#Supersport to broadcast 'The Money Fight' as Mayweather battles McGregor

Floyd Mayweather jnr versus Conor McGregor - the richest, most-hyped and over-the-top boxing fight in history – will be broadcast live on DStv's SuperSport 2 and Maximo 1 across Africa in the early hours of Sunday, August 27.
 
SuperSport will cross to Las Vegas at 3am (CAT) for the action-packed undercard with the main bout expected to start after 5am (CAT).
 
The entire tournament will be broadcast to DStv Premium subscribers only in High Definition from the T-Mobile Arena.
 
Unlike in the US, where the fight will be available in HD on pay-per-view for $99.95 (R1300), the event is included in SuperSport's Premium offering among its other blue riband content with no surcharge.
 
In keeping with the tradition of broadcasting super-fights, from Marvin Hagler versus Tommy Hearns and Mike Tyson versus Michael Spinks to Mayweather against Manny Pacquiao, SuperSport has been in the vanguard of delivering the action that matters.

Billed as "The Money Fight", the contest has drawn as much praise as it has criticism for the nature of the match-up: boxing's most celebrated fighter of the last decade against Mixed Martial Arts' most resplendent star who has yet to engage in a professional boxing fight.
 
Big fight fans can watch via their decoders or on DStv Now, online or the app.

Non-DStv customers will be able to watch the fight on the internet TV service Showmax later in the day. Showmax costs R99 per month for unlimited viewing and has more than 25 000 TV show episodes, movies, kids shows and documentaries.
 

#WWE Raw and Smackdown get new home #Supersport

WWE and SuperSport, Africa's premier sport channels provider, have announced a new multi-year agreement to broadcast WWE programming live for the first time in more than 50 countries in sub- Saharan Africa.

Starting August 28, DStv customers will have access to the world's biggest wrestling entertainment when SuperSport airs WWE's flagship shows Raw and SmackDown as well as WWE specials, including WrestleMania and SummerSlam.

"WWE is a global phenomenon, so securing the broadcast rights for
SuperSport is a terrific coup," said Chief Executive of SuperSport, Gideon Khobane.

"SuperSport is a best-in-class partner who shares our vision and
passion for engaging with and entertaining our fans," said Ed Wells,
WWE Executive Vice President, International.

DStv Premium, Compact+ and Compact customers will enjoy their wrestling drama live while DStv Family and Access will also enjoy same-day rebroadcast of the events which will be available on SuperSport channels S7, S9 and SS10.

Viewers can look forward to Raw on Tuesdays and SmackDown on
Wednesdays offering both live telecasts and same-day re-airs, as well
as all WWE specials live, including WrestleMania, SummerSlam,
Survivor Series and Royal Rumble.

#CocaCola set to launch Coke Zero Sugar

Coca-Cola is revamping its Coca-Cola Zero beverage with "an even better-tasting recipe" that tastes "a lot like…Coke" and it will henceforth be known as Coca-Cola Zero Sugar.

It will also have a new design that "looks more like Coca-Cola," featuring the red Coca-Cola disc against a black background familiar to Coke Zero fans. Coca-Cola said the design also prominently features "zero sugar" text to "emphasize the drink does not contain sugar."

Coca-Cola said it conducted consumer testing of the new recipe for over a year.

"We're confident our new and improved Coke Zero Sugar recipe delivers a great taste that Coke Zero fans in the US will love," said Stuart Kronauge, business unit president of USA operations and senior vice president of marketing at Coca-Cola North America, in a statement.

Coca-Cola Zero Sugar will be available in the US in August.

The launch will be supported with television, digital, radio, outdoor, social media and retail advertising. The marketing campaign also will include an experiential sampling tour in September.

Coca-Cola said the packaging changes in particular support its One Brand strategy to "bring its Coca-Cola portfolio of beverages together as a single trademark brand to show fans we have a Coca-Cola for everyone."

Mi Casa set to launch fourth album next Saturday

Soulful house group Mi Casa is officially launching their 4^th studio album, Familia at The Good Luck Bar on Saturday 5^th August in Johannesburg. Joining the multi-award winning trio on this Gauteng leg of the launches are celebrated METRO FM DJs; Fresh, Shimza and Mo Flava as well as DJ Soul Healer.

The band is very excited about their latest offering and they believe it to be their best work yet. After almost pulling the plug on the band following tempestuous incidents, the brothers had to remember what brought them together in the first place – music and friendship. Reconciled and in a much better place, the band has also remembered their roots, putting their fans first, making music that resonates with them and going back to the streets, where it all began for them.

The trio is made up of beat-maker Dr Duda, songwriter and vocalist J Something and trumpeter, Mo-T. Having begun over six years ago, the group has toured the world, performing at some of the most prestigious festivals, stages and collaborating with big stars such as Black Coffee, Sauti Sol, Yemi Alade and Ladysmith Black Mambazo among others.

Familia will be available in all music stores and all digital platforms from the 4^th August. 

African radio stations take lead in fight against #HIV

By Farai Diza

Deep down across the sun drenched Kalahari desert in Botswana, a group of youths gather around a solar powered radio system. From a distance one would be mistaken for thinking that they are listening to football commentary as they argue among themselves.

But they are actually listening to a radio talk show centred around the HIV pandemic. Such talk shows have become very popular among many African states as the continent continues with its hectic fight against a disease that has reaped throughout the continent like a hot knife over butter.

Almost every household in Africa has either been directly or indirectly affected by HIV. It is estimated that 80 percent of child headed families across Africa are as a result of the deadly disease.

Now radio stations are grabbing the bull by its horns and tackling issues pertaining to HIV in talk shows that are mainly targeted at the youth.

What makes these highly educational talk shows reach an even wider audience is the fact that radios are easily accessible as compared to other media mechanisms. And the feedback is instant. That makes radio talk shows reach a larger percentage as compared to TV talk shows.

A Zimbabwean radio show host for a community radio station based in Bulawayo, Muchaneta Tambwera AKA DJ Mucha in social circles, believes that using radio as a medium to addressing the HIV pandemic has come a long way and it has positively contributed towards changing mind frames.

"We are living in a modern world but the radio is still the most easily accessible communication platform. So many people listen to news, sports, music etc on the radio everyday. It is the only platform that they have to access so much information. It is a good mine I tell you. That said, many radio stations are playing an important role in shaping the lives of youths through talk shows. Talk shows are very popular because they engage listeners.

"So radio producers saw it as a great opportunity to tackle HIV related matters while also engaging the audience. These talk shows have become very popular and it is evidenced through the responses they get on social media," he said.

While also paying close attention on not creating stigmatisation, radio producers have that mandate of coming up with balanced topical issues that trigger a balanced debate.

In an email interview, Namibian based radio producer who declined not to be named due to the nature of his profession said that programming needed to be balanced because boring their targeted audience would be catastrophic.

"You will find out that many youths time into the radio to listen to music. Once a talk show comes on air, then change channels. So that then becomes a challenge to try getting them to listen to HIV themed talk shows. So as a result we bring in celebrity guests and we also include music and generally create that lovely atmosphere in the studio. It works just perfectly," he said.

The producer added that topics discussed ranged from prevention, treatment, dealing with stigmatisation, providing support in terms of implementing a healthy diet and other such topics that listeners would find very useful.

"So much has been said about preventing but are the youths preventing themselves? We can not run away from the fact that eradicating HIV all starts through preventive methods. So we engage the youths in all the topics we engage in. That way we get to analyse with experts and come up with methods and solutions to specific problems. That is because radio feedback is instant," he added.

Many international development agencies, Non Governmental Organizations and Aids relief support groups play a leading role in ensuring that these talk shows meet their intended goals.

As the youths from the Kalahari continue debating among themselves, HIV themed radio talk shows are making a very huge difference in the lives of several Africans.

#Blackberry KeyOne launching soon in South Africa

Blackberry lovers, you will want to read this.

The BlackBerry Keyone is coming to South Africa pretty soon.

To add excitement to it all, Cellucity has already published a preorder page for the device. A price wasn't revealed on the preorder page.

The BlackBerry Keyone has a mid-range but power-efficient Snapdragon 625 processor, a 3505mAh battery (BlackBerry Mobile claims 50% capacity with 36 minutes of charging), 3GB of RAM, 32GB of expandable storage, a 4.5-inch 1080×1620 display and of
course, a QWERTY keyboard.

Other features include a 12MP f/2.0 main camera, 8MP selfie shooter and a front-mounted fingerprint scanner.

The combination of Snapdragon 625 and 3505mAh battery should make for two days of juice at the very least, especially when the Moto Z Play (with a 3000mAh battery and the same chip) was
capable of lasting for ages.

I will keep you posted on any new developments.

R19 million #Powerball PLUS jackpot winner still to claim prize... Winning ticket expires this week!

What would you do if you were R19 million richer? You would obviously do a lot with such huge amounts of money.

But someone is about to throw that dream out of the window.

Someone in KwaZulu-Natal could be R19-million richer but might not even be aware. The owner of the PowerBall PLUS lottery ticket that won the staggering R19 292 600 jackpot in July last year is yet to come forward and has less than one week left to claim their life-changing winnings.

In case the winnings are not claimed this coming Saturday, the R19.2-million will be forfeited and be retained by the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund. Winners have one year to claim their winnings in accordance with the National Lottery terms and conditions.

The winning ticket was bought at The Pie Train shop in Isipingo, Durban and was the only one in the entire country to match all five numbers in the PowerBall PLUS game on Friday July 29, 2016.The PowerBall PLUS jackpot had been very elusive with numerous rollovers which saw it growing to a massive R19.2-million.

Winners of two other big jackpots which include a LOTTO Jackpot of R15-million won in December and a PowerBall PLUS Jackpot of R21-million won last month, are also yet to come forward.

Five awesome ways to be credit smart

Good money management does not only mean building up savings to meet your goals, it's also about being able to use credit responsibly to help you achieve your goals.

Emma Mer, CEO of FNB Personal Loans says the average South African adult can relate to a situation where they require access to money to solve for a specific need, and a Personal Loan is often the ideal product because of its structured repayment term and ease of accessibility.

"Whether it's to cover a shortfall in your child's education savings, to take care of medical and family emergencies or to top up savings for your special wedding day – we all know about significant life events where you need access to money," Mer says. 

Mer provides the following useful tips to help you become "credit smart":

·         Borrow from a trusted provider: It can be very enticing to have credit providers offering you deals, but be very selective about where you borrow money. It's safer to borrow from a bank as they are governed by strict industry rules. 

·         Do not over extend yourself: This is where financial discipline becomes important. Avoid the temptation to borrow more than you require as this could have a negative impact on your disposable income and your credit record if you become unable to repay.

·         Choose a Personal Loan amount and repayment term that makes your instalment manageable: The term you choose to repay your Personal Loan is important as it directly impacts your monthly instalment Make sure you can afford your repayments. Should you be able to pay off your Personal Loan early, FNB will not charge you any penalties.

·         Pay on time: Paying your Personal Loan on time is important in order to keep a good credit record, which determines your ability to get credit in future.

·       Pay by debit order: Paying via a debit order is one of the easiest, most reliable and cost effective ways to meet your repayment obligations.

Rami Chuene excited to be part of #TheQueen on Mzansi Magic

Former Muvhango Actress, singer and author Rami Chuene has joined the cast of the hit Mzansi Magic show The Queen. Rami will be part of the main characters of The Queen Season two hitting the screens on the 31st of July.

The talented Rami will play Gracious a hardworking and hustling business woman who will apparently rock havoc on the show.

"She's a business woman who comes to Jozi to expand her business and make more money, only to find that Harriet is running everything. So she wants it too. I like that she is over the top, does things in a very unconventional way. She's very driven and goes all out to make things go her way," Rami told TshisaLive.

Rami says she is excited to be part of the show and ever since the show started she has been a fan.

"I am very excited about being on The Queen. I'm a fan of the show and have never missed an episode. So being part of it is one of the best things ever," she added.

With her wit, charisma and all, we are looking forward to Rami entertaining us on The Queen.

The Queen is on Monday to Friday from July 31, on Mzansi Magic at 21:00.

Estate living on the increase in Johannesburg

Homes in residential and golf estates remain a popular option in Gauteng with many people appreciating the concern-free community lifestyle that they afford, as well as the high level of recreational facilities on offer.

Rupert Finnemore who heads up Pam Golding Properties in Gauteng says that the province is home to approximately half of South Africa's estates.

"Estate homes do tend to be more expensive than freehold properties, but for various reasons there remains a substantial demand for them within the region and developers have worked to meet this demand, particularly over the last 20 years or so.

"Estate properties not only provide a secure lifestyle, which remains of critical importance but also offer access to amenities and provide a strong sense of community," adds Finnemore.

"In addition, they also give residents greater control over community expenditure and development, and residential property within popular estates represents a solid investment."

#Lions announce #SuperRugby ticket prices

The Lions Rugby Company will host the Vodacom Super Rugby semi-final between the Emirates Lions and the Hurricanes at Emirates Airline Park on Saturday 29 July at 14:30.

Ticket prices start at only R80 (full ticket price map in image above).

It will be the first time this year that a New Zealand side will be in action in Johannesburg and the heart of Jozi,and the whole of the country, is urged to come out and support the only South African team still left standing in the competition.

The day kicks off with the Xerox Golden Lions Under 19 side who face the Vodacom Blue Bulls at 10:00 followed by the Xerox Golden Lions Currie Cup side against Tafel Lager Griquas. Gates open at 09:00.

The main game – Emirates Lions vs Hurricanes – kicks off at 14:30 in what promises to be a perfect sunny winters afternoon in Johannesburg.

Live entertainment in the beer tent and activities hosted by Carnival City for children caps a full day at Emirates Airline Park ahead of the big clash between last years' finalists.

Get your match and parking tickets from 09:00 on Monday morning from Computicket or the Lions' onlince store at http://lionsrugby.computicket.com/PagesPublic/Home/Home.aspx

Losing friends isn't a bad thing after all

How many of you are still friends with your high school mates? Very few, right? A huge part of growing comes with accepting some people aren't meant to be in your lives forever.

People grow differently

In your teeenage years a friend was just someone to hang out and play with. You aren't really bothered by what their morals and values are. As an adult, emotional maturity is everything in friendships and keeping emotionally immature people in your circle is a recipe for disaster.

A small circle isn't a bad thing

If you were to be honest with yourself, how many of your 'friends' would you call when you're in need of help? Probably two or three, and those are your real girlfriends. All the other's are people you know and engage with once in a while. You want to have people you cherish in your life and vice versa, not those who're just occupying space.

The connection isn't there anymore

When you met, you hit it off immediately but as you grew older, you've come to realise that the connection you had in the beginning isn't there anymore and that's okay. Making new friends can put a wedge in old friendships. At times you don't 'fit' in or generally don't like the new member of your clique so it's best that you leave.

You've exited your common space

Friendships start from work, social spaces, church or at the gym. Understanding this is very vital in knowing your position in your clique. Chances are, should you leave that space you probably wouldn't remain friends.

You make time for things that matter

Cutting out unnecessary people, means more time for family and yourself. As you grow older, it's important that you spend your time wisely by giving it people who deserve it and you're important to them as they are to you.

©True Love

Ruan Combrinck's kick was just a teaser of why the #Lions will roar this season

SuperRugby teams from the New Zealand conference have been having a great time in the competition. Talk of dominance after dominance.

But on Saturday afternoon, the Lions proved just why they might upset the apple cart this season.

The Sharks had ruffled the Lions' feathers with an aggressive, in-your-face style of rugby that saw them race into a 14-3 lead at half-time and leave the Lions a wounded lot. Not at any stage during the season had they looked so out-of-sorts; forced into making error after error.

It was a disastrous game for the Lions and it had the sign of defeat written all over their badge.

With virtually the last kick of the game,up stepped Combrink. He slotted the kick that mattered to put the Lions 23-21 up with two minutes to go. The home team hung on for the victory for a place in the semi-finals against the Hurricanes next weekend

#FNB continues its focus on growing #SME's

FNB Business is taking proactive steps to increase and diversify existing levels of support for SMEs in line with the objectives of the National Development Plan. The bank is implementing strategy that supports government's national imperatives to accelerate transformation and inclusive economic growth.

Mike Vacy-Lyle, CEO of FNB Business says, "FNB is well positioned as a leading business banking franchise. We continue to focus on understanding the needs of entrepreneurs – something we call "businessism" – basically understanding the challenges that businesses have, and trying to help solve for this."

FNB has made great strides in increasing access to digital banking offerings enabling young businesses; facilitating quicker and efficient access to credit and fostering inclusivity in lending activities, ultimately supporting the development of the SME ecosystem.

FNB's strategy encompasses four primary objectives:

1.       Providing innovative and market leading solutions across all business segments with a strong focus on fast growing niche areas such as Agriculture, Franchising, Medical Businesses and Education 

2.       Providing real value to customers through the provision of non-traditional banking solutions like Instant Accounting, Payroll and BEE accreditation;  cloud based document management solutions; CIPC registrations and maintenance, to mention a few

3.       Enabling, growing and supporting financial inclusion and access to market for SMEs through Structured Lending, Enterprise Development, Supplier Development and Preferential Procurement initiatives

4.       Development of value propositions for underserved markets yielding economic and social impact

#MTN warns consumers of major sim swap scam

MTN, one of South Africa's biggest mobile network operators, has alerted customers of a SIM swap scam currently taking place.

According to Bridget Bhengu, spokesperson for MTN, a scammer poses as an MTN call centre agent and calls a customer to request their security details.

The scammer supposedly requires the information to block an illegal SIM swap request.

"The scamsters phone on the pretext that they are blocking the processing of a SIM swap request that was made on the subscriber's number without their knowledge or authorisation," Bridget explains.

"The scammers will then use the customer's responses that they obtained during the call to perform a fraudulent SIM swap."

She also adds the options available to customers, should they wish to do a SIM swap.

"When performing a SIM swap, customers have a couple of options available to them. For post-paid, customers are required to visit an MTN store to activate their SIM swap, and they will be required to produce an identity document.

"For prepaid, customers are able to process a SIM swap via a USSD code, call centre or by visitinan a MTN store. When opting to visit an MTN store, subscribers will be required to produce an identity document. Subscribers who choose to activate remotely will be required to complete security questions.

"In our continued quest to combat fraud and scams‚ again we urge our customers not to respond to unsolicited calls and requests for their security details from an unknown number."

Oude Meester is simply on top of the world

Judges at the 2017 International Spirits Challenge have confirmed what South African brandy masters have known all along - South Africa makes the world's best potstill brandies.

The Oude Meester Souverein 18-Year-Old scooped the trophy for the World's Best Brandy at the 22^nd International Spirits Competition (ISC) gala dinner which took place in London last night. It is the fourth time in nine years in which a Distell brandy has won this trophy. South Africa's leading spirits producer, Distell also won the trophy for Brandy Producer of the Year.

"It is an honour for a South African brandy to be recognised as the best in the world once again, especially considering ISC's esteemed judging panel who are familiar with all the leading brandies from around the world. To scoop the title of World's Best Brandy means the Oude Meester Souverein 18-Year-Old was judged as an outstanding product of exceptional quality, with a rating above 90 points out of a possible 100," said Nick Holdcroft, Distell Brandy Ambassador.

The ISC is a premier event that promotes outstanding quality spirits from across the globe - this year more than 1 300 entries were received from nearly 70 countries.

Softn' Free Hair Xpert crowned

The Soft n Free Hair Xperts Masters Challenge Grand Finale where entertainment and hair showcasing was galore took place on Sunday. Amanda Black opened the show with her hit track 'Amazulu'.

The #YoungXperts showed the future of hairstyling with their creativity, leading the pack is Nicole Pearce, who came first place and won R30.000. Doctor Sithole of Vosloorus also walked away with R30.000, obtaining the Softn'Free Technical Expert title.

The top 8 contestants, Khonaye Nkohla,Vuyokazi Mangali ,Khe Zondi, Abner Hlatshwayo,Treavor Mokoaleli, Maggie Makhethi, Doctor Sithole and Tony Masangu all revealed an avant -garde of bridal hair. Trevor Mokoaleli of Betlehem out-styled them all and was titled Sofn'Free HairXperts Grand Finale winner, walking away with R250.000. 

Other winners include Khe Zondi, who won the most avant-garde and Arthur Tlhalatsi, taking the viewer's choice award. Kwesta was also part of the entertainment line-up as he wowed the crowd with his hit songs such as Ngud' and May'babo just to name a few.

Hosted by Idols judge and Living Your Dream star Somizi Mhlongo, the Softn' Free Hair Xrperts Masters Challenge Grand Finale was held at Kyalami's (Midrand) Theatre on the Track.

©IOL

New Orlando Pirates Jersey celebrates heritage in the modern era

In 1937, 80 years ago, a people's club was born. A Club that became the burning light of hope, a Club that won the domestic league title in our first year of democracy under our new national flag; a Club that became a beacon of trust. Today, adidas Football and Orlando Pirates announce the latest evolution of their innovative partnership.

With football apparel becoming increasingly viewed as a lifestyle product worn beyond the stadium, the new range is designed to deliver unique streetwear style which our fans and supporters will celebrate and enjoy.

Orlando Pirates will go into the new season with kit that delivers advanced performance as well as a new contemporary look. The black home kit with white trim and white away kit with black trim have a clean and sleek appearance, with the adidas three stripes placed on the shoulder to bring a retro football feel.

"This is more than just a Club, we are an institution that has stood many tests of time, and is still standing. When we look back over the past 80 years, we are exceedingly proud of what we have achieved, which transcends the four white lines of the field of play. Going into this new season, with a slick and new jersey that invokes memories of the past, we hope that this combination of the old school meeting the new will be part of the re-awakening of the still mighty Buccanneers."  Says Orlando Pirates Brand Activation Manager, Tokoloho Moeketsi

Climacool technology provides heat and moisture management in the most testing conditions, as does Climalite technology in the shorts that removes the need for an inner mesh. The club crest is heat applied while a debossed skull and cross bones on the back of the jersey brings out the personality of this unique team.

Simplify your life in 10 easy steps

Between chasing deadlines and wanting to get ahead, it can get too much. It's easy to fill up our lives because there are so many things that sound amazing, but it can get overwhelming. Why not try to simplify things and trim unnecessary stress from your life?

Always ask

"Will this simplify my life?" If the answer is no, reconsider.

Just say "no"

Overextending your life will complicate your life. Learn to love and protect a little space in your diary.

Declutter your home

Your home is your sanctuary. Get rid of anything that isn't making you feel comfortable, clean, inspired and happy.

Want less

Recognise that you already have everything you need to live a meaningful life.

Own less

How much do you really need? Look at things you haven't used or worn in a year, get rid of them. Give them to charity or someone who actually will use them.

Stop and pause: Just be. Take note of the beautiful things that surround you: nature, a friend, your wonderful home; be grateful for those blessings.

Take a "digital detox

We're in danger of letting life pass us by while we click away.

Simplify your social life

Surround yourself only with people that inspire and support you. Eliminate toxic relationships and make time for those you love. A bigger circle doesn't necessarily mean more love.

Track your expenses

When you know what you're spending your money on, it's possible to make changes. Buy only what you can afford.

Simplify your goals

nstead of having a dozen goals, focus on one goal and give it all of your energy. Not only will it make you less stressed, it will make you more successful.

As long as you do something that makes you happy each day, even if you have a morning and evening routine just to feel more grounded. Life is about choices, choose a simple happy life.

Information courtesy of FedHealth

#Hisense adds two more ULED TVs as it #AimHigh

Hisense is set to #AimHigh and solidify its strong position within the South African television market with the release of two new exceptional Ultra LED (ULED) televisions.

Since the introduction of ULED technology, Hisense's line-up has incorporated a number of sizes and price points, allowing a wide range of consumers to experience the superior image quality, clarity and precision that ULED offers. And the brand has certainly been flying high, with Hisense South Africa maintaining the top spot in TV unit market share from March to December 2016, and April to May 2017.

The latest premium 4K television models, the flagship 75" N9700 (75N9700UWG) and the 65" N8700 (65N8700UWG), continue to push the technology forward, making these the obvious choice for discerning viewers.  

New additions

One would be hard pressed to do better than Hisense's hero 55" ULED Curved T910 TV from last year, but the electronics forerunner has done just that with the 2017 flagship model - the 75N9700. This 75" set carries the distinction of being the largest ULED TV that Hisense has introduced yet, and with its pleasing aesthetics that are easy on the eye, this television will be the focal point of any living room.

Featuring a unique design, the 75N9700 sees a Dolby Digital-enabled sound bar situated below the narrow aluminium frame that houses its Quantum Dot technology display. The flagship offers an unmatched brightness of 2 200 nits, which means every detail of the screen is illuminated for a superb viewing experience.

If 75" is too much screen to handle, the 65" 65N8700 is perfect for the living room, sporting a variety of noteworthy design features. These include a frameless, ultra-slim 8.9 mm body, along with Dolby Digital audio functionality, all of which sits on a centrally mounted aluminium stand for a sophisticated aesthetic. Coupled with its sleek design, the 65N8700 delivers peak brightness of 1 000 nits.

When it comes to backlight control and algorithm optimization, Hisense is the industry-leader. The backlight in the TVs has been engineered such that it's divided into hundreds of zones, which minimizes the impact from each zone by controlling them individually. This means that blacks can be darker, and whites can be brighter, without being influenced by backlight of adjacent areas. More zones, more accurate contrast performance. This year Hisense has even divided the backlight into up to 560 individual zones in the new ULED - which is 320 more zones than last year.

As with most of Hisense's ULED TVs, the 75N9700 and 65N8700 boast breath-taking 4K displays, each serving up a rich 3840x2160 resolution and wider colour gamut compared to normal LED TVs. Added to this is HDR (High Dynamic Range) Supreme, which enhances the brightness and contrast of the televisions' picture quality across the board. With high-end gaming consoles all favouring HDR to showcase their newest titles, having this feature is essential in delivering a more immersive experience for gamers.

On the Smart TV front, Hisense has integrated the new VIDAA U operating system on both models. Designed to turn the television into a home entertainment hub once connected to a Wi-Fi network, they present users with an easy-to-navigate interface and a variety of apps to enjoy.

It is worth noting that both the 75N9700 and 65N8700 are proudly manufactured locally by the Hisense factory, located in Atlantis in the Western Cape.

On the horizon 

With the breakthrough ULED technology introduced a year ago, Hisense South Africa's Television Product Manager, Serena Lee, notes that when designing the two new ULED offerings, the company listened to feedback from consumers to improve the viewing experience. "New market trends constantly emerge in a rapidly changing television industry. With our new additions to the ULED range, both colour and contrast have been enhanced with the introduction of HDR Supreme for unparalleled brightness and deeper colours," explains Lee. "Both the 75N9700 and 65N8700 will provide Hisense consumers with an amazing 4K viewing experience," she concludes.

Apart from pioneering ULED on a global scale, Hisense continues to innovate in the television sector, having recently showcased its Laser TV technology. Laser TV was developed to ensure Hisense's next wave of offerings remain lightweight and cost effective, while delivering premium picture quality. Hisense South Africa looks forward to introducing this new technology soon to local shores. 

Five steps to motivate your staff at work

Helping employees to find more meaning in their work is simple and does not cost much – if anything at all. Here are tips on how to have employees feel valuable in the office.

"Employees are no longer content with just a pay cheque and good benefits. There is a soul-searching epidemic afoot in the workplace where they want meaning and passion," says Mias de Klerk, professor in Human Capital Management and Leadership Development at the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB).

As a boss you should try to:

1. Sit with every employee in your team and ensure they know and understand the importance of their job and the reason for doing it properly. The security guard who understands that she/he is the face of the organisation to customers will act differently and with meaning.

2. Ensure that every person, across all levels, know and understand their contribution to the success and future of the team and the organisation. This is similar to the anecdotal story of the broom sweeper at NASA who claimed that his job was to put a person on the moon.

3. Make sure that every employee understands how the organisation contributes to building a better society and a future for society – and that it is not just about the money.

4. Instil and embed spiritual values in your organisation, such as care, respect, integrity, dignity and generosity. This will enhance engagement and performance significantly.

5. Embed a culture of self-transcendence in which the organisation and employees do not only take care of themselves, but also reach out to each other and the community to help and assist where there is a need.

Want to cook up a storm? Try these awesome #Android apps

Whether you're keen to amaze guests at your next dinner party with your celebrity chef skills or wanting to whip up a nutritious, delicious family meal, you'll find a helpful app to take your cooking to the next level. Here are some of Alcatel's favourite recipe and cookery apps for Android devices.

 

Jamie's 20 Minute Meals

Cook like Jamie! Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver presents 65 mouth-watering recipes to try, each taking around 20 minutes to prepare and they all feature a step-by-step photography tutorial too.

Get it here: Jamie's 20 Minute Meals

 

Italian Food Recipes

Some say that no one can cook better than an Italian Nonna! So why not dive into thisextensive selection of recipes to try outcook Nonna's dishes with these delightful, deliciousand traditional Italian recipes.

Get it here: Italian Food Recipes

 

South African Braai App

Have you ever wished you knew how to braai delicious lamb chops? Or crispy braai bread?  Well, this straight forward application will help you to develop these skills. A braai is a very sociable event in South Africa but it's  also acommon way of simply cooking a meal. In other words, mastering the art of braaing could come in very handy.

Get it here: South African Braai App

 

NutriBullet Recipes

Blend up healthy, tasty smoothies for breakfast or a post-workout lift with this app from NutriBullet.

Get it here: Nutribullet Recipes

 

Tasty Recipes & Cooking Videos

Check out these inspiring ideas for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, dessert and snacks for the foodie home chef. 

Get it here: Tasty Recipes & Cooking Videos

 

Vegan Recipes Free

If you have never tried Veegan food – now is your chance! Tantalise your taste buds with incredible vegan recipes for every occasion.

Get it here: Vegan Recipes Free

 

Chinese Food Recipes

Most of us only ever have Chinese food at a restaurant or via take aways but why not learn the secrets to making traditional Chinese dishes, and you can do it in your own home. 

Get it here: Chinese Food Recipes

 

Mexican Food Recipes

Tacos, burritos, nachos or quesadillas – they all seem complicated to make - find out how to cook Mexican food with ease, following this app's step by step recipes.

Get it here: Mexican Food Recipes

 

Dessert Recipes

Create decadent desserts to tempt your family's and friends' sweet tooth with these recipes.

Get it here: Dessert Recipes

 

Pizza Recipes

Pizza is fun for all ages! And it makes for an interactive dinner. Master the craft of making great pizzas that kids and grown-ups will love. 

Get it here: Pizza Recipes

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Gold as a long term investment

Gold as an asset class is generally considered as a safe haven because its value generally does not fall during times of uncertainty in the market.

Chantal Marx, Head of Research at FNB Securities, says "Gold is a precious metal and as such its value is not influenced by the same factors that impact other asset classes. Gold could be held along with other asset classes such as equities, bonds, property and cash as a means of diversifying."

Beyond just being a safe investment vehicle, gold also offers protection against a weakening local currency. For example, if you are invested in Krugerrands and the rand depreciates, you are protected against any losses because gold is US Dollar denominated, in essence its value increases when the rand falters.

Krugerrands protect the value of money because they are traded close to the bullion contained in the coin. However, like any other investment, it's important to invest long-term in order to see favourable returns from your investment. The price of gold appreciates over time; therefore holding it for longer may be beneficial.

Marx says, "If you have a well-diversified portfolio, which includes gold, you will be buffered against adverse market movements because prices of different asset classes rarely move together. If for example, equity prices fall, bond prices may move up, property prices would not be impacted as much, and gold could end up being stable."

"Through the FNB Share Investing platform, FNB has made it easy to invest in gold via its Online Banking or the FNB Banking App where prospective investors have an option to invest in gold by purchasing Krugerrands or through Exchange Traded Funds. However, it's also important to seek advice regarding your exposure to gold so that you do not end up with an overly conservative portfolio," she adds.

This is an opportunity for South Africans to look outside the normal investment vehicle and buy into something that is designed to preserve wealth. In a low growth economy, measured diversification could help you to stay on track towards realising your financial goals.

Nomzamo Mbatha announced as L'Oreal Brand Advocate

Its hard imagining that actress and television personality Nomzamo Mbatha started off small but her she is now hitting the big time. What a year she is having. 

Having recently hosted the BET International Awards ceremony and straight after that hosted a session at the recent Essence Festival, her strides seem to be taking her even further. 

Zamo, as she is affectionately known as on the entertainment scene, was yesterday announced as a Brand Advocate for L'Oréal.

"We are so excited and proud to introduce to you our NEW brand advocate and #lorealista @NomzamoMbatha #Curlpride," the brand said in a Tweet.

Her remarkable journey has indeed been an inspiration to several South Africans! Congrats Zamo!

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Jeep, Coca Cola, Jack Daniels, Ford all make America's patriotic brands list

As the US gears up to celebrate the 241st anniversary of its independence on July 4, research consultancy Brand Keys released its 15th annual survey of US brands and said it has seen a "dramatic shift in consumers' perceptions of brand patriotism" this year.

Jeep, Disney and Levi Strauss continue to top what Brand Keys called an otherwise dramatically re-drawn list, which now includes Fox News, Tesla, MSNBC and Twitter.

The 2017 list also includes Coca-Cola, Ford, Hershey's, Ralph Lauren, Jack Daniels and Sam Adams. The full list can be found here.

Not surprisingly, Brand Keys said politics has made itself felt more dramatically this year, particularly when it comes to how consumers see brands through a patriotic lens.

"Our most recent presidential election and its political aftermath has created higher levels of political debate and has raised more contentious issues," Brand Keys said. "It has divided political parties and it has divided consumers and their brands. And it has also dramatically shifted what drives the perception of patriotism."

Per Robert Passikoff, president of Brand Keys, that includes drivers like pride, which has moved closer to self-importance, as well as inclusion, which has shifted to marginalization.

"Courage has morphed into convenience and freedom has actually become the vice of extremism," Passikoff added.

Despite these shifts, Brand Keys said brands should still focus on establishing meaningful emotional connections with consumers, noting believability and authenticity are key.

"If you can make that connection, consumers will not only stand up and salute, more importantly they'll stand up and buy," the firm said.

In fact, Brand Keys said consumers are six times more likely to believe and behave positively if a brand can establish real emotional connections.

Brand Keys surveyed 4860 consumers ages 16 to 65 and said it balanced the list for political party affiliation.

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Birth control pill linked to breast cancer

Frightening new research has found a link between birth control pills and breast cancer.

Cancer is one of the diseases people fear the most and it's estimated that 38.5 per cent of men and women will be diagnosed at some point in their lives.

Experts from the University of Michigan wanted to find out how much the oral contraception affects hormone levels in women, because certain hormones increase the chance of breast cancer.

The team, led by professor Beverly Strassmann, looked at 12 previous studies which measured the amount of hormones oestrogen and progesterone over the menstrual cycle in women who were not taking the pill. The two hormones are produced by the ovaries, but the pill replaces these naturally released ones with synthetic versions.

This information was then compared to women taking one of seven common birth control pills.

It was found that four of the oral contraception pills more than quadrupled the levels of progestin, the synthetic version of progesterone.

And one pill raised exposure to ethinyl estradiol, a synthetic oestrogen, by 40 per cent. Ethinyl estradiol has been linked to breast cancer.

Professor Strassmann pointed out that the aim of her study wasn't to scare people off of taking the pill, but rather change the way the birth control is designed to minimise the risk of cancer.

"Not enough has changed over the generations of these drugs, and given how many people take hormonal birth control worldwide – millions – the pharmaceutical industry shouldn't rest on its laurels," she commented.

"It is critically important to know whether hormonal contraception further exacerbates (the) risk (of cancer)."

Findings were published in the journal Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health.

© Cover Media

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