The Bitcoin mixtape The handelot times issue 10 The X issue All about bitcoin! Kamkwat Interview Najibs Corner: Bitcoin in the UAE 2 THE HANDELOT TIMES- The Online B2B Magazine for Electronics Wholesalers The tech industry is changing quickly and we want to keep you up to date with the latest news. We are developing ourselves by opening up to new innovations in IT. We are growing and keeping a reliable source of B2B information from all over the world. With The Handelot Times, we will bring you more information about market trends, share cutting-edge ideas, and bring our world together with yours. Handelot.com- 10 years on the market The Handelot Times: Design: Adam Mieloszynski Chief Copywriter: Brendan James Copywriter: HANDELOT AMBASSADOR Kazi Najib Ashraf Copywriter: The Old Hand Associates of the organisation: Taha Tuzuner - Business Consultant Team Leader

 Dima Malovanyi - Business Consultant Team Leader

 Alicja Lipka - Business Consultant

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 Jon Rodriguez - Business Consultant Venktesh Prasad – Business Developer Jack Serdak - Business Consultant 

Iryna Mats – Customer Service/Sales Assistant Administration Basak Senturk – Customer Service Team Lead Jane Nguyen – Customer Service Katarzyna Mroczkowska – Customer Service Karen Saldarriaga – Customer Service Paulina Franikowska - Customer Service Elzbieta Kajdzik – Customer Service Khrystyna Terletska - Administration Agnieszka Pulawska – CFO Valentyn Petruchek – Head of Development Cesar Gonzalez Patryk Skowron Advertising: For quotes please email times@handelot.com or call us at +48717152600. 3 04 Quick Hits 05 The Author Checks In 06 Interview: CEO of Kamkwat 08. Yukatel: Pioneer in Distribution 09 Top Products on handelot.com 10 Najib's Corner: Blockchain in the UAE 12 Logistics and Services on handelot 14 Does the World Need a Blockchain Phone? 16 VIP Gold members 18 Old hand We Are All Responsible! 20 Teksmart Spotlight 22 Kamkwat: Xiaomi Specialist 23 Top Ten Trades 24 Takeaways From The East: The New Generation 26. H-Asia 1 27 Honor Profile 28 Huawei Mate 20 Review 30 Blockchain: A Primer 32 GPUs and Crypto Mining? 34 Shipping On The Blockchain 36. handelot Advertising map 37. Rationalfx 38. Dream Cargo 39. Challenger 40. handelot last page 4 QUICK HITS A selection of news from around the tech world. According to Bloomberg, Amazon has struck a deal with Apple to sell its products on the website of the world’s biggest e-retailer. Soon, iPhones, iPads and iWatches will be made available for purchase, but the deal notably (and understandably) excludes Apple’s new HomePod smart speaker. GSMArena reports that Huawei has filed for a patent on a smartphone design containing a slit in the display where the phone’s earpiece would be. Interestingly, the patent was filed through the United States Patent Trade Office, possibly signaling an intent to redouble efforts in breaking into the American market. Activision Blizzard Inc. has host a significant share of its market value since October, per Bloomberg. Following the maker of Overwatch and Call of Duty: Black Ops IV’s sell off, their stock has dropped precipitously from a $66 high. Samsung is launching a China-only flip-phone/smartphone hybrid. GSMArena says that the Snapdragon-powered W2019 will have not one but two Super AMOLED screens: one on the front cover and one on the back, complete with an oldschool keypad. No release date is currently scheduled. Tesla Inc. has tapped Robyn Denholm to be their next chairperson following the controversy and financial setbacks set upon the company by Elon Musk. Denholm was previously a member of the Sun Microsystems executive board and has strong links to the financial community. Xiaomi has just opened its first UK flagship store in London to coincide with the Mi 8 Pro launch. The Redmi 6A, Pocophone F1, and Band 3 were also on initial at the store, says VentureBeat. 05. THE AUTHOR CHECKS IN Hey all, your friendly neighborhood author here, For this, the ninth edition of The Handelot Times, I decided to focus on an innovation that could seriously impact everything around us, not to mention our industry. I’m talking about blockchain technology. Perhaps you’ve entertained the thought of adapting your business to work with Bitcoin, Etherium, or another cryptocurrency that blockchain was created to operate on. Perhaps you already do. In any case, what you may not know is that blockchain may very well power all manner of transactions in the coming years. In this issue, I give you a quick primer on the broad benefits of blockchain, followed by a detailed description of how blockchain can benefit our industry as a whole, on multiple levels. There are even a few manufacturers who are releasing supposed “blockchain phones”. What does that mean? Read on! The bottom line is, this technology is open source and greatly customizable, so it might even spark inspiration inside of you to create your own innovation for the greater good of drop-shipping! This month’s Takeaways From The East sparks a mini-theme all of its own, and here’s why: 5G technology is on our doorstep, and in China there’s a race between Huawei and Xiaomi to see who can provide it the fastest. We analyse what technological advances both companies are coming up with to make their gains possible. There is also an analysis of the success of Honor, Huawei’s sub-brand, and a review of the P20 Lite. Vol. 9 also features an interview with the CEO of our esteemed partner Kamkwat, the usual from The Old Hand, Najib’s Corner, and more. As we move into 2019, be sure that The Handelot Times gives you everything you need to help your business innovate. And to be a VIP. Brendan 06-07. Dima@handelot took the time to sit down with Michael Law, the CEO of Kamkwat. How did you enter our business? Tell us about your first steps and how you got to where you are now? - In the summer of 2012, my Korean ex-colleague needed a dropshipper in Hong Kong to ship Blackberry phones after they withdrew from the Korean market. I started doing dropshipping and moved to wholesaling blackberry phones after a few months. After 2 years in wholesale, mainly blackberry phones, i foresaw the death of Blackberry so I decided to start moving Chinese brands like Xiaomi and One Plus. We were among the first few companies in Hong Kong to actively move Chinese brands, so today we have well-connected Chinese suppliers and an international customer base. At the moment you started your business it was not the best times for our industry in Hong Kong. How was it for you? True. Also being a one-man company, I chose to start with Blackberry to grow my connections and customer base. Afterwards we had stable revenue and customer base, so we moved on to the bigger business of moving Xiaomi and One Plus. Is it easy to run a business in Hong Kong? I heard banking is a major issue nowadays. it's not cheap to operate any business in Hong Kong, but it still has advantages in low tax rates, high efficiency and hard-working employees. Banks are more sensitive to transactions due to stricter requirements to meet USA regulations. Major banks like HSBC and Hangseng have closed many mobile phone trader bank accounts. We just need to be cautious what kind of payment to accept or reject, and from which bank account such payments can be accepted. We keep three bank accounts, so in case we lose one it won't affect our business operations too much. How is business for you now? How do you see future of mobile phone business? Business is good this year, but the past few months have been slower. Competition has become bigger and bigger, so it's difficult to grow business and maintain a profit margin. Mobile phone growth will slow down, like a lot of other business, being able to compete and win is the key to success. It is important to be competitive in price, business approach, financial strength, operation efficiency, having good team and more. When and how did you realize that Xiaomi would be your core business? We didn't make Xiaomi our core business, it's by nature of the industry and the success of Xiaomi. Oppo and Vivo don't allow trading, and huawei also highly controls distributors' trading activities. There are not many other Chinese brands that perform strong enough and also allow trading business by distributors. How would you rate all the brands/ manufacturers on a scale from 1 to 5? It depends on rating from what perspective. From the perspective of the mobile phone trading industry, I'd rate Apple 4, Samsung 4, Xiaomi 5, Huawei / Honor 5, OnePlus 5, and Oppo / Vivo 4 based on how I see where they are going. It’s always good to learn from the mistakes of others. What do you think was your biggest mistake? I'd say risk control. The biggest mistake in my own business is relying too much on a single supplier before I moved to the mobile phone business. There is risk in having a single brand, single supplier, single customer, overexposure or overcredit for customer. As a sum up, how would you convince customers to deal with Kamkwat? What would you like to tell them? We have a good team, we are flexible, responsive and most importantly, we are a trusted mobile phone wholesaler. Thank you Michael for your precious time!!! 08. Yukatel 09. Top Products on handelot.com 1. Phones 2995 2. Used 728 3. TVs 653 4. Tablets 474 5. Audio 426 6. Spare Parts 360 7. Gaming 318 8. Storage 261 9. Computers 239 10. Wearables 184 11. Video/ Photo 175 12. Components 173 13. Brown 145 14. Peripherals 36 15. Printing 19 16. Accessories 18 10-11 Najib's Corner Blockchain in the UAE 2 Blockchain in the UAE – Always Embracing the Latest Technologies In early 2018, The UAE Government embarked upon launching the Emirates Blockchain Strategy & Vision 2021. The strategy aims to conduct more than half of all government transactions using the blockchain platform by then. This will help save time, effort and resources, as well as facilitate people to process their transactions in a way that suits their lifestyle and work. By adopting this technology, the government expects to save • AED 11 billion in transactions and documents processed routinely • 398 million printed documents annually  • 77 million work hours annually The UAE will use blockchain for digital transactions, giving each customer a unique identification number that points to their information on the secure chain. Information and data on the blockchain cannot be hacked or changed, which will ensure the digital security of national documents and transactions and eventually reduce operational costs and accelerate decision-making. His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the strategy, further showing the rulers’ absolute commitment of the dynamic emirate to embrace new technologies. This is in addition to the adaptation of Artificial Intelligence at the onset of the tech boom. In October 2017, the UAE Government launched ‘UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence (AI)’, marking the post-mobile government phase that will rely on various future services, sectors and infrastructure projects. The strategy is first of its kind in the region and the world and it aims to • achieve the objectives of UAE Centennial 2071 • boost government performance at all levels • use an integrated smart digital system that can overcome challenges and provide quick efficient solutions • make the UAE the first in the field of AI investments in various sectors • create new vital market with high economic value. Coming back to blockchain, the commitment of the government to embrace secure tech was outlined in an official statement: “Adaptation to advanced technologies and utilising them in serving society and enhancing the efficiency of government performance is a firmly established approach adopted by the UAE,” said Shaikh Mohammad. “We want to capitalise on this advanced technology to transform 50 per cent of government transactions into the blockchain platform by 2021 in order to cement the UAE’s position to be among the most advanced countries that are well prepared to deal with future changes,” he added. Shaikh Mohammad said embracing this future technology would reflect positively on the quality of life in the UAE and enhance people’s happiness. “The blockchain technology will help save time, effort and resources and enable people to process their transactions at the time and place that suit their lifestyles and work.” Unique identification number According to a statement on WAM, the UAE will use blockchain for digital transactions, giving each customer a unique identification number that points to their information on the secure chain. Information and data on the blockchain cannot be hacked or changed, which will ensure the digital security of national documents and transactions, and eventually reduce operational costs, reducing paper transactions and accelerating decision-making. The UAE’s strategy for blockchain focuses on four key themes: happiness of its citizens and residents, elevating government efficiency, advanced legislation and international leadership. The strategy works on building the capacity of individuals and government leaders through training courses and workshops. Training programmes on blockchain will be designed for government leaders. University programmes on blockchain will be available. UAE has always taken the lead in the implementation of new tech from border control and smart gates at the airports that were quickly adapted by the rest of the region. Several multinational organizations are bidding for verticals for AI and Blockchain for the projects to come. EXPO 2020 would also bring forth a host of technologies to the UAE. 12. Logistics and Services on handelot 1 VIP Plus: AIR EXPRESS POLAND Sp. z o.o. BlankIT Ltd Staffordshire, United Kingdom Citius Trust Limited, Nicosia, Cyprus Interken Freighters (UK) Ltd Feltham , United Kingdom MASTER LOGISTICS & WAREHOUSE s.r.o. Chotebuz, Czech Republic Michael Kyprianou Malta Ltd. Imsida, Malta Qualilog s.r.o. Praha, Czech Republic RationalFX Ltd London, United Kingdom TRANSECORT LOGISTICS SL MADRID, Spain Universal Freight (HK) Ltd Universal Freight & Logistics LLC Miami FL VIP: 365 Days Freight Dubai, United Arab Emirates Captains Freight Services HK LTD Hong Kong Dignis trade, Vilnius, Lithuania DREAM CARGO SERVICES SRL BUCHAREST, Romania Globo Swiss Sped Sagl Lugano, Switzerland M.T.S. Trasporti e Servizi Logistici Casnate con Bernate (Como), Italy Neva Systems Kent, United Kingdom 13. handelot 14-15. DOES THE WORLD REALLY NEED A BLOCKCHAIN PHONE 2 DOES THE WORLD REALLY NEED A BLOCKCHAIN PHONE? What’s the big deal? In late October 2018, HTC announced the Exodus 1, its brand new blockchain smartphone. Somewhat predictably, its main selling point is the ability to keep your “digital wallet” full of cryptocurrency connected to the internet, making it ready and able to be used as quick as necessary. What is more, in doing so the company pledges that your data will be kept safe and sound. Furthermore, the device can only be bought with a limited variety of cryptocurrencies (such as Bitcoin, Etherium, or Litecoin), at time of press equating to USD $950. It is a bold step to be sure, but as with any innovation, the Exodus comes with its own set of questions that must be answered and understood before the mainstream fully embraces this new technological step. What’s the logic behind giving a digital wallet perpetual internet connectivity? There already exist phones with so-called “cold” storage wallets, such as the Sirin Labs Finney phone and Sikur’s SIKURphone that keep your digital coins shielded from hacking by denying them internet access. But HTC is clearly striving for convenience here. In dedicating a sector of a partitioned processor to blockchain transactions, the Exodus 1 is attempting to make your digital data more secure by keeping it separate from the other typical functions of your phone. A blockchain connected smartphone is obviously a gadget for the most cutting edge of cutting edge tech-heads out there. As of the current moment, its practicality is questionable; the use of cryptocurrency may not be common enough to justify the investment in the near-term. But could it become so? As the global mainstream familiarizes itself with the numerous diverse uses of blockchain technology, we may see a growing number of these devices pop up. But how can the arrival of a blockchain smartphone be justified? For one, it's to normalize the use of cryptocurrency, not to mention blockchain in general. Until now, we have kept the idea of cryptocurrency separate from our everyday tech lives. In certain circles, the very term borders on curse-word territory, something that all but the most stringent technophiles cannot talk about with a straight face. It’s simply too alien a concept for most to get a grip on. A second possible function of such a device is to make more conspicuous the availability of cryptocurrency by giving them the capability of “mining” it. Cryptocurrency mines are not in the earth, rather the stuff is made through the solution of complex mathematical equations by a designated machine, after which a small amount of cryptocurrency is unlocked. As Blockchain phones are machines first and foremost, it is within the realm of possibility that they could be used in the future to mine on their own. It's an interesting concept to pontificate. Crowd psychology dictates that in the formative phases of a movement, the first followers are of equal importance as the leader. We’ve seen those in the form of the first Bitcoin imitators, which have improved upon as well as mimicked the function of the original. Now we are seeing the first proliferation of this unique type of phone, which will doubtless be perfected upon in the coming years. The very appearance of this technology signals that tech firms are wagering enough consumers will follow to justify further manufacturing. But perhaps not yet. The technology is just too experimental, and not enough consumers are followers of cryptocurrency, which is why these phones exist in the first place. All of that notwithstanding, HTC and the others have called their shot with where they think the future of blockchain it is, and that’s to be carried with us all the time. Time will tell if they are right. 16-17. VIP Gold members MOBILITY PLATFORM: 0048 CZ s.r.o. Czech Republic Praha ABC Data S.A. Poland Warsaw Bluefin Century s.r.o. Slovakia Bratislava BM Electronics FZCO United Arab Emirates Dubai Cell-Tel MIDDLE EAST LLC Central point Europe s.r.o. United Arab Emirates Dubai Central point Europe s.r.o. Slovakia Pezinok Domo Trading Limited Malta Msida Eurostar Global Electronics Ltd United Kingdom Newcastle-under-Lyme GERSIM IMPEX Romania Bucharest HTP France Villeneuve-le-Garenne Intrade d.o.o. Slovenia Maribor Jupiter GSM United Arab Emirates Dubai Komputronik S.A. Poland Poznan LMD GROUP GOLD LTD Israel Ramat Gan NOVAPHONE sp. z.o.o S.K Poland Warsaw Parktel sp. z o.o. Poland Wroclaw Phone Parts Express United Kingdom rochester PPA International AG Germany Schauenburg Prestige Group Srl Italy Bari Q-CONN GmbH Austria Vienna Rixos FZE United Arab Emirates Dubai SELTE SPA Italy MILANO SG SPA Italy MIlano SGM Socher Inc United States New York ------------------ INHOME PLATFORM: BM ELEctronics FZCO United Arab Emirates Dubai Domo Trading Limited Malta Msida Intrade d.o.o. Slovenia Maribor LMD GROUP GOLD LTD Israel Ramat Gan Q-CONN GmbH Austria Vienna Segment Bilgisayar Dış Tic. Ltd.Şti. Turkey İstanbul SELTE SPA Italy MILANO SG SPA Italy MIlano SGM Socher Inc United States New York --------------------- IT PlATFORM: ABC DATA S.A. Poland Warsaw Komputronik S.A. Poland Poznan Prestige Group Srl Italy Bari Segment Bilgisayar Dış Tic. Ltd.Şti. Turkey İstanbul SG SPA Italy MIlano SGM Socher Inc United States New York 18-19 Old hand We Are All Responsible! 2a We Are All Responsible! They call it corporate responsibility, I call it common sense! 5 year old: ”Daddy why aren’t we allowed to wash the car together like we used to do before?” Father: “It’s been that way for the last few years, son. It’s because our planet is heating up and we have to be careful how we use water.” 5 year old: “Daddy, why is our planet heating up?” Father: “Son, because man is producing a poisonous gas called carbon dioxide that destroys an invisible protective layer around our planet called the ozone layer. It’s like a force field. When it’s broken, the sun heats our planet too much. That’s why it’s hot and that’s why we aren’t allowed to use water to wash the car anymore.” 5 year old: “Daddy, why don’t we just stop making the bad gas then?” Yes indeed. Why don’t we? The answer to that question is politics and economics. At this point you are probably wondering what this has to do with technology trading. Please bear with me for a moment because it is having, and will continue to have, an immense impact on our beloved trading business, be that directly or indirectly. I was reading a very interesting article in “The Journal Of Cleaner Production” and I quote: “The total global footprint of carbon dioxide production of the technology and smartphone business is expected to grow from about 1% in 2017 to 3.5% by 2020 and reaching 14% by 2040. This is more than half of the relative contribution of the entire transportation sector worldwide.” WOW! At this point you may sit back and say to yourself, “I don’t believe that global warming exists” or “I don’t believe that global warming is caused by carbon dioxide. It’s all a big conspiracy!” Well, let me tell you that science absolutely confirms the existence of global warming caused by the overproduction of carbon dioxide. Not only that, but reports also states that if we don’t change the way we live our lives, then the effects of global warming will be irreversible by 2036. Some scientists actually believe those effects are already irreversible. Let’s not get too doom and gloom with end times coming too quickly, let’s look at this logically. I believe that if you go the doctors with an illness and the doctor treats you accordingly, in most cases you trust his judgement and work with him. After all, he’s the doctor. He knows more than you. He’s the specialist on the subject and in most cases you trust him. Why is it then that people will not trust the judgement of science when we are referring to global warming? The simple answer is politics, power and finance. You see, people will normally only believe what they choose to believe if it suits their personal agenda and position. Politicians are a fine example of that! Donald Trump, like many of us, is a businessman first. His views on global warming are tentative to say the least, Why? Because to be green can be financially costly. Unfortunately, Trump runs a business and the USA is that business. But in our business it doesn’t have to be that way, nor is it that way! Sustainability is a buzzword that has been associated with global warming for a very long time. I don’t actually know what it truly means when applied to global warming but my interpretation of sustainability is the ability to own, run and operate a business on the basis that that business is self sustainable. If our businesses were not self-sustaining, then we wouldn’t be in business in the first place. But if we apply the word sustainability in the context of global warming,and to our own business, then we are left with a self sustaining business that is neither harmful to itself nor anyone else in any way. Along with that, it is also able to reuse or recycle its own product. If the Journal Of Cleaner Production is to be believed, then we are all responsible for a huge amount of carbon production. After all, we are trading the product that is responsible for the creation of that carbon dioxide. Behold, we are saved! We have within our grasp a true and very real recycling business incorporated by the used business, and if the whispers are to be believed, it is one of the biggest contributors to global warming on the planet. In my opinion, in the very near future the global warming debate will raise its head once more in the public domain, not that it has ever disappeared. Before and after the 2008 financial meltdown, global warming was the hottest subject on earth (excuse the pun)! It all went very quiet after 2008 and I think that was because of affordability. As our economic situation was in chaos at that time, the world leaders could not focus on anything other than survival in the moment. 10 years later the media is at it again, reports about our polluted oceans are back in the International spotlight. It is very possible that the powers that be will without a doubt implement penalties on companies for their negative carbon production in the short term. This of course already exists in the form of carbon credits against carbon negative. I think that at some point in the very near future it will be mandatory to pay a tax against the negative production of carbon dioxide in the form of carbon credits. Currently it is possible for a company to opt in or opt out. I think the intent is to make all companies and individuals financially responsible for their carbon footprints. So guys, if you’re involved in the “used” business or the technology recycling business, you are truly doing your bit for society and at the same time making a healthy profit out of doing so. You can hold your head high knowing you are doing your duty to save our planet and at the same time making a few quid in the process. Well, I for one say there is nothing wrong with that. Corporate responsibility will be a big issue with reference to global warming and it is something that we all have to be very aware of because it will affect our bottom line. But hey, what’s the issue? We can sell used products in the market knowing that we are contributing to a sustainable business model and at the same time continue to make our margin. We have and will have the best of all worlds. I don’t know about you guys but if global warming scenario is correct, as all the evidence points to the fact that it is, then I would also have immense satisfaction in the knowing that I am been personally responsible for the future of my own family along with everyone else’s. Keep The Faith The Old Hand 20-21. Teksmart Spotlight Teksmart Spotlight Teksmart, a newly formed UK startup company, has signed a three year licensing deal with Australian based Investment company, Packhorse Investments. Teksmart are a Smartphone Recycling Enabler. With the positive vertical growth in smartphone recycling combined with a growing consumer demand for refurbished smartphones, Teksmart are filling a gap in the market for supplying solutions to companies that wish to get involved within the used smartphone business. These solutions include a CRM buyback system called Smartcycle, a diagnostics and cosmetic grading system called Smartcheck, along with a complete end-to-end recycling solution called SmartC2C. “The planet is heating up and as businesses we need to be made responsible for our global footprint,” says Managing Director Russell Cusack. “We can’t go on with this irresponsible and relentless drive for profit alone, we have to create sustainable and profitable businesses without destroying our planet. “Unlike a lot of recycling businesses that are not profitable, technology recycling - if done correctly - can be extremely profitable.” According to current research, the production of technology hardware produces a carbon footprint half the size of the entire world’s transport sector combined. As a recycling enabler, Teksmart can advise and implement a solution for any company wishing to get involved in this fast-paced and vertically-growing business. Teksmart have partnered with Packhorse Investments in Australia, who have white labelled their Smartcycle buyback system, and launched it under the Frank Mobile Brand in Australia using Teksmart technology and support. “Although Teksmart are based in the UK, we have established that there is a global need and hunger for a Teksmart enabler and, unlike the UK, many countries worldwide do not have access to any technology recycling solutions,” states Cusack. “This is a very current and exciting opportunity and I am thrilled to be a part if it.  With Teksmart’s three offerings, Smartcheck, Smartcycle and SmartC2C, we can offer any company the opportunity to get involved in this exciting and fast developing green business. This can be a large scale or a smaller type of operation. Teksmart’s mission is to globally remove and recycle as many used smartphones as we can, and with smartphone annual global sales of over 1.6 billion units, we have plenty of companies to work with”. Russell Cusack has a strong leadership track record in the technology sector as former COO of Compub Ltd, one of the largest Apple Premium Resellers and Apple B2B suppliers in Europe.  If you wish to know more about the services Teksmart provides and how Teksmart can enhance your business with a technology recycling solution, please contact us at info@tek-smart.co.uk.  22. Kamkwat Xiaomi Specialist ADV 23. TOP 10 TRADES in July 1 TOP BRANDS November ‘18: (Amount of trades) 1. Samsung 2812 2. Apple 2554 3. LG 809 4. Huawei 677 5. Sony 526 6. Xiaomi 404 7. Nokia 320 8. Samsung LCD 304 9. CAT 172 10. Motorola 159. TOP MODELS November ‘18: (Amount of trades) 1. iPhone 7 32GB 150 2. iPhone 7 128GB 143 3. iPhone 8 64GB 133 4. iPhone 8 Plus 64GB 132 5. Galaxy J3 (2016) – J320 99 6. Airpods 88 7. Galaxy S8 87 8. Galaxy J7 (2017) – J730 84 9. Galaxy S7 84 10. iPhone 7 Plus 128GB 84 24-25. TAKEAWAYS FROM THE EAST THE NEXT GENERATION TAKEAWAYS FROM THE EAST: THE NEXT GENERATION Back in the summer, The Handelot Times let you traders know that Estonia would be the first country in the world, together with Finland, to have a 5G network up and running. It is currently there, but unfortunately that’s all we can say about this innovation: it exists. Meanwhile, Chinese smartphone manufacturers have been looking for ways that 5G can work on their prized devices. Naturally, that means looking at the two leaders of the mobile game in China: Huawei and Xiaomi, and observing the technology behind their 5G ambitions. Welcome to a special edition of Takeaways from the East. As you’ve read, we’ve chosen to feature Huawei’s newest mobile powerhouses and celebrate their sub-brand Honor’s successes. Why are the Mate 20 series so impressive? Why is Honor able to have such a powerful gaming phone? The Kirin 980, an impressively small microprocessor, is the secret to their successes. Introduced just days before Apple unveiled their new crop of iPhones to the world, the 980 is the world's first 7-nanometer (nm) chipset -- the world's smallest to date. Of course, the set wouldn’t have been made so small if Kirin weren’t prepared to pack it with power. The 980 contains 1.6 times as many transistors as their previous chipset did, reports the Times of India. There’s lots of other tech specs that sound impressive: it has an octa-core comprised of Cortex A76 and A55 cores, and also works in tandem with the Mali-G76 graphics processing unit in the new Huawei devices. Those things are barely noticeable unless your device lags during a particularly heated game of Fortnite. More obvious is the chipset’s capacity for advanced facial recognition – it helps cameras recognize a human face from that of a dog, for example. All of those features will fuel the success of this phone and Huawei as a whole. Most of all, the Kirin 980 is the first chip that will be able to support 5G technology. Speaking to the Times of India, Benjamin Wang, Huawei’s deputy general manager of chipsets, recently announced that his company will launch 5G-capable devices starting in 2019. In short, the company seems poised to launch the Internet Of Things revolution for an entire hemisphere. The Kirin line of chipsets is made by Shenzhen-based HiSilicon (or Haisi for short), a subsidiary of Huawei started in 2004. Since then, they have reportedly grown to be the largest domestic designer of integrated circuits in China. As such, they have powered phones ever since launching the Honor brand, not to mention being their go-to for powering their flagship phones since 2015. Their in-house chipset manufacturers have made them a 5G pioneer; Apple quickly followed suit in releasing its own 7nm chip for its iPhones, and Qualcomm is set to do the same early next year. Haisi and Huawei can claim “first!” You can never bet against the competitive and enterprising Chinese smartphone market to give us some excitement, though. In October, Xiaomi announced the release of the upcoming Mi Mix 3. Of course, it has impressive features aplenty, including a 6.4-inch OLED screen and a bezel-less design ensured by the slider function, whose increasing popularity we covered in the last edition of The Handelot Times. What stands out, however, is that the Mi Mix 3 will reportedly be the first 5G phone on the planet, meaning that the device will carry a 5G radio in addition to a reported 10GB of RAM with a bezel-less screen and sliding function that helps house their four-camera setup, two in the front and two in the back. The term “Internet of Things” has been bandied about when discussing the arrival of 5G technology. A plethora of tools and devices we use in our personal and professional lives will supposedly connect and work in-sync with each other to help us better. Therefore, 5G phones might be the least exciting thing about this coming innovation. However, one of the added benefits of 5G connectivity is something called radio convergence, which is the combining of multiple networking functions like cellular signals and WiFi to achieve reductions in power, complexity, and cost. 5G phones could make connectivity faster while lowering the burden on your device’s battery. In an era where manufacturers are trying to figure out how charge batteries faster and faster, that’s an infinitely attractive feature. Huawei initially planned to have the first 5G phone out in the back half of 2018, but Xiaomi will, by all appearances, beat them to it. However, Huawei is developing the first 5G networks in China and are conducting trials in other countries like Bangladesh for deployment between now and 2025. Watching Huawei and Xiaomi, the two top dogs on the Chinese market, push each other to develop the infrastructure of technology that will become commonplace in our lives is fascinating. It’s good for them, good for consumers, and good for you, the trader. 26. H-asia 1 27. Honor Profile HUAWEI BEGETS HONOR Having released a gaming smartphone, the Honor Play, in the summer and preparing to release their brand new Honor Magic, it’s time to look back at how far Huawei’s sub-brand has come. You, the trader, may think it strange to inject world history into an article on a top smartphone brand, but if you would humor me for a moment as I deal you the following analogy, you’ll see the similarities in play. The world of today is made up of many nations, territories and empires, but it was not always this way. Before the Common Era, there were fewer, larger civilizations that controlled the Earth’s landmass. One such civilization is Phoenicia, who is responsible for the roots of the modern Latin script. Phoenicians colonized the Mediterranean ocean, leaving many settlements all over North Africa, and the Middles East. Chief among them was Carthage, a chief Phoenician city that transformed into an empire so large and powerful that it established its own colonies. Huawei, like ancient Phoenicia, has carved out a vast territory for itself. As of this year, it has surpassed Apple to become the world’s second-largest smartphone maker. Their Mate 20 line of devices is widely expected to become a hot seller. And they are responsible for their own Carthage: the Honor sub-brand of budget smartphones that not only locked down the Chinese market but became a force to be reckoned with in markets worldwide. Honor was launched in 2013, when the conglomerate decided to go ahead and spinoff one of its phone lines into its own brand aimed at low-cost phones, dedicated at the time to work with its own competitors in-country such as Xiaomi. Now, it's become a prestigious brand in its own right, pumping out much ballyhooed phones not just in China, but in many countries abroad. The world smartphone market, like the world make-up of states, is evolving to include different competitors. Some smaller than others, not trying to take over the entire world. But they serve their purpose. Honor is an example of a brand whose purpose coincided with a need to be filled the world over. That's why it stays in the mouths of traders everywhere. 28-29. THE HUAWEI P20 WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR THE HUAWEI P20: WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR Competition in the smartphone market is absolutely brutal. With Xiaomi poised to become the next Apple and up-and-coming firms attempting radical new uses for smart devices, Huawei has evidently decided that the best way to proceed is to give customers more of what they want, faster than anyone else can possibly give it. Enter the Mate 20 series, which comes in standard, Pro, and Lite editions. The new talk of Huawei’s lineup premiered at a London event in October, and is set to be released by the time you’re reading this very sentence. The Mate 20 is a smartphone line that arguably makes a modern mobile lifestyle more possible than ever, with a bigger battery, faster charging, an impressive camera setup, and more. In beefing up what people look for in smartphones, the Chinese stalwart is attempting to find success in the “more is better” mindset. But does it equate to a quality device? Below you can find the goods on the phone specs that consumers care most about. The Battery The Mate 20 series packs a battery capacity in excess of 4000 mAh, with the Pro maxing out at 4220 mAh, which is good for a nearly 100-hour battery life on standby. By comparison, Samsung’s Galaxy Note 9 carries a 4000mAh capacity, while the new iPhone XS Plus has a capacity of 3174 mAh. What is more, the Mate 20s are the latest to support Huawei’s native Supercharge technology, which boasts of a 70% charging ability in just 30 minutes. The Exterior The Mate 20s sport the curved-glass front that has been typical of flagship phones in recent years. However, the back of the phone is where things get interesting, having a vinylesque grip that makes for a unique, handheld haptic experience. The devices make for some real eye-candy as well, with a “twilight gradient” that changes colors depending on the angle of the light. In incorporating these unique visual tricks into the design of the phone, Huawei is attempting to kickstart conversation around the brand as a design innovator in the smartphone world. Additionally, Huawei has switched from Samsung to BOE as the source for its OLED Gorilla Glass, per GSM Arena. The Camera Rumors have swirled for the larger part of a year about Huawei’s experimentations with a tri-camera setup in this phone, we finally get to see the fruit of the experiment. It turns out that one of the three cameras touts an ultra-wide 16mm lens with an aperture of f/2.2. The three cameras work together to provide picture quality upwards of 40MP with a combined 5x hybrid zoom. And that’s only scratching the surface. There’s plenty of things in this device for shutterbugs to love. The Final Verdict Trust Huawei to invest in and provide the requisite technology to keep the whole device stable and running as it should with its brand new Kirin 980 processors. But are the Mate 20s more than cameras that allow you to make phone calls? If they were simply that, they’d be going for an exorbitant amount on the market. However, the Mate 20s can be had for less than EUR 1000, which cannot be said for the Galaxies and iPhones of the present world. Maximal features for a minimal price are the order of the day in Huawei’s corner of the world, and they should win in the end. 30-31. BLOCKCHAIN A PRIMER BLOCKCHAIN: A PRIMER If the very mention of the term gives you a headache, this is the article for you. In going about daily business, in giving something to one so that we may receive something from another, we often encounter so-called middlemen. These middlemen, when they act as intended, ensure that transactions of all stripes process smoothly, and that all involved follow the previously established rules of conducting such transactions as they were intended. However, as time has gone on and as technology has empowered us to start our own initiatives and take chances to gain ever more as they come. Risk-taking has replaced risk aversion in business, and the spoke-and-hub mechanics that govern the field must change accordingly. Enter the blockchain, a technology that is primed to replace the old spoke-and-hub order of everyday transactions. Blockchain is all about democratizing access. Chances are if you’ve heard the term before, it has been in conjunction with Bitcoin, a so-called cryptocurrency. In the late 2000s, Bitcoin was thought up by Satoshi Nakamoto, a shadowy figure that to this day people know relatively little about. Mystery notwithstanding, blockchain was is the engine of this unique project, which now has a global circulation worth billions of US dollars. What was a laughable pursuit five years ago has become a serious investment now. But it’s about so much more than currency. We are beginning to discover that blockchain technology has a groundswell of potential for development that could change all manner of transactions forever. Rather than centrally validating transactions, blockchain – called such because every “block” or user is linked – is predicated upon every user having the same permissions and rights with regard to access to information across the board. Instead of one official ledger, every user in a blockchain has a ledger which is updated with the most recent changes simultaneously. Its very mechanism is fraud-averse; records are managed via peer-to-peer networks and collaboratively authenticated and timestamped. Additionally, no data can be retroactively altered without the consent of everyone in the blockchain. Need something more concrete to help your understanding? “The traditional way of sharing documents with collaboration is to send a Microsoft Word document to another recipient, and ask them to make revisions to it,” says entrepreneur William Mougayar. :The problem with that scenario is that you need to wait until receiving a return copy before you can see or make other changes because you are locked out of editing it until the other person is done with it.” Mougayar compares blockchain to Google Docs, where “all parties have access to the same document at the same time, and the single version of that document is always visible.” Although instead of simple text, entire financial records, inventory accounts, and encrypted documents are shared with a predetermined speed (Bitcoin’s blocks are created and updated every ten minutes for example, while Etherium’s come every 14 to 15 seconds). Put simply, it eliminates the middleman and allows quicker access to all the things we value in life. Of course, nothing is entirely foolproof. The decentralized aspect of blockchain doesn’t provide for error-free transactions. There’s the issue of forks, which occur when a blockchain updates its operating software, and could cause a discrepancy in the rules of operating for a particular chain if all users do not update concurrently. However, these are avoidable by setting rules for the entire chain and holding users to them, and future tweaks to the concept should go a long way toward minimizing forking. But imagine a world where you no longer have to worry about waiting for a bank to clear a transaction, or when a contract will automatically execute for us once certain criteria are met? That's the world we are looking at as we head deeper and deeper into the 21st century. How can we be sure it will work? It will, simply if we believe it will. Medieval Europe saw the rise of tulips, and ownership of them became a status symbol. Then it was gold, which is a functionally weak metal but humans value it simply because it looks good. The paper money we use for everyday transactions is a stand-in for gold; in essence, it is a representation of a representation of value. Faith is the strongest capital we have, and it’s what will make blockchain of untold value in the future. 32-33. GPUs AND CRYPTO MINING GPUs AND CRYPTO MINING? What exactly is happening with this market? Is everything what it seems? You may remember the Handelot Times' coverage early this year about cryptocurrency mining farms in places like China and Iceland, namely the huge warehouses and tents full of GPUs that consume lots of power for mining Bitcoin, Etherium, Litecoin, Monero, and others. Cryptocurrency farms like these are by-and-large fueling their value at this point, but did you know that the everyday internet user can also use their laptop or desktop as a mining machine? Thanks to high-powered graphics cards typically used for gaming, the average Joe can play a part in building the value of the legal tender of the future. Nvidia and AMD are two of the world's foremost graphics processing unit (GPU) manufacturers, both responsible for the evolution of the video game industry. These units, in turn, can also be used for mining cryptocurrencies thanks to their high hashrates. As The Handelot Times has previously explained, cryptocurrency mining is but a euphemism for the mechanics of its creation; computers with high-powered processors sole complex mathematical equations, which get increasingly complex over time and therefore require higher-powered GPUs to resolve. In TechRadar’s round up of the six best GPUs for mining, the two firms take all the spots. However, the stances of Nvidia and AMD on mining are very different given their recent fortunes. According to ExtremeTech, Nvidia saw a boom in the entry of novice miners from 2017 into early 2018 seeking to buy GPUs for mining, resulting in their revenue soar to $289 million USD in Q1. However, Nvidia recently announced that earnings from crypto-specific GPUs amounted to just $18 million USD in the most recent quarter, down from a $100 million USD projection. Reasons behind this include the skyrocketing value of Bitcoin, currently the most recognizable digital coin, and the related diminishing returns when mining as an individual. As of now, it doesn’t make sense (or cents, if your sense of humor will allow it). As Nvidia second-guesses its entry into the graphics card game, AMD is doubling down. They have announced plans to release eight new graphics cards into the market. Dubbed “blockchain compute solutions” which could doubtlessly boost your frame rate, they are tailor-made for mining that sweet sweet crypto. Ranging from simple single GPU setups to massive 20 GPU rigs with additional industrial-strength power supplies, AMD is taking the long view in this renewed investment into cryptocurrency. Is this move wise on the part of AMD? If the focus of their buyers is Bitcoin, then this ship could sink sooner than it set sail. But given the existing cryptocurrencies being mined that are rival to Bitcoin, like the aforementioned Ethereum and Monero which are currently much less valuable, there is value to be found as an individual miner hoping to invest in this technology and reap the rewards. Is Nvidia’s move wise? They are working off of the increasingly popular belief that ASICs ‒ application specific integrated circuits ‒ are better suited to mining operations because they are priced similarly to GPUs and don’t require a computer. However this means that GPUs, which saw their prices soar when the initial crypto gold rush took off in 2017, will return to levels around their suggested retail prices much to the delight of gamers, who are Nvidia’s core consumer base. The news that Nvidia is pulling out could mean a surge in sales and therefore a surge in shipments, which makes this a wiser choice for stocking up on. 34-35. Shipping On The Blockchain Shipping On The Blockchain Can the blockchain do everything? Probably not. It’s not conceivable how a blockchain can make your morning breakfast, but with that said it's capable of things we simply didn't think about when Bitcoin founder Satori Hatoshi released his white paper on the technology ten years ago. Could it even revolutionize our industry? On multiple levels, the possibility exists. Let's start with the very process of shipping. For Handelot’s partners who roll heavy in acquisitions and sales, it can be a real pain trying to track down where everything came from and where it's going. Firms like Provenance are aiming to use blockchain for creating a digital paper trail from origin to warehouse to retail. How? Knowing that a centralized system cannot ensure of enforce transparency, they’ve invented digital “passports” that prove authenticity and origin while decreasing the chances for fraudulent behavior. Similarly, Skuchain is using blockchain to create a zero-knowledge collaborative platform to safely and securely share data that often gets lost in cross-border transactions With regards to the shipping itself, so many factors can hang up cargo from reaching its destination: damage en route, congested ports, and inclement weather on the high seas are all factors in moving goods. The shipping giant Maersk is working to better provide marine insurance, one of the historically least efficient insurances, and make it easier to track and manage on the go. Having tested a blockchain concept with Microsoft, Maersk seeks to enable various parties to settle upon the terms of premiums in a manner designed to reduce time and cost, not to mention the tedium and friction that often accompanies insurance claims. Agreements between sellers and buyers have something to gain from blockchain as well. The mere act of composing and signing legal documents can be made easier, and UK-based firm Selachii is showing us how. Using blockchain, smart-contracts are created that cannot be lost or altered without all concerned parties being able to track the changes. Disputes are nullified because the proceedings are transparent. Fraud is reduced because owed money is not paid out (the automated mechanism for which also uses blockchain technology) until contracts meet a pre-agreed upon set of requirements and, because paper is not involved and associate fees are not a factor, costs are reduced. The possibilities of blockchain seem boundless, and they hold so much promise for the evolution of dropshipping. As our industry has its own particular set of concerns regarding trust, security and cooperation, traders more than anyone could stand to benefit from creating blockchain-based safeguards and conveniences. Imagine a sight-based grading system where shippers can certify on shipping and receiving end. Or perhaps a fraud alert system that’s built into payment processing, automatically sounding off when certain criteria in smart-contracts are not met. There's room for all of us to innovate and find ways to use it to our advantage. 36. handelot Advertising map 37. Rationalfx 38. Dream Cargo 39. Challenger 40. 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