A modem designed specifically for Africa has been announced at the TEDGlobal conference in Edinburgh. The device combines rugged design with a range of connectivity options, switching between wi-fi, 3G and fixed broadband.

Ushahidi, the Kenyan tech firm behind BRCK, believe Africa-specific hardware is long overdue. Director Juliana Rotich hopes it will kickstart a hardware revolution on the continent. Ushahidi – a Swahili word for “testimony” – began life designing software to monitor the 2008 Kenyan elections.

Since then, its open source software has found worldwide fame and a diverse range of uses, from helping victims of the Haiti earthquake and Japanese tsunami to fixing potholes. read more