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Samsung Trio can wirelessly charge three separate devices simultaneously

Samsung just unveiled a slew of new devices during its “Life Unstoppable” virtual event held today. Amongst the devices is Samsung’s new wireless charger dubbed “Trio” that can charge up to three different devices simultaneously. Although details are still scanty, Samsung Trio is expected to charge a number of devices such as smartwatch, phone and earphones at the same time – at least from the renders released by the tech giant.

Wireless charging tech has been evolving over the years, but the pace hasn’t been what we expected, and there are very few chargers that can support charging more than one device at the same time. we were recently thrilled when Xiaomi unveiled the Mi 20w smart tracking charging pad that could charge two different devices placed at random location. The device would then immediately locate where you’ve placed the gadgets and start charging them as soon as they’ve been correctly traced.

The latest wireless charger from Samsung offers an ample upgrade over Samsung Duo which managed to support two devices simultaneously. Trio supports the Qi wireless charging standard which basically means it can be used on a variety of devices that support the standard. Users with a few Qi devices might have a reason to smile once Trio becomes available.

Before today’s launch, Samsung had hinted on unveiling a new wireless charger and a dozen of leaks had already given us a proper Idea on what to expect. We’re yet to get hold of the complete spec sheet, but will make necessary efforts to update on features once available. From the renders, the pad is big enough to accommodate the latest Galaxy Note 20 Ultra on one side, the Galaxy Watch 3 on the other side and the Galaxy Buds Live in the middle.

Price and availability in Kenya

We currently do not have a rough Idea when Samsung Trio will be available here in Kenya, but current European pricing suggest it should be around Ksh.10,000 – not exactly what an average Kenyan would be looking forward to.

Tecno Spark Go 2020 unveiled, comes with a 5000mAh battery and Dual primary cameras

Tecno just revealed its next sequel on the Spark Go lineup, it comes with decent upgrades over last year’s model that most fans would find interesting, especially those looking for their next budget smartphone. Some of the handful upgrades include a 5000mAh battery over last year’s 3000mAh and dual rear camera setup up from the predecessor’s single sensor.

There’s still some handful resemblance with last year’s model especially in design such as a similar waterdrop style notch that houses the selfie camera and a fingerprint sensor that’s located at the back on both models. Although we didn’t expect much difference from the previous model, it seems Tecno has gone out of its way to makes some things better, especially where it matters.

Tecno Spark Go 2020 differences from the previous 2019 model;

As mentioned before, there are minor changes in design, the company focused more on features and we have some pretty amazing upgrades worth noting.

  • Dual Rear Cameras

Unlike the previous model which came with a single 8MP rear camera that was placed in between dual led flash, we now have dual 13MP primary camera setup that are now separated by a circular dual led flash enclosure.

  • 8MP selfie camera

We also get an ample upgrade on the selfie camera from previous 5MP to 8MP featuring the same led flash as before.

  • Slightly larger display panel

The difference in display sizes is barely noticeable, but we get a slightly larger 6.52inch on the newer model compared to 6.1 inches on the older model.

  • Definitely bigger battery

If there’s one area we get a complete overhaul is the battery size. Tecno Spark Go 2020 edition goes all the way to rival some major brands with a 5000mAh battery instead of a previous 3000mAh battery capacity. The company says it has included an intelligent power saving technology that’ll let you stay connected for longer time.

  • Other specs

Under the hood, we get a MediaTek Helio A20 SoC, 2GB + 32GB storage. You’ll have the option to choose between two colors; Ice Jadeite and Aqua. Tecno Spark Go 2020 comes with android version  10 Go edition.

How to purchase airtime for your Faiba 4G line from MPESA using a Pay bill option

For those of us still working at home and using Faiba’s 4G network to cater for their internet needs, there is a simple way to load airtime from MPESA without having to visit a shop for a voucher. The process works just like many other Pay bill numbers and you can load it instantly and proceed to purchase bundles for your use.

We recently elaborated simple steps you could also use to load your Telkom Kenya line with credit from MPESA in our earlier editorial. Unfortunately, Airtel Kenya doesn’t have a dedicated MPESA Pay Bill number for the same purpose and instead you’ll have to rely on third parties who may charge a small fee in return – a complete guide for Airtel is also available here.

Jamii Telkom offers some interesting data packages on its network with some lucrative deals such as their recent Wonder phone that has managed to get a lot of Kenyans excited. Turns out, they’ll also have some data packages worth checking out.

Jamii Telkom Data bundles;

  • 1GB valid for 1 day at Ksh.50
  • 8GB valid for 7 day at Ksh.300
  • 15GB valid for 7 day at Ksh.500
  • 25GB valid for 30 days at Ksh.1000
  • 40GB valid for 30 days at Ksh.2000
  • 70GB valid for 30 days at Ksh.3000
  • 120GB valid for 30 days at Ksh.4000
  • 210GB valid for 30 days at Ksh.6000

How to purchase faiba 4G airtime from MPESA

  • On your MPESA Menu, choose Lipa na M-PESA.
  • Then select Pay Bill
  • Enter Faiba’s MPESA Business No: 776611
  • Put your faiba mobile number as the account number such as: 0747 XXX XXX
  • Enter the Amount.
  • Followed by your MPESA PIN and tap on Send.

How to watch American Peacock’s free streaming service here in Kenya for free

Peacock TV is an American video streaming service owned by NBCUniversal that offers both paid and free subscription options. While there’s a free tier option, users in other countries such as here in Kenya are technically not able to enjoy the service due to region limitations. However, there’s a clever way to bypass this limitation by doing a couple of things on your computer to start watching as if you’re in the US.

There are of course several services, some even better than Peacock TV that you could utilize here in Kenya to make this quarantine period worthwhile. Depending on how you’d like, Netflix has always struck me as the best overall streaming service and in fact offers some content without a subscription – you can find detailed info on the same from this link.

Peacock streaming service was generous enough to air live premier league matches during the 2019-2020 season and was definitely a go to service for most of us who wanted to escape the constant buffering of some streams during the period.

Requirements to access Peacock TV’s streaming service here in Kenya

I haven’t tested out other options but I found using below method the most effective for an average Kenyan.

  • First, you’ll need a windows computer installed with chrome browser
  • Install a free VPN chrome extension. I used Setup VPN which is free and effective. You can easily install a chrome extension by opening this url: chrome://extensions/ in your chrome browser.
  • Search for “Setup VPN” and click on add
  • You’ll also need to install “WebRTC Leak Shield” extension, this will ensure that your IP address doesn’t leak
  • Launch the “Setup VPN” and choose country as United States, there’s a daily limitation on the free VPN but should be enough to allow watching a couple of movies or an entire football match in HD
  • Then proceed to create an account on peacocktv.com website
  • Start enjoying!

Huawei Watch Fit is here for those undecided between a Smartwatch and a fitness band

Smart bands have always been touted to replace smartwatches someday, they do offer almost similar features at a fraction of the price. But what if someone wanted something that was squarely in-between a smartwatch and a fitness band? Huawei seems to have solved that question with their latest Huawei Watch Fit which somewhat resembles both a smart band and smart watch in different ways including of course the price.

First of all, the Huawei Watch Fit is for those who are undecided between a smart fitness band and a smartwatch; but if for some reason you’re looking for a smartwatch, then Huawei’s Watch Gt2 might resonate with your requirements well, otherwise the Xiaomi band 5 will do just fine if you’re looking the other way. But if for some reason you’re not convinced with either, then there’s the Huawei Watch Fit which borrows from the two form factors to console those stuck in between.

Huawei has unveiled a wearable device that appears more rectangular than a traditional watch design with an elongated display leaning more to the band design, except it’s just as big as a watch. The wearable perhaps depicting its in-between design carries the “Watch” name associated with smartwatches and “Fit” name which is often used to refer to smart bands.

What does the Huawei Watch Fit offer?

The new wearable comes loaded with six always on watch faces, 12 animated workouts that feature various exercises such as exercise at work, Full-Body Stretch, and Ab ripper. In addition, users will get 96 workout modes which include 11 professional sport modes like swimming, running and cycling as well as additional 85 custom workout modes.

The Watch Fit comes with a built-in AI heart rate algorithm which is capable of supporting a custom training experience. Users can record daily steps, activity hours, and periods of medium to high-intensity activities in a colorful, circular pattern.

As is with many modern fitness trackers, the Watch Fit is capable of monitoring and providing real-time heartrate as well as blood oxygen saturation levels. The band has every technology you’d expect in a smartwatch as well as a smart band and is currently selling in UAE for around Khs. 12,000 (USD 110).

It comes with a 1.4-inch AMOLED display panel that maxes out at 280×456 pixels. On top of it is a 2D curved glass protection that can support slide and touch gestures. Underneath is a 4GB internal storage, a six-axis IMU sensor that houses an accelerometer and gyroscope.

There is an optical heart rate sensor as well as an ambient light sensor. Once you pair it with your smartphone, you should be able to receive those important notifications such as alerts for SMS messages, incoming calls, notifications and calendar apps. According to Huawei, a single charge should last 10 days and 12 hours on the GPS mode.  It is compatible with phones running Android 5.0 / iOS 9.0 or later. There’s no word on availability here in Kenya but will be updating in due course.

How to subscribe or disable caller ringtone “Hello tunes” on Airtel Kenya network

Sometimes it just feels right to have a specific tune for all or some of your callers to listen to before you eventually pick up the phone. With Airtel Kenya’s Hello tunes service, you can customize a specific ringtone that could be either an interesting quote or a tune to music that you love so that whenever someone calls, they’ll listen to the tone until you eventually pick up the phone.

And to be honest, there are a few people I know that have set some really funny tones, mostly using Safaricom Skiza tunes that sometimes you just want to listen and listen forever, especially those done in different mother tongue dialects. We recently explained how you could set a Skiza tune on the Safaricom network and later on Telkom Kenya network’s Beat Yangu and now Airtel.

To set your favorite tone on Airtel Kenya, you can use a text message to subscribe, a USSD code option and even listen to some of the tones before choosing one that suits you. And of course, there are a couple of requirements that I believe if you’re already on this page, chances are you’ve already met them.

  • You need to have an Airtel Kenya SIM card
  • And a working phone. Doesn’t necessarily have to be a smartphone.

How to set your preferred caller ringtone on Airtel Kenya network.

  • First, you might need to listen to the tones before proceeding by dialing 155 and follow prompts.

USSD Method

  • Dial *355# and follow prompts

Text based method

  • Compose a text message with “BUY <PROMO ID>” and send to 30555
  • You’ll need to have the promo ID before proceeding.

Hello Tune charges

  • KES 36 per month for Subscription and KES 12 per month to download the song
  • KES 1 daily for subscription and KES 1 daily for to download the Song

How to unsubscribe Hello Tune on Airtel Kenya

  • Compose a text message with “STOP
  • And send it to 155

Watch Some shows and Movies on Netflix for free, available globally as well as here in Kenya

Looks like Netflix is not leaving anything to chance and is on a streak to get more subscribers with a number of TV shows as well as movies on its platform completely free without a subscription. But to make it worthwhile for paying subscribers, the streaming giant is limiting a number of their free content to only the first episodes of the first season.

Streaming services have defied odds caused by the current pandemic and grew subscriber numbers in commendable quantities, something that has been attributed to children staying at home as well as parents working from home. We wrote about how Netflix was scumbling to cope up with increased demand, while YouTube experienced massive viewership and in fact limited video qualities in some regions to free up bandwidth for those working at home.

Movies and TV shows you can watch on Netflix right now for free in Kenya

Netflix is currently offering a select number of Movies and TV shows for the promotion that include; Stranger Things, Murder Mystery, Elite, The Boss Baby: Back in Business, Bird Box, When They See Us, Love Is Blind, The Two Popes, Our Planet, and Grace and Frankie.

The list may change from time to time according to Netflix which brings hope of having some popular titles included in the promo as well. Users will also have to deal with a 30-second skippable ad when they play any of the current free titles.

The promo is available on various platforms such as PC and Android except on iOS devices which the company says browsers are not supported.

How to watch some Netflix shows and Movies for free

Microsoft just added transcription capability to word documents, here is how to use it

Microsoft word remains the most used productivity feature of all time and is available on various platforms including windows PC, Mac computers and even smartphones, plus it can be accessed online via a browser. Recently, Microsoft finally introduced the audio recorder and transcription feature in word which has since been the most sort-after functionality users all over hoped some day to have.

Audio transcription basically involves converting audio into written text that can be helpful on various occasions. This service is currently available on various platforms including some smartphones that can easily listen to audio and in return convert them into text. Microsoft word being the most used productivity feature, has seen most users requesting for this particular functionality for a long time and sometimes resorting to third party apps to accomplish the same.

Important points to note;

Transcription in word documents is now possible, but there are a couple of notable points to consider first as this feature is not available for everyone.

  • This feature is only available to premium users with an active office 365 subscription plan. Unfortunately, it’s currently not available to one-time purchases such as office 2019, 2016 or 2013.
  •  You can only transcribe in English language currently
  • You’ll need to access the web version of Microsoft word to access the feature
  • There’s a limitation of not more than 5 hours of audio upload every month and audio files have to be less than 200MB
  • Supported audio file formats include .mp3, .wav, .m4a, and .mp4 files.

How to transcribe Audio in Microsoft Word

  • You’ll first need to login to your Microsoft account from this link: Microsoft account
  • Then proceed to create a new word document
  • Below the “Home” tab, you’ll find the “Dictate” option at the far right, click on the dropdown to discover the “Transcribe” menu
  • A popup will appear with two options; “Upload audio” and “Start recording”, depending on how you want to transcribe, select the appropriate option.
  • Microsoft Word will then proceed to start transcribing the audio file using Azure Cognitive Services which is its AI platform in the cloud.
  • You may then click on “Add all to document” and the transcription will move to your main Word file. You can also play the audio and edit out anything that is not in place.