Despite the pandemic and resulting economic crisis, the worldwide PC and tablet market is expected to grow by 3.3 percent to 425.7 million units in 2020, according to IDC.
NVIDIA unveils powerful tools for gamers
NVIDIA’s introduction of the new GeForce RTX 30 series also heralded the release of three exciting new tools that makes gaming more competitive, communicative and casting a breeze.
Behold the GeForce RTX 30 series
They’re finally here! The highly-anticipated GeForce RTX 3090, 3080 and 3070 GPUs powered by the NVIDIA Ampere architecture have been revealed after weeks of leaks and rumours.
ZTE releases first under-display camera smartphone
ZTE has become the first to get off the blocks in the under-display camera smartphone race with the launch of the ZTE Axon 20 5G.
Supermicro and PFN build world’s most efficient supercomputer
A Super Micro Computer (Supermicro)-Preferred Networks (PFN) collaboration has achieved the top ranking for the Green500 semi-annual industry assessment.
Xiaomi smartphone camera goes undercover
The punch hole or tear drop for the front camera — a common eyesore on smartphones — will be gone for good next year, with Xiaomi smartphones at least.
Advantage China: TikTok sale hits roadblock
China has just thrown a spanner into the TikTok sale of its US operation. By announcing an additional 23 new categories to its regulations on technology export, the China government has gained an advantage in the deal.
Proofpoint makes Alex Lei APJ lead
Proofpoint has appointed Alex Lei as its Regional Leader for Asia-Pacific and Japan (APJ).
Samsung starts mass producing 16Gbit LPDDR5 DRAM
Samsung Electronics has begin mass producing the first 16-gigabit LPDDR5 mobile DRAM using extreme ultraviolet (EUV) technology at its Pyeongtaek plant.
7-hour global outage
While most of the Asia-Pacific region were winding down their Sunday, other parts of the rest of the world experienced a seven-hour global internet outage.
Apple ejects Epic from App Store
The Apple-Epic Games plot continues to thicken. In the latest development, Apple has cancelled the game developer’s account from App Store.
Hachi launches interactive touchscreen projector
Hachi has rolled out the Hachi Infinite M1 portable smart projector that turns any flat surface into an interactive touchscreen.
TikTok interests Walmart
First, it was Microsoft. Now, Walmart has decided to join the Redmond-based software company is buying TikTok.
PG Mall goes multi-channel with Netcore
PG Mall is powering its multi-channel marketing automation and engagement campaigns with Netcore Smartech.
Genesys and Adobe collaborate on delivering contextual CX
Genesys and Adobe are partnering to help organisations break down data siloes between marketing, commerce, sales and service departments.
Voodoo opens Singapore and Japan offices
Mobile games publisher Voodoo has expanded to the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region with the opening of offices in Singapore and Japan.
Google helps small businesses in Thailand go digital
Travel restrictions and curfews have been devastating Thailand’s 1.3 million small businesses. With international tourism far from being normalised, many are reeling from the effects of COVID-19 and struggling for survival.
Tencent establishes cultural and creative HQ in Chengdu
Tencent has made Chengdu the home for its cultural and creative headquarters.
DJI OM4 stabiliser helps smartphones capture magnetic contents
Using a gimbal may require quite a bit of effort and loads of patience. Popular stabiliser maker DJI has just launched the DJI OM 4, which hopefully, will make it more fun and easy to use.
NVIDIA reveals new laptop GPU
NVIDIA’s new GPU is out. But it’s not the long-awaited next gen Ampere-based card. Instead, the GeForce MX450 is a new addition to the laptop line-up.
Cisco to buy BabbleLabs
Cisco has announced its intent to acquire BabbleLabs whose noise supression solution leverages artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to distinguish human speech from unwanted noise.
Zendesk announces Explore Enterprise
Zendesk has introduced Explore Enterprise, a real-time analytics solution that lets leaders share insights instantly with teams and departments for faster decision making improving customer experience (CX).
Sintrones launches edge AI computing solution
Sintrones has launched the EBOX-7000 edge AI GPU computing solution for factory automation and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) control systems in large-scale processes such as manufacturing and mining.
Xiaomi rolls out curved gaming monitor and portable photo printer in Singapore
Xiaomi has rolled out the Mi Curved Gaming Monitor 34″ and Mi Portable Photo Printer in Singapore. Both products are available for purchase online at the official Xiaomi store on Lazada, and offline at Authorised Mi Stores in Singapore and through other official offline retailers.
Baidu extends robotaxi service in Cangzhou
Baidu has extended its Apollo Go Robotaxi service to the downtown of Cangzhou, Hebei province. The is the first time that the service will be available in the heart of a city in China, marking a new era is the development of autonomous driving technology.
Micosoft backs Epic in Apple fight
Software giant Microsoft has stepped into the ring and taken the side of Epic Games in its fight against Apple. This makes for a more intense legal tussle between Microsoft and Epic at one corner and Apple (and possibly Google) at the other.
Apple to open first floating store in Singapore
At a time when many are struggling or closing shop, the newly-minted US$2 trillion Apple will be opening its third store in Singapore — right on the edge of the water near the iconic Marina Bay Sands (MBS).
Microsoft sounds death knell for Internet Explorer
It’s the end of the road for Internet Explorer (IE). Once the king of browsers that reigned in nearly 95 percent of PCs, it will be phased out by 2021.
Driverless bus on trial in Tainan
Tainan has announced the southern Taiwan’s first driveless bus services under the self-driving bus programme of the city’s municipal government and LiLee Systems.
iKala raises US$17m for global expansion
Taiwan-headquartered iKala has raised US$17 million in Series B funding to support in global expansion drive. This latest round of funding is led by Wistron Digital Technology Holding Company, Wistron Corporation’s wholly-owned subsidiary which focuses on digital technology industries and software application related investments.
Xiaomi upgrades to smartphone x AIoT strategy for the next decade
It seems like only recently that Xiaomi wowed the world with its affordable smartphones that were always sold out at launch. Yet, it has been a decade and the company is looking at building on its smartphone success for the next 10 years.
StarHub starts 5G trial
StarHub is the first off the block in the race to deliver 5G services in Singapore. It ha started a six-month trial for consumers who own a t 5G-enabled smartphone on its three Mobile+ plans.
Zoom establishes first SEA data centre in Singapore
Source: Zoom
Zoom Video Communications has set up its first Southeast Asia data centre in Singapore — its 18th in the world.
New MediaTek Dimensity chip guns for mid-tier 5G smartphones
MediaTek has announced the Dimensity 800U 5G SoC that aims to deliver premium experiences on mid-tier 5G smartphones.
GTC gets second run in October
NVIDIA will be hosting another GPU Technology Conference this year — from October 5 to 9, 2020. Like the first, which moved from March to May because of the pandemic, this second run will be a digital version and feature a recorded keynote address by NVIDIA CEO and Founder Jensen Huang.
ZTE to introduce under-display camera smartphone in China on Sep 1
ZTE will launch the ZTE Axon 20 5G under-display camera smartphone in China on September 1, 2020.
Facebook enables paid online events for small businesses
Source: Facebook
With physical events still not possible due to social distancing in many parts of the world, Facebook is giving individuals and small businesses a lifeline by enabling them to create paid online events on the social media platform.
Korea’s Lunit uses AI to evaluate X-ray images and mammograms
COVID-19 testing has placed a high demand on resources — from testing and screening to treating and caring. Lunit has created an AI-based system to detect pneumonia, often present in COVID-19 infected patients, within seconds.
Taiwan breaks ground on first AI park
Source: BES Engineering
Taiwan broke ground on its first artificial intelligence (AI) park in New Taipei City on August 13. When completed in 2023, the Tucheng AI Science Park will cover an area of 53,000 square meters and feature four 17-story buildings.
Apple and Google in Epic battle
Source: Epic Games
A battle royale is hotting up with Apple and Google at one corner and Epic Games in the other. And all over a US$2 problem. Of course, that applies to just one transaction for 1,000 V-Bucks. Imagine the quantum when that is multiplied by millions of Fortnite users? The amount is staggering and that’s why the two giants are standing their ground against the mega game company.
Xiaomi avails MiTu Kids Watch 4X children’s smartwatch
No bells. No whistles. And definitely no big bang launch. Xiaomi has quietly rolled out in China the MiTu Kids Watch 4X, a new children’s smartwatch that packs quite a punch.
Australia startup Abyss Solutions helps keep oil rig operators afloat
Built into the sea, it is no wonder that corrosion is a common problem for offshore oil and gas platforms. In fact, it is a serious problem that can lead to structural damage and accidents, resulting in loss of lives, productivity and business.
MAS pledges S$250m to drive fintech innovation and adoption
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has committed S$250 million to a scheme to accelerate technology and innovation in the financial sector over the next three years.
AirAsia ramps up digital transformation with Jiffy.ai
AirAsia Group is seizing the opportunity created by the travel lull to accelerate its digital transformation by implementing Jiffy.ai’s artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled automation platform.
Aqara products hit HK and Macau Apple Stores
Aqara door and window sensors detects if door or window is closed or open in real time.
Consumers can now buy Aqara smart home products from Apple Stores in Hong Kong and Macau — both online and physical stores.
DigiCert simplifies TLS certificate management with multi-year plan
DigiCert has announced a new multi-year plan for TLS certificate purchases in the DigiCert CertCentral TLS Manager.
Korea’s Jin Air to offer in-flight VR service
While many airlines are working on limited capacity and looking at ways to trim budgets, Korea’s Jin Air plans to introduce an in-flight virtual reality (VR) service.
One Laptop Programme for needy students in HK
Help is on its way in Hong Kong for needy students who have to study online following the government’s suspension of face-to-face classes in the new academic year amid the severe COVID-19 situation.
NVIDIA lines up GeForce Special Event on September 2
In a terse three-paragraph press release, NVIDIA has announced a GeForce Special Event featuring an address by Jensen Huang (above), its Founder and CEO, on September 2 at 12am (Singapore time).
Working from home doubles enterprise notebook sale in India in Q2
Photo by Marvin Meyer on Unsplash
India’s country-wide lockdown drove everyone to work from home. While this does not augur well for the economy, the move drove sales of enterprise notebooks up by a record 105.5 percent in Q2, according to IDC.
Cloud Expo Asia, Hong Kong goes online
Cloud Expo Asia, Hong Kong is the latest tech event in the region to move online — another casualty of the coronavirus. The dates remain the same — September 23 and 24 — and its contents will be remain online for three weeks after the event.
Huawei unpacks enhanced live streaming solution for merchants
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
In the midst of the pandemic, e-commerce is thriving and creating opportunities for many. At a webinar for developers last week, Huawei unveiled an enhanced live streaming solution that can help merchants and e-commerce platforms tap this fast growing market, which raked in US$3.46 trillion in 2019.
Toshiba sheds notebook business
Toshiba closes a chapter
An icon in notebook computing has become history. Toshiba has left the notebook business following the sale of the remaining shares in its PC business to Sharp.
Experience 90fps gaming with OnePlus and PUBG Mobile
Attention gamers! OnePlus is teaming up with PUBG Mobile to bring 90fps gaming experience on selected OnePlus devices — OnePlus 8 series, OnePlus 7T series and OnePlus 7 Pro — from August 6 to September 6. The caveat is that this exclusive experience is not available in China, Japan and Korea.
Google adds Safe Folder for Android
Source: Google
Passing your smartphone to someone is tantamount to giving the person access to everything in it. Among the most vulnerable items are personal documents, photos, audio clips, and videos. To safeguard personal content, Google has introduced Safe Folder.
Singapore and Australia ink digital economy agreement
Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing and Australia’s Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Simon Birmingham signed the agreement via videoconference today. (Photo: MTI/MCI/IMDA)
Singapore has signed a digital economy agreement with Australia, its second after another with Chile and New Zealand in June.
Huawei rolls out GameCenter
Huawei has rolled out its GameCenter game service and distribution platform in 33 countries and regions worldwide — unsurprisingly, North America is excluded.
Caishen releases AI-powered China stock market data monitoring platform
Caishen has launched an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered data monitoring platform that provides critical information on China’s secondary investment markets.
Korea’s Muhguri restaurant expands robot fleet
Korea’s Muhguri restaurant has added three more robots to serve food to customers. The latest addition brings to the number of robots deployed at the popular Sokcho restaurant to 11.
IDC: AI market to grow 12.3% in 2020
Despite the economic impact of COVID-19, the artificial intelligence (AI) market is set to grow by 12.3 percent to US$156.5 billion in 2020, according to IDC.
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