At Home

Two South African ICT innovators have been included in the 10 finalists for the Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA). The entities, Medical Diagnostech and Mobenzi, are among four local companies included in the top 10 shortlist. The other two are not ICT firms. The creators were tasked to developed practical solutions to some of the continent’s most intractable problems. – ITWeb

SA’s “Big Four” banks have highlighted the merits of their individual mobile applications – one of the fastest growing banking channels in SA – following Absa’s last-past-the-finish-line release last month. SA’s biggest bank by customer numbers, Absa, boasted 50 000 downloads in 12 days, following the 10 April release of its banking app for customers using Android and iOS. – ITWeb

SA’s largest mobile operator Vodacom is considered to have the best reputation of the country’s top 20 JSE-listed companies. This is according to research and consulting fi rm Reputation Institute, and comes as the operator took first place in the 2013 RepTrak Pulse survey, with 74.17 out of a possible 100 points – an improvement of 6.64 points compared to last year. – ITWeb

Christo Davel, 22seven

Personal financial management service 22seven is now available as a mobile app on what CEO and founder Christo Davel says is its customers’ preferred platform – the Apple iPhone. The decision to build an iOS app first, said Davel, was based on research into which platform was the most popular among 22seven’s user base. – ITWeb

In what is a first for SA, TopTV has been granted permission to broadcast pornographic material via its satellite pay-TV platform. The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) announced it has given TopTV the green light for an adult offering by granting parent company, On Digital Media’s, application to broadcast three adult content channels. – ITWeb

Telkom Mobile has started offering customers on certain of its plans free unlimited WiFi. MD of Telkom Mobile Attila Vitai says subscribers on qualifying Telkom Mobile SmartPlan, SmartSaver, SmartInternet, SmartInternet Promo and SmartInternet Saver plans now have access to free unlimited WiFi. Vitai says the company is in the process of rolling out an extensive WiFi network. – ITWeb

Into Africa

Mobile phone technology is planned to be used by the United Nations (UN) to help boost English literacy levels in Nigeria. A subscription service, which is said to be targeted at tens of thousands of English teachers, is intended to use text messaging to broadcast content and messages with learning advice once a day. – ITWeb Africa

Kamal Sohrab, Pan African Network

About 70% of Kenya’s 41 million-strong population have access to a digital television signal, months ahead of the nation’s planned digital switchover. This is according to Pan African Network Group’s business development manager, Kamal Sohrab, while on tour of a transmission site in Limuru, Kenya. – ITWeb Africa

Mobile Number Portability (MNP) is planned to be implemented in Nigeria, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission. MNP allows subscribers to port their mobile phone numbers from one network to another, while retaining their original numbers. Subscribers are expected to be able to start switching networks among the country’s GSM providers such as MTN, Etisalat and Glo Mobile. – ITWeb Africa

Mohamed Jameel, Globacom

Nigeria’s second largest mobile operator, Globacom, which signed a $750 million contract with China’s Huawei, has inked another multimillion-dollar deal to help upgrade its network. Globacom signed a $500 million network modernisation and expansion contract with telecom vendor ZTE Corporation. Mohamed Jameel, group COO of Globacom, said the ZTE contract is part of the firm’s nationwide network expansion and modernisation project. – ITWeb Africa

Consumers in 16 African countries who purchase Samsung’s next-generation smartphone, the Galaxy S4, will be offered a warranty to cover screen and liquid damages. Dubbed the ‘Accidental Damage from Handling’ warranty, the initiative is expected to cover these damages at “no extra charge”, according to Samsung Electronics Africa. – ITWeb Africa

Mobile operator MTN has rolled out a long-term evolution (LTE) network in Uganda. MTN offi cials said its LTE network offers almost triple the speeds of existing mobile broadband connections available in Uganda. “We are happy to claim another first in Uganda with this momentous announcement, as MTN Uganda successfully launches its LTE network, offering world-class Internet services to our customers,” said Ernst Fonternel, MTN Uganda’s CMO. – ITWeb Africa

An audio educational programme has become available to Vodafone subscribers in Ghana. German broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) has announced it has partnered with the mobile operator to make its educational programmes available via handsets to subscribers using Vodafone Live Radio. The DW programme, “Learning by Ear”, lets subscribers access audio information on topics such as HIV/Aids, human rights, democracy and the environment. – ITWeb Africa

Abroad

Microsoft’s phone chief hates to call the new Nokia Lumia 521 cheap, but the lower-priced smartphone launching in the United States is the company’s boldest move yet to win mass market share from leaders Apple and Samsung Electronics. “There is an opportunity for us to offer a very high quality device in the mainstream,” said Terry Myerson, head of the Windows Phone unit, at Microsoft. – Reuters

Intel chose veteran insider Brian Krzanich as chief executive, disappointing some investors who hoped an outsider would push for aggressive changes to help the world’s largest chipmaker catch up in the mobile revolution. The company said last November it might go external for its next CEO, raising hopes that it might find someone to shake it out of recent doldrums. – Reuters

Warren Buffett accumulates Twitter followers even faster than he makes money. The 82-year-old “Oracle of Omaha” joined the service and sent his first tweet on 2 May, picking up more than 45 000 followers in just under 45 minutes. “Warren is in the house,” Buffett said under the handle “@WarrenBuffett”. By joining Twitter, the Berkshire Hathaway CEO now stands in good mogul company. – Reuters

Twitter has hired Cynthia Gaylor from Morgan Stanley to run its corporate development team, bringing in a veteran investment banker with experience in acquisitions and initial public offerings. Twitter, which announced Gaylor’s hiring in a tweet, is expected to be the next big IPO to emerge from Silicon Valley. “Look forward to joining and focusing on M&A + strategy,” Gaylor tweeted. “Pointed north... let the migration begin!” – Reuters