Microsoft leaders meet with Nigeria tech innovators at a founders dinner in Lagos.
Microsoft for Startups team meets with innovators and leaders of technology organizations from across Nigeria that are “disrupting the way Nigerians experience payments, healthcare, transportation and education“.
The special drinks and dinner meetup brought together over forty innovators, founders and leaders in the Nigerian Tech ecosystem. The event was hosted by the Microsoft for Startups team and organized by TechCircle Nigeria.
Microsoft leaders at the event include, Microsoft Startup Advocacy lead and Cloud Developer Advocate, Simona Cotin, Microsoft Nigeria and Ghana Country Manager, Akin Banuso and Gafar LawalMicrosoft Africa Development Center Managing Director.
Simona Cotin shared Microsoft’s desire to deepen its relationship with the emerging tech scene in Africa. As well as work with communities in the area.
The team visited Nigerian startups OPay Nigeria, Paystack, PiggyVest and Flutterwave earlier in the day. Learning about the developer ecosystem. Simona and other Microsoft advocates also spoke at Concatenate developer conference in Lagos, where Microsoft was a platinum sponsor.
In February 2018 Microsoft announced Microsoft for Startups. A new program and platform for startups to grow, build and connect. Giving qualified startups access to technology, market and a community.
Microsoft is celebrating seven years of its 4Afrika initiative in Africa. Noting it has supported over three hundred startups providing them with business development support, access to markets and potential customers.
What do you think about Microsoft’s move into the African Tech scene. Share your thoughts with us.
Microsoft gave the world a first look into the future of its hardware product during the October 2nd event in New York City. Introducing a new innovative product category of dual screen devices. Microsoft unveiled the Surface Neo and Surface Duo.
We are introducing a new category of dual-screen devices. Designed to help people get more done on smaller, more mobile form factors.
Panos Panay
Watch Surface Neo unveiling
Microsoft didn’t give out much specifications for the device as it is still in production. But Chief Innovation officer, Panos Panay mentioned a few. The size, weight, a new Intel Lake processor, hybrid CPU. Some of these can and will change by the time the Surface Neo gets on the market. For example the chipsets that power the device.
Surface Neo will have two 9 inch screens, held by a 360 degree full friction hinge that opens up into a 13 inch device. It will be the thinnest LCD device made at 5.6mm on each side and weigh 655 grams. With a display made of Gorilla Glass. It will run on a new version of Windows 10 called Windows 10X designed and optimized for dual-screens PCs.
What do you think about Microsoft’s move to pioneer a new category of dual-screen devices?
“Make no mistake this product is a Surface“, Panos Pany, Microsoft Chief Product Officer tells the audience. This is Surface Duo, he says holding a new shiny foldable dual-screen Surface product in his hands. This is how Panos unveiled the next and future category of Microsoft Surface devices to the world.
At the October 2 event in New York today, Microsoft introduced a new Surface product category. The company says it wants to build a device that innovates for the future. One that helps a user achieve more. In Panos words; we want to make you a product that feels small, fits your lifestyle, makes you productive and creative. One of those announced devices is the Microsoft Surface Duo dual-screen device. Didn’t get a chance to watch it live? Watch the full event on-demand here.
You’ll talk about it as a phone and a communication device. It does both things incredibly well. But it is how productive you can be on it.
Panos Pany
Microsoft Surface Duo unveiled
Microsoft Surface Duo is not a yet a finished product. In fact, per the announcement we can only expect to see it next year. This is a bold move by the company. Announcing a product before it is finally out. But it is also the companies way of bringing fans and developers on the creation journey.
This is industry pushing technology and it’s technology pushing possibilities.
Panos Pany
Microsoft didn’t give so much details about the device. The few ones given are that, Surface Duo will have two 5.6 inch screens that unfold to a 8.3 inches screen. The two screens are connected by a “revolutionary” 360° hinge. Microsoft will be partnering with Google to bring its android ecosystem of apps to the device. Meaning this device will run on the android operating system as well. A Microsoft phone that runs on Android.
We didn’t hear Microsoft talk about specifications and features. Microsoft did says and show you can recieve calls on it. A pocketable device. It will be interesting to hear more about the Surface Duo in the coming months.
What are your thoughts on this device? Share them with us.
Today marks the beginning of .Net Conf 2019 and global release of .Net Core 3.0. .NET Core 3.0 is available for Windows, macOS and Linux. It now includes support for WPF and Windows Forms, Full stack web development with C# and Razor and more. Find full release notes and downloads here.
In addition to the virtual event that you can follow live here. You can now learn a host of open source developer tools and platforms from over 80 free videos from Microsoft. The beginner videos series are available on the .Net learning site and hosted on YouTube.
These include;
Learn C#, .Net Core, ASP.Net Core, Xamarin, Containers and Docker, Entity Frame Work, Intro to Visual Studio and Machine Learning with ML.Net.
Microsoft has also recently released an introduction to python video series on YouTube.
Share your thoughts with us on the free videos from Microsoft.
Every year, Microsoft hosts a global competition for students aged 13 to 22, to showcase their comprehensive knowledge in Microsoft Office. The Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) World Championship tests students’ skills on Microsoft Office Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
Students will be tested in the following Microsoft Office suite programs. Microsoft Word 2016 and Word 2019, Microsoft Excel 2016 and Excel 2019, Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2016 and PowerPoint 2019. Winners from national qualification rounds to represent their countries at the World Championship. Where they can win a cash price of up to $7000, trophy, certificate and other prizes.
To represent your country at the MOS World Championship, you’ll need to first be named your nation’s champion by competing in a regional competition hosted by Certiport’s network of Authorized Partners. You can see the full list of partners and nations that compete here. In addition, each country has its own selection process, so make sure to connect with your local Partner to find out how you can prepare to compete in the MOS World Championship in 2020.
Certiport Inc., a Pearson VUE business and the leading provider of learning curriculum host the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) World Championship.
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Check out other stories making the news in the technology ecosystem in Africa and the Middle East.
Ethiopian Airlines flies to 117 destinations worldwide carrying 11 million passengers over 5 continents annually. In answer to providing its customers with the maximum experiences the company setup an innovation program embracing Microsoft technologies. To take care of customer service, operational excellence and revenue increments.
Listen to Ethiopia Airline’s Director of Digital, Miretab Teklaye talk about using Microsoft Azure to power their innovation program. Receiving all the necessary support from Microsoft engineers and experts for the digital innovation program to thrive.
These technological advancements are so important to create a better life for a self-sufficient Africa.
Yohannes Berhanemeskel
Microsoft AppFactory Academy
Last year Ethiopian airlines and Microsoft 4Afrika partnered to open an AppFactory academy. This the airline says the ICT skills Development Programme has created jobs for Ethiopian graduates.
“Digital transformation is about implementing technology advancements and cultural changes. The technical capacity and skills of the youth, as engines of growth and transformation, is critical to render the country more competitive. Through programmes like 4Afrika, Microsoft remains committed to investing in and developing relevant skills and competencies across the continent.
Amrote Abdella, Regional Director Microsoft 4Afrika
“Every industry in Africa is being transformed and disrupted by technology and air transportation is no exception. Airlines are using technology to better understand their customers and offer a more personalized flying experience. We need more young people with skills in modern technology to drive this kind of innovation and transformation. We believe the partnership with Microsoft will play a fundamental role in strengthening the link between universities and industries, so as to improve the quality of skills and access to jobs.”
Tewolde Gebremariam, Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines.
