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Tag: call

  • Shein and BHV Call it Quits: End of Controversial Fashion Partnership in Paris

    Shein and BHV Call it Quits: End of Controversial Fashion Partnership in Paris

    The partnership between French department store BHV and online fast-fashion retailer Shein has concluded, following a brief and controversial seven-month duration. The collaboration was marked by contention from the beginning, as the establishment of a permanent Shein retail spot within the Parisian department store sparked widespread debate.

    Change in Store Ownership and End of Partnership

    Societe des Grands Magasins (SGM), the organization responsible for managing BHV in Paris since 2023, has announced its decision to sell the department store to its current management team, led by Karl-Stéphane Cottendin. The decision to end the partnership with Shein was described as rectifying an error, according to a spokesperson for Cottendin.

    The alliance between BHV and Shein was a point of contention, primarily due to the business practices of the Singapore-based online retailer. Shein’s business model, characterized by extremely low pricing and alleged sales of illicit products, was viewed unfavorably by critics.

    However, Shein maintains that their collaboration with SGM was designed to be short-term from the onset.

    Controversy and Challenges

    The launch of Shein within BHV in November was met with significant opposition. On the day of the launch, the French government attempted to close its platform, a decision later overturned by a court in Paris.

    Shein’s loyal customer base also expressed disappointment with the retail store’s offerings. Many noted that the prices were considerably higher than those listed on Shein’s expansive online platform, renowned for its $5 dresses and $10 jeans.

    Even before the partnership with Shein, SGM faced financial difficulties and was lagging in payments to its suppliers. The controversial Shein launch resulted in several brands withdrawing from the department store in protest.

    Despite the end of the partnership, Shein expressed respect for BHV’s decision and noted it was unfortunate that customers had to deal with ongoing construction works in the department store.

    Questions & Answers

    Why did the partnership between BHV and Shein end?
    The collaboration ended due to widespread criticism and controversy surrounding Shein’s business practices and the significantly higher in-store prices compared to its online platform.

    Who will take over the ownership of BHV?
    The current management team of BHV, led by Karl-Stéphane Cottendin, will take over the ownership from Societe des Grands Magasins.

    What was the public response to Shein’s launch at BHV?
    The launch was met with significant opposition, including an attempt by the French government to close the platform. Loyal Shein customers were also disappointed with the higher prices in the retail store compared to Shein’s online offerings.

  • Google Meet Revolutionizes Video Calls With Ai-powered Makeup Filters

    Google Meet Revolutionizes Video Calls With Ai-powered Makeup Filters

    Google Meet, the popular online conferencing platform, has introduced a game-changing feature: AI-driven makeup filters. Users can now choose from 12 different styles, ranging from subtle to dramatic, that lend an instant touch of refinement to their on-screen appearance.

    Always Camera-Ready with Google Meet

    There’s no question that the prevalence of video conferencing has necessitated new ways to stay camera-ready, often at a moment’s notice. Google Meet’s latest upgrade is designed to meet this exact need. Building on their existing ‘Touch-up’ feature, they have added 12 new makeup filters powered by artificial intelligence.

    Notably, these filters are more than just standard overlays that are prone to flaws or glitches. Google assures that these AI-driven filters maintain a natural and consistent effect, regardless of whether you’re sipping coffee, touching your face, or moving around. Depending on your mood or preference, you can opt for a look that is professional and polished, or one that’s a bit more daring.

    While the feature is not activated by default, users can easily enable it and select their desired look on either the web-based platform or mobile application. The chosen look will conveniently be saved and applied for subsequent meetings, creating a seamless solution for users wanting to maintain their on-screen appearance.

    Keeping Pace with Competitors

    Google Meet is not the first video conferencing platform to venture into virtual makeup. Both Microsoft Teams and Zoom have previously integrated similar features. This trend underlines an acknowledgment from tech giants that virtual meetings are here to stay, and offering features to enhance these experiences is crucial.

    For individuals working remotely or in hybrid work environments, these kinds of features can be highly beneficial. They provide a quick and easy solution to appearing more professional and confident on camera, eliminating the need to get fully ready for each call. This can significantly affect how you present yourself professionally.

    Practicality Over Vanity

    While the introduction of makeup filters in video conferencing might initially be met with skepticism, their practicality soon becomes apparent. It isn’t so much about vanity as it is about convenience and confidence. For those with early morning meetings or days filled with back-to-back calls, the ability to click a button and instantly look presentable is undoubtedly advantageous.

    However, the use of this feature is optional, and it is deactivated by default. Users can activate and use it as required. Currently, this service is available to certain Google Workspace Business and Education tiers and to Google One and Google Workspace Individual subscribers.

    Questions & Answers

    What is Google Meet’s new feature?
    Google Meet’s new feature is an AI-driven makeup filter that users can apply to enhance their on-screen appearance during video calls.

    How can I enable the new makeup filter feature on Google Meet?
    The makeup filter feature can be enabled on the settings page of either the web-based platform or mobile application of Google Meet.

    Who can use the AI-driven makeup filter feature on Google Meet?
    Currently, this feature is accessible to certain Google Workspace Business and Education tiers and to Google One and Google Workspace Individual subscribers.

  • WhatsApp debuts Call Links feature, starts testing encrypted video calling

    WhatsApp debuts Call Links feature, starts testing encrypted video calling

    WhatsApp has just announced Call Links, a brand-new feature leaked previously, will be making its way to users sometime this week. Just like the name suggests, Call Links allows users to send links to contacts to join their calls.

    Obviously, the contact you’re sharing the link with must-have WhatsApp installed, otherwise, they won’t be able to join the call. On the bright side, this makes joining a call much easier since you only need to tap the link received.

    Beyond contacts in your phonebook, you’ll be able to send a call link to anyone on WhatsApp. Links can be added to an invite or sent in a chat, and they’re available for both audio and video calls. This is especially useful when you want to plan a conference call with multiple people that might or might not be in your contacts list. If they’re on WhatsApp, they will receive your links and join the call if they wish to.

    WhatsApp’s new Call Links feature will be rolled out to users on Android and iOS globally, starting this week. If you don’t see it on your phone yet, the wait a few more days.

    It’s unclear how WhatsApp plans to protect video calls from people who obtain these links fraudulently, but just to be on the safe side, double check who you’re sending these call links to before you actually do it.

    In related news, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg confirmed WhatsApp has started testing secure encrypted video calling for up to 32 people. We’re promised more information on the subject soon, so that’s about all we have for now.

    It’s kind of ironic that WhatsApp has added the option to send call links so that people can easily join calls but promises to provide better security over video calls sometime in the future.

  • US becomes biggest buyer of Vietnam smartphones

    US becomes biggest buyer of Vietnam smartphones

    The U.S. has surpassed China to become the biggest buyer of smartphones and parts from Vietnam in the first six months with a purchase value of $6.61 billion, up nearly 54 percent year-on-year.

    It was followed by China at $6.45 billion, up nearly 17 percent, according to Vietnam Customs.

    Exports of smartphones and parts to the EU fell 7.7 percent to $3.3 billion.

    Vietnam’s top import market of smartphones and parts was South Korea at $5.1 billion, up 28 percent year-on-year.

    It was followed by China at $4.2 billion, down 0.1 percent.

    Vietnam’s exports of these items to all markets reached $29.17 billion in the first six months, up 16.4 percent year-on-year.

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  • Telegram to launch long-awaited group video call feature in May

    Telegram to launch long-awaited group video call feature in May

    Telegram will be finally adding a group video call feature to its portfolio next month. Yesterday, the company CEO Pavel Durov posted a short video showing the upcoming feature in action.

    ”Speaking of video calls, we will be adding a video dimension to our voice chats in May, making Telegram a powerful platform for group video calls,” wrote Durov.

    Telegram is a bit late to the group video chat party, as competitors such as Zoom, WhatsApp, Messenger Rooms, Hangouts – already reap the benefits of the global pandemic and lockdown situation worldwide.

    The company announced plans for a group video feature a whole year ago and despite the delay, the feature could boost Telegram’s popularity and help compete with the aforementioned platforms.

    Group video calls on Telegram will support Screen sharing, encryption, noise-cancellation, as well as desktop and tablet, and smartphone devices. We’ll have to wait and see whether Telegram will join the best video conferencing apps out there with its new feature.

  • Google Duo group video calling goes live

    Google Duo group video calling goes live

    Google Duo, the video chat mobile app developed by the Mountain View company, received a couple of important updates in the last year or so. Among them, group video calling was added to the app less than a month ago, but it was only made available in a few countries.

    Starting today, Google has expanded the availability of the group video calling feature to more countries, including the United States, Canada, and India. Even Google seems to confirm the new feature is available in “select regions,” but no list of markets is available yet, so we’ll have to rely on reports coming from users.

    With group video calling, Google Duo users will be able to select up to four contacts that they can call simultaneously. Simply swipe down and press the “Create Group” option in order to start adding the contacts you want to call.

    Although the feature only supports four contacts in a group call, Google plans to slowly increase the number of people that you can call simultaneously with Google Duo, although no timeframe is available at the moment.

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  • Google gives more options for Call Blocking

    Google gives more options for Call Blocking

    Google has had the automatic spam call warnings available for a while now, to the point where many we know have simply begun ignoring calls when the Red Screen of Spam pops up on their phone. But, there have also been some missing options in terms of call blocking on Android. Google allowed for blocking specific numbers, but now there are even more options to let users block calls.

    Previously, the only option for blocking calls was to add numbers to a call block list from the Phone app’s Recent calls page, but now there are four new options for blocking calls. If you want, you can block all calls from numbers that aren’t in your contacts list, block calls from private or unknown numbers, or even block calls made from pay phones. That last one is a bit surprising because as mobile phones have taken over and become commonplace, pay phones have slowly been removed from public spaces. There are likely still places around the world with pay phones, but it’s been quite a long time since we’ve seen any in the U.S.

    Oddly enough though, the new options won’t be found in the Phone app. Instead, Google put the new options in the Contacts app all the way at the bottom of the Settings page, under the Manage contacts header. That will give you toggles for the new call block features as well as a list of numbers you’ve already blocked.

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  • Skype automatically answers calls on Android due to a bug

    Skype automatically answers calls on Android due to a bug

    If you’re using Skype for your day to day communication with friends, co-workers or business partners, there’s a high chance that you’ve been affected by a nasty bug that makes the app automatically answer all calls on Android devices.

    Microsoft is probably the only one that can tell for sure when exactly the issue started to manifest for the first time, but reports go back as far as January, probably soon after the developers updated the app. Sadly, it appears that the issue now affects even more users, as we’re seeing lots of recent reports posted on Microsoft’s support forum.

    For the time being, there’s no workaround to prevent Skype from answering calls that you want to ignore, so the only way to avoid the issue is to uninstall the app until Microsoft fixes it. Not even having the “Answer incoming calls automatically” option disabled will not stop Skype from doing just that.

    The good news is Microsoft has already identified the issue and managed to patch it, but only in the latest Skype preview app. If you want to continue to use the app without being affected by the bug, you can download the beta until the final version gets updated later this month.

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  • Singtel, Optus complete international 5G AR video call

    Singtel, Optus complete international 5G AR video call

    Singtel and its wholly-owned Australian subsidiary Optus have completed a 5G augmented reality video call between Singapore and Australia as part of their preparations for the introduction of the next generation mobile technology.

    The joint trial was conducted using Ericsson networking equipment as well as OPPO 5G test devices running on Qualcomm’s inaugural Snapdragon 5G chipset.

    Augmented reality technology was used to provide instant on-screen annotations during a call conducted at the operators’ respective live 5G sites.

    According to the companies, the technology has the potential to open up a range of new possibilities for enterprises, such as the ability to deliver live on-the-job training and remote assistance.

    In the consumer space, augmented reality communications use cases will include holographic calls and the ability to deliver a virtual tactile shopping experience.

    “This call is a significant marker in our journey to 5G as we develop a robust 5G ecosystem to ensure that our enterprise and consumer customers will enjoy an enhanced connectivity experience,” Singtel group CTO Mark Chong said.

    “5G is a key enabler that will bring the future of augmented reality, autonomous vehicles and smart cities closer to reality.”

    Singtel and Ericsson launched a 5G Centre of Excellence in Singapore in 2017, and recently opened the first live 5G facility in the market in collaboration with Singapore Polytechnic.

  • India’s parliament addresses call drop controversy

    India’s parliament addresses call drop controversy

    An Indian parliamentary panel has taken up the issue of call drops on new mobile operator Reliance Jio Infocomm’s network.

    The panel met with GSM industry body COAI – representing the market’s incumbent operators – and Reliance Jio to discuss the reasons for the high number of call failures.

    Reliance Jio has been engaged in a bitter dispute with operators over the issue of frequent call drops. Earlier this month, Jio said around 50% to 60% of calls from Jio users to the three largest mobile network operators Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular were failing or dropping.

    While this has recently contracted to around 25%, this still represents a substantial number of call drops and call failures..

    Reliance Jio has accused the operators of not making enough points of interconnection available to meet the demand for its pan-India mobile services. But incumbents have blamed the company’s strategy of offering free calls, which has led to a surge in network traffic.

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  • Thailand will tighten call drop regulations

    Thailand will tighten call drop regulations

    Thai regulator NBTC will introduce stricter standards governing the quality of mobile signals in an effort to address a growing number of complaints related to dropped calls.

    The NBTC will amend current regulations, which require operators not to exceed a dropped call rate of 15% across all calls, to instead require operators to maintain this rate in each of Thailand’s service areas.

    The new regulations, which are expected to come into effect in September, have been implemented in response to the fact that in more busy service areas with congested traffic dropped call rates are much higher than the average.

    In addition to the new regulation, the NBTC has given five mobile operators – AIS, Dtac, True Move, CAT Telecom and TOT – 15 days to resolve their dropped call problems.

    According to the report as of May there were 994 complaints involving dropped calls from AIS, 497 from Dtac, 386 from True Move, 32 from CAT and seven from TOT. Complaints are picking up now operators are focusing on customer acquisition strategies to maximize their 4G investments.

    Indian regulator Trai is also focusing heavily on the issue of call drops.

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