Top Android Apps To Have In Zimbabwe

WhatsApp is a very easy to use low data consuming app that is used primarily for communicating. People can send audio files, videos photos, pdf, documents. etc In Zimbabwe, WhatsApp data bundles cost approximately $1 for day bundles and $3 for weekly bundles and $8 for monthly bundles on almost all 3 networks. Original WhatsApp is downloaded on Playstore via the following steps.

1. Go to Playstore and search for WhatsApp Messenger or WhatsApp Business
2. Download
3. Set your account up by putting your number and waiting for a verification code to be sent to you.
4. Give permissions asked for, like accessing gallery, contacts and camera etc
5. Set up the name you want to use on your WhatsApp
6. Choose a profile picture you want to appear on your profile to your contacts
7. Once you are done setting up, start conversations with your contacts who are also on WhatsApp.

Facebook

If this was an African movie I would have started this line with, “from the guys that brought you WhatsApp”. Facebook is a peer to peer app that allows you to connect with people from all over the world. Facebook is a more general site that connects individuals that know each other or that wish to be friends online and connect without the need to exchange personal numbers.

Facebook allows users to see what the other friend has posted and allows friends to comment on each other’s posts. Facebook like Whatsapp is good because it connects people from all corners of the earth in a single platform. To Download Facebook here are the few quick steps to follow:

1. Go to PlayStore and search for Facebook
2. Download and install the app.
3. Complete the sign-up form by filling in your details
4. Choose a username and password and complete the process
5. Log in and search for people you think/know are on Facebook.
6. Send them a friend request.
7. Facebook will start suggesting people you may know, connect with them and start seeing their posts

Instagram

This is my favourite app of all time. Instagram is a product of Facebook and the 2 apps are even linked meaning you can post a photo simultaneously on both platforms. Instagram is a photo-sharing app that users can use just to post photos and videos. Unlike Facebook, Instagram doesn’t have a text-only sharing feature. If you want to upload anything on Instagram it has to be a photo or a video.

Instagram is famous for its breathtaking photos and catchy videos. Some people only take photos for the “gram” this can tell you more about the type of photos that are on this platform. Instagram is also found on Playstore and can be downloaded in these few quick steps

1. Go to Google App Store and search for Instagram
2. Download and Install Instagram
3. Sign Up either using Facebook or manually by filling the form on the sign-up
4. Look for friends you know/think are on Instagram.
5. Connect and start seeing their photos and videos.

Banking Apps

So as we move deeper into this century banking has gone paperless. meaning most banks are more in favour of digital banking than physical banking. Transactions like RTGS( the system not the currency) have now gone digital. When you want to send money from one bank to another you actually have to send it via the USSD or via their app.

Here are the Zimbabwean banks that have apps that can be downloaded on the Google Play store. These are the few advantages of having a banking app over using the USSD(shortcode you use to access the system to do a transaction like *151# for Ecocash )

1. It’s easy to use
2. It doesn’t have a time restriction that you need to finish the transaction in x seconds
3. You don’t have to memorise any USSD code or confuse it with another code
4. In some instances its faster than USSD

Most of these banks require that you sign up using your bank account and a pin you will remember. Please note in some cases you have to register for Mobile Banking with your bank first before you can transact on these apps

Bank	Name of The App
Steward Bank	Steward Bank
FBC	FBC Mobile Banking
FBC	FBC Prepaid Card
Standard Chartered	SC Mobile Zimbabwe
ZB Bank	ZB eWallet-New
ZB	ZB Mobile Banking
CABS	Cabs Mobile Banking
BancABC	BancABC
NMB	NMBmobile Zimbabwe
First Capital Bank Zim	First Capital Bank Zimbabwe
Agribank	Agribank Mobile Banking
POSB	POSB Mobile bank
CBZ	CBZ Touch

Mobile Money Apps

Had it not been for mobile money!! Ecocash and One Money all have apps available on PlayStore. This means you can transact using this app instead of on the USSD and the same advantages apply to mobile banking apps. It helps a user a lot because it comes with a few pecks attached to it. It’s easy to use and sometimes faster than the USSD. to get these follow these few simple steps

1. Go to Google Play Store and search for EcoCash (Data App) or OneMoney App
2. Download and instal the app
3. Sign up by following instructions of the signup form
4. Open the app and start transacting

Canva

This app right here is a hidden treasure. Canva is a poster/meme-making app that produces High Definition photos that you can post on social media. This app makes photos more fun as it allows putting text in a photo or just editing it the way you want. For example

If you want to have your own posters or memes without contacting anyone head to google store right now, search for Canva, Download it, sign up using either Google or Facebook and voila in a minute you will have access to over a thousand templates and get to work.

Techzim Market

This is a simple app that will allow you to buy airtime online for NetOne and Telecel and allow you to pay for DSTV using RTGS ( the currency not the system). This app makes life so much easier I can’t get enough of it. To unlock its goodness:

1. Go to Google Play Store and search for Techzim Market
2. Download
3. Transact all you want no sign up needed or required.

Feedly

Its always good to have all your news in one place right? This app right here takes all the news sites you so wish to be updated from and puts them in one space. This means every day you get to know what Publisher A B or C wrote about.

This is super cool for a News and Current Affairs fanatic like me. This means I don’t have to browse through different publishers to get the top stories for the day. If you think Feedly is for you, head straight to Google and

1. Search for Feedly
2. Download the app
3. Sign up using Facebook or Google
4. Go to Add Content found by sliding your finger from the left of the screen to the right to reveal a menu
5. Add all publishers you wish to get the latest news from
6. Refresh and explore the news haven

LastPass.

Nowaday to access some information on some sites, we need to sign in. That’s easy, right? Problems come when you want to access it for the second or 3rd time and you have forgotten the log in details. Let talk about password security for a second, it’s not safe to use one password for many accounts. If someone cracks your password or gets hold of it, they can have access to all your information and use it as they please.

Lastpass eliminates most problems that are associated with passwords,

• Not remembering login details, get LastPass,
• Want to use high secure passwords but want you are afraid you will not remember them, get LastPass,
• Want a system that just pops up and autofill your login details every time you visit a familiar site, get Lastpass.

LastPass. will keep your passwords and username or simply your log in details in a vault that you can retrieve anytime you want to use them. If you give Lastpass permission to appear on top of other apps, LastPass will prompt you whenever you sign up on a new site and ask you if it can save the login details. Lastpass will also appear and autofill the login details of sites previously visited. Convenient right?

1. Go to Play Store and Download LastPass
2. Sign Up by filling the form you are prompted to fill.
3. Choose a master password that you have to remember every time you want to log into LastPass.
4. Synchronise all your passwords from social media if need be
5. Enjoy the app.