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Daily Archives: June 26, 2012

Google to battle Apple with a state-of-the-art Tablet‏

26 Jun
A leaked shot of the Google Nexus tablet - a seven-inch machine which may make apple pay attention

First glimpse: A leaked shot of the Google Nexus tablet – a seven-inch machine which may make apple pay attention

Google is taking a shot at stealing the  iPad’s throne with a seven-inch ‘Nexus’ tablet.

The tablet, which is set to be officially  announced at Google’s developers conference starting on Wednesday, will be named  ‘Nexus’, which Google gives to all of its flagship machines.

The tablet is said to be available in a  white-and-black finish, and contain a high-end ‘Tegra3′ quad-core chip, pitching  it against top-of the-range devices and yet at an extremely competitive price – $250 for the 16GB model, and $199 for the 8GB model. If these prices translate to the UK – which  is possible, if Google’s aim is to get the tablet established in the market – that is £160 and £128 respectively. Android tablets are nothing new, and there  have been a batch of good models from the likes of Acer and Samsung, but now  Google is fighting with its teeth. Building a tablet in-house means ends-to-end  quality control, and Google may be able to shave the budget right down to the  bone with a product that works as a loss-leader’ rather than a for-profit  device.

Android has huge success with their budget  Fire tablet, also based on Android, and it has proved extremely successful in  the U.S.

If Google can replicate this success, it  could take some of the allure from Apple’s great but expensive tablet, as well  as attracting more developers to Android, and ensuring other Android  manufacturers up their game.

Phone Arena released leaked images of what is believed to be the new  tablet, which seems to follow the lines of the bestselling Samsung Galaxy  phones.

From the pictures, it looks like there will be two  cameras. Google-branded handsets are often used as a  showcase for new technologies, with the search giant partnering with different  hardware providers for the software.

The competition: Apple's latest iPad on offers a fantastic experience in the hand - put a painful one in the pocket

The competition: Apple’s latest iPad on offers a fantastic experience in the hand – put a painful one in the pocket

The Windows version of a tablet: A The new Surface was unveiled by Microsoft last week

The Windows version of a tablet: A The new Surface was unveiled by Microsoft last week

The last Google Nexus phone, which introduced  NFC, or contactless payments, was made by Samsung. Nexus phones and presumably tablets always  receive Google software updates at the earliest opportunity, so this tablet is  likely to be the first one to get a ‘Jelly Bean’ upgrade, the next version of  Android which is due in the Autumn.

  A seven-inch also provides a successful stake  against Apple. Apple – at least when ran by Steve Jobs – refused the smaller  size model as Jobs was not a fan.

However, Apple may be about to turn around on  this stance. Manufacturers have allegedly received orders for a seven-inch ‘iPad  Mini’ from Apple.

Other competition comes from Microsoft, which  is finally getting in to the tablet market with Surface, their own operating  system based off the back of Windows.  The first appearance of the Surface was  welcomed by tech pundits, but it is likely to be priced as a premium  model.

One thing that is not known is whether the  tablet will have a 3G SIM slot for mobile broadband.

Google may choose to save  on the cost, and make use of the ability of Android phones to share their  internet wirelessly with other devices.

The Google conference, known as the I/O  conference or the Input/Output conference, starts in San Francisco on  Wednesday.

The conference is expected to include  information and launch dates for Google’s latest 3D mapping projects and other  projects bubbling away in the Google labs.

Read My previous Post about the Tablet Battle here:

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Posted by on June 26, 2012 in Business News, International News

 

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Wanahisa Waiagiza CRDB ifungue Matawi Nje ya Nchi

26 Jun

WANAHISA takriban 10,000 wa benki ya CRDB wameuagiza uongozi wa benki hiyo kupanua wigo wake wa kufungua matawi nje ya nchi hususani katika nchi za Afrika ya Mashariki na Kati ili mtaji upanuke.

Walitoa mwito huo katika mkutano mkuu wa 17 wa wanahisa uliofanyika mjini Arusha na kusema kwa kufanya hivyo kutaifanya benki hiyo kutambulika zaidi kimataifa na kuaminika.

Mkurugenzi wa CRDB Dk Richard Kimei alisema suala hilo wamelichukua kama changamoto kwao na kwa kuanzia wameshafanya utaratibu wa kufungua tawi la benki hiyo nchini Burundi. Kimei alisema kufungua benki katika nchi hiyo haitakuwa tatizo kwa kuwa wana mtaji wa zaidi ya Sh bilioni 254.

Alisema mtaji umekuwa ukiongezeka mwaka hadi mwaka kwa zaidi ya miaka minne na kuifanya ikubalike ndani na nje ya nchi.

Alisisitiza kwamba maoni ya wanahisa ya kutaka yafunguliwe matawi katika nchi za ukanda, hayatashindikana. Alisema licha ya mtaji kuongezeka, pia rasilimali za benki zimekuwa zikiongezeka kwa asilimia 20 tofauti na miaka iliyopita.

Alisema benki ya CRDB ina rasilimali yenye thamani ya zaidi ya Sh trilioni 2,713.6 na rasilimali hizo zimekuwa zikiongezeka mwaka hadi mwaka.

 Wakati huo huo alisema benki hiyo imepata faida ya zaidi ya Sh bilioni 37.8 na gawiwo kwa wanahisa ni zaidi ya Sh bilioni 19.6. Alisema mwaka jana uwekezaji wa benki kwenye dhamana za Serikali uliongezeka kwa Sh bilioni 117 ikilinganishwa na Sh bilioni 86 kwa mwaka juzi.

 
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Posted by on June 26, 2012 in Uncategorized

 

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Kutoka Bungeni: Gesi Kuwakomboa Watanzania – Simbachawene

26 Jun

NISHATI ya gesi ina nafasi kubwa kuibadili Tanzania kwa haraka endapo itatumika ipasavyo, Bunge limeelezwa.

Huge Gas Discoveries Offshore Tanzania

Huge Gas Discoveries Offshore Tanzania

Naibu Waziri wa Nishati na Madini, George Simbachawene, amewaeleza wabunge kuwa, watanzania wanapaswa kumshukuru Mungu kwa kuwajalia gesi kwa kuwa itabadili maisha ya watu, itawezesha kupatikana mbolea, kuongeza kasi ya utekelezaji wa sera ya kilimo Kwanza, na kuiwezesha nchi kupata umeme wa kutosha.

Simbachawene ameyasema hayo bungeni mjini Dodoma wakati anajibu maswali ya nyongeza ya Mbunge wa Viti Maalum, Amina Nassoro Makilagi, ni lini gesi itawanufaisha Watanzania hasa wanawake na vijana, na Serikali ina mikakati gani kuhakikisha makundi hayo yanashiriki kuchimba nishati hiyo badala ya kuwa watazamaji tu.

Awali wakati anajibu maswali ya msingi ya Mbunge huyo, Simbachawene alisema, Serikali kupitia Wizara ya Nishati na Madini ipo katika hatua za mwisho za kuandaa sera, sheria na mpango kabambe wa matumizi ya gesi.

“Wizara inashirikiana na Mshauri Mwelekezi taasi ya Research on Poverty Alleviation (REPOA) kwa ajili ya kupitia rasimu ya Sera ya Gei asili. Mshauri mwelekezi huyo ameanza kazi tangu mwezi Mei, 2012 na anatarajia kukamilisha kazi hiyo mwezi Septemba, 2012” amesema Simbachawene.

Kwa mujibu wa Simachawene, kwa kuwa rasimu ya sheria ya gesi iliandaliwa hata kabla ya kuwepo kwa Sera ya Gesi, Wizara inakusudia kuiangalia upya rasimu hiyo ili kujiridhisha kuwa haikinzani na Sera mpya ya gesi asili.

“Hiyo inategemewa kuwa Muswada wa Sheria ya Gesi asili utakuwa tayari kuwasilishwa bungeni mwezi mmoja baada ya Sera ya Gesi Asili kukamilika”amesema.

Simbachawene amesema, watalaamu kutoka Wizara ya Nishati na Madini na Shirika la Maendeleo ya Petroli (TPDC) kwa kushirikiana na Mshauri mwelekezi kutoka Trinidad and Tobago, wapo katika hatua za mwisho za kukamilisha rasimu ya mpango kabambe wa matumizi ya gesi na kwamba, unatarajiwa kukamilika sambamba na Sera ya Gesi asili.

Waziri Mkuu, Mizengo Pinda amelieleza Bunge kuwa, kasi ya utafutaji na ugunduzi wa gesi asilia imeongezeka na kwamba, hivi karibuni kampuni zinazofanya utafiti wa gesi asilia nchini zimegundua kiasi kikubwa cha nishati hiyo chenye ujazo wa trilioni 3.

“Gesi hiyo imegundulika kwenye kina cha maji marefu baharini takriban kilomita 80 kutoka nchi kavu mashariki mwa mkoa wa Lindi. Ugunduzi huo unafanya kiasi cha gesi kilichogundulika hadi sasa kwenye kina cha maji marefu baharini  kufikia futi za ujazo trilioni 20.97” amesema Pinda wakati anawasilisha bungeni mapitio na mwelekeo wa kazi za Serikali na makadirio ya matumizi ya fedha ya Ofisi ya waziri Mkuu na Ofisi ya Bunge kwa mwaka wa fedha 2012/2013.

Pinda amesema, Serikali imejipanga kuhakikisha kwamba taifa linanufaika kikamilifu na ugunduzi wa rasilimali hiyo, na kwamba, itawawezesha vijana nchini kupata mafunzo maalum yanayohusiana na masuala ya gesi asilia ili Tanzania iwe na wataalam wazalendo waliobobea katika sekta hiyo kama ilivyoainishwa kwenye Mpango wa Maendeleo wa Taifa wa miaka mitano.

 
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Posted by on June 26, 2012 in Tanzania News

 

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Slowing Chinese economy will cool growth in East Asia‏

26 Jun

A slowing Chinese economy will cool growth in  East Asia this year, but China has significant fiscal resources to help engineer a “soft  landing” and could cut taxes and raise s welfare spending, according to the  World Bank. In its twice-yearly report on the region, the Bank said Chinese  gross domestic product (GDP) would grow by 8.2% in 2012 compared with its  previous forecast of 8.4% – - before recovering to 8.6% in 2013.

Growth remains strong in developing East Asia and  Pacific, although it has slowed from its post-crisis peaks.
With the global  slowdown expected to continue, the region needs to reduce its reliance on  exports and find new sources of growth, says the World Bank in its latest East  Asia and Pacific Economic Update released yesterday.
According to the report, entitled “Capturing New  Sources of Growth,” developing East Asia and Pacific grew by 8.2% in 2011 (4.3%  excluding China), a sharp decline from the nearly 10% growth rate recorded in  2010 (7.0% excluding China). The region’s performance is still impressive on a  global scale.
In 2011, growth was about 2 percentage points higher than the  developing country average world-wide, and poverty continues to fall.
 ”The number of people living on less than US$2 a  day is expected to decrease in 2012 by 24m. Overall the number of people living  in poverty has been cut in half in the last decade in East Asia and Pacific,” said Pamela Cox, World Bank East Asia and Pacific Regional vice  president.
“Despite this success, about one-third of the people in the region,  roughly half a billion men, women and children still live in poverty. In an  uncertain global environment, more needs to be done to create new sources of  growth that provide opportunities for all.” Slowing in 2011 was largely due to lower than  expected growth in manufacturing exports as well as supply disruptions in the  wake of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and severe flooding in Thailand.  Domestic demand and investment were generally strong, aided by loosening of  monetary policy in some countries.

For 2012, the report projects that annual growth  will moderate further to 7.6% with slower expansion in China pulling down the  regional aggregate. Excluding China, growth will increase to 5.2% as Thailand  returns to normal levels of production.

Commodity exporters, which experienced a  boom in 2011, may be vulnerable in the event of a faster than anticipated  slowdown in China, which could trigger an unexpected drop in commodity prices. “Most East Asian economies are well positioned to  weather renewed volatility.

Domestic demand has proved resilient to shocks. Many  countries run current account surpluses and hold high levels of international  reserves.

Banking systems are generally well-capitalized,” said Bert Hofman,  World Bank chief economist for the East Asia and Pacific Region. “Still, risks  emanating from Europe have the potential to affect the region through links in  trade and finance.” The EU, along with the US and Japan, accounts for more than  40% of the region’s exports, and European banks provide one-third of trade and  project finance in Asia.

As external demand is likely to remain weak,  countries in developing East Asia and Pacific need to rely less on exports and  more on domestic demand to maintain high growth.

Already, many countries are  moving in this direction, but there is further scope for rebalancing.  “Some countries will need to stimulate household  consumption. In others, enhanced investment, particularly in infrastructure,  offers the potential to sustain growth provided this does not exacerbate  domestic demand pressures,” said Bryce Quillin, World Bank Economist and lead  author of the report.

 “With a changing financial sector in the aftermath of the  financial crisis, new ways to finance higher levels of infrastructure investment  need to be developed. Governments would need  to focus on accelerating the  preparation of infrastructure projects.

” In the medium-term, investment will enhance  productivity and drive growth through higher value-added activities and  innovation. Although large gains have been made in labor productivity across the  region since the Asian financial crisis of 1997-98, there is still large room  for further gains.

Policies to support the movement of labour among  countries can also be improved, suggests the report.  Improved regional  migration policies could enhance the gains from regional economic integration  and allow countries with declining working age populations to meet labor  demand.

 
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Posted by on June 26, 2012 in International News

 

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