Banuba Expands Tint Virtual Makeup Try-on Platform With Revolutionary Skin Care Effect

KUALA LUMPUR, April 25 (Bernama) -- TINT by Banuba, a market-leading try-before-you-buy platform for beauty products, has expanded its feature set with virtual skin care products which are designed to be invisible when applied, and will show short- and long-term effects from using them.

Virtual Makeup TINT already has several unique features like automated seasonal colour analysis (detection of a user’s personal colour palette), personalised artificial intelligence (AI) makeup recommendations, the most realistic product colour representation, and the fastest cosmetics digitisation on the market (up to 48 hours for the entire collection).

Another major distinguishing feature gain from using skin care effect in TINT include unique product interaction opportunities that cannot be gained through pictures in print or digital catalogues; impressive visualisation of non-decorative products on each individual’s face; and personalised product recommendations based on their skin condition.

These new interactions let brands personalise their user experience and showcase non-decorative beauty products in a way never seen before, potentially, bringing more sales, raise website/app engagement, and increase average order value.

The new feature is founded on Banuba’s extensive experience in AI face segmentation and tracking, letting a built-in AI precisely locate facial features and show how blemishes, wrinkles and other skin issues disappear in a natural and organic way.

According to Banuba in a statement, it also uses image upscaling to counteract camera distortions, thus making non-decorative cosmetic support available even on low-end devices.

The algorithms behind it have been trained to work with people of all skin tones and reliably perform even in low-light conditions. This goes in line with the overall objective of TINT to be accessible to the widest range of users.

Skin care effect will become available to all the current and new TINT customers as soon as the feature passes its final testing stage.

--  BERNAMA

Survivor: Huawei Switches To Metaerp Improving Service Efficiency, Operational Quality

 

KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 (Bernama) -- Huawei announced it has replaced the legacy Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system with its MetaERP system over which it has full control at the MetaERP Award Ceremony on April 20, at its Xi Liu Bei Po Village Campus in Dongguan, China.

The event titled "Heroes Fighting to Cross the Dadu River" was hosted by Huawei to recognise the individuals and teams who made critical contributions to this project.

Huawei Board Member and President of the Quality, Business Process & IT Mgmt Dept, Tao Jingwen said: “We were cut off from our old ERP system and other core operation and management systems more than three years ago.

“Since then, we have not only been able to build our own MetaERP, but also manage the switch and prove its capabilities. Today, we are proud to announce that we have broken through the blockade. We have survived!”

MetaERP currently handles 100 per cent of Huawei's business scenarios and 80 per cent of its business volume. It has already passed the tests of monthly, quarterly and yearly settlements, while ensuring zero faults, zero delays and zero accounting adjustments.

According to a statement, Huawei has complete, full-stack control over MetaERP, which has been built with other Huawei systems like EulerOS and GaussDB.

In addition, Huawei has also worked with partners to incorporate advanced technologies, such as cloud-native architecture, metadata-driven multi-tenant architecture, and real-time intelligence, into the MetaERP system, significantly improving service efficiency and operational quality.

ERP is the most critical enterprise management information technology (IT) system. Huawei introduced the Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP) II system in 1996, and later expanded to the ERP system with several iterative upgrades.

The old ERP system was the core system underpinning Huawei's enterprise operations and rapid development for more than 20 years. It supported Huawei's efficient business operations, which generate hundreds of billions of dollars every year, across more than 170 countries and regions worldwide.

In 2019, Huawei began facing increased external pressure and business challenges, thus deciding to develop a completely self-controlled MetaERP system to replace the old ERP system. This new, future-oriented, ultra-large-scale, and cloud-native MetaERP system has already gone live, replacing the old ERP system.

--  BERNAMA

“shenzhen Design” Gives New Impetus To Urban Development, Lights Up Fashion Industry

KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 (Bernama) -- As a city born with design genes, Shenzhen has witnessed a flourishing creative and design industry since it became the laureate of UNESCO City of Design in 2008.

In the past 15 years, the megacity has evolved from the world's factory to an upgrading manufacturing powerhouse and further to an international hub of innovation and creativity, according to Shenzhen Municipal People's Government in a statement.

"Shenzhen Design" has not only served as an important platform for the city's industrial transformation and upgrading, but has also become a new growth engine for its high-quality economic development.

After years of accumulation and development, "Shenzhen Design" has become an important pioneering and leading game changer as an industrial leader in China with global visibility.

The city took the lead in implementing the strategy of building a city through cultural development, and proposed to build a "City of Design" in 2003. It was awarded the title of "City of Design" by UNESCO in 2008, becoming the first city in China to win this honour.

In recent years, the Shenzhen Municipal Party Committee and Shenzhen Municipal People's Government have taken multiple measures such as policy support, industry guidance, and resource matchmaking and spared no effort in supporting the innovative development of "Shenzhen Design", delivering remarkable results.

Currently, with the shining reputation of the "City of Design", Shenzhen has emerged as an important city for young designers and a design pioneer worldwide, and has always provided a broad platform and development space for innovative design talents around the world, further integrating its creative design with emerging industries.

After over four decades of rapid development, Shenzhen has become a globally renowned high-tech city. In key urban areas, Shenzhen has adhered to using urban design methods to create distinctive features, carry forward its cultural heritage, and create a unique city image.

Fifteen years of development is a fruitful achievement and a fresh starting point for Shenzhen as a "City of Design". "Shenzhen Design" is always on the road, moving forward ceaselessly into the future.

--  BERNAMA

Sanrio Inks Sponsorship Agreements With Famed Skateboarders Momiji Nishiya, Yumeka Oda

KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 (Bernama) – Tokyo-headquartered Sanrio Company, Ltd (Sanrio) announced it has signed sponsorship agreements with Japanese female skateboarders Momiji Nishiya and Yumeka Oda, effective April 21.

According to Sanrio in a statement, through these agreements, the company hopes to support young athletes in their challenges and strengthen its corporate brand in North America and other global markets.

As part of the agreements, both athletes will use decks with Hello Kitty and Sanrio logo stickers to compete in various tournaments and competitions, starting with one of the world's most prestigious, premiere action sporting events, "X Games Chiba 2023" which will be held from May 12-14 in Chiba, Japan.

Nishiya was born on Aug 30, 2007, in Osaka, Japan and is the first gold medallist in the TOKYO 2020 Skateboard Women's Street event. At the same time, she became the youngest Japanese skater ever to win a gold medal at the age of 13 years, 10 months.

She started skateboarding at the age of six, influenced by her older brother, and within seven years of starting to compete, she joined the ranks of the world's top-class skaters.

With the motto of "smile and have fun until the end," she has won the world's most prestigious contests such as X Games and Dew Tour, and is also eager to create video parts on street skating.

Meanwhile, born on Oct 30, 2006, in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Oda started skateboarding at the age of seven. In 2022, she represented Japan at the Pro Tour organised by World Skate.

She also won in Street League Skateboarding, the most prestigious competition in the world, and scored 9.4, which is the highest score for a single trick in women's history and the first time in women's skating history to score in the nine-point range.

The disappointment of missing out on TOKYO 2020 has propelled her to be one of the leading candidates of the next generation who are expected to achieve great things at the next Games.

--  BERNAMA

DENMARK TOPS 2ND ANNUAL WORLD CITIZENSHIP REPORT, GLOBAL ‘POWERHOUSES’ LOSE LUSTRE

KUALA LUMPUR, April 25 (Bernama) -- Denmark, Switzerland and Finland took the top three spots in the 2023 World Citizenship Report, published by CS Global Partners, the world's leading government and investment migration advisory firm.

According to a statement, this year, Denmark scored the highest points, knocking Switzerland out of the top spot. Switzerland came in second and Finland retained the third spot for a second year in a row.  

Notably, global superpowers such as the United States and China did not rank in the top 10, symbolising a significant shift in what these economic giants can tangibly offer the global elite.

High-net-worth-individuals (HNWIs) and mass affluent citizens are searching for a better quality of life, security and financial freedoms, all aspects which have been on shaky ground since the pandemic.

The surveyed cohort chose ‘Quality of Life’ as the most important feature of citizenship, which ranked first across the World Citizenship Index’s five pillars, eclipsing both Physical Safety and Financial Freedom.

The report found that a competitive economy, public services, and environmental sustainability are the three areas mass affluent individuals feel most let down by their governments.​

“This year, we looked beyond HNWIs and extended our survey to the new mass affluent, a globally mobile generation who is providing fresh impetus for a renewed drive towards global citizenship.

“As the world continues to change at an exponential rate, bringing with it new crises and opportunities, individuals across the globe are increasingly calling their own citizenships into question in terms of the safety, freedoms and the prosperity they provide,” said CS Global Partners Chief Executive Officer, Micha Emmett.

The World Citizenship Report ranks 188 countries across five key motivators defining citizenship for the global citizen showcasing the World Citizenship Index (WCI), an innovative tool that takes a holistic approach to rank the world’s citizenships across multiple dimensions including the motivators of Safety and Security, Quality of Life, Economic Opportunity, Global Mobility and Financial Freedom.

Unlike other rating tools, the WCI ranking is designed to reflect a citizenship’s value through the lens of HNWIs and the newest generation of global citizens: the mass affluent population.

The WCI’s unique methodology relies on the experience gained through CS Global Partners unparalleled work in the citizenship solutions industry, as well as comprehensive research to evaluate 188 jurisdictions across the five motivators of citizenship out of a maximum attainable score of 100 points.

--  BERNAMA

SWEEGEN LAUNCHES SWEETENSIFY™ FLAVORS, DEBUTING SWEET PROTEIN BRAZZEIN TECHNOLOGY

Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., April 18 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global sweetness and flavor innovator, Sweegen announced today the launch of Sweetensify™ Flavors, its newest flavor tool for food and beverage producers, to create better-for-everyone products. Powered by Sweegen’s novel sweet protein technology that includes brazzein, thaumatin II, and other unique proteins, Sweetensify Flavors improve and modulate sweet flavor, creating a sugar-like experience, thereby pushing the boundaries of healthier product innovation.

“Sweetensify Flavors will change how product developers think about reducing or eliminating sugar in beverages and foods,” said Casey McCormick, vice president of global innovation at Sweegen. “The flavor expression enabled by Sweetensify Flavors optimizes the sensory experience and enables a more sugar-like taste. It is substantially better than any previous technology. We target taste receptors on a biochemistry level that others simply cannot.”

Sweegen’s Sweetensify Flavors debuts brazzein, the company’s highly sought-after sweet protein, as well as thaumatin II. At the time of the Sweetensify announcement, Sweegen’s thaumatin II received the Flavor Extract Manufacturer’s Association (FEMA) GRAS status. 

“Our regulatory vision is to open global markets and enable brands to access unique ingredients that will support their food and beverage creativity while delivering on health and wellness,” said Hadi Omrani, senior director of technical and regulatory affairs at Sweegen. 

 

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Alipay+, E-wallet Partnerships To Accelerate Iqiyi’s Asia Expansion

 

More than 1 million consumers outside the Chinese mainland used Alipay+ partner e-wallets for subscription payments on iQIYI international app in 2022 (Photo: Business Wire)

KUALA LUMPUR, April 20 (Bernama) -- Alipay+ has partnered with popular Asian e-wallets to help iQIYI, a leading international streaming platform to accelerate its expansion via Alipay+ digital and entertainment platforms to reach young middle-class consumers looking for quality online video content.

According to Alipay+ in a statement, in 2021, iQIYI utilised Alipay+ marketing solutions, such as Alipay+ Rewards and cashier-based marketing service, to reach potential consumers and improve transaction conversion rates in key markets.

Developed by Alipay+ and partner e-wallets, Alipay+ Rewards is a new digital marketing platform that helps global brands engage better with consumers worldwide by offering incentives and exclusive services.

Last year, more than one million consumers outside the Chinese mainland, mostly in Southeast Asia, used Alipay+ partner e-wallets, including TrueMoney (Thailand), GCash (The Philippines), DANA (Indonesia), Touch ’n Go eWallet (Malaysia) and Kakao Pay (South Korea) to pay for subscriptions or content on iQIYI’s international app.

In addition to these alternative payment methods, Alipay+ has started offering customised marketing solutions through Alipay+ Rewards programme to enable merchant partners to expand its market outreach efforts, since 2023.

On iQIYI’s international app, the number of new users making subscription payments through GCash, DANA and Touch ’n Go eWallet have increased respectively by 100 per cent, 90 per cent and 50 per cent in March 2023, compared with the end of 2022.

The global over-the-top (OTT) market is expected to reach US$1,251 billion by 2027, representing a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30 per cent during 2021-2027. iQIYI ranks fifth among OTT platforms globally, and was named the top Asian OTT to watch Chinese-language, Thai and Malay dramas across major Southeast Asia markets. (US$1=RM4.42)

This April, AlipayHK, the largest active e-wallet in Hong Kong SAR, China, became the latest Alipay+ partner wallet to support payment on iQIYI International App.

Introduced by Ant Group in 2020, Alipay+ is a suite of cross-border digital payment, marketing and merchant digitalisation solutions connecting global brands with mobile-savvy consumers worldwide, aimed at enabling businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, to process a wide range of mobile payment methods and reach more than one billion regional and global consumers.

--  BERNAMA