Author: Staff Writer

Huawei unveiled its latest tablets, laptops, and earbuds at the Huawei Innovative Product Launch event themed “Creation of Beauty” in Dubai today. Among the new devices launched at the event were the HUAWEI FreeClip — a pair of fashionable earbuds with an open ear design, the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 13.2″ — Huawei’s largest tablet to date, a refreshed line up of the MateBook D 16 laptops, and the PaperMatte Edition of the popular MatePad Air. This latest product launch follows in the footsteps of the “Fashion Forward” event in October, which saw the unveiling of a new line up of wearable…

Humane, a clandestine startup formed by a formidable collective of former Apple personnel, led by co-founders Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, launches its mobile virtual netowk operator (MVNO) to offer wireless services for AI Pin.  Humane  has chosen Optiva’s full-stack BSS solution to help power the billing, network integration and value-added services for its users. Ai Pin’s seamless integration into daily routines will enable users to take the full power of AI everywhere, elevating your interactions with the world through its growing list of capabilities. With Ai Pin, Humane is defining a new class of devices to bring AI to…

The Anzisha Prize, the biggest award on the continent for very young entrepreneurs aged 15 to 22, has just announced the opening of applications for its upcoming funding cycle. This time, the focus is on green entrepreneurs who combine innovation and sustainability, and are passionate about making a positive impact on the environment. A green entrepreneur is an individual who identifies and develops business opportunities that address environmental challenges their communities face while also generating financial profits. They are driven by a passion for sustainability and a commitment to creating a positive impact. The category also covers a broad range…

Entersekt, the financial authentication company, today announced it has acquired the Modirum 3-D Secure software business from Modirum, a digital payment security provider for an undisclosed sum.Modirum is a leader in enabling authenticated, card-not-present payments with a history dating back 25 years. Modirum’s cloud-based 3-D Secure (3DS) technologies and services authenticate digital payment transactions globally in numerous payment systems, hundreds of issuers, and thousands of merchants, as well as enable 3DS transactions for hundreds of millions of cardholders. “Financial institutions are fighting to stay ahead of fraud threats, and are dependent on disparate, siloed authentication tools used for various banking…

The Consumer Goods and Services Ombud (CGSO) has issued an alert against eGadgets.co.za, an online retailer selling electronic goods, for failure to deliver goods that have been bought and paid for by online shoppers. Of the 32 consumer complaints lodged with the Ombuds office against eGadgets in the last 12 months, only 11 have been successfully resolved. Lee Soobrathi, Ombudsman for the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud, says that the supplier has ceased to cooperate with the CGSO, resulting in the office having to close 17 unresolved cases and referring the consumers to open new cases with the regulator. This is despite numerous attempts by the CGSO to engage with eGadgets to resolve the complaints. “When a supplier refuses to cooperate, the CGSO issues a Termination Notice, effectively closing the case, so that the consumer can escalate their concerns to the National Consumer Commission (NCC). This is because the NCC has powers of investigation and sanction, that we – as a mediation body – do not,” says Lee Soobrathi. According to the Ombudsman, eGadgets has consistently failed to fulfill customer orders within the stipulated timeframes, despite…

The last thing any South African wants this festive season is to have their celebrations interrupted by an unplanned power outage or a sudden escalation in load shedding. To ensure that we can enjoy energy security this festive season, Huawei is running a massive promotion on its all-in-one Power-M solution. The promotion, which has seen Huawei significantly reduce the price of the solution, also includes installation and financing (if necessary) through partnerships with Verteco and Absa respectively. The promotion also includes a hardware warranty as well as a six-month guarantee on installation through Verteco. Installation complies with the South African…

Fairbairn Consult, a leading financial advisory firm, and a member of the Old Mutual Group, launched its second Fairbairn Café at N1 City Mall on 1 December 2023.   This launch follows the success of the pioneering store in Kenilworth Centre which opened its doors earlier this year, marking a significant leap in the company’s mission to make financial advice accessible, approachable, and enjoyable for all. Nassief Mohamed, founder and owner of the first two Fairbairn Cafés, says his vision was inspired by the communities’ need for accessible, professional financial advisory services in a unique, relaxed setting. Mohamed says, “Customers…

Telkom is expanding its network of consumer touchpoints with the roll-out of a T-Connect electric vans, providing a range of services across South Africa, in a disruptive retail innovation. As part of the Telkom commitment to constantly improving customer engagement within communities, this festive season will see the deployment of six Telkom T-Connect vans. These vehicles will bring digital services to events, beachfronts, office parks and gated communities in Gauteng, Western Cape and KwaZulu Natal. Locally manufactured by South African company MellowVans, the electric vehicles are driven by previously unemployed youths who earn commissions from sales and sign-ups. All drivers…

Khoi Tech’s ground-breaking Afriwatch1 smartwatch is now available online and at selected Telkom stores.  Khoi Tech – an innovative,100% BEE, Soweto-based company – created the Khoi Afriwatch1 health and fitness smartwatch in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. They pitched their concept to Telkom, who were thrilled by the potential and provided R500,000.00 grant through their FutureMakers programme. Through dedicated research, development and clinical trials with leading Soweto healthcare provider, Vilakazi Health Care, Khoi Tech refined the technology achieving an incredible 94% accuracy on average for vital health data. The Khoi Afriwatch1 smartwatch offers users real-time information on key health metrics…

Proparco, the French development finance institution, and 27four, a South African investment manager, led R550m investment in Divercity Urban Property Group alongside reinvestment from its existing shareholders. The investment is intended to fund portfolio growth and balance sheet optimization. “This significant investment in Divercity will enable us to develop over 2,500 new apartments,” Carel Kleynhans, CEO of Divercity, said:. “This helps us to demonstrate the impact and commercial viability of this economically-productive, sustainable and fundamentally empowering urban development model.” The majority of affordable housing in South Africa is located at the urban periphery, far from economic opportunities and essential amenities.…