Epson has announced the introduction of the new compact dot matrix printer, LX-350.

The new printer will be retailing at Shs 14, 000 and is targeted at customers who are keen on maximum productivity but at a lower cost. The LX-350 printers are ideal for commercial, industrial and logistic applications.

The LX-350 printers are energy efficient; this makes the range more economical to run, with power consumption of just over 1 watt in sleep mode and 24-27 watt when powered on.

The LX-350 has a compact size and weight, fits neatly on a desk and is ideal where space may be limited. This printer has flexible connectivity options for swift and simple integration with existing systems offering Parallel, Serial and USB interfaces as standard.

There is a strong competition between Safaricom and Airtel Kenya in delivering the best bundle for Samsung Galaxy S4. Safaricom launched a Galaxy S4 pre-order link where the device would cost Ksh  57,999. To get Safaricom to preserved for you a piece, you need to part with Ksh 15,000 while ordering through this link.

Now Airtel has announced that they will be stocking the Samsung Galaxy S4 in 140 stores in Africa with Airtel Kenya having them in selected stores nationally.

The phone does not impress much but since Kenyan market is young and it is all euphoria which determine the uptake, Samsung Galaxy S4 will have many lining up to buy a unit.

Through Airtel Kenya, you will need to pay only Ksh 52,999 when you pre-order through this link using Airtel Money as mode of payment or pay in other ways and buy it at Ksh 56,999.

According to multiple sources at Samsung East Africa, the recommended retail price at Samsung is Ksh 64,999 but with the operator subsidy, the device is cheaper. I guess Safaricom and Airtel will look for ways of making sure that they retain you on their respective networks if you will buy the device in their shops.

You can also pre-order the Samsung Galaxy S4 from Airtel Kenya by paying through Pesapal through this link http://airtels4.pesapal.com. Customers opting to purchase their Samsung S4 handsets from Airtel Kenya will also receive 21GB data free to go with it while those purchasing it from Safaricom will get 4.5GB bundle of data.

Samsung’s newest phone from the galaxy serious, Samsung Galaxy S4, will go on sale in Kenya by May 15th. The phone will retail for around Ksh 65,000 but the black market with one year warranty will cost Ksh 60,000 or thereabout. Samsung has a 2 year warranty on most of its mobile devices sold locally.

Samsung has an African launch on Wednesday in Cape Town, South Africa.

Galaxy S4 is for Samsung lovers but the real power and beauty in the Android mobile platform is the HTC One. The One X and One X+ have a superior build and UI than the Samsung series. Samsung has all the money for marketing in the world but the Galaxy series look and feels cheap just after few days of use.

Watch this video

Some pundits have declared that HTC One is “the most beautiful Android phone ever made.”

HTC One is a gorgeous 4.7-inch phone made from all metal and glass. The design is impeccable, and it runs the latest version of Google’s Android operating system.

List of Data Entry Clerks (Names blacked Out to protect them from harm)

The server (KENCALL IP: 196.1.26.40) running Windows Server 2008 gave access to the 21 data entry clerks employed by TNA. The same data entry clerks, receiving calls from TNA agents, entered data into IEBC database. The IEBC database had 16 columns including a column called User_ID which had who among the 21 data clerks entered the data. The TNA database called (MARKET RACE) was also hosted on this same server but it lacked the User_ID column.

Rights of the the 21 clerks on the IEBC database

Rights of the the 21 clerks on the TNA database

Data entered by the 21 clerks on the TNA server

Same data mirrored on the IEBC server

MAC addresses and LOGs of the phones used to call the 21 data clerks based at Kencall

When CORD discovered this and went to the media (Raila’s press conference around 11am on March 16th), Kencall proceeded and shutdown the IEBC database leaving the Market Race database (TNA database) running because the name could not raise suspicion by anyone.

IEBC database shutdown log

Kencall Hosted IEBC and TNA Data on the same Server

#KenyaDecides: IEBC Chairman Admitted on LIVE TV that Their System Was Hacked

Safaricom’s Statement Regarding IEBC’s System’s Failure is Unconvincing

Apple has announced the impending availability of its iconic iPhone 5 in more countries and Kenya is included. The phone which will be exclusively available through Orange Kenya is one of Apple’s best. It is lighter than the iPhone 4S and feels more premium unlike the Samsung Galaxy S3 which feels cheap and fades like an entry level smartphone.

Apart from Kenya, the iPhone 5 will be available in more than 50 additional countries by the end of December 2012.

The iPhone 5 was unveiled to the US shoppers in September. The phone is currently available in more than 40 countries around the world. Apple is looking to push the sale of the phone during Christmas holidays and also keep its promise to get it on sale in 100 countries by the end of the year.

Apart from Orange, Safaricom is expected to sell the device to its high end clients through its corporate sales channel. It is not clear how much Safaricom would sell the phone but expect it to be more pricier than the Orange version. The iPhones sold through Safaricom would be a great buy since they will be sim-unlocked unlike the Orange Kenya version.

Here is the schedule or iPhone 5 rollout as announced by Apple;

Friday, Dec. 7: South Korea

Friday, Dec. 14: Albania, Antigua, Barbuda, Armenia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Ecuador, Grenada, Indonesia, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kuwait, Macedonia, Malaysia, Moldova, Montenegro, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Venezuela

Friday, Dec. 21: Barbados, Botswana, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Egypt, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Niger, Senegal, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St.Vincent & the Grenadines, Tunisia, Uganda and Vietnam.

 

IMG

Sony has finally decided to give the East and Central Africa market a strong focus. The electronics giant is making Kenya the headquarter of its East and Central Africa as well as some Indian Ocean islands’ operations. The company launched a refreshed series of laptops at an event last night in Nairobi.

The new laptops which are from the VAIO S and VAIO E Series are the company’s indication that they are going to be a major player in the local computer market. The two series of laptops can serve both the home and office user as well as provide consumers with top range performance in a stylish yet functional package.

The new line-up of laptops from SONY magically fuses speed with superior designs, presenting to the end user a  to sturdy but light machine which a business, student or an individual user would just love.

Microsoft was launching Windows 8 last night in Nairobi. Both series of the launched VAIO machines will come with 64-bit version of the OS and the 3rd generation Intel® processors. The laptops uniquely feature Extended Battery and slot-in optical drive for extra storage.

Shibuya Akira, Senior Manager, VAIO Marketing, Sony Middle East and Africa said;

“At a time when more people are choosing to use laptops over PCs whether in the workplace, home or school, the new VAIO models strive to meet rising consumer expectations in an increasingly competitive market.

Not only do consumers want laptops that work; they want laptops that are designed with them in mind, which is why in addition to being powerful, fast, portable and sleek, our laptops also come with features that enhance the Sony VAIO experience.”

VAIO S SERIES

The new VAIO S Series comes with powerful computing performance and a full range of features together with a light body. The VAIO S Series is available in 13.3″ LCD in black and white colour variants. You can also double up the battery life just by using the optional Extended Battery, which is ideal for business as well as on-campus use where you may not be able to find power sources while on the go. The shape of Extended Battery is also full-flat which allows the S Series to remain slim thus allowing you to easily carry it out even with the Extended Battery attached. It is easy to insert and remove from the bag thanks to the slim profile.

Overall, this VAIO S Series is the full featured mobile PC with powerful performance.

VAIO S Series provides all the latest technologies needed for full mobile computing. Overall high performance is assured with 3rd generation Intel® Processors.  Moreover Dynamic Hybrid Graphics System with NVIDIA OPTIMUS Technology switches seamlessly between SPEED mode for faster performance and STAMINA mode for an even longer battery life.

In addition to that, the S Series comes with the slot-in optical drive, which not only achieves the beauty of the full flat design but also increases the rigidity of the frame. This strengthens the body while eliminating the risk of the loading tray becoming bent.

This PC is crafted to be carried in comfort. The hexa-shell edge design increases the PC’s mobility by providing the essential lightness and rigidity to the body, while also adding a unique character to the appearance. The large palm rest is moulded from a single piece of thin aluminium that provides essential strength while also reducing weight and ensuring a slim profile. This provides solid support for users who spend long hours at their PCs.

VAIO E SERIES

VAIO E Series are targeted at everyone who’s looking for smarter, easier everyday computing. They are equipped with 3rd generation Intel® processors along with the wide range of LCD screen sizes (14”, 15.5”) and 3 colour variations (black, pink & white).

New VAIO E Series offer various display sizes for better and satisfactory use to meet everyone’s  lifestyle. VAIO E Series highlights the unique and distinctive ‘wrap design’.

To further increase the usability, new VAIO E Series equips with comfortably-spaced isolation keyboard with backlight for error-free late-night typing.

Latest technologies with powerful features that help enrich the VAIO experience.

The new VAIO line up gives you effortlessly clear, sparkling sound with “xLOUD” and “Clear Phase” technologies, which boost volume levels without distortion for impressive-sounding movies and games.  Video chats are clearer and crisper with the built-in HD web camera. Friends and family will enjoy seeing you with sharper details, higher contrast and rich colours: even in low light where other web cameras struggle with grainy, fuzzy images.

The generously-sized multi-gesture touchpad offers a large clickable surface for intuitive, ‘button-free’ control. There’s plenty of space to navigate pages, edit photos and more with fingertip scroll, flick, pinch/zoom and pivot movements.

Gesture Control lets you interact with your computer using intuitive hand movements. Just hold your hand up in front of the web camera and swipe left or right to flick though web pages or your photo gallery. Pull your hand down to pause music playback or a slideshow, or adjust music volume up or down with ‘rotate’ movements.

Don’t worry if your phone’s running out of battery while you’re on the move: VAIO makes a handy ‘any time’ charger if there’s no AC socket nearby. Just plug in your phone via USB even when the computer is switched off or in sleep mode.

Organising and editing photos, home movies is easier than ever with the new software  PlayMemories Home. With PlayMemories Home, you can import pictures and videos from any camera or camcorder and relive long lost moments instantly.

In addition, the ‘WEB’ button allows speedy access to the web browsing without booting up the operation system. There is also a dedicated ‘ASSIST’ button. It gives one-touch access to VAIO Care which simplifies basic maintenance and troubleshooting tasks to keep your VAIO in good condition.

Sony yesterday unveiled a new gaming console, Sony PS3, at its pre-Tokyo Game Show briefing. Revealing a new body design, the PS3 is going to be 20% smaller and 25 percent lighter than the current PS3.

The new PS3 console will be available in 250GB and 500GB models unlike the current one which is available in 160GB and 320GB. It will also be available in black (to be available from October 4) and white (to be available on November 22) colours.

Sony announced the 250GB model of the new PS3 will cost 370 USD. Sony has not revealed the pricing for the 500GB version. Sony also revealed that an Everybody’s Golf 6 PS3 pack will launch on November 22 with a white PS3 250GB model for $330.

Sony revealed that the 250GB PS3 will be available on September 25 in North America for US$269.99 as part of a limited edition bundle featuring Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception Game of the Year edition, and a voucher for more than US$30 worth of bonus digital content for the title Dust 514.

The new 500GB PS3 will be available in a limited edition Assassin’s Creed III bundle on October 30 in North America. Sony did not reveal pricing for this model.

Apple announced the new 15.4″ MacBook Pro with Retina display at its developer conference, WWDC, in June.  Great news is that the machine is now available in Kenya courtesy of the Apple premium resellers.

The MacBook pro packs a Retina display with a 2880 x 1800 resolution (or 220ppi), and is just 0.71-inch thin and weighs only 2.02Kg. The machine’s high resolution is not the only plus but it also promises a higher contrast ratios, better viewing angles and reduced glare compared to other displays among its peers.

Some other specs are;

• Retina display with 2880×1800 resolution
• 2.3GHz or 2.6GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
• 8GB memory; 256GB or 512GB flash storage1
• NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M2
• Two Thunderbolt ports
• Two USB 3 ports
• HDMI port
• SDXC card slot
• FaceTime HD Camera
• Multi-Touch trackpad
• Built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi wireless networking
• Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology
• Built-in 7-hour battery3
• Weight: 2.02kg4

The bad news is that the machine is going to cost you $600 (Ksh 48,000) more in Kenya as it goes for &2,778 (Ksh 231,000) as opposed to the US pricing which starts at $2,199 (Ksh 183,000).

Check the machine out at Elite Computers.

Ericsson has developed a solution that bridges the connection between mobile networks and all real world objects through human body.

According to Mwambu Wanendeya, Vice President and Head of Communications for Sub-Saharan Africa at Ericsson, the human body can be used to transfer information to and from a mobile device to a screen or a printer, by using capacitive transmission as discovered by Ericsson:

“This is part of Ericsson’s way of re-thinking mobile broadband and communication. Ericsson has discovered that the human body can be a part of a communication network. This is a technology that holds a lot of possibilities for the future as the human behavior of touching is a smart way of making interaction with the internet and other digital services super simple to access.”

And as part of Ericsson’s networked society, the Connected Me technology is expected to also help Ericsson achieve the goal of connecting more than 50 billion devices globally by 2020:

“The vision of more than 50 billion connected devices will see profound changes in the way people, businesses and society interact. With ubiquitous mobile broadband-enabled internet access, connectivity and networking are becoming completely independent of location. Therefore Broadband ubiquity, cost of connectivity, openness and simplicity intertwined with the new technology –ConnectedMe-will lead to more efficient business models and improved lifestyle for individuals and society in Africa and around the world.”

How our body connects to the network 

The human body can be a part of a communication network. By holding a mobile phone in one hand and placing your other hand on a device, you can send and receive information instantly and at high speed. This is a technology that holds a lot of possibilities for the future. The human behavior of touching is a smart way of making interaction with the internet and other digital services super simple to access.

The network is inside you and a very weak signal passes through your body, during the “Connected me” demonstration. Ericsson has developed a solution that, in its first proof-of-concept state, reaches speeds of 6Mbps-10Mbps by using the human body as the wire for transmission.

A number of showcases have been produced, including transmission of streaming music from a Smartphone, transmitting a photo taken by the phone, picking a web link from a device and opening a door by sending the pass code to the handle.

How does it work?

Each smartphone used in the showcases is equipped with a special digital circuit that enables capacitive data transmission. The circuit is connected to a plate, which distributes the signal through the human body. On the other side – at the receiver end – is a similar circuit and plate, which identify the weak signal that has passed through the human body.

The information is sent by modulating the voltage in the transmitter electrode and detecting the variation of potentials in the receiver electrode. A small current then flows through the body. The term used for this phenomenon is capacitive coupling.

The important part is that, by using capacitive coupling, we can send information through organic material like the human body. Combining this with all ordinary behavioral communication available through digital communication gives us a powerful combination for new innovation and interaction that is difficult – or even impossible – to achieve with other technologies.

Using the human body as the conductor in capacitive coupling is not dangerous, as the power levels used are low. Even though the Connected Me technology has come straight out of the laboratory, Ericsson has conducted tests that show that the lab kits easily comply with requirements placed on commercial devices such as smartphones. The specification used has been established by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and is endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Connected Me showcase project points out a wide spectrum of possibilities for the future.

Your own body can act like an electrical circuit in instances when you want to, for example, lock your car or hotel room. When you pay for goods in a store, you can do so just with the touch of your hand. And when you decide to print a document from your phone, you can connect to the printer. And this requires less energy than using Bluetooth.

If we think of this in terms of data speed, we can group services like this:

Low-speed examples:

•         “Pairing by wearing” – for example, Bluetooth

•         Opening doors, boxes

•         Paying for goods

•         In-body signaling – such as measuring temperature

•         Sending messages to and from machines

•         Receiving and sending webpage links

Medium speed

•          Viewing files from a phone on a screen

•          Printing or saving files

•          Person 2 Person, by exchanging business cards, playlists, and so on

•          Health-care devices that you wear or have inside your body

High speed

•          Sending music to earphones

•          Video transmission

•          Augmentation with multimedia.

Capacitive coupling also enables radical redesign of mobile devices like smartphones. Speakers, cameras and other devices can be linked to the “personal access point” through the body channel. This also includes capabilities for future embedded medical devices in the body.

This technology gives us an advantage in creating solutions that are very simple to use. By putting on earphones, we can connect to a human body communication (HBC)-enabled smartphone and play music or enable a hands-free voice conversation.

Ericsson sees this as a part of our forward-looking approach to communication. We have always been involved in developing ideas that make communication easier to use. Along the same lines, Ericsson developed Bluetooth to enable better personal-area communication.

This solution does not replace Bluetooth or near-field communication (NFC); rather Ericsson believes that this adds potential new usage on top of the existing technical solutions to enable communication close to the user.

What will happen in the future depends on all of us. Creative thinking and combining our natural behavior of touching things with communication bring endless possibilities.

Facts

Other benefits in brief:

• ·         Secure communication in personal area; in other words, you are the personal area network. It’s impossible to “skim” the signal without touching the person
• ·         Cables and connectors are unnecessary
• ·         Power efficiency – low-energy consumption enabled
• ·         Inexpensive hardware – mass implementation/integration possible.

History

Capacitive-coupling technology was demonstrated in a master’s thesis in 1995 by T.G. Zimmerman, at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab (Cambridge, MA, Sep). At that time, the speed was low; only about 2.4kbps.

South Korean science university KAIST and Japanese telecom operator NTT DoCoMo have also demonstrated HBC.

Even though HBC has been included in academic research for some time, the speeds reached in its early stages were low. Today, speeds have reached levels where almost any content can be transferred. Ericsson currently runs on speeds of 10Mbps, although speeds of 20Mbps-40Mbps are within reach.

At least two major enablers are bringing HBC technology closer to realization. First, mobile broadband is rapidly growing all around the world. Ericsson is the clear leader in mobile-broadband-network technologies. Second, we see a dramatic general shift in the mobile-phone area. The smartphones developed today are often based on apps with support for sensor input. Capacitive coupling is a natural additional feature in this context.

Nokia has confirmed the availability of its much touted 41 megapixel 808 PureView phone in Kenya. The PureView technology is marketed by the dying former mobile giant as “the highest level smartphone imaging experience, bringing together high-performance sensors and exclusive Carl Zeiss optics.”

It is however very hard to see more uptake of the devices locally considering the strong competition from Samsung, Huawei, HTC and Sony in the same cadre.

It is telling considering that the much touted “superior phone” is retailing at Ksh 52,900 way below Samsung Galaxy S3 which goes for Ksh 59,999 and HTC One X also expected to launch at above Ksh 55,000. Even iPhone 4s is still strong in the market through Orange Kenya outlets where it retails from Ksh 54,000 for the 16GB version.

You must however give it to Nokia management in Kenya this time who have seen the market as important to launch the phone locally way much ahead of most markets. Previous management saw the market as not so important that they couldn’t even dare bring some of the very high-end devices to the market, preferring instead to launch the so-called Mulika Mwizis.

It is however funny that no single operator was able to be enticed by Nokia to take up the phone it as Samsung is doing with Safaricom on Galaxy S3 and others.

The Nokia 808 Pureview is available at Midcom outlets in Nairobi and Mombasa

Sources at Safaricom, Airtel and Orange indicate that the operators see very low uptake of the device. One source at Safaricom said, “Nokia will be very lucky to sell 400 units of this phone.”

Samsung Galaxy S3 sale in Kenya is just hovering close to 1,500 pieces sold through Safaricom while the black market might have delivered around 500 units. It will be interesting to see the uptake of the Nokia 808 PureView locally.

IMG: gsmarena

28 Kenyan judges were yesterday given iPads and BlackBerry smartphones to help them in their work. Each of the judges was given the new iPad and a BlackBerry torch all of which are loaded with relevant software and materials relevant to their judicial work including the Kenya Law Reports, Holy Books, and the Law Dictionary among others.

Assistant High Court registrar, Lucy Njora, said that the devices are meant to help the judges work on the go. The Kenyan judiciary has also embarked on an aggressive computerization led by the Chief Justice who is a common figure on social media and a great user of technology.

The Chief Justice also launched a typing pool of 62 copy-typists in May to help digitize the court proceedings. The courts are also set to be equipped with audio and video recorders to help speed up cases. The judges are also now supported by the new recruited legal researchers who use the internet to dig on similar scenarios.

Epson has introduced into the local market a new range of printers targeting financial institutions, Saccos and Embassies as it strives to grow its business in Kenya.

The range which consists of PLQ-22CS and PLQ 22CSM printers are specifically tailored for financial institutions and embassies and come with an in-built scanner and feature speed, quality and reliability that banks need for fast throughput and customer satisfaction. The printers can also be used by embassies to print visas on passports and other specialised banking documents.

The printers have in-built high-speed duplex colour scanner which will help financial institutions to eliminate the risk of counterfeit cheques by combining the high resolution and high-speed scanner with an application for verifying signatures or detecting counterfeit cheques. The printer is also able to process cheques speedily with this multi-function device that reads magnetic characters on cheques, prints, and scans both sides of a cheque simultaneously.

Apple seems to have availed the latest iPad to Kenyans. Both Personal Systems and Elite Digital (Apple product resellers in Nairobi) have sent out alerts today indicating that they have the new iPad in stock.

The device is almost 100 USD expensive than if bought in USA with the cheapest version going for $585 against $499 in USA.

The device will retail as follows

New iPad Wi-Fi Only

16GB – $585

32GB – $700

64GB – $820

New iPad with 3G and Wi-Fi

16GB – $750

32GB – $850

64GB – $999

Contacts for Apple resellers in Nairobi and Mombasa 

Elite Digital Solutions – Apple Premium Reseller
Sarit Centre, Westlands, Nairobi
T +254 (20) 374 5550 sarit@elitedigital.co.ke

Elite Digital Solutions – Corporate/Support Centre
3D, Peponi Plaza, (next to Westgate Mall), Nairobi
T +254 (20) 375 3500 – 6 info@elitedigital.co.ke

Elite Digital Mombasa
Ratna Square , Mombasa
T +254 (20) 804 6262 – 5 mombasa@elitedigital.co.ke

Personal Systems Yaya Center
Argwings Kodhek Road, Hurlingham, Nairobi
T +254 (73) 733 3470 personalsystems@me.com

Personal Systems Village Market
Limuru Road, Gigiri, Nairobi
T +254 (20) 712 0230 personalsystems@me.com

Personal Systems Junction Mall
Ngong Road, Nairobi
T +254 (20) 260 0092 personalsystems@me.com

Personal Systems Galleria Mall
Langata Road, Nairobi
T +254 (70) 299 9121 personalsystems@me.com

Personal Systems Chevron Plaza
Limuru Road, Parklands, Nairobi
T +254 (20) 375 0212 personalsystems@me.com

Safaricom has started selling the Huawei Ascend Y100 in Nairobi. The IDEOS U8150 replacement goes for Ksh 8,449 and is bundled with a Ksh 1,000 in airtime, 7 days unlimited SMS and 1.5GB of free data bundle. The phone is available exclusively to Safaricom which is  has customised it with its UI and SIM-Locked it to the network.

The device was launched in UK by O2 network in May. The phone comes with Android 2.3 GingerBread but is upgradeable to Android 4.0 ICS and has full access to the Google Play store.

With an 800MHz processor, I see an upgrade to ICS as a wrong move as it will make the phone very slow. The processor is a very good upgrdae of the IDEOS U8150 famously referred to as “IDIOT” among Kenyans on Twitter. The IDIOT packed just 528MHz in speed and 200MB in memory. The Ascend Y100 comes with 2GB internal memory, 3.2MP camera and 2.8 inches screen.

Full Specs of Huawei Ascend Y100

• Android OS v2.3 Gingerbread
• A 800 MHz Qualcomm MSM7225A CPU
• 2.8 inch TFT Capacitive touchscreen, 320 x 240 display, 10.9mm slim
• 3.2 MP camera (with video record/replay)
• 3G data speeds, with 7.2 Mbps
• Wi-fi enabled + hotspot
• 512MB ROM internal storage, with 256MB RAM
• Micro USB, 3.5mm earphone jack
• 1050mAh battery
• Power saving mode with All back-up and fast boot

The Ascend simply looks superior compared to the Samsung Galaxy Pocket which is pricier at Ksh 9,999. It also has better specs and feel compared to the Huawei Gaga announced by Orange Kenya.

Safaricom is also expected to unveil the Huawei U8860 Honor for around Ksh 35,000 – 40,000. The network operator is currently in talks with the vendor to see how low they can price the phone.

Safaricom has indicated that it is not looking for a margin on the cost of devices but on usage. Even without locking the devices to its network, Safaricom believes that majority of buyers would still want to use Safaricom’s network at some point since no operator has deployed 3G like Safaricom in Kenya.

HUAWEI Ideos Y100 and Honor Presentation

Kenyans might be lucky if the claims by my sources at Safaricom are true. Vodacom South Africa has confirmed in a tweet that it will be selling the Samsung Galaxy S3 at a whooping Ksh 90,000 (R8,979). Now that is waaay… up. I guess we are lucky because both Safaricom and Samsung have indicated that they were pushing to have the device retail below Ksh 55,000 but they believe that they can manage only Ksh 59,999.

On contract, the device will retail at Ksh 3,500 (R349) per month for 24 months (yes 24 months). The contract offer will be bundled with 250MB of data per month for 24 months with Samsung Flip cover also in the package. With the contract offer, you would have paid only Ksh 84,000 for the phone.

I guess Kenyans are just still too poor to pay Ksh 90,000 for the phone. Even South Africans are surprised. The device is set to launch in South Africa on June 7.

Safaricom has reportedly ordered the iconic Samsung device and will start selling it in 2 – 3 weeks at an amazing Ksh 59,999.

With the social media euphoria drawn during the launch coupled with interest of owners of the Galaxy Tab, Galaxy S and Galaxy S2 devices, the company hope to drive smartphone uptake in the country with an aggressive push of the device.

The company hopes to use the influence and reach social media to drive the uptake of the iconic device. Already the device is selling on Amazon at $800 (Ksh 67,000) meaning that Safaricom will be subsidising the cost. The East African mobile services giant will bundle the proposition with data focused services during launch.

The device is breaking all pre-order records with current statistics showing that more than 10 million devices have been pre-ordered.

Key features of the Galaxy S3 include a quad-core Exynos processor, S-Voice assistant, Direct Call and 4.8-inch HD screen. Critics have lambasted the Galaxy S2 like plastic build. The Siri-like S-Voice feature is also said not to be properly optimised. The device is more of a Galaxy Nexus crossed bred with an HTC One X and comes in white and blue.

Samsung Galaxy S3 specifications

• Screen: 4.8-inch Super AMOLED with 720p HD resolution
• OS: Android 4.0: Ice Cream Sandwich
• Camera: 8-Megapixel with on-board HDR/1.9-Megapixel front camera
• Processor: 1.4GHz quad Exynos
• Memory: 16GB or 32GB on board, expandable via microSD
• Connectivity: 3G, 4G (depending on market), NFC, Bluetooth 4.0
• Audio formats:
• Video formats: Codec: MPEG4, H.264, H.263, DivX, DivX3.11, VC-1, VP8, WMV7/8, Sorenson Spark
• Dimensions/weight: 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6mm/133g

Apart from the Galaxy S3 smartphone, Safaricom is looking to boost its HTC range with the provider strongly pushing for the HTC One S and One X launch in the country though the Taiwanese mobile phone manufacturer has a very discriminative view of African market. HTC recently appointed Brightstar as its distributor and Tele-Bell as its support provider for the region unlike before when Safaricom had to bear the cost of warranty.

Safaricom will also be pushing handsets like the Alcatel OneTouch 995 Ultra in the market.

Samsung's Robert Ngeru and Musician Wyre checking out the features on the Galaxy Pocket smartphone

Samsung is relenting after many would-be owners of its recently launched Galaxy Pocket questioned its features in comparison to Huawei IDEOS or the recently launched Huawei Gaga.

The electronics giant has announced through its Facebook page that buyers will get a “free Galaxy Pocket” with each purchased at one of the 18 shops listed.

The Facebook message reads:

Ladies and gentleman the list of the stores are:(BUY ONE GET ONE FREE)

NAIROBI – 1. SAFARITEL, MAMA NGINA STREET 2. FONE EXPRESS HAILE SAELASSIE 
3. MAKARIM, HILTON ARCARDE 4. FONE EXPRESS,NAKUMATT GALLERIA 
5. SAFARICOM, BURU BURU 6. SAFARICOM, EASTLEIGH 7. SAFARICOM,NAKUMAT MEGA 
8. AIRTEL,SARIT CENTRE 9. AIRTEL,KOINANGE STREET

KISUMU – 1. KENSHOP,OGINGA ODINGA, 2. FONE EXPRESS,NYANZA NAKUMATT 
3. SAFARICOM JUBILEE – OGINGA ODINGA

ELDORET – 1. DHAVAL EMPORIUM, UGANDA ROAD 2. SAFARICOM OGINGA ODINGA

MOMBASA – 1. JV SHAH,HOSPITAL STREET 2. FONE EXPRESS, NAKUMATT NYALI 
3. SAFARICOM,REX – MOI AVENUE 4. AIRTEL, MOI AVENUE

Compared to the two Huawei phones, the Galaxy Pocket is pales in features comparison charts like this one from GSM Arena. But Samsung looks to entice potential buyers with its 2-year support and strong brand backing.

Just after Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Pocket in the country, Huawei through Orange Kenya has today unveiled a new entry-level smartphone targeting the same category of users targeted by the Galaxy Pocket.

The Huawei Gaga which will be retailing for KSh 8,799 is targeted at middle income earners, students and young professionals. The device packs social media offerings with default apps dedicated to Facebook and Twitter use.

The Huawei U8180 IDEOS X1 a.k.a Huawei Gaga will be bundled with free one month unlimited data from Orange. The device has a 3.5 mega pixel camera.

The Orange Kenya one month unlimited data bundle will be valid for 30 days on activation, after the customer makes a top up with any amount of airtime.

While the Samsung Galaxy Pocket is priced at Ksh 10,000, the Huawei Gaga is at Ksh 8,799. Though I am not sure, I strongly suspect that the Huawei Gaga is locked to Orange network and so might not be used in other networks while the Galaxy Pocket is open-SIM.

The gloves are off and we might just be getting some very interesting offers in the future.

Samsung Electronics East Africa has today unveiled the Galaxy Pocket smartphone first revealed to Africa at the Samsung Africa Forum 2012 in Cape Town. The device which will retail at Ksh 9,999 is particularly targeted at the African users who loves social media and entertainment.

With the device, Samsung is targeting the 10 – 15% (8 to 15 million users) smartphone market in the region who are mostly entry level users. The electronic giant is riding behind recent gains in all verticals of the mobile phone market to promise users superior products backed up by 2 years warranty.

In a strategic market development effort, Samsung electronics has introduced the Samsung Galaxy Pocket handset which is designed to provide a platform for more than 8 million mobile subscribers to upgrade from basic mobile handsets functionalities to smart phone capabilities.

Speaking during the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Pocket handset, Samsung Electronic East Africa Business Leader, Robert Ngeru said:

“Samsung Galaxy Pocket provides our users with ability to multi task between several applications without having to close any of them. Secondly, Samsung smartphones allow the users to add new features and services to their phones using a downloaded application restricted to only the factory installed applications but can expand their experiences by downloading new applications. More than 400,000 applications are available for download.”

The new GALAXY Pocket has been developed and priced to bridge the cost of ownership barrier that has been long identified as a drawback to internet penetration in developing countries.

Through the music hub, the Galaxy Pocket will give you the power to search and download local and international music without worrying about you pirating them. The device packs 832Mhz Processor, 3GB internal memory, 2MP camera, Samsung touch wiz and a music hub.

At 11.98mm slim and weighing only 97g with a 2.8” display, the Galaxy pocket is portable enough to ensure you enjoy the versatility of such a device.

The device has yellow, white, orange, pink and back covers.

This is a device target just above entry level smartphone so don’t compare it with Huawei X5 or Galaxy S Plus

Samsung GALAXY Pocket Specifications:

Samsung I9300 Galaxy S III at a glance:

• General: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS 850/900/1900/2100 MHz, HSDPA 21 Mbps, HSUPA 5.76 Mbps; 4G (regional))
• Form factor: Touchscreen bar phone
• Dimensions: 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 mm, 133 g
• Display: 4.8″ 16M-color HD (720 x 1280 pixels) Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, Gorilla Glass
• CPU: Quad-core 32nm ARM Cortex A9 1.4 GHz processor, Exynos 4212 Quad chipset
• GPU: Mali-400MP
• RAM: 1GB
• OS: Android 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
• Memory: 16/32/64GB storage, microSD card slot
• Camera: 8 megapixel auto-focus camera with face detection, touch focus and image

stabilization; Full HD (1080p) video recording at 30fps, LED flash, 1.9MP front facing camera, video-calls

• Connectivity: Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth 4.0+HS, standard microUSB port,

GPS receiver with A-GPS, 3.5mm audio jack, FM radio, TV-out, USB-on-the-go, NFC

• Battery: 2100 mAh
• Misc: TouchWiz 4.0 UI, DivX/XviD codec support, built-in accelerometer, multi-touch input, proximity sensor, gyroscope sensor, Swype text input, RGB light

It is not always serious when you think that you can do anything to get Apple’s iPad. But a Chinese teen did just the unthinkable in April 2011 to get the iPad 2. He sold his kidney to organ harvesters at a fee of $3,500. Since the sale reported by China’s GlobalTimes, the Chinese teen has developed various complications related to the kidney.

Police in China’s Anhui province have now arrested 5 people involved in the organ harvest including the doctor, staff, and accomplices who  paid the boy 20,000 yuan ($3,500) for the organ. The buyers later sold the kidney for around $40,000 keeping the more than  $35,000 profit for themselves.

The teenage fisherman aged 17-year-old named Wang, was discovered by his mum after he was spotted with the iPad. The mother was suspicious how the young man could have acquired the pricey gadget. He’s now suffering from a progressively worsening kidney failure.

Chinese authorities have brought criminal charges against the surgical staff as sale of human organs is illegal in China and has been since 2007. Yes, 2007. Before 2006, it was just in bad taste but fairly legal to carry out suh an act in China.

Samsung has announced that the Galaxy Note “phablet” has sold more than 5 million units. Samsung now controls 67% of the South Korean phone market while it has a marginal share of the sales of smartphones in China, France and Spain with the Galaxy Notes driving uptake in a major way.

Other countries seeing the uptake of the Galaxy Note “phablet” are France, Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands. Samsung announced that the sales of the Galaxy Note was at 2 million around the end of February meaning that there has been accelerated uptake in the last one month.

A source at Samsung Kenya intimated to me that the company sold more than 15 Galaxy Notes “phablets” on the day of the launch of the Samsung Premium Branded Shop at the Junction Shopping Mall the size notwithstanding.

The device boasts a dual-core 1.4GHz Exynos processor, 32GB of internal storage, an 8-megapixel camera, Android 2.3 Gingerbread and a massive 5.3-inch WXGA Super AMOLED display.

Samsung recently released a Galaxy Notes Tablet 10.1

Samsung is promising to give the Huawei, ZTE and LG a run for their money with quality but affordable mobile handsets. At the recent Samsung  Africa Forum in Cape Town South Africa, the company promised to localise the offerings with more rugged, tough and durable devices to come.

The company is showing the seriousness by offering the Samsung Galaxy Pocket from May in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa with free music download through the Samsung Music hub. Samsung Galaxy Pocket is pocket friendly smartphone oozing a 832MHz single-core processor and a 2.8-inch display with QVGA resolution.

The phone has a basic fixed focus 2-Megapixel camera as opposed to the more common 1.3-megapixel offering in competitors. With a  1,200mAh battery, the Galaxy pocket is just going to push the boundaries and give the likes of Huawei IDEOS U8150 a run for their money.

The phone also spots a 3G capability able to deliver up to 3.6Mbps in data connection together with Wi-Fi and A-GPS capabilities. For the music you download, the Galaxy Pocket comes with 3 gigabytes of on-board storage. All these offerings are within a body which only measures 103.7 x 57.5 x 12 mm.

The Galaxy Pocket tips the weighing scale at the respectable 97 grams. On the software side, the smartphone runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread enhanced with the usual Samsung and Google goodies like the Google apps, Samsung’s ChatON service, and, of course, the TouchWiz user interface.

Huawei should be ready for competition now though they are also rumoured to be launching a new improved Huawei IDEOS soon. We are waiting. All the competition are good for the end consumer.

PIC: gsmarena

Apple has today taken the veil off its new new iPad. The third generation tablet will be simply referred to as New iPad. Major improvements on the new iPad includes a new Retina display, a new A5X chip with quad-core graphics and a 5 megapixel iSight camera with advanced optics for capturing photos and 1080p HD video.

The new iPad comes with Wi-Fi + 4G offering the ability to support connections of up to 73Mbps worldwide. It will also comes with a battery which can support up to 10 hour battery life. The iPad 2 will be discounted by $100 meaning that its prices will start at $399.

Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing said:

“The new iPad redefines the category Apple created less than two years ago, delivering the most amazing experience people have ever had with technology. The new iPad now has the highest resolution display ever seen on a mobile device with 3.1 million pixels, delivering razor sharp text and unbelievable detail in photos and videos.”

The new iPad Wi-Fi models will be available in black or white in US and selected markets on Friday, March 16 for a suggested retail price of $499 (US) for the 16GB model, $599 (US) for the 32GB model and $699 (US) for the 64GB model. iPad Wi-Fi + 4G will be available for a suggested retail price of $629 (US) for the 16GB model, $729 (US) for the 32GB model and $829 (US) for the 64GB model.

Read more about the announcement here.

Worried that we are still stuck with 2D display units with all these great advances in 3D sensing and display technologies, some MIT students have decided to create a 3D desktop which uses 3D spatial operating environment allowing users to directly interact with a virtual desktop.

A 3D desktop user can, through this technology, reach into the projected 3D output space with his hands to directly manipulate the windows.

See the video below:

More on this

The much anticipated launch of the next iPad is now scheduled for March 7 in San Francisco US. In the invite, Apple promises “something you really have to see. And touch”, according to journalists and bloggers who received it. The invite has a picture of an iPad and the expectations are so high.

The image of the iPad on the invite looks sharp with bloggers now speculating that the iPad might come with “Retina Display” this time. The main weakness of iPad 2 is that its display makes reading unpleasant with 1024 x 768 resolution. iPad 3 is expected to have 2048×1536 pixels and above resolutions. The iPad 3 might also come with true HD and not the 720p HD it currently supports.

With upgraded graphics, iPad 3 would have to get an upgrade on the processor and so this might be the first quad-core iPad. The quad-core processor would a very big drain on the battery so it will be so interesting to see how Tim Cooks blends all the demands to put out a device which everyone will yearn for. With a larger or more powerful battery, Apple might be forced to add some flesh and make iPad 3 a tad bit thicker.

From the picture, bloggers noted that the “HOME” button was gone. That would be a deviation from the iconic Apple design of the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. This might be a poor judgement if the iPad image is in landscape. The new iPad might not be called iPad 3 so these are all just speculations.

We will be waiting for the updates.

European luxury car-maker Daimler Chrysler, plans to bring Apple’s iconic voice assisted system, Siri, to its A-Class  line of cars. The Siri system would allow drivers to control various in-built electronic systems in the car using voice commands. The in-built system, called the Drive Kit Plus will work in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz’s Digital DriveStyle App to translate the iPhone’s screen onto the in-car system screen.

Drivers of the A-Class Mercedes-Benz will be able to enjoy listening to music, change radio channels, update social networks statuses, and send SMS. The Drive Kit Plus will come pre-installed with all popular apps such as Twitter, Facebook, and Aupeo Personal Radio apps. Users will then be able to add and control apps through their iPhones. The cars will also have Garmin navigation system operable through Siri integrated in them.

Mercedes-Benz is not the first carmaker to integrate Apple’s technology into a vehicle’s  electronic platform. Range Rover equipped some of its Range Rover SUVs with iPads as entertainment system. The new Siri in Mercedes-Benz feature will début in the 2012 Geneva auto show next month with a commercial rollout later this year.

LG has today unveiled the LG Optimus Vu smartphone. The 5″ smartphone is going to give Samsung Galaxy Note a run in the market considering the features of the Optimus Vu. The Vu utilizes a 4:3 aspect ration compared to the 16:9 ratio common in most handsets.

The Optimus Vu has a capacitive pen ( meaning no pressure sensitivity) and weighs 168 grams. THe Vu runs on an Android 2.3 and now the ICS as expected. The Vu packs a 1.5 GHz Qualcomm MSM8660 Snapdragon processor, an XGA screen, and an 8 megapixel camera. LG promises the Optimus Vu will get an Ice Cream sandwich upgrade by July. The Optimus Vu is already shipping in Korea but might how in other markets by Q3 of this year.

Huawei has today introduced the world’s fastest quad-core smartphone, the Huawei Ascend D quad. The new baby in the Huawei stable is powered by the Huawei’s K3V2 quad-core 1.2GHz/1.5GHz processor, boasting one of the compact design among 4.5-inch smartphones. The Ascend D quad comes packed with an Android 4.0 operating system and Huawei’s proprietary power management system which it claims, provides up to 30% in energy savings.

At the launch in MWC in Barcelona Spain, Richard Yu, Chairman of Huawei Device said:

“We’ve listened to people’s top demands from smartphones: speed, long-battery life, high quality visual and audio capabilities, and a compact, lightweight handset. The Huawei Ascend D quad exceeds these expectations. In January at the Consumer Electronics Show at Las Vegas, we achieved a world record for the world’s slimmest smartphone with the Huawei Ascend P1 S. We are proud to once again introduce a world-first at the 2012 Mobile World Congress with the Ascend D quad, the fastest smartphone.”

The Ascend D quad is an entertainment focused smartphone if you look at its 4.5-inch 720P high definition touchscreen, and a 32-bit true color graphic processor. It packs a PPI 330 screen which provides crystal clear display even under direct sunlight. The display is complemented a Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound and Audience earSmart™ voice technology.

For photo lovers, the Ascend D quad comes with an 8-megapixel BSI rear-facing camera, 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, and 1080p full HD video-capture and playback capabilities enabling you to record your special moments in clearer, richer detail.

You might question battery life. Yes! The smartphones comes with an 1800mAh battery, which lasts for 24 to 48 hours with normal usage. That is complemented by Huawei Device’s proprietary power management technology which provides a longer battery life of up to 30% compared to industry average by adjusting power consumption according to usage needs. The technology also ensures higher chipset performance and efficiency by maintaining a low chip temperature.

Ascend D quad / Ascend D quad XL Technical Specifications

• Huawei K3V2 quad-core 1.2GHz and 1.5GHz processors
• 32-bit true color graphic processor
• Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS
• 4.5-inch 1280 x 720 HD touchscreen
• Proprietary IPPS power management technology
• IPS+/PPI 330
• 5.1 surround sound with Dolby Mobile 3.0 Plus
• Dual microphone noise reduction with Audience earSmartTM technology
• 8-megapixel BSI rear-facing camera with AF, 1080p Full HD video capture
• 1.3-megapixel HD front-facing camera, 720p HD video capture
• Dual flash LED and HDR effect optimization
• Battery: Ascend D quad – 1800mAh / Ascend D quad XL – 2500mAh
• WiFi 802.11b/g/n / Bluetooth 3.0 / HSPA+ 21Mbps/5.76Mbps
• Supports 5 UMTS Bands 850/900/1700/1900/2100MHz and GSM 4 Bands
• 8GB ROM + 1GB RAM

 Ascend D1 Technical Specifications

• TI OMAP4460 1.5GHz dual-core processor
• Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS
  4.5-inch 1280 x 720 HD touchscreen
• IPS+/PPI 330
• 5.1 surround sound with Dolby Mobile 3.0 Plus
• Dual microphone noise reduction with Audience earSmartTM technology
• 8-megapixel BSI rear-facing camera with AF, 1080p Full HD video capture
• 1.3-megapixel HD front-facing camera, 720p HD video capture
• Dual flash LED and HDR effect optimization
• 1670mAh battery
• WiFi 802.11b/g/n / Bluetooth 3.0 / HSPA+ 21Mbps/5.76Mbps
• Supports 5 UMTS Bands 850/900/1700/1900/2100MHz and GSM 4 Bands
• 8GB ROM + 1GB RAM

HP today unveiled its Z1 all-in-one workstation with a 68.6 cm (27”) diagonal display. The innovative HP Z1 workstation snaps open so users can easily swap out parts and make upgrades without any tools required. The workstation packs Intel® Xeon® processors, NVIDIA Quadro graphics which support more than 1 billion colors.

The HP Z1 workstation is built for computer-aided design, digital media, entertainment, architects, education and independent professionals.

Some of the HP Z1 Workstation features are:

• Workstation performance. Features professional NVIDIA Quadro graphics, ECC memory, quad-core Intel Xeon processors, independent software vendor solutions and whisper-quiet acoustics.
•  Tool-less chassis. Users can easily add a hard drive, upgrade memory or access the graphics card by snapping open the chassis to swap out parts.
• Workstation-class storage. Users can choose from a variety of storage types, including 7.2K and 10K SATA, SSD, optional RAID configurations, a multiformat media card reader and optical drives.⁽
• Professional display. The 68.6 cm (27”) LED-backlit display with a resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 supports more than 1 billion colors and features a wide, 178-degree viewing angle and an in-plane switching (IPS) panel.
• High-fidelity audio. Front-facing dual-cone speakers and SRS Premium Sound offer high-fidelity audio.
• HD Webcam. Have face-to-face meetings and see every detail right down to the twinkle of an eye. Also captures HD-quality video.
• HP Remote Graphics Software. Users can work remotely while still accessing the high-performance 2-D, 3-D, video and media-rich applications they count on.
• HP Performance Advisor. Reduces the time spent troubleshooting by providing a consolidated report of the workstation’s hardware and software configuration that can be used to tune the workstation for specifically professional application workloads with just one click.

The new HP Z1 Workstation is expected to be available  throughout East Africa in April.