The Daraz Black Friday QR Code catches on across Pakistan

Who hasn’t heard? Daraz Black Friday: the biggest, busiest, most stratospheric sale of the year is about to be unleashed into Pakistan’s e-commerce universe in T minus 21 days.

Calendars are being marked, wishlists drawn out and the uninitiated being educated and brought into the Black Friday fold! Word around the internet is that a QR code discount is doing the rounds.

Daraz’s adoption of the QR Code as part of its Black Friday 2017 sale has taken the country by storm. From a distance, QR codes appear as an interlocked grid of pixelated black and white dots. A maze of sorts - at the end of which lies a reward for Daraz’s code-breaking fans: an additional flat Rs.500 discount that can be availed on the Daraz app during the Black Friday sale come November 20th.

What this means is that on Black Friday this year, not only will there be up to 86% off from brands and additional discounts from payment partners, but there will also be an ADDITIONAL Rs 500 discount on the Daraz app for those who scan the Black Friday QR Code.  

The Black Friday QR code is spreading every which direction to Tier 1 cities like Karachi Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Multan and has also infiltrated the smaller cities including Faisalabad, Sargodha, Abbottabad, Bahawalpur, Mansehra and Mardan.  

Scattered across stores and venues Pakistan-wide, the code has caught on, intriguing and inviting fans in equal measure to take on Daraz’s tempting proposition.

Thinking outside the grid! Crack the #TheBlackFridayQRCode; avail Rs. 500 OFF

There’s not much cracking needed. Smartphones either come with in-built QR censors and for all the ones that don’t, handy QR scanning apps available in the app/play store have got everyone covered. Here is what you need to do:

1.    Find the Black Friday QR Code`

2.    Scan the QR code. Your smartphone may have an in-built scanner, or you can download a QR code scanner from the Play/App store

3.    Once the code is scanned, you land on a page that gives you your voucher code- save that code somewhere so you can use it on Black Friday

4.    Download the Daraz app and use voucher code on checkout during Black Friday

5.    Enjoy your shopping

https://www.facebook.com/darazpk/videos/1202905669853075/

GREE to install 400 ton VRF All DC Inverter System in Chughtai Lab Head Office

GREE - a globally leading enterprise of air-conditioners has recently signed a Supply & installation project of 400 ton GREE VRF (ALL DC Inverter) system along with hygienic & fresh air system at Chughtai Lab Head Quarter, Lahore (the state-of-the-art tallest building at Jail Road). Chughtai Lab Head Quarter is a high-tech building which comprises of latest medical examination equipment, performing various kinds of new tests/examinations which were not currently present in Pakistan.

GREE goes out-of-the-way to meet the expectations of its customers, whilst delivering excellence. GREE All DC Inverter VRF System is equipped with extremely high-efficient inverter compressors, and also has four exciting features, different from the traditional inverter air conditioners. This system has an excellent energy saving effect, reducing the electricity cost throughout the year. It also has a smarter network control, more reliable and precise operation which provides the users with the best air-conditioning experience.

The company has been consistently innovating new technologies to create the best-suited products, in accordance with the experts’ insights and the changing needs of the consumers.  

Gree HVAC division has completed many projects in Pakistan such as Coca Cola head office, Bahria Orchard Hospital, Hayat Hospital and Shalimar Hospital, DHA Raya Club.

HUAWEI Mate 10 SeriesLaunched in Pakistan

HUAWEI has introduced its HUAWEI Mate 10 Series in Pakistan – thereby heralding a Superphone era in the country. The new HUAWEI Mate 10 lite, HUAWEI Mate 10 and HUAWEI Mate 10 Proare a gamechanger in smartphone innovation and photography. The HUAWEI Mate 10 Series continues its legacy of superior product performance and long-lasting battery life, while integrating new Leica Dual-Camera technology.

The HUAWEI Mate 10 and HUAWEI Mate 10 Pro go beyond smart with its AI application ecosystem. Powered by the Kirin 970 System-on-a-Chip (SoC) processor, it has an 8-core CPU, a next-gen 12-core GPU, and a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) to power AI computing tasks.Not only does it make the smartphone intelligent with personalized AI applications, but delivers a faster, stronger and seamless smartphone experience to users. It also features a Leica SUMMILUX-H dual camera with f/1.6 aperture, combining 12MP RGB sensor and a 20MP Monochrome sensor. An intelligent AI helps recognize objects and adjusts the settings accordingly to take the best image.

The HUAWEI Mate 10 lite is the world’s first quad-camera smartphone with a 5.9” FullView display. Both the rear and front cameras have high resolution 16 and 13-megapixels sensors respectively, paired with a secondary two-megapixel camera each.Both dual-lens cameras feature hardware-level bokeh effect for crisper, cleaner and more artistic photos and improved performance in low-light situations.

With such toplinefeatures, it was only fitting to have renownedpersonalities associated with the brand. For HUAWEI Mate 10 Pro, avant-garde photographer – Tapu Javerihas been roped in as he embodies the photographic prowess that is synonymous with the device. For HUAWEI Mate 10 lite, Urwa Hocane is the perfect mate for she loves taking stunning selfies of herself – something that the device is aptly designed for.

Speaking at the launch event, Mr. Blueking, General Manager, Huawei Consumer Business Group Pakistan said: “With the launch of HUAWEI Mate 10 Series, we are initiating an era of intelligent smartphones in Pakistan. These devices are trendsetters in the industry through their innovation, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and remarkable photographic capabilities. The AI in HUAWEI Mate 10 Series enhances user experience, provides valuable services and improves product performance. Whereas, the four cameras on HUAWEI Mate 10 lite redefine photography as we know it, and take spectacular photos.”

The HUAWEI Mate 10 lite is available in Graphite Black, Prestige Gold and Aurora Black for PKR 29,999/- while people can get their hands on the HUAWEI Mate 10 for PKR 69,999/- in Black and Mocha Brown. The Mate 10 Pro comes in Midnight Blue and Mocha Brown for PKR 87,999/-.

Microsoft and HEC organize ‘Academic Day’ at Haripur University

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan and Microsoft Pakistan have collaborated to pursue a joint initiative for promoting the use of advanced Information Technology and Cloud computing solutions, in the education sector of Pakistan. It is a pioneering and insightful initiative that includes a mega event organized every academic year, in major universities across the country.

‘Microsoft Academic Day’ was recently organized at the University of Haripur – a remote town in the north-western region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The series of events comprises of discussions on the Education Transformation Agreement (ETA) between the two organizations - its impact and role in the education landscape of Pakistan. The ETA helps the faculty & students remain up-to-date with the latest technological advancements, through technical trainings, workshops & seminars. Furthermore, Academic Day show cases the features of Microsoft Azure and its potential role in the Education industry.

Microsoft’s Cloud solution - Office 365, is a powerful platform used by more than 250,000 consumers in Pakistan, due to its effective performance. Similarly, experts at the event highlighted its versatility and rapid adoption for educational usage. Additionally, the participants also discussed the Imagine Cup - Microsoft’s leading technology competition, its winners over the past 4 years and the next year’s engagement plan.

The event celebrates the commitment of HEC and Microsoft to deliver advanced training and boot camps, along with the free distribution of cutting-edge software packages to universities across the country. HEC - a governing body for higher education has taken numerous ICT initiatives to provide advanced services to the education and research communities in Pakistan.

Microsoft is investing $75 million globally, over three years, to increase access to computer-science education and bring the latest technologies and tools for all youth, especially the students and the deprived communities. Microsoft’s Cloud suite Office 365 plays a significant role in enhancing collaboration, creativity and critical-thinking in the classroom. HEC also announced Microsoft’s Student Advantage Program which aims to provide free access to Windows 10 for more than 750,000 university students to help them benefit from the Windows 10 S. Windows 10 S is a specific configuration of Windows 10 Pro that offers a familiar, productive Windows experience that’s streamlined for security and performance. Windows 10 S was inspired by students and teachers and it’s the best Windows ever for schools.

Prof. Dr. Fareed Abid – Vice Chancellor University of Haripur started the proceedings with a warm welcome extended to all the guests, and highlighted the role of HEC & Microsoft in Education, saying “The opportunities, this alliance opens up for students of our University are unparalleled, and I would encourage our faculty & students to make the most out of these engagements”.

Harb Bou-Harb – Senior Director, Education and Public-Sector Microsoft North Africa, East Mediterranean and Pakistan said, “Microsoft believes that social development in today’s digital era largely depends on the scale of technology awareness among the youth. The Microsoft Academic Day is a part of our pursuit to nurture a tech-savvy mindset among the Pakistani youth.  Technological knowledge is the key to economic development in today’s world, that is why we are grooming and encouraging the youth to learn smart-computing skills.”

Professor Dr Mukhtar Ahmed – Chairman of Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan, while dilating on the prospect of a continuing endeavor in partnership with Microsoft said, “We are striving to revolutionize Pakistan’s education system, and it is really heartening to see the enthusiastic response from all the stakeholders.” He was delighted by the Student participation in Microsoft’s Certification program, announcing 300 free certification vouchers for the Students at Haripur.

As devices and technologies become more accessible and the capabilities grow - especially when laptops (2-in-1) are being distributed by HEC under the Prime Minister’s Laptops Scheme. Microsoft’s initiative seeks to enhance the understanding of students through effective training and briefings about the latest technologies.  It is closing the skills gap, to empower students in Pakistan to achieve more. Both HEC and Microsoft are partnering with more and more educators, on their journey to redefine learning.  Core to their mission is the creation of immersive and inclusive learning experiences that inspire life-long learning.

Microsoft Pakistan launches ‘Technology for Good’ initiative

In the spirit of its mission to empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more, Microsoft has launched its globally-established “Technology for Good” program in Pakistan. This initiative is aimed at addressing the technology obstacles organizations from the social sector face trying to accomplish their cause. 

Non-profit organizations around the world have limited resources. Hence, it is a tough choice for them to decide whether to invest in IT infrastructure or to allocate maximum funds for community support and social-development. The ‘Technology for Good’ program will empower non-profits to achieve more as Microsoft will donate software & ‘Cloud’ services to help these organizations accomplish their missions. It promises to simplify the IT challenges for non-profits, with reliable solution. Together, Microsoft and nonprofits can engage communities around the world and help them bring positive social change, through a variety of mobile-first and cloud-first platforms, to create services that enhance productivity. This will enable social-sector organizations to focus more on doing more good, in the communities that they serve.  

The Country Manager of Microsoft Pakistan– Abid Zaidi stated that: Philanthropy is a vital part of Microsoft’s vision. We believe in sharing our success with the communities, wherever we operate. As a technology-enabler, we create robust platforms that promise revolutionary enrichments in the society. With our focus on the youth, we provide powerful solutions for various national challenges. We are thus inspiring many dynamic partnerships among NGO’s, Academia and donors. These technology-driven alliances are nurturing fresh efforts for nation-building.”

Cloud computing technology has now become a vital element, having a tremendous impact on NGO’s. By adopting cloud technology, NGOs can not only cut their operational costs and streamline the flow of communications, but simultaneously modernize accounting systems, and facilitate resource management. The technology donated by Microsoft will bring a paradigm shift in how the information is managed.Social media, websites, webinars, emails, and e-commerce — all the rudiments of cloud computing, are now revolutionizing the operations of NGOs working in various sectors.

Mr. Aziz Memon – the President of All Pakistan Memon Federation (APMF) addressed the event and stated: “We are really excited to be a part of this pioneering initiative by Microsoft. We want to thank Microsoft for donating the latest software technologies to the development organizations with a social spirit. The software technologies are already helping a large number of communities, to achieve faster economic growth. Many high-potential Startups are also making tremendous progress due to these powerful technologies.”

Mr. Rizwan Ahmed – Senior Manager, Career Services & Special Projects at Aman Foundation said: "This is a noble venture by Microsoft, which is fully cohesive with Aman Foundation’s mission to empower communities, by providing modern tools and resources for rapid progress. Microsoft’s ‘Technology for Good’ programme, promises the much-needed software-support for; Social Mobilization, Education & Literacy, Primary HealthCare, Economic Development and Sustainable Environment."

This initiative will synchronize the development efforts of more than 80 participants representing 40+ organizations. Microsoft’s solution partners will also extend their support to the NGOs/INGOs, Academia and donors.

Pakistan’s Businesses Leap-Frog Innovation Curve with Big Data Analytics

SAP S/4HANA Innovation Day in Karachi Showcases Latest Innovations in Business Technology

Pakistan’s organizations are leap-frogging the digital business innovation curve using real-time Big Data analytics, global digital transformation enabler SAP announced today.

“As Pakistan’s organizations ramp up digital transformation, boardrooms are investing in real-time Big Data analytics to unlock innovative business strategies and advanced decision-making, and leapfrog  the business maturity curve,” said Saquib Ahmad, Country Manager, SAP Pakistan on the sidelines of the SAP S/4HANA Innovation Day, which showcased the real-time business suite SAP S/4HANA.

Attendees experienced business applications running on SAP S/4HANA, including finance, product planning, customer sales and fulfillment, and procurement. SAP S/4HANA can run in-premise, or on public, private, or hybrid clouds. In particular, C-suite executives were impressed by the SAP Digital Boardroom, which can provide real-time contextual information and ad hoc analysis.

“When Pakistan’s CEOs need to enter new markets and engage with customers across channels, SAP S/4HANA is the digital core for growth. Big Data analytics and Internet of Things innovations are essential for Pakistan’s organizations to deliver new digital business models,” added Saquib Ahmad.

Already, Pakistan’s leading organizations are seeing strong business benefits from SAP S/4HANA.

“As Pakistan’s building boom continues, having real-time business analytics allows Lucky Cement to gain real-time visibility on our supply chain, financials, and customer delivery,” said Noman Hasan, Executive Director, Lucky Cement, one of Pakistan’s largest producers and experts of cement. “SAP S/4HANA provides the foundation for our digital transformation, and is driving return on investment and our expansion.”

Innovative organizations can drive business innovations by connecting SAP S/4HANA with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, machine learning, and the Internet of Things.

Global technology company Siemens, and business technology consultancies Abacus Consulting and Excellence Delivered served as event partners. SAP counts 6,900 global SAP S/4HANA customers.

Dadabhoy Institute of Higher Education Leads Futures Training in Pakistan.

Dadabhoy Institute of Higher Education (DIHE) along with AGAHI, the country partner of the Millennium-Project, a Global Futures Studies & Research participatory think-tank conducted a two-day leadership session on Futures Thinking and Strategy Development; the working sessions were designed and delivered by Professor Sohail Inayatullah, UNESCO Chair of Futures Studies. Dadabhoy Institute of Higher Education organized one of the first of its kind futures sessions in Pakistan focused on Karachi Futures’. Inviting leaders from business, politics, media, civil society and academia.

RabiaDadabhoy, Vice Chairman for the Dadabhoy Institute of Higher Education (DIHE) said, “we are proud to mark that DIHE is taking a lead on Futures Research in Pakistan, we are confident that this will create research avenues for the foresight techniques and research thinking. This is the right platform that creates multiple opportunities for collaboration and co-creation; doing this with AGAHI in partnership on Pakistan Foresight Initiative; Karachi Futures is a step in that direction”.

The objectives of the designed sessions were to explore future methodologieswhich could help alleviate the multitude issues the city faces. The participants were engaged in various futures methods and were asked to apply them on the city, these included the futures triangle, causal layered analysis, macro and micro scenarios, visioning and back-casting. The sessions were designed to help the participants understand and develop a familiarity with methods used to develop preferred, probable and possible futures; particularly changes in societal values and other critical drivers - impacting the future and to help enhance the effectiveness to deliver desired visions.Puruesh Chaudhary Founder and President AGAHI, said “the recently launched, Pakistan State of Future Index, gives a sense of how decisions in the country need to be made; Karachi being the financial hub needs a new metaphor and working with DiHE; we feel that this is the platform which can create the momentum where citizenry participation is at the heart of all decision-making in the city.

Professor Sohail Inayatullah, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair of Futures Studiesstated “Karachi can play a pivotal role in the future of cityscape by forming an alliance of Asian megacities that will collectively look towards solving the pressing issues they face within, helping grow Pakistan’s value regionally and internationally whilst transforming Karachi as the ‘Emerald of the World’”.

The sessions were attended byjournalists,AfshanSubhoi,Mubashir Zaidi, SohaibJamali, Syed Naeemuddin; Academicians Dr. AadilNakhoda, Dr. Saad Ahmed Khan, Dr. Arsalan Khan, DrSaadLiaquat, EntreprenuersAbid Butt, Roger Dawood Bayat, Amir Jahangir whilecivil society was represented by Syed FaizanYasir, Salman Javed, Lt-General (Retd.) Farooq Agha, ShaziaIsmat Zaidi, HabibUllahDadabhoyamongst others

Dadabhoy Institute of Higher Education (DIHE) was established in the year 2003. It received Charter as Degree Awarding Institute by the Government of Sindh, through an act of the Parliament. In 2005, DIHE was recognized by the Higher Education Commission and placed in top grade i.e. W ’A’ category institutes. TheDIHE mission is to facilitate growth and prosperity amongst all sections of our society. DIHE offers various undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate programs in Business Administration, Computer Science, Engineering, Basic & Applied Sciences, and Law. At DIHE, no student is denied admission due to financial need. Since the day of its inception, DIHE has been regularly awarding merit scholarships and need-based financial help to students irrespective of their religion, gender, caste or creed. The ultimate objective is to provide quality education at affordable cost.