PayPal debit and credit cardholders can now integrate their cards into the Apple Wallet app, making them accessible for use with Apple Pay. The process is straightforward and can be accomplished in two ways.
Firstly, you can open the iOS PayPal app and find the conspicuous “Pay with your iPhone” banner on the homepage. By tapping this banner, you will be redirected to the Apple Wallet app, where you can conveniently add your PayPal debit or credit cards.
Alternatively, you can add your PayPal cards to your Apple Wallet by opening the app and selecting the plus icon in the display’s upper right corner. Follow the step-by-step instructions to integrate either your PayPal credit card, PayPal debit card, or both into your Wallet app. Once added, you can choose which PayPal card to use for transactions when using Apple Pay.
It’s important to note that Apple retains a small fee of 0.15% of the transaction value, equating to 15 cents for every $100 spent using Apple Pay.
Interestingly, Venmo, a subsidiary of PayPal, is also expected to introduce Apple Pay support for its Venmo credit and debit cards, although this feature has yet to be implemented.
This development coincides with Apple’s recent promotion of its Apple Pay service by releasing several promotional videos. According to analysts, Apple Pay could generate up to $4 billion in revenue this year, solidifying its position as the fifth most widely used payment method globally, trailing only behind PayPal, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express.
Toshiba has just launched its latest lineup of TVs in Malaysia. These include three flagship models: the Toshiba Z870M, Z670M, and M550M. What makes these TVs stand out are their extraordinary features, and there’s an exciting free gift offer for Malaysian consumers.
Toshiba Z870M Pushing The Boundaries for Visual & Audio Experiences
The Z870M is a TV designed with immersion and content enjoyment in mind. The Mini LED technology deployed in the Z870M features Quantum Dot Colour technology that allows for true-to-life colour reproduction. The TV also supports multiple HDR formats including Dolby Vision HDR, HDR10+ and HLG. These technologies allow the screen to retain detail even in the darkest scenes.
It also features a native refresh rate of 144Hz and is equipped with AMD FreeSync technology, ensuring smooth gaming even at high frame rates. The REGZA Engine ZRi optimizes audio-visuals based on content and surroundings.
For audio enthusiasts, the TV includes REGZA Bass Woofer PRO with Tru Bass Booster and supports Dolby Atmos, providing an immersive audio experience. Additionally, it offers Smart Sharing, allowing content streaming from Apple devices via Apple HomeKit technology.
Toshiba Z670M: Immersive Gaming and Visual Excellence
The Z670M takes gaming and visuals to the next level. It boasts Full Array Local Dimming Pro for stunning contrast ratios and Quantum Dot Technology for vibrant colours. Dolby Vision Atmos enhances the audio-visual experience.
Front-firing speakers and the REGZA Bass System make sure that the sound quality matches the visuals. Game Mode Pro optimizes colour correction for a smoother gaming experience.
Toshiba M550M: Elevating Visual and Audio Quality
The M550M focuses on delivering exceptional visual clarity. It features the REGZA Engine ZR with AI Upscaling for a lifelike viewing experience. Quantum Dot Technology ensures natural and vivid colours.
Sound quality is equally impressive with REGZA Power Audio PRO and Tru Bass Booster. This TV intelligently upscales content to 4K quality, providing the true beauty of any content.
All three models come with Smart TV functions, including Google TV and Apple AirPlay. Google TV simplifies entertainment by recommending content based on user preferences, while Apple AirPlay enables effortless content streaming from Apple devices.
Pricing and Availability
During the promotional period from September 1st to September 30th, 2023, you can take advantage of special offers:
The Toshiba M550M model is set to launch in October 2023.
But the excitement doesn’t end there. When you purchase the 65-inch Z870M, you’ll receive a free Asus ROG Ally worth RM 3,299. For the 55-inch Z870M, you’ll get a Logitech Z906 surround speaker, and for the Z670M (both 65-inch and 55-inch), you’ll receive Bose TV speakers as free gifts.
JAKARTA, Indonesia, Sept. 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — coocaa TV, the No.1 selling TV brand in Indonesia, has become immensely popular by consistently delivering superior products and services to the Indonesian people. With local factories in Indonesia, coocaa ensures localized production, and its intimate warranty service has improved consumers’ satisfaction and happiness. That’s why coocaa can rank No. 1 position. To enhance consumers’ quality of life, coocaa TV has partnered with YOU, a beauty brand. coocaa and YOU cater to young trend-aware consumers with shared health values. Both brands also prioritize the importance of health concepts. coocaa emphasizes providing Indonesian users with top-notch image quality and healthy eye care. YOU, on the other hand, specializes in scientific skincare methods, emphasizing long-term results and inner skin health. This collaboration aims to offer top-notch products and services that bring beauty and joy to customers.
“BEAUTY LIFE WITH NO.1” is the theme of this collaboration, hosted primarily on Shopee. This event offers exciting rewards and surprises to customers. The most anticipated prize is the chance to win 40 units of the No.1 coocaa TV through a lucky draw. Whether buyers shop at YOU’s official Shopee store or visit their offline outlets, they have the opportunity to win this amazing prize.The previous coocaa TV mid-year promotion in July, which gave away 70 televisions, received widespread acclaim. Apart from the coveted TV prizes, purchasing coocaa TV on Shopee also offers You products and the chance to win a year’s supply of YOU beauty products. NO.1 coocaa TV and NO.1 YOU will provide all with beauty and joy for a whole year!
Beauty Life With NO.1——coocaa TV & YOU
The 50Y72 Google TV is the hero product of the collaboration. This TV is equipped with advanced features that cater to the needs of modern consumers, including Google TV integration, voice control, low blue light, and professional eye-care technology certified by TUV Rheinland. For more information, please visit: https://bit.ly/44PTjFm
The cross-industry collaboration between coocaa TV and YOU not only showcases coocaa TV’s position as the industry leader but also brings unexpected beauty and joy to a wider audience. Experience a year of beauty and joy with YOU and coocaa TV. Don’t miss this opportunity to enrich the TV viewing experience and enhance the beauty routine. Embark on this exciting journey!
Xiaomi has officially launched the Redmi 12 5G in Malaysia, bringing an exceptional entry-level 5G smartphone into the market. This device offers blazing-fast 5G connectivity, an elegant design, and a range of impressive features, making it a formidable addition to the Redmi series. What’s more, the Redmi 12 5G is now available in Malaysia through Celcom and Digi’s postpaid bundle plans.
At the heart of this powerhouse is the Snapdragon® 4 Gen 2 Mobile Platform. This 4nm processor is a beast, boasting two high-performance cores and six efficiency cores that reach clock speeds of up to 2.2GHz and 2.0GHz, respectively. With 8GB of RAM and expandable storage of up to 1TB, this device delivers flagship-level performance without breaking the bank. It’s the perfect companion for experiencing the lightning-fast speeds of 5G technology.
But that’s not all; the Redmi 12 5G makes a statement with its design. It’s available in three captivating colours: Midnight Black, Sky Blue, and Polar Silver. The device features a premium glass back and an eye-catching infinite camera deco design. Despite its impressive features, it maintains a svelte 8.17mm profile, providing both aesthetics and a comfortable grip.
When it comes to the display, the Redmi 12 5G doesn’t disappoint. It boasts a sizable 6.79-inch FHD+ DotDisplay screen with a 2460×1080 resolution. This means you get an immersive viewing experience, making it ideal for gaming and binge-watching your favourite shows. Plus, with SGS Low Blue Light certification and Reading Mode 3.0, you can enjoy content for extended periods without straining your eyes. Additionally, its IP53 rating ensures it can handle everyday dust and splashes with ease.
Photography enthusiasts will appreciate the dual-camera system on the Redmi 12 5G. It features a powerful 50-megapixel main camera and a 2-megapixel depth camera that produces stunning bokeh effects, adding authenticity to your photos. The device offers various modes, including HDR, night mode, portrait mode, and even movie frame and time-lapse mode for capturing creative videos. With seven popular film camera filters, you can elevate your photography game with real-time previews and pixel-level calculations.
Keeping you connected and powered up is a priority for the Redmi 12 5G. It features an 18W Type-C fast charging port and a robust 5,000mAh battery that ensures you stay productive throughout the day. In fact, it supports up to 23 days of standby, 179 hours of music, 32 hours of reading, or 27 hours of video playback, making it an excellent choice for both work and play. Plus, it retains convenient features like a 3.5mm headphone jack and NFC. It can even serve as an IR remote control for your other home devices.
Pricing and Availability
The Redmi 12 5G (8GB+256GB) is now available in Malaysia through Celcom and Digi‘s postpaid bundle plans.
This article is contributed by Varinderjit Singh, General Manager, Lenovo Malaysia
IT decision-makers have officially earned their seats at the table — nearly three-quarters of CIOs say their roles have been elevated by the visibility they received during the pandemic. [1] Now they have to figure out what to serve first.
The Lenovo ThinkPad® X1 Nano Gen 3 is powered by 13th Generation Intel® Core™ i5-1340P processor takes multitasking—and manageability—to the next level and is built for what IT needs and users want.
Digital strategy and transformation took the lead last year for 67% of CIOs, but the number fell to 60% in 2022 as IT decision-makers focused on the fundamentals of optimizing and managing technology.1 Priority whiplash has left more than 76% of CIOs struggling to balance two critical goals: business innovation and operational excellence.1
With the right technology partner, IT decision-makers don’t have to choose. Smarter digital workplace solutions raise the bar on productivity, business agility, and infrastructure integrity, freeing them to focus on strategic organizational change. In fact, that’s how they would prefer to spend their time — 83% of IT decision-makers are actively seeking digital transformation opportunities that will help their companies contribute good to the world.[2]
What should you look for in a technology partner?
An end-to-end solution provider will have your back, optimizing operations in three essential ways.
01. Productivity and collaboration
Exceptional technology is the baseline for productivity and collaboration, supporting hybrid workplaces, connecting employees, and securing data and devices from anywhere. When it works, technology enables peak performance and improves user experience. On average, three-quarters of employees credit their business technology with making them feel more productive and empowered.2 And 60% of IT decision-makers see their employee experience (EX) scores rise by focusing on improving users’ experience with technology.[3]
When technology doesn’t work, IT decision-makers put innovation on the back burner while they scramble to field help desk requests, respond to security emergencies, push out patches, and source new products to meet evolving business needs.
Look for technology that is optimized to work together, promises exceptional reliability, and leverages the most current innovations for data and employee security.
Lenovo delivers a portfolio of premium solutions — hardware, software, services, and accessories — ranging from PCs and smartphones to smart collaboration to augmented and virtual reality technology (AR/VR). Plus, remote management and automation technology innovations can cut time spent on manual processes by as much as 50%.[4] Hardware- and software-based security and manageability tools elevate productivity on modern devices like the ThinkPad® X1 Carbon Gen 11, powered by 13th Generation Intel® Core™ i5-1335U processor, built for what IT needs and users want.4
About half of CIOs right now are spending significant time on operational IT improvements, and 26% are busy reacting to IT crises.1
What would you be doing if your technology could manage and secure itself?
02. Agility and optimization
Business transformation often depends on the ability to scale, requiring immediate access to mission-critical technology. Quick access to technology has proven elusive for some organizations, which results in IT teams spending significant time managing older equipment.
That’s an easy ask if they’re partnered with a technology provider that offers as-a-service solutions. With Lenovo TruScale, devices, infrastructure, services, and support can all be scaled easily to meet evolving business needs. Everything from the pocket to the cloud is available on demand, from a single point of contact, in a cost-efficient OpEx model. End-of-life recycling is also an important part of the package — streamlining the process for IT decision-makers, eliminating security risks associated with asset disposal, and helping to meet organizational sustainability goals.
When it comes to freeing up time for innovation, few decisions are as impactful as choosing an as-a-service partner. When everything from infrastructure to end-user devices is optimized, updated, and ready to be deployed anywhere in the world, operational excellence takes care of itself.
03. Intelligent infrastructure
Businesses need an infrastructure that delivers faster time to insights, improved application performance, enhanced security, and better manageability.
Cloud computing is an important part of the equation. As of 2022, 60% of corporate data worldwide is now stored in the cloud,[5] and that makes achieving operational excellence significantly easier.
Within just a few months after migrating to the cloud, 80% of businesses report operational improvement[6] thanks to the continuity, resilience, and efficiencies achieved with hybrid cloud computing.
The Intel® Xeon® Scalable processors in Lenovo’s ThinkAgile appliances optimize workloads and improve efficiency, providing significant improvement in data processing capacity. Along with flexible cloud storage, IT decision-makers also have access to remote management services and support analytics through one customer portal. With increased visibility across the entire fleet and the capability to manage technology remotely, they can significantly reduce organization-crushing downtime — and make time for transformation.
Smarter IT decision-makers don’t go it alone. 92% of CIOs believe technology vendors play a valuable role in their company’s overall success.[7]
[1] CIO.com, “State of the CIO, 2022: Focus turns to IT fundamentals,” March 2022 [2] Reach3 Insights and Lenovo, “Human-centered insights to fuel IT’s vision,” July 2022 [3] Lenovo, Intel, and Forrester, “Invest in Employee Experience, Drive Your Bottom-Line Growth,” October 2020 [4] Salesforce.com and Pulse, “Global IT Survey 2020,” accessed August 2022 [5] Statista.com, “Share of corporate data stored in the cloud in organizations worldwide from 2015 to 2022,” accessed August 2022 [6] Zippia, “25 amazing cloud adoption statistics,” May 2022 [7] IDG, “2022 Executive Summary State of the CIO,” 2022
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Prime Focus Technologies (PFT) is thrilled to showcase its purpose-built CLEAR® AI Platform for the Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry at IBC 2023. This represents a seismic shift in providing enterprises with a readily deployable, vendor-agnostic AI Platform, complete with AI modules and integrations, to accelerate their enterprise AI strategy with speed and innovation.
“The goal of the CLEAR® AI Platform is “making AI development accessible to all.” It will empower enterprises with rapid in-house AI development and productization,” stated Murali Sridhar, Senior Vice President and Head of Product Management at Prime Focus Technologies. “Enterprises can achieve a substantial acceleration of at least two years in reaching their AI objectives, from conceptualization to realization.”
This Platform empowers users with advanced features, an intuitive user interface (UI), pre-configured optimizations, and industry-leading third-party AI integrations. It provides the flexibility for organizations to adopt multi-vendor AI solutions, accelerating their AI journey. A key component is Machine Wisdom, a patented technology that blends AI capabilities from various providers, boosting accuracy and simplifying its integration into specific M&E workflows. It seamlessly incorporates cutting-edge AI models for video, audio, image, text, and Generative AI processing.
Key features & benefits of CLEAR® AI Platform:
Flexibility to innovate with no exclusive dependency on one vendor: The CLEAR® AI Platform allows enterprises to combine AI from various providers and in-house developed AI engines to solve specific business use cases. This approach fosters independence and will enable businesses to diversify their AI resources, mitigating risks associated with vendor exclusivity. Enterprises also have the option to connect any new third-party engines of their choice and quickly integrate them into the Platform. This enables them to create new visualizations, expose APIs, and accelerate innovation by switching on/off the engines used.
Elegant UI for data visualization and insights: The CLEAR® AI Platform has an intuitive UI for visualizing data and insights, seamlessly adaptable to M&E workflows. This UI offers meaningful representations of AI-generated data and provides the necessary tools to employ this data in real-world M&E use cases effectively.
Smart optimizations, best for run-time deployments: The CLEAR® AI Platform comes equipped with smart optimizations that utilize existing data and generate AI data only when necessary. This will deliver maximum cost savings on a run-time basis.
Cloud-scale Ready: It leverages highly optimized cloud technologies to create, test, and deploy cost-efficient AI solutions, including just-in-time scaling and minimal overheads. This approach guarantees rapid processing speeds and smooth handling of workload bursts, all while maintaining optimal cost management on the cloud.
Metering and Analytics: The Platform incorporates detailed metering capabilities per workflow, service, and per-function basis. This empowers users to gain valuable insights into AI-related cost allocations, optimization opportunities, and enhanced control over their AI usage.
Security: The Platform has enterprise-grade security features tailored for M&E organizations. It includes built-in capabilities for user management, administration, file management, and more right out of the box.
Consulting and Services: The Platform comes with a choice to use consulting services that allow enterprises to leverage our high-caliber AI team. These experts can collaborate with your in-house teams to foster innovation in AI integrations, create new AI models, oversee Machine Learning operations, design custom user interfaces, integrate Generative AI, and deliver timely engineering support.
If you are building AI, consider leveraging the CLEAR® AI Platform alongside our team or your own. This robust, finely tuned, and scalable Platform is ready to integrate into your ecosystem seamlessly.
Join us at IBC 2023 for a demo of the CLEAR® AI Platform. To arrange a meeting with us, click here. We are at stand Hall 3, C23.
PFT has recently secured its third distinctive non-adjacent US Patent for AI-enabled Scene Detection following rigorous inspections with the US Patent and Trademark Office (US PTO), with four more patents pending grant.
About Prime Focus Technologies
Prime Focus Technologies (PFT) is the creator of CLEAR® and CLEAR® AI. It offers streaming platforms, studios, and broadcasters transformational AI-led technology and media services powered by the cloud that help them lower their Total Cost of Operations (TCOP) by automating their content supply chain. PFT works with major companies like Walt Disney-owned Star TV, Channel 4, ITV, Sinclair Broadcast Group, A&E Networks, Warner Media, PBS, CBS Television Studios, 20th Century Fox Television Studios, Lionsgate, Showtime, HBO, NBCU, TERN International, Disney+ Hotstar, BCCI, Indian Premier League and more.
A highlight of this event is the unveiling of the brand new Xiaomi TV A Series and Xiaomi TV A Pro Series, now available in all Xiaomi Authorized Stores in Malaysia and online at official Xiaomi stores on Lazada, with prices starting at just RM 1,199.
The new TVs are the latest additions to Xiaomi’s ecosystem and are poised to serve as smart home control hubs for AIoT connectivity, offering an exceptional entertainment experience.
Xiaomi TV A Series
The Xiaomi TV A series features a premium metal bezel-less design allowing the TVs to blend into any room seamlessly. The series has models supporting resolutions as high as 4K UHD and a 60Hz refresh rate. The high resolution of the TV A series is complemented by support for up to 20W Dolby Audio, DTS-HD, and DTS Virtual: X, delivering true-to-life, immersive sound. The series supports connectivity through Bluetooth 5.0 and dual-band WiFi. The series also features HDMI and USB inputs. The higher-specced versions feature eARC technology.
Xiaomi’s TV A series continues to run on Google TV. The OS allows users to seamlessly connect using their smartphones as remote controls through Google Home and access a myriad of TV-optimised apps from the Google Play Store. You’ll even be able to project your phone or laptop screens wirelessly via the built-in Chromecast functionality.
The A Series will be available in multiple sizes, including 43-inch and 55-inch, with a 32-inch variant expected to arrive soon.
Xiaomi TV A Pro Series
The Xiaomi TV A Pro Series ups the ante with a sleeker, single-stand design with a premium metallic frame and bezel-less aesthetics, perfectly complementing modern home decor. The TVs in the series feature 4K UHD displays with a 60Hz refresh rate complemented by 24W (2 x 12) speakers. The sound experience on TVs is perfected with features such as Dolby Audio, DTS-X, and DTS Virtual: X.
Like the A series, the A Pro series comes with Google TV as the operating system. The Xiaomi TV A Pro Series comes in multiple sizes, including 43-inch, 55-inch, and 65-inch models.
Showcasing Home Living Innovations at Sunway Pyramid
Xiaomi’s smart ecosystem empowers consumers to enhance their quality of life through innovative technology. These products offer seamless connectivity and control via smartphones or tablets, making smart living not only accessible but also affordable.
Running from September 7 to 10, the Smart Living Showcase invites visitors to explore a wide range of smart AIoT products across various categories. These include TWS and wearable, Kitchen Appliances, Personal Care, Smart Cameras and security, Smart Cleaning, and environmental appliances. Among the showcased products are the new Xiaomi Pad 6, Xiaomi vacuums, air purifiers, security cameras, wearables, and more.
Xiaomi will be showcasing these innovations at the LG2 Blue Concourse, Sunway Pyramid, Petaling Jaya. During this event, Xiaomi will simulate real-life living environments to showcase how their state-of-the-art AIoT products integrate seamlessly into daily life, ultimately enhancing the way we live.
Pricing and Availability:
The Xiaomi TV A Pro Series starts at RM 1,399 and is available in three sizes: 43-, 55-, and 65-inches.
The Xiaomi TV A Series starts at RM 1,199 and is available in two sizes at launch: 43- and 55-inches. The 32-inch version will be available soon.
For a limited time, users can enjoy exclusive deals on Xiaomi TV A Pro Series and Xiaomi TV A Series. On September 9, buyers can benefit from special Open Sale savings at Authorized Xiaomi stores in Malaysia or Xiaomi TV A Series at the official Xiaomi Store on Lazada.
Additionally, the first 100 customers to purchase any Xiaomi TV A Pro Series at the Xiaomi Smart Living Showcase in Sunway Pyramid will receive a Free Gift and have the chance to enter a Lucky Draw event with exclusive prizes worth RM 11,997 up for grabs.
New Agreement Empowers Reputation Management and Strategic Communication Agendas Worldwide
CHICAGO and NEW YORK, Sept. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Cision, the leading provider of consumer and media intelligence and communications solutions, has entered into a long-term agreement to distribute Dow Jones content to Public Relations and Corporate Communications (PRCC) professionals. This new partnership, which is structured to become an exclusive agreement between Dow Jones and Cision, brings together the most trusted news and cutting-edge technology to help PRCC customers manage brand reputation, monitor business-critical topics and advance global communication strategies.
Dow Jones’s authoritative journalism, including The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, MarketWatch, Investor’s Business Daily and Dow Jones Newswires, is now fully integrated into Cision’s media intelligence platforms, with rollouts to broader Cision and Brandwatch portfolios expected soon. Users of Cision’s premium platforms will also receive digital subscriptions to Dow Jones’s world-class publications.
Additionally, Cision will integrate select content from the Factiva business intelligence solution into its platforms, offering customers the ability to monitor and analyze content from thousands of licensed sources globally.
“Together with Dow Jones, we’re excited about the unlimited potential we have to innovate and support industry leaders in the fast-moving world of news and information,” said Cali Tran, Cision CEO. “The heart of our mission is to empower our customers with a better understanding of their position within the market and to give them the insight they need to shape effective strategies with confidence, ensuring relevance and visibility.”
“This partnership reinforces Dow Jones’s commitment to provide the most trusted news, data and analysis to help people make decisions,” saidAlmar Latour, CEO of Dow Jones and publisher of The Wall Street Journal. “By joining forces with Cision, we’re expanding the reach of our business news and information that meets our audiences where they are while also furthering our investment in unique, high-quality journalism.”
Cision’s commitment to data partnerships extends to the world’s largest and smallest publishers and social platforms, ensuring industry leaders get a full and accurate view of the news, trends and conversations impacting the valuations of the brands and organizations they lead. The addition of Dow Jones’s premium publications to its global content collection will provide customers with access to quality, trustworthy news to streamline media monitoring and inform decision making.
Under the agreement, Cision will also have the unique ability to partner directly with and sublicense Dow Jones content to other software providers and approved resellers in the PRCC market. Additionally, the two companies will work to align their complementary assets and capabilities to provide unique value for PRCC customers through a joint roadmap of product innovation and co-creation.
About Cision Cision is the leading provider of consumer and media intelligence and communications solutions, enabling public relations, marketing, social media, and communications professionals around the world to understand their consumers, influence outcomes and amplify their stories. As the market leader, Cision’s award-winning brands and technology enable Marketing and Communications leaders to manage and shape their brands in today’s rapidly evolving world. Cision has offices in 24 countries through the Americas, EMEA and APAC, and offers a suite of best-in-class solutions, including PR Newswire, Brandwatch Consumer Research, and CisionOne. To learn more visit www.cision.com, www.brandwatch.com and www.prnewswire.com.
About Dow Jones Dow Jones is a global provider of news and business information, delivering content to consumers and organizations around the world across multiple formats, including print, digital, mobile and live events. Dow Jones has produced unrivaled quality content for more than 130 years and today has one of the world’s largest news-gathering operations globally. It is home to leading publications and products including the flagship Wall Street Journal, America’s largest newspaper by paid circulation; Barron’s, MarketWatch, Mansion Global, Financial News, Investor’s Business Daily, Factiva, Dow Jones Risk & Compliance, Dow Jones Newswires, OPIS and Chemical Market Analytics. Dow Jones is a division of News Corp (Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV).
Contact Information: For media inquiries, please contact: Cision Public Relations cision@kcsa.com
Clubhouse, once the talk of Silicon Valley and the darling of pandemic-era social media, is undergoing a transformation. Earlier this year, the company announced layoffs of half its staff as it embarked on creating “Clubhouse 2.0.” Now, the results of this shift are in, and it’s all about making Clubhouse more like a messaging app.
Source: Clubhouse
The shift means moving away from its iconic “drop-in” audio conversations to focus on voice chats centred around friends. Instead of large, open rooms for live-streamed discussions, the new Clubhouse encourages users to form groups with people they already know. These groups, somewhat perplexingly named “chats,” enable friends and friends-of-friends to exchange voice messages.
From Forum to Personable Chats
The key feature of this update is “Chats.” Think of Chats as voice-only group chats with your closest friends. They’re asynchronous, so you can drop in and participate at your convenience. It’s like a blend of group texts and Instagram Stories, except with voices.
Chats come with convenient features like push-to-talk, 2x listening speed, skip and swipe between chats, and the option to engage in private voice conversations. What sets them apart from group texting is speed and personalization. Chats are faster, allowing groups to share more, including nuances and off-the-record content, with automatic transcription and translation into your language.
Source: Clubhouse
Voice adds a personal touch that text can’t match. You can hear your friends’ emotions, and laughter, and even sense when they’re tired or excited. It’s about getting to know people on a deeper level.
Chats can be set to “friends only” or “friends-of-friends,” creating a cosy social atmosphere with shared context and accountability. No randoms, spammers, or follower seekers here.
Changing from Followers to Friends
Live audio isn’t going away; it remains a core part of Clubhouse. However, Chats offer a versatile tool for community builders, enabling new conversations without the need for extensive preparation or moderation. It’s all about depth over reach.
Clubhouse is also shifting from a “follow” model to a “friend” model. This change emphasizes the importance of real friendships over accumulating followers. Existing followers won’t lose their connections; they can create a House for their followers right from their profiles.
The motivation behind this pivot is clear. Clubhouse witnessed a significant drop in engagement as pandemic restrictions eased. Whether this new direction can bring back the buzz it enjoyed in 2021, when it attracted millions of users and a multi-billion-dollar valuation, remains uncertain. Clubhouse, seemingly aware of the challenges, concluded its announcement with a touch of caution, stating, “It’s a big bet, and we hope we’re right…”
Samsung has once again partnered with renowned designer Thom Browne to create an exquisite fusion of technology and fashion. The result? The limited-edition Galaxy Z Fold5 Thom Browne Edition and the Galaxy Watch6 Thom Browne Edition.
Source: Samsung
This collaboration isn’t new; it’s the latest instalment in a longstanding partnership that began with the Galaxy Z Fold 2. What sets this year’s limited edition apart is its inspiration – the elegance of black-tie events. The Galaxy Z Fold5 Thom Browne Edition is not just a device; it’s a masterpiece. Crafted with black pebble leather and intricate detailing, it proudly showcases Thom Browne’s signature style. The iconic red, white, and blue stripes are prominently displayed on the device’s exterior, while the back glass boasts a tactile fabric texture. A black frame with gold accents and gold rings encircling the camera lenses adds an extra touch of luxury.
But the attention to detail doesn’t end with the device itself. The packaging is designed to provide an exceptional unboxing experience, reminiscent of a Thom Browne high-end briefcase. It’s not just about aesthetics; it’s also a collector’s item.
The Galaxy Z Fold5 Thom Browne Edition doesn’t come alone; it includes two exclusive leather pouch cases and a specially crafted S Pen. These accessories not only enhance the style but also the functionality of the device.
Source: Samsung
And that’s not all. The Galaxy Watch6 also gets the Thom Browne treatment. With its gold-tone body, unique watch face, and Thom Browne logo, it oozes sophistication. The red, white, and blue theme extends to the buckle and two leather straps, creating a seamless and elegant look. Even accessories like the 25W travel adapter, coin-style watch charger, and USB-C to USB-C cable carry Thom Browne’s signature touch.
Pricing & Availability
These exclusive editions will be available in limited quantities starting September 12, 2023, in select markets, including Korea. While the price remains undisclosed, tech and fashion enthusiasts alike can look forward to making their purchases through Samsung’s website.
