GUANGZHOU, China, March 4, 2022 — GAC MOTOR has been operating in Panama since 2019, earning a solid foothold in the local market with quality vehicles and innovative designs. As Chinese smart manufacturing and automobile technology make a strong reputation worldwide, GAC MOTOR Panama hosts a vibrant exhibition. The Chinese-Panamanian artists at the exhibition represent a shared love for craftsmanship – the combination of beauty and skill – present in visual arts and the art of creating cars.
Progenie | The Spirit of Craftsmanship Across Cultures
The exhibition, named "Progenie," displayed the paintings of Chinese-Panamanian artists of three different ages, highlighting the contribution of Chinese painters to the multicultural tapestry of Latin America and notably Panama today.
The concept of Chinese craftsmanship has been a key pillar of GAC MOTOR’s overseas brand identity for some time now, with the GAC development strategy focusing on bringing outstanding Chinese designs and technology onto the world stage.
Cross-cultural art exhibitions like this one are important in communicating the amazing creativity that Chinese brands and individuals have to offer the world.
Ms. Mai Yap, one of the exhibiting artists based out of Florida, USA, said that "China lives in us, and although we came from and were born in different countries, we carry all that culture within us."
Mai Yap’s colorful works were displayed alongside another young visual artist, Nicole Rumaldo Choy, who represents merging these two cultures’ creative prowess.
The Spirit of Craftsmanship: Continued Efforts in the Americas
GAC MOTOR has become the top-performing Chinese brand in local sales since entering the Panama market in 2019. The nation is now home to more than 400 new GAC MOTOR owners.
Ever since the launch of the All New GS4 and extensive engagement in car rental projects last year, GAC MOTOR has attracted more attention. It has become a representative of Chinese car brands in Panama.
In the new year, GAC MOTOR will continue to provide Panamanian users with a high standard of travel experience. The brand looks forward to a future of further healthy development in the Americas.
To be fair, when we say it is the world’s first 60% Analog Optical switch keyboard, you also must keep in mind that the Razer Analog Optical Switch is Razer’s proprietary technology made exclusively for Razer’s own keyboard line-ups. While that makes it sound less special, hear us out. It is still a special keyboard in its own rights.
The Huntsman Mini, if you look at it, is one of the most compact gaming keyboards available. Even compared to other compact keyboards, it is compact. There are a few sacrifices to make a 60% keyboard. One of them is that you lose your D-Pad. Just think about how much space you save though, and you start to understand why you want a 60% keyboard.
Source: Razer
The Chroma RGB 60% keyboard also comes with the acclaimed Razer Optical switch. Rather than a physical switch, the actuation of the keys is done via light. This also means fewer moving parts and in turn, better durability. The Huntsman Mini is offered in two flavours too, a clicky variant and a linear variant.
While the Optical Switch is great, it could be better. Enter the world of Razer Analog Optical Switches, the only switch of its kind that allows for multiple actuation points. The Analog Optical Switch really redefines what we know about how keyboard should work.
Razer Analog Optical Switch
The Analog Optical Switch, a Razer exclusive, also works like the Optical Switch in its own right. It still relies on light detection and passing technology. Actuation is achieved when an emitted light hits a receiver within the single keys of the switch. The Analog Optical Switch is also only possible because of the Razer’s optical technology. You can see it as an improvement or an evolution over the original Optical Switch.
Source: Razer
Instead of making it an on/off switch, the light sensor within the keyboard now detects how much light is received from the emitter. This is also in accordance with the key height itself, how deep you pressed the key. The switch then activates according to the input from your fingers. While it does mimic the theory of a pressure sensor, it is far simpler than that.
This allows for a more precise control over movements in games. With multiple sensitivity, you can adjust your turning circle and intensity in driving games, for example. In driving games, you can even adjust your throttle feed to feather it in corners to be more precise as well. In first-person, or third-person games, you can control your movement speeds to a more relaxing walking pace when you want to slow down in a town.
The application can also go beyond that though. You can have two types of actuations from a single key for creative applications. We are not saying you should, but you could if you want, especially with the compressed size that is the 60% keyboard form factor. You could add a few more functions within the keyboard in different applications to make your workflow smarter, and faster; you just have to remember which keys does what.
The Razer Huntsman Mini Analog will be available in Malaysia today onward from Razer’s Official Stores on Lazada and Shopee. There are no additional colour options currently other than black, unlike the original Huntsman Mini which offers a Mercury colour option. It is an Crhoma RGB keyboard with PBT caps though, so you can take advantage of those features. It will set you back MYR 669, which is at least MYR 150 more than the original Huntsman Mini (Linear) keyboard. More information on the Razer Huntsman Mini Analog can be found on their website.
SHENZHEN, China, March 4, 2022 — ZTE Corporation (0763.HK / 000063.SZ), a major international provider of telecommunications, enterprise and consumer technology solutions for the mobile internet, today announced that it has won the GTI 2022 "Market Development Award" for its 5G TSN Deterministic Network for Green Power Grid, which was designed and developed together with China Mobile and NR Electric.
In the power grid field, greenhouse gas emissions are huge, and efficient use of clean new energy such as wind and solar energy is an effective means to achieve "Emission peak and carbon neutrality". However, wind power and solar energy are easily affected by the weather and regions, bringing challenges to new energy integration into the grid. Consequently, accurate measurement, control, and real-time interaction are required when conventional mobile network mechanism cannot meet the strict network requirements of the power industry.
To solve this problem, ZTE has released the Time Promised Communication (TPC) solution, which integrates 5G TSN/5G LAN/URLLC/SLA accurate control related to time-sensitive networks as defined by 3GPP Release 16. The TPC solution combines software and hardware to effectively solve the network latency and jitter caused by traffic conflicts. It is combined with the slicing technology to reduce 5G end-to-end latency, guarantees the determinacy of the communication network, and satisfies the super-high reliability requirements of the power grid.
Instead of optical cables, the TPC solution enables flexible access to the last mile, greatly reducing communication network construction costs. The solution can be widely used in power grid scenarios, such as power differential protection, power distribution automation, phasor measurement technology (PMU), and accurate grid load scheduling. It accelerates the deployment of new energy such as solar energy and wind energy, achieves efficient coordination of power storage, and helps the power industry achieve strategic objectives of "emission peak and carbon neutrality."
GTI is dedicated to building a global platform of communication technology and promoting a prosperous ecosystem. GTI summit 2022, with the theme of "5G & Decarbonization" has focused on the current situation and strategy of 5G development, as well as how technology innovation will play a role in reaching the goal of carbon neutral and Net Zero. This award is highly recognized in the fields of 5G technology innovation, end-to-end product capability and network architecture verification.
This award further verifies the high application values and the broad prospects of 5G TSN technology. ZTE and China Mobile will promote TPC solution maturity together with R17 technology evolution.The TPC solution can be widely used in the industrial Internet field, including applications in key industries such as power, industry, logistics and healthcare, to significantly improve industrial productivity, operational efficiency and accelerate 5G business innovations.
ZTE has carried out deep cooperation with industry partners to achieve in-depth integration of IT and OT, help enterprises achieve flexible production, improve resources usage efficiency, and build a green and low-carbon industrial ecosystem.
Media Contacts:
Margaret Ma ZTE Corporation Tel: +86 755 26775189 Email: ma.gaili@zte.com.cn
HONG KONG, March 4, 2022 — Asian leading film production and distribution company National Arts Entertainment Group Holdings Limited ("National Arts" or the "Company"; with its subsidiaries referred as the "Group"; Stock Code: 8228.HK) announce the establishment of a joint venture (JV) company with the National Treasure Management Limited ("National Treasure"), a renowned artist management and entertainment programme production company, and First Bullion Holdings Inc. ("First Bullion") holding company of a digital exchange in the Philippines, to develop a virtual reality, a "dreams come true" experience.
The joint venture company will build a metaverse studio simulating National Arts’s Xiqiao Shan filmmaking studio, which is famous for the unique panoramic film shooting scenes such as National Palace Museum, Kowloon Walled City, the Hong Kong Street and Shanghai Street. Music concerts & contexts, talent quests, movie clips production are available at the metaverse studio, providing immersive online entertainment experiences to players.
Players would also enjoy online shopping at the virtual Shanghai Street malls backed by non-fungible token (NFT) via an e-commerce platform including on/off share payment gateways and goods delivery. For offline operation, the JV company will organize singing, acting, movie making and martial arts training for players to actualize the virtual experiences in reality.
Mr Chow Kai Weng, the Associate Chairman of the National Arts Group said, "Metaverse is the future of entertainment. As the first PRC film production company tapping into the metaverse, I am optimistic about the opportunity. We are open to expanding the virtual reality and even Metaverse businesses in the future. Our artist management will go hand in hand with the metaverse development. "
Mr Dennis Yu, the Executive Director of the National Treasure commented, "Bringing into blockchain and metaverse elements, we hope to redefine the entertainment industry with innovation. Metaverse studio will be a good chance to enhance the movies and music presentation, as well as the online-offline entertainment lifestyle to another level."
Mr Philip Tam Pak Yin, the Founder of First Bullion said, "To create the Metaverse Studio, we will bring together a critical mass of interconnected technologies, including virtual reality, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, blockchain, brain-computer interfaces, web 3.0, etc and the entertainment industry in the decentralized world. Our leading digital assets and STO exchange CryptoSX will fully support the Metaverse Studio to make it accessible and fun to all participants and users."
Under the Letter of Cooperation, the Group, First Bullion, and National Treasure will own 40%, 30% and 30% equity interest respectively in the JV company. Each of the party has right to appoint one director to the JV company. National Arts hopes to promote the GBA entertainment, online games and sales to the mass market through the metaverse studio. National Treasure will provide the design and arts direction for the virtual reality environment and virtual artists creation. First Bullion will support the blockchain technology related to the NFT e-commerce.
BEIJING, March 3, 2022 — Promoting sports for persons with disabilities has become an integral part of China’s drive to help the country’s disabled. Hosting the 2022 Winter Paralympic Games will create more opportunities for persons with disabilities and enable them to realize their dreams, says Zhang Haidi, chairwoman of the China Disabled Persons’ Federation and head of the Beijing Winter Paralympics Chinese delegation, in her exclusive article for Decision Makers. Decision Makers is CGTN’s global platform for influential leaders to share their insights on events shaping today’s world.
Beijing Winter Paralympic Games reflect more than just sports
Zhang was an important member of Beijing’s Bid Delegation for the 2022 Olympics and Paralympics Games. According to her, the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games greatly helped promote the development of the work on disability in China. Since 2016 we have witnessed the continuous progress of China’s winter parasports, with the number of athletes increasing from less than 50 to over 1,000, covering all major events of the Winter Games.
To embrace the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Games, Zhang says that China has made full preparations, ranging from setting up a competitive winter Paralympic team to building the National Ice Sports Arena for People with Disabilities and many other new accessibility facilities.
As the host country for the 2022 Paralympic Games, China is determined to promote the development of the work on disability, improve the overall level of parasports, and encourage more people with disabilities to engage in sports. It’s worth mentioning that China was amongst the earliest countries that called for developing a UN convention to safeguard the rights and interests of persons with disabilities, and was among the first groups of countries to sign the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Meanwhile, active efforts have been made in promoting the inclusion of disability issues into the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
In short, Zhang says that the Paralympic Games play an important role in protecting the rights and interests of people with disabilities, improving their living conditions and raising social awareness. The success of the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games paved the way for the host of the 2022 Winter Paralympic Games to provide a stage for all people with disabilities to realize their dreams and present their perseverance, determination, and possibilities to the whole world.
The idea of Microsoft’s Windows running on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon platform is not a new concept. In fact, it has been something that Qualcomm and Microsoft have been working on for years. Some products even rolled out of the factories that marries the power of Qualcomm’s potent system on a chip (SoC) with Microsoft’s best-selling interface. One of the products is Malaysian made, we reviewed it and quite liked it.
Unfortunately, the idea of running a full-fledged Windows operating system (OS) on a Qualcomm chip is not as simple as shoehorning a Qualcomm chip on any random Windows laptop chassis, nor is it as simple as installing Windows on a Qualcomm device. The problem is with the conflict in architecture in both the software and chip. Qualcomm’s mobile first approach ensures that it adapts to Android’s Linux based architecture and optimises its operations based on a regular smartphone interaction pattern. Windows, on the other hand, is optimises itself on different work processes and priorities that Intel and AMD’s chips are designed for. They are just different kind of processes and priorities, fundamentally.
There is a new workaround though. Welcome to Windows 11, an open door to whole new possibilities. The platform is designed to be more mobile than ever. It is designed with a touch experience in mind, a sort of tablet experience. While it is still based on Windows 10, it is a lot more tablet friendly than before. It just feels like something you can put on a slim tablet with no cooling fans powered by an SoC. With Apple’s move to push their M1 SoCs, it also only makes sense that Microsoft makes that option available.
Source: Lenovo
Enter the ThinkPad X13s, the first of many, we hope. This is not Lenovo’s first Qualcomm based device. It is also not Lenovo’s first Windows 11 device. It is their first though, that marries the two together.
You will not find any intake or exhaust ports on the 13.3-inch ThinkPad X13s. It is a little odd for a PC not to have ventilation ports. That is also the beauty of relying on Qualcomm’s latest generation Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 compute platform. The SoC is even powerful enough and optimised enough to run Windows 11 Pro. Keeping Windows 11 running on the WUXGA 16:10 aspect ratio display is up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage.
Thanks to the integrated modem on the SoC, the ThinkPad X13s is even ready with a 5G capable SIM tray. Together with WiFi 6E, the ThinkPad X13s can be connected to the web anywhere, anytime. It is always connected, always on.
Of course, the other benefit of using SoCs in devices is the way it sips battery juice. Lenovo quotes up to 28 hours in battery life with continuous usage. If you keep it on standby, it is ready to get going for days.
Source: Lenovo
For security, the device comes with a 5-megapixel webcam with Infrared camera (optional) for Windows Hello facial recognition. You can make it work like your smartphone. Yes, you can use the webcam for video calls as well, quite obviously.
Because the requirements of housing an SoC like the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 Compute platform is so minimal, Lenovo could squeeze everything down on the ThinkPad X13s. It is thinner, and lighter than most professional grade laptops thanks to the SoC. But that is not just the contributing factor to the ThinkPad X13s’ thinness and lightness. Before we forget, Lenovo’s ThinkPads must be built like tanks too.
To keep build quality high but super lightweight and thin is a challenge. There is also the demand of making things more sustainable. Lenovo achieved those on the ThinkPad X13s using 90% recycled magnesium for its chassis. Inside, 97% of the plastics on the PCB (Printed Circuit Board) cover and battery tray is made from PCC (Precipitate Calcium Carbonate) plastics. PCC plastics, in our research, is a type of plastic made using more sustainable materials. Calcium Carbonate is an artificial powder type filler used in plastic manufacturing to replace crude oil as a material to manufacture plastic parts. It is cheaper, and a lot more sustainable.
To ensure that the device gets to you in one piece are carton boxes and bumpers that are also recyclable. Even the production method is designed to keep energy consumption as low as possible. They used low-temperature solder methods that reduces carbon emissions by up to 35% over regular solders.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13s will be available in select markets on the 22nd of May 2022 onward. Like most ThinkPad devices, there are no other colour option safe for black. It will set you back EU€ 1,399 onward (MYR 6,508*), which is still quite premium in our eyes. There are no mentions on the local (Malaysia) availability and official pricing for the laptop for now. For more information on the Lenovo ThinkPad X13s, you can visit their website.
*Approximately based on exchange rate of EU€ 1 = MYR 4.65 as of 03/03/2022 on xe.com
TEL AVIV, Israel, March 3, 2022 — Gefen (ASX: GFN) is introducing a new capability to the platform called "Managed by." The Managed by capability allows agents to retain their ownership over customers – but grant another agent or another department in the Arena access and acting rights on the customer.
Customers are agents’ most valuable asset. The agents protect and nourish them. But agents are limited in their capacity to increase the share of wallet – the customer’s coverage and variety of financial and insurance services managed by them. Each agent specializes and is sometimes licensed to sell and service a particular variety.
Agents can now collaborate on products and services, share commissions and outsource operations – while maintaining full control and visibility to what was done, when and by whom. With all calls, emails and other customer transactions kept on record in one place – the agent does not need to rely on "trust" and can maintain full ownership on their asset.
Furthermore – as the Managed by capability is tightly coupled with Gefen’s GQL AI engine (Genetically Qualitative Learners – the platform’s ability to harness expert intuition into digital decision making) – customers can go into a managed group in bulk (high potential, showed interest in a service, requires retention) based on complex business strategy and goals.
The Managed by capability is now available on all operations, on the web and mobile apps.
BARCELONA, Spain, March 2, 2022 — HMS Core has been unveiled to the public at MWC 2022 in Barcelona, exhibiting at three booths in Hall 1 of Fira Gran Via, from February 28 to March 3. The three booths are showcasing the brand-new open capabilities released in HMS Core 6 and highlight two types of services, namely, services tailored for graphics and video, 3D product display, and gaming; services designed for improved operations and expedited growth via sign-in, push notifications, payment, and data analysis. These services address the core needs of today’s developers for creating ideal apps.
HMS Core Showcases Future-Facing Open Capabilities at MWC Barcelona 2022, Empowering Developers to Create the Ideal App
HMS Core 6, unveiled in October 2021, supports a wide range of devices, operating systems, and usage scenarios. New kits — such as 3D Modeling Kit, Audio Editor Kit, Video Editor Kit, and Keyring — address needs in fields ranging from app services and graphics to media and security. To ensure a top-notch development experience across the board, other existing kits have been substantially improved.
HMS Core brings innovative services that enrich daily use
At MWC 2022, groundbreaking services designed for fields such as graphics and video, 3D product display, and gaming that are available at the exhibition booths include:
3D Modeling Kit — transforms object images shot from different angles using an RGB-camera phone into 3D models
AR Engine — offers basic AR capabilities such as motion tracking, environment tracking, body tracking, and face tracking, to help bridge real and virtual worlds via real-time ray tracing
Computer Graphics (CG) Kit — comes with the Volumetric Fog plugin, to produce highly realistic fog with real-time interactive lighting
Scene Kit — offers a real-time ray tracing plugin that simulates reflections on lake water
AR Measure from Huawei — integrates AR Engine to accurately measure the length and area of an object and height of the human body, as well as volume of a cube.
HMS Core delivers kits that make end-to-end operations truly seamless
HMS Core enables developers to deliver a better user experience via sign-in, push notifications, and payment. Thanks to HMS Core’s powerful data analysis capabilities, developers are able to manage and promote their apps with remarkable ease, consequently realizing targeted operations and business success. Notable services include:
Account Kit — provides a quick and secure sign-in, sparing users the complex steps of account registration and sign-in authentication
Push Kit — serves as a stable and targeted messaging service with extensive platform support
In-App Purchases (IAP) — provides developers with access to various major mobile payment methods (both global and local)
Analytics Kit — serves as a one-stop data analysis platform to support data collection, data analysis, data insights, and business growth, within a strict user privacy framework. FairPrice, a Singaporean shopping app that runs on Android, iOS, and Web platforms, has utilized Analytics Kit to make a comprehensive analysis of data from all platforms, so as to make informed product operations decisions throughout the entire user lifecycle.
Looking forward, HMS Core will remain committed to innovative and open solutions, facilitating app development with better services, improving app innovation and operations for a better user experience, and laying the foundation for an all-scenario, all-connected app ecosystem.
Leading female fashion brand offers customers new mobile app experiences by replatforming to poq
LONDON, March 2, 2022 — Global mobile app platform providerpoq today announces Forever New, the Australian founded global fashion brand, has launched new mobile apps using poq’s composable commerce mobile app stack.
With a global footprint spanning 300 retail destinations across 10 countries, the women’s apparel specialist chose poq to relaunch its mobile apps to deliver a frictionless customer journey and improve loyalty experience.
The MACH-certified native mobile app platform from poq has allowed Forever New to offer its customers rich and engaging content features, such as ‘App Stories’ and content carousel, as well as sophisticated communication capabilities.
The apps integrate with Forever New’s ecommerce platform to leverage the existing product catalog, merchandising and loyalty programs, with app build and launch taking just 12 weeks.
Ged Steele, Chief Operating Officer, Forever New commented: "We chose poq because we were impressed by the app platform capability and flexibility. One of the main aims with this project was to provide a high quality app experience. We also wanted a partner who would support our long-term app strategy and work with us in delivering engaging experiences for our loyal customers."
Jay Johnston, Chief Executive Officer, poq said: "It is an honour to work with a leader such as Forever New, they truly understand their customer and want to reward them with the best native app experience. We were delighted to offer them a platform that could deliver such an experience in a matter of weeks enabling them to use a composable, ‘mobile-first’ approach as the driving force for their customer retention strategy."
About poq
Poq is a MACH-certified cloud-based platform, empowering retailers to create highly effective native mobile apps that provide a superior shopping experience. These apps allow retailers to sell more, deepen loyalty and deliver engaging content. To learn more, please visit poqcommerce.com.
About Forever New
Forever New is a global fashion brand established and based in Melbourne, Australia. The brand’s mission is to provide everlasting pieces to elevate the customer’s personal style and enhance her confidence. It’s the unique approach to fashion’s latest trends that makes the brand one of Australia’s fastest-growing fashion success stories. Today, Forever New’s global footprint spans more than 270 retail and concession stores across 30 countries.
Mobile World Congress (MWC) is back for 2022 season, and we are glad. It is a sign that things are becoming normal again. But most of all, we are excited to see what all its participants have in store for us.
While HUAWEI and Samsung participated and jumped the gun in launching their new laptop and tablet devices, it is MWC. Mobile is in its name; we want something more smartphones. We got that with POCO and their new C4 Pro 5G.
The POCO X4 Pro is an entry-level device, but you get plenty of flagship features on it at a fraction of the cost.
Source: POCO
You are met with an expansive 6.67-inch AMOLED DotDisplay screen that has a small punch hole at the middle of the top of the panel for a selfie camera. The 6.67-inch display is a nice 120Hz refresh rate display for a nice and smooth user experience (UX). It also features 360Hz touch sampling rate for a near instant and snappy feel of the MIUI 13 interface. The Full HD+ AMOLED display is a first for a POCO X series device.
Standing out at the back of the device is a 108-Megapixel sensor for super high-resolution and detailed photos. There is also an 8-Megapixel ultra-wide camera, a 2-Megapixel macro camera supporting the main camera and adding more variety to your gallery, or Instagram spread. Out front, in the punch hole is a16-Megapixel camera for clear and clean selfies.
Keeping everything going as they should, is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 System on a Chip (SoC). The 6nm SoC is 5G capable; hence, the 5G moniker, and is one of Qualcomm’s latest chips to roll off the line. It comes with two ARM Cortex-A78 high-performance cores that clocks out at 2.2Ghz and supported by six other efficiency cores.
The powerful SoC is supported by 8GB of RAM, which is ample these days. If you need more, the device can take 3GB out of its 256GB built-in storage as temporary makeshift RAM on top of the 8GB RAM. It works great if you tend to open 100 apps (over-exaggeration) and leaves all of them open.
To ensure that it will keep you connected and going all day is a 5,000mAh battery that is supposed to offer 15 hours of video playback. When it starts running low and you can find a wall port, it charges at up to 67W speeds and can be fully charged from an empty battery in just 41 minutes.
Price and Availability
The POCO X4 Pro was just launched in MWC 2022 very recently. It can be yours very soon though. The X4 Pro will arrive in Malaysian shores by the 3rd of March 2022 onward exclusively on Shopee. It comes in two variants, a 6GB + 128GB variant and an 8GB + 256GB variant. They are priced at MYR 1,199 and MYR 1,499 respectively. If you get them on their launch date – you are eligible for an Early Bird discount that brings the prices down to MYR 1,099 and MYR 1,249 respectively. More information on the POCO X4 Pro can be found on their website.
