Good news for Huawei users! Amidst the confusion and uncertainty with regards to the availability of Google applications and updates on Huawei devices; we have just witnessed our first Google patch update on our HUAWEI P30 Pro. For those who have not yet received one will receive the update sometime this week. In the meantime the Google applications are also working perfectly fine. This is proof that Huawei users need not to worry about the usability of their devices and may continue to enjoy the services because Huawei isn’t going anywhere.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) From an imaging device for early breast cancer detection to making solar energy more accessible while improving education opportunities for kids, there were a large number of top-notch startups with impactful ideas that applied to be part of Google’s second Demo Day Asia.

This year, we’re pleased to welcome eleven startups from around the APAC region as finalists.Among them are Tello Talk, a startup incubated at The Nest i/o — an instant messaging application that allows people to exchange messages, interact in group chats, use push-to-talk feature for walkie-talkie functionality, share images and files.

The finalists will travel to Bangkok next month where they’ll take part in our Google for Startups Demo Day at the Techsauce Global Summit. As part of this, they’ll experience three days of mentorship, programming and networking to help them grow their businesses. This will culminate in a much anticipated pitch, where the finalists will have a chance to share their business propositions with our distinguished judges, including Shannon Kalayanamitr from GOBI Partners and Justin Nguyen from Monk’s Hill Ventures.

As we saw at our first ever Demo Day Asia last year, there is an incredible amount of innovation happening in this part of the world, and we’re thrilled to give these talented entrepreneurs the opportunity to shine. Our countdown to Bangkok is on, and we can’t wait to highlight and support the next great tech champions of the region.

There has been a lot of speculations and news regarding Huawei and the US Government over the past couple of days. Much like any other hot topic, it comes with a fair amount of assumptions, misinformation and miscommunication. Huawei has risen to being the second largest smartphone maker in the world which is also the spot it enjoys in Pakistan currently.

For the convenience of everyone, after intensive research, we have collected statements available to the public online and put together a quick guide on some of the concerns, questions and misconceptions customers have regarding their Huawei devices.

Your Huawei device will not stop working

There has been a lot of confusion amongst owners of Huawei phones that their phones will stop working however that is simply not true. Your phone will continue to operate just like it normally does like any other phone. It will also continue to be serviced by Huawei. In a public statement, the company mentioned: 

“Huawei will continue to provide security updates and after-sales services to all existing Huawei and Honor smartphone and tablet products, covering those that have been sold and that are still in stock globally.”

Your phone will receive its usual updates

The good news is that all phones that have been released by Huawei, be it purchased or in store will continue to receive security updates for Android and regular Google app updates from the Google Play Store. Here is Google’s statement:

“We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications. For users of our services, Google Play and the security protections from Google Play Protect will continue to function on existing Huawei devices,” a spokesperson told us.

So there you have it. As Google’s official statement suggests, Huawei’s current devices will have complete access to the Play Store and get security updates from Android.

Huawei is one of the biggest Android partners and a gigantic company

When you purchase a Huawei product, you must know you are buying from one of the largest Android partners with the most innovative technology. Huawei promises to continue providing support for all its devices for the whole lifetime of that phone.

It’s also worth noticing Huawei stops at nothing with plans for launching new phones. The Honor 20 was recently launched globally while a new Y series phone from Huawei is also all set for a release soon. This means that Huawei is confident in its products and willing to support the end-user whatever the outcome of the current issue at hand be. 

 

Islamabad (Muhammad Yasir) In line with its corporate social responsibilities, MOL Pakistan Oil & Gas Company B.V. has set up computer lab equipped with technological facilities at the National Training Centre for Special Persons (NTCSP), in Islamabad.

Under its CSR initiatives, the company has donated 15 computers to the centre with specially designed computer tables and chairs for the physically challenged students. Speedy internet through WIFI, latest printer, scanner and an effective sound system has also been installed to facilitate the female students. 

MOL Pakistan has always played a vital role in developing the effectiveness of different communities to attain the maximum output for the advancement of Pakistani people. This is yet another initiative by the company to empower female trainees with the provision of access to these facilities within their centre.

This support is being provided to over 25 – 30 female students per year, through different vocational and technical training in computer and information technology, the female trainees of the centre will now be able to empower themselves to earn a better livelihood and become an independent and respectable member of their family, and society in general.

A ceremony was held the other day at the NTCSP where MD/CEO of MOL Pakistan Oil & Gas Company, Dr. Gabor Vakarcs along with other senior officials formally inaugurated the computer lab.

At the inauguration, Dr Vakarcs said, “We feel proud today that we have taken a step forward to empower the women of Pakistan. Everyone has a right to live with dignity and be able to look after themselves. We are delighted that this will open the doors to careers in the mainstream for these talented young women.”

Tasneem Waheed, Director Special Education/Training & Rehabilitation, NTCSP stated, “We are extremely thankful to MOL Pakistan for its contribution towards equipping our female students with these technological facilities. Our students will fare even better in practical life after graduating under this course.”

In his message, MOL Group Regional Vice President for Middle East, Africa & Pakistan Mr Ali Murtaza Abbas said, “MOL Group is a responsible corporate entity that operates globally. We are well aware of our corporate social responsibilities wherever we operate in the world. We have a firm belief in the talent of these young women which is why we are supporting them to become an active member of society.”

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Data science is becoming increasingly important in academia and industry. University departments from engineering to economics are turning to data science more and more, and worldwide businesses that face big-data problems are working in partnership with the academic institutions that are equipped to solve them. According to Linked in learning research, Analytical reasoning is amongst the top skills companies required in 2019. According to the world economic forum, Data Analytics is No.1 emerging job role that is predicted to be the highest in demand in the future.

There is a huge talent gap in Pakistan in the field of data science, with the industry facing challenges in recruiting data scientists that have the skills to address their needs. OLX, Pakistan’s number one marketplace faced the same challenges and to fill this big gap OLX is collaborating with Pakistan’s top academic institution – LUMS to help the brightest students in Data Analytics to transition from academia to Industry.

At the beginning of 2016, OLX hired the brightest data analytics students from LUMS and established Business Intelligence department at OLX and since then this team has been one of an integral part of OLX Pakistan, analyzing data and extracting valuable insight out of it. This has created a global recognition of Pakistan’s data analytics talent within the footprint of OLX in 45 countries where Pakistan has started importing data science resources to Europe and the middleeast.

Currently, OLX is working with LUMS on multiple projects lead by Dr. Muhammad Adeel Zafar and Dr. Fareed Zaffar solving an array of unique business data problems. This is very beneficial for the researchers and the students as they get the first-hand experience to work on solving real-life big data problems faced by the industry.

While discussing the projects Dr. Fareed Zafar said “Our collaboration with OLX has been exciting, dynamic and fast-paced. The learning opportunities, training, and mentorship for our students have been exceptional as they have worked with some of the top leaders in the industry. We feel OLX is a long term strategic partner in our pursuit of high-quality teaching and research”.

Bilal Bajwa, CEO OLX Pakistan said “Being one of the pioneer tech companies of Pakistan, OLX felt the need of connecting Industry with academia to solve the data problems we faced and in return give the students a chance to solve real market problems and gain valuable insights. LUMS has been a great partner and we look forward to keeping on (continue) working with them on more interesting projects”.

OLX business intelligence departments are all LUMS alumni who are proving their mettle globally. OLX is working in 43 countries across the globe. OLX Lisbon & OLX UAE has hired LUMS students in the same capacity to export Pakistan’s local talent around the world.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir)— Facebook and Pakistan’s Ministry of Information Technology & Telecom along with the National Technology Fund (IGNITE) launched the first Facebook Innovation Lab in Pakistan at a ceremony attended by policy makers and technocrats on Wednesday (3 April 2019). Located in the National Incubation Center (NIC) at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), the Innovation Lab will focus on providing infrastructure access to developers, entrepreneurs and community groups enabling them to network, train and grow their expertise. It will also help developers build products and applications using emerging technology like Virtual Reality (VR).

“We are proud to launch Facebook Innovation Lab as a part of our long term commitment to support innovation and the developer community in Pakistan. Facebook is committed to building an impactful community in Pakistan and we believe it is important to support businesses, startups and the individuals who are driving innovation to grow and succeed. We are confident that through our partnership with the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecom, Ignite, National Incubation Centre (NIC) Lahore, and LUMS, Facebook Innovation Lab will not only be a unique training and innovation center, but will support a vibrant and transformative technology community in the country,’ said Jason Lin, Head of Startup Programs (APAC), Facebook.

This is the first innovation lab launched by Facebook in Pakistan. The Lab will give startups the infrastructure and the access they need to refine and scale their business models so they can succeed in Pakistan and scale internationally. The lab not only provides a showcase of the latest technology, but participants will be matched with mentors, as well as connect with Facebook’s global and exclusive experts, industry leaders, and specialists in product innovation, business growth, and data protection.

Attending the launch, Yusuf Hussain, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ignite said, “Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and Artificial Intelligence are rapidly expanding and will be major sectors of the future. Ignite’s partnership with Facebook, one of the world’s leading AR/VR development platform, will help launch this crucial 4IR technology in Pakistan in a big way.”

Participants will access FbStart, a global program designed to help start-ups build and grow their businesses. Finally participants are encouraged to connect and support other developers and entrepreneurs through Developer Circles, a community-driven program for developer collaboration.

One of the founders who shared how technology, especially VR, helped their vision was Saadan Ahmed, Founder and CEO of Vanilla Arcade, a company which offers immersive and interactive experiences to advertisers and educational institutions. “AR/VR has allowed us to connect the youth of Pakistan to experience the culture and history of their country in the most immersive way possible. It is the future of story telling and education,” said Ahmed.

Other startups at the launch included Advertelligent who help support retailers understand foot traffic and Vcella who use technology to connect Pakistan’s artisans to the rest of the world through a virtual marketplace.

Facebook Innovation Lab is aimed at encouraging South Asia’s spirit of entrepreneurship and startup growth. In addition to the program the lab will also host initiatives such as housing community events and workshops and providing trainings for startups. Another key feature of the lab is that it welcomes startups and entrepreneurs based in Pakistan who would like to deep dive into the emerging technology space.

LUMS Vice Chancellor, Dr. Arshad Ahmad said, “Innovation is the backbone of cutting edge research and quality teaching at LUMS. Facebook Innovation Lab Pakistan provides leverage to our core offerings and enables us to achieve another level of training and mentorship – it promises to create social capital amongst young entrepreneurs that will drive their ideas with no boundaries.”

Facebook Innovation Lab welcomes startups and developers to register their interest at https://fb.me/innovationlabpak

Islamabad (Muhammad Yasir) – Ace digital entity AlphaPro came together with Sada-e-Himalaya and Pakistan Federal Union of Columnists (PFUC) to organise GB Social Media Summit with an aim to highlight the growing importance of the social media in the promotion of tourism.

Held at Rawalpindi Arts Council, Rawalpindi, the event was marked with the active participation of representatives from different cross sections of the society including journalists, IT experts, government officials and executives of various organizations.

Speaking on the accession, Adeel Ayub, MD AlphaPro, highlighted the role of tourism and how it has improved economies for various countries like Malaysia which is purely based on tourism. “Even a highly conservative state like Saudi Arabia stepped has moved to open its doors for tourism,” he said.

Pakistan has great potential not just in terms of tourism but for Religion based tourism also due to many religiously important places for Hindu, Sikh and Buddhists.
Gilgit Baltistan is culturally and naturally very rich and no step has been taken until now to promote it on the platform of social media, he added. This is the initial step which will be followed by serious of such activities to promote GB. This has been very useful in spreading the word about the cultural richness of Gilgit Baltistan, efforts in future as well to match the narrative of Mr. Prime Minister to promote tourism in Pakistan to help the economy grow in a positive way. The summit has helped promote the culture of GB.

The conduct of GB Social Media event has received appreciation by international travel blogger Ms Aylee who is currently in Pakistan and was present at the summit. She is completely in love with the natural gifts nature has given to the land of Gilgit Baltistan. The mountains, lakes and rivers have given her lifetime experience and she has closely observed the people of Gilgit Baltistan and the fact that they are struggling to survive in such beautiful yet challenging environment.

Spokesperson Gilgit Baltistan Government Rasheed Arshad has praised organisers for the successful event, and also said that this is very good step that digital media company AlphaPro has taken the step to promote tourism through social media, this will really help to promote tourism in Pakistan and encourage provinces like Gilgit Baltistan to get more recognition worldwide.

The land of Gilgit Baltistan has been lacking attention but for the first time AlphaPro has taken this very required step to use the platform of social media and give Gilgit Baltistan the much deserved prestige.

The world is changing day by day, opening doors for the new ideas and innovations, becoming more accessible with just a click. One of the newest topics that we come across nowadays is Digital Transformation. The digital transformation is the amalgamation of digital technology into day to day activities of our lives. It is reforming the way how things were done, hence creating more value and jobs for the people.

Digital Transformation not only improves the existing technologies but also encourages innovations. The main reason for the accelerated adoption of digital transformation is internet penetration and the use of mobile phones. The benefits of digital transformation are unlimited; inclusive and sustainable growth, improved governance, and responsive service delivery are just to name a few.

Digital innovation can both generate value for business and unlock benefits for society, by creating jobs, and saving lives. Promoting an inclusive information society would emphasize digital literacy, local content, social intermediaries, and grassroots innovation. This digital transformation should include affordable access to the Internet and digital technologies; mobile finance; digitally enabled government to business transactions; platforms to facilitate trade and e-commerce; and Internet-based training and business services.

Mastering the digital transformation process demands solid managerial and technical skills, leadership institutions, policies and regulations for a digital economy, and a competitive communication infrastructure and ICT industry. It calls for strategies to strengthen academic institutions and reposition them for a digital economy. It calls on government to define clear roles for business, and development partners, and to build competent institutions to lead the transformation process.

This is where DigiSkills.pk steps in. The Government has already started working on the transformation and hence initiated this digital initiative to train one million trainees for free in the future of work using the digital technology. DigiSkills.pk’s mission is to create a million-strong workforce for a future shaped by the Fourth Industrial Wave, characterized by technology orientation, innovation and initiative. The DigiSkills.pk program, revolutionizes the education system in Pakistan by using online technology to provide knowledge and skills free of cost to every citizen of Pakistan without any discrimination with knowledge, skills, tools & techniques necessary to seize the opportunities available internationally in online marketplaces as well as locally to earn a decent living. These courses are provided online in English & Urdu languages to cater the masses and DigiSkills.pk will be the foundation of future source of income online.

The journey of the transformation is hard in Pakistan where people are traditionally maintaining less technology savvy culture and are more inclined to resist the digital transformation process. Therefore, the most daunting challenge of all is to sell the idea of change itself but with this great initiative, we have seen the rise of the digital era with thousands of online sign ups and the success of batch one. Wait no further and be a part of this digital mission so you can equip yourself for the future, sign up with DigiSkills.pk to earn some easy money! Register at www.digiskills.pk for free now.