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Category: Living

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

  • Spotify Jams could soon get a chat feature

    Spotify Jams could soon get a chat feature

    Spotify, the popular music streaming service, might be adding a new feature to its Jam sessions. A recent breakdown of the Spotify app code, known as an APK teardown, revealed a hidden “Chats” feature with the codename “campfire.” This discovery suggests that Spotify may be working on adding a chat function to Jam sessions, allowing friends to have conversations while listening to music together.

    Spotify Jam is a feature that allows premium subscribers to create a shared playlist with friends. Whether in person or virtually, friends can listen to and add songs to the queue together. However, it currently lacks an in-app chat function, forcing users to switch to other apps to communicate. This upcoming addition of a chat feature would address this issue and enhance the social aspect of Jam sessions.

    While the code for this chat feature appears to be a work in progress, its presence hints that Spotify is actively developing it. Based on the limited code found, it seems that this feature is specifically designed for group conversations within Jam sessions. Although not yet confirmed, it’s possible that Spotify is already internally testing the feature.

    The ability to chat directly within the Spotify app during Jam sessions would be a welcome addition for users, particularly during virtual sessions where face-to-face communication isn’t possible. It would eliminate the need to switch between apps to message friends and create a more seamless and integrated social experience.

    It’s important to note that APK teardowns offer a glimpse into potential future features, but they don’t guarantee that these features will be officially released. However, this discovery does indicate that Spotify is exploring ways to enhance the social aspect of its platform and make Jam sessions more interactive and engaging for users.

    As Spotify continues to refine and develop this chat feature, it will be interesting to see how it integrates with Jam sessions and what additional functionalities it might offer. We’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for further updates on this potential addition to Spotify’s features.

  • Gasoline prices near 5-month bottom

    Gasoline prices near 5-month bottom

    Gasoline prices in Vietnam continued their decline on Thursday and are now at the lowest since Jan. 11.

    The popular fuel RON95 dropped 2.40% from a week ago to VND21,970 ($0.86) per liter.

    It has been on a decline since mid-April, falling 12.9% in four weeks.

    Diesel fell by 1.62% to VND19,420.

    Regulators said that prices fluctuated in the last seven days due to rising supply in the U.S. and expectations of an increase in production in OPEC+ crude oil in the fourth quarter while the Russia-Ukraine military conflict continued.

    Globally gasoline prices fell 3-4.3% and oils dropped 1.7-2.2%.

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  • Spotify Premium prices jump again in the US

    Spotify Premium prices jump again in the US

    Spotify raised its subscription prices in the US last July, increasing the Premium individual plan by $1 to $10.99. This was just two years after a similar price hike for the Family plan in 2021. Now, a year later, Spotify is bumping up prices again. This time, all plans, including Premium Duo and Family, are affected.

    Beginning in July 2024, Spotify Premium will see a $1 increase, bringing its price to $11.99. Meanwhile, the Premium Duo plan will experience a $2 hike, raising its cost to $16.99. The Family plan will undergo the biggest increase, jumping $3 from $16.99 to $19.99.

    New users trying out Spotify will pay the current rate for the first month of their trial. After that, they will start getting charged at the higher price from their next billing cycle. Wondering why Spotify is hiking its premium plan prices again? Well, the company says:

    We’re increasing the price of Premium Individual plan so that we can continue to invest in and innovate on our product offerings and features, and bring you the best experience.

    Spotify dropped the news about the price hike in a blog post and plans to send emails to its current users. This bump in the US comes hot on the heels of a similar move in key global markets like the UK and Australia, announced just recently.

    However, the increase in prices probably won’t slow down Spotify’s expansion. Despite the hike last year, the Swedish company managed to reel in a whopping 113 million free users and 31 million paid ones in 2023. Along with some layoffs, this move helped the company bounce back, reaching more than 600 million users and almost $4 billion in revenue in Q4 2023.

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  • Liverpool FC seals retail partnership in Indonesia

    Liverpool FC seals retail partnership in Indonesia

    Liverpool FC has signed a new retail agreement in Indonesia to strengthen its presence in Asia. The English Premier League team will collaborate with PT Kanmo Weston Retailindo, a joint venture between its Singapore retail partner Weston Corporation and the Indonesian retail company Kanmo Group.

    The deal includes distribution rights for online shopping of LFC’s official items and the first brick-and-mortar LFC store at Pondok Indah Mall, due to open in Jakarta this summer.

    “This latest partnership in Asia adds to our ambitious plans to grow our international presence in key markets. We’re really excited to open our first standalone store very soon,” said Mike Cox, senior VP of merchandising at Liverpool FC.

    The launch also offers the new 2024-25 Nike home kit and items created specifically for the Indonesian market.

    Last month, Liverpool FC also signed its first retail partnership in South Korea with brand and creative design studio Over the Pitch.

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  • Daily electricity consumption tops 1B kWh mark for first time

    Daily electricity consumption tops 1B kWh mark for first time

    Power consumption exceeded one billion kilowatt-hours in a day for the first time ever on May 28 amid high temperatures all over the country.

    But on that day power output did not exceed the peak achieved at the end of April, according to the National Load Dispatch Center.

    Hanoi, Da Nang City and Ho Chi Minh City are experiencing highs of 34-37 degrees Celsius these days.

    The center forecast that the maximum demand in the north might rise 17% from a record set last year in April-July to 27,481 megawatts.

    But production plus imports are expected to only rise by 10% year-on-year to 52.3 kilowatt-hours.

    The Ministry of Industry and Trade has been ensuring adequate supply to a region that experienced severe shortages last summer.

    A new 500 kilovolt transmission line is being installed to draw power from the central and southern regions.

    National utility Vietnam Electricity advises its customers to save power especially during peak hours. It also encourages setting air conditioners at a minimum of 26 degrees.

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  • Gasoline prices return to 4-month low

    Gasoline prices return to 4-month low

    Gasoline prices on Thursday afternoon plunged to the lowest since Jan. 18 after rising marginally last week.

    The popular fuel RON95 fell 3.02% to VND22,510 ($0.88) per liter. Biofuel E5 RON92 declined by 2.33% to VND21,750.

    Diesel dropped 0.45% to VND19,740, the lowest since Jan. 11.

    Regulators said that prices fluctuated in the last seven days due to weakening U.S. dollar and concerns that the U.S. will keep its interest rate unchanged for a long time. OPEC+ is expected to maintain its policy to limit supply in the upcoming meeting in early June. Global gasoline prices fell 3.2-3.8% in the last seven days.

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  • AI skills fetch IT engineers 11% higher incomes

    AI skills fetch IT engineers 11% higher incomes

    IT engineers with AI skills earn around 11% higher than those without, a study has found.

    The report by Levels.fyi, a platform that provides salary data in the U.S., shows that AI engineers make 8.57% more at the entry level than non-AI ones. The gap widens to 11.08% at the staff engineer level.

    The median salary for AI engineers in the U.S. was US$300,600 as of March, the highest ever. Some companies pay much more than the median level.

    Self-driving car company Cruise, for example, offers its senior-level AI engineer $450,000, and Amazon pays $427,500.

    “As AI shakes up much of the industry, it also raises the bar for engineering compensation in 2024,” Levels.fyi analyst Alina Kolesnikova said.

    “It’s a testament to where businesses are choosing to invest and where they aim to compete for top talent.”

    A report by professional services firm PwC says U.K. employers are prepared to pay an average 14% wage premium for jobs that require AI skills, with legal and tech sectors seeing the highest premiums of up to 58%.

    This puts the U.K. in second place behind only the U.S., which is prepared to pay on average 25% more for AI skills.

    Companies are making big plans to train the next generation of AI workers.

    J.P. Morgan has invested an unspecified amount in establishing an AI research center at Carnegie Mellon University in the U.S. and Amazon has pledged to educate two million people worldwide on generative AI by 2025.

    In April U.S. tech billionaire Elon Musk said salaries for engineers must be increased to prevent them from being lured away by OpenAI with huge sums.

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  • TikTok’s legal battle against the U.S. ban heats up this September

    TikTok’s legal battle against the U.S. ban heats up this September

    The popular social media platform TikTok is gearing up for a major legal battle this fall that could determine its future in the United States. The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has set a September date for oral arguments in two cases challenging a law that could potentially lead to a ban of the app.

    The legal challenges were triggered by a law that mandates ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to sell the app or face a ban due to national security concerns. TikTok, however, has been vocal in its opposition to this law, arguing that divesting from ByteDance is not feasible and that it has already taken steps to address the government’s concerns.

    Earlier this month, TikTok filed a lawsuit asserting that the law is unconstitutional. This move was echoed by a group of TikTok creators who are also challenging the law because it infringes upon their First Amendment rights, as a ban would prevent them from communicating on the platform. Engadget reported that TikTok is reportedly covering the legal fees for the creators in this case.

    Recognizing the urgency of the matter, the appeals court has decided to consolidate both cases and will hear the challenges in September, aligning with TikTok’s request for an expedited schedule. The outcome of this legal battle carries immense weight, as it will not only determine TikTok’s fate in the US but also set a precedent for future cases involving technology, national security, and freedom of speech. This could even lead to a review by the Supreme Court.

    The September showdown is shaping up to be a pivotal moment for TikTok, as the court’s decision will determine whether the app can continue to operate in the US under its current ownership structure. The case has attracted widespread attention due to the platform’s immense popularity and the potential impact a ban would have on its vast user base.

  • Waze launches feature that alerts you to a back-breaking, butt-flying change to the road you’re on

    Waze launches feature that alerts you to a back-breaking, butt-flying change to the road you’re on

    One of the reasons to use Waze for navigation is the community that is quick to share their recent driving experience over the same roads that you travel on. So if there is a pothole causing an issue on a road, you’ll know about it thanks to those who already suffered from driving over it.  The best way to understand Waze is to look at Google Maps and Apple Maps as the apps to use for the all-around experience of driving to a location, finding places to eat, where to stay, and how you can be entertained.

    Waze is more focused on the actual journey taking you from point “A” to point “B.” Once you get to “B,” Google Maps and Apple Maps can take it from there until you start on the journey back home. And now, according to autoevolution, Waze has started pushing out a new feature that we first mentioned to you a little over a year ago. This feature was one of the most requested features by Waze users back in 2020: Speed Bump alerts.

    If you’ve ever had the privilege of driving full speed over a speed bump, you’ll know the “thrill” of having the “law” of gravity briefly repealed as your rear end takes flight. In February 2023, a member of the Waze team said that Speed Bump warnings were coming to the platform in the near future. Last month, Waze said that it would soon inform users about “sharp curves, speed bumps, toll booths, and more.”

    Now that fellow Waze users’ Speed Bump warnings are being passed along to those using the app, I should be able to read the warnings and slow down as my car approaches a speed bump. This should save me from feeling the pain as my back, damaged with multiple levels of “severe” spinal stenosis, is jostled by the speed bump. And even if you do see a speed bump at the last minute saving you from speeding over it, that last second braking could result in the car right behind you plowing into the rear bumper of your vehicle.

    Not all speed bumps are showing up, but the feature is still in its early days. As we said, the speed bump alerts are part of a new update that includes sharp curves and toll booths. Waze also allows you to choose from a wide selection of voices to guide you over the roadways and you can even choose your own voice to guide you. If you use a phone running iOS, you can install Waze by tapping on this link. If you use an Android device, you can install Waze by tapping on this link which will take you to the Play Store.

  • Warner Bros. Discovery reportedly preparing new Max price hike

    Warner Bros. Discovery reportedly preparing new Max price hike

    It has become so common for streaming services to raise prices a couple of times per year that it’s not even a surprise when they announce it. To survive the price hike onslaught, customers can either stop paying for these services or simply stop caring.

    In this regard, it looks like Warner Bros. Discovery plans to increase the price of Max by the end of the year. Bloomberg reports that the streaming giant is preparing not just a Max price hike, but also new cost cuts in an attempt to hit certain financial targets.

    The report mentions the possibility of more layoffs at the company, but it doesn’t offer any other details about the price hike(s). Apparently, Warner Bros. Discovery aims for $1 billion in earnings from Max and Discovery+ next year, so in order to achieve that the streaming service must operate some drastic changes.

    Warner Bros. Discovery is expected to report its earnings for the first quarter of the year on May 16, so we’ll probably learn more about the company’s plans regarding Max and Discovery+ in just a few days.

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  • Your credit card data and other personal info is at risk if you respond to fake Netflix emails

    Your credit card data and other personal info is at risk if you respond to fake Netflix emails

    One of the reasons why so many victims are separated from their money thanks to online scams is that the scammers do a great job of playing with victims’ emotions. You might have been part of a phishing expedition that uses emails that look as though they came from a well-known company that you might do business with. These emails are fake and try to get you to hand over personal data that can be used to wipe out your online accounts.

    But it takes more than a cleverly designed email that includes the logo of your wireless firm to scam you. The email has to get you to act and tap on a link so it might say something that scares you into taking action immediately. One scam uses a phished email from your bank asking you whether a large purchase made with your credit card is valid. The scammers know it is not a legit request so they phrase the message to ask you to tap on a link if the transaction is not yours.

    The victim, worried about getting ripped off, naturally taps on the link and is sent to a page where she is asked for account info including a PIN or password, social security number, and other personal data. The key to the whole attack is to get the victim so scared about losing an important service or such a large amount of money that instead of using common sense, the victim acts emotionally which typically results in him doing the wrong thing.

    The most recent phishing campaign uses an email which the scammer sends randomly hoping for it to be received by consumers with Netflix accounts. Looking to play with the victim’s emotions, under the Netflix insignia the email reads, “Your Membership has expired!” For those who use Netflix often for their streaming entertainment, this might be upsetting. Underneath the streamer’s iconic “N” logo, the message continues. “Dear customer, your Netflix account has expired.”

    The message continues to say, “But as part of our loyalty program, you can now extend for 90 days for free.” The scammer wants you to press the red button underneath the text that says “Extend for free.” Once the next page is open, you probably are asked to give up some of your personal data.” DO NOT DO IT! Even though the button says “Extend for free,” directly underneath it mentions that your credit card data is required to get the free 90 days.

    One of the ways you can detect a scam is to look for grammatical errors and spelling mistakes. There are no major issues along those lines with the Netflix email. On the other hand, if you’re offered a deal that seems too good to be true, it probably is not a legit offer. And getting three months of Netflix for free is certainly an offer that is too good to be true. Don’t let the disclaimer at the bottom of the email stating that the message is not a scam convince you that it is on the up and up.

    The domain name did not have the Netflix name included at all which is a major red flag. My wife received the email twice and deleted it both times. And that is exactly what you should do too if you receive the email.

    For its part, Netflix says that it will never ask you to share personal information through an email or text including:

    • Credit or debit card numbers
    • Bank account details
    • Netflix passwords

    If you’ve already shared information with the scammer, immediately change the passwords for your financial apps and call the financial firms you deal with ASAP. Also, change your Netflix password as well. If you receive a text or email that is trying to pass itself off as coming from Netflix, take a screenshot of it and send it to Netflix via email at phishing@netflix.com and type in the date and time that you received the email.

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  • Tinder wants your mom to know when and where you go on dates

    Tinder wants your mom to know when and where you go on dates

    According to Tinder, around 51 percent of users under 30 share date details with their friends, while 19 percent of users do so with their mom. The company wants to streamline the process with a new feature that will allow users to quickly and easily share details about their upcoming date through a single link.

    The new feature is called Share My Date, and it generates a link pointing to details about your planned date. These include the date, time, and location of the event, along with a picture of the person you’re meeting and a link to their profile. You can also add personal notes, such as “this could be the one” or “call the police if I’m not back by 8 p.m.”

    All (mom) jokes aside, this obviously aims to give Tinder users an extra layer of safety. It’s good to let somebody know that you’re going to meet a stranger. For the players out there, there’s no limit on the number of shareable URLs you can create with the new feature, and you can set these in the app up to 30 days in advance

    This isn’t the first feature of this kind on a dating app or service. Back in 2020, the site Match.com introduced a similar “check-in” feature that let users send details about their date to designated emergency contacts if things were going south.

    But it’s not dating apps alone that care about your whereabouts. Back in 2022, Google introduced a location sharing feature in Maps, notifying you when a friend or family member has shown up or left a place.

    The new Share My Date feature will be rolled out over the coming months. It’ll be available in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, Singapore, India, Ireland, Germany, France, Spain, Japan, Brazil, Switzerland, Mexico, the Netherlands, Italy, Korea, Vietnam, and Thailand. What do you think about it? Would you use it just to be extra safe? And since we’re talking about it, can you share the weirdest Tinder date experience you’ve had?

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  • Amazon Music takes on Spotify with Maestro, an AI-powered playlist generator

    Amazon Music takes on Spotify with Maestro, an AI-powered playlist generator

    Spotify’s AI DJ raised the bar for music streaming, and now Amazon Music is throwing its hat into the ring with Maestro. This new AI-powered playlist feature is currently rolling out in beta to select Amazon Music users in the US on iOS and Android.

    If you’re part of the rollout, you’ll spot Maestro either on your home screen after updating the app, or by hitting the plus button to create a new playlist. However, where things get interesting is how you create them. Maestro uses natural language, meaning you don’t need technical terms to build your playlists.

    With Maestro, everything starts with a simple prompt telling it what you want to hear. Want a playlist bursting with energy? Type “songs to get me pumped!” or maybe “upbeat summer jams”. Maestro even understands emojis, in case you’re struggling to find the words to describe your mood best.

    However, Amazon is clear: this is a beta feature. Maestro, like any new AI tool, will probably have some hits and misses as it learns what you like. They’ve even built-in safeguards to try to block offensive language or prompts that are just too inappropriate.

    As a brand-new feature, Maestro is currently accessible to a limited number of Amazon Music users across Free, Prime, and Unlimited tiers. If you’re in the beta, you’ll see the option front-and-center in the app. While Unlimited subscribers can instantly listen to and save their generated playlists, Prime and free-tier users get 30-second previews to help them decide if the playlist is a good fit.

    The battle for your ears is getting interesting. Spotify jumped ahead with its AI DJ, but Amazon’s Maestro signals that the competition isn’t far behind. Soon, generating playlists based on moods, vibes, or even bizarrely specific requests might become the standard way we listen to music.

  • IT jobs often fall off after 35 years old

    IT jobs often fall off after 35 years old

    Information technology education in Vietnam tends to focus on breadth rather than depth, so few people can or choose to stay in the field after turning 35.

    Recently, I came across a reader’s account sharing an interesting perspective. According to this person, IT engineers make thousands of dollars a month and can afford expensive houses and cars because very few people can stay in their positions or find similar ones after they reach the age of 35.

    However, I find this assertion about the IT profession falling off after 35 to be inaccurate.

    The essence of the IT field revolves around continuous learning. With a commitment to learning, one can excel in the industry well into their retirement years. The critical aspect here is the quality and depth of one’s learning.

    I can personally attest to the importance of fundamental knowledge acquired during university studies. Thanks to my solid foundation in linear algebra and statistics and probability, learning machine learning and artificial intelligence is relatively easy for me, while many others struggle because they lack the basic knowledge.

    Yet, there remains a significant gap between theoretical education and practical skills in Vietnam as IT education there tends to focus on breadth rather than depth.

    Hence, I have interviewed some candidates with a decade of experience who lack fundamental IT knowledge. Similarly, many boast impressive resumes filled with proficiency in numerous programming languages and tools. However, when it comes to understanding the underlying principles, they fall short.

    This gap presents a challenge when it comes to staying updated with the latest knowledge and trends. This is especially true for those employed in outsourcing companies. Often, they must quickly grasp the necessary knowledge and skills for a project, only to move on without delving deeper into the subject matter.

    This is why Vietnam has very few IT specialists.

    I have been in the industry for many years after turning 35 and have continued to pursue my IT career as I settle in the U.S. I am confident in my ability to stay relevant and thrive in the field until retirement age. Currently, I am doing fine despite tech companies facing a layoff wave here.

    So, do you think IT jobs truly lose their allure after the age of 35?

  • Waze announces some cool new features designed to take the pain out of driving

    Waze announces some cool new features designed to take the pain out of driving

    There is a battle going on internally at Google. This battle is between mapping and navigation apps Google Maps, and Waze, both owned by Google. Google Maps delivers the total package getting you quickly and safely from point A to point B, and recommending where users should go to eat, sleep, and seek entertainment. Waze is more focused on the journey itself, offering crowdsourced information about traffic, weather, road conditions, police activity, road closings and more.

    Waze also has a bunch of cool features. For example, you can be given your turn-by-turn directions by a celebrity, or even have them delivered in your own voice! Many features on Google Maps start out on Waze so that they can be battle tested before moving on to Google Maps. With that in mind, Waze has announced some new features coming to the app. As Waze puts it on their web site: “Over the coming weeks, Waze is adding new features that will enhance your driving experience and provide more information about the road ahead. Get ready for safer, smoother drives!”

    New features coming include:

    Heads up on curves, bumps & toll booths! No more surprises! Waze now warns you about sharp curves, speed bumps, toll booths, and more. Stay informed and enjoy a smoother ride.

    Emergency vehicle on the road ahead. Get notified about emergency vehicles stopped along the road, giving you time to slow down and help protect first responders. Available now to drivers in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and France, with more countries coming soon.

    Say goodbye to sudden braking. Get alerts about speed limit decreases ahead, helping you to safely adjust your speed and avoid accidents, traffic jams, and even tickets.

    Your usual route, only better. Waze highlights your favorite routes for easy access and offers faster options if there’s traffic.

    No more driving in circles, literally. Navigate tricky roundabouts with clear instructions that show you the best lane to choose and where to exit.

    Stress-free parking is here. Choose the best parking spot! Compare rates, locations and amenities in advance and pick the best one. Soon, you will be able to reserve your spot from the app (currently available only in the U.S. and Canada).

    To add the Waze app to your iPhone, tap on this link to head to the App Store. Android users can install Waze on their phone by clicking on this link which will take them to the listing page for Waze in the Play Store.