Lenovo’s ThinkAgile vs. ThinkSystem: Which Infrastructure Solution Suits Your Business Best?

Hi Guys, 

By Dean Wolson, General Manager, Infrastructure Solutions Group, Lenovo Africa

Increasingly businesses and IT leaders are taking a critical look at their ageing data centre equipment and embarking on a mission to modernize their infrastructure. Rather than simply replacing outdated hardware, they sought to evaluate the best solutions to power their business-critical applications. Understanding that IT infrastructure is vital for meeting customer needs and supporting new initiatives for business growth.

In the same vein, many organizations today face the challenge of selecting the right IT infrastructure to support their evolving needs. Lenovo offers two compelling solutions: ThinkAgile and ThinkSystem. Each has its unique strengths and benefits, making it essential to understand their differences to make an informed choice. As an expert in IT solutions, I will guide you through the key considerations and advantages of both to help you determine which is best suited for your organization’s infrastructure needs.

Understanding the Fundamentals

Lenovo ThinkAgile is a hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) solution that integrates computing, storage, and networking into a single, unified system. Its design focuses on simplifying deployment and management, providing a seamless experience for businesses looking to streamline their IT operations. ThinkAgile leverages software-defined technologies and is particularly suited for environments where agility and scalability are paramount.

On the other hand, Lenovo ThinkSystem encompasses a broader range of traditional and modular infrastructure solutions, including servers, storage, and networking products. ThinkSystem’s versatility allows it to cater to a diverse array of IT environments, from small and medium-sized enterprises to large data centres requiring high performance and reliability.

Evaluating Your Needs

When deciding between ThinkAgile and ThinkSystem, the primary factor to consider is your organization’s specific needs:

For businesses experiencing rapid growth or fluctuating workloads, scalability is key. ThinkAgile’s hyperconverged infrastructure offers unmatched scalability, with a modular design that allows seamless expansion, enabling you to adjust resources on demand without significant disruption. On the other hand, ThinkSystem provides a scalable solution through a blend of traditional and modular approaches, offering flexibility but potentially necessitating more complex management.

ThinkAgile excels in environments where ease of management and rapid deployment are critical. Its integrated management tools simplify monitoring and administration, reducing the burden on IT teams. ThinkSystem, while offering robust management features, may require more configuration and setup, which can be a consideration for organizations with limited IT resources.

For organizations with demanding performance requirements or specific customization needs, ThinkSystem’s array of options provides a high degree of flexibility. You can select components tailored to your performance goals, whether you need high-density computing, large-scale storage, or advanced networking capabilities. ThinkAgile, while offering impressive performance, is more standardized and may not offer the same level of customization.

Cost Considerations

Budget is often a key factor in infrastructure decisions. ThinkAgile’s all-in-one approach can lead to cost savings by reducing the need for multiple separate components and minimizing operational overhead. Its integrated design also supports lower total cost of ownership by streamlining management and reducing physical space requirements.

ThinkSystem, with its broader range of products, allows for more granular budgeting. You can tailor your infrastructure investments based on specific needs and priorities, which can be advantageous for organizations with precise budget constraints or unique requirements.

Future-Proofing Your Infrastructure

As technology continues to evolve, the ability to adapt is not just advantageous—it's essential. ThinkAgile’s hyper-converged model is strategically positioned for future growth, with its flexible architecture and software-defined capabilities that align seamlessly with emerging IT trends. Its robust support for cloud integration and advanced data management ensures sustained relevance as your organizational needs evolve.

ThinkSystem’s modular approach also supports futureproofing, allowing you to upgrade or expand individual components as technology advances. This flexibility can be beneficial for long-term planning, particularly if you anticipate significant changes in your IT environment.

Choosing between the two ultimately depends on your organization’s specific needs, budget, and long-term goals. By carefully assessing your requirements and considering the strengths of each solution, you can make a well-informed decision that aligns with your strategic objectives and positions your business for future success.

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Safeguarding Your Digital Assets All Year Round @Lenovo_Africa

Hi Guys, 

By Dean Wolson General Manager – Africa Infrastructure Solutions Group, Lenovo Africa

Data breaches are becoming increasingly prevalent, and World Backup Day served as an important reminder of the critical importance of protecting our digital assets. Statistics reveal that 21% of individuals have never backed up their data, leaving them vulnerable to loss or theft. Every minute, an alarming 113 phones are either lost or stolen, potentially compromising sensitive information. Moreover, 29% of data loss incidents stem from accidental causes, highlighting the need for robust preventive measures. A staggering 30% of computers are already infected with malware, further underscoring the urgency of fortifying our defences against cyber threats.

Enterprises, in particular, grapple with the monumental task of managing and safeguarding vast volumes of data amidst an ever-evolving threat landscape. Lenovo recognizes these challenges and remains steadfast in its commitment to providing comprehensive data security and backup solutions. Partnering with industry leaders like Veeam, the business leverages cutting-edge technologies to bolster its data protection infrastructure and ensure uninterrupted operational continuity.

One such innovation is the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into data management processes. While AI presents opportunities for cybercriminals to enhance their attacks, it also empowers businesses to proactively identify and mitigate risks. Through sophisticated algorithms, businesses can intelligently prioritize critical data for backup, thereby minimizing the impact of potential breaches. AI-driven encryption techniques, such as homomorphic encryption, offer an additional layer of security by processing data without decryption, effectively preventing unauthorized access.

AI and edge computing: Ushering in a new era of resilience in data protection

In tandem with AI, edge computing emerges as a game-changing solution for mitigating data vulnerabilities. By processing data closer to its source, edge computing minimizes latency and reduces reliance on centralized servers, thereby enhancing data privacy and security.

Lenovo's collaboration with Commvault further amplifies its commitment to safeguarding data assets. As trusted leaders in data protection and security, the entities offer comprehensive solutions tailored to the unique needs of modern enterprises. By integrating advanced security features and AI-driven insights, organizations are empowered to proactively defend against cyber threats. Here are some of the benefits:

Foundational security: Securing data, preventing unauthorized access, and ensuring compliance with hardened zero-trust architecture and out-of-the-box security protocols.

Proactive defence: Early warnings and real-time visibility that enable organizations to meet threats head-on and safeguard production and backup environments.

Faster recovery: Enables enterprise-wide data recovery across a wide breadth of hybrid workloads with rapid efficiency.

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, prioritizing data protection has never been more crucial. Ensure that you onboard innovative solutions that underscore dedication to safeguarding critical data and ensuring the resilience of your business. By embracing cutting-edge technologies and robust security measures, enterprises can fortify their defences and navigate the complex terrain of cyber threats with confidence.

Note - Press release as supplied by Lenovo South Africa

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A Memoir - This Month Last Year - Sep 2020 www.thelifesway.com #TheLifesWay #2401Post

Hi Friends, 

September marks the start of the Spring season in Johannesburg, South Africa and everyone wants to spring clean their mind, body and spirit along with stuff lying around in their house and office space. As I was working from home since the last year so there has been a lot of reduction in paper waste as no printouts are taken unnecessarily from the office and no newspapers are being read so suddenly a lot of paper waste has been reduced. The only paper waste is in the form of payments slips and bills along with the invoices or delivery notes on the courier packages. I was collecting some of last months bills and only on 1st Sep I threw them out and it was a pile of paper. So everyday cleaning is necessary if you are not going to look at it afterwards as then it wastes a lot of your time checking which one you want to keep for claims purposes and which you don't want. 

1. @1MoreAfrica #ColorBuds True Wireless In-Ear Headphones #1More #HearMore - https://www.thelifesway.com/2020/09/thelifeswayreviews-1moreafrica.html - Last year I received these amazing earbuds from ColorBuds from 1More Africa via Syntech South Africa. I totally loved using them and now my wife is using them. If they are able to survive my wife's mishandling then they can survive anything. Last I checked they were working fine so it's a solid product for day to day use from 1More Africa. Highly recommended if your budget is not high and you want a good quality product. 

2. @InstaxA #miniLink Smartphone Printer #InstaxSA @FUJIFILM_SA #ProductReview - https://www.thelifesway.com/2020/09/thelifeswayreviews-instaxa-minilink.html - Instax Portable Cameras and printers are very popular in the youngsters and I also loved this miniLink which allows you to print your smartphone or DSLR images in high quality on an Instax film. I totally loved creating them using the built-in templates in the smartphone app provided with this printer available to download from Apple Store and Google Playstore. This is one product I have my eyes on to get whenever it's on sale. 

3. #TheLifesWayReviews - @Lenovo_Africa Thinkbook 13s #LenovoThinkbook13s #ProductReview - https://www.thelifesway.com/2020/09/thelifeswayreviews-lenovoafrica.html - Lenovo sent their thinkbook for review and it was really a powerful device to enjoy. I really loved using the same for two weeks. 

4. Hot New Soft Drinks From #MoFaya @MofayaDrinks - https://www.thelifesway.com/2020/09/hot-new-soft-drinks-from-mofaya.html - South Africa has some new cold drinks launched under the Mofaya brand name and I am still using the face mask given by them. Cold drinks were finished in no time during the last year's lockdown. 

5. A Memoir - This Month Last Year - Aug 2019 www.thelifesway.com #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra

A Memoir - This Month Last Year - Sep 2019 www.thelifesway.com #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra - 

Memoirs are a really great way to connect the dots in your lives and you can always see them when you remember your past. I really love writing and thinking about these posts as I continue to remember my famous 5 posts in all these posts. 

This September I await some of the important deliveries and some of the devices I am reviewing needs to be shared via the blog posts too. Look out for the reviews on my social media channels. This is my 2401th blog post and soon by the time we celebrate our 9th anniversary of TheLife'sWay, we will have 2500 blog posts. Let's focus on clearing all the pending stuff I have in my internal museum so that it can be given away to the winners of the contests I am going to hold on my channels. 

Cheers!!!

Support me if you like reading this blog post by buying me a cup of tea or coffee - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/TheLifesWay Contact at thelifesway@gmail.com to collaborate and promote your services and products. Subscribe to my YOUTUBE Channel for giveaways, product reviews and mystery unboxings. #TheLifesWay #9YearsofTheLifesWay. Namaste!

Technology in SA Classrooms – What Role Can Tech Companies Play? @Lenovo_Africa #Lenovo #Technology

Hi Friends, 

The topic of technology in our classrooms is not a new one, but it has of course resurfaced in recent months with the pandemic putting the focus squarely on digital in every arena in our lives. HolonIQ reports that schools and training centres are allocating more money and resources to digitise education, with global tech spend forecasted to increase from $152 billion in 2018 to $342 billion in 2025.

When it comes to tech and education in South Africa, however, one of the issues that are of concern to everyone is the widening of the digital divide. While for the lucky few the drive to digital became accelerated in some classrooms because of the pandemic, for many learners it remains painfully slow. South African learners were among the 1.5 billion students who were forced to stay home in 2020 due to school closures during the COVID pandemic. This figure, according to UNESCO, represents over 90% of the world’s learners.

Schools in our country are faced with multiple challenges in terms of education and tech, which all existed pre-pandemic. One of the most significant barriers is of course budget, which is at both individual school level and departmental level. Another is the use of technology, where decisions need to be made on what the specific needs of individual schools are and the best tech tools to address those gaps. For this to occur, accurate assessments on each school’s levels of technological readiness need to be conducted.

In addition, teachers need to be upskilled in the use of various technologies and this training needs to remain current as tools evolve. And last but definitely not least there is the hurdle of safety and security, where educational institutions with tech tools remain targets of theft.

Thibault Dousson, General Manager at Lenovo South Africa

There is much work to be done, therefore, before we start, or in some places continue, to institute technological transformation.

As with many issues that need to be tackled in our country, the partnership is key to addressing these challenges and helping us go beyond the white pages of the Education Charter. The primary way where a company like Lenovo can help in this drive to digital is access to technology and equipment. This access can take the form of providing infrastructures, such as servers, storage and connectivity; providing learning devices, namely PCs, tablets and laptops; as well as ensuring device security, for example, geolocation lock, passwords and other encryptions. Tech companies can also assist with deploying technological solutions and providing support.

On the other side of the partnership, coins are the Education Department and other stakeholders. While a company like Lenovo can facilitate access, the Department should focus on the learning and content side. This includes digitalising the content and curriculum, setting up the learning management system, providing training and development for teachers, and developing apps for learning.

What is important to bear in mind, too, is that digitising learning, as my comments above suggest, isn’t just about handing out tablets and putting PCs into classrooms. IT is the key to more efficient and effective productivity everywhere, and this is where the education ecosystem comes in. In my mind, this consists of four elements – infrastructure, administration, instruction and curricula. Good instruction, such as labs and libraries, for example, is only enhanced by digital textbooks, online coursework and online assessments. Solid IT infrastructure like data warehousing and servers make school administration like HR systems far better.

As a technology company, Lenovo uses an integrated product development process that brings together hardware, software, and security engineering expertise early and drives it throughout the design and development. Our security and compliance priorities are being built into marketing requirements and supported through the use of industry-standard certified components and features, and special attention is paid to BIOS design to ensure secure BIOS configuration and management. Design and engineering are done by qualified original design manufacturers (ODMs).

In addition, Lenovo is partnering with LanSchool, a software solution that delivers powerful digital classroom orchestration for teachers for both primary and secondary schools. It addresses control and security of students’ hardware, so is key for South African schools. We offer the first year for free when schools purchase our products.

I want to emphasise again that it is only through partnership and an appropriate assessment strategy that we can help to minimise the digital divide in our schools. A solid IT plan integrated into the Department of Education’s broader strategy is necessary to truly achieve transformation, and tech can help provide the tools to make education delivery stronger and more in line with a competitive world. We must remember, after all, that the future is global. South African children are not only competing against one another – they are in competition with kids from all four corners of the globe. According to Holon IQ, the next decade will see an additional 350 million post-secondary graduates across the globe.

Only a countrywide, integrated IT strategy in the classroom can truly help South Africa in its digital transformation drive.

It’s a huge task, but we at Lenovo are here to help.

Cheers!!!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com to collaborate and promote your brand, services and products. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #9YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts and subscribe to my YOUTUBE Channel too. Namaste!

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@Lenovo_Africa Introduces the #ThinkReality A3 — The Most Versatile Smart Glasses Ever Designed for the Enterprise

Hi Friends, 

New Smart Glasses Enhance Productivity for the Office Professional and Industrial Worker in Small Business or Global Enterprise, and Everywhere In-between

Today, during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES®), Lenovo™ introduced the ThinkReality™ A3 lightweight smart glasses. One of the most advanced and versatile enterprise smart glasses to come to market, the ThinkReality A3 is part of comprehensive digital solutions offering to deliver intelligent transformation in business and bring smarter technology to more people.

As increasingly distributed workforces and hybrid work models become the reality of a new normal, small and large businesses around the world are looking to adopt new technologies for smart collaboration, increased efficiency, and lower downtimes. From customized virtual monitors and 3D visualization to Augmented Reality (AR) assisted workflows and immersive training, the ThinkReality A3 helps transforms work across many levels of the enterprise.

The ThinkReality A3 tethers to a PC or select Motorola smartphones1 via a USB-C cable depending on the needs of smart workers anywhere. Versatile, portable, and comfortable, the ThinkReality A3 fits like sunglasses and can be enhanced with industrial frame options for safer and more durable use. Immersive but not isolating, the AR smart glasses are powered by the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ XR1 Platform for high-quality performance and feature stereoscopic 1080p displays presenting the user with up to 5 virtual displays. An 8MP RGB camera provides 1080p video for remote expert use cases while the dual fish-eye cameras provide room-scale tracking.

“The A3 is a next-generation augmented reality solution – light, powerful and versatile. The smart glasses are part of a comprehensive integrated digital solution from Lenovo that includes the advanced AR device, ThinkReality software, and Motorola mobile phones. Whether working in virtual spaces or supporting remote assistance, the ThinkReality A3 enhances workers’ abilities to do more wherever they are,” said Jon Pershke, Lenovo Vice President of Strategy and Emerging Business, Intelligent Device Group.

PC Edition for Virtual Monitors

The ThinkReality A3 PC Edition tethers to a laptop or mobile workstation to enable users to position multiple, large virtual monitors in their field of view and use Windows software tools and applications. Virtual monitors expand the value of PCs, creating more productivity, privacy, and immersive experiences for industries like finance, architecture and engineering, as well as for any remote and mobile worker where space and privacy are limited.

Virtual monitors are optimized and compatible with Lenovo’s leading ThinkPad laptops and mobile workstations powered by Intel and AMD Ryzen™ processors.

Industrial Edition for Enhanced Decision Making in Complex Environments

The ThinkReality A3 Industrial Edition tethers to select Motorola smartphones1 for hands-free, AR-supported tasks in complex work environments. The Industrial Edition is supported by the ThinkReality software platform, which enables commercial customers to build, deploy, and manage mixed reality applications and content on a global scale, with global support.

For use in scenarios from factory floors and laboratories to busy retail and hospitality spaces, certified turnkey applications on the ThinkReality platform powers remote assistance, guided workflows, and 3D visualization. Now, industrial workers have a light, flexible and scalable set of smart glasses to increase productivity and safety while decreasing error rates in daily tasks.

ThinkReality Ecosystem of AR/VR Solutions

Lenovo’s ThinkReality platform is helping accelerate the adoption of the next generation of wearable computing — offering smarter technology to enable smarter workers. With the growing ThinkReality cloud-agnostic ecosystem of hardware and software solutions, enterprises have more choices in building and deploying mixed reality technologies to improve business.

Lenovo AR devices include the ThinkReality A3 smart glasses and A6 headset. The ThinkReality A6 features a full-featured sensor array, expandable memory, 1080p resolution waveguide optics, and a removable battery for extended use of the head-mounted display.

VR use cases in the enterprise are rapidly expanding from training and simulations to immersive experiences for sales and marketing, as well as other applications. The Lenovo Mirage™ VR S3 all-in-one headset is specifically designed for enterprise and is ready to scale for global operations and is ideal for soft-skill training solutions. For advanced, high-performance mixed reality and virtual reality applications, Lenovo offers a portfolio of workstations certified to work with various Varjo XR/VR headsets and is a reseller of Varjo’s human-eye resolution solutions.

Availability

The Lenovo ThinkReality A3 smart glasses will be available in select markets worldwide starting mid-2021. Visit the ThinkReality A3 web page to find out more, or contact your local Lenovo sales representative.

Visit the Lenovo StoryHub CES press kit for images and full specs and Lenovo’s CES homepage for more details.

About Lenovo

Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a $50 billion Fortune Global 500 company, with 63,000 employees and operating in 180 markets around the world. Focused on a bold vision to deliver smarter technology for all, we are developing world-changing technologies that create a more inclusive, trustworthy and sustainable digital society. By designing, engineering and building the world’s most complete portfolio of smart devices and infrastructure, we are also leading an Intelligent Transformation – to create better experiences and opportunities for millions of customers around the world. To find out more, visit https://www.lenovo.com, follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Weibo and read about the latest news via our StoryHub.

Cheers!!!

Support me if you like reading this blog post by buying me a cup of tea or coffee - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/TheLifesWay Contact at thelifesway@gmail.com to collaborate and promote your services and products. Subscribe to my YOUTUBE Channel for giveaways, product reviews and mystery unboxings. #TheLifesWay #9YearsofTheLifesWay. Namaste!

@Lenovo_Africa Brings World's First Foldable PC to #SouthAfrica #ThinkPadX1

Hi Friends, 

Lenovo has today announced that its latest technology breakthrough, the ThinkPad X1 Fold PC is soon landing in South Africa. The launch builds on Lenovo’s extensive history of evolving its ThinkPad sub-brand, leveraging the latest in foldable technology and connectivity to meet the requirements of agile working and staying connected while on the go.

Durable Design

The ThinkPad X1 reimagines the possibilities of mobile computing, by shifting from its compact and foldable form into a crisp 13.3-inch OLED display – weighing in at less than 1 kilogram. Constructed from lightweight alloys and carbon fibre, the X1 Fold offers both portability and durability, while its leather folio cover provides a premium look.

With more than four years of research and development behind the PC, the ThinkPad X1 Fold builds on the reliability and performance ThinkPad devices are synonymous with. The X1 Fold features multi-layer frames to support and protect the display, while a unique multi-link torque hinge mechanism ensures the smoothest folding experience. The OLED display has also undergone extensive performance and durability testing, ranging from ball dropping, to pen tapping and dynamic stress tests.

Seamless Performance

Co-engineered with Intel, the X1 Fold features an Always Connected PC, powered by Intel Core Processors with Intel Hybrid Technology. Users requiring additional speed and connectivity can also opt for a 5G-enabled version of the device.

For ease of use, the ThinkPad X1 Fold comes with unique mode-switching software, designed specifically for Windows 10. This technology enables the PC to seamlessly adapt to multiple use cases, depending on user preferences and their surrounding environment.

Multiple Modes

As an ultra-versatile device, the ThinkPad X1 Fold enables users to leverage two independent displays to optimize efficiency. Scenarios may include participating in a video call using the upper screen while taking notes or editing a presentation on the lower screen. Use cases include the flexibility to operate the X1 Fold in either portrait or landscape mode for added convenience.

When used in landscape mode, the integrated kickstand within the leather folio cover ensures optimal viewing angles. The X1 Fold comes with a Bluetooth Mini Fold Keyboard – a slim accessory that can be wirelessly charged inside the system and secured using magnets. For faster note-taking, signing of documentation and creative brainstorms, users can harness the Active Pen.

“Change-makers in South Africa has always been at the forefront of embracing new technologies to power their growth, which is why we are delighted to be launching this PC in the local market. The ThinkPad X1 Fold is unique in that it not only combines lightweight with durability, it also increases the screen size to enhance productivity – all while being easy to slip into a small bag. We look forward to seeing how users in the country leverage this device to accelerate their own achievements and we are confident in the positive impact it will make,” said Thibault Dousson, General Manager, Lenovo South Africa.

Pricing and Availability

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold is available for pre-order now and comes with a Bluetooth Mini Fold Keyboard and Active Pen.

To pre-order the world’s first foldable PC, please visit https://www.shoplenovo.co.za/lenovo-thinpad-x1-fold. South African pricing starts from R69,999 – price is dependent on configuration and exchange rate. These prices can be viewed using the same link Shop Lenovo link (above).

The X1 Fold will land in stores in early 2021.

Cheers!!!

Support me if you like reading this blog post by buying me a cup of tea or coffee - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/TheLifesWay Contact at thelifesway@gmail.com to collaborate and promote your services and products. Subscribe to my YOUTUBE Channel for giveaways, product reviews and mystery unboxings. #TheLifesWay #9YearsofTheLifesWay. Namaste!

How Tech Companies Have Managed to Stay Relevant During Covid-19? @Lenovo_Africa

Hi Friends, 

Digital Transformation by Thibault Dousson, General Manager at Lenovo Southern Africa

Covid-19 has redefined what we previously deemed as normal in all aspects of our lives. It has thrust digital transformation to the forefront of the business arena and shown that if you cannot innovate and adapt to this new norm, then the end is imminent.

How consumers engage with businesses has also changed dramatically over the last few months, with technology and digital processes being more prevalent than ever. Companies that have been innovative, have made their products and services readily available, and could easily adapt to digital transformation stood a better chance of succeeding. Technology companies are a prime example of this, and they are well-positioned to thrive in this new norm.

Keeping up with times

The tech companies that continued to thrive throughout the pandemic are those that were poised for change. With consumers being home and already engaging in the digital space, whether it be for leisure or business, it was easy for tech companies such as Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft (with collaborative software) and Netflix to have a big financial and social impact. The result of this impact was driven by the services offered by these tech companies, as it was what consumers wanted and needed, thanks to the new reality created by COVID-19.

The repositioning of some of these companies was integral to their success, along with the use of e-commerce, collaboration with competitors, as well as thinking outside the box. A great example of this was Amazon. Even though the company’s business model is based on e-commerce, they still had to make a slight pivot when the pandemic hit. Amazon has never really done well in terms of food sales but by changing their business model to suit the needs of quarantined consumers, their sales skyrocketed.

Unfortunately, not all tech companies thrived during these times, mainly because their services were in opposition to Covid-19 lockdown regulations. Some examples here are tech companies associated with the tourism and transport industries. It is important that small businesses learn from these tech companies, the good and the bad lessons, as they have mapped out the blueprint of continuing to forge ahead even through adversity.

Survival, rather than growth, is at the forefront during a pandemic. And for a business to survive it is important to safeguard your business’ culture and reassure employees and customers of a better tomorrow while still making the pivotal shift to adapt to the times. Should a business reposition its tools and skills correctly, surviving undoubtedly turns into thriving?

Thibault Dousson, General Manager at Lenovo Southern Africa

Going increasingly digital

Working from home and going completely digital during the pandemic was something that Lenovo was ready for and all that was needed was to implement the structures that were already in place. Due to Lenovo being fully digitised, by the time the pandemic hit, the shift to employees working from home was seamless, and it was surprising just how much more productive everyone was under these circumstances.

However, once lockdown regulations were lowered, we became cognizant of the fact that some of our employees wanted to return to the office, under the correct protocols of course, as a result of their home working situations being less than ideal. This was due to a number of reasons, for example, lack of a proper workspace, distractions at home, or just needing to interact with co-workers. Collaborative work between co-workers and various teams was at the top of the reasoning list for employees to return to the office.

Although some of our employees choose to now be back at the office, our approach is still digital, especially as many people are still working from home. Lenovo has not lost any of the lessons taught by this lockdown and continues to look for more innovative and efficient ways of working that provide our people with more flexibility and choice.

The success of this model has also resulted in us at Lenovo investing more into digital marketing and training, which included our annual Lenovo South African Channel Award going completely virtual, with our resellers, retailers and distributors not missing a beat. The event saw over 500 partners were glued to their screen on the 3rd of September, proving our ability to be agile and adapt to the times, whilst keeping our key stakeholders engaged. Furthermore, we also underwent thorough online training to learn about the latest Lenovo product ranges and services via live online training sessions, with participation being incentivised using Lenovo care packages and prizes that were distributed ahead of every session. This new norm still drew upon the inspiration of a one-to-one experience without contravening any Covid-19 protocols.

Weathering the storm and where to

Moving forward, it is paramount for businesses to understand the importance of digital transformation. By leveraging technologies such as the cloud and other remote working tools, businesses will continue to evolve and thus stay relevant. Most of us take for granted how Zoom, Google Hangout and Microsoft Teams kept us in touch with the working world. Although they have always existed, they were underutilised and can be said to have been the best tech innovations during this Covid-19 period. These applications gave businesses the opportunity to continue to connect and function in a world that had come to a standstill.

Tech companies have always been a step ahead because of their already digitised systems. The future is digital, is your business ready to embrace it?

Cheers!!!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to collaborate and promote your brand, services and products. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #8YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts and subscribe to my YOUTUBE Channel too. Namaste!

Thinkbook 13s Fulfills All Your Productivity Needs @Lenovo_Africa #LenovoThinkbook13s #ProductReview

Hi Friends,

Lenovo has been at the forefront of the laptops industry and in the commercial space, it has brought about some of the unique products which are not only powerful but brings about all the productive features for people on the move and as South Africa needs it - for people impacted by the load-shedding. Along with the need to work from home a lot of factors are needed in your day to day devices to help you perform at an optimum level. I received this Lenovo Thinkbook 13s Laptop for Business which really broke away my perception of Thinkbooks as the matte black plastic body to a modern and fancy aluminum chassis in a great metallic finish.

Lenovo Thinkbook 13s as they call this particular model which came on my review desk and as I charged the same, I immediately fell in love with the body and the features the small package contained in this beast of an efficient machine. There are certain factors that determine your laptop buy decision - let's go through them one by one -

1. Value for Money - The first and topmost feature is the amount of money, you need to shell out and what are the various options available in the market in that price range. Generally, all laptop companies do consume the same kind of hardware and software inside the laptop in a price range. To reduce costs, you will have Celeron or AMD processors and can still have normal hard disks installed along with 4 GB RAM. The Lenovo 13s comes in the price range of  R19500 on Takealot but it brings in the power of Intel Core i5 processor along with 8GB DDR4 RAM and 512GB SSD.

2. Display - The second most important thing is the display, if you don't love watching the screen on your laptop, your purchase is not worth it. This I am saying because we use laptops to not only read text or presentations but also as an entertainment machine to watch videos and stream Netlfix or Youtube channels. Also, we do use them for a small kind of game that doesn't require hardcore hardware features. Lenovo 13s has a great display which is full high definition and you will immediately fall in love with the same. The configuration is 13.3" FHD (1920x1080) IPS 300nits Anti-glare Dolby Vision. My first use of the machine was to watch the movie as it has both the things necessary to make the entertainment great.

3. Sound Quality - The parameter I was talking about in the above point to make the entertainment experience better is the loud sound that should come out from any kind of laptop for a group session with family and friends or watching the same alone. When I bought my first Dell XPS L501 laptop in London long back in 20110-11, it was the Altec-Lansing speakers sound quality that attracted me to buy the same. Similarly, Lenovo 13s had this Harman Speakers of 2x 2W with the ability to produce Dolby-audio experience and I found them loud enough and much better than the one I have on my Dell laptop.

4. Portability - It's becoming the biggest factor as the world is bitten by the minimalism and doesn't want to carry heavier stuff and don't want to buy a lot of accessories. I also want to travel light and three factors come into the play - first being the overall weight of the machine, secondly, the battery life to go on a single charge, thirdly - the number of ports and inputs available to the user. All these factors bring about the portability as a whole in the equation. Lenovo 13s has a powerful battery that gives you power for more than 10 hours in a single charge and the overall weight of this metallic laptop is only 1.40 kilograms making it easy to slide into your backpack or executive leather bag. Other than the charging port, Lenovo 13s features a USB Type C port, HDMI Port, Headphone/Mic combo, USB 3.1, USB 3.1 (Always On) port to charge your smartphone.

5. Security - Data breaches are a real-world problem and we hear stories of data hacking from time to time. Lenovo 13s comes with a Touch fingerprint reader which is integrated with the power on-off button. Secondly, the webcam which is 720p camera and is pre-installed with the Think-Shutter which you can keep off with just a slide, and the camera is covered and you can slide it and the camera is visible for all those zoom calls. This feature really won my heart as I have not seen this one in any other laptop brands.

6. WoW Features - There shall always be some features that we are not looking for but really want the laptop to have. Lenovo 13s comes with spill-resistant where the keyboard can take some kind of water and coffee spillage. Up to what level it can take, I didn't put that to the test but anyway a feature to enjoy. I always want the laptop keyboard to be backlighted as it enables and helps you to work in the night without any table lamp glowing in your side of the bed spoiling the sleep of your family members. Lenovo 13s has white LED lighting in the keyboard which can be enabled and disabled as per your choice.

Overall, though this one is an executive looking enterprise laptop but it has some great features to become a favorite in the entertainment category too if you have the budget of around R20000 and as my brother who has been using the laptops since 2003 and used almost all the brands including Apple, IBM, Dell and many more and now using the Lenovo Carbon series as a recommended laptop for all his employees all over the world. I got the laptop for 2 weeks review but I fell in love with this Lenovo 13s and never wanted it to go back to the PR company or the brand. I hope and wish that someday I will migrate from my 10 years old Dell XPS L501 to this Lenovo 13s laptop.

Cheers!!!

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Celebrating a Mom-in-Tech: Claire Carter @Lenovo_Africa Marketing Director for the MEA Region

Hi Friends, 

Claire Carter, Lenovo’s Marketing Director for MEA, chats about the business benefits of having more women in the tech industry and why Lenovo sees this as a priority.

1. When you started at Lenovo two years ago, you had spent nearly two decades in the FMCG industry, working for brands like KFC and Flora. From a gender balance perspective, what first struck you about the differences between working for a consumer technology company and an FMCG company?

CC: Tech is undoubtedly more of a male-dominated field, particularly in the Middle East region, which was very different from what I was used to in FMCG. But I moved to this industry because I wanted to be part of the digital revolution, as technology becomes more and more embedded in our everyday lives. It wasn’t an easy switch to make, but I was drawn to Lenovo particularly because of their focus on supporting women in their leadership journeys.

2. Only 25% of people working in the tech industry are female. What do you think is the reason for this?

CC: Certain fields have a gender-skewed legacy; for example, historically technology has been seen as a ‘male’ industry, just as areas like teaching have been regarded as ‘female’. It’s precisely this legacy that the Women in Lenovo @ Leadership (WILL) network are redressing by focusing on hiring, retaining, mentoring and promoting women. Thirty percent of Lenovo’s workforce is female, which is above the industry average.

3. Why do you think gender balance is crucial for companies, and specifically tech organizations?

CC: There have been many studies showing that gender-balanced teams perform far better than those that are dominated by just men or just women. Diversity in all forms – whether we’re talking about gender, or ethnicity, or age – is always beneficial for companies. Quite simply, diversity of approach delivers better results. For example, women generally go about their daily tasks differently to men and deal with people differently.

This gender balance is crucial for the tech industry, in particular, bearing in mind that 60 to 80 percent of consumer buying decisions are made by women. It’s important that we focus on the human aspect of our devices, i.e. what they can do to enhance your life, rather than just the technical specifications. Lenovo ensures that women are a part of our product focus panels right from the design phase.

Claire Carter_Lenovo Marketing Director, PC & Smart Devices Group, Middle East and Africa

4. What do you really love about your job and working at Lenovo?

CC: Leading a marketing team is not my only job; I am also a mom, and Lenovo helps me to be present and productive in both roles. I’m not judged on the number of hours I spend at my desk but rather evaluated on my outputs. I love our agile culture, which is leaps ahead of other companies. I have flexibility so I can pick the kids up from school in the middle of the day if I need to, and a team I can count on to keep things running smoothly while I’m out of the office. Lenovo empowers its people and in this way gets the best out of everyone.

5. What has been your personal experience with the Women in Lenovo Leadership’ (WILL) network?

CC: Lenovo established WILL back in 2007 as a global platform for local initiatives to support women in our company to succeed. To be honest, I didn’t realize how important it was for me personally to be part of a programme like this one until I started to become actively involved in WILL. You don’t know what a meaningful role you can play in paying it forward to other women until you get the opportunity to do so.

6. Are there any women working in the tech space who you admire and why?

CC: I’m a great fan of Sheryl Sandberg, the CEO of Facebook. In her TED talk, “Why we have too few women leaders”, she focuses on the gender battle of confidence versus competence.

Men are just better at selling themselves, while women inherently lack confidence, even though they possess the skills needed to do a job effectively. This notion really resonates with me, and it’s something I tackle through my work with WILL and also as a facilitator for Google’s I Am Remarkable initiative, which focuses on women empowerment.

7. What three tips would you offer another woman who wants to work in the tech industry?

CC: Firstly, make sure you have a team you can count on and trust. Secondly, find a reverse mentor, i.e. someone younger than you who knows more about the ever-changing world of tech and can help you navigate through areas you need to build know-how on. Finally – be brave! Sit proudly at that boardroom table and don’t be shy to say your piece.

8. Why would you encourage women to consider roles in the tech space?

CC: Why would you want to work anywhere else?! Tech isn’t just a small department in your company, it’s how we all run our lives, both personally and professionally. It’s exciting to be a part of an industry that simplifies people’s lives and empowers them with tools, especially when working for a respected and innovative leader in the tech space like Lenovo.

Cheers!!!

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Walking The Talk: User Experience Trends in #Voice & #Video By Thibault Dousson @Lenovo_Africa #DifferentIsBetter

Hi Friends,

Written by Thibault Dousson, General Manager, Lenovo South Africa & SADC

At the intersection of customer-centric innovation and user experience (UX), we’re also seeing some profoundly interesting trends developing in the global technology UX space, which are changing the way we interact with, and think about, computing.

While pointing, clicking, and typing still have their place, we’ve also cemented tapping and swiping into our collective consciousness in the past few years. Additionally, speaking is now becoming a fixture. Although the voice is not yet a popular interface in South Africa, I think it will soon grow in usage here, as voice and intelligent assistants continue to evolve at an impressive rate.

This makes sense for sheer convenience when you consider that research shows we can type about 40 words per minute, but can only speak about 150 words per minute comfortably. Soon, we won’t just use voice activation in smartphones, speakers, and cars, but far more ubiquitously with laptops, and multiple devices around the home and office.

Moving to multimodal input
In fact, our interaction with smart devices will become more multimodal, moving toward what is most natural for the user or the environment they are in. That means instead of using voice or keyboard and mouse or tapping and swiping in isolated ways – we’ll increasingly use them together in more layered ways (imagine touching the screen while voicing a command). We’re beginning to move in this direction with innovations like far-field mics facilitating voice-enabled intelligent AIs such as Cortana and Alexa in some of our Lenovo laptops because it can be easier to talk to your PC in addition to using a traditional input like the mouse. The layering of visual and audible content, as well as voice and touch, is another example because sometimes it’s just easier to tap the desired result versus saying a command out loud or glancing at the display for data instead of listening.

Overall, the voice is an area that still needs to evolve – and it will. We’re currently in what I call the ‘Wild, Wild West’ of voice. Just consider the multiple voice offerings all jostling for customer attention: Alexa, Cortana, Google Assistant, Siri, Bixby, and so on.

Choices to fit your needs
The unanswered question in the face of these options is chosen. In my view, consumers will not want to be confined to one ecosystem. I believe the longer-term winners in voice will be the companies that make offerings which are interoperable with others – like our latest ThinkPad X1 series and Yoga 730 that are Cortana and Alexa-ready. The point is to empower users to play music, get news, or shop online using just their voices. This reflects a shift that is redefining the PC to something much more than a work-focused or task-based machine; in various form factors, PCs will fit into your suite of home-based consumer products, capable of being your intelligent digital assistant and playing a role in running your home appliances – all via voice.

The evolution of sight + sound
This leads me to a point about a growing user experience trend around the integration of video and voice. Over the next year or so, when customers speak a command, we’ll increasingly see a tailored response applicable to that command. For example, a simple question might be answered solely by your voice assistant. But a more complex request may provide the user with a more rounded response: it could be a graphical visualization or even a video. In line with this direction is our new Lenovo Smart Display with Google Assistant built-in. It’s all about the evolution of sight and sound with the intention of saving a user’s time and making their home life smarter and more convenient by adding context-relevant visuals. Users will be able to begin their morning with the latest weather, traffic situation, and meeting schedules, or relax in the evening by video-calling friends and watching YouTube – once again, just by using their voice.

Changing orientations
We expect to see an increase in both video content and video usage frequency as this trend takes hold. Data suggests that smartphones are held in portrait mode up to 94% of the time – which has been driving the use of portrait video, given that smartphones are the dominant consumption device. As a result, more portrait video is showing up in other form factors such as laptops, tablets, desktops, and now in the Lenovo Smart Display that transitions seamlessly from landscape to portrait mode. And with millions of millennials live streaming and watching hours of videos online each day, we will see better cameras, better displays, more augmented reality (AR) video content, and more evolved AI that does a better job analyzing video to help with better user recommendations.

I’m excited about what these voice and video trends will bring. Expect users to become more willing and savvy as they use voice skills with devices in more sophisticated ways. And expect voice to become more intelligent and useful in AR settings, IoT applications in the smart home and office, and for handling the better cross-device interaction. Interesting times are ahead.

Cheers!!!

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@Lenovo Kicks Off Multi-Year @ScuderiaFerrari Partnership in #Melbourne #FormulaOne

Hi Friends, 

As it continues its ambitions to become one of the world’s most admired and globally recognized brands, Lenovo has entered into a multi-year sponsorship partnership with Scuderia Ferrari – starting with the 2018 season which kicked off in Melbourne on Sunday, 25th March.

The partnership will see brand exposure through the placement of the Lenovo logo on the side wing and front suspension of the Scuderia Ferrari 2018 F1 single-seater as well as team uniforms and on the arm of drivers’ racing suits. Lenovo will also be providing products (ThinkPad laptops and Miix tablets) to be used by Scuderia Ferrari on and off the track.

Commenting on the sponsorship, Lenovo Corporate President and Chief Operating Officer Gianfranco Lanci, said: “Lenovo is happy to partner with Scuderia Ferrari and to get close to one of the most iconic global brands, recognized for excellence in design, performance, and innovation – all values that are important to Lenovo. The combination of the global platform of Formula One and the Ferrari brand is the perfect opportunity for us to further grow the Lenovo brand on the world stage.”

The Lenovo logo first appeared on the SF71H single-seater on 22nd February in Maranello, Italy and debuted in Melbourne for the first Grand Prix of the 2018 F1 season. 

About Lenovo
Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a US$43 billion global Fortune 500 company and a leader in providing the innovative consumer, commercial, and data center technology. Lenovo's portfolio of high-quality, secure products and services covers PCs (including the legendary Think and multimode Yoga brands), workstations, servers, storage, networking, software (including ThinkSystem and ThinkAgile solutions), smart TVs and a family of mobile products like smartphones (including the Motorola brand), tablets and apps. Join on LinkedIn, follow on Facebook or Twitter (@Lenovo) or visit at http://www.lenovo.com/.

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