The Nation Newspaper

Category: e-Business

  • We’re not laptop, desktop firm, Dell tells CIOs

    We’re not laptop, desktop firm, Dell tells CIOs

    Dell has told Chief Information Officers (CIOs) in Nigeria that it was wrong to limit its capability in the information communication technology (ICT) space to the manufacturing of laptops and desktops.

    It said it is a complete ICT firm involved in offering solutions that are tailor-made to address the emerging needs of the information age.

    Speaking during a breakfast meeting it organised for the CIOs drawn from different companies in the country at the Southern Sun Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos, it said it has a range of offerings that come with standard-based systems which do not lock users solely to its platforms, by providing them with an open approach ecosystem, flexible scalability and modular systems as well as end-to end-solutions.

    Its Enterprise Product Manager, Mr. Shams Hassan, said Dell is also a major player in the areas of networking and storage, adding that it was not correct to see the firm as solely into manufacturing of high quality laptops and desktops.

    He said: “Dell is not only into laptops and desktops as most people believe. Dell is also a very strong player in server and storage as well as networking.” He added that the peculiarity of Dell’s offerings in these spaces is evident in the users’ open access to other vendors, unlike competitors whose platforms are not shareable.

    He told the CIOs that Dell has strength in storage and networking environment, adding that its PowerEdge VRTX integrates servers, storage, networking and management into a single office-optimised chassis and delivers greater simplicity, efficiency and versatility.

    He added that VRTX’s Chassis Management Controller (CMC) resolves the problems of systems management tool proliferation and complexity with converged management of server nodes, shared storage, networking and power in a unified tool, all in a single console.

    Its Country Manager (Nigeria), Akin Banuso, told the CIOs that the Dell Precision Workstations, which he referred to as the continuous evolution of technology, helps users to boost productivity by integrating latest industry-standard technologies into a highly-reliable platform.

    He said: “Dell understands that downtime is costly. That is why we strive to provide a workstation you can depend on, day-in and day-out. Should a problem arise, Dell has the expertise and services to minimise your downtime and get you back up and running quickly.”

    The participants expressed satisfaction with Dell’s offerings, especially in providing efficient and effective end-to-end solutions which help organisations run well, while also charging the company to do a lot more in the creation of awareness for its effective solutions.

     

  • Microsoft Lumia 640 XL

    Microsoft Lumia 640 XL

    Microsoft Lumia smartphones hit the midrange hard, in fact they often do the low end nicely too. With the Lumia 640 XL you get a big screen phone and a set of quite good cameras for 99 cents on contract or $249 full retail. The phone is available worldwide, and here in the US AT&T just added it to their lineup. For those who don’t follow closely, Lumia Windows phones are now branded as Microsoft rather than Nokia products. Nothing has changed in terms of design aesthetics, camera tech or software (you still get Lumia Camera, Mix Radio and other compelling apps), rather Microsoft has jettisoned the Nokia name post-acquisition.

     

    Design, build 

    quality

     

    This isn’t a sexy phone like the 6″ Nokia Lumia 1520—to be fair the 1520 was a much more expensive phone. Overseas you can get the 640 XL in the usual playful Lumia colors including Cyan, but AT&T offers just black and white. I’m sure you can find colorful back covers on eBay, if you’d like to jazz things up. The back cover is removable as is the battery. Under that cover you’ll find a micro SIM card slot and microSD card slot. The surprisingly loud and full speaker fires from the rear.

    The look is typical Lumia low to midrange, with a rubbery plastic back, clean lines and a solid feel in the hand. The phone’s headphone jack is up top, the micro USB connector is at the bottom and a volume rocker and power button are on the right side. There’s a raised ring or hump around the rear camera, but surprisingly it doesn’t make the phone wobble when placed on a table. The raised plastic ensures that the lens cover doesn’t touch the table.

     

    Display

     

    The Lumia 640 XL has a 5.7″ display with outdoor visibility enhancements and Gorilla Glass 3. This is a $249 phone, so don’t expect whopping high resolution, in fact we’re looking at 1280 x 720 here, for a not wildly impressive 259 PPI. Still, the display’s colors and contrast are good and unless you have eagle-eyed vision, you probably won’t see individual pixels or jaggies (Microsoft’s attention to typography helps too). Simply put, the display actually looks pretty good, and it’s not grainy or budget looking. When the phone is asleep it can display the time and selected notifications (faint white text and icons on a black background). I love this Lumia feature, and there’s a night mode so it won’t be overly bright in the night.

     

    Horsepower, performance

     

    The budget element kicks in again for the processor, and the 640 XL runs on the aging 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 quad-core CPU with Adreno 305 graphics (we do wonder why Microsoft didn’t go with it’s current replacement, the Snapdragon 410). That processor has graced many midrange Android and Windows Phones. Since Windows Phone 8.1, much like iOS, is a highly optimized OS that runs well without flagship CPUs, the phone feels responsive. Demanding 3D games like Modern Combat 5 (demoed in our video review) don’t have fantastic frame rates, though they’re still quite playable. The phone runs Windows Phone 8.1 update 2 with Lumia Denim, and it will get the upgrade to Windows 10 for phones. It has 1 gig of RAM and just 8 gigs of internal storage. Thankfully there’s a microSD card slot under the back cover so you can extend storage.

    Cameras

     

    The Lumia 640 XL is the supersized version of the Lumia 640, and it also boasts camera improvements. The front camera moves up to 5MP resolution, and it can shoot 1080p video, which results in sharper Skype video chats. It’s a wide-angle lens that’s perfect for group selfies, but it will distort facial features given that wide angle (noses grow, hairlines recede).

    The rear 13MP camera has a Zeiss lens, BSI sensor, HDR and it too can shoot 1080p video 30 fps. It won’t beat the pants off the Lumia Icon, LG G4 or Samsung Galaxy S6 cameras, but for the price, it’s a solid camera with plenty of software features like Lumia Lenses and the capable Lumia 5 camera app. There are other goodies like the background defocus app, though I find that one a bit heavy handed— backgrounds are excessively blurred, which looks artificial. Still, it’s better than nothing since camera phones lack shallow depth of field for pleasing bokeh. The camera handles low light well, and in harsh outdoor lighting it suffers from some blown out highlights, but nothing out of the ordinary for camera phones lacking flagship imaging hardware. 1080p video is detailed and sometimes a bit over-sharpened, and audio recording quality is impressive

     

    Battery life

     

    Big phones have space for large batteries, thus the Lumia 640 XL has an ample 3,000 mAh battery that’s removable should you wish to swap in a spare. Given the relatively low resolution and midrange CPU, battery life is simply stellar for a big phone. We couldn’t kill it in a full day of use, and it generally lasted two days on a charge. Of course, if you play Real Racing 3 or Modern Combat 5 for hours, you’ll drain the battery sooner—we’re talking average use that includes email, web, taking photos, social networking, a few calls and streaming a 30 minute video. The AT&T model with the stock back does not support wireless charging.

     

    Conclusion

     

    The Microsoft Lumia 640 XL is a very likeable and solid phone at a reasonable price. If you’re in the market for a big screen phone on a budget and are a fan of Windows Phone or are hankering to try that OS, it’s a great introduction to the platform. Though the resolution won’t win a specs war, the display is pleasingly sharp, bright and colorful, and the size is fantastic for watching movies and viewing photos. Both cameras are quite good for the price and we really enjoy Lumia imaging software. Call quality is good and data speeds are par for the course on AT&T’s 4G LTE network.

     

     

    Courtesy: Mobile Tech review

     

  • FirstBank unveils Loop app for customers’ delight

    FirstBank unveils Loop app for customers’ delight

    Nigeria’s leading lender, FirstBank, said as part of its ongoing commitment to support its customers’ goals, it has introduce Loop, a lifestyle application (app) that delivers premium content from across the world right to its customers’ mobile phones.

    According to the lender, this innovative new service, gives the customers access to the latest articles and videos across a wide variety of categories, including but not limited to tech & gadgets, life & travels, the economy,          local news, luxury goods, business, health, sports, entertainment, shopping and more

    Loop provides our customers with up-to-date information on the latest news and lifestyle trends. Loop ensures that our customers are the first to know about the topics and events that matter most to them.

    Speaking on the initiative with The Nation, an official of Yellow Brick Road, a firm that partnered with the bank on the initiative, Mr. Babajide Ogunnoiki, said application is another way that demonstrates FirstBank’s customer-centric focus, adding that it showed that the lender is an active partner in their fast-paces and constantly evolving lives styles.

    He said users could customise their Loop feed, choosing from a broad range of international and local content providers, including Bloomberg, ESPN, Viacom, Reuters and more. This ensures that customers only receive content that they are interested in which would be relevant to their lifestyle. This is premium content that users would ordinarily have to pay for or subscribe to. We are offering it to our customers absolutely free.

    “Loop sits right on your phone, giving you one-touch access to a world of information, entertainment and lifestyle content. Simple to download and easy to navigate, the app brings all the content the user wants in one place. Loop is currently available on the Android platform and can be downloaded from the Google Play store. It will be available on all mobile platforms in the near future.

    “Loop will also give our customers access to special offers and discounts from a broad range of travel, hospitality, retail and lifestyle partners. The app delivers great deals along with great content,” FirstBank explained.

     

  • Fed Govt should make internet access free

    Fed Govt should make internet access free

    Online transaction continues to grow in Nigeria, in spite of the challenge of broadband infrastructure. e-commerce platforms are creating jobs and boosting the GDP. The Chief Executive Officer, Hotel.ng, Mr. Mark Essien, says online businesses have potential to grow the economy, if the government democratises internet access by making it free and building infrastructure.  Lucas Ajanaku met him. 

    Commerce is an emerging business space, and online hospitality business is another variant of e-commerce. What is the future of this business considering the fact that online booking for phones, bags and other tangible goods has recorded huge success?

    E-commerce is an emerging business in Nigeria, but even at that, it is making tremendous growth, because the people are fast embracing new technology.

    But on the otter hand, online travel business, which constitutes about 3.6 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), is highly underrated in the country, but the hospitality business in Nigeria is worth $3 billion every year, and if an entrepreneur could capture 10 per cent of the market, then such entrepreneur still has a $300 million business per year, and that is huge money and good business, irrespective of the location of the business.

    The Nigerian GDP is growing and what this means is that any business that contributes up to 3.6 per cent to GDP now, would in the next few years, triple the amount.

    So the online businesses and e-commerce, most especially have potential to develop fast into money spinning business, if properly harnessed.

    There are lots of risks associated with online transactions, ranging from identity theft to data hacking. How secured is your platform for customers to transact business without losing  money?

    For us at hotel.com, our platform is safe and secured for online business. In the second half of last year only, we did over a million dollar financial transactions and since then, we have been doing online transactions through our website, with no bitter experience on the part of customers. For instance we subscribe to a solution from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), called ScumL. This is designed specifically for hospitality business and few other types of businesses. The solution helps to detect and control online fraud. Aside that, we are very proactive in handling issues with online challenges and this has helped us to maintain a large number of customer base.

    Apart from the EFCC solution that you subscribe to, who are your technical partners, and how have they been able to address online fraud on your website?

    Yes we have technical partners handling our backend operations, and we still have a mixed team of developers who are busy developing solutions that will address online theft on our site. We have some of them in Nigeria while others are based outside the country, working for the common good of the pla

    For our payment platform, we are partnering Zenith Bank, and Stanbic IBTC Bank. We are also partnering Quick Teller solution, which allows for easy online payment.

    Again, all our data are encrypted, and this has also helped in protecting the customers from online fraud.

    There is panic fear on the part of Nigerians in transacting business via the cyberspace. What is your assessment of the situation now?

    Nigerians who have some sort of phobia doing business online for fear of being hacked, should not be blamed for any reason, rather, they should be encouraged to ‘toe the line’ of modern technology, because nothing comes without its own risk. Some people may also not want to do online business for fear of un-reliability. For instance, there are cases where people make online purchases of some household items and the delivery is delayed unnecessarily, and in most cases, the items are lost in transit or even got damaged on arrival. Such scenarios are enough reason for anybody  to have some reservations about online transactions, but we should not allow the disadvantage suffered in a particular transaction, rub off the legitimate gains of other online transactions. The best way to overcome these challenges is to continue to invest in the business. When you invest money to address any challenge encountered in previous transactions, the business will become very reliable and resilient both for the customer and the business owner.

    Your platform is innovative and appears relatively unknown. It has prospects for growth and more players joining the fray. How prepared are you for competition in the future?

    Competition in any business is a welcome development and I will like to experience competition in my business because it will help me to do better and offer better quality service. Monopolistic businesses do not give room for innovation and thinking out of the box. In this connection,  I sincerely welcome competition. That will put me on my toes to be innovative always. This will in the best interest of customers and the Nigerian economy.

    If the quality of my services is poor, or my service charge is too high, people will look for the alternatives. If there is competition,  that alone will make me more customer friendly in order to retain and grow my customer base. If more people are in the business, they will set a benchmark that everyone will like to surpass as business owners. This will result in a win-win situation for all as it will rapidly drive economic development.

    Access to funds  is very important to start and grow businesses. In Nigeria, when funds are got from deposit money banks, it is usually at double digit interest rate. What is your experience like?

    Generally, in raising capital for any business, the business owner must first build a business model that is economically viable and sustainable. When this is achieved, investors will like to invest in such business. Investors are not father Christmas. They are interested in investing in business that is not viable, because they want returns on investments.  No sane investor will allow his funds to be tied down somewhere.

    For the business, we have succeeded in securing a $1.2 million facility for the business.  We were able to get the facility from two foreign investors, because they believed in our business.

    You are lucky to have secure a loan of $1.2 million to expand your business. Into which areas do you intend to deploy this fund?

    Our plan is to move from being a Nigeria-based power house, to a global-based power house. The money will be used to expand the business and make it have a global look. Our one-year goal is to grow the business across the West African sub-region, and our five-year goal is to grow the business across the rest of sub-Saharan Africa.

    What should the government do to boost e-commerce and other forms of online business?

    One of the roles of the government is to provide the necessary infrastructure for businesses to thrive. There are several policies that the government can explore to drive sustainable businesses in the county, but one policy, which I think is key to the growth of online business in Nigeria, is for government to make 2G and EDGE internet access free  for all Nigerians. The 3G and 4G/LTE technology could still be paid for, but 2G and EDGE internet should be made free. By the time government mandates all mobile network operators (MNOs) to make 2G and EDGE internet free, it will enable every Nigerian have internet access. Though the speed is slow when compared with 3G and 4G speed, it will promote access and deepen penetration. When this is done, service providers will uptimise their websites to adjust to the speed of 2G and EDGE and this will further deepen internet penetration in the country.

    Making 2G and EDGE internet access free, will create equal opportunities for Nigerians to seek information online without restriction, irrespective of their social and economic positions.

    You are suggesting that  2G and EDGE technology should be offered freely in the country. Where in the world has the government made 2G and EDGE internet access free?

    In Germany, EDGE technology is not free, but they do not have metered-bandwidth connections, where they pay for data usage like in Nigeria. The truth is that economies vary and environmental situations also vary. In Germany and in most developed countries, they have unlimited access to the internet and they have social security policy in place where people who are not working, are paid monthly salaries for their upkeep. Those who work are well paid, so in such jurisdictions, the governments do not need to make 2G and EDGE technology free of charge, but in Nigeria, where there is no social security policy in place and where monthly salaries are very poor for those who work, there should be ways of ameliorating the sufferings of the people. It is, therefore, my candid opinion that making 2G and EDGE technology free for every Nigerian will have multiplier effects on the economy.

    The rebasement of the nation’s GDP shot it to the highest in Africa. Is this position sustainable? What roles, if any can e-commerce play in ths are?

    Given the business situation in Nigeria, it is clear that there are lots of potentials for growth and this will also show in the growth of the country’s GDP. The population of Nigeria is an advantage for growth and I see Nigeria maintaining the leadership position, especially with the rapid growth of e-commerce in the country.

    You manage a web portal for online hospitality business, known as www.hotel.ng, which is serving the interest of travelers within the country. How did you come about this idea?

    It was during my Masters in Computer Science programme in Germany in 2012 that I conceived the idea about hotels and online booking. Then, I discovered that in Germany, only few websites have information about hotels, so I started by listing hotels in Germany on my website and what marveled me was the amount of traffic generated on my site. People were visiting my site to get information about hotels in Germany. After my Masters’programme, I searched for Nigerian hotels online and I discovered there was no website offering online booking services for hotel accommodation and I felt it was a good business to embark upon, having started with the listing of hotels in Germany. After my  programme, I decided to return to Nigeria to begin the business. The first thing I did was to buy the Nigerian domain name for the business, known as hotel.ng, which is a second level domain name and today, the business of hotel online booking has grown tremendously.

    I started by listing Nigerian hotels on my .ng website and within few months, a lot of people searching for hotels in Nigeria, were directed to my site and that was how the site started generating a lot of traffic. I had photographs of hotels and their addresses posted on my website, and the very first day I uploaded my mobile telephone number on the site, I received over 100 calls from people. Some were calling to do business with me, while others were calling to get more information on the hotels on my website.

    What segment of the e-commerce market are you targeting with your platform?

    Hotel.ng is a web portal that enables Nigerians, especially travellers, to find hotels of their choice, when they visit the site, www.hotel.ng

    Before now, travellers in Nigeria who out of necessity, want to lodge in a hotel, find it difficult to know locations and quality of hotels in a particular city. We took advantage of the situation and hired people to catalog hotels in major cities of the country and we uploaded them on our website, including their pictures. So, the online platform makes it possible for people to have idea of different hotels in Nigeria, their service charges, their facilities, to guide them in choosing which to book online.

     

  • Identity verification stalling e-payment, says Chams chief

    Identity verification stalling e-payment, says Chams chief

    The Group Managing Director, Chams Plc, Mr Femi Williams, has identified identity verification as one of the major stumbling blocks on the way of robust electronic payment in the country, adding that it is the way forward.

    Williams, who spoke in Lagos during the unveiling of new identity verification software called ConfirmMe at the company’s headquarters in Lagos, however, said the firm has erected an enduring ‘building block’ which will help individuals and corporate organisations overcome the challenge.

    He said: “Electronic transaction is the way forward in the country. It is in line with what is happening in developed countries. The major obstacle is confirmation. We have challenges with utility management but there are building blocks. We have built a unique platform to aggregate and validate all data. This will bring trust and convenience to business transaction in the country.

    “ConfirmMe is a unified platform which aggregates data from certified institutional sources from which accredited public and private institutions and businesses can verify data (credentials), and also prove identity. It is a secure and robust platform for accurate online real-time verification of identity, credit status, academic qualifications and credentials that saves time and money.

    ”The backend of ConfirmMe is powered by robust and reliable data sources because data quality is the single most important factor for the success of a compliant and risk mitigating identity verification solution that will meet market needs. Institutional supporters of the new service include Nigeria Interbank Settlement Systems, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, public and private universities, and the Credit Registry, Nigeria’s leading credit bureau institution.”

    Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CreditRegistry Services, Mrs. Jameelah Ayedun, described the innovation as a welcome development as Nigerians can now access their credit reports and credit scores in a safe and secure manner via Chams online platform. CreditRegistry is Chams’ partner on the initiative.

    She said: “This initiative is in line with our vision of enabling fast, easy access to credit by consumers, entrepreneurs and businesses in Nigeria. It further demonstrates our commitment to promoting credit awareness, improving data quality and securing the credit identity of subjects on the bureau. We are delighted to partner with Chams to provide another trusted platform through which more people can access to their credit reports and credit scores from Credit Registry Services.”

    Shedding more light on the solution, Chams’ Deputy Managing Director, Mr. Luqman Balogun, said the solution is a secure, cost-effective, time-saving and convenient initiative that will have a defining effect on the integrity of business transaction in the country.

    He said: “ConfirmMe was deployed to allow institutions verify individual and corporate identity and data from their web browser using a simple and easy to use online portal that is unified. In no small measure, ConfirmMe will accelerate the traditional on-boarding process for new employees, clients and members. It is designed to put an end to the widely adopted time-consuming and labor-intensive manual execution process which usually leads to frustrating delays that have continued to strain business-to-consumer business relationships.

    “The launch of ConfirmMe aligns with the goal of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Bankers’ Committee to unlock the incredible potential of consumer finance offerings for the benefit of all Nigerians by putting in place a strong customer authentication in one fast and safe solution that mitigates fraud, meet complex new regulatory requirements, while saving time and money.”

     

  • NCS urges Buhari on CPN Act implementation

    •Laments exclusion from INEC, others

    The Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to implement the Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN) Act (4a) in the appointment of IT experts into various boards and parastatals. Besides all boards of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), especially those that depend on IT to  fulfill their mandates, must have at least one IT expert as executive member, the society said.

    The group also lamented the exclusion of its members form government agencies, such as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), adding that it was not good enough for professionalism.

    Its President, Prof David Adewumi, who spoke in Lagos ahead of the group’s 12th International Conference scheduled for Akure, the Ondo State capital, lamented that successive administrations shuned  the CPN Act  in the appointment of key officials into ICT- related fields, project design and implementation.

    He wondered why, for instance, the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) has members who are commissioners in INEC while the NCS has none. He argued that the appointment of NCS member into INEC should not be anything less than that of a commissioner.

    He said NCS believes that in addition to the Cybercrime Act, legislation should be enacted to foster the development of IT and IT-enabled activities and growth of the industry and the profession.

    Adewumi said:  ”The usage of IT in governance and security needs to be improved through more widespread adoption of IT professionalism in the private and public sectors. NCS and its members can play a major role in improving the state of security nationwide, combating terrorism, enhancing public service delivery and accountability and boosting job creation.

    “There should be preferential usage of Nigerian professionals in major and strategic national IT projects and initiatives instead of always importing people, products and solutions and creating jobs in other countries.”

    According to him, local engineers have the expertise to do the job as has been demonstrated over the years, as jobs contracted to the so-called expatriate experts are usually contracted to indigenous engineers who have often acquainted themselves well by doing the job.

    Speaking on the NCS 12th International Conference 2015 which has Information Technology for inclusive development as its theme, Prof. Adewumi said it will provide policy makers, public and private sector, IT practitioners and the academia opportunity to keep up-to-date with technology trends in the global space.

    He said participants will also discover opportunities for the private sector in the process of inclusive development and avenues for public-private partnerships towards realizing the IT objectives within the context of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

    The conference, according him, “will provide opportunities for the delegates to exchange new ideas, establish business or research relations, and find global partners for future collaborations”.

  • HP’s Technology Tour ‘ll boost ICT development, says Lagos

    The Lagos State government has said the deployment of information communication technology (ICT) tools to businesses and governance has reduced running cost, improve efficiency and enhance productivity.

    Its Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology, Mrs. Nike Animashaun, spoke while declaring open, the HP’s 2015 Technology Tour at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos.

    He said businesses around the world need advanced technology as a way of reducing the cost of doing business while also churning out high scale productivity that redefines economies globally.

    She added that events such the HP Technology Tour will help fast-track the growth of the industry as it would provide stakeholders opportunity to brainstorm.

    She said: “As a responsible government, we are aware that with information technology, business transactions have become seamless globally, reducing physical presence and creating breath-taking pace of information exchange. The Lagos State government is happy to be part of the HP Technology Tour 2015.

    “An event of this magnitude will boost Nigeria’s ICT sector and enhance greater technological advancements through extensive brainstorming on pertinent issues within the IT industry alongside exhibition of the latest advancements in computer technology.”

    The tech firm explained that it is part of its contribution to information technology development in Nigeria. The event which also held in Abuja, was a gathering of captains of industry, small and medium scale business owners and IT professionals who were fascinated by the array of products of HP.

    The technology tour is aimed at providing businesses and IT professionals the opportunity to tap into the latest technology; and improve the performance and overall profitability of businesses while also guaranteeing security of business intelligence.

    “Growing with businesses globally, HP recognises the potential of information technology and have consistently re-innovate to ensure its customers are not left behind, especially businesses who dear to survive the very challenging global economic terrain.

    “The HP Technology Tour, presently being conducted across the globe is another giant move by HP to bring its customers closer to the latest in information technology.

    “With these new entrants, HP is redefining the style of doing business as a world class company. Investing over 10 per cent of its income on research and development last year, HP is focusing on creating values for businesses, ensuring mobility, cloud with enhanced security features that makes every HP product unique,” an official of the firm said on the sideline of the event.

    HP added that cloud, big data, security, mobility are reshaping the IT industry. HP World Tour offers incredible depth of information and access to experts from HP, HP partners and other professionals. Whether as a business or an individual trying to get the next project off the ground or to bring new ideas back to the organisation, HP World Tour provides the answers.

  • Improper use of cellphones breaking neck

    Improper use of cellphones breaking neck

    There has been debate over whether or not the radiation emitted from base transmission stations (BTS) of mobile network operators (MNOs) cause health hazards to human beings. Though the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other experts have said there has not been any conclusive report to confirm it, a new study suggests that the angle at which a mobile phone user holds his head when making calls can affect the cervical spine and result in a condition known as ‘text neck’, LUCAS AJANAKU reports.

    As it has turned out, technology is a double-edged sword. At one breath, it is solving human problems, simplifying hitherto rather complex situations. At yet another, it is creating challenges. That is today’s digital age. It comes with many benefits and different ways of working, but also brings a new set of health issues. The cellphone technology is one of such innovations that have come with its own challenges. One such challenge is text neck.

    According to a new study released to the National Library of Medicine in the United States (U.S.), improper positioning of the head while making use of cellphone, tablet and other mobile devices could have a devastating effect on human health.

    The study, written by Dr. Kenneth Hansraj, chief of spine surgery at New York Spine Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, in Poughkeepsie, U.S., cautioned cellphone users to be careful about head positioning to avoid text neck.

    The relatively new condition, which the report calls an epidemic, is commonly caused when too much pressure is placed on the spine due to bad posture, especially those positions in which most phone users find themselves when we cell phones and tablets are used.

    According to News24, a Johannesburg, South African physiotherapist who has seen the condition far too many times at his Sandton practice, Jonathan Blake, said: “Text neck is the result of the axial skeleton and associated structures (muscle, ligaments, nerves, fascia and others) being exposed to extended period of abnormal and undue mechanical and positional stress caused by electronic devices used in ergonomically compromising positions. Personally I feel that the global term ‘text neck’ is too categorical – it implies that the postural problems caused by poor ergonomics are related to texting only.

    “A more encompassing term is clearly needed so that these postural problems can be related to all forms of electronic communication – from screens, to keyboards, to notebooks, laptops and tablets and others.”

    Blake says frequent text neck positions cause changes to the cervical spine, supporting ligaments, tendons, and musculature, and bony segments, commonly causing postural change.

    It has also been linked to headaches and neurological issues, depression and heart disease.

    What’s worse is that if left untreated, the condition could result in permanent damage, including flattening of the spinal curve, onset of early arthritis, spinal degeneration, loss of lung volume capacity and even gastrointestinal problems.

     

    How text neck is developed

    Hansraj said the human head weighs about a dozen pounds. But as the neck bends forward and down, the weight on the cervical spine begins to increase. At a 15-degree angle, this weight is about 27 pounds, at 30 degrees it’s 40 pounds, at 45 degrees it’s 49 pounds, and at 60 degrees it’s 60 pounds.

    That’s the burden that comes with staring at a smartphone, the way millions do for hours every day. Over time, researchers say, this poor posture, sometimes called “text neck,” can lead to early wear-and-tear on the spine, degeneration and even surgery.

    According to Nigeria’s telecoms sector regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), there are 145.4 million active mobile telephone lines in the country with teledensity standing at 103.9 per cent. Though there is no demographic information about the percentage of the over 170 million population, analysts say no fewer than 80 per cent of the population has at least, one cell phone. Most subscribers in the country use more than one mobile phone because of the challenges of service quality bedeviling the MNOs.

    With the rise of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google Plus+, Tumblr, Instagram, VK, Flickr, Vine, Meetup and others and huge youthful population, today’s phone user spends between three and five hours a day reading mails, sending texts and checking social media sites on their mobile devices.

    Similarly, people watch videos while yet a set of others take advantage of the booming e-commerce landscape to place online orders for goods and cars has increased the length of time spent by cellphone users in the country.

    “It is an epidemic or, at least, it’s very common. Just look around you, everyone has their heads down.

    “Can’t grasp the significance of 60 pounds? Imagine carrying an eight-year-old around your neck several hours per day. Smartphone users spend an average of two to four hours per day hunched over, reading e-mails, sending texts or checking social media sites.The problem is really profound in young people. With this excessive stress in the neck, we might start seeing young people needing spine care. I would really like to see parents showing more guidance,” Hansraj told The Washington Post.

    President,  American Physical Therapy Association‘s Private Practice Section, Tom DiAngelis, told CNN last year the effect is similar to bending a finger all the way back and holding it there for about an hour.

    “As you stretch the tissue for a long period of time, it gets sore, it gets inflamed,” he said, adding that it can also cause muscle strain, pinched nerves, herniated disks and, over time, it can even remove the neck’s natural curve.

     

    Tips To Alleviate/Avoid Text Neck

    Correct posture, regular breaks and a proper adjustment of equipment can help prevent disorders related to posture such as text neck, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, back and neck pain or vision care when using smartphones.

    Be aware of your posture (there are wearable posture-tracking gadgets (such as LumoLift) to help workers identify when they are slouching).

    Limit the time spent in compromising positions, take a break and escape lengthy periods of being deskbound.

    Instead of bending your neck, try looking down at your device with only your eyes.

    Simple exercises such as standing in a doorway with your arms extended and pushing your chest forward to strengthen “the muscles of good posture” help alleviate pain.

    Find an office chair that is built to support your back while sitting at your desk.

    A Cape Town, South Africa based ergonomics expert, Angela Hendricks said the key to preventing any musculoskeletal problems is mobility. “Extended periods in any awkward posture can result in neck pain but if you are regularly changing your position and giving your body a break, it gives the muscles time to recover.” she said.

    Cellphone users could also book an appointment with a bio-kineticist who will teach them specific exercises that will strengthen the neck muscles thereby helping to strengthen the neck and protect the vertebrae against degeneration from continuously looking down at mobile devices.

    Scared of using your cellphones? Don’t be. Hansraj said: “I love technology. I’m not bashing technology in any way. My message is: Just be cognisant of where your head is in space. Continue to enjoy your smartphones and continue to enjoy this technology — just make sure your head is up.”

  • How to leapfrog Nigeria to service economy, by MainOne

    How to leapfrog Nigeria to service economy, by MainOne

    The Chief Executive Officer, MainOne, Ms. Funke Opeke, has said the potential of broadband as an enabler for creating employment increasing Gross Domestic Product (GDP) are almost limitless, adding that its development will facilitate the diversification of the economy from its current natural resource dependence to the labour-intensive service economy.

    Opeke, who spoke during one of the sessions at the Commonwealth Broadband Forum organised by the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in Abuja, urged government to work its talk on the implementation of the National Broadband Plan (NBP).

    Represented by Mr. Temitope Osunrinde on the occasion, Opeke examined the role of a national broadband policy in driving the nation’s GDP, stressing that in post-rebasing of the national GDP, the contribution of the information communication technology (ICT) industry in Nigeria had risen from 5.6 per cent to 8.69 per cent.

    She said the ICT sector has also accelerated the growth of the services industry, which showed a post-rebased GDP percentage growth from 29.04 per cent to 51.59 per cent

    Opeke said the Federal Ministry of Communications Technology and the NCC had made significant achievements with the NBP  specifically with the licensing of infrastructure and spectrum companies, the Nigerian Research and Education Network and the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF). She stressed the need for sustaining the policy initiatives introduced to promote the open access and manage spectrum more effectively to continue to drive economic growth.

    “Nigeria needs to move up the value chain beyond dependence on natural resources, and into the labour-intensive service economies and implementation of the National Broadband Plan will enable this to happen,” she said.

    Its Regulatory Manager, Oluwakemi Adeyanju, who joined regulatory officials from South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago and Nigeria to discuss the role of regulation in achieving innovation in Infrastructure, Services and Applications across Commonwealth countries, highlighted the need for proactive regulation in meeting current and future needs of the ICT industry, specifically for new service areas such as e-commerce and cloud services.

  • Diamond Bank chief urges technology adoption for competitiveness

    Diamond Bank chief urges technology adoption for competitiveness

    The Managing Director/CEO of Diamond Bank, Uzoma Dozie, has called for technology collaboration between business and the academia as a cost-effective way of enhancing Nigeria’s global competitiveness.

    Speaking at the Future Ready University Conference and launch of a mobile learning Experience Centre, financed by the bank at the Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, he said the time has come for the two to collaborate to push operating cost that is always on the increase.

    Other partners in the project are Softcom, Samsung Business and MTN Business.

    Delivering a keynote on “Why Financial Institutions Need to Play a Role in Digitising the Educational System,” Dozie said Future Ready is about being competitive to meet global needs, arguing that this could only be achieved only through the deployment of technology.

    He said: “From our experiences as a leading retail bank driving the integration of innovative solutions to meet modern lifestyle demands of our wide and diverse customer base, we know that technology offers better economy of scale as well as less expensive, more effective solutions.  This is the model we are trying to replicate in education in Nigeria.”

    He added that the Future Ready University initiative is a home-grown initiative designed to bring education in Nigeria into the 21st Century. ‘‘Many Nigerian parents send their children to schools abroad because the system is supported by technology that helps them keep track of their progress. With effective monitoring, stakeholders can pro-actively plan the education system to train manpower for the future of industry which ultimately leads to cost reduction in the long term,” he said.

    Speaking on the occasion, the Vice Chancellor, Covenant University, Prof. Charles Ayo, also noted that the future of employment in a globalised world is not based on quota but on the possession of the requisite skills. “Recognising that the 21st century student wants knowledge on the go and also wants to be an active partner in the learning process, Covenant University has adopted a problem-based learning approach that encourages students to seek out queries on their own for collective problem sharing and solution formulation. The result is that our students are more motivated to learn, collaborate in knowledge sharing and solution-centered.

    “The Future Ready University programme plans to expand this vision to every Nigerian student so they are not limited by physical spaces in the quest for knowledge; and that they have the best tools and skills to succeed.”

    Explaining the motivation behind the Future Ready University, Managing Partner, Softcom, Yomi Adedeji, said today’s students are largely spontaneous, interactive and heavily distracted. For educators to reach them, learning must provide engagement, exposure and evolving content.