SONY to Sell its VAIO PC Unit to Japanese Investor for $500 Million

Japanese electronics giant, SONY has sounded a profit warning indicating that it is booking a $1.08 billion annual loss as it cuts 5,000 jobs and sell off its overpriced but stagnant PC unit. The maker projects that it will save about $5 million through the jobs cuts starting in early 2015.
The VAIO units have not  managed to register much success despite SONY being a giant in many verticals of the electronics market. SONY is selling the PC unit to Japanese Investment Partners for between $400 million and $500 million. Not much financial information on the deal was announced.
Market analysts, Moody’s recently downgraded SONY’s credit rating to junk, saying that the giant electronics maker had more work to do in repairing its battered balance sheet. SONY expects to cut 3.5% of its global work force some of whom might be hired by the new owners.
But SONY is not facing a gloomy outlook alone. Sharp and Panasonic are facing more diminished returns,as foreign rivals such as Apple and Samsung outperform them in the smartphone and television business.

MICROSOFT SAYS NO SUPPORT FOR OLD VERSIONS OF INTERNET EXPLORER (IE)

Microsoft has announced that starting January 12, 2016 it will only support the most recent copy of Internet Explorer (IE) for the various versions of Windows. Any individual using older versions of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser will in the near future no longer receive bug fixes and security updates for the software.

The move puts an end to a long existing strategy of offering support for various IE versions. According to Microsoft, the move would improve security and assist developers who would only be required to support newer browsers.
Microsoft explained the changes in its blogpost stating that commercial clients who had “standardized” on previous IE versions should begin making plans to migrate to the latest releases.
Microsoft promised to offer resources and assistance for customers to make sure web-based programs and applications made for older IE versions continue to function with newer versions.
“The change should assist developers since they will no longer be needed to support the old technologies in those older browsers,” Microsoft said.
The change implies that Microsoft will be only supporting versions 9 and above of Internet Explorer. Users of various Window editions will be expected to use the most recent copy for that release.
Microsoft has also moved further to improve security on its browser. Starting August 12, 2014 Explorer will block outdated add-ons, called ActiveX controls, for the program.
“Outdated add-ons are often targeted by cyber-thieves as a way to destroy browsers and steal information. The regular monthly IE update will make the change that blocks outdated add-ons,” Microsoft said in a statement.

KENYA TO ESTABLISH DATA SHARING CENTRE AT JKUAT

East Africa will soon have a data sharing centre that will help to accelerate generation, analysis, management and archival of scientific data to support its development plans.
The standard reports that the Centre will be based at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology who will partner with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Committee on Data for Science and Technology ( CODATA) and the United Nations.
According to  ICT Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Fred. Matiang’I, the centre will facilitate creation of people-centric, inclusive, open and development oriented information society where people can create, access, utilise and share information and knowledge.
“There is a clear demand for new data sets, manifested by the recent upsurge of request,” said Matiangi.
In his speech Matiang’i at the United Nations Offices where he opened an international workshop on open data for science and sustainability in developing economies
Matiangi also said that the government will be tabling a draft legislation on access to information and data protection in parliament that will guide collection and management of information in Kenya.
While speaking at the same event JKUAT Vice Chancellor, Prof. Mabel Imbuga said Kenya is yet to draw useful insights from such data due to knowledge gaps and inadequate infrastructure despite large data sets permeating various sectors of the economy.

BRCK - RUGGED INTERNET FOR PEOPLE AND THINGS

Internet has become an integral part of our lives and the society at large so much so that we can't live without it. if the network is down all own problems begin, you will think part of our heart has seized to function, people depend on internet on almost everything nowadays. for you to have an internet you need to subscribe to an internet service provide for a convenient package that suits your need, you need a constant supply of power , if you want to share among several users, then you will need something called a router for sharing out the internet, you may decide to use Ethernet or wireless in order to use the internet amongst users. 

                    when you have all this under one roof that is in a single device then you're safe with a mobile wireless internet that can connect 20 devices together this is the concept in BRCK  pronounced as brick , an idea by Ushahidi  founder and now iHub founder ERIC a techpreneur..designed in Nairobi but made in  the United States of America.
a wireless, battery-powered modem i.e using GSM network that aims to help users connect to the web no matter where they are in the world.
                     Described as "the backup generator for the internet", BRCK can support up to 20 devices connected at once, has a tough exterior shell and an eight hour battery life so it can sit out any blackouts, it can connect to the web via Ethernet, WiFi, 3G or 4G, shifting between them dependent on service.
                     This is device is a noble thing especially in remote areas like villages in Africa and Asia where access to internet was a nightmare, with most part of this areas having a GSM network now internet is no more a problem they can connect 20 devices to BRCK and get to have internet.

                      BRCK is a noble idea but the cost of internet in our telecom companies are so high that it might render the noble idea useless until later times, i guess the government through the right authorities should bring laws and regulations curbing the high cost of internet in our GSM networks.

LACK OF BUINESS-IT ALIGNMENT IN KENYAN ORGANISATIONS

-         Business-IT alignment is a dynamic state in which a business organization is able to use information technology (IT) effectively to achieve business objectives - typically improved financial performance or marketplace competitiveness. Some definitions focus more on outcomes (the ability of IT to produce business value) than means (the harmony between IT and business decision-makers within the organizations).

-         Business-IT alignment is the correspondence between the business objectives and the Information Technology (IT) requirements of an enterprise. These two factors often seem to contradict, but many economic and technical experts agree that alignment between them, maintained over time, is crucial to the success of an enterprise.

-         Business-IT alignment involves optimizing communication between executives who make the business decisions and IT managers who oversee the technical operations. The implementation of flexible business plans and IT architectures, as well as effective cost allocation, are critical components of any business-IT alignment effort. Technical department managers can formulate and submit proposals that can be tailored to ensure the optimum return on investment (ROI). Business executives can attend IT department meetings and seminars to improve their understanding of the technical capabilities and limitations of the enterprise.

-         This alignment is in contrast to what is often experienced in Kenyan organizations: IT and business professionals unable to bridge the gap between themselves because of differences in objectives, culture, and incentives and a mutual ignorance for the other group's body of knowledge. This rift generally results in expensive IT systems that do not provide adequate return on investment. For this reason, the search for Business / IT Alignment is closely associated with attempts to improve the business value of IT investments.

-         This is justified by lack of IT leadership in Kenyan organizations.

-         Ignorance by managers and head of departments.

-         Many Kenyan IT service provider companies are technology driven and therefore do not consider the business needs  of their clients can not translate business needs into technology solutions.

-         Cultural barriers, Kenyan companies view IT as an expense center than profit center.

METHODS

-         The research covered two Kenyan companies , talking to some of the employees identify randomly.

importance

-         Companies should adopt business-IT alignment because of the following reasons;

-         Reducing complexity

-         Helping small and mid-sized businesses become more competitive

-         Increasing the agility of organizations

-         Boost customer satisfaction

-         Making the workplace a more collaborative environment

-         Delivering IT systems on-time and within business expectations