Monthly Archives: June 2023

PR Newswire

PalmPay celebrates 25 million user milestone in Nigeria, network of 800,000 mobile money agents and merchants

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LAGOS, Nigeria, June 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — PalmPay, a pioneering Africa-focused fintech platform, celebrates a significant landmark in its journey, marking 25 million users on its app and an extensive network of 500,000 mobile money agents and 300,000 merchants in its payments ecosystem.

PalmPay executives at the Media Parley in Lagos
PalmPay executives at the Media Parley in Lagos

This rapid growth within just four years of its market entry in Nigeria is testament to the company’s robust strategy centered on offering secure, user-friendly and inclusive financial services.

“We are proud to be a driving force of financial inclusion and cashless payment adoption in Nigeria.”, stated Sofia Zab, Global CMO of PalmPay. “PalmPay’s growth validates our approach and illustrates the increasing demand for innovative fintech solutions that address the unique needs of Africa’s underserved population.”

PalmPay’s user-friendly application simplifies digital transactions, making them swift and convenient. This has driven a shift in consumer behaviour from cash to digital payments. Today, the company processes more than 5 billion USD per month.

The PalmPay app offers a comprehensive suite of financial services that empower its customers with tools to manage their finances in one place.

This week, the company is launching its savings service, which include a 20% annual interest savings plan available to all users. The fintech also provides banking services for businesses, equipping them with dedicated apps, web portal and POS.

PalmPay’s efforts in promoting financial inclusion have been notably impactful, with around 30% of its users stating that their first-ever financial account was created on the app.

Its expansive network of mobile money agents help users deposit and withdraw money and guide consumers on how to use the PalmPay app. Its agents also serve consumers who do not have access to smartphones by transacting on their behalf, thereby extending access to PalmPay’s services to millions of additional people.

The company’s success in Nigeria has been propelled by its proprietary payment infrastructure, which offers unmatched reliability in a market that has long grappled with unstable financial systems. The platform boasts a 99.5% 10-second transaction success rate, distinguishing PalmPay in a highly competitive fintech space.

“PalmPay is more than a digital wallet – we are building a comprehensive platform to offer consumers all the tools they need to thrive financially. As we move forward, our aim is to become Africa’s financial superapp. “, added Zab. “Our partners benefit from our robust payment infrastructure and data-driven approach, which enables us to connect their offerings directly to their target customers, fostering mutual growth within our digital ecosystem.”

The company’s next strategic step is to bridge the gap between consumers and businesses by digitising merchant payments. PalmPay is onboarding tens of thousands of offline retailers every month, many of whom are spurred to join the platform following requests from its customers who want to be able to pay with transfer.

“The consumer base has now become one of the major driving forces of wider cashless adoption in the Nigerian payments ecosystem”, said Chika Nwosu, PalmPay Nigeria Managing Director, “We see an enormous potential in digitising payments for the retail and informal economy, which reduces their cost of doing business and helps them build the digital track record to qualify for credit and other financial services.”

Looking ahead, PalmPay is extending its operations to more countries and plans to offer cross-border transactions in future. The company is already piloting services in Ghana and is preparing launch plans for several other African markets.

About PalmPay

PalmPay is a leading Africa-focused fintech platform committed to driving economic empowerment across the continent. Through its secure, user-friendly and inclusive suite of financial services, PalmPay brings top-tier products into the pockets of everyday Nigerians.

PalmPay offers money transfers, bill payments, credit services and savings on its app and via its network of 500,000 mobile money agents.

Since launching in Nigeria in 2019 under a Mobile Money Operator license, the platform has grown to 25 million users. Over 300,000 merchants are part of its cashless payment ecosystem.The company has raised $140m USD.

The PalmPay app is available on Google Play Store and iOS App Store in Nigeria and Ghana, with more markets going live in 2023.

Gaming, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

Nintendo Switch Users Can Switch to Next-Gen Console They Say, It Will Be Easy They Say

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The Nintendo Switch was launched in 2017. The global release of the world’s most revolutionary handheld gaming console was on the 3rd of March in 2017 specifically. Counting today, the Nintendo Switch, considering its v1 iteration, is now six years, three months, and 25 days old. To put that into context, the PlayStation 4 Pro, with significantly more powerful hardware than the handheld, was launched on the 10th of November 2016, just about four months prior to the Nintendo Switch. The PlayStation 5 was announced on the 4th of April 2019, about three years after the upgraded PlayStation 4 was released, and officially launched on the 12th of November of 2020, about a year later and four years after PlayStation 4 Pro. While it is fair to say that the gap between the original PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation 5 is about seven years, you must consider that the PlayStation 4 Pro came with a significant update enough that it looked more like the next-gen console over the original hardware. So yes, the Nintendo Switch is old even with the consideration of the OLED variant they announced just a few years ago, with no realistic announcement or indication of a replacement coming anytime soon.

While it is not Nintendo’s most successful hardware, it is one that really put Nintendo on the main map of mainstream gaming consoles while also pushing their own exclusive titles and existing assets to the next level. In that case, despite Nintendo’s poor history in product continuity, it only makes sense for Nintendo to prolong and expand the Nintendo Switch line-up especially with updated hardware. Their shareholders meeting notes from last week seems to confirm that, which is a relief to those of you that have been patiently waiting for Nintendo to update the Switch.

In the meeting notes, the President and CEO of Nintendo, Shuntaro Furukawa mentions that the next-generation console, whatever it will be called, will support games from the aging Nintendo Switch. That also means that if you have a Nintendo account with the switch, you should be able to transition to the new hardware system as smoothly as just signing in, pretty much like PlaySation and Xbox. Whatever you have bought from the Nintendo eStore will be carried over to the new system.

The same cannot be said with the cartridges you have bought previously though. They also did not reveal any specifics on the hardware of the next-generation console. There are also no real dates that have been mentioned for the next-generation console. Nintendo just had their Nintendo Direct announcement as well that showcased plenty of new games and DLCs for older games, which is further indication that the next-generation console will not make it to the shelves anytime soon. The meeting notes are confirmation though that they are working on a next-generation console, a consolation at least.

PR Newswire

Edifier Honored at the VGP 2023 SUMMER Awards

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RICHMOND, BC, June 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The innovative and world-leading audio brand Edifier continues its tradition of manufacturing high quality, innovative, audio products. As recognition, it announces that it has taken six awards at the prestigious Visual Grand Prix (VGP) Summer Awards 2023 in Japan. The Edifier QD35, MR4, WH950NB, W820NB Plus have been awarded the highest honour of a VGP 2023 SUMMER Gold Award whilst the G5000, G5BT CAT were recognized in the VGP 2023 SUMMER Award Winner category.

Edifier QD35, MR4, WH950NB, W820NB Plus, G5000, G5BT CAT, the brand's VGP 2023 SUMMER award-winning products.
Edifier QD35, MR4, WH950NB, W820NB Plus, G5000, G5BT CAT, the brand’s VGP 2023 SUMMER award-winning products.

The Japanese VGP Awards are well known as the “Oscar in the Audio Industry”. They are the largest, most authoritative audio-visual awards in Asia. It is held on an annual-basis by Ongen Publishing Co. Ltd., one of the most prominent publishing companies in Japan with an expertise in audio/visual related devices and state-of-art technologies. Launched in 1987, the awards bring together respected reviews from dozens of countries, all to offer an authoritative reference guide for ordinary consumers looking to make informed purchases. The VGPs are often recognized as the highest authority award in Asia’s audio-visual industry and mark a significant recognition for Edifier’s ground-breaking work in the industry.

“We are once again extremely honored to have won 6 awards in the VGP 2023 SUMMER Awards”, stated Stanley Wen, Edifier’s CTO. “Edifier strives to deliver outstanding sound experiences – our aim is to combine the highest audio quality with affordability. These awards are recognition that Edifier’s core values coupled with the expertise of its technical and manufacturing teams reaffirms the company’s determination to be amongst the leaders in the audio-visual industry.”

The Edifier QD35 was one of the Gold award winners. The QD35 is an all-in-one music system certified to both “Hi-Res Audio” and “Hi-Res Audio Wireless. It has support for LDAC and features stunning ‘Lumia Art’ effects making it a show-off speaker that is very popular with home gamers who want to add pulsating lighting effects to enhance their gaming experiences.

Another VGP Summer gold award winner was the MR4 Powered Studio Monitor. With the 1-inch silk dome tweeter and 4-inch diaphragm woofers, the MR4 delivers pure, accurate sound – perfect for those who want a pair of studio speakers for content creation or for those users who simply want to enjoy top quality audio.

The WH950NB wireless noise-cancelling over ear headphones feature “Hi-Res Audio” and “Hi-Res Audio Wireless” Certification plus LDAC Codec and advanced 4-Mic ENC for the best voice and audio clarity. The WH950NBs are equipped with intelligent active noise cancellation algorithms that remove surrounding noise. Users can choose between ambient sound or wind reduction in different scenarios to create the ideal listening environment.

The final award winner in the Gold award category was the W820NB Plus. The W820NB Plus is again certified with Hi-Res Audio and Hi-Res Audio Wireless and provides a high-frequency bandwidth of up to 40kHz. With up to 49 hours of non-stop playtime, users can enjoy music with enhanced details, a wider sound field and richer emotional depth for that rounded listening experience.

Recognized in the 2023 SUMMER award category were the Edifier G5000 gaming speakers and the G5BT CAT Hi-Res certified gaming headset.  With their acoustic configuration, the G5000 2.0 Hi-Res speakers can achieve 24bit/192kHz, providing realistic and impressive sound that delivers powerful bass and clear trebles for that immersive gaming experience. The G5BT CAT headset is equipped with PixArt Bluetooth 5.2 and a low-latency game chipset, providing the ultimate mobile gaming audio.

The VGP awards recognize excellence and honour products that make a difference to the industry through state-of-the-art technology and design. Edifier continues to develop and grow its product ranges. The company has registered international trademarks in more than 80 countries and regions, and has a global-based workforce with distribution partners and resellers worldwide.

About Edifier:

Edifier specializes in premium sound systems that showcase technological innovation and design elegance, delivering outstanding audio experiences through a wide range of headphones, speakers, and music systems, for personal entertainment and professional excellence. Established in May 1996 in Beijing, Edifier is the brainchild of a small group of enterprising music lovers. Over the past 25 years, Edifier has been guided by the principle “passion for sound,” which helped the brand emerge as a world-class designer and manufacturer of award-winning sound systems. Today, Edifier serves audio lovers worldwide through its distributors in over 70 countries, with operations in North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific regions.

PR Newswire

Artmarket.com: according to our long-term data, art made in 1964 has generated more auction turnover than art made in any other year of the 20th century

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PARIS, June 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — May’s auction results in New York showed that after all the records set by the Paul G. Allen, Anne H. Bass, and Thomas Ammann collections, 2023 began with relative sobriety. In an interview with journalist Amy Shaw for the Art Newspaper at Art Basel, art dealer Dominique Lévy said he detects the presence of a “clear correction”. Artprice takes this opportunity to review the acceleration of the art market since the beginning of the 21st century, via a quick look at the works that the market values the most.

Auction turnover (2000-2022) by year of creation in painting
Photo – https://techent.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/artmarket-com-according-to-our-long-term-data-art-made-in-1964-has-generated-more-auction-turnover-than-art-made-in-any-other-year-of-the-20th-century-2.jpg 

Auction turnover (2000-2022) by year of creation in painting
Auction turnover (2000-2022) by year of creation in painting

“The analysis of auctions results is a fascinating way to examine the evolution of Art History”, explains thierry Ehrmann, President of Artmarket.com and Founder of Artprice. “Our databases, have collected objective and comprehensive Fine Art auction data for more than 30 years from all over the world. They therefore provide an extraordinary tool for studying the appetites of collectors and revealing what our contemporaries value the most”.

The triumph of Pop Art

In 1964, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg, and Ed Ruscha were at the peak of their careers and these four artists all have auction price records for works created that year, in the midst of the Cold War, just a few months after the assassination of President J.F. Kennedy. These records, to which must be added more than thirteen thousand other auction results for artworks made that year, make 1964 the year-of-creation that generated the greatest volume of auction turnover in the period 2000 to 2023 (twenty-two years), all creative periods combined: $2.48 billion.

Having fetched the second best art auction result of all time at $195 million on 9 May 2022 at Christie’s in New York, Andy Warhol’s Shot sage blue Marilyn (1964) is now a sort of figurehead for that year (1964). Although from a market perspective the previous two years were just as important for Warhol, 1964 is also remembered in the art world for another reason: in 1964 Robert Rauschenberg won the Grand Prize at the Venice Biennale. Indeed, promoted by Leo Castelli (and perhaps even supported by the CIA), in 1964 Pop Art imposed itself in the art world thereby consolidating a significant shift of art (and the art market) to the West… a transfer of power from Paris to New York on the international scene. The way this transfer came about has been the subject of intense discussion.

Top 15 auction prices for artworks produced in 1964 
Photo – https://techent.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/artmarket-com-according-to-our-long-term-data-art-made-in-1964-has-generated-more-auction-turnover-than-art-made-in-any-other-year-of-the-20th-century.jpg

Top 15 auction prices for artworks produced in 1964
Top 15 auction prices for artworks produced in 1964

Abstraction, Pop Art and Expressionism

In the mid-1960s, several major artists of the first half of the 20th century were still creating important works. Pablo Picasso, Alberto Giacometti, and René Magritte were still active. In Asia, Li Keran and Fu Baoshi were perpetuating the art of traditional Chinese painting by giving it very personal touches of modernity, while in Europe Zao Wou-Ki and some of his compatriots were exploring Lyrical Abstraction. In England, a new generation was making its mark: David Hockney was 27 in 1964, Frank Auerbach was 33 and Lucien Freud was 42. They were just at the beginning of their careers, but that year Francis Bacon, aged 55, painted some of his best portraits.

In the United States, Mark Rothko, Barnett Newman, Willem De Kooning, and Clyfford Still were still exploring Abstract Expressionism and Jackson Pollock had passed away a few year back, while a new artistic revolution was emerging: Pop Art. It was this movement that truly imposed America on the international art scene and the international art market. The works themselves were often brilliant and eye-catching but they also often contained covert or less-covert criticism of the American dream. In France, Pierre Soulages has already painted his best canvases, but a new Expressionist scene was beginning to emerge in Germany, with Gerhard Richter and Sigmar Polke, Georg Baselitz, and Anselm Kiefer, among others. Their work unfolded over many years and therefore did not produce the same concentration of market value as the American Pop Art movement.

The success of this movement was notably due to a relatively small number of series of works on which collectors focused heavily, and these series were created by the great names of American Pop Art and were generally worked and reworked for a few years… around 1964.

Sources

Art Basel may be busy, but cautious sales reflect a complex market picture, Amy Shaw, The Art Newspaper, le 15 June 2023.
https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2023/06/15/art-basel-may-be-busy-but-cautious-sales-reflect-a-complex-market-picture

1964: Pop Art arrives in Europe, a betrayal as seen from France, Thomas Snégaroff, France Info, 2 October 2015.
https://www.francetvinfo.fr/replay-radio/histoires-d-info/1964-le-pop-art-debarque-en-europe-une-trahison-vue-de-france_1788541.html

Market analysis of works created by the Warhol-Basquiat duo exhibited at the Louis Vuitton Foundation, Artprice, 25 April 2023
https://www.artprice.com/artmarketinsight/works-co-signed-by-jean-michel-basquiat-and-andy-warhol-are-currently-showing-at-the-fondation-louis-vuitton-in-paris

Images:

[https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2023/06/image1-1964-artmarket-com-auction-turnover-by-year-of-creation-in-painting.png]
[https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2023/06/image2-1964-artmarket-com-top-15-auction-prices-artw Roy Lichtenstein orks-produced-in-1964.png]

Copyright 1987-2023 thierry Ehrmann www.artprice.com – www.artmarket.com

About Artmarket:

Artmarket.com is listed on Eurolist by Euronext Paris, SRD long only and Euroclear: 7478 – Bloomberg: PRC – Reuters: ARTF.

Discover Artmarket and its Artprice department on video: www.artprice.com/video

Artmarket and its Artprice department was founded in 1997 by its CEO, thierry Ehrmann. Artmarket and its Artprice department is controlled by Groupe Serveur, created in 1987.

See certified biography in Who’s who ©: Biographie-thierry-Ehrmann_WhosWhoInFrance.pdf

Artmarket is a global player in the Art Market with, among other structures, its Artprice department, world leader in the accumulation, management and exploitation of historical and current art market information in databanks containing over 30 million indices and auction results, covering more than 817,000 artists.

Artprice by Artmarket, the world leader in information on the art market, has set itself the ambition through its Global Standardized Marketplace to be the world’s leading Fine Art NFT platform.

Artprice Images® allows unlimited access to the largest Art Market image bank in the world: no less than 180 million digital images of photographs or engraved reproductions of artworks from 1700 to the present day, commented by our art historians.

Artmarket with its Artprice department accumulates data on a permanent basis from 7200 Auction Houses and produces key Art Market information for the main press and media agencies (7,200 publications). Its 7.2 million (‘members log in’+social media) users have access to ads posted by other members, a network that today represents the leading Global Standardized Marketplace® to buy and sell artworks at a fixed or bid price (auctions regulated by paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article L 321.3 of France’s Commercial Code).

Artmarket, with its Artprice department, has twice been awarded the State label “Innovative Company” by the Public Investment Bank (BPI), which has supported the company in its project to consolidate its position as a global player in the art market.

Artprice by Artmarket’s Global Art Market Report, “The Art Market in 2022“, published in March 2023: https://www.artprice.com/artprice-reports/the-art-market-in-2022

Artprice releases its 2022 Ultra-Contemporary Art Market Report: https://www.artprice.com/artprice-reports/the-contemporary-art-market-report-2022

The Artprice 2022 half-year report: the art market returns to strong growth in the West: https://www.artprice.com/artprice-reports/global-art-market-in-h1-2022-by-artprice-com

Index of press releases posted by Artmarket with its Artprice department: https://serveur.serveur.com/artmarket/press-release/en/

Follow all the Art Market news in real time with Artmarket and its Artprice department on Facebook and Twitter:

www.facebook.com/artpricedotcom/ (over 6.3 million followers)
twitter.com/artmarketdotcom
twitter.com/artpricedotcom

Discover the alchemy and universe of Artmarket and its artprice department https://www.artprice.com/video headquartered at the famous Organe Contemporary Art Museum “The Abode of Chaos” (dixit The New York Times): https://issuu.com/demeureduchaos/docs/demeureduchaos-abodeofchaos-opus-ix-1999-2013

Contact Artmarket.com and its Artprice department – Contact: Thierry Ehrmann, ir@artmarket.com

PR Newswire

Visa champions women’s success with new campaign for FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™

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SINGAPORE, June 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — To support women’s empowerment in the region, Visa is launching a “Behind Every Number, There’s A Story” campaign timed around the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™ to inspire women to leverage sports to overcome life’s challenges.

This campaign revolves around stories of Team Visa athletes celebrating their experiences on and off the pitch in the journey to the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Every milestone, from playing in a grassroots community to defending national colours on the field, is accompanied by meaningful numbers that bear a story. This campaign aims to highlight the power of human potential in overcoming adversity, and inspire other women to achieve their personal goals and aspirations.

According to Visa commissioned research[1], 40 per cent of aspiring women entrepreneurs struggle with a lack of confidence when it comes to starting their own businesses. Obstacles range from juggling multiple responsibilities and experiencing cultural biases that significantly impact their self-esteem. However, 74 per cent of women entrepreneurs recognise the positive impact of engaging in physical activities on running their own business, such as helping them to boost confidence and developing skills to become a good business owner. 43 per cent of respondents reported that participating in sports enhances their competitiveness.

“At Visa, we are a data-driven company that analyses numbers for meaningful insights. Beyond the 260 billion transactions[2], we seek to celebrate the individual stories of the people we serve. From game statistics to jersey numbers – we celebrate how these figures reflect accomplishments of each Team Visa athlete, both on and off the field,” shared Danielle Jin, Head of Marketing, Visa Asia Pacific. “By showcasing examples of women who have transformed their accomplishments into successful business ventures, we hope to inspire other women across the region to pursue their dreams and turn their passions into thriving enterprises.” 

Empowering women through sports

As a purpose-driven company, Visa strives to remove barriers and connect more people to the global economy. Our longstanding focus on supporting women’s economic advancement is one example of how we bring our purpose to life. As the first FIFA Women’s Football Partner, Visa strives to foster greater equality by addressing the challenges women face in various areas, including sports and business, creating playing fields that are truly level for all women and girls.

During the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™, Visa will award 64 grants to women small business owners, with one grantee being selected after each match and from the same market as the Player of the Match. Whether the Player of the Match is a player from first-time entrant Panama, or a veteran from the defending champion U.S. team, a woman small business owner in the Player of the Match athlete’s home country will receive a grant to help towards her own goals. The funding ranges in value from $5,000 for the 48 first round matches up to $50,000 for the final. The winning small businesses will be announced live at the athlete trophy presentation.

About Visa

Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com. 

[1] Market research “Playing to Win: Sports as a Catalyst of Women’s Empowerment and Development” was commissioned by Visa and conducted by Kantar research agency in the following markets: Australia, New Zealand, Mainland China, the Philippines, Vietnam.

[2] For the 12 months ended March 31, 2023; includes payments and cash transactions
PR Newswire

Make A Splash (Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo) With Baby Shark: Sing & Swim Party Launching on Consoles and PC Later This Year

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From the most viewed YouTube video in history ‘Baby Shark’, comes its first standalone PC and console rhythmic adventure video game for the whole family to enjoy

Click HERE for Images and HERE for Trailer

SEOUL, South Korea, June 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The Pinkfong Company, the global entertainment company behind the cultural phenomenon Baby Shark, partners with Outright Games, the leading global publisher of family-friendly interactive entertainment, to launch Baby Shark’s first standalone PC and console game, ‘Baby Shark: Sing & Swim Party’. With the most viewed video on YouTube and RIAA Diamond certification (11x Platinum), this record-setting sensation is being brought to life with an all-new rhythmic adventure game. Baby Shark: Sing & Swim Party launches 15th September 2023 for PlayStation 4®, PlayStation 5®, Nintendo Switch™, Xbox One, Xbox X|S, and Steam.

The Pinkfong Company partners with Outright Games to launch Baby Shark’s first standalone console and PC game, ‘Baby Shark: Sing & Swim Party’.
The Pinkfong Company partners with Outright Games to launch Baby Shark’s first standalone console and PC game, ‘Baby Shark: Sing & Swim Party’.

Baby Shark: Sing & Swim Party is a cooperative rhythmic adventure where players will be fully immersed in the vibrant Baby Shark universe with one goal: to sing and have fun with friends and family. Players will swim across oceans as either Baby Shark, Mommy Shark, Daddy Shark, Grandma Shark, or Grandpa Shark to unlock the story of family and friendship as they complete each level. Players can swim solo or team up with up to 3 family members and friends in 4-player local co-op mode. Fans will get to enjoy 30 songs including catchy classics such as ‘Baby Shark’, ‘Disco Sharks’, and ‘Shark Dance Party’ on their oceanic adventure.

The story unfolds in the unique style of following the Shark Family as they take a vacation across the ocean to the Fin-Tastic Festival, the biggest music contest in the whole ocean. Baby Shark: Sing & Swim Party allows players to explore 7 recognizable locations from the fan-favorite Baby Shark videos such as the stunning Tropical Bay, the vast Ocean City, and the dark Kingdom of the Deep, to get to the festival. The game features Rhythm or Runner Mode where players have to stay on the beat and complete levels to collect cards and stickers. For extra fun, the five playable characters from the Shark Family are customizable with unlockable costumes and skins to collect in-game.

The game has been created with all family members in mind, and designed to be accessible and educational for even the youngest Baby Shark fans. As they travel across the ocean, young gamers, between 3-6 years old, will also be helped to develop their psychomotor skills through rhythmic gameplay and a gradual difficulty curve. To help young players who are learning to read, the game developers have incorporated a full game voice-over for all dialogue, location names, and instructions. The game features festivals and holidays from around the globe such as Día de los Santos as well as music from many genres like orchestral music, reggaeton, and rock. Short levels and easy repetition mechanics position Baby Shark: Sing & Swim Party as the perfect introductory game for young gamers to learn how to play.

Pinkfong’s Baby Shark has been captivating fans around the world since it first broke the internet in 2015. After taking the world by storm, Baby Shark has expanded its universe with an animated TV series, podcasts, live shows, merchandise, and even a full-length feature film in development for the 2023 holiday season. With the upcoming Baby Shark: Sing & Swim Party, fans can look forward to another extraordinary chapter in Baby Shark’s legacy of fostering imagination, creativity, and love for music in the hearts of families everywhere.

Bin Jeong, CEO of Pinkfong USA, said, “We are thrilled to announce our collaboration with Outright Games to bring Baby Shark’s fun and exciting songs and dance moves to the world of console and PC gaming. We can’t wait for fans of all ages to create unforgettable memories with their friends and families as they enjoy the game together.”

Beth Goss, CEO of Outright Games, says: “We are delighted to be working with Pinkfong on their first ‘Baby Shark’ console game and our first project together as licensing partners. Games provide a dynamic entertainment experience and help shape meaningful audio, visual and haptic interactions. Baby Shark: Sing & Swim Party will create a brand new way for fans to interact with the IP.”

Baby Shark: Sing & Swim Party will launch internationally on 15th September 2023 on PlayStation 4®, PlayStation 5®, Nintendo Switch™, Xbox One, Xbox X|S, and Steam. The game will be available in 26 languages.

About The Pinkfong Company

The Pinkfong Company is a global entertainment company that delivers content and entertaining experiences around the world. Driven by award-winning brands and IPs, the company has created and distributed a range of content across genres and formats including original animated series, world live tours, interactive games, and more. Believing in the power of entertaining and engaging content, The Pinkfong Company is committed to connecting people around the world and bringing joy and inspiration to worldwide audiences of all ages. For more information, please visit the website or follow the company on LinkedIn.

About Outright Games: 

Outright Games is a global video games publisher with a focus on bringing quality family entertainment to a worldwide audience. Founded in 2016, Outright Games has established its place in the market delivering engaging interactive games of beloved entertainment licenses globally. Outright Games brings stories and characters to life with titles including favourites such as Peppa Pig: World Adventures with Hasbro, DC’s Justice League: Cosmic Chaos with Warner, Star Trek Prodigy: Supernova and Paw Patrol: Grand Prix with Nickelodeon, and DreamWorks Dragons: Legends of The Nine Realms with NBC Universal. With an Outright Games title, there will be fun for all the family to enjoy.

For more information please visit: www.outrightgames.com 

Find out more:
Website: Outright Games
Twitter: @Outright_Games
Facebook: Outright Games Ltd
Instagram: Outright_games 

About Reco Technology

Recotechnology is a company founded by professionals from the entertainment and media sector with a long experience in the field of video games. Since its incorporation in 2012 it has developed multiple games for the different platforms of Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, PC/Steam, Android, IOS… being official developer and publisher of all of them. From our origin we seek to develop new and high quality games and IPs for all types of audiences.

www.recotech.es

Contact
Communications Team at The Pinkfong Company
communication@pinkfong.com  

PR Newswire

New ChatGPT integration with OpenAI in Wondershare Mockitt introduces a novel way of prototyping

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VANCOUVER, BC, June 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Wondershare Mockitt, a prototyping tool, has just released a new version featuring AI integration. Powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Wondershare Mockitt offers intelligent solutions for a wide range of prototyping needs – all while increasing the speed and efficiency of the prototyping experience.


The latest evolution of Mockitt  excitingly introduces AI Prototype, which completely transforms the design and prototyping process. With AI Prototype, users can enter the content of their prototype into an AI conversation box and, using Mockitt’s access to AI technology, the prototype will automatically generate a prototype based on text parsing.

The latest version of Mockitt includes the following new AI-driven features:

  • AI Prototyping: Generate interactive prototypes with simple prompt-based AI.
  • AI Chat: Have interactive conversations with the AI Assistant for ideas and inspiration.
  • AI Mind Mapping: Create intelligent mind maps with AI assistance.
  • AI Flowcharting: Easily map user processes and interactions with one-click flowcharting.
  • Magical Fill: Automatically fill in text in the prototype for easy additions.

“Mockitt’s access to AI technology is a groundbreaking release that meets the simple need for designers to complete complex designs.” Coco, Product Manager at Mockitt, said, “We are committed to introducing more frontline professional design tools and to continuously improving on innovative design features.”

Compatibility and Price 

Wondershare Mockitt is compatible with Web Online and pricing starts at $8 every month for a year subscription. For free trials, please visit our official website or follow us on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to learn more about Wondershare Mockitt .  

About Wondershare

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Business, Computers, News

AMD Announces the Ryzen PRO 7040 and PRO 7000 Series – Zen 4 is Open for Business!

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When AMD launched their latest Ryzen 7000 series processors for the masses, it was regarded as one of the best things to happen in the personal computing industry. They were AMD’s most powerful processing chips ever and one of the most advanced in the market. It was built with 5nm process technology which allows it to achieve efficiency like no other.

The requirements of a computing solution for corporate use are a little different from the consumers market though. While the regular user prioritizes things like gaming performance, or streaming capabilities, or even rendering speeds, the corporate user cares more about protection and security over everything else, especially in world where cyber-attacks happen more often than we know. That is where the AMD Ryzen PRO edition of processors come in, and they have finally introduced Zen 4 for workspaces in the lates AMD Ryzen PRO 7000 and PRO 7040 series of CPUs.

You know all about the AMD Ryzen 7000 series by now. You can pick from a huge range of chips from AMD Ryzen 7000 series, from the Ryzen 5 all the way to the Ryzen 9 series chips, depending on your budget and power requirements. You get sort of the same thing in the Ryzen PRO series chips, except since they just launched the new chips, you only get to pick from three selections that range from the Ryzen 5 PRO series to the Ryzen 9 PRO series.

Model  Cores / Threads  Boost Frequency9   Base Frequency Total Cache (MB)  TDP (Watts)  GPU Model
AMD Ryzen™ 9 PRO 794512/24Up to 5.4 GHz3.7 GHz76MB65WRadeon Graphics
AMD Ryzen™ 7 PRO 77458/16Up to 5.3 GHz3.8 GHz40MB65WRadeon Graphics
AMD Ryzen™ 5 PRO 76456/12Up to 5.1 GHz3.8 GHz38MB65WRadeon Graphics

The new AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 CPU is the equivalent of the high-performing AMD Ryzen 9 7900, not the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X. Both will also offer up to 65W power consumption and Radeon Graphics to boot which also means you technically can run your PC without a dedicated GPU if you do not need one, especially if all you need is to crunch a huge amount of data and numbers off a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 and AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 7645 are equivalents of the AMD Ryzen 7700 and AMD Ryzen 5 7600 respectively. Of course, all of them come with AMD’s Zen 4 architecture as well for the best computing performance out of your processing chips currently.

Model  Cores / Threads  Boost Frequency[i]Base Frequency Total Cache (MB)  TDP (Watts)  GPU ModelRyzenTM AI Engine
AMD Ryzen™ 9 PRO 7940HS8/16Up to 5.2 GHz4.0 GHz24MB35-54WAMD Radeon™ 780MIncluded
AMD Ryzen™ 7 PRO 7840HS8/16Up to 5.1 GHz3.8 GHz24MB35-54WAMD Radeon™ 780MIncluded
AMD Ryzen™ 5 PRO 7640HS6/12Up to 5.0 GHz4.3 GHz22MB35-54WAMD Radeon™ 760MIncluded
AMD Ryzen™ 7 PRO 7840U8/16Up to 5.1 GHz3.3 GHz24MB15-28WAMD Radeon™ 780MIncluded
AMD Ryzen™ 5 PRO 7640U6/12Up to 4.9 GHz3.5 GHz22MB15-28WAMD Radeon™ 760MIncluded
AMD Ryzen™ 5 PRO 7540U6/12Up to 4.9 GHz3.2 GHz22MB15-28WAMD Radeon™ 740M 

You get a little bit more flexibility when it comes to laptops though. Of course, we think that more budget conscious operations would require a higher degree of control over the budget for their operational devices. For that, you still get to choose within the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO range all the way to the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO range in the series. The top-of-the-line AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 7940HS offers the same performance as the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS alongside AMD Radeon 780M integrated graphics.

1988875 ryzen security features 1260x709 4
Source: AMD

The differences between these chips are more than just the numbers they offer and their outlook. They offer something called the PRO security layer. If you do not know yet, it is layer of protection that is baked into all Ryzen PRO processors for not just reliable performance, but also for cyber protection. It is not really a virus protection program either; it works with Microsoft’s Secured-Core PC protection algorithm to protect its equipped device from operating system level cyberattacks. Of course, combined with Windows Hello, the Ryzen PRO series processors can form what is known to be the most secure computing platform on an end device your business can get. It is not just software protection either with AMD’s clever Shadow Stack that also helps physically prevent control-flow attacks on a hardware level. There is even a AMD Secure Processor dedicated security chip on board that encrypts your data automatically. On a device management standpoint, AMD’s latest Ryzen PRO 7000 series desktop and PRO 7040 series laptop processors offer support for Microsoft Endpoint Manager services so that your IT department can easily manage your corporate devices remotely.

There is a downside here if you wish to get the AMD Ryzen PRO 7000 series desktop CPUs for your business. You will not be able to buy the chips off the shelves from vendors and retailers. Off-the-shelves, you can only get the AMD Ryzen PRO 7000 series desktop chips in pre-built systems from AMD’s manufacturing partners like HP or Lenovo currently. The AMD Ryzen PRO 7040 series for mobile computing will see life in HP and Lenovo’s upcoming commercial products. If you do wish to get your hands on a desktop series processor for your business, we suggest that you contact your local AMD support for more information.

 

PR Newswire

Juniper Research: Losses from Online Payment Fraud to Exceed $362 Billion Globally Over Next 5 Years, as eCommerce Growth in Emerging Markets Accelerates Fraud

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HAMPSHIRE, England, June 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — A new study from Juniper Research, the foremost experts in payment markets, forecasts that merchant losses from online payment fraud will exceed $362 billion globally between 2023 to 2028, with losses of $91 billion alone in 2028.

Online Payment Fraud Competitor Leaderboard by Juniper Research
Online Payment Fraud Competitor Leaderboard by Juniper Research

A rise in eCommerce transactions in emerging markets is driving this growth. Merchants there are facing new threats, such as an increased use of AI for attacks.

Online payment fraud is where cybercriminals conduct false or illegal transactions online, using a number of different fraud strategies, such as phishing or account takeover.

Further explanation is available in the new report, Online Payment Fraud: Market Forecasts, Emerging Threats & Segment Analysis 2023-2028. A free sample is available for download.

Top Fraud Detection and Prevention Vendors Ranked

As part of the study, Juniper Research released its latest Competitor Leaderboard for 2023. Underpinned by a robust scoring methodology, the new Competitor Leaderboard ranked the top 21 fraud detection and prevention vendors, using criteria such as the relative size of their customer base, completeness of their solutions and their future business prospects.

The top 5 vendors for 2023:

  1. LexisNexis Risk Solutions
  2. Experian
  3. ACI Worldwide
  4. Visa
  5. FICO

The research found that the leading players scored well based on the breadth of their anti-fraud orchestration capabilities, as well as their use of AI for analysing trends in fraudster behaviour. In order to stay ahead of the competition, vendors must utilise data collected throughout the eCommerce process to further develop their fraud detection and prevention solutions through training and advancing AI models.

Research author Cara Malone remarked: “Fraud detection and prevention providers must educate their clients in the importance of data sharing, in order for the highest accuracy within their solutions. This is increasingly important with the growing use of AI, as it utilises a variety of data to examine patterns within fraud, which is extremely advantageous in a space where fraudsters usually attack at scale, rather than attacking a specific customer.”

View the research: https://www.juniperresearch.com/researchstore/fintech-payments/online-payment-fraud-research-report

Download the free sample: https://www.juniperresearch.com/whitepapers/combatting-online-payment-fraud

Juniper Research provides research and analytical services to the global hi-tech communications sector; providing consultancy, analyst reports, and industry commentary.

Contact Sam Smith, Press Relations
T: +44(0)1256 830002
E: sam.smith@juniperresearch.com

PR Newswire

United Imaging Introduces Next-Generation PET/CT Systems and Integrated Molecular Technology Platform at SNMMI

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With uMI Panorama™, United Imaging Continues to Push the Envelope on Whole-Body System Performance

HOUSTON, June 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — United Imaging, a global leader in manufacturing advanced medical imaging and radiotherapy equipment and a Leadership Circle sponsor at this year’s SNMMI, is making news on several fronts at SNMMI’s annual meeting in Chicago this week.

“There has been a debate in the marketplace for a while about the relative importance of resolution, axial field of view (FOV), and time of flight (TOF),” said Jeffrey Bundy, Ph.D, CEO of United Imaging Healthcare Solutions about the company’s product launch. “With the new wide-bore uMI Panorama and its 2.9 mm NEMA resolution, 35 cm axial FOV and 194 ps timing resolution, we will gladly have a conversation on any single specification or the collective benefit of all of them, because with this particular product, the need to compromise is gone.”

The uMI Panorama was teased recently in the media as one of United Imaging’s four new products in four different imaging modalities so far this year. Cheri Gottke, Vice President of the Molecular Imaging portfolio for the U.S., added that the uMI Panorama is currently installed at Huntsman Cancer Center in Salt Lake City, Utah and that “we chose SNMMI as the official stage to debut it.”   

United Imaging is showcasing a cutting-edge Molecular Imaging technology platform along with the uMI Panorama, called uExcel. The platform integrates hardware and software innovations to optimize performance, imaging capabilities and system functionalities. Its ultra-digital platform (UDP) detector boasts a high-performance ASIC chip, and its AI-empowered workflow streamlines operations and enhances examination efficiency. Exceptional image quality can be achieved with a lower dose, and the quality assurance module maintains peak performance of the system.

The uMI Panorama is a family of products that also includes a 510k pending system with a 148 cm axial FOV, the uMI Panorama GS. Built on the uExcel platform, this ultra-long axial FOV system allows for fast and high-resolution whole-body PET/CT imaging in a single bed position. The uMI Panorama GS is also being unveiled at SNMMI.  

United Imaging continues to see steady acceleration in demand for its popular digital PET/CT the uMI® 550, in both mobile and fixed configurations. “This is one of our most important molecular imaging innovations,” continued Gottke. “The entire digital portfolio from the uMI 550 to the uMI Panorama offers exceptional PET and CT image quality that improves quantitative accuracy and small lesion detectability. Our portfolio includes All-In Configurations™ and Software Upgrades for Life™ so that all our scanners truly stand the test of time from both a technological and a clinical perspective.”

The entire uMI portfolio is also “Born with AI” from the ground up, rather than being retrofitted with it later. This allows a seamless integration of artificial intelligence (AI) across all products, which optimizes daily workflow, improves the patient experience, and creates stunning diagnostic images. United Imaging’s artificial intelligence (uAI®) streamlines routine clinical workflows by auto iso-centering patients and defining the scan range. Its systems also allow faster scanning with less dose, while improving PET and CT imaging quality and providing image consistency in all clinical settings, from academic to freestanding imaging centers. 

SNMMI announced in its Value Initiative Newsletter that United Imaging is joining the Leadership Circle and taking an Industry co-chair position. 

United Imaging this week is also hosting two Satellite Symposiums (available for registration on the SNMMI meeting website) and a by-invitation-only customer event: 

uEXPLORER Symposium on June 25: “Exploring the Unmatched Capabilities of Total Body Imaging: Reflections on 5 Years of Clinical Adoption”; presenters include Dr. Ramsey Badawi, Vice Chair for Research, Department of Radiology, University of California, Davis and Dr. Harshad Kulkarni, Chief Medical Advisor, BAMF Health.

uMI Panorama Symposium on June 26: “Advancing Precision Medicine with Unprecedented PET/CT Technology for Clinical Molecular Imaging” on Monday, June 26, from 11:30 am – 12:30 pm. Presenters include Dr. Jeffrey Yap, Director, Center for Quantitative Imaging at Huntsman Cancer Institute.

United Imaging Educational Evening “UIH Night” (Invitation Only), Sunday June 25th. Presenters include Dr. Richard Carson, Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Radiology, Yale University and Dr. Simon Cherry, Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Radiology, UC Davis

United Imaging is located at booth #4032.

ABOUT UNITED IMAGING
At United Imaging, we develop and manufacture advanced medical products, digital healthcare solutions, and intelligent solutions that cover the entire process of imaging diagnosis and treatment. Founded in 2011, our company has subsidiaries and R&D centers across the world. Our North American headquarters in Houston includes our corporate offices, factory, product showroom, service training center, and service parts distribution center. With a cutting-edge digital portfolio and a mission of Equal Healthcare for All™, we help drive industry progress and bold change.

To learn more, visit united-imaging.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter @UnitedImagingHC.

Source: United Imaging Healthcare Co., Ltd.