Why we need to Create Botswana's own Silicon Valley! at 1:17 PM

It stills saddens me to see an abundance of Developers, Techies & IT Enthusiasts sitting at home doing nothing, while we could actually create a Platform with all the necessary resources (High Speed internet , Electronics, Gadgets & the like) for em to explore their curiosity, creating jobs for our very own Batswana, changing the world at the same time. Entrepreneurship & Innovation are the in-thang at this time & Age & its high time Entrepreneurs & Innovators are really appreciated in our country.

The Following are My Top 3 reasons why i think we need to seriously spark the Creative Industry in #BW; instead of focusing on problems, i will Focus on solutions:

1. Creative Environment: 

Before anything else, we first need to set up a Creative environment for our own App Developers, Web Designers/Developers, Graphic Designers, Hackers, Electronic Geeks etc...an environment that sparks the flow of their creative juices, High Speed internet for em to browse the net Faster & even download any resources they may need to finish their Projects in a jiffy! They should really feel Good about themselves and their skills whenever they get into this environment. We should feel free to bring our own kids along as well; they should be coding & developing cool stuff by the ages of 6-7 years.

2. Entrepreneurship & Innovation: 

This environment itself will spark new ideas & new possibilities. The Graphic designers will take care of the interface part of that website or App...the Developers will then work on the back-end or the functionality of the Website/App. Once its done, it will then be passed on to the Hackers or Cybersecurity Specialists to test the security of the App especially if its an App that's gonna contain critical data (credit cards etc).

Once the App is complete, Business Experts should then advise the Innovators or Developers on how they can monetize that App. Most Developers are only stuck in the Development Phase, they get excited about developing Cool stuff but they don't know how to monetize their Creations. They shouldn't worry much about this coz Business advisers will be there to help!

3. International Market: 

Once the App meets an International Standard, Business Experts should now find potential markets globally & seek ways in which this App could be sold Globally, not just in Botswana. Yes! selling it through Google Play Store, windows Store or iTunes Store is one way to do it, but more should be done to tap into the international market & make a killing!

Conclusion: 

The idea of creating Botswana's own Silicon Valley is meant to encourage not only #Entrepreneurship & #Innovation but most importantly #Collaboration...working together towards a common Goal, achieving Great things together, attracting investments from Global Companies to #BW as well.

I am calling on all Creative Mindz out there to join us on this quest! Feel free to contact me!

I cant do it alone! We can it together! Lets leave dent on Planet earth Folks!

Email: dunfamline@gmail.com
Whatsapp: +267 76459160

How Mobile Apps can help Grow Local Businesses at 8:28 AM

Times have truly changed and it’s quite imperative for any business to quickly adapt to the latest technological advancements. Mobile Applications have taken the world by storm! Majority of Smart, forward-thinking Entrepreneurs are taking advantage of the use of Mobile Apps to further improve their businesses. Local companies here in Botswana should really consider tapping into this booming Technology, for it would not only enhance their reach locally but most importantly, Globally as well.

      



If you are thinking of growing your business, here are 5 ways Mobile Apps can help you grow your business:

                


1. Boost branding – Since your company’s logo is always visible on your customers’ mobile screens, it’s virtually impossible for them not to remember you whenever they need your products/services. A Mobile App offers a definite advantage against your competitors who are yet to adopt this business strategy. If you want an instant brand boost or recognition, creating a Mobile Application is a great way to help improve your corporate branding & overall reputation.

2. Improve customer service experience – Your customers can benefit from being able to access your products/services anytime they want, while on the fly. This is especially true if you don’t have a help line that’s available 24/7. Your App can include a feature where they can contact you day or night, and without necessarily going to your website.

3. Act as a marketing tool – A Mobile App can double as a valuable marketing tool as well. How? It can be easily integrated with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn & other social media sites. That means, with a single tap, customers can share your App across their networks & even share their experience with your company, which can then offer you free publicity. By using push notifications, you can quickly send upcoming promotions or special events to your customers and prospects.

4. Acquire more customers – Keep in mind that today’s consumers are constantly moving and are addicted to their mobile devices. Undoubtedly, they would appreciate a useful and engaging Mobile App from your company. If your App helps them save or kill time or is just that awesome, they would even refer you to their friends and family.

5. Generate more income – A Mobile Application with order fulfillment ability can readily provide another revenue channel, aside from your website and or brick and mortar store. For example, functionality to make restaurant reservations, book concert tickets, buy goods and services, etc. are possible with a few taps/clicks.

So if you've been pondering how you can possibly grow your business? Mobile apps are here to save you!

Below are some of the links to some of the Apps i developed for both Botswana & Kenya. 

Kenya: 
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/kenya-radio/id1080189346?ls=1&mt=8


Botswana:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bw-radio/id1071772730?ls=1&mt=8

Feel free to contact me so i can help you get started.

Email: dunfamline@gmail.com
Phone: +267 76459160

The Emergence of Online Entrepreneurs at 8:15 AM

We seem to believe so much in a 'Brick & Mortar' Business model here in Botswana....anything either than that is thought of as "impossible" or simply "non-existent". What we don't realize is....we are lagging behind! We don't believe in Online Businesses & we are really missing out on a lot of opportunities! Most IT graduates who are probably sitting on their Talents at home, could be cashing-in on this opportunity...making money Online! There is only one problem that is acting as a huge barrier to local Entrepreneurs to tap on this...."buying Online!".

Its not easy to buy stuff online from here unless you have a credit card! So almost everyone is left out....if we could simplify this process & avail it to everyone...Trust me, the world of Ecommerce would undoubtedly open a door to a plethora of opportunities for almost everyone here in Botswana..

Ecommerce: A Door to a Plethora of Opportunities

Think of Facebook, Google, Twitter, Dropbox, SoundCloud....these are all Online businesses that are making billions as i speak...take a look at Whatsapp...something that started off as an App idea by a developer and is now a Big company making billions! It goes to show that an App idea can eventually become a successful business! What we need to do right now is shift our minds from believing only in business that are physical & create room for Online businesses. Most IT graduates don't have jobs....with the introduction of Ecommerce...they can use their skills to develop their own killer ideas, start their own Online businesses & easily make money as "Online Entrepreneurs". With this approach, they can definitely put their creative juices to good use & make a killing, creating more jobs for Batswana at the same time! Who knows, they may even become the next Billionaires! Its all possible!

Alternatively, we can introduce Ecommerce through BitCoin - The Revolutionary Digital Currency of the internet that uses peer to peer technology to perform online transactions. I wanna take this moment to applaud Botswana Innovation Hub for inviting BitCoin Experts over here to come & educate the public on the benefits of using BitCoin. I just hope we will be receptive enough as Batswana to adopt this payment system because it could be our door to the world of Ecommerce for now...while we wait for local banks to catch up. 

I personally see so many good things out of this; local businesses can also adopt BitCoin and accept payments in BitCoin Currency. We would be able to buy anything from anywhere locally as well as Globally. Sending money to a relative abroad would simply be a breeze through BitCoin. All you need to do is simply pick your Smartphone/Tablet or Laptop/PC...login to your BitCoin Wallet, transfer the money into his or her BitCoin wallet and the he or she will receive that money in an instant! Its that easy! To create a BitCoin Wallet simply go to this website, click on 'Start a new wallet'...fill up all the necessary requirements & you will have your BitCoin Wallet in a minute!

Benefits of Online Entrepreneurship

I strongly believe that Entrepreneurship is the driving force of any country's economy...with the emergence of Online Entrepreneurs, our economy is bound to pick up...more jobs will be created. Being an Online Entrepreneur is beneficial in the following ways: 

-You don't necessarily need an office...you can work from anywhere

-You can stand up for what you believe in; if you have an App idea, you can develop it, find your niche market & sell it online. 

-You can make money even when you are sleeping

-Since you can work from anywhere as long as there is internet connection, you get to save a lot of money. You can test out your idea on the real world and see if it successfully takes off, if it doesn't you can make a few changes to it or come up with a new one...if it gains traction, thats when you can think of opening an office. This is how Whatsapp did it! they developed an App, gave it away for free to the world, the whole world loved it & couldn't live without it & they started selling it for $0.99, made a lotta money out of it and finally caught Facebook's attention which decided to buy the company for $22 billion. Whatsapp developers instantly became Billionaires!

All i can say is if we successfully pave the way for Ecommerce here in Botswana....

Anybody with a laptop & internet connection can make it BIG! 

How Tech can Drive Business for Local Architects at 10:35 AM

Finding information on a particular business locally is quite a headache because most local companies as well as Entrepreneurs, don't have websites at all...you have no other choice but to look for that info using Traditional means (newspapers, Botswana Advertiser, Radio, Telephone directory etc)...uhmmm hellooo! we are already living in the Digital Age, why are we still stuck in the Stone Age?!

A simple observation i've made is that most local Architects don't have websites...the only way to know about em is through word of mouth through a friend, colleague or one of their customers...what they don't realize is that this approach is narrowing down their market! They could be making more...not only locally but Globally through their websites or even Mobile Apps! People may not like your designs locally but somebody out there might love em...you just need to position yourself properly...Online!

The Mind of a potential Customer

As a customer, if i am looking for a particular service, the first thing i will do is "Google that service"....Google will then come up with search results using my current location...if your website comes up at the top, good for you....i will instantly check it out! But at first glance, your website should completely convince me (Presentation Style should be on-point) that you are the right guy for the job...next thang i will need to see is a portfolio of your work...Trust me...every customer is always looking for "Social Proof"...that is; evidence that you are really good at your craft & people are actually using your services....if you don't have any samples of your work...trust me...
You have lost business by Default! Period.

Benefits of Tech To Local Architects

The truth is...almost everyone is "Connected" nowadays...either through their laptop/PC, their Smartphones/Tablets or simply both. In other words, it has become much easier to reach potential customers right at the palms of their hands...if you are still stuck in using Traditional Media...
You are really missing out! 

For you to make a killing...you are gonna need a website....not just any other website but a Simple but Elegant, User-friendly Website with a catchy Domain name (e.g yourdreamhome.bw)that is fully integrated with all your Social Media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google+). A website that is highly Optimized for search engines like Google so they can easily find your website. It will come up at the top of the search results or atleast on the first page of the search results. That's very important, because customers rarely visit other pages of the search results.

Having a proper website will enhance your business in the following ways:

- Since your website will be highly Optimized for search engines...potential customers can easily find you & the services you provide.

- You can use social media to drive traffic to your website since it will be fully integrated with all your Social Media accounts. A website without traffic is like a Billboard in the middle of the desert. You need traffic to generate sales.

- We will upload most of your Great work (Social Proof) so your potential customers can easily check out your 3D house designs & easily visualize their ideal homes.

- Your website will be fully integrated with a shopping cart system, which would be beneficial to your company in the sense that if a potential customer happens to love one of your 3D designs...he or she can buy the house plan instantly...Online! The payment will be automatically sent to your account and the customer will simply receive the plan on his/her email. Its that easy!

- After checking out your website, some clients may want to arrange a meeting with you...they can do that through the contact form embedded on the site. You will receive an email notification; once you confirm the meeting, the client will be notified instantly. Whats good about this is that half your work is done because the website has already done all the convincing for you, through your online portfolio, all you need to do is simply close the deal when you meet up with the client. The client already believes in your skills.

-One most important thang is...you wont just be Face in the crowd...You will stand our from the rest of the other Architects. This approach would also greatly benefit most "Interior Designers" as well...

There you have it Folks! Simple! Elegant & User-friendly! A chance to make money even when you are sleeping...who wouldn't want this?! hahaha yeah that's what i thought!


The convenience of Life itself is going "Online" coz when services are Online...Life becomes easier! 


Email: dunfamline@gmail.com
Whatsapp: (+267) 76459160

Mount Your Android Device as a Drive on your PC at 7:46 AM

Transferring files to an Android device can be a pain in the butt...instead of having all those USB cables all over your work space, why don't you stand out from the rest & transfer all the files you need "Wirelessly" to your Android Device like a BOSS! wouldn't that be Cool?!


Allow me to officially introduce you guys to 'AirDrive'....a Free Android App that enables you to mount your Android device as a Drive Letter on your PC, allowing you to transfer all your files wirelessly, simplifying the process that could be a headache to some.


For this to execute smoothly....You'll need to install NetDrive on your PC and AirDrive App on your Android device... your Android device will show up as just another drive letter in Windows.

You are Done!


You can now enjoy transferin' em files to your device! Its that simple!

You can download AirDrive from Play Store here.

                        

How Hackers use ignorance to their own Advantage at 9:09 AM

Who is to blame?! Hackers or Network Administrators/Engineers? 

If you leave your house door open or your keys on the door & thieves easily get into your house and steal all your valuable assets; who do you blame, the thieves or yourself? That's the question!

A few days ago i made a blog post about Cybersecurity in Botswana, stating how most Network Administrators are ignorant, leaving router passwords as default, putting internet users in grave danger! Today i am gonna show you how easy it is to gain access to a router with a default password in 20 seconds! Yep! its that easy folks!

Now if you have physical access to the router, good for you... but as hackers we somehow enjoy the thrill of attacking a network Wirelessly! Assuming that the Wireless network was left open (no WiFi password) or the hacker has already cracked the WiFi password...taking over this network would simply be a piece of cake! All the hacker has to do is simply open a Web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Opera) and go to the router login page using the router IP address: 192.168.1.1, 192.168.0.1 etc..depends on the type of the router. 

Usually on the router login page, the router model is always written somewhere. So in this case, you can see at the Top left corner of the 1st screenshot, that the model of this router is "DLINK DIR- 655"...easy! So since the hacker has the router model, what he has to do now is simply go to the Default Router Passwords website & start looking for DLINK DIR-655 default username & password and login to that router...see! its that easy! Once he has logged in to the router he can do pretty much anythin he wants; reboot the router, disconnect the internet, block some or all users from the network, sniff the network & grab all username & passwords etc. 


It takes around 4 minutes for the hacker to execute this attack...This not only poses a serious threat to companies but to home users as well...i would like to encourage Network engineers from Internet Service Providers (ISPs), to change router passwords for the safety of their customers. Follow this tutorial to check if you may be a victim, if you are...try to change the router password yourself (Google is there to help you). You never know, someone could be spying on you, and if you are buying stuff online with that credit of yours, don't be surprised if you lose all your money...Take these precautions seriously!

Cybersecurity begins with You - Be aware, Be Secure! 

Branding VS Religion at 12:34 PM

Try saying anything negative about a True Believer's Religion & you are in for a Big fight! The Truth is, people will do whatever it takes to protect/defend what they Believe in, whether its True or not. Its that simple!

Branding

When it comes to Business Success, we can really learn a lot from religion. What churches do is simply instill a Belief System in an individual, once that is done, everything will simply run on "Autopilot"...whatever the church asks for, members of the church (True Believers) will do whatever it takes to contribute whatever they have to get it done (e.g money, assets, more people etc). They will even invite more people to join the church, assuring them on how this church will change their lives. Eventually, we now have an army that will defend the church in whatever way possible! 

Now i am not trying to spark a heated argument on religion here & I am not saying you should stop believing in God; but i just want us to learn something here...something which we can apply in our companies. Lets take Apple for instance; try saying anything negative about Apple or an Apple product, to an "Apple-Addict" (Fan) & then see what happens...he or she will try by all means to justify how Great Apple products are. This Loyal Fan will go to the extent of buying almost all Apple products coz he believes in them (Quality, Class etc)...even if Apple happens to release a poor product (of which i don't think so---Yes i am Apple Addict as well...lol)...this customer will still buy it anyway! Catch my Drift?! In business, this is what we call...Brand Loyalty! 

Final Words

Well the point i am trying to drive across here is, if you are gonna Brand your company / Product.....do it in a way that it creates a Strong Belief System in your customers, become a Thought Leader in your area of Expertise...in other words...become a GOD in what you specialize in...and people will Follow you, they will worship you! Eventually you will now have True Believers a.k.a "Loyal customers". 

You are done with your part now....everything else will simply run on 'Auto-Pilot' from there....Your Loyal customers will invite more people to join your Religion & your become even more Successful.

In God we Trust...in Business we Pay!

What most African countries could learn from Estonia at 9:51 AM

Imagine waking up in the morning with a Great business idea...You pull out your laptop, register a new company and in about 15 minutes, your company is already up and running & you are already marketing your products/services to potential clients out there, receiving orders in a short span of time. You check out all your medical records from all your hospital visits, you check how your children are progressing at school in real-time without having to be physically there...the thought of venturing into Real-Estate pops into your mind, you immediately apply for a new plot & at the end of the month you are able to easily file your taxes right from your home, Online. Who wouldn't want to enjoy the convenience of this kinda lifestyle?! Yeah that's what i thought! This is a typical life in a Digital Society & its already happening in reality in Estonia.

          

Most people don't even know Estonia, but if you have been using "Skype" to make those Voice/Video calls, its high time you know that this is the country that invented Skype. It is one of the highly advanced countries in the world when it comes to Technology.


The Education System



In Estonia, parents are able to monitor the progress of their kids in school by simply logging into an online portal. On this portal they are able to check the weekly timetables, attendance, reports, assignments, teachers comments and can even get to know more about the teachers conducting the classes as well. If your child skips class for instance, you will be notified with an SMS in real-time; this makes it easier for parents to attend to the matter immediately. If your child has an assignment to do, you will be notified by SMS as well, which makes it easier for you to know & check if your child is actually doing all these assignments thoroughly. At school, students use Tablets, learning is done in a paperless environment, no need to carry all those heavy textbooks at all, all the study material is loaded on the Web-enabled Tablet. Assignments are submitted online, not on paper. 

We need to embrace the idea of introducing such a system here in Botswana  & most African countries & enhance our children's learning ability, getting parents involved in their child's learning progress at school.




         

Health System

Everyone in Estonia has a Biometric Identity card which they can use everywhere. When visiting the clinic or hospital, all you need is your ID....Doctors will attend to you & write Digital reports & prescriptions using the online portal & if you happen to run out of medication, you can get to the nearest pharmacy; the pharmacist will use your ID to access your medical records, checkout the medication prescribed Digitally by the Doctor online & give you the right medication. Its that simple! The system keeps logs of whoever checked out your medical records, this is great because it even enhances the patient's privacy, if anybody secretly checks out your medical record, the system will log this & they can be easily tracked down using the system logs and the necessary action shall be taken. This system could be quite handy in Africa, no need for long queues anymore, more patients can get help quickly in a completely paperless environment, and you can get to see all your medical records easily in one place (Online Portal).


           

 

Transport & Public Safety

You don't need to carry money around in Estonia, your Biometric ID is the answer to everything you need. When travelling with public transport, all you have to do is pull out your ID once you reach your destination, simply scan it on the Biometric reading device & the charge will be deducted from your bank account instantly. The same applies to shopping as well. Even if you get mugged, thieves wont get a penny coz you don't carry any cash on you at all, all you have to do is report this matter immediately to the police & they will take care of the rest. The police are always connected, they have systems that are up-to-date, in their cars & if they see anything suspicious, they will stop and check the criminal records of anyone or any vehicle they suspect on their system in real-time. This kind of approach enhances public safety.


Department of Lands & Housing

instead of having a stampede all the time like here in Botswana when it comes to land allocation, why cant we have a system in place that could ease this process?! Applying for land in Estonia is simply done online, the allocation process is done electronically, there is no need to stand in long queues all day. All you need to do is simply connect to the internet, fill out the online form, verify your identity using your Biometric ID, a verification code will be sent to your phone (Mobile ID), verify the code & submit it online. That's it! 

One more thing in Botswana is the tedious process of having to renew your ID/Omang, you always have to go to that office to check if its ready, why cant you check the status of your ID online, if its ready then you know that you are not gonna waste your time going over there! 


Business 


Instead of having to wait for so many days to register your company, it only takes 15 minutes to register a business/company in Estonia & your business could be up & running instantly. You can even sign business documents Digitally using your Smartphone/Tablet or Laptop/PC. Paying for taxes is a breeze, you simply file them online from the comfort of your own home or office, avoiding those long queues. It has been found that more people are now paying for their taxes in Estonia, all because of the convenience of this system.

    



 
Voting 

Voting in done electronically in Estonia, all you have to do is login to the online portal using your ID & phone to verify your identity, go to the voting section, browse through the available candidates, select your best candidate and vote for him or her. its that simple! you can vote as many times as you want but the system will only register your last vote. Imagine the hectic process of having to prepare for millions of people to vote, using the traditional system?! that's a headache! how about a Billion people? yeah that's even worse!




 
CyberSecurity

Implementing such an Ecosystem raises issues of Cyber attacks....if we are gonna have a system like this in place, we gonna have to have a team of highly skilled & experienced Cyber Security researchers in both Penetrating Testing & Computer Forensics. Penetration Testers or Ethical Hackers will constantly try to attack this system & file reports on any vulnerabilities or loopholes they found in the system; The Forensics team will take a closer look at these reports & implement better ways to secure the system to avoid any intrusion by malicious hackers. An Incident Response Team will have to be put in place to catch these bad guys in a jiffy.

However...looking on the brighter side of things....this entire Ecosystem can bring some Great benefits to most African countries & even improve the economy as well. 

Convenience at its Best! 

Are we taking Cyber Security for granted? at 11:57 AM

The Simplistic Truth is...You cant protect what you don't Value! 

If you have some valuable assets in your house for example....you will do whatever it takes to make sure that your house is secure! Electric fence, alarm system, Surveillance cameras and the like....but if you don't have anything of value in your house....you wouldn't really care much about implementing such security measures. At the end of the day, what will you be protecting anyway because you don't have anything of value to lose!

Current situation in Botswana

As a Cyber Security researcher, i did a bit of probing a few months ago just to see how secure we are as a country in terms of Cyber threats...what i found out is really embarrassing! I found out that most local companies leave their Wireless networks "Open"...all an intruder needs to do is simply click connect & he is in! Some companies have set up WiFi passwords but use weak encryptions like WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy), which can be cracked in less than 3 minutes, instead of using WPA/WPA2 (WiFi Protected Access) which is a bit more difficult to crack.

The ignorance of some Network Administrators

Another dangerous observation i have made is that, Network Administrators of such companies don't even care to set passwords for these routers used to broadcast WiFi; this makes it easy for a malicious hacker to easily take over the company's router(s). It also becomes easier for him to sniff or steal critical company data from all the machines connected to that network, if he wants....he can disconnect all the machines connected to that WiFi Access point, including those connected by cable (ethernet cable) & literally put the business operations of that company to a complete "Pause"!

Vulnerable Websites


Another worrying issue is the security of our local websites. Recently the Mmegi website was hacked twice in a short span of time, a website of some Law firm was hacked as well. Even the Parliament website was hacked last year & nobody noticed a thing! What does this say about us? I have realized that what most companies do if they need a website, is simply go to a Web Designer/Developer who doesn't understand a thing about Cyber Security & ask him to design the website for them, once its done, they immediately put it online. They wouldn't go to a Certified Penetration Tester, to test the security of this website after its done before it goes online! Now you cant help but ask yourself..."Do we really value the critical information/Data of our clients or is this complete  ignorance?"

                                                 

Something definitely needs to be done because chaos is coming...very very soon!


Cyber Security Awareness!


As we slowly adopt the use of technology in Botswana, more money is going to be stolen online, serious identity theft issues will arise, our kids will face the risk of being abducted since they share so much info (pictures, GPS location info etc) on Social Media, Cyber bullying & Cyber Stalking will be on the rise...more serious & mysterious crimes are going to be committed & we wouldn't know how to solve these.


A New Beginning!


I would like to encourage Local companies to start educating their employees about Cyber Security, because even if they think they have secured everything, the human factor always poses a Bigger threat to the company! Hackers can still use their Social engineering skills to trick employees into giving away critical company data & these employees themselves wouldn't notice a thing!

Password Security is another thing...instead of letting your employees write down their passwords on those sticky notes & actually sticking them on their screens for everyone to easily login to their machines.....Teach them how that poses a serious threat to the company or outsource Cyber Security Services from us & let us do what we do Best! You don't necessarily have to wait for the government to do this for you....

It all begins with you & how much you value what you have....Assets, Critical Company data & Customer data. 

Cyber Security begins with You! Secure Your most Valuable Assets!

Is Botswana ready for Ecommerce? at 11:00 AM

How many of you have credit cards? Yeah thats what i thought! Its only a select few who have them! 
How many of you have normal bank cards (VISA)? Yeah i know, most of you do, but the question is can you buy stuff online with those? NO! 

You can only buy stuff online only if you have a CREDIT CARD....try buying online on eBay with that VISA card, it wont work! Try registering it on Paypal, it wont work! but why? See...here is the trick which most people cant seem to notice...most of the local banks have intentionally disabled this feature on these normal bank cards so you are left with no other option but to apply for a credit card...having a credit card has Pros & Cons...yes you can enjoy the money as much as you like but this puts you in a perpetual state of Debt....and that's what the banks really want! Now i don't wanna ruin the Banking business here, all i am saying is...they need to loosen up all these restrictions to allow people with normal bank cards (VISA) to easily buy stuff online, opening a door to a plethora of opportunities for all Batswana.  

The benefits of Ecommerce to the Consumer

Introducing Ecommerce in Botswana would benefit the local consumers in the following ways:

• They will now have a wider range of products to choose from
• They can purchase Products or Services from Remote Areas using any Web-enabled Device (Smartphone, Tablet, Laptop/PC)
• Ecommerce gives greater control to the consumer, providing easy to use ordering systems that allow customers to choose products according to their Personal & Unique specifications.
• Consumers can easily compare prices from different online stores
• Save Time & Energy
• And mostly importantly they can enjoy the convenience of buying stuff from wherever they are & having it delivered to their doorstep in a jiffy!

The benefits of Ecommerce  to the Local Businesses

Ecommerce will highly benefit all Local Businesses / Companies in so many ways. Almost any local business will thrive! 

They will have:

• Increased Sales
• An increase in Customers, as well as potential customers country-wide & Globally
• The ability to Open 24/7, which means they can still make more money even when they are sleeping
• Instant processing of Transations, all transactions will be processed automatically without the Business owner's intervention
• An increase in Business reach 
• An ease of collecting recurring Payments

All this will only happen only if the local banks agree to come on board, if they don't...we gonna have come up with some that could kickstart this, Virtual Credit Cards for example.

Enjoy & feel free to share your thoughts! 

Has IT lost Value in Botswana? at 8:35 AM

What seemed to be a scarce skill a few years back is now in abundance as i speak! Highly qualified IT graduates are roaming the streets, hunting for jobs, most are sitting at home on knowledge that could be saving the country's unemployment crisis! Since the government introduced the Internship Programme, all the professions have somehow lost value, because companies now have an opportunity of saving millions through Free Labour! They pick a highly qualified graduate and exploit him for free for the next 2 years, after 2 years they pick another & another. When is this going to Stop? Its a horrible infinite loop that is killing the economy of this country!


Is the Government doing enough?

Is the government doing enough to spark innovation in this country? Is Botswana Innovation Hub doing enough to educate the public about the benefits of Technology & Innovation? NO! i don't think so!

If Botswana Innovation Hub was doing enough, Innovators would be highly appreciated in this country, IT graduates would not be sitting home doing nothing but could be joining forces somewhere at the BIH premises, developing Web & Mobile Applications that could create jobs for millions of unemployed individuals in our country! Talk about the next eBay, Paypal, better Health Systems, Cyber Security Solutions & more! But that is not happening at all, and you cant help but ask yourself Why? 

When you walk into the BIH premises, you don't see anything Innovative there, the theme of their environment is just boring! You rarely hear about them on radio or even see them on TV, all you get to see are just useless competitions on the newspaper! There is no point in winning these competitions because you are still going to try to sell your Innovative Product / Service to an audience that doesn't clearly understand the Value of it at all!

Whats in it for you? 

The simplistic truth is, people can never see the need to buy or do something until they know how Valuable it could be to them. You can only see the value of Cyber Security if you buy stuff online, have money in the bank or in possession of critical company data, you have to get tired of travelling long distances to buy stuff in order to see the value of the Time & energy you can save by simply picking up your Web-enabled device, buy it online & have it delivered to your house in a jiffy! Instead of travelling all the way from Kasane to buy stuff in town, you can simply pick your Smartphone, buy it online & have delivered to your doorstep! Catch my drift?! What BIH & the Government at large should be doing, is educating the public about the Value of Technology & Innovation, not just talking but showing us results. Creating platforms & paving the way for innovations to execute smoothly, locally. Speaking of Ecommerce, they could be educating the public about the convenience of buying online as well as the security risks involved & countermeasures, and then inviting banks to come on-board to help pave the way for the public to buy stuff online easily & most importantly, securely! 

The Power of Innovation!

We need to embrace & encourage innovation & Entrepreneurship, I am a Proud Innovator Myself, like they say, "Be the Change you want to see in the World!"....as a concerned citizen, i felt the need to write this article to spark a Brain out there, attract more concerned IT professionals & Voice out to the government as One! 

Dependency is a disease, Independence is the Cure...Change can only happen if we all join forces & Voice out as One!  You cant do it Alone!

"Give a Man a fish and you feed him for a day; Teach a Man to fish and you feed him for a Lifetime."

Innovation is the Future! 

Control Your Media Apps using Gestures! at 10:35 PM

Sometimes, you just don't want to touch a keyboard or mouse, well there is an App for that...'ControlAir'.

ControlAir is a Mac App that uses the Mac's camera to read finger-based movements, allowing users to control various media applications without needing to physically interact with their computers. . It works with iTunes, Spotify, Rdio, Netflix, Quicktime, VLC, and Vox. 

To use it, simply raise your finger, then move it left or right to select the volume buttons, play/pause buttons, or previous/next buttons. When you're on the one you want, "air click it" to select it...It's a little silly but quite fun to play around with, it works surprisingly well, as long as you're within about five feet of your Mac's camera.

If you are a Windows user, you can try out a similar Application called Flutter, which enables you to control your Media Applications using gestures as well. Check out the video below to see ControlAir in action:

And here is Flutter in action: 

You can download ControlAir for free from the Mac App Store here. 

#Enjoy Folks

Let's raise our Kids to be Entrepreneurs! at 7:44 AM

It seems our society here in Botswana is geared towards going to school, getting good grades & getting a good job! How about Entrepreneurship? Nowhere in our school curriculum do you find anything on Entrepreneurship! This poses a serious danger to our society because what we only learn at school is Dependency, getting good grades & relying on somebody else to give us a job, instead of creating the jobs Ourselves!

Our kids show signs of Entrepreneurship at an early age, yet we ignore all these signs & force them to fit to our society. Get Good Grades & Get a Good Job! 
That was Great back then, but not now! Things have changed, we now have an abundance of highly qualified graduates roaming around the streets, sitting on their Talents, not having any idea of what to do with their lives because there are no jobs available anymore!

Employees VS Entrepreneurs

Its high time we teach our kids to become Entrepreneurs, so they become independent, creating jobs using all these skills they have acquired in school. Instead of waiting for someone else to give them a job, they should be thinking about how they can sell their own skills & knowledge, starting their own businesses or even selling their own skills online. 

We cannot all become Employees & at the same time, we cannot all become Entrepreneurs! If we all become Entrepreneurs, who is going to buy our products/services? if we all become Employees, who is going to create more jobs? This is a system that is more like a See-Saw & it has to be balanced for a country to create a sustainable economy!

The benefits of the Digital Age

We are already living in the Digital Age, anything we want to learn is already there on the internet. All we need to do is learn how to search the internet, Master the Art of narrowing down our searches to exactly what we want. Anything is possible nowadays, whatever you want to learn, there is a video tutorial of it somewhere on YouTube, there is even  a course/tutorial on it on Udemy etc. Kids are curious little beings, lets teach them how to search the internet so they can explore their own curiosity quite easily, that way we will be able to pinpoint their interests, determine if they wanna be Entrepreneurs or not & channel them to the right path in line with their Passion. Lets introduce technology & innovation in primary schools, nourish them to become who they truly want to be when they grow up!

With Technology in place, the possibilities are endless!

The World has changed, so should we.

WhatsApp Web Tutorial at 3:48 PM

About a few days ago, WhatsApp rolled out a Web based version of WhatsApp which is quite is convenient for some of us who enjoy typing at light speed on our keyboards...lol...

Well the procedure to use this Web based version is quite simple...all you have to do is download the latest version of WhatsApp and browse to http://web.whatsapp.com. This feature is currently available for Android, Windows Phone, Blackberry, and Nokia S60. Unfortunately its not available for iOS users as of yet?!
Dont worry much Folks!

Bear in mind that it doesn't work all on its own, your phone has to be connected for it to work & the idea is for all the conversations to be held on a  Web interface. At the moment it only works with Chrome browser! i strongly believe it will support other browsers very soon.

Launch WhatsApp on your Smartphone, Tap the more button and select the "WhatsApp Web" option. Scan the QR code on the WhatsApp web interface from the mobile app to sign in on your desktop.

Once the code has been scanned, you will be signed in to the service and all conversations on your phone will be synced to your browser (including notifications). You can send files by clicking on the attachment icon at the top right of a conversation thread.

You can click the icon with 3 dots at the top for more options (Profile & Status, Notifications, Help & Logout). 

Its that easy Folks! 

Enjoy & stay tuned for more cool posts....Chao!