Tuesday, 27 November 2018

A Step-By-Step Guide To DIY #Djing @SpotifySA #SpotifySouthAfrica

Hi Friends,

The playlist is arguably one of the most important parts of any event. So, as South Africans prep for summer, thinking about your party playlist, and making sure the most popular mood songs are on it, are essential to ensuring an awesome party vibe.

Hiring a DJ is not only costly, but it can also end in disaster as soon as the DJ stops ‘reading the room’ and starts spinning those golden oldies that lost their sheen decades ago. Avoid the awkward silences, beats that fall flat and set your own vibe with Spotify’s handy tips below on how to get your guests moving to the best summer tunes.

The many viral dance challenges that have taken the music scene by storm over the past year also make the best icebreakers. There is no way you won’t get your guests moving to Drake’s In My Feelings with everyone yelling, “Kiki do you love me…!” at the top of their lungs.

So now you’ve got the party started and want to keep it going with an amazing playlist of the biggest local and international songs, what do you add to your list? Well, according to Spotify’s list of the most streamed songs and artists by South African audiences since launch*, if you’re going to include any artist on your playlist Drake is a must, as he is both the most popular artist, and has the most popular for South African audiences. (Drake was also the most streamed artist on Spotify’s Top Global Songs of Summer 2018, in the northern hemisphere.)
A Step-By-Step Guide To DIY #Djing @SpotifySA #SpotifySouthAfrica
If you’d like to add some local flair to your playlist, Spotify recommends some of the top South African house, hip-hop, and pop artists. The most-streamed SA artists since launch, broken down by streams in South Africa and the rest of the world, are Nasty C, AKA and Jeremy Loops as the top three artists, respectively. Local favorites, Shekhinah, DJ Maphorisa, Lady Zamar, Black Coffee and Distruction Boyz also made an appearance on the top 20 list.

Now that you have an idea of where to start when creating your playlist all you have to do is sign up to Spotify, for free, at spotify.com. Once you’ve completed the first step below, you’re well on your way to a great party with nothing but the best songs to keep it going. Let’s get started!

· Make your selection

Whether your event is a small relaxed affair or a highly polished event, your choice of music will have the largest impact on the overall mood of the event and guests. Knowing what your guests will like and the type of atmosphere you want to create is essential for striking the perfect musical balance.

To create a playlist, go to www.spotify.com and follow these simple steps:

  1. Sign up (if you haven’t already)
  2. Click new playlist on the bottom left-hand corner
  3. Use Spotify’s browse feature to explore different genres & moods
  4. Tap the ‘more button’ (…)
  5. Tap add to playlist
  6. Repeat step 4 and 5 until you are happy with the selection you have made
· Let the music play on
No one likes awkward silences, so ensure you give your playlist that professional DJ touch by making use of Spotify’s crossfade feature. Crossfade lets you eliminate the silence between tracks so your music never stops. Simply turn this feature on under advanced settings on your app. To enable Crossfade:
  1. Click on the menu next to your name
  2. Go into settings
  3. Scroll down and click show advanced settings
  4. Under playback, switch crossfade songs on – button will turn green
  5. Move the slider to select the desired crossfade length
· RSVP Collaboration
Get your guests involved right from the beginning by having them RSVP with their top three favorite tracks and add these to the playlist. This way everyone will have a moment at the event when their song comes on. You can achieve this by creating a collaborative playlist. To create a collaborative playlist: Click the ‘more button’ (…) and select a collaborative playlist – make sure there is a tick next to it. You have the option to share your playlist as a link, which you could include in your e-invite, or use on your favorite social media platform.

· Co-DJing

Everyone loves making a special request, so when that time of the evening comes and some other tracks spring to mind, or the evening takes a nostalgic turn, why not give your guests access to a tablet or two. They can then browse the song they want to hear and add it to the collaborative playlist you created as part of the RSVP process.

· Personalise your collaborative playlist
Personalize your playlist by uploading a picture of your event invitation as well as adding important information about it in the description box. This guarantees that your guests don’t end up on the wrong playlist – in case there is another one that is similarly named.

Best of all the party playlist lives on - you can add the link to the thank you emails or pass onto guests after the event as a memory of an incredible occasion.

Download the Spotify app via the Android or iOS app store or by heading to www.spotify.com - to embed Spotify into a website - right click on any playlist, go to 'share' and copy the embed code.

#SpotifySouthAfrica - Facebook: @Spotify |Twitter: @SpotifySA | Instagram: @spotify
Cheers!!!
Contact me at thelifesway@gmail.com to collaborate on your products, events, and services. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra! 

@SpotifySA Debuts #AfroHub #SpotifySouthAfrica #AfricanMusic

Hi Friends,


As part of Spotify’s newest Global Cultures initiative, designed to promote and bring to the surface culturally diverse music, Spotify today announced the launch of a new Afro Hub. Spotify’svision for Global Cultures is to connect audiences, bringing cultures from around the world into your playlist, opening a lens into fresh parts of this small world.

Focused on delivering relevant content, the Global Cultures editorial team initiated this global plan with the Latin and Desi hubs followed by today’s launch of the Afro Hub.
@SpotifySA Debuts #AfroHub #SpotifySouthAfrica
This much-anticipated hub celebrates and honors the African culture as well as it’s widely known and loved music. It’s our mission to uncover every layer of this ancient, expressive and rhythmic musical culture which is an important component of today’s mainstream, modern music. Comprised of a variety of different styles, African music has influenced genres in the U.S. and abroad for centuries.

Afro Hub will include multiple tiers of content featuring news, podcasts, and playlists. A few examples of the hub’s playlists include: African Heat (Top Hits); Peppeh (Early Bets); Gold Mine(Classics) and We Everywhere (X-Overs / Diaspora Hits), as well as playlists highlighting the continent’s best tracks within continental shelves (ex. West Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa).
@SpotifySA Debuts #AfroHub #SpotifySouthAfrica
The hub will also offer unique content including playlist takeovers from artists like Major Lazer, Wizkid, Jacob Banks, Burna Boy, and Bas & Mereba, and podcasts by Jesus & Jollof feat. Yvonne Orji and Luvvie Ajayi, some of the best African creators of today.

Visit Spotify’s Afro Hub here: http://spoti.fi/Afro
*****Read our FTR post for a more in-depth look at the Global Cultures initiative****
 
Cheers!!!
Contact me at thelifesway@gmail.com to collaborate on your products, events, and services. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra! 

How AI in your Smartphone can Change Your Mobile Experience? @HuaweiZA #HigherIntelligence

Hi Friends,

Over a decade ago, smartphones were ‘smart’ simply because they were mobile devices that could connect to the internet and enable their users to perform tasks that they would ordinarily do on a computer. However, in 2018 and the near future, it is AI advancements that will take smartphones to a whole new level of intelligence. Analyst Gartner recently predicted that, by 2022, 80 percent of smartphones will have on-device AI capabilities, compared to just 10 percent in 2017.

Currently, two of the main ways AI enhances the user’s smartphone experience is through its improvement in performance and camera capabilities. One such device that really excels in these two key aspects is the new Huawei Mate 20 Pro.

Better performance and efficiency
The secret behind the Huawei Mate 20 Pro’s enhanced performance is the Kirin 980, the world’s first 7nm system-on-a-chip (SoC), which enables it to pack 6.9 billion transistors in the same form factor as its predecessor. A 7nm processor can perform up to 20 percent faster and at 40 percent improved efficiency over its 10nm counterparts. The process technology is strongly correlated to mobile SoC performance and efficiency, and the advanced process technology is the foundation of an enhanced user experience.

The launch of the Kirin 980 represents another step towards an era of truly intelligent smartphones. Its predecessor, the Kirin 970, which was behind the impressive performance of the Huawei Mate 10 and Huawei P20, was the first SoC that came with a dedicated AI processor. The Kirin 980, however, is the industry’s first mobile SoC to be equipped with two neural processing units (NPUs). The Dual-NPU setup gives greater AI processing power, which allows even richer AI experiences. Huawei’s HiAI platform combines the power of chipset, device, and cloud to bring together an unrivaled AI experience.

In response to the demand for even more improvements in the chipset, Huawei integrated the Cortex-A76 and Mali-G76—two new processors that were never before seen in other SoCs—into the Kirin 980. The new A76 cores feature vastly improved performance and efficiency, up 75 percent and 58 percent respectively. Huawei also developed a new Kirin CPU subsystem based on the multi-core architecture to further enhance the SoC’s performance and efficiency. In addition to a series of optimizations, the new solution improves the compatibility of various device processes to the CPU. Kirin CPU enables the SoC to unleash its greatest potential in both performance and efficiency.

How AI in your Smartphone can Change Your Mobile Experience? @HuaweiZA #HigherIntelligence

In terms of GPU, the Mali-G76 embedded within Kirin 980 delivers 46 percent more graphics processing power and 178 percent better power efficiency. Kirin 980 also features an innovative AI clock boosting technology, GPU Turbo, which can intelligently identify the performance bottlenecks by reading the frame rate, frame time, user input and processor workload, and adjust accordingly in real time. GPU Turbo is particularly useful for gamers, as it works 30 percent better in predicting the resource color of games compared to conventional solutions. By improving the average frame rate and minimising the stuttering, users can enjoy a much smoother gaming experience.

Intuitive camera
In 2017, the launch of Huawei’s Kirin 970 gave the industry and consumers a glimpse into the potential of AI in enhancing technology. The Kirin 980 represents another breakthrough. Its new-generation image signal processor (ISP) features 46% increased throughput, enhanced the noise reduction and colour reproduction capabilities, as well as better support for multi-camera setups. These features allow users to capture incredible images with ease.

Leveraging the powerful Dual-NPU On-Device AI processing capability, the Kirin 980 provides an even better real-time user experience in areas such as facial recognition, object recognition, object detection, image segmentation, AI translation, and more. The Kirin 980 can recognize up to 4,500 images per minute, which is a 120% increase from its predecessor and greater than the industry average.

An exciting tool enabled by this technology is HiVision, which recognizes classical art and popular landmarks and can translate the text of a range of languages in real time. It can also estimate the calories and nutritional value of a hundred types of different foodstuffs.

The Kirin 980 also supports multi-person motion prediction, which accurately reads the motion of human subjects at up to 30fps and can rig their 3D model in real time. When a user attempts to snap a photo of a moving person, the ISP can track the object with 97.4 percent accuracy so any user can capture fleeting moments with ease.

Going from the Kirin 970 to the Kirin 980, Huawei brought AI to another level—the new SoC with its Dual-NPU goes beyond image recognition to support object detection. It also provides better support to multi-camera configurations, as well as an all-new HDR color reproduction technology that can manipulate picture contrast to highlight objects on various parts of an image. This AI Colour feature is a nifty tool for videographers, as it can isolate the people you want to focus on and keep them in color, while fading the surroundings to black and white. You can also edit your videos in real-time with a range of filters, such as Suspense and Fresh.

The good news for smartphone users is that AI is still in its infancy, so smartphone devices of the future will only perform better, act more intuitively, and be more useful.

Cheers!!!
Contact me at thelifesway@gmail.com to collaborate on your products, events, and services. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra!

Monday, 26 November 2018

5 Biggest Considerations When Buying A New TV? @SkyworthSA #SkysTheLimit

Hi Friends,

With so many technological advancements that cater to various needs and endless options on the market, buying a new TV for your home can be pretty daunting. Given the role a TV occupies in the home – providing entertainment, relaxation and a window to the world for the whole family – it’s not a purchasing decision to be made lightly. Not to mention the fact that you’re likely to spend a rather large sum of hard-earned dough in the process. Fear not - we’re here to help you decide. Here are five important things to think about before you swipe that plastic to ensure your new TV will bring nothing but joy into your home (ok, and maybe a couple of disagreements on what to watch).

Size matters
If you’re a fan of action-packed movies or nail-biting sporting events, you already know how important the size of the screen is. Consider the space into which your new TV will fit, and take measurements of the wall area or cabinet it’s going to sit on to make sure that you’re being practical about its size. How many people will be watching the TV at the same time? Now opt for the largest screen size that will fit comfortably in your lounge (and your budget). Generally, anything between 55 and 65 inches is a great all-around pick according to price, performance and how close most families sit to the TV.

Is it digital-ready?
South Africa’s digital migration is upon us and by June 2019, you’ll either need a digital-ready TV that can transmit digital signals or a Set-Top Box to decode digital signals for your old, box-style analog TV set. The benefits of investing in a digital TV include crystal-clear image quality, excellent sound and a wider range of channels. Ask the sales assistant to show you their range of digital-ready TVs when making your selection.
5 Biggest Considerations When Buying A New TV? @SkyworthSA #SkysTheLimit
Does it have a 4K screen resolution?
Resolution refers to the sharpness of the TV picture, usually in terms of horizontal lines of pixels. Ultra HD/ 4K sets have four times more pixels than current Full HD screens. That’s as many as 2 160 horizontal lines, or 3 840 x 2 160 pixels. The result? Super-sharp, detailed and lifelike images, even on large screen sizes. For this reason, a 4K resolution is becoming increasingly popular because it’s a much better choice if you want to future-proof your investment – Skyworth’s G6 model was created with this in mind; it’s basically an Android TV made for the future.

What will you be using your TV for?
Apart from the obvious activity of chilling out to watch your favorite shows, what else do you want to be able to do with your TV? Will your kids be using it to play games? Will you be streaming shows on it? All of these preferences will impact the specific features that will attract you to buy a certain model over another one, so it’s wise to do your research, either online or in store before you say ‘yes’ to the device. Also, look out for at least four HDMI ports at the back of the set as these tend to get used up very quickly, especially if you are using accessories like a sound bar.

Does it include cutting-edge technology?

From Google Voice Assist, allowing you to speak to your TV, to rich connectivity via Bluetooth, selecting a TV that has advanced capabilities makes for a smarter TV and one you aren’t likely to need to replace in a few years’ time. With Android System 6.0, an easily updatable operating system, the G6 TV is your best bet when it comes to constantly upgrade your TV without forking out money every time. 

Cheers!!!
Contact me at thelifesway@gmail.com to collaborate on your products, events, and services. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra!

A #Gift for the Whole #Family This Festive Season @Gammatek #FunkoPop

Hi Friends,

The festive season is upon us and some of us have already started to scramble for ideas on what to get for everyone in the family this festive season. Getting a pair of socks of different colors got very old very quickly after the first year that you tried it so the time has come to really do something that would “Wow” the whole family. This is easier said than done as every person has their own tastes and interests and no one gift would be a good match for everyone.

A good starting point to search for the perfect gift is to figure out what every member of the family is a fan of. There is Dad that is a die-hard football supporter, Mom that loves binge watching her Game of Thrones series, little Brother that cannot get enough of Marvel superheroes, Sister that is in love with Aquaman and Granny that constantly talks to her grandkids about how much she loves Snow White and other Disney princesses. Well, it seems that you have just stumbled upon your list to get everyone the perfect gift!
A Gift for the Whole #Family This Festive Season @Gammatek #FunkoPop
But where are you going to find something that is related to all of these subjects without having to travel to the far corners of the planet to find it? There is one company with the slogan “everyone is a fan of something” that might just have exactly what you are looking for and in one place. Funko Pop! collectibles literally have a character for any taste and you are bound to find a character that will be perfect for every member of the family. For your Football-fanatic Dad, you can get an EPL player. For mom, a Jon Snow or Daenerys Targaryen would be perfect. How about getting The Avengers collection for your little brother and then an Aquaman for sister that she can talk to when no one is around. Granny would love a Snow White figurine to accompany her stories that she tells the grandkids and it would take her back down memory lane as well.

“I and my girlfriend watched Pixar’s “Up” movie the other day and fell in love with the Grandpa, Mr. Fredrickson. We then saw the Funko figurine in a shop window and we just had to have it. Now we will have to hunt for the Russell character as well to complete this cute collection.” – says Christiaan Louw, an Avid Funko collector.
A Gift for the Whole #Family This Festive Season @Gammatek #FunkoPop
There are also collections that you will be able to gift to the whole family where each member of the family can get a character to complete the collection. Examples of these collections would be the Parr Family from the Incredibles or the Justice League from the DC universe. So let’s just see how that would make the perfect gift for the whole family: Dad will get Batman, Mom will get wonder woman, Brother would get the Cyborg and Granny can get the flash to be her little helper.

Funko collectibles also have the potential to start a collecting hobby so it is really a gift that will keep on giving and the best part is, you would be able to buy Funko Pop! collectibles next season again to fuel their ever-growing collection. Funko figurines will also be much better received than those socks that you were planning to get everyone again.
A Gift for the Whole #Family This Festive Season @Gammatek #FunkoPop
Funko products are available in SA from BT Games, Cardies, Hamleys, Incredible Connection, Musica, Toy Kingdom, Toys R Us, and Vodacom stores. It is also available online on Loot.co.za, Takealot.com; Technomobi.co.za and Shopandship.co.za.

For more information on Gammatek’s product range please visit www.gammatek.co.za or follow on Twitter @gammatek and Facebook
 
Cheers!!!
Contact me at thelifesway@gmail.com to collaborate on your products, events, and services. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra!