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Jack Ma

Jack Ma to give up control of Chinese fintech company Ant Group

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Alongside a Communist Party clampdown on the country’s software industry which attacked the visionary billionaire, Jack Ma will relinquish control of Chinese financial technology giant Ant Group, the firm told.

Ma who is one of the most well-known entrepreneurs in china once embodied a generation of Chinese technology tycoons with his inspirational personal story as well as a knack for public flamboyance.

Jack Ma
Image Source: primebusiness.africa

However, the former English teacher has withdrawn from the view of the public seeing as Beijing sabotaged Ant’s scheduled IPO in Hong Kong in response to his scornful remarks regarding government regulators in 2020.

His company said in a statement on Saturday it was adjusting its ownership structure so that “no shareholder, alone or jointly with other parties, will have control over Ant Group”.

Source: theguardian.com

Establishing the previous complex structure of the firm, the official statement had shown Ma implicitly handled 53.46 percent of Ant’s shares as well as regarded the firm’s “control person”.

As stated in the statement, he will receive only 6.2 percent of the political rights after the adjustment.

“The adjustment is being implemented to further enhance the stability of our corporate structure and sustainability of our long-term development,” the Ant statement said.

Ten individuals – including the founder, management, and staff – would “exercise their voting rights independently”, it said.

Source: theguardian.com

The modification would have no impact on the financial expectations of any stockholders.

Ant’s anticipated IPO was expected to be a world-record ranking at the moment, as well as its destructive withdrawal occurred as Ma’s other corporate interests were being scrutinized by the government.

Beijing also struck a record 2.75 billion USD fine on Alibaba which is the internet titan co-founded by Jack Ma which functions famous Chinese e-commerce platforms Taobao and Tmall.

Authorities announced last month that Ant had received approval to raise 10.5 billion yuan which is approximately $1.5 billion for its consumer finance arm, indicating that the formal grip may be weakening.

As per a notice given on December 30, a China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission bureau in the southwestern city of Chongqing will enable the company to increase its registered capital from 8 billion yuan to 18.5 billion yuan.

The permission sent Alibaba shares up nearly 9 percent in Hong Kong trading, whereas other tech companies were also ramped up in hopes that the sector backlash would be loosened.

In November, Alibaba reported a loss of 20.6 billion yuan for the 3rd quarter. For the very first time, the firm did not provide full sales numbers for its Singles Day purchasing extravaganza in 2022.

The e-commerce festival, which had once seen Ma with important Chinese as well as Western celebrities, has grown more subdued in recent times.

Ma has kept a low profile as of Ant’s failed IPO, with only a few outings at fundraising events as well as trips abroad. Bloomberg stated on Saturday that he had been in Thailand this week.

WhatsApp

WhatsApp will soon enable local chat transfers on Android

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A recent revelation from WABetaInfo claims that users will be able to move WhatsApp data between Android devices without the use of Google Drive thanks to the upcoming version of the app. In other words, using a local network will soon be possible for WhatsApp chat transfers. 

Image Source: gizbot.com

According to reports, WhatsApp, which is owned by Meta, is developing a new feature dubbed “Chat Transfer” that will let users transfer data from one Android device to another via a local network.

As the software is still being developed, the new feature will be added in a later update, according to WABetaInfo. By simply scanning the QR code, the user will be able to move their conversation history to a new smartphone with this feature.

As data is typically sent over a local network rather than being downloaded from a cloud service, this future feature in WhatsApp will not only make the process of transferring chats simpler but also substantially faster than it is now. Currently, under development, the additional features may soon be made accessible to beta testers.

The new feature ought to be added to WhatsApp’s stable version after the company has finished testing it. The deployment date, however, is not known with any certainty.

Switching between the two most widely used smartphone platforms has become considerably simpler ever since WhatsApp started enabling users to transfer their chat backups from Android to iOS and vice versa. 

The App has introduced proxy support for its users worldwide, including the millions of individuals in Iran and other countries who continue to be deprived of the freedom to communicate in private and openly. By selecting a proxy, they can connect to WhatsApp using servers set up by volunteers and groups working to support free communication all over the world. 

Will Cathcart, Head of WhatsApp noted, “We are making it easier for anyone to connect to WhatsApp using a proxy. So when a connection to WhatsApp is blocked, people have the power to restore access.”

The App announced the proxy support noting,” We’re mindful that just as we’ve celebrated the start of 2023 through private texts or calls, there are many people who continue to be denied the ability to reach their loved ones because of internet shutdowns.

To help, today we’re launching proxy support for WhatsApp users all over the world. What this means is we’re putting the power into people’s hands to maintain access to WhatsApp if their connection is blocked or disrupted.”

According to WhatsApp, using a proxy connection will provide the same level of security and privacy that the social media site already provides. End-to-end encryption will still be used to safeguard users’ private messages, it claims. 

YogaBook 9i

CES 2023: Lenovo unveils YogaBook 9i hands-on dual-screen laptop

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Dual monitor installations are awesome, but have you ever thought about having dual screens in an unusually tall laptop? Lenovo is responding by introducing the YogaBook 9i laptop at CES which is the first-ever laptop with dual Screens.

This gadget is an integration of a laptop and tablet which is unique. It includes a removable keyboard that can be connected to the front side of the laptop having the two displays stacked in the vertical position, connected to the front with the two displays spread open similar to a book, or positioned on top of the lower display for use as a slightly more traditional laptop.

YogaBook 9i
Image Source: windowscentral.com

The word slightly is used here because using the keyboard in this manner implies either a keyboard at front arrangement just like Asus Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED and perhaps moving it forward to have a virtual trackpad in front which reminds of another artsy Lenovo laptop with a lot of modifications.

If that still isn’t enough, you can simply say no to that keyboard out of those setups and start using it wirelessly detached from the device. Lenovo may claim this as a laptop, but it’s just a tablet having a handful of choices for converting it into various laptop-like shapes.

Aside from the various keyboard or virtual trackpad configurations, the highlight of the experience here is the dual-stacked screens. These two OLED panels enable 2.8K resolution, HDR, as well as multitouch gestures, and thus are 13.3 inches wide and come with a 16:10 aspect ratio allowing for a bit more vertical space. There are four Bowers & Wilkins-branded speakers between them, each with two tweeters and Dolby Atmos assistance.

Whilst the YogaBook 9i appears massive and, to be honest like it could effortlessly demolish, the laptop as well as its kickstand scrunch down to a relatively compact bundle, similar to carrying a usual 13-inch laptop as well as a compact portfolio with a pen.

Lenovo perceives the whole laptop as perfect for hybrid and on-the-go performance, allowing you to appear as the smartest guy in the cafe while operating on certain remarkably tall spreadsheets. Unless, of course, an absolute device like this walks in.

When it launches in June, the YogaBook 9i will be available at 2,099.99 USD and include a 13th Gen Intel Core i7-U15 processor as well as an Intel Iris Xe graphics with 16GB of RAM, as well as a 512GB or 1TB SSD. It also includes a pen for taking notes or doodling on either screen.

Qualcomm

Qualcomm to Bring Satellite Connectivity to Android Smartphones

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Qualcomm recently announced plans to provide satellite-based connectivity to next-generation Android smartphones.  Cellular-to-satellite communication for Android handsets will be made possible thanks to a partnership between Qualcomm and Iridium.

The service, known as Snapdragon Satellite, will first be accessible on mobile platforms supported by the Snapdragon 5G modem, such as Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 platform.

Qualcomm
Image Source: finance.yahoo.com

Iridium’s L-band spectrum will be used for the service’s uplink and downlink to enable two-way messaging. In the second half of the year, the first Snapdragon Satellite-equipped Android handsets are anticipated to go on sale. 

Although Qualcomm claims Snapdragon Satellite will first be used in smartphones, it may also be used in laptops, tablets, cars, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. OEMs and app developers will be able to distinguish and offer distinctive branded services that employ satellite connectivity.

The L-band spectrum used by the Iridium satellite constellation, which Snapdragon Satellite will use, is “more resilient to weather” than frequencies utilized by other networks, according to Iridium. Snapdragon Satellite-enabled Android handsets still require a clear sky to function, but with a strong connection, messages can be transferred in as low as 10 seconds. 

Similar to Apple’s Emergency SOS via Satellite capability, which is made possible through cooperation with Globalstar, Qualcomm claims that the Snapdragon Satellite technology will initially be utilized for emergency communications.

Qualcomm also lists SMS texting and connectivity in isolated, rural, and offshore areas as potential uses for Snapdragon Satellite, indicating that it might have more applications in the future than just responding to emergencies. 

The news from Qualcomm and Iridium comes just after Apple unveiled the iPhone 14, which has an emergency SOS satellite message service that uses the Globalstar satellite network.

Users of Apple iPhones can get this service, named Emergency SOS through Satellite, for free for two years. Apple spent $450 million to make this service available. It’s not a great surprise that Iridium and Qualcomm announced their partnership because there was much anticipation that Iridium would compete in the smartphone-to-satellite market.

Earlier this week, Space News reported that Iridium and Samsung had a cellular-to-satellite agreement after Samsung disclosed in a regulatory filing that it is entitled to royalties, development fees, and network usage fees from an unnamed new technology. 

According to Qualcomm, the manufacturer of GPS-based devices Garmin Ltd will organize emergency response services for users. 

Qualcomm was able to update the Snapdragon platform to connect to the Iridium network without needing to make any hardware upgrades to the baseband or the transceiver, according to Francesco Grilli, VP of product management at Qualcomm.

Grilli claimed that a number of Android smartphone devices are already under development that would support Snapdragon He said that Western Europe and North America would be the first regions to sell smartphones with this feature.

Ring

Amazon’s Ring finally debuts its in-car security camera

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Amazon owns the home security and smart home business Ring LLC. The Ring Car Cam is now accessible for preorder, more than two years after it was first announced. The company’s first dashboard security camera is now available for purchase at Amazon.com or Ring.com for $199.99, a $50 discount off the list price. It will start shipping to US customers on February 15.

Ring
Image Source: geekwire.com

The new Ring Car Cam, which will be available later this year, adopts a novel strategy for the company by taking its security features to the road. A set of HD cameras are housed inside the modern design that sits on the dashboard and faces both into and out of the vehicle.

The night vision-enhanced wide-angle lenses encompass the road and the interior of the vehicle to guard against both accidents and break-ins. Ring adds its customary software to the hardware to enhance the Car Cam interaction.

Real-time notifications are powered by motion alerts, and a live view function that works well with two-way chat is also included.

Not to mention that the entire setup is Alexa-compatible, so one can ask the voice assistant to automatically record film to capture anything—including anything one has just passed on the road.

While driving, video can be automatically or manually recorded. If users purchase a Ring Protect Go plan, which includes LTE connectivity and costs $6 per month or $60 per year, they can access a live feed from the camera while they’re not in the car.

Additionally, the subscription includes 180 days of cloud storage for videos as well as real-time incident alerts in the Ring app. When the camera is linked to Wi-Fi, such as when parked in the driveway or via the hotspot on the phone, it can access local storage. While driving, video can be automatically or manually recorded.

If users purchase a Ring Protect Go plan, which includes LTE connectivity and costs $6 per month or $60 per year, they can access a live feed from the camera while they’re not in the car. Additionally, the subscription includes 180 days of cloud storage for videos as well as real-time incident alerts in the Ring app.

When the camera is linked to Wi-Fi, such as when parked in the driveway or via the hotspot on your phone, it can access local storage. When using the Traffic Stop feature of the Ring Car Cam, users can instantly begin recording during a stop or after an accident, for example, by saying “Alexa, record.”

The OBD-II port on the vehicle serves as the device’s power source. The cable is neatly secured between the windscreen and the dashboard with the aid of a tool that attaches to the windscreen.

For watching both recorded and live video from its two cameras, the camera integrates with the Ring app. For two-way communication from the automobile or to get in touch with others who are in the car, one may also utilize the built-in microphone and speaker.

Amazon

Amazon plans to cut more than 18,000 jobs

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Amazon announced on Wednesday that it will eliminate more than 18,000 employees which is a larger number than the e-commerce giant initially stated last year.

Amazon
Image Source: timesnownews.com

The Wall Street Journal had previously reported on the cuts, which Amazon claimed pre-empted its scheduled announcement.

“We typically wait to communicate about these outcomes until we can speak with the people who are directly impacted,” CEO Andy Jassy wrote in a memo to employees that the company published on its blog. “However, because one of our teammates leaked this information externally, we decided it was better to share this news earlier so you can hear the details directly from me.”

Source: cnbc.com

Tech firms are picking up from where they left off a year ago in 2023, getting ready for a prolonged economic recession. Salesforce announced on Wednesday that it would decrease its headcount by 10 percent, affecting over 7,000 employees. During the Covid global epidemic, both Amazon as well as Salesforce conceded to hiring too quickly.

Amazon particularly accepted that it had placed too many warehouse staff too quickly since customers shifted to online shopping. At the finish of the third quarter, the firm employed about 1.54 million individuals.

In November, Jassy announced that Amazon would remove positions, such as those in its physical stores, devices, and books divisions. CNBC revealed at the time that tech giant Amazon was planning to lay off approximately 10,000 employees. The figure has risen.

“Amazon has weathered uncertain and difficult economies in the past, and we will continue to do so,” Jassy wrote. “These changes will help us pursue our long-term opportunities with a stronger cost structure; however, I’m also optimistic that we’ll be inventive, resourceful, and scrappy in this time when we’re not hiring expansively and eliminating some roles.”

Source: cnbc.com

The company intends to notify staff members who will be laid off beginning January 18, Jassy stated, mentioning that the majority of layoffs will occur in the Experience, stores, and People, and Technology (PXT) groups.

Other major tech companies, including Meta, which possesses Facebook, Instagram, as well as WhatsApp, and other businesses based on the cloud such as software firm Salesforce, have recently revealed significant layoffs.

Amazon has so far declared that it will start reducing projects such as the Echo which is better known as Alexa as well as delivery robots, that were wonderful but did not generate revenue.