Entertainment To The Extreme With @SonyXperiaZA and @TelkomZA #XperiaXZ2 #JOOX

Hi Friends,

Sony Mobile Communications , in partnership with Telkom is excited to bring you the most entertaining deal that will have you go to any extreme to get your hands on! Purchase an Xperia XZ2 from Telkom from 20 August 2018 and receive a free set of Sony SBH24 headphones, a Sony SRS-XB10 speaker, a 6-month VIP subscription to JOOX music streaming service and a Made for Xperia cover.

This incredible offer means you can use your Xperia XZ2 to download all your favorite tracks on JOOX, listen to your music on the Sony SRS-XB10 speaker AND take a call on your wireless Sony SBH24 headphones – all at the same time!


Built around the concept of bringing you the most immersive entertainment experience yet, the Xperia XZ2 touches your senses in every possible way. Whether you’re lost in an HDR movie or capturing hidden details with the new advanced Motion Eye™ camera, this smartphone will keep your sensory needs regaled.

The Sony SBH24 headphones is a small clip-style Bluetooth headset that combines durable design, quality audio, and hands-free functionality - all in an impressively premium feel. Once paired, you can listen to quality audio and talk with total wireless freedom, anywhere.

The Sony SRS-XB10 speaker is compact and wireless and has an impressive battery life so will allow you to conveniently listen to your favorite tracks for extended periods at a time without worrying about running out of power.


To top off this great deal you will also receive a 6-month subscription to JOOX, the music streaming app that enables South Africans to conveniently discover and listen to music wherever they are and is packed with various playlists for any mood. The app offers a free as well as paid-for, VIP option that enables users to download their music and listen offline to save their data.


This offer, exclusive to Telkom, is valid from 20 August 2018 – 31 December 2018 and can be redeemed through the Xperia Lounge app on the Xperia XZ2.


To follow all updates keep an eye on the Sony Mobile Facebook, InstagramandTwitter pages.

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Education Solutions for Real World Problems is the Future @AcerAfrica #acerforeducation

Hi Friends,

A society lead by technology is rapidly transforming the way the youth use and digest digital transformation, both socially and on an educational level. As part of Acer Africa’s commitment to bring e-learning into the classrooms, together with the University of Johannesburg (UJ) hosted a 12-week technology crash course which was held as part of the university’s Workplace 4.0 Project, enabling students to think digitally, create and develop from their lecture rooms.

The Project
Entitled the FridayClub, these classes encouraged and taught students to code and learn the basics of the 4th Industrial revolution. Every week lecturers as well as Acer Africa met to work through various aspects of digital technology, with a specific focus on the Acer CloudProfessor as a teaching device. The students used the Acer CloudProfessor and Gigo kit to build various mechanical robotic items and program them to perform basic functions.

For example: Building a lift, or rack and pinion motor and then using the CloudProfessor to program it to perform a task. Students majoring in the Public sector were given first-hand experience in understanding how sensors and IoT will impact and benefit administration. One student who is currently doing her masters in farming crickets for food security used the CloudProfessor as a prototyping tool and designed a model of a cricket farm that could be controlled through a mobile app to turn the heat on and off as needed.

Glenn du Toit, Acer Africa BYOC Digital Business Development explained, “The lessons focused on transformation and education around what is possible with the standard of technology we have available to us today. We conducted various practical lessons with students which demonstrated Blockly and Javascript as coding languages.” He adds, “The FridayClub at execution was as an experiment for the teachers and tech experts deploying this into the classrooms. Average classes run for 45 minutes up to an hour, so we had to monitor what we were able to achieve in this time and how much could be taught and learned, in order to adapt our execution on a more permanent basis.”

Technoculture - Where the need lies
‘Technoculture’ as described by Dr. Arno Louw, Centre for Academic Technologies Laboratory at the University of Johannesburg (CATLab), is based on a mix of visual, written, and social media data that could be used in innovative ways to find solutions to emerging global problems. The question asked by many educators is whether students are sufficiently equipped to find these solutions and apply a trajectory to the process.

Acer Africa believes that transformation is needed in higher education among staff and students, where technology becomes an equalizer for 21st-century survival in our Afro-technoculture.
 

Louw explains that “The student’s backpack has been replaced with a smart device − the electronic device which provides the tools for access, teaching, learning, assessment, discovery, communication, leisure, etc. The use of electronic devices also encompasses the ability (skill set) to master and manipulate these devices over and above the digital skills needed to merely access e-content. Consequently, the art of e-learning is here to stay, and has evolved from future aspiration to daily habit.”

Acer CloudProfessor
The reason why the CloudProfessor was deployed as the programming tool for this project is due to the fact that it ticked all the correct boxes needed for the experiment and class structure:
1. Easy to use for beginners
2. Lessons can be made more complicated for learners who have used technology before
3. It's durable, functional and tough to be used by kids with hard grips
4. The lessons were available and skill appropriate (i.e. easy to understand)
5. A full lesson was accomplished in under 45minutes

“CloudProfessor is aimed at making technology accessible to everyone and moreover educating the current generation on how to code and use sensors and motors to build a digital solution for everyday problems,” explains du Toit.

He adds, “With CloudProfessor, we are able to give everyone the opportunity to see how easy it can be to design the next great innovation by combining actual sensors and motors and then choosing between a variety of programming languages, including JavaScript, as well as Blockly, to get their innovation programmed and working. This provides younger learners with the building and visual interface they need to start innovating in the new Internet of Things era.”

The Future of Education

Education solutions for real-world problems are the future. The education system is the grass root level where these solutions are born and bred in an open learning environment.

“Electronic device manipulation skills, currently required by the workforce industry, entail customized coding and adding accurate moving parts to devices. The combination of these two skills is generally known as robotics. The CAT Lab established in 2017, endeavors to assist students and educators to learn and experiment on basic computer coding. This programming includes basic robotics,” says Louw.

“The biggest takeaway for UJ from the FridayClub was the learning how technology fits into the various careers learners have chosen to pursue and not limiting the education of the 4th Industrial revolution to only the engineering IT faculty and science faculties. The understanding that IoT and digital technology plays a role in every faculty needs to understood fully in order to bring in a new area of learning,” says du Toit.

While the 12-week project has ended, the Acer CloudProfessor and the CAT Lab team aims to extend the FridayClub to the wider community and to enthusiastic school learners in Soweto. Future endeavors for 2018 will include 3D printing, virtual reality (VR), holograms, and augmented reality (AR) in teaching and learning. A CAT Lab training room and open working space are also available for lecturers with WiFi access.

For more information:
Follow Acer Africa on Facebook, InstagramandTwitter
Acer for Education website – click here or follow #acerforeducation on Facebook, InstagramandTwitter.

 

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All Roads Lead to #OppiKoppi, Take the Music with You @SpotifySA #SpotifySouthAfrica

Hi Friends,

One of South Africa’s biggest multi-day music festival, OppiKoppi is coming up, and as any festival veteran will tell you it’s essential to get yourself Oppi ready beforehand.

While your survival pack should include a strong flashlight, sunscreen, a bandana mouth/nose guard against the dust and a great pair of plastic wellies for when the dust turns to mud, the key ingredient to a great weekend is assembling your top squad to share in the fun.

For most of the 20 000 strong crowds the journey to Oppi is based on how quickly you can get there and get the party started. This time round turn your Oppi drive into a scenic road trip by journeying through one of the country’s best road trips routes - the Valley Route - and start the Oppi experience as soon as you get on the road.

Start off your journey by creating a Spotify playlist, featuring some of the OppiKoppi Nomakanjani 2018 line-ups, gearing up for what’s ahead.

With multi-stages during the 3-day festival, the best part of Oppi is the range of musical talent available, with something for everyone. From favorites to discovering new artists, the 2018 line-up includes award-winning rapper Kwesta, legendary rock band Wonderboom, electronic music sensation GoodLuck, alternate Afrikaans rock band, Fokofpolisiekar, skater kid turned electronic music producer Muzi and more including the 2018 tribute artist, iconic Zimbabwean human right activist and musician extraordinaire, Oliver Mtukudzi.

All users can enjoy listening to some of the 2018 OppiKoppi artists in the line-up for free on Spotify. And if you have upgraded to Spotify Premium, then you can download your playlists to listen offline wherever and whenever you are and don’t need to worry about adverts interrupting your listening. Consider creating a collaborative playlist (click the ‘more button’ (…) and select the collaborative playlist, make sure there is a tick next to it, you have the option to share your playlist as a link), where everyone can contribute their musical choices.

Best of all, the weekend doesn’t need to end as you drive through the gates. It’s easy to update and add to the playlist ensuring your journey home with some great Oppi memories.

Alternatively, you can take a listen to the already curated The Sound of OppiKoppi playlist, with

To enjoy music the way you want it, download the app today via the Android or iOS app store or by heading to www.spotify.com. To embed Spotify codes into a website, simply right click the playlist you wish to embed, go to ‘share’ and copy the embed code.

#SpotifySouthAfrica - Facebook: @Spotify |Twitter: @SpotifySA | Instagram: @spotify

 

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@MontecasinoZA Growing Women Through The Ranks #GottaLuvMonte

Hi Friends,

“We need [women] role models who are going to break the mould.” Carly Simon

Montecasino’s woman-rich environment has always strongly encouraged career growth, with many of the property’s departments and two of the three hotels run by women. Caroline Naidu, Tables Manager at Montecasino (https://www.tsogosun.com/montecasino) with a team of 500 people, has risen through the ranks and is a powerful role model to other women in her team and on the property.

Naidu says she considers that “the opportunity to mentor and develop a number of people who’ve subsequently achieved great successes in their roles” to be a major achievement in her work life.

She grew up in Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal and joined the local Monte Vista Casino as a croupier straight from high school almost 20 years ago, intending to earn money for her tertiary education, but she was captivated by the casino world – and she remains so today.

Naidu quickly has moved around among South African casinos, steadily moving up the ladder. From Dealer, she became Supervisor, Pit Boss, Duty Manager, Assistant Tables Manager, and then Tables Manager.

She worked at Montecasino briefly in 2000 as a Dealer, at Emerald Casino in Vanderbijlpark, Suncoast in Durban for about 11 years until 2013, Golden Horse in Pietermaritzburg, Silverstar in Krugersdorp in for two years, and was appointed to her present position at Montecasino in 2017. All in all, she has spent 16 years of her career at Tsogo Sun casinos and says she will always be impressed by and grateful for the excellent training and support the group has given her over the years.

Naidu is thriving in the Montecasino environment, describing her current role as the pinnacle of her career in gaming, and everything she has aspired to achieve for many years. Her own personal achievement is certainly a reality for Naidu, but her goals are far wider and extend to all the members of her large team, supporting, guiding, encouraging, and training them to an “ultra-high level of performance.” Through her steady rise through the ranks of the casino industry, she has gained strong leadership skills which she hones and uses to facilitate growth. “Montecasino is Tsogo Sun’s flagship casino and it must lead the way in every aspect of its business, including gaming. Staying ahead of the game can only be achieved with a focused and hard-working team and a never-ending supply of passion for doing what we do better than we did before.”

Naidu’s life beyond Montecasino is also demanding but extremely rewarding. She is a single mother of three, a 20-year-old son and two teen daughters, aged 15 and 14 in high school – and her spare time is devoted to family activities.

For more information visit www.tsogosun.com/montecasino

 

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@CanonRSA Revolutionises The Future of Photography and Filmmaking #EOSR #Liveforthestory

Hi Friends,

Canon Europe, the world leader in imaging solutions, has redefined the frontiers of photography and filmmaking with the launch of the pioneering EOS R System. Over thirty years on from the original, era-defining EOS launch, the bold, new EOS R System will once again expand photographic possibilities in countless ways. The new RF lens mount has been engineered with the perfect blend of optical, mechanical and electronic design to capture unique moments in previously impossible ways.

A pioneering lens mount, built from the best of EOS legacy
Since its inception in 1987, the EOS System – including Cinema EOS – has grown into the most recognized imaging system in the world. Today’s introduction takes the EOS platform to new heights, incorporating the best from the existing system, with even greater levels of performance, lens design possibilities, and creative flexibility. The new RF mount has been built on the strengths of the existing EF mount and is the result of detailed research by Canon engineers, who have designed an impressive optical system with a flange back distance of 20mm and a wide 54mm diameter lens mount - allowing for even greater freedom when designing lenses. The new mount’s 12-pin connection enables enhanced communication and power transmission between the lens and camera body, further enhancing lens design options, resulting in higher image quality and enhanced usability.

Mr. Yuichi Ishizuka, President, and CEO, Canon Europe, Middle East & Africa, commented: “When we launched the EOS System 30 years ago, we sent a clear message that the future of photography was here. Now, as one of the most iconic imaging systems in the world, our commitment remains. Canon will continue to invest in the unrivaled EOS world with cameras, lenses, and accessories that set new heights in image quality, optical excellence, and performance, all while satisfying the ever-evolving needs and demands of its customers.”

Exceptional quality in every detail
Built from the ground up, the new System has been re-engineered with invaluable input during the System’s development from professional and enthusiast photographers and filmmakers. The EOS R System with RF mount and Dual Pixel CMOS AF delivers unrivaled optical excellence, the world’s fastest autofocus[i] and faster communication between camera and lens. Features that are synonymous with EOS – fast performance, superb ergonomics and superior, uncompromising, image quality – remain at the heart of the EOS R System.

Featuring innovative technology for photography and filmmaking alike, the EOS R System allows all users to shoot and film in extremely low light with accurate focusing, thanks to Dual Pixel CMOS AF. Small and discreet, the EOS R System gives flexibility, plus the advantage of silent shooting. It also offers the highest standard of movie output from any Canon EOS System camera, outside of the Cinema EOS range, enabling filmmakers to take their storytelling to the next level in 4K with output in 10-bit over HDMI. The whole system has refined handling and enhanced ergonomics, including an electronic viewfinder and extensive customization, allowing the user to the focus on the subject rather than the camera.

A system designed with lenses at its core
The EOS R System inherits all the existing system advantages, importantly full compatibility with existing EF and EF-S lenses and accessories[ii], when using one of three newly-developed lens adapters, expanding the boundaries of image capture. Canon has today also launched four new lenses, compatible with the EOS R System – the RF 28-70mm f/2L USM, RF 50mm f/1.2L USM, RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM and RF 35mm f/1.8 MACRO IS STM. Building on Canon’s lens heritage, these high-performance lenses will push forward the frontiers of creative capture thanks to the new cutting-edge optics and advanced image processing for both stills and video. Additionally, users of existing Canon EOS full frame or APS-C DSLR cameras can enjoy the EOS R System with their existing EF and EF-S lenses thanks to the adapters, while retaining the same performance as when used on a DSLR, as well as access to EOS accessories and Speedlite flashes.

Adding to the full frame family
Adding to the EOS full-frame line-up, Canon has today unveiled the first camera body to carry the EOS R name and RF lens mount - setting the new standard for the camera of tomorrow. With the world’s fastest autofocus[iii], it is also the world’s first camera with the ability to focus in light conditions as low as -6EV[iv] and totally silent shooting, providing stunning quality results every time. The EOS R redefines photo and video performance with unrivaled image quality, state-of-the-art connectivity, refined ergonomics, and responsive handling.

Further expanding the existing EOS System, Canon today also launches the EF-M 32mm f/1.4 STM – a new 32mm lens for the EOS M mirrorless system – and the EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM and EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM, two revolutionary, lightweight professional super telephoto lenses for the EF System.

[i] Correct at time of launch (5th September 2018) and based on testing of available full frame mirrorless cameras
[ii] Compatible with all lenses, except the Canon EF 35-80mm Power Zoom lens
[iii] Correct at time of launch (5th September 2018) and based on testing of available full frame mirrorless cameras
[iv] Among all the interchangeable lens digital cameras incorporating the 35mm full-frame equivalent image sensor with phase-difference detection AF on the image plane. As of September 4th, 2018 (researched by Canon). According to the Canon standard. (During still photo shooting, f/1.2, Center AF point, One-Shot AF, at 23°C/73°F, ISO100 

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