Monthly Archives: January 2022

Android, Mobile, News

Samsung Unveils a Galaxy S21 for Fans – the Galaxy S21 FE 5G

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Update: Pre-order information and US Pricing added

After much anticipation and countless leaks, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is now official. The new entry into the Galaxy S21 lineup follows through with the promise of the FE lineup by marrying some of the best features of the S21 in one sleek and powerful offering. It’s got the beauty and the brawn of the S21 series.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G 24
Source: Samsung

Like the S20 FE, the Galaxy S21 FE 5G retains most of the design language but ditches the accented camera frame. The sleek smartphone measures a mere 7.9m in thickness with a 6.4-inch AMOLED 2X display upfront. It comes with a 120Hz refresh rate and an FHD+ resolution and will also sport a 240Hz touch sampling rate in Game mode. In Malaysia, it runs on the Exynos 2100 octa-core processor and is paired with 8GB of RAM. Other regions may have versions with 6GB of RAM and the Snapdragon 888. These combinations come complemented with up to 256GB of internal storage. The Galaxy S21 FE, like the S20 FE, does not support additional memory via a microSD card.

On the camera side of things, the S21 FE 5G comes with a triple camera setup. The setup consists of two 12-megapixel sensors and a single 8-megapixel. The main sensor is a 12-megapixel wide sensor with Dual Pixel Autofocus, optical image stabilization (OIS) and an f/1.8 aperture. The 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor has an f/2.2 aperture with a 123˚ field of view (FOV) while the 8-megapixel sensor is a telephoto sensor with an f/2.4 aperture. It also supports 30x Space Zoom. On the front, the Galaxy S21 FE comes with a 32-megapixel selfie camera with an f/2.2 aperture and 81˚ FOV.

  • Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G 12
  • Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G 15
  • Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G 13
  • Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G 14

A 4,500 mAh battery powers the Galaxy S21 FE. It supports Wireless PowerShare, 25W wired fast charging and 15W wireless charging. It also supports 2G, 3G, LTE and 5G connectivity. The smartphone also comes with NFC and an IP68 dust and water resistance rating in tow. The cherry on top is the fact that it will be launching with One UI 4 atop Android 12.

Pricing & Availability

The Galaxy S21 FE 5G will be available for pre-order soon. In Malaysia, it will be priced at MYR2,899 for the 128GB version and MYR3,099 for the 256GB version. It will be available in Olive, Lavender, White or Graphite.

Pre-orders start on 6th January 2022. Any pre-orders made during the pre-order period which ends on 10th January 2022 will come with an MYR350 e-voucher for Samsung’s online store, SamsungCare+ and a year’s coverage of accidental and liquid damage worth MYR220.

In the U.S, the Galaxy S21 FE 5G will be available for USD$699.99 for the 6GB/128GB version. The 8GB/256GB version will retail at USD$769.99. Pre-orders will be starting on 11 January 2022.

PR Newswire

Buybacks of series B shares in AB Electrolux during week 52, 2021

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STOCKHOLM, Jan. 4, 2022 — During the period December 27 – December 30, 2021 AB Electrolux (LEI code 549300Y3HHZB1ZGFPJ93) has repurchased in total 342,312 own series B shares (ISIN: SE0016589188) as part of the buyback program initiated by the Board of Directors in order to optimize the company’s capital structure.

The share buybacks form part of the buyback program of a maximum of 9,369,172 series B shares for a total maximum amount of SEK 2,800 million, which AB Electrolux announced on October 27, 2021. The buyback program, which runs between October 28, 2021 – March 25, 2022, is being carried out in accordance with the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 ("MAR") and the Commission Delegated Regulation 2016/1052 (the "Safe Harbour Regulation"). The objective of the share buybacks is to optimize the company’s capital structure and the intention is to reduce Electrolux share capital through subsequent share cancellations.

Series B shares in AB Electrolux have been repurchased (in SEK) as follows:

                                   

                                   

Date

                                   

Aggregated daily volume (number of shares)

                                   

Weighted average share price per day (SEK)

                                   

Total daily transaction value (SEK)

                                               

                                   

27/12/2021

 

85,578

 

217.9952

 

18,655,593.23

 

                                   

28/12/2021

 

85,578

 

219.4466

 

18,779,801.13

 

                                   

29/12/2021

 

85,578

 

218.6359

 

18,710,423.05

 

                                   

30/12/2021

 

85,578

 

218.7070

 

18,716,507.65

 

All acquisitions have been carried out on Nasdaq Stockholm by Exane BNP Paribas on behalf of AB Electrolux. Following the above acquisitions, AB Electrolux holding of own shares as of December 30, 2021 amounts to 25,842,915 series B shares. The total number of shares in AB Electrolux amounts to 308,920,308.

A full breakdown of the transactions pursuant to article 5.3 of MAR and article 2.3 of the Safe Harbour Regulation is attached to this announcement.

For further information, please contact:
Sophie Arnius, Head of Investor Relations, +46 70 590 80 72
Rupini Bergström, Electrolux Press Hotline, +46 8 657 65 07
This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com
https://news.cision.com/electrolux/r/buybacks-of-series-b-shares-in-ab-electrolux-during-week-52–2021,c3480956

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/1853/3480956/1516680.pdf

Pressrelease 20220103 Electrolux repurchased shares week 52

https://mb.cision.com/Public/1853/3480956/82ae308c88b7906c.pdf

Bilaga Appendix – full breakdown of AB Electrolux buyback transactions week 52 2021

 

Computers, Gaming, News

ASUS Launches Their Version of the 12GB variant of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 GPU

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The chip shortage is still going strong. In other words, chip production situation has not improved much. That means that CPU and GPUs are sold at extreme premiums still at this time. Of course, that is assuming that you can find and buy one. This is especially true for the newer generation chips.

There was an idea though, when the whole chip shortage started a few years ago. The idea was for manufacturers to continue production and selling older generation chips which were cheaper to produce anyway. That should not only elevate the chip shortage problem, but also to fulfil demands of these chips in one way or another. Sure, people wanted the latest thing, but if they could not get their hands on the new stuff, they would not mind getting the older stuff for a reasonable price.

DUAL RTX2060 O12G EVO 3D back
Source: ASUS

NVIDIA sort of answered to that demand and relaunched their popular GeForce RTX 2060 card. No, this is not some GeForce RTX 2060 Super Ti. Rather, it is a play GeForce RTX 2060 but now with twice the VRAM size at 12GB instead of 6GB. Of course, their card manufacturing partners to make their cards before reaching the customers.

ASUS is one of those manufacturers that made one and they call it the Dual GeForce RTX 2060. No, it does not come with two RTX 2060 dies within the card. Yes, we felt a little cheated too. The ‘Dual’ moniker is due to the doubling of the original 6GB VRAM.

ASUS made two versions of the Dual GeForce RTX 2060 EVO. They made a regular Dual GeForce RTX 2060 EVO and an overclocked variant of the card.

They say that the whole point of the new GPUs is to make gaming more accessible at this point. While that makes sense currently, you are still forking out MYR 2,560 for a regular ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 2060 EVO with 12GB of VRAM.

The added VRAM does help with gaming performance though. Reports show up to 5% in performance increment as well when you put it up against the older GeForce RTX 2060 with 6GB of VRAM. With ASUS 0db fan technology as well, you can have a quiet rig at home without the GPU ever firing up (if you keep it below 55° C).

  • DUAL RTX2060 O12G EVO 2D
    Source: ASUS
  • DUAL RTX2060 O12G EVO VGABOX
    Source: ASUS
  • DUAL RTX2060 O12G EVO image2 aura
    Source: ASUS
  • DUAL RTX2060 O12G EVO image1
    Source: ASUS
  • DUAL RTX2060 O12G EVO iamge3 aura
    Source: ASUS
  • DUAL RTX2060 O12G EVO 3D back
    Source: ASUS
  • DUAL RTX2060 O12G EVO 3D
    Source: ASUS
  • DUAL RTX2060 O12G EVO 2D back
    Source: ASUS

The 2.7-slot card also packs a very clever fan design on top of the 0db technology. The ASUS Axial-tech designed fans feature larger surface area for a much better airflow. The barrier rings around the blades also optimises the airflow. The fan is also an IP5X dust resistance certified item for those who are a little on the lazy side when it comes to cleaning their PC.

The ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 2060 EVO is now available in Malaysia via ASUS’ official retail partners and resellers. As mentioned, the GPU will set you back MYR 2,560 onward. More information on the ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 2060 EVO is available on ASUS’ website.

PR Newswire

Three Big Announcements From BLUETTI at CES 2022

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LAS VEGAS, Jan. 3, 2022 — BLUETTI highlighted its thinking-forward solar energy facility collections at CES 2022, including the world’s first sodium-ion solar generator — NA300 and much-anticipated AC & EB series of power stations. Here’s a dive into them:

1. The Next Generation of Energy Storage: Sodium-ion Battery

BLUETTI NA300 is gonna start the revolution of energy storage systems. Begin with its 3,000W pure sine wave inverter and 3,000Wh capacity, it can juice up most electric appliances in the market. And it feels similar to the superstar BLUETTI EP500 Pro, supporting connection with another NA300 by a fusion box—Output voltage and power double to 240V and 6,000W—and App remote control.

Besides, it’s able to charge at an incredible rate of 6,000W (3,000W Max. for both AC and PV); and work with two B480 battery modules (4,800Wh each) for a whopping 12,600Wh. Such unit severs a family’s electricity needs for DAYS or even ONE WEEK during grid failures or natural disasters with constant solar input. 

Back to the Na-ion, BLUETTI first-gen Na+ batteries are comparable with lithium-ion ones. They could charge to 80% SOC in 30 minutes at room temperature. Moreover, they will keep over 85% capacity retention and over 80% system integration efficiency in sub-zero temperature (-20°C). Finally the below demonstrates a throughout comparison between this sodium-ion battery and LiFePO4 battery.


2. The Long-waited APEX: BLUETTI AC500

The BLUETTI AC series have hit the market quite a few times. This time AC500 holds a 5,000W pure sine wave inverter, maybe the most powerful in today’s market. It is also 100% modular same as AC300, and can work with six B301 battery modules (3072Wh each) for a groundbreaking 18,432Wh. Also, it supports capacity expansion with AC300’s companion—B300.

More than that, AC500 manages 8,000W Max. AC + PV dual charging (5,000W and 3,000W for AC and PV, respectively). And two AC500s can build a 240V, 10000W output power system with a fusion box.

3. The Tiny yet Mighty Assassin: BLUETTI EB3A

Finally comes the BLUETTI EB3A. Out of BLUETTI naming custom, "EB3A" is quite distinct from other lineups. BLUETTI staff said the "A" is for "Advanced". EB3A has the 600W pure sine wave inverter and 288Wh LiFePO4 battery pack under the hood and supports 600W Max. AC input and 200W Max. solar input, absolutely a big catfish for the entry-level power station market.

Plus, EB3A is the first BLUETTI compact model needn’t charge with a bulky power brick (among the sub-3000Wh range). And it only takes EB3A 20 minutes, a coffee break to get 80% fully charged.

BLUETTI is seeing the energy storage’s future forward. However, it needs more time to improve and iterate the capability of sodium-ion battery technology, and diversified technologies are expected to assure the industry’s development for a green and pleasant world in the future.

PR Newswire

LG Display Introduces Innovative Display Technologies at CES 2022

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SEOUL, South Korea, Jan. 3, 2022 — LG Display, the world’s leading innovator of display technologies, announced today that it will be showcasing its latest innovations at CES 2022.

LG Display's Smart Window at CES 2022
LG Display’s Smart Window at CES 2022

Under the theme of "Display Your Universe", LG Display will be introducing innovative solutions that not only cater to people’s constantly-evolving needs and various lifestyles, but also propose new experiences set to redefine the way people do ordinary tasks in their daily lives.

The company will be highlighting its differentiated and cutting-edge technologies to enhance people’s lives – including ‘OLED.EX’, the next phase of OLED’s evolution; Transparent and Flexible OLED solutions that break away from spatial limitations; ‘IPS Black’, its new high-end LCD technology for IT products; new Gaming OLED displays, as well as a 17-inch Foldable OLED display for laptops.

OLED.EX, the Next-Generation OLED TV Technology to Provide an Upgraded Viewing Experience

This year’s showstopper is LG Display’s brand-new OLED TV display ‘OLED.EX’, which will further improve picture quality to provide an upgraded viewing experience.

The next-generation OLED.EX display implements LG Display’s deuterium and personalized algorithm-based ‘EX Technology’. Compared to conventional OLED displays, brightness is boosted by 30 percent while bezel width is reduced by 30 percent from 6mm to 4mm based on 65-inch OLED displays, thereby enhancing the OLED panels’ overall picture quality and heightening the design’s premium aesthetic.

The OLED.EX name is an acronym of ‘Evolution’ and ‘eXperience’, which represents the company’s willingness of providing customers with new experiences through its ever-evolving OLED technology.

Starting from the second quarter of 2022, LG Display will integrate its groundbreaking OLED.EX technology into every OLED TV display it produces to ensure people can enjoy next-level immersive viewing experiences.

Cutting-edge OLED Innovations Delivering Unprecedented Experiences

In addition to OLED.EX, LG Display will be unveiling Transparent OLED solutions developed to further seamlessly bridge the gap between online and physical spaces. Leveraging the advantages of OLED’s self-emissive nature, the company’s Transparent OLED boasts high transparency enough to replace regular glasses as well as the ability to display graphic effects and information in excellent picture quality. In addition, considering that Transparent OLED displays flaunt a slim design and light weight, they can be widely utilized for various industries such as transportation and construction.

The company is demonstrating the benefits of Transparent OLED through an array of unique and eye-catching products including ‘Shopping Managing Showcase’ and ‘Show Window’ for shopping malls, as well as ‘Smart Window’ for offices, Transparent OLED for subway trains, and ‘OLED Shelf’ that can transform any home interior into a living space.

LG Display is set to unveil its ‘Shopping Managing Showcase,’ a Transparent OLED display fitted inside a wooden display stand, which will reinvent the offline shopping experience. Ideal for luxurious department stores, the Shopping Managing Showcase can display eye-catching visual content on the screen that harmonizes with the products on display behind to better grab the attention of shoppers and elevate the ambience of the place.

Another example of how LG Display is redefining the shopping experience is its newly upgraded ‘Show Window’. Originally having comprised a single Transparent OLED display, the Show Window now utilizes four 55-inch Transparent OLED displays, maximizing the advertising potential of window displays by delivering a more unique and informative shopping experience.

When it comes to the office, LG Display will be showcasing its ‘Smart Window‘ which is specially designed for the office of the future. By applying this Transparent OLED technology to conference room windows, the advanced Smart Window can help professional teams maximize their productivity by transforming into an expansive screen for video conferencing and presentations without compromising the open view of a normal glass window.

LG Display will be also showcasing Transparent OLED for subway trains. Designed to replace existing subway train windows, the Transparent OLED displays provide useful information regarding subway schedules, weather, and news all the while giving passengers a clear view of the outside scenery. When fully applied in the transportation and mobility industry, the Transparent OLEDs are expected to provide augmented reality-like experiences such as displaying advertisements or relevant information regarding famous landmarks in real-time as the train is passing by.

To modernize home life, LG Display will be introducing its latest concept, ‘OLED Shelf,’ which combines two Transparent OLED displays, one above the other, and seamlessly blends into any living room decoration while adding a touch of elegance as it is hanging off from the shelf on the wall. The innovative OLED Shelf is perfect for displaying TV shows or gallery paintings while running in its Always on Display Mode, further demonstrating Transparent OLED displays’ ability to transform any home interior into a living space that exudes modernity.

Another innovation ready to make global headlines is the company’s ‘Virtual Ride’. The innovative Virtual Ride is an indoor stationary bicycle with three vertically-curved 55-inch OLED displays in front of and above it. The Virtual Ride demonstrates superior all-around flexible performance along with vivid, lifelike picture quality from the OLED screens that allow riders to carry out their favorite outdoor activity in the comfort of home.

Next up is the ‘Media Chair’ which combines a comfortable reclining chair with a curved Cinematic Sound OLED (CSO) display. Leveraging CSO’s remarkable ability to emit sound from the display itself, the Media Chair unlocks a whole new experience that allows the user to relax while enjoying an immersive, theater-like experience at home.

Moreover, LG Display will be showcasing Gaming OLED displays. Its Gaming OLED range, which has already received high praise from the gaming community, flaunts a response time 10 times faster than conventional LCD counterparts without irritating ghosting effects, to allow the user to enjoy excellent image quality and an immersive gameplay to date. The company’s highly-touted Gaming OLED also provides an even higher level of eye comfort for long gaming sessions without the sore and fatigued eyes during and afterwards. LG Display will bring its 48-inch and 42-inch Gaming OLED displays to the market in 2022.

LG Display will be showing off its 17-inch Foldable OLED for laptops. The display is almost entirely crease-free at the point of folding, letting users enjoy one device in various ways and forms – from a tablet to a laptop to even a portable monitor. What’s more, the screen is also equipped with the company’s touchscreen solutions that enable people to use the screen with either a pen or one’s fingers depending on their preference or the task being undertaken.

‘IPS Black’, A High-End, Premium LCD Technology for IT products

For the first time ever, LG Display will introduce ‘IPS Black’, a high-end and premium LCD technology for IT products. The IPS Black displays boast a black level 35 percent deeper than existing IPS products, which enables extreme clarity and precise color accuracy, essential for professions where success lies in the details. What’s more, the IPS Black significantly lowers the level of blue light and flaunts a nearly-borderless design on all sides of the display that heightens immersion and looks great anywhere. LG Display will be introducing its IPS Black technology at CES 2022 through a 27-inch UHD monitor.

LG Display’s cutting-edge and innovative display products will be showcased through its virtual exhibition on CES official website only for its customers.

About LG Display

LG Display Co., Ltd. [NYSE: LPL, KRX: 034220] is the world’s leading innovator of display technologies, including thin-film transistor liquid crystal and OLED displays. The company manufactures display panels in a broad range of sizes and specifications primarily for use in TVs, notebook computers, desktop monitors, and various other applications, including tablets and mobile devices. LG Display currently operates manufacturing facilities in Korea and China, and back-end assembly facilities in Korea, China, and Vietnam. The company has approximately 63,360 employees operating worldwide. For more news and information about LG Display, please visit www.lgdisplay.com.

Media Contact:

Jean Lee, Senior Manager, Global Communications
Tel: +822-3777-1689
Email: jean.lee@lgdisplay.com

 

PR Newswire

CCTV+: China Media Group president delivers New Year message to global audience

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BEIJING, Jan. 2, 2022 — China Media Group (CMG) President Shen Haixiong addressed the global audience on the first day of 2022, with the focus on the reflection of the CMG’s work over the past year and the group’s great roles in future news coverage.

 

"The New Year’s first ray of sunshine is illuminating the world. The new year is the Year of the Tiger on the Chinese lunar calendar. I would like to extend my best wishes from Beijing, wishing you a year full of prosperity and vitality!" Shen said.

Noting that the CMG has served as a witness to the remarkable past and recorded the country’s achievements through its dedicated work, Shen said that China’s overseas broadcasting services will continue this in 2022.

Shen also said that presenting China’s stories well to global audiences remains the CMG’s mission.

The CMG president said that reporting based on facts should be the fundamental principle of global journalists, and in the meantime, the group has debunked lies and myths in news stories regarding issues such as COVID-19 and Afghanistan.

He said the group has established a diverse and inclusive cooperation mechanism with international media partners.

The CMG president also referred to China’s scheduled hosting of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games and Paralympic Games – the world’s biggest sporting event of 2022.

Shen said China Media Group is ready to bring the event to global audiences, with cutting-edge technologies and its newly-launched Olympic Channel.

"During the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, CMG broadcast the world’s first live coverage of Olympic events on a 4K Ultra HD channel. The channel attracted more than 400 million viewers within three months of its launch. In just over 30 days, the Olympic flame will once again be lit in Beijing, during Chinese New Year. With the technologies of ‘5G+4K/8K+AI’, CMG has set up a livestreaming carriage on the high-speed train from Beijing to Zhangjiakou, Hebei province. It’s the first tech solution in the world to record and broadcast with Ultra HD streaming on high-speed trains," Shen said.

Shen also said that in 2022, the CPC will hold its 20th National Congress to draw a blueprint for China’s future.

Link: https://youtu.be/tgS2VG4TRQs

PR Newswire

SK Telecom Showcases Green ICT at CES 2022

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LAS VEGAS, Jan. 2, 2022 — SK Telecom (NYSE: SKM, hereinafter referred to as "SKT") today announced that it will participate in CES 2022, which will be held in Las Vegas from January 5 to 8, 2022, to showcase green ICT in the era of Net Zero. 

SKT Showcases Green ICT at CES 2022
SKT Showcases Green ICT at CES 2022

SKT will operate a joint exhibition booth with SK Inc., SK Innovation, SK hynix, SK E&S and SK Ecoplant under the theme of ‘SK’s 2030 Net Zero Pledge’ and offer a chance for visitors to experience its innovative green technologies. 

  • Environmentally friendly AI and telecommunications network technologies

AI and telecommunications networks stand at the core of ICT innovation. However, they are also pointed out as a cause of environmental pollution due to the large amount of power they consume. Against this backdrop, SKT is accelerating an ICT revolution through the development and application of low-power high-efficiency semiconductors and energy-saving telecommunications network technologies. 

At CES 2022, SKT will be showcasing its self-developed AI chip named SAPEON. SAPEON is optimally designed to process artificial intelligence tasks faster, using less power by efficiently processing large amounts of data in parallel.

With the rapid spread of AI services in people’s daily lives and industries, the amount of data that needs to be processed is growing exponentially. However, the existing AI data centers that use Graphics Processing Units (GPU) for inference are receiving criticism for consuming a great amount of energy. SAPEON is an environmentally-friendly solution as it uses 20% less power than GPU, while supporting 1.5 times faster deep learning computation. 

SKT will also introduce Single RAN, a technology that reduces the amount of power usage by approximately 53% through integrated operation of 3G and LTE network equipment. The company either replaced the outdated 3G and LTE equipment with new equipment applied with Single RAN or upgraded the software of its existing LTE equipment with Single RAN to operate as both 3G and LTE equipment.

By successfully applying Single RAN to all applicable base stations and repeaters installed in 78 cities in Korea including Seoul in 2020, SKT earned around 10,000 tons of carbon credits. 

  • ICT solutions for reducing carbon generation in daily lives 

At CES 2022, SKT will invite visitors to experience its metaverse service, multi-use cup project and other ICT services that can help reduce CO2 emissions such as optimal route navigation service. 

The company will introduce its metaverse platform Ifland as a new promising path towards a low carbon society. Ifland allows users to take carbon generating activities such as conferences, presentations and business trips to the virtual world. 

It provides a wide variety of virtual spaces including conference halls, outdoor stages and rooftops, and enables users to enjoy rich communication by sharing documents (PDF) and video files (MP4). It can accommodate up to 130 users simultaneously, which makes it an ideal place for large-scale events. 

Ifland has been providing users with a new and environmentally friendly experience by migrating diverse offline events to the virtual world ranging from the D-100 event for 2021 Seoul UN Peacekeeping Ministerial and K-pop concerts. 

SKT will also present the Habit Cup Project that promotes the use of multi-use cups to reduce plastic waste. Coffee shops participating in the project are serving beverages in multi-use cups named ‘Habit Cups’ that can be later returned via smart kiosks capable of identifying and accepting only Habit Cups through the use of SKT’s vision AI technology. Returned cups are collected everyday to be cleaned and sanitized, and then delivered back to cafes. 

At present, SKT is carrying out a trial project joined by around 20 cafes located in central areas of Seoul, where there is a large floating population. The company expects to eliminate the use of 1.2 million disposable cups during the three-month project period. It is also implementing a trial project in Jeju Island, and expects to reduce the use of 630,000 disposable cups per year. 

Korea’s No.1 mobility platform T Map will also be on display. By providing an optimal route, T Map contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and saving fuel. The service also helps save social costs by decreasing the risk of traffic accidents through enhanced safety features like sudden brake alert. 

"At CES 2022, we will be showcasing cutting-edge technologies that can drive the green ICT revolution, along with innovative services that hold the power to reduce carbon generation in our daily lives," said SKT. "Through multifaceted efforts, SKT will become a solid leader in the era of Net Zero." 

About SK Telecom

SK Telecom (NYSE: SKM) is Korea’s leading ICT company, driving innovations in fixed & wireless telecommunications, AI service, and digital infrastructure service. Armed with cutting-edge ICT including AI and 5G, the company is ushering in a new level of convergence to deliver unprecedented value to customers. As the global 5G pioneer, SKT is committed to realizing the full potential of 5G through ground-breaking services that can improve people’s lives, transform businesses, and lead to a better society.

SKT boasts unrivaled leadership in the Korean mobile market with over 30 million subscribers, which account for nearly 50 percent of the market. 

For more information, please contact skt_press@sk.com or visit our LinkedIn page www.linkedin.com/company/sk-telecom.

 

PR Newswire

FIBBR unveils Quantum fiber-optic HDMI cable

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New fiber-optic cable offers blazing 8K speed at previously unheard-of consumer-friendly prices.

NEW YORK, Jan. 2, 2022 — FIBBR (pronounced "fiber"), a world-leading manufacturer of high-end audio and video cables, has expanded its product line up with the new Quantum fiber-optic HDMI cable. The new cable supports data bitrates up to 48 gigabits per second, the highest speed of the new HDMI 2.1 standard. That’s fast enough to fully convey 8K/60Hz or 4K/120Hz video and advanced audio along a single, slender cable. 

FIBBR unveils Quantum fiber-optic HDMI cable
FIBBR unveils Quantum fiber-optic HDMI cable

Fiber-optic cables offer many benefits over their copper counterparts, especially in long cable runs. At such high bitrates, copper cables longer than 10 feet or so can really struggle to get the data from point A to point B. But fiber-optic cables are immune to this problem; they can extend to just about any length with no loss of signal whatsoever. In addition, they are invulnerable to electrical interference, with no need for fancy, bulky shielding. 

How do they work? The transmitting end converts electrical signals into pulses of light, which travel along the fiber-optic cable and are converted back into electrical signals at the receiving end. This "light into copper" process is bound to become the standard means of conveying 8K video reliably between devices. 

The only problem with fiber-optic HDMI cables has been their high cost—until now. FIBBR Quantum smashes the price barrier, allowing far more consumers to join the fiber revolution. A 2-meter/6.56-foot length carries a price tag of only $21, while a humongous 20-meter/65.6-foot cable is only $60. That’s a small fraction of what most fiber-optic HDMI cables cost. 

FIBBR Quantum is fully compatible with all the requirements of HDMI 2.1. It’s an entry-level product that nevertheless promises to bring stunning 8K performance to the masses at down-to-earth prices. 

About FIBBR: 

Founded in 2015, FIBBR is the global high-end audio and video signal-connection brand of EverPro Technologies Co., Ltd. The company offers a wide range of data-transmission products for many different interfaces, and its cables are sold all over the world. FIBBR has established official cooperation with well-known brands such as Huawei, BenQ, Pioneer, Sony, and others, providing technological innovation in the audio-visual market. 

Contact:
FIBBR marketing team
fibbr@everprotech.com

PR Newswire

Bilibili Hosts Annual New Year’s Eve Gala “The Most Beautiful Night of 2021”

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The livestream achieved record-breaking peak popularity index of 310 million

SHANGHAI, Jan. 1, 2022 — Bilibili, the leading video community for young generations in China, held "The Most Beautiful Night of 2021" New Year’s Eve gala on December 31, a cultural celebration for audiences to mark the end of the year. The peak popularity index of the livestream reached 310 million.  

This year the platform launched a "parallel performances" model, offering an innovative viewing experience. Audience members who registered for the livestream before 16:30 on December 31, could choose to watch the gala via the themed-versions, "Fantasy Space" or "Magical Space". Both formats of the show contained 31 sets of acts and were livestreamed simultaneously. However, some of the acts in the two versions were different and specially designed to mirror each other.

Despite the different versions, viewers watching both shows were still able to communicate on the same screen. In addition to the normal streaming bullet chats from viewers watching the same version, users also saw bullet chats streaming in reverse direction, which indicated messages coming from users watching the other version.

This is the third year for Bilibili to host a New Year’s Eve gala. The spectacle has become a signature cultural event for Chinese audiences, especially the young generations. "The Most Beautiful Night of 2020", saw its popularity index more than triple in size compared to 2019 during the livestream, achieving 120 million playbacks within 48 hours. "The Most Beautiful Night of 2019" was the first ever New Year’s Eve gala curated for young generations in China. The show has amassed over 130 million playbacks since its initial livestream.

The gala embraces audiences of all interests by presenting integrating cultural content, including mainstream and niche content; traditional and modern cultures; and Chinese and international flavors. It also features iconic IPs from animation, games, music, films and TV shows that have deeply impacted Chinese youth culture.

"We hope that our New Year’s Eve gala can continue to explore content loved by Chinese young people," said Carly Lee, vice chairwoman of the board of directors and chief operating officer of Bilibili, after the airing of 2020 Gala. "Through re-interpreting classic IPs and cultural touchstones, we transformed "traditional" into "popular" and "old-fashioned" into "avant-garde," reflecting the charm of blending diverse cultures."

The IPs showcased in this year’s gala included the Transformers series, the global sensational games, League of Legends and Genshin Impact, the widely acclaimed Chinese animations, Incarnation and Link Click, and the Chinese film, Let the Bullets Fly. Each was presented with creative performances or surprising mashups.

For example, when world-renowned Croatian pianist, Maksim Mrvica, played The Flight of the Bumblebee, beloved Transformers character Bumblebee appeared on stage. Mrvica then performed Transformers Prime from the franchise’s soundtrack accompanied by a symphony and a Chinese orchestra. Two other transformers, Optimus Prime and Megatron, also joined the performance, celebrating the debut of Transformers characters at a Chinese New Year’s Eve gala.

Transformers characters on Bilibili New Year's Eve gala stage
Transformers characters on Bilibili New Year’s Eve gala stage

Eight Bilibili content creators and three esports players covered Lonely Warriors, the Chinese theme song for Arcane: League of Legends, the first animated series of the game. With the help of high-tech visual effects, the gala also brought to the stage scenes of Liyue Harbor from the global smash hit game, Genshin Impact.

The gala brought to stage scenes from global sensational game Genshin Impact
The gala brought to stage scenes from global sensational game Genshin Impact

"The animation, games and films that people consume from their teenage years through their 30s form the most essential part of their psyche. So, it’s very important we pay tribute to classic IPs at Bilibili galas to fulfill the emotional needs of our users," said Fox Yang, vice president of Bilibili and the executive director of Bilibili New Year’s Eve galas.

"We hope to fully demonstrate the psyche and cultural aesthetics of Bilibili users through the galas," Yang added. "We incorporated various cultural elements throughout the show, knowing that young generations have a very strong ability to understand and absorb different types of culture. We also took Bilibili’s content ecosystem and hot topics into consideration to cater to Bilibili user tastes."

"Mashups" have always been a favorite of Chinese young people for the fresh viewing experience provided by the mix of unexpected cultural elements. Chinese soprano Guo Sen and Bilibili content creator Pan Hangwei mashed up classic and pop music by performing a suite of songs in bel canto including Bad Guy by Billie Eilish, and Love You at 105℃, a catchy song that went viral on the Chinese internet in 2021. China’s top musician, Li Yanliang, played guitar alongside a symphony and rock band, performing a suite of songs from Japanese anime soundtracks.

Some shows were inspired by the past year’s trending content on Bilibili. For example, Chinese band Mosaic pranked the audience by playing Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up, before their actual performance. The "Rick Roll" was one of Bilibili users’ favorite memes in 2021. 

Because more Bilibili users have begun to embrace and actively promote traditional Chinese culture, the gala featured a list of performances related to the topic. An act from Chinese dance drama Poetic Dance: The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting, impressed the viewers with its beautiful Chinese aesthetics. In the past year, 136 million users watched content related to traditional Chinese culture on Bilibili. As of October 2021, over two million related videos had been uploaded on Bilibili, covering Chinese opera, traditional paintings, poetry, food and more.

An act from Poetic Dance: The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting
An act from Poetic Dance: The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting

Bilibili has become the go-to platform for young generations to find high-quality content and entertainment. According to Q3 financial results, the platform has amassed over 267 million monthly active users and 2.7 million monthly active content creators. As a full-spectrum video community Bilibili offers diverse content encompassing different interests including lifestyle, game, entertainment, anime, knowledge and more. The platform’s unique community culture, which values expression and user relationships enables the creation and continuous sharing of high-quality content.

ABOUT BILIBILI INC
Bilibili is an iconic brand and a leading video community with a mission to enrich the everyday life of young generations in China. Bilibili offers a wide array of video-based content with All the Videos You Like as its value proposition. Bilibili builds its community around aspiring users, high-quality content, talented content creators and the strong emotional bond among them. Bilibili pioneered the "bullet chatting" feature, a live commenting function that has transformed the viewing experience by displaying thoughts and feelings of other audience viewing the same video. It has now become the welcoming home of diverse interests for young generations in China and the frontier to promote Chinese culture across the world.

 

PR Newswire

EcoFlow Triples Sales for the 2nd Consecutive Year in 2021

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The company reaches $200 million in annual revenue and reinforces its market shares

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 1, 2022 — EcoFlow, a portable power and renewable energy solutions company, today revealed that its annual revenue reached $200 million in 2021, increasing by 275% compared to the year before. EcoFlow has more than tripled its sales for the second consecutive year, outrunning the global portable power station market’s CAGR of 42%.


"The impressive sales growth can be attributed to a few things," said Allen Zheng, Sales Director at EcoFlow. "Our expansion to over 100 markets and the complete rollout of the RIVER and DELTA product lines are the main reasons. Rising power demand caused by increasing cases of extreme weather-related power outages also played a part."

In addition to the rapid sales growth, 2021 has been a milestone year for EcoFlow. In June, the company received a Series B investment of over $100 million from Sequoia’s China fund, Hillhouse, and CICC. The funding round catapulted the company to one of the top industry leaders and saw the company valued at over $1 billion. One month later, EcoFlow launched the DELTA Pro, the industry’s first portable home battery, on Kickstarter. The EcoFlow DELTA Pro went on to break Kickstarter’s record for the most-funded tech project by raising over $12 million and was named one of TIME’s 100 Best Inventions in 2021.

EcoFlow also took a more active role in environmental issues and emergency preparedness in 2021. In March, EcoFlow initiated a long-term reforestation fundraising campaign for the Million Forest Plan, an ecological project jointly initiated by the United Nations Environment Program, the Climate Organization, and the China Green Foundation. In September, EcoFlow launched an educational campaign — ‘Peace of Mind’, which aimed to inform individuals about the importance of natural disaster preparedness through influencers and subject matter experts.

"We have great confidence in 2022 as what we’ve accomplished in the past year is a good indicator. EcoFlow will continue to expand in a socially responsible way while powering a new world," Zheng said.

About EcoFlow

EcoFlow is a portable power and renewable energy solutions company. Since its founding in 2017, EcoFlow has provided peace-of-mind power to customers in over 85 markets through its DELTA and RIVER product lines of portable power stations and eco-friendly accessories. EcoFlow’s mission is to reinvent the way the world accesses energy by innovating lighter-weight and longer-lasting clean, quiet and renewable power storage solutions.

SOURCE: EcoFlow Inc.