SHANGHAI, Jan. 30, 2021 — Acorn International, Inc. (NYSE: ATV) ("Acorn" or the "Company"), a leading marketing and branding company in China, today announced the completion of its merger (the "Merger") with First Ostia Port Ltd., a Cayman Islands exempted company (the "Controlling Shareholder"), pursuant to the previously announced definitive Agreement and Plan of Merger dated October 12, 2020 (the "Merger Agreement") among the Company, First Ostia Port Ltd., and its wholly owned subsidiary Second Actium Coin Ltd., a Cayman Islands exempted company ("Merger Sub"). As a result of the Merger, the Merger Sub has merged with and into the Company thereby becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of the Controlling Shareholder.
Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, which was approved at the extraordinary meeting of shareholders held on January 21, 2021 (US time), each ordinary share, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (a "Share" or, collectively, the "Shares"), including Shares represented by American Depositary Shares, each representing twenty Shares (the "ADSs"), issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (i.e., today, January 29, 2021), other than certain excluded shares (as described in the Company’s proxy statement relating to the Merger) has been canceled in exchange for the right to receive $1.05 in cash per Share without interest (the "Per Share Merger Consideration"). As each ADS represents twenty Shares, each ADS issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, other than ADSs representing certain excluded shares, has been canceled in exchange for the right to receive $21.00 in cash without interest (the "Per ADS Merger Consideration") pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement.
Shareholders and ADS holders of record as of the effective time of the Merger who are entitled to the merger consideration will receive a letter of transmittal and instructions on how to surrender their share certificates or ADS certificates in exchange for the merger consideration (net of any applicable withholding taxes). Shareholders and ADS holders of record should wait to receive the letter of transmittal before surrendering their share or ADS certificates. For ADSs’ held in "street name" by a broker, bank or other nominee that are entitled to the merger consideration, payment of the merger consideration of US$21.00 per ADS in cash without interest (less a cancellation fee of US$0.05 per ADS and net of any applicable withholding taxes) will be made to ADS holders promptly after Citibank, N.A., the Company’s ADS depositary, receives the merger consideration.
The merger consideration remitted by First Ostia Port Ltd. was substantially financed by East West Bancorp, Inc., a publicly owned company with total assets of $50.4 billion and traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol "EWBC". The Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, East West Bank, is one of the largest independent banks headquartered in California, operating over 125 locations in the United States and Greater China. For more information on East West Bank, visit the Company’s website at www.eastwestbank.com.
The Company also announced today that it requested that trading of its ADSs on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") will be suspended as of the close of trading on January 29, 2021. The Company requested the NYSE to file a Form 25 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") notifying the SEC of the delisting of its ADSs on the NYSE and the deregistration of the Company’s registered securities. The deregistration will become effective 90 days after the filing of the Form 25, or such shorter period as may be determined by the SEC. The Company intends to suspend its reporting obligations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, by filing a Form 15 with the SEC. The Company’s obligations to file with the SEC certain reports and forms, including Form 20-F and Form 6-K, will be suspended immediately as of the filing date of the Form 15, and will terminate once the deregistration becomes effective.
About Acorn International, Inc.
Acorn International is a leading marketing and branding company in China, leveraging a twenty-year direct marketing history to monetize brand IP, content creation and distribution, and product sales, through digital media in China. For more information visit www.acorninternationalgroup.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This news release contains forward-looking statements. These statements constitute "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "future," "going forward," "intends," "outlook," "plans," "target," "will," "would," "potential," "proposal" and similar statements. Such statements are based on current expectations and current economic, market and operating conditions, and relate to events that involve known or unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond control, and may cause actual results, performance, actions, or achievements to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties, or factors is included in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.
Company to Announce Full 2020 Fourth Quarter and Year-end Financial Results in March 2021
XIAMEN, China, Jan. 29, 2021 — Blue Hat Interactive Entertainment Technology ("Blue Hat" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: BHAT), a leading producer, developer and operator of augmented reality ("AR") interactive entertainment games, toys and educational materials in China, today announced preliminary unaudited financial results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2020.
Fourth Quarter 2020 Highlights
Total revenues increased more than 70% to approximately US$20 million, compared to US$11.8 million in the prior-year period, primarily driven by the Company’s new Internet Data Center ("IDC") business, which saw significant growth following the strategic acquisition of Xunpusen Technology Co., Ltd. ("Xunpusen") in the second half of 2020.
Revenues for the period do not include contributions from the recently announced acquisition of 51% of Fuzhou Csfctech Co., Ltd. and its two subsidiaries.
The Company anticipates releasing its fourth quarter and full-year 2020 financial results in March 2021.
Management Commentary
Mr. Xiaodong Chen, CEO of Blue Hat, stated, "We are pleased with the top-line growth achieved during the 2020 fourth quarter. This was primarily driven by revenues from our strategic acquisition of Xunpusen, which has set a strong foundation for us to be able to execute an effective sales and marketing strategy for our AR, education, and mobile game products by leveraging their expertise in enterprise software solutions and mobile sales to promote products directly to customers. Xunpusen’s partnership with China Mobile, announced in November of last year, will serve to increase these sales channels and strengthen Blue Hat’s brand as a recognized leader in interactive entertainment and education technologies and implementation."
Mr. Chen continued, "We have invested in the establishment and expansion of our new IDC business to support the sales and marketing efforts of our AR, education, and mobile game offerings, and while we are in the early stages of executing on this growth strategy, we are seeing tangible results from these efforts. We anticipate our operating margins will improve over time as we continue to sign new agreements for our AR and mobile game offerings and increase sales of our retail products and interactive education initiatives."
About Blue Hat
Blue Hat Interactive Entertainment Technology is a producer, developer and operator of AR interactive entertainment games and toys in China, including interactive educational materials, mobile games, and toys with mobile game features. The Company’s interactive entertainment platform creates unique user experiences by connecting physical items to mobile devices, which creates a rich visual and interactive environment for users through the integration of real objects and virtual scenery. Distinguished by its own proprietary technology, Blue Hat aims to create an engaging, interactive and immersive community for its users. For more information, please visit the Company’s investor relations website at http://ir.bluehatgroup.com. The Company routinely provides important information on its website.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain as they are based on current expectations and assumptions concerning future events or future performance of the Company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are only predictions and speak only as of the date hereof. In evaluating such statements, prospective investors should review carefully various risks and uncertainties identified in this release and matters set in the Company’s SEC filings. These risks and uncertainties could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements.
HONG KONG, Jan. 29, 2021 — Regarding AR/VR interaction, it has always been the focus of discussion, and the most promising direction in the industry is the brain-computer interface. Brain-computer interface (BCI) refers to the direct connection created between the human or animal brain and external equipment to exchange information between the brain and the equipment.
Among them, for non-invasive brain-computer interfaces, current training results are more concentrated in specific areas. It is these cutting-edge explorations that make the application of brain-computer interfaces very similar to the development of AR glasses and can play a significant role in specific fields.
There is currently an AR glasses with the integrated brain-computer interface on the market. It is understood that this is an AR glasses specially designed for people with communication disorders. It is not only characterized by the integrated brain-computer interface, but also supports natural voice interaction (voice generation and dialogue). The goal is to allow people with communication disorders or cognitive disorders to communicate and live better. Prior to this, it has launched eye-tracking AI software based on Apple’s original deep sense camera and iOS applications for emotional expression training.
There are two solutions for the brain-computer interface: invasive and non-invasive. The latter is easier to implement, and the impact caused by the user is less. In some respects, we have used various ways in our lives to make the information in our heads and machinesinteract with each other, such as Siri, Alexa, orXiaodu.
The glasses support head movement in AR/VR at the interactive level, as well as brain-computer interface control. It integrates 6 non-invasive dry medical electrodes, 2 auxiliary channels, plus electrodes, and channelcalibration. In terms of voice interaction, it integrates Amazon’s voice assistant Alexa, which can control smart home, play music, and other operations. At the same time, AR glasses can also display your voice, or the text of the voice being played.
At this stage, this type of glasses can already meet the basic needs of most users with communication disorders, such as cerebral palsy (CP), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), atresia syndrome, ADHD, and hundreds of other disease groups.
The reason for launching such AR glasses is because, for a long time ago, assistive technology devices often relied on consumer electronic devices, such as smartphones, but they may bring some technical delays and lags. After all, they are designed for mass consumer groups.
This product targets people with communication disorders. With these technologies, it can be better applied in related scenarios. In other words, even ordinary people will readily accept good (interaction) design.
In addition, many other technology companies have also shown interest in AR products that integrate brain-computer interfaces. As for AR, it affects the way and experience of human-computer interaction. In the near future, AR/VR will be a combination of sound, hands, and our brain, and will play a role in different scenarios.
Augmented Reality (AR) technology is a technology that ingeniously integrates virtual information with the real world. It uses a variety of technical methods such as multimedia, 3D modeling, real-time tracking and registration, intelligent interaction, and sensing. After computer-generated texts, images, 3D models, music, videos, and other virtual information are simulated, they are applied to the real world. The two kinds of information complement each other, thus realizing the "enhancement" of the real world.
With the widespread application of holographic AR and other technologies, new content integrating sensory experience emerges endlessly. In recent years, technological innovation in the AR field has been very fast.As a holographic AR company listed on NASDAQ, WIMI Hologram Cloud is also committed to exploring the application fields of holographic AR.
WIMI was established in 2015. It focuses on holographic cloud services, which are mainly focusing on automotive AR holographic HUD, holographic pulse laser, head-mounted light field holographic equipment, holographic semiconductor, holographic cloud software, holographic car navigation, and other professional fields. Meanwhile, its business covers multiple links of the Hologram AR technology, including Hologram computer visual AI synthesis, Hologram visual presentation, Hologram interactive software development, Hologram AR online and offline advertising, Hologram ARSDK payment. It is a holographic cloud comprehensive technical solution provider.
WIMI has a leading AR holographic application platform in China, which is currently mainly used in entertainment, advertising, education, and other industries. Besides, its hardware environment is relatively mature, which is very beneficial to the development of software and content in these fields.
WIMI has established a comprehensive and diversified holographic AR content library among all Chinese holographic AR solution providers. WIMI Hologram Cloud owns about 4654 AR holographic contents, 106 software copyrights, and 219 technical patents. Its holographic technology has been applied in social, education, entertainment, medical, military, home furnishing, industry, tourism, e-commerce, and other fields.
The introduction of BCI will become another wave of industrial and technological revolution and will raise fundamental questions for the era. From the perspective of the application fields that can be affected by the brain-computer interface, whether it is medical care, education, consumption, or other fields, it will bring huge market space and very broad prospects. AR has become one of the most anticipated future technologies. With the continuous development of AR, AR applications have begun to develop and diversify. Augmented reality technology is developing rapidly, and this technology will also have a higher degree of attention in the future.
About Flipclutch
Flipclutch Team is a leading market research company in Hong Kong. They have established a professional and proprietary research platform for financial markets, focusing on emerging growth companies and technologically leading companies. Flipclutch team is professional in market research reports, industry insights & financing trends analysis. For more information, please visit http://www.Flipclutch.com
The award winning CFDs broker starts 2021 with two new global awards for being the Most Trusted Forex Broker and having the Best Forex Educational Resources.
PORT LUIS, Mauritius, Jan. 29, 2021 — Leading CFD broker HotForex has received two new titles from the Global Forex Awards, "Most Trusted Forex Broker – Global" and "Best Forex Educational Resources – Global", in recognition of the company’s exceptional commitment to helping its clients feel secure, supported, valued and confident at every step of their trading journey!
With over 2.5 million live accounts opened, HotForex is proud to be a trusted broker of choice around the world. They provide free negative balance protection to every client, market leading insurance up to €5,000,000 and a dedicated 24/5 support team. The company received the award commenting: "From the start, our mission has been to provide the best customer service by maintaining a superb client centric culture. It is wonderful to have our success noticed and appreciated not just by our clients, but by some of the industry’s most respected awarding bodies."
The company also received the "Best Forex Educational Resources – Global" award for providing a variety of educational resources to help traders at every level. Commenting on this win the company said: "We are aware that education is an important part of every trading journey. Our educational resources, which include online and offline materials alongside live weekly webinars, provide our traders with everything they need to enhance their trading knowledge."
HotForex CEO George Koumantaris said: "These new awards are a great way to start the new year. We are thrilled to be recognized once again and remain committed to finding new and exciting ways to enhance our clients’ trading experience."
Visit the HotForex website today to find out more about their award-winning products and services and the advantages of trading with a reliable global broker of choice.
About HotForex
HotForex is an internationally acclaimed multi-asset broker of choice to over 2.5 million live accounts worldwide that has earned over 45 coveted industry awards. The company offers a wide variety of account types, innovative products, platforms, tools and educational resources besides outstanding customer service and unparalleled trading conditions.
Risk Warning
Trading Leveraged Products such as Forex and Derivatives may not be suitable for all investors as they carry a high degree of risk to your capital.
TAIPEI, Jan. 29, 2021 — With COVID-19 becoming more deadly with mutations and secondary infections becoming more frequent, people have shifted our focus from using protective masks to rushing and cutting lines to get the new vaccine. A company has created a textile that is about to be a game changer in our virus invested world. A few days ago, ACTife released a new technology for antibacterial fabric. These textile materials utilize semiconductor sputtering technology, which uses silver, copper and titanium sputtering to produce a hydroxyl radical on the surface of the fabric. Because hydroxyl radicals can destroy viruses and bacteria in medicine and make their proteins lose their function. Therefore, the materials developed by ACTife can not only block viruses and bacteria, but also use hydroxyl radicals to prevent contact with the bacteria and viruses while they are adsorbed on the surface of the fabric. This technology has been verified by the SGS, Boken, Intertek, and Japan SEK to effectively sterilize 99.9% of bacteria and germs. FYI https://health-ecoforum.medium.com/
The research team of Fu Jen Catholic University Taiwan published an anti-virus research report on ACTife’s nano sputtered fabric and Stated "The fabric successfully blocked and absorbed the germs and bacteria on the cloth, which prevented secondary infection of the virus." M. L.Chang, Chairman of ACTife, said: "This sputtering technology was originally used in semiconductors. When the pandemic broke out, our research team discovered that the three-metal nano-atoms of silver, copper and titanium used in medical materials had an excellent sterilization effect, so we began to develop products such as masks and protective gears. We look forward to this technology and what it can contribute to global pandemic prevention." This technology generates free radicals which causes the side chains of amino acids on the surface make proteins lose their function, thereby making germs harmless and greatly reducing the risk of infection. Not only can it apply to masks, but anything that uses fabric like towels, socks, clothing or air filters. CEO of ACTife Dr. Y. P. Lu also pointed out: "The advantage of physical antibacterial properties is that it makes the material more durable and does not precipitate any toxic or undesirable substances. As of now, the most used antibacterial chemical is bleach and the substance of bleach is actually a high concentration of sodium hypochlorite, which is well known for killing germs but it is harmful to the human body and the environment in terms of smell and touch.
The silver, copper, and titanium with splashes of ACTife Plating technology is a physical antibacterial technology that produces a free radical shield on the surface of the fabric. This highly active free radical shield eliminates bacteria and viruses that pass through it. It has the excellent function of long-lasting and washable resistance. In addition, the surface of the material does not stick to bacteria and viruses, and can be safely reused. Compared with ordinary masks and protective clothing on the market, it is not only more environmentally friendly, but also does not cause pollution and other infection risks. With its innovative antibacterial and antiviral technology, Actife has now entered the medical material market and is looking to use their innovative technology to further enhance our protection against coronavirus. ACTife website: https://www.actife.com.tw/
BEIJING, Jan. 29, 2021 — China Distance Education Holdings Limited (NYSE: DL) (the "Company"), a leading provider of online education and value-added services for professionals and corporate clients in China, today announced that it has called an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders (the "EGM") to be held on February 26, 2021 at 10:00 AM (Beijing Time) at the Company’s offices at 18th Floor, Xueyuan International Tower, 1 Zhichun Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, People’s Republic of China for the Company’s shareholders to consider and vote upon a proposal to authorize and approve the previously announced agreement and plan of merger (the "Merger Agreement") dated December 1, 2020, by and among the Company, Champion Distance Education Investments Limited ("Parent"), and China Distance Learning Investments Limited ("Merger Sub"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent; the plan of merger required to be filed with the Registrar of Companies of the Cayman Islands (the "Plan of Merger"); and the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement and the Plan of Merger (the "Transactions"), including the Merger (as defined below).
If the Merger is approved by the Company’s shareholders at the EGM, subject to the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement and the Plan of Merger, at the effective time of the Merger, Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company and Company will be the surviving company in the Merger and will continue its operations as a privately-held, wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent (the "Merger"). If the Merger is completed, the American depositary shares (the "ADSs") of the Company, each of which represents four ordinary shares ("Ordinary Shares") of the Company, will no longer be listed on The New York Stock Exchange and the ADS program will terminate. In addition, the ADSs and the Ordinary Shares will cease to be registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
The Company’s board of directors (the "Board"), acting upon the unanimous recommendation of a special committee of independent and disinterested directors established by the Board, authorized and approved the execution, delivery, and performance of the Merger Agreement; the Plan of Merger; and the consummation of the Transactions, including the Merger. The Board has recommended that holders of the ADSs and Ordinary Shares vote FOR, among other things, the proposal to authorize and approve the Merger Agreement; the Plan of Merger; and the Transactions, including the Merger.
Holders of record of Ordinary Shares as of the close of business in the Cayman Islands on February 15, 2021 will be entitled to attend and vote at the EGM and any adjournment thereof in person or by proxy. Holder of ADSs as of the close of business in New York City on January 29, 2021 will be entitled to instruct Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as ADS depositary, to vote the Ordinary Shares represented by the ADSs at the EGM.
Additional information regarding the EGM, the Merger Agreement; the Plan of Merger; and the Transactions, including the Merger, can be found in a Schedule 13E-3 transaction statement (the "Schedule 13E-3"), which includes a proxy statement attached as Exhibit (a)–(1) thereto (the "Proxy Statement"), filed by the Company and the other filing persons named therein with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on January 29, 2021. The full Schedule 13E-3 and the exhibits thereto, including the Proxy Statement, are available at the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov). In addition, the Company will mail a copy of the Proxy Statement to holders of ADSs and holders of record of Ordinary Shares.
Holders of ADSs and holders of record of Ordinary Shares are urged to read carefully and in their entirety the Schedule 13E-3, and in particular the Proxy Statement, and any other materials related thereto that may be filed with or furnished to the SEC, as they contain important information about the Company; the Merger Agreement; the Plan of Merger; and the Transactions, including the Merger.
The Company and certain of its directors, executive officers, and other members of management and employees may, under rules of the SEC, be deemed to be "participants" in the solicitation of proxies from the Company’s shareholders with respect to the EGM. Information regarding the persons who may be considered "participants" in the solicitation of proxies is set forth in the Proxy Statement.
This announcement is not a solicitation of a proxy, an offer to purchase, or a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities and it is not a substitute for the Schedule 13E-3, including the Proxy Statement, or other filings that may be made with the SEC in connection with the EGM; the Merger Agreement; the Plan Merger; and the Transactions, including the Merger.
Safe Harbor Statement
This announcement contains forward-looking statements. Any such statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "may," "should," "potential," "continue," "expect," "predict," "anticipate," "future," "intend," "plan," "believe," "is/are likely to," "estimate," and similar statements. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic and annual reports to the SEC, in press releases and other written materials, and in oral statements made by its officers, directors, or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Risks and uncertainties include the possibility that the Merger will not occur as planned if events arise that result in the termination of the Merger Agreement, if one or more of the various closing conditions to the Merger are not satisfied or waived, or if requisite shareholder approval is not obtained at the EGM, and other risks and uncertainties regarding the Merger Agreement and the Merger that are discussed in the Proxy Statement. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement or other information included in this press release, except as may be required by applicable law.
About China Distance Education Holdings Limited
China Distance Education Holdings Limited is a leading provider of online education and value-added services for professionals and corporate clients in China. The courses offered by the Company through its websites are designed to help professionals seeking to obtain and maintain professional licenses and to enhance their job skills through our professional development courses in China in the areas of accounting, healthcare, engineering & construction, legal and other industries. The Company also offers online test preparation courses for self-taught learners pursuing higher education diplomas or degrees, and practical accounting training courses for college students and working professionals. In addition, the Company provides business services to corporate clients, including but not limited to tax advisory and accounting outsourcing services. For further information, please visit http://ir.cdeledu.com.
Global health and beauty e-commerce leader iHerb meeting unprecedented customer demand as worldwide pandemic sparks massive sales
PASADENA, Calif., Jan. 29, 2021 — iHerb is responding to explosive worldwide customer demand, including record-breaking U.S. sales, as people seek to boost their immunity, improve their health, and stay safe at home during the global COVID-19 pandemic that continues to worsen in many countries and the United States.
"The trust our millions of customers around the world place in us to safely deliver the highest quality natural products directly to their homes during the worst public health crisis in our lifetime fills all of us at iHerb with a renewed sense of urgency, responsibility, and purpose," says iHerb Logistics Chief Operating Officer, Miriee Chang.
To meet dramatically increased orders, iHerb will open a new distribution center in Hong Kong,Russia, and GCC countries, and is adding additional technology to existing warehouses within the United States. All iHerb distribution centers are kept at a cool, climate-controlled environment of 74-75 degrees Fahrenheit (23-24 degrees Celsius), and have a large walk-in refrigerator and freezer for items such as certain acidophilus products that need to be kept refrigerated or frozen. All facilities are also Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) registered.
iHerb takes multiple precautions to protect employees at all facilities from exposure to coronavirus, and the company recently instituted a flexible remote work option for those whose jobs allow them to do so, as well as provide safe office spaces for those who need to meet in person.
"We are honored to provide an incredibly wide selection of the freshest natural products, shipped quickly around the planet to empower the health of millions of people who depend on us every day," says iHerb President, Emun Zabihi.
iHerb customers write about one million new product reviews each month about items they have verifiably ordered from the company and can contact a customer service representative with any questions 24/7.
The deep care iHerb pays to its customers also extends to its employees. iHerb was recently a first time winner of 2021 Top Workplaces USA as awarded by the United State’s most credible employer recognition program. This most recent honor comes just a month after the company earned certification as a Great Place to Work®.
Top Workplaces USA recognition is based solely on extensive surveys of employees and their honest workplace feedback. There are no subjective elements to the process, making Top Workplaces the most authentic, transparent employer recognition program in the United States.
Recent employee surveys showed 82% of iHerb team members said the company is a great place to work. Additionally, 95% of team members said work locations are safe, and more than 93% of team members said everyone is treated fairly, regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, or race.
iHerb continues to seek qualified, passionate employees to join the global team and further its commitment to serve millions of customers who depend on committed iHerb employees for their vital health needs.
About iHerb: iHerb is one of the largest US-based e-commerce retailers offering 30,000 products from 1,200 top brands to millions of customers around the world. iHerb ships directly from GMP certified, state-of-the-art climate controlled warehouses to customers in 188 countries and territories. Since 1996, iHerb has continued to innovate in bringing the highest quality products, at the best possible value, delivered with the most convenient customer experience. https://www.iherb.com
Top Employers Institute Certification Recognizes Excellence in Cognizant’s Business Values and People, Leadership, and Career Strategies
TEANECK, N.J., Jan. 29, 2021 — Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) has been named a Top Employer 2021 in 17 countries globally by the Top Employers Institute, an authority on recognizing excellence in people practices in the workplace.
Cognizant was once again certified as a Top Employer in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, and the UK. For the first time, Cognizant was also certified as a Top Employer in Argentina and Mexico. For Europe, the company received regional certification for the 7th consecutive year.
In Lithuania and Germany, Cognizant was also ranked by the Institute as the No. 1 and No. 14 employer in country, respectively.
In all countries, Cognizant particularly excelled in three categories:
Steer: considers business, people, and leadership strategies (Cognizant rated at 97% vs. the benchmark of 92%);
Develop: looks at learning, performance, and career management (93% vs. the benchmark of 83%);
Unite: reviews a company’s emphasis on specific business values, ethics, integrity, and sustainability (92% vs. a benchmark of 86%), as well as its diversity and inclusion programs (88% vs. a benchmark of 76%).
"We are very pleased to be recognized again by the Top Employers Institute for our commitment and success in providing an outstanding workplace, and for having expanded our certification from 15 to 17 countries globally," said Becky Schmitt, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer, Cognizant. "To remain a client-centric company, we continue to be an employee-centric company. We are committed to investing in and providing an environment where our associates can grow and thrive in their careers, while providing exceptional service for our clients."
"Despite the challenging year that organizations around the globe have experienced, Cognizant has continued to demonstrate the power of putting its people first in the workplace," said David Plink, CEO, Top Employers Institute. "We are proud to make this year’s announcement and congratulate Cognizant, which has been certified in a number of countries through the Top Employers Institute program."
The Institute’s annual research recognizes leading employers around the world that excel in offering outstanding employee conditions, developing and nurturing talent through all levels of the organization, and striving to continuously optimize employment practices. The program has certified and recognized more than 1,600 Top Employers in 120 countries across five continents since it was established 30 years ago.
About Top Employers Institute Top Employers Institute is the global authority on recognizing excellence in People Practices. We help accelerate these practices to enrich the world of work. Through the Top Employers Institute Certification Program, participating companies can be validated, certified and recognized as an employer of choice. Established 30 years ago, Top Employers Institute has certified over 1,600 organizations in 120 countries/regions. These certified Top Employers positively impact the lives of over 7 million employees globally.
About Cognizant Cognizant (Nasdaq-100: CTSH) is one of the world’s leading professional services companies, transforming clients’ business, operating and technology models for the digital era. Our unique industry-based, consultative approach helps clients envision, build and run more innovative and efficient businesses. Headquartered in the U.S., Cognizant is ranked 194 on the Fortune 500 and is consistently listed among the most admired companies in the world. Learn how Cognizant helps clients lead with digital at www.cognizant.com or follow us @Cognizant.
Some might look at the title and ask us about 5G. We will address that first. Yes, it does come with 5G connectivity. Why did we not include that moniker into the review? Our answer would be it does not really change anything. Since it comes in 5G natively anyway, we do not see the point to the ‘5G’ label at the back.
Then again, the Samsung Galaxy Note series is a trend setter, in our humble opinions. They are always made to be a little overpowered, not overstated. There is always a little more extra ‘oomph’ from the processor of the Samsung Galaxy Note series. They are always beasts of devices.
Who are their target users? If we must describe them in our own words, we will put them as people who heavily rely on their smartphones to do their daily heavy lifting. These things are not really lifestyle connected devices anymore. They are your best companions at work, at home, and at parties. They are what you rely on for everything that you do.
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra is technically the ultimate expression of whatever that you understood from the previous paragraph. It is a culmination of today’s advanced understanding of a smartphone user that requires more than just texting and calling on a smartphone. It is not really Samsung’s Tour de Force. It is more about Samsung giving a regular Samsung Galaxy Note user what they want.
Is this over-the-top Samsung flagship worth its MYR 5,199 price though? We do admit that it is an expensive piece of kit for your gearbag or pockets. Most importantly then, is it something that you should get? In other words, is it a device for you? We will do our best to answer these questions with our review. Meanwhile, bear with us.
Design
This is by far the largest Samsung smartphone to ever hit the market. It is the largest Samsung Galaxy Note series device by just a few mm on the top, sides, and even less in thickness. Then again, Samsung Galaxy Note devices are not known for their petite sizes.
You would want the large display though, to take advantage of the S Pen stylus. This time, the S Pen is tucked away at the bottom left corner of the device. We are so used to the right bottom arrangement of the previous Galaxy Note devices that it feels like there is a small learning curve here. No, this is not a complain.
We are glad that they moved the S Pen holster to the bottom left though. That means that the power button is now moved back to the right side along with the volume rockers. Nope, no more Bixby button too like the Galaxy Note10 (we did not review that, unfortunately; reasons).
We like that they managed to round of the curved edges that we are getting used to from the Samsung Galaxy Note8. The rounder edges continue to the screen from the back too. This does give the device a good unibody feel. Even the sides feel like they are part of the curve this time.
While thickness has not changed much, the rounded edges on the sides does make the device feel a little beefier than before though. Do not get us wrong, we are not saying that that is not a good feel. It does improve grip levels somehow.
Speaking of grip, we are not big fans of the finish on the glass back. It mutes and softens the colours underneath the glass, which we think is quite brilliant. We mentioned this in our 24 hours article too. But at the same time, it makes it a little more slippery in the hands, which is a big negative.
The rounder edges also give way to a very flat top and bottom of the device though. The bottom’s flatness is only interrupted by the small bump that is the S Pen’s ‘clicky’ bit. Oh, and the frame of the device is also a glossy piece, not a big fan of that either.
We were talking about the back earlier. The muted and slippery glass back is interrupted by one thing though. It is a big bulge of a thing. It looks like its own greenhouse, to be fair. It is the biggest camera housing that we have ever seen in a smartphone. The bulge is about half the thickness of the S Pen. It really stands out too since the frame of the camera is glossy. We really do not like this part because it also means that you really need to get a case for your smartphone that accommodates the thing that is jutting out the back of the smartphone.
That aside though, the device is a light one for its size. It actually feels lighter than the Samsung Galaxy Note9, which is no bad thing. While it is light, there is never a sense of cheapness when you go around the device. It feels premium, just like a Samsung Galaxy flagship should. It does not feel fragile, it feels solid, like a lightweight hammer (do not smash it against anything though, we strongly discourage that).
While the device does gain a little bit in size (it is not a woman, it will not get offended), we do think that it is a really handsome device, even if you put it beside a Samsung Galaxy Note9 in Copper. Oh yes, the one we have here is the Bronze colour variant. We think it looks good, but the colour may not be for us. Keep in mind that this is just our preference though.
Hardware
The battery pack powers an Exynos 990 System on a Chip (SoC) that clocks at a maximum 3.0GHz. That octa-core processor is just as powerful as an average PC processor. Thanks to 12GB of RAM as well, the device might as well be as powerful as a modern PC.
There is still one thing that we really hate about new modern devices like this Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra. It does not have a 3.5mm jack, and that is a big shame, we really think that there is enough space at the bottom or top of the device for a proper 3.5mm audio jack. Still, at least they included the USB Type-C Samsung AKG earphones out of the box.
One Port to Rule Them All
The Samsung Galaxy Note line lost one big port when the Samsung Galaxy Note10 was introduced. In that case, this is not the only Galaxy Note device without a traditional AUX jack. Moving from a Samsung Galaxy Note9 though, the 3.5mm jack is sorely missed. I could not use my high-end Shure SE535 anymore with the Note20 Ultra unless I get a USB Type-C to 3.5mm AUX dongle for it.
Out of the box though you get a USB Type-C AKG earphones, which is still a nice touch. That also means you do not have to go out looking for a dongle or a specific USB Type-C earphone for it. You also have to keep in mind that not every USB Type-C dongle will work with the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra. In this case also you might want to consider getting a portable DAC.
Still, since you are already getting a USB Type-C earphones out-of-the-box, you do not need to squeeze wallet to get another hardware just to get earphones working. The earphones do sound relatively good anyway (it is an AKG earphone), so it is not like you are losing out on audio.
The USB Type-C port, as you have guessed, is also its charging port. It is capable of taking on Samsung’s Super-Fast Charger that is also included in the box. Thing is, charging the battery at that speed not only damages your battery though, it produces a lot of heat. In that sense, you might want to keep it charged at a relatively normal speed. This is the part we like.
Even if you use the included charger, you do not have to necessarily charge at the maximum available speed. You can choose to keep fast charging off to charge it at a relatively slow speed. That also means your device charges from nothing to full in about 3 hours or so, perfect for overnight charging.
If you need the speed though, you can turn on Fast Charging and Super-Fast Charging for an accelerated charge time. In Super-Fast charging speed, you can get your battery to a full charge well within 2 hours, faster if your device is turned off. Keep in mind that charging at that speed will shorten the battery’s shelf life.
S Pen – Better Than Before
The Samsung Galaxy Note series’ party piece is always the stylus that comes with it. It has always been the S Pen since day one that sells the Samsung Galaxy Note series devices. It is the defining piece of the Samsung Galaxy Note device. After all, the Samsung Galaxy Note started out life as a smartphone that could take natural handwritten notes via a Pen.
The tenth generation of the world-famous S Pen is technically a remarkably similar piece to its previous generation. The Samsung Galaxy Note10’s S pen technically fits into the tray of the Samsung Galaxy Note20. However, they could not be interchangeable in our tests though, somehow.
Still, the Samsung Galaxy Note20’s S Pen is still a battery powered Bluetooth remote device. It is still a sleek looking pen that functions as just that on the smartphone. You get about half an hour of battery life out of it. But even when the battery is depleted, you can sort of use the S Pen to a certain degree. You just cannot use it as a remote for the cameras and gestures.
The S Pen on the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra, on paper, might not look like a huge improvement or big leap over the older S Pen. It may not even seem like two different products on paper. But put it to use though and you do see the difference.
The Samsung Galaxy Note10’s S Pen does almost all the things that the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra’s does. You can get gesture controls, camera remote, and it still does all the writing stuff that any Samsung Galaxy Note devices does. The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra’s is just a little bit better, a little bit more instant.
This is more apparent when you start writing with the S Pen. You realise that the S Pen follows your stroke no matter how fast you write or draw on the expansive display. That is thanks to 9ms of response time. Again, that does not seem as instant as it sounds or that much difference when you put it beside the older Samsung Galaxy Note10’s. But the experience is completely transformative and is much better. Of course, the 120Hz display does help as well in that.
Reverse Wireless Charge – Wireless PowerShare
This is technically a feature that was carried over from the previous Samsung Galaxy Note10 series. It is nothing new technically, and there is not much in terms of improvements here. Still, it is a welcoming feature when you have TWS earphones that has wireless charging capabilities. If you pre-ordered your Samsung Galaxy Note20 series smartphones you would get them with either Samsung’s Galaxy Buds+ or Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Live.
It is not the fastest charging wireless charging technology to be fair. You only have 4,500mAh to work with, after all. By mid-day you might not even have as much battery capacity left too to reverse charge other devices. In that sense, you might not want to be charging other smartphones with the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra. If you do, you will see the battery life dwindling quite quickly.
Facial Recognition in Place of Iris Sensor
Like the Samsung Galaxy Note10 Plus, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra does not pack an Iris sensor anymore. We do think that the Iris sensor is a more sensible and secure platform for security. We do miss that from the Samsung Galaxy Note9. The problem with that was that you could not fit the sensors under the display just yet.
You still get a brilliantly quick facial recognition security feature though. Setting it up is quick and easy too in that sense. If not, you can set your fingerprint sensor in and use that instead. While the under-display fingerprint sensor works, it is not exactly quick as well. It is just as fast or faster than most fingerprint sensors from other smartphones though.
User Interface – OneUI 2.5 on Android 10
The differentiation between one device and another currently is mostly its interface. You interact with your largely touch based device through this graphical interface. The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra comes with OneUI 2.5. Yes, it is still an Android 10 device, OneUI is an overlay interface on top of Android 10.
OneUI 2.5 is the latest and greatest of Samsung’s interface. When we first had the Samsung OneUI interface to replace the old, clunky TouchWiz interface, we were quite delighted. Everything is cleaner, lighter, faster, and more intuitive. OneUI 2.5 builds on that with a few difference and upgrades over the years.
For example, OneUI’s camera app has seen plenty of improvements over the camera function. This year’s OneUI that was introduced with the Samsung Galaxy S20 comes with One Take feature that also trickles over to the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra. You just do not get to zoom all the way to 100x on the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra. What is the point anyway?
Multitasking and Split Screens
An expansive display was also the signature of the Samsung Galaxy Note device. It was necessary wen Samsung started introducing dual window mode or split screen mode for Android devices on their TouchWiz UI. The current OneUI still support split window mode natively of course.
Of course, having split screens for apps is amazing. We were able to work with two apps open at the same time; what is there not to like? We could, for example, reply a text while having YouTube open in the other window. We could also leave Spotify on while Google Maps is open for a drive through town. There is one thing we do not like about the new OneUI’s implementation of the split screen though; it is not very intuitive anymore.
On the Samsung Galaxy Note10 you could easily launch an app and launch another app with it in an instant from Edge Panels. It was the most intuitive multi-window User Interface (U.I.). You could even launch two apps at the same time if you bothered to set up your Apps Edge Panel tray.
On the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra, split screens are still much nicer with a slightly bigger display. Which also means that you get more real estate for both apps open at the same time. You cannot get instant split apps to open via the Edge Panel though, for free anyway. You could get your hands on the Edge Panel function by going to the Galaxy Store via the Edge Panel for MYR 8.31
This also means that having split screens is still a little inconvenient. We had to open Google Maps and Spotify, one after another, and then go into ‘recent apps’ interface and long press the app icon to get split apps to work. Keep in mind that not all apps get split screen capabilities.
Quick Access Edge Panel
This is also a feature that was native to Samsung’s Galaxy Note devices until quite recently. Of course, the luxury of display real estate does play into this. It was just as before too; the quick access panel tray can be placed anywhere at both sides of the display’s edges. We prefer it on the right side where the power button and volume rockers are.
You still can customize what you see or get on the Edge Panel too, as usual. You could load up shortcuts for apps that you like to access, something that you might not want to put into your home screen or open your app tray to access. You could put shortcuts to your favourite contacts too, or even a screenshot setting. You also get access to the music app, annoyingly that does not sync to Spotify, our preferred music streaming service.
As mentioned, the Edge Panel apps could not be paired like what was on the Samsung Galaxy Note10 series or the Samsung Galaxy Note9. Technically you can, but you must pay for it now, as mentioned. It is worth MYR 8.31 in the Samsung Galaxy Store, and we do think it is a worthy investment if you do use Split Screen plenty. It just adds a degree of convenience for you on the smartphone. We are a little annoyed by that though, we do think that the dual app pairing should be a thing for all Samsung Galaxy Note devices.
S Pen Air Actions and Gesture Controls
With OneUI 2.0 update, you could lose all the on-display buttons on the Samsung Galaxy Note devices. On the Samsung Galaxy Note10, you could revert of Android’s original gesture control of swiping at the edges to go back, swipe up from the bottom for ‘home’, and swipe and hold from the bottom for recent apps.
We stuck back to the three-bottom gesture function though, we prefer that. We also hid the on-display button that hints where you should be swiping. That cleans up the interface even more than before.
Additionally, on the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra though was S Pen Gestures to navigate the device. There are three main gestures from the pen. You can scribble it around or do specific gestures to navigate your screen without touching your smartphone. This could be useful in presentation situations. Unfortunately, we did not get to try it in that environment.
Of course, you could use S Pen’s Air Actions in the camera app as well to control the camera or just use it as a remote shutter button. If you use it while your media player is playing something you could even use gestures to Play/Pause, get to the next song or previous song, and even control its volume. You can customise how the S Pen Air Actions work with specific apps too.
Bixby
Voice assistants have improved over the years. Smart assistants emerged from that too. The culmination of what Samsung’s know how and Google’s smarts over the years gives birth to the current Bixby that we know today in the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra.
Yes, the current Bixby is partly based on Google’s Assistant algorithm. Bixby is a little cleverer than Google Assistant in some sense though. For one, it does better with Asian names.
But Bixby is not just a smart assistant that tells you what is going on in the day or help you keep track of weather and what not. Bixby, if you connect it to your home devices or other smart devices keeps track of you habits too. When you are going to work, or going home, or certain times of the day, Bixby can open certain apps, brief you on certain happenings, remind you of your daily schedule, or wind down if you are at home.
Setting up schedules or sequences for Bixby is not that difficult as well. You just need to launch Bixby to get everything set up according to times of day or voice commands. Once that is done, you can just leave it be and have your device be your best friend and personal assistant.
There is no longer the annoying Bixby button that you constantly press unintentionally though. Now, you can set it to a longer press on the power button or not at all unless you call “hey Bixby”. That also means less accidental Bixby launches and annoyance.
You can still call the good ol’ Google assistant, but Bixby does a mighty job on its own too. In that sense, we find that we are using Bixby a little bit more. Plus, swiping your home screen to the right brings up daily briefings that shows you the latest news of the day and the weather forecast and other popular news for the day too.
Samsung DeX
Samsung’s Desktop Experience (DeX) has been a staple in Samsung’s flagship devices. Especially on a productivity type device, Samsung’s DeX is a must have feature. On the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra, DeX can now be used wirelessly with any smart displays. That means you can make your presentations on your smartphone without using any cables if you have a smart TV connected to WiFi. Of course, it has to be under the same WiFi umbrella to work still.
Like the Samsung Galaxy Note10, you still can use the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra’s DeX on top of your PC as well as a separate window. You just need to connect it to the PC via any USB data transfer cable. We recommend you use either the provided cable or Samsung’s original cables for the best experience.
The DeX feature on the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra is something we really appreciate though. You are not just screen mirroring your smartphone. Yes, you still can work with screen mirroring instead and have your device’s display projected directly on a smart display. Nothing wrong with that, except you are still working on your smartphone as a smartphone.
With DeX your smartphone becomes a PC on the wireless display. In that sense, the interface changes to something a little cleaner. Of course, you can still mess up your interface too if you use it often enough and not organise them properly. But you are technically controlling a computer out of a handheld device wirelessly. You can type via your smartphone or a connected Bluetooth keyboard, you even have the option to navigate your pointed via the smartphone or a connected Bluetooth mouse.
So far as well, we think that Samsung is the only manufacturer to nail their mobile based desktop interface. Using DeX does not feel like you are using a smartphone at all, especially if you have your keyboard and mouse connected via Bluetooth, or 2.4GHz dongle (if you have another USB Type-C multi-function extension dongle).
Thanks to 12GB of RAM, you really can have multiple apps open at the same time on the device and still not lose any response time. This is a huge improvement over the previous generation Galaxy Note devices too. Everything on DeX feels just as snappy as they should without sacrificing performance of the smartphone. Of course, if you are connecting directly to a screen without charging the device, the battery drains quite fast. In that case, we do suggest that you get a multi-function USB Type-C dongle for your smartphone.
Performance
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra technically comes in two variants globally. There is a variant with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ and the other with the Samsung Exynos 990. The one we have in Malaysia comes with Samsung’s own Exynos 990. While they are different System on a Chip (SoC), they are not completely different in performance figures.
Call Quality and Connectivity
As mentioned before, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra packs 5G connectivity. We cannot however tell you what 5G on the device is like. Malaysia does not have 5G coverage just yet. Thank goodness for 4G LTE+ then.
Phone call works just like any other smartphones. If you have been on Samsung’s devices, the phone app is as familiar to you as the back of your hands. Technically the app has not seen plenty of changes over the years.
In the call department then, you still get the dual mic arrangement for noise cancelling. That also means that what you get with phone calls is pretty much what you expect. You get clear voices transmitted to the other side of the phone call. The same may not be said when other people calls you though, that really depends on their own devices.
We tried making calls in a crowded restaurant (still socially distanced) and still could get our voices out to the other end of the caller with no issues in clarity. Even when the other side of the line decided that they need to put us on speakerphone, in a group call, it works just as well with little to no distortion.
As the recipient of a call in a group is great on the device too. The speakers on the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra sounds a little louder than its predecessor. In that note, loudspeaker calls when you are in a conference is workable if you are in a small room. Of course, if you sit too far away from the Galaxy Note20 Ultra, the mic may not pick up your voice too much thanks to noise cancelling. Sadly, you have no 3.5mm jack to plug in a speaker or mic to.
Gaming
This is one powerful smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra. They did not actually market this as a gaming device though. Of course, as a smartphone we do have to test out its gaming capabilities.
Before we do go on with the gaming aspect though, keep in mind that mobile games are highly optimised for the most popular devices in the market. In that sense, for Android users anyway, gaming is pretty much similar on almost any other Android device.
Still, PUBG Mobile gives you the option of popping itself to the highest available settings. Of course, AOV looks good too alongside Sky Fore Reloaded. We will give this credit to the display prowess more than its internal hardware though. Most mobile games can run smoothly and nicely on most mid-range smartphones these days.
Running the games at 120Hz is a different level though. We have tried gaming with the OPPO Find X2 which features a 120Hz QHD display and we though that was plenty amazing. The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra packs a new Dynamic AMOLED with better colour contrasts and accuracy even compared to the Samsung Galaxy Note10.
120Hz and better colour contrasts and accuracy means a better image in games. Colours are more vibrant suddenly and details can be made out easily through the display. The device itself does not give you a dexterity or reactive advantage to games. But the games do look good, and if you are not a competitive gamer, you can live with that.
Battery Life
Battery life has not been Samsung’s strongest suite, we do admit to that. The Samsung Galaxy Note9, when we reviewed it, could give us a whole day of battery life and more. New updates have shortened its battery life a little bit though. At heavier usage patterns too, the Samsung Galaxy Note9’s battery life was shorter than expected.
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra packs a large 4,500mAh battery. This is also the largest battery pack ever fitted to a Samsung Galaxy Note device. Which also means it should have a greater battery life than all its predecessors right? Yes, it does, but not by much.
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra does have a slightly longer battery life than its predecessors. We used it as our main daily driver for a period of two weeks and I only had to scramble for power banks and charging ports in two occasions. One of which was because I was using the camera a lot from 9.00 a.m onward. In that case, the battery went down to 20% by about 2.00 p.m.
Of course, battery life was not just affected by the camera functions. It was also affected by our WhatsApp, Telegram, phone calls, and even hotspot usage on the device. Thank goodness for power banks.
On a day-to-day basis though, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra gets a fair amount of use for WhatsApp conversations, Telegram, Social Media updates and scrolling, some internet browsing, a few phone calls, and plenty of Spotify use with Bluetooth speakers and a certain Samsung Galaxy Buds (not like there is a 3.5mm jack anyway).
In that case, our battery could last us a whole workday and a little bit more. Just as long as you do not open your camera app too much or for too long. The 108-Megapixel camera array is surprisingly power hungry. Well, when we say surprisingly, it is a 108-Megapixel sensor after all, it needs to process 108 million pixels within the capacity of the device.
You can choose between a normal fast charge or super-fast charge too if you use the provided charging adapter with the provided USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable. The normal Fast Charge will allow you to charge your battery from nothing to full in about two hours. Super-fast charge on the other hand will charge your Galaxy Note20 Ultra in less than an hour, which is wickedly fast at 25W. But that is also extremely scary because the battery really heats up in that situation. You also need to keep in mind charging a battery that fast will degrade the battery faster over its shelf life.
Display
Speaking of the brilliant display which enhances the gaming experience, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra comes with, what we think is Samsung’s most advanced display yet. It is a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED display with 120Hz in refresh rate. By default, you are looking at Full HD 1080p resolution in your face. You can turn that up to QHD resolution if you want, but you drop refresh rate to 60Hz.
This is one area where we think Samsung should be criticized. Do not get us wrong though, the display is quite brilliant when it comes to its colour accuracy, saturation, brightness, and contrasts. We would like to see a QHD display that would work with 120Hz on Samsung’s end though. OPPO can do it, Samsung should be able too with their technology.
Sadly, we are limited to Full HD at 120Hz. We do somehow understand why though. At 120Hz, your display could be eating into your battery life more than usual. That also means that if you leave your device at QHD with 120Hz, you might drain the battery of the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra in less than a workday, which is not what you want to do with a smartphone you want to keep around as a workhorse.
Still, at 6.9-inch, the differences between Full HD resolution and QHD resolution are minute enough that you might not notice them in the first place. What matters then is what you do not need to squint to see, colours and contrasts.
As we have previously mentioned, the Dynamic AMOLED display has improved quite tremendously on the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra. The blacks are still just as deep as any AMOLED display, and the white just as white and bright. But the other colours are now more natural, less painful and straining to the eyes.
It is impossible to see the difference between one display to another if you look at the devices individually though. You really must put devices side by side to see the difference in colours and textures. You can see the clear difference when you put the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra against the Samsung Galaxy Note9. The reds and yellows are vibrant enough on the Galaxy Note20 Ultra without straining the eyes.
Camera(s) – 108-Megapixel of Goodness
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra packs a large 108-Megapixel sensor at the back. It comes packing with a larger than usual lens too in that sense. Flanking the main camera is a 12-Megapixel ultra-wide lens and a 12-Megapixel telephoto camera. Out the front is a 10-Megapixel front-facing shooter, 2-Megapixel more than before.
The 108-Megapixel main shooter gets brilliant photos in proper lighting situations. The photos come out highly detailed in bright and vivid colours in proper daylight. Which also means you get properly good-looking photos. Of course, you can get RAW photos out of the camera as well if you want. By default, the device shoots JPEG images.
Of course, we mainly shoot in auto mode. You can turn on pro mode to have more control over the camera, but we never really saw a point to that in smartphones. In normal Photo mode and with its AI scene recogniser, the device does a good job at adjusting its own settings for the best photos.
Of course, with a bigger sensor than before and more Megapixel to work with, photos come out with more details. Even in normal photo mode you get a better depth detail from the main camera. Yes, it has something to do with the AI algorithm as well, but anything that makes the photos look better without extra hands is a welcome addition to any camera.
Ultra-Wide shots are still as impressive as before. To be fair though, not much has changed in this department, everything looks similarly saturated and pretty as wide-angle shots from the Samsung Galaxy devices that comes before. That may not necessarily be a bad thing though.
Probably the biggest difference, other than the overkill 108-Megapixel sensor, is the 12-Megapixel telephoto lens that gives us the ability to optically zoom up to 5x. You are still only getting 12-Megapixel photos, but when has 12-Megapixel become less than ideal or enough for photos you share on social media platforms? You can even get a 50x digital zoom on the telephoto, but I suspect that you might not do a lot of that; we know we do not. No, it does not do 100x zoom like the Galaxy S10 Ultra; what for? Who are you stalking?
With a big camera, comes a big frustration of focusing distances though. The 108-Megapixel camera comes with a slightly longer lens and therefore a longer focus distance. You have to be at least 50cm away from your subject now to get a good 108-Megapixel photo, which is quite ridiculous in our opinion. While it is nice to have a high-resolution image, it is frustrating to relearn what a good focus distance is. Although, autofocus is quite fast and near instant. You might not have the same problem with the lesser Samsung Galaxy Note20 though.
We are not very avid selfie takers. In other words, we are not good with selfies. I tend to make stupid faces more than anything with selfie cameras. That said, the 10-Megapixel camera on this thing is quite brilliant. Selfie has not been the Samsung Galaxy Note line-up’s strongest suite. The Samsung Galaxy Note10 Plus had a decent selfie camera with clever beauty mode, but it was not the best in the market and there are plenty of devices with better selfie modes.
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra’s 10-Megapixel front facing camera is a big improvement though. It actually looks good an natural with light beauty mode. If you turn it all the way up, you will start looking a little unnatural, obviously. If you turn beauty mode completely off though, you get a nice wide-angle camera than can take a photo with multiple people in the shot. If you do not need the wide angle, the device cleverly crops the photo anyway and make it an 8-Megapixel shot.
Colour depth and detailing has improved on the front facing camera though. Colours come out more natural than before and plenty detailed than before. In short, selfies look good in the right hands, or stick.
The Elephant on the Back
There is one thing we are not very fond of, to be fair on the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra. Yes, it is a feature – because you get a 108-Megapixel shooter out the back of the device, which is no bad thing. We will talk about the camera a little bit more later though.
What we want to centre around, in this section is the huge camera bump. It is more necessary than you think. There is no getting around the fact that it is humungous and quite ugly when you see it on the side. It is like looking at Squidward’s nose from the side of his face. We have berated the large bump in the design portion though, and now we are going to justify it.
The bump, in what we can tell, is a sort of a dome to separate the heat from the main board. You prevent burning out your main board thanks to the raised platform. It is supposed to help the cameras cool a little more too.
In the sense of keeping the camera operating at a cool temperature though, that does not work so well. After 10 minutes of photo taking or even videos, you do start feeling the heat on the camera bump. That heat quickly spreads through the device though, which is not a good sign for a smartphone that you might want to shoot videos with.
Of course, if you make a living with photos and videos, and you rely on cameras plenty, you might already have a dedicated camera for most of these purposes. If you are planning to fully rely on the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra, we recommend that you do not. In any case though, the device is still quite a capable one. Which brings us to the next point.
8K Videos in Your Pocket
8K video recording is something really new with consumer level devices. Not too long ago, 4K was still something that plenty of mid-range smartphones could not do. Now, we are moving toward 8K.
Of course, while we can start enjoying 8K resolution technology with the newest TVs and displays, there is not much 8K video contents to work with or enjoy at this time. Unfortunately, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra does not have one of those displays for us to enjoy 8K resolution contents on. The device only has a maximum of QHD resolution, that is quite plenty less resolution than 8K.
It does shoot 8K resolution videos, however. That also means that you can shoot and enjoy 8K resolution contents with the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra paired with a Samsung TV with 8K resolution. While that can happen, it does not necessarily mean that it is anywhere near affordable.
In that case even if you can shoot in 8K resolution, it does not mean you should. This is, of course, unless you are in video production houses and need that kind of resolution for cropping or zooming purposes. That extra resolution in production environment is quite appreciated and important at this point, especially if you settle with 4K published contents.
Even then, you, as a person that makes a living out of videos should already have your own gear to work with. In our case, we rarely produce 4K videos due to the huge file size, heavy load on our editing rigs, and the whole unnecessity of it. You can hardly get a 4K display on plenty of mobile devices and even the PC these days. In this case, shooting at 4K is way more plenty than enough to compensate for details lost when we zoom into videos or crop them for stabilisation purposes.
By default, the videos taken via the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra is of Full HD 1080p quality. You can change that in the settings to take 4K and 8K resolutions. At 8K resolution though, image stabilisation does not work. That also means that you should consider spending on a new tripod or gimbal if you plan to shoot at 8K.
Still, if you shoot at 4K, stabilisation works nicely. It is not as silky smooth as we would like it to be. It would help if you do have a gimbal with you, but a moving video is not too jarring to follow with the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra.
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra – One Stop Shop Device
At MYR 5,199, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra is an expensive device. To be fair, it is while it is a lot of money for a smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra is a lot of smartphone for that money. That does not mean that we could consciously recommend the device to all our friends.
We could even hardly justify it if we are buying the device for ourselves unless we get it on a carrier plan. But that is not saying that the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra is not a good device. It is a great device that does set a few standards of its own.
For MYR 5,199, you are getting not just a smartphone. You are also getting an impressive package that turns to a camera when you need it to be, and even a PC if you have a dongle and monitor to pair with. Like we said, you are getting a lot of smartphone from MYR 5,199; more than a smartphone, to be fair.
We feel though that under regular circumstances you will not be able to fully utilise or take full advantage of the device. Sure, you get the power of a portable PC in your pockets. But unless you are going to fork out an extra MYR 1,000 or so to get a portable monitor and a wireless keyboard you can carry with you in your backpack, it will remain a smartphone. That is not even considering that you already have a reliable work notebook PC to go with already.
It shoots at 108-Megapixel and 8K videos, but with the amount of heat that comes from the camera, you might want to think twice of relying on this device as a main shoot device for a whole day. If you do rely on photography for work too, you most likely would have another camera that you are already relying on. While the 108-Megapixel camera on the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra is impressive, you are equipped enough with a regular 12-Megapixel shooter in your pockets.
In this case, while the retail of the device goes for MYR 5,199, you might be spending more than MYR 6,000 to make full use of the device. That is also considering that this remains the only smart device you own in your life, barring your notebook PCs, your cameras, or even tablets. Keep in mind also making this the only modern computing device and camera gear you own in your life also limits you to a lot of things. In reality then, it might make more sense to spend a little less on a smartphone, and more on other things that you could integrate in your life for a more complete digital experience.
Sure, it is nice to own a smartphone that can do everything. The question is do you really need it though? At the same time, are you wasting the device’s potential away by just keeping it in your pockets? We do have to say though, if you are asking the second question, you know that you should already be looking elsewhere for a smartphone.
Awarded Top Employers Global 2021 certification in 20 countries across Europe, Middle East, Asia Pacific and North America
BENGALURU, India, Jan. 29, 2021 — Infosys (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, has been recognized by the Top Employers Institute as a Top Employer 2021, across Europe, Middle East, Asia Pacific and North America in recognition of its excellence in employment practices.
Asia Pacific – India, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Japan
Middle East – UAE, Bahrain & Oman
Europe – Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Romania, France, Ireland and the United Kingdom
Pravin Rao, Chief Operating Officer at Infosys, said, "This year’s certification reinforces our dedication to supporting our people, especially in these unprecedented times. It is important to acknowledge the contribution and excellence that comes from investing in our workforce, and nurturing a workplace that champions fairness, integrity, transparency and drives leadership by example. Through our progressive ‘people first’ policies and practices, we are working to consistently improve employee value. Infosys is continually creating employee experiences with empathy, that can help an individual reach their potential and deliver at the highest level."
The Top Employers certification is also a recognition of Infosys’ Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) vision to facilitate best-in-class employee experience and to be recognized among the best employers in the regions that Infosys operates.
David Plink, Chief Executive Officer at Top Employers Institute, said, "Despite the challenging year we have experienced (which has certainly made an impact on organisations around the globe), our global Top Employers have continued to demonstrate the power of putting their people first in the workplace. As a global Top Employer, Infosys has shown their dedication to their employees on an international level across numerous countries and we congratulate them for their global certification."
The Top Employers Institute has certified almost 1700 organizations in 120 countries/regions. These certified Top Employers positively impact the lives of over 7 million employees globally.
About Infosys
Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. We enable clients in 46 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With nearly four decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer our clients through their digital journey. We do it by enabling the enterprise with an AI-powered core that helps prioritize the execution of change. We also empower the business with agile digital at scale to deliver unprecedented levels of performance and customer delight. Our always-on learning agenda drives their continuous improvement through building and transferring digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem.
Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next.
Safe Harbor
Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects, financial expectations and plans for navigating the COVID-19 impact on our employees, clients and stakeholders are forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the ‘safe harbor’ under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding COVID-19 and the effects of government and other measures seeking to contain its spread, risks related to an economic downturn or recession in India, the United States and other countries around the world, changes in political, business, and economic conditions, fluctuations in earnings, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, industry segment concentration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks or system failures, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which Infosys has made strategic investments, withdrawal or expiration of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability and regional conflicts, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry and the outcome of pending litigation and government investigation. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law.
