Tag Archives: ENT

CNN launches new series ‘Tech for Good’ showcasing the transformational power of technology

HONG KONG, Aug. 5, 2020 — This month, CNN launches a brand new cross-platform series which showcases life-changing technologies that are helping people overcome personal hurdles and take their passions to new heights.

CNN launches new series ‘Tech for Good’ showcasing the transformational power of technology
CNN launches new series ‘Tech for Good’ showcasing the transformational power of technology

‘Tech For Good’ is a television and digital series which sees CNN anchor and correspondent Kristie Lu Stout share a collection of intimate, inspiring and transformative stories from every corner of the globe.

In the first of four 30-minute shows, CNN meets five incredible artists who have harnessed the power of tech for creative expression.

Lu Stout first speaks with South Korean percussionist Kyungho Jeon, whose blindness meant his dream of playing in an orchestra initially seemed out of reach. Jeon then co-created the haptic baton, a wearable device that converts movements into vibrations – allowing him to be led by a conductor and perform with an ensemble.  

Based in the coastal town of Santa Cruz, California, artist Colleen Flanigan has seen first-hand the threats facing marine biodiversity. CNN learns how Flanigan has merged her two worlds of art and activism by using the Google Tilt Brush to design reef habitats for endangered organisms. The system allows users to create 3D imagery with a controller that mimics a paintbrush – bringing ideas to life, literally.

Assistive technology is a rapidly growing industry. Lu Stout meets Sarah Ezekiel, whose ALS – a condition that has rendered her unable to speak or move – has not stopped her from creating. Ezekiel uses EyeGaze technology from Tobii Dynavox to paint with the movement of her eyes. She shares the artistic processes behind her artworks, and explains how the EyeGaze device has allowed her to take back control of her life.

For filmmaker Chase Burton, technology has provided a whole new way to experience music. CNN joins him working on a musical score, using a vibrating suit which stimulates parts of his body allowing him to feel, rather than hear the sounds – because Burton is deaf. He describes the technology not as compensatory, but as a gateway to an entirely new, holistic method for appreciating music – for both deaf and hearing audiences.

Finally, ‘Tech for Good’ catches up with Indian YouTube megastar, Gangavva. The farmer’s life was changed by technology when she started appearing in the video series ‘My Village Show’, which propelled her to internet stardom and has since attracted millions of views, subscribers, and generated a steady income for her entire village.

Tech for Good trailer: https://bit.ly/33mYDnk 
Tech for Good images: https://bit.ly/30CdRC6 

Airtimes for 30-minute special:

Saturday, August 8 at 1:30pm and 6:00pm HKT
Sunday, August 9 at 10:00am and 1:00pm HKT
Monday, August 10 at 1:00am HKT

About CNN International 

CNN’s portfolio of news and information services is available in seven different languages across all major TV, digital and mobile platforms, reaching more than 475 million households around the globe. CNN International is the number one international TV news channel according to all major media surveys across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the Asia Pacific region, and Latin America and has a US presence that includes CNNgo. CNN Digital is a leading network for online news, mobile news and social media. CNN is at the forefront of digital innovation and continues to invest heavily in expanding its digital global footprint, with a suite of award-winning digital properties and a range of strategic content partnerships, commercialised through a strong data-driven understanding of audience behaviours. CNN has won multiple prestigious awards around the world for its journalism. Around 1,000 hours of long-form series, documentaries and specials are produced every year by CNNI’s non-news programming division. CNN has 36 editorial offices and more than 1,100 affiliates worldwide through CNN Newsource. CNN International is a WarnerMedia company.

Photo – https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200805/2876898-1?lang=0

Perfect World CEO Dr. Robert H. Xiao: Content Consumption to Change Dramatically Thanks to 5G

SHANGHAI, Aug. 5, 2020 — On July 30, Dr. Robert H. Xiao, CEO of Perfect World, delivered a keynote speech at the 2020 China Digital Entertainment Congress (CDEC), discussing the changes 5G has brought to the digital cultural and creative industry, and, most notably, to games.

Perfect World CEO Xiao Hong delivers keynote speech
Perfect World CEO Xiao Hong delivers keynote speech

Dr. Xiao explained that the digital transformation of the game industry is the current trend, while 5G is a new technical extension and foundation for the next stage of growth across the industry. Content consumption will change dramatically as a result of the imaginative possibilities brought about by 5G. To cite an example, new technologies such as 5G+AI and VR/AR will instigate disruptive changes across traditional cultural and entertainment communication channels and scenarios, generating new expectations in terms of content and experience, further promoting innovation in the integration of technology and content as well as the digitization and intelligentization of those channels and scenarios, while driving a new consumption experience.

Dr. Robert H. Xiao took e-sports as an illustration, expressing the opinion that with 5G, in tandem with cloud computing and increasingly mature virtual reality technologies, both the participation and the business model of e-sports in the future will become "hyper-interactive". With wearable devices, the audience can directly participate in the competition and even interact with the contestants within the competition environment in real time. This will be a truly innovative new approach when compared with how one approaches traditional sports. In turn, the experimental application of new technologies in e-sports will further activate and nurture the development of even newer technologies, breaking the current e-sports business model.

In addition, the possibilities for new media and other applications as a result of the popularization of 5G will move the user’s attention completely from offline to online. Xiao said that businesses must find new ways to interact with users, and that a wave of creative ideas around the new digital technologies will give rise to a whole new array of approaches for deeply interacting with users, bringing to the fore an important force empowering the transformation of the industry.

Photo – https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200731/2872237-1?lang=0

iQIYI Original Interactive VR Film “Killing a Superstar” Shortlisted for Award at 77th Venice International Film Festival

Film offers an immersive audio-visual experience using cutting-edge 360°+8K HD VR technology

BEIJING, July 31, 2020 — iQIYI Inc. (NASDAQ: IQ) ("iQIYI" or the "Company"), an innovative market-leading online entertainment service in China, today announced that its original interactive virtual reality (VR) film Killing a Superstar (the "Film") has been shortlisted for an award in the Venice VR Expanded category at the prestigious Venice International Film Festival, the second time that the Company’s original VR content has been recognized in a major international film festival.

iQIYI Original Interactive VR Film “Killing a Superstar” Shortlisted for Award at 77th Venice International Film Festival
iQIYI Original Interactive VR Film “Killing a Superstar” Shortlisted for Award at 77th Venice International Film Festival

Killing a Superstar is a suspense film that tells the interwoven stories of various characters confined in a luxury villa where a sudden homicide took place. iQIYI’s VR team used 360°+8K HD VR technology to create the best-in-class original VR interactive content based on an original script. The film is the first to adopt multiple parallel narratives in immersive drama, using panoramic observation and multi-viewpoint switching. By giving the audience the freedom to switch between scenes at any time, Killing a Superstar invites users to explore the film’s storyline and narrative logic. Users can also identify clues and complete tasks while watching to create a unique and engaging experience. The VR film supports 8K HD format and Dolby Atmos, delivering an unprecedented premium immersive VR interactive audio-visual experience.

Killing a Superstar‘s recognition by the Venice International Film Festival is the latest example of how iQIYI’s original VR content is garnering international attention and acclaim. The nomination means that Killing a Superstar has not only been highly recognized by the industry worldwide, but also demonstrates once again that iQIYI remains at the forefront of the VR revolution.

"As a major immersive 8K HD VR project for iQIYI this year and the first film for its VR Interactive Theater, Killing a Superstar defies traditional movie-watching conventions as the understanding of its narrative logic is dictated by the audience rather than the director, giving viewers greater freedom for engagement," Zhang Hang, Vice President of iQIYI said. "The inclusion of Killing a Superstar in the Venice International Film Festival shows that iQIYI’s tech-driven innovative VR content has achieved another industry breakthrough globally. As an innovative expression form for the VR industry, the interactive VR content will help boost the growth potential of the VR industry by tapping into the value and popularity of IP productions."

As one of the first domestic technology and entertainment companies to tap into the VR market, iQIYI has steadily established a VR lineup covering dramas, films, variety shows and gaming. To date, iQIYI has launched a number of VR titles, ranging from dramas (Ghost Blows Out the Light: Mu Ye Gui Shi, Infernal Affairs VR series, City Strange Talk) and films (the Last One Standing VR, Attention VR), to interactive content derived from dramas and variety shows such as Idol Producer, the Rap of China and iPartment Season 5, cartoons (TUKTAKMAN VR) and games (Chinese Paladin 4 VR, The Knight of Shadows Between Yin and Yang VR). Many of these have won critical acclaim and recognition. For example, in 2018, The Last One Standing VR was also shortlisted for an award at the 75th Venice International Film Festival, becoming the first Chinese science fiction VR film to receive the honor.

Going forward, iQIYI’s VR business will continue to launch premium original interactive VR content, creating innovative audio-visual experiences powered by cutting-edge technology. The Company will also strive to explore new genres and applications for interactive VR, opening up new avenues for the burgeoning industry.

Killing a Superstar is released on July 31 to iQIYI users in China’s mainland on the iQIYI VR APP or the Qiyu all-in-one VR headset platform. The Film will premiere online at the Venice International Film Festival from September 2 – 12.

About iQIYI, Inc.

iQIYI, Inc. is an innovative market-leading online entertainment service in China. Its corporate DNA combines creative talent with technology, fostering an environment for continuous innovation and the production of blockbuster content. iQIYI’s platform features highly popular original content, as well as a comprehensive library of other professionally-produced content, partner-generated content and user generated content. The Company distinguishes itself in the online entertainment industry by its leading technology platform powered by advanced AI, big data analytics and other core proprietary technologies. iQIYI attracts a massive user base with tremendous user engagement, and has developed a diversified monetization model including membership services, online advertising services, content distribution, live broadcasting, online games, IP licensing, online literature and e-commerce.

Related Links :

http://www.iqiyi.com

Epic Seven Releases New Limited Hero “Holiday Yufine”

Special Amazon Prime Login Event Launched

  • Adorable resort island visitor "Holiday Yufine" now available as Limited Hero
  • Amazon Prime Login Event begins, offering abundant rewards for connecting account in-game

SEONGNAM, South Korea, July 31, 2020 — Epic Seven, a turn-based mobile RPG developed by Super Creative and published by Smilegate Megaport, announced the release of the new Limited Hero Holiday Yufine alongside a very special event in collaboration with the world’s most influential e-commerce platform, Amazon, on July 31.

Epic Seven Releases New Limited Hero “Holiday Yufine”
Epic Seven Releases New Limited Hero “Holiday Yufine”

Holiday Yufine is a new Limited Hero specially introduced for this year’s summer season. This new Yufine is an exceptionally strong supporter on the battlefield, capable of both removing debuffs from allies and increasing their Combat Readiness. Additionally, her skills attack all enemies at once and grant her increased Attack, opening up a variety of potential strategies for players to employ when placing her on their teams.

Holiday Yufine’s bright, bubbly personality and unique skills can be seen in full in the special summer Side Story "The Holy Order of the Blue Cross and the Mysterious Island."

Additionally, Smilegate Megaport is holding a login event in collaboration with Amazon Prime, the membership service provided by the world’s largest e-commerce company, Amazon. The event ends on January 14, 2021, and players can collect unbelievable rewards simply by logging in to their Amazon Prime accounts on Epic Seven. The rewards change every two weeks and include items such as a 4-5 Star Hero Summon Ticket, level 85 Epic Equipment sets, and more.

Smilegate Megaport’s Business Department Manager Sanghoon Lee commented, "This year’s summer season seems to be less lively than usual due to the issue we are facing globally. We will prepare more content for our Epic Seven fans to enjoy so that everyone can experience a refreshing summer vacation within the game. We hope to see players enjoy the event with Amazon Prime as well as even more upcoming events."

More information about Epic Seven can be found on the official STOVE community (https://page.onstove.com/epicseven/global/main) and official Facebook page (http://facebook.com/EpicSevenGlobal).  

Media Contact
Jiwon Hong, jwhong@smilegate.com

Photo – https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200731/2873081-1?lang=0

 

Pixelworks Delivers Captivating Gaming to Tencent Black Shark 3S with Patented Motion Processing

Includes Industry’s Most Advanced Visual Processing with Unique Motion Processing and Dual-Channel MIPI Support for an Immersive Gaming Experience

BEIJING and SAN JOSE, California, July 31, 2020 Pixelworks, Inc. (NASDAQ: PXLW), a leading provider of advanced power-efficient visual processing solutions, and Black Shark, a cutting-edge gaming technology company, today announced that the new Tencent Black Shark 3S gaming smartphones integrate the Pixelworks fifth generation visual processor and software. The gaming smartphone features the Company’s unique MotionEngine® technology with dual-channel MIPI to support Tencent games with text-over-graphics, Always-HDR mode and auto-adaptive display technology with Active DC Dimming, enabling superior visual quality in all gaming environments.

The Tencent Black Shark 3S supports up to 120 Hz refresh rate on their latest AMOLED display. Utilizing the Company’s latest generation Pixelworks visual processor and software, the 6.67-inch, AMOLED screen delivers a cinematic experience with true-to-life visuals to support the most advanced mobile games for video and gaming enthusiasts at all levels.

The Tencent Black Shark 3S is the latest model among its top-performance flagship gaming smartphones, and includes a full suite of the Pixelworks unique display processing features, including:

  • MotionEngine technology – Patented motion estimation, motion compensation (MEMC) is content-optimized for high refresh rate displays up to 120 Hz to eliminate unintended judder and blur to preserve intended motion appearance.
  • Dual-Channel MIPI for Tencent Video – Maximizes quality of short- and long-form games and videos with text overlay and GUI protection for a more interactive and engaging experience.
  • Always-HDR mode – Using real-time SDR-to-HDR conversion to expose more detail and shades of color for the vast majority of video and gaming content and deliver an always-immersive experience.
  • Auto Adaptive Display – Preserve visual clarity by dynamically adjusting brightness and tone, and automatically enhance contrast based on changes in ambient light. Even in a very dark room, Active DC Dimming ensures eye comfort by reducing blue light and mitigating OLED screen flicker at the lowest screen brightness.
  • Absolute Color Accuracy – Every Tencent Black Shark 3S is factory tuned with Pixelworks high-efficiency calibration and runs the Company’s color calibration software on the display processing unit to optimize power while delivering industry-leading color accuracy for all photos, video apps and content.

"As a leader in the gaming industry, we are committed to providing state-of-the-art technology in our latest models with visuals that accurately display real life for an authentic gaming experience," said Harrison Luo, CEO of Black Shark. "Through our partnership, Pixelworks has continued to deliver superior display performance on all our Black Shark smartphones and push the boundaries of gaming quality with enhanced viewing experiences. We are happy to extend our collaboration with Pixelworks to bring a cinematic, gaming experience to more users’ hands."

"Black Shark continues to demonstrate their leadership in gaming with unique display technology for a truly immersive gaming experience," said Todd DeBonis, President and CEO, Pixelworks. "The latest Tencent Black Shark 3S model integrates our patented motion processing technology with dual-channel MIPI to provide an immersive gaming experience for today’s games—from action to sports, role-playing, flighting, adventure and racing. We are excited to continue this ongoing partnership with Black Shark to bring spectacular experiences to gamers today and tomorrow."

Availability
The Tencent Black Shark 3S was introduced on July 31, 2020 during an online event and expected to be commercially available Q3 2020. For more information, please visit the Black Shark website at https://global.blackshark.com/.

About Black Shark
Cutting-edge gaming technology company, Black Shark, creates gaming eco-system based on hardware, software and services, now mainly carried by smartphones. Black Shark aims to provide the unmatched and unique gaming experience and builds the best gaming world with global gamers. Black Shark is located in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. For more information, please visit the company’s global website: http://global.blackshark.com/

About Pixelworks
Pixelworks provides industry-leading content creation, video delivery and display processing solutions and technology that enable highly authentic viewing experiences with superior visual quality, across all screens – from cinema to smartphone and beyond. The Company has a 20-year history of delivering image processing innovation to leading providers of consumer electronics, professional displays and video streaming services. Pixelworks is headquartered in San Jose, CA. For more information, please visit the company’s web site at www.pixelworks.com.

Note: Pixelworks, the Pixelworks logo and MotionEngine are registered trademarks of Pixelworks Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.


Logo – https://techent.tv/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/pixelworks-delivers-captivating-gaming-to-tencent-black-shark-3s-with-patented-motion-processing.jpg

Related Links :

http://www.pixelworks.com/

Pearl Abyss Announces “Shadow Arena Regional Cup – Asia” Final Round Playoffs

SEOUL, South Korea, July 31, 2020 — Pearl Abyss announced today that the "Shadow Arena Regional Cup  Asia" final round playoffs will soon begin. After surviving merciless group preliminaries, 40 players have emerged victorious, and will advance to the final round to be held on August 1. 

Pearl Abyss Announces “Shadow Arena Regional Cup – Asia” Final Round Playoffs
Pearl Abyss Announces “Shadow Arena Regional Cup – Asia” Final Round Playoffs

The group preliminaries took place on July 22 and July 29, where a total of 40 players, including the former winner "Kangchohan", were able to make it through to the playoffs. The appearance of various creatures such as the Red Dragon, Layten, and Puturum, only added further excitement to these preliminary matches. 

The playoffs will be held on August 1 at 3pm (KST) on an exclusive Tournament Server. Players’ ranks will be determined by the total number of points earned over the course of 4 rounds. In the case of a tie, the players’ points from the last round will determine which of them is the winner. 

All matches of the playoffs will be broadcast live via Twitch and the Chinese video platform Doyu TV. 

Visit the official website, Discord, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter for more information. 

About Pearl Abyss 

Best known for the MMORPG franchise Black Desert, Pearl Abyss is a leading developer in the game industry. Established in 2010, Pearl Abyss has since developed Black Desert for PC, mobile, and console, and is developing Shadow Arena for PC and console. All of Pearl Abyss’ games are built on the company’s own proprietary engine and are renowned for their cutting-edge graphics. The company is also developing Crimson Desert, DokeV, and PLAN 8 and is poised to continue its growth through 2020 and maintain its position as one of Asia’s leaders in game development. More information about Pearl Abyss is available at: www.pearlabyss.com 

Photo – https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200730/2872005-1?lang=0

 

Related Links :

http://pearlabyss.com

GigaMedia Announces Second-Quarter 2020 Financial Results

TAIPEI, July 31, 2020 — GigaMedia Limited (NASDAQ: GIGM) today announced its second-quarter 2020 unaudited financial results.

Comments from Management

In the second quarter of 2020, GigaMedia reported revenues of $1.83 million, with a gross profit $0.98 million, an operating loss of $0.55 million and the net loss of $0.42 million. Total revenues increased by 13.8% if compared to the previous quarter.

"In spite of the ongoing disruption of the pandemic to our operations, we have achieved clear improvements," said GigaMedia CEO James Huang. "We have reshaped our cost structure and remodeled our marketing strategies, thereby approximately halved the operating loss if comparing to the same quarter last year."

"And we are also enhancing the playability and stickiness of FunTown M, our in-house developed mobile platform of casual games," continued GigaMedia CEO James Huang, "which will be the most crucial piece to fall in place for our turning profitable beyond just break-even."

Second Quarter Overview

  • Operating revenues increased by approximately 13.8% quarter-on-quarter, to $1.83 million from $1.60 million in last quarter, and 4.3% year-over-year from $1.75 million the same period last year. The increase was mainly attributable to our efforts in revitalizing Tales Runner, a 14-year-old licensed game we operate in Hong Kong.
  • Gross profit increased slightly by 5.5% to $0.98 million from $0.93 million in last quarter, and increased by 27.2% compared to $0.77 million in the same period last year.
  • The net asset value was $4.96 per share.

Unaudited Consolidated Financial Results

GigaMedia Limited is a diversified provider of digital entertainment services. GigaMedia’s digital entertainment service business FunTown develops and operates a suite of digital entertainments in Taiwan and Hong Kong, with focus on browser/mobile games and casual games.

Unaudited consolidated results of GigaMedia are summarized in the table below.

For the Second Quarter

GIGAMEDIA 2Q20 UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL RESULTS

(unaudited, all figures in US$ thousands, except
per share amounts)

2Q20

1Q20

Change

(%)

2Q20

2Q19

Change

(%)

Revenues

1,826

1,604

13.8

%

1,826

1,750

4.3

%

Gross Profit

978

927

5.5

%

978

769

27.2

%

Loss from Operations

(549)

(640)

NM

(549)

(1,122)

NM

Net Loss Attributable to GigaMedia

(419)

(286)

NM

(419)

(614)

NM

Net Loss Per Share Attributable to

   GigaMedia, Diluted

(0.04)

(0.03)

NM

(0.04)

(0.06)

NM

EBITDA (A)

(634)

(536)

NM

(634)

(1,000)

NM

Cash, Cash Equivalents and

   Restricted Cash

56,783

57,311

(0.9)

%

56,783

58,015

(2.1)

%

NM= Not Meaningful

(A)  EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) is provided as a supplement to
results provided in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"). (See, "Use
of Non-GAAP Measures," for more details.) 

Second-Quarter Financial Results

  • Consolidated revenues for the second quarter of 2020 increased by 13.8% quarter-on-quarter to $1.83 million from $1.60 million in last quarter, and by 4.3% year-over-year from $1.75 million the same period last year.
  • Consolidated gross profit was $0.98 million, increased by 5.5% quarter-on-quarter and 27.2% year-over-year.
  • Consolidated operating expenses were $1.53 million, comparable to the first quarter of 2020 and decreased by 19.3% if compared to the same period last year, which reflected a decrease in marketing expenses and general expenses.
  • Consolidated loss from operation of the second quarter of 2020 was a loss of $0.55 million, reflecting an improvement from a loss of $0.64 million in the first quarter.
  • Net loss in the second quarter of 2020 was $0.42 million, increasing from a net loss of $0.29 million in the first quarter this year mainly due to lower interest income and exchange loss in this quarter. 
  • Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at the end of the second quarter of 2020 amounted to $56.8 million, slightly decreased by 0.9% from $57.3 million as of the end of the first quarter.

Financial Position

GigaMedia maintained its solid financial position, with cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash amounted to $56.8 million, or $5.14 per share, as of June 30, 2020.

Business Outlook

The following forward-looking statements reflect GigaMedia’s expectations as of July 30, 2020. Given potential changes in economic conditions and consumer spending, the evolving nature of digital entertainments, and various other risk factors, including those discussed in the Company’s 2019 Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as referenced below, actual results may differ materially.

In the second half of 2020, we will continue improving productivities of the existing games, in which FunTown M, our own mobile platform of casual games, is expected to begin contributing to our revenues. Along with our various product lines and customer platform, we will gradually accumulate the momentum to an upward trend.  

Meanwhile, our management continues evaluating and pursuing prospects of strategic investment targets that are with potential to expand our business and create greater shareholder value.

Use of Non-GAAP Measures

To supplement GigaMedia’s consolidated financial statements presented in accordance with US GAAP, the Company uses the following measure defined as non-GAAP by the SEC: EBITDA. Management believes that EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) is a useful supplemental measure of performance because it excludes certain non-cash items such as depreciation and amortization and that EBITDA is a measure of performance used by some investors, equity analysts and others to make informed investment decisions. EBITDA is not a recognized earnings measure under GAAP and does not have a standardized meaning. Non-GAAP measures such as EBITDA should be considered in addition to results prepared in accordance with GAAP, but should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, other financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. A limitation of using EBITDA is that it does not include all items that impact the company’s net income for the period. Reconciliations to the GAAP equivalents of the non-GAAP financial measures are provided on the attached unaudited financial statements.

About the Numbers in This Release

Quarterly results

All quarterly results referred to in the text, tables and attachments to this release are unaudited. The financial statements from which the financial results reported in this press release are derived have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, unless otherwise noted as "non-GAAP," and are presented in U.S. dollars.

Q&A

For Q&A regarding the second quarter 2020 performance upon the release, investors may send the questions via email to IR@gigamedia.com.tw, and the responses will be replied individually.

About GigaMedia

Headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, GigaMedia Limited (Singapore registration number: 199905474H) is a diversified provider of digital entertainment services in Taiwan and Hong Kong. GigaMedia’s digital entertainment service business is an innovative leader in Asia with growing capabilities of development, distribution and operation of digital entertainments, as well as platform services for games with a focus on mobile games and casual games. More information on GigaMedia can be obtained from www.gigamedia.com.tw.

The statements included above and elsewhere in this press release that are not historical in nature are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding expected financial performance (as described without limitation in the "Business Outlook" section and in quotations from management in this press release) and GigaMedia’s strategic and operational plans. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties and changes in circumstances. There are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward looking statements, including but not limited to, our ability to license, develop or acquire additional online games that are appealing to users, our ability to retain existing online game players and attract new players, and our ability to launch online games in a timely manner and pursuant to our anticipated schedule. Further information on risks or other factors that could cause results to differ is detailed in GigaMedia’s Annual Report on Form 20-F filed in April 2020 and its other filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

(Tables to follow)

 

GIGAMEDIA LIMITED

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

Three months ended

Six months ended

06/30/2020

03/31/2020

06/30/2019

06/30/2020

06/30/2019

unaudited

unaudited

unaudited

unaudited

unaudited

USD

USD

USD

USD

USD

Operating revenues

Digital entertainment service revenues

1,825,547

1,603,904

1,749,583

3,429,450

3,232,816

Other revenues

1,825,547

1,603,904

1,749,583

3,429,450

3,232,816

Operating costs

Cost of digital entertainment service

    revenues

847,906

677,194

980,448

1,525,099

1,725,350

Cost of other revenues

847,906

677,194

980,448

1,525,099

1,725,350

Gross profit

977,641

926,710

769,135

1,904,351

1,507,466

Operating expenses

Product development and engineering

   expenses

332,745

328,815

325,144

661,560

645,638

Selling and marketing expenses

367,529

410,475

580,539

778,004

1,106,542

General and administrative expenses

825,998

824,442

974,648

1,650,440

1,810,634

Other

(42)

2,984

11,165

2,942

16,380

1,526,230

1,566,716

1,891,496

3,092,946

3,579,194

Loss from operations

(548,589)

(640,006)

(1,122,361)

(1,188,595)

(2,071,728)

Non-operating income (expense)

Interest income

212,881

255,719

414,450

468,600

796,250

Foreign exchange (loss) gain – net

(82,357)

98,887

90,922

16,529

79,520

Other – net

(1,404)

(298)

3,416

(1,702)

50,328

129,120

354,308

508,788

483,427

926,098

Loss before income taxes

(419,469)

(285,698)

(613,573)

(705,168)

(1,145,630)

Income tax benefit (expense)

Net loss attributable to shareholders of
GigaMedia

(419,469)

(285,698)

(613,573)

(705,168)

(1,145,630)

Loss per share attributable to GigaMedia

   Basic

(0.04)

(0.03)

(0.06)

(0.06)

(0.10)

   Diluted

(0.04)

(0.03)

(0.06)

(0.06)

(0.10)

Weighted average shares outstanding:

Basic

11,052,235

11,052,235

11,052,235

11,052,235

11,052,235

Diluted

11,052,235

11,052,235

11,052,235

11,052,235

11,052,235

 

GIGAMEDIA LIMITED

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

06/30/2020

03/31/2020

06/30/2019

unaudited

unaudited

unaudited

USD

USD

USD

Assets

Current assets

Cash and cash equivalents

56,247,678

56,777,472

57,489,563

Accounts receivable – net

349,450

355,225

591,905

Prepaid expenses

228,794

276,010

275,551

Restricted cash

535,153

533,436

525,354

Other receivables

203,671

238,396

458,383

Other current assets

142,230

148,757

131,150

Total current assets

57,706,976

58,329,296

59,471,906

Property, plant & equipment – net

7,740

8,117

92,580

Intangible assets – net

17,111

17,965

23,545

Prepaid licensing and royalty fees

184,365

210,530

574,274

Other assets

290,687

285,319

1,035,529

Total assets

58,206,879

58,851,227

61,197,834

Liabilities and equity

Accounts payable

69,147

60,405

119,597

Accrued compensation

278,622

156,948

253,262

Accrued expenses

1,321,262

1,449,553

1,340,539

Unearned revenue

1,058,940

1,285,399

1,617,881

Other current liabilities

627,162

715,877

197,776

Total current liabilities

3,355,133

3,668,182

3,529,055

Other liabilities

3,653

7,337

781,187

Total liabilities

3,358,786

3,675,519

4,310,242

GigaMedia’s shareholders’ equity

54,848,093

55,175,708

56,887,592

Total liabilities and equity

58,206,879

58,851,227

61,197,834

GIGAMEDIA LIMITED

RECONCILIATIONS OF NON-GAAP RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Three months ended

Six months ended

06/30/2020

03/31/2020

06/30/2019

06/30/2020

06/30/2019

unaudited

unaudited

unaudited

unaudited

unaudited

USD

USD

USD

USD

USD

Reconciliation of Net Loss to EBITDA

Net loss attributable to GigaMedia

(419,469)

(285,698)

(613,573)

(705,168)

(1,145,630)

Depreciation

535

354

14,769

889

40,156

Amortization

(2,257)

4,657

12,830

2,400

25,729

Interest income

(212,881)

(255,719)

(414,450)

(468,600)

(796,250)

Interest expense

Income tax (benefit) expense

EBITDA

(634,072)

(536,406)

(1,000,424)

(1,170,479)

(1,875,995)

 

 

Related Links :

http://www.gigamedia.com

http://www.gigamedia.com.tw

Cinemas reopen across China after unprecedented closure

BEIJING, July 30, 2020 — A news report by China.org.cn on the reopening of China’s cinemas:

 

 

Since last week, cinemas in low-risk regions of China have reopened for business. This means that after six months in the dark, the country’s movie theaters can finally accept customers again, and China’s film market can begin where it left off.

According to the pandemic control requirements, movie theaters are now required to keep attendance under 30% capacity for each screening and strictly disinfect venues every day. Moviegoers must undergo temperature checks prior to admission, should sit in non-adjacent seats, and need to wear face masks when watching films. Currently, theaters are mainly screening hit domestic and foreign films, such as “The Wandering Earth”, “Coco” and “Zootopia.” Several new domestic movies are also set for release in the coming months.

On the first day of reopening, cinemas in cities such as Nanjing, Chengdu and Hangzhou quickly sold out. With the Shanghai International Film Festival opening on July 25 and screening more than 300 films, tickets for the event also sold out almost entirely in three minutes. In total, over 100,000 tickets were sold within just 10 minutes of presales being launched.

This year, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented shutdown of the global movie industry. China’s film market has also encountered huge difficulties. By March this year, more than 2,000 cinema enterprises had closed permanently across the country, with estimated losses in box office revenue for the year amounting to more than 30 billion yuan (US$4.27 billion).

China is the world’s second largest film market. During the past two decades, with increases in economic development and consumption, and through the opening-up of markets and deepening reforms, the Chinese film market has maintained rapid growth in terms of market scale and production. In 2019, the country had nearly 70,000 screens, while the annual box office gross peaked as high as 64.27 billion yuan (US$9.17 billion). This shows that China’s film market has robust demand and potential, which will be unleashed gradually over time.

Although there are still many complex and difficult problems facing cinemas as they resume operations, the reopening is significant. It conveys positive signals that China’s economy is starting to recover from the pandemic, and social life is beginning to get back on track. For the global film market, the reopening of Chinese cinemas is also good news. Hopefully, it won’t be long before China’s film market resumes to its usual prosperity.

China Mosaic
http://www.china.org.cn/video/node_7230027.htm

Cinemas reopen across China after unprecedented closure
http://www.china.org.cn/video/2020-07/30/content_76329991.htm

 

Performing live on Kuaishou, Lang Lang comes back after 6-month hiatus

BEIJING, Jul 30, 2020 — The world-renowned Chinese pianist Lang Lang performed publicly for the first time in six months on Kuaishou, a livestreaming platform. Lang hosted the one-hour broadcast, which attracted over 3 million viewers and fans.

Entertaining the crowd with a mix of songs, stories and games, Lang, China’s badminton Olympic champion Cai Yun, and the popular Queen of Nine-ball Pan Xiaoting also guest-starred on the show. The trio reminisced about the games they played during their childhood, starting from the 80s all the way to the 2000s, and also showcased their skills through sport and music challenges.

Classical music superstar Lang Lang participated in a livestreaming session on Kuaishou, a short-video and livestreaming platform on Tuesday.
Classical music superstar Lang Lang participated in a livestreaming session on Kuaishou, a short-video and livestreaming platform on Tuesday.

 

When recalling his childhood in the 90s, Lang played one of his initiation-phase favorites, Étude Op. 10, No. 5 in G♭ major by Frédéric Chopin, wowing the online audience.

 

 

Lang Lang: Étude Op. 10, No. 5 in G♭ major (Frédéric Chopin)/ 1994 Mix 2020 Live on Kuaishou

This isn’t the first livestream hosted by Lang, as his last livestream, also on Kuaishou, was a Valentine special held earlier this year in honor of supporting efforts against COVID-19.

Hosted by Kuaishou, Lang’s livestream attracted mainstream success, with over 3 million tuning in and participating through the comments and gifts. The popularity of such shows has shown that the shift in momentum to livestream apps such as Kuaishou is here to stay. With more crossover content such as Lang’s show, Kuaishou is pioneering a new wave of viral content to make livestreaming more prevalent in popular culture.

“By uniting fanbases and fostering more communication, Kuaishou aims to build resilient communities across genres and backgrounds,” said Yan Qiang, senior vice-president of Kuaishou.

About Kuaishou Technology

Kuaishou Technology develops content sharing platforms and makes content production, distribution and consumption fast and easy. Our content recommendation system is built on a deep understanding of our users and the content being shared on our platforms every day.

Our flagship product, Kuaishou, is China’s leading short video sharing and social networking platform that enables users to capture the unique and memorable moments of their everyday lives, and to interact with followers in real-time. Our technology offers users a highly personalized experience and encourages members from all communities to create and discover interesting and dynamic content.

Founded in 2011, Kuaishou Technology is headquartered in Beijing with more than 10,000 employees and offices in China, the United States, India and Brazil. Our notable investors include DCM Ventures, Morningside Venture Capital, Sequoia Capital, Temasek Holdings, Tencent and Baidu. For more information, please visit www.kuaishou.com.

  • March 2011 GIF Kuaishou was created as a product tool for creating animated GIFs
  • October 2013 GIF Kuaishou was transformed into a short-form video social platform – Kuaishou
  • January 2015 Kuaishou’s DAU (daily active user) exceeded 10 million
  • September 2017 Kuaishou’s total users exceeded 600 million and DAU exceeded 80 million
  • December 2017 Kuaishou’s DAU exceeded 100 million
  • June 2018 Kuaishou Technology completed the acquisition of Acfun, an ACG video community
  • May 2019 Kuaishou’s DAU exceeded 200 million
  • March 2020 Kuaishou’s DAU exceeded 300 million
  • July 2020 Kuaishou’s Livestream DAU surpassed 170 million

To download Kuaishou, click here.

 

Related Links :

http://www.kuaishou.com

Sohu.com to Report Second Quarter 2020 Financial Results on August 10, 2020

BEIJING, July 27, 2020 — Sohu.com Limited (NASDAQ: SOHU), China’s leading online media, video, search and gaming business group, will report its second quarter 2020 unaudited financial results on Monday, August 10, 2020, before U.S. market hours.

 

Sohu’s management team will host a conference call on the same day at 7:30 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time, August 10, 2020 (7:30 p.m. Beijing/Hong Kong time, August 10, 2020) following the quarterly results announcement.

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, operator assisted conference calls are not available at the moment. All participants must preregister online prior to the call to receive the dial-in details.

Conference Call Preregistration

Participants can register for the conference call by navigating to https://apac.directeventreg.com/registration/event/8993497. Once preregistration has been completed, participants will receive dial-in numbers, an event passcode, and a unique registrant ID.

To join the conference, please dial the number you receive, enter the event passcode followed by your unique registrant ID, and you will be joined to the conference instantly.

A telephone replay of the call will be available after the conclusion of the conference call at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time on August 10 through August 18, 2020. The dial-in details for the telephone replay are:

International:

+1-646-254-3697

Passcode:

8993497

The live webcast and archive of the conference call will be available on the Investor Relations section of Sohu’s website at http://investors.sohu.com/.

About Sohu.com

Sohu.com Limited (NASDAQ: SOHU) is China’s premier online brand and indispensable to the daily life of millions of Chinese, providing a network of web properties and community based/web 2.0 products which offer the vast Sohu user community a broad array of choices regarding information, entertainment and communication. Sohu has built one of the most comprehensive matrices of Chinese language web properties and proprietary search engines, consisting of the mass portal and leading online media destination www.sohu.com; interactive search engine www.sogou.com; developer and operator of online games www.changyou.com/en/ and online video website tv.sohu.com .

Sohu’s corporate services consist of online brand advertising on Sohu’s matrix of websites as well as bid listing and home page on its in-house developed search directory and engine. Sohu also provides multiple news and information services on mobile platforms, including Sohu News App and the mobile news portal m.sohu.com. Sohu’s online game subsidiary Changyou develops and operates a diverse portfolio of PC and mobile games, such as Tian Long Ba Bu (“TLBB”), one of the most popular PC games in China. Changyou also owns and operates the 17173.com Website, a game information portal in China. Sohu’s online search subsidiary Sogou (NYSE: SOGO) has grown to become the second largest search engine by mobile queries in China. It also owns and operates Sogou Input Method, the largest Chinese language input software. Sohu, established by Dr. Charles Zhang, one of China’s internet pioneers, is in its twenty-fourth year of operation.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

In China:

Ms. Pu Huang

Sohu.com Limited

Tel:

+86 (10) 6272-6645

E-mail:

ir@contact.sohu.com

In the United States:

Ms. Linda Bergkamp

Christensen

Tel:

+1 (480) 614-3004

E-mail:

lbergkamp@christensenir.com

 

Related Links :

https://www.sohu.com/