Monthly Archives: May 2021

Android, Mobile, News

ASUS Zenfone 8 & Zenfone 8 Flip Make Malaysian Debut

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It’s been quite a while since Malaysia saw a Zenfone. The last Zenfone officially launched in Malaysia was the Zenfone 5 – which, to be honest, was a stellar device. However, since then, ASUS hasn’t brought any of their smartphones – aside from the ROG Phone – to Malaysia. This year, it seems like ASUS will be kicking into gear bringing in not one but both of their Zenfone 8 offerings to Malaysia.

The Zenfone 8 series launched internationally earlier this month. The series brings two new Zenfones into ASUS’s portfolio – the Zenfone 8 and the Zenfone 8 Flip. The Zenfone 8 marks a new approach for ASUS when it comes to smartphones. The company is committing to creating smaller, palmable devices with killer specifications. Of course, to do this, they leave behind some of the defining features of the Zenfone including the flipping camera. That’s where the Zenfone 8 Flip comes in. With a larger body, it brings along the now signature flip camera of the Zenfone series.

Palmable Performance with the Zenfone 8

The Zenfone 8 still carries the honour of being the ASUS flagship. ASUS is packing a top of the line Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor into the smartphone with the Adreno 660 GPU. IT’s coming with up to 16GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage. The Zenfone 8 also packs a 5.9-inch, Samsung AMOLED display with Full HD+ resolution and a 120HZ refresh rate.

Of course, being equipped with a flagship processor, it comes with support for WiFi 6 connectivity and Tri-band WiFi support on 2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz. It also supports Bluetooth 5.2 and Qualcomm’s aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive and NFC. It is also 5G ready.

On the camera front, the smartphone comes with a 64-megapixel Sony IMX686 sensor with 1/1.7-inch sensor size and 0.8μm pixel size equipped with Quad Bayer technology. The sensor has an f/1.8 aperture, with a 78.3° field of view and a 26.6mm focal length. This sensor is complemented by a Sony IMX363 12-megapixel ultra-wide, dual pixel sensor. It comes with 1/2.55-inch sensor size and 1.4 μm pixel size and f/2.2 aperture. This sensor supports dual phase detection autofocus and has real-time distortion correction. It also supports 4cm macro shots. On the front is a Sony IMX663 12-megapixel sensor with a 1/2.93-inch sensor with 1.22μm pixel size and 76.5° field of view. It supports Dual Phase Detection autofocus.

The smartphone also comes with an under-display fingerprint sensor. It runs on Android 11 with ZenUI 8. All of this runs on the Zenfone 8’s 4,000 mAh battery which is charged via a USB-C port. The hallmark is that all of these specifications and features are housed within a compact body measuring only 148mm x 68.5mm x8.9mm.

Zenfone 8 Flip – Flipping Bigger than its Flagship

The Zenfone 8 Flip shares most of the same specifications as its flagship brother. However, it comes with a larger 6.67-inch FHD+, AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. It comes with only 8GB of RAM and only 256GB of internal storage. It’s also powered by a larger 5,000mAh battery.

The biggest difference comes in the form of the flipping camera. ASUS has imbued the Flip with a triple camera setup which functions as both the main and selfie cameras. The setup comes with the same sensors as the back camera on the Zenfone 8 but is further complemented by an 8-megapixel telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom and 12x hybrid zoom.

Pricing & Availability

The Zenfone 8 will be available starting from 28th May 2021 at all authorized dealers and ASUS Digital Stores. It will come in two configurations; one with 8GB RAM and 128GB onboard memory which retails for MYR2,699 and a 16GB RAM with 256GB onboard memory retailing for MYR3,299. The latter will be available exclusively on Shopee. It comes in Obsidian Black or Horizon Silver.

The Zenfone 8 Flip will retail for MYR2,999 for the 8GB and 256GB version in Malaysia. It will be available in Galactic Black and Glacier Silver.

Purchases made on ASUS’s Shopee Mall front will be entitled to early bird promos from 28 May to 11 June 2021. Purchases made within this period will be entitled to a SolidSuit Case. ASUS is also offering a trade-in deal where customers are able to trade in their old Zenfones for an MYR200 rebate on the Zenfone 8 series. However, this trade-in offer is only available at physical retail stores from 28 May until 25 June 2021.

Business, Computers, News

[Next@Acer 2021] Acer Commits to Sustainability with new Aspire Vero

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Acer’s taken a unique approach in embarking on their journey to become a more sustainable company. The company announced their “Earthion” – a hybrid of Earth and Mission – to become a sustainable company from operations to production. As part of their Earthion, the company has become a part of RE100, a global corporate effort in which member companies aim to become fully sustainable by relying fully on renewable energy. Acer has pledged to fulfill this target by 2035.

Aspire Vero for a Sustainable Future

Pledges and promises aside, the company’s Earthion took physical form with the announcement of the Acer Aspire Vero. The Aspire Vero is Acer’s first sustainable laptop made of post-consumer recycled plastics (PCRs). The PCRs are used primarily in the keyboard caps and surfaces of the laptop. They make up 50% of the keycaps while other surfaces of the chassis are made up of about 30% PCRs. In addition to this, the Aspire Vero comes in packaging that is made of up to 85% recycled paper pulp while plastics usually used to carry components like the power cord have been replaced by paper bags. Printing on the packaging and documention utilises soy ink as well to minimise environmental impact.

With its focus on sustainability, the Vero comes with the latest generation of Intel Core processors which promises longer battery life. Acer claims that this will provide over 11 hours of battery life. The Vero comes with Intel’s integrated Xe graphics which has been proven to be a performer – at least when it comes to integrated graphics systems. It also comes with a 15.6-inch IPS Full HD display. It comes with upto 1TB of SSD memory. The Aspire Vero isn’t making users choose between connectivity and being sustainable. It comes fully equipped with support for Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1.

Pricing & Availability

No pricing or availability for the Acer Aspire Vero has been announced just yet.

PR Newswire

Revolutionary X-ray Technology From Australia to Transform American Airport Security

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SeaTac chosen for Micro-X Inc’s USA headquarters
Official Opening at 10 am PDT, Friday May 28
855 S 192nd Street, Suite B600, Seattle, WA 98148

With:

  • Congressman Adam Smith, chair of the House Armed Services Committee
  • Brigadier Hugh Meggitt representing Australian Defence Staff, Embassy of Australia
  • Stephen Patterson, South Australian Minister for Trade and Investment (Pre-recorded)
  • Erin Sitterley, SeaTac Mayor

Technology featured:

  • World’s first electronic x-ray tube, using nano technology to create the most significant innovation in x-ray tubes in over 100 years
  • Rover: the first FDA approved system using Micro-X’s revolutionary x-ray technology
  • Prototype self-service baggage scanner, reimagining the future of airport security.

SEATTLE, Wash., May 28, 2021 — Australian company, Micro-X has chosen SeaTac, Washington State, as its US headquarters as it expands its capabilities to better support their rapidly growing business.

The proximity to the Airport for Micro-X’s future airline passenger self-screening development, the exceptional level of software talent in the greater Seattle Region, and the room in south King County for the company’s expansion plans all contributed to SeaTac being chosen as the ideal location.

Micro-X has reinvented how X-rays are generated. Using their patented carbon nanotube X-ray cold emitter technology, they’ve invented Rover, a mobile X-ray machine that weighs less than 220 lbs and is ruggedized for high intensity use in field hospitals and remote locations.

But the technology can do much more. It could transform airport security across America, enabling faster and more reliable X-ray baggage screening, reimagining airport checkpoints.

"Today, we’re expanding our US operations," says Peter Rowland, Micro-X Australian CEO.

"Our new SeaTac facility will be a center of excellence for imaging product development that will revolutionize medical, defense, and security x-ray imaging," says Brian Gonzales CEO of Micro-X’s rapidly expanding US operations.

"Our mobile X-ray machines are available now for use in public and military hospitals. They’re lighter, cheaper, more robust, and more precise than our competitors."

The patented invention that makes all these ideas possible is inside our 3.3 lb x-ray tube which replaces a conventional x-ray tube weighing more than 44 lbs.

Read the full media release at https://micro-x.com/revolutionary-x-ray-technology-from-australia-to-transform-american-hospitals-and-airports/ 

Related Links :

https://micro-x.com/

PR Newswire

Notice of the Twenty-second Annual General Meeting of Shareholders

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TAIPEI, May 28, 2021 — NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the 22nd annual general meeting of the shareholders of GigaMedia Limited (the "Company") will be held on June 24, 2021 at 11 a.m. local time at 8F, No.22, Lane 407, Sec.2, Tiding Blvd., Neihu District, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C , for the following purposes:

AS ORDINARY AND SPECIAL BUSINESS

ORDINARY RESOLUTIONS:

To consider and, if thought fit, to pass, with or without modification, the following resolutions which will be proposed as Ordinary Resolutions:

1. Adoption of audited financial statements

RESOLVED that the Statement by the Directors, Auditor’s Report and Audited Financial Statements of the Company for the financial year ended December 31, 2020 are received and adopted.
(Resolution 1)

2. Approval of appointment of auditors

RESOLVED that Deloitte & Touche and Deloitte & Touche LLP be and are hereby appointed as the independent external auditors of the Company until the next Annual General Meeting and that the Directors be and are hereby authorized to fix their remuneration for the financial year ended December 31, 2021.
(Resolution 2)

3. Approval of Directors’ remuneration

RESOLVED that the remuneration of all of the Directors is hereby approved in an aggregate amount not exceeding US$350,000 in respect of their professional services to the Company until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Company.
(Resolution 3)

4. Approval for authority to allot and issue shares

RESOLVED that pursuant to Section 161 of the Companies Act, Chapter 50 of Singapore ("Companies Act"), authority be and is hereby given to the Directors of the Company to:

(1) (a) issue ordinary shares in the Company ("Shares") whether by way of rights, bonus or otherwise; and/or

(b) make or grant offers, agreements or options (collectively, "Instruments") that might or would require Shares to be issued, including but not limited to the creation and issue of (as well as adjustments to) options, warrants, debentures or other instruments convertible into Shares, at any time and upon such terms and conditions and for such purposes and to such persons as the Directors may in their absolute discretion deem fit; and

(2) notwithstanding that the authority conferred by this Resolution may have ceased to be in force, issue Shares pursuant to any Instrument made or granted by the Directors while this Resolution was in force; and

(3) unless varied or revoked by the Company in general meeting, such authority conferred on the Directors of the Company shall continue in force:

(i) until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Company or the date by which the next Annual General Meeting of the Company is required by law to be held whichever is earlier; or

(ii) in the case of Shares to be issued pursuant to the Instruments that are made or granted pursuant to this Resolution, until the issuance of such Shares in accordance with the terms of the Instruments.
(Resolution 4)

5. Approval for share purchase mandate

RESOLVED that:

(1) for the purposes of Sections 76C and 76E of the Companies Act, the exercise by the Directors of the Company of all the powers of the Company to purchase or otherwise acquire issued Shares not exceeding in aggregate the Maximum Limit (as hereafter defined), at such price or prices as may be determined by the Directors from time to time up to the Maximum Price (as hereafter defined), by way of market purchase(s) on The Nasdaq Stock Market ("Nasdaq") or off-market purchase(s) on one or more equal access schemes as may be determined by the Directors as they see fit, which scheme(s) shall satisfy all the conditions of the Companies Act, and otherwise be in accordance with all other laws and regulations and rules of Nasdaq as may be applicable, be and is hereby authorized and approved generally and unconditionally (the "Share Purchase Mandate");

(2) unless varied or revoked by the Company in a general meeting, the authority conferred on the Directors of the Company pursuant to the Share Purchase Mandate may be exercised by the Directors at any time and from time to time during the period commencing from the date of the passing of this Resolution and expiring on the earlier of:

(a) the date on which the next Annual General Meeting of the Company is held; and

(b) the date by which the next Annual General Meeting of the Company is required by law to be held;

(3) in this Resolution:

"Average Closing Price" means the average of the closing prices of a Share for the five consecutive trading days on which the Shares are traded on Nasdaq immediately preceding the date of market purchase by the Company or the date of making the offer pursuant to an equal access scheme, which price shall be adjusted in accordance with the listing rules of Nasdaq for any corporate action that occurs after the relevant five day period;

"Maximum Limit" means that number of issued Shares representing 10% of the total number of issued Shares as at the date of the passing of this Resolution (excluding any Shares that are held as treasury shares as at that date); and

"Maximum Price" means the purchase price (excluding brokerage, commission, applicable goods and services tax and other related expenses) that shall not exceed 105% of the Average Closing Price; and

(4) the Directors of the Company and/or any of them be and are hereby authorized to complete and do all such acts and things (including executing such documents as may be required) as they and/or he may consider expedient or necessary to give effect to the transactions contemplated and/or authorized by this Resolution.
(Resolution 5)

6. To transact any other business as may properly be transacted at an Annual General Meeting of the Company.

NOTES:

1. Shareholders are cordially invited to attend the Twenty-Second Annual General Meeting in person. Whether or not you plan to be at the Twenty- Second Annual General Meeting, you are urged to return your proxy. A shareholder entitled to attend and vote is entitled to appoint one or more proxies to attend and to vote instead of him.

2. Shareholders wishing to vote by proxy should complete the attached form.

3. The proxy form of an individual shareholder shall be signed either by the shareholder personally or by his attorney. The proxy form of a corporate shareholder shall be given either under its common seal or signed on its behalf by an attorney or a duly authorized officer of the corporate shareholder.

4. A proxy need not be a shareholder of the Company.

5. The proxy form (and if relevant, the original power of attorney, or other authority under which it is signed or a notarially certified copy of such power or authority) must be deposited at Vote Processing, c/o Broadridge, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717, or the office of the Company, 8F, No. 22, Lane 407, Section 2, Tiding Boulevard, Taipei 114, Taiwan R.O.C., not less than 48 hours before the time for holding the Twenty-Second Annual General Meeting, that is by no later than 11 p.m. June 21, 2021 (New York time), or 11 a.m. June 22, 2021 (Taipei time), failing which the proxy shall not be treated as valid.

6. Electronic Delivery of Future Proxy Materials. Shareholders can consent to receiving all future proxy statements, proxy cards and annual reports electronically via e-mail or the internet. To sign up for electronic delivery, please follow the instructions below relating to "Electronic Delivery of Future Proxy Materials" and, when prompted, indicate that you agree to receive or access proxy materials electronically in future years.

7. Only shareholders of record at the close of business on April 23, 2021 are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Twenty- Second Annual General Meeting, or any adjournment or postponement of the Twenty- Second Annual General Meeting. If you have sold or transferred the Shares you hold in the Company to another person (the "Purchaser" or "Transferee") after April 23, 2021 and prior to the Twenty- Second Annual General Meeting, you should immediately forward this Notice and the attached proxy statement and proxy card to the Purchaser or Transferee of such Shares, or to the bank, broker, or agent through whom the sale of such Shares was effected, for onward transmission to the Purchaser or Transferee.

8. The Company intends to use internal sources of funds or external borrowings or a combination of both to finance the Company’s purchase or acquisition of Shares pursuant to the Share Purchase Mandate. The Directors do not propose to exercise the Share Purchase Mandate to such extent that it would materially and adversely affect the financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries. The amount of financing required for the Company to purchase or acquire its Shares, and the impact on the Company’s financial position, cannot be ascertained as at the date of this Notice as this will depend on the number of Shares purchased or acquired, the price at which such Shares were purchased or acquired and whether the Shares purchased or acquired would be held in treasury or cancelled.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD

/s/ Cheng-Ming Huang

………………………………………..

Cheng-Ming Huang (aka James Huang)
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer

TABLE OF CONTENTS

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

PROXY STATEMENT

Questions and Answers about the Annual Meeting and Voting
Proposal 1
Proposal 2
Proposal 3
Proposal 4
Proposal 5

Other Matters
Proxy Solicitation

GigaMedia Limited
Incorporated in the Republic of Singapore
Registration No.: 199905474H

REGISTERED OFFICE
80 Robinson Road, #02-00
Singapore 068898

PROXY STATEMENT

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING AND VOTING

Why Did I Receive This Proxy Statement?

We sent you this proxy statement and the enclosed proxy card because the Company’s Board of Directors is soliciting your proxy to be used at the Company’s annual meeting of shareholders on June 24, 2021 at 8F, No.22, Lane 407, Sec.2, Tiding Blvd., Neihu District, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C., or at any adjournment or postponement of the meeting.

Who Can Vote?

You are entitled to vote if you owned the Shares on the record date ("Record Date"), which is the close of business on April 23, 2021. Each Share that you own entitles you to one vote.

How Many Shares of Voting Stock Are Outstanding?

On the Record Date, there were 11,052,235 Shares outstanding. The Shares are our only class of voting stock.

What May I Vote On?

  1. Adoption of Audited Financial Statements
  2. Approval of Appointment of Auditors
  3. Approval of Directors’ Remuneration
  4. Approval for Authority to Allot and Issue Shares
  5. Approval for Share Purchase Mandate

Other Business

How Do I Vote?

To vote by proxy, you should complete, sign and date the enclosed proxy card and return it promptly in the prepaid envelope provided.

How Do I Request Electronic Delivery of Future Proxy Materials?

If you would like to reduce the costs incurred by our company in mailing proxy materials, you can consent to receiving all future proxy statements, proxy cards and annual reports electronically via e-mail or the internet. To sign up for electronic delivery, please go to www.proxyvote.com to indicate that you agree to receive or access proxy materials electronically in future years.

May I Revoke My Proxy?

Your proxy may be revoked prior to its exercise by appropriate notice to us.

If I Plan To Attend The Meeting, Should I Still Vote By Proxy?

Whether you plan to attend the meeting or not, we urge you to vote by proxy. Returning the proxy card will not affect your right to attend the meeting, and your proxy will not be used if you are personally present at the meeting and inform the Secretary in writing prior to the voting that you wish to vote your Shares in person.

How Will My Proxy Get Voted?

If you properly fill in your proxy card and send it to us, your proxy holder (the individual named on your proxy card) will vote your Shares as you have directed. If you sign the proxy card but do not make specific choices, the proxy holder will vote your Shares as recommended by the Board of Directors and our management.

How Will Voting On Any Other Business Be Conducted?

Although we do not know of any business to be considered at the meeting other than the proposals described in this proxy statement, if any other business is presented at the meeting, your returned proxy gives authority to the proxy holder to vote on these matters in his discretion.

Proposal 1. ADOPTION OF AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The Company seeks shareholders’ adoption of the audited financial statements of the Company (the "Audited Financial Statements"), which have been prepared under Financial Reporting Standards in Singapore ("FRSs") , in respect of the financial year ended December 31, 2020. Along with the Audited Financial Statements, the Company seeks Shareholders’ adoption of the Statement by the Directors and Auditor’s Report of the Company in respect of the same financial year.

Adoption of this proposal requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by shareholders entitled to vote at the Twenty- Second Annual General Meeting of the Company (the "AGM").

The Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board of Directors") recommends a vote FOR this proposal.

Proposal 2. APPROVAL OF APPOINTMENT OF AUDITORS

 The Company seeks Shareholders’ approval for the appointment of Deloitte & Touche and Deloitte & Touche LLP as the independent external auditors of the Company to hold such office until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Company. The Board of Directors also seeks shareholders’ approval to authorize the Board of Directors to fix the remuneration for Deloitte & Touche and Deloitte & Touche LLP in respect of their services to the Company for the financial year ended December 31, 2021.

Adoption of this proposal requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by shareholders entitled to vote at the AGM.

The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR this proposal.

Proposal 3. APPROVAL OF DIRECTORS’ REMUNERATION

The Company seeks shareholders’ approval on the remuneration of all of the Directors in an aggregate amount not exceeding US$350,000 in respect of their professional services to the Company until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Company.

Adoption of this proposal requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by shareholders entitled to vote at the AGM.

The Company’s management recommends a vote FOR this proposal.

Proposal 4. APPROVAL FOR AUTHORITY TO ALLOT AND ISSUE SHARES

The Company is incorporated in Singapore. Under the Companies Act, Chapter 50 of Singapore (the "Companies Act"), the Directors may exercise any power of the Company to issue new Shares only with the prior approval of the shareholders of the Company at a general meeting. Such approval, if granted, is effective from the date of the general meeting at which the approval was given until the date on which the next Annual General Meeting of the Company is held or is required by law to be held, whichever is earlier.

Shareholders’ approval is sought to give Directors authority to allot and issue new Shares and other instruments convertible into Shares during the period from the Twenty-Second Annual General Meeting to the earlier of the next Annual General Meeting or the date by which the next Annual General Meeting of the Company is required by law to be held.

Adoption of this proposal requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by shareholders entitled to vote at the AGM.

The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR this proposal.

Proposal 5. APPROVAL FOR SHARE PURCHASE MANDATE

The approval of the Share Purchase Mandate authorizing the Company to purchase or acquire its Shares would give the Company the flexibility to undertake Share purchases or acquisitions at any time, subject to market conditions, during the period when the Share Purchase Mandate is in force.

In managing the business of the Company and its subsidiaries (collectively, the "Group"), the Company’s management strives to increase shareholders’ value by improving, inter alia, the return on equity of the Group. A Share purchase by the Company is one of the ways through which the return on equity of the Group may be enhanced.

A Share purchase is also an available option for the Company to return surplus cash that is in excess of the financial and possible investment needs of the Group to its shareholders. In addition, the Share Purchase Mandate will allow the Company to have greater flexibility over, inter alia, the Company’s share capital structure and its dividend policy. 

The Company intends to use internal sources of funds or external borrowings or a combination of both to finance the Company’s purchase or acquisition of the Shares pursuant to the Share Purchase Mandate. The Directors do not propose to exercise the Share Purchase Mandate to such extent that it would materially and adversely affect the financial position of the Group.

Share repurchase programmes may also help buffer short-term Share price volatility and off-set the effects of short-term speculators and investors and, in turn, bolster shareholder confidence and employee morale.

Adoption of this proposal requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by shareholders entitled to vote at the AGM.

The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR this proposal.

OTHER MATTERS

As of the date of this Proxy Statement, the Company does not intend to present and has not been informed that any other person intends to present any business not specified in this Proxy Statement for action at the Twenty- Second Annual General Meeting.

Shareholders are urged to sign the enclosed proxy form and to return it promptly in the enclosed envelope. Proxies will be voted in accordance with shareholders’ directions. Signing the proxy form does not affect a shareholder’s right to vote at the Twenty- Second Annual General Meeting, and the proxy may be revoked prior to its exercise by appropriate notice to the undersigned.

PROXY SOLICITATION

The Company will pay the cost of preparing and mailing this proxy statement and form of proxy to its shareholders. The Company has retained Mackenzie Partners, Inc. to request banks and brokers to forward copies of these materials to persons for whom they hold Shares and to request authority for execution of the proxies.

GIGAMEDIA LIMITED

/s/ Cheng-Ming Huang

………………………………………..

Cheng-Ming Huang (aka James Huang)

Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer

Related Links :

http://www.gigamedia.com

PR Newswire

Apple Spotlights the LIZHI Podcast App in App Store

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LIZHI Podcast is the first Chinese language podcast app to be featured by Apple

GUANGZHOU, CHINA, May 28, 2021 — LIZHI INC. ("LIZHI" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: LIZI), a leading online UGC audio community and interactive audio entertainment platform in China, is excited to announce that its new LIZHI Podcast app (LIZHI BOKE in Chinese) has been recommended by Apple’s App Store as one of its featured apps. LIZHI Podcast is the first Chinese podcast app to be recommended by the App Store in the China market – a major milestone for the app since its launch in January this year. As a vertical podcast platform, LIZHI Podcast has been rated 5 stars by users after the launch.

LIZHI Podcast brings a diverse library of high-quality podcast content to its users. The app also offers immersive audio experiences with its Livestream Podcast feature, which enables real-time organic communication between podcast hosts and listeners on both mobile apps and LIZHI Podcast’s in-car audio product. Powered by LIZHI’s "DOREME" project – the Company’s in-house audio technology solution that combines real-time communication technology and audio data transmission with noise reduction, voice quality optimization, and 3D enhancements – LIZHI Podcast aims to provide users with a stable and smooth Livestream Podcast experience.

"We are pleased to bring our pioneering technology to Apple users. Our inclusion on Apple’s recommended list is another vote for the quality of our product and its trailblazing work in audio apps. We also anticipate the LIZHI Podcast app will continue to resonate with Chinese-speaking users around the world," said Mr. Jinnan (Marco) Lai, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of LIZHI.

The LIZHI Podcast app interface easily adapts to in-car use, providing drivers and passengers with more options for their in-car entertainment experience. The company has partnered with leading automotive and intelligent technology companies such as XPeng Motors, WM Motors, ENOVATE Motors, ECARX, and Horizon Robotics to integrate LIZHI Podcast into various intelligent systems and platforms.

Since its launch, LIZHI Podcast has already partnered with a range of content creators from different industries and areas of interest to participate in podcasting for the first time, with an aim to increase the quality and penetration of Chinese podcasts. The company has also signed on exclusive content creators and collaborated with brands and enterprises to create branded podcast content to further boost its content offerings. Popular podcast topics include aesthetics and art, technology, lifestyle, and entertainment. LIZHI’s livestream feature offers content creators a more effective way to reach audiences as compared to the traditional podcast format.

About LIZHI INC.

LIZHI INC. (the "Company" or "LIZHI") has built an audio ecosystem with a global presence consisting of audio-based social networks, podcast content portfolios and audio communities. The Company aims to bring people closer together through voices by its product portfolios. LIZHI’s audio-based social networking products offering, including TIYA App, caters to users’ evolving interest in social interactions in real time online and enables users to connect with friends having similar interests, entertain, chat online, and share their daily lives through voices. LIZHI also offers a vertical podcast platform, LIZHI Podcast, that provides users with curated content drawn from its extensive content library built over the years, as well as new podcasts provided by selected content creators. Since the launch of LIZHI App in 2013, the Company’s flagship platform, LIZHI has cultivated a vibrant and growing online UGC audio community and interactive audio entertainment platform where users are encouraged to create, share, discover and enjoy audio, and experience immersive and diversified entertainment features through audio. LIZHI envisions a global audio ecosystem – a place where everyone can be connected through voices and across cultures. LIZHI INC. has been listed on Nasdaq since January 2020.

For more information, please visit: http://ir.lizhi.fm.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. 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, and a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as "may", "will," "expect," "anticipate," "target," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "potential," "continue," "is/are likely to" or other similar expressions. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company’s filings with the Securities Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake any duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

In China:
LIZHI INC.
IR Department
Tel: +86 (20) 3866-4265
E-mail: ir@lizhi.fm

 The Piacente Group, Inc.
Jenny Cai
Tel: +86 (10) 6508-0677
E-mail: Lizhi@tpg-ir.com  

In the United States:
The Piacente Group, Inc.
Brandi Piacente
Tel: +1-212-481-2050
E-mail: Lizhi@tpg-ir.com   

Related Links :

http://ir.lizhi.fm/

PR Newswire

uCloudlink’s GlocalMe® to Provide New Rental Service to US Customers

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NEW YORK, May 28, 2021 — GlocalMe®, a product and service brand of UCLOUDLINK GROUP INC. (NASDAQ: UCL, "uCloudlink" or "the Company"), the world’s first and leading mobile data traffic sharing marketplace, has announced its new rental service for customers in the U.S. as the world’s largest economy has seen gradual travel recovery recently.

The travel market is on its way to recovery as COVID-19 vaccinations being distributed globally. It is reported that domestic leisure travel in the U.S. is rebounding as the summer season approaches. Also, the EU has planned a summer opening for vaccinated tourists.

"Our customers have higher demands of traveling domestically or abroad than last year," said Victor Xu, Chief Sales Officer at uCloudlink. "With the new rental service, we hope to provide U.S. consumers with smooth and secure WiFi connection services, whether by owning a personal WiFi hotspot device or renting a device for a short trip. It is still a priority for them to have a superior connection to the Internet and stay informed as there is still some uncertainty. For now, we have put the US domestic market, European countries, as well as Caribbean islands on our top list of launching the new rental service."

GlocalMe® is updating its website and the new rental section will be exclusively available on the GlocalMe® website. For all existing users, the Company has pledged to continue offering the same and even upgraded services and data plans. Users can expect better data rates and more flexibility to use the WiFi services of GlocalMe®. GlocalMe® also has a trade-in program in place for those who would like to obtain the latest cutting-edge devices.

GlocalMe® will also offer more perks to retain users with an up to 40% off discount available to all GlocalMe® and current Roaming Man users — from May 28 to May 31— for device purchases, selected data plans and rental services, among others.

"Our main reasoning behind the upgrade lies in GlocalMe’s strategy to deliver a unified message along with consistent and flexible services for our customers. With our ‘Always Better Connected’ vision constantly in our mind’s eye, we aim to consistently improve our services for our global clients," said Xu.

The new GlocalMe® rental service reflects uCloudlink’s ambition to expand its business and better serve the U.S. market. It is also likely to bring the Company a stronger voice for its global networks. With a more unified marketing image, uCloudlink is expected to significantly benefit from the integration and reach more deals and collaborations with partners and mobile carriers to form a sound ecosystem in the industry.

This is just part of the Company’s slew of actions to expand its business. For example, it recently announced a plan to broaden its business by harnessing new applications powered by its patented CloudSIM technology to extend its offerings. As such, GlocalMe® is working to make a splash in the internet-of-things space in sectors such as cross-border trade, cold chain storage and logistics control, among others.

About UCLOUDLINK GROUP INC.

uCloudlink is the world’s first and leading mobile data traffic sharing marketplace, pioneering the sharing economy business model for the telecommunications industry. The Company’s products and services deliver unique value propositions to mobile data users, handset and smart-hardware companies, mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) and mobile network operators (MNOs). Leveraging its innovative CloudSIM technology and architecture, the Company has redefined the mobile data connectivity experience by allowing users to gain access to mobile data traffic allowance shared by network operators on its marketplace, while providing reliable connectivity, high speeds and competitive pricing.

Carina Cheung
carina-pr@ucloudlink.com  

Related Links :

http://www.glocalme.com

PR Newswire

Subaru Levorg with Veoneer technologies wins prestigious Best 5-Star Award in Japan NCAP

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STOCKHOLM, May 28, 2021 —  The automotive technology company Veoneer, Inc. (NYSE: VNE) and (SSE: VNE SDB), is proud active safety supplier to Subaru Levorg, awarded top results in the Japan NCAP (JNCAP).

In Japan NCAP’s latest annual safety testing, Subaru Levorg outperformed the 10 vehicles rated with 5 stars and an overall rating above 98%. At the heart of Subaru Levorg’s active safety system is the new generation EyeSight hardware, a variant of Veoneer’s 4th generation stereo vision system, re-engineered to meet Subaru’s original specification. The new generation EyeSight has two cameras mounted on a wide-baseline design doubling the field-of-view.

In JNCAP’s tests, the stereo vision system achieved an astonishing 100% performance in the following Active Safety Tests:

  • AEB in Car-to-Car Rear End Scenarios
  • AEB in Car-to Pedestrian Scenarios at Day and at Night
  • Lane Departure Prevention
  • Pedal Misapplication Prevention
  • High Performance Headlights

Subaru Levorg also has Veoneer’s front corner radars installed for more advanced features like forward crossing traffic brake (FCTB).

"Big congratulations to Subaru for receiving the "Best Five-Star Award" in Japan NCAP with the highest score. We are proud to supply the custom designed EyeSight camera system. The top results in JNCAP’s active safety tests are a true proof-point of Veoneer as a leader in stereo vision systems, providing optical robustness, mechanical rigidity and compact design," says Jan Carlson, Veoneer Chairman, President and CEO.

For more information please contact:

Thomas Jönsson, EVP Communications & IR,

thomas.jonsson@veoneer.com  tel +46 (0)8 527 762 27

Veoneer, Inc. is a worldwide leader in automotive technology. Our purpose is to create trust in mobility. We design, develop, and manufacture state-of-the-art software, hardware and systems for occupant protection, advanced driving assistance systems, and collaborative and automated driving to OEMs globally. Headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, Veoneer has 7,500 employees in 11 countries. In 2020, sales amounted to $1.37 billion. The Company is building on a heritage of close to 70 years of automotive safety development. In 2018, Veoneer became an independent, publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: VNE) and on the Nasdaq Stockholm (SSE: VNE SDB).

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/veoneer/r/subaru-levorg-with-veoneer-technologies-wins-prestigious-best-5-star-award-in-japan-ncap,c3356115

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PR Newswire

Meituan Announces Financial Results for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2021

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HONG KONG, May 28, 2021 — Meituan (HKG: 3690) (the "Company"), China’s leading e-commerce platform for services, today announced the unaudited consolidated results of the Company for the three months ended March 31, 2021.

Company Financial Highlights

Thanks to the PRC government’s effective measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic in China, our businesses experienced strong recovery during the first quarter of 2021. Total revenues increased by 120.9% in the first quarter of 2021 to RMB37.0 billion from RMB16.8 billion for the same period of 2020. Our food delivery and in-store, hotel & travel segments posted stellar growth, realizing an aggregate operating profit by segment of RMB3.9 billion in the first quarter of 2021, an increase from RMB0.6 billion for the same period of 2020. Operating loss for the new initiatives and others segment expanded as we accelerated our investment effort to provide services with more breadth. Both adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net loss for the first quarter of 2021 decreased year-over-year to negative RMB2.4 billion and RMB3.9 billion, respectively. Our net cash flows used in operating activities decreased to RMB4.4 billion in the first quarter of 2021 from RMB5.0 billion for the same period of 2020. We had cash and cash equivalents of RMB17.8billion and short-term treasury investments of RMB35.3 billion as of March 31, 2021, compared to the balances of RMB17.1 billion and RMB44.0 billion as of December 31, 2020, respectively.

"We are proud that our government’s effective containment of COVID has led to a strong recovery in demand for local services consumption in the first quarter. Meanwhile, growth across the different business segments on our platform has been strong, and we are pleased to see that our platform has continued to generate more quality services and value for consumers and merchants, while also reinforcing our strong brand as the leading local services platform in China," said Meituan Founder and CEO Xing Wang.

"We are always open to and ready for change, and are fully committed to our social responsibilities. We will continue supporting the national development strategy of domestic circulation, which will help further stimulate domestic consumption and boost rural revitalization, servicing a larger group of consumers and merchants across different markets with diverse needs," Wang concluded.

Company Business Highlights

Food delivery

Food delivery continued to be an essential service in the post-COVID-19 era, primarily driven by the ongoing evolution of consumer behavior and the increasingly diverse supplies on our platform. Our strength in consumer base, merchant base, and delivery network remained strong and continued to reinforce each other, enabling us to achieve solid growth in the first quarter of 2021. In this quarter, GTV of our food delivery business increased by 99.6% year over year to RMB142.7 billion. Daily average number of food delivery transactions increased by 113.5% year over year to 32.3 million. The average value per order of our food delivery business decreased by 5.5% year over year. Monetization rate of our food delivery business increased to 14.4% from 13.3% in the first quarter of 2021. Subsequently, revenue increased by 116.8% year over year to RMB20.6 billion. Operating profit from food delivery business increased to RMB1.1 billion in the first quarter of 2021 from a loss of RMB70.9 million for the same period of 2020, while operating margin increased to positive 5.4% from negative 0.7%. Our strong business performance in the first quarter of 2021 was a testament to the value we provide and our strong execution capabilities.

Food delivery became not only a necessity and a service needed regularly during work days, but also a high-quality source of food for family gatherings. Especially, as people were encouraged to stay put for Spring Festival, demand for food delivery increased during the holiday this year, compared to same period in previous years. During this Spring Festival, we launched the "Open for Business" initiative, in which we cooperated with millions of merchants to provide consumers with convenient deliveries of quality products including meals, liquor, snacks, groceries, and more. As a result, we have witnessed stronger order volume growth during this Spring Festival period than previous years. In addition, we continued to allocate sufficient resources to our effective membership program and organize various promotional campaigns and optimized operations among different consumption scenarios. We are delighted to see that quarterly transacting users and their purchase frequency both achieved healthy growth year over year, especially in the high-quality consumer base. To satisfy the increasingly diverse and constantly evolving consumer demand, we broadened our service scope to cover more consumption scenarios and longer distance delivery orders. Therefore, order contribution from the breakfast, afternoon tea, and late-night snack categories further increased, and long-distance orders became a more meaningful part of the total orders. The growths reflected consumers’ increasing preference for food delivery and our unparalleled brand awareness among consumers.

On the merchant side, as we continued to refine our merchant operational strategies to be more differentiated and specialized, and on the back of the order volume growth, both our annual active merchants and annual advertising merchants for food delivery grew to record highs in the first quarter of 2021. Meanwhile, sales from high-quality merchants increased, comprising a larger proportion of total orders. Since the introduction of our "New Restaurant Manager" program last quarter, we continued to train more digital-savvy talents and helped them become better adaptable of digital operations. Effectively, the restaurant industry has evolved into one where dining-out and order-in services are equally important to business owners and collaboratively constructive for each other’s growth. It is gratifying to see that our effort to accelerate industry digitization not only generated additional revenue for restaurant owners, but also helped them improve efficiency. Going forward, we will continue to enhance our service quality, diversify our product offerings, provide support for small- to mid-sized merchants, and help promote the vigorous development of the industry.

For the delivery network, in response to the PRC government’s advocacy to stay put for the Spring Festival, we preemptively strategized around our operations to better satisfy consumer demand. In particular, we focused on providing sufficient delivery capacity during the period. We continued to implement our "Tongzhou Project," which we rolled out in the fourth quarter last year to provide welfare to our delivery riders. During the first quarter of 2021, we designed benefits and incentives specifically for the Spring Festival. The total benefits and incentives that we offered for delivery riders surpassed RMB500 million during the seven-day holiday. And we are dedicated to providing deeper understanding and better caring for our delivery riders and helping improve their career path and personal growth. In the first quarter of 2021, we held more panel sessions with delivery riders, listened attentively to their feedbacks, complaints, and suggestions, which we would then appropriately incorporate into our business planning and development. To further enhance efficiency and work experience for the delivery riders, we upgraded the hardware used by the delivery riders, including smart helmets and delivery pick-up lockers at restaurants in some pilot areas. Having an efficient delivery network with sufficient delivery capacity lays the foundation of our food delivery business, which also ensures optimal user experiences. Thus, we will continue to optimize this on-demand delivery network and enhance delivery rider welfare on a continuous basis.

In-store, hotel & travel

Benefitting from the effective containment of the COVID-19 pandemic in China, our in-store, hotel & travel segment fully recovered in the first quarter of 2021. Revenue of the segment increased by 112.7% year over year to RMB6.6 billion in the first quarter of 2021. Operating profit increased 304.0% to RMB2.7 billion in the first quarter of 2021 from RMB680.2 million in the same period of 2020, and operating margin increased to 41.7% from 22.0%.

For in-store dining, since we introduced the "Open for Business" initiative for Spring Festival, both our GTV and transaction volume growths accelerated to historical highs during the Spring Festival this year, and we achieved nearly 30% two-year GTV CAGR in the first quarter of 2021. Gathering dining events fully recovered, and light-meal consumption scenario maintained high growth. We further increased quality supply on our platform and continued to penetrate more high-quality chain restaurants. Our tailored services and innovative transaction-based products continued to support the unique advertising needs from chain restaurants. In March, we refreshed our 2021 "Black Pearl" lists in cities both domestically and abroad. The "Black Pearl" lists are well established among both consumers and merchants as a compass for reputable culinary and other recommendations.

For other in-store services, our two-year revenue CAGR exceeded 30% in the first quarter of 2021 from the same period of 2019. Categories such as medical aesthetics maintained strong growth momentum, while categories such as leisure and entertainment, which were severely impacted during the pandemic, resumed normal growth. We continued to identify the evolving consumption trends, and managed multiple service categories to better satisfy the changing demand from consumers. We also launched various marketing and promotional festivals, such as the "Wedding Festival" and "Back to School Festivals" to help lift merchants’ advertising budgets. As a result, we strengthened our competitive advantages in serving high-quality merchants and fast expanding coverage of small- to mid-sized merchants this quarter.

With respect to our hotel booking business, we achieved over 100 million domestic room nights in the first quarter of 2021, representing a stellar 135.8% year-over-year growth, and a two-year CAGR of 13.3% from the same period of 2019. Although the PRC government’s recommendations for people to stay put during the Spring Festival led to less travelling during the seven-day holiday season this year compared to normal years, consumer demand for hotels continued to rise during the quarter. Notably, we expanded rapidly in high-star hotels, with room night contribution from high-star hotels surpassing 16.7% in the first quarter of 2021, thanks to our continuous investment in supply expansion, customer service, and product experience. With regard to low-star hotels and low-tier cities, we further solidified our existing advantage, enhanced brand awareness, and improved offline traffic conversion.

New initiatives and others

During the first quarter of 2021, we ramped up our investments in new initiatives. Retail, especially the community e-commerce business, continued to be our largest investment area. For the first quarter of 2021, revenues from the new initiatives and others segment increased by 136.5% year over year to RMB9.9 billion, primarily driven by the growth in retail businesses, B2B food distribution services, and ride-sharing services. Operating loss for the segment increased both year over year and quarter over quarter to negative RMB8.0 billion in the first quarter of 2021, while operating margin decreased to negative 81.6%.

The retail business is of strategic importance to us, and fits well into our "Food+Platform" strategy. During the first quarter of 2021, our community e-commerce business, Meituan Select, further expanded its geographical coverage to over 2,600 cities and counties, practically completing our nationwide expansion objective. Despite the seasonally quieter period for retail in February due to the Spring Festival holiday, Meituan Select continued to record healthy growth during the quarter. As the community ecommerce industry is still at early stage, we continued to make substantial upfront investments to enhance our product and service capabilities, incentivize user consumption, and expand our group leader base. We continued to strengthen our warehousing and logistics networks to reach broader consumers, especially in some less-developed regions. We upgraded our commission mechanism for group leaders and designed differentiated operational strategies to inspire their motivation. On the supply side, we continued to enrich our product selections and improved quality management capabilities, to satisfy the growing consumer demand for value-for-money products. We also explored various user acquisition tactics to achieve commendable growth in user base, with both user retention and transaction frequency steadily increasing. Meanwhile, as the business scaled up, we also continued to improve operating efficiency and unit economics of this business during the quarter.

For Meituan Instashopping, we continued to leverage our platform capabilities to fulfill the rising consumer demand for on-demand delivery of local goods and products. In the first quarter of 2021, we channeled more resources into categories, such as supermarkets, flowers, and prepared fruits, fueling the business growth of the quarter. In response to the "stay-put" policy during Spring Festival, we successfully converted many food delivery users into Meituan Instashopping users, leveraging our complex on-demand delivery network. Specifically, we precisely captured the evolving consumption trend from busy-working younger generations and their preference for same-day delivery of holiday goods and gifts. During the week leading up to Valentine’s Day, flowers and gifts sales exploded. Roses, watches, and iPhones were all popular gifts sold on our platform, with sales multiplying by double-digit week over week in the period. Therefore, number of high-ticket size items also grew exponentially, and we successfully further cultivated user habits and consumer mindsets that Meituan delivers everything to their doorsteps.

For Meituan Grocery, we continued to take our service quality and consumer experience as priority. Because of the PRC government’s "stay-put" policy for the Spring Festival this year, consumer demands for grocery and fresh produce rose during the season. We actively prepared inventories and adjusted our supply strategy in advance to meet this growing demands. In addition, we stepped up our delivery rider pays to ensure adequate delivery capacity and to provide our riders with additional benefit for working during the holidays. Moreover, we opened more warehouses in the four cities that we operate in, to increase our warehouse density, capacity, and product selections. As a result, quarterly transacting users grew by more than 400% year over year, and transaction frequency also improved, allowing us to realize higher operating efficiency and better unit economics.

As the leading platform for local services, we continued to provide better products and services to both consumers and merchants, facilitated the acceleration of industry digitization, and created and distributed more value to the society at large. In the first quarter of 2021, our food delivery and in-store, hotel and travel businesses posted another strong growth, thanks to the PRC government’s effective containment of the COVID-19 pandemic. This growth also reflects the strong mindshare that we have cultivated among consumers and merchants as the go-to-destination for local service exploration. In addition, our investment in the retail business enabled us to extend our touch point with consumers to provide them with ever-increasing product selections, particularly for consumers from low-tier markets. We further optimized our on-demand delivery network, while also built a new "next-day" delivery logistics network across the country. On the merchant front, we continued to serve a wide and diverse range of small- to mid-sized merchants, providing a more comprehensive suite of services, such as advertising products, digital tools, B2B food distribution services, and RMS services, to help them improve daily operations. Going forward, with a better use of technology and our commitment in innovations, we will continue to create more long-term value for consumers, merchants, delivery riders, and all the other participants in our ecosystem, and shoulder our social responsibilities.

For the full announcement of Meituan 2021 first quarter results, please visit:
https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2021/0528/2021052800394.pdf

About Meituan

Meituan (HKG: 3690) (the "Company") is China’s leading e-commerce platform for services. With the mission of "We help people eat better, live better," the Company’s platform uses technology to connect consumers and merchants. Service offerings on the platform address people’s daily needs for food, and extend further to broad lifestyle and travel services. Meituan is the world’s leading on-demand food delivery service provider and China’s leading e-commerce platform for in-store dining services. Meituan helps consumers discover merchant information, make informed decisions, complete online and offline transactions and enjoy on-demand delivery. The Company currently owns several household brands in China, including Meituan, China’s leading online marketplace for services, Dianping, China’s leading online destination for discovering local services, Meituan Waimai for on-demand delivery services, and Meituan Bikes for bike-sharing services. Meituan has 569.3 million Annual Transacting Users and 7.1 million Annual Active Merchants as of March 31, 2021. The Company operates in over 2,800 cities and counties in China.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements relating to the business outlook, forecast business plans and growth strategies of the Company. These forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to the Company and are stated herein on the basis of the outlook at the time of this press release. They are based on certain expectations, assumptions and premises, some of which are subjective or beyond our control. These forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect and may not be realized in future. Underlying the forward-looking statements is a large number of risks and uncertainties. Further information regarding these risks and uncertainties is included in our other public disclosure documents on our corporate website.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Meituan
pr.global@meituan.com   
ir@meituan.com

Edmond Lococo
ICR Inc.
Email: Edmond.Lococo@icrinc.com 
Tel: +86 138-1079-1408

Related Links :

https://www.meituan.com/

Computers, News

[Next@Acer 2021] Acer Swift Series Supercharged with RTX30 Graphics & AMD Ryzen 5000 Processors

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Acer’s Swift line up of laptops is known for being a hero of the thin and light segment. Many of the offerings have, so far, come under the 1.5kg mark when comes to weight and come with a pretty slim silhouette. However, users have always needed to make a choice between performance or portability. That changes with the new Acer Swift X which marries both portability and performance into a single, slim body.

The Swift X is the first of a new line up of laptops under the Swift line up. The new lineup will come equipped with discreet graphics solutions. The new lineup keeps on-the-go creatives in mind allowing them to carry a laptop that’s lighter than 1.5kg with the power to cater to the needs of their workflow.

Acer’s new Swift X is Packed with Power with Little Compromise

The new Swift X comes packed with AMD’s Ryzen 5000 series mobile processor complemented with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3050Ti laptop GPU. The setup should be able to handle some very heavy graphics and video workflows without problems. This is also coupled with up to 16GB of RAM and up to 2TB of SSD storage. The Switft X comes with a 14-inch IPS display with 300 nites brightness and a 16:9 aspect ratio. The display is also one of the most colour accurate on a Swift laptop with 100% coverage of the sRGB gamut. All of this is housed in a premium, metal chassis.

The power-packed Swift X doesn’t compromise on being thin and light either. It comes in at just under 1.4kg and a hair under 18mm thin. That said, the cooling on the laptop isn’t compromised. In fact, Acer has made design improvements to optimise the cooling efficiency of the laptop. The fan of the Swift X comes with fifty-nine 0.3mm blades to maximise airflow. This is paired with two D6 copper heat pipes for better heat dissipation. The lapotp also comes with what Acer is calling air inlet keyboard design which helps expel about 10% more heat than a regular laptop keyboard. The fans have also been augmented with a stereo ring for up to 10% better airflow.

Pricing & Availability

The Acer Swift X will be available starting in June in North America for USD$899.99 (MYR3,723.23), early summer in EMEA for EUR899 (MYR4,534.19) and in Q3 2021 in China starting at CNY6,499 (MYR4,221.27).

PR Newswire

JD Launches Shenzhen-Bangkok All-Cargo Charter Flight

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SHENZHEN, China, May 28, 2021 — JD has opened an all-cargo charter flight between Shenzhen and Bangkok on May 28, the e-commerce giant’s first in the Asia-Pacific region.

Open to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in both countries, the freight-dedicated route will facilitate delivery of goods from mainland China to customers in Thailand and vice versa within 48 hours.

"JD is excited for this opportunity to leverage our international supply chain resources to strengthen the relationship between Thailand and China, and to facilitate the transport of high-quality Chinese goods going to Southeast Asia and vice versa," said Stard Huang, head of JD’s international logistics business. "We see enormous potential in Southeast Asia, and this is just the first step."

Running between Shenzhen Bao’an Airport and Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport three times a week with same-day return, this end-to-end fully self-operated and full-link transportation route will not only greatly increase the speed of cross-border freight, but also provide vigorous support for the development of cross-border business through both Thai and Chinese e-commerce channels, including JD.com and JD’s joint venture in Thailand, JD CENTRAL.

"We’re excited that JD and JD CENTRAL can support SMEs to build robust business between China and Thailand," said Korlarp Suwacharangkul, Chief Marketing Officer of JD CENTRAL. "We’ve seen that cross-border e-commerce between the two countries has huge potential for expansion."

Currently goods exported from China to Thailand through JD’s route are expected to mainly include daily necessities, small household appliances, 3C products and other e-commerce goods; while goods transported from Thailand will mainly comprise fresh produce, supplemented by industrial products such as auto parts.

However, SMEs that aim to expand business into other categories are also welcome to take advantage of JD’s all-cargo freight flight. In the past year, China has further opened its market to foreign goods by implementing beneficial policies with an aim to facilitate robust cross-border trade.  JD has also ramped up efforts to support cross-border e-commerce.

As of December 31, 2020, JD International Logistics has 32 bonded warehouses and overseas warehouses, with a total management area of approximately 440,000 square meters. Through cooperation with international and local partners, JD has established international routes covering more than 220 countries and regions, providing customers with integrated cross-border supply chain services.