Smartphone cameras are no longer just the most convenient option – they are quickly becoming the best one, beating traditional digital cameras with computational power and innovation.

In 2021, smartphones with multiple lens systems became mainstream. Improved sensor size and resolution mean users can capture more details and render images accurately in complex lighting conditions. Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms enhanced many facets of image processing. And they’re not done. A slew of changes are coming in 2022, as smartphone manufacturers push the envelope.

What are the trends that will drive this change? At a recent webinar, Global Mobile Camera Trends 2022, organised by Counterpoint Research, experts from TECNO, Samsung, and DXOMARK Image Labs, discussed some of the key trends we are likely to see in the coming year – and what we will soon be holding in our hands.

Dual OIS: Staying steady

Not getting the sharp images you wanted of your vacation views? Blurry and shaky photos are a common experience with most smartphone users, and are especially pronounced in low-light conditions as the shutter stays open longer to capture more light.

Smartphone manufacturers counter this issue through Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) technology, where the lens “floats” inside the camera assembly. The OIS system stabilises the image or video by “shifting” the lens to counter the shakes.

OIS technology is improving every year, with larger degrees of movement being taken on by the camera stabiliser. According to Jimmy Hsu, senior product manager, image technology, TECNO, pre-2019 the trend was for OIS to be about one degree of stabilisation. According to Hsu, in 2021, standard stabilisation has increased to three degrees thanks to pan-tilt OIS.

In 2022, the company aims to introduce the first Android phone with sensor shift. “Compared to conventional Optical Imaging Stabilisation, TECNO’s sensor shift technology can achieve a response frequency of 5,000 adjustments per second,” Hsu said at the webinar. By combining lens shifting seen in conventional OIS systems and the newer sensor shift technology, TECNO is setting its sights on stabilisation up to five degrees.

High-resolution sensors with pixel binning: Balancing resolution and light sensitivity

Presenting trends in camera resolution, Tarun Pathak, director of research, smartphone, Counterpoint Research, said about 40% of all smartphones in Q2 of 2021 had 48-64 megapixel (MP) sensors, and 3% of all smartphones had 108 MP sensors. According to Pathak, smartphones with 200 MP sensors are likely to launch in 2022.

Sensors with a high pixel count tend to capture more details from the scene. However, the size of pixels on such sensors is usually smaller. “The smaller the pixel, the less light you can capture in each pixel, and the harder it is to get a good image quality in darker environments,” said Pan Xuebao, VP and head of R&D, Samsung Electronics.

However, sensor manufacturers such as Samsung are deploying an algorithm-driven technique called pixel binning that enables high-resolution sensors (with a small pixel size) to perform better in low-light conditions. “Just like our human eye will dilate when we are in a darker environment to let in more light, similarly, in low light conditions, our algorithm will automatically put the sensor in high sensitivity mode,” Xuebao said. In this mode, the smaller individual pixels ‘combine’ and act like bigger pixels. This mode is turned off in brighter conditions.

Continuous optical zoom: Closer to the action

Phones are getting sleeker, but these aesthetics can be a technological challenge. This trend is presenting more of a challenge for manufacturers as they try to incorporate bulky telephoto lenses. Such technologies, such as periscope lenses which use innovative positioning to allow for 5x or 10x optical zoom, started appearing in smartphones during 2021.

The next step is to offer continuous optical zoom, which will allow users to shift between different focal lengths smoothly. This requires precise movement of lenses within small spaces without affecting image quality.

At the webinar, Hsu predicted the market could see continuous optical zoom in the second half of 2022, allowing users to shift between 3x to 5x optical zoom. Driven by advances such as long-stroke motor development and Active Optical Alignment, we could even see 3x to 10x zoom in 2023, he said.

RGBW Sensors: Let there be (more) light

Cat photos not up to the mark? It could be down to the lighting. Indoor environments have less than ideal light conditions. Yet, that’s where people usually take most of their photographs.

“[A solution to] low light is the holy grail of mobile photography,” said Hervé Macudzinski, image science director and product owner of DXOMARK Image Labs, which tests camera, audio, display and battery quality. “This is one [aspect] that can lead to disappointing quality. In low light, users capture portrait photos, pictures of family, pets and so on. So there is a lot of challenge in this use case.”

While smartphone manufacturers use different techniques to enhance low-light performance, RGBW technology addresses the issue at the sensor level.

The camera sensor captures colour information through a mechanism called the Colour Filter Array (CFA). Traditional camera sensors use CFAs arranged in the Bayer format, which comprises a pattern of Red (R), Green (G), and Blue (B) filters. RGBW sensors add White (W) filters to the mix.

According to Hsu, adding white pixels increases light sensitivity by 60%, which means the sensor should be able to absorb more light. Smartphone manufacturers are also developing Glass+Plastic lens technology – many smartphone lenses are constructed out of plastic, but introducing glass elements into the lens construction improves transmission of light. “With the combination of both, the result is an overall 200% increase of light-intake,” Hsu said.

The low-light performance of smartphones looks set to improve as these two technologies appear on smartphones in 2022.

Localised algorithms: Using AI to personalise portraits

As cameras improve, we can see ourselves more clearly. New technologies allow our portraits to be more accurate, especially for people of colour.

While hardware enhancements are essential, smartphone software is playing a more significant role in determining the final image or video quality of these portraits. “We need to have very good processing – that is, to understand what the user’s intention was and modify the image adequately,” Macudzinski said.

That’s why some smartphone manufacturers use big data and deep neural networks to drive personalised and localised image processing. For instance, TECNO’s TAIVOS signal processing technology recognises and accurately reproduces dark skin elements. According to Hsu, the company uses a large dark skin database to “produce more than 6,120 Evaluation Scenarios spanning 115 countries”.

For portrait photography, the AI engine recognises and classifies different elements such as faces and hair colour to determine the subject’s age, gender, and skin tone. The photo is then optimised for better clarity, colour, and light, which helps with more accurate reproduction of darker skin tones – even in low-light environments.

Scene, light, and colour enhancement: Behind every subject is a background

It’s not just the subject of a photo that matters – it’s what’s behind them. Whether it’s the sun or a beautiful view, smartphone cameras are adapting to capturing these details better.

With traditional photography, professional photographers use their experience and training to make adjustments that highlight not just the subject but also background scene elements. They also typically spend significant time in post-production that brings images to life.

“Smartphone cameras need to provide all these capabilities in the default mode,” Macudzinski said. “That means the final smartphone user does not have to think through everything. They just have to press the button.”

That’s where AI-driven image processing comes in. According to Counterpoint Research’s whitepaper, AI is becoming advanced enough to recognise dynamic scene elements such as trees or sky in the background. Once identified, the image-processing system optimises their colour, contrast, and exposure.

AI will also help interpret light information. For instance, if a user is shooting against the sun, the algorithm works to underexpose the sun and brighten the subject. Smartphone manufacturers are also working on software-based solutions to correct distortions caused by wide-angle lenses.

Time of flight and dynamic vision sensors: Getting a sense of depth

Photos with sharply rendered foreground and blurred background can make for a pleasing effect – especially while shooting portraits. However, to do this, the smartphone must recognise depth and subject edges.

With Time of Flight (ToF) and Dynamic Vision Sensors (DVS) improving, smartphones will get better at generating 3D models of the scene and detecting edges. This will allow for more precise measurements and offer users features such as. enhanced and gradual blurring of backgrounds.

“ToF and DVS could be the opportunities where mobile phone cameras start to outperform (DSLR) cameras,” Hsu said.

A brighter, more intelligent 2022

These trends point to technology growing more intricate and catering to diverse use cases – whether that’s through personalised portrait rendition, stable imaging or allowing users to zoom in to the action.

However, the advancements will not be defined just by cutting-edge features on pricey smartphones. It’s a win across budget tiers – the developments result not just in technological advancement, but also trickle-down premium features to smartphones in the low and medium price bands. With the way smartphone cameras are levelling up, the best moments of your life will be remembered more clearly than ever.

Real Madrid Castilla Club de Fútbol, ​​better known as Real Madrid Castilla or simply Castilla, is the subsidiary football team of Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. The 1xBet – popular bookmakers in Nigeria offers chances to wager on this team too. Real Madrid was assigned as an official subsidiary club on July 21, 1972 under the name Castilla Club de Fútbol. However, it had existed since 1947 under the old name of Agrupación Deportiva Plus Ultra. Back then, it already performed the functions of the subsidiary.

It is the first team that makes up the lower categories of the club, known as “La Fábrica” (The Factory), being considered one of the best football academies in Europe. This is one of the reasons why using 1xBet Nigeria popular bookmaker in the country to wager on Real Madrid can be an excellent choice.

An active role in the Spanish football system

The subsidiary has been active since 2021 in the RFEF First Division, the third category of Spanish football. Unlike other football leagues, in Spain the regulations and regulations that affect subsidiary teams allow them to act as professional clubs for all purposes. This means that they are to compete in the same league system as the rest of the teams, instead of playing a separate league of subsidiary squads. This competition is also available for betting at the http://1xbet.ng/en/live/ website.

Castilla cannot be promoted to a category higher or equal in Spanish football to that of the first team, this means that it will never be possible to see Castilla in La Liga. However, it is still possible to make some excellent wagers with high chances of being successful on the 1xBet website.

Lots of achievements

There are many things to highlight about the squad. The 1xBet – different live casino games can be enjoyed while the excellent and young Real Madrid squad is resting during the half-time. Thanks to its great games, some of the awards it has obtained include:

• winning the Spanish second division in the 1983/84 season, being the only subsidiary to ever win this competition;
• and also was a runner-up in the 1979/80 Copa del Rey, where it was defeated in the finals by its parent team for 6-1.

The latter came with the honor of being the first lower category team that managed to eliminate four teams from the First Division, also granting them the right to play the Cup Winners’ Cup in the 1980-81 season. This made it the only subsidiary team in the history of football in Europe to play a competition on that continent. It is also the best subsidiary club by sporting results from Spain. The different live casino games 1xBet await for all of those who want to try something new while waiting for the next matches of Real Madrid Castilla.

Paris Saint-Germain Football Club, better known as PSG, is a football team headquartered at Paris, the capital of France. Right now it is one of the most popular clubs to wager on all sports betting in Ghana only with 1xBet platform. This team was officially born on August 12, 1970. This took place after two clubs merged:

• Paris Football Club;
• and Stade Saint-Germanois.

While best known for its football department, it also has sections dedicated to eSports, judo and handball. Also, there is a female football squad, as well as subsidiaries for both the male and the female squads. In the past, it also used to have a basketball and a rugby team too. This team is certainly great for all sports in Ghana betting only with 1xBet site.

An ever-present squad

Normally, PSG is seen in the Ligue 1, which is the top level of French football. Here the team has won a lot of silverware. Besides Leagues, it has also obtained several Domestic cups. All these competitions are available at 1xBet live stream. In addition, it is one of the French clubs to have won European titles. Specifically, it claimed the title of the 1996 Edition of the European SuperCup. Later, in 2001, they obtained the Intertoto Cup. This helped the team to achieve the Team of the Year status, and to be well-recognized across the world. Obviously, all of this happened before the famous Qatari takeover.

Since 1973, PSG has played its home matches in the Parc des Princes stadium. Of course, each top team needs a top training center. This is the role that the Camp des Loges has been tasked with since 1974. Also, the main venue of PSG has seen the Paris Tournament since 1975. This is a great contest to watch at the live stream 1xBet platform.

Lots of symbols

The main shield of PSG features the Eiffel Tower represented with a red shape. Also, the royal birthplace of the king Louis XIV is also represented here. This can be seen under the tower. All of this has a blue background, and is surrounded by a white circle that acts as contour.

The shield inspired the design of the shirt for which the squad is well known across the world. These symbols are probably well known by those who wait for PSG matches by visiting the gh live casino with 1xBet site. PSG also introduced back in 2010 its official anthem and mascot. Of course, both of them are present in every home match.

PSG was fully taken over by the Qatar Investment Authority in 2012. This is what led to the huge transformation of the squad that turned it into the powerhouse for which it was known a few years later. Thanks to this, they were able to sign players like Neymar, Lionel Messi or Kylian Mbappe. The 1xBet gh site live casino with great games is the best place to wait for the upcoming PSG matches.

There have been several changes in the economy and structure of African nations over the last year. Several people were obliged to stay at home due to the epidemic, Covid-19, and go primarily cashless. Africa’s Fintech came to the rescue, providing Africans with cutting-edge technologies to access the best financial services available. Although the previous year had been challenging and put a lot of pressure on these fintech firms, they have remained strong and tenacious in meeting Africa’s needs.

Africa faces several economic challenges in providing financial services to its citizens. In this aspect, the growth of fintech companies across the continent has aided in reaching the continent’s local population, enhancing the quality of financial services they receive. In fact, according to Techpoint Africa, the fintech sector accounted for 54 percent of startup investments in 2019. Fintech exists to fill the gaps that traditional financial services have been unable to bridge. These Fintech firms can reach out to the unbanked and underbanked, bringing financial services to the people.

Fintech companies have emerged as significant actors in Africa’s financial-economic revolution, and many of them are worth keeping an eye on. The following are the top fintech firms working to bridge the financial services gap in Africa’s various demographics.

Flutterwave

Flutterwave was founded in 2016 in Lagos, Nigeria and its current total funding stands at $64.7M. Flutterwave operates an API that allows individuals and firms to process credit cards and alternative payment options available in the African continent. It focuses on connecting local and foreign businesses and service providers to their customers. 

It allows these businesses and service providers to receive payments from their customers efficiently, and it’s currently active in 150 countries. Sellers can receive payments in USD, Naira, Euro, Yuan and GBP. The business headquarters is located in San Francisco, CA. Apart from being a payment getaway, in 2020, Flutterwave rolled out a new feature that allows businesses to set their store directly on the Flutterwave platform. The firm has partnered with notable enterprises such as Visa, Alipay, Worldpay in its quest to provide financial services to Africans.

Opay

Opay was founded in 2018 in Lagos, Nigeria. Its current total funding stands at $170M. Opay provides a payment gateway for sellers and offers loans, remittances, and even ride-hailing services. Opay was founded by Opera Software, one of the leading web browsers and search engines. However, Opay is not registered under Opera but as a separate entity, with Opera owning one-fifth of its shares. 

Opay facilitates an e-wallet that enables mobile top-up, P2P transactions, food &grocery delivery, transportation, loans, logistics, among several others. Opay also rolled out Olla Andriod smartphones in 2020. The firm also rolled out a new feature CreditMe, an overdraft service directed to students and small business owners in their mid-20s and 30s.

Opay has also attained an international money transfer license and recently announced a collaboration with WorldRemit. The collaboration allows persons with an Opay wallet to receive funds from over 50 countries easily. The covid pandemic may have limited some of its services, such as its transportation and logistics, but Opay has focused on its financial services since then. Opay has over 5 million users and, in August 2021, was able to raise $400million in a funding round led by Softbank Vision Fund. The company is currently $2billion.

Yellow Card Financial

Yellow Card was founded in 2016 and has its headquarters in Atlanta, U.S. Yellow Card is a Pan-African crypto exchange currently operational in 13 countries and consistently expanding its reach to other countries. Yellow Card offers diverse crypto products and services. Yellow Card’s mission is financial inclusion, and it is dedicated to making crypto and other financial services easily accessible to Africans. With Yellow Card, Africans can send remittances, make payments, and preserve the value of their assets from the constant depreciation of their currencies in many African countries. This is something that a lot of cryptocurrency sites already do. On the other hand, Yellow Card seeks to set itself apart by developing products that do not require customers to be crypto experts.

In September 2021, Yellow Card announced a $15 million funding raise led by Valar Ventures, Third Prime and Castle Island Ventures. Yellow Card is committed to not only offering excellent crypto services but also to enlightening and educating Africans about cryptocurrency and other financial matters. As a result, Yellow Card Academy was founded to educate Africans in simple, easy-to-understand terms on a variety of crypto and financial topics.

Yoco

Yoco was founded in 2013 in Cape Town, South Africa. Its current funding stands at $23 million. Yoco has helped over 100,000 businesses in South Africa by providing a payment gateway that includes a PoS service. Yoco’s PoS card machine, Yoco Go, is easily connected to mobile phones such that street sellers can perform online transactions. 

Yoco also runs multiple retail stores where business owners can easily sign up and get their hardware. In 2018, Yoco rolled out a new feature that allowed small businesses to access cash advances easily. In just three months of its launch, it had granted 225 advances amounting to $509,000. However, Covid-19 may have forced Yoco to cut its team size because clients sales had decreased by over 90%, but since then, the management has been looking at re-employing team members to continue its services.

Palm Pay

Palm Pay was founded in 2019 in Lagos, Nigeria. Palmpay was founded after a seed round of $40 million was led by Trassion, a Chinese Mobile phone maker. It created a unique partnership with Infinx, Techno and Intel with its app pre-installed on these devices. During its initial launch, it was able to register 100,000 users and processed one million transactions. Palmpay is also operational in Ghana and boasts over 1 million users.

Palmpay has also initiated a strategic partnership with Visa. Its services include Mobile Payments, P2P transactions. Palmpay currently offers users cashback rewards for using its payment platform. Users can also earn PalmPoints from referrals, deposits, and transfers. Currently, Palmpay is working towards onboarding merchants on its platforms so that customers can pay for services via its platform. 

Our phones are something that we use and depend on every day of our lives. Although there have been vast technological advances that make our devices significantly more durable than its past counterparts, there is still the ever-looming possibility of them getting damaged any time.

A lot of different things can happen to your phone, all of which will result in different types of long-term damage if not addressed immediately. If you find yourself in the position where your phone has suffered from any sort of damage, don’t fret and make any hasty decisions. You need not get a total replacement; you can save tons in expenses by getting it repaired instead. 

To give you a better idea of what phone technicians can do for you, here are some of the most common repairs that they can help you with.

Broken Screens

Unfortunately, no matter how careful we may be, the screens of our phone are simply all too fragile and therefore susceptible to scratches and cracks. Although a tiny crack or so might be harmless, you should be careful not to let it get any worse to that point that it renders your screen totally unusable.

In severe cases, a cracked screen might pose a potential danger in which you could accidentally cut yourself on the broken glass. 

Phone screens are usually a simple and standard case for most phone repair technicians. Seasoned experts will be most familiar with the nuances of different phone brands and models, making it much easier for them to determine the impact of the damage and how long the repair process will take. Depending on the extent of the damage, the cost of this type of repair may vary, but rest assured that damaged screens are almost always salvageable.

Damaged charging ports

There’s nothing more frustrating than plugging your phone to charge and then discovering that the port has become damaged, or worse yet, stopped working altogether.

Because this issue is so delicate as it deals with our phones’ power source it can be tempting to just drop your old phone and get out to buy a new one instead. But don’t give up hope just yet – this can be easily fixed when taken to the right repair service center.

Broken charging ports happen for different reasons. Sometimes, it’s due to a manufacturing defect, while other times it may be because of debris that had entered the charging port. In other cases, the use of inferior quality charging cords has caused damage to the inside of the ports.

Whatever the cause may be, in most cases, these will be fast and easy to fix, as it usually involves simply cleaning out the port. Depending on what kind of damage it’s been incurred, the port area may have to be replaced entirely.

Camera issues

For most people nowadays, smartphones also double as a camera. Most modern phones sport both a front-facing and rear camera and either one may experience damage at any time.

It’s actually quite rare for a smartphone’s camera to stop working due to purely technological reasons. Instead, the damage is usually associated with the camera lens, which may have gotten cracks or scratches. This, naturally, greatly impacts the quality of pictures taken with the phone.

The good news is that this type of damage is a super simple repair! In most cases, you’ll only need to have the exterior glass of the camera lens replaced.

Get your phone fixed by a professional

While smartphones are built to be durable, even the most powerful devices can still suffer from any of these damages. But with the right expert professionals like Fone Teknician, none of these problems equate to a death sentence for your phone.

As soon as you experience any sort of issues with your phone, get into contact with a qualified phone repair professional as soon as possible.

Climatarianism. It may sound like a radical movement, but it’s the name given to a diet that is said to drastically reduce your carbon footprint. 

Jennie Macdiarmid, a professor of nutrition at the University of Aberdeen, wrote about a nutritionally balanced diet back in 2012 – a schedule including pasta, wholegrains and even sweets that she said reduces your carbon footprint by 90%.

While this is appealing to those of us wishing to play our part in the climate emergency, is it appealing enough for thousands, or millions, of people to take up?

You don’t have to go vegan

Central to many activists’ eco-friendly lifestyle is a vegan diet: completely avoiding animal products in favor of natural ingredients from plants and herbs. 

While a vegan lifestyle is definitely possible – as proved by the many vegans around the world – climatarianism doesn’t believe it’s essential in the fight to save the planet. Instead, we should look into the processing that goes into the food. 

In her study, Macdiarmid pointed out the ‘halo image’ that plant-based foods have attracted, but, in reality, many of them involve extra processing including the use of palm oil, which is harmful for the environment.

The key is choosing foods that have required as little energy as possible to get onto your plate. Eggs from a local farmer, for example, are better for the environment than a processed vegan ready meal, which brings us on to the next area of the ‘climatarian’ diet. 

Shop local

We all know that ditching driving in place of walking, or just staying in, is better for the climate. We might choose to watch a football game at home instead of drive to the stadium or play on an online casino instead of flying to Las Vegas. Is shopping closer to home worth it, though?

The ‘climatarian’ diet seeks to avoid those long trips to the supermarket, with Macdiarmid singling them out for producing most of the ‘food miles’ when consumers shop. If we can reduce those, then we’ll also help reduce emissions. 

Yet the problem is time. Convenience stores have that name for a reason: they have all the food we need in one place, saving a trip to several shops that might take twice as long. 

Perhaps there’s a compromise. If you’re pushed for time, then look for the supermarket closest to you and walk there with your own shopping trolley. That way, you’ll get exercise as well as reducing your own carbon footprint. 

If that’s not possible, if you live far from shops and convenience stores, then it’s difficult to follow the climatarian recommendations. In which case, growing your own fruit and vegetables to complement your food shopping might be a nice way to learn a thing or two and cut down on emissions in the process. 

Buy seasonal

Macdiarmid’s study recommends eating what is in season as way of reducing the use of artificial light, fertiliser and pesticide that go into growing plants outside their annual window. 

But where does this leave us in winter, especially if you live in Northern Europe? The options are limited to potatoes, pears and apples, maybe a few sprouts. 

This is perhaps the biggest challenge in being a climatarian – the lack of diversity, however there are some creative solutions. Seasonal calendars often conjure up a few surprises that we may not expect – for example, did you know that clementines are in season in November?

There are also a bunch of useful apps that help you make use of what you have in your cupboard, so there’s no excuse not to go seasonal!

Work with supermarkets

Big companies, like wholesale retailers and supermarkets, are often the target of environmentalists, but the truth is we have to work with them.

Their product range might contain thousands of items, but technology can help us locate the most sustainable ones. Giki Badges, for example, lets you scan a product barcode and check whether it qualifies as ‘low carbon footprint’. Another is Evocco, which generates a carbon score of your shopping receipt from a single photo of it – very useful if you want to keep on top of your output.

These are quick, easy solutions that all of us can do when we visit a supermarket, yet it’s up to supermarkets to play their part, too. And there lies the crux of the problem – what we do as individuals counts for very little if big corporations don’t change their methods. 

Still, if you do want to play your part then the climatarian diet is, on the whole, an effective way to play your part. If it could become a way of life for millions of people, then we would be on the way to a cleaner, more sustainable planet.

Thanks to its highly engaged audience, Instagram can be named as the powerhouse for the social marketing of businesses. According to Instagram’s 2019 internal data, 90% of users on this platform follow a business. However, with this level of popularity, the competition to gain engagement on Instagram is also brutal. So, to help you to push through the clutter and outpace your competitors, several sites to buy Instagram followers are present in the market.

Since scheduling your Instagram content is important to maintain your brand at the top, you’ll need a good quality Instagram scheduler. While browsing through the list of such scheduler tools, we came across AiSchedule and Combin. To help you choose between the two, today we’re going to compare Combin with AiSchedul, the professional Instagram manager platform. So, let’s dive in and have a look at the features of both. 

Overview

AiSchedule is a package of Instagram management tools. It enables you to manage multiple IG accounts at the same time and schedule posts and stories. It is also integrated with growth services and DM management tools to help you grow your likes organically from a single dashboard. 

Combin is one of the best sites to buy Instagram followers by helping you manage your account in a better way. It is designed to schedule posts and stories to be updated on some fixed date and time. Combin has a large number of features and is a very user-friendly app to help digital marketers to gain engagement on Instagram. 

Both these tools boast of being the best, but let us compare them to help you opt one out for your needs. 

Configuration 

The setup for AiSchedule is really simple. Visit the AiSchedule Website and on the dashboard, click on the “Get Started” button. Register using necessary data such as your name, your email address, and your password. You’re all set to enjoy its features now. 

After the setup, you can easily log in to your AiSchedule account and add your IG account by clicking on “Add Instagram Account” on the dashboard. Enter your username and password and your IG account can be added successfully. You can add multiple Instagram accounts on AiSchedule.

Registering with Combin is a bit more complex. Visit combin.com and choose Instagram Scheduler. You’ll need to agree with the service policy, before starting the download. Combin must be installed on PC and is available for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux versions. Like Aigrow, it is also available in three languages- English, German and Spanish. 

After the desktop app installation, you’ll need to connect your IG account by entering your IG username and password. After login, you can see your posts and followers on the desktop app. 

Topnotch Features

AiSchedule is not just an Instagram scheduler tool. AiSchedule can help you to manage a number of Instagram accounts and edit and schedule posts and stories. It can automatically respond to comments or even tag people and locations. AiSchedule also allows you to repost content on Instagram making it one of the best sites to buy Instagram followers. 

If you wish to become a professional Instagrammer, AiSchedule is just the tool for you. It not only saves time but can also get more attractions. 

Combin is a smart and useful tool that helps you work on a desktop easily, and thus gives a more ordered IG. It has two separate applications to gain engagement on Instagram and to schedule content. The Combin scheduler app can schedule posts and stories as well as define tasks. It also allows you to choose your Instagram grid style. 

But, you cannot set auto-response on Combin for comments or edit your content. Combin enables you to search for posts using a particular hashtag or location. You can also search for any user and select all of their posts to like or comment on. Combin allows users to connect with their target audience through advanced targeting features. 

Support and Maintenance 

Both IG management services provide very reliable customer support and maintenance services. AiSchedule has a FAQ section and if you have any problem getting started with AiSchedule, you may consult it for solutions. You can also look at the guides available on AiSchedule blog which probably answer most of the questions that might arise. There’s also an option of connecting to the help center. 

The help section of Combin is also very structured and detailed, consisting of brief descriptions about different processes. The Guides, FAQs, and How-Tos can easily solve nearly all the queries you might be seeking answers for. Combin also has the online assistant facility to help you clear your doubts.

Pricing and plans 

AiSchedule offers new users a 5-day free trial. It is not at all limited and lets you examine almost all of its features and decide whether you want to use it further or not. It has two different plans for users. One of the two plans is always free but you can only access some features in this version. The other plan gives you complete access to all the features and costs only $9 per month. AiSchedule is highly economical in comparison to other tools.

Combin also provides a free starter package, in which you have limits of 100 post actions and can use only one account. Nonetheless, Combin is more affordable as you need to just pay $10 per month for the personal package without any limitations on post action, but on one account only. The business package is for $30 per month for unlimited features and upto 5 IG accounts. This is really costly when compared to AiSchedule. 

Bottom Line

Combin is a very good Instagram scheduler and is helpful in saving time, but it can only be used on desktop, and not your mobile phone. On the other hand, AiSchedule gives you similar features at a more affordable cost, on any browser. Both of these tools are the best sites to buy Instagram followers, but you have to decide which one meets your needs appropriately to gain engagement on Instagram. 

Just keep in mind the budget you’re working with, the features you need to have to suit your social strategy and at last the number of social accounts you need to connect.

At the start of 2020, the pandemic slowly moved us into an isolated life. That’s when the internet companies and streaming industries boomed to the top. In 2020, streaming platforms got an unbelievable amount of traffic. The situation escalated till 2021, and people got more into the streaming lifestyle.

During this experience, some people started choosing a VPN for streaming Netflix. Suddenly, a new world of endless content unveiled itself to the viewer’s eyes. VPNs gave a new definition to the world of the streaming industry and the VPN industry slowly came neck-to-neck with the streaming industry. The trend is yet to fall and now’s a better time than any to have a VPN in your possession.

Just like a new Android phone comes with default Facebook, future devices will be needing a default VPN. Hyped enough? Here are some reasons why VPNs would be the first choice in 2022 for streaming:

No more geo-restrictions

This is the cherry on top when it comes to the use of VPNs. Since a VPNs job is to hide your online presence through a virtually provided IP address, it opens all gateways to a no-limits world. VPNs can easily give the user a virtual change of location which allows them to avail themselves of all “local features”.

This simply means that a VPN is your pathway to region-restricted services like BBC iPlayer, US Netflix, UK Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu Live, Prime Video, and many more. It still requires you to buy the service but then you get untethered access to the best Hollywood has to offer. 

The best of Live Sports

Who says you can’t stream sports? Not us! Because VPNs allow you to change your address fully, you can access live streaming sites that are open only locally to their regions. Channels like NBC, ESPN+, Hulu Live, Sling TV, etc. are all within your grasp now. 

Each of these services gives you further access to many different channels and a library full of new releases. Some of these channels cover major sporting events like NFL, NBA, UFC, WWE WrestleMania, and many more.

No buffering 

Nobody likes buffering videos during any part of the show, especially a climax moment. What Internet Service Providers (ISPs) do in the case of greater internet usage is that they lower bandwidth to counteract internet congestion. Time for VPN to shine again. 

What a VPN does is an enhanced level of encryption through which a steady bandwidth is maintained. The servers allocate a certain bandwidth to themselves, but it does not lower your streaming experience in any way. This feature even is best during live gaming. 

Public Wi-Fi access with protection

Not many may be aware of this publicly accessible Wi-Fi is both good and bad. You run the risk of having your data exposed on a public router. For all those freelancers who prefer coffee shop ambiance, this could spell trouble for your work. But this is what VPNs were made for in the first place. 

VPNs give you pure control of your data and your user logs are never saved. So pure anonymity is maintained, and you get to avail some great public Wi-Fi. It protects you from any cyberattack lurking in public browsers and whatnot. 

The best releases of Netflix on your watchlist

Many users are happy with the watchlist they have in their area. Some argue about releases not being in their regions. For example, The Office is exclusively available on US Netflix and not for some regions. If you’re a paying customer, you deserve to watch the mockumentary just as much as a USA citizen does. 

VPNs give you the ability to stream the newest releases, the best of different regions, all on your device. Gone are the days, where a new release does not reach your watchlist. You simply must know the region in which the new release happened, use your VPN to change locations to that region, and stream away! 

Multiple device access

It’s not always that you have the usual laptop or phone to stream your favorite content. New devices are rolling in the market like new gaming consoles, Smart TVs, etc. that also stream Netflix. Luckily, VPNs are just an app download away from influencing your watchlist.

The most popular VPN services have rolled out their apps for the Google Play Store and App Store. For a smart TV, it might be difficult to have VPN apps, which is why it can externally be connected to the router. It is a little tricky, but it does the work. Through this, you can get multiple device access to the best content to stream. 

Conclusion

These 6 reasons give you even more ideas to have a VPN subscription for 2022. Not only does it influence your streaming world, but it also slowly making strides in the world of gaming and music.

Be sure to have a premium VPN ready for the new year and do not resort to the free options. So, pick a VPN for yourself, get subscribed, and have a happy streaming experience in 2022. 

Several moments in your life can certainly give you a heart attack for a second. One of those moments is when your phone falls off your hand and crashes the concrete floor. That one must really hurt both for you and your phone.

While these incidents are inevitable, you can always protect your phone with a phone case to prevent damages. Just be sure to buy the ones that can handle a few beatings so that your phone is always protected.

What should you look for in a phone case?

Some smartphones today come with a free phone case. But they’re normally generic ones and not as good in protection as you hope it would be. But what makes a great smartphone case, really?

There are four qualities that every phone case must have: body protection, screen protection, added features, style. If the case you consider buying possesses all the qualities detailed below, place your order already!

1. Sturdy and long-lasting protection

As much as possible, look for cases that can give your phone overall protection. Especially if you’re a clumsy one.

Sturdy cases should protect not just the back of your phone, but also the corners and edges of the device. There are phone cases out there that have raised edges or corner bumps to protect the edges and corners.

Phone cases with dedicated protection for the rear cameras are also a great plus.

2. Scratch-proof screen protection

This is also part of the overall protection that your phone needs. We separated it just to give emphasis. Because screens also need great protection since they’re one of the most fragile parts of the smartphone. And we can’t stress that enough.

If you’ve dropped a phone before without any protection, there’s a good chance that the screen is cracked almost instantly.

To prevent this from happening again, buy a phone case that comes with a screen protective film. While you can also buy it separately, most brands bundle their phone case with a protective film for the ultimate protection. These films are easy to apply to smartphones so you can do it yourself!

3. Great additional features

Sometimes, it’s not just about the protection. Great features that enhance the overall user experience of the phone is a big plus.

There are phone cases nowadays that have built-in rings where you can slide in your fingers while you’re holding the phone. This feature provides an extra assurance that the phone will not fall off your hands.

Kickstands are also one of the most sought after features in a phone case nowadays. This feature transforms your phone into a self-standing device when you’re watching a YT video or streaming a movie.

You can also consider phone cases that have integrated SIM ejector pins, and battery packs.

4. Style that suits your personality

If you don’t really care about how your phone will look, you can definitely skip this one. But if you’re that type who loves to keep everything fashionable as much as possible, you should consider the style of the phone you’re going to buy.

Do you prefer bulky phone cases or slim ones? Do you like bright colours or just plain black ones? You have a lot of options nowadays when it comes to phone case colours and prints so take your time weeding out the best for you.

Now that you know what to look for in a case, it’s about time to shop for the best phone cases – Auditech Australia. Keep in mind what we just talked about and we’re sure you’re going to find the best case for your phone!

In a bid to widen the nation’s tax net and rope in the informal sector, a 1.75% electronic transaction levy (e-levy) has been proffered in the budget statement and economic policy for the 2022 financial year to be charged on mobile money payments, bank transfers, merchant payments, and inward remittances.

This is also to generate revenue to support road infrastructure development and improve public transportation as zero-rate tolls on all public roads are being proposed. It is arguably true that the e-levy could fetch more revenue for the road and transport sectors compared to the existing manual system if it rather does not cause a significant decline in overall patronage of electronic transactions.

I believe very few gridlocks across the nation are caused by tollbooths and thus, it is a weak justification for zero-rate tolls while acknowledging the fact that some tollbooths have become vehicular traffic hotspots and impact productivity negatively as travel time is lengthened.

That having been said, instead of zero-rate tolls, should we not be considering the nationwide implementation of electronic toll collection to replace manually operated tollbooths that causes traffic?

For a growing nation that has been propelling towards internet and cash-lite economy for the past few years, it is just appalling to see progress made so far in the digitization process being threatened by taxes.

A nation aiming for financial inclusion, and a digital economy which of course facilitates reduction in revenue losses through proper monitoring, reducing bribery and corruption, and easy to audit financial records should not be taxing but rather nurture the very footing of her digital economy dream.

In a bid to evade this electronic transactions levy, businesses and individuals could opt for regular cash and banking hall transactions which they initially carried out seamlessly through electronic transactions. This to some extent would affect productivity as it delays the otherwise timely completion of transactions for economic growth.

This could also promote regressive taxation as the majority of Mobile Money (MOMO) users are small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) and the economically marginalized who have no access to banks would be the only ones being taxed when the rich resort to traditional bank transactions.

Also worth noting, is the fact that this could increase the cost of printing and replacing defaced banknotes as there would be a rise in cash transactions which somewhat is also a threat to security.

The significance of electronic transactions to the Ghanaian economy, especially mobile money transactions which surpass transactions on all other payment platforms in volume cannot be denied over the past decade. The introduction of this incoherent e-levy is nothing but a disincentive to the patronage of electronic transactions, especially MOMO.

Rather than introducing this inequitable electronic levy, should the government not be considering ways to compel other telecommunication companies to emulate VF-Cash by Vodafone Ghana to reduce mobile money transaction charges (i.e. the 1% charge on transfers) to further widen the MOMO customer base, discourage cash transactions, and thus, foster financial inclusion?

Surcharging MOMO transactions to 2.75% (i.e. the prevalent 1% service charge and 1.75% electronic transactions levy) is in no doubt a killer jab to the infant cash-lite economy dream.

Quite evident in the reactions of the populace to the proposed electronic transactions levy is the tendency to discourage patronage and thus, could have a dwindling effect on the government’s projected revenue targets when approved for implementation.

Aside from the e-levy directly discouraging patronage, the diminishing patronage could result in a rise in unemployment as MOMO agents, particularly those in rural areas could have their source of livelihood affected and consequently bow out of business.

In a period where governmental agencies like the GRA have gone cashless, the e-levy would also affect transfers (which according to the budget statement would be borne by the sender, except for inward remittances which would be borne by the recipient) between the taxpayer and government in a bid to settle tax obligations. A case of double taxation?

According to a GSMA research paper entitled, “The causes and consequences of mobile money taxation: An examination of mobile money transaction taxes in sub-Saharan Africa”, potentially dangerous effects of imposing levies on mobile money transactions on the economy can be learned from the research. In Uganda for instance, it was found that the imposition of a 1% transaction tax on mobile money dropped person-to-person (P2P) transactions by more than 50%.

As Warren Buffet puts it, “It is good to learn from your mistakes. It is better to learn from the mistakes of others”. Thus, as the gateway to Africa, it would rather be prudent to learn from the mistakes of other African nations and be the pacesetter for free mobile money transactions that have the potential of accelerating the cash-lite economy and greater benefits in the long run than imposing a threatening levy.

As government makes efforts to increase its revenue, it would equally be prudent for the government to cut down on its expenditure to significantly balance the books and also improve on accountability and transparency to the citizenry.

Written by:
Edmund Terkpernor
0559766195
[email protected]