tech news
IoTFA 2021 Goes Virtual
The number of Internet of Things (IoT) connections exceeded the human population more than a decade ago, research shows. And in 2021, the growing rate of IoT deployment is set to reach $3.7 trillion. This trend is expected to change the trajectory of how businesses are run across the world. So while there is a very real hype surrounding IoT, very few enterprises know how to make the most of it. That’s why business leaders, tech aficionados and innovation heavy-weights are gearing up for the virtual edition of the Internet of Things Forum Africa — taking place from 25 – 26 March 2021. Under the theme “Enabling Enterprise Transformation with IoT”, this premier African event will see hundreds of attendees equipped with the knowledge and tools needed to plan and implement successfu...
IoTFA 2021 Goes Virtual
The number of Internet of Things (IoT) connections exceeded the human population more than a decade ago, research shows. And in 2021, the growing rate of IoT deployment is set to reach $3.7 trillion. This trend is expected to change the trajectory of how businesses are run across the world. So while there is a very real hype surrounding IoT, very few enterprises know how to make the most of it. That’s why business leaders, tech aficionados and innovation heavy-weights are gearing up for the virtual edition of the Internet of Things Forum Africa — taking place from 25 – 26 March 2021. Under the theme “Enabling Enterprise Transformation with IoT”, this premier African event will see hundreds of attendees equipped with the knowledge and tools needed to plan and implement successfu...
Spotify Expands to 80 New Markets, Including Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania
Sourced from Android Police Spotify is set to expand its streaming subscription service to 80+ new markets across the globe – this move represents Spotify’s broadest market expansion to date. Founder and CEO, Daniel Ek revealed that the platform would now be available to more than a billion people in over 36 languages. Spotify says that it plans to work with local creators and partners to expand its music offerings to meet the unique needs of each market. It will also introduce the following offerings in each region: Plans: Free and Premium plans will be available across all the markets. User Experience: Listeners will be able to select and search from Spotify’s worldwide catalogue when using the product, providing a personalized experience from day one. Music Catalogue: At launc...
Spotify Expands to 80 New Markets, Including Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania
Sourced from Android Police Spotify is set to expand its streaming subscription service to 80+ new markets across the globe – this move represents Spotify’s broadest market expansion to date. Founder and CEO, Daniel Ek revealed that the platform would now be available to more than a billion people in over 36 languages. Spotify says that it plans to work with local creators and partners to expand its music offerings to meet the unique needs of each market. It will also introduce the following offerings in each region: Plans: Free and Premium plans will be available across all the markets. User Experience: Listeners will be able to select and search from Spotify’s worldwide catalogue when using the product, providing a personalized experience from day one. Music Catalogue: At launc...
UberGo Launches in South Africa
Sourced from CNet. Uber has launched its low-cost ride-hailing service UberGo in South Africa. “Due to the successful launch of UberGo in Port Elizabeth in 2017, we have decided to change the name of UberNam to UberGo, in order to follow the global Uber standard and to easily expand this option across South Africa,” reads a statement from the company. “We also understand that the name led to some confusion regarding a ride-sharing product, which we do not have in South Africa. Therefore, when you open your Uber app, you will see UberGo. This product is in addition to the current suite of products such as UberX and UberBlack.” UberGo comes with smaller, fuel-efficient vehicles, with fares priced more affordably than before. Riders and drivers can expect the same door-to-door safety fea...
How Technology Enables Better Healthcare in 2021
Sourced from Getty Images. The future of healthcare is shaping up in front of our very eyes with advances in digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence, 3D-printing, robotics and inventory management. With the need for digital acceleration to support the healthcare landscape since the onset of the COVID-19 global pandemic, technology has played a critical role to improve the standards of patient healthcare and enable health-workers. Other industries, such as the entertainment and retail sectors, have met the challenge of evolving consumer expectations through digital transformation. This has allowed them to provide a more seamless experience, while fundamentally changing the way their businesses operate. The new reality for healthcare requires the redesign of health and care sys...
Using AI to Bridge the Language Gap
International Mother Language Day, celebrated annually on 21 February, aims to promote awareness around linguistic and cultural diversity, promoting the preservation and protection of all languages. Through Natural Language Processing (NLP), a technology that allows computers to effectively understand the way humans speak and interact, companies can bridge the language gap between cultures, encouraging diversity within their industries. “Thanks to machine learning, coupled with the rise of big data, computers are learning to process and extract meaning from text, with impressive results,” says Dries Cronje, CEO and founder of Deep Learning Café. “The ability for computers to effectively understand other languages has the potential to completely transform how local brands engage with consum...
What could 5G mean for South Africa?
The rollout of 5G in South Africa’s urban centres is likely to be one of the most significant technology events of 2021. Where 3G and 4G LTE technology provided increased speeds compared to their predecessors, 5G will establish an entirely new innovation platform upon which many of the technologies and day-to-day conveniences of the future will be built. It’s less of an iteration on previous technologies and more of a total digital transformation in how we connect to virtual and physical worlds. The number of connected devices will grow exponentially, linking previously static infrastructure – cars, clothes, parking meters – to a smart network that constantly generates and processes vast amounts of data. In line with this, the 5G services market is expected to grow at an astronomical rate,...
WhatsApp Explains its Privacy Policy Update
WhatsApp has offered to clear up ‘any confusion’ for its controversial privacy policy. The social platform has revealed users want more information; like whether or not WhatsApp and Facebook can read or listen to personal conversations, keep logs of who everyone is messaging or share contact lists with Facebook. “We’re going to include more information that people can read within WhatsApp and give people more time to review the terms and privacy policy at their own pace,” reads a statement from the company. Starting in a few weeks, some users will see a small banner that will invite them to check out these policies again. Tapping on “review” will bring up a deeper summary. /* custom css */ .tdi_3_874.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_874.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } Users ...
Will Technology Reinvent ‘the New Normal’ in 2021?
2020 can only be described as an unpredictable year, and one that brought with it some of the most dramatic shifts we’ve seen in the way we live and work. In a year of uncertainty, it’s safe to say that technology was the one constant – the platform that transformed the fundamentals of commerce, healthcare, education and financial services across the world. Disruption is a process that plays out over time; sometimes slowly, but completely and the pandemic proved this to be true. It showed that it’s imperative for organisations to invest in a holistic and strategic approach to respond to the pace of disruption. This investment calls for the convergence of technologies, to connect, collaborate and create new services that will ultimately help weather disruption. As we head into 2021, the MER...
3 Cybersecurity Resolutions for Businesses in 2021
Sourced from IDG Connect Between more sophisticated cybercriminals and immense pressure to ensure governance on compliance, 2021 is already shaping up to be a minefield. And as such, cybersecurity has risen to the top of most organisations’ agendas. With this in mind, here are three cybersecurity resolutions every business should consider this year: Watch out – Dark Clouds are on the horizon Businesses haven’t been the only ones accelerating their digital transformation this year – cybercriminals have been hard at it too. There has been a sharp rise in ‘Dark Clouds’ as cybercriminals have migrated to the cloud, often for the same reasons businesses have – cloud allows them to avoid big up-front capital expenses, pay monthly for their shady businesses and scale up only when they need to. Co...
4 Predictions for Digital Finance in 2025
Sourced from Finance Monthly. The digital transformation of the finance sector has continued relentlessly throughout 2020. Industry is already starting to see the paybacks from making small, incremental changes to financial workflows by adopting emerging technologies. The pandemic is accelerating the speed of change and catalysing more investment in end-to-end automation and remote working. So, where will this trend take the industry in four years’ time? Here are four predictions about what the finance function will resemble in 2025: Many of today’s technologies will still be in play Not all challenges from 2020 are likely to disappear by 2025. As tech continues to evolve, so too will legislation and regulations. Requirements change all the time, especially as businesses begin to use bigge...
