LATEST TECH NEWS: Google, Apple to develop tool to detect COVID-19 patients. 4 other things and a trivia you need to know today, April 13, 2020

These 5 latest stories from the tech space will keep you updated with trends today.

1. Apple and Google develop tool to alert phone users when in contact with COVID-19 patients

Google and Apple on Friday, April 10, unveiled a joint initiative to develop a coronavirus smartphone “contact tracing” tool aimed at alerting users when they cross path with a potential carrier of the virus. According to both firms, this is a combined effort from the tech companies to contain the spread of the deadly disease by deploying latest smartphone location technology to track and potentially contain the global COVID-19 outbreak.

Commenting on the novel idea, tech analysts have expressed privacy breach concerns, noting that the development would allow apps to be created enabling smartphones powered by Apple software and Google-backed Android operating system to exchange information with a joint “opt in system” using Bluetooth wireless technology. While still in its development stage, the companies have also mentioned they would, in May 2020, release software interface technology that supports interoperability, a technology that will permit the alert system to work regardless of the operating system. In a joint statement released on Friday, the companies disclosed that their decision to work together was borne out of the need to combat the pandemic. The statement read: “All of us at Apple and Google believe there has never been a more important moment to work together to solve one of the world’s most pressing problems.”

2. South Korea goes electronic, rules that self-isolation violators to wear electronic wristbands

South Korea has, on Saturday, April 11, ruled it would use electronic wristbands on people who violated self-isolation rules to better contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. The Prime Minister, Chung Sye-kyun, made this pronouncement while raising concerns on the rising trend of violators in the country. According to him, “After deep consideration, the government has decided to put electronic wristbands on people who violate self-isolation rules.”

Explaining what violation could be, the government has noted that actions such as going outside without notice and not answering phone calls shall be treated as violations. However, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said it expected active cooperation from self-quarantined people, but also confirmed that they had already finished testing of the wristbands and can produce 4,000 of them a day. The wristband is to serve as an alert system to track persons quarantined or observing self-isolation.

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Tech Trivia:

Which of these is the first web-based e-mail service?

A. Hotmail
B. Yahoo Mail
C. GMail
D. Rediff Mail
E. Ripples Mail

Answer: See end of post.

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3. Kickstart’s B2B scale-up programme opens applications for a new cohort

Kickstart, a Zurich based innovation platform, has opened applications for its fifth iteration of its annual B2B scale-up programme. While Kickstart’s programme is aimed at late-stage start-ups interested in entering the Swiss market, African startups are equally invited to apply. According to the Swiss organisation, in a recent publication, the organisation is set to absorb about 100 entrepreneurs to join its three-month programme, which kicks off in September.

Read also: LATEST TECH NEWS: Turkey to track COVID-19 patients with smartphone. 4 other stories and a trivia you need to know today, April 10, 2020

Kickstart further explained that applicants would create specific pilots and commercial projects with one of Kickstart’s 50 corporate and public sector partners, which include businesses like AXA, Roche, Credit Suisse and Lafarge Holcim. Commenting on the experience being a former participant of the Kickstart initiative, Vic Arulchandran, co-founder from Nivaura described the opportunity as 3 year leverage. He stated: “What we found really valuable about the Kickstart was not just the advice and support we received throughout, but the high-level access we were given to some of Switzerland’s top businesses. In three months, Kickstart opened doors for us that would have taken three years on our own.”

4. Pangea.app raises $400K pre-seed round to enhance services

Rhode Island-based startup, Pangea.app, has announced the raise of a $400,000 pre-seed round. The company revealed that the new capital comes from PJC, a Boston-based venture capital firm and Underdog Labs. Previously, Pangea.app raised money from angel investors. The company will use this fund to enhance its business where it links “remote college freelancers,” per its website, to businesses around the country.

With the growing trend of freelance jobs across the globe, where more college students want paid work and resume-building experience, while businesses need help with piece-work that students can help with, like graphic design; the company is offering an industry needed service. Hence, Pangea.app seemed to be at an advantage period with the ongoing pandemic as colleges and universities have closed due to threat of COVID-19. Analysts have, therefore, observed that as more people flock online to find placements to keep busy, Pangea.app might be the hotspot and cluster for talent hunt during and after the pandemic.

5. Vodacom CEO Shameel Joosub pledges a third of his salary to Covid-19 fund

Vodacom Group CEO, Shameel Joosub, has, on Sunday, April 12, announced pledging a third of his salary to fund the cause against the pandemic in South Africa. This act of philanthropy of the CEO fields him in line of tech leaders and politicians donating towards the fight against the pandemic. According to the Shameel Joosub, his donation was to heed the call from President Cyril Ramaphosa, following his public pledge of a third of his salary as a political leader when he commissioned a Solidarity Fund.

According to the South African government, the Solidarity Fund will allows individuals and organisations to contribute to the detection and prevention of Covid-19, to provide care for those that need medical care and to support those whose lives have been disrupted by the health crisis. In his words: “I, too, will heed the president’s call by donating a third of my salary for the next three months to the Solidarity Fund and call on other CEOs to follow suit. Not only is it the right thing to do but it will, in a small way, help towards South Africa’s recovery from the pandemic,” he stated.

Tech Trivia Answer: HotMail

Hotmail service was founded by Sabeer Bhatia and Jack Smith in 1996, and was acquired a year later (1997) by Microsoft for an estimated $400 million. Upon acquisition by Bill Gates, it was further developed into a personal information manager web app from Microsoft consisting of webmail, contacts, tasks, and calendaring services under a new name: OUTLOOK. Before the name change, however, it was first relaunched as MSN Hotmail, and later rebranded to Windows Live Hotmail which was featured as part of the Windows Live suite of products. Microsoft phased out Hotmail in October 2011, relaunching the service as Outlook.com in 2012.

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