In this, the third of our annual ZA Tech Show holiday specials, we take a look at the year ahead and make some predictions for 2012. Your holiday crew of Andy Hadfield, Ben Kelly, Brett Haggard and Simon Dingle are onboard for a run-through of some of what’s to come…

Virtual assistants, wine and patent wars all feature on our show this week. Andy Hadfield, Craig Wilson and Simon Dingle discuss:

• The death of Dennis Ritchie.
• Apple’s iPhone 4S sales record.
• Facebook and Google Plus.
• Android Ice Cream Sandwich.
• Mobile user interfaces.
• Online backup.

Our technology picks this week:

• Craig Wilson: Zovo online backup.
• Andy Hadfield: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
• Simon Dingle: Philips Fidelio S8550 docking speakers.

Brett Haggard is at the helm again this week, joined by Ben Kelly and Steven Ambrose to discuss:

• MTN goes uncapped – for real this time.
• Google+ and its explosive growth.
• Telkom Caps get an upgrade.
• Apple tackles Samsung in Australia.
• World of Avatar’s buyout of Mxit.
• Android’s growing market share.
• Apps showing up for Windows Phone.
• Nokia’s new N9.

Our technology picks this week:

• Ben Kelly: The Rugby World Cup 2011 app and BBC’s Life and Fate.
• Brett Haggard: AroundMe and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 for iPad and iPhone.
• Steven Ambrose: Nokia N9.

Your crew this week consists of Ben Kelly, Brett Haggard and Simon Dingle. With lots of shiny new things to play with, we discuss;

• The launch of Apple OS X Lion.
• DStv BoxOffice bringing on-demand movies to SA pay-tv subscribers.
• The FNB smartphone app.
• Fake Apple stores in China.
• Cell C and Vodacom’s latest counter-offers in the mobile broadband war.
• RIM (BlackBerry) cutting jobs and switching to QNX.
• And much more…

Our technology picks this week:

• Ben Kelly: Does an obituary for the white MacBook.
• Brett Haggard: Picks Cinch.
• Simon Dingle: Picks Viber for Android.

Trying hard to focus on the serious issues facing technology this week instead of talking about foreign love interestes and wine, Andy Hadfield, Stafford Masie and Simon Dingle discuss;

• LulzSec and its fallout.
• 8ta’s new mobile broadband bundles.
• Mobile content strategies.
• The new Ster-Kinekor website’s #fail.
• Windows Phone.
• Nokia’s N9.

Our technology picks and pick-ons this week:

• Stafford Masie – Picks: Dropbox for its awesomeness.
• Andy Hadfield – Picks: Getting Wicked for its thoughtfulness.
• Simon Dingle – Picks: Nokia’s N9 for its significance.

It’s all about gaming and mobile this week as Samantha Beckbessinger, Steven Ambrose and Simon Dingle discuss;

• Apple’s iCloud announcement.
• Samsung’s Galaxy S2 and other new Android competitors.
• Nintendo’s Wii U and console gaming.
• Duke Nukem Forever.
• Tomb Raider 2012 announced at E3.
• Facebook’s controversial facial recognition tech.
• The RICA deadline approaching.
• Telkom’s profit slump and long line of kak decisions.

Our technology picks this week:

• Sam Beckbessinger – Picks: Intonow and X-MEN First Class.
• Steven Ambrose – Picks: Noom Weight Loss for Android and YoruFukurou.
• Simon Dingle – Picks: Read It Later and Evernote Premium.

• Microsoft’s XBox announcements at E3.
• Android tablets and how Honeycomb stacks up against iOS.
• Apple’s Lion, iOS 5 and iCloud announcements.
• Console gaming.
• Microsoft Windows 8 and rumours of an nVidia acquisition.
• Google’s Chromebooks and prospects in personal computing.
• The City of Tshwane’s initiatives and fibre rollout in SA.
• Oracle’s OpenOffice.org decision and general take on open source.

Our technology picks of the week:

• Ben Kelly – Picks: Sparrow.
• Duncan McLeod – Picks: GoToMyPC.
• Simon Dingle – Picks: FNB Connect.

Andy Hadfield, Sam Beckbessinger and Simon Dingle settle down to some organic wine and discuss;

• The white iPhone rush.
• BlackBerry’s make or break.
• The Webby Awards.
• Sony’s ongoing hack saga.
• SA’s new pay-tv service VOD:TV.

Our technology picks and pick-ons this week:

• Andy Hadfield – Picks: Storify and Settlers of Catan.
• Sam Beckbessinger – Picks: Game of Thrones and the fantasy gamers of SA.
• Simon Dingle – Picks-on: Apple.

Your crew this week consists of Andy Hadfield, Steven Ambrose and Simon Dingle. We discuss;

• The Nokia E7 and the state of Symbian.
• Vodacom going red.
• Cell C network experiences.
• Chip manufacturing issues in Japan.
• Connecting the iPad with 8ta.
• Nintendo’s 3DS.
• Android’s rocketing market share.

Our technology picks and pick-ons this week:

• Stephen Ambrose – Picks: SwiftKey.
• Andy Hadfield – Picks: No Agenda’s business model and Evernote.
• Simon Dingle – Picks: Lego Star Wars III.

Arthur Goldstuck makes his debut on the show this week, joining Andy Hadfield and Simon Dingle to discuss;

• The latest Facebook valuation.
• Social networking and revolution.
• The launch of iPad 2.
• Nintendo 3DS hitting the market.
• Near field communications (NFC).
• Google’s ecosystem play.
• Online outsourcing.
• The consumer protection act and its impact on cellular operators.

Our technology picks and pick-ons this week;

• Andy Hadfield – Picks-on: Twitter’s #quickbar and the ESPNcricinfo app.
• Arthur Goldstuck – Picks: Elance.com.
• Simon Dingle – Picks: South Africa’s new CPA.