The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Google

  • Gallant soldier: Abu-Ali’s death dominates Google trend

    Gallant soldier: Abu-Ali’s death dominates Google trend

    News about Nigeria’s gallant soldier, Lt. Col. Mohammed Abu-Ali, who died fighting Boko Haram terrorists, was top on Google search this week, a Google official said on Thursday.

    Mr Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Google’s Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Anglophone West Africa, made the disclosure in a statement in Lagos.

    He said that the search was from November 16 to November 23.

    Kola-Ogunlade said that the Mannequin challenge which requires people to stay frozen while a video was being recorded also got people’s attention.

    According to him, Google search users were also agog over the news on the internet which went from Kanye West’s rant on stage, to the death of two members of the Nollywood community.

    “Earlier this month, a gallant Nigerian soldier, Abu-Ali lost his life in the battle to recapture some major towns in the North-East from the stronghold of the terrorist group, Boko Haram.

    “As a form of support to his widow, Gov. Kashim Shettima, of Borno, donated N10 Million to the family,’’ he said.

    He noted that Nollywood recently grieved over the loss of two of its members – the popular Yoruba actress, Kudirat Ajimat – and top producer cum director, Uduak Ansa Oguamanam.

    “Ajimat who is known for her motherly roles in Yoruba movies was buried immediately, according to Islamic rites.

    “Ansa, younger sister to the talented and award-winning film-maker, Emem Isong, was said to have died of complications from prolonged peptic ulcer,” he said.

    According to him, change your style was the new thing on block which caught attention online.

    “As the mannequin challenge becomes global, more Nigerians are engaging in the internet viral challenge which requires its participants to remain frozen, while a video is being recorded.

    “The phenomenon which began in Florida, U.S., has seen the likes of Etisalat, the Super Falcon, Dr Craze, MI, Falz, and LASEMA posting their versions of the challenge on the internet,” he said.

    Kola-Ogunlade added that earlier this week, WhatsApp official launch of its video call which required users to update their WhatsApp application got attention online.

    “Users can also enjoy the support by updating the feature on their Android or iPhone, or they can simply go to the App Store or Google Play for available updates,” he said.

    He stated that U.S. rapper, Kanye West, was hospitalised this week, and reports said he was immediately placed under observations.

    “The popular entertainer, who cancelled the last 21 dates of his national tour after abandoning a Sacremento performance, was reported to have been transported to the hospital in an ambulance, and placed in a psychiatric hold.

    “News went around that film-maker and Ebony TV boss, Seun Egbegbe, was accused of stealing nine iPhones at the popular Computer Village in Ikeja, Lagos State,’’ Kola-Ogunlade said.

    The Google manager said that Egbegbe explained that he left the shop with the phones to pick money from his jeep.

    The Google Trends launched in May 2006, allows one to see how popular search terms and its demography have been overtime on Google.

  • Twitter to lay off 9% of staff

    Twitter to lay off 9% of staff

    • As sale process appears to have come to nothing

    The layoffs are expected to impact about 350 employees across sales, partnerships and marketing efforts, according to the company. The goal is to push Twitter toward profitability as an independent company.

    This is contained in the company’s third-quarter letter to shareholders on Thursday, saying: “The restructuring allows us to continue to fully fund our highest priorities while eliminating investment in non-core areas and driving greater efficiency.”

    According to the CNN, Disney, Google and Salesforce were all said to be interested in bidding for the social network, but ultimately backed off. Only Salesforce admitted as much publicly.

    “It wasn’t the right fit for us,” Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, said earlier this month.

    On a conference call with analysts after the earnings release, Twitter CEO and co-founder, Jack Dorsey said his only comment on the acquisition rumours is “our board is committed to maximising long-term shareholder value.”

    “We’re taking the necessary steps to ensure Twitter is well positioned for long-term growth,” Dorsey added.

    In the absence of a takeover in the near term and any significant signs of growth, Twitter must push for a turnaround as an independent company. Its first big step is to improve its bottom line through cuts.

    Dorsey took over as Twitter’s permanent CEO a year ago and presided over an earlier round of layoffs that reduced staff by 8%.

    He has since focused on growing Twitter through live video streaming and making it easier for users to discover relevant tweets in their news feeds, with limited results.

    Twitter’s monthly active user count, easily the company’s most scrutinised number, beat estimates by rising to 317 million in the September quarter from 313 million the previous quarter. But growth remains anaemic compared to newer competitors like Instagram and Snapchat.

    The stagnant user growth is all the more stunning when you consider that Twitter’s relevance has arguably never been greater. It is the platform of choice for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and is, therefore, a key tool for following the U.S. election.

    Twitter says it reached a “record” number of daily active users during each of the three presidential debates, but that apparently did not translate into many new monthly active users.

    Twitter’s ability to attract millions of new users has been stymied by what many views as a complicated interface and the all too frequent threat of harassment on the platform. Now Twitter is promising fixes to address abuse, which it says have been in the works for months.

    “Next month, we will be sharing meaningful updates to our safety policy, our product and enforcement strategy,” Twitter said in its shareholder letter.

    Twitter did manage to beat Wall Street’s estimates with quarterly sales of $616 million, but growth there is slowing to a halt. Sales increased just 8% from the same quarter a year earlier. By comparison, its sales in the third quarter of 2015 were up 58% from the year before that.

    Twitter posted a net loss for the quarter of $103 million. It also expects to incur as much as $30 million in costs from the layoffs, due to severance payouts and stock-based compensation.

    The stock was up nearly 5% in pre-market trading Thursday.

  • Google’s #DigitalskillsforAfrica: Over 500,000 trained

    Google’s #DigitalskillsforAfrica: Over 500,000 trained

    Over 500,000 Africans have received training that will enable them to build businesses, create jobs and boost economic growth across the continent courtesy of Google’s Africa Digital Skills Program.

    The accomplishment according to a blog post by  Bunmi Banjo, Head of the Program, is halfway mark in its commitment to train one million Africans on digital skills within a year announced six months ago.

    “Six months ago, when we announced our commitment to train 1 million Africans on digital skills within a year, we knew it was going to be a tough task. People across Africa are thirsty to explore how to take better advantage of the internet and the opportunities it offers; but frameworks that provide digital skills training on the continent are few and far between. Fast forward six months, and we’re proud to update that we’ve reached the halfway mark, “ Banjo stated.

    For people who are unable to attend face-to-face training sessions and who want to acquire digital skills in their own time from their own phone or computer, Google is  launching a new Digital Skills Africa online portal.

    “The portal contains 89 online lessons on a wide range of digital subjects including web analytics, social media management and mobile marketing. Available in English and French and in the near future in Portuguese, we hope the portal will enable more people in more African countries to make the most of the web. The training is available to anyone, and people who complete the program will receive a Certificate of Online Proficiency.

    screen-shot-2016-10-02-at-8-14-03-am

    “One of our trainees, Esalako Hillary from Nairobi, signed up for the digital skills program to learn how to use online tools to promote his new company Entrevene Africa – a social enterprise that encourages entrepreneurship amongst university students. After the training he realized that, in addition to promoting his company, he could also offer a digital marketing service as an additional offering to his clients. Four months later, and Esalako and his team have expanded their business and grown their revenues by over 60%.

     

    “Vanessa Morris, a journalism graduate from Nigeria had never heard about the term ‘digital marketing’ before she was invited to one of the digital skills courses by a friend. She decided to pursue a career in digital marketing after the training, and has since taken up a social media manager role with a top production company in Nigeria. In Vanessa’s words, “the best thing about this is that I now earn a lot more money doing a job that I really love.

    google-photo

    “Helping people in Africa take advantage of the web is a task for everyone, and we’re very grateful to the many partners and collaborators that have given their support and played important roles in helping to get the program this far. We hope that through this and similar programs, Africans will begin to reap greater benefits from the internet.

     

    “Here’s to the next 500,000 African digital entrepreneurs!”

  • APC chieftain partners Google on youth empowerment

    APC chieftain partners Google on youth empowerment

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos, Folusho Aofolajuwonlo has partnered with a global information search platform, GOOGLE inc. to organise an online marketing empowerment schemes for youths in Lagos.

    The initiative, which came under the auspices of Livity Africa, one of the affiliates of GOOGLE held at the local government secretariat of Itire-Ikate Local Council Development Area of the state over the weekend.

    Apart from the youths who attended the programme in droves, the organisers also used the occasion to rally traders, artisans as well as market women on how to utilise online platform to enhance their trade.

    On why he opted for the programme, Aofolajuwonlo stated that the gesture was his own modest contributions to efforts being made by government to diversify the nation’s economy through youth empowerment.

    “We do not need to pretend that the diversification of the economy remains the best way out of the current recession, it is. For me, the youths stand at the vanguard of this envisaged prosperity and that is why I am using this initiative to position them for greater future,” he.

    Speaking on the initiative, one of the facilitators of the programme, Mr. Olusola Aromokun said the curriculum was carefully designed to bridge the gap in the area of digital marketing, adding, “It is a free programme BY GOOGLE delivered by LIVITY AFRICA for young people from 16 and above.

    “What we have is that we have different is that we have different stages which resonate with different people. We aim to get as many people to begin online market digital starts up like the kind of successes we have recorded in the past.”

    One of the participants, Fatima Ogunrinde lauded the organisers, saying, “I have learnt a lot and I will utilise what I have learnt things that will promote my trade.”

  • 5 quick ways to save data on android

    5 quick ways to save data on android

    Even as the cost for data is getting cheaper by the day, with every network suddenly offering 3.5G for N2000, some smartphones just will not help you maximize your data as much as your keep maximising the device.

    Recall the irritating prompt that drops in your message box reading: “You have less than 10mb left of your data.” It is understandable that you detest it. No worries, many more people do too.

    Well, there is good news for a few non-techy smartphone (especially Android) users like me and you. Thus, find these 5 quick tips on how to conserve data on android phones.

    Data Diet: Five Easy Ways to Save Your Data

    1. Reduce the amount of data used by your Android mobile device or computer by turning on Chrome Data Saver Mode. From compressing web pages to removing images when loading a page on a slow connection, you’re able to save up to 70% more data.1

     

    2. Offline YouTube videos and watch them as often as you like without using data or buffering each time with YouTube Offline.

    1. 2Whether it’s your neighborhood or a weekend getaway destination, there’s a way to use Google Maps without using any data. Download an area of the world and seamlessly use Maps features like turn-by-turn navigation and access useful location information without a network connection using Google Maps Offline.

    3

    1. Identify and remove data intensive apps by going to Settings > Data Usage on your Android device. You may be surprised to see data being used by apps you hardly touch!

    4

    1. Disable auto-updating apps on your Android device by opening Google Play and tapping the hamburger icon (three horizontal lines) on the top left of the screen. Go to Settings > tap Auto-update apps > select Do not auto-update apps or Auto-update apps over Wi-Fi.

    5

    Simple! You can now begin to have a better use of your smartphone. Go and enjoy the Smartlife

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  • Smartphone that uses two WhatsApp, BBM

    Smartphone that uses two WhatsApp, BBM

    Launched about five months ago, the emergence of Infinix enabled AndroidOne Smartphone is no longer news to many Smartphone users considering its performance when interchanging between Apps and its multitasking ability.
    Meanwhile, one thing remains largely unknown to many owners or users of this Google Android Lollipop Smartphone, even some tech savvy individuals do not know yet.
    Initially, it did not seem great especially when it goes hot like the name Hot 2, but it will take a little time to cool itself down even when you are not observing it.
    Little wonder, Benjamin Jiang, the Managing Director, Infinix Mobility, said during the launch in Lagos, Nigeria, that the new Infinix Hot 2 will redefine the Smartphone industry in Nigeria.
    And many will readily agree that yes, it is redefining it.
    No doubt, the Infinix Hot 2 is the cheapest Smartphone with latest version of Android 5.1 Lollipop, yet it is doing exceedingly well.
    Find below:

    Fresh Facts About AndroidOne

    No doubt, the Infinix Hot 2, launched about 5 months ago, is the cheapest Smartphone with latest version of Android 5.1 Lollipop, yet it is doing exceedingly well. The device can upgrade to the latest version of Android when released.
    Below one great expandable fact about the Google AndroidOne Smartphone…

    First

    The device can function like your Computer by switching users between the owner and guest users. Interestingly, you can open your user account as guests even if the owner locks the device.

    Second

    Each user can install and use applications independently without interfering with each other. Meaning, you can have more than one WhatsApp, BBM, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook Messenger Applications running per user. Similarly, you can sign in your gmail account in order to use Google Cloud backup service. Albeit, any user can update Apps for all other users.

    Third

    As the owner, you can allow or disallow if guests can make use of dial pad. That is, you decide if guests can make calls or check airtime balance on your device. Also, you decide if you want guests to use internet on the device.

    Fourth

    Like your PC, every user can secure the account with passwords, pattern or PIN. Which means, if you are using the device as a guest, you can secure your account and even the owner cannot boycott that expect to delete the account entirely.

    sixth

    Despite signing in to the device as a guest, it does not stop you from answering calls except that the ringtone is default for that account unless set to a specific tone by the user. Albeit, it depends on the two SIM cards installed in the device

    Sixth

    To create a user on your device, simply visit Setting — Users — Add User. Meanwhile, kindly pay attention to every information that pops up in the process so you could know what to do next and how to secure your device. Good Luck!

    Seventh

    Kindly explore your device and tell me something new you found out about this amazing device

  • Google, censor agencies train pupils on Internet safety

    Google in collaboration with Nigeria Integrity Film Awards (HomeVida) and the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) have embarked on a safer Internet programme for Nigerian children.

    HomeVida Communications officer Ugochi Ekwueme said the training is focused on helping young people to avoid dangers online.

    She said: “Today we will be training over 500 students on the safe use of the Internet.  The world has become digital and it is very important that our children know how to stay safe on the internet because there are lots of online predators so children know the kind of information they share online and how to avoid such people.

    “Homevida is known for driving positive messages through film.  We have seen that this is a positive message that we want kids to learn from.  We made a short film on cyber bullying which we play to them because we believe that when people watch films they learn from it.

    “We partner with NFVCB to help censor movies and videos that children have access to, including videos on Youtube.  We are trying to get our government.  We want the government to help regulate some of these things so that our children are not exposed to dangers on the Internet.”

    Last year, Ugochi said the organisations trained over 2,000 pupils through the initiative.  This quarter, she also said they would visit schools in Ibadan and Lagos after Abuja.

    “Google is supporting the programme, they brought up the initiative and were only looking for an organisation that could help them drive the message in, they have been organising safer Internet programmes and started the Web rangers programme in other countries so they want to implement it in Nigeria because they have seen that the Internet is taking over in Nigeria.”

    Nollywood actor and Safer Internet Ambassador (SIA), Femi Jacobs, said some other countries in the world have advanced by putting up safety nets and laws for their children against cyber bullying and paedophiles.

    “We just returned from a conference in Dublin.  Other parts of the world have advanced in terms of how they have safety nets and laws for their kids and we don’t have such things here.  But we need to start with the children because they are mostly the target of such things. Children these days have mobile phones in their hands with easy access to the Internet and most times they do not know the degree of what they have,” he said.

     

  • Lagos, Google to train 50,000 students

    Lagos, Google to train 50,000 students

    The Lagos State government has announced a collaboration with Google to provide digital skills training for 50,000 students of Lagos State tertiary institutions.

    Announcing the pact in his office, the special adviser on education, Mr Obafela Bank-Olemoh, said the three-month training would be open to students of the Lagos State University (LASU), Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Ikorodu; Michael Otedola College of Primary Education (MOCPED), Epe; Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), Ijanikin; and the Lagos State College of Health Sciences, and other interested members of the public.

    “We are trying to position our students to function in the 21st Century and digital skills are important to us. The number of students we will be training is 50,000. We are confident that if we give Lagosians skills to complete, they’ll do wonderful things,” he said.

    Bank-Olemoh added that students that do very well in the training would be selected as Google trainers and would help the communication company to implement future training programmes.

    Country Manager for  Google, Mrs Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor said the training is coming at the right time given the potential of the Internet to generate income.

    “Everyone needs digital skills. It is really important that tertiary institutions incorporate digital training into their curriculum.

    “A recent McKenzie report states that from 2013 to 2020, the Internet would contribute 300billion dollars to the GDP.  This training will span three months leveraging on the ICT facilities in the various institutions,” she said.

    Mrs Ehimuan-Chiazor said the modules will focus on gaining the basic digital skills, how to run a business online, social media, online marketing, and the like.

    Mr Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Google, said free registration is open for the training on a designated website, www.digifyafrica.com.

  • Google begins digital skills training for 1million Africans

    Google begins digital skills training for 1million Africans

    Google, the American multinational technology company has announced a commitment to train 1million young Africans in digital skills in the next one year, which is undeniably a capacity building opportunity for the continent.

    Making the announcement on Tuesday, Google Country Manager, Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor described the initiative as an amazing opportunity for businesses and digital entrepreneurs in Africa.

    According to her, if people have the right skills, they can build business, they will become more employable and can really help to boost the economy of the continent.

    “In 2015 we ran a survey across South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya just to understand how Africans are using the web. And we found out that 74% of the respondents said they will prefer to use digital tools for various tasks, while 69% of respondents said the internet is their first point of call if they need to get information.

    “So more and more we are seeing internet as an integral part of our lives on this continent. A Makinson report also mentioned that from 2013 to 2020, the internet would have contributed $300billion to the economy and that ecommerce will go from non existence to a $75billion industry. So the opportunities are in numbers. And there is a World Bank study that says for every 10% increase in broadband, you have a corresponding 1.38% increase in GDP.

    “From the work that we do, we do hear businesses talking about the fact that the internet really makes them more productive, but for a lot of them, they are not sure how. Which is why I am really excited that today we are announcing our commitment to training 1million people across top Saharan Africa with digital skills in one year,” she said.

    In realising this commitment, Google, a content aggregator is supporting its partner, Livity Africa, to run two training programs: ‘Digify Bytes’ to give digital skills to young people looking to develop a digital career; and ‘Digify Pro’, a 3-month immersion program for digital specialists.

    In his remarks, Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Google Communications and PR Manager, West Africa, noted that the tech company is committed to providing digital opportunities and encouraging business startups for the continent and across the world.

    According to him, a group of 65 volunteer Googlers from around the world are helping the team with content development, ‘training the trainers’ and, in some cases, delivering the training sessions.

    To achieve this feat, the global search engine launched Digify Africa, an online-learning portal that will house a range of digital skills courses, available to anyone in Africa – free. The courses are designed to be as “light” as possible so they don’t eat up valuable data and intending learners can even learn from any Smartphone.

    In general, there are nine training courses already available and Google aims to have 50 available by July. These programs have already launched in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa, and will be scaled to reach more people in the next 12 months.

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  • ICT can replace oil, says Google

    Nigeria has the potential to use Information Communication Technology (ICT), to restore what has been lost in the oil sector, Google’s Policy and Government Relations Manager, Mrs Titi Akinsanmi has said.

    She said Nigeria has a vibrant technology sector which has lots of opportunities to tap into.

    “We have vibrant ICT companies including the big known companies like Jumia and Konga and the young companies that develop apps that make a difference in the way people live their lives,” she said.

    She noted that applications built around chats and games have huge investment prospects as oil revenues fall.

    She said a research carried out about two years ago on the impact of the internet on the economy showed that ICT sector already contributes at least three per cent GDP in Nigeria.

    “If we can have three per cent contribution from the ICT sector in our GDP where there is no focus in the sector, it means if we focus more on the sector the GDP will increase,” she said.

    She said part of what Google has been doing over the last five years in the country is to work with a range of partners to develop the ICT ecosystem. “We also work with institutions within government; we work with media and the education sectors to enable people contribute to the technology sector. We at Google know that if people have the access and the funds, they will use our products and that is what we are really after, because we are here to make profit in our business,” she said.

    She said there are many opportunities in the ICT sector, including the opportunity to become small multimedia size business online, developing apps for Android operating systems and developing apps around maps.

    She called for training to develop the ICT sector, saying there is a lot of work to be done in that area, adding that if people do not have the skills, they will not be able to take advantage of the opportunities around them.