Bolt has introduced Bolt Send, a convenient service for sending small packages and gifts in Johannesburg North.
Launched just after their South Africa and Nigeria food delivery shutdowns, it operates through the Bolt app and accepts cash or card payments.
This strategic expansion leverages the success of Bolt’s ride-hailing platform and utilizes a fleet of Bajaj Qutes.
It creates additional earning opportunities for drivers while aiming to exceed user expectations with a reliable, on-demand delivery solution.
Using Bolt Send is simple: tap the parcel icon, enter pickup and delivery locations, choose Bolt Send, and confirm. You’ll be notified when the driver arrives and can then share journey details with the recipient.
“This leverages the popularity of Bajaj vehicles to offer a dedicated delivery solution, aligning with Bolt’s commitment to efficiency and innovation,” says Bolt Africa’s Public Relations Manager, Sandra Suzanne Buyole.
Ms Buyole further highlights that this initiative provides drivers with an extra income stream during challenging economic times.
Pricing and operation are based on distance and demand. Please note that Bolt does not offer insurance for lost, damaged, or stolen packages.
Parcels must be under 60x40x40cm and valued at R1,500 ($79.45) or less.
Egypt-based logistics startup Roboost, has closed a $3 million investment round, led by Silicon Badia, with contributions from RZM Investment, Flat6Labs, and Saudi Arabian angel investors.
Founded in 2018 by Mohamed Gessraha, Hassan Gessraha and Mohamed Ali Sadek, Roboost provides AI-powered delivery solutions in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Morocco, and Tunisia.
Hossam Shafick, investor at Silicon Badia, expressed enthusiasm about supporting Roboost, stating, “Our investment is a testament to our belief in the team’s vision and capabilities, and we are eager to support their journey towards regional and global success.”
The new investment will allow Roboost to expand its footprint across the Mena region as well as diversify its offerings by expanding into e-commerce and middle-mile solutions.
What sets Roboost apart is its innovative use of proprietary machine learning, introducing groundbreaking best practices that redefine the standards in delivery automation. The introduction of pre-delivery technology, precision auto-dispatching, and smart routes based on text addresses showcases the company’s commitment to efficiency. Approximately 70% of orders made offline benefit from this cutting-edge approach.
In addition to these features, Roboost ensures real-time dynamic fleet payroll, leverages customer insights from heat maps and analytics, and employs AI fleet control for advanced fraud detection. The platform’s comprehensive approach enhances customer satisfaction and streamlines operational efficiency.
With a vast network of over 15,000 delivery drivers and serving nearly 10 million unique customers, Roboost has automated an impressive 40 million orders. The impact is staggering – a doubling of delivery speed, a 99.8% task automation rate, an 80% reduction in order returns, and a 30% decrease in operational costs. Moreover, an increase in average driver productivity by 40% and fraud levels below 5% underscore Roboost’s commitment to excellence.
With a remarkable 400% year-over-year revenue growth, Roboost is poised for further success. The $3 million investment will play a pivotal role in extending this success story across the entire MENA region’s delivery market. Additionally, Roboost aims to diversify its offerings by expanding into e-commerce and middle-mile solutions, providing tailored automated solutions for businesses.
Mohamed Gessraha, CEO and Co-Founder of Roboost, highlighted the transformative potential of the investment, saying, “Our goal is to redefine what it means to have automated delivery operations by applying our technology to our customers’ most detailed workflows.”
As Roboost charts its course for the future, this investment signifies not only a financial
Paymob, the financial services enabler in the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan (MENA-P), has announced a partnership with Mastercard to accelerate digital payment acceptance across the MENA region.
The partnership will leverage Paymob’s payments infrastructure and Mastercard’s payments technology to scale the adoption of low-cost solutions among micro, small and medium-sized businesses (MSMEs) in key markets.
Islam Shawky, Co-founder and CEO of Paymob, said, “This strategic partnership with Mastercard delivers on Paymob’s mission to fuel MSMEs via access to cutting-edge financial solutions. Our joint acceleration of low-cost digital acceptance solutions will lead to greater adoption of digital payments across the region. We are dedicated to creating an environment that ensures MENA MSMEs are empowered to compete in a cashless society.”
The agreement includes the acceleration and enablement of Tap on Phone, e-commerce gateway and payment links solutions. The collaboration’s focus on low-cost solutions will fast-track mass adoption of digital acceptance among smaller businesses while addressing use cases previously not served by existing solutions.
Access to low-cost solutions supports Mastercard’s global goal of digitizing 50 million small businesses by 2025 and advances Paymob’s commitment to enabling MSMEs to thrive in the digital economy. MSMEs are the engines of economic growth and vital contributors to the GDP in MENA. Their digital enablement drives prosperity and fuels financial inclusion as the region advances toward a cashless economy.
Gaurang Shah, EVP of Products & Engineering, EEMEA at Mastercard, said, “At Mastercard, we are committed to developing fit-for-purpose solutions that enable MSMEs to pay and get paid securely. We are delighted to enter a collaboration with Paymob that builds on our complementary strengths to empower small businesses in the region to reap the full benefits of the thriving digital economy and maximize their participation in sustainable development.”
Mastercard leverages its extensive network, state-of-the-art technology and global partnerships to help MSMEs adapt to changing commercial environments and new spending patterns. The company serves as a trusted provider of innovative and affordable digital payment solutions tailored to the needs of small businesses, ideally positioning them to diversify and expand.
Paymob offers its merchants the most comprehensive acceptance suite in the market, positioning it as a growth partner to MSMEs.
The partnership with Mastercard follows Paymob’s rapid regional expansion, powered by its Series B funding of USD $50 million in 2022. Beyond Egypt, Paymob serves merchants in KSA, UAE, Oman and Pakistan.
InspiraFarms Cooling,a provider of advanced and sustainable cooling solutions, for high-value fresh produce across Africa has secured EUR 1M from The Foundation for Clean Energy and Energy Inclusion for Africa (CEI Africa) through a convertible note, alongside exisitng investors KawiSafi and Factor[e].
The investment comes after InspiraFarms Cooling raised its Series-B round in 2020 and signed an investment agreement with InfraCo Africa in 2023, to pilot its ‘Cooling-as-a-Service’ model.
Julian Mitchell, the CEO of InspiraFarms, said: “We are delighted to welcome CEI Africa on board as an investor in InspiraFarms Cooling. Their capital will enable us to continue our mission of making cooling solutions more accessible to agribusinesses of all sizes. Access to quality cooling is fundamental for clients to reduce post-harvest losses, and sell more, at better prices, with lower costs, bringing both economic and climate benefits. Moving forward, our focus will remain on designing, developing, installing, servicing, and financing energy-efficient cooling. This support from CEI and existing investors KawiSafi and Factor[E] reflects a shared commitment to sustainable impact within the fresh produce industry.”
InspiraFarms Cooling designs, develops, and installs efficient precooling and cold chain technology for fresh fruit and vegetables, flowers, and animal protein supply chains in Africa and other emerging markets. They provide agribusinesses of all sizes with cooling solutions to handle their perishable products. These cooling solutions significantly cut energy costs, reduce food losses extend shelf life, and help customers sell more, by bridging the gap in quality and standards missed by producers for entering various markets. InspiraFarms Cooling designs include tailor-made and standardised solutions, which are adapted for the right energy source, including solutions that can be 100% off-grid.
Only 5% of African fresh produce enters the cold chain, compared to Europe’s 94%. This difference in cold storage accessibility is a key factor leading to the loss of 30-50% of fresh produce across Africa. Additionally, without adequate cooling, many African producers and exporters miss out on high-value global markets with stringent export standards for food quality, size, and safety, all directly linked to cooling.
To help solve this, InspiraFarms Cooling prioritizes sustainable and efficient precooling and cold chain technology for agriproducts in Africa and other emerging markets. These solutions include cold rooms, precoolers, freezers, packhouses, slaughterhouses, long-term storage for potatoes, and temperature-controlled warehouses – all of which are renewable energy compatible.
At a socioeconomic level, cold storage solutions can generate high-quality rural jobs. At an environmental level, emissions from food losses, which span from farms to retailers, account for a significant 3.7% of all greenhouse gasses (GHG). Across Africa, 30-50% of produced food is lost after harvest and never reaches our tables, which positions food loss as the second-largest emitter of GHG on the continent. Beyond the reduced emissions from mitigated food loss, InspiraFarms Cooling designs its solutions with technology that allows up to 25% energy savings.
Having deployed hundreds of units across 15 countries, InspiraFarms continues to provide agribusinesses, exporters, third-party logistics, and food distributors with cooling solutions to handle their perishable products. Therefore, CEI Africa’s funding will be in support of InspiraFarms Cooling’s’ off-grid energy cold storage projects across the continent and is also linked to catalysing additional capital in the form of crowdfunding for energy-efficient cold chain infrastructure.
Steven Evers, Member of the Executive Board of CEI Africa, said: “Our investment in InspiraFarms Cooling, the first investment under the Crowdlending window of the Foundation, will not only support the growth of the off-grid energy cold-storage sector in sub-Saharan Africa and result in tangible impact for smallholder farmers but will also catalyze private retail investment into the sector through crowdfunding.”
The European Commission (EC) and the African Development Bank Group have unveiled a new Financial Framework Partnership Agreement to boost investments in infrastructure projects in Africa.
This landmark agreement opens a wide range of opportunities for both organisations to deliver new joint financing for infrastructure projects. For the EU, this would be in keeping with the priorities of the Global Gateway, its strategy to deliver sustainable and trusted connections with partner countries. Between 2021 and 2027, through the Africa-EU Global Gateway Investment Package, the EU will support the African continent with €150 billion worth of investments.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: “I’m very glad to launch a new era of cooperation with the African Development Bank Group. This agreement will empower us to support ambitious infrastructure projects across Africa under Global Gateway, Europe’s investment strategy for the world. Together we will build clean and competitive economies across the continent, promote skills, create jobs and opportunities, especially for Africa’s vibrant youth. I’m looking forward to the great projects we will work on together, as partners.”
The European Union’s contribution to co-finance operations with the African Development Bank has significantly increased over the last two years, now amounting to €972 million in blending operations and guarantees. This figure will further increase after the signing of the new Financial Framework Partnership Agreement.
President Adesina said: “The signing of this important Financial Framework Partnership Agreement marks the positive evolution of the relationship between Africa and the European Union. It will enable the African Development Bank Group and the European Commission to leverage on their respective resources to significantly support transformative investments in African countries and build resilient and sustainable economies. I am looking forward to scaling up our strong partnership with the European Commission and to making huge progress towards the achievement of the African Development Bank Group’s High 5 strategic priorities.”
This agreement will enable a series of investments in Sub-Saharan Africa in strategic transport corridors, in energy and digital connectivity. One of the main joint projects is the development of the “Lobito Corridor,” an innovative transport corridor that will enhance export possibilities for Zambia, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, to boost the circulation of goods and to promote the mobility of citizens. At the Global Gateway Forum in October 2023 the EU and the African Development Bank signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Global Partners to mobilise financing for the development of this corridor. Other partners include the host governments of Angola, DRC and Zambia, the US Government and the Africa Finance Corporation.
The European Commission and the African Development Bank Group have closely aligned strategic priorities and programming. A cooperation agreement signed in 2014 expired in April 2019. Negotiations for a new agreement began after the implementation of the European Commission’s new Financial Regulation in 2018. These negotiations also considered developments in both organisations, notably in new provisions regarding the African Development Bank Group’s compliance with EU Restrictive Measures.
Infinix has announced the new Smart 8 Pro, it builds on the standard Smart 8 launched last year.
The new Infinix Smart 8 Pro comes a 6.6 inch screen with 90Hz refresh rate and a HD+ LCD which comes with a Dynamic Island-like Magic Ring with an 8MP selfie in it . The rear has 50MP main camera.
It is powered by a Helio G36 SoC with two RAM options – 4GB/8GB – and storage choice of 64GB/128GB plus support for further expansion via a microSD card.
Software pre-installed is Android 13 Go overlaid by XOS 13 custom Infinix skin. Baked in it is an interesting feature that lets you call people on WhatsApp without adding their numbers. However, this feature will arrive through an OTA.
A 5,000 mAh battery is embedded and can charge at 10W speeds. Other hardware highlights include a USB-C, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, and DTS sound processing with a 200% Super Volume.
Customers will have a choice between Timber Black, Shiny Gold, Galaxy White, and Rainbow Blue colors. Infinix hasn’t revealed its pricing and availability but it is expected to be around the $100 mark.
Samsung Galaxy S24‘s AI features will reportedly by powered by Chinese search giant Baidu instead of Google as Samsung moves to consolidate its market positioning in China, where it only holds 2% market share in 2023.
Google’s Gemini Pro handles Samsung Galaxy S24’s AI features such translation, summarization and generation functions but in China, the features will be powered by “Ernie” Baidu’s AI model.
The head of Samsung’s mobile division, TM Roh told reporters last week that Samsung is working on products that fit the Chinese market.
“We are making efforts to reach Chinese consumers with products that fit the China market, through software optimisation that fits the China market, and I think the results are coming out little by little.”
Samsung Galaxy S24 in China will include other features like its global models such as Circle to Search, Translate, Summarize among others. Google’s Gemini Pro is already used on the Pixel 8 Pro and powers new features like Summarize in the Recorder app and rolling out in Smart Reply in Gboard, starting with WhatsApp, Line and KakaoTalk and is also in its Search, Ads, Chrome and Duet AI. Gemini in Search is said to make Search Generative Experience (SGE) faster for users, with a 40% reduction in latency in English in the U.S., alongside improvements in quality.
Ernie users in China will be able to circle to search, translate and summarise texts, as well as transcribe speech in multiple languages via the Note Assistant function as well as do real-time call translation, transcription helper, among others.
Google’s Gemini can generalize and seamlessly understand, operate across, and combine different types of information including text, code, images, and video and users can take advantage of summarization feature across Notes, Voice Recorder, and Keyboard. Gemini Pro on Vertex AI provides Samsung with critical Google Cloud features, including security, safety, privacy, and data compliance.
Galaxy S24 series users can also immediately benefit from Imagen 2, Google’s most advanced text-to-image diffusion technology from Google DeepMind to date. With Imagen 2 on Vertex AI Samsung can bring safe and intuitive photo-editing capabilities into the users’ hands. These features can be found in Generative Edit2 in S24’s Gallery application.
“Together with Samsung, Google Cloud sees the tremendous opportunity for generative AI to create meaningful mobile experiences that stimulate and strengthen connection and communication for millions,” said Thomas Kurian, CEO, Google Cloud. “With Gemini, Samsung’s developers can leverage Google Cloud’s world-class infrastructure, cutting-edge performance, and flexibility to deliver safe, reliable, and engaging generative AI powered applications on Samsung smartphone devices.”
Carry1st is the inaugural investment out of Sony Innovation Fund: Africa, which was established by Sony as an initiative to support the growth of entertainment businesses in Africa.
“We are thrilled to join forces with Sony Innovation Fund: Africa,” said Cordel Robbin-Coker, CEO and Co-founder of Carry1st. “The relationship will help Carry1st to drive the future of gaming in Africa. At Carry1st, we believe that the African console market is a massively underestimated opportunity. Our distinct regional capabilities, paired with Sony’s expertise in gaming and entertainment, creates a powerful combination. Together, we hope to bring the best games in the world to players across Africa.”
In February last year, Carry1st acquired a mobile board game, Gebeta in a deal targeted at driving up African culture to the peak of global recognition and accurate representation through gaming. Gebeta is a mobile board game built on the mancala games principles, but more engaging. Released in 2019, the game quickly gained high engagement and added to its quality visuals, it stood out from most others, winning the 2020 AppsAfrica Best App of the Year award.
Driven by rapidly increasing technology adoption, Africa’s gaming industry has over 200 million unique players and is set to reach a market size of over $1 billion in 2024, according to data from Newzoo and Carry1st. While there is limited formal console presence, Africa presents an incredible growth opportunity for this sector, particularly with the rise of live services.
Africa remains a big untapped market for Sony’s vertical business and especially the PlayStation. The Sony PlayStation with video game consoles and online games and magazines stand to gain a big African market and act as Sony’s point of contact on the continent.
“We are excited to welcome Carry1st as our first investment in Africa,” said Antonio Avitabile, Managing Director – EMEA, Sony Ventures Corporation. “We believe there is tremendous untapped potential for the gaming market in Africa, which we hope to experience and contribute to through our investment in Carry1st. We look forward to working closely with Carry1st’s world-class management team to support the company’s growth and explore potential business opportunities with Sony Group companies.”
The OPPO Reno11 Pro comes in two colours Pearl White and Rock Grey, inspired by nature. These colours are complimented by a lightweight 3D curved body with a 93% screen to body ratio and weighing a mere 181g that make the Reno11 Pro both a delight to see and to hold. As a Studio in Your Pocket, the Reno11 Pro brings you a flagship-level camera experience across the board, helping you transform even the smallest moments into lifelong memories.
The Ultra-Clear Portrait Camera System features two cameras with flagship sensors — the IMX709 on the 32MP Ultra-Clear Selfie Camera and the IMX890 on the 50MP Ultra-Clear Main Camera. The camera system comes with the incredible 32MP Telephoto Portrait Camera for professional-level portraits with ultra-realistic light and shadow effects, while enhanced AI Portrait Retouching features help to bring out the best in your natural beauty, so you can capture stunning portraits every time.
The 80W SUPERVOOC ensures faster charging for its large 4,600mAh battery paired with Battery Health Engine. The Reno11 Pro runs the powerful MediaTek Dimensity 8200 platform and a large memory and storage configuration 12GB + 512GB memory, and up to 12GB of RAM Expansion bringing you a guaranteed silky-smooth experience.
LinkBoost helps to improve connectivity to give you a smoother and more stable experience even in environments with poor network signal.
ColorOS 14 for Effortless Work and Play
The Reno11 series comes with ColorOS 14 based on Android 14 seeking to give exceptional experience, fusing beauty, security, productivity, reliability, and longevity.
With File Dock, easily save images, text or files for quick drag-and-drop access across your apps. Smart Touch captures images, text, and even text within images from a screenshot with ease. Finally, Smart Image Matting easily, quickly cuts out up to six subjects from a photo and saves the image in File Dock, so you can turn it into a sticker or share it directly with another app.
Pricing and Availability
The Reno11 Series is now available to purchase across OPPO stores country wide, OPPO Kenya Website and on e-commerce partners, Jumia, Kilimall at a recommended retail price of Ksh 85,999 for the Reno11 Pro 5G.
Customers who pre-order between 26th January -31st February 2024 for either the Reno11 5G or Reno11 Pro, will get a special OPPO branded gift box.
Key Specs of the OPPO Reno11 Pro 5G (CPH2607)
Colour: Pearl White | Rock Grey
Height: about 162.4mm
Width: about 74.1mm
Thickness: Rock Grey: about 7.59mm Pearl White: about 7.66mm
OfferZen, a South African tech talent marketplace has raised €4m in funding to fuel its growth and make a lot of product improvements over the coming months.
The €4m was from Invenfin and AI Capital. Invenfin partners include Peter van der Zee and Theo van den Berg (early Bolt investors) while AI Capital partners include Roger Grobler, a founder of multiple tech and insurance companies, Nic Kohler, the former CEO of Hollard insurance, Willem Roos, the founder of Outsurance and former CEO of Rain Telco and Michael Jordaan, the former CEO of FNB and founder of Montegray Capital.
In 2021, OfferZen raised €4.5 million ($5.07 million) in Series A from South African investment company Base Capital and the firm’s first round of funding since its launch in 2015 to fuel its European expansion.
Philip Joubert, co-founder of OfferZen
“I’m excited to announce that OfferZen has closed €4m in funding from some amazing investors. Here’s why we got funding and what’s next,” said Philip Joubert, co-founder and CEO. “We couldn’t be more excited to partner with investors that bring so much experience. Their support and capital investment will help us make a lot of product improvements over the coming months.”
OfferZen is also announcing new updates in both its leadership and its product. The firm is shifting from its fixed-fee unlimited hiring subscription, designed to ease the financial burden on tech companies to a more proactive recruitment platform putting the developers in the drivers wheel.
OfferZen is launching a new feature that allows developers to browse the jobs that companies are hiring for on OfferZen, see AI recommendations based on their preferences, and apply directly using their existing OfferZen profile. Companies will receive the highest-quality inbound applicants from any channel and, eventually, have those candidates pre-categorized with AI based on how well they match the job.
OfferZen CEO will also be stepping down.
“After being CEO for 3 years, I’ve officially handed over the reins to Matt Beck. Matt first joined OfferZen as the VP of Marketing in 2021 and has not only done a great job leading that team, but also levelling up the whole business for scale,” said Joubert. “Matt has been instrumental in levelling up our business for scale, loves our brand and has been a great champion of our values. I’m glad to be able to call him my new boss.”
Kiya.ai, an Indian fintech firm known for its AI-based omnichannel banking, core-banking tech, regtech, and metaverse solutions has expanded across the Middle East and Africa region after partnering with Arab Financial Services (AFS), MEA region’s digital payment solutions provider and fintech enabler
The two firms will enhance their products and services and expertise and new-age banking technologies such Core Banking, Digital Banking, Internet Banking, electronic Customer Onboarding (eCO) and Trade Finance solutions and years of experience to serve the new region.
According to Amit Sharma, President – Products, Kiya.ai, “We are delighted and proud to announce a partnership between Kiya.ai and Arab Financial Services (AFS), which expands our addressable market and opens new opportunities for growth in the Middle East and Africa regions. This strategic partnership is more than just a collaboration; it’s a catalyst for growth, efficiency, and excellence.”
Kiya.ai has worked with 110+ financial institutions across the MEA region. With this partnership, both entities aim to offer comprehensive banking suite solutions and on-board financial institutions from the 20 countries of the MEA region. Kiya.ai is known for there deep domain expertise in Financial Services, Core Banking, Digital Payments, Governance, Risk, and Compliance solutions.
Kiya.ai is headquartered in Mumbai and helps businesses transform through its advanced digital solutions and new-age technologies such as metaverse, multi-experience & omnichannel banking, artificial intelligence, intelligent automation, and data analytics. Kiya.ai serves 500+ enterprises in 58 countries across South-East Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and North America.
Samer Soliman, Chief Executive Officer, Arab Financial Services, said, “AFS is honoured to lead the technological transformation in pioneering the expansion of technology within the financial sector. We are committed to supporting our many banking clients and partners and always keeping them ahead of the region’s rapid digital progress. Our partnership with Kiya.ai adds value to AFS’s diverse digital payments production and solution portfolio. This further highlights our commitment to augmenting our bank clients’ offerings, and expanding our spectrum of customer-centric solutions. This collaboration strengthens our position as the leading provider of innovative digital payment solutions in the Middle East and Africa.”
AFS is the Middle East and Africa region’s leading digital payment solutions provider and fintech enabler. Regulated by The Central Bank of Bahrain, and majority-owned by Bank ABC, AFS boasts numerous ground-breaking end-to-end digital payment services and solutions. These span debit, credit, and Islamic card processing, merchant acquiring, fintech, and a suite of state-of-the-art value-added services. Providing the highest quality payment solutions that are trusted by businesses, AFS has offices and data centers in Bahrain, Egypt, Oman, and the UAE. Its dedication to innovation has positioned AFS as a driving market force delivering a rich portfolio of payment solutions including its Open Banking hub, popular digital mobile wallets, market-leading merchant acquiring services, Bahrain’s leading digital payroll solution, global contact centers and more.
Samsung Galaxy S24 series was launched recently with a host of new camera features. Luckily, some of these additions are trickling down to previous models. Samsung listed the features in the South Korea Community Forum, we can through the highlights.
Turn Motion Photos frames into 12MP images or long-exposure images.
With the One UI 6.1 update, older models will gain the ability to turn any frame of a Motion Photo into a 12MP still image using AI-based upscaling. This update will also let you create long-exposure versions of an image to make them look more realistic. However, the company noted that Motion Photos don’t work with Nightography mode turned on.
Continuity for Samsung Studio video editor
Samsung Studio, the built-in video editor app, will now enable you to start editing videos on one device (like your phone) and continue editing it on another Galaxy device (like a laptop or tablet).
Viewing HDR content from social media apps
HDR images/videos shot using social media apps can be viewed in HDR on your device. The feature has been earmarked for the Galaxy S23, Galaxy Z Flip 5, and Galaxy Z Fold 5.
Updated Single Take
Single Take camera mode has been updated to enable you to choose the camera you want to use either ultrawide, primary, 3x zoom, 5x zoom, or 10x zoom, before capturing images and videos. It also recognizes pets for better images and videos of them. The feature is said to come to the Galaxy S22, S23 and the Tab S9 lineup. It will also be rolled out in the Galaxy S23 FE, Galaxy Z Flip 4 & 5 and the Galaxy Z Fold 4 & 5.
Samsung didn’t specify which devices will get the first two features in the list above, we will have to wait for the upcoming One UI 6.1 update to know for sure.
IFC has announced a $20 million equity investment in the Africa50 Infrastructure Acceleration Fund (IAF Fund), which will invest in digital infrastructure, renewable power and energy, transportation, logistics, and water and sanitation projects.
The fund aims to invest in projects across Africa, where the private sector is playing an important role supporting infrastructure development. The fund’s focus on the digital infrastructure and energy sectors aligns closely with several World Bank Group initiatives and IFC’s strategy to support projects that deliver high development impact.
The fund’s first close secured $222.5 million in commitments, including from 16 African institutional investors. The fund’s final target close is $500 million.
We are thrilled to see such strong support from African institutional investors for the Africa50 Infrastructure Acceleration Fund,” said Alain Ebobissé, CEO of Africa50 Group “This achievement is a testament to the increasing role that African institutional investors are playing in financing the real economy and unlocking Africa’s potential. The Africa50-IAF is the first of a suite of new investment instruments that the Africa50 Group plans to raise as we seek to mobilize further private sector capital from Africa and globally into African infrastructure.”
“Investing in infrastructure is essential for Africa’s social and economic development. This partnership with IAF will help promote and mobilize much needed equity capital for projects that will have direct positive impacts on populations across Africa, including those that focus on climate mitigation,” said Sarvesh Suri, IFC Regional Industry Director for Infrastructure and Natural Resources, Africa.
Africa currently faces significant infrastructure challenges. According to Africa’s Pulse, a bi-annual World Bank publication, the continent lags behind in access to most types of infrastructure, including power, digital, roads, and water, impacting economic activity.
IFC’s investment in IAF is expected to help mobilize more private financing for the fund. This includes attracting support from institutional investors, development finance institutions, as well as local and regional banks.
Hatch Africa, a poultry business targeting underserved rural households, has raised $9.5 million investment with participation from AgDevCo and IDH Farmfit Fund to scale the business to millions more smallholder farmer households across Africa.
The investment was made into Flow Equity Africa Ventures (FEAV), the holding company for Hatch’s operations in Kenya, Ghana, and Cote d’Ivoire.
According to Hatch Africa Co-founder Joseph Shields, “We couldn’t achieve the scale of impact and commercial progress Hatch Africa is making without the support of committed, long-term investors like AgDevCo and IDH, who understand our markets and can provide flexible financing that suits our needs. We are excited about our next phase of growth, building Hatch Africa into a truly pan-African business.”
Founded in 2010, the company now reaches 4.6 million rural households in Ethiopia, Uganda, and Rwanda, where it operates under the brands EthioChicken and Uzima Chicken. In Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire, Hatch will operate under the brand Premier Poultry and Prestige Poultry respectively. Kenya will adopt the Uzima Chicken brand, which means “full of life” in Swahili.
Hatch Africa, which aims to make farmers healthier and wealthier by distributing dual-purpose breeds of day-old-chicks through a large network of agents, who rear the birds to maturity at around five weeks before selling them to smallholders. Hatch chickens are well-suited to being raised in “backyard” conditions and its customers typically own between 5 and 20 birds each. Compared to indigenous breeds, Hatch chickens grow faster, lay more eggs and are more resistant to disease.
“We are pleased to continue funding Hatch as it grows beyond Ethiopia. This is our third round of investment into the company, in each case supporting greenfield expansion,” said AgDevCo’s Managing Director for East Africa, Rebecca Sankar. “We look forward to working with the management team to deliver more impact, including higher incomes and improved nutrition for rural households, across East and West Africa.”
Over 85% of households in sub-Saharan Africa raise chickens at home, but struggle with low-yielding breeds and high mortality. Hatch Africa supplies small-scale producers with fully vaccinated, high-yielding, dual-purpose chickens that are tropically adapted, free-ranging, semi-scavenging, and thrive in village conditions.
Hatch Africa plans to grow its impact six-fold by 2030, increasing the number of chickens sold annually from 45 million to 340 million. The company’s vision is to reach every farmer and achieve one chicken per person per year in each country where it operates.
Hatch reaches an estimated 4.6m farmers annually with its products, creating more than $800m in additional profit each year for smallholder farmers. Hatch smallholder farmers earn an average of $190 of profit per year with a flock of 10 chickens, more than 3x the return of farming local chickens. Hatch has over 16,000 agents who earn an average of $1,600+ of profit per year, injecting a significant amount of money into rural communities.
“I am proud that the IDH FarmFit Fund provided debt funding to Hatch Africa, for expansion in Kenya, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire. Through its distinctive distribution structure, Hatch Africa ensures access for the rural population to high-quality dual-purpose chickens, where currently only low-yielding, local breeds are accessible. The transformational nature of this business makes this a very exciting investment for the Fund.”, said Mr. Roel Messie, CEO, IDH Investment Management, the manager of the IDH Farmfit Fund.
OPPO Reno11 5G also known as model CPH2599 has finally been launched in the Kenyan Market and is now available to purchase across OPPO stores country wide, OPPO Kenya Website and on e-commerce partners, Jumia, Kilimall at a recommended retail price of Ksh67,999 for the Reno11 5G and Ksh 85,999 for the Reno11 Pro 5G.
Customers who pre-order between 26th January -31st February 2024 for either the Reno11 5G or Reno11 Pro, will get a special OPPO branded gift box.
The OPPO Reno11 5G smartphone comes with Ultra-Clear Portrait Camera System, spearheaded by a 50MP Main Camera with OIS, the latest ColorOs14 based on android 14 to a day-long battery life and best-in-class charging speeds.
The Reno 11 comes in Wave Green and Rock Grey colors and has lightweight 3D curved body weighing just 181g and measuring 7.99mm and specially-designed camera decoration area with dual Sunshine Rings and features an Ultra-clear Portrait Camera System featuring a 50MP Ultra-Clear Main Camera, a 32MP Telephoto Portrait Camera, a 112° Ultra-wide-angle Camera.
For selfies it comes with a 32MP Ultra-Clear Selfie Camera to guarantee enhanced image quality in all kinds of lighting situations. OPPO Reno11 comes with a 67W SUPERVOOCTM Flash charge and an extra-large 5,000mAh battery and is powered by MediaTek Dimensity 7050 platform, the large 12GB + 256GB memory and storage configuration, and up to 12GB of RAM Expansion, all working together to keep the phone running as smoothly as possible.
Reno11 comes with LinkBoost enabling users to have stable and fast connections no matter where they are, and Dual Stereo Speakers with Ultra Volume Mode enhance your immersive entertainment experience while making sure you never miss a call.
ColorOS 14
The OPPO Reno11 series comes with ColorOS 14 based on Android 14 seeking to give exceptional experience, fusing beauty, security, productivity, reliability, and longevity.
With File Dock, easily save images, text or files for quick drag-and-drop access across your apps. Smart Touch captures images, text, and even text within images from a screenshot with ease. Finally, Smart Image Matting easily, quickly cuts out up to six subjects from a photo and saves the image in File Dock, so you can turn it into a sticker or share it directly with another app.
Below is a breakdown of the phone’s Key Specs
Height: about 162.4mm
Width: about 74.3mm
Thickness: Rock Grey: about 7.99mm Wave Green: about 8.04mm
Weight: about 182g
Memory:12GB + 256GB Phone Storage Card supported
USB OTG: Supported
Display: 6.7″
Screen Ratio: 93%
Resolution: FHD+ (2412×1080)
Refresh Rate: Maximum: 120Hz (60/90/120Hz)
Rear/ Main camera: 50MP; f/1.8; FOV 79°; 5P lens; AF; closed-loop focus motor; supporting OIS Wide: 8MP; f/2.2; FOV 112°; 5P lens; not supporting AF Telephoto: 32MP; f/2; FOV 49°; 6P lens; supporting AF
Front camera: 32MP; f/2.4; FOV 89°; 5P lens; not supporting AF; not supporting OIS
EIDU, a digital learning platform that brings world-class learning content and training to low- and middle-income countries, is rolling out a digital learning program targeting young learners in Bungoma County, after similar initiatives in Embu, Kiambu, Machakos, Makueni, Mombasa, Murang’a, and Nakuru counties.
The digital lesson plans’ content, developed in partnership with Kenyan teachers and schools, has been deployed to approximately 230,000 pre-primary learners across seven counties listed above. Now, the County Government of Bungoma has been the latest to deploy the tech-enabled learning solution in 36 Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) Centers. This is in line with the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform, Kenya Vision 2030, and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal Nr. 4 (Quality Education for All).
“We are pleased to partner with the County Government of Bungoma to bring digital learning to early childhood education and to help improve learning outcomes drastically. This initiative aligns with our commitment to making quality education accessible to all. We look forward to witnessing the positive impact this partnership will have in Bungoma,” said EIDU’s Managing Director, Dr. Max Dohna.
The EIDU platform can be deployed as a turn-key service for governments on a country-wide scale or as a modular system to support other educational interventions. For Schools, the EIDU platform can help them deliver their learning content more efficiently. The EIDU platform is fully integrated into the daily school timetable and is optimized to run on low-cost Android devices.
The classroom implementation model is flexible – from one device per classroom to one for every student. All content works offline-first and is sourced based on scientifically proven learning impact. The platform includes teacher content, digital personalized learning for students and regular assessments. All content works offline-first, with usage and learning data uploaded in real-time in areas with internet connectivity or via peer-to-peer data sharing amongst in-class devices and later uploaded to EIDU servers via devices of visiting government staff.
Content is sourced based on scientifically proven learning impact, provided by verified third party partners and integrated onto the platform.
About 3,233 learners in grades PP1 and PP2 will benefit from the enhanced learning experience offered by the digital learning program. In addition, 108 teachers will be trained on how to use smart teaching devices to plan and deliver highly engaging lessons in the classroom, supporting them in the implementation of the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC).
“Through this partnership, we are taking a proactive step towards modernizing our education system and ensuring that our students have access to the latest educational tools and resources,” said Bungoma County Executive Member for Education, Dr. David Wanyonyi Wamamili.
Learners and teachers use smartphone devices to access the EIDU School App equipped with Mathematics and Language content in line with the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) and approved by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD).
The digital learning program is expected to greatly improve learning outcomes. Independent research conducted by Edtech Hub shows that learners who enjoy the EIDU digital learning program are ahead by months compared to the others without the program. Additionally, the program is expected to foster equity in education, as its offline capabilities make it suitable for urban and rural areas.
Under the contract agreement, 108 smartphones will be provided to the classrooms in addition to comprehensive training and ongoing support to teachers and county government ECDE officers, thus ensuring a smooth transition to the integrated learning platform.
The program has also garnered support from parents and teachers with a study in other counties showing parental approval as high as 98% and teacher approval as high as 96%, with improved math and language skills cited as key benefits to learners.
EIDU’s digital tools also provide county officials with the capacity to monitor their education system, with relevant data on the classrooms that allows for decision making for a more efficient, impactful and inclusive educational environment.
Samsung Electronics and Corning Incorporated recently announced that Galaxy S24 Ultra devices will feature Corning’s new Corning® Gorilla® Armor cover material which offers an unparalleled combination of durability and visual clarity.
“Corning’s Gorilla® Glass, together with the Galaxy S series, have driven innovation and made significant progress towards achieving greater durability,” said Kwangjin Bae, EVP and Head of the Mechanical R&D Team, Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. “This partnership has made it possible for people to use our products with confidence and peace of mind.”
Corning® Gorilla® Armor is a different kind of smartphone cover material. Compared to a typical glass surface, Corning Gorilla Armor reduces reflection by up to 75%, which enhances display readability and minimizes screen reflections in almost any environment.
Gorilla Armor has superior durability when compared against competitive aluminosilicate cover glasses and has exceptional scratch resistance, shows no visible scratches and has over four times more scratch resistance than competitive aluminosilicate cover glasses. It also contains an average of 25% pre-consumer recycled content, as validated by UL Solutions.
“Gorilla Armor brings Corning’s research and engineering prowess together with Samsung’s consumer-centric design and focus on user experience,” said David Velasquez, vice president and general manager, Corning® Gorilla® Glass. “This latest innovation simultaneously addresses both the need for durability and our increasing need for better optics – bringing the mobile phone experience of the future into the present.”
The launch of Galaxy S24 Ultra phones with Gorilla Armor follows a celebratory year for Samsung and Corning. Last year marked 50 years of industry-leading partnership for the companies. Samsung and Corning first partnered in 1973 to make televisions more accessible to consumers in Korea.
Corning® Gorilla® Glass has been featured on countless Samsung devices, from some of the earliest Galaxy smartphones to the most recent, including the Galaxy S23 Series, Galaxy Z Fold5, and Galaxy Z Flip5, which all use Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® 2. Galaxy S24 Ultra devices with Gorilla Armor continues this longstanding relationship dedicated to creating world class innovations vital to the mobile consumer electronics industry.
Like a clogged attic, our Google accounts can easily become overloaded with unnecessary files over time that eat up precious storage space. As more of our personal and work lives shift to relying on Google services, from email and documents to photos and videos, learning how to effectively manage your Google storage is crucial.
Follow this comprehensive guide covering the ins and outs of expanding your Google space to its maximum potential. We’ll explore:
Step 1: Check how much storage space you are currently using
Open your Google Drive
Click on the coloured bar at the bottom of the left-hand column
This will show you how much total storage you have and how much you have free or used across Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos
Step 2: Empty your Gmail trash
In Gmail, open the left menu and click on “Trash”
Hover over conversations and click on the trash icon to permanently delete messages
Click “Empty Trash Now” to free up space
Step 3: Delete large Gmail attachments
In Gmail search bar, type “has:attachment larger_than:5M” (without quotes)
Sort by size to see largest files first
Open messages and permanently remove unneeded attachments
Step 4: Remove Google Drive duplicate files
In Drive, click on Tools > Find Duplicates
A review list of duplicate files surfaced
Delete copies no longer needed by checking boxes and clicking the trash icon
Step 5: Compress Google Documents & Folders
Right click on Folders and Files in Drive
Select “Compress” to create a compressed .zip file, which takes up less space
Step 6: Convert Google Docs to smaller file formats
Open Doc/Sheet/Slide and select File > Download As
Choose format like .txt or .jpeg that uses less storage than .docs
Step 7: Adjust Google Photos settings
In Photos, click on Settings > Recover Storage
Can choose option to deliver lower resolution versions of uploaded images
Step 8: Sync Google Drive files to your computer and delete copies from the cloud
Helps limit storage usage by only keeping essential files in Drive
Step 9: Leverage external cloud-sharing platforms
Use tools like Dropbox to share or backup extra files that do not need to be in the Google ecosystem
Following these steps should help you comprehensively identify and eliminate storage hogs! Let me know if any part needs more clarification.
During the recently concluded World Economic Forum in Davos, leaders from around the world gathered to delve into the opportunities and risks presented by artificial intelligence (AI).
Nick Clegg, President of Global Affairs at Meta, outlined the company’s responsible approach to AI development and its commitment to ensuring ethical use in this year’s elections.
In a statement, Mr Clegg expressed Meta’s belief that progress and vigilance can coexist in the realm of AI.
The company, which has been a pioneer in AI development for over a decade, emphasizes the potential benefits of AI technologies, from enhancing productivity to accelerating scientific research.
Mr Clegg stressed the importance of developing AI in a transparent and accountable manner, with built-in safeguards to mitigate potential risks.
Meta showcased real-world examples of AI progress, including collaborations with institutions like Yale, EPFL, New York University, and Carnegie Mellon University.
“These partnerships have yielded breakthroughs such as the creation of Meditron, an open-source Large Language Model tailored for medical use, and advancements in AI-driven medical research and renewable energy storage,” He noted.
A key aspect of Meta’s approach is its commitment to an open innovation model.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Meta, Mark Zuckerberg outlined the company’s long-term vision to build general intelligence, open-source it responsibly, and make it widely available for the benefit of everyone.
Meta has a history of sharing AI technologies openly, making tools like Llama 2, PyTorch, and Seamless available to the public and fostering collaborations with major tech companies.
The debate around open-source versus proprietary AI models has been ongoing, and Meta’s stance aligns with a growing trend favoring openness, as highlighted by the discussions at Davos.
Mr Clegg emphasized that an open approach promotes collaboration, scrutiny, and faster innovation, providing accountability by enabling external evaluation of AI models.
Addressing concerns about the misuse of AI tools during elections, “Meta is actively engaged in discussions with experts and is enforcing policies to combat misuse, regardless of whether content is generated by AI or people.”
Mr Clegg emphasized Meta’s collaboration with other companies, such as through the Partnership on AI, to develop industry standards and guardrails for responsible AI use.
The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) has announced the opening of applications for the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme (TEF2024), in a bid to empower and support the next generation of African entrepreneurs.
Aspiring business leaders from all 54 African countries are invited to apply for the chance to receive a non-returnable seed capital of $5,000 to turn their entrepreneurial dreams into reality.
The TEF Entrepreneurship Programme, renowned for its commitment to fostering innovation and economic growth across the continent, is open to individuals with scalable business ideas or businesses that are in their early stages (0 – 5 years).
The application deadline for TEF2024 is set for March 1, 2024.
Over the years, the Tony Elumelu Foundation has made significant strides in its mission to empower African entrepreneurs. With a focus on training, mentoring, and funding, the foundation has successfully supported 15,847 startups from 54 African countries, carefully selected from a staggering pool of over 800,000 applications.
One of the key components of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme is the provision of a non-returnable seed capital of $5,000, a financial boost that has proven instrumental in helping entrepreneurs kickstart their ventures. This seed capital, coupled with the foundation’s commitment to providing training and mentorship, aims to catalyze the growth of businesses and contribute to the overall economic development of the continent.
Noteworthy is the success story of the TEF Alumni, which now boasts over 1000 entrepreneurs making significant impacts across 57 countries. These alumni serve as a testament to the foundation’s dedication to nurturing and supporting businesses that have the potential to transform communities and contribute to the broader African economy.
For aspiring entrepreneurs looking to take their business ideas to the next level, the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme provides a unique opportunity to build capacity, connect with a network of over 1 million African entrepreneurs, and receive the necessary support to operationalize and scale their businesses.
Smile ID, a leader in digital identity verification across Africa, has reached a significant milestone: verifying 100 million identities on the continent.
This achievement coincides with the release of their first-ever “Digital Identity Fraud in Africa” report, offering a deep dive into the tactics and trends of fraudsters in the region.
The report paints a concerning picture, revealing a steady rise in identity fraud incidents over the past four years, with a sharp uptick in recent quarters.
This surge emphasizes the urgent need for businesses, particularly in finance, to fortify their defenses against increasingly sophisticated fraudsters.
The report delves into crucial aspects of financial fraud, including:
Shift in focus from new accounts to existing ones: Fraudsters are increasingly targeting existing accounts, highlighting the need for continuous monitoring and robust authentication.
Widespread National ID fraud: 80% of attacks target national identity documents, necessitating stronger verification methods.
Regional trends and industry insights: The report provides valuable data and analysis specific to different regions and industries.
Guide to building anti-fraud systems: Businesses can gain practical guidance on creating effective defenses.
AI and future developments: The report explores the evolving threat of AI-based fraud and upcoming trends in prevention.
Key findings include: Consistent rise in fraud rates across Africa, continuous increase in document and biometric fraud, growing focus on biometric fraud and concentration of attacks on national identity documents.
Smile ID’s report serves as a valuable tool for businesses and governments to combat fraud. The company’s commitment to this fight is further demonstrated by their strategic acquisitions and integration of diverse data sets for comprehensive analysis.
OPay, a Nigerian mobile money platform, has launched a suite of security features aimed at ensuring user’s fund are secure.
The company has launched the *955*131# USSD short code which allows users to instantly lock their OPay account in mobile when the phone is misplaced or stolen.
Mr. Dauda Gotring, managing director of OPay, said:“At OPay, Users’ financial security is our top priority. By combining comprehensive regulatory compliance, innovative security features, and ongoing user education, we are building a digital banking ecosystem where users can transact with confidence.
The *955*132# USSD code allows a user to lock OPay card with a single dial, adding another layer of protection, its advanced fraud detection system actively monitors suspicious activity. If a potential scam is identified, the system triggers an immediate double-confirmation alert before any transaction occurs.
This swift action can potentially save you from unauthorized transactions and ensure peace of mind.
This crucial pause empowers users to verify the recipient and transaction details, effectively catching scams in their tracks before any damage is done. It’s like having a vigilant financial guard protecting users in the digital marketplace.
Furthermore, user’s deposits are protected by the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), offering the same level of insurance coverage as traditional banks. This double layer of protection shields users hard-earned money against unforeseen circumstances.
Beyond regulatory safeguards, OPay has actively developed innovative features to empower users with direct control over their financial security.
OPay operates as a licensed Mobile Money Operator (MMO) by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), adhering to the highest regulatory standards.
OPay is actively committed to raising user awareness through regular SMS and in-app notifications. These reminders emphasize the importance of never disclosing your One-Time Password (OTP), as no OPay staff will ever request it. By empowering users with knowledge, OPay fosters a vigilant community against fraudulent activities.
Exciting news for Nairobi residents! You can now hop on a Uber Electric Boda, a fleet of eco-friendly electric motorcycles, for rides to and from the CBD, including package delivery.
Launched in Nairobi, Kenya in August 2023, Uber Electric Boda service was initially limited to the city’s outskirts. Now available in the CBD, the firm noted they are to provide a convenient and sustainable transportation option.
Customers can enjoy 15-20% lower fares compared to regular Uber Boda. The firm noted that it aims to be zero-emission by 2040, and Electric Boda contributes to this goal.
Also, these motorcycles are poised to deliver packaged conveniently. “Safely send and receive packages using Electric Boda.”
The firm entered into a partnership with Greenwheels Africa, the company that manages the fleet, charging stations, and rider support.
Uber plans to have 3,000 electric bikes planned, representing a fifth of Uber’s total Nairobi fleet. These motorcycles have swappable batteries with quick charging power that ensures minimal downtime for riders. The firm noted that plans are underway to have more charging stations for increased accessibility across the city.
For the drivers, Uber noted that they will reap numerous benefits, for instance a guaranteed monthly salary, mobile airtime, and data bundles.
Ready to try it? Open the Uber app and choose the Electric Boda option when booking your ride.
When Uber announced the start of Electric motorcycles in Kenya, dubbed as “One Electric,” the firm said it was a move to align with the global shift towards electric vehicles, a trend that has gained momentum in countries like the United Kingdom, where plans are underway to phase out internal combustion engine vehicles.
The director and regional general manager of Uber Middle East and Africa, Frans Hiemstra stated, “Now is the time to take solid steps that enhance sustainable practices, and as a business, we are committed to being part of the collective efforts to reduce the carbon footprint. Through the launch of Electric Boda on our platform, we are proud to provide an option for emissions-free mobility in Kenya. This launch also supports our global efforts to become a zero-emissions platform by 2040.”
Greenwheels Africa operates a few charging stations in Kenya, but they plan to expand to ten by the end of the year. Riders exchange depleted batteries for fully charged ones at Greenwheels Africa’s stations at a fee.
Imran Manji, Uber’s head of East Africa, explained that Uber electric Boda cyclists will be charged for the batteries based on their usage. Manji added, “If a rider wants to swap a battery that is at 40%, they will only pay for 60% of the charge at the station.” Although riders won’t own the electric bikes, there are plans to sell them to other Kenyan individuals. Greenwheels will lease the bikes for Uber services through a collaborative partnership involving the e-mobility company, Uber, and the riders.
In a significant milestone for the advancement of hydrogen fuel cell technology, General Motors (GM) and Honda have officially commenced production at their joint venture facility, FCSM.
This 50-50 collaboration marks the world’s first large-scale manufacturing venture dedicated to the production of fuel cells.
Established in Brownstown, Michigan, in January 2017, FCSM has been fueled by a joint investment of $85 million and has already generated 80 jobs at its 70,000-square-foot facility,” GM noted.
The state-of-the-art hydrogen power solutions manufactured at FCSM will be utilized across various product applications and business ventures by both GM and Honda.
FCSM President,Suheb Haq emphasized the historic nature of this achievement, stating, “This is a historic day for the industry as GM and Honda are the first full fuel cell system manufacturing joint venture to begin volume production of fuel cells for transportation and beyond.”
Mr Haq highlighted the commitment to creating high-quality, durable, and affordable hydrogen fuel cell systems for diverse applications and customers.
On his part, Tetsuo Suzuki, Vice President of FCSM, highlighted the collaborative strengths of Honda and GM, combining a mass production mindset with attention to detail and a focus on high quality.
“The joint efforts of both companies began in 2013, with engineers working on the co-development of the next-generation fuel cell system. Their collaboration not only improved fuel cell system performance but also doubled durability compared to the 2019 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell.To enhance cost-effectiveness, GM and Honda worked on economies of scale, advanced cell design, simplified auxiliary equipment, utilized common sourcing, and reduced the use of costly precious metals. As a result, the new fuel cell systems are one-third less expensive to manufacture than the 2019 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell system.”
GM also noted that FCSM has also prioritized quality and productivity, incorporating innovative methods for automating membrane-electrode-assembly production and fuel cell stack assembly. The joint venture brings together the expertise of both GM and Honda engineering teams, along with their relevant intellectual property, to create commercially viable hydrogen fuel cell systems for various zero-emissions propulsion and energy management applications.
Both GM and Honda express a shared belief in the increasing importance of hydrogen and fuel cell technology for meeting diverse zero-emissions energy and mobility needs. The companies have outlined their individual hydrogen business strategies to provide further insights into their commitment to advancing this transformative technology.
China’s leading electric vehicle manufacturer, Build Your Dreams (BYD), is gearing up for a significant expansion into Rwanda, building on its successful foray into Kenya two years ago.
This strategic move aligns seamlessly with Rwanda’s commitment to sustainable development and provides BYD with a valuable opportunity to extend its range of electric models in the African market.
Making the announcement through an animated tweet, BYD expressed its enthusiasm to lead in innovation and environmental responsibility in Rwanda, “The country’s dedication to sustainable growth complements BYD’s vision for a greener future, making it an ideal market for the introduction of BYD’s stylish electric models.
BYD, after a remarkable year in 2023, concluded with record-breaking sales volumes exceeding its annual target of 3 million units. This outstanding performance solidifies BYD’s position in the New Energy Vehicle (NEV) sector, propelling the company into the global top 10 in car sales for the first time, reports state.
In its home market of China, BYD maintained its dominance as the top-selling car brand and manufacturer. Notably, December 2023 sales reached an impressive 341,043 units, marking a remarkable 45% increase. The overall sales for the year totaled 3,024,417 vehicles, showcasing a significant 61.9% growth compared to the previous year.
BYD’s expansion into Rwanda is part of its broader strategy for global growth and export expansion. In 2023, the company witnessed a substantial increase in its presence in international markets, with exports surging by 334.2% to a total of 242,765 units. Currently, BYD has a presence in 70 countries across six continents, supported by its technological expertise and commitment to delivering efficient and environmentally friendly mobility solutions.
The company’s success in the African market is evident through its partnerships and ventures. BasiGo, an early adopter of electric transit services in East Africa, operates BYD buses and expanded its services to Rwanda in response to the country’s fleet shortage in July 2023. In Kenya, Associated Vehicle Assemblers (AVA) announced plans to assemble 130 BYD electric vehicles in March 2023, while BasiGo partnered with AVA in January to assemble buses in Mombasa.
BYD’s entry into the South African market in July 2023 marked another milestone, with the launch of the Standard Range and Extended Range variants of its Atto 3 model. The company continued its expansion in November, extending its presence from the provinces of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal to the Northern Cape.
Saudi Arabia-based edtech iStori has raised $1.3 million in a Seed round from Nama Ventures, Classera, Flat6Labs, BIM Ventures, and several other angel investors.
Launched in 2022 by Abdullah Al-Jaberi, Faisal Al-Hamoud, Abdel Nasser Al-Wali, Ismail Ashour, and Khaled Al-Rashed, iStoria is a specialised application for teaching the English language in partnership with Oxford.
Storia, the startup out for its unique approach to English language education. It emphasizes vocabulary-building through graded-reader stories tailored for learners of all levels, accompanied by comprehension questions and rigorous tests to master vocabulary. This method is thoughtfully designed to ensure learners succeed in mastering the international language tests. Additionally, the application offers innovative features that enhance the overall user experience.
Eng. Abdullah Al-Jabri, the founder and CEO of the iStoria, expressed his satisfaction with the conclusion of this investment round, stating, “Through this funding, we will continue our mission to empower individuals to communicate effectively and boost their confidence in using the English language. We are optimistic and eagerly anticipate the next phase of our journey. Our growth and impact will primarily come from serving organizations and expanding our global presence.”
iStoria will use the new capital to enhance its platform, accelerate innovation, and expanding its reach to learners worldwide.
With the infusion of capital, iStoria is set to further enhance its English language learning platform, accelerating innovation and expanding its reach to learners worldwide.
This recent investment marks a significant milestone in establishing iStoria as prominent in the field of English language education, delivering even greater value to its users.
Apple Books Digital Narration is a new feature that Apple launched recently to allow authors to create audiobooks from their existing ebooks using natural-sounding text-to-speech technology with voices that are based on human narrators. This feature makes the creation of audiobooks more affordable, and more accessible.
Authors at Publiseer who want to turn their ebooks into audiobooks can simply notify Publiseer, after which, their ebook is sent to Apple, who turns it into an audiobook and makes it available on the Apple Books store for sale. Approximately, it takes Apple two months to process this request and make the audiobook available in their store.
For new authors joining Publiseer, their ebooks are automatically sent to Apple to turn into an audiobook, except as stated otherwise by the author.
“Apple is a wonderful place for authors to garner new readers. It offers a very competitive royalty percentage, fosters book promotion, and stands out as one of the renowned retail bookstores that includes the book description in its search results, thus offering authors significant control over the search visibility of their books,” says Chidi Nwaogu, one of the founders of Publiseer.
“Since the inception of Publiseer, we’ve distributed our books to Apple Books, and so far, we have recorded impressive results from the sales and exposure it has offered our authors.”
Active to creators in 8 African countries, Publiseer has helped over 9,000 African content creators distribute more than 19,000 digital content; garnering about 85 million in downloads and streams. In 2023, Publiseer was recognized by Ernst & Young as one of the 100 “most meaningful businesses in the world”.
Samsung Electronics’ latest Galaxy S24 series, which was launched globally on January 17 at the Unpacked event in San Jose, California as Samsung’s artificial intelligence smartphone, with Galaxy AI, is the firm’s best smartphone ever in the market and it’s breaking records globally.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra, Galaxy S24+ and Galaxy S24, unleashing new mobile experiences with Galaxy AI. Galaxy S series leads the way into a new era that will forever change how mobile devices empower users. AI amplifies nearly every experience on Galaxy S24 series, from enabling barrier-free communication with intelligent text and call translations, to maximizing creative freedom with Galaxy’s ProVisual Engine, to setting a new standard for search that will change how Galaxy users discover the world around them.
Galaxy AI introduces meaningful intelligence aimed at enhancing every part of life such as Live Translate, two-way, real-time voice and text translations of phone calls within the native app. No third-party apps are required, and on-device AI keeps conversations private.
With Interpreter, live conversations can be instantly translated on a split-screen view so people standing opposite each other can read a text transcription of what the other person has said. It even works without cellular data or Wi-Fi.
Chat Assist can help perfect conversational tones to ensure communication sounds as it was intended: like a polite message to a coworker or a short and catchy phrase for a social media caption. AI built into Samsung Keyboard can also translate messages in real-time in 13 languages.
Android Auto will automatically summarize incoming messages and suggest relevant replies and actions via voice commands, like sending someone your ETA, so you can stay connected while staying focused on the road.
Note Assistin Samsung Notes, featuring AI-generated summaries, template creation that streamlines notes with pre-made formats, and cover creation to make notes easy to spot with a brief preview.
Transcript Assist uses AI and Speech-to-Text technology to transcribe, summarize and even translate voice recordings, even when there are multiple speakers.
Galaxy S24 comes gesture-driven Circle to Search with Google. With a long press on the home button, users can circle, highlight, scribble on, or tap anything on Galaxy S24’s screen to see helpful, high-quality search results. Seeing a beautiful landmark in the background of a friend’s social media post or a surprising fun fact on YouTube Shorts can quickly become an accurate search to learn more – without having to leave that app. And depending on a user‘s location, for certain searches, generative AI-powered overviews can provide helpful information and context pulled together from across the web, and users can ask more complex and nuanced questions.
Galaxy S24 series’s ProVisual Engine is a comprehensive suite of AI-powered tools that transform image capturing abilities and maximize creative freedom every step of the way, from setting up a shot all the way to sharing it on social. Gone are shaky, pixelated images taken from far away. Galaxy S24 Ultra’s Quad Tele System, with new 5x optical zoom lens, works with the 50MP sensor to enable optical-quality performance at zoom levels from 2x, 3x, 5x to 10x magnification thanks to Adaptive Pixel Sensor. Images also show crystal clear results at 100x with enhanced digital zoom.
With upgraded Nightography capabilities, photos and videos shot on Galaxy S24 Space Zoom are brilliant in any condition, even when zoomed in. Capture more light in dim conditions with Galaxy S24 Ultra’s larger pixel size, now 1.4 μm, which is 60% bigger compared to the previous model. Blur is reduced on Galaxy S24 Ultra with wider optical image stabilizer (OIS) angles and enhanced hand-shake compensation. When recording videos, both front and rear cameras are equipped with Dedicated ISP Block for noise reduction, and Galaxy S24 analyzes gyro information to distinguish between the filmer’s movement and the subject’s. This allows more effective noise removal and clear videos in the dark, even from far away.
Galaxy AI editing tools enable simple edits like erase, re-compose, and remaster. Edit Suggestion uses Galaxy AI to suggest perfectly suitable tweaks for each photo. Generative Edit can fill in parts of an image background with generative AI. When a picture is crooked, AI will fill in the borders. When a person or object needs to be slightly moved to be in the perfect position, AI lets users adjust the position of the subject and generates a perfectly blended background in its original spot. Anytime Galaxy S24 deploys generative AI to amplify an image, a watermark will appear on the image and in metadata. And if an action-packed video needs to be slowed down, new Instant Slow-mo can generate additional frames based on movements to smoothly slow down action-packed moments for a more detailed look.
To ensure every image stuns at every stage, Super HDR reveals lifelike previews before the shutter is ever pressed. And while capturing memories is an essential phone feature, sharing memories with the world is just as meaningful. Now, third-party social apps make the most of Galaxy’s AI-powered camera system. Premium Galaxy S series camera features now integrate directly with mobile apps in HDR to level up social sharing. When it’s time to find an image in Gallery or Instagram feed and reels, photos and videos are also shown in Super HDR for a more lifelike range of brightness, color and contrast by analyzing highlighted section of the images.
Galaxy S24 Ultra is equipped with Snapdragon® 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform for Galaxy delivering remarkable NPU improvement for incredibly efficient AI processing. In all three Galaxy S24 models, 1-120 Hzadaptive refresh rates also improve performance efficiency.
Galaxy S24 Ultra boasts an optimal thermal control system with a maximum 1.9 times larger vapor chamber, improving device surface temperature while also maximizing sustained performance power. Ray tracing enables life-like visuals with superior shadow and reflection effect making powerful for gaming.
Visuals are more vibrant and captivating on the brightest Galaxy display ever. The Galaxy S24 series reaches 2,600nit peak brightness and delivers improved outdoor visibility with Vision Booster.
On the display, Corning® Gorilla® Armor on the Galaxy S24 Ultra is optically enhanced and demonstrates superior durability against damage caused by everyday scratches. It delivers dramatically reduced reflection by up to 75% in a wide range of lighting conditions, ensuring a smooth, comfortable viewing experience.
Across the Galaxy S24 series, design enhancements with slimmer and even bezels make it easier to immerse in any viewing experience and enable larger screen sizes on Galaxy S24+’s 6.7-inch and Galaxy S24’s 6.2-inch displays within nearly the same size specifications. Galaxy S24 Ultra has a 6.8-inch flatter display, optimized not just for viewing but also for productivity. Plus, Galaxy S24+ now supports the same level of QHD+ found on Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Secured by Samsung Knox, Galaxy’s defense-grade, multi-layer security platform, Galaxy S24 safeguards critical information and protects against vulnerabilities with end-to-end secure hardware, real-time threat detection and collaborative protection.
The Knox Matrix vision of a secure, connected and password-less future is also advanced with passkeys. Passkeys enable convenient and secure access to a users’ registered websites and apps across all their trusted devices through digital credentials, helping protect against phishing attacks. Enhanced Data Protection offers end-to-end encryption when users backup, sync or restore their data with Samsung Cloud, allowing Galaxy S24 users to connect to other devices while staying synchronized and secure. Galaxy S24 is also protected with Samsung’s expansive list of innovative security and privacy features including Knox Vault, Security & Privacy Dashboard, Auto Blocker, Secure Wi-Fi, Private Share, Maintenance Mode and more.
Galaxy S24 continues to scale the variety of recycled materials in Galaxy devices by applying recycled plastics, glass and aluminum to internal and external components. For the first time, Galaxy S24 features components made with recycled cobalt and rare earth elements. In Galaxy S24 Ultra, a minimum of 50% recycled cobalt was used in the battery, and 100% recycled rare earth elements were incorporated into the speakers.
Galaxy S24 is also the first Galaxy S series to be designed with recycled steel and Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU). Galaxy S24 Ultra features a minimum of 40% recycled steel in the speakers, and it includes a minimum of 10% pre-consumer recycled TPU in the side and volume keys. Additionally, every Galaxy S24 comes in a packaging box made from 100% recycled paper material.
The latest flagship continues Samsung’s commitment to extending the product lifecycle, offering seven generations of OS upgrades and seven years of security updates to help users reliably experience the optimized performance of their Galaxy devices for even longer. Galaxy S24 is UL ECOLOGO® certified, and its carbon footprint has been measured and verified by The Carbon Trust.
Galaxy S24 Ultra is the first-ever Galaxy phone to feature a titaniumframe, enhancing device durability and longevity. Galaxy S24 Ultra’s significantly thinner body enables better on-the-go experience with more comfortable grip. On Galaxy S24+ and Galaxy S24, a streamlined One-mass design creates a more standard aesthetic with seamless connection between the device’s rear cover and side frame.
Galaxy S24 Ultra, colors include: Titanium Gray, Titanium Black, Titanium Violet, and Titanium Yellow, plus additional colors Titanium Green, Titanium Blue, and Titanium Orange available only on Samsung.com. Galaxy S24+ and Galaxy S24 colors include: Onyx Black, Marble Gray, Cobalt Violet and Amber Yellow, plus Jade Green, Sapphire Blue, and Sandstone Orange only at Samsung.com.
Availability and Offers
The new Galaxy S24 series will be available starting on January 31, 2024 on Samsung.com, at Samsung Experience Stores, and at major carriers and retailers.
Galaxy S24 Ultra will start at $1,299.99 with storage capacity options of 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB.
Galaxy S24+ will start at $999.99 with 256GB and 512GB storage options.
Galaxy S24 will start at $799.99 with 128GB and 256GB storage options.
Pre-orders begin today, January 17, 2024, through January 30,2024. Customers who pre-order a Galaxy S24 series device are eligible for a free storage upgrade. That includes, for the first time ever, the option to purchase a 512GB S24 Ultra and receive a 1TB model at no additional cost on Samsung.com.
Samsung Electronics’ latest Galaxy S24 series, which was launched globally on January 17 at the Unpacked event in San Jose, California as Samsung’s artificial intelligence smartphone, with Galaxy AI, has broken the company’s presales record in Korea, selling 1.21 million units in just a week.
After the device launch, Samsung announced presales for the Galaxy S24 series from January 19 to January 25 in Korea which sold 173,000 units per day on average with the Galaxy S24 Ultra being the most popular model in the series, leading with about 60 percent of the total units sold. Local reports indicate that the Galaxy S24+ was the second most popular purchase at 21 percent followed by the Galaxy S24 at 19 percent.
The latest presale record was the highest in Samsung’s Galaxy history and not only surpassed the previous one held by the Galaxy S23 series of 1.09 million units during its presale week, but all of its Galaxy smartphones.
The new Galaxy S24 and 24+ and the star of the show S24 Ultra have been touted as Samsung’s best smartphones ever. The S24 and S24+ come with new LTPO displays with 1-120Hz variable refresh rate which are known to consume lesser power hence longer battery endurance. The S24+ has a flat 6.7” display which is now upgraded to QHD+ resolution while the smaller S24 packs a 6.2” which retains the FHD+ resolution. Both have a peak brightness of 2,600 nits with Vision Booster up from last years 1,750 nits.
Both of them are powered by a choice of latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 ‘for Galaxy’ chipsets (have higher clock speeds) or the new Exynos 2400 depending on region. Differences come in when looking at RAM, all S24+ configurations now have 12GB of RAM and either 256GB and 512GB while the S24 base configuration starts at 8GB of RAM and 128GB storage.
Running on that hardware is Android 14 and One UI 6.1 out of the box. Interestingly, the whole Samsung Galaxy S24 series will receive a whopping 7 generations of OS updates and 7 years of security patches which means they will still be getting support into the 2030s.
The S24 and S24+ feature a 50MP main (f/1.8 lens with OIS), a 12MP ultrawide (120°) and a 10MP tele camera with 3x zoom (f/2.4), the front-facing camera has a 12MP sensor (f/2.2 80° lens), same as last year but Samsung has backed in new AI imaging features.
The Galaxy S24+ battery has 200mAh more capacity (4,900mAh) with charging speeds of 45W wired, 15W wireless with Qi charging while the S24 also has a slightly larger battery – 100mAh extra bringing its capacity to 4,000mAh which charge at 25W wired and 15W wireless.
In terms of pricing, the Galaxy S24 starts at $800/€900/£800 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The Galaxy S24+ starts at $1,000/€1,150/£1,000 with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
The global official release date for the Galaxy S24 series is scheduled for Jan. 31.
Takealot has appointed Frederik Zietsman as group CEO, replacing Mamongae Mahlare who will step down and take the role of executive chair from February 1 2024.
Zietsman has been with the ecommerce company since 2015 began as Profitability Analyst, then later appointed as the Head of Marketplace in Aug 2017 and as Head of Retail and Marketplace in March 2020 to March 2021 when he took over as CEO of Takealot.com. His elevation as CEO of Takealot Group will see him take over operations of Takealot.com, Superbalist, and Mr D.
Mahlare will become executive chair while Kim Reid, current chairman of Takealot Group will remain on the board as a director and as a strategic advisor to both Mahlare and Zietsman.
Launched in 2011, Takealot is South Africa’s leading online retailer with millions of products across more than 30 departments. With Takealot, over 3.4 million happy online shoppers choose the better way to shop; enjoying great value, as well hassle-free nationwide delivery and collection at over 100 Takealot Pickup Points. Takealot also supports over 7000 small businesses through its Takealot Marketplace platform. Takealot Group runs Takealot.com, Superbalist, and Mr D.
Takealot is pulling all its strengths together as Amazon prepares to launch in South this year and several people think Naspers is preparing to face-off with Jeff Bezos’ Amazon which is the worlds leading online retailer by revenues and inventory and considered the go-to for most online shoppers globally.
“The streamlining of the leadership between the group and takealot.com will reinforce resources around its flagship online retail and marketplace platform and bring stronger alignment and focus in delivering on its key growth objectives,” the statement said.
