MAMBO TakeAirtel's Bizna Wallet has turned Kenya's small-business payments into a price war
Airtel Money's Bizna Wallet challenges Safaricom's Pochi La Biashara with free merchant payments and cashback as M-Pesa cuts selected fees.
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Tim Humphreys
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MAMBO Take
MAMBO TakeApple owns 65 percent of the premium phone market, but the number hides a changing battlefield
Counterpoint says Apple captured 65 percent of premium smartphone sales in H1 2026 as the premium segment reached a record 29 percent of the market.
Should you care?DJI is launching the Osmo 360 II on August 13, but the best specs are still leaks
DJI confirms an August 13 launch for Osmo 360 II. Reports point to a larger battery and 8K60 video, but final specifications remain unannounced.
MAMBO ExplainsGoogle Assistant starts disappearing on September 4. Gemini is no longer optional
Google begins removing Assistant from Android, Wear OS and paired devices on September 4, 2026, moving users permanently to Gemini.
MAMBO TakeBYD, Geely and Chery are now global top-10 automakers. China is no longer the challenger
BYD ranked sixth, Geely seventh and Chery tied for ninth in H1 2026 global automaker market share, showing China's rapid international expansion.
MAMBO ExplainsWhy the KSh 363 million bank CEO case is really about suspicious-transaction reporting
Kenyan prosecutors have charged top bank executives over alleged failures to report suspicious transactions tied to a KSh 363.4 million fraud case.
Should you care?Pixel 11's leaked Proactive Assistance wants to understand your screen before you ask
An Android Authority teardown reveals Google's Proactive Assistance feature ahead of Pixel 11, using screen and app context to make Gemini more proactive.
MAMBO TakeIndia wants to lock in electronics manufacturing until 2041, and Apple is a major reason why
India proposes extending tax exemptions for foreign electronics suppliers to 2041 as it scales smartphone, laptop, tablet and wearable manufacturing.
MAMBO ExplainsA Zeekr 7X caught fire near a charger. The earlier crash may matter more than the charger
Zeekr says a 7X involved in an August 9 Ningbo incident had previously suffered a severe collision. No injuries occurred and the cause is under investigation.
Wallet WatchApple just raised Mac trade-in values. That does not mean you should trade yours in
Apple increased US trade-in estimates for Macs, including a roughly 28 percent Mac mini increase. Here is when Apple trade-in makes financial sense.
MAMBO TakeInsta360 just turned the GO Ultra into a wearable Gemini assistant
Insta360 firmware 1.8.91 adds Kira, a Gemini-powered AI assistant with Ask with Photo, translation and voice recognition to the GO Ultra.
Should you care?Smart #2 is returning to the tiny-car idea that made Smart interesting
China's MIIT filing reveals the production-bound Smart #2 at about 2.75 metres long with a 60 kW motor and CATL LFP cells.
Should you care?The August Pixel update fixes the kind of bugs no flagship should ship with
Google's August Pixel patch addresses unresponsive touch panels and GPU performance issues on Pixel 10 devices while delivering security fixes.
MAMBO TakeEurope is turning interoperability from a nice idea into a product requirement
EU Digital Markets Act enforcement is forcing deeper interoperability on iOS and Android, including access for rival devices, assistants and services.
MAMBO TakeChina's BYD battery blogger dispute is becoming a test of who gets to challenge product claims
China's CAC named tech blogger Cai Shen Dao in an enforcement case over allegedly false product evaluations tied to BYD Blade Battery 2.0 testing.
MAMBO ExplainsWindows on Arm has reached the enterprise. Compatibility now matters more than battery claims
Snapdragon X2 business PCs from Microsoft, HP and other vendors push Windows on Arm deeper into enterprise fleets, where compatibility and management decide success.
MAMBO ExplainsCATL and BYD want solid-state battery trials in 2027. Your next EV probably will not have one
CATL and BYD are targeting small-scale solid-state battery production in 2027, but cost, yield and durability still separate trials from mass-market EVs.
MAMBO TakeApple removed Telegram for a day. That is enough to show how much power an app store holds
Apple briefly removed Telegram after finding prohibited child sexual abuse material, then restored it after Telegram removed the content and banned the user.
MAMBO TakeEast Africa's electric-mobility race is moving from vehicles to infrastructure
Electric motorcycles and fleet vehicles are scaling across East Africa, shifting the competition toward battery swapping, charging access and interoperability.
MAMBO ExplainsNo, iPhone-to-Windows clipboard sync has not launched yet. Here is what actually changed
Apple is developing native iPhone-to-Windows clipboard sharing after a Microsoft EU interoperability request, but release may not arrive until 2027 or 2028.
MAMBO ExplainsAndroid's August system update shows how Google changes your phone without an OS upgrade
Many Android changes now arrive through Play services rather than a full Android release, making updates faster but less visible.
Should you care?Google says Pixel 11 prices are going up. The exact damage arrives on August 12
Google says it can no longer absorb the memory crisis and is redesigning Android to use RAM more efficiently.
MAMBO ExplainsApple's PlasmaSolve acquisition is about the invisible engineering that makes hardware last
The deal strengthens Apple's ability to simulate coatings and manufacturing processes before committing to expensive production runs.
MAMBO TakeApple's next health device may sit on your face, not your wrist
Apple appears to be spreading sensing across glasses and earbuds, but privacy, battery life and clinical credibility will determine whether it works.
MAMBO ExplainsiPhone and Windows may finally share a clipboard, because the EU forced the conversation
The feature would bring Universal Clipboard-style sharing to Windows, but privacy and background synchronisation make the project more complex than it sounds.
MAMBO TakeVodacom's new Safaricom powers go far beyond owning more shares
Vodacom's reported 55 percent stake now comes with stronger board and executive influence over a company that carries Kenya's communications and money.
MAMBO ExplainsCarrefour's prepaid card turns grocery money into a controlled digital budget
The card could help diaspora families fund groceries directly, but fees, exchange rates, privacy and usage restrictions will decide its value.
MAMBO TakeApple's 2026 iPhone plan could leave budget buyers waiting until 2027
A split launch would turn Apple's biggest 2026 phone event into a premium-only season and push value-conscious buyers toward older iPhones or Android.
MAMBO TakeSafaricom's KSh 80.13 billion dividend is a victory for shareholders and a test for growth
The record payout shows renewed confidence after years of Ethiopia investment. It also raises the question of how much cash Safaricom should return versus reinvest.
MAMBO TakeVisa's new East Africa chief comes from mobile money, and that changes the strategy
Visa has appointed an executive who grew a mobile money challenger. Her task is to connect cards, wallets, banks and merchants across seven markets.
MAMBO ExplainsKRA's blockchain clearance platform could reduce port delays, but only if every agency uses it
TLIP aims to replace duplicated cargo files with one shared record. The technology matters, but agency integration and clean data will decide whether clearance becomes faster.
MAMBO ExplainsNIO's 4,000th battery swap station shows what charging networks still cannot do
NIO's new station can hold more batteries and complete a swap in under two minutes, but the model remains expensive and difficult to standardise.
MAMBO TakeXpeng's G9L turns the electric SUV into a private lounge on wheels
The G9L is not competing only on range and acceleration. It is selling the cabin as a mobile living room, office and rest space.
MAMBO TakeThe Mechanical Myth: How Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey Tamed the IMAX Beast
From three-strip Technicolor to The Dark Knight and The Odyssey, cinema has repeatedly forced hostile machines to serve human imagination. Nolan's latest film turns IMAX from an action format into a complete dramatic language.
MAMBO Explains7,000mAh phone batteries are becoming normal, but capacity is not the whole story
The OnePlus N6x confirms that huge batteries are reaching affordable phones. Higher-density chemistry helps the trend, but efficiency and health still decide the experience.
Wallet WatchQualcomm chip prices are rising. Should you buy a phone now or wait?
The chipset increase arrives alongside expensive memory and next-generation manufacturing. Phone brands may raise prices, reuse older chips or cut specifications.
MAMBO TakeTECNO's 0mm-bezel concept looks stunning. Your palm may disagree
TECNO says its concept removes the final visible border around a smartphone display. The engineering achievement is real, but bezels also protect screens and prevent accidental touches.
MAMBO TakePixel 11's glowing camera bar could revive the notification LED, if Google makes it useful
The Pixel 11 appears to bring coloured notification lighting to Google's camera bar. The idea could reduce screen checking, but only if it becomes more than decoration.
MAMBO ExplainsKenya's emerging technology sandbox deadline is here. What happens next?
The CA sandbox gives selected innovators a supervised route to test AI, 5G, 6G, IoT, cybersecurity and digital-content products before full market deployment.
MAMBO TakeKenya wants Oracle's cloud and AI expertise. It should negotiate like the data matters
Oracle and the ICT Authority are exploring deeper cooperation on government cloud, AI and certification. Kenya needs skills transfer, interoperability and enforceable data controls.
Should you care?Kenya won big at Huawei's ICT Competition. Medals are only the beginning
All three Kenyan university teams returned with global honours. The next test is turning competition success into research, products and well-paid technology careers.
MAMBO TakeRISE 2026 takes Nigeria's technology debate to Jos, where it belongs
Hosting a major national technology conference in Jos challenges the idea that Nigeria's digital economy begins in Lagos and ends in Abuja.
Should you care?Airtel Nigeria's one-seat shops show why telecom's future is still physical
The new compact shops reduce the cost of physical retail while keeping registration, support and financial services close to customers.
MAMBO TakeSouth Africa is ready to scale AI. Access and infrastructure could still split the winners
The conference moved past chatbot demos toward energy, banking, public services and telecom infrastructure. The harder question is who can participate.
MAMBO ExplainsRentoza's business rescue exposes the risky economics of gadget subscriptions
Subscription access can make expensive technology feel affordable, but the model needs capital, inventory control, collections and customer trust to survive.
MAMBO ExplainsAfrica's Laptop LLM Challenge asks AI to fit the computers people already own
Instead of asking developers to find bigger GPUs, the competition asks them to compress, optimise and localise AI for common African hardware.
MAMBO TakeAfrica cannot manufacture 60% of its vaccines by importing all the important knowledge
Manufacturing plants are only one part of vaccine sovereignty. Africa must own more of the science, delivery technology, intellectual property and market.
BusinessUber's Glovo deal now faces the part regulators care about: antitrust
Uber's 14.8 billion dollar acquisition of Glovo parent Delivery Hero faces antitrust scrutiny across Kenya, Nigeria, and North Africa, where it would merge the top delivery rivals.
BusinessA R150 million solar bet on the grid South Africa cannot rely on
Nesa Power secured about 150 million rand, roughly 9 million dollars, in mezzanine debt from Maia Capital to expand commercial and industrial solar under long-term PPAs.
Should you care?Africa's telecom ministers met in Abuja to write one digital rulebook
African ICT ministers gathered in Abuja for the ATU's 7th Conference of Plenipotentiaries, aiming for a unified continental strategy on spectrum, AI, and digital infrastructure.
BusinessSix Nigerian fintechs crack the world's top 500, and it is not luck
Six Nigerian fintechs made CNBC and Statista's 2026 World's Top Fintech Companies list, over half of Africa's 11 entries, cementing Lagos as the continent's fintech capital.
Should you care?Kenya's new KSh250,000 licence to import phones and routers, explained
Kenya now requires a KSh250,000 Communications Equipment Distributor Licence to import phones, routers, and modems, part of a crackdown on counterfeit and non-compliant devices.
Should you care?Samsung goes Ultra: everything announced at the London Unpacked, from a 4.1mm Fold to Gemini glasses
Samsung's London Unpacked delivered the first Ultra foldable at 4.1mm, a wider Fold8, the Flip8, two new watches, and Gemini-powered smart glasses. Every announcement, explained.
Should you care?The iPhone 18 Pro's variable aperture, explained: why this camera rumor is the real deal
Apple has not announced the iPhone 18 Pro, but this camera rumor now has analyst notes, supply-chain reports, and factory-equipment claims behind it.
MAMBO ExplainsThe VLC story: how the traffic cone said no to tens of millions, and why almost nobody else did
Nearly every "free" app you use pays for itself with your attention or your data. VLC is the great exception, and understanding why it stayed clean explains what happened to everything else on your phone.
Should you care?Kenya's digital learning push now faces the classroom test
Kenya's digital learning ambitions now depend on teacher training, maintenance, connectivity, and content that fits real classrooms.
Should you care?Kenya's home internet fight is moving past speed
Kenya's home internet market is becoming a fight over reliability, support, coverage, and congestion, not only headline speed.
BusinessBasiGo's electric bus growth now meets the grid question
BasiGo's electric bus push is moving from proof of concept to infrastructure challenge, with charging, depots, and financing now in focus.
Should you care?Airtel Money's Rudishiwa turns cashback into a habit
Airtel Money is using Rudishiwa to reward Kenyan users and make its wallet feel more useful for everyday transactions.
BusinessMoniepoint names Rose Muturi CEO for Kenya
Rose Muturi will lead Moniepoint's Kenya operation as the Nigerian fintech tries to turn its Sumac acquisition into a real SME banking push.
Should you care?Apple sues OpenAI, and the age of polite AI partnerships is over
Apple's lawsuit against OpenAI turns a friendly AI partnership into a fight over hardware, trade secrets, talent, and who gets to define the next computing device.
BusinessUber is buying Glovo's owner. What it means for Kenya
Uber's agreement to buy Delivery Hero would bring Glovo into the same group as Uber Eats, a major shift for Kenya's food and grocery delivery market.
Should you care?Is the M5 MacBook Air the best value laptop right now?
The M5 MacBook Air is not exciting on the outside, but its mix of speed, silence, battery life, and support makes it difficult to ignore.
Should you care?The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 makes repairability premium
Lenovo's latest ThinkPad X1 Carbon is being praised not just for performance, but because its redesigned internals make common repairs easier.
BusinessNVIDIA's RTX Spark wants to reinvent the Windows PC
NVIDIA's RTX Spark platform is a direct challenge to Intel and AMD in Windows PCs, built around local AI, Arm, Blackwell graphics, and huge shared memory.
BusinessIntel raises CPU prices, and AMD looks better for it
Intel's 2026 CPU price increases are narrow but revealing: desktop bumps are modest, server hikes are steep, and AMD gets a value opening.
Should you care?Copilot can now tell you why your PC is slow
Microsoft is testing PC Insights for Copilot, a plain-English way to ask why your laptop feels slow, whether your storage is full, or why your battery is fading.
Should you care?Microsoft just patched a record 570 flaws. Update now
Microsoft's July 2026 Patch Tuesday fixed a record 570 flaws, including two already being used in attacks. The boring advice is now urgent: update quickly.
Should you care?SponsoredPrimeVale is betting that informed property buyers are better buyers
PrimeVale says its new Kenyan property marketplace will pair listings with plain-language guides for first-time buyers. The education-first idea is strong, but trust will depend on verification and independence.
MAMBO ExplainsSamsung's 2026 Mini LED TVs bring Vision AI to Kenya, but brightness still matters
Samsung is pushing AI picture and sound features into its 2026 TV range. That is useful, but buyers should still compare brightness, local dimming, ports and room conditions.
MAMBO ExplainsTECNO EllaClaw shows the next phone war is not megapixels. It is agents
Smartphone AI is moving from photo tricks to agents that act across apps. TECNO's EllaClaw shows why budget phones may become the real test ground.
MAMBO TakeKOKO Networks' asset sale is a warning to African climate tech
KOKO built one of Africa's most visible clean cooking platforms. Its asset sale shows how hardware, households and carbon finance can become dangerously tangled.
MAMBO ExplainsKenya's proposed annual emissions test could clean the air, but gig drivers will feel the cost first
The Bill would require yearly emissions certificates and digital NEMA-linked testing. Cleaner air matters, but fees and repairs could hit ride-hailing and logistics workers hard.
MAMBO TakeAmerica invents it, China perfects it, Europe writes the rules for it
The old line says America innovates, China replicates, and Europe regulates. China's rocket catch shows why that line is useful, and why it is no longer enough.
BusinessI&M Bank's World Elite Metal Card is not just luxury. It is Kenyan banking signalling
The metal card targets high-value Kenyan customers with lounge access, concierge services and high credit limits. The real story is the race to own premium digital banking relationships.
MAMBO ExplainsMeta Muse Image shows why public Instagram posts now need privacy settings
Meta's Muse Image rollout turned public Instagram content into AI prompt material by default. Here is what users, creators and brands should know before leaving settings untouched.
MAMBO ExplainsGlovo is bringing shopping into ChatGPT and Claude. That changes quick commerce
Glovo's AI Shopping Assistant lets users discover products through natural-language chat before moving into purchase. It is not magic, but it points to the next interface for quick commerce.
Should you care?Starlink freezes new signups in 7 Kenyan counties
Starlink has paused new signups in seven Kenyan counties after rapid subscriber growth filled the network capacity available in those areas.
BusinessThe AGM that formalises Vodafone's grip on Safaricom
Safaricom shareholders will vote on fourteen resolutions that turn Vodafone Kenya's 55 percent stake into formal boardroom control.
Should you care?Inside Kenya's controversial internet metering bill
Kenya's internet metering bill would give every subscriber a unique meter number and require providers to turn usage into verifiable bills.
BusinessKenya's new tax rules put software payments under pressure
Kenya's Finance Act 2026 expands the definition of royalty to cover software and digital-platform payments, changing the tax treatment of many cross-border contracts.
BusinessKOKO's empire goes on sale, and carbon is the lesson
KOKO Networks' clean-cooking technology is being marketed to buyers after the company lost the carbon-credit approval that supported its fuel subsidy.
Should you care?Kenya's proposed rules let families seek betting bans
Kenya's draft gambling regulations create a family-initiated exclusion process and require licensed operators to check a central register every day.
MAMBO TakeYou probably do not need the newest AI model
The useful model is the one that solves your repeated task reliably, affordably and inside your workflow. Benchmark leadership is not a personal productivity strategy.
MAMBO ExplainsSmart glasses are finally useful, but most pairs do not do what buyers imagine
Some smart glasses are headphones in a frame. Others record video or show a private display. Very few deliver the science-fiction AR experience buyers expect.
MAMBO ExplainsHow to fix a full Google Drive without paying for more storage
Google storage is shared across Drive, Gmail, Photos and some backups. Start with the largest files, protect important data and empty every trash folder.
MAMBO ExplainsClaude Fable 5 came back different. Government policy changed the product
The model's core was not retrained, but its access and guardrails changed. The episode shows how government policy can alter software overnight.
MAMBO TakeAI is not killing every junior tech job. It is breaking the ladder into them
Routine work once trained junior employees. As AI absorbs it, employers demand judgement and architecture before candidates have had a place to learn them.
MAMBO TakeThe AI tax is raising Apple prices, but it is not a fee for Apple Intelligence
Consumers are paying an indirect AI tax through scarcer RAM and storage chips. The mechanism is supply-chain competition, not a direct charge for AI software.
Should you care?Apple killed its car, and is taking your dashboard anyway
Apple cancelled its car, but CarPlay and Wallet car keys keep moving deeper into the dashboard. That may be the better business.
MAMBO TakeAmazon Leo is coming for Starlink in Africa. Cheaper internet is not guaranteed
Amazon now has enough low-Earth-orbit satellites to begin service, but Africa needs gateways, licences and affordable hardware before competition reaches consumers.
Should you care?Safari just opened its doors to AI coding agents
Safari Technology Preview now includes an MCP server, giving compatible AI coding agents official tools to inspect, test, and debug websites in a live browser.
MAMBO TakeAfrica has a seat at the AI governance table. Now it needs real leverage
A seat at the table matters, but it can become ceremonial. Africa needs coordinated policy, local research capacity and bargaining power to shape how AI is built and deployed.
Should you care?iOS 27 can tell when you are being scammed, live
Apple's reported Trust Insights framework in iOS 27 is designed to spot live social engineering risk and help apps add warnings before users move money.
MAMBO ExplainsVisa and M-Pesa are testing stablecoins, but users may never see the crypto
The pilot uses stablecoins behind the scenes to settle cross-border mobile money transactions. Its importance lies in the infrastructure, not in asking customers to become crypto traders.
Should you care?iPhone 18 Pro tipped for a much smaller Dynamic Island
The iPhone 18 Pro is tipped for a substantially smaller Dynamic Island, a rumor that fits Apple's slow move toward a cleaner all-screen front.
MAMBO TakeA KSh 150,000 flagship is harder to justify when midrange phones are this good
Midrange phones now cover most everyday needs, but 2026's memory crisis is squeezing cheap devices too. The smart buy depends on support, cameras and total ownership cost.
Should you care?Samsung Messages is shutting down in the US. Google has won the Android texting war
Samsung is directing supported US Galaxy phones to Google Messages. The move simplifies Android texting, but it also gives Google more control over a basic phone function.
BusinessThe $2,500 iPhone Ultra: Apple's luxury tech gamble
Apple's rumored iPhone Ultra foldable is being framed by analysts as a premium device near $2,500, with shipment expectations that would test how high flagship phone prices can climb.
MAMBO ExplainsAndroid 17 makes a stolen PIN less powerful, but biometrics are not magic
Google is reducing the power of a stolen or observed PIN by requiring biometrics for sensitive recovery actions. It is a useful security layer, not a complete theft cure.
MAMBO TakeAndroid 17 app Bubbles show why Google still understands multitasking better than Apple
Android 17 lets Pixel users turn almost any app into a movable floating window. It is a small interface change with large implications for phones, tablets and foldables.
MAMBO TakeSony is ending new PlayStation game discs in 2028. What gamers lose
Sony says new PlayStation games will become digital-only from January 2028. Existing disc titles can still be reprinted, but the trade, lending, and ownership culture around new games will take the real hit.
Should you care?Tesla robotaxis reach Miami, but the rollout is smaller than the headline
Tesla's robotaxi map has reached Miami, but only inside a limited geofenced area. The launch matters, though it is not yet proof of citywide autonomous transport.
MAMBO TakeCan your smartwatch predict illness, or just make you anxious?
Wearables are getting better at spotting when your body behaves differently from normal. That can be useful, but an alert is a clue, not a diagnosis.
MAMBO ExplainsWi-Fi 7 labels are a mess. Here is what actually matters
Router boxes advertise enormous Wi-Fi 7 speeds, but your internet plan, devices, radio design, and wired ports decide what you will actually experience.
MAMBO ExplainsThese phones are losing software support. Here is what to do next
A phone does not become useless when updates stop, but its risk grows over time. Here is how to check support, protect your data, and plan an upgrade without panic.
MAMBO ExplainsUSB-C does not mean fast charging. Here is the right charger for your iPhone or iPad
Two USB-C cables can look identical and behave differently, but the charger and device limit usually decide iPhone charging speed. Here is the practical buying guide.
BusinessAfrican fintech's second wave: from payments to credit
African fintech is moving beyond payment apps into credit, B2B infrastructure, embedded finance, and debt-funded models built around real cash flows.
BusinessTanzania opens its fintech sandbox for a third round
The Bank of Tanzania has opened applications for the third cohort of its fintech regulatory sandbox, with submissions due by July 31, 2026.
BusinessHow stablecoins became Nigeria's trade workaround
Nigerian businesses are using stablecoins as a bottom-up workaround for dollar scarcity, slow settlement, and cross-border payment friction.
BusinessAfrica links 11 stock exchanges as AELP Phase II launches
Phase II of the African Exchange Linkage Project expands the network to 11 exchanges and more than 50 brokers, pushing African capital markets closer together.
BusinessAfrica's fintech shakeout: the M&A wave, explained
African fintech is consolidating fast as stronger companies buy data rails, licences, local footholds, and distressed rivals.
BusinessEVs could soon beat petrol on cost across Africa
New research says EVs are close to cost parity across much of Africa, with expensive financing now doing more to slow adoption than the technology itself.
BusinessToyota finally sells an EV in South Africa. Why now?
Toyota's first fully electric car in South Africa is a cautious, expensive signal that the country's EV market can no longer be ignored.
BusinessWest Africa's mega-corridor eyes cleaner, smarter freight
The EU Regional Business Forum put West Africa's Abidjan to Lagos corridor in front of investors, with rail, urban mobility, trade facilitation, and logistics on the table.
Should you care?EV sales head for a record 23.3 million, but split world
BloombergNEF expects passenger EV sales to hit 23.3 million in 2026, but the global transition is now moving at very different speeds.
Should you care?Samsung Unpacked lands July 22: Z Fold 8 leaks explained
Samsung's next Galaxy Unpacked is widely expected on July 22, with Z Fold 8 leaks pointing to thinner hardware, camera upgrades, and a possible wider model.
Should you care?EV choice is growing, but the market still tilts big
The global EV catalogue is expanding, but the IEA says large cars and SUVs still account for almost 70 percent of global EV sales.
Should you care?Apple Watch redesign may break your bands in 2027
A new Apple Watch rumor says a 2027 redesign could change the band attachment system, potentially making today's straps incompatible.
BusinessBYD retakes the EV crown as June numbers land
BYD delivered 557,090 fully electric vehicles in Q2 2026, ahead of Tesla's 480,126, while NIO posted its best month of the year.
Should you care?Wi-Fi earbuds are here, and Bluetooth is on notice
Premium earbuds from Xiaomi and vivo can use Wi-Fi for higher-bandwidth lossless audio, but early compatibility is tightly limited.
Should you care?Nothing Phone (4b) lands July 7: what to expect
Nothing has confirmed the Phone (4b) for July 7, with leaks pointing to a transparent-style design, Glyph Bar, 120Hz AMOLED display, and a large battery.
BusinessNairobi hub certifies 15 tech and AI firms, eyes Sh26bn
Kenya's Nairobi International Financial Centre has certified 15 firms in AI, fintech, digital assets, and capital markets, with projected investment of about Sh25.9 billion.
BusinessGovernment banks Sh244.5bn from the Safaricom sale
Kenya has received about Sh244.5 billion from the Vodacom Safaricom transaction, with the money headed into the National Infrastructure Fund.
BusinessGoogle Play launches a Sh129m indie games fund for Africa
Google Play's first Indie Games Fund for Africa offers equity-free grants of 50,000 to 200,000 dollars to independent studios, with Kenya among eligible countries.
Should you care?Kenya backs a Cybersecurity Agency as AI fraud rises
Kenya is backing a National Cybersecurity Agency as AI-generated deepfakes, online fraud, and attacks on public digital services grow more sophisticated.
BusinessNew leaders at the NSE and Airtel Kenya
The Nairobi Securities Exchange and Airtel Kenya have new leaders, with Tom Mulwa named NSE chairman and Djibril Tobe taking over as Airtel Kenya managing director.
Research-based analysisSamsung Galaxy A37 5G review: a dependable mid-ranger that plays it safe
The Samsung Galaxy A37 5G gets the important things right, a bright screen, all-day battery, and years of updates, without trying anything bold.
BusinessSouth Africa sets six pillars for its digital economy
South Africa is framing its digital-economy push around six priorities: subsea cables and telecoms, AI, data centres, cybersecurity, startups, and cross-border digital transformation.
Should you care?Claude's most powerful model is back, and the saga says a lot about who controls AI
Anthropic says Claude Fable 5 returns worldwide on July 1 after the United States lifted export controls that had forced the company to suspend its top models.
BusinessVodacom takes majority control of Safaricom
Vodacom now controls about 55% of Safaricom after completing a $2.1 billion transaction, while Kenya's government keeps a 20% stake.
BusinessVolkswagen SA at a new-energy-vehicle crossroads
Volkswagen Group Africa is taking cautious hybrid steps in South Africa while pressing government for clearer new-energy-vehicle policy.
Should you care?Kenya hits 800 million GB of data as 2G and 3G fade
Kenya used about 800 million GB of mobile data in one quarter as smartphones crossed 50 million and 5G subscriptions kept rising.
Should you care?SARS leans on AI for the 2026 tax season
SARS is using more automation and third-party data to pre-fill tax returns and run auto-assessments for the 2026 filing season.
Should you care?Kenya warned to match AI growth with real laws
Kenyan lawmakers and digital knowledge experts say AI adoption needs stronger legal and governance frameworks before harm outruns protection.
Should you care?Microsoft's AI skilling expands across Kenyan counties
Microsoft and partners are expanding practical AI training beyond Nairobi, with 152 participants trained across Kwale, Kilifi, Mombasa, Taita Taveta, and Embu.
BusinessAirtime credit is back for millions of Nigerians
Airtime and data lending has resumed in Nigeria after a suspension linked to FCCPC digital-lending rules and a court fight.
Should you care?WhatsApp is adding usernames, and you can reserve yours now
WhatsApp username reservations are open before the full launch later in 2026, letting you claim a handle that can help people reach you without showing your phone number.
Should you care?The quiet change ending all-you-can-eat AI
Anthropic changed how it charges for automated Claude usage, a signal that flat-fee AI is starting to crack.
Should you care?Google's Gemini gets an agent, a video maker, and a brief
At I/O 2026, Google announced a wave of Gemini updates aimed at turning the app from a chatbot into an all-purpose assistant.
Should you care?You can now tag an AI in Slack like a colleague
Anthropic has launched Claude Tag, a way to bring its AI into Slack so a team can mention it in a channel and hand it tasks.
Should you care?Anthropic's top AI models pulled over a US export order
Anthropic has suspended access to Claude Fable 5 and Claude Mythos 5 after a United States export-control directive.
MAMBO ExplainsWhy your phone gets hot when you charge and use it at the same time
Your phone is doing two hard jobs at once when you charge and use it.
MAMBO vs Real LifeWhy electric motorbikes matter more than flashy EV launches
Electric motorbikes are a practical mobility story: battery swaps, charging access, repair networks, and daily earnings all matter more than hype.
MAMBO ExplainsWhat "5G" actually means for the data bundle you're buying
5G is a newer mobile network standard.
MAMBO ExplainsWhy two phones with the "same" camera megapixels take different photos
Two phones can both say "50MP" and still take very different photos.
MAMBO ExplainsWhat a VPN actually hides, and what it doesn't
A VPN creates a protected tunnel between your device and the VPN provider's server.
Research-based analysisiPhone Air review: the iPhone that asks what you're willing to give up
The iPhone Air is Apple's thinnest phone ever, at 5.6mm and 165 grams, and its beauty is paid for with camera, battery, and speaker compromises.
Wallet WatchThe cheapest laptop that won't frustrate a university student
This article needs current local prices and model availability before publication.
KSh 13,999
MAMBO vs Real LifeWe tested three power banks on a real boda rider's full shift
This Real Life piece needs actual field notes before publication.
MAMBO vs Real LifeCan a budget phone survive a year of matatu commutes? We asked five people
This feature needs five named or anonymized interviews, exact models, purchase dates, and current condition checks before publishing.
MAMBO vs Real LifeFast charging claims vs reality: we timed every "30-minute charge" promise
This piece needs lab notes before publication.
Should you care?Samsung's new foldable, translated into what it means for you
News verification needed:
Should you care?Kenya's new SIM registration rules, explained without the legal jargon
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