Author: Gugu Lourie

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…