Thursday, February 6, 2025
Home Blog Page 97

A look at the Firefox OS Hackathon Uganda!

By
Boses Muhinda
-
0

The Firefox Hackathon in Uganda took place at UTAMU on today, Mozillians and developers filled the room to capacity all in the anticipation to learn how to develop for Firefox OS, or see the features of Firefox OS.

Yeah the greetings, introductions and Wi-Fi were part of the hackathon, the Vice Chancellor of UTAMU welcomed the mozillians and we taken through a quick intro to Mozilla’s projects like web Maker, FireFox OS, by Jb Ochieng, a Firefox Rep for Uganda then the event started with a “truthfully arrogant” speaker who develops for Firefox OS, he was keen to say that Firefox OS supports HTML5 and developers don’t need to use the ‘funny’ language called Java. The have to learn Coco to develop for iPhone, then have to learn C++ for blackberry, then learn .NET to have the same app on Microsoft OS.

In short Firefox apps are cross platform,and work in the Firefox browser, you can even get the Firefox OS Emulator addon for your firefox browser.

We were taken through a demo app, which was made up of 26 lines of code and he deployed an app that Victor who is a Firefox developer showed to us.

I am not targeting anyone who is using IE” , “Our apps might work in Internet Explorer, i dont hate the browser, the browser hates me” he went ahead to test his Firefox OS app in IE, e tried and it failed to run, he was later told an app called Moderniser, he went on to say, “Moderniser, the app that makes this animal “IE” respond to new technologies,” he added “I can forgive the browser, I just can’t forgive the developers of the browser

It’s going to take about 10 or 20 years for HTML 5 to be standard in this animal called IE 11.

Back to the hackathon, we were told that Firefox OS apps use web storage or local storage where you can store data in form of strings.

HTML 5 is powerful, a Firefox OS has the capability of running web Applications Offline, everything in Firefox OS is a web app.

A question was asked by an anxious developer as to whether all the all icons in Firefox OS as supposed to be circular, JB Ocheing said any shape is allowed but the icon should have a resolution of 60×60 and if you want it to blend in with Firefox OS look, circular icons would look better.

By the way, Uploading to the Firefox marketplace is free.

The participants were told to form groups and create demo Firefox apps. The hackathon is one of many ideas by the Mozilla Firefox community of Uganda. Feel free to visit the community to learn more about Firefox OS development.

What went down at the Uganda Internet Government Forum

By
GURU8 Staff
-
0

The Collaboration on International ICT Policy in East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) in partnership with the Internet Society Chapter Uganda and the ICT Association of Uganda (ICTAU) hosted the Uganda Internet Governance Forum (UIGF) at the Hive Colab, Kamyokya.

The one-day Forum, whose theme was “Harnessing Internet Development in Uganda: Connecting the last mile”, was a multi-stakeholder event that involved representatives from government, civil society, academia, private sector entities and individuals interested in Internet Governance (IG) issues. The objectives of this Forum were to discuss obstacles to internet access in Uganda, establish the key current internet governance issues relevant to the country, and build consensus on national and regional positions around IG issues.

The national forum also discussed the outcomes from the regional East Africa Internet Governance Forum held in Burundi last month. Much emphasis at the Forum was put on Promoting online safety, having in place monitoring mechanisms in main access areas that is internet café to protect children accessing internet in public places like internet cafes, Need to launch a program sensitizing parents about internet hazards, for their own safety and that of their children.

Infrastructure of IPv6 was another tabled aspect at the Forum, most equipment in networking and computing is IPv6 ready; as are all operating systems coming out now; even those ones on the market are IPV6 ready. High cost in deploying IPv6: Providers find the cost prohibitive and are not willing to invest in infrastructure where they see no critical mass of content to make it profitable for them.

So Government as a single entity should adopt IPv6 as a standard deployment for all the infrastructure they are rolling out then the providers would follow, as they are in it to make profit as compared to being charities. The proceedings of this year’s Forum will also be presented at the Second African Internet Governance Forum to be held in Nairobi September 24-26, 2013 and the global Internet Governance Forum in Bali, Indonesia October 22-25, 2013.

Google Wallet goes to iOS, ditches NFC requirement

By
Boses Muhinda
-
0

Google’s mobile payment service called Google Wallet has finally come to iOS 2 years after it launched on Android. Actually its 2 years to the exact date it was launched on Android.

Google wallet has ditched the requirement for the phone to have NFC because this technology is not native to Apple products. Only Apple products with iOS 6 and above will be able to recieve the update.
The same limitation with the android version which requires the user to be in the United States also applies.

iOS users can now add their credit or debit card details to Google wallet, use their Google Wallet accounts to make purchases as well as be able to send money to another user in the US with an email. Google wallet also supports loyalty cards.

However Google hasn’t stated when it hopes to make Google wallet, global.

The new Blackberry Z30 is a monster of its own kind, yes, its a Blackberry

By
Joel Mwanja
-
0

From the producers of the famous “Your Office in your Pocket” phrase, ladies and gentlemen, introducing Blackberry, and this time around, a new baby in the family, the Z30. So, what is this Blackberry going to bring to the company, more “bad luck” or good fortunes, well,lets find out,

5 inch display

bb z30

So, finally Blackberry has woken up and seen the importance of a large display and in this Blackberry 10 flagship device, they have included one. This puts it at the same level with the likes of Samsung Galaxy S4 but don’t get it twisted, not in all areas! Blackberry stil needs extra time to catch up with the big boys of Android and the likes of Apple’s iOS, for Windows Phone, well, that is for next time.

Bigger Memory, Expandable, wow!

So the Z30 features a mind blowing 2GB of RAM, ys, you saw right, 2GB! Umm, wait, and yes, it also comes with 16GB of internal memory with a memory card slot, can I hear an amen from all Blackberry fans. It seems the good news of Blackberry Messenger going to Android and iOS is not enough. This is the Blackberry we have always been waiting for! If this is what was done in the beginning, right now, Blackberry would be earning a lot of profits! So, GS4, HTC One, better watch out, hear comes the Blackberry Z30!

Better cameras, faster processor and oh yes 4G on board!

The Z30 is out there to impress, so, lights camera, Z30! An 8 MegaPixel camera at the back, 2 MP camera at the front, its an “All of the Lights” moment here! So, finally HD recording comes with this monster of a smartphone!. It has been labelled the best Blackberry yet. I am just as excited as the remaining few Blackberry fans out there, but, make no mistake, this is for sure the Blackberry to get,  period!

The Hardest part,Decision Making

So, most of you have realised that actually these Blackberry folks have got something to offer and you have been convinced hands down that this is the best Blackberry yet. Well, it might be, bt is it worth the money? IF you are not a person of apps and all the fancy drama that comes with highly packed feature phones, then this one might be for you, only thing to remember checking is if Blackberry App World works in your country!

You can now update to iOS 7 on your iPhone, ipad and iPod Touch!

By
Boses Muhinda
-
0

The wait is over! you can now update your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch to Apple’s latest Operating System iOS 7. You can do this by going to your Settings menu on your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch and selecting the “General” option then push your finger on “Software Update” option then you will be able to download and update your device’s Operating System to Apple’s flat UI.

You can also update you device by using iTunes 11.1 on your Windows PC or Mac, this process is much longer and requires you to sync your device first.

You can now enjoy most of iOS 7’s features as we previously wrote about, not all of them because some features are not available for some phones for example Airdrop is not available on the iPhone 4. You can visit the Apple website to find out which features your iPhone will be able to recieve after the update

Cyanogen gets $7M funding, aims at building a better version of Android!

By
Boses Muhinda
-
0

Remember the company that makes the alternative rom for your android phone called, Cyanogen? Probably yes. The software company that started as a personal venture to create an alternative ROM for android phones has today announced that it has raised 7 million dollars from Benchmark Capital and Redpoint Ventures.

Cyanogen Mod has more than 8 million users, users who have endured the difficult and risky processes of changing their phone firmware. I must way installing Cyanogen Mod softwares on your android phones isn’t the easiest to install, however the benefits are worth the risk, because your phone gets additional features, some ROMs are said to be faster and better looking.

“the company’s free open-source replacement firmware, has more than 8 million users -CEO Kirt McMaster “

The money raised by Cyanogen has enabled them hire a team of 17 highly skilled developers, they have been working on a more user friendly installation process by creating and improving their one-click install app on windows, to cater for the non-techies.

They plan to re-brand next year and create their own operating system which is based on traditional android and the good part is the promise to keep their firmware free. The company did not discuss how they intend to make capital,

“It’s not just about building a user base. It’s about building great services you can’t get anywhere else – McMaster”

Cyanogen has a long journey to make installing custom firmware user friendly! We cannot be certain that Google Apps like Google Play, Gmail, Youtube that are not open-source and are owned by Google will get blocked or not, because they are not open source. Google hasn’t commented on these developments yet.

Source: The Verge

Microsoft Releases Internet Explorer 11 Release Preview for Windows 7

By
Boses Muhinda
-
0

Much as most people didn’t like Internet Explorer a lot, Microsoft made Internet explorer 11 which is definitely better than IE 10 or 8 that was on windows 7. Previously windows 11 was available on windows 8 and windows 8.1 preview and to developer of windows 7 a few months ago

And now Microsoft has shown us that the final Internet Explorer update to IE 11 is going to happen soon though the date for the release of the stable version hasn’t officially been announced.

Well expect faster speeds in the new version of windows IE 11, and according to Sunspider, Internet Explorer  improved its average speed score by 7ms, from 144ms.

Internet Explorer also borrowed a leaf from other browsers to add several developer tools like DOM Explorer, Console that enable you edit the CSS of a website live. Other enhancements like Networking that create an always active connection by always refreshing from the server.

Do you feel like making a change to Internet Explorer or want something changed, feel free to contribute your feedback on Connect which is a platform for feedback on Microsoft services.

The iPhone 5S fingerprint ‘Touch ID’ scanner & Teenagers!

By
Boses Muhinda
-
0

Apple just rolled out a set of new ‘toys’ with the popular S version of its iPhone, much as the iPhone 5S had a few things we might question, and others we shall dearly love, its an amazing phone just the right teenager who can afford it now or perhaps later and for those whose parents are willing to get their teenager’s hands on the new iPhone 5S will change the trend of smartphone usage by teenagers.
Remember teens don’t want anyone else reading the fluttery in their inbox or whatsapp or see the huge ‘secrets’ on their phones.

Now Apple has given them the power of security, so the eye snooping parents will have to go through a bigger hustle while trying to get thier fingers and eyes through the phones of their adolescents.
Lets an example i cant leave my phone next to my parents no matter what even when its locked because of all the texts, notifications and other things on the phone. But now teens might actually leave their iPhones on the table to catch a movie or something because you just can’t unlock them, unless you force them to add you to the trusted 5 which i highly doubt.

Parents might try to pursue their teens to actually grant them access, a process most of us know doesn’t go on well. However friends might get onto the trusted contacts especially for girls who are more open to share just about anything with thier BFFs.

Teens are known to also be just a little careless during those moments when their fingers arent tapping the screens of thier phones, this has resulted in snatching of their precious possessions from them, some lose their phones to the jealous kids who don’t actually own iPhones, this will become difficult however it wont stop. Previously someone could see you unlock pin as you entered it into your phone by starring behind you and just in case he stole it, the phone could easily be unlocked and sold. Now the thieves have to think a little wiser. Just in case your teenage son or daughter loses their iPhone 5S, tracking is definitely going to be an easier task because no body else will be able to unlock it.

Worry less teenagers, because as you take selfies, or text dirty or show off you retro-theme iPhone 5S cover to your friends, haters and competition you won’t be worried about anyone going through your phone or getting stolen, unless your finger is cut off. However you will need a tonne of savings to get your hands on one of those silver, white or gold ‘babies’.

Let me know what you think off the fingerprint scanner on the iPhone 5S and teenagers in the comments, Login with the social networks below.

Google buys ‘Bump,’ the most awesome way to share data between phones!

By
Boses Muhinda
-
0

Google just bought a start up company called ‘Bump“, Bump is an app that enables one to share data from one phone to another by literally bumping the phones together. Bump users can share contacts, photos, photos, files, apps by letting the phones bump. Bump also lets users sync their phones even with their computers by bumping their phones with the space bar.

Just in case you are wondering, Bump doesn’t use NFC call it ‘Near Field Communication’ which might have seemed as the ovious technology used for the transfer, this has made bump accessible on almost any android and iOS phone. This has been a rather cool way to transfer data between phones on both Android and iOS.

What Bump actually uses is the app that’s running on your smartphone and a smart-matching algorithm running on Bump cloud servers. The matching algorithm basically gets all bumps from all phones with the app and pairs up the 2 phones with same bump hence sharing the data.

“Bump and Flock will continue to work as they always have for now; stay tuned for future updates. – David Lieb, CEO Bump”

Bump wasn’t the regular start up because it managed to reach a successful 60 million downloads in 2011, however it just didn’t generate enough revenue compared to the popularity of the app. Bump also built a photo sharing app known as Flock, Bump managed to make just under $20 million in its existence.

According to a blog post by Bump, both Bump and Flock will remain active for now.

IPhone 5C, it’s colorful with rich features!

By
Boses Muhinda
-
0

Apple unveiled two devices, the iPhone 5S and 5C, let’s focus on the 5C where Apple tells us the C stands for color. At the back of our minds, the word cheap keeps coming but later disappears when you see the price off contract. However we must commend Apple for giving the iPhone a retro touch with multiple colors a thing some of us thought was a “Lumia” thing. However if you love color bundled with a logo that resembles a ‘bitten apple’ this is definitely the phone for you.

By Color, Apple gave us a choice of 5 colors which include white, pink, green, yellow and Blue. Whether you fancy nature, the ocean, standing out or looking plain you are catered for by the well colored plastic covers on the iPhone 5C. Its Plastic which I believe makes it cheaper and just in case you fancy dressing up your 5S to shine like a model, the sun or peacock? Apple has introduced an accessory you will love.

The Cover is plastic with perforations at the back about 30 of them to show the color of your iPhone. The cover covers a lot more than the iPhone itself by covering the power and volume buttons however the circular holes at the back are a little too retro and your corporate friends will probably not have them.

Now let’s Jump to what’s most important, the looks, design and figures.

The iPhone 5S is about the same size as the iPhone 5 and 5 except that it’s a little thinker than the 5S, has rounded edges and is heavier. The edges on the sides of the 5C are more to circular than those on the iPhone 5. You will also notice that the metal ring around the side has been removed, making the back cover touch the screen.  This might seem like an opinion but the 5C has a more feminine touch.

The screen is still 4 inches just like the screen resolution which are similar to the iPhone 5 & 5S which have retina display, a resolution of 1136-by-640-pixel at 326ppi, Fingerprint-resistant oleo phobic coating and similar brightness levels.

iphone5cwidth

Apple has packed an 8MP camera with an LED flash that comes with the ability to take panorama shots, and use photo filters. An HD Facetime camera with 1.2 MP was also added.

The 5C will carry an A6 chip as its processor which is the same chip in the iPhone 5. Along with features like LTE capability, Facetime video and audio calling to Facetime enabled devices over Wi-Fi and cellular which includes LTE.

Airplay mirroring to Apple TV (the old one not the one most of you expected), Siri, a lightning connector, ear pods, Assisted GPS and GLONASS, digital compass and a bundle of Apple’s pre-installed apps.

Forgive me for ending with the fact that the iPhone 5C comes with iOS 7, which boosts of features like control center, multitasking and more which will make the iPhone 5S a phone that you will love to use.

Besides Apple tells us that the 5C will run for 10hours when surfing on LTE, 8hours on 3G internet, up to 10 hours on video playback and 40hours listening to music and if you don’t plan to touch your phone, it will last up to 250 hours in standby.

The iPhone will go on sale for $549 and $649 off contract/unlocked for the 16GB and 32Gb models. However if you happen to live in the USA, you can get it for $99 or $199 on contract. This is when you believe the C in 5C doesn’t mean cheap.

1...969798...104Page 97 of 104

LATEST POSTS

Follow GURU8

3,734FansLike
15FollowersFollow
1,046FollowersFollow
19SubscribersSubscribe

GURU8 is a Technology website showcasing the Latest News, Event updates, reviews and rumours in the Tech world while providing a platform for everyone to interact as well as gain information in reference to technology.
Contact us: info@guru8.net
+256771681909

©Hive Digital Ltd. GURU8 is a brand of Hive Digital Ltd