Toby Shapshak: You don't need an app for that

Are the simplest phones the smartest? While the rest of the world is updating statuses and playing games on smartphones, Africa is developing useful SMS-based solutions to everyday needs, says journalist Toby Shapshak. In this eye-opening talk, Shapshak explores the frontiers of mobile invention in Africa as he asks us to reconsider our preconceived notions of innovation.

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[DuarteMolha]

Not to be pedantic... But this speaker is incorrect when he says that the pay as you go was invented in Africa by Vodacom. That was first developed by TMN. The Portuguese mobile phone operator.

[Gamerdudegames]

I will defend North America. I'll be the one person to actually stand up for my generation and this continent, because nobody else will. 

I find it extremely unfair that Toby is comparing the average American consumer to people like Elon Musk. I agree that most Americans aren't big innovators or inventors, but I doubt that everyone in Africa is doing all these things he talks about either. I'd bet that most people in Africa are consumers, just like most people in America are consumers.

He mentions how Africa is developing useful technology "while the rest of the world is playing Angry Birds", but that's a gross exaggeration. There are plenty of people in North America who are innovating and coming up with new and useful technologies. It's really unfair how so many people will be so quick to compare the average consumer to the handful of geniuses making the products which the consumers are buying. 

It's very interesting to look at Africa in this new way, and I'm glad I watched this, but everything else seems to just be part of this massive world-wide circle jerk of people who think they're smarter than everyone else making sweeping generalizations of an entire culture. 

[binnsbrian]

Actually, when the Model T was FIRST introduced, Black was NOT OFFERED. The cars came in Red or Green for the touring car, Gray for the Runabout, Gray or green for the Town cars and Green for the Coupes and Landualets. by 1912 all the cars were painted blue with Black fenders, finally in 1913 the any color as long as it is black policy came into effect.

[Ciprian-Amarandei]

I think he is wrong about talking that Africa invented this and that and they are actually the inventors of mobile phone. He wanted to say that need and not education is the most inventive . But why he did not generalize saying that no matter the country/village we all are inventors. This is like a talk from a feminist who has the complex of not being equal and take a normal story and make it extraordinary. This is how pathological liars are spiking about themselves...they have inferiority complex. I don't want to offend anyone except this guy.

[brod]

Holy shit kitengela, i live in nairobi. its funny how we cant say American words and how Americans cant say our words

[Jukejointjezen]

I liked this talk all the way up to the end. I think he should have been a bit more gracious than he was. Instead of saying something pretentious like "Youre Welcome" he should have been convincing investors to come to Africa to help develop this new kind of tech. 

[addeyyry]

Please call me back when a country from Africa have landed someone on the moon.

[letrolltwo]

I don't like the "us" vs "them" vibes he presents during the talk. Sounds like someone is jelly from the rest of the world advancing so much on a different level (with different "advanced" problems instead of the primitive type

**And if it wasn't for the "us vs them" thing, it would actually be a good talk

[ArbitraryxIntentions]

I would argue that probably the somewhat hidden main point of this talk. Is to push away
From the view that Africa is this war/disease torn country (Africa is not a country, but unfortunately many people think it is) that's full of starving people.

A positive/optimistic outlook on the future could help foster progress in that region of the world.

I honestly think, that if
All the countries in Africa become one whole country, And combine all their resources. Not only do I think the region could climb out
Of the third world, but I also think it could become the strongest, richest, most prosperous nation in the world.

[Insidetherain]

Yes! This is beautiful. It lines up with my personal mission. Motivates me to get moving on these projects, now!

[warsameadam]

If you put Yumans in difficult situations they will think out of the box. However, if you provide for them everything they will relax and stop innovating. 

[AMRINDER-]

Huge difference between Africa and South Africa

[MrNICCO]

I can't understand why Ted gave center stage to this guy.. absurd! worse Ted ever

[samvimes]

Sorry, but being resourceful with obsolete cell phones is not the same thing as "solving the world's problems." 

[jmalmsten]

Ah yes. The innovating centers of the world: Africa... and... North Korea... ;)

[zrimec]

What the fulck I have just watched? The Onion channel ???

[김지희-uv]

Now, I realized that real innovation is needed to our lives.
There is a reason for me to think this way. 
Africa always lack electronic power,  so they strart to develop something to save power.
It was real problem.   
Therefore, we must find a way to solve real problem.
Not focus on SNS system, such as facebook, twitter and so on.
It is just unnecessary technology.
It's time to focus on real problem, real innovation.

[chilltony]

Comments are funny especially for those who never stepped out of their state nevertheless the United States, saying Africa has starving people look at across United States, so everyone here has adequate food to sustain their families ? wrong stay in school and travel then you can make factual comments

[MartyTwelves]

He has some good points. The West shouldn't get caught up in the mentality that everything worthwhile comes from them. How arrogant is that? Sure, we've got some amazing people over here, but we hardly have a monopoly on invention. 

[Bravowon]

Although I like to here good things about my mother country, I think this guy overstates his case by an order of magnitude while understating everybody else's. A few apps and a concrete bollard do not an innovator make. Also, Elon would be eating bake beans out of a can if it was not for the USA.