African Technology News, Startups, Mobile and Social Media

Page 608

Wed, October 10th, 10:06 · Tefo Mohapi

Vodacom today launched 4G LTE service in SA, open for business

Vodacom’s LTE service, popularly known as 4G, had been officially switched on and is open for business, according to Vodacom Group CEO Shameel Joosub. → Read more
Wed, October 10th, 09:46 · HumanIPO

The Google Trilogy, Part 2 : Privacy

In part two of a three part series on Google and the issues which surround its domination of the tech space, HumanIPO looks at the privacy issues that have dogged the tech giant and asks whether a business or individual’s data is really safe with the company. → Read more
Wed, October 10th, 09:32 · Tefo Mohapi

‘FIFA 13’ sells 4.5 million copies in record 5 days, largest game launch ever

"FIFA 13”, the world famous football game featuring two South African football teams -- Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates -- sold over 4.5 million games across all platforms worldwide in just five days following its launch, Electronic Arts Inc (EA), the makers of the game, last week announced. → Read more
Wed, October 10th, 08:38 · HumanIPO

Website directory for firms in Kenya launched

Kenyan web design company Sokoletu Creative Limited has launched an online listing of Kenyan websites which it says will cut down on the time users search a business website using the universal resource locator (URL). → Read more
Wed, October 10th, 08:20 · HumanIPO

Mimiboards now on Nigeria’s LAGbook

Nigeria's fastest growing social networking site LAGbook has partnered with Umuntu Media, a South Africa-based developer of virtual noticeboards, to enable its more than 460,000 registered users to enjoy the noticeboards to share local content. → Read more
Wed, October 10th, 08:19 · Tom Jackson

CCK: Kenya’s mobile and Internet penetration continues to rise

The latest statistics released by the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) have shown that mobile and Internet penetration in the country increased again between March 30 and June 30 this year, growing by 1.7 percent and 19.2 percent respectively. → Read more
Wed, October 10th, 08:15 · Dan Sudi

KU’s innovation hub will produce job creators, not seekers

Kenyatta University (KU) through its business incubation hub, the Chandaria Business Innovation and Incubation Centre (CBIIC), seeks to change students’ perception from that of being job seekers to job creators, a college official said yesterday. → Read more
Wed, October 10th, 07:00 · Gythan Munga

OPINION: Monopoly, not censorship, main threat to Ethiopia telecoms market

The Ethiopian government has been attacked from all sides in the last few months, with shouts of “Ethiopia bans Skype!” from activists and reporters. As it turned out, Ethiopia had not banned Skype or any other service, but was merely looking to crack down on misuse of such services by fraudulent businesses. The real issue for debate here is how the government continues to miss the dangerous lack of competition that continues to hinder the sector. → Read more
Wed, October 10th, 06:57 · Robert K'Odingo

Telecoms underpay for content, say musicians

Musicians and content developers in Africa have accused mobile service providers of taking the lion’s share - between 70 and 80 percent - of the revenues generated from ringtones and mobile apps. → Read more
Wed, October 10th, 04:06 · Paul Adepoju

Boko Haram terrorists blamed for telecoms’ slack performance in 3rd quarter

A review of the Nigerian communications industry for the third quarter of 2012 presented by Nigeria’s minister for communications technology Omobola Johnson showed the sector suffered major setbacks, attributed to the impact of Boko Haram terrorists. → Read more
Tue, October 9th, 13:53 · Elly Okutoyi

‘Kenyans on Twitter’ take online demonstrations to the streets

The online protest group Kenyans On Twitter (KOT) took their demonstrations to the streets for the first time today as they expressed their anger over the move by Kenyan MPs to award themselves hefty send-off packages ahead of the country’s general elections next year. → Read more
Tue, October 9th, 13:49 · Vincent Matinde

Innovation Prize Awards 2013 prize money announced

The Innovation Prize Award for Africa (IPA), aimed at discovering market-oriented applications to solve some Africa’s many problems, will in next year’s challenge award the winners total prize money of US$150,000. → Read more
Tue, October 9th, 13:45 · Paul Adepoju

MasterCard unveils first partnership with Nigeria’s top retailer

In line with the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), a directive aimed at reducing cash transactions in Nigeria, global electronic payment leader MasterCard Worldwide has announced its first partnership with indigenous Nigerian retailers. → Read more
Tue, October 9th, 13:06 · Tefo Mohapi

Amazon to hire 600+ developers and support staff for Cape Town office

Amazon.com last month said it is looking hire up to 611 workers for its South African office in Cape Town, as it looks forward to expanding its presence across Africa. → Read more
Tue, October 9th, 12:36 · Vincent Matinde

Women in Tech: Missing in Action

Women’s participation is evident in all major sectors of the economy except in technology, where they are still very much in the minority, with reports showing that many shy away from applied sciences and instead opt for careers in public relations or administration. → Read more
Tue, October 9th, 12:10 · HumanIPO

The Google Trilogy, Part 1 : Reliance

In the first of a three part series, HumanIPO looks at the implications for society of the immense power wielded by technology giant Google, and asks whether it is healthy or safe for one firm to have so much dominance. → Read more
Tue, October 9th, 11:56 · Gythan Munga

Focus on Naspers CEO Koos Bekker

Koos Bekker, CEO of Naspers and one of the richest men in South Africa, compares his love of doing business to eating prawns. The quirky billionaire’s nonchalant attitude, however, detracts from a career brimming with astute business acumen in which he has transformed the African media business sector. → Read more
Tue, October 9th, 11:56 · Robert K'Odingo

E-ticketing hailed for record gate collection at a Nairobi trade fair

Officials from Kenya’s Nairobi International Trade Fair have attributed the huge gate collection of an estimated KSh100 million ($1.2 million) to an e-ticketing system. → Read more
Tue, October 9th, 09:32 · Tom Jackson

Ndemo criticises politicians over use of frequencies

Dr. Bitange Ndemo, permanent secretary in Kenya’s Ministry of Information and Communications, has hit out at politicians for not effectively utilising broadcasting frequencies, and called for creative investors to be given access to ineffectively utilised frequencies. → Read more
Tue, October 9th, 08:29 · Tom Jackson

Uganda to switch off fake phones, 30% of gadgets fake

The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) is to follow Kenya’s lead and switch off counterfeit phone handsets at the end of next month, with a study indicating that around 30 percent of mobile phones on the market are fake. → Read more