Leading IT distributor Syntech – which celebrates its 15th year in business – has signed a deal for new offices in Johannesburg as part of its expansion programme which was outlined in 2011.

Established in 2002, Syntech has continued to source and introduce the world’s leading products, catering for several industries and operating in multiple vertical markets. With the particular focus placed on providing value added service and support to mass retail, niche retail, online retail, Value-added channel resellers, managed service providers, security and surveillance as well as Apple resellers.Syntech has developed a reputation for introducing and building excellent brands in South Africa and developing the market through an innovative approach to business.

In 2011, CEO Craig Nowitz quoted: “We are expecting to grow our revenue, and are in the process of embarking on an expansion programme that will see us expand and diversify our product range and market focus, as well as moving into larger premises during the first quarter of 2012.”Not only did Syntech move into new premises in Cape Town, but opened new offices in Johannesburg, Midrand in September 2014. The expansion into Gauteng was in keeping with sustaining Syntech’s significant growth over the past four years and was a necessary step.

Two years down the road and the Johannesburg office is now relocating to a larger building – including larger warehouse facilities.Syntech will invest more as it grows, says Nowitz. “Our new Midrand facility will enable us to provide 8X more local stockholding and will be supported with an expanding fleet of delivery vehicles.” Syntech’s headcount in Gauteng has doubled since inception and is expected to grow by a further 20 people in the next 18 months. “Marketing support and reseller focussed initiatives remain a key part of our growth strategy and we look forward to building even closer relationships with our partners, enabling them to deliver more,” Says Nowitz.

The new office and warehouse, located at 28 Tsessebe Crescent, Corporate Park South, Randjes Park in Midrand, started operating on 1 March 2017 and Syntech Resellers have been invited to a roof wetting party on the 16th March.“We are really excited about the growing number of reseller partners that we work with as well as the availability of our products through more channels,” says Ryan Martyn, Sales and Marketing Director of Syntech. “Our online platform continues to evolve and has been allocated several hundred thousand rands to our annual online budget for ongoing development,” Martyn says. “We have several new exciting tools that we are busy with and will continue to refine our online user experience through feedback from our resellers.” We have tried to understand the markets that our resellers work in and build solution categories that help them to add more value to their customers, with the improved user experience for mobile access.

Syntech’s resellers can expect to see some exciting changes going live before Easter 2017.Our Focus remains on supporting our reseller relationships and empowering them to deliver more value to their customers. We remain focused on selected brands and it appears that our customers recognise our unique value offering. In the recent Channelwise Awards, Syntech ranked significantly higher than any of its competitors in all areas relating to customer experience.Results from the Channelwise survey found that Syntech was the clear market leader in the following categories according to resellers: In the recent Channelwise Awards, voted for by resellers, Syntech won all four service categories:Ease of doing businessStockholding, logistics and deliveryCredit AvailabilityChannel programme

Syntech OverviewSyntech was established in 2002. Our product ranges are sourced from a variety of international manufacturers. We distribute a number of top brands and distribute an extensive range of computer related products throughout sub-Saharan Africa.Our objective is to create solutions. We have developed our product range by offering complete solutions with several focused products that cater for individual reseller requirements. Our long-standing relationships with our suppliers ensure that we provide products which have been developed in accordance with market demands. Our distribution-orientated business structure and advanced logistics system ensure that all our clients can expect and be assured of cost-effective solutions being delivered on time.

For further information, please visit www.syntech.co.za  or contact us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  +27 21 514 5300  

Introduction

Lorge Consulting Services – has been frequently making headlines following a streak of noteworthy philanthropic endeavours and client success stories. The company has also featured at various single and multi-industry events, on national and international platforms. This time, however, the Premier Certified Sage Partner is sending shockwaves throughout the Southern African business landscape by expanding its product line. This is courtesy of a new addition to the existing suite of cutting-edge BMS solutions: Sage Evolution (SE).  

Following much preparation and planning, the company is proud to announce the official addition of Sage Evolution to the existing family of Sage products offered to the market. This is in-keeping with the company vision to be thee leading provider of innovative, business and industry-specific BMS and BI software. The company’s comprehensive range of sought-after solutions under one umbrella, together with proven industry expertise for more than 30 years, and an unstinting commitment to service excellence - all attest to Lorge’s reputation as a pioneering and forward-facing organisation.    

Sage Evolution – “Next Level” Business Management Resource    

The launch of Sage Evolution in South Africa represented a direct response to the unique and ever-evolving needs of businesses operating in dynamic markets, with intensifying competitive forces and rapidly growing consumer needs. This called for a progressive software solution with sophisticated tools and capabilities as well as the ability to enhance user-experience.       

The latter is a key factor addressed by SE as the software is intelligently designed for exceptional ease-of-use. Additionally, there are a host of important reasons why Sage Evolution is the software of choice for leading industries within South Africa, the continent as a whole and for that matter – globally.  

Consider these 5 compelling reasons why your business development, customer-service and administrative systems can widely benefit from this particular Sage product in 2017 and beyond.    

These features and benefits although considerable, only begin to scratch the surface of SE. For more comprehensive insight contact our experts here.    

1. The features of SE provide for a holistic and fully integrated software solution:  

An effective BMS cannot stand alone as an isolated system that isn’t compatible with others and refuses to factor in the influences of all operational elements. This is where SE’s advantages kick in, as an all-encompassing product that instinctively connects with other applications.  

This means that SE is not only a robust financial management system, but one than can seamlessly network and align to existing third-party programs - wherever required. There is a science to it and a deeply technical side, but this is where the expertise of trained technicians and the comfort of reliable service support come in. SE can therefore work harmoniously with an existing CRM tool, for instance – and the same would apply to any current system that has to be considered. This enables efficient installations as well as tailored products suited to individual business needs.  

2. SE offers ease-of-use - despite its advanced capabilities:  

This is a massive consideration in that, while the software handles complex integration and manages a host of important business functions, the end-user experience is highly intuitive. For instance, the main system manager features an easily navigable System Tree. This welcoming interface caters to everything from system set-up, to control, to multi-level password security, online help and so forth. Such simplicity and functionality foster greater productivity, efficiency and security.  

3. SE allows for the implementation of dynamic Industry and business-specific solutions:     

Since every business differs as do its needs - a scalable and customisable solution is required for peak performance. SE enables one to create business-specific modules that complement the software’s core functions. So whether you need to incorporate a high traffic ecommerce platform into your business management system, or whether you need to collate and analyse data from multiple offices with hundreds of users – unique modules can be created or set-up to cater for these demands.  

4. Flexible Report generation and real-time updating:  

Successful businesses are largely incumbent on the meaningful assimilation and interpretation of various sets of data. This relates to every facet of the business, and in order to be achieved, requires relevant report generation for internal use or sharing with stakeholders. Instances include the need to monitor or report on sales trends, expenditure analyses, inventory movements, wage and salary schedules, debtors or creditors figures and much more.  

Standard reports can be customised by employing the Report Writer module and scheduled reports can be automated to generate and be emailed periodically to specific persons. Furthermore, vast data volumes can be securely pulled and analysed from multiple sources in excel with figures updating in real time. Simply refresh in order to update to most current data. Controlling accessibility and Alert Management for notifications are some of the other useful features.      

5. Superior Inventory Control and Optimisation:  

Inventory monitoring or tracking and management as a whole are fundamental in developing sustainable business success. The SE Inventory Optimisation feature is included as part of the core SE modules. It allows for stock levels to be set and synchronised with preferred suppliers linked to each item. In this way ordering processes can be automated.  

Factors such as lead times and reorder quantities can also be integrated within the system criteria. Even internal stock distribution or movements between divisions can be managed via the Inventory Issue feature. Then the main Inventory module empowers any business to exercise virtually unlimited control over stock. From summarised management reports to detailed operational reports - all can be customised to the requirements of each user.    

Find out more about the benefits and features of Sage Evolution by dialling 010 594 9800 today.    

Why Lorge is a trusted supplier of SE and other Sage solutions  

SE is a powerful tool with user friendly features. However, in order to ensure the most effective solutions, tailored to your specific business - the right technical expertise and after-sales support is vital in harnessing SE’s full capabilities. This will ensure you have the most appropriate solution for your enterprise, efficiently installed and backed by knowledgeable and dedicated service professionals. This translates to optimum system performance and prompt technical assistance when required.  

Here are only a few reasons why Lorge is your service provider of choice when it comes to Sage Evolution:  

• Lorge has earned a reputation of excellence, being trusted by over 10,000 users in the broadest spectrum of industries.
• Lorge has a Dedicated Sage Accredited In-house Training Centre.
• Lorge is an award-winning enterprise and therefore recognised as a leader by the industry.
• Lorge adopts a client-centred approach with all customers. This has allowed the organisation to expand its footprint nationally as well as internationally.
• The in-house knowledge and expertise of Lorge has been firmly entrenched over a number of years. This is evidenced by the comprehensive suite of Sage and related BMS products that    the organisation specialises in.  

Account Manager at Sage South Africa, David Jones, discussed a plethora of Sage Evolution features and benefits with our media representative – a few of which are discussed above. Additionally, David discussed that strict criteria is applied to suppliers wishing to become Certified Sage Partners, of which there are several tiers. Customers enlisting Lorge will have the comfort of knowing that the company is a Premier Certified Sage Partner.           

For further information on Sage Evolution, or to discuss your current enterprise needs, contact our Sales Department on 010 594 9800.

Media Contact
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 “Getting recognition in this competitive expo industry is immensely rewarding”

Leading Cape Town-based trade exhibition and conference organiser Spintelligent has won four major awards at the *ROAR Organiser and Exhibitor Awards in Johannesburg which honour excellence in the exhibition and events industry on the continent. The awards were organised jointly by the Association of African Exhibition Organisers (AAXO) and the Exhibition & Event Association of Southern Africa (EXSA).

*ROAR = Respect, Opportunities, Achievement, Recognition

African Utility Week, Spintelligent’s flagship energy event for the last 17 years, was the joint winner in the Best Trade Exhibition 6001-12000 sqm category, sharing the honours with the World Travel Market.

Agritech Expo Zambia won two awards: for Best Trade & Consumer Exhibition 12000+ sqm and for Distinction in Social Responsibility Award.  The African Real Estate & Infrastructure Summit, which was a launch event for the company in 2016, won the Best Confex category. The DRC Mining Week was also a finalist in the Social Responsibility category.

“It was a clean sweep for Spintelligent and I could not be prouder of our teams”, says an excited Spintelligent MD David Ashdown. “We work incredibly hard to produce successful, relevant and innovative events for our clients in exciting industries such as energy, agriculture and mining. To also get recognition from our peers in this competitive expo industry is immensely rewarding as it inspires us to work even harder and to take things up a notch every year.”

He adds: “the AAXO ROAR Awards honoured both long-standing events such as African Utility Week, to a more recent project such as Agritech Expo as well as a launch show, African Real Estate & Infrastructure Summit, which is part of our new property portfolio. It shows that we are still on the right track, while also receiving the nod of approval for our newer initiatives.” ROAR Awards

• Best Trade Exhibition 6001-12000 sqm category (joint winner)
  
  The 17th edition of African Utility Week, the flagship pan-African power and water platform, will take place again in Cape Town in May and gather some 7000 attendees from around 80 countries, including many African nations, as well as 250 exhibitors and 299 high-level conference speakers while more than 80 power and water utilities will be represented.
  
  Spintelligent’s Group Director for Power, Energy and Real Estate, Le-Ann Hare Keymer says: “we share Africa’s goals of economic growth and prosperity for all, especially working in the power, energy and real estate sectors. It is a privilege to be part of the continent’s development through our events and particularly to be recognised for excellence and innovation”.
  
  
• Best Trade & Consumer Exhibition +12000 sqm Award and Distinction in Social Responsibility Award
  
  “The Agritech Expo Zambia team is honoured and thankful for the recognition of what they have achieved over the last three years” says Emmanuelle Nicholls, Natural Resources Group Director, “building the event from scratch in a field in the middle of Zambia.” She adds “their commitment, blood, sweat and tears bear testimony to the uniqueness of this event.”
  
  The fourth edition of Agritech Expo Zambia will also return to Chisamba in April – last year the outdoor farming expo attracted a record-breaking attendance of 17 605 visitors. The expo also has an outreach programme at the local Golden Valley Basic School, where, with the assistance of numerous event sponsors, it is assisting the school with much needed infrastructure upgrades, equipment supplies and management of the school’s farm.
  
  
• Best Confex Award
  
  “Winning Africa’s Best Confex for the inaugural African Real Estate & Infrastructure Summit is testament to the creativity, innovation, resourcefulness and hard-work that the entire Spintelligent event team contributed to the project” says event director Richard Stubbs. With the support of Wesgro and the Transport Development Agency, we look forward to realising the vision of a continental meeting place for African Built Environment professionals, and hopefully many more awards along the way.”
  
  More than 300 sector experts will gather for the second edition of the African Real Estate & Infrastructure Summit in September in Cape Town this year with interactive sessions that focus on key case studies of visionary city planning, investment opportunities in the commercial and residential real estate sectors across the continent.
  
  
• Distinction in Social Responsibility Award – finalist
  
  DRC Mining Week takes place again in June, hosting more than 1500 visitors in the mining hub of Lubumbashi. The event is also an active supporter of the Kinsevere Community School Project in Lubumbashi, which includes the preparation of hot meals for 500 children on Sundays, access to water through a borehole and the school sponsorship of 25 gifted kids in the community.
  
  The DRC Mining Week team has been working hard to grow within and outside the company” says event director Elodie Delagneau, “and while our big brother event, Agritech Expo, was a well-deserved winner in this category we are incredibly proud to have been a finalist and this just motivates us to up our game!”

Spintelligent is well known for organising exhibitions and conferences across the continent in the infrastructure, real estate, energy, mining, agriculture and education sectors. Other well-known events by Spintelligent include Agritech Expo Tanzania, CBM-TEC, Kenya Mining Forum, Future Energy East Africa (formerly EAPIC), Future Energy Nigeria (formerly WAPIC), Future Energy Central Africa (formerly iPAD Cameroon), iPAD Nigeria Mining Forum, DRC Mining Week and EduWeek. Spintelligent is part of the UK-based Clarion Events Group.

Website: http://www.spintelligent.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/spintelligent

Media contact:
Senior communications manager:  Annemarie Roodbol
Telephone:  +27 21 700 3500
Mobile:  +27 82 562 7844
Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Cape Town, 12 January 2017 – Luxity is one of South Africa’s newest tech start-ups that aims to give everybody a chance to sport a stylish Louis Vuitton handbag, a pair of luxurious Gucci sunglasses or some trendy Louboutin’s at affordable prices. Causing quite the stir in the industry in only a few months, this young company from Cape Town focuses on buying and selling authentic used luxury goods that are still in great condition. Following the trends and making sure to always look stylish is not always easy and can quickly get very expensive. This is where Luke Calitz from Luxity saw an opportunity to step in and make everyone’s lives more convenient and feel like a million bucks! 

The Luxity online boutique provides access to some of the world’s most coveted brands, ranging from designer handbags, clutches, wallets and purses as well as other leather accessories, premium high heels and flats, high-end scarves, luxury sunglasses, and much more. “We pride ourselves in offering only 100% authentic luxury items that are still in excellent condition. At Luxity we take authentication extremely seriously and offer a full money back guarantee, should you ever prove that we sold you a fake or counterfeit item,” explains Luke Calitz, owner of Luxity. Going to an actual second hand store is not always the most pleasant of experiences and you never know what they might have in stock. On the other hand, going through a platform such as Gumtree or OLX might result in a counterfeit product. “With Luxity, our customers can browse from the safety and convenience of their homes, pay online and have a courier deliver a guaranteed authentic luxury item to their door in just a few days.” This added value of feeling safe and giving them ease of mind has led to many customers coming again and again.

Luxity’s social media channels keep customers up to date on new arrivals, which are all listed at their online boutique (www.luxity.co.za) where every item can be purchased with just few simple clicks. “To ensure that everybody can afford luxury, we offer our customers an interest free layby option where they can pay off their purchase within two months in as many instalments as they wish,” Luke explains further.

Luxity does not only cater to those with a desire to buy designer brands, but also to everyone who wants to sell designer luxury goods – whether it is to create space in the closet, by getting rid of items that do not fit or have never been worn. Like with their customers, Luxity strives to make the user experience as easy and convenient as possible: First, images and information are uploaded on the website. After Luxity’s experienced buying team checks and authenticates the item(s), the seller will be presented with the choice to either accept an immediate cash buyout, a store credit, or the option to list an item on consignment. All of this often takes place within 24-48 hours. 

In only four months this Cape Town based start-up has managed to stir up the second hand market, providing a safe, reliable and trusted service to customers and sellers alike.

ASUS South Africa partners with Mass Mart retailer, DionWired to carry full range of Gaming Notebooks. 

Johannesburg, South Africa – A few weeks ago hardware manufacturer, ASUS announced their partnership with Mass Mart retailer, DionWired at the rAge Expo. DionWired will officially carry the entire ROG (Republic of Gamers) range of notebooks.

ASUS is a worldwide top-three consumer notebook vendor whose focus is to bring innovative technology to the consumer. “One of the main aspects which sets ASUS apart from other hardware manufacturers is the advanced design. Consumers of notebooks require a stable battery life (which lasts and offers outstanding performance) that doesn’t sacrifice modern design. ASUS aims to provide all consumers with state-of-the-art technology while still providing great value for money. Therefor ASUS remains the first choice for many who are looking for the perfect balance between features and style”, says Yolandi Venter, Marketing Manager for SYS at ASUS South Africa.

DionWired carries the ZenBook range and now stocks the ROG Range of Notebooks just in time for Christmas season. The ROG Notebooks available at DionWired include monstrous 17inch G752 range in variants armed with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 and 1070M graphics with GTX1080Ms on the way. They also include the modestly priced yet beastly 15inch G552 range. 

Managing Director of DionWired, Nazim Cassim says that the retailer is looking to increase its gaming audience, and is offering a three-year on-site warranty on all new notebook and laptops sold across the ROG range. According to ASUS, gaming laptops now make up 2% of all laptop sales in South Africa, which may not sound like much but does account for a couple of thousand unit sold per quarter; this is double of what is was during 2015.  

ABOUT ASUS

ASUS is a worldwide top-three consumer notebook vendor and maker of the world’s best-selling, most award-winning motherboards. A leading enterprise in the new digital era, ASUS designs and manufactures products that perfectly meet the needs of today’s digital home and office, with a broad portfolio that includes motherboards, graphics cards, optical drives, displays, desktop and all-in-one PCs, notebooks, netbooks, servers, multimedia devices, wireless solutions, networking devices, tablets and smartphones. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, ASUS won 4,368 awards in 2015 and is widely credited with revolutionizing the PC industry with its Eee PC™. ASUS has more than 17,000 employees around the globe with a world-class R&D team of over 5,500 engineers. Company revenue for 2015 was approximately US$14 billion.  

ABOUT DIONWIRED

Their purpose is to simplify life by obsessively sharing the joy of technology. DionWired is the only retailer of electronics and appliances that really understands customers. By putting their needs and experience first, they use their obsession with technology to create an inspiring, multi-sensory environment and offer the consumer products and services to help simplify their lives.  DionWired is a subsidiary of the JSE listed, Massmart Holdings. Massmart is Africa’s third largest distributor of consumer goods, the leading retailer of general merchandise, liquor and home improvement equipment and supplies, and the leading wholesaler of basic foods. To visit Massmart Holdings Group website, click here – www.massmart.co.za 

NOTES TO EDITORS

ASUS South Africa

• ASUS Website: https://www.asus.com/za/
• ASUS Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASUSza
• ASUS Twitter: https://twitter.com/ASUS_za
• ASUS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asus_za/?hl=en
• ROG Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASUSROGZA/ 

DionWired

• DionWired Website: http://www.dionwired.co.za
• DionWired Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DionWired
• DionWired Twitter: https://twitter.com/DionWired
• DionWired Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dionwired/    

The Lindfield Victorian House museum (a Provincial Heritage Site) recently received its Joburg Heritage Plaque from the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation. The museum shares this honour with several other sites such as the Gandhi Family House, Madiba's first home in Johannesburg, the Union Castle Buildings, and so on.

Called Grey Roofs, the original small cottage was designed by Herbert Baker. Baker ruled the architectural scene in South Africa between 1892 and 1912.  The house was originally built (circa 1910) for Dr. St John Stanwell and his wife Alice.  In 1924, A.J. Marshall (Sir Herbert Baker's Clerk of Works), made changes to the house and in 1933, Nellie Edwards  (Johannesburg's first female architect and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts), added additional rooms.

Today Lindfield Victorian House Museum tells a tale of Johannesburg during an era that shaped the urban city of today. It shows the Victorian day-to-day life, the culture, intellectual achievements and social norms of the day.  The spirit of this elegant era still breathes in the Lindfield Victorian House Museum and visitors not only learn its cultural history, but also experience the ambience of a bygone world.

Former Mayor of Johannesburg, Parks Tau,  wrote in 2013 "For years now Johannesburg has been acknowledging special buildings and sites, historic struggles, remarkable personalities and other pieces of history by means of blue heritage plaques."  The Lindfield Victorian House Museum displays its  plaque with pride and in reverence to the Victorians.

Katharine Love

Lindfield Victorian House Museum

72 Richmond Avenue (Entrance Greenlands Road)
Auckland Park
Johannesburg
2092.

Phone Number: +27 11 726 2932
Web: lindfield.wix.com/museum/
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Johannesburg, South Africa – If your job requires you to sit at a desk behind a computer or laptop, this article is for you. We all know that we have to sit properly, a certain distance from your screen and type at a specific angle. It sometimes seems impossible to have an ergonomic workstation due to space and financial restrictions. However, by adapting to your environment and making changes you will realise the drastic effect it can have on your life. After all, you probably spend more time in your office than out of it. ASUS South Africa decided to get the insights of various industry experts to share some practical tips and tricks for computer users (even those who don’t use ASUS products):

1. Eyes and View-Points
   First and foremost, if you wear glasses or have glasses to wear behind a computer screen, wear them! Often we sit behind our screens for long periods of time causing us to blink less which leads too dry, itchy and scratchy eyes that feel like raisins.
   
   Try to position yourself between 40 and 76 centimetres away from your screen (most users find it most comfortable to sit between 50 and 65 centimetres). Among many things this will help your eyes maintain their blink rate.
   
   When positioning the monitor or screen, set it up on your eye level or slightly below your horizontal eye level. This can be done by purchasing an ergonomic stand. Alternatively, you could improvise and use phone books or reams of paper. Just make sure that the surface is stable and strong enough.
   
   Pay special attention to the surrounding areas of your monitor or table, avoid spaces closes to windows and bright lights as this may cause distracting reflections and additional strain on your eyes.
   
   "Not only are we more dependent on electronic devices but technology can also improve your quality in front of such a device. Anti-reflective lens coatings have been tried and tested and research shows that it can help to eliminate up to 80% of eyestrain and fatigue. Optometrists make use of the newest lens technology to ensure clear and comfortable vision in front of electronic devices", says Carina Janzen, Optometrist from De Jongh Optometry in Pretoria East.
   
    
2. Seating and Posture
   The chair that you sit on is just as important as the computer you use. When purchasing a new chair, always make sure that it is fully adjustable to ensure the support that you require. "It is important that the chair is the correct height relative to the desk", comments Tracey Palay from Ergotherapy. If purchasing a new chair is not an option, you could look at using an inflatable pillow or a towel roll which should provide you with lower back support when placed behind your lower back against the chair.
   
   Position yourself behind your computer in such a way that your spine is able to align with a neutral posture (forward curve in the lower back and forward tilted pelvis), try to avoid leaning forward. Allow your shoulders to be relaxed and not hunched or rounded and your feet resting on the floor/ foot rest. Your elbows have to be close to your body (put away your wings), the ideal position for them is at a 90° bent angle with your wrists and hands remaining straight, forearms resting on the table (not the wrists). Avoid bending the wrists backwards too far when working on your keyboard and mouse.
   
   It is important to consider your posture, as your body adapts to the position you spend your working day in and can have an effect on your wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck, upper back, lower back, gluteal area and lower limbs. Frequent positional changes are key to prevent adverse health effects and muscular weakness.
   
   The therapists from Therapy In Action have been working in the Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy industry for over 20 years and recommend that computer users pay special attention to the position of their upper back and neck, as poor posture can lead to trigger points, muscle imbalances and lack of stability, which can cause headaches, neck and shoulder pain. "We have noticed over the past year alone an increase of 8% in people complaining about neck tension headaches and upper back pain due to poor ergonomics", Liezet Basson, Partner and Senior Occupational Therapist with Therapy in Action added.
   
   
3. Sitting vs Standing
   "Recent studies have shown that standing while working on your computer, have major health benefits. Standing facilitates a decrease in fatigue and musculoskeletal discomfort, especially in overweight office workers. The research has also shown benefits in heart function and blood sugar levels. Weakness and muscle imbalances develop according to your prolonged preferred postures, which can lead to discomfort and pain due to lack of optimal stability. Standing for the entire work day might also have some negative effects on your health, thus a healthy balance between sitting and standing is ideal where possible", added Therapy In Action.
   
   
4. Regular Breaks
   It is recommended that breaks are taken every 30 minutes but sometimes it isn’t practical. Try to take your eyes off of the screen and let them rest on another focal point in the distance, like a watercooler in the office or the trees outside your window. If you’re able to get up from your desk try to walk around stretching you back, arms, neck, shoulders and legs at least once every hour or two as this will get the blood flowing again.
   
   As with almost all aspects in life, there are various Apps that can be downloaded to remind you to take regular breaks. On Android there are a few apps like Take-a-Break or Water Drink Reminder. 　 

Setting up an ergonomically friendly workspace is of benefit to the employee and employer, by reducing ergonomic risk factors costs can be reduced over time and employee productivity should increase. This will also show employees that their employers value their health and safety. 

Yolandi Venter, ASUS’ Marketing Manager for System Products focusing on Sub-Saharan Africa, said that ASUS has a variety of products available which accommodate ergonomic needs. "Recently ASUS announced the ZenBook Flip UX360 and UX560 which feature a gently backlit keyboard with full size keys and long key travel for comfortable typing in any lighting condition. The large glass-coated touch pad allows smooth and accurate navigation", Venter added. 

"All of our models come with some sort of ergonomic design. For example, all models come standard with ICeCool which keeps the palm rest of laptops and notebooks cooler than your body temperature", said Werner Joubert, Product Head (ACZA). "ASUS Monitors come standard with Eye Care technology which smartly adjusts the computer screen brightness based on the environment you are in. These monitors are designed to prevent symptoms of CVS (Computer Vision Syndrome). Symptoms include Headaches, Burning Eyes, Red Eyes, Eyes Strain and Fatigue, should you, a colleague or an employee have these symptoms its highly recommend to seek medical attention. Furthermore, the Monitors have Low Blue Light, are Flicker-Free, have Anti-Glare and are designed to meet ergonomic requirements", Joubert added. 

ASUS South Africa would like to thank De Jongh Optometry, Therapy In Action and Ergotherapy for assisting in the construction of this story. 

ABOUT ASUS

ASUS is a worldwide top-three consumer notebook vendor and maker of the world’s best-selling, most award-winning motherboards. A leading enterprise in the new digital era, ASUS designs and manufactures products that perfectly meet the needs of today’s digital home and office, with a broad portfolio that includes motherboards, graphics cards, optical drives, displays, desktop and all-in-one PCs, notebooks, netbooks, servers, multimedia devices, wireless solutions, networking devices, tablets and smartphones. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, ASUS won 4,368 awards in 2015 and is widely credited with revolutionizing the PC industry with its Eee PC™. ASUS has more than 17,000 employees around the globe with a world-class R&D team of over 5,500 engineers. Company revenue for 2015 was approximately US$14 billion. 

REFERENCES:

• Thorp, A.A, Kingwell, B.A, Owen, N, & Dunstan, D.W. (2014). Breaking up workplace sitting time with intermittent standing bouts improves fatigue and musculoskeletal discomfort in overweight/obese office workers. Journal of Occupational and Environment Medicine (71) 765-771.
• Water, T.R & Dick, RB. (2014). Evidence of Health Risks Associated with Prolonged Standing at Work and Intervention Effectiveness. Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing. (40) 3: 148-165.
• Antle, D.M., Vezina, N. & Cote, J.N. (2015). Comparing standing posture and use of a sit-stand stool: Analysis of vascular, muscular and discomfort outcomes during simulated industrial work. Journal of Industrial Ergonomics (45) 98-106. 

NOTES TO EDITORS

• ASUS Global Press Room: http://press.asus.com
• ASUS South Africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASUSza
• ASUS South Africa Twitter: https://twitter.com/ASUS_za.

ASUS Republic of Gamers Announces Oculus Ready ROG G752VS/VM

KEY POINTS

• Oculus has certified ROG G752VS and ROG G752VM as Oculus Ready .
• High-performance gaming laptops feature NVIDIA GeForce GTX 10-Series graphics, the latest Intel Core processors, and up to 64GB DDR4 memory.
• Both models join the ASUS G11CD and ROG G20CB gaming desktops in the ASUS collection of Oculus Ready PCs.

Johannesburg, South Africa — ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) has announced that the ROG G752VS and ROG G752VM gaming laptops are now certified Oculus Ready PCs. The announcement was made at the Oculus Connect 3 Developer Conference in San Jose, California.  

Both models are the world’s first gaming laptops to meet the recommended specifications required to power Oculus Rift, and feature NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 10-Series graphics, the latest Intel® Core™ processors, and up to 64GB of DDR4 memory. The VR-Ready NVIDIA GeForce GTX 10-series graphics cards provide exceptional performance and energy efficiency to give gamers incredible virtual-reality (VR) gaming experiences. These graphics cards also feature NVIDIA G-SYNC™ technology to reduce lag and stutter, and eliminate visual tearing to ensure the smoothest and fastest gaming visuals.

“Enabling the ultimate gaming experience for gamers is at the heart of ASUS,” said Joe Hsieh, Corporate Vice President. “We are bringing an immersive VR experience to gamers by expanding our collection of Oculus Ready PCs with the ROG G752VS/VM gaming laptops.”

The partnership between ASUS and Oculus™ is aimed at offering gamers a truly immersive gaming experience. With ROG G752VS and ROG G752VM joining the ASUS G11CD and ROG G20CB gaming desktops, ASUS expands its collection of Oculus Ready PCs.

The Oculus Ready badge is earned by only a select few PCs. All Oculus Ready PCs undergo stringent testing to ensure that ports, firmware, operating systems and other features are up to Oculus standards.  System hardware is put through 17 rigorous performance and reliability tests to ensure the system is fully Oculus Ready. This includes a 72-hour stress test, along with the repeated swapping of hardware ports to ensure connectivity and reliability. After a battery of over 100 tests, each Oculus Ready PC is graded out of 10 possible points to ensure full compatibility with the Oculus Rift headset.

Oculus Ready PCs: ROG G752VS and ROG G752VM

ROG G752VS features the latest NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 graphics card, an unlocked 6th-generation Intel Core i7 (‘Skylake’) processor and up to 64GB of DDR4 memory. The unlocked processor has an overclocking toolkit, allowing users to overclock the system to speeds of up to 4.0GHz. ROG G752VS has a display with a super-fast 120Hz refresh rate, and wide 178° viewing angles for superb image quality and contrast even when viewed from extreme angles.

The ROG G752VM variant features the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card, designed around the new NVIDIA Pascal™ architecture and delivers considerable performance gains over previous-generation graphics cards. ROG G752VM is also powered by a 6th-generation Intel Core i7 processor and up to 64GB DDR4 RAM, and has a backlit anti-ghosting keyboard with 30-key rollover for precise control and input during intense gaming sessions.

These laptops join the ASUS G11CD and ROG G20CB gaming desktops in the ASUS collection of Oculus Ready PCs, and fully meet the recommended specification for Oculus Rift. ASUS G11CD and ROG G20CB are powered by 6th-generation Intel Core processors and latest NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 or 1080 graphics for the very best gaming experiences imaginable.

AVAILABILITY & PRICING
ASUS ROG G752VS and ROG G752VM will be available from October 2016 in South Africa from DionWired, Incredible Connection and Evetech online stores. Please contact your local ASUS representative for further information.

ABOUT ASUS
ASUS is a worldwide top-three consumer notebook vendor and maker of the world’s best-selling, most award-winning motherboards. A leading enterprise in the new digital era, ASUS designs and manufactures products that perfectly meet the needs of today’s digital home and office, with a broad portfolio that includes motherboards, graphics cards, optical drives, displays, desktop and all-in-one PCs, notebooks, netbooks, servers, multimedia devices, wireless solutions, networking devices, tablets and smartphones. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, ASUS won 4,368 awards in 2015 and is widely credited with revolutionizing the PC industry with its Eee PC™. ASUS has more than 17,000 employees around the globe with a world-class R&D team of over 5,500 engineers. Company revenue for 2015 was approximately US$14 billion.

NOTES TO EDITORS

• ASUS Global Press Room: http://press.asus.com
• ASUS South Africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASUSza
• ASUS South Africa Twitter: https://twitter.com/ASUS_za
• ASUS Oculus Ready PCs: https://www.asus.com/event/oculus-ready-pc/   
• ASUS South Africa ROG Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASUSROGZA/
• ASUS ROG Twitter: www.twitter.com/asus_rog

Innovative premium convertible laptop family enhanced with new models featuring powerful Intel Core i7 and i5 processors  

KEY POINTS  

• Stylish and elegant 13.3in and 15.6in models with a versatile 360°-flippable display that is great for work in confined spaces, and ideal for business travelers
• The first ZenBook Flip models to feature powerful Intel Core i7 and i5 processors for superb all-round performance
• All models have the highest resolution screens available for their respective display sizes  

Johannesburg, South Africa — ASUS has announced the ZenBook Flip UX360UA and the ZenBook Flip UX560 Series, the latest convertible models in the premium ZenBook Flip Series. Both models feature a 360°-flippable display with an ultra-reliable stepless hinge that allows them to be used as a traditional touchscreen laptop, a convenient tablet, or any option in between. This gives users the flexibility to view content comfortably in any work or leisure scenario, and particularly in the confined areas often encountered during commuting or business travel.  

ZenBook Flip UX360UA and UX560 are also the first ZenBook Flip models to feature powerful Intel® Core™ i7 and i5 processors, bringing a new level of performance to the convertible form factor.  

The new ZenBook Flip models have touchscreen displays that offer the highest available resolution for their respective sizes. ZenBook Flip UX360UA has a 13.3-inch, QHD+ (3200 by 1800) display, while ZenBook Flip UX560 features a 15.6-inch, 4K UHD (3840 by 2160) display.  

The ZenBook Flip UX560 Series consists of three models (UX560UA, UX560UQ and UX560UX), differentiated solely by their graphics options. The flagship UX560UX model features a discrete NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 graphics processing unit (GPU) with 2GB of video RAM.  

360° of Freedom, 100% ZenBook

ASUS ZenBook Flip UX360UA and UX560 inherit all the DNA of the classic ZenBook design, adding a distinctive touch of individuality to the convertible form factor. They feature a unibody chassis crafted from a single block of solid aluminium, with the lid featuring the signature spun-metal ZenBook finish with its Zen-inspired pattern of concentric circles.  

A masterpiece of lightweight design, UX360UA measures just 13.9mm thick and weighs a mere 1.3kg. Its elegant looks are further enhanced by the two stylish colour options of Rose Gold and Mineral Grey.  

ZenBook Flip UX560 Series includes some of the thinnest and lightest 15.6-inch convertibles available, with UX560UA measuring just 19.8mm thin and weighing only 2.1kg. ZenBook UX560UA is finished in sophisticated Glacier Silver, while UX560UQ and UX560UX are available in a choice of Chocolate Brown or Matt Black.  

The robust, 360° any-position hinge on the new ZenBook Flip models has been reduced in size by 50 percent, and has an attractive jewellery-inspired design with a brilliant anodized finish that adds a touch of understated luxury.  

Stunning detail and lifelike colour, from any angle

ASUS ZenBook Flip UX360UA and UX560 are equipped with highest resolution touchscreen displays available for their respective sizes. ZenBook Flip UX360UA has a QHD+ (3200 by 1800) resolution 13.3-inch panel, while ZenBook Flip UX560 features a stunningly detailed 4K UHD (3840 by 2160) 15.6-inch display.  

Both displays employ wide-viewing-angle technology, which provides noticeably better colour reproduction and contrast when viewed off-centre compared to other LCD technologies. Combined with their versatile flip capability and 350cd/m2 brightness, users can experience the full detail of ultra-high-resolution movies or photos, as well as enjoying amazing clarity for everyday productivity tasks.  

The displays also feature a wide colour gamut — 100 percent sRGB and 72 percent NTSC — for vivid and accurate colour rendering. In addition, ASUS Tru2Life Video enhances each pixel in every video frame to give sharper, clearer and more realistic-looking videos, and ASUS Splendid ensures vivid, accurate colours for any kind of visual content.   

Performance to spare, and no-compromise connectivity

ZenBook Flip UX360UA and UX560 are the first members of the ZenBook Flip family to be powered by high-performance 6th-generation Intel Core i7 and i5 processors, which deliver seamless multitasking and more than enough computing power for the most demanding tasks.  

Other high performance components include 16GB of 1866MHz LPDDR3 RAM and a 512GB high speed SATA 3 SSD. The UX560 series is available with an optional PCIe® solid-state disk (SSD) that outperforms conventional SSDs.  

Despite their outstanding performance, the ZenBook Flip UX360UA and UX560 are still able to achieve an impressive up to 12-hour battery life for full-working-day convenience.  

ASUS ZenBook Flip UX360UA and UX560 offer a wider range of ports and connectors than many of their rivals. In addition to an SD Card reader and combination audio jack, ZenBook Flip UX360UA has two USB Type-A ports, a USB-C port for any-way-up connections, and a full-size HDMI display port. ZenBook Flip UX560 additionally features an extra USB 3.0 Type-A port.  

Immersive entertainment is provided by the ASUS SonicMaster audio system, designed in cooperation with audio experts Harman Kardon, with powerful finely-tuned speakers that deliver superbly rich, crystal-clear sound. A precision noise-reducing array microphone is fitted that not only makes sound recordings clearer, but also allows accurate voice interaction with Windows Cortana, for which it is certified.  

Unrivalled ergonomics

All ASUS ZenBook Flip UX360UA and UX560 models feature an ergonomic, gently backlit keyboard with full-size keys and long key travel for comfortable typing in any lighting conditions.  

The large glass-coated touchpad allows smooth and accurate navigation, and also supports intuitive multi-touch Windows gestures. Intelligent palm-rejection technology automatically recognises and rejects palm presses so that users can type freely even if their palms are resting on the touchpad.  

An optional feature on all the new models is the fingerprint scanner that can be used for biometric security. Located conveniently at the top right corner of the touchpad, it allows users to lock or unlock ZenBook Flip instantly with just a touch, and also supports authentication for third-party apps.      

AVAILABILITY & PRICING

The ASUS ZenBook Flip UX506UA series is currently available from Independent Retail Stores with a RSP of R16 999. The ASUS ZenBook Flip UX360UA’s availability and price is to be confirmed in 2017. Please contact your local ASUS representative for further information.  

ABOUT ASUS

ASUS is a worldwide top-three consumer notebook vendor and maker of the world’s best-selling, most award-winning motherboards. A leading enterprise in the new digital era, ASUS designs and manufactures products that perfectly meet the needs of today’s digital home and office, with a broad portfolio that includes motherboards, graphics cards, optical drives, displays, desktop and all-in-one PCs, notebooks, netbooks, servers, multimedia devices, wireless solutions, networking devices, tablets and smartphones. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, ASUS won 4,368 awards in 2015 and is widely credited with revolutionizing the PC industry with its Eee PC™. ASUS has more than 17,000 employees around the globe with a world-class R&D team of over 5,500 engineers. Company revenue for 2015 was approximately US$14 billion.  

SPECIFICATIONS [1]   

ZenBook Flip UX360UA ZenBook Flip UX560 Series CPU 6th-generation Intel® Core™ i7 6500U / i5 6200U

Display 13.3in (16:9) LED-backlit QHD+ (3200 x 1800), 276ppi, 350cd/m2 brightness, 100% sRGB and 72% NTSC gamut 15.6in (16:9) LED-backlit 4K UHD (3840 x 2160), 282ppi, 350cd/m2 brightness, 100% sRGB and 72% NTSC gamut

Operating System Windows 10 Pro / Windows 10 Home

Integrated Graphics UX360UA and UX560UA: Integrated Intel® HD Graphics 520

Discrete Graphics N/A

UX560UQ: NVIDIA® GeForce® 940MX

UX560UX: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 950 with 2GB VRAM

Memory Up to 16GB LPDDR3 1866MHz

Storage 512GB SATA-3 SSD Connectivity 802.11ac Wi-Fi / Bluetooth® 4.1

Camera HD Webcam

Interface 1 x USB 3.0 Type-C 2 x USB 3.0 Type-A 1 x full-size HDMI 1 x Combo audio jack 1 x SD Card reader 1 x USB 3.0 Type-C 3 x USB 3.0 Type-A 1 x full-size HDMI 1 x Combo audio jack 1 x SD Card reader

Audio 2 x stereo speakers with ASUS SonicMaster / Harman Kardon audio system

Security Optional touchpad-mounted fingerprint reader

Battery 57Whrs Lithium-polymer 52W Lithium-polymer battery

AC adapter Output: 19V, 45W / Input: 100V-240V AC, 50Hz/60Hz (Universal)

Dimensions 321.6 x 229.1 x 13.9 mm UX560UA: 380 x 254 x 19.85mm UX560UQ/UX: 380 x 254 x 21.8mm

Weight 1.3kg UX560UA: 2.1kg UX560 UQ/UX: 2.3kg

[1] Specifications, content and product availability are all subject to change without notice and may differ from country to country. Actual performance may vary depending on applications, usage, environment and other factors. Full specifications are available at http://www.asus.com

NOTES TO EDITORS

ASUS Global Press Room: http://press.asus.com ASUS

South Africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASUSza

ASUS South Africa Twitter: https://twitter.com/ASUS_za

20-Sep-2016 – Zealous System, Private ltd., an India-based software-services and consulting company is excited to announce its South African presence via its new marketing and sales office at Johannesburg.

The Johannesburg office will serve as Zealous’ African base for its marketing and client service operations. The office will enable the clients in the African time zone to have better visibility to their projects during normal business hours and provide rapid service via e-mail or call – No more waiting for long hours for answers to questions from the India Development Centre. Zealous’ Managing Director, Mr Pranjal Mehta states that African companies seeking software services and solutions in the application, mobile and design space can directly reach Zealous through the Johannesburg office. “If a project requires active involvement from the development team, we are willing to provide on-site consultants based on client request” he says.

“Our main objective behind the South African office is to enable the SME market to receive development assistance effortlessly and timeously”, says Grant Vine, Managing Director at Cybervine IT Solutions (Zealous’ partner firm in SA). The clients in Africa will now have an added advantage of time-zone specific work hours facilitating stream-lined interaction with the development team in charge of the respective project.

With presence across Europe (2014) and Australia (2012), Zealous System will now be actively focusing on the African market.

ABOUT ZEALOUS SYSTEMS

Established in 2008, Zealous System is a global leader in Custom Enterprise Development and Legacy Systems, and a trusted service provider for many Government and Key Government Bodies. Zealous provides bespoke solutions and services, scalable architecture and develops technology-driven strategies for emerging and evolving businesses across industries. As an agile technology solution leader, Zealous optimizes & enhances technology solutions that deliver measurable business benefits to its customers.

Its value proposition lies within its strategic thinking and dynamic team. Zealous harnesses its industry expertise, market know-how and technical expertise to deliver exceptional results.

Zealous’ complete spectrum of software and consulting services include:

• IT Strategy & Architecture
• Application Development/Maintenance
• Mobile Application Development
• Business Intelligence & Data Warehousing
• Business Process Management (BPM)
• Cloud Computing
• QA Services

Company Website: http://www.zealousys.com