Author: Tapiwa Matthew Mutisi

Microsoft discreetly launched a dedicated Android app for Copilot, now available on Google Play Store. This new application allows users to access Microsoft’s AI-driven Copilot sans the Bing mobile app. As reported by Neowin, Copilot for Android has been accessible for almost a week, but its iOS variant has not…

Imaginario AI, a UK-based startup that utilizes AI for processing video and audio content, has secured a $1 million pre-seed funding round to bolster its international expansion. Established in 2021 by Jose Puga and Abdelhak Loukkal, Imaginario AI transforms the handling of video and audio content through artificial intelligence. Its…

Chefaa, an Egyptian startup that functions as a patient-centric pharmacy benefits platform, has secured $5.25 million in funding to boost its growth and expand in Saudi Arabia. The company was established in 2017 by Dr Doaa Aref and Dr Rasha Rady, and it provides a platform for users to conveniently…

Federal prosecutors have confirmed that Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of FTX, will not undergo a second criminal trial after winning fraud conviction, according to a Friday letter filed in a New York federal court. The decision by federal prosecutors to forgo a second criminal trial for Sam Bankman-Fried underscores the…

Google has agreed to settle a lawsuit accusing it of tracking Chrome users’ activities even when they were using Incognito mode. The lawsuit, which sought $5 billion in damages, was filed in 2020. According to Reuters and The Washington Post, details of the settlement have not been made public, but the terms have…

JAC Motors, a Volkswagen-backed Chinese automaker, is set to launch the first mass-produced electric vehicle (EV) with a sodium-ion battery through its new Yiwei brand. Although sodium-ion battery tech has a lower density (and is less mature) than lithium-ion, its lower costs, more abundant supplies and superior cold-weather performance could…

National Amusements, the parent company of CBS and Paramount, disclosed a year-old hack this month that affected 82,128 individuals. TechCrunch initially reported on the breach, revealed in a legal filing with Maine’s Attorney General under a 2005 state digital privacy law. National Amusements has not made any public comment on…

Nvidia, the U.S. chipmaking giant, is planning to release a modified version of a gaming processor with reduced performance in China to comply with U.S. export regulations. The Nvidia RTX 4090D, which is set to be launched in January, according to information from Nvidia’s website for Chinese customers and a…

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi unveiled its maiden electric vehicle on Thursday and immediately set a goal to become one of the world’s top five automakers in 15 to 20 years and compete against Tesla Inc. and Porsche AG. The sedan, nicknamed the SU7, where SU stands for Speed Ultra, is a highly anticipated…

In a significant win for Apple, an appeals court temporarily lifted an import ban on Wednesday, allowing the company to sell the latest Apple Watches. Apple stated that the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 models would be available in Apple stores from Wednesday and online starting Thursday. An…

Data from Stats SA reveals that in November, 144 businesses ceased operating, bringing the total to over 1,500 companies that have closed in 2023. Stats SA indicated that out of the total, 131 businesses chose to close down voluntarily, while 13 were obliged to. This implies that since the beginning…

Following a challenging year, the electric scooter company, Bird, previously assessed at a value of $2.5 billion by investors, has declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In a press release, Bird confirmed that it had entered into a “financial restructuring process aimed at strengthening its balance sheet,” with the company continuing to operate…

MTN is in talks with providers like Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite company, as it pursues a plan to expand its network to reach 95% of the population in the countries where it operates. Although significant strides have been made in the last ten years, internet access in remote locations and…

Bolt South Africa has launched two in-app security features—a trip monitoring tool and a driver alerts feature—in an attempt to strengthen security on its platform. As stated in a release, these new features are part of the ride-hailing platform’s ongoing dedication to passenger and driver safety across Africa. These features…

The pan-African startup accelerator, Startupbootcamp AfriTech, has introduced a mentor-led angel community and investment syndicate aimed at linking startups with mentors who can provide operational assistance and capital. Established in 2017, Startupbootcamp AfriTech is the first multi-corporate-backed pan-African startup accelerator. In March 2021, it introduced the Africa Startup Initiative Programme…

BlackRhino VR, an extended reality (XR) tech company from Kenya, has introduced an augmented reality (AR) platform aimed at equipping content creators in the creative economy with the tools to swiftly create and publish AR content. BlackRhino leverages XR expertise to widen opportunities for impactful socio-economic and cultural growth among…

Nio, a Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, has obtained a $2.2 billion investment from CYVN Holdings in Abu Dhabi. This investment extends the financial standing of the firm, often seen as a competitor to Tesla, as it aims to establish itself in a highly competitive market. This deal follows a…

Airbnb has agreed to settle an ongoing tax dispute in Italy by paying 576 million euros ($621 million). Italian prosecutors had claimed that the vacation rental company owed up to €779 million ($840 million) in short-term rental taxes that were not paid on behalf of hosts using the platform between…

SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, operational since 2018, recently expanded its reach to Eswatini, a small southern African country. Starlink’s expansion into Eswatini marks its emergence in the 8th country and 10th overall market in Africa where the service is now available. The aim of Starlink is to provide high-speed…

Apple has announced that it will temporarily halt the sale of two of its latest Apple Watches models in the U.S. The decision is based on a dispute regarding the intellectual property rights of the Blood Oxygen feature used in these watches. U.S International Trade Commission had mandated two orders…