Cape Town, South Africa: Today WeSit, an online babysitting company connecting parents to caring, trusted and verified babysitters, announced that they have officially completed 100 hours of babysitting.

WeSit is going from strength to strength as they deliver care to more and more happy clients. This news comes on the back of WeSit’s most recent scaling up drive wherein they signed on 1000 babysitters in 3 short months.

When asked to comment, WeSit CEO and founder Nqobile Msibi said “We’ve been focusing our energies on really getting close to our customer’s pain points, delivering a world-class customer experience and making sure our client’s kids are happy, healthy and having a great time! We really are committed to our customers and the recent success is all a result of that commitment.”

WeSit’s latest operational milestone was achieved whilst taking part in the inaugural cohort of the Cape Town based Akro accelerate program. WeSit joined The SA SME fund sponsored initiative in June of this year.

About WeSit: WeSit is an online on-demand babysitting service which connects parents to caring, trusted and verified babysitters in seconds. Based in Cape Town, South Africa and operating since March of 2019 and available in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria. 

With the current crisis of cyber-attacks and data breaches or leaks, we are faced with low rates of cyber security vigilance and high cybercrimes. Every enterprise is challenged to constantly back up their cyber security system to protect their database and information systems to avoid these data leaks and cyberattacks.

Menny Barzilay, Head of IT Audit of Bank Hapoalim described Cyber Security as “the sum of efforts invested in addressing cyber risk, much of which was, until recently, considered so improbable that it hardly required our attention,” in an article on ISACA’s Knowledge Centre. When we further define cyber risks, which is the loss or harm of information due to a cyberattack or data breach, we then see the need of efficiently protected information systems.

Data or Personal information is an extremely valuable commodity because when in the wrong hands, it is used for financial benefits by cyber criminals who participate or gain information from data breaches. The cyber criminals take the data and sell it and in return make a lot of money out of the whole data breach.

In a radio interview Mr Sizwe Snail ka Mtuze, Director of Snail Attorneys and Lex-Informatica, said “Your ID number is so Important because it identifies you, your birth date, your race, your citizenship and whole lot of other things which could be used for an unlawful purpose”, when asked why information like a person’s ID number is so important to these cyber criminals. Anyone or any organisation with confidential information in their possession is a target. How would an organisation know whether they are ready? Whether they have the enough information security? the reality is that these cyber criminals are getting smarter and more advanced in the techniques they use.

According to an article on Fin24.com, “Without a fully functional Information Regulator, these breaches will continue to occur without sanctions provided for in the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA)”, said Advocate Pansy Tlakula, Chairperson of the information Regulator of South Africa . Which is why organisations and individuals need to be in the business of effectively educating themselves on cyber security vigilance, cybercrime trends, data breaches and cyber law.

What are we doing as organisations to protect ourselves? What measures are we taking? What legal implications are there regarding such incidents? The assumption that cyber vigilance is the primary function of only IT, Legal, Compliance, Risk or Information Management in organisations is where the loophole in our information security is found.

Lex-Informatica SA Cyber Law and ICT workshop is focused on equipping people with necessary skills and education to guard against threats in their workplaces, homes and IoT devices.
Date: 13th and 14th September 2018
Venue: Durban Country Club
Theme: "The advancements of Information and Communication Technology Law - Cyber Law: Techniques, Risks, Legal implications and Emerging trends"
Book your seat here to be enlightened on the reality, cost and possible threats of cyberattacks to your business, personal data and other interconnected devices.

For more info please contact Ms Paballo Mokake on:
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Telephone: 0127702312

The world is spinning with new technologies and we, the human inhabitants, are the willing prey! Cindy Glass, Director and Co-founder of Step Up Education Centres says “With ever-increasing time spent on smartphones, iPads and in front of live-streamed TV, we are in danger of losing our humanness. Teeny toddlers, vulnerable teens, exhausted parents and even bored grandparents can be seen, heads-down, shoulders bent and disengaged from the real world as they spend endless hours scrolling through their devices. Losing a smartphone is a big deal and people often feel a loss which is akin to losing a much-prized body part!”

Cindy highlights the following negative effects of too much screen time and says that they are serious enough for us, as parents, to STOP and take note!

• It affects cognitive development in young children as it literally effects the way in which our children’s brains develop!
• Too much screen time stifles creativity, imagination and playfulness which are essential to the wholesome development of children.• Concentration, critical thinking, memory and other learning skills are effected as children focus mindlessly on information (whether real or not) as it just pours effortlessly into their subconscious!
• It affects mental and physical health as people become increasingly inactive and detached from the real world.
• It will harm your relationship with your children. With parents and children spending too much time on their devices, they run the risk of losing the positive human connections that are key to happy relationships! Children feel unacknowledged, unheard and unnoticed and this leads to negative behaviours, anxiety, stress and depression. 

Cindy goes on to explain “We cannot ignore the dangers of too much exposure to the non-real world that the internet offers. We cannot afford to lose the beauty of life because we did not take a stand against the media (in all its forms)!”  Consider the following tips in reducing the amount of screen time that you allow for yourself and your children:

1. You have to set the example. Your children are more likely to do what you do, rather than what you say. You cannot expect your children to reduce their screen time if you do not do the same!
2. Have dedicated no-go-zones for devices. Family activities, mealtimes and even when driving in a car can be cell phone free zones.
3. Get outside! Plan activities that involve getting into nature- it is great for the soul and it will increase all the happy-hormones in your bodies!
4. Encourage your children to get involved in activities beyond the school environment-sport, drama, music and art are great examples.
5. Very young children need to play with their hands and bodies, not on a device.

Cindy closes by reiterating “Remember, as parents, we must set the example. REAL people, real love, real joy, real honesty and integrity cannot be experienced through the internet!” 

About Step Up

Established in 2016, Step Up Education Centres is a dynamic after-school remediation and tutoring franchise with a difference. Step Up offers children an opportunity to succeed in a schooling system that is, at times, very unsympathetic.  From the moment, a child walks through a Step Up Education Centre door they feel different.  They no longer feel silly or stupid. They no longer feel misunderstood. They no longer feel judged. After just one lesson they feel hope. They see possibility. After a few sessions, they walk taller, feel smarter, do better. Why? Because Step Up believes that every child has potential… and our passionate educators will not give up until they reach it! 

Press release disseminated on Behalf of
Cindy Glass
Director and Co-Founder of Step Up Education Centres

Disseminated by: Carmen White
Account Manager
Sam Watt Marketing Communications
081 260 4011

28 July 2017  Vibescout – SA’s Largest Movie Aggregator Listing Movies on 688 Screens In 94 Cinemas Vibescout, an innovative start-up that provides event listings and city guides, is now listing movies showing on 690 screens in 94 cinemas across South Africa. Vibescout is now officially the largest movie aggregator in South Africa and continues to take the country’s entertainment scene to new heights. 

Cape Town, South Africa, July 5, 2017 – Co-founded in 2015 by brothers’ Paul and Jonathan Myburgh, Vibescout’s vision is to provide an easy-to-use platform used to smartly curate the best things to do near you. This is done through event listings, comprehensive go-to guides and now, movie listings. 

The idea behind Vibescout was first born when Paul was travelling in Saigon, Vietnam in January 2014. After visiting all the regular tourist destinations, he scoured the hostel notice boards for more unique things to do and began to wonder how he could get better insight into truly local events and activities. After realizing there was definitely a void that needed to be filled in this space, Paul brought the idea back home to South Africa later that year and soon began work on Vibescout’s first version.

Vibescout officially launched out of beta and started providing event listing in October 2016; by April 2017 they reached over 100 000 users for the month! As of 27 June 2017, Vibescout became the largest movie aggregator in South Africa, listing movies showing on 688 screens in 94 cinemas throughout the country.  

“It took roughly 6 weeks to get a MVP release and from it we have had amazing user feedback. We are currently getting nearly 10 000 users weekly using our movie section to find the latest movies and locate cinemas around them. We didn't realize it at the time and such a goal wasn't even on our radar, but we are now officially the largest movie aggregator in South Africa.” - JONATHAN MYBURGH, CO-FOUNDER OF VIBESCOUT

Connect with or contact with us

Jonathan Myburgh

• This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• https://www.facebook.com/vibescout
• https://www.instagram.com/vibescout_za/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company-beta/10599852/
• https://twitter.com/vibescout

Have you ever walked into your home at night, arms full, in the dark and wished for your home to magically help? Now it can, with a simple voice command such as "Alexa, turn on Welcome" – and the instantly the entrance lights come on, relaxing music begins to play, all while the door locks itself behind you…

Welcome to Homemation’s world of home automation, leading distributors of Control4 with Amazon Alexa. The possibilities are endless… with a few simple voice commands you can:

• Arm and disarm the alarm
• Unlock the front door
• Open and close the blinds
• Adjust the room temperature, in any room
• Turn on, off or dim the lights
• Play or stream music
• Turn on the TV
• Set the scene for watching a movie
• Pre-programme personalised and uniquely crafted home scenes, where your voice command ‘Dining’ automatically dims select lights and begins to play a specific playlist and ‘Bedtime’ sets into motion shutting off lights, closing blinds, locking the door, and putting on the alarm

A particularly unique aspect of Control4 and Amazon Alexa is the coordination of all connected devices in your home for a truly customised homeowner experience to maximise your comfort, convenience, entertainment, and peace of mind. There are many smart products available today, however, only when these devices work together do you experience the magic of a smart home. Control4 delivers power and performance in one platform that coordinates the technology in your home into complete, brilliant experiences—interactions that fit your lifestyle and are easy for you to enjoy. With support for nearly 10,000 consumer devices, Control4 can create immersive, whole-home experiences, tailor-made to exactly how you live. Control your home easily from anywhere!

Homemation is the exclusive specialist South African suppliers of premium branded home automation, audiovisual and home theatre products. The brands in their stable offer some of the most advanced and sought-after AV and home automation technologies in the world. Call Homemation on 011-781 8887 for your nearest stockist, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.homemation.co.za ; Facebook ; Twitter and Instagram.

(Cape Town,01/11/2016) – After a successful launch in Gauteng only a few months ago, HiCarByeCar is ready to expand its platform to include Dealer-to-Dealer trading.

HiCarByeCar was launched in June as a platform allowing private car sellers to easily get multiple offers for their car from different dealerships. In the process, the seller can compare prices and secure the best offer.

“A key differentiator between us and some other players trying to innovate in the market is that our platform is completely transparent. We offer sellers information and contact details of every dealer making an offer on their vehicle. This allows sellers to make informed decisions rather than needing to trust in what a sales person or dealer is advising,” says Michael Zahariev, CEO of HiCarByeCar.

Since its launch earlier this year over R169 000 000 worth of offers have been made through the platform with hundreds of cars being sold and currently having 23 weekly-active dealers. Popular vehicles manage to receive as many as 7 offers within 48 hours of listing. “Our strength as a car sales platform lies in our ability to serve both the dealers and private sellers simultaneously by making sure both parties get the best deal. This has allowed us to add many new dealers who are now ready to jump right into our Dealer-to-Dealer platform,” adds Zahariev.

More on Dealer-to-Dealer
Until now HiCarByeCar has catered specifically for Private-to-Dealer sales, however there has been a resounding call from dealers to extend the system to allow them to move stock between one another. The mechanics work much the same as the Private-to-Dealer sale except that when working directly with dealers HiCarByeCar ensures the sale going through to the highest offer. One of the main benefits is that offers are only made by verified dealers, ensuring that dealers are only offering against other informed buyers. This also gives the car seller the confidence that the offer being made is likely to complete.

“We always suspected that Dealer-to-Dealer would be a possible extension to our platform but never knew dealers would take to our platform so quickly and positively. Their constant use and feedback on our platform is what has allowed us to expand so fast,” notes Zahariev But there is a greater purpose for Dealer-to-Dealer which will translate into higher prices and more efficiency in the Private-to-Dealer market, which is the primary goal of HiCarByeCar.  

What makes HiCarByeCar different
Although HiCarByeCar is a platform for car sales, its focus is primarily in technology. Unlike other players in the industry who are technology assisted dealers, HiCarByeCar invests in having the most innovative and user friendly solutions for buyers and sellers of vehicles.

“True innovation comes from outside players entering a market, not inside players trying to simply improve their systems. In doing so, we believe that HiCarByeCar can completely disrupt the car sales market in a similar way that Uber and other tech products have disrupted industries. It all starts with adding value through technology for both sides of the transaction,” concludes Zahariev.

About HiCarByeCar HiCarByeCar is a revolutionary new online platform which caters for car sellers by allowing a network of dealers to make offers and delivering a summary of these within 48 hours. www.hicarbyecar.com Contact HiCarByeCar Michael Zahariev – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Phone: 087 470 0394

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

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