tech news
Netflix Launches ‘Fast Laughs’ to Rival TikTok and Reels
Netflix has launched a new short-form video platform called Fast Laughs. The service is expected to give users an inside look at funny clips from Netflix’s library of series. “Wanna see something funny? On Netflix, this one little question opens up lots of possibilities from hilarious series and films to laugh-out-loud stand-up specials,” reads a statement from the company. “That’s why we’re launching a new Fast Laughs feature for mobile devices. Fast Laughs offers a full-screen feed of funny clips from our big comedy catalogue including films (Murder Mystery), series (Big Mouth), sitcoms (The Crew) and stand-up from comedians like Kevin Hart and Ali Wong.” Users can access the service through the bottom navigation menu by clicking on the Fast Laughs tab. Clips will start playing – wh...
Blockchain Usage in Finance
Most people hear the term blockchain and automatically think of cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin. We are living in an age where cryptocurrencies actually increasing in their popularity each given day, an example of it is the increasing demand for crypto trading apps. While this is still one of the most popular uses for blockchain technology, it’s still capable of much more. Let’s look at why and how this innovation is used in finance. Blockchain is a unique type of data storage. All types of information, including account numbers and transactions, can be stored as an encrypted code. These codes connect to each other to form larger blocks of data, and then blocks are chained together. The information is stored all over the world rather than in one place. Because data is encrypted ...
Telkom Rolls Out New Uncapped Fibre Deals
Image sourced from Bandwidth Blog Telkom has announced that not only will double the speed of its fibre lines, it is also set to introduce new high-speed fibre packages for existing and new customers as well as price changes. From 5 March 2021, new customers can experience 25/5Mbps Uncapped fibre from R399 and 50Mbps at R699, while existing Telkom internet fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) customers get a free speed upgrade, in some Instances 2.5x times more the speed, to the new speed portfolio with no price increases while others get a price decrease. New FTTH Home Unlimited Bundles prices have been updated as below: 10/5Mbps moves to 25/5Mbps @ R399 10/10Mbps moves to 25/25Mbps) @ R449 20Mbps moves to 50Mbps at the 20Mbps price @ R699 50Mbps moves to 100Mbps at the 50Mbps price @ R899 ...
Free Stratus Webinar: New Strategies for a ‘Digital Everything’ Future
When it comes to the world of work, 2020 will be remembered as a year that accelerated technological change. The recent “Cloud in Africa” report revealed that cloud technology was vital in helping businesses manage the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Among the common uses of the cloud was edge computing technology — a distributed model where computing takes place near the physical location that data is being collected and analyzed, rather than on a centralized server. This innovation allowed organisations to maximise asset performance while also increasing the efficiency of employees and assets — which is especially key during a time when IT teams are trying to do more with less. To help more organisations implement a successful path towards a digital transforma...
UserTesting Appoints Two New Members To Its Board Of Directors
UserTesting has appointed Shannon Nash and Cindy Russo to its board of directors. These two women bring a wealth of financial and operational experience as UserTesting continues to expand and diversify the board. Nash brings more than two decades of experience, and is currently the Chief Accounting Officer at Reputation. Previously, she held executive finance roles at Insidesource, Cumulus Media, Aspire Public Schools, and Sunseeker Media. She is also a board member of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and on the CalCPA Diversity Equity & Inclusion Commission. “UserTesting and Reputation both understand the important role customer feedback plays in building strong brands, products, and services,” says Nash. “I immediately recognized this as a great opportunity as I see compa...
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...
Women in Tech to Observe International Women’s Day
The next instalment of the Women in Tech Conversations virtual forum hosted by legal technology firm, LexisNexis South Africa, and information technology vendor, Dell Technologies, will see three formidable tech pioneers share their stories to mark International Women’s Day (IWD 2021) on Monday, 8 March 2021. The session – on Zoom between 2pm and 3.15pm – will build on the IWD 2021 campaign theme, #ChooseToChallenge, in celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. This year’s global theme calls on the international community to address gender bias and inequality by choosing to seek out and celebrate women’s achievements in order to help create an inclusive world. The three tech industry game-changers who will share their experiences and insights ar...
The Sustenance of Job Creation During a Digital Evolution Epoch
Tau Mashigo CTO Group IT, Standard Bank As the future pushes ahead unabated, the set of circumstances emerging spark a lot of imagination. We no longer just rely on linear cognitive capabilities that give rise to incremental change, but rather parallelised, and intertwined capabilities that result in exponential progress. The world is filling up with opportunities waiting to be discovered. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is characterised by the on-setting of new capabilities stemming from exponential developments in a multiplicity of domain technologies including robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnologies, quantum computing, 3D printing, superfast telecommunications, and the internet of things. While these can be leveraged independently of each other, real impact can be exp...
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...
WhatsApp’s Introduces Voice and Video Calling for the Desktop App
WhatsApp has announced that private and secure one-to-one voice and video calls are now available its desktop app. The calls are end-to-end encrypted which means that WhatsApp can’t hear or see them, whether you call from your phone or your computer. “With so many people still apart from their loved ones, and adjusting to new ways of working, we want conversations on WhatsApp to feel as close to in-person as possible, regardless of where you are in the world or the tech you’re using,” says the messaging platform. “We’re starting with one-to-one calls on the WhatsApp desktop app so we make sure we can give you a reliable and high-quality experience.” /* custom css */ .tdi_3_b63.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_b63.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } To make desktop calling more u...
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...
Nintendo to Launch New Switch with a 7-Inch Samsung OLED Display
Image sourced from The Verge Nintendo is expected to unveil a new Switch fitted with a 7-inch Samsung OLED display. According to Bloomberg, this touchscreen gaming console is expected to “prop up demand in time for the holidays”. Production of the Switch will start in June and shipment to assemblers is scheduled for around July. “The OLED panel will consume less battery, offer higher contrast and possibly faster response time when compared to the Switch’s current liquid-crystal display,” says Yoshio Tamura, co-founder of display consultancy DSCC. “Nintendo seeks to sustain a Switch lineup that continues to sell well against the Xbox and PlayStation, thanks to pandemic-era breakout hits like Animal Crossing and a chip crunch that’s plagued supply of rival devices.” /* custom css */ .tdi_3_6...
