by Tech Talk | Feb 21, 2023 | Articles
By Duncan McLeod
The SABC is Sentech’s biggest client — by far. But that’s not stopping the state-owned broadcast signal distributor from formulating plans to rival the public broadcaster in streaming services.
While the SABC has been without a board for several months, Sentech has been making plans to launch what appears will be a competitor to SABC+, the streaming service launched by the public broadcaster late last year when it took over management and operation of Telkom One, a joint venture it had with Telkom.
News of Sentech’s plans to offer a so-called OTT service (over the top — industry jargon for streaming) emerged in parliament on Wednesday when communications minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said the company will “soon launch a homegrown OTT platform that will be anchored by Nemisa but which will be available to other content producers”. Nemisa is a state-owned non-profit in Ntshavheni’s portfolio that focuses on technology education, including in multimedia production.
“Our goal is to eventually make this platform the home for quality films, documentaries and children’s stories, in addition to SABC+,” the minister told MPs.
Sentech plans to launch the OTT platform in the first quarter of the 2024 financial year – that’s sometime between March and May this calendar year. A Sentech spokeswoman was on leave and not immediately available to comment further on the platform and its planned content offerings. (Update: See the brief statement provided by Sentech at the end this article.)
The launch plans come amid growing tension between the SABC and Sentech over the signal carriage fees the latter charges the former to distribute its terrestrial channels to South African audiences.
The SABC and its commercial free-to-air rival e.tv last year accused the broadcasting signal distributor of excessive pricing and anticompetitive behaviour.
Formal submissions
Their broadsides against the state-owned enterprise were included in formal submissions to communications regulator Icasa, in which they called for urgent regulatory interventions in the signal distribution market to deal with alleged monopolistic abuses by Sentech.
The submissions form part of a market inquiry by Icasa into the signal distribution services market. Sentech has asked that the regulator’s discussion document be withdrawn because, among other reasons, updated legislation to govern audiovisual services is in development and Icasa’s investigations shouldn’t pre-empt these potential policy changes.
E.tv parent eMedia Investments said in its submission to Icasa that it is “deeply concerned at the fact that the issues relating to significant market power in relation to signal distribution services have been ignored for decades”.
“This is despite pleas by the broadcasters that the market needed urgent regulation. Indeed, Icasa recognised as far back as 2010 that there was an urgent need to regulate the market due to Sentech’s undisputed dominance,” eMedia said. “Yet Icasa has taken no steps in this regard… All this has been to the detriment of broadcasters and caused them financial harm.”
The SABC also strongly criticised Sentech’s tariffs and behaviour, describing them as “not appropriate or correct”. It said its concerns led to the creation of a “chart of accounts project” at the public broadcaster to determine the fairness or otherwise of Sentech’s fees.
“The details of the various costs per service and per transmission site have been requested from Sentech with the objective of understanding how the structure of the cost for each service was derived. Sentech has not been cooperative in this regard for the past two years,” the public broadcaster alleged in its submission.
The SABC also filed a complaint against Sentech at the Competition Commission in 2021, in which it accused the signal distributor of “unfair and anticompetitive pricing”. – © 2023 NewsCentral Media
Sentech provided the following statement to TechCentral following publication of this article: “The OTT platform the minister is referring to is in line with Sentech’s mandate to provide electronic communication platforms for content/information distribution. As an independent provider, we provided an OTT platform for a customer, as we had done with the SABC as well. This is but another medium to deliver media content, where historically we used terrestrial and satellite networks. Sentech is not competing with the SABC or SABC+.”
Editor@tech-talk.co.za
by Tech Talk | Feb 21, 2023 | Articles
Twitter last week said it will allow only paid subscribers to use text messages as a two-factor authentication (2FA) method to secure their accounts.
After 20 March, “only Twitter Blue subscribers will be able to use text messages as their two-factor authentication method”, the company tweeted.
Two-factor authentication, meant to make accounts more secure, requires an account holder to use a second authentication method in addition to a password. Twitter allows 2FA by text message, authentication app and a security key.
The company believes phone number-based 2FA is being abused by “bad actors”, according to a Wednesday blog post that the company’s tweet linked to.
Twitter owner Elon Musk tweeted “Yup” in reply to a user tweet that the company was changing policy “because Telcos Used Bot Accounts to Pump 2FA SMS”, and that the company was losing US$60-million/year “on scam SMS”.
The blue checkmark, previously free for verified accounts of politicians, famous personalities, journalists and other public figures, is now open to anyone prepared to pay.
Last month, Twitter said it would price Twitter Blue subscription for Android at $11/month, the same as for iOS subscribers. — Reuters
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by Tech Talk | Feb 21, 2023 | Articles
Snapchat’s social media app is adding users at a faster clip, reaching more than 750 million per month, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel said.
That’s 25% more than the 600 million monthly users the app, known for its disappearing photo messages, was attracting 10 months ago. For the year through April 2022, the monthly count rose 20%, the company said.
Spiegel announced the numbers Thursday to an audience of investors at a meeting in Santa Monica, California. Those investors will be listening for signs that the company’s plan to shift its strategy is paying off. Snap last year said it was scaling back operations and narrowing its focus to three priorities: adding users and getting them to spend more time on Snapchat; jump-starting revenue growth; and investing in augmented reality technology.
The numbers disclosed on Thursday signal that the app can continue to expand its user base, which may help counter major declines in its digital ad business. In the first quarter, analysts expect the company’s revenue to post the first-ever drop from a year earlier, while the amount of money Snap makes per user is projected to fall to the lowest in almost three years.
The company has already said that the slide in digital marketing spending that’s hurt the industry for the past year is leveling off. Meanwhile, Snap is making changes to its ad offerings this year that may drag on revenue in the first quarter.
While Snapchat isn’t the biggest social media app — Meta Platforms Inc.’s Facebook and Instagram see about 3 billion and 2 billion users a month, respectively — it’s known for being especially popular among young people. In recent years, its been competing for the attention of younger users with TikTok, the fast-growing video app owned by ByteDance Ltd., which has more than 1 billion people logging in every month. — Bloomberg LP
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by Tech Talk | Feb 21, 2023 | Articles
Mustek subsidiary Rectron has teamed up with Chinese drone maker DJI to launch a drone academy in Midrand, north of Johannesburg.
The academy will offer three courses that aim to enhance the skills and proficiency of drone pilots. The courses offer a “remotely piloted aircraft systems maintenance technician” certification, remote pilot’s licence and “beyond visual line of sight” certification.
The duration of each course is three or four months and covers theoretical and practical training. At a launch event in Midrand on Friday, Rectron highlighted the challenges the drone industry faces, including a shortage of skilled professionals, limited applications in rural areas as well as regulatory hurdles. The company wants to promote the further use of drones across industries as it continues to diversify its business as a distributor of ICT products, including drones.
Rectron is offering learnerships aimed at enhancing the digital skills of the youth, too. According to Andre Witbooi, learning and development manager at Rectron, the construction, agriculture and insurance sectors are the top three industries in South Africa that depend on drones. Nevertheless, the shortage of skilled drone pilots and technicians is a significant impediment to the industry’s further growth.
“As the world moves towards a more digital economy, we need to ensure our youth have the right skills to take part in it,” said Witbooi. “The Rectron Drone Academy aims to provide relevant training for a future-proof career in the drone space. For many businesses that need to survey large areas, drones offer a cost-effective alternative to helicopters and aircraft.
“When it came to structuring the courses, we consulted with the NTSU Drone Academy and DJI to ensure students have the right foundations and training to forge a career path as a professional. All our courses are accredited with the South African Civil Aviation Authority.”
Thandanani Manyathi, regional coordinator at the Media, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority (MICT Seta), highlighted the contribution of South Africa’s commercial drone industry to job creation and the economy.
Manyathi said drones are beneficial in agriculture as they increase efficiency, precision and reliability of crop farming.
Although drone regulations have been enforced in South Africa, the rapid evolution of the industry makes it difficult for regulations to keep up with the technology, according to the Drone Council of South Africa.
The Rectron Drone Academy in Midrand will admit its first cohort of five students on 20 February, and students who have completed matric can enrol for the courses. Although it is not a prerequisite, having a background in maths and science is advantageous for admission. – NewsCentral Media
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by Tech Talk | Feb 14, 2023 | Articles
Acer today launched four new Chromebooks to meet the needs of students, teachers and administrators, including its first Acer Chromebook Vero model designed specifically for the education market. These new models provide the latest in durability, performance, and features, making them a powerful tool for helping educators deliver better learning outcomes.
“As a leading provider of Chromebooks for the K12 education market, Acer knows what students and teachers need to keep the focus on learning – and these new Acer Chromebooks deliver what’s needed and more,” said James Lin, General Manager, Notebooks, IT Products Business, Acer Inc. “Our new Chromebooks provide advances in all the areas that have helped establish them as an essential tool for learning: student-focused durability features, reliable performance and advanced connectivity options to support school technology initiatives.”
Impactful Learning and Teaching with Chrome Education Upgrade, Zero-Touch Enrollment
All the new Acer Chromebooks are available with Chrome Education Upgrade, which enables IT staff and administrators to manage, deploy and plan for student learning, all while ensuring students are getting the most from the Chromebooks[i]. IT departments can easily conduct admin support, manage devices, and have the new Acer Chromebooks automatically enrolled to their school sites as soon as the end user connects to the internet through Zero-touch enrollment.
Durability Features Designed Especially for Students
All of the new Acer Chromebooks for education have impact-resistant exteriors that meet MIL-STD 810H[[ii]] testing standards to withstand the daily trials of a busy school environment. They feature a reinforced corner design with a shock-absorbent bumper so they are protected from drops as high as 122 cm (48 inches) and can withstand up to 60 kg (132.3 lbs) of pressure. These new durable Chromebooks also feature elongated and widened internal brackets that protect the display, even when they are being mishandled. Plus, the ports have been reinforced with metallic plating to protect them from the wear and tear of frequent student use.
The four new Chromebooks each have a keyboard designed to protect the device from common student accidents. The keyboard is spill-resistant and features a unique drainage system that helps protect the internal components from up to 330 ml (11 oz) of water spills[[iii]]. All four Acer Chromebooks feature a moisture-resistant OceanGlass™ touchpad, made from ocean-bound plastics, reducing waste while providing a sleek, glass-like texture and responsive tactile feeling.
They also have mechanically anchored keys that are difficult for inquisitive students to remove, but at the same time, simple for IT personnel to repair or replace. The Acer Chromebook 511, Acer Chromebook Spin 511 and Acer Chromebook Spin 512 also feature a new serviceable keyboard that can be completely removed and replaced with the removal of just two screws. Finally, all four new Acer Chromebooks have been certified to meet two leading toy safety standards, the ASTM F963-16[[iv]]and UL/IEC 60950-1[[v]], meaning they’re also safe to share with younger children.
Acer Chromebook Vero 712 Brings Eco-Conscious Design to Schools
The performance-minded and eco-conscious Acer Chromebook Vero 712(CV872/T) lets students see and do more. This Chromebook for schools features a 3:2 aspect ratio and 12th Gen Intel® Core™ processor that enables students to do faster coding on their Chromebooks. The productivity-boosting 12-inch HD+ IPS display has a taller 3:2 aspect ratio that provides 18% more vertical space compared to an equally wide display, so more schoolwork, text, maps and photos can be seen before students need to scroll. The Chromebook’s TÜV Rheinland Eyesafe® (Hardware Solution) certified display also reduces harmful blue light while ensuring that users can still enjoy vivid colors when viewing from their devices. Plus, the powerful 12th Gen Intel Core processors let students tackle more advanced schoolwork such as coding and video editing, while also running multiple programs and apps without delays.
Featuring recycled materials, sustainable packaging and an energy-efficient design, the Acer Chromebook Vero 712 is part of the eco-conscious Vero line that reflects the company’s commitment to sustainability. The new Acer Chromebook Vero 712 utilizes recycled materials in many areas of the product including 30% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic in the chassis and display bezel as well as 50% PCR plastic in the keycaps. Even the device’s packaging supports the company’s mission to reduce, reuse and recycle with the use of 100% recycled paper pulp.
Three New Durable Chromebooks Meet Range of Educational Settings
In addition to the first Acer Chromebook Vero for education customers, Acer has expanded its line of Chromebooks for this market with three updated models: the Acer Chromebook Spin 512 (R856T) convertible with a 12-inch display, Acer Chromebook Spin 511 (R756T) convertible with an 11.6-inch display, and the Acer Chromebook 511 (C736) clamshell with an 11.6-inch display. These three Acer Chromebooks are powered by the latest Intel Processor N100 and N200, and have the option to include built-in 4G LTE[[vi]] connectivity to provide fast, reliable access to educational apps from virtually anywhere. Plus, like the Acer Chromebook Vero, these new Chromebooks also feature recycled materials, sustainable packaging, an energy-efficient design, and EPEAT registration to help schools reduce waste across the lifetime of the device.
The two new convertible models are ideal Chromebooks for blended learning environments as both feature 360-hinges to allow them to be used in a range of settings, as well as Antimicrobial[[vii]] Corning® Gorilla® Glass touch displays that are scratch-resistant and limit the growth of odor and stain-causing microorganisms. The Acer Chromebook Spin 511 has a compact design with an 11.6-inch HD IPS display in a 16:9 format, while the Acer Chromebook Spin 512 has a productivity-boosting 12-inch 3:2 aspect ratio HD+ IPS display on the (R856T/TN/LT/LTN) with more vertical space so students can view more text, maps, photos and schoolwork. Also, both convertible Chromebooks feature an optional USI Stylus that can be charged in the integrated dock, so students can take notes, sketch, write and paint with ease. Both convertible models deliver multi-day 12-hour battery life[[viii]]. The Acer Chromebook Spin 512 also has the same TÜV Rheinland Eyesafe® (Hardware Solution) certified display as that of the Acer Chromebook Vero 712 which can reduce harmful blue light while ensuring that users can still enjoy vivid colors when viewing from their devices.
The Acer Chromebook 511 is a tried-and-tested classic clamshell design that is incredibly compact, making it ideal for a wide range of younger students using lab settings and 1:1 programs. The 11.6-inch HD LED-backlit display with IPS technology comes in touch and non-touch options to meet school districts’ ranging needs and budgets. It also provides long battery life of up to 12 hours[10] of use.
Range of Ports and Latest in Connectivity for Hybrid Class Schedules
Students can connect to the Internet quickly with reliable Wi-Fi 6E. Plus, the four new Acer Chromebooks all feature 720p webcams with Blue Glass Lens and (TNR), providing high-quality video feedback even in low-light conditions. The two convertible models also provide the option for high-resolution world-facing cameras. For privacy, all four new Chromebooks include a webcam shutter. The new Acer Chromebooks will be available with an array of eMMC storage options and up to 8 GB RAM.
All of the four new Chromebooks are ready to connect to devices, displays and other peripherals. They each have two full-function USB 3.2 Type-C ports for transferring data at speeds up to 5 Gbps, connecting to an HD display, and can also be used to charge the device as well as other products. They all also feature at least one USB 3.2 Type A port, while the Chromebook 511, Chromebook Spin 511 and Chromebook Spin 512 also include a MicroSD card reader.
Price and Availability
Exact specifications, prices, and availability will vary by region. To learn more about availability, product specifications and prices in specific markets, please contact your nearest Acer office via www.acer.com.
Editor@tech-talk.co.za
