Practical Insights on Technology for ICT4D Projects

Solar-Powered Solutions to Support Mobile Phones

Solar-Powered Solutions to Support Mobile Phones

Published on: Aug 28 2009 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Solar-Powered Solutions to Support Mobile Phones
While there is an explosive growth of mobile phone usage in Africa, there has not been a corresponding growth in the national electric grid to support these phones....
Importing Computers into Kenya? Beware the Fees

Importing Computers into Kenya? Beware the Fees

Published on: Aug 26 2009 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Importing Computers into Kenya? Beware the Fees
Duty Free New Computers and Computer Parts To great fanfare, Kenya Revenue Authority eliminated customs duties on the import of new computer hardware into Kenya...
Interview: Samuel Okwiri of Lebra Solar Technologies

Interview: Samuel Okwiri of Lebra Solar Technologies

Published on: Aug 24 2009 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Interview: Samuel Okwiri of Lebra Solar Technologies
During a Inveneo Business Training, we interviewed Sam Okwiri about his new solar power company, Lebra Solar Technologies: Sam, who used to work for WinAfrique,...
Hot Gossip: Twitter Returning to Africa with Zain!

Hot Gossip: Twitter Returning to Africa with Zain!

Published on: Aug 18 2009 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Hot Gossip: Twitter Returning to Africa with Zain!
Last year the microblogging service Twitter, pulled its outbound SMS service from Africa. While only a few technology elite bemoaned its loss, for me it was a great...
Real-Time Maker Faire Africa Feedback via SMS

Real-Time Maker Faire Africa Feedback via SMS

Published on: Aug 14 2009 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Real-Time Maker Faire Africa Feedback via SMS
I’ve very excited about Maker Farie Africa, a celebration of African ingenuity, innovation and invention. Taking place this weekend at the AITI KACE in Accra,...
Creating Mobile Phone Communities with RapidSMS

Creating Mobile Phone Communities with RapidSMS

Published on: Aug 10 2009 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Creating Mobile Phone Communities with RapidSMS
Everyone knows how SMS works – you can send an email to one other person. And there are SMS aggreators like FrontlineSMS that allow you to send text messages...
ICTworks Interview: Crystal Watley Kigoni of Voices of Africa

ICTworks Interview: Crystal Watley Kigoni of Voices of Africa

Published on: Aug 05 2009 by Wayan Vota - 1 Comment
Our inaugural ICTworks Interview is with Crystal Watley Kigoni, Voices of Africa who will explain her project, Access to Knowledge, which is better know as “Pimp...
Innovations in Solar Power and Solar Panel Cleaning

Innovations in Solar Power and Solar Panel Cleaning

Published on: Aug 02 2009 by Wayan Vota - 1 Comment
It’s our learned opinion that the best power source for rural ICT implementations is solar panels feeding deep-cycle batteries. But solar is expensive, $10-14...
Navigating Google Maps of Naiorbi

Navigating Google Maps of Naiorbi

Published on: Jul 28 2009 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Navigating Google Maps of Naiorbi
If you’re used to the poor selection of maps for African cities, let me show you the future, today. Google Maps has an amazingly accurate and detailed map...
East African Fiber Goes Live While Benin Goes Dark

East African Fiber Goes Live While Benin Goes Dark

Published on: Jul 27 2009 by Wayan Vota - 3 Comments
To great fanfare the Seacom fiber optic cable from London to South Africa, was turned on this past Thursday. Offering 10,000 Mbps capacity to bandwidth starved...