Happy New Year! January 2019 is halfway through, however the industry is already buzzing. During the course of the week Microsoft unveiled some of the new date release of its data centres.
The CES 2019 also took place from the 8 – 11 January, the conference brought the latest tech from major brands including Intel, LG, Samsung, Sony and others. This week, also brought us top trends in retail, electronics, blockchain and technology.
Here is a round up of some of the top stories of the week.
South African startup secures additional $1.85 million funding
WhereIsMyTransport has received an investment of USD 1.85 million from Liil Ventures and Goodwell Investments as part of its Series A funding round. The investment has been secured as the company expands its digital mapping of formal and informally run public transport networks into new emerging markets, including its first data collection projects in India and Latin America. Read more.
South Africa adopts blockchain technology
The Blockchain dream is one of secure, seamless , transparent, trusted and convenient transactions. But adoption remains quite sluggish – with precious few real-world transformational examples of the technology. How do we boost widespread adoption of blockchain? Read more.
Microsoft reschedules launch of South African data centres
In May 2017, Microsoft announced plans to launch two data centres in South Africa. Located in Johannesburg and Cape Town, these see the company targeting cloud services growth on the continent. These data centres are expected to deliver the Microsoft Cloud, including Microsoft Azure, Office 365, and Dynamics 365 to Africa, with initial availability in 2018. Read more.
SA gets its first biodegradable, 3D printed cup
Red Cup Village, a Cape Town-based lifestyle brand, will be launching its first biodegradable design patent cup made from sugarcane & corn-starch in May of 2019. The company uses 3D printing technology to manufacture a unique drinking cup using a polylactide (PLA) filament, which is a biodegradable and bioactive thermoplastic aliphatic polyester derived from renewable resources such as sugarcane and corn-starch. Read more.
Top electronics trends for 2019
Intelligence of Things, 5G, smart clothes and sensors connected to IoT solutions. These are some of the trends that will grow stronger in 2019. Niklas Kvist, Head of Engineering at Swedish sensor manufacturer JonDeTech explains how and why. Technological trends coming up in 2019 may be more exciting than ever and we are facing a variety of breakthroughs in the coming year. Read more.
Top 5 IT trends that will redefine businesses in 2019
We are living in an era of unparalleled innovation. As new and emerging technologies continue to redefine IT and business, the pace of change and technological advancement is accelerating. Today, we are looking at a smarter, intelligent future driven by technologies such as cloud, artificial intelligence, blockchain, internet of things, and more. While the industry has already embarked on its digital transformation journey, businesses are yet to realize the full potential of these technologies and how they will shape the way we do business in the future. Read more.
CES 2019: Intel showcases new tech for next era of computing
At CES 2019, which is being held in Las Vegas, Nevada, Intel leaders – Gregory Bryant, senior vice president, Client Computing Group; Navin Shenoy, executive vice president, Data Center Group; and Professor Amnon Shashua, president and CEO of Mobileye, an Intel company – took to the stage to showcase the company’s commitment to continuously improve the computing and communications foundation that will advance the way we experience the world and expand human potential. Read more.
Pay for goods and services using Virgin Money app
With recent developments in consumer and trade focused financial technology, Virgin Money has joined the cashless trend in introducing an app that allows users to pay for goods and services. Virgin Money Spot, the digital peer-to-peer (P2P) payment app that allows users to send money to friends and family for free, has signed agreements with many leading businesses across the country where customers can now pay for goods and services directly using the app. Read more.
Gemalto secures IoT connection with all-in-one sim
Digital security company Gemalto, is helping simplify and secure IoT connectivity for AT&T customers by integrating its embedded SIM (eSIM) inside the Cinterion® LTE-M IoT module. The new solution streamlines development for OEMs and reduces the cost and complexity of IoT deployment by eliminating the need for SIM card integration after manufacturing. Read more.
Vodafone Ghana to rollout 4G in Q2
Vodafone Ghana has reached an agreement with the National Communications Authority (NCA) to rollout 4G for mobile services in Ghana in the second quarter of 2019. Following a successful financial negotiation with the NCA which cost around US$30million, Vodafone Ghana can now operate an LTE 4G spectrum frequency to boost user experience for its subscribers. Read more.
By Neo Sesinye
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