Solar chargers for mobile devices tend to be, well, a bit rubbish. Primarily because most of them are big batteries with solar panels stuck to them. The World Panel SunStream ditches the battery, and pushes power (up to 5V) straight through a USB port. Which means you can charge anything from an entry-level feature phone right up to a high-end smartphone using the device. Moreover, the World Panel is built with longevity and hardiness in mind. The units are drop tested, the entire package can withstand high temperatures, the solar panel is housed behind reinforced glass and the ruggedised body…
Author: CraigWilson
Free Basics is a set of basic websites and services from the big daddy of social media, Facebook, intended to introduce people to the internet and add value to their lives without costing them a cent. It’s also the new name for the company’s Internet.org initiative that was launched last year in an effort to have certain services on mobile devices provided by mobile operators for free in the interest of getting more people in developing markets online. Amongst its 60+ services, Free Basics offers health, education and finance-related information to people in developing countries. Mobile operator Bharti Airtel is…
A new study from UK-based Juniper Research has found that the falling cost of drones, the increased number of players in the nascent drone market and a growing number of use cases are all aligning to ensure that drones, while still novel and relatively rare today, are likely to become commonplace and affordable sooner than you might think. Juniper expects drone sales to climb from less than four million units this year to more than 16 million per annum by 2020. The new research, entitled “Drones: Consumer & Commercial Applications, Regulations & Opportunities 2015-2020”, says usage is already extending beyond the core base…
Mobile operator MTN has announced that group CEO Sifiso Dabengwa has resigned with immediate effect. Former group CEO and non-executive chairman Phutuma Nhleko has been appointed to the role in a temporary capacity for a maximum period of six months until a permanent replacement for Dabengwa can be found. “Due to the most unfortunate prevailing circumstances occurring at MTN Nigeria, I, in the interest of the company and its shareholders, have tendered my resignation with immediate effect,” says Dabengwa in a statement issued by the operator on Monday morning. MTN Nigeria has been hit with a $5.2 billion fine by that…
FNB Connect, the mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) launched in June announced this week that it now has more than 100,000 active SIMs in service, a milestone even it didn’t expect to reach as quickly as it has. “We didn’t expect to hit the 100 000 active SIMs mark before the end of the year but the strong organic uptake by customers is an indication that there’s a strong need for a transparent, flexible mobile service,” says Ravesh Ramlakan, FNB Connect CEO. Adding that 75% of the new SIMs are prepaid (and 25% postpaid) and that 40% of customers are between…
The Core Group, which distributes Apple products in South Africa, has announced that the new Apple TV will be available locally from early November. The updated Apple TV was announced in September alongside the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus that went on sale earlier this month. With the new Apple TV, users can watch movies or consume music using iTunes, or watch video from Google’s video service, YouTube. The device also lets users display content from other apply devices using AirPlay, iCloud Photo Sharing, and iMovie Theatre. Apple’s also updated the hardware and the user interface of the Apple TV, which…
The Goethe-Institut in Parkwood, Johannesburg is playing host to a virtual reality (VR) exhibition called New Dimensions this weekend, and it’s pretty darn amazing. From interactive documentaries and music videos to a VR news broadcast and photo-realistic CGI projects, New Dimensions brilliantly demonstrates the possibilities VR presents for immersive, narrative storytelling — not that we weren’t enjoying the roller-coaster simulations, mind you. New Dimensions forms part of the African Futures festival, which takes place concurrently in Johannesburg, Lagos, Nairobi and Berlin between 29 and 31 October. The exhibition’s focus is applications for VR beyond gaming, education or simulations, but simultaneously…
Pop into any music or consumer electronics retailer and you’ll find a plethora of wireless speakers clamouring for your cash. Now there’s another player to consider in the form of Ultimate Ears, the California-based audio hardware company that made its name making custom, in-ear monitors for musicians, starting with the band Van Halen. The company was eventually acquired by Logitech in 2008, but which operates as a standalone subsidiary. Ultimate Ears is launching three of its speakers in South Africa, the UFO-like UE Roll, the mid-range UE Boom 2 and the top-end UE Megaboom. The devices are priced at R2,500, R3,500…
Telkom’s wholesale division, Openserve, which launched earlier this month, has announced that more than 10,000 homes in Pretoria East will have access to fibre by the end of the year. That is, more than 10,000 homes will have fibre running past them and will be able to request a fibre installation from Openserve. Areas covered include Faerie Glen and Garsfontein. Interested consumers can check Openserve’s coverage map here. “Openserve is committed to Telkom’s goal of reaching one million homes with fibre access by 2018 and already has the largest fibre network in the country,” says Openserve MD Alphonzo Samuels. Last month…
The backpack’s design has been relatively unchanged since the first person thought to stick two straps on a pouch and pop it on their back. While most modern backpacks get the basics right — even weight distribution, multiple pockets, a laptop compartment — they tend to ignore a serious concern for the modern digital nomad: security. Which is where the RiutBag comes in. Designed by Sarah Giblin, the RiutBag started life like so many contemporary products do, as a Kickstarter project. Giblin wanted a bag that combined functionality with security features like concealed zips on the rear of the bag…