Facebook launches Messenger for Kids on Android

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February 15, 2018

Facebook launches Messenger for Kids on Android

Facebook has received a considerable amount of backlash for launching a Messenger for Kids application, but that has not stopped the social media giant from now rolling it out to people on the Android front. Before now, the application could only be obtained from the Apple Store on the Amazon Fire units. With this new push, the application is set to get to even more popular soon.

Intended for children between the ages of 6 and 12, the application is made without options to hide messages or make in-app purchases. That way, parents can monitor conversations while ensuring their kid is not keeping any inappropriate content from them.

Anything for kids has to be fun. Facebook had that in mind too, building the social media app with various stickers, frames, GIFs and emojis that would make life colourful for the little users. There are interactive AR masks that can even be used in the event of one-on-one video call with friends.

Facebook has allowed for parents to remotely monitor the activities of their wards on the application too. The regular Messenger application would require either of a phone number or Facebook account, but the version for kids needs none of both. An account can simply be created and verified with the parent’s Messenger profile.

In the same breath, the parent can follow up on their child(ren)’s activities from their own Messenger application.

Another laudable feature is the Block and Report function that Messenger Kids application has in place. Whenever a child takes any of these actions, a notification is sent to their parents too. This innovation is seen as a way to help families keep and stay in touch with their little ones remotely while eliminating all the fears of wrongful exposure that comes with social media. Should it catch on, this could be the next big thing for Facebook

Instagram: You could soon know who takes a screenshot of your Stories

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O. Christopher

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February 12, 2018

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Instagram: You could soon know who takes a screenshot of your Stories

Instagram is in the works over a new feature that will see users notified when someone takes a screenshot of their stories. The feature is still in the beta testing stage, with the media-sharing social media application having rolled it out to a select few of its users, but is expected to come to everyone should the test be deemed successful.

According to the margin set by the company, success would only be guaranteed if they see that the feature further drives engagement with users on the platform, not less of it.

When this feature happens, it would be right up there with the earlier screenshot feature on Instagram. The standing screenshot technology used to work in Direct Messages (DMs) only where the creator of a message would get notified when the reading end takes a screenshot of the messages.

Those who are part of this test would be able to see who took a screenshot of their stories by going to the list of viewers. There, they will find a new camera shutter logo next to the names of those that have taken a grab of the screen while watching.

It is worthy of note that Instagram does not see this feature fit to have a notification of its own, so the user would have to manually check to see when someone takes a screenshot or not.

There is the argument that less and less people might be interested in watching live videos and updates on the general if they feel they cannot take screenshots without notifying the creator of the content. That could just be a misplaced thought though, but whatever happens in the space of the next few days would determine what school of thought wins this argument.

Should this feature roll out to all users, Instagram could be on par with Snapchat which had already enabled this kind of feature on their Stories section too.

Week 6 Tech Roundup: Facebook aims to estimate your wealth, Galaxy S8/ S8+ gets Oreo, Qualcomm not selling and so much more

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O. Christopher

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February 10, 2018

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Facebook will always surprise us with the way they have revolutionised the words ‘social media.’ It has been said that the social media giant is now working on technology that would let them know the socio-economic class each user falls into. Quite frankly, you can’t hide your wealth from Facebook anymore should this come to fruition. In the same week, the same social media company started testing a ‘Downvote’ feature on its platform.

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That news was followed by some good news from HMD who could be giving us their first unit with an 18:9 aspect ratio, possibly the Nokia 7 Plus. Still in the smartphone scene, the worldwide dip in smartphone shipments hit tablet units too. The market saw a further decline in 2017 (after suffering one at the end of 2016 already) but Apple still managed to pull through, recording a boost instead.

It would not be much of a good week for Airtel who are now supposed to appear in court in defence of a #5 million suit slapped on it by a user. Apparently, someone got so tired of illegal deductions and decided to do something about it. The poor run of news does not end there with OLX being forced to close up shop in Nigeria. Not just Nigeria, in two other African countries too.

A silver lining to this series was provided by Opera News which reached a stunning 1 million downloads in less than a month. As if Opera opened the door for good news, the users of the Samsung Galaxy S8/ S8+ started getting the Oreo updates, Nigeria came out as one of the top three countries with the highest online presence in the world (according to Google) and we could get the Xiaomi Mi 7 with as much as 8GB RAM/ 128GB storage.

Going forward, we will be keeping an eye on what Broadcom would do next now that Qualcomm has refused, yet again, its offer to buy. With that, we have come to the end of the major tech happenings in the news this week

Broadcom ups offer to $82/ share, but Qualcomm is still not selling

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O. Christopher

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February 9, 2018

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Broadcom ups offer to $82/ share, but Qualcomm is still not selling

Last year, Broadcom made an offer to buy out Qualcomm – the chipset maker that is behind the genius of Snapdragons. However, that deal fell through with QUALCOMM feeling the offer did not do well to justify its worth. Now, Broadcom has brought the bid up, but Qualcomm is still refusing to sell for the same reasons.

Initially setting the buying price at $70 per share, Broadcom has now offered to pay $12 more, bringing the total to $82 per share. This, they plan to pay with $60 in cash per share and $22 in Broadcom shares.

On the back of this recent refusal, Broadcom has stated that this would be their ‘best and final offer’ to the chip maker. That could be true, but considering the pull Qualcomm has on the mobile chipset market, the former company might be willing to offer even more in the future.

Qualcomm, for one, thinks that the value and worth evaluation plan of Broadcom does not take into consideration their recent purchase of Semiconductors NV for $38 billion, considerably driving the price further higher.

Likewise, Qualcomm is concerned that should they be willing to sell, but the sale be blocked by US Authorities, they might not be able to recover from the aftermath. Not only would the reputation of the chipset maker be destroyed, but they might lose a lot in cash and other financial standings too.

To force the move, a proxy fight could be initiated by the board members of both companies. That would see the board of directors over at Qualcomm vote for Broadcom’s candidates, who would in turn vote to accept the standing deal at $82 per share. Until that happens, or another agreement is reached, both companies would continue to remain separate entities.

Facebook testing new feature that allows you ‘Downvote’ on content

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O. Christopher

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February 9, 2018

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There used to be a time when you would see a poor (for one reason or the other) status update/ other content on Facebook, and all you could do was walk past it. Well, we are talking in the past tense because all that could change very soon.

The social media giant has stepped up the game to ensure users get the best experience on the application by testing out a new ‘Downvote’ feature. If you have been using the ‘Like’ feature for a while, think of this as the opposite. Apparently, users would now be able to use this feature to flag contents they don’t find appealing and not have to see such content anymore.

Facebook has however stated that this is not to be taken as a dislike button. Instead,

We [Facebook] are exploring a feature for people to give us feedback about comments on public page posts.

It is not sure if the feature would be made available to everyone as it is also said that it “is running for a small set of people in the US only.” Depending on how successful the test is, the feature may or may not become mainstream.

What makes the ‘Downvote’ button more than a dislike button, as said, is that it also allows for feedback on why the user finds that content inappropriate. You could have taken action based on the content being misleading, offensive, off-topic or for other reasons. From what we have seen, it is not possible to determine whether Facebook will allow you type another reason for the downvote.

This will be a very useful tool in controlling poor content on the social media platform. Don’t get too excited though because if it does roll out to everyone, it would be abused. The only upside would be making sure the advantages outweighs the disadvantages.

Samsung begins Oreo rollout to Galaxy S8/S8+ units in Europe

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O. Christopher

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February 8, 2018

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Samsung begins Oreo rollout to Galaxy S8/S8+ units in Europe

… with other markets expected to follow suit shortly

Late last month, Samsung put an end to the Android 8 Oreo beta program for the users of its recent line of flagship designs – the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+. Since then, the company had promised to start rolling out the stable version, but not much has been heard.

Today though, there is some good news as the South Korean OEM commenced the rollout of this software as promised.

It appears that the initial rollout is being sent to those who were a part of the beta program, and rightly so. This week is nearly at an end, but we expect that there would be a bigger rollout to include non-beta testers as from the end of the week. If you have not gotten a notification too, it might be because you are not in Europe.

Being an OTA update, the Galaxy phone manufacturer is pushing the update out in batches and by region. They had already made it known via a reply to one of their users that not everyone would get the update at the same time, so you might just have to sit tight till it hits your market too.

If you have been on the beta program, the good news is that you just have to worry about downloading some 487MB of additional data before you are fully patched to the stable software. Those that are coming from Nougat would have to part with considerably higher space on their devices, but there is no detail as to that information yet.

There is no update calendar that tells of when the update would hit units in other markets for now, but as soon as we hear anything, we will surely let you know. Watch this space for more information.

Opera News application crosses the 1 million download mark in less than a month

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O. Christopher

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February 7, 2018

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Opera News application crosses the 1 million download mark in less than a month

Opera made the decision to separate its news feature from the browser application, and that looks to bearing some dividends now. Just four weeks into the launch of the application on various App stores, it has now reached the 1 million download mark. This impressive feat does not come alone, as the news application is now rated the number 1 app on Google Play Store for the Kenyan, Nigerian and Ghanaian markets.

The aim of Opera News is to bring to users the latest in entertainment and other world news, right from the comfort of a single application. To further boost its presence in Nigeria, the brand signed on Simi – a promising Nigerian artiste who is making huge waves in the industry.

It would now look like all the energy that the brand has directed to the marketing of its new product has finally been rewarded with this first milestone.

Jorge Arnesen, the Global Head of Marketing and Distribution Ait Opera, has said that

We are thrilled to see more than a million downloads of the app, and that we rank above other apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.

That is, indeed, an achievement, considering the major pull the developers of the mentioned apps have on the market in general.

Opera News was first released in early January 2018. Ever since, it has gone on to warm its way into the hearts of users with the way it delivers tailored content and videos. According to information released by the company, the artificial intelligence behind the application sources for and aggregates all news items in the entertainment niche in one place.

As much as the user uses the app, it becomes smarter as to what they love to see and consume, giving them just that in the future.

Opera has dedicated its time and energy to an Africa First campaign, and we know this is a first of many to come for the black market.

Lawsuit: Airtel Nigeria could pay 5 million Naira in damages if found guilty of…

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O. Christopher

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February 6, 2018

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Lawsuit: Airtel Nigeria could pay #5 million in damages if found guilty of…

Some trouble seems to be lurking in the passages of Airtel Nigeria right now as they could be taken for as much as #5 million if a claim that was just recently submitted by a user of the network is verified to stand in a court of law.

According to the complainant, who was simply identified as Niyi Bada, the network is guilty of deducting unnecessary charges from his account. This, he complained, has been done for no less than two years now.

The claim, which was submitted through the client’s law firm. also confirmed that the complainant has been at the telecoms company’s head office multiple times to lodge complaints, and ask that the services which lead to deductions be discontinued, but all to no avail.

That is why he has resorted to this measure. Quite frankly, this would serve as a beacon of hope to many Nigerians who have given up in their quest to see telecoms providers stop exploitation in this form.

A part of the letter sent through his solicitors, Niyi Bada and Co., to the telecoms operator reads

Our client informed us that in the last two years, his line that he bought in 2003 and which he has put into use ever since, has been inundated with numerous text messages informing him about his subscription to numerous services some of which are Video Magic Weekly, Mini start service, VID service, Fashion weekly, 2 VID service, 10 Vid Service, VOD, 828, 1 Subscription service, Goool Club, N – Express Fashion Service, Smart Now, Hollywood Club and Music Club.

The letter went on to state that anytime the client – Niyi Bada, that is – went to make a complaint, the services would be deactivated only for them to show up a few days after that again. As such, the letter continues that

It would appear that your company has a policy to fleece subscribers of their hard-earned money hence the decision to always restore the unsolicited even when there were formal and persistent complaints to take them off.

With this, it does look like the man has a case against the network. We will let you know how the story goes as soon as we get anything else

Report: Tablet shipments slumps in 2017, Apple still gains significantly

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O. Christopher

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February 6, 2018

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Report: Tablet shipments slumps in 2017, Apple still gains significantly

It is a season of decline, seeing the likes of bitcoin and other cryptocurrency plummet down in sales. The same happened to the Chinese smartphone market, and Xiaomi even pipped a slipping Samsung to the top spot in India. As if that is not enough, the tablet market is also having its own dip, and it does not look like its going away anytime soon.

According to IDC – a research firm – the sales of tablets last year was down about 6.5 percent from the year before that. In figures, that accounts for a reduction of more than 10 million tablets in all. In 2016, there was a double-digit decline in the shipments of tablets, but the figures still managed to stay at 174.9 million. Last year though, the figures went further down, leading to a triple-digit decline to just 163 million units instead.

In spite of that, Apple seemed to have enjoyed a boom in the market. From recording a shipment of 42.6 million in the year 2016, the Cupertino-based company can easily boast of a decent 43.8 million shipments made on tablets alone last year.

That is not just an increase for the iPhone makers, but also a holding of 27% of the total market share. Samsung is losing on the second front again, dropping to second and Amazon was in the third position.

The good news for smartphone and tablet makers this year is that customers might be appreciating detachable tablets more than the traditional units now. According to the same reports, shipments for detachable units went up 1.2% amidst all these drops.

Before the market would get saturated, other brands could quickly bring out irresistible innovation in the field and make some sales. That being said, a template has already been set for the year, and we expect the very best to come out of the competition on who would lay claim to the bestselling detachable.

Leak: Nokia 7 Plus to carry 18:9 aspect ratio screen, dual cameras and other interesting specs

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O. Christopher

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February 5, 2018

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HMD Global is at it again, and now, they have promised to make a phone with the much-coveted 18:9 screen aspect ratio. This will also be spread across a large screen that would stand at 6 inches, and be privy to the Nokia 7 Plus.

Other details were released about the build and design of the Nokia 7 Plus too. Some of those included tips on a Gorilla glass that would sit on the front, aluminium material that would be used for the overall build and also, a dual camera setup. It is not surprising that these cameras would carry the Zeiss branding, and that even makes them more interesting to look forward to.

The selfie generation has been around for a while now, and the market is getting a little bit saturated. The Nokia 7 Plus aims to address that with the introduction of ‘bothies,’ allowing a user take pictures with the rear and front cameras simultaneously.

Such pictures would surely be beautiful pieces, considering that a 16MP camera would be sitting in front of the phone. On the back would be the 12MP camera (to be designed to shoot in a ‘wide’ mode) and a 13MP snapper (made to shoot in ‘tele’ mode instead).

To make the aluminium less slippery than normal, a ceramic-like texture would be adopted in developing it. On this aluminium body would the be other features such as the fingerprint scanner, and obviously, the Nokia logo.

Going under the hood, some of the expected specs for the Nokia 7 Plus are a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor, 4GB of RAM and an internal storage space of 64GB. Thankfully, there would be a microSD card slot for those who would want to expand the storage capacity.

To cap it all off, the mobile phone which is expected to ship with Android 8 Oreo out of the box would also feature fast charging capabilities alongside a USB Type C port