Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/281887
Events 44 maltatoday, Sunday, 23 March 2014 In a joint statement, Microsoft Malta and Melita are announcing that Windows Phones are now available from all Melita sales points. In line with this commercial development, all Melita's front line employees have recently at- tended a training workshop hosted by Microsoft Malta about the technology and use of Windows phones to be able to guide customers who opt to purchase these phones. "The feedback we have received from those attending this workshop was very encouraging and the employees were very impressed by the experience offered by the Windows Phone," said Jacqueline Harvey from Microsoft Malta. "We are hopeful that Melita will now be ex- tending this experience to many of its clients who will discover a totally new way of mobile communication. In the coming weeks Microsoft promoters will be at the Melita stores showcas- ing the Lumia 525," added Ms Harvey. ''Melita is looking forward to broaden its Mo- bile handset range to include Windows Phone too. Many customers who look for a seamless experience with their everyday IT interactions at home or at the office have been asking us for this offering. Microsoft also offer quality support to operators and clients alike, making it a great partner to work with", commented Maria Trian- tafilu, Marketing Manager for Mobile at Melita. In 2013, according to IDC, Windows Phone became the number three smartphone operat- ing system and was the fastest-growing platform among the leading operating systems with 91% year-over-year gain. Windows Phone was the #2 smartphone operating system in 9 markets, and shipped more units than iPhone in 10 markets in 2013. The ten markets studied in IDC's research include Australia, Brazil, China, India, Italy, Rus- sia, South Korea, Turkey, UK and US. Meridian Enterprises, local official representa- tives of Hyundai, an- nounced that the newly restyled Hyundai ix35 is now in Malta and is being introduced on the mar- ket at an exceptional and unmissable special entry price of €21,700 instead of its standard €24,200, a discount of €2,500. The success that the Hyundai ix35 has been registering across the European market since it was launched in 2010 is very noteable. In its first year on the market, Hy- undai sold 47,578 units of the crossover SUV, a year later, it sold 74,662, in 2012 it sold 87,963 and last year 88,831 units were sold. "Hyundai is extremely proud of this ix35 model and the success it has been garnering. Such is the ix35's success that Hyundai has now re- freshed this model which now features tweaked styling and upgraded chassis, making the ix35 even more eye-catching and better to drive. En- hanced looks, new trim levels and more equip- ment have increased its appeal, while revised suspension settings now deliver a sharper driv- ing experience," explains Francesca Mamo, Managing Director of Hyundai Malta. "Whatever your lifestyle and your approach to life, Hyundai has engineered a car whose use will only be inspired by the way you live and the way you approach life. Inspired by all that inspires today's drivers, the new ix35 is one of the most beautiful SUV's on the market offering comfort, practicality, versatility and quality in equal meas- ure. And when it comes to looks, it is the ideal example of how a sporty looking SUV can still be very classy and stylish," added Ms Mamo. The appealing exterior balances nicely with the interior which is highly comfortable and spacious. The interior's quality is in fact excel- lent and the impressive amount of equipment that comes as standard even at entry-level makes the ix35 a highly accomplished family car. With practicality as one of its strong points, the ix35 also boasts a boot with 591 litres of space, which is among the best in its class. Besides all the very interesting specs which also include Bluetooth controls, reversing sensors, alloy wheels, all-round airbags and remote central lock with alarm, the new ix35 is being offered with Hy- undai's Five Year Triple Care and a free full Waxoyl package which gives you a 12-year anti-perforation warranty. "This is an offer which only lasts till the of March so if you are seriously considering a new car and you want to play it very safe, the Hyudai ix35 is the car you will never regret," concluded Ms Mamo. The new ix35 is now available for viewing and for test drives at the Hyundai showroom in Valley Road, B'Kara FEXCO, Ireland's most suc- cessful financial and business solutions provider, and RS2 Software PLC have today an- nounced that international visitors to Malta will now have the choice and convenience of paying for goods and services in their home currency, via RS2's BankWORKS card man- agement system and FEXCO's Dynamic Currency Conver- sion (DCC) service. This innovative technology gives customers the option to pay for goods and services in their own currency, with full visibility of the actual ex- change rate they are charged on the day of the transaction. Not only does this mean that merchants will still receive their payment in euro, but the cardholder knows exactly how much they have paid in their home currency and are able to keep track of their expenditure while traveling abroad. Radi El Haj, CEO of RS2 Soft- ware PLC, commented: 'DCC allows both leisure and busi- ness travellers to know what the transaction cost will be in their own currency at the time of purchase. Being able to pro- vide this service in our home country of Malta is something we have wanted to do for a long time and we firmly believe that this will help local merchants to further grow their business from international customers'. The alliance, whilst provid- ing clear benefits to local busi- nesses in Malta, is significant as RS2 has fully integrated the FEXCO service within its core product BankWORKS, which is used by banks in over 130 countries around the world. The international collabora- tion was completed in October 2013 and is now live across 400 locations in Malta, with many more due to come online in the near future. Commenting on this wider connection, Dermot O'Shea, Executive Director of FEXCO Holdings, said: "As the largest independent global provider of DCC, FEXCO is delighted to partner with RS2 and rollout DCC through its innovative BankWORKS card manage- ment platform. This innovative technology will give customers paying for goods and services via DCC the assurance that they will be charged in an open and transparent manner on the day of purchase. "This partnership will bring new capabilities and revenue streams to acquirers which utilise the BankWORKS plat- form, enabling a swift rollout which will extend our reach across the globe." Both RS2 and FEXCO look forward to extending the DCC service to many more acquir- ers globally during 2014 across the BankWORKS platform. For further information, please logon to www.FEXCO.com and www.rs2.com Unmissable introductory price on newly restyled Hyundai ix35 FEXCO partners with RS2 to bring dynamic currency conversion to Malta Melita now selling Windows phones