Category: Business

LAHORE (NUT DESK)

Smartphone photography has been gaining much hype in the current era. Many youngsters cannot afford to buy professional bulky cameras for photography which has made the smartphone industry advance much in terms of cameras and photography features. TECNO has been making strides in the industry with the inclusion of incredible camera features in its smartphones. Today, we’re here to give you some tips and tricks to use so you can become a pro-photographer with the Camon 18 Series.

The Latest Gimbal Technology:

The Camon 18 Premier comes with advanced gimbal technology to make your videos steady like a professional. With this, you can make fun videos, boomerangs, and even TikToks without any hassle. This device also comes with additional features including film mode, street, vintage, and much more! Just select the additional features and make your videos even better.

Super Moon:

Capturing the moon is the latest social media trend. You can do this by placing your Camon 18 Premier on a tripod and selecting Super Moon! This enables the phone’s 60x Hyper Zoom which takes clear pictures up close. That’s it! Now show off your photography skills on your social media account.

Portrait Mode:

If you want to take stunning photos of yourself or your friends, portrait mode is the way to go! Available in all three devices; the Camon 18 Premier, Camon 18t, and Camon 18P, your pictures will come out vibrant and focused with this feature.

You can use the Portrait Lighting feature in your Camon 18 Premier to apply studio-quality lighting effects to your portraits. You can choose Natural Light to brighten facial features, Contour Light for more dramatic directional lighting, Stage Mono for stage light in a classic black and white, Polka Dots to add some colorful dot’s effect to your portrait.

Portrait Mode:

If you want to take stunning photos of yourself or your friends, portrait mode is the way to go! Available in all three devices; the Camon 18 Premier, Camon 18t, and Camon 18P, your pictures will come out vibrant and focused with this feature.

You can use the Portrait Lighting feature in your Camon 18 Premier to apply studio-quality lighting effects to your portraits. You can choose Natural Light to brighten facial features, Contour Light for more dramatic directional lighting, Stage Mono for stage light in a classic black and white, Polka Dots to add some colorful dot’s effect to your portrait.

There is also the option of Profile Effect through which you can take amazing portrait pictures for social media. Moreover, the Tree Shadow effect adds tree shadows in the background of your portrait to give it a more dramatic look.

Clear Photography:

All three devices in the Camon 18 series come with exceptional smartphone features which you can use to make your photography experience exceptional. The Camon 18 Premier comes with a 64MP rear camera, which captures clear and vibrant pictures. Moreover, both the Camon 18t and Camon 18P are equipped with a 48MP primary camera, which takes bright and striking pictures.

There is also the option of Profile Effect through which you can take amazing portrait pictures for social media. Moreover, the Tree Shadow effect adds tree shadows in the background of your portrait to give it a more dramatic look.

Clear Photography:

All three devices in the Camon 18 series come with exceptional smartphone features which you can use to make your photography experience exceptional. The Camon 18 Premier comes with a 64MP rear camera, which captures clear and vibrant pictures. Moreover, both the Camon 18t and Camon 18P are equipped with a 48MP primary camera, which takes bright and striking pictures.

Also, some of our favorite influencers and photographers have raved about the Camon 18 series all over their accounts. So, listen to their advice and use our photography tips to impress all your friends with your pro-photography skills.

Also, some of our favorite influencers and photographers have raved about the Camon 18 series all over their accounts. So, listen to their advice and use our photography tips to impress all your friends with your pro-photography skills.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Mondelēz Pakistan, one of Pakistan’s and global leading snacking companies, announces the appointment of Sami Wahid as the new Managing Director (MD) effective January, 2022. Wahid will be responsible for the overall business strategy and commercial offerings.

As an expert in the snack and beverage industry, Wahid brings over 17 years of experience in the fields of marketing, sales and strategy.  His role entails a holistic business strategic direction and commercial operations for Pakistan, while being based locally.  Sami has had a long association with Mondelez International, starting back from 2015 where he became part of the organization and have overlooked various responsibilities across the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan (MENAP) markets. Armed with experience in other organizations, he has built a successful career in the food and beverage industry. 

Most recently, Sami served as the Strategy Lead for MENAP at Mondelez steering the company and transforming it through the challenging times of Covid-19. Prior to this he has had a phenomenal track record being responsible for driving the business strategy, base equity and innovations.

“It is an honor to take on this exciting new role, especially at a time when there are growing opportunities and promising business avenues for Pakistan. We have built a strong foundation for the company in the past years which is envisioned to grow even further through tactful and strategic means. My aim is to bring the years of knowledge and experience of multi-markets & categories to further accelerate company’s growth via deepening our connect with consumers and expanding our foot-prints into evolving channels, as well as focusing on our team development” acclaimed Sami Wahid, MD, Mondelēz Pakistan.

Sami has his origins in Pakistan where he earned an MBA in Marketing and Bachelors from the Institute of Business Management in Pakistan.

Keeping track of his past performance and knowing his progressive mindset, under his command Mondelez Pakistan will be seen growing multiple folds in the future.

Telenor Research reveals Tech Trends for 2022 thatwill fuel a green transition in society

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) As the world tackles one challenge after another, advancements in modern technologies are beginning to be more energy and climate conscious to protect the ecosystem. Telenor Research recently released its top 5 Tech Trends for the year 2022 which focus on how technology and digitalisation will come to aid climate change and environmental degradation. To share these Tech Trends, an event was held at Telenor Pakistan Headquarter 345 where Bjorn Taale Sandberg, Head of Telenor Research and Kristian Hall, Vice President Climate and Environment took a deep dive into the trends that will evolve through the year globally and in Pakistan. The event was attended by Honorable Zartaj Gul, Minister of State for Climate Change, ecosystem players, members of the media and Telenor Pakistan management.

In the seventh edition of Telenor’s Tech Trends report, Bjorn TaaleSandberg and his team of researchers have forecasted how technological progress in 2022 can enable green transformation.Speaking virtually at the event, Bjorn Taale Sandberg, Head of Telenor Research, said “People everywhere are waking up to the need to act on climate change and environmental degradation. For us in Telenor, it is key to understand how technology can both avoid being part of the problem and help in the transition.”

Telenor Research predicts that the immense growth in data usage is driving the demand for energy and this year, energy efficient Edge data centres reachable from mobile devices over 5G networks will start popping up globally. With an increasing number of electronic devices and solutions enabling humans to lead more convenient lives, the global need for greater energy efficiency will trigger an optimisation battle between consumer electronics manufacturers. This year will also see an increasing awareness amongst social media influencers to be more climate conscious; hence, followers will flock towards Greenfluencers. Employees are predicted to become more eager to contribute towards the environment on an individual scale and this interest will be reflected in opting for micro-degrees on online learning platforms. With the changes in the work environment since the onset of the pandemic, organisations that fail to take into account the evolving needs to the future workforce may risk facing higher employee turnover.

Speaking at the event, Zartaj Gul, Minister of State for Climate change said, “Pakistan ranks in the top ten most vulnerable countries prone to high climate risk. There is a lot being done and that can further be done to reverse the impact of climate change. I am happy to see that the technological trends presented today point towards a much welcome direction to reduce the impact of environmental impact and appreciate the efforts by Telenor Pakistan to reduce the carbon footprint while enabling green technology as an energy alternate. Our vision of Digital Pakistan is only complete through green and sustainable initiatives and we are determined to control the impacts of climate change.”

Commenting at the event, Irfan Wahab Khan, CEO Telenor Pakistan said, “As the world of technology evolves at the speed of light, there is an increased awareness amongst individuals to demand green solutions and for companies worldwide to become more environment friendly. We at Telenor Pakistan are making headway towards adopting sustainable energy solutions through initiatives like Thunderbolt which uses solar energy to power telecom towers. We are also providing our employees with avenues for greenlearning while evolving our way of work to be more aligned with the needs and demands of the workforce of future.Telenor Research has laid out the major trends that will be prevalent globally and it provides a good benchmark for local organisations to establish sustainable practices.”

For the seventh consecutive year, Telenor Research hasanalysed and forecasted the dominant trends for the new year. For a detailed insight on the five tech trends for 2022, visit: https://www.telenor.com/innovation/research/tech-trends-2022

UBL joins forces with Visa to drive fintech enablement in Pakistan by becoming the first Visa Ready BIN Sponsor in the region

•  United Bank Limited (UBL) will be the first bank in Pakistan to sign the Visa Ready BIN Sponsorship program agreement
• The program is designed to enable UBL to sponsor fintech clients to issue Visa card credentials and offer, modern, digital payment experiences to their customers

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) In what is a first for the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region, and third in the CEMEA (Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa) region, United Bank Limited (UBL), Pakistan’s fastest-growing digital bank, has joined forces with Visa, the world’s leader in digital payments, to drive fintech enablement in Pakistan by becoming the first “Visa Ready BIN Sponsor” in the region.

As a certified Visa Ready BIN Sponsor, UBL, will offer its BINs that could be used by fintechs, enabling them to build and launch payment solutions that meet Visa’s global standards around security and functionality, that too at a low-cost.

Visa created the Visa Ready program to help reduce the need for fintechs to divert their focus on navigating licensing and payment networks requirements. Traditionally, any institution that needed to issue a payment card in the region used to go through the long process of finding a BIN sponsor. In establishing the program, Visa is supporting fintechs to quickly and efficiently stand-up payment solutions for their end clients—thus accelerating time-to-market and fueling their business growth.

Kamil Khan, Visa’s Country Manager for Pakistan, commented, “Pakistan has a massive pool of fintechs and there is a tremendous potential to accelerate digitization. As the first partner to offer BIN Sponsorship, UBL can enable the launch of card programs across non-traditional financial institutions and fintechs in the market bringing to light newer use cases. Visa Ready allows UBL to provide rapid access to Visa’s certified infrastructure – giving fintechs the confidence that payment flows meet local regulations. We are looking forward to seeing a greater number fintech companies benefitting from this partnership with UBL as we continue to drive innovation and support the launch of products and solutions that transform the payment experiences of consumers in Pakistan.”

Sharjeel Shahid – Group Executive Digital Banking UBL, commented, “UBL aims to maintain its lead as the front-runner in the digital-ecosystem by creating an enablement platform for fintechs desirous of entering the market with new use-cases. Our status as a Visa Ready partner is one more step in that direction, where the objective is to create a seamless and fast-track onboarding experience for non-banking players”.

Through Visa Ready BIN sponsorship, UBL becomes a go-to partner for fintech and business players as it provides them with the necessary resources and framework to launch financial products quickly and seamlessly, that comply with the local regulations.

For more information on Visa Ready BIN Sponsor click here.

 

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) In the near future, IoT devices will be able to harvest energy directly from Bluetooth, WIFI, and cell phone signals, resulting in features such as smaller size, better durability, lower cost, and high sustainability value. OPPO’s “Zero-Power Communication” white paper highlights exciting futuristic scenes where the number of batteries in use the world over will be significantly reduced. An example given is of electronic tags, applied to locate items, not requiring battery replacement or recharging. Another scenario is of every endangered migratory bird being equipped with long-distance tracking devices.

The OPPO Research Institute in its white paper examines the technical positioning of Zero-Power Communication technology in the context of current unmet demand in the IoT space. The paper outlines a future roadmap for the technology to develop in conjunction with other communications systems of the future.

The majority of portable electronic devices today rely on batteries as their power source. While battery technology has advanced over the years, it still presents significant problems in terms of overall size, production cost, lifespan, ease of use, and environmental friendliness of the batteries themselves. Zero-Power Communication technology avoids the need for batteries by harvesting ambient radiofrequency energy from the surrounding environment to generate power, resulting in highly compact, efficient, and low-cost devices. Such properties have benefits in commercial applications such as warehousing, logistics, agriculture, wearable devices, smart homes, and other cutting-edge consumer applications.

With an increasing emphasis in all industries to develop and implement sustainable products and practices for the betterment of the planet as a whole, OPPO believes that technology should also evolve to deliver greater convenience and sustainable value. In countries, like Pakistan, which face serious power shortages, Zero-Power devices can be particularly advantageous. These devices harvest ambient radio signals broadcast from sources such as TV towers, FM radio towers, cellular base stations, and WIFI access points (APs) as their source of power. After harvesting energy from existing radio waves, the device can modulate ambient radio signals with its information and transmit these signals outwards in a process known as backscattering communication.

Zero-Power Communication systems can be constructed in a framework that uses cellular communications, sidelink communications, or both, in hybrid form. These systems support devices used for various applications, in a variety of environments, over a range of distances. OPPO has already successfully built its own Zero-Power Communication system and demonstrated the feasibility of the concept as a viable approach to future communications networks. OPPO is also taking the lead in promoting the Zero-Power Communication standard by proposing research projects to 3GPP, and sharing findings at industry conferences such as FuTURE and ICCC.

OPPO also published its 6G AI-Cube Intelligent Networking White Paper regarding cutting-edge communication technologies. In line with its brand mission of “Technology for mankind, kindness for the world,” OPPO is targeting to release commercial Zero-Power Communication technology within the next 3 to 5 years as it continues to build smarter, more convenient, and greener communications systems.

LAHORE (NUT DESK)

With the blessings of Divine, HR Knowledge Cafe (HKC) landmarked 15Th Jan ’22 as Pakistan’s first ever Tech HR appearance. TechHRFest 2022, graced the Avari Hotel Lahore with more than 300 HR professionals from 250+ IT firms from Lahore.

The agenda stood Women Empowerment, Diversity and Inclusion and the prestigious guests namely Hassaan Khawar, Qasim Ali Shah, Sabahat Bokhari, Merry Pervaiz and Dr. Iram Irshad did justice to the topic in hand. The HR professionals were overwhelmed to have been indulged in a healthy meet and greet ambiance.

The hardwork of founders of HKC, Sheraz Chaudhry, Haroon Akhtar and Waqas Ali along with teamwork of HKC crew roared the noteworthy occasion and live media coverage added the fireworks to the actuality of the event.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) METRO, the leading international wholesale company, hosted a knowledge sharing session for the visiting delegation from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government at METRO head office Lahore. The delegation was comprised of senior officials of the Food Authority, Local Govternment, and Livestock Department from KPK.

The visit was organized by United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) under the Agri-Food and Agro-Industry Development Assistance (PAFAID) program, on the subject titled “Improving Cattle Meat Value Chain in KP”. METRO Pakistan is supporting UNIDO expert working groups to improve value chains of Cattle Meat in KP and Apple in Baluchistan.

The visiting delegation was welcomed by Mr. Zohaib Jamil, Senior Manager, Quality Assurance – METRO Pakistan and briefed the visiting delegates about meat products supply chain model, the associated certifications (FSSC 22000, HALAL) and practices followed by METRO Pakistan from sourcing till delivery to customers during the site visit.

Addressing the delegation, Mr. Azfar Ali, Senior Head of Operations – Sales, Supply Chain & Expansion, METRO Pakistan, explained the supply chain model of METRO Pakistan and challenges faced in procurement from local market due to low level of compliance on international standards. He said “It’s a commitment of METRO Management to provide safe, hygienic and certified HALAL meat products to our customers through improving meat supply chain in Pakistan. METRO will continue to support all initiatives and projects that can improve the meat supply chain, ultimately providing safe, hyienic and quality products to the customers.”

The session ended with note of thanks from the METRO management to the UNIDO team lead by Mr. Omar Khan, Research Analyst, and Ms. Lubna Tajik, Lead National Project Coordinator for arranging the visit which will help officials in improving on the subject of Cattle Meat Value Chain in their province.

METRO Pakistan implement very stringent global food safety and quality requirements throughout supply chain and it is the only cash & carry in Pakistan with FSSC 222000 certification, a globally recognized food safety system certification, and the first cash & carry with certified HALAL fresh meat products available at its 10 stores nationwide.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) SBP issued “Licensing and Regulatory Framework for Digital Banks” on January 03, 2022. To create awareness of this this important development in regulatory ambit, SBP organized an online event – “Digital Banks – A New Era in Banking”. The objective of the webinar was primarily to create awareness about the next generation of banks i.e. digital banks and the potential they offer for financial inclusion in the country. It was also aimed at sharing the details of digital banking framework amongst the market participants and prospective investors and to address their queries.

Dr. Reza Baqir, Governor State Bank of Pakistan in his keynote address highlighted the potential of digital financial services to become ubiquitous in the banking industry and its significance in terms of inclusion and innovation. Discussing the prospects of digital banks in Pakistan, he emphasized that  one of the key goals of the State Bank of Pakistan was to promote inclusion, innovation, and modernization of financial sector of Pakistan. He emphasized SBP’s expectations from digital banks in promoting financial inclusion by providing affordable financial services to unserved and underserved segments of society, alongside fostering a new set of customer experience.

Dr. Baqir highlighted how digitization of financial services is picking up pace and is transforming the way banking is done for both individuals and businesses. He mentioned that Pakistan’s journey for digital financial services started in early 2000s, and since then, a number of enabling regulatory initiatives were launched, notably, Branchless Banking Regulatory Framework, Electronic Money Institutions Regulations, Roshan Digital Account, RAAST, Customers’ Digital Onboarding Framework, and Asaan Mobile Accounts etc. He added that Licensing and Regulatory Framework for Digital Banks is another milestone towards digital transformation and a major step towards revolutionizing our banking services industry. 

The event was attended by prominent members of the banking community, fintechs, business fraternity and Government agencies. While giving his welcome address, Mr. Arshad Mehmood Bhatti, Executive Director, Banking Policy and Regulation Group, informed the audience that SBP will grant up to five (05) licenses for digital banks, as SBP intends to bring digital banks with strong value proposition, robust technological infrastructure, sufficient financial strength, technical expertise and effective risk management culture. He assured the market participants and potential investors that his team will remain available to provide necessary guidance in this regard.

The event also included a panel discussion moderated by Mr. Nadeem Hussain, founder Planet-N along with Mr. Muhammad Aurangzeb, Chairman Pakistan Banks’ Association, Ms. Tania Aidrus, former Executive of Google and Special Assistant to PM, Mr. Qasif Shahid, CEO & Co-Founder of M/s Finja and Mr. Muhammad Akhtar Javed, Director Banking Policy & Regulations Department of SBP as panelists.

The panelist had different rounds of questions which not only covered the real potential of digital banks  in terms of addressing the financial needs of a common man but it also brought further clarity on various aspects of this important regulatory initiative.

The panel also touched upon the possible benefits and compelling reasons for existing banks and MFBs to apply for digital banks’ license and highlighted the relevant challenges faced by various digital banks across the globe. The panelists were of the view that digital banks would offer a faster, cheaper and more efficient solution for meeting the financial requirements of unserved and underserved segments of the society, in particular and welcomed SBP’s landmark initiative.

The panel was confident that digital banks will become an essential part of the financial ecosystem, enhancing market efficiencies, providing access to a wider range of financial services, and thereby, advancing the broader agenda of financial inclusion.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) GrocerApp has recently partnered with EasyPaisa to provide customers the best grocery-buying experience in the country. The partnership was finalized by the CEO GrocerApp – Mr. Ahmad Saeed and Head of Easypaisa – Mr. Omar Moeen.

As part of this partnership, Easypaisa customers can now buy groceries at the lowest prices from the comfort of their homes. The partnership entails the creation of a “mini-app” for groceries within the Easypaisa app.

The partnership aims to facilitate a wider range of audience for improved grocery-buying experiences in Lahore, Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Karachi (launching soon). It would also be contributing to the larger goal of creating a digitally enabled economy.

Commenting on the partnership, CEO GrocerApp – Mr. Ahmad Saeed said that the company is working towards making an online groceries brand that offers the largest variety in groceries at the lowest possible rates. This partnership will help GrocerApp reach a bigger audience and benefit users in saving more on their monthly groceries.

GrocerApp is Pakistan’s leading online grocery platform which enables users to order their grocery essentials through its website and mobile app. Mr. Ahmad Saeed co-founded this startup in 2016 with Mr. Rai Bilal & Mr. Hassaan Sadiq, after realizing the gap and potential in the online grocery delivery space in Pakistan. The startup changed its model from using middlemen and delivering via existing stores to a fulfilment led model in 2018.

The app promises users the largest range of groceries at lower prices in general, across the industry. It provides same day scheduled deliveries from 8am to 8pm. GrocerApp saves consumers trips to the supermarket and provides better savings as well as value at their doorstep.

 

 

 

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Zong 4G, Pakistan’s leading cellular and digital services provider, has partnered with DHA Multan to provide it with best-in-class 4G connectivity.

Through its well-equipped and bespoke solutions, Zong 4G is aiming to deliver the greatest communication services for the development of present and future residential developments. Zong 4G will be providing total network coverage throughout the DHA Multan premises as part of the collaboration. More in more, the company will also play a significant part in DHA Multan’s future digital initiatives and ESS solutions for Smart Homes.

DHA Multan is one of the leading housing projects in Pakistan. Spanning over an area of 10,000 acres, DHA Multan is a future hub of educational, cultural, sports, and recreational modernization that would stand out to serve the people of Southern Punjab, especially the people of Multan.

“We’re delighted to have partnered with DHA Multan to address the project’s connection demands,” said Rizwan Ahmed Siddiqui, General Manager Commercial at Zong. “The DHA brand is a guarantee of high-quality living, with amenities that provide a safe and enjoyable existence for its dwellers. Residents will have a holistic living experience with all of their needs covered flawlessly thanks to our best-in-class 4G services.”

“Joining forces with the country’s premier cellular and digital services provider is a significant step forward in the construction of this massive project,” said Brig Muhammad Shoeb Anwar Kayani, Project Director DHA Multan. “Through this relationship, we are certain that we are providing our residents with the finest possible connectivity within and around the premises.”

Zong is directly collaborating with corporate clients around the country to create a digital environment for them, delivering tailored solutions to disrupt daily procedures and innovative approaches to handle both simple and complex challenges.

Zong wants to change how businesses function with a large Business Solutions portfolio, with a broader impact on Pakistan’s corporate ecosystem. Its unrivalled technology advancement and telecommunications expertise have served as a forerunner in the development of these diverse commercial solutions.