Next generation Nokia 2.3 brings powerful AI to everyone

An Android experience that just keeps getting better combined with feature-packed dual camera, two-day battery life and an immersive entertainment experience.  

 Lahore (Muhammad Yasir HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, today announces the Nokia 2.3. Delivering a feature-packed camera fuelled by AI, helping you get the best shot, the Nokia 2.3 also features a large 6.2” HD+ screen and two-day battery[i] life for long-lasting and immersive entertainment. Plus, being Android™ 10 ready, the new Nokia 2.3 will receive guaranteed monthly security updates for three years and OS updates for two years, ensuring this smartphone gets better over time.

The Nokia 2.3 features a dual camera and comes with ‘Recommended Shot’, a brand-new Nokia phones feature helping you choose the best picture. Whether it’s the mid-air backflip, the family portrait where everyone is actually smiling or the winning goal, ‘Recommended Shot’ automatically captures alternate images before and after the shutter button is pressed and suggests the best one.  Alongside even more AI-powered features such as ‘Portrait Mode’ and low-light imaging, fans can capture creative images in a variety of settings.

Save precious time with the Nokia 2.3, which has a dedicated Google Assistant Button[ii]. Just use your voice to view upcoming calendar entries, commute times and other info. The Nokia 2.3 also comes with biometric face recognition, allowing you to unlock your phone at a glance.  

Juho Sarvikas, Chief Product Officer, HMD Global

“Consumers across the world have really appreciated the Nokia 2 family of products. The Nokia 2.3 is a step forward in our promise of offering you an experience that stays fresh longer – giving consumers access to two years of OS upgrades and three years of monthly security updates even in the affordable price tier. On top, it offers industry leading AI for this segment, large screen and our signature promise of two-day battery life – making it the ideal pick for those who rely on their smartphone as their primary screen.”

Bringing out your creative side

The Nokia 2.3 comes equipped with ‘Portrait Mode’, elevating your subject and subtly blurring the background, resulting in stunning portraits that pop. Simply use Google Photos to adjust the blur after you take the shot.  With a 13MP/2MP dual camera, fans can take unique portraits with a variety of exclusive bokeh – or blurred background effects such as Classic, Butterfly, Heart or Star-shaped styles. And feel like a professional by creating eye-catching photos by simply adjusting the focus when editing.

This device also combines advanced image fusion and exposure stacking (taking numerous photos in various lighting settings and blending them together), meaning you can shoot stellar images in vibrant detail, even in low-light conditions.

Long-lasting, immersive entertainment

Power through your day with the Nokia 2.3’s two-day battery life courtesy of AI-assisted Adaptive Battery technology. The device will learn your app usage habits meaning you can use your device for longer and get lost in your favourite series and movies. Sit back, relax and enjoy a large 6.2” HD+ screen from the palm of your hands, bringing your favourite stories to life.

Elegant design with everyday essentials

Inspired by its Nordic design heritage, the Nokia 2.3 delivers a timeless aesthetic that isn’t just built to look good, but to last. Featuring a 3D nano-textured cover that sits securely in your hand, this phone has a stunning finish that’s sure to leave a lasting impression. Advanced structural engineering made it possible to integrate the dual camera and flash into the rear of the phone without a camera bump. Inner high-precision diecast aluminium chassis makes the structure solid and rigid protecting all the components inside.

An experience that just keeps getting better

The Nokia 2.3 comes Android 10 ready, meaning guaranteed monthly security updates for three years and OS updates for two years to ensure the smartphone will get better over time and that the investment is future-proofed. The latest features of Android 10 will also give fans access to dark theme to save on power usage and improve visibility, as well as enhanced privacy and more, once updated.

Pricing and availability

The Nokia 2.3 comes in Cyan Green, Sand and Charcoal and will be available in Pakistan from December 20th for 18,300 PKR.

[i] Based on a real life usage test by HMD Global. See more info at www.nokia.com/phones/nokia-2 

[ii] The Google Assistant is available in selected markets and languages. Where not available The Google Assistant is replaced by Google Search. Check availability at https://support.google.com/assistant.

Engro Fertilizers signs agreement with BASF

Lahore (Muhammad YasirEngro Fertilizers signed an agreement with BASF to develop and distribute the world-renowned Nunhems brand of vegetable seeds in Pakistan. The seed to harvest solutions offered by Engro Fertilizers, coupled with Nunhems high quality vegetable seeds, will help Pakistani farmers improve their crop yields and income levels.

OPPO to showcases technology vision at the inaugural OPPO INNO DAY

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) OPPO today announced it will hold the first OPPO INNO DAY on December 10, 2019, in Shenzhen, China. Organized under the theme of Create Beyond Boundaries, the OPPO INNO DAY will highlight on the broad and deep integration of cutting-edge technologies and services in the 5G era. As the rapid development and integration of 5G, AI, cloud, big data and other advanced technologies are expected to reshape the industry, the event will also explore the future of technology with key industry experts.

Last year, OPPO held an internal technology exhibition showcasing its R&D capacity and breakthroughs across various fields, while exploring the future possibilities of mobile devices through in-depth interactions with experts from different industries. 

Building on the success of last year’s event, OPPO INNO DAY is now opened for global media, analysts, industry partners and the general public. At this year’s event, OPPO will present its latest insights and achievements in the development of consumer technologies in the area of 5G, AR, and IoT. The event will also serve as a platform for key industry partners to exchange their views on the future of technology.

OPPO INNO DAY will invite industry experts, partners and opinion leaders to shed a light on the enormous changes 5G will bring. In addition,  the innovative exhibition of this event will fully illustrating OPPO’s integrated ecosystem of cutting-edge technologies and how they fit into various user scenarios.

The future of intelligent connectivity will be unveiled on December 10th. 

Online Electronics Shopping Accelerating in Pakistan, says Qmart

When you intend to purchase electronics, there is no better option than online shopping. The digital platform of electronics shopping offers reasonable prices, discounts, wide variety, safe shopping atmosphere, and many other benefits. However, due to the frauds and frauds in Pakistan online shopping is vulnerable to quite a few people. However, some still hesitate to shop online. Although online shopping for electronics is enjoyable, individuals often tend to make some mistakes.

Hence, the online shopping experience turns out to be a bad one. Nevertheless, in order to prevent such a situation, one must avoid those errors for the best buying experience. Qmart is one of the most popular and well-known electronics online shopping websites where you get a large variety of electronics on discounted prices and some even provide a warranty.

Online electronics shopping has been accelerating in Pakistan over the last few years. People are moving forward with the advancement of the latest technologies. They look at the offers online after a very new launch. It is important for online shopping websites to keep it up to date in order to have a better selling experience. In addition, it is very important to give what you show online because people will only trust your website if you are honest and you provide the best quality at an affordable price.

Here are a few tips you should avoid while buying electronics online:

Making a quick purchase

Hurried decisions often turn out to be wrong. Before buying electronics online, make sure to avoid making quick decisions without evaluating every point of concern. You need to check the terms and conditions of the online store from which you purchase thoroughly, its return policy, shipping charges, contact details, and other important information.

Buying expensive electronics without a discount

One of the most common mistakes most people make is that they buy expensive electronics at full price. It is important that you always wait for festive seasons because at that moment most of the websites offer the best deals and discounts on a variety of electronic products.  

Going for a random website

Because of our busy schedules, most of us randomly select any website offering the best price, but we fail to check the website’s authenticity. This may cause us a big loss later on. Therefore, Make sure you read comments and reviews of the website first and then make a purchase.

 

Everywhere you go, always take Trulifi with you

Islamabad (Muhammad Yasir) Signify (Euronext: LIGHT), the world leader in lighting, is now able to provide people reliable, secure and fast connectivity everywhere they go. This follows a pilot with Ellamp Spa, an Italian designer and manufacturer of interior systems and components for public and private transport by road and rail, to provide Trulifi systems to buses. This latest development will improve passenger connectivity in buses and aims to give them more personal control over the facilities in the bus, including the air conditioning and light levels for their seat, but also the ordering of catering. The move follows a recent similar announcement with Latécoère to provide Trulifi for passenger aircraft. 

“We’re on the verge of a new era of connectivity,” said Asad Jafar, Country Leader at Signify Pakistan. “Imagine having reliable, secure and fast connectivity, wherever there is light. That is the promise of Trulifi. The ability to provide people with the same high-quality and secure connectivity experience whether they’re aboard a bus, train, airplane or on the ground.”

The pilot with Ellamp will explore whether the wiring of the control and media systems can be simplified by connecting the individual media players using LiFi. At a later stage, when telecommunications providers enable broadband support to moving vehicles, passengers will also be able to connect their own devices to the Internet via Trulifi.

The Trulifi systems are very stable as the signal is not impacted by movements of the bus. The technology uses a line-of-sight connection that gives passengers their own secure LiFi-network, instead of having to share radio waves with other travelers. Infrared light is used so the system works in any lighting condition.

In addition to that, Ellamp aims to utilize the Trulifi infrastructure to hand passengers control over the air conditioning and light levels for their seat, but also enables them to order catering, all through a single screen in front of them.

“We’re excited to work with Signify and improve the travel experience of passengers of our buses,” said Massimo Ottino, CEO at Ellamp. “The ability to provide bus companies with the technology that helps passengers to connect to media, and hands them personal control and Internet services on buses, will significantly strengthen our market position.”

Last month, Signify announced a partnership with Latécoère, a French tier 1 partner that provides Aerostructure and Interconnection systems to major international aircraft manufacturers, to develop LiFi systems in commercial airplanes. 

In airplanes, Trulifi will be used to connect media players in the headrests to the aircraft’s communication systems, providing passengers with a highly robust and fast wireless connection that doesn’t interfere with sensitive equipment and isn’t affected by the airplane’s movements. Being wireless, it also results in less cabling, and together with an infrastructure upgrade to low-weight fiber solutions, will reduce the airplane’s weight and fuel usage. In the future, passengers will also be able to connect their personal devices to the onboard media and Internet. 

Signify launched its Trulifi systems earlier this year and has installed more than 100 projects worldwide, showing a growing demand for the technology in offices, the hospitality sector, government institutions and industry. Trulifi combines energy-efficient LED lighting with a reliable, secure and high-speed two-way wireless connection, with speeds of up to 250 Mbps for the downlink and the uplink. 

Huawei urges public & private sector collaboration to promote innovation & ICT talent

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) The ICT talent gap in the Middle East must be addressed by the public and private sectors, said ambassadors and academic chancellors from across the region during the recently held ICT Talent Education Summit roundtable. The high-level discussion was hosted as part of the final of the Huawei Middle East ICT Competition 2019, which has concluded at Huawei’s global headquarters in Shenzhen, China.

As part of the Competition’s finale, China-based ambassadors and chancellors from the Middle East—representing the countries of participating students—gathered to assess the ICT sector in the region at present, and how to evolve it in the years to come. The ICT Talent Education Summit roundtable also involved academic tutors from the region, senior representatives from the UNESCO Centre for Innovation in Higher Education, the Chinese and Foreign Humanities Exchange Centre, the Department of Education and Ministry of Education in China, and the South University of Science and Technology in China.

During the roundtable, Huawei released a new whiter paper exploring ICT talent development in the Middle East. The report cites the rapid development of technologies such as 5G, AI, and cloud computing as having a significant impact on local economies leading to business growth and social development. The Middle East and Africa, as a region, spent an estimated USD$230 billion in the ICT sector last year—according to IDC—and that spend is expected to grow to USD$245 billion by the year 2020.

Roundtable participants voiced a clear consensus that governments should aim to increase investment in ICT talent enhancement and present solutions on how to address the shortage issue. Meanwhile, universities must strive to adapt their curriculum to meet the requirements of ICT talent cultivation in the future, with industry stakeholders such as telcos and leading vendors like Huawei making their own contributions to developing talent and building the ICT talent ecosystem through open collaboration with all related partners and players, in addition to targeted CSR initiatives, programs and other activities.

Charles Yang, President of HUAWEI Middle East, said: “There is a lot that the public and private sectors can still do to promote the development of ICT talent who have the capability to carry our societies forward in the new, intelligent digital era. Huawei is committed to building the ICT ecosystem in the Middle East, encouraging and fostering talent within the sector through initiatives such as the Huawei ICT Competition, Seeds for the Future program, Huawei Academy, and internship programs.”

“The ICT sector is growing in popularity amongst young professionals, but there is still a long way to go in order to close the talent gap. We must openly collaborate to make the development of young ICT talent a priority for all,” Yang added.

Recognizing the ICT sector’s growing impact on societies and businesses alike, countries across the Middle East are now implementing plans to take advantage of emerging technologies that can support digital transformation. These technologies now play a critical role in sectors such as oil and gas, construction, healthcare, and e-government. Many governments are now helping to facilitate that digitization by setting up ICT parks and special economic zones whereby foreign investors can now hold 100% business ownership. A recent Booz & Company report showed that this strategy has been working effectively, but more such efforts are needed to meet the demand.

For its part, the Huawei Middle East ICT Competition aims to nurture local talent by bringing together government authorities, colleges, and universities to support future leaders. The Competition also promotes innovation and creativity with the intention to increase national ICT competitiveness. Throughout 2019, the Huawei ICT Competition attracted more than 21,000 student registrations from 437 colleges and universities in 10 Middle East countries. This year’s final had a total of 13 teams and 20 ministries participate from countries across the region.

The IBA Karachi to observe its Annual Convocation 2019

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir) The Institute of Business Administration, Karachi will hold its Annual Convocation on December 7, 2019 to confer degrees to the graduating batch of 926 students (673 undergraduates from six programs, 252 post graduates from eight programs, and one PhD candidate).

The first batch of BS Economics and MS Journalism will graduate and enter the job market. The IBA is the first Institute to offer a specialized degree in Journalism. Eighty percent of the Institute’s current graduating batch has attained employment of their choice within 3 months of graduation.

The Chief Guest of the ceremony will be Advisor to Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh. Minister for Food and Parliamentary Affairs, Government of Sindh Mr. Nisar Ahmed Khuhro and Co-Founder The Citizens Foundation (TCF) Mr. Mushtaq Chhapra will be attending as Guests of Honour. Patron IBA and Chief Minister Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah is also expected to grace the occasion.

This year a few of the medals and awards have been sponsored by the corporate sector and philanthropists, including Martin Dow, Pakistan Beverage Limited, PepsiCo, Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGC), United Bank Limited, Pakistan Press Foundation and Aftab Associates and Mr. Mumtaz Hassan Khan.

With over 6 decades of legacy, the Institute has achieved prominence across national and international platforms due to the quality of its graduates and esteemed faculty which is well versed in numerous disciplines, where more than 60% of the faculty members hold a PhD degree.

LOGISTICS AND TRANSPORTATION

LOGISTICS AND TRANSPORTATION: WHY YOU NEED TO MODERNIZE—FAST


Legacy systems keep transportation, shipping and logistics companies stuck in the past. Most modern business verticals have already taken the leap from slow and cumbersome manual processes to the streamlined, effortless modernized systems of the digital age.

Compared to traditional methods, next-gen systems enable flexibility, inter-operability and agility – a must-have for businesses to be able to accelerate.

For example, web-based platforms can generate instant automated freight quotes that enhance the end-to-end sales process. Furthermore, these systems provide better data, business intelligence, and more accurate rates, freight capacity, and contract management.

If your transportation company hasn’t invested in modernization yet, you’re doing your competitors a favor. Why give them the edge you could keep for yourself instead?

Modernization: The Secret Weapon to Scale Transportation, Shipping, & Logistics

If your company feels stuck using the same outdated system because “that’s how it’s always been done,” the right time to break out of the confines of that limiting mentality was yesterday.

Making the decision to modernize should be simple. The real challenge is knowing where to start. As a logistics and transportation company, your software development capabilities are realistically limited.

Below is a list of the components of a smarter supply chain. Do you have these capabilities in-house?

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  • Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
  • Blockchain Technology
  • Machine Learning (ML)
  • Cloud Hosting
  • Automation and Digitalization

If the answer is no, don’t worry just yet. Engaging the right development partner will help you yield the benefits you want. When done right, digital partnerships won’t slow down the timeline before you see returns.

An expert software company can help you harness the power of automation to stomp out operational inefficiency while ramping up revenue.

Development Partners Provide Tangible Benefits: Don’t Try This Alone

A digital transformation partner can provide a wide array of benefits for freight and logistics companies. Unless you don’t have any time constraints, it is not trivial to build a team of contributors that can hit the ground running.

When choosing collaborators, look for credentials like past experience with the logistics and transportation industry. The best resources bring a keen understanding of the business processes to the table. Digital partners should fully grasp the nuances related to this business vertical.

The top 5 ways modernization adds value are listed below:

  • Increase efficiency and improve ROI
  • Enhance communication and transparency
  • Improve accuracy of utilization and cost estimates
  • Make service integration fast and seamless
  • Optimize the end-to-end user experience

The case study featured below shows how we did it for our client.

Platform Modernization for Service Relationship Management Client: A Use Case

The transportation industry’s leader in Service Relationship Management faced the common challenges traditional modes of asset tracking, fleet management, and equipment repair pose to companies in the field for over a decade.

Frustrated with inefficient legacy systems, the client engaged 10Pearls to help modernize and improve their operations. Our team collaborated with the logistics client step by step. Throughout the project, we used a design first and user-centric approach to identify pain points and brainstorm solutions.

The modernization yielded a markedly improved user experience and business processes. Ultimately, the results streamlined communication between fleets, service providers, and assets.

Deliverables included backend APIs, white-labeled mobile apps, and web applications.

 

Notable aspects of the project included:

  • Mobile-first solution
  • Case, asset, fleet, and service data
  • Full workflow access
  • Multilingual support

These platform innovations positioned the client to be named as one of Insights Success magazine’s 30 Most Innovative Companies to Watch.

Unlock Your Shipping, Logistic & Transportation Company’s Untapped Potential with Modernization

Digital modernization can help logistics and transportation companies differentiate themselves from the competition. Reach new customers and more importantly, retain existing clients in an otherwise commoditized industry by taking this crucial step. It’s the key your company needs to unlock exponential growth.

Modern digital platforms can seamlessly and instantly connect logistics service providers with freight forwarders and carriers. The ease of collaboration from this digitalized process leaves slow, unwieldy, and often-inaccurate legacy processes in the dust — and your competitors along with them.

 By – 10Pearls

Telenor Microfinance Bank Inaugurates New Head Office

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Telenor Microfinance Bank (TMB) announced that it was relocating its head office to a new purpose built location on main Khayaban e Nishat, Defence Housing Authority, Karachi. The Bank’s head office was previously located at K.C.H.S Union. The move comes in wake of the Bank’s expanding customer base and services and the new location will serve the purpose effectively.

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the occasion in the presence of Board Members as well as the Leadership Team of the Bank. The executives were then taken on a tour of the new office highlighting the various facilities and features that will be provided to the staff.

Expressing their views, the senior Leadership Team members appreciated the direction in which the organization was headed and reiterated that TMB would remain dedicated in providing the best and most innovative services to its customers in the future.

Speaking on the occasion, Mohammad MudassarAqil, President & CEO, Telenor Microfinance Bank, instilled new motivation in the team stating:

“Telenor Microfinance Bank has always been at the forefront when it comes to serving its customers. However, the real success of an organization is in how well it treats its employees. This new office is a personification of that vision. A change of environment is important and we hope the freshly built premises with modern interior and facilities will help provide a renewed spirit to our team members to continue their journey towards transforming the financial landscape of Pakistan.”

Also sharing his views on this major development, IrfanWahab Khan, Chairman Telenor Microfinance Bank and Head of Emerging Asia cluster Telenor Group, said, “The relocation of Telenor Microfinance Bank head office to a new purpose-built building is a sheer proof of the organization’s movement in the right direction. It’s a big step forward for the Bank as it reflects the expansion of business operations and a heightened demand for the Bank’s innovative financial solutions. Telenor Microfinance Bank’s decade-long journey has been full of noteworthy achievements and this development simply adds to that growing list.”

In addition to the relocation of Karachi headquarters, Telenor Microfinance Bank’s Islamabad office has also been moved from the old location of sector F-11 to the new one in the city’s bustling G-10 sector. There too, the movement has taken place in response to the growing business and expanding the footprint of the Bank’s products and services.

Telenor Microfinance Bank Limited is Pakistan’s leading microfinance institution having a distribution network of over 130 thousand agents and 177 touch points nationwide. It provides microfinance and related financial services to the underprivileged and unbanked segment of the country, with an aim to empower societies.

(CAP) welcoming the Prime Minister Imran Khan’s decision

CONSTRUCTORS WELCOME SETTING UP OF

CONSTRUCTION & INFRASTRUCTURE BOARD

Islamabad (Muhammad Yasir) Constructors Association of Pakistan (CAP) welcoming the Prime Minister Imran Khan’s decision of setting up of ‘Construction and Infrastructure Board (CIDB)’ has stressed the need of immediately setting up Construction Development Bank (CDB) and Immediate Bridge Financing facilities of all Federal and Provincial Projects by the Commercial Banks.

It may be mentioned here that the Prime Minister announced setting up of this board during a meeting with a delegation of the Association recently led by its Chairman Muhammad Asad Ullah Khan. CAP leadership also thanked the premier for approving the construction sector as Industry and said that construction development bank is essential to pace up construction activities in the country, which will lead to job creation and mobilization of 40 ancillary industries.

It is globally acknowledged that construction sector play a major role in the economic development and uplift of a country.  Construction provides job opportunities to millions of skilled and un-skilled labor force.  It is considered as one of the largest employment generating sector after Agriculture, said CAP Chairman Muhammad Asad Ullah Khan here on Wednesday.

He said unfortunately, in Pakistan no such body has been established so far that could cater to the needs and contribute to the development of construction industry. He demanded that the proposed Board should have the mandate of restoring the Pakistan Institute of Costs and Contracts (PICC), to advise and make recommendations to the Federal Government and the Provincial Governments on matters affecting or connected with the construction industry; promote, stimulate and undertake research into any matter relating to the construction industry and promote, and assist in the export of services relating to the construction industry.

He also urged that the government to authorize this board to promote and encourage quality assurance in the construction industry, regulate the conformance of standards for construction workmanship and materials and register and accredit contractors and consultants, to impose any conditions of registration and accreditation of the contractors and consultants to revoke, suspend or reinstate the registration and accreditation.

The CAP Chairman Muhammad Asadullah Khan and other office-bearers also drew the attention of the government towards another important demand of the construction industry i.e., establishment of Construction Development Bank and Immediate Bridge Financing of all Federal and Provincial Projects by Commercial Banks.

They observed that the construction projects are generally delayed due to delay in release of funds in the public sector projects.  This delay increases the amount of interest on the delayed payments, lead to increased constructors claims and litigation, increases the escalation charges and also delay completion of projects.

NAB laws needs to be amended to stop undue harassment to Construction Industry, the CAP leadership also demanded and added that NAB should treat Construction Industry at par with Other Industries and Businesses.