Author: Gugu Lourie
Microsoft has invested in Cruise, General Motors (GM) driverless car unit, pushing the company’s valuation to $30 billion (R447 billion). The global tech company has invested R29 billion ($2 billion) in funding in cruise. Cruise was bought by GM in 2006 for $1 billion (R14.9 billion). Founded and headquartered in San Francisco, Cruise’s goal is to drive change by building the world’s most advanced self-driving, all-electric, shared vehicles that safely connect people to the places, things, and experiences they care about. Cruise and General Motors on Tuesday announced they have entered a long-term strategic relationship with Microsoft to accelerate the…
The South African financial regulator, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) supports the liquidators of Mirror Trading International (MTI) to recoup money paid to investors. MTI is a bitcoin Ponzi scheme started in South Africa. The FSCA has finalised its investigation into Mirror Trading International (Pty) Ltd (MTI) and will share its report with the liquidators appointed by the Master of the High Court. The appointed liquidators are Mr. AW van Rooyen (Investrust Insolvency Practitioners), Mr. H Bester (Tygerberg Trustees), Mrs. J Barnard and Mrs. D Basson (Tshwane Trust Co). The FSCA said in a statement that it understands that…
DeHaat, an Indian online platform technology-based platform offering end-to-end agricultural services to farmers, has raised $30 million (R453 million) in a new financing round to help the business scale up in both size and scope. The funding round has been led by Prosus, which is owned by South Africa’s Naspers. RTP Global co-invested in the round with participation from existing investors, Sequoia India, FMO, Omnivore & AgFunder. DeHaat, which is Hindi for village, aim to aggregate 10 million Indian farmers while helping them to also increase their profitability. The platform integrates a digital marketplace with a rural network of last-mile…
This week embattled Cell C informed the market that it had started migrating its contract and broadband customers to rival Vodacom. TechFinancials first reported in October 2020 that the embattled mobile phone operator was trying to appoint a managed services provider to handle its contract and broadband customers. At the time Cell C would neither deny nor confirm the development. We reported that the troubled mobile phone company was in talks with Comm Equipment Company (CEC), a handset financing company owned by JSE-listed Blue Label Telecoms, which also owns 45% of the operator. The move to…
To understand the new smart monitors and other pro devices of tech health, we should look to Silicon Valley and the quantified movement of the latest generation. Apple’s Watch records exercise, tracks our moves throughout the day, assesses the amount of time we are stood up and reminds us to get up and move around if we have been sat for too long – let’s not forget Tim Cook’s “sitting is the new factor” line. Routinely evaluating your risk factors for various medical conditions, screening for cancer and other diseases, and assessing your lifestyle habits helps you stay healthy. It’s…
To understand the new smart monitors and other pro devices of tech health, we should look to Silicon Valley and the quantified movement of the latest generation. Apple’s Watch records exercise, tracks our moves throughout the day, assesses the amount of time we are stood up and reminds us to get up and move around if we have been sat for too long – let’s not forget Tim Cook’s “sitting is the new factor” line. Routinely evaluating your risk factors for various medical conditions, screening for cancer and other diseases, and assessing your lifestyle habits helps you stay healthy. It’s…
To understand the new smart monitors and other pro devices of tech health, we should look to Silicon Valley and the quantified movement of the latest generation. Apple’s Watch records exercise, tracks our moves throughout the day, assesses the amount of time we are stood up and reminds us to get up and move around if we have been sat for too long – let’s not forget Tim Cook’s “sitting is the new factor” line. Routinely evaluating your risk factors for various medical conditions, screening for cancer and other diseases, and assessing your lifestyle habits helps you stay healthy. It’s…
Global streaming giant Netflix has today published its first-ever diversity and inclusion report to ensure transparency about its numbers. Founded in 1997 before it became a streaming giant that it is today, Netflix was a DVD rental firm competing with the neighbourhood video rental stores. Now, the US-based firm has evolved into a multi-billion streaming and production company with a long list of award-winning TV shows and movies that over 150 million subscribers enjoy globally. The streaming giant said in the report that it has made good progress over the last three years in diversity and inclusion of other races…
To understand the new smart monitors and other pro devices of tech health, we should look to Silicon Valley and the quantified movement of the latest generation. Apple’s Watch records exercise, tracks our moves throughout the day, assesses the amount of time we are stood up and reminds us to get up and move around if we have been sat for too long – let’s not forget Tim Cook’s “sitting is the new factor” line. Routinely evaluating your risk factors for various medical conditions, screening for cancer and other diseases, and assessing your lifestyle habits helps you stay healthy. It’s…
To understand the new smart monitors and other pro devices of tech health, we should look to Silicon Valley and the quantified movement of the latest generation. Apple’s Watch records exercise, tracks our moves throughout the day, assesses the amount of time we are stood up and reminds us to get up and move around if we have been sat for too long – let’s not forget Tim Cook’s “sitting is the new factor” line. Routinely evaluating your risk factors for various medical conditions, screening for cancer and other diseases, and assessing your lifestyle habits helps you stay healthy. It’s…
To understand the new smart monitors and other pro devices of tech health, we should look to Silicon Valley and the quantified movement of the latest generation. Apple’s Watch records exercise, tracks our moves throughout the day, assesses the amount of time we are stood up and reminds us to get up and move around if we have been sat for too long – let’s not forget Tim Cook’s “sitting is the new factor” line. Routinely evaluating your risk factors for various medical conditions, screening for cancer and other diseases, and assessing your lifestyle habits helps you stay healthy. It’s…
To understand the new smart monitors and other pro devices of tech health, we should look to Silicon Valley and the quantified movement of the latest generation. Apple’s Watch records exercise, tracks our moves throughout the day, assesses the amount of time we are stood up and reminds us to get up and move around if we have been sat for too long – let’s not forget Tim Cook’s “sitting is the new factor” line. Routinely evaluating your risk factors for various medical conditions, screening for cancer and other diseases, and assessing your lifestyle habits helps you stay healthy. It’s…
With the demand for smart antennas increasing, Alaris Holdings, South Africa’s antenna specialist, informed investors on Wednesday that it is in talks to buy a UK firm. The radiofrequency (RF) technology group told shareholders via the JSE SENS news that it has “entered into negotiations to acquire a business operating in the United Kingdom.” The JSE AltX firm, which listed since July 2008, did not disclose the name of the company it is in talks with. The announcement follows the group disclosure last September that it was considering more acquisitions and merger opportunities. “The group’s global strategy remains one of…
Baidu, the Chinese language Internet search provider, today announced its plan to establish a company to produce an intelligent electric car. The Internet platform and AI company said in a statement it has entered into a strategic partnership with multinational auto manufacturer Geely. Apple is in negotiations with multiple global automakers. Hyundai is one of them and we are in the early stages of talks. Nothing has been decided, Hyundai Motor Co. said last week in a statement. Reuters recently reported that Apple is once again planning to build its own branded electric vehicle or Apple Car. According to the report, production of…
Telkom has withdrawn part of its court application to interdict to stop the country’s communications watchdog ICASA from proceeding with the spectrum licensing process, the Independent Communications Authority of SA disclosed on Monday. Last month, speaking to TechCentral, Telkom group executive for regulatory affairs and government relations Siyabonga Mahlangu said the company is approaching the court because it believes Icasa’s invitations to apply (ITAs) for spectrum and the planned wholesale open-access network (WOAN) have fundamental flaws that could entrench the “dominance” of Vodacom and MTN. Following the recent media reports about Telkom launching a court application in respect of the…
Concerns about the Fifth-Generation (5G) technologies and infrastructure health risks are widespread, but they have no basis in fact, the country’s communications watchdog ICASA said on Monday. ICASA said it continues to note media reports with regards to the deployment of 5G technologies and infrastructure and its purported relation to the spread of the novel coronavirus. “The Authority would like to urge all South Africans not to be swayed by these conspiracy theories that are hell-bent on bringing instability and fear within the nation.” On 6 April 2020, ICASA debunked these conspiracy theories that link the spread of COVID-19 to…
To understand the new smart monitors and other pro devices of tech health, we should look to Silicon Valley and the quantified movement of the latest generation. Apple’s Watch records exercise, tracks our moves throughout the day, assesses the amount of time we are stood up and reminds us to get up and move around if we have been sat for too long – let’s not forget Tim Cook’s “sitting is the new factor” line. Routinely evaluating your risk factors for various medical conditions, screening for cancer and other diseases, and assessing your lifestyle habits helps you stay healthy. It’s…
To understand the new smart monitors and other pro devices of tech health, we should look to Silicon Valley and the quantified movement of the latest generation. Apple’s Watch records exercise, tracks our moves throughout the day, assesses the amount of time we are stood up and reminds us to get up and move around if we have been sat for too long – let’s not forget Tim Cook’s “sitting is the new factor” line. Routinely evaluating your risk factors for various medical conditions, screening for cancer and other diseases, and assessing your lifestyle habits helps you stay healthy. It’s…
To understand the new smart watched and other pro devices of recent focus, we should look to Silicon Valley and the quantified movement. Apple’s Watch records exercise, tracks our moves throughout the day, checks the amount of time we are stood up and reminds us to get up and move around if we have been sat for too long – let’s not forget Tim Cooks “sitting is the new coolness” line. What we like: Angled second screen is quite useful.Durability is top notch.Better dual-screen software.Powerful hardware features. What we dislike: Less battery life than other options.Keyboard and trackpad are flimsy.No…
A group or individual calling themselves “Anonymous” have revealed top earners at Mirror Trading International (MTI), a bitcoin Ponzi scheme. The group has published the data on the open Internet using Github’s web hosting functionality mtileaks.github.io. Last month, the Cape Town High Court granted a provisional liquidation order against MTI. The liquidation case was brought by Vezi & De Beer Inc on behalf of their client, Anton Lee. The leak by “Anonymous” reveals information about the top 200 earners in Mirror Trading International. It exposes the names, account information, addresses, and contact information of each of the top earners. The leak website…
South African-based vehicle tracking firm Cartrack is planning to list on Nasdaq Stock Exchange. The firm is planning to delist on the JSE and reappear on Nasdaq as Karoooo. Singaporean-based Karoooo (formerly Karoo) is owned by Cartrack founder and CEO Zak Calisto, who also owns 68.5% of Cartrack. As part of the listing of Karoooo on Nasdaq, Calisto is planning to buy out minorities. However, there is an option o swapping their Cartrack shares for shares in Karooooo. The plan is to float Karooooo on the Nasdaq, with an inward listing on the JSE. Cartrack provides services related to stolen…
To understand the new smart monitors and other pro devices of tech health, we should look to Silicon Valley and the quantified movement of the latest generation. Apple’s Watch records exercise, tracks our moves throughout the day, assesses the amount of time we are stood up and reminds us to get up and move around if we have been sat for too long – let’s not forget Tim Cook’s “sitting is the new factor” line. Routinely evaluating your risk factors for various medical conditions, screening for cancer and other diseases, and assessing your lifestyle habits helps you stay healthy. It’s…
South Africa’s communications watchdog ICASA will hold virtual public hearings next week on the Inquiry into Subscription Television Broadcasting Services. The Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) said on a statement on Wednesday night that the hearings will be held from 12 to 15 January 2021. The regulator said that there were requests from some interested stakeholders for it to consider deferring the public hearings to a later date. After careful consideration, ICASA said it has taken a decision to and hereby wishes to notify interested parties that the public hearings shall continue as set out in the notice. However,…
AmazingMall Africa has responded to rising online sales by opening a virtual marketplace that showcases quality South African brands. Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, online retail has experienced growth, which is largely due to the lockdown that was implemented to contain the alarming spread of COVID-19. South Africa has confirmed more than a million COVID-19 cases and recorded just over 28 000 related deaths. As a result, investment in technology and supply chains is increasing leading to an unprecedented boom in online spending. It is estimated that online retail sales grew by around 40% during the lockdown. Big…
The performance of the share price of YeboYethu, the black economic empowerment (BEE) shares of Vodacom, continues to create value for investors. BEE is designed to widen the South African economy’s ownership, mainly in white hands 26 years after apartheid. Established in 2008 YeboYethu was priced at R25.00 per share, and more than 100 000 qualifying black investors participated. The share listed for trading on an over-the-counter platform in 2014 and their value had jumped to about R45.00 per share. In 2008, Vodacom facilitated a R7.5 billion B-BBEE deal where different groups acquired shares in its South African operations (Vodacom SA).…