-17T13:23:00.000+02:00

With all the buzz surrounding the Smartphones, it's no wonder that a warning has been issued and its a stern one. Smartphones are in danger of being hacked by cyber criminals. This may seem like yesterday's news but an announcement has been made at this years Mobile World Congress being held in Barcelona. We've all heard time and again of the threat of hackers but I think few of us take it seriously, you'll think twice when something happens to you but for those of you willing to heed the warning, hold on to your chairs, it's going to be a bumpy ride.

The incredibly popular Smartphones could face an explosion of virus attacks in the coming years. The scary possibility is that a worm could infect a phone tomorrow and go around in the world in minutes. But it's not all doom and gloom, security companies, mobile operators and makers of operating systems have found solutions to limit the attacks so far and delay an onslaught of spam and viruses. But as much of a relief as this is, it won't last forever but delays can help the process of trying to figure out what can be done to prevent or at least limit the damage.

An interesting fact is that on any new platform, the first years, the viruses are done by hobbyists just showing off their technological abilities but later down the line more professional money-making criminals move in. It took hackers 20 years for computer viruses to become a money-making industry but they are estimating it to take a lot less time for mobiles.

Security companies have developed anti-spam and anti-virus software for mobile phones as well as anti-theft features that allow a phone's owner to remotely block the device and even map its location. But Smartphones, with their email and Internet capabilities, will invite more break-ins, especially with the growth of mobile banking. So be prepared and keep watching this space for updates....

Mobile Users to Reach 5 Billion

2010-02-16T14:41:00.000+02:00

This article was supplied by News24.com:

The ranks of cellphone subscribers will swell to five billion people this year thanks to the growth of smartphones in developed nations and mobile services in poor nations, a UN agency said on Monday.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) also said the number of mobile broadband subscriptions would exceed one billion this year after reaching 600 million in 2009.

"Even during an economic crisis, we have seen no drop in the demand for communications services," ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun Toure said in a statement at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, the industry's biggest trade show.

The number of mobile subscribers had reached 4.6 billion people last year.

"I am confident that we will continue to see a rapid uptake in mobile cellular services in particular in 2010, with many more people using their phones to access the Internet," Toure said

In the developing world, the growth has been driven by the use of phones for mobile banking and health services, the ITU said.

"Good examples include sending reminder messages to patient's phones when they have a medical appointment, or need a pre-natal check-up," Toure said.

"Or using SMS messages to deliver instructions on when and how to take complex medication such as anti-retrovirals or vaccines," he said, adding that such uses can save millions of dollars and lives.

People with no bank accounts but mobile subscriptions are also increasingly able to do financial transactions with their phones in developing countries, he said.

Creatures of Mobile Habits

2010-02-10T12:23:00.000+02:00

Research in the UK tracked 100 000 mobile phones in a bid to gain some insight into human movement - and not the waving your arms and stomping your feet kind of movement but rather where you go, how far, how long you're there and how frequently. As predicted, the study concluded that most people are creatures of habit. In fact, very few move out of a five to ten kilometer radius and visit the same places over and over again.

The results could apparently assist when there's an outbreak of diseases and track traffic changes. But what the study really revealed was that people's movements follow a precise mathematical law known as power law. Power law is the relationship between two quantities for those who don't know.

Although this isn't the first time that mobile technology has been used to gather information about human behaviour it has highlighted the possibility of much more research and changes in the way we interact with our mobile phones and the influences that could come of it.

Handset manufacturers like Nokia have put forward a proposal to build sensors into their phones to report back on air quality. What that means is a whole new trend in location specific information. By including that sort of feature, it will be much easier to collect that sort of data. While location specific information is gaining ground fast, with new technologies and developments in phones, location based information and media will soon reiterate our instant gratification society and become common place. A clever tool if you want to build a database, ask Google - they'll tell you.

So, if mobile users are living the same route over and over again, you have to wonder...are you one of them? Creature of habit or adventure? Hummba offers users a chance to get mobile with their mobile. Offering free location based audio guides and the opportunity to take geo tagged photos to share with your friends. And only your friends. You can even link your Facebook account to your hummba profile. Download the mobile application on m.hummba.com or visit www.hummba.com to find out more.

Who's Using Who?

2010-02-09T09:40:00.000+02:00

User-generated content might have once been a marketers nightmare, but since the uprising of empowered consumers and social media, user-generated content has taken a step up on the podium to claim first prize.

Since 2008, the growth of smart phones and 3G phones has spurred on the popularity of social media networks because now you could connect anywhere and at your convenience. Evolving past conventional text based communication, photo and video based media has also been on the rise, giving users the opportunity to capture and share content with their friends and subcultures. So is that it? Not exactly.

By definition, user generated content refers to 'material created and uploaded to the web by non-media individuals.' And...it's one of the fastest growing forms of content on the Internet. From review sites to rating sites, comments to blogs, User Generated Content (UGC) has actually been around since the 1980's but only in the last few years has it grown into a phenomenon.

So, if most of what is on the web now is UGC, how can you harness that to build your business? UGC has brought on a new wave of advertising and marketing tools. Some of the opportunities created by UGC is that marketers are now empowered to shape the discussion. The advertiser is now required to talk to the user, creating a dialogue and a platform to 'convince' users of the benefit of their product and really engage with them as an individual rather than just a statistic.

Marketers and advertisers also have the chance to experiment. Because conventional advertising doesn't have the same impact that it used to, an opportunity presents itself to allow advertisers to specifically respond to, talk about or piggy back their solutions and products based on the exact needs and wants of the user.

The only drawback of UGC is that when someone feels free to share their opinion - they can't be censored to only share what is great about a product. They will share the pitfalls and disappointments too. Although this negative feedback does need to be monitored to steer a potentially damaging review, it can also be the chance you were looking for to rectify any misconceptions and gather valuable information and feedback that can help you improve your services.

UGC seems as though it will be here to stay for now. Until of course, the world gets tired of making their own decisions and just want to be told what cereal to buy, phone to use, trip to take. Until then, harness the power of UCG and watch your business grow.

Visit www.hummba.com and share your pictures straight from your phone to the web. come on user...generate.

(Contributor/Writer: Jacques Teichmann)

A Site for Sore Eyes...

2010-01-20T11:10:00.000+02:00

When you launch a website, particularly a social network, is it possible to get it completely right the first time? Even if you’ve enlisted the help of the ‘elite’ web developers and designers, it’s still a long road from misery to magnificent.

The difference between a company website and a social networking site is that a company website is a source of information for the user. A social network requires interaction, user generated content and a reason to stay a while and play. we’re not talking about the difference between pretty and ugly websites - although aesthetics naturally do make that first and lasting impression.

Hummba has continually reviewed the look and usability of the site to ensure that we can deliver on our promise to connect people and provide independent travel information. Now in its third stage of development, we chatted to (newly) on board in house web developer, Pieter Botha, about the latest developments on hummba.

What are the most important factors to consider when designing a social networking site?

Your users. When developing a portal you have to know what you want users to do on your site and what the incentive is for them to do so. A great question to ask yourself is how your service fits into the day to day life of your user. This is also called ‘augmented reality.’ If you can’t answer that, you’re probably not thinking enough about your users and how to be of service to them.

Users can be anybody so it’s important to make sure that your site is accessible to beginners. Your site should orientate users quickly and show them the benefits of using the site. Simple web applications that have a powerful effect on day to day living will always get more attention than complex, over-developed applications that alienate users with jargon and foreign concepts.

Research your user group and find out how to satisfy their wants and needs. Great portals don’t just facilitate communication and interaction between users, but between users and web relevant information.

What are the major pitfalls when developing a site that requires user interaction?

Developing a site purely from a production point of view might be easier and make more sense on paper, but as I said - it all comes down to the user and what they want. Its also easy to drown users with information. Important, relevant information that is easy to find and use should be included on your site. Leave everything else out. Clean, easy to read designs are a must, don’t be tempted to create something so beautiful, it becomes more of a screen saver than a user-friendly site.

Also, I think marketing gimmicks should be carefully considered when including them onto a social networking site. Forcing pop up ads, flashing banners and an endless amount of banner ads on users might just scare them off. Make sure that if you are including marketing information on your site, it is relevant to your user, not just your bottom line.

What lessons have you taken from big social networking/sharing sites like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and Flickr?

Never forget the original idea. Never forget about the users who liked that idea and who got you to where you are. Be flexible to the changes in user needs but don’t bend to every trend, creating countless applications to keep up with competitors and attract investors brings with it a whole other set of pitfalls.

What advice could you give web developers in the process of building a social network?

Less is more. Know your product and know why it is unique. If you can communicate your service in simple terms to a complete stranger and they can grasp it, than you have something.

There you have it. If you needed a good place to start…I think you might have found it.

My Madrid

2010-01-08T09:24:00.000+02:00

So here's a little update of my evening out with my new travel buddies, Paulo and Lima (he won't tell me how he got the nickname). Anyway, it was crazy. Forget New York - Madrid is the City that Never Sleeps. Do you know what that is in Spanish? Mucho marcha! Ironically, we started off the evening at an Irish pub called 'Dubliners' where they have a big screen TV devoted to English Premier League games. Then we moved onto a cosy little disco-bar in Huertas. That was good fun. Got to meet some locals and of course, imagine who I would marry if I was the marrying kind. Luckily the locals where out in full force despite being a Thursday but that's one of the things I love about Spain.

Last stop was a tapas bar with a great live solo musician. It was just me, my compadres, the owner, the muso and the guitar. He played some Spanish folk songs that made me nostalgic. Or was it the red wine that made me nostalgic - I can't tell now. Anyway, I finally hit the sack at about 7am, I would still be sleeping except that I have to head to Seville today. Not that I'm complaining - should be awesome.

See you on the other side of this!

J

Top 5 Reasons to Visit Madrid

2010-01-07T16:36:00.000+02:00

Hola!

So I've spent the day in wintry Spain. Madrid to be exact. It's no surprise why its one of the world's best loved cities and the country that is always top of the list when it comes to travel destinations. I met a few fellow travellers, one from the Czech Republic and another from South America. We just had sangria and tapas and are going to hit the local bars and clubs tonight. Its going to be a late one - wish me luck. Still not convinced? Well let me give you my top five reasons to visit Madrid...

1. Its the city with the most electric, vibrant energy. I hate to get spiritual but - it rocks.
2. The food man. The locals are more like passionate foodies, from traditional to fusion - you'll never be hungry for anything in Madrid.
3. The art. There are galleries and museums everywhere with every kind of art housed inside. Its creativity central. That's got to rub off right?
4. 5 Stars. You might not be able to see the night sky clearly but there are five stars on every corner. Luxury I'm not accustomed to but let me tell you - I could get used to this. Or not. Either way, its pretty cool to experience.
5. The football mate is enough to get any sports fan going. Doesn't matter what team you support - oh no wait that's BS - it does matter but the bottom line is to get into the game. Viva la Football!

There you have it, 5 good reasons to do the Madrid Mambo. I've got some sleep to catch up on before I hit the city tonight. Until tomorrow...

Jack

Super Cool Super Hero

2010-01-06T10:32:00.000+02:00

Start of a brand new year and a brand new blog for me. I took over the hummba blog cause I reckon I'd have a few more stories to tell - crazy traveler and all. I'm on a mission to see the most amazing cities in the world and so far, I've done pretty well so far, I've seen over a thousand cities and counting.

I think its time for you and I to get to know each other better so I'm going to tell you why my mobile phone is the one thing I ALWAYS travel with, no matter where I'm going or what time of the year...

Its the ultimate travelers companion. I can do just about anything on my phone and it saves me the hassle of finding an internet cafe to stay in touch. Hummba means that you keep moving, so with my phone I can let all my buddies know where I am and what I'm doing. I fancy myself as a bit of a rogue travel guide so I take geo tagged pictures of my travels and upload my Footprint photo album for everyone to check out. Its a cool way to stay in touch. Hummba is one half mobile application and one half social network for travelers. The cool part is sometimes I get to a city and I don't have any idea about what to see or where to go so I log on to hummba, check out what free audio travel guides are available in the city, download them and BOOM! I'm a city expert/traveling super hero. Its cool. Trust me, or don't - go and try it out for yourself and let me know what the deal is.

To a great adventure! Hope to catch up with you soon.

Jack

Its that time of year...

2009-12-22T11:45:00.000+02:00

Its time to see family and friends, make promises, break eating and sleeping patterns and well, basically - have a good time. We hope you've had a blast travelling with hummba and we look forward to a new year, with all new travel destinations and lots of ideas to keep you happy while travelling. so here's to the last adventure, thank you for joining us on it and we look forward to the next one!

Happy festive season!

And the winner is...

2009-12-17T14:15:00.000+02:00

Congratulations to Mark Walters and Terry Lee for winning the Great White Adventure. They were lucky enough to dive with great white sharks and they have the pictures to prove it!

Be sure to check out Jack Hummba's travels.

Until the next adventure...

Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the hummba side

2009-12-09T15:27:00.000+02:00

The Castrol Chicken Run kicked off on the 7th of December 2009 in Bloemfontein. The Chicken Run is sponsored by Castrol Magnatec and is a proudly South African road trip to six cities in five days. Ten teams are taking part in the race that covers a predetermined route of almost 2000 kilometres. Pretoria is the final destination where the first team to cross the finish line wins the R50 000 prize money. Hummba came on board to track the route and publish geo tagged photographs of the event to Facebook and Castrol’s www.hummba.com profile. Hummba was launched in April 2009 as a mobile application and social network for travellers. On hummba, users can share geo tagged travel photographs and travel routes with their friends. Users can also download free audio travel guides to their mobile phone and post their own audio recordings of discoveries they’ve made while travelling.

“We’re really pleased to be included in this extraordinary event. We’ve had some very positive feedback from the users on the road and from the content we’ve published to hummba and Facebook,” said Mark Allewell, COO of hummba. “We’re really enjoying watching the road trip as it unfolds and look forward to being part of many more of these events in the future.”

Hummba was a finalist in the 2009 Loerie Awards in the Digital Website Category. A new version recently been launched that allows users to connect directly to their Facebook profiles and post Footprint photo albums live from their mobile phone. Currently available on Nokia GPS-enabled mobile phones, the application will be released to run on the iPhone, Android and Blackberry in March 2010. “We look forward to making an interactive, location-based travel service available to many more people. We’re prepared to host many more independent travellers during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, as I’m sure the guys from the Castrol Chicken Run will tell you…we’re not chicken,” said Allewell. Rallied on by ‘Magna Chicken,’ the country’s first bionic chicken and mascot for the Castrol Chicken Run, contestants are halfway through the challenge, due to end on the 11th of December 2009. For more information about the Chicken Run and to view the trip, visit the Castrol Chicken Run Facebook fan page or log on to www.hummba.com.

I love you more than Facebook

2009-12-04T09:06:00.000+02:00

A story circulated about a month ago about a man from Maryland, USA who interrupted his own wedding ceremony to update his twitter and Facebook status. As the minister said he could kiss his bride, he reached for his cell phone and made the necessary changes/ updates before making if official so to speak. So there you have it, social media truly has become a part of everyday life and once in a lifetime days. Well, I can do Facebook one better I think.

With hummba you can elope to get married, but here's the best part...you and your soon to be better half don't even have to go to the same place to elope. You can update your status and location live from your mobile phone so all you have to do is give a little "I do" on your status and wham! you're married. There are some minor details to sort out but in this day and age...you're Thailand, he's Northern Ireland - no problem, hummba will take you there! Virtually anything is possible.

Happy hummba-ing to you!

1000 Words or More

2009-12-03T08:43:00.000+02:00

The holiday season is fast approaching and travel plans are being finalised. Because most of you won't be travelling with every friend and family member you have, it means you'll be leaving some people behind. The good news is that you don't have to with hummba. Taking a Footprint photo album on hummba means that you track your travels and all your photographs are geo tagged to the place they were taken. So? So, your friends and family can experience your holiday without even having to leave the house.

The holiday season also brings out the photographer in all of us, and why not? So, to make sure that your photographs and Footprints are the best possible version of virtual travel for your friends and family, I've included some photography tips to keep you snap happy.

1. Get down on their level. First time photographer want the camera to do all the work but to get really great pics, start moving! Get closer, get down, get the right photo.
2. Use a plain background. The sky is always a good one.
3. Use your flash outdoors. Most camera phones come complete with a flash, try it out - you'll be surprised at the results.
4. Move in close. Don't rely on your zoom - pictures lose quality when you're shooting the folds of elephant flesh a kilometer away. Move in rather than zoom in.
5. Take some vertical photos. Don't be limited to horizontal pics - shake it up.
6. Lock the focus. Find the object that you want to focus on. Start with the obvious at first and see how interesting you can make it.
7. Know your flashes range. Be sure to play with all the functions of your camera phone to know what is possible and what is not.
8. Watch the light. Bad lighting can ruin a photo or even a number of photos taken at the same time, in the same place. Camera phones aren't usually as sophisticated as quality digital cameras so be sure that the light is at the right angle to prevent pics that are so dark you can't make anything out.
9. Move it from the middle. Center your photos at first to get nice, clean, balanced pics.
10. Be a picture Director. Own it. Its your shot, take it the way you want it.

And then, upload them onto hummba.com. A mobile application and social network that lets you upload your geo tagged Footprint photo albums directly from your mobile phone.

Hummba gets a Makeover

2009-12-02T14:19:00.000+02:00

For those of you who haven't noticed, hummba has undergone a transformation. Now we're really smiling. We listened to your suggestions and made all the changes necessary for you to have a pleasant hummba experience. Our new version is available to downlooad on m.hummba.com So, here's some of the cool things you can do on hummba:

* Connect your Hummba profile to your Facebook account, that way your Facebook friends can see where you are and what you're doing
* Publish all your Footprint photo albums on Facebook to share with your friends directly from your mobile phone
* You now have an inbox on hummba that's like a live stream of what your friends are doing, Footprints they've uploaded, and where in the world they are
* New York clips are available for you to download for free
* Admire our new front page and wonder why you didn't think of that
* Follow our intrepid traveler, Jack Hummba, as he travels around the world. Check your friends on hummba...I think you might have a new one!

Remember to add 'Great White Adventure' to your friends to stand a chance to win a trip for two shark cage diving in Cape Town! Terms and conditions apply.

Keep up the adventure. Log on to www.hummba.com to check it out!

HUMMBA ADVENTURE

2009-11-24T11:10:00.000+02:00

2009 is the Year of the Shark! The hummba team is going to celebrate by going Shark Cage Diving with White Shark Projects (www.whitesharkprojects.co.za) and we want you to come along!

We're giving away a spot on the boat to a lucky user and one companion for the adventure of a lifetime! All you have to do is log on to www.hummba.com and are going shark cage diving and you're all invited! All you have to do is log on to www.hummba.com and search for "White Shark Adventure" and add them to your friend list!

A draw will determine the winner!* So get onto to hummba and get shark cage diving!

*Terms and Conditions Apply
Recipients of the prize must be available in Cape Town on the 10th of December 2009. Tours are weather dependent, Tourism Radio and hummba cannot be held responsible for unfavourable weather conditions. Tourism Radio and hummba can not be held liable for any loss, injury or damage to persons or property. Prizes cannot be exchanged for cash. Tourism Radio and hummba reserve the right to not award the prize if deemed appropriate. No correspondence will be entered into and the judges decision is final.

Digi-Walk Your Digi-Talk

2009-11-18T09:04:00.000+02:00

The world of technology is expansive, ever-changing and for most - either fascinating or overwhelming. a brief look at what the world of technology has been doing of late and I was again surprised but what I had missed, even when I had been looking.

Not only can you travel online, you can now visit Mars. A new interactive website called 'Be A Martian' invites the public to help scientists execute research like improving maps of Mars. The website was launched by Nasa and Microsoft and clearly takes the standard web surfing to a whole new level.

A quote by Doug McCuistion, the director of Nasa's Mars Exploration Program reads, We are at a point in history where everyone can be an explorer." And not a moment too soon. Users on the site can get involved in a number of research tasks like counting craters. Might be something Jack Hummba would like to explore.

Since launching hummba.com, a mobile application and social network for travellers, users have had access to thousands of free audio travel guides, digital Footprint photo albums and much more. The best part is that its all available on your mobile phone. Our resident traveller - Jack Hummba is on his own mission to find the most exciting cities in the world and tell you all about it. Maybe once he's seen earth, he'll head to Mars. I don't think he'll have a problem packing, he's adept at travelling light. All Jack Hummba needs is his mobile phone. And that's all you need as well. Log on to www.hummba.com to download hummba onto your mobile phone. The next step is to get travelling!

Is it the future or just for now?

2009-11-03T14:51:00.000+02:00

Mobile applications are one of the whirlwind wonders to bemuse and bewilder the masses. Once pegged as "the future" there have been countless debates about whether or not there is money to be made on the mobile platform.

In a country like South Africa where cell phone charges are some of the highest in the world, its difficult to predict the future of mobile usage and the extent of it. As it is, there are a number of mobile and social networks that are available - the ones that are most readily used are the cheap ones. As a mobile culture, we've managed to overlook the percentage of our salaries we're paying to simply stay connected but we haven't quite forgotten that in this country, it is expensive to use a cell phone.

The scramble to convince mobile manufacturers to take your application as a standard function of the phone is one step in the right direction but there will always be a service provider that will determine the cost to the user to make use of that function.

So the question remains...how will mobile applications make any money? The world over, mobile users aren't prepared to pay extra for functions like mobile apps, certainly not when it comes to subscribing. So what is the answer? I think it would have to come down to some good old fashioned business tricks...

1. Give people what they want
2. Then give them what you've told them they want and finally...
3. Make sure that whatever you're giving them, its a good product.

One of the ways to really harness (and make money) from Mobile applications is to sell location based advertising. Location Based Marketing (LBM) isn't something that has really caught on in SA and it certainly hasn't been made full use of but it is a nice alternative for users who want to choose what they want to expose their wallets to.

It is probably true that as information gets passed onto users at such a high rate, so consumerism is evolving beyond being gullible, easily persuaded or without options. Sure, the good subliminal messages still work but now its time to start engaging with the buyers. They are the ones who hold the purse strings essentially so its time to start talking to them. That's the sentiment when it comes to big businesses engaging on social networks. So go out there, talk to your clients, believe it or not but they do want to hear from you.

Visit www.hummba.com to download hummba to your mobile phone and getting moving!

East of here...

2009-10-28T10:35:00.000+02:00

Travel trends are similar to fashion trends or trends of any kind really. They come in waves. One summer it will be South America, the next its India. Some destinations will have a place in the Travel Hall of Fame like the UK, New York, Spain, Italy - those are classics, they never go out of style.

I predict that the next big travel destination will be the East. Sure, we've visited them before but its going to be big...like Brazil Big in the next year or so. I'm certain of it. Speaking of which, keep a look out for new audio travel guides you can download onto your phone about the city of Bangkok.

Remember to visit www.hummba.com and see if you can spot the hummba man! Last seen in Paris, rumours are that he's coming to Cape Town...watch this space.

Missing In Action

2009-10-27T09:55:00.000+02:00

Have you seen this man?

Last seen in Paris, the single, orange male answers to the name "HUMMBA." Witnesses using the HUMMBA mobile application have indicated that the HUMMBA man might be travelling to Cape Town for a Great White Adventure.

If you have any information regarding the HUMMBA man's where abouts please log on to www.hummba.com and start searching....

Last Seen in Paris

2009-10-26T11:00:00.000+02:00

The hummba man was last seen in Paris, taking in the sights and scenes that the City of Love and Light has to offer. Visit www.hummba.com to download more than 300 FREE audio travel guides of the city of Paris and more!

Get moving...

Love,
Hummba Man

Man Hangs on For Dear Life

2009-10-20T15:40:00.000+02:00

An Australian man had to spend 12 hours hiding in a tree while hungry crocodiles waited below.

On occasion we hear horrifying stories about people who have had to look great white sharks in their black doll like eyes, while swimming to safety or hunters who have had to out smart fierce grizzly bears but Stan Martells tale is a little different. After Martell's boat capsized on the Lynne River in Western Australia on Friday night you can imagine how annoyed he was. To make matters a hell of a lot worse two crocodiles showed up to see what he was up to. According to Martell the first "croc' that arrived at the scene was definitely a big one and the second was 10 feet long. He had to climb the same tree that had wrecked his boat and hang onto a shaky branch just to avoid becoming a Friday night snack for the two crocodiles. Martell scrambled up the tree and had to cling on for dear life for more then 12 hours until a search party arrived. He only saw two crocodiles but if he had made his way up one of the mango banks in the river he would have run into many more "crocs", waiting with napkins tired round their necks while shining their knives and forks.

Stan Martell was extremely lucky that he made it through the night with out being discovered by the crocodiles who were circling him below. He must have been relieved when the rescue team arrived and his shaky branch which had been his bed for the night hadn't snapped.

Updates at hummba.com

2009-10-19T16:30:00.000+02:00

We like to keep you in the know at hummba.com so here's more of what you can do on hummba...

* Download more than 300 clips about the city of Paris. Find out about all there is to see and do in the City of Lights (and love). The audio travel guides are FREE, all you have to do is download the hummba.com mobile application and get travelling. Visit m.hummba.com to download hummba to your mobile phone

* Remember you can track your travels LIVE with hummba and your mobile phone. FOOTPRINTS (as we like to call them) is a great way to stay in touch with friends and keep them updated with your status messages and location. All the pictures you take en route while running the hummba application will be geo tagged to your profile.

* hummba has included an "inbox" feature that acts like as a live stream for you and your friends to keep in touch and let them know where you are and what you're doing.

Drop us a mail if you have anything to say, we'd love to hear from you. Until next time...keep moving.

Nothing Fake about Silicon Cape

2009-10-13T15:15:00.000+02:00

Cape Town is leading the country and continent with high tech and innovative businesses pegged to change the way we do things in Africa and the world. It was this trend that inspired the launch of the Silicon Cape Initiative. Modelled around the renowned Silicon Valley in San Francisco, California, Silicon Cape aims to get the right people talking to each other and of course, make some money while they're at it.

The initiative was launched on the 8th of October 2009 and saw more than 500 delegates come together to learn, network and exchange ideas. Delegates ranged from entrepreneurs, politicians, venture capitalists and the very creative, very tech savvy among us. The idea was and is to grow what already exists in Cape Town into the country's next largest and most exportable commodity.

Brainchild of Justin Stanford and Vinny Lingham, Silicon Cape "encourages the protection of Intellectual Property." And, there's no better place to launch an initiative like this than Cape Town, it's already beautiful, it's just about attracting the right kind of people to live and work there.

Reports have likened the Cape to the real Silicon Valley fifteen years ago with all the right ingredients, great universities, great people, natural beauty, personality and willingness from government.

The buzz surrounding the initiative drew a number of guest speakers including WP Premier Helen Zille and top business people, including Dr Rampele and Johann Rupert (Rembrandt). The launch itself was successful; the initiative is what will inspire growth, innovation and the economic growth of the region and the country at large.

It is exciting. Its Cape Town. Its real and happening. Congratulations to the master minds behind Silicon Cape and cheers for a very successful launch. Who wants to live in the Valley anyway? I'd rather keep my Cape, and who knows - with the right investors and tech-savvy ideas, we could all morph into economic Super Heroes.

Are you Making the Most of your Host?

2009-09-30T11:03:00.000+02:00

If you're not online, you are not on the right track. That is the sentiment surrounding organisations and their necessary migration to the web. In the past, company websites were largely used as back up support for a business rather than a business tool. A bit like the Internet is throwing a party but half the guests are just showing their faces, rather than staying and enjoying the company and baby quiche. But having a "web presence" is not enough, not any more.

The Internet continuously churns out opportunities for businesses to make money, because let's face it, on the net - it really is a global economy. Travel websites in South Africa are apparently not making the most of the chances they've been given online. Instead of shouting a little louder in the digital open air market, South African travel website stalls are shrinking away from the haggling and relying on word of mouth to sell SA. Here's the flaw in the plan...people don't talk anymore, its the social networking age - they Facebook, they Twitter, they Digg and Stumble...but they don't talk. Word of mouth has morphed into word of many mouths and when news travels as fast as it does now, you have to know what you want people to say.

A study released by Ian Kruger predicts that accommodation and transport services might not profit from the 2010 FIFA-Xmas-in-July if travel websites don't increase functionality, maximise online marketing opportunities and start linking to other relevant sites.

The study reviewed websites of 100 travel-related businesses and the general consensus was that they were "under performing." Essentially, travel websites are acting as a "digital replica of a company pamphlet." That won't do. Not in an age were information is so readily available that users will go somewhere else when they can't get what they want from you.

Not only that but independent tourism is constantly on the rise, travel websites need to be easy to use. By that I mean, when a potential user lands on your site, they should know what you do, know what products you're selling, be able to communicate with you easily and of course, they must be able to pay you. Nice and simple. The shift to viewing your travel website as a sales resource can't be disregarded. It's not an option, it is a necessity.

One of the things that always strikes me about interaction at the annual Tourism Indaba's is that everyone is quite keen to talk about what they do, sell, network and market but when it comes to going from friendly brainstorming to working together, everyone is less enthused. Sure, the travel industry is competitive but there are two races being run here.

The first is the local competition between service providers, tour operators, accommodation establishments etc. We're so afraid of competition in SA that we don't even consider the possibility of working together. Just ignore the competition and they won't exist. Yip, that's going to work. The point is that there is a bigger race, one that based on ease and accessibility will determine whether an independent tourist will come here or go somewhere else. In short? Get some inbound links on your site. It's like Facebook, no one really has 4 823 friends, but...it makes you look popular and important doesn't it? Get some friends.

The quality and service online needs to meet international standards. South Africa is a fantastic travel destination but our online sales tactic sells the country short. So if you're not online, get online and in line with a great website and take the odds of winning from 50/50 to 20/10.

Travelling Light

2009-09-29T09:47:00.000+02:00

What can you do without? Technology wise. I think for many, the novelty and goal of gadgets and modern technology is to minimise the amount of effort that regular activities require. The electric pepper grinder, the car keys that whistle, and the very coveted motorised ice cream cone. Yes, you heard me. The ice cream cone that allows you to take in every Vanilla Fudge calorie without having to exert yourself by twisting and turning your wrist to prevent your melting ice cream from dripping anywhere but in your mouth.

Now before you start thinking that the contraption that makes bits of old soap into a brand new bar is so five minutes ago, consider one of the top ten winners of this years Landfill Prize...a motorised fork. Mmmhmm. It will turn your spaghetti when you just can't face doing it yourself.

Don't look at me like that, the Landfill Prize was John Naish's idea. He's an environmental writer who's pretty fed up with useless consumer inventions. The public was invited to submit their version of pointless, wasteful consumer candy. A panel of judges made the final call though and the motorised ice cream cone came out tops.

The inventor made one fatal mistake in their designs though, they didn't include it on a cell phone. Mobile applications have allowed people to move away from the PC, still enjoy all the benefits of modern day distractions and social networks without being tied to any one location. Its like a global version of Nintendo Wii only the game is Life. Its survival of the fittest and people were just getting fat and going blind behind computers. Mobile solutions proved to be the antidote.

Mobile technology have made it possible to be anywhere and be at the office. Or better yet, just be anywhere. Travel has, in the last hundred years, become one of the most coveted human experiences. Not for everybody mind you, but for a lot of us. Minimising your luggage/baggage is also now in order and never, never travel without your cell phone.

I went on a trip to a "third world country" this year and was shocked to discover that the person I was travelling with left their mobile phone at home - on purpose and every time the rickshaw driver would pull over, he'd have to get out his Lonely Planet and scour the index for the appropriate page and information. Wow. That was travelling old school.

There are no lonely planets is some solar systems, hummba.com in particular. If your mobile phone is GPS enabled, with WAP capabilities, well then the world is your schmorgen board. A passport, a few visas, working credit card and your cell phone and you're good to go. Now, don't get me wrong, I love the traditional travel resources and will continue to use them but isn't it time we lightened up a little? Our load I mean. Keep it a little more simple and a lot more enjoyable.

Cell phones by design have a very short life span. They last usually for the standard duration of your contract...2 years. That's 14 in dog years and a lifetime in the technology age. After two years, technology has travelled light years to something smaller or bigger (depending on fashion), better, faster and simply more cool. Cell phones have become the new smoking. and that is the truth. It was cool to smoke before, not so much anymore. Cell phones also put you in a certain cool category, but already the social monster is rumbling, commenting on cell phone etiquette or at least, the lack there of.

The good news is that mobile applications are being churned out as fast as phones are. And their lifespan is somewhat longer. Sure, they will evolve and change to meet market demands but they will exist and have even become the motivation to advance mobile technology. So take it from me, never judge a mobile by its cover, always check the applications inside. So, again, what can you live without? The digital electronic jumping rope? Check. The air guitar that actually plays music? Check. You mobile phone and all its applications? Um, no, that one is here to stay.

Visit www.hummba.com to download their application onto your GPS enabled cell phone. Its travelling light at its best.

Its not what you know, its where you heard it.

2009-09-17T09:32:00.000+02:00

Location based marketing is all the rage. Since mobile technology has changed the way we disseminate information, more and more companies are making themselves accessible to the public by incorporating mobile options in their strategies. Location based marketing has one very distinct advantage...a captive audience.

Although the traditional "take-aim-from-the-hip" marketing approach has become as refined as possible, there is still a grey area between the marketing message and the recipient. Its the filter between the billboard and the person stuck in traffic. Again. That's the challenge for any good marketer I suppose, minimise the grey. That's one of the big draw cards for location based marketing, you're talking to prospective clients when they need a talking to.

The other advantage for a location-based marketer is that you've created something of a hostage situation. Its like you have a whole host of money clutching, grumpy children under ten trapped in the sweet-lined aisle on the way to the tills. There's no way out. Suddenly, the impulse buyer in them grabs the assortment of "happiness is" messages and there you go...Sold! To the sticky, whiny two eyed monster/consumer junkie at the back of the queue!

Now, its not that simple I will admit, but then again, nothing is. Most companies and consumers actually do want to give and receive quality services, products and messages. Location-based marketing shouldn't be thought of as "trickery" but rather saying the right thing at the right time. Its challenging but necessary, to maintain the boundary between useful marketing messages and invasive, "Drinks Specials at Some-Sh*tty-Bar. Come and get your apple sours shooter." Whatever. Messages like that make no impact on me, firstly because they send that mass sms on Tuesday mornings when I'm at Pilates, secondly, I am never anywhere near the said bar. Apple sours? I'm not their target audience.

Now, if I was driving along the Atlantic Seaboard, wondering where I should meet a pilot and have a Saturday night cocktail, I might get an sms from a local hotel bar telling me that it is, indeed, happy hour. I had signed up once with the swanky hotel bar after staying there a couple of nights. What are my options? Stop and have a drink. Or head to the other place with an endless supply of apple sours.

The way to avoid bombarding prospective clients with messages they don't want is to get them to "opt-in." There is a little residual hesitant opting in but on the whole at least you are more assured of talking to who you want to talk to than not.

In short, location-based media (LBM)is the vehicle that will deliver your message when you need it delivered. Apart from the advantages of impulse, it has the drive of immediacy. The technology age means that we're constantly engaged in the transmission of information - usually by cell phones. The other side of it is that our tolerance for time has lessened. So now, we want it when we want it.

An explanation published on Wikipedia had this to say..."Media content is managed and organised externally of the device on a standard desktop or laptop. The device then downloads this formatted content with GPS coordinated triggers applied to each media sequence. As the location-aware device enters the selected area, satellites trigger the assigned media, designed to be of optimal relevance to the user and their surroundings."

Location based media allows for the enhancement of any given environment offering explanation, analysis and detailed commentary on what the user is looking at through a combination of video, audio, images and text. The location-aware device can deliver interpretation of cities, parklands, heritage sites, sporting events or any other environment where location based media is required.

The content production and pre-production are integral to the overall experience that is created and must have been performed with ultimate consideration of the location and the users position within that location. The media offers a depth to the environment beyond that which is immediately apparent, allowing revelations about background, history and current topical feeds.

With a host of LBM options available to businesses of almost every size and nature, the possibilities are once again endless. Visit www.hummba.com to see how your business can benefit from location based marketing.

Required: Full time Tweeter

2009-09-07T09:21:00.000+02:00

Social networking has changed the rules. First, how we communicate and now, what we choose as a profession. That's right, companies, unable to counteract the effects that Facebook, Twitter and Myspace have on staff, have jumped on board and started using these sites as another, more focuses way of talking to their customers. The moral of the story? Where once, you could only apply for positions like book keeper, receptionist and salesperson, you can now be employed by a big corporate as a "Tweeter."

Tweeters have the task of promoting their companies products, clearing up misconceptions about the brand and just talking to customers about anything, the weather, traffic, global warming. It gives a whole new meaning to the term "small talk" that was once reserved for stuffy PR functions. Now small talk is literally small, 160 characters or less to be exact.

Tweeters, Facebookers and Myspacers have replaced the dated traditional marketing roles and in essence removed the vacuum from the marketing clean up. Silly? No, not really. They are full time jobs, some dedicated employees stay up all hours to talk to followers in different time zones.

Big names like Coca Cola and Ford Motors have declared it their responsibility to talk to the people who are talking about them. In a way, it has bogged down social networking media sites with lots of marketing bumph, but on the other hand..."first hand" information has never been so readily available.

Customer services and call centers have, in many respects, shown their inability to really develop a relationship with customers. Much less cement brand loyalty. Social media can fill in the gaps left by traditional forms of communication with customers. I think the difference is that with social media, the focus is to engage people. It's the text message from a large retail store on your birthday, only better because it isn't a computer generated message, its from Joe Blog, fellow Tweeter, Facebook friend. The guy/girl that you can truly say that Myspace is their space.

So here's to talking to the people that count, or should I say...Tweeting to the people that count. Speaking of the people that count...log on to www.hummba.com to meet up with fellow travellers, download free audio guides and share your experiences with the Footprints application. It's geo tagging at its best.

So...if you were a continent, which continent would you be?

2009-09-01T10:40:00.000+02:00

Here's a little fun, something light in celebration of Spring Day here in South Africa...

Which Continent Are You Quiz

1. When you hear the word gracias, you think…

a) there’s a grassy patch near by
b) you’ve been diagnosed with a unnamed skin disorder
c) you’re being offered a laughing, chatting, eating, drinking wine
d) someone’s saying thank you but you don’t care, don’t they know who you are?
e) you reply with “no hay problema” and imagine them naked
f) you take it as an insult and open up a can of whip ass
g) is this a bad dream?

2. You never leave for a holiday without…

a) your surgical mask
b) waterless hand cleanser and disposable toilet seat covers
c) a bottle opener
d) your new digital camera and a healthy back up supply of memory cards to document every moment of your trip and induce a trance-like state on whoever you show your scrapbook to
e) coconut tanning oil
f) your lucky rabbit’s foot
g) extra thermal undies

3. You pass time at the airport by…

a) Sifting through restaurant magazines and unfolding all the doggy ears
b) Discussing luggage locks and emergency exits with airport security
c) Cram inside the glasshouse smoking section, chain smoke for a half an hour and watch the people at McDonalds throw stones at you
d) Wander around the Duty Free shops for shirts that say, “My travel agent booked my flights 12 hours apart and all I got was this lousy tshirt”
e) Shave your legs and give yourself a facial in the airport toilets
f) Conducting surveys for the Mile High Club
g) Standing in front of air conditioners and take photographs of yourself with the artificial wind in you hair

4. When you arrive in a new country, you always…

a) Speak in loud, broken English to blank hotel staff and tip the porter with a copy of “Rich Dad, Poor Dad”
b) Insist on a few extra chocolates on your pillow every night, I mean for what you’re paying…you may as well make the most of it, right?
c) Buy a local instrument, become a street musician for a day and spend your earnings at a five star restaurant for dinner
d) Make prank phone calls and hiss at strangers on public transport
e) Ask directions to the local dealer
f) Call Mum and ask her for her pension to buy more beer
g) Apply self tan

5. When you arrive in a new country, you never…

a) Show pictures of your pets to just anyone
b) Drink the water
c) Bath on Sundays
d) Call home
e) Give out your real email address
f) Say never
g) Let that hot, sweaty pool boy out of your sight

6. Your idea of a good time is…

a) Putting the “Do Not Disturb” sign on your door and watching hours of the Discovery channel
b) Reading your Lonely Planet, alone
c) Getting drunk on the local brew and faking a terminal illness to get laid
d) Hand out plaque cards to the local homeless population saying things like, “Need beer,” “Home is where the Red Heart is” and “There’s no place like home”
e) Dancing in the street barefoot
f) Giving the taxi driver a lesson in Advanced Driving
g) Visiting the local bottle store and spending time in the walk in fridges

7. You walk around your destination saying…

a) How much for sex?
b) Western toilet? Western toilet anywhere?
c) Does this come in an XXXL?
d) What you looking at?! Do you want a piece of me?
e) You don’t talk, you just sniff
f) You add the syllable “o” to everything and punctuate with a mate
g) Is it just me or is it hot in here?

8. You’ve always wanted to try…

a) Raw sea turtle eggs
b) Riding an electronic rodeo bull
c) Swimming with sting rays
d) The Texas Rattlesnake Recipe
e) Travelling on a fake passport
f) This at home
g) Chilli poppers

9. When planning your itinerary you…

a) Always schedule enough time between sightseeing to update your Twitter profile
b) Make a provisional booking to write down all the wisdom you’ve acquired dodging cow dung and beggars in your new Eckhart Tolle Travellers Journal
c) Forget it on the plane and visit the nearest fortune teller to give you the summarised version
d) Make photocopies to hand out to fellow travellers so you never have to look for a pen when you’re inviting someone to your hotel room to swap…um…travelling stories
e) Divide your time equally between tanning, drinking and flirting
f) Follow it strictly for the first two days, then use the paper to light a fire when the hostel kicks you out
g) Calculate the time in your home country and destination country and always carry two watches

10. If you were a souvenir, you’d be…

a) an Aloha shirt
b) a key ring
c) a beer mug
d) an ashtray
e) a bottle of Tequila
f) a t shirt that says, “I’m not a gynaecologist but I’ll take a look”
g) any non perishable food stuff

IF YOU ANSWERED MOSTLY A:

ASIA
You’re the brains of the continents. You also want adventure and you’ll find it. You’re curious, resourceful, and enthusiastic. You’re in touch with what’s going on around you and your peers look up to you as a smart, keen explorer with a great sense of humour. You’re also something of a gadget guru, so you’re the person everyone wants to travel with because you’re possibly one of the last people on earth who owns a Garmin / Tom Tom and can still read a map. Be aware of people who just want to use you though, you might find yourself having to say good bye to fair weather friends, a job which you’ll find painful but necessary.

IF YOU ANSWERED MOSTLY B:

EUROPE
A romantic, you’re an idealist. You don’t want the bad news, but if you do ever hit a bump in the road, you’ll always take the optimistic view. While your head is in the clouds, your glass is always fall full of some ridiculously expensive but fabulous red wine. You enjoy the good life, opulence and five star anything. Not shallow or superficial though, you just want to preserve some of the romance that once made great men write love letters and painters paint. Be careful of being too frivolous though, sometimes the wind changes and all that caution you through away might end up littering your front garden.

IF YOU ANSWERED MOSTLY C:

NORTH AMERICA
You’re bold, proud and know what you want. You can be generous but don’t take kindly to being patronised or disrespected. A leader, you’re always in the front of the pack. Sometimes misunderstood, or judged too quickly as abrupt or rude, you might have to let someone else have the last say sometimes as not to alienate the people closest to you. Overall, you’re likeable because you are so powerful, just don’t abuse your power, it will rarely work in your favour.

IF YOU ANSWERED MOSTLY D:

AFRICA
You’re the rebel, the original thinker, the ones who dares and usually wins. Even when you don’t win, you make sure you had a good time. Sometimes a bit too reckless, trust your own inner wisdom to make sure you’re making the right decisions. Never one to be alone, you enjoy being around other people and might even have a reputation as the life of the party. A natural leader, you’re smart, witty and resourceful just be sure not to over commit yourself and let others down.

IF YOU ANSWERED MOSTLY E:

SOUTH AMERICA
You’re sensual, the lover of the continents and attractive to everybody. You’re magnetic. While you love all the attention that others bestow on you, you must be careful of becoming vain or conceited. Still with your feet on the ground, you have enough natural charm to win anyone over. Ambitious, strong and resilient, you have an inherent rebellion inside you that can either mean success or failure. You can be selfish and temperamental but all is usually forgiven with one of your famous smiles.

IF YOU ANSWERED MOSTLY F:

AUSTRALIA
You’re everyone’s best friend, until you’re not. Traditional and good-natured, you prefer the wholesome life, adventure mixed with responsibilities. You’re also well liked and surround yourself with people who admire you. Casual and unreserved, you’re open, warm and fun to talk to. Beneath the surface, you can be serious, intense, and negative. Like the Outback, you can be harsh and cruel to those who seem weak to you. Explore those feelings only when it’s safe to do so and give yourself a little more credit, some people really do just like you for you.

IF YOU ANSWERED MOSTLY G:

ANTARCTICA
You’re chilled, on your own planet, on your own mission. Unaffected by what panics others; you want the simple things in life and to have as much fun as possible. Sometimes distant and aloof, you don’t willingly get close to others but find that it happens on its own. A thinker and sometimes a dreamer, your feelings are sometimes the last thing on your mind. Other people’s feelings are even further from your mind but remember that we’re not all the same as you; some people have more feelings than thoughts. You’re strong, stable and the definition of cool.

Loerie, Loerie, Loerie...

2009-08-26T10:44:00.000+02:00

HAMBA [hummba]
verb - to go, move or travel...

That's exactly what we intend to do at hummba.com...go places.

Since the launch of hummba in April of this year, hummba.com has been making strides as the latest travel and lifestyle social network to take travellers on a journey. And we’re not the only ones who think so. In the short time that hummba has been live to the public, it’s already managed to pick up a nomination for a very coveted Loerie Awards in the Digital Website category.

When I say Loerie, I mean the 31-year-old awards ceremony that has grown into the benchmark for brand communication including radio and print advertising, architecture, design, direct marketing, non-broadcast video, live events and digital media. In their own words…”Loerie Awards have been feeding egos since 1978…”

Our hummba head has certainly swollen. And for those of you who still don't know...HUMMBA.com is a web portal and mobile application that allows users to share their travel experiences. As a social networking platform, users can find friends and track travellers in real time. Users can create photo albums to share with the hummba community using the FOOTPRINTS application. The pictures in these albums are geo tagged to the route the user followed.

Another application on HUMMBA.COM is a travel log called “BREADCRUMBS” that allows users to leave their comments, reviews and anecdotes at any point of interest around the world. HUMMBA users are also able to upload the points of interest they have discovered on their travels to share with the rest of the community.

HUMMBA is a travel resource for tourists who want to download free audio guides to their mobile phone. Audio clips of landmarks around the world are supplied by Tourism Radio, a location based radio station for independent travellers.

So here's to hummba! Get your head in the clouds too...sign up at www.hummba.com and share the experience...

Anti-Social Behaviour

2009-07-31T10:40:00.000+02:00

There was a time when social networking sites were a friendly space. Sure, there were a few incidents with some guy that you've never met sending you a stream of friend requests but on the whole...it was a happy cyberspace. But as the old saying goes...where there's space, there's room for trouble.

All the idle hands seem to be making light work of all the hacking that can be done. Facebook, MySpace and the myriad of other social networking sites have become something of a playground for cyber-criminals. Ah, for the days when your purse got stolen and you had to re-apply for your ID and change your locks and cancel your credit cards. These days, all your information is right there in front of your criminals, name, address, birthdays, star signs, employment details, hobbies, email and phone numbers. We've never been more accessible to evil. Good times.

Now, before you go adding privacy accounts to anything and everything...listen to the rest of the story. Early this week I wrote about the Campus Party taking place in Valencia, Spain. Its one of the world's biggest online entertainment events and has been taking place annually since 1997. Its the meeting place for internet enthusiasts and a sort of cyber church warning users against the dangers that hackers present in the social networking world.

Meet Koobface. "Koob" for those of you who don't know is "Book" backwards, so "Facebook" in reverse. While Facebook is all about spreading the love, Koobface is a vicious virus that has been infecting users of Facebook and Twitter since 2008.

As with all virus there are a number of variants or strains, in this case, more than 4000 have been detected. The virus hijacks accounts of users on the mentioned SNS and sends messages steering you to nasty sites containing malware. FYI...malware equals "malicious software often designed to infiltrate a computer system for illicit purposes.

So its counts in real life and in cyber space now too...know who your friends are. That's usually how they'll get you...Koobface will send you a friend request or another invitation, either to update software or download applications and the like. The social networking sites being affected have assured their users that incidents have been very few and that they do take precautions to ensure that their space remains your space.

One thing to remember is that most hackers aren't just hacking to make your life miserable, there are Cyber Mafias out there (not kidding) who hack for profit. Cyber Mafias have been identified in Brazil, China, Russia and the Ukraine. and they're making a killing. So do yourself a favour, know who your friends are, if it seems suspicious, it is and report people who aren't playing the game, the friendly social networking way.

Hackers or no hackers, social networking is one of the ways we can stay in touch. Visit www.hummba.com and discover a whole new way to see the world.