New Fujifilm X-S20 Makes Life Easy for vloggers & Travellers @fujifilmx_za #FujifilmXS20

Hi Guys, 

• X-S20 brings the latest auto-focus tech, Vlog mode and a larger battery to the compact body.
• Also, an ultra-wide lens coming to SA, with the new Fujifilm XApp app available for enhanced wireless image transfer.

Fujifilm South Africa has announced the Fujifilm X-S20 mirrorless camera, the follow-up to the 2020s highly regarded X-S10. The X-S20 continues down the path set by its older brother, making it easy for both beginners and professional photographers alike, not forgetting about videographers and now also vloggers.

Quick and easy vlogging

For vloggers, Fujifilm has incorporated a new Vlog mode. It works by setting the Mode dial on the top panel to ‘Vlog’ in order to have the X-S20 ready for recording video in a second. Doing so activates the LCD monitor to display the live view alongside six important functions (such as Background Defocus mode, Product Priority mode and High-Speed Rec.), making it easy to adjust settings by simply touching the screen.

To make recording convenient, the X-S20 comes equipped with a 1.84-million-dot rear vari-angle LCD monitor to clearly view yourself when shooting video, while the camera can be also combined with Fujifilm’s innovative TG-BT1 tripod grip for enhanced vlog production.

By using a USB-Type C cable to connect the camera to a computer, vloggers can use the X-S20 as a webcam without having to install extra software. This allows them to continue to use Fujifilm’s innovative Film Simulation modes even during live streaming or an online meeting, and also able to adjust shooting settings on the fly.

As far as video capture capabilities, the X-S20 can record 6.2K/30P 4:2:2 10-bit video internally, further supporting extensive video functions including 4K/60P and 1080/240P.

Improvements all around

First seen on the X-S10, the X-S20 features the signature large grip for stability, being further enhanced with a five-axis in-body image stabilization (IBIS) mechanism that offers up to a 7.0-stop advantage. Fujifilm also drastically improved battery life on the X-S20, with the newly adopted high-capacity NP-W235 battery capturing approx. 800 frames (more than double the X-S10), making it an ideal travel camera. This status is further confirmed by the weight of the camera, pulling the scales at only 491g.

The X-S20 is certainly no slouch, boasting the back-illuminated 26.1MP X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor and the high-speed X-Processor 5 image processing engine to produce high-quality images and video. This is the same image processing engine found in Fujifilm’s flagship X-T5 camera and allows for a number of improvements including to the auto-focus (AF) system.

Importantly, Fujifilm brings its latest subject-detection AF technology to the X-S20, developed with Deep Learning technology. Now users can detect drones, cars, animals, birds, motorcycles, bicycles, aeroplanes, trains and insects, keeping them in focus for the perfect shot. In AUTO mode – advantageous for beginner photographers – the X-S20 automatically selects the optimum settings according to scenes, complemented by the new AUTO Subject Detection function.

Fujifilm X-S20 - local price and availability

A full all-rounder that caters to professionals, beginners and vloggers, the Fujifilm X-S20 should be available in South Africa in mid-June with a suggested retail price of R23 900 (incl. VAT), or R29 500 (incl. VAT) for X-S20 body alongside an 18-55mm lens.

Fujifilm’s widest lens yet - the XF8mmF3.5 R WR

Alongside the X-S20, Fujifilm has also launched its widest XF lens yet. The Fujinon XF8mmF3.5 R WR is an ultra-wide angle (UWA) prime lens with a focal length of 8mm (equivalent to 12mm in the 35mm film format). It boasts a viewing angle of 121 degrees diagonally and 112 degrees horizontally, capturing information from an area about double the effective visual field that human vision can recognise. The compact and lightweight design makes it an ideal walkaround lens with a wide range of applications including landscape, architecture, snapshots and travel photography. Furthermore, the lens barrel is weather-sealed at ten locations to achieve dust- and weather resistance and is able to operate in temperatures as low as -10°C.

The Fujinon XF8mmF3.5 R WR ultra-wide angle lens is expected in South Africa in mid-June with a suggested retail price standing at R16 500 (incl. VAT).

New XApp app brings stability to wireless image transfer

Last but certainly not least, Fujifilm is also releasing a new app to use with the GFX / X Series of digital cameras - the XApp. This app connects Fujifilm’s Wi-Fi-capable digital cameras with a smart device for remote shooting, image transfer and viewing. It offers improved wireless communication stability and speed over the previous app, allowing for smoother picture transfer and simplified operations. With the XApp, users can remotely operate a GFX / X Series camera from a connected smartphone/tablet while checking images in the Live View mode. There’s also a new ‘Timeline’ function which gathers and displays shooting information such as the camera and lens used, number of images taken, shooting location and more. The Fujifilm XApp is available for free to download from the most important app stores right now.

Aum Namah Shivay!

Till next time...Aashish 

Thanks! Cheers!!! 

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Why #HuaweiNova9 Is A #vlogger's Dream? @HuaweiZA #BeInspiredBenova

Hi Friends, 

The brand-new HUAWEI nova 9 is here, and if you’re a vlogger with great ambitions of taking over the internet, this is the device for you.

For the first time in the HUAWEI nova Series, the HUAWEI nova 9 features Huawei’s impressive flagship-grade camera technology. These features come together to create sharp, vivid, professional-looking photographs and videos that are ready for your social pages with only the bare minimum of editing. Here’s what you can look forward to.

The HUAWEI nova 9 features a powerful 50MP ultra-vision camera system that includes an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera, a macro camera and a depth camera. These lenses use an RYYB colour filter array, which helps them to capture 40% more light and an XD Fusion Engine, which uses sophisticated computational photography techniques to enhance the detail and quality of your pictures.

Whether you’re taking night photos, panoramas, portraits, close-ups or action shots, the HUAWEI nova 9 enables you to capture high-quality images at almost pro-grade clarity.

All of these impressive photographic features also apply to the device’s video functionality. If you want to become an active vlogger, or you simply enjoy sharing videos of your life with your family and friends, the video capabilities of the HUAWEI nova 9 are sure to impress.

The HUAWEI nova 9 features a 32MP high-res front camera, which also supports 4K video capture and AI image stabilisation. This means you can capture high-definition footage of yourself while you talk to the camera without appearing unstable or out of focus.

The device’s continuous front/rear recording feature also allows you to switch between the front and rear cameras easily. Now you can seamlessly capture the world around you in a single video file. Dual-view video recording, which simultaneously uses the front and rear cameras, also allow you to showcase your live reactions to things happening around you. No editing is required!

With the HUAWEI nova 9’s Petal Clip app, you can choose from a variety of video templates and themes before posting your vlogs or other videos to social media. The HUAWEI nova 9’s video search and one-click video creation feature also help to streamline complicated editing processes. All you need to do is enter a keyword for the images or videos you’re trying to find in your gallery, and your smartphone will intelligently identify any relevant shots. Click “edit” once and create your very own masterpiece.

Of course, in true Huawei fashion, the HUAWEI nova 9 isn’t just powerful, it’s also beautiful to look at and to hold. The HUAWEI nova 9 has a stunning 6.57-inch Original-Colour Curved Display with a tapered surface that feels smooth and natural in your hand. Its designers have also minimised the left and right bezels for a more immersive viewing experience.

Measuring only 7.77mm thick and weighing just 175g, the HUAWEI nova 9 features a refresh rate of up to 120Hz and a touch sampling rate of 300Hz for an immediate response to even the lightest touch. It also boasts a powerful processor, excellent battery life and Huawei’s 66W SuperCharge for lightning-fast charging speeds.

If you’re a photographer or vlogger who prioritises superior performance and jaw-dropping looks, then you deserve the HUAWEI nova 9, which is available in two shimmering colours – Starry Blue and Black.

Pre-order the HUAWEI nova 9, priced at R12,999, between 26 and 30 November and you’ll receive a HUAWEI FreeLace, as well as a free HUAWEI Watch GT (valued at R3,699). Pay an R99 deposit when you pre-order and get R1,499 off. Ts and Cs apply.

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How a Good #Smartphone Can Make You A Great #vlogger? @HuaweiZA #HuaweiMate40Pro

Hi Friends, 

When it comes to vlogging, one of the key components in your visuals. Whether you’re vlogging about food, fashion or sports, a great smartphone camera that takes beautiful pictures and videos, like the one on the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro, goes a long way to making your content compulsively watchable.

The HUAWEI Mate40 Pro’s Ultra Vision Selfie Camera, Super Sensing Wide Camera, Ultra Wide Cine Camera and the Periscope Telephoto Camera empower the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro’s photography capabilities. With XD Fusion HDR Video, Steady Shot, Front and Rear Dual-View Video, Tracking Shot, Audio Focus, Audio Zoom and more – you can ensure that memorable moments can be recorded anytime and anywhere. Here’s a breakdown of each camera and what it can do to help you on your vlogging career journey.

This HUAWEI Mate40 Pro’s 50 MP Super Sensing Wide Camera features an industry-leading 1/1.28-inch sensor and a Huawei-exclusive RYYB colour filter array (CFA), supporting Full Pixel Octa PD AutoFocus. The eight-channel multi-spectrum Colour Temperature Sensor augments the main camera to further enhance picture quality. So, if you’re a vlogger who prides themselves on producing high-quality content, then you will appreciate the attention to detail that the super-wide camera brings out in pictures and video. This is a great camera to use when shooting food content, especially when cooking with fruit and vegetables –all of those colours and textures will come out looking spectacular.

The Mate40 Pro’s 20MP ultra-wide camera supports a superbly wide field of view. In addition, this highly versatile camera features algorithms that enhance picture quality and correct distortion. A wide field of view is well suited for taking photos in narrow areas and group shots, as it allows more content to be packed into the frame. So, the next time you go exploring the city, be sure to take pictures of some of the intricate graffiti, which tends to be in hard to reach places; the effort will definitely be appreciated by your YouTube vlog channel viewers.

The telephoto camera on this smartphone supports 10 times hybrid zoom and 50 times digital zoom, allowing users to easily capture faraway objects as if they were up close. The comprehensive zoom options give users the ability to capture from a greater range. This camera is perfect for capturing food content. Imagine zooming in on the stove while you’re making a salmon flambé; the fierce, fiery flames are all the drama you need to keep your viewers gobsmacked.

Then there’s the Ultra Vision Selfie Camera, which is perfect if you’re a beauty vlogger as it’ll make shooting your how-to eyebrow tutorials easy. This is because the phone’s front camera supports ultra-wide captures, dynamic and smart field of view adjustment and facial distortion correction algorithms. With three fields of view supported, you can easily fit everything you want in the frame.

When it comes to videos, the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro supports XD Fusion HDR Video on its Ultra Wide Cine Camera, Super Sensing Wide Camera and Ultra Vision Selfie Camera. It uses the powerful quad-core ISP to process a massive dataset for balancing exposure, with consistently high-quality results. By using cameras on both sides of the device, users can document their life from multiple angles, or take a close-up shot and a wide shot at the same time. This is a dream come true for those of you who do vlog collaborations with brands for adverts. And if you’re an aspiring filmmaker, this will definitely up your video shooting game.

The HUAWEI Mate40 Pro is powered by a Kirin 990 processor and has 8GB RAM to make sure that it doesn’t slow down. All of these features and hardware are powered by a 4200mAh battery, which can last through the day, meaning more time to capture as many visuals as you want. So, if you’re looking to kickstart your vlog, look no further than the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro.

Buy the HUAWEI Mate40 Pro before 30 April for just R19,999 on the Huawei Store (Online) and receive a complimentary bundle consisting of HUAWEI FreeBuds 3, a HUAWEI Wireless Charger CP60 and the HUAWEI VIP Service, all valued at R5,697. Stock is limited. Ts and Cs apply.

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!

Video Journey of #LoneCreekFalls #Sabie #SouthAfrica #TheLifesWayCaptures

Hi Friends, 

Lone Creek Falls is around 12km from Sabie, 50km from Lydenburg, 107km from Dullstroom. The waterfall is around 68m high. There is plenty of space for braai and toilet facilities are also available adjoining the parking area in a park. Kids totally enjoyed the falls and people enjoyed watching the falls from various pedestals made at Lone Creek Falls near Sabie, South Africa. 

My little one wanted to enter the water and did so by wetting his feet in the pool. Moreover, there were so many small fishes in the pool that used to eat your dead skin of the feet if you keep them still for some time which gives a tickling sensation. Enjoy this marvelous beauty of South Africa!

Enjoy the video from the Lone Creek Falls - my first attempt to show you the journey to reach Lone Creek Falls, Sabie, South Africa. Follow me on Youtube and watch more journeys - दक्षिण अफ्रीका में घूमने चलिए 

Sawubona!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts. Namaste!

Yawn Can Be Dangerous! @RhinoandLionSA #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

Hi Friends, 

Yawn is an involuntarily opening one's mouth and inhale deeply due to boredom or tiredness as per the dictionary and here is this Lioness whose unbrushed teeth you can see in all its might. 

The power of these jaws can easily crack the bones of any bull or ox and even horses, humans are just tender meat. 

Nature has given her teeth which will make a hook kind of grip in a single go. There is no saving yourself if it attempts and is able to open her mouth and put some teeth into any animal's legs etc. 

If the lioness is feeling boredom, what about the humans locked inside their houses these days. 

So as Steve Jobs once said that Keep Looking Don't settle, we too need to keep ourselves focussed on the strengths we have and improve them further by giving it a focussed thought of improving. 

It is indeed easier said than done but I am also trying hard to accommodate with a clear mind and getting back to the class nursery when the timetable was introduced to us in schools. 

Once I have completed this admin work, I am able to focus and is ready for any goal, any habit, any project which I need to complete within the next few days. I am ready to attack with complete focus and fire in the belly.

All the photos are taken by Aashish Rai using the Nikon D7000 camera at Lion and Rhino Nature Reserve, Johannesburg, South Africa. 

Namaste!!!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts. Namaste!

Last Few Seconds at Turffontein Racecourse #Joburg #SA #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

Hi Friends,

It was my first time trip to a Racecourse where Horses race and people bet their money to earn money multiplied or losing the same. I have never been to a racecourse earlier anywhere in any country I lived in so I was very excited to go and visit Turffontein Racecourse.

I was invited by a friend of mine who used to publish a local newspaper and there was a charity event he was part of and he told me to come with my wife for lunch.

It took me a little bit of time to reach the venue as I got lost in the path as it passes a local colony in the CBD area of Johannesburg, South Africa.

Once I reached there it was a madhouse, with so many cars and the parking space being full. It took time to enter the gates of the venue and find a parking space.

Once we parked the car, then we had to walk for another 10 minutes to the hall gates we were invited to. This is like a soccer stadium where you will find so many gates and so many floors.

Then there were many setups at the venue who were issuing the bands as per your tickets to those who have purchased them and many other people who were invited. Once I found the right desk, I was issued some bands and my friend too came to take us to his table.

Once settled I immediately took to the balcony of the racecourse and captured these images using my Nikon D7000 camera with Sigma 70-300mm lens.

The horse definitely is one of the powerful and I now know why performance cars got their horsepower derivatives from. The last few seconds of the race are captured here in the racecourse. 

As they found the winner these shining horses went back to their stables and we enjoyed a nice lunch buffet at Turffontein Racecourse and the evening thereafter.

Namaste!!!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts. Namaste!

Reflecting Your True Self #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

Hi Friends,

Reflecting to see what's inside of the universe is generally shown in the sci-fi movies where they try to find the new dimensions available and how to travel far and wide to the same. 

Sometimes you do visit someplace where you definitely need to see for the signs that all points towards reflecting inside of us and identify what is our true potential. 

I am working on looking inside of me and always keep on checking my behavior at the end of the day to reflect on all the decisions, gossips and actions I took and what I could have done and handled better. 

We might say that we are busy and one day when we will be free we will check what's happening inside of us. But the main part is that as we go ahead in our lives our reflections are part of ourselves and that's why you see a lot of journals and books on journalling are coming to make you aware of these daily reflections. As we move further, do reflect and comment on what journaling method you are getting the best output from. Don't forget to realize your potential, my friends. 

All photos are taken using Nikon D7000 at Walter Sisulu Botanical Garden, Roodepoort, Johannesburg, South Africa. 

Namaste!!!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts. Namaste!

#TheLifesWayCaptures - @GlobalVillageAE #GVMemories24 #Dubai VII #PhotoReviews

Hi Friends,

This is the final post of Global Village but before saying Goodbye to the venue let's see some of the more spots in this multicultural park. I hope you will continue to enjoy all the posts and the photos in low light. 

There is an awesome lake with fountains which also has fire built into it so when a musical sequence occurs it is a different experience as compared to the one in front of Dubai Mall. 

Ripley's Believe it or Not also has a gallery that was open to all the people visiting the Global Village. It has its own separate tickets that need to be bought at the counter right at the entrance to the gallery. 

A basic boat that might be the first building block of creating an empire called Dubai and making it a global city worth living. I really love the city and looking forward to living in the same one day.

Pakistan gallery I have kept for last as an Indian we are fed with all different kinds of information which develop our emotions in the name of nationalism but let's see the similar culture it has like India. 

Auto or Three-wheeler is also famous in India but Pakistan has gone further by decorating it with colors that look really great. Desi delights was the shop where we really tried the food and the guy told that this chaat is more favorite in Indian tourists and that's why they have kept it there. 

Look at another truck which is used to transport goods etc in our countries and generally, it is decorated by the owners in their own ways and in Punjab, there are many shops which only work on decorating the trucks and tractors. 

So in the end, Global Village is something that will open your mind and eyes to the realities of the world and each citizen wants peace and wants to enjoy in his own home and with family. We are all bound by the same emotions and relationships. 

Global Village is really great and there is so much to see and I can assure you that in Season 25 it will be great and grand. Do check it out if you are in Dubai and have an evening to spend in the city, do visit the place and eat some of the street foods at food trucks and there are restaurants also available at the venue. 

Namaste!!!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts. Namaste!

Turn Those Busy Young Minds Into Busy Bees at Home @READEduTrust

Hi Friends, 

There is a saying that has become truly profound in 2020: “Expect the unexpected. Believe in the unbelievable. Achieve the unachievable.” As the world is faced with the devastation that is COVID-19, one thing is becoming very clear: self-isolation could well stop this highly contagious virus in its tracks. But how do we keep our kids positively engaged during this time?

At READ Educational Trust, we believe the key is to keep enquiring young minds active! For this reason, READ Educational Trust is pleased to give parents and children across South Africa access to a series of home activities called Busy ‘B’ Home Activities, during the period of mandatory lockdown.

Available through links on all our websites and social media pages, the Busy ‘B’ Series is set to help you keep your children positively engaged at home! Best of all? Every activity is 100% FREE!

READ is catering for kids from Grade 4 through to high school. Types of activities include a self-discovery game, to stimulate conversation and set imaginations alive; a newspaper race game (great to use those free weekly newspapers delivered to many of our gates!), treasures in our lives (encouraging gratitude in our children), and people we treasure! and many more…

All the Busy ‘B’ activities are sourced from our hugely successful Readathon Red Reading Box series. Released annually for the past seven years, the Red Reading Boxes are filled with activities, games, and stories to encourage reading skills and literacy in children from Grade 4 through high school.

For those parents who would like to find out more about the Red Reading Box series, please feel free to visit https://thereadshop.co.za/, where they may be purchased. With every literacy product purchased, 100% of profits will be used by READ to further our literacy promotion in disadvantaged communities.

Visit http://www.read.org.za/busy-b-home-activities/ to download the activities and follow us on social media links, Facebook: www.facebook.com/READEduTrust, Twitter: www.twitter.com/READEduTrust, Instagram: www.instagram.com/read_educational_trust for more tips and updates.

We might not have expected the unexpected virus, but we can believe in the unbelievable: a successful vaccine to be developed; and achieve the previously unachievable, in terms of successful self-isolation!

Namaste!!!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts. Namaste!

#HuaweiMapKit Improving Location-Based Experience of #HMSApps @HuaweiZA

Hi Friends, 

HUAWEI Map Kit has received widespread attention since last year's HUAWEI Developer Conference and this attention only increased with the release of HMS Core 4.0 in January and the online HUAWEI device and strategy launch conference on 24 February 2020.

Fast-paced Development from the Ground Up

In the few months since release, HUAWEI Map Kit has been providing multi-purpose functions such as map display, multi-route planning, place search, and global coverage. This to meet the requirements of various apps including social, e-commerce, health and fitness, and other apps. Map Kit serves more than 200 countries and regions worldwide and is available in 50 languages. It provides more than 700 APIs of six types and has been integrated into more than 70 apps.

From Supplementing Capabilities to Overtaking Rivals

During the online launch event for the Mate Xs, it was observed that HUAWEI Map Kit has evolved from supplementing capabilities to overtaking rivals by offering superior performance in multiple features including personalised map display and multi-route planning.

HUAWEI Map Kit is a map service for developers, rather than a map application, and merges capabilities of Map Kit, Site Kit, and Location Kit. Huawei cooperates with global partners such as TomTom to help developers outside China implement personalised map displays and interactivity, improving the overall location-based service experience of their apps. HUAWEI Map Kit has helped the Huawei Health app to provide better user experiences for over 43 million users globally.

For HUAWEI Map Kit, this is all just the beginning, and we look forward to unveiling and exploring its ever-expanding capabilities.

Namaste!!!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts. Namaste!

Top 8 Tips On For Working from Home #WesternDigital

Hi Friends, 

Technology is critical to helping people stay connected in a time when we are asked to keep social isolation. The better IT teams can make this transition successful, the more they can help employees feel empowered. Here are 8 tips from the IT team at Western Digital to yours.

As a precaution to the recent novel coronavirus, more and more companies and governments are either encouraging or have made work-from-home mandatory. IT teams are tasked with leading this transition across data systems, mobile computing devices, applications and new security challenges so employees can feel both connected and productive at home (both are not straightforward tasks).

We’ve gathered a few tips from our IT team here at Western Digital to help your workforce’s transition be more successful. Here are the top eight:

1) Don’t Wait – Start Today (Literally, Right Now)

Most companies today already have part of their workforce working from home, but it’s an entirely different scenario when hundreds, or thousands, of people are connecting remotely to virtual systems at the same time. If your company is still not encouraging working from home, or only partially, use the time now to prepare for the potential – a situation where most employees will need to access applications and data securely from remote locations. Being a step ahead with your data infrastructure, policies and documentation, will help ensure a smooth transition for your business at a critical time.

2) Test It Till You Break It

Test your systems to ensure performance, reliability and scalability. Test application and hardware infrastructure at maximum load; understand how many concurrent connections your VPN can support; send your entire IT team to work from home. Find out where the remote operations gaps are. It’s far better to see what breaks in a test scenario than when your company’s employees depend on it. So, learn in advance where the weak points are and fix them now.

3) Streamline the Muddle of Communication and Security Tools

There is a plethora of virtual meetings, chat, documentation, project and other management tools out there, and likely people are using more than one in your company today (whether authorized or not). This is the time to streamline the official tools employees should be using, ensuring these services can scale (you may need to review your SaaS contracts) and put documentation in place (accessible in a shared repository) on how to install and use them.

4) Get Ready to Monitor With 24/7 Support

With any new situation you’ll need to closely monitor infrastructure to be able to respond to any shortfalls in real time. With employees using an all new technology setup, and many potentially veering from regular daytime working hours (think of those with children at home who will catch up on work late at night), expect to need to provide more IT support than usual, and at different hours of the day.

5) Establish Policies for Laptops, Services, and Peripherals

You’ll need to establish policies for how your company can support employees at home with everything from internet services, to computing devices, or peripherals. Some questions you should explore:

• How many employees will require a laptop to work from home? How many can you provision?
• Will the company pay for internet or phone services?
• What if someone does not have internet services or needs to upgrade speed?
• What’s the policy on ordering peripherals such as keyboards, monitors, headphone sets, etc.?

6) Create Practical Documentation (and Accessibility)

The more you can support and enable the remote workforce to use the proper tools, the more you can impact the productivity and morale of the business. Prepare with the right documentation to enable everyone to work better – both end users at home and your IT team. Make sure to have a clear place where employees can find how-to guides on installing all the applications and accessibility tools they need. Take a moment to also ensure you have documentation and account accessibility for all IT systems should a core team member be unavailable.

7) Automate. Repeat.

Now is the time to explore what else can be automated in your IT workflows, particularly when it comes to IT tickets and support questions. You’ll be seeing a lot of similar support questions, and tools like AI-enabled chatbots have come a long way to ease the pressure off your team members for commonly asked questions. With working from home possibly an ongoing situation, IT may need to support the business in new channels and undertakings. Anything that can be automated will allow your team to focus on more complex tasks.

8) Set Up a Better Home Office, Together

Whether it’s tips on how to set up a dedicated workspace, to desk ergonomics, working from family-shared spaces, or how to set structured breaks to unplug– you’ll need to help your workforce feel productive and connected from home. Using multiple ways of communication – guides, chats, shared meetings – can not only help people find ways to be more efficient, but also set an example of how to stay better connected in a virtual environment. You can offer a virtual help desk to make communication feel personal, create online ‘rooms’ for water cooler chats, and simply get creative.

Technology is critical to helping people stay connected in a time where we are asked to keep social isolation. These abrupt changes are challenging for both IT infrastructure and employee morale. The better IT teams can make this transition successful the more they can help the workforce feel empowered, find new ways to bond and keep spirits up.

Namaste!!!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts. Namaste!

#TheLifesWayCaptures - @GlobalVillageAE #GVMemories24 #Iran VI #PhotoReviews

Hi Friends,

There is so much to showcase at the Global Village that this post is dedicated to Iran as that attracted me to enter its gallery and you will see why? 

During the day time, Global Village looks totally different and that's why it is opened in the evenings around 5pm. Changing lights, fireworks, fire, water, and fountains makes the whole thing look like Disneyland. 

The gates were really awesome with so many details in them and I immediately wanted to capture it all. 

Iran gallery has huge gates and these shops selling unique merchandise from the country. Now I am really not sure whether the stuff was made in China or imported from Iran. 

Just enjoying the view of the whole setup was really relaxing and put me in amaze. 

Look at the King in the center of the shops as I continued to go towards the same and this was one of the biggest highlights of the Iran setup at Global Village in Dubai.

This was Season 24 of Global Village so what will happen in Season 25 only they know but there will be great ambiance and more cultural showcases will be open to the public soon. 

I really loved the Season 24 of the Global Village as it had everything I could manage to see and wonder at this great park. 

In the end, Dubai is certainly a city to live and enjoy your life in and I would love to go there again and again if not live there. 

Namaste!!!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts. Namaste!