Monthly Archives: April 2022

Android, Mobile, News

vivo Joins the Fold-able Scene with vivo X Fold and vivo X Note in China

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When Samsung and HUAWEI captured the world with their folding smartphones a few years back, they opened an entire can of worms. Samsung stuck to their original design with multiple displays on offer and they made it stick with their second and third iteration of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold as they call it today. Their form factor also became the de facto foldable smartphone layout; just look at the OPPO Find N.

OPPO and HUAWEI are not the only smartphone manufacturers that wants a piece of the foldable smartphone pie with Samsung’s designs. Companies like OnePlus and even Google themselves have expressed interests in building their own version of a smartphone with one folding display and another solid display out front. Now vivo has beaten them both and introduced their own vivo X Fold.

vivo, to be fair, did not just launch the X Fold in China. They also launched their largest smartphone to date – the vivo X Note. In this case, before we talk about the foldable, we do have to at least talk about the vivo X Note.

vivo X Note

VIVO X NOTE
source: vivo

It is vivo’s most powerful candybar smartphone to date. It packs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 for everything that Android 12 needs on the device. For photography, it packs vivo’s own developed V1 chip. That V1 chip powers a 50-Megapixel main camera that is flanked by an 8-Megapixel 5x telephoto camera, a 12-Megapixel 2x telephoto camera, and another 48-Megapixel ultrawide camera. Of course, the new vivo X Note is capable of recording videos at 8K. For selfies, you get a 16-Megapixel front-facing camera sitting in a punch hole in the display.

Speaking of display, it is an expansive 7-inch display that boasts 2K 1440p. It is an LTPO AMOLED display capable of up to 120Hz in refresh rate and down to 1Hz if need be. The brilliant display also offers HDR10+ in colour and contrast which also means watching Netflix or Prime Video on it should be a rather enjoyable experience.

For memory and storage, you get up to 12GB in RAM and 512GB in built-in UFS 3.1 flash module. Right beneath the display is also a large under-disply optical fingerprint sensor for faster and better fingerprint sensor coverage. To keep all of that running an entire day and more is a 5,000mAh battery that is also capable of 80W charging speeds. They say that the vivo X Note can fully charge (from 0%) within 32 minuttes.

vivo X Fold

VIVO X FOLD
source: vivo

The star of the show is vivo’s first foldable device, the vivo X Fold. While you may expect the vivo foldable device to have more in common to its cousin over from OPPO, the X Fold has more in common with Samsung’s Foldable. It is a larger device that the Samsung though.

For starters, the secondary outer display measures 6.53-inch compared to Samsung’s 6.2-inch. Unfold the device and an 8.03-inch display greets you. The outside display is an excellent AMOLED display that boasts Full HD+ resolutions at 21:9 aspect ratio. It is also a speedy display at 120Hz.

The larger main display boasts even more pixels than the outer display, which is quite expected. You get 1,916 by 2,160 pixels from the 8-inch flexible AMOLED panel. It boasts HDR10+ in colour contrast for the best display experience you can get for smartphones currently. It is also an LTPO display, which means that it goes down to 1Hz refresh to extend your battery life.

It shares some similarities with the vivo X Note too. It packs a 50-Megapixel main camera flanked by the same 5x telephoto, 2x telephoto, and high-resolution ultrawide cameras. There is only one front-facing camera though, unlike some of the foldables that we have seen. The 16-Megapixel front-facing camera sits in a punch-hole on the outer display.

The device is powered by the best that the industry has to offer currently, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 system on a chip (SoC). Supporting the powerful SoC is up to 12GB in RAM. You also get up to 512GB of storage for good measure.

Instead of a side mounted fingerprint sensor though, vivo has employed the use of their large under-display optical fingerprint sensor. They have also installed not one, but two fingerprint sensors (one outside, one inside) for maximum convenience for users. vivo also produced their own unique hinge for the folding display that is supposed to minimise the crease of the folding display with a rising aluminium plate supporting the flexing part of the display. It could also help in durability and reliability of the folding display too.

To keep everything happy and running an entire day or more is a 4,600mAh battery pack within its body. It does not charge at 80W like the X Note though. Still 66W charging speeds should bring it from 0% to a full charge in about 37 minutes, which is still rather impressive.

All these things do make it a little heftier than the even the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3. It weighs just over 300g. To be specific, it weighs 311g, 40g heavier than the Samsung. Considering all that it packs though, that is not too big of a weight increase.

Price and Availability

For now, the vivo X Note and X Fold will only be available in China. There are no mentions when vivo will bring the device out of China. Then again, there are no confirmations on whether vivo will be selling the device outside of China. Remember the OPPO Find N? While that was showcased in Malaysia, the device never made it to Malaysia officially.

The vivo X Note will come in three storage and RAM offerings. It starts at 8GB + 256GB configuration at CN¥ 5,999 (MYR 3,990*) and tops out at CN¥ 6,999 (MYR 4,650*) for a 12GB + 512GB configuration.

The vivo X Fold will also be offering in a variety of storage options. It starts from 12GB + 256GB option at CN¥ 8,999 (MYR 5,960*) and tops out at 12GB + 512GB configuration at CN¥ 9,999 (MYR 6,620*).

* Approximation by Vivo Malaysia

PR Newswire

TBSI at Tsinghua SIGS published an important research review on the technological breakthrough in on-chip LIDAR systems on Nature

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SHENZHEN, China, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Recently, Associate Professor Hongyan Fu from Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School (Tsinghua SIGS) was invited by the international journal “Nature” to publish a critical analysis and review of on-chip LiDAR imaging systems. The paper summarizes and discusses the key technologies currently used in on-chip LiDAR systems, and specifically addresses the on-chip integrated focal plane switching array technology. The performance of the system is also analyzed in the context of the important demands of future consumer electronics and smart cities for the LIDAR systems, and future directions for the development of this technology area are proposed.

The article focuses on two current integrated beam-steering devices for on-chip LIDAR: the optical phased array (OPA) and the focal plane switching array (FPSA). The working mechanism of OPA is analyzed and the article identifies the reasons that make them difficult to integrate densely on a single chip on a large scale. In contrast, FPSA uses a camera-like optical system to map each angle in the field of view where the target is located to each pixel in the focal plane behind the imaging lens. The article suggests the possibility of integrating a large array of antennas on a single chip. The article further reviews the work of Ming C. Wu’s group at the University of California, Berkeley, USA, published in the same issue of “Nature” on a MEMS-based large-scale FPSA LiDAR system. The article presents the problem of insufficient lateral resolution in FPSA-based LIDAR systems and offers a solution to improve the performance by reducing the size of the optical switches. Finally, the article comments that further miniaturization and improvements in performance will make FPSA a promising technology for applications including megapixel 3D lidar and optical communications with the mature of processing technologies.

About:

Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute (TBSI) is jointly established by Tsinghua University and University of California, Berkeley under the support of the Shenzhen Municipal Government. Especially, Data Science and Information Technology, full-English program, has dual degree for master of Tsinghua University and Master of Engineering at University of California, Berkeley.

Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute (TBSI)
Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute (TBSI)

How to Apply?

THU Online Application System http://gradadmission.tsinghua.edu.cn/

Select “Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School”

Choose Program “Data Science and Information Technology”

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PR Newswire

Creality 8th Anniversary — With You, We Spark Creativity

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SHENZHEN, China, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Creality celebrated its 8th anniversary on April 9th, 2022. Just like the theme “With You, We Spark Creativity”, Creality fully delivered its user-centered philosophy from five aspects, including communication mechanism, new website and official store, Creality Cloud 4.0, eco-system strategic layout and new products, such as Creality HALOT-ONE PRO & PLUS.

Communication Mechanism Reconstruction

Creality is inclusive and devotes to building user communities. Making source codes available on GitHub for modification, and redesigning UI for CR-10 Smart Pro with key user Sebastiaan Dammann, Creality aims to improve user experience via further communication and interactions. In addition, Creality awarded users with “Person of the Year” so as to show respect and encourage more engagement.

Launch of New Global Website and Official Store

Getting users’ voices heard, Creality notices that model acquisition, slicing and quality printing are the main pain points. To provide better service, Creality added Creality Cloud’s entrance on the top and bottom navigations, product page, and information downloading page, where global users can access the model library and conduct slicing online. Creality’s new global website is a DTC website redesigned based on consumers’ needs, where users can obtain products’ basic information, relevant services, accessories and recommended filaments, etc.

For the celebration, Creality is offering a 15% off discount for products in the official store. The activity will go on till April 11th. Get surprises here: https://bit.ly/37Ft6Br. It also has “Buy More Save More” coming right after the 15% off discount flash-sale: https://bit.ly/3O5F73B.

Eco-system New Products – CR-Scan Lizard & CR-Laser Falcon

Creality’s new 3D scanner—CR-Scan Lizard delivers up to 0.05 mm precision, introducing the industrial-grade accuracy into desktop-grade. The new 3D engraver & cutter – CR-Laser Falcon allows users to create artwork on multiple materials, such as the high-hard matte stainless steel, general hard PVC and flexible paper. Furthermore, Creality prioritizes healthiness. The optimization of the smoke and dust filtration system enables users to create their masterpieces in a healthy environment.
https://bit.ly/3utzggJ

Announcement of Creality HALOT-ONE PRO & PLUS

The new resin 3D printers Creality HALOT-ONE PRO & PLUS meet the demands of high precision printing. Being more accurate, more intelligent and more easy to use, Creality HALOT-ONE PRO with 7.04” 3K mono LCD, and Creality HALOT-ONE PLUS with 7.0” 4K mono LCD are able to print 0.01 mm micro-pore and micro-column, and restore anime’s details with high fidelity.
https://bit.ly/3KzWbwA
https://bit.ly/3rg2YE5

Brand New Creality Cloud 4.0

Creality Cloud is the world’s first all-in-one 3D printing platform that offers model downloading, cloud slicing, and remote control, making 3D printing easier and smarter for over a million makers.
https://bit.ly/3vaBMI4

Apart from all these, the following 3D printers will impress users under different scenarios.

Ender-3 S1 & S1 Pro are rated as BEST 3D PRINTER UNDER $500. Designed with “Sprite” dual-gear direct extruder, they are very skillful when printing with diverse filaments and can maintain their excellence in 300°C high-temp printing with PA, TPU, etc. To print or restore an auto tyre is not a challenge at all.
https://bit.ly/3LYNFaT 
https://bit.ly/3Joklc9

CR-10 Smart Pro has enhanced intelligence to a higher level. Connect to Creality Cloud—the model library via Wi-Fi, users can print and monitor anytime and anywhere.
https://bit.ly/3KqIKPs

Sermoon V1/ V1 Pro featured by assembly free and leveling free has a fully-enclosed structure, which is safe to use at home or school. With sound exposure lower than 45db, Sermoon V1/ V1 Pro achieves silent printing, and it’s a perfect partner.
https://bit.ly/3xiWsAk

Getting voices heard and making continuous efforts, Creality is building up its brand image. Creality’s CEO Mr. Ao extended gratitude to users for their trust on the 8th anniversary celebration and he hoped that every user who encountered Creality could reap value beyond expectations and enjoy the convenience and fun brought by 3D printing. As always, Creality will stick to the user-oriented philosophy, introduce 3D printing and bring benefits to thousands of households.

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PR Newswire

China Online Education Group Announces Management Change

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BEIJING, April 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — China Online Education Group (“51Talk” or the “Company”) (NYSE: COE), a leading online education platform in China, with core expertise in English education, announced that Mr. Liming Zhang has tendered his resignation as the Company’s Chief Operating Officer due to personal reasons. His last day with the Company will be May 15, 2022.

The Company greatly appreciates Mr. Zhang’s significant contributions to the management of the Company’s operations as well as his role as the co-founder of the Company, and sincerely wishes his continued success in his future endeavors.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains statements that may constitute “forward-looking” statements which are made pursuant to 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,” “aims,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “likely to,” and similar statements. 51Talk may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), in its annual report 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 51Talk’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 51Talk’s filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and 51Talk does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

About China Online Education Group

China Online Education Group (NYSE: COE) is a leading online education platform in China, with core expertise in English education. The Company’s mission is to make quality education accessible and affordable. The Company’s online and mobile education platforms enable students to take live interactive English lessons on demand. The Company connects its students with a large pool of highly qualified teachers that it assembled using a shared economy approach, and employs student and teacher feedback and data analytics to deliver a personalized learning experience to its students.  

For more information, please visit http://ir.51talk.com.

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Accessories, Consumer Electronics, Lifestyle

Robot Vacuums Just Got a Whole Lot Better – The ECOVACS DEEBOT X1 Series is Officially in Malaysia!

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Cleaning up at home is a tedious job. While you should allocate a single day for a major clean up operations at home, there are certain things that you should also consider doing consistently to ensure that your living space is livable until those major cleaning days. One of which is to keep your floor properly clean, very important in Asian homes where shoes are not allowed indoors. You want a smooth, clean floor for that.

The introduction of robot vacuum cleaners are a blessing and a little bit of a curse. They are mighty convenient to work with. At a touch of a button, or tick of a timer, the robot vacuums start its own cleaning routine without too much of a fuss, do a round around your space, and goes back to its own little corner. It is perfect for smaller spaces, thus making it the perfect home cleaning companion when you live alone in a single-storey apartment.

A lot of them were not very good though. Because they were not very big, you still want to ensure that they are not exposed to large chunks of debris. While they were advertised to be “smart cleaners”, they were not very clever sometimes. They tend to fall off ledges, trip over cables, gets themselves stuck transitioning from regular flooring to carpet, and sometimes they are not able to comprehend that there are a lot more floors than what they are cleaning. You still must do some regular maintenance cleaning on the robot vacuum itself, because it has a small stomach. If your robot has mopping functions, you must ensure you top the water up, or replace the murky water after every vacuum session. You also want to make sure your mopping attachment is clean all the time. In conclusion, having a robot vacuum cleaner can be more hassle than it is marketed to be.

Now though, ECOVACS is here to save the day with the DEEBOT X1 series of robot vacuum cleaners.

ECOVACS DEEBOT X1 Family

Ecovacs X1 Family Product
Source: © ECOVACS

ECOVACS, if you have not heard yet, is one of the leading brands when it comes to home service robots, especially robot vacuum cleaners. They were one of the first in the industry to push an AI powered vacuum robot that uses various sensors to map out your entire floor plan it can access, understand the surfaces it is exposed to, and run more efficient cleaning programs for itself the next time it goes around.

There was still another problem to solve. The maintenance of the robot vacuums themselves. At least that was a problem until now.

The DEEBOT X1 family of products looks rather sophisticated. All it is, in essence anyway, is an ECOVACS DEEBOT robot vacuum with a large docking station that also acts as its bin, and refilling tank. The DEEBOT X1 robot vacuum itself also has mopping functions, which explains the refilling part.

The robot vacuum itself comes with ECOVACS’ state-of-the-art vacuum technologies. It is powered by a powerful 5000Pa suction mechanism. Of course, being a premium product, ECOVACS also ensured that it maps your floor plan as accurately as possible with their proven AIVI 3D and TrueMapping 2.0 technologies. There is even a clever AI voice assistant YIKO. You can interact with YIKO, which could be fun. At the same time, they have also fitted the OZMO Turbo 2.0 Rotary Pressure Mopping System for the most advanced robot mopping experience you can get in the current market.

DEEBOT X1 OMNI

Ecovacs X1 Omni Top
Source: © ECOVACS
Ecovacs X1 Omni Base Station
Source: © ECOVACS
Ecovacs X1 Omni Open Flap
Source: © ECOVACS
Ecovacs X1 Omni Robot in Base Station
Source: © ECOVACS
Ecovacs X1 Omni with Base Station
Source: © ECOVACS
Ecovacs X1 Omni Front
Source: © ECOVACS

The highlight of the DEEBOT X1 family though is their docking stations. There are two on offer: the OMNI, and the TURBO. The OMNI would be the flagship model with a 4L water tank for both clean and dirty water to ensure that the robot has fresh water supply for its own cleaning and the mopping programs. All the cleaning and refilling happens automatically. All you need to do to for maintenance is to ensure that dirty water is disposed, and fresh water is topped up periodically.

The docking station is also where the DEEBOT X1 dumps its vacuumed load to ensure that its bowels are empty again for its next vacuum station. Like the 4L water tank, all you need to do is to replace the vacuum bag within the housing periodically, or when it gets full.

DEEBOT X1 TURBO

Ecovacs X1 Turbo base station
Source: © ECOVACS
Ecovacs X1 Turbo Flap Open
Source: © ECOVACS
Ecovacs X1 Turbo Front
Source: © ECOVACS
Ecovacs X1 Turbo Side
Source: © ECOVACS
Ecovacs X1 Turbo Top
Source: © ECOVACS

For the TURBO model, the docking station acts only as a cleaning station for the DEEBOT X1 after every vacuum and mopping session. That means you need to still replace the filter bags and water supply of the robot vacuum itself. The cleaning station on the TURBO docking station, like the OMNI station too, ensures that the mopping pad is cleaned and dried removing any bad odours that might come from the pads.

Price and Availability

The DEEBOT X1 is now available on both Shopee and Lazada. The DEEBOT X1 OMNI will set you back MYR 7,999. The DEEBOT X1 TURBO will retail for MYR 6,999, a whole MYR 1,000 less than the OMNI. While both models do sound premium, it does cut out a lot of cleaning work for yourself. Just think about how much time you save on cleaning and the price will make a lot more sense.

PR Newswire

Criminal IP New Cybersecurity Search Engine launches first beta test

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TORRANCE, Calif., April 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — AI Spera announced Criminal IP, a new cybersecurity platform, today. Criminal IP is a total Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) search engine intended to identify potential vulnerabilities that threatening companies or individuals’ IT assets. It also offers a new way to manage them comprehensively by allowing users to find results for malicious IP address, malicious domains, phishing sites, forged certificates, all IT assets, and other security related information immediately.

Criminal IP, a new cybersecurity search engine, will begin its first beta test on April 28, and is currently recruiting beta service testers.
Criminal IP, a new cybersecurity search engine, will begin its first beta test on April 28, and is currently recruiting beta service testers.

The company has been recruiting beta service testers and plans to operate beta service for three months from April 28. Testers pre-registering for beta service will be given a three-month free license after the official launch and if testers participate in the service survey, they can receive an additional one-month free license as a reward.

Criminal IP visualizes all IT assets connected to the Internet based on IP addresses held by companies and individuals as well as provides all possible information about domains in real time, including network logs, used programming technologies and security-related information, without having to directly access websites.

Users can prevent security problems in advance by searching for vulnerabilities in IT assets and identifying cyber attackers’ attack points for attack surface management purposes through Criminal IP data. In addition, everything that has happened to a particular IP address can be recorded like a criminal record to track malicious behavior of an IP address.

“Above all, this platform is the ultimate comprehensive solution that maximizes user’s convenience by providing all CTI information distributed by different solutions in one place,”said Byungtak Kang, founder at AI Spera.

Features and benefits of Criminal IP include:

  • providing a wide range of cyber threat information, including malicious IPs, C&C domains, threat intelligence images and CVEs, etc., based on big data on 4.2 billion IP addresses and billions of domain addresses worldwide
  • analyzing all possible details about domains including screenshots, whois information, used technologies, connected IP addresses, certificates, network logs as well as security-oriented features like possible malicious contents and replicated phishing domains with DGA (Domain Generation Algorithm) score
  • searching and updating global IP addresses and domains in 24/7 to extract applications and services in use, and provide information on security vulnerabilities of IT assets to enable real-time automatic attack surface management
  • offering straightforward search result based on a wide range of specific search filters so that users can conveniently access the right information they need

For more information on Criminal IP’s range of service and beta test, visit https://bit.ly/37oxjJD.

About AI Spera: AI Spera is a fast-growing company in the field of cyber threat intelligence. Based on AI and Machine Learning technology, the company focuses on detection of anomalies and data-oriented security solutions. The company supports as many corporates, security developers and researchers as possible to view the attack surface through the eyes of an attacker and provide various AI-based intelligence security solutions across industries including online games, financial, security and national institutions.

Source: AI Spera Inc.

PR Newswire

Connect Selects and Deploys IPLOOK as Foundation for 4G Fixed Wireless Access Solution

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IPLOOK’s FWA solution enables Connect to deliver fast and reliable 4G LTE Connectivity to Residential and Enterprise Customers while significantly lowering TCO

HONG KONG, April 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — IPLOOK Technologies, the leader in end-to-end mobile network solution, announced it has been selected by Connect, one of the leading Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs) in Lebanon, to deploy 4G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) solution, delivering ultra-fast connections and rich customer experience for residentials and enterprises.

In the highly competitive Lebanon market, the region has the demand for high-bandwidth services. As one of the leaders in telecommunications, Connect is committed to bringing state-of-the-art internet and intranet services to Lebanon‘ s people at a competitive price. After a range of full-scale and trusted validation, IPLOOK was successfully selected to deploy the full turnkey 4G mobile network solution, that will provide high-speed broadband service to areas where fiber is unavailable or very expensive to build.

With IPLOOK’ s help, Connect delivered a fast and reliable LTE network offering to residential and enterprise customers across Beirut, that will usher in a new phase of growth. Connect expects to significantly upgrade its 5G network in the near future and develop more advancing network services to better meet the requirements from its customers.

“Connect is an instant high-speed wireless broadband internet provider, that allows you to get connected anywhere you go,” said Jubran El Ayan, CTO of Lebanon Connect. “We’ve selected IPLOOK as it is the best company capable of fulfilling our requirement for a scalable EPC (4G core network) platform. Moreover, they are pragmatic, flexible and with timely manner for service.”

“IPLOOK is honored to become the trusted partner of Connect. Our flexible FWA solution enables Connect to rapidly roll out 4G services to address their customers’ needs and win in the marketplace. In the future, we will continue to support the upgrade of 5G network.” said Frank Li, Sales Director in MENA Region at IPLOOK Technologies.

Contact us:
E-mail: info@iplook.com

About Connect
Connect seeks to keep delivering the latest broadband services in the field, preserving a true competitive advantage and meeting all customer expectations. Being connected with people, whenever and wherever they are in the fast-paced world, inspired Connect to deliver an extensive line-up that comprises Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS), high quality high-speed wireless broadband access as well as data centre and hosting solutions.
More information can be found at: http://www.connect.net.lb 

About IPLOOK
Established in 2012, IPLOOK Technologies is a leading vendor of 4G/5G networking solutions, offers a complete line of products for mobile operators, mobile virtual operators, service providers, enterprises and industrial markets. We help build, expand and optimize your networks to fulfill the growing connectivity needs, with a dramatically lower cost of ownership.

Reach out more at https://www.iplook.com/. Follow IPLOOK on LinkedIn @IPLOOK Technologies

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PR Newswire

Zhihu Inc. Launches Global Offering

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BEIJING, April 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Zhihu Inc. (NYSE: ZH) (“Zhihu” or the “Company”), the operator of Zhihu, a leading online content community in China, today announced the launch of its global offering (the “Global Offering”) of 26,000,000 Class A ordinary shares of the Company, which comprises a Hong Kong public offering of initially 2,600,000 Class A ordinary shares commencing on April 11, 2022, Hong Kong time (the “Hong Kong Public Offering”) and an international offering of initially 23,400,000 Class A ordinary shares commencing today (the “International Offering”), and dual-primary listing (the “Hong Kong Listing”) of its Class A ordinary shares on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the “Hong Kong Stock Exchange”) under the stock code “2390.”

The Company’s American depositary shares (the “ADSs”), two of which represent one Class A ordinary share of the Company, will continue to be listed and traded on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”). Investors in the Global Offering will only be able to purchase Class A ordinary shares and will not be able to take delivery of ADSs. Upon the Hong Kong Listing, the Class A ordinary shares listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange will be fully fungible with the ADSs listed on the NYSE.

The initial number of Class A ordinary shares under the Hong Kong Public Offering and the International Offering represent 10% and 90% of the total number of Class A ordinary shares initially available under the Global Offering, respectively, subject to reallocation and over-allotment. Subject to the level of oversubscription in the Hong Kong Public Offering and pursuant to the claw back mechanism, as described in the Hong Kong prospectus to be issued by the Company in Hong Kong dated April 11, 2022, the total number of Class A ordinary shares available under the Hong Kong Public Offering could be adjusted to up to a maximum of 13,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, representing 50% of the Class A ordinary shares initially available under the Global Offering. In addition, certain selling shareholders expect to grant the international underwriters an over-allotment option to require these selling shareholders to sell up to an additional 3,900,000 Class A ordinary shares in the International Offering, representing no more than 15% of the total number of Class A ordinary shares initially available under the Global Offering.

The offer price for the Hong Kong Public Offering (the “Hong Kong Offer Price”) will be no more than HK$51.80 per Class A ordinary share (the “Maximum Hong Kong Offer Price”), or US$6.64 per Class A ordinary share (equivalent to US$3.32 per ADS). The offer price for the International Offering tranche of the Global Offering (the “International Offer Price”) may be set higher than, or the same as, the Maximum Hong Kong Offer Price. The International Offer Price will be set on or about April 14, 2022, Hong Kong time, by taking into consideration, among other factors, the closing price of the ADSs on the NYSE on the last trading day on or before April 14, 2022 and investor demand during the marketing process. The final Hong Kong Offer Price will be set at the lower of the final International Offer Price and the Maximum Hong Kong Offer Price of HK$51.80 per Class A ordinary share. The shares will be traded in board lots of 100 Class A ordinary shares.

The entire shares of the Global Offering are comprised of sale shares to be sold by certain selling shareholders. The Company will not receive any of the net proceeds from the Global Offering. The selling shareholders will receive all the net proceeds of the Global Offering.

Credit Suisse (Hong Kong) Limited, J.P. Morgan Securities (Far East) Limited, China International Capital Corporation Hong Kong Securities Limited, and CMB International Capital Limited are the joint sponsors for the proposed Global Offering. Credit Suisse (Hong Kong) Limited, J.P. Morgan Securities (Asia Pacific) Limited, China International Capital Corporation Hong Kong Securities Limited, and CMB International Capital Limited are the joint global coordinators for the proposed Global Offering. Credit Suisse (Hong Kong) Limited, J.P. Morgan Securities (Asia Pacific) Limited, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (in relation to the International Offering only), China International Capital Corporation Hong Kong Securities Limited, CMB International Capital Limited, CCB International Capital Limited, and Haitong International Securities Company Limited are the joint bookrunners and joint lead managers for the proposed Global Offering.

The International Offering is being made only by means of a preliminary prospectus supplement dated April 8, 2022 and the accompanying prospectus included in an automatic shelf registration statement on Form F-3 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on April 8, 2022, which automatically became effective upon filing. The shelf registration statement on Form F-3 and the preliminary prospectus supplement are available at the SEC website at: http://www.sec.gov.

The proposed Global Offering is subject to market and other conditions, and there can be no assurance as to whether or when the Global Offering may be completed, or as to the actual size or terms of the Global Offering. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer or an invitation to buy any securities of the Company, nor shall there be any offer or sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction. This press release does not constitute a prospectus (including as defined under the laws of Hong Kong) and potential investors should read the prospectus of the Company for detailed information about the Company and the proposed Global Offering, before deciding whether or not to invest in the Company. This press release has not been reviewed or approved by the Hong Kong Stock Exchange or the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong.

The price of the Class A ordinary shares of the Company may be stabilized in accordance with the Securities and Futures (Price Stabilizing) Rules (Chapter 571W of the Laws of Hong Kong). The details of the intended stabilization and how it will be regulated under the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Chapter 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong) will be contained in the Hong Kong prospectus of the Company to be dated April 11, 2022.

About Zhihu Inc.

Zhihu Inc. (NYSE: ZH) is the operator of Zhihu, a leading online content community in China, dedicated to empowering people to share knowledge, experience, and insights, and to find their own answers. Zhihu fosters a vibrant online community where users contribute and engage while respecting diversity and valuing constructiveness by promoting a culture of sincerity, expertise, and respect developed through years of cultivation. Zhihu is China’s largest Q&A-inspired online community and one of the top five Chinese comprehensive online content communities, both in terms of average mobile monthly average users and revenue in 2021. For more information, please visit https://ir.zhihu.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

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

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

In China:
Zhihu Inc.
Email: ir@zhihu.com

The Piacente Group, Inc.
Helen Wu
Tel: +86 (10) 6508-0677
Email: zhihu@tpg-ir.com

In the United States:
The Piacente Group, Inc.
Brandi Piacente
Tel: +1 (212) 481-2050
Email: zhihu@tpg-ir.com

Cision View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zhihu-inc-launches-global-offering-301521213.html

Source: Zhihu Inc.

PR Newswire

Seven Mortal Sins X-TASY unveils character settings ahead of launch

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TAIPEI, April 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Seven Mortal Sins X-TASY will be soon launched on the App Store and Google Play, and the pre-register campaign is now ongoing. Sin is an anime manga IP from Hobby Japan released in 2012 and licensed to USERJOY to develop as a mobile RPG later on.

The main characters in this piece are created by the famous Japanese artist Niθ^ as the Seven Mortal Sins, the Seven Heavenly Virtues, and the Sin of Heresy.

– Seven Mortal Sins


From the left to the right:

  • Lucifer
    The Lord of Pride.
    The current leader of the Seven Mortal Sins.
  • Satan
    The Lord of Wrath.
    A strong warrior with a feisty character.
    The guardian of the gate to hell.
  • Leviathan
    The Lord of Envy.
    Has a secret crush on Lucifer as well as a strong obsession with her.
  • Belphegor
    The Lord of Sloth.
    Doesn’t care about anything that’s annoying in her head.
  • Beelzebub
    The Lord of Gluttony.
    She’s worshipped in the human world as the “Queen of Gluttony”.
  • Mammon
    The Lord of Greed.
    To pay off her husband’s debt and raise over 500 thousand children.
  • Asmodeus
    The Lord of Lust.
    She’s one of the Lords with a better common sense comparing to the others.

– Seven Heavenly Virtues


From the left to the right:

  • Michael
    The Archangel of Faith.
    Has a strong sense of righteousness and absolute loyalty to god.
  • Gabriel
    The Angel of Chastity.
    Has a very conservative personality, some even called her the discipline chief of the angels.
  • Metatron
    The Angel of Charity.
    Being naive and all, she would try everything she could to complete when she’s given an unreasonable request.
  • Raphael
    The Angel of Temperance.
    Her duty is to teach other angels about the knowledge of the human world.
  • Sandalphon
    The Angel of Diligence.
    She works hard and never complains and would sacrifice herself if that solves a problem
  • Sariel
    The Angel of Kindness.
    Being assigned the duty of watching mortals and keeping them from committing crimes.
  • Uriel
    The Angel of Patience.
    She was commissioned by heaven to spy on Demon Lords’ activities.

In the game, over 50 original characters were created by Japan well-known artists which the anime does not have, such as Katsudansou, Izumi Mahiru, Nakano Tomokazu, Irohara, Tou Masu, Sumeragi Kohaku, Pop Kyun, Super Zombie, Satou Kuuki, Asa Nagi, etc.


These characters are called awakers, it is said that they were souls related to the previous life. Their soul becomes unstable due to a deep and long sleep time, they also lost most of the memories of their previous lives because of it. These souls turned into awakers when they obtain a body and became a new force that could obstruct the battle between the demons and angels.

For more on Seven Mortal Sins X-TASY, head to our pre-register site. 

Name: Seven Mortal Sins X-TASY
Enabled device: Android/iOS
Genre: Demon Worship Project RPG
Operate: UserJoy Technology
Develop: UserJoy Technology
Charges: Free (In-game purchases available)

Seven Mortal Sins X-TASY official site
https://7sin-eng.userjoy.com/

Seven Mortal Sins X-TASY Pre-register site
https://7sin-eng.userjoy.com/event/preregister/index.php

Apple store
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/seven-mortal-sins-x-tasy/id1602470578

Googleplay
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.userjoy.sineng

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/7sinXTASY

Twitter
https://twitter.com/7sinXTASY

Please put on the copyright when using the images:

©2017 H/N/7dsp

Copyright USERJOY JAPAN Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright USERJOY Technology Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

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PR Newswire

World Trade Centers Association Focuses on Business Opportunities in Africa at its 2022 General Assembly “Exploring New Horizons”

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Artificial Intelligence-powered matchmaking platform to once again foster global B2B networking during 100% virtual business conference

NEW YORK, April 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — The World Trade Centers Association® (WTCA®) — an international trade organization connecting more than 300 World Trade Center® (WTC®) locations in nearly 100 countries — will host its annual 2022 WTCA General Assembly (GA) with a focus on business opportunities in Africa. This year’s event will once again be complimentary and held virtually with an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered B2B matchmaking platform to maximize time spent establishing business connections between attendees around the world. Hosted by the WTCA team in New York, the business conference will be held from Monday, April 18 to Friday, April 22.

The GA will bring together WTCA Members and their global business networks consisting of leaders from business, government, academia, media and international organizations, reflecting the WTCA’s diverse global footprint. With the theme of “Exploring New Horizons,” the 2022 GA promises to be a unique and engaging week-long event, demonstrating the strength of the WTCA network and offering attendees the opportunity to learn from leading experts and connect with each other virtually through the matchmaking platform.

“For the second year in a row, we are pleased to host the GA virtually and offer AI-powered B2B matchmaking to all attendees free of charge. This platform is an efficient and effective way to find business prospects around the world, and has become a huge benefit to enhance our network’s ability to connect and facilitate trade for our Members and their business networks,” said John E. Drew, Chair, Board of Directors of the WTCA. “Also, with a renewed focus on business in Africa, we hope this GA provides a glimpse into the opportunities available at next year’s GA – which will be hosted in Accra, Ghana by World Trade Center Accra.”

This year’s GA will feature two half-days of livestream programming, kicking off on April 19 with WTCA Members-only programming to provide updates from the WTCA Board of Directors and senior leadership, as well as from the nine Member Advisory Councils (MACs) covering Agriculture, Business Clubs, Conferences & Exhibitions, Real Estate and Trade Services. On April 20, the last day of the GA’s mainstage programming – which is open to all attendees – will include a keynote address with Atsuko Toda, Acting Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development of the African Development Bank; a fireside chat with Soji Awogbade, Partner and Lead of the International Trade, Energy & Natural Resources and Agriculture Practice Groups at ǼLEX, on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA); as well as a panel discussion on doing business in Africa with WTCA Members from Algeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mauritius and Nigeria. The day will conclude with the kick-off to the 2023 General Assembly. Livestream programming is open to all attendees unless otherwise noted for “WTCA Members only” and will be hosted in English with simultaneous translations in French and Spanish.

Available to GA attendees 24/7 for the whole week from April 18 to April 22 across all time zones, the AI-powered matchmaking platform uses an algorithm to collect and process individual interests of every event attendee, providing them with the means to discover the right content, foster meaningful connections with relevant matches and achieve individual goals. The tool also has the ability to learn from attendee interactions, further improving match relevance in real time and scheduling virtual one-on-one meetings instantaneously. Business sectors represented by attendees at the 2022 GA include: Agriculture; Automation & Automotive; Construction & Engineering; Energy, Power, Gas, Petroleum, Renewables; Fintech, Enterprise Software, Data, IT; Food & Beverage; Metals & Mining; Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare, Medical Devices; Real Estate Development, Rental, Leasing, Sales; Tourism & Hospitality; and Transportation, Logistics, Telecommunications.

“With the addition of the AI-powered matchmaking tool to our annual offerings, the association now provides 24/7 matchmaking on a global level, across all industries and sectors,” said Robin van Puyenbroeck, Executive Director-Business Development of the WTCA. “The platform is seamless and easy-to-use, allowing attendees to participate in relevant B2B meetings while its algorithm does the work for them. We strongly encourage all businesses looking for new connections to participate in this year’s GA. It is an opportunity you do not want to miss.”

For more information about the 2022 WTCA General Assembly, please visit https://wtca.swoogo.com/2022wtcageneralassembly. Also, follow along on social media #WTCAGeneralAssembly.

MEDIA CONTACT:

World Trade Centers Association (WTCA)
Chanelle Kasik
Phone: +1 212 432 2644
Email: ckasik@wtca.org

About World Trade Centers Association (WTCA)
The World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) is a network of more than 300 highly connected, mutually supporting businesses and organizations in 92 countries. As the owner of the “World Trade Center” and “WTC” trademarks, the WTCA licenses exclusive rights to these brands for Members to use in conjunction with their independently-owned, iconic properties, facilities and trade services offerings. Through a robust portfolio of events, programming and resources that it offers its Members, the goal of the WTCA is to help local economies thrive by encouraging and facilitating trade and investment across the globe through Member engagement. To learn more, visit www.wtca.org.