10 Secrets From The Set of #RavensHome @DStv @DisneyChannel #DisneyAfrica

Hi Friends, 

Pssst… Want a sneak peek inside the new Disney Channel comedy, Raven’s Home? We catch up with the cast to discover the inside scoop on everything from pranks and paintings to props and parties… Whoop! 

SECRET NUMBER ONE… 

THERE WERE TEARS ON SET BEFORE THE CAMERAS STARTED TO ROLL! 

Raven-Symoné – who plays Raven Baxter in Raven’s Home – reveals: “I definitely had a tear in my eye when I walked on to the set of Raven’s Home for the very first time. It was really emotional because I was really happy to be working with Disney Channel again. It’s been 10 years since That’s So Raven finished, but this is a whole new show and it’s exciting to be back. The first time I walked on to the set, the sets were not finished. They were still in construction, so I could smell the fresh wood being cut and I reminisced to back when I was younger. It was a pleasure to be knowing that I was going to be working on a Disney stage again. It was awesome.” 

SECRET NUMBER TWO… 

RAVEN-SYMONÉ IS FULL OF GREAT ADVICE! 

Issac Ryan Brown – who plays Booker in the show – admits: “I am having the time of my life on Raven’s Home. It’s so much fun to be on a show like this, but I also love the fact that I’m learning loads. Raven is full of amazing advice. She tells us not to take our phones on set and she teaches us about the proper etiquette when you’re at work on a show like Raven’s Home. She’s taught us never to wear open-toed shoes on set because something might fall on your feet and you could get hurt. She tells us to keep our shoes tied properly; she even taught me a special knot! She's always full of great acting advice and she always knows what to do. She’s had such an amazing career, so it’s great to learn from the best.” 

SECRET NUMBER THREE… 

RAVEN’S HOME IS RECORDED IN FRONT OF A LIVE STUDIO AUDIENCE! 

Anneliese van der Pol – who plays Chelsea in Raven’s Home – explains: “I love performing in front of live audiences. For somebody like me, who started in theatre and still does a lot of live theatres, it’s a joy to work on a show that’s taped in front of a live studio audience. I absolutely love it. Nothing is better than getting a live laugh! When you work on a show that’s not recorded in front of an audience, it’s hard to tell what’s funny – but a live audience will give you immediate feedback with their laughter and their giggles. After every show, it’s really gratifying to sign autographs for the audience. We hang around to speak to the audience and find out what they liked about the show. It’s great.” 

SECRET NUMBER FOUR… 

SKY KATZ IS THE BIGGEST PRANKSTER ON THE SET OF THE SHOW! 

“We have lots of fun filming Raven’s Home,” chuckles Issac. “Sky Katz – who plays next-door-neighbour Tess in the show – is the biggest prankster on the set. One time, she asked me to look down into a bottle of water to see a coin underneath – but then she tried to squirt the water in my face. It was really funny! She does a bunch of pranks, but that’s one I managed to avoid. There’s something about her rapper aura that makes her the biggest prankster. She’s hilarious.” 

SECRET NUMBER FIVE… 

THE SHOW IS SET IN CHICAGO, BUT IT’S SHOT THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY! 

“In the show, Raven and Chelsea are raising their kids in Chicago – but the cast film the action on a studio set in Hollywood, California” admits Anneliese. “In LA, you’d have to drive your kids to school and the weather stays the same all year round. In Chicago, it’s different, so we get to show a lot of different stories by setting the show there.” 

SECRET NUMBER SIX… 

RAVEN-SYMONÉ WOULD LOVE TO SHOOT A FULLY MUSICAL EPISODE! 

Raven’s Home star Raven-Symoné is well known for her musical skills. She sang the theme tune for That’s So Raven and has released a number of albums. “I also sing the theme tune for Raven’s Home, which is exciting,” reveals the actress and singer. “I’d love to do a fully musical episode in the future. Wouldn’t that be cool? We did it on That’s So Raven, so it would be great to do it with Raven’s Home.” 

SECRET NUMBER SEVEN… 

THERE’S A BIZARRE ANIMAL APPEARANCE IN AN UPCOMING EPISODE! 

“There are lots of crazy, funny stories in Raven’s Home,” explains Issac. “There’s a fun Halloween episode where lots of the cast dressed up in costumes. There’s an episode with a clown. There’s even an episode that features a gorilla! The gorilla episode is really cool. It’s about overcoming your fears for the good of everyone else.” 

SECRET NUMBER EIGHT… 

SEE IF YOU CAN SPOT RAVEN’S ART IN THE SHOW! 

Raven-Symoné is a whizz at art, which is why some of her paintings are hanging up on the set of Raven’s Home. “I’m going to call them Secret Ravens,” reveals the actress. “I’m not going to tell you which of the paintings are mine, but they are definitely in the show. If you follow me on Instagram, they’ve been posted before, so you might be able to work it out – but I also did some artwork on clothing, which will turn up in season one.” Keep your peepers peeled, gang! 

SECRET NUMBER NINE… 

THE CAST PLAY GAMES WHEN THE CAMERAS STOP ROLLING! 

“I really love the set of Raven’s Home,” admits Issac. “In total, I think there are nine sets and each one is filled with props and fun things. The studio is huge and it’s very, very cool. When we’re not working, we often play hide and seek. My favorite place to hide is inside a little tower on the rooftop set. That’s usually where I run and hide, but don’t tell everyone… It’s a secret!” 

SECRET NUMBER TEN… 

THERE WAS AN EPIC PARTY TO CELEBRATE THE END OF SEASON ONE! 

“When we finished filming season one of Raven’s Home, we celebrated with a party,” explains Jason Maybaum, who plays Levi in the show. “We went to a karaoke place near the set and we all took turns at singing. It was so much fun! I sang It’s Tricky by Run DMC and Raven sang the Take Me To Church song by Hozier. She’s a really good singer. We had a blast!” 

**Raven's Home Season 3 premiered on Disney Channel, DStv channel 303 on Monday, 07 October**

Cheers!!!

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

10 Things You Need to Know About #Descendants3 @DStv @DisneyChannel #DisneyAfrica

Hi Friends, 

To celebrate the launch of Descendants 3 on Disney Channel, we’ve pulled together a list of the hottest secrets from the thrilling trequel. What can fans expect from the magical musical movie? The answers are all here… 

BEHIND-THE-SCENES SECRET NUMBER ONE… 

THE GANG’S BACK TOGETHER AGAIN! 

“It was awesome to be back on set for Descendants 3,” reveals Booboo Stewart, who plays Jay. “Not only was the cast back together again, but a lot of the dancers from the previous two films were back. It was really, really cool to see everyone. Before we started shooting, we had tons of dance rehearsals with our new choreographer, Jamal Sims. Jamal is incredible. He’s also part of the cast because he plays Dr. Facilier in Descendants 3. It’s great to have him on board.” 

BEHIND-THE-SCENES SECRET NUMBER TWO… 

THE MOVIE IS MAGICAL! 

“There’s a lot more magic in Descendants 3,” admits Dove Cameron, who plays Mal. “I would describe Descendants 3 as being the most magical of all three films by far, and I think everyone will be very happy with it. All of this magic means there are loads of special effects in the movie. There’s a lot of green screens and a lot of visual effects. It’s going to be a feast for your eyes!” 

BEHIND-THE-SCENES SECRET NUMBER THREE… 

THERE ARE SOME COOL NEW CHARACTERS! 

Keep your eyes open for tons of Easter eggs in Descendants 3. “I love the way we reflect back to the first movie in the third movie,” explains Cameron Boyce, who plays Carlos. “In the first movie, we came to Auradon. In the third movie, we bring new kids to Auradon. The new kids are called Celia, Squeaky and Squirmy – and they go through all the same emotions that we went through in the first movie. I think it’s great that there are lots of these different callbacks to the other movies in Descendants 3.” 

BEHIND-THE-SCENES SECRET NUMBER FOUR… 

THERE ARE NEW VILLAINS IN THE STORY, TOO! 

“I love the new baddies in the movie,” admits Booboo Stewart. “The baddies are really cool and I think they are going to surprise people. It’s awesome because you also get to see where the baddies live, which means you get to see more of the Isle Of The Lost in Descendants 3. You get to see lots of parts of the Isle that you haven’t seen before!” 

BEHIND-THE-SCENES SECRET NUMBER FIVE… 

PREPARE FOR A GIGGLE-FEST! 

“Descendants 3 is really, really funny,” chuckles Cameron Boyce. “You are definitely going to laugh out loud when you see the movie. Carlos and Jay have a lot more comedy in the third film than they did in the first two, which is fun. Even when a scene isn’t supposed to be comedic, we manage to find something fun to do – and it works.” 

BEHIND-THE-SCENES SECRET NUMBER SIX… 

THE SETS ARE EPIC! 

“The new sets are really awesome,” admits Booboo Stewart. “Not only do you get to see more of the Isle Of The Lost, but you also get to see more of Auradon in Descendants 3. Way, way more! I really enjoyed seeing more of this world. When the sets were being built, we got to see little models and photos of what everything was going to look like. When the sets were finished, it was incredible to see them for real. I love the fact that we return to some of the places that we visited in the past, including Auradon Prep. In a way, going back to that castle was almost like going home. It brought back so many great memories. It’s beautiful.” 

BEHIND-THE-SCENES SECRET NUMBER SEVEN… 

EXPECT TONS OF DANCING! 

“There are lots of incredible dance numbers in Descendants 3,” reveals Brenna D’Amico, who plays Jane. “The choreography was the most challenging of all three movies by far. Thankfully, I was surrounded by great choreographers and dancers who were able to help me learn the moves. Everyone is going to be dancing along at home. My little cousins dance along to every single Descendants movie and I know they’re going to be dancing, even more, this time. Especially with the song at the end of the movie. That’s my favorite!” 

BEHIND-THE-SCENES SECRET NUMBER EIGHT… 

THE CAST ATTENDED A MONTH-LONG BOOT CAMP! 

“We had a four-week boot camp before we started shooting the movie,” admits Cameron Boyce. “We had tons of dance rehearsals, as well as sword fighting lessons. The swords in Descendants 2 were very skinny. They are much bigger and heavier in Descendants 3, which was tough at times. There’s a dance number where we are fighting and dancing at the same time, so there was a lot of multi-tasking.” 

BEHIND-THE-SCENES SECRET NUMBER NINE… 

THE MUSIC WILL BLOW YOU AWAY! 

“The music in Descendants 3 is fantastic,” enthuses Booboo Stewart. “The soundtrack is going to be seriously amazing! The songs are really catchy and they are going to make everyone want to dance along. There’s a little rock in the music and there’s also a little pop. There’s even a little hip-hop and some cool electric feels, too. There’s something for everyone!” 

BEHIND-THE-SCENES SECRET NUMBER TEN… 

THERE WAS A LOT OF LAUGHTER ON THE SET! 

“Thomas Doherty and Jedidiah Goodacre are definitely the biggest jokers in the cast,” chuckles Cameron Boyce. “Jedidiah would always make us laugh. He is the craziest person you’ll ever meet! One day, he showed up wearing a pink crop top. He’s a crazy man who constantly brings a smile to your face. Dove pranked me really well on set. She walked into my trailer wearing lots of prosthetics and scared me! It was really funny.” 

BEHIND-THE-SCENES EXTRA… 

THE CAST MEMBERS ARE THE BEST OF FRIENDS! 

“We had a great time filming Descendants 3 in Vancouver,” explains Cameron Boyce. “When you’re in a different city with people you’ve known for years, it’s always going to be fun. We would hang out together all the time. We would go and get Thai food and ice cream. Or we’d go to the movies. One night, we went to buy loads of snacks from a shop over the street from our hotel. Dove and Sofia were still in their robes from work! We so much food and returned to Dove’s room to eat it all. Our eyes were definitely bigger than our stomachs that night, but it was really fun. We’d do fun stuff like that all the time.” 

BEHIND-THE-SCENES EXTRA… 

DUDE IS BACK! 

“Everyone keeps asking me if there’s going to be a talking dog in Descendants 3,” ponders Cameron Boyce. “I can confirm that Dude is back and he will be talking. He’s a lot of comedic relief in the movie! I don’t think the movie would be the same without Dude.” Woof! 

**Descendants 3 premiered on Disney Channel, DStv channel 303 on Friday, 11 October at 17:25**

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

What You Might Not Have Known About The @HuaweiZA #Nova Series?

Hi Friends, 

The HUAWEI nova 5T is coming to South Africa on 1 November. Here’s a reminder of some of the sleek and trendsetting highlights of this series of smartphones.

Huawei has gained widespread consumer recognition in large part due to its two high-end smartphone series, Mate and P, each of which has drawn acclaim for premium photography thanks to ongoing cooperation with iconic camera lens maker Leica as well as unrelenting R&D.

The brand's success is also credited to its highly favorable, more affordable models like the nova series. After debuting in 2016, the HUAWEI nova series has quickly won over younger users, due to a unique aesthetic identity encompassing trendy fashion and cutting-edge technology. In 2018, over 65 million nova smartphones were sold, indicating its widespread appeal to the market.

Nova: a rising star

If the HUAWEI P series (exemplified by the P30 Pro) is the yardstick against which all smartphone cameras will be measured, and the Mate series serves as the benchmark for futuristic mobile technology, the HUAWEI nova series is the standard for trendiness, a phone for millennials and fashion-conscious users.

The name epitomises this design concept: "nova" means "new star" in Latin, marking the nova series as a youthful, chic and fun product line. "Nova" is also derived from "innovation", embodying the brand's eternal innovative spirit.

The tens of millions of users who have opted for a nova phone strive for fashionable modern living, in which quality outweighs quantity. They hope to bring out the beauty of daily life, by depending on a phone that matches their personality.

Internal components that are fluid and flagship-worthy

Nobody likes a lagging phone, but no one hates it more than young people who enjoy living at a breakneck pace. The nova series takes this into account, deploying only the best chipsets, namely the Kirin 9X0 processors that are usually only seen on premium Mate and P series phones due to the high R&D costs associated with them.

The HUAWEI nova 2s, for instance, use the Kirin 960, while the nova 3 and nova 4 feature the Kirin 970 (also on the P20 Pro and Mate 20 series). As a result, the nova series offers a fluid user performance, with an instantly responsive touchscreen, smooth operations, and lag-free gaming and video streaming. Highly-anticipated GPU Turbo technology, which has been well received within the industry as well as by consumers, is also supported. This feature streamlines processing resources and reallocates them between the EMUI system, GPU and CPU, enabling software and hardware to work synergistically to significantly enhance overall computing efficiency. Gaming on nova phones is "fast and furious", all the while allowing for greatly reduced SoC power consumption.

An aesthetic identity fit for modern times

Specially designed for young and trendsetting consumers, the HUAWEI nova series follows lofty visual aesthetic principles in designing each of its models. Every nova phone is intricately crafted and polished, with the optimal aspect ratio, depth, and rounded edges, ensuring that the phone fits comfortably in the palm of your hand.

The HUAWEI nova and nova plus, released in 2016 as the first nova devices, adopted a 5-inch display perfect for one-handed operations, and a 2.5D curved glass screen for seamless transitions around the edges and corners. The nova 3, launched in 2018, upped the ante to use 3D glass for both the front and rear covers, for heightened ergonomics.

While the smartphone industry followed the same groupthink in adorning their products with shiny gold or metallic hues, the nova series broke the mold by introducing trendy summer colours, such as the Airy Blue and Grass Green, attracting the notice of users who strived for a bolder, more distinctive design ethos.

In order to fashion ever more creative colours for their products, Huawei closely studies Pantone's annual colour trends. Primrose Gold and the Iris Purple gradient were two prime examples of daring efforts that resulted in stylish, idiosyncratic products, which initiated the current trend toward gradient colored smartphones. The HUAWEI nova 4 followed up with two complex gradient covers, Charming Red and Pearl White, which depict the surreal and fantastical, a clash of colour, bringing out a vibrant and youthful charm.

In addition to absorbing exterior colours and patterns, nova phones also contain a perfected display design. The screen-to-body ratio has gone up for each new model — the nova 2s was the first model to explore bezel-less screen technology; the nova 3 was equipped with a notched screen, and the nova 4 incorporated an in-screen front camera to maximize usable display space.

The in-screen camera technology used on Nova 4 is unique and advanced. In contrast to the more commonly seen solution on the market, which drills all the way through the screen, the nova 4's screen is only partially perforated. This design attribute reduces the gap between the front camera and LCD backlight layer to a mere 0.2 mm, allowing for a sleek and slender phone.

The nova 4 front camera is the smallest in the industry, with a 3.05 mm diameter, 20% smaller than that seen on other phones. The camera hole measures only 4.5 mm in diameter, ensuring that the front camera consumes as little space as possible on the bezel-less display. Despite its compact size, the camera absorbs just as much light as, if not more light, than the larger standard smartphone front camera.

Looking back at nova's entire body of work, it's safe to say that it has led the way in smartphone colour design, material selection, and craftsmanship, a consistent legacy that heightens anticipation for future releases.

Advanced cameras that make each image into a masterpiece

Self-expression and self-confidence are often associated with millennials and generation Z. Captured moments of joy, exhilaration, anger, and sorrow, as well as diverse personality traits of a subject, form the visual diary of a life well-lived. Powerful cameras, therefore, have become a necessity for many, rather than a luxury, especially with the rapid development of smartphone photography, which means that the benefits of advanced, palm-sized cameras are now widely accessible.

The HUAWEI nova 2s included a dual-lens front camera module with a 20MP main sensor and a 2MP depth sensor for improved background bokeh generation. The nova 3 series upgraded the main sensor to 24MP, featuring high-clarity selfie imaging capable of being printed at poster-size while still retaining optimal sharpness. The use of artificial intelligence in the camera algorithms has resulted in natural, tailored face contouring, with processed backgrounds that avoid overexposure issues typically seen in selfies.

As noted earlier, the nova 4 series deploys an in-screen front camera, which despite manufacturing challenges, captures images of sterling quality — 25 MP resolution (the nova 4e features whopping 32MP!) with enhanced AI. The camera accurately identifies common scenes, such as plants, sunrises/sunsets, and stage performances, as well as analyses the facial features, gender, and age of the subject for highly customised beautification. This means that the nova 4 camera retains individuality at a high level, bringing out the best and most natural presentation of every subject.

Just like all Huawei flagship products, the nova series has always boasted stunning camera combinations on the back. The nova 4, for example, packs a breathtaking 48MP ultra-wide-angle AI triple camera system that provides optimal imagery in practically any setting.

With its deep understanding of market dynamics, the HUAWEI nova series presents modern consumers with fun, free and individualized smartphones. The commitment to integrating a unique aesthetic identity with premium performance and uncompromising quality has won over countless users who are young or young at heart. As Huawei furthers its tireless efforts in chipset R&D, AI, aesthetics, ergonomics, and smartphone photography, the nova series will assuredly continue to make waves with the new HUAWEI nova 5T.

Cheers!!!

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

@HuaweiZA Launches Its Latest & Greatest Wearable: The #HuaweiWatchGT2 #AttitudeisEverything

Hi Friends, 

Proving their unwavering commitment to revolutionize the wearable technologies industry, Huawei has unveiled its new and improved next-generation fitness watch – The HUAWEI WATCH GT 2. The device is accompanied by some of the latest technological advancements, providing consumers with unrivaled user experience and extended battery life.

The HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 boasts a variety of different sport modes with insightful programs, Bluetooth calling and music playback functionalities, ultimately enhancing comprehensive health and fitness monitoring and management capabilities. The HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 is also Huawei’s first-ever multi-sports device with an integrated 3D glass screen, creating an almost unlimited display. Whether you’re exercising, sleeping or just going about your daily routine, the HUAWEI WATCH GT 2’s wide-reaching capabilities, as well as its aesthetics, make it the best possible companion for everyday life. 

Here are five of the finest features of the HUAWEI WATCH GT - 

1. Your all-round sporting partner

Whether you’re interested in running, open water swimming, mountaineering, cross country or even competing in Ironman triathlons, the HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 has most certainly got something on offer for you.

Runners can take advantage of the device’s built-in professional training courses, which cater for beginners and advanced athletes. Swimmers in both open water settings and swimming pools can benefit from the waterproof HUAWEI WATCH GT 2’s automatic recognition of stroke count and frequency while monitoring their heart rate and oxygen saturation thanks to the newly added TruSeen™3.5.

Mountaineering and cross country enthusiasts can utilize the insightful information that the device provides regarding altitude, height, barometric pressure, as well as a 3D distance compass to help them map out their routes. For triathletes, the device can record various body indicators, including swimming position, stroke frequency, cycling distance, speed, interval heart rate, step frequency, and time. It can also analyze the overall data to help you train and compete more efficiently.

The HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 tracks your activity from all of the listed sports and uploads it onto the Huawei Health App. Both Android and iOS users can easily download this app to sync with this multi-sports device and begin saving and retrieving their fitness data.

2. But how long does it last?

The device’s battery life endurance will vary based on the user’s usage habits; however, the battery of the HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 series can last two weeks when:

• Worn 24 hours a day with heart rate monitoring enabled;
• HUAWEI TruSleep™ is enabled for sleeping;
• Working out for 90 minutes every week (GPS enabled);
• Message notifications are enabled (50 SMS messages, 6 calls, and 3 alarms a day);
• The screen is turned on 200 times a day;
• 30 minutes calling every week;
• 30 minutes of music playing every week.

3. Looks to kill

The HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 doesn’t only act the part, but it looks the part too. The 3D integrated glass design allows for a professional, sleek look. The 46mm series is designed with the concept of “engraving aesthetics”. The mirror’s casting is tough, yet the glass mirror shows exquisite craftsmanship. At the same time, the 3D curved glass created by the gemstone processing technology is meticulously engraved individually.

The 3D glass design isn’t the only new upgrade to this fitness watch’s design. Users can now choose a watch face from a wide range of themes and styles to meet the needs of different scenarios and ensure they stand out from everyone else.

4. A high definition experience

Sticking to the brand’s promise to strengthen innovation, the HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 46mm comes with a 1.39-inch precise HD touch screen, which reaches up to 454x454 resolution for a clearer image. Because the device uses an HD OLED screen, which possesses a wider colour range and a thinner design than an LCD screen. It has contrast and colour fullness that surpasses what’s typically seen on a TV – giving users the ultimate visual experience. 

5. Getting a good night’s rest

In the hustle and bustle of today’s stressed society, it is often difficult to get a good night’s sleep. The HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 is equipped with the Huawei TruSleep™ 2.0, which has real-time heart rate monitoring, monitors sleep breathing quality and use big data analysis to score sleep quality. It accurately identifies six typical sleep problems such as difficulty falling asleep, light sleeping during the night, and irregular work schedule. It also provides hundreds of sleep improvement suggestions and personalized sleep services, such as meditation, deep sleep, and quick relaxation guidance exercises.

The sporty HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 46mm is available at an RRP of R4,999 and can be purchased at the Huawei online store (www.huaweistore.co.za), Sportsman’s Warehouse, Cape Union Mart, and Totalsports.

Discovery Vitality members – the HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 can earn you up to 75% cashback on your purchase of this multi-sports device. Go to https://www.discovery.co.za/vitality/fitness-booster-device to find out more.

Cheers!!!

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

Wi-Fi Turns 20 – 20 Significant Milestones #Wifi @Cisco_SA #Wifi6 #5G #Connect

Hi Friends, 

In 1999 several technology companies formed the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (WECA). On 30th September 1999, the 802.11b wireless LAN standard became available in commercial products. This moment is considered as the beginning of wireless networks known today as Wi-Fi. As time went by, new generations of wireless networks were emerging. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the inception of Wi-Fi, Cisco outlines 20 significant dates and facts related to the evolution of Wi-Fi technology and its impact:

1. 1971: Early beginnings of Wi-Fi: A network system called ALOHAnet is created at the University of Hawaii, which lays the foundation for further development of wireless communication and later also the emergence of Wi-Fi networks.

2. 1997: 802.11 arrives: The first version of the 802.11 standards is introduced, allowing speeds of up to 2Mbps.

3. 1999: WECA is born: Half a dozen technology companies, including Aironet, which was later acquired by Cisco, form the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (WECA). In 2002 WECA changed its name to Wi-Fi Alliance.

4. 1999: 802.11b - first ‘Wi-Fi’ standard: Announcement of the 802.11b standard, the first standard to emerge under the name ‘Wi-Fi’. Superior in speed and usability to 802.11, the release of 802.11b is considered by many to mark the true beginning of the Wi-Fi revolution.

5. 1999/2000: First commercial 802.11b devices start to appear: ‘Wi-Fi’ is designed-in and starts to appear in commercial devices, including popular laptops. From then on, your computer could travel with you. Wi-Fi starts to gain significant commercial traction.

6. 2002: Cisco pushes the industry forward: The Cisco Compatible eXtensions free license program is launched, allowing Wi-Fi products offered by other vendors to work with Cisco wireless networks while maintaining a high level of security.

7. 2004: Wi-Fi reaches for the sky: First commercial flight offering passengers Wi-Fi access.

8. 2005: Wi-Fi becomes the latest word: “Wi-Fi” is added to the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary.

9. 2009: 802.11n revolutionizes the industry: The new 802.11n (Wi-Fi 4) standard is introduced. 802.11n allowed transmission speeds to be increased with MIMO technology, which allowed more antennas to create more data streams. The maximum transfer rate multiplied almost nine times (54 Mbps vs. 450 Mbps).

10. 2010: A new wave of Cisco innovations: Cisco CleanAir technology is introduced in the Aironet 3500 Access Point series, allowing automatic identification of interference and directing users to other, less crowded, channels.

Photo is by P C from Pexels

11. 2011: Hotspots are a hot trend: The number of Wi-Fi hotspots exceeds one million globally.

12. 2012: Wi-Fi in the home: A quarter of all households in the world are connected to Wi-Fi.

13. 2013: 802.11ac brings even greater speeds: 802.11ac standard is introduced, reaching over 1 Gbps.

14. 2015: Wi-Fi a part of life: An IDC study finds that Wi-Fi is the second most important thing people do not want to live without. 18% of respondents even ranked it first. Only food with 30% was placed above. For example, sex (10%), television (8%) and alcohol (4%) were behind Wi-Fi.

15. 2018: Wi-Fi as a major economic driver: Global economic value of Wi-Fi technology reaches $2 trillion.

16. 2018: 13 billion Wi-Fi devices: Penetration reaches about 13 billion Wi-Fi devices worldwide. This means almost two Wi‑Fi devices per person on the planet.

17. 2019: Wi-Fi 6 arrives: Wi-Fi 6 is introduced, reaching speeds of up to 5 Gbps. Technology is built on the same foundation as 5G networks, with the two technologies considered complementary. Wi-Fi 6 is also easier on connected devices’ batteries and provides an overall more predictable user experience. Cisco announces the Cisco OpenRoaming project, aimed to make it easier to seamlessly and securely hop between Wi-Fi and LTE networks and onboard public Wi-Fi.

18. 2021: Further growth predicted in hotspots: According to Cisco estimates, the number of global hotspots will exceed 500 million. This will be 500 times more than ten years before.

19. 2022: Average speeds continue to grow: It is predicted that by this year the average global Wi-Fi connection speed will be 54.2 Mbps, compared to 24.4 Mbps in 2017.

20. 2022: Wi-Fi will be the driver of the Future Internet: By this point, Wi-Fi will be the dominant source of Internet access. Cisco’s VNI study predicts that up to 59% of Internet traffic will flow through it.

“Today Wi-Fi is one of the fastest-growing networking technologies. As a result, the Internet is now available in a much wider variety of places, often where it was previously impractical, offering a new level of mobility, convenience, and productivity. Wi-Fi networks have transformed the way we live, work, learn and play. Whether you use Wi-Fi to connect to social networks, watch videos, play, work, or digitize your business, the new generation of Wi-Fi 6, alongside 5G networks, will open up a whole world of new opportunities,” says Garsen Naidu, Country Manager, Cisco South Africa.

Sources:

· Wi-Fi Alliance

· Cisco Visual Networking Index.

Cheers!!!

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

The 17th Annual @Vodacom @rAgeExpo Brought Fans Another Year of Awesome! #17yearsofawesome

Hi Friends, 

Vodacom rAge 2019 saw four days of setup, 69 solid hours of LAN gaming, an entire day to break down and many kilometers worth of fibre, network cable, power cables, and steps walked all over the Ticketpro Dome, as well as over 30,000 cold drinks and 1,635 kgs of chips consumed.

From robotics and other cutting-edge tech to celebrity appearances and action-packed esports tournaments, Vodacom rAge 2019 had it all. The atmosphere was electric (in some cases, literally), and like-minded fans from all over South Africa came through en masse to dress up, shop, play and take in the fantastic sights.

South Africa’s biggest annual video gaming, computer, technology, and geek culture exhibition once again transformed the Ticketpro Dome into a 17,483sqm galaxy of geek over the weekend of 27-29 September. With an increase in visitor numbers, 35 615 people found their happy place among the stands, stalls, and stages.

The creative genius of Artists’ Alley showcased its share of amazing South African creative talent, including Steampunk and cosplay fashion designer Sin-Bin, local author Chantelle Roberts, and one of SA’s international comic art sensations, Warren Louw.

There were many firsts for South African gaming and geek culture this year. The first-ever NAG LAN Super Pass was introduced, allowing 150 die-hard gamers early access on Thursday evening, before the rest of the LANners joined them early on Friday morning.

There was also an exclusive Streamers’ Zone – an online sharing hub for fans to broadcast up-to-the-minute video and content in streamer booths. For the younger members of the family, there was the vibrant Kidz Kage play area.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive fans got to see South Africa’s CS:GO elite competing for a prize pool of R 150 000 and the ASUS ROG Invitational Trophy. Eight teams played their hearts out, but only one could emerge victoriously. And after one of the toughest challenges ever, Goliath Gaming walked away with the ultimate prize in front of a capacity crowd.

For the first time ever, the World Robotic Olympiad (WRO) came to the expo and brought together some of the smartest young minds in the country, to show off their amazing brain power and problem-solving skills at the WRO robotics competition. Locally, five provincial events took place and the top-nine national qualifying teams who won across the different categories at Vodacom rAge this year will head off to compete at the WRO International in Hungary.

Over the last 17-years, the annual NAG LAN has become one of the most anticipated events at Vodacom rAge, and this year’s turnout to southern Africa’s largest BYOC (Bring Your Own Computer/Console) event once again proved that.

NAG LAN sponsors Nutanix, MWEB, Aruba and My Sky Networks made sure the NAG LAN was consistently connected and glitch-free. Collectively, 3,252 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive games were played for 2,925 hours, 1,838 DOTA games were played for a total of 2,281 hours and 645 Playerunknown’s Battleground games were played for 522 hours over the weekend.

Exhibitors at Vodacom rAge this year saw record attendance and sales at their stands.

Imran Sorathia, Managing Director, from premium computer and gaming supplier Evetech said, “It has always been an absolute pleasure to exhibit at the Vodacom rAge Expo. At Evetech, we pride ourselves on establishing relationships with our customers, not seeing them as just a ‘target audience’.

“Vodacom rAge is the perfect opportunity for us to not only get a better understanding of what our customers enjoy but also to gain some insight into what they expect from us.

“Evetech made the decision not to sell any products at the Vodacom rAge Expo 2019, as we wanted to emphasize the real gaming experience, allowing people to test all the peripherals and to get a sense of what they enjoy using. It was a unique opportunity for customers to “try before they buy”, which is quite rare.”

Belinda Marais, Marketing Manager from Acer Predator commented, “Vodacom rAge Expo 2019 was every gamer’s dream! The energy was electric, and the gaming experiential stations were world-class. Predator will definitely be back next year!”

Cosplayers came out in full force to show off their impressive and detailed costumes on the Cosplay Stage and in Sunday’s Cosplay Parade. The Best In Show for the Vodacom 4U Cosplay Contest this year went to Maoukami Cosplay who cosplayed as Katsuki Bakugou (My Hero Academia).

Overall, the Vodacom rAge Expo 2019 was a colossal success, with gamers, geeks, cosplayers, fans and supporters going large at the Ticketpro Dome this year. Vodacom rAge is going strong and the organizers are looking forward to another great expo next year.

Thank you to Vodacom and all the sponsors and exhibitors for their part in Vodacom rAge’s #17yearsofawesome.

Cheers!!!

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

@SamsungMobileSA Works With @Google App Partners & @Android #Developers For #GalaxyFold

Hi Friends, 

Samsung is unfolding the future with a first-of-its-kind mobile device: The Galaxy Fold. It marks the beginning of a new era in mobile technology, and Samsung has been working alongside partners and the Android developer community to design a new and complete foldable user experience. Efforts to design this software experience for the Galaxy Fold began at the framework level in April 2018. As part of this process, Samsung developed a whole new UX and collaborated closely with Google to provide integrated OS support from Android.

“We didn’t just build new category-defining hardware, we worked with major partners to design and deliver a brand-new mobile experience and foster an ecosystem that gives users access to the best applications and services,” said Justin Hume, Director: Integrated Mobility at Samsung South Africa. “This is software innovation that incorporates both an immersive UX and a new UI perspective to provide a seamless experience.”

Since the introduction of the Infinity Flex Display at SDC 2018, Samsung and Google set up test labs in cities across the globe – from Seoul to Mountain View to Beijing – to work with and encourage partners and developers to test and verify that their apps and services are optimized for the Galaxy Fold and the Android ecosystem. Alongside this effort, Google introduced changes in Android 10 to offer improved resisable activity, multi-resume functionality and an updated Android Emulator to help support multiple-display type switching – opening the door to future foldable device optimization. Now, select applications that Android users know and love have been updated to deliver an immersive, foldable experience on the Galaxy Fold.

“Together with ecosystem partners like Samsung, we have the opportunity to deliver an entirely new user experience that could transform the way we use our smartphones. We enjoyed working closely with the Samsung team and the Android developer community to ensure the users of the Galaxy Fold have the best experiences with their favourite apps and services,” said Sagar Kamdar, Director of Product Management for Android at Google.

Hundreds of apps have been optimised for the Galaxy Fold, including services from leading partners like Amazon Prime Video, App in the Air, Facebook, iHeartMedia, Microsoft, Spotify, Twitter, VSCO and more*.

“We are excited to work with Samsung to bring Prime members their favorite shows, movies, and live sports on the Galaxy Fold,” said BA Winston, Global Head of Digital Video Playback and Technology at Amazon Prime Video. “Bringing the Prime Video app to the Galaxy Fold will give customers a new way to experience Amazon Originals like Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel with Multi Window and Multi Resume.”

“App in the Air makes the travel process seamless and efficient, and by partnering with the Samsung Galaxy Fold we are demonstrating our commitment to expanding this technology through cutting-edge mediums, reaching our shared audiences of innovators, creators, and entrepreneurs,” said Bayram Annakov, CEO, App in the Air. “Our collaboration with Samsung is helping to build a more expansive ecosystem of services for our dedicated users – and we’re thrilled to begin this partnership with such an esteemed brand.”

“We’re excited to expand our long-standing partnership with Samsung by supporting their work to develop innovative experiences for consumers,” said Marc Shedroff, Vice President, Business Development, Facebook. “The new Samsung Galaxy Fold has the potential to usher in a new era of design, and it will be exciting to see what new use cases a foldable experience will unlock for users.”

“As the latest example of our continued commitment to joint-innovation with Samsung, we are excited to be a Galaxy Fold launch partner,” said Michele Laven, President of Strategic Partnerships Group for iHeartMedia. “With the multi-active window feature, iHeartRadio users will now be able to seamlessly navigate through their listening experience without having to ever switch between apps. This also aligns with our goal of providing a frictionless audio playback experience for your favorite live radio stations, podcasts, and custom Artist Radio stations.”

“Office 365 is built to help people maximize their time while creating their best work – no matter where they are or which device they’re using,” said Jon Tinter, CVP of Business Development, Microsoft. “We’re excited to extend the Office experience to the Samsung Galaxy Fold, and help people transform their personal productivity.”

“We are proud to continue our Samsung partnership with the new Galaxy Fold,” said Sten Garmark,

VP of Consumer Products, Spotify. “The Fold will take mobile productivity to new heights and enable a more seamless Spotify listening experience for our users. Simply open the preloaded Spotify app to connect and listen across the Samsung ecosystem. Finding your favorite Spotify playlist favorites like Discover Weekly, or Podcasts such as Jemele Hill’s Unbothered, just got even easier!”

“We are excited to continue our partnership with Samsung and expand the Twitter experience to the Samsung Galaxy Fold. We are looking forward to seeing how people on Twitter engage with this foldable experience and its evolution over time,” said Brent Horowitz, Vice President, Global Product Partnerships at Twitter.

“Our mission at VSCO is to help everyone fall in love with their own creativity and to build tools and spaces to help achieve this. We’re excited to continue our collaboration with Samsung to build deeper, more expansive experiences for creators everywhere,” said Bryan Mason, Chief Business Officer at VSCO.

With features like seamless App Continuity and Multi-Active Window, you can browse, watch, connect and multitask like never before. With Galaxy Fold, you can switch seamlessly from the cover display to the main display and you can run multiple apps simultaneously, on the Galaxy Fold’s 7.3-inch main display, revolutionizing the way you work and play on the go. These top applications and services and many more are now available in the Android ecosystem for the Galaxy Fold in the Google Play Store and Galaxy Store.

Cheers!!!

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

What Can SA and Nigeria Do To Grow Faster? @HoganLovells

Hi Friends, 

The heads of state of sub-Saharan Africa’s two biggest countries – Nigeria and South Africa – met earlier in October as part of continuing bilateral engagements aimed at strengthening and deepening cooperation between the two countries.

Pres. Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria and pres. Cyril Ramaphosa noted “with great satisfaction the economic cooperation between the two Republics and welcomed the steps to increase trade volumes as well as private sector investments”, according to a joint statement.

The visit comes at a time when the two economic giants of the region are struggling.

Growth in sub-Saharan Africa remained slow through 2019, hampered by persistent uncertainty in the global economy and the slow pace of domestic reforms, and the recovery in Nigeria, South Africa, and Angola – the region’s three largest economies – has remained weak and is weighing on the region’s prospects.

This is according to Africa’s Pulse, the World Bank’s twice-yearly economic update for the region, which says that overall growth in sub-Saharan Africa is projected to rise to 2.6 percent in 2019 from 2.5 percent in 2018, which is 0.1 percentage points lower than the April forecast.

Andrew Skipper, partner and head of Africa at Hogan Lovells

Global uncertainty is taking a toll on growth, but in Nigeria, growth in the non-oil sector has been sluggish, while in Angola the oil sector remained weak. In South Africa, low investment sentiment is weighing on economic activity, according to the report. Economic growth in Nigeria and South Africa remains sluggish and has been lowered from the forecast in April.

To accelerate the pace of economic growth structural reform and policy certainty in both Nigeria and South Africa are needed.

Buhari and Ramaphosa reaffirmed their commitment to working together in pursuit of economic development on the continent in the context of AU Agenda 2063 and the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA).

Agenda 2063 is Africa’s blueprint for transforming Africa into the “global powerhouse of the future”.

The aspirations of the 2063 Agenda include “an integrated continent, politically united based on the ideals of Pan Africanism and the vision of Africa’s Renaissance”; and an Africa “of good governance, democracy, respect for human rights, justice and the rule of law”.

The impact of the AfCFTA Agreement is certainly potentially and theoretically huge for an “integrated” Africa and seeks in grand scale to unite 1.2 billion people, around 54 nations and a gross domestic product (GDP) of more than US$ 3.4 trillion under a single tariff-free continental market.

There is no doubt that it is critical, at a time when intra-African trade amounts to only 15% of the world’s GDP, as compared with 67% in Europe. The lack of scale of most independent countries on the continent inhibits growth (and especially the development of in-country industrial base), it is cheaper to get some ingredients from China than the next-door neighbour.

The AfCTCA has lofty ambitions to deal with these issues, especially to eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers and increase intra-Africa trade to 50% by 2063.

Trade in Africa is one of the driving forces of integration on the continent and is crucially important for the economic development of the region and the establishment of the AfCFTA will support a further increase in intra-Africa trade.

Agenda 2063 also mentions “the Rule of Law”. The strength of the Rule of Law in a country ranks among the top three considerations when multinationals make decisions about where to locate foreign direct investment, which is crucial to economic growth. The consideration of the Rule of Law is above considerations such as the cost of doing business and access to national and regional markets, which is some of the findings of "Risk and Return: Foreign Direct Investment and the Rule of Law".

Hogan Lovells alongside the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law and the Investment Treaty Forum at BICIL, the Economist Intelligence Unit and the British Institute of International Comparative Law published Risk and Return in 2015, based on a survey of over 300 senior decision-makers at Forbes 2000 companies with global annual revenues of at least US$1 billion.

Where investors experienced Rule of Law challenges – particularly political instability, arbitrary or discriminatory treatment, and intellectual property violations – it also revealed that they are liable to reduce or even withdraw investment. 

There are other challenges in the two economic giants of sub-Saharan Africa, but progress towards higher economic growth can be made by, amongst others, driving clear strategy and policy, putting predictable regulations in place, and controlling corruption.

Cheers!!!

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

@ComicConAfrica Ends On A High Note #ComicConAfrica #ReedExpoAfrica #Reedpop

Hi Friends, 

The doors of Comic Con Africa 2019 closed for the final time on the evening of 24th Sep 2019, but the buzz and excitement generated by four days of the greatest celebration of pop-culture that South Africa has ever seen show no signs of abating. The sheer magnitude of this Con was something to behold – Reed Exhibitions and Reedpop promised that Comic Con Africa would be bigger and better, and on that promise they delivered. With an astounding 71,000 visitors, seven halls packed with 300 exhibitors, four international film, TV series, and gaming celebrities, 12 international comic artists and writers, 12 local comic creators, one international cosplayer, two international DJs, competitions, specials, and giveaways, an esports prize pool of R1.3 million, 26,000 square meters of event space, 120 hours of content, and one incredible Wingman in the form of KFC, Comic Con Africa 2019 exceeded all expectations.

This year the guests in Artist Alley tripled in numbers and the incredible line-up left fans spoilt for choice. In the feature area, artists and illustrators engaged in live drawings and sketch offs, sharing anecdotes and artistic tips as they did so. Ecstatic fans watched their favorite characters drawn in real-time on large screens mounted above the easels. Under the grading organization CGC’s watchful eye, comic books were signed and sent for evaluation and protective casing to preserve investment pieces. Alongside in the Writers Block, local novelists and authors signed their books and spoke on educational panels to encourage local writers to pick up their pens. The Block was filled with handmade creativity including pop-culture inspired clothing, décor, and jewelry.

The Cosplay of Comic Con Africa 2019 was a visual feast. You’d be forgiven for thinking you’d bumped into Iron Man or Wonder Woman walking straight off a Marvel film set, such as the level of detail and skill evidenced in these pieces of walking art. Cosplay Central was buzzing all weekend long with skits and well-known local and international Cosplayers signing prints. Fascinating panels for newbies and pros alike gave insight into crafting the perfect wig, applying make-up, or how to cosplay with confidence. The Cosplay Karaoke Café was a real hit with Cosplayers belting out magnificent renditions of well-known songs. Casual Cosplay competitions took place every day on the main stage, and on Tuesday the highly anticipated Championships of Cosplay winners were announced. The overall Cosplay winner Jinxkitty, who wowed with her Priestess Bathory cosplay, will be representing Africa at the Championships of Cosplay Quest for the Crown at C2E2 in America. Leon de Bruin of GES, Comic Con Africa’s Cosplay partner, was blown away by the level of this year’s Cosplay and called on any interested Cosplayers to sign up for 2020’s competition.

Hall 5 housed Pop-Culture retailers and exhibitors, many of whom had special deals that were snapped up by happy visitors. Comics, figurines, collectibles, clothing and other merchandise absolutely flew off the shelves and into the hands of thrilled collectors. Radio partner to the Con, 5fm provided the musical vibes with live broadcasts from their DJs who were happy to chat with fans. TikTok’s WoahTikTok competition on the main stage was a fun addition from Con’s digital media partner. Television Media partner Viacom celebrated 25 years of the series Friends and brought THE show’s couch where fans queued up to have their picture taken. There was one particularly special exhibitor in this hall. The presenting sponsor of Comic Con Africa 2019, The Ultimate Wingman, the makers of finger-lickin' goodness KFC, made their home here with a gigantic KFC bucket housing a greenscreen set up where visitors could photograph themselves in a setting of their imagination. Also on their stand was a caricaturist and a special edition of local arcade game Boetfighter, along with cosplayers in the costumes of the specially commissioned Comic Con Africa KFC Captain Colonel.

Hall 5 was also the location of the KFC main stage where panels, Q&As, competitions, and interviews were held with international film and TV series celebrities like Star Trek’s William Shatner, The Originals’ Daniel Gillies, and video game voice actors Nolan North and Troy Baker. Audiences were awed in the presence of these pop-culture giants. The stars themselves were charmed by our South African audiences – in the words of Daniel Gillies, we are “the most polite people I ever met… the fans are so warm and kind, and polite.” Just off the main stage, Hall 6 was the scene of photo ops and autographs with the celebrities, and fans came out ecstatically gripping these souvenirs and treasuring their

Comic Con Africa’s 2019 gaming offering was nothing short of a paradise for both casual and avid gamers. The absolutely enormous esports set up of the Con’s gaming and connectivity partner Telkom VS Gaming filled an entire wall, giving Con-goers a panoramic-like view of the action. Featuring nail-biting finals of the likes of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Dota2, local esports teams kept their cool playing for their share of an R1,3 million prize pool – the largest prize pool at any esports event in South Africa. The spectators were captivated, their eyes glued to the live-action. Freeplay areas had gamers trying their skills on the latest titles such as Mortal Kombat, PUBG, and Fortnite, while Xbox exhibited exclusively at the Con. Playstation gave away a highly sought-after limited edition 20th Anniversary PS4, and ATK had state of the art equipment on display for players to test run. Red Bull’s Hit the Streets, a nationwide contest of the best Street Fighter V players from across the country, hosted their finals on the last day of the Con. In line with Comic Con Africa’s aim to uplift and develop local talent, Project Springbok provided a platform for up-and-coming developers to showcase their work.

Comic Con Africa’s newest addition, the first kid-focused convention in South Africa, was KidsCon. But don’t be fooled – KidsCon delighted adults too. The African continent’s largest LEGO® activation saw visitors swallowed up in pools of LEGO® bricks surrounded by LEGO® characters come to life. Kids could meet the My Little Ponies and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Nintendo brought Mario and Luigi along with the opportunity to play Splatoon, Mario Kart, and Supersmash Bros Ultimate. BIC and Exclusive Books were there to encourage creativity among other edutainment offerings from Hasbro and ToyZone. Sponsored by Jaguar Landrover, KidsCon was masterminded by our Little Board of Experts, 11 kids who shared their ideas and made KidsCon an event for kids, by kids. Those little experts were very much a part of the Con and strutted their stuff on the KidsCon main stage in the Cotton On fashion shows.

The Ballroom of Gallagher Convention Centre was the scene of a tabletop gaming extravaganza. With bottomless coffee supplied by KFC, tabletop gamers met and engaged in epic battles with cards, dice, and miniature figurines. As the organizing partner of this impressive battlefield, Solarpop encouraged players to engage in the connection and creativity of Tabletop Gaming with their Unplug Yourself arena. Next door in the auditorium were exclusive screenings of Abominable, along with The Angry Birds, films by Black Sands, and many more exciting showings. LARPing took place in the trees of Gallagher Estate, with players battling each other with safe play swords, giant shields, maces, and jousting lances.

The Business of Gaming Forum, now in its second year, was held on Monday. Fascinating keynote addresses, panel discussions, and shared ideas from the gaming industry were the order of the event. Speakers from South Africa, the African continent, and international thought leaders flew in for the day, sharing fascinating content on maximizing the value of gaming as a marketing tool or a commercial product, and the direction of the modern gaming ecosystem.

There truly was something for every fandom at Comic Con Africa 2019. As positive feedback comes flying in from visitors and exhibitors alike, Reed Exhibitions and Reedpop are thrilled to have hosted a second successful Comic Con Africa that remained true to our driving force: always put our fans FIRST! And what comes next? Comic Con Cape Town of course. Put 1 – 3 May 2020 in your diaries to experience the inaugural Comic Con Cape Town at the Cape Town Stadium.

Results

Championships of Cosplay

Youth: Jordan as Ayumi

Skills: Mittel Elf Cat Cosplay as Foxy from Five Nights at Freddy’s

Representation: Chaotic Good Cosplay as Moze from Bonderlands 3

Construction: Bites Cosplay as Rathalos Armour from Monster Hunter

Armour: Gammablast Cosply as Arthus from Warcraft 3

Needlework: BlueCat Cosply as Captain Amelia from Treasure Planet

Master Champion: Fredwolf Cosplay as Spawn from Spawn Universe

Champion of Cosplay: Jinxkitty Cosplay as Priestess Bathory

Telkom VS Gaming Tournaments

CS:GO

First place: Energy Esports

Second place: Big 5

Dota2

First place: Goliath Gaming

Second place: Sinister 5

Red Bull’s Hit The Streets Street Fighter V

Jesse "GXJes” Shabangu will proceed to the Grand Finale in Cape Town

Guests

Film and Series

• William Shatner
• Daniel Gillies
• Gaming voice over actors
• Nolan North
• Troy Baker

International Comic Artists

• Will Sliney
• Donny Cates
• James C Mulligan
• Aleksi Briclot
• Jesus Merino
• Paco Diaz
• Tomeu Morey
• David Angelo Roman
• Patric Reynolds
• Black Sands Entertainment
• David Mack
• Zu Orzu
• Ilya Kushinov

Local Artists and Authors

• Lauren Beukes
• Ray Whitcher
• Simangaliso Sibaya
• Terence Maluleke
• Warren Louw
• Jason Masters
• Sean Izaakse
• Mohale Mashigo
• Loyiso Mkize
• Clyde Beech
• Bill Masuku
• Moray Rhoda

International Cosplayers

• Leanna Vamp

Cheers!!!

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