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Tag: asia

  • Zurich Buys Estonian AI Chat Start-Up

    Zurich Buys Estonian AI Chat Start-Up

    The Swiss insurer is buying an Estonian start-up for conversational artificial intelligence. The move is a bid to improve the digital capabilities of its customer services.

    The Zurich-based insurer it is buying Alphachat, a four-year-old Tallinn-based company with a messaging automation product that understands natural language, authenticates users, and provides personalized responses, it said in a statement on Thursday. Zurich didn’t disclose the financial details of the deal.

    The insurer said it wants to use Alphachat’s conversational artificial intelligence to try and meet increasing demand from customers for personalized products and services, 24/7. Alphachat represents a considerable reinforcement of Zurich’s AI capabilities.

    The start-ups’ CEO, Indrek Vainu, said Zurich will launch a hub for intelligent automation in Estonia in order to create AI-powered messaging automation solutions for its customers.

  • UBS in Talks With China Life

    UBS in Talks With China Life

    UBS is reportedly in talks with insurance giant China Life to form an asset management joint venture.

    UBS is in discussions with China Life to form an asset management joint venture in the mainland, according to a report citing unnamed sources. The two have signed a memorandum of understanding and a formal launch will be subject to approval from the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC).

    Under the agreed deal, if finalized, UBS will hold a majority stake in the business unit which will make it the first foreign majority-owned asset management joint venture with an insurer since such partnerships were allowed in 2019. The scope of operations at the planned joint venture has also not yet been finalized.

    The move to secure a joint venture with China Life follows failed attempts to form a similar asset management joint venture with a wealth management unit of a Chinese state-owned bank, the report said. «UBS has been keen to take an absolute-controlling status in a China unit, but its competitors are quick to snap up the best local partners,» said one of the unnamed sources.

    UBS currently has exposure in an onshore Chinese asset management business via a 49 percent stake in UBS SDIC Fund Management which has 149 billion yuan ($23.4 billion) in retail fund assets as of November 18.

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  • Vietnam Airlines scores $1 bln discount on jet lease

    Vietnam Airlines scores $1 bln discount on jet lease

    Vietnam Airlines and Air Lease Corporation have agreed on a leasing discount exceeding $1 billion for 18 aircraft while the former face financial challenges amid the pandemic.

    U.S.-based ALC, one of the biggest aircraft leasers in the world with 450 jets, will reduce leasing charges by $420 million for the rest of the contract duration of existing jets while the remaining $600 million will be discounted on new leases.

    Vietnam Airlines is leasing 16 jets from ALC, comprising 12 narrow-body A321 Neo and four wide-body Boeing B787-10.

    With the biggest fleet in Vietnam of over 100 jets, the national flag carrier is facing financial pressure in retaining its aircraft, with many routes suspended due to Covid-19.

    Restructuring its fleet and cutting costs are its main goals to overcome the Covid-19 crisis, the airline stated.

    CEO of the carrier Le Hong Ha said Tuesday the airline would have an oversupply of jets until 2025, and plans to sell 27 over the next two years.

  • You can now control your Ray-Ban Stories glasses with your voice

    You can now control your Ray-Ban Stories glasses with your voice

    Meta and Ray-Ban’s Stories glasses just received their latest software update, which broadens up the voice capabilities of their product.

    The newest Stories glasses update enables you to control them with your voice. You can tell the built-in voice assistant to send texts and make calls using Messenger.

    The Ray-Ban Stories assistant can now also read the received messages. Another new feature introduced with the latest update is the ability to use your voice to control the audio playback. You can now pause, play, and control the volume by telling the voice assistant what you want it to do.

    To use the voice control of the Ray-Ban Stories, you will have to say “Hey Facebook” first and then continue with the command.

    Before the latest update, the only way to control the Ray-Ban Stories was to use the built-in control panel. Because the glasses have two built-in cameras, three microphones, and two open-ear micro speakers, you could use them to take videos, photos, make calls, and listen to music.

    More updates to the Ray-Ban Stories are coming in 2022, said Mark Zuckerberg in a post on Facebook when announcing the new update.

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  • Delhi To Deregister Diesel Vehicles Completing 10 Years On January 1, 2022

    Delhi To Deregister Diesel Vehicles Completing 10 Years On January 1, 2022

    The Delhi government has announced that it will deregister all diesel vehicles that will complete 10 years on January 1, 2022. Owners of said vehicles will be given a No Objection Certificate (NOC) which will allow them to re-register the vehicle in other places. The Delhi government has taken this decision in compliance with the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) directions relating to restrictions on registration and plying of 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles in the city. While owners of petrol cars that have completed 15 years will get the NOC from the transport department, the same will not be issued for diesel vehicles that have completed 15 years or more on the date of applying for it.

    An order issued by the transport department said, “the department will deregister all such diesel vehicles in Delhi on January 1, 2022, which have completed or would be completing 10 years on that date”. The department has been deregistering vehicles that have completed their lifespan. Owners of diesel vehicles, which are 10 years old, and petrol vehicles, which are 15 years old, can get the NOC for any place in the country. However, it is subject to the condition that NOC will not be issued for the places which are identified by states as restricted areas for re-registration. To facilitate this, the NGT had directed states to identify areas where the dispersion of air is higher and vehicular density is less.

    Interestingly, the transport department has said that owners will also have the option to convert their 10-year-old diesel or 15-year-old petrol vehicles to electric vehicles in case they want to continue using them in Delhi. Of course, this means the vehicles will need to be retrofitted with impaneled electric kits via agencies approved by the department. The empanelment process for electric kits is under process.

    For vehicle owners with diesel vehicles that are older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years, scrapping is the only option. Transport department and traffic police teams are impounding such vehicles and sending them for scrapping by authorized vendors.

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  • Honor introduces two new 5G phones, the X30 and the Play 30 Plus

    Honor introduces two new 5G phones, the X30 and the Play 30 Plus

    Continuing to celebrate its separation from Huawei, which allows it to install the Google version of Android on its phones, Honor today unveiled the X30 handset. The device sports a 6.81-inch LCD display with a resolution of 1080 x 2388, and thin side bezels that weigh in at 1.05mm. The screen refreshes 120 times each second for buttery smooth scrolling, enhanced animations, and more.

    Under the hood (another area where Honor is no longer restricted thanks to Huawei’s $15 billion sale of its former sub-brand) you’ll find a 5G Snapdragon 695 SoC built on the 6nm process node by TSMC. Compared to the MediaTek Dimensity 900 that powered the X20, the chip powering the new phone will deliver CPU and GPU performances 15% and 30% higher, respectively.

    On the back, the camera array includes a 48MP primary camera, a 2MP macro camera for extreme close-ups, and a 2MP depth sensor. There is a small punch-hole in front for the 16MP selfie snapper.

    Keeping the lights on is a 4800mAh battery that charges at 66W. At that rate, you might be able to juice up your phone to 80% in only 30 minutes. Memory ranges from 6GB to 12GB with storage options of 128GB or 256GB. Honor’s Magic UI 5.0 is found on top of Android 11 and the X30 will be available in silver and black (Las Vegas Raiders’ colors), gold and blue.

    The Honor Magic X30 is priced at CNY1,499 (equivalent to $235) for the base 6GB RAM/128GB model and rises to CNY 2,299 ($361) for the 12GB RAM/256GB variant. The phone goes on sale in China on Christmas Eve and Honor has yet to mention anything about a global version of the device. While the X20 had a limited release, Honor CEO Geroge Zhao has hinted at wider distribution of the X30.

    The executive said, “Through both online and offline channels, we have been able to expand our offerings to even more consumers,” he said. “We are grateful for the trust of our retail and carrier partners around the world and look forward to introducing more products together in 2022.”

    Also introduced today was the Honor Play 30 Plus. A less ambitious phone than the X30 is, the Play 30 Plus carries a 6.7-inch LCD screen that refreshes 90 times each second. It is equipped with MediaTek’s Dimensity 700 chipset and does support 5G. The phone comes with 4GB-8GB of memory and 128GB of storage. On the back is a 13MP camera with a 2MP depth sensor. In the front is a teardrop notch with a selfie camera that weighs in at 5MP.

    A 5000mAh battery is inside the handset although charging is no faster than 22.5W. The color options are the same as the four available for the X30 (silver, black, gold, and blue), and the software (Magic UI 5.0 on top of Android 11). The model with 4GB of memory and 128GB of storage is priced at CNY 1,099 (equivalent to $173). The version with 8GB of memory and 1238GB of storage trim and maxes out at 8GB RAM and 128GB storage which will set you back CNY1,499 ($235).

    Honor is also celebrating its freedom by announcing that it plans on becoming an “iconic global brand.” In a release, the company said, “HONOR spent the past year developing strategic collaborations with its global supply chain partners and established over 30 partnerships with leading suppliers including AMD, Intel, MediaTek, Microsoft and Qualcomm.”

    Honor CEO Zhao said, “Thanks to the support of our friends and partners over the past year, HONOR has been able to deliver on our promise to help consumers go beyond as well as expand our brand to provide both premium and accessible technology to a wider range of users. I am so proud of the industry breakthroughs we have introduced as a result of the dedication and passion of my colleagues and collaborations with our leading global chain partners.

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  • T-Mobile introduces a more secure way for authorizing SIM changes

    T-Mobile introduces a more secure way for authorizing SIM changes

    In an internal notice sent to its stores, as reported by the T-Mo Report, T-Mobile informs its employees of a new, more secure method of authorizing SIM changes. The customer will now be required to provide SMS verification when requesting SIM changes, such as transferring a number to a new SIM. The alternative is the change to be verified by two employees using their credentials.

    T-Mobile’s new measure against unauthorized SIM changes may come in response to the new requirement proposed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC proposed that service providers identify the customer before beginning a port-out to another carrier and notify customers immediately when a SIM change or port request occurs.

    The new T-Mobile measure is a step forward in solving the problem of unauthorized SIM changes because T-Mobile defenses against attackers have been breached more than once.

    Over these few years, T-Mobile clients have become victims of constant SIM swap scams and port-out attacks. As attackers utilized the stolen phone numbers from the SIM swaps to receive two-factor authentication SMS codes, many clients lost a lot of money due to these scams, including cryptocurrency.

    In August, T-Mobile became a victim of a data breach. The hack affected over 54 million people. Customer names, driver’s license numbers, Social Security numbers, and device identification numbers were all leaked.

    The new SIM change procedure was implemented on December 14th and is now in effect.

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  • Enterprises not exporting rice regularly to lose licenses

    Enterprises not exporting rice regularly to lose licenses

    Rice exporters will have their licenses canceled if they fail to ship for a long time.

    Out of 205 businesses with export licenses, 39 have not exported the grain since December 2019.

    The Ministry of Industry and Trade said: “Many traders have no rice market or capacity to export. This along with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic means they have not been able to export rice for nearly two years.”

    Under further changes to a decree, the ministry wants local authorities which issue rice export licenses to strengthen inspection of business conditions.

    Vietnam exported 5.7 million tons of rice worth $3 billion in the first 11 months of this year, year-on-year increases of 0.8 percent and 7.3 percent.

    The country is unlikely to achieve the export target of 6.5 million tons this year, the Vietnam Food Association said, predicting that even next year exports would only be around 6.3 million tons.

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  • Google threatens to fire employees who refuse to get vaccinated

    Google threatens to fire employees who refuse to get vaccinated

    Almost two years have passed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that does not mean that things have cooled off. That is why companies, including those in the tech industry, are still practicing the work-from-home approach when it comes to their employees.

    It seems, though, that some of the major players in the game, such as Google, are starting to tighten their grip over the rules revolving around the pandemic. A report on an internal Google memo reveals the tech giant telling its employees they could get fired if they don’t follow the company’s COVID-19 vaccination rules.

    Exceptions would be made for those with a granted special exemption based on medical or religious reasons. Each exemption would be approved on a case-by-case basis. Based on what the report says, Googlers (the way Google refers to its employees) had up until the 3rd of December to present their vaccination status.

    In the case of denied exemption and no uploaded proof of their vaccination on the internal systems, Google would then start contacting those employees. January 18th, 2022, would then be the final date until which a Googler would have to comply with the vaccination rules. If not, they would then be put on “paid administrative leave” for the next month.

    Further refusal to comply with the rules would result in “unpaid personal leave,” which could last up to six months. For the initial 92 days, said employees would still have access to their work benefits. However, if the six months passed and their vaccination status remained the same, the result would be them getting dismissed from Google.

    “We expect that almost all roles at Google in the US will fall within the scope of the executive order. Anyone entering a Google building must be fully vaccinated or have an approved accommodation that allows them to work or come onsite. Frequent testing is not a valid alternative to vaccination.”

    As one might guess, not all Googlers agree with this mandate. A few hundred of them have written a manifesto in opposition to the vaccine rules and requirements and signed it. As a reply to this, Google has suggested that the employees look at different roles at the company, which wouldn’t conflict with the executive order.

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  • Google Fi users are now eligible for the traditional year-end gift

    Google Fi users are now eligible for the traditional year-end gift

    If you’re a new Google Fi subscriber, you’re probably not aware that the MVNO typically offers gifts to its customers at the end of the year. Although this time around the rewards isn’t as exciting as it was in the previous years, you’ll still get something. Also, it’s always the gesture that counts, not the value of the gift.

    Starting today, Google Fi users with active service as of December 15, 2021, are eligible for a $10 Play Store credit. Of course, your account must be in good standing to qualify for the offer. Also, one thing worth noting is the Fi for Googlers accounts are not eligible for the $10 Play Store credit.

    According to Google Fi, the offer ends January 5, 2022, but customers can redeem it by January 12, 2022. The promotion is aimed at US residents only and requires Google Pay and Google Fi accounts.

    Once you add the $10 Play Store credit to a Google Payments account, you must use it on Google Play by June 30, 2022, otherwise, you’ll lose it.

  • Latest iOS update gives Siri back some accessibility features for the iPhone

    Latest iOS update gives Siri back some accessibility features for the iPhone

    When Apple released iOS and iPadOS 15 three months ago, iPhone and iPad users with vision problems were upset. The update took away several commands that allowed Siri to help those with poor vision play their voicemail, recite their call history list, send an email, and more. This was a slap in the face to iPhone and iPad users who have vision problems and who relied on help from Siri to use their devices.

    Well, the good news is that the other day, with the release of iOS 15.2, Apple returned the following commands to Siri’s vocabulary:

    • Hey Siri, do I have any voicemails?
    • Hey Siri, play my voicemail messages.
    • Hey Siri, check my call history.
    • Hey Siri, who called me?
    • Hey Siri, send an email.
    • Hey Siri, send an email to (name of person).

    Before the release of iOS 15.2, asking Siri any of those questions resulted in this response from Apple’s digital assistant: “Sorry, I can’t help with that.” Talk about adding insult to injury. But now, when you ask Siri to perform one of the above tasks, she will gladly do so.

    Several bug fixes were part of iOS 15.2 including one that prevented Siri from working when using the VoiceOver feature with your iPhone locked. VoiceOver is another feature found in Settings > Accessibility and it allows a person to use his iPhone even if he can’t see the screen through the use of hand gestures. The update also exterminated a bug that made ProRAW images appear over-exposed in third-party editing apps.

    Other bugs that were killed off in iOS 15.2 include one that prevented video streaming apps from loading content on iPhone 13 series models, one that posted calendar events on a wrong day for Microsoft Exchange users, one that didn’t update Now Playing information for certain apps while using CarPlay, and one that again in CarPlay, wouldn’t allow HomeKit scenes that include a garage door to run when your iPhone is locked.

    To update your iPhone to iOS 15.2 and iPad to iPadOS 15.2, go to Settings > General > Software Update.

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  • Use “Erase iPhone” to reset a locked iPhone without connecting to a computer

    Use “Erase iPhone” to reset a locked iPhone without connecting to a computer

    With the iOS 15.2 update, iOS now has the ability to erase and reset a locked iOS device without connecting it to a computer.

    To reset a locked Apple iPhone or iPad before iOS 15.2, you had to connect it to a Mac or PC first. After you had connected the device, you had to put it into recovery mode. After that, you had to update or reset the locked device using your computer, and then you had to set up your device again.

    With iOS 15.2, Apple simplified the recovery process for a locked iOS device. If the locked Apple device is running iOS 15.2, you will need only an active internet connection to reset it.

    After a few failed attempts to unlock your phone with your password, the new “Erase iPhone” option introduced with iOS 15.2 will appear at the bottom of the screen. Tap on it to confirm that you want to reset your phone. Enter your Apple ID password to sign out of your account. Tab Erase again to erase the phone. After that, the device will reset itself, delete all data, and restart. Follow the on-screen instructions to restore your data from a backup and set up a new passcode.

    With iOS 15.2, Apple made the recovery of a locked device easier. But if the device doesn’t have an internet connection or isn’t running iOS 15.2, you’ll have to use the older method instead.

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  • Upsurge in Vietnam imports of Cambodian farm produce

    Upsurge in Vietnam imports of Cambodian farm produce

    The quantity of Cambodian rice, cashew nuts, maize, green beans, and soya beans imported by Vietnam in the first 11 months of this year rose 3-4 times year on year.

    Cambodia exported 912,000 tons of cashew nuts, over 134,000 tons of maize, some 26,000 tons of green beans, 66,200 tons of soya beans, and more than 26 million tons of pepper to Vietnam, according to the Vietnam Trade Office in Cambodia.

    It specified that the neighboring country exported 3.1 million tons of paddy rice to Vietnam in the 11-month period, an increase of more than over 75 percent year-on-year.

    Cambodia sold more than 622,000 tons of fresh manioc, or 70 percent of its total exported volume, to Vietnam between January and November.

    The trade office said that Cambodia exported a total of over 7.1 million tons of agricultural products to 68 markets, including Vietnam, in the first 11 months of this year, up 93.4 percent on-year.

    More Cambodian farm produce was being bought by Vietnam because of their price and quality advantages, Vietnamese agricultural scientist Vo Toan Xuan said, noting that Cambodia has a lot of fertile land and farmers do not use many chemical pesticides.

    Recently, several Vietnamese companies and residents have rented agriculture.

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  • Swiss Bank Expands Presence in U.S.

    Swiss Bank Expands Presence in U.S.

    Bank Vontobel will open an office in Miami in coming months, in an expansion of its U.S. onshore presence.

    Zurich-based Vontobel will launch a wealth management office in Miami, its second in the U.S., CEO Zeno Staub said on Tuesday. The Swiss bank is the latest in a host of wealth managers to head for the Florida city, a hub for Latin American money.

    Vontobel has the local market in mind: Within the U.S., there is a migration of wealth from the North to the South, Staub said. More and more local wealth is going to Florida.

    East coast states like New Hampshire and Connecticut are traditionally havens of wealthy individuals, but that is changing. A shift on Wall Street, which began shifting towards Florida during the pandemic, may also be playing a role.

    Vontobel’s approach is asset-light, in that just as in Hong Kong, in Miami it will book its wealthy clients’ assets in Switzerland, the outlet reported. The bank follows the same approach in New York, where it opened an office four years ago.

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  • L’Oreal buys US vegan brand Youth to the People

    L’Oreal buys US vegan brand Youth to the People

    L’Oreal has added American vegan skincare brand, Youth to the People, to its portfolio of skincare brands.

    Founded in 2015 by two cousins, Greg Gonzalez and Joe Cloyes, the brand is known for formulas that combine premium vegan blends of superfood extracts with science.

    “Its skincare expertise based on healthy, vegan, high-efficacy formulas make it a very strategic addition to L’Oreal Luxe,” said Cyril Chapuy, president of L’Oreal Luxe.

    “The brand’s core values and distinctive spirit reflected in its initiatives to amplify diverse voices, build a fairer world, and enhance consciousness of the planet will be further celebrated at L’Oreal not only because they are precious to us, but because they are very true to our own values.”

    The brand’s investors include Sandbridge Capital, Strand Equity and Carisa Janes. Its products are available across the US, Canada, Australia and selected European countries. The brand is expected to record more than US$50 million of sales this year.

    “We founded Youth to the People to continue our family’s legacy of making skincare and to inspire and represent our community,” said Cloyes and Gonzalez.

    “Joining the L’Oréal family gives us the opportunity to realize all the dreams of Youth to the People.”

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