Development through open standards taps high performance AMD A-Series APU, Radeon™ and FirePro™ graphics processing to get the most of Smart Sharpen, 3D Printing, and other new features
MALAYSIA, Kuala Lumpur.— Jan. 30 2014 – AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced that it has delivered significant optimizations in the graphics processing pipeline to increase performance for powerful creative features and workflows in the newest version of Adobe® Photoshop® CC. Use of both OpenCL™ and OpenGL standards enables Adobe Photoshop CC to directly tap the compute and graphics processing capabilities of AMD FirePro™ Professional Graphics, AMD Radeon™ Graphics, and AMD A-Series APUs to unlock new levels of performance in the Smart Sharpen filter, and provide highly responsive, visually accurate experiences for the new 3D printing workflows, and transformations such as Perspective Warp.
“Compute performance is essential to effective creative workflows,” said Steve Belt, corporate vice president, Strategic Alliances & Platform Enablement, AMD. “An efficient, speedy process is often the difference between successfully capturing inspiration and seeing flashes of brilliance ebb away. That is the real essence of what the AMD-Adobe collaboration achieves. Together we continually find ways to successfully tap open standards in order to deliver the highest levels of performance for the most sophisticated new tools like those unveiled today in Photoshop CC.”
This new version of Photoshop CC, a key offering of Adobe Creative Cloud™, builds on the success of its predecessor, which leveraged OpenCL ™ to power the Blur Gallery. The new updated version of the Smart Sharpen feature leverages the power of OpenCL parallel processing to take direct advantage of AMD GPUs and APUs to accelerate the entire Smart Sharpen pipeline—including the broad palette of user-controlled options for achieving perfect results such as Amount, Radius, Reduce Noise, and algorithm choice. AMD’s latest graphics technology can increase application performance up to 11 times the performance of non-OpenCL implementations and enables a lightning-fast editing experience, even with large images.
The latest version of Photoshop CC also brings new OpenGL pipeline support in AMD APUs and GPUs to enhance the responsiveness and display quality for new, high-value features including:
• Perspective Warp – OpenGL performance provides virtually instant feedback for this new feature that enables users to selectively adjust the perspective of portions of an image in relation to other elements that remain untouched.
• 3D Printing – OpenGL performance enhances the experience of working with the powerful new 3D printing capabilities in Photoshop CC by providing rapid visual feedback as 3D models are enhanced as well as accurate, WYSIWYG previews and fast mesh repair and 3D print preparation.
“We rely on OpenCL and OpenGL technologies to provide our customers superior performance and to take full advantage of all the power their hardware provides,” said Pam Clark, director of product management at Adobe. “Working with AMD, we can leverage open standards to deliver the fastest and best experience for our Photoshop customers.”
SCCyberworld
Saturday, February 8, 2014
AMD Delivers Peak Performance for Key Features and Creative Workflows in Latest Photoshop CC Release
Friday, February 7, 2014
NIKON’S NEWEST COOLPIX CAMERAS MARK NEXT LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE AND QUALITY
Improved GPS Technology and Wi-Fi® Capabilities Combined with High-Power Lenses and Enhanced Image-Editing Features Provide Users with Premier Compacts for Shooting and Sharing
MALAYSIA February 07, 2014- Nikon (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd is pleased to announce the release of the second range of its Spring 2014 COOLPIX digital camera series. The five new cameras address the needs of individuals by combining advanced capabilities and high-powered lenses in easy to operate compacts ideal for any environment.
“The latest COOLPIX series combine the best of Nikon’s imaging innovations with portability and ease-of-use. The COOLPIX P600 is the star of the line-up, boasting an outstanding 60x optical zoom to provide remarkable clarity for capturing stills and videos. Its high-performance NIKKOR lens features a super ED glass element that are typically used in interchangeable lenses for D-SLRs – a first for our compact cameras,” said Uemura Kimito, General Manager, International Marketing Division Imaging Group, Nikon Singapore Pte Ltd. “Many of the new cameras are also equipped with built-in Wi-Fi capabilities to cater to the growing demand for users to stay connected and share their images on social networking sites easily.”
The Nikon COOLPIX P340: Powerful Performance from a Compact Camera
Operability is simplified via a new multifunctional Control Ring that helps select functions such as Exposure Compensation, ISO Sensitivity, White Balance Fine Adjustments (blue/amber direction, green/magenta direction), Shutter Speed, Aperture, Manual Focus, and Zoom Memory. The Control Ring also helps adjust scene modes and special effects. Frequently used functions can be assigned to the Fn (function) button.
Lens-shift Vibration Reduction (VR), alongside the new ACTIVE mode, assist in capturing blur-free images and videos. The ACTIVE mode effectively compensates image blur caused by camera shake when shooting from a moving vehicle or while walking.
A built-in neutral density (ND) filter offers superior depiction capabilities. A combination of the built-in ND filter and f/1.8 aperture expands the possibilities of expression. Reducing light with the built-in ND filter enables use of slower shutter speeds even in bright situations. It can also adjust the expression of water flow or degree of blur flexibly.
The COOLPIX P340 comes with versatile shooting functions that enable individual image creation. It offers four exposure modes (P, S, A and M) and a user-setting mode (U), along with the new multiple exposure shooting function, that allows the creation of a unique image by overlaying up to three images. It also comes with RAW (NRW) file support. Pre-shoot special effects enable image creation with the user’s preferred colour and tone. Active D-Lighting reduces lost highlights and shadows with pre-shoot settings, similar to Nikon D-SLRs. A User Setting mode can register frequently-used settings. Exposure Bracketing allows exposure to be changed three times automatically during continuous shooting when enabled. A Pre-shooting Cache makes it easy to capture perfect moments by saving up to five frames from before the shutter-release button is pressed all the way. The camera also comes with a Scene Auto Selector, Interval Shooting and Flash Compensation.
The COOLPIX P340 also features the COOLPIX Picture Control system that allows image creation settings. Sharpness, color saturation and other settings can be made prior to shooting according to the subject, shooting situations, or photographer’s intention. This greater control over image design provides a more personalised photo-taking experience for users.
The camera’s Enhanced Filter Effects include Photo Illustration, Portrait (with monochrome background) and Soft Portrait. These are in addition to the existing effects such as Selective Colour, Cross Screen, Fisheye, Miniature Effect, Painting and Vignette.
A new high-speed autofocus algorithm has shortened focusing time to 0.23sec and the release time lag to 0.24sec (at the maximum wide-angle position). Stress-free, smooth focusing is also made possible even for telephoto shooting.
To help users in achieving better focusing, the new Peaking function during manual focus setting emphasizes the edges of the focused area on the monitor or viewfinder, allowing finer and smoother adjustment of the focus point.
The camera has built-in Wi-Fi® capabilities for transferring images to smart devices and sharing on social networking sites. Nikon’s Wireless Mobile Utility app (available at the App Store or Google Play) also enables remote shooting from and automatic transfer to compatible smart devices.
The COOLPIX P340’s refined body has dimensions of approximately 103.0(W) x 58.3(H) x 32.0(D)mm (excluding projections) and weighs approximately 194g (including batteries, SD memory card). Its simple and sophisticated design reflects a photographer’s passion for image creation. User-friendly operations enhance the joy of the photo-taking experience.
In addition, a 3.0 inch, approximately 921k-dot RGBW monitor displays bright, beautiful images with low power consumption. Monitor brightness can also be increased for outdoor shooting to ensure clear visibility under direct sunlight. The EH71P Charging AC Adapter, along with improvements made to the charging system of the camera, have shortened the battery charge time to approximately 1 hour 50 minutes.
Optional accessories include a MH-65P Battery Charger, EH-62F AC Adapter and a body case. The Nikon COOLPIX P340 is available in black and white.
The Nikon COOLPIX AW120: All-Weather Performer
A 5x optical zoom NIKKOR lens that covers a wide range of focal lengths from the wide-angle 24mm to 120mm (35mm format equivalent) offers superior image quality. With a nearest focusing distance of approximately 1cm, users can get right up to their subjects for macro photography. The camera is also equipped with a lens-shift Vibration Reduction (VR) function that enables beautiful rendering, even in outdoor situations in which camera shake often results in blurred photos. It uses an EXPEED C2 image-processing engine.
Besides conventional GPS, GLONASS2 is also supported. Location information of places that were previously difficult to measure such as between buildings can be accurately acquired in a short time. As a result, more detailed location information such as longitude and latitude about shooting sites can be recorded on pictures.
The camera comes with a variety of functions that support an active outdoor life, including an altimeter, depth gauge, and atmospheric pressure displayed on the camera monitor and recorded with image data.
The COOLPIX AW120 is equipped with a Wi-Fi® function that enables the wireless transfer of data from the camera to a smart device such as a smartphone or tablet. This makes it possible for users to transfer high-quality still images with the camera to a smart device while participating in outdoor activities at the beach or mountains for immediate upload to social networking sites. The transfer of movie recordings is also supported for Android devices. The Wireless Mobile Utility application must first be installed on the smart device (the app can be downloaded for free from the smart device's app store). In addition to the ability to upload still images and movies saved to the SD memory card inserted in the camera, collaboration with smart devices also enables remote shooting using the smart device to frame images, control zoom, and shoot. This is extremely convenient for taking group photos.
For those who want to capture their journey through video, this camera also offers Full HD 1080/60i movie recording with stereo sound at the simple press of a movie record button. It comes with the record pause and still-image saving functions. It also allows face-priority autofocus during movie recording. A high-performance combination of lens-shift and electronic Vibration Reduction (VR) helps achieve beautiful movies with minimal blur.
A Pre autofocus function helps achieve focus automatically even without pressing the shutter-release button halfway. Even with zoom shooting or in low-lit situations, this reliable autofocus function lets users easily capture a subject at decisive moments, delivering desired result.
Superior visibility is ensured even in bright outdoor conditions with minimal reflection thanks to the approximately 921k-dot, 7.6cm/3-inch OLED monitor with anti-reflection coating. High-contrast, high-definition images can be viewed during shooting and playback with minimal reflection, and letters/numerals in the menu display can be clearly recognized, ensuring comfortable operation.
The camera comes with continuous shot combining technology for scene modes such as Night Landscape, Night Portrait, Backlighting, and Easy Panorama. It has Target Finding autofocus, Easy Auto shooting, and a Smart Portrait mode. It allows fun image-editing with simple operation before and after shooting. A total of 26 before shooting special effects include new additions such as Pop, Vivid, Toy Camera Effect 1, Toy Camera Effect 2, Cross Process (four colours), plus Selective Colour (12 colours + full colour). Of the 32 after shooting filter effects, Pop, Vivid, Toy Camera Effect 2, Cross Process and Soft Portrait are new additions.
Four new functions have also been added to the eight existing Evolved Glamour Retouch functions. These include Glare Reduction, Lipstick, Mascara, and Eye shadow. Brighten Faces has been upgraded to Brighten Faces Powder with selectable levels from three to five.
The camera also offers a Red-eye Reduction function that detects and corrects the red-eye effect in both human and animal subjects during playback. The red-eye effect of up to five pets and up to 12 people can be detected and corrected.
New accessories for the camera include a Silicon cover jacket with LCD protective film and the AN-SCM chest mount camera strap.
The camera’s high quality metallic exterior with tough, yet refined, smoothly curved surfaces gives it an attractive design that matches both rugged field and city users. Its dimensions are approximately 110.1(W) x 66.0(H) x 25.8(D)mm (excluding projections) and it weighs approximately 213g (including battery, SD memory card). The camera comes in distinctive colour variations for best matching of outdoor and urban uses.
The new EH-71P/EH-71PCH Charging AC Adapter and UC-E21 USB Cable shorten the charging time by approximately 1 hour 30 minutes. The micro-USB connector increases current use for USB charging enabling shooting operation during charging as well as high-speed battery charge.
The Nikon COOLPIX AW120 is available in black, blue, orange and camouflage.
The Nikon COOLPIX P600: The Advanced Performance Ultra Zoom Camera
The high-performance NIKKOR lens consists of 16 elements in 11 groups with four ED glass elements and one Super ED glass element. The Super ED glass element provides high image-forming performance while compensating chromatic aberration for high image quality even in dark situations.
Lens-shift Vibration Reduction (VR) alongside the new ACTIVE mode assist in capturing sharp images and video. The ACTIVE mode effectively compensates image blur caused by camera shake when shooting from a moving vehicle or while walking.
The COOLPIX P600 allows users to not only shoot images from a distance, but also at unique angles thanks to a vari-angle, approximately 921k-dot, 7.6cm/3.0-inch, wide-viewing-angle TFT LCD monitor. The monitor comes with anti-reflection coating, brightness adjustment, Clear Colour Display, and a RGBW system that ensures clear visibility even under sunlight.
It is also equipped with an electronic viewfinder with approximately 201k-dot, 0.2-inch type LCD. A Monitor button is employed to enable switching between the monitor and electronic viewfinder. Looking through the electronic viewfinder stabilizes the photographer’s posture and minimizes camera shake.
Frequently used functions can be assigned to a separate function (Fn) button and a side zoom lever assures minimal camera shake when zooming.
The camera has built-in Wi-Fi® capabilities for transferring images to smart devices and sharing on social networking sites. Nikon’s Wireless Mobile Utility app (available at the App Store or Google Play) enables remote shooting from and automatic transfer to compatible smart devices. The camera also comes with Eye-Fi support.
The COOLPIX P600 boasts evolved high-speed response. The autofocus time is approximately 0.21 seconds and shooting time lag at wide-angle positions is approximately 0.27 seconds. Continuous shooting is possible until SD card memory becomes full or battery is exhausted. The camera also allows interval shooting that can be set in 30sec or finer units.
Additionally, Full HD 1080/60i video recording with stereo sound is possible with a simple touch of the dedicated movie record button. It comes with the record pause, still-image saving and optical zoom during movie recording functions, and HDMI support. It also allows autofocus and the ability to lock auto exposure during movie recording.
The COOLPIX P600 comes with versatile shooting functions that enable individual image creation. It offers four exposure modes (P, S, A and M) and a user-setting mode (U) along with the new multiple exposure shooting function that allows the creation of a unique image by overlaying up to three images. When shooting in M mode, exposure at the time of shutter release can be previewed on the through-the-lens monitor image. The camera’s special effects include the painting effect. New filter effects such as Photo Illustration, Soft Portrait and Portrait (with monochrome background) have also been added.
The new Peaking function during manual focus setting emphasizes the edges of the focused area on the monitor or viewfinder allowing finer and smoother adjustment of the focus point, so as to help users in achieving better focusing in their photos.
It also has new scene modes that enable simple focusing. The Bird-watching and Moon modes allow the camera to automatically set optimal aperture and shutter speed, making handheld shooting of wild birds or the moon easy.
The camera includes the COOLPIX Picture Control system that allows image creation settings. Sharpness, color saturation and other settings can be made prior to shooting according to the subject, shooting situations, or photographer’s intention.
The camera has an easy-to-hold, compact and refined body at approximately 125.0(W) × 85.0(H) × 106.5(D)mm and 565g. Shutter-release button is positioned at the inner side and angled so that the index finger naturally reaches it. The form also assures secure holding.
Battery charging time is shortened with increased current using the new EH-71P Charging AC Adapter. A new EN-EL23 Rechargeable Li-ion Battery accounts for the longer battery life while retaining a compact body size.
Optional accessories for the camera include a MH-67P Battery Charger, EH-67A Charging AC Adapter, AH-CP1 Hand Strap, Carrying Case, and the AN-SBR3 BLACKRAPID Strap.
The Nikon COOLPIX P600 is available in black and red.
The Nikon COOLPIX S32: Every Family Member Can Capture Beautiful Images, Worry-Free
A new Delete Lock function, easily activated at the press of two buttons simultaneously, helps prevent unintentional image deletion. This is a useful feature for children and parents who are not familiar with camera operations. It also comes equipped with continuous shot combining technology that minimizes camera shake and noise in night landscape shooting by reducing lost highlights.
An approximately 230k-dot, 6.7cm/2.7-inch TFT LCD monitor with anti-reflection coating supports an enhanced easy and intuitive graphic user interface that enables simple navigation and several shooting and playback modes designed to make photography simple and fun. A new rating function acts as a communication tool by letting users rate each other’s images.
Users can instantly show off their favourite family moments by creating in-camera slide shows with animation (12 built-in patterns) and music. In addition, family members can further personalise memories by adding recorded messages to photos taken.
The camera comes with a Scene Auto Selector and Smart Portrait Mode. A smaller body and firmer grip is achieved with round, indented surfaces. It is approximately 107.6(W) x 66.1(H) x 40.4(D)mm (excluding projections) and weighs approximately 175g (including batteries, SD memory card). Accessories include a silicone jacket with hydrophilicity LCD protection film.
The Nikon COOLPIX S32 is available in white, pink, blue and yellow.
VIVIENNE TAM BRINGS MERCEDES BENZ FASHION WEEK TO GLOBAL AUDIENCE WITH WECHAT
MALAYSIA, Kuala Lumpur -- February 3, 2014. At the forefront of technology and fashion integrations, and following successful collaborations with Hewlett Packard, Square and Monster, Vivienne Tam is proud to announce its partnership with WeChat, bringing the world’s fastest growing and innovative social communications app with over 100 million registered users internationally, to Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.
At Vivienne Tam’s Fall 2014 runway show, guests who download the free WeChat app and add VTAMFASHION as a contact, will be privy to exclusive updates, can participate in a real-time group chat during the show and have access to other exciting opportunities. "We are excited to partner with the iconic Vivienne Tam brand to provide a new interactive experience for the New York Fashion Week audience," says Jameson Hsu, GM of WeChat USA. "By adding Vivienne Tam's official account on WeChat, users can step into her world of fashion and receive exclusive photos, video and audio messages directly on their smart phones."
Those not at the show also can participate by downloading WeChat and adding VTAMFASHION as a contact, to receive behind-the-scenes photos and audio messages from Vivienne Tam herself as well as close ups of the collection. Moreover, all WeChat users are eligible to win 2 highly coveted VVIP front row seats with pre- and post- show backstage access and aspiring models can compete for an unprecedented chance to walk the runway in the show itself. Submissions for the model contest will close on February 5, 2014 and the VVIP seats promotion will end February 6, 2014. Winners will be notified February 6, 2014.
“In the fast-paced fashion world, WeChat with its all-inclusive platform, allows me to reach a global audience and provides instantaneous feedback,” remarks Tam. “We are always looking for innovative ways to grow with technology and WeChat lets me bring the fashion week experience from a designer's lens to a wider audience - from the touch of my fingertip to yours!" To download WeChat gratis, go to www.wechat.com.
Penang OverClocker, Kelvin Chen victorious in the ASUS Malaysia Online OverClocking Challenge
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (07 February, 2014) - The recently concluded ASUS Malaysia Online OverClocking Challenge - Chinese New Year OC Quickie, with a total of 48 submissions from enthusiasts all over the country came to a conclusion on the 31st January, 2014. The less-then-2-weeks online challenge at Lowyat.NET Forum was based on Intel Socket 1105/1155 platform without cooling limitation. The benchmark used for the challenge was Super PI 32M.
Although Super Pi is based on the legacy x87 instructions set, it is still considered as the "main" OC Benchmark in the OverClocking scene. Most of the World OverClocking Championships still make use of the mentioned benchmark for its CPU-centric benchmark.
Event Details
Title: ASUS Malaysia Online OverClocking Challenge – Lunar New Year OC Quickie
Time: 22nd – 31st January 2014
Benchmark: Super Pi 32M
Category: Intel Socket 1150/1155
Link: http://goo.gl/U9j9uX
Number of the week: list of malicious Android apps hits 10 million
7 February 2014. By late January 2014 Kaspersky Lab had accumulated about 200,000 unique samples of mobile malware, up 34% from November 2013 – two months earlier over 148,000 samples had been recorded. Cyber-scammers are continuing to focus their attention on Android mobiles: our report found that in January the number of malicious Android apps out there topped the 10 million mark.
On January 30, 2014, the official Google Play market offered 1,103,104 applications. Alternative, unofficial stores have many more – and these are more likely to be malicious. Kaspersky Lab has now logged 10 million dubious apps, as cybercriminals use also legitimate Android software to carry their malicious code.
In most cases malicious programs target the user’s financial information. This was the case, for example, with the mobile version of Carberp Trojan that originated in Russia. It steals user credentials as they are sent to a bank server. According to Kaspersky Lab experts, the majority of malicious Android applications are currently developed in Russia.
To avoid malicious infection, users are advised to follow these expert recommendations:
• Do not activate the “developer mode” on the device
• Do not activate the “Install applications from third-party sources” option
• Only install applications from official channels
• When installing new apps, carefully study which rights they request
• Use protection software
FOODPANDA MALAYSIA NOW DELIVERS FOR 7-ELEVEN
Food delivery leader Foodpanda and Convenience store chain giant 7-Eleven announces tie up.
7th February 2014, KUALA LUMPUR – The convenience store has just got even more convenient. Foodpanda Malaysia announces its latest initiative to revolutionize the delivery industry with a tie up with convenience store, 7Eleven. This service extends to delivery areas where foodpanda operates including the Klang Valley, Subang, Cyberjaya / Putrajaya, Johor Bahru and Penang. Items currently on the menu include high-in demand snacks, beverages, confectionery and prepaid reload cards with more new items to be added in the near future.
7-Eleven Malaysia has tied up with Foodpanda Malaysia in leveraging on their delivery experience and logistics. Foodpanda Malaysia is currently the largest food delivery platform in Malaysia.
Ronan Lee, General Manager (Marketing) of 7-Eleven Malaysia says “We are happy to announce that we are the first and only convenience store in Malaysia to provide delivery services to selected areas in collaboration with FoodPanda as an “extra convenient” option for consumers”. He adds “This is in line with 7-Eleven’s Malaysia tagline of being “Always There For You” – by providing added convenience to people on the go looking for everyday items. We are very happy to work with Foodpanda and leveraging on their delivery platform to bring 7-Eleven right to our customer’s doorstep.“
“We think customers will appreciate the convenience that both Foodpanda and 7-Eleven will be providing with this tie-up” says Claudio Abitante, Managing Director of Foodpanda Malaysia. “We currently see an increase in demand for convenience store items – as we see customers requesting for snacks on top of food delivery orders”
To celebrate this unique collaboration, any orders via Foodpanda for 7-Eleven offerings will have no delivery fee for 11 days beginning 7th February 2014. They will also be offering RM10 rebate vouchers with no minimum purchase condition for new Foodpanda customers – just visit 7-Eleven’s and FoodPanda Malaysia website and Facebook page for more details.
Foodpanda operates between 10AM to 11PM daily. You can order your favorite convenience store items for delivery from Foodpanda.my via their website, iOS and Android application. Payment can be made via Credit Card, PayPal or cash on delivery.
Foodpanda and its affiliated brand hellofood is the fastest growing online food delivery marketplace worldwide currently operating in four continents. The group has also recently raised an additional of USD20 million of funding from a group of investors including Phenom Ventures. With the new investment foodpanda is aiming to continue its global ambitions and roll out to over 40 markets by the end of Q1.
Southeast Asia's Most Promising Large Internet Markets
By Israel, a writer and online promoter for Money Hero, the leading financial comparison guide based in Hong Kong.
Asia has always been a fast-growing region in terms, economically, and Southeast Asia in particular is always a region that tends to pick up business trends and practices rather quickly (at least in specific) countries. This is especially true when it comes to Internet penetration, for which Southeast Asia is a continually growing statistic. The Internet market in Southeast Asia can be assessed in two different ways: by the actual number of Internet users per country, and the percentage of people who signed up for broadband plans over the last year. By looking at these numbers, one can only assume that penetrating the Southeast Asian population is going to be a very promising venture.
Actual Number of Internet Users
The way social media has been ingrained in everyone’s daily lives has been nothing short of astounding. With added dependence on social networking as a source of information and a method of communication, the number of Internet users in the region is nothing short of impressive.
Topping the list of countries in Southeast Asia with the most Internet users is Indonesia, with 74,600,00 users. Indonesia leads all other Southeast Asian countries by more than 50%. Coming in at a distant second is the Philippines with 34,810,000 Internet users. Creeping up behind the Philippines is Vietnam with 32,400,000 users.
The distance between the lowest of the top three countries with the most Internet users to the next on the list is great. Malaysia rings in with 20,100,000 Internet users. Closely behind is the 17,690,000 Internet users hailing from Thailand. There is another leap in these numbers as Singapore trails behind with 9,132,000 Internet users, and then a further leap would show Cambodia with 2,500,000 Internet users.
The other countries in the region have yet to break the million Internet users ceiling with Laos (700,000), Myanmar (630,000), Brunei (230,000) and East Timor (26,000). Keep in mind, of course, that these are relatively smaller areas with smaller populations.
Internet Penetration Figures for 2013
With many Internet providers offering the best broadband plans with the best deals over the past few years, it’s not hard to expect growth in the market. In Southeast Asia, this growth is especially impressive.
Singapore leads the pack with 104.2% growth over in 2013. This means that the country has more than doubled their Internet penetration. Like Indonesia’s lead in the actual numbers of Internet users, Singapore’s lead is distant, with Malaysia registering a 67% penetration and Brunei, with 56% penetration.
Areas that did all right in 2013 are the Philippines (36%), Vietnam (also 36%), Indonesia (29.8%), and Thailand (26.4%). The rest of the region has shown modest growth with Cambodia and Laos getting 16% and 10% respectively. There are a couple of cases of very small penetration, with East Timor only having a 0.2% penetration and Myanmar with 1%.
What the Numbers Mean
Given these numbers, it’s easy to pinpoint which markets are likely to experience growth. Singapore’s exponential growth can lead into more, provided the penetration is done properly, but the potential can arguably be seen in the countries that showed less impressive numbers. Countries like East Timor only has one fourth of its population penetrated by Internet usage. The possibility of increasing that number is high, considering the size of the untapped market there. Same is true for the rest of the less performing countries. Countries like the Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia are all on a steady rise, and penetrating those markets seems to be a wise course of action.
All in all, Southeast Asia’s online presence continues to grow, and one can only speculate how much more in terms of growth will be experienced throughout this year.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
LINE Theme Shop Released for Android Devices!
-Customize your chat screen with favorite LINE characters, as well as Hello Kitty and Rilakkuma!
-LINE messenger is now available in Firefox OS Marketplace for greater global reach!
KUALA LUMPUR – February 6, 2014 – LINE, the world’s leading mobile platform with 340 million users, today released the Theme Shop for its Android version to enable users to customize their LINE chat visuals.
Since first introduced in June 2013, the LINE Themes have been downloaded more than 200 million times by LINE users around the world to add a personal touch to their chat settings with the favorite LINE characters, Cony and Brown.
The new Theme Shop adds more variety to the user’s choice of themes to offer Sally and Leonard LINE character themes for 150 LINE coins. It will also add Hello Kitty and Rilakkuma themes in the near future, with plans to expand its lineup of popular characters. Users can also purchase themes from the LINE Web Store (http://store.line.me) and send to their LINE friends as a gift.
In a separate development, LINE has continued to expand its global reach and is now available globally on Firefox Marketplace. In Malaysia, users can now enjoy LINE on the platform.
LINE will continue to customize its features and advance accessibility for all users around the world to enjoy its unparalleled mobile platform services.
5 Tips for Creating Captivating Content
MDeC & Industry Experts Share Insights on Enhancing Malaysia’s Creative Content Creation
6 February 2014.Malaysians are at the forefront in the region in terms of digital content consumption. Consider this; 80% of Malaysian Internet users stream or download videos each month. YouTube accounts for 67% of all online videos viewed in Malaysia, out of an audience of 9.3 million and social networking, at 32.1%, holds the largest share of online minutes for Malaysians, followed by 11.5% for entertainment.
There is no doubt that greater content consumption through the availability of various social media and digital platforms provide opportunities for more content producers to come on board, while enabling existing content creators to diversify their ideas and channels.
With more players crowding the space, how do you differentiate your content and stand out from the rest? “We have seen a lot of talent from amongst the creative community here, producing animation, games, CGI, and comics. The few outstanding talents, however, set themselves apart by focusing on high quality storytelling, the kind that any audience in any part of the world can relate to,” said Kamil Othman, Vice President, Creative Multimedia, MDeC.
Great content differentiates you from the other million aspiring producers. Whether you are a brand trying to make your presence felt online, or just an upcoming talent trying to break into the industry, focusing on content will give you that first push to success. Hear it yourselves as our industry experts share their pointers on how to create creative and captivating content.
1. Engage your passion
The most compelling stories come from the heart. Producing content just to get it viral is not enough. The foundation of capturing the hearts of your audience is to produce something that you are passionate about. Most YouTube producers create projects based on their passion such as singing, dancing, travelling, or even as simple as talking. Find your passion, and share it with the world.
2. Know your audience
Now that you have your content prepared, it is time to craft it to suit your targeted audience. Think of their needs and what they would identify with. The toughest challenge usually comes when your audience is very much younger than you. Irwan Junaidy from The R&D Studio, Producer of the new animated series ‘Nobodies’ overcomes this challenge by interacting with kids from his series’ target audience. Some of the characters and storylines in the series were even directly inspired by his conversations with the kids.
“At the end of the day, we feel that the creation of good stories involve both arts and science. It is an art to get good story ideas with interesting characters, but it is also science as the age and psychology of the target audience pretty much determines what sort of story that will resonate better with them” Irwan said.
3. Connect emotionally
Building emotional connection is a powerful way to engage with your audience. Associating your carefully crafted message with emotional charged languages reinforces the importance of your content. The task is to make your audience care about the message as much as you do.
Walid Omar, Executive Producer of Lil Critter Workshop, the producer of Mr Hooty's Toy Shop, a Puppetry and 2D animation hybrid, said, “Storytelling is all about emotion; laughter, excitement, and action all brings the best out of your target audience’s emotion. Make sure your story is relatable to your audience. Knowing how you want to touch the viewer on an emotional level is a big part of the entire process.”
4. Keep it simple
Research shows that the average human attention span in 2013 is just eight seconds. Hence, do your best to be concise and communicate your ideas effectively. Get straight to the substance, and try to avoid all the fluff. Try starting with one key theme or story idea that can capture your audience attention, and then grow your plot and ideas within that common theme in order to sustain your audience’s attention.
"Some of our most successful local animation series started from very simple ideas that our animators are able to develop into exciting story lines. Take for example Boboiboy, a story of a young boy with superpowers who fights evil with his friends, or Dunia Eicak, which is about a boy who found new friends in an imaginary world. These are simple premises around which the creative mind could work wonders. Where imagination can be unleashed. When placed in an everyday context, kids could relate themselves to the situations depicted or to the characters. Hence it is no surprise that these series have become a favourite amongst young audiences,” Kamil Othman added.
5. Be authentic
People are flooded by information from the moment they wake up till the time they go back to bed. Be yourself and give your content some personal touch. It pays to be authentic as this will create viewer loyalty and you will receive returning audience. Eventually, what every producer wants is a continued sustainable traffic. Walid Omar says, “Your target audience can spot a fake a mile away, and they know when you’re trying to manipulate or preach to them. It’s important to say it like it is, and keep it real.”
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Schneider Electric leads the UPS pilot project in the drafting process of a Product Environmental Footprint methodology in Europe
A project led in partnership with CEMEP-Gimélec, Eaton, Emerson, Legrand, PEPecopassport, SGS and Socomec
Kuala Lumpur, 5th February 2014 – Schneider Electric, the global specialist in energy management, announced today it has been appointed leader of the UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) category in the pilot phase of the drafting process of a Product Environmental Footprint methodology led by the European Commission.
In the frame of the Single Market for Green Products initiative, the European Commission proposed two methods to assess product and organization environmental performance throughout the lifecycle, the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) and the Organisation Environmental Footprint (OEF). European Commission wants these methods to be used by all stakeholders (Member States, companies, private organizations, etc.).
A three-year testing period was launched through an open call for volunteers to develop product- and sector-specific rules through a multi-stakeholder process. Schneider Electric answered, teamed up with CEMEP-GIMELEC, Eaton, Emerson, Legrand, PEPecopassport, SGS and Socomec. 90 applications were received and 14 pilots appointed. Schneider Electric’s team was selected in the Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS)[1] category.
“Schneider Electric is proud to have been appointed pilot of the UPS category alongside its partners, among which prominent UPS manufacturers, European trade associations and expert associations,” said Christophe Garnier, Environmental Standardization and Alliances Manager, who is leading this project for Schneider Electric.
The decision on the choice of pilot projects was made based on criteria such as the capacity of the proponents to involve a representative percentage of the market, the diversity of the sectors covered and the availability of already existing Product Category Rules (PCR) and good quality life cycle data.
“This is recognition of Schneider Electric commitment to provide its customers with reliable environmental information thanks to its Green Premium eco-mark and of its decisive role in the development of the environmental declaration program PEPecopassport set by the electrical and HVAC industries” added Serge Théoleyre, Sustainable Offer Director at Schneider Electric.
In this pilot phase, Schneider Electric and its partners will notably:
· set up UPS group-specific rules (PEF Category Rules – PEFCRs);
· implement a product performance benchmarks;
· set up and validate proportionate, effective and efficient compliance and verification systems;
· propose business-to-business and business-to-consumer communication vehicles for Product Environmental Footprint information.
The work on pilots officially started on November 4th, 2013, the first stakeholder meeting will be February 26th.
[1] An UPS is an electrical apparatus that provides emergency power to a load when the input power source fails.
TM BROADBAND CUSTOMERS CAN NOW BOOST SPEED BY 20X FOR FREE WITH HYPP-NORMOUS DEAL
Kuala Lumpur, 5 February 2014. Telekom Malaysia Berhad (“TM”) is now offering its Streamyx and UniFi customers the unique opportunity to upgrade their broadband services by up to 20 times (“20x”) their current speed for FREE with “The Best Ever Hypp-Normous Deal”. They just have to subscribe to HyppTV, TM’s award-winning IPTV service, for as little as RM30 a month.
Via this limited time offer, new and all existing UniFi customers can upgrade automatically to UniFi VIP 10 (10Mbps) or VIP 20 (20 Mbps) for just RM50 more. All they have to do is subscribe to a HyppTV pack before 31 March 2014.
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“The “Life Made Easier” campaign perfectly depicts TM’s role as Malaysia’s Broadband Champion. At TM, we aspire to make our customers’ lives easier with our offerings – keeping everyone connected with our extensive connectivity nationwide, whether you are at home or out of your residence, either in the office or on-the-go. Our broadband services provide much more than just high speed Internet with our award-winning IPTV service, HyppTV. We continue to offer customers value for money packages with the introduction of “The Best Ever Hypp-Normous Deal” where customers have the option to boost their Internet speeds up to 20 times faster and multiply their entertainment pleasures with HyppTV’s vast edutainment content library in High Definition (HD),” explained Imri Mokhtar, Executive Vice President, Consumer, TM.
“Our triple play high-speed broadband offerings provide customers with total control on how fast they want to surf and the genres of TV programmes they really want to watch, when they want to watch it, anytime and anywhere regardless of weather conditions.
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“That’s not all, as both Streamyx and UniFi packages also come with a cordless phone for everyone to stay in touch with all their friends, families and business associates with unlimited free calls between our TM fixed line users nationwide or just a flat rate of 10 sen/minute to other networks (which includes all other mobiles and fixed line services),” Imri added.
Customers can subscribe or find out more at any TMpoint, TM Authorised Dealers outlets or at TM’s “Life Made Easier” roadshows that are being held in major cities nationwide from now until 31 March 2014.
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STRUCTURE OF “THE BEST EVER
HYPP-NORMOUS DEAL”
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UNIFI
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For existing and
new customers, subscribe to HyppTV
Mega Pack or HyppTV Sports Pack
at only RM50/month and get FREE package upgrade to VIP 10 or VIP 20.
Enjoy total savings
of RM1,200 over 2 years. New VIP 5 customers will get FREE HyppFlicks and
HyppTV Everywhere access for two (2) smart devices. Enjoy total savings of
RM480.
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STREAMYX
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For existing and
new customers, subscribe or upgrade to 8 Mbps and enjoy HyppTV Platinum Pack
or HyppTV Ruby Pack for FREE.
Enjoy total savings
of RM720 over 2 years.
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USA Stays Top of Spampionsip’s Dirty Dozen Nations
Charts show spam-spewing zombified computers are a truly global problem
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, February 5, 2014 – The award-winning Sophos Naked Security blog today revealed the Dirty Dozen top spam-relaying nations, as it published the final “Spampionship” league table of 2013.
Once again, it was the USA which earned the league’s top spot, generating 14.5 percent of the total spam volume sent during the last quarter of the year, giving it a clean sweep of top finishes for 2013. However, the gap to second place narrowed, with China re-emerging as a major player in the spam sending Dirty Dozen, leaping from 4.6 percent to 8.2 percent, while Russia’s spam contribution edged up from 3.0 percent in Q3 to 5.5 percent in Q4.
The Dirty Dozen results were compiled by SophosLabs to show where in the world the greatest volumes of spam were being sent from during the final three months of last year.
Spammers don't send spam themselves: they use botnets, or "zombie armies", of malware-infected computers to distribute their spam for them, almost always without the owners of the infected computers being aware.
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Turning to the Spampionship table of spam-relaying countries by population, the numbers indicate the average “spamminess” per person compared to the USA. Results show things have stayed pretty stable, as Belarus retained its top spot, with the average computer there over 10 times more likely to send spam than if it were in the USA. Meanwhile other countries like Uruguay, Taiwan, Luxembourg and Macedonia continued to jockey for position in the top 12. The only significant move came from Kuwait, with figures showing there had been almost a three-fold increase in spam-relaying per capita, growing from 2.1 times the US figure per capita, to 6.07, to elevate it to second place in the table.
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"If your country isn't in the Dirty Dozen, it's easy to feel smug, or at least complacent,” says Ducklin. “Don't do that: if you're a spam sender, Dirty Dozen or not, you are a net positive contributor to cybercrime.”
Lazada Partners with Deezer To Revolutionize Music
Lazada announces partnership with live music streaming service Deezer to make it sound good!
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Feb. 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Lazada announced its partnership with Deezer, a leading global music streaming service that delivers an exciting music experience to more than 12 million monthly active music fans worldwide, today on www.lazada.com.my. Lazada, who is currently the number one shopping mall site within Malaysia, is pioneering e-Commerce across Southeast Asia by offering a convenient, fast and secure online shopping environment.
The partnership with Deezer will feature audio-related items for sale on www.lazada.com.my for a period of 2 weeks starting from today till 16 February 2014. Renowned brands such as Bose, Jawbone, Samsung, Sony and others will be up for sale at attractive prices ranging from RM15 to RM3088.
During this period, consumers who purchase any audio-related item from Lazada will enjoy 2 months complimentary access to a Premium+ account on Deezer. This will allow consumers' unlimited access to a catalogue of 30 million tracks instantly available on multiple devices such as computers, smartphones and tablets. Additionally, the complimentary access to the Premium+ account on Deezer will provide consumers access to exclusive advertisement-free content and editorial recommendations.
"Lazada is the most respected shopping mall site in Southeast Asia and we are proud to be their music partner. Our Premium+ service will allow Lazada consumers to connect with other music lovers around the world, discover new music and listen to their favourite tracks both online and offline. We are fully committed to providing Malaysians easy access to over 30 million tracks whenever and wherever they are, in every occasion, and the partnership with Lazada supports that," said Dona Inthaxoum, Head of Label Relations Asia & Oceania, Deezer.
Igor Pezzilli, Chief Executive Officer of Lazada Malaysia added, "The partnership is important for Lazada as it marks our foray into the music industry. Through the partnership, Lazada aims to reward our consumers by offering them a complimentary service courtesy of Deezer when they purchase our range of audio-related products. At Lazada we are always striving to improve our range of product offerings across all categories and working towards creating a one-stop shopping destination for our consumers".
"Furthermore, according to the Connected Intelligence Smartphone Usage Report, the percentage of smartphone owners that use an app to stream music increased from 41 percent in Q4 2012 to 52 percent in Q4 2013 making it the fourth most popular media-related activity after social networking. We have long recognized the power of music to connect people from around the world and are thrilled with our partnership with such an innovative music platform. We look forward to a successful partnership with Deezer and hope our consumers feel the same", he added.
Savvy online shoppers can rest assured as Lazada promises to offer a great range of products, provide an excellent shopping experience, and ensures exceptional customer service. Whether you're looking to purchase audio-related products for business use or personal use, simply log on to Lazada and let Deezer and Lazada serve you great music on the go.
The promotion is available at www.lazada.com.my as well as via Lazada's mobile booking platforms through smartphones at http://www.lazada.com.my/mobile-apps/ and Lazada apps on Android and iPhone devices.
STUDY REVEALS MAJORITY OF ADULTS SHARE INTIMATE CONTENT VIA UNSECURED DIGITAL DEVICES
Seventy Percent of 18 - 24 Year Olds Receive Sexually Suggestive Content,
and Nearly Half Share Passwords
SANTA CLARA, Calif / SINGAPORE - 5 February 2014 – Today, McAfee released the findings from their 2014 Love, Relationships & Technology survey. For a second year in a row, the company examined how more than 1,500 consumers are sharing and storing intimate data on their mobile devices, especially with current or former significant others. The study highlights how sharing personal content such as suggestive texts, naked photos, suggestive video and passcodes on these devices can potentially lead to cyber-stalking and the exposure of private content leaking online.
While 98% of respondents use their mobile device to take photos, 54% send or receive intimate content including video, photos, emails and messages. Of those surveyed, 69% are securing their smartphone with a password or passcode, a 30 percentage point increase from last year’s result. However, 46% of U.S. adults still share their passwords with another individual (down from 54%), while 42% use the same password across multiple devices, increasing the likelihood that these mobile devices will become hacked.
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McAfee advises consumers not to share passwords or codes for mobile devices with others to help keep their content secure. Mobile users should avoid using weak passwords that can be easily determined such as birthdays, numbers in a row or repeat numbers for their devices. Rather, six-digit passcodes and words translated into numbers using your mobile keypad are stronger and should be utilized.
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For Your Eyes Only
Seventy percent of 18 - 24 year olds receive sexually suggestive content from someone, the largest percentage of all age groups. More men are likely to use their mobile device to send and receive similar content (61% men vs. 48% women). Forty-five percent of U.S. adults say they stored intimate content that they have received in comparison to 40% who store risqué photos, videos or messages they have sent. Of those who have sent intimate or racy content, 77% have sent this content to their significant other, while 1 in 10 individuals have sent similar content to a total stranger.
Privacy Gender Gap
According to the survey, more men than women protect their mobile devices (74% men vs. 65% women). Given the desire to protect their mobile devices and its content more than two-thirds of men are interested in purchasing biometric security embedded capabilities (e.g. face recognition, voice recognition, fingerprint recognition, etc.)
The Case of the Ex
While 96% of U.S. adults surveyed trust their significant other with intimate content or otherwise private information they have sent, only 32% have asked their partner to delete the information when ending the relationship. In addition to sharing passwords, 50% share mobile phone content and 48% share email accounts. Yet, a quarter of respondents have taken their partner’s mobile device to see other content stored on it, including messages and photos. One in five people are likely to log into their significant other’s Facebook account at least once a month, and only 30% of those surveyed admitted to stalking their significant other’s ex on social media, with 18 to 24 year olds being the top age group.
Public Display of Online Affection
With 91% of respondents on a social media platform (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), of those who answered they would be celebrating Valentine’s Day on social media, 76% of respondents plan to post messages to others while 58% will post photos. Of those that responded, more women than men plan to celebrate their love on social media on Valentine’s Day (80% women vs. 72% men).
To learn more, please visit:
• Webpage: www.mcafee.com/loveandtech
• Robert Siciliano’s blog post: http://blogs.mcafee.com/consumer/love-and-tech
• A Mobile Perspective: http://blogs.mcafee.com/consumer/love-relationships-tech-mobile-2014
• Follow on Twitter @McAfeeConsumer and use #SextRegret
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
foodpanda group raised additional USD 20 million of funding to continue global roll out
foodpanda and hellofood aim for over 40 countries in early 2014
Berlin, February 4th 2014– foodpanda and its affiliated brand hellofood, the fastest growing online food delivery marketplace worldwide, received another USD 20 million in funding from a group of investors including Phenomen Ventures. With the new investment foodpanda is aiming to continue its global ambitions and roll out to over 40 markets by the end of Q1. The company is currently operating in four continents: www.foodpanda.com
Last year, foodpanda expanded into 20 more countries and launched a mobile app for iOS and Android, which is currently one of the leading food delivery apps worldwide. Following its growth strategy, foodpanda expands its services into eight more countries including Croatia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Slovenia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Tanzania and Uganda in early 2014.
“We are currently the most globally prominent online marketplace for food delivery, active and rising in Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. Having acquired the trust from experienced investors we will be able to continue our growth strategy to become a truly global internet brand. Further to this, we will push our expansion within our existing markets, to gain presence at every corner of every country we are active in. We continue to invest in customer service, creating the most convenient way to order food – no matter where you are.”
The online marketplace helps restaurants to increase delivery sales through online and mobile platforms and provides them with constantly evolving technology and analytics. Customers can choose their favorite meal online and foodpanda processes the order directly to the restaurant, which delivers the meal to the customer. foodpanda is partners with over 22.000 restaurants worldwide.
In 2013 foodpanda secured more than USD 20 million funding from Phenomen Ventures and Investment AB Kinnevik and USD 8 million from iMENA Holdings.
TRIPADVISOR FLIGHTS FIRST TO FEATURE IN-FLIGHT INSIGHTS AND AMENITIES FOR AIRLINES GLOBALLY
Redesigned TripAdvisor Flights Now Combines Candid Traveller Photos and In-Flight Amenities Information with its Powerful Price Comparison Tool
Kuala Lumpur, 4 February 2014 – TripAdvisor®, the world’s largest travel site*, today announced a redesign of its Flights search product – the first to feature comprehensive in-flight insights, amenities information and candid traveller photos coupled with the ability to scan for the lowest prices for airlines globally.
In addition to helping travellers find the lowest fares, TripAdvisor Flights now combines a number of new benefits to help travellers find the best flight:
• A view inside the plane – The product also provides traveller insights on seat type and pitch, as well as thousands of candid traveller photos from SeatGuru of airline seats and cabins and seat maps, giving flight shoppers an inside peek at the aircraft before they book.
The traveller photos and amenities features are available starting today on TripAdvisor Flights across 31 countries and in 17 languages. Travellers can try out the new features at http://www.tripadvisor.com.my/CheapFlightsHome.
¹For aircraft with extra leg room seats for sale in economy class beyond emergency exit row and bulkhead seats
Axis Launches Nitrogen-pressurized Stainless Steel HDTV PTZ Dome Cameras
The new top-of-the-line AXIS Q60-S PTZ Dome Network Cameras in nitrogen-pressurized stainless steel casings are ideal for surveillance and remote monitoring applications in marine, mining, oil and gas environments, as well as food, medical and clean room manufacturing facilities. The rust-free cameras can resist the corrosive effect of sea water and cleaning chemicals, and withstand high-pressure steam cleaning. Pressurized nitrogen prevents internal condensation.
Axis Communications, the world leader in network video, today launched three outdoor-ready, marine-grade stainless steel cameras that enable 360° coverage of wide areas in resolutions up to HDTV 1080p and great zoomed-in detail with up to 36x optical zoom.
AXIS Q60-S cameras, with SAE 316L stainless steel and a nylon clear dome cover, can operate in -30°C to 50°C (-22°F to 122°F). They have IP66, IP6K9K, NEMA 4X and MIL-STD-810G 509.5 approvals, ensuring protection against dust, rain, high pressure/steam jet cleaning, snow, ice and salt fog. The cameras come with a multi-connector cable and a media converter switch that allows for network connection using standard network or fiber optic cables. The switch also enables the cameras to connect to external alarm devices via two configurable input/output ports and to 12 V power. Stainless steel mounting accessories are sold separately.
AXIS Q6042-S provides Extended D1 resolution and 36x optical zoom. AXIS Q6044-S offers HDTV 720p and 30x optical zoom, while AXIS Q6045-S supports HDTV 1080p and 20x optical zoom.
All AXIS Q60-S cameras support shock detection, which mechanically detects and triggers an alarm if the camera has been hit. AXIS Q6042-S and AXIS Q6044-S provide electronic image stabilization, which reduces the effects of camera vibrations (from wind or traffic) to provide clearer, more useful video.
AXIS Q6044-S also supports automatic defog, which automatically detects fog in the scene and digitally filters it out of view for clearer video. AXIS Q6044-S has nearly three times better light sensitivity than the industry norm for HDTV cameras, enabling excellent video quality in low-light conditions.
AXIS Q6045-S offers the highest video resolution, enabling exceptional detail in wide and zoomed-in views. In addition to autotracking and Active Gatekeeper—which are available in all AXIS Q60 models—AXIS Q6045-S has built-in video analytics such as highlight compensation (which masks bright lights for ease of viewing), object removed, fence detector, object counter and enter/exit detection.
AXIS Q60-S cameras are now available through Axis distribution channels. The suggested retail price for AXIS Q6042-S is $5499; for AXIS Q6044-S, $5799; for AXIS Q6045-S, $5999
Further features of AXIS Q60-S cameras include:
• Support for H.264 Main Profile for efficient compression of video that maintains image quality while at the same time minimizing bandwidth use and storage space. Other supported compression formats are H.264 Baseline Profile and Motion JPEG.
• Adjustable day/night functionality that allows operators to determine when the camera should automatically shift between day mode (when video is presented in color) and night mode (when video is presented in black and white) to take advantage of infrared light in low light situations.
• Guard tour that enables the cameras to be automatically directed to 256 preset positions. Guard tour can be easily set up with the tour recording functionality.
• AXIS Camera Application Platform that enables the installation of additional intelligent video applications.
• Built-in slot for full-sized SD/SDHC/SDXC memory card for storing recordings locally.
AXIS Q60-S cameras are supported by the industry’s largest base of video management software through the Axis Application Development Partner Program, AXIS Camera Station and the complimentary AXIS Camera Companion. The camera also includes support for AXIS Video Hosting System and ONVIF for easy camera system integration.
For more information, please visit:
http://www.axis.com/products/q60_series/index.htm
The World’s First Mobile Malware Celebrates its 10th Birthday
2014 marks the 10th anniversary of Cabir, the world’s first mobile phone malware. To mark this occasion, Fortinet’s FortiGuard Labs is taking a stroll down memory lane to examine the evolution and significance of mobile threats during the last 10 years.
MALAYSIA, February 4, 2014 - From Cabir to FakeDefend, the last decade has seen the number of mobile malware explode. In 2013, Fortinet’s FortiGuard Labs has seen more than 1,300 new malicious applications per day and is currently tracking over 300 Android malware families and over 400,000 malicious Android applications.
In the following chronology, FortiGuard Labs looks at the most significant mobile malware over the last 10 years and explains their role in the evolution of threats:
2004: The first attempt!
2005: Adds MMS to the Mix
Discovered in 2005, CommWarrior would access the infected phone’s contact file and send itself via the carrier’s MMS service to each contact. The use of MMS as a propagation method introduced an economic aspect; for each MMS message sent, the phone’s owner would incur a charge from their carrier. 115,000 mobile devices were infected and more than 450,000 MMS were sent without the knowledge of victims, showing for the first time that a mobile worm could propagate as quickly as a PC worm.
2006: Following the Money
RedBrowser was designed to infect a phone via the Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME) platform. The Trojan would present itself as an application to make browsing Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) websites easier. It was specifically designed to leverage premium rate SMS services. The phone’s owner would typically be charged approximately US$5 per SMS, another step towards the use of mobile malware as a means to generate a cash stream.
2007-2008: A Period of Transition:
During this two year period, even though there was stagnation in the evolution of mobile threats there was an increase in the number of malware that accessed premium rate services without the device owner’s knowledge.
2009: The Introduction of the Mobile Botnet
In early 2009, Fortinet discovers Yxes (anagram of « Sexy »), a malware which is behind the seemingly legitimate « Sexy View » application. Once infected, the victim’s mobile phone forwards its address book to a central server. The server will then forward a SMS containing a URL to each of the contacts. By clicking on the link in the message, a copy of the malware is downloaded and installed and the process is repeated over and over again. The spread of Yxes was largely limited to Asia where it has infected at least 100,000 devices in 2009.
2010: The Industrial Age Of Mobile Malware
2010 marked a major milestone in the history of mobile malware; the transition from geographically localized individuals or small groups to large scale, organized cybercriminals operating on a worldwide basis. This is the beginning of the era of « industrialization of mobile malware » where attackers realized that mobile malware can easily bring them a lot of money and decided to exploit them more intensely.
2010 was also the introduction of the first mobile malware derived from PC malware. Zitmo, Zeus in the Mobile, was the first known extension of Zeus, a highly virulent banking Trojan developed for the PC world. Working in conjunction with Zeus, Zitmo is used to bypass the use of SMS messages in online banking transactions, circumventing the security process.
Geinimi was one of the first malware designed to attack the Android platform and use the infected phone as part of a mobile botnet. Once installed on the phone, it would communicate with a remote server and respond to such a wide range of commands, such as installing or uninstalling applications, that it could effectively take control of the phone.
2011: Android, Android and Even More Android!
With attacks on Android platforms intensifying, 2011 saw the emergence of even more powerful malware. DroidKungFu, which even today is still considered one of the most technologically advanced viruses came into existence and had several unique characteristics. The malware included a well-known-exploit to “root” or become an administrator of the phone – uDev or Rage Against The Cage – giving it total control over the phone and thereafter contacting a command server. Plankton also arrived on the scene in 2011 and is still one of the most widespread Android malware.
2013: Game on – New Modes of Attack
2013 marked the arrival of FakeDefend, the first ransomware for Android mobile phones. Disguised as an anti-virus, this malware works in a similar way to the fake antivirus on PCs. It locks the phone and requires the victim to pay a ransom (in the form of an exorbitantly high Anti-Virus subscription fee, in this case) in order to retrieve the contents of the device. However, paying the ransom does nothing for the phone which must be reset to factory settings in order to restore functionality.
What’s next? In the area of cybercrime, it is always difficult to predict what will happen next year and even more so over the next 10 years. The landscape of mobile threats has changed dramatically over the past decade and the cybercriminal community continues to find new and increasingly ingenious ways of using these attacks for one sole purpose – making money.
Beyond mobile devices, the most likely future target for cybercriminals is The Internet of Things (IoT). While extremely difficult to forecast the number of connected objects on the market in the next 5 years, Gartner estimates 30 billion objects will be connected in 2020 whereas IDC estimates that market to be 212 billion. As more and more manufacturers and service providers capitalize on the business opportunity presented by these objects, it’s reasonable to assume that security has not yet been taken into account in the development process of these new products. Will the IoT be “The Next Big Thing” for the cybercriminal?
