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Yadel from Liberia has found a used condom in her suit case.

It’s just a week in the house but the housemates in the Downville are already acting contrary to what biggie should have order them…that is if he gave them some rules on entry.

Since the condom didn’t come with names of the users printed on it, which housemate do you suspect?

We all know the use of a condom right? The condom appears with fluid in it, which appears like it’s not been long in the suitcase.
 

Jannette from Uganda is a Virgin if we go by what she said in the house!

Who are your suspects?

Nokia has long been a darling especially in developing markets such as Uganda, Kenya and the rest of Africa where it has delivered affordable and durable phones for years. Despite this, Nokia’s lead in the market is threatened by its slow penetration in the Smartphone market which has seen Apple and Samsung lead.  According to the latest data from IDC, Samsung was the biggest phone maker by shipments in Q1 2012, followed by Nokia and Apple. Samsung shipped 93.8 million units, compared to Nokia’s 82.7 million, and Apple’s 35.1 million.

Samsung’s strategy has seen it deliver a bewildering number of different models. This has seen Samsung having a phone to suit pretty much every potential customer. If you want something pocket able that’s cheap, there’s a Samsung Galaxy for that (last check with Orange Uganda web shop had Samsung S5570 Galaxy Mini going for 399,000/- ($160). Need lots of power, a massive screen and a stylus to draw pictures with? Samsung Galaxy S Plus or Galaxy S-2 is for you and now Samsung just launched Samsung Galaxy S3. The Samsung Galaxy S3 brings a gorgeous 4.8-inch 720p display, quad-core processor and 8-megapixel camera, all crammed into a good-looking,  slim and light casing.

Where do these developments leave Nokia the darling?  The mobile industry can change with only a single product and Nokia Lumia with Windows Phone OS that has seen good reviews may be Nokia’s big return to challenge in the Smartphone business. Nokia will need to replicate its successful model that delivered affordable phones to now deliver durable and affordable Smartphone and this it needs to do sooner before Samsung becomes the darling to Ugandans and other Nokia markets at Nokia’s watch!

It’s week two, three housemates have already left the house. Maneta moved to Upville! Julio, Hilda and Teclar unfortunately made their exit from the Big Brother StarGame house forever!

From the Diary Room:  “He’s a girl. He’s all up in girls’ businesses, he’s vain, he always looks at himself in the mirror, and he’s always fighting with girls. Most housemates are not happy with him. Who swears someone’s mother and slaps a girl and then boasts about it? Who says that? How old is he, 13? Big Brother should punish people for violence”, Eve said about Seydou.

Meanwhile the sisters Edith and Eve were emotional after fighting for the past couple of days. Eve has been very upset, as she says that Edith has been talking about her to the other Housemates. “She was drunk and told the Housemates that I have fake hair and a bad attitude and said other mean things. She’s my sister and still said that stuff about me. I would never do that to her. She can’t even say sorry to me.” Edith then apologised.

From UPVille, When asked about the differences between the two houses, Maneta said: “There’s less noise, less violence and drama, more food, hot water and my own big bed. It feels so good right now.”
She added that she however feels bored. “I’m getting bored of Upville. I’m a fun-loving, crazy person. I expect a bit of life in there. It’s boring me to death.”

Who is leaving the house this week?  Second eviction nights, on nomination are;

Dalphin; Sierra Leone

Zainab; Sierra Leone

Yadel; Liberia

Luke; Liberia

In the wake of Safaricom announcing that it will be discontinuing the sale of all unlimited data bundle products and that it may focus its energies on fixed data, the question of what Uganda operators are offering comes to center stage.  Safaricom as of 2012 Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) report is the leading data services provider in Kenya and hence any move it takes may have big implications to the market.  Will other players follow suit in Kenya and Uganda or will they be more innovative in their offerings to high volume consumers?

The Uganda market has some unlimited data packages which cost about 300,000 UGX as of April 2012.  It is claimed by some consumers that sometime it is almost impossible to play a single 5 minute 20MB video with unlimited data package since the video may take 30 minutes to steam which amount of wait time is unacceptable to a user.  Hence the following questions linger in mind; 

1.       Are Uganda operators offering unlimited packages on paper i.e in theory?

2.       Are there details about these unlimited packages that operators hide from customers?

3.       Could it be that the failed video stream is deliberately the operator’s doing and the customer is not made aware of this in the term of services?

Unlimited package for some operators have speeds not exceeding 512 kilobits per second (kpbs). What is not publically known is if there is another data cap coming with these products on the Uganda market such that when you get to the cap you are then lowered further to less speed e.g 128 kbps or 64 kbps.  If this is the case then there isn’t a Uganda operator offering truly unlimited packages in terms of both volume and speed.

For high volume consumers, an offer of high volume packages could be an attraction but currently they are at quite very expensive rates(over 1M UGX for 100GB) if the average individual or family is going to try them. The other option is fixed/dedicated broadband services. Some operators have with an initial cost of over 2000 USD and about 300USD per month for 512kps minimum speed. This initial cost is could still be on the high side if individuals, families and SME are to take on these fixed data products.

With the above in mind and if unlimited mobile 3G packages turn out to be unprofitable(such as for Safaricom’s case) and  tempting operators to provide poor quality of service, shall the Uganda market see more affordable fixed data packages that can be embraced by individuals, families, and SMEs?

Over the first 2 weeks of May, 2012, Yahoo CEO has been in news, not for anything good but for a Fake Computer Science Degree on His Resume!   He is finally out; he is fired though a reason for resignation may be used to divert attention.  This is less that 6 months since he was hired.

Despite his proven experience and success as a former president of PayPal who took over YAHOO from Carol Bartz who was dismissed in September, the fake computer science degree on his resume has cost him the current job but more importantly his reputation.  Thompson claimed in his resume that he graduated with a degree in accounting and computer science in 1978 from Stonehill College. While the school confirms that Thompson does in fact have a degree in accounting, the school did not offer a computer science degree until 1983 — that’s five years after Thompson graduated.

Levinsohn, currently the global media head overseeing advertising across all of Yahoo is expect to be interim CEO.

For Ugandans and anyone that seeks to pursue a successful career, the key lesson from Scott Thompson fall is that never should you fake you resume. If you fake and get by now, it may and will cost you when it matters most. Scott Thompson fake degree is for over 20 years back and here it is costing him now in 2012. 

Maneta moves to Upville! Julio, Hilda and Teclar unfortunately have made their exit from the Big Brother StarGame house forever!

Tonight, Big Brother StarGame (BBA7) Downville house has lost four housemates, and now Liberia and Sierra Leone have been randomly selected for eviction next week!

The Nominations are in for Sierra Leone Duo: Zainab and Dalphin, and Liberian Duo: Yadel and Luke. Who will be leaving the house next? Make your prediction right here and cast your vote to keep your favorite in the Big Brother StarGame show!

After a week of endless gossip, Big Brother house was finally put  off tension as 4 housemates left Downville; 3 leaving for their homes and 1 went to the posh Upville house.

Zimbabwe’s Princess of Zamunda – ‘Teclar’ – was unable to use her ‘royal powers’ to save herself from getting evicted. From Tanzania, Julio and the cheerful Hilda were evicted to catch the first plane to TZ, after only a week in the Stargame, so sad!

As Downille housemates gathered in the lounge, Maneta and Teclar were the first to be told to leave the Big Brother House.

Maneta simply made a dramatic beeline for the Eviction doors, telling Julio not to touch her, as he reached for a hug. Maneta knew nothing that she was about to upgrade to posh Upville.

Teclar was evicted leaving her fellow Zimbabwean not sure of her fate. A few minutes later, Maneta was gratified to know that she had been promoted to Upville.

Maneta, welcome to your new home!

With the Tanzania Duo evicted this leave Big Brother Stargame house with 2 East African duos from Uganda and Kenya.