Category: Zimbabwe

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Android Apps Programming Review Zimbabwe

Zimbabwean developers launch own chat app specifically for VPNs

 

In recent years the use of VPN softwares to get alleged ‘Free internet’ has increased with VPN softwares becoming very popular in the country. Amidst all this content creators focused on the topic had to use popular media platforms WhatsApp, YouTube and Telegram but a group of Zimbabwean developers finally made an app specifically for VPN talk. In this article we will explore an Android app that combines a community chat and the ability for users to publish VPN settings and VPN configuration files called ZimVPN Talk.

The developers

There’s not much to go around about the developers but all I could get is that the founder of the app is called Nengoz who is a well known personality in the VPN world. He is also a developer who has released a couple of apps on his own. Below is the developer team list. 

PS: I’m not the one named Tino Tech

The App’s Features

The ZimVPN Talk app we are discussing today goes beyond traditional chat platforms by incorporating the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). It provides users with a public chat forum where they can interact and by publishing VPN settings and configuration files users can enjoy enhanced privacy and security during their conversations.

1. Public Chat Forum:

The app offers a public chat forum where users can engage in discussions on various topics. This forum fosters a sense of community enabling users to connect and exchange ideas. Participants can freely while moderators ensure that conversations remain respectful and engaging. There are multiple account types which range from Basic to Premium(which is still under development). The list’s below

2. VPN Integration:

The unique aspect of this app is its integration with VPN technology. Users can publish VPN settings such as server locations protocols and encryption options. Additionally they can share VPN configuration files (.ovpn which automate the setup process for other users.

Benefit of using the App

Enhanced Freedom of Expression:

The public chat forum empowers users to share their thoughts opinions and experiences openly. This fosters a diverse and inclusive community where individuals from different backgrounds can engage in dialogue without the fear of discrimination or censorship. Se some screenshots from the app below:

In the second image, there’s the chat page where you can see me asking if there’s a direct messaging option😅. 

Click this link to download the app

Categories
Android Apps how to's Tutorials Zimbabwe

Guide to Setting Up RCS Chats on Google Messages for your Econet SIM card

Rich Communication Services (RCS) is a next-generation messaging protocol that brings enhanced features and functionality to your messaging app and Econet now has it. Google Messages the default messaging app on Android devices supports RCS and allows you to have a more interactive messaging experience. In this article I am going to you through the process of setting up RCS chats on Google Messages.

Step 1: Check for RCS Support

Before proceeding ensure that your mobile carrier and device are compatible with RCS. Google Messages currently supports RCS in partnership with many carriers worldwide. To check if your device is compatible open the Google Messages app and look for the “RCS chats” option in the settings menu. If you don’t see it it may indicate that your device or carrier does not yet support RCS.

Step 2: Update Google Messages

To make sure you have the latest version of Google Messages go to the Google Play Store on your Android device and search for “Google Messages.” If an update is available click on the “Update” button. Keeping your app up to date ensures you have access to the latest features and improvements.

Step 3: Enable RCS chats

Once you have confirmed RCS support and updated Google Messages open the app and follow these steps to enable Chat Features:

  1. Open the Google Messages app on your Android device.
  2. Tap on your profile picture icon located in the top right corner of the screen.
  3. Select “Messaging Settings” from the drop-down menu.
  4. In the settings menu tap on “RCS chats.”
  5. If you see the “Enable RCS chats” option tap on it and wait for the process to complete.

   

Note: It may take a few minutes to activate RCS.

Step 4: Verify Phone Number

Once RCS is enabled you will need to verify your phone number before you can start using RCS features. To verify your phone number:

  1. In the RCS chats section, tap on “Verify Phone Number.”
  2. Follow the on-screen instructions to verify your phone number if it isn’t verified automatically.

Step 5: Explore RCS Features

After completing the verification process you can now enjoy the enhanced capabilities of RCS in Google Messages. RCS includes features like read receipts typing indicators high-quality media sharing and more. You can take advantage of these features when communicating with other RCS-enabled devices and users. Below is an example of an RCS chat:

Step 6: Spread the Word

Once you have successfully set up RCS chats on Google Messages don’t forget to spread the word to your friends and family. Encourage them to enable RCS on their devices and start enjoying the enhanced messaging experience together (you can even send them this post ;). RCS chats work seamlessly with contacts using RCS-supported apps on Android devices. 

Conclusion

Setting up RCS chats on Google Messages offers a more interactive and engaging messaging experience. By following the steps outlined in this guide you can enable RCS and access its enhanced features. Make sure to check for RCS support update your Google Messages app enable chat features verify your phone number and explore the various RCS functionalities available. Enjoy a richer messaging experience with RCS on Google Messages!

Categories
Apps eCommerce Websites Zimbabwe

Zimbabwean Marketplace Series: Classifieds
We’re now at the quarter of our marketplace series and I’ve written about 4 marketplace websites so far. These are the following
Pindula
Ownai
Idhiri
Tengesai
Today we’re talking about Classifieds

Introduction

Classifieds have been around for a very long time now and they just might be the oldest marketplace we have in the country. The brand has been evolving till it reached the point it is now, the way their logo has been transforming till now says it all.

Content

Classifieds features a lot of amazing content found within different categories. From housing to groceries, they have it all. Their site is packed with content which makes it an ideal marketplace for you to shop.

Dating Platform

This is a classifieds exclusive. I mean we have seen others like Zimjolo try to do it but classifieds really did it, it’s impressive. The dating platform isn’t that famous, and I don’t think it will be because of how we do things here in Zimbabwe but a great thanks to classifieds for trying.

Speed

The site’s got some pretty decent speed for one of it’s size. Personally, I find no problem in the site’s loading speed and the elements load faster than other marketplace websites. Here’s the Google Pagespeed Insights test results:

Conclusion

This is one of the marketplace websites we must utilize completely as Zimbabweans. The site’s safe, fast and fully packed with products to buy from various sellers. One notable feature of the site is the 18+ Dating Platform which has just been introduced.
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eCommerce Websites Zimbabwe

Zimbabwean Marketplace Series: Idhiri

 

Day 3 was initially supposed to be for Ownai but we’re now going to be talking about Cassava’s marketplace next time. A few minutes ago, I came across this marketplace which seems like it has been operating for a while now but I’d never heard of it. I present you Idhiri, a marketplace website I just discovered. When I discovered it, I just knew I had to write an article on it and here we are now. 

Idhiri

Idhiri seems like it hasn’t been operating for a long time judging by it’s level of popularity and also it’s content. The site just popped up on a google search and who am I to refuse to review something new to me. So I did. 

Design 

This is Idhiri’s most disappointing part, the design. The site’s good and decent to some extent but I just didn’t get those chills I get when I see good design. Starting from the status bar, they’re website has the 2017 experience on it. Especially on mobile. The design is far from modern if you ask me. Scrolling is also not smooth as it feels like it’s hindered by some kind of process which is still loading in the background. Overaly, the design is not bad, it’s just not as modern as I expected it to be. 

Content

As I mentioned earlier, Idhiri doesn’t have that much content as compared to it’s counterparts which might just be one of the reasons holding it down. The site consists of a limited range of products and a few or no services of certain services. This is not Idhiri’s fault though, it’s only influenced by the number of people who are on the site.

Google Pagespeed Insights

Here are the usual, the google pagespeed insights which are surprisingly higher than the othe sites.

Notable features

Not everyone has a bad side, even in terms of websites. Idhiri.com has one specific feature, which I haven’t seen till now. They have multiple types of listings and each listing has it’s corresponding upload steps. Let’s not forget the buy option, with which one can choose to post a listing regarding the item they’re looking for. You can see below:

Conclusion

Idhiri stands out from the crowd with the last mentioned feature. Also with their design which I had some issues with, I can’t say it’s bad though, I’d be lying to myself.

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eCommerce Web hosting Websites Zimbabwe

Zimbabwean Marketplace Series: Tengesai.com

 

Web hosting giant ZimHero brings us Tengesai.com which is going to be our talk for day 2. 

What is Tengesai?

Tengesai is a classifieds platform developed by ZimHero, a popular web hosting platform. Tengesai was launched not long ago but has rapidly grown because of the influence of it’s parent company, ZimHero. We now see Tengesai being a part of the major classifieds and marketplace platforms in Zimbabwe and this is all thanks to ZimHero.

Design

The first thing I’m commenting on is the design. The Tengesai.com design is quite impressive and stands out amongst other marketplace websites here in Zimbabwe. They have a theme colour, a pale shade of green which is very beautiful and unique. Their combination of colours is the most impressive feature of their design, and this site’s design completely overwhelmed me as I was comparing it to others. In terms of mobile usability the site’s great and it’s also responsive, which is also great. We have screenshots taken on both mobile and desktop below.

Desktop version

Notable features

It’s really easy to create an account on Tengesai and it’s also easy to login. No hassle at all. The site also has a limit for listings which I failed to comprehend though. Their banner read:

An account limit has been introduced where you can have up to 5 ads live at any moment. If you need more, you can become premium member to unlock further benefits. To read more about it please visit our FAQ page or contact us. You have currently active 1 listings out of your limit 50 listings (published in 0 days).

 I couldn’t get what they were trying to say here. As the pop-up reads, users can have up to 5 ads live at any moment and then there’s me who currently has 1 active listing out of 50. 

Sellers can also promote their listings, which brings us back to the Pindula concept. One has to pay to be on the front page and also to be featured in WhatsApp groups. 

Tengesai WhatsApp groups

In Tengesai’s case though, you get a badge on your listing and this badge shows that the listing is being promoted. You also get a front page feature on their sponsored section and throughout the website. 

These are the four categories for listing promotion on Tengesai. 

Another notable feature on the Tengesai website is the messaging option as buyers have a chance to chat with sellers in a built-in chat option on the site. Below is a screenshot of my seller profile.

In this screenshot, the chat option is unavailable because it’s my profile and I’m logged into the site so I cannot chat with myself.

Google Pagespeed Insights

It’s now a part of my tradition to feature the Google Pagespeed Insights in every website I review so that I can compare my point of view to that of Google’s. (not literally though)

Here they are. The legendary, extremely long screenshots of the Google Pagespeed page. To clearly see the stats click on the images to view them in full screen mode. 

Content

In this section I don’t have much to say, I might even end up contradicting myself if I talk much. I already mentioned that Tengesai is now one of the biggest classifieds platforms in the country, so I don’t see the need for me to add anything else to that statement.

Conclusion

This is a wonderful ZimHero venture, bravo to the developers. I really liked my experience on the site and loved it’s great UI and colour combinations. It is also reliable in terms of product and service promotion so I positively recommend it.

Categories
TV Zimbabwe

Disney series features Zimbabwean episode
Meet Kizazi Moto, the new Disney animated series which features an episode dedicated to Zimbabwe. For someone who hasn’t watched the series yet, I don’t have much to say but this is all I can tell you. This animated anthology brings together a new wave of animation stars to take you on a wildly entertaining ride into Africa’s future. Inspired by the continent’s diverse histories and cultures, these action-packed sci-fi and fantasy stories present bold visions of advanced technology, aliens, spirits and monsters imagined from uniquely African perspectives. (series storyline). 
Now the 6th episode of the series is the one we’re concerned about. The episode is titled Mukudzei and it is about a Zimbabwean influencer named Mukudzei. The storyline reads ‘After defacing a sacred monument, an influencer is flung into utopian future Zimbabwe.’ And once again, for someone who hasn’t watched it yet, I don’t have much to say. All I can say for now is for you to check out the series on Disney.
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Apps eCommerce Websites Zimbabwe

E-Commerce in Zimbabwe: The Top 5

Online marketplaces have made their impact all across the nation as most who want to sell their products or services run to them. These stores are the best platforms to get your products or services to the whole of Zimbabwe for a very cheap price or even for free. In this article I’m going to list(ungraded) the top 5 marketplaces in ZImbabwe based on my personal touch. 

Facebook Marketplace

This one is not just unique to ZImbabwe only but since we also utilize it here in ZImbabwe, there was no harm in me listing it. 
The Facebook Marketplace only sells products and not services, which it’s greatest weakness but is also a great tool for those selling physical products. It’s greatest pro is that most prospective buyers are already on Facebook which means that the moment they look for something on Facebook they’ll see the seller’s add which increases the seller’s outreach. You can visit the Facebook Marketplace by clicking the Marketplace icon in your app or browser page. If you do not already own a Facebook account, you can sign up on facebook.com.

Pindula Marketplace

Pindula, which is a widely used online platform in Zimbabwe has a wide range of tools they have for you. The most notable features of their site are their blog, marketplace and job board, although they have other sections. The talk of the day, the marketplace is one of the most used marketplaces in the country which is mostly because of Pindula’s widely known name and also their zero-rated site. Yes, the Pindula site can be accessed without an internet connection which gives them an advantage over other marketplaces. The Pindula marketplace has various built-in categories of products and services and they also have a spotlight feature which places an ad for your product or service on most of their pages and also on the TechZim website. You can also get advertised in their fleet of whatsapp groups for a larger amount. One notable feature of the Pindula marketplace is the verified profile option as a seller is verified upon uploading their ID card and also their picture holding it. Click this link to be redirected to the Pindula marketplace page.

Tisitano

I’m sure you’ve come across their ad on platforms running google ads. This was the major reason that made me check it out. Tisitano is an app available on the Google Play Store, I’m not sure about the Apple App Store though. Tisitano supports both products and services and also offers an option for one to create a shop account which is separate from their original account just like the Pindula marketplace(my bad for forgetting to mention this in the Pindula section). This means that I can create a Tisitano account in my name Tinotenda and then create a shop and possibly name it Oliya Carpets. Tisitano also has a point service with which one can top up their account with points for them to be featured on the Tisitano front page. Apart from this everything else is free. You can download the app on the Google Play Store through this link.

Classifieds

These guys have been available for a long time for now. I can’t even remember when was the last time I began to know of this site but it was long ago. Classifieds might probably be the largest marketplace we have here in Zimbabwe. Their interface is very user friendly and so are those of the sites listed above. They also have a wide selection of categories for your products and services. Classifieds also has a featured ad service which is accessible after paying a small amount. Follow this link to access their site. 

Zimpoint

I just couldn’t go without mentioning this impressive emerging platform. ZimPoint is an online market which just joined the community but is already chilling with the big boys. The have both an app and a web interface which they’re constantly updating. The platform also has a WhatsApp group which is open to all members on weekends only for them to post their ads there. You can access their site using this link and download their app using the following button. 

Get it on Google Play