Unreal experience

85 iNCh s9 UhD

Unreal size

On the cover: Lira

Photographer: Chris Saunders

Stylist: Melissa Maxted-Henderson

Lira wears China collar by Marianne Fassler

Red crochet necklace from The Space

Purple plastic choker from China City

Plastic bag cuff from Marianne Fassler

Lego earrings by Toyboy Designs

Introduction: KK Mr Park ...............4

The histor y of Samsung .................8

Need to know ................................. 10

Lady Lira .......................................... 32

create/inspireBuilt for Africa ................................ 36

Designed in Asia ............................ 40

Marianne Fassler ........................... 46

African subcultures ...................... 56

Korean subcultures .......................61

K-pop ................................................ 64

The Kleek......................................... 71

Music in Africa ............................... 72

4610

32

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share/investYoung reporters on AFCON ........ 80

Solar Powered Health Centre .... 86

Engineering Academy ................. 88

Solar Powered Internet School . 90

playKorea and Africa ............................ 98

48 Hours in Cape Town .............. 100

Consumer Electronics Show .... 108

A day in the life of Ntutule........ 112

90

49

inside S13

Contributors

Amichai Tahor, Brett Rubin, Chipo Mapondera,

Chris Saunders, Daniele Tamagni, Dion Chang,

Frances Van Jaarsveldt, Frank Marshal, Genevieve Fisher,

Kate White, Vali Mbusi, Michael Beech, Nell Wulf hart,

Patrick Latimer, Phiona Okumu, Sandiso Ngubane,

SDR Photo, Shanna Jones, Toby Shapsak.

For editorial queries contact

S13@breinstorm.co.za

S13 is published quarterly for

Samsung Electronics Africa by

Breinstorm Brand Architects,

Dispatch Building, The Media Mill ,

7 Quince Street, Milpark, SA, 2092

S13 Quarter 1

Editor in Chief Eben Keun

Editor Emma Jordan

Finance Ilan Green

Designers Leanie Herbst,

Lexi Monzeglio, Jacques du Toit

Production Michelle Nelson

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Smart Africa with Samsung Mr KK Park, CEO of Samsung Electronics Africa, introduces

Samsung’s vision for Africa at the Africa Forum 2013

“Welcome to the inaugu-ral issue of S13 – Sam-sung’s first premium magazine, launching at the Africa Forum

2013. I’d like to take the op-portunity to use this platform to share with you Samsung’s key components for the future of Samsung in Africa.

We know that across Africa, people face difficulties that come from the environment such as power shortages, lack of hospitals, education issues, immature social infrastruc-tures and systems. Many of these difficulties may not exist in other parts of world.

Samsung’s key concern has been, and will continue to be, how do we develop the technology to resolve all these difficulties that Afri-can people face. How do we

contribute to making a smarter Africa? The answer: Built for Africa technology.

In 2010, when we had our first Africa Forum, we intro-duced and actively started the Built for Africa initiative. We brought over 500 engineers, market researchers, and R&D specialists around the world to travel throughout Africa to understand the needs and wants of the African consumer. I myself visited 46 countries, and even spent time in the homes of local people. We developed unique hardware for the African people — air con-ditioners, washing machines, televisions, mobile phones — that have been adapted to the African environment to serve the African people better.

Now, three years later its very clear that Samsung’s

presence in Africa is about bringing Samsung’s smart world to the continent, cre-ating a smart ecosystem for Africa. This is not just about the hardware, it’s also about the software. It’s about mak-ing a contribution, looking for smart solutions, and being able to do this through our unique business portfolio.

No other technology company in the world has such a broad product portfolio as Samsung.

In the past this was a weak point; analysts argued, saying that companies had to focus on one particular business to determine strength and competitiveness. Now the era of convergence technology is wide open. Today, the technol-ogy for a mobile phone can be applied to a TV - and what was

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developed for a TV can now be applied to a mobile phone. Technologies now merge to-gether to develop a completely new value proposition.

The consumer has also changed. No longer is the customer after an individ-ual device for an individual purpose. Today, they expect solution-based devices for life and lifestyle enhancement. As a result, different technologies need to combine to offer a more solution-based value proposi-tion. No longer is Samsung an individual hardware vendor of an individual device. Today, we offer a total solution.

To provide a total solu-tion there must be a thread to link them all. This year we invited lots of partners to become part of the Samsung ecosystem. We joined with Blue Financial Services, to provide microfinance solutions, enabling a wider market to af-ford premium devices. We have also entered into partnerships

with Intel, Microsoft, dstv and Universal Music, to provide content and software solutions that are unique to Africa.

Contribution underlies all we do in Africa. We organised the first Africa Smart Govern-ment Summit — a seminar where all the senior govern-ment officers from 50 countries shared their difficulties with running government in Africa.

We listened to their pain points: lots of young people live without power so they cannot access the internet or proper schooling; health care is an issue; job prospects are low, etc. We started providing solutions by introducing Smart Schools Solutions: Solar Powered Generators and Solar Pow-ered Internet Schools; Smart Healthcare Solutions: the Solar Powered Mobile Health Centre; Smart Safe Community Solutions and Smart e-Govern-ance Solutions, etc.

As a company, our business purpose is to contribute to the society where we live: busi-ness exists to make a contribu-tion to human society. If our contribution is recognised then our business grows in terms of revenue, profit, and brand reputation. Our success in business is determined only by contribution.

This year we will continue to focus on designing Built for Africa solutions that serve not only individual but also govern-ment and business enterprise, we will continue to develop more relevant solution-based business, and continue devel-oping Built for Africa technol-ogy in order to contribute to a smarter Africa.”

�Technologies now

merge together

to develop a

completely new

value proposition

�

Ostrich (Struthio camelus) parent with chicks - Etosha National Park, Namibia

1998

Lee byung-chullfounded Samsungshangoe, a grocery& noodle co. with 40 employees

Samsung Techwinstarted making

cameras

Samsung group entered into the

electronics industry

enters tele-communicationsindustry. Early products were switchboards.

1980

1980

1938

Lee Byung-chull foundedSamsung Shangoe, they

traded with groceries and noodles

40 EMPLOYEES

1950’sLee Byung-chull

started a sugar refinery named Cheil Jedang,

followed by the largest woollen mill in the country

1960’s

SAMSUNGelectronicsestablished

SAMSUNG TECHWINfounded

1977

1979

1982

IntroducedSPC-1000,

Samsung’s first personal computer-

it used an audio casette tape to

load and save data

Production of B/W TV sets

begin

1972

Samsung Techwin started manufacturing jet engines for Korean aircraft

The history of Samsung

1987

FOUNDER DIES

1995Samsung created its first

LCD SCREEN

Becomes a worldwideOlympic partner 1997

Samsung Techwinbecame solesupplier of a

combustor modulefor the Rolls Royce

Trent 900

World’s firstdigital TV

1999

Develops first MP3 phone

Becomesgloballeader in flash memory

2003

2006

offices & facilities

203

countries

in

75

employees236 000

WORLDWIDE:2013

2011

handsets sold 330 MILLION

Solar Powered Internet School2012

LAUNCHED IN TEMBISA, SOUTH AFRICA

World’s mostsustainable technologycompany

1969

Samsung started to rise as an internationalcorporation

1990’s

Samsung became the largest producer of memory chipsin the world

1992The company develops the world'sfirst 64M DRAM

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1998

Lee byung-chullfounded Samsungshangoe, a grocery& noodle co. with 40 employees

Samsung Techwinstarted making

cameras

Samsung group entered into the

electronics industry

enters tele-communicationsindustry. Early products were switchboards.

1980

1980

1938

Lee Byung-chull foundedSamsung Shangoe, they

traded with groceries and noodles

40 EMPLOYEES

1950’sLee Byung-chull

started a sugar refinery named Cheil Jedang,

followed by the largest woollen mill in the country

1960’s

SAMSUNGelectronicsestablished

SAMSUNG TECHWINfounded

1977

1979

1982

IntroducedSPC-1000,

Samsung’s first personal computer-

it used an audio casette tape to

load and save data

Production of B/W TV sets

begin

1972

Samsung Techwin started manufacturing jet engines for Korean aircraft

The history of Samsung

1987

FOUNDER DIES

1995Samsung created its first

LCD SCREEN

Becomes a worldwideOlympic partner 1997

Samsung Techwinbecame solesupplier of a

combustor modulefor the Rolls Royce

Trent 900

World’s firstdigital TV

1999

Develops first MP3 phone

Becomesgloballeader in flash memory

2003

2006

offices & facilities

203

countries

in

75

employees236 000

WORLDWIDE:2013

2011

handsets sold 330 MILLION

Solar Powered Internet School2012

LAUNCHED IN TEMBISA, SOUTH AFRICA

World’s mostsustainable technologycompany

1969

Samsung started to rise as an internationalcorporation

1990’s

Samsung became the largest producer of memory chipsin the world

1992The company develops the world'sfirst 64M DRAM

S1 3 Infogr a phIc

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G O I N G F O R G O L D After the huge success of the 2012 London Olympic Games, Samsung has confirmed that they will be a major sponsor at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. Their game plan for 2014: make the event the most innovative and socially accessible Games in the entire history of the Olympics.

There are a number of innovations that they will implement. WOW (Wireless Olympic Works), a platform that the Olympic Family of VIPs, organisers, staff and officials use to receive the latest, up-to-date informa-tion, will now have a public component.

Sports fans and media will be able to access real-time

news, updated event schedules, weather forecasts, results, medal count, stats and other info throughout the duration of the Games.

To commemorate the event, limited edition phones will be designed. During the Games, Samsung Global Bloggers will be able to use these phones to share their Sochi 2014 experience with the entire world.

In an effort to make the athletes more accessible, Team Samsung will also be hosting events where athletes and sport fans will be able to interact on a personal level.

Need to Know

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S A M S U N G K N O X As the name suggests, Knox is a security system that sets up barriers between content on PCs, smartphones and other devices, providing secure remote access to ensure information is divided and protected.

Easily accessible via an icon on the home screen, the Knox container lets users manage the security of their email, browser, contacts, calendars, file sharing and business intelligence applications.

It is specifically useful as an application to separate business and personal content that co-exists on a single device. In office space where BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) takes place, business data and applications can be protected from data leakage, viruses and malware attacks.

Aligned with the Samsung For Enterprise (SAFE) programme, this effort is part of Samsung’s attempt at ensuring that their devices are ready and stable for enterprise use. The development relieves the pressure on developers — they no longer need to create individual enterprise features for each system.

JK Shin, President and Head of IT and Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics said, “Security and privacy are held up as barriers to businesses embracing BYOD demands. Meanwhile, users are seeing the latest smartphones and tablets and knocking at the door of IT demand-ing to be able to use their own devices.” Thanks to Samsung, that’s no longer a problem.

WORK PLAY

S E R V I N G I T U P Recognising the need for a premium service offering for Samsung’s most discerning cus-tomers, the Customer Service Plaza was launched with an initial roll out in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. The CSP offers custom-ers access to top-of-the-range Samsung products in a dedicated environment with smart, knowl-edgeable staff.

Smart Experience Zone’s allow interaction with products, free access and use of the internet as well as a tea and coffee area. Customer service will naturally be at a premium level and a fast, one day turnaround on repairs is guar-anteed. More Customer Service Plazas are planned for roll out in Port Elizabeth and Pretoria.

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S A M S U N G P A R T N E R S H I P SSamsung continues to create solutions by creating strategic partnerships that benefit Built for Africa

SAMSUNG PARTNERS WITH INTEL Samsung and Intel have joined together to design a new product that shall initially be specific to educa-tion in Africa. The collaboration extends to joint marketing activities to further educate consumers through Africa. Intel is also involved with Samsung Smart Education Solutions and is funding technical teacher training for teachers of the Solar Powered Internet Schools.

SAMSUNG PARTNERS WITH MICROSOFT Samsung and Microsoft have come together to collaborate on the development of Africa specific software solutions. The collaboration extends to create a strong alliance that helps with consumer education.

SAMSUNG PARTNERS WITH BLUE FINANCIAL SERVICES Samsung has partnered with one of Africa’s most prolific and successful micro-financiers to access the next level of African consumer. By joining with Blue Financial Services, with representation in 14 countries throughout Africa, Samsung is able to offer microfinance options to customers and employers, thereby enabling the premium products to be more affordable, without compromising on quality.

SAMSUNG PARTNERS WITH LEARNTHINGS By partnering with Learnthings, Samsung offers a turnkey solution for the Samsung Smart School solution. Learnthings is a unique African company that translates and adapts the full schooling curricu-lum into Portuguese, French and English. Teaching is also tweaked and adapted according to specific countries in Africa. By partnering with Samsung, these solutions are offered across the Smart School environment - from eBoards, through Notebooks. By digitising content, online time is minimised and the curriculum is stored on a local server. There is also a collaboration across student management software.

SAMSUNG PARTNERS WITH ALWAYS ON Samsung South Africa, in partnership with Always On, will be offering all its wifi capable mobile phone, tablet and laptop computer clients, 1 gigabyte of free WiFi per month, for the next 12 months. This will apply to all consumers whether purchasing new devices or with existing devices. In addition to using their current GSM connectivity, Samsung clients will now be able to use hotspots around South Africa at no cost. This, combined with many premium content partnerships, means our clients will now be even closer to experiencing the world of high quality digital entertainment.

SAMSUNG PARTNERS FOR EDUCATION Education is a critical component in improving the lives of people in Africa and Samsung is strongly commit-ted to driving digital education across the continent. Technology provides an opportunity for students to access a rich library of information from anywhere at any time. We’ve partnered with many leading pub-lishers including Pearson, Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Macmillan, Siyavula and Via Afrika.

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Instant Photos. Instant sharIng.The NX300, the latest camera from Samsung’s successful NX range, will completely change the way you document and share your life and work.

From taking and sharing work or personal photos when away from your desktop to upgrading your stills and movies to 3D format, it’s a game changer in the compact camera category. The NX300 also provides seamless syncing between your devices, making for real time uploads and downloads, without any lag or downtime.

Using the camera’s Smart Mode, users can choose from fourteen different settings, and automati-cally adjust parameters such as aperture and shutter speed in order to obtain the best shot possible for each situation.

Image quality is of paramount importance: a 20.3 megapixel sensor, capable of capturing high quality detail, is one of the most appealing features of the camera. Images are rendered crisp and clear, and in life-like colours.

Instant sharing is enabled through enhanced WiFi connectivity: photos can be posted on social networking sites, directly from the camera. If you work on multiple devices, the NX300 automatically shares your camera content. For professional photographers, this means no lag between shooting time and the time it takes to up- or download an image to another device.

Alternatively, photos can be saved for later use – images are automati-cally backed up on all your devices. If you’ve ever lost your photos due to hardware or theft issues, you’ll be

pleased to know that AllShare also stores your data in the cloud.

The NX300 is compatible with Samsung’s entire range of NX lenses and professional standard accessories, opening up a range not usually available for compact camera users. The Samsung 45mm 2D/3D lens (sold separately) can be attached to the NX300 to capture

both stills and 1080p HD video in perfect 3D quality.

For people who want to take professional-quality type photos without having to carry kilograms of equipment, the NX300 offers the freedom of movement with the connectivity that modern lifestyle photographers need in their fast-moving lives.

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Abstract ceiling decoration, Libya

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Jet Plane engInes revolutIonIse the aIr Con Industry It’s the first time in the industry that a cooling sys-tem has been combined with a jet engine aerody-namic design.

It might only be an air-con, but the Samsung F900 employs some of the most sophisticated technol-ogy in aerodynamics. Known as High-Pass Tornado technology, the strengthened wind turbine uses three powerful twister winds to cool an entire house, quickly and quietly.

As soon as the user turns on the switch, the air-condi-tioner instantly cools air absorbed from the indoor unit. The fans then spread the cool air throughout the room. Each fan operates independently so that the best cool-ing mode can be chosen for the situation.

The F900 also has a Smart Inverter Compressor. This adjusts the speed and intensity of the fans according

to the temperature. By running at the correct speed, energy waste is reduced to a minimum. Users can also set a target temperature: when that is reached an alert is sounded and users can switch off the air-con, thereby saving electricity.

There is even a filter that uses magnets to attract and eliminate dust, keeping the air clean and healthy. As part of this system, the Virus Doctor uses negative ions to attract and destroy harmful viruses. This is an extremely important development in air-con design, as cooling systems can often spread sickness in a closed environment.

The Samsung F900 is brilliant in any hot or humid environment and elegant silhouette and compact body is designed to blend into the family home. As quietly as possible.

�The strengthened

wind turbine uses

three powerful

twister winds to

cool an entire

house, quickly

and quietly.

�S 1 3

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the 8 InCh galaxy note Is herea unIverse of oPtIons

The 8-inch Galaxy Note has landed. And it’s got even more benefits than its predecessor.

It’s a pocket-sized tablet that is easy to carry, yet contains all the features that you need to run your daily life and business.

It’s a practical tablet. With S Note and S Planner you can manage meeting notes, to-do lists and personal diary entries. Using the S Pen, this content can be accessed in much the same way that a traditional pen would be used on paper. Simply write on or above the tablet and Samsung’s intel-ligent Handwriting-to-Text conversion system interprets your words.

The Galaxy Note 8.0 comes preloaded with content and apps. Upgraded Chat-On

allows you to chat using multi-ple formats – images, videos, voice and contacts can all be sent while you converse.

On the tablet interface you are able to view two screens at the same time. Known as Dual View, the split screen works across all apps and features. Content can also be resized, dragged or dropped as required. None of this inter-feres negatively with the call function of your tablet.

In fact it enhances the phone’s functionality. While you are on a call you can use Dual View to pull up S Note, allowing you to jot down important information as you talk. You can also access the browser, pulling up, for exam-ple, your email if you need to refer to something.

Awesome Note, a new fea-ture, has unlimited capacity

for memo, meeting, diary and note taking. For entertain-ment, Flipboard developed a customised Samsung app for you to keep up to date with news and store photos, videos and information – all in one place.

Finally, Smart Remote lets you turn your tablet into a universal remote control and programming guide so that you can manage your TV, DVD and Blue-ray viewing schedule. If you’d rather read, Reading Mode transforms your Galaxy Note 8.0 into an e-Book reader.

The Galaxy Note 8.0 takes the tablet experience into the next stage – everything has been designed to sup-port your practical everyday needs and to ensure that you achieve new levels of efficient multi- tasking.

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C r e a t i v e C r o w d s o u r c i n gA NYC fashion design collaboration takes online/offline creative crowdsourcing to the next level.

Known for his urban, edgy cool, NYC-based fashion designer Alexander Wang cemented his reputation as a veritable design talent when it was announced late last year that he would be joining luxury consortium PPR as Creative Director of Balenciaga. The deal, which sees him heading up the mens', womens' and accessories division, as well as overseeing the overall 'look' of the

brand, is a great fit. Wang is a special brand of insouci-ant cool - he knows how to mix up just the right amount of goth punk with a sophisticated slick cut and the finest materials. It's this that draws his loyal clientele, a celebrity fan base, and makes him the centre of one of New York's chicest creative movements.

It's no wonder then, that when searching for a designer to add creative mettle and influence to 'the next big thing', Samsung turned to Wang and asked him to curate a group of his friends. Bringing together photographers, stylists and fellow designers to 'doodle' and co-share these 'doodles' across the GALAXY Note II. The final images, patterns or pho-tographs, are then collated to create a collectively-inspired final print. The print shall be made up into a limited-edition bag, sales of which will benefit Art Start, an award-winning charity that uses the arts to nurture the creative talents of at-risk children and youth.

“I am most inspired from my everyday life and the people that surround me, so the idea of a co-creation with the people that I admire and respect the most is very exciting,” said the designer. “This collaboration

�The idea of a co-creation

with the people that I

admire and respect the

most is very exciting.

�represents a new way that technology and style can come together. And, through a concerted effort, I am happy to be a part of supporting such a great charity as Art Start that embraces creativity and art in a way that can change lives.”

“Wang’s passion for experimentation, his playful sensibility and his on-the-go lifestyle are the traits that we seek to empower with the Samsung GALAXY Note II,” said Younghee Lee, Executive Vice President of Samsung Mobile. “Technology is becoming more deeply linked with the creative processes of fashion designers, and Samsung products are empowering users with the freedom to be creative and productive without limits. As technology and fashion converge, we will continue to create products that inspire passion through innovation.”

Wang on the GALAXY Note II

Doodles from his friends

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A t o p t h e s u m m i tFor Cindy Poole, founder and creative director of The Summit, designing accessories for the 21st Century is not about fashionable trends but about the value of premium materials and a good dose of personal character.

Cindy Poole doesn’t consider her-self a fashion designer. In fact when it comes to inspiration she turns to the disciplines of architecture and sculpture. “I design objects that people desire and want to live with; objects which the wearer can imprint their characters onto, and that have longevity.” For Cindy, good-quality leather is a material that allows for this, “it wears well and in a way takes on the character of its owner,” she says.Cindy’s young accessories busi-ness is the amalgamation of many influences; her innate creativity which lead her to study fine art and film-making in her early student days, the influence of her father’s vocation as a small leather goods manufacturer in East London and the many holidays she spent “mucking about in his factory”. Most recently she completed a business course at UCT’s Graduate School of Business. “I had to initiate a business plan in twelve weeks and the idea to create a range of belts was the starting point. I came up with the design; a belt with no buckle, which is still one of the most popular items as it captures the aesthetic of The Summit; clean, simple and functional.”Add in fine materials and highly skilled craftsmanship and you have

the core values that have garnered The Summit a huge following since its inception three years ago, with an acknowledgement in 2011 by Wallpaper Magazine listing Cindy as one of South Africa’s top 20 young creatives. info@thesummitcloset. com. thesummitcloset.com

�I design objects that people desire and

want to live with; objects which the

wearer can imprint their characters

onto...

�

The Summit range of luxury leather products for men

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The future is here: a fridge that communicates with the outside world. It’s not science fiction, rather an intelligently designed appliance that is connected to the internet.

Operating throughout Android, the T9000 from Samsung has apps such as Evernote and Epicurious. Conveniently located on the fridge door, you can search for recipes, run slideshows, watch videos and use the touchscreen to write notes. You can also access weather reports, use Twitter or consult your Google Calendar system.

The four-door refrigerator also does what it does best: keeps food fresher for longer.

The T9000, installed with Samsung’s Triple Cooling system, does this through a sophisticated cooling sys-tem that maintains commercial grade humidity levels in all the fresh food compartments.

Inside, the French-door refrigerator compartment at the top offers 551 litres, in the lower right side there’s a capacity of 174.5 litres and another 174.5 litres avail-able for fresh food storage. The freezer sits on the left hand side of the refrigerator and can store up to 174.5 litres of produce.

The lower right compartment can be changed according to what your needs are: you can turn it into a freezer, set it aside as a storage area for a family mem-ber with dietary restrictions, or adjust the temperature and make it cool enough to store beverages.

All these settings are organised through the touch-screen on the front of the fridge.

The 900 litre capacity refrigerator is as beautiful as it is smart. Sleek lines, four doors and a metallic grey finish make the T9000 a stylish addition to the modern kitchen.

home entertaIner’s ultImate frIdge

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At 85”, the Samsung S9 UHD redefines the market, by offering the

best picture in the largest size possible.

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The S9 UHD is a game changer for the industry. Most importantly though, market demand has finally been met – consumers can watch television, movies and other content on 85 inches of screen, in picture-perfect clarity.

Because of the staggering size of the screen, and a promise to never compromise on quality, Samsung had to revolutionise the digital components usually used when building an Ultra High Definition TV.

UHD, a digital TV format that has four times the resolution and num-ber of pixels than an HD TV, requires a stronger framework, but the design and technical team insisted that the styling and functionality of the S9 UHD not be compromised in any way.

Rather than a home appliance, the design team wanted the S9 UHD to become part of the interior décor as a piece of high-quality furniture, enhancing and adding to the value of the user’s home.

After experiments with different structures, the Samsung team cre-ated an elegant “frame” concept. The screen lives within this design and does not distract from the overall beauty of the piece.

The S9’s sound system is another revolutionary aspect. To stop the TV vibrating the unit would need a lot of screws, but these looked unsightly.

Instead of reducing the quality of the audio, the team successfully developed a technology to absorb the sound. The TV carries a speaker

capacity of 120 watts – six times the speaker capacity of general TVs.

As the most premium TV product on the market, the S9 UHD is a complete home entertainment extravaganza. The effect of the screen is totally immersive. With deep blacks and hyper-real colours, seamless integration between the frame and picture and pitch perfect sound that surrounds you, it’s the full experience for the most dis-cerning of all TV aficionadas around the world.

The innovation of the S9 UHD has been recognised throughout the world, most notably at the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show , where Samsung won the Best of Innovations Award, the most prestigious award at the show.

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Oil and water bubbles

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CInema QualIty. no matter Where your Content Comes fromImagine a movie-style experience from the comfort of your

own home, no matter what format you choose.

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For years, manufacturers have been promising a cinema experience to home audiences. And while the technology in home systems can deliver this, the output has largely depended on the quality of the content.

Unsurprisingly, the solution comes from Samsung. With the HT-F9750W your viewing experi-ence is not determined by the quality of the content that you have – the advanced system converts multiple video and audio formats into Ultra High Definition quality. Even videos set as low was 1080p can be upgraded through this technology.

This cutting edge technology has only recently reached a level where the experience is actually akin to that of an outing to the cinema, and is perfectly aligned to be the seam-less counterpart for a Samsung 2013 TV.

The sound design is impeccable. There are a total of five speakers: four 7-inch 1330W tallboy speakers with swivel units, plus a wireless rear speaker that can be placed anywhere in the room. There is also

a GaN Amp to support base sounds, giving your movie experience even more weight.

The system has a web browser and has built in WiFi. The HT-F9750W also comes loaded with Samsung’s Smart Hub system. Through Smart Hub you can view up to five channels or pieces of content on one screen, then flip through them and choose what you feel like watching.

There’s a Blu-ray player for premium content viewing, as well as Samsung’s AllShare system for wireless multimedia streaming between a computer and device.

Due to its impressive size, the team have made sure that the home theatre system is a display piece – the look is clean and slick and is designed to fit in with the design of a modern family’s viewing lounge. The exterior is coated in a superior metallic finish.

It’s a competitive market, especially when it comes to premium end product offer-ings, but Samsung’s HT-F9750W home theatre system is the most advanced option if you’re look-ing for picture-perfect Ultra High Definition quality, no matter where the content comes from.

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the Whole nIne yards

It’s the computer range for consumers who want to stay at the cutting-edge of technology. The all-new Samsung Series 9 is finally here – and it doesn’t disappoint. Combining the ultimate in crafts-manship with precision engineer-ing and revolutionary design, Samsung’s latest offering moves the premium computer category into a new space.

Two models have been released: a notebook and a monitor.

The Series 9 Notebook is incred-ibly slim and has been designed to fit into a single shell. The 0.58 inches, 15-inch notebook weighs only 1.59kg, making it 50% more compact than traditional portable notebooks of the same size.

The 13-inch Series 9 measures only 0.5 inches and weighs just 1.16kg — 28% smaller than its predecessor. Both screens have anti-reflective LED displays to pro-vide users with a brilliant viewing experience – even when working outdoors.

The Series 9 monitor looks absolutely beautiful in any setting. Made from crystal clear glass and

encased in a metallic case, the computer has been specifically designed to appeal to the creative professionals that will use it for its superior functionality.

For photographers, designers and programmers useful features such as Natural Colour Expert, a colour calibration function that adjusts screen-colours to represent them as found in nature, and MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link) technology, a system that allows users to sync content from one device to a bigger screen, will be especially appealing.

The monitor also has PLS (Plane Line Switching) panels, a device

that offers 178 degree viewing angles, both horizontally and verti-cally. The actual screen provides 2560x1440 QHD (quad high-definition) resolution, making it four times crisper than the average 720p HD resolution.

The Series 9 Monitor has two-channel high quality stereo speakers and is fantastic for enter-tainment viewing purposes.

The Series 9 monitor and note-book might have been designed with professionals in mind, but we reckon it’s the customers who are looking for that something special who’ll really put it to good use.

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The Whole NiNe Yards

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Fresh from Washington, South Africa's most successful singer- songwriter, becomes brand ambassador for Samsung's home appliances

Lady Lira

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It’s less than 24hrs since Lira got off the plane from the US. She looks radiant and shines in her blue-patterned David Tlale shirt and beaten copper

loop earrings. As she takes her seat in front of a group of select South African media at the Orange AFCON Sandton City Samsung fan site, she’s introduced by Samsung’s Head of Corporate Marketing and Communications South Africa,

Dr. Michelle Potgieter. Phrases, such as “singing sensation” and “most successful celebrity” are bandied about before she is announced as the new face of Samsung Home Appliances for Africa. The deal ensures Lira is not only the ambassador for the brand, but will also star in the brand’s advertising and be ‘the face’ for the next three years.

“Samsung is an incred-ible brand,” she says, smiling graciously. “Not only are they creating effective products for the continent, but they are also energy aware. I like to have authentic involvement and I’ve always been a fan of Samsung. I admire what they’re doing for the environment, the way they

marry technology and energy efficient principals — especially when it comes to domestic appliances.”

Three days later and we’re in a studio in Johannesburg. Her studio, but she’s not recording. She’s been doing interviews for six hours and ever the professional, breezes into our session, greets every-one and proceeds to tell us not only about her experience in

Washington DC, where she was invited to perform for President Obama’s second inauguration, but also about the determina-tion with which she has built her career.

“As an African child I had to deal with certain percep-tions that were placed on me,” she says. “Just by virtue of me being born on this continent. One of them was don’t bother dreaming - we’re charity cases. This does a lot to a child grow-ing up. I realised how many of these things affect a lot of us to this day - you can let yourself be totally overcome by your circumstances.

I have been able to trans-form my life in ways that amaze

me. So I have attached a pur-pose to that because I recognise that if I’m able to do that, any African child can do that.”

Born Lerato Malope, to all intents and purposes she was supposed to follow her parents into a corporate 9-5 job. And she did. But not for long. The story goes that the trained accountant was tediously crunching numbers, “making money, getting promotions, wearing suits,” when she was overcome with a great sense of ennui: “it wasn’t fulfilling me.” Her mother, getting more annoyed by her daughter’s petulance, asked her what she wanted to do.

“I said if I had a choice I would like to be a musician. It was my only association with a sense of vibrancy, a sense of life - as a musician you never know what is coming next. I felt alive on stage. I thought if I’m going to be fulfilled that is a pretty safe place [on the stage] to look for it. And I went for it. That was eleven years ago and of course it’s worked out of me. Admittedly I was 21 and it’s easier when you’re that young and you don’t have a husband, children, debt - but I’m so glad that I made that move.”

Four albums, two concert DVDs, numerous concerts, private gigs, a mini-tour around the US in 2011 and ‘that’ invitation to the Ambassador’s ball at the 2013 inauguration indicates the move paid off. “I am in awe of how my life has turned out.

It surprises me all the time. I’m having the time of my life. There is always a new experience, there are always plenty of surprises and I get to make a living out of it. Does it get any better? I don’t know.” Ph

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create/inspire

Building Africa

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Samsung is at the forefront of connecting the continent through it’s

innovative product development and Corporate Social Responsibility

(CSR) initiatives tailored specifically for the African environment.

When Mr KK Park, CEO of Samsung Electron-ics Africa, addressed the Africa Forum last year he highlighted

the success of the Built for Africa initiative, stating: “At our very first Africa Forum, in 2010, I announced the plan to grow our business in Africa — and today, I am pleased to announce that we are well on track to meet this objective.”

He added, “Over the next 3 – 4 years this growth will be underpinned by a focus on 3 key premises; Built for Africa research and development, B2B and B2G partnerships sup-ported by key Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives and of course, growing and strength-ening our partner network across Africa to reach our core mission – to inspire the future of Africa!”

Samsung does this by investing in product and initia-

tive solutions that are specifi-cally relevant to the African market. Including developing technology that meets the needs of the African people’s local environment.

Samsung hopes to build a smarter African future by enabling African people to live lives that are easier, healthier and better connected.

Through the Hope for Children programme Samsung runs The Samsung Engineer-ing Academies, has pioneered the Solar Powered Internet Schools and later this year, will be rolling out the Solar Powered Medical Health Cen-tres. Samsung was also keenly involved with the 2013 Orange AFCON tournament, and ena-bled Samsung Youth Reporters unique opportunities to report on the games. This initiative proved Samsung once again not only invests in the hardware to educate the next genera-

tion of African people, but also understands the holistic needs of people, and endeavours to smart solutions tailored to the African continent.

Over the past couple of years specific products have been developed with the cli-mate, energy issues, and social needs of the continent taken into consideration. The first of these products, the Triple Protector Air Conditioner featured an iconic campaign with footballers Didier Drogba, Obi Mikel and Michael Essien. To date, over 50,000 units have been sold. They all offer safeguards against corro-sion, lightning, humidity and power surges - issues unique to the continent. Another key product has been the SurgeSafe LCD/LED TV. Incidentally also fronted by Didier Drogba. The Samsung Galaxy Pocket, an entry-level smart phone, was tailored to the African

�…and of course, growing and strengthening our partner

network across Africa to reach our core mission – to inspire

the future of Africa!

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continent with pre-loaded African content. The Samsung Chief phone was the first dual sim music phone to enter the market.

Developing partnerships with government and B2B partners further enhance Samsung’s contribution to CSR, product, technological and service deliverables of Built for Africa.

Samsung also understands it cannot be strong in Africa without strong partners and is therefore deeply committed to growing the capacity of Sam-sung dealers and distributors in Africa. Furthermore, 2012 saw the roll out of the Samsung Customer Service Plaza in

South Africa - a high premium service centre catering to Africa’s high-end discerning customer.

Concluding his keynote at the 2012 Africa Forum, Mr Park said: “Let me emphasise again Samsung’s commitment, and belief in, the African mar-ket – it is this kind of passion which recently lead to Samsung being named the most valuable electronics brand in Africa by Brand Africa. The Samsung brand is all about leadership, innovation, relationships and integrity and we are committed to driving each of these pillars into our African outreach — inspiring new directions.”

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Thierry Boulanger demonstrating a Classbook

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Macro shot of blue feathers

Designed in AsiaThe drive to shift the “Made in China” mantra to “Designed in China” is

a key goal of the Chinese government’s 12th, five-year plan. However,

this transition is not going to be easy, as other Asian countries have al-

ready started to flex their creative muscle. Dion Chang tracks the rise

of creativity and design in Asia.

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On December 21st 2012 the world didn’t quite end as predicted by the Mayan calendar. However, we did experience a Teutonic

shift in popular culture, which in hindsight, did signal the end of an era and the beginning of another. The ‘Gangnam Style’ music video by South Korean “rapper” PSY, became the most watched video ever on YouTube notching up a stag-gering 1 billion views, a new world record that unseated Justin Bieber who had held the top slot since 2010.

This achievement even grabbed the attention of UN secretary Ban Ki-Moon, who hailed it as a ‘force for world peace’. Even though techni-cally, 1 in 7 people on the planet has watched this video, I’m not quite convinced that ‘Gangnam Style’ will ease global conflict. However, it has had a very significant impact on the music industry. Billboard magazine has since been forced to review it’s methods of measuring music sales acknowledging that digital sales and online streams now need to be factored in with radio airplay statistics, their traditional benchmark of measuring a song or artist’s popularity.

But the ‘Gangnam Style’ music video also represents a

greater Asian cultural wave sweeping the world. More and more, Asian contemporary art is being recognized and col-lected around the globe, with interior and product design following hot on its heels.

In China, the move to change its global reputa-tion from a manufacturing powerhouse to a creative one has been a conscious govern-ment policy. They realise that innovation, rather than just cheap, unskilled labour is what will sustain their growth in the 21st century. Instead of being solely associated with high volume, low quality production, this transition aims to reposi-tion China as a creator and manufacturer of world-class products.

At first glance, it seems that they already have a head start in staking a claim in the creative world. “Art celebrities” like Ai Wei Wei, who is also a vocal critic of the Chinese government, sold his porcelain Sunflower Seeds at Sotheby’s for a record US$782 500. His incarceration by the Chinese authorities not only boosted his profile in the art world, but also on the global stage as a social activist. This year, Shanghai’s vision of being a ‘global cultural hub’ edges towards reality, with the opening of the new

China Art Palace and Power Station of Art: all part of the city’s plan to attract over three million visitors a year by build-ing sixteen new art museums by 2015.

However, while China will no doubt achieve their crea-tive goals, the rest of Asia has already started to think with their right brains. At décor fairs in London and Paris I have already noticed an Eastern shift with the number of Asian exhibitors (as well as buyers) growing year on year. What is pleasantly surprising is not just a creative presence, but also a design aesthetic that is overlaid with remarkable innovation, so the products not only tick the boxes of “form” and “function” but also have a futuristic edge to them.

Take for example the Japanese paper company ONAO, a regular exhibitor at Maison & Objet in Paris, who make anything from hats and slippers to luggage, all out of paper. Their products are not only beautifully designed but also tick the all important “eco” box. But while Japanese design has been long established it is the surprise of seeing exhibi-tors from Thailand, Taiwan and Vietnam at Maison & Objet that really signals a bellwether of change. In fact, Maison

Ai Wei Wei sold his porcelain Sunflower Seeds for $ 782 500

Wrinkled products by Japanese paper company ONOA

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& Objet recently announced that they would be launch-ing - in March this year - a new extension of the trade fair in Singapore. The renowned art fair, Art Basel will also move to Hong Kong 2013. There is obvi-ously no need to convince the creative collective where the new world order lies.

But while China may still be perceived as the epicenter of this creative thrust, it is in fact South Korea who is only just coming into it’s own. Long before Gangnam style gal-loped it’s way into cyberspace, K-pop (aka Korean pop) was already causing music indus-try executives to scratch their heads. K-pop bands don’t chart on Billboard, but that doesn’t matter. YouTube users in 235 countries generated 2.3 billion hits watching K-pop videos.

In Paris, 14 000 tickets for two K-pop shows sold out in minutes. The sight of French teenagers in front of the Louvre screaming for another show caught everyone by surprise, especially the music execu-tives. In 2005, South Korea was the world’s 33rd largest music market. Today it’s the 11th.

The global K-pop movement can be seen as the frontrun-ner for a greater acceptance of South Korean products in general. A decade ago, brands like Samsung, LG, Hyundai and Kia were not seen as the “cool” brands they are today. In terms of smart phones, Samsung is dominating. The Samsung SIII officially became the world’s best selling smart phone, hitting the 100million mark in January, overtaking sales of Apple’s 4S. At one point

The Korean Eye exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery

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Samsung were selling 500 handsets a minute, proving that the marriage between technology and great design is a potent one.

But apart from technology, I’ve seen the work of South Korean graphic and furniture designers at cutting edge design fairs like TENT in London, and stumbled across South Korean con-temporary art at the Saatchi Gallery in London. At first, these sightings were anomalies, now they’re design and art circuit staples. In fact, the Saatchi exhibition (Moon Generation) that I saw back in 2009 was part of an initia-tive called, The Korean Eye, which was established to provide opportunities for South Korean artists to showcase their work internationally. Last year, a new exhibition, “Korean Eye: Energy and

Matter” debuted at New York’s Museum of Arts and Design and returned to The Saatchi Gallery in London, then went on to Abu Dhabi. It’s not just China that the art world is watching.

It is perhaps prophetic then that a brand like Kia derives its name from the Sino-Korean words ki (“to come out”) and a (which stands for Asia), and is roughly translated as, “rising out of Asia”. It really is time to look to the East for creative inspiration. It’s there that you’ll catch a glimpse of the first light, and in today’s world, newness is everything.

dion chang is the founder of flux trends: www.fluxtrends.com

The China Art Palace

Multi-coloured traditional dress scarves from Morocco

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Fashioning the FabulousWith a career spanning almost thirty years, fashion designer Marianne

Fassler continues to move forward - this time with the help of

Samsung. Images Brett Rubin & Simon Deiner / SDR Photo

Words Chipo Mapondera

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As the most highly-antici-pated show of Mercedes Benz Africa Fashion Week, Marianne Fassler’s high-octane return to the

ramp last October proved that the designer, who is frequently referred to as “The Doyenne of South African fashion”, still knows what it takes to cause a sensation!

The collection, entitled Fassler The Remix, was set to the pulsing beats of Spoek Mathambo’s Joy Divison-sampled, club banger, Control, a bold, beat-heavy track that inadvertently provided the inspiration for the collection. “Control was like a welcome shock to my system that really got my juices following,” says the flame- haired designer, “After a year of creativity and travel, I had a yearning to push myself and present a show at Fashion Week. This song was the catalyst that set the process in motion, resulting in the final collection’s debut 5 months later.”

Already known for a visceral vision that scrapes together downtown South African Street culture and mystic traditions from around the continent, the Fassler The Remix collection was a reinforcement of the brand’s existing codes presented with a perspective that plunged the Designer into the limelight in a completely unexpected way. Not one to follow trends, Marianne’s emblematic use of leopard print, exotic dye techniques, bold colours and neons were exactly what the fashion set were predicting for the ensuing season, as were her unique styling elements

including layers of dramatic fabric, and accessories and handbags fashioned out of materials usually reserved for the common “China bags” seen in downtown markets and bus ranks. “My work is never about trend,” Marianne says, “I prefer to focus on a timeless African aesthetic that embraces traditional craft, juxtaposed with modern techniques and materials. Despite this, while preparing for this collection I realised that everything I have always done was somehow simultaneously ‘on trend’.”

But Fassler The Remix wasn’t just about the music, or the apex of design career, it was also the result of collaborating with technology giant Samsung. “The use of technology around my show allowed me to communicate and create an incredible buzz,” Marianne enthused. The buzz was fuelled by Samsung’s Twitter hashtag, #BlueThread, a concept developed to spark a viral conversation about the marriage of the brand with the concept of fashion. Technology also allowed for the show to be streamed online to engage with a wider audience both in real time and as an archive.

Describing how the #BlueThread concept seam-lessly fit into her original con-cept Marianne says, “Samsung has managed to not only re-invent itself spectacularly, but also to lead the way in setting new benchmarks for others to follow. They are inventive, creative, fashionable and successful… all the qualities that instil the brand with charisma, and this can only be inspiring.” The thread of

collaboration between the brands also ran through-out the show’s production, providing Marianne with a high-tech approach. Lasers and projections cut the way for a striking entourage of models lead by Diandra Forrest and Ajuma Nasenyana, two incredibly successful interna-tional models whose strong looks created a juxtaposition

in themselves, Diandra for her alabaster albinism, and Ajuma for her fierce ebony features. A soundtrack that mixed the aforementioned Spoek Mathambo hit, as well as the sounds of Yvonne Chaka Chaka and the Tshetsha Boys, compiled by Marianne’s longtime collaborator DJ Dexterity aka. Greg Bowes summed up the show as an electrifying new take on the future of local fashion.

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Ajuma NasenyanaDiandra Forrest

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Blue wall in “Casbah des Oudaias”, Rabat, Morocco

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Sub-DividedAcross Africa, new tribes wear their allegiance on their sleeves.

African fashion may have borrowed heavily from Western attire but

the continent’s contribution to fashion is not all about leopard prints

and Ankara fabrics. Africa’s style tribes and colourful sub-cultures

have inspired entire collections, books and even art exhibitions. Here’s

a look at four controversial, but nonetheless intriguing, African

sub-cultures whose traditions are steeped in sartorial distinction.

Words Sandiso Ngubane

<The Le Sape Movement in Bazzaville, Congo

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Congo to Cape Town:

La Sape Movement When you hear that Solange Knowles’ latest music video ‘Losing You’ was shot in KwaLanga Township in Cape Town you’ll probably ask who are those posing princes surrounding Beyonce’s little sister. Are they styled in their brightly col-oured suits and smartly tipped trilbies, or is this their everyday attire?

It turns out they are paid actors posing as members of the La Sape Movement, also known as the Congo’s dapper dandies.

One of Africa’s longest and most recognised sub-cultures, the Sape movement was founded in the 50s by singer Papa Wemba in reaction to the then Congolese leader Mobutu Sese Seko’s ban of Western attire. This defiance evolved into a vibrant culture of dressing up that still exists on the streets of Brazzaville. Sources say the acronym stands for ‘Society of Ambianceurs and Persons of Elegance’.

In 2009 photographer Danielle Tamagni documented the movement in his coffee table book titled ‘The Gentlemen of Bacongo’. The fol-lowing year, the movement would serve as a cor-nerstone for Sir Paul Smith’s 2010 womenswear winter collection which borrowed a lot from the bright coloured, dapper aesthetic preferred by the Congolese dandies.

Dixy Ndalla during shoot for Solange Knowles music video

Angolan Kudoristas style - OliveiraAngolan Kudoristas style - Mirene

Angola:

KuduroIn 2010, you had to be walking around with earplugs and wool over your eyes to avoid hear-ing Angolan singer Cabo Snoop’s smash hit ‘Windeck’. It was rocking dancefloors across the continent. Cabo Snoop, the artist, became known for not only his back-breaking dance moves as exhibited in the video, but he also had a very colourful dress code. At a time when colour blocking was itself a huge fashion trend Cabo Snoop was just another slave to the fashion machine. Except he wasn’t. This house music star is representative of an Angolan sub-culture that started off as a dance move and now encap-sulates everything from dance – a mix of soca, batida, semba and zouk – to music and fashion with colour blocking as the preferred style.

A Facebook page dedicated to the sub-culture and called ‘I love Kuduro’ boasts more than 61 000 likes (at the time of going to print) and due to large Angolan communities the sub-culture has become quite popular in the suburbs of Lisbon.

British singer M.I.A is said to be a big fan of the music and has herself recorded a song titled ‘Sounds of Kuduro’ with Angolan band Buraka Som Sistema.

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Skhotane culture of South AfricaBotswana Cowboy Metalheads

South Africa:

IzikhothaneDerived from the Zulu word ‘Ukukhotha’, which aptly translates to ‘licking’, ubuKhothane exists across greater Johannesburg’s many townships. From Vosloorus in the east, to Soweto in the south, young men are earning their street-cred by literally ‘licking’ the competition.

This is how it works: once in a while iZik-hothane come together to compete over who is dressed better than the other. And dressing ‘better’ is only about the price tag– taste is not included! Equally, there’s a blatant disregard for money, as gangs kick it up and burn wads of cash notes all in the name of earning street credibility.

Brands like Carvela have a huge following as their shoes are a Skhothane favourite and clothing stores, especially those on Small Street in the Johannesburg Central Business District, have found a new clientele that is demographically vastly different to the one they had when they opened doors in the apartheid era – a time when the clientelle consisted of only middle class white South Africans. They now serve a very young, black clientele that largely comes from disadvantaged homes. One question that often arises is how these S’khothane kids are financing their extravagance. eTV’s ‘3rd Degree’ last year aired the story of a former S’khothane member who committed suicide as a result of the pressures of having to impress when he actually could not afford to. The screening set Twitter timelines ablaze and resulted in many column inches and radio time dedicated to what was mostly a condemnation of the S’khothane practice.

Botswana:

Kalahari Metalheads Photographer Frank Marshal’s recent exhibi-tion ‘Renegades’ sparked global interest in a Botswana sub-culture dubbed Kalahari Metalheads. One would not expect a heavy metal band to come out of the Sub-Sahara but these metalheads are defying all kinds of cultural norms. They dress up in head-to-toe black leather, and wear cowboy hats, which explains why they’re sometimes called the ‘Botswana’s cowboys’. Society views them as dark, violent creatures and according to a recent article in the British newspaper, The Guardian, their music is seen as nothing but noise. Despite the broad dis-approval, however, the scene continues to grow.

The sub-culture traces its roots to the early 90s following the formation of the country’s first heavy metal band Metal Orizon, who still perform today. Over the years several other bands have popped up but only one radio station, with a dedicated 50-minute weekly show, plays their music.

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Korean Sub-CulturesKorean culture can seem conservative at first glance, with a certain

uniformity prevailing in fashion, entertainment and the arts. But

a little effort will unearth a thriving underground scene, and a

fascinating range of subcultures that exist as a lively, dynamic

counterpoint to the mainstream.

Words Nell McShane Wulfhart Pictures Michael Beech

< A young man looks down on Seoul’s sprawling cityscape from a viewing platform at what is perhaps Seoul’s most famous landmark, Namsan Tower.

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Out of the office and into the coffeeshop:

Multi-functional WorkspacesWhile a very traditional, hierarchical office structure is standard for most Koreans, a few (a very few) new kinds of workspaces are open-ing up. Centered around artists and designers, these places are multi-functional. They serve coffee, host meetings, and display art. Some, like Takeout Drawing in Hannam-dong, have work-shop areas and offer artist residencies. Others, like Platoon Kunsthalle in Gangnam, also func-tion as live music venues.

Flee Flee in Itaewon takes the concept a step further. Inspired by flea markets (also trending for Korean hipsters), this café rents wall and shelf space to local designers and artists. For a low price (the rent is phrased as the price of a set number of cups of coffee) creators have a handy way to display and sell their goods in a café setting.

With fast WiFi a standard fixture of cafes in Korea, more and more workers are moving, lap-tops in hand, to enclaves with a designer-indus-trial feel, hand-drip coffee, and the company of other creatives. Office drones can only look on in envy.

DJ Jun spins at another packed out party in Seongsu’s Daerim Warehouse.

Customers in Hangangjin’s alternative coffee shop, Take Out Drawing Cafe.

Out of the club and into the warehouse:

Warehouse PartiesFor years, nightlife in Korea comprised bars, karaoke rooms rented by the hour, and mega-clubs pumping out dance music to hundreds of citizens dressed to the nines. Those options still exist, and they’re where 90% of Korea’s party animals spend their Friday and Saturday nights. For the rest, though, bored with mainstream music, overpriced cocktails and dressing up in designer duds just to make it past the bouncer, the party scene has shifted.

Warehouses in Seoul now host some of Korea’s most exciting and dynamic parties, but only for those in the know. Put together with care by DJs, artists and under-the-radar promot-ers, these parties are a combination of under-ground club, art gallery and live music venue. Seoul’s indie rockers and alternative DJs provide the music, local artists put together installations or perform live pieces, and the drinks flow freely at a fraction of the price paid in the huge clubs.

Whether it’s live skateboarding demonstra-tions or live painting, active participation is a feature of these parties, running counter to the more reactive nature of visiting a club, where the DJ dictates the mood and the action.

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Out of the gallery and onto the streets:

Street ArtThere’s a booming art scene in Korea, with events like the Gwangju Biennale (Asia’s most prestigious contemporary art biennale) getting more and more international attention. Korean artists overseas are gaining in popularity and, at home, new galleries and museums regularly open to showcase local work. Still, anything con-sidered unconventional or “weird” has a tough time finding an audience, thanks to conservative gallery owners and curators.

A handful of artists have taken to the streets rather than try to work inside the system. Street art – from full-scale murals to work that can be measured in centimeters – is becoming more common, and it stands out even more in a city noted for its lack of graffiti. Mullae, a neigh-bourhood in southwest Seoul, is the heart and soul of this new movement. An area populated with the shells of old steel factories, Mullae has gradually become home to a number of artists who are leaving their very visible mark on their surroundings. Small paintings appear unexpect-edly in the corners of decaying buildings, and cartoon-like scenes dance across metal sidings in random places.

Groups like the Seoul Urban Art Project pre-fer the concept of an “open gallery” - bringing art to the public by creating it in unexpected spaces. They pepper deserted areas or buildings sched-uled for demolition with murals that don’t fit into a conventional museum space, making art that’s available to all, for free – no curator needed.

Street art, tucked away in the back alleys of Haebangchon, putting a new spin on South Korea’s national animal the Siberian tiger.Lead singer and guitarist, Kim Sung Hwan, of Korean band The Strikers plays at Hongdae’s favourite rock club, Freebird.

Out of the arena and into the underground club:

Indie MusicWhile it can seem like Korean music is all K-Pop all the time, there’s a subculture of music that couldn’t be farther from synchronized dance steps and manufactured lyrics written by cor-porate hires. Korea’s got an active independent music scene – it just requires a bit of scratching beneath the surface to find it.

An eclectic range of genres characterizes the indie scene. There are bands like the RockTigers, a local group that sings rockabilly songs in Korean. The genre has been dubbed Kimchibilly, or K-billy, and it’s something the average Korean (or foreigner living in Korea) won’t have heard of. Playing gigs in Hongdae, Seoul’s univer-sity neighbourhood and live music hub, the RockTigers are just one instance of music that’s going against the pop-centered mainstream.

Another group that plays in Hongdae – although usually on the streets, not in the venues - is The Percussion Brothers. A fraternal duo, they play instruments made out of recy-cled materials while wearing alien masks – a far cry from the carefully made-up faces of K-Pop’s superstars.

Punk, ska and even country and western all have their devotees and practitioners in Korea. Combining western-inspired musical styles with Korean lyrics, these genres are a peculiarly Korean invention, and one that’s well worth seeking out.

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Beyond “Gangnam Style”: Why K-Pop is Poised for World DominationFor most people outside Asia, “Gangnam Style” was their first

foray into K-Pop…and what an introduction it was. With over one

billion YouTube views (and counting), Psy’s humorous dance

moves and over-the-top antics grabbed international audiences

in a way that no other Korean pop star or music video ever has.

Words Nell McShane Wulfhart

Those in the west might not know it, but for the last few years, the Korean government has been putting lots of time, energy and money into pro-moting hallyu, or the “Korean wave”, around the world. This isn’t limited to music – Korean fash-ion, films and television shows, especially soap operas, have also been getting a push. With the success of “Gangnam Style”, however, the world’s attention was drawn to Korea in a new way.

One thing should be made clear: Psy isn’t your typical K-Pop star. Podgy, 35 years old and

a married father of two, his songs riff on the materialistic culture of Gangnam, Seoul’s ritziest neighborhood, as well as taking on more serious subjects like the Iraq War. But his tightly cho-reographed dance moves and stick-in-your-head beats owe a big debt to the acts that came before.

K-Pop’s biggest acts are truly superstars in their own land, their names and likenesses rec-ognized by millions. A small industry has even sprung up that helps fans send lunchboxes to their favorite performers.

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Most of these come as a pack-age deal – K-Pop is a genre of girl and boy bands. Put together by Korea’s biggest agencies, YG Entertainment, JYP Entertain-ment and SM Entertainment, the members are carefully se-lected, schooled and monitored. Years of hard training for each potential star have resulted in a slew of blow-up-the-charts groups belting out the poppiest of pop songs, which are heard in every shop, bar and apart-ment in the country.

Perhaps the most visually focused of all the music genres, K-Pop depends heavily on videos to popularize the tunes, and for performers, an ability

to dance is more important than an ability to sing. Good looks and long legs don’t hurt either. Lithe and alluring, the boys and girls of K-Pop (and they are boys and girls, many young enough to be Psy’s children), perform superbly coordinated dance moves in video after video. Groups are made up of many members (up to twelve), and the biggest ones have their own spin-off groups. Lyrics are usually focused on romance and fun, with come-hither looks standing in for the lascivious bumping and grind-ing of American music videos.

The main players in Korea – and those most likely to become household names in the rest of the world – are below:

2NE12NE1, pronounced either “twenty-one” or “to anyone”, depending on who you ask, are one of the most consistent chart-toppers in K-Pop. This four-member girl group is one of the most likely contenders to become a hit in the west. 2NE1 combines hip-hop–in-fluenced beats with addictive choruses, and each member has an individual style and personality that eclipses some of their blander rivals. Look for them on the U.S. or U.K. charts sooner rather than later.

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Girls’ GenerationGirls’ Generation were at the forefront of K-Pop’s Asian suc-cess, and they’ve sold over 4 million albums and counting. Their 2011 album “The Boys” was the best-selling album of the year in Korea. They’ve performed on American TV and have even gone so far as to release songs in Japanese and English. Long of leg, coy of glance and working the “sexy yet demure” vibe to perfection, Girls’ Generation are nine pow-erhouses of allure, with dance moves to rival Beyoncé’s.

The Wonder GirlsThe Wonder Girls are one of the best-known groups in Korea. The five female mem-bers spent two years in New York trying to break into the American market, so far with not much success. They toured with the Jonas Brothers, though, collaborated with Akon and, with “Nobody” became the first Korean group to ever enter the Billboard Hot 100. Currently on hiatus, there are rumors of a possible reality show in the works, so they’re not to be counted out just yet

The boy bands are just as well-dressed, coiffed and fit as the girls. Uniformly handsome and with some of the world’s most ambitious hairstyles, K-Pop’s male contingent brings the same phenomenal dance abilities as the female… and possibly even more make-up.

Big BangBig Bang, like 2NE1, is at YG Entertainment, and is one of the biggest names in K-Pop. Songs like “Lies” and “Love Song” have won Big Bang a huge following in Japan, and the band looks set to conquer the west. A 2012 world tour stopped in 25 cities, including Los Angeles and Lima, Peru. One of the group’s founding members, G-Dragon, has also had major success as a solo art-ist, purveying a mix of hip-hop and dance music that garnered legions of fans, who even went so far as to copy his hairstyles and fashion choices en masse.

Girls’ Generation line up

Girls’ Generation performance - 2011

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Super JuniorSuper Junior’s “Spy” video paid homage to James Bond, and the sight of the band members in perfectly tailored tuxedos almost sent some fans over the edge. The group has been around since 2005, which makes them practically ancient in K-Pop terms, but their charm and relentlessly appealing tunes have meant that they’re still top of the pops. The number of members in the group fluctuates between nine and 13. In 2012, “Sexy, Free & Single” hit the charts in the U.S., Australia and Europe, and the group looks poised to keep pumping out the hits.

SHINeeThe members of SHINee (pronounced like “shiny”) are masters of the androgynous look that sets K-Pop’s male stars apart from their boy band counterparts in the rest of the world. Whether they’re rocking shredded denim jackets in their video for “Sherlock” or sleeve-less gold tops in “Lucifer”, the

group stands out for its unusual fashion choices. The guys have even inspired their own fashion craze, called “SHINee trend”, based on high-top sneakers and skinny jeans.

The biggest difficulty with bringing K-Pop to the world is, obviously, the language. “Gangnam Style” was the first Korean song to be heard on ra-

dios from Ottawa to Oslo. The Korean labels are tackling this problem, however, making sure their most popular acts study English so they can answer questions at interviews in the U.S. and Europe. In the future, we can expect to hear a lot more K-Pop songs in English, something that will surely make a difference to world-wide acceptance.

While it took a self-appoint-ed “psycho” to bring Korean popular music to the world’s at-tention, it’s certain that Korea’s major agencies won’t be slow to take advantage of this new-found interest.

Groups like Big Bang and Girls’ Generation are already huge in Japan and are making inroads in China, the largest potential market. The U.S. and Europe are new areas to con-quer, but these groups aren’t afraid of hard work.

Now that Psy has opened the door, their combination of catchy hooks, pretty faces and superhuman dance skills might just prove irresistible.

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A Brand NewBoom Box for Africa

Developed by Universal Music Group, in part-nership with African music labels and content aggregators, this first Pan African mobile radio music streaming service is a dynamic new platform that will provide users with seamless access to the latest and best African and interna-tional music hits.

Part of an initial consumer solution, the service is set to revolutionise the African music industry and will be available free of charge for the first year, and exclusively for two years on Samsung smart phones.

“Samsung are focused on not only offering our consumers the best music experience avail-able, but also creating opportunities for African artists to benefit from the legal sales of their music” says Thabiet Allie, Head of Content and Services for Samsung Africa.

Content will include bespoke artist and celebrity playlists; genre-based playlists (rock, pop and urban); exclusive full album previews

and Top 40 Charts - both local and international. Numerous artists and record labels will contrib-ute content, ensuring that the Kleek is a truly global music brand, delivering premium content to Africa’s avid music lovers.

“With the Kleek, we are not just deliver-ing the best local and international music and music content - we are providing all of Africa with a unique, highly interactive and bespoke user experience,” explains Randall Abrahams, Managing Director, Universal Music South Africa and Sub Saharan Africa.

George Ferreira, COO and Vice President of Samsung Africa affirms this by saying: “Samsung recognises that the African market is very differ-ent to that of its European, Asian and American counterparts. We are thus , through our Built for Africa initiatives, focussed on building services and partnering with the best local and interna-tional content owners.”

Kleek, the first mobile radio streaming service, catered exclusively to

Africa is set to revolutionise the continent’s soundscape.

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The African Sound of 20132012 brought unprecedented achievement for urban African music

in reach (globally and cross-continentally) and in terms of revenue.

We saw new and exciting partnerships take shape – D’Banj and Kanye

West, super producer Don Jazzy with Samsung… just to name a couple.

What’s even more exciting is that this was only the beginning. These

6 artists will help create the soundtrack to the triumph ahead in 2013.

Words Phiona Okumu

Image courtesy of the artist

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Petite NoirAt 22 Yannick Illunga, is living the dream. The Congolese/Angolan Brussels-born vocalist, producer and songwriter known professionally as Petite Noir was whisked away from his Cape Town home to start his young music career in earnest when UK-based label Domino signed him up on the basis of just one single, a cult favourite Disappear. It’s been non-stop since for Petite Noir who has been on a tour with British rock band Foals across Europe and is headed to SXSW for showcase this month.

On the radar of leading tastemaker publica-tions like the UK’s NME and the UK Guardian, he is unsurprisingly attracting comparison with another recently prolific SA-bred electronic act, Spoek Mathambo.

Influenced by everything on the pop dial from Blood Orange to Lil B, Illunga also listens to Congolese music staples that played around the house while he grew up like Pepe Cale, Papa Wemba, as well as Nigerian Afrobeat inventor Fela Kuti.

The deep and sombre-voiced Petite Noir is making waves quite literally. Noir Wave is what he christens his style of music – a new genre he hopes will catch on which combines a heady mix of New Wave, traces of classic African rhythms and bucket loads of awesome.

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tiwa SavageR&B made in Africa is a genre that’s notoriously difficult to get right. It’s not like house music which is an obvious fit, and it hasn’t got the long tradition of successful and compelling regional adaptations that Hip-hop enjoys.

But Lagos-born Tiwatope Savage has mas-tered the genre down to a science, having trained and worked with the very best in the field: At age 16 she started her performance career doing background vocals for mega names ranging from George Michael to Chaka Khan.

In another life Savage entered the UK’s popu-lar music talent reality TV show The X-Factor. Only making it as the top 24 didn’t dampen her solo ambitions. And soon enough, for her persis-tence (and undeniable talent) she was awarded a singer/songwriter deal in 2009 with commercial music giant SONY/ATV. She has since written for some of today’s A-list artistes and producers including Babyface, Kat Deluna, and American Idol winner Fantasia via whom she earned her a Grammy nomination in 2010 for her contribution to the song “Collard Greens and Cornbread.”

“Kele Kele Love”, the break out solo single that heralded Tiwa’s strategic move back to Naija was what thrust her fully to the fore. Slick pro-duction, lyrics loaded with sass and localised for her new audience (loosely paraphrasing the song snubs disposable romance with requisite hands

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on hip and wagging of neck – see Destiny’s Child early catalogue for reference), this home-coming single for Tiwa dominated the airwaves for the entire year after. Four more singles, a Pepsi endorsement (first for an African artist) and a plethora of awards later, she is yet to hit a bum note. Tiwa’s first full-length album is scheduled for release in 2013.

Mafik izoloIt was around this time 13 years ago that the world came to know of Mafikizolo, an Afro-pop band formed in 1996. House music luminary Louie Vega through his own Vega Records remixed and reissued their song “Loot “which originally appeared on their gold-certified album, Gatecrusher. He launched it to a thunder-ous reception at the house music mecca that is Miami Winter Music Conference, bringing South African dance music to a whole new level of renown in Europe and America.

Back in Africa Mafikizolo are known most especially for “Ndihamba Nawe”, now a staple at every wedding playlist on the continent.

Nhlanhla Nciza and Theo Kgosinkwe return sans their third founding member Tebogo Madingoane (who died tragically in a car acci-dent) with their 7th album, making them the longest standing kwaito group in South Africa right now.

Kgosinkwe and Nciza have pursued solo exploits in the group’s six-year hiatus but if their latest single Khona – a stomping primal house number that departs somewhat from their gen-tler 50s Maraba-inspired formula – is anything to go by, the wait has been worth it.

X taticThe road to stardom for any female rapper, let alone an African one, is often paved with the complications. That is likely why Xtatic Gloria Mecheo took an unassuming approach to the idea of becoming a professional recording artist to begin with.

However the chips fell she was only really interested in taking it as far as the mixtape circuit. Xtatic began recording at the age of 16 for that specific purpose and earned her stripes as a battle MC on the underground Nairobi scene. She is made it to the finals of Channel O’s continent-wide rap competition Emcee Africa in 2010

So when the video for her song “Prep Track”, shot on the rooftop of her mother’s apartment block, started to received YouTube buzz she was as surprised as anyone else. In that clip Xtatic plays the two sides to her rapping persona – the skating tomboy in the baggy street gear and the sexily clad lady.

Within a month of that she received a call from Sony Music Africa propositioning her and immediately dismissed it as a prank. But it turned out the call was genuine. Sony got in touch with her again three days later and in March of 2012 Xtatic became one of their two premier African female Hip-hop signings (the other is Ugandan Keko). Other high profile African act to have recently joined the Sony Africa roster include none other than Nigerian Oliver Twist singer D’Banj.

Xtatic’s first single as a major label signee pits her rhymes against leading South African MC AKA’s and Priddy Ugly. The song “Hit Em Up” is the lead song for her debut album readied for mainstream penetration – a first for her - is expected in the second quarter of 2013.

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SarkodieSarkodie’s rapid-fire tongue twisting rhymes in Twi (Ghanaian dialect) have made him the foremost Hip-hop artist in Ghana. The twice-crowned artist of the year rapper, born Michael Owusu, has famously been endorsed by Senegalese American urban pop star and mogul Akon. In 2012 Sarkodie won Black Entertainment Television (BET) award for the Best International Act (Africa) in a category that included Iceprince (Nigeria), Camp Mulla (Kenya), Mokobe (Mali) and Lira (South Africa).

Once an underground performer, Sarkodie is basking in the glory from his hard work. Sarkodie became a household name in Ghana, and in partnership with Samsung, is not only a recently appointed brand ambassador, he has also launched a range of red and white Sarkodie-branded headphones currently retail-ing in Accra and known as ‘Obidi’s Chief’ – the perfect accompaniment to his forth-coming album Sarkology.

BaNa c4Ivory Coast is the hub for Coupe De Cale which is widely popular in French-speaking West Africa, although Paris is actually where it origi-nated. Besides Zouglou and Zouk styles there is a distinctly recognizable Soukouss strand in its DNA. With a sped-up tempo and more concise length it appeals to a younger demographic of Congolese patrons who, recognising their hallmark sound, are embracing the new genre. La Danse du Coq (the chicken dance), a tenet of the movement is Hiro L Coq’s invention. He is the mastermind for Bana C4, a France-based

group from the DR Congo emerging as the poster children for Coupe De Cale.

Bana (meaning children in Lingala) are Hiro Rooster, Dibrazz Kazanova, 2Sheng Wata, Bombastik and DCK – a young group whose infectious and explosive on-stage choreogra-phy has blown them up in France, Belgium and Switzerland so far. 2013 looks set to be the year they break through in Africa.

phiona okumu is editor of www.afripopmag.com

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From the Sidelines Samsung appointed three Youth Reporters from their

various Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives to act

as journalists and report on the 2013 AFCON games

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Refiloe Machaba, Lefa Makgato and Kuhlekonke Kawunda were selected based on their academic standing and recom-

mendations from teachers, and awarded with the opportunity to become real time reporters at the 2013 Orange AFCON games. Dropped in a newsroom setting and given the tools and ability to report on the open-ing ceremony, games, the fan zones and interviews the play-ers, it was a once in a life time opportunity. Here, Refiloe and Lefa give a first hand account of what it meant to them.

SHariNg tHe Beat at oraNge afcoN, SoUtH africa 2013

Refiloe Machaba shares the Samsung Youth Reporters vibe and passion felt during the tournament.

I was so excited when I heard that I had been chosen to participate in Samsung’s ‘Youth Reporter’ program for Orange AFCON South Africa 2013. After our orientation at Samsung’s offices our first real fan experience was at the open-ing match when Bafana Bafana drew with Cape Verde 0-0. I had never been to the National

Stadium and suddenly I was surrounded by fans cheering, colourful African soccer gear, and vibrant performances prior to kick off. I could not believe my luck, I have watched many games on TV but noth-ing compared to being at the stadium live.

The opening ceremony showed real African flair, diversity and unity amongst fans. One of the most strik-ing performances of the day came from Lira who kept the stadium vibrant despite the rainy weather.

Our next adventure took us to Rustenburg to watch Togo vs. Cote d’Ivoire at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium, the arena was buzzing with excitement and we received the chance to see and speak to fans from Algeria, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire and Tunisia who came to wit-ness a match that kept them on the edge of their seats. The day got better when I was able to present the ‘Samsung Fair Player Award’ after the game – this trophy was given to Nando Maria Neves from Cape Verde.

We visited the Samsung Fan Zone at Sandton City to interview people who were getting involved in the tourna-ment via Samsung’s technology and various football engage-ment programs. Next, we got to invite our friends to attend the fan zone - we had our faces painted with the South African flag, were given the opportuni-ty to write messages to our fa-vorite teams on large Samsung TV screens, sing the Samsung AFCON anthem – while using #AllShare, a new technology that connects mobile and digi-tal display devices wirelessly.

As a soccer fan, I am hav-ing a great experience be-

ing a reporter and capturing AFCON, South Africa 2013 through the eyes of the youth. Also, my article is on a blog where many people can follow our journey online. As a high school student, the Samsung Youth Reporter experience is helping with my confidence in writing as well as learning how to communicate with people. Additionally, this program is putting me a step ahead of my peers in terms of being closer to the workplace and experienc-ing real-life working scenarios on a daily basis.Go BAFANA BAFANA!

My firSt eXPerieNce aS a SaMSUNg yoUtH rePorter

Lefa Makgato tells us about AFCON from a youth perspective.

My dream came true when I was informed that I was chosen to be part of the Samsung Youth Reporters to report on Orange AFCON, South Africa 2013. Who would have thought that a young girl like me, born and raised amongst the thorns of poverty surrounded by hopes and dreams, would get such an opportunity?

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to everything I do and Sam-sung recognized my efforts and chose me to be part of a historical event. In the process, I made great memories that will last me a lifetime.

I had never been to a sta-dium before but luckily being a Samsung Youth Reporter consisted of visiting various stadiums and writing reports about soccer matches. One of the matches that will always remain a remarkable memory for me is the opening match where Africa showed unity and love; everyone was so proud to be an African, including myself.

One of my passion moments of the tournament was present-ing the Fair Player Award to Joseph Yobo after the match between Cote D’Ivoire and Nigeria at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium. This was very cool because I saw the “conference room”, a side of the stadium that other people don’t get to see.

The best thing about be-ing a reporter is writing the articles with my fellow Youth Reporters. Each time we meet, we learn from each other, brainstorm together, share our thoughts and ideas, and come up with a united report to present. Through this Samsung initiative, I learned communi-cation, editing, listening and comprehension skills. I was exposed to a working environ-ment and experienced what it is like to work in an office. I

felt like I already earned the degree to be a journalist. Our mentors made it possible for us to be able to work on our own and not become dependent on others to complete our tasks,

which helped us learn not to depend on others for responsi-bilities that are given to us.

Life is exciting because I can look forward to a greater life. With so many challenges facing my age group, young people start to lose hope. Where I stand now, I see a great future that is alive with possibilities. If I can see that, so can the youth of Africa. Through the help of our men-tors, I learned that opportuni-ties will not come knocking at

my door but that I should seek opportunities by presenting and marketing myself.

Samsung outdid itself with the Youth Reporter project because it gives disadvantaged

children like me the opportu-nity to prove that regardless of your background, it does not determine your future because what you do in the present has an effect on your future. I understood that even though I did not attend the best schools in South Africa, I can still make something out of my life because I am a VIP, which for me stands for “I have a Vision, I know the Importance of my vi-sion, and I am Passionate about my vision”.

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Beak of Parrotfish, Scarus ferrugineus, Marsa Alam, Red Sea, Egypt

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Mobile Health Continuing to utilise solar powered technology, Samsung provides the

solution for poor health care across the continent. Welcome the Samsung

Solar Powered Mobile Health Centre.

Moving across the con-tinent on the back of a truck, fully fitted with medical supplies and qualified medical staff,

the Samsung Solar Powered Mobile Health Centre has the capacity to change the face of health in some of Africa's most remote and neglected areas.

“We have been providing medical services to rural areas in Africa for a few years now through our annual Employee Volunteer Programmes”, says Ntutule Tshenye, Business-to-Government and Corporate Citizenship Lead for Samsung Africa. “This experience has shown us how desperately med-ical treatment is needed across the continent, and inspired us to develop a sustainable and innovative solution to reach the

people who need it most. While our CSR strategy in Africa is largely focused on education, our efforts to enrich lives will not be felt if people’s basic needs, such as access to health-care, are not met.”

The centre, essentially a solar powered shipping container contains equipment that allows for a range of medi-cal services to be performed; these include radiology, dental services, screening and opthalmology. On offer along-side 'everyday screenings' for diabetes and blood pressure as well as dental and eye health.Medical products are provided by Samsung’s partners on this project, including the South African Department of Health and Aspen Pharmaceuticals. Other partners include Medical

University, World Vision, and Doctors without Borders.

According to the World Bank, more than 60% of people in Sub-Saharan Africa live in rural areas, and people often lack the time and resources to reach clinics, particularly if they are ill and unable to make long journeys. In South Africa, only 15% of the population is served by private medi-cal schemes, with the public health sector struggling to cater to the remaining 75% of the population.

Samsung has set itself a goal to reach one million people through its Solar Powered Health Centres by 2015 - as part of its broader CSR goal to positively impact the lives of five million people in Africa by 2015. Ill

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Building the Electronics Industry through Education Refiloe Machaba, one of the Samsung Youth Reporters, attends

Katlehong Technical High School. After hours he can be found

top-of-the-class at the Samsung Engineering academy.

It’s considered one of the most technological compa-nies in the world, and now Samsung is putting their weight and expertise into

educating the next genera-tion of Africa’s engineers as part of their Children for Hope Corporate Social Responsibility programme.

Under the flagship CSR program Samsung Blue Educa-tion, Samsung has launched the Samsung Electronics Engineer-ing Academy in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria.

Aimed at addressing the technical and engineering skills shortage in Africa the academy provides hands-on, vocational skills training for Grade 10-12 students.

Students from technical schools are selected to attend a year’s program. This program is made up of Basic, Intermedi-ate and Advanced engineering skills classes and is aligned to

the curriculum at their corre-sponding school. The training is provided at no extra cost to the student.

The academy has a number of outcomes-based goals: to cre-ate meaningful and easily ac-cessible work opportunities for students, to give students skills that will help them get hired in meaningful jobs, to address the skills shortages in the electron-ics industry and to bolster Samsung’s workforce of techni-cians and exclusive service experts by training new engi-neers. Their short-term goal? To develop a total of 10 000 electronics engineers by 2015.

Upon completion of the pro-gram at the Academy, students can apply for an internship at Samsung or a Samsung affili-ated partner.

Students who excel at the academy are offered further opportunities. As part of the 100 African Young Leaders program, selected students can choose to participate in a one year Learnership program at Samsung Head Quarters in South Korea.

The first students gradu-ated at the end of 2012, in a special ceremony attended by Bhekisipho Twala, professor of Artificial Intelligence and Statistical Science at the Uni-versity of Johannesburg. The graduates from 2012 are cur-rently being placed in positions at Samsung’s service centre, knockdown plant and at call centre partners in Gauteng.

The Engineering Academy will scale to more countries in Africa by 2015.

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Soda drying pans: Magadi soda company, Kenya

Children shaking hands, Cape Town, Western Cape Province, South Africa

Education through

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It’s 11:30am on a Wednesday morning at the Phomolong school on the outskirts of Tembisa township, Johannesburg. On the lawn,

next to the teacher’s car park and in front of the government regulation redbrick school building, is a blue box. A big blue box. A big blue box with a roof full of solar panels. Out of the blue box comes a 15-year old school learner in a smart blue uniform. Her hair is neatly braided, her skirt not shorter than four fingers above her knee, her blazer fits just right. This girl is proud and smart. There are others in the box just like her. Sitting three a row, 21 12th grade school learners are using the internet to browse information on the 2013 Sasol Bursary education programme. They’re investing in their futures.

No surprise this blue box is a special blue box. One of ten currently on the continent, it’s part of Samsung’s unique ambition to change the face of education in Africa. These children, some of whom may not have electricity at home, now have access to the state of

the art Samsung technology and the world wide web.

Named the Solar Powered Internet School, these 12m shipping containers are part of a roll-out programme in which

Samsung aims to address some of Africa’s largest economic challenges - education and electrification. Exclusively solar powered, the SPIS is entirely mobile, it can be loaded onto the back of a truck for transportation into remote areas of Africa. There are cur-rently 3 in South Africa, hosted by Samsung. The Korean National Commission for UN-ESCO BRIDGE programme in Lesotho has ordered one, and the Government of the Repub-lic of Botswana has ordered 20 units with scope for more units to be ordered in 2013.

Part of the Built for Africa campaign, the schools are specifically engineered to the continent. Solar panels are rubber, not glass, and provide up to 9hrs of electricity to keep the power house of technol-ogy inside the box running. This technology includes a 50 inch electronic E-board and different Samsung Notebooks and Netbooks, including the world-first solar powered net-books and Galaxy Tablets for student and teacher interface. The School is also equipped with an energy efficient

Samsung’s Solar Powered Internet School provides the solution to one

of Africa’s largest economic challenges - education and electrification.

Words Emma Jordan Images Jacques du Toit

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refrigerator, a file server, router, Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS), video camera and world first wifi camera, all of which are designed to com-municate via 3G. This allows a central location (such as the Department of Education) to monitor classes and deliver curriculum-based content directly to both the learners’ and educators’ notebooks. Special insulation and ven-tilation ensure teachers and students keep their cool, and the environmentally-friendly Virus Doctor air-purification system helps ward off the spread of germs. The Samsung Super Plasma ion (SPi) tech-nology emits active hydrogen and oxygen ions into the air inhibiting infection by air-borne viruses and destroying airborne bacteria, fungi and allergens.

The SPIS model addresses

one of Africa’s largest economic challenges – lack of power. On average, less than 25% of rural areas on the continent benefit from electricity, resulting in isolated communities with limited access to education and connectivity – both of which are key to fast-tracking a nation’s development.

Available to students from Grade 0 - Grade 12, the SPIS provides an integrated learning experience for children throughout their schooling. Global children need to be educated and tech savvy, the entire South African school curriculum is available on SPIS server, but over and above that, the interconnectivity afforded by SPIS allows kids to investigate and explore a broader global learning alongside traditional school teaching. It’s empowering future generations to be

educated, understand and proudly interact on a fast-paced global playing field. It’s making the inaccessible, accessible.

“We have set an ambitious goal for ourselves in Africa: to positively impact 5 million lives by 2015,” says KK Park, President and CEO of Samsung Electronics Africa. “We believe that this can most effectively be achieved if we connect our CSR initiatives with our history and core business. With the goal to grow our business on the continent, we also know that we have to sustain our level of innovation. This can only be achieved if we invest in education to facilitate African thought-leadership and to ensure we have access to a large workforce of skilled engineers in the future. The Solar Powered Internet School is a great example of this strategy at play”.

Samsung Solar Powered Internet Schools

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Phomolong Secondary School exterior in Tembisa

Phomolong Secondary School students

Phomolong Secondary School student

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<The picturesque coloured houses of the Bo-Kaap

An African City Like no Other

A few things are guaranteed when visiting Cape Town; you will be

floored by its natural beauty and captivated by its tapestry of cultures,

you’ll experience sights, tastes and sounds like never before, the wind

is sure to blow and when you leave, a piece of your heart will remain.

Words Geneveve Fisher

<The picturesque coloured houses of the Bo-Kaap

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Surrounded by crystal blue oceans (yes, the city boasts two, The Indian and Atlantic Oceans) and dramatic mountains,

Cape Town’s natural beauty is world-renowned, but as you’ll discover, the city has hidden depths.

Recently awarded with two notable accolades: Table Mountain was named as the 7th Natural Wonder of the World and next year, Cape Town is officially the World Design Capital for 2014. The latter is testament to the city’s thriving creative industries and disciples and their commitment to activating social change for all.

We invite you to explore this great place; to sample delicious local fare and award-winning wines, to see the world from atop the 7th Natural Wonder, to shop till your wallet pops, to listen to local jazz, to party at a club on a beach and at the end of it all to lay your head down on superfine linen, to fall asleep to the sounds of crashing waves and wake up on the tip of Africa not wanting to leave.

StayCape Town’s accommodation offering is vast; from quaint guesthouses and B&B’s to designer boutique hotels, and wee-established 5-star luxury establishments, there’s an option for everyone.

POD For those with a taste for the trendy and a keen eye for de-sign, a stay at this luxury bou-tique hotel is a must. Set in the idyllic seaside suburb of Camps Bay, a stone’s throw away from the beach, the 15-roomed POD is a design master-piece think clean contemporary wood and slate finishes with every amen-ity and functionality carefully curated. Wallpaper Magazine has given a nod to the design-savvy POD as it features in the 2013 Wallpaper City Guide Cape Town. +27 21 438 8550, pod.co.za

15 On Orange If travelling like a rock star is your thing then you might want to consider booking a suite at 15 On Orange. This lavish hotel is set right in the city centre and is urban and slick with a good dose of bling; take the engineered stone ‘red carpet’

set amongst white marble floors that welcomes you at the entrance, or the ornate gold high back sofas in the eleva-tors. Aside from every luxury and convenience you could ever want from a hotel, the best part about 15 On Orange is that all of the sights, sounds, tastes and all round experiences of the Mother City are easily accessi-ble, many of them by foot.+27 (0) 21 430 5302, africanpridehotels.com

Ellerman House This luxurious small hotel is perched on the cliffs of the exclusive suburb of Bantry Bay, with panoramic views of the Atlantic (the beauty of the sur-rounds matches the interiors and the establishment has retained its Cape Edwardian ambience.) Originally the home of British shipping magnate Sir John and his wife Lady Ellerman. It is well known for its prestigious art collection and recently opened a gal-lery exhibiting contemporary works by some of South Africa’s greats. This is an abode worth its effervescence of five stars, and in fact made it onto Conde Nast’s Gold List in the category of Best Design and Ambience last year. +27 21 430 3200, ellerman.co.za

The Pool house at Camps Bay’s POD HotelBedroom at the 5 star Ellerman House Hotel

A stately new eatery at the woodstock Exchange, Superette

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eatCape Town is brimming with foodie hotspots and the Western Cape is home to many of South Africa’s well-known chefs and their restaurants. From inner city slick bistros to the culinary and viniculture capital of South Africa, the Cape Winelands, to the artisa-nal coffee shops and daytime eateries, options are endless.

The Pot-Luck Club Chef proprietor, Luke Dale Roberts, is one of the coun-try’s most acclaimed chefs and last year his restaurant The Test Kitchen picked up the prestigious local Eat Out DStv Food Network Restaurant

Award for Best Restaurant. His other ‘baby’ the more relaxed Pot Luck Club has recently re-opened on the top floor of Woodstock’s Biscuit Mill Silo. Luke has teamed up with some of the city’s most celebrated artists and designers to create a space that is an all-round sensory experience. The food is an amalgamation of Luke’s interest in African, European, South American and Asian cuisine and comes together as a ‘world tapas’ type menu. +27 021447 0804, thepotluckclub.co.za

Bizerca BistroIn the five years since Bizerca Bistro opened its doors it has gamered numerous awards, but its best achievement has

been its recent relocation to the historical Heritage Square in the city centre. The setting is contemporary and chic with the raw brick walls mirroring those of the adjoining quaint courtyard. The most eye-catch-ing features are the vertical gardens, home to amongst other greenery, an array of fresh leaves that chef Laurent Deslandes uses for his plated delights. +27 021 423 8888, bizerca.com

Kloof Street House As an extension of the vibrant Long Street, Kloof Street is just as abuzz with quaint restaurants and shops but with a slightly more sophisticated ambience. The newest addition on the restaurant scene is Kloof Street House, which used to be an old Victorian home and is now an elegant bar and res-taurant that has an old-world colonial plantation house feel. It’s the ideal place to unwind with a cocktail and selection of starters and if the weather permits we suggest booking a table in the courtyard garden, adorned with delicate fairy-lights, where you can recline on large sofa cushions while the friendly staff attend to your every need.+27 021 423 4413, kloofstreethouse.co.za

Superette Recently re-located to the new uber-trendy Woodstock Exchange (see Shop section), Superette is a daytime eatery that has become the darling of everyone who calls themselves a design professional or food authority. The contemporary clean interiors - much of the fittings and furniture of which have been designed by local

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creative talents - provide the perfect canvas for the delec-table food whose ingredients have all been locally and ethi-cally sourced. Their breakfasts are exceptional and the best part is that they’re served all day. +27 021 802 5525, superette.co.za

Truth Coffee For those with a fondness for ‘black gold’, aka perfectly roasted coffee, a visit to Truth Coffee in Buitenkant Street is a must. This is a place that won’t only excite your coffee fetish, with a state-of-the art coffee roaster weighing in at 60kg’s, but will enliven your imagina-tion. The interior design inspi-ration is of the genre Steam-punk, otherwise known as Victorian Futurism (the movie Wild Wild West starring Will Smith best encapsulates this novel look), and every detail has been considered. From the cog shaped tables to a longer wooden version with mechani-cal roll out stools, truth be told this is coffee styled to the max, to the extensive use of leather and styling of the barristas and waiters, this is a place you won’t forget easily. +27 021 2000 440, truthcoffee.com

Deluxe Coffeeworks Deluxe Coffeeworks have garnered a huge following over the years as one of the first micro-roasteries in Cape Town, supplying many of the city’s establishments. They’re seri-ous about their craft and don’t follow anyone’s rules except their own. In fact so dedicated are they, there aren’t many distractions at their new HQ

in Roodehek Street, aside from the industrial chic interiors that will appeal to anyone with a keen eye for design, there’sno fancy food or wi-fi here. If you’re serious about java this is where to get your fix.+27 072 569 9579, deluxecoffeeworks.co.za

Green House at Babylonstoren A slow meander into the Cape Winelands would not be com-plete without a visit to Babylon-storen, one of the many farms dating back centuries. The food offering here - the restaurant Babel and the newly appointed Green House - is an all round sensory experience. The latter is a glass and steel structure primarily used to nurture the fresh produce and other plants that struggle to grow in the farm’s otherwise bountiful herb and vegetable garden, but also allows for an enchanted eating venue. Serving tea, lunch and other light-meals the crea-tive presentation of their food offering will quite literally blow your mind. + 27 021 863 3852,

babylonstoren.com

The Tasting Room Situated in the Winelands town of Franschhoek is luxury bou-tique hotel, Le Quartier Fran-cais, home to award winning restaurant The Tasting Room. Acclaimed chef Margot Janse was crowned Best Chef at last year’s Eat Out DStv Food Net-work Awards and her establish-ment took second place in the category of Best Restaurant. Margot’s plated delights speak for themselves but the recently refurbished interiors are a sight to behold. Project managed by her brother, Herbert Janse who flew in from Holland to com-plete the renovation, the new look of this renowned restau-rant will have you ooh-ing and aah-ing at every turn. With the brief ‘to create the unexpected’ Herbert’s curation of the space provides a fitting canvas for some of the most delicious and aesthetically pleasing morsels you’re bound to eat while visit-ing South Africa.+27 021 876 2151, lqf.co.za

The Greenhouse at Babylonstoren Woodstock Exchange

Missibaba / Goss Interior.

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SHoP

Over the years Cape Town has become a shopping mecca and while there are a host of high-end expansive malls, such as the V&A Waterfront, Canal Walk and Cavendish Square amongst others, there are also a variety of local artisanal boutiques featuring some of the city’s most creative design talent.

Woodstock Exchange The newest addition to Cape Town’s artisanal shopping scene, in the trendy neighbour-hood of Woodstock, is the very edgy and ‘hipster-friendly’, Woodstock Exchange. Recently redeveloped into a node for young creative agencies and companies - who regularly decorate the spaces with at-tractive graffiti, sculpture and art installations - the first floor of this establishment features a host of designer boutiques and ateliers. From a tea shop, to one

specializing in organic choco-late, to a coffee roastery, and various interior, art, furniture and clothing stores, the com-mon thread linking them is that their products are all locally produced and proudly Capeto-nian. +27 0214865999, woodstockexchange.co.za

Missibaba and Kirsten Goss What do you get when two exceptionally creative women, each with their own successful accessories label, join forces? Well, luckily for Cape Town, a beautifully designed joint shop where these two talents can show off their goods¬ one a leather accessories brand and the other an international jewellery label. The Missibaba and Kirsten Goss shop in Bree Street is a treat for anyone who appreciates exceptional craftsmanship. Missibaba has been providing South African fashionistas with eye-catching

leather bags, earrings, belts and other accessories while Kirsten Goss has been ensuring they have the bling to match with her trend-led jewels.+27 021 424 8127, +27 021 424 3453, missibaba.com, kirstengoss.com

Latitude 33 A collaborative food, fashion and art emporium, Latitude 33, also along the vibey Bree Street, is packed with delights to satiate your physical, shop-ping and magpie tendencies. The restaurant is open all day and serves up breakfast and lunch, while the collection of art is by English artist, Olivia Franklin who has relocated to the Mother City. Alongside fashion from edgy Australian brands. This shop has become a destination for the cool urban traveller with an appreciation for edgy style. +27 021 424 9520, latt33.co.za

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Par t yCape Town’s nightlife offers a host of different options to make you move something; whether it’s the tapping of your feet to some exceptional live music, or the twisting of your hips on a brightly lit dance floor. Perhaps it’s simply sip-ping an exotic cocktail? What-ever it is, try to make sure you don’t have an early morning wake up call!

Shimmy Beach Club Affectionately known as Shimmy’s, this new party spot is where the city’s bold and beautiful like to let their hair down. The 2, 000m2 enter-tainment venue is set along the south arm of Cape Town harbor and accommodates ac-cess via car, helicopter or yacht. The venue not only includes a

restaurant, but a multitude of bars and lounges, an outdoor deck, a glass rimmed pool and private beach. With regular appearances by internationally recognized DJ’s this is where to get your party on. +27 021 200 7778, shimmybeachclub.com

The Orphanage If you’re looking for something a little different; a venue with a lot of character, a creative concoction of cocktails, a din-ing room as well as a dance ‘parlour’ then The Orphanage, is where you’ll find it. Taking its name and design inspira-tion from the orphanage that opened in the 1900’s at St. Paul’s Church across the road – which later became known as the St. Francis Children’s Home, still in operation today – this lively venue caters to a crowd with an appreciation for

the eccentric. What’s more? Proceeds from their More Tea Vicar cocktail go to support-ing the St.Francis Children’s Home. +27 021 424 2004 theorphanage.co.za

The Mahogany RoomIf experimental live jazz is more your scene book a place at The Mahogany Room in Buitenkant Street. This inti-mate jazz lounge is a venture that prioritizes creative expres-sion through live jazz talent. There are performances daily by local musicians, some well known others building a name for themselves. Renowned South African jazz legend, Hugh Masekela, has graced the stage here as well as a few other international names such as American pianist Larry Willis. +27 076 679 2697, themahoganyroom.com

Shimmy beach clubSA National Gallery

The Slave lodge

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SeeKnown for its natural beauty, Cape Town’s earthly gems are a definite must see but the city has a deep and convoluted her-itage documented in the many museums, architecture and memorials. Put on your comfy shoes, pack your picnic and open your heart and mind.

Table MountainThis feat of natural genius, aka, the newest 7th Natural Wonder of the World, is a landmark that every Capetonian refers to when giving directions or speaking about views. Whether you chose to hike up one of its many trails or take a ride up the cable car, a trip up Table Moun-tain is important to under-standing the pride Capetonians and South Africans have for this city. At the top the views are spectacular and the two restaurants are fully equipped oases of refreshments to help you adjust to the overwhelming magnificence you see. Just be sure to consider the wind factor when planning a trip. +27 021 424 8181, tablemountain.net

Kirstenbosch NationalBotanical Gardens As the apex of the Cape Floral Kingdom, Kirstenbosch Gar-dens is the oldest botanical gar-den in the world. The natural gems of this part of the planet are set amongst manicured lawns (perfect for picnicking), various conservatories as well as walking and hiking trails. There is also the new Afro-politan Moyo Restaurant and the weekly Old Mutual Sum-mer Sunset Concerts, featuring some of the countries most talented live music acts, both of which are huge hits with locals and international visitors alike. +27 021 799 8783, sanbi.org.za

South African National Galery, The Slave Lodge andThe Bokaap Museum The disciplines of art, history and heritage are innate to any cultural experience of a city. Cape Town is brimming with such hotspots, many of them housed in buildings or dwell-ings that are almost as old as South Africa itself. The South African National Gallery is lo-

cated in the Company Gardens, the oldest and largest public gardens in the country right in the centre of the city. It houses national art treasures by some of SA’s local and internationally acclaimed talents. Near to here is The Slave Lodge, the original slave quarters established by the Dutch colonists for the many slaves they brought from the South East Asian colonies. This has been converted into a memorial with various exhibi-tions related to these people, known as the Cape Malays, who later became the original inhabitants of the Bokaap, Cape Town’s Muslim Quarter. The Bokaap Museum, an ode to the generations of Cape Malays who struggled against colonialism and later apartheid is a fascinating account of the community and people who played a major part in making Cape Town what it is today.iziko.co.za

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Toby Shapsak reports back from CES

From Vegas with Love Toby Shapshak reports back on the star releases from CES 2013

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Every year, in the cavern-ous halls of the Las Vegas Convention Centre, the future is revealed. Every year, the latest, greatest,

biggest, smallest, thinnest, and brightest new products are unveiled. The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is the grand daddy of technology shows, the biggest conference of its kind in the world, held every January in the frosty winter of an almost-always sunny Las Vegas. This year, 150 000 people were swept along in the human crowd that flows through the stands cover-ing 178 000 square metres. CES has been the launchpad of the videocassette recorder (VCR) in 1970, the CD player (1981), HDTV (1998), Microsoft’s first XBox and plasma TV (2001), IP TV (2005) and 3D TV (2009).

This year, the future is 4K televisions, which display images with four times the cur-rent high-definition (HD) reso-lution. Sony, Samsung and LG all announced large-screened TVs with this new picture format, which is also known as Ultra HD (UHD).

Samsung announced sev-eral new TVs, including a new flagship top-end LED screen, the F8000, which comes in a range of sizes (46, 55, 60, 65 and 75-inches). These use voice rec-ognition that can “acknowledge simply commands, understand natural language and full sen-tences,” said Tim Baxter, presi-dent of Samsung Electronics America. A recommendation service, only available in the US because it links to elec-tronic programming guides, offers suggestions of related TV shows to watch – based on previous viewing patterns. It also showed off a 3D OLED TV

capable of showing two shows at once, with each 3D head-set’s built-in earbuds deliver-ing the different soundtracks.

According to Baxter, a tool for keeping domestic peace.

Samsung also revealed a whopping 110in/2.7m OLED screen during its slick press conference that had some 2 500 people in a ballroom at the Mandalay Bay Hotel. They announced their promised “Evolution Kit” – an easy-to-install hardware upgrade to their top-end TVs which increases the TV sets’ power and prolongs the expensive units lifespan.

There was a seismic shift in 2013 from the desk-top computing era to the

mobile one, epitomised by the keynote address given by Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs. For the past 14 years, this has been Microsoft’s platform to announce its intentions to the world. Bill Gates, then Steve Ballmer, strode across that stage as the kings of the desktop era. But that era is over. And rarely are the kings of one era the rulers of the next. This is the mobile age. And, Qualcomm, whose proces-sors run the vast majority of mobile phones, is the new king. As such, much of the fanfare was around new smartphones, mobile add-ons from acces-sories to apps (or both in the case of the iPhone cover with a bottle opener on the back that syncs to its app to count how many beers you’ve had).

If 2012 was the year Microsoft signed off its decade-long keynotes and the world shuddered through the Great Recession, 2013 is pegged at providing more hope (and more gadgets) for a world always seeking a thrill in sparkling new gadgetry. Some of the quirkier things on display were self-driving cars, submersible smartphones, new games con-soles, 3D printers and endless iPhone cases. Nvidia, known for its graphics cards, has taken the bold step of producing its own gaming devices, powered by one of its Tegra 4 processors. Toyota unveiled a driveless car, much like Google’s – the latter has been licenced to drive in several US states.

If anyone had New Year’s resolutions to get fit, this is the year to do it with some techno-ssistance. The cavernous convention centre halls were sprinkled with fitness-enhanc-ing gadgets and apps.

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The most impressive is Hapilab’s Haptic fork and spoon, which aims to make you more conscious of your eating patterns and thereby aids the battle with the bulge. The devices have built in sen-sors with which it measures the time in between mouth-fuls, slowing down your eating speed. Fast eaters tend to eat more and therefore put on weight, whereas those who eat more slowly tend not to. The difference is 67 calories, said

one of the French co-founders of the $99 device that will go on sale in April. Other fitness additives and apps include Fitbug, which has a deal with Discovery Vitality, and Withings, which makes a Bluetooth activity monitor and a scale which measures your weight and, bizarrely, the indoor air quality of your house.

My two favourite new products launched at CES 2013 are a little obscure, perhaps,

but are just such thrilling uses of technology that you can’t not love them. The first is the utterly unnecessary Pebble watch. Using the same e-ink display used in Amazon’s Kindle, this connected watch links to your iOS or Android phone and lets you use it as an extra screen and a small remote control. That’s essentially what it does. It lets you tell the time (with a clever selec-tion of clocks, from analogue to fuzzy: “quarter to six”), lets

In a world where mobile phones tell the time

The pebble watch is an utterly addictive new

product funded through crowd sourcing.

The HappIspoon will tell you that you are

eating too much by monitoring spoonfulls

of calories.

New innovation in 3D printing technologies

were all the rage at this years’ Consumer

Electronics show.

Samsung wowed visitors to CES with the unveiling of its UHD screen.

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you control the phone’s music (so geeky, the geekiest thing since calculator watches) and of course, preview emails and SMSes. Because our smart-phones and the never-ending stream of messages hasn’t intruded enough into our lives. I don’t care, I want one. I was a bit skeptical when I saw it on Kickstarter (where its intended target of a mere $100 000 was reached in two hours and ultimately received $10-mil-lion in backing) but now that I’ve seen it in the flesh, I want one. Unlike most people who use their cellphones to tell the time, I still wear a watch. And I love watches. But I’m also a geek and being able to read my unstoppable email on my watch will be an amusing enough distraction for at least a few weeks. It’s worth it.

My other favourite thing at CES was 3D printing. The MakerBot Replicator 2 is a medium-sized box with a printer that lays microscopic layers of plastic on top of each other to create 3D sculptures. It’s beautiful, wondrous and I must have one. They are the future in ways we haven’t even begun to imagine yet. Break a part in a home appliance, just print a new one (a bit far off), or make a customised smartphone cover with your face on it ($25 at this year’s show). Many of the new gadgets are a gamble, some hit it big, others fade away. But, it’s fitting that it hap-pens in the gambling capital of the world, Las Vegas.

Exynos 5 octa procEssorSamsung has built a new microproces-

sor for high-end mobile phones and

tablets. Working off two sets of four-

core processors, the Exynos 5 Octa

chip allows users to operate several

apps while still using their phone or

tablet to perform tasks. What’s more,

it’s designed to have even less effect

on the battery than before.

yUoM flExiblE displayBend it, roll it, fold it. The latest in

displays is a flexible screen known as

Yuom. This superthin, bendy display

hardware will be incorporated into

phones, projectors, screens and

tablets. The screen interior uses OLED

display technology and still delivers

clear pictures, with brighter colours

and contrast, no matter which way

it’s folded.

GrEEn MEMory solUtion Samsung calls it “Green Memory”. It’s

a new way to reduce the amount of

kilowatts stored in memory servers.

By promoting the use of lower voltage

DRAMs and solid-state drives (SSDs),

networks and users can significantly

lower power consumption and energy

bills, thereby reducing the overall

carbon footprint in the server space.

Hopefully this catches on: if every

data centre in the world switched to

the green memory solution, in one

year we could save 32 billion kilowatt

hours – enough to light up New York for

six  months.

INCREDIBLE TECH UNVEILED AT CES

Dr Stephen Woo announced three

major innovations in his keynote

address at CES 2013. These will

enable Samsung to create a better

world with innovation. >

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A DAy IN THE LIfE of Ntutule TsheyaneS13 uncovers the everyday workings of

Samsung’s B2G and Corporate Citizen Lead

In the week I wake up at 3:30am. I go to the study, do some emails and take care of docu-ments. At 6am I take a shower, leave for the office at 6:30am, and generally get in at 7:30am.

I go to sleep at 11pm (ish).

The first thing I do when I sit down is I connect my laptop to the Samsung network, and con-tinue where I left off at home. Although once you get in the office you can be pulled into a series of impromptu meetings, which is why it’s so important for me to get a head start at home.

I used to drink a lot of coffee, but I worried my heart was beating too fast, so now I’m like an old man drinking Rooibos.

It’s a good day for me when things are going well! It’s a good day when all the projects are fine, when there are no ma-jor challenges, and there are no complaints. It’s also good when I don’t have to do any emer-gency travelling out of SA!

It’s a bad day for me when there are major challenges with some of our key projects. It’s certainly a bad day when there are changes to the negative

with some of the deals we are working on, especially with government.

On average I communicate with about 300 people a day.

I travel a lot because we now have many projects and clients dotted around South Africa. I would say I’m on the road at least 3 days a week.

The one thing I can’t travel without? A for Access. Access to what is going on in the office; email, phone, I can’t travel without that… I absolutely can-not do anything without access to email.

The most rewarding aspect of my job is making positive change in people’s lives, whether they are Samsung employees or pro-gramme beneficiaries. Recently I’ve come to appreciate posi-tive outcome on competitive deals, on the opportunities I’m working on.

When I was younger I wanted to be a lawyer. I wanted to be like John Cochrane … I wanted to be a great lawyer!

I used to relax by going to the gym and playing golf, but now I just don’t have time. The clos-

est I get to relaxing is seeing my two boys when I get home at night. It’s usually late though, so I don’t have much time to spend with them, but whatever I have I’m grateful for.

Weekends pass very fast, on the weekends I get to check to the pool, do the garden, go shopping with the kids. I love my weekends, but they go by so fast…

I think I live to work, instead of work to live.

Ntutule Tsheyane illustrated by Vali Mbusi

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Nx300 : Aim, shoot, shAre.

Cool jet engine