tech news
Microsoft Shuts Down Streaming Platform Mixer, Partners with Facebook Gaming
Sourced from Geekwire. Microsoft is closing its Mixer video game live-streaming service on 22 July 2020 with plans to move existing partners and streamers over to Facebook Gaming. Mixer, launched in 2016, will now no longer be operated by Microsoft as a service. The reason for this decision is that the company has struggled to reach the scale needed for Mixer to compete with Twitch, YouTube, and even Facebook Gaming itself. “We started pretty far behind, in terms of where Mixer’s monthly active viewers were compared to some of the big players out there,” says Phil Spencer, Microsoft’s head of gaming, in an interview with The Verge. “I think the Mixer community is really going to benefit from the broad audience that Facebook has through their properties, and the abilities to reach gamers in...
Apple Introduces iOS 14, “the Biggest Update Ever”
Apple took to the online stage at WWDC to officially unveil iOS 14, in its words, “the biggest update ever to Home Screen“. The update includes “redesigned widgets and the App Library, a new way to tap into the App Store with App Clips, powerful updates to Messages, and more”. Home Screen updates According to Apple, widgets can be pinned in different sizes on any Home Screen page. Users can create a Smart Stack of widgets, which uses on-device intelligence to surface the right widget based on time, location, and activity. /* custom css */ .tdi_3_5e5.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_5e5.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } “iOS 14 transforms the most iconic elements of the iPhone experience, starting with the biggest update we’ve ever made to the Home Screen,” says Craig Federighi...
Apple Announces iOS 14, Updates to AirPods, Messages, and Maps
Apple is ready to change things up on you again. Earlier today, the tech monolith announced its newest software, iOS 14, for iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple TV, and Apple Watch during the Worldwide Developers Conference. A lot of ground was covered, so we’ve cherry-picked the biggest takeaways to help save you time. First thing’s first: iOS 14 will change things up for the iPhone starting with a brand new iOS home screen. The new look allows users to set default email and browser apps for the first time, pin widgets with updating information, and go beyond the previous limitations of apps-only visuals on the home screen. From there, Apple revealed some helpful tweaks to the Messages app. Users can now mention one another within a text (similarly to tagging), rock updated Memoji looks like a fa...
5 Keys to Employee Education, Training and Development
The world is changing fast. That statement is true of all times, but it feels particularly pertinent now as most businesses begin to imagine what a post-COVID-19 landscape could, and should, look like. One thing is for certain, though. Successful business leaders will need to ensure that their employees have proper education, training, and development courses to ensure that they’re able to tackle any and all challenges they encounter in the future. To that end, today we’ll focus on the five keys to implementing a thriving training and development program at your organization. Check them out here: 1. Retention First thing’s first: if you want to develop talented professionals at your company, you have to retain their services. Fortunately, just by focusing on employee training and dev...
Women Peacebuilders lead COVID-19 Prevention Efforts Across Libya Via WhatsApp and Zoom
Sourced from the Wilson Center. Separated by their country’s divisions, both geographically and politically, 36 Libyan women have since used their phones to connect, discuss and overcome their differences in the interest of one goal: Peace in Libya. They have been a part of this network since July 2019. Members of the group are not new to activism. Each member has her own network of activists in her own region where she is already working to support their own communities. Although rarely documented, Libyan women have always had a vital role in managing conflicts and making peace in their own families and communities. For almost a year now, the Network has met weekly on WhatsApp and Zoom to find ways for Libyan women to enter male-dominated decision-making and negotiation spaces. They seek ...
PLWSCD are at Higher Risk of Complications when Infected with COVID-19
Persons Living with Sickle Cell Disease (PLWSCD), are at a higher risk of getting infected with COVID-19, Kenya’s Health Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS), Dr Rashid Aman says. The CAS noted that PLWSCD are more likely to get severe illness if they get infected due to their impaired immunity resulting from the blood disorder and urged them to strictly observe the precautionary preventive measures for COVID-19. “During this period of Coronavirus pandemic, persons living with sickle cell disease are advised, to ensure they keep a minimum of a one-month supply of medication at all times. In addition, they should consult their healthcare providers should they experience COVID-19 symptoms,” he notes. Sickle Cell is a genetic disease characterized by a change in the shape of a red blood cell,...
South Africa’s President Praises Amazon’s Job Creation Efforts
Sourced from 2OceansVibe. South Africa’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa has commended Amazon for its commitment to creating over 3000 jobs for locals. Ramaphosa notes, in his weekly newsletter, that this development comes at a time when many businesses are doing all they can to stay afloat in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown. “Our economy is in the throes of the anticipated fallout from this global crisis. The predictions of businesses shutting down and jobs being lost are materialising,” he writes. In spite of this, Amazon is investing in the creation of new virtual jobs in Customer Service in South Africa. The company says that these roles will range from customer service associates to technical experts who will work virtually and provide 24/7 support to Amazon custo...
Online Marketplace for Medical Supplies Launches to Aid Africa-wide COVID-19 Response
Sourced from eNCA. An online marketplace, Africa Medical Supplies Platform (AMSP), has been launched to provide the purchase, volume aggregation, quota management, payment facilitation as well as logistics & transportation of COVID-19-related medical equipment across the African continent. According to Tech Cabal, the new platform provides a reliable database of global manufacturers and logistics service providers for diagnostic kits, personal protective equipment (PPE), devices like ventilators and patient monitors as well as a range of disinfectants. All medical equipment featured on the platform are strictly those that have been approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) as well as other approval ...
Mobile App Publishers Reach 151.2 Billion Downloads
The five leading mobile app publishers from the United States have reached 151.2bn in Google Play lifetime downloads as of May, according to data gathered by GoldenCasinoNews. With 123bn in lifetime downloads among Android users, Google LLC ranked as the leading mobile app publisher. Google Meet is the Leading Google-published App In May, Google’s 183 published apps were downloaded a total of 278.9 million times worldwide, revealed Statista and Priori Data survey. With almost 21.5 million downloads, Google Meet was the leading one among them. Google Calendar, Google Play Games, and Google Assistant followed with 11.45 million, 11.12 million and 11.1 million downloads, respectively. With 12.55bn in Google Play lifetime downloads, Facebook ranked as the second-leading mobile app publisher in...
How Tech is Changing the Mining Industry’s Future
Sourced from Mining Weekly. The mining industry across the globe is currently undergoing a technological paradigm shift. Mines of the future will require advanced technologies and mining operators are all set to embrace the new digital technologies to gain a competitive advantage. For centuries, mining has provided us with the raw materials that have enabled us to develop our economies and build communities. Mining as an industry has been maturing over the last few decades on the back of an ever-increasing demand for resources on one side, and a need for sustainability on the other. Even though there have been challenges in the South African mining industry for several years, it still employs nearly 5% of South Africa’s employed workforce, makes a significant direct contribution to GDP, si...
Telkom Records R43 billion in Revenue, Up 3%
Image sourced from My Broadband South African network provider, Telkom has delivered a solid top-line performance in the year to 31 March 2020, with revenue increasing 3.0% to R43.0 billion, mainly driven by a 54.4% increase in mobile service revenue. The company says its performance was underpinned by capital investments of R7.8 billion within the same period. The mobile business continues to gain scale and remains the fastest-growing mobile business in South Africa. With 12 million customers, it now accounts for 35% of Telkom’s total operating revenues. “Our Group revenue performance represents how ongoing investment – particularly in mobile, IT and masts and towers – enables Telkom to grow new revenue streams and offset traditional business shrinkage,” says Telkom Group Chief Executive,...
CERN Wants to Build a New 100 Kilometre Long Super-Collider Worth $23 Billion
Sourced from CERN. The Large Hadron Collider is the world’s highest-energy particle collider at 27 kilometres in length. It is also the largest machine ever built by human hands, according to CNET. Now, the machine’s operators, the European Organization for Nuclear Research – CERN, is planning to build a second, even larger collider. This one could end up being 100km, almost four times the size, and may cost up to $23 billion to produce. The collider will be used to further study the Higgs Boson particle. /* custom css */ .tdi_3_5c5.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_5c5.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } Having been further popularised due to CBS’ smash-hit sitcom The Big Bang Theory, Higgs Bosons are a type of particle theorized by Peter Higgs and five other scientists back in ...
