LG’s incredible OLED TVs billed as the Future of Television

After a strong showing at Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2016, there is little doubt that OLED is poised to become the dominant format for tomorrow’s UHD TVs.

CES 2016 presented an opportune moment for OLED to establish itself as the leading format for the next generation of televisions, pointing to 2016 being a banner year for OLED technology. Additionally, the reduced cost and surge in 4K content is likely to lead to a boom in OLED popularity.

This comes against the backdrop of a recent announcement by LG Electronics to make 4K OLED TVs available to Kenyans from this year.

Of the thousands of products at the CES this year, LG’s OLED line stood out, helping set the tone in technology for years to come, at least in as far as television is concerned.

LG’s OLED line won recognition from global leading publications like Fortune, Wired and Techspot.  They lamped praise on it saying that it has been the best of the best in the television world for the past few years, lauded its picture quality, razor-thin design as well as said in many of their articles that it was by far the most impressive TV shown at CES 2016.

Since unveiling its innovative OLED technology to the world in 2012, LG has been commended for making a revolutionary step toward the next generation of TV technology. LG released new 4K OLED TV models last year at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, with industry experts raving about LG OLED’s innovative technology and design.

The display market is highly competitive, and superior picture quality remains a hugely important differentiator. Currently, the lion's share of the television market today still belongs to LED LCD TVs.

OLED TVs deliver a superb viewing experience with more natural, comfortable colors and a maximum response time of 0.001ms, which is more than 1,000 times faster than conventional LCD flat panel TVs. They are also known to render images with perfect blacks and perfect colors with an infinite contrast ratio.

On the other hand, with consumers now more than ever looking for creative ways to slim down in any way, especially those in cramped living spaces, modern TVs are progressively becoming smaller increasing their appeal. Thanks to space saving LG OLED TVs consumers living in such spaces need not to worry.

LG’s OLED TVs measure in at a mere 2.5mm, allowing them to nearly disappear when viewed from the side. The stylish, ultra slim design of LG OLED TVs still offers appreciable benefits to consumers where space is less of an issue.

Lastly, the revolutionized design of OLED TVs allows users to experience the maximum benefit of its widened viewing angles. The narrow viewing angles of traditional LCD TVs make it necessary to seat all viewers within a small “sweet spot” but LG OLED TV eliminates this problem, giving consumers more freedom to design their viewing areas as they see fit, regardless of the size and shape of the room.

LG announces drive to raise Sh20 million for orthopaedic rehabilitation

LG Electronics’ Mr. Choong Hak, Executive Vice President Business Support officer (left) and Mr. Taeick Son East Africa Managing Director engage Ms. Janet Reson, one of the beneficiaries of the company’s artificial limb program at P.C.E.A Kikuyu Hospital during an event to mark the 10^th anniversary of the company’s partnership with hospital. LG has announced plans to organize an annual walk starting from August, targeting to raise over Sh20Million for the hospital’s orthopaedic rehabilitation unit.

LG Electronics has announced plans to scale up its existing support to P.C.E.A Kikuyu Hospital’s orthopaedic rehabilitation unit through an annual walk to raise funds for the facility.

Starting this August, and working with P.C.E.A Kikuyu Hospital, the company will organize an annual five kilometer walk in Kikuyu targeting organizations and over 5,000 participants. The aim is to raise over Sh20 million for the hospital’s orthopaedic rehabilitation unit.

The funds will be used to equip the unit with prosthetics, pay bills for needy patients as well as create awareness on the plight of persons with physical impairments.

The unit receives over 500 cases from across the country requiring prosthetics annually but owing to the high cost of treatment, it is only about half of that number that gets support to acquire artificial limbs.

The average cost for above knee prosthesis for both adults and children is about Sh50,000 while below knee prosthesis is about Sh30,000.

Speaking during a ceremony to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the partnership between the company and the hospital, LG Electronics’ General Manager for Marketing Moses Marji spoke of the need to scale up financial support for the unit in the coming months to accommodate more people.

“We hope to use the annual walk to raise additional funding required to accommodate more patients from humble backgrounds,” said Mr Marji.

The most common causes of physical impairments include accidents and diseases.

He added: “soon, if budgets allow, we hope to expand the program beyond Kikuyu Hospital to various Level Four hospitals across the country.”

On his part, the hospital’s CEO Patrick Kimpiatu applauded LG Electronics for making the partnership work, and for its commitment in the cause that has over the years seen hundreds of people with amputated legs and arms from across the country supported to acquire artificial limbs.

“Disability from such amputations, no doubt hinders full participation in the economic and social life development of the affected. I am however glad that LG’s contribution has seen some of those people get back to playing an active role in society as contributors to the economy and lessened their burden,” said Dr Kimpiatu.

EABL’S CHROME VODKA AND SAUTI SOL SIGN PARTNERHIP DEAL

EABL’s Chrome Vodka has today announced a partnership deal with Sauti Sol, Kenya’s leading afro-pop group as the brand ambassadors who will drive its “Dream Big, Be Bigger” #ShineOn marketing campaign while the brand becomes the official sponsor of Sauti Sol’s “Live and Die in Afrika” national tour.
The tour, which is the first of its kind in Kenya, will see the group stage live performances in Kisumu, Eldoret, Nakuru, Machakos and Mombasa to popularize their album, which has already proved a big hit in the local charts going platinum within 37 hours of its launch.
“This venture brings to life the strong connection between Chrome Vodka’s innovative leadership as a credible, premium quality vodka and Sauti Sol’s legendary appeal in afro pop music” said Anne Joy Muhoro, EABL Kenya Marketing Manager, Mainstream Spirits. “Chrome Vodka aims to support local talent and at the same time drive a brand that resonates with our target consumer”
“Sauti Sol is Kenya’s pride in the music industry; young men who have a vision that they are successfully bringing to life; they have managed to build a strong brand in both local and international markets. They have achieved this through the power of determination and dedication and these are the characteristics that resonate with both Chrome and Sauti Sol’s target consumers,” explained Marek, Managing Director, Sauti Sol Entertainment.
In December 2014, EABL introduced Chrome Vodka to tap into the consumer segment seeking a price accessible, high quality brand with premium cues. The brand is leading innovation in the lower mainstream segment and has recently expanded to include a pre-mixed vodka, Chrome Spark with a recommended retail price of Ksh 80 per 300ml bottle, and a lemon flavoured vodka with a recommended retail price of Ksh 180 for 250ml.
Live and Die in Afrika was added in BBC Africa’s Top 10 tracks of 2015 and Okayafrica’s Top 15 Albums of 2015. Sauti Sol were also listed as Billboard Africa’s Most Promising Group, The Standard Newspaper’s 2016 Agenda Setters and Drum Magazine Africa’s 2015 Movers & Shakers. Sauti Sol is an award-winning afro pop group from Kenya. The band has won Best Group in East Africa (2016 Bingwa Awards), Best African Group at African Muzik Magazine Awards (2015 AFRIMMA) and an MTV EMA Award for Best African Act in 2014. Comprising of Bien-Aime Baraza, Willis Austin Chimano, Polycarp Otieno and Savara Mudigi, the group mixes their soulful voices with vocal harmonies, guitar riffs and drum rhythm. Sauti Sol blends warm resonant pop with traditional Kenyan influences. Their mélange of energetic rhythms has promoted the group to become one of Africa’s most celebrated and East Africa’s pioneers of a fresh sound that has inspired the sprouting of many other bands from East Africa.

LG V10 PUSHING BOUNDARIES IN INNOVATION.

Technology keeps evolving at a rapid rate. Most people can’t keep up; before you have grasped the functionality of a new technology another one arises.
LG has thrived as being one of the most innovative electronics company by constantly optimizing their disruptive technology to deliver forward thinking features in their products.
According to Charles Darwin “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.” So is the world of technology and thus the need to innovate so as to stay relevant.
In this year’s InnoFest event, that showcases LG innovative products which was hosted in Dubai under the theme ‘Innovation for a Better Life’. LG reassured its stakeholders that it is keen to keep producing products  with progressive technology.
The smartphone world is constantly evolving.  Many people cannot operate without their phones this makes them feel a sense of disconnection to the world. A study done discovered that the average person checks their device 85 times a day, spending a total of five hours browsing the web and using apps. This equates to around a third of the time a person is awake, and is twice as often as many people even realise.

With the smartphone usage craze, many device manufacturers are striving to make their devices to have a global appeal. This is has been achieved by making your phone able to connect to other home appliances and devices as well as being able to capture moments instantaneously , edit and share it on social media platforms.

Recently, in a bid to capture the emerging youthful market globally, LG launched the LG V10 which has been built with disruptive technology. The dual 80-degree and 120-degree front facing cameras is perfect for the selfie lovers. One of the coolest camera features on the V10 is called Gesture shot. You can take a selfie by holding your open hand up to the camera and then closing it into a fist. The feature actually works really well, and it can come in handy quite often. Gesture shot is enabled by default, so all you have to do is use it. It can also record footage in a cinematic 21:9 ratio. Other notable V10 features a wind noise filter and audio monitor that allows users to adjust the sensitivity of the phone’s three mics during recording.

The LG V10 is also installed with an IR blasters. An IR blaster is what remotes use to communicate with a television to turn it on, adjust volume, change channels, etc. This makes it easier than having to fumble for a remote.

Middle East & Africa Coined Key Contributors for LG Electronics at Innofest 2016

LG Electronics yesterday marked the start of InnoFest, its two-day innovation festival attracting over 250 retailers, partners and customers from across the region. Hosted under the theme ‘Innovation for a Better Life’, the event reaffirms LG’s commitment and underlines its robust plans for the Middle East & Africa region, by ushering in a new and exciting product line-up for the year.

Commenting at the event, Kevin Cha, Executive Vice President at LG Electronics for the Middle East & Africa region said, “The Middle East region has witnessed an exponential growth over the years and riding along with this fast paced development and while keeping pace with it, we at LG Electronics have robust plans for the region and we envision to become a leader by offering an edge over global competition. We are strengthening our line-up by introducing new and innovative products to the existing large portfolio of products that we already possess.”

From the revolutionary OLED TVs to the groundbreaking TWIN Wash™ washing machines, and everything in between, InnoFest 2016 laid the ground for an impressive showcase of LG’s innovative product line-up, incorporating the latest technology with the primary aim to make consumers lives easier. Taking a step further and in a bid to offer its customers an edge with innovation, LG’s latest and premium SIGNATURE line-up was also highlighted at the show.

LG’s new SIGNATURE range of premium products that includes the latest 4K OLED TV, a high tech refrigerator, washing machine and an air purifier is part of the company’s efforts to bring the best technology and best designs together. The SIGNATURE design concept was to make the product appear more intuitive while maintaining a minimalistic design.

While the LG SIGNATURE OLED TV is a leap forward in design with the screen looking like a floating sheet of glass that eliminates everything except the stunning picture quality, the SIGNATURE refrigerator adds some innovative features that are designed to make the product more intuitive, more efficient and more convenient.

And last but not the least, LG’s SIGNATURE Air Purifier comes with a transparent panel to make the air purification a visual experience as the Aqua Cyclone feature uses water to filter out chemicals and contaminants to bring the room to comfortable humidity levels.

As part of InnoFest 2016, LG discussed its robust plans to expand and enhance its product line-up across the Middle East & Africa region including its strengths in designing and developing stylish products with smarter localized solutions and unveiled its plans for the SIGNATURE Line-up during the year.

In addition to the SIGNATURE lineup, key focus on innovation was showcased with the company’s flagship OLED TV loaded with the latest display technologies, including high dynamic range (HDR). The G6 and E6 are the first TVs from LG to feature the company’s unique Picture-On-Glass design, which boasts an ultra-thin 2.57mm OLED panel with a translucent glass back and forward-facing sound bar speaker system.

From the Home Appliances category, LG’s front loading washing machine stole the show with its revolutionary TWIN Wash™ System as it gives consumers the power to wash two loads of laundry at the same time. That’s not all, alongside, LG’s other innovative home appliance product line-up including the air conditioning line-up, LG’s award winning laundry innovation, LG Styler - a sleek new clothing management system having an easy and time-saving way to maintain and refresh special clothing items was also highlighted.

Mr Cha added, “While InnoFest not only showcases our product strength, it creates an impeccable opportunity for us to focus on the many relationships we cultivate with our retailers and distributors who believe in the LG brand and have made us a household name in the region. We thank our partners and customers for their support and trusting in the LG brand for its innovation and product excellence.”

Along with a gamut of products from the Home Appliance and the Home Entertainment categories, LG’s impressive line of mobile communications device – the latest V10 was also a highlight.

With innovation at the forefront, LG Electronics has also been pursuing a premium-market strategy, providing the opportunity for the company to position itself as a technology innovator with a flair for convenience, design and style.

INTRODUCING TOUCH-ENABLED QUICK COVER FOR YET-TO-BE-ANNOUNCED LG G5

LG Electronics (LG) took the wraps off a new version of its Quick Cover case, designed specifically for LG’s next generation flagship smartphone, LG G5, which does not yet exist. Known as a company ahead of the times, LG took this characterization to heart by revealing the existence of the accessory before the actual product.

The latest LG Quick Cover offers the advantages of previous Quick Covers but with even more features. The touch function, recently introduced on the K10’s Quick Cover View, is now available on the G5 Quick Cover’s semitransparent mesh cover. It enables users to take calls and control alarm settings without opening the case for the ultimate in convenience.

Users of the case can check the time, date and notifications on the Always-on Display of the yet unseen LG G5 even with the cover closed. LG also incorporated a unique film with a glossy metallic finish to enhance the smooth and luxurious look and feel of the cover for maximum consistency with the speculative LG G5.

The Quick Cover for LG G5 will be on display at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain from February 22-25. Visitors to MWC are encouraged to stop by LG’s booth in Hall 3 of Fira Gran Via to see the LG Quick Cover and the rumored LG G5 for themselves.

Jambojet flies its one millionth customer

Jambojet, the low cost brand of Kenya Airways, has set a regional record of handling one million customers in less than two years.
In a feat that indicates the increasing popularity of the concept of low-cost flying, the milestone has come barely two months to the company’s second year anniversary.
During the first year the domestic market grew by 25% in passenger numbers. This year the Jambojet passenger numbers increased by 18% compared to last year. The demand in all routes has grown tremendously as reflected in the number of round trips this year which is at 3,312 flights up to date as opposed to 2,522 last year.
Commenting on the milestone, Jambojet CEO Willem Hondius attributed the immense growth to the low fares we offer, the excellent customer service and clear timings for the economy growth tickers in the various destinations.
“The number of destinations increased from four when we began in April 2014 to seven, while our fleet also grew from two to four with the addition of two Bombadier Dash-8 Q400 to the already existing Boeing 737-300  during the mentioned period,” he added.
The bold move by Jambojet last year to tap into the coastal tourism circuit of Lamu, Malindi and Ukunda has contributed to the immense growth of passenger numbers in the coastal archipelago. During the past period, the total number of passengers travelling to these three destinations together went up by 71 per cent compared to the previous year.
“While devolution may have played a key role in decentralizing the operations of many organizations that were previously nested in the city - thus increasing executive travels across the country, we also give credit to many Kenyans who have discovered the convenience of flying affordably to their destinations, thirty per cent of them being first time flyers,” Mr. Hondius explained.
Jambojet's load factor - a key measure indicating how many seats flown were actually occupied increased by 10 percentage points to 77%.
“This is the first time ever that any regional operator in Kenya has carried over one million customers within two years of operation,” concluded Willem Hondius.