Poor internet connection can easily break any event. Even if event planners can do amazing planning in every sphere, bad WiFi can easily spoil all the fun. In reality, event planners should never take for granted their WiFi reliability. It is never enough to take the access promise of your venue at face value and assume that the wireless providers of your attendees are going to pick up the slack.
The truth is that professionals share more things online. Great ROI for your events is possible when you invest in high quality and top of the line WiFi. Remember that for attendees to share and engage at your event, specifically if you will use an event app, they will always need their devices and these will need fast, reliable, and good internet connection.
Here are some ways to ensure that your event is accurately connected.
Check the Size of the Audience – Think of What Attendees Will Use the WiFi For
Events with a few hundred attendees will have different connectivity requirements from events composed of thousands. The bigger the audience, the more bandwidth, more routers, and possibly more engineers required for connecting things properly.
Consider Bandwidth Needs
You have to calculate first the bandwidth requirements then enable the bandwidth limits. If you have a bigger audience, you have to consider working with a professional engineer to help you plan things appropriately. Enabling bandwidth limits is possibly the most crucial consideration. For bandwidth limits that are not enabled, even the smallest number of attendees can saturate the channel right away.
For the majority of events, a limit per client of 100 to 200 kbit/s is suitable. This can offer a snappy online browsing experience, usable video, and reasonably quick email. Of course, higher limits will enable higher applications of bandwidth. But, it will require enough available wide and local area bandwidth for supporting all users at such limit.
Business enterprises in today’s arena have found it as a very tough task to stay alive without translation service providers. If you are a business manager, then you ought to be anticipating to score more customers across the borders or grow your organization to the other countries. In such situations, the document translation professional services play a huge role.
The professional translation service companies have made the journey easy for your business to edge forward and share plans and guidance in different languages. In point of fact, online professional translation service at Protranslate.net offer a lot of translation services and mobile application localization services for individuals in need. These translation solutions are capable of providing a multitude of translation services, which range from paperwork to full-blown web sites.
In today’s world, cross border e-commerce transactions are progressing at a solid rate with global App Stores becoming incredibly popular. It is a matter of a few clicks to be able to order gadgets from a country that you may not even have heard of or enjoy a mobile application from another country. Enabler marketplaces like this, allow small business’ to localize their product names and descriptions, to be able to sell to other countries and start their global sales operations easily.
When you are looking for document translation services for the business purposes, you need to pay special attention to the specializations that they offer. For example, native individuals should manually translate the content. Otherwise, it is possible for you to find a lot of mistakes in the translated content. Grammar errors hold a prominent place out of them.
When you are translating business content or localizing a mobile application you should also keep in mind that you are sharing your internal details with a 3rd party. Therefore, you need to make sure that you don’t leave any space for any of the detailed to get leaked out. Due to this reason, you need to ponder on signing an NDA with the translating agencies. Then you will be able to keep the peace of mind as well. That’s because you know no other person will have the ability to steal or copy your business files and use them for their own advantages.
A separate common professional translation topic of late has become the mobile application translation needs, also known as mobile application localization. Both independent mobile application development suppliers and professional game and application development studios spend a considerable amount of efforts and budget to localize their mobile applications and games to be able to make them available to buy at many different regions app stores. By doing this, they are able to offer their content in a localized fashion to other countries. Professional translation companies such as Protranslate come into play when localizing mobile apps too.
Via the utilization of technology-supported translation tools and translation memory applications, professional translation provider companies have the capacity to deliver a huge amount of cost savings to companies via the eliminations of duplications, fuzz matches etc. for ongoing assignments. Through this, not only the professional localization efforts could be handled by experts, but also the cost savings are transferred to the customer.
Lastly, you need to have a glance at the cost method. Many offer translation services per page, whilst others offer per word count or per character. You need to go ahead with the most efficient pricing strategy out of them, which you are comfortable with. Once you analyze all options, insist to seek a test translation service and after that, you will have the opportunity to get superior service from the translation service companies at the end of the day, with no hassle.
Smartphones are a must-have in our current generation. They give us unlimited access not only to the internet but to social media, businesses and of course friends and family. However, smartphones prices have gone over the roof in recent days with the most prominent companies competing to release the best flagship phones. This doesn’t mean that you need to spend a lot of money to get a decent phone. There are many good phones for those of you on a budget. Fair warning is that there are still some features missing on these phones. However, if all you need is an excellent smartphone then have a look at the following smartphones below ksh 5000.
Itel A14s
Itel has always been a good option especially if you are looking for a decent budget phone. This Itel A14s a fraction below the Ksh 5000 budget, and it has pretty much what you need. It has the latest Android 8.1 Go edition with a speed of 1.3 GHz for smooth performance. It packs 8GB ROM and 512 RAM which should enable you to perform simple tasks. It has both a front and back camera (0.5 and 2MP respectively.) The battery capacity is also quite good since it doesn’t consume much power so 1500mAh should last you well into the day. Other features include GPS, Wi-Fi hotspot and FM radio. It also comes with a one year warranty.
This is another good budget phone that falls in our sub 5K budget after the Jumia Kenya smartphones discount. It has a large screen of 5 inches and a good resolution. It packs 16GB Storage and 1GB RAM for smooth and fast performance. The camera on this model is also much better than most phones on this list since you get a cool 8MP back camera with flash and 5MP selfie camera. It is also a 3G phone and dual sim. Other features include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and FM radio and 2000mAh battery capacity.
The Neon smartphones are primarily sold by Safaricom which guarantees you original phones. There are a variety of Neon phones available, but the Kicka 4 is among the cheapest in the lineup. It is a 3G phone, so you are sure to get fast internet. In terms of storage, you get 4GB ROM and 512MB RAM with the option to expand storage using a memory card. It has a front and back camera which are 0.3 and 2MP respectively. You also get a battery capacity of about 1500mAh with this phone, and it comes with one year warranty as well.
Wiko was one of the most popular budget phones a few years back, but it is still not forgotten. One great feature about this phone is that it has a better camera with the front being 2MP and the back being 5MP with flash. It also packs a bigger battery at 2000mAh which should give you enough power for your day. In terms of space, you get 8GB ROM and 512MB RAM enough to run your applications. It supports Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and GPS as well. Overall for fewer than 5,000 Shillings, you get a pretty stylish and decent phone.
Ulefone is a brand that has been on the market for a while, but it is more popular in Asia. The S7 from this company is a real steal after discount. It is a dual camera and dual sim phone, so at that price, you are getting value for your money. The camera is an 8 and 5MP with flash at the back and 2MP at the front which may not be great, but it has a front-facing flash for more clarity. Space is decent as it comes with 8GB ROM and 1GB RAM. The battery is quite good at 2,500mAh. It supports Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and 3G network.
You have probably heard or seen an X-TIGI phone due to their large size, so they are tough to miss. However, the brand has a decent range of phones under 5k in Kenya starting with the V15. Unlike many other phones on this list, you get great specs on this one. It packs Android 8.1 for a smooth performance like no other. You get 16GB ROM on this model which is expandable to 32GB using a memory card, and 1GB RAM, so you stand a better chance of getting almost zero lagging. The camera is also quite good it has 5MP at the back with flash and 2MP at the front. It will cost you less than 5K after discount, and it comes with a 12+1 warranty as well.
Fero is a pretty new brand in the market, but it offers some excellent budget phones for everyone. This model will cost you less than Ksh5000 after discount which makes it a steal. It has a larger screen of 5 inches and Android GO as its OS. The ROM is a bit less on this model at 8GB but it is expandable using a micro SD card, and you get a cool 1GB ROM for smooth performance. The cameras are 5MP and 2MP for the back and front respectively, so you get decent photos. It is a 3G dual sim phone with 2000mAh battery that will give you about 10 hours on 3G network.
This model is slightly better than the Kicka especially since it is a 4G phone so you get incredibly fast internet. It is a stylish 8GB ROM and 1GB RAM phone with a 5MP back camera and 2MP front. It supports Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, FM radio and runs on Android Go edition.
You don’t have to spend a lot to get a good smartphone as long as you don’t need too much out of your phone. These best phones in Kenya and their prices are just a few of the great budget phones that you can get if you pay attention to what is most important to you. Take advantage of the offers on the online stores and get yourself the best smartphone under Shs 5,000.
Smartphone prices change really fast in Kenya. Be sure to check out the latest prices by following the link below each phone before making your final decision. Buying from reputable vendors will also increase your chances of securing a great phone at a decent price.
It’s a norm to find living rooms in most Kenyan houses having television sets. The competitive electronic industry coupled with advancement in LED, Smart, and Applications technology has revolutionized the TV experience. Chances are you either making your first purchase or trading your older model for better viewing experience and functionality. So how do you go about choosing the best TV brand in Kenya?
So what are some of the best TV brands in Kenya you can purchase?
1. LG
This electronic company lives up to its second television manufacturer in the world billing by having a lot of models for the Kenyan market. The electronics giant has a massive presence in the country capitalizing in its innovative technology and energy-efficient sets. Considered the number one OLED brand in 2013 by HIS MARKIT Technology Group first Quarter sales, there is no turning for this television brand which has a wide range of sets ranging from OLED(which it claims to be the market leader in), Cinema, 3D , LED TV, HD, Smart LED TV and Transform LED.
When not causing ripples in the mobile phone sector, this South Korean electronics giant is churning out new TV sets annually. Samsung has arguably one of the best digital tv brands in Kenya. Their general emphasis of physically sleek designs of their sets augments the beauty of your living room. Most of their models employ LED technology with different resolutions (HD, UHD,4K et all). Samsung sets are generally slightly priced higher than their segment counterparts. Their smart TV inter-phase is unrivalled and offers an excellent user experience. So if you are a die-hard Samsung fan, you would have to pay a little extra for the name.
At one time SONY was the dominant market leader in the TV section. Virtually all coloured TV was Sony in most Kenyan household. That counterfeiters targeted, the product is a testament to the brand’s strong following and vote of confidence of their products. Sony offers a wide array of sets for both low and high net worth individuals like the curved TV. Sony sets have commendable resolution both 4K, HDR, UHD and good surround system especially for gaming and watching movies.
Hisense is a relatively new entrant in the Kenyan market compared to traditional brands. It has the distinction of offering similar products with similar technology albeit at a slightly lower price. The brand has sets that have LED, smart, HD, UHD resolutions. They also have cinematic features.
This American giant doesn’t enjoy widespread acknowledgment as its peers despite being the third largest television maker globally.TLC use of LED technology has been there for a while. However, the most outstanding feature of their digital sets is their affordability.
HongKong based manufacturer defies the electronic stereotype that China is an assembly country and only out counterfeit and cheap goods. Skyworth holds its own amongst its peers with classy and advanced OLED screens, various LED models, both digital and smart TV in the market. The brand is slowly making its ways to living rooms of those not scared to experiment so far no bad news have come forth.
The fight for market share in the television industry has brought in new players. Haier has joined the fray with a cross-segment approach targeting all households with various income. Their LED, OLED have decent resolution and additional features. They have smart televisions but have not yet got to the capability of their bigger rivals. A fact is seen in their pricing model. They are slightly cheaper than the established models by a considerable margin.
This arguably one of the quiet models without an aggressive marketing campaigns. Its television sets are affordable and mainly focus on the middle and low-income market. This perfect choice if you are on a shoestring budget but still want a large but cheaper set. Aramco concentrates mostly on their digital TV line and has few smart TV models in the market currently.
This south Californian Company is yet to make significant moves in the Kenyan industry. Like its new market entrants, it prides itself in offering cheaper priced sets employing the technology their competitors use. The brand is focused on affordability. Therefore if you are considering purchasing an expensive set, this would not be the ideal brand for you.
Factors to Consider before Purchasing a Television in Kenya
1. Price
This is the most basic economic factor informing customer purchase. You cannot spend what you don’t have. However, with most manufacturers and retailers being intelligent enough to offer slow installment payment options, the price may not be a big issue for diligent savers or those who can readily access credit. Price has its drawbacks of the general assumption that when it comes to electronics cheap is fake and expensive is quality. This logic may not be exact especially due to the growth of open licenses for software and expiry of patents. This doesn’t mean that you lower your guard on substandard and cheap television sets. Best digital TV brands in Kenya come relatively cheap compared to their smart counterparts.
2. Features
Most sets have similar characteristics, especially when in the same price range and dimensions. Features are broadly categorized by software, physical aspects, entertainment experience and other manufacturer specifics. While most companies have similar characteristics, others have the advantage of proprietary features that cannot be exactly enjoyed by their competitors. It is also important to note that specific sets are readily compatible exclusively with your other devices like phone, Wi-Fi, or tablet of the same brand.
Screen size
Several years back people never paid much attention to screen size; this has changed over the years. Bigger is considered better, and people consider television to be part of the house aesthetic value. If you are a fan of gaming, watching or concerned with your living room appearance, selecting suitable inches is important. Also, it’s essential to invest in a screen that can be viewed from all angles comfortably.
Resolution
Gone are the times where consumers would squint behind the monochromatic electronic tube screen. This refers to the number of pixels that make up a picture. Traditionally TV resolution is based on the vertical resolution; there however was a shift to the horizontal orientation; hence the use of 4K classification. Most older 32 inches often have 720P(1 million pixels), the recently made sets up to 49 inches have 2 million pixels(1080 p); however, the latest expensive models have 33 million pixels(8K) given them the best clarity ever witnessed. The advancements in technology offer a wide variety of options. If you seek the ultimate viewer experience, you invest in high-quality images. The resolution of a television oft determines this or whether its High Definition (HD 720 P),
full HD, 4K(8 million pixels ) at times know as Ultra High Definition(UDH) most screens above 50 inches have his feature, 4K (the pixels here is based on the TV horizontal resolution of 4096 pixels)with HDR. This is most confusing to the pedestrian purchaser who may not be familiar with the terms.
Experts contend that pixels should not be the only factor informing your TV purchase. Aspects like contrast ratio, color, and High Dynamic Ratio performance improve a sets performance.
Refresh Rate
Sets with high resolutions and intense graphics often need high refresh rates of the images per minute or 60 seconds. Usually measured in Hertz, the refresh rate improves image quality and transition from blurry to clear.LCD screens which have a refresh rating of 60 often at times go blurry. Modern sets have double this coming at 120 Hz giving you the best viewing experience.
Smart/Digital
Digital TV while considered revolutionary after the cable TV era has soon found their competition from smart TV. Smart TVs depart from the former due to their ability to connect to the internet. Smart TV is upgraded digital television with computing ability tailored for entertainment including Netflix, YouTube, and social media as long as there is reliable internet connectivity. Digital TV will just give you to terrestial FTA channels.
3. After Sales services
Electrons are unpredictable. Despite investing in a recognized brand, there is always the likelihood of technical failures occasionally. You would want to spend in a brand that you can quickly call for customer assistance, readily get repairs, warranties honored. It is a stressful affair when you realize that the brand you may have purchased has its care center located in a foreign country. Therefore it is always advisable to buy from brands that you can easily walk into their centers for any extra service.
There is no doubt that each consumer has their preference when it comes to a television set, depending on purchase power, design and functionality. Some brands are slowly gaining traction while others adjust their business models to suit their needs. It is essential to pay attention to factors listed here before embarking on a spending
Pay TV has become an entertainment staple in most houses. Multichoice invested heavily in their lower tier pay TV GoTV to cater for the middle and low-income earners. Depending on your wallet, you can either upgrade or downscale to your current financial situation. So how does one change their GoTV package?
Down or upgrading has its benefits, mostly downgrading is premised on cost-cutting measures while upgrading usually is driven by the need to watch specific channels not readily available to other packages.
How to Change GoTV Package Via Short Messaging Service SMS
This is considered a swift method of changing your bouquet.
Confirm your IUC number
Enter this number on a blank text in addition to the word UPGRADE
Send the text message to 22688
Calling Customer Care Representatives
The old school talk never disappoints. Calling your representatives may take a shorter time but requires you have all the requisite information about your decoder. You can call them on +254 711 066 000. Sometimes, the phone number might change. You can get the latest GoTV Kenya contacts here.
Call the Customer care number
Inform the representative of your change of package request
Furnish the representative with details they need
Wait for your application to be affected
Change Go TV Package Online Option
GoTV offers an easy online change of subscriptions by its Easy self-care service on their platform.
The service enables the customer to make changes in their packages without the hassles of making phone calls to customer care. If you were wondering how to change to your GoTV max this is how you go about it.
Log into your GoTV account(This includes your name, phone number, device IUC number)
Upon accessing your account select “Build your account” from the dashboard.
From the list, of packages select the one you wish to migrate to then click next
Pick the payment option from the play button this offers the various payment options you can use for the transaction
Enter the additional required details on the fields, after complete payment your new package activated in few minutes between and 10 minutes.
The e-commerce giant, Jumia, keeps pushing the envelope when it comes to online sales. Currently, the giant has embarked on an ambitious mobile week which seeks to reward loyal and vigilant shoppers mobile phones and their accessories at affordable prices. That Jumia is philanthropic with their discount is a no brainer. The retailer promises a pocket-friendly shopping experience this year.
What is Jumia Mobile Week?
Slated for between March 22 to 31st 2019, the Jumia Mobile Week promotion is a great way to get that phone you’ve always dreamed for at surprisingly low prices from a reputable vendor. Jumia goes even further to sweeten the deal with a complete clock that acts as a reminder to save or be alert when the sale kicks off. The entire week is dedicated to mobile phones, their accessories and other complementary products like flash disks, smart watches, power banks, and selfie sticks.
During the sale, most products will be priced lower than the market price. A perfect example is the smartwatches that usually go for Ksh 1000 and above being sold at Ksh 499 in the flash sale, or a 16GB Scandisk flash disk going for Ksh 500. Perhaps the biggest surprise is Infinix Note 4 pro previously priced at 23,000 by the retailer going for Ksh10 099. Unbelievable!!
Free Delivery Within Nairobi
When you think the lower prices are not enough, Jumia goes further to offer free delivery within Nairobi as long as you don’t cancel the order. Of course, this is conscious of the logistics headaches if the same is to apply for far-flung areas. In short, you get a double bundle of joy if you are a Nairobi resident.
You Will Get Sweeter Deals in the Flash Sales
There are numerous flash sales accompanying the mobile week. However, this is only limited to those who have downloaded the Jumia App. The flash sales are readily accessible, and any buyer can quickly make a purchase. Flash sales can be a tricky affair considering the time constraints associated with it. For readers not familiar with this type of shopping don’t worry it is pretty much straight forward an affair.
When you log in into your Jumia app, there will be numerous offers on display. Perhaps the most dominant header is the Jumia Mobile week. A closer inspection should reveal an array of mobile phones at absolutely crazy and low prices. Usually, a picture of the phone or product is shown accompanied by a time stamp indicating when the offer goes. Below the product is the sale price which is usually at a higher discount. Click on the product to activate a sale to them and proceed following the instructions.
Leverage the Mobile Week Gold Rush
The gold rush is another offer that is bound to make shoppers have sleepless nights. The search is based on a lowly priced item that corresponds to Samsung S10 which shoppers are to locate hidden amongst other products. The phone will be selling at Ksh 10 only. However, this offer can be accessed by shoppers who have the Jumia shopping app.
How to Go about the Gold Rush Deal
Download the Jumia App, since the offer is limited to the App.
The offer starts on Thursday 21st 11:59 PM; you would want to sacrifice that sleep for a great deal like this.
Keep an eye on Jumia Kenya social media handles for clues.
Additional Information
One customer can only win ONCE
Your order details MUST match your ID number/ Passport to be eligible for your price(that is if you win)
Winners’ MUST avail themselves for a photo session when receiving their prize
The item must be picked by the winner from Jumia Kenya’s office in person
There you have it folks download the app, be vigilant on social media, but most of all capitalize on this one-week offers.
Android Decoders or TV boxes as more commonly known, have been increasingly getting popular in the market as big strides are being made in the field of smart devices, mobile processors and High-Definition video.
As much as there are various companies that are in the business of making set-top boxes, the Android platform remains the strongest and most favored platform for most smart TV and decoder manufacturers.
In Kenya, internet reliant decoders have not been widely publicized and so they haven’t quite gotten as much attention as the classic one-way Broadcast TV decoders. Even so, with everything “going digital”, you might want to check out the following awesome android decoders that are smarter and aptly interactive.
1. Nvidia Shield
If you are a geek, you probably do not need any explanation why this is the first choice here. For the rest, the Nvidia Shield Android streaming box is a standout device mainly for its best-in-class hardware, gaming and connectivity package.
Firstly, for HD video enthusiasts, it supports 4K streaming from the locally available providers such as YouTube and Netflix. It also includes a game controller instead of a classic remote, which when coupled with its high-performance hardware, should appeal to people with large collections of Android games and a love for big screens.
You also get a wide array of ports, for connecting your other gadgets and even expanding the storage with a micro SD card. Nonetheless, this Android TV beast trying to rival the Xbox and PlayStation will set you back a little over 20K.
2. Google Nexus Player
As you all know by now, everything Android is basically Google and so the mother company would never miss out on the opportunities it creates. That being said, the Google Nexus Android decoder is a simpler and cheaper box than the Shield, and is ideally paired with an actual remote.
The device basically propels its users to be the forerunners of Android TV while also allowing them to cast/project content from their tablets or phones as with the esteemed Chromecast dongle.
The Nexus Player also features a rather powerful Quad Core processor clocked at 1.8GHz paired with a PowerVR graphics engine and 1GB of RAM for gaming enthusiasts. On a less positive note, it only features an HDMI and MicroUSB port, a meager 8 Gigabytes of storage and is Google-biased – unless you are loyal.
3. Amazon Fire TV
The Amazon Fire set-top box is a well designed and preloaded streaming box with over 3000 apps and a variety of nifty features such as parental controls and an integrated digital voice assistant. More so, it is arguably the best valued 4K streaming device with hundreds of games and expandable storage.
The box runs a highly customized version of Android from Amazon which goes to explain why it hard sells Amazon Prime content both in search and interface. Other streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and HBO are shunted such that you can only get them in the “More Options” categories.
All in all, the device is pretty slick and for a price of around 10K, you get a pretty decent decoder, for both your online and offline streaming needs, that is also game-worthy.
All in all, the device is pretty slick and for a price of around 10K, you should be get a pretty decent decoder, for both your online and offline streaming needs, that is also game-worthy.
4. Matricom G-Box
This is another highly popular (Number 1 Best Seller on Amazon Store) Android decoder with a fairly nice set of features for optimal performance and streaming experience.
The newest model runs a purist version of android powered by an Octa-Core and 3D Graphic processor which guarantees smooth playback of your favorite content. For those who relish freedom, this is an unrestricted set-top box which allows you to sideload all your favorite applications and customize it the way you like.
It also features full integration and support for KODI TV, 8 Gigabytes of internal storage and the capacity to play Full HD videos (no 4K video). For all that and an unconditional warranty of 12 months, this is deal breaking Android decoder that costs a little less the 10K.
5. The Big Box
When it boils down to availability, Safaricom’s own Big Box Android set-top box is rivaled by none. The Kenyan super brand hypes its Android decoder as the ultimate solution for local media and internet consumers for the fact that users can easily use the company’s broadband data plans even though they actually cost an arm and a leg when compared to cable internet.
On a positive note, the device features an Ethernet port as well as an SD card expansion slot, for offline playback, and a classic USB port. The box also includes a full-buttoned remote albeit too traditional for this digital era and actual interface productivity. It has to be said that even though it is fairly priced compared to the others mentioned here, it is also a bit run-down, touting an outdated version of Android and an amateurish UI.
All these decoders are available locally although some of them are hard to find in the local stores and therefore need to sort out in reputable online stores. For new buyers, it is also important to note that nearly all Android boxes require HDMI connection and it would be wise to confirm TV compatibility before purchase.
Similarly, a decent Internet connection, preferably Wi-Fi, is crucial for streaming videos or games, especially during peak evening hours. You may also want to consider a universal remote if you would like to enjoy the convenience of using one remote for all your living room devices.
Digital TV now sits on a pedestal superior to the now wiped out analog TV. The advantages range from high-definition pictures to the awesome goodness of picking out what you want to see – assuming you aren’t using free to air decoders. The quality pictures come free of charge.
Subscribing to a digital set-top box of your choice will provide this experience and much more. Free to air channels, as I would like to think, are like our veteran KBC, NTV, KTN and so forth. They will do the job just fine if everything you want is some news, several ill placed old movies and some stunning local talent.
1. Phelister Free To Air Digital Decoder Kenya
Design
This 0.92 kg PVC built free to air decoder is sleek in appearance especially the black arrow model. While the design still conforms to the segments of traditional cubical design. It is complementary to your television set. The manufacturer opted to have air vents atop the decoder to alleviate drought and to overheat associated with electronic gadgets.
Multiple buttons on the front face help in case you misplace your remote control. An additional USB slot that you can use to either charge you’re other gadgets or play files is available.
External Connections
Unfortunately, HDMI connections are not possible with this decoder due to lack of slots. Instead, regular colour coded RCA cable establish a connection between your decoder and television. Full HD 1080P c quality images for your TV sets transmitted from this decoder
PVR (Personal Video Recorder)
For those who have a hectic lifestyle, PVR function helps you watch your favorite programs or missed games by recording and saving them for later.
Remote Control
The decoder has a classic rectangular shape remote control complete with contrasting light colored buttons. It is worthy of note that it is relatively light in weight and should come in handy.
Additional Connections
The RF Loop output is found at the back of the decoder next to the RCA slots. If you have an extra TV set, you can use it to establish a secondary decoder connection and enjoy the channels
Verdict
This decoder lives up to its billing of being free to air and simple design. This gadget has a price range of 1500 to 2400 depending on the retail outlet of purchase. It is a fair bargain by all standards and within range of other free to air decoders in Kenya.
This 0.2 Kg free to air top box departs from other designs given its mild steel outer casing. It has a distinction of having fewer buttons except for the power and channels buttons, reserving the rest of the functions to the remote control.
External Connections
Just like other brands in the segment, it has RCA connections to your television. In addition to this, there is a USB slot for playing other external material on your TV. An HDMI slot is also available at the back side allowing for high-quality sound and picture quality.
Remote Control
The remote control is relatively ergonomic and light. The design, however, is nothing noteworthy especially when it comes to design. The manufacturers opted for a more conservative model.
Additional Connections
Rf loop both in and output allows for multiple TV users to connect to the single decoder for perfect user experience.
Verdict
The decoder pricing is well in line with its peers in the free to air segment coming at a modest 1500 to 1800. Having high picture quality than other models, both RC connectivity, HDMI and USB connectivity makes this the perfect entertainment source for the family.
Sayona 5 x 10 x 8 inches 0.8 Kg PVC cover conforms to industry standards. This makes it a standard decoder that is neither stunning nor decor friendly. It will get the job done nonetheless.
External Connections
The decoder has both HDMI and RCA slots for both high-quality picture and sounds for your latest Tv models.
Remote Control
The remote control design doesn’t have anything unique but simple. It is, however, ergonomic and uses two dry cells.
Additional Connections
It is easy to connect the set-top box with other television sets when you use the Rf output slot to link to another television.
Verdict
Sayona has delivered a pocket-friendly decoder. Not exactly anything unique since the overall design and technology employed is the same as other market leaders.
Radio Africa the Company behind the famous Kiss 100 is responsible for the BAMBA decoder. With Bamba TV we are talking high-definition movies, high-definition pictures, high-definition everything. The amusing fact about BAMBA TV is that it puts to shame all the famous GOTv and even DSTV channels when it comes to clarity. With BAMBA TV you get your radio channels and TV channels as clear as can be depending on your aerial’s direction. Simply put you can’t go wrong with BAMBA TV.
5. HotPoint FTA Decoder
For those individuals who would literally die for a Kenyan mix i.e. a collection of Kenyan channels. The decoder has a PVR feature that lets you record your favorite programs to a USB drive or a harddisk. With this decoder, you will have all the local channels 3 stones, channel 5 from Tanzania you name it. A total collection of 28 channels, gospel channels as well and no dish needed. That sounds like an awesome deal for the lovers of local talent.
Technosat has a reputation of creating great receivers. As much as this decoder is good innovation wise, the design is to die for. It’s more of a rugged design that has been made very easy to handle, I mean the ease of use of Technosat decoders is second to none.
From its name, you can tell that it’s an HD decoder. To top it up these are some of its best features: It’s a full HD MPEG 4 decoder, Blind scan ability it supports USB 2.0 PVR. These are the most critical features to me anyway.
7. Samsutech DVB-T2
Known as the housewife’s paradise you can get over 30 TV stations and various radio stations and this list is growing so you better watch out for this one.
This free to air decoder has a USB port through which you can play your videos, photographs and your favorite music which is sorted in portable gadgets, for example, Flash disks, Micro SD cards, cell telephones, external hard disks and so forth Through the same USB port you can record and save your most loved TV program, or music on a Flash disk and play it later through the PVR function.
I think it is safe to say that we all agree this is the best feature so far. It also has a parental control lock where you can rate or set certain TV programs as suitable or unsuitable for kids using a password lock.
8. Thy Word QC-XPLUS Series V DVB-T2/S2 Combo Receiver Set Top Box
First of all let’s talk about the physical features, The Thyword decoder/set top box is silver in color and has a button at the front just like most free to air decoders. With this switch you can switch off the decoder completely and not have it on standby mode. The genuine technical name of the Thyword decoder from what we can surmise is QC-X plus series V.
The Thyword decoder is a completely MPEG4 DVBT2/DVBS2 decoder. This means it can get Digital Video Broadcasting Channels through Terrestrial and in addition Satellite means by using an ordinary TV radio wire/ethereal and using a satellite dish(es). This is where the origins of “Combo” hail from.
Safaricom enjoys 69 percent share (over 26 million subscribers) of the Kenyan market according to Kenya Communications Authority. The percentage might have increased since the report was for the 2016/2017 financial year.
In turn, the Telco has had to deal with massive numbers of questions each day. To ease the work and embrace AI, Safaricom has introduced a Telegram bot called Safaricom ChatBot. I’ve used the bot and it does more than just checking your airtime or M-Pesa balance.
Safaricom ChatBot
The first thing you need to do to access the bot is install Telegram from the App Store or Google Play. Proceed to search for Safaricom ChatBot from the Search bar on Telegram. Initiate a chat with the bot by clicking on Start.
Here are the features of the Safaricom ChatBot.
Check M-Pesa and Airtime balance
Buy bundles
M-Pesa customer to customer reversal
Airtime Topup
Tutorials on How to:
Get PUK
Get loan
Check data usage
Unlock M-Pesa account
Stop chargeable SMS and games
The introduction of this bot aims at reducing the number assistance requests the company handles each day. This is not the first time a Kenyan company has introduced a Telegram bot as Kenya Power and Light Company already did.
You won’t need to worry the next time you send money to the wrong user via M-Pesa. Just launch the ChatBot, use the reversal feature by copying the transaction message or typing the transaction code to initiate the reversal.
Having tested the material design on YouTube for several years, Google seems to be in the final stages of releasing it to all YouTube users. Throughout the testing period, there were many ways you could use to activate that new design. Some of those methods involved many steps, which were confusing to other users.
Old Methods for Activating the New YouTube Design
Activating a temporary cookie in Console under Developer Tools
Clicking on “Test new features” at the bottom of the YouTube page
Away from the listed methods, there is a new and simple way of activating the new design on your YouTube account. It is the easiest method yet before Google officially rolls out the layout to the public.
Now, you only need two steps to activate the material design. These steps will work on Google Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge.
Go to your web browser and type youtube.com/new in the address bar
Click on the “TRY IT NOW” button at the center of the page
YouTube for web will automatically reload and reveal the new design
The above steps will also let you enjoy the new design while browsing the web in incognito mode.
Here are accompanying photos to feed your visual curiosity.
Further, the revamped and clean design makes it easy to activate the new YouTube’s dark mode. Activating the Dark Theme is also straightforward.
Click on your account photo at the top right side of the page.
Afterward, click on the Dark Theme option and toggle it to ON
Dark Theme OffToggle ON Dark ThemeDark Theme Activated
If for any reason you want to deactivate the dark theme, use the same steps and toggle it off.
Restoring Old YouTube Look
After activating and using the new look of YouTube, you might find it less interesting. In turn, you might want to restore the design back into the old look. To do so, use these steps.
Click on your account photo.
Choose the “Restore classic YouTube”
Opt to give a reason for restoring and click on Submit.
YouTube will automatically reload in its familiar layout.
New YouTube Design Problems
Since Google started testing the new UI, I have always found it superior to the classic layout. However, the design had its share of problems. After activating the clean design, you might experience various issues. Here are some of the problems I noted.
YouTube unable to load fully
No video view count
Page displays no video description nor comments
No recommended videos
YouTube Broken Layout
The problems arise because of the extensions and adons you have installed on Google Chrome. As such, you will have to deactivate or remove your extensions and reloading the YouTube page each time. In case you find this approach time-consuming, you can remove all the extensions at once. While reinstalling your must-have extensions, you will note the one that interferes with the new and clean layout.
In my case, it was the useful Musixmatch Lyrics for YouTube extension that was causing the above problems. After deactivating this extension, the page loaded seamlessly.
Alternatively, instead of removing all your extensions from Google Chrome, logging into Firefox or Microsoft Edge using your google account will solve the problem. While using these other browsers, the new and fresh layout will load without any problem. However, you will miss the intricate and subtle features that come with watching YouTube videos on Google Chrome.
Besides the new method for accessing the new layout on YouTube being simple, the included screenshots further simplify the process. Feel free to share your experience after using the design by commenting below.
Given the electrifying rate at which technology is improving, it is hard to imagine the world without an internet connection. That aside. Did you know that slow internet speeds can cause stress and increase your heart beat rate by 38 percent? Well, you can now avoid all that by opting for the new Zuku 250Mbps package.
In the recent past, Wananchi Group has been aggressive in extending their lead in the fixed-internet sector. Some of the steps the company has implemented to ramp up their number of subscribers and retaining existing customers include:
Offering free installation services
Free internet speed upgrade on renewing your subscription
20 percent discount on subscription renewal
Getting subscription cost discounts by referring friends
Offering a limited package for accessing Asian channels
Introducing the Zuku 250Mbps Package
Despite the above steps, the company is settling for nothing less than being the leader in offering home and commercial internet connection services. True to that, clients can now pay for and enjoy the fastest internet speed in Kenya thanks to the new 250Mbps package. To get started, you have to fill a special form and the Zuku team will contact you.
One of the text fields in the form requires you to specify your location. This could mean that this new internet package will be available in selected areas only. Nevertheless, the introduction of the 250Mbps internet speed in Kenya by Zuku sets a good precedence for other internet providers.
Home Advanced 250Mbps Package Cost
The new advanced Advanced Zuku package will cost Ksh. 19,999 per month. With speeds of up to 250Mbps when connected to the modem, this package targets clients with heavy download needs. Smart homeowners will also enjoy the impressive download and upload speeds that the package offers.
Once subscribed to this package, you will always have internet connection. This feature makes the Zuku Fiber 250Mbps package the ultimate unlimited home internet. Customers who subscribe to this package will enjoy free installations. At the same time, customers will get free set top and cable modem. The set top box will have premium TV content from up to 106 TV channels.
Free Internet Speed Upgrades
In the spirit of celebrating the introduction of the fastest internet speed in Kenya, Zuku upgraded the internet speeds of existing customers by up to 66 percent. To confirm your current internet speed, visit the Zuku Speedtest page. Despite the upgrade, customers will incur no extra charges.
The Basic Package that had up to 15Mbps download speeds will still cost Kshs. 4,499 at a revamped speed of 20Mbps. Customers on the Preferred Package will pay Kshs. 5,699 per month for 50Mbps down speeds, which is a notable upgrade since they have been paying the same amount for 30Mbps. Kshs. 9,999 per month that initially let you enjoy 60Mbps will be enough for 100Mbps while on the Premium Package. Noteworthy, customers in areas that have the 4Mbps package will now enjoy down speeds of up to 10Mbps.
What are your thoughts on this notable internet coverage development?
On Jan 13 2017, I noted a new YouTube web interface without performing any fancy configurations. A day later, the interface was back to the classic design. The sneak peek is a big clue pointing to an imminent debut of Google’s material design on their massive video sharing platform. Having been testing the new and revamped UI since early 2016, it seems like the company is at the final stages before implementing the change.
What is the New YouTube Web Interface?
In 2014, Google debuted Quantum Paper popularly known as Material Design. Afterward, Android and other Google products and websites have since adopted the design. It is the same design that you are bound to see on the YouTube website in the coming weeks. The change is coming at a time when more people around the world as well as in Kenya are turning to YouTube as a source of income.
The following screenshots show the new and old YouTube designs.
Here is the old design:
Here is the new design:
Clearly, you can see the new and modern search bar has replaced the classic search bar design. You should also note the video views count numbers are rounded off to nearest thousand just like in YouTube’s Android app. However, you can view the exact view count number once you start watching a video.
The new slide-out menu also has a new design.
Noticeably, the new design has rounded icons replacing the old squared ones.
While checking out a YouTube channel, you will notice that the channel’s profile photo is round and the buttons have more depth than before.
Here is the old channel view:
Here is the new channel design:
This new channel view also eliminates the slide-out menu.
How to get the new YouTube material design on your browser
Google is yet to introduce the new YouTube design. However, you can enjoy using the upcoming design by following the steps below.
4) Expand the “Cookies” option and select the YouTube URL
5) Right click and delete VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE
6) Click on the Console tab.
7) Type this command and press Enter document.cookie=”VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE=Qa1hUZu3gtk;path=/;domain=.youtube.com”;
8) Reload your YouTube page to view the new interface.
Reverting back to the classic YouTube design
If you are not ready for the new design just yet, there is an easy way to go back to the old design. Just head over to the bottom right corner while YouTube’s page and click on the option.
Were you able to configure your YouTube’s page and view the modern design? How do you find the new look of YouTube? Share your thoughts below.
More often than not, people send wrong messages when chatting. It is after hitting the send button that they realize they have sent an embarrassing message or the right message to the wrong person. With the new year 2017 upon us, you can quickly get yourself out of such tension-filled moments. Just ensure you are using the latest version of Telegram to access its new feature that lets you unsend embarrassing messages.
How to unsend wrong messages on Telegram
This new feature is pretty easy to use. Immediately after realizing you have sent the wrong message or to the wrong recipient, go ahead and select that message and delete it. The app will request for a confirmation before you delete the message. Once you hit the OK option, the message will be deleted from your end as well as your recipient’s.
It is worth noting that the unsend or weird message delete feature only works for messages you have sent in the last 48 hours. The other great thing about this new feature is that it works in both groups and one-on-one chats.
Take away
Having used Telegram since its release in 2013, I have to note that this feature to unsend embarrassing messages is superior to the Secret chat feature. Secret chats have been on Telegram for a while but required a user to invite another to access automatic deletion of messages from both the sender and recipient after a set duration.
Provided you are using Telegram you will never worry about sending or sharing a wrong photo to a business or family group. Even if the recipient has read your message, you can delete it before they take a screenshot.
As always, it is clear Telegram is leading the pack of Messaging applications in introducing much needed features. It will be no surprise if other apps implement the same feature soon.
No matter where we are and what devices are using to access the Internet, we are hoping that our browsing history, personal correspondence, business related documentation is safe from invasion. While browsing the Internet we all require protection from malware or hackers and best solution to protect our personal space is finding a reliable VPN service able to protect true identity, IP address, browsing history and ensure an access to banned or blocked apps and websites or enjoy streaming sites at any corner of the world.
What service to choose: paid one or free?
Nowadays we are able determining the level of our transparency for the society by choosing to hide our everyday online activity from the rest of the world. Personal as well as business matters should stay in secret. Moreover, online activity is closely monitored by various agencies and paid VPN services are able ensuring better level of personal data protection and this feature is rather vital if you are living or visiting such developed countries as USA or UK. Free VPN UK services are also quite reliable and count great deal of reliable providers.
Best VPN services for UK
While in UK it is time to think about preserving anonymity and ensuring safe online browsing without fear of being hacked. Here are top rated free UK VPN providers that provide excellent services:
NordVPN service has great no logs policy, so no one will know what websites you have been visiting. Panama-based provider offers double data encryption, super speed, safe WiFi, unrestricted Internet access and professional customer support 24/7. Moreover, it operates perfectly with desktop systems – Windows, Linux and OS X. Payment options are various: provider accepts credit cards along with PayPal, BitCoin, Paysera and Webmoney services;
Another service that allows safely access Wi-Fi hotspots with any device – smartphone, tablet or laptop is Buffered VPN. This provider offers complete anonymity online even while using public Wi-Fi at various hotspots. Personal data, passwords are protected from hackers or other curious users. Great speed and bandwidth, power to evade online censorship, hide IP address or actual location and other appealing features available for Buffered VPN users;
PureVPN service provides astonishing level of encryption and ensures complete safety from hackers. Provider allows surf the Internet anonymously, hiding any traces of yours as well as your browsing history – no one will monitor your online activity. With PureVPN it is possible using up to 5 devices as well as switching servers as often as you require;
VYprVPN counts over 700 servers across the world, has apps for most popular devices as: Windows, Apple, Android. Private encrypted network guarantees that no third party will get an access to your personal data. It is possible using up to 5 devices simultaneously via VyprVPN connections. Service offers visiting restricted in your area websites as well as downloading files without leaving any traces of your browsing activity. Unlimited speed, server switching, 24/7 support – all these features are available for every user.
No matter what country are you visiting – your ID and personal information are completely safe with reputable VPN services.
According to Grand View Research, Inc. data the world Set Top Box (STB) market is forecasted to reach $29.78 billion by 2024.
The main growth drivers are digitalization of cable and analog TV which demand from users special equipment to play them.
Another factor is increase in consumers’ buying capacity and, as a result, of their demand to more sophisticated entertainment services. It’s a good news for STB market as they are an important link between digital services providers and their clients.
The most up-and-coming trend is making set-top boxes mobile-controlled by adopting Google, Firefox or Roku interfaces. The most up-to-date devices play a role of content hubs – sources of content that may play it on TVs, mobile devices or computers.
Other tendencies described in the report are:
DTT set top boxes are forecasted to gain up to 25% of the market revenue. So it’s a good news for manufacturers of set-top boxes with DVB-T/T2 support.
4K resolution is also a must-have feature. The global market for 4K STB was valued over USD 350 million in 2015 and it was only a beginning of its rapid growth.
The Asia Pacific region will preserve the biggest market share over the forecast period. The most affluent factors of the region domination are government and high interest to hi-tech amongst consumers.
STB Manufacturers and operators will feel regulatory and standard groups pressure. DVB-CI+ in Europe and CableCARD in North America demand enabling the third-party STB vendors to allow the certain product enter the market.
Taking into an account all these trends, restrains and growth drivers, upcoming years will be golden for set-top boxes manufacturers and suppliers. Operators market will also benefit a lot by attracting new subscribers with new features and opportunities.
For users watching TV may become more interactive and personalized. And image quality will also grow with technological advancement.
As for broadcasting technology, the most promising is IPTV which has faced substantial growth since the last few years. Add to that the fact that upgrading IPTV set top boxes with interactive features is much easier than cable or satellite alternatives and you’ll get quite an obvious competitive benefit.
