Xpress Money and Telenor

Xpress Money and Telenor launch PKR 200 promotion

             

~ An additional PKR 200 to be won with each Door Delivery transaction by Xpress Money ~

Islamabad, June 10, 2014: Xpress Money, the world’s most dependable money transfer brand, in association with Telenor in Pakistan, gives its customers an opportunity to win additional PKR 200 with every Door Delivery transaction. 

The promotional offer commences today (June 10, 2014) and will last for two months in 34 major cities across Pakistan.To avail this offer, the sender has to opt for door-delivery service while sending money to his beneficiary in Pakistan. It is valid for transactions up to PKR 35,000/day with a maximum of 3 transactions per beneficiary in a given month. 

Encouraging Xpress Money customers to use the Door Delivery service, Mr. Rizwan Ali Hamdani, Country Manager – AFPAK, Xpress Money said “The Door Delivery service allows the beneficiary a safe, hassle-free money transfer at their doorstep. With all the convenience offered by this service, this could be a major step towards maneuvering remittances through authorized and legal remittance channels. We encourage all our remitters to use this opportunity to their advantage and benefit from the 200 PKR that we are offering to all customers who use the service. ” 

The offer is available across 34 cities namely Gujar Khan, Islamabad, Jehlum, Mirpur, Rawalpindi, Rawat, Gujarat, Barakoh – Islamabad, Burewala, Quaidabad, Jhang, Faisalabad, Peshawar, Buner, Khwaza Khela, Mardan, Nowshera, Lahore, Mingora, Swabi, Topi, Gujranwala, Daska Sambrial, Narowal, Sialkot, Toba Tek Singh, Pir Mahal, Bhakkar, Sargodha, Multan, Dera Gazi Khan, Zahirpir and Kotaddu.

Intel President:

Integrated, Smart Connected Devices Fuel Next Era of Computing

PAKISTAN, Islamabad, June 3, 2014 – As computing continues to evolve and expand beyond the traditional PC, Intel Corporation President Renée James said Intel and the Taiwan technology ecosystem have the exciting opportunity to build on the long history of collaborative innovation to deliver seamless and truly personal computing experiences.

Processor technology continues to get smaller with greater performance and lower power thanks to Moore’s Law, expanding the scale and potential for Intel technology and that of the Taiwan ecosystem, from infrastructure for cloud computing and the Internet of Things to personal and mobile computing and wearable technology.

“The lines between technology categories are blurring as the era of integrated computing takes hold where form factor matters less than the experience delivered when all devices are connected to each other and to the cloud,” said James. “Whether it’s a smartphone, smart shirt, ultra-thin 2 in 1 or a new cloud service delivered to smart buildings outfitted with connected systems, together Intel and the Taiwan ecosystem have the opportunity to accelerate and deliver the value of a smart, seamlessly connected and integrated world of computing.”

James highlighted the Intel technologies, products and collaborations with the Taiwan and broader ecosystem aimed at making a new wave of computing devices smart, integrated and connected to each other, the cloud and to people’s lives. 

Personal Computing Comes in All Shapes, Sizes and Experiences

                James said Moore’s Law is the foundation, while also reducing costs for increasingly smaller form factors with the performance and lower power people have come to expect.

                Underscoring that point, she talked about Intel’s commitment to deliver a broad choice of SoC and communications options for tablets and smartphones across a range of form factors,price points, and operating systems. James noted that Intel currently has 130 tablet design wins that are either in market or will be in market this year, from global OEMs and ODMs. More than a dozen Intel-based tablets are launching in the Computex timeframe. Approximately 35 percent of Intel Atom processor-based tablet designs currently include or will include Intel communications solutions.

James also said the category 6-capable Intel® XMM™ 7260 LTE-Advanced platform is now shipping to customers for interoperability testing and emphasized this puts Intel into a leadership position. This new technology is expected to appear in devices in the months ahead.

                Foxconn* executive YoungLiu joined James on stage to showcasemore than 10 Intel-based tablets available now or coming soon, ranging from the entry to performance segments. The tablets are based on Intel® Atom™ processors (code-named “Bay Trail”or “Clovertrail+”) SoCs, and many include Intel’s 3G or LTE communications platforms.

                Noting progress toward bringing the company’s first integrated mobile SoC platform for entry and value smartphones and tablets to market in the fourth quarter of this year, James made the first public phone call using a smartphone reference design based on the dual-core Intel SoFIA 3G solution. Intel will also bring a quad-core SoFIA LTE part to market in the first half of 2015 and last week announced a strategic agreement with Rockchipto add a quad-core SoFIA 3G derivative for entry-level tablets to the SoFIA family, also due in the first half of next year.

James also revealed the world’s first 14nm fanless mobile PC reference design from Intel. The 2 in 1 is a 12.5-inch screen that is 7.2mm thin with keyboard detached and weighs 670 grams. It includes a media dock that provides additional cooling for a burst of performance. The innovative design is based on the first of Intel’s next-generation 14nm Broadwell processors that are purpose-built for 2 in 1s and will be in market later this year. Called the Intel® Core™ M processor, it will deliver the most energy-efficientIntel Core processor in the company’s history1. The majority of designs based on this new chip are expected to be fanless and deliver both a lightning-fast tablet and a razor-thin laptop.

Intel is also delivering innovation and performance for the most demanding PC users. To that end, James introduced the 4th generation Intel® Core™ i7 and i5 processor “K” SKU, the first from Intel to deliver four cores atup to 4GHz base frequency. This desktop processor, built for enthusiasts, provide higher performance and enable new levels of overclocking capability.Production shipments begin in June of this year.

For the performance-hungry data center I/O needs, James introduced the Intel® Solid-State Drive Data Center Family for PCIe to meet the increasing need for high-performance, consistent and reliable storage solutions in the data center while helping to lower total cost of ownership. The drives will be broadly available in the third quarter of this year.

In order for computing to become more personal, James said it needs to meet people on their own terms, making interaction more natural and intuitive. She highlighted collaborations and new advances to bring Intel® RealSense™ technology and 3-D cameras and supporting applications to a growing number of 2 in 1, all-in-one, tablet and other personal computing devices. James said that the Intel RealSense software development kit 2014 will be made available to developers in the third quarter of 2014, providing opportunity for developers of all skill levels to create natural, intuitive user interfaces. Emphasizing Intel’s support and commitment to the software ecosystem, the company will hold the $1 Million Intel RealSense App Challenge 2014, and the ideation phase will begin in third quarter of 2014.

Intel Inside

Intel Makes Waves in the Mobility Space by bringing the 2nd Annual Mobility Day in Pakistan with High-Performance, Energy Efficient tablets on Bay Trail Platform

Key Highlights:

·         With people living an increasingly mobile lifestyle, Intel is developing technology to provide the best possible experience for people on the go

·         High performance, energy efficient tablets ensure optimal user experience with minimal energy demands

·           “Bay Trail-T,” now known as the Intel Atom Processor Z3000 Series, is Intel’s most capable, high- performance SoC to-date for tablets and other sleek mobile devices and the lowest-power platform of the Bay Trail family

PAKISTAN, Islamabad, 15 May 2014 – Intel Pakistan today celebrated the 2nd Annual Intel Mobility Roadshow. The event showcased the best of Intel’s mobile solutions across the full range of form factors and features, powered by Intel® Atom™ processor and Intel® Core™ processor, with a focus on what’s in store now, and also a glimpse into the future on what’s coming. The participants also had the opportunity of hands-on mobility experiences to help them understand how Intel is delivering mobile innovations that will transform our everyday lives. 

Intel’s Bay Trail platform includes low-power chips for tablets and notebooks as well as more powerful chips designed for desktop computers. These have been designed to increase battery life on high usage devices and allow manufacturers to provide thinner, lighter and more powerful devices at a range of different price points.

Bay Trail is available in three types: Bay Trail-T (Intel’s Atom Processor Z3000 series) is for tablets while Bay Trail-M and Bay Trail-D are for entry level devices in the laptop and desktop space. The family of SoCs allows one hardware configuration for both the Windows8 and Android platform to drive a wider choice of devices for both consumers and business users.

Speaking at the event, Naveed Siraj, Country Manager Intel Pakistan shared his views: “Today’s generation of Intel® Atom™ processors delivers energy-efficient performance to power a range of computing devices ranging from thin, light smart phones and tablets, intelligent cars, innovative healthcare devices, smart city infrastructure monitoring and high-performance micro servers for the cloud. These devices deliver Intel-level performance powerful enough to run multiple applications simultaneously, allowing users to move between apps with ease, thus optimizing their investment and experience.”

The Intel® Atom™ processor families’ range of performance characteristics and compact size makes it ideal for embedded uses—like in-vehicle infotainment, interactive kiosks, and point-of-sale terminals. With lead-free and halogen-free manufacturing, the Intel® Atom™ processor is also an environmentally responsible choice. 

Intel® International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)

9 young science geniuses from all across the country get ready to compete at the ISEF 2014 at Los Angeles USA

Islamabad, 9 May 2014 – 9 students were felicitated for being the best talent selected from across the country and holding the honor to represent the country at an international platform - Intel® International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) to be held in Los Angeles, California from May 11-16, 2014 - as TEAM Pakistan.

In an hour and a half long ceremony, the winners of the National Science Fair, now the TEAM Pakistan 2014 were congratulated and given an opportunity to interact with media and showcase their respective projects. The finalists will be amongst 1700 young students at the world’s largest pre-college science fair, the only global science competition for students in grades 8-12. Bringing together more than 1700 young students from more than 70 countries, Intel® ISEF 2014 is an opportunity for the best young minds in the world to come together to share ideas, showcase cutting-edge projects, and compete for more than US $4 million in awards and scholarships. The winners are selected based on their creative ability and scientific thought, as well as the thoroughness, skill, and clarity shown in their projects.

“Intel® ISEF is influential in highlighting the talent for creativity and innovation that exists in the country. This year, with 2 group and 3 individual research based projects being selected for the ISEF, we have a greater opportunity to showcase the young talent existing in the country, encouraging students to search for solutions to real problems they witness around them in addition to scientific challenges the solution to which is vital for tomorrow’s progress”, said Naveed Siraj, Country Manager, Intel Pakistan.

INTEL CORPORATION

  SUSTAINABILITY NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Gordon Moore, Intel® co-founder and a long-time environmentalist, instilled a legacy of sustainability and consciousness at Intel that continues today. Intel strongly encourages its employees to apply the same level of knowledge and creativity to solving the environmental challenges of design and production as they do to creating and developing the next innovation in technology.

Green Power: In 2014, Intel was recognized for the sixth consecutive year as the largest voluntary purchaser of green power in the U.S., according to the U.S. EPA’s Green Power Partnership rankings. In 2013, Intel increased its purchase of renewable energy certificates (RECs) to meet 100 percent of the electricity used at its U.S. locations, up from 88 percent in 2012, amounting to approximately 3.1 billion kWh of green power. Intel has received multiple awards and recognitions from the EPA, including a Sustained Excellence Award in 2012, Partner of the Year Awards in 2008, 2009, and 2011, and a Green Power Purchasing Award in 2010.

Intel’s LEED Certifications: Intel has achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for 36 new and existing buildings in countries including the U.S., Costa Rica, Ireland, Israel, China and Vietnam, with a combined total of more than 10 million square feet of floor space.

• Intel’s Impact in Oregon – In early 2013, Intel achieved certification for its leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing development fab, D1X, and its Process Utility Building (PUB) in Hillsboro, Ore. The design and construction process of D1X and its PUB has diverted 78 percent of construction waste from landfills to the recycled material market; instituted technologies that will result in energy savings of 175 GWh in D1X, and 2.56 GWh in the PUB; reduced water use by 33 percent; used more than 82 percent of Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood products; and installed solar reflective “cool roofs” that reduce the cooling energy load.
• Intel Impact in Arizona – In 2011, Intel achieved LEED Silver certification for its Ocotillo site in Chandler, Ariz., making it the first semiconductor company to obtain LEED certification for an entire manufacturing campus.
• Intel’s Ongoing Commitment – Intel has registered two other manufacturing buildings that are on track for a minimum LEED Silver certification.

Solar Installations: Between 2009 and 2014, Intel partnered with third parties to complete 18 solar electric installations on nine Intel campuses – in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Oregon, Israel and Vietnam – collectively generating more than 10 million kWh per year of clean solar energy. Of note, each of these installations, at time of installation, ranked among the 10 largest solar installations in their respective utility territories.

Energy Conservation: In 2012, Intel set new 2020 environmental goals to drive reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, water use, and waste generation, as well as increases in recycling and product energy efficiency. As part of these goals, Intel aims to achieve additional energy savings of 1.4 billion kWh from 2012 to 2015. In 2012 alone, Intel invested $30 million and achieved energy savings of 117 million kWh.

Water Conservation: Since 1998, Intel has invested more than $220 million in water conservation programs at its global facilities. To date, these comprehensive and aggressive efforts have saved more than 45 billion gallons of water – enough for roughly 420,000 U.S. homes for an entire year. In 2013, Intel internally recycled approximately 2.1 billion gallons of water, equivalent to nearly 25 percent of its total water withdrawals for the year.

Supply Chain: In January 2014, Intel announced that it is now manufacturing and shipping 'conflict-free' microprocessors. This was achieved through a rigorous effort to validate the sources of specific metals (tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold) as 'conflict free' used in its microprocessor products. In recognition of Intel’s continued supply chain management excellence, the company ranked No. 7 on the Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 list in 2012, up from No. 16 in 2011. This was the largest single-year improvement among all companies on the list in 2012.

Employee Engagement: Since 2008, Intel has linked a portion of every employee’s variable compensation – from front-line employees to the CEO – to the achievement of environmental sustainability metrics. Intel recognizes and awards cash bonuses to employees who help reduce Intel's environmental impact by promoting recycling and waste reduction, lowering the environmental impact of products and processes, or creating sustainability education programs. Notable programs that encourage employee engagement include:

• Intel Environmental Excellence Awards

Since 2000, Intel has presented these awards to employees who have helped reduce Intel’s environmental impact. In 2012, 57 teams from around the world were nominated for their work to promote recycling and waste reduction, lower the environmental impact of Intel’s products and processes, and educate others on sustainability topics. In addition to yielding environmental benefits, these employee projects frequently save money for Intel. Estimated annual cost savings from the 2012 winning projects exceeded $40 million, bringing the total estimated savings generated by Environmental Excellence Award projects to more than $200 million over the past three years.

• Sustainability in Action Grant Program

Through this program, employees can apply for funding for innovative environmental projects. In 2013, Intel funded a unique photo mosaic project, in which Intel employees from across the globe could submit photos that capture the visual essence of what sustainability means to them. These photos were used to create a large interactive digital photo mosaic, which will be released on Earth Day 2014. In 2012, Intel funded nine employee projects – including installing bee boxes to study colony collapse disorder in California, planting a vegetable garden at a children’s home in Singapore, developing a water purification system for use in rural India, and identifying energy conservation opportunities within Intel’s labs in Oregon. From 2006 through the end of 2012, the Sustainability in Action Grant Program provided funding for 49 projects around the world.

Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions: For close to two decades, Intel has been setting aggressive greenhouse gas reduction goals and working with others to drive industry-wide improvements. In 2008, Intel set a goal to reduce the absolute global-warming gas footprint from Intel operations 20 percent below 2007 levels by 2012. Intel exceeded this goal, reducing its absolute emissions more than 60 percent below 2007 levels by 2012. Intel’s new 2020 environmental goals include a commitment to further reduce the company’s direct greenhouse gas emissions 10 percent on a per chip basis from 2010 levels, while continuing to expand its manufacturing capacity.

Energy Efficient Products: With a growing demand for more powerful electronics, increasing costs of energy, and the corresponding impact on the environment, product energy efficiency has become increasingly important for Intel. As part of Intel’s new 2020 goals, the company plans to increase the energy efficiency of notebook computers and data center products 25x from 2010 levels by 2020. Additionally, in 2012, Intel introduced 22-nanometer (nm) processors with Intel’s breakthrough 3-D Tri-Gate transistor technology that enable chips to operate at lower voltage with lower leakage, providing a 37 percent increase in performance at low voltage compared to Intel’s 32nm planar transistors.

Industry Collaboration and Involvement: As reducing the climate change impact of the ICT industry requires a cooperative approach, Intel collaborates on initiatives with multiple stakeholders, including:

·         Pecan Street Inc. Since 2008, Intel has contributed R&D efforts and next-generation technology to Pecan Street Inc., a sustainable, urban neighborhood with more than 1,000 green-conscious residents. Pecan Street has gathered almost two years of energy consumption data from sensor systems in more than 200 households. Intel also worked with Pecan Street on a proof of concept to deploy Intel Distribution for Apache Hadoop software to help speed the data analytics, processing, and visualization capabilities for the Pecan Street researchers. Check out this blog post and video that feature commentary from Pecan Street homeowners and Intel.

BIG DATA

BigData Goes Green

By Naveed Siraj

I’ve recently made the effort to be more environmentally friendly. I turn the TV off at the mains when I’ve finished watching it, and I’ve stopped letting the tap run when I brush my teeth. Did you know that you can save up to eight gallons of water a day doing that?

We’re constantly asked by governments and utility companies to be more energy efficient in our day-to-day lives, so I wanted to do my bit. I hope you are too.

There’s no hiding from the fact that we all need to be more energy efficient to reduce harmful carbon emissions and to satisfy growing demand for energy from the ever-increasing global population. Take Asia Pacific for instance. Between 2010 and 2035 energy demand is set to increase by 67 per cent, which will account for more than half the world’s energy consumption. 

This wouldn’t be such a problem if all the resources needed to generate power were renewable. Unfortunately however, coal, oil and gas – the main resources used for energy production – are running out, and when they’re gone, they’re gone.

It’s an unsustainable situation, which is why change is needed. The small changes we can make to the way we consume energy is easing the pressure, and is something we should continue doing, but there’s a game changer coming which is going to revolutionize the way we use and generate energy.

Big Data, delivering big insights.

Across the globe, power grids are being modernized and made smarter by a host of new technologies, such as sensors, metering solutions, and home energy management systems – some of which are powered by Intel chips – creating a variety of data sets delivering a deeper insight into the infrastructure’s performance. These “smart grids” will be generating unprecedented amounts of data – relating to energy production all the way to consumption – and connecting with various devices and systems empowering all involved to enhance their energy efficiency.

If you’re scratching your head wondering how all this data created by the smart grid is going to deliver improved energy efficiency while enhancing the service you receive from your provider, let me explain.

First and foremost, Big Data insights on energy consumption and generation allow utilities to effectively and efficiently manage the power grid in near-real time. What this means is that utilities have a detailed overview of the volume of energy flowing through the entire power grid and can scale it up or down accordingly at any time to meet demand; allowing us to better manage and use our precious resources. It also allows utilities to identify faulty parts of the network so that they can isolate them and mitigate the impact such faults have on the rest of the power grid.

Let me give you an example. Through analyzing data about ad breaks for popular TV shows or national sporting events, utility companies can anticipate windows where huge power surges will occur when viewers rush to switch the kettle on or grab a glass of water placing significant pressure on the network. As such, the volume of power in the grid or water in the network can be managed accordingly to satisfy demand while ensuring the processes deployed are efficient. 

The use of renewable energy in the power grid is also a great piece of evidence of how data analysis is enabling us to be greener. For instance, being able to predict how much power is generated by solar power and comparing this with usage data, utilities can identify how much energy needs to be generated from non-renewable sources, therefore reducing wastage and better managing the network.

Better understanding how we use energy will also empower utilities to offer us consumers tailored tariffs suited to our individual needs, deliver more accurate bills, and incentivize us to be more energy efficient. For instance, to ease the pressure placed on the power grid during peak hours, energy providers can offer reduced rates during off-peak hours to encourage usage then. This not only increases energy efficiency, but improves customer service.

To investigate the hugely positive impact Big Data can have on energy efficiency, Intel set up Pecan Street Inc., a nonprofit consortium of universities, technology companies, and utility providers collaborating on testing, piloting, and commercializing smart grid technologies – since launching two years ago we’ve gathered over 80GB of data from sensor systems in just over 200 households in the Mueller community of Austin, Texas.

Through the insight gleaned we aim to drive new products, services, and economic opportunities helping you to easily and efficiently manage energy consumption, while making your homes more comfortable to live in. 

It’s critical we all still make the little changes – like turning the tap off when brushing your teeth – but it’s encouraging to know that in Big Data we have a tool that will help us enhance energy efficiency further to ensure the environmental wellbeing of our children and future generations.

The author Naveed Siraj is Country Manager, Intel Pakistan

Be Curious. Look Inside™

Not All Tablets Are Created Equal

By Naveed Siraj

I was told as a child that it’s what’s on the inside that counts and makes us who we are. This has resonated with me ever since, which is why I’m passionate about my work at Intel and helping people to understand this when they’re choosing a tablet device for the first time.

So what makes up the inside? We all know that atoms are the basic building blocks of life that make up everything we know. They are the food we nourish ourselves with, the water that keeps us hydrated, the bed we sleep in and the technology we use each day. 

Increasingly however, we are asking important questions about what makes up the things we consume. From fair trade or ‘green’ products, to the amount of hidden sugar in supposedly healthy foods, technology devices are no different as they become central to our lives.  So central in fact that tablet ownership has risen across countries in Asia over the past year.Research from Intel supports this, projecting a compound annual growth rate of 38 per cent (2013 – 2017) in the tablet market.As our demands in life increase and preferences change, we want to know that what is inside our devices can help us to keep pace with these needs. 

Variety is the spice of life – The many uses for tablets

Often thought of as simply an entertainment device, tablets are being used in a multitude of ways. For example, a study found that Asia-Pacific consumers are using tablets to search for deals and make price comparisons. In a typical three-month period, nearly 80 per cent of the Asian shoppers surveyed, used a tablet to make a purchase. Not only this but, according to Forrester, a fifth of the world’s tablets will be owned by businesses by 2017, especially as the bring-your-own-device trend prevails. 

As the uses for tablets evolve, so too does the demand for varying levels of tablet performance, making it important to understand that different components inside a tablet will deliver different performance. Not all tablets perform equally, so look at the ‘ingredients’ of a device and choose one that best suits your needs.

What’s inside – The tablet ‘ingredients’

The processor is the ‘brains’ that powers the devices we use in our lives. It provides the performance you need to run multiple applications at once and deliver great experiences – be it surfing the Internet, looking at pictures of friends and family or when watching videos or playing games. It is the very heart of the device; it’s the ‘atom’ that makes up its very being. 

When you’re choosing a device for the first time, while you consider what’s on the outside, pay just as much attention to what is on the inside to meet your everyday needs.

But how do you work out what you need your device to do? At Intel we believe there are five ingredients you should consider:

• A powerful processor, which demands less power, enabling the device to be thinner, sleeker and last longer.

• Outstanding battery life that can provide you with more than 10 hours active battery life and three weeks of standby. You don’t have to worry if you accidentally leave your charger at home for the day.

• If you’re an avid gamer or simply appreciate good graphics, you’ll want superior graphics performance to give you a smooth and immersive gaming or vivid movie-watching experience.

• If you shop online or use Facebook you’ll want a digital life protection feature that keeps your online identity private, protects you from phishing attacks and keeps your data secure.

We understand that everyone’s palate is different, which is why there are so many devices that cater to these differing tastes, and that come in different shapes and sizes, speeds and weights. Some are super thin and sleek, while others are more robust for playful students. However, no matter what they look like on the outside, they all are made up of the same powerful ‘atom’ on the inside– it is the processor that counts. 

I put this challenge to you. Next time you’re looking to buy a new tablet device -ask the question, ‘What’s inside?’

The author Naveed Siraj is Country Manager, Intel Pakistan

Media Briefing

Lamudi.pk continues to enjoy the confidence of the Pakistani real estate sector

Islamabad, March 19, 2014 – Lamudi.pk, the leading real estate classifieds player in Asia, Africa and Latin America, held an interactive session today where Country Director Saad Arshed briefed the media about the success of the venture in Pakistan. Lamudi.pk has become the market leader in Pakistan in terms of growth as it is uploading more than 15,000 properties per month.

Launched last year, the venture has made tremendous inroads in the market and has captured a sizable portion. The online portal has managed to bring more than 500 trusted real estate agents on board and has 35,000 active property listings for thousands of visitors every day. Within this short span of time, the portal has also launched a mobile version of the website to provide the smart phone users an interface that is easy to operate.

Lamudi.pk’s service is straight forward, whether people are looking for properties for rent or for sale, the internet platform Lamudi.pk enables customers to easily find or sell their house, apartment, commercial property or land online. At the same time, property providers and agents get a trusted online presence through a personalized webpage.

Speaking on the occasion Saad Arshed, Country Director, Lamudi.pk said that “Over the course of the last few months we have successfully developed our real estate website in Pakistan. Internet users are growing exponentially in the country and Lamudi.pk is fully cognizant of this fact. We wish to provide our customers with the best deals for private and commercial properties wherever and whenever they want. Keeping in view the demand, we have already launched a mobile version of the website to enable the 15 million smart phone users easy access to the website without logging on to their personal computers. We will continue to bring further innovations in the real estate market to make the rent and sale of properties a hassle free process.”

Key characteristics of Lamudi.pk are its diverse property offers, the intuitive website set-up and the high security standards to avoid fraud. The business platform operates under a high level of transparency through professional photos, updated listings, detailed descriptions, reports and rankings for all of its properties in each market. The Lamudi.pk platform helps brokers to manage their inventory fast, easy and stress-free.

90% of respondents in a recent survey said they’d prefer a touch-enabled device

Intel gives a new touch to technology

PAKISTAN, Lahore, 11 March, 2014 – Intel Pakistan put a different spin on technology as it hosted an informative and entertaining seminar at Pearl Continental Lahore on Touch and Mobile Technology as both a stylish accessory and an essential connectivity tool for modern men and women.

Touch is becoming a standard feature across the board now in devices such as mobiles and tablets. A wide array of devices such as 2-in-1s, Ultrabooks and other notebooks feature touch as well on latest Intel processors. This highlights the importance of creating awareness and knowledge about how to optimize on this technology so that users can enhance their experiences and life-styles accordingly.

The seminar focused on useful information on using and carrying touch devices on a day to day basis whether for work or for personal tasks. Along with fun aspects and useful tips, the seminar undertook discussing the benefits of using touch enabled devices in the workplace; 90% of respondents in a recent survey of Intel employees said they’d prefer a touch-enabled device, while many workers are choosing tablets or Ultrabooks with touch, as their companies adopt BYOD (Bring your own Device) policies.

Key features of the state of the art technology such as its speed, weight and design, combines practicality and style to complement perfectly with your everyday life. They are not just innovative, beautiful and intelligent; they offer performance levels of a full laptop, keeping you connected while on the go without weighing you down. Ultrabooks in particular are less than 0.8 inches thick, weigh barely one kilogram and will fit perfectly in your handbag while still having space for all your other necessities

Touch technology means users can interact with devices in a more natural manner, but there is a need to build awareness as to how it affects work scenarios – including the way we behave and share information. Intel believes that touch-enabled devices will significantly improve both employee productivity and enterprise efficiency along with enhancing the user experience in the personal sphere.

“This is a good opportunity for us to integrate lifestyle with technology and narrow the distinction between a tech-savvy and an everyday technology user in Pakistan. At Intel, we are not producing technology for the sake of it. We want to deliver deeper experiences, in touch with the social and emotional needs of our consumers in their homes, tailoring solutions to variable local needs around the world. The way the technology landscape has evolved, various devices like PCs, tablets, phones are now indispensable and quickly becoming an extension of an individual. We want to ensure that whatever gadget our users choose, it enhances their sense of self. With Intel Inside, you can definitely get more out of your devices, helping you to do what you love to do.” said Asma Aziz, PR and Marketing Manager, Intel Pakistan.

Women’s Awards Ceremony

Khushhali bank Idol Award to be presented at the 6th LADIESFUND® Women’s Awards Ceremony

Islamabad, 27th February 2014 - Dawood Global Foundation hosted a press conference to officially announce the 6th LADIESFUND® Women’s Awards for Pakistan 2014 to be held at Mohatta Palace Museum on 1st March, 2014. Four hundred of the most dynamic and inspiring women in Pakistan will be in attendance including internationally acclaimed Pakistani women.

This event is sponsored by Dawood Global Foundation, Khushhali bank Ltd., Pioneer Cement, Primus Investment Management Ltd. (IPO IMMF), The Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Karachi.

Ghalib Nishtar, President of Khushhali bank Ltd, sponsor of the Idol Award, sent a special message:"Khushhali bank Idol Award is the recognition of the female role models who have succeeded against the odds and made the country proud. We support the mission of the LADIESFUND® to celebrate the success of these women who managed to elevate their status in society as the Women of Substance and we feel honored to support such initiatives. The recipient of this prestigious award will be an inspiration for those females whose struggles are to be recognized in the years to come.”

LADIESFUND® Advisory Council members include Amir Adnan, Byram Avari, Dr. Ishrat Husain, Khalid Mirza, Nasreen Jalil, Shafqat Sultana, Saad Khan, Sultana Siddiqui and Syed Ali Reza.The panel of the press conference included Tara Uzra Dawood, Nazneen Tariq Khan, Aminah Zaheer, Sayeeda Leghari and Laila Sarfraz.

Tara Uzra Dawood, President, Dawood Global Foundation, announced, “We are delighted to be holding the 6th LADIESFUND® Women’s Awards for Pakistan 2014 where we continue to honor the most dynamic and extraordinary women in our country.”

LADIESFUND® was established in 2007 as an initiative to provide financial security to women and to promote and train women entrepreneurs. It aims to integrate the entrepreneurial needs based on the economic and social aspects of the local communities, with respect to greater women participation in the workforce.

Platform and Robust Tool Suite Reduces Cost and Accelerates Time to Market

Intel Announces Family of Virtualization Platforms for Industrial Systems

                                                                                                                   

Islamabad: February 25, 2014 –Intel Corporation today unveiled the Intel® Industrial Solutions System Consolidation Series, providing an accelerated path for OEMs, machine builders and system integrator to implement state-of-the-art industrial embedded systems. This is the first pre-integrated, pre-validated embedded virtualization product that allows customers to merge and manage multiple discrete systems into a single machine. The new series enables industrial and automation design makers to reduce costs and deliver new products faster and more efficiently.

            As the first embedded virtualization product specifically designed for industrial and automation environments, the Intel Industrial Solutions System Consolidation Series allows customers to merge and manage multiple discrete systems into a single machine to deliver a low-risk path toward more efficient automation processes.

“More and more, the industrial sector is looking to technology for innovative ways to become even more efficient and competitive,”said Jim Robinson, general manager of Segments and Broad Market Division, Internet of Things Solutions Group at Intel. “By bringing together what have typically been multiple subsystems within industrial equipment into a single computing platform, Intel’s application-ready platform makes it easier and more affordable for OEMs, machine builders and system integrators to deliver consolidated, virtualized systems.” 

The Intel® Industrial Solutions System Consolidation Series offers a complete bundled solution containing an embedded computer with an Intel® Core™ i7 processor and apre-integrated virtualization software stack. The software stack includes Wind River Hypervisor* pre configured to support three partitions running two instances of Wind River VxWorks* for real-time applications and one instance of Wind River Linux 5.0 for non-real-time applications. 

Prior to this, consolidating solutions was a considerable challenge because many applications within the industrial segment require real-time performance or the ability to perform in a very predictable way. Virtualization addresses this by enabling secure partitioning of important workloads using multiple virtual machines. With three partitions, developers can consolidate multiple discrete subsystems onto a single device, offering reduced costs, increased flexibility and reduced factory space.       

Baosight*, one of the largest system integrators in China, used the IntelIndustrial Solutions System Consolidation Series to create iCentroGate*, a secure data collection and communication product that merged the tasks of two separate devices into one CPU. Using the Intel solution, the company reported saving an estimated 60 percent of development time and 50 percent of development costs.

            “The Intel Industrial Solutions System Consolidation Series is helping us provide a unique and innovative solution to our mainstream customers, which gives us a huge technological advantage,”said Dong Wensheng, general manager of Baosight’s R&D Division. “By starting with the Intel application-ready platform, our development cost and time have been reduced significantly.”

Later this year, Intel will offer the bundle with the same software and the inclusion of McAfee Embedded Control.* This product will be offered without the embedded PC and will be available to qualified embedded ODMs to enable greater customization and branding.

The Intel Industrial Solutions System Consolidation Series initial development kit recommended customer price is $3858 with 1 year of support and maintenance. The recommended customer price for the production kit is $2998 with 1 year of support and maintenance. Both will be available in Q2. 

New Software Tools for Industrial Systems

            Intel also released a new version of Intel® System Studio, a suite of software tools tailored to developers creating industrial embedded systems including those using the Intel Industrial Solutions System Consolidation Series. The new software and tool suite provides highly optimized build and performance analysis tools to help ensure functional reliability throughout the system life cycle. Intel System Studio is available free of charge for a limited time if purchased with the Intel Industrial Solutions System Consolidation Series.

            Intel System Studio is part of the Intel Developer Program for Internet of Things, announced yesterday. This comprehensive program provides hobbyists, students, makers and entrepreneurial developers with the resources needed to turn ideas into applications, and then introduce those apps into the market. 

Real Time Analytics

Intel Advances Next Phase of Big Data Intelligence: Real Time Analytics

Intel® Xeon® Processor E7 v2 FamilyDelivers Industry’s Most Advanced Technology

forIn-Memory Analytics to AccelerateMajor BusinessTransformations

Islamabad: February 19, 2014 –To help companies in a variety of industries from retail and healthcare to banking and transportation turn data into actionable insights, Intel Corporation today introduced the Intel® Xeon® processor E7 v2 family.

Using analytics enables businessesto make decisions that improve top-line and bottom-lineresults. The Intel Xeon processor E7 v2 family delivers new capabilities to process and analyze large, diverse amounts of data to unlock information that was previously inaccessible.

Big data and the Internet of Things (IoT) are providing enormous opportunities for many organizations to grow as they create revenue-generating services from the information they are able to derive. The big data technology and services market is expected to grow 27 percent annually through 2017 to reach $32.4 billion4. A leading driver ofthis growth isthe immense amount of data coming from connected devices making up the IoT,which is projected to grow to 30 billion devices by 20204. Investments in the highest performing technologies and analysis solutionscan also deliver significant cost savings. For example, Intel’s IT organization expects to achieve cost savings and increased bottom-line revenue of nearly half a billion dollars through use of analytics solutions by 2016.

The Intel Xeon processor E7 v2 family has triple the memory capacity of the previous generation processor family, allowing much faster andthorough data analysis. In-memory analytics places and analyzes an entire data set – such as an organization’s entire customer database – in the system memory rather than on traditional disk drives. This method is gaining in popularity due to the increased need for more complex analytics. Industry analyst firm Gartner expects 35 percent6 of mid- to large-sized companies will adopt in-memory analytics by 2015, up from 10 percent in 2012 and predicts at least 50 percent of Global 2000 companies will use in-memory computing to deliver significant additional benefits from investments in enterprise resource planning (ERP).

EBay, one of the world's largest and most complex online marketplaces,handles massive datasets of more than 50 petabytes (PB) for more than 100 million users. Based on initial testing of the new Intel Xeon processor E7 v2 and SAP’s HANA*in-memory analytics software, eBay has seen greater performance7 and understanding of larger data sets that will help drive additional revenue opportunities for its customers.

Built for up to 32-socket8 servers, with configurations supporting up to 15 processing cores and up to 1.5 terabytes (TB) of memory per socket, the new processor family achieves twice the average performance of the previous generation3. These enhancements help businesses that run mission critical applications including business support systems (BSS), customer relationship management (CRM), and ERP to operate more efficiently, at lower cost and with faster response times2. For example, a sales team with these capabilities can maximize revenue by pinpointing the best time to sell a product,or let an oil and gas company better predict whenits platformsrequire preventative maintenance.

To reduce data bottlenecks, the Intel Xeon Processor E7 v2 family features Intel® Integrated I/O,Intel® Data Direct I/Oand support for PCIe 3.0*, achieving up to four times the I/O bandwidth over the previous generation9 and providing extra capacity for storage and networking connections.

System uptime and reliability also remains a key requirement for mission critical applications. The Intel Xeon Processor E7 v2 family continues Intel’s tradition of delivering world-class reliability, availability and serviceability (RAS). Intel® Run Sure Technology10is designed for “five nines” solutions essential for business-critical data by reducing the frequency and cost of planned and unplanned downtime.

Success Story

Hafeez Bibi SuccessStory

Hafeez Bibi, a resident of Bahawalpur, is a well known and respected figure in the society for to her art of crafting ethnic woolen bed linen.Her prowess is not only known in the local town but buyers from other parts of the district also place orders with her owing to her creative and unique touch.HafeezBibi dedicates her success to her family members and Khushhalibank who supported her financially in the hour of need.

Life was once all together different for her as she was divorced soon after getting married. Her parents who were the only source of income for her family died early leaving Hafeez Bibi as the soul guardian for her younger brothers and sisters. Bereft, these were the tough times of her life because she was unable to get a decent employment due to lack of education.

Despite the odds she decided to harness her sense of aesthetics and skill with handicraft, starting her own business of making woolen bed linen. The major implication of this idea was dealing with a lack of financial resources to overcome which she reached out to relatives. Not surprisingly, Hafeez faced negative feedback regarding the social implications of a woman endeavoring on a financial venture alone.

It was by chance and luck Hafeez Bibi heard of Khushhalibank’s Microfinance scheme and true to its promise Khushhalibank not only fulfilled her loan request but facilitated her with the best possible entrepreneurship counsel.

Hafeez Bibi is now a role model for the deprived women of her society, a living testimony that the willingness to changing your destiny ultimately results in removing all the barriers. Looking at her success those people who were against her initial step towards financial dependence are now sending their own women to learn the art of making woolen bed linenfrom Hafeez bibi. 

Intel 2 in 1 devices

“2 in 1, twice the love!”

By Asma Aziz

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and what better time to fall in love with a new PC... But not just any PC! Why compromise with a device that keeps you chained up at home by a power cord.

Starting a relationship with a new device requires the same amount of forethought that you would give to starting a new ‘human’ relationship. Are you going to be able to take them places? Are they going to impress you, empower you, and make you laugh? Will they play you music to make you smile, know your favorite moviesthat make cry?

And most importantly, will they grow as you grow – change and adapt to any environment?Sometimes you want the best of both worlds and you think that might be too much to ask? WRONG.A 2 in 1 device is everything that you want in a PC partner – and more. It’s a tablet and a PC. A work colleague, and an entertaining companion.It’s a 2 in 1 love affair!

Whether you are curled up on the couch watching your favorite HD movie in tablet mode, or getting down to some serious business in laptop mode, a 2 in 1 device puts your every computing desire right at your fingertips.

There’s a host of 2 in 1 devices powered by Intel,fully charged and ready to meet you. So don’t be a slave to the power cord this Valentine’s Day – or compromise with a companion that doesn’t offer you your digital world on a platter, go forth and find your perfect 2 in 1 PC match. It’s the tablet you want plus the laptop you need.

What to look for in the perfect PC partner

-          Punctual: Ultrafast and responsive – a 2 in 1 device powered by Intel, starts up in seconds, so say goodbye to waiting around

-          Energetic: With up to nine hours battery life, can you keep up with your device?

-          Versatile: 2 in 1 gives you Intel level laptop performance and tablet mobility in one perfect package. So you can work when you need to and play when you want to.

-          Touchy Feely: A 2 in 1 lets you swipe, flick, pinch and move seamlessly between tasks, with the touch of a finger so you are always in touch with what matters most to you 

-          Protective: With built in security, your personal information stays personal.

-          The perfect catch: Powered by Intel, a 2 in 1 device will offer you amazing visuals, blazing performance, and battery life that lasts. It’s your perfect date!

    (The Author is the PR and Marketing Manager for Intel Srilanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan)