We list the 10 most-trafficked tech stories on MarkLives in 2014.
1. MIH Internet Africa restructures e-tail operations
by Herman Manson. MIH Internet Africa closed several of its ecommerce stores including Style36, 5 Rooms, SAcamera and Kinderelo. All the affected specialist stores were suddenly taken offline, with messages suggesting they were “shut down for site maintenance” purposes.
2. Style36, 5Rooms, Kinderelo, SA Camera & 5Ounces closed down
MIH Internet Africa (MIHIA), a subsidiary of the Naspers group, confirmed the closure of e-commerce sites Style36, 5Rooms, Kinderelo, SA Camera and 5Ounces. Read the back story here.
3. Alistair Fairweather appointed CTO for MACHINE
MACHINE announced that former Mail & Guardian CTO, Alistair Fairweather, will be joining the agency as the its new chief technology officer from mid-August.
4. Media Future: Massive smartphone shift under way in SA
by Arthur Goldstuck. The numbers from South Africa’s largest mobile phone retailer show, along with other fascinating insights, a massive shift happening in the smartphone market right now. The shift from feature phones to smartphones in South Africa is happening faster than anyone could have imagined just a few months ago.
5. Primedia to close down digital agency Prezence
Primedia closed down digital agency Prezence. The agency has ceased taking on new business and will start winding down its operations with effect from 1 June 2014, according to a statement issued by Primedia.
6. Naspers’ new play to grow SA’s ecommerce market
by Herman Manson. Efinity is a new South African ecommerce fulfilment service, built by Media24 ecommerce on the back of experience gained through its consumer-ecommerce plays, Spree.co.za and ShopGuru.
According to Nic Robertson, head of new business development at Media24 ecommerce, the offering is similar to Amazon’s ecommerce fulfilment solution, but obviously geared towards SA retailers.
7. Media Future: Jim Goodnight’s big data glimpse of the future
by Arthur Goldstuck He might not appreciate being called the Steve Jobs of analytics, but SAS Institute founder and CEO Jim Goodnight has a few things in common with the Apple founder.
8. Uber — not a taxi as you know it
by Herman Manson. Uber, a mobile app that connects passengers with private drivers licensed to carry passengers, has recently set up in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban in its first foray into African markets.
9. Here come the radio disrupters, CliffCentral leading the pack
by Gill Moodie. Two major disrupting forces are headed for the South African radio market that have the power to shake up the industry, just as online and blogging platforms have done to the print media.
The one force for change launched on 1 May: Gareth Cliff’s new CliffCentral show on the web, on WeChat on mobile and DStv’s Comedy Central while new MW licences granted by the broadcasting regulator, Icasa, bring with it the advent of DRM – or Digital Radio Mondiale – to this country.
10. Rob Stokes on selling Quirk to WPP
by Herman Manson. Quirk will retain its operational independence and current management, says agency founder and CEO, Rob Stokes, even after the conclusion of a deal with WPP, which will see the global communications group take a controlling interest in the digital agency. The deal is still subject to regulatory approval.
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