tech news
Google Plans to Help Speed Up Delivery of Vaccines
Image sourced from Pymnts Google revealed that it will be giving $150 million to promote vaccine education and making it easier to find locally relevant COVID-19 information. The company is also going to use its technology to improve vaccine distribution. “The pandemic has taken a devastating toll on communities worldwide. While there is much uncertainty still ahead, the development of multiple safe vaccines in such a short time gives us reason for hope. Now the work begins to ensure that everyone can benefit from this triumph of scientific achievement, and quickly,” says Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet. To aid in the distribution, Google Cloud will help healthcare organizations, retail pharmacies, logistics companies, and public sector institutions make use of innovative technol...
Apple says iPhone 12’s may Interfere with Medical Devices
Apple has revealed that the magnets in its iPhone 12 devices could interfere with medical devices. In a blog post, the tech giant says that “[iPhones] contain magnets as well as components and radios that emit electromagnetic fields. All MagSafe accessories (each sold separately) also contain magnets—and MagSafe Charger and MagSafe Duo Charger contain radios. These magnets and electromagnetic fields might interfere with medical devices.” Apple goes on to reveal that devices, like implanted pacemakers and defibrillators, might contain sensors that respond to magnets and radios when in close contact. “To avoid any potential interactions with these devices, keep your iPhone and MagSafe accessories a safe distance away from your device (more than 6 inches / 15 cm apart or more than 12 inches /...
Carrefour Launches Mobile Retail App in Kenya
Carrefour has officially introduced its new online shopping platform in Kenya. Using the mobile app, customers are expected to easily and conveniently browse and add all their essentials to a digital cart. “At Carrefour, we’re constantly finding innovative ways to modernise and digitise the shopping experience for our customers. We are confident that the new app will provide Kenyan customers with a convenient and safe option to shop from the comfort of their homes,” says Franck Moreau, Country Manager of Carrefour Kenya. “Since the start of the pandemic, we have seen the significant growth in online shopping. As such, the introduction of our new app also responds to the growing demand in Kenya for a more sophisticated online shopping platform.” According to Gadgets Africa, ...
Spotify to Offer Exclusive Audiobooks
Sourced from Android Police Spotify has released an exclusive collection of audiobooks, causing users to believe that the streaming service is testing an audiobook offering. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the platform regularly runs tests like this to help it improve its user experience. If successful, the initiative could give Spotify “a roadmap for how to take on giants in the space, including Amazon-owned Audible”. Here’s a closer look at the audiobooks on offer: Great Expectations, written by Charles Dickens and narrated by James Langton Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelly and narrated by David Dobrik Cane, written by Jean Toomer and narrated by Audra McDonald Jane Eyre, written by Charlotte Bronte and narrated by Sarah Coombs Passing, written by Nella Larsen and narrated b...
Commvault Launches Metallic BaaS Portfolio in South Africa
Commvault has launched its Metallic Backup-as-a-Service (BaaS) portfolio in South Africa. In addition, Metallic is adding new data protection solutions, features, and enterprise workload support. “We have seen an aggressive push to cloud, automation, and an increased requirement for intelligence as companies transition to a new reality,” says Gerhard Fourie, District Channel Manager for South Africa at Commvault. He continues, “At Commvault we understand the increasing need for a solution that’s easy to undertake, purchase, and manage without any large upfront investment. Our built-in best practices mean customers receive fast, secure backups with speedy, granular recovery to protect them against data loss. Furthermore, Commvault’s deeper integration and collaboration with Microsoft Azure ...
6 Tech Trends to Expect in 2021
By mid-March 2020, business plans went out the window and many shifted focus from thriving to surviving. Pedro Lopes, group MD of Seidor Africa, says that “technology trends will increasingly evolve in line with our online and digital lives in 2021.” Here’s what else 2021 could bring: 1. Business management systems are more critical than ever Challenges differ from one organisation to the next, but business needs remain the same. Now more than ever, an end-to-end business management system is needed to manage and control daily activities. /* custom css */ .tdi_3_0d0.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_0d0.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } An integrated solution designed specifically for the business will help managers reach targets by cutting manual tasks and automating business-...
Top 10 Suspicious Email Subject Lines
Phishing emails related to working from home are on the rise, according to the latest report from KnowBe4. Social media messages are another area of concern when it comes to phishing, and LinkedIn phishing messages dominate as the top social media email subject to watch out for, holding the number one spot at 47%. “It’s no surprise that phishing attacks related to working from home are increasing given that many countries around the world have seen their employees working from home offices for nearly a year now,” says Stu Sjouwerman, CEO of KnowBe4. “Just because employees may be more used to their home office environment doesn’t mean that they can let their guard down. The bad guys deploy manipulative attacks intended to strike certain emotions to cause end-users to skip critical thinking...
DFA is Awarded Top Employer Status in South Africa
DFA announced that it has been awarded Top Employer status in South Africa for 2021 by the Top Employers Institute. DFA joins 1,691 companies in 120 countries globally, including only 97 local companies, who are recognized by the Top Employer Institute for their efforts in various facets of employee management. With headquarters in the Netherlands and offices in several countries around the world – including South Africa – Top Employers Institute was established with the aim of promoting excellence in human capital management to support business strategy. DFA CEO, Thinus Mulder, said that achieving the certification was the culmination of a years-long, concerted effort to align DFA with global HR best practice to attract and retain the best skills in the market. ‘The technology industry re...
7 Cryptocurrency Predictions for 2021
Ongoing volatility, further progress on regulations and continued interest from institutional investors can be expected in 2021 – this according to South African cryptocurrency exchange, Luno. “Looking back at our predictions from last year – the Bitcoin halving happened without a hitch and the industry matured as institutional investors entered the market,” says Marius Reitz, GM for Luno Africa. “2020 was a proper stress test with Bitcoin hitting a low of around $5,000 in March and a high of $28,000. The new year is following the same trend with the price already reaching the $40,000 level.” Here’s a closer look at seven cryptocurrency predictions for 2021: /* custom css */ .tdi_3_da6.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_da6.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } 1. Institutional inve...
5 Tech Trends to Watch in 2021
2020 was a year in which the tech industry came into its own and learned lessons about adaptability, resilience and collaboration that have changed the way we work forever. Perhaps the hardest thing for businesses this year was the uncertainty – which makes predicting trends for 2021 more challenging than usual. But as we move into what will hopefully be a post-COVID reality, here’s a view of the top five tech trends that will impact local businesses in the coming year. 1. Welcome to the Internet of Behaviours (IoB) Anyone who loves a good tech acronym will know the Internet of Things (IoT), is the network of interconnected physical objects – from fridges to data centres – that gather and exchange information and data over the internet. The Internet of Behaviours (IoB) takes this dat...
Telkom Takes on Samsung’s New S21 Range
Telkom has revealed that Telkom Mobile and Telkom Business customers can pre-order the new Samsung S21 range; which includes the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21 Plus and Galaxy S21 Ultra. The Galaxy S21 series is the latest flagship offering in devices by Samsung and boasts state-of-the-art innovation and head-turning and iconic design including a pro-grade camera and advanced processor ever in a Galaxy device. Galaxy S21 also introduces a new tool to protect and monitor privacy, allowing users to remove location metadata from photos before sharing. What’s more, a new feature has been added that allows users to also control who gets access to the content they send, and how long it’s available. Telkom will make the S Series available on FreeMe 1.5GB, 3GB, 6GB, 11.5GB, 28GB and Unlimited packages for...
4 Digital Payment Trends to Watch in 2021
For many businesses that had previously relied on selling their products or services in person, accepting online payments has been a significant step in digitising their offering to the local market. As eCommerce adoption rates continue to soar in 2021, digital payment solutions will need to keep pace to ensure that customers continue to shop online. Jonathan Smit, Managing Director and Founder of PayFast, predicts that 2021 will continue to see an uptake in eCommerce use and digital payments in the following four ways: Contactless continued – contactless payments have become widely accepted. Whether it be by smartphone, card or wearable device – tap-and-go has become a convenient staple for South African shoppers. Additionally, many are still wary of the COVID-19 virus spreading through s...
