Author: Gugu Lourie

OpenAI is stepping into the search engine arena, a field traditionally led by Google, by introducing SearchGPT. This new AI-driven search engine offers users real-time internet information access, marking a significant move for OpenAI in expanding its technological offerings. “We’re testing SearchGPT, a prototype of new search features designed to combine the strength of our AI models with information from the web to give you fast and timely answers with clear and relevant sources,” OpenAI wrote in its blog. “We’re launching to a small group of users and publishers to get feedback. While this prototype is temporary, we plan to…

Telkom recently unveiled a bold new brand and business repositioning under the inspiring tagline: Possible Begins Here. “This transformation is more than a mere update; it’s a pledge to realign our business with a singular focus—to empower our customers and ensure their possible begins with us. For Telkom, this isn’t just about streamlining processes; it’s about reimagining our entire customer experience, driven by a commitment to enhance interactions at every touchpoint.” Gugu Mthembu, Telkom’s Chief Marketing Officer, captured the essence of this transformation: “Our repositioning is about being your partner in life. Whether you’re a student connecting to a career-launching…

Telkom, the JSE-listed diversified ICT business, celebrated the growth and performance of its dealers’ network at its 2024 Dealers Conference Gala Dinner and Awards, held recently in Sun City. The dinner and awards were hosted by Jason Goliath and Zozo Tshwete. “Our partners are a crucial part of our journey in seamlessly connecting every South African. Your dedication and collaboration have been instrumental in Telkom’s success,” said Nonkululeko Dlamini, Telkom Group Chief Financial Officer. “Thank you for your unwavering support. We look forward to renewing our partnerships and forging new ones as we continue to innovate and grow.” The winners:…

The French media conglomerate Vivendi Group announced on Monday that it will pursue a listing for its pay-television business, Canal+, in London. Canal+ is in the process of acquiring MultiChoice, the owner of DStv, Supersport, and GoTV. Vivendi is controlled by the French billionaire Vincent Bolloré. “Canal+ would be listed on the London Stock Exchange to reflect the company’s international dimension, particularly as part of the ongoing combination with MultiChoice.,” said Vivendi. “With close to two thirds of its subscribers outside of France, a film and TV series distribution network present on all continents, and growth drivers resulting from its recent developments…

Capitec Bank today experienced a service disruption that affected its entire customer base of 22 million individuals, leaving them unable to access banking services. The incident has sparked frustration and inconvenience among customers, highlighting the significant impact of the outage on their daily financial transactions and operations. “We are experiencing nationwide service issues including Card. We’re working hard to resolve this. We apologise for any inconvenience,” Capitec said in a statement. See below Capitec’s statement Clarification on service disruption due to global downtime of technology service provider Capitec experienced significant disruptions across all our banking channels today due to a…

Weak demand for cars continued to play out in June. “Constrained economic conditions continue to impact the automotive market. As a whole the market was down for both the new and used car markets. Year-on-year used car sales dropped -6.4% in June,” revealed AutoTrader’s CEO, George Mienie. “The 27,750 used cars sold in June realised a value of R11.3 billion. Though sales improved by the smallest of margins in comparison to May, the additional 21 units failed to move the monthly growth percentage needle,” he added. In June, consumers paid an average of R407,655 for a 5 year-old used car…

The WD Blue SN580 1TB SSD is a solid-state drive from Western Digital’s WD Blue series. It utilizes PCIe Gen4 NVMe technology, offering fast data transfer speeds and storage capacity suitable for various computing needs, from gaming to everyday tasks. The WD Blue SN580 1TB SSD is designed to be a PCIe Gen4 NVMe drive, targeting a blend of high performance and cost-effectiveness. Key Details Specifications: Interface: PCIe Gen4 x4 Form Factor: M.2 2280 Capacity: 1TB Sequential Read Speed: Up to 4,150 MB/s Sequential Write Speed: Up to 4,000 MB/s Random Read IOPS: Up to 600,000 Random Write IOPS: Up…

The Huawei Watch Fit 3 embodies a remarkable fusion of style, functionality, and innovation, meticulously crafted to enhance both daily life and fitness routines. Whether you’re an avid fitness enthusiast or someone who values cutting-edge technology, this smartwatch delivers a plethora of features designed to cater to all aspects of your lifestyle. Design and Display Maintaining Huawei’s commitment to stylish design, the Watch Fit 3 features a large, vibrant AMOLED display that’s easy to read and responsive to touch. Its slim, lightweight body ensures comfort during long wear, suitable for both workouts and everyday use. Fitness Tracking and Health Monitoring…

The advent of the Intelligent Era is revolutionising the Digital Economy, driven by significant advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and next-generation network technologies. Dr. Tayeb Ben Meriem, IPv6 Forum Vice Chair, highlighted these transformative trends in his recent keynote speech on “Next-Generation Network Trends.” “From a technical perspective, what we are seeing in the Digital Economy space is that the Intelligent Era is gaining momentum,” Dr. Tayeb stated. He pointed out two primary indicators: technical advancements and business impact, both of which are intricately linked. By 2026, AI is expected to achieve a 30% penetration rate, which will generate substantial…

Sanelisiwe Nyandeni, 26, from Qoboqobo village in the Eastern Cape, is making significant strides in her career journey. A former participant in the Retail Readiness Programme (RRP) and the Youth Employment Service (YES), she is now pursuing a diploma in Retail Business Management at Cape Peninsula University, thanks to a bursary from Shoprite. Shoprite’s RRP is one of the most successful skills development initiatives by a South African retailer and includes practical in-store training and theory. Participants receive NQF level 3 qualifications on successful completion and in the last financial year, 4 065 learners were trained, and 1 293 were…

EASE Holdings BV announced the expansion of its EASE (Equipment-as-a-Service) Healthcare programme in Southern Africa. In December 2023, the company opened a subsidiary in Johannesburg, EASE South Africa. The Southern Africa regional expansion marks an important step in EASE’s geographic footprint, which launched in Ghana and Nigeria in 2022. “Opening EASE South Africa is a tremendous milestone in our healthcare practice,” said Kanyinsola Oyeyinka, VP of Healthcare, demand for health services continues to increase annually. “We see great demand from rapidly growing medical facilities in Southern Africa, seeking access to state-of-the-art equipment on flexible terms that allow them to grow their…

Shanghai is a city of unshakable charm, blending the old with the new and the East with the West. My journey began at the sleek Pudong International Airport on June 24, which set the tone for what was to come. Known as one of China’s most sophisticated cities, Shanghai is the commercial hub and a beacon of modernity. My recent trip to Shanghai had such a profound impact on me that I couldn’t resist breaking the silence to share my captivating experience with the world. I have been to Beijing several times. A City of Contrasts Driving to the Sheraton…

The logistics sector plays a crucial role in the economy, facilitating the movement of goods across vast distances. However, this sector is also a significant contributor to carbon emissions. As the world increasingly focuses on sustainability, it is imperative for logistics companies to adopt strategies that reduce their carbon footprint. According to Martínez, a research scientist at the MIT Centre for Transportation and Logistics, freight transportation accounts for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and its carbon footprint is projected to double by 2050. “As a responsible corporate citizen, we recognise the importance of taking action to mitigate this impact,”…

The Bidvest Group board has approved the process to dispose of Bidvest Bank and its related entity, FinGlobal. This decision is part of a broader strategic restructuring aimed at aligning and strengthening the group’s core business operations. The short-term insurance businesses within Bidvest’s Financial Services division, which primarily focus on vehicle insurance and related value-added products, will be transferred to the Automotive division. This move supports the Automotive division’s strategy of diversifying into allied automotive services. The disposal process for Bidvest Life, which had been announced previously, is currently underway. Following these disposals, the Bidvest Group will comprise six divisions:…

In the digital economy, data is cast as a critical asset, one that’s key to production. Indeed, data is now a foundational and strategic resource for every organization and, as we step into the YB — yottabyte — age, data applications are proliferating, making trustworthiness and reliability central to data infrastructure. Dr. Peter Zhou, president of Huawei’s Data Storage Product Line, explains that as data usage evolves, so must storage solutions. AI demands efficient, data-driven storage. “AI is different,” Zhou notes. “It’s the right time to redefine data storage.” Typically, boosting AI data centre performance focuses on adding GPUs. However,…

Panyaza Lesufi, Premier of Gauteng Province, announced that the seventh administration has no plans to alter any of the policies set by its predecessor led by the African National Congress. Speaking at the Huawei Africa Connect conference in Sandton, Lesufi emphasised that the new government of national unity will not consider any policy changes or shifts. “We will accelerate policy transformation,” Lesufi stated. “We will work with businesses to bring about change and improve service delivery. The new administration, once sworn in, understands its mandate to collaborate effectively.” Lesufi highlighted digital transformation as crucial for enhancing service delivery. “The world…

Standard Bank has significantly enhanced banking convenience and cost savings for its customers through strategic partnerships and customer-focused policies. Over the past three years, ending on June 30, 2024, the bank’s initiatives have led to savings exceeding R670 million for clients using the Saswitch ATM network. In a groundbreaking decision in 2021, Standard Bank eliminated the Saswitch network fee, allowing customers to use ATMs from other banks without incurring penalty fees. This move alone saved customers R245 million in 2023, solidifying Standard Bank’s reputation as one of the leading banks in South Africa to offer such a benefit. With over…

MWC Shanghai 2024 saw Huawei take centre stage with a powerful showcase of its latest technological advancements, setting the tone for the mobile AI era. Huawei’s presence at the event underscored its commitment to pushing the boundaries of 5G-A and AI integration, promising a transformative impact on the global mobile industry. What is 5G-A or 5.5G? 5.5G technology, still evolving, builds on 5G’s foundation to improve network performance. It aims to provide download speeds up to 10 Gbps and upload speeds up to 1 Gbps. It is said that in a 5.5G network and at Gigabit download speeds, the maximum…

Huawei’s commitment to fostering digital talent in Sub-Saharan Africa continues to soar as the company plans to train an additional 150,000 young people through its LEAP digital skills development programme over the next three years, according to Gao Xiang, President of Huawei’s Sub-Saharan Africa division. LEAP, which stands for leadership, employability, advancement, and possibility, was launched in April 2022 to equip students from across the region with essential digital skills aimed at fostering innovation and technological solutions within their communities. “The LEAP Framework targets pivotal areas including digital leadership, employability enhancement, skill advancement, and future opportunities across Sub-Saharan Africa,” noted…

After five years of investing in Metrofibre, the South African Housing and Infrastructure Fund (SAHIF), led by its founder and CEO Rali Mampeule, has announced its decision to exit the business. SAHIF aims to diversify into the emerging market independently, with the expectation of high returns. SAHIF had a busy year in 2024, raising R700 million for expansion in the first half of the year alone. As part of its expansion plans, the fund is acquiring a majority stake in one of South Africa’s emerging fibre network operators specialising in prepaid fibre services. The Fibre to the Home (FTTH) market…

Global technology brand HONOR today revealed two industry-leading on-device AI innovations created to empower individuals and introduce a new level of user safety. During its keynote at MWC Shanghai 2024, titled “The Human-AI Synergy: Intelligent Devices Will Empower People Better,” HONOR showcased its latest advancements in human-centric AI, AI Defocus Eye Protection[1] and AI Deepfake Detection. The brand also reiterated its focus on human-centric on-device AI and its belief in the potential for AI-enabled hardware to empower users by delivering tailored services while protecting user privacy. “AI is revolutionizing our lives and driving the smartphone industry forward, but much of the industry…

Stellenbosch-based Biotech startup Immobazyme has secured R24.5 million for global expansion of its innovative enzyme immobilization and precision fermentation platform. This funding, led by the University Technology Fund (UTF) and University of Stellenbosch Enterprises (USE), will enable Immobazyme to double its facility size and dramatically scale its high-value proteins and enzyme production capabilities. The company plans to double the size of its facility and dramatically scale its production capabilities, positioning itself at the forefront of South Africa’s biotech industry. Dominic Nicholas, CEO of Immobazyme, expressed his gratitude in achieving this milestone. “We’re incredibly grateful to all our investors and partners…

Speaking at a keynote of the MWC Shanghai 2024 for the 5G-A & AI Roundtable, the Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Huawei Wireless Solution Eric Zhao unveiled a plan to bring AI to networks. The plan focuses on building an ecosystem of RAN Intelligent Agent in collaboration with operators to increase network productivity. Its first phase looks to cover 1,000 site engineers and 10,000 sites across Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Bangkok, Jinan, and Shenzhen within a half year. After three years of arduous efforts, the telecom sector has seen 5G-A progress from vision to reality, and 2024 has been hailed…

At MWC Shanghai 2024, Huawei hosted the Global Launch of 5G-A Pioneers Programme. The event, themed “driving shared success with 5G-A”, brought together pioneering 5G operators from around the world, including China’s “big three”, as well as HKT, du, and Oman Telecommunications. At the event, they discussed how to drive the high-quality development of 5G-A networks and how to seize opportunities from the upcoming intelligent world to create new market space for growth. 5G has become the fastest developing generation of mobile communications technology that we have ever seen. The pioneering operators who first adopted 5G have all achieved phased…

BMW has unveiled the fourth generation of its popular X3 midsize Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV), boasting a comprehensive update that includes a sleek new exterior design, a modernised interior with the latest technology, and upgraded powertrain options. These enhancements reinforce its position in the premium SAV market. The BMW X3 is set to launch in South Africa in the fourth quarter of 2024. The new BMW X3 will be built at BMW Group Plant Spartanburg (USA) and Plant Rosslyn (South Africa) using a production process focussed on conserving resources and circularity. The new BMW X3 introduces significant advancements in efficiency…