This article first appeared in Digital Edge, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on September 25, 2023 – October 1, 2023

Local know-how options supplier CiMS Tech Sdn Bhd has simply launched the nation’s first omnichannel software program that permits seamless buyer communication throughout a number of messaging platforms.

Designed primarily for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the answer goals to assist these firms counter fragmented buyer interactions and cope with points in real-time. Small companies that use digital omnichannel platforms have reported experiencing a 27% enhance in productiveness, in accordance with a 2020 Khazanah Research Institute report, whereas cloud communications platform Squaretalk stated enterprise income went up 24.3% in an internet article in June.

The automation platform is the primary of its variety to mix a number of messaging channels equivalent to WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, WeChat, Instagram and Telegram. Whether it’s on-line or offline, CiMS integrates with varied software program and purposes to create a clean and environment friendly workflow. CiMS Tech is the last word resolution for MSMEs who wish to leverage the ability of digitalisation and automation.

With the platform, MSMEs are more likely to see as much as a 40% enhance in income and expertise enhanced and personalised buyer interactions, which finally result in vital financial savings in operational prices and improved effectivity throughout workflows.

Pudgy Penguins, a non-fungible token (NFT) assortment that additionally doubles as a Web3 mental property (IP) firm, debuts in Malaysia to advertise IP utilisation and group empowerment, with the backing of Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and Asia Huddle PLT.

Blending blockchain innovation with enterprise alternatives, Pudgy Penguins goals to help Malaysian companies of their progress journey in addition to foster a group of homeowners who can profit from the NFT collectibles they maintain.

The Web3 IP firm locations a powerful emphasis on group and digital possession. Notably, it has achieved over US$400 million (RM1.88 billion) in NFT gross sales and garnered 10 billion impressions on social media.

The firm’s mission is to guide the cost in a consumer-facing trade, particularly within the realm of toys and collectibles, which introduces people to blockchain know-how by way of the QR code of their merchandise. Their delicate toys and collectible figurines bridge innovation and alternative by contributing to the financial panorama of Malaysia by means of artwork. — By Grace Yap Ern Hui

In 2022, battery electrical automobiles (EVs) represented almost 10% of world auto gross sales, up from rather less than 6% in 2021. Much of the expansion occurred in China, which has been a frontrunner in EV gross sales over the previous decade.

However, with nationwide EV subsidies in China expiring in 2022 and much decrease gross sales within the US and Europe, there may be doubt about whether or not EV gross sales can proceed to develop with out subsidies.

The progress of electrical automobiles (EVs) can and can proceed, says Morningstar in its newest EV Observer report. By 2030, Morningstar forecasts EVs will account for 40% of world auto gross sales.

In 2022, almost 10% of recent world auto gross sales have been EVs. The remaining 90% had an inner combustion engine (or gasoline-powered generator, within the case of some plug-in hybrids). Morningstar forecasts EV gross sales will attain roughly 40 million automobiles by 2030, greater than 5 instances the quantity bought in 2022.

While EVs will nonetheless value extra upfront for many auto classes, the agency expects falling battery prices to drive value parity on a complete value of possession foundation over the following couple of years for almost all of autos. Consumer-function issues are quickly disappearing.

“As EVs have reached range parity with internal combustion engines and charge times have fallen, the buildout of chargers across highways and in cities throughout the world will drive higher EV sales even without subsidies. With growth accelerating over the second half of the decade, we see strong opportunities for investors throughout the EV supply chain,” says the agency in an announcement.

The Samsung Southeast Asia and Oceania (SEAO) Gaming Insight Study found that 56% of players take pleasure in gaming various instances every week. In response, Samsung has launched the “Galaxy Gaming Academy 2023” regional occasion to construct cell gaming communities in Southeast Asia and Oceania.

Samsung goals to determine the Galaxy Gaming Academy as a hub for group engagement, providing upskilling and coaching alternatives to its members, thereby offering better accessibility to cell gaming for each gaming fanatics and hardcore players.

Samsung held a Galaxy Gaming Academy, with 5G powered by CelcomDigi, at Galaxy Space in REXKL from June 9 to 11, the place they demonstrated the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra’s gaming efficiency with its strong processor, long-lasting battery and Dynamic AMOLED 2X show.

Twin Towers Ventures (TTV) and Asia-focused enterprise capital agency Gobi Partners have entered right into a memorandum of understanding for the collaboration of sources, proficiency and networks to spend money on the ecosystem of sustainable innovation inside Southeast Asia (SEA) and the Greater Bay Area (GBA) in China.

The endeavor between TTV, the funding arm of Petronas Ventures, and Gobi contains cross-sharing of deal circulate and potential co-investment in promising alternatives within the area, leveraging Gobi’s steady of portfolio firms, change of insights and sustainable innovation greatest practices, in addition to exploring potential co-development and/or commercialisation of Petronas’ in-house improvements.

Petronas Ventures has additionally invested within the Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund Greater Bay Area (AEF GBA Fund).

Single Muslim people are harnessing the ability of know-how of their seek for potential spouses, with near 77.8% leveraging matchmaking platforms. Commonly used Muslim relationship and matchmaking apps embrace Muzz, Salams and BaitulJannah.

Global inventive company TBWA Asia by means of its Malaysia-based Muslim insights unit, Halal Wave, extracted knowledge from 158,586 social media conversations and 16 interviews that have been performed from 2021 to 2023 throughout 5 international locations, together with Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Germany and the UK for its Match to Marriage report.

The report sheds mild on the experiences of Muslims on their journey in the direction of marriage in addition to equipping companies with important knowledge to higher serve a various viewers.

The report additionally highlights {that a} vital matter of curiosity is that Muslims reside and work together in a culturally various setting, resulting in conversations about interfaith marriages.

The survey finds that 62.3% are involved about marriage rules between completely different faiths in addition to conversion to Islam as a part of an interfaith marriage. Around 20.6% of respondents say the shortage of steering is the second largest problem they face as a result of they’re not sure if the method to forming an acquaintance is aligned with Islamic teachings.

Nazirah Ashari, head of 65dB Kuala Lumpur, technique director at Halal Wave and analysis creator of the report, believes that there’s a demand for companies that help and encourage Muslims searching for marriage. Tailored providers and merchandise that align with their religion and cater to varied life levels will undoubtedly be wanted in immediately’s world.

HSBC Malaysia has launched a RM500 million “HSBC New Economy Fund” devoted to serving to high-growth, new economic system companies to innovate and scale.

The fund is sector agnostic and is open to all tech companies and rising start-ups from the Series B stage and companies with demonstrable progress and scale measured by consecutive quarters of serious progress.

However, sectors of focus are fintech and e-commerce, meals and agritech, power, healthtech and greentech. HSBC will provide working capital, treasury administration and funds and money administration options to satisfy the wants of those companies at completely different levels of their lifecycle.

The fund, which is a primary for HSBC Malaysia, follows funds launched in different markets such because the US$200 million fund in Singapore launched in late 2021 and a US$250 million fund in India introduced in June final yr. A US$250 million devoted fund in Australia will likely be launched quickly.

SONOS has launched Move 2, a premium moveable stereo speaker with auto TruePlay, which goals to supply an elevated out of doors music expertise.

Move 2 contains a dual-tweeter stereo sound system, prolonged battery life and intuitive controls. The design is available in an all-new olive color.

The concurrent connectivity between Bluetooth and WiFi permits for flexibility in streaming and grouping with different SONOS sound techniques. Move 2 gives a customisable sound expertise, complemented by Auto TruePlay, which calibrates its sound profile to its surroundings.

A notable enchancment in Move 2 was demonstrated in its new intuitive consumer interface. It showcases a capacitive quantity slider for easy management and permits for hands-free management by way of the SONOS S2 app.

The new stereo speaker additionally comes with an prolonged battery lifetime of as much as 24 hours with continuous playback. A wi-fi altering base was additionally launched with Move 2, which additionally works with Move 1. 

Move 2 is dedicated to being sustainable by lowering power consumption by 40%. Packaged in sustainably sourced content material and 0 virgin plastic, Move 2 is instantly curbside recyclable too.

Move 2 is now obtainable on the TC Acoustic web site or within the Sonos Concept Store at The Starhill, priced at RM2,799.  — By Grace Yap Ern Hui

Microsoft’s Paint utility has been part of the childhoods of many millennials and possibly even a couple of zoomers. The free and easy instrument that enables for a fast doodle and even easy picture enhancing fell out of favour over time as a consequence of its over simplicity. 

Coming with the brand new Windows Insiders within the Canary and Dev Channels (model 11.2308.18.0 or larger), Paint will now have Photoshop’s much-loved layers characteristic, permitting customers to duplicate, merge and conceal layers for freer inventive expression. In a Sept 18 weblog publish, Microsoft stated that the replace is being rolled in section, so that they might not be obtainable to all Insiders within the Canary and Dev Channels simply but. “We plan to monitor feedback and see how it lands before pushing it out to everyone,” stated Dave Grochocki, principal program supervisor lead of Windows Inbox Apps.

An epic account of the decades-long battle to regulate what has emerged because the world’s most important useful resource — microchip know-how — with the US and China more and more in battle.

You could also be shocked to study that microchips are the brand new oil — the scarce useful resource on which the trendy world relies upon. Today, navy, financial and geopolitical energy are constructed on a basis of pc chips. Virtually every thing — from missiles to microwaves, smartphones to the inventory market — runs on chips. Until lately, America designed and constructed the quickest chips and maintained its lead because the No 1 superpower. Now, America’s edge is slipping, undermined by rivals in Taiwan, Korea, Europe and, above all, China. Today, as Chip War reveals, China, which spends more cash every year importing chips than it spends importing oil, is pouring billions right into a chip-building initiative to catch as much as the US. At stake are America’s navy superiority and financial prosperity.

Economic historian Chris Miller explains how semiconductors got here to play a important function in fashionable life and the way the US grew to become dominant in chip design and manufacturing and utilized this know-how to navy techniques. America’s victory within the Cold War and its world navy dominance stem from its capability to harness computing energy extra successfully than every other energy. But right here, too, China is catching up, with its chip-building ambitions and navy modernisation going hand in hand. America has let key elements of the chip-building course of slip out of its grasp, contributing not solely to a worldwide chip scarcity but in addition to a brand new Cold War with a superpower adversary that’s determined to bridge the hole.

Illuminating, well timed and engaging, Chip War exhibits that, to make sense of the present state of politics, economics and know-how, we should first perceive the important function performed by chips. — Amazon

Google Cloud lately introduced that Duet AI will present AI help throughout a fair wider vary of Google Cloud services to cloud customers spanning staff, software program builders, IT operators, knowledge practitioners and cybersecurity professionals.

The new enhancements to Duet AI in Google Workspace are happening at Duet AI in Google Meet and Duet AI in Google Chat.

To assist staff higher have interaction throughout conferences, Duet AI in Google Meet removes the burden of note-taking and sending out recaps. It can now seize notes, motion objects and video snippets in real-time and ship a abstract to attendees after the assembly. It may even assist latecomers rise up to hurry by giving a snapshot of every thing they’ve missed. For customers who can not make a gathering however have enter to share, the “attend for me” characteristic permits Duet AI to affix the assembly on their behalf.

The most vital a part of any assembly is being clearly seen, heard and understood. Duet AI in Google Meet will assist guarantee assembly attendees look and sound their greatest with studio look, studio lighting and studio sound. With the launch of mechanically translated captions for 18 languages, together with simplified Chinese, conventional Chinese, Indonesian, Thai and Vietnamese, Google Meet will mechanically detect when one other language is spoken and show the interpretation in real-time.

Upholding consumer privateness and safety has at all times been a bedrock precept for Google Workspace and Duet AI continues to uphold this promise. Each consumer may be assured that their interactions with Duet AI are personal, the place no different consumer will see their knowledge and Google doesn’t use their knowledge to coach its fashions with out their permission. Building on these core commitments, Google Workspace lately introduced new capabilities to assist forestall cyberthreats, present safer work with built-in zero belief controls and higher help organisations’ digital sovereignty and compliance wants.

Beyond Google Workspace, Duet AI can now present AI help throughout a variety of Google Cloud services — to assist builders code sooner, shortly troubleshoot utility and infrastructure points, present fast and higher insights, and assist forestall cyberthreats.

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