Southern Africa
Huawei Introduces the Intel-powered MateBook D14
Huawei has unveiled the newly upgraded MateBook D 14 i5, powered by 10th Gen Intel Core Processors. The Huawei MateBook D 14 i5 has also been upgraded with the NVIDIA GeForce MX250 discrete graphics card, which allows the notebook to handle a wide variety of complex image processing tasks, 3.5X image and video editing and processing speed acceleration. This laptop is also fitted with Multi-screen Collaboration, a Fingerprint Power Button, and a high-capacity battery. Highly immersive viewing experience with the FullView display /* custom css */ .tdi_3_0a0.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_0a0.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } The new MateBook D 14 i5 retains the FullView design of its predecessor, with a screen-to-body ratio of 84 percent and a 16:9 aspect ratio to support an o...
Paratus Namibia Signs First ‘Fibre Open Access’ Infrastructure Agreement
Image sourced from Patriot Paratus Namibia has signed its first ‘fibre open access’ agreement with Africa Online. As part of the deal, Paratus will share its infrastructure with licensed operators in delivering fibre connections to the broader business and domestic market in Namibia. By removing the main barrier to enter the market, Open Access allows multiple operators to share the same fibre infrastructure and deliver services to their respective customers without the need to duplicate the costly development of that infrastructure. “This is really a market disruptor because we are sharing our infrastructure in a way that has never been done before in our country. By breaking with tradition, we are launching a truly commercial initiative and giving a leg-up to the ICT industry by creating...
Hellopay to Roll Out Mastercard’s ‘Tap on Phone’ Tech in South Africa
Hellopay and Mastercard have partnered to roll out SoftPOS – a contactless acceptance solution that turns any NFC-enabled Android device into a physical point of sale. This move is expected to boost digital payment acceptance at small informal enterprises in South Africa, while supporting consumers’ preference for touch-free payments amidst social distancing. SoftPOS leverages Mastercard Tap on Phone technology developed for micro and small businesses like spaza shops, independent retailers, market stall traders, mobile servicemen and tradesmen who tend to operate in a cash economy due to the costs and complexity of obtaining traditional point of sale devices. “The SMME market represents 98% of businesses in South Africa and has been deeply impacted by the pandemic. We recognise the o...
Telkom Announces New ‘Closer Calling’ Plans
Telkom has introduced new closer calling plans for customers looking to ‘get more value for their money. The telco says that, starting in March 2021, copper landline customers will be able to align their calling plans to its SmartVoice plans. The new Closer Calling plans are available to new and existing customers and can be provisioned on Copper, Fibre and as a bolt-on to IPVoice (Internet Protocol Voice); replacing the stand-alone fixed-line as well as the old Closer Calling plans known as Weekend and Evening, Anytime, Anytime Extra, Anytime Plus and Unlimited Fixed Line. New Telkom Closer Calling plans: Closer Basic @ R199 Closer 100 @ R299 Closer 300 @ R399 Closer Unlimited @ R599 Closer Basic Bolt-on @ R40 Closer 100 Bolt-on @ R70 Closer 300 Bolt-on @ R130 Closer Unlimited Bolt-on @ R...
WeThinkCode Expands Footprint in South Africa
Image sourced from WeThinkCode WeThinkCode is planning to expand its footprint across South Africa with the launch of a new campus in Durban. This is expected to give more South Africans the opportunity to join the digital world and help build the country’s technology skills capability. “We know that South Africa has a vast pool of untapped talent with the aptitude to be trained in technology. At the same time, our youth unemployment is among the highest in the world,” says WeThinkCode’s CEO, Nyari Samushonga. “Like any successful business, WeThinkCode is evolving and continually improving its operating model and this includes making our programmes accessible to more people. Geography plays an important role here as many candidates are unable to access our existing campuses. Hence ou...
How to Avoid Bitcoin Scams in South Africa
The bitcoin price surge in these recent months has drawn the interest of investors from different spheres. People want to buy bitcoin and quickly make money off it, which has left many people vulnerable to Ponzi schemes, quick money schemes, and other forms of scams. The hype around bitcoin has given most people the impression of a quick and easy return on their investments. The hype has caused an increase in its adoption, as well as an increase in scams and frauds by people who capitalize on that perception to steal other people’s money. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies being decentralized currencies are seen as the future of currency. It is created, stored, and distributed using blockchain which is a decentralized ledger, so unlike fiat currency, it is not regulated by the government. ...
Silicon Cape Appoints New Co-Chair
Image sourced from East Coast Radio Silicon Cape has appointed Vusi Thembekwayo to its board – effective March 2021. He will take on the position of co-chair, alongside Sumarie Roodt, as the board will be moving to a co-chair governance structure. Thembekwayo is a serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, author, speaker and founding CEO of MyGrowthFund Venture Partners. “Having someone of Vusi’s calibre come on board is not only a massive achievement and milestone for the organisation and the ecosystem, but it also means that we are determined to tackle the systemic challenges that exist in our ecosystems such as the structural inequalities and the relative lack of diversity,” says Roodt. On his appointment, Thembekwayo says, “Silicon Cape leads in the work that it’s been doing because it ...
Luno Reaches 7 Million Users Milestone
South African-founded Luno has officially recorded seven million customers (wallets) – just seven weeks after reaching the milestone of six million customers. The business believes this growth is due to the simplicity of its online and mobile platforms, offering education, bank-grade security and self-regulation. It is actively working with regulators and banks to safely increase access to cryptocurrencies. Luno was ranked in the top six cryptocurrency exchanges worldwide in the latest CryptoCompare Exchange Benchmark and also received the top tier AA rating. South Africa is one of Luno’s strongest markets and the appetite for cryptocurrency trades continues to grow. Reaching seven million wallets demonstrates the growing adoption of cryptocurrencies across the globe. /* custom css */...
Telkom to Support Community-Led Coding Programme in South Africa
Telkom has partnered with the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies to hand over a community lab as well as a community-led coding programme to the Alice community in Eastern Cape, South Africa. As part of the Digital Skills Development Programme, Telkom has identified 25 unemployed youth aged between 18-35 with IT background from the community to partake in a month-long coding programme. The youth will be provided with laptops and software. The company has also donated a fully fitted computer lab and a comprehensive educational content platform to enhance digital skills and online learning at Healdtown High School in Fort Beaufort. “The Telkom Foundation’s mission is rooted in meaningful and sustainable community upliftment and development,” says Sarah Mthintso, Head of Te...
Vodacom and Google Give Smartphones to Rural Communities in South Africa
Vodacom has partnered with Google to give away hundreds of Android-powered smartphones to communities across Limpopo, South Africa. This move forms part of the companies continued efforts to “reduce the digital divide” and offer many who reside in deep rural communities “access to the internet for the first time”. “At Vodacom we are optimistic about how technology and connectivity can enhance the future and improve people’s lives. Through our business, we aim to build a digital society that transforms communities, embraces everyone, leaving no one behind. Our purpose is to ‘connect for a better future’, improving the lives of the next 100 million customers by 2025,” says Imran Khan, Managing Executive for Vodacom Limpopo. “In our pursuit to build an inclusive and sustainable digital societ...
Rain Suffers Private Data Breach
Image sourced from MyBroadband Rain has confirmed that hit by a security breach. The South African telco revealed in an email to subscribers that its security team discovered unauthorised access to the group’s invoice storage system. According to BusinessTech, the vulnerability has been “identified and remedied”. However, some historical invoices “may have been accessed”, with the information limited to customers name and postal addresses. “Firstly, we want to assure you that your sensitive information is secure, and no action is required from you at all. We can confirm that there has been no unauthorised access to any systems that store information such as login details, ID numbers, banking or card details. This information was never at risk,” says the company. “We would like to assu...
Unpacking the Status of Cloud in South Africa
Sourced from ZDNet. Most strategic discussions in boardrooms around the world will include cloud-based offerings because the services offered have become fundamental to a modern, resilient enterprise. in 2020 many organisations may well have been taking a wait-and-see approach, but the pandemic has forced everyone’s hand and sped up digital transformation in all its guises. Cloud computing is believed to have been invented by Joseph Carl Robnett Licklider in the 1960s with the idea of being able to connect people and data from anywhere at any time. Fast-forward 60 years and the various lockdowns around the world have made this idea an absolute and immediate necessity. There have been winners and sadly there were losers during the pandemic. Some businesses thrived and others paid the ultima...
