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The Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers of the Philippines State of Qatar Chapter (IIEE-SQC) is poised to assume the chairmanship of the Philippine Professional Organisation in Qatar (PPO-Q) next year, it was announced.At the recently held 10th PPO-Q meeting, the chapter officially endorsed Teofilo F Tongson, 2017 chapter president, to take on the role of chairman for 2024.This endorsement was witnessed by leaders from 19 professional organisations with strong support coming from the chapter represented by IIEE-SQC’s immediate former president Lauren M Olivos, 2013 president Edgar Bernardino, current president Jimmy Michael Y Bugay, president-elect Enrique I Flores, and adviser Robert U Mabulay.One of his biggest challenges in Tongson’s upcoming term will be the Special Professional Licensure Exam, held annually by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) in Qatar, under the auspices of the Migrant Workers Office and which typically takes place concurrently with other testing centres in the Middle East region – run by the corresponding Professional Organisations. Tongson is also committed to the many events and activities that PPO-Q offers to his members, including providing technical seminars, social outreach programmes, sporting initiatives and support with numerous programmes hosted by the Philippine embassy in Doha.This marks the third occasion that IIEE-SQC will hold the chairmanship, following the hosting rotation specified in PPO-Q’s memorandum of understanding.

The Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers State of Qatar Chapter (IIEE-SQC), led by its president, Jimmy Michael Y Bugay, held its 3rd technical seminar, general membership meeting, and election of the 2024 board of directors.According to IIEE-SQC, this is the third major event of the chapter for this year as it continues to work and move together in fulfilling its advocacy to be of service to its members.The event was attended by Francis V Mapile, chairman, Professional Regulatory Board of Electrical Engineering; Jaime V Mendoza, member, Professional Regulatory Board of Electrical Engineering; Lyndon R Bague, IIEE 2023 national president; Reiniero C Supsup, IIEE 2023 Foreign Region governor; and Robert U Mabulay, former Middle East/Foreign Region governor and chapter adviser.The event was packed with technical learning from highly experienced and competent technical speakers, including Ferdinand G Reyes, who shared knowledge on the evolution and advancement of new technologies for communication between the generating systems and the receiving peripherals.Another speaker, Adelino R Abeto Jr, discussed the basic principle of electrical load forecasting and its importance to power generation planning and development planning of an electric power system.The third speaker, Jose G Gellido, shared information on UPS and battery sizing calculation, together with the underlying principle and operation of UPS including the battery from basic to advanced.Another highlight was the successful conduct of the election for the chapter’s 2024 board of directors where members were able to exercise their rights to vote via the e-voting platform from the IIEE National Office.The nomination committee was chaired by the chapter’s immediate former president, Lauren M Olivos while the election committee was chaired by the chapter’s 2021 president, Rudilyn S Reyes.The event was attended both onsite and online by the chapter officers, chapter former presidents, chapter advisers, professional electrical engineers across batches 1 to 14, aspirants from Batch 15, presidents from other IIEE chapters, and students from Pangasinan State University-Urdaneta Campus, and Samar State University.The event was chaired by Marlon L Manantan, chapter VP-Technical Affairs; and co-chaired by Alfie M Guillermo, chapter secretary.

Michel Kilzi is a transformative thought leader and influential authority in data analytics and AI. He consistently champions the view of Data as an Asset in today’s new economy. Michel is credited for his pioneering vision that underscores the power of leveraging our personal digital and data assets. Infusing this with the might of AI and ML, his vision forges the creation of a highly personalized digital counterpart, a clone, with capabilities beyond compare, thereby redefining the horizons of AI. This innovative concept has the potential of creating personalized generative AI that shall revolutionize the way we navigate and maximize our lives, harnessing the full potential of our own data assets and become much more productive in our lives. Imagine a cognitive replica of yourself, designed to streamline your professional and personal responsibilities.This exceptional virtual companion, fuelled by your personal data, assimilates your unique cognitive framework, preferences, and decision-making patterns. Continuously learning from your interactions and feedback, this AI-Clone adapts effortlessly to changing circumstances, providing unparalleled support and unleashing your potential for a less-stress life.Cognitive neuroscience and artificial intelligence, intersect in their pursuit to understand and replicate human intelligence. Cognitive neuroscience unravels the neural mechanisms behind human cognition, such as perception, memory, and consciousness, while artificial intelligence aims to mimic these cognitive processes in machines. This convergence has the potential to revolutionize AI, fostering the development of digital-clones that can emulate unique human cognitive patterns.As Michel says: “We should not fear the disruption caused by AI, instead, we should view AI as a catalyst of data value renovation, social progress, and ultimately well-being”.Michel believes that each of us can elect to remain a simple user of AI or leverage AI for value creation: you can become a generative powerhouse for your own interests. Learning from your own data is value establishment for you, where your clone is at your sole disposal to be leveraged for your own interests and your own professional and personal objective. By taking control of your data and putting in place as your own life operating system, you would be polarizing somehow the abuse of the big Tech companies, in relation to exploiting your own data footprints to serve their own business objectives.While it is crucial to acknowledge the potential negative implications and risks associated with AI, it is equally important to recognize the immense opportunities it presents for individuals. Furthermore, even though AI and ML can mimic certain brain functions, they are still tools created and controlled by humans. Their capabilities and actions are determined by their programming and the data they are trained on. AI doesn't have beliefs, desires, fears, or hopes, nor can it feel joy or sadness. It doesn't experience the world or understand it in the way humans do. By taking ownership of our data and leveraging AI, we have the potential to create personalized, AI-driven curated assistants. Large Language Models, is exhibiting exceptional abilities in tasks such as semantic comprehension, query resolution, especially in scenarios where they haven’t been explicitly trained or have limited training.In this futuristic vision, Michel Kilzi proposes that a user can construct their own personalized, AI-driven Life Operating System (LOS), designed to learn exclusively from the user’s data. This is achieved by creating a personal central data warehouse, which acts as the brain of the LOS, gathering and storing all individual’s personal data. Users can seamlessly, connect his diverse tools and platforms through a simple drag-and-drop interface, allowing the LOS to gather information from diverse sources and learn from the user’s habits, preferences, and behaviors. Assistive tools, such as task automation, health tracking, financial management, and many others can be integrated making the LOS truly comprehensive. Users define their expectations and objectives, dictating what they want their LOS help them achieve. These could range from simple tasks, to more complex goals like tracking health and providing wellness advice.The user’s LOS becomes a digital clone, adapting and evolving with the user’s changing life circumstances, all under the user’s control and direction, creating an innovative way to manage and optimize your life.It’s all about how to make our life more productive and more satisfying. Make work more fulfilling and impactful. With advancement of such assistive AI-driven technologies, I foresee: The government becoming the concierge for citizens. Each of us will have his own butler, supported by his own generative AI or Chatgpt equivalent capabilities.Your AI-clone will be multi-facets, a Personal assistant at work; writing your emails, managing your schedule, producing your reports and many other kind of mechanic tasks. It will be your personal home steward, to manage your health, well-being; but as well it will provide Relationship Management: to ensure the perfect balance between work and family care-taking. The LOS can remember important dates and special events in relation to the family and friends, it can suggest thoughtful actions/gifts or organizing family activities, or manage your leisure, and hobbies. It can provide guidance on child development and parenting based on your child’s age and interests. It can help you improve your communication by suggesting better ways to express your feelings or address conflicts.Michel concludes: We're on the brink of a new Industrial Revolution ignited by AI! Conceive a bespoke Life Operating System, meticulously crafted to match your life's unique contours. Get a glimpse of this intriguing concept in my latest article published on Forbes about AI-driven Life Operating Systems.

'Google' is preparing to launch an Artificial Intelligence (AI) feature titled 'Help Me Write', which aims at improving the quality of writing through Chromebook devices.The company equips the creative writing and editing feature powered by AI for Chromebook devices, allowing users to improve the quality of writing across the entire operating system.Google has already delivered these sorts of AI-powered writing and editing tools in some of their other apps like Gmail and Google Docs to help users easily improve their writing.Additionally, the Google Messages app recently rolled out a "Magic Compose" feature that uses AI to help draft or edit replies. These moves each highlight Googles increasing focus on generative AI.

Apple announced today a new update to its podcast creation tools.The new update involves a new data analytics dashboard for content creators. Apple launched two years ago the premium podcast subscriptions feature on Apple Podcast.

WhatsApp is currently working on a new feature aimed at enhancing security and privacy for its users. The specific details of the feature have yet to be revealed, but it is said to be focused on simplifying the account verification process.Currently, WhatsApp requires users to go through a phone number verification process during the account setup. However, the new feature could streamline this process and make it easier for users to verify their accounts. WhatsApp already offers a two-step verification process where users can set up a PIN to add an extra layer of security to their accounts. Users can provide an email address as a backup for account recovery if they forget their PIN during this setup. However, this differs from using the email address as a login method, which is the new feature WhatsApp is reportedly working on.This feature can also serve as an additional layer of security, as it allows users to have a more versatile way of accessing their accounts while keeping their primary phone number associated with their WhatsApp account secure. Furthermore, it could be useful for users who frequently switch devices or have multiple devices linked to their WhatsApp accounts.

Apple is working on developing a second-generation version of its AirTag item tracker.The new version is expected to maintain the same features of the current version with new features like integration with Vision Pro.Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said he believes that spatial computing was a new ecosystem that Apple wants to build, using Vision Pro as the core to integrate other devices, including AirTag 2.He added that the iPhone 15 will include an upgraded Ultra Wideband chip to build a competitive ecosystem surrounding Vision Pro.

Adobe has announced a new feature for Photoshop that uses generative AI to expand images. The feature, called Generative Expand, allows users to drag the crop tool beyond the original picture size and add material with or without a text prompt.By generating imagery based on a text prompt or making an educated guess based on the existing image, users can add new scenery, widen portrait photos, or add imaginative elements to real-world photos.The introduction of generative AI into Photoshop, a central tool for creative professionals, marks a significant change.Adobe is being cautious in its implementation of generative AI, carefully vetting the data used to train its AI and avoiding sensitive areas like recognizable people or trademarked products.

Microsoft has already started making the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot Bing Chat available in non-Microsoft browsers such as Google Chrome and Safari.Microsoft's bot was only available within its products, such as the Microsoft Bing mobile app and Microsoft Edge browser.Microsoft's Bing chatbot is based on Open AI's GPT-4 artificial intelligence model, the latest model behind the ChatGPT bot."We are flighting access to Bing Chat in Safari and Chrome to select users as part of our testing on other browsers," said Microsoft director of communications, Caitlin Roulston, in an emailed statement to TechCrunch.Some users have noticed limitations set by the company in the Bing Chat in Chrome and Safari supports only five messages per conversation instead of the 30 available in Microsoft Edge.In the same context, Microsoft is also testing adding night mode to the bot, which is also available to a limited number of users.Microsoft had recently launched the visual search feature in the bot and announced a paid commercial version for business owners.

Meta-owned WhatsApp has released a new update for its Android beta app, which brings the version up to 2.23.15.24. This latest update includes numerous interface enhancements in line with Material Design 3. Making them available to an expanded group of beta testers.According to Wabetainfo, over the past few weeks, WhatsApp has been keeping its users informed about the latest updates regarding the application interface. The recent updates have included a bottom navigation bar, redesigned floating action button, new toggles, rounded alerts, and rounded menus.Initially, these features were only available to a small group of users. However, the latest update, available on the Google Play Store, makes them available to many more beta testers. The rounded menus, bottom navigation bar, and redesigned floating action button. It now looks like an incoming message bubble, align with Material Design 3 guidelines.

Apple Inc. is working on new features for its popular AirPods earbuds, exploring major new hearing health and body-temperature features.Bloomberg said on Sunday that Apple Inc. is developing a new hearing test feature that will play different tones and sounds to allow the AirPods to determine the level of a person's hearing ability. The aim of which is to help users test for hearing issues.The company is also working towards offering cheaper AirPods models and transitioning to USB-C charging ports.By next year, the product will also have ties to the Vision Pro headset, in addition to the already-announced software features that were part of iOS 17, as well as plans for new AirPods Pro and Max models.

The ChatGPT app on iOS now lets paid users access information surfaced by Microsoft's Bing. In the app's most recent update, OpenAI says subscribers who pay for its USD 20 per month ChatGPT Plus plan receive up-to-date information from the web.Microsoft, which made a multibillion-dollar investment into OpenAI earlier this year, announced Bing would become the default search engine for ChatGPT during its Build event in May.The integration is already available as a beta to Plus users in the ChatGPT web app, which "knows when and how to browse the internet to answer questions about recent topics and events." The free version of ChatGPT, on the other hand, is only capable of surfacing information up to the year 2021.To enable web browsing with Bing on the ChatGPT app for iOS, OpenAI says you'll need to navigate to your settings and then enable the Browsing option in the "New Features" section. From there, select GPT-4 from the model switcher and then hit "Browse with Bing" from the dropdown. ChatGPT currently only has an app on iOS, with one on Android coming "soon."

Qatar Oryx chapter of American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) conducted a workshop on “CFD Application for Building HVAC, VFD chiller, Magnetic Bearing Chiller, Ice thermal storage & Sustainable HVAC Green Product Technology” for air conditioning engineers recently.Around 120 engineers from various sectors in Qatar attended.Azman Abdulla (deputy general manager, Dunham-Bush) was the visiting keynote speaker with P K Hashir (CFD analyst at Al Malki Trading & Contracting Company), the other guest speaker. Chapter advisory board chairman Hassan Sultan welcomed the gathering. President Kinan Fahs was the main co-ordinator. Seenu Pillai was the master of ceremonies. Richie Mittal, director & regional chair for the region at large, came from India to attend the session.Sultan also presented the award from the ASHRAE society to the chapter’s board of governor Abdul Zameer, for his contribution to the technological development and to Ghassan Trabolsi, for the support and services as a chapter president.

Google is expected to enrich its popular online services with more artificial intelligence on Wednesday as it scrambles to catch up with rival Microsoft despite fears that AI poses a threat to society.Leaks ahead of the internet titan's annual developers conference have revealed that Google will also show off new gadgets, including a foldable smartphone, and reveal additions to its Pixel line of devices.Most attention will focus on Google's expected release of a more muscular version of its Bard generative AI being put to work across the platform.Microsoft upped the pressure last week by expanding public access to its generative AI programs -- including the Bing chatbot -- that have put the company founded by Bill Gates back on the map as a big tech disruptor.The services have been enhanced with the ability to work with images as well as text, and Microsoft intends to add video to the mix, according to executives.Google is expected to follow suit in AI announcements at its annual "I/O" software developers conference held a short walk from its headquarters in the Silicon Valley city of Mountain View.A more powerful large language model built into the heart of Bard will likely be unveiled, along with expanded use of the AI powers in Gmail, work software, search and more, according to media reports.Large language models involve machine learning applied to massive amounts of data harvested from the internet.Generative AI can be prompted to quickly deliver written tasks from poetry and homework to computer code. It can also be prompted to create images or video.Risks from AI include its potential uses for fraud, with voice clones, deep-fake videos and convincing written messages.A prominent computer scientist dubbed "the godfather of artificial intelligence" recently quit his job at Google and spoke out about the dangers of the technology.Geoffrey Hinton said at a recent MIT forum that it makes sense to halt the development of AI, but added that the idea is naive given the intense competition between countries and companies involved in the sector.Hinton, who created some of the technology underlying AI systems, maintained that the existential threat from AI is "serious and close."A range of experts in March urged a pause in the development of powerful AI systems to allow time to make sure they are safe.Their open letter, signed by more than 1,000 people, including tech billionaire Elon Musk and Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak, was prompted by generative AI technology from Microsoft-backed firm OpenAI.- Folding phone -The I/O gathering is aimed at software developers who make apps or services that dovetail with Google's "ecosystem" and should include details about the latest Android operating system for mobile devices.Recent tweaks to Android hint it is being adapted for phones with screens that bend, allowing them to be folded.Google recently posted a brief video clip teasing a foldable phone that it is likely to formally introduce at the conference.Leaked information in recent weeks indicates that Google will also show off a lower-priced version of its Pixel 7 smartphone along with a new Pixel tablet.Google might provide a glimpse of a Pixel 8 phone coming as its new flagship model to challenge iPhone at the premium end of the market.Google's latest quarterly earnings exceeded expectations after the company slashed 12,000 staff, or six percent of its workforce, in January.

Imagine standing in front of the Taj Mahal, and as you wave your phone in the air or put on your smart glasses, 3D icons, images, videos, pictures, and messages from your community who have physically been in the same place as you start floating in front of your eyes. Imagine interacting with these marks and even responding with your own video message attached for others to view and interact with. This is the experience that Mark:MetaEarth, the ground-breaking augmented reality social app, promises to bring to its users.Mark:MetaEarth is a first-of-its-kind augmented reality social application that bridges the world we live in with the digital world. It allows you to interact with friends, family, and other people who have physically been in the same place as you. This opens up a whole new world of possibilities, from interacting with marks left by others to playing eSports in the real world with smart glasses and technology in various locations.The brainchild of Ziad Jarrar, the founder and CEO of Mark:MetaEarth and Taurus Ventures, Mark:MetaEarth is bridging the future between real life and augmented reality. Ziad has had an illustrious career, with early highlights including founding Spot Media, a digital signage company in the MENA region, and Oobers, a youth marketing company out of Dubai. Ziad has served on the board of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization in KSA, for several years. He founded the first innovation accelerator in Saudi Arabia under Accmakk and co-founded Friends of Jeddah Parks, building parks for underprivileged neighbourhoods in Saudi Arabia.However, Ziad’s greatest career highlight is Taurus, the company he founded in 2014, which is still in operation today. Taurus is a human-centred design and innovation company that has worked with numerous clients in the private and public sectors in the KSA, the likes of NEOM, DGDA, KAFD, Ministry of Tourism, MISK, among others. Taurus is a subsidiary of Taurus Ventures, which has developed several companies, including Mark: MetaEarth, a gaming company (Jahannamia Studios), an e-commerce platform (Gifted by Kids), a prop-tech lifestyle management company & app (Solana), and a video recruitment app (CMe), amongst others.Ziad’s philosophy on innovation, design thinking, and problem-solving is simple: human centricity is at the core of everything. He believes that observing, watching, and learning from the world and people around you is crucial to success. He also advocates for questioning everything, being curious, and not accepting things for what they are but always looking for what else they can be. He believes that the journey is more important than the destination and that as long as you’re planning, you’re not doing.In the coming years, Ziad sees himself as the spark behind many innovators and entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia. As a forward-thinking innovator, Ziad loves investing in people and their visions and hopes to continue creating experiences that bring ideas to life through his work at Taurus Ventures. His greatest desire is to transform Mark:MetaEarth by Taurus Ventures into the next biggest platform for social interaction and utility, from Saudi Arabia to the world.Mark:MetaEarth is not just an augmented reality social app but a digital bridge that brings the real world into play. With Mark:MetaEarth, you can experience the world like never before and interact with others in ways that were once unimaginable. It’s a truly ground-breaking app that is sure to change the way we experience the world around us.

Qatar Oryx chapter of American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) conducted a technical workshop.Around 100 designers, construction and facility management engineers from various sectors including Qatar Foundation and Hamad International Airport attended the event. Kou Fei, senior engineer, Midea was the visiting keynote speaker and Seenu S Pillai, a longtime ASHRAE member, the guest speaker. Qatar Oryx Chapter advisory board chairman Hassan Sultan welcomed the gathering. President Kinan Fahs was the main co-ordinator. Dharani Pillai introduced the speakers.ASHRAE founded in 1894, has over 56,000 members with 183 chapters from 132 nations divided into 15 regions. The Qatar Oryx chapter formed in 2008 has about 260 members.

The Indian Business & Professionals Council (IBPC) Qatar recently organised an interactive session with renowned Indian architect Dikshu Kukreja, the managing principal of C P Kukreja Architects, one of the world’s largest architecture and urban design firms, with offices in India, Vietnam, Japan and the US.Over 50 Indian architects working in Qatar attended the session on 'Five Decades of India's Built Environment'. Earlier, Indian embassy counsellor (political & commerce) and IBPC co-ordinating officer Angeline Premalatha inaugurated the session and felicitated Kukreja in recognition of his contribution to architecture.IBPC governing board member Thaha Abdul Kareem and vice president Abdul Sathar spoke about the work of Kukreja Architects, rooted in contextuality and driven by a sustainable approach reinforced through innovative technologies.

Today, Meta marks Safer Internet Day by bringing to light its suite of tools and updates to improve safety and experiences for both teens and parents using Meta’s platforms. To help young people foster online relationships in a safe environment, Meta collaborates with experts in mental health, child psychology, digital literacy and others to ensure safer experiences across its family of apps.Setting safe boundaries for teensIn the past year alone, Meta has introduced several updates which include defaulting teens into more private settings at sign up and protecting them from unwanted interactions with adults who don’t follow them. This extends to protecting teens from receiving messages from suspicious adults they aren’t connected to or seeing them in People You May Know recommendations. Meta is also removing content that violates the platform’s policies and making potentially sensitive content more difficult to find.Teens are encouraged to report unsafe or suspicious activities, such as reporting accounts after blocking them and learning how to navigate inappropriate messages from adults. Along with default privacy settings, teens can take safety further by choosing who can see their friends list; the people, Pages and lists they follow; posts they are tagged in on their profiles and more.​​Tips for teens on Instagram: Build positive online habits with features like 'Take a Break' - spend more meaningful time online using features like 'Take a Break' and ‘Nudges’ that encourage you to both spend time away from Instagram and explore different topics while on Instagram.Set your boundaries with friends online via ‘Quiet Mode’ - a new feature intended to help people focus, manage their nighttime use and set healthier boundaries between friends and followers. Quiet mode is available to everyone in the US, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and will be launched in more countries soon.Control what you see on Explore in settings - you can now choose to hide multiple pieces of content in Explore that they are not interested in.Prevent potentially offensive comments with ‘Hidden words’ - a tool which, when turned on, will automatically filter DM requests containing offensive words, phrases and emojis, so you never have to see them.Protect your account and turn on two-factor authentication - one of the most important things you can do to protect your account is turn on two-factor authentication.Supporting parents and guardiansThe recently launched Family Center offers educational resources from leading youth, safety, privacy and well-being experts on how to have conversations with teens about healthy and safe online habits.Parental controls help parents and teens navigate their time online together. It is designed to strike the right balance between giving parents oversight, while preserving teens’ privacy and autonomy, and encouraging offline conversations about online habits. These tools allow parents and guardians to see who their teen follows and who follows them; when their teen shares, they’ve reported or blocked someone and see when their teen changes any of the default privacy settings. Parents can also see how much time their teen is spending on Instagram, set daily limits and schedule breaks when they don’t want their teen to be using the app.Joelle Awwad, Head of Policy Programs, MENA at Meta, said: “The future is digital. While exciting and full of promise, our digital future also requires for us to collectively and carefully regulate how it evolves, informs and engages. It is why we at Meta work closely with leading experts, trusted organisations, parents and young people to build safe and positive online experiences. On Safer Internet Day, we want to raise awareness for the many platforms, resources and tools Meta offers to do just that for both teens and their parents or guardians. Such a framework can help ensure that our digital communities are respectful, thoughtful and equipped to make a positive impact on tomorrow’s world.”Additionally, Meta’s flagship digital literacy program – My Digital World – was designed in partnership with experts across the MENA region to provide accessible learning modules and resources to build skills for a digital world. Meta recently kicked off its Adult Modules under My Digital World, which is targeted at those 18 years and above. Aiming to keep users in the region safe on the internet, the Adult Modules include Meta’s adults' digital literacy resources which are available in English, Arabic, and French. Through My Digital World, Meta is reaching learners across the region and shaping the Arab digital community for the better.Meta is committed to building a safe, healthy, and supportive digital community across the MENA region by empowering youth with the skills they need to take ownership of their wellbeing online, helping them communicate and build meaningful connections while safeguarding their safety, for a positive impact on our communities worldwide. Meta will continue working with regulators, policymakers, and mental health experts to help make sure young people have safe, positive experiences on its platforms.

Seven years ago the mobile game "Pokemon Go" took the world by storm, and now its creators are aiming to infuse the same "real-world" appeal into their new basketball game.While players of "Pokemon Go" were guided by their mobile phones to real-world locations to collect magical creatures, "NBA All-World" allows players to challenge each other to games in the street.John Hanke, the boss of Niantic, which produces both games, stresses that just as with Pokemon, players of the NBA game will also require only a mobile phone -- no expensive VR headsets or goggles.He is pushing this hybrid-style game as a "real-world metaverse", distinguishing it from the experience promoted by Microsoft and others of users sitting at home with masks strapped to their faces."I think it's important to support what we do in the real world as human beings, like going out to the restaurant, meeting our friends and not staying at home," he told AFP in an interview."Putting on a VR headset by yourself, to me it's a very lonely and scary future. I hope that humanity doesn't go in that direction."In "NBA All-World", released this week in France and next Tuesday globally, players choose their favourite NBA star as an avatar and get to meet and play others in the street.The social aspect of the game, Hanke said, made mobile phones the perfect device to play on."It is mobile, low cost and almost everybody has one," he said.Brand buy-inNiantic is hoping to cash in with microtransactions -- players can spend small amounts on virtual items that allow them to move through the game faster or customise their avatars with sneakers from brands such as Adidas or Puma.Hanke concedes that the success of "Pokemon Go" has helped Niantic get high-level corporate partners onboard."The success of 'Pokemon Go' certainly helps us," he said.Now a cultural phenomenon with more than one billion downloads, "Pokemon Go" has generated roughly one billion dollars a year since its launch in July 2016, according to estimates from analytics firm Sensor Tower.But Niantic has been unable to produce another hit even approaching that level.And it has had notable flops.It launched "Harry Potter: Wizards Unite" in 2019, only to shut it down in January last year because of a lack of interest.Like many other firms in the tech sector, Niantic also made swingeing cuts to its workforce last year, slashing eight percent of its staff and halting four video game projects.With this in mind, Hanke is playing down any suggestion that his latest game could reach Pokemon levels of success."'Pokemon Go', as the very first game of its kind, I think took the world by surprise," the Niantic boss said."Maybe another game we create for the future will have the same kind of instant viral success, but that's probably not a realistic expectation because it's kind of an unusual case."

Huawei recently announced its all-new Hi-Res Certificated TWS with long battery life and outstanding ANC, the HUAWEI FreeBuds 5i. The latest iteration to the HUAWEI FreeBuds series offers users high-resolution sound with 28h of Music Playback and 42dB Multi-Mode ANC. This is also topped off with a compact and comfortable design with dual-device connectivity and IP54 Water Resistance. More importantly, the HUAWEI FreeBuds 5i is compatible with different operating systems, including devices running on Android and iOS. Consumers can now get the HUAWEI FreeBuds 5i for a price of QR329 from Huawei’s online platforms as well as certified retailers.The HUAWEI FreeBuds 5i supports LDAC™ HD audio codec, and it is Hi-Res certified. Hi-Res Audio Wireless is officially defined as the capability to reproduce the full range of sound of recordings mastered from CD quality music sources, and it is widely accepted and recognised among audio enthusiasts. Moreover, the earbuds come equipped with a 10 mm high-sensitivity dynamic driver unit and customised polymer composite diaphragm. HUAWEI FreeBuds 5i comes equipped with a dual adaptive EQ optimisation algorithm that detects both ear canal structure and wearing status and optimises the audio at all frequency ranges to account for such factors, ensuring a consistent listening experience.Huawei’s newest earbuds provide EQ effects, which will allow consumers to choose the audio effects freely, such as by selecting Bass boost or Treble boost mode, so that each song can be tailored to users’ unique tastes, just like customising to get the most desirable listening experience that meets each individual’s taste.The HUAWEI FreeBuds 5i provides a formidable 28 hours of battery life (with the charging case) and fast charging capabilities to sustain a staggering 7.5 hours of continuous audio playback, which can soar to 28 hours when used with the charging case. With a quick 15-minute boost in the charging case, users get an incredible 4 hours of listening power, catching up with their needs in a short period of time.HUAWEI FreeBuds 5i adopts hybrid noise cancellation technology. Equipped with two MICs inside and outside the ear to detect environment noise outside, as well as extra noise in the ear canal, and accurately produce reverse noise cancellation sound waves, generating 42 dB of maximum noise cancelling depth. The earbuds also integrate a hearing optimisation algorithm based on wearing detection, which identifies the listener’s wearing status, and provides optimal sound effect parameters, thereby ensuring a better listening experience. Consumers will be able to choose between Ultra, General, and Cosy noise cancellation modes, to adapt the effects to their environment, whether it is a busy airport, subway station, restaurant, office, or quiet home.The HUAWEI FreeBuds 5i has been crafted into a sleek and elegant shape that is designed to fit the human ears just like hand-in-glove.Lighter pairs of earphones have been well received by consumers. A single FreeBuds 5i weighs just 4.9g[1], making it lighter than many commonly used coins. The body of the HUAWEI FreeBuds 5i is just 29 mm long. Compared to the HUAWEI FreeBuds 4i, the sound openings have been shortened by 1mm, and the relative height has been reduced by one-third, making the earphones more adaptable to each listener’s ear canal, thereby allowing for a snugger fit.The HUAWEI FreeBuds 5i can connect to two devices running different operating systems (Compatible with EMUI/Android/iOS/Windows) and automatically switch between the devices without missing a beat, bringing users a smooth and smart audio connection experience.Lastly, the HUAWEI FreeBuds 5i comes with IP54 water resistance, making it more than equipped to meet most listeners’ needs in daily life, from accidental splashes to rain.[1] The product weighs 4.9±0.2 g. Actual product size and weight may vary depending on the configuration and manufacturing process.