FortySouth

As I previously alluded, cell phone tracking seems like a great idea and that the approach taken by East African Data Handlers (EADH) with its Ujanja service needs more meat on the bones, more value for the package like providing remote data retrieval, for instance.

Turns out India-based Maverick Mobile launched Secure Mobile last Fall providing all that Ujanja has to offer and then some.

With Ujanja, once the SIM is replaced on a stolen phone, a text is sent to the preferred number(s) allowing you, the owner, to bug/irritate/aggravate the brazen thug ad nauseum. That’s pretty much as far as the comparison goes. MSM lets you do that too, but also encrypts the stored data – phonebook, images, messages – on a SIM change.

You can retrieve contacts in the phonebook and the crook’s phone log, then have them sent to the preferred number(s) via SMS. After you’ve got your data off the gizmo, you can remotely set off a siren on the phone, which by the way can only be turned off by taking out the battery, only for you to set it off again . To boot, you can also send a short code sequence that hangs the phone rendering it inoperable.

CEO Sujit Jain at DEMO ‘08:

At the very least, Ujanja needs to provide remote file retrieval because the content is perhaps more critical to (most) users than the actual phone.

The East African Data Handlers Co. (EADH) recently unveiled two solution offerings – Ujanja Mobile and Ujanja Laptop – that enable a user to track the geographical location of one’s mobile phone and/or laptop in the event that it gets stolen. Not only is there no reference of the services on the company website as of this writing (update: site now appears to be live), but also I can’t help but think that these ideas were not that well though out.

First, on how it works Continue reading

Shortly after the launch of Google Mapmaker, users were given the ability to edit maps by adding roads and other markers previously uncharted, to Google Maps. And now, thanks to the awesomeness of crowdsourcing, you can use this user-generated content to get directions too.

Using the mashup, I got really simple directions from *K-Street to Kenyatta Hospital in Nairobi (and no, I’m not suggesting anything here; correlation does not imply causation )

This feature is really great because not many cities outside of North America and most of Europe are that well mapped. In many African countries, directions are given mostly based on landmarks, like a nearby building. Those proclivities will always remain and do have their place so I think this feature will serve as a great supplement. What’s more, with a 3G-enabled mobile phone, driving around could get a lot easier!

Head over to Google Mapmaker and help map your city.

*In the interest of “teh balance”, Koinange Street is Nairobi’s Red-Light District.