WorldRemit raises $45m to drive next phase of growth for its Mobile remittances business

Throughout the tvOS 9.2 beta testing process, Apple has been steadily adding new features. Today’s third beta introduced a pair of new features that are quite useful: dictation and App Store search for Siri. We’ve made a quick video that shows off the new features and how they work on the fourth-generation Apple TV.

With the new dictation option, it’s now possible for Apple TV owners to dictate text and spell user names and passwords rather than typing them. After installing tvOS 9.2 beta 3, users are prompted to enable or disable dictation.

After dictation is enabled, the tvOS search bar alternates between a blank search field and an option to hold down the Siri button on the remote to dictate text. While speaking into the remote, a live levels meter is displayed on the screen so you can be sure the dictation feature is activated.

tvOS 9.2 is currently available only to developers, but it should see a public release in the spring likely alongside iOS 9.3, OS X 10.11.4, and watchOS 2.2.

[Mac Rumours]

Google Has Started Rolling Out Marshmallow For Android Wear

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Feb 9, 2016

Android 6.0 for Wear is starting to roll out. Googler Wayne Piekarski just announced on his Google+ feed that OTAs have begun and should continue over the next few weeks. Android Wear includes things like voice actions and gestures. And today we’re expanding these hands-free options in a number of ways:

Navigate your watch with new gestures. Scrolling up and down your card stream is as simple as flicking your wrist. Starting today you can also expand a card, bring up your apps, or return home to your watch face with a push, lift or shake. You’ll be able to stay connected to what’s important, while keeping your phone (or other hand) in your pocket.
Send more messages with just your voice. With Android Wear, you’ve always been able to get answers to spoken questions. Now you can also use your voice to send messages from apps like Google Hangouts, Nextplus, Telegram, Viber, WeChat, and WhatsApp. Running late for lunch? Just say “OK Google, Send a WhatsApp message to Nathan: I’ll be right there.”
Make calls and listen to messages with speaker support. Screening calls from your wrist is a nice convenience that comes with Android Wear. Thanks to speaker support, you can now make and take calls over Bluetooth. And you can listen to audio/video messages with apps like Glide. All you need is a watch with a speaker, which today includes the Huawei Watch and the ASUS ZenWatch 2 (49mm).

The update is rolling out but some users will have to wait over the coming weeks

Microsoft acquires smart AI-based SwiftKey keyboard

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Feb 3, 2016

SwiftKey, which has been popular for making one of the smartest if not the smartest keyboard on Android and iOS platforms. SwiftKey is keyboard which uses an Artificial Intelligence based neural network to predict what smartphone users are going to type next. The keyboard is able to predict up to 3 words which are user wants to type or swpe.

Today, Microsoft has confirmed the acquisition of the SwiftKey. Microsoft states that the intention of the acquision was the artificial intelligence prowess that the SwiftKey has. Microsoft intends to use this technology to improve its WordFlow technology that is featured in the WordFlow keyboard on Windows Phone and iOS.

The acquisition cost Microsoft $250 million and was confirmed by blog posts on the both the SwiftKey and Microsoft blog. For those worried about the future of SwiftKey, Microsoft’s executive vice president of technology and research Harry Shum said:

We’ll continue to develop SwiftKey’s market-leading keyboard apps for Android and iOS as well as explore scenarios for the integration of the core technology across the breadth of our product and services portfolio. Moreover, SwiftKey’s predictive technology aligns with Microsoft’s investments and ambition to develop intelligent systems that can work more on the user’s behalf and under their control.

In the coming months, we’ll have more to share about how we’ll integrate SwiftKey technology with our Guinness World Record Word Flow technology for Windows.

MTN Uganda and Hellofood launch ‘Feed a Child’ Initiative

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Feb 3, 2016

Today MTN in partnership with Hellofood Uganda launched the “Feed a Child” initiative.

This initiative follows on from the MTN-Hellofood Xmas Party held in December 2015, where 230 children from orphanages in Kampala were treated to a day of fun activities and a special meal allowing them to be part of the Holiday season celebrations.

Under this initiative, members of the public can donate a meal to a child in need by visiting the Hellofood website at www.hellofood.ug and clicking on the “Donate a meal” banner. Donations are made using MTN Mobile Money.

The campaign will run from 3rd Feb 2015 to 3rd April 2015 and proceeds will go to feed a child during the Easter Season through the 40 days over 40 smiles foundation, http://40daysover40smiles.org, a Kampala-based independent youth-led, charity organization.

“One of the key programs areas of 40 days over 40 smiles foundation is food and nutrition which aligns very well with this campaign. Indeed through its track record, we could not have found a better partner and look forward to successfully delivering this initiative,” said Hellofood Managing Director Ron Kawamara.

“As leading brands in the Food business under the MTN-Hello Food partnership, we are excited to launch the “Feed a child” initiative. Together, we are happy to leverage our platforms and services to make the lives of the underprivileged children brighter, said MTN’s Chief Marketing Officer Ms. Mapula Bodibe. “We call upon everyone to join us in this noble cause, for together we can make a huge difference, she added.

WhatsApp clocks a billion users

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Feb 2, 2016

WhatsApp which is a popular messaging app, has today announced that the service now has 1 billion users as of today. This comes after WhatsApp dropped the the annual fee of $0.99 and launched newer features such as WhatsApp calls. Despite the abscense of business features like public chats, cab hire features that other rival messaging apps have, WhatsApp is still growing strong and the introduction of WhatsApp themed data bundles in Uganda led to growth of the service in Uganda.

The CEO of WhatsApp Jan Koum made the announcement on his Facebook page which was followed by a blog post. Below is the image Jan posted with impressive figures such as a billion groups but i was impressed by the number of engineers.

Below is the announcement Whatsapp made;

As of today, one billion people are using WhatsApp. That’s nearly one in seven people on Earth who use WhatsApp each month to stay in touch with their loved ones, their friends and their family.

We are proud of this milestone, and we’re humbled by the extraordinary ways all of you have used WhatsApp. Whether it’s sharing vital information during natural disasters or health emergencies, finding a date, growing a small business, buying an engagement ring, or seeking a better life – we’re honored to be a small part of what people are doing to make their lives and the lives of those around them better.

And yet, through all the progress we’ve made together over the last seven years, our mission has never changed. WhatsApp began as a simple idea: ensuring that anyone could stay in touch with family and friends anywhere on the planet, without costs or gimmicks standing in the way.

So even as we celebrate this achievement, our focus remains the same. Every day, our team continues to work to improve WhatsApp’s speed, reliability, security and simplicity. We’re excited to see how far we’ve come. But now, it’s back to work – because we still have another 6 billion people to get on WhatsApp, and a long way left to go.

Airtel Uganda’s “Yoola Amajja” promotion will ‘pour’ Airtel Money to lucky winners

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Feb 1, 2016

Airtel Money users have a new reason to be optimistic in 2016 following the launch of a new and exciting rewards campaign.

Dubbed ‘Yoola Amajja’, this 90 days campaign is essentially about giving Airtel Money subscribers a chance to win up to 2,000,000 shillings daily when they carry out any transaction using the efficient Airtel Money platform.

As part of this campaign, there will also be a grand draw where lucky Airtel Money subscribers will stand a chance to win up to 20,000,000 shillings.

There have been tremendous efforts made to boost the functionality and efficiency of the Airtel Money platform. To boost financial inclusion, the platform now offers services such as; E-city payments, mobile banking, utility bill payments, school fees payments among others.

Speaking at the official launch of the campaign, Airtel Money Director Mr. Paul Langlois said “Over the next 90 days, Airtel Uganda will be giving its Airtel Money subscribers the best value back seeing as they will be rewarded for each transaction,” adding that Airtel has run very many successful campaigns in the past and therefore this is just an extension to an already existing history of the brand and its promise to continually reward customers.

Different from most campaigns which focus on Kampala district, the ‘Yoola Amaja’ campaign is going to give Ugandans in 24 regions of the country an opportunity to win this money through regional activations that will be carried out throughout the course of the 3-month period.

To participate in this campaign, Airtel Money subscribers should have;

Transacted through a mobile banking transaction that is sent money from one’s Airtel money account to their bank account.
Topped up a minimum of 500 worth of airtime through Airtel money
Purchased a voice bundle through Airtel Money
Made a cash withdrawal from Airtel Money
Purchased a data bundle through Airtel Money
Sent Money to another person using Airtel money
Paid bills using Airtel Money

WorldRemit customers can now send money instantly to MTN Mobile Money wallets in Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia‏

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Jan 28, 2016

World Remit is a company that works tirelessly to enable people abroad remit money back home. World Remit is aware of the current challenges associated with remittances in Uganda and hence devised an ingenious way of making money transfers easy. WorldRemit and MTN Group today announced that WorldRemit customers can now send money instantly to MTN Mobile Money wallets in Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia.

The launch follows the signing of a global partnership agreement earlier this year, to enable WorldRemit customers all over the world to send international remittances to MTN’s Mobile Money customers.

“This partnership makes sense for both companies, as WorldRemit and MTN share a disruptive approach to innovation and bring impactful services to our customers. Together, we are now providing an instant, fully digital and very affordable solution to send international remittance to Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia. Other countries will follow soon,” says Serigne Dioum, MTN Group Head of Mobile Financial Services.

“At WorldRemit, we are pioneering international mobile-to-mobile remittances. Our partnership with MTN allows our customers around the world to send money instantly from the WorldRemit app to MTN Mobile Money users in Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia. Together with MTN, we make sending money home as easy as sending an instant message,” says Alix Murphy, Senior Mobile Analyst at WorldRemit.

The WorldRemit app is also very handy

She continues: “For diaspora members sending money to friends and family back home in these countries, Mobile Money is a real game-changer. In Uganda, Mobile Money has already overtaken cash pick-up and bank deposits as the preferred method to receive money. We expect this trend to continue as MTN’s Mobile Money services reach millions of people without bank accounts, giving them access to a variety of life-enhancing financial services including savings and insurance schemes.”

People in more than 52 countries already use the WorldRemit app to send around 400,000 money transfers every month to over 125 destinations. WorldRemit is the leading sender of remittances to Mobile Money wallets connecting to over 25 different services worldwide.

MTN Mobile Money enables users to perform utility payments, save money, purchase airtime and access a range of mobile financial products. To date, MTN Mobile Money is used by customers in 15 countries across Africa, i.e. Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Congo, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Republic, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Uganda and Zambia.

In keeping with its aim to accelerate the rollout of international remittance, MTN launched a cross-border mobile money transfer service between Uganda and Rwanda in August. The service allows customers in both countries to transact via MTN Mobile Money with the same simplicity as for a local money transfer. MTN also offers a mobile money cross-border remittance service between Ivory Coast, Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger. The remittance corridor between Kenya and Rwanda is the latest addition to MTN’s Mobile Money bouquet of services. It forms part of a major initiative between MTN and Vodafone, to enhance financial inclusivity in East Africa.

In the six months to 30 June 2015, MTN grew mobile money subscribers by 45,8% to 32,4 million.

Hellofood Celebrates 2 year’s anniversary and offers 50% discount to all new customers

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Jan 26, 2016

Kampala, January 25, 2016: Hellofood Uganda for its 2nd year anniversary has offered all new customers a 50% discount on any meal ordered from any of the over 150 restaurants that they have on the portal.

Hellofood is the biggest food portal in Uganda and as part of their celebrations; to enjoy the offer all that the new customers need to do is download the hellofood app which is free on android, ios and windows or use the hellofood website https://www.hellofood.ug/ . The voucher code is 2YR and it will end on 31st of January 2016, with the minimum order for any of the orders being 15,000 Uganda shillings and the maximum order being 70,000 Uganda shillings. New customers can choose from any of the over 150 restaurants that partner with hellofood in Kampala or Entebbe.

Ron kawamara, Managing Director of Hellofood Uganda, said: “Our goal from the very beginning has been to deliver a high-quality marketing for our restaurants and great delivery service to our customers. In a market where ordering for food online is a relatively new phenomenon, we have managed to revolutionize food delivery in Uganda and have grown fast because we have delivered real value to people in Kampala and Entebbe. We are happy to complete our second year on a high”

He added that as the Internet becomes more widespread, people are seeking out ways that Internet can help solve some of their common problems we all face in the cities, such as time wastage in traffic. As such while celebrating on 2nd year anniversary we have offered a discount to all new customers so that they too can have a feel of the great customer experience in using our service.

About hellofood

hellofood together with its affiliated brand foodpanda and Delivery Club, is the leading global online food delivery marketplace, active in more than 40 countries on five continents. The company enables restaurants to become visible in the online and mobile world and provides them with a constantly evolving online technology. For consumers, hellofood offers the convenience to order food online and the widest gastronomic range, from which they can choose their favorite meal on the web or via the app.

Spotify to launch video streaming this week

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Jan 25, 2016