IT News Africa: Top Stories of the Week

top tech news
Get all the latest tech related stories from IT News Africa. (Image Source: Darryl Linington)
top tech news
Get all the latest tech related stories from IT News Africa. (Image Source: Darryl Linington)

The IT sector has been buzzing this week. Not only has Facebook just launched Internet.org within Senegal, but we have also seem Africa boom when it comes to connectivity. This can be seen in a recent list, which showcases how many users in Africa connect to the internet.

Apart from internet connectivity, Nigeria has been revealed to have just over 145.4 million active phone lines within its borders. Also gracing the headlines this week was Microsoft. The software giant has officially revealed the release date for its next Operating System, Windows 10.

Be sure not to miss the upcoming CIO Roadmap 2015, which will feature cutting-edge demos, engaging keynotes, lively panel discussions, noted local and international speakers, along with an amazing technology exhibition area. Additionally, IT News Africa will be hosting its next Innovation Dinner at the Michelangelo Hotel in Sandton, Johannesburg – which will be held on the 15th of June 2015, and address the theme “Leveraging Video Surveillance for world class security.”

The team at IT News Africa hopes you have a wonderful weekend. The top stories of the week can be found below:

News

Facebook takes Internet.org to Senegal
Social media giant, Facebook, has revealed that it has now set its sight’s on Senegal – in order to launch Internet.org as well as more than a dozen free basic services within the country. Read More.

Tanzania: Millicom buys 85 percent stake in Zantel
According to a media statement issued by Millicom, it has agreed to buy an 85 percent stake in Tanzanian operator Zanzibar Telecom (Zantel) from the Etisalat Group. Read More.

Nigeria has over 145.4 million active phone lines
Nigeria now has just over 145.4 million active telephone lines. To add to the numbers, the country’s teledensity is at a rate of 103.9 per cent. This is according to statistics revealed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). Read More.

SAP launches Africa Code Week
SAP Africa has announced the launch of the inaugural Africa Code Week (ACW) with the go-live scheduled for October 2015. Read More.

Mobile Money operations ruled as illegal in Uganda
Mobile Money has become an extremely popular service within Africa; However, the service has taken a heavy blow and been declared illegal within the borders of Uganda. Read More.

Windows 10 to release in July 2015
Microsoft has revealed the release date for its latest Operating System, Windows 10. According to Microsoft, Windows 10 will be available beginning 29 July 2015 in 190 markets globally as a free upgrade to individuals running Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. Read More.

Uganda: Govt. plans to set up ICT Hub
The Ugandan ICT ministry has announced that it is establishing an innovation fund to assist young people to enter the ICT the sector. Read More.

Tunisia: New app helps citizens report environmental abuse
A new mobile application is being launched by the Tunisia government, which will allow citizens to report environmental abuses and violations. The mobile app comes as the government has launched a series of environmental initiatives aimed at educating and making people aware of the importance of the environment surrounding human life. Read More.

Opinions

Brand VS Price: What to consider when buying a Tablet
Mobility and always-on connectivity have become a big part of our everyday lives and as such, tablets are now regarded as essential, not only within the consumer space, but also in the business market. Tablets are small, convenient and connected, and allow users to stay in touch and entertained no matter where they are. Read More.

Top Feature

Mobile Roaming versus Wi-Fi Connectivity: What are the risks?
Whether you are travelling throughout Africa, or globally, you may be considering activating your mobile roaming services with your mobile operator of choice. Read More.

Top List

Africa’s Top 20 most connected countries by user numbers
Africa has always been viewed as a continent that isn’t very connected in terms of internet speeds and the number of users – compared to other parts of the world. However, the latest statistics say otherwise. Read More.

Top 10 most valuable global brands revealed
According to a survey conducted by millwardbrown.com Apple has now been listed as the world’s most powerful brand. According to the report, the device manufacturer reclaimed its title from search engine giant, Google. Read More.

Gadgets and Gaming

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Review
To say that the Witcher 3 is a typical Role-Playing-Game (RPG) is an understatement. The Witcher 3 is a genre re-defining game that has changed the expectations of gamers for years to come. For those who have never experienced a Witcher title, now is the time to play one of the greatest titles to grace the world of gaming. Read More.

Borderlands – The Handsome Collection Review
The Borderlands series is possibly one of the most colourful, crazy and hilarious game series to grace the First-Person Shooter genre. Since it inception in 2009, it’s spawned three titles which have provided gamers with hours of fun, humour and fast-paced action. Recently Borderlands: The Handsome Collection has been released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, which contains Borderlands 2 with all its released DLC. Read More.

Darryl Linington