@SamsungSA Galaxy Cup 2016 - A Fun Way to Enrich Many Lives #SouthAfrica

Hi Guys,

Samsung Electronics South Africa is excited to announce its participation in the first edition of the Samsung Galaxy Cup South Africa, a national five-a-side football tournament for retail mobile sales people from the organisation’s various channel partners. This is a global tournament featuring some 28 countries with over 5000 salespeople participating. The South African leg of the Galaxy Cup (2016) consists of teams entered by partners such as Vodacom, Cell C, MTN and Smollan. 

The regional tournaments included teams from Durban, Cape Town, Pretoria and Johannesburg. The winners of these teams contested in the national finals that were held on the 7th of May at St. Stithians College, Johannesburg. The overall winning team, MTN Johannesburg, will have the opportunity to represent South Africa in an international leg of the tournament hosted in Dubai at the end of May. Kevin Mabele, captain of the MTN Johannesburg team, voiced the team’s appreciation of participating in the Samsung Galaxy Cup. “Our hearts are warmed by the honour and opportunity that Samsung has bestowed upon us. In this incredible journey, we have discovered the true meaning of teamwork and our ability to achieve our goals. As Captain, I wish to express our gratitude to Samsung for making our dreams come true and for making it possible for Team MTN to excel beyond our borders.” 

“The Samsung Galaxy Cup is a concept that has proven successful over the past two years as a means of using sport to bring partners together, showcase Samsung’s edutainment ideas and uplift our communities through donations to nominated charities,” says Craige Fleischer, Director of Integrated Mobility at Samsung Electronics South Africa. Elaborating on the idea of edutainment, Fleischer points out that on arrival, each retail channel team received a Samsung Galaxy S7 and a Gear S2. Team members were given missions that they had to fulfil and work towards, over the course of the day. 

Spectators also had the opportunity to enjoy the Samsung virtual reality experience, eco-system offerings including S-Health and Google Play Music as well as additional entertainment which included jumping castles, face-painting and live music from Sketchy Bongo.

The Samsung Galaxy Cup is further enriching the lives of those served by a number of charities through an R100000 donation. Each team selected a charity on registration, with the overall winner as well as the winners of each regional final able to make a donation to their nominated charity. An additional amount was made available for the partners to donate to their nominated channels through support mechanisms. Cheques for these charities were handed over to the teams at the prize-giving event on Saturday. 

“Sport and South Africa are intricately intertwined and at Samsung, we believe in the unifying power of sport to promote harmony in societies, be it in a personal capacity or at work. Bringing our technology into the sporting arena and people’s lives we serve to enhance their social well being,” Fleischer concludes.

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!

13 Ways To Help You #Snap Like A #PRO @LGMobileSA #LGPlayMore

Hi Guys, 

Cartier-Bresson is widely regarded as one of the greatest photographers of all time and once said, “To photograph is to hold one’s breathe, when all faculties converge to capture fleeting reality. It’s at that precise moment that mastering an image becomes a great physical and intellectual joy.” LG's latest flagship, the G5 gives users the opportunity to fully experience the joy of photography. Here are 13 ways to get you snapping like a pro.

1. Accessing the manual mode

One of the best ways to start capturing those significant moments with the LG G5 is by accessing the manual mode. To access the manual mode, you’ll have to tap the 3-dot icon at the top-left of the screen, which brings up the three main modes: Simple, Auto and Manual. The manual mode allows you to control the white balance, focus, exposure, ISO, shutter speed and AE-L. The white balance allows you as the user to alter the colour tone, compensating for unnatural lighting or to create skewed colour effects. The purpose of the ISO is that it determines the sensitivity of the sensor. When choosing darker environments to take pictures, you will need to use a higher setting. The AE-L, locks the exposure, letting you use the light level as a creative effect, making shots either much brighter or darker than the G5 would normally use.

2. How to use manual mode to get noise free shots

All you’ll have to do is set the ISO to 200 (it goes down to ISO 50), then use the shutter speed control to see how slow you need to go for low-noise results. The benefit of using the G5 is that it has optical image stabilisation (OIS), you can make the shutter go fairly slow and still get sharp photos.

3. Shooting RAWs

RAW files are what you get when you take the 'raw' information from a camera sensor, before reducing the noise level and smoothing things out. Using RAWs allows you to do your own processing, often ending up with a finer detailed image. The G5 allows you to shoot RAWs by simply accessing the manual mode and tapping the second icon from the bottom of the screen, over on the left column. This will allow for the shooting of RAW and JPEG files, rather than just JPEGs. RAWs come out as a file known as DNG (Digital NeGative file).

4. Using the second camera as "zoom out"

The G5 has dual cameras (16 MP f1.8 main camera has 78-degree angle view and the 8MP additional camera captures a 135-degree super wide-angle image) to take your digital photograph to the next level. It has a new, unique feature like pop – out photo, capturing more with the zoom out. In the camera app you can switch between lenses via a button, and when using the digital zoom the camera switches seamlessly between the two modules. The autofocus is assisted by a laser that measures the subject distance. 

5. Use the main camera for the best image quality

The 16MP wide angle camera of the LG G5 is the best Android camera on the market giving users a fish-eye effect in every shot. What it means for the users is that the camera allows you to fit much more of the scene into a single photo.

6. Changing photo and video resolution

Should users want to play with different size images for that perfect selfie, they can switch to 4:3 or 1:1 images by tapping on the cog icon at the bottom-left of the screen and selecting the top option in the menu that pops up. As well as changing the shape of photos, they can also alter the video resolution. The G5 normally shoots 1080p video users can level-up to UHD (the exact resolution of '4K video').

7. Video stabilisation 

For that perfect steady shot users can find the option for video stabilization near the bottom of the camera settings menu, which you access by tapping the cog icon. Tapping on this flicks between SteadyShot stabilisation and OIS, if you're using the standard camera lens in Auto mode. The former is what most phones use, a digital enhancer that uses the edges of the frame as a buffer to smooth-out any movements. This leaves you with a slightly more 'zoomed-in' view than you get when taking photos. That's one reason why you might use OIS instead, which uses the little camera stabilisation motor to keep your footage smooth.

8. Simple mode is great for simple photography

Simple mode is found by tapping the 3-dot icon at the top-left of the camera app. Simple mode takes away almost all custom features you get with the other options. All you do is tap on the object on which you want to focus and the LG G5 camera app both focuses and takes a shot as quickly as possible.

9. Shortcut key for instant photos

In the main phone Settings menu, go to the General tab and then select Shortcut key. In here you'll see a flick switch for Quick Shot. Make sure it's switched on. This lets you press the volume down button twice quickly when the phone is off to fire-up the camera and take a photo.

10. Timelapse + wide-angle camera = cool movies

The G5 has several 'creative' modes in its camera app and Time Lapse is one of the more interesting ones. This shoots video, but at 1/15 the normal speed. That means it takes two frames a second rather than the usual 30. Use this with the wide-angle camera and you'll get footage that resembles some of the stuff GoPros are used for in action sport footage.

11. Use the grid display for landscape photography

The G5 has a grid option to stop those uneven photos and help you align or center pictures properly. What it means for the user is that you get another reference point of where to line-up the horizon, as well as helping you work out what you want the focus of the picture/image/photo to be. You'll find Grid at the very bottom of the camera app Settings menu, accessed by tapping on the cog icon.

12. Use 30sec exposure to make something special

The G5 can keep its shutter open for up to 30 seconds. What it means for the user is that it merges all the light information from that half-minute stint into a single image. What one can do while using the 30sec long-exposure photography is shoot a road where car lights turn into streaming neon lines, and create noise-free night shots that almost look like daylight photos.

13. 360 Cam

The G5 is the only Android smartphone on the market that comes with a series of module accessories (Friends) that fit onto its bottom and one in particular where users have been raving about is the 360 Cam. The LG 360 CAM provides 2K video and 5.1 surround channel recording on three microphones to help users effortlessly create high-quality 360-degree contents. Having secured a partnership with Google, images taken with the 360 CAM can be uploaded to Google Street View and YouTube360, adding the fun of sharing creative content with others.

Reference: http://www.techradar.com/how-to/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/13-lg-g5-camera-tips-to-get-you-snapping-like-a-pro-1321899

Cheers!!!

All enquiries and invites for your brand's launch events, sponsored posts and product reviews are welcome - Contact me at thelifesway@gmail.com 

5 reasons Why We #Love The #LGG5 @LGMobileSA @LGSouthAfrica #LGPlayMore

Hi Guys,

During the past few years LG has consistently pushed the boundaries of what’s possible with mobile technology. Whether its display technology, imaging or design, the company has always taken things one step further than its competitors and attempted to do “firsts” with its flagship releases. The latest release LG G5 Android has been a radical change in terms of what is expected from a smartphone. It boasts all the latest and greatest features, a metal sleek and stylish design, dual camera capabilities, and a removable and replaceable battery with expandable storage. With its innovative accessories, the G5 is undoubtedly everything that consumers want and need to enhance their mobile experience. Here are five reason why we love the LG G5.

LG G5 Display

The LG G5 has a 5.3 Quantum HD display technology, and it looks pretty amazing. It has a 2560 x 1440 Quad HD resolution, pixel density of 554ppi, constructed from magnesium and finished with a gorgeous matte finish. It is a compact device with an easy grip and sits perfectly where most users rest their index finger while holding it. The amazing double tap option is ideal for waking and sleeping the screen, which remains one of the favourite features on an Android smartphone. Another great innovation from the G5 is the “always on display” feature. It allows you to check the time, date, and see if you have any notifications without ever touching your phone.

Fingerprint Scanner

Implementation, feel, reliability, software and security all factor into making a good fingerprint scanner on a smartphone. LG abandoned the rear buttons from prior flagships in favour of a fingerprint scanner around the back. The volume buttons are back to the side, on the left, and the power button sits nicely under the camera. One tap and it wakes the phone and unlocks it in seconds. The G5 also has a fingerprint sensor on top of its power button, situated on the back of the phone. It’s a state-of-the-art fingerprint sensor that can read your finger quite quickly, without the need to press a button.

Diverse Range of Companion Devices 

With the G5, LG introduced a paradigm-shifting smartphone ecosystem — the LG Playground. With this, LG aims to strengthen the ties with its partners and introduce various devices and supporting programs to fully maximize the LG Playground. As part of the ecosystem, LG is introducing a wide range of companion devices, aptly called LG Friends, to deliver fun while providing a new mobile experience far beyond traditional smartphone boundaries. 

Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 Processor 

The LG G5 is equipped with a powerful yet energy-efficient Snapdragon 820 processor which offers advanced features such as 64-bit performance, Adreno 530 graphics and lower-power Qualcomm® HexagonTM DSP as well as Qualcomm Spectra™ 14-bit dual image signal processors (ISPs). This advanced feature is designed to deliver high resolution DSLR-quality images and additional power saving.

Battery Power

The G5 is designed to deliver new and differentiated user experience through its innovative Modular Type design which offers the benefit of both premium metal uni-body design and a removable battery as an option. The bottom of the phone can be released to get a fresh battery inside, allowing you to extend battery life without ever connecting to a charger. Modularity has been the subject of many talks for a number of years but no brand was able to consumerise the concept until now and LG is happy to take on the mantle.

I am missing the LG G5 I had for review using which I took some of the photographs to win Instagram contest at Mall of Africa. I have not reviewed any of the LG Companion devices but would love to do so. 

References:

http://www.droid-life.com/2016/02/21/lg-g5-modular-announcement-qhd-820/

http://www.androidcentral.com/android-fingerprint-sensors-ranked

http://www.lg.com/ca_en/press-release/lg-debuts-the-g5-its-first-ever-modular-smartphone

https://www.qualcomm.com/products/snapdragon/processors/820

Cheers!!!

All enquiries and invites for your brand's launch events, sponsored posts and product reviews are welcome - Contact me at thelifesway@gmail.com 

Strong #Demand Brought Significant #Growth @HuaweiZA #P9 #P9Plus #Smartphones

Hi Guys, 

Huawei Consumer Business Group South Africa announced sales of its newest flagship smartphones, the P9 and P9 Plus, have achieved unprecedented sales since the launch on June 2nd. This follows the P-series global success which saw over 2.6 million devices sold within the first six weeks from launch, an increase of 130 percent from the P9’s predecessor, the P8. Huawei’s global market share has increased to 8.5 percent, supported by aggressive growth in the South African market. 

“P9 and P9 lite device sales in South Africa have exceeded even our bullish expectations. South African consumers are smart buyers and recognize the combination of features, style, and the Leica co-engineered camera, making the P9 the best smartphone buy available,” said Charlene Munilall, General Manager for Huawei Consumer Business Group South Africa.

“During 2015 we doubled our market share in South Africa by bringing the consumer desired devices, with the best features, to market, and we’re on track to do the same again in 2016.”

During Q1 2016, Huawei shipped 28.3 million units globally, a 64 percent increase year-over-year. High consumer demand for P9 device, with its notable Leica co-engineered dual lens, is the driver behind Huawei’s rapid acquisition of market share both locally and globally.

“Huawei is focused on creating premium devices that exhibit our dedication to flawless design and technological innovation,” said Richard Yu, CEO, Huawei Consumer Business Group. “These high end devices are attracting more fans than ever before, who want to use the latest and most innovative smartphone technology. When consumers around the world are lining up to be the first to buy Huawei’s flagship smartphones, as they have for the P9 and P9 Plus, it's clear the appeal of our devices is universal.” 

Huawei collaborated with Leica Camera AG to create the P9’s and P9 Plus’s signature dual-lens camera, resulting in aesthetically-stunning devices that deliver amazing true-to-life color pictures. The dual-lens camera takes smartphone photography to the next level, allowing users to capture both vivid colors and striking black and white images.

I am really looking forward to one of the review units to reach me. I would love to use the same as my day-to-day device too if given an opportunity. 

For more information, please visit: www.consumer.huawei.com To receive regular updates, please follow the brand on: Facebook: facebook.com/huaweidevicesouthafrica

Twitter: twitter.com/HuaweiZA

Instagram: instagram.com/HuaweiZA

Cheers!!!

Enquiry for your brands, launch events, sponsored posts, giveaways and product reviews - Contact me at thelifesway@gmail.com 

A #Brand in Feature - @SamsungSA #Samsung #SouthAfrica #TheLifesWay

Hi Guys,

Samsung in South Africa and the Rest of Africa is so huge in terms of market share. It’s all because of their unlimited array of products featuring the needs of every household to the needs of business professionals. They are the number one mobile manufacturers in Africa and keeps innovating themselves time and again. No Wonder, they are the top choice of South African Youth as per the latest Ask Afrika Youth Brands Survey. Launching People really created the entrepreneurs from the Youth across Africa which is a great CSR initiative from the brand in collaboration with METIME. 

When I started blogging and became a member of the biggest blogging network in India named Indiblogger.in, I saw Samsung’s blogging contest where they chose some of the top bloggers to review their devices first and I thought it to be a great opportunity which I missed. I got the chance and became a part of Samsung’s journey when I saw the South Africa Blogger’s Challenge for the first time on Twitter. From that moment since I always dreamt of participating in the contest and winning the same. The dream came true and I won the first year’s blogger challenge. During the first year when the contest was underway, I got invited to the launch event in Cape Town for Note 4. It was my first trip to the mother city and I thoroughly enjoyed the hospitality of the brand along with the goodies bag they gave during the event containing Level in-earphones. I have attended Samsung S7, Note 5 and Launching People events till date. 

The launch event of Samsung is full of its distributors, employees, VIPs and other media guests. The event is always grand for the niche segment products like Galaxy S and Note series and small ones for other products like Washing Machines, Launching People etc. They also keep on launching their new stores in various locations across the country from time to time. I received a portable mobile charger at the launch of S7edge and for Note 5 they only gave a non-branded 8GB pen drive. The launch event of Note generally happens in the form of a World Tour in Cape Town but for Note 5 it happened locally in Johannesburg. The budget has been cut it seems a lot from the first time when they gave earphones to now when they only gave the 8GB pen drive. That’s the general trend in the technology market and the same was valid for LG Electronics and Sony Mobiles launch events too. I generally remember the launch event with the branded products specially made for the event that you receive from the brand but if you have not received anything you generally feel not as good as with the product. I can’t complain though as I love the experience of getting invited to the events and taking unlimited photographs at the launch. 

Samsung has collaborations with some of the top brands (Swarovski, Mont Blanc & many others) around the world to produce accessories for its Galaxy S and Note series of smartphones and phablets. They have tie-ups with Expresso Show and sponsors many TV/online channels and Katlego Maboe is the MC for several of their launch events. They also sponsored Chelsea Football Club for 10 years which ended in 2015. I still have a Samsung’s Chelsea pedometer from London in one of their events to promote the UEFA soccer championships. They have also been sponsoring Winter Olympics since 1998. I have been seeing the whole arrivals sections covered in Samsung’s Galaxy series of smartphones advertisement on O.R.Tambo Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa since my two and half years in this country. 

They were the first ones to venture into Gear VR, Gear 360 VR and Gear smartwatches. They are always the front runners to develop and capture the markets as soon as possible. They invest a lot of money in the research and development of new products. With the latest launch scheme from Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, the Gear VR will reach a lot of African households. The S7 phone is capable of shooting videos that are suitable to see on the Gear VR provided with the smartphone. 

Samsung is different from other brands in terms of not launching the lite versions of the top niche products like LG have G4 Beat, Huawei having P8/P9 Lite, Sony Z3/Z5 Compact and even Apple having iPhone SE or iPhone 5C. They have different series altogether targeting youth and middle-market segment going by the name of J and A series of Galaxy smartphones. Maybe in the future based on the worldwide response towards the lite/compact series we might see the compact versions of the full-featured Galaxy S series of smartphones. 

Samsung is very fast to adapt to the changing markets as they have the might and flexibility to spend and create the right opportunity as they want. I bought my first Samsung LCD TV in India way back in 2008 when everyone was going for Sony Bravia TVs. I again bought another Samsung LCD TV in 2013 for my parent’s room because I was so impressed by my LCD TV. I have the luxury of Samsung’s Mirrorless camera NX300 which takes great low light photographs and Series 6 - 65” UHD TV bringing me the visual pleasures that no other TV can bring. 

I know how much I have worked to get both of them and once their PR Company told me that I am their unofficial brand ambassador. Though I am not using any of their smartphones I simply adore the Note phablet series by the brand. I loved my seven days with Note4 and two weeks with S6 and S7 smartphones and once with Samsung's Tab4 Tablet. Check out the several images posted on my Instagram handle and 1000 of tweets going out for the brand along with 30+ blog posts for the brand. All the work done is totally free of cost as I wanted to reach a point in my blogging life where other brands want me to work for them. This happened and brought me great opportunities from India in 2015 to help me buy Nikon SB-900 flash for my DSLR camera. I am still looking for opportunities here in South Africa to get day-to-day gadgets to use and keep and in return, I will hashtag the brand sponsoring the same. I would love to have Note 5 as my primary gadget if sponsored by Samsung South Africa.

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!

A #Brand in Feature - @HuaweiZA #Huawei #SouthAfrica #TheLifesWay

Hi Guys, 

Huawei Technologies as I understood from reading articles published in the Harvard Business Review and by going through all the press releases and smartphone launch events which I was a part of starting from P8 to Mate S to Mate 8 and recently P9. 

The strength of Huawei lies in its aggressive yet thoughtful approach to spend money where it demands and save where it can be saved. This has been the key principle across many companies and sectors now but Huawei is lavish in all its launch events where Huawei employees, distributors and sponsored team players along with media supporting the brand enjoy to their heart desires. As every employee is the shareholder of the company, they work hard to earn the reward. I have seen the quality of Huawei smartphones against some top mobile brands and I can say that Huawei brings some of the best features at the value for money price tag. I have also used various versions of wifi data cards and USB dongles from the brand and found them to be the top class. Those have been my constant companion during all the launch events or trips to have wifi available for all my gadgets. 

During P8 they launched the light painting feature along with multi-directorial video feature to club several shots using several P8 smartphones to make one video covering different angles. The brand ambassadors are always the latest and the ones who really inspires the youth and the brand is constantly looking for in every country for the same. MiCasa's J Something was made Creative Director since P8 launch and he has been instrumental in bringing a lot of value to the brand locally. P8 Lite managed to cross more than 10 Million Shipments in just 9 months of it's launch. They launched their own Smartwatches along with Swarovski which looks awesomely great. 

The launch of P8 happened first in London which is the most sought after location giving worldwide recognition along with giving several top bloggers from every country an opportunity to attend the same. I know of some people who have been part of those trips and they have had an amazing experience of the launch along with the latest smartphone in their hands to actually make them the very first amongst their peers to review the devices as well to keep them too. Along with every launch event there comes an either Huawei branded product or something else that makes it way toward you in the form of goodies bag to each and every person attending the event. I have received Huawei Wifi Data card, Hugo Boss Sunglasses, Mont Blanc Card Holder, Huawei Band and Huawei OTG 16gb pen drive. 

The marketing timing is next to perfect as I have seen the posters going up in Sandton City as I was coming back from the launch event of P9 a little bit early to match the timing that people leaving for their cars could easily remember and recap all the things of the event in mind. P9 has great Hollywood stars becoming brand ambassadors Scarlett Johansson and Henry Cavill. Just some months ago, expanding their association with Soccer teams Lionel Messi was announced the global brand ambassador. At this year Valentine’s Day in Sandton City, the brand gave a special chocolate card to everyone who was passing their pop-up store and a similar maze exhibition was launched for Mate7 along with a Group Selfie Contest to make public aware of the brand with an opportunity to win their G7 mid-range devices. In South Africa, they sponsors the Ajax Cape Town soccer team as a whole and recently was part of Huawei Media Tour 2016 to China. Huawei also bought out the networking stakes in MTN and all MTN network engineers are now on the payrolls of the brand. With their Media Pads they collaborated with Harman Kardon to provide niche audio experience to the beholders of the device. 

Huawei has cultivated new partnerships to bring latest technology to further their ambitions. They were the manufacturers for Google’s Nexus 6P and with P9 dual camera they have tied up with German photography lens brand Leica who have assisted them in bringing the latest niche camera smartphone. The P9 has one colored lens and one black and white lens to give you the liberty to choose your own style and no need of post processing the images any longer. This is also one of the innovations as other brands have only brought dual lens to make use of wide camera shots or 3D shots. With the latest collaborations with 94.7FM and KFM the brand is going to reach each and every corner of Gauteng and Western Cape from which the business will drive the company forward. I am not aware of the Rest of Africa’s strategy but I think it will be the same worldwide to capture as many penetration as possible. Along with that this time they have tied up with Hugo Boss to offer their sunglasses worth R3000 with every purchase of P9 and P9 Plus. 

Huawei have also tied up with top instagrammers and photographers to showcase their smartphone camera capability including Tim Moolman who was last seen promoting LG G4. He has been given an opportunity to travel to all 9 provinces in 9 weeks and people can follow his journey and share it on their social media channels to win premium devices. With several Instagram competitions running to giving people an opportunity to win several of their top devices, Huawei is not leaving any stone unturned to keep them trending on a daily basis. Earlier during Easter, they had fun competition with their telecom partners to hold a treasure hunt on the principle of Finders keepers. I did tried my luck but unfortunately went to the wrong location but I did had fun running from one shop to another. 

African market has strong hold of Samsung and Apple but slowly and steadily with great products and price range the brand has reached a good stronghold. The same pattern is seen in Indian market when Apple quarters profit fell and CEO came running to India to open new App development centers to reach the market that’s so huge that only China and India is enough to make any brand successful. Huawei has done great with Honor brand in India but to replace Samsung in the niche market will be an uphill climb as was the case for Apple but I am sure that Huawei will surpass that too in the next 2-3 years. With the Brand Logo changing its color from Red to Black, it has opted for the color of choice of World’s top brands rather than just China's Splendid Achievement as mentioned on Wikipedia. The company is building itself by investing vast amount of money into the research and development of the new products. 

I didn’t had any such luck to be travelling with the marketing team to the launch event in London or a trip to China till this day but I do get invited to the South Africa launch events. I have really spammed my social media channels to promote and showcase their smartphones and launch events. I took Mate7 to Drakensberg and shared photographs. Check out my Instagram feed for more than 300 photographs from several launch events as well from the time of actually reviewing the device along with more than 30 posts for the brand with 1000s of tweets going via twitter handles which I did all without any sponsorship and just for the love of the brand. 

I am really looking forward to be become one of the sponsored unofficial ambassador to use their products in my day to day life. “So I will dream…until I make it real, for all I see is Stars” and Huawei will make this Dream Possible soon. Check out this Youtube Huawei theme song which is my favorite motivational song and I am hooked to the same listening it more than 100 times per week. Till the time my dreams are in the process of reaching via Universe to the brand...

Cheers!!!

Enquiry for your brands, launch events, sponsored posts, giveaways and product reviews - Contact me at thelifesway@gmail.com 

@SamsungSA Turns #Employees into Business Owners #Entrepreneurs

Hi Guys, 

Samsung South Africa has recently handed over three branded vehicles to new business owners to mark the first stage of a pilot platform which is turning former employees into entrepreneurs. This aligns with the company’s commitment to invest resources in tackling key issues and improving the lives of local businesses and communities.

The new Samsung Khulanathi Enterprise and Supplier Development Program, which will be launched officially in July this year, is an innovative initiative designed to empower former employees by providing them with the tools and support they need to start their own businesses. 

Pitso Kekana, Head of Public Affairs and Corporate Citizenship: Africa RHQ at Samsung Electronics SA, explains that the project is in line with one of Samsung’s objectives, which include supporting enterprise development in South Africa. 

The program will initially benefit six new businesses owned by thirteen former Samsung Electronics SA employees. These newly created enterprises will be provided with the necessary tools of the trade and guided through their first three years of operation by New Generation Mindset (NGM), a supplier development and incubation company. While these operators remain outsourced service providers to Samsung, they will now have the opportunity to grow their organisations and source additional clients for good measure. 

The first beneficiaries – MMT Logistics and Rec-Pro admin services – will be given the vehicles to enable them to manage driving and administration services to Samsung. MMT Logistics will receive a 64-seater bus and a 32-seater minibus, which will be utilised to transport Samsung executives and students of the Samsung Engineering Academy. Rec-Pro will be granted a Toyota Etios to support its delivery of administrative services. 

Four other businesses - which comprise a refrigeration and air-conditioning provider, training business, an events management firm and an E-Waste Collection company - are in the process of being introduced to the Program and will be unveiled on the launch day, with further candidates being identified for a 2016 intake. 

Kekana says Samsung’s Khulanathi Enterprise and Supplier Development Program is a first for the company in Africa and is off to a promising start: “We already see the drivers bringing innovative ideas to the table and employing additional staff to support their business. This is also an indication that they had the potential to be businessmen – but unfortunately lacked the necessary resources.” Thanks to the three-year business training and mentorship, along with a significant investment from Samsung, the new enterprises will be afforded an opportunity to grow under the protective wing of Samsung. 

Zaid Mohidin, CEO of NGM, says that his organisation is honoured to be a partner of the Samsung Khulanathi Supplier Development Program. “The initiative has gone the extra mile by providing their black-owned suppliers with critical tools of the trade. This will leapfrog these SMMEs, in order to provide services at the highest standard as expected by Samsung and the broader market.”

Kekana adds, “For Samsung, the benefits of this activity include delivering on our goal to develop local enterprises, as well as possibly receiving even better service delivery. At Samsung, we are proud to be associated with this initiative and the responsibility we, as an organisation, have towards it. The beneficiaries have shown great pride and commitment to their new businesses and we are encouraged by the positive reception of this agenda,” he concludes.

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!

Product Review - BeoPlay H7 @BangOlufsenSA #BeoPlaySA #TheLifesWay

Hi Guys,

Bang and Olufsen needs no introduction in the niche audio market. The earphones and headphone gear they make is extremely great and expensive for those who love quality of sound that BeoPlay devices brings to the sensory organs. 

I had a wonderful opportunity to review H7 headphones and simply fell in love with the same. I have used several headphones from all other brands but never felt so great listening to music via these headphones. For those who have paid around R7000 for a single pair of headsets without any active noise cancellation features etc. there must be something in the sound quality. I think at this price a user can easily go for Bose Active Noise Cancellation headphones and save around R1500 to buy Beats Sports earphones. 

First thing that you feel when you open the packaging of any Bang and Olufsen product is the quality and detailing it has. It's an experience for which you definitely have to watch the un-boxing videos available on YouTube. I simply adore reviewing the niche products and the happiness it brings in opening a mint condition product or any product as you feel the excitement it brings. These over-ear headphones weigh only 280gram and can be carried around your neck while not in use. 

I got the Bang and Olufsen H7 during the summer holidays and it was awesome to use them in office as there were no holidays for me in December last year. The leather touch and feel of the headphones is the best and premium. The headphones connects to your smartphones using the Bluetooth and has the option to use the 3.5mm headphones cable to connect.

The device has controls on the touch panel of the earphones by which you can control the volume along with next/previous/play songs. Its really good to use but will take a while to remember the gestures to use on the touch panel so as to perform certain functions. The on-off button is on the side to enable the bluetooth headpdhones. In case battery dies after long hours of play, then you can always listen to using the cables supplied along with the headphones. The best part is the Bluetooth 4.2 version (AptX and AAC codecs) which will reduce the connection loss and give the super speed premium audio experience even in wifi enabled noisy frequencies. 

The quality is really great and we have seen that Band and Olufsen always write L and R on the ear cups and the same is true with these headphones also. The leather earcups are extremely comfortable to wear even for long hours. The sound quality is superb and all the songs and video's I watched using these gave me a complete surround sound experience. These headphones are also designed by Jacob Wagner along with various other from the brand including H2, H3, H6, H8 and Beolab 19. 

These headphones have replaceable battery hidden in one side of the earcups and with cloth carry pouch these can be places in your bagpack to survive easily for several years giving you unlimited audio pleasure via its Electro-dynamic 40mm driver. The aluminium body adds to the matte look of the earphones and you can also use the Beoplay App to enhance the experience of using these headphones. I was not aware of the app in December and what it can do at that time so I am unable to comment more on the same. But overall these are the one Bang and Olufsen H7 headphones you can blindly buy if you have some R7000 to spend and you love to show off the type of audiophile you are and you won't be disappointed at all. Follow the brand on twitter. 


I think I am jealous of these Bang and Olufsen headphones as I don't have so much of money to buy the same and the review units also stays for shorter period of two weeks. I hope in future I will have one of these if Universe grants me when I deserve to have one. 

Cheers!!!

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@HP_S_Africa Brings Premium to Life With 18k #Gold and #Diamond Limited Edition #PC Artistry

Hi Guys, 

At the New York Times International Luxury Conference, HP Inc. brought to life the premium PC experience with world-renowned designers Tord Boontje and Jess Hannah, unveiling two distinct, limited edition notebooks that encapsulate luxury with texture, diamonds and 18k gold.

Based off the 13.3” (33.8cm) diagonal HP Spectre, the world’s thinnest laptop, Boontje and Hannah worked side by side with HP designers to conceptualize and construct their own unique, lavish designs. A limited number of devices from each designer will be auctioned at the Cannes Film Festival in May with the proceeds going to the Nelson Mandela Foundation. 

“We have brought in the designers to create an extraordinary experience on our thinnest laptop ever, reinventing how luxury design and powerful laptop technology can come together to create spectacular works of art,” said Stacy Wolff, vice president, design, Personal Systems, HP, Inc.“We are showcasing the possibilities of marrying technology with glitz and glamour, allowing the PC to become an expression of style.”

Dutch-born, London-based designer Tord Boontje created the HP Spectre by Tord Boontje that exhibits delicate, intricate and dreamlike pattern across the laptop. The ornate graphic pattern integrates cherry blossoms, graceful florals, a peacock and an exquisite butterfly. The 18k gold plated accents provide rich contrast with the patterns that gently intertwine with embedded Swarovski crystals set in a floral pattern against a deep Midnight Blue.

Jess Hannah, a Los Angeles-based jewellery designer of eponymous line J. Hannah, created the HP Spectre by J. Hannah with opulent 18k gold. The notebook top and rear is completely plated in 18k gold with a highly polished finish. HP’s logo is encrusted with diamonds, each carefully placed by a diamond setter. Even the keyboard deck is plated in 18k gold to match the top cover and the power button is covered with diamonds for sparkling brilliance. The all over gold accented with a hint of sparkling diamonds displays Hannah's minimalistic design philosophy.

The PCs will be auctioned with the proceeds supporting the Nelson Mandela Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on memory, dialogue and legacy work, founded by Nelson Mandela in 1999. They are the custodian of his life and times, and are a committed facilitator of his living legacy. The organization promotes Mandela’s lifelong vision of freedom and equality for all.

Cheers!!!

Enquiry for your brands, launch events, sponsored posts, giveaways and product reviews - Contact me at thelifesway@gmail.com 

Braving the Dragons: Giving Your Good Idea Some Wings #MixedTalents @SamsungSA

Hi Guys,

If you have a great business idea but don’t know how to take it further, Samsung’s Mixed Talents campaign is running a new competition aimed at young and aspiring entrepreneurs - officially opening to the public on 13 June 2016 and closing on 3 July 2016.

Following on from its previous competition earlier this year, which saw three winners each receiving R50 000 in start-up capital, as well as support from a training and mentorship programme, this competition is going to see ten finalists pitching their ideas to a panel of business experts in much the same manner as the popular ‘Dragons’ Den’ television programme.

This is according to Dr Michelle Potgieter, Director of Corporate Marketing and Communications at Samsung South Africa, who adds, “Earlier this year, Samsung Launching People, in partnership with METIME, unveiled the Ideas Bank - a way to turn your entrepreneurial ideas into a reality, and help address the issue of youth unemployment in South Africa. Samsung created this technological platform for young local entrepreneurs, offering them an opportunity to voice their ideas and link them to expert partners for guidance.”

“Now once again, we invite young entrepreneurs to visit the Mixed Talents Ideas Bank, hosted by METIME, to find out how to take their ideas further and stand the chance of winning an amazing prize that has both monetary and mentorship components.”

Potgieter goes on to explain that the prizes offered for the latest local Mixed Talents competition will include another Trade Safe grant giveaway to three promising young entrepreneurs, who will each receive R 50 000 to help launch their business dream. “In addition, winners will be given access to over R 300 000 worth of invaluable business support tools from our partners, such as serviced office space for each organisation through Work Central and world-class coaching through Winning Edge.”

Potgieter continues, “To enter the competition, new users are invited to visit the Ideas Bank web application and submit their entrepreneurial ideas or aspirations. New users will need to build a professional profile to source the relevant support or information to take their idea or business to the market. Existing users should make sure that they polish and update their profile on the Ideas Bank, also completing new fields that have been added.” 

With the ideas loaded, a team of business experts will scrutinize them and select ten finalists. Potgieter says, “The shortlist of finalists will be announced on 13 July and invited to present at a ‘Dragons’ Den’ style grand finale, taking place on 22 July.”

During this event - which borrows its theme from the popular television program in which budding entrepreneurs are able to share their ideas with a team of business experts who are prepared to reward the best idea - a panel of Samsung Mixed Talents experts and partners will choose the three winners.

“One of the distinguishing characteristics of the competition is that promising entrepreneurs are able to get real guidance and support by simply presenting an idea. In contrast, most business incubators stipulate that the entrepreneur needs to have actually established their business. We are extremely excited at the opportunity to offer another three entrepreneurs the chance to turn their idea into a business reality,” concludes Potgieter. 

For more information on the campaign visit: www.launchingpeople.co.za and follow #MixedTalents

Cheers!!!

Enquiry for your brands, launch events, sponsored posts, giveaways and product reviews - Contact me at thelifesway@gmail.com 

@SamsungSA Named Top South African #Youth #Brand #SouthAfrica

Hi Guys, 

Samsung has been selected as leader in the New Technology/Tablets Category and Smartphones Category of the latest Ask Afrika Youth Brands Survey, the largest survey of its kind in South Africa.

The survey, conducted annually by Ask Afrika, polled a sample of 8,300 South Africans aged between 15 – 34 for their sentiments on thousands of brands in 71 product categories. The Survey celebrates brands which are used most loyally by South Africa’s youth, irrespective of background or living standard. According to Ask Afrika, these are brands that define a common experience, often on a daily basis to which the young people are committed to. The scores were calculated based on different metrics for assorted product categories as loyalty metrics vary for different markets.

“The South African youth market is the sector that will drive technology trends into the future, so we are honoured to note that Samsung is seen as an iconic brand both for smartphones and tablets in this demographic,” says Craige Fleischer, Director of Integrated Mobility at Samsung Electronics South Africa. According to Fleischer, the market comprises both Millennials and true ‘Digital Natives’, who are highly demanding power users of mobile technology. “Samsung’s smartphone and tablet releases in recent years have not only met their expectations, but also raised the bar for what a tablet or smartphone should be able to deliver,” he continues. 

Samsung was also registered as the top tablet brand in the Ask Afrika Icon Brands Awards 2015 and ranked among the top brands in the Ask Afrika Youth Brands Survey 2015 as well as being listed as an emerging ICON platinum brand for its tablets in the Ask Afrika Icon Brands Awards 2014.

“Samsung’s mobile technology and innovation is inspired by consumers, for consumers and is designed to be meaningful and add value to their lives. Results like these epitomise our commitment to understanding what our customers really want and need from our cutting edge technology and pioneering products,” concludes Fleischer. 

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, cameras, digital appliances, printers, medical equipment, network systems and semiconductor and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at news.samsung.com. 

About TGI/Ask Afrika 

TGI research, for which Ask Afrika own the South African copyright, specialises in the management and provision of ‘syndicated continuous research’. Ask Afrika has grown to be the largest independent South African market research company with fieldwork capabilities in 95% of Sub-Saharan Africa. Ask Afrika is famous for its objective performance evaluations through national benchmarks on Service Excellence (Ask Afrika Orange Index®), Corporate Reputation and Trust (Ask Afrika Trust Barometer®) and Brand Performance (TGI Icon Brands™). Ask Afrika’s knowledge of brands is extensive and as owners of the local TGI license, they are the leaders in brand expertise in South Africa. The Ask Afrika/TGI relationship offers clients a one-stop research solution for all the strategic business and research needs.

Cheers!!!

Enquiry for your brands, launch events, sponsored posts, giveaways and product reviews - Contact me at thelifesway@gmail.com