Dubbed the Smart School, the new platform launched in Ahfad University for Women in Khartoum in Africa will enable lecturers and students have interactive study sessions, hence improving on the quality of education.

With this new initiative, students can log in to their account and access information from anywhere. The initiative also opened a computer hub where students can access information. The initiative will have the following components:

• Interactive management solution: This allows teachers to deliver content to students and share screens, and enable them to monitor student progress and conduct group activities, and run tests or instant polls.
• Learning management system: This provides educational materials and content, such as e-textbooks and learning apps.
• Student information system: This helps teachers track individual student progress, attendance, and other important student information.

“Sudan’s future rests on the potential of its youth, and how much of that potential is unlocked”, says Mr. Kyoung IL Min, Managing Director, Samsung Sudan.

“With this in mind, we are very pleased to be able to contribute to changing the face of teaching and learning in Sudan by bringing our solutions to schools like the Ahfad University for Women,” he added.

“While technology alone cannot ensure quality education, it is critical that students in Sudan are immersed in a technology-rich environment from as early on as possible”, Kea’ Modimoeng, Public Affairs Manager, Samsung Electronics Africa weighed in.

Earlier this month, British Council in collaboration with Microsoft launched the Badiliko learning initiative for primary schools in eight countries in Africa.

More private entities are realizing the importance of having ICT integrated with education. This has seen many initiatives being launched in the continent.

The big worry is that with everyone doing their own thing, there might be a clash of agenda in terms of implementing and agreeing on a standard base.

Ongoing in Rwanda September 23-24, the three-day Social Good Summit brought together technology entrepreneurs, educationalists, dev’t agencies to discuss the impact of new media on development.

UNDP in Rwanda joined the conversation to look into the challenges likely to be faced by the next generation, and how it could address them. Youthful Rwandan entrepreneurs and leaders were also part of the summit to look at how technological innovations, social media and entrepreneurship can support Rwanda’s development.

During the summit young Rwandan entrepreneurs spoke of the journey’s they have had to inspire the nation and help the rest stand up to achieve for themselves and for their country and stimulate development.

With over 65 percent of Rwandans below 35 years of age, the Kigali Social Good Summit is a unique opportunity to discuss how technological innovations, social media and entrepreneurship can them to support Rwanda’s development. Four reputable universities were invited in the debate that wants to improve people’s quality of life and give them employment opportunities.

We shall get you a full report after the event.

Follow the debate using #socialgoodRW  or watch it live here.

 Tigo Tanzania is set to launch 209 new network sites across Tanzania; in a span of three months to widen its network coverage and improve network quality.

Tigo’s expansion comes as a result of the company’s profound comprehension of variable consumer needs, which require a provision of groundbreaking customer-centric products and services. Furthermore, this will enable customers to experience a higher quality of voice, and better data connectivity at an affordable rate.

To kick off this exiting venture , Tigo has launched ‘Smile Tour’; an activation caravan that plans to travel in over 10 regions where Tigo is expecting to widen its reach and strengthen its presence.

Speaking during the launch of the Smile Tour Caravan in Dar es Salaam, Tigo’s General Manager, Mr. Diego Gutierrez said “With the tremendous growth that we have experienced over the past 5 years, we are continuing to invest in our network to ensure superior service to our valuable customers and to attract even more subscribers. We want to serve densely populated urban centers and rural communities with scalable and cost effective mobile solutions. We understand what our consumers need, and are thrilled with the prospects that our expansion plans will bring, as more Tanzanians will be able to enjoy the Tigo experience. This will give us better platforms to innovate more products that will counter variable needs therefore give them more reasons to smile.”

Mr. Gutierrez mentioned Tigo’s expansion to include 24 towers in Kagera, 16 towers in Dodoma, 4 towers in Singida, 11 towers in Morogoro, 8 towers in Tanga, 4 towers in Manyara, 5 towers in Kilimanjaro, 5 towers in Arusha, 17 towers in Mwanza, 4 towers in Kigoma, 7 towers in Tabora, 14 towers in Shinyanga, 20 towers in Mbeya, 9 towers in Mtwara, 8 towers in Lindi, 5 towers in Ruvuma, 5 towers in Iringa, 13 towers in Rukwa, 10 towers in Pwani, 10 towers Zanzibar and 10 towers in Dar es Salaam, making a total 209 network sites to be launched.

Commenting on the Smile Tour, Mr. Gutierrez said that the tour, which will consist of road shows, includes fun games such as acrobatics, jumping castles and other entertainment. Customers will also stand a chance to win different prizes, register their SIM Cards and get firsthand experience with Tigo’s different products and services.

“On the process, we plan to positively engage with the regional and local communities by letting them know that Tigo is with them, every step of the way, right there where they are. We believe this Smile Tour Caravan to be a great mark of our growing regional engagement and presence as we continue to grow and provide a reliable, quality network. All this will enable Tigo to deliver a better network experience and further increase the company’s nationwide carrier footprint. ” He concluded.

If you have a Google account, Google has announced that you can now access the online document editing service, Quickoffice, for free through your mobile devices.

Quickoffice lets customers edit Microsoft Office Excel, Word and PowerPoint files on their iPhone, iPad, Android phone or tablet. The company views this offer as a way to ‘make’ users who haven’t “gone Google yet” go Google and migrate to its own document formats.

For the users who already have Quickoffice for Google Apps for Business, they are advised to update their app to the new version and they will see a new icon.

To add to that, users who sign in from the new Quickoffice app for Android or iOS by September 26, 2013 will receive an extra 10GB of Google Drive storage for the next two years.

Google is really smart, how else could they get more people on Google, however we hope that this offer will stay long enough to get people talking, and not forgetting the efficiency Google, it had better be as good as it was before the fishing began.

Samsung Electronics Zambia has asked it customers in Zambia to be cautious when buying new and second hand phones for unauthorized dealers. This, the company says, will put them at risk in purchasing counterfeit products which are potentially defective and unprotected by warranties.

By the end of this year, the global sales of smartphones are likely to reach one billion, driven by low-cost handsets and gains in markets like Zambia. For this reason consumers should be careful to purchase phones, sometimes from unlicensed suppliers.

The Country Manager of Samsung Zambia, James Chona, said that Samsung offered inimitable warranties and extras to customers who purchased genuine products from authorised dealers.

“We are seeing a shift in the market where consumers are beginning to see the value of warranties for their smartphone purchases. The smartphone has gone from being a cutting-edge device to becoming an essential component in the everyday lives of consumers. Because of this, smartphones are prone to damage and consumers do not benefit from warranties when they purchase phones from individuals or unlicensed suppliers,” Said Chona.

He also said that customers procuring a genuine Samsung device enjoyed the benefits of comprehensive device protection as registered devices were covered by a 24 month warranty, giving an example of the Galaxy S4, which is given an additional insurance such as accidental damage from handling.

The Manager believed that customers should make sure that they buy a genuine Samsung phone by registering for an E. Warranty immediately they put a SIM card in their handsets.

“Current sales of the S4 are priced in nearly the same range by licensed suppliers as they are with individuals but the benefit of buying genuine products is also to protect consumers from the risk of purchasing phones with a defective history,” Chona said

This should not only be a message to Zambia but the whole world at large. Counterfeit phones is something that should be addressed globally, in as much as the manager is advising consumers to be careful, one can’t help but wonder  if Samsung is doing something to help curb this menace; and if they are, what are some of the measures they have employed and which have proved to be efficient?

It would also help if the company could show the public some of the counterfeit products or give them a way to identify the original before purchase. The only way the company has shown the public is through sending the IMEI number but for sure this doesn’t help because by the time you get hold of the number you will have bought the phone only to realise is it a fake after sending the number to Samsung, who take their time to reply.

The rumours and the speculation have stopped and the real thing has emerged, Blackberry has hurled a new smartphone which they flaunted it as the ‘biggest, fastest and most advanced smartphone yet’, the Blackberry Z30.

The company  said this: “Featuring BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.2, the new all-touch BlackBerry Z30 smartphone comes with a beautiful 5” display and the largest battery yet on a BlackBerry smartphone. It is designed to keep you hyper connected, productive and always in control, and lets you share like you’re there and collaborate with ease.”

Carlo Chiarello, the Company’s Executive Vice President for Products stated that the new handset makes use of new features as well as some familiar ones.

“The new BlackBerry Z30 smartphone builds on the solid foundation and engaging user experience of the BlackBerry 10 platform with features like the powerful BlackBerry Hub, its exceptional touchscreen keyboard and industry leading browser,” said Chiarello.

“The smartphone rounds out the BlackBerry 10 portfolio and is designed for people looking for a smartphone that excels at communications, messaging and productivity. Having apps like the full Documents To Go suite that comes preinstalled, together with its 5-inch touch display, the BlackBerry Z30 smartphone gives you a best in class productivity experience on the go,” he added.

The 5″ Super AMOLED display phone has a 1.7 GHz processor with quadcore graphics and running BlackBerry 10.2. and being the successor of the Z10, it has the latest all-touch BlackBerry 10 phone from BlackBerry. The smartphone has a battery strength of 2880mAh battery that serves you for 25 hours, making it the biggest battery on a BlackBerry to date.

Stereo speakers and BlackBerry’s exclusive “Natural Sound” technology make the Z30 sound great, while new antenna technology from BlackBerry keeps the Z30 connected with faster download speeds in more places.

The Z30 will be available in selected retailers in the UK and Middle East beginning next week, and all other regions going into the holiday season.

The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) had issued a statement saying that there have been breaches by some media houses on the Media Act 2007, while covering the Nairobi WestGate Mall attack that has left 68 people dead.

“While the general performance of the media in covering the tragedy has been exemplary and journalists displayed professionalism in the coverage, a number of breaches in the code of conduct for the Practice of Journalism in Kenya as provided for by the Media Act 2007 have been noted,” the council said.

The council has noted that some media outlets have intruded into the privacy of those who are under grief and shock. Some of the journalists hounded escapees who were visibly in shock and went on a rampage of questioning.

The council also noted the used of pictures and names of victims and even police officers have been aired or published in local media.

The council urged journalists and media practitioner to heed to the code of conduct even as they give the country information. The government as early as Saturday when the siege began, urged media houses not to air the live proceedings.

Some pundits argued that these directives amounted to unauthorized media censorship. This is a debate that will definitely come up once the dust settles on the tragedy.

Meanwhile, the Media Council says that it will organize counseling sessions for those journalist covering the WestGate Mall siege.

“The Media Council of Kenya will conduct trauma counseling for journalists who covered, and those still covering the Westgate hostage crisis,” it announced through its twitter account.

‘Internet access will remain a significant force behind the major growth in the South African entertainment and media industry, reflecting expanded broadband device and greater use of smart devices’ says a report unleashed by PwC.

The entertainment and media market (E&M) of South Africa is accustomed to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.9 percent in five years, which is among the highest in the world.

According to PwC’s South African Entertainment and Media Outlook: 2013-2017 (‘The Outlook’), the E&M market will generate an overall revenue of R175-billion in 2017.

“In South Africa, as in other markets worldwide, consumers’ access to entertainment and media content and experiences are being democratised by the expansion of access to the Internet and the explosive growth in smart devices,” said  Vicki Myburgh, Entertainment & Media Industries Leader for PwC Southern Africa. “Even though traditional, non-digital media will continue to dominate overall E&M spending in South Africa over the next five years, much of the growth will come from digital.”

Internet access will also attract notable growth, which will be increasing from R19.8-billion in 2012 to about R59.6-billion in 2017, at a CAGR of 24.7 percent.

Mobile internet will be carrying the whole weight of growth such that if by any case it is removed the CAGR will decline to 5.9 percent.

Does this mean that the next Hollywood will be in South Africa having being beaten by Nigeria’s Nollywood fair and square. Why is it that South Africa have a problem in adapting to mobile internet? it seems to be lagging behind yet it is allegedly the most developed country on the southern part of the Sahara

Technology is growing endlessly making cloud computing the in thing as shown in the Gartner’s recently-concluded Symposium and ITXpo. Although MTN, a South African mobile operator, has a number of cloud offerings, Gartner believes that the country still lags behind other developing countries.

The General Manager for MTN, Navi Naidoo,  enterprise Solutions Implementation said that South Africans still have the apprehension when it came to adopting the cloud. He added that a country like Brazil stands a better position when it came to adoption, implementation and execution.

“For us at MTN, we find that very strange, as we have a very good infrastructure to support cloud and broadband prices are coming down. Software as a Service (Saas) is also key, but that can only work if you adopt a cloud into your strategy,” he added.

The Mobile network operator’s aim is to get as many users as it possibly can, to connect to the internet viewing mobile technology as an important catalyst.

“Mobile is an integral business tool, as it allows businesses to make informed decisions easily and very quickly. We are on the cusp of a new digital world, and it’s very exciting times for our customers. Many things can be done by being connected to the internet from a mobile device, but you need a quality network in order to reap the benefits,” said the GM.

“Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) is a trend that can’t be stopped – it needs to be embraced going forward, but it does present businesses with some challenges. With technology ever-changing, the numerous advantages do outweigh the disadvantages.”

When we talk about South Africa, what would come out in any person’s mind is a country that is more developed and not having internet seem to be a ‘crime’. It is quite a surprising thing that such a country could actually start questioning mobile internet. It seems like an everyday thing. However being the case, one might not fail to ask if MTN is the only mobile internet provider, because it could be that more people prefer other operator services to theirs.

Kenya’s Crown Paints has launched a new paint that will see property owners reduce the risk of fire in buildings.

Designed to make buildings resistant to sudden fires caused by paint on walls and ceilings,  the product known as Crown Timonox is designed to provide a first line defense against the spread of flames induced by flammable ingredients in paints. Solvents used in paint manufacture increase the risk of fire spreading through entire buildings thus endangering lives and property. But Crown Timonox, applied as a coating on interior surfaces, serves to make buildings fire retardant while at the same time preserving their aesthetic appeal.

According to Crown Paints CEO Rakesh Rao, fire remains a major risk to property. “Fire poses a major risk to our customers’ assets. We are bringing to the Kenyan market a unique coating solution that enhances our customers’ ability to protect valuable assets especially buildings from the sudden risk of fire,” he said.

Crown Timonox is applied as a thin coat on walls and ceilings even where these have several coats of paint. Multiple layers of paint constitute a significant fire hazard hence the need to minimize the potential for ignition both for solvent or water-based conventional paint coatings.

“Improving the flame fighting ability of a surface makes it not only safe for human habitation but also minimizes the environmental damage linked to solvent-based paints,” explained Rao. Timonox is water-based and solvent-free hence making it the ideal coating solution for ethical consumers looking out for safe decorative products.

The product is significant as it comes in the wake of escalating fire incidents in the country, most recently a huge inferno that destroyed a part of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Months after the Gambia government issued a banning decree on all VoIP services and dating sites in the country, the government through Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) has issued new directive that will regulate the operations of cyber cafes in the country.

“In exercise of the powers conferred upon the Authority under section 14 (1) (g) of the PURA Act 2001, the Authority hereby makes the following guidelines for the establishment and operations of an internet/cyber cafe’ and application forms”, stated Mr. Ebrima Ceesay of the Authority’s legal department.

According to PURA internet cybers should not have fully enclosed cubicles to discourage the viewing of pornographic materials.

Cyber Café owners should also make sure that unauthorized materials are not viewed, produced or duplicated within their business premises.

Mr. Ebrima Ceesay of the PURA legal department advanced that it is now a requirement for cyber cafe’ operators to post a sign board stating that “Cyber Crimes and Pornography are prohibited” and the service provider shall not also publicly advertise or provide dating services or solicits or hosts dating services.

All computers will also have to be installed with Anti-virus package that should be updated regularly, the new regulations stipulate.

These new regulations are part of the government’s efforts to try and regulate their concerns on online dating sites, pornography and VoIP services that they say eat on the revenues of the national telecommunication company.

The country has been under scrutiny and critism over its stand on online freedom with their legislation.

The Rwandan government has signed a partnership deal with Korea Telecom to improve ICT services in the country and push the country’s infrastructure forward.

According to the government, “Korea Telecom is expected to create significant computing power based on advanced computing and “cloud” services infrastructure enabling Rwanda to achieve a leapfrogging effect in the same way that the country is using 4G LTE to skip the 3G stage of broadband network evolution.”

Rwanda Development Board’s CEO Clare Akamanzi reckons that the new partnership will give knowledge transfer to the landlocked country on how to use technology to their advantage.

“The company’s work is expected to yield at least 700 highly skilled employees and stimulate the emergence and growth of a wide range of small medium-size enterprises (SMEs), either sub-contracting to the company or creating innovative applications to deploy as online services within the company’s services infrastructure.”

“This joint venture comes at the time when some targets of the EDPRS2 focusing on infrastructure are being given more importance to enable Rwanda to achieve the targets set to transform Rwanda into a modern, knowledge-based economy with middle income citizens,” Minister of Youth and ICT Hon. Jean Philbert Nsengimana said.

Tusker.mobi is the official exciting entertainment platform that increases fan influence over certain aspects of Tusker Project Fame 6. It gives fans access to exciting season news and content. This new mobisite will ensure that contestants and their fans are linked, and their fates intertwined.

Fortunately or unfortunately the mobisite is only for fans of Tusker Lager and Tusker Project Fame who are 18 years and older, well according to the ‘authorities’.  It was developed by Trigger Isobar, Tusker’s Digital Engagement agency, to plug Tusker fans into the various activities the brand is rolling out.

“Tusker.mobi as a platform will have several features relating to entertainment. These features are being released in phases, the first of which is Be The Judge. Be the Judge  is open from 13th September 2013 to 17th September 2013,  and it will allow users to determine the fate of Tusker Project Fame 6 contestants. Fans will have the power to decide who gets the final place in the Top 25 from a list provided by judges. Fans will need to register as users and then vote on whom they think deserves the final spot in the Top 25,” Says Athman Matano- Group Digital Brand Manager, EABL,

Another introduction that ran Concurrently is News and Downloads. On this one, registered users will have first-hand access to downloads of Tusker Project Fame 6 news as well as the opportunity to comment and add opinion.

When the contestants enter the Academy, a feature called Be the Producer will come alive; it will create an opportunity for registered users to produce their own group from a set number of eliminated contestants. The group combination with the most votes will get to perform at the final show.

Online Votings for the show will be possible on Tusker.mobi.Users dut to popular demand. Users will need to register on the platform to cast their online votes, these votes will be combined with existing text message voting to determine the winners.

Finally Tusker will bring you the Top Star Maker which they will use to reward interaction and engagement on the tusker.mobi platform. One interaction on Tusker.mobi is equivalent to one point. Interactions are: downloads, shares, comments, article views and votes. The more the user interacts, the more points they will receive. At the end of Tusker Project Fame 6, Top Star Makers will win a trip to watch the final of Tusker Project Fame 6 in Nairobi.

“Rolling out Tusker.mobi is part of our fresh approach to bringing Tusker fans closer to their favourite music TV reality show. This mobisite is the place to go for news, views and highlights of Tusker Project Fame 6. We’re even rewarding the site users for doing what they love! Click, chat, watch, share, download; these are some of the keywords that point to a truly world class interactive site. The more you visit and explore the site the more your chances of winning great rewards. Keep it Tusker.mobi for more,” Says Antony Esyalai- Marketing Manager, Tusker.

This competition has always managed to steal a great deal of attention, how better can they make it now that technology is involved not to mention even the new host (that is if she really is the host).

Dactari Health Solutions has partnered with the Kenya Medical Women’s Associations (KMWA) to provide the Afya Digital Doctor (ADD).

The solution will be provided by Dactari Health Ltd.an organization that provides health IT solutions and is based in Nairobi Kenya.

The ADD it is created for independent practitioners’ and clinics to help co-ordinate all management processes within a consulting office therefore minimizing the time spent on routine tasks such as sorting through billing and managing patient records.

For both parties to equally benefit, KMWA will aid in the roll-out of ADD to its members and the medical fraternity as a whole. Beyond the responsibilities that each partner carries, this venture offers revenue benefits for both KMWA and Dactari Health Ltd.

The revenue gained by KMWA will help to further its mission and vision as it propels into its decade of existence and service to the vulnerable members of society especially women and children.

The announcement of this partnership is very timely as it comes in a season where KMWA is commemorating a praiseworthy milestone of 30 years in existence. The highlight of those significant anniversary will climax with the organization’s Scientific Symposium to be held on November 9^th this year.

Embracing IT developments underscores KMWA’s commitment to positively stepping forward into the future and positioning itself to “remain on the front line making, education and implementation of programs as pertains to vision 2030

This will truly help in the public hospitals, there has been so many cases of sick people collapsing in the waiting queue. This program will also be a whole lot of benefit for the people leaving in the marginal areas instead of travelling all the way to Nairobi to get medical attention for something minor, a video conferencing would do a great deal. A patient will not have to come to the city or travel so far unless they have serious ailments. However, it will become a little challenging when it comes to medicine but the two parties have confirmed to be having something up their sleeve as they are in talks with a number of organisations including NGO’s to further improve the service.

Researchers at South Africa’s Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have announced that they have created the first digital laser in the world.

The conventional laser has no control over the light it transmits or has expensive optics that controls the output. The new digital laser light can be controlled and this might change the way gadgets that have laser component operate.

“This ground breaking development is further evidence of the great potential we have in scientific innovation – that the world’s first digital laser should come from our country is testimony to the calibre of scientists that South Africa has,” Minister of Science and Technology, Mr Derek Hanekom said.

“Our digital laser uses the LCD as one of its mirrors that is fitted at one end of the laser cavity. Just as with LCD televisions, the LCD inside the laser can be sent pictures to display. When the pictures change on the LCD inside, the properties of the laser beams that exit the device change accordingly,” said Prof Andrew Forbes, leader of the mathematical optics research group.

Nearly all electronics in our homes use some sort of laser technology, from DVD players, to Surgical instruments, bar code scanners and printers. It is safe to say that this new tech might change the electronics arena in years to come.