Yearly Archives: 2021

PR Newswire

Y Combinator-Backed Lofty AI Launches Tokenized, Liquid Marketplace for A.I.-Vetted Real Estate on Algorand

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LOS ANGELES, Aug. 20, 2021 — Lofty AI today announces the launch of its liquid real estate marketplace on the Algorand blockchain, including the introduction of a sixth tokenized property listing as it gains momentum in disrupting access to real estate ownership. Lofty AI’s model allows anyone to become a direct owner in real estate and earn rental income for as little as $50 per token and in as few as five minutes, made possible with its blockchain-based solution on Algorand. Unique to Lofty AI, properties listed within the marketplace are vetted by both their local investment team and proprietary artificial intelligence, designed to more accurately evaluate market indicators that drive appreciation, including social media data, retail trends, and more.

Lofty AI’s mission is to bring liquidity and accessibility to the notoriously illiquid real estate market. Algorand’s blockchain technology enables this via minimal transaction fees, advanced smart contracts that allow for the automation of many functions, and industry-leading transaction throughput speed. These factors allow investors to participate with significantly lower minimums and to liquidate their investments at any time of their choosing, thereby reducing risk.

Property tokens on Lofty AI can be purchased via credit card or ACH transfer, and soon, will be eligible for purchase using Algorand-based currencies. Rental income is distributed to owners in USD, with forthcoming options for rental income to be sent directly to a user’s Algorand wallet.

"We believe that real estate investing should not just be reserved for the ultra-wealthy. Our team ran into this issue when investing in real estate personally, so we set out to create a platform that makes it super easy to invest in vetted properties in minutes, for only $50," said Max Ball, COO of Lofty AI. "Building on top of Algorand was a no-brainer for us––honestly it was probably the easiest decision we’ve had to make so far."

"We are excited about Lofty AI’s success on Algorand, and congratulate them on today’s sixth tokenized property launch," said David Markley, Director of Business Solutions at Algorand. "We believe that blockchain technology is the key to democratizing finance, including real estate investment opportunities, and have designed our protocol to facilitate the ease of use, speed, scalability, and true decentralization needed to enable this future."

The sixth property to be listed on the Lofty AI marketplace goes live today, with 2509 tokens available for investment.

About Lofty AI
Lofty AI lets people invest in tokenized investment properties for only $50. All properties are vetted by their local investment team and proprietary artificial intelligence, and tokens can be sold anytime for no penalties or fees. Lofty AI has raised over $5M in total funding and is backed by leading investors including Y Combinator, Rebel Fund, Jason Calacanis, Hustle Fund, and more.

About Algorand Inc.
Algorand is building the technology to power the Future of Finance (FutureFi), the convergence of traditional and decentralized models into a unified system that is inclusive, frictionless, and secure. Founded by Turing Award-winning cryptographer Silvio Micali, Algorand developed a blockchain infrastructure that offers the interoperability and capacity to handle the volume of transactions needed for defi, financial institutions and governments to smoothly transition into FutureFi. The technology of choice for more than 700 global organizations, Algorand is enabling the simple creation of next generation financial products, protocols and exchange of value. For more information, visit www.algorand.com.

Media contact:
Lofty AI
Max Ball
max@lofty.ai

Algorand, Inc.
algorand@dittopr.co

Related Links :

http://www.algorand.com

PR Newswire

Secureworks® Commended by Frost & Sullivan for Enhancing Organizations’ Security Posture with Taegis™ XDR for Extended Threat Detection and Response

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Secureworks simplifies the adoption and maximizes the value of XDR for customers

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Aug. 19, 2021 — Based on its recent analysis of the global extended detection and response (XDR) market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Secureworks® with the 2021 Global Customer Value Leadership Award for protecting users’ expanding attack surface with  Secureworks Taegis™ XDR. This cloud-native, SaaS solution, built on 20+ years of security operations and threat intelligence expertise, prioritizes customer experience, interactivity, and cooperation, helping customers detect more true positives, accelerate investigations and response, boost the efficiency of security operations, and maximize the ROI of existing security tools.

Secureworks
Secureworks

"Taegis XDR collects and analyzes telemetry from the network, cloud, endpoints, and other touchpoints. By automatically correlating logs and events from different security sources to validate and prioritize alerts, Taegis ensures security personnel do not waste time reacting to false alerts," said Lucas Ferreyra, Research Analyst. "Taegis’ AI-powered advanced analytics engines analyze billions of events against purpose built analytics. Being a unified platform, it includes a comprehensive threat-hunting toolkit to alleviate the challenge of manually stitching data together or switching between disparate tools."

With Taegis XDR, customers can reduce mean-time-to-respond (MTTR) down to minutes using automated playbooks that are based on best practices from Secureworks’ 1,400 incident-response engagements each year. Its customers have reported a dramatic reduction in the number of alerts due to the solution’s ability to validate alerts. The solution combines human intelligence with AI-driven advanced analytics to empower security operations professionals.

Meanwhile, for organizations that need additional resources or expertise, Secureworks provides Taegis ManagedXDR, a managed service offering. An assigned Threat Engagement Manager provides reports, reviews, and recommendations to improve the customer’s security posture, and a Secureworks’ Incident Response team is available to deliver round-the-clock support. Secureworks’ advanced solutions, cybersecurity expertise, and emphasis on customer experience help organizations make the most of XDR.

"With Taegis, Secureworks gives customers access to the tools, best practices, and threat research used by its own experts, adding interactive features to help with investigations," noted Ferreyra. "Overall, the benefits of the Taegis™ XDR, as well as ManagedXDR’s cross-layered detection and response, allow organizations to ease their transition to XDR."

"When we put our XDR solution in the hands of our customers, we did so with the commitment to double down on helping them protect their organization while achieving a clear return on their investment," said Wendy Thomas, president of Customer Success and incoming CEO. "Our customers are at the heart of everything we do, so it is a special honor to be recognized by Frost & Sullivan for the customer value we are delivering." 

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has demonstrated excellence in implementing strategies that proactively create value for its customers with a focus on improving the return on the investment that customers make in its services or products. The award recognizes the company’s unique focus on augmenting the value that its customers receive, beyond simply good customer service, leading to improved customer retention and customer base expansion.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

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:
Kristen Moore
P: 210.247.3823
E: kristen.moore@frost.com

Connect with Secureworks via Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook, and read the Secureworks Blog

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Accessories, iOS, Lifestyle, Mobile

Netflix Now Supports Spatial Audio on Apple iPhone and iPad

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Spatial audio for Apple devices was announced back in 2020. It is Apple’s idea of a sort of 3D audio on Dolby Atmos. 3D audio was not really a new concept either at this point. Major electronic vendors like Sony have started experimenting with their own version of 3D audio with their 360 Reality Audio technology and their very own 3D Audio on the PlayStation 5. In a sense, if you want to describe Spatial Audio, it is like a virtual surround sound.

There is a sort of hardware limitation to the technology though. Not every audio hardware can support the technology at this time. That said, Apple’s latest TWS headphones line up like the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max supports the technology. Then you have a problem with the software side of things, not every software supports the technology yet. Why would you launch a technology that is not supported by any contents then?

There are no straight answers here. One of the answers is simply because they can. At the same time though, the announcement is a sort of signal to all the developers that are developing on the iOS platform. A sort of notice to tell people that Apple has the technology and developers can take advantage of the technology on their apps, with the right support of course.

Spatial Audio is not just beneficial for music or the illusion of live music though. It has the potential to really elevate your audio experience without spending thousands upon thousands of top dollars on top of what you already have. It is, in a sense, a cheap way to get immersive audio. Of course, the audio quality really depends on your audio hardware itself, and its tuning; you cannot defy the law of physics still.

This opens up the avenue for immersive entertainment experience on the go too. You can bring the cinema experience in your pockets. You can watch a movie on your Apple iPhone, for example, and feel like you are in the theatres while you are flying from Johannesburg to London.

Now, you can watch Netflix on iPhone and iPad with Spatial Audio. The first app that supported Apple’s Spatial Audio was Apple’s very own Music app in 2021. The support for Spatial Audio then extends to the Apple TV 4K as well at the same time.

Weirdly, Netflix is not the first third party app that received Spatial Audio treatment. Instead, apps like Disney Plus, and HBO Max are the first third party apps to receive the support. Of course, Apple would have equipped their Apple TV Plus app with Spatial Audio capabilities early on. In that sense, the support for Spatial Audio for Netflix is a long time coming. That is not to say that the update is not a welcome update though.

Users should expect to see the update rolling into their Apple iPad and Apple iPhone devices in the coming days. If you do not have Netflix, you can always try Apple’s Spatial Audio technology via Apple TV Plus app. Just make sure you have an Apple AirPods Pro or AirPods Max to go with your Apple iPhone and iPad. For Netflix users, you can turn on Spatial Audio from Netflix’s settings menu. If you do not see the option yet, you might want to check if your app is updated or wait for the latest app update from the Apple App Store.

PR Newswire

Cloopen Group Holding Limited (NYSE: RAAS) Announces Financial Results for Second Quarter 2021

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BEIJING, Aug. 19, 2021 — The thriving stay-at-home economy that emerged in 2020 unleashed the potential of the cloud-based communications market. Rising alongside the ongoing improvement of the communications infrastructure, the market is entering a golden age. The cloud-based communications market in China will continue to grow rapidly in the coming years and is expected to exceed RMB100 billion by 2024, according to a report from China Investment Corporation (CIC). 


With the sector’s anticipated growth, industry players are fulfilling expectations by continually delivering notable performances. Recently, Cloopen Group Holding Limited (NYSE: RAAS) ("Cloopen" or the "Company") announced its financial results for the second quarter of 2021. According to the report, the Company’s revenues for the second quarter were RMB274 million, representing a 47.9% increase year-over-year or a 33.9% increase quarter-over-quarter. Its core CC (Cloud-based Contact Center) solutions business performed especially well, achieving revenues of RMB108 million, an increase of 105.1% year-over-year. In terms of profitability, the Company’s gross margin increased to 43.1%. Adjusted EBITDA loss was RMB29.966 million, while adjusted EBITDA loss margin (as a percentage of revenue) decreased markedly to 10.9%, a nearly 6% decrease year-over-year and an 18% decrease quarter-over-quarter.

Three-month Period Ended, 

June 30, 

June 30, 

June 30, 

2020

2021

2021

RMB 

RMB 

USD 

(in thousands, except for per share data) 

Revenues

185,255

273,905

42,422

Cost of revenues

(113,856)

(155,805)

(24,131)

Gross profit 

71,399

118,100

18,291

Operating expenses: 

Research and development expenses

(36,644)

(61,970)

(9,598)

Sales and marketing expenses

(46,643)

(72,842)

(11,282)

General and administrative expenses

(46,240)

(79,664)

(12,338)

Total operating expenses 

(129,527)

(214,476)

(33,218)

Operating loss 

(58,128)

(96,376)

(14,927)

Other income (expense):

Interest expenses

(4,141)

(119)

(18)

Interest income

479

1,265

196

Loss from disposal of subsidiaries, net

(335)

(4)

(1)

Share of income (loss) of equity method investments

(1,021)

8

1

Change in fair value of warrant liabilities

722

—

—

Impairment loss of long-term investments

—

(15,667)

(2,427)

Foreign currency exchange gains (losses), net

(270)

4,028

624

Loss before income taxes 

(62,694)

(106,865)

(16,552)

Income tax benefit

529

1,232

191

Net loss 

(62,165)

(105,633)

(16,361)

Cloopen optimized revenue structure by increasing proportion of businesses with higher gross margins

Cloopen, began to provide cloud-based communications solutions in 2014, went public in the US in February of this year, becoming the first Chinese SaaS company to do so. After over a decade of development, the Company’s businesses now include communications platform as a service (CPaaS)，Cloud-based Contact center (CC) and Cloud-based Unified Communications and Collaboration(UC&C).

In terms of revenue composition, CPaaS revenue reached RMB115 million in the second quarter,maintaining organic growth rate of 13% year-over-year. The high-margin CC and UC businesses contributed more than 50% of total revenue for the first time, and CC solutions contributed significantly to revenue growth. In recent years, the CC solutions market has maintained rapid growth, attracting the attention of the industry’s powerful players.

Against the backdrop of a thriving market, Cloopen delivered positive news regarding its CC solutions business. During the reporting period, the Company’s CC business achieved revenues of RMB108 million, an increase of over 100% year-over-year.

Two factors account for the exceptional performance of the CC business. First, Cloopen’s acquisition of CRM software provider EliteCRM in March of this year and its integration enabled strategic synergies. Second, the Company expanded its CC business by adding CRM and CPaaS products, producing a compound sales effect and further growing market share.

Another part of Cloopen’s revenue composition consists of UC&C solutions, which include IM and CV services. Compared to CPaaS and CC solutions, the UC&C solutions business is smaller in volume, having achieved revenues of RMB49 million in the second quarter, an impressive increase of 74.9%.

In addition to strong revenues, Cloopen’s performance showed laudable profitability. The financial report revealed the Company’s gross margin to be 43.1%, compared to 38.5% in the second quarter of 2020. Cloopen’s improved profitability was primarily driven by an increase in the proportion of the Company’s higher gross margin businesses. According to previous financial reports, the gross margins of Cloopen’s CC and UC&C businesses are considerably higher than that of its CPaaS business. In the second quarter of this year, the proportion of the Company’s higher gross margin businesses surpassed 50% for the first time, boosting the overall gross margin while significantly optimizing the Company’s revenue structure. Meanwhile, the Company’s reduced the red ink considerably, with an adjusted EBITDA loss of RMB29.966 million.

According to Chinese information platform Zhitong Caijing, Cloopen’s second quarter financial report showed overall positive results in its core financial data, once again demonstrating indications of growth.  

Potential for growth in the industry

Cloopen is situated within a thriving industry. As aforementioned, the cloud-based communications industry is expected to become a RMB100 billion market in the near future. The CIC report indicated that the cloud-based communication solutions market increased from RMB16.3 billion in 2015 to RMB35.7 billion in 2019, representing a compound annual growth rate of 21.7%.

The market is expected to maintain strong growth momentum. CIC forecasted that the market is expected to reach RMB100 billion by 2024, with a compound annual growth rate of 23.3% during the 2019 to 2024 period.

Cloopen has the potential for greater growth in this market. The cloud-based communications market consists of three major segments: CPaaS, CC and UC&C. Cloopen boasts a comprehensive product portfolio that covers the three major segments CPaaS, CC and UC&C, enabling the Company to accommodate a multitude of business scenarios and provide customers with versatile solutions.

Cloopen also has a competitive edge due to its technology and customer base. First let’s consider technological advantages and look at Cloopen’s newest product developments as an example. At the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in June 2021 (WAIC 2021), Cloopen debuted Rongxi Robot, which features intelligent voice response systems and outbound solutions, intelligent training capabilities, and AI-assisted customer support. By combining the technologies operating at every level – algorithms at the bottom, AI data in the middle, and AI applications at the top, the Company delivered a comprehensive upgrade of CC solutions that can be applied to the full customer lifecycle.

Next let’s examine Cloopen’s customer base. According to the financial report, the Company had 12,976 active customers as of the end of June this year, with a dollar-based net customer retention rate of around 110%. A large customer base combined with a high retention rate helps provide the Company’s with stable revenues.

Aside from its strong performance, the outlook for the Company’s future development is also promising. In terms of its industry, Cloopen conducts business in a fast-growing industry that has entered a golden age. In terms of its performance, there has been continual evidence of the Company’s growth. One can expect Cloopen to further unlock its growth potential, owing to its dominant position in product offerings, research and development, and customer base.

 

 

PR Newswire

Gaotu Techedu Inc. Provides Update on Regulatory Development

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BEIJING, Aug. 19, 2021 — Gaotu Techedu Inc. ("Gaotu" or the "Company") (NYSE: GOTU), a leading online large-class after-school tutoring service provider in China, announced that the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Beijing Municipality Government jointly issued the "Beijing Municipality’s Measures to Further Reduce the Burden of Homework and After-School Tutoring on Students in Compulsory Education in Beijing" (the "Beijing Measures") on August 14, 2021, and published the full text of the Beijing Measures on August 18, 2021. The Beijing Measures were adopted to implement the Opinions on Further Alleviating the Burden of Homework and After-School Tutoring for Students in Compulsory Education, published in July 2021 by the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council of the PRC, and aim to ensure that "the excessive burden upon students from school homework and after-school tutoring, the education expenditures from their families and the burden on their parents’ energy will be effectively reduced by the end of 2021, with significant impact achieved within two years."

With respect to after-school tutoring services, among other things, the Beijing Measures contain the following provisions:

  • Previously registered online providers of after-school tutoring services on academic subjects in China’s compulsory education system ("Academic AST") will be subject to review and re-registration, and the registration and ICP license of any unqualified online Academic AST providers will be rescinded.
  • After-school tutoring providers are strictly prohibited from providing Academic AST during any national holiday, weekend, winter and summer break period; Online Academic AST classes cannot be offered after 9:00 p.m. during weekdays.
  • Academic AST providers are prohibited from (i) offering classes over contents outside of or in advance of the school curriculum, (ii) offering classes based on any foreign curriculum, (iii) soliciting and recruiting school teachers by offering excessive compensation, or (iv) employing foreign personnel to carry out training activities from overseas.  Non-Academic AST providers are prohibited from offering Academic AST classes.
  • Prices for Academic AST will need to follow the guidelines from the government to prevent "any excessive charging or excessive profit-seeking activity."
  • Academic AST providers are prohibited from financing by way of listing its securities or conducting other capital market activities; listed companies may not invest in Academic AST providers through capital markets fundraising activities, and may not acquire assets of Academic AST providers by paying cash or issuing securities; foreign capital is prohibited from controlling or participating in Academic AST providers through mergers and acquisitions, entrusted operations, joining franchises, using variable interest entities or other structures.
  • Enhancing oversight of AST advertising, including restricting the channels for deploying AST advertisements.
  • Institutions providing after-school tutoring services on academic subjects in high schools (which do not fall within China’s compulsory education system) will be supervised in accordance with relevant national regulations and local regulations of Beijing.

The Company’s compliance with the Beijing Measures will have a material adverse impact on its business, results of operations and financial condition. Specifically, in compliance with the Beijing Measures, the Company has stopped and will stop offering online Academic AST classes over weekends, national holidays and school break periods.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual reports to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company’s reports filed with, or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and Gaotu undertakes no duty to update such information or any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

About Gaotu Techedu Inc.

Gaotu is a technology-driven education company and online large-class after-school tutoring service provider in China. The Company offers foreign language, professional and admission courses, and also offers K-12 courses covering all primary and secondary grades through the brand Gaotu K12. Gaotu adopts an online live large-class format to deliver its courses, which the Company believes is the most effective and scalable model to disseminate scarce high-quality teaching resources to aspiring students in China. Big data analytics permeates each aspect of the Company’s business and facilitates the application of the latest technology to improve teaching delivery, student learning experience, and operational efficiency.

For further information, please contact:

Gaotu Techedu Inc.
Ms. Sandy Qin, CFA, CMA
E-mail: ir@gaotu.cn  

Christensen

In China
Ms. Vivian Wang
Phone: +852 2232 3978
E-mail: gotu@christensenir.com  

In US
Ms. Linda Bergkamp
Phone: +1-480-614-3004
Email: lbergkamp@christensenir.com   

Related Links :

http://ir.gaotu.cn

PR Newswire

MicroConstants to Join BioAgilytix Family

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Highly complementary transaction strengthens BioAgilytix’s ability to support bioanalytical services across all major therapeutics in development; adds LC/MS/MS capabilities; and expands team of seasoned scientists

DURHAM, N.C., Aug. 19, 2021 — BioAgilytix Labs, LLC (BioAgilytix), a leading global contract research laboratory focused on supporting its pharmaceutical and biotech partners in all stages of large molecule drug development, announced today that it signed a definitive agreement to acquire MicroConstants, adding it to its family of companies.

MicroConstants, to be known as BioAgilytix San Diego, provides industry-leading services in method development, validation, and sample analysis for small and large molecule therapeutics and biomarkers using LC/MS/MS, HPLC, immunoassay (including multiplexing and high sensitivity SIMOA) and qPCR techniques. Since 1998, MicroConstants has supported 290+ biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.

"We are excited to welcome the MicroConstants team to BioAgilytix and to work with them to integrate the business," said Jim Datin, President and CEO of BioAgilytix. "We believe that by joining forces, BioAgilytix and MicroConstants will not only create significant scientific and performance synergies, but also we are better able to serve the growing biotechnology community on the West Coast. Most importantly, our customers and their patients will benefit from the leading-edge science the combined company will bring to market."   

MicroConstants, which serves clients across the pharmaceutical and biotech industry, has deep expertise in bioanalytical testing services with over 20+ years of experience performing GLP compliant bioanalytical services. The business will complement BioAgilytix’s already impressive contract research services for the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. MicroConstants China remains a separate business entity and is not part of this transaction.

About BioAgilytix
BioAgilytix is a leading bioanalytical testing laboratory specializing in large molecule bioanalysis. With laboratory locations in North Carolina’s Research Triangle area, the Cambridge area of Massachusetts, and Hamburg, Germany, BioAgilytix provides PK, immunogenicity, biomarkers, and cell-based assay services supporting the development and release testing of biologics across a number of industries and disease states.

BioAgilytix offers assay development, validation, and sample analysis under non-GLP, GLP, and GCP, as well as GMP quality control testing (i.e., product release testing, stability testing, etc.). BioAgilytix also offers diagnostic testing services at its CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited Boston laboratory.

BioAgilytix’s team of highly experienced scientific and QA professionals ensures high-quality science, data integrity and regulatory compliance through all phases of clinical development. BioAgilytix is a trusted partner to many top global pharmaceutical and biotech companies. For more information, visit www.bioagilytix.com.

About MicroConstants, Inc.
MicroConstants Inc., is one of the largest bioanalytical LC/MS/MS service providers in the United States, with headquarters in San Diego, California for over 20 years.  MicroConstants helps its clients develop novel therapeutics by supporting clinical and preclinical regulated bioanalysis studies. Since 1998, MicroConstants has supported 290+ clients in 45 countries, completed over 8,200 projects, and developed more than 2,400 methods. For more information on how MicroConstants fulfills its purpose, please visit www.microconstants.com.

Media Contact:
Pam O’Connor
BioAgilytix
(919) 621-1230
pam.oconnor@bioagilytix.com

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Gaming Meets Music with ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 Alan Walker Special Edition

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ASUS unleashed their ROG Zephyrus G14 with updated internals earlier this year in May, at least in Malaysia. The new powerhouse took over from where its predecessor left off. It packs AMD’s latest Zen 3 packed Ryzen 9 5900HS processor that maxes out at 4.3GHz. You also get NVIDIA’s power in a GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU platform. The package is more than capable of powering the 14-inch QHD IPS display at 120Hz.

The ROG Zephyrus G14 platform may not be the highest-end gaming laptop you can find in ASUS ROG’s arsenal of gaming notebooks. Obviously, it is also not the most expensive you can find. But it is one of the most versatile one to have. It is the perfect size for an ultra-light and thin laptop, and it fits in most bags with little fuss. You will not be craving for more power when you need to be productive too with a powerful and efficient AMD Zen 3 architecture. Paired to NVIDIA’s GPU, editing 4K videos on-the-go is a breeze. You can even colour correct with the highly accurate display at 100% sRGB coverage.

The ROG Zephyrus G14 then is the perfect notebook for both work and play. It is a formidable laptop in a production setting. It is the perfect notebook to bear the Alan Walker name.

If you do not know who Alan Walker is, you are in for a treat. A Google search of Alan Walker should be all you need to get introduced to the popular artist. But before you start wondering if Alan Walker has anything to do with gaming, let us introduce you to Live Fast, a song he produced for PUBG Mobile, and Ghost, a soundtrack from the game Death Stranding.

  • 00 Zephyrus G14 AW SE 5
    Source: ASUS
  • 00 Zephyrus G14 AW SE 8
    Source: ASUS
  • 00 Zephyrus G14 AW SE 7
    Source: ASUS
  • 00 Zephyrus G14 AW SE 6
    Source: ASUS
  • 00 Zephyrus G14 AW SE 0KV
    Source: ASUS

The Alan Walker edition of the ROG Zephyrus G14 has to be special though. That is why ASUS shoehorned an even more powerful AMD Ryzen 5900HS that packs 8 processing cores with up to 16-threads. The Zen 3 processor should be more than enough for aspiring content creators to work with. Its superior multi-threaded performance will make short work of any creative software you can throw at it.

Getting your games on is important though, especially when you need a quick break to get the creative juices going again. The brand-new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU ensures that you have great gaming experiences on-the-road especially on the 14-inch IPS display that refreshes at 120Hz. The fun does not stop here though when it comes to Alan Walker.

Alan Walker designed the packaging of the ROG Zephyrus G14 himself. The packaging is not the regular box that merely protects the notebook though. You can connect the box to the Zephyrus G14 via a USB Type-C cable and the box turns into a unique accessory. It becomes an ROG Remix sampler that houses 18 of Alan Walker’s own sound effects. It comes complete with conductive pads on the surface for users to trigger the sound effects.

  • Zephyrus G14 AW SEROG Remix lighting
    Source: ASUS
  • Zephyrus G14 AW SE Package ROG Remix
    Source: ASUS

The integration goes even deeper with a custom software developed and designed with Alan Walker and his team. The custom software allows users to start creating their own tracks or create remixes based on Alan Walker’s famous tracks.

It is an ROG product still though. You get an ROG x Alan Walker inspired animations on the ROG Zephyrus G14’s main display and its AniMe Matrix panel at the back. The animations will play accordingly based on the MIDI inputs that is selected from the Remix sampler. The notebook also comes with a custom boot animation and an exclusive Alan Walker wallpaper.

  • 00 Zephyrus G14 AW SE 1
    Source: ASUS
  • 00 Zephyrus G14 AW SE 2
    Source: ASUS
  • 00 Zephyrus G14 AW SE 3
    Source: ASUS
  • Zephyrus G14 AW SE Laptop 01 KB Lighting
    Source: ASUS
  • Zephyrus G14 AW SE Laptop 16 Lighting
    Source: ASUS
  • Zephyrus G14 AW SE Laptop 19
    Source: ASUS
  • Zephyrus G14 AW SEROG Sleeve 01 Lighting
    Source: ASUS
  • 00 Zephyrus G14 AW SE All bundled
    Source: ASUS
  • Zephyrus G14 AW SE ROG x AW Cap 01
    Source: ASUS
  • Zephyrus G14 AW SE ROG x AW Socks 01
    Source: ASUS

On the surface, the Alan Walker ROG Zephyrus G14 is laced with Alan Walker’s signature colours. The ‘A’ and ‘W’ keys features the producer’s logo too. The AniMe Matrix panel comes in a unique Spectre Blue shade on this special edition. Lining the AniMe Matrix panel are two fabric belts with one belt featuring reflective texts that compliments the Matrix LED panel.

The ROG Zephyrus G14 Alan Walker edition is scheduled to arrive in Malaysia in September 2021. There are no official pricing for the special edition gaming notebook at this time. The ROG Zephyrus G14 comes with a few special edition goodies in the package too like the baseball cap, a pair of socks, and an ROG laptop sleeve. More information on the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 Alan Walker edition can be found on their website.  

PR Newswire

Ninja Survey Finds Gen Z and Millennial Parents Are Bored with Their Recipe Rotation and Looking to Spice Things Up

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Ninja launches Ninja® Foodi® XL Pressure Cooker Steam Fryer with SmartLid™ to make cooking easier, faster, juicier and crispier results in one Multicooker+

NEEDHAM, Mass., Aug. 18, 2021 — Ninja (HKEX: 1691.HK), the brand in small kitchen appliances*, announced findings from its recent survey surrounding what people look for when cooking and sources of cooking inspiration. While people have been cooking more over the past year, the survey found that a majority of Gen Z and Millennial parents wish they knew more recipes (79%)** and most feel like they cook the same meals all the time (77%).

The survey also found that:

  • 74% of Millennials want to feel more confident in the kitchen, including 80% of Millennial parents
  • Nearly half of Millennials say they are bored with the recipes they know; this boredom increases to 56% when looking at Gen Z and Millennial parents
  • 73% of Gen Z and Millennial parents are looking for recipe inspiration
  • One third of Gen Z and Millennial parents prioritize meals that are quick to make
  • 40% of Gen Z and Millennial parents have trouble following recipes (compared to only 25% of total surveyed)

To help combat kitchen fatigue, today, Ninja unveils its newest innovation, the Ninja® Foodi® XL Pressure Cooker Steam Fryer with SmartLid™ which offers an efficient way of cooking with its SteamCrisp™ Technology and SmartLid™.  It has three different cooking modes – pressure cook, air fry, and SteamCrisp™ – and 14 cooking functions all under one SmartLid™. Using the SteamCrisp™ Technology, unlock the juiciest way to air fry, prepare 1-touch meals up to 40% faster++, and bake artisan breads and cakes up to 25% faster***.

The Ninja® Foodi® XL Pressure Cooker Steam Fryer with SmartLid™ offers three cooking modes and 14 cooking functions under one lid. It is available in an 8-qt capacity for $329.99 at NinjaKitchen.com.
The Ninja® Foodi® XL Pressure Cooker Steam Fryer with SmartLid™ offers three cooking modes and 14 cooking functions under one lid. It is available in an 8-qt capacity for $329.99 at NinjaKitchen.com.

As consumers are eager for new food ideas and gaining kitchen confidence, Ninja released its inaugural SmartLid™ SmartList, a quintessential compellation of modern recipes and food prep techniques to enable home cooks to keep their bustling kitchen bursting with delicious inspiration and cook more efficiently.

Ninja also partnered with Eitan Bernath, a chef, digital content creator and principal culinary contributor for the "Drew Barrymore Show" on CBS, to share tips on how to make cooking easier and more fun with Ninja’s latest product innovation.

"I’m excited to partner with Ninja to share cooking tricks and highlight the new Ninja® Foodi® XL Pressure Cooker Steam Fryer with SmartLid™," said Eitan Bernath. "It makes cooking easier, more efficient and fun, which people are craving as they’re busy returning to the office and kids are going back to school."

The Ninja® Foodi® XL Pressure Cooker Steam Fryer with SmartLid™ is available in an 8-qt capacity for $329.99 at NinjaKitchen.com. Its 14 functions include:

  • Pressure Cook
  • Steam & Crisp
  • Steam & Bake
  • Air Fry
  • Broil
  • Bake/Roast
  • Dehydrate
  • Sear/Sauté
  • Steam
  • Sous Vide
  • Slow Cook
  • Yogurt
  • Keep Warm
  • Proof

SmartLid™ represents the latest example of the synergies found between SharkNinja and Joyoung engineering teams, (under the parent company, JS Global Lifestyle) whose collaboration on this project have allowed us to bring this exciting new product to the world.

**All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1260 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 21st – 22nd July 2021. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US adults (aged 18+) with a margin of error of +/- 3% at 95% confidence.

++ Versus traditional cooking methods

***Versus traditional oven

+ Vesus Ninja Foodi OL601 in Dry Mode Only

About Ninja: 

What we believe 

You can make it. 

Ninja believes that if you want to cook at home, you can. If you want to experiment more with recipes and ingredients, you can. If you want to cook dinner every single night, you can. If you want to be proud of what you’re serving your family, you, without a doubt, can. We design tools and appliances that help you achieve endless opportunities with food, regardless of how much experience you have. It is our belief that if you have the desire to cook, that you can make it, and we’re here to help you do it in ways that are fast, easy, and delicious.

PR Newswire

Perkbox reimagines global reward and benefits for the post-pandemic world

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LONDON, Aug. 18, 2021 — Perkbox, the global benefits and reward platform, today announces its new offering to help employers care for, connect with, and celebrate their people around the world.

The new location agnostic Perkbox platform enables employers to harmonise their global employee experience and create cost and time efficiencies, while delivering bespoke wellbeing, recognition, and engagement offerings to each employee. Perkbox already supports over 5,000 businesses and more than 600,000 users across more than 34 countries.

The new platform launch comes as HR leaders worldwide grapple with a unique set of circumstances, brought about, or accelerated, by the COVID-19 pandemic:

  • Employee wellbeing is in freefall. Nine in ten employees faced new wellbeing challenges in 2020[1], as burnout from balancing work and life becomes a greater issue
  • The employee/employer relationship is changing. Work from home-induced introspection has left many people looking for more from their employer and work.
  • International, distributed working models are on the rise. Hybrid and remote working are making it more difficult to create a clear and attractive organisational culture across multiple locations.
  • There’s a new talent landscape. New ways of working have also unlocked a truly international pool of talent, giving businesses the option to recruit from anywhere in the world.

In response, Perkbox’s reimagined, unified platform helps HR leaders create a stronger employee value proposition, built around caring for, connecting with, and celebrating employees, wherever they’re based.

Employees can access the platform via web or a powerful single app. It’s organised into four ‘hubs’, each offering support in a key area, and integrates seamlessly with existing single sign on (SSO) and human resources information systems (HRIS) – creating a frictionless experience for both employees and HR administrators.

Wellness hub. Supporting employees’ wellbeing is vital in itself, and it boosts retention and engagement.[2] The Wellness hub enables employers to meaningfully support this area by providing access to carefully curated, constantly updated wellbeing content. Employees can choose what works for them – from hypnosis and therapy audios to HIIT workouts and meditation guides.

Perks hub. Perks hub enables employers to overcome the stifling complexity of the global benefits market, while providing employees with the huge variety of global deals, discounts and benefits needed to fulfil individual requirements. There is also the option for employers to offer a monthly ‘Flexi points’ allowance. Employees can redeem these, at no cost to themselves, against a wide range of ‘Flexi Perks’, from coffees and entertainment subscriptions to mindfulness apps – and much more.

Celebration hub. Building a culture of appreciation can help drive motivation and engagement.  Celebration hub helps strengthen the connections between all employees and employers, regardless of location, by enabling leaders to visibly recognise and reward their people in a personalised way. Recognitions can also be linked to company values – helping businesses reward behaviours that embody what they stand for.

Culture hub. This helps create cultural alignment and a greater sense of togetherness across all parts of the business, by providing a single source for news and company initiatives.  It reduces reliance on leaders in each location to cascade information – saving their time and that of HR leaders.

Gautam Sahgal, CEO, Perkbox comments: "Organisations are becoming increasingly diverse – with people of different demographics spread across different geographies. This is presenting HR leaders with a two-pronged challenge: how to create a clear, common, and compelling culture for the evolving, international workforce. And how to create a reward and benefits offering that provides genuine value to everybody, wherever they are.

"We want Perkbox to be the simple, cost-effective answer to the global challenges and opportunities the new age of work poses. The platform is the result of an incredibly in-depth investigation into what our clients truly want from us. We took the time to ask HR leaders why they chose Perkbox and, in today’s working world, the ability to harmonise wellbeing, recognition and engagement across markets was seen as vital. This is the strategic imperative to help organisations attract, retain and inspire the talent they need to succeed."

About Perkbox

Perkbox is the global benefits and rewards platform that allows companies to care for, connect with and celebrate their employees, no matter where they are and what they want. Location agnostic, it supports over 5,000 businesses and more than 600,000 users across 34 countries and counting. 

[1] Unleash employee happiness in 2021. Access via: https://www.perkbox.com/new-working-world

[2] The Science of Care. Access via: https://www.limeade.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/LimeadeInstitute_TheScienceOfCare_Whitepaper_Web.pdf

PR Newswire

VVDN Technologies Joins NVIDIA Partner Network to Expand Opportunities for Advanced AI-Enabled Camera & Vision Applications

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SAN JOSE, California, Aug. 18, 2021 — VVDN Technologies, a premier electronic product engineering and manufacturing company, announced that it has joined the NVIDIA Partner Network (NPN) as a provider of AI-enabled computer vision solutions powered by the NVIDIA Jetson edge AI platform.

 

 

The NPN program is designed to help partners expand the usage of NVIDIA-based solutions, platforms, and technologies, and provide end customers with a world-class solution and support experience. As part of the NVIDIA Jetson partner ecosystem, VVDN can leverage the powerful GPU-accelerated edge computing capabilities of the NVIDIA Jetson lineup including Jetson AGX Series, Jetson TX2 series, Jetson Xavier NX and Jetson Nano to develop and manufacture next-gen innovative AI/ML based camera and vision solutions for its customers.

NVIDIA Jetson is the leading AI-at-the-edge computing platform with over half a million developers and a strong partner ecosystem. With pre-trained AI models, developer SDKs and support for cloud-native technologies across the full Jetson lineup, manufacturers of intelligent machines and AI developers can build and deploy high-quality, software-defined features on embedded and edge devices targeting robotics, AIoT, smart cities, healthcare, industrial applications, and more. Cloud-native support helps manufacturers and developers implement frequent improvements, improve accuracy, and use the latest features with Jetson-based edge AI devices.

Joining the NPN positions VVDN to provide a host of enhanced services including product engineering, AI/ML algorithm development, as well as manufacturing services to customers/OEMs/System Integrators/ISVs with accelerated time to market. VVDN is offering AI-based vision solutions powered by the NVIDIA Jetson platform, including carrier boards, edge gateways as well as edge AI cameras which are production-ready solutions available for customers.

VVDN’s design and manufacturing capabilities of world-class cameras and vision products includes edge AI boxes, system on modules (SOM) and boards, 360-degree high-end multi-imager cameras, NVRs/DVRs and thermal cameras with video analytics for use in automotive ADAS, traffic safety, security, smart cities, industrial vision, video conferencing, retail applications and more.

Arun Kumar PB, Sr. Director – Vision, VVDN Technologies said: "VVDN’s Vision Business Unit has invested heavily on AI/ML and computer vision algorithms targeting industries including security, smart cities, retail, automotive, medical as well as industrial. Joining the NPN as an NVIDIA Jetson ecosystem partner further helps our efforts as we get access to all the SDKs as well as exposure to new platform introductions. This will help us cater to our customers’ need for more complex AI-enabled applications across the globe."

VVDN possesses strong expertise in Image/ISP Tuning, Video Stitching, Sensor Integration, AI/ML Integration, Video Analytics, Voice Integration and Video Cloud. VVDN’s manufacturing facilities are equipped with state-of-the-art SMT lines, product assembly areas, ISO Class 6 and 8 Clean Room and R&D, Testing and Video labs for Next-gen product innovation.

About VVDN:

VVDN is a leading Product Engineering & Manufacturing company focused on designing & manufacturing end-to-end products across several technology vertical markets (5G, Data Center, Vision, Networking and Wi-Fi, IoT, Cloud & Apps). VVDN’s India HQ is located at Global Innovation Park, Manesar, India and its North America HQ is located in San Jose, CA, USA. VVDN serves global customers across several regions including US, Canada, Europe, India, Vietnam, Korea, and Japan. With more than 6000 employees, VVDN has 10 advanced Product Engineering Centers in India, which are fully equipped to design & test the complete hardware & software required to develop a complete product or solution. VVDN’s 5 Manufacturing facilities are located at Manesar, Gurgaon, India, which includes in-house best-in-class SMT Factory, Molding & Tooling Factory, Product Assembly Factory, Die Casting facility and Product Certifications labs. VVDN’s Engineering & Manufacturing facilities are fully complied to develop & manufacture Enterprise, Consumer, Industrial, and Automotive-grade products.

Visit www.vvdntech.com for more information.

Kunwar Sinha, kunwar.sinha@vvdntech.in