Digital Money Set to Disrupt The Banking Industry @HoganLovellsSA #eNotes

Hi Friends

Natoshi Nakamoto – the creator of bitcoin – had a vision for the new age of commerce and that vision is being realized at a rapid pace as with all financial services, people all around the world desire financial platforms that are convenient, safe, reliable and trustworthy. Cryptocurrency has been established to be detached from regulatory intervention, but it still does not satisfy those four requirements given its volatility in value. Digital money, on the other hand, has given this cushion of surety for its users. Uruguay, as an example, is at the forefront of integrating digital money into its payment systems.

What is the difference between cryptocurrency and digital money? Well, the simple answer is that digital money is regulated by a country's Central Bank and is formally accepted as legal tender, whereas cryptocurrency is decentralized and is not formally accepted as legal tender, making it optional for people to accept it. This means that a creditor is not under any obligation to accept a bitcoin tender as means to settle a debt.

Digital currency is a centralized solution that generates digital money that can be exchanged between users that own digital wallets. Quite simply instead of physical money and a physical wallet, users now have a digital form. The main attribute of digital money is that it will be pegged against the value of the currency of the country in which it is being utilized. Cryptocurrency, such as bitcoin, creates a separate commodity with its own value, which is influenced by a volatile means of economic principles such as supply and demand.

The technology that will support digital currency is through a system that generates "eNotes" for the Central Bank. The Central Bank will at all times have monitoring power over the circulation of the "eNotes". In addition, the Central Bank will also be in a position to adjust the volume of legal tender in circulation. Given this transparency, the use of digital legal tender will also help to provide an effective deterrence to illicit and fraudulent transactions. The reason for this is that electronically the Central Bank will be able to track at any time the flow of the "eNotes".

eNotes can be stored with commercial banks or Fintech companies that will account for eNotes transactions. eNotes will not be directly stored on mobile devices and thus presents the advantage that the end-user may always have a sense of security that should his mobile device be stolen or damaged, the digital wallet and the eNotes will not be stolen.

Digital currency would also be able to be used for both points of sale payments and remote payments. Digital money can also be interchanged with physical notes at ATMs or at a point of sale.

Digital money also has benefits for the state. The costs associated with printing money for the state will be significantly lowered than the costs involved in managing digital money.

The traditional form of legal tender in circulation means that retail banks are advanced funds from the Reserve Bank at a particular interest value. Retail banks then distribute the funds to the public through various payment systems that are responsible for clearing and settling payments. The retail banks then place their interest margin on the legal tender that is used by the public.

The digital currency system intends to reduce the burden of additional interest costs. eNotes can be directly provided to the public.

Where eNotes may be a disrupter for the banking industry, they pose an opportunity for the insurance industry, as an example. National Treasury, for instance, has prioritized a mass-based and sustainable transformation that will direct the financial sector work and generate wealth for all South Africans.

Access to financial services is a key driver towards achieving economic and social transformation. eNotes would enable all South Africans to save, borrow, insure and transact.

There is no requirement to have a bank account, but merely a phone that enables an eWallet. Now insurance premiums can be paid via the use of an eWallet unlocking the insurance industry to more South Africans.

 

Written By Christine Rodrigues, partner, and Craig de Bruyn, candidate attorney, at Hogan Lovells (South Africa)

 

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@SteersSA Fires Up For #WorldEpilepsyDay Awareness Walk #25Mar #PurpleDay2018 #MushroomPark

Hi Friends,

World Purple Day is an emerging global movement that seeks to create awareness for a serious neurological condition called Epilepsy that affects 50 million people globally. This movement was started by Cassidy Megan from Canada who also lives with this disorder and felt a strong need to communicate its importance on a global scale by encouraging people, brands, and businesses to come together and teach each other about epilepsy. Steers has taken the initiative to be one of the only few brands in South Africa to make a fitting contribution, a day before the official day of global awareness, by being involved in a walk that will take place at Mushroom Park in Sandton on Sunday the 25th of March, from 9:30am to 12:30pm.

Attendees of the walk will be permitted free entrance to the walk with the only condition to ensure that each walker and spectator is to bring toiletries and other donations that will be donated to the selected NGO’s that deal directly with affected individuals of this condition around the country. “We are very excited to have been offered the opportunity to support a cause that needs tremendous amounts of attention as this is a serious condition that should not be neglected but effectively taken into consideration among the other occasions of awareness in South Africa and around the world,” states Marketing Executive for Steers Adolf Fourie.

The walkers are to expect a fun-filled day for the whole family where music, entertainment as well as informative demonstrations to treat unexpected cases of epilepsy will be provided. Steers has seen this as a wonderful opportunity to be one of the first and few brands nationally to be involved in an initiative that does not only have similarity in colour, but one that finds it imperative to address a need to find effective ways to support programmes that aim to uplift various communities and the individuals within them. The walk was developed to encourage South Africans to create a culture of acceptance and understanding for this critical brain condition that impacts over 500 000 individuals on average.

“We are so grateful for the support offered to us from a brand like Steers because of the fact they too are also taking the necessary steps to ensure that their customers who may be exposed to this condition ought to know that they are being cared for through their generous helping hand in this event. We hope that this will be a fruitful long-lasting relationship between us and Steers so as to continue to make this occasion of awareness bigger and bigger every year, and to really make the first event to be a meaningful contribution to the Epileptic community in our country,” says Tania van Heerden - Co-Founder for Epilepsy Purple Day South Africa and Linah More - Franchise Manager JHB North and East. Steers will go the extra mile to raise awareness through creating unique social media content posts that will encourage early detection, ways to handle traumatic encounters as well as demonstrate effective ways in which individuals can approach medical consultants who can assist patients who are scared to come forward for treatment.

South Africa is urged to support this cause by wearing a purple item of clothing on Monday the 26th of March in a bid to raise awareness for this condition as the rest of the globe will also raise awareness in a variety of interesting ways and activities.

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13 Days To www.TheLifesWay.com 5th Birthday Celebrations #5YearsofTheLifesWay #27Dec2017 #LuckyDays

Hi Friends, 

It always happens that you get what you don't expect or have already bought some time back. In my life that has happened a lot and many times, I have got the same kind of products which I already just bought myself. But anyways a prize is always great and is received with a lot of gratitude to the Universe and the Law of Attraction which I believe in fully. 

The first time the lady luck smiled at me for something I always wanted to achieve was in London when I won a Sony Handycam HDR-XR350 at a UEFA Champions League Hyde Park Showcase to the Finals at Wembley, London, UK in 2011. I totally loved the same as the same was imported from Germany to London along with UEFA team and I used it to capture a lot of birthday events of Keisha and many celebrations at home. The 7.1MP Handycam with 160GB was worth more than I could buy myself and at that time I only had Panasonic FZ5 digital camera. I am thinking of doing video blogs using the same once I sort out the battery issues in Sony Handycam. The Handycam is stored in a small bag from Timberland which my brother-in-law gifted me from Russia. I did buy an extra battery from the USA via my brother but that too is old now to perform at full capacity. Sony is still the main sponsor of the Champions League Trophy.

Similarly, when Google launched their Nexus 7 tablet and my parents visited USA, I specifically gave them my Credit Card to get me one 16GB edition but as the same was sold out, they bought me a 32GB one. I simply adored the Nexus 7 and still watched most of my content on the same. Within 15 days of I receiveing the same when my parents came back from States, I won an Apple iPad Mini 16GB in one of the contests for Hyundai Motors, India. I was so happy and immediately fall in love with the new device too.

After buying my own Nikon D7000 DSLR camera, I participated in Mission Samsung Blogger Challenge in 2014 and as a part of Community Challenge Winner - I received an awesome Samsung NX300 Mirrorless Camera. The camera is too good in low light and holds a 20MP lens. The photographs are so good that the Mercedes-Benz also appreciated my clicks and a lot of them are shared on my social media channels including Instagram. I used it at many places from portraits to events and all the images using the camera is awesome. I bought a Purple cover for the same from Game Store at the sale for ZAR 50 and it holds the camera safely. I am looking to buy another battery for the same along with a 45mm lens which will enhance this camera further. 

In the last few years, I am thinking that I have not applied the Law of Attraction fully into my day to day living as surprises are not coming to me in their full capacity or my demands from the Universe have increased a lot. It's not that the Universe can't fulfill them but firstly I need to be able to accept them and also totally deserve them. In my London Handycam experience, I spent the whole Saturday at the event participating in all their games and activations without eating food etc and again went back on Sunday morning to do the same but came back once I got a call from them to announce me as a winner and handing me the prize. I was so happy. 

Similarly, with Samsung Challenge - I knew when I wrote the article on a weekend afternoon with a cup of tea in my hands that it will definitely win and from that day onwards - I never left hope and one day I got the email that I have won the contest. I received the camera after a small hiccup with the PR company where they were sending me a Samsung point and shoot camera instead of the original prize which I pointed them from the initial terms and conditions of the contest. They were humble enough to correct the same and sent me my prize in 2-3 days. I could not use it immediately as there was no SD card in the camera package so had to wait till I reached home. That day I still remember I had to attend an event too before making my way to my house and there was no SD card with me during this whole time. Immediately, the next day I bought a series of SD cards as spares for all my cameras. 

Wating for the days where Universe says to me - Your Wish IS My Command! Till that time...Cheers!!!

12 Days                                                                                                                             14 Days

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14 Days To www.TheLifesWay.com 5th Birthday Celebrations #5YearsofTheLifesWay #27Dec2017 #Nokia #HTC #CameraSmartphone

Hi Friends,

--1400 POST--

My Journey with photography started way back when I was only 5-6 years old with Pentax film camera. Then it migrated to Kodak film camera and was limited as the film was costly to buy and process and 1 film only used to do 36 photos max. It was only with the invention of the digital camera, you could click thousands of images and print only the limited ones. And with the introduction of a camera in mobile phones, it further took turns as the prints were only limited and social media sharing took its place. 

My first smartphone camera was Nokia 7650 which my brother bought from Singapore and gifted me. It was an awesome phone and took good pictures. I used it for a while and it was stolen from my Jacket's pocket in my cousin's marriage ceremony. I really felt lost and bad as then I had to wait for more than a year or so before switching back to a camera phone. 

Second camera phone was Motorola ROKR E1 with which I took thousands of pictures using its 0.3MP camera and continued from Feb 2006 till the time I gave it for change of ear speaker and the guy took away certain parts and phone could not be repaired ever in 2007 as the chipset was burnt etc etc. The phone had amazing dancing lights on the sides and used to blink whenever you get a call. I got my job placement notification only from the lights as the phone was in silent mode and went to interview at 1030pm just because of Motorola Rokr E1 flashing lights. So grateful to Motorola for making this device and my brother for buying me this one from Singapore.

My biggest camera came when 3.2MP was launched by Nokia in N73 Music Edition smartphone which was gifted to me by my brother-in-law before my marriage in 2008. I really loved it and used it until 2010 when I migrated to the first android phone with full touch screen and keyboard in Google G1 made by HTC. There must be thousands of photographs I have taken using Nokia N73 as I passed the phone to my wife before going to London. Google G1 was the smartphone where I initiated my twitter handle @araijain long back when Twitter came into the picture and now today my tweet count on the channel has reached around 175k.

In London, I was using Google G1 and when I came back to India, my brother again gifter me Google Nexus One which I still have my backup phone for emails. It doesn't work that fast but it can receive calls and send SMS. This one worked till 2013 when it's power on-off button met its lifetime and I could not switch it ON which I took care using an app on android play store. I have won hundreds of Twitter contests on this smartphone and think of the quality of this smartphone -  the battery is still fine and phone still works great. What an amazing technology by HTC on Google Nexus One.

As I was planning to come to Johannesburg in 2013, I was in love with Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and HTC ONE M7 and I had a choice to buy either. I decided to go with HTC ONE M7 because of its Beats Audio setup and when I used my BOSE earphones on both of them, the difference was clear and I decided to go with HTC M7 and again thousands of my twitter, facebook photos are taken by this smartphone. The battery bloated within a year and I raised a complaint here in Johannesburg within repair center and they gave me a brand new HTC ONE M7 on the second day without any charges. I felt great with the services and fell in love with HTC all over again.

HTC South Africa came in contact with me via my blog and gifted me their review device HTC ONE M8 on my birthday on 22 July 2015 which is still my primary smartphone in 2018 but I am only using the same to do tweets and facebook etc and not to take photos as much as I used to do earlier as the smartphone has gone very very slow and 8GB-16GB smartphone are total waste in this new digital and online world.

So, in the end, my camera smartphone journey is totally based on Nokia and HTC smartphones till date and most of the photographs you see on my Instagram pages are using Review units if mentioned and if not mentioned then it will be using the Panasonic FZ5 or Nikon DSLR from my previous post and rest all are using HTC M7 and M8 smartphones. Looking forward to getting the best in the range smartphone now in 2018!

13 Days                                                                                                                             15 Days

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The #PerfectDeal At a Great Price @SonyXperiaZA And @MTNza #XperiaXZPremium #XperiaXZ1

Hi Friends, 

Sony Mobile Communications in partnership with MTN, is proud to announce the perfect “Made for you - 2 for 1 deal”, meaning you get two phones and only pay for one!

All you need to do is sign up or upgrade to an Xperia XZ Premium, featuring a 19MP Motion Eye camera with Super Slow Motion and 4K HDR display for only R569 p/month for 24 months or the Xperia XZ1 with ground-breaking technology for mobile with 3D scanning for only R469 p/month for 24 months and receive a free Sony Xperia L1 Smartphone with a 13MP camera. This offer is valid while stocks last, so don’t miss out!
 

To follow all updates keep an eye out on Sony Mobile’s Facebook page and their Twitter page

*Xperia XZ Premium for only R569 p/month for 24 months on a MTN Made for Me M
**Xperia XZ1 for only R469 p/month for 24 months on a MTN Made for Me M
***Xperia L1 free with a free SIM card and 200MB data for 6 months
****Deal valid from 09 March - while stocks last
Other Ts&Cs apply

Value & ROI Analysis-

XZ Premium you will pay R13656 to get free Xperia L1 which is trading at R2800 at online retailers. XZ Premium is still premium prices in the market at R12300 and here with MTN you are only paying R10856 along with data and voice SIM card from MTN.

 

XZ1 you will pay R 11256 to get free Xperia L1 worth R2800. The phone is worth R9800 in online stores so here you are getting the same at R8456 which is good value for money along with SIM card and data connections whose value I have not taken into consideration. 

You can decide which one to go for based on your priorities but the difference being R100 per month, you will get better picture quality, super slow-motion video and super awesome glass finish smartphone in XZ Premium. If I take Made for ME M plan into consideration that's R249 (Includes 150 Anytime Minutes, 100 SMSs, 1GB Data) per month making the device cost only R4880 for XZ Premium and R 2480 for XZ1. Think about it now!!! 

 

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#Marvel Studios #BlackPanther is The Highest Grossing Film in East, West and now, South Africa #DisneyAfrica

Hi Friends,

In its fifth weekend of release (16-18 March 2018), Marvel Studios’ Black Panther became the all-time top-grossing film in South Africa, with a haul of over R77.6 million since it’s 16 February 2018 release. This record means that South Africa joins East and West Africa in claiming Black Panther as the highest grossing film of all time in these regions.

In South Africa, Black Panther adds the record of all-time highest-grossing film to its previous records of the highest Saturday and February opening weekend and, of course, the biggest superhero film of all time. In East Africa, the film has raked in over Kes 102.4m and in West Africa N642.5m, to become the highest grossing film of all time in both territories.

“We are thrilled at the response Black Panther has received from fans across the continent as this next chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe plays out with a distinctly proud African story,” says Christine Service, Senior Vice President of The Walt Disney Company Africa. “To everyone who celebrated the release by watching, dressing up, singing in the cinemas and enjoying the film across social media, a very big thank you from all of us at Disney and Marvel Studios.”

Marvel Studios’ Black Panther follows T’Challa who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king—and Black Panther—is tested when he is drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life. Black Panther stars Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, with Angela Bassett, with Forest Whitaker, and Andy Serkis. The film is directed by Ryan Coogler and produced by Kevin Feige with Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Nate Moore, Jeffrey Chernov and Stan Lee serving as executive producers. Ryan Coogler & Joe Robert Cole wrote the screenplay. Marvel Studios’ Black Panther is now in cinemas now.

 

I still have to add my cents to those Rands as I am not able to watch this movie till date and that's really disheartening for me whereas last year I watched many others Superhero movies in the very first weeks other than Wonder Woman which was kind of sold out in all cinemas and was not invited as part of launch events. By the time I will watch the movie, North Africa will also have added some monetary value to The House of Wakanda.

 

Cheers!!!

  

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Time, Comfort And Connection: The Root Of Future Devices @Lenovo_Africa #DifferentIsBetter

Hi Friends, 

The use of technology in modern life is evolving at an ever-increasing pace, and South Africa is catching up. Late last year, Google’s 2017 Connected Consumer Study revealed that 60 percent of South Africans now use a smartphone. In 2014, this number was just 47 percent.

This evolution is presenting new possibilities, pushing new behaviours, and expanding what we all expect from technology. Yet, in the midst of accelerating technological change, we are also seeing users tend towards solutions that simplify and streamline. In this respect, technological advances are enabling computing experiences to become better integrated into our lives.

Technology is now all around us, embedded in multiple and varied devices, and it makes us feel engaged and productive. It constantly presents us with new opportunities while adjusting our user behaviour in sometimes new and unexpected ways. Take for example how we stream content to a multitude of screens, or use smartphones to organise our lives and communicate via text and video with colleagues, friends, and family across a variety of apps. It is not surprising, then, that Google’s 2017 study also revealed that the number of connected devices per person in South Africa is 1.4, up from 0.8 just three years ago.

But how do we ensure that persistent “newness” and competition for our attention doesn’t come at a cost, distracting and removing us from living in the moment? As we explore how computing will evolve, we must re-set our focus on what matters most.

Lenovo’s global user experience team looks two to three years ahead, exploring the intersection of design and technology to help map the direction our organisation will take. The context here is the predicted desires and needs of consumers and the workforce, with the customer experience in ever-present focus.

Different Is Better and I am so much in love with this Quote from Lenovo

Through research and speaking with countless customers, we learned three things people value most when it comes to the technology they use: time, comfort, and connection. These are the elements that will drive personalised computing for Lenovo and our customers as technology continues to intelligently transform our lives.

We know the proliferation of digital devices is immense, and we know that trends such as livestreaming and the use of digital assistants are likely to grow. People tend to construct their own relationship with technology, using it in unique ways, often self-identifying via their device choices. And they place a premium on their ability to save time, connect with others, and enjoy the freedom to comfortably use their devices anywhere.

Time
Time is our most precious resource. Users clearly want to get the most out of their interaction with technology – streamlining tasks wherever possible, saving time, and making the most of each moment. I speak to customers who use apps like Waze to check the traffic up ahead on their chosen route, or who add items to an online groceries app rather than write them down or try and remember them later. Capturing ideas in the moment is a great example of how people are using technology to get more done in shorter time frames. PCs that are always on and ready to go with easy access to digital assistants and stronger collaboration solutions are going to change the way we streamline our tasks at hand.

Comfort
The dominant device today is the smartphone, often with a laptop and/or a tablet to go with it. So, we know with confidence that people are increasingly looking for portable technology – lightweight devices that provide the freedom and comfort to move around with ease. It’s interesting to see how and where user trends develop. For example, in China, the social media platform WeChat has huge numbers of users and this led to users there adopting large smartphone screens ahead of the west. What followed globally of course were bigger screens, still with comfort and freedom top of mind. At Lenovo, we’re also looking ahead at bendable and foldable form factors and on-screen experiences to help people to do more of the things they want in new and more comfortable ways.

Connection
Lastly, our research tells us people are looking for better quality and more enjoyable (and therefore more meaningful) connections via technology between friends, family, colleagues, customers, and partners. This is truly universal and something our business is focused on with our product development. Lenovo asks – how can we make your device experience more immediate when it comes to, for example, staying in close touch with friends and family overseas? And how do you drive a better human, collaborative experience overall in the office so that remote meetings that start on time and are not plagued by technical difficulties? We see a big opportunity at the intersection of personal and communal computing, creating better shared experiences to help families and friends stay closer, and to help distributed business teams collaborate more effectively.

Technology for technology’s sake should never be the goal. With time, comfort, and connection as the guiding principles and metrics in mind, we’re better placed to solve problems and create enhanced experiences. These are the issues that matter most to people, and what we believe will drive personalised computing over the next couple of years.

This article is written by Thibault Dousson, General Manager, Lenovo South Africa & SADC
Join them on LinkedIn, follow on Facebook or Twitter (@Lenovo) or visit at www.lenovo.com

Cheers!!!

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Celebrating World Monopoly Day #19March @Hasbro #MonopolyTokenMadness

Hi Friends,

In celebrating World Monopoly Day on 19 March (yes it’s a thing!) – I thought I will share 10 fun facts about the world’s favorite family game brand, which has over a thousand variations and is enjoyed by more than 1 billion players in 114 countries across the globe.

1. Charles Darrow developed the MONOPOLY game in 1933, using small items from around the home, including pennies or buttons, to allow players to track their journey around the game board.

2. Darrow’s young niece had a better idea and suggested using charms, like the ones on her bracelet, to serve as the iconic tokens fans know and love today.

3. The original tokens represented familiar items from 1930s America, including an iron, purse, lantern, race car, thimble, shoe, top hat, battleship, cannon, and rocking horse.

4. Mr. Monopoly was only introduced into the game in 1936

5. In 1943, when faced with a metal shortage during World War II, wooden tokens were substituted until 1945, when the metal tokens were brought back into the game.

6. The sack of money token was added in 1999 but retired less than a decade later.

7. In 2008 Mr. Monopoly began wearing an M-shaped silver metallic bowtie.

8. 2013 saw Mr. Monopoly ranked #12 on the Forbes Fictional 15 list of wealthiest characters, with a net worth of $1.2 Billion.

9. In 2015 Mr. Monopoly celebrated his 80th birthday by ringing the closing bell at the NASDAQ.

10. Last year Hasbro held a historic vote allowing fans to pick the eight tokens that would feature going forward. Over 4.3 million fans voted to secure spots for the: Scottie Dog; T-Rex; Top Hat, Car, Rubber Ducky, Cat, Penguin and Battleship token on board!

Enjoy this World Monopoly Day by becoming part of the Monopoly community and buy, trade and sell-the Monopoly way! Make your own memories and celebrate the evolution of the iconic Monopoly tokens with the  Hasbro Monopoly Token Madness board game which is making its way to the nearest store near YOU!

 

Cheers!!!

 

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#Bollywood Take on Income Tax and Myth Busting Story Of The Colourful City of #Mumbai @SterKinekor

Hi Friends,

For incredible entertainment and unforgettable cinema moments, Ster-Kinekor Cinemas brings you Bollywood film Raid. In the eyes of his elite team of commandos he is a typical rookie too ambitious for his lack of experience and capabilities; a typical toothless dog, but Amay (Ajay Devgn) is more than ready to join the team in their mission to take down a cop who has become a brutal crime lord; Tauji (Saurabh Shukla). Based on a true story of 1980’s. Raid will remind you of the tale of David and Goliath as Amay takes on the crime lord. Witness it all on Ster-Kinekor big screens since this Friday 16 March 2018 at Gateway, The Zone, Forest Hill and Carnival City

Directed by Raj Kumar Gupta, Raid is a crime drama film based on a true story of 1980’s high profile raid ever witnessed by India. After being excluded from the uppermost mission the team’s cover is blown but the fearless Amay, a mere IT officer formulates a plan to offer immunity to every criminal in his high-rise apartment block in exchange for the cops' heads. Witness a hero come to life as Amay heads the team in bringing Lockdown’s most powerful man down. Will Amay accomplish his mission or will Tauji remain victorious? Find this out!

Watch the official trailer for Raid here:
https://movies.sterkinekor.co.za/Browsing/Movies/Details/f-HO00001140

Also showing at Ster-Kinekor cinemas is an intriguing film 3 storeys. This is an attempt to shatter myths and misconception of Mumbai’s inhabitants. 3Storeys is narrative of interweaved stories of a businessman who finds himself in the hot waters of renting a house he cannot afford; the second story tells a story of an abused wife while the third story recounts a story of forbidden love between a Muslim boy and a Hindu girl.

3storeys narrates life’s reality of circumstances that often go against human wishes and desires. Each story encapsulates an unexpected but desirable twist, immerse yourself in this skillfully written fiction which is NOW showing at Forest Hill, Gateway in Durban, Greenstone Ster-Kinekor cinemas.

Watch the official trailer of 3Storeys here:
https://movies.sterkinekor.co.za/Browsing/Movies/Details/h-HO00000916

Find out more by visiting www.sterkinekor.com or download the SK App on your smartphone. You can also book at the box office. For news and updates, go to facebook: Ster-Kinekor Theatres | follow Ster-Kinekor on Twitter: @Ster-Kinekor. For all queries, call Ticketline on 0861-Movies (668 437).

Cheers!!!

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Iced Coffee Recipes to Tantalise Your Tastebuds @Nespresso Affogato & Hazelnut Latte

Hi Friends,

The hottest drink of the summer is, without a doubt, a delectable and easy-drinking Iced Coffee. To keep you on top of the trend from the comfort of your own home, celebrity chef Clement Pedro has whipped up some indulgent recipes using Nespresso’s brand new limited edition capsules, Intenso on Ice and Leggero on Ice! Here’s how to whip up two delicious recipes: Nespresso Affogato, a chocolate delight, and a Hazelnut Latte.

Nespresso Affogato
Serves one
Ingredients
80ml Nespresso Intenso on Ice
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
Chocolate dessert sauce, to drizzle over

Method
Place the ice cream in a cup before preparing the coffee directly into the glass.
Drizzle over the chocolate sauce and serve.

Hazelnut Latte
Serves one
Ingredients
Crushed ice as needed
80ml Nespresso Intenso on Ice
Hazelnut syrup to drizzle into the glass

 

 Method
Add crushed ice and prepare a latte as instructed into the glass.
Add the hazelnut syrup and stir through before serving.

Go on. Treat yourself to something decadent and delicious.

Discover a new dimension of coffee for your recipe to the perfect summer. Intenso on Ice and Leggero on Ice will be available for a limited period from Nespresso booths and boutiques nationwide, as well as through orders from the Nespresso Club on 0800 63 777 3 and online at www.buynespresso.com .

 

Cheers!!!

 

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@SpotifySA Launched In #SouthAfrica #SpotifySouthAfrica #MusicStreaming #SpotifyPremium

Hi Friends,

Spotify, the largest global music streaming subscription service, officially launched in South Africa, offering a revolutionary and unrivaled music experience tuned to your personal taste.

With a worldwide community of over 159 million music fans, Spotify offers users the choice of a free ad-supported service or an ad-free Premium subscription service. Users can listen for free forever, or alternatively can upgrade to Spotify Premium for the ultimate Spotify experience for only R59.99 per month*.

Spotify allows you to browse, discover, curate playlists, build your own music collection and share music with friends. With a catalog of over 35 million songs all available to both free users and subscribers, Spotify comes to South Africa offering the very best in both local and international music.

“Spotify is very excited to announce our launch in South Africa today. We have had the continent in our sights for a while and are finally able to offer South African fans access to all the music they already love on Spotify, while helping them to enjoy, discover and share new music from both local and international artists simply and easily,” said Michael Krause, Spotify MD, EMEA.

The best playlists
Spotify delivers music for every taste and mood. South African users have instant access to a wide range of local playlists expertly curated and regularly updated by our team of music experts, including Hip Hop Juice, Top Hits South Africa, House Nation, iGqom Le and SA Gold, alongside millions of Spotify and fan-built international playlists.

Unique music personalization and discovery features
A major feature of the Spotify service is its personalization, which allows fans to find the music they already love with ease, and will also help them discover new music and artists to love, based on their taste and listening patterns. When a new user joins Spotify, we take them through a ‘Taste Onboarding’ process, which helps Spotify quickly learn more about your music tastes.

Personalised discovery features including Daily Mix (a series of playlists combining your favourite tracks with new songs we think you’ll love), Release Radar (a playlist of new music based on the artists you follow and listen to most, updated every Friday) and Discover Weekly (a playlist based on your unique listening habits - coming soon) mean you’re never more than a moment away from the music you love.

Listen while you play
With Spotify available on PlayStation Music™, you have a special way to enjoy streaming music on your PlayStation 4 while gaming. You can listen to any song, album or playlist on demand, or even control Spotify through the Quick Menu without interrupting the game.

Spotify also offers:

• Mood and genre playlist hubs: head to Browse to choose from wide range of hubs including Workout, Chill, Party, Focus, Gaming, Sleep, Dinner, Kids and many more.
• Automatic low bitrate streaming in South Africa: Spotify’s default setting for data streaming in South Africa is 24kbps, perfect if you’re streaming when not on wifi**.
• Offline listening for Premium users: simply ‘download’ your music to your mobile device or desktop when you’re online to enjoy while you’re offline.
• High audio quality for Premium users – up to 320 kbps.
• Superior social features:
• Unique sharing integration via Facebook and Twitter
• Share and make collaborative playlists on Facebook Messenger
• Share your own playlists and favorite songs from the app and become an influencer in your own right
• Charts: Global streaming charts. South Africa charts coming soon.
• Play everywhere: download the Spotify app on mobile, laptop and tablet
• Listen everywhere: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth speakers, Amazon Echo, Sonos, Bose, TV, Google Chromecast, Sony PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®3 consoles, Microsoft Xbox, Samsung, Google Home, Waze, Carplay and many others.
• Background play: the music never stops on your mobile, even when you run the app in the background.

Globally, Spotify has changed the way artists connect with music fans. Musicians want their music heard and Spotify has succeeded in introducing artists to millions of people the world over.

In addition, Spotify has delivered more than €8 billion to the music industry since first launching in 2008. Following the South Africa launch, and the launches are in Vietnam, Romania, and Israel, Spotify is now available in 65 markets worldwide.

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.Facebook: @Spotify Twitter: @SpotifySA  Instagram: @spotify

*Ways to pay:
Credit cards: Visa, Mastercard, Amex  Debit cards: Visa & Mastercard
Enjoy a 30-day free trial when signing up for Spotify Premium with a credit or debit card.

**Spotify’s default data streaming setting for South Africa is 24kbps
To give you a comparison, Spotify uses 10.8 megabytes per hour of data while streaming music, compared with 43.2MB per hour as the lowest reported data consumption rate available to other music streaming services, according to Android Central.
And for when you are on wifi and want to stream at high quality rates, Spotify also offers data streaming at 96kbps, 160kbps and 320kbps (for Premium users)

 

Cheers!!!

 

Contact me at thelifesway@gmail.com to collaborate on paid/sponsored campaigns. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra! Check my influence and book me via https://webfluential.com/TheLifesWay

15 Days To www.TheLifesWay.com 5th Birthday Celebrations #5YearsofTheLifesWay #27Dec2017 #Nikon

Hi  Friends, 

I am acting on my resolutions and finishing all the pending tasks and assignments or product reviews so that backlog is totally clear and I can focus on the opportunities ahead. I see that backlog causes a lot of discomforts as you are not able to feel good about yourself. I have always assumed that I will do them later but it's now or never. The context of those posts will be old and no one will want to read them but it's my blog and if I am feeling uneasy, it will affect my next posts so better clear them off. I am getting good ideas for the new posts and will start implementing the same from the month of April as I want to finish all my pending self-written articles in March. 

Now, these articles about the countdown are old too but I could not finish them any sooner so let's check out the story I have to tell here. The Life's Way has been my with me even before I really got together and bought the domain. All my life I have been a curious photographer and took thousands and thousands of photos using all kinds of cameras. Panasonic FZ5 used to be my go-to camera when I was in living in London. It helped me click on all my India trips and in Johannesburg too during my initial days here. 

An Elephant Charging at me while I am unaware of at the Paul Kruger Gate with my shoulder Nikon Bag

Then my dream of owning a DSLR came to reality in 2014 when I ordered Nikon's D7000 from Flipkart India. It felt so great as I opened the box of the same and the photo quality on D7000 is awesome. I ordered the one with Nikon's Lens 18-105mm which covered me well. Sooner I felt the need to go telephoto so I bought Sigma 70-300mm from Incredible Connection at Sandton City using the Gift Voucher my friends gave me at my birthday party for some of the amounts. Sigma Lens is also great and I have been able to take amazing pictures using the same. Again, I felt the need of owning a Nikon Flash and bought the best one available in the market named SB-910 with Panasonic batteries which also cost a fortune. All the money to buy Nikon Flash came from paid posts of Indiblogger India via Flipkart India gift vouchers. Again, last year I wanted to go for a prime lens and finally decided to go with Nikon 35mm which again I bought from Amazon India and used it extensively during my cousin's wedding. I have bought some filters from several brands to go on lenses as I took a lot of photos on children birthdays and kids can touch the lens anytime so I bought them at the Photo and Film Expo in Johannesburg. That's my story of Nikon DSLR but let's talk about the 2 launch events I attended with Nikon in India and Johannesburg. 

During my first Nikon India launch event in New Delhi, they gifted everyone with a DSLR camera strap, 4GB Lexar Card and a Tshirt. SD card came to help immediately and Tshirt I am still wearing but the DSLR strap I am still keeping in my bags as the one that came with the camera is still going on. Maybe in future, I can go and replace it with the gifted one. The second trip was a Nikon Walk in Johannesburg CBD where they gave us Nikon Silicon Water bottles and Nikon Caps and those two items I have gifted/used and forgotten about totally since now. I have not been using any caps since last 2 years as earlier in winters I always used to wear them day-in-day-out, that's a habit of staying in London where the weather is really windy and cold. Checkout the photographs I took using my Nikon equipment on my Instagram page or my photo blog PhotoYatra.

Now the next items I would love to buy from Nikon will be a full-frame camera along with 60mm lens and 10-24mm lens and 150-600mm lens to go wildlife and portrait photography. But as this will need at least R100k to setup, I need to win a lottery or fortune at one of the Johannesburg casinos. There are still some small items I can buy like Nikon Remote and a second battery for Nikon D7000 and a Nikon camera backpack as I got the shoulder bag with my camera which has met its life now. Let's see how much I will be able to achieve in 2018 then will sort out the Nikon's stuff as it's like a big pandora box where you need to keep investing if you are in love with Photography.

14 Days                                                                                                                             16 Days

Cheers!!!

Contact me at thelifesway@gmail.com to collaborate on paid/sponsored campaigns. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra! Check my influence and book me via https://webfluential.com/TheLifesWay

A Memoir - This Month Last Year - Mar 2017 www.thelifesway.com #TheLifesWay

Hi Friends,

March is the end of the first quarter of every year and you always assess your resolutions whether it's going as planned or you need to realign to match your expectations. The faster you do it the better it will be for your finished goals. I thought of starting Youtube Channel but so far I have not been able to post myself on any of them but only shooting and posting them.

1. The Holistic Entrepreneur - A Book by Jodene Shaer @JodeneCoZA #TheHolisticEntrepreneur - http://www.thelifesway.com/2017/03/the-holistic-entrepreneur-book-by.html - It's almost a year now that this book is launched and I am still not able to find time to finish the same. It's in my top most priority of books but I think other than first two parts of Amish's Ramayan trilogy I have not read or completed any book so far since 2017-2018. Another book I am still reading is Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson. Here's validation of the point I was referring at the start of my post that March is the time to reassess your priorities. 

2. @SonyXperiaZA XZ Premium Officially Named “Best New Smartphone" #MWC2017 - http://www.thelifesway.com/2017/03/sonyxperiaza-xz-premium-officially.html - Sony Xperia XZ Premium is only in my hands nowadays for two weeks and I am testing the same only now. I am in love with the feel and design of the device but so far not that impressed with the camera as it's now replaced by some better smartphones in the market even from the house of Sony Mobiles too. But it's a capable smartphone and if you get it for cheaper prices, you shall grab it immediately. 

3. Book Review - The Jeera Packer by Prashant Yadav @FingerprintP #theJeeraPacker - http://www.thelifesway.com/2017/03/book-review-jeera-packer-by-prashant.html - During my trip, last year to India, the author of this book found me on twitter as I mentioned coming back for holidays and ensured that I get a copy of his book when I reach there at my home in Delhi NCR. I felt great and ensured that I read and review the same immediately. I loved his writing style and the plot of the story.

4. @KandasamysMovie Breaking Opening Weekend Records #ChatsworthStyle #KandasamysMovie - http://www.thelifesway.com/2017/03/kandasamysmovie-breaking-opening.html - This is one of the best pictures of South Africa and will register in my brains forever for the fun and laughter between 2 families whose son and daughter fall in love with each other. I met the star cast of the movie and even saw one of the premiers show with them and it was an amazing experience at Gold Reef City. Still some days back this movie was being played on DStv and my family loved watching the same.

5. A Memoir - This Month Last Year - Jan 2016 www.thelifesway.com #TheLifesWay - http://www.thelifesway.com/2017/03/a-memoir-this-month-last-year-jan-2016.html - A Memoir - This Month Last Year - Feb 2016 www.thelifesway.com #TheLifesWay - http://www.thelifesway.com/2017/03/a-memoir-this-month-last-year-feb-2016.html - This has been a series of posts which are mines and I think and write whatever I feel about them after a year or so. This really gives me roller coaster rides as I see some of the PR companies fooling me and some are worthy of my time and money. It really sets the perspective as to why and what I am getting in return for all those thousands of posts done so far? For all the time I have missed personal parties to attend boring events to only receive a pen-drive at the end. It's hectic and sometimes I have paid for my cold drink myself at those launch events because I don't drink alcohol. 

Life's is short guys and you shall live it fully without any limits within your values system. Do what you like, if brands want you, then they will find you else you are good without them too as they never asked you to promote them and neither you bought their stuff to get back any money or respect from them. You loved it -  You Bought It! and Secondly, why use sub-standard products which you will never use as you are already using the best of the bests so why fall in the trap of free stuff and goodies. 

Cheers!!!

Contact me at thelifesway@gmail.com to collaborate on paid/sponsored campaigns. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra! Check my influence and book me via https://webfluential.com/TheLifesWay

Product Review - Nokia 8 #NokiaMobileZA #Nokia8 @HMDGlobal @NokiaMobile

Dear Friends, 

A long time ago in 2010 when I used to live in London, I received Nokia N8 for review before it's launch so that the faults can be identified before the smartphone was launched in the market. At that time it had Symbian v3.0 Operating System and in my comments for the review devices, I specifically mentioned that kindly change OS to Android v2.2 at that time and the phone will be a huge hit because of its 12MP rear camera. Fast Forward to 8 years later, Nokia launched their Android devices and here I have Nokia 8 in my hands for review since last 2 weeks. 

This was my first time after Nokia relaunched themselves and that I saw Nokia 8 smartphone and immediately I fell in love with the form factor of the device. The curved metallic back is marked with soft plastic sides to reduce any damage in case of fall or otherwise.  The color I received was Tempered Blue and it looks awesome. The front panel is beautifully carved with Nokia logo on top right end along with a speaker and camera and bottom part has one fingerprint scanner which works as Home button along with 2 touch buttons for back and all open apps. 

The smartphone camera is ZEISS optics enabled 13MP dual rear cameras along with the 13MP front camera. One of the dual cameras at the back is monochromatic which is capable of taking awesome black and white photographs. This feature I was thinking till date only in Huawei P series devices and totally loved it in Nokia 8. The dual camera works very well in daylights and in low-light also it tries to give it's best which I found to be good too. The photos taken using Nokia 8 are on my instagram.com/thelifesway social media pages for your references. Not only that the software in Nokia 8 gives features like watermarking your photos, altitude tag and compass tag which is way more than the location tag we found on many smartphones. 

The 5.3inch WQHD display offers a pixel density of 554ppi which is the nearly 2k screen. The colors look bright and text crisp and sharp. The brightness automatically increases in direct sunlight to max capacity and you can see the display without any problems. Not only that Nokia has taken the Night Light a notch higher as compared to other smartphones. You can not only schedule the same to turn ON automatically from sunset to sunshine or as per your requirements but can also control the tint of your amber screen based on your smartphone usage at night. Always On display is also one of the features which notifies you of time, battery level, day and date, along with calls, SMS and emails notifications in screen off mode. 

Taking 2 images from both the front and rear camera and then combining them has been used in many smartphones earlier by multiple brands like Samsung and HTC but Nokia has topped it up in Nokia 8 with #Bothie feature which can also take videos in this mode and take photos is a cake-walk. What I found difficult was to adjust photos clicked in vertical mode in the Instagram frame as one or the other portions get cut in case of photos. It works fine if you have taken them by tilting the phone in old point and shoot camera modes in which mode I had taken a video at the #VIVOnation music event. The audio is clear because of the Nokia OZO audio which is capable of taking 3D spatial surround sound 360-degree audio capture and playback.

The Nokia 8 smartphone comes with 4GB RAM and 64GB inbuilt storage which can be expanded using the MicroSD card. Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 mobile platform chipset, the phone performs at its best always. It has Type-C USB port and comes with Android 7.1.1 Nougat which is upgradable to Android 8.1.0 Oreo. The earphones that are supplied are smartphone has good bass and surround sound effects and phone still maintains its 3.5mm jack for your audio pleasures. I have fallen in love with the earphones that are packaged inside the Nokia 8 box which are enough if you are fan of Beats by Dre or Skullcandy bass oriented headphones.

The smartphone is equipped with 3090mAh battery comes with a fast charging power charger and cable. It's sufficient to go for complete 12-15 hours unless you are so much on videos and games. The in-built torch gives warm light as compared to many others which gives cool light. The type-C usb cable supplied is the very thick and almost tangle free as it takes effort to rotate the same into carryable position. I also loved that while using GPS on to go, even if the phone screen is off - it will always announce the directions as compared to my old smartphone HTC M8. Also, there is an option to have picture in picture (PiP) which means the phone can have dual apps open at the same time and MAPS can be made smaller while you take photos etc which I really liked a lot.

Taken using Nokia 8 Smartphone at the Volkswagen #VivoNation Music Festival in Johannesburg, South Africa

Somethings which I was not happy was that the Hotspot or tethering was not up to the mark as compared with my old HTC One M8 smartphone, the internet speed output was too slow for the connected smartphone or laptop. Secondly, the phone is too silky that it can easily slip off your hands but it's great to hold the same otherwise. Overall, this is one of the best smartphones from the house of NOKIA that will keep you connected in the social media as well as take awesome #Bothies and #Selfies with it's three ZEISS Optics 13MP camera all around and videos will be fully capturing the surround sound using NOKIA OZO audio while you listen to them on the packaged bass earphones. Also, Nokia wants to do the right things so most of their smartphones are now Android Enterprise Recommended which means they fulfill certain strict criteria and their stock Android OS is as close to Google's release with Nokia releasing security patches every month. What else can I say other than Welcome Back NOKIA and HMD Global! Go for it!

Cheers!!!

Contact me at thelifesway@gmail.com to collaborate on paid/sponsored campaigns. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra! Check my influence and book me via https://webfluential.com/TheLifesWay

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