5G is accelerating deployments of edge computing, as communications service providers (CSPs) look to rearchitect their network infrastructure and grow the capacity of their networks as well as add new services. As technology evolves towards containers and cloud-native architectures and applications, there are key architectural considerations for CSPs to address.

The case for edge

There are three key use cases when it comes to 5G: 1) enhanced mobile broadband for consumers who are eating up ever-increasing amounts of data; 2) IoT and machine-to-machine communications, and 3) communications where maximum reliability and low latency is essential, such as applications for self-driving cars and remote surgery. As service providers scale to meet the demands of more users and new bandwidth hungry applications, the need for compute power that sits closer to the end user (at the edge) becomes paramount.

The advantages of edge computing for operators are numerous, and include automation, zero-touch provisioning and multi-cluster management to be able to manage edge deployments at a large scale, as well as smaller footprint for better utilization of physical resources. However, edge computing is not a strategy on its own; it needs to form part of a wider hybrid cloud strategy.

Open hybrid cloud enables service providers to onboard any workload on any footprint (whether public cloud, private cloud, virtualized or bare metal) to any location, from the core data centre to the edge server. To meet the needs of these different scenarios, an edge computing solution should support hybrid workloads of virtual machines (VMs), containers and AI/ML workloads in microservices architectures, including consistent management and orchestration. If the edge were to be managed separately across hundreds of sites, operations would become complex and chaotic.

Service providers need to manage their disparate edge sites in the same way they would manage the rest of their locations in the network, which means treating the edge as a natural extension of a hybrid cloud. Open hybrid cloud deployment provides much needed consistency across the technology ecosystem – from edge devices to the network to the centralised data centre, helping organisations deliver on the operational excellence they’re striving for.

Easing the way for cloud-native application development is the necessary next step to enable service providers to achieve better overall functionality to deliver services to end users faster and ensure optimum performance of applications. This involves careful consideration of the design when implementing a cloud platform.

The case for a horizontal platform approach

A container-based core will enable CSPs to deliver cloud-native 5G networks, with containerised networking apps and modular microservices promising the opportunity to dynamically orchestrate and grow network service capacity across distributed architectures. However, when it comes to implementing a containerised cloud platform, service providers need to decide whether to employ one type of infrastructure in core locations and a different one in distributed sites (a vertical solutions approach), or to use a horizontally integrated cloud across both core and distributed sites.

An open horizontal cloud is one in which a service provider’s applications are built and distributed on a common platform that is independent from the underlying hardware, and therefore compatible and resilient across the network architecture, right from the cell site to the mobile edge. Instead of vertical silos, where applications are specific to a vendor, network and user functions are connected to the edge and scalable through a horizontal cloud platform, better positioning CSPs to generate improved performance and cost efficiencies.

Performance

Containers are portable across a hybrid environment. Using a horizontal cloud, performance can more easily be optimised in real-time, due to an improved ability to move applications across different locations in a network according to situational changes. For example, a sporting event at a large stadium may require temporary lower latency at that location for applications to ensure a seamless end user experience. The premise of a horizontal cloud is it enables operators to more easily relocate workloads closer to the end user (e.g. the edge at or next to the stadium) for improved latency and reduced bandwidth needs towards the core.

Cost

Platforms that are horizontally integrated can also reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) compared with silo-based, vertically integrated deployments. Horizontal platforms enable applications to be easily automated, while the vertical alternative requires more tools, processes and is more likely to lock service providers into one vendor offering. The multi-vendor approach gives providers greater flexibility and allows them to benefit from an accessible, smartly distributed ecosystem.

When it comes to operating expenses, vertically integrated deployments require the design and running of separate infrastructure silos according to how many software vendors are being used. Whereas according to a recent ACG Research analyst paper, sponsored by Red Hat, with a horizontal approach communications service providers can halve the engineering, planning and management expenses, cut the cost of securing multiple silos by a third, as well as saving on multiple software licenses. This reduces the total cost of ownership by as much as 30%.

Common challenges

The benefits of horizontally integrated infrastructure are clear, so why are some communications service providers shy to move away from silo-based operations? One reason is that, as edge computing strategies became available, a number of companies prematurely tried to adopt a horizontal approach. Cloud platforms were not fully optimised at the time to function efficiently in the space, so vertical strategies were adopted as a reliable alternative. This has resulted in some service providers feeling stuck with a vertical platform strategy. And for those unfamiliar with horizontal cloud integrations, using multiple vendors may seem a complex venture. However, it is worth taking the time to understand how to build a more open, collaborative architecture, since the end result is more flexible, scalable, efficient and adaptable to performance needs.

As telco providers make strategic and structural innovations to improve the scalability, speed and performance of their network services, many are at a crossroads as they consider their options for edge architecture. By embracing an open hybrid cloud model that’s horizontally integrated across both core and distributed sites, CSPs will be able to manage, execute and automate the applications needed to run these solutions efficiently and cost-effectively across deployment environments. This lays the foundation for future services and business innovation.

Extrapolate these figures and you begin to understand just how many people have influenced Zoom’s skyrocketing success during the pandemic. The total number of people participating in meetings on the app every day is in the hundreds of millions, and it’s growing all the time.

And, of course, Zoom is not alone. There are the dozens of other platforms that businesses have integrated into their employees’ lives – Google Hangouts, Microsoft Teams, Skype for Business and Slack are now our regular virtual boardrooms.

What these figures point to – apart from the astronomical success of the app developers – is the importance of having the necessary tools in place to participate in our daily conference calls. Ensuring employees have well-functioning laptops and an adequate (or ideally high-speed) internet connection has become a critical pandemic priority. But this poses problems of its own – particularly from an audio perspective.

Laptops aren’t famous for high-quality audio. Even high-end machines tend to use poor speakers and microphones, often because they’re hindered by their size and shape. Laptops are notorious for producing insubstantial and tinny sounds, and internal microphones often offer listeners on the other side thin voices, background noises and an indecipherable hum.

Innovations in this space, however, are growing in leaps and bounds, especially from technology giant Huawei. Huawei’s latest flagship laptop, the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro, has been developed to perfectly suit the needs of the Covid-19 professional. It’s slim, sleek, and elegant with remarkable performance and processing capabilities, a recessed camera, Ultra FullView Display and a large battery that will offer hours of uninterrupted use.

But that’s not all. Huawei has also responded to the demands of our new normal to deliver an audio experience that users have yet to experience from a laptop.

The MateBook X Pro provides quad speakers and a split frequency set up, delivering rich bass from the woofer and clear treble from the tweeter. This means that the sound effects that emerge from your machine are rich, pure and perfectly clear. As a result, the MateBook X Pro isn’t just perfect for listening to conference calls and presentations, but also for enjoying some much-needed downtime, including listening to music or watching a movie with your family.

What’s more, Huawei has placed as much attention on the speakers as it has on the microphone, ensuring that both you and your counterparts across the digital divide are experiencing the same high-quality sound. The MateBook X Pro comes equipped with quad microphones that accurately pick up and transmit the sound of your voice, and its noise-reducing function filters out environmental noises, ensuring that your listeners can hear your every word.

The MateBook X Pro can also detect your voice from as much as four metres away, allowing voice-enabled apps to hear and support you easily.

If we’re going to work effectively in a Covid-19 world, we need everything from the right conferencing software to powerful and efficient machines. As you go about selecting the latter, make sure you prioritise your audio – our virtual lives depend on it.

The HUAWEI MateBook X Pro is available now at an RRP of R34,999 from Huawei online store, Vodacom, Telkom, Incredible Connection, Computer Mania and Hi store.

The HUAWEI Matebook D14 and HUAWEI Matebook D15, the two other members of the HUAWEI Matebook family, are available at an RRP of R16,999 and R15,999 respectively from the above stores.

All of this capability is packed into a super-slim 13.9 mm chassis that tips the laptop scales at around 1.3 kg. One negative though is that the great-looking metallic casing is quite a magnet for fingerprints and smudges, so the OCD amongst you might be constantly reaching for the microfibre cloth or wipe.

In terms of I/O options, you are well catered for with an HDMI, USB Type-A and two Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports, with one of these being used to charge the laptop. The ZenBook Flip 13 uses a high-capacity battery that features fast-charge technology enabling you to recharge to 60% capacity in as little as 49 minutes, so you can be up and running quicker. Battery life is good as well, most notably whilst browsing, checking emails, and using Microsoft Office/Google Docs.

More demanding tasks including video streaming services such as Netflix and gaming will, however, have you reaching for the charger sooner rather than later. Speaking of entertainment, the 13.3″ FHD NanoEdge touchscreen, featuring slim 3.9 mm bezels that maximize the screen space while reducing the laptop’s footprint, is the perfect way to view your favourite series and movies during the holidays while the sound from the laptop is equally as impressive both in terms of quality and volume level.

Great performance on tap and on the go

Performance is also really good thanks to Intel’s 11th gen Core i7 that sports the noteworthy Intel Iris Xe graphics. This makes it one of the fastest laptops we’ve ever tested as the PC benchmark scores attests including 3724.9 for Passmark and 2133 for Novabench (not far off the 2186 scored by Acer’s ConceptD 7 Pro) while the generational leap provided by Iris Xe also proved to be impressive and actually for once, lived up to the hype.

It not only scored 795 in Heaven Benchmark (Intel integrated graphics usually post in the 290’s) but managed to run Fortnite at high settings (automatically set by the game) at a respectable 25-30 fps while putting up a far more playable 35 fps at medium quality settings.

Further adding to the smooth and quick performance was the laptop’s 500 GB SSD and 16 GB worth of RAM.

Wrap up of the featureset

Also worth a mention is the quality of video delivered by the front-facing camera considering its just a 720p unit. This laptop also boasts a novel feature perfect for the lockdown era, which is ASUS’s implemented AI-noise cancelling technology that helps to significantly reduce surrounding noise and provide a clear voice quality during Microsoft Teams, Skype or Zoom calls.

We also really liked the typing experience offered by the keyboard that sports an easy on the eyes white backlighting that can be set to a couple of brightness settings while the trackpad also works a treat.

Final word

For those who can afford the price tag, the ASUS ZenBook Flip 13 (UX363E) provides a quality experience on all fronts including design, battery life, performance, display, audio, and connectivity. It is available from Incredible Connection with a starting price of R19,999, but pricing depends upon configuration.

The extended family of the Abarthisti fandom continues to give its usual warm welcome, even this year when the Abarth Day event has been held in a virtual guise. Indeed, its Community has enabled Abarth to achieve a Guinness World Record. Abarth’s people gathered on the Web for a spectacular online event, one that has become the largest digital gathering in the world: this was the record set by the Abarth Digital Day. To achieve this prestigious certification, it took the contribution of all the fans who posted a photo of their cars, within one hour, to the specially created Facebook page. A total of 868 photos were uploaded, each expressing the distinctive style of the most personal interpretations of the concepts of upgrade, performance and customization.

Taking part in the Abarth Digital Day was Ylenia Baccario, from the “Tutto esaurito” (‘sold out’) radio program on Radio 105, as presenter of the live stream, along with the DJ Fabio Liuzzi, also from Radio 105, and the digital creator Ema Motorsport, who joined the event online and gave a performance live from the Officine Abarth, revealing rarities from the Abarth collection to the audience.

There was no lack of performance and fun, in typical Abarth style: to bring the brand closer to its people. In the meantime, the Abarth Community continues to expand around the world: there are now 87 official clubs, boasting over 5,000 members – and many others belong to “The Scorpionship” community – active for four years in the EMEA region, now with over 139,000 subscribers. Sign up is still open for free via the website, scorpionship.abarth.com.

Now, while some of us may not understand exactly what WiFi 6 is, the differences it will bring to the lives of the everyday consumer are quite staggering. These developments range from accelerated network speeds of up to 2X that of WiFi 5 offerings, to multi-connectivity to fortified cyber security.

Unrivalled signal strength & seamless connectivity

Let’s face it – strong signal is non-negotiable. The Huawei’s Wi-Fi AX3 Quad-core knows this, and comes guns blazing by supporting up to four concurrent devices while on a 2.4 GHz frequency band, and 16 concurrent devices while on a 5 GHz frequency band. The HUAWEI WiFi AX3 goes even further and supports wireless networking, network cable networking or a combination of both, making it a device designed for today’s flexible workplace structures. The device also has the ability to get through any wall in the house, thanks to its wall-penetration abilities. In addition, its (BSS) colouring technology can identify neighbouring network signal frames passing through a wall and allow their Wi-Fi signals to be transmitted on the same channel without interference, reducing interference by up to 30%. These features mean that signal stability and strength is a given.

Further adding to the easy-to-use nature of the device, the HUAWEI WiFi AX3 Quad Core variant supports Huawei Share. One of the advantages here is that if you don’t want to give out your WiFi password when having multiple guests over, or simply can’t remember the ridiculously long password you came up with months ago, all your guests have to do is simply walk up to the router and tap for their NFC-enabled device.

·         Security that matters

In today’s world, consumers need to know that they are safe and secure while browsing. The HUAWEI WiFi AX3 gives users that reassurance. This is achieved through Huawei’s Gigahome CPU, which has an independent security zone and uses Huawei’s TrustZone operating system, which has a Common Criteria  EAL5 certification. Common Criteria security evaluations for technology products or systems work on different levels, and a level five certification is equivalent to the kind of security protocols you would find in the banking sector or any other financial institution. This means that the HUAWEI WiFi AX3 router operates on the very foundation and principle of safe and secure internet usage.

The HUAWEI WiFi AX3 is also safeguarded from brute force cracking because it can automatically identify any kind of attack that isn’t manual. A Wi-Fi cracking app works by searching nearby shared Wi-Fi first, and if it cannot find such a network, it cracks the Wi-Fi by entering many password attempts in a short space of time. The AX3 can pick up that this is happening and automatically blocks the attacker. Once these attackers are detected and blocked by the HUAWEI WiFi AX3’s intelligent defence systems, users need not worry about any of their precious data or information being corrupted or misused by unknown malware through malicious cyber-attacks. 

·         For the family

With the HUAWEI WiFi AX3, the age-old hack of experiencing slow network speeds when more than one device is connected to your router can be bid farewell. The HUAWEI WiFi AX3 Quad-core is equipped with the Gigahome quad-core 1.4 GHz CPU, which boasts a powerful performance and a computing power of up to 12880 DMIPS. This quad-core’s intelligent scheduling and collaboration works to reduce the load and ensure a smooth network experience when multiple devices are connected to your router, meaning the kids won’t be crashing the WiFi connectivity anytime soon. The HUAWEI WiFi AX3 Dual-core is equipped with the Gigahome dual-core 1.2 GHz CPU (computing power of up to 6000 DMIPS).

Overall, the benefits that this WiFi 6 device can bring consumers are endless, from 30% lower power consumption than your WiFi 5 devices, 4x larger capacity thanks to the OFDMA multi-user technology, which allows multiple devices to and improves capacity to almost 4 X that of traditional routers, and of course,  latency is reduced by two thirds, allowing for faster response while connected to multiple devices.

The AX3 Dual-core is on sale at a price of R1,499 from the Huawei online store. The AX-3 Quad-core will be available in South Africa in 2021.

The Rhino Peak Challenge (RPC) is a unique conservation fundraiser wherein participants – comprising elite trail runners, everyday heroes and people of influence from the world of conservation, sport, media and entertainment – are invited to ascend the iconic Rhino Peak in the Southern Drakensberg in three teams of 12 participants each.

In doing so, they raise funds for the three beneficiaries of the event: WildlifeACT (WACT), The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (EKZNW). Over the past four years more than R1.5m has been raised for these vital institutions.

This year, the Ford Wildlife Foundation, which supports 25 wildlife conservation, research and education projects across Southern Africa, pledged R66 000 to the EWT team’s fundraising efforts, helping the Rhino Peak Challenge raise a total of R907 201 – the largest amount to date.

“The Rhino Peak Challenge is a unique and inspiring way to raise funds for conservation, while also celebrating the incredible natural beauty of our country,” says Lynda du Plessis, manager of the Ford Wildlife Foundation. “We were delighted to be invited to partner with The Endangered Wildlife Trust this year, and help achieve a new record for funds raised in a single year.

“Well done to everyone who participated, not only for taking on this extreme physical feat, but for going all-out to raise as much funding as possible to support the crucial work these wildlife organisations do to protect our precious natural resources, animals and habitats,” Du Plessis adds.

The 2020 RPC took place on 12 December and saw 36 RPC ambassadors taking on extreme weather and plummeting temperatures on their way to the summit at 3 000m. With a spirit of camaraderie and, of course, a measure of competitiveness, the participants showed grit and determination to complete the challenge and secure funds for the above-mentioned conservation organisations, with a particular emphasis on rhinos, vultures and cranes.

The Ford Wildlife Foundation congratulates all participants, with a special mention for this year’s winners:

• Admire Muzopambwa completed the ascent in 3 hours 07 min. He is a private chef based in Johannesburg and a father of three girls
• Marion Lieberich finished in 3 hours 54 min. She is a veterinarian, currently working as a postdoctoral fellow, researching options to improve the wellbeing of rhinos during translocations

This year’s biggest fundraisers were:

• Brett Campbell from team WlidlifeACT, who was the highest overall fundraiser: R45 451
• Lauren Canham raised the most for the EWT team: R35 680
• Lucy Lamb secured the most funds for the RMA team: R40 716
• Tyra Bolton was the RPC ambassador who secured the most donations

For more information on the Ford Wildlife Foundation, visit: https://www.ford.co.za/about-ford/wildlife-foundation/

Whether you’re in an industry that took a knock during the pandemic or one that was busier than ever, 2020 has been a trying year for most small business owners. As we approach the final stretch of the year, it’s an opportune time to reflect on your accomplishments, set new goals and bond with your customers.

Here are a few things to consider doing before the holidays begin:

Let customers know about holiday hours and arrangements

If you have not already taken care of this, depending on your industry, you might be planning to shut down for much of the rest of December. If so, you have probably arranged for someone to answer the phones, deal with urgent customer requests and look after the business. It’s a good idea to share these arrangements with your customers ahead of time, for example:

• Your operating hours – which might be longer than usual in retail and shorter than normal in other industries.
• Which days you’ll be closed and when you’ll reopen;
• Who customers can contact in an emergency.

You could publish this information on your social media channels, splash it on your website home page, and let customers know via email. You could combine this information with a festive season’s greetings card if you wish.

Conduct a website audit

During this unusual year, your website has probably done a lot of heavy lifting for you, with customers spending more time online under lockdown. One good way to use some of your time during the holidays is to conduct an annual SEO audit and review of the content. You can evaluate how well your site performed in attracting traffic and customers, and if you’re happy with the content and design. Now can be a good time to consider doing updates to show any changes to your business and products and services.

You can also run some technical checks to help ensure you’re not being penalised for basic technical issues. You can use a tool like Screaming Frog or SEOCrawler to ‘crawl’ your website for issues like slow page speeds, duplicate tags, duplicate content, keyword optimisation and broken links.

If you have not installed an  SSL Certificate for your website, you’ll want to consider doing this to help further protect the transmission of data from your website, and build trust with your customers, you Getting an SSL Certificate is simple. GoDaddy provides them as a yearly subscription, with many types of SSL Certificates available to meet your needs. Once you have a Certificate, you’ll need to link it to your site.

And finally, check to see that your website is optimized for mobile.  With many people using their mobile phones to search for products and services and to make purchases, you’ll want to be sure that you that your website looks good and works well on a variety of devices, including mobile phones. You can use a modern website builder tool or a  CMS tool like WordPress to revamp your website with a contemporary theme that works as well on a phone as on a computer browser.

Review your business plan

You probably started 2020 with a business plan that needed to change fast when the pandemic kicked in. The end of the year is an ideal time to review how your business has evolved in the aftermath of COVID-19. This is not about panicking, but rather about taking a realistic view of how the market and your customers have changed.

A few things to consider:

• How did the pandemic influence demand for your product and service offerings? Will any changes be permanent?
• How have your costs changed?
• How has customer behaviour changed?
• Were you able to transition towards home delivery or virtual services? How did that work out for you? What do you want to continue or stop doing?
• Did your customer base change – did you gain or lose customers, and why?
• How does your digital customer experience compare to others in the market?

Stay social

It might seem tempting to step away from social media and take a break over December. However, many people are even more active on social media during the holidays than usual. It’s wise to stock up some content to post throughout the season to keep your brand top of mind. It’s also important to monitor your social media accounts, in case an urgent query or complaint comes in.

Celebrate your achievements

While you’ve no doubt encountered many hurdles during this difficult year, you have most likely experienced some victories, too. Take the time to reflect on your achievements, share them with your team, and savour them. And get a jump start on your plans for recovery and growth for your business into the new year.

The ConceptD 7 Pro is built to let these creators employ even the most demanding of tasks and workflows on the go. It boasts a stunning PANTONE Validated 4K UHD display along with capable hardware beneath its stylish white bonnet including a 10th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 MaxQ graphics card. That combination has ensured that we obtained some of the best benchmark scores for any review laptop we’ve ever tested. Adding to the fast and fluid experience on Windows 10 Pro is a whopping 32 GB of RAM and a 2 TB SSD.

Unlike similarly powerful gaming hardware, the high performance offered by this notebook PC doesn’t need to mean a hot-running machine or loud, annoying fans, since there are three strategically placed high-efficiency fans and our latest thermal cooling technology that work together to generate a unique aerodynamic ‘Vortex Flow,’ reducing noise levels to less than 40dBA and ensuring all the components inside the device stay cool even when under heavy load.

Besides being PANTONE Validated, the display has also been tuned to cover 100% of the Adobe RGB colour spectrum, as well as having been tested and calibrated to achieve a low Delta E average of <2 to reproduce true-to-life colour accuracy. Unfortunately, the beautiful visuals are not accompanied by the best sound we’ve ever heard on a notebook PC, in terms of both volume and quality at the highest volumes.

The laptop’s striking pristine white finish boasts integrated Micro-Arc Oxidation (MAO) technology, which is a stain-resistant coating that protects the laptop from yellowing, and marking by materials such as dirt, markers, and coffee. Besides being more stain-resistant than you’re dad’s white Fortuner, the premium and lightweight all-metal chassis (magnesium-aluminum) weighs in at a modest 2.1 kg while measuring 17.9 mm thin.

In terms of ports, you are well catered to with HDMI, Mini DP 1.4, 3 x USB 3.2 Gen2, and a Thunderbolt 3 USB Type-C port with file transfer speeds of up to 40Gbps – allowing you to quickly move even the largest of files or work between multiple devices and displays. Another positive is the comfortable typing experience on offer, nice and bright amber keyboard backlighting, as well as the responsiveness and accuracy of the gorilla-glass touchpad.

The powerful ConceptD 7 Pro boasts a similarly powerful price tag with one configured with half the RAM (16 GB DDR4) and storage space (1 TB SSD) of our test unit going for 68 999 of your hard-earned Rands. Ultimately, the Acer ConceptD 7 Pro is an expensive purchase, that will ONLY be worth it for true professionals, who will use it power on tap and design-focused display to the best of their abilities.

The pair of New Defender 110 4x4s will have to negotiate extreme conditions, traversing desert dunes, mud, camel grass and rocks as they carry vital supplies, crew and equipment for the team and drivers. BRX’s driver lineup includes nine-time World Rally Champion, Sébastien Loeb, from France, and two-time Dakar Rally winner, Nani Roma, from Spain. The showroom-standard models will also provide essential support for crew members, who will camp, eat and sleep in the P400 models across 12 gruelling stages of desert driving.

The Indus Silver models are powered by Land Rover’s 294kW straight-six Ingenium petrol engine, featuring Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle technology, and are fitted with the Explorer Pack, which includes an Expedition Roof Rack, Raised Air Intake, Wheel Arch Protection and Exterior Side-Mounted Gear Carrier. In addition, a Deployable Roof Ladder provides easy access to a roof box, which will help BRX carry all the necessary kit.

Finbar McFall, Jaguar Land Rover Customer Experience Director, said: “Land Rover has a unique Dakar pedigree having won the inaugural event in 1979, and the rally remains the ultimate all-terrain endurance test. While the Defenders won’t be competing, they will have a vital role in supporting the team as they navigate their way across thousands of miles of punishing desert terrain. The fact these vehicles are unmodified is testimony to the intrinsic capability and durability of our legendary 4×4, which has undergone the most demanding engineering test and development programme in our history.”

The role of support vehicle will see crew members test the Defender’s expedition credentials to the extremes. With a maximum payload of up to 900kg and maximum dynamic roof load of 168kg, each of the vehicles will be loaded with equipment and supplies, while advanced Terrain Response 2 technology, including world-first Configurable Terrain Response, will allow the drivers to fine-tune the vehicle to suit both their driving preferences and the challenging conditions.

World-leading motorsport experts, Prodrive, are behind BRX and Team Principal, Paul Howorth, said: “The crew need to know our support vehicles will be able to carry all of the necessary kit and be relied upon to get to the next service location, whatever the conditions. New Defender provides a unique combination of all-terrain performance, rugged practicality and comfort – a crucial combination for the unpredictable Dakar conditions and after long days behind the wheel.” 

Following its world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2019, Land Rover has experienced unprecedented demand for New Defender alongside worldwide critical acclaim – since its debut, the 4×4 has won 28 international awards.

OPPO A72 quickly became a true contender as the fastest-selling handset in the mid-range market segment. Its combination of expansive 6.5″ Neo display, incredible camera, ample power, premium audio experience and long-lasting battery with fast charging brought flagship features to an affordable price.