Today the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to open up a plot of spectrum in 6GHz band for unlicensed use. Current WiFi broadcasts at 2.4GHz and 5GHz. With WiFi 6E, devices will broadcast at 6GHz and that will translate to more speed and reliability. 6E is expected to start rolling out by the end of 2020. When there is a very long list of available WiFi connections in your location, on the current standards, that could lead to less speed and reliability in connection as devices compete for signal. Getting a new 6E router will give you an advantage as your device will not be competing for the current 2.4GHz…
WeAreTogether.ng: Independent CrowdSourced Stimulus Package for people affected by the COVID-19 lockdown
Tech startups are stepping up to do something about the financial stress that the lockdown due to COVID-19 might be causing. WeAreTogether.ng is offering up-to 10,000 Naira to people who apply for stimulus package on their website, https://wearetogether.ng. Update: Final message from WeAreTogether Before that tweet @wearetogether was able to raise 17.8 million Naira and disburse 17.3 million to 1739 Nigerians. Full audit available at https://wearetogether.ng/audit The best place to keep tab with @wearetogether is via their official twitter handle. Who is WeAreTogether.ng According to a paragraph from their official site, The people behind WeAreTogether are tech entrepreneurs who can not sit by and do nothing while the world falls…
iPhone SE 2020 Specs, Price and Thoughts
In 2016 Apple introduced the first generation of iPhone SE. It had a 4.0" display, 16GB of internal storage and 2GB of RAM for $399 (about 150,000 Naira) at release. Earlier this week the 2nd generation of iPhone SE was announced. It comes with a much bigger 4.7" display, better camera, same chipset as iPhone 11 Pro and other goodies all for the same $399. Key Specifications: Feature details Display 4.7 inch Retina HD (326ppi) Camera 12MP rare / 7MP selfie ROM/Internal Storage 64GB/128GB/256GB RAM 3GB Headphone Jack No Chipset A13 TouchID Home button fingerprint sensor Battery 1821 mAh According to apples official website, the 2020 SE comes with proprietary…
Meet the young Benue hardware Developers that Built a Solar powered Ventilator to support COVID-19 Fight
Joseph Orya, Joshua Ichor and Jude Iorfa built a solar-powered ventilator from their room in Makurdi, the Benue State capital. Their mission is to design a ventilator that can be built with common components and materials that can be easily sourced in communities where high-tech equipment like 3D printers are not present. Ventilators help COVID-19 patients with severe symptoms breathe. It pumps oxygen into the lungs and removes carbon dioxide. A ventilator is a major equipment for managing COVID-19 cases. The S-Vent ventilator made in Benue could help prevent a shortage of ventilators in the state and other places. Being solar powered means it can be used in places without…
Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) Grant 2020 Cancelled
Just as the title says, the 2020 (6th edition) Tony Elumelu Foundation grant, TEF 2020 has been cancelled. The cancellation is not unrelated to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. TEF grant provides 1000 African entrepreneurs with a non-refundable seed capital of $5,000. The 2020 edition of the grant has been placed on hold. according to a mail sent out by the TEF team, this year's grant has been moved to 2021 and instead of the usual 1000 entrepreneurs, they will be supporting 2000 businesses next year. TEF applicants who registered and were notified about moving to the next stage don't need to re-register next year (according to the mail). Here is…
Coronal Virus (COVID-19) Getting the Right Info and Avoiding Fake News
Cases of the Coronal Virus (COVID-19) has been reported in over 20 African countries including Nigeria and South Africa. The outbreak started in Wuham, China a few months ago and the disease has spread to many countries. One very good thing the internet and modern technology brings is an easy, cheap and fast channel for people to send/receive information. However, there is a lot of fake information out there. From fake news about new cases of COVID-19 to people claiming local African acholic drinks cure COVID-19. It is important that people get the right info and stay safe. And that is why we at TownCryer are sharing these very simple…
Nokia Android C1 Specs and Price
Introducing a new member to the Nokia android device family, the Nokia C1. The device is a super budget-friendly entry-level device. It is available in the Nigerian market for between 18,500 - 20,000 Naira. Below are some specs: Specifications Camera: 5MP/5MP (Front/Rare) RAM/ROM: 1GB/16GB (+MicroSD support) Display: 5.45" IPS, 480 x 960 pixels, 18:9 ratio (197 ppi) Operating system: Android 9.0 Go edition Processor: Quad-core 1.3GHZ Battery: 2500 mAh MISC: 3.5mm Jack Price The device is available on online store Jumia for 20,000 Naira.
Getting into tech
Some people (including myself) believe that tech is the new oil. Tech jobs pay a handsome sum as salary. There is the possibility of building the next awesome app that can generate a lot of money $$ for you while you work from home. In this post, I will be sharing based on opinion and some research ways you can get into tech. Requirements for getting into tech I will start like this: one thing is for sure, you don't need a degree in Computer Science or IT or anything. If you already have a degree in something like Chemistry or even Business Admin, that doesn't stop you from teching…
TownCryer: Why we are here
Welcome to TownCryer. In this post, we will try to introduce us, why we are here and what to expect from us. Who we are TownCryer will be a hotspot for all things African tech, startups and more. We are people with a great passion for making technology and we aim to tell technology stories via this platform. Why we are here We want people to get the African tech story through a truly African source. We are not saying we are the first African tech news platform. However, we have seen the need to tell our story in a new way. What to expect from us We will share…