AppDate: Fluss automates homes without fuss 

South Africa has seen the beginnings of a move towards automated homes and smart homes. Fluss Technologies has come with a system that integrates an app with a device smaller than a matchbox, which connects to electric gates, garage motors and electric booms. The company says the Fluss system will connect to any device with a motor. However, before rushing out to buy one, it is best to check on their site to see if the gate or garage motor you want to connect is listed.

One does not need an electrician to connect it, as all the instructions are available on the website. For instance, in minutes I connected it to my Centurion D5 gate motor with a flat-head screwdriver. Once connected, I downloaded the app and paired it with the device via Bluetooth. The app also allows you to give friends or employees access at specified times and allows you to see who has been operating the gate.

Using bank-level encryption to prevent unauthorised access, and a two-step verification to authenticate user identity, the Fluss allows you to provide secure permanent, temporary or even one-time access without needing to supply a remote. 

“Through our dashboard, the system keeps detailed, accurate and safe access logs, with complete data privacy, allowing users to know exactly who accessed a site and when,” says Fluss developer Thomas Davies.

Platform: Android, iOS, Huawei

Expect to pay: The device costs R999 and the app is a free download.

Stockists: Visit the Fluss website here for downloading and installation instructions.

Kena Health

Kena Health is a solution for people who cannot afford to go to a doctor, that allows them to chat to a nurse, doctor or mental health professional directly from their smartphone. It connects users to a team of qualified healthcare practitioners for advice, diagnoses, prescriptions, sick notes, and referrals to a specialist or other place of care. 

Kena Health uses a team-based approach that allocates the most suitable healthcare practitioners to each patient’s needs. Things like family planning advice, gastritis, anaemia, allergies, UTIs and common colds can be treated by a qualified Kena nurse. 

Users download the app and register. From there they chat to Linda, Kena’s digital assistant, who collects general information about their condition that will form part of the secure patient record. This means patients do not have to repeat their medical Information and background through every step of the process. 

Kena then connects the user directly to a nurse or mental health professional. Consultations can be conducted via text, voice or video within the app, all tailored to keep data costs manageable. In instances where a doctor is required, the nurses can transfer the call within the Kena team. 

A  patient’s  first three consultations are free, with subsequent consultations costing R160 each. Kena Health’s services are available from 8am to 6pm every weekday, and 8 am to 2 pm on Saturdays. 

Platform: Android and iOS

Expect to pay: A free download, with the first three consultations for free.

Stockists: Visit the Kena Health site here for downloading instructions.

Yumbi

Yumbi’s custom-branded ordering apps and websites allow customers to place orders directly with the restaurant, eliminating the cost and loss of control associated with using third parties. A wide range of integrations keep restaurants agile, allowing owners to move swiftly according to customer expectations.

Yumbi has recently partnered with Uber Eats’ Quick Serve Restaurants (QSRs) to put control of the customer’s ordering experience back in the hands of restaurant owners. Chris Sweidan, managing director of Yumbi says “With Yumbi, restaurateurs have complete control over their platform, ordering ecosystem and customer relationships. They are able to engage directly with customers and gain insight from usage analytics generated by Yumbi.” 

By owning the data relating to their customers’ buying patterns, demands and choices, they are better placed to communicate marketing promotions to the public. They can also negotiate better delivery.

The Covid-19 pandemic has seen a sharp rise in online orders, with consumers expecting the convenience of quick, efficient delivery. In fact, any quick service restaurant that fails to offer delivery can expect to receive a high number of customer complaints and ultimately see a drop in market share.

The integration with Uber Eats restaurateurs can now offer a comprehensive service, including delivery, online and telephone ordering, and direct communication of marketing promotions.

Stockists: Visit Yumbi’s website here for more information.

Bi-me

Many small businesses and start-ups in South Africa don’t buy insurance because they find it expensive.

Bi-me, a digital broker that specifically provides business insurance to SMEs, provides them with a way to compare insurance options and allows them choose what they want to cover and by which insurers.

The platform provides small business owners with the information they need to grasp their insurance requirements, compare products, and easily buy insurance, backed up by a strong claims service.

Bi-me is already underwritten by Hollard Insure, iTOO and Discovery, with more coming on board soon.

Stockists: Visit the Bi-me website here for more information.

Wordle

It is the Internet word puzzle that has taken the world by storm.  For those who haven’t discovered it, we are providing a quick guide.

To begin, a user is presented with a 5X6 grid and has six chances to guess a five letter word. Once a guessed word is typed in, the game shows the results. Grey letters mean that none of the letters in the word is correct, yellow letters mean that the correct letter has been used, but in the wrong place, and green denotes a correct letter in the correct place.

Hints are available but, in the unpaid version, a 30 second advert is shown before the letter is revealed.

The free version allows a player to guess as many words as they want in a day, the paid-for version offers one word a day, allowing people to compete with each other.

Once completed users can post their results on Facebook to show off their intelligence.

Platform: Android, iOS and through an up-to-date Internet browser 

Expect to pay: A free download, but with adverts. The paid for version has a once off payment of R54 and various hint packages can be bought.

Stockists: Download it from the Apple Play store here and from Google Play here