What is a Mobile App?

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July 11, 2011

We asked a college student to define an app. He got clueless on the terminology. Possibly, he has not memorized it from any of the textbooks because those books have not been written in Lagos. So, to you, what is an app? You know what it does, but how will you define it.

This is our take: Mobile apps or mobile applications or apps for short are special purpose software (applications) developed for mobile devices. They can require a web browser or not to function. The key is that they use the Internet as a transport medium but do not require an Internet, ideally, to operate. In some cases, most complicated ones require a telecommunication signal to function.

Under the mobile reading segments, these are the players and brands behind them
• Desktops and laptops
o Various platforms
o Game consoles (Wii, X-BOX)

• Readers
o Sony Reader
o Amazon Kindle
o BN Nook
o Kobo Reader
• Mobile devices
o Treo (Palm)
o Blackberry (RIM)
o iPhone (Apple)
o Android (Google)
o Ovi (Nokia)/Microsoft (Windows)

• Netbooks and tablets
o Asus
o Acer
o Dell
o Courier
o Apple iPad
o Samsung
o Motorola
o HP

o Fasmicro/Microscale

[Take Action] Tekedia REDESIGN – A Virtual Conference: Africa in Mobile + Cloud Era.

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Tekedia Editors

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July 11, 2011

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In the last few years, most parts of the world have morphed into an electronically interdependent economic unit where a disruption in one marketplace affects the others. New technologies have emerged, transforming the ways we do business and, consequently, redesigning the world. Innovation in disruptive technologies pushes new and more agile firms to set new benchmarks, and forces established companies to incorporate evolving breakthroughs into their models or re-invent themselves to stay competitive.

Innovation thus remains a key driver in wealth creation, but the way it happens is changing as a result of new technologies, processes and tools. As social media networks advance, outsourcing ideas to the crowd has become common, while inter-company R&D that pools resources together is a new normal. From agriculture to print media, finance to mortgage and across sectors, industries, and disciplines, the world is being redesigned.

Two technologies that are playing major roles in this redesigning are mobile and cloud computing. And we will be discussing them in the context of Africa. Right here on Tekedia on August 27, 2011, we will host a Virtual Conference, titled

Africa In Mobile + Cloud Era

You will watch feeds from experts and pros as they discuss the future on mobility and cloud computing and how that will affect Africa. No ticket, no travel, it is all in the cloud. We guess the best way to experience mobile and cloud is to do a conference in the domains of mobile and cloud!

A keynote will be delivered by our Founder. The exact time will be communicated very soon.

For questions and comments, email tekedia@fasmicro.com. This is going to be huge, and we promise to offer you a good time.

[Call for Paper] Tekedia REDESIGN, a Virtual Conference

Interest Free Banking Model – An Innovation That Needs More Adoption. Startups Could Do Better In That Domain

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Guest Author

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July 11, 2011

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There has been uproar over the recently released circular on interest-free banking model in Nigeria.With experience in banking and an innovation enthusiast; I will like to share my opinion in reaction to the sensitivity shown and ignorance expressed by people over this subject, which is a huge success in other clime.

For a population like us, with over 68 million unbanked, with Kano and Katsina having the highest unbanked population of a total of 96% for each State, with significant part of that population having no formal education or where they are formally educated must take Islamic education alongside, how appropriate and timely to allow an interest –free banking which they can identify with. The necessity of attuning financial services to local cultures and needs was rightly captured by Accenture article on African Financial Services.

As a country with a pressing challenge of being competitive amongst comity of nations, we cannot allow primordial sentiments to becloud our sense of judgment and hence miss out in a growth opportunity like this. The retail banking market size is large enough with unmet demands for a product that caters for the Muslim faithful or anyone who does not want interest.

In addition, the employment opportunities that will come with it cannot be ignored, since a new crop of personnel will be trained and employed. Also, 65% of cash in circulation is outside banking, hence, we need a leader with an innovative disposition to get them in, Interest Free banking to the rescue.

Interest –free banking, with particular reference to Islamic banking is an innovation, it is attributed to the pioneering work of Ahmad El Najjar in Egypt in 1963. The success of that banking model in capturing those left out of the traditional banking system based on their faith makes it an ideal alternative not after the recent failures of Nigerian Microfinance banks in being far from their description.

This piece was sent by Bola, the custodian of Higher Education and Innovation blog.

What Yale University Record Campaign Should Teach Africa. Now Music School is Tuition Free

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Tekedia Editors

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July 11, 2011

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Yale University students and professors are having a good time. Why not? They just raised $3.88 billion in a five year fundraising campaign that ended this June. This is how the war chest happened, based on information Tekedia has gathered.

– ten people donated at least $50 million dollars

– business icon and private equity maestro Stephen Adams and his wife Denise donated $50m each to simply make music school tuition free

-About 2,000 people gave at least $100,000

This is a record campaign number in any university history. We are very sure that Aliko Dangote donates to PDP office construction. We are not sure of any major support to a university in Nigeria. When will that begin to happen across Africa so that our education system will improve.

With this impressive campaign which we think will give the Yale President a huge pay increase, Yale endowment moves up though still below Harvard, the world’s highest at $27.4 billion. Yale is now $16.7 billion, second overall. Recall that Harvard lost badly when the market crashed in 2008. At a time, they were nearly double this present figure.

Meanwhile, if you apply to Yale now for music starting next year, you get tuition free. Tekedia does not think that is a good way to spend $100 from the Adams. But that is their choice. The best music comes from the folks in American Idol and ghettos and not from Ivy League, at least the market says. I know the opera and the sleeping type music is still popular among the people of the Skull and Bones fraternity in Yale.

Despite More Ad Space, Facebook Rates Hold Up

By

Tekedia Editors

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July 11, 2011

0

If you noticed it, Facebook increased the number of ad space in March of this year. In the pages, there were more ad spots on pages. The company also added promotions below photos which the users tag.

We have been following to see if the rates will drop as a result of more ad spaces. This morning, we can confirm that Facebook ads rates hold up despite the increased spots. We had thought that more slots will push prices down and hurt the company. Facebook is expected to make $4.05 billion in ad revenue this year, according to eMarketer, a market research company.This company is assuredly popular that the more spots did not annoy advertiser or drag them prices.

The bulk of this revenue is from the bidding ad and the self-serve ads where customers put those static photos and few words and then bib based on prices to get better positions and appear on the pages of the 714 million Facebook users.

But notice something: you do not need to bid much. Just use the lowest possible amount on Facebook on the ad page. We have never seen any drop in impression based on the price we bid on Facebook ad.

Yet, we continue to point out that the primitive and static nature of Facebook is what could open it up for disruption from Google plus.

Also, Tekedia thinks that Facebook ad is primitive and that is where Google Plus could strike. The static images by the right hand side of user’s profiles do not add any major value. Few people care to see those images. If Google plus offers a more dynamic and less instructive ad network, advertisers will follow. It is about value and right now, Facebook ads do not add any value.

What is a Mobile App?

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[Take Action] Tekedia REDESIGN – A Virtual Conference: Africa in Mobile + Cloud Era.

Africa In Mobile + Cloud Era

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Interest Free Banking Model – An Innovation That Needs More Adoption. Startups Could Do Better In That Domain

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What Yale University Record Campaign Should Teach Africa. Now Music School is Tuition Free

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Despite More Ad Space, Facebook Rates Hold Up

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What is a Mobile App?

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[Take Action] Tekedia REDESIGN – A Virtual Conference: Africa in Mobile + Cloud Era.

Africa In Mobile + Cloud Era

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Interest Free Banking Model – An Innovation That Needs More Adoption. Startups Could Do Better In That Domain

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What Yale University Record Campaign Should Teach Africa. Now Music School is Tuition Free

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Despite More Ad Space, Facebook Rates Hold Up

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