technology news
South African Luno Users to Earn Interest on Bitcoin and Ethereum
South African-founded Luno will let customers earn interest on Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDC – allowing users to earn passive income on their cryptocurrencies. These cryptos are now available in the platforms savings wallet. Users can expect up to 4% interest per annum on Ethereum and 7.6% per annum on USDC. The interest will be earned and paid in cryptocurrency. “Luno research last year showed that over a third of those surveyed (35%) were not earning any interest on their traditional cash savings at all, so growing savings options and making saving simple and accessible is a priority for us,” says Luno Africa GM, Marius Reitz. /* 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; } “The same research from last year found 54% are not e...
Liquid Telecom Unveils New Identity and Pan-African Strategy
Image sourced from MyBroadband Liquid Telecom has unveiled its new identity as Liquid Intelligent Technologies. The pan-African technology group also revealed its plan to go from being a telecommunications and digital services provider to a full one-stop-shop technology group through a group-wide rebrand. Over the last two decades, Liquid has firmly established itself as the leading pan-African digital infrastructure provider with an extensive network spanning over 73,000 KM. This rebrand to Liquid Intelligent Technologies highlights the organisation’s expansion of its Cloud business, Cyber Security services, and other technologies added to its existing telecoms and connectivity capability. This furthers the Group’s aim of accelerating growth by providing tailor-made digital solutions to b...
Ukheshe and Infobip Launch the First WhatsApp Payment Gateway in South Africa
Ukheshe has partnered with Infobip to launch South Africa’s first WhatsApp payment gateway which allows Telkom customers to send money to anyone with a mobile number quickly and securely with no need for another app or any additional software. The project and collaboration with Infobip forms part of Ukheshe’s objective of expanding its international reach as a solution-driven B2B provider of digital-first payment solutions that enable banks, telcos and fintechs to provide banking and payment services to their customers through a solution called ‘Chat Banking’. “We are thrilled that through various working associations we are able to assist organisations to address financial literacy and inclusion. The chat banking solution empowers end customers by giving them access to the Internet, ...
Microsoft’s Surface Book 3 to Rollout in South Africa
Microsoft is set to roll out its Surface device range in South Africa with the introduction of the Surface Book 3 – available from Incredible Connection stores. Surface Book 3 is a powerful tablet with a detachable touchscreen that adapts to all the ways users work and create best. It combines speed, graphics, immersive gaming and long battery life with the versatility of a laptop, tablet, and portable studio. “We are excited to expand our Surface family with the addition of Surface Book 3 – our most powerful laptop yet. It is a portable powerhouse that provides the performance to tackle any task, from intensive video and graphic files to high-octane gaming. Developers, designers and professionals can rely on it for coding, compiling workloads, and for gaming,” says Vithesh Reddy, Consumer...
How to Create a Culture of Cybersecurity
Sourced from IDG Connect Security. This is a word that can make a grown CFO tremble and an entire SOC crumble. It is the word that captures a complex landscape littered with complexity, cybercriminals and technology. It defines how well an organisation adheres to a growing body of legislation – GDPR, POPIA and other data protection regulations – and how its reputation fares when a breach is revealed and information exposed. Security should be on every boardroom agenda, in ongoing employee training, and an investment into the right tools and solutions. But, perhaps most importantly, security should be an inherent part of the company’s culture because it is this factor that ultimately determines its security risk and posture. “There is a clear link between security culture and secure behavio...
New Online Retail Platform Launches in South Africa
Netcash has partnered with Ecwid E-Commerce to launch Netcash Shop. Powered by Ecwid E-Commerce’s platform, Netcash Shop is expected to allow merchants to create a digital eCommerce store where they can sell their products. And thanks to the tight integration with Netcash’s Payment Gateway, merchants can accept a wide range of payments options. According to the companies, merchants who use Netcash Shop will pay half as much as those using alternative eCommerce platforms and shopping cart options. For companies that already have a website, a Netcash Shop shopping cart or shop can easily be added to a site built on a content management system like WordPress, Wix or Joomla. /* custom css */ .tdi_3_fb7.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_fb7.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } Tho...
REVIEW: Real Life Instagram Thanks to the Instax SQ1
At the end of 2020, Fujifilm launched the newest addition to its series of instant point-and-shoot cameras – the Instax SQ1. Now available across Africa, the camera is sleek in design, features square format film and a durable protective shell – and using it feels like real-life Instagram. [embedded content] The Instax SQ1 is an incredibly nostalgic product that is easy to use and perfect for people who want to quickly capture memories (which could double as a gift for friends and family). /* custom css */ .tdi_3_0fc.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_0fc.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } Most notably, the instant film camera features auto-exposure; meaning it is able to capture bright photos even in dark spaces – no special settings needed. It is also fitted with a selfie mirro...
Ajala Hosts Webinar on Artificial Intelligence and African Enterprises
Ajala, a leading provider of speech technologies for African languages, is pleased to announce the third event in their “Artificial Intelligence & African Enterprises” series, focusing on Delivering Economic and Operational Gains. The series examines the landscape of Artificial Intelligence solutions in the context of public and private African enterprises. Each webinar will address business and technological considerations relevant to African enterprises that have adopted or are considering adopting AI solutions as a part of their core business strategy. Thought leaders and experts will engage in topics ranging from operations, to policy, to economics and the technology underlying AI solutions and their relevance to African enterprises and consumers. Previous sessions include Da...
Security and Medical Response Platform, Aura Expands to Kenya
Security and medical response platform, Aura has announced its plan to expand into Kenya by offering its emergency and medical response services in Nairobi and Mombasa. The rollout will be led by the newly appointed General Manager, Hilary Itela. Warren Myers, CEO of AURA, says that the intention is to address the fragmented and idle response capacity in Kenya while also “democratising access to critical services by making them more widely available and more affordable than ever before”. With over 15 years of experience in various management roles in East and Central Africa, Itela brings with him a wealth of specialist expertise within various verticals including security, eCommerce, logistics, pharmaceuticals, FMCG and renewable energy. In addition to working closely with Kenyan partners ...
IoT.nxt CEO Resigns Immediately
Image sourced from ITWeb IOT.nxt has revealed that co-founder and CEO, Nico Steyn, is stepping down from his role with immediate effect. He will, however, remain a shareholder and board member of the Vodacom company. “I will focus my time and effort on areas of the business that I most enjoy and where I can continue to add meaningful value. As a founder, making this decision is not easy,” says Steyn. “However, I know the exceptional executive team that we have assembled over the past 18 months is well-positioned to embrace the next phase of commercialisation and corporatisation that is required for IoT.nxt’s journey of globalisation.” “IoT.nxt has been my passion and my life for the past six years. My partners and the IoT.nxt board-backed my vision of creating a world-class product and com...
INTERVIEW: 5 Tips for Women in Tech
Over the next decade, a new wave of digital technologies is set to reshape how we live and work. It is imperative that women play an equal role in shaping their impact. Not only should the new opportunities these technologies create be open to all, but it is also critical to tap into diverse experiences and perspectives to unlock their full value. To help women take a leading role in driving the adoption of technology, ITNA‘s Jenna Delport spoke to Sandra Fraga, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer at SYSPRO. Here’s what transpired: According to a PWC article on women in technology, women currently hold 19% of tech-related jobs at the top 10 global tech companies – what kind of opportunity does this present to women interested in this kind of career? There is no doubt that the world we l...
Sandton City Launches its Digital Mall Platform on Nedbank’s Avo App
Sandton City and Nedbank have partnered to launch an immersive ‘mall’ experience on the Avo app. This digital shopping platform is expected to give users the chance to shop items from multiple stores in Sandton City, pay for goods on the app, and then choose between home delivery or collection from the Avo lounge lockers at Sandton City. “We aspire to enable our app users to do life differently. The concept of a digital mall is broad and includes everything from gaming, clothing and groceries to tech, gadgets and home décor. Our insights show that people across Africa are willing to travel to shop, with Sandton City being a preferred destination,” says Vishal Maharaj, founding member of Avo. “We have onboarded more than 30 stores to date, and more are on the way, ensuring they are liv...
