Monday, September 15, 2025
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Google Starts to Launch “Youtube Shorts”, Another Tik Tok Rival.

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Instagram recently launched Reels in select countries and subsequently made a global rollout of the feature, a competitor for ByteDance’s Tik Tok as an attempt to reduce the Chinese company’s global widening support. Already it is reported that the Chinese version of Tik Tok Douyin, has 600 million daily active users.

Google is also said to be launching Shorts, a Tik Tok like feature but within the You Tube App. The feature is already being tested in the Indian market before a global rollout can be made. However, only the beta version is available as of now.

It should be noted that both Reels, and Shorts seem to get their first testing in India, a country that at the start of the year banned Chinese apps including Tik Tok, accusing them of being threats to the country’s national security (as if to pave way for the influx of American business).

Chinese companies, like Tik Tok (and Huawei) are already fighting bigger wars with the US government. The launch of Youtube Shorts and Instagram Reels further adds to the list of challenges that the Tik Tok and similar Chinese companies have to overcome.

Tik Tok sale?

Trump issued an executive order compelling the company to sell its US business to an American company that will not have direct or indirect Chinese government control. A deadline to identify a buyer was set for the 15th September with Microsoft and Oracle as the only bidders.

Yesterday, it was revealed that Bytedance rejected making a sale to Microsoft and instead decided to partner with Oracle. The executive order by Trump required an outright sale with Bytedance in effect severing its connection with Chinese Bytedance. A deal with Oracle that is not an outright sale creates more uncertainty as to the future of Tik Tok in the US as there will be a likelihood that the Trump administration rejects the deal. The deal has to go through government approval.

It is possible that the decision for a partnership is in response to reports that the Chinese government rejects any idea of a sale and that it would rather see the application shut down, than a forced sale.

Reels and Shorts might not be a threat to Tik Tok for now, as it seems any attacks against the company have created more support and gotten more users installing the application like the saying, “any publicity is good publicity”.

Is Netsuite Worth an Investment for a Small Business?

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Small businesses are the lifeblood of any economy. In Australia, the definition of a small business is a business that employs fewer than 19 people. These are your hole-in-a-wall establishments, mom-and-pop stores, coffee houses, and restaurants. 

According to government data, there are above two million of them Down Under, and they account for about 97% of the country’s businesses.

Netsuite’s front-office and back-office operations are geared toward helping growing businesses achieve their goals. While it is an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) program, Wild Tech Netsuite software solutions is an organisation that also includes customer relationship management, financial accounting, and business intelligence. 

Most Common Reasons Why a Business Fails to Grow

When you run a small business, you must know that the odds are not much in your favour. For example, in Australia, 6 in 10 businesses will fail in the first year. After ten years, only about 2-3 businesses will be able to sustain their operations. 

Many factors lead to the failure of a small business. Some of those factors are:● Poor financial management● Lack of capital● Lack of foresight● Failure to follow through with plans● Failure to study the competition● No online presence● No analytics

Data mining is crucial to map out your strategies. Data will provide you with a layout of your business, customers, as well as competition. You can generate leads, drive traffic to your website, predict customer behaviour, and also glean lessons from the successes and failures of competitors. 

Netsuite software solutions will centralise all data in one system, which means you can access them anytime you want. Machine learning capabilities also allow the technology to produce more accurate results. The more data you feed into the system, the more accurate the results would be.  

How Netsuite Helps Small Businesses

The software solution is perfect for small businesses for the following reasons:1. It reduces the cost of ownership – Wild Tech Netsuite software solutions are cloud-based, which means you don’t have to make an investment in costly infrastructure. You do not need to purchase hardware or install software. You leverage all its features without the need to allocate a budget for management, upgrading, support, and maintenance. 2. The solution integrates all business applications – The centralised operation and data storage mean that your personnel will have to input data across different systems. It also has the capability to integrate crucial business functions, such as purchasing, inventory management, supply chain, clearing tickets, and management of personnel.3. Be always on top of your business – The Netsuite program allows you to make an overall assessment of the health of your business. The key performance indicators will be viewed from the dashboard, such as your daily or weekly sales, number of leads generated, marketing trends, the top customers, and many more. With that data at your disposal, you will be able to make the necessary adjustments rapidly. 4. Remote management – The solution is also optimised for mobile, which means that you can run your business from anywhere around the globe. The only requirement is that you have an internet connection. You would be more confident about going to that investor’s meeting knowing that you can still monitor your personnel virtually. 

Finally, Netsuite solutions are affordable. The software solutions start at around $99 a month, which means your budget would not take the hit. It’s also easy to scale up to fit the needs of your growing business. 

NSSF Launches Online Platform for Benefits Claim Submission

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In order to be abreast with the times that the COVID 19 pandemic has placed Uganda and the world in, Uganda’s largest social security agency, the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) or the Fund is innovating by taking the benefits claims submission online, in effect launching the funds “e-journey”, a system that has been in development since 2015.

In a press statement that Guru8 has received dated 8th September, 2020, the NSSF has launched an online system to facilitate the submissions of claims for benefits by its qualifying members through their mobile devices. Qualifying members for the benefits are those who meet the criteria for the Age, Withdrawal, Invalidity, Emigration Grant and Exempted employment benefits which are provided for under the NSSF Act.

The Fund is calling its upon members “who qualify for withdrawal of their savings… (to) submit and track their claims online and through their mobile devices”, reads the press statement in part, as part of the funds innovative means to make the Fund accessible to its members.

This innovation will save the members the hustle of having to make physical visits to the NSSF offices and branches.

“The innovation, part of the Fund’s NSSFGO Mobile & Web Application will enable qualifying members (to) conveniently submit required documentation directly to the Fund and monitor progress of their benefits claims without vising NSSF offices” says Barbra Teddy Arimi in the statement, the Head of Marketing & Communications of NSSF.

Arimi also believes that the innovation will take the Fund closer to its “benefits payment turnaround time target” which is to pay qualifying members within 24 hours as opposed to the current system where members are given their payments within eight (8) days. The Fund also believes that this new system will reduce on the congestion in the Funds 19 countrywide branches as a way to observe the “government’s COVID 19 standard operating procedures” from close to 600 clients the Fund receives from all the branches combined.

How to access the platform

In order to access the online platform, the statement provides that all the member has to do is to download NSSFGO Mobile and Web Application (nssfgo.app)

Once the app has been downloaded (both from Apple Store and Google Play Store), the user will have to scroll to “Benefits Application” where they will be prompted to enter the required information and upload the necessary documentation. After filling in the mandatory data, the user submits the application. After the submission, the user will be able to tract the progress of their application “until the payment is made” to them.

The introduction of the online benefits claim does not do away with the physical submission as both will be accessible, but it is preferable to use the online means given the speeds promised.

Other services available for the members via the platform include member and employer registration, payment of contributions, updating the members contacts, retirement benefits projections, and e-statements of contributions.

Arami in the press statement adds that the fund is committed to innovating in order to become relevant to its members.

“As part of our 10 year (2015-2025) Strategic Plan, we pledged to innovating, become more relevant to our members as well as excel in business processes to be more efficient. It is a journey that we are still committed to. The NSSFGO is our pathway to unlimited service efficiency and convenience,” she added.

Users can also access other self-service platforms like the E-collections portal that allows employers to remit their employee’s contribution directly to their NSSF accounts through the bank and the mobile money platform for contributions payment by the Fund’s voluntary savers. They can also access the NSSF Payway and the USSD *254# which are mobile platforms where members can access a wide range of services.

How to Use Nearby Share, Android’s Airdrop Clone

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Searching

At the start of August 2020, Google announced that it would be rolling out “Nearby Share”, an Airdrop like feature that enables Android to seamlessly share multi-media or any other shareable files between Android devices. Airdrop allows users to share data between any iOS device, phone, tab, PC among others.

However, at the time Nearby Share was announced, only a few users were able to access the feature via the beta program that was rolled out and was being used to test the service, and all pixel phones.

Today, if you updated your Google Play Services and you are running Android version 6.0 and above, you will notice that in your notifications, a new short cut has been created (“Nearby Share”). Or if you visited your phone Settings, scrolled to Google, then Device Connections, you will see Nearby Share as one of the connections.

Within the setting, you have an option to turn on Nearby Share, change the Gmail account associated with it, change a device name, adjust its visibility, choose how you want files to be shared (with data, Wi-Fi only, or without internet), and there you have it Airdrop.

In order to share a file, you have to go to the file you want shared, say in your file manager or gallery, or contact for example, select Nearby Share from the numerous option. Once that is done, it will look for devices that are nearby, and that have Nearby Share activated. You then choose the devices you will to send to, and then starts the process.

The process is quite slow compared to the Airdrop counterpart, however, Android users should hope that with constant software updates, it will get there.

Unfortunately, you cannot share with a PC like Airdrop does, probably because these are different operating systems involved (Android, Windows, Linux etc), however, should Nearby Share introduce an option that enables sharing from Android to any PC irrespective of the version of operating system, it will be steps ahead of Airdrop.

We however await to see what updates Google is planning

Enhancing Your ServiceNow Experience with Custom Applications

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There have been a variety of novel changes to our society in the 21st century, as the Internet and other technologies have become more prevalent throughout the world. Technology has been a significant driving force in changing our world and has altered a myriad of different facets of our world in recent years. One of the most imperative changes that technology has made in recent years has been revolutionizing businesses. Companies around the globe have adopted new technologies in order to create the best systems possible for their enterprises and their clients. As technology becomes increasingly ubiquitous in 2020, we will continue to see how tech companies continue to grow and utilize networking systems to build better businesses. 

ServiceNow Custom Apps for Business

Having a consistently well-performing company in 2020 requires the usage of top-tier networking software. IT interface programs are a necessity in modern offices and streamlining your company’s workflow and building a greater IT experience for your business is essential. Investing in a top-tier IT management program for your company will help to grow your business and will ensure that your networking needs are satisfied. There is a multitude of IT management programs on the market today, but utilizing one of the top systems, ServiceNow, will ensure that your company can thrive. ServiceNow is used for enterprise clients all around the world and because of that, it is a vast program that has a myriad of facets. Because of its vastness, it is a necessity to hire a ServiceNow partner service, as this will enable your company to more quickly implement the system. When hiring the right partner service for your business, it is critical that you find a company that can create ServiceNow custom applications, as these will prove to be extremely beneficial for you and your clients. 

Understanding the Importance of ServiceNow Custom Apps

After choosing your ServiceNow partner service, you want to learn about their process for implementing custom applications. ServiceNow custom applications can be used for a variety of purposes, such as consolidating, building new procedures, and upgrading past systems. The partner service that you choose needs to be certified to create custom apps, in order to truly get the most of their services. The most important certification that you need to ensure that they have is a certified ServiceNow technology partner, because this creates legitimacy for their custom application creation. There are numerous available ServiceNow custom application types, from customer experience center, franchise tracking, QMS systems, certificate of insurance, and many more. Depending on the type of company you run as well as what type of clients your company has, you will need to select the types of custom apps best suited for you. Learning about custom apps for your ServiceNow experience will prove to be critical to your firm.

Final Thoughts

When creating a top-tier IT system with ServiceNow, you need to ensure the ability to create custom applications. Understanding the importance of ServiceNow custom apps and recognizing how to implement them into your enterprise will prove to be crucial as you grow your business.

Tecno Shipping Phones With ‘Click Ad Fraud’ Malware

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An investigation by an anti-fraud firm Secure- D, owned by UpStream, has revealed that Africa’s largest phone manufacturer, Tecno is shipping phones into the continent with “Click Ad Fraud” malware that is pre-installed into Tecno handsets.


According to Secure – D, malicious code known as xHelper/Triada comes pre-installed in Tecno phones with code that is said to find subscription based services in the phones and then submits fraudulent requests on behalf of the users without their knowledge and in the process robbing them of their money by taking pre-paid airtime.


The malware also downloads subscription-based apps and then users are signed up for the services without their consent. It is reported that the transaction requests might be coming from a family of applications called com.mufc as its source in the phones remains unknown and cannot be downloaded from Android app store.


Over 19.2 million suspicious transactions were discovered from over 200,000 Tecno devices that were used in the investigation that started in March 2019 and ended in August 2020. Phones from Ethiopia, Cameroon, Egypt, Ghana and South Africa and 14 other countries were reviewed for malicious code.

Parliament Petitioned Over Safe Boda’s Data Privacy Breaches

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Safe Boda

Sometime in July this year, Guru8 published a story where an NGO the Unwanted Witness accused rider hailing app, Safe Boda of personal data breaches under the Ugandan data protection laws, especially the recently passed Data Protection and Privacy Act, 2019 (DPPA). The allegations included that the company was and is sharing user data with third parties in violation of the above laws.

Guru8 has this week received a letter dated 24th August 2020 revealing that the government has been petitioned about the allegations.

In the letter titled “Petition Against Guiness Transporters Limited Trading as Safe Boda Sharing Uganda’s Personal Data With Big American Tech Companies”, the speaker of parliament of Uganda Rebecca Kadaga, is forwarding a complaint that was raised by Obedgui Sammy about the violations to the National Information Technology Authority (NITA – U), that she says is the relevant Authority to handle the complaint.

“I received a complaint… alleges that Guiness Transporters Limited Trading as Safe Boda was implicated for sharing its application users’ personal data with third parties without the knowledge or consent of those users” reads the letter in part.

She adds that she believes that the complaint “falls under the purview of (NITA – U)” as it is the organ that is empowered to enforce adherence to the DPPA and has been asked to take action regarding the allegations and report to parliament within 3 weeks after receipt.

We are yet to see how the government responds to the accusations, however, under the Act, the Authority is required to conduct its own investigations and in its own discretion may direct the alleged violator to remedy any of its breaches or take any action as the Authority may determine.

All that was revealed at the #DSTVShowcase 2020

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MultiChoice, the parent company of DStv and GOtv satellite TV brands yesterday, the 19th August 2020, held a majorly virtual #DSTVShowcase wherein the company announced several products (hard and soft -ware) that are yet to be made commercially available to the public.

Some of the products announced include two new decoders, DStv Explora Ultra, and the DStv Streama decoders that will allow for the customers to access third party streaming services. The streaming services will enable users to watch content that is available on the DStv bouquet without using a satellite connection to access the service.

It is said that the company even signed deals with Netflix and Amazon prime videos to enable access of these platforms on DStv packages to be available on the Explora Ultra decoders.

The DStv Streama set-top box allows subscribers to view DStv content and shows from other streaming services without a satellite dish. Customers will be able connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi or Ethernet cable and connects to your TV through HDMI. They will also be able to “seamlessly switch between applications like DStv, Showmax, and YouTube” where they will need to login.

Customers will need a DStv login to use a DStv Streama, but no active DStv subscription is required.

No dates for the commercial availability of the products has been confirmed, so the actual release dates and the prices for the same remain unknown.

The company also launched a standalone streaming service accessible only via DStv app to allow customers to sign up for DStv and be able to stream content exclusively though its platforms. The DStv app is available on PC, phone, gaming console, browser and on smart TV where users can access instant entertainment, sports, news and stream even on the go, with a maximum of four devices supported and two for concurrent streams.

The satellite TV giant will be partnering with Internet Service Providers (ISP)s and telecommunication companies to provided package bundles with uncapped internet for the DStv streaming packages.

Big + Box is a new eCommerce store empowering young creatives

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An eCommerce store with a major focus on empowering young creatives in the fields of art and crafts has launched in Uganda.

With COVID-19 still affecting most parts of the continent, online shopping has continued gaining momentum even after some countries easing their lockdown measures. eCommerce stores have increasingly been established amid the different lockdowns in hopes of reducing in-person visits. 

The timely launch of Big + Box couldn’t be any better as the trend for online sales boomed with the help of the coronavirus. 

Despite so many ecommerce platforms being opened up, Esther Ndagire, the founder stated that the company’s commitment to connecting young people ensuring everyone finds pride and joy in wearing local brands is what differentiates them. 

The new platform is meant to showcase the artisans and their exceptional workmanship to a global audience by profiling every single entrepreneur that has their products hosted on Big + Box. The founder makes an emphasis on this by having a separate tab for all the featured artisans and their stories on what inspired their work.

Big + Box offers a variety of products in categories such as local comic books, bags, face masks, pillows, furniture, dresses, accessories, mats and so much more. The platform is also putting in place the option for customers from across the globe to order online and receive these products swiftly no-matter the location.

Shopping Made Easier

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With the pandemic happening around the world, most people aren’t taking any chances of leaving the house and going to the mall to buy things they need. You won’t know the items you’ve touched may have been handled by someone else who has the virus. It would be ideal to look for other options rather than going to the mall. 

Nowadays, businesses have made it possible for customers to shop through their online department store because it’s frankly hassle-free. It’s good to know that you have the power to shop online without ever leaving your house, especially at a time like this. You should try buying things online rather than stepping outside and getting exposed to the virus. 

Time-Saver

You might happen to live really far away from a department store. Driving will take you some time to get to the store. It’ll be even harder to get there if you don’t have a car, so the best option is to shop at an online department store. Not only can you save time travelling from your home to the store, but you also have quick and easy access to all the items at the department store. 

Usually, you would ask a salesperson to help you look for a specific item. With an online store, all you need to do is type in the search bar of the site, and it’ll tell you straight away whether the product is available. All the item details you’re searching for is already posted on the website, so you don’t have to ask anybody.

Shop Anytime You Want

You might feel bored in the middle of the night, so you search for items you could find useful for your room or the house. After you’ve seen an item you want, you can buy it right then and there. The “shopping cart” feature definitely helps keep track of what you bought to prevent unnecessary backtracking. And if you’re lucky enough, the store might deliver it to your doorstep in the morning or afternoon. 

You can never shop at those times at a physical department store because of the designated store hours. For people who have a habit of staying up late and want to shop to their heart’s content, the online department store can make that happen. 

Tons of Variety

When talking about a department store, they would have different products such as phones, watches, furniture, appliances, tools, auto accessories, etc. You can also experience the same in an online department store. The only difference between the online and physical stores is you can view the products on your phone or computer online, while the physical store lets you actually hold the item. 

In an online store, you can even view new and upcoming international releases, letting you know about those products before anyone else and buy them at a moment’s notice once they release. 

Technology makes it convenient for people to do most things they like while staying at their homes’ comfort. Because of that, businesses have created online department stores for their customers to view the entire list of items with a full description of each one. Make use of it!

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