There's a bit of Apple inside MultiChoice and it resides within the DStv Mobile division. It's latest portable (now tablet size) handheld television, the Walka 7 is an amazing and wonderful gadget.
If you buy one for yourself, or buy one as a gift for someone for whom television or sport watching is an important leisure time activity, I can guarantee you that you won't be wasting your money and that you will enjoy this gadget which will definitely further enhance your TV watching reach and enjoyment.
Disclaimer first, DStv Mobile contacted me to courier over a new Walka 7 device (unsolicited) as a demo model in October, so I'm not paying for it in order to test it, similar to all the rest of the press who were sent the device.
After just over a month of exhaustively using and testing the Walka 7 - also giving it to various different people and friends to play with and use for a few days each over a period of several weeks - I can fully report that the Walka 7 is a winner: people I gave it to are unanimously surprised by it, they love it, they used it daily (mostly watched in bed at night) and feel regret about having to part with it.
The Walka 7 which has a 7 inch screen and much better audio (two 1.5W speakers) than the previous Walka model has much better sound. Of course its not Dolby 5.1 surround sound, but keep in mind that it's a "bridging device" for people who want to watch television when they can't do so on their regular television - crystal HD imaging and surround sound isn't the aim here. (You can also plug in earphones).
Techies might gripe about screen resolution and wanting this and that and that.
For ordinary consumers and TV viewers the Walka 7 is a wonderful device. I saw for myself the faces of bored kids I gave this to at airports and the Wimpy (and their wide-eyed parents), the gratefulness of people at weddings feeling trapped and thinking they're missing sport, and people without DStv who felt happy that they could sample at least some of DStv's TV fare for a while.
The M-Net, M-Net Series, SuperSport channels, Disney and Discovery were/are the favourite most tuned-to channels on the Walka 7 from my anecdotal evidence. Basically nobody used the stand which comes with a 45 or 60 degree groove. People want to hold it, or create their own angle with a book or on their lap.
The battery life of the Walka 7 is much improved and gives 5 hours of viewing time. It comes with a mini USB cable and two prong plug for charging.
The Walka 7 feels heavier than what you expect it to be, but it actually grows on you. It feels solid and sturdy, and on your lap in the car or bus or on a table it doesn't feel flimsy. It was easy to activate the Walka 7 with a call to the MultiChoice call centre (the on hold part as the minutes tick by is the most painful it will get).
The Walka 7 has a better menu display and comes with 4 different aspect ratio settings. It has a pull out aerial although I watch without it sticking out just fine.
The Walka 7 retails for R900, then has a R49 monthly subscription fee (if you're a DStv Premium subscriber its free).
If you're busy with normal day-to-day grind stuff (having car tyres changed, waiting at a sports field or school for the kids to finish, at a restaurant with unruly kids), driving with passengers or going on holiday somewhere and its within the nine cities' reception area of DStv Mobile's current coverage (and its not a holiday for the purpose of wanting to watch television), the Walka 7 is a great way to keep somewhat in touch with adequate television.
The Walka 7 is a great handheld "travel version" of DStv to take with you. Especially men and kids will really like it; they will really use it. People who travel, or travel a lot - especially men - will really pack it as part of their manbag.
