Retail News CRM

Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • Beware the Internet of Unpatchable Things: Akamai

    Beware the Internet of Unpatchable Things: Akamai

    A recent spate of attacks involving attackers using IoT devices to remotely generate attack traffic by using a 12-year old vulnerability in OpenSSH have been discovered by researchers at Akamai Technologies.

    Akamai notes that the research and subsequent advisory do not introduce a new type of vulnerability or attack technique, but rather a continued weakness in many default configurations of Internet-connected devices. These devices are now actively being exploited in mass-scale attack campaigns against Akamai customers.

    The Threat Research Team said it has observed incidents of what it has called SSHowDowN Proxy attacks originating from the following types of devices:

    • CCTV, NVR, DVR devices (video surveillance)
    • Satellite antenna equipment
    • Networking devices (e.g. Routers, Hotspots, WiMax, Cable and ADSL modems, etc.)
    • Internet connected NAS devices (Network Attached Storage)

    Compromized devices are being used for mounting attacks against a multitude of internet targets and internet-facing services, such as HTTP, SMTP and Network Scanning. It is also being used to launch attacks against internal networks that host these connected devices.

    Once malicious users access the web administration console, they have been able to compromise the device’s data and, in some cases, fully take over the machine.

    “We’re entering a very interesting time when it comes to DDoS and other web attacks; ‘The Internet of Unpatchable Things’ so to speak,” explained Ory Segal, senior director for threat research at Akamai.

    “New devices are being shipped from the factory not only with this vulnerability exposed, but also without any effective way to fix it. We’ve been hearing for years that it was theoretically possible for IoT devices to attack. That, unfortunately, has now become the reality.”

    Lees ook:

  • Indonesia’s logistic sector lags behind other ASEAN countries

    Indonesia’s logistic sector lags behind other ASEAN countries

    Indonesia needs to work harder to improve its logistic sector because its performance lags behind those of other ASEAN countries such as Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani said on Wednesday.

    “On the Logistics Performance Index (LPI), according to the World Bank, Indonesia stood at 63rd place of the 160 countries surveyed,” the minister said in her opening speech during the Jakarta International Logistics Summit and Expo in Jakarta.

    Singapore topped the list of ASEAN countries, ranking fifth globally, while Malaysia ranked 32nd and Thailand 45th, she added.

    The LPI is a benchmarking tool created to help countries recognize challenges and opportunities they face in their performance on trade logistics and improve it.

    She said there were aspects affecting the competitiveness of logistics in Indonesia, namely a lack of infrastructure and complex customs and excise procedures.

    “To realize this, the government has utilized the state budget and funds from the private sector to develop infrastructure across Indonesia,” she said.

    Besides improving infrastructure, another important measure is to fix the quality of regulations and simplify bureaucracy, she said.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • KDDI, Toyota develop app to reduce road accidents

    KDDI, Toyota develop app to reduce road accidents

    Toyota Motor, Komeda and KDDI in September have jointly developed a smartphone application called Driving Barista, aimed at reducing the number of traffic accidents in Aichi Prefecture caused by drivers using their smartphones while driving.

    This is the first traffic safety initiative in Japan involving a smartphone application, which is to be carried out and jointly promoted by an automobile company, a communication company, and a food and beverage company.

    For thirteen consecutive years, Aichi Prefecture has had the highest rate of traffic fatalities in Japan. Furthermore, there were also 50,101 arrests involving the use of smartphones while driving, and the increase in violations of this nature has also intensified the problem.

    Toyota, Komeda, and KDDI will promote traffic safety in Aichi Prefecture through an educational initiative where participation is accessible for all, and can lead to a reduction in traffic accidents.

    The Driving Barista application can only be used within Aichi Prefecture. By using the gyro sensor to sense the tilt of the smartphone body, and the GPS to determine the distance driven, this application measures the distance the driver has driven while leaving the smartphone face down. When the cumulative distance reaches 100 km, the driver can receive a coupon for a cup of blended or iced coffee at a Komeda Coffee Shop.

    According to one survey, approximately 60% of respondents said they use their smartphones while driving, with approximately half of these respondents keeping only one hand on the steering wheel. Therefore, the companies hope that the new application will raise drivers’ awareness about not using smartphones while driving.

    “We have already been carrying out educational activities to prevent the use of smartphones while driving, and we hope that this initiative between the three companies will help solve the problem facing Aichi prefecture,” said Akira Dobashi, director in charge of CSR and environment at KDDI.

    “We developed the Driving Barista smartphone application as a fun way to help prevent traffic accidents,” said Dobashi. “We hope to contribute to accident prevention by providing a new experience for drivers.”

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Hotel occupancy rates increase in Bali

    Hotel occupancy rates increase in Bali

    The occupancy rates of star rated hotels in Bali averaged 72.40 percent in August or an increase of 1.76 percentage points from 70.62 percent in the previous month.

    “The occupancy rate was quite encouraging when visits by foreign tourists shrank 9.52 percent in Bali compared with the previous month,” head of the Bali branch of the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) Adi Nugroho said here on Wednesday.

    Adi said the occupancy rates would boost hotel operators as an occupancy rate of 50 percent is enough to cover operating cost including salaries of employees.

    In August, 2016, Bali recorded 438,135 visits by foreign tourists including 437,929 arrivals recorded by the Ngurah Rai airport and 206 arrivals at seaport.

    The number of arrivals dropped 9.52 percent in August from July but an increase of 44.3 percent year-on-year, Adi said.

    Adi said most foreign tourists stayed at star rate hotels in six of nine regencies in the province.

    The highest occupancy rate was recorded by hotels in the regency of Badung averaging 75.38 percent or up from July, followed by hotels in the city of Denpasar averaging 66.34 percent though declining from the previous month.

    Hotels in the regency of Gianyar followed in the third place with occupancy rate averaging 60.01 percent , down from 66.84 percent in July , the regency of Buleleng recorded an occupancy rate of 57.69 percent up from 52.23 percent and the regency of Karangasem 47.45 percent, down from 50.92 percent.

    Three other regencies – Jembrana, Bangli and Klungkung – have no star rated hotels . They have only inns or non standard hotels.

    Four star hotels recorded the highest occupancy rate averaging 78.16 percent, followed by five start hotels averaging 77.31 percent, one start hotels 64.96 percent , three start hotels 58.55 percent and two star hotels with occupancy rates averaging 56.31 percent.

    Adi Nugroho said despite the significant increase in the occupancy rate. the increase was recorded only in the regencies of Badung and Buleleng.

    In three other regencies, hotel occupancy rates declined including in the city of Denpasar, regencies of Gianyar and Karangasem, Adi Nugroho said.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Telstra close to launching Gigabit-class LTE

    Telstra close to launching Gigabit-class LTE

    Telstra has worked with Qualcomm, Ericsson and NETGEAR to develop the world’s first Gigabit-class LTE mobile device and Gigabit-class commercially ready LTE network.

    A new NETGEAR mobile router based on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X16 LTE modem and Wi-Fi equipment will enable download speeds of up to 1Gbps over Telstra’s upgraded LTE network, which uses equipment supplied by Ericsson.

    Telstra now plans to conduct device, network and user testing ahead of a commercial launch, which is expected within the next few months.

    Combined, the equipment is capable of delivering Gigabit-level LTE speeds through a combination of 3x carrier aggregation, 4×4 MIMO on two aggregated carriers and 2×2 MIMO on the third, as well as 256-QAM.

    “We pride ourselves on our connectivity expertise and we continue that tradition today by completing the first commercialization of a Gigabit Class LTE network and device,” Telstra group managing director of networks Mike Wright said.

    “With the world’s first Gigabit Class LTE network, we have substantially improved our network capacity and increased real-world LTE download speeds, while also gaining a distinct advantage over competitors as we can now offer an entirely new class of LTE service.”

    Ericsson head of RAN products Per Narvinger added that “Telstra’s commercial ready Gigabit Class LTE network and device is an important milestone as it paves the path to 5G.”

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Renault launches two new cars in Indonesia

    Renault launches two new cars in Indonesia

    Despite a bleak forecast for the automotive market in Indonesia, French carmaker Renault and its local partner PT Auto Euro Indonesia launched two new products in Jakarta on Wednesday: the KOLEOS and KWID.

    Serge Yoccoz, Renault ASEAN director of operations, said Indonesia was one of only a few countries to see the launch of the KOLEOS, a medium sport utility vehicle (SUV), ahead of Europe.

    “The new KOLEOS will be [Renault’s] flagship for the Indonesian market,” he said. “It has been redesigned to have unique features and has the ability of an SUV.”

    As for the KWID, Yoccoz added, the mini crossover would be offered for consumers eyeing high fuel efficiency and low maintenance costs. “The KWID will be able to address Indonesian customers’ [demand] for a stylish car,” he said.

    The KOLEOS is offered at Rp 460 million for its standard version and Rp 495 million for the panoramic sunroof version. Meanwhile, the KWID is tagged at Rp 117.7 million and is expected to be able to compete in the compact car segment, which accounts for 16.3 percent of the whole automotive market, according to 2015 data from the Association of Indonesian Automotive Manufacturers (Gaikindo).

    Bambang Subijanto, director of Indomobil Sukses International–an umbrella company of Auto Euro Indonesia, said the Renault-Nissan and Indomobil partnership would create good business synergy and respond to customers’ demands, especially in after-sales services.

    The sales target for both models is set at 1,000 units, until 2017.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Vietnam grants 4G licenses to three cellcos

    Vietnam grants 4G licenses to three cellcos

    Vietnam has granted 4G licenses to three of the market’s major mobile operators – MobiFone, military-run Viettel and state-owned VNPT.

    The operators have been granted permission to roll out LTE services over the 1800-MHz band.

    Each of the three operators have been piloting LTE and LTE-Advanced services in multiple cities, with Viettel launching a trial in late 2015, VNPT testing services since January this year and MobiFone commencing a pilot in July.

    The licenses will be allocated as part of Vietnam’s government-approved telecommunications development plan, which includes a target of covering 95% of the population with 3G and 4G services by 2020 as part of efforts to ensure nationwide coverage of broadband infrastructure.

    According to the report, major operators have indicated they will be ready to launch LTE soon after receiving the licenses. They will be valid until 2024.

  • UOB Indonesia offers Rp 1.1 trillion in bonds to strengthen lending

    UOB Indonesia offers Rp 1.1 trillion in bonds to strengthen lending

    United Overseas Bank (UOB) Indonesia plans to issue Rp 1.1 trillion (US$84.5 million) in bonds in November. The issuance hopes to raise cash to support the bank’s lending capacity next year.

    UOB Indonesia president director Kevin Lam said Rp 1 trillion in proceeds would come from the senior bond while the remaining Rp 100 billion would come from the subordinated bond. Both will be offered from Nov. 17 until Nov. 22.

    “The bond will enable us to maintain solid funding as we help our customers seize business opportunities arising from increased infrastructure development and consumer demand,” he said during a public expose in Jakarta on Wednesday.

    The senior bond is divided into three series with a buy-back option, he further explained.

    Series A is offered with 370 days of maturity and a 7.4 percent coupon rate per annum. Series B will mature in 3 years with an 8.25 percent coupon rate. Series C will have a 5-year tenor with a coupon rate of 8.5 percent.

    Meanwhile, the subordinated bond has a 7-year tenor with a 10 percent coupon rate. All the coupons will be paid every three months.

    In the first half of 2016, UOB Indonesia saw its interest income increase by 22.32 percent year-on-year (yoy) to Rp 1.73 trillion.

    Net profits rose by 86.81 percent yoy to Rp 281.69 billion.

    Lees ook:

  • China Mobile Hong Kong to upgrade network to 4.5G

    China Mobile Hong Kong to upgrade network to 4.5G

    China Mobile Hong Kong has contracted Huawei to fully upgrade the operator’s FDD/TDD converged LTE network to a 4.5G LTE-Advanced Pro network.

    The upgrade is aimed at offering customers a superior user experience and laying the groundwork towards a future 5G network evolution.

    In October last year, the 3GPP formally named LTE-Advanced Pro as the new LTE standard with the designation of 4.5G. China Mobile Hong Kong has commenced its network upgrade following a series of network optimization projects this year.

    “After stringent selection processes, we firmly believe that Huawei’s world leading network technology and equipment have made it the ideal partner for CMHK’s 4.5G network upgrade,” China Mobile Hong Kong director and CEO Sean Lee said.

    “We are very pleased to work with Huawei to upgrade our 4G mobile network to 4.5G for significant network capacity optimization and speed improvement, as well as achieving superior user experience for consumers and commercial customers.”

    Huawei president of carrier business Zou Zhilei added that the upgrade is aimed at reinforcing the operator’s market leading position.

    “Our advanced 4.5G technology will enable CMHK to capitalize on the emerging new devices, new businesses and new experiences, offering an excellent mobile video experience for customers in Hong Kong, as well as enhancing its capability in expanding enterprise and industry (B2X) segment,” he said.

  • Qualcomm unveils 5G modem chipset solution

    Qualcomm unveils 5G modem chipset solution

    US chipset maker Qualcomm has announced what it says is the world’s first commercial 5G modem chipset solution to help accelerate the deployments of 5G networks globally.

    Announced at the Qualcomm 4G/5G Summit in Hong Kong on Tuesday, Qualcomm said the Snapdragon X50 5G modem is designed to support original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in building 5G smartphones and other devices, as well as aid mobile operators with early 5G trials and deployments.

    The solution, with 800MHz bandwidth support, works in the millimetre-wave (mmWave) spectrum in the 28-GHz band and supports a peak download speed of 5Gpbs. It employs MIMO antenna technology with adaptive beam-forming and beam-tracking technology.

    “The Snapdragon X50 5G modem heralds the arrival of 5G as operators and OEMs reach the cellular network and device testing phase,” said Cristiano Amon, executive vice president at Qualcomm Technologies.

    “Utilizing our long history of LTE and Wi-Fi leadership, we are thrilled to deliver a product that will help play a critical role in bringing 5G devices and networks to reality. This shows that we’re not just talking about 5G, we’re truly committed to it.”

    The Snapdragon X50 5G platform includes the modem, the SDR051 mmWave transceivers, and the supporting PMX50 power management chip.

    The modem can be used for multi-mode 4G/5G mobile broadband, along with fixed-wireless broadband devices, when paired with a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor with an integrated Gigabit LTE modem and interwork cohesively via dual-connectivity.

    Sampling for the Snapdragon X50 5G modem is expected to begin in the second half of 2017, with the first commercial products integrated the modem expected in the first half of 2018.

    The company also introduced three new processors for mobile devices – the Snapdragon 653, Snapdragon 626 and Snapdragon 427 processors.

    The Snapdragon 653, Snapdragon 626 are expected to be available in the market by the end of this year, while the 427 processor will appear in commercial devices by early 2017, Qualcomm said.

    Lees ook:

  • Local e-commerce not fazed by Alibaba expansion plan

    Local e-commerce not fazed by Alibaba expansion plan

    Local e-commerce company Bukalapak is not worried about Chinese giant Alibaba’s plan to expand into Indonesia as local players can still compete with foreign ones, the company’s co-founder said.

    Bukalapak co-founder and chief financial officer Muhammad Fajrin Rasyid said that unlike social media, which adopted a general model for their users worldwide, e-commerce business models needed a so-called “local touch”. This was because customers’ preferences for goods, methods of payment and logistic systems were different in each country, he went on.

    “Our customers mainly buy ‘local goods’ such as sambal [traditional hot relish] and they prefer to use cash on delivery as a method of payment. We must understand things like this,” Fajrin said at a Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) seminar on the digital economy in Jakarta on Monday.

    He further said that some foreign e-commerce companies had fallen victim to their own poor understanding of local customs. Japanese online market Rakuten Belanja Online closed in March while German-backed online delivery service Foodpanda Indonesia was shuttered on Oct. 3.

    “We are sure our customer to customer [C2C] model is still suitable for Indonesia. We have 1 million sellers and our mobile apps have the highest rate by users compared to other e-commerce companies,” Fajrin said.

    During the event, Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) deputy of investment planning Tamba Parulian Hutapea confirmed that Chinese tech giant Alibaba would enter the Indonesian market soon. The company has bought German e-commerce company Lazada and plans to use the latter’s resources in Indonesia to make entry into its market.

    Lees ook:

  • Indonesia`s food and beverage companies show their product in Paris

    Indonesia`s food and beverage companies show their product in Paris

    Twenty of Indonesias food and beverage companies from around the country have displayed their products at Salon International de Lalimentation (SIAL) in Paris, France.

    The Industry Ministry of Indonesia has assisted these companies in displaying the diversity of Indonesia’s leading products, ranging from coffee, soft drinks, processed oil, health drinks, snacks, biscuits, instant noodles, processed fruit and processed fish, as well as organic foods, said Secretary of the Directorate General of Agro Industry of Industry Ministry, Enny Ratnaningtyas, in a press release received here on Tuesday.

    The Indonesian companies reflect the competitiveness of Agro products from Indonesia in international markets, as well as opening opportunities for broadening export markets.

    According to Enny, the SIAL Paris 2016 event will bring Indonesian food and beverage products to the European community, as well as the world, due to the attendance by businessmen and visitors from many foreign countries.

    “Moreover, the SIAL Paris 2016 exhibitors can interact with all potential buyers from Europe and Asia, as well as visitors from around the world who will be present at this exhibition,” said Enny.

    Enny also said the twenty companies will be located in the Indonesian pavilion, in Hall 4 booth 4M138 at the Paris-Nord Villepinte.

    The booth is located close to the Indonesian Trade Promotion Center of Lyon.

    Separately, Director General of the Ministry of Industry Panggah Ago Susanto noted that the nation’s food and beverage industry has been able to excel in both the domestic and global markets.

    This is reflected in its positive performance, such as in 2015, which accounted for 30.84 percent of the GDP of the non-oil processing industry and 5.61 percent of the national GDP.

    Meanwhile, the export value of Indonesian food and beverage products in 2015 amounted to 26.539 billion US dollars.

    “Special food and drink exports to France in 2015 reached 34.5 million US dollars, or 0.13 percent of the total exports of food and beverage products to the world,” said Panggah.

    Lees ook:

  • Rudiantara to Not Give Up on Google Tax

    Rudiantara to Not Give Up on Google Tax

    The Communication and Informatics Minister Rudiantara said that his office and the finance ministry are working to collect tax search engine, Google. “I support the effort. We will not give up,” he told Tempo in Pontianak, West Kalimantan on Tuesday, October 18, 2016.

    Rudiantara said he has no idea why Google tends to avoid paying taxes. “I do not know why. They choose not to pay their duties,” he said

    The minister added that Indonesia has sent a letter to Google, stating that all businesses in Indonesia are subject to taxes.

    “I told Google, if they plan to reach a settlement, we can talk this out,” said Rudiantara.

    Google has not registered as a corporate in Indonesia, although it reaps profit in Indonesia. It has also refused to pay taxes in the past five years worth Rp5.5 trillion.

    Lees ook:

  • Korea’s Mangosix arrives in Japan

    Korea’s Mangosix arrives in Japan

    Korean cafe chain Mangosix has opened its first branch in Japan, in Don Quijote Miyakojima store in Nishisato, Hirara, in Okinawa.

    With mango juice as its main product, Mangosix opened its first store in 2011 and now has about 230 outlets in Asia, Europe and the US.

    For the first time, Mangosix will also offer ice brewed coffee at its Japanese store. Milkissimo’s gelato from Hokkaido is used for sweets and coffee toppings. Miyako-jima island is known for its mangoes, which is why the company decided to open its first store there.

    Mangosix Japan president Akira Kito says the company aims to open 30 stores in Japan within the next three years.

    Lees ook:

  • Fast Retailing profit rebounds

    Fast Retailing profit rebounds

    While Fast Retailing profit fell in the full year, the Japanese apparel giant says its second-half profit rebounded sharply.

    Consolidated revenue rose 6.2 per cent to JP¥1.7864 trillion (US$17.19 trillion) while its operating profit fell 22.6 per cent to ¥127.2 billion.

    Factors underlying the sharp decline in profit include a ¥11 billion foreign-exchange loss, a ¥13.8 billion J Brand impairment loss, and ¥9.3 billion for impairment losses on Uniqlo Japan and Uniqlo US stores, plus retirement and store-closure losses.

    In the second half, from March to August, profit rebounded by 94.3 per cent year-on-year, attributed to a nascent recovery in sales at Uniqlo Japan and Uniqlo International, and concerted cost-cutting efforts.

    For Uniqlo Japan the second-half profit bounced back by 38 per cent. Revenue for the year was ¥799.8 billion, up 2.5 per cent, with profit dropping 12.6 per cent to ¥102.4 billion. Same-store sales rose 4.9 per cent in the second half compared to a 1.9 per cent decline in the preceding six months.

    For Uniqlo International, full-year revenue was up 8.6 per cent to ¥655.4 billion while profit fell 13.7 per cent to ¥37.4 billion. In the second half, however, profit rebounded to 15 times the previous year’s level, mainly because of sharp profit gains in Uniqlo Greater China (encompassing China, Hong Kong and Taiwan), Southeast Asia and Oceania, and Europe.

    For the group’s global brands, revenue rose 11.3 per cent while profit fell 34 per cent for J Brand, revenue rose 32.7 per cent and profit by 34.8 per cent for GU, profit was also up for Theory, while Comptoir des Cotonniers, J Brand and Princesse Tam.tam had losses.

    During the 12 months, Uniqlo International opened a series of stores, including its first global flagship store in Southeast Asia, the Uniqlo Orchard Central store in Singapore. As of August 31, the number of Uniqlo International stores had grown by 160 to 958.

    Lees ook: