Technology

Will driverless cars be common in Southeast Asia?

Autonomous cars have been all the rage in recent years.Car manufacturers like Audi have made developments in autonomous cars a big part of their marketing push. It’s not hard to see why, considering how drastically the technology could affect one the world’s most fundamental experiences: driving. Since Henry Ford first made driving affordable in 1908, a key part of the driving experience has been the requirement for a human driver.

26 November 2017
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Can Go-Jek challenge Grab and Uber?

The two titans of ride-sharing, home-grown Grab and American import Uber, have been doing battle for a few years. They have become fierce rivals and though Grab has taken a lead in Southeast Asia, Uber will likely not go down without a fight.There’s a good reason to stay and fight. The ride-sharing market in Southeast Asia is projected to be worth 13.1 billion dollars by 2025.

18 November 2017
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The future of ASEAN smart cities

“Every now and then a man’s mind is stretched by a new idea or sensation, and never shrinks back to its former dimensions,” said Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr, an American poet, physician and polymath. Such is the invention of smart cities.A smart city is an area of urban development that utilises various methods of electronic data collection to manage the city’s assets and natural resources.

13 November 2017
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The rise of mobile gaming in Southeast Asia

Video games have been popular in Southeast Asia for decades. From the original red and white Nintendo Family Computer, to the arcades that littered shopping malls in the 1990s, and the online-enabled console generations of the 2000s, we’ve loved getting our gaming fix.However, what used to be an activity for groups of friends or siblings has continued to veer toward a less personal experience.

12 November 2017
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Diving deep into virtual reality

Just as the term suggests, Virtual Reality (VR) technology combines both "reality" and "virtual" experiences using a three-dimensional, computer generated environment which can be explored by a user. The user becomes part of this virtual world or is immersed within this environment and whilst there, is able to manipulate objects or perform a series of actions. While some may be unfamiliar with this technology, VR has in fact been around for decades.

8 November 2017
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Thailand to require fingerprints, face scans for SIM cards

Face-scans or fingerprints will be needed to buy SIM cards in Thailand from next month as the kingdom tries to crack down on electronic fraud and encourage mobile banking.The new biometric system – which follows similar requirements in Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan – will begin on December 15, according to the telecoms regulator. "We're entering the digital age, our money now is linked to mobile services.

7 November 2017
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Malaysia probes leak of 46 mln phone users' data

Malaysia is investigating an attempt to sell details of more than 46 million mobile phone subscribers that were leaked online in a massive data breach, a minister said Wednesday.The breach was originally reported by local technology website Lowyat.net after unidentified individuals offered the phone data, from several telecoms companies, and other personal information for sale on a public forum on the site.Communications Minister Salleh Said Keruak said police and the country's internet

1 November 2017
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Startup funding exploding in Southeast Asia

It’s no secret that Southeast Asia has become a hotbed for tech startups. Since 2012, there have been a number of tech companies that have become household names and changed the lives of people in Southeast Asia.

31 October 2017
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Singapore won't regulate cryptocurrencies, remains alert to risk

Singapore doesn’t plan to regulate cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, but will remain alert to money laundering and other potential risks stemming from their use, the head of the country’s central bank said.“As of now I see no basis for wanting to regulate cryptocurrencies,” Monetary Authority of Singapore Managing Director Ravi Menon said in an interview.

25 October 2017
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Can Southeast Asians survive without mobile apps?

Apps. They’re everywhere.They’ve permeated so many facets of our lives that we probably don’t even realise how dependent we’ve become on the dozens (or hundreds) of little icons littered across our phones and tablets.This explosion of app-dependence isn’t surprising, by any means. The Southeast Asian region is home to some of the most tech-savvy people in the world. Over half of the region’s population, 339.2 million people to be exact, are connected to the internet.

22 October 2017
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How is cryptocurrency disrupting ASEAN businesses?

Due to their unregulated nature, cryptocurrencies and the businesses that they have created occupy a grey area in Southeast Asia. However, they have undoubtedly become a major focus area for ASEAN businesses.This isn’t surprising, considering the advantages that cryptocurrencies bring to the table. Their adoption can reduce costs and increase security and convenience for both consumers and businesses.The cryptocurrency market is expected to see massive growth over the next six years.

20 October 2017
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AI could hold key to ASEAN prosperity

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a polarising subject in recent years. There are technology luminaries who are avid proponents, like Mark Zuckerberg, and those who have shared serious misgivings, like Elon Musk.Much of the opposition to AI development hinges on a concept once found in science fiction novels – AI’s ability to outthink and outmanoeuvre humans.Recent examples, like Google’s AlphaGo defeating 18-time Go champion Lee Sedol, have given the public a reason to pause. Why?

18 October 2017
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