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Tag: asia

  • Online exports expected to be economic growth driver

    Online exports expected to be economic growth driver

    Online exports are seen as a “launchpad” that helps businesses maintain sustainable revenue and increase exports in the context of rising inflation and consumers tightening their spending, according to insiders.

    Tran Thi Yen Phi, CEO of DSW Services and Trading Company Ltd, said the operation of online stores on cross-border e-commerce platforms has helped the firm improve its revenue.

    Vice Director of Proline Vietnam Production and Trading Co., Ltd Nguyen Xuan Hai Yen said online export is the most efficient and cost-effective way for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to quickly reach customers.

    Meanwhile, Roger Lou, National Director of Alibaba.com in Vietnam, said despite significant challenges and obstacles, a number of sectors of Vietnam such as agriculture and food and beverage have achieved record-breaking export figures.

    The official expressed the belief that global e-commerce can help Vietnamese SMEs increase their production scale, and effectively exploit international markets towards further expanding their exports.

    Amazon Global Selling’s report in 2022 showed that Vietnam’s retail revenue from cross-border goods reached VND80 trillion ($3.4 billion) in 2022, and can hit VND250 trillion by 2026.

    Amazon Head of Global Selling Vietnam Gijae Seong said Vietnam boasts advantages to promote exports through online platforms.

    Last year, nearly 10 million Vietnamese items were offered on this e-commerce platform, up 35% compared to the same period of 2021.

    In its latest survey, Access Partnership stated that Vietnam’s export revenue through e-commerce platforms is likely to reach nearly VND300 trillion by 2027 if domestic firms are supported to promote online exports.

    Addressing a recent workshop, Lai Viet Anh, Vietnam e-Commerce and Digital Economy Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said with an annual retail e-commerce growth rate of over 20%, Vietnam is being classified among the countries with the sharpest e-commerce growth rate in the world.

    This is a potential industry and coming in line with the Government’s digital economic policy, she stressed, adding that the MoIT has been deploying programs to support SMEs in enhancing cross-border selling skills, and exploiting features of global e-commerce platforms.

    According to a report on the Vietnam E-Business Index (EBI) 2023 conducted by the Vietnam E-commerce Association (Vecom), Vietnam’s e-commerce market is expected to grow by 25% by the end of 2023.

    The booming e-commerce sector in 2023 and development in the subsequent years is aided by a series of growth drivers such as the wave of digital transformation, consumers’ trust, technological infrastructure, and favorable mechanisms and policies issued by the Vietnamese Government, the report said.

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  • Olive oil maker Cobram Estate introduces subscription model

    Olive oil maker Cobram Estate introduces subscription model

    The olive harvesters at Cobram Estate are working around the clock at Boort and Boundary Bend to bring in this year’s crop. Each day half a billion olives are picked.

    For the past 15 years a machine called Colossus has been getting the job done, but a new harvester called Optimus has joined the team, and it is tipped to be faster and more efficient.

    Both machines operate in a similar way, straddling the olive tree, before the fingers on their rotating picking heads comb the olives off the branches.

    Cobram Estate’s joint chief executive Leandro Ravetti says Optimus has six picking heads compared to Colossus’s two.

    “That gives you more flexibility but at the same time, more intensity in the action, allowing you to go faster,” he said.

    There are two Optimus harvesters at Boort this season, but Mr Ravetti thinks that number will increase in the coming years, as 40 percent of the company’s trees is still to reach maturity.

    “We need new harvesters to cope with them, but also our Colossus is an ageing group of machines and we’re looking at phasing them out and as they need replacement,” Mr Ravetti said.

    “Rather than buying a new Colossus, we’ll probably be looking at buying more new Optimus and gradually making the overall process a lot more efficient.”

    Mr Ravetti says introducing the Optimus harvester, designed in Argentina, should mean that the company’s need for seasonal workers will remain stable, even as more trees reach maturity.

    Roughly half of Cobram Estate’s olives are grown at Boundary Bend and Mr Ravetti says the new machines will eventually make their way to the groves further north.

    “Boort has the largest amount of younger trees, so naturally, the growth of harvest was going to happen here,” he said.

    “So hopefully by the time that all the machines at Boort are Optimus, the machine is going to be really well designed and very reliable.

    “That will be the time to start replacing the machines at Boundary Bend.”

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  • Halve car registration fees to boost sales

    Halve car registration fees to boost sales

    Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has asked the Ministry of Finance to halve registration fees for locally-made or assembled automobiles starting July 1.

    A draft decree on the issue should be submitted to the Government for approval before June 15, he said.

    The cut will be in effect until the end of this year to boost falling demand.

    The registration fees are calculated based on car prices in each locality. The rates are 12% in Hanoi and Hai Phong, and 10% in HCMC.

    The Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA) said credit tightening and rising interest rates have diminished market liquidity, and automobile companies are struggling to cope with high inventories.

    In the first four months VAMA saw 92,801 cars sold, down 30% year-on-year.

    Experts have predicted that total vehicle sales this year will unlikely reach last year’s figure of half a million units.

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  • MacBook Air 15 sold for $1,400 in Vietnam

    MacBook Air 15 sold for $1,400 in Vietnam

    MacBook Air 15 M2 2023 is sold for VND32.9 million (US$1,394) for internal memory of 256 GB on Apple Store Vietnam.

    Apple Store Vietnam and local electronics retailers have also announced selling prices of MacBook Studio Ultra and Mac Pro 2023 at VND109 million and VND194 million or more, respectively.

    The prices were announced right after Apple unveiled new devices at the 2023 Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in California on Tuesday morning (Vietnamese time).

    The most advanced Mac Pro 2023 is sold on Apple Store Online Vietnam for VND306.5 million

    Selling prices at local electronics chain Di Dong Viet are similar to those at Apple Store Online Vietnam; and those at FPT Shop are VND100,000 lower, and those at Hoang Ha Mobile VND1 million lower than those at Apple Store Online Vietnam.

    According to Tuan Minh, manager of Hoang Ha Mobile, the 15-inch MacBook Air M2 is attracting attention thanks to its large screen, and it is suitable to people who like compact devices, large screens for entertainment and basic tasks with at a reasonable price.

    Nguyen The Kha, mobile telecommunications division director at FPT Shop, said Apple’s new devices are expected to reach Vietnamese users in early July.

    Local retailers can deliver Apple devices within one hour, change faulty products within 30 days, and offer direct support on technical issues and warranty, the services have not been provided yet by Apple Store Online Vietnam, he said.

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  • Health Guru launches cauliflower snack

    Health Guru launches cauliflower snack

    Health Guru Cauliflower Puffs are a plant-based, savoury, baked snack, not fried.

    Founders Sarah and Don wanted to incorporate more vegetables into the average diet. Their research suggested an increasing number of consumers replacing meals with healthy snacks.

    “In 2020, puff-based products increased by 17.06% in the natural segment and 8.33% in the conventional [Spins Data, 2020],” they said. “Moreover, cauliflower reported the highest market growth per SKU in the crackers category for the natural channel and the third highest growth in salty snacks.”

    Described as “functional, delicious, and nutritious”, Health Guru Cauliflower Puffs contain no “nasties”, a serving of veggies with an “uncompromising” taste. Pure, freeze-dried cauliflower is the “hero ingredient”, retaining the natural sweetness and nutrients.

    Health Guru Cauliflower Puffs are available in the five flavours of Sea Salt, Salt & Vinegar with Apple Cider, Just BBQ, Bangkok Sriracha, and Vegan Cheddar.

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  • Google Calendar will reportedly introduce new Material You widgets teased years ago

    Google Calendar will reportedly introduce new Material You widgets teased years ago

    Introduced in 2021 with Android 12, the Material You treatment on Google Calendar enabled consumers to personalize the app more seamlessly than before. While some intriguing widgets relied on the background to create personalized colors, the overall design wasn’t really unique. Well, things might be changing now, for Google might currently be working on an update of the Material You widgets.

    Pictures of the revamped widgets were found on a Google News Telegram channel, which activated them using a hidden flag in version 2023.22.1-537255951. So far, so good. What makes these changes interesting, though?

    Let’s first determine which view modes get a revamped widget design. Looking at the pictures, it becomes clear that the changes in question shall apply to the monthly overview of Google Calendar and the agenda view.

    As mentioned, the design changes on the Material You widgets haven’t been officially confirmed yet. Still, keeping in mind that a mere flag in the code allows them to run, it could be safe to say that the revamped design will be coming to Google Calendar sooner or later.

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  • Volvo’s Latest Apple CarPlay Update Brings Navigation, Call Details To Driver’s Display

    Volvo’s Latest Apple CarPlay Update Brings Navigation, Call Details To Driver’s Display

    Volvo Cars is rolling out an important update for Apple CarPlay users in its vehicles worldwide. The over-the-air software update enhances the infotainment system and brings significant improvements to the Apple CarPlay experience. A key enhancement is the integration of Apple Maps and other supported navigation apps directly into the driver display (instrument cluster). This integration allows drivers to access navigation information conveniently while keeping their eyes on the road, improving safety and convenience.

    The update also improves call management by displaying call information on the driver display. Drivers can answer, reject, and end calls using the steering wheel buttons. Additionally, the CarPlay tile in the centre display now provides media information, making it easier to control media playback functions like play, pause, and skip.information

    Speaking on the announcement, Alwin Bakkenes, Head of Software Engineering at Volvo, said, “The latest update on CarPlay features is an excellent example of how we continuously improve and add features and functions together with our technology partners, making our customers’ experience richer over time.”

    In addition to the CarPlay improvements, the update brings various changes to enhance the overall driving experience. Drivers can now switch between different driver support functions using the steering wheel buttons. There is also an option to choose whether the wing mirrors should fold when locking the car. Volvo also says that the update includes minor engine calibration optimizations and bug fixes as well.

    The over-the-air update will become available on Volvo cars with Google built-in.

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  • Soon you’ll be able to send higher-quality images via WhatsApp on iOS and Android

    Soon you’ll be able to send higher-quality images via WhatsApp on iOS and Android

    WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature allowing users to send high-definition (HD) photos on iOS and Android. The feature, which is currently being tested by a small group of beta testers, will allow users to send images without them being heavily compressed, although a light compression will still apply.

    As per WABetaInfo‘s reporting, the new option is available in the latest beta version of WhatsApp on Android (v2.23.12.13) and iOS (v23.11.0.76). However, this option is just that — an option — and not the default setting. This means that it will need to be selected anytime you want to send an image with lighter compression.
    The current photo-sending options include “auto,” “best quality,” and “data saver,” but none of these options allow for no compression at all. Like other popular messaging applications, WhatsApp utilizes automatic compression of photos and videos to minimize their size and facilitate expedited image transfers.

    Once you’ve chosen an image, you can send it at a higher quality by tapping the new HD icon at the top. However, the option only appears if you are trying to send an image with higher resolution.

    It doesn’t look like this feature will extend to videos, which is a shame considering that WhatsApp is used by many as an alternative to iMessage/RCS when sending videos cross-platform. However, there is a workaround to this by attaching the movie as a document instead of a media file.

    It is unknown when this feature will roll out to the masses as it is only just now rolling out in beta. However, The new HD photo and lightly compressed image feature is a significant improvement to WhatsApp’s media sharing capabilities and will allow users to send higher quality photos and videos to friends and family without worrying about file size or compression.
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  • Twitter Blue subscribers now have up to one hour to edit tweets, possible mailing list functionality

    Twitter Blue subscribers now have up to one hour to edit tweets, possible mailing list functionality

    The new Twitter Blue, rebranded and relaunched upon Elon Musk’s takeover of the popular social networking site, launched late last year with some exclusive features for its subscribers. One of these features is the ability to edit your sent tweets, albeit only for a limited time, a limit which has now been increased.
    Previously, the amount of time Twitter Blue subscribers had to edit a sent tweet was within 30 minutes of posting. This was considered a reasonable amount of time to fix a spelling mistake or to quickly fix any grammar issues noticed after the fact.
    However, there are instances in which you won’t notice a mistake until someone points it out, and that can happen at anytime and not just within a half hour window. To help with this, Twitter has recently announced a change in their policy pertaining to the editing of tweets and has extended this time frame to a full hour.
    This change is also reflected on Twitter’s Help Documentation, explaining how editing tweets actually work. To the surprise of many, editing tweets does not extend to replies, but only to original tweets and quote tweets.
    Edit Tweet: This highly requested feature gives you a 1 hour window to make a limited number of changes to published Tweets. Use it to make updates, tag someone, or reorder the media you attached. Edit Tweet currently only applies to original Tweets and quote Tweets.
    Meanwhile, Musk continues to experiment with new features within the platform. The latest announced via a tweet, seemingly in response to Twitch’s new controversial guidelines restricting streamers and causing a lot of backlash within that community and criticism from Musk himself.
    Though no further details have been shared on this announcement, it is safe to assume that this will function as sort of a mailing list for creators to keep of their subscribers should they ever want to leave the platform. It is unclear at this point how the opt-in process will work, but one could discern that it will be something that can be done in-app either while subscribing to a creator or anytime thereafter.
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  • Black Thorn durian gaining popularity in Vietnam despite high prices

    Black Thorn durian gaining popularity in Vietnam despite high prices

    Farmers grow it in the Mekong Delta and their trees have borne fruits this harvest season.

    The most expensive durian variety in Vietnam costs nine times the price of Ri6 and 2.5 times that of Musang King, another premium variety originating in Malaysia.

    A woman named Loan in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 5 said she recently paid VND5.6 million for three Black Thorn durians weighing a total seven kilograms.

    “It has a thin rind and a lot of flesh that is really delicious and soft.”

    Lan in Hanoi said: “I’ve waited for one week now to buy two Black Thorn fruits.”

    But since it is a recent entrant, there is not much Black Thorn grown in Vietnam yet.

    A farm could only supply 50-100 kg at a time, and that is not enough to meet demand, fruit sellers said.

    As the first to grow the variety, Thuc in the delta’s Ben Tre Province said he has been growing it since 2019 and now has around 20 trees.

    He said each season would produce 60 kg of fruits on average.

    “I’m about to harvest 200 kg of them but cannot meet the demand. This variety grows well in the Mekong Delta, so we will grow more.

    He sells the durians at VND450,000-500,000 per kilogram at his farm.

    In Can Tho too farmers are growing Black Thorn.

    Trader Dang Mang Khuong said the variety is better than Musang King since it weighs 1.5-3kg each and has four or five locules each.

    Farmers also said Black Thorn has a faster growth rate compared to Ri6 and some other varieties.

    A tree starts to fruit after two to three years, they added.

  • AirAsia expands Asia presence with Penang-Hong Kong route

    AirAsia expands Asia presence with Penang-Hong Kong route

    AirAsia continues to expand its presence in Asia with a route to Hong Kong from its third biggest hub in Penang starting 10 August 2023.

    This route marks the airline’s seventh direct international route from Penang and is set to further boost regional inbound tourism to the state, bolstering an already thriving state tourism industry. The three weekly flights will add to a total of 217 flights weekly from Penang to both domestic and international destinations.

    The route was announced by YB Yeoh Soon Hin, Penang State EXCO for Tourism and Creative Economy (PETACE); Ooi Chok Yan, CEO of Penang Global Tourism (PGT); and Kenneth Tan, Director, Government Relations (Northern Region) at AirAsia at Komtar, Penang.

    YB Yeoh Soon Hin, Penang EXCO for Tourism and Creative Economy (PETACE) said: “We are confident that the addition of three weekly flights from Hong Kong will not only reinforce Penang’s status as a top tourist hotspot in Malaysia but will also contribute significantly to the island’s overall appeal. Hong Kong is part of China’s Greater Bay Area (GBA) which refers to the Chinese government’s scheme to link their rapidly developing regions together into an integrated economic and business hub. By connecting with China’s GBA, it would be advantageous for Penang to attain higher tourism and economic growth.”

    “The Penang State Government firmly believes that through collaborative efforts with industry players such as AirAsia, we can harness the full potential of our local tourism industry.Forging strong partnerships with private sectors, implementing innovative marketing strategies and investing in infrastructure development will undoubtedly boost visitor arrivals, extend their length of stay and enhance their overall travel experience.”

    Riad Asmat, AirAsia Malaysia CEO said: “We are excited to reconnect Penang to Hong Kong after launching it for the first time in 2009 where we established Penang as a hub at the same time. We are also thrilled to be the only low-cost carrier connecting both islands directly, providing more value and greater accessibility to our guests. This is an exciting historical route for AirAsia and we anticipate a remarkable response from both leisure and business travellers alike.

    “AirAsia Group has the largest international connectivity from Penang with a market share of 40%. This expansion not only strengthens AirAsia’s foothold beyond Asean but also reinforces our commitment to fostering economic growth through tourism. We look forward to working closely with the state government to support the tourism industry and stimulate air travel to the Pearl of the Orient.”

    In celebration of the route announcement, the airline is offering incredible promotional fares starting today from RM299 all-in* one-way for travel period from 10 August 2023 to 26 October 2023. Click on the ‘Flights’ icon on the airasia Superapp or website for booking and explore the iconic Hong Kong for a steal!

    AirAsia Group operates 217 flights weekly via ten routes to Penang from Kuala Lumpur (67x weekly), Johor Bahru (28x weekly), and Langkawi (21x weekly) as well as Singapore (35x weekly), Ho Chi Minh City (7x weekly), Jakarta (11x weekly), Bangkok (14x weekly), Medan (28x weekly), Surabaya (3x weekly), and Hong Kong (3x weekly).

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  • SEA driving $20 bn in e-commerce revenue for TikTok

    SEA driving $20 bn in e-commerce revenue for TikTok

    ByteDance-owned TikTok hopes to more than quadruple the size of its worldwide e-commerce operations to as much as $20 billion in merchandise sales this year, relying on growth in Southeast Asia, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

    The increase compares to last year’s $4.4 billion in gross merchandise value, representing the worth of total goods sold through its online marketplace TikTok Shop, the report said, adding that the company is betting on markets such as Indonesia.

    TikTok’s e-commerce platform lets customers purchase goods through links on the app during live broadcasts.

    The development comes as the Chinese-owned company faces scrutiny from governments and regulators because of concerns that China could use the app to harvest user data or advance its interests.

    The report said the company is also working to expand its sales in the US and Europe.

    Financial Times had last year reported that TikTok is due to enter a partnership with Los Angeles-based TalkShopLive to launch its live shopping platform in North America by outsourcing its operations.

  • YouTube TV shares upcoming updates to address existing playback sync and other issues

    YouTube TV shares upcoming updates to address existing playback sync and other issues

    YouTube TV is rolling out a few updates to address some recent issues that were present with the streaming service throughout the month of May. These were announced today via the YouTube Reddit community and follow the updates that were announced back in April for Apple TV, although this new round is for all the different platforms where YouTube TV is available.

    First on the list is to address the audio and video synchronization problems during Live playback. This was already addressed on Apple TV, but in the coming weeks, we should see the implementation of several solutions for this everywhere else. YouTube TV is encouraging its users to submit feedback once these are rolled out and for the community to provide screenshots or a picture of the “Stats for Nerds” page along with device information right on the Reddit thread where the update was announced.
    Additionally, YouTube says that they are developing a separate solution for similar audio/video sync issues for Video on Demand (VOD) content. No rollout date was provided for this particular solution, only that the team is currently working on it.

    Speaking of Apple TV fixes, the post also addressed that the issue last month with the first generation 4k Apple TV crashing during extended playback sessions has already been resolved. Additionally, the company fixed the issue with the DVR functionality being temporarily affected by an outage last month, resulting in some transient delays.

    As fixes to the service continue to be rolled out, new issues continue to be pointed out by users via their feedback. The Library, for example, is undergoing changes and fixes will be pushed to improve the relevancy of the “Catch Up on your Favorites” feature, as well as correcting badging errors and the order of recently recorded content.

    YouTube TV also shared that, thanks to customer feedback, it now grants access to unlimited NFL Sunday Ticket streams inside the home and two additional streams outside the household. This is a welcome change that I’m sure Football fans will appreciate.

    Finally, the company asked us to stay tuned for more updates on the promised multiview feature and more improvements to video quality, which should be coming up next month. As YouTube TV’s price tag continues to increase, it is somehow comforting that the service continues to address pressing issues and hasn’t stopped rolling out new features to make it better.
  • Kuehne + Nagel and HSBC Filling Void Left by Credit Suisse

    Kuehne + Nagel and HSBC Filling Void Left by Credit Suisse

    Next week, Credit Suisse shares will be delisted, bringing a 167-year history to an end. Two firms are lined up to fill the void.

    On June 12, Credit Suisse shares are to be delisted from the Swiss stock exchange. The following day its shares will drop out of the Swiss blue-chip SMI, to be replaced by freight forwarder Kuehne + Nagel, according to the stock exchange operator SIX.

    Semiconductor supplier Meyer Burger moves up in the SMIM index of mid-sized companies, while chocolate producer Lindt & Spruengli moves up in the Swiss Leader Index SLI.

    In Asia, HSBC is replacing Credit Suisse at one of the major financial events in In Hong Kong, where the Swiss bank held the annual Asia Investment Conference, of which the 26th and final one was held in March.

    HSBC is planning to hold a conference in Hong Kong from April 8 to 10 and expects more than 2,000 visitors. The event will be held at the Conrad Hotel, the same venue where Credit Suisse held its Asia conference for years.

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  • Swiss National Bank Expands Activities in Singapore

    Swiss National Bank Expands Activities in Singapore

    The SNB takes a step to better optimize operations in a number of different currencies, markets, and time zones.

    The Swiss National Bank’s operating unit will start a two-year pilot project from August 2023 under which it will split operations between Zurich and Singapore, according to information received by finews.com. With that step, it intends to improve processing and execution in different currencies, markets, and time zones, an SNB spokesperson confirmed.

    As part of that, two individuals will be based there to handle securities, currency, and derivatives transactions while managing overall financial market asset inventories. In Singapore, the central bank employs 11 people in total and it is currently the SNB’s only foreign branch.

    Carolin Reiss leads it and has been since October 2022, when she succeeded Marco Huwiler, who subsequently returned to Switzerland. Reiss has been working for the SNB for ten years, mainly in the currency trading department and as an advisor for its so-called Department III (money markets and foreign exchange, asset management, banking operations, and information technology).  She is a native German citizen from Hannover who previously worked at Commerzbank and she possesses a Masters’s Degree from Humboldt University in Berlin although she also studied at the University of Zurich.

    The Singapore branch has stood the test of time given that it is celebrating ten years of existence this year. Its presence in the city-state allows it to more efficiently manage currency reserves in Asia and Oceania in local time zones while assisting with monetary policy operational requirements in foreign exchange markets. Its close proximity to regional market participants allows it to profit from a network of local institutions and market participants.

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