tech news
Vodacom Introduces Data Bundles for the Google Play Store
Vodacom and Google have introduced new Play Store data bundles that will allow customers to browse, download and update their favourite apps, without the anxiety of additional data costs. This collaboration is said to make Vodacom the world’s first mobile network operator to implement such a service. “Vodacom prides itself on being a leading digital telco that strives to offer innovative services, solutions and continuous value for all our customers. We’re extremely proud to be the first telco in the world to offer Google Play Store bundles, enabling our customers to connect to the apps they love on the Google Play Store on the Vodacom network,” says Zunaid Mahomed, Vodacom’s Group Digital and Fixed Officer. “As we continue our pricing transformation journey, we have set our sights on redu...
Microsoft Unveils Two New Surface Devices in South Africa
Microsoft has introduced its newest additions to the Surface range – the Surface Pro 7 and Surface Laptop 3 – for both commercial and consumer customers. The devices will be available for consumers in retail from Incredible Connection stores and Vodacom from 29 July. The Surface Pro 7 and Surface Laptop 3 are said to continue the brand’s tradition of best-in-class productivity, security, mobility and speed, and introduce new processors and modern connectivity options in a world of remote work and learning. “Rapid and continuous change define modern living and working – and the shift to remote working and education requires the right tools to stay productive and connected securely,” says Vithesh Reddy, Consumer and Channel Marketing Director at Microsoft South Africa. “Microsoft’s Sur...
Altaro VM Backup: the Competitive Advantage
Anton Jacobsz, Networks Unlimited CEO Finding a reliable backup and replication solution for Hyper-V and VMware can be a difficult exercise. The partnership agreement between African value-added distributor, Networks Unlimited Africa, and Altaro, a leader in backup solutions for managed service providers (MSPs), IT resellers and IT departments, provides easy and affordable protection of Hyper-V and VMware virtualised environments. A virtual machine (VM) is a software computer that, like a physical computer, runs an operating system and applications. The virtual machine is comprised of a set of specification and configuration files and is backed by the physical resources of a host. VMware backup is the copying of data on a virtual machine in a V...
Numerous High-profile Accounts were Hacked on Twitter
Image sourced from Mission Statement Academy Twitter fell victim to a major hack that saw verified high-profile accounts – belonging to the likes of Elon Musk, Bill Gates, former US President Barack Obama, Jeff Bezos and Apple, amongst others – taken over. Hackers used these accounts to promote a bitcoin scam where users were urged to send $1000 worth of the crypto to a specific account that was listed in the tweet, they would then receive double their payment in return. Image sourced from The Hacker News The unprecedented attack is ‘one of the most widespread and confounding hacks the platform has ever seen’, according to The Verge. Twitter has since confirmed that they are working on the issue and have “locked accounts that were compromised and will restore access to the original account...
Only 44% of South Africans are Optimistic about the Future of their Business
Sourced from Women in Tech Africa. To lay bare the scale of challenges small businesses are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to understand their ongoing challenges and areas for further support, Facebook published the Global State of Small Business Report. Compiled in partnership with the World Bank and the OECD, it surveyed over 30,000 small business owners and employees from around the world in over 50 countries. In South Africa, the survey reveals that despite the challenges, SMBs are optimistic, but that there is a long-term jobs crisis on our hands. Over 44% of operational SMBs on Facebook feel optimistic about the future of their business, with 42% of female-led SMBs on Facebook (and 66% of male-led SMBs) currently operational or engaging in revenue led activities. /* custom ...
SAP Appoints New Regional President of Africa
Image sourced from BCTech Report SAP has appointed Claudio Muruzabal as the new President for the EMEA south region that comprises of Southern Europe, the Middle East and Africa – he replaces Steve Tzikakis. Prior to joining SAP, Muruzabal was CEO of NEORIS, a global management and IT consulting business. As a visionary in the role of technology-driven innovation in business, he has enjoyed great success in SAP’s Latin America region which he joined in 2015 as President of SAP Latin America and the Caribbean. A strong advocate of education, entrepreneurship and the promotion of diversity, Muruzabal has been recognized as one of the HITEC Top 50 Most Influential and Notable Hispanic Professionals in the IT Industry in Latin America and Spain and in 2019. /* custom css */ .tdi_3_495.td-a-rec...
Twitter Accounts for Barack Obama, Kanye West, Elon Musk Hacked in Massive Security Breach
Twitter accounts for a number of high-profile individuals including former president Barack Obama, former vice president Joe Biden, Kanye West, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Michael Bloomberg, Warren Buffett, and others were hacked on Wednesday as part of an apparent cryptocurrency scam. The massive security breach also targeted major companies including Apple, Amazon, Uber, and Cash App, as well as cryptocurrency exchange sites such as Binance and Coinbase. Once the accounts were hacked, they transformed into crypto Nigerian Princes. That’s right, the cyber attackers utilized the oldest grift on the internet: the advance-fee scam. The zombie Twitter accounts advised their respective followers to send bitcoins to a secure address, promising that the money would be returned double the amount. This...
Syinix Launches Kenya’s 1st Android TV
Electronics company, Syinix has officially launched a new range of Android TVs in Kenya – marking the first time this kind of technology has entered the local market. Dubbed the Syinix A20 series, these TVs come as 32”, 43”, 50” and 55” screens with prices relative to the sizing. The A20 TVs are Syinix’s first truly frameless screens with a screen to body ratio of 96%. Syinix says that this range offers breathtaking quality with the HDR (High Dynamic Range) advanced image processing technology, that can let users see richer and more realistic colours. The other goal of the HDR is to maintain as much of the original image quality as possible, all the way through to the living room. The new Android TVs are also compatible with Google Assistant, which means users can quickly find and play the...
Showmax Pro Rolls Out to 40 New Countries Across Africa
Showmax has launched its new service – Showmax Pro – across 40 countries throughout sub-Saharan Africa, after initially rolling out in Nigeria and Kenya. Showmax Pro will bundle the existing Showmax entertainment service with music channels, news and live sport streaming from SuperSport. It features all Premier League, Serie A, La Liga and PSL games, as well as a wide range of other live sport events. Here’s a closer look at Showmax Pro’s offerings: Showmax Showmax Pro Showmax Showmax Mobile Showmax Pro Showmax Pro Mobile Series, movies, kids’ shows, documentaries ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ IAAF Athletics, pro boxing, major international marathons, & more – – ✓ ✓ Music channels Trace Urban, Trace Gospel – – ✓ ✓ News channels Africa News, Euronews, Newzroom Afrika – – ✓ ✓ Football: all Premier League...
UK Bans Huawei 5G Technology
Sourced from Getty Images. The UK government has decided to ban local mobile network providers from buying or using new Huawei 5G equipment. According to the BBC, Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden this ban would delay the UK’s 5G rollout by a year. “This has not been an easy decision, but it is the right one for the UK telecoms networks, for our national security and our economy, both now and indeed in the long run,” he added. This decision comes after the UK’s national intelligence agency (GCHQ) flagged new security fears over the Chinese technology company. A report from the GCHQ is said to rule that new US sanctions on Huawei have had a ‘serve’ impact and will force the company to use untrusted technology that could make the risk impossible to control. UK to Phase Out ...
Nearly 70% of Ghanaian SMBs are Optimistic Despite COVID-19 Pandemic
To lay bare the scale of challenges small businesses are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to understand their ongoing challenges and areas for further support, Facebook published the Global State of Small Business Report. Compiled in partnership with the World Bank and the OECD, it surveyed over 30,000 small business owners and employees from around the world in over 50 countries. In Ghana, the survey reveals that despite the challenges, SMBs are very optimistic about the future of their businesses. Over 69% of operational SMBs on Facebook feel optimistic about the future of their business, with 68% of male-led SMBs currently operational or engaging in revenue lead activities. However, among operational Ghanaian small businesses (SMBs) on Facebook, 42% expect cash flow to be a chal...
IBM Appoints First Female Regional Head for Africa
Image sourced with Learn Bonds IBM has appointed Angela Kyerematen-Jimoh to Regional Head for North, East and West Africa – making her the first women to hold the position. According to technext, “Kyerematen-Jimoh served as the Chief of Staff to the Senior VP of Global Markets and Sales in IBM’s corporate headquarters in New York, prior to this appointment. She was also the first female Country Director in Africa, leading the company’s operations in Ghana”. “Angela takes up this position with a wealth of experience from 20 years of extensive working in the financial services and technology industries in Africa and Europe. She has worked in various top positions in banking including UBS Investment Bank, ABM AMRO in London and GTBank Ghana.” Kyerematen-Jimoh says “I’m humbled to be taki...
