Touch ‘n Go eWallet is one of Malaysia’s largest eWallets. Just recently, TNG Digital (TNGD), the company operating the eWallet, unveiled plans to become an integrated fintech company – one of the first in Malaysia. TNGD is well on the way to achieving its goals with the introduction of services like GOPinjam, GOInvest and even GOProtect.
That said, one of its most successful features is the introduction of cross-border transactions in over 40 countries including Singapore, China, Hong Kong and Japan. This is made possible with Alipay+’s integration with Touch N’ Go eWallet. The feature has arguably changed the way Malaysians travel overseas especially when it comes to transacting online. However, with the sharp increase of Malaysians travelling ever since borders reopened, TNGD has noticed a need for the company to be a little more pragmatic with its approach to cross-border transactions, particularly QR transactions.
As such, starting April 25, 2024, cross-border QR transactions using Touch ‘n Go eWallet will be charged a nominal 1% transaction fee. According to the announcement by TNGD, the fee will be factored into the daily exchange rate in the app. The daily exchange rate will be shown in real time before each transaction. So, if you’re in the U.S. and the daily exchange rate is RM1 to USD0.209659, it will be reflected as RM1 to USD0.20756241 inclusive of the 1% fee.
CEO of TNGD, Alan Ni, addressed the issue in a statement saying, “Although it has always been an industry standard for credit and debit cards as well as other eWallets to charge the overseas transaction conversion fee, we have subsidised these costs in the past to promote the cross-border payment feature on TNG eWallet. However, with the increase in overseas travel, we understand the need to ensure our business sustains in the long run. We are committed to continue to provide a seamless cross-border payments to our users. We have partnered with international businesses to create a strong network of merchants in over 40 countries, making it easy to use TNG eWallet for payments outside Malaysia.”
Samsung’s popular Galaxy Tab S series is getting more affordable. No, Samsung didn’t release another edition of the series. Instead, the tablet lineup is getting a price adjustment. The prices are taking effect starting on April 9, 2024.
The Galaxy Tab S series has been one of the mainstays of Android’s growing tablet market. Samsung’s flagship tablet series has been pushing boundaries with new functionalities, better hardware and, most recently, even better build materials. The Tab S9, S9+ and S9 Ultra were launched not long ago in July 2023 and continue to be the company’s flagship tablets. The tablets offer a compelling set of features including IP68 dust and water resistance and Samsung’s hallmark S Pen. Just recently, Samsung announced the Tab S9 FE which brings together the most compelling features of the Tab S9 series at an even more affordable price point.
The new pricing for the series sees Samsung reducing prices by up to RM300 across the board. The new pricing brings the entry point for one of Samsung’s flagship tablets to below the RM2000 threshold with the WiFi version of the Tab S9 FE (128GB).
Starting April 9, 2024, these are the prices of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Series:
Product
Recommended Retail Price (Before)
Recommended Retail Price (New)
Galaxy Tab S9 5G with Book Cover Keyboard (256GB)
RM4,849
RM4,549
Galaxy Tab S9 with Book Cover Keyboard WiFi (256GB)
Sony is at it again! The company has released a brand-new lineup of audio devices catered to those looking to get that extra untz in their music. The New ULT Power Sound series marries some of Sony’s iconic form factors with exceptional low-frequency performance. The new line is launching with options for every situation with three different speaker form factors and a wireless headphone.
Source: Sony
All the devices come with an “ULT” button that kicks them into a specially calibrated mode to lift the bass and make you feel the beat. The new ULT Power Sound Lineup comes with two different ULT profiles. The first, ULT1, that’s designed to make you feel the beat and get your grove on and ULT2 that lifts the bass to make you feel every vibration. The lineup also features Sound Field Optimisation that automatically tunes the sound for music clarity even in crowded, noisy areas. Sony’s Part Connect feature allows you to connect up to 100 speakers wirelessly for that true party experience.
Bring the Concert & Rave Into Your Home with ULT TOWER 10
Sony ULT Power Sound’s big hitter is the ULT Tower 10, a tower speaker with all the bells and whistles you’d need to replicate live music vibes indoors. The speaker can even be hooked up to your tv to create an even more immersive soundscape for your movies.
Source: Sony
The ULT Tower 10 is designed to be a one stop sound station and can even hook up to your TV for that extra umph. You can even hook up a guitar or even sing your heart out with included wireless mic. It also gives you complete control of your sound with Echo and Key Controls located on the top of the speaker.
The Tower 10 will also get the party started with its 360° Party Sound that delivers powerful sound to every corner of the room. 360° Party Light will let you vibe with your music complete with RGB synchronicity.
Vibe on the Go with the ULT FIELD Speakers
The ULT Power Sound line up also comes with two portable choices with the ULT Field line up. The ULT Field comes in two different sizes to cater to different needs on-the-go. The series has the iconic cylindrical Sony design with a tweaks that make it easy to carry and transport. The line up also comes with IP67 dust and water resistance with the added benefit of being salt water resistant.
Source: Sony
The ULT Field 7 is the larger of the two ULT Field speakers and comes with a larger 30 hour battery life complete with quick charge. A 10 minute charge will get you about 3 hours of play time. The Field 7 also comes with carry handles that have been designed for portability both in horizontal and vertical configurations. It even comes with support for guitar and karaoke similar to the Tower 10.
Source: Sony
The ULT Field 1 takes portability even further with a compact design and multiway strap. The speakers compact size doesn’t mean it’s not big on sound though. It comes with the same ULT Power Sound standard and has a dedicated ULT Power Sound for enhanced bass. It has 12 hours of battery life and comes with added shockproofing. It’s also the most colourful, coming in Black, Off-White, Forest Grey and Orange. The Field 1 can also be your video conferencing speaker on the go with a built-in mic and Echo Cancelling technology.
ULT Power Sound Gets Personal With ULT WEAR
Good Vibes don’t get more personal than with the ULT Wear headphones. The new headphones come with Sony’s Inegrated Process V1. Yep, that’s the same processor that’s in Sony’s award-winning 1000X series headphones. It’s got drivers that are designed specifically for the ULT Power Sound series that keeps the power and untz without muddying the details. It’s also got Dual Noise Sensor techology that allows you tune out the world and zone out to your music.
Source: Sony
The ULT Wear comes with one of Sony’s most comfortable designs yet. It has soft ear pads with more space around the ears for added comfort and sound dampening. The foldable design of the headphones also allows you to carry it anywhere with its compact form and carrying case.
The headphones are able to connect wirelessly over Bluetooth with up to two deices simultaneously. It also disconnects automatically when you take them off. Sony says that the ULT Wear has up 30 hours of battery life with Noise Cancelling on and up to 50 hours with it off. Quick charge allows you to top 90 minutes of play time with only 3 minutes of charge.
Pricing and Availability
The ULT Power series is being rolled out globally in stages. It is available for pre-order in the U.S.. For Malaysia, it looks like the ULT Wear is already available for purchase at Sony’s website. However, the full lineup will be available in June 2024.
In the U.S., the ULT Tower 10 has a retail pricing of US$1,199.99 (RM5,717.13), the ULT Field 1 is priced at US$129.99 (RM619.80), the ULT Field 7 is priced at US$499.99 (RM2,384.07) and the ULT Wear is priced at US$199.99 (RM953.60).
In Malaysia, the ULT Wear is priced at RM899. It is currently available on the Sony Store website. No local pricing has been announced for the ULT Power Sound Speakers yet.
VANCOUVER, BC, April 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Pixso, the revolutionary UI/UX collaboration design tool of Boyun Tech Ltd., is thrilled to launch its Lifetime Plan, offering designers and teams an unparalleled opportunity to harness the full power of Pixso’s suite of tools for a one-time payment. With this offer, users can shed the burden of recurring monthly or annual fees and adopt a forward-looking design experience that adapts to their evolving needs.
Pixso – Revolutionary UI/UX Collaboration Tool Releases Lifetime Plan to Global Users
A New Era in UI/UX Design and Collaboration
In a landscape where designers are constantly seeking innovative solutions, Pixso emerges as a competitive newcomer in the UI/UX design sector. Distinguished by its integrated workflow that consolidates project management, collaborative design, and prototype delivery into one globally accessible platform, Pixso offers professionals and teams a seamless and efficient UI/UX design process. Its unique pricing strategy, the Pixso Lifetime Plan, further distinguishes it, providing users with unparalleled value and flexibility.
Main Features of Pixso: All-In-One Platform of UI/UX Design
Pixso’s Lifetime Plan offers a comprehensive UI/UX design experience that reshapes creativity and collaboration:
– Seamless Integration of Design and Prototyping: Pixso serves as a holistic platform where UI/UX design, prototype interaction, and developer mode converge seamlessly, empowering designers to transition effortlessly from concept to coding.
– Real-Time Collaboration: With Pixso, multiple members can collaborate simultaneously on projects, facilitating real-time adjustments and decisions to maintain project momentum.
– Unlimited Whiteboard Files: Pixso provides unlimited capacity for whiteboard files, crucial for team management and idea organization.
– AI-Powered Design Enhancements: Pixso leverages AI capabilities to accelerate the design process, from image and icon generation to providing design inspiration and language translation.
– Extensive Design Resource Library: Equipped with a vast library of freely accessible design resources, Pixso provides a treasure trove of templates, icons, and elements to expedite the design process.
Lifetime Plan Highlights
Unlimited Access: Gain lifetime access to Pixso’s design and whiteboard tools, ensuring uninterrupted creativity without the hassle of subscription renewals.
Scalable Team Sizes: From solo designers to large teams, it accommodates various team sizes, supporting up to 30 team members in the premium tier.
Storage and AI Credits: Enjoy generous whiteboard and design file capacities and AI credits.
Continuous Innovation: Lifetime plan holders will automatically be granted access to upgrades for all future free features.
Special Offers: Pixso is offering an unprecedented limited-time discount on its lifetime plan tiers for global users.
Pixso is an online UI/UX design platform dedicated to seamlessly blending collaborative design tools with an online whiteboard. The Pixso crew is committed to addressing the collaborative requirements of product teams worldwide. With a focus on teamwork, innovation, and project management, Pixso offers a comprehensive suite of services, including design tools, digital whiteboard, AI assistance, and enterprise-level support.
SHANGHAI, April 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The LattePanda team launched the LattePanda Mu, an exceptional micro x86 compute module poised to swiftly empower custom design solutions. With an Intel N100 CPU, it is compatible with Windows and Linux operating systems. The LattePanda Mu demonstrates superior CPU performance compared to the Raspberry Pi 5 and excels in GPU capabilities, guaranteeing seamless operation for complex computational tasks and demanding applications. Thanks to its compact form factor measuring 60mm x 69.6mm, the LattePanda Mu seamlessly integrates into diverse applications, including IoT, robotics, digital signage, and edge computing, ensuring efficient task handling and reliable performance across various scenarios.
LattePanda Mu – A Micro x86 Compute Module Fits Unique Solutions
The most significant attribute of the LattePanda Mu is its customizability. Users can design carrier boards according to their functional requirements, such as creating a dual-Ethernet port board for a router or providing a SATA interface for a Network-Attached Storage (NAS) solution. Additionally, with up to 9 PCIe 3.0 lanes, the LattePanda Mu can be equipped with a dedicated graphics card for more powerful applications, or expanded with the high-performance NIC to build a computing cluster.
The LattePanda Mu provides an adjustable TDP range of 6W to 35W, meeting diverse applications and performance demands. This compute module empowers users to design and integrate custom carrier boards, providing an extensive array of interfaces, including 3 HDMI/DisplayPort ports, 8 USB 2.0 ports, up to 4 USB 3.2 ports, and 9 PCIe 3.0 lanes.
The LattePanda Mu offers open-source carrier board designs and libraries in KiCAD format as reference materials, available for access and download from its GitHub repository. This enables developers to make necessary modifications and refinements, resulting in a significant reduction in development time. By integrating the most intricate components, the LattePanda Mu provides users with the freedom to design simpler elements. Moreover, customization services cater to various specialized requirements, enabling users to unleash the full potential of the LattePanda Mu and achieve exceptional results.
Specification:
Processor: Intel Processor N100 4 Cores up to 3.4GHz
Memory: 4800MT/s 8GB with IBECC supported
Storage: eMMC 5.1 64GB
Display: 3 Ouputs; Max Resolution 4096 x 2160@60Hz
I/O: PCIe 3.0: up to 9 lanes SATA 3.0: up to 2 ports USB 3.2 (10Gbps): up to 4 ports USB 2.0 (480Mbps): 8 ports I2C, UART and GPIOs
Power: 9~20V
Operating System: Windows; Ubuntu
Environment: 0~60°C; 0~80% relative humidity
Size: 69.6 x 60mm
“I am filled with confidence and passion for this innovative product. LattePanda Mu is not just a micro x86 compute module; it is a breakthrough design solution that offers users unlimited customization possibilities. With its powerful computing performance, GPU capabilities that surpass traditional options, and flexible thermal design power range, it becomes the ideal choice for various applications and performance needs. The customization options of the LattePanda Mu allow users to design carrier boards according to their requirements, providing perfect solutions for diverse application scenarios. I firmly believe that LattePanda Mu will lead innovation in the industry and achieve outstanding success,” said WangBo, the product manager of LattePanda Mu.
The original price for LattePanda Mu is $139, with an early bird price of $99 for one week. The LattePanda Mu Kit includes LattePanda Mu, LattePanda Mu Lite Carrier and LattePanda Mu Active Cooler, originally priced at $190, with a promotional price for the first 100 users at $149. For further details on the LattePanda Mu and its remarkable capabilities, kindly visit the official LattePanda Mu website.
Upgrade to Tineco’s High-Performance Cleaning Tools for a Fresh Start this Spring
SEATTLE, April 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Tineco, a leader in innovative home cleaning solutions, is excited to announce special promotions on three of its top products during April. From April 8th to April 14th, customers worldwide can enjoy exclusive discounts on Amazon for the Tineco FLOOR ONE S5 Blue, the SWITCH S7, and the PURE ONE Station FurFree.
Say goodbye to traditional cleaning methods with the FLOOR ONE S5 Blue. This machine brings floors back to life with the Real Fresh Water Cleaning system, leaving no residue behind. Its self-cleaning and drying functions, along with the iLoop Smart Sensor, provide an effortless path to pristine floors.
Spring Cleaning Promotion Price: $349.9 (30% off MSRP: $499.99) From April 8 to April 14
SWITCH S7: The Perfect All-in-One Cleaning Solution
The SWITCH S7 is the perfect combination of a vacuum cleaner and a mop, a true all-in-one. Equipped with the all-new FlashDry system, it heats up to 450W, allowing the brush to dry and disinfect in 5 minutes. The device is also equipped with the all-new Pouch Cell battery, which guarantees a three-year lifespan. All functional wishes are fulfilled with the SWITCH S7.
Revolutionize your cleaning with the PURE ONE Station FurFree, featuring a self-cleaning function, full-path cleaning performance, and a large 3L dust bin. Its advanced 4-stage filtration system, combined with ZeroTangle technology, offers a seamless cleaning experience. Lightweight and powerful, enjoy 60 minutes of continuous runtime for a comprehensive clean.
Spring Cleaning Promotion Price: $599 (25% off MSRP: $799) From April 8 to April 14
Spring is the season of renewal, and what better way to renew your home than with Tineco’s cutting-edge cleaning solutions? Tineco understands the everyday challenges of cleaning and has developed products that not only meet but exceed those challenges. Whether you’re dealing with pet hair, tough stains, or just the daily messes of life, Tineco has the perfect cleaning companion for you.
Don’t miss out on these exclusive offers. Visit Tineco’s Amazon store from April 8th to April 14th to upgrade your cleaning arsenal with Tineco’s innovative products.
For more information, visit Tineco’s website.
About Tineco Tineco was founded in 1998 with its first SKU as a vacuum cleaner and, in 2019, pioneered the first-ever smart vacuum. Today, the brand has innovated into a global leader offering intelligent appliances across home categories, including floor care, kitchen, and personal care. Tineco is dedicated to its brand vision of making life easier through smart technologies and consistently innovating new devices.
Strategic collaboration will strengthen Spain’s open and ethical AI initiatives to stimulate economic and technical efforts
MADRID, April 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, and the Senior Vice President of IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Director of IBM Research, Darío Gil, met this afternoon at the Moncloa Complex, where they celebrated the new agreement reached between the Executive and IBM that will allow the development of foundational models for Artificial Intelligence, native in Spanish and co-official languages. During the meeting, which was also attended by the Minister for Digital Transformation and the Civil Service, José Luis Escrivá; the director of the Office of Economic Affairs of the Presidency of the Government, Manuel de la Rocha, and the president of IBM Spain, Portugal, Greece and Israel, Horacio Morell, they shared challenges and initiatives that are opening up in the field of artificial intelligence and supercomputing.
From left to right, Horacio Morell, General Manager IBM Spain, Portugal, Greece and Israel; Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain; Darío Gil, IBM Senior Vice President and Director of IBM Research; and José Luis Escrivá, Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Function of Spain, at La Moncloa Palace in Madrid, headquarters of the Presidency of the Government of Spain.
Afterwards, the Government of Spain, through its Ministry for Digital Transformation, the Civil Service, and IBM today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote their collaboration in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and AI supercomputing, advance the development and practical deployment of open, ethical and responsible generative AI in Spain, and sharing the vision to create a leading suite of foundation models including both large language models (LLMs) and small language models (SLMs), proficient in the Spanish language and co-official languages.
During the meeting at La Moncloa, the President stressed that agreements such as this one demonstrate Spain’s commitment to accelerate the ethical and responsible use of AI, particularly in the public sector, with great impact on productivity for many sectors of the economy and on Europe’s strategic autonomy.
The document was signed today in Madrid by Darío Gil, Senior Vice President and Director of IBM Research, and José Luis Escrivá, Minister for Digital Transformation and Civil Service of the Government of Spain. Tapping into IBM’s open-source AI framework, communities will be able to shape and contribute to the Spanish LLM, that will also include co-official languages (Catalan, Basque, Galician and Valencian) increasing innovation, transparency and safety while ensuring a more cost-efficient yet technologically competitive position in the market. The collaboration also reflects the intention to develop AI-enhanced techniques to accelerate the discovery, development, and validation of new materials to increase the sustainability of the semiconductors value chain.
“AI positions us at the threshold of a new industrial revolution, with a very significant potential impact in terms of productivity gains for a large number of economic sectors and in providing better public services to our citizens,” said the minister José Luis Escrivá. “The Government of Spain is promoting a useful and ethical development of the opportunities offered by this technology. IBM, with its experience, knowledge, and resources, is an excellent partner to accompany us in our vision.”
“IBM shares this bold vision to accelerate the Government of Spain’s AI strategy and to be the national AI partner for Spain,” said Darío Gil, IBM SVP and Director of IBM Research. “We will leverage IBM’s deep investments across the entire AI stack, from compute to models, we will enable an open community to drive the full potential of AI technologies. Together, we will work to foster the responsible use of AI to drive sustainable growth in Spain, and all Spanish speaking countries worldwide.”
Spanish is the second leading spoken language in the world (6.2% of the world’s population1). One of the priority areas under this MoU is to collaborate in a leading suite of foundation models, including both large language models (LLMs) and small language models (SLMs), proficient in the Spanish language and co-official languages. Creating models that are entirely designed in Spanish will enhance AI sustainability by reducing biases and providing competitive alternatives for the Spanish industry. These models will be refined using advanced tuning and alignment techniques, encompassing innovative methods that facilitate direct community enhancements and foster an ecosystem of AI creators and builders, utilizing assets developed through this collaboration.
Recent advances in generative AI and AI supercomputing hold tremendous promise for governments and economies who can realize the productivity gains enabled by these technologies. With this collaboration, the Government of Spain is taking decisive action to seize this opportunity with timely and transformative commitments to invest in the AI revolution.
The coordination within the government institutions in this field will facilitate both widespread use of AI across national, regional, and local economies, as well as the timely and sufficient resources needed to build competitive advantages within a rapidly evolving AI-driven commercial landscape. This includes investment in human capital (upskilling and tooling) and community-driven adoption of AI to ensure that the productivity benefits and economic gains can positively impact across the economy of Spain, from small-medium sized businesses (SMBs) to large enterprises and the public sector.
Taking this into account, the Memorandum of Understanding is based on five principles;
Promote the development of a suite of foundation models, including both large language models (LLMs) and small language models (SLMs), proficient in the Spanish language and co-official languages.
Collaborate on the research and development of a full stack generative AI platform, including software built on open-source frameworks and tools as well as infrastructure enabling hardware diversity.
Promote national and regional AI strategies through a cooperative approach that promotes a responsible use of the foundation models and the associated generative AI platform. This collaborative effort aims to benefit the public sector and SMEs throughout Spain.
Foster an ecosystem of AI creators and builders, utilizing assets developed through this collaboration, to establish Spain as a global leader in AI.
Develop AI-enhanced techniques to accelerate the discovery, development, and validation of new materials to advance the sustainability of the semiconductor industry value chain.
An additional priority described under this memorandum is to collaborate on the research and development of AI technology for supercomputing applications.
About IBM IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. More than 4,000 government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM’s hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM’s long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service. Visit www.ibm.com for more information.
Darío Gil (left), IBM Senior Vice President and Director of IBM Research, converses with Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain, during his meeting in La Moncloa Palace in Madrid, headquarters of the Presidency of the Government of Spain.
Kia drives forward transformation into ‘Sustainable Mobility Solutions Provider’
Roadmap enables Kia to proactively respond to uncertainties in mobility industry landscape, including changes in EV market
Company to expand EV line-up with more models; enhance HEV line-up to manage fluctuation in EV demand
Goal to sell 1.6 million EVs annually in 2030, introducing 15 models
PBV to play a key role in Kia’s growth, targeting 250,000 PBV sales annually by 2030 with PV5 and PV7 models
Kia to invest KRW 38 trillion by 2028, including KRW 15 trillion for future business
2024 business guidance : KRW 101 tln in revenue with KRW 12 tln in operating profit; operating profit margin of 11.9% on sales of 3.2 million units globally
CEO reaffirms Kia’s commitment to ESG management
SEOUL, South Korea, April 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Kia Corporation (Kia) today shared an update on its future strategies and financial targets at its CEO Investor Day in Seoul, Korea.
2024 CEO Investor Day
Based on its innovative achievements in the years since the announcement of mid-to-long-term business initiatives, Kia is focusing on updating its 2030 strategy announced last year and further strengthening its business strategy in response to uncertainties across the global mobility industry landscape.
During the event, Kia updated its mid-to-long-term business strategy with a focus on electrification, and its PBV business. Kia reiterated its 2030 annual sales target of 4.3 million units, including 1.6 million units of electric vehicles (EVs). The 2030 4.3 million annual sales target is 34.4 percent higher than the brand’s 2024 annual goal of 3.2 million units.
The company also plans to become a leading EV brand by selling a higher percentage of electrified models among its total sales, including hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV), and battery EVs, projecting electrified model sales of 2.48 million units annually or 58 percent of Kia’s total sales in 2030.
“Following our successful brand relaunch in 2021, Kia is enhancing its global business strategy to further the establishment of an innovative EV line-up and accelerate the company’s transition to a sustainable mobility solutions provider,” said Ho Sung Song, President and CEO of Kia. “By responding effectively to changes in the mobility market and efficiently implementing mid-to-long-term strategies, Kia is strengthening its brand commitment to the wellbeing of customers, communities, the global society, and the environment.”
Sabahans rejoice! Your connectivity and entertainment are about to get supercharged with high-speed broadband and access to the latest shows thanks to Astro’s new, competitively-priced packages. These packages bundle access to up to 90 channels of content and 100Mbps of fibre internet.
The new packages are already being made available from Astro. There are primarily two bundles being offered by Astro Fibre – the Astro Fibre Bundle 100Mbps + Primary Pack that comes in at RM99.99 monthly and the Astro Fibre Bundle 100Mpbs + Sports Pack that comes in at RM119.99 a month. The new bundles come after the announcement that Astro will be partnering with Celcom Timur to bring WiFi Kencang and connectivity offerings to Sabah. According to Astro, the 100Mpbs internet speed is a free upgrade to the base 50Mbps for two years. No word if the speed will be reverted to 50Mpbs or if higher prices will be enforced after the two years.
The new offering gives subscribers access to over 80 channels. This includes channels like Lifetime HD, TLC HD, Asian Food Network HD, Love Nature 4K, AXN HD, KBS World HD, NHK World Premium, TVB Jade, Star Vijay HD and more for the Primary Pack. The Sports Pack on the other hand gives you access to over 95 channels including beIN Sports, Astro SuperSport UHD 1, W-Sport, and SPOTV. Subscribers can add more packs to their packages for additional fees.
The packages will come with a free WiFi 6 router, a free Ulti or Ultra Box, access to the Astro GO app, access to the Astro Fibre app and free installation. You will be able to monitor your internet usage as well as set up safety rails for the internet for your children.
This article is contributed by Joanne Weng, Sales Director at Synology
In today’s digital age, backup solutions are more critical than ever before. Businesses of all sizes must ensure that their data is secure and easily recoverable in case of data loss or cyberattacks. One of the most commonly cited backup rules is the 3-2-1 rule, which suggests having at least three copies of data stored in two different formats, with one copy stored offsite. While this serves as a solid foundation for a backup strategy, it may not always be practical or feasible for all businesses.
Should we follow the golden rule of 3-2-1 backup?
The golden rule has its limitations, especially for small businesses with limited resources. Implementing a complete backup solution can be costly, as it requires additional hardware and offsite storage solutions. According to a 2021 report from Databarracks, “implementing the 3-2-1 backup rule is becoming more expensive, with the cost of storage and cloud services rising by around 10% over the past year” (Source: TechRepublic).
For SMBs, prioritizing practicality in your office’s data protection plan is crucial, and identifying a suitable solution for your business is paramount. According to a survey by ITProPortal, 40% of small businesses do not have any data backup solution in place. Moreover, 34% of businesses have experienced data loss due to hardware failure or human error, and 25% have experienced data loss due to cyberattacks. Hence, the primary concern here is to implement this data protection strategy seamlessly and initiate it as swiftly as possible.
Reasons why small businesses don’t backup
Let’s delve into the reasons why SMBs often lack proper backup solutions. As previously mentioned, one of the primary limitations of backup is its cost. Budgetary constraints are consistently a major concern for most businesses. Backups might be perceived as both time-consuming and expensive due to hardware costs, recurring software license fees, and maintenance expenses.
Furthermore, constructing and managing a robust backup solution also demands significant effort, which many SMBs are unable to allocate. A dedicated IT team for setting up the necessary infrastructure is often lacking, leading to the outsourcing of such tasks.
Lastly, the recent adoption of hybrid working has resulted in office data scattered across different platforms and devices. This situation makes data centralization and management initially cumbersome. Additionally, data migration in such cases can give rise to security risks.
Backup solution with compatibility, capacity, and value cost
To overcome these challenges, small businesses need a data protection solution that facilitates scalable backup appliances, simplifies IT deployment and maintenance, as well as offers flexibility and secure integration across various platforms and devices.
Synology backup solutions are ideal for businesses, offering both on-premise and cloud-based backup solutions to cater diverse business needs. These solutions come with three key advantages: compatibility, capacity, and value cost. Unlike traditional backup appliances, there is no need to select corresponding backup software based on varying endpoint requirements and software compatibility. Synology’s hybrid-cloud provides a centralized backup appliance that spans across platforms, along with scalable storage. Utilizing enterprise-grade technologies such as global deduplication and changed block tracking (CBT), maximized storage efficiency with simplicity.
Moreover, the backup software licenses cover everything, from folder-level and bare-metal backups to VM and SaaS backups, and all of this is available at no cost—100% free. Synology’s public cloud backup service adopts a pricing method that only calculates storage space, instead of the number of devices or employees. This transparent pricing approach ensures there are no hidden costs associated with the backup package, setting it apart from other solutions available in the market.
Backup is not that hard: Deployment sizing recommendations for different usages
So, considering all the mentioned benefits, let’s focus on practicality: What is the ideal backup setup for small to medium businesses? Here are three recommended sizing for different segments of usage scenarios.
Smaller-sized businesses and startups
Starting from smaller-sized businesses, such as startups with around 30 employees. These companies require endpoint and SaaS backup capabilities to safeguard the data of their remote-working staff. Additionally, they might require storage scalability to accommodate future needs. Given that these businesses often lack dedicated IT personnel to formulate a comprehensive backup strategy, Synology’s Plus Series 4-bay or above model with cloud storage backup will be the most suitable solution.
For this context, the best approach is to employ Synology’s Active Backup for Business. This tool enables the automatic backup of office data from PCs, servers, and SaaS accounts (like Microsoft 365) to centralize all the data on the NAS. To further enhance the layers of protection for this centralized data, Hyper Backup can be adopted. This solution facilitates backing up the NAS, along with all its configurations, to options such as external hard drives, public clouds, or another Synology NAS device.
What’s more, the user-friendly intuitive UI, coupled with the setup wizard, allows the staff to easily set up the system. The powerful hybrid protection strategy comes at a cost comparable to that of protecting a set of individual PCs, making it undeniably a cost-effective backup plan.
Medium-sized businesses
Moving on, for a company size of around 200 employees, the deployment approach remains comparable to the one previously mentioned; however, a larger company size introduces additional factors, such as the need to back up virtual machines and the necessity for faster access speeds and greater storage capacity due to the increased scale. Normally, businesses of this size would have an IT team for handling backup tasks, Yet, given the larger number of devices to be backed up, challenges arise in terms of cross-platform deployment and ongoing maintenance.
This is where Synology’s comprehensive backup software setups in to provide assistance. It not only supports almost all the common platforms in SMBs IT infrastructure but also provides a central management portal. Thus, Synology emerges as the most fitting choice for SMBs.
Similar to the Startups package, here we would recommend 8-bay or above Plus Series models along with C2 Storage for the data protection plan. This package could cover all the backup-needed platforms, and the storage can be easily expanded by providing flexibility in expansion in the future.
SMEs or Larger-Scale Corporations
Lastly, when considering larger companies, such as SMEs with approximately 1000 employees, the pain point would be similar to what SMBs face, but enterprises would require more complicated management due to the significantly larger number of devices. Furthermore, these enterprises would need more immediate recovery to minimize downtime. To meet the critical requirements in enterprises require, we can provide the corresponding one-stop backup solution with multiple-layer protection.
The highly scalable 2U rack models paired with Cloud backup prove to be an optimal choice. and in consideration of the recovery time requirement, it would be great to have another on-prem NAS for disaster recovery solutions so that enterprises can utilize Snapshot Replication for instant recovery. Even for large-scale enterprises, Synology would still become the best choice with flexible data protection deployment, including on-prem, cloud, and an extra DR site.
In conclusion, while the 3-2-1 backup rule is an essential starting point, it may not be enough to meet all business backup needs. Synology offers flexible backup solutions that can help businesses achieve reliable and cost-effective backups that suit their unique needs and risks. By taking a holistic approach to backup and regularly testing backup systems, businesses can ensure that their data is secure and easily recoverable in case of data loss or cyberattacks.
