tech news
Huawei Y5p Now Available in South Africa
Huawei has just released the newest member of the Y Series – the Y5p – in South Africa. The Y5p sports a 5.45-inch Huawei FullView Display for a wider field of view. The 18:9, 5.45-inch LCD display not only gives an exceptional viewing experience but also displays content in vibrant colours. It comes with a standard 2GB RAM and 32GB storage as well as a triple-slot design that can house two nano SIMs and one Micro SD (sold separately) that supports extendable storage of up to 512GB. With its 3020mAh battery, the Huawei Y5p at full charge can support 17 hours of continuous video playback, up to 21 hours of 4G calling, or 13 hours of internet surfing on 4G. /* custom css */ .tdi_3_011.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_011.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } In addition to the ...
ECA Suspends Plans to Privatise Ethio Telecom
Sourced from allAfrica. In May, the Ethiopian Telecommunication Authority (ECA) issued a statement announcing that the country would now be open to selling a 40% stake in the state-owned company, Ethio Telecom. In response to this announcement, Safaricom and, its parent company, Vodacom both expressed their interest. However, it looks as though this opportunity was short-lived as the ECA has since suspended its plans to privatize the telco. According to TechNext, Africa’s oldest telco supplies more than 40 million of 115 million Ethiopians with mobile network and Internet services. /* custom css */ .tdi_3_645.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_645.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } But in recent times, locals have began calling out the slow, unreliable internet connection and poo...
Apple could Offset Expensive 5G iPhone Tech with Cheaper Battery Parts
Apple analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo reports that the tech company is looking at “cheaper and less complex battery technology” to offset the cost of pricey 5G components. Kuo told investors that “Apple is reducing the number of layers in the battery board and placing cell components in a smaller area” – something that The Verge believes will result in a “battery board that’s 40 to 50 percent cheaper than the iPhone 11’s equivalent part”. Apple Might Ditch the Charger and EarPods When Shipping 5G iPhones Apple may no longer include a power adapter and EarPods with new iPhones claims Kuo. Starting with 2020’s iPhone range, Kuo believes that Apple will ditch the accessories in an attempt to offset the cost increases that come with upgrading the iPhone range to 5G – noting that the company wants t...
Mastercard Improves Online eCommerce Security Capabilities
As digital commerce continues to accelerate owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mastercard has announced that it will offer new security services to merchants in South Africa. The company says that it hopes this will further protect consumers and increase convenience when storing Mastercard cards in merchant databases. Dubbed Mastercard Digital Enablement Service (MDES) for Merchants, the service uses a security measure known as tokenization to protect, speed up and simplify online and in-app Mastercard card purchases, as well as subscription-based and recurring payments like streaming music, video services, and utility bills. “Online shopping has gained significant traction in South Africa, and it is imperative for merchants of all sizes to ensure that they are offering a convenient, enjoyabl...
Seacom Chief Strategy Officer Resigns
Seacom has announced that Chief Strategy Officer, Suveer Ramdhani, has resigned – there’s no word yet on who is set to replace him. He has been a part of the company since its inception in 2009. Ramdhani had a “founding role in the Seacom project and was responsible for the development of the business strategy of the submarine cable system along Africa’s east coast to Europe and Asia,” says the company in a statement to TechCentral. “He recently concluded the acquisition of FibreCo Telecommunications, which has positioned Seacom to operate a network that runs along South Africa’s highest-traffic transmission routes and links all major South African cities to Seacom’s submarine cable assets.” /* custom css */ .tdi_3_4f0.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_4f0.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0...
Experian was not ‘Hacked’, says CEO
Sourced from Republic Title Experian CEO Ferdie Pieterse says that the business and credit information services agency was “in no way, shape, or form” hacked. This comes after the company confirmed that the personal information of nearly 24 million South Africans was breached. Pieterse adds that none of their systems, databases or records was ever penetrated or hacked. Instead, the fraudsters used social engineering tricks to present themselves as a legitimate Experian client, this resulted in the “release of information which is provided in the ordinary course of business or which is publicly available” – potentially including First and last names, ID numbers, Telephone numbers, Physical addresses, and Email addresses. The South African Banking Risk Information Centre (SABRIC) says t...
South Africa Ranked as Most Targeted Country in Africa, Cybersecurity Research Shows
Sourced from IDG Connect Phishing is one of the oldest and most flexible types of social engineering attacks. It is used in many ways, and for different purposes, to lure unwary users to fake sites and trick them into entering personal information. The latter often includes financial credentials such as bank account passwords or payment card details, or login details for social media accounts. In the wrong hands, this opens doors to various malicious operations, such as money being stolen or corporate networks being compromised. This makes phishing a popular initial infection method. According to Kaspersky, phishing attacks are becoming increasingly more targeted. A number of new tricks have also been found – from HR dismissal emails to attacks disguised as delivery notifications. As a res...
Google Maps is Getting a more Realistic Update
Google has revealed that it’s rolling out “new visual improvements that bring even more detail and granularity” to its global map. The company hopes that this will give help users get a better understanding of what an area looks like whether they’re exploring it virtually or planning a visit. Google uses high-definition satellite imagery that maps out 98% of the earth’s population. “With a new color-mapping algorithmic technique, we’re able to take this imagery and translate it into an even more comprehensive, vibrant map of an area at global scale,” it says in an official blog post. “Exploring a place gives you a look at its natural features—so you can easily distinguish tan, arid beaches and deserts from blue lakes, rivers, oceans and ravines. You can know at a glance how lush and green ...
MTN Appoints New Group CEO
Sourced from The Techie Guy MTN has appointed Ralph Mupita as the new group CEO, effective from 1 September 2020. He succeeds Rob Shuter who is due to step down on 31 August. Mupita is currently the telco’s chief financial officer, and there is no word just yet on who is due to take up this position. “Ralph has served as the MTN Group CFO since April 2017 and has played a critical role in the development and execution of the group’s strategy, capital allocation processes, financial performance as well as in the resolution of a number of complex regulatory matters,” says MTN in a statement. “Ralph’s experience as the group CFO, strong knowledge of our businesses and markets, as well as successful background in financial services, M&A and emerging markets, place him in an excellent posit...
Airtel Africa and MoneyGram Enable Direct Mobile Wallet Transfers
Sourced from Comms MEA Airtel Africa has partnered with MoneyGram – an international money transfer company – to allow its 19 million customers to quickly and conveniently receive transfers directly into their mobile wallets. Once Airtel Money customers receive the funds, they can be accessed immediately and used to pay utility bills, goods and services, transferred to other individuals, or converted to cash at any of Airtel Africa’s branches, kiosks, and agents. “This partnership with Airtel will enable millions of consumers instant access to our global platform to receive money from over 200 countries & territories without having to even step outside,” says John Gely, Head of MoneyGram Africa. “We’re excited about how this customer-centric partnership with Airtel will expand our mobi...
Ukheshe Joins Forces with Mastercard and Nedbank in South Africa
Mastercard, Nedbank, and Ukheshe have launched Third-Party Processing Services (TPP) in South Africa which will give everyday businesses access to prepaid and virtual cards. Clayton Hayward, CEO of Ukheshe, says that through Ukheshe’s innovative payment solutions, businesses in South Africa can now issue virtual prepaid cards to employees or customers. Providing recipients with improved financial freedom where they have the option to earn rewards, incentives, and have a secure card that can work anywhere in South Africa while building brand association. Ukheshe will leverage Mastercard Processing, which enables it to launch secure prepaid payments programs to its customers with greater speed, flexibility, and convenience. Through this new relationship, prepaid products will be processed th...
Women in Tech: Gciniwe Dlamini, Research Engineer at IBM
Gciniwe Dlamini is a Research Engineer at IBM Research. She is currently working on developing robust machine learning and statistical models to analyze and derive insights from real healthcare data. In conjunction with machine learning algorithms, she is using natural language processing tools to analyze medical reports in text format and digital signal processing techniques to analyze acoustic signals. ITNA’s Jenna Delport had the opportunity to chat with Dlamini about her role at IBM and what it takes to make it as a woman in this male-dominated industry. Here’s what transpired: What is your typical day as a Research Engineer like? Does that even exist for you? /* custom css */ .tdi_3_031.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_031.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } The field of AI...
