Zia505

MyC4 – One Year Anniversary – Interview with the Founder and CEO

zia505 — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:16:37 +0000

Today I had the pleasure to meet Mads Kjaer, the Founder and the CEO of MyC4. Please see my interview with him. This interview was taken with the Flip Video and shows yet again the power of mobile reporting.

Visit the MyC4 website Here

See the entry for Mobile Reporting on Wikipedia

See more background on Mobile Reporting

Ericsson Innovation Center in sub-Saharan Africa to develop mobile applications

zia505 — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:30:25 +0000

Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) today announced it will establish an Innovation Center in sub-Saharan Africa to develop mobile applications that will benefit society as a whole, but with a special focus on meeting the needs of poor and rural populations.

The initiative will focus on solutions in health, education, agriculture and small business development, and is another important step in Ericsson’s ongoing commitment to support the achievement of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals.

Mobile phone handsets manufactured in Rwanda

zia505 — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:28:50 +0000

A-Link Technologies, a Chinese electronics company, has unveiled its first mobile phone handsets manufactured in Rwanda. This makes Rwanda the first country in the region to sell locally manufactured mobile phones.

Mobile Reporting on Wikipedia

zia505 — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:27:40 +0000

I have started a new entry on Mobile Reporting.

Mobile Reporting is a trend emerging in the field of news and content generation. The term describes the use of a mobile phone as a reporting tool. The user makes use of text, photo and video capability to produce a multimedia based report. The content is edited on the phone before being uploaded to the internet via mobile network or Internet connection. Content produced via mobile reporting is often used for publishing to the web. This is particularly the case with video, as mobile phones available on the market do not yet allow for the production of high end video. However, the low quality that is available is suitable for Internet.

Mobile reporting is particularly relevant in areas that lack modern Internet infrastructure (Sub Sahara Africa, Central Asia, South American, Latin America). The mobile phone is low in cost when compared to more traditional reporting equipment.

Feel free to help me expand the entry: click here

Why is Africa surprising you? Surprising Africa @ Picnic ’08

zia505 — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:26:40 +0000

Picnic is Amsterdam’s new media event of the year. This is one of the few times when people come together to discuss developments, innovations and changes in the industry on this scale. As a result, this is also one of the few events that attracts an international audience..

For the most part, the event focuses on the Internet and mobile cultures already established in Europe and N. America. But this year that changed with the launch of Surprising Africa.

We read about the mobile phone revolution, the fast growing economic markets and the emerging multinationals springing up across the continent. We see the images of vast Lagos and Nairobi; incredible traffic jams and busy markets. We see farmers using their mobile to contact information centers and hear about the success of mobile banking. These stories and images spark our curiosity and it seems the wider public is eager to know more. What is this Africa and what is going on there?

Surprising Africa, served as a symposium for the unexpected. The event was a showcase of the individuals and organizations that are doing things that might surprise the person unfamiliar with the region and its developments. From web loggers fighting to bring about social change to laptops beings used to educate children on HIV prevention, the event was a strong example of the diversity seen across the sector. From a one man architect working to change the way African’s think about their own communities to Google who is investing in satellites and launching mobile search platforms in a multitude of local languages, it is clear that something is happening. The range of people and organizations interested in the subject is a good indication of the possibilities.

Eric Hersman a.k.a. the White African, outlined some of the developments. For example, Africa already has 280,700,000 mobile subscribers. This represents a 30 % penetration rate in what is still the world’s fastest growing mobile phone market. More interestingly, 95% of the phones are pre-paid and he reminds us that most are simple text messaging tools when compared to the modern 3G handsets. Still it is clear that the mobile phone is the emerging platform for the continent.

Erik then went on to profile some of the interesting projects in this space:

Mobile Payment – Mpesa, Wizzit and Celpay are examples of emerging mobile payment systems. Different from banks, these platforms allow uses to send and receive money via mobile phone. These platforms have been an enormous success and there is already a lot of interest in introducing similar services in other countries.

Africa Interactive – A project that uses mobile phones as a reporting tool. African journalist, photographers and filmmakers use their mobile phone to collect text, photo and video. The content is then uploaded to the website AfricaNews.com.

Ushahidi – An open source project that looks to connect people on the street during times of crisis. Users can use their mobile phone to report incidences of violence that can be tracked and monitored by the community. The project could be applied to a number of other crisis like situations i.e. hurricane or tsunami

Pedigree – A drug verification system that offers the consumers access to data and background information. A unique tools that makes use of mobile.

Tradenet – An online platform for buying and selling. Based in West Africa, Tradenet is an emerging platform for the Agricultural sector and a possible model for other areas of Africa.

Erik believes that some of the most interesting developments are now seen on the streets of Nairobi. Africa is starting to produce its own community of programmers. These individuals are building all sorts of applications for the mobile phone. These local developers bring an invaluable insight into local problems and challenges. It is also clear that these developers are as good if not better then what we see in other parts of the world. Some of the more interesting applications include a monitoring tool for the Nigerian StockMarket and an auto anti-theft device.

Given these developments in the mobile space, it becomes clear that the design of the phone can play an important role in this process. Younghee Jung, the lead designer for Nokia, profiled the designs made by local users. For example, a mobile phone with four sim cards (it is cheaper to use multiple sim cards and to change them in and out depending on the local network), a flashlight for finding your way in the dark, or an audible text reader for helping illiterate users decipher text messages they cannot read. More importantly, she mentions that these tools need to cost less then 5 US dollars if they are to remain accessible to the general consumer.

One of the key areas of focus remains mobile payment systems. A good example is Mpesa in Kenya. Andy Chung walked us through the platform and its developments. Needless to say Mpesa has grown from 19,946 users in March 2007 to 2,700,000 users in May 2008. The service has been oversubscribed several times and the organization is working to keep up. The amazing success clearly shows the need and demand for these kinds of services.

Moving forward, Ethan Zuckerman (Global Voices) did a fine job outlining four of the major challenges. Instead of the digital divide (often used as a term for explaining the technological difference between Africa and Europe/N.America) we are actually dealing with 4 key issues that are part of the same challenge.

Power Divide – Africa is a dark continent when seen from a world map. Many parts of the continent lack good infrastructure and access to power remains a challenge.

Connectivity Divide – Only recently was the continent connected by fiber optic cable, and then only the western seaboard. This situation is set to improve with two additional cables on the eastern seaboard. Google’s investment in low orbiting satellites should help too. However, connectivity remains an issue. There is a lot of work to be done in this area.

Language Divide - The continent boasts a population of nearly one billion people. Needless to say there is an incredible diversity of people and culture. For example there are 11 official languages in South Africa alone.

Relevance Divide – Technology, tools and content interesting to a western audience might not have the same relevance to someone living near Arusha, Tanzania. In these places someone might be more interested in where he can sell his crops, which market is offering the best price, than watching the funniest videos loaded to YouTube. A different context will require a different approach and different tools if it is to be useful.

Despite these challenges, there is an incredible opportunity for mobile and Internet in Africa. There is an incredible need for the right services and the potential is clear. There is a lot happening and this is a good time to learn from one another. I think Mr. Kwani Binyavang Wainaina explained it best. “Everyone is looking for coherence in a complex world. I can’t tell you that we will become Switzerland by 2040. But I do believe we all have something to learn by watching. There is a wisdom to be found in Africa.”

You can see the agenda: Picnic 08 – Surprising Africa

See some photos: Flickr Photo Page

See an overview on Twitter: Picnic 08

See other reviews of the event: White African / Ali Balunywa

Broadcasting 2.0 – Using innovative technologies in the effort to connect the un-connected

zia505 — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:24:02 +0000

Web 2.0 for a Global Society ?

As defined by Wikipedia, the term Web 2.0 “encapsulates the idea of the proliferation of interconnectivity and interactivity of web-delivered content.” Tim O’Reilly, often recognized as the first person to coin the term, classifies the companies and products into four levels of Web 2.0 sites:

Level 1: pure Internet based platforms and applications that make use of human-to-human interaction.

Level 2: offline based platforms that offer augmented services when online.

Level 3: applications operate offline but gain features online.

Level 4: applications work as well offline as online.

O’Reilly then goes on to explain that non-web applications like e-mail, instant messaging client and the telephone fall outside of the above hierarchy. (Wikipedia).

Although the term Web 2.0 is clearly explained by O’Reilly, I wonder if the definition is complete. Specifically, what about all of the people who are not connected to the Internet or do not have access to the platforms, applications and technologies needed to “participate?” Do these people simply miss out on the opportunity presented by Web 2.0 or can they still benefit from the same basic principals, ideas and way of thinking the term has come to represent?

“O’Reilly regards Web 2.0 as business embracing the web as a platform and using its strengths, for example global audiences.”(Wikipedia)

It is clear that Web 2.0 applications and technologies benefit by their access to great numbers of users, however, we know that business cannot engage a ‘truly’ global audience when a mere 22% of the world’s population have access to the Internet. (Wikipedia)

Personally, I am most attracted to the ideas the Web 2.0 presents as a philosophy, but see a need for tools, technologies and platforms that make the philosophy accessible to a greater number of people i.e. the 88% of the population that still needs to be connected.

As a result, I prefer to use a definition that characterizes Web 2.0 more as a set of value and beliefs:

“…the philosophy of mutually maximizing collective intelligence and added value for each participant by formalized and dynamic information sharing and creation.” (Wikipedia)

From my perspective, this means looking beyond more traditional definitions that only characterize Web 2.0 as web-delivered content, and into the technologies that allow the “non connected user” to participate. This means having access to content and being able to contribute to its development regardless of a person having an Internet connection. The idea is that any person anywhere in the world can participate in the exchange of knowledge and as a result become part of a global movement to collect, find and share a combined database of information.

Case Study: The Reality of Radio in Africa

Given a lack of ICT infrastructure on the continent, radio is by far the most effective means of communication. Radio networks are spread across the continent and broadcast in thousands of local languages. “Across Africa, the radio is the primary communication medium for reaching to the largest segment of the population. The radio is a constant presence on the streets, in homes, market places and workplaces. Radio is also cross-cutting in its penetration, serving divergent populations, languages as well as gender, economic and ethnic affiliations.” (Gateway NLM)

The power if this media is especially apparent when compared to the relative small number of Internet users and mobile subscribers.

5.5% of the population have access to internet (Internet World Stats)

34% of the population have access to mobile technology (Telecoms.com)

It is clear that the situation is starting to change. The explosive growth of Internet and mobile in Africa is a development impossible not to recognize. However, given the current reality, it is fair to say that radio could still play an important role in connecting people to the digital networks.

DAB and FM/AM compared

DAB technology works to expand the number of stations that can operate within a comparatively small amount of spectrum. This is opposed to FM and AM that use a large amount of spectrum for only a few stations. In this way, DAB works to expand the range of possibilities for data transmission.

“DAB is a digital radio broadcasting system that through the application of multiplexing and compression combines multiple audio streams onto a single broadcast frequency called a DAB ensemble.” (Wikipedia)

Benefits include improved end user features, more stations, reception quality, less pirate interference, and variable bandwidth. For me, the greatest power of Digital radio is seen in its ability to transmit/broadcast content. An example of data transfer includes the WSF Multimedia Service:

“The WSF Multimedia Service enables these groups to transmit Web-based material to targeted audiences in Africa. Text and images supplied by the group are digitally formatted and transmitted via the satellite to the computers of its target audience. The data is downloaded through a WorldSpace receiver connected to the computer by a special adapter. As much as 600 MB of data can be downloaded in a day at a rate of about 64 kilobits per second.”

Example of useful content: Digital radio relays text to remote doctors and nurses in Africa

Public health educators will use satellite technology to link remote healthcare workers in Africa to high quality sources of health information.

The new service, called the Public Health Channel, will use a combination of satellite, digital radio, and text to enable healthcare workers in even the most remote parts of Africa to have access to the information and support that most doctors and nurses in the developed world take for granted.

The channel will be piloted in Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia, but the coverage of the AfriStar satellites, which transmit the signals, includes the whole of the continent. Future initiatives by the non-profit organisation involved, the WorldSpace Foundation, include a similar service via its AsiaStar satellite to Asia.

The initiative has been made possible by a commercial satellite company, WorldSpace, donating 5% of its bandwidth to charitable use. Users can download audio material to a special digital radio receiver, or, with a specialized computer adaptor, use the same bandwidth stream to download text to a computer.

The information charity Satellife acts as content provider, making its combination of electronic archives and digital content available to its network of users.

The chief executive officer of the WorldSpace Foundation, Gracia Hillman, said: “Our service is cost effective, and provides a way of reaching people disadvantaged by poverty.”

The digital receivers come with a built-in dish and retail in Africa for about £156 ($250).

(This project is explained by Douglas Carnall and more information can be found on the website ofWorldSpace.)

Digital Radio and the Open Platform – An innovative project

Last week I visited the IBC 2008 week in Amsterdam. I met up with Jonathan Marks, the founder of Critical Distance, and we went out looking for new technologies that offer surprising applications for the developing world.

The most interesting project was the demonstration of the first mobile broadcasting handset that Canadian researchers have based entirely on an open source platform. For more details on the project see an interview I conducted with the researchers:

For the project they have implemented the DAB standard on both the transmission and the reception side. This included the development of a full transmission chain based on DAB.

As explained by the project manager Francois Lefebre, “So it is a DAB multiplexer that you can update in real time and a DAB modulator that is done in software defined radio as DR. This means you use a piece of equipment that generically produces any kinds of modulation.”

It is interesting to mention that the project makes use of open source standards. This means that developers can leverage a large network of researchers and access a long list of applications. For example, pre-developed modulations for GSM and GPRS technologies.

I have taken the liberty to copy the press release for this posting:

CRC to Demonstrate First Mobile Broadcasting Handset Prototype Based on an Open Platform

5 September 2008

The Mobile Multimedia Broadcasting (MMB) team of the Communications Research Centre Canada (CRC) will showcase its new broadcasting handset prototype called openmokast in Amsterdam at the IBC 2008 exhibition this week.

The prototype, based on the openmoko FreeRunner manufactured by FIC Inc., is the first open handset to integrate the reception of live digital radio, video and data services with typical smart phone functions such as mobile telephony, wireless internet and GPS positioning.  

A complete software stack was developed and integrated at CRC to control an attached receiver and decode various services such as DAB, DAB+, DMB, Slideshow, Visual Radio and Journaline. A physical extension was also built to seamlessly integrate a USB-based receiver and its antenna at the back of the FreeRunner.  

Three key factors made this breakthrough possible:

1)    The extreme level of openness provided by the openmoko platform

2)    The many open source software building blocks available from its growing community of developers

3)    The broadcast standards that are accessible and open. 

The most important and disruptive feature of the openmokast prototype is that it allows any interested developer to access raw bit streams directly from the broadcast chip set to create innovative software applications that are limited only by his/her imagination. This is not possible with current broadcast-enabled handsets based on various standards such DAB/DMB, DVB-H or MediaFLO because their application sets are pre-determined by manufacturers or mobile operators, and can be modified only by them or authorized developers.  

Other open platforms were also considered for this project but none appeared to be as advanced and open as the openmoko framework. It is also interesting to note that none of the major open platforms, including openmoko, have indicated plans to support digital broadcasting hardware in the near future.  

CRC’s mission includes helping to identify and close the innovation gaps in Canada’s communications sector by engaging in industry partnerships and building technical intelligence. With this project, the CRC team hopes to catalyze broadcast application innovation for mobile handsets through a more open ecosystem, accessible tools and lower barriers to entry. In an effort to leverage global expertise, CRC invites players from the whole mobility value chain, more specifically broadcasters, application developers, users, device integrators and chip set makers, to collaborate on this initiative and embrace new opportunities emerging from open source business models. 

If you want to know more about this project you can visit the CRC website.

Relevance for unconnected populations?

This application holds a lot of potential. To start, the price of the transmission unit can cost as little as USD 800. The cheap cost of this technology makes it an affordable option for many broadcasters. The fact that the project makes use of open source software only increases the number of people who can use it. At the same time, the open source approach means the technology can be adapted and modified in a way that best serves the specific needs of each project.

One drawback is the lack of digital radio’s available on the market and their lackluster sales in even the world’s most developed markets. Part of the problem is that they are quite expensive when compared to traditional FM/AM receivers. An FM/AM receiver can cost as little as one USD where a DAB enabled radio implanted in a cell phone can cost between 50 and 100 USD. The question for DAB technology is to know when you will have receivers available at a similar price point as seen with FM receivers.

That said, the technologies greatest impact might not come from its traditional application i.e. radio and television broadcast. One area of particular interest could be in the sending/transmission of data. As an illustrative example, Francois Lefebvre notes that you could take all of the daily web log postings in Canada and transmit them by a DAB radio using less then 1/10th the capacity of a DAB channel. This gives us an idea of the amount of content we could actually send via such a device and clearly there might be other business/content models that would make better use of what this project has to offer.

One idea proposed by Jonathan Marks, Founder of Critical Distance, looks into using the radios as nodes in a local network. For example, a number of the radios could be distributed across a region. Different broadcasters could use the technology to exchange programming with partner radio stations. The individual programs could be then be downloaded and then converted for broadcasting via well-established analog networks.

Funny enough, the idea of local communities downloading a program, reformatting it to local taste and then uploading their own contributions doesn’t sound so different from the Web 2.0 definitions and technologies we know and use today.

Interesting quote: Wikipedia

(The noun “broadcasting” itself came from an agricultural term, meaning “scattering seeds”.)

Really Simple Reporting – A Business Model for Mobile Reporting

zia505 — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:22:05 +0000

We are working to give journalist in Africa advanced mobile phones / small digital recorders (i.e. the flip video). The local journalist use these tools to produce reports in their area and use the mobile and internet network to publish the content to www.AfricaNews.com. We are now working to engage 300 individuals spread across 33 African countries.

In addition to general reports about politics, business, sports and culture, our team works to bring out stories about individuals doing great things. We try to focus on what is possible and profile the people and the projects working to make it happen.

We feel this project helps generate better news and information on Africa. If anything, we work to make the process local and empower individuals in a way that they can tell their own story. The mobile reporting tools are great in terms of capturing this local perspective (no big camera crews, lights and other annoyances) and this really comes out in the reports we get in.

Needless to say, this entire process does cost money. Simple as that.

How does it work ? Watch this short video.- We build and maintain AfricaNews.com

- We work to identify and engage individuals for the network

- We work to provide members with as many reporting tools as we can afford

- We have developed training materials that help improve the quality of the reports

- Our editorial team in Accra work to train, guide and coach the contributors on a daily basis

- etc.

One way we generate income is via our “Really Simple Reporting” program. For a reasonable fee, organizations can commission their own mobile reports. We put together a briefing on a project, event or theme and send this out to one of the local journalist in the field. They can then make a visit to the location and collect the necessary text, photo and video. The report is then uploaded and edited before we send it off to the client. Our partner organizations use these mobile reports for their own websites, newsletters and other communication. These reports are often used in the effort to better communicate with stakeholders – the partners, clients and donors that would be interested in knowing more about what is happening on the ground.

Although these commissioned mobile reports do not qualify as ‘news’ they are often quite interesting, relevant and fun to watch. The local journalist becomes involved in interesting local projects and often times they gain considerable exposure as a result of the process. These commissioned mobile reports also mean we can pay the local journalist for the work that they do.

In this way we can help make a career in media more sustainable.

www.Africa-Interactive.net / www.AfricaNews.com

Technology and the rural youth – A surprising travel with a sociologist through Morocco

zia505 — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:20:34 +0000

Stereotype 1: Changes are most seen in the central part of Morrocco than in the more rural regions.

Stereotype 2: The technically developed west is superior then the weakened East, that since the Stone Age remains the same.

Stereotype 3: Graduates of the University generate more riches than those who never have the chance.

Stereotype 4: You are rich if you have a lot of money.

Stereotype 5: The conflict between man and woman will take centuries to solve.

Stereotype 6: The two cultures in Morocco (the Arabic and the Berber) are the source of many conflicts.

Stereotype 7: The populations living in the southern part of the country are called Berbers.

This is only a short list of the common generalizations Fatima Mernissi aims to dispel with her bookSheherazades Weblog. And if anything, she asks the reader to look beyond these generalizations in the effort to realize how fast Morocco is changing as a country.

It is no secret that Internet and mobile technology are quickly changing the way we live and work. Surprisingly, however, the impact of these technologies can best be seen in places other than Asia, Europe and North America. Increasingly, technology seems to have its greatest impact on places least suspected. This is only one of the many acute observations that come out of Fatima Mernissi’s latest book, the Sheherazades Weblog.

This latest book offers an interesting and unique look into the rising Internet culture in Morrocco. In the effort to connect the dots, we join Fatima Mernissi on a trip that extends well beyond the country’s urban centers and well into the highlands of the Atlas Mountains and the desert regions beyond.

It is in these more rural areas that we see the most dramatic change, the most creative use of new tools, and a combined community effort to harness their potential. It seems that communities in these remote areas have the most to gain from a digital revolution and at the same time can be the most creative in its uses.

One phenomenon that cannot be overlooked is the dating site revolution. A number of platforms have been mentioned in her book and are a testament to the desire and interest people have to connect and communicate. You can visit some of these websites, however, a few of them are no longer working. You can still look them up on the way back machine for an idea (http://www.archive.org/index.php).

Moroccan Dating sites :

Note: Would be interested to know of new sites that might have replaced these services. Also, would be great to learn of other entrepreneurs in Morocco who have found there way successfully online. Feel free to share stories and update this posting with additional links.

But Morocco’s changes reach far beyond dating. Mobile and Internet are increasingly being used to introduce new and innovative services across the country. One website, that still remains a prominent information portal, was started by a young couple in Marrakech (www.emarrakech.info). The founders exemplify a new breed of young entrepreneurs looking to engage their fellow citizens, taking active roles in the democratiziation of information. It is in these young people where Fatima Mernissi sees one of the country’s greatest strengths.

“Either way, feeling at home between tradition and modernity is without a doubt one of the most exciting characteristics of the Morrocan youth, who one evening sing along to pop tunes and dance to the rhythms of the sama’ the next. I believe this is one of the secrets of the new Arabic generations.”

It is interesting to note that the original text was written in 2004. What makes my head spin is to imagine what has happened since Fatima Mernissi made these observations. Where is the revolution now ? It is no surprise that the mothers of some of Morocco’s most promising Internet entrepreneurs still weave traditional rugs. Of course if you are interested in buying one, you can always shop on SouthBazaar (www.southbazaar.com), a Moroccan based website dedicated to artists who might otherwise not have an online presence.

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Interesting Statistics

MA – 34,343,219 population – Country Area: 458,730 sq km

Capital city: Rabat – population 1,754,425 (’08)

7,300,000 Internet users as of Mar/08, 21.3% of the population, per ITU.

390,800 broadband internet subscribers as of Sept/07, per ITU.

Source: Internet World Stats

Freedom of Use

“The government of Morocco does not restrict access to the Internet or censor content, according to several Internet users interviewed in Morocco. Accounts are easily obtained from dozens of private service providers, and users can access the unfiltered World Wide Web from home, the office, or one of many cybercafés operating in the big cities.” Read More

Link Malawi: http://www.africanews.com/site/list_messages/20530

Zanzibar votes for Obama – An unexpected election campaign

zia505 — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:18:53 +0000

A small group of individuals have launched Zanzibar’s own campaign to put Obama in the White House.

This video was made with the Mino Flip Video. It is a good example of the quality we can expect from emerging mobile reporting tools.

Mobile Reporting – Flip video offers a new tool

zia505 — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:17:13 +0000

Flip Video has introduced the new Mino. I have been waiting for this model to come out for some time. The added memory is a big plus and the new version boosts an improved recorder. This is great for reporting on the road. Unfortunately, it is not possible to buy these in Europe and I have had to ship one from the United States.

I look forward to trying it out on my trip to Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania. Look forward to updating this post with some examples.