Drones, virtual reality and 3D printing took centre stage at DionWired’s first ever technology trend event. Held at the new Mall of Africa store and hosted by 702 reporter and technology speaker Aki Anastasiou, the event highlighted the top technology trends that are reshaping the world we live in.
DionWired’s Director, Nazim Cassim says “As South Africa’s leading lifestyle technology store we have been redesigned our stores into lifestyle and appliances boutiques. This redesign allows customers to enjoy the experience of shopping for electronics as much as they enjoy using them. So it only made sense for us to host an event where instead of telling our guests that technology is getting exponentially faster, more immersive and intuitive; we showed them.”
The consumer tech trends showcased include:
- Drones
Drones, which are essentially flying robots, have been used for years by the military and in situations where manned flight is considered too risky or difficult. Now due to more industries tapping into their wide-ranging applications, the drone market is on an upward trajectory. Earlier this year Walmart announced that it was piloting drones to help manage warehouse inventory and for delivering online orders.
- Virtual reality and augmented reality
Augmented reality, the blending of virtual content with a real-world environment, has become part of our lives. But virtual reality, an immersive experience inside a fabricated world, has only just begun going mainstream. Thanks to the rise of virtual reality headsets that are compatible with mobile phones, ordinary consumers are immersing themselves into their favourite games and movies.
- 3D printing
3D printing is an additive manufacturing process that creates a physical object from a digital design. In recent years 3D printing has gradually gone from being exclusively used in industrial markets to more consumer use. This is due to more affordable 3D printers being created for desktop use and consumers discovering its various practical uses.
DionWired has also redesigned its store offering to re-invigorate the customer experience. This revamp began with the flagship store in Woodmead and followed with the new store in the Mall Of Africa.
Upgrades include a new layout that caters to how customers would like to shop and a bouquet of new services that simplify customer’s lives. These changes have transformed the store into a multisensory shopping environment that’s easier to navigate, more convenient and fun.
The new bouquet of services are namely an in-store Vodacom contract activations centre, a DSTV sales and technical support area, an exclusive Samsung quick repair centre for mobile devices, computer hardware repairs and installations and an in-store Apple boutique. The first of its kind in South Africa, the Apple in-store boutique has a clean and industrial design that mimics the basic look and feel of the Apple White stores worldwide. And just like Apple White stores where customer interactivity is key, the displays invite customers to touch and feel and use. To ensure that customers get the full Apple experience at DionWired, Apple accredited staff have been appointed.
DionWired also recently launched an Apple online platform. Hosted on the DionWired website this platform gives customers access to the full range of all Apple products
To make shopping even more convenient, DionWired has introduced a concierge service that allows customers to get their online or in-store purchases fully installed, supported and serviced. That means everything from delivering and installing your home cinema system to installing a gas hob or plumbing for your kitchen appliances.
- Customers are urged to visit http://www.dionwired.co.za/dw-
apple to take advantage of the exclusive Apple deals from DionWired.
