Samsung Galaxy Camera is one device that is still unique in it’s category. Mainly that it can do most of what a professional camera should do and almost all that a smartphone can do. And it’s a smart camera. It has several feathers in it’s cap, ranging from GSMA 2013 Award for being the best mobile enabled device of the moment to best mobile imaging device by redefining the connected camera genre. These come in for the fact that the Galaxy Camera runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, can connect to Wi-Fi, run a 3G or 4G SIM card and connect the camera owner in ways the camera hadn’t previously seen.

Now that the Galaxy Camera runs on Android that makes it access hordes of cloud computing services, 3G/4G SIM cards and Wi-Fi, one is bound to ask what expanded storage to opt for. Since the device can do 32 GB microSD or max out at 64 GB, and at the same time, just like most Galaxy devices, access some 50 GB free Dropbox storage for two years, the options are numerous.

What one needs to figure out when they are choosing what to opt for is whether they need storage there with them or whether they would do with some security of cloud computing. An investigative photo journalist is usually one very insecure person because they don’t know who will yank their camera and break it into pieces in a rage after being caught on the wrong side of history. On the other hand, you cannot shoot images and store direct into cloud, there has to be some local storage before they are synced into cloud. The Galaxy Camera is also unique in that it also comes with internal storage unlike other cameras that require one to have external storage.

So basically all these factors considered, it will depend on how you use your camera, if you don’t take hundreds of photos at a go, you will find the sync to cloud function quite easy and hence you will be storing most of your photos on cloud and can afford to delete the local copies for more photos. Otherwise the professional cameraman will need huge amounts of storage via microSD and a fast internet connection, either via Wi-Fi or a 3G/4G SIM card.

Read the original post Cloud versus local storage for the Galaxy Camera on Techweez.

Solutions for the Next Billion Mobile users, that’s the theme of this year’s Mobile Garage by Akirachix which happens to be the second one running. Akirachix is a group of women in tech from Kenya who seek to make differences in the society they live in. Part of the activities they involve themselves in are computer skills training of the less unfortunate in society. Mobile Garage is one other project they have where they reach out to developers in far fetched parts of Kenya.

Akirachix President, Judith Owigar says that Nairobi is where things are happening and little else elsewhere. Akirachix has been organizing mobile boot-camps for developers in Universities outside Nairobi, Kenya. These are Kisumu, Kakamega and Mombasa. They also do outreach in Nairobi. Ms Owigar notes that talent is available to all, opportunities on the other hand are not and that’s what they seek to give in the best of their abilities.

Akirachix want these students to be entrepreneurs at the end of the day, but they have to start somewhere, by thinking about the business of their apps and the relevance of the apps they are pushing out to consumers. Akirachix also link the developers during the outreach programs to other people they can work with like having entrepreneurs talk to them and tell them their story. Many people venture into entrepreneurship after having it get painted as a rosy picture, they want these people to listen and ask questions from people who have been there done that.

Today at the second Mobile Garage, developers from various Universities across Kenya got to showcase their apps at iHub to a group of judges and audience. They got to explain how things work, get questioned on variables like how they intend to scale, and other judging criterion. There will be award winners sponsored by Samsung which is a huge partner of Akirachix and iHub for the mobile applications ecosystem. Samsung will also work with the apps that show value to get their apps published to the store and also push them from within the store.

“Apart from the apps showcase, this will be a brilliant learning opportunity for the participants, since it will incorporate a panel of re-known entrepreneurs who will talk of their failure stories and lessons learnt. This is a platform where the students can hear of the reality of entrepreneurship and the challenges in the journey. They will have an opportunity to ask the entrepreneurs how they overcame their challenges,” Said Samsung Electronics East Africa HHP Business Leader, Manoj Changarampatt. Manoj who loves talking about business told the developers that they need to ensure they either have skill-set needed to scale or get partners who have them. He added that they need to do a dipstick to see if what they are sending out to consumers really is useful to them.

After the Mobile Garage there will be an Entrepreneur fail-talk session where they will talk about their entrepreneurial journey, successes, failures and challenges. Judith Owigar says she is so impressed that there was even apps submitted by Kenya Medical Training College students.

Read the original post Akirachix holds Mobile Garage Apps showcase in Nairobi on Techweez.

Cisco’s 2013 Annual Security Report reveals that the highest concentration of online security threats come from legitimate destinations visited by mass audiences, namely major search engines, retail sites and social media outlets. 0.5 percent of malware encountered on the web is related to mobile operating systems. The acceptance of the Android platform in the mobile market has led to an explosive growth of malware targetting the platform. With BYOD becoming an accepted trend, 95% of organizations globally already let employees utilize their own devices in the workplace. This has seen employees use the devices for both personal and business activities. Issues which arise in such a scenario include potential loss of confidential company data as IT departments have less control over these devices. Companies in 2013 will have to ensure that devices have business application and data isolated and protected.

The top sources of spam worldwide are India, US, Korea, China and Vietnam. Prescription drugs and luxury watches are the most spammed brands with spammers targeting real-world events with specific and short-lived campaigns.  This include the Windows software targetted during the release of the Microsoft Windows 8 consumer preview and  tax software which was the focus of spammers during the U.S. tax season.  Spam volume dropped 18 percent from 2012 to 2011, with spammers working for a 25 percent drop in spam over the weekend. Majority of spam sent in 2012 happened during the workweek with Tuesday being the heaviest spam day of the year.

More people and devices are connecting to the Internet introducing several points susceptible to attack across corporate and service provider networks. This creates a need for more sophisticated security approaches. Any network-aware device can now connect to any cloud and any application across any network.  By 2020, with an Internet open to an estimated 50 billion things, the number of connections balloons to over 13 quadrillion. These new connections generate data in motion that needs to be protected in real time as it is evaluated for actionable insights through the network and before it’s compromised and causes irreparable damages.  For network security professionals, the focus becomes content-neutral plumbing shifting from the endpoint and the periphery to the network.

Read the original post Cisco 2013 Annual Security Report Expanding Connectivity Has Significant Impact on Online Threats on Techweez.

“From a commercial perspective, users hate them, our partners who have ported apps get dinged for them.” These are the words of Blackberry Vice President of developer relations as he described the impact of Android apps ported to Blackberry Store.

Alec mentioned that out of the 120,000 plus Blackberry 10 apps, 20% were android ports that were made possible using the Blackberry Runtime for Android emulation engine for the software development kit made available last year for Blackberry 10. Alec says that consumers are keenly aware of the difference.

He was speaking to CNET where he mentioned that Blackberry, previously RIM was keen on building the apps catalogue while at the same time replicating Anroid successes that made it successful among smartphone users.

Meanwhile, if you are on Blackberry, any platform you may want to download the Techweez Blackberry app. Tell us your experience when you do, Oh and there is also the part where you choose the number of stars it’s worth. Don’t let the opportunity pass you.

Source: CNET

Read the original post Android ports make 20% of Blackberry 10 apps, users hate them – Alec Saunders on Techweez.

Orange Kenya also joined on the fray, albeit late to sell the Galaxy S 4. Orange Kenya is selling the Galaxy S 4 in two price options. These being Kshs 58,000 and come with an Orange SIM card that will be loaded with 500MB data for 4 months. The other option is get it priced at the retail price of Kshs 65,000 and some 10 GB data valid for 3 months. This is an offer that started on the 15th of May to the 24th of May and is available in Orange shops within Nairobi, Kisumu and Mombasa.

The Samsung Galaxy S 4 is a darling of many retailers as it’s flying off the shelves like hot cake. The mobile operators love it because Galaxy s 4 users are not keen on saving data and the device is a major revenue contributor of data revenues with a high revenue per user rate. Samsung Mobile president, J.K. Shin has already expressed confidence that sales of 10 million will be reached in less than a month after already 6 million Galaxy S 4 devices were shipped in two weeks.

via: Tech Savannah

Read the original post Samsung Galaxy S 4 selling at Orange Kenya for Kshs 58,000 on Techweez.

Looks like Samsung got great reception of the form factor from the Galaxy Note 8. This has since been replicated on the Galaxy Tab 3 7 inch. Sammobile.com reports that they have with them an image of the Samsung Galaxy tab 3 8″ sent to them by an anonymous tipster. It shows the next 7 inch Galaxy tab will wear the same clothes but thinner bezel. They add that it will also be thinner while at it.

Below are the supposed specs of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8 expected to be announced within the month.

Name – GALAXY Tab 3 (8.0) 16GB (3G / Wi-Fi )
Code name – SM-T310 (3G) and SM-T311 (Wi-Fi)
Android – Android version 4.2.2
Display – 8.0” WXGA ,1280×800 TFT
Processor, RAM and storage – 1.5 GHz Dual-Core, 1.5 GB, 16 GB + MicroSD up to 64GB
GSM networks – EDGE (850/900/1800/1900) HSPA+42Mbps, HSUPA 5.76Mbps (850/900/1900/2100)
Camera Front – 1.3 megapixel
Camera rear –  5 megapixel
Plug-in – Micro USB and 3.5 mm earjack
Connectivity – BT 4.0, USB 2.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, A-GPS
Battery – 4450 mAh
Dimensions – 209.3 x 122.2 x 6.95 mm

Read the original post LEAKED: Samsung Galaxy tab 3 8 inch details and availability on Techweez.

Google’s 4.7 inch Nexus 4 device of 2012 is finally launched and selling in India. This device runs Android 4.2.2 Jellybean, stock as is expected with nexus devices.

See below the device specs:

• CPU Qualcomm SnapdragonTM S4 Pro CPU 1.5 GHz Krait
• Network Unlocked GSM/UMTS/HSPA+
• GSM/EDGE/GPRS (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz),  3G (850, 900, 1700, 1900, 2100 MHz)
• HSPA+ 42
• Dimension 133.9 x 68.7 x 9.1 mm
• Operating System Android 4.2 .2
• 16GB internal storage, 2GB RAM
• Weight 139g
• 4.7″ LCD/True HD IPS+  WXGA (1280 x 768) pixel resolution (320ppi) Corning Gorilla Glass
• 8MP Main Camera Flash LED 1EA, Front Camera 1.3MP HD
• 2,100mAh/Lipolymer battery
• Data Connectivity: Bluetooth/USB/WiFI, 3.0/2.0HS/802.11 a/b/g/n (Dual Band),  GPS/HDMI/NFC with GLONASS Support , Android Beam
• Wireless Charging  and Wireless Display

The device will be available for 26,000 rupees ($473, Kshs 40,000) and will be selling in select exclusive LG brand shops, Multi-brand outlets and specialty stores in India.

Read the original post LG Nexus 4 launched in India, now selling on Techweez.

So Google managed to update several devices without issuing a point update, i.e. 4.3.
Here we’ll look at five Key apps they updated:
Maps, Play Music, Play Store,  Hangouts and Google Search (for JellyBean devices only).

The Play Store app was updated before the Google I/O conference. It brings some nice visual improvements and plenty of fresh features that help improve the core functionality of the shop.

The first change users will notice is a tweak to the look of the six navigation buttons on the top of the screen. The functionality of the buttons remains the same, but the boring boxes have been replaced by colourful ones, which gives the store much more life.

The update and uninstall buttons for apps have been adjusted too, with more space added between the two. Will help those who accidentally uninstall apps, which is a small, but welcome change.

Google Play has changed the way it handles downloading large files on mobile data, with users now receiving a warning beforehand to save them from inadvertently eating up their data allowance or incur in pricey overage fees. In addition, the Update All function now detects whenever an app update requires new permissions, and prompts users to allow any changes accordingly.

Google Search received an update launched at the Google I/O keynote, and it includes a number of new cards for Google Now. You’ll now be able to set reminders, see upcoming releases for your favorite media types (books, music albums, movies, tv shows, and video games), and view real time public transit updates.

- Reminders (e.g. say “remind me to buy milk this evening”, “remind me to take out the trash when I get home”)
- Upcoming books, music albums, tv shows and video games you may like
- Real time public transit updates (select cities)

New on the block is the Google+ Hangouts app, which is now available in the play store and replaces Google Talk on Android, and will also eventually make its way to iOS, making it the first time that a Google chat app will be released on iOS.

With Hangouts, Google essentially took all of their different chat clients and combined them into one. What they eventually ended up with is an app similar to WhatsApp that supports video chat and has a desktop app. With a couple of extra updates adding more features WhatsApp might have found its worthy challenger…not forgetting that Hangouts will come preinstalled in all future android devices.

Apparently with this app you can message a friend and have it delivered to them without them actually being signed in, making it a viable option for a text messaging replacement, rather than just another IM client of sorts.
The catch is that you must have signed up for Google+. Thumbs up to Google for gently forcing us to sign up for Google+, such efforts will definitely increase its subscriber/user base. Sign up is simple and painless.

The update for Google Music which includes a new UI, their new All Access streaming service (not available in Africa), and Listen Now feature is live!

Here is the full changelog:
◾Brand new user interface for phone, tablet, and TV
◾New Listen Now page that makes it easy to find something to play
◾Swipe to remove from playlist or queue
◾Swipe to switch songs on the now playing screen or now playing bar
◾Go to album or artist from any song

Coming soon is an extensive Google Maps update. Word is this that Google Maps will be updated with a brand new layout, new search features and new ways to highlight the “things that matter most”.

What can be observed from the above apps is that Google is building towards a UI change expected in Keylime Pie…and they are working hard at user friendliness of their native apps, for which I give them two thumbs up.

Read the original post Android OS update: Google Apps on Techweez.

Ever dreamt of logging in to your email inbox and sending money to your loved ones instead of wading through an endless list of spam emails? Google got you covered. With Gmail and Google Wallet all that is entirely possible.

How do you go about it? As you’ll see in the video at the end of this post and in the photo below, you simply hit (okay, click on) the $ sign at the top of your Gmail editing panel/toolbar (accessible only by hovering over the attachment icon using your mouse pointer) to attach the money you want to send, key in the amount you wish to send and voila! It’s done. Just like that.

There are some prerequisites though: you must be using Google’s NFC-powered payment system, Google Wallet and tied your Google Wallet to your bank account so that you can use it. You can also send money using your credit or debit card of your tied account at some lowly rates set by Google and its partners in the Google Wallet venture i.e. financial institutions like banks.

There are some limitations as of now though: the process as outlined above will only work if you’re on your laptop or PC. For those who want to transfer funds from the comfort of their mobile devices (smartphone/tablet) you’ll need to visit wallet.google.com from your device’s default browser (not secondary or third party browsers!). Another thing, for us in Kenya and many other African countries Google Wallet support is limited and as such we’ll have to wait a little longer. Still, this will only be available to American citizens over the age of 18 in coming months.

See the video below for a quick illustration of how this works.

Read the original post You Can Now Send Money From Your Gmail on Techweez.

Google’s web engine, Blink promised to get rid of unneeded WebKit code when it was first launched. Alex Komoroske, product manager on Chrome’s Open Web Platform notes the team has already dropped 8.8 million lines from Blink’s codebase. 4.5 million of these were scrubbed almost immediately. This has improved the upcoming engine made the engineers more productive according to Komoroske. Already the team has explored new rendering techniques and received code contribution requests from Adobe, Intel and Microsoft.

The team argues that at the current pace, they don’t need to hire more developers since individual developers are much more productive. Several Blink experiments are being tested by Google including Oilpan, which tests putting DOM nodes in a garbage-collected heap; Lazy Block Layout, which examines how the engine can speed up the rendering process for large web applications by focusing on the parts of a site that are actually currently on the screen.

Read the original post Google’s Blink Drops 8.8 million lines of WebKit Code in One month on Techweez.

Durban is set to get an exclusive Internet namespace, dotDurban after having passed the initial evaluation phase of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).  ZADNA (the .ZA Domain Name Authority) explains that in the initial evaluation phase, ICANN determines if the applicant possesses the required financial and technical ability to operate an Internet TLD (Top Level Domain).

The dotDurban TLD project is one of the recent collaboration efforts between ZADNA, ZA Central Registry (ZACR) and the Department of Communications (DOC). Other collaborations include the dotCapeTown and dotJoburg TLDs. All the three TLDs are expected to be launched by the end of 2013. Funding comes from ZACR using revenue generated over time from co.za operations and other investments.

Names of provincial and national governments as well as those of national heritage will be reserved for the rightful intellectual property owners in the three TLDs. Thereafter, the general public will register names on first-come, first-served basis.

“The three applications are a solid contribution to reinvest revenue generated from co.za into protecting South Africa’s interests. This is especially important at a time when ICANN is opening up the Internet massively beyond dotCom, dotNet and dotOrg. We applied for the three cities because we saw a firm trend where leading international cities are planning to secure their exclusive namespaces,” says ZADNA Chairperson, Gajjar.

The three TLDs are intended to complement the .ZA namespace. Businesses and people identifying with the three cities will be able to register URLs carrying their cities’ names. Metro municipalities will be given the priority to register the names of their entities and programs with some of the URLs expected being police.durban, rates.capetown and pikitup.joburg.

Read the original post Durban To Get Exclusive Internet Namespace, dotDurban on Techweez.

Earlier this month, Syria’s internetwork was cut off from the world for close to 19 hours. This interruption was blamed on optic cable malfunction. Renesys, a company that monitors Internet activity through 1.5 million points, reported a decrease in traffic on May 15th. The outage begun at exactly 10 a.m. in Syria. It lasted for 8 hours after which Internet activity was resumed.

Syrian Internet offline again 07:01 UTC / 10:00am local.BGP down, inbound traceroutes failing, nameservers and gov websites down.

— Renesys Corporation (@renesys) May 15, 2013

Internet restored in #Syria at 15:26 UTC (18:26 Damascus time).Duration 8h25m.[Corrected outage duration.] twitter.com/renesys/status…

— Renesys Corporation (@renesys) May 15, 2013

According to Robert Kisteleki, head of research and development at the RIPE NCC, “Our RIPEstat graph for the Syria region is showing an Internet outage as of approx. 07:10 UTC. This could have been caused by a technical fault such as a cable cut or power outage, or as a result of an administrative action. In practice, this means that there is no traffic flow between Syria and the rest of the world, so in this situation it is most likely that no Syrian users can access the Internet.”

The outage was also noted by Akamai who confirmed the absence of Internet activity from Syria. http://twitter.com/akamai_soti/status/334644973871964160/photo/1

Such incidents have been reported in the past with the Syrian government having allegedly ordered shutdowns and damage to the infrastructure including fiber cuts and power outages. The country has less than three ISPs making it vulnerable to Internet outages.

Read the original post Syria Gets Cut Off From the Internet For Second Time This Month on Techweez.