Author: Gugu Lourie
MTN will be ranging the much-awaited Huawei P9 and P9 Lite LTE smartphone, for both prepaid and post-paid customers. The Huawei P9 is the world’s first co-engineered Leica dual-camera smartphone that boasts an 8MP front facing camera for crystal clear selfies, and a stunning 5.2-inch 1080p display. The device comes in a storage capacity of 32GB with expandable memory, is powered by a new Kirin 955 2.5GHz 64-bit ARM-based processor, and its 3000mAh high-density battery offers outstanding mobility and greater battery life. In addition, the P9 boasts an enhanced fingerprint sensor which gives users added security and easy access to…
ShowMax, the internet TV service launched in August 2015, will now be available on connected DStv Explora decoders. This is the fourth new viewing option introduced over the past four months and extends access to subscription video services to an even wider audience. In particular, these new viewing options make it easy for people with a standard (non-smart) big screen TV to watch ShowMax. “In South Africa, interest in internet TV is entering a new phase. In addition to early adopters, we’re now seeing a more mainstream customer base wanting to try the service out. For Explora owners this is…
VAST Networks, open access Wi-Fi network provider, has partnered with the City of Cape Town to deploy Wi-Fi to all MyCiTi buses. The first stage of the project will involve ten buses across various routes, with commuters being able to enjoy 50MB of free data per day. “Our partnership with MyCiTi will deliver a fast and seamless Wi-Fi infrastructure to commuters, both local and international,” says Grant Marais, CEO for VAST Networks. “Wi-Fi connectivity is increasingly becoming part of our everyday lives; providing a reliable and safe way to connect to the web will go a long way in enhancing…
HP today unveiled its next generation DeskJet All-in-One (AiO) printer, the ideal device for the style savvy, always connected consumer. The reimagined HP DeskJet 3720 is half the size of other inkjet all-in-one printers in its class, yet combines robust print, scan and copy capabilities with easy mobile setup and features. “Consumers crave tiny, wireless devices that fit into their lifestyle and enable them to stay connected, social and productive wherever they may be,” said Sue Richards, general manager and vice president, HP Consumer Printing. “With its innovative design and intuitive mobile connectivity from virtually any device or social network,…
The term “artificial intelligence” (AI) was first used back in 1956 to describe the title of a workshop of scientists at Dartmouth, an Ivy League college in the United States. By Leon Sterling At that pioneering workshop, attendees discussed how computers would soon perform all human activities requiring intelligence, including playing chess and other games, composing great music and translating text from one language to another language. These pioneers were wildly optimistic, though their aspirations were unsurprising. Trying to build intelligent machines has long been a human preoccupation, both with calculating machines and in literature. Early computers from the 1940s were…
Would you rather a robot car that can drive you anywhere and at anytime, or a car that throws in the towel as soon as a storm hits or one that flat out refuses to take you anywhere at night? By Michael Milford No other challenge is bigger for the many Fortune 500 companies and start-ups battling to gain an edge in the self-driving car domain than developing an all-weather driverless car. The billions of dollars invested in research and development to date has merely served as the prequel. We have many robot cars that can drive well “most of the…
MTN’s share price went throught the roof this afternoon, on the back of of the announcement that the mobile phone operator has resolved the dispute over a $3.9 billion fine over unregistered customers in Nigeria. By Gugu Lourie By 13:13, the stock was up 16.8% at R144.51, giving the company a R229 billion market value. MTN Nigeria has agreed to pay an equivalent of R23.9 billion (Naira 330 billion over three years or $1.671 billion) at the official exchange rate or $902 million (R13.5 billion) at the Lagos Parallel Market Rate. Furthermore, MTN Nigeria has undertaken to take immediate steps to ensure the…
Africa’s largest mobile phone operator MTN and the Federal Government of Nigeria have reached an agreement over a $3.9 billion fine imposed by the country’s regulator. By Gugu Lourie MTN informed investors on Friday that the dispute has been resolved with the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN). MTN Nigeria has agreed to pay an equivalent of R23.9 billion (Naira 330 billion over three years or $1.671 billion) at the official exchange rate or $902 million (R13.5 billion) at the Lagos Parallel Market Rate. The mobile phone operator said the R3.8 billion (Naira 50 billion) paid in good faith and without prejudice by MTN…
Bad habits are hard to break. Temptation kicks in, and usually wins. A wearable device designed in the USA, Boston, and sold online is already being used by South Africans to zap bad habits such as overspending, nail-biting, smoking and unhealthy eating. By Gugu Lourie The device administer a mild electric shock to help users reduce cravings and permanently break bad habits. It uses vibration, beep, tap, and zap sensations to train your brain to dislike bad habits and prefer good ones. The device designer says the zap is an electric sensation that ranges from pleasant to slightly uncomfortable. It’s…
Governments need to build trust, especially during a time of heightened tensions around the threat of international terror attacks. By Chris Williams On Saturday June 4 2016 the United States embassy in Pretoria issued a warning to its citizens in South Africa that there was a heightened threat of terror attacks in the country’s upscale shopping malls in Johannesburg and Cape Town. The threat was tied to the jihadist group Islamic State’s appeal to its followers to undertake attacks on Western targets during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. For the next several days, skittish South African shoppers strode through…