Last Week In Zambian Tech Trends

 

 

Last week started off with the launch of the Sony Xperia Z4 which we didn’t think really tops its predecessor the Xperia Z3 but we have the full details so click here and see for yourself. It’s not yet available globally, just Japan and the price is yet to be known for Zambia.

Still speaking about phones, One Plus announced that no invites were needed to buy their Android baby, the One Plus One phone. Anyone can now get their hands on it. Read that story here.

In social media, Twitter added a new feature that allows anyone to send a message to, wait for it… ANYONE! Ok but only as long as the person they’re sending a message to has the feature enabled in their settings. These are the features it comes with:

• You can start a conversation with anyone who follows you.

• Some accounts, including businesses, have enabled a setting to receive Direct Messages from anyone. You can send a Direct Message to these users even if they don’t follow you.

• You can enable a setting to Receive Direct Messages from anyone on the Security and privacy settings page.

• In one-on-one or group conversations, anyone in the conversation can send Direct Messages.

• In group conversations, anyone in the conversation can add people.
  In both group and one-on-one conversations, you cannot be in a conversation with someone you block.

Read more here.

In telecoms, MTN Group and Vodafone who handle M-Pesa mobile money platform in East Africa announced a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) that allows for remittances to be sent to 7 countries in the East and Southern parts of Africa; Kenya, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Uganda, Rwanda and Zambia.

In a joint statement to the press, both MTN and Vodafone said “this interconnect collaboration between the region’s two biggest mobile money operators will enable convenient and affordable international remittances between M-Pesa customers in Kenya, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique, and MTN Mobile Money customers in Uganda, Rwanda and Zambia.” Read more on that here.

We attended the tech and innovation hub Bongohive’s Insaka last week as well and this time speaker was Miyanda Maimbo Katiwa, founder of Prosoft Solutions which is a human resource development agency.

She shared her entrepreneurial journey and the most important advice she gave any startup founder was to “be creative or die”. Read her full story here.

Earth Day also happened to fall last week and Google made a Doodle for it, including a small quiz that helped you find out what animal you are. Yes, Techtrends participated and turned out to be a giant squid. Bummer! You can read about the Doodle here.

Lastly if you were scared of eCommerce we have great news for you! Zambia is oe of the countries in the world that has online consumer laws so you’re well protected by the law from being defrauded.  We also highlighted ways you can secure yourself or your business online here.

Let’s now get this week started and see what technology is new.