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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.

  • IntSights grows APAC footprint with Pacific Tech partnership

    IntSights grows APAC footprint with Pacific Tech partnership

    IntSights, the threat intelligence company focused on democratizing threat intelligence, announced the appointment of Pacific Tech as its regional distributor in Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. The collaboration further strengthens IntSights’ network in the region to meet the fast-growing demand for threat intelligence as enterprises look to gain greater visibility and control over threats outside the wire.

    IntSights offers unique cyber reconnaissance capabilities and patented data-mining algorithms that give customers the deepest and most actionable intelligence on the market. The IntSights platform has the ability to discover, analyze, and mitigate external threats across PaaS, SaaS, and IaaS, which is critical in the remote work scenario. The new partnership with Pacific Tech aligns with IntSights global growth initiatives and affirms the company’s commitment to the region.

    Pacific Tech is an award-winning value-added distributor with more than a decade of experience in providing cybersecurity, data protection, managed security services, and IOT security solutions to customers in APAC. Pacific Tech will be distributing the full range of IntSights products, services, and solutions to the system integrator and value-added reseller channel communities; as well as end clients from target verticals including e-commerce, energy, financial services, government, healthcare, and retail.

    “We are delighted to work with IntSights as we continue to deliver value-added solutions to our partners and customers,” said Andy Woo, Regional Director, Pacific Tech. “With our regional business-coverage, especially in ASEAN, we are well-positioned to bring IntSights best-in-class solutions to enterprises in the region. IntSights has taken the complexity out of threat intelligence, and the broad accessibility to IntSights solutions will address today’s organizations’ need for effective cyber intelligence solutions.”

    “Amidst the challenging environment, IntSights continued to grow at more than 60 percent YoY in 2020 with a record fourth quarter. Asia Pacific has been one of the focus regions for growth, and we are increasing our investments in engineering, product management, sales, and marketing in the region,” said Michael Tan, Regional Director of APJ, IntSights.

    IntSights has adopted a channel-driven GTM and is being distributed by some of the biggest, most influential partners in the world. We see synergy and opportunities through our partnership with Pacific Tech as we continue our growth momentum. It is an opportune time to extend the alliance ecosystem to scale our capabilities to aid enterprises of any size to counter cyber threats today.”

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  • Thai Airways to retire A330’s, A380s, and 747s

    Thai Airways to retire A330’s, A380s, and 747s

    Many countries have closed their international borders, and many impose lots of restrictions that makes travel almost impossible. Airlines currently do not need an extensive fleet of wide-body aircraft to carry passengers across oceans and continents. In fact, the majority of the airlines have temporarily parked their biggest planes in the desert, others are making more drastic long-term plans.

    The latest fleet downsizing action comes from the national carrier of Thailand, which just announced a major fleet restructuring, according to a report by local newspaper The Nation.

    Thai Airways will retire all its Airbus A380s and A330s, as well as its iconic B747s, leaving in operation a more modern, widebody, fuel-efficient jets such as the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787, beside the older B777 which in terms of fuel efficiency are better than the B747 and A330 and which are currently listed for sale.

    If I have made the count correctly on the Thai Airways fleet page website, the fleet downsizing will consist in retiring a whooping 28 aircrafts out of the 80 widebody fleet.

    Before the pandemic, Thai had one of the most varied long-haul fleets in the sky, with a dash of the most popular Airbus and Boeing jets. A bit too varied in my opinion, which is not financially healthy long-term. Once the fleet restructures takes place a more streamlined fleet, will be less of a financial concern.

    Thai is not the only airline reducing its fleet due to the pandemic. Last year, below is a list of major airlines that have permanently retired part of their fleet.

    • Air Canada 79 planes B767s, Airbus A319s, and Embraer 190s.
    • Air France 15 planes A380’s
    • American  Airlines just over 100 various wide and narrow-body planes
    • Austrian Airlines 28 Planes wide and narrow body.
    • British Airways 67 planes including 57 B747 and 5 B777-200
    • Delta Air Lines 188 Planes including MD88, MD90, and B777.
    • KLM 25 planes, all B747.
    • Lufthansa 35 Planes including A340-600, A380, and B747.
    • Singapore Airlines 46 Planes all B777-200ER.
    • Virgin Atlantic 32 Planes, including 19 A340 and 13 B747
    • Emirates may speed up the retirement of 46 of the airline’s 115-strong fleet of A380s. No concrete timeline has been provided yet.
    • Qantas has constantly faced rumours that it will retire its A380 fleet at some point.
    • Qatar Airways may also speed up the retirement of its A380s.
    • United Airlines may follow American’s lead and retire its 767s and 757s.

    The retirement of aircraft will push airlines to focus on more fuel-efficient widebody aircraft which no doubt will be the future of the aviation industry.

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  • Google Maps makes paying for parking a snap in over 400 U.S. cities

    Google Maps makes paying for parking a snap in over 400 U.S. cities

    Has any app become as useful as Google Maps has become over the years? Every time you turn around, Google has added a new feature. And now, Google Maps users will be able to pay for parking and train tickets directly from the app. If an event runs longer than expected, you can add time to your meter without having to run out of the venue in the cold, driving rain, or miss the game-winning play or the show-stopping number just to feed the meter. You can also avoid touching parking meters, some of which could be lousy with coronavirus.

    Here’s how it works. As you approach your destination (which you’re tracking on Google Maps), the app will show a button that reads “Pay for Parking.” Enter the meter number, the amount of time you want to park there, and tap on pay. Pay for parking starts today with the Google Map app on Android phones in over 400 cities including Boston, Cincinnati, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C, and more. The feature will be coming to iOS soon and is driven by the Passport and ParkMobile apps.

    If you’re looking for transit directions on Google Maps, you’ll see a button giving you the option to pay for public transportation using the credit or debit cards connected to a Google Pay account. Google is adding the ability to pay transit fares from Google Maps for 80 transit agencies around the world. As Google says, “Now you’ll be able to plan your trip, buy your fare, and start riding without needing to toggle between multiple apps. You can understand how to pay in advance and even get your fare ready to go before you arrive at the station – which is helpful when you’re not sure what payment options a transit agency supports.

    When you get transit directions, you’ll see the option to pay with your phone with the credit or debit cards already linked to your Google Pay account. And in places like the San Francisco Bay Area, you’ll also be able to buy a digital Clipper card directly from Google Maps. Once you’ve purchased your fare, all you need to do is tap your phone on the reader or show your digital ticket to breeze on board.” Google Maps’ expansion to 80 transit agencies for ticket payments will rollout on Android in a few weeks.

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  • Everything is put in place for Cebu Pacific operator’s crucial stock offer to rescue airline

    Everything is put in place for Cebu Pacific operator’s crucial stock offer to rescue airline

    It’s all systems go for the upcoming P12.5-billion stock rights offer of Cebu Air Inc. next month.

    In a disclosure to the local bourse on Wednesday, the operator of loss-making budget carrier Cebu Pacific released the final terms for the fundraising activity meant to keep the airline afloat while lingering coronavirus fears prevent a full take-off to recovery.

    The mega stock rights offer is part of a larger recovery plan worth $500 million that the airline announced last October, which also included a private investor placement of an equal amount. It was unclear whether the balance had been raised already.

    Under the offer, existing common shareholders may buy convertible preferred shares at a conversion price of P38 apiece. Preferred shareholders are entitled to receive fixed dividends with a yield of 6% per year, but they will not have voting rights that common stockholders enjoy.

    Shares will be sold from March 3 to 9, while a tentative listing date was set on March 29. Cebu Air will sell a total of 328.9 million convertible preferred shares to investors for this crucial fundraising activity.

    A chunk of the proceeds worth P4.8 billion will serve as repayment to advances by JG Summit Philippines Ltd., its parent firm. A smaller P3.9 billion would go to aircraft operating lease payments due this year, while P3.3 billion would settle old debts.

    The balance of P384 million would be spent on “general corporate purposes,” primarily for passenger refunds in case cash generated from lackluster operations are insufficient for settlement.

    Unlike regional counterparts that handed bailouts to their cash-strapped carriers like Malaysia and Thailand, the Philippines has been reluctant in spending taxpayers’ money to rescue local airlines on the brink of financial collapse.

    Although Cebu Air is yet to release its full-year financial results, the airline has expected losses to amount to “almost P25 billion” in 2020 that, if realized, will be a reversal of the P9.12 billion in profits in 2019.

    Apart from raising new funds, Cebu Air was also forced to downsize its workforce by 75% last year due to tepid flight operations.

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  • aVinco Level Up Your Online Baccarat Games Skills With This Easy Guide In 2021

    aVinco Level Up Your Online Baccarat Games Skills With This Easy Guide In 2021

    Perhaps you still do not know this wonderful card game, very similar to blackjack, which is especially famous in Latin America. We can enjoy it in the European continent, where it is a success. Online baccarat is a game between a player and the dealer, and users must bet on who will win the card game if the player, the dealer or the result will be a draw.

    In online baccarat table games, the best card is 9 and then 8. A hand of two nines is known as ‘natural’, as are two eights. The winner will be the one that is closest to the value 9, adding the total of their cards, and if we have guessed the winner or the tie in case of a link, we will win our bet that is paid at 1: 1. Below we leave you a more detailed explanation of the rules and the value of the cards.

    How does online baccarat work?

    Each online baccarat room sets a minimum bet amount, which, in each game, we will have to respect by playing the Player Win, Bank Win or Draw.

    Each card’s value is its face value; that is, the 2 is worth 2, the 4 is worth 4 and so on all except the figures that are worth all 10 and the Ace that counts 0.

    Basic rules

    Both the player and the Bank have rules and conditions to follow during the game.

    The player is obliged to stand if his cards total 5, 6, 8 or 9.

    However, the Bank:

    • It is forbidden to draw a third card if the player does not do so.
    • If your cards total 8, you cannot draw any more cards.
    • If his cards’ total value is 4, he can draw a third if the third that the player has previously drawn is a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7.
    • If his cards’ total value is 5, he can draw a third if the player’s is 4, 5, 6 or 7.
    • If his cards’ total value is 6, he can draw a third if the player’s is a 6 or a 7.
    • If the total value of her cards is 7, she is forced to stand.

    Bets and strategies in online baccarat

    As we have said, victories in online baccarat are paid 1: 1; that is, if we bet € 20 on a game and win, we will receive another 20 euros of benefit.

    Bet on Player

    The first option is to bet on the player, and we will come out with profits if the player’s cards are finally closer to the number 9 than those of the Bank. The advantage of the online casino in question over us bettors, in the case of betting on the player, is 1.36%.

    Remember that the player is only a participant in the game and does not refer to us, the bettors. The player will play his cards following the rules named above.

    Bet on the Bank

    The second option is to bet that the Banker wins the Baccarat game. With this bet, the casino has an advantage of 1.06%, and this is the reason why many users say that it is more likely to win by betting on the Banker. The probability is indeed higher, and that is why for each prize, if we have bet on the Bank, the casino will take a 5% commission.

    Bet on Tie

    And finally, we can also bet on the tie, something much less likely, which is why it pays better, precisely 8 or 9 to 1, depending on the house. The casino advantage on this bet amounts to 14.4%.

    Tips and strategies

    To play and win baccarat, you do not need to be a full-time strategist, as there are few game options with only two outcomes.

    1. You have three betting possibilities: the player, the house and the tie. Betting last is not the best, as the house edge will rise. Thus, your chances of winning the other two bets will be higher.
    2. According to your intuition, you can play baccarat online, taking into account the rounds’ latest results and betting evenly only on the player or the dealer. Or alternate between one bet and another.
    3. Always bet on the dealer until you lose. Only then should you change your bet to the player’s.
    4. Bet on a trend, for example, 4 times in a row on the dealer round and then switch to the other hand if you have won.

    Why play baccarat online?

    Online baccarat is a new, dynamic, and exciting game. That is why it is going viral among casino players across Europe.

    Play from home

    Turn on your laptop, tablet or smartphone, open the default browser or download your favorite casino application and start enjoying wherever you are!

    Receive online baccarat bonuses

    And of course, enjoy and take advantage of the bonuses for online baccarat, reduce your risk and increase your chances.

    In fact, you can get started right now by clicking on the link of the casino you’ve already had a look at and creating your gaming account, then make a deposit and play with the Welcome Bonus at the best online casinos.

    Variants of online baccarat

    Due to the success that online baccarat has had among casino players, different variants and new games derived from this exciting board game have emerged.

    Live Dragon Tiger

    Perhaps the Live Dragon Tiger is the best known, an authentic Game Show very fast and set in incredible conditions. It is a new release from Evolution Gaming, and you will find it in all live casinos.

    It is an Online Baccarat in which we have to bet on whether the Dragon or the Tiger wins to win the game.

    Speed ​​Baccarat

    Speed ​​Baccarat is a fascinating modality to win real money fast. The waiting time is reduced and a lightning game is created.

    Baccarat Squeeze

    Baccarat Squeeze is a new live table game with a small change that adds even more excitement to the game. During each play, the game presenter and dealer will gradually lift the cards from the Bank, little by little, to intuit the final value.

    Is online baccarat legal

    Online casinos like 888 casino are fully regulated by the government of all the territories of the globe and especially managed by an official team. Therefore, users only play legal casinos on the Internet. Those without a license simply do not reach the public, which is great for players.

    Are online baccarat games regulated?

    Consequently, online baccarat games are regulated. Since they are offered on legal and licensed casino platforms, we can enjoy baccarat without limits.

    Can you play baccarat online for free?

    It is possible to play baccarat online for free as long as it is Virtual Baccarat. However, baccarat with a live dealer is usually difficult to play for free since they live table games and are played directly with real money baccarat games.

     

  • AirAsia offers cheap flights to Boracay, Bohol, Palawan

    AirAsia offers cheap flights to Boracay, Bohol, Palawan

    AirAsia is offering discounted one-way flights to several destinations in the Philippines. Cebu to Davao flights can be availed for as low as P98, while Manila flights to Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Kalibo, and Tacloban can be booked for only P288.

    For as low as P317, travelers from Manila can book flights to Caticlan (Boracay), Bohol, Davao, Iloilo, General Santos and Puerto Princesa.

  • AirAsia Food to spread its wings to Johor and Penang next month

    AirAsia Food to spread its wings to Johor and Penang next month

    Almost a year since its introduction in the Klang Valley area, AirAsia food is now set to spread its wings to other major cities in the country starting with Johor and Penang next month.

    AirAsia Bhd chief executive officer Riad Asmat said the business was recording very positive growth, especially during the return of Conditional Movement Control Order between October to December 2020, and the trajectory remained promising into 2021.

    He said under its expansion plan, the company had started an entrepreneurial program to recruit more talents to grow AirAsia food together in the upcoming potential markets, as well as securing more merchants under its umbrella”

    People are ready and looking for more (food delivery services) options right now and our offerings at AirAsia food, be it from the customer and merchant’s perspective, can accommodate their needs within the market,” he told Bernama in an interview recently.

    Riad named Ipoh, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Miri, and Kota Bharu as the next potential markets.

    As for the international market, he said the company aimed to mark its presence in Singapore next month, and other markets such as Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand soon.

    Launched during the Movement Control Order (MCO) in May 2020, AirAsia food is a seamless, fuss-free, and affordable food delivery platform for merchants as it runs on a flat-rate model that is equivalent to only a 10 percent commission rate.

    He said at present, it has the lowest commission rate in the market as other platforms’ commission fees range between 15 percent and 30 percent, and AirAsia food is the only platform that offers a flat rate.

    Merchants can also easily control their menu and prices and receive extended delivery coverage of up to 60 kilometers compared to a 15-kilometer coverage by other food ordering platforms.

    Riad said although there are service providers that have been in the market much longer, AirAsia food believes that the market is big enough for one more alternative with the advantages it can bring to the table.

    He said AirAsia food provides merchants with a competitive offering, which directly and indirectly can help them reap a greater return in terms of profitability and low cost, which in turn benefits their customers.

    As one of the businesses under the airasia.com Asean super app, AirAsia food is supported by airasia.com’s ecosystem of over 60 million users who are able to earn and pay with their BIG Points, he said.

    “The advantages of merchants joining us will be on the basis of the strong structure, including from the technology and client perspectives. A merchant now will get a potential exposure of up to 60 million clients within our ecosystem,” he said.

    On prospects, Riad said sales picked up during the lockdowns but the business would remain relevant in the future after vaccines are made available, as technology helps people to meet their needs in a very convenient way.

    “If you give the right products that people want and keep enhancing the business with innovation, surely you can sustain the business for a long period.

    “Our growth at AirAsia food does not only help local food businesses, but also has a spillover effect in creating more job opportunities,” he said.

    To-date, AirAsia food employs more than 1,500 teleporters (riders) offering services to 1,200 restaurants around the Klang Valley

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  • Facebook to launch smartwatch with focus on fitness, messaging in 2022

    Facebook to launch smartwatch with focus on fitness, messaging in 2022

    Last month, Facebook called Apple a ‘significant’ future competitor. Those comments were understood to be a reference to their respective AR/VR efforts, but a new report adds another layer to the matter.

    The Information reports that Facebook is building a smartwatch as part of its ongoing hardware efforts, which already include Oculus VR headsets and the Portal smart display.

    It will use an open-source version of Google’s Android software and include its own cellular connection, meaning owners won’t need to rely on a smartphone for internet access.

    Feature-wise, the Facebook watch is set to focus on messaging through Messenger and other Facebook platforms. The social giant is also planning several fitness & health features including the ability to track workouts and connect to services from Peloton and others.

    Facebook’s watch, which will have to compete with top smartwatches from Apple and Fitbit, is scheduled to launch in 2022 with a successor planned for as soon as 2023. We don’t know how much it’ll cost yet, but the company will reportedly price it near the cost of production.

    This ultimately suggests that Facebook is more interested in collecting valuable user data that can be leveraged with future services than generating profit through hardware sales.

    Whether the Facebook smartwatch will succeed remains to be seen. Facebook has a poor track record when it comes to user privacy, so handing over health data to the company might be off-putting for consumers.

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  • AirAsia’s private placement will prove its capabilities to raise funds

    AirAsia’s private placement will prove its capabilities to raise funds

    Airasia Group Bhd’s private placement exercise will prove the airline’s capabilities to raise funds among the investors if it is done within the stipulated timeline, MIDF Amanah Investment Bank Bhd Research (MIDF Research) said.

    The research house added that this will bring a sigh of relief to the cash-strapped company.

    “If the private placement is completed within the stipulated timeline, it will prove that there are still lingering confidence remaining in the group among the investors, allowing it to raise funds despite its current predicament.

    “However, we would like to stress that this exercise only serves as a stopgap measure to partially address the group’s financial concerns,” it said in a recent report.

    MIDF Research cited AirAsia’s management had previously indicated a conservative estimate that the group needs between a capital RM2 billion and RM2.5 billion to tide them over comfortably until the end of the financial year 2021 (FY21).

    AirAsia is expected to raise RM250 million through the first tranche of its private placement involving 369.85 million shares priced at 67.5 sen each. This represents a discount of 9.82% to the group’s five-day volume-weighted average price.

    MIDF Research said the full placement exercise is expected to raise gross proceeds of up to RM451.51 million, considering that it was stated in its previous announcement — a large portion of the raised amount or circa 62% is earmarked for working capital expenses and fuel hedging settlement.

    “Furthermore, about 17% of the fund will be allocated to grow the group’s digital pillar via AirAsia Digital’s subsidiaries, which is in line with the group’s strategic pivot to become a digital lifestyle company,” it noted.

    The research house believes AirAsia may need to go through another few rounds of fundraising exercises, exposing its current shareholders to more potential dilution in the future.

    It added that the worrying level of Covid-19 infections in Malaysia and other the group’s key markets are alarming and dampening the recovery trajectory this year.

    “Furthermore, with other air operator certificates (AOCs) under the group in similar distress, it is probable that AirAsia will step in to inject liquidity to maintain the respective AOCs capital adequacy.

    “To note, Philippines AirAsia Inc (PAA) and PT Indonesia AirAsia (IAA) are currently in various stages of bank loan applications,” it said.

    The research house has maintained its earnings forecasts on AirAsia for now — as all the potential adverse impacts to the extent have been well priced in — and reiterated its ‘Sell’ call on the group by maintaining the target price (TP) of 37 sen per share.

    It added that the TP has taken into account the potential enlarged share base to 4.01 billion shares from the private placement exercise, which is an additional 20% of new shares from its current share base of 3.34 billion.

    “Although recovery for the aviation sector and air travel is expected to gradually take place in 2021, it remains an uphill battle for AirAsia given it is struggling financially to remain afloat in the current pandemic-laden operating environment.

    “Key risks to our call include faster than expected travel demand recovery, worsening pandemic, stricter Movement Control Order imposed on air travels, and further round of equity fundraising,” it said.

    Public Investment Bank Bhd (PublicInvest Research) has maintained its ‘Underperform’ call on AirAsia, with an unchanged TP of 39 sen.

    It added that overall, key operating statistics for its FY20 were below expectations, with passengers carried and available seat kilometers only accounting for 83% and 75% respectively.

    “AirAsia’s 4QFY20 results and passenger yield data are expected to be released in two weeks’ time, which we believe will continue to be under pressure due to lower passenger traffic and loss in revenue,” it noted in a recent report.

    AirAsia has announced its 4QFY20 operating statistics recently, with its passenger volume for the consolidated AOC operations (Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines) declining 30% quarter-on-quarter (QoQ).

    The group said this was mainly dragged by the reimplementation of interstate travel restrictions in Malaysia, where seat capacity was reduced by 55% QoQ.

    Nevertheless, its IAA and PAA units showed a QoQ rebound in both passenger traffic and seat capacity as domestic travel restrictions eased, while its passenger load for the consolidated AOCs.

  • AirAsia to raise RM250mil via private placement

    AirAsia to raise RM250mil via private placement

    Low-cost airline, AirAsia Group Bhd is expected to raise approximately RM250mil through the first tranche of its private placement involving 369.85 million shares valued at 67.5 sen each.

    The issue price, which was fixed yesterday, represented a discount of 9.82% to the company’s five-day volume-weighted average price of 74.85 sen up to Feb 9.

    “The actual number of placement shares to be placed out under the first tranche will depend on the final acceptance by the identified places.

    “Any placement share not placed out under the first tranche will be included in the subsequent tranches, ” said RHB Investment Bank Bhd in a filing to Bursa Malaysia on behalf of AirAsia.

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  • Android 12 update beta release date and new features

    Android 12 update beta release date and new features

    For the next, highly expected version of Android, Google is preparing to open the spigot not only on new features, but also on a long-overdue interface polishing, all indicators suggest.

    Not only did said new Android 12 interface leak out, indicating that this time around, Google may introduce Android 12 to devs this month and, unlike last year, showcase the beta at its I/O event in the spring, but that it is taking cues from the best out there, like Samsung’s One UI interface, and with a good reason. Here’s what to expect from Google’s next Android 12 version.

    Android 12 release date

    • September 2, 2021
    • Android 12 developer preview release date: February 17, 2021

    Google released Android versions 7 to 9 on Monday in the hot summer month of August, then it moved the launch to the first Tuesday of September for Android 10 and the current Android 11, releasing them on September 3 and September 8, respectively. In that train of thought, the Android 12 release date to manufacturers should be September 2.

    Needless to say, Google is likely readying a developer preview of its newest mobile operating system edition, where most of the new features will be prepped for testing and revealed for the general public later in the spring. Last year, the Android 11 developer preview was out on Wednesday, February 19, and by that logic, the Android 12 dev preview should be announced and released on Wednesday, February 17.

    New Android 12 features

    • App Pairs split-screen mode
    • App hibernation
    • Double-tap gesture command for the rear
    • New notification interface

    The new Android 12 UI

    Google’s design concept revealed that there will be a new notifications UI in Android 12 that replaces the current transparent look with a light beige opaque. The hue might change if Dark mode is enabled; the rounded corners of each notification is more easily viewable. Google did reduce the number of Quick Settings icons to four from six and these will surface when the notification panel is expanded.

    The icons are larger than usual because of the fewer number of icons used. The positions of the date and the clock have been swapped on the front of the display, and there are new privacy indicators in the upper right corner. Tapping on these icons will tell you exactly which apps are using the microphone and camera on your handset. A “Sensors off” icon in Quick Settings will allow the user to shut down and disable all sensors on his or her phone with a single tap; the Developer options menu will have to be enabled to see this icon.

    Moving on, a mandatory Conversations widget will show Android users messages, missed calls, and more. Due to its small size, the widget will only be able to show one item at a time. Also mandatory will be the use of camera and microphone icons on the front display which must be visible when the camera and the microphone are being used. You might recall that Apple added something similar with iOS 14.2. A small green dot on the upper right of an iPhone display means that an app is using the handset’s camera while an orange dot indicates that an app is using an iPhone’s microphone.

    New App hibernation feature in Android 12

    Climbing further the new Android 12 features ladder, Google might be working on a hibernation system for apps. The system allows apps to enter a hibernation state when they are not used and will help free up storage. Little is known about the new feature at the moment. It’s not clear how exactly this feature will work and how apps will be hibernated: whether this will be automatically determined, or users will be able to manually select apps for hibernation. Additionally, we don’t know yet the way Android will inform users of the hibernation if one happens automatically. The leaked code here also mentions storage optimization: it’s still unclear whether this optimization includes compression of the app packages or other app resources to free up storage on your Android phone.

    New Double-tap navigation gesture in Android 12

    The double-tap gesture that was rumored for Android 11, should now be making its way into Android 12, replacing the obsolete Active Edge squeeze feature that is not found on the Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a 5G and the Pixel 5. The double-tap would allow Pixel users to activate Assistant, take a screenshot, control media playback, bring down the notification bar, open recent apps view, and other programmable commands, or it can be disabled if not needed. Reportedly, the Double-tap gesture coming to Android 12 will be fine-tuned to towards a firmer tap to prevent executing it by accident.

    New App Pairs split-screen feature in Android 12

    Google is apparently also working on a split-screen mode rehash on a system level for Android 12. This will allow a better and more intuitive multitasking experience to Android users. Instead of opening one app, and then activating split-screen mode for that app via the Recents view, users will be able to group two apps in “tasks” and then quickly launch these pairs or switch between a pair of apps and a single app.

    Android 12 will also let people easily “pair” two apps right from the Recent view. When you use such a pair, the divider between the two apps will also get a bonus feature. Dragging the divider will still resize both apps but when you double-tap on it, the two active apps will quickly swap positions. Neat.

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  • Vontobel Profit Edges Lower, Money Floods In

    Vontobel Profit Edges Lower, Money Floods In

    Vontobel’s net profit edged lower despite a trading boom, but it will keep its shareholder payout steady. Its investment managers continued to haul in fresh money.

    The Zurich-based bank’s net profit fell to 259.4 million Swiss francs ($291.1 million), from 266.1 million francs year-ago, it said in a statement on Thursday. The result was held back by spending to reinvent itself, and a higher tax rate than in 2019.

    Vontobel’s income was virtually unchanged at 1.27 billion francs, after an 11 percent fillip from trading sparked by the pandemic offset a drop in commissions in fees and feeble interest income.

    The bank took in 14.8 billion francs in new assets last year, two-thirds in its flagship asset management arm. It said it will pay out 2.25 francs per share to shareholders – unchanged from 2019.

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  • Bamboo Airways adds A321NEO ACF to fleet

    Bamboo Airways adds A321NEO ACF to fleet

    The brand new aircraft model Airbus A321NEO ACF (also known as Airbus Cabin Flex) with number VN-A222 departing from Hamburg, Germany, landed at Noi Bai International Airport, Hanoi, at 6 a.m. on February 7, officially joining Bamboo Airways’s fleet.

    Airbus A321NEO ACF is the first narrow-body aircraft to join Bamboo Airways’s fleet in 2021, following the Embraer modern jet that did so in January 2021.

    With the addition of A321NEO ACF aircraft, Bamboo Airways will be operating A320/A321NEO fleet of 10 aircraft, together with wide-body Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft and regional jet Embraer 190, 195.

    The airline plans to expand its fleet to 100 aircraft by 2025, including at least 30 A321NEO aircraft under the purchase agreement signed with Airbus. After landing at Noi Bai, Bamboo Airways A321NEO ACF was disinfected in accordance with standard regulations and instructions from the government.

    The entire aircraft was sprayed and sanitized thoroughly in 30 minutes, with special focus on items and areas which are commonly touched by passengers such as dining tables, handrails, entertainment screens, etc.

    “Safety of pandemic prevention is always the ultimate goal of Bamboo Airways in all operating processes. Therefore, the comprehensive sterilization process is strictly followed by the airline to ensure that A321neo ACF aircraft meets the safety standards before being put into service,” said a representative of Bamboo Airways.

    As the newest aircraft in the A320 family, A321NEO ACF has an upgrade in cabin structure that enhances efficiency and hardware interior, advantaging both the operator and passengers.

    It is equipped with a cutting-edge engine, allowing at least 16 percent cut in fuel consumption, up to 75 percent reduction of noise and 50 percent of emissions cut.

    The aircraft is being addressed by Airbus as the base for the airline to continue developing a line of narrow-body aircraft for longer flight routes such as the A321LR.

    Bamboo Airways adjusts an additional upgrade of seating space, legroom, reclining as well as aisle area to suit Vietnamese passengers.

    Bamboo Airways reduces the A321NEO ACF passenger cabin design to 223 seats, instead of the original 244 seats, comprising two classes of business and economy. The interior design is sophisticated and prevalent, delivering the brand identity of the airline.

    Along with the sterilization and disinfection of aircraft, amid the pandemic, Bamboo Airways always implements a full range of prevention measures to ensure maximum safety for passengers and crew members.

    Dining tables in the cabin’s seats were turned over, the storage compartment, the toilet were also opened to be sprayed with disinfectants in every corner. The disinfection solution used was CH2200, applied according to medical standards and proven not to affect passengers’ health.
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    As soon as completing the fumigation procedure, A321NEO ACF aircraft will be put into operation in many key routes to meet the travel demand in the Lunar New Year and early spring. To this date, Bamboo Airways has not recorded any employee positive for Covid-19.

    In the morning of February 7, at Rach Gia airport, Bamboo Airways also held the opening ceremony of Hanoi – Rach Gia route, officially marking the milestone of Bamboo Airways as the first airline in history to operate direct flights connecting the capital with Rach Gia.

    This is a continuation to the airline’s launch of Ho Chi Minh City – Rach Gia route on February 4, 2021.

    In recent years, Bamboo Airways has implemented numerous programs and services, helping passengers to save travel costs and have safe travel options during the complicated and unexpected pandemic.

    For example, the Bamboo Pri-Flight charter service allows passengers group of under 20 people to rent a full flight using Bamboo Airways narrow-body jets.

    Customers can freely choose the itinerary and departure time, guaranteed social distancing, prioritize fast check-in and in-flight service with business-class standards, combined with the most convenient, private and secure flight experience.

    Bamboo Airways has operated over 50 routes, transporting nearly 7 million passengers with absolute safety.

    In 2020, the airline has operated more than 40 percent of capacity compared to 2019 and maintained the leading rate of on-time performance in Vietnam’s aviation industry.

    Bamboo Airways was also voted as “The Airline with the Best Service”, “The leading regional Airline in Asia.” The airline aims to occupy 30 percent of domestic aviation market share by 2021.

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  • Facebook is developing new Messenger features to protect minors

    Facebook is developing new Messenger features to protect minors

    Facebook wants to make the internet a safer place, especially for minors. In commemoration of this year’s Safer Internet Day, the company reminded everyone in a blog post about Messenger’s privacy features and also elaborated on what’s currently in the works.

    Last year, Facebook introduced a pack of safety features in Messenger, aimed to protect users from scams and abuse. These include more detailed message requests, Safety notices that provide tips to educate people on spotting suspicious activity, a limit on message forwarding (a message can only be forwarded to five people or groups at a time), and new ways to report abuse or harassment.

    The social network is taking things a step further, working on new Messenger features to protect minors in particular.

    “In addition, we’re developing more innovative features that use activity across our platforms to prevent harm or abuse before it happens. For example, we use behavioral signals like an adult sending a large amount of friend or message requests to people under 18 to share safety notices, identify and remove potentially harmful accounts and protect minors,” reads part of the blog post.

    There’s no information on when these new Messenger features would be arriving, but the desire to protect our kids from online creeps is commendable.

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  • Facebook is reportedly developing a Clubhouse clone

    Facebook is reportedly developing a Clubhouse clone

    According to inside sources, Facebook is working on an audio chat app similar to the popular Clubhouse. The new app is probably under development in Facebook’s skunkworks division – the NPE Team (New Product Experimental).

    The information comes from two people in the industry, who were not authorized to speak publicly. As the story goes, Facebook high management was so impressed with Clubhouse that it ordered employees to create a similar app. Clubhouse gained popularity mostly with its exclusivity – the app is available only for iPhones and is currently in beta, requiring an invitation.

    Last month, Elon Musk appeared on Clubhouse being interviewed by two tech experts, boosting tremendously the app popularity. To the point where servers struggled to deal with the overload. Now, it’s interesting that Facebook is so eager to launch another voice chat app. Especially when the social network has already tried to do something similar in the past.

    Some of you might remember CatchUp – an advanced voice call app that offers one-on-one calls, dedicated groups, and users’ current status (muted, dialing, online, etc.). Facebook developed it under the same NPE Team last spring, but it quickly fell into obscurity. Some might argue that it’d be much easier for Facebook to just acquire Clubhouse while it’s still green (and cheap) like it did with Instagram and WhatsApp.

    The official comment from Facebook doesn’t bring anything to light, as expected. “We’ve been connecting people through audio and video technologies for many years and are always exploring new ways to improve that experience for people,” Emilie Haskell, a Facebook spokeswoman, said. In any case, it will be interesting to see where this one goes, so stay tuned.

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