TechNave NewsBytes 2020 #19 - Samsung Galaxy A51 / A71 Macro, realme new experience stores, Huawei ICT Certification and 4 ways to enjoy your Huawei Mobile Device and more

In this episode of TechNave NewsBytes 2020 #19, Samsung shows off the macro prowess of their Samsung Galaxy A51 and Galaxy A71 smartphones while realme Malaysia launched 2 new experience stores.

Huawei announced new ICT certification and 4 ways for users to enjoy their Huawei Mobile Devices.

It is thanks to plants that we are able to breathe fresh air, enjoy colorful landscapes and benefit from golden harvests. In order to raise awareness of the importance they have to our global ecosystem, the United Nations has designated the year 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health.

Samsung Newsroom harnessed the power of the Galaxy A51’s 5MP Macro camera in order to get closer to the natural beauty of plants and flowers and learn more about these living, breathing flora.

The remarkable colour changes plants go through as the seasons change will never fail to be a thing of beauty, and upon closer look, it is clear that in some cases, a single colour seen from a distance is in fact a harmony of complementary shades brought about by the wonder of nature.

Top Tips: How to Become an Expert Plant Photographer

While sunlight is what plants thrive on, overly bright or sunny conditions can actually hinder you from taking good photographs. The best conditions for plant-focused photographers are slightly cloudy circumstances, such as just after rainfall when lingering moisture can provide an extra glow to your shots, too.

Some plants and flowers require a closer look to be fully appreciated. Many feature subtle yet fascinating detailing granted by the layered texturing of leaves, thorns and other features.

Choosing a complementary colour as the background of your subject that gives the effect of counterlight will provide you with richer detailing in your photos. Mounting a piece of black paper or cloth to serve as the background can serve as an easy way to achieve this.

At the end of winter, the sprouting of green buds gives us the feeling of a new season as spring approaches – but sometimes these growths are too small to capture with the naked eye. Using the Macro camera, these miniscule signs of growth can be captured at their best with a clean background and a spray of water to add freshness.

Not only does light help plants grow, but it also helps illuminate their unique features. By exposing a plant’s leaf to a certain amount of light, the beauty of nature in all its intricate patterning becomes clear; with the Galaxy A51’s Macro camera, every fine line and natural irregularity becomes visible.

For more details about the Samsung Galaxy A51 and A71 along with more macro photos, check out the site.

realme Malaysia recently launched an experience store at NU Sentral, Kuala Lumpur. Malaysian fans attended its grand opening today as they were excited to get closer to realme's latest deals as well as experiencing its smart ecosystem.

Malaysian fans who missed out the opportunity to enjoy the activities during the grand opening today will still be able to enjoy it on 1st August and 2nd August. The experience store is located at Level 2 of NU Sentral near the MPH bookstore operating daily from 10.00a.m. until 10.00p.m.

Meanwhile, realme Malaysia also launched an experience store for its Kedah fans in Alor Setar Mall today. Fans who are eager to have a closer look at realme’s smart ecosystem, can experience it from 10.00am to 10.00pm at all realme stores. The store is located at Lot G13 Alor Star Mall, Kawasan Perusahaan Tandop Baru, 05400 Alor Setar, Kedah Darulaman.

Huawei Technologies recently hosted its Huawei Asia Pacific ICT Talent Forum 2020 to explore ICT talent trends and talent development strategies in the Asia Pacific region. At the online event joined by over 2,000 participants, the company announced a new certification program to develop a comprehensive ICT talent ecosystem to pave the way to sustainable digital transformation.

Under the theme “Connection, Glory, Future,” the forum gathered industry experts and IT professors to discuss the continuing need for highly-skilled ICT workforce and propose sustainable plans to help the region solve ICT workforce shortage. The Huawei Asia Pacific ICT Certification Program, announced at the event, is open to students and ICT practitioners who have joined or plan to join in the Huawei Asia Pacific ICT Academy. The program runs from August 4 to November 30, 2020. Participants who pass the exams in the shortest time will be awarded on a first come, first served basis.

To tackle this challenge, Huawei built a talent ecosystem to support the transfer of qualified employees to the ICT industry, in line with its talent cultivation strategy. The ecosystem consists of three initiatives: the Huawei Certification, the Huawei Academy and the Huawei ICT Competition.

The company will continue to explore new ways to cultivate ICT talents and to support governments around the world as they develop ICT infrastructure. With the ultimate goal of bridging the gap between demand of enterprises and the supply from universities, Huawei aims to help Asia Pacific countries lay a strong ICT foundation for many decades to come.

Everyone loves a good how-to guide, and here’s one for those using or looking to use HUAWEI mobile devices. Here are four great tips you need to know, that are guaranteed to enrich your experience in using a HUAWEI smartphone or tablet.

Tip #1: How to download your favourite apps quicker, safer and more conveniently

There’s a faster, safer and more convenient way to download the apps you want on your HUAWEI mobile device. Here are 3 easy steps:

You can also search for the apps you want without having to open the Petal Search App, simply by installing the Petal Search Widget onto your home screen. Click Go on your desired app – just one tap, and you’re set!

You can even update your apps easily using Petal Search Widget. To update your apps, open the Petal Search Widget, and select Me at the bottom right. Select Downloads and select Updates, then click on the apps that need to be updated.

Tip #2: How to pick up where you left off on games tied to your Google ID, on your new HUAWEI mobile device

Are you worried that switching to a new HUAWEI mobile device will mean that your game progress on your old smartphone will all be lost? Fret not, you can log in to your games account on your new phone without missing a single moment of gameplay.

All you need to do is to bind your game with your Facebook account or official game account on your old phone. Install the game on your new phone and log in to the game using your Facebook or official game account – and pick up where you left off without missing a single beat.

Tip #3: How to easily backup and transfer WhatsApp/WeChat between your old and new HUAWEI mobile phones.

Losing important text messages is a nightmare, but a common occurrence when you switch to a new phone. With HUAWEI Cloud, you never have to worry about losing precious information on WhatsApp ever again. Here’s how you can have all your chats safely intact when you switch to a new HUAWEI mobile phone.

Step 1: On your old phone, select Settings > HUAWEI Account > Cloud

Step 2: Then select Cloud Backup > Backup Options > App Data

Step 3: In App Data, grant access WhatsApp/WeChat to have access

Step 4: Go back to Cloud Backup and choose Backup

Step 6: On your new phone, select Settings > HUAWEI Account > Cloud

Step 7: Then open Cloud Backup > choose Restore Data

Step 8: Check the backup records and select the latest backup

Step 9: Choose App Data > Select WhatsApp/WeChat > Click OK

Step 10: Select Restore on the notification box that pops up and wait for restoration to complete

Tip #4: Sit back and enjoy exclusive AppGallery rewards!

The HUAWEI AppGallery does not only have most of the apps Malaysians love, it also is also safe, convenient and easy to use. And those who use it, get to enjoy exclusive rewards. Among the latest rewards are cashback that come with the Penang Smart Parking app. The first 10,000 users to install the app are entitled to redeem RM5 cashback.

To claim the reward, follow these 5 steps:

Step 1: Install the Penang Smart Parking App through Petal Search Widget

Step 2: After installing the app, go to HUAWEI AppGallery and select Gifts

Step 4: Launch the Penang Smart Parking app and select Reload > Redeem Voucher

Step 5: Hold and Paste the Code, then click OK

Using HUAWEI mobile devices come with multiple benefits

Many incredible benefits await HUAWEI mobile device users. These benefits include:

The current Mercedes me App, first presented in 2015, connects over five million Mercedes-Benz customers worldwide with their vehicles and the digital Mercedes-Benz services through their smartphone. This creates a digital ecosystem around each of these vehicles. With improved basic functionalities and an even more attractive customer experience, the new Mercedes-Benz apps are now continuing the success story.

Advantages include shorter update cycles and an even simpler and more intuitive operation. The updated offer consists of three apps – Mercedes me, Mercedes me Store and Mercedes me Service – which are now available for download in Apple's App Store and the Google Play Store in 36 markets. By end of summer, the apps will be available in over 40 Mercedes me countries. The apps can be used to control vehicle functions with a smartphone, purchase digital products from Mercedes-Benz or book service appointments.

Host Yasmine Blair leads through the episodes of Meet Mercedes DIGITAL. Mathias Vaitl also gives her interesting insights into the common foundation of these apps, the "Software Development Kit" (SDK). In 2019, Mercedes-Benz was the first car manufacturer to grant access rights to software developers from all over the world for this standardised platform. This allows new functionalities and services to be developed quickly, flexibly and according to clear guidelines.

Launched in May, the Meet Mercedes DIGITAL series is an innovative news format on Mercedes me media. With regular episodes in the style of a news bulletin, it presents current topics, goes in-depth and provides expert analysis. The moderated shows encompass studio discussions and reports from production facilities or test tracks. Each topic is accompanied by in-depth information available for download in the form of videos, press texts and images. Check out their site for more details.

LG Electronics Inc. (LG) second-quarter 2020 financial results were affected significantly by the worldwide impact of the pandemic. Consolidated revenue of KRW 12.83 trillion (USD 10.51 billion) was 17.9 percent lower than the same period of 2019, while operating profit of KRW 495.4 billion (USD 405.65 million) declined 24.1 percent from last year’s record second-quarter operating income. The resilient company managed its supply chain and cost structure to weather the storm of the global public health and economic crises.

The LG Home Appliance & Air Solution Company reported revenues of KRW 5.16 trillion (USD 4.22 billion) in the second quarter, down 15.5 percent from the second quarter of 2019, due to the effect of softer global demand during the pandemic.

The LG Home Entertainment Company’s second-quarter revenues and profitability were impacted by lockdown measures including closures of retail stores. Sales were KRW 2.26 trillion (USD 1.85 billion), a decline of 24.4 percent from the second quarter of 2019, and operating income of KRW 112.8 billion (USD 92.37 million) was 25.9 percent lower.

The LG Mobile Communications Company posted second-quarter sales of KRW 1.31 trillion (USD 1.07 billion), a 31.1 percent increase from the first quarter. The significant improvement is due in part to the beginning of markets opening after lockdown.

The LG Vehicle Component Solutions Company recorded quarterly revenues of KRW 912.2 billion (USD 746.95 million), a 40 percent decline from the same quarter last year, and an operating loss of KRW 202.5 billion (USD 165.82 million) as a result of pandemic-related manufacturing shutdowns of global automakers.

The LG Business Solutions Company reported sales of KRW 1.31 trillion (USD 1.07 billion) in the second quarter, 12.6 percent lower than the same quarter last year, while operating income declined to KRW 98.30 billion (USD 80.49 million).

Epson Malaysia recently launched the Epson EB-1485Fi ultra-short throw interactive laser projector that serves as an ultra-wide interactive digital whiteboard, bringing enhanced productivity and collaboration in classrooms and meeting rooms.

Boasting 5,000 lumens of equal color and white brightness[2], the super bright Full HD[3] laser display can project ultra-wide images of up to 120-inch diagonally at the new 16:6 ratio, maximising the existing whiteboard. Enabling immersive collaborations, it transforms any flat surface into an instant digital whiteboard that does not require any PC or software.

Featuring enterprise-level security through integrated wireless networking, users can draw, save, print and email content directly from the interactive projector. They can also wirelessly share content simultaneously from multiple devices with Miracast.

The built-in edge-blending function allows users to connect two networked EB-1485Fi projectors together to achieve dual-screen seamless interactivity or connect up to four projectors to project a large panoramic image (without interactivity). With vivid displays that capture every fine detail, the EB-1485Fi allows the audience to stay engaged and captivated.

The wall mounted control panel allows for power control, source switching and supports HDBaseT connectivity, reducing the number of cables between a computer and the projector to a single cable for image, audio and interactivity. This effectively reduces the installation time, so that users can better focus on tasks that matters.

With a maintenance-free laser light source offering 20,000 light hours[4] and at 5,000 lumens of equal color and white brightness, the Epson projectors deliver bright, true-to-life images for impactful presentations, even in well-lit rooms.

To further encourage Malaysians to embrace the digital lifestyle, homegrown e-wallet Boost is rolling out its #KasiTambah campaign in conjunction with the ePENJANA initiative. The campaign has an extensive and attractive line-up of special perks and rewards including a chance to bring home a Perodua Myvi or a Yamaha motorcycle to supplement the RM50 ePENJANA credit given by the Government.

The RM50 e-PENJANA incentive officially kicked off on 31 July, and is open to all Malaysians above 18 years of age with an annual income below RM100,000 based on the Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia’s (LHDN) latest records and is a registered user of the MySejahtera App.

To claim the RM50 ePENJANA credit with Boost, users have to perform the eKYC (Know Your Customer) account verification process as well as download and be a registered user on the MySejahtera App.

Users can claim the RM50 ePENJANA credit with these simple steps:

The eKYC process will also upgrade users’ wallets from Basic to Premium, enabling users to benefit from the full range of functions and features Boost has to offer, including a larger wallet size of RM4,999.

Every successful claimant of ePENJANA will get more than RM80 worth of lifestyle rewards in the form of a RM60 voucher to get one year’s worth of discounts on Celcom Postpaid XP Lite as well as up to RM20 worth of bundled ‘Partner Wallet’ rewards across bill payments, prepaid top ups, micro-insurance, groceries, health and beauty, and F&B partners. Participating nationwide merchants for the Partner Wallet rewards include Great Eastern micro-insurance products powered by Aspirasi, Kenny Rogers, Secret Recipe, Mydin, Tealive, Setel, Old Town White Coffee, Petron, KK Mart, Tesco, Watsons, MyNews, Giant and many more. Also included are Boost partners Sunshine Wholesale Mart in Penang; CKS Supermarket, Bataras Hypermarket and Sunlight Pharmacy in Sabah; as well as LEA group stores and SHiNE pharmacy in Sarawak.

Successful claimants with Boost also stand a chance to win monthly prizes such as:

Boost has also taken BoostUP, its loyalty programme, to the next level by stepping up to a Level 5. The program previously only had four (4) levels which gave a maximum base earning of 2 Boost coins per RM1 spent. In the new Level 5, users can earn up to eight (8) Boost Coins per RM1 spent and enjoy more benefits such as double BoostUP Pick & Win entries, a special welcome pack and more. With additional Boost coins comes more opportunities to stand a chance to win premium and exclusive gifts including a 12.9” Apple iPad, Samsung 65” 4K UHD Smart TV, and many more from Pick & Win.

This means users have much to look forward to with spending the RM50 ePENJANA credit with Boost and working their way up to earn more Boost coins and rewards.

Boost would also like to remind users that:

Boost is available for download on Google Play, App Store or HUAWEI AppGallery. For more information, users can stay tuned by following Boost’s official social media channels on the official website visit their site.

Touch ‘n Go eWallet, with a strong network of over 11 million users and over 220,000 merchant acceptance points offers more rewards and holistic opportunities for Malaysians to maximise the RM50 ePENJANA claims from a wide selection of goods and services offered by its merchant partners from the biggest brands, SMEs and MSMEs in food and beverage, retail, groceries, fashion, entertainment, IT and more.

In addition, Malaysians who claim with Touch ‘n Go eWallet will be able to enjoy #lebihbanyakekstra value with irresistible add-on vouchers from the most popular merchants nationwide, amounting to more than  RM300 in value! Further, Touch ‘n Go eWallet is the only eWallet that enables Malaysians to use their RM50 ePENJANA claims to pay for toll fares and purchase TNG RFID Tags via the eWallet.

Malaysians above 18 years old earning an annual income of less than RM100,000 can claim RM50 ePENJANA in the form of e-wallet credit. Claims can be made and used for any transactions at over 220,000 merchant partners of Touch ‘n Go eWallet till 30 September 2020.

Touch ‘n Go eWallet app is available for download on the Apple App Store,  Google Play Store and HUAWEI AppGallery respectively.

For more information, please visit:their site.

Tune Protect Group Berhad (‘Tune Protect’ or ‘the Group’; TUNEPRO, 5230) posted a Profit After Tax (“PAT”) of RM18.8 million with Operating Revenue (“OR”) of RM100.9 million and Gross Written Premiums (“GWP”) of RM101.9 million for the second quarter of 2020 (“2Q2020”).

For the 2Q2020 ended 30 June 2020, the Group’s PAT rose 61.9% year-on-year (“YoY”), while the Group’s GWP and OR declined by 18.6% YoY and 18.9% YoY, respectively.

The higher 2Q2020 PAT was mainly contributed by the Group’s Malaysian General Insurance subsidiary, Tune Protect Malaysia (“TPM”), which benefited from a decrease in net claims, management expenses, as well as an increase in unrealised investment gain.

Meanwhile, the lower GWP and OR in 2Q2020 was mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in the decrease in Travel business.

For the first half ended 30 June 2020 (“1H2020”), the Group recorded a PAT of RM21.5 million, while OR and GWP was at RM223.3 million and RM215.0 million, respectively.

TPM recorded a PAT of RM17.0 million during the 2Q2020, an increase of more than 100% YoY against 2Q2019. However, TPM registered a GWP of RM100.7 million, a decline of 6.3% YoY.

The higher PAT by TPM in 2Q2020 was a factor of lower net claims incurred as the current year loss ratio improved YoY compared to 2019, lower management expenses, as well as unrealised investment gain. Meanwhile, the decline in GWP was largely due to the decrease in its Travel and Motor segments, but this was offset by an increase in the other business classes.

Although TPM recorded a decline in GWP for 2Q2020, its GWP Motor mix is contained below 35% which is aligned with the strategy for FY2020.

TPR, the reinsurance subsidiary of the Group recorded a PAT of RM1.6 million during the 2Q2020, a decline of 82.8% YoY. Meanwhile, its 2Q2020 GWP registered a decline of 94.6% YoY to RM1.3 million.

The lower PAT was mainly due to a decrease in GWP and net earned premiums of travel business as a result of restriction to air travels domestically and internationally due to the COVID-19 situation. However, the decline in net earned premiums were offset by lower net commission expenses, net claims incurred, and management expenses.

The Group’s Overseas Ventures, Tune Protect Thailand (“TPT”) and Tune Protect EMEIA (“TP EMEIA”) registered lower share of profits at RM0.8 million, a decline of 43.5% YoY amid decline in travel demands in 2Q2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The weaker topline and unrealised loss on investment led to a lower profitability for TPT, whilst the decline in the Travel business from AirArabia and business-to-business (B2B) segments weighed on TP EMEIA’s profitability.

Into the new normal, the Group is aware that a key to their business sustainability is to diversify. In this regard, the Group is focusing on business expansion, diversification and other opportunities to drive growth. The Group has established partnerships with strategic insurance providers and business partners, namely in Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia to expand in the ecommerce sphere and on retail products and takaful offerings. In Vietnam, the Group has partnered Baoviet Insurance Corporation and a leading e-wallet provider to offer insurance products via their e-platform.

In related news, the Tune Protect Group Berhad is accelerating its diversification plan across products, partners and channels, and will be focusing on more lifestyle and on-demand solutions that address the new needs of consumers in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Company will also be seeking additional partnerships in ASEAN, particularly in Vietnam and Indonesia, as well as the Middle East to ease the impact of the pandemic on the general insurance and reinsurance business. The Company’s overall revenue has been affected, especially in the travel protection business with the closure of international borders and airlines temporarily hibernating their fleet.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected almost every country around the world and disrupted the global economy, with the travel sector being one of the hardest hit. Various economic reports projected global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to be between -5.2% to -4.9% and the Malaysian economy to be between -3.8% to +0.5% for 2020.

However, as the pandemic moves into its recovery phase and domestic travel begins taking flight, the Company has rolled out differentiated products including COVID-19 coverage in Malaysia and Thailand as well as in several business-to-business (B2B) markets within the Middle East.

With a focus on ASEAN and the Middle East, the Company, along with its subsidiaries and Overseas Ventures (collectively known as the “Group”) seek to diversify its geographical reach, product offerings and delivery channels to better tap into the new opportunities arising from the pandemic.

Several countries – the United Arab Emirates and Oman – have responded quickly to the pandemic by taking the lead to make travel and/or health insurance mandatory for all inbound passengers. The Group is following up closely on this new development while actively engaging with preferred partners to evaluate these new opportunities.

The Group is also working on diversifying its channels and platforms to reach more customers and to take advantage of the shift in offline to online consumer spending behaviour. Currently, the Group has already established affinity and digital partnerships that leverage digital platforms such as community application, e-commerce, loyalty management and e-wallet. In 2019, the Company secured strategic partnerships in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.

Recently, the Company enhanced Pay-As-You-Drive (PAYD), an opt-in feature to the company’s motor insurance that rewards customers with rebates up to 20% of their insurance premium for driving less to benefit a wider vehicle owners’ segment as many would have embraced the working-from-home lifestyle.

Soon, the Company will be launching its mobile application with buy and claims functions to provide consumers with the Company’s online products through their mobile devices anytime, anywhere. In addition to a revamped Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) website that focuses on consumer experience, customers can now look forward to a refreshed user interface, simpler customer registration, easy browsing, buying and claims submissions, and more through this mobile application.

The Group experienced lower revenue in the travel segment during 2Q 2020 as air travel contracted sharply. However, the Group has seen a partial recovery in May and June 2020, thanks to the reopening of domestic travel. With the gradual reopening of international borders anticipated in the second half of 2020, the Group expects a recovery in its Travel business.

The Malaysian general insurance and takaful sector is expected to be stable in 2020 underpinned by robust capitalisation to cushion any volatility of the financial markets[1], and consumers are expected to continue prioritising personal, health and wellness protection. In the non-travel segments, the Group experienced minimal impact from the pandemic with a moderate improvement in claims ratio in 2Q2020. The Group looks forward to seeing positive results from its diversification efforts to integrate into various partnership platforms in the second half of this year.

The Group recorded a 10.6% decline in its Gross Written Premiums (GWP) and a 9.7% increase in Profit After Tax (PAT) for the financial year ended December 2019. For the 1H2020, the Group announced profit after tax (PAT) of RM21.5 million, representing a 32.1% decrease due to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, but partly mitigated by the recovery initiatives. Operating revenue decreased from RM251.1 million to RM223.3 million due to lower premiums recorde

In its Corporate Sustainability efforts, the Company strives to create sustainable value for its shareholders, employees, customers, agents and the community at large in line with SDG 8: Decent Work & Economic Growth.

At the Company’s 9th AGM, all nine resolutions have been passed by shareholders.

For more information about Tune Protect and to view the Company’s 2019 Annual Report, please visit the official website.

Online security tops the charts as the most important factor for millennials looking to find their ‘Digital Comfort Zones’ at home, despite the fact that over a third of them (37%) think they’re boring to be the victim of cybercrime, a new study by Kaspersky shows.

Kaspersky’s latest global report, More Connected Than Ever Before: How We Build Our Digital Comfort Zones, explores how we are changing our habits to ensure we are comfortable with the role of technology in our lives. Although millennials intend to tighten up their online security, their actions tell a different story.

With many millennials thinking they’re too boring for cybercriminals, 36% say that they nevertheless should be doing more to strengthen their digital security, but it drops to the bottom of their to-do list.

As the ‘new normal’ has forced many to work from home, the home is becoming a technological hub for millennials. They are now spending nearly two (1.8) extra hours online everyday compared to the start of the year – bringing their daily average up to 7.1 hours a day. Almost half (49%) say this increased time online has made them more aware of their digital security. Millennials are spending most of their time on social media, but almost two thirds (61%) say that the rise of online dating from home is a particular concern for their digital security.

To address these concerns, almost half (52%) of millennials now say that they only run trustworthy apps on their devices from official stores such as Apple Store and Google Play, and 49% run regular anti-virus scans on each of their devices to protect themselves. However, a mischievous streak also appears in 13% of millennials, who admitted to using their neighbors’ Wi-Fi in the past without them knowing.

More findings from Kaspersky’s recent report: More Connected Than Ever Before: How We Build Our Digital Comfort Zones, are available by the following link.

In related news, Speedrunner Xiae has broken the Doom Eternal world record at Break The Record: LIVE. The winner finished the game in one hour, eight minutes and 52 seconds, beating the previous record by just 48 seconds.

The open competition, watched by 196,000 unique viewers, was co-developed by ESA and Kaspersky’s creative agency Beta Alliance. The seven best DOOM Eternal speedrunners in the world faced off, competing for an $8,000 prize pool.

Parents and caretakers, We know this isn’t the easiest time for you. You’re juggling work, life, kids and the state of the world today. The struggle is real for you and all families around the world. I’m there as well, with two young sons of my own at home, asking me for some extra screen-time, even as I type this. It is increasingly difficult as a parent to choose the right content and how much of it is for our kids. That’s why we want to help you with a library of high quality full-length movies and specials that will enrich as well as entertain your children, and that you can enjoy along with them.

YouTube Kids is a platform of choice for many of you, and with the extended time being spent at home it has become even more helpful for families. While some schools are back to physical in-class instruction, others remain virtual. We want to help you keep your kids engaged, enriched and entertained ‘After School’ because as a parent I can understand how difficult a task that can often be. Therefore starting today, until August 31st, we will release over 100 movies and specials on YouTube Kids, ensuring that your kids have a memorable ‘After School’ experience.

From popular family movies and specials featuring Tayo the Little Bus, Baby Shark and Pinkfong, The Wiggles, Masha And The Bear, Oggy & the Cockroaches and Paddington, to a collection of the best animated short films anchored by Oscar-winning short film Hair Love, and a wide variety of educational specials including Sesame Street’s Elmo’s World News, produced in collaboration with the Lego Foundation, and selections from BBC Studios’ hit series, Hey Duggee. Every Monday starting today, for the next five weeks, we will surface these excellent movies and specials in the app's “Shows” category, as individual videos, as well as playlists.

As part of this initiative, we will premiere Spookiz, a new movie produced by South Korean studio Keyring Studios, in collaboration with WildBrain, exclusively on YouTube Kids. Moreover, we will also offer special YouTube Original content, including Disney's complete series Shook and two Simon's Cat specials courtesy of Endemol Shine, for kids ages six and up.

We also have a wide variety of YouTube Originals available on YouTube Originals for Kids & Family Channel and YouTube Kids, including Sherwood for kids age eight and older, Kings of Atlantis and Fruit Ninja Frenzy Force for ages five and up, and current favorite for many kids and tweens across the world -- Lockdown, suitable for ages five and up.

That’s not all, you could create a movie watching experience for your kids at home by making their favourite flavored popcorn, movie night kits, setting ambient lighting, tweaking those sound settings, and don't forget to introduce them to the movie characters ahead of the movie. One interesting activity I love doing with my kids is to get them to produce their own movie review or create their own story based on the movie we just watched together. It's a great way to help them learn and improve their writing and communication skills. Check out this great video in YouTube Kids to teach your children how to craft their own stories today.

In addition, we are continuing to feature evergreen monthly themes on YouTube Kids, including our Month of Reading with a focus on diversity and inclusion, and read-alongs featuring Oprah Winfrey, Oscar Award winning actor Rami Malek and James Bond actress Michelle Yeoh from StorylineOnline. Moreover, just last month we announced Camp YouTube: a digital learning experience to help parents recreate the fun of summer camp at home. Camp YouTube spotlights content on the [email protected] site and YouTube Kids across beloved summer camp themes, such as arts, adventure, sports, STEM, and more. With over 1,200 videos programmed, we want to take kids on a virtual journey of learning and exploration. Families can discover how to make a tide pool aquarium in their backyard with Brave Wilderness, make art with household items while learning art history with the ArtistYear, or learn coding with Goldieblox.

YouTube Kids app was built keeping in mind kids below the age of 13 years. It's a family-friendly place for kids to explore their imagination and curiosity. The app empowers parents to control what YouTube content their child can see, including the option to only allow content from trusted partners like Sesame Street, ChuChu TV, Bounce Patrol and PBS Kids, or hand pick other videos and channels to create a curated playlist for their kids.

We know this time of the year may be a bit different for a lot of us. However, with the help of our partners and creators, we hope you and your families can experience a great time right from your homes.

By Don Anderson, Head of Family & Learning Partnerships, YouTube APAC

After launching bank transfers to Australia and Vietnam in June, BigPay users can now send money to China. Users will be able to send money using their recipient’s Alipay ID and full name. This brings the number of countries available on the app to 10 - together with Australia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

This is the company’s latest move in offering a low-cost, transparent and accessible way of transferring money abroad. Financial inclusion is a cornerstone of BigPay’s strategy and opening up these new corridors plays a key role in further democratising the movement of money across the region.

Viu shows a 42% growth in consumption as per the latest MPA AMPD report backed by popular pan-regional content in Asia. While streaming minutes in the region grew by19% in Q2 2020, consumption on Viu's growth has more than doubled the industry average growth. Viu is ranked number 2 amongst all global and local OTT platforms in SEA* excluding YouTube in total video minutes streamed in the quarter. A selection of relevant charts can be found here.

Viu also unveils major Korean content agreements that reinforce its content proposition with a continual lead on volume deals with five Korean broadcasters. Viu also highlights the popularity of recent Viu Originals, including Pretty Little Liars, My Bubble Tea and Black.

Not only that, staying true to providing the latest and freshest content from across Asia, Viu has also acquired exclusive OTT rights from Fuji TV to bring 12 iconic Takuya Kimura titles, including Long Vacation, Love Generation, and the Hero series to Viu-ers.

Over the past weekend, the VALORANT SEA Invitational successfully concluded, which saw 6 teams battle it out for a US $10,000 total prize pool. The game also saw the introduction of the latest skin line, the Elderflame series.

Team Tempest from Taiwan, emerged as the victors of the showmatch, winning a total of US$3,200. Each Team Tempest member will also be receiving a customised rig powered by Intel 10th Gen Gaming CPUs (Core i7-10700K).

Team Tempest, consisting of Hehe, Crazyface, Xargon, KMoMo and Zonda, defeated Thailand’s Team Titanium in the finals for a match score of 2-0.

As finalists, Team Titanium received a total of US$2,000 in prize money, while Teams Spectre, Marshal, Panorama and Incinerate each walked away with a total of US$1,200.Check out the video here.

Sharp Electronics (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (SHARP) sees great opportunity for its technology and solutions to aid the nation’s recovery. Evolving with present day needs, SHARP is determined to help users, in businesses, classrooms, and households, to embrace the new normal through an ecosystem of solutions, debuted at the SHARP Virtual Dealer Convention recently. Injecting excitement into the market, SHARP unveiled its new Remote Life concept as a highlight of the virtual convention, focusing on seamless communication and safety of users. The concept comprises three solutions for three key areas namely, Remote Meeting for businesses, SHARP Remote Education Systems for classrooms and Remote Lifestyle for the general user or household to operate effectively and safely in the new normal. To support the recovery of businesses within its dealer network, SHARP also took the opportunity to introduce its new e-commerce platform, eSHARP, at the virtual convention. Setting itself apart, SHARP developed eSHARP to drive revenue back to dealers. In view of the current social economic environment, SHARP understands the consumer’s need for affordability alongside quality solutions. The consumer electronics solutions giant announced at the virtual convention its plans to debut a new *product line-up including its signature BIG AQUOS TV range and home appliances this year. Determined to grow its market share, SHARP also highlighted its partnership with BACFREE® to introduce water products. The partnership will complement SHARP’s ‘Air of Confidence’ Solutions comprising of Air Purifiers, Air Conditioners and Air Cooler products fitted with Plasmacluster technology.

Carsome has entered into a partnership with CIMB Bank Berhad (CIMB) to provide a co-developed inventory financing solution to used car dealers, directly reducing processing time and minimizing physical documentation via Carsome’s online platform in Malaysia.

The collaboration, a first-in-market between a bank and an online used car trading platform, is expected to drive inventory volume for dealers, subsequently increasing market demand within the used car industry.

Thanks for reading TechNavers and TechNave NewsByters. As always, stay tuned to TechNave.com and if you think your brand or PR should be in our latest issue of TechNave NewsBytes 2020, let us know.


TechNave NewsBytes 2020 #2 - About 5G, MLBB, GrabPay e-Tunai and more

Following up for 2020 this year, Digi showed off their 5G tech, Mobile Legends Bang Bang Professional League Season 5 teams got confirmed and GrabPay weighed in on their e-Tunai eWallet. There’s also a number of CES awards for LG and HONOR while MoUs got signed and more. Check it out below.

Digi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd (Digi) recently hosted Malaysia’s Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad at Digi’s 5GDP showcase in Langkawi. The Prime Minister witnessed a live demonstration of 5G-powered real-time medical data transfer between paramedics inside Malaysia’s first 5G connected ambulance and doctors at the Hospital Sultanah Maliha Langkawi.

The continuous streaming of patient data from when the paramedics arrive on an emergency scene, right up to delivering the patient at the hospital will create improved patient care experiences and better life-enhancing outcomes for patients.

Gigabytes of medical data can now be transferred at super speed to multiple devices during emergencies. This is a key development in enabling remote healthcare monitoring and diagnosis. It also means that healthcare can be accessed by all, even those in hard-to-reach areas.

This showcase, done in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Collaborative Research In Engineering, Science & Technology (CREST), and ZTE, is part of Digi’s use case in the 5G Demonstration Project (5GDP), undertaken by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to facilitate, develop and foster 5G use cases in a live but controlled environment.

The directly invited teams to the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League Season 5 Malaysia and Singapore have been confirmed by Moonton. By retaining at least 50% of their roster, these teams have gained direct entry into the Regular Season of the tournament:

With four (4) Malaysian teams and one (1) Singaporean team gaining direct entry into Season 5’s Regular Season, the upcoming qualifiers will determine two (2) qualifying teams from Malaysia and three (3) qualifying teams from Singapore. The Malaysian qualifiers will take place on 7-9 February, while the Singaporean qualifiers will be on 15-16 February.

SOCAR now offers their One-Way Intercity service. The One-Way Intercity service allows users to book one-way reservations to / from Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor Bahru without any additional one-way fees.

To book, just open your SOCAR app to see the locations of the available pick-up and drop-off zones, indicated by the ‘Intercity’ pins. Select your preferred pick-up and drop-off zones for your trip to secure your booking, and you’re ready to roll. The intercity zones include Bangsar in Kuala Lumpur, Bayan Lepas in Penang and Ah Yit in Johor Bahru.

LG Electronics (LG) took home the most awards ever from industry experts at CES® – more than 150 honors this year, led by the Best TV of CES Award for the sixth consecutive year. The Best of CES Awards  (the official CES awards program run by Engadget on behalf of the Consumer Technology Association) singled out the LG CX series OLED TVs as the cream of the crop from the literally thousands of new TVs shown at CES.

Its industry-leading LG OLED TVs won 83 awards and honors from a wide range of industry experts. The cutting-edge LG SIGNATURE OLED TV RX (model 65RX) “rollable TV” was honored by the Consumer Technology Association with the CES Best of Innovation Award in the Video Displays category. The LG SIGNATURE OLED ZX 8K TV was honored as the CTA Mark of Excellence Video Display Product of the Year. LG’s NEXTGEN OLED TVs powered by ATSC 3.0 received two dozen awards.

Top awards earned by LG at CES 2020 include:

With Grab’s e-Tunai Rakyat campaign, “Siapa Cepat, Banyak Dapat”, each successful registration will automatically receive RM30 and enjoy 100x more in value, with vouchers and discounts worth up to RM3,000.

To date, 1 in 3 of their daily active users have registered for the e-Tunai Rakyat initiative, and their first tier have been redeemed completely.

Carousell, have launched Carousell Protection, a new trusted escrow solution, to provide assurance to buyers and sellers. With Carousell Protection, buyers are now able to pay directly within the app to purchase an item. Money will only be released to the seller upon confirmation from the buyer that the item received is the same as listed, allowing buyers to transact with greater peace of mind.

At the same time, sellers can also deal more confidently on the marketplace by enabling Carousell Protection on their listings, as it ensures buyer commitment. The payment transparency provided by Carousell Protection will enable the marketplace to manage dispute resolution between parties, should an issue arise.

At launch, Carousell Protection will be available for the Fashion and Health & Beauty category, which is one of Carousell’s most popular and fastest-moving categories. Carousell Protection will gradually be rolled out to more shippable categories in 2020.

ViewSonic International Malaysia have ranked Top Three Best Selling brands in Malaysia with their ViewSonic Projectors since October 2018 for four consecutive quarters according to the Future Source Report.

The LED segment saw ViewSonic achieving over 60% market share through-out the first half of 2019.

TikTok have announced a partnership with iflix, to bring short-form videos from a variety of categories to audiences in 13 countries across SEA. This collaboration sees the most memorable TikTok moments featured on iflix Snacks, iflix’s category for short-form content, and enables iflix users to enjoy the best TikTok videos from various exciting categories including travel, comedy, pets, sports, and lifestyle, with more diverse content coming soon.

Catch all of your favourite TikTok videos by creators from all over the world on iflix Snacks today!

Celcom Axiata Berhad (Celcom) and Alliance Bank Malaysia Berhad (Alliance Bank) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreement, with the objective of collaborating in helping SME owners grow and manage their businesses better with a combination of connectivity and banking solutions.

One such service is the recently launched Celcom Business Suite™ for Retail, powered by the Alliance SME Express Financing package that is adapted to the needs of retailers. It provides businesses with mobile and data connectivity, payment acceptance, and a customer engagement platform. Businesses can obtain easier, faster financing from the bank without the need for collateral. Customers taking up the package will enjoy better pricing value on their telco plan, and preferential rates from the bank.

The MoU was signed by Idham Nawawi, Chief Executive Officer of Celcom Axiata Berhad, and Joel Kornreich, Group Chief Executive Officer of Alliance Bank while witnessed by Azlan Zainal Abidin, Chief Enterprise Business Officer, Celcom Axiata Berhad, and Dr. Aaron Sum Wei Wern, Group Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer, Alliance Bank, at Celcom’s headquarters in Petaling Jaya Sentral namely, @celcom.

With the collaboration, Celcom and Alliance Bank will organise seminars and get together sessions with industry players and business owners to discuss relevant topics such as e-commerce and digital marketing. Business owners will also have access to Alliance’s BizHub portal that provides exclusive offers for business solutions.

Supplycart has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Xero Platinum partner, YYC Group to collaborate in helping corporates and SMEs digitally transform their business.  The two companies bring added value with their e-Procurement and accounting services by enabling them to digitalise the operational side of a business.

Supplycart e-Procurement through their platform ADAM helps analyse, digitalise, automate and manage the way companies source, manage and pay for their business needs. ADAM allows multiple users to experience a consumer-like shopping experience while still adhering to internal compliances with PO control features and approval flows. With its analytics feature, businesses can improve spend transparency and make informed data-driven decisions on optimising savings.

The MoU will see Supplycart collaborating with YYC whose accounting service similarly allows their clients to manage and track their expenses from one platform in real-time. The partnership between these two businesses allows for digitalisation to take place for the operational areas of a business namely procurement and accounting.

Global technology brand HONOR recently announced a slate of award wins at CES 2020 by international media and organization, testament to its best in class products, solid business performance, cutting-edge technologies and international brand recognition.

The HONOR MagicWatch 2, the brand’s second-generation smart and health assistant with a 14-day battery life, has been awarded Best of CES 2020 by international top-tier media outlets Android Headlines, PocketNow and Ubergizmo. The HONOR Band 5 Sport, an all-in-one fitness tracker, has also been awarded a CES 2020 Spotlight Award by Android Authority as one of the top picks at CES this year.

So, that's it for TechNave NewsBytes 2020 #2. Hopefully we'll be getting more interesting stuff happening in Malaysia's tech scene so if you're interested in having your relevant tech news featured here, let us know. For now, stay tuned to TechNave.com


TechNave NewsBytes 2020 #20 - Huawei, Samsung, Celcom Xpax, Maxis, Digi, Lenovo, AMD and more with a Special: Xiaomi Celebrates 10 Years: From 10 to Infinity

Welcome back TechNavers and NewsByters, in this issue of TechNave NewsBytes 2020 #20, HUAWEI rises to 49 on the 2020 Fortune Global 500 Ranking, the Huawei Developer Webinar revealed more E-commerce solutions and Huawei collaborated with Infosyte to cultivate AI Talent with Ascend Technology.

Samsung offered a closer look at their biggest hits and highlights of the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2020, while realme released their H1 2020 results. Celcom Xpax teamed up with Snap and MDEC for 3-months FREE unlimited Snapchat access, while for Maxis, Team Secret became the top Malaysian team for the PUBG Mobile World League East 2020 Finals. Digi introduced their Best-In-Value Go Digital Bundles for MSMEs while Lenovo announced their ThinkBook Plus dual-screen laptop along with their Education solutions for hybrid learning.

AMD announced new Radeon Pro Enterprise Drivers, their impact in Horizon Zero Dawn and AMD’s Q2 2020 x86 Market Share report. In addition, new AMD Radeon Pro 5000 Series GPUs are now available for updated 27-inch iMacs. The Special this episode is a speech by Xiaomi about 10 years to infinity.

HUAWEI has ranked 49th on the Fortune Global 500 list in 2020. This is the first time that the telecommunications giant breaks into the top 50, continuing a multi-year track record of acceleration.

“HUAWEI’s net profit rose 5.6% in 2019, and revenue grew a further 13.1% year-on-year in the first half of 2020, despite the company’s persistent geopolitical entanglements,” said the Fortune report.

The Fortune 500 list ranks companies according to their revenue and profit, focusing on the size of the companies compared with other lists. The Fortune 500 rankings have become an important indicator that renowned companies use to measure their own strengths, size and international competitiveness, a parameter of global economy that transcends beyond borders, nationality, and cultural differences.

Earlier this year, HUAWEI has ranked No. 6 in Boston Consulting Group’s list of the 50 Most Innovative Companies in 2020, moved up by 42 places than last year, which was the highest ranking for the tech giant since it first made the list in 2012.

The Huawei Developer Webinar recently unveiled an enhanced live e-commerce solution. With global e-commerce sales increasing from $2.39 trillion in 2018 to $3.46 trillion in 2019 , and as more retailers and consumers look to online streaming to sell and buy, live e-commerce is expected to represent a larger chunk of the retail sector. Huawei’s innovative solution is designed to help developers unlock more opportunities in the rapidly growing e-commerce industry and enabling retailers to host superior live streaming experiences: easier, faster, and more immersive.

In this advanced live streaming solution, Huawei’s device virtualization kit enables camera devices to become the extra camera of the smartphone and allows easy switching between cameras with one click on the host’s phone. Products can be displayed from multiple angles and in engaging ways. The technology is cost efficient and can be easily operated from a single device.

The solution also integrates HUAWEI HiAI to enhance the e-commerce live streaming experience by enabling scenario-based sales. With real-time backdrop processing, digital backdrop replacements are made possible according to different scenarios, providing audience with natural and intuitive product demonstrations.

With Huawei’s AR capabilities integrated in live streaming, products can be displayed in an even clearer way: for example, the internal structure of smartphones can be displayed to demonstrate the detailed design and craftsmanship.

On top of that, considering the interruption brought by frame freezing could be really annoying during live streaming, Huawei’s enhanced 5G and Wi-Fi capabilities can reduce latency and increase download speed to ensure a more reliable and faster live streaming experience.

These technologies combine to make e-commerce live streaming more feasible, advanced, and professional for everyday users.

The online webinar unveiled the “Pilot Collaboration Program” that is designed to support developers who are keen to build more advanced live streaming solutions. Huawei will fund five global partners and help them to unlock more business opportunities in e-commerce live streaming with  innovative HMS Core.

The event is the latest part of Huawei’s commitment in creating an ecosystem that enables developers to open new doors and allows Huawei consumers and AppGallery users to unlock more innovative and unique experiences.

Huawei Technologies (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. (Huawei) and Infosyte Sdn. Bhd. (Infostye), a homegrown ICT company have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) as part of its Huawei Ascend AI Talent Cultivation program. The partnership strengthens the program’s mission to build an innovative and sustainable Artificial Intelligence (AI) ecosystem that enables a culture of digitalization and intelligent transformation in the Asia Pacific region.

Based on the agreement, Huawei will be delivering training and technical assistance for Infosyte leveraging on its Huawei Ascend product series namely Atlas 200 Developer Kits, Atlas 500, Mindspore and others. To support these trainings, Huawei will be providing customized educational content such as product overviews, courseware, instruction leaflets, teaching videos, development samples, and case studies. Furthermore, Infosyte will be given the Ascend AI model and its case application and demonstration, as well as, be granted authorization to distribute HCIA-AI (Huawei Certified ICT Associate – Artificial Intelligence) examination trainer certificate. These commitments are meant to help Infosyte to construct effective AI theoretical and practical courses design for its customers.

Following the partnership, Infosyte will be considered priority for further opportunities with Ascend developer trainings, workshops, competitions, and other similar talent development activities. The ICT company has been working closely with Huawei for years to ensure that their training and projects are according to the highest standards and deliver the best results for their customers in Asia Pacific.

While we’ve covered the big recent Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2020, if you’re interested in seeing what Samsung thought was interesting check out their site. Find out what they thought about the 5 devices unveiled there or focus on the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 series.

realme, recently released its H1 2020 figures and statistics. realme reported an 11% growth in Q2 2020, the only major brand to have registered a double-digit positive figure and has been named the fastest growing smartphone brand in the world for four consecutive quarters by Counterpoint. In Q1, Counterpoint also reported that realme was one of the only two brands to have registered positive growth with 157% YoY.

Based on the latest user numbers, realme has added 15M users in the first half of the year. realme reported that it is now a TOP 4 smartphone brand in Thailand, India, Cambodia and Egypt, and also achieved TOP 5 in Myanmar, Philippines, Ukraine, Indonesia and Vietnam, according to Counterpoint Research and IDC.

realme has focused on promoting 5G products in its retail markets, beginning with the X50 Pro 5G. realme has launched the first 5G-capable flagship phone in India, as well as Thailand's first 5G phone. The company has also launched Cambodia's first 5G phone under USD1,000.

In 2020, realme has implemented a 'Smartphone + AIoT' dual-driven strategy. In spite of a challenging economic environment, realme has successfully met targets laid out in this initiative. realme is on track to launch over 50 AIoT products in 2020 and over 100 the following year. In Q1 2020, despite realme being a new entrant into the smart personal audio market in India, it has secured a third place in terms of market share, according to a report by Canalys, a research firm.

realme defines its AIoT strategy as a "1+4+N" initiative, which refers to one core product (smartphones), complemented by four major groups of lifestyle devices (speakers, earphones, TVs and watches) which is in turn supported by "N" types of smart accessories.

realme's CEO, Mr Li Bingzhong, issued the following comments:

realme's products have also made waves in the design world. In 2020, realme's Design Studio have collaborated with world-renowned designers Naoto Fukasawa and Jose Levy, of Hermes fame to produce trendsetting realme products. In addition, realme has won the prestigious Red Dot Design Award for its X2 Pro Master, issuing a strong challenge to incumbent brands. realme has pioneered innovations not only in design but also in technology, most notably when it launched the world’s first 125W fast charging technology.

The evolving trends of the Internet continue to grow beyond the expectations of consumers and has never stopped, even throughout the Movement Control Order (MCO). Today, Malaysian youths are more engaged with multimedia messaging apps that engages their expression for creativity and indulgence with entertainment, creating more digital content every day.

In conjunction with the recent International Youth Day, Celcom Xpax is partnering with Snap and the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) as part of today’s celebrations to provide Malaysian youth with greater access to the digital world and embrace fun digital lifestyles.

Celcom Xpax offers all new and existing Celcom Xpax customers FREE unlimited access to Snapchat for 3 months. Until 16 September 2020, Celcom Xpax customers can simply log on to the Celcom Life App and redeem their free 3-month Snapchat access. During this time, Celcom Xpax customers will be able to enjoy the magic of Snapchat and be free to express themselves, sharing moments with friends and family without worrying about using up their data.

Furthermore, in support to spread the importance of practicing social distancing and wearing face masks in public, Celcom Xpax customers will be able to enjoy specially designed and created Snapchat filter and AR Lens that will be made available soon, for the upcoming Merdeka and Malaysia Day celebrations.

Celcom Xpax’s Snapchat campaign is also aligned with MDEC’s youth empowerment initiative that aims to provide youths today with seamless and instant access to digital ecosystems. MDEC also aims to drive digital innovation by cultivating the ability for Malaysian youths to quickly adapt and be prepared for the digital future ahead.

For more information, visit their site. For more information about Lens Studio, please visit their site.

Recently, Maxis-sponsored Team Secret PUBG Mobile (PUBGM) Malaysia became the top Malaysian team to qualify for the PUBG Mobile World League (PMWL) East 2020 Finals.

After a 3-week battle on the popular eSports stage, the team proved themselves as comeback kings by qualifying for the world-class event against 19 other teams across Asia. The team finished in fifth place in the League Play series and will proudly fly the Malaysian flag in the East Grand Finals this 6 - 9 August.

Maxis has been proud sponsors of Team Secret PUBG Mobile Malaysia after a partnership was signed between both parties in July last year. Leveraging Maxis capabilities as Malaysia’s No.1 Network and Team Secret, the world-renowned pro gaming organisation, both parties have been working together to produce exclusive and world-class gaming content to cultivate more Malaysian gamers to take on the world stage.

Over the past year, both Maxis and Hotlink have launched propositions for a superior gaming experience, including better Home WiFi experience with Maxis Fibre, the latest gaming smartphone bundles with Maxis Zerolution, and a truly unlimited internet and calls prepaid plan with 10% cashback for in-game purchases via Operator Billing for Hotlink Prepaid Unlimited customers. To hype up the recent PUBGM preliminary rounds, Hotlink also organized an exclusive PUBGM Pro Scrim livestream session where Team Secret trained against other Top 16 PUBGM pro-teams across Asia as ‘practice’ sessions pre-tournament.

Team Secret strives to bring together the best players to compete on the world’s biggest stages, putting forth the most entertaining experiences for eSports fans worldwide. Show your support and follow their journey to be Malaysia’s first world champion in PUBGM. Stay tuned to Hotlink’s Facebook Page and Team Secret’s Facebook Page for more exciting updates.

Digi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd (Digi) recently launched three new Go Digital bundles, offering best-in-value digital marketing and e-commerce solutions, productivity tools, as well as internet connectivity plans that will help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) digitalise and grow their business, while enjoying savings of up to 70%.

Designed to meet the different needs of MSMEs, be it for Essentials, Productivity or Growth, the bundles feature digital solutions such as altHR, Omni Hotline, Avana Facebook Commerce, Microsoft 365 Business Basic Pack, and targeted SMS broadcast, as well as mobile data plans for internet connectivity, equipping MSMEs for the ‘new normal’ of working and managing business operations.

Additionally, with the highest-in-market discounts of up to 70%, the bundles are priced to suit MSMEs’ affordability, at a time when businesses are under cost pressure to sustain and grow.

This is also in line with the PENJANA (Pelan Jana Semula Ekonomi Negara, or Short-Term Economic Recovery Plan) initiatives, introduced by the government to help propel the nation’s economic growth. As MSMEs forms 98.5% of business establishments in Malaysia , under PENJANA, the government aims to drive digital adoption among MSMEs by providing the SME Digitalisation Grant.

The new Digi Business Go Digital bundles come in three different packages: Essentials Bundle, Productivity Bundle and Growth Bundle, which contain digital solutions for remote working, workforce management, e-commerce, and online marketing and sales, enabling MSMEs to maximise productivity and grow their business, at a fraction of the cost.

Furthermore, with Digi recognised as a Technology Solutions Provider (TSP) under PENJANA’s SME Digitalisation Grant, subscribing to the digital solutions qualifies MSMEs for the grant subsidy. This is on top of the discounted price offered by Digi as part of the bundle promo, translating to huge total savings of up to 70% and maximum value for businesses.

Digi is simplifying the grant application for MSMEs by managing the process end-to-end. Basically, MSMEs just need to sign up for the Go Digital bundles, submit all the necessary documents to Digi for verification on grant eligibility, and upon approval, Digi will complete all the relevant registration and onboard businesses on the various digital solutions. Businesses will then get billed every month only on the final amount after deducting the grant subsidy and discounts.

Previously, businesses would have to go through several steps and deal with different parties – from getting invoices from multiple providers for subscribing to the digital solutions, submitting the invoices on their own to BSN to apply for the grant, to waiting for approvals and then going back to each provider to validate the application and registration before enjoying the subsidies.

The simplified, hassle-free process by Digi brings improved cash flow management and work efficiency for businesses, and at the same time, help them focus on what matters most, that is to grow their business. The new Digi Business Go Digital Bundles are available now. For more information on the bundles or to sign up for one, visit their site.

Lenovo Malaysia recently introduced the ThinkBook Plus, the latest ThinkBook designed for the next generation workforce. While stocks last, customers who purchase ThinkBook Plus on Lenovo Malaysia Official Website can “top-up” and buy the ThinkBook Urban Backpack and ThinkBook Wireless Media Mouse for only RM1!

ThinkBook Plus features an innovative e-Ink cover display that helps users be more productive when multitasking by improving focus, collaboration and creativity. Featuring a 13.3-inch FHD main display and a 10.8-inch e-Ink display on the cover, users can sketch and take notes with the integrated Lenovo Precision Pen and receive essential notifications when the lid is closed, allowing them to stay focused during meetings. The e-Ink display is made from Corning Gorilla Glass NBT, a unique glass solution for touch-enabled notebooks that provides enhanced scratch resistance, and reduced scratch visibility.

Around 60% of today’s workforce is comprised of Gen Z and millennials , and while these digital natives are familiar with multitasking across devices, research  has proven that this may not be the most efficient way of working where employees can lose up to 2.1 hours per day due to time required to refocus on a task. Moreover, employees in Asia have also expressed interest in adopting new form factors into the workplace. Lenovo believes that with smarter technology, employees can enhance their focus and productivity, regardless of role and task.

The design innovation around ThinkBook Plus was based on customer insights and data relating to multitasking work practices. The device is a new kind of laptop designed help users fully maximise their multitasking efficiency:

Additionally, Lenovo provides flexible, expert technical support and service to the customers, allowing them to have direct access to skilled and experienced Lenovo technicians with Lenovo Premier Support. The warranty program is a comprehensive after-sale service that offers advanced hardware and software support extended from 9am – 8pm on-site services on weekdays. For more information, customers can reach out to their assigned Lenovo Sales Representative.

For more information about the ThinkBook series, visit their site.

Recently AMD added the AMD 3015e and 3020e Mobile Processors to the AMD mobile portfolio, providing a great entry-level laptop experience for web browsing, writing emails, creating documents and spreadsheets, and streaming HD entertainment. These processors are designed to power a broad education portfolio from our partners, starting with Lenovo with their 100e and 300e laptops announced today.

Built on award-winning AMD “Zen” core architecture combined with integrated AMD Radeon™ Graphics, the AMD 3015e and 3020e processors offer everyday PC users with snappy responsiveness, great battery life, immersive multimedia and HD gaming experience.

Recently, AMD released the latest version of its enterprise driver, Radeon Pro Software for Enterprise 20.Q3, providing professional graphics users with performance optimizations and a range of enhanced features for complex workflows, including intelligent power management and improved image quality.

The Radeon Pro Software for Enterprise 20.Q3 driver can be downloaded here.

In related news, Mercury Research recently released their Q2 2020 x86 CPU Market Share report and the strength of the AMD line-up is evident, gaining quarter over quarter and year over year in all key segments. The unit share info is as follows:

According to Mercury, AMD also gained QoQ in the x86 server market. AMD utilizes a server-specific TAM of roughly 20 million CPUs, based on IDC data. We will update our x86 server share once IDC Q2 2020 data is available.

Inspired by new and young entrepreneurs emerging due to the Covid-19 pandemic, BMW Malaysia commits to supporting emerging independent entrepreneurs in initiatives moving forward. The premium automaker discovered and followed several emerging entrepreneurs and businesses including Chunky, Super Secret Social, and Breakfirst by Amy – who the premium automaker collaborated with during the introduction of the All-New BMW M135i xDrive and New BMW X1 sDrive18i recently.

Discover the Dynamic Independent Spirit of the All-New BMW M135i and New BMW X1 sDrive18i and these inspiring individuals and entrepreneurship here or here.

The Kaspersky Q2 2020 DDoS attacks report has revealed that the number of DDoS attacks in the second quarter of 2020 increased three-fold in comparison to Q2 2019.

The figure is almost the same as the number of DDoS attacks in Q1 2020. Kaspersky experts believe the rise in malicious activity can be attributed to the impact of COVID-19, as both cybercriminals and their targets have had to reconsider their summer plans.

Recently, vivo’s sub-brand, iQOO has announced that it has officially become the top global partner of BMW M Motorsport. Being seen as one of the most anticipated devices, the iQOO series has come to be known as a strong performance-driven device. To spice up the iQOO series, it is reported that iQOO will release its iQOO 5 series BMW co-branded custom model on 17 August.

Adhering to its brand philosophy, iQOO has always been pursuing ultimate performance and experience. Since the birth of BMW M Series, iQOO 5 series has also been making continuous progress towards the goal of being able to produce exquisite and opulent products like BMW. Every aspect and detail of the product is trying to achieve the best in everything, making the development of iQOO 5 series become the incarnation of high performance. The letter "M" in “BMW” has also become synonymous with speed, performance, control, and elegance, signifying the performance of speed and passion is basically a matter of minutes.

As we approach Merdeka celebrations this month, Malaysian shoppers will be able to fully embrace solidarity with their fellow countrymen through the 'Buy Malaysia' and 'PENJANA Shop Malaysia Online' sales on Lazada. The two campaigns will run concurrently and are well-positioned to support local products and sellers, while also spurring the nation’s digital-led economic recovery.

From now until 31 December, the Buy Malaysia sale on Lazada, in partnership with MDTCA, will offer RM8 in Free Shipping vouchers, in addition to the amazing discounts of up to 70%, on products from popular local brands, including Bonia, Sembonia, [email protected], MyFishman, Rams Home Décor, and more. Get ready for a blast from the past with nostalgic Malaysian childhood snacks such as Apollo chocolate wafers and layer cakes, durian popcorn, ice gem biscuits, Lot 100 Sour+ gummies, potong ice-cream, and more.

From now until 30 September, the PENJANA Shop Malaysia Online sale, in partnership with MDEC, will provide Lazada Wallet users with immediate savings of up to RM29 in credit rebate (no minimum spend) and discount vouchers.

Astro’s new Ultra remote has won the prestigious 2020 Red Dot Award for Product Design in the “TV and Home Entertainment” category. The Ultra remote was chosen by a jury of 40 international experts for its impressive user-friendly button layout and logically arranged layout thus enabling the device to be operated comfortably.

The Ultra remote is part of Astro’s new Ultra Box with features that include 4K UHD, Cloud Recording and a new user interface that enables seamless content consumption across multi screens, improved content discovery with personalised recommendations, play from start functions and the ability to record multiple shows at the same time. More than 100,000 customers have installed the Ultra Box.

As part of its design, the surface of the Ultra remote consists of a combination of matte and gloss surface. Its characteristic feature is the splayed top, which reflects the Astro’s signature product styling. The buttons are made with premium hard plastic with metal dome membranes which provides instant feedback and precision clicking, thus improving the clicking experience.

Some future features of the remote include, a voice control function for content discovery and a find-me function to ensure that the remote remains easy to locate. The remote also works on a cloud-based TV database for the remote to be updated with the latest software to work with various TV brands in the market.

The remote was designed by ruwido exclusively for the Ultra Box, reflecting Astro’s brand and design. ruwido is an Austrian based company with the leading position in terms of design, technology and manufacturing of input devices and interaction mechanism.

Customers who would like to upgrade to the Ultra Box can call 03 7481 8000 or visit their site.

Epson, recently launched their first local, official e-Commerce store on Lazada on 15 August 2020. The omni-channel strategy marks the company’s new digital milestone in offering shopping convenience and ease of products accessibility to consumers. In time with the current predicaments, Epson’s move into e-Commerce will promote a contactless, safer shopping experience for all. Interested fans can head on to Lazada to search for “Epson Flagship Store” and follow the store – there will be discounts and vouchers up to 50% off on selected products, available for use on 15 Aug.

The official store houses over 120 product SKUs. This includes the full range of its award-winning EcoTank ink tank printers, selected entry level business inkjet printers, business projectors, home projectors, scanners, label printers and dot matrix printers. All purchases comes with original Epson warranty. Consumers can also purchase inks and consumables, selected product spare parts, and accessories such as printer maintenance box. These products will also be part of the one-day launch promotion campaign on 15 August – fans can ‘follow’ the store on their Lazada account to avoid missing out on deals and free gifts promotion.

For more information on Epson and its range of products, kindly visit their website.

Alvin Chong alongside Universal Music Malaysia will be premiering his upcoming single “Sayangku Salmah” in an early exclusive on TikTok, as part of the nation’s first music-artist showcase on the platform. This single will be available for fans to indulge on TikTok from today onwards, spanning across all mobile operating systems.

The release of “Sayangku Salmah” will be complemented with an official #sayangkusalmahchallenge for all to participate, courtesy of Alvin Chong, Universal Music Malaysia, and TikTok. The challenge on TikTok, which will begin on 14 August and last till 23 August, invites TikTokers to dance according to Alvin’s Choreography, or share their own rendition of it using the song “Sayangku Salmah”.

The RM35 million allocation that the government is channeling to the local digital creative content industry, via the National Economic Regeneration Plan (PENJANA), is expected to reinforce the continued growth for this sector. Called the PENJANA Dana Kandungan Digital (Digital Content Fund – PENJANA DKD), it will further expand and enhance two existing digital content programmes that the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) – an agency under the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia Malaysia (KKMM) – manages.

The PENJANA DKD will be used to enhance two specific initiatives, namely:

This initiative, a long-running programme that MDEC created, was designed to enable local talents to hone their creativity and ability in conceptualise new ideas for content. It also includes accelerating the development and commercialisation of these concepts. The end-goal is to increase the participation and capability of local talents in producing world-class digital content.

As an enhancement platform, PENJANA DC3+ will replace the previous DC3 structured programme with a concept that encourages the use of Malaysian themes. This includes adaptations of local stories, historical folklore, or making the setting identifiable as Malaysian. The PENJANA DC3+ programme also places more emphasis on works that are commercial in nature, containing a strong social message, or a combination of these elements in the form of short animated films, short films with visual effects and digital comics.

This initiative was created to help local creative industry players adapt to the ‘new normal’ amidst the continuing global pandemic. Local studios can take advantage of this programme to assist in their marketing activities, digital distribution and the creation of new and exciting intellectual properties (IPs). The goal is to ensure companies can continue to produce quality creative content in the field of animation and related digital content.

PENJANA DCG is an extension of the existing MDEC Digital Content Grant, an initiative that promotes the development of local digital creative content. The programme’s main goal is to drive forward the digital creative content industry. The original fund that the Government previously introduced had successfully produced several animated works that penetrated international markets that have achieved global recognition. This includes Upin & Ipin The Movie, Boboiboy The Movie, Ejen Ali the Movie, Hogie the Globehopper, Origanimals, No Straight Roads, and Re: Legend .

Both original initiatives were the result of increased public-private engagements that continue to empower the digital creative content industry. This also created various opportunities for Malaysia’s pool of potent creatives.

Through DC3+ and the updated DCG, MDEC aims to support 50 digital content projects. Additionally, four new animation projects that have international appeal must also be produced.

By enabling more active collaborations among industry players and the public sector, these latest initiatives are expected to enhance the competitiveness of Malaysian-based artists and digital content enterprises globally.

Applications are now open for PENJANA DC3+ with the closing date being set at August 31, 2020. As for PENJANA DCG, it is ready to receive submissions since August 1, 2020. For more details check out their site here and here.

Just as the Malaysian economy looks to bounce back, lifestyle newswire Kepohchi is reaching out a helping hand by offering its services for free! Acknowledging the fact that many businesses have struggled to find their footing from the coronavirus pandemic, homegrown newswire, Kepohchi is looking to support fellow local businesses to boost their publicity and marketing efforts by connecting them directly with relevant media in Malaysia.

Despite the fact that many business sectors are allowed to open during our Recovery Movement Control Order, some are still finding their footing with the art of digitalization - having moved from conventional marketing such as fliers, in-store display, and so on.  It can be challenging to get news and messages across in time when online space is ever more relevant but also has a high chance of being buried quickly if it does not reach the intended target audience in time. To help local Malaysian owned businesses ride the wave of the economic challenge, Kepohchi is offering its newswire space for free.

Lifestyle businesses and brands simply have to register with Kepohchi to get their stories and content published at no cost to a network that reaches over 5,000 journalists and over 3,000 print and digital media companies across Malaysia. Rather than blasting out press releases in hopes of your content getting noticed, Kepohchi is helping you place your content on www.kepohchi.com - a designated public forum for media to notice and publish.

There is a space for almost every lifestyle brand to publicize themselves – from beauty, business, career, conscious living, entertainment, fashion, food & beverage, health & fitness, home & décor, places & travel, sports, and technology.

Kepohchi aims to make a difference by helping businesses get back on track, while achieving its purpose in supporting fellow local businesses to weather the pandemic wave. In times like this, Kepohchi believes that it is pivotal that we share the spirit of  #kitajagakita. Check out their site for more details.

Southeast Asia’s startups have helped build a thriving internet economy. Now, they have an equally important role to play in the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic—and in tackling some of the biggest challenges Southeast Asia faces across education, health, e-commerce, logistics and financial technology.

In June, we launched Google for Startups Accelerator: Southeast Asia, a three-month online program to support startups working on social, economic and health problems across the region. We received more than 600 applications, and today we’re announcing the 15 startups chosen for the first cohort.

Over the next few months, these startups will receive mentorship on both technical and business challenges. We’ll also connect them to teams from Google and the wider technology industry, and provide workshops focused on designing products, customer service and leadership development for founders.

Here’s the full list of startups. We can’t wait to help them move their ideas forward as they make a difference for Southeast Asians over the next decade and beyond:

Xiaomi celebrates its 10th Anniversary today with a commemorative speech by Lei Jun, Chairman, CEO and Founder of Xiaomi. In the speech, Lei Jun shared an overview of the 10-year journey Xiaomi went through and to now becoming a Fortune Global 500 listed company.

Setting sail: Our dreams, finding real talent and the right name

Lei Jun began the speech by recalling Xiaomi’s humble beginnings, “From the very beginning, Xiaomi’s dream was to ‘Make the world's best phones, priced half so that everyone can afford them’. The idea was to improve user experience on the strength of intermingling software, hardware, and internet services – a potential to pose as a disruptive player than a hardware-only business does.”

He continues, “Xiaomi built its initial ‘dream team’ in its start-up phase by employing talents from industry leading technology companies. The right company name is also of great importance when starting a business, and Xiaomi (as spelled in Chinese pinyin, or Small Rice, literal meaning by the character “小米” in Mandarin) was eventually selected after research found it resonated best with target focus groups.”

With no prior expertise on hardware, Lei Jun along with a team of software engineers developed a mobile operating system. By focusing on heavily used functions such as phone calls, text messages, contacts, and desktop, the team eventually successfully developed the first version in just two months. Subsequently, an online forum was created where volunteers were invited to flash the ROM of their own devices.

“It was a touching moment to see 100 users willing to bear huge unforeseeable risks and flash their devices to MIUI. With no promotion at all, 100 users during the first week, doubled to 200 in the second week and then redoubled to 400 in the third,” Lei Jun shares.

MIUI first caught attention from abroad, one month after its launch, on XDA Developers, an online mobile software development community. MIUI was recommended with utmost enthusiasm by a user on the US-based developers' forum. Since then, MIUI has become trendy in the tech-savvy circle around the world with users started to voluntarily build up local versions of Mi Community in various countries and regions. MIUI versions in different languages were also developed, and efforts were taken to adapt this system to different models. Thus, shaping a widespread global campaign, with seeds of Xiaomi's globalisation sown. This was the origin of the Mi Fan culture.

Xiaomi established its hardware team with the best talents from around the world. The goal of making the best possible smartphones set a high bar for the supply chain. This posed a great challenge as most leading supply chain companies are not willing to partner with small companies. With much determination, Xiaomi eventually managed to secure supply chain partners for its first generation smartphone, Mi 1. It became a bestseller, with 300,000 smartphones being produced in the first batch and a registered sales volume of 7 million units was recorded in total.

Shortly after Xiaomi's business took off, a request to help drive the domestic manufacturing supply chain by riding the Xiaomi Phone trend came from the regulatory body. At the start of 2012, "Redmi Project" (Hongmi Project, as spelled in Chinese pinyin) was laid out. This was started with the mindset on making smartphones for everyone in China and working preferentially with domestic suppliers.

Lei Jun shares, “The popularity surrounding first generation Redmi was far higher than expected, it was phenomenal to have sold 44.6 million units in total. This number, back in 2013, helped drive the growth of the domestic supply chain.”

Xiaomi's high popularity also brought about a bewildering exhibition of extreme sentiments. Many strived to learn from Xiaomi. “We have also been willing to disclose our entire model, hoping to offer help to more entrepreneurs, and pushing forward the reforms in more industries with our model. In 2014, we started this "Ecosystem plan" to incubate more start-ups,” Lei Jun explains.

Over six years, Xiaomi has incubated over 100 ecosystem companies and marketed over 1,000 products deeply loved by our users.

On December 12, 2013, the Chinese state broadcaster CCTV bestowed upon Lei Jun an honour to be one of the annual figures in economy and business, the most prominent public award a Chinese entrepreneur could get.

Within the next five years, Xiaomi would eventually see its revenue soared from RMB 20 billion (RM 12 billion) to RMB 174.9 billion (RM 105 billion), a significant increment of almost 800%.

However, starting from 2015, Xiaomi showed signs of growth fatigue. In the smartphone industry, there had been no precedent of managing to turn the table after sales volumes plummeted. Xiaomi, at that time, was at the intersection of life and death.

At the beginning of 2014, MIX was conceptualised by Xiaomi’s engineers, posing the question of “What would the future smartphone be like?”. The idea of making a full-screen display smartphone was groundbreaking at that time.

After a few hurdles, Mi MIX was born. Mi MIX wowed everyone when it was launched and was even bestowed a gold winner honour on its design by US-based, International Design Excellence Awards. It was later added to the collections in three of the world's renowned design museums, including the National Design Museum in Finland.

“The success of Mi MIX owes its thanks to our invaluable engineering culture. Engineers are our assets. To fully unleash our engineers' capabilities to innovate and explore in uncharted areas, we have set up the Xiaomi Annual Technology Award. This is Xiaomi's highest honor to core R&D project teams that bring about prominent technological breakthroughs and contributions. USD 1 million worth of stocks will be awarded,” Lei Jun shares.

The price to performance ratio is key to Xiaomi’s success. Over the past few years, Xiaomi has taken all-out efforts to improve product quality regardless of cost. These improvements have earned Xiaomi many awards and accolades, both in China and overseas. In 2019, Xiaomi received the national top quality and technology award.

Xiaomi has had many milestones and experienced many great achievements and moments. Here are the three top spotlight moments:

Firstly, it was the IPO and the announcement of the 5%. Prior to Xiaomi's IPO, on April 25, 2018, a launch event was held in Wuhan University, where it was announced that a decision approved by the Board of Directors, a promise to Xiaomi users that the hardware business will have an overall after-tax net profit margin that will never exceed 5%. If the margin crosses 5%, Xiaomi will find a way to return the excess above 5% to their users. Lei Jun’s philosophy is "Good companies earn money, and great companies win users' hearts”.

Secondly, Xiaomi Campus opened its doors in July last year. And lastly, making it on the Fortune Global 500 list.

Lei Jun shares his three points in this strategy.

Firstly, being a start-up again. “To lead ourselves out of today's predicament, we would need the passion from our start-up period. Talents must be valued, incentives need to be given and strategic opportunities have to be grasped,” says Lei Jun.

Secondly, internet + manufacturing. Lei Jun continues, “We believe in the power of the internet, and its methodologies. We will continue to empower manufacturing with the internet. We have developed lots of high-end manufacturing facilities, and designed the fully automated production line of high-end smartphones. Xiaomi Industry Fund has invested in over 70 semiconductor and intelligent manufacturing companies, to shape up our future of becoming the "manufacturing of manufacturing".

Lastly, plan longer, walk farther. “We will evaluate all the things in a view of 10 years, and do things that will value in the long-term. In the meantime, we will keep a prudent strategy,” says Lei Jun.

For more information on the speech, please visit their site.

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