Erik Hersman at White African talked about it. The Economist also recently talked about it. And Tactical Tech are talking about it. Three commentators and a common theme, even if they don’t realise it. What am I talking about? Social mobile’s long tail, that’s what. So, why the long tail? Well, it goes something like … Continue reading Social mobile and the long tail
Month: January 2008
View from the front row
One of the best things about being a consultant, freelancer, wanderer or independent (choose whichever title you think best fits) is that I’m not tied to any one cause, NGO, company, community or website. Since I don’t actually work for any of them I can openly communicate, engage and contribute to many sites in many … Continue reading View from the front row
When actions DO speak louder than words
Winston Churchill once famously remarked that it was “better to be making the news than taking it. To be an actor rather than a critic”. But there are times when this simplifies, and trivialises, the complementary roles that ‘actors’ and ‘critics’ can play. Half-a-century on, modern technology has empowered ‘critics’ in ways Churchill could never … Continue reading When actions DO speak louder than words
Fuel, food and cellphone credit
According to a report yesterday in the New York Times on the continuing crisis in Kenya, “fuel, food and cellphone credit are in short supply”. Who would have thought, even just a couple of short years ago, that in a time of humanitarian crisis cellphone credit would be uttered in the same sentence as ‘essential’ … Continue reading Fuel, food and cellphone credit
Consequences
Imagine, for one moment, that the recent Kenyan elections went peacefully. That voting went smoothly, results were counted on time and in an orderly fashion, and there was general calm. Then, following declaration of the winner, local NGOs make their own announcement – of widespread corruption, ballot-box stuffing, destroyed votes. Their proof? Thousands of text … Continue reading Consequences
Ring, ring… The grassroots is calling
One thing I really enjoy about kiwanja’s work is how it encourages NGOs to come up with their own solutions to their own problems, how it focuses on the grassroots and how it seeks to help those organisations looking to help themselves. While other initiatives appear more interested in what people are doing with technology, … Continue reading Ring, ring… The grassroots is calling