Retail News CRM

Category: General

Retail News Asia is committed to providing both local and global retailers with the latest General Retail news throughout the Asian market. This on a daily base.

  • Travel Tips And Checklist For First-Timers In Dubai

    Travel Tips And Checklist For First-Timers In Dubai

    Dubai is an authentic place with interesting culture, traditions, attractions, and heritage. According to the annual Best Cities report, Dubai was ranked in sixth place, behind London, NY, Paris, Moscow, and Tokyo and ahead of Los Angeles and Barcelona.

    There is a wide range of activities to do in Dubai – from sandboarding to hot air ballooning to visiting shopping malls.

    However, before traveling to Dubai, it’s worth exploring all essential information – from basic customs to hotels, restaurants, public transports, and hotels – so that your trip will be more exciting and budget-friendly.

    In this post, I will walk through all the things you need to know before visiting Dubai….especially if you are a first-timer in the Middle East. For a better trip experience, rent Suzuki cars to enjoy your trip in your way.

    • When to visit Dubai

    The best time to go to Dubai is the winter months, from November to April. While much of the Northern Hemisphere is covered in snow, the city continues to offer bright skies and balmy temperatures. Temperatures rise from May to August, so hotel prices fall and tourists disperse.

    • What to wear in Dubai

    There is a dress code in Dubai that it’s worth following. Otherwise, you might have trouble with the police. The rules require modesty and derive from Muslim cultural traditions. Women should cover their cleavage and shoulders and avoid short shorts at all costs. Men are expected to wear long trousers, shirts, and T-shirts.

    • Where to stay in Dubai

     It depends on what you want to do as a tourist and, of course, your budget. There is a wide range of offers, including everything from five-star hotels to budget-friendly hostels. For best recommendations, you can visit many online travel agencies such as Booking.com or Expedia to select a hotel within your budget and the facilities you need.

    • How to get around in Dubai

    Taxi is the most convenient and simplest mode of transport in Dubai. Although high prices are common throughout Dubai, a taxi won’t break the bank.

    However, when you are using a public transportation system, the presence of strangers in the vehicle can make the trip uncomfortable for you. That’s where you may think about renting a car. It gives you the freedom to move at your own pace and allows you to travel long distances.

    • What to do in Dubai

    When we think of Dubai, the first pictures that come to mind are modern architecture and glossy beaches. But before it, Dubai was only sand.

    So, no journey to Dubai is complete without a trip into the desert. A desert trip is one of the greatest ways to better understand what culture was like before the city flourished.

    Besides that, don’t forget to visit top-rated tourist attractions like Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, Dubai mountain, Burj Al Arab, Jumeirah beach and resorts, and much more.

    • Where to eat in Dubai

    Dubai has a variety of locations where foodie dreams come true. The best restaurants in Dubai prepare almost all national dishes around the world, including many specializing in Dubai’s own Arabic delights.

    Along with restaurants, you can enjoy a variety of street foods on your way towards any attraction in Dubai.

    • Which Dubai event are a must-visit

     Dubai celebrates various festivals and events throughout the year.

    Ramadan, the ninth month of the lunar-based Islamic calendar, is when all people, whether Muslim or not, experience the essence of the UAE’s core values of geniality, generosity and unity. During Ramadan, Muslims reflect on the purpose of life and grow closer to God. They fast and abstain from food, drink, smoking and sexual affairs.

    Eid Al Fitr (also known as ‘Feast of Breaking the Fast’)  lasts for 3 days and commemorates the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

    The celebration marks the experience faced by Prophet Abraham when was commanded by God to sacrifice his son, Ismael. The holiday lasts for 4 days and a sacrifice is made of a cow, camel, and ram.

    5 Thing To Know Before Going To Dubai

    Here is 5 tips for safe travel and good times in Dubai:

    1. Visit From October to April.
    2. Plan and book in advance.
    3. Dress modestly.
    4. Show respect during Ramadan.
    5. Ask permission before taking pictures.

    Just keep these Dubai tips for travelers in mind and enjoy your trip to Dubai.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Lees ook:

  • Cebu Pacific to operate special flight from Dubai to Manila on July 30

    Cebu Pacific to operate special flight from Dubai to Manila on July 30

    Philippine budget carrier Cebu Pacific (CEB) will have a special commercial flight on Friday, July 30, “in response to the government’s call for assistance to repatriate Filipino workers in Dubai”, the airline confirmed to Gulf News on Monday.

    CEB earlier announced that it had cancelled all its commercial flights to and from Dubai until August 1, following the decision by the Philippine government to “extend the ban on travellers from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Oman and the UAE” until July 30. New passengers and those affected by previous flight cancellations who would like to take the 5J27 Dubai-Manila special flight on July 30, dubbed as Bayanihan flight, may book their tickets on Cebu Pacific website, though seats are subject to availability.

    CEB noted: “Pursuant to current Philippine health protocols, a passenger who would like to take the Bayanihan flight must present a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR result, taken within 48 hours before departure.” Face masks and face shields should always be worn (except during meals) while onboard the aircraft, as an added precaution against the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

    “Pursuant to government’s health protocols, all passengers will be subjected to a 14-day, facility-based quarantine upon arrival in the Philippines. For this purpose, passengers are advised to have pre-booked quarantine hotels for 15 days/14 nights,” CEB added.

    The cost of quarantine hotels for OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) will be paid for by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA); while tourist and returning overseas Filipinos will have to shoulder the cost of hotel quarantine. All the passengers of Bayanihan flights will undergo COVID-19 RT-PCR test after seven days of quarantine. The cost of the test for land-based OFWs will be shouldered by OWWA; while the Philippine Port Authority will cover the cost for sea-based OFWs. Non-OFWs will have to pay for their own RT-PCR test.

    The Philippine government had first imposed restrictions on inbound travel from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Oman and the UAE from May 15 until May 31, in view of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic and to prevent the spread of the highly transmissible Delta coronavirus variant that first emerged in India. The travel ban was first extended until June 15, then stretched until June 30 before prolonging it further until July 30.

    Thousands of stranded Filipinos in the UAE have signed an online petition seeking to immediately lift the travel restrictions imposed by the Philippine government. The online petition titled ‘Lift the UAE ban! It’s our right to go home’, has garnered over 4,000 virtual signatures.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Coles revamps health foods aisle, boosting sports and diet range

    Coles revamps health foods aisle, boosting sports and diet range

    Coles has transformed its health foods section, moving products traditionally found in the category, such as fodmap-friendly soups, gluten-free cereals, oils and nut spreads to their respective mainstream aisles.

    The revamp has provided space for more than 150 sports-performance and health products from brands like Amazonia Raw, Muscle Nation, and Botanika Blends, which join Coles’ shelves for the first time.

    These products include protein bars and custards from Muscle Nation, 20 new protein products and pure creatine from Body Science (BSC), Macro Mike’s powdered peanut butter and brownies mix, Dose & Co Marine Collagen and 180 Nutrition protein powder and bars. New health ingredients include Superfood Protein Ball Mixes from Mount Elephant and Melrose Superfood Powders and MCT Oils.

    According to Coles, the expansion of the health aisle comes as “Sports & Diet” was identified as the fastest-growing segment of the supermarket’s health food aisle between 2014 to 2019. Earlier this month, Coles revealed it had moved cereal products from the health-foods aisle into the breakfasts area.

    “Our transformed health foods aisle is a giant leap towards delivering Coles’ purpose to sustainably feed all Australians to help them lead happier and healthier lives,” said Leanne White, GM, Coles.

    “We’re seeing more and more customers look for healthier options or specific dietary requirements in the main grocery aisles – they no longer expect to go down one dedicated aisle to find these options.”

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • AirAsia group says Q2 was improved

    AirAsia group says Q2 was improved

    AirAsia Group said its operating statistics for the second quarter of the 2021 financial year were improved during the quarter. All four key operating entities of AirAsia posted year-on-year (YoY) improvements during the quarter, on the back of a low base in the corresponding quarter last year as the group’s fleet were hibernated for the most part of 2Q2020 following the hit of the COVID-19 pandemic since late 1Q2020.

    As for quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) performance, AirAsia Philippines saw a 2 percent increase in number of passengers carried and 4 percentage points (ppts) increase in load factor to reach 78 percent, while AirAsia Indonesia’s load factor increased by 11 ppts QoQ. AirAsia said it remains committed to strengthening its domestic foothold while awaiting positive developments on international air travel. Expectation of high vaccination rates in ASEAN countries by the end of this year is lending confidence on upcoming recovery, enhanced by the group’s short-haul model in addition to leaner and more stabilised operations.

    AirAsia Malaysia’s operations remained constrained QoQ due to a lockdown and interstate travel restrictions imposed from January 2021. AirAsia Malaysia carried 64 percent higher number of passengers YoY on 54 percent higher capacity, subsequently resulting in a 4 ppts increase to a healthy load factor of 64 percent. The ongoing subdued operations are expected to persist until Malaysia reaches herd immunity by the fourth quarter of this year. The government has recently set a new target of vaccinating all adults by October 2021.

    AirAsia Indonesia posted substantial YoY growth against the same quarter last year. Though the number of passengers carried showed a mild 1 percent dip QoQ, load factor grew by 11 ppts to 67 percent in 2Q2021 due to more stringent capacity management. AirAsia Indonesia was operating approximately 70 percent of pre-pandemic domestic capacity in May 2021 and demonstrated strong signs of recovery before it had to enter hibernation mode in early July in support of the containment efforts by the government as infection cases increased.

    AirAsia Philippines’ strong rebound seen in 1Q2021 further increased in 2Q2021, posting a 2 percent higher number of passengers carried QoQ and 4 ppts higher load factor to record a solid 78 percent. Monthly breakdown showed that load factor was as high as 83 percent in June 2021, boosted by active capacity management. This was despite running a limited number of charter and passenger flights due to community quarantine restrictions and despite flying only from its Manila hub.

    AirAsia Thailand more than doubled the number of passengers carried YoY and reported a 9 ppts increase in load factor to 61 percent in 2Q2021, boosted by higher demand during the Songkran festival in April 2021 and on the back of low base effect in the same quarter last year. On a QoQ basis, despite having successfully resumed all domestic routes by the end of 1Q2021, AirAsia Thailand’s recovery was short-lived due to the new COVID-19 wave that began in mid-April 2021. AirAsia Thailand posted a 26 percent QoQ decline in passengers carried, most significantly in June. Nevertheless, load factor was held firm at 78 percent in June, attributed to active capacity management.

  • WhatsApp makes it possible to move chats from iOS to Android using Android’s Data Restore Tool

    WhatsApp makes it possible to move chats from iOS to Android using Android’s Data Restore Tool

    The standard Android tool for transferring data from one device to another, Google’s Data Restore Tool, is preparing a nice addition to its transferring arsenal. The Tool might soon be getting the capability to transfer WhatsApp chats from iOS to Android.

    WhatsApp has a sometimes inconvenient limitation that it can be installed on only one smartphone per account. Despite the multi-device support that got recently introduced in a beta version of the app, the limitation for only one smartphone still stayed. This means there is no easy way for you to transfer your WhatsApp messages from iPhone to Android.

    However, Android’s built-in transfer app Data Restore Tool is getting ready to obtain the capability to do just that. The Data Restore Tool app’s version 1.0.382048734, available on the Google Play Store, will soon be able to transfer WhatsApp chats and history from iOS to Android.

    This feature does not currently work because WhatsApp first needs to launch the needed migration settings. This might happen sooner than later as WhatsApp has been spotted to be working on transfer options.

    When WhatsApp introduces the needed changes, in order to start the WhatsApp chats’ transfer between iOS and Android using the Tool, you need to follow these steps from the app itself:

    Transfer WhatsApp Chats > Scan the QR code with your iPhone to open WhatsApp > Start > Keep your iPhone unlocked and WhatsApp open.

    Lees ook:

  • Bamboo Airways, Vietjet suspend regular flights

    Bamboo Airways, Vietjet suspend regular flights

    Bamboo Airways, Vietjet, and Pacific Airlines have suspended most of their regular routes amid a surging number of Covid-19 cases that have seen demand plunge.

    Bamboo Airways will cease all regular flights for two weeks from July 26 to August 7 amid the severe spread of the disease and social distancing measures imposed in major cities, it stated.

    Websites of Vietjet and Pacific Airlines on Tuesday showed few or no flights between popular destinations like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang.

    Most passenger flights between HCMC and Hanoi have been canceled since July 23 as the capital imposed strict social distancing.

    Vietnam Airlines is the only carrier operating on this route with a maximum of two flights a day allowed.

    Between June 19 and July 18, the number of flights plunged 84.6 percent to 3,772, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV).

    Vietnam has recorded 105,287 local Covid-19 patients in 62 cities and provinces since the new wave started three months ago.

    Lees ook:

  • Top 5 Locations to Live in the Philippines

    Top 5 Locations to Live in the Philippines

    The Philippines is an Asian country in the Pacific Ocean. It is made up of around 7400 islands and is categorized into three geographical divisions known as Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The country covers an area of 300,000 square kilometers and has a population of approximately 109,000,000. The landscape of the Philippines is diverse: from the green mountain villages to white sandy beaches to busy, crowded cities such as the capital city, Manila. If you would like to visit the beautiful islands and experience the fascinating culture of this country, here is a guide to the Top 5 Places to Live in the Philippines.

    Mandaluyong

    If you like shopping, you will love Mandaluyong – a city directly east of Manila. The city is well developed and is home to the Ortigas Centre, which is a huge business and commercial building. The number of shopping centers is vast, and you can pick up some real bargains in malls such as SM Megamall, The Podium, and SM Light Mall.

    Those who love a good pampering will love this city as it has many luxury spas and salons where you can receive anything from a pedicure to eyelash extensions. Lovers of music can sing their hearts out at one of the many karaoke bars or dance the night away in a nightclub such as Z Roof Deck.

    If you plan to visit the Philippines soon, you may want to consider looking for long term accommodation in various locations that appeal to you and that way you can try before you buy. For example, if Mandaluyong sounds like a great place to live you could look for a place to rent and see how you enjoy living there before you invest in a property. Try to find an apartment for rent in Mandaluyong which will allow you to get to know the city better and decide which districts would make the perfect location for your permanent abode.

    Tagaytay City

    Tagaytay is around 60 kilometers from Manila and is a beautiful city with lots of parks and greenery. The most popular attraction in Tagaytay is Taal Volcano. This relatively small volcano is the most active of several volcanos in the Philippines.

    If you like a cooler climate, Tagaytay is a great place to live as it isn’t as hot as other parts of the Philippines due to its high altitude.

    During the Christmas season and Holy Week, hundreds of tourists flock to the beautiful churches and shrines in this city.

    Boracay

    If you are a beach lover, you must visit the beach capital of the Philippines – Boracay. This beautiful island has over 12 beaches, including White Beach, which, as its name suggests, is a lovely beach with pale white sand, edged with clean, azure water. Some of the luxury beach resorts along the coast are well worth a visit if you want some pampering in luxurious surroundings.

    Bohol

    Bohol is situated in the central geographical belt of the Philippines, known as Visayas, and is known for its natural beauty. It is an excellent place for nature lovers to visit and Bohol island is home to unique natural wonders known as the Chocolate Hills. These are a collection of 1200 grassy hills which turn brown during the dry season on the island and look like lumps of chocolate formed from the landscape.

    A tiny primate called the Philippine Tarsier is native to the country, and a sanctuary dedicated to caring for these cuddly critters with enormous eyes can be found in Bohol. Visitors can enjoy a night walk through the shelter where they may catch a glimpse of this nocturnal creature.

    Lees ook:

  • Saigon supermarkets to close at 5 PM

    Saigon supermarkets to close at 5 PM

    All supermarkets in HCMC will close at 5 p.m. starting Monday to comply with the city’s suspension of night-time activities amid its Covid-19 battle.

    Retail chains like VinMart and Co.opMart will operate from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. instead of 10 p.m.

    Big C outlets will open 1.5 hours earlier at 7 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. Aeon Malls and Mega Market will also apply the same hours.

    Most supermarkets in the city had shelves full of eggs, meat and vegetables Monday, with no sign of stockpiling.

    Retail chains have been doubling or tripling their supply to fulfill demand. They also have delivery staff ready in case delivery platforms are banned.

    HCMC banned people from leaving their homes except for emergencies after 6 p.m. starting Monday.

    This is the latest effort to curb the spread of the fourth wave of Covid-19, in which over 62,100 cases have been confirmed in the city out of 97,400 nationwide.

    Lees ook:

  • Update to produce a more colorful Google Keep

    Update to produce a more colorful Google Keep

    Google Keep is a free note-taking app found on iOS, Android, and the desktop. Currently, Keep’s interface is nothing that users would get excited about as it shows the drawn image of a light bulb. Whether Google received complaints about the coma-producing UI or it decided unilaterally to freshen up the look isn’t clear, but citing a source who discovered the change.

    Users will be able to select from different background colors by tapping on the icon of an artist’s palette found at the bottom of the screen. Clicking on the icon will also reveal the different background images that the Google Keep app and website will show. Options include a plain background in various colors, a checkered umbrella, a fork retreating from a bowl of spaghetti with pasta intertwined on its prongs, and some others.

    We have yet to see the new background surface which points to the updated UI being rolled out via a server-side update. If you’ve never opened the Keep app before, it allows you to take and save written notes and lists, keep photos, and audio. You can use the app to produce a shopping list, create a to-do list, and more. And these reminders can be set to go off at certain locations.

    You can set the app to display your shopping list when you enter the supermarket or create a time-based reminder to help you get a particular task done without completing it too late. You can install Google Keep from the Google Play Store, or the Apple App Store.

  • Battle between Android and iOS over smartphone sales is bogus say court documents

    Battle between Android and iOS over smartphone sales is bogus say court documents

    Is the smartphone war between iOS and Android a real thing? Does Google really care about switching users from iOS to Android? The answer might be found in an amended court document filed by Epic Games related to the latter’s complaint against Google and its Android app storefront.

    Epic is suing Google over the 30% of in-app revenue that Google collects from developers. This is similar to the so-called Apple Tax but there are slight differences between the two platforms as Apple does not allow users to sideload apps while Google does. One part of the amended complaint, which was viewed by iMore, redacts an example of how Google conducts its business.

    It also states that “Google’s persistent monopoly is the result of deliberate efforts by Google to achieve and maintain it.” The document additionally reveals that the Alphabet subsidiary uses its huge size to force third-party firms into making agreements that could be considered “anti-competitive.”

    Perhaps the most interesting part of the document discusses Google’s relationship with Apple. As many of you know, Google pays Apple a reported $8 billion to $12 billion annually to install Google Search on iOS, and therein lies the truth behind the Google-Apple relationship. As Epic Game notes in its filing, “Moreover, the close relationship that Google maintains with Apple further reduces Google’s incentive to compete, innovate, and invest in app distribution because Google benefits by cooperating with its competitor Apple.”

    In other words, Google makes its bread by attracting eyeballs to the ads it serves up. Whether those eyeballs belong to people using the iOS or Android version of Search doesn’t matter at all to Google. The court filing notes that Google’s profits from iOS are so huge that the firm has no incentive to “to compete more with Apple at the smartphone OS level and expend more resources attracting users from iOS to Android than it currently does.”

    With Android and iOS together making up a 99% share of the global smartphone market, Epic should be able to prove in court that between Apple and Google, the pair have a duopoly of the mobile industry.

    In a statement, Google told iMore that “The open Android ecosystem lets developers distribute apps through multiple app stores. For game developers who choose to use the Play Store, we have consistent policies that are fair to developers and keep the store safe for users. While Fortnite remains available on Android, we can no longer make it available on Play because it violates our policies. We will continue to defend ourselves against these meritless claims.”

    Again, the more interesting aspect to Google’s filing is the possibility that the Android-iOS battle is more a manifestation of the media than an actual scrap between two manufacturers seeking to own the largest market share of the smartphone market. It all boils down to the point that Google is indeed an advertising company that makes money by selling ads. Apple’s focus is different as it seeks to profit from sales of smartphones, accessories, and other devices.

    Epic says that Google’s “very carefully phrased arguments in Google’s pending motion to dismiss give a misleading picture of the full scope of Google’s anti-competitive conduct.” While the game developer and distributor says that it believes that the information it included in its original complaint against Google was “more than sufficient” to prove its case, it decided that its best course of action was to apply more pressure on the company.

    Lees ook:

  • Steelmakers protest proposed tariff adjustments

    Steelmakers protest proposed tariff adjustments

    The Vietnam Steel Association (VSA) has protested the latest proposed adjustments to tariff rates on steel products saying they will hurt domestic manufacturers.

    Under the proposal made by the Ministry of Finance, export tariff for billets would rise from zero percent to 5 percent, while the most favored nation (MFN) import rates for certain steel products would be reduced to 10 percent from 15 percent.

    The proposal is aimed at cutting the prices of construction steel, which have shot up 40 to 50 percent compared to early 2020.

    VSA has protested the proposal, arguing that the prices were impacted by the global raw materials market rather than the current tariff policies, or any trade remedies applied to steel products.

    VSA chairman Nghiem Xuan Da noted that most of the input materials for steel production are imported. A price hike in these materials will immediately affect domestic manufacturers, causing output prices to skyrocket.

    However, global steel prices have declined since late May.

    Vietnam reaped steel export earnings of $4.9 billion in the first half of this year. Meanwhile, it produced 16 million tons of steel, up 37 percent over the same period last year.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Hanoi supermarkets increase inventories

    Hanoi supermarkets increase inventories

    Supermarkets in Hanoi are stocking two or three times their normal volumes of goods and increasing warehouse capacity to brace for a worsening of the Covid-19 pandemic.

    The acting director of the city Department of Industry and Trade, Tran Thi Phuong Lan, said there is abundant supply of essential items and fresh foods, and no threat of shortages. Fearing the novel coronavirus, many Hanoi residents are stockpiling meat, vegetables and rice to avoid venturing outdoors.

    Big C supermarkets have doubled their normal fresh food inventories and increased dry goods by 30 percent, Nguyen Thi Bich Van communications director of Central Retail Vietnam, which owns the chain, said.

    Aeon supermarkets have stocks of two to four times the normal volumes of fresh groceries and 130 percent of that of dry goods since last week. Aeon Vietnam procurement director Tran Thu Quynh said the chain has worked with suppliers to secure extra stocks in case of an emergency and expanded warehouse capacity and inventories of frozen goods.

    Vinmart/Vinmart+ supermarkets have tripled and quintupled their stocks of groceries and eggs and vegetables.

    But admittedly there remain difficulties in terms of transportation and personnel.

    Quynh said certain goods that are imported or brought from the south, like fresh seafood and local fruits, are facing major delays as suppliers face challenges related to production and transportation amid the implementation of social distancing in the 19 southern localities.

    Over the last week Hanoi has assigned priority to vehicles transporting essential items. The capital city impose a 15-day social distancing campaign starting 6 a.m. Saturday as part of efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Singapore Wealth Fund Posts Best Performance Since 2015

    Singapore Wealth Fund Posts Best Performance Since 2015

    Strong asset performance amid the pandemic and exits through initial public offerings by portfolio companies boosted the fund’s performance.

    GIC, whose investment performance is measured using a rolling 20-year real rate of return, posted an annualized USD nominal rate of return of 6.8 percent for the period that ended 31 March 2021, or 4.3 percent accounting for inflation, it said in the announcement. In 2015, it recorded a return of 4.9 percent.

    Asia excluding Japan took up 26 percent of GIC’s portfolio, up from 19 percent a year earlier, while emerging markets comprised 17 percent, up from 15 percent. At the same time, its Japan exposure fell to 8 percent, from 13 percent the year before, according to its annual report. Its largest region by exposure continued to be the U.S., at 34 percent. The fund manages in excess of $100 billion in assets, though exact figures are not available.

    GIC said it is cautious about the macro outlook in the long term, given rising inflation, elevated asset valuations, more fragile fundamentals in the global economy and less policy room.

    Chow Kiat, GIC chief executive officer, said GIC is positive on the micro prospects, given new areas of growth that are driven by increasing emphasis on sustainability, accelerating technological transformation, and growing needs for businesses to reconfigure their supply chain.

    Earlier this year, GIC opened its 11th office globally in Sydney, Australia, saying it would be seeking investment opportunities in the country.

    The fund has also been loading up on crypto assets of late. So far this year, GIC has taken stakes in U.S. based digital asset bank Anchorage; BC Group, the parent company of regulated crypto exchange OSL; and blockchain analysis company Chainalysis.

    Lees ook:

  • Select HBO Max full pilot episodes now available on Snapchat

    Select HBO Max full pilot episodes now available on Snapchat

    It looks like HBO Max is stretching its arms to create new partnerships and reap new benefits. Today, the streaming service has teamed up with Snapchat and made it possible to watch full-length pilot episodes of select shows on the social media platform.

    Some examples include Looney Tunes, Gossip Girl, and even the all-popular Game of Thrones. The option is available through the Snap Minis feature, which debuted last year. Snapchat Minis is a way for third-party developers to showcase their product inside the social platform.

    One of the more popular channels to make use of this feature was Headspace. HBO, however, is the first of its caliber to upload full episodes.

    The main aim of this deal is obviously to attract more people to subscribe to HBO’s program, but it is more than that. The most noteworthy part of HBO Max’s Snapchat minis is having the ability to invite up to 63 people to watch the content together. What’s even better is that all participants can chat and share Bitmoji reactions during the show.

    No HBO Max subscription is required to watch any of the shows, but don’t go thinking there are no catches laid out for you. At the end of each pilot episode, users who are 18 years or older will receive a pop-up prompting an HBO Max subscription.

    The new Snapchat feature is available both on Android and iOS, and the pilot episodes on display will be refreshed in intervals yet to be announced. It would be interesting to see if competitors like Netflix and Disney+ follow in HBO’s footsteps. If so, this could prove to be a great benefit for Snapchat, maybe developing the trend into something more in the future.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Instagram’s new Sensitive Content Control feature gives you more control

    Instagram’s new Sensitive Content Control feature gives you more control

    A new Instagram feature allows users to control how much sensitive content they see in the app, and more specifically, on its “Explore” tab.

    The ‘Explore’ section of Instagram is the place where users discover new content from people they don’t follow. Before this new tool was made available, Instagram relied on recommendation guidelines to ensure its users did not see upsetting or offensive content in the ‘Explore’ section.

    However, now, users will get to have a say in that. The default setting will be a limited amount of potentially sensitive content. Apart from that, the feature gives two more options to users: an option that allows all content, and a severely restricted option dubbed “Limit even more”. The “Allow” option is, understandably, available only for users over 18 years of age.

    Instagram’s policies on content ban certain types of content, such as hate speech and harassment. This new tool is for other content, that some viewers might take offense to, such as sexual content, or content with some degree of violent nature, but that doesn’t necessarily violate the app’s rules.

    Facebook, Instagram’s parent company, stated that users will now have more control over what they see in “Explore”, as everybody has different preferences of what they want to view.

    If you want to make changes to this setting, go to your profile, tab the Settings menu (in the upper right corner) > Account > Sensitive Content Control.