technology news
3 Cybersecurity Trends for 2021
Sourced from International IDEA In 2020, there were many rapid changes on a global scale as organizations across the world attempted to adapt to a new normal caused by the pandemic. Amid this shift, there were significant developments seen across the cyberthreat landscape. Going into 2021 and beyond, we face another significant shift with the rise of new intelligent edges, which is about more than just end-users and devices remotely connecting to the network. The intelligent edge is a target Over the past few years, the traditional network perimeter has been replaced with multiple edge environments, WAN, multi-cloud, data centre, remote worker, IoT, and more, each with its unique risks. One of the most significant advantages to cybercriminals in all of this is that while all of these edges...
Facebook Launches JoziPlug – a Community City Guide
Facebook has officially launched JoziPlug – its first Community City Guide on the African continent. The Johannesburg edition of the initiative has been compiled and co-created by local Facebook Groups featuring unique and inspiring content about the city. The JoziPlug is aimed at showcasing Johannesburg’s “hidden attractions to visitors and members of the local community whilst supporting small businesses with their economic recovery” in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since March 2020, more than 1.5 million people became new members of a group related to the city of Johannesburg. The guide compiles “the best tips and recommendations to some of the city’s local attractions, known and unknown through the eyes of these locals”. Themed around exploring hidden attractions and ‘plugging’ pe...
Google Stadia could Rollout New YouTube Streaming Feature
Image sourced from Games Radar Google is expected to roll out a new Stadia feature which would allow users to directly stream to YouTube. According to 9to5Google, the tech giant has already started a “slow rollout of direct YouTube live streaming for its Stadia platform with the button no longer showing a ‘coming soon’ banner for some users” – but “only on the web app, not Chromecast or Android”. Writer, Ben Schoon says “I was able to briefly test this feature after getting streaming to work on my account.” “After tapping the “Stream directly to YouTube” button under the livestream button in Stadia’s friends menu, Stadia asks for a title for the streaming video as well as privacy options, the audience (for/not for kids), and the option to show a viewer count while you’re playing. You can a...
Why POPIA Compliance is not just an IT Problem
Since its implementation in 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has become a global standard in protecting end-users from the unlawful use or dissemination of their personal information. South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), set to commence in July 2021, is modelled on GDPR, and it affects all businesses. While many organisations believe that POPIA compliance will not affect them, or that it is just an IT problem, this is a short-sighted attitude that could see them falling foul of the law. Compliance requires business and IT to work together to manage data effectively, which at the same time provides a number of business benefits. The buck does not stop with IT POPIA is an umbrella data protection law that governs how businesses need to handle data...
Instagram Unveils 5 New Features
Image sourced from Time Instagram has revealed that it would introduce five new features of the coming months. According to the social media giant, over the last ten years, its users have “come to Instagram to connect with their friends, explore their interests, and be entertained”. “From this, a global community was born, a community that did more, and mattered more, than we ever dreamed possible. From fashion to food, to entertainment, to travel, to the emergence of #weeklyfluff, people on Instagram have shaped the world around them, making new friends, reconnecting with people from their past, and sharing their lives with the world.” “We’ve also seen how people all over the world can rally around each other for support and connection – and how our community has used Instagram to speak o...
Discovery Introduces Prepaid Healthcare Service
Image sourced from EWN Discovery is launching a prepaid health platform – available online or through WhatsApp. The service will allow users to buy vouchers towards high-quality, primary healthcare services in the private healthcare sector, at “highly competitive rates”. The first offering within the Discovery Prepaid Health range of private primary healthcare products is the R300 GP doctor consultation voucher, including the medicines dispensed by the doctor after the consultation. This voucher can be redeemed at any dispensing GP within the Discovery Prepaid Health network. “We are very excited about this platform. Discovery Prepaid Health broadens access to high-quality treatment and medicine for all people in South Africa,” explains CEO of Discovery Health, Dr Ryan Noach. “Our vision i...
HP Appoints New MD for Africa
HP has appointed Bradley Pulford as the new vice president and managing director of Africa – effective immediately. Pulford joins the printing and PC devices company from Dell Technologies where he was the executive senior director for channel and distribution in Africa. In a statement, HP says that Pulford will “lead several ongoing strategic initiatives for HP in Africa. Among these are advancing the company’s diversity and inclusion vision across the continent, supporting education projects that removing barriers to doing business for young entrepreneurs, and broadly deploying future technologies and innovations, including virtual reality and 3D solutions.” HPE South Africa Appoints Two New Roles Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) South Africa has recently appointed Sandile Dube and ...
Nigeria to Deploy Additional Satellites
Nigerian Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu revealed that the government is now “more determined to put additional satellites in the orbit to enhance the realization of its developmental agenda for space technology” – reports The Vanguard. At the recent Space Dialogue and National Media Conference 2020, Onu said ‘‘we will make sure additional satellites are put in orbit. I assure you that the ministry will continue to do the best it can to ensure that additional satellites are put in the orbit that will help in the direction the nation is going.” According to the report, “the administration believes so much in the ability of science and technology in the transformation of the Nigerian economy from a resource-based to a knowledge-based economy.” Onu added, ‘‘Without space sci...
MTN South Africa Launches 5G-Enabled iPhone 12
Sourced from TheTechieGuy (https://thetechieguy.com/) MTN will be launching the 5G-enabled version of the Apple iPhone 12 in South Africa – making it the only network authorised to enable 5G on the new iPhone 12, from December 2020, into early 2021. “MTN is honoured to be the only mobile network in SA enabled to support 5G on the Apple iPhone 12”, says Giovanni Chiarelli, Chief Technology & Information Officer at MTN South Africa. “We are also proud to announce the deployment of 5G at selected MTN stores in our 5G-enabled coverage areas.” MTN’s 5G strategy has been years in the making and the Apple tests confirm that MTN’s approach of building a strong foundation to grow and support its 5G ecosystem has been time well-spent. “We are now seeing the results o...
Nokia 3.4 Now Available in Kenya
Image sourced from techweez HMD Global has officially launched the Nokia 3.4 in Kenya. The device sports a 4000mAh battery that charges via USB-C port as well as 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage onboard. The Nokia 3.4 has a 6.39” HD+ punch-hole display with a 1560 x 720-pixel resolution, the back is fitted with three cameras plus a fingerprint sensor. It also has a 13MP main camera next to a 2MP depth sensor and a 5MP ultrawide. It is paired with an 8-core 1.8Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 processor and Adreno 610 GPU. /* custom css */ .tdi_3_b7d.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_b7d.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } “With the new Nokia 3.4 we wanted to stay true to what made its predecessor successful, but also push the boundaries on what features we can include on a phone tha...
South Africans can Pay for Apple Services with Telkom
Telkom has revealed that its customers will now be able to pay for Apple content and services – like App Store apps, Apple Music, Apple TV+, movies on the Apple TV app, Apple Arcade, and iCloud storage – via carrier billing, directly from their mobile phone account. The service will be available to all Telkom customers in South Africa for postpaid and prepaid mobile plans. Using the service is simple. Telkom customers use a new or existing Apple ID and select “Mobile Phone” as their payment method in account settings on the App Store, in iCloud or within the Apple Music or Apple TV apps from their iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac or on iTunes from their PC. The new payment option will be configured automatically and immediately allows for one-tap purchasing from any Apple product. Telkom Sout...
Ransomware and Fileless Malware to Present Increased Threat in 2021, Predicts ESET
After a year in which the COVID-19 pandemic upended the way we live, work and socialize, we are likely to see an increased threat from ransomware and fileless malware in 2021, according to the latest trends report from ESET. Cybersecurity Trends 2021: Staying secure in uncertain times explores the predictions of experts from the global cybersecurity firm, revealing the key challenges expected to impact consumers and businesses in 2021. Trend #1: The future of work – embracing a new reality The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in mass implementation of remote working, which has seen a heavier reliance on technology than ever before. This shift away from the office has brought benefits for employees, but it has also left companies’ networks vulnerable to attack. Jake Moore, ...
