Archive for the ‘events’ Category

New Arrival: POCO X3 NFC Mid-Range Phone from Xiaomi

Monday, September 7th, 2020

Xiaomi has launched its latest mid-range phone in Singapore. The POCO X3 Pro is targeted at young tech and gaming enthusiasts and will be available in Singapore from 9 September, 2020. Prices and promotions below.

POCO X3 NFC Mid-Range Phone from Xiaomi

POCO X3 NFC Mid-Range Phone from Xiaomi

Singapore is among the first batch of global markets to introduce the POCO X3 NFC.

The POCO X3 NFC debutes Qualcomm’s new 700-series 4G processor – Snapdragon 732G.

The mid-range phone lasts up to two days on one charge, thanks to the handset’s large 5,160mAh battery.

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Event: IFA 2020 Special Edition – Day 3 Closing

Saturday, September 5th, 2020

The third and final day of IFA 2020 Special Edition (3-5 September) in Berlin saw more industry participants presenting their press conferences to international media.

Dirk Koslowski, IFA Director at IFA 2020 Special Edition (3-5 September) in Berlin.

Dirk Koslowski, IFA Director at IFA 2020 Special Edition (3-5 September) in Berlin.

Here’s a sampling of what industry leaders shared on this final day of IFA 2020..

Madhav Sheth, realme Vice President, CEO of realme Europe and India enthused that “we have an extremely ambitious goal for Europe and it is not less than to be among the top five by the end of 2021. We believe that young Europeans will love our competitive products with cutting edge-technology, stylish designs and affordable prices.”

“The Satisfyer Connect App questions the status quo in the sexual wellness category and brings love to the next level,” shared Daniela Märklin, Chief Marketing Officer of Satisfyer.

Thomas Nedder, Neato Robotics CEO launched “the D8, D9 and D10 — its new premium line and a significant step forward for the consumer robot vacuum industry.”

Sven Buschmann, Head of Business Development from Tuya Germany introduced Tuya Smart and its IoT platform as well as some of their latest products.

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Event: IFA 2020 Special Edition – Day 2 Industry Press Conferences

Friday, September 4th, 2020

IFA 2020 Special Edition (3-5 September) is into its second day in Berlin press conferences by a slew of industry participants.

Day 2 of IFA 2020 Special Edition (3-5 September) in Berlin.

Day 2 of IFA 2020 Special Edition (3-5 September) in Berlin.

Here’s a sampling of what industry leaders shared today.

Dr. IP Park, President & CTO, LG Electronics shared that it has achieved a milestone in its developments in smart home living because “with this level of digital integration, we’re really beginning to build an evolving, connected and open eco-system of smart products and services that can deliver so much more than the sum of its parts – going above and beyond device-level thinking to unlock a whole new world of potential at the system-level.”

“We really need to make sure we understand the shocks to come in this market. What are we going to do to be vigilant to understand the next wave and how we might react and how we are going to put our teams in a position where they can make better decisions,” said Sean O’Neill, Chief Product Officer at GfK.

Matthias Ginthum, CMO BSH Hausgeräte envisaged that “we at BSH want to be the first company in our industry to neutralize the direct carbon dioxide emissions of all our locations worldwide.”

For Frederic Langin, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, TCL Europe; TCL’s mission is “to make life intelligent with innovative technology to make our customers’ lives easier and smarter.”

Looking forward, Yannick Fierling, CEO Haier revealed that “Haier will introduce new solutions – based on an ecosystem built from the Internet of Things – for turning the group vision of Smart Home and Smart Living into reality.”

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Event: IFA 2020 Special Edition – Day 1 Opening

Thursday, September 3rd, 2020

IFA, gfu and GfK opened the IFA 2020 Special Edition (3-5 September) in Berlin with a mix of the virtual and the real.

Opening day of IFA 2020 Special Edition (3-5 September) in Berlin.

Opening day of IFA 2020 Special Edition (3-5 September) in Berlin.

The successful opening of the IFA 2020 Special Edition has expressed the confidence of organisers gfu and GfK that the tech industry is ready to bounce back from the disruption and economic uncertainties of the pandemic.

“When it comes to doing business, nothing beats the personal connection. This is why having IFA 2020 as a real-life event is such an important sign. It is a symbol to show that together we can look beyond the pandemic and its consequences. There is a normal ahead, and now it is up to industry, retailers, media and consumers to build and shape the ‘normal’ that is going to emerge,” said Jens Heithecker, Executive Director IFA Berlin, highlighting the significance and symbolism of this year’s industry gathering in Berlin.

The IFA Global Press Conference was attended by international media who have traveled to Berlin and thousands others around the world who were following the event at the IFA Xtended Space, both live and on demand.

Qualcomm’s IFA 2020 presentation highlights the role of technology in a Covid-19 world, with its
President Cristiano Amon reprising an IFA keynote this year, giving a foretaste of what we’ll see going forward.

Walter Ji, President of Huawei Consumer BG, Europe also shared Huawei’s vision of the future and the company’s deep commitment to Europe.

LG Electronics will host a “Life’s Good from Home” theme at IFA 2020, where the company will explore new possibilities for enhancing home living which has become so crucial in recent unprecedented times.

As part of the IFA 2020 Special Edition, the exhibitors at “SHIFT Mobility meets IFA NEXT” will be presenting forward-looking innovations from mobility, consumer and home electronics.

More details below from the press release.

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New Arrival: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 Hybrid Smartphone/Tablet

Tuesday, September 1st, 2020

Galaxy Z Fold2 is the third folding smartphone/tablet hybrid from Samsung, following the Galaxy Fold and the Galaxy Z Flip. Available in Mystic Black and Mystic Bronze from 18 September, 2020, with pre-orders in early September. Prices TBA.

The latest member of the Galaxy Z line-up: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2.

The latest member of the Galaxy Z line-up: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2.

Samsung first announced the Galaxy Z Fold2 during Galaxy Unpacked 2020 in early August, with a few details on the size of the two Infinity-O displays and the two colour options available.

In “Part 2” of Galaxy Unpacked 2020 today, Samsung has just showcased Galaxy Z Fold2 in full, including detailed product specifications, availability and pre-order dates.

Essentially, the Galaxy Z Fold2 gives the user a convertible smartphone/tablet hybrid – offering the compactness of a smartphone for personal communications usage, and the extended screen real-estate of a tablet should the need arise.

Check out the details of the Galaxy Z Fold2 from the press release below.

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Tech Focus: NUS Showcases InfinityGlove Smart Gaming Glove Prototype

Friday, August 21st, 2020

The InfinityGlove contains ultra-sensitive microfibre sensors that can translate hand gestures into in-game commands, allowing users to play first-person shooters such as Battlefield V without the need for a traditional controller or a keyboard.

The InfinityGlove was developed by a team of NUS researchers led by Professor Lim Chwee Teck (left). With him are two members of the research team, Dr Yeo Joo Chuan (centre) and Dr Yu Longteng (right). Photo: National University of Singapore.

The InfinityGlove was developed by a team of NUS researchers led by Professor Lim Chwee Teck (left). With him are two members of the research team, Dr Yeo Joo Chuan (centre) and Dr Yu Longteng (right). Photo: National University of Singapore.

Simply flex your index finger to fire your weapon and rotate your wrist clockwise to move forward. Immersive controls have always been a pipedream in the world of gaming but is steadily becoming reality.

Editor’s Comments

This is an interesting and innovative project.

Currently each finger of the glove contains one microfibre sensor that can differentiate two states – straightened or curled – due to the difference in conductivity of the liquid metal within the fibre in the two states.

So the overall status of the glove should be readable as a five-digit binary.

Would be good to add one more to the wrist to include bending of the wrist.

And in the longer term, I can think of two ways of improving the resolution of the sensing.

One would be to implement multiple sensors per strand of microfibre.

Another would be to weave multiple microfibre strands to provide a matrix detection pattern for a snapshot of the state of each sensor.

That could probably come in useful as a grid sensor to monitor the distribution of stresses/deformation on a surface etc.

A team of researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS), led by Professor Lim Chwee Teck, has developed a smart glove – called ‘InfinityGlove’ – that allows users to mimic a variety of in-game controls using simple hand gestures.

While the concept of controlling a game using your hands is not new, the main problems have always been weight and flexibility.

The current generation of smart glove type controllers available on the market are usually bulky and rigid as they rely on conventional sensors which put the hard in hardware.

The InfinityGlove overcomes existing problems with weight and flexibility by weaving ultra-thin, highly sensitive microfibre sensors into the material of the glove.

These sensors are not only lightweight and accurate, but also fulfil the role of wires thus reducing the need for additional wiring.

Currently the prototype weighs about 40 grams, and is flexible and comfortable.

More details below from the press release.

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New arrival: Acronis True Image 2021 Cyber Protection Solution

Thursday, August 20th, 2020

Acronis True Image 2021 combines automated backup with antimalware defence to offer a comprehensive personal cyber protection solution. Perpetual & 1-year subscriptions available online, prices below.

Acronis True Image 2021 integrates real-time antimalware and on-demand antivirus with its established personal backup solution.

Acronis True Image 2021 integrates real-time antimalware and on-demand antivirus with its established personal backup solution.

Acronis True Image 2021 is a cyber protection solution targeted at home users, prosumers, and small businesses around the world.

With COVID-19 forcing people to work from home, a recent Acronis survey found nearly half (47%) of remote workers never received clear guidance on working from home.

Incorporating cybersecurity capabilities such as real-time antimalware protection, on-demand antivirus scans, web filtering, and videoconference protection into Acronis True Image helps users enjoy greater cyber protection.

For individuals and small business users, unifying these vital capabilities in one solution makes their protection easier to manage and more affordable.

More details below from the press release.

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New Arrival: Parallels Desktop 16 for Mac

Friday, August 14th, 2020

Parallels Desktop 16 for Mac is now ready for macOS Big Sur, blending the OS updates with new Mac integration and Windows-related features. Prices below.

Parallels Desktop 16 subscribers receive complimentary concurrent subscriptions to Parallels Toolbox for Mac and Windows and Parallels Access as well.

Parallels Desktop 16 subscribers receive complimentary concurrent subscriptions to Parallels Toolbox for Mac and Windows and Parallels Access as well.

Highlights of Parallels Desktop 16 include the following.

Key Highlights

  • DirectX 11 and OpenGL 3: Up to 20 percent faster DirectX 11 and improved OpenGL 3 graphics in Windows and Linux.
  • Increased battery life: Stay productive on the go with up to 10 percent longer battery life when Windows runs in Travel Mode.
  • Automatically reclaim disk space: Virtual machines (VMs) can be set to automatically return unused disk space when shutting down.
  • New multi-touch gestures for Windows apps: Use smooth zoom and rotate Trackpad multi-touch gestures in Windows apps.
  • Enhanced printing: Print on both sides and use more paper sizes, from A0 to envelope.

Prices and more details below from the press release.

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New Arrival: Xiaomi To Launch Redmi 9C on Shopee with 10th Anniversary Promotions

Wednesday, August 12th, 2020

Xiaomi is celebrating its 10th anniversary with the launch of the Redmi 9C on Shopee on Sunday, 16 August. There will also be promotional discounts for Xiaomi devices from 14 – 21 August on Xiaomi’s Official Stores on Shopee and Lazada. Promotions below.

Xiaomi Redmi 9C to be launched for Singapore on Shopee on Sunday, 16 August.

Xiaomi Redmi 9C to be launched for Singapore on Shopee on Sunday, 16 August.

The entry-level Redmi 9C will be powered by the MediaTek Helio G35 processor and feature a large 6.53-inch HD+ Dot Drop large display – good for gamers.

The smartphone has a 5000mAh (TYP) high-capacity battery, and 13-megapixel AI triple camera.

For those considering Xiaomi’s other smartphone models, or looking for a robot vacuum mop, gaming monitor or wireless earphones, check out below the 10th Anniversary sales on Xiaomi’s Official Store on Shopee.

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Galaxy Unpacked 2020: Samsung Unveils Note20 & 4 Other Devices

Wednesday, August 5th, 2020

Pre-orders / Registration of Interest for the Samsung Galaxy Note20 begins tomorrow at 10am (Singapore Time). Collection from 17 August. Prices and configurations below.

The five new devices which Samsung unveiled at Galaxy Unpacked 2020 a moment ago.

The five new devices which Samsung unveiled at Galaxy Unpacked 2020 a moment ago.

Samsung unveiled five gadgets during Galaxy Unpacked.

Singapore prices below (incl. GST). Note20 covers from S$38S$98.

  1. Galaxy Note20 (256GB)
    • Note20: S$1,398
    • Note20 5G: S$1,548
    • Note20 Ultra 5G: S$1,898
  2. Galaxy Tab
    • Tab S7 (11”, Wi-Fi/LTE): S$998S$1298
    • Tab S7+ (12.4”, Wi-Fi/5G): S$1,598/S$1,798
  3. Galaxy Watch3: S$648S$948
  4. Galaxy Buds Live: S$288
  5. Galaxy Z Fold2: S$TBA

More details below from Samsung on how to pre-order the Note20 in Singapore, as well as promotional bundles.

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