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Innovators Take Home $ 276,090 From Siemens Stiftung

Caroline Vutagwa
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Innovators Take Home $ 276,090 From Siemens Stiftung

David Osborne 3rd

 

Siemens Stiftung awarded 23 out of 800 participants of the most promising innovations entered in the ‘empowering people’ award.

The international competition had sorted to identify simple yet intelligent technological solutions to sustainably improve the lives of people in developing countries.

The winning solutions  can sustainably enhance living conditions in developing countries by enabling people to independently improve their supply for basic needs.

Martin Aufmuth from Erangen Germany scooped the first prize worth $69,025, his innovation involved the production of the OneDollarGlasses. With millions of visually-impaired people living in impoverished regions around the world, the specs costing just one dollar.

At second place was Dr. Moses Kizza Musaazi from Uganda, who walked away with $41,415 . His innovation included making of affordable and biodegradable sanitary napkins with the use of the Papyrus plant.

Third position was taken by David Osborne from Celsius Global Solutions, UK, who received $27,610. His innovation, the jompy water boiler, a fire top device enables households to cook a meal whilst at the same time heating water to temperatures high enough to kill waterborne bacteria.

The other 20 winners walked away with $6,902 prize money. Some of the innovations included; OpenIR,a web application for infrared satellite data which can determine the possibility of floods or drought; SMSGYAN, an internet-based information via SMS. The mobile owners without internet access send an SMS to a central number  and the system checks out the Web for approriate information and then returns the result in a reduced format through SMS; the Score-Stove, a power generation durin cooking, the heat produced when cooking is turner to sound acoustics then turned to electricity.

 Siemens Stiftung set out to look for appropriate low-tech solutions, but it is also in the process of compiling all the solutions in order to make them visible and available to the public.

The long-term aim is also to connect developers and users of interesting products and solutions as well as potential investors and development organizations.

Rolf Huber, Managing Director, Siemens Stiftung said: “We are convinced that all of these solutions will have a great impact on the lives of people in developing countries. By empowering individuals, we can empower communities, with long-term effects.”

StiftungEPA_29Oct_0598 edit2-e1

Real Estate Portal Launches Free Android App To Sign Up Kenya’s Mobile Population

Sam Wakoba
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Real Estate Portal Launches Free Android App To Sign Up Kenya’s Mobile Population

anza_logo_squareKenya’s ­ Anza.co.ke, a  real estate portal for free property listings used by agents, home owners and property hunters has launched an Android App that will allow users access the platform on the go.

Launched yesterday during the Kenya Property Developers Association’s (KPDA) CEO breakfast in Nairobi, Anza’s free mobile Android will help Android users enjoy quick and intuitive property search on mobile phones and tablets.

According to the firm, now easy searches can be performed on the go as well at home through the web­based interface. Property agents and property owners can be contacted directly through the app either by phone or email.

With the new app, Anza aims to reach an even wider audience by making it’s service accessible to an increasingly growing number of people accessing the web through mobile technology.

Anza is run by Kontent Ltd, a Kenyan digital media agency.

Kenyan Government Readvertises The School Laptop Tender

Caroline Vutagwa
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0
Kenyan Government Readvertises The School Laptop Tender

 laptop

 

Two weeks after terminating the first tender, the government of Kenya has opened a new opportunity to bidders who are interested in providing laptops for primary schools as it has released a new tender.

The termination of the previous process was done because the Kenyan government said that the pricing was way above their budget and hopes the fresh tenders will come soon as they are working to beat the deadline, which was 2014.

Firms tendering for the job must deposit bid bonds of Sh7.5 million for printers, Sh10 million for projectors and Sh50 million for laptops.

Bidders are required to deliver their bids to the head of supply chain management services at the Ministry of Education on November 14.

Prof Jacob Kaimenyi, Education Secretary, had cited higher specifications as one of the possible reasons that drove the prices up, but it is not known if they have reduced the specs in the new tender.

However,teachers are expected to have laptops that are of a higher specification than that of the children, according to the new plan.

Kaimenyi also acknowledged that disagreements among the vendors, high insurance, transport and storage costs may have influenced the price hicks.

Evaluation of the bids by the ministry’s technical team showed that bids had priced each laptop at between Sh23,000 and Sh28,000.

The government will be spending Sh17.4 billion annually in the next three years to buy 1.35 million laptops, development of digital content, building capacity of teachers and rolling out computer laboratory for Class Four to Class Eight in all schools throughout the country as laptops will only be given to students between class one and three.

The ministry also seeks to procure 20,637 printers and to distribute a similar number of projectors to each primary school across the country.

Five Ways to Create a Monopoly

Sam Wakoba
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Five Ways to Create a Monopoly

Google-logo1Here are five ways you can follow to create a monopoly just like some firms have moved from being just mere upstarts to serving man’s every little need on the internet.

It’s hard to maintain monopoly status in a free market when you have to deal with all that competition and whatnot.

Between other companies’ low prices and new, updated products entering the market each day, it’s almost like Rich Uncle Pennybags is a thing of the past. But fret not!

The politicians of the world would like to offer anyone dead set on controlling an entire industry the chance to shine. So come one, come all — government agencies, cronies, and all their friends — as we present the five best ways to create a monopoly and to ensure you never have to compete again.

1. Regulations. When the cost of doing business is high, make it higher. Small firms can’t survive government imposed regulations while bigger firms can certainly bear the burden, at least temporarily. Taxes, mandates, and especially “safety regulations” (e.g., clinical trials at the Food and Drug Administration) will wipe out your competition before they even have time to ask what the new rules mean. Then hire a lobbyist in Washington. I’m sure he or she will come up with a good reason that the industry should adhere to stricter and more expensive guidelines.

2. Subsidies. There’s no such thing as a free lunch. But, when the government is paying for it, the lunch sure does taste free. Subsidies offer an alternative, consumer-driven focus to acquiring monopoly status. Arbitrary revenue-boosts from the government will allow you to reduce prices to essentially nothing, all while maintaining profitability. You can give away (what used to be) a $10.00 item for free and, with the help of $1 million in subsidies from our nation’s capital, you can stay afloat. Your competitors, however, will have to make do with reality. Even if they somehow manage to slash prices to $1.00 per unit, what kind of customer will pass up free? The subsidy doesn’t have to last permanently, either. It will only take a few weeks before your competitors begin to default on paychecks and other loans without transaction revenue.

You can also take this route without the government revenue injections if you have a contingency plan in the form of a bailout. Both you and your competitors will go bankrupt, but only one (fingers crossed it’s you) will receive CPR.

3. Nationalization. Shout out to government officials! This one’s for you. The easiest and most straightforward way to create a monopoly is to simply write the monopoly into law. Federal control over an entire industry — much like we’ve done with the United States Postal Service — is effectively the prohibition of competition from the private sector. But don’t ever reference the USPS. It’s a terrible (albeit realistic) example of a government monopoly, what with its inefficiency, perpetual deficits, and general lack of regard for any sense of advancement in mail delivery. Rather, tell everyone you want to monopolize “for the good of the people” and then talk about the Department of Education or some other public sector operation people don’t like to criticize in front of company.

4. Tariffs. Neighbors can be annoying. Some are loud and others are strange, but the absolute worst neighbors are the ones who compete with you in the marketplace (and then win). In the beautiful Southwest, this neighbor is Mexico. Companies south of the border produce certain commodities much more cheaply than American companies do, and they have the nerve to think that they can export their inexpensive products to the United States on a whim. We don’t think so. If Mexican companies sell sugar for $2.00 per pound and you charge $3.00, don’t let them satisfy customers like they own the place. Make sure they pay an import fee of $1.01 and it’s guaranteed you’ll win new business one cent at a time. Better yet, propose a complete ban on the sale of foreign goods in your state, city, and town until you’re so isolated from the rest of the world that no one has a choice to buy from anyone except you.

5. Intellectual property. If you have a good idea, why let anyone else have the same one? Take that idea, write it down in the broadest words possible, and send it straight to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, where public officials will (hopefully) grant you the exclusive right to use it. And don’t worry, if someone else thinks of the idea one day later … too bad. You filed first. Even if someone halfway across the globe comes up with the same idea independently … too bad. You filed first. Milk your monopoly for all it’s worth. Put a huge price tag on that beast and feel free to ignore quality. What are consumers going to do: purchase your exclusive product elsewhere?

We wish you the best of luck in your venture. You deserve it.

N/B: The article was first published on Mises.org and belongs to them.

Ten fun things you can do at iHub Nairobi

Sam Wakoba
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Ten fun things you can do at iHub Nairobi

• Coffee at pete’s

jokes1
• Chill out on the balcony123
• Check out matatu routes

Hellgate London Map Version 7
• Catch up with the day’s news

ohnoudiint
• Gossip with friends on the couch

gosip
• Learn new vocabulary

surgery
• Meet new friends pretending they’ll be co-founders’ in your stealth startup. Or they might be your future employers!

010-funny-animal-gifs-dog-slap
• Propose

 

wedding-proposal-balcony
• Torent or watch a movie original
• Party hard after a day of coding

funny-gifs-never-stopor simply play

play

Facebook Increases Revenue But Loses Its Teenage Users

Caroline Vutagwa
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0
Facebook Increases Revenue But Loses Its Teenage Users

Facebook-Down-Thumb

 

Facebook has its share price high and flying as it has increased by 15 percent just hours after trading, that’s just about the good news, but the down side is that is has lost all those gains in the evening as the company admitted that it has seen a decline in use by teenagers.

The social network company said that in its third-quarter revenues jumped by 60 percent to just over $2 billion, while net profit rose to $425 million, as compared to a loss of $59 million a year ago.

Mobile advertising revenue was about 49 percent of advertising revenue for the third quarter of this year.

Costs and expenses for the third quarter of 2013 were $1.28 billion, an increase of 45 percent from the third quarter of last year mainly caused by infrastructure expense and increased headcount.

By September, Facebook’s daily active users increased by a quarter to 728 million users, and it saw 507 million users accessing its service from mobile phones.

Even with all this increment in users the company CFO David Ebersman said that Facebook had experienced a small reduction in the use by teenagers.

With a significant decline in the users, the company is still ‘wowed’ investors on how it remains the ‘it’ social network company yet others collapse once a few teenagers have their attention channeled somewhere else.

Intel Boasts of Its New Modules

Caroline Vutagwa
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0
Intel Boasts of Its New Modules

 

INTEL

Intel has introduced a multimode, multiband platform, well its not that new because the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is running on the LTE version of this platform. The tab is now available in Asia and Europe.

The company has expanded its portfolio of LTE connectivity products having introduced PCIe (PCI Express) M.2 modules, as well as an integrated radio frequency (RF) transceiver module, the Intel SMARTi m4G.

The M.2 module is currently undergoing interoperability testing with anonymous mobile networks, however, Intel M.2-based modules will soon be available from Huawei, Sierra Wireless and Telit. By next year global shipping of these modules should have begun.

In addition to the new Intel PCIe M.2 LTE module, Intel also offers the new Intel SMARTi m4G , this is a highly integrated radio transceiver module. The SMARTi m4G was developed in cooperation with Murata and integrates the Intel SMARTi 4G transceiver with most front-end components in one LTCC (low temperature co-fired ceramic) package. With the Intel SMARTi m4G, the overall component count can be reduced by more than 40 components and the required PCB area is reduced up to 20 percent .

Intel intends to offer next-generation LTE solutions, among them being Intel XMM 7260 in 2014. This XMM 7260  give additional  LTE Advanced features, such as carrier aggregation, faster speeds and support for both TD-LTE and TD-SCDMA

Nigeria’s Web4Africa to Offer .xyz as its First New Global Domain Extension in 2014

Sam Wakoba
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0
Nigeria’s Web4Africa to Offer .xyz as its First New Global Domain Extension in 2014

xyz-fb-en Web and e-commerce service provider Web4Africa has today partnered with XYZ.COM LLC and its Founder, Daniel Negari making it Africa’s first registrar to carry the .xyz domain extension.

The extension, scheduled to launch in 2014 will be offered to Web4Africa’s customers alongside specialized extensions, such as .ng, .com.ng, and .org.ng.

According to XYZ.COM LLC Founder, Daniel Negari,“We are making a concerted effort to bring Internet accessibility and affordability to everyone in the world. One way we are doing this is by actively pursuing the leading registrars in high-growth areas. It has been a pleasure working with Web4Africa thus far, and I look forward to continue working with them to bring .xyz to everyone, everywhere.”Web4Africa worked with XYZ.COM LLC to implement tailored designs and information about .xyz into Web4Africa’s website in order to educate its customer-base on the new domain extension. New features include Web4Africa’s first ever domain extension landing page for .xyz, a domain name watchlist, and links directly from the home and domain pages.web4africa-logoIn addition to offering registrar services, Web4Africa provides affordable web solutions and is currently the leading web host in West Africa. The company assists organizations and businesses in building an effective web presence, with services ranging from domain registration to web design.

As one of only seven African registrars accredited by ICANN, Web4Africa is able to partner with registries directly. This ensures that their clients are able to purchase low-cost domain names from leading domain extensions like .xyz all over the world. Web4Africa’s affordability and global presence fits in well with .xyz, an international, adaptable new domain extension.

“The new gTLDs present an exciting opportunity for website owners to be more creative and more flexible with their website addresses,” said Web4Africa Founder, Oluniyi Ajao. “In addition to being our first new gTLD announcement, Web4Africa is excited about the opportunity .xyz presents to everyone who needs a web presence. We look forward to offering .xyz domains as a cost- effective and stylish alternative to the popular domain extensions that hold sway in today’s web environment.”

As the first new domain extension to be offered by Web4Africa, .xyz is primed to take over a demographic that is expanding at an exponential rate.

Although Africa currently only makes up 7% of the world’s Internet users, improvements in wireless access have sparked a drastic rise in the country’s Internet usage. Broadband is quickly replacing Africa’s reliance on antiquated dial-up connections, making it easier than ever for users to connect to the Internet. Only 15% of Africa’s population is currently connected to the Internet, but with a population of over 1 billion potential users, the market is vast — and still largely untapped.

Via PR

Asilia to Launch Black White Simple Platform to Help Just Anyone Set Up a Complex Portal in Minutes

Sam Wakoba
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London-based design and digital agency, Asilia will tomorrow October 31 launch an online platform that’s set to change the way firms in Kenya’s and in the entire East Africa region build their online presence.

Dubbed Black White Simple, the online platform is designed to let users create websites quickly and simply with neither technical knowledge required, nor confusing barrage of options, features and plug-ins.

According to Andrew Mugoya, Technical Director of Asilia, “The idea for Black White Simple came about when we put together a simple, elegant site for a client, in about five minutes. She’s a singer who had no website, zero technical knowledge, no time, a non-existent budget, and no inclination to attempt a DIY site. We decided to let her work speak for itself, rather than try to create a fancy site that she didn’t have the resources for.

From this experience, we realised that although there were other DIY website platforms, there wasn’t one simple enough for a completely tech-averse demographic. Many of the existing platforms require some level of technical knowledge or design-awareness to be able to create an elegant website. Most of them can also be overwhelming with numerous features and configuration options to select from. Black White Simple was created to fill this gap in the market.”

Black White Simple will therefore help inpiduals and firms set up an online presence in an exciting way without the designy and techie bits.AsiliaThe platform works simply by allowing users to just fill in a short form and upload images or embed content and create an elegant website in minutes whether they are artists, designers, foodies, musicians, performers, photographers or writers. The firm believes that user’s talents should speak for itself and the process of sharing it online shouldn’t be a hindrance.

The team says there are many websites that overshadow the work they intend to showcase. Black White Simple is designed to flip this scenario, presenting an elegant canvas and frame that enables the work to take centre-stage. On a Black White Simple website users can upload images, video or audio files.

asilThe platform is available either as free or paid version. The free option ‘Playing the field’ gives users one website and is great for those starting out or testing an idea. The second option starts at KES 650 per month (or KES 6,500 per year) for five websites while the third option, the ‘Going steady’ package starts at KES 2,600 per month (or KES 26,000 per year) for 25 websites while the fourth and high-end option ‘Ball and Chain’ package starts at KES 9,750 per month (or KES 97,500 per year) for 150 websites.

Lulu Kitololo and Andrew Mugoya founded Asilia in 2010 in London. Later the same year, they set up shop in Nairobi.

New Technologies Driving Automation & Business Value Across Africa-Piilo HR Software

Sam Wakoba
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New Technologies Driving Automation & Business Value Across Africa-Piilo HR Software

piiloHR and people management software and services firm Piilo has said that new technologies are driving automation and business value across Africa.

According to Piilo Software’sCEO Phil Lötter, the firm is is currently engaging resellers across 10 African countries with very positive response.

“Since the official launch of Piilo in May 2013, our database has grown to more than 25 000 users across Africa with prospects across East and West African Countries.”

“With rapid improvement of IT infrastructure across Africa, new technologies are making automation more affordable. What is really interesting is that due to the inherent simplicity of new technologies and the flexible pricing models we are able to offer, there isn’t really a specific industry or company size making use of our software but it rather spans across a wide variety of sectors.” Says Lötter

“Another interesting point is that the buyers of new technologies have shifted from being traditional the IT manager to business management. The visibility of Cloud Computing, Mobility and the financial benefits are making this a discussion topic for executive and operational management, as it is these individuals who are making the decisions about the technology they want to utilise across their businesses.We have seen that 46% of the buyers are executive management and only 7% of the purchases are made by IT management.”

Phil Lotter
Phil Lotter

From an industry point of view, Piilo cuts across most industries with the major ones being: Services, Government, Transportation, Finance and Insurance, Utilities, Communications, Construction, Retail and Wholesale, Internet and software and Mining and Health Care. The top three HR software needs these companies have are performance management, career and skills development and employee data management.

New technologies are leveling the playing field in terms of HR technology, which has traditionally only been accessible to big corporates. Through competitive and flexible pricing models and the ease of use, all business can ensure that they have the very best in people management practices in place. “We see Africa as a key focus of our operations in the next 3 years and want to provide valuable solutions to our African customers and partners.” Lötter explained.

G2 Smartphone Launch in South Africa Set To Boost Local Workforce

Stella Kabura
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0
G2 Smartphone Launch in South Africa Set To Boost Local Workforce

 

In the drive to gain traction in the premium smartphone device category to catch up with Sony, HTC, Samsung, Apple and BlackBerry gadgets, LG Electronics is set to boost its South African staff complement by a third to service growth ambitions following the launch of its premium smartphone LG G2 last week.

The general manager Deon Prinsloo is said to be confident that his firm would pave way into the local market dominated by Samsung as many customers find the smartphones more favourable than feature phones.

The LG G2 was not only launched last week in Johannesburg but in other African countries. While the LG G2 phone aims to win favour among clients, the G2 is reportedly listed with all the wireless network providers in the country that had not been the case with previous cellphone handsets offered by the firm, noted Prinsloo.

Based on the firms research, the R1,0,000 to R3,0000 (about $120 to $350USD) price band was contracting as customers demanded higher priced cell phones with bigger display screens and faster processing power. The growth was also evident in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, and Indian ocean countries in which LG was gaining popularity, reports say.

However, it is speculated that LG’s biggest challenge would be to create a compelling awareness of its product. In South Africa, for instance noted tech consulting firm World Wide Worx MD, Arthur Goldstuck it was “very much a peripheral brand among consumers but the G2 could certainly change that”.

The LG G2 was also criticized by other analysts as a smartphone that compared well within its rank to the Samsung Galaxy S4 or Sony Experia, he said. While it maintained the body size of it rivals, the phone had a larger display screen, which bolstered its appeal.

While the sales team was small and required a boost to enable the company to pursue new routes to market, LG plans recruit new enterprise partners, key account managers, and specialists in prepaid and postpaid selling in the new year, Prinsloo said. The company was also targeting the enterprise segment to provide solutions, as its biggest focus lies in establishing itself with consumers in general.

The company was in discussions with local operators to educate the market on what was possible using the phones, devices and data. Nevertheless, despite the criticisms, towards the end of December, LG will launch its first tablet locally.

 

 

Revlon South Africa Hires Moving Tactics To Revamp Its In-store Digital Media

Caroline Vutagwa
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0
Revlon South Africa Hires Moving Tactics To Revamp Its In-store Digital Media

revlon

Revlon, a global leader in cosmetics has partnered with Moving Tactics to roll out additional in-store digital signage at its outlets in Edgars and Woolworths in South Africa.
The cosmetics company has effectively been using brand communication and strong in-store digital media to drive their brand awareness and positive sales performance.
“Our experience with digital signage proved to us that in-store digital media really works to create and increase brand and product awareness amongst our customers, and we could see a direct correlation between products advertised through this medium and our sales turnover. We also felt that the glamour, excitement and innovation that Revlon is known for, was reflected through the use of this high quality, sleek and stylish technology in our outlets.” said Nikki Fletcher, Merchandising Manger at RevlonMoving Tactics has worked with Revlon to implement a digital signage network, which incorporates two 40-inch Samsung screens in six Edgars stores, having more to follow by the end of this  year.Revlon’s latest move into Woolworths’ stores has Moving Tactics installing 11 screens in Revlon’s branded cosmetics areas. Four stores have two Samsung 46-inch screens side-by-side, with one store displaying a three-screen side-by-side installation.

Moving Tactics, who has the sole rights to the internationally acclaimed real-time visual communications software, X2O Media, within Africa, will be using this innovative digital media platform to operate and manage Revlon’s content throughout their network.Research conducted by FGI last year on Edgars’ digital signage system show that 41 percent of shoppers are influenced to purchase something in-store, based on the advertising on in-store digital screens. This purchasing has led to a 70 percent increase in sales in those stores taking up digital signage.Kevin Bierman, head of digital signage solutions at Moving Tactics SA, said: “Clients are always impressed with the impact effective digital signage has on their sales figures and once this effect is seen, retailers are keen to continue rolling-out their digital media platforms within their stores to not only benefit their brands, but also the experience offered to their customers.”

Women From Rural DRC Venture Into Computer Training To Seek Employment

Stella Kabura
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0
Women From Rural DRC Venture Into Computer Training To Seek Employment

IT training during a power cut in Kisangani, DRC

Along the Mbinza-Barre district of Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital, the UN Stabilisation Mission in Congo MUNUSCO has now set its eyes on providing a group of women with tech skills that would help them immerse comfortably in the job market.

According to the NGO, about 50 women aged 17 to 40 receive computer training topped with marketing, tailoring and English language skills.

The launch of the project comes at a time when mineral rich Congo still suffers from instability in form of poor governance, infrastructure and rampant unemployment, as reports indicate. Nevertheless, this project is part of a three month pilot program known as “quick impact project” worth $30,000 USD that trains female participants based on their motivation to learn, notes MONUSCO.

Once the women receive training, they seek jobs in the private sector. Although reports indicate that merely four women recently passed a hiring exam offered by a local recruiting firm at the program’s conclusion and eventually recruited to work at the Bank of Africa, few have been hired as sales representatives in private companies.

But despite few recruits by private companies, women claim that they benefit from the training. As a representative of one of the companies that partnered with MONUSCO, G.H. Investment , CEO Gilbert Yegani in an interview claimed to have encouraged the women to look into venturing into marketing and entrepreneurship by encouraging them to open small enterprises without necessarily waiting to be hired.

Some will find employment in existing companies, but my expectation is the one who learns how to make a dress using a sewing machine can become by themselves an owner of a small enterprise making fabrics as you are seeing,” he informed Voice of America, “Some will create a cyber cafe, a training center for her IT [information technology], that’s what we are expecting.”

Yegani noted the women require need equipment, such as computers and sewing machines, which the private sector will try to help them find funding for, or obtain loans from a micro-lender.

All in all, despite the challenges, MONUSCO is optimistic about the pilot program, and sustainable economic growth is expected arise from Congo’s private sector, not just from come international donors.

 

 

Levono Unveils Its First Multimode Yoga Tablet

Caroline Vutagwa
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0
Levono Unveils Its First Multimode Yoga Tablet

lenovo-laptop-convertible-yoga-2-pro-orange-tablet-mode-19
Technology firm, Levono has today launched its first multmode Yoga tablet, featuring three unique modes, giving consumers a better way to use a tablet.

“Watching and discovering that people frequently use tablets in three main ways allowed us to break the mold on the current ‘sea of sameness’ designs, giving them a better way to read, browse, watch and interact with content,” said Liu Jun, senior vice president and president, Lenovo Business Group, Lenovo.

Lenovo has identified three challenges tablet users face: fatigue when holding and using the tablet; no self-supporting mechanism when laid on a flat surface; and an inadequate viewing angle when set on a table.

With a cylindrical handle, hold mode is designed to fit an individual’s hand and parallels how people hold magazines when reading.

To get a stand mode, one rotates the side cylinder 90 degrees so that the tablet stand deploys, allowing the tablet to stand by itself on a desk or table. Users can change the viewing angle to fit what’s comfortable for them from 110 to 135 degrees. 

Users can lay the Yoga Tablet down in tilt mode to type directly on the tablet, play games and just surf the Internet with a better viewing angle.

The Yoga Tablet’s multimode offers battery life of up to 18 hours. Its cylindrical handle packs in powerful, dual batteries which are found in laptops. The Yoga Tablet can even charge other devices such as smartphones via its USB on-the-go.

The 10 inch and 8 inch models run on MT8125 for WiFi models and MT8389 Quad Core processors for 3G models with 16 or 32 GB capacity and feature Android 4.2. Also equipped with Dolby® audio, Yoga Tablet’s front-facing speakers create a powerful surround sound experience through the device speakers and with headphones.

The two devices weighs 612g for the 10-in model and 399g for the 8-in model. They feature high definition 1280 x 800 displays, a 5 MP auto focus rear camera plus an additional front camera, a micro SD expansion slot, allowing up to 64 GB of total storage, WiFi and optional 3G in select countries and a micro USB connection and Dolby DS1 for rich audio.

Lenovo offers an optional Bluetooth keyboard for the 10-in model that functions as a cover and even wakes up the tablet when it’s removed and puts the tablet to sleep when it’s attached.  Users can also opt for a WD100 dongle in select countries to stream video content from the tablet wirelessly to a TV.

The company is also offering a portfolio of services solutions for the Yoga Tablet including warranty extensions, upgrades and premium technical support.

The tablets will cost $249 and $299 for the 8-in and 10-in respectively and will be available starting on October 30. The Lenovo Yoga 10 Bluetooth Keyboard Cover costs $69  available the same time.

Rocket Internet’s Jumia Launches FTC Apparel, Its Own Fashion Brand

Sam Wakoba
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0
Rocket Internet’s Jumia Launches FTC Apparel, Its Own Fashion Brand

Premier_achat_popup_v2Rocket Internet’s online shopping firm  JUMIA, has today launched its first in-house brand, FTC Apparel which is already available in Morocco and will be available in other countries soon.

 

FTC Apparel is a capsule collection of women’s shoes and will also launch with a women wear collection featuring an exciting mix of cutting-edge and up-to-the minute pieces targeting the modern self-driven working girls who like to stand out from the crowd.

Speaking on the launch, Jeremy Hodara, co-founder, Africa Internet Holding (Rocket’s Internet’s Africa arm) said “At JUMIA, our goal is to constantly provide the African market with the most convenient access to on-trend and affordable fashion. Creating an in-house label was an obvious next step for us as a company, and we have a team of incredibly talented, passionate and creative designers who have done a fantastic job on this first capsule collection.”

tfcFTC Apparel draws inspiration both from big Moroccan city and from European catwalks, celebrity looks and street style and will keep track of trends that are driving expectations styles. The firm is also set to launch FTC Apparel’s men line-up with a wide-range of designs from youthful street-style to more refined professional looks.

“By including FTC Apparel in our already comprehensive portfolio of over 500 major local and international brands, we are providing our customers with something exclusive to our site.” SashaPoignonnec, co-founder, Africa Internet Holding. “FTC Apparel will be sold only on JUMIA throughout Morocco, giving shoppers more choice when it comes to their online shopping experience. We are really excited to see the journey the FTC Apparel brand will take from here.”

However,  this is not the first time Rocket Internet is launching its own in-house designs.

Recently, Rocket Internet’s Southeast Asia eCommerce platfrom Zalora launched its own fashion brand dubbed Ezra and earlier this year, its other eCormmerce site Zalando launched an independent brand called Kiomi.

Levono Makes Ashton Kutcher Its New Product Engineer

Caroline Vutagwa
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0
Levono Makes Ashton Kutcher Its New Product Engineer

Ashton-Kutcher
Ashton Kutcher is officially the product engineer at the Lenovo technology firm, this was announced by the company as they lauched the Yoga Tablet at the livestream event at YoutubeSpace LA.

His new role as a Lenovo product engineer involves working with the company’s engineering teams around the world to develop and market the Yoga line of tablets by providing input and decision-making into design, specifications, software and usage scenarios. 

“This partnership with Lenovo brings together my love of technology and design that makes your life better. I can’t wait to dig in and help Lenovo develop future mobile computing products, starting with the Yoga Tablet,” said Ashton Kutcher. “Lenovo is all about innovation and strong leadership. Entrepreneurship is part of their DNA, and I couldn’t ask for a better fit.”

Kutcher currently stars in the CBS comedy, Two and a Half Men. He has also gained significant recognition for his technology investments over the past several years and is a co-founder of A-Grade Investments, which has provided venture capital and collaboration for multiple tech companies including Airbnb, Fab, Foursquare, Spotify, Path and Uber.

“Ashton Kutcher’s authentic, creative appetite for technology and keen consumer insight combined with our innovation engine make this a very natural and powerful partnership,” said David Roman, chief marketing officer, Lenovo. “This partnership goes beyond traditional bounds by deeply integrating him into our organization as a product engineer as we look at developing the next wave of products. As we continue to push into new PC Plus product areas and lead in multimode computing, Ashton will help us break new ground by challenging assumptions, bringing new perspective and contributing his technical expertise to Yoga Tablet and other devices.”

South African Bank Brings The Country’s Stock Market to the Mobile Phone

Sam Wakoba
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South African Bank Brings The Country’s Stock Market to the Mobile Phone

stock-market-graphSouth Africa’s FNB has launched a mobile banking application that will bring the entire Johannesburg Stock Exchange  to the mobile phone.

The Share Investing Banking App will allow FNB customers to buy, sell and keep track of their investments via their smartphones or tablets. The Banking App is available for iPhones, iPads, Android phones and tablets and users of Windows 8 tablets.

The FNB Banking App shows a user’s overview of their shares and SENS information, market indicators to help customers make informed decisions about trading in shares.

According to Giuseppe Virgillito, Head of Banking App, FNB Mobile and Connect: “Existing customers of both the Banking App and Share Investing are very similar and it makes sense to develop the new version of the Banking App to include the Share Investing functionality that is not only easy to use, but also fun to play with”

Apart from allowing customers to buy and sell JSE listed shares, the app also alows them to buy Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) and Krugerrands and provides a comprehensive view of the market performance, depending on the Share Investing product held.

FNB-apps2The app’s products include – Share Saver for regular monthly investments in the top 100 JSE listed shares.

-Share Builder, customers to choose from a basket of 24 pre-selected blue-chip shares and Krugerrands.

-Share Investor, which allows customers to invest in the full range of JSE listed shares and Krugerrands.

“FNB Share Investing is no stranger to innovation,” says Gusta Binikos, CEO of FNB Share Investing.”Since 2011, FNB has been the only bank to provide customers online access to Krugerrands and more recently with the launch of Share Saver, FNB provides customers access to the top 100 JSE listed shares (through the RMB Top40 and RMB Midcap ETF’s), which is the cheapest way to access the JSE and is only available from FNB.”

FNB was the first bank in South Africa to launch a Smartphone Banking App in 2011, and has over 600 000 active customers of its Banking App to date.The mobile products target 90% of Share Investing customers who trade online and a further 60% of these customers who have access to a Smart device according to the firm’s stats.

Kenya Postpones Digital Migration To June 2014

Sam Wakoba
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Kenya Postpones Digital Migration To June 2014

digitaltvKenya has pushed digital migration from Analogue to June 2014 in a move the media owners say is all inclusive.

The Daily Nation is reporting that Information Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i agreed to push the migration deadline to June next year after meeting the president. Matiang’i is yet to discuss with media owners in Kenya on setting a new schedule than the one already set.

Digital Migration in Kenya is becoming a dramatic debate with several dates announced and timelines set. In December 2012, the country was supposed to move to the new platform, that was pushed to June this year. That was pushed again to December 2013. Now it has been pushed to June 2014.

This push comes just a week after the same Cabinet Secretary launched an awareness campaign that sent chilling fears among unprepared stakeholders. The move also raises questions on coordination in the country’s executive arm or the ability of the new Cabinet Secretary to deliver.

Speaking to the paper, Mr Kiprono Kittony the Media Owners Association (MOA) Chairman said moving the deadline to June 2014 would give the stakeholders more time to discuss some of the issues at hand.

He said:“The change of dates will allow us to address certain issues the government has not addressed. First of all, as media owners, we have had issues with foreign ownership of signal distributors. This will allow us to address that.

“Secondly, we are not satisfied that there are enough STBs (Set Top Boxes) out there. We don’t want to disenfranchise Kenyans when the deadline arrives in December. If you look at Tanzania for example, they have had a similar narrative, which we are trying to avoid.”

Apart from the Media Owners Association seeking the president’s intervention on digital migration, the Consumer Federation of Kenya (Cofek) earlier went to court to allow Kenyans prepare for digital migration.

Last week, while flagging off Gotv’s digital migration awareness campaign in Nairobi, Dr. Evans Kidero, Nairobi Governor said there was need for stakeholders to ensure the cost of migration was affordable. He said the Ksh 3000 to Ksh 4000 price on set top boxes was not affordable to all city residents and switching off would put them in the dark.

The media owners are also demanding for the third digital signal distribution license after a Chinese firm was allocated instead of the association.

Media Convergence Gives Viewing Options To Consumers In South Africa

Caroline Vutagwa
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Media Convergence Gives Viewing Options To Consumers In South Africa

SAMSUNG

 
With the convergence of the internet, TV and video into one service, consumers can now comfortably choose what they want to view, and the need and demand will begin to shape how these devices will be used.
 
 
Lance Berger, head of product marketing TV/AV at Samsung Electronics South Africa, believes that innovation, in the way people can choose to view their favorite programmes, is changing how manufacturers respond to this need.
 
 
“In the past, consumers were often dictated to in terms of when and what they watched. However, the launch of new services such as video on demand has changed this notion forever,” he said.
 
 
Lance says video on demand services enable consumers to rent or purchase the latest Hollywood blockbuster, at the click of a button: “Consumers can decide how long they wish to keep the content for, either from two days to a month, meaning they are not forced to view the content on the same day.”
 
 
Due to this convenience, the popularity of this demand will soon make this the the future of television viewing.”With rental prices starting from as little as R10 and purchase prices from R29, video on demand is becoming both a practical and economical option for many people – and the digital element means space is not taken up around the home with DVD boxes.”
 
 
As bandwidth continues to improve especially in South Africa – and consumers gain access to higher speed internet at home – customers are able to download content quickly and effortlessly.Samsung has also launched Video Hub, a video on demand platform, across its mobile devices as well as its range of Smart TVs, to ensure content viewing is available anywhere.
 
 
The company has also partnered with Telkom to combine landline rental, ADSL installation for new customers and a WiFi modem, as well as delivery and installation of a Samsung Smart TV.
 
 
Media convergence will soon catch up with the rest of Africa because the rate at which governments are embracing ICT is really high. Now that we are all expected to have migrated to digital by 2015, its predictable that it will influence many technological developments.

Mobile Remittance Will Exceed $10 Billion This Year, For The First Time

Caroline Vutagwa
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Mobile Remittance Will Exceed $10 Billion This Year, For The First Time

mobile-money1
For the first time this year,the Juniper Research says that, International remittance through mobile phones will exceed $10 billion
However, the Mobile Money Transfer & Remittances: Domestic & International Markets 2013-2018 report found that the cost and complexity of regulating cash transfer had led many service providers to focus exclusively on airtime topups.
This report says that only a few players were seeing significant traction on mobile; arguing that early service providers, many a times, had failed to establish a critical mass of mobile wallets in recipient markets, reducing the opportunity for inbound remittance.

However, the report claimed that regulatory complexity had been the primary obstacle, as the author of the report Dr Windsor Holden observed that: “Service providers must first obtain licences for each remittance corridor; they face due diligence and risk assessment checks, which may in turn oblige them to introduce additional mechanisms to address any issues which emerge. All these processes are time consuming and expensive.”

Even though the international cash remittance growth has been slow, transaction volumes have surged in the airtime topup market, where service providers are not required to obtain money licences. The report found that average annual airtime topups across key remittance corridors were in excess of average individual mobile spend levels in receiving countries, thereby covering recipient telecommunications bills for the year.

The report said nearly 400 million mobile phone users worldwide are expected to use their handsets for mobile money transfer by 2018; and in sub-Saharan Africa, mobile money taxes are threatening the growth of domestic money transfer services.

Zambia’s Econet Drives Growth With Its New Services

Caroline Vutagwa
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0
Zambia’s Econet Drives Growth With Its New Services

 

econet

 

Zimbabwe’s Econet has been a growth  vehicle for the country, with new services such as EcoCash, broadband, and EcoFarmer; the company has begun to make their presence felt in revenue harvesting.

Econet Wireless CEO Douglas Mboweni said the company’s focus was to speed up innovations aimed at creating new sources of revenue growth. With almost every adult, and even children, now owning cell phones, Econet has to invest heavily in new sources of revenue if it is to continue growing.

“We have been aware of this for a long time and we are addressing it by investing in and developing new sources of revenue. Whilst this takes time, we are now seeing very encouraging signs that our strategy is beginning to bear fruit,” he said.

The company having added more than 500 000 new customers over the last six months, the CEO noted that growth in the business was no longer about getting new customers, because the revenue they generated was falling all the time.

He said innovations like EcoCash, broadband, EcoFarmer, and many others in the pipeline, would be the future mainstay of the company.

EcoCash processed almost $1.2billion of transactions in the six months to August, and although Mboweni said it was still not profitable due to high investment costs, he however predicted that it will eventually account for at least 10 percent of revenue of the group within 18 months.

Meanwhile, results for the half year to August showed that the company had managed to sustain its strong market position, and its customer base now stands at 8.5 million. Revenue for the period grew by 11 percent, to $376.6 million compared to the same time last year.

The highlight of the period under review was the completion of the renewal of the license by 20 years, for which the company had paid the full amount of $137.5million. “I am pleased to say that we have paid the full amount of $137.5m for the license renewal, and we managed to do so from internal resources.”

Due to the large amount paid out on the license fees, as well as commitments on paying down its debt, which now stands at $232 million, Mboweni said the company had not purchased any shares under the “share buy-back” scheme, and would also not pay a dividend to its shareholders.

UN Initiative Sponsors Girls’ Education in Rural Niger

Stella Kabura
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0
UN Initiative Sponsors Girls’ Education in Rural Niger

ibc_2_11780

This year’s UN international Day of the Girl Child held on 11 October 2013 encouraged smart and creative use of technology, policies, partnerships and most essentially, the engagement of young people overcoming barriers to girls’ learning and achievement reports say. Today, young female students in Zinder, Niger have a chance to continue with their education likely to see them venture into tech-related fields as they end teenage marriages and pregnancies.

In this initiative, reports say that some 60 students have now received support by the UNISEF with scholarships to continue their studies. The funds cater for school facilities, tutoring services, basics like soap, as well as expenses of the girl’s host families in rural areas.

Yet, in Niger, a third of girls are married off before age 15 with only 16 per cent attending high school and only half completing school. Supporting the girls past primary school matters because it ensures that they complete education and are protected from early marriages and pregnancies, notes a UNICEF report.

Some directors in schools indicated that there were no girls in schools two years ago, but the number has steadily been increasing thanks to the UNICEF initiative that has seen the number at a school in Yaouri rise from three girls in 2012 to 16 girls to date. Moreover, UNICEF selected some 500 girls from remote regions of Maradi and Zinder for the program, say reports. They were selected based on the distance girls took to reach school and in terms of social insecurity and achievement.

While it is noted that a number of girls would like to venture into nursing and technology related fields, the scholarship program is expected to see the number of students double in schools. However, there are a few requirements to ensure the best learning environment for Nafi Karfi among other schools. School books for instance are photocopied texts while students lack chairs and good sanitation.

In all, the zeal of the girls eager to learn through scholarships in the community ensures that girls have access to education that could save them from early marriages.

Photo: courtesy of UN

Valmet Supplies State Of Art Tissue Line in Algeria

Stella Kabura
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0
Valmet Supplies State Of Art Tissue Line in Algeria

As a result of thorough planning and market survey done by Algerian company Faderco, Metso’s Pulp, Paper and Power business, the future Valmet company is set to supply a complete tissue line which would be installed on Faderco’s new site at Setif Algeria using state of the art technology.

The Pulp, Paper and Power business, in addition to its supplies, would also include an automation solution for machine, process and quality controls, says a report.

While Metso is a global supplier of technology and services to customers in the process industries, including mining, construction, pulp and paper, power, and oil and gas set to change its name to Valmet in 2014, its partner Faderco is known for producing cotton derivatives in Algeria. According to Faderco owner Amor Habes, after doing thorough investigations and evaluation, the organisation came to the conclusion that Metso is the right partner for Faderco for such an important project which would establish high quality tissue paper production on 80 per cent of the Algerian market.

Indeed, since 1986, Faderco has been active in the industrial hygiene field, through cotton derived products and hygiene items with absorbent pads while producing baby and adult diapers and paper products since last year especially once it became a joint stock company with Metso in 2009. With both whole sale and direct sales, Faderco’s commercial coverage is 80 percent of the Algerian national territory. The company exports products to other countries in Northwest Africa and sub- Sahara.

Thanks to the joint stock partnership, new developments have taken place. Impressed by this year’s well founded investment and technical analysis of the new project, the detailed preparation done in an early stage would most likely contribute to its success, noted Jan Erikson, Vice President Sales, Pulp, Paper and Power Metso.

In terms of logistics and technology, the tissue production line would have a design capacity of around 30,000 tons a year of high-quality facial, toilet and towel grades as the raw material for the new lines will be virgin fiber. Metso’s scope of delivery would include one complete tissue production line featuring stock preparation systems and an Advantage DCT 100+ tissue machine equipped with an OptiFlo headbox, a Metso Yankee cylinder, an Advantage AirCap, an Advantage WetDust dust system and an Advantage SoftReel A reel.

Moreover, the organisation informs the public that the stock preparation line consists of OptiSlush pulper, OptiFiner conical refiners and deflaker and OptiScreen screens. Also an advanced MC20T rewinder with calendar as well as roll transporting and wrapping equipment is included in the delivery. In addition to the paper making process Metso supplies complete electrical systems and effluent treatment of the waste water coming from the process, concurs the organisation.

The delivery also includes an automation package with Metso DNA machine and process controls and Metso IQ quality controls. Complete installation supervision, training, start-up and commissioning are also part of the delivery. The supply is based on total Mill Engineering by Metso. A smooth and successful start-up of the tissue production line is ensured through a one year on-site support, by Metso.

“We are proud to be part of the growth of the Faderco company,” said Jan Erikson, Vice President Sales, Pulp, Paper and Power, Metso, referring to the new developments that are taking place in the company and country. The start-up of the tissue machine is planned for the second quarter of 2015. However, the value of the order has not yet been disclosed

 

Nigeria’s Photo Sharing Platform, Hipingg Releases Android Mobile App

Sam Wakoba
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0
Nigeria’s Photo Sharing Platform, Hipingg Releases Android Mobile App
hipingg on android
Nigeria’s photo sharing platform that allows users to send photos and messages to friends, Hipingg has today launched its Android Mobile app to allow even more users enjoy the service.
The service, with over 100,000 users capturing and sharing their best moments has become a place where people come to connect and be inspired.
The founder, Prudence Okoilu told TechMoran, “Today we’re launching Hipingg on Android, a new mobile service that lets you share multiple photos and send messages to friends. Hipingg is all about capturing moments that makes up your life. Android users can  share beautiful photos and send messages to their friends easily.”
“We have been testing it for a while now, just to perfect things. Android is first and iOS will come early next year We’ve been looking forward to this day, and we’re excited to get the app into your hands.”
Hipingg for Android allows users to upload photos from their phones gallery; Explore, and Find Friends around their location, find and invite people they know to join. The app also has new features like Tagging; to allow users tag their friends along with their photos and a ‘News’ icon where users can read latest updates on Entertainment, Sport and Technology news from across Africa and beyond.
Over the coming weeks, Hipping says they will launch new features for Android–– including front-facing camera, search, and the ability to share to other platforms.
The app can be found on the MTN APP STORE.

Ecobank goes live in Ethiopia | Launches Ecobank OMNI For Cross-Border & Multi-Currency Cash Management

Sam Wakoba
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0
Ecobank goes live in Ethiopia | Launches Ecobank OMNI For Cross-Border & Multi-Currency Cash Management

ecobank-logoEcobank has launched its operations Ethiopia with a new branch in Yerer Ber district in Addis Ababa, in a  pan-African move that will see it cover 35 countries on the continent.

Apart from its Ethiopia launch, Ecobank has also deployed Global CASHplus, an integrated, real-time cross-border payment and cash management system for use in 30 African countries, the project began as a pilot in 2011.

According to Albert Essien, Deputy Group CEO for Corporate & Investment Banking at Ecobank the bank set out to develop a cash management system flexible for varying local business practices but powerful to support a high volume of transactions across the bank’s entire network.

Essien said, “We moved quickly to implement a robust solution that will facilitate cross-border and multi-currency business for our customers, removing many of the traditional bottlenecks in the cash management process.”

The new platform, Ecobank OMNI, enables Ecobank’s corporate customers to link their enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems for integrated origination and reconciliation of transactions. The bank  believes the platform will help it accommodate varying business practices across its network across the countries it operates.

OMNI is an implementation of Fundtech’s Global CASHplus®.

Ecobank believes that by 2015, Ethiopia will be the world’s third-fastest-growing economy.

 

 

Aggreko To Provide 20 MW Of HFO Power To Chad

Caroline Vutagwa
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0
Aggreko To Provide 20 MW Of HFO Power To Chad

 

aggreko

The world leader in provision of temporary power and temperature control services,  Aggreko, has signed contracts with Société Nationale d’Electricité (SNE) to deliver a 20 MW temporary power package, fueled using locally sourced HFO, to help curb power shortages which are currently affecting the country.

The Aggreko installation will bring much needed additional capacity to the local grid and will ensure a more robust and reliable power supply is delivered to the capital N’Djamena in order to help keep business and industry up and running and keep the lights on in the city.

“We are happy to be assisting SNE, the national utility of Chad in this important project,” commented Christophe Jacquin, Managing Director, Aggreko North and West Africa. “By delivering this large-scale, fast-track HFO power solution, we are helping to provide a more consistent and reliable power supply to the people of Chad.”

“The Aggreko power plant will give us the opportunity and time we need to address the power supply issues affecting N’Djamena,” commented Djerassem Le Bemadjiel, Minister of Energy, Republic of Chad. “Their unique ability to utilise locally sourced HFO and their strong track-record across Africa gives us the confidence that Aggreko are the right partner for this vital project.”

Aggreko provides power and temperature control solutions to customers who need them either very quickly, or for a short or indeterminate length of time. Theyhave 194 service centres which service the different customers. They call these centres the Local business, or globally through our Power Projects business.

In the Power Projects business, which also accounts for about half of our revenues, Aggreko operates as a power producer. They install and operate power plants and charge our customers both for providing the generating capacity, and for the electricity produced.

Oracle To Showcase Employment For The Modern Kenyan Enterprise

Caroline Vutagwa
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0
Oracle To Showcase Employment For The Modern Kenyan Enterprise

oracle

The second largest software maker,Oracle- Kenya, plans to have its Oracle day at Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi on November 8th. This day will be geared towards demonstrating the Power of Hardware and Software normally engineered to work together.

In its 3rd year, the event will enlighten participants on how the power of simplicity can change IT to a force that drives business innovation.

Apart from Nairobi, the software company will be having Oracle day events in more that 30 cities across Europe , Middle East and Africa, as part of a global event series under the theme: ‘Converge. Connect. Empower the Modern Enterprise’

Dr Gilbert Saggia, Country Manager Oracle Kenya said: “Bringing the major Open World announcements to countries beyond the US gives Oracle an opportunity to expose the power of hardware and software engineered to work together at Oracle Days.” 

He also added that the new technologies bring unmatched benefits to businesses everywhere Mr. Kaggia reiterated that Oracle Day 2013 promises to be the best yet, with industry experts and customers delivering a content-rich agenda.

Sony Launches The Xperia L

Caroline Vutagwa
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0
Sony Launches The Xperia L

 sony_xperia_l_3-copy

Sony Mobile Communications has today announced the availability of the new Xperia smartphone model the Xperia L, which will join its 2013 line up within the Vodacom channel.

“The Xperia L is ideally suited for those seeking stylish smartphones that don’t compromise on features”, said Mark Fenzel, Sony Mobile Sales Director for Middle East and Africa. “This new model benefits from Sony’s proven innovation and engineering expertise and enables a new band of consumers to capture every moment in perfect detail, and at an attractive price point.”

This smartphone offers the best of Sony with stunning premium designs and a range of technologies including a high quality screen; the latest camera features; NFC connectivity for One-touch function; Battery STAMINA mode for extended battery life; and Sony’s signature media apps.

The Xperia L features an 8 megapixel camera with Sony’s unique “ExmorTM RS for mobile” sensor technology for vivid colours and stunning clarity. High Dynamic Range (HDR) ensures that photos and videos are clearly captured, even at night or against a strong backlight.

And with the dedicated camera key that goes from sleep to snap in just over a second even from a locked screen, this fast-capture camera phone is designed to ensure that the user never misses a shot.

The device also features a high quality 4.3”FWVGA screen, ideally suited to showcase all content and is available in black.

Glo launches Vigicom to help Nigeria Vigilante Groups call for free in distress times

Sam Wakoba
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0
Glo launches Vigicom to help Nigeria Vigilante Groups call for free in distress times
Image:Premiumtimesng.com
Image:Premiumtimesng.com

Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), body overseeing groups in charge of local policing in the country, has received a communication package from Globacom that will see its members freely communicate with each other while on duty across the country.

Dubbed Vigicom, the package will also allow the group members to communicate with their families freely especially in distress.

According to Alhaji Ali Sokoto, Commander General of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), the Vigicom will help them effectively police remote areas in the country and make intelligence gathering efficient.

Vigicom sends and receive alerts and users can call even without airtime and will be used by the members to ensure effective communication for the country’s security.  However, the vigilante members will be required to pay N1,000 as monthly rental fee. Then them and their families will receive special lines for free.

According to a report by NewsDiaryOnline,”Security was a driving issue in the last Presidential campaign following bomb blast by Niger Delta militants and attacks of police by members of the extremist Islamic group, Boko Haram in the northern part of the country.”

The report adds that President Jonathan campaigned very hard to convince Nigerians that his government was meeting those security challenges. However, riots followed immediately after his election in the North. Everyday, the Boko Haram group kills several civilians and soldiers.

The AFP is reporting that thirty-five bodies in military uniform have been brought to a morgue in Nigeria’s restive northeast after a coordinated assault by Boko Haram targeting the security forces late Thursday in the Yobe state capital of Damaturu.

Vigicom will therefore help the community police groups to work with other security stakeholders curb crime.

Motorola Displays Its Modular Smartphone Concept

Caroline Vutagwa
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0
Motorola Displays Its Modular Smartphone Concept

hallomoto

Motorola is not sleeping on its job as it has shown off a project that could see the company develop so-called modular smartphones in the future where users bolt together components to customize their handsets. How cool is this?

This innovation came from a series of public events where people were able to experiment with 3D-printers to come up with their own smartphone concepts.

Led by Motorola’s Advanced Technology and Projects group, what is being called “Project Ara” is now developing a free, open hardware platform for creating modular smartphones.

The design for Project Ara consists of what they call an endoskeleton (endo) and modules. The endo is the structural frame that holds all the modules in place. A module can be anything, from a new application processor to a new display or keyboard, an extra battery, a pulse oximeter.

The company said that it would invite developers to start creating modules for the Ara platform in the coming months and expect that  between December and March next year there will be an alpher release of the Module Developer’s Kit (MDK).

This is out of the ordinary, a phone that you assemble pieces of your phone by your self very interesting. What if one looses one part of the phone? will it mean that the user will but another one or can they get a replacement?

motorola

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