Fintech software specialist, e4, has announced the appointment of Fikile Sibiya as its Chief Information Officer. This comes as part of e4’s continuous focus on investing in its internal infrastructure, while also strengthening its governance. Fikile will oversee the vision, leadership, development and implementation of IT initiatives for the company. “Central to my new role will be aligning core technology decisions and investments to the objectives of the organisation, while also ensuring we continuously deliver a stable, robust and secure platform for our clients,” says Sibiya. Always focused on technology, Sibiya previously worked for industry leading brands such as Microsoft and Rand Merchant Bank, where she held positions extending across software consulting; business analysis, demand management and team leadership roles: “I spent the last three years at Rand Merchant Bank as an IT Business Manager supporting the central IT CTO to fulfil the department’s strategic objectives. This role deepened my love for technology as a strategic business enabler.” Her appointment at e4, says Sibiya, is an opportunity to work with one of the most advanced and fast-growing leaders in business digitalisation: “I look forward to using the knowledge I have gained over the years to contribute to the successful growth of e4.” Cloud computing, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and how these are leveraged to realise operational and strategic value for organisations have been some of the technology highlights for Sibiya over the past decade: “We have seen significant benefits from these technologies such as mobility; flexibility and security.” Believing that technology has become an integral part of humanity, Sibiya says that how internal and external clients experience technology will remain critically important: “The usability, intuitiveness, availability, accessibility, security, robustness and seamlessness of platforms need to be aimed at enabling and unlocking the …
Homemation – Michi Arrives in South Africa
Acoustic Elevation. Sonic Evolution. Visual Perfection. Michi, now available in South Africa, through the Homemation distribution network, represents over 55 years of audio engineering experience and passion. It is based on an entirely new, no-compromise and revolutionary system architecture designed to provide huge, effortless, continuous reliable power with total accuracy, musicality and ultra-low noise. The flagship range comprises these three high-end audio components, each of which offers outstanding audio performance plus the highest possible build quality and an elegant, modern design: P5 preamplifier An extended complement of analogue and digital source inputs including balanced input and output Bluetooth wireless connection Detail, accuracy and the highest musical fidelity while maintaining crucial rhythm and timing for all musical genres Technology which enables quality playback of audio files and streams Priced from R 80 000. S5 stereo amplifier and M8 monoblock amplifier The S5 and M8 deliver 500 watts (stereo) and 1080 watts (mono) respectively Both amplifiers include twin matched, over-sized, in-house manufactured transformers for exceptional bass energy, while maintaining control and precision with the finest detail Delivers continuous power for fast but smooth, accurate audio with great rhythm and timing, even under extreme loading conditions Priced from R140 000, for each amplifier. Bespoke components include in-house-manufactured, custom oversized transformers mounted in dedicated, epoxy-filled enclosures to guarantee minimal noise and vibration. In addition, patented British high-efficiency slit-foil bulk-storage capacitors support up to 32 high-current output transistors. The result is huge, clean power reserves, instantly delivered to even the most demanding of speakers to give a smooth, accurate music performance while maintaining crucial energy, rhythm and timing. Homemation is a specialist supplier of premium branded audiovisual, …
New Marketing Manager for Algoa FM
Marketing and public relations professional, Lesley Geyer has been appointed as the new Marketing Manager at Algoa FM. Lesley worked for the station between 2014 and 2018, and was the senior marketing executive before moving on to explore different pastures. “I’m optimistic about the media and entertainment space. The continuous growth of content creation; new technologies; trends and engaging listeners, makes for an exciting future to market the station” says Geyer. “My focus, in line with the repositioning of Algoa FM as a media house based on a very strong radio foundation, will be on creating engaging content and campaigns; enhancing brand awareness through influencer marketing with our on-air team and re-aligning the brand through partnerships to better connect with our audience. “Algoa FM is currently in a season of innovation with a new building; a refreshed line-up and a new website; it’s a good time to be back to add an energetic viewpoint with this excellent team” she says. “We are delighted to welcome Lesley back into the fold,” says Algoa FM managing director Alfie Jay. “The valuable experience she has gained in the International hospitality industry will bring a fresh perspective to our business. “She is a consummate professional, enthusiastic about her work and extremely motivated to lead an ever-evolving and powerful marketing team to new heights at Algoa FM,” says Jay. Lesley safely commences her responsibilities from the comfort of her own home on the 1st of April 2020. Video: New Marketing Manager for Algoa FM More Info on New Marketing Manager for Algoa FM here: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Siyathetha Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SiyathethaCommunications/ CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za. …
COVID-19: How to Disinfect Your Smartphone
With a safe and effective vaccine still many months away, the most important aid in slowing the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19 is prevention. While a lot of focus has been placed on washing hands and other bodily hygiene tips, high contact surfaces tend to be neglected or forgotten about, including your beloved smartphone. Not only does it have contact with potentially infected surfaces such as tables and countertops, but it also has direct contact with your hands, as well as parts of your face, making it a very viable medium for contamination. 1. The virus has been shown to survive without a living host on a surface (including the exterior of your device) for up to 96 hours if not properly disinfected. This makes regular disinfecting extremely important, however, it’s also vital to be aware of harsher cleaning methods that may irrevocably damage your screen and other sensitive components. Other considerations to weigh up are your device’s water resistance specifications. Here are a few smartphone-friendly ways that you can ensure that your device remains virus-free and corona-proof. 2. Apple has officially stated that disinfectant wipes are safe to use on its products, while Samsung has yet to release an official statement on safe and unsafe disinfectant techniques. Regardless, it’s best to avoid any sort of direct rubbing alcohol as this can strip certain protective coatings on your device, rendering it more vulnerable to other types of damage. If wiping your device down, ensure that you use a non-abrasive, lint-free cloth. Another germ-wiping alternative is UV light, which is known to kill up to 99.99% of germs and contagions, however, this has yet to be tested on the COVID-19 strain. 3. Another cleaning agent to avoid is makeup remover as this also contains potentially harmful chemicals. Instead, certain companies have developed smartphone-specific makeup remover which will not incur the same damage that generic removers do. Some other no-no’s when …
MVN-X Finds Spark for Growth With Cerillion Online Charging System
MVN-X, SA’s leading mobile virtual network enabler (MVNE), has announced its procurement of a new online charging system (OCS) and product catalogue solution from Cerillion (AIM: CER), an innovator in digital monetisation and customer management software. This follows a benchmark 2019 where the company recorded 50% year-on-year growth for the 2018 / 2019 period. Despite current South African economic conditions, MVN-X CEO Valde Ferradaz says: “The market is in a growth state and, with our new system in place, we are expecting further growth to circa 800 000 subscribers in 2020 and anticipate reaching more than 1million active subscribers by end 2021.” Cerillion is implementing its Convergent Charging System (CCS) and Enterprise Product Catalogue modules from its Enterprise BSS/OSS suite to support MVN-X’s operations. MVN-X provides a turnkey service to MVNOs and currently enables ten South African brands with over 400 000 subscribers between them. With ambitious growth plans to double the number of subscribers this year and to expand into Africa, MVN-X identified the need to upgrade its online charging system (OCS) to support the latest generation of charging options including balance sharing and balance transfers, as well as enabling the MVNOs to become fully self-sufficient and improve time to market. Cerillion’s CCS is a 5G-ready native diameter OCS enabling rapid integration to the host network, reducing complexity and streamlining operations. The Enterprise Product Catalogue provides a platform within which MVNOs can now design and build their own offers, whilst staying within the parametres set by MVN-X. “Cerillion gives us Tier 1 technology that allows us to compete head-to-head with the most innovative of mobile network operators, so we can carve out market share with MVNO brands that are not necessarily experienced in mobile or fixed telecomm’s. Cerillion is a vital component of our growth strategy and we are optimistic to be working with such a …
New SearchShop platform empowers consumers with real-time information for better financial decision making
Leading fintech software specialist, e4, has announced the launch of its innovative new platform, allowing consumers to perform live individual, company, property, and vehicle searches anytime, anywhere. SearchShop provides vetting and informational searches to consumers for the very first time as clients will no longer be required to be part of an established business in order to utilise e4’s advanced search capabilities. Developed using the latest technology, SearchShop delivers results to its users in a matter of seconds including critical information such as municipal and market values on properties, or the retail and trade values of vehicles to consumers where and when they need it. “In the age of information it’s crucial to have access to the right information at the right time which is why SearchShop allows the person on the street access to real-time, location-specific searches for property, vehicle and company information,” explains Shaun Viljoen, senior business analyst, e4. The platform, available on the web and Google Play Store, offers consumers ultimate convenience of using their mobile device to access the app and perform efficient property and vehicle valuations on the spot. “GPS will pick up a user’s location therefore minimising inputs and seamlessly provide them with all the necessary data should they be interested in a particular property. Consumers interested in a pre-owned vehicle can also perform the necessary valuation checks while standing right next to their vehicle of choice to ensure that the best deal is indeed coming their way,” says Viljoen. In addition to allowing ordinary consumers to access instant insights on the go and at their fingertips, SearchShop registration is free and users are charged on a per search basis with no hidden fees or subscriptions. Years of user feedback and experience have allowed e4 to craft a clean, user-friendly mobile interface that is easy to navigate and operate. “SearchShop is about …
How to Download Music On Your iPhone
Apple offers its own Music app, which allows you to not only search for your favourite songs and artists but creates a library to easily access albums, create playlists and more. While the app allows you to stream music when connected to the internet, either via WiFi or using mobile data, it also allows you to download music and save it to your device so that you can keep those tunes pumping even when offline. Add Music to Your Apple Music Library In order to utilise Apple Music, you will need to be a subscriber. To add music to your Library, there are a number of methods. You can touch and hold on a song, playlist, album or video, allowing a menu to pop up. Simply select Add to Library from the menu. You can also tap the plus sign next to individual items when viewing album or playlist contents to add selected items to your library instead of the entire collection. On the Now Playing screen, you can also tap the three dots, then select Add to Library. Delete Music From Your Library To delete music that has been added to your Library, tap and hold the items you wish to remove (song, album, playlist or video), then select Delete from Library from the pop-up menu. Add Music to a Playlist Touch and hold the album, playlist, song or music video you wish to add, then select Add to a Playlist from the pop-up menu. Choose which playlist to add to, or create a new playlist. Download Music For Offline Listening Once an item has been added to your library, tap the icon next to it that looks like a cloud with a downward arrow. Remember to go to Settings, then Music and activate Sync Library to allow music downloads. If you want songs added to your library to automatically download, go to Settings, then Music, and turn Automatic Downloads on. Downloading music onto your iPhone is very simple, and Apple’s music application allows you to free up space by streaming, as well as enables offline listening by downloading. We suggest you give it a try and …
Mountain bike of the year 2020 | Silverback Stratos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRA5HkMcEs8 Silverback Bikes, started by South African Deon Retief wins international awards for their latest product. Silverback Stratos wins 2020 Design & Innovation Award for 'Best Mountain Bike' From: Adele Burger More Info here: https://silverbacklab.com/ CLICK HERE to submit a Video Press Release to MyPR. …
A New Customer Orientation Pervades SA Mobile Industry
The South African mobile user is riding a new wave of customer orientation that’s pervading the industry like never before. And it’s about time, says Devon Meerholz, Chief Creative and Operations Officer of IMImobile SA, a communications and software specialist focused on solutions for the mobile industry. “From experiencing some of the highest mobile charges anywhere, the affordability tide began to turn several years ago with dramatic, industry-led reductions in mobile termination rates that ushered in a new era of voice call affordability,” he says. “As we move further into 2020, it’s clear from plummeting mobile data charges that the needs of the individual mobile consumer are receiving fresh attention. The mobile industry represents a sustained, quarter-century success story, but it’s clear hard-pressed SA consumers are expecting price relief as slow growth bites,” says Mr. Meerholz. As the call for more affordable mobile services is being answered, the question becomes: “What other trends will emerge throughout the year?”. Mr. Meerholz provides IMImobile SA’s take on customer expectations. Businesses must embrace conversational messaging Challenging times mean individual mobile users have to make seconds count and they seek the reassurance that comes with interacting with commercial organisations in the same way they would with friends and family. This means companies must accelerate the adoption of the business versions of conversational messaging channels such as WhatsApp and others. Consumers want less texting and more tapping Consumers don't want to change the way they communicate simply because of who they’re talking to. Mobile marketers need to make increasing use of flowing conversations and chats that use rich messages, video, location sharing and plenty of links that enable easy tapping and the removable of friction from customer journeys. Consumers have the time to chat…to bots While chatbots won’t replace human customer …
Leading MVNO Enabler Geared For Growth In 2020
[Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, 27 February 2020] In 2017, the global mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) market was valued at $54.1billion. According to Market Watch, it’s expected to register a compound annual growth rate of 8.8% from 2018 to 2023. Even in South Africa’s consolidating economy this is fertile ground. Confident about retaining their position as South Africa’s market leaders, leading local MVNO enabler, MVN-X, is geared for growth in 2020 off the back of more than 50% year-on-year growth 2018/ 2019, and the company is showing no signs of slowing down within this flourishing Telco sector. What are MVNOs and MVNEs? An MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) is a wireless or virtual communications service provider that does not own the wireless network infrastructure over which it provides services to its customers. An MVNO enters into a business agreement with a mobile network operator to obtain bulk access to network services at wholesale rates, then sets competitive retail prices independently, whilst offering a bespoke and tailored value proposition to its customer base. Ultimately, the MVNO can be positioned to disrupt the market by growing their customer base and adding value to the traditional market through enhanced service offerings and meeting their customers’ needs with more affordable and relevant products. An MVNE or Mobile Virtual Network Enabler provides network infrastructure and related services, such as business systems and planning, administration and operations support processes to MVNOs. Who is MVN-X? Founded in 2012 and a subsidiary business of the Ignition Group, MVN-X is an end-to-end MVNE which provides turn-key services to MVNOs. 2019 was an exceptional year for the company which grew from 275 000 to 450 000 active subscribers. CEO Valde Ferradaz says: “The market is in a growth state and, with our new systems in place, we are expecting further growth to circa 800 000 subscribers in 2020 and anticipate reaching more …