Ling Ling Français – Learn French in Just 10 months

Ling Ling Français is a free app developed by Hepilabs - that claims it will be able to teach French in 10 months. Well when I saw that bit, I couldn’t resist downloading it from the Google PLAY Store - I’ve been trying to learn French for years! Here are my thoughts on using the app for a few days.

Don’t be fooled by the app’s appearance though childish, it’s by far one of the most useful apps I’ve come across in a long time. Before you start, you have to pick the language you want to use to learn French and difficulty level. There are a wide range of Languages and three difficulty levels; beginner, intermediate and expert. I chose English for my Language and beginner for the difficulty setting (better safe than sorry) which took me to the very colourful title screen. To start your first lesson you tap the purple light bulb icon.

Ling Ling Francais - Main Menu

First Lesson

At first I was overwhelmed by the amount of words I don’t know and felt almost inadequate as I pressed the red button frantically. You press the red button when you’re unfamiliar with a word and the green button when you’ve memorised it. You can tap the French word to hear it pronunciation aloud. The app allows you to practice new French words over and over again with the audio prompting and soon you start to get it. You gleefully feel the words becoming second nature and the Ling Ling character on the screen does a little dance to celebrate with you as you make progress.

Ling Ling Francais - Lesson

Pop Quiz

Once you’ve ticked off all the words it’s time for a quiz. The quiz starts off quite slow but gradually increases from snail slow to how do you stop this thing! You have to match each word in your chosen language to the correct word in French. The quiz is based on the words you learn in the lesson and each day after a new lesson another 25 words (which you’ve just learned) are added to the quiz. When you get aconsecutive amount of answers right, you are rewarded with one of five very silly mini games.

Ling Ling Francais - Quiz

Here’s a quick warning for those of you who found Fruit Ninja unnerving, there’s cartoon violence against fruits i.e. smashing them to smithereens.

Ling Ling Francais - Mini Game

Extras

If you get bored, there’s a section that allows youto edit your Ling Ling character. You can also create a Ling Ling inspired wallpaper for your device here’s mine.

Ling Ling Franceis - Wallpaper

Conclusion

Overall I found the app quite educational and surprisingly also very entertaining. It makes learning a new language so much fun. There are other languages in the Ling Ling genre; Spanish, Chinese and so much more. I love the fact there’s a reminder in your notification bar everyday so it makes it harder to procrastinate. 

The audio prompts not only help you to remember the words but also teach you how to pronounce them. I’m also learning at an accelerated pace of 25 words a day. The quiz allows you to practice words and their meanings as many times as you would like in a day.I also find it important to point out that the quiz lets you practice all the words you’ve learned since you started using the app in addition to the words you learn each day. I wish the app would let you focus on the 25 words for the day before adding in the ones you’ve already been memorizing.
 

Overall it is a great app and I would definitely recommend it to a friend.  As for the ten months claim, it could be plausible but probably only if you use the app every single day quite studiously. Ling Ling Français is available for download now at the Google PLAY Store.

Infograph: What to do when the Internet is down

Living in Nigeria we have grown accustomed to the fact that things just don’t work. Irrespective when the for-mentioned inevitable occurs we still find ourselves asking, almost rhetorically – ‘Why?’

This leads me to that all important scenario every techie must deal with at some point in time.

So what do you do when the internet is down? Leave a comment below.

Infograph: The Story of Android

With the rate at which the Android OS is advancing it pretty difficult to keep track of what version on android is the latest and what the version your running offers. We stumbled across an awesome graphic that says it all. Hope you like it.

Google Translate Introduces Support for Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo) and Hausa

Google recently added Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo) and Hausa to its online language translating services, I took it for a quick spin and here are my thoughts. 

Google Translate, English to Yoruba - Good Morning

It seem to be an early attempt as the translations are hit and miss it terms of accuracy, also the speech option – which would say aloud the translated word or phrase in the language it was translated to was unavailable. 

At this stage I wouldn’t recommend using if for any serious work that required translation into Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo) or Hausa, but it does make a good novelty or gesture to the Nigerian demographic.

Google is also looking for volunteers to help improve the quality of its translator service. It is also available on android powered devices through the Google Translate app form Google Play. 

So why don't you guys give it a spin and let us know how you feel?

Eight Great Budget Smartphones

As we all know t’is the joyous time of years and for those of us who chose to embrace the holiday spirit will understand gifts are in order.

As we all know times are hard and all year we’ve all been feeling the squeeze, but that’s not a good enough excuse for stealing the smile from our loved ones faces. So to aid you we’ve compiled a list of 8 budget smarphones to aid you spread holiday cheer – Santa would be proud!

HTC Desire V - NGN 28,200 (Twenty Eight Thousand Two Hundred Naira)
 

HTC Desire V

Highlights

Android v4.0(Ice Cream Sandwich)

4.0 inch, Capacitive Touchscreen

5MP Camera, w/ LED Flash

1 GHz Processor

4GB Internal Storage

Sony Xperia E Dual – NGN 23,000 (Twenty Three Thousand Naira)

Sony Xperia E

Highlights

Android, v4.0.4(Ice Cream Sandwich)

3.5 inch, Capacitive Touchscreen

3.15MP Camera

Dual SIM

1 GHz Processor

4GB Internal Storage (2.2GB User Accessible) 

HTC One V – NGN 28,200 (Twenty Eight Thousand Two Hundred Naira)

Highlights

Android, v4.0.3(Ice Cream Sandwich)

3.7 inch, Capacitive Touchscreen

5MP Camera, w/ LED Flash

720p HD Video Recording

1GHz Processor

1GB Internal Storage  

Sony Xperia Miro - NGN 23,000 (Twenty Three Thousand Naira)

Sony Xperia Micro

Highlights

Android,v4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)

3.5 inch, Capacitive Touchscreen

5MP Camera, w/ LED Flash

1GHz Processor

4GB Internal Storage

HTC Desire U - NGN 26,300 (Twenty Six Thousand Three Hundred Naira)

HTC Desire U

Highlights

Android,v4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)

4.0 inch, Capacitive Touchsceen

5MP Camera, w/ LED Flash

1GHz Processor

4GB Internal Storage

Sony Xperia Tipo Dual – NGN 19,600 (Nineteen Thousand Six Hundred Naira)

Sony Xperia Tipo

Highlights

Android, v4.0.3 (Ice Cream Sandwich)

3.2 inch, Capacitive Touchscreen

3.15MP Camera

Dual SIM

800 MHz Processor

2.9GB Internal Storage (2.5GB User Accessible)

HTC Desire X – NGN 26,600 (Twenty Six Thousand Six Hundred Naira)

HTC Desire X

Highlights

Android,v4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)

4.0 inch, Capacitive Touchscreen

5MP Camera, w/ LED Flash

 1GHz Dual-Core Processor

4GB Internal Memory 

Nokia Lumia 520 – NGN 19,900 (Nineteen Thousand Nine Hundred Naira)

Nokia Lumia 520

Highlights

Window 8 Mobile  

4.0 inch, Capacitive Touchscreen

5MP Camera

720p HD Video Recording

1GHz Dual-Core Processor

8GB Internal Memory 

Will you be getting any of these devices for Christmas? Do you have any devices in mind that you feel should be on this list?

True Tech Kings New Logo

We’ve been around for just over two years now - being the most joyous time of the year and as a second anniversary gift we would like to officially unveil the new True Tech kings Logo.

It’s hip! It’s cool! It’s now! – It’s a reflection of what we stand for, hope to achieve and how we view ourselves and cause. Hope you love it as much as we do!  

New True Tech kings Logo

Introducing Upp – the hydrogen powered portable device charging solution.

UK based company Intelligent Energy introduces Upp, a personal energy devices designed to charge and power USB compatible portable devices such as smartphones and tablets with its focus on Nigeria and South Africa. Upp is capable of providing instant energy on the go through replaced fuel cartridges – it is claimed to be able to deliver one week of charge to even the most demanding devices.

Upp - Hydrogen Powered Charging Solution

How does it work?

The Upp fuel cell uses hydrogen – provided by specialized fuel cartridges, and combines it with air to produce clean electricity with water vapour as a by-product. Users simply need to combine the Upp fuel cell with a fuel cartridge and can begin powering their devices.

Upp cartridges can be refuelled for less than $5 (NGN 850) or less than 1$ (NGN 170) to charge your phone. The entire device will cost less than $200 (NGN 34,000), which is rather expensive for device peripheral no matter how you decided to look at it.

Feasibility Study  

In Nigeria today is true that the national electrical grid does not provide a reliable electricity supply for the country, as a result every household has at least one power generator capable of supplying an entire home with electricity. With the growing number of smart-devices in the region and the projected increases over the next few years this is lucrative avenue to explore. But others before Upp have successfully provided more economic alternatives to this problem. 

In Lagos, Nigeria – the economic hub of the country, you can readily find crude yet effective mobile phone charging kiosks, usually powered by small petrol powered electric generators. At these kiosks charging your device will cost you between NGN 50 – 100 ($ 0.29 – 0.58). 

Local Charging Kiosk - Lagos, Nigeria   

Photo Credit:  Elizabeth Musa

 

 

 

 

For those who prefer more mobile charging options you can buy a portable battery charger, which is essentially a battery pack that once fully charged can be used to juice up your device up to 4-5 times without any extra cost to you. These devices on an average go for NGN 5,000 ($30), significantly cheaper than the $200 price point estimated for the Upp.

Conclusion 

I feel the Upp is a welcome addition to the list of solutions provided to help the Nigerian populous cope with the lack of reliable electricity. But due to its high price point and cost of maintenance – not to mention Nigeria being a country with most of its population below the poverty line, I worry about its level of adoption. It most-likely will be only adopted by individuals within the higher middle class and upper class minority, which may or may not be a bad thing depending on the expectations of Intelligent Energy for the device.

The Upp will be available for purchase in Nigeria and South Africa from mid – December before being made available in the rest of the world next year. 

So what do you think about the Upp? Will you be getting one? I would make a neat Christmas present wouldn’t it?

Sources - 1

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear Overview

On the 4th of September at the IFA 2013 in Berlin, Germany Samsung announced its Galaxy Note 3 the latest instalment of the Galaxy Note product line. The new device boasts enhanced S Pen features and impressive multitasking capabilities; it features 4G LTE capabilities, 5.7 inch screen, 32/64 GB configurations with microSD support of up to 64GB, 3GB of RAM – an industry first, NFC functionality, a 13 MP camera, with up to a 2.3GHz quad-core krait 400 processor paired with a 1.3GHz quad-core cortex-A7 processor – making eight (8) cores in total and twice its predecessor, all powering on Android v4.3 (Jellybean) OS.

Samsung also announced its first ever Smartwatch, the Samsung Galaxy Gear – this is Samsung first attempt at wearable technology. The primary function of this device is for quick access to notifications and basic features on your mobile phone or tablet. The Samsung Galaxy Gear has a built-in speaker and microphones which allow the device to be used as a hands-free and can function independently also as a digital watch.

One drawback about the Samsung Galaxy Gear is it’s only currently compatible with the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, but Samsung promised compatibility with more Galaxy devices with their next scheduled OS update. Both devices will be available for purchase from September 25, 2013 in Nigeria.

Sources -1, 2, 3

Samsung Galaxy Price Guide (September 2013)

Yup it’s a little late but here’s the final batch of lowest device price point we could find in Nigeria. For all you bargain hunters out there, happy hunting!

Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom – NGN 76,000 est.  (Seventy Six Thousand Naira Only)
Samsung Galaxy S4 – NGN 94, 000 est. (Ninety Four Thousand Naira Only)
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 – NGN 83, 000 est. (Eighty Three Thousand Naira Only)
Samsung Galaxy Mega – NGN 58,000 est. (Fifty Eight Thousand Naira Only)
Samsung Galaxy S III – NGN 64, 000 est. (Sixty Four Thousand Naira Only)
Samsung Galaxy Core – NGN 37,000 est. (Thirty Seven Thousand Naira Only)

Sources – 1, 2, 3

Sony Xperia Price Guide (August 2013)

Here’s the next batch of lowest device price point we could find in Nigeria. So when next you’re going to upgrade your kit, you’ll know if you’re truly getting a bargain. 

Sony Xperia Z Ultra – NGN 137 000 est. (One Hundred and Thirty Seven Thousand Naira)
Sony Xperia Z – NGN 86 000 est. (Eighty Six Thousand Naira)
Sony Xperia ZR – NGN 76 000 est. (Seventy Six Thousand Naira)
Sony Xperia SP - NGN 61 000 est. (Sixty One Thousand Naira)
Sony Xperia L – NGN 46 500 est. (Forty Six Thousand Five Hundred Naira)

Sources - 1, 2, 3

Blackberry 10 Price Guide (August 2013)

It’s that time again! It’s time to get rid of that banged-up sorry excuse for a mobile phone and upgrade yourself to something slim, slick and sexy!

If you’re anything like me you’re always looking for a bargain – so I’ve taken then liberty of searching high and low, online and offline for the lowest prices offered for Blackberry’s latest mobile devices in Nigeria. So where ever you decided to buy your next device you’ll know if you’re truly getting a bargain.

Blackberry Z10 – NGN 74 400.00 (Seventy Four Thousand Four Hundred Naira)
Blackberry Q10 – NGN 96 000.00 (Ninety Six Thousand Naira)
Blackberry Q5 – NGN 62 000.00 (Sixty Two Thousand Naira)

Sources - 1 , 2 , 3 

 

Sony Xperia Z: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Were back, and better than ever! To those who missed us we apologise but be assured our little break was for the good of the blog and the reason for our absence will soon be self-evident. So, that’s enough small talk let’s get down to business.

We take a deeper look at the Sony Xperia Z highlighting its Pro and Cons from an unbiased perspective; we do the product research so you don’t have to!

 Sony Xperia Z

The Sony Xperia Z, most will agree that it is a behemoth of a device in every respect. With its 5” Full HD 1080p Reality Display, 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor, 13 megapixel camera, running Android Jelly Bean (v4.1.2) and 4G LTE the Xperia Z is still one of the most powerful devices – if not the most, announced so far this year. Its perks don’t end there, the Xperia Z is also equip with NFC for lightening fast media transfer between devices, Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2 for crisper images and videos, Exmor RS for mobile with High Dynamic Range for clear camera images in poor lighting conditions, WALKMAN – the original portable music player app and battery STAMINA mode which exponentially improves battery standby time by automatically shutting down battery – draining apps when the screen is off.

But wait, there’s more! The Xperia Z is IP55 and IP57certified, meaning this device is dust-proof and water resistance to a depth of 1 meter for up to 30 minutes. To top it all off the Xperia Z has a tempered glass finish on both its back and front, to give it that smooth premium feel.

 Xperia Z

It is a good device – a very good device, but like every new piece of tech it has its fair share of flaws. The Xperia Z is ‘water resistance’ not ‘water-proof’, so you could run water over it to give it a quick rinse under a tap but I would definitely not recommend taking if for a swim. Some early adopters have complained that after regular exposure to water the devices built-in stereo speaker will cease to function – luckily theirs a quick fix for that. Submerging the device in a container of rice for a few hours should whisk the devices speaker back to life. But admittedly I can think of very few Smartphone’s that will fair that well under similar conditions.

Another issue worth bring to light is regarding the devices Wi-Fi, it seems that the devices has poor compatibility with certain Netgear Wi-Fi routers resulting in poor Wi-Fi reception at distances that other devices would have good reception.

 Sony Xperia Z

 
Also some early adopters cited than on some occasions the Xperia Z would fail to come out of standby and become unresponsive for an indefinite amount of time. The only way to get the device running again would be to perform a hard reset – removing the battery for the device and placing it back in the putting the device on again, but due to the fact that the Xperia Z’s battery isn’t removable this puts some users in a real pickle. This isn’t a problem that’s new to Sony devices either, it’s plagued earlier Xperia models such as the Xperia X8 and Xperia Neo, luckily this glitch is usually rectified with a timely update.

The most troubling issue with the Xperia Z is regarding problems encountered while accessing microSD cards. Although this problem seems to be mostly specific to 32GB microSD cards. A significant amount of Xperia Z users have complained about their microSD cards being ‘... removed unexpectedly’ repeatedly while still in the phone, thereafter their microSD cards become condemned and unusable by the phone or any other device for that matter. This issue seemed to be triggered during heavy exchange of data between the phone and the micoSD card. Initially the fault was attributed to cheap microSD cards made by SanDisk, but soon realized it was not a fault with the SD card but the device after similar problems were encounter with other brands of SD cards such as Samsung and Kingston. At the time of writing this article the problem still had not been resolved but Sony representatives highlighted that only a relatively small amount of Xperia Z users were experiencing this problem and the problem could be caused by miscellaneous apps installed on their devices.

So there you have it “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly” of Sony’s Xperia Z. It has its fair share of flaws, but none of these are deal breakers right? Let your voice be heard! Leave a comment below.

Sources

Specs | Issues | Sleep of Death
Wi-Fi Issue | microSD Issue