In a windowless room deep inside IBM’s Almaden Research Centre in California, United States, scientists are teaching a computer chip to learn from what it sees, much like a human.

The effort is paying off, if performance is any measure. When the chip, part of a project called SyNAPSE, first learned to play the classic videogame in March 2011, it did poorly. Weeks later, the company reports, it was nearly unbeatable.

The SyNAPSE chip was designed to learn through experience, find correlations, create hypotheses, and remember outcomes. As chips such as the one from SyNAPSE become smarter and smaller, it will be possible to embed them in everyday objects. That portends a future in which the interaction between computer and user is far more natural and ubiquitous.

“Computers were originally designed to solve math problems and that is what they are really good at – symbolic computation,” says Steve Esser, one of three scientists teaching the SyNAPSE chip. “Anything that involves visual processing, auditory processing, or speech processing – they can do it, but they are just not very good at it.”

IBM (www.ibm.com) is the third-biggest spender on research and development among U.S. tech companies, having invested $6.28 billion (N1.01 trillion) in the past 12 months, according to Bloomberg data. Along with
Microsoft (www.microsoft.com), the top spender at $9.18 billion (N1.5 trillion), and Intel (www.intel.com), at $7.71 billion (1.2 trillion), these technology bellwethers are investing in what they see as computing’s next wave.

“Computing is undergoing the most remarkable transformation since the invention of the PC,” said Intel Chief Executive Officer, Paul Otellini, during his company’s developer conference in September 2011. “The innovation of the next decade is going to outstrip the innovation of the past three combined.”

Since its founding in 1991, Microsoft Research has grown into one of the largest and most respected software research organisations in the world. Today, more than 850 of the brightest minds in computer science work in eleven labs, across four continents, on a mission that has stayed the same for over 20 years: to advance the state of the art in computing through a combination of basic and applied research.

More from Computer.com, February edition. Grab your copy now

NCS President, Demola Aladekomo, made this call during his investiture as the 11th President of NCS, at the 2011 National Information Technology Merit Awards (NITMA). NITMA is an annual event organised by Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) to acknowledge, celebrate and reward corporate organisations and individuals who are outstanding in their various Information Technology (IT) practice and have also contributed immensely to the development of the profession in Nigeria.

The event attracted top stakeholders of Nigeria’s IT community who came to celebrate and honour their brightest and best. Dignitaries at NITMA included Minster of Communications Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson; Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Mr. Chris Onyemenam; Director, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mr. Emeka Ezekwesili, among others.

In her address as Chairperson of the event, Mrs. Omobola Johnson identified areas of strategic interest and upcoming initiatives mentioning the importance of software as well as the impressive innovative practices of young Nigerians in software.

Mr. Demola Aladekomo, Managing Director of Chams Plc, was elected President of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS)along with a new National Executive Council of the NCS in keenly contested elections during the NCS Annual General Meeting in July 2011.

With this service, subscribers can transfermoney to any mobile number, spend the money directly from their mobile money account to pay for goods, as well as buy airtime top-up for themselves and others.

Executive Director, Human Resources, Mr. Adewale Sangowawa said that Glo TxtCash will ensure that people will no longer carry a wallet and a mobile phone at the same time, anymore. Glo TxtCash can be accessed by all Glo subscribers after registration and dialling *866# for U-Mo and *909# for Stanbic IBTC MobileMoney. Existing Glo subscribers and new ones can perform various operations including: Deposit/Cash-In; Withdrawal/ Cash-Out; Transfer from mobile to mobile; Buy Airtime credit for self or for others and Bill Payment.

www.gloworld.com

With this certification, card users would continue to experience enhanced paymentaccount data security. PCIDSS certification represents a common set of security best practice that if adhered to, will ensure the safe and secure handling of payment card data and transactions.

According to the CEO of Interswitch, Mr. Mitchell Elegbe, “We have demonstrated our commitment to raise the bar on transaction security by seeking and achieving certification based on the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC)”.

The PCISSC is a measure to provide a uniform security compliance programme for organisations, service providers and merchants that handle card data.

www.interswitchng.com

The solutions will enable Ecobank service more than 7 million customers via more than 1,100 bank branches. By deploying Oracle Flexcube across 30 countries, Ecobank has streamlined the customer experience across its network, improved customer service with new offerings, including self-service, and facilitated cross-border transactions for its retail and wholesale banking customers.

The first phase of the project involved the migration of Ecobank’s affiliates in Nigeria, Ghana, Benin and Togo to Oracle Flexcube. The Bank has now centralised its IT operations in Ghana, improving operational efficiency and reducing costs. The implementation process also had addressed the regulatory requirements of each country.

Arnold Ekpe, CEO, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated said: “Ecobank is committed to service excellence and efficiency through the use of best-in-class technology.”

www.ecobank.com

Under this agreement, Google (www.google.com) willprovide the WorldBank(www.worldbank.org) and its partner  organisations including governments and UN agencies with access to Google Map Maker underlying geospatial data  that includes detailed maps of more than 150 countries.

Through this tool, citizens are able to Nigeria Joins Google, World Bank in Spatial Mapping Project directly  participate in the creation of maps by contributing their local knowledge, and those additions are then reflected  on Google Maps and Google Earth.

These maps include locations such as schools, hospitals, roads and water points that are critical for relief  workers to know about in times of crisis, and will help NGOs, researchers, and individual citizens to more  effectively identify areas that might be in need of assistance.

Other developing countries that have enlisted in the pilot of the Map Maker include Kenya, South Sudan, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Zambia, DRC, Moldova, Mozambique, Nepal, and Haiti.

This is launched in a move to provide alternative solutions to the epileptic power supply and enable television viewers catch
fun during the ongoing Nations Cup in the country.

Organisations and individuals who are outstanding in their various Information Technology (IT) practice and have also contributed immensely to the development of the profession in Nigeria.

The Walka is a DVB-H handheld TV device, which will enable DStv subscribers watch television on the go.

The launch of the Walka follows a long line of technology innovations associated with the DStv brand – including the Drifta,
DStv Mobile (access to DStv channels viamobile phone), High Definition PVR decoders and integrated customer service tools.

According to Managing Director of Multi-Choice Nigeria, Mr. John Ugbe, the launch ofWalka underlines the vision of the company
to surround television viewers with compelling content anywhere they may find themselves.

In a statement, General Manager of Digital Mobile Television Nigeria (DMTV) Limited, Mayo Okunola noted that with the new Walka device, subscribers within DStv mobile network coverage areas in Lagos,Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kaduna, Ibadan, Enugu, Benin, Onitsha, Aba and Asaba will now have access to the channels on the DStvMobile DVB-H network.

www.dstv.com

Etisalat’s Director, Marketing Segments Strategy, Mr. Oluwole Rawa, during the presentation in Lagos, revealed that the company
is using the promo to give away over 2,000 BlackBerry phones to customers.

“Etisalat will be giving out a BlackBerry device every hour for the next three months.This implies that 24 BlackBerry phones will
be given out daily to our customers between January and March, 2012”, he stated.

One of the winners who spoke during the ongoing promo and after receiving her phone, 13 year-old Ephraim Bidemi, said
it was an opportunity that could not be allowed to slip by.

www.etisalat.com.ng

According to MTN, maximising the full potential of 3G technology will allow subscribers enjoy reliable, world-class service on mobile devices.

“As our subscriber base continues to grow, having an efficient and reliable network is essential to providing our customers with a best-in-class mobile experience,” said Lynda Saint-Nwafor, CTO of MTN Nigeria.

Optimising the performance of their 3G network will allow MTN Nigeria to offer seamless and reliable voice calling, as well as faster
3G data speeds for activities such as texting, sharing multimedia and browsing the Web. Qualcomm will provide technical and engineering support to help MTN Nigeria benchmark and audit their 3G network to identify potential areas for increased efficiency.

www.mtnonline.com;
www.qualcomm.com