IT News
5 Things to Consider When Planning a Virtual Graduation
Image sourced from University of Pittsburgh The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly thrust us into the future. Digital technologies have become more entrenched in our daily lives in the past two months than they have over the past two years. If we want to see our loved ones, we jump onto a Teams or Zoom call, if we want to engage in some retail therapy, we turn to eCommerce companies and outlets. There are very few aspects of our day-to-day lives that have not been altered in some way, shape or form by the coronavirus. When it comes to schooling, both younger learners and tertiary-level students have had to adapt to a whole new world of remote learning. Digital tools have made this process a bit easier, and have enabled students to stay on top of their game, even while learning from home. An...
Cyberpunk 2077 Delayed Again
Sourced from CD Projekt Red. Cyberpunk 2077, the highly anticipated open-world RPG from the studio that brought gamers the Witcher series, has been delayed for the second time in one year. Its new release date its set for 19 November 2020, moved from previously set date of 17 September. Developer CD Projekt Red announced the delayed release date on Twitter. An important development update pic.twitter.com/uFGrt9Tqpi — Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) June 18, 2020 /* custom css */ .tdi_3_eee.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_eee.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } “Those of you who are familiar with the way we make games know that we won’t ship something which is not ready,” reads the statement. “At the same time, we are fully aware that making such decisions costs us your trust, a...
Cell C to Cut Over 900 Jobs, Almost 40% of its Workforce
Image sourced from Town Press South African network provider, Cell C has confirmed that it could retrench up to 960 employees – including junior management and semi-skilled staff – resulting in cuts of almost 40% of its workforce. “Cell C can confirm that it is has reached a difficult decision and initiated discussions with junior management and semi-skilled staff to implement a restructuring of its operations so as to align the organisation with its new operating model,” says a Cell C spokesperson. “Earlier this year, senior management positions were aligned to this revised operating model and new organisational structure. This process was completed in May and resulted in 30 positions being affected,” she said. Cell C began reevaluating its workforce in March 2020 and was said to be looki...
There are 577 Malware Attacks in South Africa Every Hour, Research Shows
Sourced from Republic Title The 2019 KnowBe4 African Report found that the continent is increasingly vulnerable to cyber-attacks. The report highlighted how vulnerable users were when it came to recognising cyber-threats and managing their risk profiles. In 2020, Accenture released a report entitled ‘Insight into the Cyberthreat Landscape in South Africa’ that revealed that there are around 577 malware attacks every hour, many of them are unsuccessful, however. Cybercrime has turned towards Africa and is putting its people and organisations at risk. “With cybercrime shifting its attention towards emerging economies and with Africa’s internet penetration about to double to one billion internet users by 2022, the African continent has become an attractive target for cybercrime,” says Anna Co...
HP Elite Dragonfly – The Stylish 2-IN-1 Must Have For Mobile and WFH
The new HP Elite Dragonfly, available from official distributor Drive Control Corporation (DCC), is a premium sub-one-kilogram 2-in-1 laptop designed with mobile and WFH (work from home) users in mind. The 13.3-inch Elite Dragonfly is available to DCC’s SA and SADC channel partners and features world-class battery performance – up to 24.5 hours, 360-degree foldability, WiFi 6 connectivity and optional 4 x 4 LTE antennas that allow for gigabit-class 4G LTE. The stylish 2-in-1 features a blue magnesium housing that is made from a single piece of CNC-machined magnesium alloy and the keyboard is in a rubber dome which means it is significantly quieter than before. HP Noise Cancelling also ensures that ambient noise, including the sound of typing, is reduced by up to 20 decibels. /* custom css ...
Why Augmented Analytics is Evolving in Today’s BI process
Since 2018, Gartner said that augmented analytics was set to change data analysis and business intelligence (BI) processes. Kevin Halkerd, senior IT risk and security analyst at e4, says that while he feels that the change had already begun, augmentation will bring about the change that is required to affect positive change and outcomes of data analysis. “We need to use augmentation rather than automation to not only lighten the load of the analyst but to also enhance cognitive abilities and reduce the cognitive bias of the data analytics. This will ultimately help to address the extreme volumes of information we currently have available as big data continues to grow unwaveringly,” says Halkerd. According to definitions, augmented analytics automates by finding and surfacing the most impor...
5 Crucial Cybersecurity Principles for Businesses
The face of cybercrime has changed, alongside the strategies used. It’s no longer just the teen hacker in their bedroom, it’s a variety of different people with a broadening array of tactics. And what’s more, in the current climate of goodwill it is increasingly easy to get caught up in one of these traps. With this in mind, there’s no harm done in brushing up on five cybersecurity principles that can help you and your business mitigate the more common tricks and attacks used by cybercriminals: 1. Least Privilege Just because you trust everyone in your business doesn’t mean that your receptionist needs the same access levels as your CEO. Give users minimum necessary access and leave your most valuable data vulnerable to far fewer breach points. You wouldn’t give a hotel guest a key for eve...
Coronavirus Antibodies Vanish a Few Months After Patients Recover, New Study Finds
According to a study published in the Journal of Nature Medicine, recovered COVID-19 patients may rapidly lose antibodies – the blood proteins necessary to stave off virus infections and the cornerstone of vaccinology. The finding raises new questions about the idea of immunity passports (a way for people considered immune to the virus to move around freely and not need to wear facemasks) and could be cause for concern about the development of an effective vaccine. Researchers in the study tested for antibodies in 37 people who had fallen ill and recovered from the virus in the Wanzhou district of China. They also tested 37 others who had tested positive for the virus but never showed symptoms – what is known as asymptomatic cases. This was in order to address two key questions that will i...
Ericsson Aims to Enable Financial Inclusion and Development Across Africa
As the world grapples with the COVID-19 health crisis, the desire for mobile money and contactless payments is on the rise to avoid infections and disease transmission. With mobile money, customers can make payments anywhere at any time with their mobile devices connected to the Internet which decreases exposure to physical money, Point of Sales (PoS) terminals and Automated Teller Machines (ATM)– especially with high volumes of micropayments. The freedom to send, spend and receive money with a mobile phone is quickly becoming an essential part of life for billions of people. It is said that more money remains digital – promoting further digital transactions circulating in the system – rather than being cashed-out – which is great progress towards a cashless society. In 2019, GSMA recorded...
6 Android Apps to Help Teens Sharpen Their Life Skills
Sourced from Gadgets Now. Most teens have grown up with technology as a part of their lives. It’s not surprising that many of them take great joy in snapping selfies, sharing memes on social media, watching YouTube videos and playing Fortnite. There’s nothing wrong with using a smartphone to have fun and socialise, but devices can also help teens navigate the world. Given this love of tech and devices, there can be no better way to reach them that through content and services that build their life skills or help them get organised. /* custom css */ .tdi_3_ebe.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_ebe.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } For Youth Month in South Africa, Alcatel takes a look at some helpful apps for Android devices for teens to acquire or enhance their skills in areas o...
4 Ways SAP is Tackling Supply Chain and Industry Challenges
Sourced from Shutterstock. As companies all over the world face unprecedented challenges, they are turning to technologies that provide reliable insights to help them better support their employees, customers and suppliers. Stepping up to fulfil these needs, SAP has announced that it will help companies improve supply chain and industry-specific processes, connect through the business network and embed sustainability as a critical measure of business success. “In uncertain times, companies need a trusted partner to help them make confident decisions to enhance agility and resiliency during and beyond the current COVID-19 crisis,” says Thomas Saueressig, member of the Executive Board of SAP SE for SAP Product Engineering. “In today’s hyperconnected world, it’s even more important for busine...
The Difficulties of Reaching Communities in Chad with COVID-19 Safety Messages
Sourced from RFI. The health authorities in Chad are focusing on communities to build confidence so that citizens trust the right information and avoid risky behaviour. Communal living, not uncommon in many of N’Djamena’s neighbourhoods, the Chadian capital, is a source of fear among residents as COVID-19 persists. When the pandemic reached Chad, health authorities rolled out a raft of response measures, including door-to-door visits by community health educators to relay messages on safety. While face-to-face meetings are time-consuming, the sessions are more personal, often carried out by someone from the same community who speaks the same language and has the appropriate cultural understanding. Unlike broadcast messages, people can ask questions and seek clarifications in door-to-door c...
