In just a few short days we will be heading into October 2014. With winter now passed things are definitely starting to heat up – especially on the tech scene. Apple recently launched the iPhone 6 and with it came iOS 8. While the Apple saw a relatively smooth launch with its latest handset’s it has however pulled the latest software update, which came in the form of iOS 8.0.1.
If you haven’t heard already, TomTom Telematics has sponsored the Sasol Solar Challenge. The teams will travel through Kroonstad, Bloemfontein, Colesberg, Graaf-Reinet, Port Elizabeth, Knysna and Swellendam throughout the race. It is expected that the top teams will reach a total of 6,000 km, covering at least 700 km a day on average.
Also gracing the headlines this week was BlackBerry. BlackBerry has revealed that the BlackBerry Passport will be making its way to South Africa. The team at IT News Africa hopes you have an absolutely splendid weekend. Feel free to scroll down and check out all the top stories for the week.
News
TomTom Telematics Sponsor the Sasol Solar Challenge
TomTom Telematics, a leading supplier of Telematics Software as a Service is proud to support the Sasol Solar Challenge, which starts on 27th September 2014 in Pretoria and finishes 8 days later in Cape Town. Read More.
Apple pulls iOS 8.0.1 update due to multiple issues
Reports have been flooding in that Apple has now officially pulled its iOS 8.0.1 firmware update. Among dropped calls users have been plagued by a glitch that ultimately causes the Touch ID to fail on new devices. Read More.
BlackBerry Passport coming to South Africa
BlackBerry is in the process of rolling out its new qwerty keyboard smartphone, the BlackBerry Passport. According to the company, the device should be available before the end of 2014 in South Africa. The device features a 4.5-inch square touch screen, touch-enabled keyboard and has a 3450 mAh battery. Read More.
Ghana: NCA to regulate telecom promotions
Ghana’s National Communication Authority (NCA) has drafted guidelines in order to regulate promos as well as packaged services offered by telco operators in Ghana. According to reports, copies of the drafted guidelines have already been submitted to operators in the country in order to obtain their input as well as comments before it has been finalised for implementation. Read More.
WhatsApp preferred by Nigerian professionals
According to a recent study, the WhatsApp messaging service has been noted as the preferred social media platform among Nigerian Professionals. This is according to a survey conducted by Nigeria’s social innovation centre, Co-creation Hub. Read More.
Nigeria: Online businesses fueling economy
The Managing Director of online hotel booking platform Jovago, Marek Zmyslowski, at the ongoing 3rd EU-Nigeria Business Forum has stated that online businesses have contributed to the growth of the Nigerian economy. Read More.
RingCredible app slashes African calls by 50%
Due to ease of use, a clear proposition and unbeatable rates, phone app RingCredible is rapidly conquering the international call market. After the earlier acquisition in May in Hong Kong of Yeloworld, RingCredible has now acquired African Jabbaworld. Read More.
Opinions
SA devs ready to compete with best on global stage
“South African tech companies have all the skills and experience to hold their own against the best on the international stage. Traditionally we have been held back by a pervasive mindset that we simply don’t match up to the global players. However, this is changing fast, and the growing confidence of local IT service providers is setting us up for great things in future.” Read More.
Growth of cloud in SA fuels the need for appropriate storage
Massive data growth and an increasing trend toward virtualisation technology are having a profound impact on the modern organisation. The data centre, as well as cloud services and solutions both public and private, are becoming increasingly important to the survival and sustainability of a business. Read More.
Top Feature
The market of tablets now looking towards Africa
In 2013, the global market of tablets experienced a slight slowdown. Previously, this market showed spectacular growth these last few years. The analysts now fear that the stagnation will come due to a saturated market in developed countries; therefore, manufacturers are going to face an important evolution of the market in 2014, in particular through the transition towards emerging markets and especially Africa. Our focus is on this new landscape with the example of MySimax, a startup company, looking at the delivery of tablets and application for the emerging markets in Africa. Read More.
In Pictures: A look at Huawei’s Headquarters in Shenzhen China
IT News Africa recently attended the 2014 Huawei Cloud Congress (HCC), which was held at the Shanghai Expo centre. The expo gathers over 10,000 customers, partners and industry professionals from more than 80 countries and regions around the world to share insights and promote dialogue on industry trends and topics around cloud computing and Big Data. Participants at the two-day event heard from 66 of Huawei’s partners and industry leaders at the event, including: Intel, Seagate and SAP. Read More.
Gadgets and Gaming
Xbox One launches in South Africa
With the Xbox One originally launching on November 22 2013, the time has finally arrived where Microsoft’s, once controversial, next-gen console has finally arrived in local retail stores across South Africa. Read More.
Sony counters Xbox One launch in SA
Ster Kinekor Entertainment has countered the launch of Microsoft’s Xbox One console in South Africa by introducing two new exclusive deals. The company revealed that as of this week consumers can now purchase a PlayStation 4 for R6,299.99 as well as receive a copy of The Last of Us Remastered for free. The offer is expected to end on Sunday 5 October, 2014. Read More.
Review: The Sims 4
Over the past few weeks I have found myself playing The Sims 4 quite often, not to the point of obsession, but more to the point of enjoyment. While past releases were slightly mediocre, EA Maxis and The Sims Studio have finally given me quite a few reasons to venture back into the world of The Sims. Read More.
Darryl Linington
