tech news
9 Ways to Avoid being Scammed Online this Black Friday
Black Friday 2020 could be bigger online than in-store this year, thanks to concerns about the risk of COVID-19 in crowded shops, and an increase in the number of people now comfortable with shopping online. But for first-time online shoppers and those who might forget caution in their quest for a bargain, online shopping could be more lucrative for criminals than it is for consumers this Black Friday. Cybercriminals and old-fashioned fraudsters can take advantage of unwary shoppers in several ways: by getting access to their bank card details to steal money; by using personal information to commit fraud and theft; or simply by accepting payment for goods they don’t deliver. To avoid disappointment, theft and fraud, here are nine tips for safer online shopping this Black Friday: Make sure ...
Internet of threats – cybersecurity measures in the IoT landscape
Internet of Things (IoT) refers to any object or device that is connected to the Internet. This rapidly expanding set of “things” – which capture, send and receive data – includes cars, appliances, smartwatches, lighting, home assistants, home security, and more. It’s predicted that by 2025, there will be 41.6 billion units of IoT connected devices worldwide. Internet-connected devices can make us more efficient, save time and money, and allow us connectivity from almost anywhere, but they also require that we share more information than ever. The security of this information, and the security of these devices, is not always guaranteed. Once a device connects to the Internet, it could be connecting to all sorts of risks. As the number of connected devices increases, especially as more peop...
Networks Unlimited Wins 2 Channel Awards at Fortinet Africa Virtual Security Day
Networks Unlimited Africa, a leading value-added distributor operating within sub-Saharan Africa, received two awards, namely the Technical Support Distributor of the Year: Southern Africa award and the DLB Growth Distributor of the Year: East Africa award at the recent Fortinet Africa Virtual Security Day. This was the first time that the event took place via a virtual platform, due to the current restrictions around the global COVID-19 pandemic. The online nature of the awards ceremony also ensured that this broadened its reach to other parts of Africa, and not only within South Africa. Stefan van de Giessen, General Manager: Cybersecurity at Networks Unlimited Africa, comments, “We have proudly maintained our business partnership with Fortinet, a global leader in broad, integrated and a...
How Guest Blogging Services Can Improve Your Business
Just having a decent web design is not sufficient to attract customers. The Internet is saturated with business websites in every sector. So, you need to find ways to gain an edge. Guest blogging has the potential to promote your brand. You will need to choose professional guest blogging services. How is guest blogging beneficial? Guest blogging means you will write blog posts for others. You are the guest and the site you post is the host. Basically, you are writing blog posts for your business site but posting it on another website. It is beneficial for the guest and the host. When you publish your post on Quality Guest Post services, you will get wide exposure and enhance your backlinking profile. How? Every time you publish your post as a guest, you include links pointing towards ...
Amazon, Facebook and Microsoft Report Double Digit Growth while Apple “Plunges”
Amazon, Facebook and Microsoft revenue grew by 35%, 17% and 13% respectively during the first nine months of 2020. On the other hand, Alphabet’s (Google) revenue increased by 9% and Apple’s revenue was up by 4% during the same period. According to the research data analyzed and published by Comprar Acciones, Apple was the only one to post a revenue decline. The three tech giants (Amazon, Microsoft and Facebook) generated a cumulative $152 billion in Q3 2020. Apple Revenue Plunges by 20.7% in Q3 Due to iPhone 12 Delays During Q3 2020, Apple’s revenue totaled $64.7 billion, marking a growth rate of 1% year-over-year (YoY). iPad revenue increased by 46% YoY in that period. Mac revenue grew by 28% and services revenue soared by 16.3%. /* custom css */ .tdi_3_65c.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left;...
Mara Phones Unveils its First Store in South Africa
Mara Phones has officially opened its first experience store at the Maponya Mall in Soweto, South Africa – exactly one year after it launched the country’s first smartphone manufacturing facility. According to the company, this marks a step in the right direction for Africa’s home-grown smartphone brand – noting that it hopes to open 50 Mara Experience Stores, both company-owned and independently operated, before the end of 2022. “The launch of the first Mara Experience Store cements our commitment to expand our retail footprint in South Africa and to make it easier for customers to experience and purchase our smartphones,” says Sylvester Taku, Head of Growth at Mara Phones South Africa. “Opening the first Mara Experience Store in Soweto’s first mall makes a positive statement about our be...
The Major Benefits that Bar Codes have in Business
Why bar codes? What is the big fuss about? Why should I utilize them in my business? These are all honest questions that every business owner has to ask themselves. In reality, there are countless reasons to use EAN bar codes. A life without them would look a lot different to the one we take for granted today. There are endless ways that they make our lives easier. Firstly, using EAN bar codes in your business will reduce the number of mistakes that are made on a daily basis. The honest truth is that every one of us is human and mistakes are normal. However, mistakes often mean a loss of profits or at the very least an enormous waste of time. And as they say, time is money. Using them in your business makes every day processes a lot smoother and more efficient, saving you both time and mon...
4 Ways to Safely and Securely Navigate Black Friday Online
Black Friday in 2020 is expected to see more South Africans than ever before shopping, and paying, online. According to a recent McKinsey & Company consumer sentiment survey, 40% of consumers intend to continue online shopping spend even when the COVID-19 pandemic is over. Thomas Pays, CEO and co-founder of digital payments company Ozow, says the sharp rise in online shopping and eCommerce has highlighted the need for innovative technology-driven solutions that allow shoppers to shop and pay safely online – including consumers who don’t have credit or debit cards. With this year’s Black Friday deals running over four weeks at many retailers, Pays’ says the way to successfully navigate Black Friday responsibly relies on four factors: Stick to a plan and set budget. The overwhelming numb...
Mastercard Launches AI-Powered Cyber Security Solution
Mastercard has officially launched Cyber Secure – an AI-powered range of tools that are expected to help banks prevent potential breaches. According to the financial services company, banks can use these capabilities to identify and prioritize threats and vulnerabilities throughout their cyber environment. Additionally, acquiring banks can help merchants understand their own cyber risk, preventing hundreds of millions of dollars in potential fraud. As the digital economy expands, both in size and complexity, so too do its points of vulnerability that may be subject to attack. One example of this is the rapidly advancing Internet of Things – 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are generated by people and their devices every day, with 90% of this generated in the last two years alone. It is estima...
Apple Introduces “One More Thing” Event
Apple has announced that its gearing up for the “One More Thing” event on Tuesday, 10 November. The tech giant is expected to showcase the first Arm-based Macs that run on Apple Silicon chips instead of the Intel processors, according to The Verge. [embedded content] Rumours also suggest that Apple could launch macOS 11 Big Sur. Apple Unveils the iPhone 12 5G Apple has officially unveiled the highly-anticipated additions to its smartphone range – the iPhone 12 5G, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro and the iPhone 12 Pro Max. Most notably, the iPhone 12 series marks the first time Apple devices will support 5G connectivity. /* custom css */ .tdi_3_55c.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_55c.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } The devices were launched at the tech giants ‘Hello, Speed’ ev...
Huawei Announces Watch GT 2 Pro Launch Date
Image sourced from Android Authority Huawei has announced that it’s Watch GT 2 Pro will officially launch in South Africa on Saturday, 7 November. The latest addition to the Watch GT series boasts a long-lasting two-week battery life and a broad range of exercise and health functions, as well as offering professional guidance and intelligent smart control features. This flagship smartwatch launches with a rugged design featuring premium materials, including a sapphire watch crystal, titanium case and skin-friendly ceramic case back that combines with another sapphire glass black to enhance monitoring accuracy and wearing comfort. Additionally, Watch GT 2 Pro supports apps to provide a convenient means for users to get even more features. Huawei also plans to further augment the smart ...
Subscription Platforms may not “React Kindly” to SABC’s Proposed TV Licence Fees, says Attorney
The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has plans to push new regulations that would call for South Africans to pay TV Licence fees for using private subscription services, like Netflix and DStv. And that these platforms would have to collect the TV licences on behalf of the public broadcaster. According to Ian Jacobsberg, Director for Corporate, Mergers, and Acquisitions at Tabacks Attorneys, this is a desperate attempt to address the SABC’s dire financial plight without addressing the reasons that created it in the first place. “The low levels of collections the SABC has achieved to date may largely be attributed to public resistance to funding what is seen to be endemic wastage and corruption, and there is understandably considerable resistance to widening the revenue base if ...
