Summary The Samsung UA46 ES6200R series 6 3D LED SmartTV is an early attempt to redefining what TV, that has had a long, slow and sluggish 100 year history should be. The TV gives you access to content from a wide range of sources including terrestrial TV broadcasters, Satellite providers, web content and your own local library while giving you the best sound and picture quality for the best home viewing experience.
What’s impressive about the SmartTV is the connectivity options that enable it connect to your smartphone, tablet and PC coupled with TV Apps that enhance the whole TV experience.
With a stiff price of about Ug Shs 8M (About $3000), the SmartTV will pass as a luxury for most families. Text-based Apps on the TV present a very frustrating user-experience for a device we’ve all come to know as a stress reliever.
Unboxing
Unboxing the SmartTV was very exciting. In the box, one finds two pairs of 3D glasses (with batteries) to enjoy 3D movies. A TV stand which we found easy to mount. The stand can actually swivel from right to left so you can adjust viewing angles for your comfort. In the box is also a TV remote (with batteries) and a TV manual to help you set up your smartTV
Setting up the TV for the first time could be a little bit of an uphill and uncertain task for normal users as it requires creating a Samsung account, connecting to a wireless network(which requires a wireless router) which can be skipped, but then again, you wouldn’t enjoy the SmartTV experience without these initial settings. The TV also doesn’t ship with its own analogue TV antennae, hence don’t expect the usual plug and play experience that conventional TV sets offer.
Design:Slim with a Solid build
The SmartTV is sleek and beautifully crafted to grace a sizeable living room. The 46 Inch screen is black in color 276.6mm in diameter, 1.139 metres in width and 0.7metres in height. The slim design and size that isn’t too big or too small make a perfect viewing experience best for family or commercial purposes. It comes with a quad stand on which the TV swivels from the left to the right to change viewing angles if you need to.
Weighing just 16.3 kg with the stand installed the TV looks stable, solid and not delicate like it might break any second. Better Still The TV is designed to be easily mounted to a wall should you want to.
Display: Stunning Images in HD and 3D
The S6200R’s 46 inch display is both 3D and HD capable with a 1920×1080 resolution, a 2D – 3D converter and a digital noise filter inbuilt that altogether create an awesome viewing experience. However the 2D – 3D converter doesn’t render beautiful images if the movie wasn’t originally in 3D. The LED display technology gives an almost 180 degrees viewing angle making picture viewing pleasurable for all living room viewers irrespective of their positioning. Its important to note that even though the smartTV is HD and 3D capable the quality of the image is very much dependent on the source. We experienced poor image quality with a GOTV terrestrial decoder due to poor signal in the area we were situated compared to the DSTV Satellite Decoder that rendered lovely images.
Connectivity
Connectivity is a big plus when it comes to the Smart TV and Samsung did not spare technology when it came to connectivity options. They managed to fit in 3 HDMI ports, three 2.0 USB ports, the Usual Composite/Component ports, an Ethernet port, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct™ , a digital Audio output and a 3.5mm Mini phone Stereo audio output which we found unnecessary or wrongly placed.
We also found Wi-Fi Direct™ connection option a plus as it allows the user to directly connect their other devices to the SmartTV via Wi-Fi without using a Wi-Fi router which unfortunately aren’t yet household devices in Africa just yet. In essence, you can think of Wi-Fi Direct™ as Bluetooth, but with faster speeds. The downside is that not so many devices (Smartphones, Laptops) are Wi-Fi Direct™ certified.
We were a little surprised the VGA port(that port that connects your PC to a projector or 2nd monitor) wasn’t included since it’s available on almost every PC. The HDMI port can suffice for TV to PC connectivity with a good HDMI cable in addition to Wi-Fi.
What this means is that you can connect almost any of your devices and directly watch your content on large screen via HDMI, Wi-Fi or connect your external hard drive via USB directly to the TV.
For the most part, we found it convenient to connect USB flash disk directly to the back of the TV USB hubs to access and watch content on the big screen.
Samsung’s “AllShare” makes pushing content to the TV easy
The new “Smart” also means that whatever device has this word appended to its name has to be able to connect and communicate with other devices, otherwise it ain’t smart!
Samsung meets our criteria with its proprietary “AllShare” technology (Powered by DLNA standard) similar to Intel’s Intel® WiDi or Apple’s Airplay which includes a Smartphone and desktop App that enables you push content wirelessly on the big screen TV via Wi-Fi
All you’ve to do is connect the same SmartTV on the same Wi-Fi network or hotspot (perhaps using a home wireless router like the Huawei B683 3G wireless gateway ) as your smartphone or laptop. The TV will automatically detect your devices and shared folders.
However, we were disappointed that the App only works with Samsung smartphones and not other brands. Fortunately there were “AllShare” app alternatives on the Android Play Store like iMediaShare that did what Samsung’s Allshare did or even better.
Samsung SmartTV Apps: Apps customized specifically for your TV
The SmartTV has an app store called the “Samsung Apps” where you can download a couple of apps that are custom developed for the SmartTV. The Apps user interface is customized for navigation and interaction using the TV remote and they also take advantage of the widescreen to deliver an experience only unique to TVs.
Surprisingly the App sizes are really small compared to what we had expected. Most of them are as small as the Apps for your Smartphone.
We downloaded several Apps from the Samsung Apps store among which included Skype, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Red Karaoke, TuneIn, Vimeo. We also found useful pre installed apps like the “Fitness” app that could help you exercise or at least make it fun and the “Kids” app that streams edutainment programming for Children. Apps like Red Karaoke were fun to use, or at least for Karaoke lovers; while the Social TV app lets you watch TV as you tweet or Facebook about what you are watching or whatever else. Unfortunately we didn’t think that enjoying a movie and tweeting go hand in hand but it was worth a shot.
We discovered that Apps that emulated the TV experience like YouTube, Vimeo, Red Karaoke were absolutely fun to use on the screen. These apps are highly visual as they display video content streamed from the internet to the user. In essence you can still experience these apps with the lean-back experience that TV viewers have accustomed themselves to.
The downside is that unlike content from traditional broadcasters, these Apps will leave you with a hefty data bill at the end of the month especially here in Africa.
TV is just another App on the TV! Confused? Think about the “phone” part of your Smartphone. It’s just one App among a myriad of Apps that your smartphone supports which is a radical shift from how the old feature phones were — they were just phones, period. The SmartTV takes the same direction as smartphones with a TV app on the SmartTV main menu.
The SmartTV comes with a DTV Tuner and an Analog Tuner hence, we could access our usual free-to-air terrestrial TV station with the help of an external antenna such as NTV, WBS, and digital TV through a GOtv decoder without trouble.
As such, with a data connection which is your gateway to unlimited online video content, the right Apps or your own collection of content, you can comfortably do away with TV(satellite or terrestrial) as we used to know it!
Browser, Twitter, Facebook on TV? A Big “NO PLEASE!”
On the other hand, apps like Twitter, Facebook and the inbuilt browser that need some kind of typing at some point were frustrating to use — essentially because of the input device (the TV remote which doesn’t have a QWERTY keyboard) is not designed for entering of long alphanumeric characters.
You have to use the virtual onscreen keyboard and select characters using the remote up-down-left-right buttons. You can imagine how frustrating it was to go back and forth until all the characters are entered.
We also found that including these Apps that run on personal accounts on the smartTV was an attempt to turn the TV which we all have come to know as public device into a personal computer which it isn’t. Besides one had to enter passwords to sign in to the Social Media services which if done in the presence of others would no longer be a password
Multimedia: Movies and Music Because the SmartTV allows you to play your content through its different connectivity options, then it should also have multiple codecs that should enable the user play various popular media formats. The SmartTV supports mp3, ogg, mp4, avi, divx, wma, aac media formats enabling you to enjoy your music and videos without installing third party Apps. With the traditional TV, you would need an external media streaming device such as a DVD player, Roku, Boxee box, Apple TV connected to it in order to enjoy your personal library.
Rather than be constrained by the limitation of your personal media library, with an unlimited data plan, the SmartTV is your door to an unlimited repository of online media content from distributors such as YouTube, Hulu, Netflix, Vimeo among others.
The Smart TV packs a great sound output with built in subwoofers and different sound modes and effects with Dolby Digital surround technology. One can enjoy Movies and Music with crisp sound on the SmartTV without a home theater system.
Remote Control
The remote has the usual numeric keys, channel and volume seekers, the usual four-arrow navigation keys, playback controls, search, exit, return and a Samsung “Home” button.
We found the using the remote to send basic commands such as volume increase/decrease, channel search, App navigation with the TV easy and intuitive with an experience similar to traditional remote controls.
Since losing remotes is common, we found two options in case this happens: Download a remote control App from the Android Playstore that works and functions as the hard-button remote onto your smart phone or tablet. For it to function, you of course have to connect your smartphone and SmartTV on the same network via WI-FI or you could also use the Joy Stick remote placed behind the right hand corner of the TV that Samsung used to replace hard buttons on the TV. Using it was fun but again it defeats the purpose for which the remote was made
However, entering longer alpha numeric characters( for instance username, passwords, emails, urls) using the remote as the input device was extremely frustrating. We also expected the remote to have at least a Microphone and speaker to receive audio input for some TV Apps such as Skype, Karaoke that are heavily audio dependent. This in effect would help users receive Skype calls using their remote or input voice commands.
Skype on TV, now that would be cool
We also had a spin on Skype, because we thought that full video calling was finally coming to the family living room. Imagine calling a distant family member or relative and they’re able to see all the entire family in the comfort of the living room without cramming everyone to fit into some narrow viewing angle as is the case with PCs.
However, we quickly got disappointed that the TV didn’t have a front facing camera/webcam and there was no way for the TV to capture audio through a microphone. We expected an embedded microphone on the TV remote or the TV itself for instance. Samsung says you can use peripheral input devices(external Mic and camera) for a seamless Skype experience, but this is the same reason we don’t usually do Skype calls on the PC — peripherals.
The “SmartHub” is your entertainment hub
The SmartTV ships with what Samsung calls the “SmartHub” which provides “a single location for all of your favorite smart content, giving you easy and instant access to apps, photos, videos, web browsers and much more.”.
The SmartHub provides fitness apps, kids edutainment apps, videos and photos. We found the content to be rich served with enough choices to suit your taste and preferences.
In-built Power surge protector Keeps your Smart TV safe Considering that electricity in Uganda/Africa flickers a lot, many people find their appliances destroyed by power surges leaving them frustrated and with repair costs to incur. This is something that Samsung clearly thought through as it embedded a surge protector in the SmartTV that protects your TV from electricity surges or incurring a separate cost of purchasing a surge protector.
Cost and Availability The SmartTV is available in Samsung distributor channels like UgaSung and Transtel at about Ug Shs 8M ($3000)
Conclusion Most of Africa will be transitioning from analogue TV broadcasting to digital with global deadline set for 2014. Currently there are a number of Digital TV service providers providing DTV tuners or decoders for users with digital ready TV sets. The Samsung SmartTV already has an inbuilt DTV tuner and has you covered.
It’s amazing the connectivity options that these next gen TVs are offering. From HDMI, to USB, to Wi-Fi, Ethernet LAN and of course for backward compatibility composite video. We’re even betting on the death of the good old DVD player that will be replaced by content streamed directed from the cloud, your local media library on your PC or external USB drive or your smartphone!
It’s not just connectivity that’s a complete new ball game, but also the TV user interface and experience which includes what we’re all used to — the TV remote. Now the remote is just an app on your smartphone(s) or device and it might also be your voice (voice control) or hand or body gestures (though not present in this particular TV).
We are also predicting the potential disruption of traditional TV broadcasters including the likes of DSTV who will face cut throat competition nearing annihilation from video on demand content providers like iTunes, HULU, Youtube, Vimeo and Netflix — who all work well with the Smart TVs — as long as you’ve a broadband connection but till broadband is readily accessible or affordable in Africa, this will once again be a long shot.
But also the current Smart TVs aren’t really smart when it comes choice of some applications and user input. For instance we found surfing, Tweeting or Facebooking on the SmartTV using a remote without a QWERTY keyboard ( and yes you can use the virtual onscreen QWERTY, but that won’t help as the screen is not touch) really not smart. If anything, frustrating and unnecessary.
David Okwii is the Editor-in-Chief of Dignited.com and a seasoned tech enthusiast whose journey began in the early 2000s. He started blogging while at university, diving deep into mobile apps, smartphone reviews, and operating systems—from testing Linux distros to tweaking Windows machines. David also explores Chromebooks, experiments with Raspberry Pi projects, and brings hands-on curiosity to every review. With vast experience in Uganda’s tech ecosystem and deep knowledge of Africa’s startup landscape, he offers informed, grounded perspectives on consumer technology. When he’s not writing or tinkering, David enjoys connecting with nature and exploring the outdoors.
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Talkio Mobile , Uganda’s newest telecommunications service provider, is excited to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Banana Life Investments, a leading chain of mobile phone and retail shops. This strategic alliance aims to bring Talkio’s innovative telecom services closer to Ugandans.
This collaboration will leverage Banana Life Investments’ extensive retail network of 26 stores strategically located across Uganda in major malls, towns, and cities to provide customers with unparalleled convenience. Through this partnership, Talkio Mobile will offer its full suite of services, including SIM cards, airtime, and exclusive product offerings at any Banana Life Investment location.
This partnership is more than a business initiative—it’s a shared commitment to transforming lives. By integrating Talkio Mobile’s forward-thinking services & nationwide reach with Banana Life Investments’ retail footprint, the two brands are setting a new standard for customer convenience and inclusivity.
READ ALSO: 5 Things You Need to Know About Talkio Mobile: New Telecom Company in Uganda
“This partnership aligns perfectly with our mission of connecting Ugandans to innovative and transformative telecom solutions,” said Vianne Allan Ahura, CEO of Talkio Mobile. “By leveraging Banana Life Investments’ trusted presence and nationwide footprint, we are not only expanding our agent network but also bringing our services closer to the communities we serve. This collaboration ensures that our online customers can now enjoy a seamless offline experience right at their doorstep. Together, we are empowering Ugandans with the tools they need to stay connected, grow their businesses, and unlock new opportunities.”
Solomon Ssemuyaba, the assistant general manager at Banana Life Investments, echoed this sentiment: “We are proud to join hands with Talkio Mobile to deliver innovative, customer-centric solutions. This partnership represents our shared vision of fostering a connected future for Uganda. Together, we are redefining what convenience and accessibility mean for our customers.”
The partnership goes beyond retail distribution, introducing joint initiatives aimed at value addition and personalized service. Customers can expect seamless access to:
- SIM Card Sales : Available at all Banana Life Investments locations.
- Talkio phone number bookings : Book your preferred Talkio number at any Banana Life Investments location.
- Airtime Services : Recharge easily through in-store purchases.
- Customer Support : Friendly and knowledgeable staff trained to assist with Talkio Mobile products and services.
Additionally, the two companies plan to launch promotional campaigns and expand services to even more locations, ensuring no Ugandan is left behind in the digital transformation.
Solomon Obwot is a tech writer based in Kampala, Uganda, with extensive experience in the local tech startup ecosystem. He covers the latest news and analysis on consumer tech, writes in-depth smartphone reviews, and conducts insightful interviews with industry experts. Solomon is also a passionate podcaster, sharing his knowledge and engaging in discussions about Africa’s rapidly growing tech landscape. Send emails to [email protected]
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The Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona , the world’s largest exhibition for the mobile industry, has just concluded. This annual event gathers leading technology brands to unveil groundbreaking mobile, AI, and digital solutions innovations. At MWC 2025, TECNO showcased a range of AI-driven products, reinforcing its commitment to cutting-edge technology.
The key launches included:
- CAMON 40 Series – AI-powered smartphones with One-Tap FlashSnap and advanced mobile imaging features.
- MEGABOOK S14 – The world’s lightest 14-inch OLED laptop, featuring AI-enhanced multitasking and Snapdragon® X Elite.
- MEGABOOK T14 Air & K15S – Lightweight ultrabooks with AI capabilities and extended battery life.
- TECNO AI Glasses Series – Smart eyewear integrating AI imaging, translation, and AR display.
Jan Stryjak, Associate Director at Counterpoint Research, shared, “In the past year, we have observed significant advancements in the field of AI. AI will continue to drive transformative changes in our daily lives. In this critical period for the economic development of emerging markets, TECNO’s AI technologies are unlocking potential for diverse needs.”
“The application of AI technologies is crucial and urgent in emerging markets. We’re committed to bridging the digital gap between emerging and mature markets,” said TECNO CMO, Laury Bai. “TECNO is taking a practical approach to make AI more accessible, ensuring users in emerging markets can access AI and cutting-edge technologies.”
Laury Bai, TECNO CMO
Driven by its commitment, TECNO has forged a robust partnership with MediaTek, establishing a joint AI laboratory dedicated to accelerating advancements in AI. At the event, James Chen, Vice President of Product and Technology Marketing at MediaTek, emphasized, “The synergistic R&D efforts between TECNO and MediaTek are set to democratize AI technology. Our collaboration powers a seamless, interconnected AI experience, bringing users a future of truly connected intelligence.”
James Chen, Vice President, Product and Technology Marketing at MediaTek
CAMON 40 Series Powered by AI One-Tap FlashSnap Revolutionizes Smartphone Snapshot Photography
TECNO’s Global Product Launch Officer, Olivier Mas, officially unveiled TECNO’s next-generation AI-driven products. Attendees at TECNO’s launch event witnessed the highly anticipated debut of TECNO’s new CAMON 40 Series, a device that embodies TECNO’s legacy of excellence in mobile imaging. Featuring One-Tap FlashSnap Mode and TECNO AI, the series sets a new benchmark in smartphone photography, delivering exceptional snapshot capabilities and AI-enhanced user experiences.
Olivier Mas, TECNO Global Product Launch Officer
The CAMON 40 Series exemplifies a commitment to innovation that transcends hardware and software, extending into strategic partnerships that deliver cutting-edge AI solutions to emerging markets. Matt Waldbusser, Managing Director of Global Solutions and Consumer AI at Google Cloud, remarked, “Our collaboration with TECNO on the CAMON 40 Series is a standout example. Leveraging Google Cloud’s capabilities, we’ve introduced groundbreaking features such as Ask Ella, AI Image Generator, AI Writing, and AI Translate. I am particularly impressed by the industry-leading and competitive edge of some of these innovations. For instance, TECNO’s AI supports text translation in 136 languages, voice translation in 44 languages, and photo translation in 51 languages. We are excited to further strengthen our partnership with TECNO, unlocking limitless potential to bring advanced yet practical AI capabilities to emerging markets in a convenient and secure manner.”
Matt Waldbusser, Managing Director of Global Solutions and Consumer AI at Google Cloud
The CAMON 40 Series’ innovative One-Tap FlashSnap leverages AI to enhance imaging capabilities, revolutionizing mobile photography. AI optimizes camera startup and continuous shooting for instant captures, while AI-powered multi-frame processing intelligently reduces noise and enhances details, delivering sharper, more refined images. Additionally, the BestMoment algorithm analyzes motion patterns, automatically selecting the optimal frames for precise, high-quality shots in dynamic scenarios, ensuring users an unparalleled mobile imaging experience.
TECNO CAMON 40 Demonstrates the Cutting-Edge FlashSnap Capability
To delve deeper into the imaging prowess of the CAMON 40 Series, TECNO invited Frédéric Guichard, CEO of DXOMARK, to share the image performance of CAMON 40 Pro. Frédéric highlighted, “The CAMON 40 Pro 5G has demonstrated exceptional imaging and performance capabilities in our rigorous evaluations. We’ve been particularly impressed with photo performance being the best for devices under 600$, and the 1st eligible device to our Smart Choice Label.”
Onsite photo of Frédéric Guichard, CEO of DXOMARK
Beyond its advanced rapid-capture functionality, the integration of TECNO AI further enhances the device’s capabilities. Intelligent imaging, a 360° AI Call Assistant, and productivity tools elevate creativity and efficiency. Powered by MediaTek’s latest chipsets, the series ensures smooth performance, fast processing, and extended battery life. With a sleek, durable, and water-resistant design, it seamlessly blends style with practicality for modern users.
MEGABOOK S14, the World’s Lightest 14-inch OLED Laptop, Inspires Creators and Game Lovers
The MEGABOOK S14 is TECNO’s first OLED laptop and the industry’s lightest 14-inch OLED laptop, featuring a 2.8K OLED display and incredibly weighing only 899g (31.7oz). The laptop is equipped with the outstanding power of the Snapdragon® X Elite compute platform, the flagship chipset for AI PCs from Qualcomm Technologies, and integrates TECNO’s world’s first self-developed edge-side large-scale AI model, to achieve AI-enhanced multitasking.
World’s Lightest 14-inch Laptop MEGABOOK S14
Specifically designed for next-gen AI productivity, TECNO AI enhances the Ella AI Assistant, AI-powered PPT generation, AI-driven image search, smart albums, and offline meeting transcription with multilingual support. The External Graphics Dock, equipped with a powerful NVIDIA graphic card, delivers scalable, high-performance capabilities for design, gaming, and content creation. The laptop’s 2.8K OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate ensures exceptional visuals, while DTS:X Ultra dual 2W speakers, Wi-Fi 6E, fingerprint login, and PC Manager optimize connectivity and user experience.
TECNO’s strategic partnership with Qualcomm Technologies was a highlight of the TECNO AI Ecosystem Product Launch event, demonstrating a shared vision for the future of AI PCs. Kedar Kondap, SVP & GM of Compute and Gaming at Qualcomm, took the stage to discuss the integration of Qualcomm’s cutting-edge PC chipset into the new MEGABOOK S14 laptop, underscoring TECNO’s commitment to delivering high-performance computing solutions.
Kedar Kondap, SVP & GM of Compute and Gaming at Qualcomm
In addition, TECNO also introduced several standout new products. The featherlight 999g (35.2oz) ultrabook MEGABOOK T14 Air, features high-speed storage and LPDDR5 memory, while the ultra-thin, all-metal MEGABOOK K15S, equipped with a powerful 70Wh battery and supported by a 65W PD GaN charger, offers a smarter and more long-lasting user experience. Both devices are empowered by TECNO AI with advanced AI capabilities such as AI Album and AI Voice Assistant, making them perfect companions for all aspects of life.
The Next Game-Changing Tech Innovation: See the World with the TECNO AI Glasses Series
TECNO’s new AI Glasses Series also took center stage with the introduction of TECNO AI Glasses Pro and TECNO AI Glasses, reimagining eyewear with cutting-edge imaging, intelligent interactions, and a sleek aesthetic. The TECNO AI Glasses feature an aviator design, while the Pro model showcases a browline style, both embodying timeless elegance and modern fashion.
TECNO AI Glasses Redefine the Way People See the Future
Equipped with a 50MP high-definition camera, the series integrates an OV50D sensor, a 100° ultra-wide-angle custom lens, and an AI ISP imaging chip, forming a mobile-grade imaging system. This system lets users capture stunning, high-resolution photos with advanced AI noise reduction and HDR capabilities. With real-time translation supporting over 100 languages, TECNO AI’s Ella empowers accurate translation even for less common languages, as well as voice control, AI-powered object recognition, and intelligent information summaries for ultimate convenience.
Additionally, the AI Glasses Pro features a MicroLED display with 7th-gen resin waveguide technology, offering a 30° field of view, over 1,500 nits of brightness AR display, and a lightweight, ultra-thin design. The AR display allows users to effortlessly enjoy features like translation display, navigation, information prompts, and teleprompting.
Equipped with a 250mAh battery, these glasses offer over 11 hours of music playback and 8 hours of mixed use with just 30 minutes of charging. An advanced ultra-linear speaker, bass enhancement, and spatial sound deliver an immersive audio experience, while Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4 ensure seamless connectivity.
With these innovative launches, TECNO is setting new standards in mobile imaging and AI-enhanced technology, shaping a more connected and empowered future for consumers in emerging markets. Once again, TECNO has showcased its cutting-edge innovation on the global stage at MWC. With the brand essence of “Stop at Nothing”, TECNO’s relentless pursuit of innovation is making AI-powered technology more accessible, allowing consumers to experience the future ahead of time.
Solomon Obwot is a tech writer based in Kampala, Uganda, with extensive experience in the local tech startup ecosystem. He covers the latest news and analysis on consumer tech, writes in-depth smartphone reviews, and conducts insightful interviews with industry experts. Solomon is also a passionate podcaster, sharing his knowledge and engaging in discussions about Africa’s rapidly growing tech landscape. Send emails to [email protected]
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