Dikalo Blog

Why Dikalo ? Do we need yet another messaging platform ?

Since we started the Dikalo project in early 2016, this is most likely the most recurrent question we get asked. Why? Why Dikalo ? Do we need (yet) another messaging app? In the age of Whatsapp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, Kik, WeChat, Line and others ?

A small african startup with no funding entering a crowded market dominated by big corporates with billion and billion of dollards in the bank. Sounds like mission impossible right ? Why would people switch from the well established products cited above to Dikalo ? Does it even make sense to start such a project ?

To us at Dikalo the answer has always been YES. We have to build this platform .

As of today there are more than 450 million people online in Africa. This number should pass 1/2 billion by 2020. In fact Africa is the fastest growing mobile market in the world.

Yet there is no single african focused platform with atleast 10 million users. Atleast we could not find one. This basically means that the way we connect, communicate, consume information is shape by entities outside the continent.

At Dikalo we believe that the fastest growing market in the world deserves a dedicated platform. A place where we can redefine our way to communicate. Where we can provide and prioritize services and tools adapted to the african context without waiting for others to do it for us .

So to us the question has never been "why ?". But "how ?".

And Dikalo is our attempt to answer this question and connect the next billion people in a fun and unique way. We are on our way to become Africa’s first homegrown communication platform.

Stay with us. The journey is just getting started.

Dikalo conversation codes made easy

Most messaging apps will require you to share your phone number, email, username etc in order to connect to someone. At Dikalo we believe that you should give out private data only when you really have to. This is why we created conversation codes.

Conversation codes(we call them Dikalo codes) are a simple way to chat with someone without disclosing any private information.

Dikalo codes are perfect when you’re meeting someone for the first time, contacting someone on a temporary basis. So, scenarios such as meeting someone in a bar or at a conference, selling or buying something on Craigslist, Ebay, Amazon, etc ... Online dating, speed dating, customer support, etc... Basically every time you want to chat with someone while not necessary wanting to have her on your contact listsha.

Dikalo codes can be deleted at any time. Once deleted no one can ever contact you again using that code.

Today we're launching Dikalo 1.2.091 on Android and 1.2.090 on iOS which makes it even easier to manage conversation codes. To create a Dikalo code simply click on the button at the bottom right of the main screen, then on "create 1-on-1" on the main menu. Thats'it.

As shown on the picture above NZZm8P1X is the code Dikalo generated for you. You can share this code everywhere(e-mail, social media, blog, etc ...). Anyone with that code can write you in real time. Just like on any other messaging app with all the features you know and love. Send text, photos, audios, videos, stickers, and emojis.

While Dikalo codes give you the flexibility to chat safely we have to admit that NZZm8P1X is pretty hard to remember. This is why with this version we are adding the ability to edit dikalo codes. You can now choose whatever name that's easy for you to remember. To edit your Dikalo code just click on the edit button at the bottom left (see pictures below).

NZZm8P1X has been change to #chat-with-me. Which is way easier to remember and share.

You can create as many code as you like and an unlimited number of people can join any given code. For more informations please refer to our FAQ

Happy Dikaloing :)

What's Dikalo Lockscren about ?

When we started Dikalo we wanted to create a messaging app that one can use on all occasions. With family and friends (using your private ID, more on that soon) but also with strangers, people you just met or people you are dealing without for a short period of time(using Dikalo codes). All this without giving up your private information.

Another useful feature we added on Dikalo is the lock screen. So what's the lock screen about ?

Dikalo's lock screen allows you to lock you app without having to lock your entire phone.

The lockscreen is ment for scenarios where you have to give your phone to someone and you dont want unauthorized access to your messaging (Yes people are very curious).

To unlock your Dikalo again just tap on the lock icon and enter your password. Voilà :)

Happy Dikaloing :)