After several days of cat and mouse games’ regarding HTC’s latest Android device, the handset maker has decided to go official by announcing the new HTC Explorer smart phone. HTC Explorer which had previously been referred to as Pico in leaked, unconfirmed and blurry images is designed with reasonable hardware configurations some of which resembles that of its earlier siblings such as Wildfire S but with affordability in mind. The handset maker is clearly targeting consumers in need of low priced Android smart phones but with basic functionalities; HTC Explorer’s digital camera’s megapixels have been reduced to 3.15-Megapixel down from 5.0-Megapixel placed in its sibling Wildfire S. it however comes equipped with additional exclusive features such as a data monitor that essentially allows users to track their data usage without seeking a third party’s services.
Safaricom Webbox Turns your TV into an Internet Ready Computer
Safaricom is proving to be a major headache to other service providers in Kenya fuelled by its innovative approach in introducing new unexploited services to subscribers. In a move that’s expected to spark a major twist in the consumption of data related services in Kenya, Safaricom has introduced Webbox; a device that when connected to your television set, it gives your TV internet connectivity capabilities allowing anyone to access internet right from the television set. Webbox is shipped in form of a computer keyboard but with an inbuilt broadband modem and a Sim card (in this case Safaricom’s), it comes pre-installed with Google’s Android v2.1 Éclair operating system which offers a simple to use user interface coupled by its plug and play nature that requires no technical skills to install. The device is said to have been developed by Vodafone and is already available on Vodafone’s affiliated networks in Ghana, India and South Africa.
Mobile service providers in Kenya continue to experience diminishing returns on voice calls as a result of competition; in order to cover for lost revenues, providers such as Safaricom and Orange have engaged in an aggressive campaign targeting data consumers. Safaricom’s Webbox service gives non PC owners an opportunity to experience full web browsing capabilities on their TV’s with similar data bundle rates as regular PC consumers. Apart from data services, Safaricom Webbox owners can also send text messages, E-mails and carryout normal Mpesa transactions just like any other mobile phone would. On top of that, Safaricom Webbox service allows subscribers to access online FM radios, online photo albums, video players, music players and video games. You’ll also stay connected to friends and family members via social networks as well as update your status on major social sites such as facebook and twitter; Webbox also comes with pre-installed games to get you going. For those who would like to download content from an extensive Android market place, there is a major setback when it comes to Safaricom Webbox; the Android market application is not available meaning you cant download applications on the device.
In addition to its user friendliness, Safaricom Webbox does not have compatibility issues as it’s designed to work on all TV’s as long as its plugged in. Webbox is now available at Safaricom retail outlets across the country and comes with initial subscription goodies such as free data bundles. If you intent to use Safaricom Webbox with a different Sim card other than Safaricom’s, then be prepared to do some tech-work to unlock the device as its initially locked to accept Safaricom Sim cards only. It has a password protected control panel to safeguard against unauthorized access and allows both prepaid and postpaid subscribers access internet without any additional configuration. In order to use Safaricom Webbox, users are required to connect with a TV and select av/video mode after which they’ll be required to power the device by pressing power button and input password when prompted. Bundle subscription on Webbox is no different to Safaricom’s normal process.
Safaricom Webbox Offer
- Safaricom Webbox Price in Kenya: Kshs.4999
- Free 200MB data bundles on initial purchase (send IMEI No. to 440 to activate)
- To check bundle balance, send Balance via SMS to 450
Huawei Honor U8860 Android Smart Phone Reviewed and Compared
Huawei has beefed up its Android based line of products by introducing a more enhanced Huawei Honor U8860 smart phone featuring a 1.4GHz single core processor. The handset maker has been very aggressive of late in a very competitive Android market segment by introducing variant products ranging from high-end smart phones to entry-level devices. Unlike its sibling Vision 3D which boasts of having the manufacturer’s proprietary 3D user interface and a modest 1GHz processor, Huawei Honor was designed to offer the best user experience in terms of performance comparable to its peers on the market. As the Android based smart phones bench marks continue to rise at unpredictable pace, its very unlikely devices featuring modest processors less than 1GHz will continue to survive competition. Huawei Honor’s arrival is therefore timely and it’s expected to gather a reasonable ground among other devices in its genre.
StanChart Upgrades to Cellulant’s Release 3.0 Mobile Banking Platform
Standard Chartered bank of Kenya has upgraded its electronic payment system to cater for the steady increase in demand for mobile based payment solutions; this development comes amid reports indicating an impressive growth in mobile banking services in the country. At least each mobile service provider in Kenya offers mobile based money transfer services allowing subscribers to pay for goods, utility bills, buy tickets and transfer cash to and from their bank accounts. Safaricom’s Mpesa service which pioneered the segment in the country enjoys a commendable market share with Airtel Money following at a distant. Since Mpesa’s inception back in 2007, mobile banking in Kenya has gained a lot of ground bringing onboard many subscribers who previously dint have access to formal banking services. Standard Chartered Bank is set to use Cellulant’s platform codenamed Release 3.0 in realizing its ambitions.
Gateway NV55S05u Laptop with AMD Llano Based Parts
Since the introduction of Gateway NV55S05u, the device has gained a commendable popularity among other devices in its genre coupled by the fact that it’s the first laptop from the manufacture to utilize AMD’s latest fusion APUs commonly referred to as Llano. It’s categorized among budget laptops in the industry considering its relatively low price tag; however, it has a solid performance with capabilities to handle just about any task as efficiently as most high-end laptops would. AMD powered devices are known to lag behind in terms of performance compared to their Intel counterparts and Gateway NV55S05u is not an exception; although this laptop boasts of a solid performance when handling average daily tasks, it’s very unlikely it would outperform an Intel based peer with similar hardware configuration. Budget limited shoppers with thirst for a solid performance will find Gateway NV55S05u laptop very ideal.
Toshiba Satellite C650D-BT4N11 Gets Dissected and Compared
Despite Toshiba being in the PC business for a while now, there are several flaws as well as strongholds associated with its devices compared to other brands in the industry; Toshiba’s Satellite series have dominated PC market segment ranging from low-end devices to high-end laptops. We’ve tried to analyze both strongholds and flaws associated with Toshiba Satellite C650D-BT4N11 without prejudice of favor; it boasts of a 15.6 inch display panel featuring TruBrite technology, it’s the same screen size utilized by Samsung NP-RF511-S03. Both Samsung and Toshiba are currently enjoying a significant market share in production of high-tech products with Samsung taking lead in mobile devices while Toshiba slightly edging in production of computing devices; in addition, both manufacturers have introduced variant products ranging from high-end to low-end devices
Tecno’s T-4 Series Supports 4 Sim Cards Simultaneously
In what is deemed as the most aggressive campaign ever, a Chinese manufacturer Tecno mobile plans on introducing a Quad handset that supports all major networks in Kenya, (4 mobile service providers to be precise) simultaneously. This development was officially made public during the launch of Tecno T6 series in the country, the manufacturer has of lately embarked on an aggressive campaign targeting both print media and broadcast media with every intention of exploiting the available potential on the African continent. It should be noted that Chinese manufacturers are increasingly targeting the African continent by offering their products at extremely lower prices compared to European counterparts; you’ll be thrilled at the pricing of Tecno mobile phones with respect to their features and functionality.
At less than Kshs.5000, consumers can part away with smart phones capable of offering HD experience and 3G connectivity support; on the other hand, these features are available on products priced at 60 times higher from known industry players such as Samsung, Nokia, LG and Sony Ericsson. It’s anticipated the mobile phones market segment will undergo a major twist once Techno makes its 4 Sim handsets available to the general public; apparently, subscribers will stay connected to all networks with just a single handset and can switch around the operators without necessarily replacing the Sim cards. Tecno’s T4 series mobile phones will enable subscribers in Kenya get the best deals from mobile service providers without changing Sim cards; its very unlikely any where in the world to get different service providers offering similar features, offers, reliability and services, in order to get the best deals from these providers, consumers tend to have Sim cards from each and use them where the deal is better.
In Kenya for instance, subscribers on Airtel mobile enjoy making voice calls at low rates but are limited when it comes to its internet connection speeds, on the other hand, Safaricom and Telkom Kenya offers faster internet connection speeds at 21Mbps with Safaricom recording the highest voice call tariffs in the country and Airtel boasts of quality voice calls in the industry. In order to enjoy low telephony service rates, smart consumers often choose to have different Sim cards from different providers with specific functions in mind, Tecno’s T-4 Series mobile handsets allows subscribes to have up to 4 different Sim cards active on their handsets at the same instance thereby allowing them to utilize strongholds of these providers. To make it even interesting, the handset is slated to retail between Kshs.2000 and Kshs.4000 falling in the low end genre of handsets currently available in the country.
Micron RealSSD C400 Self Encrypting Drive (SED) Promises Secure Data Storage
Despite existence of several data security measures ranging from biometric to passwords, hackers have always found a way to access our personal data either for justified reasons or malicious gain. In order to increase the degree of your data security, it’s always advisable to implement several security measures i.e. physical precautions such as keeping server rooms locked, using safes to keep laptops with vital information and so on. A combination of these security measures drastically reduces chances of your personal confidential information being accessed by malicious hackers; the new Micron RealSSD C400 drive adds an encryption feature to your confidential information making it more difficult for hackers to retrieve data stored on the drive. Apparently, Micron RealSSD C400 implements a hardware based encryption solution built within the drive that requires authentication code when booted.