This episode is brought to you by Acer. Pre-order your Acer Nitro 5 gaming notebook with AMD’s Ryzen 9 5900HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 GPU from Acer from the 10th May 2021 onward!
In this episode of Tech & Tonic, we discuss the growing number of streaming services. Disney+ Hotstar is finally making its way into Malaysia after a long wait. Disney+ Hotstar joins Malaysia’s long list of streaming platforms including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Go, Astro Go, iflix, and a few others.
Is having more streaming services a good thing though? Does it still make sense for you to pay for Cable TV services like Astro in Malaysia, especially with certain channels being removed with the introduction of Disney+ Hotstar? Do we need more streaming platforms at this time? Would Disney+ be better than the rest of the platforms?
We discuss this and more in the Tech & Tonic Podcast.
Samsung announced their SmartThings Find and SmartTags not too long ago. The new feature to their growing SmartThings ecosystem opened the doors to a whole new galaxy of possibilities when it comes to keep track of your devices. However, in announcing SmartThings Find, they also created a new opportunity for a brand-new class of devices: trackers. Like the ones that came before their time, the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag brought the feature to items that aren’t necessarily connected to the internet – something a lot of us would find very useful especially when it comes to keeping track of often misplaced items like your keys or even your pet dog.
SmartThings – All Your IoT in One, Unified Place
One of Samsung’s biggest updates to their SmartThings ecosystem in recent memory is the inclusion of SmartThings Find. The new feature allows users to keep track of their Galaxy devices and other SmartThings compatible devices. While it may seem pretty rudimentary with other brands like Apple already using Find My in their ecosystem, Samsung has actually made SmartThings find a tad more user friendly and useable overall.
App Design & Usability
Samsung has seemingly put a little more thought in implementing features into their SmartThings Find platform. Before we go into the nitty gritty of the features, let’s first look at the design of the SmartThings app. The fact that Samsung has opted to keep its tracking feature as a part of the main app is a boon to the platform. It makes the app a one stop shop when it comes to Samsung devices. In fact, you will be directed to the SmartThings App even when you want to track the location of your Galaxy Buds and Galaxy Watch devices.
The app overall is pretty sleek. The home screen brings you a summary of the dashboards you have access to which includes “On the Go”, “SmartThings Find”, “Directly Connected Devices” and, if you have them setup, the rooms where your other devices such as your TVs and sound systems setup. The at a glance dashboard is pretty convenient allowing access to actionable widgets which allow you to check your device’s last known location and, in the case of TVs and sound systems, a simplified remote widget for quick control. Clicking on any connected device brings up more detailed controls which differ depending on the device.
When it comes to app design, Samsung has got this one down pretty good. The app has well designed features and is customisable to what you want as a user. However, there are a few gripes that we have with the app, particularly with how Samsung has designed the menu with the more advanced SmartThings features. These features are kept within the main menu of the app which you have to swipe to reveal. Considering Samsung is touting SmartThings to be a ubiquitous platform it needs to bring these features into the spotlight. Features like automations and companion apps are kept in the side menu where you’re not likely to use them unless you spend the time to discover them. These features are actually some of the more useful features in SmartThings that we, unfortunately, couldn’t test as we were unable to track down products which supported them.
While it may seem like the app has a ways to go before it’s properly useful, that’s far from the truth. The app creates a unified platform for Samsung devices and also devices that support the SmartThings platform. Devices that are connected via Bluetooth also appear in the app albeit in a limited capacity. Samsung has the bases of a platform that can be very robust and ubiquitous, but they have to expand the partners they work with for the platform to become truly a one-stop-shop especially with their own Galaxy ecosystem being adopted by more users.
Samsung SmartThings Find – Finding What Was Once Lost
That aside, let’s take a deep dive into SmartThings Find. The platform’s most recent “upgrade”. To be honest, this is one of the most useful features of the SmartThings platform. If you have a Samsung account, the platform opens even more – which could be a detriment to the ubiquity of the platform that Samsung envisions.
That said, devices registered to your Samsung account automatically appear in SmartThings. This includes tablets, smartphones and even TVs. Once they’re registered, they appear in a device list where you are able to highlight the 10 that you want to keep an eye on. In the SmartThings Find section of the app, these items will appear on a map with their most recently retrieved location pinned.
The SmartThings Find interface is very straightforward. As mentioned, it presents you with a map with pins for each of your devices. Tapping on them either brings up a list if they are overlapping or a device specific menu. The device specific menu will present you with the last known location and address of the device. It will give you options to navigate or ring the device. Yes, this includes your Galaxy Buds.
In fact, Samsung has one of the better implementations of tracking for their wireless buds. The app allows you to track each individual bud separately which, in our opinion, is genius! Of course, they aren’t the only ones with this implementation but credit where credit is due. This feature came in really handy when my left Galaxy Buds Pro decided to go for stroll. Clicking the ring makes the bud produce a loud, high pitched sound which allows you to locate the bud.
Samsung Galaxy SmartTag – Keeping Tags on & Automating Everything
The newest additions to the SmartThings ecosystems are the Galaxy SmartTag and Galaxy SmartTag+. Both are tags that allow Galaxy users to track and locate whatever they are attached to – even your pet dog. The proposition to have a simple device that allows you to make stuff like your keys and even bags “smarter” is pretty intriguing.
The design of the SmartTag is pretty simple – it’s a rounded square plastic tag which can easily be attached to any keychain or bag tag. One thing Samsung’s Galaxy SmartTag has over their competition, at this point is, their design which doesn’t require users to purchase additional accessories to make them properly useful. The SmartTag’s simplicity continues with their use of regular CR2032 batteries instead of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Samsung claims that these batteries will power the SmartTag for about 300 days. After which, you can swap the battery by simply prying the SmartTag open with a coin via the slit.
The thread of simplicity continues even in setting up the Galaxy SmartTag. All it took is turning on the SmartThings app and pressing the large button on the Tag itself. This will make it beep that then activates the Bluetooth connectivity which allows it to connect to the smartphone. Once connected you get access to the same controls as other devices in the SmartThings app.
That said, the Galaxy SmartTag becomes more useful when you use it together with automations. You can recreate “If… then” recipes straight in the SmartThings app which allows you to do things like send you a notification or message if your car keys leave the house or even set your phone to vibrate when your keys enter the house. It’s even more useful when you use the button on the trigger other SmartThings supported. You can use a single press to turn on your lights or even a long press to kick on the thermostat.
The Galaxy SmartTag feels like it has a lot of potential to become even more useful with future iterations. Overall, for MYR119 a piece or MYR209 for a two pack, the Galaxy SmartTag more than just the peace of mind that comes with tracking your keys and other valuables. However, until the SmartThings ecosystem is mature enough, you may be struggling to truly get the most out of the automation and IoT features of the SmartTag.
When someone asks us what TV they should buy for their homes, we always go back to Sony. We are big fans of Sony’s TV line-up and that is no secret too. We do think that they have been consistently making great TVs for a long time now. When you get a Sony TV as well, you get a sort of assurance that it will at least work properly with your Sony PlayStation 5; they are made by the same manufacturer, after all.
The BRAVIA series from Sony has also proven itself to be some of the best TVs in the world. While some of their TVs are based on older LED technology, the BRAVIA TVs still offer one of the best, if not the best, image contrasts and colour accurate images in the industry. Comparatively as well, BRAVIA TVs are more reasonably priced than some of its competitors.
Sony has just announced a new BRAVIA series with a very small difference that makes a lot of difference in how you experience TV in 2021. They have introduced the BRAVIA XR with a new processor, the Cognitive Processor XR. Yes, it is just a new processor to the TV.
As its name suggest, the new processor is a more intelligent processor Sony produces for the BRAVIA XR TVs. As with any modern processors in the market for any electronics items, it is also an Artificial Intelligence (AI) equipped chip. Sony claims that it is not conventional AI that they use here though.
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
They call it cognitive intelligence, and it does kind of work to work with our cognitive behaviour when we watch the TV. Sony says that the processor is designed to replicate the ways we see and hear, like replicating focal points on the TV screen anyway; at least they are attempting to. In some sense, the processor is not attempting to create better, more vibrant, and upscaled image. Instead, they are trying to make images look more natural to our eyes.
The processor divides the display panel into zones to detect focal points in a picture. It still works like conventional AI where colours, contrasts, and details are refined. It does a bit more than just analysing and refining the general elements though. When it finds the focal points of each frame it automatically enhances its elements to the best it can be alongside the other parts of the image. The result of that is a more natural looking image that is almost lifelike, at least according to Sony.
The processor also tampers a little bit with audio and its signal positions. The processor will identify the images, analyse sound positions and correctly places them through the speakers. The processor also converts the audio signal into proper 3D surround sound for an immersive experience without you spending extra on sound bar or a separate sound system. All-in-all, the Sony BRAVIA XR with Cognitive Processor XR is meant to really elevate your TV experience with little tweaks that matter.
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
With the introduction of the new Cognitive Processor XR too, the BRAVIA TVs get some new features. For one, Google TV is now available on Android TV. All BRAVIA XR TVs also get HDMI 2.1 and e-ARC compatibility for 4K 120fps support, beneficial for modern console gaming. The new BRAVIA XR TVs will also add additional support for smart speakers like Google Nest Speakers so you can control your TV with smart speakers too. On top of all of that, the TVs will also come with Netflix Calibrated Mode for studio like Netflix experience on Sony BRAVIA XR TVs.
For now, the Cognitive Processor XR will be available in five models in Malaysia. The Sony BRAVIA XR XR-65A90J OLED TV (65-inch, MYR 17,999), XR-65A80J OLED TV (65-inch, MYR 14,999), XR-55A80J OLED TV (55-inch, MYR 9,199), XR-65X90J Full Array LED TV (65-inch, MYR 7,599), and XR-55X90J Full Array LED TV (55-inch, MYR 5,399) are all available in Malaysia. There will be an 8K XR-85Z9J, OLED XR-77A80J, Full Array LED XR-75X90J coming soon into Malaysia. For more information on the Sony BRAVIA XR TVs, you can head over to Sony’s website.
Revenue Increases 15.7% in 1Q21 Compared to 1Q20, New Quarterly Record
24.2% Gross Margin Increases 150 Basis Points from 1Q20
Net Earnings Increase 34.7% in 1Q21 Compared to 1Q20 and Increase 40.4% Compared to 4Q20, with 1Q21 Reaching NT$1.32 or US$0.05 per Basic Common Share or US$0.93 per Basic ADS
Free Cash Flow of US$32.4 Million in 1Q21, with Further Expansion of Cash and Cash Equivalents Balance to US$196.3 Million
Dividend of NT$2.2 Per Common Share Approved by the ChipMOS’ Board of Directors Pending Shareholder Approval at Company’s AGM
HSINCHU, May 11, 2021 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — ChipMOS TECHNOLOGIES INC. ("ChipMOS" or the "Company") (Taiwan Stock Exchange: 8150 and NASDAQ: IMOS), an industry leading provider of outsourced semiconductor assembly and test services ("OSAT"), today reported consolidated financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2021, with a new quarterly revenue record high, continued gross margin expansion and a 40.4% increase in net earnings compared to the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2020. All U.S. dollar figures cited in this press release are based on the exchange rate of NT$28.48 against US$1.00 as of March 31, 2021.
All the figures were prepared in accordance with Taiwan-International Financial Reporting Standards ("Taiwan-IFRS").
Revenue for the first quarter of 2021 was NT$6,465.3 million or US$227.0 million, an increase of 2.5% from NT$6,310.3 million or US$221.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2020 and an increase of 15.7% from NT$5,586.8 million or US$196.2 million for the same period in 2020. The sequential and year over year increases reflects the Company’s continued execution on its business strategy, as it leverages prior investments in capacity to meet increased customer’ demand levels across its key market segments, with a higher average ASP and higher consolidated gross margin.
Net non-operating income in first quarter of 2021 was NT$25.3 million or US$0.9 million, compared to net non-operating expenses NT$277.6 million or US$9.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2020. The difference is mainly due to the decrease of foreign exchange loss of NT$151.6 million or US$5.3 million and the share of gain of associates accounted for using equity method of NT$141.6 million or US$5.0 million. Net non-operating expenses in first quarter of 2020 was NT$4.3 million or US$0.2 million. The difference is mainly due to increase of the share of gain of associates accounted for using equity method of NT$69.2 million or US$2.4 million, the decrease of interest expense of NT$12.5 million or US$0.4 million and partially offset by the increase of foreign exchange loss NT$54.7 million or US$1.9 million.
Net profit attributable to equity holders of the Company for the first quarter of 2021 was NT$959.1 million or US$33.7 million, and NT$1.32 or US$0.05 per basic common share, as compared to NT$686.4 million or US$24.1 million, and NT$0.94 or US$0.03 per basic common share in the fourth quarter of 2020. This compares to NT$712.7 million or US$25.0 million, and NT$0.98 or US$0.03 per basic common share in the first quarter of 2020. Net earnings for the first quarter of 2021 were US$0.93 per basic ADS, compared to US$0.66 per basic ADS for the fourth quarter of 2020 and US$0.69 per basic ADS in the first quarter of 2020.
Free cash flow for the first quarter of 2021 was NT$922.3 million or US$32.4 million, with a balance of cash and cash equivalents was NT$5,590.8 million or US$196.3 million.
First Quarter 2021 Investor Conference Call / Webcast Details
Note: An English translation audio and transcript will be made available on the Company’s website following the Mandarin conference call to help ensure transparency, and to facilitate a better understanding of its financial results and operating environment.
About ChipMOS TECHNOLOGIES INC.:
ChipMOS TECHNOLOGIES INC. ("ChipMOS" or the "Company") (Taiwan Stock Exchange: 8150 and NASDAQ: IMOS) (https://www.chipmos.com) is an industry leading provider of outsourced semiconductor assembly and test services. With advanced facilities in Hsinchu Science Park, Hsinchu Industrial Park and Southern Taiwan Science Park in Taiwan, ChipMOS provide assembly and test services to a broad range of customers, including leading fabless semiconductor companies, integrated device manufacturers and independent semiconductor foundries.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as ‘believes,’ ‘expects,’ ‘anticipates,’ ‘projects,’ ‘intends,’ ‘should,’ ‘seeks,’ ‘estimates,’ ‘future’ or similar expressions or by discussion of, among other things, strategy, goals, plans or intentions. These statements may include financial projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives and expectations with respect to future operations, products and services, and statements regarding future performance. Actual results may differ materially in the future from those reflected in forward-looking statements contained in this document, due to various factors, including the ongoing impact of COVID-19. Further information regarding these risks, uncertainties and other factors are included in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and in the Company’s other filings with the SEC.
BE’ER SHEVA, Israel, and SHENZHEN, China, May 11, 2021 — DiA Imaging Analysis Ltd. (DiA), a leading provider of AI-powered ultrasound analysis solutions today announced that it has partnered with SonoScape Medical Corporation (300633.SZ), a leading developer and manufacturer of ultrasound systems. As part of the partnership, SonoScape’s ultrasound devices will provide DiA’s ultrasound artificial intelligence analysis solutions aiming to reduce the variability associated with manual or visual analysis, and increase efficiency and accuracy throughout the analysis process.
A recent surveyindicated that 85% of ultrasound users said that AI saved their practice time and 69% reported that it saved costs. By providing automated ultrasound AI solutions, this partnership fills the growing need for objective and accurate analysis in this booming market where ultrasound analysis is often done in a subjective and time-consuming method – by visual or manual estimations.
"SonoScape is committed to delivering outstanding services to its ultrasound users to help increase their efficiency," said Dr. Nai Zhang Feng, General Manager of Ultrasound Division at SonoScape. "By joining hands with DiA, we will enhance our users’ capabilities with the most innovative technology of cardiac ultrasound AI tools."
DiA’s FDA cleared and CE marked AI-based cardiac solutions, LVivo Toolbox™, were developed by a proprietary technology that imitates the way the human eye detects borders and identifies motion, therefore, allowing ultrasound users with various levels of experience automatically analyze and identify clinical abnormalities that are otherwise difficult to find visually.
"We are thrilled to partner with SonoScape to empower their users with our most advanced ultrasound AI solutions," said Hila Goldman – Aslan, CEO and Co-Founder of DiA Imaging Analysis. "Combining SonoScape’s ultrasound capacities with DiA’s AI technology is another great step forward to make the analysis of ultrasound images smarter and accessible to all."
About DiA Imaging Analysis
DiA Imaging Analysis is a leading provider of AI-powered ultrasound analysis solutions that make the use and analysis of ultrasound images smarter, faster and accessible to all. The company’s FDA cleared and CE marked LVivo™ product line for cardiac and abdominal auto analysis allow clinicians with various levels of ultrasound experience to use and analyze ultrasound images on their ultrasound devices or healthcare IT systems with increased speed, efficiency and accuracy. DiA currently serves thousands of end users worldwide. For additional information, please visit www.dia-analysis.com .
About SonoScape
SonoScape Medical Corp. manufactures medical equipment. The Company develops, produces, and sells ultrasound diagnostic systems, transducers, and other medical equipment products. SonoScape Medical serves customers worldwide.
Founded in 2002 in Shenzhen, China, SonoScape has committed itself to "Caring for life through innovation" by providing ultrasound and endoscopy solutions and delivering first-rate services. It now has seven R&D centers in Shenzhen, Shanghai, Harbin, Wuhan, Tokyo, Silicon Valley and Seattle. Ranked as the top 10 ultrasound brands globally, SonoScape invests heavily into R&D annually, with more advanced products to be introduced into the pipeline.
HERZLIYA, Israel, May 11, 2021 — Nayax Ltd. ("Nayax") announced today the pricing of its global initial public offering of 63,500,000 ordinary shares at a price per share of ILS 10.50 (approx. USD 3.25). The offering comprises 44,000,000 ordinary shares by Nayax and an aggregate of 19,500,000 ordinary shares by three existing shareholders (the "Selling Shareholders"). In addition, Nayax has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 9,525,000 ordinary shares from Nayax, at the initial public offering price. Nayax intends to use the net proceeds of approximately ILS 430 million (approximately USD 132 million) from the initial public offering for financing the expansion of Nayax’s business activities, pursuing its strategy to enter new markets and financing acquisitions. Nayax will not receive any proceeds from the sale of ordinary shares by the Selling Shareholders. The offering is expected to close on May 12, 2021, subject to customary closing conditions.
Yair Nechmad, CEO, chairman and co-founder, stated: "We’re excited to begin this new chapter in Nayax’s journey and we believe it is only the beginning. We look forward to delivering value to our shareholders as we do to our growing number of customers across the globe every day. We’re especially pleased to have completed a successful global offering on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. We hope it will pave the way for others to follow."
"This milestone was made possible by the hard work and dedication of our employees and business partners, to whom the board conveys its deep appreciation and gratitude. The IPO process had the full support and guidance of an outstanding team, including the investment bankers of Jefferies Group LLC, sole global coordinator, Oppenheimer & Co. Inc., lead international manager and Leader Capital Markets, lead Israeli manager, the lawyers at Herzog, Fox & Neeman, Davis Polk and Wardwell LLP, Gornitzky & Co. and Latham & Watkins, LLP, the auditors of PwC Israel and the Investor Relations experts of MS-IR LLC."
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.
ABOUT NAYAX
Nayax offers a complete cashless payment solution, telemetry, management suite and consumer engagement tools to retailers, including unattended retail. Nayax’ features help operators improve their day-to-day operations and long-term planning and transforms unattended machines into 24/7 retail stores. Nayax also ensures all transactions are secure with EMV transactions and increase revenue by accepting all dominant payment options in each region. As a global company, Nayax’s goal is to help their customers grow their business with their complete merchant account capabilities. Visit www.nayax.com for more information.
The securities referred to in this announcement have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") or under the securities laws of any state of the United States, and may not be offered, sold, resold or delivered, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. In the United States, any offer of the ordinary shares will be made only to "qualified institutional buyers" as defined in and in reliance on Rule 144A under the Securities Act or another available exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. Outside the United States, any offer will be made in accordance with Regulation S of the Securities Act.
Forward looking statement The information included in this press release contains, or may be deemed to contain, forward-looking statements (as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and the Israeli Securities Law, 1968). Said forward-looking statements, relating to the initial public offering, are subject to uncertainties and assumptions and the actual results may materially differ. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Nayax on the date hereof. All written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to Nayax are expressly qualified in their entirety by the factors referred to above. Nayax does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.
IR Contact: Miri Segal MS-IR LLC msegal@ms-ir.com Tel: +1-917-6078654
SHENZHEN, China, May 10, 2021 — FORESEE, a technology-based storage brand of Longsys, recently launched its NAND-based MCP and eMCP products, which use Flash and LPDDR stacked packaging. This method of packaging saves PCB space, simplifies cable routing, and meets customer demand for miniature electronic products.
MCP is a hybrid packaging technology that utilizes vertical stacking. It can dramatically reduce the footprint of storage devices in electronic products, reduce power consumption, and improve the standby capabilities of electronic products. As a high-end technology-based storage brand, FORESEE remains focused on scientific research and development and produces its own MCP products thanks to continuous innovation. Among these MCP products, the most commonly seen is the NAND-based MCP that is applied to miniature electronic products such as feature phones and sports bands, as well as the eMCP that is applied to mobile phones and tablets.
The NAND-based MCP boasts low power consumption, with a 1.8V core voltage that can meet the long standby time requirements of wearable electronics and the Internet of Things (IoT). It comes in various capacities including 1Gb+1Gb, 2Gb+1Gb, 2Gb+2Gb, and 4Gb+2Gb, thereby meeting the varying capacity requirements of customers.
During the design and production of the FORESEE eMCP, eMMC and LPDDR were packaged together, thus simplifying the PCB design and reducing the storage footprint. As an emblematic micro storage product of FORESEE, the eMCP features high performance and low power consumption and provides users with fast and stable storage, long standby times, and an improved electronic product user experience.
The FORESEE eMCP is mainly applied to mainstream platforms, including Spreadtrum, Amlogic, Qualcomm, and RK, and has established stable and long-term strategic cooperation relationships with other platforms. The FORESEE eMCP also performs well during actual application. It provides functions such as initial data acceleration, power failure protection, and firmware backup to ensure smooth system operation and data storage security, and also supports online firmware upgrades. With FORESEE’s online firmware upgrade service, customers can dramatically reduce after-sales maintenance difficulties and costs and achieve higher use efficiency.
The FORESEE eMCP provides global customers with capacity options of 16GB+4Gb, 16GB+8Gb, 16GB+16Gb, 32GB+16Gb, 32GB+24Gb, and 64GB+24Gb, which can meet the storage capacity requirements of all mainstream products.
Both the NAND-based MCP and eMCP illustrate FORESEE’s strength in technology and innovation. Such innovation and R&D-based spirit ensures that FORESEE will continue to develop and have a place in the technical storage industry.
Qualcomm provides processors for nearly every smartphone OEM you can think of. The company’s success in providing stable, powerful systems on a chip (SoCs) have made it one of the largest suppliers in the world. However, the dependency on a single provider may not bode well for OEMs with a crucial vulnerability being discovered in these SoCs.
An Isreali cybersecurity research firm called CheckPoint Research has found a crucial flaw in Qualcomm’s MSM (Mobile Station Modems) that could potentially affect user privacy. The MSM is an SoC itself which allows smartphones using Qualcomm’s processors to connect to cellular networks such as 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G. It also enables a slew of features that complement the connectivity including high definition recording of calls.
The vulnerability affects a protocol called the Qualcomm MSM Interface (QMI) which facilitates communication between MSM’s software components and other systems on the device it’s been deployed in. This vulnerability allows malicious actors (ie hackers) to inject malicious code into the modem. They can do this by deploying apps or other more intricate ways to access data such as user call history and SMS. The fact that the vulnerability could even be exploited to listen in to you conversations and unlock the SIM on the phone is all the more alarming.
Given the proliferation of Qualcomm processors in the market, an estimated 30% of devices worldwide are affected by the security vulnerability. However, in a research note, CheckPoint does indicate that Qualcomm has been notified of the vulnerability since October last year. Since then, Qualcomm and manufacturers such as Samsung have already been deploying fixes for the vulnerability. Of note, the vulnerability will be listed in Google’s next monthly Android Security bulletin. Samsung has indicated that the May 2021 patch does address the vulnerability and has been patching the vulnerability silently since January 2021.
The vulnerability classified as CVE-2020-11292 and has been noted to affect smartphones from OnePlus, OPPO, Google, LG, Samsung and more.
10 organizations recognized for their exemplary performance and valuable contributions in shaping new trends across Asia-Pacific
SINGAPORE, May 10, 2021 — Frost & Sullivan’s Best Practices Awards commend best-in-class companies that have accomplished innovative or disruptive breakthroughs in their industries and have continually demonstrated excellence.
Honored recipients include NEC Corporation, Mach7 Technologies, Cisco Systems, Xero Limited, NICE inContact, Telstra, PT Infomedia Nusantara, Morula IVF Indonesia, Viva Biotech Holdings, and INEX Innovate.
"My heartiest congratulations to these companies, whose vision served as the catalyst in generating first-class performance within their industries. I am confident they will continue to inspire and positively impact their industry through achievements in their respective fields," said Shivaji Das, Partner and Managing Director at Frost & Sullivan.
Frost & Sullivan follows its proprietary, measurement-based methodology combined with extensive research, in-depth interviews, analysis, and benchmarking to shortlist deserving companies in each category. The selection process utilizes real-time performance indicators such as market share, revenue growth, customer acquisition, product/service value, and technology innovation, and the winners represent the best of the best in Asia-Pacific.
The 10 awards presented were segmented into global, regional, and national categories. Frost & Sullivan congratulates all recipients of the 2020 and 2021 Best Practices Awards.
Global & Regional Titles
2020 Global Biometrics in Security Market Growth Innovation & Leadership Excellence Frost Radar Award
NEC Corporation
2021 Global Enterprise Imaging Solutions Product Leadership Award
Mach7 Technologies
2020 Asia-Pacific Email Security Vendor of the Year
Cisco Systems
2021 Asia-Pacific SME Accounting Software Vendor of the Year
Xero Limited
Country Titles
2020 Australia Cloud Contact Center Growth Excellence Frost Radar Award
NICE inContact
2021 Australia Cloud Infrastructure Services Company of the Year
Telstra
2021 Indonesia Customer Experience Outsourcing Services Company of the Year
PT Infomedia Nusantara
2021 Indonesia In Vitro Fertility (IVF) Company of the Year
Morula IVF Indonesia
2021 Greater China CRO Entrepreneurial Company of the Year
Viva Biotech Holdings
2021 Singapore Women’s Health Entrepreneurial Company of The Year (Clinical Laboratories)
INEX Innovate
About Frost & Sullivan
For six decades, Frost & Sullivan has been world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders, and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Mega Trends, new business models, and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion.
Contact:
Kala Mani. S. Best Practices Awards Branding – Asia-Pacific Email: kala.manis@frost.com
There was a debate that raged on a bit in a certain new and upcoming social media app. The app was valued at US$ 4 Billion (MYR*) at its most recent fundraiser too. That social media platform is Clubhouse, and the debate was whether or not Clubhouse should remain an iOS exclusive platform.
For over a year, Clubhouse has remained exclusive to iOS. That is not without good reason though. Developing on iOS is a little more straightforward because there is not a tonne of scaling to work with, everything is based on roughly the same hardware architecture. You do not have to take different versions of iOS and iPhone devices into account either, the SDK will do its job and standardise experience across all iPhone devices. Obviously, with the amount of Android devices out there for different market segments, things become a little more complex when you want to develop on Android. This was the case of WhatsApp on iOS and Android all over again.
Still, the voice based social network app has been one of the most popular apps since the pandemic broke out and everyone in the world is expected to stay at home and lock themselves up. It gave people another way to stay connected with the rest of the world. It gave way to Elon Musk to connect with other people from other parts of the world without physically meeting them. Elon Musk could be one of the reasons why Clubhouse blew up too.
Still, because Clubhouse was a thing, Android users are now asking for the feature on their devices. Clubhouse also have been reportedly working on its Android app for some time now. Earlier in the year Clubhouse finally announced that they are going to put Clubhouse in Google’s Play Store. This week, they came through in the United States of America (U.S.A.).
Source: Clubhouse
The Clubhouse app is now in open Beta state in Google Play Store. While that means you get access to the most basic functions of Clubhouse like joining a chat room and moderate a chat for example, there are still some things that users on Android will not get access to for the time being. For one, Android users will not be able to report someone else for now. That feature will come soon though according to Clubhouse.
Translation and localisation will not yet be available as well on the Android version. Understandably, Clubhouse on Android is still limited to the U.S. and will be rolling out to other English-speaking regions within these few weeks. You cannot create club or manage any clubs at the moment too with the Beta version of Clubhouse on Android. You can read the full list of missing features on Clubhouse’s FAQ page.
The team behind Clubhouse is also noting that they will be collecting feedback from the community on the app. In the coming weeks, the team will be fixing all kinds of bugs and add more features before finally releasing the app properly on Google Play Store as a full app. The only thing that they have not changed their stance on is the invite-only system. You have to be invited into the app to sign up for an account. Signing up for the app is free though.
The Clubhouse app will be available in Beta in the U.S. region for now. As Mentioned the app will roll out in other English-speaking regions soon after. If you are keen to get on the platform with existing invites at hand, you can head over to Google Play Store to register as an interested user and be the first Android user when it becomes available in your region.
