Showing Archived Posts

Hype Aside, Blockchain Could Empower Developing World

Posted April 28th, 2017 at 11:35 am (UTC-5)
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If you believe all the hype, blockchain is the next revolution that will change the world as mobile technology did in early 2000. It might. But a few hurdles need to be cleared before this digital platform can potentially empower some of the world’s poorest citizens. Simply put, blockchain is a data application or ledger […]

Nigerian Girls to Get Tech Training; Indian Students Take on WhatsApp

Posted September 20th, 2016 at 12:05 pm (UTC-5)
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Today’s Tech Sightings: Youth for Technology Foundation to Train 6,000 Nigerian Girls in Technology The Youth for Technology Foundation announced it will train 6,000 Nigerian girls unable to attend school or risk the dangers of human trafficking to use 3-D printing. The training, which was made public during the 2016 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting and […]

Nigerians Take to Mobile for Better Media Content

Posted November 27th, 2015 at 10:00 am (UTC-5)
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As Nigeria’s mobile penetration continues to grow, more Nigerians are turning to smartphones and other mobile devices to get their choice of videos, entertainment and news, anytime, anywhere. Nigerians love their videos, particularly music videos. But only one-third of their viewing time is spent on television screens. More often, they prefer to watch videos on […]

The Little #Hashtag That Changed the World

Posted October 30th, 2015 at 11:00 am (UTC-5)
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You might not give much thought to the hashtag – that little # symbol you sprinkle between your daily tweets and online messages. But what started as a tool to classify topics and relevant conversations has now become a rallying cry for sociopolitical action. “We look at the hashtag as kind of a symbol that […]

Nong Kalaland; Nepal’s Drones; Internet Use & Teen Health; Microsoft

Posted October 7th, 2015 at 3:37 pm (UTC-5)
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Today’s Tech Sightings: Thailand’s Gamers Fight to Save Open Internet Thailand’s idea of controlling Internet traffic through one gateway is not sitting well with a lot of the country’s citizens. Several groups that include privacy activists – even gamers – have united to take down government websites with coordinated Distributed Denial of Service attacks. The […]

Facebook in Africa; Popemoji; More Apps, Less TV; Apple Stylus

Posted September 10th, 2015 at 3:40 pm (UTC-5)
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Today’s Tech Sightings: Facebook Rakes in Users in Nigeria, Kenya; Eyes Rest of Africa Twenty million users and counting now use Facebook in Nigeria and Kenya, according to the social network giant’s latest statistics. The majority of these users access their account on mobile devices. Facebook’s active African users, most of whom are in North […]

Social Media Combats Ebola With Facts and Dancing

Posted November 14th, 2014 at 2:00 pm (UTC-5)
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Social media has the power to do good or cause harm: It can raise public awareness and galvanize the masses, or spread rumors and mask abusers and scammers. Using common sense and a dance challenge, Los Angeles-based non-profit End Ebola Now is fighting Ebola on all of these fronts. The latest in the group’s efforts […]

Tech Sightings, March 18, 2014

Posted March 18th, 2014 at 2:18 pm (UTC-5)
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The African Version of Amazon Will Emerge From Nigeria Not to be outdone by Amazon, African companies in East Africa are also experimenting with a drone initiative that uses large cargo robots in a race around Mount Kenya to deliver and collect payloads. That initiative faces many challenges, though, and the future “African Amazons” are […]

Tech Sightings, December 19, 2013

Posted December 19th, 2013 at 5:28 pm (UTC-5)
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Bill Gates Surprises Reddit User With Secret Santa Gifts A Reddit user likely didn’t expect much when she joined the site’s Secret Santa program. But a seven- pound package from “Bill” turned into a Christmas miracle. Nigeria: Airtel, Google Give Customers Free Internet Service Leading telecommunications service provider, Airtel Nigeria and Google launched a unique […]