Tuesday 9 February 2016

Meet G810 Orion Spectrum #Gaming #Keyboard @Logitech #SouthAfrica

Hi Guys,

Logitech has announced the Logitech® G810 Orion Spectrum, a full-size RGB mechanical gaming keyboard that integrates our industry-leading technology and quality of construction in a uniquely crafted design to deliver peak performance for a pure gaming experience. The Logitech G810 Orion Spectrum RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard features Logitech’s exclusive Romer-G™ mechanical switches, offering 25 percent faster actuation than standard mechanical keyboards, as well as customizable RGB lighting and dedicated media controls.

“We met with dozens of gamers over the last year and a half and asked them what they wanted in a gaming keyboard,” said Ujesh Desai, vice president and general manager of gaming at Logitech. “The result is the G810 Orion Spectrum, a clean, sophisticated design that’s focused on delivering pure performance.” 

Pure Performance-Driven Design 
Every aspect of the keyboard – from the simplest details, such as fingerprint-masking matte texture and a durable braided cable, to the most complex details, including advanced RGB lighting and ultra-fast, ultra-durable Romer-G mechanical switches – is precisely engineered. The result is industry-leading technology and quality of construction in a uniquely crafted design.

Ultra-Responsive Romer-G Key Switches
The Logitech G810 Orion Spectrum features Logitech’s exclusive Romer-G mechanical switches that deliver near-instant responsiveness, registering key presses up to 25 percent faster than standard mechanical switches. With an actuation point of 1.5 mm, Romer-G switches receive commands more quickly, helping to give you an edge in competitive games where every millisecond matters. With improved durability at 70 million keystrokes, up to 40 percent more keystroke operations than other standard key switches on the gaming peripheral market, you can play with confidence knowing that your keyboard can survive. 

Customizable RGB Lighting
Using Logitech Gaming Software (LGS), select and personalize each individual key light from a spectrum of more than 16.8 million colors, and synchronize lighting effects with other Logitech G gaming gear. You can mark keys by color to keep track of spells and other commands, or change colors to match your setup. Central backlighting makes it easier to find the right keys in game and in the dark. And LGS comes pre-loaded with custom lighting profiles for over 300 games, so all the customization is done for you out of the box. 

Easy-Access Media Controls
The Logitech G810 Orion Spectrum features dedicated media controls that can be used to play, pause and mute music and videos instantly, so you can control your background track without switching out of your game. Use the roller to adjust the volume, or skip to the next song with the touch of a button. 

Full Customization
Get full control of the Logitech G810 Orion Spectrum with LGS. Customize your favorite games with custom button macros on the F1-F12 keys. Control RGB lighting on individual keys and determine which keys are turned off when you turn on Game Mode.

Pricing and Availability
The Logitech G810 Orion Spectrum RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard is expected to be available in in South Africa of Q1 2016 for a suggested retail price of R 3 479, 99. For more information please visit gaming.logitech.com or our blog.

Cheers!!!




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Monday 8 February 2016

@HuaweiZA P8 Lite Crossed 10 Million Shipments #WOWway #SouthAfrica

Hi Guys, 

Huawei has announced that it has shipped more than 10 million Huawei P8 lite smartphones, a mark that was reached just nine months after launch in Europe last spring. In total, the entire Huawei P8 series has successfully reached more than 16 million people globally – with 60 percent of coming from global markets.

The year got off to a quick start for Huawei, as the company set a new record by shipping over 12 million smartphones in January – a 93 percent increase from last year. January was also the fourth consecutive month that Huawei shipped over 10 million smartphones, with over 150000 pieces shipped in South Africa alone. With Huawei’s growing brand awareness and the continuous global growth, consumer interest in Huawei devices has continued to increase significantly.
This success builds on a strong 2015, during which Huawei shipped 108 million smartphones – a 44 percent increase from the previous year – to firmly establish its position as one of the top three global smartphone brands. 

The Huawei P8 lite is the first Huawei smartphone to achieve higher sales in global markets than in China, signaling a breakthrough in Huawei’s strategy of internalization, and reaffirming the effectiveness of Huawei’s global market structure.


Adopting the stylish design of Huawei P series, the Huawei P8 lite is beautiful and perfectly crafted. It uses contrasting shades in its gold waistline design — the slim and stylish appearance delivers a sense of peace and calmness. Among Huawei’s smartphone portfolio, the P8 lite brings youthful energy at a lower cost to consumers, who continue to adopt the phone in record numbers. 

I think this phone provides value for money, making it so successful among consumers of all ages and usage needs. The credit also goes to the network providers who has great monthly deals on this phone with as low as R200 or less. 

For more information, please visit Huawei online at www.huawei.com or follow on: 

Cheers!!!


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Top #Destinations Around the #World to Spend Your #ValentinesDay #14Feb @Airbnb

Hi Guys, 

The majority of the more than 7 billion people in this world - almost 3.5 billion couples - are getting ready to celebrate their love on February 14. The world’s traditions may differ, but one thing remains the same - people are looking for the perfect way to make their someone special feel loved. And many people are celebrating their love on the move and discovering somewhere new this Valentine’s Day. The feeling to see your loved ones happy is the best amongst all. 

In 2015, more than 40 million people travelled and stayed on Airbnb across more than 190 countries around the globe. From igloos, to castles, to treehouses, to private islands, there are more than 2 million romantic locales to celebrate this love-filled holiday.


Airbnb took a look at the top places couples are heading to this year. Some of the trending places around the world include:

● The home of Romeo and Juliet - Verona, Italy - is 95% more popular this Valentine’s Day.
● Loved ones are dreaming of heading to the Japanese mountains with 54% more couples choosing to spend the holiday in Niseko, Japan.
● Looking for a Latin American adventure? 87% more couples are choosing to head to Quetzaltenango, Guatemala this Valentine’s Day.
Lillehammer, Norway is the top spot in Europe this Valentine’s Day to celebrate with the destination surging to being 440% more popular this Valentine’s Day versus last.
● Cruising the Whitsundays is the perfect choice for couples with 54% more choosing to head here February 14.
● Looking for peace and quiet to be with the one you love? 360% more couples are spending their Valentine’s Day in the Poconos Mountains compared to last.

Closer to home, the most popular African destinations this Valentine’s Day include:

Couples seem to love the quaint town of Knysna, located in the heart of the scenic Garden Route in the Western Cape, South Africa. Some top Airbnb accommodation options at this paradise, include: 

Its beaches, coral reefs and nature reserves make the picturesque islands of the Seychelles a popular choice amongst couples. Some of the best Airbnb places to stay here include:

Although unknown to many travellers, Reunion - a unique French island in the middle of the Indian Ocean - is a popular choice for couples deciding to visit the island. It boasts incredible Airbnb accommodation options:

The capital city of Morocco, Rabat, has grown in popularity with more couples choosing to visit the city which is known for its fascinating architecture, monuments and wonderful restaurants. Some of the best Airbnb accommodation include:

Essaouira, Morocco has experienced an increase in the number of couples planning to spend Valentine’s Day in the Atlantic ocean port city. There’s also a wide variety of Airbnb accommodation to choose from:

Do plan a great day out with your loved one and have a great Valentine's Day each and every year! 

Cheers!!!



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Meet G502 Proteus Spectrum #Gaming #Mouse @Logitech #SouthAfrica

Hi Guys,

Logitech has announced the introduction of the Logitech® G502 Proteus Spectrum Gaming Mouse. By adding RGB customisable lighting the Logitech®G502 Proteus Core, the world’s bestselling gaming mouse just got even better. The Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum still retains the world’s best DPI sensor, advanced surface and weight tuning, but now gives you even more features to elevate your game and style.

“The G502 Proteus Spectrum has an amazing sensor, and now it's got customisable lighting as well, said Ujesh Desai, vice president and general manager of gaming at Logitech. “You can also sync it with your other RGB-enabled Logitech G gaming gear to create some really cool effects."

RGB Customizable Lighting
Match your style and environment by adjusting up to 16.8 million colors and brightness, using Logitech Gaming Software (LGS). Bring your mouse to life with breathing light patterns, or set your lighting to continuously cycle through the color spectrum. The lighting can also be synchronized with Logitech G’s other RGB products.

Accurate and Responsive Optical Sensor
The Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum features Logitech’s most powerful and accurate optical sensor, the PMW3366, for maximum performance and tracking accuracy and the exclusive Logitech G Delta Zero™ optical sensor technology that increases reliable targeting. The Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum also features a huge DPI range of 200 to 12,000 with zero sensor acceleration, zero smoothing or filtering and zero pixel rounding.

Tunable Balance, Buttons, Surface and Weight
Personal tweaks make all the difference. For a mouse that feels just right for you, adjust the weight and center of balance through the placement of up to five 3.6g weights in the mouse. You can also easily reassign any command or macro to one of the 11 programmable buttons, using LGS.

And for optimal performance, calibrate the sensor against a gaming surface’s physical and reflective characteristics. Surface tuning optimises the sensor dynamic range to match the properties of the mouse surface, which results in maximum high-speed performance and lower lift-off distance.

Comfortable Shape
The textured rubber grips and a convenient button layout ensure great feel and performance from your first encounter with the mouse. Additionally, the Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum includes individual left and right buttons that provide a rigid and stable platform, resulting in precise, durable and satisfying clicks. Mechanical micro-switches under each button further enhance feel, speed and accuracy. And, a dual-mode hyper-fast scroll wheel offers enhanced click-to-click precision and lightning-fast scrolling for the Web.

Pricing and Availability
The Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum builds on the success of the G502 Proteus Core – the best-selling gaming mouse based on worldwide revenue. The G502 Proteus Spectrum and is expected to be available in South Africa in Q1 2016, for a suggested retail price of R1599.99. For more information please visit gaming.logitech.com or blog. Find Logitech at www.logitech.com, the company blog or @Logitech.

Cheers!!!


  
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Saturday 6 February 2016

#Emoji: Language Killer, Parasite Or Symbiosis? By Donovan White, Digital Strategist @Native VML

Hi Guys,

Earth. Population 7.2 Billion and a whopping 6500 languages being spoken every day.

Africa. The second most populous continent in the world with 1.1 Billion people and almost 2000 languages are spoken daily. Amongst the languages spoken on our beautiful continent, UNESCO has listed 79 African languages as critically endangered, 66 severely endangered, 51 as definitely endangered and 44 are vulnerable. The nature of the issue crosses all four corners of Africa.


To the west, only four people who can speak Njerep remain and in the east, only 6 people in Ethiopia can speak Ongota. South Africa may be home to four of the most widely spoken languages in Africa, namely English, Afrikaans, Xhosa and Zulu, and boast the largest amount of official languages in the world, but we still have some of the saddest statistics when it comes to critically endangered languages. Nǀuu or Nǀhuki is a Khoisan language and when last checked in 2013, only 3 people in the world could speak it and they live in different areas of South Africa. Griqua or more correctly known as Xirikwa or ǃOra is another example, where less than 30 speakers exist in the world. One could easily blame Africa’s colonisation for the state of the diversity of mother tongues. After all Portuguese, French, English and Arabic are the four most commonly spoken languages.

Emoji sapping the life out of language
Perhaps there is something, though. In the Internet Age, speaking one of these languages means African countries can be more inclusive to information, education and trade online, creating a commonality that has allowed each of the 54 states to be inclusive of the global village. Beyond this, even these commonly held languages are beginning to feel the strain. Like ‘video killing the radio star’ and colonisation killing the oral tribe culture, mobile could quickly be fingered for killing the oral and written culture. Without sounding dramatic, Emoji, as a parasitic ‘language’, could be the culprit for the abuse and ultimate death of written language. 

The emoji is creeping into each and every language written online today and this is largely due to the impact of mobile messaging. In South Africa, 15.46 Million people make use of the web daily. According to Global Web Index studies, 68% of South Africans use WhatsApp, 44% use Facebook Messenger, 27% use BBM, 25% Skype, 11% WeChat and 2% use Snapchat. All creating fertile ground for the undiscriminating tapeworm of the language world to feed off its hosts. The situation only really became that evident after an emoji () was announced as the 2015 Oxford word of the year. Emojitracker.com/ is a real-time tracker of emoji use on Twitter. If you don’t want an epileptic fit or have a weak stomach I don’t suggest visiting the site, however. The nauseating () real-time statistic boards show that the Oxford word of the year had been used 1 074 015 124 (at the time of writing). We may look at this and see a giant storm brewing, especially when Kim Kardashian West launched her Kimoji late in 2015 . We may have more things to worry about than the difference between ‘there’, ‘their’, and ‘they’re’ .

Understanding the beast
Despite the saddening prospect of languages dying, we shouldn’t get over ‘emojinal’ about the natural evolution of how we communicate. Because emoji are so ubiquitous, we may actually be experiencing a de-babel-isation of the world, making it easier to understand each other, despite our differences . Linguistics of Emoji is beginning to emerge slowly but surely. Instagram’s Emojineering study shows the rise Emoji in everyday online language, but also managed to linguistically study the phenomenon, finding that emoji have synonyms, syntax and homonyms. The study started in 2011 when iOS included emoji into the iPhone keyboard and expanded the research to when Instagram was opened up to Android users and when the operating system updated its native keyboard with emoji in 2013 . By April 2015, Instagram found that nearly 50% of all communication included emoji in posts and comments. Finland was found to use emoji the most, while Tanzanians use emoji the least, making up a mere 10% of all Instagram communication.

In trying to understand meaning in emoji through natural language processing (translating the small images into the language through intuition called the distributional hypothesis), the image sharing platform found that on the surface, an image such as would directly be ‘translated’ into ‘elephant’. Many emoji turned out to be semantically similar to the English language (which makes use of hashtags as well, such as being linked to “haha or LOL”). Upon digging deeper, Emojineers found that as the use of emoji increased, so the use of internet slang decreased.

Often I hear my Xhosa or Afrikaans friends having to tell a joke in their native language because certain words just lose their emotion when told in English. Of course, that is how emoji got its name, because of the emotional feel it gave in the gut in the same way. In attempts to try translate emoji into English, Instagram found that often emoji are not used in isolation and when used together, the visual representations give rise to a whole new meaning. In attempts to map out emoji with the closest meaning (synonyms), they found that vastly different and unassuming emoji may mean the same thing. For example (nose) is closely related to (see no evil monkey) when talking about (toilet). The deduced outcome is therefore that when written language, emoji and hashtags are used together, a whole new semantic arises. It also shows that the conjunction of emoji into ‘complex sentences’ shows that they are also contextual and kudos to Instagram for attempting to study this phenomenon, after all, they have been the first to offer search by emoji and to create hashtag emoji in attempts to further their study. 

Emoji as a barometer for the state of society
Emoji and digital sticker creator, Swyft Media conducted their own research into the use of emoji in the world and found that 6 billion emoji are used every single day. That would almost be an emoji per person on earth. What emerged seemed to show cultural differences in the use of emoji and this got me thinking that the use of these visuals could tell us a story about the state of the world. While Oju may have beaten Apple in the race to create diversified emoji with the release of their Loerie Award winning Afro-emoji, iOS has been pivotal in showing the world how people think and the dominant ideologies that may be shifting or intensifying. By looking at the Swyft results in conjunction with emoji tracker, it could show interesting shifts. Female emoji () are more used than Male () emoji, showing patriarchy may actually be falling. On a materialistic front money () and clothing (, , , , ) proves to be more used and, therefore, more important than pets (,, , ) or even food (,,,)

In western English contexts, Female-oriented emoji, LGBT and Tech tend to be the most commonly used and accepted emoji, while emoji used in conjunction with Arabic reveal a male and time focus, with a dash of flowAers as a surprise. Africans came out showing their love for the world with the predominant use of , while Australians show their enjoyment for drinking through the use of beer emoji . Canadians seem to be coming out as the raunchiest and the most violent thinking nation through the use of emoji as innuendo. Food Porn comes to life in Canada as men tend to show off their , while females tend to show off their more than anywhere else in the world.

Real world consequences of Emoji
As the world starts to understand the use and meaning of emoji, especially in context and complex sentences, the real world consequences of using emoji are heating up. There is a definite psychology to using and interpreting emoji as Mark Kohler, Owen Churches and Myra Thiessen et al. tried to figure out in their study, Emoticons in mind: An event-related potential study. Take Osiris Aristy who uploaded a photo of himself on Facebook smoking a crack pipe with the caption, “Beanz put me out early but I’m doing what I do skrap. ”. New York cops were less concerned about the drugs being used and more concerned with the threat to kill policemen through the use of three guns to a policeman emoji. In a post- 9/11 world, the 17- year- old found himself being arrested on terror charges. In addition to the fact that emoji are easy to use, the fact that we hide behind our mobile screens, and that the world is still figuring out each character’s definition, makes emoji slightly dangerous, especially since emoji got racially diverse . They could easily end up as a form of racism, sexism, or homophobia.
With the rise of a new form of communication, it is refreshing to see how the marketing world is celebrating and embracing the evolution of language. Brands are embracing emoji in a huge way and it is extending beyond the digital canvas. The caution here, however ,is that brands may be using them without scrutinising the potential messages because creatives are using them as direct translations as part of the English language, such as on the latest Deadpool Movie billboard which sported “ L “ in theatres 12 Feb”. There may be another meaning. Don’t be the English brand that tattoos itself with Chinese symbols, just for it to end up meaning something like “Cheap ” or “lover”.

A personal favourite in this regard came to me when a red soft-drink came out with emoji on their cans. Besides the fun of using emoji, the rational for using them is clear, clever and in line with their core marketing purpose, to unite humanity. Personally, the move away from how emoji looked universally ended up looking like an advert for Kotex. Brands need to evolve with the times to stay relevant, but if they want to be power houses , they must take a deeper look at the language before entering the market.

Note - This article is written by Donovan White, Digital Strategist  at Native VML. 

Cheers!!!



 
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