Monthly Archives: December 2022

PR Newswire

MADworld and Space Frontier Studio KIBO to Launch the First NFT of 2023 Featuring the First Space Sunrise of the New Year

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The collection is part of an interactive live broadcast from the International Space Station to usher in the new year

TOKYO, Dec. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ —  MADworld, the innovative Web3 ecosystem, and the Space Frontier Studio KIBO (produced, designed, developed by Bascule Inc.) are blasting off into the new year by launching the first NFT of 2023 alongside a livestream the first space sunrise of the year. The space sunrise live program will be captured by Space Frontier Studio KIBO, the only broadcasting studio aboard the International Space Station (ISS), connecting the space in multiple ways of interaction with global viewers at home.

MADWORLD X THE SPACE FRONTIER STUDIO KIBO
MADWORLD X THE SPACE FRONTIER STUDIO KIBO

“As the first official NFT collection of 2023, MADworld and Space Frontier Studio KIBO are crafting something special for collectors to share in Earth’s first moments of the New Year,” said Robert Tran, CEO of MADworld. “By offering a series of fun games and prizes throughout the week and finally connecting the Space Frontier Studio KIBO with global viewers at home, this collection highlights MADworld’s mission of spotlighting cultural moments and creating community in Web3.”

The digital collectible is part of a two-and-a-half hour interactive live broadcast from space dedicated to ushering in 2023, allowing viewers to witness live earth view from ISS orbiting the Earth in 90 minutes while catching the first sunlight of 2023 from space.

“It has been three years since the Space Frontier Studio KIBO has tried the world’s first-ever live communication. The view of earth from the International Space Station is just stunning. Though we have been through a lot on earth this year, we believe it is our mission to bring and share the beautiful blue planet with all of us who live together on this very planet. Furthermore, with the announcement of the retirement of the ISS, we have limited chances to live broadcast to celebrate New Year’s. This time, in collaboration with MADWorld, we are exceptionally excited to share the first orbit around earth, welcoming 2023 with people worldwide beyond borders. Communication of the new era is lying ahead.” said Masayoshi Boku, Representative Director of Space Frontier Studio KIBO/Bascule.inc

The Astronaut collection is available at https://kibo.madworld.io. As they wait for the first NFT drop of the year, Astronaut holders will receive exclusive perks, compete in a week of prize-winning quests, and acquire access to MADworld members-only experiences to be revealed in 2023.

Also as part of our launch, we are revealing the opportunity to personalize your favorite NFT which performs as a pilot membership program. The goal is to use this opportunity to create a KIBO membership community for the WEB3 community.

“No matter your customs, culture, or geography, ringing in the New Year is something shared by all, and MADworld is offering a new way to celebrate,” said Phillip Tran, CMO of MADworld. “Projects like MADworld x KIBO Astronaut demonstrate exactly how we want to breathe new life in the digital ecosystem and perk the interest of all collectors – and not just space enthusiasts!”

About MADworld

MADworld is an innovative Web3 and digital asset ecosystem backed by Animoca Brands that collides global culture, community and creativity on the blockchain. As the Multiverse Artist Defender, MADworld provides value, security, and provenance to creators, artists, and fans alike across a number of niche communities like anime/manga, fashion, action sports, and music. MADworld seeks to elevate fans’ experience, support creators’ economy, and push the bounds of Web3 technology to reduce the onboarding barriers for traditional Web2 audiences into Web3.

About Space Frontier Studio KIBO

Produced, designed and developed by Bascule Inc.,  project design company based in Japan. expanding its fields to create new “future standards” that transcend existing frameworks and our curiosity to reach the future we imagine.

Space Frontier Studio KIBO* is the world’s first interactive live video transmission to space by establishing a broadcasting station on the International Space Station to connect space and the ground. Established in 2020, Space Frontier Studio KIBO has succeeded to launch interactive programs connecting ISS and earth ground more than 10 times working along with JAXA and NASA.

*KIBO, meaning “hope” in Japanese, is Japan’s first human space facility in the International Space Station. KIBO is equipped with experimental equipment and facilities to research scientific, medical and educational fields.

PR Newswire

Dialogue eyes key role of youth in RCEP region’s growth

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BEIJING, Dec. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — The following article was published today by China Daily.

Investing in and empowering young people is vital for members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership free trade pact to shore up sustained growth and accelerate global economic recovery amid the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic, leading scholars and media executives said.

They made the call on Friday at the high-end RCEP Youth Dialogue themed “Pooling the strength of youth, promoting regional development”.

The dialogue, co-organized by China Daily, the China Institute for Reform and Development and China Oceanic Development Foundation, focused on the RCEP — a 15-nation free trade pact which was officially enacted on Jan 1.

The RCEP consists of all 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, as well as China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

The grouping accounts for around 30 percent of the world’s total population, economic output and trade.

Since taking effect this year, the RCEP has manifested enormous dynamism and huge potential for future development, speakers told the opening ceremony of the forum.

Qu Yingpu, publisher and editor-in-chief of China Daily, said, “The world economy has been struggling to recover in the face of multiple impacts. The prospects for the world economy next year remain far from rosy.”

As the free trade pact covering the largest population and size of economy and trade in the world in comparison with other pacts, the RCEP is “definitely going to further play its role as a stabilizer and a driver of the global economy”, he said.

In the first 10 months of this year, China’s total trade with the other 14 member states of the RCEP increased by 8.4 percent year-on-year, he noted.

“The RCEP substantially boosts the scale, quality and depth of regional economic integration, and it plays an important role in advancing the economic recovery, peace and stability of the entire region as well as the whole world, and boosting the well-being of the people,” Qu said.

In his speech, Qu called on young people in the RCEP member countries to pool their wisdom and create an enabling environment for the region’s development, boost mutual understanding among people in RCEP member states, and advance openness, cooperation and mutual benefit in the region.

Lyu Bin, president of China Oceanic Development Foundation, noted that the Asia-Pacific has become one of the most economically dynamic regions in the world, and it boasts a high level of trade liberalization.

“Over the past 100 to 200 years, the pivot of the global economy and trade was in Europe and North America. The founding of the RCEP symbolizes that the world economy is starting to shift its pivot to the Asia-Pacific region,” he said.

RCEP members now face opportunities brought by the free trade pact as well as unprecedented difficulties and challenges, he said.

The challenges include the lingering Ukraine crisis, the rocky future of global trade, dire problems in food and energy security and a possible stagnation of the world economy, he said.

“Effectively tapping into the opportunities for growth brought by the RCEP will surely further activate the potential for collaboration in various domains and make businesses in various countries better share the opportunities for development brought by the vast market,” he added.

According to a recent survey conducted by China Daily’s Generation Z Research Center, which polled 500 young people from 40 countries and regions worldwide, 90 percent of the respondents said they perceive the RCEP as “very important” or “fairly important”.

The respondents said they expect the RCEP to benefit international trade cooperation and development, and they believe that the implementation of the RCEP will also benefit young people.

Chi Fulin, president of China Institute for Reform and Development, noted that the total population of those aged 15 to 44 among RCEP member countries was 920 million last year, and the number will rise to 940 million in 2030.

“Amid the severe impact of the pandemic on the global economy and the upsurge of unilateralism and protectionism, joint building of the largest free trade zone in the world requires dedication and a sense of duty among young people in the region as well as efforts to inspire the their dynamism, creativity and influence,” Chi said.

He urged the RCEP to create a more open and inclusive environment for the development of young people, boost young people’s access to the digital economy, unlock the huge potential of the youth human resources and facilitate their entrepreneurship, employment and pursuit for vocational skills.

Chi also called for building more platforms such as advisory boards to help young business leaders engage in economic and trade governance and advancing cultural exchange programs.

By ZHANG YUNBI

PR Newswire

Bigo Live Brings Football Fans Together with a Dutch Legend Wesley Sneijder Live Stream

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AMSTERDAM, Dec. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — To celebrate the world’s biggest football event of the year, Bigo Live Netherlands held a special live-stream session with Dutch football superstar Wesley Sneijder. Having previously taken Netherlands to the finals in 2010, the football hero exclusively shared his take on the current season, as well as personal football related stories for fans around the world. 

During the stream, Wesley was asked some of his own personal international football stories during his almost triumphant run in 2010. The stream also accommodated for Q&A sessions with the fans, with one lucky fan having the chance to speak with Wesley one-on-one and winning his signed jersey.

Wesley also reflected on his bittersweet memories of the tournament. In the 2010 season, the final was contested between the Netherlands and Spain. Speaking on that final from his perspective, he gave audiences an insight not generally known, saying “We were so close to winning the cup. Unfortunately, three minutes before the finish, Iniesta scored the game-winning goal. Nobody knows, however, that I severely strained my hamstring at the time.”

When asked about the support the Dutch national team received at that time, Wesley said, “That is the most important thing. When I played in 2010, I saw 70% of the stadium was orange, which made me feel proud.” Although he returned home disappointed having missed out on football’s biggest prize, he was astounded by the hundreds of thousands of fans who greeted him on the streets of Netherlands with ‘welcome-back’ banners and great positivity. “We had a terribly unfortunate final, but they were all there for us,” Wesley Sneijder said.

During the segment of the live stream where he was discussing fantasy football strategies and possible dark horses of the tournament, Wesley was proven quite accurate with his analyses.

“The global football event of the year is never short of dark horses, if I had to pick one right now, Morocco can go further,” Wesley mentioned. This statement has been proven true with the fantastic Moroccan team defying the odds to become the first ever nation from Africa to compete in the semi-finals.

Wesley also gave some further insights into his personal goals, revealing his plans to become a coach as he really enjoys the role, mentioning that the team that he would like to coach one day is Galatasaray.

As this season wraps up, a Bigo Live spokesperson added, “Knowing our users’ interests plays a big role in how Bigo Live engages with our audience. Through the passion of football, we are confident that users of Bigo Live will continue to showcase their talents, share their enthusiasms and inspire each other through real-time interactions while streaming.”

Fans that may have missed the special in November can now download the live streaming app, available in-app for Bigo Live users worldwide.

About Bigo Live

Bigo Live is one of the world’s fastest-growing live streaming social communities where users broadcast in real-time to share life moments, showcase their talents, and interact with people from around the world. Bigo Live has around 400 million users in over 150 countries and is currently the market leader in the live streaming industry. Launched in March 2016, Bigo Live is owned by Bigo Technology, which is based in Singapore.

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PR Newswire

Vipshop Retains an A from MSCI ESG Ratings for Its Efforts in Sustainability

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GUANGZHOU, China, Dec. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Vipshop Holdings Limited (NYSE: VIPS), one of China’s leading online discount retailers, recently announced that its ESG-related performance has been recognized by major rating agencies in the capital market. The company retained an “A” from MSCI ESG Ratings in 2022, above the average for the e-commerce sector. The discount retailer also obtained a score of 46 in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI), as a top player in the global retail sector, with outstanding performance in the rating components for Product Packaging and Supply Chain Management.

Vipshop Headquarters Building
Vipshop Headquarters Building

This year, Vipshop strengthened its ESG-related efforts on all fronts. In terms of the environment, the company has established a special leadership team to ensure the effective implementation of its energy conservation and carbon reduction plans by developing a comprehensive environmental management system and a top-down operation mechanism. The company expanded its big data resources, and streamlined the platform support systems, logistics and warehousing, to help brand partners and suppliers improve their operational efficiencies and curb energy consumption, alongside an integration of their decreased energy use with their carbon reduction efforts across the value chain.

In the third quarter of 2022, for the first time, the company conducted a systematic assessment of the feasibility of a sustainable and green carbon reduction roadmap, taking a holistic look at decarbonization opportunities along the value chain. It implemented the use of new lightweight and environmentally-friendly color bags, cutting plastic consumption by 123 tons, while continuing to increase the utilization of clean energy, with the total power generation capacity of photovoltaic power plants rising by 11.4% year-on-year.

Seeking to create a better working environment, the company provides equal work opportunities for all employees and stimulates their potential through a comprehensive career enhancement system, with the aim of achieving mutual benefits for Vipshop and its employees. In 2021, the company’s investment in employee training increased by 68.57% year-on-year, with total training hours exceeding 130,000. As for social responsibility and public service, Vipshop has deepened its efforts in the empowerment of women, rural revitalization, pandemic prevention and control, community integration, and volunteer services through a series of flagship public service projects including the V-Love Mothers, V-Love Charity Program, V-Love Workshop and VIP Love Aid for Agriculture programs, with total investment having reached RMB470 million as of the end of the third quarter of this year.

Taking a look at corporate governance, according to the ESG report released by the company in July 2022, Vipshop had created a three-tier social responsibility management structure consisting of an ESG working group, a focal point and an executor to clearly identify and assign social responsibility management tasks at all levels. As an important part of its CSR management practices, the company attaches importance to the expectations and demands of stakeholders and integrates them into its daily operations.

In line with meeting China’s goals to achieve carbon peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060, ESG has been taken on substantial importance in the Chinese market and has become a new benchmark for appraising the quality and sustainable development capabilities of Chinese companies.

According to A Leapfrog Moment for China in ESG Reporting white paper produced collaboratively by the World Economic Forum and PwC China, China’s listed companies are increasingly familiar with both the challenges and benefits of ESG reporting. ESG reporting in China is at an inflection point, with a surge of activities from regulators, exchanges, investors and corporate leaders.

The boom in ESG management in China has boosted the overall ESG performance of Chinese companies. MSCI-ESG Ratings data shows that, in recent years, more Chinese companies have emerged among the top performers with A-AAA ratings. In the foreseeable future, Chinese companies and the Chinese market may have a more profound impact on global ESG development.

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Android, Mobile, News

Xiaomi 13 series unveiled in China, challenges for top spot

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Xiaomi’s latest flagship devices, the Xiaomi 13 series, have been announced in China and challenges to be a top device in 2023.

image 24
Xiaomi 13 series aims to be at the top of the 2023 smartphone line.
Image source: Weibo Xiaomi via Android Authority

Xiaomi’s announcement revealed two devices, the Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 13 Pro as part of the series. Both devices will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset for top-of-the-line performance. Shared features between the devices include the Android 13-based MIUI4 out of the box, 50W wireless charging, IP68 rating, Dolby Atmos sepakers and WiFi 6E support.

True flagship experience of the Xiaomi 13 Pro

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The Sony IMX989 50MP sensor gives the Xiaomi 13 Pro the edge. Image source: Weibo Xiaomi via Android Authority

The Xiaomi 13 Pro offers the true flagship experience, with a 6.7-inch, 120Hz curved OLED with QHD resolution. The display features an LTPO panel, which allows dynamic adjustment of the screen refresh rate from 1Hz to 120Hz to save battery. There is also support for HDR10+, Dolby Vision and has good visibility with 1900 peak nits of brightness. Rear cameras are a 50MP 1-inch Sony IMX989 main sensor with Leica lenses, 50MP 3x telephoto lens and 50MP ultrawide. The front camera is a 32MP shooter that sits in a punch hole cutout in the front. The battery has 4820 mAh capacity with 120W wired charging, 50W wireless charging and capable of 10W wireless reverse charging. All devices come with ceramic backs colors options of Ceramic Black, Ceramic White, and Wilderness Green.

The Xiaomi 13 concedes in hardware but still packs a punch

image 27
Smaller,, more affordable but no less a flagship. Image source: XiaomiUI

The standard Xiaomi 13 has a smaller 6.39-inch flat OLED panel with FHD resolution with no LTPO panel. Cameras are a slight step down too with a 50MP IMX800 main shooter, a 12MP ultrawide sensor and a 10MP 3x telephoto lens. The battery is understandably lower capacity with 4500 mAh and has 67W wired charging. Overall, the standard variant only falls behind the Pro by display, cameras and to a lesser degree, battery life. It does however offer a smaller form factor with a flat design that some may prefer to the curved design of the Pro, along with a smaller price tag. Color options are Black, White, and Wilderness Green, but with glass backs this time. Both the standard and Pro variants will also be available in a sky-blue color with a leather finish.

Pricing and availability

image 26
Both Xiaomi 13 phones get 3 colours and a fourth leather finish option with sky blue colour.
Image source: Weibo Xiaomi via Android Authority

The standard and Pro variants of Xiaomi 13 is currently available in China only. Both devices come in four memory configurations: 8 GB RAM +128 GB storage, 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage, 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage and 12 GB RAM + 512 GB storage. Pricing for the Pro variant starts at 3999 yuan (approx. RM2534) and the standard variant at 3999 yuan (approx. RM3168) for the respective 8 GB + 128 GB variant.

Sources: Android Authority, TechNave, XiaomiUI

PR Newswire

Fueled by growth and expansion, SM supports MSME communities

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PASAY CITY, Philippines, Dec. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — SM is looking forward to working with communities especially during tough times to sustain and support growth and recovery.

As SM pursues expansion and growth, it contributes to increasing economic activity and growing business resilience that support hundreds of thousands of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). These MSMEs make up 99.5% total business enterprises in the Philippines and generate over 5.3 million jobs or 62.7% of the country’s total employment.

“As we expand, we are mindful about how this brings meaningful support to communities,” SM Investments Corporation President and Chief Executive Officer Frederic C. DyBuncio said.

SM acts as a marketplace to over 90,000 MSMEs partners, playing the big brother role and helping them navigate mainstream retailing. SM’s retail stores serve as platforms to offer their products, master their entrepreneurial skills and grow their businesses. SM also provides holistic support through marketing advice, financial access as well as promotion and advertising.

During the pandemic, SM waived rental fees to support the business continuity of MSME partners. SM Supermalls’ Start-Up Market program in high-traffic malls also helps budding online entrepreneurs to put up kiosks in SM malls without the burden of costly rental fees and construction costs.

Through the Farmers’ Produce Markets, a joint project of SM Supermalls, the Department of Agriculture and Resto PH, an association of restaurants in the Philippines, SM helped bring local farmers closer to SM customers and allowed restaurateurs to access fresh vegetables especially during the pandemic disruptions to the supply chain that left farmers and local food establishments with very limited options where to sell their products.

Through BDO Network Bank, SM provided MSMEs and the beneficiaries of Overseas Filipinos with businesses key access to funds. The MSME Kabuhayan Loan is designed to assist small business owners in need of extra funding to increase their inventory of stocks, purchase business equipment and assets, or pursue expansion plans.

With the pandemic displacing the livelihood of many Filipinos, a number of them have become social entrepreneurs selling products online. 2GO Express, which is part of SM’s logistics business, provided them crucial support through solutions that connected sellers and buyers through pickup and delivery services across the Philippines. The company also partnered with FedEx Express, allowing Filipinos to ship their products to various international locations.

Through Airspeed, its other logistics company, SM provided affordable and dependable pick-up and delivery service—a vital support component for the MSME sector. PinaSpeed offered online pick-up and delivery service to micro-businesses in NCR, Rizal, and Cavite and soon in other areas at very reasonable rates.  

Despite economic and geopolitical headwinds, SM is keen on pursuing growth and expansion in 2023 to provide vital support to the economy that will reach more communities.

SM has been increasing its focus on provincial areas where local economies are growing faster Over 80 percent of SM’s new retail stores are in provincial areas where a good chunk of growing overseas remittances flow into. 

“We will continue to invest in growth as we are still seeing more communities that need access to various goods and services,” Mr. DyBuncio said.

iOS, Mobile, News

iPhone 14 Crash Detection and Emergency SOS saves lives

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Apple’s Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via Satellite service has saved the life of an iPhone 14 user involved in a car crash in the USA.

image 21
A potential life saver in your iPhone 14.
Image source: Apple

Intelligent crash detection and vital information sharing

According to a Twitter post by law enforcement and first responders, a vehicle with two passengers swerved off the Angeles Forest Highway and plummeted 300 feet into the canyon of in the Angeles National Forest. This fall was detected by the users iPhone 14 through the Crash Detection feature. This feature detects crashes with the help of the gyroscopes, accelerometer,barometer and even microphone to detect elements of the crash such as abrupt motion and the sound of glass breaking.

When a severe crash is detected, an alert will appear with a slider to make an emergency call. You can slide to call emergency services or dismiss this alert if not required. If no response is received in 10 seconds, a further 10-second countdown will start. At the end of it, emergency services will be contacted immediately. Siri will then read out the automated message “The owner of this ‌iPhone‌ was in a severe car crash and is not responding to their phone”. It will then relay your approximate location with latitude and longitude. It will also send a message to your emergency contacts after another 10 second countdown, if you have them set up.

Emergency SOS uses satellite when cellular

reception is unavailable

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Emergency SOS sends a text to Apple relay centers by satellite. Image source: MacRumors

However, during the car crash at Angeles Forest Highway, there was no cellular reception for Crash Detection to call emergency services. So, Apple’s Emergency SOS via Satellite feature came in to play. It sent an emergency text message to an Apple relay center via satellite. An employee then called the LA County Sheriff’s department to relay that information. With this, rescuers were able to locate both passengers and get them to a hospital for treatment. Apple’s features have definitely come in clutch to save the lives of at least these two people.

For more information on how to set up Crash Detection on your iPhone, visit the Crash Detection feature page on Apple’s official website. This feature is available on iPhone 14 and iPhone Pro, Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch SE (2nd generation), and Apple Watch Ultra.

Source: MacRumors, 9to5Mac

PR Newswire

Anglicare Leverages Ribbon and Switch Connect for Voice Consolidation and Path for Microsoft Teams Deployment

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Leading aged care provider modernizes communications systems with Ribbon’s industry-leading Session Border Controllers (SBCs)

SYDNEY, Dec. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Ribbon Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: RBBN), a global provider of real time communications technology and IP optical networking solutions to many of the world’s largest service providers, enterprises, and critical infrastructure operators to modernize and protect their networks, today announced that leading aged care, housing and community services provider Anglicare Sydney has selected Ribbon’s Session Border Controller Software Edition Edge and Ribbon Session Border Controller 2000 to provide secure calling connectivity for its contact centre, offices and aged care/retirement living facilities in New South Wales.

“Ribbon’s solution has dramatically simplified the deployment of connectivity and security services for our new communications environment, which includes leveraging Microsoft Teams calling capabilities,” said Hamish Maple, IT Enterprise Architect, Anglicare Sydney.  “Having a modern, state of the art communications environment is a key part of our IT strategy that enables us to serve our customers, staff and volunteers more easily, consistently and comprehensively.”

Anglicare’s previous calling environment was complex, involving call centre resources and multiple PBX, SIP and ISDN technologies that had supported the business over a long period of time. The organization needed to centralize voice services and consolidate the technology environment for twenty-four major sites and its call centre as well as provide a calling solution for PSTN services that were being decommissioned on a legacy ISDN network for residential calling. The site by site deployment has allowed for seamless interoperability between old and new systems, keeping the organizations communications operational at all times.

The deployment was undertaken as part of an enterprise-wide deployment of consolidated voice services and a planned migration to Microsoft Teams for corporate services, with distribution and consulting services provided by SwitchConnect. 

“Anglicare Sydney is recognised as one of Australia’s most important community service agencies and provides critical services to community members throughout many New South Wales regions, particularly in aged care.  We are delighted to be able to play a part in helping Anglicare modernise its communications infrastructure and be a part of a highly secure and reliable communications system to connect residents, family members, staff and Anglicare’s support teams,” said Manny Christophidis, Channels Director, Asia Pacific, Ribbon Communications. 

“Switch Connect specialises in leading highly complex deployments of voice services, often with clients who are managing a complicated mix of legacy technologies, and more current cloud and Unified Communication technologies.  Working with Ribbon, we were able to help Anglicare Sydney gain a state-of-the-art communications system throughout New South Wales,” added Rowan Milne, Managing Director, Switch Connect.

About Ribbon
Ribbon Communications (Nasdaq: RBBN) delivers communications software, IP and optical networking solutions to service providers, enterprises and critical infrastructure sectors globally. We engage deeply with our customers, helping them modernize their networks for improved competitive positioning and business outcomes in today’s smart, always-on and data-hungry world. Our innovative, end-to-end solutions portfolio delivers unparalleled scale, performance, and agility, including core to edge software-centric solutions, cloud-native offers, leading-edge security and analytics tools, along with IP and optical networking solutions for 5G. We maintain a keen focus on our commitments to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) matters, offering an annual Sustainability Report to our stakeholders. To learn more about Ribbon, please visit rbbn.com.

Important Information Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
The information in this release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events that involve risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this release, including those regarding the expected benefits from use of Ribbon Communication’s products, are forward-looking statements. The actual results of Ribbon Communications may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. For further information regarding risks and uncertainties associated with Ribbon Communications’ business, please refer to the “Risk Factors” section of Ribbon Communications’ most recent annual or quarterly report filed with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements represent Ribbon Communications’ views only as of the date on which such statement is made and should not be relied upon as representing Ribbon Communications’ views as of any subsequent date. While Ribbon Communications may elect to update forward-looking statements at some point, Ribbon Communications specifically disclaims any obligation to do so.

Investor Contact
+1 (978) 614-8050
ir@rbbn.com       

Media Contact
Catherine Berthier
+1 (646) 741-1974
cberthier@rbbn.com 

Source: Ribbon Communications Inc.

PR Newswire

Smart Machine Vision Comes to the Edge, With Close to 200 Million Cameras to be Deployed by 2027

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Smart machine vision is on the job in factories, warehouses, and shipping centers, and ripe for development in smart cities, smart healthcare, and smart transportation

NEW YORK, Dec. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Machine Vision (MV) uses technology that enables industrial machines to “see” and analyze tasks and make rapid decisions based on what the system sees. MV is fast becoming one of the most central technologies in automation. Given that now this technology is merging with Machine Learning (ML) to lead the transition to Industry 4.0, the possibilities are enormous, especially at the edge. According to global technology intelligence firm ABI Research, forecasts that by 2027, total shipments of camera systems will reach 197 million, with revenue of US$35 billion.

“The shift from machines that can automate simple tasks to autonomous machines that can “see” to optimize elements for extended periods will drive new levels of industrial innovation. This is the innovation that ML offers to MV (also often known as computer vision). ML can augment classic machine vision algorithms by employing the range and reach of neural network models, thus expanding machine vision far beyond visual inspection and quality control, the locus classicus of good, old-fashioned computer vision,” explains David Lobina, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Analyst at ABI Research.

Of all the trends in the ML market, at the edge of computing has the most exciting applications and benefits – namely, in those devices that are part of embedded systems and the Internet of Things. Smart manufacturing is perhaps the most straightforward case, where smart cameras, embedded sensors, and powerful computers can bring ML analyses to every process step. Smart machine vision is on the job in factories, warehouses, and shipping centers, aiding and assisting human workers by handling the more mundane tasks, freeing up workers to use their expertise to focus on the essential parts. The market is also ripe for development in smart cities, smart healthcare, and smart transportation, with ATOS (in cities), Arcturus (in healthcare), and Netradyne (in transportation) as some of the key vendors in these sectors.

As in other cases of edge ML applications, the best way for the technology to advance is through a combination of hardware and software solutions and employing information-rich data. It is through a holistic approach of how all these factors can merge and combine that will achieve fruitful results. Vendors are aware that they need to provide a competitive product. In cases involving sensitive or private data, for instance, as in healthcare, a whole package should provide hardware (cameras, chips, etc.), software, and a good way to analyze the data. The “whole package” approach is perhaps not the most common example in the market, but vendors must be increasingly aware of how their offerings can mesh with other solutions, which will often require providing hardware-agnostic software as well as software-agnostic data analysis. “This is a crucial point in the case of smart cities, healthcare, and transportation, especially in terms of what machine vision can achieve in all these settings. For edge MV, software and hardware vendors, as well as service providers, will start taking an expansive view of the sector,” Lobina concludes.

These findings are from ABI Research’s Edge ML-Based Machine Vision Software and Services application analysis report. This report is part of the company’s Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning research service, which includes research, data, and ABI Insights. Based on extensive primary interviews, Application Analysis reports present in-depth analysis on key market trends and factors for a specific technology.

About ABI Research

ABI Research is a global technology intelligence firm delivering actionable research and strategic guidance to technology leaders, innovators, and decision makers around the world. Our research focuses on the transformative technologies that are dramatically reshaping industries, economies, and workforces today.

ABI Research是一家国际科技情报公司，为全球科技领袖、创新人士和决策者提供实用的市场研究和战略性指导。我们密切关注一切为各行各业、全球经济和劳动市场带来颠覆性变革的创新与技术。

For more information about ABI Research’s services, contact us at +1.516.624.2500 in the Americas, +44.203.326.0140 in Europe, +65.6592.0290 in Asia-Pacific, or visit www.abiresearch.com.

Contact Info: 

Global
Deborah Petrara
Tel: +1.516.624.2558
pr@abiresearch.com    

Gaming, News

OnePlus surprises with gaming monitor announcement

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OnePlus continues its foray into the gaming space with the announcement of two new gaming monitors.

OnePlus X27
OnePlus forays into gaming tech with two new monitors; The X27 and E24. Image source: SoyaCincau

A worthy gaming monitor entry; OnePlus X27

The two OnePlus gaming monitors announced are the high end X27 and the more budget friendly E24. The X27 is the premium offering, with a 27-inch 2560 x 1440 QHD resolution IPS panel with 165Hz refresh rate. Claims have been made for 1ms response time and support for VESA’s DisplayHDR 400, standard offerings of current gaming monitors. Rounding out the specs are support for AMD Freesync, 10-bit colour and coverage for 95% of the DCI-P3 colour gamut. The design of the X27 is more similar to modern productivity monitors with slim bezels. You won’t find any bold design decisions with the “gamer” aesthetic of funky back panel designs or color accents here.

There is, however, a good array of ports along the back panel. These include a high power 65W USB-C port that can charge your devices, even power your laptop. There is also an HDMI 2.1 port, a DisplayPort 1.4, two USB-A 3.0 ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It comes with a stand that is height adjustable with pivot, tilt and swivel functions. It can be mounted with a VESA 75mm mount. While looking pedestrian, the OnePlus X27 packs some decent specifications for a gaming monitor.

Gaming on a budget with the OnePlus E24

OnePlus E24
The E24 is more budget friendly but expect more modest specifications. Image source: SoyaCincau

The budget variant of OnePlus gaming monitors, the E24, packs understandably lesser specs than the X27. The 24-inch IPS panel supports a 1920 x 1080 FHD resolution and lower refresh rate of 75Hz. It does not carry neither AMD Freesync support nor VESA’s DisplayHDR 400 or colour coverage of the X27. The stand is only tilt adjustable and there are lesser ports; a 18W Power Delivery (PD) USB-C port, a HDMI 1.4 port, a VGA port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. With these harware concessions, will the price point be able to justify it?

At the moment, the OnePlus X27 is only available in India, retailing at INR 28000 (approx. RM1500) while there is no price or availability details on the E24. With many concessions in hardware, we do expect a significantly reduced price. With OnePlus already announcing a mechanical keyboard in the making, can we expect more gaming tech from OnePlus? Only time will tell

Source: SoyaCincau, Android Central