KENYA RAILWAYS RECEIVES ADDITIONAL LOCOMOTIVES AND WAGONS FOR SGR OPERATIONS

Barely two weeks to the launch of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) Mombasa - Nairobi Service, Kenya Railways today received additional 17 freight locomotives, six (6) shunting locomotives, 50 flat wagons for containers and 4 unit cranes for use in the SGR operations. The consignment was offloaded today under the supervision of the Principal Secretary, Transport, Prof. Paul. M. Maringa, Kenya Railways engineers, China Road and Bridge Corporation, the EPC contractor for Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway project, and the project supervisor, TSDI-APEC-EDON Consortium (TAEC).

The locomotives and rolling stock are a key deliverable under SGR as they are the means by which the high capacity Standard Gauge Railway will deliver Kenya's promise to her customers, including the cargo owners. The locomotives will provide a vital service to the Nation and help address the growing congestion on the roads in the country, with operations on the line expected to stimulate economic activity especially in the areas traversed by the Standard Gauge Railway line. The 25 tonne axle flat wagons on the other hand, can carry a payload of 70 tonnes and are designed to run at 120 km/h. So far, the country has received 25 freight locomotives out of the 43 on order; the full order of five (5) passenger and eight (8) shunting locomotives; the full order of 40 Passenger coaches, as well as 763 Wagons out of the 1,620 on order.

Speaking on site at the Mombasa Port during the offloading of the locomotives and wagons, the Transport Principal Secretary Prof. Paul M. Maringa said that the government was keen on optimizing the SGR for freight transport; destined locally and to the region - Uganda, Rwanda Burundi, South Sudan and DRC.

“The SGR is the backbone of Kenya’s multi modal infrastructure development and thus it will play a key role is spurring economic growth. It is expected that freight uptake via SGR will considerably increase rail transport capacity from the port once the operations commence in December 2017, and in accordance with the commitment made in the Mombasa Port Community Charter, signed in June 2014,” he explained.

Operation of freight services is scheduled to begin once the expansion and modernisation of the Nairobi Inland Container Depot (ICD) is completed and handling equipment provided and installed. General freight will be offloaded at Nairobi Terminus, whose construction is generally complete. Kenya Railways will operate the freight trains between Mombasa Port and Nairobi as per the traffic volumes available. The freight tariffs are being determined and will be published in time for the commencement of the operations. The customers are guaranteed high capacity trains with trailing loads of up to 4,000 tonnes, and high quality freight service with a transit time of 10 hours on average between Mombasa and Nairobi.

According to the Feasibility Study Report, SGR operations would reduce freight transportation costs compared to roads transport costs particularly as the volume offered to SGR increases. The cost of moving goods across borders has become increasingly important as the EAC market players continue to position their products in the global market.

On his part, Kenya Railways' SGR Project Manager, Eng. Maxwell Mengich said, “Kenya Railways is ready to play its part in growing the country’s economy. We are working with the relevant agencies to ensure that all the interventions required at the Nairobi Inland Container Depot are ready to handle the freight once we roll out the service. We have also put in place sufficient spares and a robust maintenance programme to minimize on locomotive failures and achieve best performance in line with global practices,” he said.

The railway will operate both freight and passenger trains and being a single line, 33 crossing stations have been provided to facilitate crossing of trains. Seven (7) of these stations will handle passenger trains, which will in addition be given priority over the freight trains along the line in order to achieve shorter transit times.

Jambojet Selects Q400 for Fleet Renewal and Expansion

Bombardier Commercial Aircraft confirms that Ilyushin Finance Co. (IFC) has converted an option on one Q400 aircraft to a firm order. The Moscow-based leasing company, now with two Q400 on firm order, has successfully concluded a leasing agreement with Jambojet Limited (Jambojet) of Kenya for both aircraft.
“This agreement for these next generation turboprops signifies a key development in IFC’s international leasing business,” said Alexander Rubtsov, Director General, IFC. “The demand for high-performance turboprops, such as the Q400, continues to expand and we are pleased to enter into this new lease with Jambojet.”
Jambojet is expected to take delivery of the first leased Q400 aircraft in May 2017, and the second aircraft later this year. The delivery of these two aircraft will increase the fleet of Q Series turboprops in Africa to over 120 aircraft including about 70 Q400 aircraft.
“We are impressed with the level of professionalism that IFC exhibited throughout the process that led to this first agreement, and are delighted to have found a trusted and reliable partner to support our development plans,” said Willem Hondius, Chief Executive Officer, Jambojet. “The Q400 aircraft’s performance has exceeded our expectations on all fronts. With its low operating costs and best-in-class passenger experience, the Q400 turboprop has helped us optimize and expand our operations and is undeniably the backbone of Jambojet’s growth strategy.”
“We are proud of the Q400 aircraft continued success in Africa. Jambojet’s operations illustrate the capabilities and qualities of the Q400 aircraft that make it uniquely suitable for the region,” said Jean- Paul Boutibou, Vice President, Sales, Middle-East and Africa at Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. “The Q400 is a valuable asset for owners and operators, and we are confident that IFC and Jambojet will find many more opportunities to mutually benefit from the aircraft’s outstanding economics and performance.”
Bombardier has recorded firm orders for a total of 573 Q400 aircraft.

LG’s Hub Robots, disrupts smart home technology.

LG’s continued vigorous research and development, has yet made a breakthrough in a world where all devices and appliances usability can be intelligent and connected, transforming the way we live, work, and experience the world.

LG’s Hub Robot has been able to tie up the entire Smart home together under a single user-friendly interface – the Amazon Alexas voice recognition technology

The  technology, allows the robot to connect to other smart LG home appliances uniting them into a single streamlined ecosystem, hence addressing the longtime challenge of incompatible networks and smart ecosystems that prevented internet of things (IoT) powered smart homes from taking off.

“Our Hub Robot has enabled us to transform our home appliances to be smart, useful products for everyday consumers – thanks to Amazon Alexas voice control technology. So far the technology has been the game changer in IoT connectivity. It’s flexible and innovation-driven.”  LG East Africa Marketing Manager Moses Marji commented.

Leveraging on the incredible LG Hub robots, Marji noted that LG want to bring consumers the possibility of not just a smart home, but a truly intelligent home – one that enables their consumers to automate their home and control it as they want.

The hub robots keeps the family in sync by keeping track of all activities occurring inside the house while simultemously personalizing itself to each individual member of the household.

“At LG, we have long recognized the importance and potential of internet of Things powered smart homes, and the need for significant investment in disruptive technology with advanced networks that communicate and bring individual components together in order to increase the efficiency of the entire house.” Marji added.

By making the benefits of connected IoT technology more accessible than ever before, The Hub Robot is positioned to become the true center piece of the next generation of smart homes.

LG’S NEW AIRPORT GUIDE ROBOT MAKING LIFE EASIER.

The rapid growth of technology and robots in the last ten years has been on the rise as more and more innovations are brought up to assist us with our day to day lives. Without any doubt LG leads the chasing pack when it comes to the innovation and creation of this.

Though robots can have a positive impact in the society, many also fear of its potential dangers such as invasion of privacy and losses of jobs and as we have seen in most futuristic movies such as The Terminator, Artificial Intelligence take over in which the robots take over the world.

Often viewed as merely machines capable of performing automated work, robots were used to take on jobs that required incredible precision or were too dangerous for humans to undertake themselves.

This though has changed in recent years as developers have been able to come up with intelligent machines that have its own thinking capacity. This has given the rise to new opportunities through robots to be explored such industrial operations, space exploration and medical innovations.

For most travellers, most if not all enjoy flying across different countries for various purposes such as work and holidays. But the major hustle and bustle comes when one arrives at the airport three hours prior due to the hectic nature of airports. Some of the world’s largest airports are incredibly complex and are constantly bustling with thousands of people travelling from one destination to another, scrambling to locate their luggage, the never ending lines and trying to locate where ones flight is located. Security checks are another threat as we all have to ensure we are safe.

LG’s Airport Guide Robot applies advanced technology to eliminate such stress with its design and user friendly features. This robot acts as the perfect human airport worker that never tires and loses its amiable demeanor.

This advanced technology by LG is able to undertake tasks such as scan ticket barcodes to provide flight and gate information, as well as show time and weather of the travelers destination to get you ready for what’s lying ahead. It can also speak in four different languages which are Korean, Chinese, English and Japanese and is equipped with potent voice recognition technology reducing ones stress at the airport.

“We continuously strive to make a better tomorrow for our consumers and with the new Airport Guide, the continuous running we occasionally see at the airport as one tries to catch a flight can cease to exist.” Moses Marji, LG East Africa Marketing Manager said.

LG TARGETS PHONE DURABILITY TO ENHANCE USER EXPERIENCE

The rapid growth in the number of smartphone users has been on the rise annually. From 2014 where we had 1.5 billion users to the current 2.34 billion users and further projected 3billion users by the year 2020, the growth is fast and rapid.

This however is due to a number of key things the mobile industry has put into effect over the years making it one of the most constantly used forms of technology in the modern day. LG has done this by consistently placing and emphasizing on delivering user- friendly products that boast features such as increased screen size, longer battery life and single handed usability that are designed with specific appeal to key user demographics.

One key factor that LG has been able to bring out forward is its durability on its smartphones. Previously, phones such as the flip phone were too heavy or too large for the consumer.

Though most smartphones are similar in design and template, there is a vast difference in the type of materials that go into manufacturing the device. Such materials determine a number of factors such as its weight, durability and how thin the phone can be as well as its ergonomic usability.

LG’s phones with no doubt have are sleek when it comes to design from the curved rear panel of the G4 to the durable V20 that was recently ranked as one of the most durable phones in the recently concluded Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas. The LG V20 undertook a number of conducted tests that were conformed to U.S military standards, the results of which showed that the phone can survive repeated drops landing in a variety of positions.

“ Although the progress of smartphones is on the rise, a number of key issues have been neglected by developers such as the durability of the phone, at LG, we ensure that phones can be durable to breaking and at the same time look fashionable and its outcome is astonishing” explained Moses Marji, General Manager Marketing LG Electronics.

At the same time LG is also ensuring that the screen to bezel ratio is way above 85% ensuring that the smartphones have more screen coverage hence enhancing usability, convenience and user experience.

LG INTRODUCES A MORE ADVANCED SMARTPHONE COOLING STYSTEM

Smartphones have a come a long way, from only being a means of communication with the telephone to offering diverse services such as calling a taxi, sending money, changing a channel on your television and watching a video. There has been a convergence in the use of different types of media into one device.

With the rise of new technological innovations, companies are constantly introducing faster processors into smartphones. This has enhanced the devices to perform a variety of tasks on their phone at the same time.

The ‘system-on-a-chip’ technology has enabled all components of a computer and electronic systems to be used on a smartphone. Your phone can now give you the same performance of a laptop. This has opened the door to a pool of system softwares and applications into the phone market.  You can find an app to do just about anything today.

Smartphone companies are always creating new gadgets which feature a much thinner, high security, cutting edge design. However, tech companies are adding newer features to a thinner smartphone; holding a smaller battery. They are creating higher demands of power with the same battery capacity. This is what has led to the rising number of cases of phones overheating. It has become increasingly common among smartphones today. Some extreme cases have led to battery phones swelling and even exploding.

When you task your phone with a variety of functions, it will become warm, as they require more power to carry out different functions. Most modern smartphones use a lithium-ion battery. These are the best rechargeable batteries in the market. However, they are sensitive to heat.  There is a need for the key players in the smartphone market to provide a better cooling system for these new technology processors.

The new LG G6 will be a game changer; featuring new copper heat pipes that will reduce overheating. These pipes are normally used in PCs and big devices to manage heat control. They will reduce temperatures by six to ten percent.  It only makes sense to introduce a more advanced cooling system for a processor that is performing the same number of functions that a regular PC is performing.  Moreover, the battery is capable of tolerating temperatures of up to 150 degrees Fahrenheit; which is 15 per cent higher than United states and European standards.

With this new copper heat pipes, consumers are assured of safety; especially when charging their phones. Smartphones are considered the most sensitive to heat when they are on full charge. The pipes will also increase battery life from the average two years to four years.

A smartphone is an extension of its owner. LG has provided a product line that is not only durable and reliable, but also safe.

Smartphones next display size dilemma that LG has been on the forefront to mana

We live in an increasingly technological world where smartphone display size is as important as the window to the world consequently creating mass appeal. The advent of more advanced smartphone display size over the last decade has created a connected world where as individuals and societies we are click way from our next connection whether business, spiritual or emotional.

We no longer see the world through our own senses such as hearing, sight or touch but rather through lens and definitions on LED screens on our smartphones. This is a huge statement most telling of the user centric approach to design and display technology.

As the display take the centrepiece of almost all the users interactions with their smartphones, smartphone manufacturers have had to rethink to ensure that the display is optimized to provide the best user design and experience possible. But different users can demand different things from their displays, so, what are the best displays that maximize consumer satisfaction?

The dilemma has been on how to deliver a single – handed usability while also allowing for large screen on smartphone. At present, people who prioritize single handed usability will look for smaller phone while those more interested in a more immersive experience will naturally gravitate towards a larger screen.

Today’s smartphone market has a wide range of display formats, sizes and shapes with even curved displays becoming increasingly common. Of course there are advantages and drawbacks to each phone size and each user has their own individuals’ preference for design.

To attain the equilibrium in the dilemma, LG electronics, a true innovator in practical smartphone technology, has worked hard to thread the needle between these two extremes and create smartphones with large displays that still fit comfortably in the user’s hand to enhance accessibility.

One of the ways that this has been accomplished is by constantly expanding each phones screen to body ratio by increasing the screen- to- bezel ratio. Additionally, LG has pioneered a secondary display which grants users the ability to check the time and notifications with just a glance.

The elimination of bezels allows for larger screens capable of bringing high resolution pictures and videos to life. A constant trend in smart phone designs has been that the less prominent the bezel (outside frame) become, the more space is ceded for screen itself.

The highest screen- to- bezel ratio yet achieved so far is 91.3% , but LG engineers insist that they are on the cusp of a breakthrough of a pure, bezel less frame. To that front LG is trendsetting the way with its incredibly narrow smartphone panel bezels that are even thinner than a credit card. This incredible reduction in bezel size allows LG to provide more screen coverage, enhancing usability, convenience, and the overall user experience.

So, how soon will we have a bezel less smartphone? The answer could just be around the corner with the upcoming launch of innovative LG G6's display that will cover the entire front of the phone - with no bezels around the edge.