· June, 2008

Stories about Technology from June, 2008

South Africa: Scholarships for Highway Africa 2008

  15 June 2008

Highway Africa announces scholarships for practicing journalists: “Highway Africa has a limited number of scholarships for practising African journalists who are keen on learning and using digital media. PLEASE NOTE THE EMPHASIS ON PRACTISING JOURNALISTS.”

Kenya: Jobsearching using mobile phone

  15 June 2008

Ethan writes about Kazi560, a jobsearching service via mobile phone in Kenya: “Unemployment is a major problem in Kenya, especially in informal settlements. A creative solution, called Kazi560, is having great success matching blue-collar workers with jobs via SMS. If you’re a laborer, you can spend an amazing amount of...

Japan: Reflections on the Akiba Massacre (Part 1)

  14 June 2008

When all the dust had settled and the knife rampage in Tokyo's Akihabara district last Sunday, which took the lives of seven people and left 17 injured, had come to a close, many were left wondering what it all really meant. In this post, bloggers offer their perspectives about what may have driven Tomohiro Kato to kill and injure so many people.

Caucasus: Armenian & Georgian Blogosphere Assessed

Following last weekend's BarCamp in Tbilisi, one of the event's main organizers, Giga Paitchadze, briefly considers its success and provides a small glimpse into the Georgian blogosphere. Also known as DvOrsky, the blogger claims to be the oldest in the country. Global Voices Online interviewed Paitchadze after the Caucasus BarCamp.

Nigeria: MTN is robbing their subscribers

  13 June 2008

Yomi rants against MTN, the mobile telephony company in Nigeria: “This rant will be brief and pointed. Subscribers to MTN’s unlimited data plan pay N13,500 monthly to connect to the internet 24-7. Subscribers are required to pay this fee on or before the 8th every month. However, by some rogue...

Chile: National Network of Digital Citizenship

  13 June 2008

The National Network of Digital Citizenship is a newly formed group of interested Chilean organizations that seek to promote that advancement of new technologies. Luis Ramirez provides more information on the activities of this new network [es].

Botswana: Nata Village gets an internet cafe

  10 June 2008

Nata village in Botswana gets an internet cafe: “Hallelujah!!! We are 120 miles from a bank and a grocery store but we're getting an internet cafe. Pictured above is the small addition to the Nata Post office. Thanks to Post Net, the government postal service in Botswana, we are getting...

Africa: 2009 AfricaBike

  10 June 2008

The start of 2009 AfricaBike: “Looking ahead to 2009, the AfricaBike has been given a few modifications. As always, it's still designed with the African terrain and people in mind, but the new overhaul is, well, a bit burlier.”

Africa: Afrigator adds a new feature

  10 June 2008

Stii writes about a new feature on Afrigator: “We’ve introduced a new feature which allows you to import your blog roll and find your friends on Afrigator to add to your MyGator. It is really quick and simple to do, provided that your blog roll is in XFN format.”

Kenya: Nairobi BarCamp 08

  10 June 2008

Ismail writes about Nairobi BarCamp 08 sponsored by ushahidi.com: “Some of the topics covered may be: * Local mapping (Open Streetmap, Green Map, etc.), * Blogging tools and trends, * Mobile phone apps (Android in Africa, FrontlineSMS and RapidSMS), * Using Google’s App Engine for building web and mobile services,*...

Japan: The problems facing Japan's IT industry

  10 June 2008

An article in the New York Times a few weeks ago, describing a chronic shortage of engineers in Japan, received support from many Japanese bloggers. The article explains that young people in Japanare more interested nowadays with fields like finance or medicine, or creative careers like the arts, then they are with engineering, with one estimate putting the shortage of engineers at almost half a million.

Azerbaijan: Blogs, BarCamps & Social Networks

This post is part of our special coverage Caucasus Conflict Voices. On the sidelines of this weekend's Caucasus BarCamp in Tbilisi, capital of the Republic of Georgia, Global Voices Online's Caucasus Editor Onnik Krikorian had a brief opportunity to talk to BarCamp Ambassador and Regional Program Manager for Transitions Online,...

Ecuador: Promoting Saraguro Indigenous Culture

  10 June 2008

Angel Gualan is proud to be a member of the Saraguro indigenous culture in Ecuador. He has taken steps to promote its culture, dances, and foods through the use of his blog, so that others can gain a better understanding of this indigenous group.

Peru: 10Blog Conference in Lima

  9 June 2008

Sandro Medina Tovar of Letra Suelta [es] publicizes the conference 10Blog, which will be held on Thursday, June 12 in Lima, Peru. The conference will provide speakers on various topics dealing with the blogosphere, such as legal aspects of blogs and philosophical fundamentals of blogs.

India: Bullying bloggers, stealing content, and threats!

  9 June 2008

As bloggers, we're a vulnerable lot. Regardless of anonymity, pseudonyms and the like, threats can still make us review how important a blog is. The case of Inji Pennu and Kerals.com is taking the blogosphere by storm. In what comes across as sheer bullying and intimidation, Kerals.com, a website that...