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France slaps Google with a €150,000 fine

By
Boses Muhinda
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0

Google has had several issues operating in France ever since the country developed strict policies in regards to content on French websites and Google had to review the way it indexes French content or news and some content has been de-indexed.

Previously the search engine has had been fined by France’s privacy regulator, the National Commission on Computing and Freedom (CNIL) fined Google  €150,000 which is about $204,000 for breaking the law with its unified privacy policy.

Much as this is a reduction from what the CNIL had threatened in September ie. €300,000 but the regulator has requested Google to display a notice on its Google.fr homepage for two days explaining the decision.

This is one of the many privacy-related investigations against Google in Europe as 6 European countries have launched probes into Google’s privacy policies, with Spain fining the company €900,000 ($1.2 million) just last month.

Google has kept silent on the matter in regards to its privacy policies but as lawsuits and fines increase the company might be forced to amend its policies.

Source: Engadget

Google to shutdown Bump & Flock on 31st January

By
Boses Muhinda
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0

You must remember Bump, the App that let us share content by literally bumping our phones together, that Google bought in September last year. Well in a blog post title ‘All good things’ Bump Technologies announced that the 2 apps will be ripped from the store after January 31st.

Aparrently they will be working on new projects with Google and what you to store all the information you have on Bump and ‘Flock’ which is a photo sharing app for friends who take photos with more that one phone.

[pull_quote_center] We are now deeply focused on our new projects within Google, and we’ve decided to discontinue Bump and Flock. On January 31, 2014, Bump and Flock will be removed from the App Store and Google Play. After this date, neither app will work, and all user data will be deleted” –  David Lieb -Bump CEO [/pull_quote_center]

They have given users close to 30 days to download their data from the two apps and users will recieve an email with detailed instructions on how to move their data from the two apps.

Straight reasons for the acquisition haven’t been given but definitely bigger projects at Google could mean anything, Could it have been away to get Bump features in a future android update, well it won’t be a surprise. We just have to wait and see what will come out of Google’s acquisition of Bump

Below is the full press release from the Bump Blog

[pull_quote_center]

Back in September, we announced that the Bump team was joining Google to continue our work of helping people share and interact with one another using mobile devices.

We are now deeply focused on our new projects within Google, and we’ve decided to discontinue Bump and Flock. On January 31, 2014, Bump and Flock will be removed from the App Store and Google Play. After this date, neither app will work, and all user data will be deleted.

We’ve taken much care to make sure that you can retain any data you have in Bump and Flock. At any point in the next 30 days, simply open either app and and follow the instructions for exporting your data. You’ll then receive an email with a link containing all of your data (photos, videos, contacts, etc) from Bump or Flock.

Over the years, we’ve been inspired and humbled by the millions of people who have used Bump and Flock. Your feedback, enthusiasm, and support has brought much meaning to our work, and we want to thank you all for that. In many ways, Bump was a revolutionary product that inspired many subsequent advances and helped push the world forward. We hope our new creations at Google will do the same.

David Lieb
CEO and cofounder
Bump

Otherwise its time to say Buy to another gone service we liked

 

Samsung’s GamePad brings extreme gaming controls to Android

By
GURU8 Staff
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0

The Samsung Galaxy Smartphone GamePad is Samsung’s new take to mobile phone gaming. Earlier this year Apple opened its SDK to external gaming hardware to iOS and the GamePad could be Samsung’s side of the Battle.

The GamePad is portable and doesn’t require cables or being physically attached to the phone, it connects through Bluetooth pairing. The Gamepad appears to support all Android devices that run Android 4.1 and above however this requires user’s to download the Mobile Console app which enable a user find or buy supported games. The Play button will only work on the Samsung Galaxy smartphones.

Well I can hide this but the GamePad resembles the Xbox console though the overall design looks nice and might be easy to carry around. (I mean it’s a console don’t compare it to a phone).  It weighs 195g and has 2 analogs, a D pad, and 4 action buttons. Too bad it’s only available in Black.

You can dock any phone that has whose screen size lie between 4 inches and 6.3 inches and it lets you connect to that big screen HDMI enabled TV or through Samsung’s AllShare Screen Mirroring.

Just in case you own a device running Android 4.3 like as Galaxy Note 3, S4, Note II, and S III, you will be able to connect using NFC and access games using the “PLAY” button.

The GamePad will offer 35 dedicated games at launch by downloading the Mobile Console app from Samsung Apps or by tapping the Gamepad’s ”PLAY” button.

Here are a few Tech Specs

Compatibility            Android OS 4.1 more (Optimized for Samsung devices with Android 4.3 more)

Connectivity               Bluetooth® v3.0, NFC (Samsung devices with Android 4.3 more)
3.0 class 2, HID

Control keys              – D-Pad (8 way)
– 2 Analog Sticks
– 4 Action buttons and 2 Trigger buttons
– Select button and Start button
– PLAY button (Samsung devices with Android 4.3 more)

Dimensions                137.78 x 86.47 x 31.80mm, 195g

Battery                          Rechargeable 160mA

Samsung Galaxy Gamepad

The GamePad is currently available in Europe only and Samsung says it will launch the device in other market in a few weeks

Image Source: Samsung

 

You are about to see Facebook video Ads on your timeline

By
Boses Muhinda
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0

The biggest social network is about to eat more of your data and space on your timeline. According to WSJ, Facebook is about to start auto playing video advertisement in your newsfeed. According to the Tuesday report by the wall street Journal Auto play videos will be appearing on mobile devices and slow show up in users’ newsfeed this Thursday.

We do not know how long these videos will last but this will definitely leave Facebook smiling all the way to the bank because video ads will definitely have to cost more than the usual ads Facebook has been serving. WSJ reports that Lion’s Gate will be among the pioneer advertisers using Facebook’s new feature.

This AutoPlay video feature was supposed to be launched earlier this year but due to rumored engineering problems and the possibility that the users might not react nicely to it. The test video ads by auto playing the videos without sound and a user had to click to let the sound play. Starting Thursday you get both Video and sound auto playing.

I bet most Users are not going to like it. However we haven’t liked some changes on Facebook and we didn’t have a choice. A few elite users might make publishers of AD blocking software happy.

What does this mean to Africa?

Well, Bandwidth, Internet speeds and high internet prices are the cries and woes of most Techies and People in Africa. And if it means using my small data bundle to play a video of brand that’s not relevant to me or an AD I have seen over and over again am going to get pissed and probably turn to an AD blocker. Because the shouts of user, call it feedback aren’t always listened to.

Social Networking is taking a global change and they are becoming more commercial, the difference is how Ads are commercialized. Some Ads can be tolerated other might not, remember the Google taking us away from Yahoo due to poor advertising algorithms.

WordPress 3.8 update just made publishing sweet!

By
Boses Muhinda
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0

The world’s popular Content Management System and blogging platform released a major update to its self-hosted version which comes with new features you are going to love.

The ‘Parker’ dubbed version of WordPress comes with a metro-like look and feel which is similar to the wordpress.com but it doesn’t end there. Automatic has made the backend responsive for mobile devices. The look is clean and give you 4 contrast shades to choose from with black and blue as the default theme.  The way the tiles switch from one another is really smooth and gives publishers the same premium front end theme feel to the backend.

wpdashboard

Much as revamped wordpress’ mobile apps were good, this is better because you can control features that were only possible in the desktop version on your smartphone. Previously entering extra setting besides on a post was so hard on a mobile phone, now the dashboard just scales done and publishing becomes easy.

A Responsive backend just took mobile publishing and website control out of earth!

Every Administrative User can set their particular color profile for their dashboard, and their responsive nature will make the Dashboard/backend look like it on a fashion couture once accessed using a mobile device of the same color.

Admin colours in the Mobile wordpress

The new theme switcher lets you use arrows to choose from one theme to another and the dragging process of the widget got a butter jean, very smooth. And to none developers and those who don’t want to spend alot on premium themes, WordPress has given you a magazine like Twenty Fourteen theme.

I agree with Automatic, this is the most beautiful update ever. Get it now!

Microsoft 4Afrika is offering students Internship Opportunities

By
GURU8 Staff
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1

Microsoft is offering Internships and world class training to students as it expands its 4Afrika program to more African countries. The program will offer 100 students an opportunity to undergo a 12 month Internship from which they will gain acquire intense training and mentorship in sales, marketing, retail operations, IT and business development fields.

Microsoft 4Afrika Internships will be available to students in the these areas; Johannesburg, Lagos, Windhoek, Gaborone, Nairobi, Abijan, Dakar, Yaounde, Addis Ababa, Port Louis, Dar es Salaam and Harare.

Applicants are required to possess a completed degree with Business, Science, Engineering, Marketing, Computer or IT related majors and less than 12 months of fulltime working experience.

Just in case you are interest in an Internship that will give you; competitive monthly pay, an all expense paid trip to 4Afrika’s office in South Africa for orientation, training and certifications, mentoring and Microsoft devices. Send you CV to Jessica O’Gorman v-jeogor@microsoft.com

Remember that successful 4Afrika graduate interns will qualify for full time jobs at Microsoft Graduate (MACH) in Africa.

The 4Afrika program will select 100 applicants per year for the Internship and the first admissions will take place between January and February 2014 and the second admissions will take place between June and July in 2014.

Applications will be closed on 15th December and successful applicants will receive confirmation emails. Failure to receive a response will deem your application unsuccessful.

Uganda’s Top Videos on Youtube in 2013

By
Boses Muhinda
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0

Here is what Ugandans have been watching the most most on YouTube as seen on the year in review Channel. Basically Youtube choose all the videos visited on the The Youtube Uganda website and videos when a particular person logged into Youtube from Uganda and the videos are from Ugandan Youtube channels. Remember Youtube won’t rank a video by selecting all the views on the multiple channels a video is, but rather the video on a particular channel with the most views.

Majority of the videos are music videos from Local artist, comedy and pornography. It’s so absurd that some of these ‘dirty videos had more views that some of the music videos from the official Artists’ YouTube channels.

Here is the list of the list of top Trending videos on Youtube in Uganda;

DR JOSE CHAMELEONE: BADILISHA (OFFICIAL HD VIDEO)

RADIO & WEASEL GOODLYFE – MAGNETIC OFFICAL MUSIC HD VIDEO

MPANGIRA – PASTOR WILSON BUGEMBE NEW UGANDAN MUSIC 2013 DJDINTV

BEDROOM SENGA PART 2.WMV MUSOMO

SEXY BAM BAM UGANDAN MUSIC MC NORMAN

SENGA PART 5 EZINA YE MANA

BEBE COOL –COCOCIDIOSIS (OFFICIAL HD)

KUKALIBA -REMA(SAM YIGA/UG XTRA UPLOADS)

KANSIIME ANNE IS A GOOD INLAW ON MINIBUZZ

Youtube’s most Popular Videos of 2013

By
Boses Muhinda
-
0

It’s been a year filled with changes at Youtube, starting with Their New logo, new Android and iOS apps, replacement of the old commenting system with Google + comments and the YouTube Music awards.
The Social Media Company always releases a list of the Most Popular Videos of the Year. This year we have music Videos topping the charts with ‘The Fox’s What Does the Fox’ say talking the crown.

Followed by Harlem Shake, How Animals Eat their food, Miley Cyrus’ Wrecking ball, Baby & Me, Volvo Truck — The Epic Split featuring Jean Claude Van Damme, YOLO by Lonely Island, Telekinetic Coffee Shop Surprise , The NFL: A Bad Lip Reading , Mozart versus Skillrex: Epic Rap Battles of History, Season 2.
Youtube also created a special list for the Most Trending Videos of the year, And the Most popular VEVOS include PewDiePie, HolaSoyGerman, Smosh, RihannaVEVO, and OneDirectionVEVO.

Ylvis – The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?) [Official music video HD] The Fox (What Does The Fox Say?)

Harlem Shake

How Animals Eat Their Food

Miley Cyrus’s Wrecking Ball (Chatroulette Version)

Baby & Me / The New Evian Film

http://youtu.be/pfxB5ut-KTs

Volvo Truck — The Epic Split featuring Jean Claude Van Damme

The Lonely Island’s YOLO featuring Adam Levine and Kendrick Lamar

Telekinetic Coffee Shop Surprise

The NFL: A Bad Lip Reading


Mozart versus Skillrex: Epic Rap Battles of History, Season 2

See the Youtube’s Year in review here

 

Woloks: lets you Send Free SMS to anyone in Uganda!

By
Boses Muhinda
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9

Now whether you are in doubt or extremely excited, just know that this app is free without gimmicks and lets you send real SMS to just about anybody in Uganda. All you need is an active internet connection to be able to send sms however you don’t need internet to recieve the SMS.

No, it’s not a Whatsapp replica, Woloks enables any android user in Uganda to send messages to another mobile phone user even if they don’t have android, or own a feature phone ‘those phones with no internet or color screens’. You will enjoy the app more when the user you are texting also has the app because you will be able to send free messages to each other within the nice app. Honestly I found the UserI nterface (UI) of Woloks better than the UI of the default messaging app of android below 4.4

 Ivan Mworozi the developer of the app told us “the app is free and its going to stay that way.” We didn’t find any annoying ads or banners at the time and the app was straight to the point.

“the app is free and its going to stay that way.” says Ivan Mworozi – Developer

You basically fill out a form with your details such as name, number and email then the magic begins.

You will probably have a smile on your face when you send out an SMS and then get a reply, meaning it works!

vumilia-screenshot

Please make sure you use your real numbers to register because trying to change the number will make the app prompt you for a verification code which it sends you by SMS. “More security features are being worked on….” Ivan says “This is the 1st version and we hope to improve the app.”

How to get the app

  1. Go to Google Play Store on your Android phone
  2. Then go to the search bar and enter “Woloks” because we got many apps with the name smsFree most of which didn’t work. The word Vumilia will get you the particular app we are talking about.  Be sure to select the app whose logo looks like a blue bird as seen in the featured image
  3.  Click Install then wait for a few minutes, when the download is complete,

Open the app and enter your details then you will be able to send free SMS to Uganda only.

Being the first version of the app, He has added a feedback form to the app in case you find any problems or want any improvements.

When people sit down and make productive apps, you truly have to appreciate their work, and when they make the app free the only way to reward them is by hitting the Download button and spreading the word. I mean these guys just made texting & vibing,  really easy.

NOTE: The App is back on the Playstore, its been slightly re-branded and it works. Download it here

Roadconexion provides Uganda Road users with real-time crowdsourced traffic updates

By
GURU8 Staff
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0

Roadconexion is a new mobile web application that lets you access real-time traffic information on all major roads (currently in Uganda only)

The mobile web App which first won the Tech4Governance hackathon last month has been launched today by a team of 8 developers and graphic designers at Hive Colab which is a coworking space for innovators in Kampala.

Lynn Asiimwe, the lead developer on the project said she hates being in traffic and that’s the reason why they built the App.

The App currently runs on all major mobile browsers and lets mobile road users submit road status such as road repairs, accidents, traffic jam on almost any road mapped on Google maps. User’s simply login using their Twitter or Facebook accounts for the first time, after which they receive real-time traffic information from other road users.

The App goes head-on against traffic Apps like Waze which as recently bought by Google at $1B and Kenya’s Ma3route except that Roadconexion has started out with a mobile web App to cover even even the most basic feature phones.

 

However, team hopes to roll out a native Android and iOS version of the App which in the coming weeks and monetize once they reach critical mass of users.

Get started by visiting www.roadconexion.com on your mobile device or tweet your traffic updates with the hashtag #rdxug and the App will automatically pick them up. Also follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

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