IT News Africa: Top Stories of the week

It’s been yet another insightful week in the world of IT.

This week brought us the launch of new app by Vodacom and internationally acclaimed rapper AKA. Google hosted Class 2 of the Google Launchpad Accelerator Africa programme in Johannesburg, South Africa and Africa’s young scientist initiative was rolled out by Eskom. IT News Africa also reviewed the highly anticipated Marvel’s Spider-Man game.

Here is a round up of the top stories of the week.

AKA launches app with Vodacom

Rapper AKA, real name Kiernan Forbes has entered into a new business venture in partnership with South African mobile service provider Vodacom. AKA’s Beam World App launched on Tuesday, 2 October 2018 and is set to document his life, career, family and also give fans a platform to interact with him. Read more.

Google Launchpad Accelerator Africa Class 2 comes to Johannesburg

On Wednesday, 03 October 2018, Google hosted Class 2 of the Google Launchpad Accelerator Africa programme in Johannesburg, South Africa. Google Launchpad Accelerator Africa Class 2 was officially announced and kicked off on 27 August in Lagos, Nigeria. Launchpad is a global mentoring programme that helps startups build and scale their products by matching them with the best of Google – its people, network, and advanced technologies. Read more.

How AI, machine learning boost cyber security

The last few years have seen a massive rise in the number of data breaches affecting major organisations. Alongside this, security challenges are changing fast. Pimply hackers in basements have morphed into sophisticated criminal networks, and viruses have turned into advanced persistent threats. The attack surface and number of entry points have proliferated exponentially. Security incidents are now an inevitability, and focus has turned from trying to prevent breaches to identifying and remediating attacks as fast as possible to limit the fallout. Read more.

Meet Africa’s top young scientists at the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists

Hundreds of young scientists from across Africa have descended on the Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre located in Boksburg, South Africa to compete in the 38th annual Eskom Expo for Young Scientists International Science Fair (ISF). More than 500 of Africa’s top future engineers, chemists, physicists, mathematicians and innovators will be competing at the country’s largest school-level science fair for a chance to take home prizes worth more than R8.5 million. This one of a kind event does not only bring together the brightest young scientists from across South Africa, but also from Lesotho, Namibia, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Tanzania and Mexico. Read more.

Android 9 Pie now available on Nokia 7 Plus

HMD Global has announced the rollout of Android 9 Pie on the Nokia 7 Plus. Packed with Google’s intuitive software, and only the most essential apps loaded, the Nokia 7 Plus serves Android 9 Pie with no bloatware, skins UI changes or hidden processes eating up your battery life. This upgrade builds upon the strong features of Android 8.0 Oreo, and focuses on a more tailored experience with emphasis on AI, machine learning and digital well-being. The Nokia 7 Plus powered by Android 9 Pie creates the most efficient Nokia smartphone yet. Read more.

World’s first artificially conceived lion cubs born in South Africa

A lioness at the Ukutula Conservation Center and Biobank in South Africa’s North West province has given birth to two cubs conceived via non-surgical artificial insemination, using fresh semen from an adult male lion at the same facility, in a world first achievement, the University of Pretoria (UP) has said. The UP said the birth resulted from a research study by a team of scientists from the university on the reproductive physiology of the female African lion and the development of artificial insemination (AI) protocols for this species, which could be used as a baseline for other endangered large wild felids. Read more.

South African fintech launches app to send Bitcoin cash

On Tuesday, October 2 Centbee announced the beta launch of a Bitcoin cash wallet that allows users to send Bitcoin cash to friends. The app has been in alpha testing for several months and users confirm its most useful feature is the ability to send Bitcoin cash to friends by selecting from their phone’s contacts list. Read more.

Kenya wins bid to host 2020 International Open Data Conference

The 6th International Open Data Conference (IODC) will be held in Africa for the first time, in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2020. The Announcement was made at the closing ceremony of the 5th IODC 2018 held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from September 27 – 28, 2018 under the theme “The Future is Open.” This year’s IODC was organised by the Government of Argentina, the World Bank, IDRC and OD4D with the support of Google, amongst others. Read more.

Marvel’s Spider-Man Review

Developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Marvel’s Spider-Man swings onto console as a PlayStation 4 exclusive… And to give it early praise, it’s one of the best exclusives I have had the opportunity of playing during the course of 2018. Marvel’s Spider-Man follows the story of an alternate Peter Parker who has not only been Spider-Man for over 8-years, but is also a scientist working hand-in-hand with Dr. Otto Octavius on advanced prosthetic limbs. Read more.

WATCH: Lenovo debuts foldable phone

Smartphone manufacturers including, Apple, Huawei and Samsung have been rumoured to be working on a foldable phone but apart from prototypes and reports, there is nothing much to go on. However, it seems that Lenovo could be the first company to launch a foldable smartphone. Read more.

By Neo Sesinye
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