Entertainment

Jan112019 by AdminNo Comments

Econet Group Takes over Iflix Africa

The Malaysian-based Iflix is looking to concentrate its business operations in Asia where it has the upper hand against industry bigwig, Netflix. Interestingly, prior to the sale, Econet Group was already heavily invested in Iflix Africa. Iflix, in partnership with Econet’s Kwese pay tv service, launched its Iflix Africa operations way back in June 2017. But in February, Kwese acquired a significant stake in Iflix Africa. The deal led to a name change: Iflix Africa became Kwese Iflix. Ever since the deal in February however, Iflix has gradually limited its role in the Sub-Saharan division. Although the partnership with Kwese gave it an edge in Africa over rivals like IrokoTV and even Netflix, its uptake was quite poor. The service reportedly had significantly lower patronage compared

Sep52018 by AdminNo Comments

Fans kicked out of Kevin Hart gig after artist introduces a ‘zero tolerance’ mobile phone ban at UK gigs

Entertainment

Fans of a US comedian have been left furious after they were kicked out of his concert for using their mobile phones. Funny man Kevin Hart has faced criticism for his decision to enforce a “zero tolerance” mobile phone policy on his tour, resulting in fans claiming they were kicked out for a little as sending a text. Paying fans at both the Manchester Arena and the O2 have revealed how they were escorted out of the concert venues for using their phones, with one woman claiming she was only sending a five word message to her mother. Whilst other artists have imposed similar bans customers, could be taken out of the phone-free zone, however Hart took a different approach hiring his own “cell phone security.” Artists such as Jack White and Chris Rock have imposed similar bans as c

Mar142018 by AdminNo Comments

New Broadcaster To Challenge Dstv and Kwese: Meet AzamTV

Entertainment, Media

It seems Zimbabwe’s Pay-Tv market may be going through a revolution of sorts. Last year, Econet Media launched Kwese TV in Zimbabwe and now the Tanzanian Bakhresa Group of Companies is bringing AzamTV to our local shores. Azam: A bit of backgorund The Bakhresa Group of Companies is owned and chaired by one of the wealthiest Tanzanians: Said Salim Bakhresa. The group of companies has dabbled their trade in food products, road transport services, and media among other things. AzamTV started broadcasting in 2013 and right now they are available in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Burundi and Uganda. They offer a bouquet of over 85 channels. It seems there is a bit of everything for everyone as channels include: BBC News, Aljeezera News, Bloomberg, MTV Base, Nickelodeon, Bollywood content, A

Jan312018 by AdminNo Comments

Strive Masiyiwa Goes To Hollywood To Acquire Some Content For Kwesé TV

Entertainment, What's Hot

Is this the part where we say watch out DStv? On a post on social media, Strive Masiyiwa (founder and Executive Chairman of Econet Global) mentioned how he was on his way to Los Angeles to sign some content deals for Kwesé TV. I’m sure by now you know what Kwesé is, I mean with all that BAZ-Kwese and now Dr Dish-Kwese drama, who wouldn’t? However, in case you for some weird reason don’t, Kwese is a brand of Econet Media Limited, the media arm of Econet and has been making waves in the media industry – whether because it’s a “Zimbabwean brainchild”; or because it’s competition to the monopoly DStv in Zimbabwe; or simply because it’s more convenient to pay for (since DStv wont accept bond notes), the bottom line is people are flocking towards it. However, despite all this, some have

Jan312018 by AdminNo Comments

Kwesé Inc’s #GoGettaz Winners Announced. Two Zimbabweans Made It

Entertainment, Jobs

The #GoGettaz entrepreneurship competition finals finally took place last week on Friday in Nairobi, Kenya. The competition began on the 18th of August last year (2017) and has been running since. #GoGettaz is an initiative by Strive Masiyiwa (founder and Executive Chairman of Econet Global) aired on Kwesé Inc which is an exclusive channel on Kwesé TV (Kwese is the media arm of Econet Media Limited). It is aimed at empowering entrepreneurs with not only the wits and the how-tos of entrepreneurship, but with the bucks as well. The competition was the first of its kind and had 12 winners all in all, two received the grand prize (male and female), while the other 10 received runner up prizes. Each of the two grand prize winners got a $100 000 (USD and not bond) investment, another $1

Jan162018 by AdminNo Comments

Netflix is ‘exploring’ the possibility of a Switch app

Entertainment, Gizmos

The Nintendo Switch had a fantastic year in 2017, becoming the must-have console of the festive season and boasting some rather eye-poppingly brilliant games. However, as Switch owners will know, it’s lagging behind in the streaming media service field; neither Netflix nor Showmax (nor any other service for that matter) allows local Switch owners to curl up in bed for a great binge-watching session. In the US, the console only has access to Hulu. While this situation doesn’t look set to change any time soon, there are still reasons to be optimistic. According to a report on Polygon, a Netflix official has confirmed that while there are no concrete plans for the app to land on the Switch, the company is certainly considering it. “We are still exploring the opportunity with Nintendo

Jan102018 by AdminNo Comments

Nintendo Switch was 2017’s best gadget. What does it mean for 2018?

Entertainment, Gizmos

The most amazing gadget I used this year played Zelda and Mario, fit into my bag and points to where tablets, phones and PCs could go next. Nintendo's modular game console feels like the future of mobile tech. I've seen VR, AR, iPhones, smartwatches, laptops and robots. But the gadget that impressed me the most, by a longshot, was the Nintendo Switch. It was a familiar story. Nintendo has a weird, wild idea. Detachable controls on a tablet. A dock that turns a handheld into a console. Even the name of the little wireless, button-studded mini-remotes was weird: Joy-Cons. Nintendo's done this before. The minimalist, motion-control-driven Nintendo Wii and its deconstructed remote control. The bizarre two-screened, stylus-laden Nintendo DS. I had some preparation this time, howeve...

Jan102018 by AdminNo Comments

An artist accused Microsoft of stealing their idea for a video game ad, and gamers are furious

Applications, Breaking News, Entertainment

Reddit user Macsterr claims that Microsoft stole a design of theirs for a video game ad without crediting their artwork as the inspiration. In November, Macsterr posted a distinctive design for an ad for "PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds," the most popular video game of 2017. On Tuesday, Microsoft's Xbox social media account posted a similar image to Twitter, without crediting Macsterr. The tweet has since been deleted and Microsoft says it's "investigating" the matter. As the situation has gained traction on Reddit, Macsterr says that they're mostly looking to get credit for the overall design. Some Redditors are up in arms on Wednesday after a Reddit user claimed that Microsoft stole the overall design of a piece of their artwork to promote "PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds," the hottest v...

Jan102018 by AdminNo Comments

As platforms and distribution channels proliferate, sales of movies and TV shows, both digitally and on disc, remain Hollywood’s holy grail

Entertainment

At this year’s Video Hall of Fame ceremony in Beverly Hills in December, Janice Marinelli, president, Disney/ABC Home Entertainment & Television Distribution, for The Walt Disney Studios, drew solid applause when she advised her fellow home entertainment executives to “just keep swimming.” The line, from the hit Disney film “Finding Nemo,” seemed to resonate with the several hundred execs in the room, many of whom have been contending with increasingly choppy seas for the better part of a decade. In fact, 2017 marked the 10th anniversary of Netflix’s decision to transition its subscription approach from disc rentals by mail to digitally delivering content over the Internet – a truly disruptive moment that shattered the traditional home video model. Year after year, disc sales plu

Jan102018 by AdminNo Comments

Movie studios are racing to control the entertainment experience of autonomous cars

Entertainment

AUSTRALIANS spend plenty of time in our cars but in the very near future, that’s going to be a much more exciting and enjoyable prospect. How self-driving cars will take over more than just the driving PLENTY of Australians drive to work each day and with the impending adoption of autonomous vehicles, that commute is going to look very different indeed. While the likes of Tesla, Google, Apple and the world’s major car manufacturers work to develop their autonomous driving technology, the entertainment industry is also gearing up for the day when your car drives itself. Suddenly you’ll be free to check your e-mails, do some reading and maybe even take a nap, if the law permits. But if advertisers and the entertainment industry — who refer to the approaching proliferation of a

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