The handelot times issue 26 The Handelot Times Volume XXVI August 2021 https://www.handelot.com/handelotimes/issue26/index.html Open Markets?Towards an Open world without Pandemic Anxiety? - MWC 2021- Are events doomed? p06 - Post-pandemic rebound -Why inflation is shaking the markets p10 - Covid QR Code_ freedom or slavery p36 - OldHand p12, Najib's Corner p16, twitter blue, amazon, tax on web giants and much more.. Advertisers: Wowo China p09, Rocketdrop p15, Riba Mundo p18, Teksmart p44, Erregame p51, H-asia p53, NewbridgeFX p55 Recruitment: Tiger Team expanding his mini B2B Team in Poland p21 BSC is hiring Sales Account Managers p45 VIP Gold Members p24-38 Mobility p24, Inhome p30, IT p34, Medical/ Services/ Logistics p37 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- 13 years on the market 3 Lines of business: Platform, Magazine and Events 4 Segments: Mobility, Inhome, IT and Medicals The Handelot Times: Design: Adam Mieloszynski Copywriter: Melania Romanelli Copywriter: Kazi Najib Ashraf Copywriter: The Old Hand Copywriter: Vasudevan, K.S. Associates of the organisation: Taha Tuzuner – Business Consultant Team Leader Dima Malovanyi – Business Consultant Team Leader Koushik Deka – Business Consultant Team Leader Khrystyna Terletska – Partner Coordinator Team Lead Alicja Gogola – Business Consultant Alex Livanios – Business Consultant Omar Benabdellah – Business Consultant Jon Rodriguez – Business Consultant Venktesh Prasad – Business Consultant Jack Serdak – Business Consultant Victoria Chen – Business Consultant Carolina Kotulska- Business Consultant Kiryl Trukhan - Business Consultant Ruslan Panahov – Business Developer Ishan Ghose - Business Developer Ignacio “Nacho” Ruis – Business Developer Ziya Hasanli - Business Developer Elza Lerner- Administrative Manager Claudia Aniszkiewicz – Partner Coordinator Dominik Pawelec – Partner Coordinator Katarzyna Mroczkowska – Partner Coordinator Sandra Grabowska Lis – Partner Coordinator Ifla Zafar – Partner Coordinator Edgar Arana – Business Consultant Tetiana Handziuk – Administration Agnieszka Pulawska – CFO Valentyn Petruchek – Head of Development Alexander Golovnya – Development Cesar Gonzalez Patryk Skowron Advertising: For quotes please email times@handelot.com or call us at +48717152600. 01. Front 02. Intro 03. Index 04-05. Quick Hits 06-08. MWC- Are events doomed- How we risk to go backwards with the Pandemic Anxiety 09. Wowo 10-11. Post-pandemic rebound_ why inflation is shaking the markets 12-14. The Old Hand -Truth is stranger than Fiction 15. Rocket Drop 16-17. Najib Corner - HAVE WE ACHEIVED POST PANDEMIC YET 18-19. Riba mundo 20. Top Products Top Manufacturer Top Brands Top Models 21. BSC 22-23. PS4 and PS5 - Sony encourages developers to integrate cross-play into their games 24- 35. VIP Gold + services 36-39. Covid QR Code_ freedom or slavery 40-41. Twitter Blue- Paid version in Canada and Australia 42. Teksmart- Open Partnerships 43. Tiger team44-45. EU, on tax on web giants now expand consensus to G20 46-48. Amazon, Google and Facebook prepare the return to work in office 49. Erregame 50. Media, Fb intends to cease special treatment for politicians 51. H-asia 52. Price per Magazine 53. Newbridge FX 54-55. OnePlus announces business integration with Oppo 56-57. Apple Privacy- IOS 15 and the news to better protect 58-59. Google will launch an earthquake alert system on Android 60-61. OnePlus Nord CE 5G- Mobile for everyone 62. Handelot Offices 12. Quick Hits Vaccines and fake green passes, Telegram channels seized Fake vaccines and Green Passes sold on the dark web at a price ranging between one hundred and 130 euros. This was discovered by the Special Privacy Protection and Technological Fraud Unit, which seized 10 Telegram channels through which the products were marketed and to which thousands of users had already registered. The investigation made it possible to identify the Telegram channels through real-time monitoring of the web and the use of a series of innovative technological tools. The channels referred to anonymous accounts on specific spaces on the dark web through which it was possible to contact the sellers and proceed with the purchase. Payment had to be made in cryptocurrencies and customers were also offered all-inclusive packages with guarantee of anonymity, shipment traceability, refrigerated packaging, certification of vaccine administration. The green passes for sale, the financiers ascertained, reported the false identification data of the vaccinee, the Qr Code, the number that distinguishes the batch of origin of the first and second dose of vaccine. Certificates that, according to the sellers themselves, were also delivered outside the EU and in particular in the United States, Great Britain and Switzerland. Web giants against online abuse of women Worldwide 38% of women have been abused online. The percentage rises to 45% for Generation Z and Millennials, the youngest and most connected. For women of color and those in the LGBTQ + community, abuse is often worse. And the consequences can be devastating, causing mental and sometimes physical damage as unfortunately the news shows us. That's why four web giants - Facebook, Google, Twitter and TikTok - have pledged to review their online moderation and reporting systems to address abuse of women on their platforms. The commitment came during the Global Forum for Gender Equality convened by the United Nations in Paris, and is led by the World Wide Web Foundation, an association co-founded by one of the fathers of the Internet Tim Berners Lee. The push also comes from a letter signed by over 200 women around the world, from former heads of state to global leaders, from sport women to activists, who have appealed to social media to correct persistent weaknesses in the way which face gender-based violence online. Among the signatories are former President of Chile Michelle Bachelet and former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, celebrities including Annie Lennox, Ashley Judd, Thandiwe Newton and Emma Watson, but also former US tennis player Billie Jean King. The four tech companies are committed to tackling online abuse of women by focusing on two main areas of concern in their platforms: the inability of women to control who can reply, comment and interact with their posts, the lack of clear systems and trustworthy to report abuse online. To improve the first area, the platforms are committed to offering more detailed security settings to users and improving the language by making it simpler and more accessible. With regard to reports, however, the companies have undertaken to offer users the ability to track and manage their reports once they have been made and to report the context and language of a particular content. Bitcoin: Ft, tight British authority over Binance UK financial authorities have ordered cryptocurrency trading platform Binance to stop all regulated activity in Britain, imposing stringent requirements. The Financial Times reports it, noting that Binance has until Wednesday evening to confirm that it has fulfilled the requests of the authorities. The intervention by the Financial Conduct Authority shows how authorities are keeping the cryptocurrency industry in check on fears that they may be used for illegal activities. Still, Bitcoin rises 8.1% to $ 35,000 regardless of Britain's squeeze. Amazon is a top company in purchasing renewable energy Amazon today announced 14 new renewable energy projects in the United States, Canada, Finland and Spain to advance the goal of powering 100% of businesses with renewable energy by 2025, five years earlier than the initial goal of 2030. This was announced by the e-commerce giant, explaining that the new projects bring Amazon's total investments in renewable energy to 10 gigawatts (GW) of electricity production capacity, enough to power 2.5 million housing in the United States. Amazon is now the largest corporate buyer of renewable energy in the US and the world. “We are pushing hard to meet the goals set with the Climate Pledge, our commitment to achieve net zero CO2 emissions by 2040, 10 years before the Paris Agreement," said Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon. The Climate Pledge, co-founded by Amazon and Global Optimism in 2019 and which now has 108 subscribers, is a commitment to reach the Paris Agreement 10 years early and to be net zero CO2 emissions by 2040. “Our investments in wind and solar energy in the United States and around the world send a signal that intends to emphasize that investing in green technologies is the right thing to do for the planet and citizens, as well as for long-term success companies of any size, operating in all sectors, everywhere,” added Bezos. Amazon now has a total of 232 renewable energy projects globally, including 85 industrial-scale wind and solar projects and 147 photovoltaic roofs on sites and stores around the world. Samsung presents One UI Watch at the Barcelona fair At its virtual event at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, ​​Samsung unveiled One UI Watch, the customized interface for connected watches based on Google's Android Wear platform. Until before the announcement of the collaboration with Big G, which took place at Google I / O this year, Samsung was using the home software Tizen OS for smartwatches. In a press release, the company said that: “One UI Watch, together with the new unified platform, will create a completely new Galaxy Watch experience.” Samsung has shown some more detail on the One UI Watch changes with a couple of examples. The new Galaxy Watch 4 will be the first device to feature One UI Watch and will be unveiled at the Unpacked event in August. On that occasion, the Galaxy Fold 3 should also be unveiled, folding with book opening, an improvement on the current one with the novelty of the S Pen support. Tae Kim, Samsung's Customer Experience Strategy, explicitly stated to the MWC: “We plan to bring the S Pen to other flagships soon". The reference, although not explicit, would be precisely to the new folding smartphone, after the ballpoint certification obtained at the US FCC. MWC- Are events doomed? How we risk to go backwards with the Pandemic Anxiety There is an increase in reports throughout the European continent of delta variant cases, in particular among fans and tourists on vacation. Reports from Finland, Spain and Portugal. The reports coming from Spain, Finland and Portugal are particularly worrying. Moreover, Finnish health authorities report numerous cases of Covid among the approximately 4500 Euro 2020 fans returning from matches in Russia. The Dutch authorities report a notable increase in cases among students returning from Palma de Mallorca (Spain) and the Algarve (Portugal). All reported participation in leisure activities, such as large-scale organized events such as concerts and parties. Problem: Spain Europe is raising its guard over the rise in Coronavirus infections in Spain. The evolution of the epidemiological picture in the Iberian Peninsula is included in a circular from the Ministry of Health entitled "International Delta variant alert: increase in Covid-19 cases in various European countries”. The novelty after Spain became red on the ECDC European map and was classified as a nation at risk by Germany. In the meantime, some restrictions will come back into force in Catalonia from 10 July. The Iberian country, then, has turned to be a state at risk, with new restrictions on the horizon. First of all, the transmission of Covid-19 among young people in Spain has doubled in a week and (July 9th), and has reached an incidence of 1,047 cases in the 20 to 29 year old group and 891 in the 12 to 19 year old group each 100 thousand inhabitants. The Efe agency reports it. In this very same short period, and as a result of this increase, the Spanish national average incidence rose by 163 points to 316.1 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 14 days, according to the Ministry of Health, which on 9 July notified 21,879 new positive cases in only 24 hours. Spain remains at extreme risk of Coronavirus transmission (more than 250 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 14 days) and there are already eight communities in this situation, after the increase in the virus circulation indicator in Aragon, the Balearic Islands and Cantabria, which are added to Asturias, Castilla y León, Catalonia, Valencian Community and Navarre. Catalonia immediately run for cover strategies. Discos and other nightclubs in Barcelona and throughout the region were set to be closed, while vaccination certificate became mandatory to access any outdoor event involving more than 500 people. Why Catalonia? "Most of the new cases identified - reads the circular of the Ministry of Health - are occurring in the unvaccinated young population, in many cases linked to super-diffused leisure events in closed environments, where large groups of people from different places (both Spaniards and foreigners) spend a lot of time together without following the foreseen preventive measures. Other age groups are starting to be affected by this increase, especially those in which vaccination is not yet complete”. The Spanish health authorities are evaluating new restrictions in the various autonomous communities to control the situation and recommend canceling all trips of this type with destination Mallorca (at the time we are writing this). Closed environments, then. The Mobile World Congress case One of the main concerns of Spanish citizens and aficionados was the big event in Barcelona, the WMC, which took place on June 28th. The world’s largest phone show, Mobile World Congress, was moving forward with an in-person event in June, despite the risks that it could turn into a COVID-19 superspreader event. If you watch the video highlights on their websites, you can see all set up and with Covid restrictions well informed: people were wearing masks and there is no sign of muster moments. Still, we had another point of view from an internal viewer, a participant that went to the WMC and went back home with the Delta variant on his body. What happened there? “I wasn’t vaccinated, I was supposed to be on July 14. Inside [the event] they did an antigen test to be able to enter and the use of a mask and gel was mandatory. The fair ended on a Thursday and on Sunday I started with the symptoms [Covid, Delta Variant]. A colleague of mine was called by the Ministry of Health, saying that there was an outbreak there, with 300 certified cases already. My reflection is: was it really necessary to do the MWC? We had a stand in Hall 3 and no one was there. It was not any manufacturer or distributor, only ZTE of the known ones. I understand that mobile gives work in Barcelona, ​​etc ... but we are in a pandemic, and if the main players like Samsung, Xiaomi, etc. do not go, it is for something”. Was it for something? And, above all, why is this outbreak not mentioned in any online newspaper or newscast? And hasn't the same happened for the 2021 European Soccer Championships? It is true that the former was an indoor event, while FIFA 2021 was played outdoors, but what was different about these events compared to many crowds that have been banned around the world? At this point, as our internal viewer suggests, is it not a question of “games" of force that are getting the better of the pandemic itself, but helping to cause its (silent) fallout? Finally, how to connect the boom concerning the new cases to these events without being able to count on pure journalistic narration? To date, as we write, we have not yet been able to give an answer to all this... 09. Wowo_1 10-11. Post-pandemic rebound -Why inflation is shaking the markets_2 Post-pandemic rebound: why inflation is shaking the markets At the table of the COVID 19 crisis there is a new guest: inflation. The rise in prices is stirring the markets, with their ears pricked to hear the words of the central bankers. The alarm stems from the probability that an inflationary flare-up - nourished by a faster-than-expected recovery - could convince the ECB and the Fed to anticipate the rate hike, conditioning the consolidation of the post-COVID recovery and modifying the allocation of resources. The rediscovery of bonds The expansionist policy of the Central Banks, aimed at flooding the economic system with liquidity to buffer the crisis, has reduced bond yields to historic lows and convinced investors to focus on equities to obtain a greater return. If inflation alarms Central Banks, the prospect of an early squeeze could reverse course and bring eyes back to the bond market (as has already happened in recent weeks, with yields on American T-Bonds and Italian BTPs rising sharply) . Inflation and the recovery “problem” Among the many side effects of COVID-19, there is a price distortion. Restrictions and uncertainties about economic resilience caused consumption to collapse and deflationary pressures to emerge. The problem could exist at the moment of recovery: the recovery, if rapid, could cause prices to rise to the point of convincing Central Banks to intervene. The threshold to keep an eye on is, as always, that of inflation at 2%. Fed and ECB have set this post as a signal of a healthy price rise: if it is lower, there is a tendency to support an expansionary monetary policy; otherwise, they could tighten the cords and increase the cost of borrowing. The Fed and the ECB's view on inflation The overheating of inflation, therefore, is shaking the financial world. Whether you look at the numbers or pay attention to the words of the top US and EU institutions, speaking of concern still seems premature. 2% is a consolidated threshold, but not lacking in flexibility, especially in an unprecedented context such as that of a sudden economic crisis linked to a pandemic. The Fed, in particular, seems oriented to withstand inflation beyond the threshold, intervening only in the event that the flare-up should stabilize. It remains to be seen whether the rise in prices is structural or temporary. The ECB has a clear idea: “Inflation - explained the president Christine Lagarde after the board of directors on 11 March - has increased over the last few months due to temporary factors such as the increase in energy prices, but the background pressures remain contained. Consequently, 'the inflation outlook remains largely unchanged”. Is it so? There are some signs of change. In the euro area, it went from -0.3 per cent in December 2020 to 0.9 in January 2021, the strongest increase in over a decade. In Germany, in particular, the president of the German central bank Jens Weidmann has predicted that in the course of 2021 it will exceed 3 percent, in part due to some impromptu factors such as an increase in VAT and a new tax on emissions. In the UK, economists believe it will rise above 2 per cent in the course of 2021. In the United States, inflation is at 1.4 per cent, exactly as it was a year ago, but even here most economists believe it will exceed 2 percent by the end of the year, or in any case as soon as the coronavirus pandemic is contained and economic activities can resume at full capacity. Markets are also beginning to see some fear of a possible return of inflation, as shown by some recent phenomena such as the sharp increase in the value of bitcoins, used as a safe haven. What about the consumer? Let's start with the issue that worries the final consumer: the eye on the shopping. Although some prices of discount products show no sign of increasing (e.g. if the policy of a discounter is to have bread at 99 cents, it will continue to do so due to its main mission and core business), what about those markets that were penalized the most due to the pandemic? While there are currently plenty of offers with tempting terms, including low cost payments and looser cancellation terms, most experts have predicted, however, that when we start traveling again, prices will start to rise. Airlines will be shrunken versions of themselves, with reduced route networks and transformed on-board services. The crisis will continue to streamline the operator market, hotels will have to spend more on cleaning and travel insurance - which could also become mandatory for all travelers - is likely to be more expensive than ever. It is no coincidence that Lonely Planet founder Tony Wheeler painfully warned that “it would be a very sad new world if travel becomes a thing only for the rich and the sabbatical ceases to exist.” But while higher prices will be the reality in the short and medium term, long-term forecasts suggest the return of the type of international travel we knew before this year, probably in mid-2022 or 2023. We will be focusing on this current mandatory topic within the next issue of the Handelot Times. Stay tuned. 12-14. The Old Hand -Truth is stranger than Fiction_3 Truth is stranger than Fiction When I was informed that the general subject of this month’s Handelot Times was Open Markets and towards a world without Pandemic Anxiety I really struggled to get to grips with the topic. The reason is that I truly do not believe that as a society we will ever experience again in our lives a world without Pandemic Anxiety. Yes, it’s a very hard pill to swallow and, for most people, a pill they won’t accept, but please bear it with me and I will try to explain myself. If you read one of my previous articles called “Awake or A Sheep”, then you will probably get a clearer insight to where I am going with this. You may find shocking what I am going to write here, you may think I am a conspiracy theorist but please let me assure you that the information I am about to divulge to you is a tiny window based on 18 months of intensive research - and I do profess that I am somewhat of an avid researcher. We are all guided by the mainstream media, this includes social media. Our decisions and our actions are concluded by our own interpretation of what we see and what we hear and, more importantly, what we are told. With regards to information, we tend to be fed as opposed to acting like an independent thinker and collating and gathering our own information. On the 10th of December 2020 the BBC launched what they call new guidelines within the Trusted News Initiative (TNI). The TNI is a very new organization and was only set up in 2020. Here are some of the TNI active members: AP, AFP; BBC, CBC/Radio-Canada, European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Facebook, Financial Times, First Draft, Google/YouTube, The Hindu, Microsoft, Reuters, Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, Twitter, The Washington Post. Their intention was to prevent the false reporting of any negative or opposing narrative that contradicted the current Covid policies implemented by The WHO (World Health Organization) on Covid, Vaccination, Covid procedure and Lockdowns. https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/2020/trusted-news-initiative-vaccine-disinformation In my opinion it is the responsibility of the mainstream media to simply report, not to intervene in politics or judgement, certainly not to form organizations to control the content of information. Simply, to report. It is our responsibility to make our own judgement based on the factual information that we receive. This is the fundamental basis of unsuppressed freedom of speech along with freedom of choice. Something we all believe we have access to in a democratic and free-thinking society. Unfortunately, with the existence of the TNI, we don’t. Outside of the above organizations and based on my intensive research these are just a few facts that I can now present to you. Karry Mullis was an American biochemist who won the 1993 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the invention of the polymerase chain reaction technique (PCR). Kerry Mullis died in August of 2019. The PCR technique was not created as a test for a virus and Karry Mullis repeatedly stated during his life that it was an unsafe technique to use as a test for a virus. The main reason was that it would possibly produce far too many false positives. And yet after Karry Mullis died in 2019 the WHO adopted the PCR test as their Gold Standard. Our lives are currently and constantly being managed and organized by the data collated from these PCR tests, which according to the inventor of the PCR is flawed. Did you ever read any articles in the mainstream media about Karry Mullis and his constant objections to the use of the PCR to test for a virus? Off course not, as soon as anything relating to this subject that is posted on mainstream media or social media it is immediately removed based on the TNI initiative. Dr Robert Malone is the inventor of the mRNA Vaccine. A few weeks ago, the mainstream media, The Daily Mail in the UK, wrote an article about Malones concerns about the fact that young people and children should not be vaccinated with mRNA vaccines due to the risk of severe side effects. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9719891/Inventor-mRNA-vaccines-says-young-adults-teens-not-forced-COVID-vaccine.html The article was diluted down and although true in its content it did not give a true interpretation of Malones real concerns about the vaccination policy, off which he has many. You can find this information here: https://trialsitenews.com/how-to-save-the-world-in-three-easy-steps/ Once again, as with Karry Mullis and due to Malones negative reporting on the vaccination, the mainstream media gave lip service to Malone because he created the vaccine, but they did not report the crucial truth about Malones true findings about the vaccination program. Since the start of the Pandemic - and for many weeks now - people have been marching in the streets of London in opposition to the Lockdowns and the Vaccination Policy. They call themselves Freedom Fighters. The crowds have exceeded over one million people on many occasions. Until recently, the mainstream media have never reported any of the marches. Do you think that is strange? On Saturday 26th June 2021 they had no choice because this march exceeded over one and a half million people. This was the article that appeared on Sky News: https://news.sky.com/story/from-climate-to-palestine-thousands-of-protesters-descended-on-london-with-one-common-goal-12342611 If you notice, there is not a single mention of Freedom Fighters for the lifting of Covid restrictions along with the cessation of the vaccination program. More a damming article condemning the protestors as anarchists. This march was organized and implemented by the Freedom Fighters for the sole reason of protesting about the current Lockdowns, the vaccination program and the draconian measures in place to implement such. I urge you all to do your own research and question everything you hear on mainstream media along with social media, not to listen to me but to find out for yourself what is really occurring here. I can give you many more examples of mainstream media suppressing information, but you really must find this out for yourself. In this short article I am not going to dive into the reasons why I think this is occurring; still, the importance of what is happening and how it’s changing society will have far more reaching consequences to us and our future generations than we can even imagine. It is our duty as individuals to stop acting like sheep and start searching for the truth. By nature, I am a positive optimistic character but when I was asked to write an article about a world without Pandemic Anxiety, unfortunately, unless we start to rationalize what is occurring I can’t see a world in the future without Pandemic Anxiety. What I can see is the continuation and worsening effect of Pandemic Anxiety, along with many more types of anxieties still to rise on the horizon. Keep The Faith The Old Hand 15. Rocket Drop_1 16-17. Najib Corner - HAVE WE ACHEIVED POST PANDEMIC YET_2 HAVE WE ACHIEVED THE “POST PANDEMIC” STATUS YET? Moving freely in the evening brings a rush of guilt nowadays: a year with reclusion and locks down has created a certain normalcy, and now with the relaxations comes the pangs of change. In the Middle East, the spikes have been sporadic and at times maybe concealed to make sure that somehow the economies would be kickstarted once again. The drives of vaccinations continue, and Malls and Cafes are re-opening one by one. With all this in mind, I took the opportunity to speak to a few people regarding their plans and opinions about the times to come. A mix of exhilaration and an optimistic doubt sprang up with a feeling of an ushering “New Economy”. Names have been changed at the request of the individuals. Rahat Ali, Mobile Trader UAE: My business had flourished during the Pandemic with regular orders, especially from the online stores in the region. Mobile accessories and smart home devices have been a hit and it has completely changed my perspective towards business. I used to focus on high turnover and low margin products, scraping just the surface of what was available in the value chain, but I now realize that the real money is made elsewhere. People stayed home and ordered online and were desperate to divert their attention during the days of “Solitary Confinement”. And there was no better way to carry that on but to keep buying new toys. I had an office in the Freezone and a shop in the local market but now I have decided to consolidate my business taking a small warehouse in the local market to manage the online business. For bigger orders I use third party warehouses; the Pandemic has opened my eyes to a new possibility and made me investigate directions that were the “Elephant in the Room”. Praveen Kumar, Consumer Electronics Trader UAE: I had a severe “bite” of Covid and, after the recovery, it took a few weeks for me to come to terms with the reality and the impact of the situation. As it were the early days, there was a severe shortage of PPE equipment and a dearth of suppliers and logistics facilities to cater to the demand. I dallied into the business and brought in a few containers of masks and gloves; I could not have been luckier. The returns during the shortage had been astronomical and the continuous shortages drove the prices northwards daily. We did get greedy, but the greed was rewarded handsomely: I feel bad saying it, but we were killing off the situation, and it seems that this is going to be a never-ending saga. We ended up losing some money towards the end of March this year, when a lot of stock was delivered at once from China. Too many people had ventured in the business and continuity had been a question mark at the back of our mind. For now, we have gone back to the Consumer Electronics business that is still slow, the PPE business had been a shot that gave a temporary high. Sami Al Baddawi, Consumer Electronics Saudi Arabia: The past year or so has seen a reverse export business from Saudi Arabia to the UAE for mobile phones and consumer electronics. With the restrictions of re-export from the UAE, the Saudi local traders have been having a field day as we are now protected from the Government and are cordoned off from the Gray Trade. The local Distributors and mobile Operators have a lot of access stock. The demand for Iphones, Samsung mobiles and even Xiaomi’s ones is ever increasing in the region, and we export regularly. Products reach the UAE and then voilà, happiness all the way! We are now experiencing what the UAE had for many years and, on top of that, the online markets of Amazon and Noon have provided an extra push for our consumers. There are times when we cannot get enough of the product for our customers in the online vertical and when you know that you are exclusive with strict import protection against counterfeit and grey, then the sky is the limit. The markets are still restricted, and people aren’t coming to Saudi for religious tourism, but our local population is large enough to ensure a healthy business continuity. Fahmi Tareq, Mobile Phones Iraq: We have a continuous challenge with regular curfews throughout the pandemic and even now the rates are soaring. Fluctuations in income levels as well as currency impacted the buying power of consumers. We now have a clear low end and even an high-end market with the mid disappearing altogether. This is true with respect to all businesses and especially in consumer electronics. Low end accessories are extremely popular and so are cheap tablets for students. There are areas severely affected by the pandemic, at en economic level, and this is where the business of cheap products is currently thriving. Another avenue had been Iran for the local traders, but this is also recently curtailed, due to political as well as financial constraints. In parallel there are new Apple stores and service centers popping up in Baghdad, providing high end products and services for the ones who can afford them. We see a disparity in society that seems to be getting exasperated with time. The vaccine has not worked in my opinion as it should have: I have had two shots of Pfizer but had two bouts of Covid since then. The market has moved and will keep on going at its own pace. This is the beauty of time that it never halts for anyone, the only difference is that the ones who are winners tend to change with the tide. 18-19. Riba mundo_2 20. Top Products Top Manufacturer Top Brands Top Models_1 21. Tiger team_1 22-23. PS4 and PS5 - Sony encourages developers to integrate cross-play into their games_2 24- 35. VIP Gold + services_12 mobility: 0048 CZ s.r.o. Czech Republic Praha 123tel Belgium Beringen AC Electronic Limited China Hong Kon ACTION S.A. Poland Piaseczno AK Partners Group United States New York Al Shaab Electronics United Arab Emirates Dubai AL THANAYYAN INTERNATIONAL United Arab Emirates Dubai Aldis Trade d.o.o. Slovenia Velenje AMC Elektronik Vertriebs GmbH Germany Bonn Amir Group United Arab Emirates Dubai AMS Incentives United States New York AODELI COMPANY LIMITED China Hongkong, China Ara Global Group Inc United States DORAL AT7 GmbH Germany Wuppertal Best Global Distribution FZCO United Arab Emirates Dubai BIDSENSE S.R.L. Romania Brașov Blessings Telecom Fze United Arab Emirates Dubai Blue Corp Sp. z o.o. Sp. K. Poland Czestochowa Bluefin Century s.r.o. Slovakia Bratislava Bluepoint Corporation Ltd United Kingdom Milton Keynes BM ELEctronics FZCO United Arab Emirates Dubai BOMAX SRL Italy Milan Brio Impex Fze United Arab Emirates Dubai BSC GLOBAL INC Canada MARKHAM CalState Electronics Recycling United States San Marcos Captains Freight Services USA United States Miami FL Cell Axis FZCO/ Intracell Telecom United Arab Emirates Dubai Celltel Middle East Fzco United Arab Emirates Dubai Central point Europe s.r.o. Slovakia Pezinok Challenger S.A. Paraguay Ciudad del este DEXIN(HONG KONG) TRADE COMPANY LIMITED China HongKong Dhruv Enterprise India Gandhinagar dndtrade GmbH Austria Vienna Dotson IT Asset Management Corp United States Dallas eD system Czech, a.s Czech Republic Ostrava ENO telecom GmbH Germany Nordhorn Erregame S.p.A. Italy Napoli Euromedia Investment Group, S.L. Spain Torrent Europespares B.V. Netherlands Lelystad Eurostar Global Electronics Ltd United Kingdom Newcastle-under-Lyme F & E Trading United States New Jersey FAJR DUBAI CO. GENERAL TRADING L.L.C Iraq IRAQ FLC LOGISTICS FZCO United Arab Emirates Dubai FON4AB UNIPESSOAL LDA Portugal Lisbon Fragra Design SRL Romania Baia Mare Galactica Aliança SA Spain Valencia Galaxy Telecom Netherlands Rotterdam Gbc Trading International Corp. United States Miami​ GK telecom Netherlands Ijssel Global Resource Trading Sh.p.k Albania TIRANE Globe Impex Limited United Kingdom Rusilip Gotel GmbH Germany Mannheim Gsm Company VOF Netherlands Heemskerk Gsm Creative Solutions sp. z o.o. Poland Cracow Guan Sheng Electronics Mobile Trading Co., LTD China Hong Kong Hong Kong Cooline technology Limitd China Hong Kong HTP France Villeneuve-le-Garenne Ikonic International FZCO United Arab Emirates Dubai Inntoo Sp. z.o.o. Poland Krakow Intrade d.o.o. Slovenia Maribor Italian shop srl Italy Roma JP Teck BV Netherlands Beverwijk Jupiter GSM FZCO United Arab Emirates Dubai Kamkwat Limited China Hong Kong KANSKY a.s. Slovakia Bratislava Khoury international FZE United Arab Emirates Ajman Komputronik S.A. Poland Poznan KR-Net LTD China Hong Kong Krishna Wireless United States Doral KROWN MOBILES TRADING LLC United Arab Emirates Dubai KSTelecom B.V. Netherlands Beverwijk L.M.D Mega Group LTD Israel Giv'atayim LACHMI ENTERPRISE (S) PTE LTD Singapore Singapore LANDOTECH MOBILE SP Z.O.O Poland Kraków LFE distribution, LLC United States Miami LMD GROUP GOLD LTD Israel Ramat Gan Lucky Srl Italy Milan Macway Limited United Kingdom Manchester Mardin Gsm LLC United States Doral MBD Telecom LTD Cyprus Nicosia Metropolitan Trends GmbH Germany Hamburg MGC Srl Italy Salerno MicroNavi Cyprus Limassol MMM-Agramservis d.o.o. Croatia Zagreb Mobile Source Pty Ltd Australia Meadowbrook mobilesilver.co.uk ltd United Kingdom Bolton Mobilshop GmbH Germany Aalen Mobiparts SRL Romania Constanta NET WIRELESS INC United States New York NORTHGLOW Ltd United Kingdom Oldham NOVAPHONE WADOWSKI CHACHLOWSKI SP.K. Poland Warsaw Pantheon Distribution GmbH Austria Biedermannsdorf Parktel sp. z o.o. Poland Wroclaw Peak Trade Global China Hong Kong PHF GmbH Germany Paderborn Phoneport24 GmbH Germany Mannheim PINES Sp. z o.o. Poland Wroclaw PPA International AG Germany Schönefeld Prestige Group Srl Italy Bari PXT / PHOENIX Trade Slovakia s.r.o Slovakia Mlynica Rainbow International Distribution Romania Bucharest RAMA Electronics Trading LLC United Arab Emirates Dubai Real Tech Services​ Ltd United Kingdom London RIBA MUNDO TECNOLOGIA SL. Spain Valencia RIBSON COMPANY, INC United States Florida Rline Srl Italy Roma RMT SPA Italy Roma Royal trading group Netherlands Barendrechf RS Global B.V. Netherlands AMSTERDAM Runphone international company limited China Hong Kong Sanwa Enterprises China Hong Kong SELTE SPA Italy MILANO SG SPA Italy Milano Shamrock Mobile GmbH Germany Willich Shenzhen Ibuygou China Shenzhen Sisu Net AB Sweden Örsundsbro SK & ASSOCIATES LTD United Kingdom Cheshire Smalltronic.pl Sp. z o.o. Sp. K. Poland Wyszków Smart Routes Group Kft. Hungary Budapest Smart Telecomm LLC United States Scottsdale Smart4all Technologies Ltd Greece Athen SMARTCOM DISTRIBUTION S.R.O. Czech Republic Praha Soletefo Spain Madrid Sound Business France Paris SPK Telecom FZCO United Arab Emirates Dubai STELLAR ELECTRONICS LIMITED China HONG KONG Swift Telecom FZCO United Arab Emirates Dubai Tech Supplier United States Ridgefield Park Tehno Plus doo Montenegro Podgorica Tekpoint GmbH Austria Vienna TelePart GmbH Germany Holzmaden TeLePLus GSM Retail B.V. Netherlands Amsterdam TEQPHONE GmbH Germany Bad Nauheim Tinex GmbH Germany Bruchsal TPC Technology FZCO United Arab Emirates Dubai Triple J'S Hong Kong Limited China Hong Kong Turan Trade Slovakia Bratislava TVD SERVICES (UK) LTD United Kingdom Reading uv phone ltd Israel haifa VADIMPEX Handels GmbH Austria Baden bei Wien Virkin International Corporation United States Waltham Vitel Mobile United States Doral, MIAMI Volte-tel communications MILIOPOULOS DIMITRIOS & S Greece Thessaloniki VON GmbH Germany Oberstdorf Vtech Electronics Tecnology Limited China Hong Kong Worldtec B.V. Netherlands Lijnden WOWO Distribution Limited China HK X7-telecom GmbH Germany Graben Neudorf XTG S.A. Poland Wrocław Yonida International Trading Corp. United States New York ZOE TRADE S.L. Spain Burgos INHOME 123tel Belgium Beringen A2C GROUP d. o. o. Croatia Rijeka AC Electronic Limited China Hong Kon ACTION S.A. Poland Piaseczno ADESIFLAVA PRIVATE LIMITED (www.mibyapl.com) China Hong Kong AK Partners Group United States New York Al Shaab Electronics United Arab Emirates Dubai AL THANAYYAN INTERNATIONAL United Arab Emirates Dubai AODELI COMPANY LIMITED China Hongkong, China AT7 GmbH Germany Wuppertal BATNA Sp. z o.o. sp. k. Poland Czestochowa Best Global Distribution FZCO United Arab Emirates Dubai BEYOND GAME S.L.U. Spain Barcelona BIDSENSE S.R.L. Romania Brașov Blue Corp Sp. z o.o. Sp. K. Poland Czestochowa BOMAX SRL Italy Milan BSC GLOBAL INC Canada MARKHAM Captains Freight Services USA United States Miami FL Challenger S.A. Paraguay Ciudad del este Click Europe Limited United Kingdom London Craving Comps L.L.C. United States Eatontown DEXIN(HONG KONG) TRADE COMPANY LIMITED China HongKong dndtrade GmbH Austria Vienna Dotson IT Asset Management Corp United States Dallas eD system Czech, a.s Czech Republic Ostrava ENO telecom GmbH Germany Nordhorn Erregame S.p.A. Italy Napoli Euromedia Investment Group, S.L. Spain Torrent F & E Trading United States New Jersey FLC LOGISTICS FZCO United Arab Emirates Dubai FON4AB UNIPESSOAL LDA Portugal Lisbon Fragra Design SRL Romania Baia Mare Galactica Aliança SA Spain Valencia Gbc Trading International Corp. United States Miami​ Global Resource Trading Sh.p.k Albania TIRANE GLOBAX Sp. z o.o. Sp. K. Poland Poznań Globe Impex Limited United Kingdom Rusilip Gsm Creative Solutions sp. z o.o. Poland Cracow HK HUI BAI ZHOU ELECTRONICS CO., LIMITED China Hong Kong Hong Kong Cooline technology Limitd China Hong Kong Hong Kong Oneto Ltd China HK Infinity Plus Ltd. United States New York Inntoo Sp. z.o.o. Poland Krakow Intrade d.o.o. Slovenia Maribor Italian shop srl Italy Roma JP Teck BV Netherlands Beverwijk KR-Net LTD China Hong Kong Krishna Wireless United States Doral KROWN MOBILES TRADING LLC United Arab Emirates Dubai L.M.D Mega Group LTD Israel Giv'atayim LACHMI ENTERPRISE (S) PTE LTD Singapore Singapore LAMEE SOFTWARE S.L Spain Madrid Lucky Srl Italy Milan MBD Telecom LTD Cyprus Nicosia Metropolitan Trends GmbH Germany Hamburg MGC Srl Italy Salerno MicroNavi Cyprus Limassol Mobile Source Pty Ltd Australia Meadowbrook mobilesilver.co.uk ltd United Kingdom Bolton Mobiparts SRL Romania Constanta Neptune direct Inc United States Marietta NET WIRELESS INC United States New York NORTHGLOW Ltd United Kingdom Oldham NOVAPHONE WADOWSKI CHACHLOWSKI SP.K. Poland Warsaw Pantheon Distribution GmbH Austria Biedermannsdorf Peak Trade Global China Hong Kong PXT / PHOENIX Trade Slovakia s.r.o Slovakia Mlynica Rainbow International Distribution Romania Bucharest Real Tech Services​ Ltd United Kingdom London RIBA MUNDO TECNOLOGIA SL. Spain Valencia RMT SPA Italy Roma royal trading group Netherlands Barendrechf RS Global B.V. Netherlands AMSTERDAM SELTE SPA Italy MILANO SG SPA Italy Milano Shenzhen Ibuygou China Shenzhen Shenzhen New Way Technology Co., Ltd. China shenzhen Sisu Net AB Sweden Örsundsbro Smart Routes Group Kft. Hungary Budapest Smart Telecomm LLC United States Scottsdale SMARTCOM DISTRIBUTION S.R.O. Czech Republic Praha SPACO, S.A. Spain Madrid SPK Telecom FZCO United Arab Emirates Dubai T W International General Trading L.L.C. United Arab Emirates Dubai Tehno Plus doo Montenegro Podgorica Tehno-mag Croatia Zagreb TelePart GmbH Germany Holzmaden Triple J'S Hong Kong Limited China Hong Kong Turan Trade Slovakia Bratislava uv phone ltd Israel haifa Virkin International Corporation United States Waltham WOWO Distribution Limited China HK XTG S.A. Poland Wrocław IT 123tel Belgium Beringen AC Electronic Limited China Hong Kon ADESIFLAVA PRIVATE LIMITED (www.mibyapl.com) China Hong Kong AK Partners Group United States New York Al Shaab Electronics United Arab Emirates Dubai AL THANAYYAN INTERNATIONAL United Arab Emirates Dubai ARTRONIX Malaysia Kuala Lumpur AT7 GmbH Germany Wuppertal BATNA Sp. z o.o. sp. k. Poland Czestochowa Best Global Distribution FZCO United Arab Emirates Dubai BIDSENSE S.R.L. Romania Brașov BOMAX SRL Italy Milan BSC GLOBAL INC Canada MARKHAM CalState Electronics Recycling United States San Marcos Captains Freight Services USA United States Miami FL Challenger S.A. Paraguay Ciudad del este Craving Comps L.L.C. United States Eatontown DEXIN(HONG KONG) TRADE COMPANY LIMITED China HongKong dndtrade GmbH Austria Vienna Dotson IT Asset Management Corp United States Dallas eD system Czech, a.s Czech Republic Ostrava F & E rading United States New Jersey FLC LOGISTICS FZCO United Arab Emirates Dubai FON4AB UNIPESSOAL LDA Portugal Lisbon Galactica Aliança SA Spain Valencia Gbc Trading International Corp. United States Miami​ Globe Impex Limited United Kingdom Rusilip Gsm Creative Solutions sp. z o.o. Poland Cracow HK YINGSHUN COMMUNICATION LIMITED China Hong Kong Inntoo Sp. z.o.o. Poland Krakow Italian shop srl Italy Roma Krishna Wireless United States Doral LACHMI ENTERPRISE (S) PTE LTD Singapore Singapore Lucky Srl Italy Milan MBD Telecom LTD Cyprus Nicosia Metropolitan Trends GmbH Germany Hamburg MGC Srl Italy Salerno MicroNavi Cyprus Limassol Mobile Source Pty Ltd Australia Meadowbrook Neptune direct Inc United States Marietta NET WIRELESS INC United States New York NORTHGLOW Ltd United Kingdom Oldham Pantheon Distribution GmbH Austria Biedermannsdorf Parktel sp. z o.o. Poland Wroclaw Peak Trade Global China Hong Kong Rainbow International Distribution Romania Bucharest Real Tech Services​ Ltd United Kingdom London RIBA MUNDO TECNOLOGIA SL. Spain Valencia RMT SPA Italy Roma RS Global B.V. Netherlands AMSTERDAM SIV Trading GmbH Germany Hamburg Smart Routes Group Kft. Hungary Budapest Smart Telecomm LLC United States Scottsdale Tehno Plus doo Montenegro Podgorica TelePart GmbH Germany Holzmaden Triple J'S Hong Kong Limited China Hong Kong Turan Trade Slovakia Bratislava Virkin International Corporation United States Waltham XTG S.A. Poland Wrocław MEDICAL Lucky Srl Italy Milan Peak Trade Global China Hong Kong Real Tech Services​ Ltd United Kingdom London Virkin International Corporation United States Waltham XTG S.A. Poland Wrocław SERVICES 365 Days Freight United Arab Emirates Dubai VIP PLUS AIR EXPRESS POLAND Sp. z o.o. Poland Wroclaw VIP Captains Freight Services HK LTD China Hong Kong VIP Captains Freight Services USA United States Miami FL VIP GOLD DREAM CARGO SERVICES SRL Romania BUCHAREST VIP FLC LOGISTICS FZCO United Arab Emirates Dubai VIP GOLD Interken Freighters (UK) Ltd United Kingdom Feltham VIP MASA LOGISTICS FZCO United Arab Emirates Dubai VIP PLUS Microfix Labs SL Spain Valencia VIP PLUS NewbridgeFX United Kingdom London VIP PLUS Playtorium Electronics LLC United Arab Emirates Dubai VIP PLUS Qualilog s.r.o. Czech Republic Praha VIP UP-Logistics Luxembourg Mullendorf VIP PLUS VELARA TRAVEL United States Boston VIP PLUS 36-39. Covid QR Code_ freedom or slavery_4 Covid QR Code: freedom or slavery? From 1 July, the Green pass became fully operational. The document allows you to travel between the Member States of the European Union and, at national level, to participate in ceremonies, to move between regions of different colors or to visit a relative in an RSA. Despite the early departure, there are many people experiencing difficulties in obtaining the certificate, a problem on which it is necessary to intervene. The alarm from the Postal Police: beware of scam attempts with fake passes on WhatsApp. How it works, how it is requested and when the Green pass is needed. What are the Green Passes Green passes are documents that allow you to travel between the countries of the European Union. The passes also allow foreign tourists to visit European countries and move from one country to another avoiding quarantine. But not only that, they are also useful for those who have to visit a relative hospitalized in an RSA or to participate in ceremonies. These are certifications that are issued at a regional level, valid on the national territory and in the Member States of the European Union. The document contains a QR code to digitally verify its authenticity and validity. Green pass: the three certifications provided Green certifications can attest to one of these three conditions: 1) Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2, at the end of the prescribed cycle The pass is valid for nine months and is issued in paper or digital format, at the request of the interested party, by the health facility that carries out the vaccination against Covid. It is also possible to obtain the Green pass with a single dose of vaccine: in this case the pass is valid from the 15th day from the first to the second administration. The certification will also be available in the patient's electronic health record. What information must be reported on the certificate? In addition to the personal details of the person concerned (name and surname) in this case the certificate must indicate his date of birth and also some details relating to vaccination. It must therefore report the target disease or agent, the type of vaccine performed, the name of the vaccine or the indication of the marketing authorization holder. The document must also indicate the number of the dose carried out and the total number of doses planned, the date of the last administration carried out, the Member State where the vaccination was carried out, the facility holding the certificate and its unique identifier. 2) Healing and termination of isolation following infection The certification is valid for six months and is issued, at the request of the interested party, in paper or digital format, by the facility where the patient affected by Covid-19 was admitted, or, for non-hospitalized patients, by general practitioners and pediatricians of free choice, and is made available in the electronic health file of the person concerned. The certification ceases to be valid if, in the six-month validity period, the citizen is positive for SARS-CoV-2. The healing certifications issued previously from the entry into force of the decree are valid for six months from the date indicated in the certification. What information must be reported on the certificate? Also in this case, the certificate must necessarily include some information. In addition to the personal data, the document must indicate the date of the first positive test, the Member State in which recovery was certified, the structure that issued the certificate, the unique identifier of the certificate and its validity. 3) Execution of rapid or molecular antigen test with negative result The certification is valid for forty-eight hours from issue and is produced, at the request of the interested party, in paper or digital format, by public health facilities from authorized and accredited private ones and by pharmacies that have carried out the rapid or molecular antigen swab, or by general practitioners or pediatricians of free choice. What information must be reported on the certificate? In addition to the personal data of the subject, the certificate must indicate the target disease or agent, the type of test carried out, his name and the manufacturer. The document must also indicate the date and time of the sample collection and those of the test result, the center or structure that performed it, the Member State, the structure that holds the certificate and the unique identifier. How to get the Green pass Citizens have several possibilities to access the Green pass; still, as Europe has not adopted a unique formula, every Country applies different rules. Who and for what reasons can verify the Green pass The decree, following the indications of the Privacy Guarantor, indicates who and for what reasons can verify the Green pass, by reading the bar code (Qr Code). These include public officials in the exercise of their functions, the staff assigned to the control services of entertainment and show activities in places open to the public or in public establishments, the owners of accommodation facilities and public establishments for the access to which the possession of the green certificate is required as well as their delegates, the owner or the legitimate holder of places or premises where events and activities take place to participate in which the possession of the green pass is required as well as their delegates and managers of the structures that provide health, social-health and social-assistance services for access to which, as visitors, the possession of the green certification is required (as well as their delegates). At the time of verification, the holder of the Green pass must show an identity document, if requested by the person carrying out the verification. Green pass, in which cases can it be revoked? The decree also provides for the possibility of the Green pass being revoked. If a public structure of the Regional Health Service, a general practitioner, a pediatrician of free choice or a Usmaf doctor (Maritime, Air and Border Health Offices) or Sasn (Territorial services for health assistance to seafaring personnel, maritime and Civil Aviation) were to communicate to the national platform the positivity to Covid-19 of a person vaccinated or cured of the virus, the platform would generate a revocation of the Green pass possibly already issued to the person and still valid, by entering the identifiers unique in the list of revoked certifications and communicating them to the European gateway. In this case, the platform would send the interested party a notification of the revocation. Green pass: beware of scams via WhatsApp “In this link you can download the green certificate Green Pass COVID-19 which allows you to move freely without a mask”, reads one of the many messages that have been circulating in recent days via WhatsApp. The alarm was issued by the Postal Police and warns users of possible scam attempts that exploit the Green pass. In fact, following the fraudulent link, users land on a fake institutional page that reproduces the appearance of the official page. Here the only goal of the bad guys, like all phishing attempts, is to steal our data. If you encounter scams of this type, remember that you can report them directly online on the website of the Postal Police. Green pass yes, but no to discrimination The issue of the vaccine passport has populated the political agendas of recent weeks and the working tables open in this regard are different, even at European level. First of all, by bringing to attention the risk that the Green pass ends up being an element of discrimination, dividing citizens between those who can start moving freely and those who cannot, and therefore asking for free tampons for those who have not yet been immunized. The debate is still on. A Case: Green pass inaccessible for many people in Italy? Despite being regularly in possession of the necessary requirements, many people in Europe are unable to obtain their Green pass. It is in particular the Italians recovered from Covid-19 who have the greatest difficulties in downloading the document, as evidenced by the numerous reports received in recent days. Those who have recovered from Covid, in fact, should receive a code from the doctor or from the structure that certified the healing, a necessary step to access the pass. The conditional is a must, since in reality there is often no trace of this code and even doctors, when questioned, groped in the dark. The same problem was encountered by the Italians recovered from Covid and who in the meantime have made a single dose of vaccine. In several cases they also tell us that they tried to contact the toll-free number made available by telephone for several days, but without success. Then there is the important node of children between 2 and 6 years, for whom the Green pass is still provided, but who cannot be vaccinated or swab. In short, a situation that leaves over 4 million Italians in suspense, just on the eve of the summer holidays: a problem on which the Government must intervene as soon as possible. Freedom or slavery? Among these there are those who, with extreme ease, share their Green Pass publicly, especially on social networks and at the same time there are those who ask themselves questions and wonder if there is actually a danger to privacy in showing in public your certificate. The answer to this question has always existed, since before the first certificate was issued, and available to everyone on the European Commission website. The certificate is delivered to us via a QR Code containing the data relating to the vaccination received, our name and surname, and our date of birth, information that is encoded according to the technical specifications of the eHealth Network published by the European Commission. Yes, technically they are health data, and therefore sensitive (in fact the Privacy Guarantor does not recommend their publication), but let's not exaggerate. The risk is not very different from posting on Facebook: “Today I got the vaccine”. The data in the QR Code is not encrypted, it would not make any sense. In this case, encryption is used exclusively to digitally sign the information contained therein, so that it cannot be falsified or altered (technically to ensure its integrity and authenticity). If we are unable to read the QR Code with a generic smartphone app, it is only because the data is encoded in a very precise way, in order to insert binary information, such as those relating to the digital signature. Coding in the final format is an absolutely reversible operation. The “Serialization” scheme present in the European Commission specifications document contains all the information to implement the reverse process. EHealthDecoder does nothing but follow those specifications. The certificate does not contain other data than those declared by the European Commission, so there is no risk in showing it at the airport, for example, since the companies already know your name, surname and date of birth from the moment you purchased the ticket. As for indiscriminate sharing on social media, it depends on our sensitivity. We know the data it contains, we make our own assessments. We must be aware of the loss of control over everything we publish, be it the QR Code of the vaccine or the photo of your child playing on the beach. What do you think? Freedom or slavery? 40-41. Twitter Blue- Paid version in Canada and Australia_2 6. Twitter Blue: Paid version in Canada and Australia After the rumors, the officialdom arrives: Twitter is currently launching its paid service Blue in Canada and Australia. There are three 'premium' features: Undo Tweet, Bookmark Folders and Reader Mode. Undo Tweet is the most awaited one, as it allows you to “withdraw” a tweet before publication. The user has a time window of up to 30 seconds to correct any writing errors or oversights. It is therefore not an option to edit after posting, as is possible on Facebook. The second paid function Bookmark Folders, on the other hand, serves users to better organize stored tweets. The third, Reader Mode, makes it easier to read threads. The subscription also includes the customization of icons and colors. The cost of the subscription, applying the exchange of the currencies of the two countries, is around 2.80 euros. In the United States, according to rumors, the cost of the subscription would be around $ 2.99 per month. Twitter is keen to point out that the free service that we have come to know over the years will always remain available; those who pay for the monthly pass, however, will have a little more. Such as: Folders for bookmarks. It is a function much requested by the most assiduous and advanced users, which as you can easily guess will facilitate the organization of saved tweets. Cancel Tweet. It works a bit like Gmail's unsubscribe: for a few seconds after sending (the timer can be configured by the user, up to 30 seconds) the tweet actually remains “hidden”, so that if you notice of an error or a forgetfulness it is possible to go back. It is of course possible to delete the tweet and republish it from scratch, but with the undo system you can save some time. Reading mode. Special formatting that removes all ancillary content and makes it easier to read, especially in the case of long threads. Graphic customization. You can change the app icon for the Home and there are themes with various color schemes. Dedicated support. For the moment, Twitter has not explained the timing and methods of expansion in other markets. However, the intention to proceed step by step is clear, also from the point of view of functionality; So better not wait too anxiously, here. This is the first step in a series of paid projects from the Twitter company. In fact, Twitter is stepping up its efforts to diversify its revenue streams by complementing advertising with paid services. A few days ago he launched Tomorrow, dedicated to weather forecasts, and in the future the 'Super Follow' should also arrive, a sort of dynamic Patreon / Twitch style where you can subscribe to a specific content creator. With Super Follows users would have more paid content from some profiles; and last month introduced Tip Jar service, a feature that allows users to send money to a select group of widely followed members on the platform. “We will continue to listen to user feedback to give subscribers more options, we will keep you updated,” the company writes, but not disclosing when Twitter Blue will be extended to other countries. The battle against fake news A system of labels to signal to users how approximate the tweets they share are, in terms of truth, with additional advice and information. As anticipated by researcher Jane Manchun Wong, there are three labels that will be introduced, or in any case on which the Twitter team is currently working: Get the latest information, Stay informed, Misleading. Yoel Roth, site integrity manager for Twitter, also confirmed that the company is testing the system, retweeting Wong's original post. Roth made it clear that these are the first experiments on “design novelties for our labels dealing with disinformation”. According to Wong's post, the company will show one of the alerts depending on the content of the tweet. For example, if a person writes “In 12 hours there will be a lunar eclipse in some parts of the world. Stay tuned”, Twitter will add a “Stay informed” label to offer more information on the astral phenomenon. Another matter for much more critical issues, such as those relating to the pandemic and vaccines. In an example shared by Wong, the company will apply the “Misleading" warning label when posting unproven considerations such as: “We eat. Turtles eat. So we are turtles.” At the moment, there is no information on when the novelty will actually be available. The platform, a few months ago, introduced a message inviting users to read an article before retweeting it. Facebook has instead decided to gradually hide users' hoax posts, making them invisible from the message boards of friends. 42. Teksmart- Open Partnerships_1 43. BSC_1 44-45. EU, on tax on web giants now expand consensus to G20_2 7. EU: the tax on web giants is to expand consensus to G20 The Council of the European Union, which brings together the heads of state of the member countries and is therefore the European institution with the greatest decision-making powers, has adopted new rules to strengthen administrative and tax cooperation in relation to the earnings of digital platforms. In particular, groups such as Amazon, Google or Facebook will be obliged to declare how much they earn in individual countries, which is currently not the case. A very common practice among web giants is to transfer profits to branches domiciled in countries with zero or negligible taxation. The tax “ensures that activities that are not taxed today start generating immediate revenue for Member States,” explains Brussels. And it helps to “avoid unilateral action' that would create a 'patchwork of national responses that would damage our single market”. The tax is indirect, it applies to certain types of revenues and is a temporary measure, that is, it is valid until there is an overall reform that resolves once and for all the problem of large digital companies that escape the tax authorities. “The positive result of the G7 brings us very close to a global agreement on corporate tax reform and therefore we must take this opportunity to broaden this consensus to all G20 members and all interested countries that are part of the OECD framework”. This was stated by the European Commissioner for Financial Programming and Budget Johannes Hahn speaking to the European Parliament in the debate on own resources. “The Commission will continue to actively contribute to these ongoing multilateral debates," added the Commissioner. What on the plate The EU Commission has proposed a temporary solution to force web giants to pay taxes where they produce profits. A 3% tax on revenues from the sale of advertising space (such as Google), data transfer (such as Facebook) and intermediation activities between users and businesses (such as Uber), applicable to companies with a global turnover exceeding 750 million euros and a European one over 50 million. Brussels estimates revenues of at least 5 billion a year. The mechanism is quite simple: intra-group transactions are used, i.e. between companies that belong to the same multinational but are domiciled in different states. Trades of rights and licenses are set up with the sole purpose of making money 'migrate' to where it is most convenient. Particularly simple practice in the web sector because it concerns licenses on algorithms and software to which it is difficult to attribute a reasonable market price. All Google licenses belong, for example, to the Bermuda branch which then sells them to the various Google Germany, Google France etc, so that every year Google holding Bermuda declares profits of over 20 billion dollars on which the US giant does not pay not even a cent of taxes. Furthermore, the fact that these large groups are not required to report their turnover on a country-by-country basis makes it even easier to shield themselves from the claims of national tax agencies. In this way, for example, the taxes paid in Italy (or in Germany or in France etc) are laughable. In 2019 Netflix paid the Italian tax authorities 6 thousand euros, Facebook 2.3 million, Google less than 6 million, Amazon 11 million. Spoiler Alert: Google and Facebook together control about 90% of online advertising! The importance of the decision of the EU Council that amended the directive on administrative cooperation in the tax sector is therefore better understood, introducing the obligation for managers of digital platforms to declare the income generated in the Member States. The new rules concern digital platforms located both inside and outside the EU and will apply from January 1, 2023. The new rules will therefore allow national tax authorities to detect income earned through digital platforms and to determine the relative income. tax obligations. “This is an important update of the EU rules, which will help ensure that even sellers active on digital platforms pay their fair share of taxes,” said the Minister of Finance of Portugal, Joao Leao. “It is particularly appreciated - continues Leao - at a time when more and more online sales are being made and the Covid-19 pandemic is putting pressure on public finances. By extending its rules on the automatic exchange of information to the digital platform economy, the EU is setting an example to the world.” “Since most of the sales revenue or tax bases of sellers on digital platforms cross-border, the disclosure of information relating to the relevant business would ensure further positive results if the information also reaches the Member States that would be entitled to tax the profits made ”, reads the directive. 46-48. Amazon, Google and Facebook prepare the return to work in office_3 Amazon, Apple, Google and Facebook: the return to work in office Facebook's plans for returning to the office From the Bloomberg pages leaked today the guidelines established by Facebook for the return to the office of its employees in the United States which, as already anticipated a couple of weeks ago, will take place starting from the first half of July. Similar measures could also apply to those employed in other countries globally. For those who will access the buildings, there will be an obligation to undergo body temperature control, a precaution already adopted by Amazon among others in its logistics centers around the world. The return will also be progressive: initially no more than 25% of the workforce will return to the desk, so as to guarantee the possibility of operating in complete safety, respecting the basic rules of social distancing. Between one station and another there will be at least 1.8 meters and for situations in which it should prove necessary to be in closer contact, the obligation to wear a mask will be in force. Meetings in presence will be reduced to a minimum and no outsider will be able to enter the facilities at least initially. Again, no buffet for lunch breaks. Recently, number one Mark Zuckerberg announced that collaborators will be free to continue working from home in smart working mode at least for the whole summer in case they are not comfortable with the idea of ​​returning to the office earlier of the end of the health crisis. Unconfirmed rumors would like the opportunity extended until the end of the year. The approximately 48,000 full-time employees employed by Facebook around the world in March received a $ 1,000 bonus in paychecks for the support provided during the period marked by the COVID-19 emergency. Apple: the employees want to work from home What if we don't like going back to the office, with the rhythms of pre-pandemic life? No surprise, because it seems to be so. It happens to Apple employees. But it is conceivable that it is a feeling that unites a little everyone, in contexts where working from home - albeit with edges to be polished and improved - has proven to work. In Cupertino, they even went so far as to write a letter to Tim Cook, asking for a more flexible approach to work. Writing this story is The Verge website, which came into possession of the letter written by employees to Cook and Apple's executive management. The company is organizing the return to the office for its employees, after more than a year of forced smart working due to the pandemic. In the United States, the vaccination campaign is producing extraordinary results. The return to normality really seems like a concrete goal. So Apple, like other companies, is planning to get back to work. “Despite what we managed to do while we were at a distance, the truth is that we have lost something essential in this last year: ourselves. - wrote Tim Cook in the document - Videoconferences have shortened the distance between us, for sure, but there are things that we simply cannot replicate". A choice somewhat in contrast with that of other Silicon Valley giants (such as Facebook and Twitter) who have already announced the possibility for their employees to be able to work remotely forever, even after the end of the pandemic. Apple employees, aware - evidently - that working remotely is a panacea for the famous “work/ life balance”, now want to be able to choose what to do. And therefore whether to return to the office for three days a week from September, as the company would like, or whether to be able to decide from time to time. "We would like to take this opportunity to communicate a growing concern among our colleagues,” is written in the letter from the employees. “Apple's policy on flexible work and the positions around it have already forced some of our colleagues to quit. Without the inclusiveness that flexibility brings, many of us feel we have to choose between a combination of our families, our well-being and being allowed to do our best work, or be part of Apple.” For some employees of the Cupertino company, the current company policy shows a clear gap between the way in which managers and employees view remote work. According to Apple employees, embracing remote work is central to the company's diversity and inclusion efforts. “In order for inclusion and diversity to work, we must recognize how different we are all and, from these differences, different needs and different ways of growing arise”. But they also make it an environmental issue: 'We formally ask to know the environmental impact of returning to work in person, and how permanent remote flexibility could compensate for this impact”. Google: smart working only on request It had activated smart working first when the pandemic broke out, now it accelerates to get employees back to the office. Google invites its staff to work face-to-face, albeit with “limited” capacity. And the plan was to get everyone back to the office before the summer, the view is to an even more extensive reopening in September 2021. The Mountain View web giant therefore has a decidedly different approach from that of other digital giants such as Facebook and Twitter, which have long since announced the end of the mandatory nature of face-to-face work, with the possibility, for those who wish, to work from home forever. For Google, the change of gear is immediate and is the first step of a forced journey towards an attempt to return to normality. If, after September 1st, employees want to work remotely for more than 14 days a year, they will have to formally submit an application. It is possible to request up to 12 months of smart working only in “the most exceptional circumstances”. In any case, the company could call employees back to the office at any time. The company hasn't completely abandoned plans to work remotely, however. Indeed, it is drafting new guidelines to regulate it. Though the main plan is to get employees back to the office before the summer for a major reopening in September, when face-to-face work is scheduled three days a week. On the other hand, just last month Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, had announced the investment for 2021 of 7 billion dollars in offices and data centers. Moreover, vaccine is “recommended” but not mandatory - “It's been a year since many of us started working from home, and the thought of going back to the office could inspire different emotions,” wrote Fiona Cicconi, the new head of operations of the Google staff, in a company email viewed by Cnbc. Cicconi advised employees to get vaccinated against Covid, underlining however that it is not mandatory. Amazon: the hybrid formula After Apple, Google and Facebook, Amazon is also preparing the return of its employees to the office. The company, as established by other companies in the technological world, focuses on a hybrid formula. The workers will carry out their duties in presence for three days a week, while for the remaining two they will be able to choose whether to work from home or wherever they want, however remotely. Anyone wishing to obtain a longer smart working period, going beyond two days, will have to submit a request and wait for the response. Andy Jassy, ​​current AWS number one, who will take over from Jeff Bezos as CEO of the group in July, recently reiterated that some aspects of face-to-face collaboration are hardly replaceable by online meetings: “It's just not the same. The way in which we have to think and direct innovation has really changed, how we urge those who are responsible for achieving it, as well as the type of meetings we organize”. To date, Amazon has approximately 1.3 million people globally, distributed in offices around the world. Of these, 500,000 were hired in 2020 alone, to cope with the strong increase in e-commerce demand. Amazon had previously taken a stricter approach to its return-to-work plans. In March, the giant's goal was to “return to an office-centered culture as a baseline”. Other tech companies have adopted a similar modus operandi in their return-to-work plans. Last week, Apple said employees will return to the office three days a week starting in early September. In May, Google said it expects 20% of its employees to work from home even after offices reopen by the end of the year. 49. Erregame_1 50. Media, Fb intends to cease special treatment for politicians_1 8. Facebook: no more special treatment for politicians Facebook intends to end its practice of exempting politicians from content moderation rules, a special treatment that has raised quite a few controversies. The news, reported by The Verge website, was picked up by various US media. The expected breakthrough could happen when Mark Zuckerberg's company is expected to announce its response to the (non-binding) recommendations made by the supervisory board when it confirmed Donald Trump's suspension from the platform. On the same day that the supervisory board of the most popular social network in the world confirmed the suspension of Donald Trump's account for the next two years, until January 2023, in fact, Mark Zuckerberg's platform also announced the end of all favorable treatment for policy makers. From now on, the same rules will apply for all users and no automatic pass will be allowed for politicians who do not abide by the rules of moderation of social media and who incite hatred. The decision comes following the suspension of the account of former US president Donald Trump on January 6, 2021, who again via social media had expressed support for the demonstrators who had invaded Capitol Hill on the same day. The internal surveillance body of the platform also suggested an equal treatment for all users, which also asked for further clarity on the guidelines of the platform in establishing the relevance of a content or in the criteria for exclusion from the website. particularly influential personalities. Facebook's policy on the exemption from moderation of content posted by the most important politicians dates back to 2016, but it attracted the attention of the public only in 2019 when Nick Clegg, in a post, argued the intrinsic value of that content. “If a politician says something in violation of community standards, we will allow it to stay if we find that the public interest outweighs the harmful potential." But after the uprising on Capitol Hill, the platform justified Trump's ban with the “risk of inciting violence.” Facebook has currently not released any statements regarding what could be one of the most delicate turning points for the largest social network in the world. However, Zuckerberg argued that it is not the job of social media to control the speeches of politicians. Zuckerberg, in fact, has long argued that social media shouldn't do this types of things. The board concluded that the same rules should apply to all users and that Facebook should communicate its policies more clearly, such as when it decides that a post is too relevant to be removed or when it takes some measure against an influential account. “When evaluating content of information relevance we will not treat those posted by politicians differently from those of anyone else: we will apply the same yardstick for all content, measuring whether the value of the public interest outweighs the potential risks of leaving the content online “, explains a note released by the social network. Furthermore, as reported by the France Presse agency, Facebook will hold politicians accountable in cases of disinformation. 51. H-asia_1 52. Price per Magazine 1 53. Newbridge FX_1 54-55. OnePlus announces business integration with Oppo_2 OnePlus announces business integration with Oppo The two Chinese companies OnePlus and Oppo become a single company, at least from the point of view of the design and construction of the devices. OnePlus co-founder Pete Lau, current CEO, confirmed this through a post on the company's official forum. "As many of you know, I took on additional responsibilities last year to oversee the product strategy of both OnePlus and Oppo. In the meantime, we have integrated some of our teams to simplify activities and capitalize on shared resources. After seeing the positive impact of these changes, we decided to further integrate our organization into Oppo’s”. Well: to fully understand this story, we must connect to an interesting article published by GizChina a few months ago. In that article, we read that, when OnePlus appeared on the scene, there was a real tsunami in the mobile phone market. Xiaomi, Huawei, Meizu, and other China-based top-tier smartphone manufacturers were, at the same time, offering their own products with amazing features at affordable prices. And that was precisely the moment when some Chinese OEMs began sharing various technologies as part of a cooperation that - to date - sees OPPO, VIVO, Realme, iQOO and OnePlus connected. If you go back in time to 6 years ago, it was a very different time for the telephony market. Back then, the top of the range of reference were phones like Samsung Galaxy S5, LG G3 and Nexus 6, sold for € 699, € 599 and € 649 respectively (good times, huh?). Without considering iPhone 6 and its € 729 required at launch. It was a time when the Chinese market was still underdeveloped outside the borders. Xiaomi was starting to get talked about with Mi 4, Huawei was still anything but mainstream with its P7 and Meizu was still a niche with its MX4. Different speech is that of OPPO, which already in 2014 showed what it was made of, producing very intriguing terminals such as Find 7 and N3. And it is precisely at the end of 2013 that, from a rib of OPPO, OnePlus was born, a brand that has revolutionized the sector with marketing and sales techniques outside the fees. Pete Lau himself has an important background in OPPO, becoming vice president within a few years. Without a shadow of a doubt, his position as the young start-up against the giants of the market has placed it in a favorable position, resonating in the soul of those who were already protesting against the annual increases in the most famous brands. OnePlus has denied the possible membership of OPPO, declaring that the company was only one of the various investors. In the years to come, the matter became even more confusing, with the appearance of the name BBK Electronics making further news. However, back to 2021, despite many rumors that these companies are apparently the same, we must actually point out that OnePlus and OPPO are completely independent companies. Research and development, economy, sales channels, day-to-day operations, marketing and so on are independent operating sectors: OnePlus leases OPPO's production line and shares part of its supply chain resources: that's it. The two brands, then, will remain independent both in terms of products and marketing activities while there will be a concrete optimization both in terms of personnel and supply chain. Both are already part of the same parent company, the Chinese BBK Electronics, sharing technological development and, often, smartphone design. According to analysts, the move could lead to an expansion of the technology portfolio of OnePlus and Oppo, such as to open up to other product sectors, such as wearables for the former and televisions for the latter. Benefits of lower cost in splitting R&D and support operations teams. Online you can find a document for internal use, emerging from the network: here are a series of questions and answers that allow us to better understand what the situation will be in the months (and years) to come Why did OnePlus merge with Oppo? To optimize resources and improve production efficiency. The process will finish by the end of the year. What is the relationship between OnePlus and Oppo? OnePlus becomes a brand within Oppo, while maintaining a certain autonomy and independence. What changes for the end user? Nothing, if not for the better: where OnePlus and Oppo are already present, products of both brands will continue to be sold, and any relationships with telephone operators will also remain unchanged. With more resources available, the aim is to offer better products. What changes for the OnePlus products offered? Market positioning does not change. OnePlus intends to offer high-end smartphones, the Nord range and IoT products. Never Settle is not touched. OxygenOS and ColorOS are not expressly mentioned, while for now the two operating systems will continue to remain independent, as well as their respective communities. Still, many sources claim that the creation of a single joint mobile operating system, a union of today's OxygenOS (OnePlus) and ColorsOS (Oppo), is highly plausible. “OnePlus remains an independent company, but that means there is a greater basis for potential access to building a larger ecosystem,’" concludes Pete Lau in his post. 56-57. Apple Privacy- IOS 15 and the news to better protect_2 5. Apple Privacy: IOS 15 and the news to better protect The next update of iOS 15, Apple's operating system for iPhones coming this fall, includes a number of privacy-oriented improvements. These include new controls on location information that are usually saved when a photo is taken. With iOS 15 it will be easier to disable this setting which, if on the one hand it can be useful to remember the place imprinted in an image, on the other it still represents a further piece in the wide ecosystem of the so-called Big Data that everyone carries around. The news of iOS 15 on the issue of “Digital Legacy" And we come to the latest news from Apple on the subject of the so called “Digital Legacy". The pivotal mechanism focuses on this digital heritage is a program that - once the new iOS 15 update is released - will allow the user to enable some email accounts to recover data hosted on iCloud. Access will obviously not be immediate, being rather subject to the death of the person holding the iCloud profile. And for the sake of greater transparency, those who have obtained the authorization will still have to exhibit legal proof of the user's death, namely a death certificate. The login - which will take place via a special QR code that will be incorporated on iCloud with the release of iOS 15 - will also allow you to recover only the information incorporated within the Apple online storage platform, such as photos, videos, backups, contacts and stored apps. On the other hand, the data stored inside the smartphone is different, as well as the login information contained in the “Keychain" service and those relating to the payment methods: for the latter, the indications of the "Digital Legacy”, with the consequence of not being able to access iPhone data when protected by an unlock code (the FBI knows something about it). The New iOS 15 The Mail app introduces Privacy Prevention, which allows you to hide your IP address and location when sending an email. This prevents hackers from intercepting the victim user's unique connection reference, as well as the location from which they are connected. Apple's work on privacy has also extended to Siri. The commands given to the voice assistant will make greater use of the computational capabilities on board the iPhone and iPad, thus reducing the request for information from the internet. However, the user's voice asking for something will never be recorded or saved in the cloud. By switching to the Safari browser, this will enjoy an integrated VPN, called Private Relay, with which to mask traffic and hide browsing data, which are inaccessible to Apple itself. The functionality will be integrated into iCloud +, the version of Apple's cloud services reserved for subscribers, except for those in China, Belarus, Colombia, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkmenistan, Uganda and the Philippines due to restrictions in those countries. With iOS 14.5, Apple had already released App Tracking Transparency, with which the system asks the user for the green light to track their activities for individual apps, for advertising purposes. Let’s meet all the new features better. Data protection from third parties In the Mail app, “Mail Privacy Protection” prevents senders from using invisible pixels to collect user information. This new feature helps prevent senders from knowing when the user opens an email, and hides the user's IP address so they can't connect it to other online activities or use it to determine their location. For several years, Safari's intelligent antitracking system has helped protect the user from unwanted tracking by using on-device machine learning to block trackers, without compromising the normal functioning of websites. This year, Intelligent Tracking Prevention becomes more effective, because it also hides the user's IP address from trackers so that they cannot use it as a unique identifier to track their activity on other websites and create their profile. Control of privacy management by apps The App Privacy Report shows how many times each app has used the permission granted by the user to access location, photos, camera, microphone and contacts over the last seven days.1 The user can thus check that there are no anomalies , and if something is wrong, you can fix it immediately from the section of that app in Settings. You can also find out with whom your data may be shared by viewing the list of all third-party domains that the app contacts. On-device audio processing for requests to Siri With on-device speech recognition, the user's voice is processed directly on their iPhone or iPad by default. This solves one of the most frequent privacy concerns related to voice assistants, namely unwanted audio recordings. Siri will use on-device processing for many types of requests that can then be processed without an internet connection, such as opening apps, setting timers and alarms, changing settings or managing music. With on-device speech recognition, the user's voice is processed directly on their iPhone or iPad by default. More privacy on the internet with iCloud + ICloud + combines everything customers love about iCloud with new premium features including iCloud Private Relay, “Hide My Email” and extended support for HomeKit secure videos, at no extra cost.2 Private Relay is a new internet privacy service, integrated directly into iCloud, which allows the user to connect to the web and browse in a more secure and private way. While browsing with Safari, Private Relay ensures that all outgoing traffic from the device is encrypted, so that it cannot be read by any intermediate link between the user and the website he is visiting: not even by Apple or by the provider of the Internet connection. All user requests are transmitted through two separate internet relays. The first assigns the user an anonymous IP address that indicates his geographical area but not his actual location. The second decrypts the web address you want to visit and forwards the user to the destination. This separation of information protects the user's privacy because no single entity can identify who the user is or which site they visit. Further developing the capabilities of the “Sign in with Apple” feature, “Hide my email” allows the user to share unique and random email addresses that forward messages to their personal inbox, whenever they wish to keep their email address confidential. . Hide My Email is a feature built directly into Safari, iCloud settings and Mail, and allows users to create and delete as many email addresses as they need at any time, helping them have control over who is able to contact them. 58-59. Google will launch an earthquake alert system on Android_2 Google will launch an earthquake alert system on Android By 2022, Google will make the Earthquake Alerts Android app available with an Android software update. It is a system that will automatically detect the oscillations of the accelerometer of each smartphone, to generate warnings on the initial phases of an earthquake. The platform will therefore treasure the nearly 3 billion Android devices active all over the world to create anonymous graphs of how the earth's layers move, alerting in the event of waves exceeding the danger threshold. According to the scientists working on the function, it will be possible to warn users at the first hint of “P” waves, called primary because they are the first to be felt during an earthquake and already analyzed in particularly seismic areas, in order to secure the population before the eventual “S" wave, slower but also more fearful. When it all started Four years ago, the University of California created an app called MyShake to detect an earthquake with users' smartphones in an economical and effective way. By analyzing the vibrations and distinguishing the usual ones due to the use of the telephone, the app was able to detect the arrival of an earthquake a few seconds in advance, giving those who are nearby a chance. The idea ended up in oblivion due to the low propensity of people to download the application, but it showed how the accelerometer present in every single device can be transformed into a small seismograph to be used in the most affected and most prone to arrival of a new shock. How Earthquake Alerts works What if you don't need to install the app? What if earthquake detection was built into the operating system? Google has decided to do just that: insert the Earthquake Alerts function within Android in what will become “the largest earthquake detection network in the world”, thanks to the billions of Android devices around the world. “All smartphones are equipped with tiny accelerometers that can detect earthquakes. They are also sensitive enough to detect the P wave, which is the first wave to come out of an earthquake and is typically much less harmful than the S wave that comes after. If the phone detects something it thinks may be an earthquake, it sends a signal to our server along with an approximate location of where the shaking occurred. By combining information from many phones in the same place, we can really understand if an earthquake is coming,”writes Google in a note on the official blog. On Android phones, alerts will be sent as a notification with visual indications on how to proceed, from taking cover to holding on to something while the earthquake occurs. At any time, these notifications can be disabled by going to the device settings. As in California, where the giant collaborates with the United States Geological Survey and the California Office of Emergency Services, it is plausible that the platform will preferentially communicate with the competent critical bodies in each country in the process of being activated. Why it is very useful It seems silly but the possibility of having a few seconds to leave the house or to hide under a load-bearing beam can be decisive for survival in the event of a strong shock. And the ability to exploit this data at a speed greater than that of the earthquake's propagation wave can earn us up to a minute of warning time - which rises as we move away from the epicenter, of course. According to the data analyzed by Big G, this is the time interval that we would have been able to have in the past by reading the information of the accelerometers during some historical series of earthquakes. No privacy issues Waiting for a more widespread launch, Google reassures users on the privacy side. Marc Stogaitis, the program's chief engineer, said that the information collected under the program is “de-identified” by users and that Google only needs “gross” location information to function. “What we really need for the project to work are just the little mini seismometers that are out there,” says Stogaitis. “We don't need to know anything about the person who owns it, because it's not needed,” Stogatis explains, adding: “Every phone can detect that something like an earthquake is happening, but then you need a set of phones to knowing with certainty that it is an earthquake”. When Earthquake Alerts arrives The Mountain View giant will insert this update within Google services for all devices with Android 5 or later, covering a pool of 2.5 billion phones. And the update will be immediate because it does not require the implementation by the smartphone manufacturer: just as happened with the contact tracking for the coronavirus - preparatory to the launch of the Immuni app in Italy - Earthquake Alerts will also be available immediately for everyone, just activating the geolocation on your phone. Initially, the earthquake detection service with the smartphone has been active only in California - where there is already an integration between the data of the official seismographs and the new Android network due to the MyShake app - but over the next few months it will be enabled in every area of ​​the world with a growing impact on the possibilities of being able to predict (albeit with very little advance) the arrival of a new earthquake. Google, in fact, has already launched Android Earthquake Alerts in beta testing in the United States, Greece, New Zealand, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Philippines, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. 60-61. OnePlus Nord CE 5G- Mobile for everyone_2 10. OnePlus Nord CE 5G: "the mobile phone for everyone” The new smartphone of the Chinese company maximizes the benefits and reduces the cost, by accepting some compromises it becomes "the mobile phone for everyone”. The price battle has been going on for some time and at the moment it has neither winners nor losers, but it has generated in users the awareness that you can buy excellent smartphones without spending too much money. Among these products, the new OnePlus Nord CE 5G fully demonstrates this paradigm: a lot of substance, small expense. Looking at the price tag, in fact, the latest device from the Chinese company costs 3 times, if not 4, less than an advanced top of the range. Compared to the OnePlus 9 Pro, the savings are well over 620 euros. A nice figure. Sure, many of the top-of-the-range premium features on the Nord CE aren't there, but those who use the phone without the need for state-of-the-art performance find everything they need in this smartphone. Design, aesthetics and build quality are tangible elements of this product, but here we also appreciate the low weight that stops and 170 grams and the thickness of 7.9 mm. A smartphone therefore compact enough and very practical to handle. Obviously the body is not made of glass but of polycarbonate, however the feeling with the object is more than pleasant. The 6.43-inch display also confirms the convenience of being able to use the phone even with one hand, but the screen is one of the distinctive elements of the OnePlus Nord CE 5G since it is a brilliant Amoled with 90 Hz refresh rate the resolution stops at Full HD +, a number of pixels more than adequate for such a phone. The performance is also in line with expectations, because the proven Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G processor does its job ensuring always fast and fluid use of the terminal without hesitation, but without even surprising. Not surprisingly, the memory cuts provided for this phone: 6/64 GB, 8/128 GB and 12/256 GB of the version subject of our test. The rams are LPDDR4X and alas the storage space is not expandable, a trend that is spreading among manufacturers and which is quite frustrating. What convinces without having to accept compromises is instead the excellent operating system present on the latest OnePlus phones or the OxigenOS 11 which offers various customization elements and many advanced functions perfect for geeks. The photographic department can rely on three sensors, of which the main 64-megapixel f / 1.79, an 8-megapixel 119 ° wide-angle and a 2-megapixel ƒ / 2.4 monochrome to improve image rendering. From the front, the camera is a modest 16 MP f / 2.35. They are clearly the specifications of a mid-range therefore with valid results for unpretentious shots and videos. The quality is more than acceptable in almost all conditions, but we are far from the top of the class. This is also evident from the fact that the videos stop at 4K 30fps resolution and that the wide-angle lens only supports clips in full hd. We must be satisfied, but not when it comes to autonomy. The OnePlus Nord CE 5G mounts, in fact, a 4500 mAh battery that brings the phone to the end of the day safely with a 20% margin. In addition, the 30W charger in the package allows you to fill the battery to 70% in 30 minutes, while it takes 55 to get to 100%. There is a headphone jack but the audio is only mono and not that powerful. Waterproofing is also missing, but it could not be otherwise for such a phone. On the other hand, the speed of the fingerprint reader under the glass and the support for 5G SA and NSA connectivity are good. In conclusion, the OnePlus Nord CE 5G can seduce the consumer thanks to its balance between performance and price, while offering advanced software, great reliability and tangible build quality. It is wrong to compare this smartphone with other more advanced products, its perimeter is that of a starting mid-range, even if it is now a price range with very fierce competitors. But with OnePlus you know what to buy and the entry price now starts at 299 euros, rising to 329 euros for the 8/128 version (subject to offers), and reaching 399 for the 12/256 GB model. Three colors: Blue Void, Silver Ray and Charcoal Ink. 62. Handelot Offices