Fasmicro participated in the Mobile Monday that took place in Lagos on June 20, 2011. The venue was at Roberts Café on the Lagos Island. There were three major three speakers and they are:
Nokia:
Discussed their products and their market penetration in Africa, then went on to explain the Ovi platform and what developers stand to gain developing for this platform.
Fasmicro and MicroScale Embedded:
The MD of Fasmicro discussed a lot what Fasmicro offers in terms of products and services, including apps designs, training and consulting. He also went further to introduce our android store which was received with appreciation in the room. Microscale explained how android can be utilized for automation with embedded devices.
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There were a lot of questions on what a developer stand to gain developing on the android platform. Though we had a lot of developers in the conference they still had a lot of questions on android. I took the questions and went further to explain the Google AppInventor, and then a career path developers can enjoy with the knowledge of the android platform.
Legal Practitioners:
They tried to discuss how the law affects the ICT industry and the idea of having either a patent or a copyright for your software products. They also explained the need for developers to start thinking as entrepreneurs, because in the long run there is always a commercial side to the software products. It was later agreed that developers need basic business/law knowledge to protect themselves and also lawyers need ICT knowledge to be able to properly interpret and understand developers.
We got a lot of congratulations on our efforts so far and they are all expecting more from us in the near future.
There was an issue about Ovim – the Nigeria’s tablet name. An issue was brought up that the name Ovim is too close to the trademark Ovi which is Nokia’s and that in light of that the Ovim is sounding more like a Nokia. However, the MD of Fasmicro was able to explain the origin of the name Ovim, and he assured it has absolutely nothing to do with the Ovi platform.
Editor’s Note: The tablet is named after a village in Abia named Ovim. The former governor of Lagos, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu; former governor of Imo State, Major General Ike Nwachukwu; the present Chief of Army Staff, Major General Ihejirika; Fasmicro founder, Dr Ndubuisi Ekekwe, among others are from Ovim. We thank our partner, Microscale, for allowing us to use the name. Future products will honor an identify from Microscale side as we push to celebrate Nigeria and our histories. MiE product which we hope to co-launch is simply MIcroscale Embedded.
About the Fasmicro app store, there was a suggestion for us to integrate it with the four major network operators in Nigeria so as to solve the issue of payment when we start selling apps on the store. It was observed that a lot of Nigerians find it difficult to buy apps not because they do not have the cash but they do not have a credit card.
By show of hands about only 25% of those in the room has actually paid for any kind of app. Since this is an indigenous store then it should solve the problem so when you download the app you pay from the credit on your phone.
The need for more free apps was encouraged in the room, paid apps are not supposed to be entirely free, one is supposed to run ads on free apps so you still get to make cash from people using the apps.
After the event by Unscientific Show of hands
What Platforms are you going to develop for?
Nokia 35%, android 50%, RIM 20%, Iphone 2% (Note some developers opted for multiple Platforms)
What mobile phones do you use?
Rim 40%, Nokia 50%, android 8%, Iphone 2%
From the above stat I believe we did very well in the conference and we now have the duty of taking this training to these willing developers in Lagos, we had to answer a rather familiar question “Why is your training not in Lagos”? “I cannot make it to owerri because I am working”.
Editor’s Note: We now can train in Lagos. Please email [email protected]
A report prepared by Fasmicro Emeka Nwankwo for his colleague in Fasmicro. We thank them for making it public and allowing Tekedia to adapt it for our readers. This is a very detailed which we have redacted many sections. Thanks Emeka.