Wednesday, October 15, 2025
search
Home Blog Page 4

Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2 review

Alessio Caprodossi
-
0
Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2 review

As with smartphones, being able to stand out in a sector that is far too rich in models and duplicates like that of true-wireless earphones is increasingly more complicated. The differences are obviously there, and they are very clear, so much so that they divide the products into different ranges. When it comes to sound reproduction, comfort, lightness and ease of use in the field of earphones, the industry benchmarks are Sony, Apple and Samsung (excluding Sennheiser, Teufel and the other brands that stand out in terms of audio technology). Having previously succeeded with a few models, Huawei has to join the trio as mentioned above again because the FreeBuds Pro 2 are an excellent product for listening to music and making and answering calls.

Quality and comfort

It is not the most compact model nor the lightest on the market (12 grams is the weight of the two earbuds, while the case weighs in at 55 grams). However, the ergonomic design that facilitates stability even in dynamic situations (such as when running), the comfort with which they fit in the ear and the IP54 certification for resistance to dust and liquids are good starting points for understanding the good work done by Huawei. Comfortable to carry in trousers or jacket pockets, the FreeBuds Pro 2 impressed me with the speed with which they pair with the smartphone.

In the first test with Huawei’s P50 Pro smartphone, the pairing was immediate: with the AI Life app already downloaded, all I had to do was open the case with the earphones inside, lightly press the only button on the left side of the case, and within moments the FreeBuds were ready to use. I thought the speed was exclusive to the Chinese company’s smartphones, but the result was the same even with the iPhone 14 and MacBook Air. Another positive note is the multipoint support, with the possibility of connecting the earphones simultaneously to two devices, thus facilitating the transition from smartphone to PC or between two other devices.

One of the best noise-cancelling earbuds

Apart from the technical specifications, the highlight of the earphones is the active noise cancellation, which works excellently. To be sure, I tested the FreeBuds in this mode at Roma Termini, the Italian capital’s main railway station, where passengers wait for their train to arrive on one of the 25 platforms. It was a very crowded and boisterous environment, where the shouting, people’s voices, and continuous megaphone announcements about the movement of trains were muted while I listened to some of my favourite tunes (at a higher-than-average volume, of course).

One test, however, is not enough, so during a short tour of Naples, I used the FreeBuds Pro 2 between Parco Ventaglieri, an area where gardens alternate with terraces offering a panoramic view of the highs and lows of the city, and the Pignasecca market, where among the fish and fruit stalls animated by the local yellers I repeatedly had the perception of watching excerpts from a silent film, because they moved their mouths but I could not hear their words, covered by my music.

Also tested several times on trains and planes (where they proved to be a valuable ally against the cries of a nearby baby), these earphones passed the test with flying colours. The credit for this goes to the three built-in microphones, which generate effective frequencies to cancel out external action together with the algorithm. Via the Huawei AI Life app, you can choose which ANC mode to adapt according to the situation: Dynamic automatically adjusts the reaction to background noise, Comfortable is ideal for low-noise environments, General for noisy contexts and Ultra for boisterous places. The alternative mode to ANC is Aware, which is useful for not losing contact with your surroundings and allows you to amplify the voices of those nearby so that you can understand them well and avoid misunderstandings with others.

Huawei FreeBuds Pro
Huawei FreeBuds Pro
Earbuds
Huawei FreeBuds Pro
FreeBuds Pro
Huawei FreeBuds Pro
Huawei FreeBuds Pro
Huawei FreeBuds Pro

To manage the earphones, there are touch controls via swipe or by just touching the small rods. The default controls are single-click to play and pause the music stream, double-click to skip to the next track, and triple-click to the previous track, while a long press activates ANC/Aware, and a swipe allows volume adjustment. The recommendation is to use the AI Life app, which allows much more options.

In addition to the fit test to understand how to place the earphones in the ear and learn in detail how to use gestures, with the app, you can change the noise control and deactivate ANC/Aware; you can opt for the low latency audio mode and the intelligent earphone detection that automatically interrupts playback when we take the headphones out of our ears. You can also find your possibly lost earphones by having them play a sound and vary the audio effects by choosing whether to have the bass boosted or the other frequencies louder, to favour voice or to set the sound to your liking.

Having said that, the FreeBuds Pro 2 is compatible with both Siri and Google Assistant; the autonomy is around 4 hours with ANC active. The actual duration then changes depending on the volume level and the activated modes, while the case with the built-in 580 mAh battery adds another 18 hours of listening time with ANC active, which becomes 30 hours if ANC is deactivated. Like many other high-end models, the Huawei earphones recharge from 0 to 100 per cent via cable in just over 35 minutes.

To buy them or not? Yes, definitely

Available in three colours, Ceramic White, Silver Blue and Silver Frost, the FreeBuds Pro 2 are on sale for €199 (there is also the option of buying in three instalments of €66.63) with the SoundStone Portable Bluetooth speaker for free. The price is lower than Samsung Buds 2 Pro and AirPods Pro, but the quality is very high, in some respects even better than the competitors. One example is the audio on calls, which is very clean even in windy or particularly noisy surroundings. That’s why the FreeBuds Pro 2 are an ideal solution that I would recommend for anyone looking for high-quality earphones.

Nintendo lifts profit guidance on weaker yen, sees slower console sales

4i-mag team
-
0
Nintendo lifts profit guidance on weaker yen, sees slower console sales
By Kiyoshi Takenaka

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese videogame maker Nintendo Co Ltd cut its full-year Switch sales projection by nearly 10% after microchip shortages constrained console production, but it raised its annual net profit forecast thanks to a softer yen.

Nintendo, which earns about 80% of its revenues overseas, expects its net profit to come to 400 billion yen ($2.73 billion) for the year to March 2023, up from the previous forecast of 340 billion yen.

The new projection still falls short of the consensus forecast of a 463 billion yen profit, based on a Refinitiv poll of 21 analysts.

The creator of such blockbuster titles as “Super Mario Bros.” and “Legend of Zelda” cut its Switch console sales forecast for the business year to 19 million units from 21 million.

Crucial year-end shopping season

Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa said, however, that chip supply had begun recovering in recent months, helping boost Switch production. The industry is heading into the crucial year-end shopping season.

“From October on, we have been manufacturing (Switch) at a rapid pace …. Our outlook is a little brighter now than at the start of the business year,” Furukawa told an online briefing.

The Kyoto-based company changed its assumption for the dollar-yen rate to 135 from 115 to reflect the sharp depreciation of the Japanese currency this year.

In July-September, Nintendo sold 3.25 million units of its Switch console, down from 3.83 million a year earlier. The console is in its sixth year on the market.

Nintendo’s software sales in the three-month period rose 11% to 54 million units, however, helped by strong demand for the latest “Splatoon” title.

The company has said “Splatoon 3”, in which players engage in an inky turf battle, had sold more than 3.45 million units in Japan in the three days following its Sept. 9 launch, Nintendo’s highest-ever domestic launch sales.

($1 = 146.7700 yen)

German economy ministry favours blocking Chinese takeover of Elmos’ chip production – sources

4i-mag team
-
0
German economy ministry favours blocking Chinese takeover of Elmos’ chip production – sources
By Markus Wacket

BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany’s economy ministry has recommended to the cabinet that the government block the Chinese takeover of Elmos’ chip factory, saying it would pose a threat to national security, ministry sources said on Tuesday.

Milder measures, such as an injunction, are not suitable for addressing the identified dangers, added the sources.

Elmos said on Monday that the German government would likely block the sale to competitor Silex, a Swedish company that is a subsidiary of Chinese group Sai Microelectronics.

The sources said the economy ministry and the government are currently working on a China strategy focused on reducing one-sided dependencies and encouraging diversification, as well as protecting infrastructure and preventing technology leakage.

Four smart lighting systems to help you keep the bills at bay this winter

Rebecca Lee
-
0
Four smart lighting systems to help you keep the bills at bay this winter

Whether you’re a techie or a smart lighting novice, here are just a few systems that are set to change your winter and help you keep those energy bills down. Smart bulbs are LEDs that are extremely energy efficient. Despite needing to remain plugged in, each bulb is an LED. Combine that with the ability to switch the lights on and off as you please from anywhere there’s a Wi-Fi signal, and you’re onto an energy-saving winner.

According to figures from The Central Statistics Office, in Ireland alone, one in seven internet users (fifteen percent) use internet-connected home energy systems such as thermostats, utility meters, lights and plug-ins. In addition to this, research from HIVE shows the lifecycle of a smart light bulb to be fifteen thousand hours, fifteen times longer than an incandescent bulb!

Whether it’s to act as an alarm in the morning, boost your security while away, or give you more time in bed or on the couch, here are a few smart lighting systems that will help see you through the winter months and more.

Kasa Smart Light Bulb, Dimmable

Kasa offers a number of different home lighting systems, from multi-coloured bulbs to security cameras to light switches. Easy to install, Kasa’s systems don’t require a hub or extra equipment. Install the app, screw in your bulb of choice, hook it up to the Wi-Fi, and you are good to go. All lights are dimmable from one to one hundred percent and are both iOS and Android compatible. They can also be hooked up to Alexa or Google Assistant and boast a low standby power of less than 0.2 watts, meaning they don’t consume much power. Another attractive feature of the multi-colour bulb side is that it’s certified to drive down energy consumption without losing quality.

smart lighting systems
LIFX bulb
smart lighting systems.
Philips HUE smart lighting starter kit
Smart lightning systems
Kasa smart light bulb

Philips Hue smart lights starter kit

One of the better-known smart lighting kits for homes, this starter system is perfect if you’re new to the world of bulb-light programming. Designed for the ultimate novice, it requires a hub for full functionality; however, you can control up to 50 bulbs at once, should you desire! You can control colour, brightness, timing and more. This starter kit contains three bulbs, each of which you can operate from your bedroom or even Bali. It runs on both iOS and Android and works with Alexa, Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant.

LIFX

A little pricier than competitors, LIFX offers a wide range of bulbs from traditional white to coloured. What sets them apart from the rest, however, is that their LIFX+ product incorporates infrared LEDs, which can light up rooms at night. Although no hub is required, for these smart devices to prove a good value investment, it is recommended that you purchase them in bulk. You can also synchronize bulbs through the app, which is both iOS and Android compatible. It also offers ‘theme’ settings, and you can even programme colours to notify you about social media alerts (which can be good or bad!) They also hook up to Siri and Alexa rather easily. 

Wyze bulb white

Wyze specializes in a number of smart home gadgets, from security cameras to video doorbells and floodlights. One of their most popular items, however, is the Wyze bulb in white, which has been rated by many as the brightest on the market. This dimmable 800-lumen bulb is both Android and iOS compatible and works well alongside Alexa and Google Assistant. For those on a lower budget, what really makes it stand out is its sun match feature, which is clever enough to automatically adjust the colour temperature throughout the day, meaning you can have soft, warm lighting that mimics sunrise first thing in the morning. It also shares the same functionality as those already mentioned whilst boasting a Color Rendering Index (CRI) of 90 plus, producing higher-quality light that makes colours appear more vivid than most.

EU wants Airbnb, rivals to share bookings data with authorities

4i-mag team
-
0
EU wants Airbnb, rivals to share bookings data with authorities
By Foo Yun Chee

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Airbnb and other short-term home rental companies will have to share data on the number of people using their platforms under proposed EU rules, the European Commission said on Monday, in a light-touch approach to regulating this sector.

The EU executive’s proposal comes as popular tourist destinations such as Paris, Venice and Barcelona blame Airbnb for aggravating housing shortages by pushing out lower-income residents.

But smaller towns and rural areas want to attract more tourists via online rental platforms, which account for a quarter of all tourist accommodation across the 27-country European Union.

The Commission’s proposal marks an effort to tackle the patchwork of different national laws across the EU regulating Airbnb and its rivals, while trying to balance the interests of cities and rural areas.

Improve Transparency

“The new proposed rules will help to improve transparency on the identification and activity of short-term accommodation hosts, and on the rules they have to comply with, and will facilitate the registration of hosts,” the Commission said in a statement.

“They will also tackle the current fragmentation in how online platforms share data and, ultimately, help prevent illegal listings. Overall, this will contribute to a more sustainable tourism ecosystem and support its digital transition,” it said.

Reuters exclusively reported on the Commission’s proposal on Nov. 3.

“These proposals provide a framework for Airbnb to scale our collaborations with governments and make it easier for everyday Europeans to share their homes and follow the rules,” said Georgina Browes, Airbnb’s head of EU public policy.

Browes said by taking a more harmonised approach to regulation, industry and governments could better work together to improve access to data, boost transparency and address disproportionate local rules.

Under the proposed rules, Airbnb and its peers will have to share data about the number of guests and rented nights with public authorities, once a month, in an automated way.

The authorities will monitor their schemes and can put in place penalties for non-compliance.

The proposal will need to be agreed with EU countries and EU lawmakers before it can become law.

The Commission’s proposal is similar to a data sharing agreement which Airbnb struck with EU statistics office Eurostat two years ago allowing public authorities to access quarterly published data on the number of people using its platform and the number of nights booked.

Fitbit Sense 2, a smartwatch for the sports and beyond

Antonino Caffo
-
0
Fitbit Sense 2, a smartwatch for the sports and beyond

When I think of fitness trackers, Fitbit immediately comes to mind. A brand that has become synonymous with step counting and the collection of general fitness statistics. But Fitbit, part of the Google-Alphabet group, makes devices that are more than just workout companions. The Fitbit Sense 2 is a smartwatch offering many of the features one looks for in a wrist-worn smart object. After all, the Sense 2 has a decidedly high-end look. It is a visibly classy smartwatch. Tested in graphite aluminium, it also exists in soft gold and platinum, along with a wide range of optional straps.

The Sense 2 is quite comfortable to wear. The basic strap is comfortable, thanks partly to the Apple Watch-style fastening system. Attaching and removing straps is also improved to allow people to change them in no time. If the initial setup is a breeze, putting all the Sense 2 features to work took a bit of work. A lot of authorizations must be granted before the watch is fully functional, but this gives the user greater knowledge about Sense 2’s data collection.

The smartwatch has a very nice display, deep blacks and vivid colours, and it is bright enough to be used in difficult lighting conditions. It is easy to read, and the numerous dials available look good. It is water-resistant up to 5 meters and is rated to operate up to 45 degrees Celsius. According to the company, the battery can last over six days on a single charge, something very close to reality. With 12 minutes of fast charging, you get 24 hours of battery life. That’s what you would generally expect from a Fitbit, although a lot depends on how you use the device.

Fitbit Sense 2
Fitbit Sense 2
Fitbit Sense 2
Fitbit Sense 2

Personal assistant

Like other Fitbit devices, the Sense 2 tracks steps and heart rate, but its catalogue of sensors goes much further. The smartwatch includes a unique Body Response sensor designed to detect and manage stress. Quest tracks electrodermal activity, heart rate, heart rate variability and skin temperature. Using this data, the Sense 2 aims to help you be more aware of what causes stress and thus reduce it over time. The Sense 2 can also help detect atrial fibrillation using an electrocardiogram app and is even able to measure oxygen levels in the blood.

In addition, the Sense 2 features 20 additional exercise modes to those offered by the Sense, including Dance and Weightlifting, and a new sleep profile dial that will tell you what animal your sleep resembles, with six potential options, including a hedgehog. Although none is intended for severe medical use, the wide range of sensors, combined with powerful analytical software, allows the Sense 2 to be a valuable companion for keeping track of your fitness and overall health.

Fitbit Sense 2 is packed with useful features into a beautiful device to wear and see. Perhaps it will lose ‘sense’ when Google’s Pixel Watch arrives, which already integrates a lot of Fitbit’s functionality, moreover with the addition of Big G’s apps, from Maps to Pay, absent here. As of today, at 299.99 euros, this Sense 2 remains the premier device for those who need to keep a close eye on their health, within the limits of what a home device can do.

Now we will have to see how Google will decide to take the Fitbit brand forward, aware that it will already have a competitor to the famous fitness watch line with the Pixel Watch. The company will probably keep the two brands separate to position Fitbit, once again, as a workout tool and its Pixel Watch as a competitor to Apple and Samsung. Will they remain separate? Will they go into a single device? What will happen in the future we do not know and, frankly, it matters little now.

FACTBOX – Australia Inc roiled by raft of cyberattacks this year

4i-mag team
-
0
FACTBOX – Australia Inc roiled by raft of cyberattacks this year
By Jaskiran Singh

FACTBOX (Reuters) – Australian firms have suffered a flood of cyberattacks, putting the spotlight on country’s understaffed cybersecurity industry which experts say seems ill-equipped to tackle such hacks, thus endangering sensitive information of millions of people.

Here is a list of companies that have been hit by data breaches so far this year:

OPTUS

Australia’s second-largest mobile operator and a unit of Singapore Telecommunications was the first to report a data breach that affected up to 10 million customers, about 40% of the nation’s population. The data exposed included home addresses, drivers’ licences and passport numbers.

MEDIBANK

Health insurer Medibank Private, which covers about one-sixth of Australians, said personal and significant amounts of health claims data of around 9.7 million of its current and former customers was compromised, forcing it to flag a hit to earnings and withdraw forecast for a key metric.

WOOLWORTHS

Australia’s biggest grocer Woolworths Group Ltd said its majority-owned online retailer MyDeal identified that a “compromised user credential” was used to access its systems, exposing email addresses, phone numbers and delivery addresses of about 2.2 million customers.

AUSTRALIAN CLINICAL LABS

Australian Clinical Labs Ltd, one of the country’s largest pathology providers, said unit Medlab suffered a breach that exposed data of about 223,000 patients.

TELSTRA

Australia’s largest telecoms operator Telstra suffered what it called a small data breach, which exposed data of about 30,000 current and former employees dating back to 2017.

DAILOG

IT services consulting firm Dailog, another unit of Singapore Telecommunications, said it faced a cyber attack that potentially affected 1,000 current and former employees and fewer than 20 clients.

FORCENET

Australia’s Assistant Minister For Defence Matt Thistlethwaite said hackers targeted a communications platform used by the country’s military personnel and defence staff with a ransomware attack but that no data was compromised.

BWX

Skin and hair care products maker BWX Limited said a malicious code was “unlawfully” entered onto one of its websites that may have compromised credit card numbers and expiry dates of about 2,500 customers.

Greece to ban sale of spyware amid wiretapping scandal

4i-mag team
-
0
Greece to ban sale of spyware amid wiretapping scandal
By Renee Maltezou and George Georgiopoulos

ATHENS (Reuters) – Greece will soon ban the sale of spyware, the government said on Monday, after a newspaper report that more than 30 people, including ministers and business people, had been under state surveillance via phone malware.

A list of persons whose phones were allegedly infected with the Predator malware was published on Sunday by left-wing Documento newspaper, which cited two sources who played a role in the surveillance on behalf of the conservative government.

Government spokesman Giannis Oikonomou said the report that the government was behind the spyware surveillance was “unfounded”. He said the Greek state had not used or bought any such spyware and added that judicial authorities would investigate the latest report.

Greece, he told reporters, will soon submit a bill to parliament banning the sale of spyware. “We won’t allow any shadow to remain on issues that poison Greek society,” he said.

The Documento report was the latest development in a wiretapping scandal that has sparked political uproar in Greece, as the European Union takes a harder look at the use and sale of spyware. A Greek prosecutor began an inquiry earlier this year.

Most of the alleged targets, including a former conservative prime minister and the current foreign and finance ministers, declined to comment or told the newspaper that they were unaware of the matter.

In July, socialist opposition leader Nikos Androulakis filed a complaint with top court prosecutors over an attempted bugging of his mobile phone with surveillance software. The government, which faces elections in 2023, said at the time that the surveillance was lawful as it had been approved by a prosecutor.

A Greek prosecutor is also investigating allegations by a journalist that his smartphone was infected by surveillance software in an operation by the Greek intelligence service.

A special European parliamentary committee (PEGA) that is investigating the use of Pegasus and similar surveillance spyware concluded a visit to Greece and Cyprus last week.

“This matter must be urgently and fully clarified before next year’s elections,” Sophia In ‘T Veld, from the committee delegation, told reporters in Greece.

Vivo X80 Pro, review of a cameraphone that surprises

Alessio Caprodossi
-
0
Vivo X80 Pro, review of a cameraphone that surprises

Vivo X80 Pro: Slow and steady growth in emerging as a viable alternative in the high-end smartphone market. A little over two years after its arrival in Europe, Vivo’s path is beginning to bear fruit while differentiating itself from its Chinese competitors. No short-lived launches of similar models in terms of specifications and prices, which often end up confusing instead of enticing consumers in favour of a broader plan characterised by innovative and recognisable products with distinctive features, are a sign of the company’s vision.

Founded in 2009 by Shen Wei and present in 60 countries worldwide and 21 European markets (11 opened in 2002), Vivo is the fifth largest smartphone manufacturer globally and in Europe. Rather than offering promotions with lower-priced products as gifts for the purchase of a premium smartphone, Vivo has chosen to gain visibility by espousing the sport most dear to Europeans: first with its sponsorship of the 2021 European Football Championship, now with its partnership with Fifa for the Qatar 2002 World Cup, where it will showcase the Vivo X Fold+, an updated version of the company’s first foldable smartphone, already available in China.

Vivo in Eurpean Market

Turning to product analysis, the key to making its way in Europe is the Vivo X80 Pro, one of the best camera phones on the market. By this, we mean the excellent quality of the photo-video compartment, which is only one of the reasons why this smartphone is worth considering. The dimensions are considerable, with 219 grams and more than 9 millimetres of thickness, which, together with the 6.78-inch display, do not allow the phone to be easily handled with one hand. At the same time, however, the design stands out due to the island on the back that houses the circular photo module, periscope camera and LED flash. A stark choice, which one may or may not like, makes the smartphone unique among many similar models.

The curved-edge Amoled screen comes from Samsung and has a resolution of 1440 x 3200 pixels with a maximum density of 517 PPI, a dynamic refresh rate of 120 Hz and 10-bit HDR10+ support, with a peak brightness of 1500 nits ensuring effective viewing even in bright sunlight. Another notable new feature is the ultrasonic fingerprint reader under the screen, which offers an extra-large surface than usual, being 11 times wider than average. This affects the unlocking speed of 0.2 seconds and the registration of one’s fingerprint during set-up. The larger area also allowed for adding features, such as launching two of the most frequently used apps, which are opened by placing your finger on the sensor.
The best point of the Vivo X80 Pro is the photography, with the leap forward over the past achieved thanks in part to the partnership with Zeiss, with engineers from the two companies working symbiotically on improvements to shots and movies. Proof of this is the presence of elements found in high-end lenses, such as digital twins, a technique developed by Zeiss for creating and prototyping new lenses. Thanks to creating a virtual model on which to simulate and precisely test the performance of the lenses, Vivo has perfected the eyes on the back of the phone by adjusting resolution and contrast. Vivo has also integrated Zeiss’ T* Coating into the cameras of the high-end models, a solution that reduces reflections and ensures greater sharpness and quality of shots.

Vivo X80 Pro
Vivo X80 Pro
Vivo X80 Pro
Vivo X80 Pro
Vivo X80 Pro
Vivo X80 Pro
X80Pro right back Cosmic Black
X80Pro right back Cosmic Black

Technical Features

On the technical side, the system consists of a quad camera on the rear, with the main one equipped with a 50 MP Samsung GNV sensor (f/1.57) with optical image stabilisation, the 48MP wide-angle camera made by Sony (f/2. 2), the 8 MP periscope camera with 5X optical zoom and Hyper-zoom up to 60x, and a 12 MP portrait camera (f/1.85 5) with the usual Gimbal that Vivo has accustomed us to, which facilitates good quality clips by reducing shakiness and shaking.

On the front side, there is a 32 MP camera (f/2.45), and for both selfie and rear shots, the quality is always very high, and the colours are brilliant but without overdoing it. Beyond the numbers, the richness of the system lies in the range of options available. One of the best is the Cinematic Video Bokeh mode, which creates a cinematic-format oval blur, recreating the effect of anamorphic film lenses at a vivid level and thus giving clips an aesthetic impact. Zeiss’ Superbire Night Camera is also intriguing, promising premium night shots with bespoke features such as Pure Night View; two of the reasons, along with fast focusing and the V1+ image processor that identifies the appropriate mode based on lighting conditions, why the Vivo X80 Pro is among the best solutions for night-time shooting and video.

Equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor and a vapor chamber cooling system that keeps temperatures under control during gaming sessions, the Vivo X80 Pro has a 4700 mAh battery that’s enough to get you through the day even with heavy usage between applications, photos and videos, browsing and a few gaming sessions. The operating system is Android 13 with the Funtouch interface that offers several gestures to take a screenshot and turn on the torch. In the box is an 80W power supply for fast charging, which takes about 36 minutes from 0 to 100 per cent.

Available in the unique Cosmic Black colour and 12GB ram and 256GB UFS 3.1 memory version, the smartphone costs €1,299. A high price, which includes the Xclusive Care package, with pick-up and delivery of the smartphone to the chosen address, repair or replacement of the damaged screen in the first six months after purchase at no additional cost or expense to the buyer, and free video assistance in the event of problems. An important detail concerns the guaranteed update by Vivo: 3 major releases and monthly security patches.

Taiwan to invest 10 million euros towards chip production in Lithuania

4i-mag team
-
0
Taiwan to invest 10 million euros towards chip production in Lithuania
By Andrius Sytas

VILNIUS (Reuters) – Taiwan, the world’s biggest supplier of semiconductors, will invest more than 10 million euros ($9.98 million) towards chip production in Lithuania, the head of the Taiwanese representative office in Vilnius said on Monday.

Taiwan’s Industrial Technology and Research Institute will cooperate with Lithuania’s electronics manufacturer Teltonika to build semiconductor technology capabilities in the Baltic country, said Eric Huang, head of the representative office.

Over two dozen Taiwanese scholarships for Lithuanians will be offered for technical training, he added.

“This is not a transaction (in exchange of Lithuania allowing opening of the office)”, said Huang. “It is because Taiwan would like to work with Lithuania together to strengthen the resilience of our democratic supply chain in the face of coercion by autocracies”.

Lithuania allowed Taiwan to open a de-facto embassy in its country in November last year, angering China which views the democratically-governed island as its own territory.

Beijing subsequently downgraded diplomatic relations with Lithuania, curbed trade and pressured multinational companies to sever ties with the nation of 2.8 million people.

The European Union has launched a World Trade Organisation challenge over the trade curbs, supported by the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and Taiwan.

Earlier this year, Taiwan launched a 200-million-euro equity investment fund and a 1-billion-euro loan facility for Lithuania and other central and eastern European countries.

The first equity investments totalling 10 million euros in Lithuanian would be completed by early next year, said Huang, adding that first loans amounting to 9 million euros should be dispersed by the end of this month.

Taiwan also granted import permits for Lithuanian diary, fish and egg products, and could allow imports of its beef by the end of the year.

1...345...86Page 4 of 86