New iPad, iPhone 6 in Nigerian market within weeks

ITRealms:

Given that the new iPad and iPhone 6 phones were launched yesterday, September 10, in the United States (US), Apple fans in Nigeria are expecting that these products will hit market locally in less than eight weeks, reports ITRealms.

Sources close to Apple authorized dealer in Nigeria, iStore warned Nigerians to be cautious of buying the newly launched products at exorbitant and unauthorized market prices.

“The Apple iStore in the ikeja shopping mall is the home of "everything Apple in Nigeria" our source declared.

ITRealms recalls that the products announced include the bigger than ever iPad Pro and the stunning new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.  

“The new iPhone will also come in Rose Gold. This is fantastic for all of us who are Apple fans,” our source also said.

Pointing out that with companies like Etisalat, Globacom and Airtel selling the iPhone in their stores Nigerian should trust them to have the authentic product that comes with the Apple warranty and the best data bundle deals around. 

“It now seems odd to ask someone else to get the iPhone for you when you can get it yourself, and probably sooner than the return of our traveling friends, even at much cheaper prices,” ITRealms was told.  

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Pix: iPad Pro

Science revolutionises the world says Georghiou

 ITRealms:

Professor Luke Georghiou, Vice President, Research and Innovation, The University of Manchester and co-champion of EuroScience Open Forum (ESOF), has said that science revolutionises the world we live in, reports ITRealms.

“Today Manchester is a living laboratory. Science revolutionises the world we live in – we are constantly coming across new materials, new ways of understanding our own bodies and new approaches to the grand societal challenges relating to sustainability, energy, food and water resources. Science is driving revolutions all around us, every day. 
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“All these changes, of course, bring with them significant implications and challenges for society and government; and it is this impact of science and technology, upon all areas of public policy, that Policy Week 2015 will probe and progress,” he said.


He noted that given that Manchester is a city of firsts “from Rutherford splitting the atom to Geim and Novoselov isolating graphene – it seems appropriate that we should have the honour of being the first UK city to host Europe’s foremost scientific meeting in 2016.” 


He explained that the ESOF next July meeting will be the culmination of an 18 month celebration of science in this city “and I’m delighted that this year’s Manchester Policy Week will form a key part of those rich festivities.”


The University of Manchester, ITRealms gathered, will bring together leading minds in science, technology and public policy for a week of events that will shine the spotlight on Manchester as a living laboratory.


From November 2-6, big names in public policy and academia will come together for panel discussions, open lectures and a programme of films, to be launched by David Willetts, former Minister for Universities and Science, who will deliver the keynote address, examining the impact that technology is set to have on higher education, ITRealms learnt.

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Pix:Professor Luke Georghiou,

Chude, Ayeni, Detoun to speak at Success Stories Africa'15

ITRealms:

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Red Media Africa, Chude Jideonwo, and his counterparts at BHM Group and Skills Development, Messrs Ayeni Adekunle and Detoun Ogwo would Saturday led young achievers to speak at Success Stories Africa, ITRealms reports.

The founder, Success Stories Africa, Isaac Oladipupo said his organization is converging young people in neglected areas to be empowered with previously unknown stories of seasoned achievers.

According to Oladipupo , other speakers and panelists expected to share their stories at this revolutionary gathering include Monalisa Chinda,

Award-winning actress, Japheth Omojuwa , Founder, Omojuwa.com,  Segun Odubela , Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Yemi Akamo , Curator, TEDxGbagada, Gaise Baba , Afro-fusion artist and Sisi Yemmie, Vlogger, among others.

Oladipupo stated that these achievers will reveal their breakthrough ideas, habits and principles that have shaped their lives alongside acquisition of skills, adding that “This is not a motivational conference; it’s a destiny-shaping gathering.”

“Contrary to widespread believe, greatness actually leaves tracks and just anyone can make a difference if they care to know and do what it takes,” he said.

Scheduled to hold on Saturday, September 12th, 2015 at Foursquare Auditorium, Alagbado, Lagos by 9AM, this defining event will also feature free training sessions in different crafts to be facilitated by James Abinibi, CEO, Abinibi Multimedia, African Farmer Mogaji, Agricultural consultant/Ashoka Fellow, Fola Folayan , Broadcaster, Nigeria Info FM, Rhoda Agbeyo , CEO, Rhoda Michaels, Fashion Academy and Vanessa Odofin, CEO, Vanadale Makeovers.

Young Nigerians, ITRealms reports, will be empowered to buy the future and change history at the event. Widely recognized as the most impacting gathering of young people in developing communities, Success Stories Africa is aimed at increasing the number of empowered youths above the weaklings.

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Pix: Chude Jideonwo

Chijoke Osinachi wins Etisalat CliqFest star prize

ITRealms

 

A 400-level student of Uthman Danfodio University, Sokoto, Chijoke Osinachi, is now a proud owner of a Hyundai i10 car courtesy Etisalat CliqFest nationwide campus tour, ITRealms reports.

Chijoke who was dumfounded in the moment after receiving the keys to the car from the University’s Dean of Students’ Affairs, Prof. Adamu A. Aleiro could not hide his feelings as he praised the telecom operator for its efforts in giving meaning to the lives of the members of society.

“It is hard to describe this feeling that just in a moment things have actually turned around for me. I could not have imagined this when I woke up this morning. I am very grateful to Etisalat for this big lift.”

Chijoke Osinachi, ITRealms gathered, was selected from a raffle draw supervised by renowned motivational speaker, Niyi Adesanya, the University’s Dean of Students’ Affairs, Prof A.A. Aleiro and winner, Nigerian Idol 2015, K-Peace whose real name is Olakunle Ogunrombi.

Also speaking at the Presentation ceremony, Etisalat Nigeria’s Manager, Youth Segment, Idiareno Atimomo, assured the school of the company’s continuous commitment to helping Nigerians through its bouquet of customer-centric products, offerings and programmes.

According to a press release, apart from the grand prize winner, eight other students also went home with different categories of prizes. They include Fatima Aliyu and Baba Muhammad, both of whom won Laptops; Maryam T. Umar and Agboola Ridwan, both won handsets and Jerseys each; and the quartet of Habibu Tanko, Suleiman Usman, Ibrahim Tahir and Fatima Mustafa won handsets and Flash drives each.

Etisalat Cliqfest is an annual nationwide youth-centric education and entertainment initiative sponsored by Nigeria’s leading innovative telecommunications company, Etisalat. It features a line of youth-centred activities ranging from entertainment to multi-dimensional seminars and talks as well as sports, ITRealms learnt.

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IT services spending hits N1.35tr in South Africa in 2019

ITRealms
 
The International Data Corporation (IDC), the premier global provider of market intelligence and advisory services has said it expects Information Technology (IT) services spending in South Africa to reach $6.8 billion, about N1.35 trillion in 2019, ITRealms gathered.

According to a press release forwarded to ITRealms, Information systems consulting will be the fastest growing service, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.7per cent, as organizations seek guidance on how best to incorporate 3rd Platform technologies like cloud, social, and mobility so as to gain an edge in the increasingly competitive marketplace. The other top-performing services in terms of growth over the forecast period will be application consulting and customization (12.6 per cent) and combined systems integration (12.4 per cent).

ITRealms learnt that IT services spending in South Africa is expected to increase 8.8 per cent year on year in 2016 to total $5 billion about N995.2 billion, according to the latest forecasts from International Data Corporation (IDC). Referencing its recently published report, 'Africa IT Services Market 2015–2019 Forecast and 2014 Vendor Shares', the global research and consulting firm recently said it expects outsourcing services to continue to garner broad appeal as companies increasingly look to limit and predict their costs and optimize their current investments.

The considerable shifts in the rand/USD exchange rate are having a significant impact on the local IT services market. Spending on IT services in 2014, for instance, declined 1.5per cent year on year in U.S. dollar terms, but when measured in the local currency, it was up 10.7per cent over the same period.

The IDC's research manager for software and IT services in Africa, Lise Hagen, said "The increasing demand for innovative solutions to common operational challenges is a priority for decision makers when purchasing IT services. An increasingly mobile workforce will have a significant impact on purchases spanning the whole technology stack of software, hardware, and IT services."

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iSPEX-EU project to measure air pollution

 ITRealms

 

The iSPEX-EU project which involves the University of Manchester is designed to get a clearer picture of the atmosphere and the level of air pollution that people breathe in every day, ITRealms reports.

It is one of the biggest ever citizen science projects which needs volunteers from Manchester to help measure air pollution in the environment with the smart phone.
Nearly 10,000 people across Europe will be taking part, from cities including Athens, Barcelona Belgrade, Berlin, Copenhagen, London, Milan and Rome as well as Manchester. 

The results will be used to map out just how dirty our air is and hopefully track how pollution spreads through the continent. Such air pollution and the impact it has on our health and the environment, ITRealms learnt, is still poorly understood and it is not clear what impact such pollution will have on climate change.

Access is by adding a simple piece of equipment to the phone and taking just a couple of minutes out of the day, volunteers can turn their phones into optical sensors which take measurements and upload them automatically for the researchers to study.

The add-on equipment, ITRealms gathered, is called a ‘spectropolarimeter’, and it is powerful enough to measure tiny particles in the air. It works with iPhone 4, 4S, 5 or 5S models. All volunteers have to do is scan the cloud free sky during daylight hours, while the phone’s camera takes pictures through the spectropolarimeter.

The Dutch group at Leiden Observatory that is leading the ISPEX-EU project, trialed a similar project in the Netherlands two years ago and proved to be extremely successful.
The Professor of Atmospheric Chemistry, The University of Manchester,  Carl Percival, said,  
 “This is a really exciting project to be a part of, both for the way we are going about doing it and for the results it could produce. This is a project that means anyone with the right phone can take part in a real life science experiment, that will produce real data and help us know more about our environment,” ITRealms reports.

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UNILAG: 300-level Accounting student electrocuted, colleagues on rampage

ITRealms:

The University of Lagos (UNILAG) students whose colleague, Oluchi Anaekwe, a 300-Accountancy student, was electrocuted in the university campus, have launched a protest, marching round the premises and barricading the gates, ITRealms reports.

Oluchi whose twin sister is said to be a 400 level student in the same institution, was electrocuted about 7p.m. while walking along the "New Hall" bus stop when a high voltage electric cable fell off the pole and landed on her.

Immediately, the student was rushed to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), but was confirmed dead by hospital authorities.

ITRealms investigation revealed that more students were seen walking beside  the fallen cable with rain drizzling over it as students walk closely along the path of the tragedy. 
Although firefighters were called to the scene, they soon left after taking the victim from the scene leaving the entire area without cordoning it off or placing caution tape around it.

According to students who witnessed the incident, they have been witnessing some electric sparks off the cables on the same electricity poles recently on the campus. The university authorities were silent until the collapse of a high tension cable that killed the female student, Tuesday, ITRealms learnt. 

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Prof. Falko joins University of Manchester as Research Director

ITRealms

Professor Vladimir Falko, one of the United Kingdom (UK) leading condensed matter theorists has joined The University of Manchester as Research Director for the National Graphene Institute (NGI), ITRealms reports

Falko who resumes on October 1, 2015will be responsible for developing the research strategy for the NGI, has made substantial contributions towards the understanding of electronic and optical properties of graphene, including the discovery of bilayergraphene. 

Graphene, is a thin layer of pure carbon; it is a single, tightly packed layer of carbon atoms that are bonded together in a hexagonal honeycomb lattice. In more complex terms, it is an allotrope of carbon in the structure of a plane of sp2 bonded atoms with a molecule bond length of 0.142 nanometres.

ITRealms gathered that Professor Falko began his career by studying for his PhD at the Institute for Solid State Physics RAS, and gained postdoctoral experience at Max-Planck-Institut in Stuttgart and Oxford University, followed by 20 years of service at Lancaster University where he was Distinguished Professor and Head of Theory Division. 

A fellow of the Institute of Physics, he has previously held an ERC Advanced Investigator Grant and in 2010 won the prestigious Royal Society Wolfson Foundation Research Merit Award.

Professor Falko said: ‘I am looking forward to working in the outstanding intellectual environment of The University of Manchester, where the research facilities of the NGI will form the platform for interdisciplinary collaborations between academics and for engagement with industry”. 

The University of Manchester, ITRealms learnt, has more than 230 researchers in graphene and 2D materials, led by Nobel laureates Sir Andre Geim and Sir KostyaNovoselov. The appointment of another world-class graphene academic, who has collaborated with the Nobel laureates for the recent decade, reinforces the University as the leading institution for graphene research in the world.  

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Pix:Professor Vladimir Falko

WACSOF tasks ECOWAS on terms limits in West Africa

ITRealms

 

The West African Civil Society Forum (WACSOF) has expressed reservation over term elongation in West Africa and called on Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to checkmate the trend, ITRealms reports.

This subject matter will dominate discussions as 30 participants representing leading Civil Society Organization (CSOs) in the area of democratic governance in West Africa meet in Dakar (Senegal) from September 9 to 10, 2015.

ITRealms gathered that the meeting is being convened with experts on constitutional matters with the aim of addressing the issue of presidential term limits in West Africa. The two-day meeting will seek to harmonize the positions of civil society actors on the issue of the limitation of presidential terms in West Africa. These organizations will also discuss ways to convince ECOWAS member states to consider and adopt a common provision on this issue.

A press statement  signed by Auwal Ibrahim  Musa (Rafsanjani), Acting General Secretary for WACSOF/FOSCAO and Mathias Hounkpe, the Political  Governance Programme Manager at OSIWA, the group seeks to push ECOWAS to take the bold step of adopting term limits at community level, adding that such a provision  be included in the texts governing the organization. The meeting of the  major CSOs in West Africa, ITRealms gathered, is meant to discuss and develop a strategy for this objective. 

The event is supported  by OSIWA, WACSOF acts in consideration of its mandate and capacity as the civil society coordination hub in West Africa and in connection to its supportive role to ECOWAS agenda, ITRealms reports.

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