Google Video Chat App: Duo

Google in its blog a few days back, announced the release of it much anticipated video calling app, Duo.

Duo takes Video calling to a new level with its simplicity, reliability and an awesome feature called “Knock Knock”

Knock Knock enables users to know what the caller is up to before they answer the call. This feature is just the real deal.

Duo as expected is cross platform and is currently available for iOS and Android devices.

In terms of reliability while making calls, Google stated that Duo is quite reliable, it switches smoothly between Wi-Fi and data automatically while making phone calls without you noticing the change and also, call quality adjusts to changing network conditions to keep you connected especially when bandwidth is limited.

INSTAGRAM VIDEOS now LONGER

Instagram stated on their blog that they would be bringing longer videos to the platform.

Users have been restricted to just 15 seconds of videos ever since the feature was launched in 2013. Even with the fact that it was just 15 seconds, users have become so creative with the ample time provided. With the launch of this new feature, we should be seeing loads of more fun stuffs to whirl with.

It was stated that in order to bring more fun, flexibility and creativity, they would be increasing the video time to 60 seconds.

It was also stated that in order to achieve their commitment to users, this is just a tip of the ice berg.

Good news to iOS platform users, as Instagram would be bringing back the ability to make videos out of multiple clips from your camera roll.

Longer video on Instagram begins rolling out today and will be available for everyone in the coming months. Multi-clip video is available this week as part of Instagram for iOS version 7.19.

AIRTEL smartNUMBER: One Phone! One SIM Card! Two Numbers!!

Airtel has launched another first. It’s called the smartNUMBER.

smartNUMBER enables you to activate and use two numbers on a single which makes it easier to separate numbers for various purposes like ‘business and personal’ while making use of a single phone, and a single SIM card.

FEATURES

This package is available to prepaid and postpaid subscribers.

It gives you the ability to define when you want the Smart Number to be active and reachable, blacklist certain numbers from reaching you, select numbers you want to reach you even if you are logged off and all SMS through(from and to) your Smart Number is backed up and available on a secured web portal.

HOW IT WORKS

• HOW TO SUBSCRIBE
• Dial 618 from your Airtel Line, and follow the menu option to subscribe and manage the service.

                                                            Or

• Send the keyword SUB to 619 from your Airtel line, reply with 1 or 2 to choose either the ‘basic’ or ‘plus’ package.

Either one you choose, you would be allocated a smartNUMBER.

• CALL

• When someone calls your Smart Number, it will ring on your primary line
• To make a call from your Smart Number, use ‘66’ before the number you wish to call.

• SMS

• SMS’s sent to your Smart Number will also come to your primary line.
• To send an SMS from your Smart Number, use ‘66’ before the number you wish to text.

• All CALLs and SMS on your Smart Number will be billed from your main number and it is at the same rate.

COST

Service Features	Basic	Plus
Monthly Price	N150	N250
Log On/Off	YES	YES
SMS Signatures	YES	YES
Call Block/Exception List	YES	YES
SMS Web Backup	NO	YES
Conference Call	NO	YES

MICROSOFT TO BUY YAHOO

Yahoo over the past few years has been struggling to keep up with Alphabet Inc’s Google and Facebook Inc in the battle for online advertisers. In the wake of this, it has decided to auction its core Internet business, which includes search, mail and new sites.

Sources report that, Microsoft executives are in early talks with potential Yahoo Inc investors about contributing to financing to buy the troubled Internet company.

Though it was added that the talks are preliminary, it was also noted that Microsoft is focused on preserving the relationship between the two companies. Microsoft is focused on preserving the relationship between the two companies. Microsoft and Yahoo have longstanding search and advertising agreements.

A number of firms have shown interest in the Yahoo deal and have approached Microsoft. Microsoft declined to comment.

Verizon’s chief Financial Financial Officer Fran Shammo said in December that the U.S. wireless carrier could look at buying Yahoo’s core business if it was a good fit.

Activist hedge fund Starboard Value LP moved on Thursday to overthrow the entire board of Yahoo, including Chief Executive Marissa Mayers, who has struggled to turn the company around in her nearly four years at the helm.

This would not be the first time Microsoft would be showing interest in buying Yahoo. In 2008, Steve Ballmer tried unsuccessfully to buy Yahoo for about $45 billion.

AMAZON NOW SHIPS DIRECTLY TO NIGERIA AND OTHERS

The world’s biggest online retailer, Amazon, has decided to extend it’s tentacles to 75 more countries. It is doing so with its Amazon Global programme. This programme will enable international shoppers in 75 countries to order items from the online retail store and have them delivered directly to their home addresses.

The good news is that, 4 African countrieas – Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa are among the 75 countries.

I guess after seeing the success of the e-commerce industry in these countries, they decided as well that Africa is the best place to be.

In the list of good news, they stated that they would estimate the import fee deposit during checkout and provide customs clearance on customers behalf.

With Amazon’s tentacles now in Nigeria, let’s see what kind of game plan it would bring into the already established industry. With the likes of Jumia, Konga, Dealdey, Kaymu and so on in the game already, the gameplay would definitely change.

I must confess, the baby in my womb leaped for joy when I thought of BlackFriday and the possibility of getting those awesome discounts.

TECNO PHANTOM 5

Every device has got it’s own uniqueness, a particular thing in it that satisfies your want. Now imagine a device that satisfies all of your want. Guess what Tecno brings to you, It brings you the its 5^th Phantom device, you remember the super cool Phantom series, actually most of us cannot have enough of these devices.

I guess you can remember what you got from the Phantom A1, then came something better and then better, A2 and …… you get what am driving at, right? So you should expecting this new device to blow off your mind, like literally.

The Phantom 5 will be succeeding the Phantom Z which was a huge success.

It comes with some mouth-watering features, rather top tech features, like those you get on all those high end phones, let me just drop a hint, it’s got a fingerprint scanner, yeah, you heard me right, so it’s not just the pocket leaking devices that assure you of better security now.

Tecno has stepped up it’s game and am sure there is no turning back from this point.

You still think you cannot be wooed by this device, read on the specifications of this device, then come back and thank me.

FACEBOOK: MOBILE USERS INCREASE IN AFRICA

 

Facebook recently released its second quarter figures of its active users in Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria.
The report shows that 2.2 million Kenyans use Facebook daily and 4.5 million each month, 7.3 million daily active users and 12 million monthly active users in South Africa and 7.1 million daily active users and 15 million monthly users in Nigeria.
The report also indicated that 95 percent of Facebook users in Kenya are active on Facebook mobile while that of Nigeria and South Africa is at a 100 percent.
Facebook had previously announced that its active user population in Africa had grown by 20% to 120 million in June 2015 from 100 million in September 2014. The company also indicated that more than 80% of its users in Africa access Facebook from their mobile phones.
In it’s bid to capture the region’s growth potentials and help businesses connect with people, grow locally and regionally, Facebook recently opened it’s office in Johannesburg ,South Africa. Facebook stated that it’s team in Africa is focusing primarily on Kenya(East Africa), Nigeria(West Africa)