Practical Insights on Technology for ICT4D Projects

Are inexpensive smartphones the future of ICT4D?

Are inexpensive smartphones the future of ICT4D?

Published on: Jul 29 2011 by Guest Writer - 12 Comments
I am Andrew J. Dupree, and nine months ago, I found myself in the same state as many other nights in my life as a computer engineering student – staring at my...
What are Affordable Technologies for Supporting Learning and Collaboration in Africa?

What are Affordable Technologies for Supporting Learning and Collaboration in Africa?

Published on: Jul 27 2011 by Wayan Vota - 1 Comment
There is ongoing innovation in terms of technology and its cost. This has included, for instance, the introduction of lower cost computers (e.g. netbooks and OLPC),...
Inveneo Solar Power Deployment Guide to Building Truly Practical PV Systems for ICT Projects

Inveneo Solar Power Deployment Guide to Building Truly Practical PV Systems for ICT Projects

Published on: Jul 18 2011 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Inveneo Solar Power Deployment Guide to Building Truly Practical PV Systems for ICT Projects
Many people believe that solar power is too expensive to use for powering computer installations in remote or rural areas that are without a connection to the AC...
Mobile data subscriptions account for 99 percent of all Internet access in Kenya

Mobile data subscriptions account for 99 percent of all Internet access in Kenya

Published on: Jul 14 2011 by Wayan Vota - 4 Comments
Take a close look at that chart from the Quarterly Sector Statistics Report for October-December 2010 from the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK). Does anything...
Smart Connect: a SMS communication appliance for rural healthcare

Smart Connect: a SMS communication appliance for rural healthcare

Published on: Jul 06 2011 by Eric Blantz - 2 Comments
The first SMS, or “text” message, was sent over Vodafone’s network in December 1992. By most accounts, it read simply “Merry Christmas.” Using just fifteen...
Solar Power for PC Deployments: Enabling ICT Beyond the Grid

Solar Power for PC Deployments: Enabling ICT Beyond the Grid

Published on: Jul 04 2011 by Guest Writer - 2 Comments
Technology for converting solar energy to electricity was first introduced over 130 years ago, and it has been used to power PCs for more than 20 years. However,...
Solar Power Resources for Designing PV Systems in Rural Computer Projects

Solar Power Resources for Designing PV Systems in Rural Computer Projects

Published on: Jun 24 2011 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Solar Power Resources for Designing PV Systems in Rural Computer Projects
There are two recent developments that have significantly lowered the cost of solar power systems for powering computer installations in remote or rural areas: The...
ICTworks Interview with Stefan Bock on HCI initiatives at BOSCO Uganda

ICTworks Interview with Stefan Bock on HCI initiatives at BOSCO Uganda

Published on: Jun 24 2011 by Kelechi Edozie-Anyadiegwu - 3 Comments
1) Can you give a little background to the BOSCO Uganda Project and your role in the project? How did you become interested in working in the HCI field. BOSCO...
How to Accelerate Wireless Broadband Access to the First Mile

How to Accelerate Wireless Broadband Access to the First Mile

Published on: Jun 20 2011 by Eric Blantz - 1 Comment
Closing the access gap with low-cost broadband service delivery modelsJust 9.6% of the total population in Africa has access to the Internet. This is less than...
Geuza: Build your Swahili vocabulary and fluency on a mobile phone

Geuza: Build your Swahili vocabulary and fluency on a mobile phone

Published on: May 27 2011 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Geuza: Build your Swahili vocabulary and fluency on a mobile phone
Geuza was a winner at the Samsung Kenya Apps Contest last year, and I can see why: its a hot language learning tool designed for mobile phones. A real Kenyan mLearning...