Stone Fruit Farmers Develop Waterwise Strategy

Stone Fruit Farmers are tackling the Western Cape drought with optimism and positivity, believing that the dire situation can be turned to their advantage.  The silver lining in the drought's cloud for fruit farmers is that the quality of fruit grown under water scarce conditions is usually very good with high sugar levels and great taste. Some growers have also reported enough water to at least see through most of the summer season.

Hortgro, the body that represents the Stone Fruit Association of South Africa, recently presented an irrigation seminar to equip producers with tools and strategies to alleviate the drought impact and also shared another strategy that has been developed by a Ceres fruit grower. These strategies involve ranking and allocating water to orchards according to profitability resulting in optimal irrigation of highly profitable orchards and the removal of unproductive orchards.

The seminar also revisited the basic principles of irrigation design and planning. Many growers brought forward their plans to remove older, less productive orchards over the next couple of years in order to stretch the water available to them as far as possible.

Fruit producers are resilient and have recently been using technology much more actively and effectively in managing their water, irrigation systems and orchards. Water has always been a limited resource and the experience honed in past seasons has helped to hone the growers' skills to make every drop count.

These strategies will be reassessed during monthly water budget meetings.

#Migos to perform live in South Africa and #EveryonesInvited by @SmirnoffSA #MigosCultureTour

In South Africa, one of the greatest things about music is that it brings people together regardless of race, gender, sexuality and demographics. Through the power of music, good drinks and good times, Smirnoff will move the next generation of South Africans to be more inclusive #EveryonesInvited.

When they came out with their good-time anthem, Versace, back in 2013, Migos took the world by storm and solidified their status as trap royalty. Their music brings people together, making the Migos Culture Tour a perfect fit with Smirnoff. Fast forward to 2017 and the BET award-winning trap trio will take to the stage in Mzansi for the first time presented by Smirnoff.   

You don't have your ticket yet? Go toticketpros.co.za to get your ticket for the concert in Durban at the International Convention Centre (ICC) on Friday, 20 October or at the Ticketpro Dome in Johannesburg on Saturday, 21 October. Whether you're a die-hard Migos fan, a trap queen, or just looking for a dope concert, #MigosCultureTour is where it's at and Everyone's Invited courtesy of Smirnoff!

South African megastars Nasty C, AKA and Riky Rick will be there to start the hype so be there when the doors open at 5pm - you don't want to miss it.

Gather your squad, grab the new Smirnoff 1818 Apple, the hottest drink out there this summer and enjoy the concert!

#WiFi WPA2 security cracked. All platforms vulnerable

An attacker could now read all information passing over any wifi network secured by WPA2, which is most routers, both public and private.

All platforms are vulnerable, but the paper notes that Android 6.0 and later - along with Linux - is a particularly easy target, an attack against these devices being described as 'trivial' ...

We discovered serious weaknesses in WPA2, a protocol that secures all modern protected Wi-Fi networks. Attackers can use this novel attack technique to read information that was previously assumed to be safely encrypted.

Android, Linux, Apple, Windows, OpenBSD, MediaTek, Linksys, and others, are all affected by some variant of the attacks.

With Android and Linux, an attacker doesn't even have to do that much work: the attacker can simply reset the encryption key.

The good news is that Vanhoef says that WPA2 can be patched to block the attack, and the patch will be backward compatible. Once a patch is available for your router, you should update the firmware without delay.

Zuma's #CabinetReshuffle - Whose in and whose out?

President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday announced six changes to his national executive.

Zuma  has reshuffled his cabinet for the second time this year. 

Blade Nzimande has been fired as Minister of Higher Education and Training Minister.

The following changes were made: 

1. Professor Hlengiwe Mkhize is the Minister of Higher Education and Training
2. Ms Ayanda Dlodlo is the Minister of Home Affairs
3. Ms Mmamaloko Kubayi is the Minister of Communications
4. Mr David Mahlobo is the Minister of Energy
5. Adv. Bongani Thomas Bongo is the Minister of State Security
6. Mr Buti Manamela is the Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training.

"I thank the former members of the National Executive for good service in their previous portfolios," Zuma said.

"I wish the members who are assuming new portfolios all the best in their new responsibilities."

#StateCapture is South Africa's 2017 word of the year

"State capture" has been named the South African Word of the Year.

The Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB), in association media research companies Focal Points and Newsclip made the announcement in a statement on Monday.

The other two contenders were "blesser" and "white monopoly capital".

"It was found that 'state capture' was used 20 231 times in over 11 000 South African newspapers. The majority of the coverage was found in daily newspapers, accounting for 68% of the total coverage mentioning 'state capture', followed by Sunday newspapers at 19%," they said.

The SA Word of the Year, they explained, was a term or expression preferred to reflect the passing year in language. 

"For the first time in history, PanSALB and its lexicography units have decided to endorse this practice which has been happening internationally."

They said that the candidates for word of the year were reviewed by the organisation and its structures and then debated their merits, choosing one that captures the philosophy, mood, or obsessions of that particular year.

"All findings are based on research conducted by Focal Points and Newsclip on factual statistics found within South African media and serve as credible sources."

They said Focal Points and Newsclip keywords were tracked for the period January 1 to October 12, 2017. 

"This media data was analysed to determine the prominence of the keywords within the media and to identify the frequency that they were used in credible print media."

They looked at occurrences (the number of times the keyword was used in the articles) and clip count (the number of articles that the keyword was mentioned in).

 The use of the word state-capture has increased significantly in 2017. 

"The concept of state-capture has been in existence, but PanSALB has seen a spike in frequency this year in the context of the Gupta email leaks and systemic political corruption." 

They emphasised that the word of the year need not have been coined within the past twelve months.

Pearl Thusi to star in international movie

Pearl Thusi has opened up another international entertainment chapter.

The decorated Quantico star is billed to appear in the upcoming international heist film, The Blue Mauritius, after she scooped a major role.

She will be starring the movie alongside the award-winning US actor Anthony Mackie who is said to be heading to South Africa for the filming of the movie.And a British director Charles Henri Belleville, is expected to direct the film. Belleville has just completed his second film with superstar, Oscar nominated actor, Tom Hardy.

The film will encompass an array of international talent from France, Brazil, Germany, Egypt, South Africa and the United States. "We're thrilled to have Pearl Thusi join our incredible cast of international movie stars.  Ms. Thusi is in a league of her own and a force in the South African television and film industry. The producers and I agreed that no one was better suited to play Makeda, a character that was written specifically to show the strength of a beautiful, powerful and determined woman," said Davis about the casting.

The Blue Mauritius is expected to be released at the end of 2018. And we cannot wait to see Pearl doing the most, as she always does.

Roger Federer breezes past Rafael Nadal to claim #ShanghaiMasters

Roger Federer eased to a straight-sets victory over his familiar rival Rafael Nadal to win the Shanghai Masters on Sunday morning.

The 36-year-old saw off the Spaniard 6-4, 6-3 as he put in yet another impressive display in China.

Nadal was unable to cope under the pressure of Federer who continues to add to his incredible year.

After so much anticipation, the final turned out to be a let down in terms of a contest as Federer just blazed his way past the World No.1.

How much do South African celebs charge for tweeting #Brands

Celebrities like Khanyi Mbau, Thando Thabethe, Boity Thulo and Lerato Kganyago are cashing in hard through the use of social mediums such as Twitter and Instagram.

Brands are willing to spend thousands to get access to celebrities' followers, and many of them are putting aside huge sums of their marketing budget to celebs with social media influence. Most of the celebs they target usually have a huge following, and they have spoken out about how much of a killing they are making from it.

Thando, who has over a million followers on social media, revealed to the Sunday World that she charges around R10 000 for a single tweet. Khanyi said, although she's very picky with who she associated herself with, she charges around R10 000 to R15 000 per post.

Lerato said her starting fee is R5000 going up, depending on the brand she's working with, while Boity charges around R60 000 for 5 tweets, and she also only works with brands that align with her beliefs. 

Karabo Mokoena Foundation will help women leave abusive relationships safely

The Karabo Mokoena Foundation, recently launched by family members and close friends of the young woman who was murdered earlier this year, aims at helping women leave an abusive relationship safely. The foundation was launched in honour of Mokoena and what she stood for.

Her family says that before her death, Mokoena was in the process of starting an organisation that would specialise in women empowerment and assist abused women and children.

It's been almost six months since she was brutally murdered and her burnt body found in Lyndhurst, Gauteng. Her ex-boyfriend Sandile Mantsoe has been accused of killing her, and his trial is set to continue in March next year.

Michelle Daka, foundation director and close friend of Mokoena, told MorningLivepresenter Leanne Manas on Wednesday that it was always her friend's dream to start the foundation.

"We just took from the footsteps that she has already left us with. Karabo was a woman of substance and she was working with a couple of foundations, including the orphanage house group," said Daka.

She said they'd managed to put together a few sponsors to donate a car. "She actually wrote it in her diary. She says one day I'm going to have the foundation and this is the name that it will have," Daka added.

The foundation will help bring sponsorship and attention to other foundations until they're in a space where they can fully manage themselves on their own, and gradually provide counselling.

© Destiny

#Muvhango's Thandaza set to leave

Muvhango actress Sindi Dlathu, who plays Thandaza Mokoena, is leaving the popular SABC2 drama series. The Citizen reports that Dlathu says her decision to leave the show is due to her wanting to grow as an actress and explore new opportunities.

"Muvhango has been more than a job to me, it has been my life for 20 years and I've loved and cherished every single moment of playing Thandaza. After 20 years, I've decided to give the Thandaza character a break in order for me to grow as an artist, venture out to explore new opportunities and discover what I can do as an actress and as a human being," she said.

#AKA shares latest jewel addition with followers

AKA is just a world class hip hop superstar. His also an esteemed trendsetter.

The rapper recently shared with fans his latest jewel addition – a gold "Madiba piece".

Taking to Instagram, Supa Mega spoke on the inspiration of the piece and how he initially wanted to get himself a Jesus piece but opted for something different instead.

"I asked @stinothejeweler @schofieldandco for a Jesus piece because I wanted to keep it classic. Then I thought hey, Mandela is almost like Jesus to us in this part of the ?? So why not make a "Madiba's Piece" " he wrote.

#Johannesburg is the most visited city in #Africa

The Mastercard Global Destination Cities Index showed that Johannesburg welcomed 4,57 million international overnight visitors in 2016, a 24% increase on the previous year's 3,69 million visitors.

Cape Town rose from third place in 2015 to become the second most popular African destination city in 2016, with 1,52 million visitors.

Nigeria's Lagos (1,04 million visitors), Morocco's Casablanca (961 694) and Egypt's Cairo (820 959) rounded out the top five African cities, while Durban remained in sixth place, attracting 758 057 international overnight visitors.

According to the index, Johannesburg also topped the rankings in Africa in terms of international visitor expenditure, with travellers spending $2,56 billion (R35,1 billion) in 2016. Shopping accounted for the largest percentage of visitor spend, followed by accommodation and dining out.

Cape Town and Durban are ranked second and eighth in terms of expenditure in Africa, with international visitors spending $1,2 billion (R16.4 billion) and $314 million (R4,3 billion) respectively.

Its down to the last 21 on SA's Got Talent this Saturday

One of the most important episodes of this season for SA's Got Talent airs this Sunday, as the Top 21 semi-finalists are revealed. Fazlyn Naidoo, AnecNote and Amazebra have already secured their spots in the semi-finals via the Golden Buzzer, but who will fill the 18 remaining slots? 

This week, our acts battle it out for the chance to make it to the semi-finals, which will be broadcast live from the Soweto Theatre at 6:05PM, from 22 October.

There are three semi-finals, each featuring seven acts. Two acts from each semi-final will go through to the live Grand Finale on 12 November - one via public vote and the other on the back of the judges' vote.

Tune into SA's Got Talent this Sunday to see if your favourite act will get one step closer to winning the grand prize of half a million rand and the coveted title of SA's Got Talent Champion 2017. 

SA's Got Talent is exclusive to e.tv and eHD on OpenView HD (Channel 104) and DStv (Channel 194) every Sunday evening at 6:05PM.

#Mnet and #Multichoice come up with unique movie pop up channel

M-Net and MultiChoice have created yet another exciting movies pop-up channel as a special treat to DStv Premium customers.

Between Monday, 30 October and 2 December the M-Net Movies Bucket List pop-up channel will count down 100 popular and iconic Hollywood movies to see before you die.   

This selection of fine films and all-time favourites will be showcased on DStv's channel 109 with the first of the 100 movies scheduled for just after 18:00 onMonday, 30 October. Thereafter, the countdown will continue all the way to the number 1 main attraction on Saturday, 2 December at 20:30. Depending on the duration and age-restrictions of these films, the daily countdown will kick off on weekdays at approximately 18:00 and on weekends just before or after 16:00. 

To receive the nod for the coveted M-Net Movies Bucket List, compiled by an expert team of film fanatics, a movie had to be entrenched in popular culture, define an era, shift mediums, uproot the status quo, delight a variety of audiences, impress critics worldwide and be able to reignite your love for movies.  

"Our themed pop-up channels such as theStar Wars, Harry Potter, BlackOut, Fast and Furious and James Bond channels have been huge hits and we promised to continue curating unique experiences for our M-Net Movies audiences," says Jan du Plessis, Director: M-Net Channels. "With the M-Net Movie Bucket List we're taking the pop-up concept to the next level. Never before have viewers been able to see so many magnificent game-changing movies in one place over such a short time."

While M-Net Movies will share the titles from #100 to #11 on its programming schedules, the Top 10 films on the list will remain top secret. This means that the final films on the M-Net Movies Bucket List will only be revealed to DStv customers on the day of the screening, so you will have to be sure to tune in to channel 109 on the day that they air. 

What happens to life cover after divorce

Many individuals who get married place emphasis on taking out life cover to protect their families in the unfortunate event of death.

However, when going through the emotional stages of a divorce, reviewing and updating your life policy can often be the last thing on your mind.

Lee Bromfield, CEO of FNB Life says, similar to the process of entering into a marriage contract, partners should factor in unfortunate circumstances like a divorce when taking out life insurance for their families, especially if there are children involved.

He unpacks five options available to consumers after a divorce:

Changing beneficiaries – if you are no longer financially dependent on each other, you should review and update your beneficiary details. This is to ensure that the correct beneficiaries are paid out should anything happen to one of you.

Banking details – individuals who are paying their policies from a joint account should contact their insurer and update their banking details, to avoid the policy lapsing if premium payments are no longer honoured.

If your policy lapses, you will no longer be guaranteed the same premium on a new policy, due to factors such as age and your current health conditions, amongst other factors.

Similary, if you were financially dependent on your partner, you can either takeover the policy payments or discuss the way forward during your divorce settlement negotiations.

Financial need of children – when there are children involved, an agreement should be reached by both parties in order to protect them financially should both or one of you no longer be around. The decision taken will be based on your individual circumstances as well as estate planning arrangements.

Sum insured – your financial situation may change after a divorce, making it necessary to adjust your life cover amount to cover any shortfall.

New policy – individuals who did not have a policy of their own while married should now consider taking out their own policy.

Great #Android keyboard apps to get you typing even faster

Abdul Basit from Dubai can type a text on a mobile phone using Swype technology at a rate of 26 words in just 17.5 seconds as the fastest attempt to text on a mobile phone.

Now you can attempt to crack this 2017 Guinness World Record by downloading these Android keyboard apps that Alcatel has identified.

If you're like most Android users, the keyboard probably isn't top of mind when you think about apps you can download to improve your efficiency and overall user experience. Yet there is a rich selection of Android apps that you can pick from to improve your mobile productivity.

These apps offer benefits such as enhanced predictive text and autocorrect, better personalisation and customisability, the ability to Google anything right from the keyboard, emoji suggestion shortcuts, and more. Here's Alcatel's choice of the best Android keyboard apps to get you typing faster:

SwiftKey Keyboard

SwiftKey Keyboard uses artificial intelligence (AI) to learn your writing style, including the emoji and words you use and how you like to type. Its autocorrect and predictive text adapt to your typing habits. Or try the swipe-to-type option with SwiftKey Flow.

Get it here: SwiftKey Keyboard

 

Gboard – the Google Keyboard

Gboard has the Google Keyboard features you love – speed and reliability, Glide Typing, voice typing and more – as well as built-in Google Search. Gboard also has emoji search, GIF search, and multilingual typing to let you switch languages on the fly.

Get it here: Gboard – the Google Keyboard

 

Facemoji Emoji Keyboard - Cute Emoji,Theme,Sticker

Spice up your instant messenger chats and social media feeds with 3500+ cute emoji, emoticons, GIFs, and stickers. Facemoji turns your face or BFF face into animated Emoji!

Get it here: Facemoji Emoji Keyboard - Cute Emoji,Theme,Sticker  

Smart Keyboard Pro
Improve your typing experience with Smart Keyboard Pro, a light and powerful international keyboard. You will immediately feel at home thanks to dozens of customisation options, such as skin, layout, sound, prediction, smileys, calibration and more.

Get it here: Smart Keyboard Pro

Typany Keyboard - DIY Themes, Emojis to Share

Typany's personalised prediction technology keyboard themes and emoji art will streamline your typing experience. Use abbreviations, slang, even your own secret language – and Typany Learning will remember it.

Get it here: Typany Keyboard - DIY Themes, Emojis to Share

Chrooma GIF - Emoji Keyboard
Chrooma Keyboard is a fast keyboard that adapts its colour to the app you are using, and assists you with emojis, numbers and punctuation. AndroidAuthority.com calls it the best Android app of 2016.

Get it here: Chrooma GIF - Emoji Keyboard

 

GO Keyboard Pro - Emoji, GIFs

Some 200 million users worldwide use this app to personalise their keyboard. It features 10000+ colourful themes, 100+ fonts, 60+ languages and thousands of themes. You are able to use the emojis, emoticons and stickers across all popular apps.

Get it here: Go Keyboard Pro – Emoji, GIFs

#WorldMentalHealthDay - Exercise can eliminate #depression

October is Mental Illness Month in South Africa and new and interesting research has just surfaced around one of the most common forms of mental illness – depression.

In an interview with BusinessTech, Dr Sebolelo Seape, Chairperson of the Psychiatry Management Group, revealed that almost 4,5 million South Africans suffer from depression. To add some context to this figure, that's about 9,7% of the South African population.

With this in mind, a new study said to be the largest of its kind has made a larger-than-life claim. According to the study, depression can be prevented with just one hour of exercise a week.

Published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, the study analysed over 30 000 adults and found that those that did not exercise were 44% more likely to suffer with depression compared to those who exercised as little as one to two hours a week.

The lead author, Professor Samuel Harvey, says that while they have known for quite some time that there was quite a significant link between exercise and depression, this is the first time that they have been able to quantify just how much exercise makes a significant impact.

"We've known for some time that exercise has a role to play in treating symptoms of depression, but this is the first time we have been able to quantify the preventative potential of physical activity in terms of reducing future levels of depression," said Harvey.

"These findings are exciting, because they show that even relatively small amounts of exercise, from one hour per week, can deliver significant protection against depression."

Triple Reference Awards Set the Bar for Television Technology

The pursuit of pristine picture perfect clarity is the cornerstone of television technology, and brands that manufacture these products aspire to produce the best quality possible. This race for excellence is competitive and exciting as brands battle it out to reach new technical heights. In a highly saturated and competitive market, being crowned as an industry standard is a sure-fire way to stand out from the crowd.
 
The industry gold standard in the measurement of TV technological excellence is the referencestandard. This is one of the highest scores that a TV can get and means that the TV in question has been evaluated, by independent platforms, as delivering the very best picture quality possible. Thereafter, the TV is used as a reference for picture quality for reviews for all subsequent TV manufacturers.

Panasonic's Japan premium TV quality is world-renowned, but it is a little-known fact that it is the one and only TV manufacturer to receive reference awards from leading European evaluators for three completely separate categories: OLED, LCD and Plasma. This means that Panasonic is the only TV benchmark brand to which other TVs are compared to.  

This triple accolade can be attributed to the company's long-standing championing of plasma technology. Over the decades Panasonic has earned numerous reference awards for delivering exceptional picture quality, culminating with the ZT and VT plasma series.

Thereafter, the engineers focused their attention on incorporating plasma 4K UHD resolution picture quality to OLED screen technology. In 2015, Panasonic revealed their first OLED TV, the 4K Pro CZ950 series, which immediately garnered international acclaim and multiple reference status awards.
 
When the flagship DX series LCD LED TV was brought to market, the company officially achieved Triple Reference Status. This was awarded primarily because of its groundbreaking honeycomb-structure local dimming technology. This design proved that an LCD screen can create both bright highs and deep blacks to create an incredible HDR experience.

Panasonic attributes its Triple Reference status to their strong collaboration with the film community, which allows it to constantly deliver picture quality true to the original intentions of the filmmakers. The Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory was thus established in collaboration with Hollywood to continuously create unrivalled visual image processing technologies. Panasonic continues to break new grounds with image processing and visual technology, and will, without a doubt, continue to be the benchmark to which all competitors are measured. As will be the case when the new EX Series launches later this year!

KG Rabada shines with ball as #Proteas overwhelm Bangladesh

Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada led a ruthless bowling performance as South Africa completed an innings and 254 run win on the third day of the second Test against Bangladesh at Mangaung Oval on Sunday.

It was the biggest win in South Africa's Test history, surpassing the innings and 229 run victory over Sri Lanka in Cape Town in 2000/01.

Rabada took five for 30 as Bangladesh were bowled out for 172, a slight improvement on their first innings of 147 in reply to South Africa's 573 for four declared.

Rabada, 22, who had match figures of 10 for 63, became the youngest of 16 South Africans to take 100 Test wickets. He was playing in his 22nd Test. Only Vernon Philander (19) and Dale Steyn (20) of his compatriots have achieved the feat in fewer matches.

It was Rabada's third 10-wicket haul in Tests. He took his tally of Test wickets in 2017 to 54, the most by any bowler this year.

It was another poor performance by Bangladesh on a pitch which had bounce but was not especially bowler-friendly.

Justice League is the new adventure movie

Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman's selfless act, Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince assemble a team of metahumans consisting of Barry Allen, Arthur Curry, and Victor Stone to face the catastrophic threat of Steppenwolf and the Parademons who are on the hunt for three Mother Boxes on Earth.

Justice League is the new adventure movie by Zack Snyder, starring Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot and Amy Adams.

Andy Murray lines up Dybala, Ronaldo and Messi in his World 11 #FifaBest

Three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray fancies himself as the next Jose Mourinho, due to his love of fantasy football.

Murray has recently spoken of his interest in a change of sport following his retirement from tennis, although he has no specific plans.

However, his enjoyment of fantasy football - Murray chose Paulo Dybala, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in his 2016-17 World11 - means the 30-year-old has a particular role in mind.

"I have no idea [what to do in football] - I just find the sport really interesting," he told FIFA.com, ahead of The Best awards.

"I'm a huge fantasy football fan, so I'd probably quite fancy myself as a manager - but it's completely different doing it in real life, definitely not as easy as everyone thinks."

SA's Got Talent goes full throttle this Sunday

Every year, thousands of hopefuls enter SA's Got Talent with the dream of winning half a million rand and becoming South Africa's next big star. This week's episode features some hair-raising acts that defy gravity and have the audience and judges in awe – but are they good enough to claim the big prize?

The SA's Got Talent judges cast their eyes high into the sky this Sunday as tight-rope walkers, aerial acrobats, pole dancers and a host of other variety acts take over the show. Having seen two acts  - AnecNote and Fazlyn Naidoo – nab coveted Golden Buzzer spots over the past few weeks, these gravity-taming newcomers will have high hopes of joining them.

A number of contestants from previous seasons have returned to try their luck in front of the SA's Got Talent judges, bringing new and revitalised performances to the stage, in the hope of succeeding where they failed before.

Some of them have taken on board the judges' comments from their previous appearances – and some are just back to try their luck. See who flies and who flops this Sunday, on SA's Got Talent. 

SA's Got Talent is exclusive to e.tv and eHD on OpenView HD (Channel 104) and DStv (Channel 194) every Sunday evening at 6:05PM.

Tips to avoid bank card fraud

As banks continue working tirelessly to implement measures to combat card fraud, customers are urged to always be extra vigilant and take advantage of the security measures available to them when transacting. 

Ryan Prozesky, CEO of Value Banking Solutions at FNB says fraudsters go to extreme measures to trick customers out of their hard earned cash.

"As the old adage says 'an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure' don't wait until you become a victim of fraud to familiarise yourself with important measures to keep your bank cards safe," he adds:

- Review your account statements on a regular basis and query disputed transactions with your bank immediately.
- Do not send e-mails that quote your card number and expiry date.
-Ensure that you get your own card back after every purchase.
-Never write down your PIN or disclose it to anyone.
-Report lost and stolen cards immediately.
-Never let your card out of your sight when making payments.
-Your card is not transferable. Only the person whose name appears on the front of the card is authorised to use it.
-If you have debit, cheque and credit cards, don't choose the same PIN for them all.
-Always ensure that the amount reflecting on the Point of Sale device is the correct purchase amount before entering your PIN
-Keep your transaction slips and check them against your statement to spot any suspicious transactions and query them immediately.
-Never accept help from strangers when using an ATM
-Use one hand to shield the other hand while keying in the PIN
-Should your card be retained by an ATM, contact your bank and block your card before you leave the ATM.
-You can  temporarily block and unblock your cards using the FNB Banking App if you suspect you may have lost your card
Store your bank's Call Centre number on your cellphone so that you have it handy should you need to stop your card.
-Subscribe to your bank's SMS notification services; this will inform you of any transactional activity on your account.

Trevor Noah's book continues making headlines #DailyShow

The host of 'The Daily Show' has got a new book out! Trevor Noah's memoir 'Born a Crime' has won the Thurber Prize for American Humour. Prize officials made the announcement on Monday night.

Judges chose Noah's reflections on growing up in South Africa over a pair of novels: Ken Pisani's Amp'd and Aaron Thier'sMr. Eternity. Noah will be given $5 000 and a crystal plaque.

The award is named for the late James Thurber, the celebrated writer and illustrator. Previous winners include David Sedaris, Julie Schumacher and Noah's predecessor at Comedy Central, Jon Stewart.

Essential #Google apps for every #Android user

When you buy an Android smartphone, you are buying into a rich set of applications, services and products from Google, the developer of the Android ecosystem. There is far more to Google than its search engine and operating system—it has you covered for most of your needs from navigation to cloud storage and email.

Google's apps run better on Android. This is because Google and the Android operating system are so tightly intertwined. They're also easily accessible on your PC, irrespective of whether you are a MAC or Windows user. Here is Alcatel's list of the must-have Google apps for every Android user:

Google

Find quick answers, explore your interests and get a feed of updates on what matters to you. You can use the search engine for almost any question – Google even responds in voice.

Get it here: Google

Google Play Music

Google Play Music features millions of songs for every taste and mood. Instantly start radio stations based on songs, artists, or albums, or browse by genre, mood, activity, decade, and more.

Get it here: Google Play Music  

Google Docs

Google Docs allows you to create, edit and collaborate with others on documents from your Android phone or tablet. Never worry about losing your work – everything is saved automatically as you type.

Get it here: Google Docs  

Maps - Navigation & Transport
Going somewhere? Go with Maps, the official Map app, that gives you real-time GPS navigation, traffic, and details about millions of businesses, including reviews and popular times.

Get it here: Maps – Navigation & Transport

Google Drive
Store your files in Google Drive and access them from any smartphone, tablet or computer. Files in Drive – such as your videos, photos and documents – are backed up safely. You can invite people to view, edit or leave comments on your files or folders.

Get it here: Google Drive

Find My Device
Can't find your Android device? Find My Device will be able to assist. While looking for your device the app keeps your information safe. With Find My Device you can secure your device remotely and help someone get in touch. Find My Device helps you find your device when you are near by playing a sound.

Get it here: Find My Device

Waze - GPS, Maps, Traffic Alerts & Sat Nav
Waze tells you about traffic, construction, police, accidents and more in real-time. If traffic is bad on your route, Waze will change your route to save you time. Waze gives you real time updates based on other users' input.

Get it here: Waze – GPS, Maps, Traffic Alerts & Sat Nav

 

Gmail

Gmail is an easy-to-use email app that saves you time and keeps your messages safe. Instantly receive your messages via push notifications, read and respond online or offline and find any message quickly.

Get it here: Gmail

 

Clock

Clock combines the functionality you need into one simple, beautiful package.

•        Set alarms, add timers and run a stopwatch

•        Keep track of time around the world using the World Clock

•        Pair with Android Wear devices to bring your alarms and timers to your wrist.

Get it here: Clock

 

Google Keep - notes and lists

Google Keep makes it easy to capture a thought or list for yourself, and also allows you to share it with friends and family. Record a voice memo on the go and have it automatically transcribed. Snap a photo of a poster, receipt or document and easily organise or find it later in search.

Get it here: Google Keep

Gboard – the Google Keyboard

Gboard has everything you love about Google Keyboard – speed and reliability, Glide Typing, voice typing and more – plus Google Search built in. Search Google while you have your keyboard open – which means no need to switch between apps.

Get it here: GBoard

#PrisonBreak makes long awaited return on #Mnet101

Television's favourite jail-breaking brothers return to M-Net channel 101 inPrison Break tonight, Monday 2 October at 19:00. The series revival has been hotly anticipated and focuses on the story of Michael Scofield who was presumed dead but is actually discovered to be alive and imprisoned once more.

Filmed in Morocco, the premiere opens to clues that suggest a previously thought-to-be-dead Michael is being held captive in an overseas prison. Lincoln and Sara, Michael's wife, reunite to engineer the biggest escape ever as three of Fox River State Penitentiary's most notorious escapees, Sucre, T-Bag and C-Note are pulled back into the action.

The brand new nine-episode limited series brings back Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell as they continue the action-packed adventures of brothers Michael Scofield and Lincoln Burrows.

The original series stars are reunited with cast members  Sarah Wayne Callies (The Walking Dead), Amaury Nolasco (Telenovela), Robert Knepper (Heroes), Rockmond Dunbar (The Mentalist) and Paul Adelstein (The Fixer) for an all-new adventure spanning the globe and featuring the signature thrills and cliffhangers that were hallmarks of the original series.

In April fans were shown the first five minutes of Prison Break's return on Facebook, and so the action began. In the campaign, Michael Scofield ominously explains in a voiceover of the promo that not all deaths are the same.

Doctor Khumalo appointed as #Ford brand ambassador

Doc Khumalo, one of the best-known names on the South African soccer scene, has been appointed a brand ambassador for Ford, and will be proudly be driving a Ford Mustang for the next 12 months.

"Doc Khumalo is a legendary South African football player, and we are delighted to have him sign up as a brand ambassador for Ford and driving our legendary Mustang," said Neale Hill, director marketing, sales & service, Ford Motor Company Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region.

Not only is Khumalo one of SA's premier football personalities, but he is extensively involved in CSI initiatives across Sub-Saharan Africa through soccer development projects to lift the profile of the sport and create opportunities for young players.

"We look forward to linking Doc up with some of the projects our Ford dealers are doing locally, and in selected SSA markets too," Hill added. "This further expands our involvement in soccer following our recently announced tie-up with Orlando Pirates Football Club as its official vehicle partner."

As a former South African Footballer of the Year, star midfielder for Kaizer Chiefs and key member of the national soccer team Bafana Bafana during the 1990s, Khumalo was recently appointed the technical director of the Baroka Football Club that competes in SA's Premier Soccer League. This follows a 31-year stint with Kaizer Chiefs as a player and, more recently, assistant coach.

In his role as Ford brand ambassador, Khumalo will be turning heads behind the wheel of a Ford Mustang GT Cabriolet, powered by the mighty 306kW 5.0-litre V8 engine - thus further raising the profile of one of the world's most iconic automotive nameplates, and South Africa's top-selling sports car range.

"I am more than delighted to be part of the Ford family," said Doc Khumalo. "Driving in the Ford Mustang GT 5.0 will not only be inspirational to me but also to those around me. I extend my gratitude and thanks to my manager Jazzman Mahlakgane who has worked tirelessly to make my dream come true and to the Ford South Africa family for entrusting me with their brand. I have no doubt that we will go further together."