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Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • EMERALD 101 : ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE GREEN GEMSTONE

    EMERALD 101 : ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE GREEN GEMSTONE

    A number of gemstones occur in shades of green, but none comes close to the deep green emerald. Emeralds are very popular in jewellery fashion and closely follow after diamonds in terms of demand. This article contains all the basics that need to be known about emeralds, including their origin, significance, and characteristic features.

    What is an Emerald?

    The emerald is one of the four most sought after gemstones. Alongside sapphire, ruby and diamond, it is considered the most beautiful, rarest, and hardest of all gemstones.

    The rich beautiful green colour is what makes emeralds desirable among coloured gemstones. Emeralds do not have a universal specific colour and may occur in colour hues ranging from yellowish green to lemon and then bluish-green. An emerald stone may also tend to exhibit both green and blue colour hues at one. This is due to the double refractive nature of emeralds.

    Emeralds can be cut into various shapes, but the most fitting ones are the octagon, princess, oval, round, pear and baguette. The octagon shape is most known with emerald jewellery and the shape itself has come to be regarded in jewellery production as the ’emerald shape’.

    Emeralds are produced from Beryllium silicate crystals and have the chemical formula Be3Al2(SiO3)6. The formation process of emerald crystals is very extensive and takes years to complete. Nowadays, emeralds can be created in laboratories, like the ones from BIRON® Gems, to have exact physical and chemical characteristics as natural ones.

    As May’s birthstone, emerald is believed to trigger traits of peace and friendliness. Emeralds are also thought to be a symbol of loyalty and commitment. The deep green colour of emerald which is characteristic of plants makes it also strongly believed to be the gemstone of fertility and growth.

    The History of Emerald

    Emerald deposits are found in areas which were active volcanic site millions of years ago. Erosion and major shifts in the earth crust brought the precious stones near the surface from where they are mined.

    The origin of emerald is often traced to Egyptians who first discovered the gemstone around 1500BC. According to history, the Egyptians found huge deposits of the unique gemstone and called the area ‘emerald mountain’. They began to use the gemstone to appease their gods for fertility and positive growth.

    It is also believed that Queen Cleopatra of Egypt played a unique role in increasing the popularity of emerald gemstones. Cleopatra was reported to have been very obsessed with the green stone, so much that she amassed them and displayed them to dignitaries who visited her palace. In no time, emeralds became popular in the Asian continent and the ‘emerald mountain’ was soon mined to rubbles by Arabs and reportedly, Romans.

    Emeralds are solidified crystals of beryllium silicate. The crystals are formed in hydrothermal veins and pegmatites deep within the earth crust. These are brought about by the channels of escape created by molten magma. If the magma contains elements such as beryllium and silicon, it may begin to form emerald crystals in the channels as it cools. Later on, these deposits are brought to the surface through major land shifts and geographic changes that occur over time.

    Where are Emeralds Found?

    Emeralds are mined in Colombia, Brazil, Zambia, India, Ethiopia, and America. Due to the varying conditions that led to the formation of the crystals in each location, the gemstone occurs in varying quality and colour tone.

    Colombia is home to the finest emeralds ever discovered. They have the richest green colour caused by the presence of chromium deposits in the crystals. Emeralds mined from Brazil contain vanadium deposits, adding a characteristic dull grey or brown colour to them. On the other hand, emerald crystals mined from Zambia contain iron inclusions and therefore have colours that tend towards a blue hue.

    There are three major mining zones for emeralds in Colombia. These are found in Chivor, Coscuez, and Muzo. Emeralds have been extensively mined from these regions and surveillance provide that the emerald deposits may not be exhausted in many years to come.

    Laboratory production of emeralds reduces some recurring issues associated with natural mining and also protects the environment from the adverse effects of mining such as destruction of landscapes and air pollution.

    Conclusion

    Emeralds make stunning pieces of jewellery at all times. Durable and best worn as engagement rings, pendants, and bracelets, the precious stone will be the perfect gift, for your precious one.

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  • Pinduoduo named top logistics company for farm-to-fork innovation

    Pinduoduo named top logistics company for farm-to-fork innovation

    Chinese agriculture platform Pinduoduo was named one of the top 10 innovative logistics companies in Fast Company’s 2022 annual rankings for its work on a new logistics system for handling agricultural products.

    Pinduoduo operates an e-commerce platform that serves more than 850 million buyers and over 16 million agricultural producers. Its Duo Duo Grocery service matches orders and producers in the same geographical region to cut down on transportation time.

    “Pinduoduo has re-architected China’s hub-and-spoke-style delivery infrastructure, with the help of third-party logistics providers, and built out new cold-chain transportation routes to eliminate unnecessary transit points, which slow down delivery, diminish freshness, and increase food waste,” Fast Company wrote in its citation.

    The company has also been proactively investing in research and development to benefit China’s rural population and farmers, the publication noted.

    Pinduoduo’s journey to becoming a leader in logistics has its roots in an early setback in 2015, back when it was an online fruit seller. Back then, the lack of a comprehensive front-to-end order fulfillment system led to the team missing most of its deliveries after an unexpected surge in orders and resulted in many customers receiving rotten fruits.

    That episode highlighted the inadequacies of the fledgling company at that point in its development. It also laid bare the limitations of the logistics infrastructure, which was built to funnel parcels from tens of thousands of collection points to a centralized distribution system to maximize efficiency. However, what worked for transporting durable goods was also less suited for fragile agricultural products.

    About half of China’s annual food loss and waste takes place soon after harvest when the agricultural produce is being processed, stored and transported, according to a study published in Nature. Minimizing the loss not only reduces the environmental footprint of agriculture, but it also boosts farmer livelihoods and improves consumer welfare through fresher food.

    Since then, Pinduoduo has taken upon itself to develop a more flexible logistics infosystem and agriculture-focused infrastructure that reduces the need for multiple transshipments and enables more point-to-point deliveries.

    The new agri-friendly logistics system is built on the back of advanced calculations that take into consideration multiple factors such as the timing of truck deliveries, warehouse location and route planning. Computing power has also advanced to the point where making sense of the vast amounts of real-time supply chain information is now technologically possible.

     

     

     

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  • Diptyque unveils its largest flagship yet, in South Korea

    Diptyque unveils its largest flagship yet, in South Korea

    Diptyque’s new flagship store in Seoul is its largest yet, anywhere in the world, reflecting its confidence in the South Korean perfume market which is showing rapid growth.  Located in the upscale shopping street Garorugil, the Diptyque flagship’s design was inspired by the French brand’s original space on 34th Avenue Saint-Germain in Paris, resembling a cozy apartment with a dining room, kitchen, living room and bathroom.  The ground floor houses Diptyque’s full collection of

    The ground floor houses Diptyque’s full collection of perfumes and home fragrances, including limited editions and boutique-exclusive products. The 260sqm store offers customization services such as engraving, perfume message ribbon, embossing, and candle message capsules.

    A large marble staircase leads to the upper floor, which was designed with a layout of an up-market Paris apartment. While the cozy living room is decorated with a counter “reminiscent of a herbalist”, the kitchen is inspired by the one in the “magnificent private residence of Moise de Camondo” built in the 18th-century style, a space for olfactory experiments and workshop.

    The living room is a space where customers can rest and see artwork and decoration items that pay a tribute to the craftsmanship of Korea. The bathroom features a black and white checkered tiled floor and a large retro-styled bathtub. The room is highlighted with traditional Korean pottery.

    Diptyque said it has seen double-digit sales growth in South Korea annually since Shinsegae International secured the domestic sales rights in 2017. According to Euromonitor, South Korea’s perfume market reached US$491.6 million in 2019 and is expected to exceed $532 million next year.

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  • Tencent posts slowest-ever sales rise; regulation impact set to ease

    Tencent posts slowest-ever sales rise; regulation impact set to ease

    Chinese social media and gaming giant posted its slowest ever growth since going public in 2004. The company grew just 8 percent in the fourth quarter. This is reflecting regulatory scrutiny which has affected has hurt its gaming and advertising sales.

    China has frozen game approvals since August last year and curtailed gaming time for under-18s, part of Beijing’s move to strengthen control over its society and industries including technology, after years of unbridled growth.

    This has also led to a slowdown in advertising as businesses have cut spending.

    Tencent Holdings, which gets much of its revenue from gaming and develops games such as ‘Honour of Kings’ and ‘Call of Duty Mobile’, said domestic gaming sales grew 1% in the quarter ended Dec. 31.

    The restrictions on minors were effective as the total time spent by minors on its games sank 88%, Tencent said, adding that the impact of this factor on revenue growth would ease later in the year.

    “As we move into the latter half of 2022 it should cease to impact the revenue growth rate,” Chief Strategy Officer James Mitchell told reporters on a call on Wednesday, referring to the minor-protection measures.

    Tencent President Martin Lau said regulators were still supportive of the gaming industry, adding that the company had a ready pipeline of games for when approvals resumed.

    The company, which also posted its slowest ever annual revenue growth at 16%, said revenue in its online advertising business fell 13% in the fourth quarter.

    It expects its ad business to resume growth in late 2022 after companies adjust to regulatory requirements.

    Total revenue rose to 144.2 billion yuan ($22.63 billion) in the quarter, below an average of 147.6 billion yuan expected by 17 analysts, Refinitiv data showed.

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  • Instant noodle store an unlikely hit with Thai youth

    Instant noodle store an unlikely hit with Thai youth

    In Thailand, a country famous for its flavourful, spicy cuisine and street food, instant noodles may seem an unlikely culinary hit.

    But for teenagers like Ratchadaporn Krongngam, a store that stocks more than 70 types of instant noodles from across Asia and allows you to cook and eat them immediately is an experience worth savouring.

    Since Good Noodle opened in Union Mall in Chatuchak district of Bangkok last October, it has seen thousands of young customers browse its bright orange shelves for noodles from Indonesia, South Korea, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

    “This is my third visit. I love it here because I wanted to try out new and different kinds of instant noodles as I want to know how all of them taste,” said Ratchadaporn, 18.

    Customers often dine in the store, where they can cook their own three-minute meal, which costs between 6 and 250 baht.

    Customer Sirayakorn Charoenthat, 18, said the prices were reasonable for students compared to eating at restaurants.

    Instant noodles are hugely popular in several Asian countries because of their taste, versatility, convenience, and low price. But health experts warn against consuming too much highly processed food because it lacks key nutrients.

    Instant noodles are cooked from a self-automated machine at Good Noodle. (Photo: Reuters)

    Store’s managing director Ungkool Wongkolthoot said he scoured Bangkok’s convenience stores and supermarkets during the pandemic for all the different types of instant noodles he could find, which turned out to be more than 350.

    With this, he saw a business opportunity.

    “I wanted to give the customers an instant experience with the noodles. Not just buying the noodles from other convenience stores or supermarkets, then forgetting about them at home,” he said.

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  • Ferrari Drops First Official Teaser For Purosangue SUV

    Ferrari Drops First Official Teaser For Purosangue SUV

    Italian marque Ferrari has dropped the first official teaser for its first-ever SUV, the Purosangue. The hotly-anticipated model has been a part of the folklore much before Ferrari officially announced its intention to build one and has been at the receiving end of some polarising opinions over the years. While some have been calling it blasphemous for straying too far from the brand’s origins, the others see it as an evolutionary tale of changing times and customer needs. Either way, the Ferrari Purosangue will be the four-door SUV and it will make its public debut sometime later this year, going by the brand’s Instagram post.

    The teaser image offers a shadowed look at the front profile but little tweaks that include turning the brightness all the way up gives a clearer look at some of the design details. The split headlamp design has been borrowed from the SF90 and the F8 Tributo supercars. There’s more muscle though and a slightly more heft in the design.

    There’s no word on the powertrain yet but the Purosangue is expected to draw power from a twin-turbo V8 engine that could make about 700 bhp. A smaller V6 hybrid cannot be ruled out either. Power will be sent to all four wheels via a dual-clutch transmission. A V12 is less likely but maybe that’s the redemption key that would turn naysayers into fans of the “FUV.”

    More details on the upcoming Ferrari Purosangue will be available later in the year. And you can expect more teasers to follow. Production will begin in 2022 while deliveries are likely to begin sometime in 2023. Can the Purosangue replicate the Lamborghini Urus’ success? We’ll find out soon enough.

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  • Crypto Platform Sponsoring World Cup in Qatar

    Crypto Platform Sponsoring World Cup in Qatar

    FIFA announces the world’s fastest-growing cryptocurrency platform as a sponsorship partner of this year’s World Cup soccer tournament held in Qatar.

    Crypto.com will be the exclusive cryptocurrency trading platform sponsor of World Cup Qatar 2022, the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) announced Tuesday in Zurich, expanding its reach in global sports.

    The sponsorship includes opportunities for some of the more than 10 million users of the platform to attend matches and win exclusive merchandise, FIFA said.

    Sports sponsorship is nothing new to Crypto.com, whose beneficiaries include Formula 1, MMA, basketball, ice hockey and soccer. The company also has naming rights for a sports and entertainment venue in Los Angeles; the Crypto.com Arena.

    «Through our partnership with FIFA, we will continue to use our platform in innovative ways so that Crypto.com can power the future of world-class sports and fan experiences around the world,» said Kris Marszalek, co-founder and chief executive officer of Crypto.com.

    The World Cup will be held in Qatar from November 21 to December 18, 2022

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  • ZTE partners with Converge ICT to deliver XGS-PON services in the Philippines

    ZTE partners with Converge ICT to deliver XGS-PON services in the Philippines

    ZTE, together with Converge ICT, is about to launch commercial 10-Gigabit-capable symmetric passive optical network (XGS-PON) infrastructure in South Luzon and the Visayas in the Philippines by May 2022.

    Converge is the first operator to provide residential XGS-PON services in the Philippines. ZTE will cooperate with Converge to expand the commercial range of XGS-PON in the coming years, effectively boosting the evolution of the local network. Currently, ZTE ranks first globally in terms of market share in the customer premises equipment (CPE) segment, according to IHS.

    In this XGS-PON project, Converge selected ZTE to further strengthen their cooperation. ZTE employs multiple XGS-PON devices with ultra-high bandwidth, such as F8648P and Flex PON technologies, for a smooth evolution from GPON to XGS-PON.

    In addition, ZTE has begun its tests on its WiFi 6 ONT and Mesh WiFi products and will provide high-quality and comprehensive XGS PON solutions and products. ZTE’s ONT has a 10 GE downlink port to satisfy users’ high-speed access requirements.

    “In the future, we will continue to work with ZTE to build a stable and efficient network in the Philippines,” said Ronald G. Brusola, chief technology officer at Converge. “The next few years will be a window period for 10GPON development. We hope to work with ZTE to build a fixed broadband network that everyone can afford.”

    “With our 10GPON connectivity up and running, we expect faster and greater things for businesses that utilize this technology,” Jesus Romero, chief operations officer at Converge said. “With our continued partnership with ZTE, we are confident in providing our clients that competitive advantage.”

    “Converge and ZTE have maintained a good long-term partnership. ZTE has been providing Converge with stable and high-speed broadband access products and services. With 20 years of experience in the multimedia field, ZTE has built a professional R&D team of nearly 1,000 engineers,” said Wan Min, managing director of the ZTE Philippines. “With engineering delivery experts across the globe and rich experience in industrial cooperation, ZTE will continue to focus on technological evolution and service innovation in the big video sector, helping Converge develop ultra-high definition video services and set an excellent example for operators in Southeast Asia.”

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  • Elon Musk Claims Master Plan 3 Will Scale Tesla To Extreme Size

    Elon Musk Claims Master Plan 3 Will Scale Tesla To Extreme Size

    As Tesla opened its Berlin gigafactory, its CEO (techno king) Elon Musk who is the world’s wealthiest human, revealed that his electric car company will scale to an extreme size thanks to the third iteration of his master plan.

    Musk revealed that master plan 1 and 2 were stepping stones in Tesla’s journey towards becoming the preeminent electric car maker in the world, but now master plan 3 is coming. On Twitter, the South African revealed that he would be working towards scaling Tesla towards an extreme size.

    “Main Tesla subjects will be scaling to extreme size, which is needed to shift humanity away from fossil fuels, and AI,” he tweeted.

    Tesla’s aim is achieve a production capacity of 20 million vehicles by 2030 that’s than double of what the Volkswagen group and Toyota produce currently. Volkswagen and Toyota are around 10 million units per year right now and in eight years, Musk wants Tesla to double this number.

    Musk wants to get control of Tesla’s supply chain and manufacturing so that it can scale to these levels; since the global supply chain has been fractured thanks to a combination of the pandemic and geopolitical issues.

    As a part of this master plan, Musk will include his other ventures which are SpaceX and the Boring Company.

    Master plan 2 involved the acquisition of SolarCity which was another company that Musk had founded. Musk could be pondering the creation of a holding company called “X” that would be an umbrella organization under which SpaceX, Tesla, Boring Company all operate — much like the formation of Alphabet by the founders of Google.

    2022 for Tesla is all about scaling production and delivering. There will be no new product launches as global supply chain issues and the semiconductor shortage have nuked Tesla’s plans of launching the Cybertruck, the new Roadster and Musk even said currently it doesn’t have the bandwidth to work on the sub $25,000 hatchback that he had announced in September 2020.

  • Amazon Singapore offers staff mental health support

    Amazon Singapore offers staff mental health support

    Amazon Singapore has today launched a new mental health benefits package that provides its employees and their families with personalised, convenient, and confidential mental health and well-being support. The new service provides holistic mental well-being support with services such as life coaching, legal and financial support, and mindfulness resources available in addition to the traditional Employee Assistance Program services such as counselling sessions.

    “Access to mental health care has become increasingly important as we all continue to navigate different everyday challenges,” says Henry Low, Country Manager, Amazon Singapore. “Our intent is to remove barriers and unnecessary stigma around getting help and ensure our employees and their families feel safe and supported. In providing a range of services, as well as regular dialogue with employees about mental health, we hope to help in every way we can.”

    Through the new Employee Assistance Program, Amazon employees and their families have access to several free resources:

    • Life coaching sessions with a certified wellness coach to help navigate life transitions and maximise personal and professional growth.
    • Access to webinars, personalised advise and resources on topics including career development, travel and leisure, parenting, healthy living, consumer tips, personal growth and coping following a natural disaster.
    • Interactive self-care programs, including computerised Cognitive Behavior Therapy, mindfulness resources, and courses that guide individuals through self-paced, evidence-based treatment for anxiety, stress, depression, substance use, sleep troubles, and more.
    • Free one-on-one counselling sessions for employees and their families, with access to three sessions per person, per topic with the option to be in-person, via phone, video, or text.
    • Crisis and suicide-prevention support and access to a licensed mental health clinician any time of day or night.
    • Work-life assistance for everyday needs, including help with referrals for child and elder care, movers, and other personal services.

    Amazon works closely with health and safety experts and scientists, and conducts thousands of safety inspections each day in the company’s buildings across the world. The company has also made hundreds of changes globally as a result of feedback from employees on how to improve their well-being at work.

    All Amazon permanent employees receive the same core benefits, regardless of their role, level, or position—from the company’s executives to front-line employees in fulfilment centres preparing orders for customers.

    For Amazon employee, Carissa Seah, having a single point of contact for mental health support for not only herself, but her loved ones too, gives her great reassurance.

    “It’s very comforting to know that I have a range of mental health resources available not just for me but for my entire family. I’m glad its not a one-size-fits-all solution and offers a genuine range of services for all of us,” says Carissa.

    This new mental health offering complements Amazon’s range of benefits that support employees and eligible family members, including domestic partners and their children. These comprehensive benefits include health care coverage, time-off, and other resources to improve health and well-being. Amazon offers medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage to all full-time and part-time employees, regardless of their level, tenure, or position. When employees want to take time away from work, they have paid time-off for holidays, in addition to other leave benefits that are available for various life events.

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  • VN-Index slips after gaining streak

    VN-Index slips after gaining streak

    Vietnam’s benchmark VN-Index dipped 0.1 percent to 1,502.34 points Wednesday after six gaining sessions.

    The index climbed by 10 points in the morning but strong selling pressure in the afternoon pulled it down by 1.4 points after rising nearly 58 points in the last six sessions.

    Trading value on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), on which the index is based, declined marginally to VND28.04 trillion ($1.23 billion).

    The VN30 basket, comprising the 30 largest capped stocks, saw 22 tickers in the red, with GAS of state-owned Petrovietnam Gas falling 2.3 percent after three sessions in the red.

    PNJ of Phu Nhuan Jewelry dropped 1.8 percent, and PLX of fuel distributor Petrolimex, down 1.4 percent.

    Other losers included HDB of HDBank and PDR of Phat Dat Real Estate Development, both down 1.1 percent.

    Seven blue-chip tickers gained, with POW of electricity producer Petrovietnam Power Corporation rising 2.4 percent and SAB of brewer Sabeco gaining 2.3 percent.

    Foreign investors were net buyers to the tune of VND1.02 billion, with focus on DGC of Duc Giang Chemicals Group and MSN of conglomerate Masan Group.

    The HNX-Index for stocks on the Hanoi Stock Exchange, home to mid and small caps, rose 0.16 percent, while the UPCoM-Index for the Unlisted Public Companies Market fell 0.19 percent.

  • Leading miner fears coal shortage may affect power plants

    Leading miner fears coal shortage may affect power plants

    Vietnam’s biggest coal miner Vinacomin is struggling to provide enough coal to thermal power plants due to shortage of workers and surging costs.

    The state-owned company provided 6.3 million tons of coal to power plants from the beginning of the year to March 14, 31 percent short of what it promised.

    One of the reasons is that half of its miners contracted Covid-19 in the first two months, and some mines saw only 20 percent of workers showing up at the end of last month.

    Another reason is import value so far has met only 7 percent of that planned for the first three months, which has led to the company’s delivery of coal mixed between foreign and domestic sources falling 69 percent short of target.

    The delay of the national utility Vietnam Electricity (EVN) in approving price tags for mixed coal also made Vinacomin miss opportunities to import more coal.

    Now that EVN has approved the price tags, the miner has struggled to import due to surging prices globally amid the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

    Vinacomin also said that many thermal plants tend to buy coal from other sources when their prices are low, and only buy from it in surging amounts when its competitors raise prices, which make the miner struggle to fulfill its commitments.

    It requested the Ministry of Industry and Trade to order thermal plants to purchase according to contracts.

    The company also proposed that the government increase coal prices, as dwindling resources has made mining more costly, while coal prices for power plants have remained unchanged for the past two years, dragging the company’s profit down.

    Vinacomin estimates that it would lose VND1.39 trillion ($60.76 million) in coal mining this year.

    Coal-fired plants accounted for 43.6 percent of total power generation in February, according to EVN.

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  • The Technologies that Changed Online Casino Gaming

    The Technologies that Changed Online Casino Gaming

    According to Statista, the global online gambling market is expected to grow to more than $92.9 billion by 2023. As of 2021, the total market size is valued at $59 billion, meaning the industry’s size will double in the next few years. So, what sustains the popularity and growth of the online casino industry? Aside from the growing interest from experienced and casual players, the casino’s popularity is due to new technologies and innovations. With new technology and innovations, players enjoy better, lucrative, and more immersive games. Here’s a look at the best technologies that redefine the online gambling landscape.

    Mobile gambling and mobile casino apps

    The use of smartphones to play online casino games is not new. But the current generation of casino apps offers players a more immersive mobile casino experience. Using these apps, players can enjoy a wide range of games from slots, table games to live dealer selections. Also, players can now choose between native apps and web apps. Both work on phones that run on the latest iOS and Android operating systems.

    AR and VR technologies that improve players’ engagement

    Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are popular technologies that improve the overall casino experience. With these technologies, players enjoy ultra-realistic images and sounds for an immersive experience. A VR allows a player to enter a virtual casino, navigate the virtual game landscape or even enjoy the games with other players.

    Netent is one of the pioneers in the industry that invested in technology through its Gonzo’s Quest VR. Introduced in ICE Totally Gaming in London in 2017, this VR-powered game is an improvement on the classic Gonzo’s Quest online slot. Instead of a passive player, this game lets a player enter the virtual world and join the playful Gonzo in search of the lost gold. Aside from slots, these technologies are now used in designing poker and blackjack tables.

    Blockchain technology and the rise of cryptocurrencies

    If there’s one technology that’s been dominating the internet right now, then it’s cryptocurrency. Whether it’s in investing or in business transactions, these digital currencies reshape online payments. Blockchain technology is a distributed database that’s shared among nodes in a computer network. It stores information in digital format and serves as the backbone of the most popular cryptocurrencies today such as Bitcoin and Ethereum.

    With blockchain technology, digital currencies enjoy a secure and decentralized record of transactions. These are the primary reasons why many casinos today welcome and accept cryptocurrencies. By using Bitcoin, Ethereum, or other cryptocurrencies, players can enjoy fast, secure, and instant transactions in an online casino. Thanks to its utility, you players can now find crypto-focused casinos. Its adoption also gives rise to the popularity of provably fair online casino games. These are casino games that run on blockchain and guarantees players the transparency of results.

    Numerous safe and reliable payment methods

    Another development in casinos is the introduction of safe and reliable payment methods. Players can still rely on traditional payments like credit and debit cards and bank transfers, but newer ways to send cash are changing the dynamics. In top online casinos, it’s now common to find several leading e-wallets like Skrill, Neteller, and PayPal. As mentioned, another important innovation is the blockchain technology that paves the way for Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin. These digital currencies rely on peer-to-peer networks and not influenced by governments and Central Banks. Digital currencies like Bitcoin are known for their fast, instant, and secure casino transactions.

    New technologies mean improved user experience

    Online casino gambling becomes more entertaining with the use of new technologies and innovation. The games’ graphics and visuals are improved, and the math is solid. Also, these new technologies improve the players’ access to games, allowing them to enjoy these in different ways. It’s now possible to enjoy these casino games across devices and playing against a human dealer in real-time is now a reality.

    In short, both the casino players and operators are the winners in an industry that’s dominated and improved by new technologies. Casinos can leverage these technologies to boost their bottom-line, and players enjoy an improved user experience while playing for jackpots!

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  • CompAsia Opens Latest E-Store In Singapore As It Champions The Recommerce of Mobile Gadgets in Southeast Asia

    CompAsia Opens Latest E-Store In Singapore As It Champions The Recommerce of Mobile Gadgets in Southeast Asia

    There is a new global movement in recommerce, which celebrates the trading of preloved items that extend the lifecycle of these items thus promoting sustainable and responsible consumerism.

    CompAsia, which is championing the recommerce of mobile gadgets in Southeast Asia with unrivalled success in Malaysia, is inviting more customers to consider purchasing second-hand gadgets such as smartphones, laptops, and smartwatches with the opening of new e-stores in Singapore and Thailand, and the promise of high-quality products at affordable prices.

    “We have seen an exponential growth of 2,500% in our e-store business in Malaysia over the last two years largely driven by movement restrictions that amplified the convenience of doing business on the CompAsia platform, and the assurance that we only trade in original products and we offer the highest quality second-hand gadgets,” said Julius Lim, Founder and CEO of CompAsia, which currently operates in nine markets in the region.

    “Customers trust that we are giving them excellent prices both when buying back their devices and selling them preowned ones on our e-stores,” he said, adding that CompAsia’s 32-step quality check that every device goes through, along with the secure data erasure to protect both buyers and sellers alike have also proven to be leading reasons for its growing customer base.

    With deep expertise in the device business, CompAsia provides access to high-quality devices that are backed by responsive after-sales service support, unlike anything you’ll find in regular C2C platforms or second-hand phone retailers. To date, CompAsia has sold over 500,000 devices globally and continues to ramp up sales at a blazing pace.

    “The network upgrading from 4G to 5G is further pushing the sales of smartphones and customers are actively looking for the best deals and reliable trade-in options, which is why we are already seeing increased traffic to our new e-store in Singapore,” Julius said.

    CompAsia.sg, which promises always affordable prices, is offering customers in Singapore an additional 5% discount on all devices as an opening special till 30 April 2022 that translates to almost S$300 off on its highest priced items. Customers will also enjoy CompAsia’s three-month free warranty (extendable up to 24 months) and next day shipping. Payment options in Singapore are supported by GrabPay, MasterCard, Google Pay, Zip, PayNow and Visa.

    “CompAsia is changing customers’ mindsets in buying second-hand gadgets as we are giving them the very best quality in each item and making every brand accessible to everyone,” Julius said. “When you buy on a recommerce site, you are not only extending the lifespan of the item, but you are also diverting waste from landfills, which means a healthier planet.”

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  • Vietnam launches website to tax foreign tech giants

    Vietnam launches website to tax foreign tech giants

    The tax department has set up a website for collecting tax from foreign companies to make it easier for tech giants like Facebook and Google to fulfill their duties.

    The Portal of the General Department of Taxation for Foreign Providers (etaxvn.gdt.gov.vn) came online Monday for companies to declare their tax and track their payments.

    Until now foreign companies were paying their taxes through a third party, but now they could pay directly, Nguyen Van Phung, head of the Large Enterprise Taxation Agency, said.

    By filling in their details on the website, businesses could see how much they need to pay and bank account details, he said.

    “Foreign companies can now pay tax at any time, even from an airplane”.

    Generally, foreign firms are required to pay value-added tax and corporate income tax every quarter. Phung said many foreign firms have been leaving their Vietnamese partners with the burden of their tax, he added. There are at least 64 foreign service providers active in Vietnam, according to tax authorities.

    Vietnam taxed cross-border platforms like Google and Facebook a total of VND5 trillion ($218.53 million) in 2018-21. Authorities have been calling for properly taxing tech giants like Facebook and Google, pointing out they account for around 70 percent of the online advertisement market but evade taxes.

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