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Vivo Y12 Price in Kenya and Full Specifications

Maishah
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Vivo Y12 Price in Kenya and Full Specifications

Here is the Vivo Y12 full specifications and price in Kenya. The Vivo Y12 is one of the latest phones to be launched in Kenya.

The phone comes with a huge battery at 5000mAh, a large screen and 64GB internal storage and a pocket friendly price.

Here are full specifications and price.

Vivo Y12 Price in Kenya and Full specifications.

Network Technology GSM / HSPA / LTE
Launch Announced 2019, June
Status Available. Released 2019, June
Body Dimensions 159.4 x 76.8 x 8.9 mm (6.28 x 3.02 x 0.35 in)
Weight 190.5 g (6.74 oz)
SIM Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)
Display Type IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Size 6.35 inches, 99.6 cm2 (~81.4% screen-to-body ratio)
Resolution 720 x 1544 pixels (~268 ppi density)
Platform OS Android 9.0 (Pie); Funtouch 9
Chipset Mediatek MT6762 Helio P22 (12 nm)
CPU Octa-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53
GPU PowerVR GE8320
Memory Card slot microSD, up to 256 GB (dedicated slot)
Internal 32GB 3GB RAM, 64GB 4GB RAM
Main Camera Triple 13 MP, f/2.2, PDAF
8 MP, f/2.2, 16mm (ultrawide)
2 MP, f/2.4, depth sensor
Features LED flash, HDR, panorama
Video 1080p@30fps
Selfie camera Single 8 MP, f/2.2
Sound Loudspeaker Yes
3.5mm jack Yes
  Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
Comms WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot
Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, LE
GPS Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
Radio FM radio
USB microUSB 2.0, USB On-The-Go
Features Sensors Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, proximity, compass
Battery   Non-removable Li-Po 5000 mAh battery
Misc Colors Aqua Blue, Burgundy Red
Model 1904
Price About Ksh.19000.00

We are keeping our eyes open to see when the phone will be available on e-commerce such as Jumia and Kilimall.

Meanwhile how about reading about the Techno Phantom 9 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 10? These tow are phone that have also been launched into the Kenyan Market recently.

Maasai Market: All You Need To Know Before Going.

Maishah
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Maasai Market: All You Need To Know Before Going.
artifacts

As a visitor, there are so many things you can do in Kenya; one of them is going shopping to Maasai market in Nairobi.

Chances are after visiting Kenya; you will want to have a piece of its art as you leave. You see, most a visitor to Kenya often fall in love with this diverse country (many have chosen to stay).

Experiences such as shopping at the Maasai Market often make a good holiday experience even better. If you love shopping, then this could be your chance to explore and find out for yourself, what this market has to offer.

What to expect at the Maasai Market

1. It could be overwhelming

If you have ever visited any open market in Africa, you definitely know what I am talking about. If you haven’t, let me explain.

African markets can be very overwhelming, confusing and at the same time exciting. The Maasai market is not an exception.

Expect to be called, pushed, pulled and coaxed all in the name of ‘best price’ and ‘best quality.’ Remember to be firm, confident and at the same time friendly.

2. Communicate in the local language

What local language am I talking about? Kiswahili or simply Swahili. Kenyans are good at speaking English; however, knowing a few Swahili words will make your shopping experience even better.

Moreover, if you are serious about buying, you will need to use these words as you bargain (there are no fixed prices here-you could buy an item for half the price).

Before you even leave to Maasai Market, here are a few Swahili phrases you need to learn fast.

U hali gani– This simply means ‘how are you doing’. You can even use the more common phrases ‘Hujambo’ or ‘Jambo.’

Better still you can ask, ‘Habari ya Leo’ which literally means ‘What is the news today?’

In fact, it is wise to also know responses to these phrases in case you are asked first. This table below should be of much help.

Phrase Response
U hali gani( How are you) Njema ( Am fine)
Hujambo Sijambo
Habari za leo Njema

Wakati Mwingine/ Si leo– (Another time/Not today) Use this if you are not ready to buy or not interested in someone’s offer.

Wauzaje– (What is you price) If you want to know the price of an item, this is the phrase to use. However, remember that the initial price is usually not the final price, bargaining is the order of the day at this market.

Nitarudi-(I will come back) If you actually interested in an item and you first want to explore other options, this the phrase to use. Besides, after walking around, you may want to go back to the vendor if you don’t find something better.

Bei ya mwisho-(Last Price) as I said earlier, the initial price isn’t usually the last price. With skills in bargaining, you could chop off up to half the initial price.

You will be buying items in the local currency, a good knowledge of this will help you from being ripped off.

3. It could be very dust or muddy at Maasai Market

Maasai Market is an open air market and depending with the season, things could be very muddy in the rainy season and very dusty during the dry season.

Remember to check the prevailing whether conditions before you leave, this could inform how to dress.

4. There so many items on sell

This market is rich in commodities to offer and as the name suggests, the items are from the Maasai community.

Here are items you may consider buying.

Maasaima Shukas

Maasai Shukas
Maasai Shukas

Maasai blanket or shukas, are a gift that most people will actually use so it is worth stocking up on some for your family and friends, and at least one or two for yourself.

They are often used in cold weather, as blankets when camping and so many other uses. They are often red in color and worn by the Maasai community in both Kenya and Tanzania.

Maasai Sandals

Sandles

These are open shoes made from leather and beads. They come in different sizes and style. It is good trying them out with different vendors to get what you actually want.

Artworks and carvings

maasai artifacts

Artworks and Carvings is what often take me to this market. Believe me when I say you can find some very good artworks here.

Whether you want them for wall hangings, as gifts or souvenirs, walking around could hand you a piece to remember.

Kiondos

maasai market kiondos

With the ban on plastics in Kenya still in force, these women woven bags come in handy and can be used at your grocery or your favorite supermarket.

They come in different sizes, shapes and colors and can be a perfect gift too.

Maasai Market Schedule

So when does this this market run? In addition, where is the Location? Have a look at this table below to get answers to these questions.

Day Location Time
Tuesday Kijabe Street 8.00am- 6.00pm
Wednesday Capital Centre 8.00am- 6.00pm
Thursday Junction Mall 8.00am- 6.00pm
Friday Village Market 8.00am- 6.00pm
Saturday High Court (CBD) 8.00am- 6.00pm
Sunday Yaya Centre 8.00am- 6.00pm

Your guide could help you locate these places if you have difficulties.

Conclusion

One of the greatest experiences for any safari-goers to Kenya is visiting the Maasai Market. It is from this market you will get your favorite artifacts, souvenirs and Maasai items.

Besides the Maasai tribe is the most recognizable tribe in Kenya and Africa, and a piece of their art is not only satisfying but also fulfilling.

Uganda Airlines Maiden Flight to Nairobi to Cost Ksh.16720.

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Uganda Airlines Maiden Flight to Nairobi to Cost Ksh.16720.

Ugandans are an exited lot after the country’s national airline, Uganda Airlines, announced plans to make its first trip to Nairobi for the first time in over 30 years.

A CRJ 900 plane is to make its maiden flight to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport next month.

Read Also: Best Airlines in the world 2019.

However, what has exited customers on the route is its pricing. According to Uganda Airlines website, an Economy class return ticket for the Entebbe –Nairobi will cost Ksh.16,720, about US$ 167.00.

Speaking to the media, this is what Ugandan Works and Transport Minister said, ’the objective is to increase Uganda’s competitiveness by reducing the cost of air transport and ease of connectivity to and from Uganda.

Moved Forward

The launch was scheduled for July this year but the airline failed to obtain the Air Operator Certificate in time and the maiden flight had to be rescheduled for next month.

Earlier this year, Uganda bought two CRJ 900 planes in a bid to revive an airline that went under more than 30 years ago.

This is after an incident in 2015 that pitted the president of Uganda Yoweri Museveni against Kenya Airways in which the airline turned down a request to pick him up from his home to Nairobi for a scheduled meeting with Kenya’s president Uhuru Kenyatta. Museveni would later travel on Ethiopian Airlines to the meeting with other regional heads.

Following the revival of Uganda Airlines, Ugandas took to social media to approve the move with one saying that “I can’t wait to start accumulating my miles flying Uganda Airlines.”

The airline brings competition on a route that is already dominated by other regional airlines, Kenya Airways and Ethiopia Airlines.

However, it is expected that the stiff competition will bring down prices for business people and other travelers who frequently fly the route.

Huawei P30 PRO wins EISA ‘Phone of the Year’ Award

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Huawei P30 has received an award from the European Image and Sound Association (EISA), a group that comprises 55 of the world’s most respected consumer electronics magazines. The P30 Pro was named “EISA Best Smartphone 2019-2020” by the Association.

This is the second year in a row Huawei has won this category.

Past Winners

Here are some of the winners for the awards;

    HUAWEI P20 “EISA Best Smart Phone of the Year 2018”,

    HUAWEI P10 “EISA Smartphone Camera 2017-2018,”

    HUAWEI Watch 2 “EISA Wearable Device 2017-2018” and

    HUAWEI P9 “European Consumer Smartphone 2016-2017.”

The official EISA citation for naming the P30 Pro best phone of the year reads:

“With its quad-camera setup Huawei has made yet another impressive advance in mobile photography. Low-light photos are by far the best you can currently get from a smartphone, while the ultra-wide lens, the portrait mode and the periscopic 5X telephoto lens surpass any of its competitors. The P30 Pro also impresses with its stunning water-resistant construction, excellent screen, fast under-display fingerprint reader and great battery life that is supported by both wired and wireless charging. With raw format recording and up to 512GB storage, the Huawei P30 Pro is the perfect companion for dedicated photographers.”

In an official release from Huawei, Li Changzhu, Vice President of the Handset Business, Huawei Consumer Business Group says, “We are honored to receive another award from EISA and pleased with the recognition of the P30 Pro. With every device, Huawei is committed to bringing new and improved smartphone photography experience to consumers, pushing the limit of smartphone camera capabilities with the latest technologies.”

The P series is always sort of focused on photography, and from launch Huawei has been pushing the boundaries of what smartphone lenses should be able to do. Especially with the new 4 camera setup at the back of the P30 Pro.

This Huawei P30 Award comes after the US relaxing its position on Huawei products.

20 Best Airlines In The World 2019

Maishah
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20 Best Airlines In The World 2019

So what are the best airlines in the world for the year 2019?

According to Skytrax, an aviation research firm, here are the best airlines in the world for the year 2019. In a world where the aviation industry is big business, airlines try to outdo each other for business.

 The airlines rank according to the positions indicated. Let us have a look.

  1. Qatar Airways
  2. Singapore airlines.
  3. ANA All Nippon Airways.
  4. Cathey Pacific Airways.
  5. Emirates.
  6. Eva Air.
  7. Hainan Airlines
  8. Qantas
  9. Lufthansa
  10. Thai Airlines
  11. Japan Airlines
  12. Garunda Indonesia.
  13. Swiss International Airlines.
  14. China South Airlines.
  15. Austrian Airlines.
  16. Air New Zealand
  17. Bangkok Airways.
  18. KLM Dutch Royal Airlines.
  19. British Airways
  20. AirAsia

Best Airlines in the world 2019, a closer look.

1. Qatar Airways

Qatar Airlines emerged the best airline in the world for the year 2019 after a survey by aviation Skytrax, a firm that bring us these ranks every year. Apart from being the best airline in the world, it also scooped the award of the best business class and business class seat of the year.

Position: 1

Name of Airline: Qatar Airways.

Country: Qatar.

2. Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines dropped one position to second position. It was the best airline in the year 2018, which tells you that should you find yourself on this airline, rest assured that you are onboard a good airline.

This airline also bagged the world’s best cabin crew award, the best airline in Asia, the world’s best first class, and the world’s best first-class seat this year.

Position: 2

Name of Airline: Singapore Airlines.

Country: Singapore.

3. ANA All Nippon Airways.

nippon

At Position 3 among the best airlines in the world is the ANA All Nippon Airways. This is the largest airline in Japan, which is headquartered at the Shiodome area in Shiodome, Tokyo metropolis.

The airline besides being position 3, bagged the he world’s best airport services, the world’s best business-class onboard catering, the best business class in Asia, and the best airline staff in Japan this year.

Position: 3

Name of Airline: ANA All Nippon Airlines.

Country: Japan.

4. Cathey Pacific Airways.

cathay-best airlines in the world 2019

Cathey Pacific Airways is the flag carrier of Hong Kong with its headquarters and hub at the Hong Kong International Airport.

The airline operates a fleet of planes such as the Airbus A 330, Airbus A 380 and the Boeing 777. Apart from being among the top 4, it received from passengers high ratings for technology and safety for the previous year.

Position: 4

Name of Airline: Cathey Pacific Airways.

Country: Hong Kong.

5. Emirates.

emirates

Emirates, one of the most famous airline in the world bagged position 5. It the flag carrier of United Arab Emirates( UAE).

This airline scooped the best inflight entertainment of the year award.

Position: 5

Name of Airline: Emirates.

Country: UAE.

6. Eva Air.

eva-best airlines in the world 2019

This is not a much known airline, which is why scooping position 6 was no mean feat. If you are scratching your head, then read this.

Eva Air which stand for ‘Evergreen Airways’ is a Taiwanese based Airline that operates from the Taoyuan International Airport, Taipei.

Moreover, according to Skytrax, it is a 5-star airline and the second largest in Taiwan and operates to all continents except South America and Africa.

EVA Air won the awards for the world’s best airline-cabin cleanliness and the world’s best economy-class catering this year.

Position: 6

Name of Airline: Eva Air.

Country: Taiwan.

7. Hainan Airlines

hainan

Hainan is a Chinese Airline that is based at Haikou, Hainan in China. It is the 4th largest airline in China and among the top ten in Asia.

Bagging position one did not come easy, it had to work to become best airline in China, best airline staff in China, and the world’s best business-class amenities the year 2019.

Position: 7

Name of Airline: Hainan Airlines.

Country: China.

8. Qantas

quantas

Qantas is a well-known airline that is the flag carrier of Australia. It is the largest airline in the world in terms of number of fleets it owns and one of the oldest in the world.

During this year’s awards, it won the best airline, best first-class, and best business-class in the Australia/Pacific region this year.

Position: 8

Name of Airline: Qantas.

Country: Australia.

9. Lufthansa

lufthansa

Lufthansa is the largest airline in Germany and by extension the largest airline in Europe if you include its subsidiaries.

It is the first airline from Europe to appear on this list. As you have seen, the top 8 positions have been dominated by airlines from Asia.

In 2019, Lufthansa won the awards for best airline in Europe and best first-class in Europe this year.

Position: 9

Name of Airline: Lufthansa.

Country: Germany.

10. Thai Airlines

thai

At position 10 among the best airlines in the world 2019, is the Thai Airlines. Thai Airlines is the flag carrier of Thailand.

Thai Airways won the awards for best airline staff in Asia and the world’s best airline spa facility this in 2019.

Position: 10

Name of Airline: Thai Airlines.

Country: Thailand.

 11. Japan Airlines

japan

From the name, this an airline from Japan, the second airline from the Asian country to make to this list. It has its hub at the Tokyo International airports of Narita and Haneda.

During this year’s awards, Japan Airlines won the world’s best economy class and the world’s best economy-class seat of the year.

Position: 11

Name of Airline: Japan Airlines.

Country: Japan.

12. Garunda Indonesia.

garunda

Garunda Indonesia is the flag carrier of Indonesia and has it hub at the Hatta International Airport- Tangerang, on the outskirts of Jakarta.

Garuda Indonesia won the award for best airline staff in Indonesia this year.

Position: 12

Name of Airline: Garunda Indonesia.

Country: Indonesia.

13. Swiss International Airlines.

swiss-best airlines in the world 2019

Swiss International Airlines is the flag carrier of Switzerland and is commonly referred to as Swiss. It is the second European carrier to appear on this list.

Swiss International Airlines won the award for the world’s best first-class lounge this year.

Position: 13

Name of Airline: Swiss International Airlines.

Country: Switzerland.

14. China South Airlines.

china south-best airlines in the world 2019

This is another Chinese airline on this list. It is among the top three airlines in China and among the top ten in the world based on the number of passengers moved.

Though it never won a particular award, it emerged as the 14th best airline in the world 2019.

Position: 14

Name of Airline: Swiss International Airlines.

Country: China.

 15. Austrian Airlines.

austrian-best airlines in the world 2019

Coming again from the old world continent of Europe is the Austrian Airline. This is the third Europe airline to appear in this list.

Austrian Airlines won the award for best premium economy-class catering, best business-class catering in Europe, and best cabin crew in Europe for the year 2019.

Position: 15

Name of Airline: Austria Airlines.

Country: Austria.

16. Air New Zealand

new zealand-best airlines in the world 2019

Air New Zealand is the flag carrier of New Zealand based in Auckland. It operates fights to both domestic and International destinations.

Air New Zealand won the award for best premium economy in the Australia/Pacific region this year.

Position: 16

Name of Airline: Air New Zealand.

Country: New Zealand.

17. Bangkok Airways.

bangkok-best airlines in the world 2019

This is another Airline based in Bangkok in Thailand. Bangkok Airways won the award for the world’s best regional airline this year.

Position: 17

Name of Airline: Bangkok Airways.

Country: Thailand.

18. KLM Dutch Royal Airlines.

klm- best airlines in the world 2019

This is the fourth European airline to appear here. It is the flag carrier of the Netherlands and is based at Amstelveen, with its hub at the Amsterdam International Airport Schiphol.  It ranks as the 19th best for the year 2019.

Position: 18

Name of Airline: KLM Dutch Royal Airlines.

Country: Netherlands.

19. British Airways

british-best airlines in the world 2019

British Airways come in at position 19. This is the national carrier of United Kingdom and the largest in the Kingdom.

British Airways won the award for best airline staff in Europe this year.

Position: 19

Name of Airline: British Airways.

Country: United Kingdom.

20. AirAsia

airasia- best airlines in the world 2019

At position 20 is Airasia. It operates to 130 destinations around the world. Moreover, it is the one of the cheapest airlines in the world, and true to this AirAsia won the award for best low-cost airline this year.

Position: 20

Name of Airline: AirAsia.

Country: Malaysia.

Conclusion

Did your national flag carrier appear on this list? Or did an airline from your country appear here? If not, then you know the best airlines in the world in 2019.

There were no airlines from Africa and shockingly enough, there were no airlines from the United States. The list is dominated by Airlines from Asia.

If you love traveling around the world, this is the list for you.

Share your thoughts about this article and pass it to friends and family.

Read Also: Mash Poa Online Booking.

Crown Bus Online Booking: How To Do It On BuuPass

Maishah
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Crown Bus Online Booking: How To Do It On BuuPass

If you have been looking for Crown bus online booking like me and found no answer, then this article is for you.

Crown bus is a premier bus companies that offers transport services to most cities in Kenya. If you have gone to their website, you probably have been disappointed to find out that there is no option to book online.

You are not alone in this, that why I wrote this article to help you out.

Crown Bus Online Booking; A step by Step guide.

Crown bus recently collaborated with Buupass to make online booking possible. Buupass is an online platform that allows passengers to book bus stations to various destinations. In the recent past , you could book buses with companies  such as Easycoach, Modern Coast, Greenline and East African shuttle safaris.

Crown bus is the latest addition to their fleet of buses.

Besides getting your bus tickets, you can also get your Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) tickets and flight tickets. They also offer car hire services.

So how can you book Crown Bus online?

As I said, you can only do this through their partners Buupass.

Now fire up https://buupass.com/, you can either click the link or copy and paste it in your browser. If successful, you will be taken to a page that looks as this one below.

crown online

If you scroll the page, you can be able to see the bus companies that the platform has partnered with.

Enter the city you are leaving and the city you are going to, remember to input the date of travel then hit search.

As in my case, I am leaving Nairobi and traveling to the lakeside city of Kisumu. I get these search results.

available bus

A closer look shows that there so many EasyCoach buses going to Kisumu at different times of the day(the screenshot above only shows part of the page), however sandwiched between them is the Crown Bus.

As you can see from the image, it cost Ksh. 1100.00 to Kisumu.

Now click on the ‘Book Now‘ button. If successful, you will be taken to this page.

Bus layout

As you can see, an outline of the bus is shown with ‘booked seats'( in grey), ‘available'( in yellow) and ‘selected’ in green.

This bus as you can see, it is almost empty. If you select a seat will be highlighted in green. Click on any yellow seat to book. As soon as you do this, it is highlighted in green. Select more seats depending on the number of people traveling.

If everything looks good, hit the ‘Place my booking’ button on the right of the page.

You will be redirected to this page

Fill in Information

Now fill in the required information, which includes but not limited to Name, ID/Passport Number, nationality and phone number.

Fill in who is paying, you can re-enter your name it is you paying. If you are happy, agree with their ‘Privacy Policy Terms of Use,’ then click on ‘Pay with Mpesa Button.’

An Mpesa prompt message will appear on your phone asking you to enter your Mpesa Pin. Enter your Pin and agree to pay the amount shown.

Then go back Buupass Website to confirm booking. See the Instructions below.

Instructions

That is it. Congratulations, you have made your first booking!

Other Methods to book a Crown Bus

If in any case you are not able to do this online, you can opt for the following.

1. Book Via USSD

This done on your phone and it does not have to be a smartphone. All you have to do is hit #887# and follow the prompts to book.

2. Crown Bus Online Booking Via Buupass App

You can download the App on Google play and follow same steps explained above.

3. Walk it there offices

If you love the traditional way of doing things, then you can walk to their nearest booking office to get your ticket.

Here is a list of offices and contacts.

 
TOWN OFFICE LOCATION CONTACTS
NAIROBI Head office, City centre: Monrovia Street, Lagos House-Near Salvation Army. +254722719944
(020) 2212253
(020) 2212203
Eastleigh: Along 2nd Avenue, next to Barclays Bank. +254721177235
MOMBASA Moi Avenue: Motor Mart Building, opposite Gapco Petrol Station. (+254) 0412222406
0722719933
Bondeni: Along Abdul Nasser Road, next to Ramadhan Hotel. +254710 982008
Mwembe Tayari: Along Jomo Kenyatta Avenue. +254721 909700
KISUMU Along Bank Street on Kimwa Annex Building. Kisumu Stage Offices. +254(057) 2023933
(020)2442383
KAKAMEGA Salim & Salim Building, opposite Midland Emporium, along Kenyatta Avenue. +254(056) 31323
MUMIAS Along Bungoma- Mumias Road. +254 (056)641083
BUNGOMA Inside Earthlink Hotel along Mumia -Bungoma Road, Next to Splendid Club. +254 (057) 2500808
SIAYA Inside Perillo Computer Services on Ahindi Gardens. +254727 641886
CHAVAKALI Chavakali +254 (020) 2442383

Destinations

As I said earlier, Crown Bus has several destinations across the country and beyond. See them below.

TOWN TO TOWN REPORTING DEPARTURE PRICE
Nairobi-
Kakamega, Mumias –
Bungoma 		06:30AM 07:00AM  
Nairobi-Kisumu – Siaya 07:00AM 07:30AM  
Nairobi – Mombasa 08:00AM 08:30AM  
Nairobi – Mombasa 10:00AM 10:30AM  
Malaba to Mombasa 02:30PM 03:30PM KSh 1500
Bungoma to Mombasa 03:00PM 03:30PM KSh 1500
Webuye to Mombasa 03:30PM 04:00PM KSh 1500
Eldoret to Mombasa 04:30PM 05:00PM KSh 1350
Mombasa to Malaba     KSh 1500

If should be able to bring you more information as it is made available to me.

Conclusion

Why would you even want to consider Crown Bus Online booking? One thing is clear, among the organized bus companies in Kenya; it is one of the cheapest.

If you booked through this guide let me know and if you have been on Crown Bus we will be glad to hear your experience.

Faiba 4G Bundles: A Hands On Experience Using Faiba Mi-Fi

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Faiba 4G Bundles: A Hands On Experience Using Faiba Mi-Fi

Today I want to discuss Faiba 4G bundles. Why you may ask. Because I have been using Faiba Internet for some time and I have hands on experience.

However, before we delve deeper in this, what is Faiba? Most of us are aware of the hilarious Faiba adverts on TV that leave us in stitches. Unknown to many, Faiba has its own story to tell.

Faiba is the brainchild of Jamii Telecommunications Limited (JTL) that launched in the Kenyan Market In December 2017. This innovation sent shock waves to traditional 4G provides such as Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom.

How?

Jamii Telecommunications Limited brought two things, one, cheap 4G bundles and second they incorporated the 700MHz in their 4G network, a first in Kenya. A move that saw many would be customers have to buy compatible phones or buy the Mi-Fi.

What Faiba 4G bundles are available?

If you are tired of using Safaricom (by the way Safaricom bundles get exhausted very first- Safaricom is a hungry cow), Airtel or Telkom bundles then you may want to give Faiba 4G bundles a try.

So what options do you have?

Here are they are.

Data Bundle Validity Cost (in Ksh)
1GB 1 Day 50
8GB 1 Week 300
15GB 1 Week 500
25GB 1 Month 1000
40GB 1 Month 2000
70GB 1 Month 3000
120GB 1 Month 4000
210GB 1 Month 6000

As you can see, these data offers are seriously giving Safaricom and other Telecoms a run for their money. I have been buying the 25GB monthly bundle and comfortable exhausted it within a month. However, in the past one year since I began this blog, my rate of consumption has been high and I currently consume up to 70GB in a month.

If you are not a heavy data consumer, the 25GB bundle should be more than enough for a month. These Faiba 4G data bundles can make any sane consumer switch over to Faiba. The only bad calculation JTL did not do well was price the 40 GB monthly data at Ksh. 2000. At that price, I would rather buy the 25GB bundle twice within a month, which is doable.

The other downside is that you have to consumer your data bundle within the validity period. If you do not, you lose any unused data. Unused data does not roll to the next day, week or month.

Besides the data bundles above, there are other Faiba 4G bundles namely Fisi Hour, Kifaru, Ndovu and Simba.

This is how they work.

For Fisi Hour, you pay Ksh. 150 and you can use unlimited data during the hour. This is great especially if you have large files such as videos and movies you can download within the hour.

Kifaru bundle costs Ksh. 1500. It is a one month bundle that you 30GB, 200 SMS and 200 on net minutes. Ndovu on the other hand will set you back for Ksh. 2500 but you get 60GB, 500 SMS and 350 on net minutes. Lastly, we have the Simba with gives you 90GB, 700 SMS and 700 on net minutes.

If you love this in table form, here it is.

Bundle Name Cost (in Ksh) What You Get
Fisi 150 One hour unlimited internet.
Kifaru 1500 30GB Data200 SMS200 On-net minutes
Ndovu 2500 60GB Data500 SMS350 On-net minutes
Simba 4000 90GB Data700 SMS700 On-net minutes

What you need to enjoy Faiba 4G bundles

You will need a phone compatible with the 700 MHz spectrum. You can see a list of such phones here. The best bet is to buy a Faiba Mi-Fi.

The Mi-Fi has the following advantages.

  • You can connect up to 8 devices. This is great for a family set-up.
  • It is cheaper to buy. It would cost more buy a compatible phone.
  • It is portable and you can move around with it.

Faiba 4GB Mi-Fi are available at major outlets in Nairobi and major cities in Kenya.

Verdict

Having used Faiba for the last one year, I can without fear of contradiction say that I have not been disappointed.  I often use the Mi-Fi in Nairobi. Recently I made a sweet discovery when I found out that I could use it at my rural home. That tells you the effort JTL has made to increase Faiba 4G coverage in Kenya.

With this information, you can give Faiba a try.

If you have been using the Faiba Mi-Fi, what is your experience? Share with us your thoughts here.

Huawei Mate 20 X Specifications and Price In Kenya

Maishah
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Huawei Mate 20 X Specifications and Price In Kenya

Huawei Mate 20 X Specifications and Price In Kenya?

Huawei on Friday (9th August 2019) announced the Huawei Mate 20 X the first 5G mobile phone for commercial use in Shenzhen.

This is after Huawei Mate 20 X gained China’s first 5G-network access license. This announcement just comes hot on the heels of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 that was launched at unpacked event in New York on August 7.

The Balong 5000, a 7nm multi-code chipset with the Kirin 980 that is the world’s only dual-mode 5g cellphone that supports standalone/non T standalone (SA/NSA) simultaneously, powers the smartphone.

The phone will hit the market from August 16 2019. Huawei has been embroiled in a bitter in trade wars with the US and recently launched its own operating system, the Harmony OS.

So what is the Huawei Mate 20 X Specifications and Price In Kenya?

As I said, the phone will hit the markets later and we are not sure when it will hit the Kenyan market.  However, we know that the phone is priced at US$ 898.00. This is about Ksh. 92000.00.

Expect therefore to pay anything above 100000.00 for this phone.

Huawei Mate 20 X Specifications and Price In Kenya

Here are Huawei Mate 20X specifications in full.

Network Technology GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
2G bands GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 – SIM 1 & SIM 2
3G bands HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands LTE band 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 6(900), 7(2600), 8(900), 9(1800), 12(700), 17(700), 18(800), 19(800), 20(800), 26(850), 28(700), 32(1500), 34(2000), 38(2600), 39(1900), 40(2300), 41(2500)
5G 5G SA / NSA / Sub6 / mmWave; N77/N78/N79
Speed HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE-A Cat21 1400/200 Mbps; 5G (2+ Gbps DL)
Launch Announced 2019, May
  Status Available. Released 2019, July
Body Dimensions 174.6 x 85.4 x 8.4 mm (6.87 x 3.36 x 0.33 in)
  Weight 233 g (8.22 oz)
  Build Front/back glass & aluminum frame
  SIM Hybrid Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)
    IP53 dust and splash protection
Stylus (optional)
Selfie camera Single 24 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide)
  Features HDR
  Video 1080p@30fps
Sound Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakers
  3.5mm jack No
    32-bit/384kHz audio
Dolby Atmos sound
Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
Comms WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot
  Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, aptX HD, LE
  GPS Yes, with dual-band A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS
  NFC Yes
  Infrared port Yes
  Radio No
  USB 3.1, Type-C 1.0 reversible connector, USB On-The-Go
Features Sensors Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass
Battery   Non-removable Li-Po 4200 mAh battery
  Charging Fast battery charging 40W
Misc Colors Emerald Green
  Models EVR-N29
  Price About Ksh 100000.00

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Specifications and Price in Kenya

Maishah
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Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Specifications and Price in Kenya

Here is the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 specifications and price in Kenya. This phone, to be exact phablet, is the first to feature an all-screen display.

A closer look at it shows some differences between it and the Galaxy S10 plus and Galaxy S10. Its edge-t- edge display technology is the Infinity-O, and like most incoming models, selfie Camera is positioned at the center top of the screen. Additionally this placement of the single circular lens creates what is a distinctly cyclops-like look –an eye gazing out at you like the HALin 2001; A space Odyssey.

If you are a Samsung lover and a follower of all things Samsung (as I do here), you will have noticed that this is the first time Samsung has introduced to us Two Galaxy Note phones at the same time. We have the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 that were are looking at right now and off course the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 plus.

A comparison at these phones show one clear thing that the Note 10 plus is bigger and has a larger display compared to the Note 10. Off course with a few upgrades here and there especially in the camera area and model in general.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Price in Kenya

The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 was announced to the world in an event in New York on August 7.

If you missed the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event, here below it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRac2c44_KM&feature=youtu.be
The Galaxy Unpacked Event in New York- Video Credit Samsung Kenya.

Currently you can pre-order it around the world now.

In Countries such as the US, the United Kingdom and Australia, the release date is set for August 23.

Is the phone available in Kenya? Currently No, we keeping our eyes open to see when the release date for Kenya will be.

If you’re buying the phone outright, the Galaxy Note 10 price is set at price tag set at $945 / £869 / AU$1,499. This converts to about Ksh.100000. This is what we think will be the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Price in Kenya, below are the specifications.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Display and Design

Unlike other Samsung phones we are used to, the Note 10 comes with a full-screen display with a punch hole cut out for the front-facing camera at the top center of the screen. If you’ve seen the Galaxy S10plus and the S10, you know what am talking about.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Specifications and Price in Kenya
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10- Image Credit Samsung Kenya

The Note 10 has a 6.3-inch AMOLED display with a Full HD resolution, coming in at 2280 x 1080 pixels, with 401 pixels per inch. It includes HDR 10+ technology, and considering that Samsung has not opted for a QHD display here, we are impressed with how the display looks.

 Here is what we were able to see, for starters, the Note 10, is smaller than the Note 9. It is also thinner and lighter. Its mass is only 168g a comfortable phone to carry around. What of its dimension? It measures 72 x 151 x 7.9mm. You should not forget it comes with an S Pen stylus.

On the bottom edge of the phone you’ll find the USB-C connector in the center, with a speaker and the S-Pen slot sitting to the right of it. The top edge of the phone is uninterrupted apart from the SIM tray. Something I like about this phone.

The left-hand edge of the phone is home to the volume rocker, and the power button below this.

The frame of the phone is a premium metal, while the back is made of glass. Your color options are Aura Glow (a combination of blue and white), Aura Black and Aura Pink, but it’s currently unclear which markets will get which colors.

I particularly liked the Aura Glow variant, the color of which changes depending on the light you’re using the phone under.

Now what of the Camera? You will be disappointed the Camera has no upgrades compared to S10 plus and the S10. The phone comes with a combination of combination of a 16MP ultra-wide lens, a 12MP regular lens and a 12MP telephoto lens.

However, that does not mean that the phone does not give good photography experience. The truth is even with this combination, you photography experience should be so good.

One thing is clear, that most of the Note 10’s improvements in the camera department are in its video recording capabilities. The image stabilization technology has been improved, and there’s a new feature called Live Focus Video, which enables you to capture ‘bokeh’ background blur effects of the kind were used to seeing in portrait-mode stills.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Specifications and Price In Kenya

If you are that person that love this in a table form, here it is.

Network Technology GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE
Launch Announced 2019, August
Status Coming soon. Exp. release 2019, August 23
Body Dimensions 151 x 71.8 x 7.9 mm (5.94 x 2.83 x 0.31 in)
Weight 168 g (5.93 oz)
Build Front/back glass (Gorilla Glass), stainless steel frame
SIM Single SIM (Nano-SIM) or Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)
  Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified)
IP68 dust/water proof (up to 1.5m for 30 mins)
Stylus (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro)
Display Type Dynamic AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Size 6.3 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~90.9% screen-to-body ratio)
Resolution 1080 x 2280 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~401 ppi density)
Protection Corning Gorilla Glass
  HDR10+
Always-on display
Platform OS Android 9.0 (Pie); One UI
Chipset Exynos 9825 (7 nm) – EMEA/LATAM
Qualcomm SDM855 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) – USA/China
CPU Octa-core (2×2.73 GHz Mongoose M4 & 2×2.4 GHz Cortex-A75 & 4×1.9 GHz Cortex-A55) – EMEA/LATAM
Octa-core (1×2.8 GHz Kryo 485 & 3×2.4 GHz Kryo 485 & 4×1.7 GHz Kryo 485) – USA/China
GPU Mali-G76 MP12 – EMEA/LATAM
Adreno 640 – USA/China
Memory Card slot No
Internal 256 GB, 8 GB RAM
Main Camera Triple 12 MP, f/1.5-1.8-2.4, 27mm (wide), 1/2.55″, 1.4µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS
12 MP, f/2.1, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.6″, 1.0µm, AF, OIS, 2x optical zoom
16 MP, f/2.2, 12mm (ultrawide), 1.0µm
Features LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Video 2160p@60fps, 1080p@240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR, dual-video rec.
Selfie Camera Single 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1.22µm, Dual Pixel PDAF
Features Dual video call, Auto-HDR
Video 2160p@30fps
Sound Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakers
3.5mm jack No
  32-bit/384kHz audio
Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
Dolby Atmos/AKG sound
Comms WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot
Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX
GPS Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
NFC Yes
Radio FM radio (USA & Canada only)
USB 3.1, Type-C 1.0 reversible connector
Features Sensors Fingerprint (under display), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, SpO2
  Samsung DeX (desktop experience support)
ANT+
Bixby natural language commands and dictation
Battery   Non-removable Li-Ion 3500 mAh battery
Charging Fast battery charging 25W
USB Power Delivery 3.0
Fast Qi/PMA wireless charging 20W (market dependent)
Misc Colors Aura Glow, Aura White, Aura Black
Models SM-N976N
Price About Ksh 100000.

Final Verdict

That said, this is still a big phone, and those with smaller hands will likely struggle to use it one-handed – don’t expect it to be as easy to use as handsets like the iPhone SE or Sony’s Compact line of Xperia phones.

Regardless of this, it is a beautiful phone to own. It is one of the best phones to have been made by Samsung. If you looking for class and a phone that neither too big nor too small, then the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 is the device to go for.

As I said, I am keeping my eyes open as to when it will be available in Kenya. Should it be available on Jumia, Masoko, Samsung shops, or any other platform, I will be quick to let you know.

Islamic Banking In Kenya; List of Fully Compliant Banks

Maishah
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0
Islamic Banking In Kenya; List of Fully Compliant Banks

Today Muslims can benefit from Islamic Banking in Kenya. According to research, Islamic banking has over $2 million in assets globally and growing at a rate of 10% per year.

There is also a thriving Islamic capital market with issuances of Shariah-compliant asset-based securities (Sukuk) reaching to $98 billion in 2017.

Does Islamic banking in Kenya have something for non- Muslims? The answer to this is yes, they attract clients that are also non- Muslims too.

However, in Kenya, non-Muslims seem not to be kin to take advantage of these services. That said, they too can benefit.

Banks in Kenya that Offer Islamic Banking

Kenya is home to hundreds of banks, but which of these offer Islamic banking? I took a dive into this and found out this. Here is a list of banks in Kenya that offer these services.

DIB Bank Kenya

DIB Bank Kenya otherwise called Dubai Islamic Bank Kenya fully Sharia compliant bank in Kenya and was licensed in 2017 making it the third such bank.

With origins in Dubai, Dubai came to Kenya seeking to expand to the larger Sub-Saharan Africa. DIB is a fully owned subsidiary of Dubai Islamic Bank PJSC (DIB PJSC) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). DIB PJSC founded in 1975 is the first bank to have incorporated the principles of Islam in all its practices and is the largest Islamic Bank in the UAE.

First Community bank

First Community bank was the second bank in Kenya to be licensed by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) IN 2008 offer services to the Islamic community. It is a fully Shariah compliant bank.

It offers the following services

  • Current Accounts.
  • Savings and Fixed Maturity Account.
  • Financing Services.
  • Other Services such as the Khadamat.

Gulf African bank

Gulf African Bank is a fully Shariah compliant bank that begun operations in Kenya in 2007. The bank has several branches dotted across the Nairobi CBD. Some of the branches are

  • Kilimanjaro Avenue Branch
  • Kenyatta Avenue
  • Kipande Athumani
  • Third Parklands Avenue
  • Koinange Street
  • Luthuli Avenue
  • Enterprise Road
  • Kusco Centre
  • Eastleigh Branch on Eastleigh First Avenue.

Conclusion

Banks such as Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) offer some shariah compliant services though they are not fully compliant. Barclays Bank of Kenya among other banks offer these same services.

We will keep you updated on more banks that are Shariah compliant.

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