BEIJING, Feb. 18, 2022 — A news report by China.org.cn on China’s intangible cultural heritage:
"Half an inch tall, these monkeys bring folk customs of the capital city alive." This poem describes the hairy monkey, a traditional handicraft in old Beijing. The hairy monkey simulates human movements and life scenes, reflecting the life of the city, and has derived a variety of widely loved art works.
 
Before the eve of the 2022 Spring Festivalr, in order to have a closer understanding of intangible cultural heritage and feel the charm of traditional Chinese culture, Mengli and Ma Zhuoran who are international students from Russia visited the Studio of Zhang Fengxia, the fourth generation inheritor of Beijing style hairy monkey. They learned how to make a hairy monkey from Zhang Fengxia and gained a better knowledge of the hairy monkey culture.
The hairy monkey originated in the Qing Dynasty, which is more than 100 years ago. According to legend, there was a traditional Chinese herbal medicine shop called "South Qing Ren Tang" located at Luomashi Avenue on the outside of Xuanwumen in Beijing. One day, the clerk of the medicine shop was told off by the shop owner for no reason at all and felt very depressed. At night, when he was studying the herbs, he found by chance that the shape of Flos Magnoliae resembles the shop owner’s big belly. He then found a cicada slough and used its nose as the head, its front legs as the lower limbs, and its back legs as the upper limbs, which formed a monkeyish figurine. And that marked the birth of the first hairy monkey. Soon, the handicraft spread in Beijing and became a favorite toy for children.
It seems to be simple to make a hairy monkey, but actually it takes a lot of time and effort. To create in a small scale is a great test for the energy and endurance of the craftsman. "I thought the art was very simple, but I had a lot of difficulties in doing it," Mr. Ma said. Under the patient guidance of Zhang Fengxia, the international students completed their own hairy monkeys step by step, from the selection of materials to the arrangement of scenery. "I think it’s a beautiful art that conveys a lot of emotions. I wish more people knew about this art." After the experience, Mengli expressed his love and admiration for the monkey making.
Today’s hairy monkey creation are no longer confined to the old Beijing market culture, it continues to innovate with the development of the times. In the showcase of Zhang fengxia’s works, you can see a hairy monkey artwork themed by the canal in her hometown, Tongzhou which is also a new work created for the Winter Olympics in Beijing. Behind these exquisite works is Zhang Fengxia’s original aspiration and adherence to this skill.
The experience of making the hairy monkey not only makes international students feel the unique charm of China’s intangible culture heritage, but also makes the hairy monkey culture known and loved by more people.
FOSHAN, China, Feb. 18, 2022 — On February 16, 2022, Midea Group Co., Ltd. ("Midea", stock code: 000333.SZ)completed USD 450 million 5-year unsecured green bonds, issued at T+98 base points, setting a record of the lowest issuance margin for international U.S. dollar bonds with the same rating with similar levels of maturity across the industry.
The launch of Midea’s green bonds has drawn widespread attention from investors across the market. International high-level green investors joined Midea’s roadshow launch event, enthused by Midea’s technology-driven, multi-industry, global operations and credit quality growth. Midea had received multiple intentional orders by the end of the roadshow’s first day. After the public filing was announced on the morning of February 16, orders peaked at USD 2.4 billion, eight times the original offering size. Due to the overwhelming response from investors, Midea eventually expanded the offering and priced it at T+98 basis points.
This is the first green bond issuance in the domestic industry in China. The issue price has achieved the lowest issue margin compared to private enterprises with similar ratings and maturity. It attracted a diverse set of investors from central banks, asset management companies, banks, and private banks from as wide as Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. It has also been warmly received by sustainable development investors with Green and ESG investors accounting for about 20% of the bonds issued.
According to Midea’s announcement, the funds raised will be used to fund various green projects, including Midea’s green design and green manufacturing, such as producing environmentally friendly and energy-efficient products, its’ low-carbon strategy, upgrading energy-saving of manufacturing equipment, green upgrading of energy infrastructure, and increasing renewable energy procurement.
Midea has actively implemented national "Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality" strategic goals and pursued green development. It aims to enable green and low-carbon transformation of products through technological innovations and to realize energy conservation and emission reduction of manufacturing processes by upgrading equipment and lean production. The green bond is the first green financing tool that Midea adopted to support its green strategy, demonstrating Midea’s commitment to corporate social responsibility and green development.
Midea’s green strategy was officially unveiled in October 2021. Based on the mission of "Building a Greener Global Supply Chain, providing Green Products and Services, and jointly building a Green Planet", the green strategy requires Midea to reach its target of peaking carbon emission by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060, which will be achieved through six pillars of "green design, green procurement, green manufacturing, green logistics, green recycling, and green service". Midea intends to make significant contributions to the world’s "Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality" goals.
-Strengthened sustainability promotion system to accelerate ESG and SDG initiatives throughout corporate activities-
TOKYO, Feb. 18, 2022 — Toshiba Corporation (TOKYO: 6502) today published the English edition of Toshiba Group Sustainability Report 2021, an annual review of policies and initiatives to advance ESG and promote achievement of the SDGs.
Toshiba Group Sustainability Report 2021
Toshiba Group Sustainability Report 2021 is compiled and edited by Toshiba’s Sustainability Management Division, established in April 2021 as an independent division reporting directly to the President and CEO. This new organization integrates the former sustainability promotion department, and is responsible for bringing forward-looking sustainability perspectives into management, and for promoting and advancing ESG and SDGs initiatives in all corporate activities.
In addition to reporting on Toshiba Group’s ESG initiatives in FY2020, Toshiba Group Sustainability Report 2021 covers the work of the new division to date, the reinforcement of the sustainability management structure, the formulation of Toshiba Group Sustainability Policy, the re-identification of materiality, and the revision of Environmental Future Vision 2050. These measures are briefly explained below.
1. Strengthening the sustainability management structure
Toshiba has ensured that sustainability perspectives are brought into management by setting up the Sustainability Strategy Committee. It is chaired by the President and CEO, and its members are executives responsible for sustainability, the Presidents of key group companies, and managers responsible for promoting sustainability.
Three committees operate under the umbrella of the Sustainability Strategy Committee: The Sustainability Promotion Committee and the Corporate Environmental Management Committee (established in 1991) consider specific measures to advance plans and decisions made by the Sustainability Strategy Committee, including formulating action plans and monitoring their progress. The Non-financial Information Disclosure Committee approves disclosure of ESG information for inclusion in the annual Integrated Report and Sustainability Report.
2. Formulation of Toshiba Group Sustainability Policy
As a measure to raise corporate value over the medium to long term, the board amended the Board of Directors Rules to include responsibility for determining Toshiba Group Sustainability Policy. In October 2021, the board formulated the current policy.
Basic Commitment of the Toshiba Group, "Committed to People, Committed to the Future," reflects Toshiba’s unwavering determination to contribute to society’s development through business activities. Guided by this commitment, and as a member of a society facing issues that include energy shortages, resource depletion, and climate change, Toshiba does not simply pursue short-term profits, but considers the long-term impact of its corporate activities on society, and promotes initiatives that contribute to solving social issues.
Toshiba Group Sustainability Policy will further advance this approach and strengthen activities that contribute to social sustainability. The policy is positioned alongside Basic Commitment of the Toshiba Group, management policy and Standards of Conduct for Toshiba Group as a core policy, and efforts to promote widespread awareness and compliance of the policy in the front lines of business are now underway, in Japan and overseas.
3. Re-identification of Materiality
Toshiba Group have tackled the material issues identified in 2013 by regularly confirming their status. However, response to climate change is now required on a global scale, and social issues are changing according to various perspectives as seen in the SDGs adopted by the United Nations. Toshiba Group also reviewed its businesses. Accordingly, we re-identified new material issues in FY2021.
Before re-identifying material issues, Toshiba Group extracted and organized issues with reference to the SDGs, the Global Risks Report published by the World Economic Forum (WEF), and guidelines including the SASB (*1) Standards. They were then prioritized in respect of the Group’s core businesses, and narrowed down to those requiring further consideration.
<2021 Re-identification of Materiality>
Vision for 2030
Materiality
For the irreplaceable global environment in which we live
Promote corporate activities with full consideration for the global environment throughout our value chain, from design, procurement, manufacturing, logistics and sales, through to disposal.
Respond to climate change
Respond to the circular economy
Consider ecosystems
For respect of human rights, to nurture people and technology, and to give back to society
Encourage every Group employee to feel pride and fulfillment in their work, and to harness creativity and technology in collaborating with business partners to realize rich value.
Secure, retain and train human resources
Ensure employee health and safety
Promote respect for human rights
Promote sustainable procurement
Strengthen R&D to stimulate innovation
For further strengthening thorough governance
Practice transparent corporate governance and optimal internal controls; and execute management with integrity, trusted by stakeholders.
Strengthen governance
Strengthen cyber resilience
4. Revision of Environmental Future Vision 2050
Toshiba has revised Response to Climate Change in Environmental Future Vision 2050(*2), its long-term vision of environmental management from a global perspective including climate change and the circular economy, so as to further accelerate efforts to achieve carbon neutrality throughout the value chain.
Specific measures will include investments in energy-saving equipment in the Group’s business activities, the introduction of renewable energy equipment and expanded procurement of energy from renewable sources, and a focus of creating products and services that contribute to lower emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG). Among other measures, Toshiba will continue collaborations with suppliers that target lower GHG emissions derived from purchased products and services, and also promote businesses in climate change adaptation measures that aim to stabilize energy supply and strengthen resilience.
Guided by Basic Commitment of the Toshiba Group, while striving to strengthen ESG activities and information disclosure, Toshiba Group will continue to contribute to solving social issues such as the SDGs through technology advances and business activities.
– Overview of Toshiba Group Sustainability Report 2021
Date of publication (English Edition): February 18, 2022
Notes: *1: Sustainability Accounting Standards Board. A non-profit organization that develops sustainability accounting standards. Founded by Jean Rogers in 2011. *2: "Response to Climate Change" vision, formulated in November 2020: "Contribution through the entire value chain to achieve net zero GHG emissions in society (50% reduction across the Group’s value chain by FY2030)" "Response to Climate Change" vision, revised in November 2021: "Achieving carbon neutrality throughout the entire value chain (70% reduction of GHG emissions by FY2030)"
Yesterday, news broke about Spotify making two more acquisitions. To be fair, it was more like Spotify announcing that they are making two more acquisitions for themselves. No, it is not really because they have excess cash in hand. It is more because the two acquisitions might just seal Spotify’s position as the king platform for podcasts.
The two companies that Spotify is acquiring are Podsights, and Chartable. Both acquisitions would see the technologies they offer integrate with Spotify’s or enhance their current platform. But you as a consumer might not immediately see the effects of the acquisition. At least, you might not immediately see it directly anyway.
Podsights, according to Spotify, is a leading podcast advertising measurement service provider. It is supposed to ensure that advertisers get more accurate advertising data on podcasts. In short, it is a sort of Google AdSense for podcasts.
Then there is Chartable, a podcast analytics tool provider. The tool allows podcasters to see data regarding their podcast audiences. This would help publishers understand their audiences better and produce more accurate information regarding their podcast. They can even make more informed decisions regarding their podcasts in that case. This would be like the Google Analytics for podcasts.
In a sense, these tools are not really made for end-users in mind. The two new technologies that Spotify will be acquiring exists to allow Spotify’s podcaster’s easy access to tools that could help them make their podcast better, and to even grow their podcasts in different ways. It could help advertisers understand how their ads work on podcasts as well, allowing them to make better decisions on the way they design their ads, or where to place them.
While the technologies attached with the companies Spotify aims to acquire are tailored for podcast, the audio streaming company sees application beyond podcasts. They aim to bring the technology to their full suite of services. This includes their music streaming and eventually videos as well. What they are saying is that they are going to introduce more targeted ads in their music streaming platform soon.
All this not only points to better podcast experience, but also better monetisation opportunities for podcasters. It also means that advertisers get more accurate data and would eventually be willing to spend more on ads within podcasts, music, and videos on Spotify itself. Of course, all this also means more money for Spotify. But beyond that, it ensures that Spotify’s podcasters stay with Spotify and grow with the platform. It will also attract more podcasters to be on the platform, which is always a win situation for Spotify.
The acquisition announcement currently is still merely that, an announcement. There are no mentions on how much the leading music streaming firm is spending on these two acquisitions. They also mentioned that Podsights will be operating as an entity independent from the team in Spotify. Their technologies will still be integrated in the platform’s podcast tools, we are guessing. The reason for the independence is most likely since Podsights have their own list of clienteles currently. For more information on the new acquisitions, you can head over to their blog.
Flexible displays have a complicated history. It has also come a long way since its conception many years ago. Samsung was the first smartphone manufacturer in the world to finally realise the foldable smartphone dream with the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Fold back in 2018. If you have read our review of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2, you would know that we are quite fond of it.
They have released the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3. Admittedly, we are a little late on its review. But it is still one of Samsung’s most powerful flagships to date, and you can get one with an S Pen. Effectively, it is a spiritual successor to the Galaxy Note series that is confirmed to be long gone.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 is cheaper than before at MYR 6,699. There are a few reasons for that, but it is a good thing overall. Is it now worth its asking price though? Should you consider moving to a foldable device now that Samsung has forgone its Galaxy Note series? Is it even a good device? We find out.
Design
Unlike a lot of the other flagships that seems to get larger with new iterations, the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3’s dimensions did not change from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2. They are identical in , width and even thickness. If you put them together side by side, ignoring the camera module, you would have a hard time telling the two devices apart.
The materials used are the exact same materials as before in all the same places. Even the hinge mechanism is the same one used in the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2. There is a small difference between the hinge in the third iteration though. It is now sealed and insulated to ensure that it can comply to IPX8 water resistance. Water resistance, in some ways, is a large improvement over the older Galaxy Z Fold2 in today’s modern standards. That, and they say that the aluminium ‘backbone’ (as they call it) is now 10% stronger than before. We did not get to test that though.
There are also some differences at the back of the device. The camera module looks a lot more modest than before. It now features three separate glass elements instead of a single glass box. It somehow makes the entire back of the device looks much cleaner, although the three cameras are the same three cameras you find on the old Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2. That is about it in terms of the difference in appearance though.
Hardware
Oddly, it is not powered by Samsung’s own Exynos powerhouse. In fact you cannot find a Samsung foldable with Exynos chip in it. Instead, it is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 System on a Chip (SoC).
FRONT Internal: 4-Megapixel (f/1.8, under-display ) 4K video recording (30fps)
FRONT External: 10-Megapixel (f/2.2, 26mm wide angle) 4K video recording (30fps)
Sensors
Accelerometer Proximity Side Mounted Fingerprint Ambient Light Gyroscope Face Unlock Compass
User Interface – One UI Full Flex
Of course, a Samsung device is never complete without Samsung’s very recognizable User Interface on top of Android. At the time of testing, we only had One UI on top of Android 11. Still, One UI is a league of its own in the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3. You do not want to be using a custom launcher with the Samsung foldable flagship.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3’s One UI does not feel like a blown up One UI for odd displays. It feels better than the older interface. Oddly, not that much has changed since the last round.
You still can have two different home screens for both your front display and inside display. This time round, you can both displays to display the same home screen too, if you really want, without messing about too much. Notifications are not blown up to occupy the entire space like before. It actually feels nicer and cleaner somehow. On top of that, you get more unique app experiences now on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3.
Settings Menu
Instead of the old settings menu that is clearly made for smartphones, the interface opens to a more tablet like experience with the main display. Of course, you get the regular smartphone interface type of settings menu on the outer display. Once you open the device, the interface immediately changes though, which is a real nice touch.
Spotify
The Spotify experience on the main display of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 opens to a more tablet like experience too. To be fair, it should not be to hard for app developers to include smartphone-to-tablet-to-smartphone switching modes. Most apps have their own dedicated tablet interfaces these days and it would make sense for them to include the interface for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3.
YouTube
Of course, this was the first app with a proper interface that is more suited to the larger display of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold. It was first seen on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2, but it is a little smoother now on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3. At the same time, you can tilt the display to use half the screen to watch your videos and view the comments of description on the other. We think that it is a feature useful when you do livestreams, especially when you need to watch the comments box.
Gmail
You guessed it, when the Z Fold3 is open, Gmail opens to a more tablet like experience too with the email inbox list on the left and the contents on the right. We think that this is a much more intuitive experience for the larger tablet like display on the Galaxy Z Fold3.
Plenty to Work On
One UI is not perfect though. While Instagram now fills up the entire display, you might find that the app does not work as intended when you switch from the front display to the main display. You cannot interact with stories unless you close the app and open it again with the main display. Shopee and Lazada also do not resize between displays . While they are just irksome at best, it does detract from the whole foldable experience.
The Fold, Now with S Pen
This is an addition we appreciate though coming from the Samsung Galaxy Note line-up. One thing we were left wanting with the previous Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 was also the S Pen capabilities. The only issue is that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3’s S Pen is a different one to the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra’s.
Working with the S Pen is nice though. We missed the Galaxy Note series dearly and the Galaxy Z Fold3 sort of compensates the Galaxy Note’s discontinuation. We were worried that the S Pen would not be able to keep up at the dip of the display, where there are no digitizers, but it works perfectly, even when we drew a line down the crease. The whole S Pen experience is more natural than ever. It really is like writing in a notebook this time.
Performance
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 packs a very potent Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 System on a Chip (SoC). Even compared to the newly launched Samsung Galaxy S22, Galaxy Z Fold3 is still one powerful device. But its performance does not just come from the powerful SoC, it is the entire package that makes the Galaxy Z Fold3 what it is.
Benchmark
Call Quality and Connectivity
Like the older Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2, the Galaxy Z Fold3 packs only one earpiece and that is on its secondary (outer) display. That also means that you can only use it with the device folded. When it is unfolded, you can only make calls with the loudspeaker, which is not an entirely bad idea sometimes.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 in loudspeaker mode somehow feels a little louder than before. We are pretty sure it is the same hardware as the Galaxy Z Fold2 in terms of its audio. The increased volume also means that you can use it in a small discussion room with just a few people on the table as a teleconferencing device.
Of course, thanks to One UI, you can use your Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 as a video conferencing tool without the need to buy a stand or prop your device up against something else. You can set the device to open in any angle (nothing beyond 180o, though) and its front-facing camera can be angled to you for a better video calling experience.
If the device on the other end of the line also supposed VoLTE and is calling with full signal strength, your calls are crystal clear and crisp. Of course, these days you are making calls when you are on the move (we strongly discourage using the device without hands-free when you are driving). In that case, you might come across areas with poor signals. If you have a single bar on the network though, you should be able to have conversations over the phone, albeit with some distortions.
Gaming
Like the older Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2, we tested the device with PUBG Mobile, and Mobile Legends Bang Bang. We also tested it with Pokémon Unite, a MOBA title. Of course, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 performed very well in these games. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, in 2021 at least, is the most powerful smartphone processor you can find on any Android device. It only makes sense that you can play these games at its highest requirements with no issues at all.
The only issue you might be facing is heat management on the device. There is only so much surface area on the back of the foldable device to dissipate heat too, so you are going to feel it a little bit in your fingers. It is not scalding hot though; you should be able to still handle it with little discomfort.
Multitasking and Productivity
The large display allows us to experience two apps at once without having to crimp on the window sizes. You can have three windows open at once, plus five floating windows in the back. In theory, you can have all eight apps open at the same time.
In practice though, the best way to use the device is by having three windows. We would like to be able to use up to four apps at the same time, there is enough screen real estate to work with. Sure, you can have a floating window open, but it is just not the same.
Still, three is better than two. At that as well, The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 never felt too sluggish to work with even when there are eight apps running at the same time (three windows, five floating windows). You can easily change from one app to the other effortlessly too, which is a huge plus point in multitasking.
Samsung’s latest One UI also inherits its not-so-intuitive multi-window mechanics. The easiest way to open all the apps is to first open the three apps separately, and to go into recent apps to fiddle with the little “multi-window” option on the apps you want to run. Once in this mode, you can just toggle the apps around to increase its size or rearrange the entire thing.
Like its predecessors, the new One UI also comes with a quick launch menu which allows you to dock up to two apps at once to be able to launch both the apps in multi-window mode immediately. We highly recommend using that feature in the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 to optimise your experience.
Battery Life
In our typical use case, we work with apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Gmail, and even the phone app plenty. We would also scroll feeds on Instagram, Facebook, and even Twitter from time to time with it. Of course, our camera is also used to take various photos and videos we could use for our review. We do play games on the device occasionally.
In our typical use case, we never had too much of a problem with its battery life for an entire day. In our test period, we took the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 away from the charger at about 9am. The device would hit about 15% of battery at about 10 p.m. on average.
While the battery is smaller than before, it charges just about the same with the older device. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 charges to full in about two hours via USB Type-C cable. It also comes with wireless charging like its predecessor. Charging it wirelessly allows it to charge at 15W speeds. I will take longer than two hours to charge the device from empty to full in that case.
Displays & Audio
While the displays on the new and older device looks the same, they are slightly different. The outer display is a slightly smaller display before at 6.2-inch from the 6.23-inch of the Z Fold2. Nothing much has changed on the inside though, except for a difference in brightness and a revolutionary under-display camera.
Secondary Display
It is now a Dynamic AMOLED 2X display compared to the older Super AMOLED. It crams a little more resolution that before too at 832 by 2,268 pixels. You hardly notice the added pixels in such a crammed display. You will notice the difference in panel quality though.
The colours from a Dynamic AMOLED 2X tend to look more natural, less saturated than Super AMOLED. At 25:9 aspect ratio, the narrow display is not really made for immersive media consumption. The better colour contrasts of the display does make it a little more enjoyable when you are watching Netflix or even YouTube on the smaller display.
Main Display
Of course, you want to use the larger display for the best viewing experience. It is also the same great flexible display you find on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2, except it has gotten a little bit more brightness and the S Pen capability.
While the near square display works very well for productivity, it is a little crippled in consuming media. When you watch Netflix, you get two very large black bars on the top and bottom of the display. It does not take anything away from its experience though.
The display shines in gaming though. Mobile games tend to take advantage of different display form factors and optimizes itself to match the display size and form factor. Most of the games we tested fills the display. The result is an immersive gaming experience with plenty of details on display. The control buttons do not interfere with the peripheral visions on the display, which is a bonus in games like PUBG Mobile and even other MOBA games.
The same flex and bending marks from before can still be seen and is as noticeable as before. The crease is quite unavoidable in today’s folding devices. It is a little distracting especially when you view the display from an angle, but you might grow used to it after a while.
Under Display Cam – Not Just a Hole
If you look closely, the top part of the right side of the display looks a little odd. There are pixels that sit there, but you can see through it to find the small front-facing camera. While the pixel count in that small, rounded area is not as dense as the other parts of the display, it does help with your viewing experience. Netflix can now take full advantage of the display’s height and other media looks less janky.
Cameras
The under-display is not a brilliant camera. Photos taken with this 4-megapixel camera feels a little dated. Colours are a little off and details are not great. It is the camera that most will use for video conferences though, where high-resolution is not necessary.
There is another 10-Megapixel front-facing camera. This one is the same one as you can find from the device before. While it is not the most detailed photo you get from this camera, it is not a bad image you get. Colours and saturation seem to be more on-point.
The rear cameras are also the exact same ones you can find on the Galaxy Z Fold3. While you get the same triple 12-Megapixel camera set up, the processing chip is a lot more advanced than before. The results from the 12-Megapixel shooters are quite impressive.
They are not what you would call ‘DSLR’ quality, but they are more than acceptable for social media use. The colours look natural and vivid while details look great for 12-Megapixel photos. At the same time, you can still record videos at 4K.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 – The Z Fold2, just Better Everywhere
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 is not meant to be a huge leap from the older Samsung Galazy Z Fold2. It is meant to be just a touch better than the 2nd generation foldable; more refined, if you must. But that does not mean that Samsung was complacent with the Galaxy Z Fold3.
The flagship foldable is now an IPX certified device, which means it can handle the weather. That also meant that the Galaxy Z Fold3 has some added durability built into the stuff. While the mechanism was a concern in the old device, the new one is made to be a little sturdier and just works better. The added durability on that also means that the S Pen feature can now be integrated and it works better than we thought it would.
They updated the secondary display, which may not be too noticeable to most people. But we do appreciate that small upgrade to bring the secondary display to the level of the main display. You get the same colours and same saturation levels. In some ways, it just makes the experience switching from the secondary to main display just a little more seamless.
The main display has not changed all that much, but the addition of a thin layer of LED on top of the internal camera does make it feel a touch more immersive than before. It makes the display looks complete too, even if you can still tell that there is a hole underneath the display. Yes, that means the camera underneath have to be a little worse than before, but that is an okay trade-off in this case.
The camera modules have not changed, but thanks to the new processor and better imaging algorithm, the camera experience is just a touch better. Below that is slightly smaller battery, but the difference between battery life from the old device is virtually non-existent. System wise, apps just work a little better and some apps have ‘tablet’ modes on the device now, which just makes more sense.
At MYR 6,699, it is way cheaper than the older device. Samsung is going all-in with the foldable device market, and it shows with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3. The lower pricing just means that they want you to be on board too.
The third generation foldable from Samsung is marginally better in almost every way. But they are marginal improvements in the areas that matter. All of them total up to a better Galaxy Z Fold experience.
So, to answer the questions we set out to answer. Yes, it is now sort of worth MYR 6,699. Yes, you can consider this as your replacement to the Samsung Galaxy Note series, if you do not mind the step-down in camera technology. Yes, the Galaxy Z Fold3 is a good device. If you are coming from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 though, you might want to hold it off for a while and wait for the next iteration of the Galaxy Z Fold before considering an upgrade.
ZUG, Switzerland, Feb. 18, 2022 — PHI Inc. is the first company in Japan to be awarded the `Free and Open Grant’ by the Concordium Foundation. The grant has been awarded for the development of an innovative electronic open voting project, called Govote, which will run on the Concordium blockchain.
The PHI team has been working on a business model for managing teams and projects through a Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) preparing for the Web3 era.The Govote project is part of PHI’s vision of digital governance of DAO society. Govote can be used for a general meeting of shareholders, distributed teams building and online communities.
In their search for a blockchain platform to meet the requirements of the next-generation voting system, the PHI team found Concordium blockchain which implements identity management. Privacy and anonymity are inherent to voting mechanisms to Govote, which uses blockchain technology and zero-knowledge proofs to provide voting rights, vote anonymity, and tamper-resistance of voting results.
Lone Fønss Schrøder, CEO, Concordium, commented: "Online voting has long been talked about and is gaining momentum, especially in the post-COVID era. While the technology has been available for quite some time, concern is still rampant about the permeability and vulnerability of these systems. Using blockchain to overcome some of the challenges, is yet another use case for this technology. It is our honor to work together with the PHI team to make online voting a reality."
Takashi Oka, Co-founder of PHI commented, "We are delighted to be the first team in Japan to receive a grant from the Concordium Foundation. PHI team will be a bridge between Web2.0 and Web3.0, which will greatly contribute to the development of the blockchain space. Behind the slow progress in the use of public blockchain by companies and public cases, there is a very high hurdle to meet the regulatory requirements such as AML/CFT. On Concordium, it is possible to develop applications/services that solve this problem by utilizing the ID function to achieve both identity verification and privacy."
Concordium, based in Switzerland, is defining a new category of compliance facilitating blockchains. Concordium is a Web 3.0 based, sustainable and science-proven blockchain. It is the first decentralized blockchain with identification at the protocol level which helps facilitate greater regulatory compliance. This identity layer offers transactional privacy while supporting regulatory accountability, and, as such, is a great match with use cases of this nature.
BEIJING, Feb. 17, 2022 — ReTo Eco-Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: RETO) ("ReTo" or the "Company"), a provider of technology solutions and operation services for intelligent ecological environments, announced today that ReTo’s subsidiary, Hainan Yile IoT Technology Co., Ltd. ("Yile IoT") and its subsidiary Hainan Yile IoV Technology Research Institute Co., have been approved by the Haikou Science and Industry Information Bureau to establish the "Haikou IoV Digital Applied Engineering Technology Research and Development Center" ("IoV Technology R&D Center"). Yile IoT was also recognized as a 2021 "Specialized and Innovative" Small and Medium-sized Enterprise in Haikou.
In response to Hainan Province’s science and technology innovation action plan, the IoV Technology R&D Center aims to further the future development of science and technology innovation in Hainan. As the first IoV science and technology innovation platform in the province, this center will be instrumental in consolidating the national resources of the IoV industry, continuing the research and development of key industrial technologies, accelerating the commercialization of technological achievements and developing technical services, business incubation, and innovative entrepreneurship.
The designation of a "Specialized and Innovative" Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise is awarded by Haikou City to enterprises operating in Haikou that are "professional, refined, specialized, and innovative." Following the issuance of the Implementation Plan for Promoting the Development of "Specialized and Innovative" Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Hainan Province by Hainan Provincial Industry and Information Technology Department in June 2021, the municipality of Haikou recognized Yile IoT in the first batch of "Specialized and Innovative" Small and Medium-sized Enterprises for its focus on market segments, emphasis on its core business, its strength in innovation, and its positive growth record.
Mr. Hengfang Li, Chairman and CEO of ReTo, commented: "Congratulations to Yile IoT for being recognized as a ‘Specialized and Innovative’ enterprise. This acknowledgement reflects recognition of Yile IoT’s business model and achievements in its field. Receiving the approval and beginning preparation work for the IoV Technology R&D Center mark an important milestone in the implementation of Yile IoT’s IoV business strategies，as Yile IoT focuses on the research, development, application and commercialization of IoV technologies, while providing customers with competitive, safe, and reliable products and solutions in the fields of IoV cloud services, intelligent terminals, and communication. The establishment of this center marks Yile IoT’s continued commitment to developing IoV technologies for residents and businesses in Hainan."
About ReTo Eco-Solutions, Inc.
Founded in 1999, ReTo Eco-Solutions, Inc., through its proprietary technologies, systems and solutions, is striving to bring clean water and fertile soil to communities worldwide. The Company offers a full range of products and services, ranging from the production of environmentally-friendly construction materials, environmental protection equipment, and manufacturing equipment used to produce environmentally-friendly construction materials, to project consulting, design, and installation for the improvement of ecological environments, such as ecological soil restoration through solid waste treatment. Through its subsidiary Yile IoT Technology Co., Ltd., a high-tech enterprise in Hainan Province and focusing on the research, development and application of IoT technologies, the Company provides products and scenario-based solutions and products for clients primarily in the automobile rental, ride sharing and logistic sectors in China. For more information, please visit: http://en.retoeco.com
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than statements of historical facts. When the Company uses words such as "may," "will," "intend," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project," "estimate," or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, it is making forward-looking statements. Specifically, forward looking statements include the establishment of the IoV Technology R&D Center, the furtherance of Yile IoT’s business strategies , the ability to realize the anticipated goals and benefits from the establishment of the IoV Technology R&D Center and the designation of Yile IoT as "Specialized and Innovative" Small and Medium-size Enterprise , the Company’s plans, objects, goals, and strategies and assumptions underlying such statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties including those discussed in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available for review at www.sec.gov. These risks and uncertainties may cause the actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.
Our memory is still fresh with Samsung’s Galaxy S22 launch earlier this month. If you have been living under a shell; yes, it is the year 2022 and Samsung has launched their latest sequel to one of the most successful line-ups of Android devices in the world. The Samsung Galaxy S22 is here and will come to your doorways on the 3rd of March 2022.
It does not seem like Samsung is done launching devices though. They have just announced that they will be making another appearance alongside MWC 2022. On the 27th of February 2022, Samsung is making another round of announcements and inevitably launch a few products. The public invite on their website says that the event will be streamed LIVE on their YouTube channel at 7.00 p.m. CET (2.00 a.m. 28th of February 2022 Malaysia Time). They have also released some graphics with the date announcement and said that the graphics will be representative of what they are launching in late February.
We eyed a smartphone, tablet, the S Pen, a wearable, the Z Fold and Z Flip, and a laptop. Considering Samsung just launched their new smartphone and tablet, we doubt they will be releasing anymore of those anytime soon. In that case we probably can expect Samsung to launch a new wearable maybe, or a new notebook PC in that case.
There is also a small chance that Samsung might announce the inclusion of their smartphones and wearables in their Bespoke program. In that case, you might be able to buy a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 in a very special colour of your own for example. Then again, this is all speculations.
We could all be wrong, and Samsung might just launch a whole new line-up of smarthome products. This is MWC though, so we think that is highly improbably too. Samsung is being a little vague on this event.
Whatever it is, we will only find out in their second major announcement of the year in their MWC 2022 event. Again, you can watch their announcement on their YouTube channel on the 27th of February 2022 at 7.00 p.m CET (28th of February 2022 at 2.00 a.m. Kuala Lumpur time). If you want to know more about this event, you can head over to their website.
ESPOO, Finland, Feb. 17, 2022 — Fraunhofer Institute for Silicon Technology (ISIT) has taken PICOSUN® P-300B ALD system into use as their powder MEMS technology platform.
Fraunhofer ISIT PowderMEMS is a new innovative technology for creating three-dimensional microstructures from a multitude of materials on wafer level. The technology is based on bonding together µm-sized powder particles in a cavity with Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD). It has many advantages compared to other manufacturing techniques as it allows using much lower process temperatures compared to a traditional sintering process. The bonded porous structures are thermally and chemically resistant thus enabling their extensive post-processing in a clean room.
"The technology can be used for various applications, such as microelectronics, MEMS sensors, MEMS actuators and microfluidics. For example, it enables the integration of porous and magnetic 3D microstructures on wafer level", explains Dr. Björn Gojdka, Group Leader at Fraunhofer ISIT.
"We were looking for a solution for conformal high surface area coating of powder located in trenches. Picosun solution is a perfect fit for this need as we are also looking into scaling up the technology. We are especially happy about the tool’s hot wall reactor, versatile precursor sources and its easy maintenance", states Dr. Thomas Lisec, Chief Scientist at Fraunhofer ISIT.
"We are excited over this new technology coming to life and all the opportunities it will bring. I am especially impressed by the potential applications for the Fraunhofer ISIT PowderMEMS as they are exceptionally diverse. I’m looking forward to continuing working closely with Fraunhofer ISIT on bringing the technology up to industrial production", says Dr. Christoph Hossbach, General Manager of Picosun Europe GmbH.
More information: Dr. Christoph Hossbach, General Manager, Picosun Europe GmbH Tel. +49 1522 449 49 11 Email: info@picosun.com Web: www.picosun.com
Picosun provides the most advanced ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition) thin film coating solutions for global industries. Picosun’s ALD solutions enable technological leap into the future, with turn-key production processes and unmatched, pioneering expertise in the field – dating back to the invention of the technology itself. Today, PICOSUN® ALD equipment are in daily manufacturing use in numerous leading industries around the world. Picosun is based in Finland, with subsidiaries in Germany, USA, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, China mainland and Taiwan, offices in India and France, and a world-wide sales and support network. Visit www.picosun.com
Fraunhofer ISIT in Itzehoe is one of Europe’s most modern research facilities for microelectronics and microsystems technology. At the heart of the institute are the clean room facilities, large enough not only to conduct research but also to manufacture the developed microchips on an industrial scale. In close cooperation with partners from industry, 160 scientists at ISIT develop power electronics components and microsystems with fine moving structures for sensor technology and actuator technology, including the necessary packaging technology. www.isit.fraunhofer.de
Hong Kong-based Lu Heng champions "one world, one internet"
HONG KONG, Feb. 17, 2022 — Lu Heng, the CEO and founder of LARUS Limited, the global market leader in IP solutions, has unveiled his vision for the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC) Executive Council (EC) elections.
APNIC, one of the world’s five Regional Internet Registries (RIRs), is responsible for allocating and managing IP addresses and providing related services throughout the Asia-Pacific region. As a staunch supporter of digital globalization and of the maxim "One World, One Internet", Lu Heng argues for a fair internet experience, healthy competition and resolving pricing issues in the current IPv4 market, as well as accelerating the adoption of IPv6 being central to APNIC’s governance.
Commenting on his one world, one internet vision Lu Heng said, "The governance and pricing challenges facing ISP companies in Australia and New Zealand are the same as those in all APNIC member states including the Philippines, China, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. My two-year plan as an APNIC board member is to put the voice of all members, in all countries who are striving to build a fair and equal internet for the world at the very heart of APNIC’s decision making."
Lu Heng draws on his more than ten years of experience in Internet governance within the RIR system. LARUS Limited, which Lu Heng founded in 2016, is the only IP service provider in Hong Kong and a leading IP solution provider worldwide, having leased more than 10 million IP addresses to date to customers in over 60 countries.
APNIC is governed by the eight-member EC, which is composed of seven members elected for two-year terms, as well as the Director General of APNIC. Lu Heng is running for a seat on the APNIC EC, with voting scheduled to begin February 17 and end on March 3 at the conclusion of the 2022 edition of the Asia Pacific Network Technology Summit (APRICOT). Lu Heng, who was nominated for APNIC’s EC by Huawei Singapore as well as two of the largest Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in Pakistan, is keenly committed to APNIC’s core vision of "a global, open, stable and secure Internet".
Voting for the Executive Council is open to all APNIC members and will take place online through the MyApnic portal.
