Most Wanted Malware: Androxgh0st, targets IoT devices, critical infrastructure - ITREALMS

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The Check Point Software's latest threat index for November 2024 has highlighted the rise of Androxgh0st, a Mozi-integrated botnet, and ongoing threats from Joker and Anubis, showcasing evolving cybercriminal tactics, reports ITREALMS.

This is coming as Seven African countries are among the top 20 most attacked.

Tracking solutions: 12.5m devices used in 2022 - ITREALMS

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According to a new research report from the IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, the number of active consumer asset tracking devices in Europe and North America reached 12.5 million at the end of 2022. Growing at a CAGR of 18.4 percent the number of units in active use is estimated to reach 29.2 million units by the end of 2027. 

The market value is during the same period forecasted to grow from € 1.6 billion in 2022 to € 3.8 billion in 2027. Consumer asset tracking solutions utilizing wireless wide area networks such as cellular, satellite, LoRa or Sigfox can be divided into four main categories based on asset type – family and child tracking, pet tracking, vehicle tracking and general asset tracking. The vehicle category can be further divided into cars; motorcycles and mopeds; bicycles; caravans and motor caravans; leisure boats; and other consumer vehicles including ATVs and snowmobiles. The general asset tracking segment includes any type of asset, such as bags and luggage, keys, wallets, clothes, electronics, tools and sports equipment.

Beware! Don't sale, use non-type approved devices, says NCC - ITREALMS

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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has warned traders and other stakeholders about the negative consequences of selling and purchasing phones and telecommunications gadgets that are not type approved by the Commission.

The certification of telecom devices used in the telecom sector is one of the mandates of the NCC as enshrined in the Nigerian Communications Act (2003) whose central objective is the “protection of the rights and interests of consumers.”

5G offering: Samsung unveils Galaxy A54, A34 devices in Nigeria - ITREALMS

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Samsung Electronics has unveiled a suite of its Fifth Generation (5G) series, namely the Galaxy A54 5G and Galaxy A34 5G, into the Nigerian telecom markets, reports ITREALMS.

The two innovative smartphones, ITREALMS gathered tend to advance Samsung Galaxy’s commitment to designing awesome mobile experiences, and promises Samsung's brighter display, more advanced cameras and longer battery life than previous models, even as the new Galaxy A series delivers outstanding mobile technology for all.

Elections: NPSA tasks INEC on deployment of effective technological devices - ITREALMS

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The Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA) has tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure the deployment and use of technological devices that are well-tested, protected from hacking, and replace malfunctioning for effective functioning during the 2023 General elections, reports ITREALMS.

The association also asked INEC to ensure seamless operational and logistics arrangements to prevent delays in the opening and closing of the accreditation and voting process, and the counting, collation, and transmission of results.

Over 300,000 Android devices under attack says NCC-CSIRT - ITREALMS

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A malware that steals Facebook account credentials, known as "Schoolyard Bully", has infected over 300,000 android devices, prompting the Nigerian Communications Commission's Computer Security Incident Response Team (NCC-CSIRT) to issue an advisory reminding user to only download applications from official sites and application stores.

Director, Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka in a press statement available to ITREALMS quoted NCC-CSIRT advisory in this regard as further recommending that users double-check each application and uncheck boxes that request extra third-party downloads when installing apps downloaded from the Google Play Store and to use anti-malware applications to routinely scan their devices for malware.

Konga upsets Nigerian PCs, devices market with mega computing sales - ITREALMS

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The much-anticipated Konga Mega Computing Sales powered with huge discounts and incentives and same day delivery goes live from Monday, August 29, 2022 for two weeks.

According to the management of Konga, additional discounts are on offer for customers via its CSR arm, Konga Kares, thereby making it the most discounted computing sales of all seasons this year. Feelers indicate that Konga guarantees to refund customers the difference in price if they find cheaper prices for same genuine products in any channel in Africa.

FRSC cautions motorists against driving and using mobile devices - ITREALMS

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The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has cautioned motorists in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to ensure they set their mobile devices on drive-mood before commencement, reports ITREALMS.

FRSC also warned against the use of mobile devices for messaging, typing and listening to music with phone while on the wheel.

Embracing embedded financing by Nigerian telecom consumers – ITREALMS

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Having lost his two phones and a HP laptop to ‘break and enter’ thieves recently, Femi, a resident of Ipaja, a Lagos suburb, headed to the Computer Village, Ikeja. REMMY NWEKE writes on Femi’s encounter and embrace of the embedded financing package to replace his lost devices with ease.

Devastated penultimate morning, Femi walked into one of the mobile phone shops, SLOT, at the Ikeja Computer Village, Lagos, to replace his stolen mobile phones and HP laptop, upon realizing they got missing from his window at his residence in Ipaja, a suburb of the commercial city.

*Some embedded finance service providers

Considering Femi just finished paying the school fees of his two children in a nearby private school and now faced with replacement of his work tool mobile devices as a content creator in upcoming firm, he was at first confused when approached by a sales girl, Nkiru, with an offer that he can actually pick a mobile phone or two and pay later.

NCC stresses importance of type-approved mobile devices - ITREALMS

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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has stressed the importance of type-approved mobile devices, reports ITREALMS.

This came as the Commission advised telecommunications consumers to verify their desired mobile devices to ascertain if they are type-approved before any purchase is made.

2019: INEC bans mobile devices inside voting booth - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that there will be a partial ban on the use of electronic mobile devices inside the polling booth during the 2019 general elections, reports ITREALMS.

National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Publicity Committee at INEC, Barrister Festus Okoye made this disclosure in his address at the sensitization forum for the media in Ado-Ekiti on Monday, saying they have introduced a partial ban on the use of mobile phone and other photographic devices.

Okoye, who was represented at the forum by the outgoing Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ekiti State, Prof. Abdulganiyu Olayinka Raji, said the ban on mobile devices is strictly on voters at the polling booth.

“We have introduced a partial ban on the use of mobile phone and other photographic devices by voters while in the voting cubicles,” he declared.

Okoye also expressed dismay over the issue of vote buying and INEC has responded to this by first altering the configuration of polling units by moving the ballot boxes closer to the voting cubicles in order to make it difficult for voters to expose their marked ballot papers.

According to him, it is in the same stead that the partial ban on mobile phones and photographic devices was introduced.

In addition, INEC he said, has introduced the “rolling and flattening of ballot papers by voters before casting them into the ballot boxes, stressing that financial inducement by partisan actors through the collection of the voter identification numbers (VIN) and their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).

“We want to reassure Nigerians that we are aware of the new tricks. It is a futile effort. We will work with the security agencies to deal with the violators of our electoral laws,” Okoye insisted.

He emphasised on the role of the media to deeply engage in voter education, general enlightenment and mobilization.

Remmy Nweke/HO

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Personal Computing Devices demand declines in MEA - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Personal Computing Devices (PCD) market in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) has been reported as being on the drop side which is made up of desktops, notebooks, workstations, and tablets, reports ITREALMS.

According to the latest insights from International Data Corporation (IDC), PCD declined by 7.7 per cent year on year in Q2 2018.

The global technology research and consulting firm's Quarterly PCD Tracker shows that shipments fell to around 5.4 million units for the three-month period, which represents the lowest quarterly volume recorded for more than seven years.

"While this marks a considerable decline for the overall market, the PC segment actually performed well, with desktops experiencing strong growth and notebooks experiencing only a small decline," explains Fouad Charakla, IDC's senior research manager for client devices in the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa. "However, there was a much more significant decline in tablet shipments, and only the aggressive distribution push of certain Far-Eastern players prevented an even steeper decline."

The biggest decline in PCD shipments was seen in the 'Rest of Middle East' group of countries (which comprises Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Palestine). "Iran accounted for the largest chunk of this decline, with the country's worsening economic situation further weakening the local currency, which in turn caused shipments into the country to become more expensive and demand to decline," says Charakla. "The MEA region's largest single market, Turkey, experienced something similar, with the country's currency weakening to new lows against the U.S. Dollar, causing a significant increase in the cost of imported devices and a corresponding decline in demand."

In stark contrast, South Africa experienced strong year-on-year growth in PCD shipments after the rand reached one of its highest levels against the US dollar in recent times. "Market players operating in the country continued to take advantage of this opportunity throughout Q2 2018, with imported PCs costing far less than previously for both local channels and end users," says Charakla. "Other countries that saw strong year-on-year growth for the quarter were Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, and Lebanon."

IDC's research shows that the leading PC vendors remained unchanged in Q2 2018, with the top five all occupying the same positions as Q2 2017. While HP experienced a significant year-on-year jump in its share of PC shipments for the quarter, all the other major players saw their shares shrink, with the exception of Acer, which remained flat. It is also worth noting that the top three vendors accounted for more than 80% of the region's commercial PC shipments in Q2 2018.

Chuks Egbune/ED, Ops

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More options for Nigerians with Matrix devices

ITREALMS:

The smartphone penetration is set to gain a big boost in Nigeria as Matrix, a foremost telecoms company, is on the verge of offering access to a suite of high-end smartphones for millions of Nigerians, reports ITRealms.

These devices, neatly packaged and accessible nationwide, will be available for purchase online from Monday, March 26^th 2018.

Among the first set of devices set to be rolled out by the brand are a range of Apple devices including iPhone 7+, iPhone 7, iPhone 6s+, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6+ and iPhone 6, among others. Already, a number of interested Nigerians have embraced the pre-order campaign which affords them a chance to enjoy a number of freebies including free Apple ear-pods, wall chargers, data cables and phone cases, among others. The pre-order page is live on the Matrix website on preorder.matrixpreowned.com 

“At Matrix, we are eager to offer Nigerians more options with a range of genuine, affordable and pre-owned smartphones. These devices are good as new and are guaranteed to lower the entry point for millions of Nigerians who would have found it difficult to put up the considerable sums required to buy the brand-new models. Our motivation is to see more Nigerians make the transition from feature phones to smartphones without necessarily burning a huge hole in their finances,” said Dimeji Matesun, Chief Executive Officer, Matrix Certified Pre-Owned.

“We are starting out with a range of iPhones including iPhone 7+, iPhone 7, iPhone 6s+, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6+, but other smartphone brands will be added with time. For the pre-order campaign which is currently on-going, interested persons who pre-order also get to enjoy a number of freebies such as Apple ear-pods, wall chargers, data cables and phone cases, among others,” he said.

 Further boosting the appeal of the Matrix pre-owned devices is the one-year warranty with full technical and customer service support which accompanies the devices. The warranty period can also be extended at a cost, based on the customer’s preferences. Among the partner stores where the devices can be purchased are MTN, Yudala, 9mobile, Harmony Real Plus Ltd., XRight, and DAX, among others.

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Secure your smart devices in six ways

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The world has gone mobile. This fact is justified by the increasing use of the smartphone and other mobile devices, with many tech-savvy individuals relying on these gadgets as handy substitutes to laptops and desktop computers. Considering the many tasks people carry out on their devices include mobile banking and online shopping, among others, the importance of ensuring the security of that device cannot be over-emphasized.

The following tips from the Research and Development Unit of Yudala, Nigeria’s fastest growing e-commerce platform, will help keep your devices secure and less vulnerable to attack from hackers or data compromise in the event of a loss.

1.Embrace encryption: One of the best ways to safeguard your device is to encrypt your phone storage. Most smartphones have this encryption feature built in, hence your data is seamlessly encrypted even without your notice. Should your device not have this feature automatically enabled, you can activate it manually. With encryption, all the data in your device including pictures, messages, emails, etc. are scrambled into unreadable form. In the event that your device gets lost or stolen, unwarranted access to your sensitive data is prevented as your mails, videos, images and other personal information cannot be retrieved or decrypted without the PIN or password you set while encrypting the phone.

2.Always use a VPN when on public Wi-Fi: Free Wi-Fi is often a source of joy for most smart device users. However, indiscriminate use of open Wi-Fi connections poses substantial security risks especially from lurking, eagle-eyed hackers. To avoid jeopardizing your personal details, it is advisable to always use VPN when on public Wi-Fi. VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. Through this, you can access the Internet using a private network while connecting to a public or unsecured Wi-Fi. In other words, a VPN creates a secure, encrypted connection, which can be thought of as a tunnel, between your computer and a server operated by the VPN service. Applications running across the VPN may therefore benefit from the functionality, security, and management of the private network. There are several free VPNs you can download and install on your device to provide this extra layer of security.

3.Never give out your device’s IMEI number: IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is a unique 15-digit serial number given to a device. Every mobile phone, GSM modem or device with a built-in phone or modem has its own unique IMEI number. With this number, you can check some information about the device such as the country of origin, manufacturer/brand or model. Scammers posing as representatives of telecoms companies have been known to request the IMEI number of phone and other device users. Please bear in mind that it is unwise to give out your device’s IMEI number. You may just be handing over the vital information required for a potential hacker to clone your device and use it maliciously.

4.Be app-smart and not app-happy: Many smart device users are often app-happy. They waste no time in downloading every new app they come across without a second thought to the benefits or access to personal information requested by these apps.  To ensure your device is better secured, you must endeavor to be app-smart rather than being app-happy. As a matter of importance, you must make it a habit to read the full detailed description of any app you wish to download. A significant number of apps request access to some features that may compromise your data such as your phone’s contacts, camera, emails, etc. In cases such as this and to avoid exposing your details, it is best to search for a less-intrusive alternative. Furthermore, being app-smart means that you download apps only from a trusted source such as AppStore for iOS devices or Google Play for Android.

5.Software update is key: One of the most essential means of securing your device is through regular software update. This involves keeping the operating system software and various application software current with the latest updates from the manufacturer. It is important to note that these updates will likely include security improvements too which will make your device more resilient to attacks.  As a result, you must bear in mind, when making the decision to purchase a phone or mobile device, to choose a model that can be updated throughout the device’s lifespan.

6.Set up remote wipe on your device: For most smartphone users, this feature is often supported. All you have to do is turn it on. With this functionality, you are protected from compromising your sensitive information as you can easily wipe all data remotely once you lose your device. Remote wipe occurs as the first thing when the device connects to the internet. Interestingly, through other associated features, you can even take some steps to locating your missing device by either ringing the lost phone, changing the lock screen with a customized message or erasing all your data.

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WannaCry: 5-way to protect your devices

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With the world reeling from the WannaCrypt attack –  an ongoing cyber-attack of the WannaCry ransomware computer worm targeting the Microsoft Windows operating system – fears are rife that the viral attack may soon spread to Nigeria, with dire implications for individuals and businesses whose devices are compromised.

Described as unprecedented in scale, the attack which started on Friday May 12 2017 has infected more than 230,000 computers in 150 countries, with the software demanding ransom payments in the cryptocurrency Bitcoin in 28 languages.

In this piece, the Research/Development Unit of Yudala – Nigeria’s fastest growing composite e-commerce outfit – shares five ways to stay ahead of the WannaCry attack which has been likened to a ‘pandemic’.

1.Update Windows as a matter of urgency: The world heaved a brief sigh of relief when the WannaCry ransomware was halted in its deadly tracks by a security analyst who discovered a kill switch in its code last week. Sadly, the ransomware has been updated without the kill switch, allowing it to spread. Apart from businesses, institutions and governments; individuals are equally at risk of this viral attack as WannaCry targets a Windows operating system flaw in older versions that have not been patched. If your system runs on one of the newer versions of Windows and you have kept up with automatic updates, you can protect yourself by updating your computer immediately with the software patch released in March 2017.

2.Invest in a ransomware blocker: The WannaCry attack is indeed an eye-opener to the growing global scourge of Ransomware – described in an earlier research piece as an increasingly popular mode of attack where attackers encrypt data taken from the victim and in return for decrypting the data, they ask for an acceptable amount from the victim as ransom. These victims include individuals, small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large corporates.

Most anti-virus software hardly offers any protection against ransomware, especially if you are using the outdated version of the anti-virus. In view of the increasing prevalence of these attacks and if your checks reveal you are not protected, perhaps now is the time to consider investing in a dedicated ransomware blocker. Before purchasing one, please check out the features and cost. There are also a few free options you can download and install at no cost.

3.Turn Windows Update on if currently disabled

Most users can be forgiven for disabling Microsoft Windows’ automatic updates. This is especially considering the annoying tendency for earlier versions to auto-install even when one is in the middle of a pressing work schedule or tight deadline. Thankfully, Microsoft has, to a large extent, fixed that issue with the current version of Windows 10. So, if you currently have automatic updates disabled, please go back to your Control Panel to turn them back on and leave them on.

4. Stay alert for new strains/mutations

According to research from Heimdal Security, new strains or mutations of the WannaCry ransomware have popped up, with some bearing the name Uiwix. Also, the virulence of the ransomware can be seen from the way it rebounded from the initial attempt to deploy its kill switch. This clearly shows the need to remain on the alert for new strains or mutations. Suspicious links in emails and on websites should be regarded with caution to avoid becoming a victim.

5.Consider cloud storage and file back-ups

In view of the likelihood of falling prey, there seems no better time to consider cloud storage and other forms of back-ups for your sensitive files and other information. Cloud storage is particularly useful because in the event of an attack, you may be able to recover your affected files by accessing earlier versions of them. Some effective cloud-storage services keep snapshots of all changes made to files in the past 30 days. 

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Ambode commissions AfriOne smart devices assembly plant

ITRealms:

The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has commissioned an assembly plant belonging to AfriOne Limited, makers of mobile phones and other consumer devices, reports ITRealms.

In his address to the occasion, Gov. Ambode who was represented by his Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr. Olufemi Odubiyi commended the management and staff of AfriOne Nigeria.

The governor was particular on the recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between AfriOne and Lagos State government which aims at training students of Lagos State Polytechnic.

This partnership, he said, has given birth to some 5,000 students of LASPOTECH.

Responding to questions, the Commissioner told ITRealms that the partnership also has room for the building of a competence centre in the state by AfriOne and plan has been advanced for the acquisition of land for such a structure.

He pointed out that Lagos will leverage on its Employment Trust Fund (ETF) to ensure that more Lagosians benefit from investment such as this one from AfriOne in the state.

Equally in a chat with ITRealms, the founder and chief executive officer of AfriOne, Mr. Sahir Berry said that the company with the commissioning of its assembly plant is determined to launch consumer devices in the state.

He described it as a technological breakthrough and precedent for the enterprise and Nigeria’s over 170 million strong population, which will herald the availability of the first in-country produced smartphones for sale in the Nigeria marketplace.

According to him, AfriOne is championing corporate socio-economic development while wholly supporting the ‘Made in Nigeria’ mantra.

The CEO, who was accompanied at the occasion by the Managing Director, Contec Global, Mr. Roheen Berry, AfriOne co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Mr. Hemang Kapur, Chief Commercial Officer, Mr. Lekan Akinjide, as well as Mr. Jailesh Shah of Gontec Global among others, promises to model their products to utilize cutting-edge technology, reflet a modern, sleek design and integrate the latest and arguably necessary financial technology.

As part of AfriOne strategy to checkmate fake products, Mr. Berry assured on the affordability and availability of their products.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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KQ, GE boost TUK with devices

ITRealms:

The Kenya Airways (KQ) and General Electronics (GE) have given a boost to the Technical University of Kenya (TUK) with a donation of hi-technology aviation training devices, reports ITRealms.

This, ITRealms gathered would afford the Aerospace and Aviation Engineering students at TUK to now have hands-on training on a high-tech CF6-80A2 aircraft engine that powers Airbus A310 and Boeing 767.

The CF6-80A2 engine manufactured by General Electric (GE) along with aviation maintenance training books, training aids, reading materials, used aircraft parts and aircraft manuals were donated today by Kenya Airways, GE and Boeing as a joint initiative to enable capacity building in aviation training schools in the region.

Speaking during the handover ceremony held at the Technical University of Kenya, Kenya Airways, Strategy and Performance Management Director Thomas Omondi said, “Our donation today further strengthens our commitment to ensure a stronger foundation of aeronautical knowledge, skills and more experience to aviation technicians and engineers even as they prepare for job market either with us or elsewhere. We are extremely happy to support the next generation of aircraft maintenance engineers”.

On his part, Regional Sales Director for GE Aviation in Africa Dr. Rajiv Bissessur said, “As Africa’s aviation industry continues to grow, the need for skilled aviation professionals in the region is also on the rise, and GE Aviation is proud to play a role in the skill development efforts underway at the Technical University of Kenya.”

“The donated CF6 engine will enable aeronautical engineering students to experience hands-on learning with one of the most popular wide body aircraft engine in service today and increase the pool of talented aviation experts that will be needed to service the needs of the airlines in Africa and around the world.” Rajiv added.

Receiving the training equipment’s, Vice Chancellor Technical University of Kenya Prof. F.W.O Aduol hailed the partnership and said, “This donation will provide the much needed practical and research orientation to our technician and engineering students and thus increase their competitiveness. This will make us the University of Choice for aspiring aviation professionals in the region”.

TU-K is one of the three universities in sub-Saharan Africa that offers Bachelor of Aeronautical Engineering.

Ayo Midele/GEE
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Huawei launches GR3, GR5 smartphones targeting Samsung

ITRealms:

Leading global innovation and ICT solutions provider, Huawei has launched two affordable mid-range devices, the Huawei GR3 and Huawei GR5 with the undertone to tackle Samsung market share, reports ITRealms.

The Country Manager, Huawei Consumer Business Group Nigeria, Mr. Leo Jiang said the newly launched smartphonesare 4G supported with a sleek metal finishing, and unique features that will cater to a wide range of customers’ preferences.

ITRealms gathered that the Huawei GR3 features an ultra slim design that is comfortable for single handed use and a160 inch wide viewing angle screen, and a choice from three high-end metal color options, including titanium gray, silver and champagne gold.

The Huawei GR3’s 5 inch display, he said, is the ultimate in visual experience, paired with a 13 megapixel rear camera and a 5 Mega pixel front camera for amazing panoramic selfies, in addition to having been made with aerospace grade material and a solid and powerful octa core processor with 2 GigaBytes of RAM and support for up to 128 GigaBytes of Micro SD Card storage.

Jiang said that the beautiful Huawei GR5 will no doubt be popular amongst photography aficionados and tech lovers as its camera comes with an independent metering function, and can adjust highlights and shadows in photos automatically. Users are able to take selfies in 10-level beauty mode, panoramic selfie and a refocus mode.

“The Huawei GR5 also comes with the new second generation fingerprint identification technology that’s more comfortable, accurate, and natural to use, whilst allowing you perform simple functions like clear notifications, answer phone calls, or take pictures; even with sweaty hands,” he said.

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Viber launches full end-to-end encryption, hidden chats

ITRealms:

London-based Over-The-Top messaging operator, Viber, has launched complete end-to-end encryption across all devices, ITRealms reports.

Viber, a leading messaging apps company with more than 711 million unique users worldwide, said these devices include Android and iPhone, iPad, Android tablets, PC and Mac desktops.

This feature, ITRealms reports, would be available over the coming weeks to all users who have the latest version of Viber.

The chief operating officer, Viber, Mr Michael Shmilov, said the company update strengthens security in every voice or video call, message, video and photo, in both group messages and one-to-one communication.

“As part of this update, Viber also launches ‘Hidden Chats’ allowing users to hide specific chats from the main screen so no-one but the user knows they exist. These chats can only be accessed using a four digit Personal Identification Number (PIN), providing an optional additional layer of privacy to users’ personal communications,” he said.

Shimilov said that they took users’ security and privacy very seriously, hence it’s critical that they feel confident and protected when using Viber, stressing “Because of this, we have spent a long time working on this latest update to ensure that our users have the most sophisticated security available and maximum control over their communications. We will continue to make this an ongoing priority as digital communication evolves.” 

The roll out, ITRealms reports would take effect globally over the coming weeks, just as users will automatically be protected by end-to-end encryption in all communications on their smartphone once they have upgraded to the latest version of Viber - v6.0 or higher. 

ITRealms further reports that subscribers who are also using Viber on an iPad, Android tablet or desktop will be prompted to re-connect it to their phone using a Quick Response (QR) code.

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Passion to Empire Campaign winners gets N3.5million- Microsoft

ITRealms:

Winners of the Microsoft Mobile Devices and Services Entrepreneurship Initiative, “Passion to Empire Campaign” at the prize presentation ceremony at Intercontinental Hotel Lagos, smiles home with N3.5million each, including skills and acquisition training sessions at the Enterprise Development Center (EDC) in Pan African University, ITRealms reports.

ITRealms gathered that the 5 winners, Daniel Isa, Emmanuel Ugwueke, Emmanuel Okena, Godwin Benson and Jessica Yahaya, all made it through the top 15 contestants, whose business ideas the judges could not push aside.

The judges, ITRealms gathered, made up of top Nigerian beauty entrepreneur, Tara Fela-Durotoye, CEO Chocolate City Group, Audu Maikori and Co-founder, Jobberman, Opeyemi Awoyemi, had an uphill task short listing for the Top 30.

Mrs. Tara spoke to ITRealms on behalf of the Judges, “Lots of the ideas came from technology, but we also saw ideas from the Agriculture sector and services industry. Initially, the idea was to select the Top 15 to pitch their ideas; however, there were some good ones we could not push aside. The truth is that, Nigeria has a bright future with the kind of minds that we interacted with during the campaign.” She said.

ITRealms also gathered that General Manager, Microsoft Mobile Devices & Services, Mr. Joseph Umunakwe, expressed satisfaction at the successful completion of the event, noting that the campaign is a demonstration of Microsoft’s commitment to helping Entrepreneurs translate their business ideas into reality.

“At the core of Microsoft is productivity. We are continually investing in building devices that enhance productivity to better lives. We are passionate about helping Entrepreneurs build capacity that sets them apart from their peers. Though, these five contestants won the prize money with the crop of young creative minds that entered for the competition and the wonderful ideas shared so far, the future is bright and I must say they are all winners in their own right.” He said.

He further stressed that, aside the prize money presented and the training program at the EDC of the Pan Atlantic University in Lagos, Microsoft under the ‘Cloudprenuer’ project would be offering Top 1000 technology business the opportunity of taking advantage of its cloud service at no cost.

Some of the winners who expressed their joy to ITRealms said that the cash prize would go a long way in helping them actualize their life time goals.

ITRealms learnt that seven of the 1^st runners-up were also rewarded with training sessions at the Centre.

Daniel Nsolibe/GEE

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