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Tag: asia

  • The Fitbit Ace LTE gets new features for your active kids and family this holiday season

    The Fitbit Ace LTE gets new features for your active kids and family this holiday season

    The Fitbit Ace LTE is getting a whole bunch of new updates just in time for the holidays. These new features are designed to keep families connected, active, and having fun together.

    One of the most exciting new features rolling out is Family Chat. Now, families can communicate directly through their Ace LTE devices or the Ace app. This will be perfect for coordinating schedules, sending quick reminders, or just checking in with each other throughout the day.

    However, if you are looking for a way to get the whole family moving, Fitbit Ace LTE now has a new feature called “Family Quests.” This feature includes challenges that encourage everyone in the family to work together to unlock rewards. For example, this Thanksgiving, you and your family can complete the “Turkey Berserkey” quest by hitting your activity goals. It’s a fun way to bond and build healthy habits.

    Fitbit has also partnered with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation to add 50 new Daily Quests. These bite-sized challenges help kids learn about things like sleep, nutrition, and even geography. Plus, there’s a new game in the Fitbit Arcade called “Solar Sword” that lets kids defend their village from monsters. The more they move, the more game time they unlock.

    To make it even easier to track their progress, there are two new watch faces called Noodles. These sleek designs help kids see how close they are to reaching their daily activity goals.

    And if you’re looking to save some money this holiday season, we got you as we have gathered some great deals on the Ace LTE and its accessories for you. From November 21st through December 4th, you can save $50 on the Ace LTE and $20 on Ace LTE bands at the Google Store. Plus, if you’re buying for siblings, you can get 50% off your second Ace Pass annual plan from now through January 31st, 2025. Additionally, we have included discounted options from Amazon and Woot below.

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  • E-commerce platform Temu restricts checkout to $35-40 price range

    E-commerce platform Temu restricts checkout to $35-40 price range

    Chinese shopping platform Temu has made it mandatory for customers to check out with orders between VND887,000 and VND1 million (US$35-40).

    Shoppers noticed this week that they cannot check out if their order is less than VND887,000 on the Temu app.

    Those who had bought for more than VND1 million were informed they had exceeded the limit and had to remove some items.

    Hieu, an online shopper in HCMC, said: “This policy and the requirement to pay in advance make the platform less attractive compared to its competitors in Vietnam.”

    When Temu first came to Vietnam at the end of September, it required a minimum order of VND120,000.

    It raised it to VND632,000 last week and to VND887,000 now, a sevenfold increase in two months.

    Temu said the minimum allows it to “continue offering more and lower-priced items.”

    Although it did not explain why the cap was set at VND1 million, one obvious explanation is that there is no tax on e-commerce items under this price.

    But with an estimated 4-5 million such items shipped from China to Vietnam every day, the government has been considering scrapping this tax waiver.

    Temu says on its app that it is in the process of registering with Vietnamese authorities.

    Government officials have warned that all unregistered e-commerce platforms will be blocked in the country.

    Temu, formally owned by Singaporean company Elementary Innovation Pte. Ltd., reported zero revenues in its third quarter financial disclosure submitted to Vietnamese tax agencies, and said it expected to record revenues starting in October.

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  • ZTE Launches G6 Series Servers, Boosting Green Computing Infrastructure

    ZTE Launches G6 Series Servers, Boosting Green Computing Infrastructure

    These new products support Intel® Xeon® 6 processors and the latest AMD EPYC™ 9005 Series processors, bringing new energy to the development of efficient and environmentally friendly computing infrastructure.

    In today’s digital economy, the demand for computing power is rapidly increasing, making the expansion and enhancement of computing infrastructure a top priority for all industries. ZTE is dedicated to creating efficient and green computing infrastructure to drive sustainable growth in the digital economy and help partners transition to digital and intelligent AI processes.

    ZTE has launched six new G6 servers, including the R5300 G6 dual-channel full-scenario server, R5500 G6 dual-channel large storage server, R2300 G6 single-channel high-performance server, R2250 G6 single-channel high-density server, R2350 G6 single-channel full-scenario server, and the R2550 G6 single-channel large storage server. Outstanding performance and robust computing power are key features of ZTE’s new servers. The R5300 G6 and R5500 G6 servers come with the latest Xeon® 6 processors with E-cores, supporting up to 288 cores for dual-channel operation.

    These servers offer high computing density and performance per watt, along with thirty-two DDR5 memory slots and up to 176 PCIe 5.0 channels. The modular design allows for customization to meet various application needs. The R2300 G6 single-socket high-performance server, powered by Intel Xeon 6 with P-cores, delivers improved computing performance and 18% energy efficiency enhancement. It features a modular design, all-cable configuration, and a flexible setup to meet diverse computing requirements in different scenarios. The server supports efficient cooling solutions and can be applied in the following niches: internet, cloud computing, big data, and other fields.

    ZTE also introduced the R2250 G6 single-channel high-density server, the R2350 G6 single-channel full-scenario server, and the R2550 G6 single-channel mass storage server, all of which are equipped with the latest AMD EPYC 9005 series processors. These servers offer high core counts, increased memory bandwidth, and improved energy efficiency compared to previous models, making them suitable for virtualization, cloud computing, and AI applications.

    The expansion of ZTE’s G6 series server family provides customers with more options to meet the diverse needs of the telecommunications, internet, transportation, and power industries. ZTE will continue to focus on technological innovation, introducing more advanced servers and storage products, enhancing ecological partnerships, and driving the upgrade of computing infrastructure to ensure a digital future.

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  • Vietnam spends $1.4B on meat imports

    Vietnam spends $1.4B on meat imports

    Vietnam imported nearly US$1.4 billion worth of meat and meat products in the first 10 months of 2024, up 14% from a year earlier.

    Most of the imports came from India, the U.S., Russia, and Germany, customs data shows. They are much cheaper than local products, making them highly attractive to consumers.

    Imported pork costs around VND52,000-62,000 (US$2-2.5) per kilogram on the retail market while domestic varieties are priced at VND80,000-180,000.

    The Dong Nai Livestock Association said the influx of cheap imported meat is putting further pressure on the domestic livestock industry, which has already been struggling with reduced supply due to African swine fever.

    If strict controls are not implemented, low-priced imports could hamper the industry’s growth and pose food safety risks, they warned.

    According to the Department of Animal Health, of the 6,679 batches of imported meats inspected between May and September this year, over 1% contained salmonella and was disposed of.

    The department is working with exporting countries to monitor quality, but experts want the government to tighten quarantine measures to protect public health and prevent disease outbreaks from contaminated food.

    In response to the sharp increase in meat imports, market regulators have also strengthened control measures to get rid of substandard products.

    In August HCMC authorities seized 400 kilograms of imported frozen pork intestines and udder meat that lacked documentation.

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  • Thailand inspection finds imported Shine Muscat grapes safe for consumption

    Thailand inspection finds imported Shine Muscat grapes safe for consumption

    All imported Shine Muscat grapes have met food safety standards, according to the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA), responding to public concern about recent reports of chemical contamination.

    The agency’s food and drug inspection division seized 6.93 tonnes of the grapes on Nov. 5 to run chemical residue tests, under its Hold Test Release protocol.

    The fruit met all regulatory standards, so the FDA approved them for import and domestic sale, its deputy director-general Lertchai Lertvut said. gtraPublic concern arose last month when the Thailand Consumers’ Council reported that 23 out of 24 Shine Muscat grape samples it tested were found to contain hazardous chemical residues beyond the acceptable legal limit.

    Some were contaminated with chlorpyrifos and endrin aldehyde, which are banned under Thai food safety laws.

    Shine Muscat grapes are a variety originating from Japan that features a yellow-green hue, crisp flesh, no seeds, and delightful sweetness.

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  • Singapore Airlines’ profit plunges 59%

    Singapore Airlines’ profit plunges 59%

    Singapore Airlines saw net profit in the July-to-September quarter plunging 59% year-on-year to SGD290 million (US$) amid intense competition and surging costs.

    Revenue rose 2% to SGD4.8 billion in the second quarter of its financial year which began April, the company said in a financial report. It saw costs rising by 14.7 percent over the period.

    “The operating landscape will continue to be competitive,” the airline said. “The group will remain nimble and agile, adjusting its passenger network and capacity to match evolving demand patterns.”

    Singapore Airlines operates a fleet of 205 aircraft, with four Boeing 787-10 aircraft added in the July-September quarter.

    It has been increasing number of flights to popular destinations such as Hanoi, HCMC, Johannesburg, Melbourne, Phuket and Seoul.

    The airline is also investing SGD1.1 billion to upgrade its premium travel experience by installing long-haul cabins in 41 Airbus wide-body aircraft.

  • Singtel Advances Quantum-Safe Cybersecurity with Key Partnerships

    Singtel Advances Quantum-Safe Cybersecurity with Key Partnerships

    The enhancement integrates Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) technologies—designed to withstand the advanced computational capabilities of quantum computers—from cybersecurity leaders, Palo Alto Networks and Fortinet, into Singtel’s nationwide Quantum Safe Network (QSN).

    Through its collaboration with Palo Alto Networks, Singtel will implement a PQC-powered IPSec VPN, utilizing the latest encryption standards from the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology to secure data transmission and authentication.

    Fortinet’s role includes integrating Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and PQC solutions to foster a secure, scalable, and commercially viable QSN. This partnership will leverage Fortinet’s quantum-resistant PQC software, encryption hardware, and advanced security platforms to build robust quantum-safe architectures tailored for enterprise needs.

    These joint efforts will ensure the security of encryption keys across key applications like identity, mobility, and authentication, providing enterprises with stronger resilience against potential quantum-enabled cyber threats.

    Keith Leong, Managing Director, Enterprise, Singtel Singapore, stated, “Quantum computing presents a significant threat to traditional encryption methods, and has the potential to disrupt our digital economy by potentially decrypting sensitive data, exposing businesses to significant risks. The addition of Palo Alto Network and Fortinet’s enhanced software solutions to our QSN ensures our enterprise customers get more industry-leading choices to secure their business against both current and future quantum threats, regardless of their hardware requirements. We encourage enterprises to take the  necessary steps to secure their critical assets sooner rather than later.”

    Steven Scheurmann, Regional Vice President of Palo Alto Networks in ASEAN, highlighted Palo Alto Networks’ commitment to helping enterprises prepare for the future by integrating their quantum-resistant VPN solutions with Singtel’s Quantum-Safe Network. This collaboration aims to protect critical data from both current threats and the potential risks posed by future quantum computers.

    Jess Ng, Country Head for Singapore and Brunei at Fortinet, noted that, as quantum computing progresses, the approach to cybersecurity must evolve accordingly. She expressed Fortinet’s pride in partnering with Singtel to enhance the nation’s defenses against emerging threats, emphasizing that, “By integrating Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) and Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) into Singtel’s Quantum-Safe Network, building hybrid architecture, and leveraging quantum-safe solutions, we are helping enterprises stay ahead of future risks. Through the development of industrial and government use cases, we are committed to building a foundation for a more resilient and secure digital future.”

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  • Grab posts strong profit, raises revenue forecast as food demand rebounds

    Grab posts strong profit, raises revenue forecast as food demand rebounds

    Singapore’s Grab Holdings raised its forecast for fiscal 2024 revenue on Monday, as the Southeast Asian tech firm anticipates robust growth in its food delivery and ride-hailing businesses during the busy holiday season.

    US-listed shares of the company jumped more than 10 percent in extended trading.

    Grab’s mainstay food delivery business has been recovering from a post-pandemic slump in demand as consumers increase their discretionary spending budgets in a sign of economic easing.

    “We remain bullish on the long-term growth outlook of Southeast Asia, and are firing on all cylinders to capture the strong user demand trends,” Grab CEO Anthony Tan said.

    The company expects revenue in the range of US$2.76 billion to $2.78 billion, compared with its prior projection of between $2.70 billion and $2.75 billion.

    Grab has been attempting to introduce cheaper options for its ride-hailing services to woo price-wary customers. On the other hand, the firm has been trying to promote its premium offerings as well to boost its earnings.

    The margins for the more premium rides are 1.2 times higher than the standard rides offered by the company, CFO Peter Oey told Reuters.

    Grab reported third-quarter revenue of $716 million, exceeding Visible Alpha estimates of $700.8 million.

    Oey said transactions made by customers were up 22 per cent in the third quarter and subscribers of the company’s services spend four times that of non-subscribers.

    The firm also raised its annual core profit forecast to between $308 million and $313 million, from $250 million and $270 million.

    Revenue in the deliveries segment increased 16 per cent to $380 million, surpassing estimates of $374.2 million.

    The company left its annual adjusted free cash flow forecast unchanged and beat estimates in its financial segment.

    On an adjusted basis, the company earned 1 cent per share, compared with estimates of a break-even quarter, as per data compiled by LSEG.

  • LVMH buys into Swedish label Our Legacy

    LVMH buys into Swedish label Our Legacy

    LVMH has acquired an undisclosed minority stake in Swedish fashion brand Our Legacy, The Business of Fashion reported.

    The transaction comes following Our Legacy posting sales of €40 million (US$42.9 million) in the year ended June 30.

    Our Legacy will use the proceeds of the transaction to strengthen operations and open flagship stores in key cities such as Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Hong Kong.

    Currently, Our Legacy has two stores in Stockholm, one in London and one in Berlin. It also has three stores in South Korea, in partnership with local distributor Handsome Corp.

    The brand is set to open a new store in Paris in late next year.

    “It’s not like we needed the investment from a cash-flow perspective – our revenue figures doubled three years in a row and we achieved really healthy profitability,” Jockum Hallin, Our Legacy co-founder, told the BOF.

    “It’s more to look to the future as we build the next era.”

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  • Signal launches shearable Call Links for easy group call setup

    Signal launches shearable Call Links for easy group call setup

    Signal now allows users to create shareable links for group calls without the need to create a group chat. The new update also introduces an option to raise your hand and react with emojis during group calls, making video conversations more interactive.

    The secure chat app Signal rose in popularity a few years ago. Although now most major messaging apps offer encrypted and secure messages, Signal is still considered to most secure of them all. Signal has quite a lot of cool features like self-destructing messages, message editing, chat backups, group chats, username identification instead of phone numbers, and more.

    The app is also open source. Its latest update focuses on bringing more functionality to its group call features. Now, the platform is introducing shareable meeting links, called Call Links. It works similarly to the solutions offered by WhatsApp and FaceTime.

    Basically, you are able to create a meeting link that can be shared on Signal with whomever you want. They can then join your call by clicking on the link.

    Before the update, if you wanted to have a group call on Signal, you needed to create a new group, add the participants to it, and then start the call. Now, Call Links make it easier to have a group call. The links can be shared outside of Signal as well; however, to join a call you would need an active Signal account.

    Call Links can be created from the Calls section in the bottom panel, where the new option “Create a Call Link” is situated. You can then give the call a title and toggle admin approval on or off. The feature is now available for iOS, Android, and desktop.

    On top of that, Call Links are reusable, which is awesome news if you would have a weekly check-in call. Call hosts can remove participants from a meeting, as well as block users to prevent them from joining again.

    Signal’s maximum capacity for group calls is currently at 50 people. Call Links was previously available in beta last month, and now it’s made it to a public release.

    Additionally, you can now use a raise hand button similar to Google Meet, which will help you attract the attention of the speaker. Emoji reactions are also coming to Signal calls, which add a touch of fun or interactivity without you having to type or speak during the call.

    I really like these updates to the Signal app. Ever since it rose to popularity for its secure messaging, I’ve been a fan of the app. Now, it’s beco

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  • YouTube testing a TikTok-like swipe-up gesture to get to the next video

    YouTube testing a TikTok-like swipe-up gesture to get to the next video

    Recently YouTube redesigned its playback speed controls and added a couple of nice features to its app. It’s been testing different things in recent months, and some tests sound pretty exciting while others have people raising their eyebrows. In YouTube’s latest test, we have a new gesture being tested for longer videos.

    TikTok’s “Swipe up” gesture moves you to a new video. Since the gesture got popularized by TikTok, it was copied into YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels, among other short-video sharing solutions. Now, YouTube is testing the gesture for regular-length videos, not Shorts.

    The swipe-up gesture is a quick and easy way to move through a series of short vertical videos, but it’s generally primarily suitable for vertical videos. However, YouTube seems to think the gesture may be useful for horizontal videos as well, and this change is quite a dramatic one.

    Right now, when you’re enjoying a video on YouTube on full screen (landscape orientation), the swipe-up gesture is used to exit full screen, rather conveniently. Digital Trends contributor Tushar Mehta spotted the test. The tested fullscreen video player swipe-up gesture leads to a new video being played.

    The change has been spotted only on Android phones at the moment. You can also swipe from either side on Android phones to leave fullscreen mode, and you can also do that from the arrow button in the top left corner.

    At the moment, it’s not clear when this change will roll out globally. Given the fact this is still in its testing phase, user feedback may play a role in whether or not this update gets released at all. Some people have mixed feelings about it, which I agree with simply because when you are already used to what a gesture does in an app, changing that would be rather annoying.

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  • Pattern Helps Australian Brand Recover Over $200k Amazon Revenue

    Pattern Helps Australian Brand Recover Over $200k Amazon Revenue

    Pattern, global ecommerce and marketplace accelerator, has announced the launch of Pattern Recovery, a new service designed to help Australian brands optimise their Amazon marketplace presence and safeguard past and future profitability.

    As Australia’s most popular marketplace, Amazon, offers unparalleled opportunities for brands to reach millions of customers. However, the scale and complexity of the platform can often result in Australian brands becoming overwhelmed and not making the most of the marketplace opportunity. Pattern Recovery supports brands operating as first-party (1P) or third-party (3P) vendors on Amazon to optimise their marketplace presence and recover on average up to 6% of any revenue they may have missed from a five-year look back window.

    “Most Australian brands currently struggle to navigate all the moving parts that come with selling on Amazon. This leads to errors resulting in repeated missed opportunities for revenue relating to overcharges, misapplied fees and inventory recovery,” explained Merline McGregor, Managing Director at Pattern. “Working on behalf of Australian brands, Pattern Recovery can identify and recover up to 70% of these missed revenue opportunities and back-date them as far as five years. This ensures brands can gain back profits that would otherwise have been a loss and optimise processes to safeguard profitability into the future.

    “Optimisation and recovery efforts have led to some impressive revenue gains. One first-party Amazon vendor in Australia had 19,300 disputes made on its behalf for both new and old fees dating back five years. This achieved a $216,000 recovery.”

    Pattern Recovery offers a comprehensive review of all Amazon transactions, pinpointing areas where brands have missed opportunities and efficiently addressing these on the brand’s behalf. This meticulous oversight not only enhances current profitability but also provides valuable insights to help brands refine and optimise their operations to increase future revenue. It does this through in-depth root cause analysis and supply chain coaching, aimed at minimising any future errors before they occur.

    What makes Pattern Recovery stand out is its ability to complement the strengths of Amazon’s platform, turning potential missed opportunities into improvements and profit gains. The service provides continuous support to brands, offering strategic insights and operational advice that align with Amazon’s best practices. This proactive approach ensures vendors can maximise their profitability without any disruption to their selling.

    “In today’s ecommerce environment, it is more crucial than ever for brands to optimise every aspect of their operations to drive profitability – they cannot afford unnecessary losses or inefficiencies. By ensuring that all areas of the business, including Amazon marketplace operations, are operating at peak efficiency, brands can not only safeguard their bottom line but also position themselves for sustainable growth. It’s about being proactive, tightening the ship, and making every dollar count to build future strength,” added McGregor.

    ###

    About Pattern Inc

    Pattern is the category leader in global ecommerce and marketplace acceleration. Since 2013, Pattern has profitably grown to more than 1,400 employees operating from 24 global locations – including Melbourne, Sydney and the Gold Coast – to help leading brands achieve accelerated growth on D2C websites and global ecommerce marketplaces. As well as being one of the largest Amazon sellers in the world, we are also present on Tmall, JD.com, eBay and other ecommerce marketplaces. We act as the authorised Amazon seller to more than 200 brands globally, buying their stock to sell on the marketplace and taking care of every aspect of their Amazon presence. For more information, visit https://au.pattern.com/

     

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  • Chinese tea chain To Teapresso to expand overseas

    Chinese tea chain To Teapresso to expand overseas

    Chinese tea chain To Teapresso has opened its first store in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. This launch is part of the company’s efforts to strengthen its global presence and expand into international markets.

    The brand is known for combining Chinese tea with extraction techniques, creating a “Chinese Tea Latte” by blending the extracted tea with fresh milk. It currently operates 20 stores on the Mainland.

    Teo Lv, founder and CEO of To Teapresso, said overseas expansion has always been part of the company’s plan since its launch.

    “Hong Kong is an international trade hub, offering advantages and more opportunities for our business operations,” said Lv.

    “The city’s unique blend of Eastern and Western cultures aligns well with To Teapresso’s brand essence, making Hong Kong our top choice for launching our overseas business.”

    He added that the company plans to open more stores in Southeast Asia, Japan, Korea, and Australia within the next 18 months.

    “The Hong Kong office currently focuses on international business in the Asia-Pacific region, including our expansion and operation in Hong Kong and Macau,” Lv concluded.

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  • Watsons opens 8000th Asia store in Manila

    Watsons opens 8000th Asia store in Manila

    Health and personal care retailer Watsons has opened its 8000th Asia store at SM Mall of Asia in Manila.

    “The Philippines has been selected for this momentous occasion because it’s one of the fastest-rising economies in Asia and a strategic market for AS Watson,” said Malina Ngai, CEO of AS Watson Group.

    “This vibrant and highly potential market has a young demographic that increasingly focuses on health and beauty, aligning perfectly with Watsons’ expertise.”

    The new store forms part of the company’s commitment to enhancing its offline plus online customer experience.

    Watsons currently operates 8000 stores and more than 1500 pharmacies in Asia, Europe, and Middle East.

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  • Cafe de Coral warns of declining profit

    Cafe de Coral warns of declining profit

    Cafe de Coral expects to report lower net profit for the six months ended September 30 due to a “severe and expected downturn” amid a weakened economy.

    The restaurant chain forecasts net profit to decline not higher by 30 per cent from HK$200.6 million (US$25.8 million) in the year-ago period, due to the plunge in the restaurant business and a high-base effect following strong sales recovery when the pandemic-related restrictions were lifted.

    In Hong Kong, the company focused on value offers, menu mix, hero product promotions, and membership loyalty strategies to create demand and help offset decline.

    In Mainland China, the company implemented quick menu investments, promotional offers, and brand campaigns to keep a stable performance and profit margins.

    “With the central government’s determined efforts to promote recovery of the economy, as well as our strong underlying business fundamentals and steady focus on constant internal improvement, the group is well positioned to return to growth as the market recovers,” said the company.