US chipmaker Qualcomm has announced the establishment of an artificial intelligence department in Beijing called The Qualcomm AI Lab. The company also made a separate announcement about its deal with Baidu’s PaddlePaddle on the same day, May 23. Qualcomm will work with Baidu to use the Qualcomm AI Engine to drive conversion and application of […]
Posted inOn the Cusp
WeChat’s new iOS update overhauls several features
WeChat, the “national-level social platform” of China, as Tencent likes to call it, published a new update for iOS devices. The iOS 6.6.7 version introduced a major overhaul. Here is what you can expect: The first change is meant to correct a functionality issue WeChat has had since its inception. Users found it difficult to […]
Posted inUp and Comers
Taiwan wants to be a hub for foreign startups, but still has a long way to go
The global economic center is gradually shifting eastward and Asian tech hubs are vying to be the region’s top destination for global entrepreneurs. Taiwan—once Asia’s hardware manufacturing hub—is slowly recognizing that it is not only essential to cultivate the local startup ecosystem but also to bring in new ideas and voices. A growing number of […]
Posted inHeavy Hitters
Tencent and China Unicom launch eSIM card with blockchain-based authentication
Tencent and China Unicom, a state-owned telecommunications operator, have launched the TUSI SIM card which implements new identity authentication standards for the Internet of Things (IoT) industry. The Tencent TUSI (Tencent User Security Infrastructure) IoT joint laboratory has also issued an identity-based blockchain product which provides cross authentication service. The product was launched at a […]
Posted inHeavy Hitters
In Paris, Tencent reveals its vision for education and promises to clean WeChat from rumors
In preparation for the VivaTech conference, the “world’s rendezvous for startups and leaders,” French President Emmanuel Macron invited representatives from 50 tech giants including Tencent to the “Tech for Good Summit” held in Paris May 24. Tencent decided to focus on education mentioning that its Tencent Class has 300 million registered users and over 100,000 […]
Posted inHeavy Hitters
ZTE prepares to resume operations as US-China trade tension relaxed
As Washington and Beijing prepare to move forward with a deal that would lift the sales ban on ZTE, the Chinese telco has reportedly been busy getting ready to resume the operations that were ceased due to the ban. The seven-year sales ban imposed by the US in April, which stopped US firms from supplying chips […]
Posted inHeavy Hitters
Pony Ma: Tencent is building networks to connect people, things, and intelligent devices
At today’s Tencent 2018 “Cloud + Future” Summit in Guangzhou, CEO Pony Ma introduced his new vision for the Tencent Cloud platform, dubbed the “three-net” concept (三张网), local media is reporting. The essence of the concept is to build up the “three nets”—IoP (Internet of People), IoT (Internet of Things), and IoI (Internet of Intelligence)—within […]
Posted inHeavy Hitters
Next-gen technologies need a use case to have an impact: JD CTO Zhang Chen
JD is very serious about AI and other emerging technologies. The online retailer wants to lead China’s innovations not only in terms of business models but also in technologies. “Technology underscores many facets of our business. It is a big focus for us, in addition to user experience, logistics, and fintech, among other areas,” Zhang […]
Posted inUp and Comers
Sinovation Ventures’ new AI company raises over RMB 100 million in angel financing round
Kaifu Lee’s Sinovation Ventures has announced the launch of its new AI company named Chuangxin Qizhi (创新奇智), which has completed its angel financing round and raised over RMB 100 million, according to local media reports (in Chinese). The investment was led by Chengwei Ventures with the participation of Sinovation Ventures and other investors. Chuangxin Qizhi, […]
Posted inViews
Instead of a new workstation, Smartisan should have made a KTV machine
Some birds come to the world for fulfilling their duties rather than just dodging bullets. —Luo Yonghao, founder of Smartisan From Bullog—Luo Yonghao’s blog started in 2006—to Luo And His Friends Education and Technology Co., Ltd (老罗和他的朋友们有限公司… what a name), I have always harbored great respect for Master Luo. Although Smartisan only managed to occupy […]