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Tag: storage

  • Philippines’ Top Data Centers Unite to Boost Nation’s Rise as Southeast Asia’s Digital Powerhouse

    Philippines’ Top Data Centers Unite to Boost Nation’s Rise as Southeast Asia’s Digital Powerhouse

    The Philippines’ prominent data center operators have officially collaborated to establish the Data Center Operators of the Philippines (DCPH). This unified alliance aims to fortify the country’s standing as the upcoming digital hub of Southeast Asia.

    Forming a New Alliance

    This groundbreaking collaboration was solidified through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which was signed by representatives from leading companies such as VITRO Inc., ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (Philippines), YCO Cloud, Digital Edge Philippines, Digital Halo, and A-FLOW. This last company is a joint venture between FLOW Digital Infrastructure and AyalaLand Logistics Holdings Corp. Collectively, these companies have a shared goal of enhancing the Philippines’ regional competitiveness in the global digital economy. This is achievable through the strengthening of data center infrastructure and industry collaboration.

    DCPH’s Role and Purpose

    The DCPH members, who represent an impressive combined 473 MW of IT power capacity, will act as a united voice for the Philippine data center industry. The alliance aims to encourage collaboration among key sectors to improve infrastructure and innovation. This includes collaborating with the power industry to ensure competitive rates and renewable energy access. Additionally, they aim to partner with telecommunications providers to enhance connectivity. They will also work with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to advocate supportive policies, such as data localization. Another goal is to develop local talent and maintain industry growth in the face of increasing demand for hyperscale, AI, and other next-generation technologies.

    The Importance of Data Localization

    The group has highlighted that data localization is crucial for data processed and stored by the public sector. Keeping government data within the nation helps safeguard national security and protect citizen information. Countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia have already introduced robust data localization policies. These countries recognize citizen data as a strategic national asset that supports data sovereignty and economic growth. By implementing similar strategies, the Philippines can enhance infrastructure resilience, attract more cloud and AI investments, and position itself as a top-rated digital hub in the region. This would facilitate the smooth flow of data across borders to support the digital economy.

    Questions & Answers

    What is the goal of the Data Center Operators of the Philippines (DCPH)?
    The DCPH aims to bolster the Philippines’ regional competitiveness in the global digital economy by strengthening data center infrastructure and encouraging industry collaboration.

    What is the significance of data localization?
    Data localization is vital for ensuring the security of data processed and stored by the public sector. It safeguards national security and protects citizen information.

    How can the Philippines position itself as a leading digital hub in the region?
    By implementing robust data localization policies and developing local talent, the Philippines can attract greater investments in cloud and AI technologies. This would enhance infrastructure resilience and support the seamless flow of data across borders.

  • Revolutionize Your Storage: WhatsApp Unveils New Granular Control Feature

    Revolutionize Your Storage: WhatsApp Unveils New Granular Control Feature

    Many active WhatsApp users often find their storage space being consumed by the voluminous shared files from the platform. To address this, WhatsApp is currently developing a feature that offers users detailed control over the storage space each chat occupies, in addition to improvements on clearing large and redundant files.

    New Ways to Manage Storage

    WhatsApp is developing a novel feature that will allow users to effectively manage the storage space each chat occupies on their device. Present in the information page of individual chats, the “Manage Storage” function enables users to view an array of files shared within a chat and sort them based on their size.

    The new feature will offer users the capability to monitor the contents of all chats and delete large, unnecessary files. The feature will enable the sorting of shared files such as images, videos, and documents according to the time shared.

    An Update to Enhance User Experience

    At first glance, this feature may not appear significant, given that users can already access the global “Manage Storage” menu in the settings and view files and media from all conversations. However, placing this information in a more accessible location within each chat’s settings makes this feature more user-friendly.

    Currently, this new feature is only accessible to a limited number of iOS beta users of WhatsApp. However, the roll-out of this feature is ongoing and is expected to be available to more users soon.

    Improvement for Group Chat Users

    For many users who are active in several WhatsApp groups, this feature is a welcome development. These groups often flood storage with unnecessary files, making it difficult for users to manage their digital space. The new feature targets this problem, providing users with an efficient way to declutter files from these chats.

    Questions & Answers

    What is the new feature WhatsApp is working on?
    WhatsApp is developing a feature that allows users to manage and control the storage space each chat occupies on their device.

    How does the new feature work?
    The “Manage Storage” function enables users to view and sort shared files within a chat based on their size. It allows users to delete large unnecessary files, improving the management of their storage.

    Who can access this new feature currently?
    As of now, the feature is only available to a limited number of iOS beta users of WhatsApp. However, a broader roll-out of the feature is expected soon.

  • Ultra-Rich Seek Safe Haven: Singapore’s Gold Storage Becomes Hot Commodity Amid Rising Global Risks

    Ultra-Rich Seek Safe Haven: Singapore’s Gold Storage Becomes Hot Commodity Amid Rising Global Risks

    Located near Singapore’s bustling airport, a remarkable six-story structure known as “The Reserve” holds gold and silver bars valued at an astounding US$1.5 billion. This extraordinary facility features numerous private vaults and an impressive storage chamber filled with thousands of safe deposit boxes, soaring three stories high.

    Record Surge in Precious Metal Storage

    In the first four months of this year, The Reserve reported an astonishing 88% increase in orders for gold and silver storage compared to the same period in 2024, according to its founder, Gregor Gregersen. Even more striking, the facility experienced a 200% year-on-year rise in sales of precious metals bars during this timeframe.

    “A lot of very high net-worth clients are looking at tariffs, the changing world, and the potential for geopolitical instabilities,” Gregersen shared with CNBC. “The idea of placing physical metal in a safe jurisdiction like Singapore with trustworthy partners is becoming an undeniable trend.” Interestingly, 90% of the new orders come from clients based outside Singapore.

    Gold Prices on the Rise

    With gold prices skyrocketing to consecutive record highs this year, driven in part by its status as a safe haven amid tumultuous U.S.-China trade tensions, the allure of physical gold has tantalized investors. Currently, spot gold is trading at around $3,300 and is projected to climb to $3,400 in the near term, according to Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade. Furthermore, JP Morgan anticipates bullion could reach $4,000 per ounce next year.

    Gregersen highlighted that wealthy investors are increasingly opting for tangible gold bars over paper investments to mitigate counterparty and geopolitical risks. “Previous crises have amplified the demand for physically owning gold rather than relying on paper assets or pooled reserves, which may become precarious if a bank fails,” noted Nicky Shiels, head of research and metals strategy at MKS Pamp, a distinguished refining and trading firm for precious metals.

    Singapore’s Spotlight Role

    Given the current economic uncertainties, Singapore has emerged as a premier hub for gold reserves. “Singapore is regarded as the ‘Geneva of the East’; it boasts a reputation for political and economic stability,” Shiels remarked to CNBC.

    This major transit hub not only serves as a safe space for storing wealth but also offers ease of access. According to Shiels, “You can bank and store your gold there, and it’s easy to pick up and transport, making it a competitive advantage over Switzerland.”

    As The Reserve continues to flourish in Singapore, it’s clear that the allure of physical gold won’t be fading away anytime soon.

    Questions & Answers

    What significant increase did The Reserve see in storage orders?
    The Reserve experienced an impressively high 88% surge in orders for gold and silver storage in the first four months of this year.

    What are the current trends in gold pricing?
    Spot gold is currently trading around $3,300, with predictions suggesting it may rise to $3,400 soon, and JP Morgan estimates it could reach $4,000 per ounce next year.

    Why is Singapore viewed as a favorable location for gold storage?
    Singapore is considered a legitimate “Geneva of the East” due to its political stability, economic security, and convenience as a major transit hub, making it an attractive option for wealth storage.

  • Google Drive update adds new option to restrict access to folders

    Google Drive update adds new option to restrict access to folders

    Google announced this week that its Drive app is getting an important update that adds the ability to restrict access to folders. Normally, Google reveals new changes to its apps when these changes are rolled out to everyone, but this seems to be an exception.

    This particular update comes as a beta, but it can still be accessed by admins managing Google Drive. But what exactly this update does? According to Google, the latest version of Drive allows shared drive managers to restrict folders to specific users within a shared drive.

    The new feature is meant to offer shared drive managers more flexibility when it comes to keeping relevant content within a single shared drive, while restricting access to shared folders that might contain sensitive information.

    Once the update lands, admins can turn limit access to specific folders. The folders with “limited access” can only be opened by people who have been added to it directly. This means that Google Drive users with general access to the shared drive or shared folder will be able to see the restricted folder in Drive, but they will not be able to open it.

    As mentioned earlier, this feature is only available in beta. However, admins who want to start using it before it reaches “stable” status, can use the form that Google made available in order to express interest in the beta.

    Google says that all eligible customers will receive an email confirmation prior to the feature being enabled in their specified domain. The search giant will start accepting domains into the program in the coming weeks.

    It’s also worth noting that folders with limited access are available in both shared drives and My Drive. This means that shared drive managers will always be able to access folders with limited-access, while folder owners will always be able to access limited-access folders in their My Drive.

    As far as availability goes, this feature is eligible for Google Workspace customers with Business Standard / Plus, Enterprise Standard / Plus, Essentials Starter / Enterprise Essentials / Enterprise Essentials Plus, Education Fundamentals / Standard / Plus / the Teaching & Learning upgrade, and Nonprofits.

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  • Google Drive will soon get its own Spam folder just like Gmail

    Google Drive will soon get its own Spam folder just like Gmail

    In an effort to enhance user experience and fortify its security measures, Google announced a new update to Google Drive that those that have been plagued by spam will surely appreciate. This update will introduce a new spam folder within Google Drive, which will work similarly to what we have now with Gmail.

    Unfortunately, spam and malicious attempts are becoming more common in today’s digital world. In fact, according to Google, it is constantly blocking spam from our email inboxes at a rate of 15 billion unwanted messages daily. Thankfully, these same protections are now being expanded to Google Drive, one of the latest targets spammers and scammers alike have gravitated towards.

    To separate legit Google Drive files from potential spam, Google will be adding a new view or folder within the application that will let you sort through and classify them as needed. If an uninvited file finds its way into your spam folder, you’ll be automatically unsubscribed from it, effectively halting any subsequent notifications, such as comments, shares, or mobile push alerts. Once you’ve opted out, the file will be inaccessible from any location in Drive except for the new spam folder, which will live in the left sidebar.

    Just like Gmail’s spam folder, Google Drive will automatically scan and reroute files that are highly likely to be unwanted to the spam folder. However, users remain under control and can always manually move files back and forth between their My Drive and Spam folder. Once a file has been in your spam folder for over 30 days, it will be automatically deleted from your Drive.
    This update to Google Drive will be available to all Google google accounts, including personal ones, starting on May 24th, 2023. The new Spam folder will be visible on Android, iOS, Drive for Desktop, and the Drive homepage on the web. Note though, that it will undergo an extended two-week rollout starting on the launch date.
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  • Google One adds new cloud storage option

    Google One adds new cloud storage option

    Google One is Google’s service offering cloud storage by subscription. The storage is shared between Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos. Those with a Google account are gifted 15GB to start. But if you need additional cloud storage, you used to have three options.

    100GB of data costs $1.99 per month, or you could save 16% by paying $19.99 for one year. 200GB of cloud storage is priced at $2.99 monthly or $29.99 for one year, a 16% savings. The latter plan also includes receiving back 3% in-store credit on Google Store purchases. The 2TB option costs $9.99 monthly or $99.99 for the year, saving 17%. It also includes 10% back in store credit on Google Store purchases.

    10TB of cloud storage will run you $49.99 monthly. 20TB and 30TB will cost you $99.99 and $149.99 a month, respectively. Now that Google is no longer providing free storage for photos, depending on how prolific a photographer you are, the free 15GB of storage might not be enough, likewise, the 100GB, 200GB, and 2TB options might not give you enough storage.

    But if you need even more storage, the jump between 2TB and the next step up is a big one. The difference in price between 2TB and 10TB of Google One cloud storage is $40 a month. So the company decided to add a new 5TB option that is priced at $24.99 per month or $249.99 for the year (saving you 17%). The difference between 2TB and 5TB is only $15 per month and the 5TB option still includes the 10% in-store credit you will receive after a purchase made in the Google Store.

    The 5TB subscription also includes access to Google experts, the option to share some of the storage with your family, extra member benefits, and VPN for your Android handset. You can visit the Google One website, or install the Google one apps (iOS, Android).

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  • E-commerce boom triggers cold storage shortage

    E-commerce boom triggers cold storage shortage

    Vietnam is facing a shortage of cold storage facilities as demand for fresh food preservation rises with the ongoing e-commerce boom.

    The nation’s cold storage facilities had to operate at maximum capacity during the Covid-19 period last year after 30-50 percent of seafood orders were canceled, said Trang Bui, head of markets at real estate consultancy JLL Vietnam.

    Vietnam is the world’s third-largest seafood exporter.

    The country’s cold storage facilities are mostly located in the southern region because of the large demand there, and 60 percent of the market share is owned by foreign investors, according to JLL.

    One reason for the limited supply of such facilities is that their construction takes more time and costs more than that of other asset types.

    A cold storage investment is two to three times that of a normal storage facility and construction takes up to six months longer.

    The leasing period for such facilities typically ranges from 15-20 years, which makes supply even lower, Trang said.

    Michael Ignatiadis, JLL Asia Pacific’s head of supply chain and logistics solutions, said the fast-expanding middle class in Asian countries is pushing up demand for fresh food delivery and therefore the need for cold storage.

    Demand for grocery deliveries is set to rise 30 percent annually in the Asia Pacific region until 2024, according to market research company Forrester.

    Despite the surging demand there are very few companies participating in Vietnam’s cold storage market, and none has provided a complete supply chain, Trang said.

    “As Vietnam’s cold supply chain is decentralized and mostly operated by small and medium suppliers, cold storage facilities are major investment opportunities,” he added.

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  • Important Google Photos storage policy changes rolling out in June

    Important Google Photos storage policy changes rolling out in June

    It’s no secret that Google will no longer offer unlimited free photo and video backup at “high quality” come June 2021. The Mountain View company announced late last year a change to its high-quality storage policy, which will drop as early as June 1.

    So, starting next month, Google will roll out the new changes so that any new photos and video users back up will count toward the free 15GB of storage that comes with every Google Account or the additional storage purchased as a Google One member.

    However, there are a couple of things that Google Photos users should know before the new storage policy change comes into effect on June 1. First off, any photos or videos that you backed up in high quality before June 1, 2021, will not count toward your Google Account storage. Yes, these photos and videos will remain free and exempt from the storage limit.

    Another important aspect that Google Photos users should be aware of is that Google estimates that more than 80 percent of its users should still be able to store roughly three more years of memories in high quality with the free 15GB of storage.

    If your storage nears 15GB, you’ll receive a notification from Google directly in the app, as well as via email. All Google Photos users should see an estimate that takes into account how frequently they back up photos, videos, and other content to their Google Account.

    Furthermore, Google announced it will roll out a new tool in the Photos app that will help users manage the photos and videos they’ve back up that count toward their storage quota. The new storage management tool will display photos and videos that can potentially be deleted due to being blurry or too large.

    Last but not least, to make it less confusing for Google Photos users, the search giant will rename its high-quality storage tier to Storage saver. Until this change is deployed, all photos and videos will continue to be stored at the same high quality.

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  • BNY Mellon Invests in Crypto Storage Firm

    BNY Mellon Invests in Crypto Storage Firm

    BNY Mellon will further its inroads into the digital asset market with its latest investment into crypto storage firm Fireblocks.

    The world’s largest custodian bank was part of the latest funding round for Fireblocks which raised a total of $133 million, according to a statement.

    In addition to strategic investments from BNY Mellon and Silicon Valley Bank, other participants of the funding round include hedge fund Coatue Management, investment firm Ribbit Capital, growth equity firm Stripes and SVB Capital. Existing investors including Paradigm, Galaxy Digital and Swisscom Ventures also participated in the round.

    To date, Fireblocks has raised $179 million and according to a report citing unnamed sources, the latest funding round values the firm at nearly $1 billion.

    Currently, Fireblocks has a presence in Europe, North America and Asia with a wide range of clients including banks, neobanks, exchanges, hedge funds and market makers. Within Asia, it has over 35 clients including Hong Kong-based crypto financier Amber Group and Singapore-based hedge fund manager Three Arrows.

    Over the past three years, clients have entrusted Fireblocks to secure more than $400 billion in assets.

    «Fintechs and banks require not only a specialized custody and settlement infrastructure to ensure customer funds are safely managed, but a platform that enables new lines of digital offerings,” said Fireblocks CEO Michael Shaulov. «While we have no plans to become a bank, we believe our infrastructure will lend itself perfectly to power an entirely new era of financial services.»

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  • Google Drive update adds new ways to view and manage notifications on mobile

    Google Drive update adds new ways to view and manage notifications on mobile

    Google Drive is slowly becoming an excellent app and it’s not just the desktop version that it’s getting improvements. Google announced earlier today that it’s now rolling out new features to the Android version of Drive.

    The new update is meant to allow Google Drive users on Android devices to keep track of important notifications easier than before. For that to happen, Google added new ways to view and manage notifications in the Google Drive app for Android.

    That being said, with the latest version of Google Drive, Android users will be able to see all their notifications in one place, and that doesn’t require you to enable notifications. On top of that, Android users can now choose filters to control the types of notifications they receive.

    Also, the updated app will show more file information directly from the notification and will allow users to take actions such as share files directly from the notifications they receive. Last but not least, you’ll be able to delete and dismiss any notification that you don’t want on your phone.

    The new features are rolling out to all Google Drive users on Android as we speak, although it will take up to two weeks for these improvements to become visible to everyone. Simply open the app, head to Priority, and find the Notifications tab on the top part of the screen to browse through your notifications.

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  • Microsoft’s OneDrive updated with several new features for iOS 13 and 14 users

    Microsoft’s OneDrive updated with several new features for iOS 13 and 14 users

    The last time OneDrive for iOS was updated, the app received a couple of new features specifically designed for iOS 14. This time Microsoft is rolling out a slew of new features aimed at both iOS 13 and 14 users.

    First off, we have a brand new OneDrive widget available only for iOS 14 users. Then, there’s a new Home tab that should make it easier for OneDrive users to pick up where they left off. The new Home tab features a user’s Recent view for easy access to files, as well as an Offline Files section that lets you access and manages files already downloaded for offline access. The new Home tab is available now for all iOS users.

    Microsoft also revealed that OneDrive personal users will get On This Day featured at the top of the new Home tab. Finally, the update makes it easier for users of OneDrive at work or school to get their Shared Libraries from the Home tab.

    Besides the new features related to the Home tab, Microsoft made two improvements to OneDrive for iOS. Firstly, it fixed an issue with an unexpected dialog showing up when users would tap the widget to sign into a personal account. Secondly, it improved the widget to make it look even better.

    The new OneDrive for iOS 12.0.2 is already available for download via the App Store, so you might want to update your app to benefit from all these nifty improvements.

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  • Niantic increases Pokemon GO storage limit

    Niantic increases Pokemon GO storage limit

    Great news for Pokemon GO players, especially veterans who’ve played the game for a very long time, as Niantic has just announced another limit storage increase for its mobile game. This means that Trainers will now be able to catch and store no less than 3,000 Pokemon without having to transfer any of them.

    Keep in mind that you will still have to pay for the extra storage space, just like you did until now. Pokemon GO has a free storage limit of 300 Pokemon and 350 items, but you can purchase additional storage space up to 3,000 Pokemon and 2,500 items.

    Last year, Niantic increased the Pokemon GO storage limit from 1,500 to 2,000, and once again to 2,500 several months ago. Well, it looks like many players have already hit that limit forcing Niantic to further expand storage limit.

    In case you’re wondering how much it will cost you to hit the 3,000 Pokemon limits, you can do the math considering 200 Pokecoins will get you 50 slots (Pokemon or items). Of course, you can buy Pokecoins for real money or get them via in-game rewards and bonuses.

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  • Google Drive users on a discontinued plan

    Google Drive users on a discontinued plan

    It’s getting harder and harder to complain about running out of storage space on today’s high-end and even mid-range smartphones, especially if you also add in an ultra-affordable or insanely hefty microSD card. At the same time, it’s generally a good idea to back up some of your most precious stuff in the cloud, where storage has gotten cheaper and cheaper in recent years as well.

    For instance, the 2018-released Google One subscription service provides two whole terabytes of digital hoarding room at a monthly fee of only $9.99 or an even more reasonable price of $99.99 per year. A couple of lower-cost options can hook you up with a 100 or 200 gig cache for $1.99 and $2.99 a month respectively (or $19.99 and $29.99 a year), while every free Google account gets a 15GB storage allotment to use across Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos platforms.

    This is all extremely well and good, but you know what can be better? Even more free cloud storage, which is exactly what subscribers on a discontinued Google Drive plan are reportedly receiving. Basically, instead of forcing users to upgrade from a $5 a year subscription that’s no longer a thing to one of the aforementioned $20, $30, or $100 plans, Google is letting people keep their digital depositories without ever needing to pay a dime.

    We’re obviously not talking about a great deal of storage space, but 20 gigs for free is certainly nothing to sneeze at, especially when you combine that number with the entry-level 15GB allotment. That’s right, these lucky Google Drive users will get a grand total of 35 GB of space in the cloud at no monthly charge whatsoever going forward. Unfortunately, if you weren’t subscribed to the grandfathered $5/year plan, there’s nothing you can do to take advantage of a similar special offer.

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  • Korean Air shifting most of its data to Amazon’s AWS

    Korean Air shifting most of its data to Amazon’s AWS

    Korean Air Lines said Tuesday it will transfer most of its data and applications to Amazon’s cloud computing platform as it overhauls its IT infrastructure over the next three years. The planned data migration to Amazon Web Services (AWS) is part of Korean Air’s broader plan to invest 200 billion won ($178 million) over the next 10 years to accelerate the company’s digital innovation and transformation, Korean Air said in a statement.

    “Leveraging cloud technologies means we will be able to provide faster and more efficient services that are tailored to the needs of our customers,” Korean Air President Walter Cho said in the statement.

    Cho, AWS Managing Director Ed Lenta and LG CNS Chief Executive Kim Young-seob signed a data center outsourcing agreement. LG CNS, one of Korea’s leading IT outsourcing providers, will help Korean Air move its data to the AWS system.

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  • Oppo F1s launched in India with increased memory and storage

    Oppo F1s launched in India with increased memory and storage

    Oppo has relaunched its self-proclaimed “selfie expert” – the F1s – with increased memory and storage in India. The phone will now be available with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. It will also be available in a new grey color.

    Oppo launched the F1s earlier in India with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage, along with a 5.5-inch 1080p display, MediaTek MT6750 processor, 13 megapixel rear camera, 16 megapixel front camera, ColorOS 3.0, and 3075mAh battery. Other than the memory and storage, everything remains the same on the upgraded model.

    The new F1s is priced at INR 18,990 ($275) and the first 50,000 buyers will get a limited edition Doctor Strange cover for their phone.

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