OCBC Bank, StarHub partner to support Singapore's collaborative economy

Source: OCBC Bank. OCBC Bank’s Group CEO, Samuel Tsien (left), and StarHub’s CEO, Tan Tong Hai (right), forge Singapore’s first bank-telco strategic partnership with the first store-in-store at OCBC Bank’s orchardgateway branch.

OCBC Bank and StarHub have announced Singapore’s first bank-telco strategic partnership to drive Singapore’s collaborative economy, also known as the ‘We Economy’. To mark the start of this partnership, the two companies launched the first store-in-store at OCBC Bank’s orchardgateway branch, which illustrates the benefits customers can expect out of the We Economy.

Combining OCBC Bank’s financial capabilities and StarHub’s catalogue of info-communications and entertainment services, customers can now seamlessly manage their banking and digital lifestyle needs in one store. This store-in-store concept will be expanded in stages to cover more retail outlets.

The partnership between OCBC Bank and StarHub is the first step in a multi-year plan towards bringing together essential businesses across industries. These include transport, retail, insurance, health and wellness, and real estate. The partnership will welcome companies that share the same ideology to be part of its We Economy ecosystem.

OCBC Bank and StarHub identified the potential of the We Economy from working on two key thrusts for many years – digital innovation and customer experience. OCBC Bank started the use of data analytics in 2002 to obtain deep consumer insights in its continuing drive to find new ways to better serve its customers. It was the first to roll out fingerprint biometrics (2015), voice biometrics (2015), speech recognition (2016), open APIs (application programming interfaces) in 2016, specialised AI chatbots (2017) and transactional APIs (2017).

StarHub, Singapore’s first fully-integrated info-communications and entertainment service provider, innovates continually to bring greater benefits to customers, from streaming Asia’s first ‘live’ virtual reality concert to enabling Singapore’s first autonomous hotel room service robot and comprehensive mobile device after-sales support. Earlier this year, it also launched a new facility called Hubtricity to help accelerate Smart Nation initiatives and to showcase its deep capabilities in connectivity, cyber security and data analytics.

Samuel Tsien, Group CEO of OCBC Bank said: “This partnership is born out of the strong belief by both of us that by innovating together, rather than each doing its own thing, we can serve our consumers more comprehensively, effectively and efficiently. StarHub and OCBC have been very active in the space of digital innovation. Our partnership is the beginning and a part of a multi-year plan towards building Singapore’s first We Economy.”

Tan Tong Hai, CEO, StarHub said: "In this new economy, effective collaboration can drive business success. We are happy to team up with OCBC Bank, leveraging our shared strengths in digital lifestyle solutions and omnichannel engagements to deliver enhanced customer experiences. Our form of collective intelligence becomes even more vital as it enables us and our partners to anticipate and better respond to customers’ evolving motivations and preferences.”

Explore:

All current and new customers affiliated with both OCBC Bank and StarHub can sign up online to receive an additional 3% rebate on their StarHub bills for 12 months. The rebate of up to S$5 per month will be credited into customers’ OCBC credit card or bank account. Customers can look forward to enjoying more perks in future.

Singapore Science Park 1 to trial personal mobility device sharing scheme

Source: Ascendas-Singbridge. Tan Yew Chin, CEO, Singapore and Southeast Asia, Ascendas-Singbridge; Karen Lee, Head, Singapore Portfolio Operations, Ascendas Funds Management; Wang, Khiatani, Han Tui Heng, Assistant CEO, Singapore and Southeast Asia, Ascendas-Singbridge; William Tay, Deputy CEO, Singapore and Southeast Asia, Ascendas-Singbridge.

Asia’s sustainable urban and business space solutions, provider, Ascendas-Singbridge Group, has partnered intelligent transportation solutions provider Neuron Mobility to launch a six-month personal mobility devices (PMD) sharing trial at Singapore Science Park 1. This is part of the group’s broader efforts to provide tenants, staff and visitors of Singapore Science Park 1 with greater accessibility and convenience within the park.

From 14 June to 13 December 2017, 50 GPS-enabled e-scooters and 20 bicycles will be available for rent from six parking zones situated in Singapore Science Park 1, at Ascent, The Franklin, CINTECH I and IV, 3Cs (The Chadwick, Curie and Cavendish) and opposite Oasis building. For a small fee, tenants, staff, and visitors to Singapore Science Park 1 will be able to able to rent an e-scooter or bicycle, ride it to their destination, then return it to a parking zone.

Manohar Khiatani, Deputy Group CEO of Ascendas-Singbridge said: “Our tenants will now have an efficient, alternative mode of transport to work, meetings, lunch or other social appointments in and around the Park. The trial will allow us to gauge receptivity to the scheme and monitor usage so that we can improve intermodal connectivity and point-to-point travel within Singapore Science Park 1.”

The PMD sharing scheme is expected to supplement the shuttle bus services and public transport serving Singapore Science Park 1 for ad-hoc, short-distance travel. Apart from location tracking to enable proper use of its devices, Neuron’s intelligent transport solution will monitor travel patterns and frequencies. Backed by international patents, this proprietary system leverages different sensors in Internet of things (IoT) technologies to deliver a differentiated user experience through advanced analytics and insights.

Zachary Wang, CEO of Neuron Mobility, noted that Singapore Science Park 1 is an excellent testbed location. He said: “To be a truly viable large-scale firstand-last-mile solution, it is more than just providing reliable personal mobility devices. It is about being equipped to manage and optimise the entire network, which we pride ourselves in."

Once the six-month trial concludes, AscendasSingbridge will undertake a detailed review of the scheme as it considers the next rollout phase.

Interested?

During the trial, users can rent the PMDs on an ad-hoc basis, at a rate of S$0.50 per 15 minutes through Neuron’s mobile application platform. Subscription passes will also be introduced progressively during the trial.

Read the TechTrade Asia blog post about Neuron Mobility's use of location-based technology from Esri

Chinese Internet users happy to share personal data - for a price

• Those aged 30 to 40 are most likely to share data for rewards
• China, Mexico and Russia lead for people willing to share data

Over a quarter (27%) of Internet users across 17 countries strongly agree that they are willing to share their personal data in exchange for benefits or rewards like lower costs or personalised service. This contrasts to 19% who are unwilling to share data.

GfK asked people online to indicate how strongly they agree or disagree with the statement, "I am willing to share my personal data (health, financial, driving records, energy use, etc.) in exchange for benefits or rewards like lower costs or personalised service" - using a scale where "1" means "don't agree at all" and "7" means "agree completely".

Equal percentages of both men and women are firmly willing to share their data in return for benefits - both standing at 27%. However, more women than men class themselves as firmly unwilling, standing at 21% of women versus 18% of men.

People in their twenties and thirties are most likely to share their data, with a third saying they are firmly willing to do so (33% in their twenties and 34% in their thirties). They are followed by those aged 15 to 19 years old, at 28%.

People in China are most ready to share their personal data in exchange for benefits, with 38% of the online population saying they are firmly willing to do so and 8% firmly unwilling.

Other Asian countries polled included Japan and China.

Interested?

Download findings for each of the 17 countries

Uber Malaysia welcomes Budget support for ride sharing

Source: Uber Malaysia. Foong.

In response to the Malaysia Prime Minister YAB Dato' Sri Mohd Najib Tun Haji Abdul Razak's Budget announcement that ride-sharing will be encouraged, Uber's Leon Foong, GM, Uber Malaysia had this to say:

“We are delighted that the government and Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak have recognised how Uber can positively impact the socioeconomic status of Malaysians in the B40 segment. By providing the choice to earn at the touch of a button to Malaysians from all walks of life, driver-partners can provide for themselves and their families, as well as have greater independence to pursue their dreams.

“We are also thrilled to be engaging Proton, the national car manufacturer, as a partner, and will make an announcement with more details soon. This is the first of its kind in the world for Uber. Just as Uber has been a key pioneer in the ridesharing industry, Proton has also pioneered the automotive industry in Malaysia. We share the same vision to drive Malaysia forward through technological innovation and creating economic opportunities.

“The initiative clearly provides tangible growth and economic empowerment. It is also a clear win for the ridesharing industry and shows forward-thinking leadership. We commend the Malaysian government for this astute, people-centric Budget!

“Wherever we operate, Uber has positively impacted people and cities and we have positively contributed to the local economy. Ride-sharing is here to stay and Uber will certainly continue to do our part in improving urban mobility in Malaysia.”

In his Budget announcement PM Najib said: "To assist the B40 group, especially BR1M recipients to generate additional income, the government will encourage their participation as ride-sharing drivers such as Uber drivers, particularly those who own vehicles.

Their income could reach up to RM1,500 per month for part-time drivers working between 10 to 40 hours per week, and RM4,300 if more than 40 hours per week.

To those who do not own a vehicle, down payment will be made using BR1M and a rebate of RM4,000 will be provided for the purchase of Proton Iriz."

B40 refers to the bottom 40% of households in Malaysia, which have a monthly income RM3,900 and below, while BR1M stands for 1Malaysia People’s Aid.

Interested?

Read the full Budget 2017 speech

Microsoft's free digital storytelling tool Sway is in general availability mode

Source: Microsoft. A Sway screen.

Microsoft's free digital storytelling tool Sway is moving from the 'preview' stage to 'general availability', indicating that it is ready for mass use. Sway is a digital storytelling tool that uses a built-in design engine to integrate ideas and raw content into a cohesive layout that makes the content flow together well across devices.

Consumers can now use Sway for free as long as they have a Microsoft account. Sway is also rolling out to all eligible* Office 365 for business and education customers worldwide**. Businesses, schools and other organisations can use Sway to create and share interactive reports, presentations, assignments, lessons, projects, and more.

In business, professionals have been using Sway to save time at work and easily create interactive reports, presentations, newsletters, training and more. Sway can for example showcase a custom solution, share expense report training or attract customers with marketing materials.

Key highlights include:

·  Sways can be written in languages that the user interface does not support.

· Consumers can share their Sways on the newly relaunched Docs.com. 

· Sway for Windows 10 is now available as an app in the Windows Store with new layout and publishing capabilities in 39 languages including English, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Bahasa Indonesia, Japanese, Korean and Malay.

· Sway is also now available on iPad and iPhone in 29 languages including Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), English, Bahasa Indonesia, Japanese, Korean and Malay.

· Sway for Windows Phones will arrive in the coming months.

Interested?

Sway is available on the web at Sway.com and is free. Sway.com is accessible worldwide without restriction
Read the official Office blog post on the general availability of Sway 

Explore the Sway product guide (made with Sway)

*Sway is available to most customers with an Office 365 plan that includes Office Online, Office 365 Business, or Office 365 ProPlus. For Government Community Cloud (GCC) customers and customers in certain geographies, Sway will be made available at a later date. Some legacy Office 365 plans that are no longer in market as of August 2015 may not have access to Sway.

**Sway for Windows is now available in 214 markets: Åland Islands, Albania, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antarctica, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bonaire, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bouvet Island, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Colombia, Republic of Congo, Congo (DRC), Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Côte D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Croatia, Curaçao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), Faroe Islands, Fiji Islands, Finland, France, French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Channel Islands – Guernsey, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Honduras, Hong Kong SAR, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Channel Islands – Jersey, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau SAR, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn Islands, Poland, Portugal, Réunion, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Sint Maarten (Dutch part), Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Saint Helena, Suriname, Svalbard and Jan Mayen, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, United States Minor Outlying Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam, Wallis and Futuna, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Prefer Macs? Acronis Access Connect lets you use them with PCs and mobile devices

Acronis, a data protection specialist, today unveiled Acronis Access Connect – a file and print sharing solution for businesses. Acronis Access Connect (formerly ExtremeZ-IP) integrates Macs into businesses.

With this new release, Acronis Access Connect adds broad support for mobile workers to securely access files using iOS, Android, and Windows phones and tablets. This combined support across the range of PC, Mac and mobile platforms lets employees keep using the devices they love, while enabling IT departments to deliver a seamless, scalable, and problem-free file server access and print sharing experience for users.

With Acronis Access Connect, mobile workers and road warriors can now access their work files wherever they need them using the intuitively designed Access Connect mobile clients for iOS, Android and Windows mobile devices. Minimal or no end user training is required for mobile users, especially those familiar with Mac and Windows file sharing environments.

For IT managers and professionals, Acronis Access Connect eliminates SMB protocol bugs, performance issues and compatibility problems related to integrating Macs into Windows environments, reducing help desk calls by as much as 70%. Acronis Access Connect installs in a matter of minutes on Windows servers, delivering immediate time-to-value for IT administrators and support personnel. The solution allows employees to be more productive when working with files on their PCs, Macs and mobile devices – as they choose.

As bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies continue to transform the way employees work worldwide, Macs in the workplace are becoming more common. A 2014 survey of 376 IT professionals conducted by Dimensional Research found that user preference is the top reason given by IT administrators for supporting Macs. The survey also found that 66% of businesses are already using Macs today, and more than 70% officially support Macs as a company endpoint.

While many employees clearly prefer Macs, there are challenges from an IT perspective when it comes to file sharing, including compatibility, search performance issues, and a poor user experience. Acronis Access Connect allows Mac users to take advantage of key features they expect when connecting to Windows or networked attach storage (NAS) file servers, including:

· Fast, full content searching using Network Spotlight
· Automatic backups using Time Machine
· Fast browsing of network shares
· Glitch-free operations when using key applications, such as Microsoft Office or Adobe Creative Suite

“Acronis Access Connect cures two of the biggest IT headaches when it comes to file sharing,” said Serguei Beloussov, CEO, Acronis. “First, we help IT support the increasing numbers of Mac users by virtually eliminating file sharing support issues, and second, we have opened up filer server access across any device – empowering all of your employees to work and collaborate from anywhere.”

Interested?

View the associated video.