Tag Archives: MEN

Goodnotes launches new features for Apple Pencil Pro, including Palette and Dynamic Ink

  • With Palette users can stay in the flow as they think and create by accessing essential tools and commands with a simple squeeze of the Apple Pencil Pro 
  • Dynamic Ink for Fountain Pen adjusts ink flow based on Apple Pencil Pro rotation for more personalized expression in digital writing 

LONDON, May 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Goodnotes, the beloved AI note-taking app and Apple’s 2022 iPad App of the Year, today unveiled two new features, Palette and Dynamic Ink, that unlock the power of Apple Pencil Pro’s new interactions. The updates take Goodnotes’ best-in-class Apple Pencil support to the next level, making writing and creating more seamless than ever before.

Palette

Users can simply squeeze their Apple Pencil Pro to bring up the Palette in Goodnotes right at the tip of their Pencil, enabling them to quickly switch between essential tools, access common commands such as undo, and modify ink stroke thickness and color.

Quickly switch tools with Palette
Quickly switch tools with Palette

With these frequently used functions just a little squeeze away, users can stay focused and in the flow as they think and create. Switch between highlighting text and writing in the margins when marking up a PDF, or jump from drawing a mind map to using the lasso tool to reorganize it—the new Palette makes it all effortless.

Dynamic Ink for Fountain Pen

The Fountain Pen in Goodnotes will now feel even more like the real thing, with its ink flow responding dynamically to the rotation of Apple Pencil Pro, in addition to the Fountain Pen’s existing responsiveness to pressure sensitivity.

Rotate to adjust ink flow with Dynamic Ink
Rotate to adjust ink flow with Dynamic Ink

As users write fluidly, their stroke varies with calligraphic flourishes just as a fountain pen should, bringing even more personal expression to their digital writing. Or, users can roll the barrel of Apple Pencil Pro for precision control of stroke thickness, with a stroke preview visible on hover.

“We’re always pursuing better ways to make thinking, writing, and creating in Goodnotes simply flow—and the new interactions of Apple Pencil Pro take that to the next level,” said Steven Chan, founder and CEO of Goodnotes. “Apple Pencil and Goodnotes have always been perfect companions, and we can’t wait to share even more features in the near future that make capturing and expressing your ideas easier than ever.”

The new Palette and Dynamic Ink for Fountain Pen features are available today for all Goodnotes users on iPadOS 17.5 using Apple Pencil Pro and a compatible iPad. 

About Goodnotes

Goodnotes is the leading AI digital paper used by millions of users worldwide. Launched in 2011, Goodnotes started as an improvement to physical paper notes—introducing the ability to take handwritten digital notes, search handwritten text, and organize everything into a digital library. Today, Goodnotes is pioneering generative AI for digital handwriting in the productivity space. Goodnotes was named Apple’s 2022 iPad App of the Year.

Agora Launches Advanced Video Technology to Enhance Live Stream Quality

Agora’s Adaptive Video Optimization™ (AVO) technology dynamically optimizes performance at every step, from capture to playback, to deliver exceptional live video quality.

SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Agora, Inc. (NASDAQ: API), a pioneer and leading platform for real-time engagement APIs, today unveiled its latest innovation, Adaptive Video Optimization™ (AVO) along with support for the AV1 video codec. This advanced technology harnesses the power of machine learning to dynamically adjust parameters at every step from capture to playback to deliver an enhanced live video streaming experience.

In today’s fast-paced digital world, live video calling and streaming often encounters hurdles such as unstable network conditions, packet loss, and limited bandwidth. These challenges can result in freezing, stuttering, grainy video, and dropped connections, diminishing the real-time video experience and negatively impacting user engagement. Adaptive Video Optimization™ uses a series of advanced machine learning algorithms to address these common issues. By optimizing video quality in real time based on network conditions, device capabilities, and available bandwidth, AVO ensures the highest possible video quality and optimal performance even under varying network scenarios.

“Reliable and high-quality live streaming is essential in today’s video-dominated media landscape,” stated Tony Zhao, CEO and Co-Founder of Agora. “Our Adaptive Video Optimization technology enables smooth delivery of every video call and livestream—despite network variability, user’s location or device type. These improvements empower Agora’s customers to provide the highest-quality live video user experience.”

Agora’s commitment to delivering a seamless real-time video experience with AVO rests on three core pillars:

  • Optimized Image Quality: Ensures that every frame is crisp, with enhanced contrast and vibrant details that make the viewing experience clearer and more engaging.
  • Unmatched Video Fluency: Eliminates common streaming issues like buffering and stuttering, providing a smooth and natural flow.
  • Ultra-Low Latency: Allows users to interact in real-time, whether with hosts or other viewers, and enjoy quick loading times and instant first-frame rendering for seamless transitions between video streams.

AVO™ takes a comprehensive machine learning approach to ensure the highest quality video streaming experience by optimizing every stage of the video processing pipeline — pre-processing, encoding, transmission, decoding, and post-processing. A key component of this solution is Agora’s Coding Technology (ACT), designed to optimize user experiences by dynamically selecting the best video codec (like AV1 or VP9) based on device capabilities and interoperability requirements. By employing advanced techniques and cutting-edge compression methods, the technology adapts, configuring parameters dynamically and ensures crisp visuals, efficient bandwidth utilization, and a consistent, high-quality experience for all users, from the moment the video is captured to the final display on the viewer’s screen.

From video capture through playback, the technology continuously adapts to changing network conditions and device capabilities, guaranteeing a seamless streaming experience. Any imperfections that may arise during transmission are rapidly mitigated, and the final video is polished to provide lifelike clarity, delivering a superior real-time video experience for scenarios ranging from telehealth consultations to live shopping and social media.

“Agora’s Adaptive Video Optimization™ (AVO) drastically improved the real-time video experience in our app,” said Ellard Capiral, VP of Engineering at social live streaming app KUMU. “Users get smooth, high-quality video without freezes—even on slow connections and older devices. Since implementing AVO, we’ve seen a 30% increase in session length and engagement.”

To learn more about Agora’s Adaptive Video Optimization™ technology, check out this blog on Optimizing the Live Video User Experience and watch a side-by-side video comparison demonstrating superior real-time video quality.

About Agora 
Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, Agora is a pioneer and global leader in Real-Time Engagement Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), providing developers with simple, flexible, and powerful application programming interfaces, or APIs, to embed real-time voice, video, interactive live-streaming, chat, whiteboard, and artificial intelligence capabilities into their applications.

Source: Agora, Inc.

SMOROBOT Launches Revolutionary Valor Series Intelligent Pool Cleaning Robots

Unmatched Cleaning Experience with Advanced AI Technology

BEIJING, March 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — On 28 March 2024, SMOROBOT officially unveiled the ValorTM series of intelligent robotic pool cleaners (hereinafter “Valor”), setting a new standard in automated pool cleaning and maintenance.

With the continuous advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), robots have become an integral part of our daily lives. The introduction of cleaning robots for pool settings has significantly enhanced the modern lifestyle, offering a blend of intelligence, ease, and premium experience. Valor, a revolutionary intelligent cordless robotic pool cleaner from SMOROBOT, is forged from the accumulated experience and insights garnered from the Tank series. The new Valor lineup emerges from years of extensive technological expertise, industry insights, and creative industrial design. It represents a major leap forward in pool cleaning technology, ushering in transformative changes in functionality.


Autonomous Pool Cleaner with Powerful Suction and Underwater Vision System

Leveraging years of industry experience and innovation, SMOROBOT introduces the Valor Series Intelligent Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner, a new model featuring a TornadoTM suction system with an impressive 8000GPH extreme suction motor, complemented by four roller brushes at both the front and rear, and a double-layer ultra-fine filter basket. The cleaner is engineered to capture every speck of debris in the pool – leaves, fine sand, algae, stones, hair, and more – ensuring comprehensive cleanliness. The groundbreaking anti-clogging runner design addresses the perennial issue of clogged filtration systems and cleaning pipes found in traditional pool cleaners, allowing for uninterrupted and efficient operation.

Valor stands out not only for boasting the most powerful cleaning suction system in the industry, but also for its innovative motor power adaptive deployment system. The system automatically adjusts the robot’s travel and brush rotation speeds when encountering dirtier pool areas, optimizing suction power for unparalleled cleaning performance.

Alongside the groundbreaking Valor, SMOROBOT debuts its TridentTM underwater vision system, a first-of-its-kind integration of cutting-edge underwater detection and visual recognition technologies. Trident sets a new standard with its capabilities, including underwater 3D mapping, stain identification and positioning, obstacle avoidance, and path planning. By seamlessly integrating cameras, lasers, sonar, IMU, and other sensors, it accurately identifies the type, intensity, and location of pool stains. Trident then automatically generates a 3D pool map uses intelligent algorithms to optimize cleaning paths for the pool’s floor, walls, waterline, and steps, elevating the cleaning process to new level of efficiency. Furthermore, the directional cleaning capabilities allow it to intelligently assess dirt levels and adjust the cleaning strategy accordingly, ensuring the highest degree of cleaning efficiency.

Reliable, All-Terrain Pool Cleaning for Diverse Settings

Henry Pu, CEO of SMOROBOT, commented, “Recognizing the complexities of pool cleaning, our mission has been to revolutionize this task through AI technology. Our products are crafted to elevate lifestyles around the globe, offering everyone the luxury of effortless Clean.”

With the launch of the Valor Series Robotic Pool Cleaner, SMOROBOT has significantly enhanced the user experience. The product has been meticulously designed and continuously optimized, not only in terms of its exceptional performance and reliability but also in the innovations of its hardware and software. Every detail underscores SMOROBOT’s unwavering commitment to pool cleaning technology, while every innovation reflects a deep understanding of user needs. Valor now sets a new standard for functionality among pool cleaning robots worldwide, revolutionizing the industry with its groundbreaking capabilities.

Valor demonstrates exceptional adaptability to all terrains, capable of handling cleaning duties in a wide array of pool shapes and sizes. No matter the contour, whether diamond-shaped, bowl-shaped, rectangular or for diving, the series adapts to fulfill the unique cleaning requirements of all users. The tracked drive chassis with brushes ensures efficient wall cleaning, while the adaptive suction system maintains robust adhesion to walls no matter the material. This adaptability addresses the cleaning requirements of both the wall and waterline in all pool types.

The 10,400mAh removable battery boasts an impressive running time of up to 180 minutes per charge. The wide range of cleaning modes cater to a wide range of scenarios, including a Weekly Timer Mode for a “charge once, clean for a week” convenience, along with Standard, Rapid, and Professional Cleaning modes tailored to specific pool environments. Activating and switching between modes is effortless, with a simple button click. Once the cleaning operation is complete, the robot automatically returns to its starting position, and users can conveniently track the cleaning status through the accompanying app.

Given the necessity of pool robots to operate underwater for extended periods, they must be highly reliable in navigating complex and sometimes unclear underwater environments. The Valor series has undergone rigorous testing, enduring over 1,000 hours of operation in dirty conditions. They have achieved numerous professional certifications, including CE, FCC, RCM, REACH and ROHS certifications, etc. The batteries come with a full suite of six safety features, including short-circuit protection, overcharge protection, discharge over-temperature protection, charging over-temperature protection, charging low-temperature protection, and water ingress protection, ensuring a safe, worry-free, and superior intelligent pool cleaning experience for users worldwide.

About SMOROBOT

Focused on the philosophy of “Power of Effortless Clean”, SMOROBOT specializes in pool cleaning, offering comprehensive solutions from R&D to commercialization. With long-term technical accumulation, industry experience, and product innovation, SMOROBOT has achieved cable-free, highly intelligent pool-cleaning robots with versatile, automated solutions for global customers. With design and maintenance centers in the US, Europe, and China, SMOROBOT ensures localized rapid customer services, continually delivering exceptional experiences and solutions worldwide.

For more information, please visit https://www.smorobot.com 

or contact us directly at our official email address: bd@smorobot.com  

NETMARBLE OPENS GLOBAL PRE-REGISTRATION FOR UPCOMING ACTION RPG SOLO LEVELING:ARISE

Early Access Available for Canadian Players Starting March 21

LOS ANGELES, March 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Netmarble, a leading developer and publisher of high-quality mobile games, opened pre-registration globally for its upcoming mobile and PC game Solo Leveling:ARISE, and beginning March 21, Early Access will be available in Canada. Players can pre-register today and earn rewards via the official website, Google Play, App Store, or Netmarble Launcher.


Solo Leveling:ARISE is an action RPG adaptation of Solo Leveling, based on the hit anime and Webtoon. Taking on the role of Jinwoo, players can experience his level-ups and progress through the beloved anime tale firsthand, taking on dynamic battles and creating their own combat styles, relying on various combinations of skills and weapons. Not only can players team up with hunters from the Webtoon, they can summon their own “Army of Shadows” using Jinwoo’s famous line “Arise.”

As a special reward for pre-registering, players will receive a Chic Black Suit Costume for Sung Jinwoo, two Mana Power Crystal for each attribute (for a total of 10), Legendary Artifact Sets, and 100,000 of Gold to jumpstart players’ journeys. Notably, players are urged not to miss out the chance to obtain Jinwoo’s cherished partner/hunter, Yoo Jinho via this pre-registration momentum. These rewards will be given upon the official launch.

To celebrate the pre-registration momentum, a never-before-seen trailer has been revealed. As Solo Leveling:ARISE marks the very first game adaption of the Webtoon, this trailer shows the overall stylish Action RPG narratives – Bolstering overall anticipation around the globe. Check out the trailer here.

Early Access for Solo Leveling:ARISE will begin at 1:00 AM Pacific Time on March 21 in Canada, and is limited to Android and PC. The game will support six languages during the Early Access period, including Korean, Japanese, English, Simplified Chinese, Thai and Traditional Chinese. Additional language support, including European languages, will be added when the game launches. 

The Hunter Archive sub-story for Lee Joohee and Kang Taeshik will be available for Early Access players to tackle when the game goes live. Early Access players will also see a number of events active during the game’s introductory period including ▲14 Day Check-In Event Special Draw opportunity for ‘The Ultimate Hunter’, SSR Choi Jong-In, ▲‘Dice Event’ in celebration of Choi Jong-in Special Draw, ▲‘Collect Letters’ Event. Canada’s Early Access information can be found here.

For more information on  Solo Leveling:ARISE, please visit the official website, X, Facebook, Instagram, Discord, and official YouTube channel

About Netmarble Corporation

Established in Korea in 2000, Netmarble Corporation is a leading developer and publisher of top-grossing mobile games worldwide. Through powerful franchises and collaborations with acclaimed IP holders, Netmarble strives to elevate the gaming experience and entertain audiences globally. As a parent company of Kabam and SpinX Games, and a major shareholder of Jam City and HYBE (formerly Big Hit Entertainment), Netmarble’s diverse portfolio includes Seven Knights Idle Adventure, Tower of God: New World, Lineage 2: Revolution, MARVEL Future Fight, Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds and The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross. More information can be found at http://company.netmarble.com.

ZEGOCLOUD Delivers Industry-Leading Latency, Elevating Live Streaming Experiences and Bolstering Platform Revenues


SINGAPORE, March 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — ZEGOCLOUD, a leading global cloud communication service provider, has made significant strides in delivering seamless, ultra-low latency experiences for live streaming and real-time video interactions.

With rigorous R&D and accumulated know-how in serving customer needs in real-time communication (RTC), ZEGOCLOUD has achieved a 90% success rate of millisecond-level experience in TTFF (Time to First Frame) globally. This translates into an exceptional TTFF of 79 milliseconds on average for live video calling and streaming platforms, supporting them in avoiding revenue losses associated with latency issues.

This optimization is crucial as it fosters positive first impressions, as the speed and fluidity of video loading and real-time engagement are pivotal for user satisfaction and retention on live streaming apps. “Studies show in live streaming, if it takes over two seconds to start, viewers start dropping off, and with each extra second, the platform is losing another 6% of the audience,” stated Kuk Jiang, co-founder of ZEGOCLOUD.

ZEGOCLOUD’s industry-leading TTFF optimization has proven successful in enabling businesses to enhance user connections, minimize churn rates, and ultimately increase revenue. With a success rate of over 95% for TTFF within 2 seconds in critical regions such as Europe, America, and Southeast Asia, ZEGOCLOUD’s solutions are poised to help platforms attract and retain users and drive substantial increases in revenue across various industries.

Purpose-built for industries from social entertainment to interactive live commerce, ZEGOCLOUD offers a full suite of real-time video engagement capabilities, including animated virtual gifts, in-app mini games, in-app chat, content moderation, beauty filters, cloud recording, and more. “By integrating ZEGOCLOUD, businesses can concentrate on their core operations and deliver high-quality live video to global audiences, streamlining the user experience and cutting down on costs and complexities associated with multiple third-party service integrations,” added Kuk.

ZEGOCLOUD’s specialized SDKs address common pain points like network complexity across regions and diverse device compatibility. Advanced features such as CDN live streaming, L3 acceleration, and customizable regional service settings provide robust, flexible solutions for different business scenarios.

About ZEGOCLOUD

ZEGOCLOUD revolutionizes virtual engagement with real-time interaction services for hassle-free cloud communication, connecting enterprises, teams, customers, and users. It lays the groundwork for businesses and developers to build RTI into their apps across the mobile internet and the metaverse.

Follow ZEGOCLOUD – https://www.linkedin.com/company/zegocloud/

Media Contact
Tanya Quan
tanya.quan@zegocloud.com 

Google-backed learning app QANDA Unveils its First U.S. Product, Prep.Pie

  • Prep.Pie is a gen-ai-powered study tool designed to support U.S. college students’ exam preparation.

LOS ANGELES, March 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Mathpresso, creator of Asia’s leading learning app QANDA, unveiled their first U.S. targeted product today. Prep.Pie is a gen-ai-powered study tool designed to support U.S. college students’ exam preparation.

Google-backed learning app QANDA Unveils its First U.S. Product, Prep.Pie
Google-backed learning app QANDA Unveils its First U.S. Product, Prep.Pie

Prep.Pie leverages generative AI integrated with QANDA’s core engine to deliver a highly personalized study aid aimed at enhancing study productivity. Students can upload their study materials, and Prep.Pie will generate a comprehensive preparation package tailored to their exam needs. After conducting over 300 detailed interviews with students in its closed beta phase, Prep.Pie has officially launched for USC and UCLA students.

Key features of Prep.Pie include:

  • Prep Notes: Reorganizes all key content based on the study materials uploaded for the upcoming exam and provides an easy-to-grasp overview.
  • Prep Sets: Offers practice exams, detailed solutions, and relevant concept explanations.
  • Quick Solver: Employs QANDA’s text and image recognition technologies to instantly solve problems using the QANDA database.

Additional features, including Prep Cards and Additional Explanations, will be introduced to the product in the first half of the year.

Prep.Pie is developed by Mathpresso, a developer of MathGPT, a math-specific large language model that broke the world record in various mathematical benchmarks last December. QANDA, its flagship app, is the largest AI-powered learning platform in Asia, incorporating OCR and LLM technologies to provide detailed solutions and study guides. This approach has cultivated a self-enforcing data flywheel, boasting over 90M registered users and handling 4-8 million queries daily. 90% of its user base is located outside Korea, with predominant clusters in Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand. Mathpresso raised $130 million to date from various partners including Google, ByteDance, Samsung Ventures, SBVA, Mirae Asset Venture, Goodwater, and GGV Capital.

Mathpresso aims to create the world’s premier AI tutor by enhancing AI capabilities and transforming it into a 1:1 tutor. Given the localized and diverse nature of educational content, influenced by hyperlocal factors such as teaching styles and school systems, there’s a risk of AI delivering content that lacks personalization. Prep.Pie focuses on the hyper-local aspects of education, addressing the specific needs of different schools, curriculums, and instructors.

Prep.Pie is now available by monthly subscription at USC and UCLA, with plans to expand to other West Coast universities for the first half of the year and a nationwide rollout by year’s end. It delivers unparalleled coverage and results in STEM and business subjects – domains where QANDA’s proficiency in numerical knowledge is prominently displayed.

“With the launch of Prep.Pie, we’re taking a major step forward in transforming how students study,” said Jake Yongjae Lee, CEO of Mathpresso. “By blending cutting-edge AI with our extensive experience as an edtech leader in Asia, we’re ready to bring a personalized educational experience in the US that is truly hyperlocal.”

About QANDA (Mathpresso)

Seoul-based edtech startup Mathpresso (QANDA) operates the AI-powered learning platform, QANDA. The app has gained 10 million monthly active users globally including South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam. Leveraging QANDA’s vast database and traffic, Mathpresso plans to integrate its LLM-based AI tutor into its vertical services, including QANDA Tutor for tablet-based individual tutoring, and QANDA B2B & B2G SaaS, ensuring a deeply personalized educational experience for all students. Since 2015, Mathpresso has secured investments from Google, ByteDance, SBVA, and Samsung Venture Investment.

SONATRACH and Huawei Jointly Innovate a Smart Oil and Gas Pipeline Fiber Sensing Inspection Solution

BARCELONA, Spain, March 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — At the MWC Barcelona 2024, SONATRACH, the state-owned oil company of Algeria shared the achievements of the smart oil and gas pipeline fiber sensing inspection solution deployed with Huawei. The solution ensures high security, intelligence, and high efficiency of pipelines through automated pipeline inspection, which is enabled by distributed fiber optic sensing technology.


As a key contributor in the oil industry of Algeria, SONATRACH runs about 43 oil and gas pipelines, accompanying with 14,000 km optical cables. Traditional manual inspection is costly and inefficient, and it is difficult to obtain the pipeline running status 24/7 in real time. The SONATRACH Joint Innovation Center hopes to work with Huawei and other partners to reduce O&M costs, proactively warn pipeline damage, and quickly locate fiber cuts using innovative technologies.

Huawei has developed an innovative pipeline fiber sensing solution using the distributed fiber optic sensing technology. In the solution, Huawei OptiXsense EF3000 (an optical sensing device) is deployed to implement 24/7 high-precision automatic pipeline inspection and warning.

The smart oil and gas pipeline fiber sensing inspection solution is based on Huawei’s optical fiber sensing solution and live-network service management process. When external construction occurs around a pipeline, the accompanying optical fiber deployed along the pipeline collects vibration information and transmits the information to the optical sensing device deployed in a station or block valve station (BVS) equipment room, thereby achieving precise positioning.

Joint innovation practices show that the fiber warning solution has excellent performance in pipeline inspection scenarios, for example:

  1. Different events such as fiber cuts, manual excavation, and mechanical excavation can be accurately analyzed, so that a valid site visit can be arranged.
  2. The alarm accuracy is high, with a false positive rate of only 0.012 times/km/day. All alarms within 2 meters above the optical fiber can be reported normally.
  3. The positioning capability is powerful. The average positioning error is less than 10 meters, and the GIS location information on the optical cable map is accurate.

Sana Lallali, manager of SONATRACH Joint Innovation Center, said, “Fiber Sensing Inspection Solution helps solve problems such as difficult manual inspection and slow risk identification. We are satisfied with the joint innovation achievements with Huawei. We hope to further cooperate with Huawei to promote the intelligent transformation of the oil industry.”

DreamSmart Group launched open AI terminal MEIZU 21 PRO and other new products, fully embracing AI

BEIJING, March 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — On 29 February 2024, DreamSmart Group held a special event to launch the first open AI terminal MEIZU 21 PRO and a new colour variant of coronet blue of MYVU smart AR glasses, and announced its “All in AI” new strategy to embrace the promising future of AI technologies.

MEIZU 21 PRO is available in five colours: Black, Ultra Black, White, Purple, and Green. The 12GB + 256GB variant is priced at RMB 4,999 yuan, the 16GB + 512GB variant at 5,399 yuan, and the 16GB + 1TB variant at 5,899 yuan.


MEIZU 21 PRO: Building an open AI terminal

MEIZU 21 PRO is a futuristic device crafted for the AI era, incorporating the pinnacle of design, interaction, and craftsmanship of classic smartphones, embracing the AI era.

As MEIZU’s first flagship phone with an open platform, MEIZU 21 PRO is open to all large model platforms, providing developers with system permissions, API documents, and the processor’s AI computing power, so that developers have full freedom to develop more innovative functions and application services.

To attract large model teams across the world to construct the AI ecosystem, MEIZU will invite all interested teams to develop large model applications on its open platform. At the same time, MEIZU will also set up a reward as high as 1 million yuan for large model application teams with the highest number of monthly active users to stimulate their innovation vitality.

Based on the powerful AI capabilities of the FlymeOS operating system, MEIZU 21 Pro has rich new AI features including the AI Portal, AI-Assisted Input, AI Gallery and AI Voice, refreshing user experience, making itself standing out among AI terminals.


MEIZU 21 PRO is not only an open AI device, but also a large-display flagship smartphone with AI features that is holdable in one hand, with a 6.79-inch 21:9 ratio “one-hand large display” and 74mm ultra-narrow body design, which not only makes the phone more comfortable when held in one hand, but also provides a more immersive experience in scenarios such as watching movies and playing games.

MEIZU 21 PRO uses a 2K+ colourful display on the front, whose colours are super delicate and rich. The display accuracy of up to 512PPI allows every pixel to show every detail in extreme. Whether watching high-definition videos or playing large games, you can enjoy excellent visual effects.

In terms of appearance, the double-sided arcs of MEIZU 21 PRO makes the users’ hand more comfortable when holding it; the innovative Xingyuan technique applied to the back, an integration of technology and art, creates extremely advanced frosted texture. The newly developed MEIZU Titan Glass 2.0 makes its drop resistance more than 200% higher than the previous generation, bringing users safer experience.

In terms of performance, MEIZU 21 PRO is equipped with a third-generation Snapdragon 8 flagship processor, LPDDR5X and UFS 4.0, bringing users an unprecedented smooth experience. Its unprecedented innovation in improving interaction experience brings mobile phone interaction to a new height.

With Qualcomm’s latest generation of mTouch Max wide-area ultrasonic fingerprint recognition technology, the fingerprint recognition area of MEIZU 21 PRO has been increased from 8mm*8mm to 30mm*20mm. This means users can easily unlock the phone by touching the fingerprint area from any angle, which is more convenient and comfortable.

MEIZU 21 PRO also achieved a new breakthrough in fingerprint recognition. Its one-key unconscious fingerprint addition function enables users to gently touch the fingerprint area to add their fingerprint, without other unnecessary operations. The pressure interaction function greatly improves the interaction experience of users.

The imaging system of MEIZU 21 PRO has also been greatly upgraded. Its hardware reaches the top in the industry and software optimisation demonstrates MEIZU’s excellence in imaging technologies. Its back cameras include a combination of a 50-megapixel wide-angle main camera, a 13-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera to achieve full-focus coverage.

At the same time, the airframe of MEIZU 21 PRO has also been significantly improved, whose water and dust resistance reaches IP68, improving its durability and reliability, bringing users freer experience to use it.

FlymeOS: Building new experience with an AI-enabled system

As a leader in human-machine interaction systems, MEIZU’s Flyme team released its strategic vision of All in AI to users, revealing the future direction of FlymeOS intelligent operating system, providing the best example for the industry in terms of new applications, new architectures and new concepts of human-machine interaction.

There are now many AI features in FlymeOS, including Aicy voice assistant and AI gallery. The Aicy assistant is able to answer not only general questions, but also provide professional knowledge, and also generates texts or pictures according requirements described in natural languages; AI Gallery supports the use of natural languages to search for images, and its functions like Image Enhancement, Magic Eraser, and interesting AI Portrait give users more freedom to experience its powerful image editing and creation capacity.

At this special event, the Flyme team put emphasis on new features such as AI Portal and AI-Assisted Input. AI Portal integrates AI into mBack familiar to Flyme users, who can wake up system AI at any time by simply repressing mBack, making every conversation between users and the large language model more comfortable. AI-Assisted Input autonomously comprehends the context of conversations and automatically generate accurate responses on behalf of users. When generating texts, AI-Assisted Input not only provides one single choice, but also presents multiple alternative suggestions to satisfy different needs of users.

The Flyme team also came up with an ambitious new vision of design, namely AI Native and AI First. AI Native defines the way to use the product according to the characteristics of generative intelligence, making the interaction experience of FlymeOS more convenient and clearer; AI First means with more powerful and generalised large-scale model intelligence, AI functions need to be easier and more accessible for users.

To create outstanding FlymeOS system experience, the Flyme team proposed a number of groundbreaking new concepts of AI technology from a forward-looking perspective at the event, including AI Pocket Secretary, Task Robot, AI Memory Manager, AI Mini APP and Open API Open Plan. These new concepts of AI technology proposed for the AI era are intended to lead the innovation trend of future operating systems.

In this new AI era today, the way to interact is undergoing fundamental changes. With more than 10 years of dedication in developing operating systems, the MEIZU Flyme team will make full use of its significant advantages in human-computer interaction to accelerate the upgrade and optimisation of intelligent operating systems built for the AI era, bringing users more intelligent, convenient and efficient experience.

MYVU: First to realise connectivity with Apple Watch

Since the launch of MYVU All-weather fashion AR smart glasses, MYVU has been widely acclaimed and paid much attention to by various industries. With the success of the special event, MYVU once again announced product upgrades at this event, including practical AI functions such as Smart Music, Smart Meeting Minutes, AI Persona, as well as AI Interpreting and Transcribing supporting 6 languages.

MYVU is also the first to achieve connectivity with Apple Watch, enabling iOS users to enjoy MYVU’s all-weather fashion AR smart experience.

It is worth mentioning that at the event, DreamSmart Group also announced its collaboration with Malaysia’s Digital Way Group to launch the international version of MYVU smart AR glasses, priced at $599, which will premiere in 11 Southeast Asian countries, including Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia.

“All in AI” strategic plan: Embracing AI

At the special event, MEIZU also released details of the “All in AI” strategic plan, including the creation of AI Device, the reconstruction of the Flyme system and the construction of the AI ecosystem.

Among them, MEIZU’s AI Device includes AI-based product form design, AI-based global call of hardware computing capacity, etc. By reconstructing the form of hardware products, MEIZU will bring users a more intelligent, convenient and innovative AI product experience. Flyme will also restructure systems and applications from the bottom up by deeply integrating AI technology into the operating system to bring users a more intuitive AI interaction experience. MEIZU will also focus on the construction of AI ecosystems, and fully open MEIZU AI Device hardware to international top large model teams, including OpenAI, to jointly promote the innovation and development of AI technology.

After two years of teamwork, resource allocation, product planning and full pre-research of related technologies, MEIZU now has the ability to switch to the field of AI. As a fully-developed technology ecological company, MEIZU has all-round hardware teams ranging from R & D to the supply chain, as well as a software teams responsible for systematic development, design and interaction, providing solid technical support and service guarantee for implementing the All in AI vision.

MEIZU will gradually put the vision into practice through three years of ecosystem planning and technical development. According to the vision, in 2024, MEIZU’s newly created mobile operating system for the AI era will be updated to build the infrastructure capability for the AI era; MEIZU also plans to release its first AI Device product during Black Friday in the United States this year, and compete head-on with the world’s top AI Device manufacturers.

DreamSmart Group is a full-stack platform of smart terminals across multiple industries. The Group seamlessly integrates smartphones, smart AR glasses, and smart cars around FlymeOS, thus establishing an ecosystem of smart mobility with software and hardware combined. With the advancement of technologies, the interconnectivity of automobiles and smartphones leads the industry into an era of intelligence and ecosystem 3.0. Due to its profound technological expertise across multiple industries, DreamSmart Group is hailed as a representative enterprise in smart ecosystems, along with companies like Huawei and Xiaomi.

The MEIZU brand under DreamSmart Group has enjoyed a history of 21 years and boasts over 30 million MEIZU fans. Shen Ziyu, Chairman and CEO of the Group, stated, “MEIZU had once been a pioneer in China, dashing from the era of MP3 players into the smartphone era. Today, as we transition from the smartphone era to the AI era, MEIZU stands at a new starting point. Through continuous innovation and efforts, we strive to become a leader in AI technologies and to bring users an immersive experience across multiple devices and all scenarios.”

Zepp Health Unveils Zepp OS 3.5 with Zepp Flow™, Powered by Large Language Model AI, Pioneering the Next Generation of Wearable Intelligence Devices at MWC Barcelona 2024


MILPITAS, Calif., Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Zepp Health Corporation (“Zepp Health”) (NYSE: ZEPP), a global leader in smart wearables and health technology, today announces a significant stride in wearable intelligence with the introduction of Zepp OS 3.5, featuring Zepp Flow™. This revolutionary enhancement brings a whole new level of interaction to wearable devices, marking a pioneering advancement in the industry, making Zepp Health’s Amazfit smartwatches the first to have a fully integrated Natural-Language User Interface (LUI) powered by LLM AI in its operating system.

Zepp Flow™, the centerpiece of Zepp OS 3.5, represents much more than just a voice assistant; it embodies a paradigm shift in user experience. Inspired by the concepts of balance and harmony, the name “Flow” encapsulates the smooth and intuitive nature of user interaction. Much like the effortless movement of water or the focused energy experienced in a state of “flow,” Zepp Flow™ facilitates a seamless connection between users and their devices, allowing for natural, uninterrupted interaction.

Designed to understand natural language, Zepp Flow™ eliminates the need for predefined commands or keywords, enabling users to express their intentions freely. By intuitively interpreting user requests, whether it’s initiating a workout or managing daily tasks, Zepp Flow™ streamlines the user experience, making it more intuitive and effortless than ever before. This breakthrough represents a significant leap towards a future where artificial intelligence seamlessly integrates into everyday life, particularly in health, fitness, and productivity domains.

A Future of Connectivity and Intelligence

With a global presence spanning over 90 countries and a user base exceeding 42 million, Zepp Health, through its renowned brands like Amazfit, is committed to redefining the way individuals approach their health and wellness. By harnessing advanced technology and fostering collaboration across its brand portfolio, Zepp Health is at the forefront of innovation, shaping the future of wearable technology.

Through Zepp Flow™, Zepp Health continues to push the boundaries of wearable technology, empowering users to seamlessly integrate smart devices into their daily lives. Zepp Flow™ represents a significant milestone in wearable intelligence, embodying the seamless integration of AI into people’s everyday lives. “With dedicated R&D teams across North America, Europe, and Asia, we are committed to driving innovation and delivering unparalleled user experiences, to bring intelligent healthcare solutions empowering people to take control of their well-being,” said Wayne Huang, CEO of Zepp Health. He added, “Zepp Flow™ epitomizes our dedication to unified connectivity and intelligent functionality throughout our ecosystem. Expanding its reach from the Zepp OS on smartwatches to the Zepp App on smartphones, and integrating with natural language processing, Zepp Flow™ asserts itself as the omnipresent AI within our system. Whether it resides on your smartwatch, earbuds, our app on your phone, or in the cloud, Zepp Flow™ guarantees a seamless and intuitive experience across all platforms.”

How Zepp Flow™ Works

Zepp Flow™ boasts several key features that redefine user experience:

  1. Natural Conversation: Unlike traditional voice assistants, Zepp Flow™ allows users to express themselves freely without requiring specific command phrases.
  2. Efficient Recognition: Zepp Flow™ rapidly and accurately recognizes user speech, ensuring a smooth and responsive interaction.
  3. Precise Understanding: Users need only describe what they want, and Zepp Flow™ will recognize their intent and provide the most appropriate response.

Availability

  • Zepp OS 3.5 and Zepp Flow™ will be supported on the Amazfit Balance in the US, Canada, United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, via a firmware update on February 26th.
  • Amazfit Balance users in France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Switzerland, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, and San Marino will be able to upgrade to Zepp OS 3.5 on May 1st.
  • The Amazfit Cheetah series, Amazfit Falcon, and Amazfit T-Rex Ultra will receive this update on a rolling basis, starting from May 28th through until June 11th. The Amazfit Active will be upgraded on June 20th.

About Zepp Health Corporation

Zepp Health (NYSE:ZEPP), a global smart wearable and health technology leader, empowers users to live their healthiest lives by optimizing their health, fitness, and wellness journeys through its leading consumer brands, Amazfit, Zepp Clarity, and Zepp Aura. Powered by its proprietary Zepp Digital Health Management Platform, which includes the Zepp OS, AI chips, biometric sensors, and data algorithms, it delivers cloud-based 24/7 actionable insights and guidance to help users attain their wellness goals. To date, Zepp Health has shipped over 200 million units and its products are available in 90+ countries. Founded in 2013, Zepp Health has offices across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC regions. For more information, visit www.zepp.com. 

Creative Learning Platform Skillshare Helps Creative Professionals Maximize the Highly Anticipated Animation App Procreate Dreams™ with New Partnership and Exclusive Content from its Top Teachers


Skillshare Top Teachers have created custom classes to help audiences expand their creative skills with the new animation software, Procreate Dreams 

NEW YORK, Feb. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Skillshare, the world’s largest online community for creatives, has teamed up with the new animation app Procreate Dreams to develop a customized series of content that teaches students how to use and optimize tools from the highly anticipated animation software.

As part of the collaboration, Skillshare has enlisted a group of top teachers to create content, both free and for subscribers, focused on how to utilize the software to create 2D animation and expressive video, and leverage powerful storytelling techniques.

Amongst the participating teachers, Danni Fisher-Shin, Mimi Chao, Smitesh Mistry, Lisa Bardot, Marie-Nöelle Wurm, Priscilla Adei-Cardwell, Rich Armstrong, Simon Ip, Iva Mikles and Siobhan Twomey, span expertise across illustration, animation, film and video production, and content creation. Each Skillshare teacher brings their own unique style and engages an audience of creative professionals and hobbyists who want to expand their creative skills.

“This partnership underscores the powerful synergy between Procreate and Skillshare, both dedicated to bringing creative education and exploration to the fore,” comments Alicia Hamilton-Morales, SVP of Content, Community and Marketing with Skillshare. “Together, we aim to empower individuals to explore and enhance their skills with the newly released app, Procreate Dreams. Procreate has been a highly popular subject on our platform for years and we’re excited about how Procreate Dreams will spark even more creativity among our students. Our goal is to demystify creative disciplines like animation by inviting students to explore classes taught by our exceptional teachers and ignite their passion for learning something new and innovative.”

Content began rolling out in November and will continue through 2024, including original content across participating teachers’ individual profiles, and the partnership homepage, alongside a series of free live sessions which can be accessed here.

Procreate CMO Nathan Clegg comments, “Procreate Dreams marks a major chapter for both Procreate and the animation industry. Over the past 5+ years we poured our hearts and souls into producing an animation app that is approachable for beginners and powerful for professionals. With an aim to unlock creative potential and empower the next generation of storytellers. We are thrilled to partner with Skillshare to help creatives get started and make the most out of Procreate Dreams.”

Procreate Dreams is available on the App Store for a single-time purchase of $19.99 USD. No subscriptions. procreate.com

About Skillshare:
Skillshare is the world’s largest online learning community for creativity. With more than 26,000 video-based classes exploring a wide range of creative disciplines from graphic design to photography to painting and illustration to interior design—taught by industry experts including Jonathan Van Ness, Aaron Draplin, Emily Henderson, Thomas Frank, Rebecca Minkof and Jeff Staple and more. Skillshare is both a publisher of original content and an open platform, where anyone who meets our standards and guidelines can upload a class and earn income. Skillshare’s mission is to build the world’s most valuable creative learning community. To learn more, go to: www.skillshare.com.

About Procreate® 
Procreate is dedicated to making exceptional creative tools for creative people by combining beautiful user experiences with high-performance engineering. Procreate for iPad is used by millions around the globe, has been the best-selling paid iPad app on App Store for the past six years, and has received two coveted Apple Design Awards. Procreate’s three apps — Procreate, Procreate Pocket, and Procreate Dreams — are placing more power in the hands of creatives, amplifying the company’s guiding principle: Art is for everyone. procreate.com

Follow @procreate on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X.

For all press enquiries, please contact:
Alicia Hamilton-Morales, Skillshare
press@skillshare.com

Sheila Lin, Procreate 
press@procreate.com