Web Forum Watch: issue 1

[Nairobi, Kenya]
I FIND the Internet fascinating as hell. Why? Because you're able to quickly get an idea of what its tech-savvy population is thinking, simply by peeking web discussion forums regarding a multitude of topics. You just can't get that on the idiot box (oops, I mean TV).

Go Mambogani go!
Today, I want to share with you a few web forums that I was peeking. The site I chose was Mambogani. Here's a description of the site if you happen to browse one of their pages: "Mambogani Kenyan Portal - Forums, News, Chat, Kenyan Music Videos, Blogs, Photos, Kenya Business Directory, Free Kenya Classifieds." If you're looking to peek their excellent forums, just go here: http://www.mambogani.com/forums/

The good stuff
Anyhow, the following forum topics really piqued my interest, and I'm grateful to those peeps over there who created said discussion threads. After all, knowledge is power. Right?

• Kenya's mobile phone revolution, video (great news, but mobile rates are still HIGHER than other EA neighbours!)
  
• GSM use and expansion in Kenya (great new GSM technology by 2 Kenyan entrepreneurs mentioned here)
• Google announces partnership with Kenya Education Network (Go Google go!)
  
• Biofuels could destroy the planet? (choose your source materials wisely...um, what about hemp?)
  
• Wangari Maathai - Planting the future
• Help on working and living in Kenya!!, Japanese female wanting to live and work in kenya permanently (a most excellent, excellent discussion)
  
• Industrial Society Destroys Mind and Environment
• THE ART OF IRRELEVANCE (why you should never believe political polls)
  
• Bush vs Chaves, ..check your sources Kenyan press (yet another reminder of why the Internet is my #1 source for info)
• Where are the hooded men?, A lament against insecurity... (great points!)
  
• The stupid Americans should apologise!! (a very fascinating discussion...seriously!)

Oh...
If you run across any interesting discussion forums, please send me the links. I just might include them in an upcoming Web Forum Watch issue.

Use Google SMS to get Flight info

[Dar es Salaam, Tanzania]
I CAN'T say enough about Google. They are waaay ahead of the curve when it comes to utilizing the web (Internet) for maximum productivity. Best of all, they're always giving stuff away for FREE. What, you don't believe me? Well take a peek at this goldmine of Google freebies. Now, I used to be a Yahoo and Hotmail email whore, but then I saw the light with GMail. By the way, this weblog you're reading is provided by Blogger, which is owned by the Big G (er Google). Since they updated said blog service with a ton of new enhancements, I won't be looking at a competitor any time soon.

Any how, I urge you to check out the info below regarding their new SMS flight info service. I really don't know when they'll come out with a similar service for Africa. I'll email them to find out, so stay tuned.

Oh, Go Google go! :-)

Flying high with Google SMS
Monday, March 26, 2007 at 7:58:00 PM
Posted by Deepak Sethi, Software Engineer, Mobile Team

Ever spent 15 minutes on the phone shouting answers at the automated airline attendant while rushing to the airport? How cool would it be to get real-time flight info just by sending a quick text message? Well, now you can, using Google SMS.Simply text your flight number to 466453 (‘GOOGLE’ on most mobile devices), and the status information will be sent back to you. Or text a specific airline name, and Google will send back the main phone number to call.Google SMS is available for flights departing or arriving in the U.S., and all of the information is provided by flightstats.com. And as always, it’s free. Give it a try, and let us know what you think.

Zantel ups the stakes with new mobile data service

[Dar es Salaam, Tanzania]
EVERYWHERE you go in Dar, you see Zantel's snazzy new ads for its supposedly speedy mobile CDMA wireless service offering. Oh, I looove the kool green colours in their newspaper ads, too. It's got me so pumped up to get on board the Z data train, and I haven't even tried the damn service yet. :-) Now, being a nosey consumer who's always on the lookout for better (er cheaper) ISP deals in these parts, I just had to call them up to get the scoop on their Z-Connect service. See the ad below! So, what's the scoop? I thought you'd never ask.

The scoop:
Coverage? All of Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar & Pemba islands right now, and the entire country by the end of 2007
Price? Just top up in TSh 5000 ($4) or TSh 10,000 ($8) increments = TSh 56 per Megabyte = KSh 3.2 per Megabyte
Modem price? CDMA USB modem is TSh 150,000 ($118)
Download capacity? 90 Megabytes worth of data for every TSh 5000
Speed? 153 Kbps to 2 Mbps depending on the device used
Technology? CDMA 1X and EVDO, always on, high speed packet data network

Final thoughts:
By the way, I truly believe that CDMA/EVDO is vastly superior to the EDGE/GPRS service that Celtel and Safaricom (KSh 10 per Megabyte) are offering in terms of data broadcasting. All I can say is this: "Celtel, watch out for the big Z!" :-) As you can see, this is a great Go Africa go! story because the inclusion of yet another mobile wireless Internet competitor means lower prices, which translates into peeps actually getting down to some serious business. In other words, a heck of a lot more businessmen and businesswomen are going to be more efficient and effective as they go about their daily activities. The word on the street is that Zantel is well regarded as the mobile company with the lowest prices. You don't believe me? Well take a peek here! Oh, I'm supposed to go to Zantel's office today or tomorrow to take Z-Connect for a spin. I'll highlight my thoughts here.

One other observation. Internet access rates are a heck of a lot cheaper in Tanzania than its neighbour to the North (Kenya). What the heck is up with outrageous ISP fees in Kenya? I thought they were supposed to be more advanced and waaaay ahead of everyone in these parts. But I feel that's what happens when a monopoly like Telkom Kenya gets too much protection from the government for a very long time. Now it's making Internet services too costly over there. Let's just say I know people who pay $120/month for a 128K shared wireless broadband solution from Africa Online. Holy crap! With TTCL, you could get their blazing-fast ADSL service (2 Mbps down, 512Kbps up) at home for a paltry sum of TSh 40 per Megabyte (or TSh 40,000 per Gigabyte of download). Heck, you can't even get those speeds from Telkom Kenya. In general, I hate telecom companies, but TTCL is not bad at all.

Newspaper ad:

NEED MORE SPEED?
Z-CONNECT. TANZANIA'S FASTEST, MOST AFFORDABLE MOBILE INTERNET. Introducing Z-Connect; the fastest, most affordable, continuous high-speed mobile data network in Tanzania. Just install it in minutes, load prepaid airtime and start working, surfing or downloading in seconds. For instance, you'll be able to download a 3 Mega Byte music track in 20 seconds, or open the average webmail or website in 7 seconds. And it's mobile, you can do all of this anywhere, anytime. Now available in Dar es Salaam, and contrywide in late 2007.
For more information and the location of your nearest Z dealer, call 077 600 6000 or email sales@zantel.co.tz