LINE introduces encryption for chat rooms

Source: LINE. The new encryption
indicator is in the shape of a lock icon.

LINE users in Singapore will now be able to enjoy enhanced privacy and security for a safer and more secure user experience.

A new indicator icon in the shape of a lock has been introduced in the latest version of the free call and messaging app LINE that allows users to determine if a chat room is protected with end-to-end encryption. The icon, which is being introduced gradually in regions across the world, ensures that messages cannot be read by anyone else apart from the sender and recipient as they pass through LINE’s servers for both group chat and 1-on-1 message functions.

Even in the unprecedented event of a LINE server leak, users can be safeguarded against other parties decrypting their conversations.

Interested?

The versions of the LINE app which incorporate the new feature are version 6.5 for iOS and Android, and version 4.8 for the Windows and the Mac platforms

Polaroid debuts the Polaroid Snap+ instant print camera at CES

Source: Polaroid.

Building off of the success of its first generation Polaroid Snap, Polaroid today took the wraps off of the new Polaroid Snap+ instant print camera at CES 2016.

"Our brand's renewed focus on product design has allowed us to bring new and exciting products - such as the Polaroid Snap+ - to market that evoke an emotional connection with our consumers," said Scott Hardy, President and CEO of Polaroid. "Above all things, our brand is known for being fun and for the nostalgic instant photography experience which is our legacy. Now that we've reinvigorated that experience with digital technologies, its allowing Polaroid to reintroduce the idea of 'click and print' photography to a new generation of consumers."

The new Polaroid Snap+ instant print camera offers both a traditional and instant digital camera experience. Updates include the addition of a 3.5" touchscreen LCD for framing shots and navigating the camera's menu, a new and improved 13 megapixel CMOS sensor for higher-quality images as well as 1080p full HD video recording capability. All images and video are stored on a microSD card (up to 128GB).

The new Polaroid Snap+ also supports remote connectivity through Bluetooth to the Polaroid print app, allowing the camera to connect to and print from other devices such as smartphones and tablets. The app, available free for iOS and Android, will give users the ability to edit and enhance their prints with a number of creative filters, digital stickers, effects and controls.

As with the Polaroid Snap instant print camera, the new Polaroid Snap+ has an integrated printer using ZINK Zero Ink Printing Technology, allowing users to print colour 2x3" prints automatically when an image is captured. With the Polaroid Snap+, up to 10 images can be queued to print at any time, so that photos can still be taken while prints are in progress. A self-timer and popup selfie mirror helps with selfies. 

Interested?

The Polaroid Snap+ instant print camera will be available Q4 2016 at www.polaroidsnapcamera.com. Pricing is not yet available. 

Hashtag: #CES2016

Cafédirect launches Medium Roast Freeze-Dried instant coffee

Source: Cafédirect.

UK hot beverage company Cafédirect has stocked shelves of top Singapore supermarkets with a new carefully-blended, premium Medium Roast Freeze-Dried instant coffee. This specialty coffee is the pick-me-up solution for people constantly on the go - just add hot water for a smooth, vibrant and full-flavoured cup of coffee with roasted caramel overtones.

Trends show that more and more of the 80% of Singapore coffee lovers that prefer their coffee with milk have found a new love for black coffee. The reason for the switch is in the Cafédirect Master Blender’s formula of balancing sweet and chocolate-y Arabica beans from South America with all-rounder beans from the lush green highlands of Central America, and bright, bold-bodied East African Natural Robusta (60%) coffee beans.

This Cafédirect recipe combines the complex flavour of the medium roasted Arabica and Robusta beans for its body. Carefully selected for roasting to a pleasing medium 3 (on the scale of 1 to 5)*, the quality coffee is then freeze-dried to lock in nuances of flavour when the beans are at their freshest, releasing its distinctive aroma only on contact with hot water. The blend also soothes when milk or cream is added to it, for those who prefer their coffee mild or white due to the presence of Robusta. 

Cafédirect sources its coffee supply directly from the growers with whom they have established long-term relationships. Direct sourcing maintains high standards of quality, therefore, Cafédirect is able to trace the origin of their coffee beans and bring the authentic taste to the coffee-loving crowd. Half of the profits are also reinvested back into grower communities to enable them to continue delivering great tasting produce to customers of Cafédirect worldwide.

“Freeze-dried specialty coffee can be convenient and still taste great. Using freeze-dried technology, we are able to capture the essence of flavours in the coffee. With this enticing blend of instant freeze-dried coffee, today’s discerning consumers can incorporate coffee in their recipes or simply indulge in a café-quality beverage without the fuss, going out the door and the hefty price tag,” says Cafédirect Senior National Account Manager, Julian Burnham.

Interested?

Cafédirect Freeze-dried Medium Roast instant coffee is priced at S$10.90 for a 100g jar. It is available at Cold Storage, FairPrice Finest, Giant Hyper, Jasons and Market Place.

The Cafédirect Giveaway

If you're in Singapore, follow me on Instagram and leave a comment here by September 7 2015 on why you love coffee to stand a chance to try Cafédirect Freeze-dried Medium Roast instant coffee. Winners will be contacted on 8 September 2015.

*To help you select a coffee strength that suits your taste, Cafédirect has placed a numbered icon on the label. The strength of the coffee depends on a number of factors, namely the composition of coffee beans in the blend, as well as the intensity of the roasting process for coffee beans. Instant coffees from Cafédirect span the range from 3 to 5. The Freeze-dried Medium Roast is a 3 which means that it is a medium roast coffee, perfectly balancing roasted notes with the full flavour of the beans where neither overwhelms the other.

Instant coffees gain traction

The reputation of instant coffee has improved among consumers, especially youth, as it is less expensive and easy to prepare, boosting the outlook for instant coffee globally, says research firm Technavio. The company has published a new report on the global instant coffee market.

The number of coffee drinkers has increased, as has the acceptance of café culture globally, prompting coffee producers to introduce new varieties in the market, Technavio adds. Price fluctuations for green coffee beans add an element of volatility however.

“The growing trend of having coffee during casual social conversations, particularly in developing economies where the young population is high, is bolstering the market for coffee vendors globally,” says Faisal Ghaus, Vice President of Technavio.

“With the rise in coffee drinkers spurred by the increase in number of visitors to coffee shops and cafés, the potential customer base for instant coffee has expanded.”

Interested?

Find out more about the Technavio report