tech news
IoT.nxt CEO Resigns Immediately
Image sourced from ITWeb IOT.nxt has revealed that co-founder and CEO, Nico Steyn, is stepping down from his role with immediate effect. He will, however, remain a shareholder and board member of the Vodacom company. “I will focus my time and effort on areas of the business that I most enjoy and where I can continue to add meaningful value. As a founder, making this decision is not easy,” says Steyn. “However, I know the exceptional executive team that we have assembled over the past 18 months is well-positioned to embrace the next phase of commercialisation and corporatisation that is required for IoT.nxt’s journey of globalisation.” “IoT.nxt has been my passion and my life for the past six years. My partners and the IoT.nxt board-backed my vision of creating a world-class product and com...
INTERVIEW: 5 Tips for Women in Tech
Over the next decade, a new wave of digital technologies is set to reshape how we live and work. It is imperative that women play an equal role in shaping their impact. Not only should the new opportunities these technologies create be open to all, but it is also critical to tap into diverse experiences and perspectives to unlock their full value. To help women take a leading role in driving the adoption of technology, ITNA‘s Jenna Delport spoke to Sandra Fraga, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer at SYSPRO. Here’s what transpired: According to a PWC article on women in technology, women currently hold 19% of tech-related jobs at the top 10 global tech companies – what kind of opportunity does this present to women interested in this kind of career? There is no doubt that the world we l...
Sandton City Launches its Digital Mall Platform on Nedbank’s Avo App
Sandton City and Nedbank have partnered to launch an immersive ‘mall’ experience on the Avo app. This digital shopping platform is expected to give users the chance to shop items from multiple stores in Sandton City, pay for goods on the app, and then choose between home delivery or collection from the Avo lounge lockers at Sandton City. “We aspire to enable our app users to do life differently. The concept of a digital mall is broad and includes everything from gaming, clothing and groceries to tech, gadgets and home décor. Our insights show that people across Africa are willing to travel to shop, with Sandton City being a preferred destination,” says Vishal Maharaj, founding member of Avo. “We have onboarded more than 30 stores to date, and more are on the way, ensuring they are liv...
Facebook Launches a Paid Events Tool for South African Content Creators
Facebook has launched a Paid Online Events tool that will allow content creators in South Africa to earn extra money. Paid Online Events is available in 20 countries and is expanding to 24 additional countries in the coming weeks, with South Africa being the first country in Africa where the tool is launching. “Since launching Paid Online Events in August 2020, it has grown tremendously, providing creators and businesses with another valuable way to earn money on Facebook,” says Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy, Head of Strategic Media Partnerships for Sub-Saharan Africa. “Many conference organisers, musicians, trainers, theatre producers, creators and businesses are losing revenue during the pandemic due to social distancing measures. Paid online events will help them to reconnect with their fans, mo...
MTN Nigeria Acquires Additional 800MHz Spectrum
Nigeria has acquired additional 10MHz spectrum in the 800MHz band from Intercellular Nigeria Limited. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has already approved the transaction and assigned the frequency. According to the telco, this acquisition will significantly improve its customer experience. “Through this acquisition, we will be better positioned to support the deepening of broadband penetration in the country,” says Karl Toriola, CEO of MTN Nigeria. “The added resources will also greatly impact our customers’ experience providing even better internet connectivity. It is our goal to keep finding ways to grant everyone access to modern connected life.” MTN Group Adds 29 Million Subscribers Despite a Challenging 2020 MTN added 29 million new subscribers in 2020, to reach a total ...
Netflix could Introduce New Test to Curb Password Sharing
Netflix is testing ways to curb password sharing for business and security reasons. As part of this test, users will be required to verify whether or not they are the owner of the account through an email code or text code. “If someone is unable to verify account ownership within a certain timeframe, they won’t be able to stream any Netflix content,” reports The Verge. According to Netflix’s terms, an account can only be shared with people of the same household, “the Netflix service and any content viewed through our service are for your personal and non-commercial use only and may not be shared with individuals beyond your household.” A Netflix spokesperson told The Verge, “the test is designed to help ensure that people using Netflix accounts are authorized to do so”. And up until ...
Tintri Drives Intelligent Infrastructure so You Can Get Ready to ‘Let Go of the Wheel’
The concept of self-driving cars is controversial and tends to polarise opinion. At the heart of it is the idea that a car will be capable of the same split-second decision-making as a human – or even better – with the ultimate goal of creating accident-free roads. For a vehicle to be autonomous, it needs to be continuously aware of its surroundings: firstly, by identifying and classifying information, and then by acting on the information through the computer control of the vehicle. And for this to happen, artificial intelligence (AI) is required, it is a critical technology in the goal of realising autonomous driving. “One of the main premises of self-driving cars is the idea that autonomy equals safety,” says Michael Donaldson, Tintri Product Manager at value-added distributor Net...
INTERVIEW: Unpacking ESET South Africa’s Approach to Innovation in 2021
After a year in which the COVID-19 pandemic upended the way we live, work and socialize, Carey van Vlaanderen, CEO of ESET South Africa, has revealed to IT News Africa the innovations and challenges expected to impact businesses in 2021. Here’s what transpired: The COVID-19 pandemic has forced organisations to adapt to a new, remote way of working; How has ESET risen to this challenge? With the interrupted electricity supply affecting our business throughout the years, we had made the decision some time back to ensure that all employees were mobile and as off the grid as possible. This meant equipping all employees with laptops and backup power and connectivity, both at work and at home. This meant that when COVID-19 hit, we were able to adapt quite quickly. We also took learnin...
5 Cybersecurity Tips for Startups
Sourced from International IDEA From 2020 being dubbed ‘the year of the side hustle’ to small businesses grappling to maintain continuity and profitability, despite these unprecedented times there has been a significant uprising in entrepreneurial activity the world over. Startups tend to be created by people who burn with an idea and want to put it into action as soon as possible. Money is usually tight, and expenses run high, what with product development, promotion, and all the rest of it. When managing priorities, emerging businesspeople often neglect matters related to information security. Many startups try to save on security, confident that a small company with limited resources holds no interest for cybercriminals. The truth is anyone can fall victim to cybercrime. Firstly, becaus...
Netflix Testing Feature to Crack Down on Password Sharing
Netflix password sharing could soon be a thing of the past. As spotted by GammaWire, the streaming service is starting to test a pop-up screen meant to stop viewers from attempting to use somebody’s account. “If you don’t live with the owner of this account, you need your own account to keep watching,” the warning reads. It also asks users to verify the account via email or text. However, there is a “verify later” option allowing viewers to bypass the prompt for now, according to Twitter user DOP3Sweet, who shared the image above. In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix confirmed the new feature. “This test is designed to help ensure that people using Netflix accounts are authorized to do so,” a spokesperson for the streaming giant said. THR further reported that the extent of th...
Facebook Unveils Instagram Lite for Android
Facebook has launched Instagram Lite for Android. This app has been designed for users living in rural and remote communities who want a high-quality Instagram experience using minimal data. Instagram Lite has been made available in more than 170 countries around the world – but will be especially useful in regions that do not possess the most up-to-date mobile devices, robust internet networks, or affordable data plans needed for swift delivery of the data-rich videos and images found on Instagram. “Our teams build these lightweight versions of our apps for people with low connectivity or limited data plans because our basic premise is to leave no one behind,” says Tzach Hadar, Director of Product Management at Facebook Tel Aviv. “We wanted the Instagram experience to remain fast, hi...
Twitter is Testing a New Way to Post Images
Image sourced from Mission Statement Academy Twitter is testing a new way for users to crop images – by not having to crop them at all. According to The Verge, this means images will show up in the Twitter timeline looking just as they did when the user was composing the tweet. “Sometimes it’s better said with a picture or a video. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be testing some ways to improve how you can share and view media on Twitter,” says Twitter in an official tweet. “Now testing on Android and iOS: when you Tweet a single image, how the image appears in the Tweet composer is how it will look on the timeline – bigger and better.” Now testing on Android and iOS: when you Tweet a single image, how the image appears in the Tweet composer is how it will look on the timeline –– bigger and...
