Cross Roads

Mapping (OpenMaps) The map feature that is provided with the ipad is quite exceptional. OpenMaps differs in that it is built to help you access Open Street Maps a service built on an Open Platform and designed to be updated by users in real time.

Health (Mosquito and Mosquitoes Pro) The two applications are supposed to help repel mosquitoes by producing a frequency that only the mosquitoes can hear. If i know about the resilience of all African residents, i have no doubt that my flying relatives have devised a method of countering these sounds using ear plugs. Please try this software in addition to your treated mosquito net.

Games (Scrabble, Car Racing, Chess, Monopoly, Crossword) Scrabble I got this tool out of love for the game. A useful tool for the family as well as for dual play. Language is a useful tool for communication and can open up your world to new experiences and new people. Car Racing The children in my neighborhood like this game. Although i would not necessarily put them behind the wheel of a car, it is a great way to get them interested in Technology. Chess I wan introduced to the game of chess in my first year of High School. I often try to have a copy of the game on every possible piece of technology. A useful to for students of strategy. I have often compared it to leadership in which you have to identify the rulers in your field and distinguish them from the pawns. This will help you to learn the value of position and placement. The game on the whole is well designed with some attractive graphics. It also allows you to save your games. In addition to this th...

This week i carried out a search on Mergers and Acquisitions. I found a treasure trove of information on the Investopedia page . Some of the highlights are the differences that they describe between the merger and the acquisition. The former is usually carried out in the interest of business where the two come together to leverage on each of their individual strengths. The maths used is 1+1=3. The page also points out that even when an acquisition occurs, it is often in the interest of the 'acquired' to think of it in other terms. I guess what stands out most about this is the idea that if both companies are listed on the exchange, the implications of a merger or an acquisition is always a rather serious matter. I am trying to figure out what this means for Airtel and Warid Telecom both of which are said to have some Asian Ownership. Because they are foreign companies...not listed locally, the implications of their marriage are still quite interesting. The arbiter...

Financials (AStock Game, Straight2Bank, Bloomberg) AStock Game A great tool to teach you some of the basics about investment. You actually get to spend a hefty chunk of cash buying and selling stock on the internet. Then you watch your stock and bonds rise and fall in real time. Straight2Bank Designed for StanChart users, it is one of the first applications that i have come across that puts some pretty useful tools in the hands of business people. Bloomberg I have placed this tool in the finance section even if i use it more for news. I appreciate the simplicty of the interface and have access to expertise on a good range of subjects. I can get some opinions on Law, On Business as well as current affairs. I get most of this stuff in the form of brief podcasts which i can ruminate on as my knowledge in these fields increases.

File Sharing (iVNC, Airbox) iVNC This is a tool i use for support. I have friends who use Ubuntu 10.04 LTS and would often like to support them (remotely). With the same software installed on their desktop, i can monitor their progress and run their machine from my Desktop. Airbox This is really what i call an extension based on a feature that was faulty on my ipad. I needed to transfer music backin the day but could not. With the same tool installed on my PC, this allowed me to sync any music as long as it was in my music folder and had been played using my music player. It sets up as server and transfers the music using a special link.

Feed Readers (FeedMe) This is currently my only feed reader. I am not convinced that RSS feeds are no more. I have found them very useful especially as more people are resorting to creating their own content using web logs. This is a good tool because it lets me categorize the feeds that i follow. On startup it lets me search for blogs or place the addresses in a search. Once it finds the blog it also gives me access to comments section. It is a useful tool for writers, researchers and news people. It also has access to other tools like video talks.