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AppDate: Making smartphones more useful

In this AppDate, SEAN BACHER highlights Volvo on Call, Nedbank scan-to-park, Huawei’s AppGallery job portal, Tunga Academy e-learning platform and OneCart.

Volvo on Call

Drivers of Volvo plug-in-hybrid cars can now gain new insights into their electric driving patterns with the company’s Volvo on Call smartphone app.

The app allows drivers to see the distance they have driven in fully electric mode as well as their electricity and fuel consumption. Later this year the service will also give drivers the ability to see the impact of their driving on their CO2 footprint, as well as the estimated fuel costs saved by driving in fully electric mode.

The new Volvo on Call functionalities are available for all Volvo plug-in-hybrid models built on the SPA and CMA platforms sold after 2015, in the 47 countries around the globe where Volvo on Call operates.

Platform: Volvo drivers with an Android or iOS smartphone

Expect to pay: A free download

Stockists: Visit Volvo Cars here for downloading instructions 

Nedbank scan-to-park

Nedbank’s scan-to-park app, developed by SKIDATA, allows anyone with a Masterpass-enabled QR code scanning banking app or digital wallet to scan their parking ticket and make an instant payment – without having to handle cash or touch a parking pay station. 

According to the developers, it was designed with speed, simplicity, and security in mind. Because the QR codes on the tickets are printed by SKIDATA’s machines, they will read first time round, unlike many other QR codes that take a lot of fiddling to get right – especially in low-light conditions. 

Platform: Android and iOS

Expect to pay: A free service

Stockists: Users need to download the new Nedbank Monsy App, Nedbank Masterpass or any other  Masterpass-enabled enabled app. Downloading instructions can be found here.

Huawei’s AppGallery job portal

The Huawei AppGallery has partnered with providers in the career portal space to bring the job market to consumers’ hands. These include South Africa’s major career portals, like Job Mail, Career Junction and Pnet.

In partnering with Huawei, these career portals are able to assist the jobseeker in getting their CVs into the hands of recruiters and employers by registering their CVs or updating their profiles.

The Huawei AppGallery also offers numerous job apps and tools, such as CV writing and scanners, allowing the unemployed to get a better chance of finding work.

Platform: Huawei devices with access to the Huawei AppGallery

Expect to pay: Access to the AppGallery is free but the various tools and apps on offer each come at a certain price.

Stockists: Visit the Huawei AppGallery on a Huawei device

Tunga Academy e-learning platform

The Tunga Academy, an open e-learning platform for developers focusing on Africa, is now offering four technical courses and three soft skills courses, such as effective online communication and situation awareness. It is a beta version that will be updated following feedback from developers, making sure the courses are in line with demand in the market.

Tunga will also soon be launching a testing platform to enable developers to test and improve their skills. The Tunga Academy supports the developer community to upskill and reskill, whilst navigating remote work on the African continent. In the coming months, the number of courses will be increased; it plans to have over 25 before the end of next year.  

Platform: Any computer with access to the Internet

Stockists: Visit the Tunga Academy here to sign up

Expect to pay: A free service to African learners 

OneCart at Makro

OneCart has partnered with Makro and Makro Liquor for same-day delivery in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape. It offers personalised shopping from multiple stores with a two-hour delivery period, one delivery fee and a single transaction. Products delivered range from groceries to beverages and other household goods.

OneCart has also partnered with malls and retailers, including Woolworths, Pick n Pay and Pick n Pay Liquor, Food Lovers’ Market, Dis-Chem, Clicks and Jacksons.

OneCart believes it solves problems for retailers without competing with them, because it shops from the shelves of brick-and-mortar stores. It provides an online shopping platform for retailers that don’t have their own online shopping site, alongside retailers that already have an e-commerce offering, complementing their omnichannel ecosystem.

Platform: Android and iOS

Expect to pay: A free download, but with delivery fees

Stockists: Register with OneCart here and get shopping.

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