Monthly Archives: January 2023

Computers, News

Introducing the Apple M2 Pro and M2 Max in the New Macbook Pro

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The Cupertino giant has made an announcement last night. They announced their latest silicon product, the M2 Pro and M2 Max. You can also find them on the MacBook Pro in 14-inch and 16-inch guises. These are the most powerful silicon products that Appel has ever made.

Apple M2 Pro and M2 Max

  • Apple M2 chips M2 Pro 230117
    Source: Apple
  • Apple M2 chips M2 Max 230117
    Source: Apple
  • Apple M2 chips lifestyle 230117
    Source: Apple
  • Apple M2 chips image processing in Photoshop 230117
    Source: Apple
  • Apple M2 chips hero 230117
    Source: Apple
  • Apple M2 chips code compiling in Xcode 230117
    Source: Apple

Apple’s M2 chip is technically a bigger, badder M1 chip. It is, in physical form, a tad larger than the M1 but with more horsepower than ever before. In its MacBook Air guise, it proved to be a potent chip for anything that is optimised and tuned to run on it.

Just like the M1 Pro and M1 Max, the M2 Pro and M2 Max are even bigger and in turn, even faster than the M2 chip. The M2 Pro adds four more cores to the eight-core set-up of the original M2. It now also has a 19-core GPU and up to 32GB of unified RAM. The M2 Max comes with the same 12-core CPU but carries double the GPU core count at 38 cores. The unified fast memory is also expanded to 96GB for even better and faster productivity. Additionally, both chips features Apple’s new 16-core neural engine and media engine.

Of course, like the M2 chip, the M2 Pro and M2 Max are built on 5nm process technology. That allows Apple to fit more transistors within the chips than before, about 40 billion transistors on the M2 Pro, 20% more than before. The M2 Pro packs twice the memory bandwidth of the regular M2 at 200GB/s. There are more GPU cores on the M2 Pro than the M1 Pro too. All this adds up to a 20% better multithread performance over the older chip and 30% graphics performance bump.

On the M2 Max, there are 10 billion more transistors over the older M1 Max. That is about three folds of the regular M2. Its memory bandwidth is even faster at 400GB/s. At 96GB as well, there is nearly no wait time for large files to open, especially useful if you are working with plenty of video folders and such. Its 38-core GPU with larger L2 cache also allows the M2 Max to process graphic-intensive projects much better and more efficiently.

The New MacBook Pro, Featuring the New M2 Pro and M2 Max

  • Apple MacBook Pro M2 Pro and M2 Max hero 230117
    Source: Apple
  • Apple MacBook Pro M2 Pro and M2 Max ports left 230117
    Source: Apple
  • Apple MacBook Pro M2 Pro and M2 Max ports right 230117
    Source: Apple
  • Apple MacBook Pro Adobe Photoshop 230117
    Source: Apple
  • Apple MacBook Pro XCode 230117
    Source: Apple
  • Apple MacBook Pro Motion 230117
    Source: Apple
  • Apple MacBook Pro M2 Pro and M2 Max Stage Manager 230117
    Source: Apple
  • Apple MacBook Pro M2 Pro and M2 Max lifestyle 230117
    Source: Apple
  • Apple MacBook Pro M2 Pro and M2 Max Freeform 230117
    Source: Apple
  • Apple MacBook Pro M2 Pro and M2 Max 2 up 230117
    Source: Apple
  • Apple MacBook Pro DaVinci Resolve 230117
    Source: Apple
  • Apple MacBook Pro Cinema 4D 230117
    Source: Apple

When we say new, there is technically nothing too new about the new MacBook Pro for 2023. It comes in 14-inch and 16-inch flavours. They look the same as before too. They sort of come in the same Retina display guise with no change in resolution. The weird forehead notch is still there. The display is not even a touch-sensitive one.

Yes, the big difference between the 2022 MacBook Pro and 2023 one is more than skin deep. You have the massive jump in power from the M2 Pro or M2 Max you find within. According to Apple, the massive jump in power also comes with even more efficiency than before too, resulting in a long-lasting battery life; up to 22 hours to be exact.

Obviously, with a massive power bump, comes greater performances and capabilities. Image processing in Photoshop is claimed to be up to 40% faster than before. Thanks to better optimisation in the SoC as well, Adobe’s Photoshop can process images 80% faster than the most powerful Intel-based MacBook Pro (keep in mind, Intel-based MacBook Pros are a thing of the past). With the M2 Max, colour grading with DaVinci resolve is now 30% faster than before allowing for a much faster video workflow.

They also mentioned that they have upgraded the HDMI port on both the Macbook Pro to an ‘advanced’ HDMI port. The HDMI port now can support 8K displays for the first time. Why they could not say that it is an HDMI 2.1 port is beyond us; but hey, you can connect your MacBook Pro 8K displays now. There is also WiFi 6E support now for even better wireless connectivity. You also want to keep in mind that the latest router technology tops out at WiFi 6 too, so there is some future-proofing with the MacBook Pro. You will also find the usual Thunderbolt 4 port that can double as display outputs as well, an SDXC card slot, and the ever popular MagSafe 3 charging port. Of course, the latest MacBook Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max comes with MacOS Ventura.

Price and Availability

The Apple MacBook Pro is now available for pre-order in the United States (U.S.) and 26 other countries and regions. The first Apple MacBook Pros will ship out 24th of January 2023 onward. The MacBook Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max will be available also in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, New Zealand, and Singapore from the 3rd of February 2023 onward. There are no mentions on when the new MacBook Pro with M2 chips will reach Malaysia just yet. But Apple’s local website has already listed them. The MacBook Pro, as mentioned, comes in 14-inch and 16-inch flavours. The M2 Pro equipped 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at MYR 8,799, while the M2 Max variant comes in at MYR 13,199. The 16-inch variant will set you back MYR 10,799 onward for the M2 Pro while the M2 Max variant will set you back MYR 14,799 onward. For more information on the new Apple MacBook Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips, you can head over to their website.

PR Newswire

JA Solar and Samsung C&T Signs the Qatar 875MW PV Power Plant Module Supply Agreement

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BEIJING, Jan. 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The signing ceremony of the PV module supply agreement of the Qatar 875MW PV power plant project, which is Qatar’s largest photovoltaics (PV) power plant, was recently held at the Samsung C&T headquarters in Seoul, South Korea.

The PV Module Supply Agreement Signing Ceremony between JA Solar and Samsung C&T
The PV Module Supply Agreement Signing Ceremony between JA Solar and Samsung C&T

Under this supply agreement, JA Solar will provide more than 1.6 million DeepBlue 3.0 modules for the Qatar 875MW PV power plant project. The project will be built in the Mesaieed Industrial City and the Ras Laffan Industrial City, and is expected to go into operation in 2024, which will help to promote the transformation of the local energy structure and drive sustainable local economic, social and environmental development.

JA Solar’s DeepBlue 3.0, which exemplifies its product design philosophy of “tailored to increase customer value”, is highly popular in the Korean market and has been selected by this project because of its high efficiency and reliability. The DeepBlue 3.0 applies p-type Percium+ cell technology, Ga-doped silicon wafers technology, half-cell technology, and MBB technology to give an excellent power generation performance. In addition, DeepBlue 3.0 has received the PV industry’s first KS certificate for 182 modules, which demonstrates its power generation advantages and reliable performance.

Source: JA Solar Technology Co., Ltd.

PR Newswire

Buildmedia merges with The Boundary to create global powerhouse

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LONDON, Jan. 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Buildmedia, the Auckland-based creative studio widely considered to be the world leader in off-the-plan interactive real estate sales and marketing solutions, city-scale digital twins and interactive eCommerce VR experiences, has merged with London and New York based pioneering visualisation studio The Boundary.

175 Park Avenue - Render by The Boundary
175 Park Avenue – Render by The Boundary

Founded 20 years ago, Buildmedia are global leaders of interactive real-time solutions across multiple sectors using Epic Games Unreal Engine technology. They have produced numerous groundbreaking experiential solutions including their proprietary interactive display suite solution (Realspace https://buildmedia.com/realspace), and also developed particular expertise for high-fidelity virtual reality city and country-scale digital twins.

The Boundary’s reputation as an expert collective of creative technologists, designers, filmmakers and storytellers has been built working on marketing campaigns for prestigious developments such as the Waldorf Astoria (New York), 175 Park Avenue (New York) and The Whiteleys (London) via the creation of hyper-photorealistic CGI visualizations, animated films and virtual reality experiences.

This strategic merger brings together best-in-class photorealistic creative CGI and VR expertise from The Boundary (https://www.the-boundary.com) with the best-in-class technical capabilities and proprietary IP developed by Buildmedia (https://buildmedia.com/).

The combined business, which will move forward under The Boundary brand umbrella, is uniquely positioned to exceed the expectations of high-end real estate developers, destination marketers, and eCommerce focused brands looking to exploit emerging web3/metaverse opportunities via experiential interactive content and applications.

Epic Games have been long-standing admirers of the Buildmedia team, having contracted them as one of only two Unreal Authorized Service Partners in the Architectural, Engineering and Construction space. Epic often cites Buildmedia’s digital twin of Wellington City as setting the benchmark of what’s possible using their technology.

With financial backing from private equity firm Mobeus, and the injection of a raft of vastly experienced and impressive executive management team members from Buildmedia, the new look business will be investing in R&D across their VR/web3/metaverse services and applications.

The Boundary CEO Tom Wood says “This strategic merger marks the next phase for The Boundary following impressive growth across North America and the EMEA, as we now naturally expand across APAC. We are delighted to welcome the very talented Buildmedia team into the family”.

With over 100 in-house CGI artists and creative technologists operating at the very top end of the visualisation sector, The Boundary is now uniquely positioned to deliver photorealistic end-to-end client services across the emerging web3/metaverse in the Real Estate, Hospitality, eCommerce and digital twin sectors.

Crucially, the enlarged business also provides clients with the assurance of scale and financial stability which are prerequisites for large clients investing significant sums into multi-year metaverse and digital twin projects.

Buildmedia founder and CEO, Gareth Ross commented “We have created a market leading real-time solution over the past 20 years, and the idea of joining The Boundary to deliver our proposition globally was an opportunity we couldn’t resist”.

The transfer of employees and complementary knowledge and IP between New Zealand and The Boundary’s studios will strengthen the client proposition across both hemispheres, while providing all clients with the benefits of a company operating 24/7.

For press enquiries contact:

Chris Mitchell, cmitchell@the-boundary.com, + 44 (0)203 026 6270

Images for use in publication:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/khko35i6etddsso/AABgVMK4NxpbjgPqRFcFrRt3a?dl=0

About The Boundary

The Boundary is a world leading creative agency which uses computer generated imagery (CGI) to create photorealistic marketing content for developers, destination marketers, and eCommerce brands.

www.the-boundary.com

About Buildmedia

Buildmedia is a creative visualization studio widely considered to be the world leader in city-scale digital twins and off-plan virtual reality interactive real estate sales and marketing solutions using EPIC Games Unreal Engine technology.

www.buildmedia.com

PR Newswire

RS celebrates strong first half revenue and profit performance

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This outperformance is driven by the strength of RS employees, a purpose-led culture, and its differentiated proposition

SINGAPORE, Jan. 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — RS, a trading brand of RS Group plc (LSE: RS1), a global omni-channel provider of product and service solutions, has released its half-year report, reflecting a strong revenue and profit performance in the first half of the business year. This outperformance is driven by the strength of its diverse and experienced employees, and a high-performance, purpose-led culture. It also showcases how RS’ broad and deep product offerings differentiate them and continue to resonate with stakeholders in spite of challenging economic times.

This year, trading in Asia Pacific was affected by a slower electronics market, reduced availability of single-board computing products, a challenging geopolitical backdrop and lockdowns resuming in China. Despite this, RS’ operating profit margin rose by 16.4% in Asia Pacific thanks to scale growth and tighter commercial focus.

“Our people are the most powerful drivers of success at RS. They’re behind our improved customer experience and elevated commercial focus this year, and are dedicated to making amazing happen for a better world,” says Sean Fredericks, President, Asia Pacific at RS, “Despite expected challenging economic conditions ahead, we’re committed to investing in our people and technologies. We’re positive that we’ll be able to further strengthen our position, grow our profits and take greater market share in the year to come.”

Investing in its people and creating a safe, inclusive, and dynamic culture have always been top priorities for RS. It has invested in inclusive and relevant employee benefit programmes and are providing one-off payments to all employees to financially support them during these challenging economic times. To thank employees for their continued support and contribution, RS has also introduced a share-based award, allowing employees to share in the success of the company in accordance with its Journey to Greatness plan. 

In an employment engagement survey conducted this year, RS’ employee engagement score improved by three points from last year, rising to 78, and placing it close to the upper quartile of top performing companies. 

On top of investing in its people, RS is also committed to acting as a responsible and sustainable business. Following its 2030 ESG action plan – For a better world – it is now reporting on its key eight metrics every six months to ensure accountability and continued progress in this respect. RS was awarded a Platinum medal, the highest ranking, by independent global sustainability rating provider, EcoVadis, for its notable leadership in the areas of environment and sustainable procurement.

All these accomplishments in the first half put RS one step closer to achieving continued success in the coming months.

RS

RS is a trading brand of RS Group plc (formerly Electrocomponents plc), a global omni-channel provider of product and service solutions for designers, builders and maintainers of industrial equipment and operations. They stock more than 700,000 industrial and electronic products, sourced from over 2,500 leading suppliers, and provide a wide range of product and service solutions to over 1.2 million industrial customers.

For more information about RS, please visit the website at https://au.rs-online.com/web/.

Android, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

Now You Can Repair Your Samsung Galaxy S22 Smartphone by Yourself!

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The rights to repair bill in the United States (U.S.), believe it or not, is a big deal not just in that side of the world. The bill sort of encourages manufacturers to design products that can be easily repaired and serviced by end-users without going through a service center. It also requires manufacturers make parts of their devices available for end-users to purchase. While the bill is a requirement that has to be fulfilled for products being sold in the U.S. for now, the product design will make their way around the globe eventually.

Samsung has initiated their own self-repair program with a few of their older products like the Samsung Galaxy S20 series, Galaxy S21 series, and the Galaxy Tab S7+ tablet. They have announced that they will be starting to sell the parts to their Galaxy Book Pro 15”, Galaxy Book Pro 360 15”, Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, and Galaxy S22 Ultra. The Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 15” and Galaxy Book 360 Pro 15” are not technically available in the region, so that might not excite some of you. The Samsung Galaxy S22 family though, those are available here.

The program was kickstarted in collaboration with iFixit. There is the caveat, at least for Malaysia. The iFixit store currently only caters to the U.S. market. You can technically get them to ship the parts to Malaysia, but that means that you are paying quite exorbitantly for shipping charges on top of the parts. It still might make more sense if you go to a specialised repair shop down the road, at least for now.

Still, the addition of Samsung’s latest Galaxy S22 series and Galaxy Book line-up is good news. It shows that Samsung is serious and committed in supporting their self-repair program. As we mentioned, while the program is not made to cater the South East Asian market just yet, it will eventually make it here and we are excited for it to be available through official channels in the region. If you are interested to get genuine parts for your Samsung devices, you can check out iFixit. There are no guarantees that the warranty will be covered by Samsung Malaysia though.   

Lifestyle, News

Touch n’ Go Goes VISA – The First Numberless VISA Card in Malaysia

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Before we do go on, the VISA card that you will be getting does come with a number, an expiration date, CVV number, and a name attached to it. You will only find your name printed on the card though. The rest, you do want to activate your app and find your 16-digit number, expiration date, and CVV behind a pin-secured page.

Touch n’ Go, as one of Malaysia’s first cashless payment solutions, did not start as an eWallet. They are most known for their prepaid cards used for mobility in Malaysia. Their cards can be used to pass through toll gates, and utilise public transports initially. Today, they took another leap in prepaid cards with VISA in launching the new Touch n’ Go VISA card.

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They referred to the Touch n’ Go VISA Card as a prepaid card. In reality, it works more like a debit card than anything else. It still comes with a 16-digit identifier, CVV, an expiration date, and a name attached to it, as we mentioned in the beginning. While it is not going to be the first fuss-free debit card you can find in Malaysia (BigPay anyone?), it is quite unique, coming from Touch n’ go EWallet team.

Just like any Touch n’ Go prepaid cards, the VISA card is not just a plain ol’ card. They launched it as part of their CSR program in support of United Voice. United Voice is Malaysia’s first NGO to be run by persons with learning disabilities. It caters to groups of people diagnosed with down syndrome, autism, ADHD, and cerebral palsy. The design of the new card is designed by Damien Wong, a talent coming from United Voice.

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Like any debit card, you can use the Touch n’ Go VISA card anywhere in the country. You can also use it to withdraw cash directly from the ATMs, with a minimal surcharge of course. All of these will directly reflect on your eWallet app in real-time. This way, you can also keep track of your expenses all on your eWallet.

To get your hands on the VISA card, you can directly request for it on your Touch n’ Go eWallet app. On the app, there will be an icon for Visa Card. Once you tap on that, the app will prompt for your personal address for billing purposes and also delivery. There will be a delivery fee of RM 5.00, RM 2.00 will go to United Voice as a donation. For more information n Touch n’ Go’s new VISA card and other updates from Touch n’ Go team, you can head down to their website.

PR Newswire

JimuMeta Successfully Launches Flagship Whale 3D Scanner on Makuake, Japan’s Biggest Crowdfunding Platform

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SHENZHEN, China, Jan. 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — 3DMakerpro, an international 3D scanning subsidiary of renowned 3D services provider, JimuMeta, launched its flagship Whale 3D Scanner on Japan’s most popular crowdfunding platform, Makuake, on January 5, 2023. The company’s funding goal was achieved within three minutes with sales reaching tens of millions of yen within the first two hours, marking a massively successful entry into the Japanese market. 3DMakerpro’s remarkable entry into the Japanese market builds on the company’s already solid reputation internationally, with a strong foundation for global success in place moving forward.

“We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all our supporters who have shown a massive interest in the project even before it started, as well as those who have anticipated our launch. To show our true appreciation for the support of our backers, we set an 88% discount which shows our dedication to our Japan market entry. In the future, we hope to bring our high-end technology to all Japanese 3D enthusiasts.” said CEO of 3DMakerpro, Ding Yong.

Studio-compatible with industry-leading software, 3DMakerpro’s flagship 3DMakerpro Whale makes scanning more efficient, easier, and with amazing quality. With its unique dual-lens scanning technology, the range of objects that can be scanned in superb detail by the Whale 3D scanner has expanded exponentially. Earphones as small as 15mm to structures as large as 2000mm can be efficiently and accurately scanned in as little as five minutes. The near-infrared and invisible light source, safe for human eyes and skin, can scan family members and pets, making it possible to convert a regular home into a fully equipped 3D photo studio.

The 3DMakerpro Whale is perfect for 3D scanning and printing hobbyists and its clear 3D imaging display is essential for e-commerce sellers. Ideal for modifying and designing, it can swiftly scan industrial spare parts with complicated forms and surfaces and generate models with a high scanning resolution of 0.02mm, creating enormous potential for applications in multiple industries. The Whale’s exceptional scanning fluency enables rapid reconstruction and clinical measurement computation, making it ideal for projects such as the 3D reconstruction of lower limbs.

One of the Whale’s most sophisticated characteristics is its incredible capability to gather comprehensive face and body data in seconds, making it highly beneficial in the healthcare field. The Whale can also be used for 3D crime scene reconstruction as the scanner accurately reproduces the color and form of items such as furniture, walls, victims, evidence markers, among many others.

About JimuMeta

Founded in 2015, JimuMeta is a leading 3D technology company, specializes in 3D modeling services and virtual space/exhibition services, along with its subsidiary brand 3DMakerpro, which focus on innovative 3D scanning devices.

For more information please visit store 3dmakerpro.com/ or connect on Facebook and Twitter.

Android, Camera, Mobile, News

Samsung introduces the ISOCELL HP2 – The Little 200MP Sensor for Your Smartphone

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Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked 2023 is happening in less than 2 weeks. They are set to launch their latest flagship, the Samsung Galaxy S23 series of smartphones in that event. With the new device, they are also expected to unveil a few new features on the device itself as well. One of them is a new camera sensor module.

Samsung has been leading the charge in the smartphone camera Megapixel war. They introduced their 108-Megapixel sensor a few years ago and Sony has not come up with an answer for that kind of resolution just yet. Sony does have their larger format 1-inch sensors shoehorned into their smartphones though, effectively making them proper compact point-and-shoot camera with smartphone built-in.

While the 108-Megapixel camera still sits on top of its throne, it is getting a little outdated. There are new technologies to be explored, there are cleverer ways to cram more pixels in a sensor; there is always a new horizon to be explored. In that spirit, Samsung introduced the ISOCELL CP2 sensor.

Welcome to the world of super high-resolution photos coming from your smartphone. At 200-Megapixel, even medium format cameras from Hasselblad cannot compete in terms of theoretical detail. All this might come to your next flagship smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (or whatever they want to call it this time).

The 200-Megapixel is packed in a 1/1.3” sized sensor, the same size from the previous 108-Megapixel ISOCELL you can find in your Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra today. That means you get nearly twice the pixel amount in the same amount of space. But it is not just a small sensor with added pixels.

The sensor packs Samsung’s latest advanced pixel-binning technology, Tetra2pixel. The HP2 sensor with the technology now can simulate different pixel sizes for different lighting levels. That means that the camera can basically combine the pixels into larger pixels to make 50-Megapixel or 12.5-Megapixel clusters for low-light conditions. The 50-Megapixel mode will also be used for 8K 30fps videos so that you do not have to crop too much out of the frame.

Getting a focus in low-lit environments is a challenge for most cameras. Because the Samsung camera can see better, auto focus in the environment should be less of a problem. With Super QPD, the 200-Megapixel available become part of the focusing mechanic. The technology allows for the pixels to be divided into four parts to recognise pattern changes to ensure that autofocus is more accurate and much faster than before.

In conditions where there is too much light, yes; you can have too much light, the HP2’s Dual Vertical Transfer Gate (D-VTG) technology can make the images vibrant still. The D-VTG is basically an added voltage transfer gate for the sensor to sort of increase its dynamic capabilities by up to 33%. This allows the sensor to cleverly reduce overexposures of photos while optimising colours. That all means you can take a photo on a bright day without worrying about getting washed out details and colours.

The Samsung ISOCELL HP2 should start making its way into flagships in the coming year. We are expecting the HP2 to make it first into Samsung’s Galaxy S23 series flagships. You can expect the usually suspects like Xiaomi capitalising and shoehorning the high-resolution sensor in their smartphones in year 2023 as well.

PR Newswire

JD.com and APEC Women Leadership Forum Co-Launch Report on Women’s Contributions to Sustainable Consumption and Production

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BEIJING, Jan. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — APEC Women Leadership Forum, the premier platform on fostering women’s economic empowerment among the 21 economies of the Asia -Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and JD.com co-launched the “APEC Report：Observation of Women’s Value in Sustainable Consumption and Production,” which adopted extensive surveys and consumption data to examine the role of women as both producers and consumers in advancing sustainability.

The report found that women are instinctively leading the green consumption path with their actions, and their shopping choices often determine the consumption patterns of each household. Meanwhile, women demonstrate prominent leadership in driving the “Sustainability/ SDG / CSR” fields in the corporate world.

Shopping greener “before you know it”

Based on the results of a survey conducted by JD.com’s Consumption and Industry Development Institute on over 2,000 respondents on the topic of responsible consumption, women weigh “environmentally friendly” as a much higher consideration than men when considering products. In fact, it is the only factor on which they outscored men, whereas the latter showed comparatively more concerns for other factors such as brand, culture, and price.

Interestingly, when being asked about the concept and their understanding of sustainable consumption, female respondents gave themselves more moderate ratings than male did, with only 49.75 percent choosing “understand very well” and “understand,” while 31.19 percent opted for “not sure.” However, their feedback on actual shopping choices unveiled a stronger tendency towards energy saving, trade-in, replaceable and recyclable products, especially in the categories of home appliances, furnishing and decorations, office supplies, car accessories, footwear, health products and more. These results demonstrate that women may have a deeper understanding about the concept of sustainable consumption than they give themselves credit for, as they are more likely to choose sustainable products instinctively.

When asked, “Which player is more important in promoting sustainable consumption?” Forty-four percent of female respondents chose “consumers” over “product makers” （30 percent）, and “circulators” (27 percent). Female respondents also showed higher approval of producers for behavior categories including offering job opportunities, supporting disadvantaged groups, proper waste handling and more.

Shaping sustainable producers with “SHE Power”

With more and more enterprises setting up the dedicated function of “Sustainability/ SDG /CSR,” the role to implement these initiatives is mainly led by women, accounting for over 60 percent in surveyed companies that have set up such dedicated departments, and 82 percent in other companies that have relevant positions, according to APEC Women Leadership Forum’s research on women business leaders, in a new attempt to study women’s role as producers in sustainable consumption.

According to the surveys on which the report is based, women leaders demonstrate stronger focus on long-term value and innovation for sustainable solutions, with respondents expressing that they started formulating relevant thinking 6 to 10 years ago (30 percent). A majority are driven by the factors of “enterprise development need” (76 percent), “inspired by global trends” (73 percent), and “guided by domestic policies” (73 percent). 

The report also noted that it is urgent for the whole society to enhance awareness of responsible consumption and production amid global uncertainties in order to continue making progress toward the Sustainable Development Goal. Meanwhile, how to strike a balance between the Goal and enterprise ROI, and the lack of unified ESG standards, talents and corporate capacities, all pose threats to this course.

As a leading supply chain-based technology and service provider, JD.com is committed to collaborating with upstream and downstream partners and the whole society to collectively build a more productive and sustainable world. JD.com’s green supply chain efforts, known as the “Green Stream Initiative,” have so far engaged more than 300,000 enterprises in carbon reduction activities ranging from packaging, warehousing, transportation, product recycling and more. On the demand side, the company introduced the “Green Impact Initiative” in May 2022, which made nearly a million kinds of products on its platform more identifiable with environmentally-friendly labels, in order to raise awareness among its hundreds of millions users.

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PR Newswire

AlphaESS Reveals Its New Modular Portable Power Stations Equipped with LiFePO4 Batteries at CES 2023

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LAS VEGAS, Jan. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — AlphaESS, a leading global energy storage solution and service provider, unveiled its Gen 3 portable power stations consisting of a variety of swappable batteries that enable customers to DIY their own portable batteries according to their needs.

AlphaESS at CES2023
AlphaESS at CES2023

Modular Portable Power Stations for Camping and Off-grid Adventures

At the CES expo, AlphaESS debuted a new series of products this year – Modular Portable Power Stations with variable capacities from 292Wh to 1,168Wh. By providing a plug-and-play kit, the idea is for customers to be able to design for their specific needs. This new product features 2 slots in the back to insert battery packs, which would come in handy when camping with a group of people. Individuals can grab a battery pack to juice up their own devices. “We try to empower our customers to create their own configurations and make the customization process much more interesting.” Said Alex Lin, head of the AlphaESS Portable Energy Storage Business Unit. The product can be monitored independently on the AlphaCloud platform and fully charged in just 1.5 hours via a wall socket; the transformation to using LiFePO4 batteries also greatly prolongs its lifespan.

BlackBee 2000 and BlackBee 1000 – Backup Power for Emergency

The BlackBee 2000 (2,203Wh/1,600W) and BlackBee 1000 (1,036Wh/1,000W) series are great backup power sources in case of a short-term power outage. The BlackBee 2000 portable power station and 300W solar panels were launched successfully on Kickstarter in 2022. The BlackBee 2000 offers a wide range of port options, including four AC outlets, four USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, two DC ports, two wireless charging pads and a car port, 15 outlets in total. It also comes with two built-in MPPT controllers for faster solar charging. In addition, the BlackBee 2000 boasts automotive-grade chips which allow it to operate faster and more accurately than those using standard commercial chips.

The BlackBee 1000 portable power station weighs only 22.5 pounds. Equipped with 12 outputs, it supports pass-through charging and can keep a refrigerator running for almost 8 hours without noise.

About AlphaESS

Founded in 2012, AlphaESS is a leading global energy storage solution and service provider. The company specializes in residential and commercial applications delivering pre-eminent products and fit-for-purpose solutions. With 15+ subsidiaries around the globe, AlphaESS provides local services for 90,000+ systems actively running in 80+ countries, improving people’s access to clean energy worldwide.

Having celebrated its 10th anniversary last September, AlphaESS is expanding its global footprint from Europe, Australia and China to the United States, paving the way for ongoing growth. With the grand opening of the new office and service center in Denver, Colorado, AlphaESS aims to enable millions of people to enjoy reliable, accessible and clean energy.

For more information, please visit:

https://www.alphaess.com

https://www.alphaess-pps.com

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Source: Alpha ESS USA, Inc.