DSTV Drifta

In the past, being able to watch TV on the go was more of a gimmick than anything else. South Africa’s high bandwidth costs meant it was only affordable for a few and the wireless broadband speeds that were being offered by our service providers meant that those who could afford it didn’t really want to hassle with it.

It is for these reasons and more that I was rather dubious when I heard about DStv’s new mobile offering.

Yes, local bandwidth prices have dropped dramatically and yes, the speeds have increased somewhat. But we are still a while away from being able to stream live content to our mobile devices without having to worry about data costs.

Having said that I managed to source one of these devices from a good friend to use for a few days. Unfortunately I was unable to get a decent signal in my complex in Fourways but once at the office the small bouquet filled up and I was able to catch a few days of cricket straight to my iPad.

The Drifta is a great product for someone who wants to catch up on the news or watch the highlights of the latest rugby game, but beyond that you will need to be  a masochist or fairly creative in your viewing activities.

Ideally, it should be able to entertain your children in the car on the way down to Durban or Cape Town, and you should also be able to watch a full length video. But this is where it falls short.

DStv advertises the Drifta as having a battery life of up to three hours. But this is really a push. On a full battery charge I managed to watch at most two hours of live television on my notebook, after which I had to plug the decoder into my USB port for a trickle charge, or switch it off completely. My notebook’s battery life is a precious commodity when I am nowhere near a power outlet and so was a little disgruntled when I had to plug in the Drifta.

Value for money on this littel gadget is an interesting discussion. Those who are either hardcore sports fans who cannot live without stopping at every appliance store to get the latest results or serious gadget fanatics will love this device. At R599 once off they will tell you it's the best thing since the iPod. DStv are also planning a monthly subscription fee of around R38pm from 1 April 2011 or free to premium subscribers. I guess thats would be a good way to justify purchasing the premium service at the insane cost of R600pm.

I defintely enjoyed playing with the Drifta for the few days I had it and to be honest there are a lot worse things you could waste R600 on. So if you would like to impress your friends at the next braai or plan on getting the latest sporting highlights on you next camping trip this little device is a must. It's small compact design means it will fit comfortably in your pocket or laptop bag.

Personally I believe this is an excellent move by DStv in South Africa and with the investment they have put in to cover all the major cities in South Africa.

I know I will be purchasing one of these in the near future.