Gasoline prices on Thursday rose to the highest since early October while diesel dropped slightly.
The popular fuel RON95 went up 2.18% to VND24,810 ($1) per liter. Biofuel E5 RON92 gained 1.77% to VND23,620
Fuel prices fluctuated globally in the last seven days due to decline production at some Russian refineries and continuing tension in the Middle East, according to Vietnamese authorities.
Gasoline prices rose 2.2-2.5% while oils dropped 2-2.4%.
WhatsApp is introducing a feature that finally gives its users the ability to choose the default media upload quality. This feature, now available to some beta testers on version 2.24.7.17, puts the power back on the user on how detailed they want their pictures and videos to look when they arrive at the other end.
If you have used WhatsApp for any amount of time, or any messaging app for that matter, you surely have gone through the woes of sending an image or video that looks like a blurred mess. This can be quite frustrating, particularly when sharing what could very well be priceless family photos or pivotal moments you’ve captured on video. Thankfully, there will now be a solution to this problem.
Although the quality of images sent via WhatsApp is currently not too terrible when compared to SMS, it is also not in high definition. This new setting option allows you to select between Standard Quality, which is optimized for a smaller file size and quicker sharing, or High Quality, which prioritizes image and video quality to be clearer, but uses twice as much storage. Once selected, this will be the default setting for sending media within the app, unless you use the “document” sharing option that keeps the content in its original quality without any compression.
Accessible within the app’s settings, this option was originally spotted to be in the works in a previous version of the WhatsApp Beta app on the Google Play Store (v2.23.14.10). However, it is now finally available to more users in the latest beta. Unfortunately, gaining access to the WhatsApp beta program at this moment is close to impossible, as the program is always full to capacity.
This is a major step forward in making your WhatsApp experience more personalized and smooth. As a long-time app user, I welcome the option to choose the quality I want my images to be sent in.
Royal Enfield has set up a new hub in the Netherlands and has plans to open another warehouse in Europe, either in France or Germany, with an eye on strengthening its supply chain across Europe. According to reports, Royal Enfield’s parent company Eicher Motors Ltd has already set up the Dutch arm to reduce its dependency on the UK, after Brexit made it more difficult to move parts to mainland Europe. The brand is also in talks to establish a warehouse, likely to be either in France or Germany, to speed up the supply of products like spare parts and branded merchandise.
Eicher Motors has invested 500,000 Euros (approximately Rs. 4.5 crore) into the new unit, called Royal Enfield Europe BV. According to Arun Gopal, Royal Enfield’s international head, who is quoted in a news report, the brand’s business is growing quickly in the EU, and a new warehouse will cut lead times by two weeks from 90 days. Royal Enfield plans to start with one warehouse for non-motorcycle products and is in talks with logistics specialists in the EU to manage its range. Germany and France are potential countries for the new warehouse, although no decision has been made as yet.
In recent years, Royal Enfield has been increasingly pushing across global markets, with exports being a prime focus of its business strategy. In 2023, the company inched closer to the 1 million sales mark, and over the last decade the company has performed above expectations. Although the bulk of Royal Enfield’s motorcycle sales still come from the domestic market, exports have been steadily increasing but still constitute less than 10 percent of overall sales.
With the new 350 cc J-series platform, the 650 Twins, the Himalayan 411, and the current Himalayan 450, Royal Enfield has streamlined its entire product line-up in recent years to be global products, which will be offered on sale around the world. Clearly, with its origins in the UK, the European market may offer more potential for the brand’s growth and better supply chain and footprint presence may be a step in the right direction.
Switzerland’s UBS is doubling down on Hong Kong. Today, it topped out its new office based in West Kowloon.
UBS topped out its new Hong Kong office building on Wednesday. The ceremony, featured UBS group CEO Sergio Ermotti, Asia global wealth management (GWM) chair Amy Lo, GWM president Iqbal Khan and leading executives from Hong Kong property giant Sun Hung Kai.
The office is based in West Kowloon, which is located across the Victoria Harbor from Hong Kong’s traditional central business district. It is located next to major commercial building ICC, which houses banking rivals like Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank, as well as the high-speed rail that can quickly access mainland China, including southern Shenzhen in around 14 minutes.
Currently, UBS has five different offices in Hong Kong and under the new arrangement, it will consolidate the work spaces and occupy 14 floors in the West Kowloon commercial building. The bank will start moving into the new office in early 2026.
«Hong Kong is a strategic market for UBS in Asia,» Ermotti said in a statement. Our new office building marks an exciting new chapter for UBS as it will bring all of our Hong Kong operations under one roof, enhancing collaboration across all business divisions and facilitating the continued growth of our franchise.
London-headquartered HSBC is actively exploring various opportunities to convert real-world assets into digital form. One such area is tokenized gold, which it will introduce tomorrow to its retail segment.
HSBC will launch tokenized gold to its retail clients tomorrow, said Hong Kong chief digital officer Bojan Obradović during a panel at the Milken Institute Global Investor’s Symposium. This will mark the first form of tokenized real-world asset that HSBC is introducing to the segment.
Within this area, Obradović noted that the British lender was also exploring tokenization of other assets like funds or bonds. In addition, it is investing in distributed ledger technology (DLT) and developing capabilities in digital money such as central bank digital currencies, tokenized deposits and stablecoins.
According to Obradović, the genesis of DLT or blockchain technologies was the creation of bitcoin. He named three critical effects as a result including the formation of alternative money; the development of a digital asset that is unique and cannot be copied; and exposure to the power of blockchain networks that can store and transfer assets instantly with no underlying company behind.
Bitcoin is considered one of the most prominent computer science innovations of recent times, he commented on a panel at the event hosted by US think tank Milken Institute. «When we think about DLT or blockchain, we think that it has a strong potential to be a mainstream component of future financial markets.
Some online stores are selling what they claim to be Kobe beef, the premium Japanese variety that usually costs VND6-15 million (US$242-605) per kilogram for a mere VND280,000 ($11).
Le Thu, a seller in Hanoi, said she had imported two shipments of the meat to fulfill large orders.
“The beef is cut into neat 250-gram portions that look very appealing. It is also cheaper than other imported beef. So families who enjoy a good steak are very fond of it.
“Previously Kobe beef was rare because there was very little imported. Now customers can order as much as they want at a cheap price.”
Mai Anh of HCMC advertised that the meat originally cost VND600,000 but is currently sold at a 50% discount.
At that price, her “Kobe beef” is even cheaper than American beef.
The businesses claim it is genuine Japanese Kobe beef imported in large quantities from various countries, and hence the low price.
“This meat is of high quality and delicious, the cheap price is because of the large supply,” Anh said, adding she sold over two tons in the past week.
But consumers are not so easily convinced.
Lien of HCMC’s Tan Phu District is shocked to see such a cheap price, even if it was thanks to a 50% discount.
“I am doubtful about the quality because I have never bought it at this price.”
Many others have also raised similar concerns.
Some who bought it remarked that the meat quickly falls apart when thawed and cooked, and its quality is not like the beef they buy at specialized Japanese supermarkets.
Nguyen Thi Loan, the owner of a chain of imported beef stores in HCMC, said the cheap “Kobe beef” sold on the market is actually “aukobe” beef imported from Australia.
This is officially imported at VND600,000-800,000 per kilogram.
But consumers should exercise caution since beef sold at VND200,000 is probably is close to expiration date, she said.
Aukobe beef is produced by injecting fat into the meat to artificially create the marbling the authentic Kobe beef from Japan naturally has thanks to a special cattle raising process and unique diet.
Kobe beef from Japan is one of the most expensive types in the world.
In Vietnam, it is imported from Japan in very small quantities by legitimate importers and sold at millions of dong per kilogram, with the best cuts costing as much as VND18 million.
If you’re a Google Messages user with multiple Google accounts linked to your Android phone, you’ve probably experienced how seamless account switching is currently within the app. However, switching accounts or opting to use Google Messages without a Google account altogether can lead to some unexpected limitations. Google appears ready to address that with a new warning that appears when you want to ditch the Google account login.
Google Messages is rolling out a new feature in beta that clearly outlines which features you’ll lose when either signing out of your account or switching to a different Google account within the app. Signing out entirely from your Google account will warn you that you’ll lose access to features like Magic Compose (those helpful AI writing suggestions) and Device Pairing.
If you have Google’s Profile Discovery feature enabled, you’ll be prompted to disable it. This prevents others from seeing your profile picture and name in Google products, but also means people knowing your phone number might not easily connect with you on various Google services.
If you are switching between accounts, you’ll also get a similar warning. Magic Compose and Device Pairing will also become unavailable, as these features are tied to your specific Google account. Both of these warnings were spotted by @Assembledebug from TheSPAndroid during his usual search for new features.
Previously, Google Messages didn’t explicitly display the potential drawbacks of using the app without an associated account. However, adding this notification greatly improves transparency, letting users make informed choices about how they interact with Google Messages as it is not completely necessary to tie the app to a Google account. The feature seems to be rolling out gradually for those on the latest Google Messages beta, which is v.20240321_01_RC00 at this time.
TikTok, the beloved and sometimes controversial short-form video app, is caught in a political crossfire. Facing a potential US ban due to Chinese ownership concerns, TikTok is scrambling to defend its place in the hearts of its most loyal users – teens.
One of TikTok’s latest moves is the creation of a “Youth Council”. This group of 15 teens from around the world will advise TikTok on how to make the platform safer for young people. It’s a smart play as concerns swirl around issues like child protection, misinformation, and the app’s impact on mental health.
The council seems like a well-intentioned way for TikTok to demonstrate its commitment to the safety of its younger users. The teens even collaborate with Praesidio Safeguarding, a UK-based organization focused on online safety. But is this enough to sway regulators?
TikTok’s influence on teens is undeniable. The app has even encouraged its teen audience to take political action against a potential ban. Some worry that these efforts, while focused on the app’s survival, might draw even more attention to TikTok’s reach among young people. The success of this initiative will likely hinge on a few factors:
TikTok is playing a high-stakes game here. Appealing to its teen users makes sense strategically, but whether it can save TikTok from political pressures remains to be seen. Ultimately, the effectiveness of the Youth Council will depend on how much influence they are given within the company and how they are perceived by both teens and policymakers.
Spotify, the audio streaming giant, is diving into a whole new realm of content – educational video courses. In an announcement today, the company is revealing a launch that begins today for U.K. users, offering a variety of engaging courses to choose from.
This move signals a shift in Spotify’s approach to content. No longer just about music, podcasts, or audiobooks, the platform is now catering to those seeking personal and professional development. They’ve teamed up with renowned educational tech companies, including BBC Maestro, PLAYvirtuoso, Skillshare, and Thinkific, to offer a curated selection of high-quality video courses.
Spotify’s initial video course offerings span four key areas:
Babar Zafar, VP Product Development at Spotify, spoke of this U.K.-based test as an opportunity to explore how to serve the Spotify community better and give them what they are actively interested in by stating: “Many of our users engage with podcasts and audiobooks on a daily basis for their learning needs, and we believe this highly engaged community will be interested in accessing and purchasing quality content from video course creators.” This recognizes a growing trend: many users already enjoy podcasts and audiobooks for self-improvement, and educational video courses are a natural extension of this.
Spotify is encouraging its U.K. free and premium subscribers to take advantage of this new feature, as they will be able to try out for free for a couple of lessons before having to make a purchasing decision. These courses will be available on the Home and Browse tabs in the mobile app as well as on the web. However, once registered for a course, it will be available on both mobile and the desktop.
It is unclear if there are plans to bring this feature to users outside the U.K. if this test proves successful. However, the company does state that should this occur, it could pave the way for a more expansive video-based learning experience directly on the Spotify platform.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is everywhere these days, and we’d be pretty naive not to admit that it is transforming how we use our devices on a daily basis. Meta is one company that has been at the forefront of integrating AI into its platforms, and WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram users in the US already have a taste of what it can do. But soon, interacting with Meta AI might become even more seamless.
According to WABetaInfo, Meta is working on a new feature for WhatsApp that allows you to ask Meta AI questions directly from the app’s search bar. This means that it will no longer be necessary to manually start separate AI chats.
We can see a new prompt that reads “Ask Meta AI” beneath the search bar in the screenshot above from WABetaInfo. This prompt would reportedly eliminate extra steps, make interacting with the AI incredibly more convenient, and wouldn’t require that unsightly Meta AI shortcut that got in the way of accessing your messages.
In fact, if you’ve ever used ChatGPT, Meta AI will feel familiar, as it is designed as an all-around assistant. However, one advantage that this chatbot will have is that instead of having to hunt it down, you’ll simply type your question into the search bar. WhatsApp is even planning suggested prompts to get your creative AI juices flowing.
This feature is still under development and will likely appear in a future version of the app. In the meantime, WhatsApp is showing us that it is clearly all in on AI, as it is reportedly also working on implementing AI-powered image editing tools into its platform.
WhatsApp’s new features are a glimpse into a future where AI is woven deeply into our everyday apps. It’s likely just the beginning, and I’m excited to see what other innovations Meta and other tech giants have in store.
Can you believe that it has been nearly 11 years since Google bought Waze for more than $1 billion? Many people were confused at the time, and many still are, as to why Google made the acquisition considering that it owned the number one navigation app in Google Maps. Part of the reason was to allow Google to obtain some of the features that Waze offers but Google Maps doesn’t.
The thing is that both navigation apps cater to different users. Google Maps not only shows you how to get from point “A” to point “B” quickly and safely, but it also shows you where to go when you arrive at “B” if you want a meal, need a hotel room, want to be entertained, need a cup of Joe, or want to visit a local landmark. Waze, on the other hand, is all about the journey, and instead of using data and algorithms, Waze depends on crowdsourced information that members of the Waze community share using their phones.
According to Autoevolution, Waze has removed the option that users had to report when there is a “vehicle on road.” This was an important road hazard to know about since no one wants to be motoring along at the speed limit only to end up rear-ending the stuck car. But Waze wanted to simplify the reporting options and figured that users would understand that the new “blocked lane” option could also include a “vehicle on road.” After all, a vehicle stuck on a road is also usually blocking a lane.
Based on a survey that was conducted by finance app MarketWatch, Google Maps is the most popular navigation app with 70% of respondents saying that they use the app for navigation. Waze was second as 27% of those surveyed admitted to using the app. Apple Maps, available only on Apple devices, is used by 25% of those surveyed.
If you’ve never tried Waze, you might want to give it a shot. You can choose from a wide range of voices giving you the turn-by-turn directions including your own! If you have an iPhone, you can tap on this link to install the app. Android users can load the Waze app from the Google Play Store.
U.S. food and beverage giant PepsiCo has committed to investing an additional US$400 million to build two new plants powered by renewable energy in Vietnam, its government said.
The announcement came last Friday as delegations of more than 60 U.S. enterprises, including Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam Beverage, paid a 3-day work visit to Vietnam last week.
The Vietnamese government said one beverage manufacturing factory will be in southern Long An Province and cost over $300 million, and another for food processing will be in northern Ha Nam Province, with an investment of $90 million.
The report did not give details on the commissioning time of the two factories.
Late last year, the company said it had been granted an investment certificate for the Ha Nam factory, which was scheduled to start operating in the third quarter of 2025.
PepsiCo, which runs five factories across Vietnam, entered the country in 1994.
AirAsia’s Cambodian unit will commence operations on 2 May, as the low-cost operator looks to drive tourism demand into the country.
Launching with a network of three domestic points, AirAsia Cambodia will link its Phnom Penh hub with Siem Reap and Sihanoukville using a fleet of two Airbus A320s.
Airline chief Vissoth Nam says that the airline is also looking to commence international flights as soon as the third quarter of the year – with the airline looking at existing AirAsia hubs Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, as well as Singapore.
When it launches, AirAsia Cambodia will fly daily between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville, and Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh.
National carrier Cambodia Angkor Air is currently the sole domestic operator in the country: it has two daily flights between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, and one daily flight between Sihanoukville and Siem Reap. There are no airlines flying between Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville.
Vissoth, speaking at the airline’s launch event in Phnom Penh, adds that the airline is starting with domestic flights to drive its brand awareness within the country, as it awaits regulatory approvals to commence international services.
In the longer term, the airline hopes to grow its fleet to 16 aircraft, he adds.
The airline, which is starting with 88 employees, is 51% controlled by AirAsia Aviation, with local firm Sivilai Asia controlling the remaining 49%. It is the group’s fifth airline unit after Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia.
AirAsia Cambodia’s launch has been delayed for months – the airline unit was to have begun operations in late-2023. AirAsia Aviation Group chief Bo Lingam attributes the slip to the global supply chain crunch. “That’s the basic issue… and for us to get planes into service…[and] the parts we need – the whole supply chain has been affected worldwide,” he adds.
Lingam says AirAsia Cambodia “will be connecting the dots” in the group’s Southeast Asia network strategy.
While the unit will initially feed traffic into the broader group’s network via hubs in Malaysia and Thailand, Lingam envisages the airline also operating its own flights to areas in North Asia, China and India.
“The launch of AirAsia Cambodia represents more than adding a new airline for the group… it symbolises our commitment to empowering communities and driving economic development across the region.”
AirAsia MRO sister unit Asia Digital Engineering is also expanding its presence in the country, working with Sivilai on a new mainteance joint venture based in Phnom Penh.
Vietnam ranked third globally in cryptocurrency gains last year with US$1.18 billion in profits, according to a report from U.S. crypto data provider Chainalysis.
It was behind the U.S. ($9.36 billion) and the U.K. ($1.39 billion). China and Indonesia were in fourth and fifth places with $1.15 billion and $1.06 billion.
Vietnam’s crypto gains were doubled that of Spain and the Philippines and triple that of Thailand.
Eight countries recorded more than $1 billion.
Chainalysis said the positive trends of 2023 have carried over into 2024, with notable crypto assets like Bitcoin achieving all-time highs in the wake of Bitcoin exchange-traded fund approvals and increased institutional adoption.
“If these trends continue, we may see gains more in line with those we saw in 2021,” it said, adding that as of March 13 Bitcoin was up 65.4% and Ether was up 70.2%.
The large crypto gains in Vietnam, however, might be enjoyed only by the minority.
A report by Coin98 Insights earlier this year showed that 64% recorded no profit last year, with 44% of them making losses.
WhatsApp seems to have rolled out a bunch of updates in the last couple of weeks for those enrolled in the beta program. While many of these updates address various bugs, some of them introduce new features that users can test and provide feedback.
With WhatsApp beta version 2.24.7.6, the developer is increasing the length of videos users can add to their status. Currently, WhatsApp users can add videos of up to 30 seconds to their status, but the latest beta version of the up extends the length to 1 minute.
Discovered by the folks at WABetaInfo, the new feature that allows users to share videos of up to 1 minute in length via status updates seems to be only available to select WhatsApp beta testers on Android.
While this certainly isn’t a core WhatsApp feature, it’s nice to know that developers are listening to feedback and try to accommodate many of the requests that make sense.
As with all the beta features, it’s hard to say whether or not this will make it to the stable version of WhatsApp. Still, since it doesn’t seem to be that hard to implement, chances are that all WhatsApp users on Android will eventually be able to share longer videos via status updates.