Happy New Year from PaulMark Construction Company!!

Dear Customer 

As we bid farewell to another year, we want to take a moment to express our deepest gratitude for your trust and partnership with PaulMark Construction Company. 

We are incredibly proud of the milestones we've achieved together in 2024, and we look forward to many more successes in the year to come. Our commitment to providing top-notch construction services remains unwavering, and we are excited to continue building a brighter future with you.

Wishing you and your loved ones a joyous, prosperous, and healthy New Year! May 2025 bring you new opportunities, happiness, and success.

Thank you for being a valued part of our community. Cheers to a wonderful year ahead!

Warmest regards,

Nyanhekwe
PaulMark Construction Company
Contact us +263773819451 or visit our website https://paulmarkinvestment.co.zw/

Recreational facilities play a vital role in promoting the physical, emotional, and social well-being of young people. They provide a safe and structured environment for youths to engage in constructive activities, fostering a sense of community and belonging. Recreational facilities also offer opportunities for young people to develop important life skills, such as teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving.

The lack of recreational facilities in Epworth has had devastating consequences for its youth population. Without access to safe and engaging activities, many young people have turned to destructive behaviors, such as drug and substance abuse, to cope with boredom and frustration. Early marriages and teenage pregnancies have also become rampant, as young people seek excitement and a sense of purpose in unhealthy relationships.

Crime, including robberies and violence, has also increased amongst Epworth's youth, as they seek to escape the monotony and desperation of their daily lives. The absence of recreational facilities has created a vacuum, which has been filled by negative influences and destructive behaviors.

The ZRP reported that the baby boy, just 1 year and 4 months old, was playing outside the house near Corner Store, Overspill, Epworth, when the tragic incident happened.

This heartbreaking incident highlights the growing concern of child drownings, especially during the rainy season. As we mourn the loss of this young life, let us also take a moment to reflect on the importance of child safety and supervision.

@Epworth Connect

The reasons behind forced marriage are often rooted in cultural and social norms, where family honor and reputation are prioritized over the welfare of the child. Parents, driven by fear of social ostracism and shame, force their daughters into marriage, often with men significantly older than them.

The consequences of forced marriage on the girl child are devastating and often leads to8 loss of Education. Forced marriage often marks the end of a girl's education, as she is expected to assume domestic responsibilities. Physical and Emotional Abuse. Girls forced into marriage are at risk of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse by their husbands and in-laws. Girls forced to enter into marriages also5 have their health at risk Early marriage and childbirth can lead to serious health complications, including maternal mortality, obstetric fistula, and sexually transmitted infections. Psychological trauma is another4 effect of forced marriage. So as Epworth it's essential to recognize the gravity of this issue and take collective action.

Check out Automan Hotstate Musoja's Latest Offering, Monyora from his brand new Album Nhume Yamambo

For far too long, Epworth's talent has remained largely untapped, with only a select few breaking through to the mainstream. However, 2025 promises to be a game-changer, as the community comes together to rally behind its creatives and celebrate its unsung heroes.

Music, in particular, has been a cornerstone of Epworth's cultural identity, with the likes of Uncle Epatan. However, one musician who deserves special mention is Automan Musoja. This talented artist has been consistently producing high-quality records that not only put Epworth on the map but also preach positive messages that resonate with audiences of all ages. Automan is one of Epworth’s finest musicians who has the capacity to take Epworth to a brand new level as far as music is concerned with outstanding records such as his colaborations with Crazy E –Ndofa Usipo, Silent Killer, Hwindi Prezident, Sniper Storm and many more.

Beyond music, Epworth boasts an impressive array of talent across various fields. In the world of comedy, Mr. Ridhikurasi and Comic Pastor have been making waves, using their platforms to showcase Epworth's unique brand of humor. Meanwhile, Ronald Chitiyo has been flying the flag for Epworth in the soccer world, representing the community with distinction in the Zimbabwe national team, Dynamos, and now in international soccer in Malawi.

In the realm of martial arts, Skinner has been putting Epworth on the map, while JB Sounds has been working tirelessly to develop the youth through the introduction of taekwon-do.

As we embark on this exciting new chapter in Epworth's hi

story, it is essential that we come together as a community to support and celebrate our talented individuals. 2025 is the year that Epworth breaks through the barriers and puts itself firmly on the map.

We urge all Epworthians to rally behind their local talent, providing a platform for them to shine. Let us create a movement that celebrates Epworth's stars, regardless of their field or genre. Together, we can unleash the full potential of our community and show the world what we have to offer.

The time has come for Epworth to take its rightful place in the spotlight. Let us join forces to make 2025 a year to remember, one that will propel Epworth's talent into the stratosphere and inspire future generations to come.

Rukanda stressed that prioritizing data protection and awareness is crucial for safeguarding digital assets.

“Hackers are constantly evolving their tactics, making it essential for businesses to stay vigilant, stolen data can be used for malicious purposes, such as targeted marketing, emphasizing the importance of protecting sensitive information”.

In today’s digital landscape, cybersecurity is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. As businesses increasingly rely on technology, they expose themselves to various cyber threats.

He added that data has become the lifeblood of modern business, driving decision-making and growth. However, this reliance on data also creates vulnerabilities.

He urged businesses to adopt secure technologies, platforms, and tools to safeguard their digital assets.

The Tech Convergence Forum served as a timely reminder of the importance of cybersecurity in today’s digital age. As businesses continue to evolve, they must prioritize data protection and awareness to stay ahead of emerging threats. By adopting secure practices and technologies, organizations can protect their digital assets and ensure long-term success.

The post Mornipac Digital Forensics CEO Stresses Cybersecurity Importance appeared first on TechnoMag.

At the recent TechnoMag Tech Convergence Forum, Runyararo Nyandoro, Product Manager at Omari, shared thought-provoking insights on the transformative role of mobile money and remittances in driving economic growth.

Against the backdrop of the Finance Minister’s recently presented budget, Nyandoro highlighted the growing importance of remittances and the opportunities they present for the economy.

“The Finance Minister projected remittances at about $2.5 billion for 2023. That speaks to the size of the opportunity for this market,” Nyandoro remarked. “Over the past five years, the value of remittances has nearly tripled. This tells us about the importance of remittances and the diaspora market to our economy. We need to see how we can leverage that through mobile money.”

Nyandoro explained how Omari has positioned itself to capitalize on this opportunity by integrating with various remittance partners, enabling seamless cross-border transactions. This integration is helping to unlock the value of remittances while providing critical financial services to users.

He also emphasized Omari’s focus on empowering small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through digital payments. “At Omari, we believe in the importance of aggregators that assist small businesses to grow. Our role as financial intermediaries is to provide value-added services beyond basic transactions,” he stated. “For instance, SME or merchant financing becomes viable when digital transaction records are available. These are the follow-on effects of digitization that we need to be mindful of.”

Speaking on the broader market dynamics, Nyandoro highlighted the scale of mobile money transactions in the country. “Mobile money platforms can process up to $6 billion annually—about $150 million weekly. Of this, 10% to 20% is payments, including merchant and bill payments. That translates to $15 to $30 million processed weekly. This is the size of the market opportunity we’re working with,” he explained.

Nyandoro’s insights illuminated the immense potential of mobile money to drive financial inclusion and economic growth. With platforms like Omari at the forefront of innovation, the financial ecosystem is poised for a future of sustained growth, powered by digital transformation and diaspora contributions.

The post Omari Spills Beans on its integration secret! appeared first on TechnoMag.

Simon Nyamuda, Managing Director of Compulink Systems, delivered an insightful contribution at the recent TechnoMag Tech Fora, emphasizing the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and the critical need for robust governance frameworks.

Reflecting on the Ministry of ICT’s framework review held on November 21, Nyamuda underscored the importance of benchmarking Zimbabwe’s AI policies against global standards, citing examples from Rwanda, South Africa, and the United Nations.

“Artificial intelligence is a game-changer. It’s reshaping industries and redefining the way we live and work. However, the question we must ask is: are we prepared to govern it effectively?” he posed.

Nyamuda highlighted the urgent need for Zimbabwe to align its policies with international AI governance principles. He called for a forward-thinking framework that addresses critical issues such as intellectual property (IP) rights, safety, security, and inclusivity. On intellectual property, he posed a vital question: “If AI generates a new algorithm or code, who owns the intellectual property?” He emphasized the need for regulations to ensure transparency and disclosure of inputs used by AI systems while protecting creators’ rights.

Safety and security also emerged as pivotal concerns. Nyamuda stressed the importance of child protection and the need for sector-specific guidelines to safeguard vulnerable groups. “We must incorporate measures to ensure AI systems are inclusive, secure, and aligned with best practices for child safety and other user protections,” he said.

Nyamuda also addressed the rising misuse of AI by malicious actors, including hackers, and advocated for an incident management system to handle misuse and mitigate harm. “How do we govern AI when it starts behaving in ways we didn’t intend? This is the challenge we must prepare for,” he cautioned, urging the establishment of security protocols to address AI’s potential to mutate beyond its original scope.

As AI continues to redefine the global landscape, Nyamuda’s call to action is clear: Zimbabwe must develop an inclusive, comprehensive, and globally aligned governance framework to harness the full potential of AI while safeguarding against its risks. His contributions are a timely reminder that preparation and foresight are essential as the nation navigates the uncharted territory of AI.

The post Let’s Benchmark Zim AI policies against Global Standards, Nyamuda appeared first on TechnoMag.

Managing Director for Liquid Botswana Odirile Tamajobe said, “This fibre extension project is a milestone for Botswana, strengthening the country’s economic hubs and connecting major commercial centres. The high-speed connectivity access is set to benefit urban centres and rural communities along the route and further expand our presence in Botswana and the continent through the One Africa Digital Network. It will being additional multi-terabit capacity and resilience to the region”.

In addition to providing enhanced services to local users, the fibre expansion project extends beyond national boundaries, becoming a connector of countries by connecting with the fibre networks in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Sudan to provide a robust, cross-border digital infrastructure. The fibre extension project is a testament to Liquid’s to ongoing investment in Botswana’s digital infrastructure and its pivotal role in supporting Africa’s digital transformation journey.
This increased access will further solidify Liquid’s position as a leader in the region’s digital transformation, ensuring that no Motswana is left behind. The initiative also empowers local Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to expand their services to retail customers, indirectly benefiting household users across the region and further contributing to regional employment opportunities.

Liquid’s new fibre network, supported by local contractor companies, is a significant step towards advancing Botswana’s national digital transformation strategy. This reinforces the country’s goal of becoming a digitally connected and economically empowered nation. The network delivers critical connectivity for businesses and enterprises in major towns along the route, including significant commercial and retail centres, financial services, and educational and hospitality entities.
Liquid Intelligent Technologies is a business of Cassava Technologies (Cassava), a technology company of African heritage with operations in 40-plus markets across Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, where the Cassava group companies operate and has has firmly established itself as the leading provider of pan-African digital infrastructure with a 110,000 km-long fibre broadband network and satellite connectivity that provides high-speed access to the Internet anywhere in Africa.

Liquid is also leveraging its digital network to provide Cloud and Cyber Security solutions through strategic partnerships with leading global players.

The post Liquid lntelligent Technologies Completes Fibre Network Extension Which Spans Over 730 Kilometres appeared first on TechnoMag.

Huawei Zimbabwe has outlined a robust cybersecurity strategy aimed at fortifying the nation’s digital infrastructure and safeguarding its cyberspace.

Huawei, a global leader in ICT, has emphasized its dedication to creating a secure cyber environment in Zimbabwe. The company’s efforts focus on addressing three key areas: product security, collaboration with stakeholders, and investment in local talent. “Cybersecurity is not just about technology but about building trust and a culture of awareness,” a Huawei spokesperson stated.

To enhance product security, Huawei implements stringent testing and validation processes. This ensures their offerings adhere to international cybersecurity standards. These processes are coupled with regular updates to tackle emerging vulnerabilities. “Our priority is to stay ahead of the curve,” the spokesperson added.

Collaboration is another pillar of Huawei’s approach. The company has partnered with the Zimbabwean government, private sector stakeholders, and cybersecurity experts to tackle cyber threats collectively. Through initiatives like public-private partnerships and intelligence-sharing platforms, Huawei aims to foster a unified response to cyber risks.

Huawei is also heavily invested in developing local talent, recognizing that skilled professionals are the backbone of a resilient cyber ecosystem. The company has rolled out training programs covering cybersecurity best practices, incident response techniques, and public awareness campaigns. “Empowering local professionals is vital for sustaining long-term security,” Huawei highlighted in its plan.

Additionally, Huawei is bolstering the nation’s ICT infrastructure by establishing secure data centers and deploying advanced technologies like artificial intelligence to enhance threat detection and mitigation. These investments are coupled with ongoing compliance with international standards and regular cybersecurity audits.

As Zimbabwe strives to establish a secure and resilient digital ecosystem, Huawei’s initiatives underscore the critical importance of proactive cybersecurity measures. By blending technological innovation with community collaboration, the company aims to contribute significantly to national security. “Together, we can ensure a safer cyberspace for Zimbabwe’s digital future,” Huawei concluded.

Huawei’s cybersecurity strategy sets a benchmark for addressing the digital challenges of the modern age, reinforcing the message that safeguarding cyberspace is a shared responsibility between corporations, governments, and society at large.

The post Huawei Outlines Cybersecurity Plan for Zimbabwe appeared first on TechnoMag.

Hon. Dr. Tatenda Mavetera, Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal, and Courier Services, highlighted the significance of this moment in her keynote address. “Sophia’s presence here is not just symbolic; it is a call to action for Zimbabwe to harness the power of artificial intelligence to redefine our future,” she said. The event’s theme, Building Digital Infrastructure: Enabling Innovation and Connectivity in Zimbabwe’s Digital Economy, reflected the government’s priorities in fostering a tech-driven ecosystem.

Sophia, a creation of Hanson Robotics, captivated audiences with her ability to hold intelligent conversations, showcasing the potential of AI in reshaping industries from education to healthcare. Her visit also served as an inspiration for local innovators and entrepreneurs, demonstrating what is achievable with bold investments in technology.

Minister Mavetera outlined several strides Zimbabwe has already made, including improved internet penetration, now at 78.55%, and mobile connectivity surpassing 96%. She emphasized the importance of expanding these achievements to rural areas and investing in robust infrastructure to support advanced technologies like AI, IoT, and big data.

The introduction of Sophia was just one highlight of the week, which also showcased local success stories such as the rise of digital platforms like Inn Bucks and Eco Farmer. These innovations demonstrate how a well-constructed digital ecosystem can empower communities and businesses alike.

“By building partnerships between government, industry, and academia, we can ensure that Zimbabwe becomes a leader in the digital economy,” Dr. Mavetera added. She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to policies fostering innovation, such as the recently validated National Artificial Intelligence Policy Framework.

As Sophia’s visit came to a close, she left behind more than awe and curiosity; she inspired a renewed vision for a digitally advanced Zimbabwe. Through continued investment in AI and innovation, the nation aims to position itself as a hub for technology and entrepreneurship in Africa.

The post Sophia the Robot Inspires Zimbabwe’s AI Revolution at Innovation Week appeared first on TechnoMag.

Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services, Dr. Tatenda Mavetera mentioned  the development when was speaking at the Zimbabwe Al and Innovation week, today at University of Zimbabwe and she also outlined the country’s vision for a tech-driven future.

Innovation is the engine of economic growth and Zimbabwe has made significant strides with internet penetration reaching 78.55 percent and mobile connectivity exceeding 96 percent”.

She highlighted strides that have been taken towards the goal that includes a robust digital infrastructure that is critical for economic transformation, with internet penetration reaching 78.55% and mobile connectivity exceeding 96%, AI solutions tailored to local needs, such as agriculture optimization and healthcare management, will drive innovation and two mobile network operators offer 5G connectivity, enhancing digital capabilities.

Zimbabwe’s commitment to digital transformation is poised to drive economic growth, empower its people, and solidify its position as a leader in the digital economy.

The post Zim Leaps lnto Digital Future With 78.55 % lnternet Penetration And 96% Mobile Connectivity appeared first on TechnoMag.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has underscored artificial intelligence (AI) as a game-changer for addressing development challenges in Zimbabwe during the unveiling of Sophia the Humanoid Robot at the Zimbabwe AI and Innovation Week. The event highlighted the potential of AI in creating inclusive opportunities and fostering sustainable growth.

Dr. Ayodele Odusola, UNDP Zimbabwe Country Director, emphasized the collaborative effort required to ensure AI’s benefits reach all corners of the nation. “We strongly believe that working with the government, the private sector, academic institutions, students, and communities will promote access to artificial intelligence and bridge the divide between urban and rural communities,” he said. Dr. Odusola praised the inclusion of the Akwata community, a rural area near the Mozambique border, as a testament to the initiative’s commitment to inclusivity.

Sophia’s interaction with attendees demonstrated AI’s ability to inform decision-making and inspire new solutions. “The questions posed to Sophia and her responses provided valuable insights for evidence-based strategies, not only in addressing climate change but also in youth engagement, education, and innovation,” Dr. Odusola added.

The event also highlighted AI’s role in enhancing agricultural transformation, improving healthcare access, advancing education, and driving infrastructure development. Dr. Odusola urged the media to amplify discussions about AI’s transformative power in shaping Zimbabwe’s development trajectory. “This is about leaving no one behind as Zimbabwe moves toward becoming an upper-middle-income society,” he concluded.

Sophia’s unveiling was more than a technological demonstration—it was a call to action for leveraging AI to build an inclusive, prosperous future for Zimbabwe.

The post UNDP Champions AI for Bridging Development Gaps at Sophia’s Unveiling in Zimbabwe appeared first on TechnoMag.

CBZ Group CEO Lawrence highlighted the facts behind the recent service disruption that sparked rumors of a cyber attack earlier this month. Addressing the speculation, he clarified, “It wasn’t a cyber attack. What happened was an issue with our data center, where heat levels exceeded what the machines could handle.”

Explaining further, he likened the scenario to how personal devices react under extreme conditions. “Think of your phone. If you leave it in excessive heat, it will shut down to protect itself. That’s exactly what happened with our data center. When the heat rose beyond safe levels, the systems shut down automatically, and we needed time to restart everything methodically.”

The shutdown led to a temporary loss of services, which understandably caused inconvenience for customers. However, Mr. Lawrence emphasized that this incident underscores a broader message about the importance of cybersecurity and operational vigilance.

“Whether it’s your personal gadget or the largest financial institution in the world, we all need to remain vigilant and ensure our systems are protected. This is a collective responsibility, not just for the financial services sector but for all businesses and citizens,” he said.

The CBZ Group CEO reassured customers that the bank is committed to maintaining high standards of reliability and security, adding that preventative measures remain a priority in today’s increasingly tech-driven world.

The post We were not hacked, CBZ appeared first on TechnoMag.

With only a minimum transaction of USD$20 or its equivalent in Zimbabwean dollars (ZWG) to enter. Participants can qualify through various transaction types including cash-in, sending money, paying bills, merchant payments, airtime/data purchases, ZIPIT, or swipe transactions.

OneMoney Managing director Mr Joseph Machiva explained NetOne’s commitment to delivering customer value.

“The Trolley Dash initiative demonstrates NetOne’s commitment to delivering tangible value to our customers while promoting financial inclusion through our OneMoney platform. This innovative promotion not only rewards our loyal customers but also showcases the practical benefits of digital financial services in everyday life.

The prize pool is structured to benefit a wide range of winners, with rewards distributed on a weekly basis. The top tier offers shopping vouchers worth USD$1000 to five lucky winners, while second-tier winners can receive USD$300 vouchers. The promotion also includes third-tier prizes of USD$50 vouchers for 23 winners weekly, ensuring broader participation benefits.

NetOne Chief Commercial Officer Mr Learnmore Musunda emphasized his organisation’s commitment to rolling out more initiatives that support financial empowerment and inclusion.

“Looking ahead, we are committed to rolling out more innovative solutions and promotions that align with our vision of financial empowerment. The success of the Trolley Dash initiative has provided valuable insights into our customers’ needs and preferences, which will inform our future strategies to enhance the OneMoney ecosystem and create even more value for our users,” says Musunda.

This initiative comes at a strategic time when digital payment solutions are becoming increasingly important in Zimbabwe’s economic landscape. The promotion not only incentives digital transactions but also provides tangible benefits to customers during the holiday season when household expenses typically increase.

Contacted for a comment, NetOne Group CEO Eng. Raphael Mushanawani emphasized the company’s dedication to customer centric initiatives that bring cheer to the customer especially around this festive season.

“As we continue to enhance Zimbabwe’s digital economy, such customer-centric campaigns reinforce our position as a forward-thinking telecommunications provider. The enthusiasm we’ve seen from participants validates our approach to combining exciting rewards with practical mobile money solutions”, says Eng Mushanawani.

He continues, “I would like to thank our customers for their overwhelming support and encourage more Zimbabweans to experience the convenience of OneMoney. This is just one of many ways we’re working to make digital financial services more accessible and rewarding for all.”

The “Trolley Dash” campaign’s branding, featuring a shopping cart with festive elements, effectively communicates its retail-focused rewards structure. The promotion appears designed to strengthen OneMoney’s market position while providing practical value to customers through shopping vouchers that can help with holiday expenses.

For those interested in participating, the promotion is accessible through OneMoney’s standard transaction channels, with winners selected on a weekly basis. As with all such promotions, terms and conditions apply, and customers are encouraged to familiarize themselves with these through OneMoney’s official channels.

The post Netone Rewards Digital Transactions With Trolley Dash From Minimum of USD$20 Transfer appeared first on TechnoMag.

In a spectacular display of athleticism and determination, Zimbabwean stars scooped an impressive haul of 8 medals, 1 trophy, and 1 shield at the recently concluded Global Federation Open Championship in Durban, South Africa. The championship, which took place from the 4th to the 7th of December 2024, saw Zimbabwe's finest athletes take on the best from around the world, emerging victorious and making their nation proud.

The Zimbabwean team  comprising of Winstone Mudarikwa, Nevermind Shereni, Collen Zhalale, Raymond Makechemu and Israel Chindamba, demonstrated exceptional skill and teamwork, dominating various events and disciplines. Their outstanding performance is a testament to their hard work, dedication, and passion for their respective sports.

The people of Zimbabwe are ecstatic about their athletes' achievements, and rightly so. This remarkable feat is not only a source of national pride but also an inspiration to young Zimbabweans, encouraging them to pursue their dreams and strive for excellence in their chosen fields.

As Zimbabwe's athletes bask in the glory of their triumph, they are already looking to the future, eager to build on their success and take on new challenges. With their talent, determination, and the support of their nation, there is no doubt that they will continue to shine on the global stage, bringing pride and joy to Zimbabweans everywhere.

Once again, congratulations to Winstone Mudarikwa, Nevermind Shereni, Collen Zhalale, Raymond Makechemu, and Israel Chindamba on their outstanding achievement. Your dedication, perseverance, and passion have paid off, and you have made Zimbabwe proud. We look forward to seeing what the future holds for these talented athletes.

As the world observes the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, the Epworth community is joining forces to raise awareness and promote a culture of zero tolerance and support for survivors. Various stakeholders, including local organizations, community groups, and individuals, are coming together to organize a range of awareness programs, roadshows, community dialogues, and online campaigns.

At the forefront of these efforts is Miles Audio Solutions, a local media company that has taken up the mantle of raising awareness about GBV through media. According to Project Initiator, Dj Miles, "Media has the power to carry the message of GBV and make a real difference in our community." As part of their campaign, Miles Audio Solutions will be producing podcast sessions, studio and street interviews, online live sessions, and social media campaigns to raise awareness and promote support for survivors.

Other stakeholders are also getting involved, with sporting entities organizing football tournaments, netball, and other sporting disciplines as a means of raising awareness.

On Thursday 28 November 2024, Fathers Against  Abuse will host a roadshow to address the often-overlooked issue of GBV against men.  "Men are also becoming victims of violence in our societies, and it's essential that we create a safe space for them to share their stories and seek support." Says Admire Shereni , a member of the Epworth community.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM EPWORTH CONNECT

- Inspiring Stories: Read about the people, places, and events that make Epworth special.
- Talent Showcase: Discover local artists, musicians, writers, and other creatives who call Epworth home.
- Business and Event Listings: Find out what's happening in Epworth, from new business openings to upcoming events and festivals.
- Social Commentary: Join the conversation on issues that matter to the Epworth community.
- Epworth Lifestyle: Get a glimpse into the daily lives of Epworth residents, including their favorite hangouts, hobbies, and interests.
Join the Conversation!
Epworth Connect is more than just a website – it's a community. We invite you to join us on this journey, share your thoughts and ideas, and help us build a vibrant online hub that celebrates all things Epworth.
Stay connected with us on social media, and get ready to experience the best of Epworth online!

The event will be officiated by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, marking a significant step in Zimbabwe’s digital transformation.

According to the mobile operator, the new 5G infrastructure will provide faster internet speeds and support the growing demand for reliable, high-speed internet services across the country.

Their 5G will be used to capacitate Internet Of Things, Telemedicine, remote monitoring and farming amongst many others.

The post NetOne Cellular Set To Launch 5G Base Stations appeared first on TechnoMag.

Yours truly gets very encouraged by any huge tech development, but this story in the Herald was just too good to be true, suspicious  and must be well probed just  like any other mere mega deals on paper.

The story screamed.

The  Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, Professor Mthuli Ncube, yesterday signed a US$1 billion agreement with San Francisco-based Clear Mobitel Limited to revamp mobile operator Telecel and inject more life into NetOne, among other projects.

The deal is a culmination of talks initiated by President Mnangagwa when he met Clear Mobitel chief executive Mr Harpal Mann in the United Kingdom at King Charles III’s coronation ceremony in May 2023.

My  first big problem with such screaming headlines is the amount involved, who in this day and age is investing $1 billion into a saturated mobile business and expecting to repatriate how in the current economic environment. A billion USD  investment is ahuge sum of investment for capital expenditure especially against potential returns.

Zimbabwe does not support such a huge mobile penetration statistic, what kind of investment with average revenue per user would motivate a billion dollar  investment.

The second issue is lack of clarity amdist the obscurity, what exactly is this amount going to be doing as part of the “investment”, are they buying stake, investing infrastructure or completely taking over the asset.

when an investor makes a memorandum of agreement, such information must be easily available and accessible so that we can simply understand the huge impact of the investment, however this was not so.

The state owned enterprises under the Mutapa investment gave us many rounds to confirm the investment, after many attempts to dig around information around this huge investment, we can confirm that neither the mobile network operators themselves, not the Mutapa investments fund had details about this investiment.

however the herald stated

The signing ceremony between Prof Ncube and Mr Mann was held yesterday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meetings here, signalling the consolidation of the process.

An initial investment of $200 million will be made, followed by $350 million and then the balance in due course

The third issue is information on the investor, there is not much convincing investment that Clear mobile Limited or Mr Harpal Mann has done in the past to really impress on his high level investment .

This is a huge investment, marred in lots of obscurity and needs more clarity for appreciation to be taken seriously.

The post #MondayBlues: Clear Mobile $1 billion New Funding to Zimbabwe Telecoms Sector! What Bollicks appeared first on TechnoMag.

The official commissioning of Boka base station signified the switch on of more than 20 other 5G base stations that will support the delivery of 5G enabled services across the country, as they begin the roll out.

Speaking exclusively to TechnoMag, the NetOne group Chief Executive Officer Engineer Raphael Mushanawani stated that they are launching the infrastructure to support ther various 5G services

“The 5G infrastructure we are launching today will enable IoT solutions, paving the way for improved services and quality of life for our citizens.

Digital technologies must go beyond the use of ICT for social media and entertainment. We must use the infrastructure that my Government is putting in place to improve service delivery in healthcare, education and agriculture, among many other aspects”,ICT Minister Tatenda Mavetera said while addressing people at the launch.

She further highlighted that 5G Network Expansion is a cutting-edge technology across key areas of our country is a testament to our commitment to digital inclusivity and innovation.

Th base station at Boka is accommodating six operators; that is Netone, Econet, Telecel, Telone, Africom and Dandemutande. This means that there is one base station where in the past you would have had six base stations.

NetOne has a total of 275 4G enalbled base stations and 14 of the 4Gbase stations erected by POTRAZ as part of Tower Relocation Project program initiated by the ministrY of ICT Postal and courier services

The post NetOne Commissions 20 more 5G Base Stations appeared first on TechnoMag.

The launch was held at Boka Tobbaco Floors, Harare today.

“The 5G infrastructure we are launching today will enable IoT solutions, paving the way for improved services and quality of life for our citizens.

Digital technologies must go beyond the use of ICT for social media and entertainment. We must use the infrastructure that my Government is putting in place to improve service delivery in healthcare, education and agriculture, among many other aspects”,ICT Minister Tatenda Mavetera said while addressing people at the launch.

She further highlighted that 5G Network Expansion is a cutting-edge technology across key areas of our country is a testament to our commitment to digital inclusivity and innovation.

Th base station at Boka is accommodating six operators; that is Netone, Econet, Telecel, Telone, Africom and Dandemutande. This means that there is one base station where in the past you would have had six base stations.

The post Netone Powers loT Solutions appeared first on TechnoMag.

The portal will allow customers and stakeholders to do more online including making applications for Net Metering, track of applications and one is also able to acquire feedback.
ZETDC Managing Director Engineer Abel Gurupira while addressing valued customers and partners said, “Our team is dedicated to ensure that we formulate innovations, solutions and investment in cutting edge technologies that addresses your everyday pain points, today we are celebrating this week after noticeable achievements in the area of innovations have been able to address fault responsiveness customer touch points, experience smart grid access, revenue assurance and power losses.

As we move forward we will continue to focus on continual improvement enhancing your experience, embracing new technologies and staying responsive to your ever evolving needs”.

Speaking at the same event Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce Regional Manager for Mashonaland also said, “As we move forward we are delighted that ZETDC has come this far under hard and drought circumstances and we owe it to ourselves in doing all we can to serve our customers”.

The post ZETDC Celebrates Customer Service Week ; Relaunches Self Service Portal appeared first on TechnoMag.

This marks the first phase of the country’s new Online Border Management System (OBMS). These e-gates automate immigration procedures, eliminating the need for physical human intervention, and aim to streamline the process for travellers while enhancing security at entry and exit points.

The OBMS platform, which employs advanced technology to automate border control, is expected to significantly reduce processing times, alleviate congestion at busy border posts, and curb illegal activities such as human trafficking, drug smuggling, and money laundering.

Modelled after Dubai’s renowned Smart Gates system, the e-gates offer a fast, contactless way for travellers to pass through passport control. Passengers with biometric e-passports can simply scan their documents and provide either facial recognition or fingerprint data, allowing for seamless entry or exit.

Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Permanent Secretary, Ambassador Raphael Faranisi, confirmed the successful installation of the system at the airport, adding that plans are underway to extend the e-gates to other major ports of entry.

“We have set up 14 lanes so far at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport,” Ambassador Faranisi said. “We are also going to set up the system at Victoria Falls and Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airports, as well as the Beitbridge Border Post. The system is going to serve Zimbabwean passport holders at entry and exit points.”

The e-gates authenticate travellers by comparing a photograph or fingerprint taken at the gate with biometric data stored in the passport’s chip or immigration database. If the data matches, the gate opens, allowing the traveller to proceed without any manual checks.

Ambassador Faranisi further highlighted the security benefits of the system, noting its role in fighting cross-border crime. “E-gates will greatly improve the efficiency of clearing travellers entering and leaving the country,” he said. “The congestion which was now the norm at ports like Beitbridge and the international airports will become a thing of the past.”

He added, “The system will help reduce cross-border crimes, especially human and drug trafficking, as well as money laundering.”

The introduction of the e-gates is part of Zimbabwe’s broader initiative to modernize its key ports of entry. This includes ongoing upgrades at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, which has recently undergone significant expansion.

As the OBMS rollout continues, the country aims to improve the efficiency of its border operations while enhancing security, benefiting both locals and international travellers.

The post Zim lnstalls 14 E-Gates At Robert Mugabe lnternational Airport appeared first on TechnoMag.

The event was graced by ICT Postal and Courier Services Minister Tatenda Mavetera and Information Minister Jenfan Muswere.

Speaking at the event , ICT Minister Tatenda Mavetera stressed that enhancing access to government services online is essential for fostering development and ensuring inclusive participation.

In her address, Minister Mavetera acknowledged the difficulties citizens face when trying to access critical services digitally, a challenge that has long hindered both economic and social progress.

“Accessing government services online has in the past been very difficult, and it also hinders effective participation and obtaining information,” Mavetera remarked.

She emphasized that the digital divide and the inconvenience of traveling long distances to complete essential services—such as license applications or payment processes have marginalized many Zimbabweans. “The challenge is often exacerbated by the necessity to travel long distances to access services like payment and license applications,” she said.

The minister reiterated the government’s commitment to making public services more accessible through digital platforms. She highlighted that without easily accessible online services, many citizens are left out of important processes that could enhance their livelihoods and contribute to the nation’s development.

The event in Madziwa drew stakeholders from civil society, government, and the private sector, all sharing ideas on how to enhance access to information and ensure no one is left behind in the digital era.

The Universal Access to Information Day—celebrated annually—aims to promote the importance of accessible, reliable information as a driver of progress. With Zimbabwe’s focus shifting towards digital transformation, events like these underscore the critical role that technology and access to information play in building a more inclusive society.

The post ICT Minister Advocates For Greater Online Access to Government Services. appeared first on TechnoMag.

By The Red Pill

Yours truly has been closely following the development, with so much unethical beaurocratic practice and technical limitations, Zimbabweans will not enjoy the services as anticipated.

Since September’s official licensing, an estimated thousands have already directly purchased the kits from the Starlink website across the country with some few glitches as some banks were no being honored.

The companies that had partnered Starlink for dealerships and distribution in Zimbabwe have all not yet been cleared by the telecommunications regulator, Potraz, except 2, which are state-aligned that is TelOne and Aura meaning the rest cant operate until they are cleared.

TechnoMag once wrote in depth over this new regulation which only came up after the players had announced a partnership with StarLink, effectively this means they’re blocked from selling Starlink in ZImbabwe till the clearance, this includes players like Zodsat, Dandemutande, Frampol and Dark Fibre Africa.

Ironically, IMC which purportedly claimed exclusivity has been very quiet on the background, with speculation that they may not have had clinched the deal with Starlink itself but only the government.

While TelOne and Aura have been cleared by Potraz, these two  entities have not yet delivered any kits to much anticipated Zimbabwean market, while Aura confirmed to us that they are awaiting delivery of the kits in the next few coming weeks.

Some sources have confirmed that Aura is going to be shipping a total 6 000 kits and these are not going to be easily delivered by Starlink hence the delay. President Mnangagwa’s sons have been suspected to be the powers that be behind Aura, hence it was easily cleared.

If the “clearance” takes long for other service providers, this would simply mean by the time they are allowed to operate, the market would have completely saturated and they wont have much of the enterprise market to compete against except maybe government departments and state institutions, a domain they are not even favoured or ,likely to have interest.

The biggest problem has been the unavailability of the actual kits in Zimbabwe  and service delivery in Harare CBD as Starlink has marked Harare, the capital city  out of capacity,  meaning the total number of subscribers anticipated for such a small area has shot above-expected support, a great limit on satellite technology needing more constellation satellites.

This means generally Zimbabweans in the CBD area will endure slower speeds due to overwhelmed assigned satellites in the Harare geolocation area.Some subscribers were already complaining stating that they are getting speeds as low as 1 megabyte, forcing many to resort back to the trdional fibre suppliers in Zimbabwe.

This problem  will need another starlink redress so that Zimbabweans in Harare specifically can actually enjoy internet speeds and connectivity in the concentrated area.

Starlink has come across the same problems in the United  States of America across hurricane affected state where they have actually offered free internet access in the geolocked areas.

For most traditional subscribers, they are actually waiting for walk in supplies  where they can easily buy these kits from various shops, a simple and common practice across the continent.

A few that are selling these devices are mainly roaming activated kits that will carry an extra fee to convert them for local access from the roaming services.

However for those that stay in Harare but have different service address can easily and directly order these kits as long as they are going to be connected from  outside the Harare CBD.

Its now anyone’s guess when the government’s regulator  will clear the other competitors, but as it stands those who have been cleared will obviously stand a competitive advantage of approaching the market first, so much against  leveling the playing field.

The post #MondayBlues: Zimbabwean Operators Blocked From Supplying Starlink Kits, Months After Licensing appeared first on TechnoMag.

One of Zimbabwe’s leading mobile network operators Netone has announced adjustment of tariffs for voice, data, and SMS services, which will take effect on October 17, 2024.

In a public notice of tariff review, the company wrote,” Kindly note that we will be reviewing our headline tariff for voice, data and SMS effective 17 October 2024”

The changes are expected to reflect evolving market conditions and rising operational costs, aligning with the company’s goal of maintaining quality service delivery across all platforms.

According to a public notice shared by the mobile operator, the new tariffs will be as follows:

• Voice Calls: ZWG 0.0177 per second
• Data: ZWG 0.1660 per megabyte
• SMS: ZWG 0.2161 per message

Customers are encouraged to visit NetOne’s website and official social media platforms for further details regarding the tariff adjustments.

The post NetOne Set To Review Tariffs Effective October 17 appeared first on TechnoMag.

The Kirin 9 series is anticipated to power Huawei’s upcoming flagship smartphones, potentially including the Mate 50 series and P60 series. The improved CPU performance and power efficiency are likely to enhance overall device performance, gaming capabilities, and battery life.

Key Upgrades and Features:

• Improved CPU Architecture: The Kirin 9 series will feature a refined 1+3+4 architecture, comprising one high-performance core, three mid-tier cores, and four power-efficient cores.
• In-House Design: Huawei’s chip design team will develop the Kirin 9 series in-house, leveraging the company’s expertise in semiconductor design.
•  7nm Pro Plus Manufacturing Process: The new chip will be fabricated using TSMC’s advanced 7nm Pro Plus technology, offering improved power efficiency and reduced thermal output.
•  Enhanced Performance: The upgraded cores and refined architecture are expected to deliver substantial performance gains, positioning the Kirin 9 series as a competitive flagship processor.

The post Huawei Unveils  Kirin 9 Series Chip With Enhanced CPU Capabilities appeared first on TechnoMag.

When Charlie Neiman arrived at Amazon in 2016, the company had never streamed a live event, let alone live sports.

Fast forward eight years later, and Amazon has emerged as a leader in the burgeoning sports streaming world.

“It is crazy how far we’ve come in a relatively short period of time,” said Neiman, head of sports partnerships for Amazon Prime Video. “I don’t think there’s really a precedent for what we’ve accomplished as an organization.”

Amazon has invested billions of dollars to buy expensive sports media rights and build out extensive cloud computing infrastructure required to stream games for Prime members around the globe.

The company is betting that the strategy will pay off in the form of additional Prime membership sign-ups ($139/year) and new revenue to fuel its growing advertising business.

Live sports remains one of the most-watched telecasts.

“Sports are very attractive for our customers and you can expect us to do more,” Amazon CEO Andy Jassy told CNBC earlier this year.

As more people cut the cord, sports leagues are increasingly engaging with tech companies as their existing deals with traditional cable providers expire. Google has a substantial deal with the NFL, Apple partners with Major League Soccer, and even Netflix is getting in on the action.

“Over time, I think live sports is going to be viewed just as often and as frequently on streaming as it is on linear TV,” Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video, said at a Bloomberg event this week.

The company’s live sports investments are part of a broader move to build the “next generation of an entertainment service” that goes beyond on-demand movies and TV shows, Hopkins said.

Amazon is reportedly expanding into live news, tapping longtime anchor Brian Williams to lead election night coverage next month, according to CNN.

Tonight at Lumen Field in Seattle, just a few miles from Amazon’s headquarters, the tech giant will stream this week’s NFL Thursday Night Football game to millions of Prime members worldwide as the Seahawks host the San Francisco 49ers in a NFC rivalry matchup.

The exclusive NFL deal, worth a reported $10 billion over 10 years, is the crown jewel of Amazon’s live sports catalogue. Viewership through the first four games this seasons was up 20% year-over-year, at 14.17 million viewers.

Later this week, Amazon will stream its first regular season NHL game in a new deal this season with the Seattle Kraken, part of a larger potential move into local sports.

The company is also set to stream NBA games starting with the 2025-26 season (and reportedly pay the league $1.8 billion annually). NASCAR races will come to Prime next year. It has additional deals with the WNBA, UEFA and Champion’s League (men’s soccer), NWSL (women’s soccer), PBC (boxing), and others.

Amazon has differentiated itself by building out technical capabilities, taking advantage of Amazon Web Services, its $100 billion cloud business.

The company got off to a rocky start with its initial Thursday Night Football streams several years ago but the latency has been vastly reduced with new proprietary technology, Neiman said.

It can also offer unique advertising opportunities through “audience-based creative,” which lets brands tailor ads to specific customer segments, thanks to the company’s vast data trove on more than 200 million Prime members.

“You’re no longer beholden to a one-to-many message,” Neiman said.

Last year Amazon aired the first Black Friday game in NFL history, incorporating various in-game shopping features.

Amazon has helped bring 50 new advertisers to NFL programming, Neiman said.

There’s also the opportunity for leagues to experiment with new broadcast experiences.

In addition to its main broadcast for Thursday Night Football, Amazon offers “Prime Vision” as an alternative viewing option that incorporates additional circles, colors, orbs, and other digital shadings, powered by machine learning and RFID chips embedded on each player.

Features include “Defensive Alerts,” which is able to spot potential defensive players that will rush the quarterback, or “Prime Targets,” which identifies open receivers during a play. 

Some aspects of the Prime Vision stream periodically end up appearing in the primary broadcast.

GeekWire reviewed Prime Vision last month — the technology is impressive, but it may not be for every NFL fan.

And that’s part of the point, Neiman said.

“There is a segment of fans who want more, and they want to experiment with different pieces of going deeper,” Neiman said. “That could be advanced stats, that could be alternate streams, it could be AI integrations. We’re investing and inventing the experience to try to figure out how to best serve those fans.”

Streaming sports over the internet, versus a traditional cable broadcast, gives Amazon the flexibility to experiment.

“It’s the beauty and freedom of being a digital-first entity,” Neiman said.

You can expect more testing as Amazon pushes the envelope on the consumer viewing experience — both during games and commercial breaks.

“Sports fans are incredibly passionate about their teams and leagues and the games,” Neiman said. “It’s an area where there’s endless opportunity for innovation.”

Lumen Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks, holds the geeky distinction of having the most cashierless locations that use Amazon’s “Just Walk Out” technology of any stadium across the U.S.

Amazon’s system is an amalgamation of overhead cameras, shelf weight sensors, and computer vision software. Fans scan their credit card (or palm) upon entry, and the technology tracks what items they grab. Then they simply walk out without needing to interact with a cashier or self-checkout process.

Amazon first unveiled the technology at one of its Amazon Go convenience stores back in 2018. It has added the system in other store formats, though recently backed away from Just Walk Out in most of its large-format Amazon Fresh grocery stores and shifted to smart shopping carts.

Stadium concession stands, however, seem like the ideal use case for Just Walk Out. It’s a more streamlined shopping experience (fewer items, consistent format, and a small footprint) where speed really matters (fans want to get back to the game).

Amazon white-labels Just Walk Out to retailers in stadiums, which is why you won’t see much of the company’s branding on the stores. Amazon has grown its third-party Just Walk Out business, selling the tech to more than 200 stores in airports, hospitals, and college campuses, in addition to sports and music venues.

We checked out all 15 stores at Lumen Field last week — six were added this season — when the Seahawks hosted the 49ers for Thursday Night Football, including two apparel shops that use RFID tags instead of cameras. Here’s a quick rundown of each location, starting with our favorites.

Tutta Bella, sections 107 and 137

Tutta Bella is hard to beat if you’re looking for a higher-end Just Walk Out food pickup.

Pizza ($17.99 for pepperoni), salads ($16.99 for a chicken caesar), charcuterie ($12.49), tiramisu ($14.49) — all from a well-known Seattle-based pizzeria.

There’s even a chicken pasta primavera ($15.49) and rigatoni bolognese ($15.49). This is elevated “fast food.”

The Tutta Bella locations also have Red Vines, M&Ms, Sour Patch Kids, and peanuts.

The drink selection is somewhat limited, relative to other Just Walk Out shops at the stadium.

But the personal pizzas and Italian specialties push Tutta Bella atop our rankings.

District Market, section 300

Fans seated up in the nosebleeds aren’t left out when it comes to Just Walk Out.

In fact, the District Market location seems like the most well-rounded cashierless location at Lumen Field.

There is a wide array of beers and other alcoholic drinks, and some fun food options. The butter chicken wings ($14.99) looked tasty. The chicken teriyaki bowl ($13.99) and pork belly BBQ burnt ends ($14.49) were intriguing.

Throw in some peanuts, chips, and candy (Swedish Fish at this one!) — and you’ve got a solid Just Walk Out option on the 300-level.

Fly Thru Market, sections 105, 114, 122, 304, 310, 323, 334 and 340

You can certainly “fly through” these drink-focused locations. There’s something for everyone here, from local craft beers to domestic tastes, to wine and various hard seltzers — even mixed cocktails, non-alcoholic, and Starbucks drinks are available.

The Fly Thru Markets are located directly across from the traditional concession stands, which usually have lines.

It’s almost as easy as getting up off the couch and grabbing a drink from your fridge while watching from home. Except this particular fridge is a lot bigger — and the drinks will drain your wallet a bit more.

Hempler’s/Bavarian Meats “Local Dog & Brats” section 109 and 135

If you’re looking for that classic gameday dog and pretzel, supplied by two Washington state brands, this location will do the trick.

There are several hot dog choices here, including the “Seattle Dog” ($15.49), a vegan option, and a regular dog for just $5. There are also $5 cans of Busch Light sold here. That’s a pretty good gameday deal.

The Pro Shop, section 124

There are two apparel stores at Lumen Field that use a different format of “Just Walk Out.” Instead of scanning your payment option at the entrance, you do it at the end, where sensors scan RFID tags of each item you’re holding.

The larger, better shop at section 124 is stocked with jerseys, hats, beanies, and more.

The other apparel location, over by section 140 in the Northwest corner of the stadium, is an “outlet” shop that is much smaller and sells discounted items. The options here are not as good, unless you’re looking for cheap jerseys of former players. We tested out this store when it debuted last season.

Final thoughts

It was a fun experiment walking through the concourse with the various store formats, from the old school stand-in-line-for-your-food, to the cashierless options.

There are several “Grab & Go” stores which use self-checkout machines. It’s not as fast as just walking out, but for venue operators, they don’t require as much technology and there is more flexibility to rotate food/drink.

One particular “Grab & Go” location in the lower bowl sold drinks, chips, candy, and sandwiches — even a tofu bahn mi from Saigon Drip Cafe in Seattle’s International District. There was also an apparel stand with hats and the “coozie of the game.”

The store had a nice selection of various items, with plenty of room for patrons to move around and little waiting time.

Finally, this installation from Bellevue, Wash.-based wireless carrier T-Mobile caught my attention. T-Mobile customers could get into “Club Magenta” — which came with a free snack and drink — if they showed a pass in the company’s T-Life app.

A nice perk for existing customers — free beer at the game! — and a good way to get folks to download the app. Could Verizon, AT&T, or other brands beyond wireless also do something similar?

Cashierless technology definitely seems like a permanent fixture at Lumen Field, and at stadiums across the world. The Seahawks say they’re seeing higher throughput and sales at certain locations after transitioning to the Just Walk Out format.

It’s still not clear if Amazon’s particular system will proliferate elsewhere, such as traditional grocery or department stores. There are also other companies and startups developing their own versions of the technology. And questions remain about the cost of installing and maintaining the tech, learning curves for consumers, and data privacy concerns.

But for NFL fans or music concert attendees who just want to grab a drink and a bite and get back to their seat without waiting in line, Just Walk Out fits the bill.

“Saturday Night Live” is poking fun at Amazon again.

Monica, a “happy Amazon employee” played by Ego Nwodim, joined the latest “Weekend Update” to talk about her job delivering packages for the tech giant, answering questions from host Michael Che. It was a very funny sketch, including a line about hooking up with an Amazon drone. (“Can’t get an STD if he’s got a USB!”)

I hate to be the guy who says, “well, actually,” but if the best satire is a caricature of reality, it was hard not to notice, as a reporter who covers the company, that some of the underlying facts weren’t quite on the mark.

The biggest disconnect came when Che asked, “Does Amazon offer you benefits?”

“Oh, yeah, of course. Got to, yeah. They gave me this vest,” Monica replied.

In reality, Amazon does provide health-care benefits starting on the first day.

Getting into the realm of minor nitpicks: the skit referred to Amazon celebrating “a 48-hour sale event, Prime Day,” which is traditionally held in the summer. We’re assuming SNL was actually referring to “Prime Big Deal Days,” a separate 2-day sale that took place last week.

Amazon’s treatment of logistics employees has been under the microscope for years. Federal and state regulators, labor unions, and Amazon shareholders have repeatedly raised red flags about the company’s warehouse injury rates. Amazon has cited safety improvements, and it recently boosted hourly pay again.

There are also tensions over workload expectations between Amazon and the business owners and drivers that are part of its Delivery Service Partners (DSP) program. These independent companies employ the drivers who deliver packages in blue Prime-branded vans, wearing Amazon uniforms.

That’s another nitpick: if “Monica” is a delivery driver, she’s not an Amazon employee.

But SNL may have come closest to the mark at the end of the sketch, by turning the whole thing back on the rest of us.

“Monica, I’m starting to think Amazon is overworking you, and the conditions seem inhumane,” Che said.

“Oh, you really think so, Che?” Monica asked. “So, you going to stop ordering from Amazon?”

Che made a face, then ended the interview.

Amazon has been a frequent SNL subject. The show made fun of the cashierless Amazon Go stores and Echo voice speakers in prior sketches. Steve Carrell played Jeff Bezos mocking Donald Trump in 2018, and Owen Wilson did a sendup of the Amazon founder’s space ambitions in 2021.

If they need anybody to fact-check all the fun out of the next one, I’m available.

Amazon will release its first color Kindle, dubbed the Kindle Colorsoft, for $279.99 on Oct. 30, expanding beyond the realm of black-and-white e-readers for the first time.

Users will be able to see book covers and interior pictures in color, and add highlights in color. The display is 7 inches, about the same size as Amazon’s black-and-white Kindle Paperwhite device.

Amazon is late to the game with its color e-reader, following smaller competitors such as Kobo and Onyx that have already released their own color E Ink devices.

The company on Wednesday also announced its second-generation Kindle Scribe writing tablet and e-reader, with the ability to take handwritten digital notes directly in the flow of e-books for the first time, a feature the company calls Active Canvas.

“Your note becomes part of the page, and the book text dynamically flows around it — if you increase the font size, change the font style, or the book layout changes, the note remains visible exactly where you want it so you never lose any meaning or context,” Amazon says in a press release about the new Kindle lineup.

With the first Kindle Scribe, released two years ago, it’s currently possible to take notes directly in PDFs, but notes in e-books are scribbled instead in a larger window overlaying a large part of the screen. Active Canvas will also be made available as an update to existing users of the original Kindle Scribe, Amazon says.

Another new note-taking option, to be made available in the months after release, will let users write notes in the on-screen side panel, with the ability to hide or show them afterward. It’s called Extended Margin.

An additional new feature for the Kindle Scribe uses generative AI to summarize handwritten notes, condensing them into bullets in a script font, in a format that can be shared from the notebook tab.

Amazon says Extended Margin and AI summarization will also be made available via software update to users of the original Kindle Scribe. Active Canvas and AI features are coming later this year, and Extended Margin in 2025.

In the new model, the Scribe display and the premium pen have been upgraded to make the writing experience more like scribbling on real paper, according to the company. The front-lit display is 10.2 inches, the same size as the original Scribe.

The price starts at $399.99 for a 16GB version with a basic pen, shipping on Dec. 4.

The Kindle Scribe competes with products from companies including reMarkable, which released its reMarkable Paper Pro color tablet in September and continues to sell its black-and-white reMarkable 2 device.

Amazon also announced an updated Kindle Paperwhite, for $159.99 to $199.99 depending on the model; and a revamped entry-level Kindle, for $109.99. The entry-level device also comes in a $129.99 Kindle Kids version with kid-oriented cover designs and six months of Amazon Kids+ with access to books and audiobooks.

Note the little psychological trick that Amazon did (above) with the left bezel on the new Kindle Scribe. It’s now two colors, making the border of the device look thinner than the one on the first-generation Kindle Scribe.

This was an approach previously used to similar effect on the reMarkable 2.

In reality, the screen on the new Kindle Scribe is exactly the same size (10.2 inches) as the original device, as are the overall dimensions (7.7 x 9.0 inches).

It was fun to see pics of Panos Panay pitching a very different tablet!

Overall, the new Kindle Scribe looks promising, and it’s nice that the new features will also be released as a software update for the original (i.e., notetaking in the flow of a book, generative AI summaries of handwritten notes, etc.).

I just hope the new Kindle Scribe pen doesn’t feel like a plastic toy, like the first one does. The weight of the pen makes a big difference for the writing experience.

Amazon’s description makes me optimistic: “The Premium Pen is finely crafted to deliver just the right heft and balance, so it feels like holding an actual pen, and the new soft-tipped eraser feels like a pencil—you’ll think you have to brush the screen clean after erasing.”

Actually, the soft-tipped eraser sounds weird. Will reserve judgment for now.

So far, I’m finding the (color) reMarkable Paper Pro very nice for writing on a desk, a little disappointing in terms of the artifacts that happen when you write in color or erase, and way too big to try to read when lying down in bed.

Also, reMarkable still really suffers for lack of an integrated e-book store. This is the reason I’m still using my first-generation Kindle Scribe. It’s great for reading newspapers and sampling books from the Kindle Store, to wind down at night.

I’ve been underwhelmed by the washed-out colors on the reMarkable Paper Pro (see below). Not every page is this bad, some of the colors are more vivid, but this is a good example of where it might as well be black and white.

(That Seattle Times’ “Forest Feud” piece was extremely good, by the way.)

Here’s a screenshot of the PDF so you can see what the original looks like.

It will be interesting to see how the colors compare on the new Kindle Colorsoft. They look more vivid in Amazon’s photos, but the true test will be real life.

That said, I’m still a fan of the reMarkable as a notetaking device, especially when sitting on a desk, with its giant 11.8-inch display. And Amazon still hasn’t matched the seamlessness of reMarkable’s PC and mobile apps.

I get what reMarkable is doing by focusing so intensely on notes, and more power to them for their purity, I just wish someone would combine the best of both the Kindle and the reMarkable approaches.

Basically, I’d like a black-and-white reMarkable Paper Pro, with the giant screen but for considerably less than the $579 starting price, with an integrated e-book store. Is that so much to ask? (I have not tried Kobo, Onyx, etc., so fans of those devices are welcome to take me to task. My contact info is below.)

At any rate, maybe the new Scribe will be a step in this direction. Looking forward to trying it out and reporting back. The price for the new Kindle Scribe starts at $399.99 for a 16GB version with a basic pen, shipping Dec. 4.

More context and coverage in the links below.

• Today’s coverage: Amazon unveils first color Kindle, and new Kindle Scribe with ability to write directly in books
• From September: Challenged by Amazon, reMarkable unveils new ‘Paper Pro’ color tablet
• From 2022: Can the Kindle Scribe replace the yellow notepad? Notes on taking notes with Amazon’s new device

Amazon is the latest tech giant to pull out of the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona later this month due to the coronavirus outbreak.

• The tech giant has taken other precautions due to the disease, including restricting travel to China. Amazon joins a growing list of companies, including Sony, NVIDIA, LG and more that have pulled out of the event, which is one of the biggest annual showcases of mobile technology in the world.
• One company that hasn’t said anything about its MWC presence is Microsoft. The company planned to have a major showcase at the event. We’ve reached out to Microsoft for more information about its plans.
• MWC organizer GSMA recently said it is banning visitors from China’s Hubei province, where the epidemic is thought to have begun, as part of the safety precautions it is taking around the event. The virus has infected more than 40,500 people worldwide and killed 910.

The merger between T-Mobile and Sprint — the third and fourth largest U.S. wireless carriers — cleared one of its last major hurdles when a judge sided with the companies in a lawsuit brought by attorneys general in more than a dozen states.

Judge Victor Marrero rejected three core arguments made by the attorneys general when ruling in favor of T-Mobile: That the combined companies would hurt competition; that Sprint could be a viable wireless carrier on its own; and that a deal to sell some of T-Mobile’s wireless spectrum to Dish Network wouldn’t be enough to prop it up as a competitive alternative.

T-Mobile executives took a victory lap following the ruling Tuesday morning.

“Today was a huge victory for this merger … and now we are FINALLY able to focus on the last steps to get this merger done!” T-Mobile CEO John Legere said in a statement.

Legere said the two companies will form a “supercharged un-carrier” that will be good for customers and competition with incumbent powers AT&T and Verizon. T-Mobile began rolling out its nationwide 5G network in December, and the merger is critical to the success of that plan.

????ATTN: America  ????
The moment we've been waiting for – we WON in Court!! The #NewTMobile is now 1️⃣ step closer to being finalized!! The new Supercharged Un-carrier will provide benefits for ALL customers & drive competition! We can't wait!???? key info: https://t.co/szV2VJEcxw

— John Legere (@JohnLegere) February 11, 2020

After celebrating the ruling, Legere pivoted to fire a shot across the bow at T-Mobile’s wireless competitors, as well as rivals in the TV business, now that T-Mobile has its own cable service.

“Look out Dumb and Dumber and Big Cable – we are coming for you … and you haven’t seen anything yet,” Legere said.

T-Mobile and Sprint announced plans to merge in April 2018, a deal that would create a $146 billion wireless carrier under the T-Mobile banner. Legere plans to step down from his executive role following the merger and T-Mobile COO Mike Sievert will take over.

The lawsuit filed in June by state attorneys general challenged the $26.5 billion deal, which was previously approved by the Justice Department and FCC. The 13 states and the District of Columbia claimed that combining the carriers would hurt consumers and competition.

CNBC notes that the deal still has to be approved by the California Public Utilities Commission before it can close. T-Mobile stock is up nearly 12 percent this morning, while Sprint shares spiked 73 percent.

Microsoft is launching an Office mobile app today for Android and iOS designed to make some of its signature software — Word, Excel and PowerPoint — must-have tools for all smartphone users.

Microsoft first unveiled the Office app at its Ignite conference in November. The app hit the 10,000-user limit for Apple’s TestFlight beta program just a few hours after the announcement, Microsoft said.

Having a unified app means users won’t have to jump between tools as they work on documents, Microsoft says. It also takes up less space and is designed to be more simple and efficient than the individual Office apps.

The Office mobile app takes advantage of smartphone cameras to do things such as convert images into editable Word and Excel documents, scan PDFs and capture and enhance whiteboards. It also aims to simplify common phone tasks, including taking quick notes, signing PDFs, scanning QR codes and moving files between devices.

Microsoft also teased a few new features it is working on that will make using the Office programs easier on smartphones:

• Users will be able to speak to the app and turn their words into text through Word, and then use basic toolbars to add formatting and punctuation.
• Card view in Excel will let users edit spreadsheets in a more mobile-friendly way so that they don’t have to scroll across columns that extend beyond the limits of the screen.
• A new PowerPoint feature will let users come up with an outline, and the program will fill in the blanks, turning ideas into a proper presentation with design and styling.

The new Office app is another example of Microsoft’s evolving mobile strategy. Following the failure of the Windows Phone operating system, Microsoft shifted its focus toward packaging its apps and services to work well across iOS and Android.

However, Microsoft’s thinking is due for another evolution as the tech giant is getting ready to put out a phone of its own. Later this year, Microsoft will release the foldable Surface Duo device, which will run on Android.

T-Mobile added a net total of more than 2 million customers in the third quarter, giving it more than 100 million customers for the first time.

The Bellevue, Wash.-based wireless company posted of revenue of $19.3 billion and profit of $1.3 billion, or $1 per share, topping Wall Street’s expectations by both measures. Analysts surveyed in advance of T-Mobile’s earnings release expected the company to post earnings of 43 cents/share on revenue of $18.34 billion.

The results represent “the strongest financials in our history,” said Mike Sievert, the T-Mobile CEO, on an earnings call with analysts and investors. The company raised its financial guidance for the second half of the year by a variety of measures, including free cash flow between $700 million and $900 million, up from guidance of $300 million to $500 million previously.

Sievert said the growth took place despite COVID-19 creating a “slower switching environment” for customers who might otherwise look to jump ship from other wireless companies.

T-Mobile’s continued growth follows the company’s $26.5 billion merger with Sprint, which was completed in April after a lengthy legal battle and extended regulatory review. The company is looking to the ongoing rollout of its 5G wireless network and the launch of the iPhone 12 to fuel further growth in its business.

Following the completion of the Sprint merger, the newly combined T-Mobile claimed the position of the number two wireless company in the country, with 98.3 million customers at the time, ahead of AT&T and behind Verizon.

AT&T reported a total of more than 94 million postpaid and prepaid wireless subscribers as of the end of the third quarter, which T-Mobile has described as a comparable number, but this is a subject of debate between the companies, and it’s tricky to make an apples-to-apples comparison based on the numbers they release.

The company launched its revamped TVision service on Nov. 1, following the conclusion of the third quarter, so results from the new offering aren’t included in this earnings report. Sievert told GeekWire last week that he doesn’t expect the new service to be a major source of profits for the company. 

T-Mobile unveiled an overhauled version of its TVision television service on Tuesday morning, along with a new TV streaming device, launching a new challenge to the cable industry and jumping into a crowded and competitive field of video platforms.

The revamped TV service is one of the first big competitive moves by the Bellevue, Wash., based wireless carrier following the completion of its $26.5 billion merger with Sprint earlier this year. It’s part of T-Mobile’s broader push beyond traditional wireless services, which also includes a move into 5G home Internet service.

Packages include a collection of live news and sports channels for $40/month, including ESPN, Fox, Disney and others, with additional content at higher tiers, up to $60/month total. A package of 30 entertainment channels such as AMC, BET, HGTV and others starts at $10/month.

TVision will be available via dedicated apps on Apple TV, Android TV, and Amazon Fire TV boxes, in addition to apps for Android and iOS devices. The TVision HUB device and remote control will sell for $50. It’s an Android TV device, which plugs in via HDMI, allowing users to access TVision and other services.

T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert, the longtime T-Mobile executive who took the helm of the company earlier this year, continued the trash-talking tradition started by his predecessor, John Legere, in the announcement Tuesday morning, taking a series of competitive jabs at the big cable companies.

“If ever there was an industry that needed an Un-carrier overhaul, it’s cable and satellite TV,” Sievert said, using the company’s term for its disruptive moves in the wireless industry. “I mean, it’s no secret why these companies are dying, they treat their customers so badly.”

The announcement plays into a larger shift by consumers away from traditional cable packages and toward smaller packages of channels and streaming services. In addition to trying to siphon its share of customers from cable companies, T-Mobile will be going head-to-head against similar live TV and streaming services such as Google’s YouTube TV, Hulu with Live TV, Dish Network’s Sling TV, and AT&T’s TV Now.

T-Mobile compared its $50/month TVision Live TV+ service (with sports channels including NFL Network) to the standard $65/month YouTube TV plan. However, YouTube TV offers additional perks such as unlimited cloud DVR storage, while T-Mobile limits cloud DVR storage to 100 hours.

One of T-Mobile’s competitive advantages is its network of stores across the country, which the company says will sell and support the TVision service.

The new TVision is set to launch in phases starting Nov. 1, beginning with T-Mobile postpaid wireless customers, before becoming generally available next year.

It’s a successor to a higher-priced offering that the company launched last year based on technology from Layer3 TV, the Denver-based company that T-Mobile acquired for $325 million in late 2017.

[T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert will join us at the GeekWire Summit later this week for a conversation about T-Mobile and the future of tech and telecom.]

With the work-from-home phenomenon becoming more of a long-term reality, T-Mobile is looking to capitalize on its 5G wireless network — expanded thanks in large part to its Sprint merger last year — to drum up more business from large companies.

The Bellevue, Wash., wireless carrier announced a new T-Mobile Home Office Internet service that includes a 5G wireless router for companies to have sent directly to employees’ homes. T-Mobile says it’s attempting to break the “stranglehold that AT&T and Verizon have on the enterprise.”

T-Mobile Home Office Internet, which starts at $90 per line per month, is part of a broader set of services for business announced by T-Mobile on Thursday morning under the name “WFX.”

Dialpad investment: The company also announced a new business-oriented phone service in partnership with San Francisco-based Dialpad. T-Mobile said it has taken an equity stake in the cloud business phone and contact center provider, in addition to an observer seat on the Dialpad board. The size of the equity stake wasn’t disclosed by the companies.

Post-merger employment: T-Mobile reported in its recent 10K annual filing that it had 75,000 employees as of the end of 2020, about 5,000 less than the combined total of Sprint and T-Mobile employees at the time of their $26.5 billion deal last year. As reported by wireless industry news publication LightReading, T-Mobile had pledged to preserve and expand the employee base.

“We’re not backing away from our commitment on jobs,” a T-Mobile spokesperson said in a statement. “In 2020 we worked through the integration and as with any merger we addressed some redundancies, however we have continued hiring in spite of a complex pandemic environment. We currently have nearly 3,000 job openings, only a portion of which are part of our Un-carrier Job initiative that we launched last summer to hire 5,000 more employees.”

Latest results: T-Mobile added a net total of 1.7 million in the fourth quarter, growing to 102 million total customers. It posted quarterly revenue of $20.3 billion and profits of $750 million.

Calling a strong, affordable internet connection for every American a “must-have,” Sen. Patty Murray, was joined by Microsoft’s Brad Smith and other digital access advocates to push for additional federal spending to improve broadband access and affordability across the country. 

“It’s time to invest in broadband in a big way,” Murray said in the online conversation about her legislation, the $1.4 billion Digital Equity Act. Smith, president of the Seattle-area tech giant, agreed and called internet access a basic need for everyone.

“Broadband had become the electricity of the 21st Century,” Smith said.

Murray, who is co-sponsoring the legislation with Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman, seeks to put hundreds of millions of dollars in federal grant money into local projects by targeting three broad categories: connecting people to high-speed internet; helping them get internet devices beyond mobile phones; and teaching the necessary skills to navigate an online world. 

The pandemic, the panel said, didn’t reveal what is known as the digital divide; all said they have known about this problem for years. Instead, they said, the months of working-and-learning from home made it impossible to ignore the problem any longer. 

“When the pandemic forced schools to close in March of 2020 it was quickly apparent to me and my colleagues that children would not be able to attend school without a working device and adequate home broadband,” said Susan Enfield, superintendent of Highline Public Schools.  

She added: “I want to be clear: We’ve known about the digital divide for years. And we chose to look away because we could.”

Murray, Smith and Enfield, were joined by King County Library System Executive Director Lisa Rosenblum, Equity in Education Coalition co-founder and Executive Director Sharonne Navas and City of Seattle Digital Equity Program Manager David Keyes.

Navas noted that when the Equity in Education Coalition did detailed research during the pandemic they discovered more than 18,000 King County households lacked internet access and more than 285,000 students statewide lacked internet access.

In part, that information is what drove Kitsap County Rep. Drew Hansen to successfully push for legislation to allow municipal governments to become internet service providers and expand the reach of broadband.

Taking effect in three weeks, Hansen’s HB1336 grants legal authority to public utility districts, counties, towns, and port districts to offer retail broadband service to subscribers in the same manner that a private company such as Comcast does. The bill gives municipalities legal authority to become internet service providers. 

But Navas said much more needs to be done. The pandemic showed that the internet has become a requirement along the lines of food, housing, education, and medical care. “(The internet) was the one thing technically that was holding this state together,” she said. 

T-Mobile beat analyst expectations at the end of its second quarter, reporting $20 billion in revenue, up 13% year-over-year, and $0.78 in earnings per share. Analysts expected revenue of $19.3 billion and earnings per share of $0.53.

The Bellevue, Wash.-based wireless company added 1.3 million new customers. It led the industry in postpaid net subscriber growth and service revenue growth.

Shares in T-Mobile were flat in after-hours trading.

Earlier this week, T-Mobile announced it extended the range of its 5G network, now covering 305 million people. It also reported that now 165 million of those people are covered with Ultra Capacity 5G.

The mobile provider in April launched a home internet service powered by its mobile network. It costs $60 per month and reaches internet speeds of 100 Mbps.

Following its acquisition of Sprint, T-Mobile reported one-third of Sprint’s customers have been moved to its network. Approximately 80% of Sprint customer traffic is carried through T-Mobile network.

Amazon is publishing two new mobile games through its Amazon Kids+ service, based on the original Amazon specials Super Spy Ryan and Do, Re & Mi.

The new games are both published by Amazon Mobile, which makes them the first mobile games published directly by Amazon since 2015’s Til Morning’s Light and the internally-developed To-Fu Fury, as well as the first mobile games in a new line of Amazon Kids+ Originals.

It also represents a continued focus on the children’s media market in Amazon’s current intiatives, along with the Amazon Glow’s recent emergence from beta.

Super Spy Ryan is based on the 30-minute 2020 special of the same name, which itself is based on the multimedia content empire built from the popular “Ryan’s World” YouTube channel. “Ryan’s World,” which features various kid-friendly skits that star pre-teen toy reviewer Ryan Kaji and his family, has 32.3 million subscribers at time of writing.

The Super Spy Ryan game was developed as a collaboration between the Kaji family, and mobile game developers Pocket Watch and Amber Studio. It’s billed as a “fun, kid-safe, multiplayer romp for ages 6-9+.” It puts the player in the role of Ryan and friends as they avoid traps, play competitive minigames, and reclaim stolen presents from Ryan’s (fictional, animated) archnemesis Packrat.

The game is explicitly designed with safety features for a child audience. Players in online multiplayer are randomly assigned spy-themed usernames, there are no chat features or friends lists, and parents have the option to turn on a single-player mode that lets a kid go solo against computer-controlled competition.

Super Spy Ryan is now available for the Apple and Google Play app stores in the U.S., United Kingdom, and Ireland, and is “coming soon” to the Kids+ subscription for Amazon Fire tablets. It’s the third video game to be based on the “Ryan’s World” brand, following 2019’s Race with Ryan on PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC and 2022’s mobile game Ryan’s Rescue Squad.

Do, Re & Mi is likewise based on an Amazon Prime series of the same name, which features Kristen Bell (The Good Place, Frozen), Jackie Tohn (GLOW), and Luke Youngblood (Community, Harry Potter) as a trio of musical songbirds.

The game, by Prague-based mobile developer About Fun, features Bell and Tohn reprising their roles in an educational music game designed for preschoolers. Its minigames include lessons on how to play bongos and the piano, how to read sheet music, and the basics of musical concepts such as the duet.

Unlike Super Spy Ryan, the Do, Re & Mi game has no firm release date at time of writing, and is scheduled for release on the Apple app store at an unspecified point in the near future.

T-Mobile agreed Friday to pay $350 million to settle class-action lawsuits brought over an August 2021 cyberattack in which a hacker infiltrated its computer systems to steal sensitive data relating to millions of customers.

The Bellevue, Wash.-based wireless carrier also agreed to make an additional $150 million investment in data security and related technologies this year and next, according to an SEC filing Friday afternoon.

The proposed class consists of more than 76 million customers, according to a copy of the proposed settlement filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri, where several related cases were consolidated. The $350 million payout will fund claims submitted by class members, plaintiffs’ legal fees, and administrative costs.

If the court approves the settlement, it “will resolve substantially all of the claims brought by the Company’s current, former and prospective customers who were impacted by the 2021 cyberattack,” T-Mobile said in its SEC filing.

The company continues to cooperate with various regulators who are separately investigating the incident, according to a T-Mobile spokesperson.

T-Mobile issued a statement Friday about the settlement on its website. “As we continue to invest time, energy, and resources in addressing this challenge, we are pleased to have resolved this consumer class action filing,” the company said.

According to the SEC filing, T-Mobile expects to record a pre-tax charge of about $400 million in the second quarter as a result of the settlement. The filing notes that the charge and the $150 million investment in security were anticipated in its prior financial guidance to investors.

Ratan Tata, the Chairman emeritus of Tata Group and a business legend recognised globally for his lasting contributions to the field of business and society alike, passed away Wednesday night. The news has sent shockwaves not just across India, but globally as well. Tata was aged 86, and was known to be battling illness. He was admitted today and was known to be in critical condition.

“It is with profound sorrow that we bid farewell to Mr. Ratan Naval Tata, an extraordinary leader whose contributions have shaped both the Tata Group and the nation. More than just a chairperson, he was a mentor, guide, and friend. Under his stewardship, the Tata Group expanded globally while maintaining a steadfast commitment to excellence, integrity, and innovation. His dedication to philanthropy touched millions, leaving a lasting impact in areas like education and healthcare. His genuine humility in every interaction will be remembered. On behalf of the Tata family, we extend our deepest condolences to his loved ones, and his legacy will continue to inspire us,” Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran said in a statement.

Ratan Tata helmed the Tata conglomerate for over two decades, which resulted in the corporate growing several times, and entering several new sectors. He was instrumental in positioning several of the group companies, such as Tata Consultancy Services as well as Tata Motors, on global map as forces to reckon with. He helmed the group during the acquisition of Corus Steel in 2007, which created global ripples and led to Tata Steel becoming one of the top steel producers in the world. Similarly, the purchase of Jaguar Land Rover in 2008 transformed Tata Motors into a significant player in the luxury automobile market.

pic.twitter.com/QmtipQIovR

— Tata Group (@TataCompanies) October 9, 2024

Tata was also known to have further elevated the group’s philosophy of societal development with business, by imbibing strong governance and corporate ethics within all of the group companies. He was awarded two of India’s highest civilian honors: the Padma Bhushan in 2000 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2008.

In his later years post retirement from active managerial role at the Tata Group, he was actively seen to be investing in India’s tech startups, with over 30 investment across several sectors, and played a key role in shaping the startup ecosystem. Several noted personalities globally paid tributes to Tata.

I am unable to accept the absence of Ratan Tata.

India’s economy stands on the cusp of a historic leap forward.
And Ratan’s life and work have had much to do with our being in this position.

Hence, his mentorship and guidance at this point in time would have been invaluable.… pic.twitter.com/ujJC2ehTTs

— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) October 9, 2024

My last meeting with Ratan Tata at Google, we talked about the progress of Waymo and his vision was inspiring to hear. He leaves an extraordinary business and philanthropic legacy and was instrumental in mentoring and developing the modern business leadership in India. He deeply…

— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) October 9, 2024

This is a developing story, please refresh for more.

Content originally published on The Tech Portal - Global technology news, latest gadget news and breaking tech news.