Streaming services have become increasingly popular in South Africa over recent years, providing users with loads of entertainment options.
If you own a TV, and you don’t own a streaming box, you’re missing out on some amazing features.

An Android TV box can instantly transform your TV into a smart TV and offer many more content options, opening a whole new world of entertainment, allowing you to watch TV shows, download games and streaming apps on demand.

When considering a streaming box, the first thing to look for is whether the box is an official Android TV box tested and approved by Google.

Android TV is specifically designed for display on a TV screen. Android TV OS uses a 10-foot interface which has been optimised for navigating and selecting with a TV remote control, as well as displaying larger icons and text for view across a room. This ensures both an intuitive and enjoyable lean back user experience.

Most of the Android based set-top boxes promoted in the market currently are still using a mobile version of Android, which are designed for touchscreens and are often slow or clunky.

Apps that are available for the mobile version of Android are typically designed for a mobile phone or tablet are can be limited in terms of resolution or display incorrectly on a TV.

If you are a Netflix customer or interested in signing up for Netlfix, the second thing to look for when considering a streaming box, is whether the box has been Netflix approved.

For the Netflix Android TV app version that will optimise your TV experience and will allow streaming of Netflix’s 4K content, very few streaming box devices are approved by Netflix.

A good indication to look for is whether the box has a remote control with a Netflix button. If not; it is not approved for the Netflix Android TV version.

Furthermore, if there is any request, instruction or note not to update the installed version, it is another good indication that the applicable box isn’t approved by Netflix.

Ematic 4K Ultra HD Android TV Box

A great option is Nology’s recently launched Ematic 4K Ultra HD (4K) Android TV Box, which transforms your TV into a smart TV, controlled through an included smart remote.

The Ematic Android TV Box is a Google certified and Netflix approved Android TV box. Being an official Android TV box, it also supports the Android TV versions of Netflix, Showmax and DSTV ensuring an optimal TV and lean-back experience.

It supports Ultra HD (4K) with High Dynamic Range (HDR) and can consequently stream 4K content available from streaming services like Netflix.

Only Netflix’s Android TV app version supports its 4K content and TV Boxes that are not certified by Google for Android TV and approved by Netflix can only run the mobile app version of Netflix, and therefore not stream 4K content.

The remote furthermore also includes built-in Bluetooth voice search technology and comes equipped with Google Assistant, which means it has the ability to answer your questions, help you find your favourite movies and even control your smart home devices by simply pressing the Google Assistant button on the remote.

The Ematic Android TV Box is powered by a quad-core S905X SoC with Mali 450 GPU and includes 2GB RAM. It also boasts Bluetooth connectivity, 2 USB2.0 ports, and a MicroSD card slot through which you can play any other media you desire.

“What sets the Ematic Android TV box apart from other Android TV boxes in the market is that it already has both Netflix and Google Certification, which means that there is no side loading or work-arounds required to get Netflix working. If the content supports it, you can enjoy Netflix in Ultra HD (4K) with High Dynamic Range (HDR),” said Grant Robertson, Product Manager at Nology. “In addition to having the latest 802.11ac dual-band Wi-Fi, it also has an Ethernet port to provide an even more reliable and stable Internet connection while you watch your favourite movies and TV shows.”

Features of the Ematic Android TV Box include the following:

Visit the Ematic website today to find out where you can get your hands on one, or for more information on the device and features.

Xiamen, China – May 28, 2019 -Yealink, the global leading provider of enterprise communication and collaboration solutions, is thrilled to announce that its Conference Phone Series won the Best VoIP Device Award 2019 by ITSPA, the Internet Telephony Services Providers’ Association – the voice of the next generation communications industry.

Held at Glaziers Hall in central London this year, the ITSPA Awards are designed to celebrate innovation, best practice and recognize achievement within the next generations’ communications industry.The award for Best VoIP Device recognizes the company considered to have the best quality end-user call equipment to aid a customer’s telephony experience. It also demonstrates technology that has excellent reliability and user-friendliness, whilst also having innovative new services that have made an impact with customers.

Winning the award represents industry recognition that the efforts and investments made by Yealink over the past few years have started to pay off, which also proves the progress made in the aspects including business performance, technology and innovation, customer service and applied cases. Outstanding itself with multiple valuable and functional features including stylish ergonomic design, smart Noise-Proof Technology, wide-range dead-zone free voice pickup and Hybrid UC meeting, Yealink Conference Phone Series (CP960, CP920 and CP930W) is fitting for improving productivity in various meeting scenarios.

“Congratulations to all the winners and the companies that were highly commended at the 2019 ITSPA Awards. The Awards continue to go from strength-to-strength and this year, in their 11th year, it is no different,” said Eli Katz, the Chair of ITSPA. “The finalists represent the very best of our industry and the quality of the entries was particularly high. The Awards are a fantastic occasion which bring the industry together to recognize achievements over the past year.”

“We are delighted to be awarded and recognized by ITSPA. This is a great honor for us and we will continue to be committed to providing the best VoIP endpoints that deliver superior user experience by devoting ourselves in innovation and creation,”said Yealink Vice President Stone Lu.

About Yealink
Founded in 2001, Yealink (Stock Code: 300628) is a leading global provider of enterprise communication and collaboration solutions, offering video conferencing service to worldwide enterprises. Focusing on research and development, Yealink also insists on innovation and creation. With the outstanding technical patents of cloud computing, audio, video and image processing technology, Yealink has built up a panoramic collaboration solution of audio and video conferencing by merging its cloud services with a series of endpoints products. As one of the best providers in more than 140 countries and regions including the US, the UK and Australia, Yealink ranks No.1 in the global market share of SIP phone shipments. (Global IP Desktop Phone Growth Excellence Leadership Award Report, Frost & Sullivan, 2018). For more information, please visit: www.yealink.com.

Nology, a leading distributor of ICT equipment within Southern Africa, in collaboration with Yealink, a global leading manufacturer of Unified Communication solutions, is pleased to announce Nology as the official distributor for Yealink’s range of Microsoft Teams and Skype for Business certified solutions.

Since being founded in 2001, Nology has emerged as a vital partner for service providers, network operators and systems integrators across the region. Combining sound business fundamentals, unrivalled technical expertise and years of hands-on experience with a large portfolio of communications solutions, Nology is one of the most trusted technology partners for the largest ISPs and network operators in Southern Africa.

The appointment of Nology as the official distributor of Teams and Skype for Business Yealink endpoints, enables them to provide the complete range of Yealink products to their customers.

Alex Bantjes, Product Manager, Nology:
Nology constantly strives to provide a comprehensive product portfolio that caters to the needs of our ITSP, Telco and System Integrator partners. As part of Nology’s strategy, we endeavour to align ourselves with the best solutions and products that cater to the unique requirements of our industry and clients. By being recognised as the preferred distributor for Microsoft Teams and Skype for Business enabled devices, Nology continues its growth in the enterprise voice market. We are excited to build on our existing Microsoft Teams and Skype for Business channel and further collaborate with Yealink.

Maggie Liu, Sr. Sales Director of EMEA & APAC, Yealink:
Yealink is proud to continue our partnership with Nology, and we look forward to developing our Microsoft certified Teams and Skype for Business devices channel together. Nology has been a trusted partner of Yealink for 10 years, and we are sure they will add a lot of value to this channel. Yealink’s newly expanded product offering suits a wide range of applications for both voice and video collaboration and Nology has shown to have the skills and commitment to assist partners every step of the way.

About Yealink
Yealink is a global leading provider of unified communication & collaboration solutions. Focusing on research and development, Yealink also insists on innovation and creation. With the outstanding technical patents of cloud computing, audio, video and image processing technology, Yealink has built up a panoramic collaboration solution of audio and video conferencing by merging its cloud services with a series of endpoints products. As one of the best providers in more than 140 countries and regions including the US, the UK and Australia, Yealink ranks No.1 in the global market share of SIP phone shipments.

About Nology
Founded in 2001, Nology is a specialist value-added distributor of converged IP solutions to service providers, network operators, systems integrators and resellers across Southern Africa.

Nology represents, distributes and supports some of the top international Broadband, Wireless, Networking and VoIP brands and is continually expanding our product offering. We have a strong reputation and proven track record in our industry and are trusted by leading ISPs and network operators across Southern Africa.