"We must make sure that at least there is some cushion for the poor so that they don't fall even lower than they are now. "That we must do. But we must also see it is important we do certain things that would reduce the dependence of the people on grants," he said. This included encouraging small business and co-operatives." All of these things, so that people don't think it is sufficient merely to hold out their hands and receive a handout, but to understand that all of us, as South Africans, have a shared responsibility to attend to the development of the country"

This is an excerpt of then President Thabo Mbeki’s speech to community development workers at an indaba in 2008. Mbeki certainly wasn’t revered for his theories, including the whole “HIV doesn’t cause AIDS” fiasco, but he may have had a point here…

What make South Africa so different?

The question is, why is it that South Africans have adopted a culture of expecting handouts? Contrary to common belief, handouts are not an inherent African ethos.

As one Nigerian put it in Polity.org.za "... They say once you put two Nigerians together, then you have a market. They're selling something to each other.”

That makes a lot of common sense. It means there’s always someone needing some services or products and willing to pay for them. So, isn’t it a matter of figuring out what people need and then making or buying and reselling these services or products?

As poor as Zimbabwe has become (only from an economic point of view!), “you don’t see beggars on street corners there the way you do in South Africa” says Jane Lyne-Kritzinger from Youth Dynamix. So, what does that mean?

Has the new government created a NEW problem?

Zuma was quoted in a City Press article in October 2014 entitled “South Africans must wakeup!” when he said “due to the extensive roll-out of services after 1994, South Africans had become dependent on the state.” He was making the point that nowhere else in Africa had so much been done to address the plight of the poor, yet you don’t see protests and strikes anywhere else. He went on to say, “Our people are waiting for government. Our people are not used to standing up and doing things.”  

What do South African youth think? 

Interestingly, even though the South African government has ploughed billions into infrastructure development and education, the youth continue to have a strong lack of belief in government. 85% of South African teens, according to YDx research, agree government is not living up to its promises. YDx research also shows that 73% of teens are worried about getting a job. 

This continues to be one of the biggest stress factors for youth in SA. And they often get lured into crime and expect handouts and social grants just to make ends meet. Linked to the high youth unemployment rate, YDx research also shows that 87% of SA teens are worried about South Africa’s economic performance; with 51% of teens saying they would like to leave SA (for a better job / opportunity / or education overseas).

The consequences of being a nation that expects handouts…

Children brought up in a handout environment may naturally grow up thinking this is the norm so they develop an attitude of expectancy. What will the country do for me, what will my employer do for me, what will the richer do for me? And the list goes on.

This level of expectation is also evident in terms of their aspirations and dreams. Research conducted by YDx shows that youth are exceptionally materialistic: Desperate to catapult themselves out of their current situation and directly into a world filled with expensive brands, possessions and fame.

Our research also shows that although it is good to dream, goals without practical steps are just empty dreams that never get realised.  So many young people have no idea HOW to practically realise their dreams and potential.

They have no steps in place to make it work or become successful. Not only do the youth expect handouts, other elements, such as the instantaneous nature of technology; and easy access to media ooze with aspiration value.

You see successful people and celebrities who never talk about the hard work, the effort and time that goes into accomplishing things.  Because the youth only see the seeds of success, they expect wealth and success to come by easily. 

Youth Dynamix is a specialist youth and family marketing and research agency.

Website: www.ydx.co.za

African Directory Services is a subsidiary of Dotcom Holdings (PTY) ltd. The company provides advertising solutions for the business community in Africa.

Being in the advertising industry for over 10 years, the company is aware that change is inevitable in today’s technology driven age and figured that 2 years is a long time to have the same website. Consumer needs and preferences continuously evolve on a daily basis and to survive, business enterprises must succumb to innovation.

With current trends revolving around more visual and less written content, our new website mimics just that. Instead of paragraphs of descriptive text, the website is dominated by eye catching slides and videos portrayed in a simplified manner.

The exceptionally designed website also contains a list of all our products and services as well as a new and improved blog, featuring a host of B2B content, tech news, business tips and trends as well as upcoming events. To accommodate all types of users, our IT specialist used a responsive design to ensure compatibility with various mobile devices and smart phones / ipads.

To familiarize yourself with African Directory Services and view a demo of the products and services rendered visit: www.adslive.com and while you’re there tell us what you think of the new website on the Adslive blog.

The Convergence of Style  Samsung creates the perfect ambience and contributes to a true sound experience

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, February 26, 2015 – Whether you are entertaining family and friends at home, making recordings, mixing, editing, mastering or simply listening for pleasure, a well-designed listening space, as well as great system components bring many rewards. The ccorrect placement of these elements is a major contributor towards achieving the much-desired end result.

“Choosing the right audio visual products is crucial in enabling consumers to be fully immersed in the overall home entertainment experience. This is best demonstrated when there is a fully integrated eco-system, which contributes towards a home’s structure that is truly sound extensive,” says Ansgar Pabst, Business Lead for TV/AV at Samsung Electronics SA.

Pabst provides the following determining factors for consumers wanting to invest in a home theatre system:

Wireless technology
Wireless technology includes Bluetooth music streaming and WiFi connectivity. The market is moving towards a holistic home audio solution incorporating this technology, which allows listeners to enjoy wireless audio in any space of their home, from a variety of music sources.

Nowadays, there is no need to have separate audio systems in each room of the house, as music can now be shared across rooms and without several remotes. Furthermore, improvements in functionality enable all music sources to be brought together, meaning consumers do not have to repeat downloads onto several devices.

Aesthetic appeal
Design has become a key factor when choosing a modern AV system – consumers want a neat, clean and radiant finish. Wireless solutions have become increasingly popular, as they not only eradicate trailing wires between devices, but also enable one to showcase the slim and sleek design, all while maintaining a fresh look in the living environment.

An example from Samsung is the range of TV Soundbars with wireless connectivity from your Samsung Smart TV. This range has been designed to be functional and stylish. It is cleverly positioned under the TV which allows for the audio to flow from the bottom of the unit upwards, resulting in less sound loss. It also includes a wireless subwoofer which can stream music wirelessly from your mobile device.

Samsung recently launched the Curved Soundbar which fits seamlessly with the 55 and 65 inch Samsung Curved UHD TVs, complimenting the aesthetic design of the TV, whether on a stand or mounted.

Blu-Ray and 3D technology
Blu-Ray and 3D technologyhave revolutionised home entertainment. Premium Blu-ray Disc Players feature the innovative UHD Upscaling feature which produces images with four times the resolution of full HD. Content can even be shared from your mobile device with screen mirroring directly onto the television.

“Samsung understands the highly differentiated needs of South African consumers and is continuously developing innovative technology in order to provide an integrated entertainment experience that is both convenient and lifestyle-centric,” concludes Pabst.

For more information about Samsung’s innovative and comprehensive range of AV products, please visit www.samsung.com.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in technology, opening new possibilities for people everywhere. Through relentless innovation and discovery, we are transforming the worlds of TVs, smartphones, tablets, PCs, cameras, home appliances, printers, LTE systems, medical devices, semiconductors and LED solutions. We employ 286,000 people across 80 countries with annual sales of US$216.7 billion. To discover more, please visit www.samsung.com.

For further information, please contact:

Carmen Steynberg
Andra-Lee Shimmin Epic Communications
Samsung Electronics South Africa
Tel: 011 784 4790
Tel: 011 549 1627
Cel: 071 864 0266
Cel: 082 553 2302
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

SEO & Online marketing solutions for small businesses On the 22nd of February, SERP SEO Solutions launched it's host of out-of-the-box marketing solutions via it's innovative online store.

Along with the launch they are running a competition giving away web design vouchers valued at R1000. SERP is a provider of Marketing Services for website developers. They offer a powerful range services aimed at providing website owners with access to tools & services used to help improve a websites local search visibility. To celebrate their launch they are giving away vouchers to be used at their site. Some of their many services include- Article writing, Web Design, Monthly SEO Packages and more.

Visit their web-page at www.serp.co.za/competition and read the competition guidelines to stand a chance to win a R1000 voucher which can be used for any of their services. Competition closes on the 18th of March 2015.

Contact Information:

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.serp.co.za/contact-us

Tonya Khoury, the MD of media monitoring company, ROi Africa, is happy to update you on  the progress actor, Ivan Zimmermann, has made on the 12 000 km Tour d’Afrique.

“Yesterday it was one month since Ivan departed from Cairo on the Tour d’Afrique to raise 12 000 tins of food for Can-a-Kilo,” she says.   “Ivan is set to arrive in Cape Town on 9 May as part of the Leaders Never Quit campaign, which is supported by ROi Africa, the South African Institute for Chartered Accountants (SAICA) and Sage Pastel,” she adds.  

Ivan said yesterday, “I arrived two days ago in Gonder, Ethiopia, as a broken man. The first shower I had in eight days could not wash away any weary emotions. It could only wash away the dirt from my sticky skin. I have now covered more than 3 000km of the 12 000km journey and so far I happen to be in third place overall.”    

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, a dream that has become a reality. A dream that will test me to my limits, but also a dream that will show the world that leaders never quit,” adds Ivan.  

Ivan will be available for interviews on the following days:

12 Feb: Bahir Dar (Ethiopia)
18-19 Feb: Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)
25 Feb: Yabelo (Ethiopia)
2 Mar: Marsabit (Kenya)
8 Mar: Nairobi (Kenya)
11-13 Mar: Arusha (Tanzania)
21 Mar: Mbeya
24 Mar: Chitimba Beach
To book an interview, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / 012-643 0436.  

For more information on Ivan’s quest, go to www.ivanzimmermann.com.

Tins can also be donated to Can-a-Kilo tab on Ivan's website.

NAME: Tonya Khoury 

E-MAIL: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
CELL: 073 874 5377
WEBSITE: www.roiafrica.com
TWITTER: @tonyaroi / @roiafrica
FACEBOOK: /roiafrica    

Welcome to Swoosh Business Enterprises

The Oasis of Black Entrepreneurship 

About Swoosh Business Enterprises

Swoosh Business Enterprises is a BBBEE 100% Black owned company established in 2002.

We have over 10 years of experience in business services to both government and private sector.

Services are:

Printing

Essential to every business are business cards, letterheads, envelopes, mailing labels, pocket folders andbrochures. Although basic, they serve a critical role: communicating the first impression most customers will form of your business. We not only have the range of equipment that will allow us to produce short and long run work to exacting standards, but we also have the people and creativity to assist you in making your projects stand out.  Booklets, annual reports, product catalogues, hard-bound books, newsletters, flyers and more complex jobs require a team of dedicated people who are going to navigate your project through the production process. With many of the best people in the industry at your disposal, you can be confident that even the most complex project gets done right.

Office Supplies

We offer Stationery, Ink & Toner, Paper, Technology, Canteen, Janitorial, Wellbeing & Safety,

Industrial Equipment, Computers, Printers and Furniture.

Cleaning Services

We provide a variety of cleaning methods, chemicals and equipment to facilitate and expedite the cleaning process. The scope of work may include all internal, general and routine cleaning to include floors, tiles, partition walls, internal walls, suspended ceilings, lighting, furniture and cleaning, window cleaning, deep cleans of sanitary conveniences and washing facilities, kitchens and dining areas, consumables and feminine hygiene facilities as well as cleaning of telephones, IT and other periodic cleaning as required. External cleaning, litter picking and removal of graffiti may also be incorporated.

Web and Graphic Design

Web design encompasses many different skills and disciplines in the production and maintenance of websites. The different areas of web design include web graphic design; interface design; authoring, including standardised code and proprietary software; user experience design; and search engine optimization. We overlap web engineering with web design in the broader scope of web development. We have an awareness of usability and creating mark up. We are always up to date with web accessibility guidelines.

 Mining

We provide various services and equipment such as Tunnelling and DrillingEquipment, Earthmoving Services,

Explosive Equipment, Pumps and Valves.

Trade References: 

Department of Health
South African Police Services
Gauteng Finance
Intersite Property Management Services
Department of Education

Contact
e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tel: 012 373 8606
web: www.swooshbe.co.za 

By Antoinette Pombo

Millennials are commonly defined as those born between 1981 and 1996. That currently puts them at between 19 and 34 years of age.

The youngest of this generation will be in the throes of finding their own feet in the big wide world of employment or tertiary education…

Whilst many of their older counterparts will be settling down with their partners – some starting a family. But what does this really mean for South African marketers and brand managers?

Individuality, independence and career growth are extremely important to this generation at this stage of their lives. And their unique spending habits seem to be shaking things up fast.

The most significant contributing factors to this shake-up are the sheer size of this population segment as well as the rise of multimedia and networking.

The millennials make up about 26% of the South African population. To put this into perspective, the rest of the entire working population under the official age of retirement only makes up about 28% of the population in South Africa.

And although these percentages aren’t very different from 10 years ago, the actual numbers are significantly different. As marketers and brand managers, we have over one million “new” potential customers we can attract in this segment.

But that’s not all! This new up-and-coming generation has an extremely powerful force behind them: Instant communication and HUGE networking capabilities.

Consequently, as these millennials rise through the echelons of young adulthood, they’re shaping the future of brands, business and the economy – VERY fast!

Here’s your three-point checklist to ensure your brand is in the running to gain from this incredibly powerful generation…

• Take a little extra time to test the market to make sure your marketing touches the right emotional chords, otherwise, it could fall on deaf ears.
• Mellennials will read up on products and services of interest and compare brands much more so than past generations. Is your website packed with USEFUL information they can use to make their purchase decision? Do you target this generation specifically on your site or have you lumped the entire South African population into the same ‘box’? A message directed at a 50 year old is unlikely to be identical to a message targeted at a 20 year old.
• And finally, with the revolutionary expansion of the social networking landscape in recent history, millennials aren’t just connecting with friends online. They’re also connecting with thought leaders, idols, experts and other figures they’re interested in. Do you have a presence in this space? Here’s how to do that: You’re an expert on something if you provide a service or sell a product. So find a way to share your expert knowledge and advice with those who need it most – young potential customers. If you’re not the expert, find one! Hire idols or brand ambassadors the millennials aspire to in order to bring your product or service alive for this generation. Encourage this young generation to talk about your product/service and related topics. If you can get them personally involved in your brand, they’re more likely to engage with it. Of course, they’ll either love it or hate it so be sure you’ve worked out all the other bits, like your value proposition, customer service, return policies etc. There you have the most important reasons to sit up and pay attention to millennials.

If you don’t have a dedicated marketing strategy for this segment, you’re missing out. And worse, your brand’s future is at stake.If you need assistance getting to know this segment well and niching your marketing to this sector, speak to Youth Dynamix, Africa’s leading youth authority.

Website: www.ydx.co.za

Samsung passionately bats for the Proteas  Samsung becomes official Consumer Electronics partner to Cricket SA and the Proteas   JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, 28 January, 2015 – Samsung Electronics South Africa today announced a three year deal with Cricket South Africa (CSA), which sees Samsung become the official consumer electronics partner to CSA and the Proteas.   Together with being the exclusive consumer electronics partner to CSA and the Proteas, including mobile, touchscreen devices and cameras, Samsung will have branding rights at all cricket stadia across the country and the Samsung logo will be on boundary ropes and Umpires clothing at RAM SLAM matches. Furthermore, Samsung touch screens will be used at the Supersport studios and pitch side during international and RAM SLAM matches (excluding 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup).   Samsung will contribute R1million to the Nelson Mandela Foundation – when the batsman strikes 4-6-6-6-4 in consecutive boundaries, during the RAM SLAM. This partnership also sees Samsung taking up the rights as associate sponsor for the annual Proteas vs Springboks match – both teams passionately sponsored by the company.   “We are honoured to be a part of the CSA family and look forward to delivering innovation that will assist cricket in South Africa both on and off the pitch. We hope that our contribution will leave a legacy that will change lives for years to come,” says Matthew Thackrah, Deputy MD of Samsung Electronics SA.   “When it comes to sport, South Africans are extremely passionate and cricket is a firm favourite with fans from all walks of life. These games are very popular with the crowds and the Proteas are a very successful team, consistently ranking in the top three nations in both the Test and Limited Overs formats of the game.   “Pride and passion fuel victory and we are particularly proud to be in a position to encourage the team by supporting them in their pursuit of becoming world champions at the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup, in Australia,” adds Thackrah.   “Of course we are excited by a global giant like Samsung coming on board,” commented CSA Chief Executive, Haroon Lorgat. “Both the Proteas and Samsung are world-famous global brands that are synonymous with quality performance and reliability. It is truly a great fit and we are very proud to welcome Samsung into our already impressive family of commercial partners.”   “Sport and South Africans are intricately intertwined and at Samsung, we believe in the unifying power of sport to promote harmony and in South Africa, sport is a way of life. We proudly stand tall in our position, along with millions across the country, in support of our sporting heroes,” concludes Thackrah.   About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in technology, opening new possibilities for people everywhere. Through relentless innovation and discovery, we are transforming the worlds of TVs, smartphones, tablets, PCs, cameras, home appliances, printers, LTE systems, medical devices, semiconductors and LED solutions. We employ 286,000 people across 80 countries with annual sales of US$216.7 billion. To discover more, please visit www.samsung.com.   For further information, please contact: Carmen Steynberg                                            Andra-Lee Shimmin Epic Communications                                       Samsung Electronics South Africa 011 784 4790                                                    011 549 1627 071 864 0266                                                    082 553 2302 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.                  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – January 28, 2015 – Under the banner “Creating Possibilities, Shaping the Future,” Samsung Electronics South Africa has unveiled its vision for smarter living at the company’s 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) press conference.

Attended by more than 1,700 industry partners and media, Samsung showcased its next generation devices and services, led by an 88-inch SUHD TV and Samsung’s Milk VR virtual reality video service. With a focus on bringing the future into the home and creating experiences that enhance consumer lifestyles, the 2015 portfolio has already received 36 CES Innovation Awards.

“Delivering great experiences will be our focus in 2015,” said Matthew Thackrah, Deputy MD of Samsung Electronics SA. “More than ever, Samsung is focused on smarter living at the intersection between great technology, content and services. And, it’s our insight – that all innovation has to be focused on the consumer experience – which is underpinning Samsung’s success.”

SUHD TV Takes Picture Quality to New Heights Samsung unveiled the 88-inch JS9500 TV, powered by a proprietary, eco-friendly nano-crystal display technology and intelligent SUHD re-mastering engine. The SUHD TV is innovative in every way, delivering superior picture quality with stunning contrast, striking brightness, spectacular colour and superb UHD detail.  

The SUHD re-mastering engine automatically analyses the brightness of images to minimise additional power consumption while expressing stunning contrast levels – producing images with much darker blacks and an elevated brightness two-and-a-half times brighter than conventional TVs with twice the colour adjustment points.

SUHD TV’s nano-crystal semiconductor transmits different colours of light depending on their size to produce the highest colour purity and light efficiency available today. This technology produces a wide range of more accurate colours, providing viewers with twice the colour adjustment points and 64 times more colour expression than conventional TVs.

Collaborating with 20th Century Fox, Samsung is optimising content to deliver the premium quality of SUHD and give consumers an unrivaled UHD viewing experience. Most recently, Samsung partnered with the Fox Innovation Lab to re-master specifically for SUHD TV the critically acclaimed film, Exodus.

Renowned Hollywood colourist Stephen Nakamura explained to the press conference the importance of SUHD’s colour. “Colour really sets the tone for a movie. It can completely change the mood and the feel,” said Nakamura, who has worked on X-Men, Days of Future Past, Quantum of Solace and Exodus. “I recently re-mastered Exodus for the SUHD TV, and the experience was incredible. It really brought the film to life in ways I never thought possible.”   “Samsung is advancing UHD to the next-generation viewing experience, bringing never-before-seen-on-TV colours to life in your home,” said Ansgar Pabst, Business Lead for TV/AV at Samsung SA.

Samsung also unveiled the result of its collaboration with Yves Behar, the renowned designer and founder of the award-winning design firm Fuseproject. The 82-inch S9W TV is an exquisitely curved panel that sits on a metallic cube, reminiscent of a sculpture, giving any living room the ambience of an art gallery.

From 2015, all new Samsung Smart TVs will be powered by Tizen, which not only provides better connectivity, but also gives developers a more robust and easier platform for which to create new applications. Most importantly, it ensures that consumers will have access to a much broader range of Smart TV content and services than ever before.

Samsung also introduced innovative audio products that give consumers a more dynamic, surround-sound audio experience. Developed by Samsung’s new state-of-the-art audio lab in Los Angeles, California, the WAM7500/6500 deliver a 360-degree sound experience thanks to Samsung’s proprietary ring radiator technology, which enables true omni-directional sound both horizontally and vertically. The WAM7500/6500 fills the room with truly balanced sound. Led by the WAM7500/6500, Samsung plans to expand its audio line-up in 2015, focusing on a range of omni-directional 360 speakers and curved sound bars.

Samsung was joined by Mike Dunn, President of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, to announce the launch of the UHD Alliance, which aims to create a unified criterion for premium UHD platforms to ensure that consumers get the best possible UHD experience; the alliance brings together leading Hollywood studios, consumer electronics brands, content distributors, post-production and technology companies.

Digital Appliances Designed for a Better Lifestyle Innovation for Samsung’s Digital Appliances is putting the company on track for yet more success, following a year of unprecedented growth in the company’s home appliances business.   The Chef Collection, infused with the know-how of Michelin-starred chefs, truly transformed the kitchen appliances category during 2014. Now, Samsung is launching the second phase of the project, bringing their passion for cooking directly into the kitchen.

Star chefs will share their recipes and tips and tricks through the Chef Collection App, which - thanks to regular updates - will help consumers create that perfect culinary experience. For a limited time, consumers who purchase a Chef Collection appliance package are eligible to receive an exclusive Chef Collection tablet with the pre-installed Chef Collection app. It will guide consumers through the cooking process step-by-step. The tablet also comes with a custom butcher block and an engraved tablet stand.

Samsung’s new award-winning Flex DuoTM oven range with Dual DoorTM brings perfect flexibility to the home kitchen. It’s a concept that combines three ovens into one. The two doors integrate to provide three cooking configurations. The oven can either be large enough for that perfect big meal, or quickly transform into two ovens to make two separate dishes, such as a roast in one and a cake in the other. The Smart Divider separates the ovens to make sure neither heat nor smells transfer from one dish to the other – performance, efficiency and flexibility combined in a single oven.

For any family with children, persistent stains in the laundry are a frequent problem. Samsung makes it easy to pre-treat stains with the Samsung activewashTM top-loader washing machine. Treatment and pre-wash take place in the activewashTM’s built-in sink, complete with water jet and scrubbing surface, from where laundry can be dropped straight into the washing machine below. No more drip trails from the sink to the washer. Additionally, Samsung’s proprietary Super Speed technology has now reduced wash time to as little as 36 minutes.

Samsung also launched its POWERbot VR9000 robotic vacuum cleaner. Its Digital Inverter Motor delivers up to 60 times stronger suction power than previous robotic vacuums. Thanks to Visionary Mapping Plus, the POWERbot creates a complete map of the home, and calculates the most efficient cleaning path. It even finds its way back to its docking station for recharging.

MILK VR Delivers Virtual Reality Content Samsung continues to innovate in the mobile space. While next-generation devices will follow in the footsteps of the Galaxy Note Edge, the Gear S and the Gear VR, content offerings will continue to expand through Samsung MILK. Until now a streaming music service with millions of active users worldwide, Samsung MILK is not only adding its video discovery service, MILK Video, but will also expand to Smart TVs, and – for the music part – to the Web as well.

Fans of the Samsung Gear VR – the virtual reality headset powered by the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 – will also be able to tap into the MILK experience, with a daily stream of immersive 360-degree videos and VR channels for music, sports, action and lifestyle. The service will offer both “Instant Play” (progressive streaming) and “Best Quality” (download) options in the highest quality available (4K x 2K). Through daily content updates and curating of new videos, Gear VR users will always have fresh, immersive videos to explore.

In a first of its kind announcement, Samsung is partnering with Skybound Entertainment, producers of The Walking Dead, to create in 2015 the first mystery suspense thriller entirely produced for VR. Additionally, through content partnerships, including those with the National Basketball Association (NBA), Skybound Entertainment, RedBull, Mountain Dew, Acura, Artists Den, Refinery 29 and Boiler Room, Samsung will continue to bring dynamic virtual reality content to consumers.

New Era for Portable Storage with Samsung Portable SSD T1 Storage solutions that are fast, reliable and highly portable have been hard to come by – until now. Samsung Portable SSD T1 packs up to 1 terabyte of data into a drive no larger than a business card. Powered by 3D V-NAND technology, and with data read/write speeds that are four times faster than traditional external hard disks, the Samsung Portable SSD T1 makes it possible to save a 3GB movie file in just 8 seconds. With advanced hardware encryption, password software, shock resistance and dynamic thermal guard, the Samsung Portable SSD T1 is set to transform how we carry our data with us when on the move.   For more information, please visit: http://global.samsungtomorrow.com/CES2015

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in technology, opening new possibilities for people everywhere. Through relentless innovation and discovery, we are transforming the worlds of TVs, smartphones, tablets, PCs, cameras, home appliances, printers, LTE systems, medical devices, semiconductors and LED solutions. We employ 286,000 people across 80 countries with annual sales of US$216.7 billion.

To discover more, please visit www.samsung.com.

For further information, please contact:

Carmen Steynberg
Andra-Lee Shimmin Epic Communications
Samsung Electronics South Africa
Tel: 011 784 4790 / 011 549 1627
Cell: 071 864 0266 / 082 553 2302
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Broadband will be the deciding factor as soon as Broadband becomes faster the Internet will change overnight. The Internet is destined to become a fully audio visual medium like TV but better as people will be able to interact live with each other. The future of the Internet will be a video platform.

People don’t want to have to read as much as they currently do whilst browsing. Our weakness as humans is that we expect information without having to work for it, reading is more work than just watching a video so we prefer to do that. Already youtube.com is the second largest search engine after Google for South African audiences and they are not watching YouTube they are watching a video.

If you want to fix a leaking pipe without calling a plumber then watch a video how to do it. If you want to cook a delicious meal and are looking for a particular recipe then watch a video, if you’re looking for health advice watch a video, if you want to see the latest fashion trends then you can watch a video, if you want to know how to extract DMT from Mimosa Hostilis and use it to awaken your pineal gland watch a video.

The benefits to your business If you have a business and provide a service to clients let them watch a video of what you have to offer, the same with a product show your customers how to use your product. With video on the web you can create a better relationship and more trust for visitors to do business with you from your website.

The winners will be the ones that have recognised that people would like to be “spoon fed” information rather than have to work for it by reading text. Today on YouTube there is tons of this content already, people are able to search on any topic they like and can find out more information. People make their own video about plumbing and cooking etc. No matter how good or bad the video quality is people want information and they don’t want to have to read much to be able to get it.

Do these videos have your brand on them? No they don’t. Brands in South Africa today need to wake up and produce their own content, not for YouTube alone but for all social media and more importantly for their websites. Even now before the year 2020 bandwidth has becomes faster video is growing and is starting to overtake everything you see on the web. The TV stations are already gearing up for this as well as other major media players in the South African industry.

You only have to look at DSTV, SABC and NETFLIX to see how growth in this sector has already caught on here. The massive investment in live streaming is overwhelming and new technology is created every day. Corporations are all working on video solutions it is happening all around us with new technology and new hardware being announced almost daily. Video Production for the Web. Video for the web is more like a TV news or Reality news it is more unrehearsed and instantly produced, unlike your company developing a TV commercial which has a really high degree of production values which also comes with a high budget requirement. This will affect how we communicate with each other. Cost of live streaming and video production has drastically reduced due to lower cost of entry. Companies can purchase very good quality High Definition cameras. You no longer need to bring in expensive film crews and with HTML5 video technology as well as software devices like SKYPE which exists today but other software which will be faster and better. SKYPE and Google Hangouts will not be the only Apps. to be able to run visual communications’ it will become normal on every website and web platform. With new hardware solutions you will be able to see and talk to your customer directly from your website. Or at the very least, due to privacy issues, your website visitor will be able to see and talk to you.

Imagine being able to have a one on one live video chat with a customer instead of the usual written word chat. How we will market ourselves in the year 2020 is happening now in South Africa are you ready for this? People want VIDEO they do not want to have to read tons of words, the winners in the future will be the websites that take this into account. Sure the written word will always be important but the web is going to be a video platform and nobody can stop it or even want to stop it.

Search engine optimisation in the year 2020 Visual rankings Search engines will read the video content and your site will rank accordingly. Content on the web will be in the main, how to fix a leaking pipe, how to cook the best roast duck, how to approach your bank manager, how to, how to… Reading and ranking your content Even today YouTube has significant ability to read the content of any video you upload.

Music sound tracks have a digital signature which can be read for copyright reasons however YouTube can even read background music played at a wedding reception by the DJ with the main soundtrack of people talking and generally enjoying themselves in the foreground. There is no digital signature on this “noise” however YouTube can read the music. I know because I have uploaded such a video and YouTube pointed out that I was using the exact songs in my video, how do they do that? Profanity is also recognised by YouTube. So in the future, as YouTube is owned by Google, they will rank you according to your content but this will include your Video content as well. Homeland Security in the USA uses this technology where “chatter” is monitored across the globe.

It’s not people listening for this chatter it is computers that have been programmed to monitor in various languages certain keywords or key phrases and once alerted an operator will take over and examine it. Same as you will be doing on Google by 2020 you will search for keywords and they will produce a list of “chatter” from videos in your keyword search results. YouTube Viral Video An example of the Power of video.

Here is a link to YouTube for the, Dover Police DashCam Confessional (Shake it Off), although your videos don’t have to go viral this guy has had nearly 27 million views in just 1 week, and it cost nothing to produce? Whilst these kinds of videos are exceptional it just goes to show how much interest and how large an audience and opportunity is out there for your own marketing.
Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XFBUM8dMqw

Website: www.epnet.co.za