Nairobi
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Kenyan slums dispense clean drinking water through ATMs
In many parts of Kenya's capital of Nairobi, clean water is difficult to come by. That often means taking your chances with dysentery from an impure source, or pay through the nose from a "water vendor." But the BBC reports that thanks to a partnership between the African nation and Danish water company Grundfos, that's about to change. The Nairobi City Water and Sewerage company has just opened four ATM-like kiosks that will dispense 20 liters of potable water for just half a Kenya shilling (about half a US penny). That's 100 times less expensive than what vendors charge for the same amount. Residents simply have to swipe a smart card and put a jug under the spigot, and the access card balances can be refilled either at the kiosk itself or via mobile phone.
Say goodbye to productivity, Kenya: Nairobi gets DVB-H
Thanks to South Africa's DMTV Limited, Kenya this week became just the seventh country in the world to launch a commercial mobile TV service based on DVB-H, Europe's standard of choice (and a standard we might eventually enjoy in the US if MediaFLO doesn't snuff it out). Launch channels include mega-hits like Africa Magic, Africa Big Brother, and SuperSport Update, with a grand total of 10 stations at launch running 1,000 Kenyan shillings (about $15) a month. DMTV has committed to rolling out the service to all of Kenya's carriers, though it seems that coverage is limited to Nairobi at the moment.[Via mocoNews]
