GoMedia Concept: Google trains CEOs on Online Strategies

GoMedia Concept: Google trains CEOs on Online Strategies: Offers tips on how online platforms can boost business growth Google Nigeria has hosted CEOs and top executives at a training session with...

Google trains CEOs on Online Strategies

Offers tips on how online platforms can boost business growth

Google Nigeria has hosted CEOs and top executives at a training session with the aim of helping them leverage online platforms to grow their business.

The training, held in collaboration with the Association of advertising Agencies (AAAN) and Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN) was aimed at providing CEOs with high level skills required to understand digital platforms that can be used to expand the reach, impact and revenue of their business.

Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor, the Country Manager at Google Nigeria stated that: “organising the C level Breakfast event for CEOs is one of the numerous ways that Google is helping businesses grow online by exposing them to what the internet can do in their favour “.

She added that “the internet has a real impact on consumer behaviour and there is need for business to take advantage of that opportunity to expand their reach and meet consumer needs”

Google dedicated the month of July to organize the Digital Excellence Training, Certified Trainer Program and C-level breakfast to empower digital analysts, Online Marketing Executives and Industry professionals and CEOs with core insights required to understand digital platforms and building digital campaign .

The Digital Excellence Training offers in-depth Google Adwords certification training for Account Managers, Media Planners and Digital Analysts in organizations as well as interested individuals.The Certified Trainer Program which is the first of its kind in specialised training in Sub Sahara Africa is aimed at existing Google Certified Adwords Professionals who would like to develop more expertise in digital marketing, and function effectively as trainers and digital consultants.

On the relevance of the trainings, the President of AAAN, Kelechi Nwosu, frpa stated that the importance of digital training and skills development most especially in the emerging global competition cannot be over-emphasized. He commended Google Nigeria for the collaboration with AAAN.

Microsoft gears-up mobile devices with range of accessories

In a bid to enhance mobile phone users’ experience Nokia, now known as Microsoft Devices Group, at a media event in Lagos, Nigeria unveiled its range of colourful and portable mobile communication accessories tagged gears. The accessories include car chargers, wireless chargers, JBL speakers, power banks, coloured headphones, speakers, Nokia sensors treasure tags, Nokia wireless charging plates, wireless screen mirroring adapters, portable and affordable Bluetooth speakers with built-in mic, wireless charging stands, Nokia purity pro wireless stereo headset by monster, Nokia purity stereo wired headset, Nokia car holder with wireless charging capability, Nokia low cost wireless charging plates, and universal USB portable charger, amongst others. Addressing pressmen, Business Manager, Gear, Nokia West and Central Africa, Mario Okonya highlighted the unique functions of each gear and stated that they can be used with Nokia devices as well as other mobile device brands. “With our range of unique accessories, customers can actually experience the innovation we put in our devices either it’s a mobile phone or gear. Just like our mobile devices, the gears also come in different colours and are available at our authorized distribution outlet, Ematic Mobile Solution (EMS). “In creating our gears, we considered five pillars which capture consumers’ interests. These pillars include phone charging, connected devices, capturing and sharing, entertainment and personalisation. Each device is created based on our understanding of consumers’ interests and what they do often. People love to charge their phones when in the car on while on the go, our solution is our range of power banks/car chargers; also for entertainment, we have various speakers, Monster and Stereo headsets which can be used with Nokia phones and any other device” he added. One of the most impressive gears unveiled at the event was the Treasure Tag, a device that can be connected to Lumia smartphones via Bluetooth or NFC. It allows users tag valuable items and issues an alarm once they are leaving the items behind. The device also integrates Nokia’s HERE mapping service so users can use their smartphones to track down missing items which have been attached to Treasure Tags. The tags can be used with iOS and Android devices as well. Responding to media inquiries, Business Manager, Gear, Emitac Mobile Solutions, West and Central Africa, David Akindele stated that the gears are available at affordable prices and come with a warranty of six months and one year depending on the product.

L-R: Managing Director, Nick Imudia; Head of Marketing, Debbie Shepard, both of Nokia West and Central Africa; Business Manager, Gear, Emitac Mobile Solutions, West and Central Africa, David Akindele and Business Manager, Gear, Nokia West and Central Africa, Mario Okonya during the launch of Nokia Gear in Nigeria at Nokia office, Victoria Island on Thursday, July 17th Emitac Mobile Solutions is the authorised distributor of the Nokia range of gear in West Africa. ​

Etisalat Excites Subscribers with Vringo Services

Nigeria’s most innovative telecommunications company Etisalat is out to excite customers in the Nigerian telecoms market with a special video ringtone service called ‘Vringo’. The new product allows customers to customise their caller tunes by replacing it with a video clip of their choice, ranging from music, movie, and comedy to football and other sports. Head, Digital Media, Etisalat Nigeria, Adia Sowho said the new product is to enable etisalat customers get as much pleasure as possible from their telephony experience. “We’re committed to listening and responding to our customers to ensure that they are at the heart of everything we do. Our customers rely on us to develop innovative products that deliver value to them and ensure that they can derive as much pleasure as possible from our network.” She said. Shedding more light on the product, Sowho said that the Vringo service also enables customers to share video ringtones with friends across multiple platforms. The service is compatible with Android, Java and Symbian devices and is available on WEB, WAP and also available as a mobile application. Customers can opt in via SMS by sending "SUB" to 669 on an etisalat line. To de-activate, all a customer needs to do is text "STOP" to 669. The service is free for the first 30 days, after which customers will be charged a subscription fee of N 100.00 monthly.” The application comes preloaded with a wide range of video clips including latest local and international music videos, movie clips, comedy clips, football clips and Etisalat specific content. While some of the content is free, however, premium content is available for downloads for a one off fee of N50 per download.

NCMD

VIRTUAL SIMcard out to provide Phone for ALL

The future of connecting the world is here already. Movirtu and Airtel may commence empowerment from Africa

The goal of connecting half of the world inhabitants who are yet to be connected may be getting closer by the day. Given: The issue of poverty is one that must be addressed since the 2.4 billion people who live on less than $2 a day cannot afford even the cheapest most basic mobile phone. Movirtu, a young London based company has come up with an idea of providing Virtual SIM cards that can be used on borrowed or shared phones and it has been tested positive in a few countries in Africa where GSM standard is the predominant mobile technology. The latest story is that Airtel, which operates in 17 countries in Africa, has bought into it.

And this is how it works : Put simply, Movirtu does away with the requirement for a physical SIM card. Instead, it allows operators to sell virtual SIMs, which exist only as numbers. To use one, a subscriber simply borrows a phone and enters a short USSD code which tells the network that the phone is now using another number. The subscriber can then make and receive calls from his own number (at his own expense) on the borrowed phone. All that has changed is an entry in the mobile network's visitor location register, a backend database. To return the phone, the subscriber must enter the code again, and all is back to normal. It is not that you walk to a stranger and ask to borrow his phone. Consider that children grow older and demand their own phones, families could get them virtual numbers so they have their own identity, without having to invest in extra devices. Or a group of a few people could share the price of a phone and use it with their individual SIMs. Think of the 'roadside business' that can generate from there. A little patience will see the merit in this solution to bring the whole world into the network. At least so say the idealists of the Virtual SIMcards solution.

CNN ENHANCES TRAINING OFFERING FOR GLOBAL PARTNERS WITH DIGITAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME

News release

CNN is launching a new Digital Leadership programme that will provide journalists and executives from CNN's partners worldwide the very latest technological innovations in news gathering and production. The inaugural Digital Leadership intake, starting on 7 July, will see participants from countries including Brazil, Israel, Bahrain, Vietnam, France, Germany, Philippines and Taiwan immersed in CNN's digital experience and expertise so they can empower their organisations with more effective multi-platform digital content and strategies. The ten-day programme – taking place at CNN's headquarters in Atlanta and then in the very heart of digital innovation in Silicon Valley - will embed executive-level newsroom and digital leaders into CNN's digital multi-platform operations and the cutting-edge technology companies of digital media. Intensive training from top executives at CNN as well as collaborative sessions with top technology firms across publishing and social media span: · Strategies in technology, mobile devices and digital content management · Workshops and interactive seminars on newsgathering, content curation, acquisition, publishing, distribution, research and analytics, breaking news, monetisation and the relationship between broadcast and digital divisions Participants will also attend an innovation session at Turner Media Camp, Turner Broadcasting’s own in house start-up incubator. The Digital Leadership programme is part of the CNN Journalism Fellowship (CJF), a professional enrichment programme designed for CNN’s international broadcast affiliate partners. Since its inception, the CJF has hosted more than 900 correspondents, assignment editors, producers, anchors and managers from more than 300 news organisations in nearly 140 countries. "Establishing this training programme is a reflection of the way technology has revolutionised the way stories are told and the speed at which they are delivered," said Greg Beitchman, Vice President, Content and Partnerships, at CNN International. "Through this tailored and future-looking programme, CNN is delivering more value to our important worldwide affiliate network to help our partners adapt and evolve in a digital landscape. Journalists and executives from any of our global partners who participate in this immersive experience will leave with a greater understanding of digital strategies from CNN and some of Silicon Valley's finest digital trailblazers."

2ND EDITION ETISALAT PRIZE FOR LITERATURE

Pic 1 R-L: Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Matthew Willsher; Chair of Judges, Sarah Ladipo Manyika; and Prize Patron, Dele Olojede at a press conference to unveil the Patrons and Judges for the 2nd edition of the Etisalat Prize for Literature, which held at Intercontinental Hotel, Victoria Island on Friday, July 11th.

Brazil 2014: Innovation wins it for Germany

Germany has taken their fourth World Cup title thanks to a 1-0 win over Argentina at the Maracanã stadium – a well-deserved crown to the team’s fantastic performance in Brazil – and thanks to technology. Success can never be fully planned; good and bad fortune plays too big a role for that in football, said Richard Edet, managing director of SAP West Africa. But, he says, one can attempt to stem the influence of unknowns as much as possible, with help of good ideas. Every small detail had been thought through in Brazil by the German National Team (DFB), from the choice and architecture of the team base Campo Bahia, to picking the colours of Flamengo, Rio de Janeiro’s most popular club, for Germany’s away-shirt. And last but not least, the national team has also benefitted from innovative technology developed together with SAP. This journey started last year when national team general manager, Oliver Bierhoff, conducted some “market research” inside the locker room. He found that the players were most happy communicating with each other via digital platforms. Since communication was one of the main concerns during the tournament planning stage, Bierhoff commissioned SAP to develop an application that could facilitate the exchange of information about the team’s schedule, as well as data about the opponents. “SAP’s involvement has transformed the football experience for coaches, players, fans, and the media,” said Bierhoff. “Imagine this: In just 10 minutes, 10 players with three balls can produce over 7 million data points. SAP HANA® can process these in real time and the team was able to analyse a huge amount of data and customise training in preparation for all of the matches.” Together with SAP the DBF developed an application called SAP Match Insights, which analyses vast amounts of data about members of the German team and their opponents, based on their on-field performance. “This data can then be converted into simulations and graphs that can be viewed on a tablet or smartphone, enabling trainers, coaches and players to identify and assess key situations in each match,” says Edet. “These insights can then be used during pre-match preparations to improve player and team performance. SAP Match Insights (based on HANA technology) synchronised the data from scouts with the video footage taken from the pitch to make it easy for coaches to identify key moments in the game. Bierhoff liked it so much that he asked SAP to have the solution ready for the World Cup in Brazil and the rest, as they say, is the future.” Players and coaches quickly took to working with SAP Match Insights. A touch screen was put up in the players’ lounge in the base camp. On top of that, the app was downloaded onto mobile devices. By using Match Insights and HANA, the German National Team coaches simplified training to improve performance, which makes the ‘beautiful game’ even more beautiful to fans worldwide.

Protecting Data Wherever it Goes: Dell Unveils New End User Data Security Solutions to Empower Today’s Evolving Workforce

· Dell has announced new proactive security solutions designed to provide organisations of all sizes with protection for their valuable data in the face of new and increasingly sophisticated end user security threats, while continuing to meet employees’ expectations for anytime, anywhere productivity and data access. These additions include enhanced security features for Dell Data Protection| Cloud Edition with Dropbox for Business, new products within the industry’s most secure commercial PC portfolio, and the world’s first commercially available FIPS-140 Level 3 certified commercial PCs with Hardware Crypto Accelerator. “Increasingly, customers request a single, turnkey solution to secure their devices. Security is no longer solely the concern of large enterprises. Small, medium and midmarket organisations are also placing a significant focus on their cyber security infrastructures,” said Brett Hansen, executive director, Client Solutions Software, Dell. “That’s why Dell offers a seamless end user security suite with file-level and full disk encryption, as well as advanced, multi-factor authentication that delivers proactive protection against the daily threat of malware. It’s a true solution and simply unmatched by the competition.” Enhanced User Experience for the Dell Data Protection | Cloud Edition and Dropbox for Business Integration Dell and Dropbox are committed to offering customers simple and secure solutions that help businesses get things done. Today, Dell is excited to announce an update to its initial integration of Dell Data Protection| Cloud Edition and Dropbox for Business. With this new version, DDP|CE customers now enjoy the key features and functionality currently offered in Dropbox for Business while maintaining compliance requirements. A few of the features enabled in this update include: · Separation of personal and work data — Dell Data Protection| Cloud Edition now allows users to access both their personal account and their business account within any Dropbox application. DDP|CE ensures that company files are properly managed and secured while not disrupting the end user’s productivity and encrypts only sensitive company data, not personal files. IT can now also educate users on proper security precautions by issuing an automatic alert to the user when business files are placed in a personal folder. Simple, Safe and Available on the Go — The integration of Dell Data Protection| Cloud Edition will now allow Dropbox users to utilise the popular one-click sharing capability, while maintaining file-level encryption. Also, employees will now be able to open encrypted files through the Dropbox app on both Android and iOS devices. Remote wipe — In addition to using the Dropbox for Business admin console, DDP|CE customers can now complete a remote wipe from the centralised DDP|CE admin console. Sleek and Secure Commercial Endpoint Devices Dell is committed to providing customers with secure, manageable and reliable endpoint devices to meet the unique needs of their workforces. The sleek OptiPlex 9030 All-in-One, the industry’s most secure PC, provides comprehensive encryption, advanced authentication and delivers an additional layer of data protection with secure credential storage via the Trusted Platform Module (TPM). For physical security, the OptiPlex 9030 All-in-One[IE2] has lock slot support, a lockable port cover and chassis intrusion detection. Additionally, for users and customers who choose to secure their apps and content in the data center, Dell offers the choice of desktop virtualisation. Introduced last month, the Dell Wyse 5000 series All-in-One thin client[IE3] , 7000 series quad-display[IE4] thin client and Xenith 3 zero client[IE5] for ultimate in security, manageability and reliability. Dell also announced its first functionality updates to the Wyse Cloud Connect personal cloud access device, enabling enterprise-level security and manageability in a form factor slightly larger than a USB stick to give businesses a compelling new mobility option to enhance user productivity without sacrificing IT control and manageability. Industry’s First FIPS 140-2 Level 3 Certification Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) are developed by the United States federal government for the validation and evaluation and security of software and hardware — a standard that is becoming increasingly important, even outside of the United States. Dell has announced that it has achieved the highest FIPS standard for system disk encryption, with Dell’s Hardware Crypto Accelerator acquiring FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certification. Level 3 adds the ability for companies to go beyond detection and automatically remedy/address the tamper attempt. Dell is the only vendor to have achieved this level of certification for a commercially available system disk encryption solution. Dell Data Protection| Hardware Crypto Accelerator converts the hard drive of select Dell Latitude notebooks, OptiPlex desktops and Precision workstations into fast (3 gigabits-per-second), self-encrypting, tamper-resistant devices. While HCA completely eliminates the need to purchase separate self-encrypting drives (SED), it also uniquely operates without sacrificing system performance or disrupting existing IT processes. By architecting security solutions that have common DNA from the end user device to the data center to the cloud, Dell is committed to a connected, holistic security approach that is more efficient, secure and easily adopted to work with business, not against it.

SAP Africa partners with ActivEdge to drive mobile solutions for the financial services industry in West Africa

SAP Africa today announced a partnership with ActivEdge Technologies, an SAP OEM (original equipment manufacturer) certified partner, to drive innovative mobile solutions to fulfill the growing needs of the financial services industry in West Africa. SAP West Africa MD, Richard Edet, commented that the ActivEdge Technologies OEM partnership will help SAP to further penetrate the thriving financial services space in West Africa. “SAP intends to become the platform of choice in mobile commerce banking and a trusted advisor to the banking industry in West Africa. This partnership will allow ActivEdge to build its own intellectual property in rapid response to market demands and thereby help SAP grow its market share in the region.” According to CEO of ActivEdge Technologies, George Agu, this partnership means that banks in West Africa can now enjoy the benefits of a comprehensive mobile platform at an affordable price. The partnership will enable banks to grow their market share, provide flexible and convenient services to the growing mobile customer base and the unbanked population. As part of the partnership, ActivEdge Technologies is now certified to offer the following SAP solutions: SAP Mobile Banking, SAP Mobile Inclusive Banking, SAP Mobile Consumer Payments, SAP Mobile Remittance, SAP Mobile TopUp and SAP Mobile Payments. George Agu commented that prevailing trends in the local banking sector show that many banks are still looking at mobile commerce simply from transactional viewpoint. He said that most banks run the risk of missing the enormous mobile commerce opportunity unless they change the way they conduct business. “Transactional interaction alone is not adequate to inspire consumers: customers want end-to-end mobile experiences that enhance their daily rituals, from shopping to banking.” Agu concluded that, “The benefits as a result of this partnership for the banking industry in West Africa are vast-leveraging a technology built on the most open and standards-based mobile application development platform – SAP Mobile Platform, with prebuilt modules for inclusive mobile commerce banking services, that rapidly and cost-effectively deliver scalable and secure user-centric mobile apps, while giving banks the freedom to be as innovative as they can ever be with custom services with which they can delight their customers, inspire loyalty, reduce support costs and increase revenue. ActiveEdge is proud of its partnership with SAP”.

Technology firms form 'OIC' to promote interoperability

Samsung, Intel, Atmel, Broadcom, Dell and Wind River have been listed among firms which have decided to form a development group with a plan to improve interoperability and to define the connectivity requirements for the billions of devices that will make up the Internet of Things (IoT). The group to be known as Open Interconnect Consortium (OIC) aims to define connection standards that will ensure interoperability of devices including PCs, smartphones, wearables and industrial appliances. In a release by Samsung Electronics today, the group said "The OIC is focused on defining a common communications framework based on industry-standard technologies to wirelessly connect and intelligently manage the flow of information among personal computing and emerging IoT devices, regardless of form factor, operating system or service provider." The specifications could make it simple to remotely control and receive notifications from smart home appliances or enterprise devices using securely provisioned smartphones, tablets or PCs. Possible consumer solutions include the ability to remotely control household systems to save money and conserve energy Member companies will contribute software and engineering resources to the development of a protocol specification, open source implementation, and a certification program, all with a view of accelerating the development of the IoT.

Interdist to represent Axis in Africa

Axis Communications, a leader in network video, has announced the appointment of Interdist Alliances as its authorised distribution partner for all African regions outside of South Africa. Through this agreement, Interdist will distribute the full range of Axis Communications security cameras across these regions. This is according to Jason McGregor, sales manager for Axis Communications’ South Africa hub, who says that Interdist has a focussed African footprint, a solid business and reseller network and a strong technical competence that aligns with Axis’s brand and its African strategy. “Interdist Alliances will be bringing global best practices and business value to our customers in these regions,” he says. “With quality, reliability and accessibility being key requirements for our operations to maintain the high level of customer service and support expected of us, we believe we’ve chosen well in this regard.” Kris Tierney, General Manager at Interdist says it is their commitment as a value added distributor to help companies like Axis find new opportunities and provide reliable, responsive support making full use of the reach offered through the company’s growing network. “Interdist Alliances is very excited to announce our new relationship with Axis Communications. We are confident that innovative security solutions, including video surveillance will create a huge new opportunity for our partners who can use their expertise in networking and storage solutions to position the Axis range effectively in many sectors, including retail, property management and the financial sector,” Tierney says. McGregor adds that this move marks an important milestone for the company globally. “Africa is most certainly the fastest growing emerging market in the world,” he says. “Our continent has gone through a remarkable decade of economic transformation and has become a very busy place to do business with talk of new investment, new cities, new airports and even new refineries. All of these places are going to need to be secured and it’d be remiss of us were we not to find our place amongst the buzz.”

Nigeria Wins at the 2014 Intel ISEF Special Award

Nigeria was not left out in the showcase of scientific innovation and development of scientific research at the 2014 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair which held in Los Angeles, USA as Nigerian students emerge winners in the Special Award. Ibukunoluwa Ruth Oladeinde and Eveshorhewa Sophia Samuel Ajayi of Doregos Academy Ipaja, Lagos won a second Life Science Award of $1,000 courtesy Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society in the category of Medicine and Health Science for the project titled: ‘Walnut: Sustainable Solution to Halitosis’ for the treatment and diagnosis of Halitosis. Nigeria was represented with 6 projects and 12 students at the finals in Los Angeles which is a follow up to the 2014 National Fair Competition which held in Akwa Ibom State earlier in the year where the students emerged as winners. The National Festival of School Science (NAFESS) which is affiliated to Intel ISEF is organized annually by Genius Illumina. Genius Illumina coordinates and organizes the Local Science Fair in Nigeria and prepares the winners for Intel ISEF. Intel Corporation, Shell Petroleum Development Company SPDC/NNPC-NAPIMS and Interswitch Nigeria Ltd partnered with Genius Illumina to organize the Nigerian Fair and ensure participation at the International Intel ISEF According to Corporate Affairs Manager, Intel Corporation, Babatunde Akinola, he stated that “Intel is proud to know that Nigerian students are devoted to the growth of science and technology. In a bid to increase advocacy to education stakeholders and continuous support for the support of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math education in Nigeria, all partners and Genius Illumina will embark on capacity building for science teachers in states of the federation in the next three years with the aid of Intel STEM courses to be offered through a mix of facilitated and e-learning platforms The other 5 projects that featured in the Intel ISEF finals include, 2 WP Tri-Generator, Doregos Private Academy Lagos, Nanopiece from Airforce Comprehensive School, Uyo, Design and Construction of an electronic pest control device from Maryam Babanginda Girls Science College, Minna, Traffic Control System for the Blind, from Teto Model College Yenogoa, Power Failure Solution, Government Technical College Lagos, Agidingbi Ikeja. Shell Petroleum Development Company will sponsor all 6 winners to attend Robotics Challenge later in the year.

Google collaborates with AAAN, ADVAN & MIPAN to develop Local Ecosystem Trains over 100 marketing and advertising executives 9th July 2014, Lagos: Google Nigeria has dedicated the month July to hands-on trainings that will further empower digital analysts, Online Marketing Executives and Industry professionals with core insights required to understand digital platforms and building digital campaign, that conform with global best practice. The hands-on training will include the Digital Excellence Training, Certified Trainer Program and C-level breakfast forum. The Digital Excellence Training is organized in conjunction with Association of Advertising Agencies(AAAN) and Media Independent Practitioners of Nigeria (MIPAN) Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN) to offer in-depth Google Adwords certification training for Account Managers, Media Planners and Digital Analysts in organizations as well as interested individuals. The Certified Trainer Program which is the first of its kind in specialised training in the Sub Sahara Africa is aimed at existing Google Certified Adwords Professionals who would like to develop more expertise in digital marketing, and function effectively as trainers and digital consultants. To be a part of this training, participants must: Be Google Adwords Certified (Active within the last one year) Have at least 2 years experience managing digital campaigns for top brands. The C level breakfast forum is an exclusive training targeted at CEOs and top executives with the aim of helping them prepare to better assess online campaigns and strategies. Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor, the Country Manager at Google Nigeria stated that: “organising the training events is one of the numerous ways that Google is helping to prepare industry practitioners, agencies and advertising practitioners to better take advantage of digital platforms to reach out to their audiences” Ehimuan-Chiazor added that “the key objective of the training programs is to build capacity, enhance creativity and productivity among the target group of professionals.” She further stressed that “the Digital Excellence training, Certified Trainer Program and C-Level Breakfast program will provide CEOs, marketing and advertising professionals with the high-level skills that can scale up digital capacity building in Nigeria. The President of AAAN, Mrs. Bunmi Oke, frpa noted the importance of digital training and skills development most especially in the emerging global competition. She commended Google Nigeria for the collaboration with AAAN.