Why work won’t become obsolete in the age of artificial intelligence

Finding something to watch on Netflix is the most difficult thing any human has ever done. Ever. But a new addition coming to the iOS app could solve this crisis once and for all. The streaming service is today adding Instagram Stories-like "mobile previews" to its iOS app. "Mobile previews present members with a fun, simple, and easy way to learn about all the new content on Netflix -- and find something great to watch even faster," explains Cameron Johnson, Netflix's director of product innovation. Inspired by Netflix's own video previews on televisions, the mobile previews will each be around 30 seconds...

Vodacom's 4G services now cover more than 80% of the South African population, the mobile network today announced. It claims that it's the first African mobile network to cross this threshold. "Vodacom now provides 80.12% 4G coverage in South Africa, with 99.78% of the population covered by 3G and 99.97% covered by 2G," it explained in a release. It noted that the breakthrough comes on the back of the company's accelerated rural coverage programme, this despite spectrum constraints. Vodacom opens new ‘Social Media Command Centre’ in Cape Town Vodacom is embracing social media as a valid way for user to submit queries, this...

Okay, so I'm a bit of a mad cat lady. If you ever wanted me to pay attention to something, bury that information in a cat video and send it to me. That's probably why I've been watching pet company Whiskas's Kitten Kollege YouTube series for the past 20 minutes. Uh, yes, I'm totally working. The series takes the idea that anyone (and any species) can learn anything on the internet to heart. "Adopting a tiny kitten is a magical experience, it literally takes seconds after introducing the curious little feline to your home that you realise two things: firstly, cats are...

One month after Scandinavian streaming service Spotify launched in South Africa, we now have an idea of what locals love listening to. According to company statisticians, Drake is the most streamed international artist in South Africa between 13 March and 10 April 2018 and also owns the most streamed track: "God's Plan". XXXTENTACION comes in second, while Post Malone ranks third. Notably, Marshmello (fifth, behind Kendrick Lamar) is the only EDM artist on the list, while all others are predominantly R&B or hip-hop artists. Oh, and Ed Sheeran props up the table. But popularity varies per city too. While Capetonians loved Nigerian...

First National Bank has today announced eWallet eXtra, a digital bank account that can be opened from a mobile device for unbanked South Africans. According to FNB, the mobile bank account is intended to plug the gap between its eWallet offering and traditional bank accounts that "do not meet the unique needs of irregular income earners such as seasonal workers." FNB suggests that this target market consists of some 11-million South Africans. The eWallet eXtra offering does attempt to plug this gap. "If you are above the age of 16 and own a cellphone, you’ll be able to get a mobile bank...

"Thank you. And stay woke, bitches," is not a quote you'd normally attribute to former US President Barack Obama. But filmmaker Jordan Peele just made this a reality, by using intelligent visual trickery. Okay, that isn't the most pertinent takeaway from this story. Peele, the mastermind behind megahit Get Out, this week demonstrated how AI technology could be used in digital warfare. Teaming up with Buzzfeed, his Monkeypaw Productions team created a fake public service announcement delivered by AI Obama, to show just how artificial intelligence and visual editing tools could be used to spread misinformation in the future. And it's scary. Not only...

Chrome 66 now blocks autoplaying content with sound by default. The new version of Google's web browser was granted stable status this morning and brings a host of changes and tweaks for developers and users alike. But the autoplay filter addition, initially scheduled for Chrome 64's release in January, is the most relevant for casual netizens. According to Google Chrome's autoplay policies, muted content will automatically load and play, but content with sound will not, unless certain conditions are met. "As announced earlier autoplay is now allowed only when either the media won't play sound, after the user clicks or taps on the site, or (on desktop)...

Sure, those Day Zero plans may have been shelved in the "2019's going to totally suck" folder but it doesn't mean Cape Town's completely drought-free just yet. According to the City's latest dam level report, total surface storage has dipped below 21% for the first time this year. Remarkably, this means that the City has used only slightly more than 10% in total between 1 January 2018 and 16 April 2018. Still, at present, both the Theewaterskloof and the Voëlvlei dams remain below 15%. The former is just 0.4% above its 10% threshold, while the Voelvlei meekly stands at 13.9%. The City's four...

We've seen some dope WiFi network names in recent years, and thinking of something novel is the best part of setting up a router. "IP When I Sneeze" and "Pretty Fly for a WiFi" and the evergreen "FBI Surveillance Van" come to mind. But "Remote Detonator" is perhaps pushing it too far, at least it was for some gym goers in the US this weekend. According to local news outlet MLive, a network named "remote detonator" was found by a user of a local gym in Michigan. The user, likely freaked out ever so slightly, subsequently alerted the manager. The equally freakout...

Just what does a 21-year-old living without electricity have to do with what most people do in the evening? The very first electronic television was invented by Philo Taylor Farnsworth, who lived in a home without electricity until the age of 14. The first image he transmitted was a line, but he later managed to transmit a dollar sign after a potential investor asked when he would begin to see some dollars. However, inventor John Logie Baird is touted as one of the major inventors of the television and was involved in mechanical as well as electronic television development...

South African comedy Catching Feelings debuted in cinemas last month, and it did fairly well for a local film at the box office. But for those who don't enjoy cinemas, you can soon watch the flick on your own television. Netflix South Africa today announced that the flick, directed by Kagiso Lediga (Wonder Boy for President) and stars Pearl Thusi, is heading to the streaming service. It's the first SA film to feature on Netflix too. "Catching Feelings is a dark romantic comedy drama which "follows a jaded academic and his journalist wife, who have their lives turned upside down when a celebrated...

You're probably already sick of being at work, am I right? But what if I told you that your desk is pretty damn boring too? Thankfully, I don't have to, but Instagram most certainly will. The company this week (pushing aside Facebook's woes for a moment) announced its new official account @design. Yes, that handle is probably the envy of designer influencers across the world, but so are the scenes it captures. This was a temporary workspace for the designer and artist @camillewalala, who set up her sketchbook next to a pancake breakfast while on holiday on the southern coast of...

The omni-channel experience is a relatively new marketing term that quickly reached buzzword status. Already in that first sentence there are a number of problems that make omni-channel something quite difficult for brands to get right; which is quite troubling as the core of the omni-channel experience is not a new concept. The omni-channel experience has been around since we first started promoting goods and services; but for some reason the race to digital migration has confused the issue. What is the omni-channel experience? At its very core, the omni-channel experience is about ensuring that no matter where a customer or prospect...

Disney may be planning its own streaming service for 2019, but for now, Netflix still stocks some of the company's content. Today, it announced that 12 new Disney shows -- for kids and adults -- are now available to stream in South Africa. A few highlights include Phineas and Ferb's first four seasons, Gravity Falls' seasons one and two, and Star Wars: The Clone Wars' first two seasons as well. In addition, kids can annoy their parents with Sofia The First's second and third seasons, and Doc McStuffins' first three seasons. (Because, as we sit at our desks watching that clock...

Recent reports of large data breaches are alarming for everyone. Customers worry about the implications of having their financial and personal information hijacked. The organisations that were compromised worry about both the near-term and the long-term effects on their business and other organisations worry if they will be next. Two things are certain, though. The cost of a data breach is going to be really expensive, and it’s not going to be the last time it happens. The big question everyone is asking is, what do I do about this? Perform a risk assessment A thorough risk assessment helps ensure you are focussed...