Author: Gugu Lourie
Epson is targeting to save companies millions and the firm is betting on a new Replaceable Ink Pack System technology that can print up to 75,000 pages without interruptions. The Epson’s WorkForce Pro Replaceable Ink Pack System (RIPS) printers are available in South Africa at a recommended retail price from R33,400.00 for a WF-R5690DTWF and at R63,876.00 for a WF-R8590DTWF. The Epson WorkForce Pro WF-R8590DTWF provides quick and accurate A3 printing while the WorkForce Pro WF-5690DTWF A4 printer is designed to reduce environmental impact. Both printers are designed to cut costs and are suitable for enterprises of all sizes, with up…
In a move aimed at moving its customers into faster internet access, Telkom announced on Monday a trial to move more than 11 000 copper-based broadband digital subscriber line users to its new fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) network across the country, at no additional cost. By Staff Writer Telkom said in a statement that DSL customers within it’s fibre footprint will be given the opportunity to upgrade their copper-based connectivity, to the more advanced fibre network. These customers will also have the opportunity to test Telkom’s Boltspeed 10 Mbps and 20 Mbps fibre products, for free, for two months. The company said…
Facebook has decided that the Like button is not expressive enough and are going to add 5 new icons, called “Reactions” that Facebook calls “angry, sad, wow, haha, and love”. Reactions have been tested with users in a number of different countries whilst Facebook observed how they were used, especially during and after events like the terrorist attacks in Paris. By David Glance Facebook has come to learn that its users are particularly resistant to any significant changes in the platform, ironically finding it very easy to express their unhappiness with changes that Facebook have made in the past. Adding Reactions…
“Selfie” is not just word of the year, but also the mainstay of postings on social media sites such as Instagram. With the prevalence of camera-equipped smartphones the posting of selfies has reached epidemic levels – even the funerals of national leaders aren’t exempt. But is there a psychological fall-out? By Tara Marshall A new study by Florida State University academics Jessica Ridgway and Russell Clayton found that people who were more satisfied with their body image posted more selfies to Instagram – confidently showing off, you might say. But in turn, they reported experiencing more conflict with their romantic partner…
Today MTN SA Foundation invested R2.6 million worth of computer laboratories in the Sedibeng West District of the Vaal region. The handover took place at Qhoweng Primary School. Seven schools will receive fully equipped computer laboratories and the district will be gifted with a mobile computer laboratory as well as a Toyota Fortuner Vehicle to drive the laboratory (trailer) around various areas in the district. The beneficiary schools include Mqiniswa Primary School, Lebohang High School, Khutlotharo Secondary School, Qhoweng Primary School, Polokong Primary School, Lakeside Secondary School and Poelano Secondary School. Laboratories provided to the schools have been renovated,…
Reinstated Idols judge Gareth Cliff is “thrilled” with the court ruling in his favour that also ordered M-Net to pay all his legal costs. By Naledi Shange and Kyle Zeeman, NewsAgency “We’re very pleased about this,” he told journalists outside the High Court in Johannesburg. “We’re thrilled.” His lawyer, Eric Mabuza, said he always believed a judgment in Cliff’s favour was a foregone conclusion. “We’ve always been confident about the case… this case indicates that everyone is equal before the law. “It also indicates that human rights are human rights. You do not have black human rights, or white human rights,”…
Axed Idols judge Gareth Cliff won a mammoth lawsuit against M-Net on Friday, hours before the first auditions for the show were due to start. The celebrity won his bid to be reinstated as a judge of the popular talent scouting show, Judge Caroline Nicholls ruled in the High Court in Johannesburg. “This is a contractual dispute. The contractual relationship has to be reinstated to what it was. M-Net will pay costs to Gareth Cliff,” Nicholls told a packed court. Cliff, dressed smartly in a dark suit, smiled as the ruling, which lasted four minutes, was read out. Earlier…
The convergence of the digital and physical worlds is more than a MasterCard rally cry. It is in fact a fundamental shift that’s driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution or Industry 4.0, where automation, data exchange and manufacturing technologies are going to simplify our lives, drive better experiences and give us more time to focus on things that matter most… our families, friends and experiences. By Ajay Bhalla, president, Enterprise Security Solutions, MasterCard But to get to this state of safe automation and connectivity, we need to talk about the role of security AND innovation. Both are of paramount importance.…
South African-born serial entrepreneur Vinny Lingham announced on Thursday the founding and funding of his new startup venture, Civic, based in Palo Alto, California. By Staff Writer Lingham said in a statement that Civic aims to tackle the problem of consumer identity theft and reducing online identity fraud. Civic is expected to launch in spring 2016. Civic has just closed a $2.75 million round of seed funding, led by Social Leverage, a notable early stage fintech investment fund. Social Leverage’s founding partner, Howard Lindzon, will also join Civic’s board. “Consumers need better control of their personal information and their digital identities. Civic…
Undersea broadband cable provider Seacom is experiencing another disruption to its network in Egypt, which is having an impact on South Africa’s internet connectivity on Thursday morning. By Gareth van Zyl, NewsAgency Seacom – which operates an undersea broadband cable that connects from South Africa to Europe and Asia – said in an update on its website on Thursday morning that it “is experiencing multiple outages on the terrestrial network across Egypt”. “All our international connectivity through Egypt has been affected since 06:00GMT (08:00 South African time) on the 28th January 2016,” said the company. “Repair teams are on site. Seacom…
The all-new BMW 7 Series now available in South Africa. With the new BMW 7 Series, BMW has redefined what an exclusive, luxurious driving experience looks like in contemporary, pioneering form. Groundbreaking technologies in the areas of lightweight design, powertrains, chassis, operating systems, intelligent connectivity and interior ambience underline its mission to bring together unbeatable driving pleasure and long-distance comfort in a luxury sedan. The handing over of the baton from one generation to the next at the top end of BMW’s model line-up sees the brand presenting a raft of innovations unmatched by any of its rivals. Design: stylish presence,…
The launch and relative success of the Apple Watch has set a clear benchmark for the upper end of the smartwatch market in terms of functionality, but didn’t bring much that was new to the market. By James Moar Other releases throughout 2015 generally expanded the devices’ aesthetics, rather than redefining their capabilities. Several vendors have released smartwatches that are much more limited compared to those released by the large mobile players. Device convergence and diversification Apple’s entry (and its price point) has signalled that luxury brands and smartwatches can mix, with a range of watch brands also producing smartwatches…
If one company were to symbolise the entire ethos of Silicon Valley, it would be Theranos. Founded by Elizabeth Holmes who was 19 at the time, the company set out to “reinvent” the laboratory blood testing industry by using “revolutionary finger-stick technology” which would make testing hundreds of different tests possible from blood obtained by a single prick of a finger. By David Glance Elizabeth Holmes fulfilled the stereotype of the quintessential Silicon Valley CEO. She was a Stanford University dropout, joining the two most famous CEOs who never completed higher education; Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. She is a…
“The Internet cannot be governed and must be embraced,” he said, referring to misguided moves to regulate OTT services,” says Andile Ngcaba, the charirman of Wi-Fi Forum of SA (WFFSA). WFFSA has urged the country’s mobile networks to develop innovative ways to benefit from OTT (over-the-top) technologies or risk redundancy. Speaking in Parliament yesterday, WFFSA chair Andile Ngcaba said, “Telegraph equipment can now be found in museums because those firms didn’t innovate. Nobody wants our mobile networks to end up in museums because they didn’t recognise a market-disrupting technology as an opportunity.” “The Internet cannot be governed and must be…
As part of plans to spread its wings internationally, IsoMetrix, a South African-based tech firm that provides governance, risk and compliance management software mainly to the mining industry, has opened a Canada office and partnered with a Peruvian firm. By Gugu Lourie The move is aimed at expanding IsoMetrix services to South and North America. IsoMetrix, which has customers in 20 African countries and expanded into Australia two years ago, has set up an office in Toroto, Canada, to tackle the North American market. “We want to spend a lot of our effort growing the North American market. It…
Gareth Cliff has become subject to racist allegations after M-Net published a statement following his tweet, the High Court was told on Tuesday. By Wim Pretorius, NewsAgency “M-Net claims the problem is the way Cliff is perceived in the public eye,” Dali Mpofu, Cliff’s advocate told the court. “His only offence is sending the tweet that people don’t understand freedom of expression.” He said that while M-Net says that Cliff is not a racist, they have fired him for the incorrect assumption that he is a racist. “They say there is a perception that he is a racist, but where have…
Opposition to the Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) was blasted by ANC MPs on Tuesday for being “concerned about the rich and promoting non-compliance”. By Thulani Gqirana, NewsAgency Outa presented alternate mechanisms for financing e-tolls to Parliament’s transport committee on Tuesday. They called for fuel levies to be used to finance the Gauteng freeways. They also questioned the exemption of taxis from the e-toll system, and said public transport services were not even using their tags. African National Congress MP Patrick Sibande said Outa chairperson Wayne Duvenage had not presented any workable solutions to Parliament. He said by supporting those who boycotted…
M-Net does not want to be associated with a person who is largely perceived to be a racist, the High Court in Johannesburg heard on Tuesday in response to an application brought by axed Idols judge Gareth Cliff. By Naledi Shange and Wim Pretorius, NewsAgency “What M-Net is saying, is that your view and conduct has received response from a large constituency that you are a poster boy for racism,” said Wim Trengove, SC, for M-Net. “M-Net is not obliged to have someone who made a fool of himself as a judge for Idols,” said Trengove. There was no contract with…
Over-the-top (OTT) technologies such as WhatsApp and Skype don’t pay taxes in South Africa, says mobile network MTN. By Duncan Alfreds, NewsAgency MTN’s corporate service executive, Graham de Vries, made this claim in a presentation at a Parliament meeting on Tuesday. The meeting discussed possible regulation for OTT services in South Africa. Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Telecommunications and Postal Services set up the meeting after the CEOs of MTN South Africa and Vodacom last year said that OTT services don’t contribute financially to local networks. After presentations from the likes of the executive director of Research ICT Africa Professor Alison Gillwald…
A single mother should not have to worry about having enough funds to pay for e-tolls at the end of the month, on top of everything else. This was one of the arguments that the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) put to Parliament on Tuesday. By Thulani Gqirana, NewsAgency Outa was presenting to Parliament’s transport committee on alternative mechanisms for financing e-tolls, as well as concerns over collection methods.Outa has been fighting the e-toll system in Gauteng for a number of years. Outa chairperson Wayne Duvenage said while they were not opposed to public and society paying for roads, the e-tolls…
AlphaCode, a collaborative club for next generation financial services entrepreneurs, has launched in Sandton. The pioneering hub provides a platform for members to engage and work alongside experienced entrepreneurs, technology investors and industry experts, resulting in accelerated growth and access to market. By Staff Writer It hosts an office space and clubhouse for entrepreneurs, an active online community and regular networking opportunities. The concept is modelled on the leading fintech development hub, Level 39 in London’s Canary Wharf, which has become a successful catalyst for emerging fintech players. Thanks to the weight of major industry players, AlphaCode has already signed…
For many years, New York City has been developing a “free” public Wi-Fi project. Called LinkNYC, it is an ambitious effort to bring wireless Internet access to all of the city’s residents. By Benjamin Dean This is the latest in a longstanding trend in which companies offer ostensibly free Internet-related products and services, such as social network access on Facebook, search and email from Google or the free Wi-Fi now commonly provided in cafes, shopping malls and airports. These free services, however, come at a cost. Use is free on the condition that the companies providing the service can collect, store…
The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) will brief Parliament’s portfolio committee on transport on Tuesday on alternative mechanisms for financing e-tolls. By Genevieve Quintal, NewsAgency Outa was asked to brief the committee on potential consequences of the planned e-toll regulatory amendments, concerns around toll collections, possible collusion in the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) and lack of court action against this behaviour. Outa has been fighting the e-toll system in Gauteng for a number of years. It all began when the Gauteng freeway improvement project (GFIP) was launched in 2007 and, after several court challenges to halt the project, e-tolls…
Controversial media personality, Gareth Cliff, will go head-to-head with M-Net on Tuesday when the litigants face off in the Johannesburg High Court. By Genevieve Quintal, NewsAgency Cliff will be fighting for his job as an Idols judge, which he lost after he waded into the race debate that exploded after Penny Sparrow called black beachgoers “monkeys”. He is suing M-Net for R25m and wants his job back on the reality singing show after being abruptly fired. Cliff is being represented by Economic Freedom Fighters national chairperson, Advocate Dali Mpofu. The founder of CliffCentral came under fire after he retweeted a poll…
South African credit bureau and software firm Inoxico is eyeing growth opportunities in Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) industry in the rest of the continent after security funding from a German-based financier DEG Group. By Gugu Lourie Inoxico, which sells commercial credit, counterparty & market intelligence data, has secured more than R8 million (€500 000) interest free loan from DEG to expand its services. The loan is repayable upon success of supported Inoxico’s activities. DEG, a subsidiary of KfW, is one of the largest European development finance institutions. When asked what would the loan from DEG be utilised for, Paul Ammer, spokesperson of Inoxico, said: “Inoxico is financing marketing…