The Technology Express Magazine | Edition: June 2022

JUNE 2022

FINTECH

Digital Wealth

Management

THE TECHNOKING OF TESLA

Elon Musk

represents many

things to different

people. To some,

he is a pioneer

and a hero, to

others, a strategic

businessman, and

to the young, he is

a socialite.

MANUFACTURING

Nanotechnology

Implementation

in Manufacturing

LAUNCH EXPRESS

Logitech Litra Glow

Sony Linkbuds

Calibre E4, TAG Heuer

Connected Watch

Opal Camera

WHEELS

GADGET REVIEWS

LAUNCH EXPRESS

WHAT THEY SAID?

CRYPTOCURRENCY

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY

AND MUCH MORE

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JUNE 2022 / 1

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Congratulations

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

on being elected as the President of the UAE.

JUNE 2022

CONTENTS

p|52-55

COVER STORY

THE TECHNOKING

OF TESLA

p|41

CYBER CRIMES

Hydra darkweb

marketplace busted

p|60-62

DATA & DATA INTELLIGENCE

Consumer Preferences

Top Trends in 2022

p|86-87

GADGET REVIEWS

Sony SRS-NS7 Wearable Speaker

McLear Smart-Ring

Razer Anzu Smart Glasses

Tempo Studio

p|40

INVENTORS & DEVELOPERS

AHMAD MAJAN

The prominent Emirati

inventor nicknamed

“Edison of the UAE”

P74-75

WHEELS

BMW 7 Series 2023

p|44-45

INTERVIEW

Puneet Swani

Senior Partner

Career Business Leader - Mercer

4

/ JUNE 2022

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Dear readers,

We are excited to present you with the June 2022

edition of The Technology Express!

Our goal is to provide you with key informational

stories and keep you updated regarding everything

new in the ever-growing technology world, which of course

has a big impact on our everyday lives. We have reached

a point in time where technology is growing very fast and

it is becoming more and more difficult to keep up with

all the new things happening, but don’t worry, we got you

covered as we dive deep into the pivotal and vast fields of

technology with every new release. We cover fintech, biotech,

data intelligence, AI & ML, cloud computing, cybersecurity,

startups, gaming, robotics, Web3 & crypto, space tech, and

lifestyle. In addition to the latest news circulating, we present

monthly reviews and recommendations of technology

gadgets, apps, and different services. This month, our cover

story takes a critical look at Elon Musk and his constant

endeavors to acquire Twitter, a purchase that could have

massive ripple effects in the world of crypto and tangible

financial markets.

In this edition, take a peek at incredible inventions by

Ahmed Majan, a prominent Emirati inventor, as well as the

Indian brands that use NFTs as marketing tools. The Wheels

section showcases some of the newest, state-of-the-art

automobiles coming to you in the future, with performance

specs for our avid car enthusiasts. It is chock-full of digital

and gadget releases, as well as stories covering the

developments of technology in various industries, such as

aviation, healthcare, and education. We also dive into the

happenings surrounding space, from tourism to SpaceX’s

satellite internet project to Starlink’s endeavors. We touch

on the topic of cybersecurity systems as well as the everimminent

Web 3.0. With this month’s read, we see how

industry leaders and emerging developments exhibit how

technology is the future of creativity, innovation, and culture,

allowing people to reshape and expand our world across

digital and tangible landscapes.

Under the wise leadership of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin

Zayed Al Nahyan, The UAE is poised to follow the steps of

the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan to establish the

most advanced technological infrastructure and integrate

all elements of technology into everyday life. HH Sheikh

Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai, Vice

President, Prime Minister, and Minister of Defence once said:

“Our vision for development is driven by a deep understanding

of the future needs. ‘The future does not wait for those who

hesitate and slow down. The next stage requires us to act fast

and capitalize on new opportunities”

PLEASE RECYCLE THE MAGAZINE ONCE YOU'VE FINISHED READING IT

www.thetechnologyexpress.com JUNE 2022 / 5

JUNE 2022

CONTENTS

p|46-48

BIOTECH

GENETICALLY MODIFIED

ORGANISM FOODS

p|94-97

TECH MY MIND

Valve’s Steam Deck

iOS 16

Samsung AirDresser

Odyssey Neo G9 Gaming DQHD

Quantum Mini-LED Monitor

p|70

APP EXPRESS

Calm / Youper

P|108-109

WEB3

Empowering

New Democratic

System?

p|114-116

EVENTS

Digital talent

Ecosystem

Dialogue /

CABSAT

p|90-91

LAUNCH EXPRESS

Logitech Litra Glow

Sony Linkbuds

Calibre E4, TAG Heuer Connected Watch

Opal Camera

6

/ JUNE 2022


AI & ML

AI FUNCTIONS

AND BENEFITS IN

CYBERSECURITY

Organizations that use automation to boost productivity and efficacy of their processes would

benefit greatly from artificial intelligence. Data security or cyber-security, as per IBM, is one

basic application that utilizes AI more than any other today.

As the number and

sophistication of

data breaches rise in

tandem with digital

transformation, so does

the quantity and sophistication of

data breaches. Artificial intelligence

could possibly be an imposing

apparatus in the battle against digital

attacks.

MAJOR FUNCTIONS OF AI IN

CYBERSECURITY:

● Detection: AI is mostly used by

businesses to detect cyber risks.

According to Capgemini study, more

than half of companies that have

implemented AI-based cybersecurity

solutions utilize it for detection.

This is because of AI’s remarkable

capacity to identify strange traffic

utilizing AI or profound learning.

● Prediction: AI is used by a large

number of companies to predict

cyber risks. This is achieved by

checking information and making

expectations in view of the

framework’s related knowledge.

Simulated intelligence may likewise

be utilized to distinguish significant

weaknesses; consequently, recognize

resources and organization

geography, and ceaselessly further

develop network protections

against conceivable cyberattacks by

associations that use it for forecast.

● Response: The ways in which AI

responds to cyber threats are always

evolving. Organizations can now

utilize AI to detect and halt assaults

simultaneously. They can generate

new defense measures in real time

or automate the generation of a

virtual patch for an identified threat.

No matter what the structures,

modalities, or exact attributes in

which AI is used, it assists firms with

diminishing expenses, upgrading

danger response time, and answer

breaks.

AI’s Benefits in Cybersecurity

AI presents many benefits and

applications in an assortment of

regions, online protection being

one of them. With quick developing

cyberattacks and fast augmentation

of gadgets happening today, AI

can assist with staying informed

concerning cybercriminals, robotize

danger recognition, and answer

more actually than traditional

programming-driven or manual

procedures.

ADVANTAGES / BENEFITS

● Capacity to handle bigger volumes

of information

8

/ JUNE 2022


COMPUTER-BASED

INTELLIGENCE BENEFITS

PROGRAMMERS. AI

ADVANCEMENT CAN ALSO

BENEFIT PROGRAMMERS

BY ENABLING THEM TO

PERFORM EXTREMELY

MODERN AND WIDE-RANGING

CYBERATTACKS.

Executing AI in network protection

assists associations with handling

a huge measure of information

with the greatest accuracy and

proficiency. Computer-based

intelligence computerizes the

making of AI calculations that can

identify a wide scope of network

safety dangers arising from spam

messages, pernicious sites, outsider

applications, or shared documents.

● Early identification of novel

network protection gambles

An IT organization or foundation

can confront two kinds of network

protection chances. First, a novel,

obscure danger; and second, a

known danger that has proactively

penetrated the organization.

Programmers are well versed in

penetrating undetected information

organizations, and AI-fueled

network protection arrangements

can dispense with or relieve these

high-level hacking strategies to

greater lengths. Programmers are

generally in immediate pursuit of

devising new types of cyberattacks

and making them less recognizable.

Some of the cyberattacks incorporate

crypto-jacking, malware assaults

on the Internet of Things (IoT) or cell

phone gadgets, and cross-webpage

prearranging.

DOWNSIDES AND CHALLENGES

● AI benefits hackers

Computer-based intelligence

benefits programmers. AI

advancement can also benefit

programmers by enabling them

to perform extremely modern and

wide-ranging cyberattacks. What’s

more, AI can likewise assist hackers

with really investigating and taking

advantage of weaknesses in an

information organization or a PC

framework.

● The breach of security

Man-made intelligence-controlled

gadgets like biometric frameworks

can be a danger to our delicate and

secret information. These gadgets

can move our information to outsider

sellers who can abuse it.

● Greater cost for abilities

Presently, AI-based innovations

are in their infancy, and subsequently,

the expense of making an ability

pool is extremely high. In addition,

the ongoing creation phase of AI

innovation additionally cuts down on

its unwavering quality.

-feature@thetechnologyexpress.com


AI & ML

DEWA TEAMS UP WITH INFRA X TO

DEVELOP IOT TERMINALS

Dubai Electricity and

Water Authority (DEWA)’s

Research & Development

(R&D) Centre, in

collaboration with Infra

X, the IT and telecommunications

arm of Digital DEWA, and their

British technical partner Wyld, has

developed satellite Internet of Things

(IoT) terminals for DEWA’s 3U nano

satellite, DEWA-SAT1.

DEWA launched it as part

of its Space-D programme and

became the first utility worldwide

to use nano satellites to improve

the operations, maintenance, and

planning, of electricity and water

networks, Dubai’s media office said in

a statement.

The R&D Centre developed the

satellite IoT terminals to connect

DEWA’s assets to the satellite directly

and be suitable for grid applications,

where it links IoT sensors to DEWA’s

nanosatellites. It also provides hybrid

connectivity with both the Long-

Range (LoRa) IoT terrestrial network

operated by InfraX, and DEWA’s nano

satellites, it said.

This will expand the coverage of

DEWA’s existing LoRA IoT Terrestrial

network, which connects remote

assets directly with the nano

satellite, without the need for ground

gateways or satellite ground stations

to send the data.

According to Saeed Mohammed

Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, the

nanosatellite technology, developed

as part of the Space-D programme,

will complement the terrestrial IoT

communication network to increase

the efficiency and effectiveness of

DEWA’s operations and support the

digitisation of our electricity and

water networks.

“This will increase the efficiency

and effectiveness of our planning,

operations, and preventive

maintenance for our production,

transmission, and distribution

divisions, as well as our smart grids

and electric vehicle charging stations.

It also reduces costs, improves

asset use, enables knowledge and

experience transfer, and educates

Emiratis at DEWA,” he said.

“By the end of 2022, we plan

to launch a 6U nanosatellite with

customised high-resolution image

sensing technology specifically

designed for DEWA to capture images

more frequently,” Al Tayer added.


10

/ JUNE 2022


MARKETING TECH

NFTS: NEW

MARKETING

TOOL FOR

INDIAN

BRANDS

Marketers have witnessed

sweeping changes,

encountered new ideas,

and changed in response

to different trends,

technological developments, and

global shifts. We are also witnessing

the birth of another marketing trend,

which is likely to become a revolution

in the next few years. The keyword is

‘NFTs’ which is a fascination not just

among those in the financial field but

also among the general public.

NFTs, or Non-Fungible Tokens,

are a type of asset that may be sold

and exchanged on the blockchain.

They contain distinct identifying

codes and metadata that allow

them to be distinguished. The Non-

Fungible Token (NFT) is a digital

asset that, like cryptocurrencies,

may be exchanged, but with a catch.

Unlike cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin,

which may be exchanged for another

Bitcoin at the same value, NFT cannot

be exchanged at the same value.

Each NFT features a digital proof of

ownership, making it one-of-a-kind.

NFT is a market that has

provided enormous opportunities for

businesses, investors, consumers,

and regular individuals. The NFT

became a new reality in India in

2022 when not only startups and big

brands from all sectors participated

in the NFT marketplace, but also

more Indian dignitaries, such as

actors, sportspersons, performers,

and others, kept blowing minds with

such a digital token to launch their

NFT collection.

Virender Sehwag, Rishabh Pant,

Zaheer Khan, and Samriti Mandhana,

as well as Bollywood stars Amitabh

Bachchan, Salman Khan, and Sunny

Leone, have launched their own

NFTs. In India, the fast development

of startups into enterprise-level

firms has resulted in a high need

for NFT developers. According to

numerous studies, India might be the

world’s largest market for NFTs.

Big brands ranging from Mahindra

& Mahindra (M&M), Ceat & MG

Motor in the automobile space to

Makemytrip.com, and Tanishq are

all in the new NFT ballgame to give

the consumers a new taste of their

brands. Media and entertainment

brands like T-series, Viacom 18,

and The Hindustan Times are also

checking their luck in the NFT

marketplace.

With this, does one question come to

your mind?

Why are brands entering the NFT

world?

NFTs have the potential to

revolutionize the marketing world

because-

They can aid brands to acquire

interest and participation from their

customers;

They can promote greater

engagement with their customers;

They can help to improve the user

experience and market presence;

They can also satisfy their social

responsibilities and strengthen their

position in the eyes of the world by

supporting charitable causes with

NFT income and assisting struggling

artists by requesting them to create

art and donate it.

When it comes to achieving

success, NFTs, like bitcoin, show no

signs of decline. Marketing teams

and owners believe that these

tokens must surpass the aesthetic

proposition before they can be

utilized as instruments to promote

brand engagement. However, there

are certain challenges to overcome

before taking this game to the next

level. For instance, the 2022 annual

budget acknowledged the legitimacy

of digital assets while still subjecting

them to severe taxation.

With the expanding trend, it

appears that NFT is here to stay, and

it will only be a matter of time until

all major companies begin to explore

this sector.



NEWS

IN FOCUS

AI & ML

Google bans deepfake-generating

AI from its Colab Platform

Google has prohibited deepfake AI

training on Google Colaboratory.

As reported by Bleeping Computer.

First-ever AI robot artist Ai-Da made

new portrait of Queen Elizabeth II

Portrait of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth

II painted by Ai-Da — an artificial

intelligence robot artist — has been

unveiled before the platinum jubilee.

“3D Printing, AI and

self-driving cars

should be the focus”,

say UAE citizens

Residents in the

UAE feel that

artificial intelligence,

virtual reality, and

self-driving cars

would have a great

influence, with half

of those polled

believing that the

government should

focus on investing

in AI.

e& enterprise signs 3-year

partnership with DataRobot to

boost AI

e& enterprise from e& (formerly

known as Etisalat), yesterday entered

into a three-year partnership with

the US-based artificial intelligence

platform provider to launch

Enterprise AI as a Service (AIaaS)

in the UAE, Egypt and Morocco.

E& enterprise’s partnership with

US-based DataRobot is a way to

“democratise AI”, said DataRobot

CEO Dan Wright.

Clearview AI receives £7.5m fine

The company gathers images from

the internet to create a global facial

recognition database. The Information

Commissioner’s Office (ICO) says

that breaches UK data protection

laws. It has ordered the firm to stop

obtaining and using the personal data

of UK residents.

12

/ JUNE 2022


Syrian engineer wins the ‘One Million Arab Coders’ challenge

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of The Executive Council of

Dubai and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation, on Wednesday honoured the winners of

the ‘One Million Arab Coders’ challenge, which featured a total prize money of $1,350,000.

Mayflower autonomous ship

successfully crosses the Atlantic

Following a number of technical

setbacks, the Mayflower

autonomous research vessel has

successfully crossed the Atlantic

Ocean, clocking up 3,500 miles

(5,600 km) and arriving in Halifax,

Nova Scotia, on June 5.

Google faces an internal battle over

research on AI to automate chip

design

Reportedly, Alphabet Inc’s Google

said it had recently fired a senior

engineering manager after colleagues,

whose landmark research on artificial

intelligence software he had been

trying to discredit, accused him of

harassing behaviour.

Abu Dhabi’s Environment

Agency to use the latest satellite

& drone technology for soil

monitoring project

The Environment Agency in Abu

Dhabi (EAD) is going to use the

latest satellite and drone remote

sensing technology, as well as

Artificial Intelligence (AI), as it

launches the second phase of the

soil monitoring project to keep a

check on the quality.


FINTECH

DIGITAL WEALTH

MANAGEMENT

In the typical sense of the finance world, wealth management has been considered a domain for the small

category of the wealthy for quite a while, for the remaining segments, the only “investing” option has been

to hand over their money to a savings bank account, which currently pays very little interest rates in many

countries across the world.

Fortunately, digital wealth

management is changing this

dynamic by making saving

and investing easy and

accessible to all population

segments and budgets. Digital wealth

management is an investment

solution that employs digital tools to

introduce investors to a broad variety

of savings and investment solutions.

This could include savings plans,

investing in stocks, exchange-traded

funds, or digital assets, as well as

DIY platforms where investors can

choose their own allocations, and

tailor-made packages. An important

aspect is providing clients with

solutions that are technologically

advanced and that help them manage

and grow their wealth.

Digital wealth management

platforms provide financial

institutions with the latest integrated

tools and data-driven analytics

needed to empower their consultants

to provide smart solutions. They

enable consultants to better

understand agents’ demands and

requirements and recommend

proper file allocations.

Digital wealth management

platforms enable financial

institutions to:

● Retain full control of client

relationships as these platforms

eliminate the need to approach

third-party external resources for

digital advice.

● Offer consistent consultation

across channels as each client’s

advice is powered by each firm’s

distinct approach, funding policy,

capital market assumptions, and

desirable investment fields.

● Direct and operate several

complex investment programs

from one place. Digital wealth

management platforms make it

14

/ JUNE 2022


possible to completely automate the

formulation and administration of

sought-after investment plans.

● Facilitate operations. From live

digital onboarding and automated

portfolio management to simplified

operation systems and agent

connections, a digital platform brings

complete automation of focal points

and operational tasks.

Road bumps that could hinder the

digital transformation of wealth

management

A great deal of the reason why

wealth management has been late

to accept digital transformation is

the essence of their dealings. They

build their businesses on intimate

bonds and personal networking,

characteristics that appear to be

opposite to technology. Furthermore,

consultants are sure about their

business, believing they can provide

better services than impersonal apps

and ropo-advisors.

In this respect, institutional and

alternative asset managers are

more likely to exhibit major gaps

in their digital transformation. The

lion’s share of family offices has

not enacted digital transformation

yet, with more than half still in the

initial phases. Some believe that

they are unable to automate their

clients’ more sophisticated financial

operations without compromising

their quality of service.

Larger enterprises have often

made more progress than smaller

firms in wealth management digital

transformation, which appears

to be a great factor too. Among

firms with more than $100 billion

in Assets Under Management

(AUM), 3% have just started digital

transformation, while more than 40%

of them are considered leaders in

digital transformation. Yet, among

mid-market firms, nearly 30% are

considered digital transformation

beginners and 56% of them are in

progress.

Some Digital Wealth Management

Platforms to Consider

E*TRADE

E*TRADE specializes in a firstclass

experience for the digitally

inclined investor and trader and is

the pioneer of online trading for retail

investors and now part of Morgan

Stanley. No minimum initial deposit

is required to open an account, with

5.2 million clients and $420 billion in

AUM, it is considered a leading global

financial services firm.

Betterment

Launched in 2010, Betterment is

the most popular AI-powered digital

wealth management platform in

the U.S. with 700k clients and more

than $33 billion in AUM, the service

requires a minimum deposit of $10,

making it accessible to even the

newest investors.

Wealthfront

Founded in 2008, Wealthfront

adopted a new mission statement:

“Our mission is to build a financial

system that favors people, not

institutions.” With 470k trusted

clients and over $27 billion in AUM,

the service proved to be effective

and established itself as one of the

pioneers in the industry.


DIGITAL WEALTH

MANAGEMENT PLATFORMS

PROVIDE FINANCIAL

INSTITUTIONS WITH THE

LATEST INTEGRATED TOOLS

AND DATA-DRIVEN ANALYTICS

NEEDED TO EMPOWER THEIR

CONSULTANTS TO PROVIDE

SMART SOLUTIONS.


FINTECH

MASHREQ BANK INVESTS $10M IN UAE

FINTECH START-UP CASHEW

Mashreq, the Dubai

lender controlled by

the Al Ghurair family,

has invested $10 million

in UAE-based FinTech

start-up Cashew, becoming the latest

to tap into a rapidly expanding ‘buy

now, pay later’ (BNPL) sector.

Founded in 2020, Cashew offers

its services in the UAE and Saudi

Arabia — the Arab world’s largest

economies — through an app and a

web-based platform.

As part of the investment,

Cashew’s payment platform will

be integrated as an option on the

acquiring network of Neopay, the

payments subsidiary of Mashreq. The

lender will also support the start-up

to launch in Egypt — the Arab world’s

most populous economy — in the last

quarter of this year.

In March, Mashreq carved out

its payments arm into its new

division Neopay, in an effort to help

businesses handle credit and debit

card payments amid a pandemicfuelled

e-commerce boom.

“Our partnership with Cashew

will lead the way for the future of

financial services in the region,”

Mashreq’s group chief executive

Ahmed Abdelaal said.

“We will leverage the full

network of Mashreq merchants and

consumers to provide our ecosystem

with the most ubiquitous and flexible

BNPL options in the market,” Mr

Abdelaal said.

Mashreq’s investment is part of

a larger funding round that involves

other investors as well, Cashew said,

without disclosing further details.

Since its inception, the FinTech startup

has raised nearly $10m.

BNPL platforms allow consumers

to make purchases without paying

the full amount upfront, avoiding

the use of credit cards and hefty

interest charges. Merchants are still

protected through credit risk checks,

late fees and blocks on customers

who have defaulted.

Consumers can choose to split

payments into installments or simply

delay them by weeks to months

without any hidden fees, while

merchants are paid in full upfront.

The BNPL concept is gaining in

popularity across the world and

has been disrupting the payments

industry, buoyed by consumers’

fragile personal finances amid

the pandemic-induced economic

headwinds.

By 2025, the industry is expected

to grow 10 to 15 times its current

volume, topping $1 trillion in annual

gross merchandise volume by some

estimates, according to a report by

New York data research consultancy

CB Insights.

Nearly $4 billion was invested

in BNPL companies last year — up

from $1.7bn in 2020, according to

Crunchbase.

In the Middle East, platforms such

as Dubai-based BNPL start-up Tabby

raised $50m last year while Saudi

Arabia’s Tamara raised a record

$110m in a Series A round.

In September, Abu Dhabi Islamic

Bank, the emirate’s biggest Shariacompliant

lender, partnered with

Dubai-based digital payments

provider Spotii to launch a virtual

BNPL prepaid card in the UAE.

16

/ JUNE 2022


APR 22 I I 45

NEWS

IN FOCUS

FINTECH

Tarabut Gateway signs partnerships

with four Saudi banks to establish

open banking

As part of its expansion in Saudi

Arabia and the developments in open

banking, Tarabut Gateway has been

selected by four of the kingdom’s

banks as a partner including: Riyad

Bank, Saudi British Bank (SABB),

Alinma Bank and Banque Saudi

Fransi (BSF).

Omni-method global payment

solution PayerMax announces its

launch in the MENA region

PayerMax which is a global omnimethod

collection and disbursement

solution, has announced its launch in

the MENA region. The firm supports

more than 350 local payment

methods, covering Southeast Asia,

South Asia, South Korea, LATAM, and

now adds the MENA region to its list.

Dubai can “play a pivotal global role

in supporting the digital financial

industry”, CEO of Equiti says

“Dubai possesses tremendous

digital capabilities that enable the

emirate to play a pivotal global

role in supporting the digital

financial industry, establishing an

optimised investment climate, and

implementing innovative solutions

that add value to investors and

consumers alike.

UAE fintech startup Pemo receives

$12m in seed funding round,

announces new services

Pemo, a UAE financial technology

start-up, raised $12 million in a seed

funding round after which it unveiled

an all-in-one spending platform

to support small and medium

enterprises in the Middle East, North

Africa and Pakistan region.

ADGM announces program to support

decentralized finance

The Abu Dhabi Global Market opened

its fifth Regulatory Laboratory

(RegLab) sandbox programme and

has invited FinTech organisations to

pitch their ideas on decentralised

applications. The latest cohort, which

will run under the ADGM’s Financial

Services Regulatory Authority, will

focus on decentralised finance (DeFi),

Web3, and tokenisation.

18

/ JUNE 2022


EdTech start-up Manara raises $3

million in new funding round

The US-based educational technology

start-up Manara, which helps

engineers from the Middle East and

North Africa region get jobs at top

tech companies such as Google, Meta

and Amazon, raised $3 million in a

pre-seed funding round.

Abu Dhabi welcomes more FinTech startups

The Hub71 startup community in Abu Dhabi welcomed 16 new members on

Thursday. Here are some of the startups that will now be part of the business

hub in the Emirati capital city, according to a press release:

Trade Capital Partners — an Abu Dhabi-based company that raises money for

small businesses.

Zywa — a money management app designed for teenagers in the United Arab

Emirates (UAE).

Letswork — a service that allows users to book workspaces in the UAE,

Bahrain, and Portugal.

TAG — a digital banking mobile phone application in Pakistan.

UAE-Based FinTech Spades Raises

$2.5M in Angel Round

Spades, a United Arab Emirates

(UAE)-based dine-in payment

FinTech, closed a $2.5 million

angel round in May 10. Without any

downloads or registration, Spades’

service allows guests to pay bills

quickly and easily by scanning a code

or tapping to pay. As a result, wait

times may be reduced. Spades claims

that its solution can work with any

major point-of-sale (POS) system.

Careem will launch a new digital wallet in Saudi Arabia in the next fintech

push.

Careem, the UAE-based ride-hailing service, will expand its latest fintech

venture, digital payments, into Saudi Arabia, according to Mudassir Sheikha,

the company’s CEO, in an interview with Al Arabiya.

Sheikha referred to the Careem Pay wallet as the “largest” and “most

strategic” market, saying that “many of the things that we’re doing in the UAE

will be adapted to the reality of the Saudi market.”


CRYPTO & DIGITAL ASSETS

their public perception, using

cryptocurrency may bring about

adverse reactions from their

customers.

WHY DO MAJOR COMPANIES

STILL DO NOT ACCEPT

CRYPTOCURRENCY?

The idea of cryptocurrency first arose in the 80s, a pivotal time for technology.

It was only in 2008 that Satoshi Nakamoto published his white paper on Bitcoin

and subsequently mined his first block of Bitcoin in 2009. Cryptocurrencies were

designed to operate like the financial market, with investors being able to trade

just as they would with money.

With the launch of

Bitcoin came the

emergence of altcoins

such as Ethereum

and XRP, catapulting

Blockchain to popularity in the late

2010s.

Despite its popularity, there is still

reluctance from major companies

to accept crypto for payments. As

companies usually leap to stay

current, one would assume that

trading cryptocurrency for products

would be the norm, but it is not that

simple. While companies such as

Microsoft, Starbucks & Gucci have

accepted cryptocurrency, here’s why

other major firms still shy away from

accepting crypto:

● Cryptocurrencies may not fit in with

their brand Identities

One of the most important

things to a company is its brand

identity. Although accepting crypto

for payments can make a company

seem innovative and ahead of the

curve, Its growing popularity has a

way of overshadowing the identity

already established by the company.

Maintaining a distinct Identity is of

utmost importance in order to appeal

to their audience. If that audience

does not align or intersect with the

cryptocurrency traders or investors,

who are perceived to be majorly

males aged 25-44, companies may

not see the need to incorporate

crypto in their payment options.

● Cryptocurrencies do not have the

best reputation

Keeping in the vein of identities,

Cryptocurrency does not have

the greatest reputation especially

when it comes to crypto mining’s

environmental impacts. Crypto

mining is responsible for kilotons

of electronic waste annually and

millions of tons of carbon dioxide

emissions. With brands being

more concerned than ever about

● Cryptocurrency markets are easily

influenced

Investing in a market that can be

influenced by a single tweet from

Elon Musk or any other celebrity,

may not be the kind of market that

major companies want to invest

in. Cryptocurrency markets are

not as regulated when compared

to traditional financial markets,

meaning less protection for these

companies.

● Cryptocurrency markets are Volatile

The market for cryptocurrencies

is very volatile, so unless companies

are constantly monitoring or

converting currencies to tangible

money, they may experience losses

from payments received through

crypto. Crypto markets are influenced

by supply and demand. Therefore,

without robust regulations that

are present in traditional financial

markets, there are no counteractive

measures enacted by regulation

bodies to stabilise the market.

● Crypto trading regulations vary

from country to country

While many countries have

banned cryptocurrency, a lot of the

western world and other major

market players have embraced

cryptocurrency. However, the

regulations vary in each country,

making it more cumbersome to

accept payments and trade with

crypto, as these companies would

have to be aware of and abide by

these statutes.

While accepting cryptocurrency

as a payment option could establish

a company as forward-thinking and

current, it can present complications

that are easily avoidable when it

comes to using the established and

widely accepted financial market.


20

/ JUNE 2022


CRYPTOCURRENCY

TERRAUSD CRASH COST THE FOUNDATION

BEHIND IT BILLIONS WORTH OF BITCOIN

Singapore-based Luna

Foundation Guard (LFG)

said it spent billions of

dollars’ worth of Bitcoin

and other cryptocurrencies

last week in its unsuccessful attempt

to uphold the peg of collapsed

stablecoin TerraUSD (UST).

LFG, the association formed to

defend and support the decentralised

token and Terra blockchain, said its

Bitcoin reserves dropped from more

than 80,390 to only 313 in less than 10

days.

LFG, which was set up by Terra

creator Do Kwon, had collected more

than 80,000 Bitcoins that were worth

over $3 billion last week.

“Consistent with its non-profit

mission and focus on the health

of the Terra ecosystem, beginning

on May 8, when the price of $UST

began to drop substantially below

one dollar, the foundation began

converting this reserve to $UST,” LFG

said in a statement on Twitter.

“The foundation did so by directly

executing on-chain swaps and

transferring $BTC [Bitcoin] to a

counterparty to enable them to enter

trades with the foundation in large

size & on short notice.”

The last week’s collapse of the

UST stablecoin sparked a panic in the

crypto market.

The UST stablecoin — which is

usually expected to be worth $1 —

dropped below $0.20. Meanwhile,

the Luna token that is intended

to serve as a shock absorber for

UST’s algorithmic dollar-pegging

mechanism, plummeted to $0.002

from $80.

Terraform Labs — the company

behind blockchain technology that

runs the UST and Luna coins — twice

stopped processing new transactions

to calm the market fluctuations. Both

the UST and the associated Luna

tokens were trading near zero at the

time of the second halt.

Stablecoins, which are pegged

to the value of traditional assets

such as the US dollar, are usually

popular in times of turmoil. They are

key elements of the cryptocurrency

market and traders park funds in

these assets as they move in and out

of other digital tokens.

LFG said it would disburse its

remaining assets to compensate

users of the stablecoin, starting with

the smallest holders. However, it did

not disclose the future plans.

“We are still debating through

various distribution methods, updates

to follow soon,” LFG said.

The world’s biggest stablecoin,

Tether, also briefly lost its 1:1 peg

but recovered shortly. On the

same day, Bitcoin — the world’s

largest cryptocurrency — dropped

to $25,400, its lowest level since

December 2020.

Bitcoin was trading 5.3 per cent

down at $29,630.6 a coin on Monday.

Ether, the second-biggest crypto, was

almost 6 percent down at $2,016.2 a

coin.


CRYPTOCURRENCY

BITOASIS JOINS FORCES

WITH MBC GROUP TO LAUNCH

DIGITAL ASSETS AWARENESS

PROGRAM IN MENA

BitOasis, one of the largest

cryptocurrency trading

platforms in the Middle

East and North Africa, and

MBC Group, the region’s

biggest broadcasting company, have

partnered to launch awareness

programmes to drive the adoption of

digital assets.

The agreement — the first of

its kind in the region — will see

BitOasis’s educational campaigns

aired on Dubai-based MBC’s

portfolio of digital platforms and

TV channels, the company said in a

statement on Wednesday.

The move comes amid a growing

interest in crypto investments in the

region.

“In countries like the UAE and

Saudi Arabia, crypto assets are

steadily going mainstream due

to early adoption by tech-savvy

millennial and Gen Z retail investors,

but a massive majority across

the region still do not have a good

understanding of this emerging

asset class,” said Ola Doudin, chief

executive and co-founder of Dubaibased

BitOasis.

“We are ramping up efforts to

ensure consumers are aware and

educated about investing in crypto

across our region whilst offering the

simplest and most accessible way to

invest.”

The move comes amid a growing

interest in crypto investments in

the region. In March, London-based

research firm YouGov reported

that about two thirds of residents

are interested in investing in digital

assets within the next five years.

One in five consumers in the

UAE said they intend to trade in

cryptocurrencies in the next 12

months, the highest globally after

Indonesia and India, it added.

A third of UAE residents say they

have invested in cryptocurrencies, a

higher rate compared to the global

rate of 30 per cent, a survey by online

market research company Toluna

showed.

Residents in the UAE plan

to allocate 26 per cent of their

investable assets to cryptocurrency,

compared to 20 per cent globally, it

added.

Regulators in the country have

also taken various steps to help

the industry grow and safeguard

investors.

In March, Dubai adopted the

Virtual Asset Regulation Law, the

first law of its kind in the emirate

that regulates virtual assets, aimed

at creating an advanced legal

framework to protect investors and

providing international standards for

virtual asset industry governance.

The law is poised to be a global

model for regulators to oversee

cryptocurrencies and protect

investors while also boosting

economic growth and innovation,

Jonathan Levin, co-founder of

blockchain data platform Chainalysis,

said at Dubai’s World Government

Summit in March.

Vara also entered the

metaverse by establishing

its Metaverse HQ, making it the first

regulator to have a presence in the

emerging digital space.

The cryptocurrency market,

however, has been in a slump in

recent weeks. Bitcoin, the biggest

cryptocurrency, dropped below

$30,000 on May 10, the first time it fell

beyond that key threshold since July

2021.

As of Wednesday afternoon UAE

time, Bitcoin’s price remains below

the level at $29,410.06 and is down

about 1.4 per cent over the past 24

hours, data from CoinMarketCap

show.

BitOasis’s campaign with MBC

Group is in line with a long-term

objective of building an efficient,

secure and inclusive virtual asset

ecosystem within the region, which

would help revive the market and

foster more interest, Ms Doudin said.

“We’re witnessing the fast speed

at which our region is embracing and

adopting the blockchain and Web3

technologies,” said Fadel Zahreddine,

group director of emerging media at

MBC Group.

“Seeing as how crypto currencies

are essential to this ecosystem, we

see this partnership as a natural

progression as we usher in this new

era.”

MBC Group, meanwhile, is

continuing to support technological

initiatives.

In February, it formed a joint

venture with Neom, the $500 billion

high-tech mega-city being built

in Saudi Arabia, to set up the first

games development studio in the

region rated AAA, a classification

that labels games produced and

distributed by midsized or big

publishers that usually have higher

budgets.

22

/ JUNE 2022


INITIATIVE LAUNCHED IN ABU DHABI TO

GRANT WOMEN FREE CRYPTO, NFTS &

BLOCKCHAIN DOMAIN

CRYPTOCURRENCY

All women residents in Abu

Dhabi will be provided

free crypto, NFT, and

blockchain domains as

part of a new initiative

to be enforced in the UAE capital.

The campaign sees Access Abu

Dhabi and the Abu Dhabi Investment

Office (ADIO) partner with a Web3

identity platform and NFT domain

name provider Unstoppable Domains

to provide free crypto domains to

women.

Highlighting Abu Dhabi’s mission

to champion opportunities for women

in business, Eng Abdulla Abdul Aziz

Al Shamsi, the acting director general

of ADIO, said: “Abu Dhabi is ensuring

the future of Web3 is built around a

powerful infrastructure that appeals

to all members of the community.

“By supporting initiatives that

invite and uplift women, we can

champion diversity early in the Web3

era.”

The initiative offers women in Abu

Dhabi the opportunity to capitalise on

Web3 opportunities. It provides them

with a decentralised web address

and digital identity that gives them

complete control of their data and

content within a space that they fully

own, as opposed to Web2 domains,

which are leased for fixed periods

through third-party brokers.

Al Shamsi added: “The partnership

with Unstoppable Domains to provide

free crypto domains to all women in

Abu Dhabi embodies the emirate’s

promise of inclusion, while creating

opportunities for private sector

participation in a fast-growing space.”

The giveaway aims to provide

opportunities for more women to

learn about and ultimately participate

in Web3.

Currently, only 5 percent to 7

percent of all cryptocurrency users

are women, and only 12 percent of

people who work in blockchain are

women.

Ramping up women’s participation

in the Web3 space

The initiative was announced

during a delegation visit to Abu

Dhabi by the ‘Women of Web3′, a

powerhouse group of disruptive

female tech entrepreneurs from the

United States exploring the emirate

as a gateway for global expansion.

The ‘Women of Web3’ delegation is

hosted by Access Abu Dhabi, a Maven

Global Access programme powered

by the ADIO.

The programme seeks to

empower minority and womenowned

businesses in a high-growth

country where 50 percent of the

small to medium-sized enterprises

are already women-owned.

Sandy Carter, SVP of Unstoppable

Domains and Founder of Unstoppable

Women of Web3, said: “It’s great to

see Abu Dhabi leading the mission to

bring Web3 opportunities to women

in the Middle East. It has been an

honour to be a part of the ‘Women of

Web3’ delegation, and I am grateful

to Access Abu Dhabi and ADIO

for providing such an immersive

look into Abu Dhabi’s business and

technology ecosystem.

“Providing free crypto, NFT and

blockchain domains to all women

in Abu Dhabi is a power move that

ensures women will be included

in increasing numbers within the

fabric of the Web3 movement for

generations to come.”

She added: “The immense support

that we’ve received from ADIO and

Maven Global Access proves that Abu

Dhabi doesn’t just believe in a more

inclusive and decentralised future,

but is actively building it.”

As Abu Dhabi ramps up efforts

to become the Middle East’s crypto

hub, the emirate is ensuring the

necessary tools and resources

are available to encourage active

participation in the Web3 space from

women across all communities.

One pillar of blockchain

technology, which has been

instrumental in fueling its popularity

is its potential to offer access

that transcends geographical and

financial limitations that excluded

groups in the past.

Women in Abu Dhabi can visit

the Unstoppable Domains link to get

their free domain.

The managing partner of Maven

Global Access and founder of Access

Abu Dhabi, Sarah Omolewu, said:

“In a market of expats from more

than 200 countries, this initiative

could potentially impact the lives of

generations of women around the

world. This is the legacy-building

impact I envisioned for the Access

Abu Dhabi programme.

Omolewu added: “While the

financial gap between male and

female founders still exists, the

game is changing, and more women

recognise the value of emerging

technologies in growing and funding

their businesses. I’m honoured and

humbled to have received the support

of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office

and Unstoppable Domains to make

this moment possible.”



ROBOTICS

THE ROBOTS

OF EXPO 2020

Expo 2020 has hoisted some futuristic machines with unimaginable tasks and chores. The event has

showcased their unsung embedded qualities, be it from carrying an overloaded basket, or inciting

rib-tickling humor. Moreover, people have witnessed the unseen and acquainted themselves with the

range of competent robots, as displayed or showcased. Allow yourself to stumble upon the machines,

automating the tasks, deemed unbelievable to our understanding.

The Mascot Opti

An unimaginable and exceptional robot is

a creation of Terminus Group, an AI service

provider. A typical representation of an orangecolored

robot consisting of innumerable talents

and functions. For instance, it is your one-stop

solution to various activities like articulating

a couple of jokes, creating a barrel of laughs,

and entertaining the audience with its quirky

dance moves, it can fulfill your tasks and serve

them on a silver platter. Yes, it is specialized

and embedded with excellent technology.

Nonetheless, do not just go by its appearance

or size as the level of multitasking it does is

significant. The Mascot Opti was deemed to be the

guardian of the Opportunity District, packed with

excellent features and characteristics.

Attendant bot

The attendant bot was deemed as a metallicbased

tour guide for expo 2020, which shows

you the route to your desired destination. In

addition, it is a power-packed robot, backed by the

feature of multi-modal interaction consisting of

facial detection, language processing, and facial

recognition along with the multi-user interface,

not just this, it also has an immense capacity to

allow visitors to access significant information by

displaying images, videos, texts, etc.

24

/ JUNE 2022


Delivery bot

As the name itself suggests, such an impeccable

robot was automated to carry out the delivery of goods

and other services. Moreover, such robots translate

their knowledge into skills, since they are no more than

an intelligent mobile containers, responsible for carrying

out task-based deployment. This awe-inspiring robot

is embedded with a technology that includes a weight

detection system, having the capacity to recharge or

re-stock whenever required. Furthermore, the Delivery

bot comes with amazing features of voice recognition,

uniquely capable of responding to your queries.

Patrol Robot

The Patrol Robot was there to serve as a detective,

aka a watchful robot supervising and monitoring

the Expo site. As they say usually “you are under

CCTV surveillance”, similarly, you cannot escape the

cautious eye of this robot, which is fully equipped with

HD facial recognition, thermal camera, SOS button,

and was on 24-hour duty to remind the visitors about

the social distancing. Such a high-quality robot uses

voice recognition to reply to your queries and delivers

emergency announcements, as and when needed.

The Vending Trolly

The Vending Trolley was yet another eye-opening

robot of the Expo 2020, programmed to carry out

different tasks. It is constructed with racks and shelves,

serving as a platform to carry out reading materials,

visitors guide, etc. This autonomous machine works

without human intervention and is skilled enough to hold

heavy trays, baskets and whatnot. Yet, this is how these

robots are designed with extraordinary qualities.

Barista Vanu

Drumroll, Barista Vanu proved it was a guest

appearance at Estonia’s pavilion, serving as a robot or

doppelganger of a bartender, specialized with an AI arm,

that can serve you drinks like coffee. Not just this, it has

an incredible ability to provoke hilarious humor through

plenty of bizarre jokes. Thanks to this robot for being a

technological boon to our lives.

Expo 2020 dazzled the visitors who enjoyed checking

out different pavilions and were entertained by live

performances and breathtaking fireworks. The robots

which were employed there contributed significantly to

enhancing the overall amazing experience of Expo-goers

and sure enough, you will long remember the interactions

you had with them.



FUNDING IN TECH

not only have a good idea, but that

they can carry it through. Established

venture capital firms are more likely

to fund this stage. Companies are

also able to use crowdfunding in

order to finance this stage. These

two methods aid in attracting more

investors.

SERIES A, B, AND C:

HOW DO THEY WORK?

In a perfect world, startups would be financed solely by their founders with little to

no external help. However, the reality of growing a business will, more often than not,

require funding from investors in exchange for equity. There are various types of funding

rounds available to startups, this is done in phases. Before reaching these stages,

companies go through pre-seed funding, which is often financed through the founders

themselves as well as family and friends.

Should they require it, seed

funding is the first stage

in which investments

are exchanged for equity.

Seed funding involves

investments that will help the

business through its earliest stages

of growth to get the idea off the

ground. This can be towards research

or developing a team. Often times,

this stage involves Angel Investors,

who are willing to invest in ingenious

albeit riskier ventures. If this stage

goes well, some startups will not

take part in the series A funding or

successive funding phases.

Series A Funding

At this stage, the startup is

already running, with a steady

customer base and revenue.

Founders at this stage want

investments in order to expand the

current operations of the business,

this can include expanding into

different markets to grow their

customer base, or increasing their

capital in order to improve their

current product offerings. Unlike

the seed funding round, ideas alone

are not enough to secure funding.

Companies need to have detailed

strategies they plan to implement in

order to generate long-term profit.

Investors need to know that founders

Series B Funding

Series B funding is similar to

series A, but differs in terms of the

company valuation and the scale at

which they are aiming to grow. At

this stage, businesses are already

established in terms of revenue and

customer base, attracting venture

capitals that specialise in financing

the later growth of a business. At

this stage, investment is put towards

developing the business to reach

larger market shares and production

outputs.

Series C Funding

Series C funding is done with

successful businesses to grow the

company as fast and as successfully

as possible. Investors such as hedge

funds, investment banks, private

equity firms, and large secondary

market groups pump money into

these businesses as a means to

double their investment return or

secure their own assets. At this

stage, the business is either targeting

ways to expand vastly, such as

acquiring new businesses, expanding

into overseas markets, or working

on securing funding towards an IPO.

Companies secure investment at

this stage based on proven track

records as well as strong customer

bases, revenue streams. Investing in

companies at this stage will be less

risky, thus attracting more investors.

Funding can continue into further

rounds, however due to the potential

for scaling in series C funding, it is

unconventional that companies would

go further. Series D and E funding are

often pursued if the company does

not complete its goals in series

C funding.


26

/ JUNE 2022


BUILDING AUTOMATION

BUILDING AUTOMATION

SYSTEMS (BAS);

MAKING FACILITIES HEALTHIER,

MORE PRODUCTIVE & COST-EFFECTIVE

Building automation systems (BAS) are automated control systems that can optimize

energy efficiency and/or worker productivity by regulating a building’s heating and

cooling, lighting, equipment, and more. This solution would replace buildings with

traditional mechanical or electric control systems.

Keeping massive buildings

under control may be

difficult. Aside from

growing power expenses,

certain areas might be too

hot, while others can be too cold.

Lighting levels are usually uneven

and misaligned with the area’s work

requirements. In certain sections, as

evidenced by alert and enthusiastic

workers, ventilation can be excellent,

while in others, as evidenced by

employees dozing off and watching

the clock, ventilation might be poor.

The majority of these issues can

be solved with a BAS.

A building automation system,

when installed appropriately,

may result in increased energy

efficiency, cheaper management

and maintenance costs, improved

quality of indoor air, increased

occupant comfort, and productivity

improvements.

Low Power Costs

Building automation technologies,

when utilized effectively, may

quickly pay for themselves through

decreased utility expenditures.

Savings of 10% to 30% can be

achieved by simply observing

building activity and enabling the

BAS to adjust HVAC consumption

accordingly. Electricity costs are

further reduced by reductions in peak

usage and other energy utilization

improvements.

Higher Productivity

Better ventilation and high quality

air circulation increase worker

productivity while lowering sick days.

According to Harvard and SUNY

Medical Center studies, increasing

minimum ventilation rates using

energy efficient HVAC systems

improves mental skills. Employees

in well-ventilated, sustainable

buildings had 26.4 percent higher

cognitive function scores and 30%

fewer ill building symptoms than

those in non-certified buildings.

Optimized internal environment

Thirty years of public health

study showed that enhanced indoor

environmental quality corresponds to

healthier and happier employees. The

impact of greater tenant satisfaction

is vital to building owners and

managers. Temperature control

is one of the most noticeable BAS

advantages. A BAS prevents freezing

morning temperatures in the winter

and suffocating heats in the summer

by turning on temperature control

systems before inhabitants arrive

and shutting them off after everyone

has left. Fewer tenant complaints,

happier staff, and a more productive

corporate environment all result

from a more pleasant facility.

Reduced carbon emissions

Building management solutions

that are automated rather than

manual can cut energy usage by

10–20 percent. “Building Automation

Systems (BAS) can result in over 20

percent more efficient heating and

cooling and 8 percent more efficient

energy use for lighting, appliances,

etc. Across the world, adoption range

from close to 0 percent in some

developing regions to over 75 percent

in high-income countries. Expanding

these adoptions significantly by

mid-century—at an added cost of

US$225–321 billion, building owners

could save US$1.8–3.1 trillion in

operating costs. Some 6.47–10.48

gigatons of carbon dioxide emissions

could be avoided”, according to

Drawdown.



HOME TECHNOLOGY

What are the Advantages and

Disadvantages of Mesh Networks?

Advantages:

● Whole-home WiFi coverage

● Easy set-up and configuration

process

● Eliminates dead spots

● Seamless connection

● Self-configuring

● Easy to add and remove nodes

● Aesthetic design

Disadvantages:

● Pricier than normal Wi-Fi signal

extenders

MESH WI-FI

Mesh WI-FI systems are formed by conjoining two or more WI-FI systems together

which would thereupon create a single efficient WI-FI network that would be able to

cover up a larger area. It is usually built to provide speedy connectivity to cover homes

or offices up to 6,000 sq. ft. with two or more stories or some unusual layout.

This system may be used as

a solution for those who

struggle with unstable

internet connectivity or

have encountered WI-

FI dead zones in their homes or

personal workspaces. As the workfrom-home

culture has been thriving,

people are looking toward working

from their backyards or garages and

these specialized WI-FI systems

target the dead spots and fill the

gaps to provide seamless wireless

internet access throughout the house

or workplace.

As opposed to traditional WI-FI

which broadcasts signals from

a single access point, the mesh

WI-FI has multiple access points.

Hence one node may link itself

to the modem and act similar to

that of a router while the multiple

access points, also known as

satellites may target the router’s

signal and broadcast it. Several

standalone routers can also be

set up as the base for the mesh

coverage which will enable one to

expand the coverage of the WI-FI by

adding similar nodes to it. This will

ensure that one has uninterrupted

and reliable internet connectivity

throughout the premises.

The mesh WI-FI comes with

whole new features and advantages.

It shall provide a single and efficient

network for the entire home without

having to opt for multiple nodes.

It would render a strong, stable,

and long-range connectivity of the

internet. The procedure for its setup

and management is equally lucrative

and allows one to toggle between

network settings and conduct regular

speed checks. These mesh WI-FI

have been seen to eradicate the

era of WI-FI extenders slowly and

numerous casual users have been

looking out for ways to get a hold of

them, usually for the fact that how

easy it is to set up and thereupon use

as well.

With the advancement of

technology, it is imminent that

we keep pace with the growing

inventions of the world which have

been making our lives so easier even

during a global pandemic and served

as a boon in times of crisis. These

wireless networking devices would

serve to be a life savior.

Best mesh Wi-Fi routers:

1. Google Nest Wifi

Google Wifi and Home together at

long last

SPECIFICATIONS

Speed: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2.4 GHz/5

GHz simultaneous dual-band

Connectivity: Dual Gigabit Ethernet

ports

Features: Advanced security chip,

Nest Wifi point with Google Assistant,

privacy control

REASONS TO BUY

Excellent design

Smart speaker(s) included

Even simpler controls

REASONS TO AVOID

No major performance gains

Not worth replacing existing mesh

What’s better than the best mesh

router? Well, a mesh router with a

smart speaker, that’s what. Especially

if you’re a smart home fiend, you will

appreciate the pure genius of this

upgrade in Google’s Wifi line. The

Google Nest Wifi kicks things up a

28

/ JUNE 2022


notch, taking Google Wifi’s incredible

yet simple design and performance

then merges it with the convenience

of a smart speaker so you’ve got a

two-in-one device in an even sleeker

and more attractive package. And,

if you’re tired of the color white, this

one also comes in Mist and Sand

colors. As far as the best mesh Wi-Fi

routers go, the original Google Wifi

is still the one to beat. This one just

gives it that extra oomph.

2. Asus ZenWiFi AX (XT8)

Wi-Fi 6 meets mesh routers

SPECIFICATIONS

Speed: 802.11ax 4804Mbps down

Connectivity: 2.5 Gigabit Wan, 3 x

Gigabit LAN, Gigabit Wan, USB 3.1

Included mesh nodes: 2

Features: MU-MIMO, Traffic Analyzer,

Adaptive QoS, AiProtection Pro

AS OPPOSED TO TRADITIONAL

WI-FI WHICH BROADCASTS

SIGNALS FROM A SINGLE

ACCESS POINT, THE MESH

WI-FI HAS MULTIPLE ACCESS

POINTS.

REASONS TO BUY

Great Wi-Fi performance

Good security features

REASONS TO AVOID

Expensive

Limited to two routers

With the Asus ZenWiFi AX (XT8),

Asus has managed to introduce Wi-Fi

6 to that other cutting-edge tech in

connectivity; mesh routers. While it is

among the more expensive options

out there and limits you to two mesh

routers, the Asus ZenWifi AX offers

blazing fast speeds as well as plenty

of flexibility in its setup – such as the

option to set up one or two networks

using the 2.4 and 5GHz bands. With

excellent security features to boot,

this is a fantastic choice if you’re

looking at the best mesh Wi-Fi

systems.

3. Netgear Orbi Quad-Band WiFi 6E

High-end Wi-Fi 6E performance

SPECIFICATIONS

Speed: 6.0GHz (2.4GHz + 2x 5GHz)

quad-band WiFi 6E

Connectivity: 1x 10Gbps Multi-Gigbit

Ethernet WAN port, 1x 2.5Gbps

Multi-Gigabit Ethernet LAN port, 3x

10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet

LAN ports

Features: NETGEAR Armor,

Standards-based WiFi Security,

WPA3 support

REASONS TO BUY

Wi-Fi 6E with 10.8Gbps speeds

Supports up to 200 devices

REASONS TO AVOID

Crazy expensive

The Netgear Orbi Quad-Band WiFi

6E’s price is not for the faint of heart.

But, if you need a very large space,

up to 9,000 square feet, covered then

this might be the mesh Wi-Fi system

for you. Not only can it cover an

incredibly large space but it’s more

than capable of handling the most

crowded of networks, supporting

up to 200 connected devices at a

time. And, thanks to its Wi-Fi 6E

connectivity – the “E” stands for

extended – you get access to an

incredibly speedy 6.0Hz frequency

band.



LATEST TECH

IT HAS BEEN USED TO SOLVE

DIFFICULT STRUCTURAL

BIOLOGY PROBLEMS THAT

PERPLEXED SCIENTISTS FOR

MANY YEARS USING PREVIOUS

METHODS.

PROTEIN FOLDING IS

PREDICTED ACCURATELY BY

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

AlphaFold2 is a Google DeepMind artificial intelligence system that predicts

the three-dimensional structure of proteins. It predicts the functional, folded

structure of a protein molecule based on its amino acid sequence, down to

the position of each atom in 3D space. The underlying physicochemical rules

that govern how proteins build 3D structures are too complex for humans to

comprehend and have remained unanswered for decades.

Even in the absence of

structural information,

AlphaFold2 can produce

extremely accurate findings

for many proteins — even

some multi-protein complexes.

This could significantly accelerate

experimental structural biology

research and aid in the direction

of protein engineering and drug

discovery research.

A thorough understanding of

protein biology, on the other hand,

will necessitate a considerably

broader set of computational and

experimental tools. Algorithms can

zero in on the amino acids that are

most likely to associate with each

other in the folded protein by finding

co-evolving amino acids that change

in parallel.

The AlphaFold2 process

approaches protein folding from

many perspectives at the same

time, generating numerous

representations of the predicted

structure in tandem. “I think the

most important thing that made this

what it is was that extremely wellengineered

communication system”

DeepMind is a private company with

vast resources and a long history

of working with interdisciplinary

professionals. Researchers led by

bioinformatician Alfonso Valencia

at the Barcelona Supercomputing

Center in Spain found in August

that the software increased the

proportion of amino acids that can

be reliably mapped from 31% to 50%.

They can find and simulate hundreds

of complexes in the proteome

of the yeast Saccharomyces

cerevisiae from millions of probable

interaction pairs. DeepMind unveiled

an algorithm in October that was

specifically trained to deal with

protein complexes created by the

assembly of numerous chains.

It used 170,000 proteins with

known structures in a reiterative

method known as deep learning.

RoseTTAFold, the new program, also

employs a deep learning method.

Instead of relying on a single

neural network, it employs three.

RoseTTAFold has solved hundreds

of new protein structures, many of

which are human proteins that are

poorly known. The tool is currently

available on the internet and has

been downloaded by dozens of

research teams worldwide.

It has been used to solve difficult

structural biology problems that

perplexed scientists for many

years using previous methods.

This increased skill will benefit

basic science research and has the

potential to accelerate life-saving

medicinal discoveries.


30

/ JUNE 2022


LATEST TECH

GPT-3

Generative Pre-Trained Transformer 3 (GPT-3) is a robot that runs on machine learning algorithm and it is able to write text

that is similar to that of a human.

The third-generation

language prediction model

in the GPT-n series (and

successor to GPT-2) was

created by OpenAI, a San

Francisco-based artificial intelligence

research laboratory.

Is GPT-3 actually helpful?

People are discussing GPT-3

because it is by far the best language

learning program available. The text

machine can produce readable text

for humans. The text generated by

GPT-3 is of such good quality that

it is difficult to tell it apart from that

written by a human, which has both

advantages and disadvantages. This

breakthrough could be very helpful

for companies that want to automate

most tasks. It can be misused in

academic fraudulent essay writing,

spam, phishing and abuse of legal

and governmental processes.

THE SCALING PERFORMANCE

OF GPT-3 MEANS THAT

GENERAL-PURPOSE MODELS

WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY

POWERFUL EVEN WITHOUT

SIGNIFICANT ALGORITHMIC

INNOVATION. IT’S LIKELY

THAT LARGE, PRE-TRAINED

LANGUAGE MODELS WILL

BECOME AN INTEGRAL PART

OF AI APPLICATIONS IN THE

NEAR FUTURE.

What is GPT-3 being used for

specifically?

GPT-3 is a machine learning tool

that uses deep learning to produce

text that is similar to that of human

beings. GPT-3 is being used for a

variety of purposes, including but not

limited to research and development,

manufacturing, and product testing.

Is GPT-3 the best AI?

The scaling performance of GPT-3

means that general-purpose models

will become increasingly powerful

even without significant algorithmic

innovation. It’s likely that large, pretrained

language models will become

an integral part of AI applications in

the near future.

GPT-3 can make people laugh,

solve simple programming puzzles,

imitate great writers, create dialogs,

and even compose advertisements.

All of the tasks that prior models

failed to complete.



CYBER SECURITY

HOW DOES TWO-FACTOR

AUTHENTICATION WORK?

What exactly is 2FA?

Two-factor authentication (also known as 2FA or dual authentication) is a sort of multi-factor authentication

(MFA) that strengthens account security by verifying your identity using two methods. On the internet, 2FA

typically refers to an additional layer of security on top of a password.

The two-step verification of

2FA can be inconvenient at

times, but it is critical for

online safety. 2FA entails

authenticating yourself in

two separate methods, which adds

a substantial layer of security in a

world where personal information is

frequently compromised.

It can be difficult to recognize

examples of 2FA at times. The fact

that an account or location requires

two steps to access does not imply

that it is implementing two-factor

authentication. Using a bank card

with a debit card at an ATM

A common example of 2FA is

withdrawing money from an ATM

using a bank card and a PIN code.

Security questions and CAPTCHAs,

on the other hand, are not.

What is the difference between

2FA and MFA (multi-factor

authentication)?

The distinction between 2FA

and MFA is that MFA verifies your

identification using two or more

factors. Two factors are used in

2FA. The definition of multi-factor

authentication also applies offline,

such as when a security door

requires an entrance card and an

eye scan.

Employees in businesses, banks,

and high-security organizations

may use multi-factor authentication.

However, 2FA is secure enough for

the majority of users and their online

accounts.

Why is two-factor authentication

(2FA) required?

We require two-factor

authentication because it is a more

effective technique of controlling

access than simply protecting your

data with a password. If someone

hacks into a 2FA-protected account,

they will still require the second

access factor, such as an SMS

32

/ JUNE 2022


THE FACT THAT TWO-

FACTOR AUTHENTICATION

REQUIREMENTS ARE

CONSISTENT ACROSS

CONTEXTS IS WHAT

MAKES THEM SO

EFFECTIVE.

verification code or your fingerprint,

to access your account.

Consider the possibility that

someone could gain access to

your Facebook account simply

by discovering or guessing your

password. Without 2FA, your only

line of protection against a hacker

or cybercriminal looking to sell your

personal information on dark web

marketplaces is a password.

Simple passwords are no match

for the top password cracking

techniques utilized by hackers

these days. When there is a data

breach, thousands, if not millions, of

passwords may be exposed. Then,

firms like Facebook and Google

respond by adding 2FA to protect

user data.

So, what’s the point of using

two-factor authentication? Because,

while it may take a little longer than

using a single password, having

your personal information stolen or

becoming a victim of identity theft is

far worse.

Here are some more frequent twofactor

authentication examples:

● Using an ATM to withdraw money

You are aware of your PIN code

You have a bank card

● Using one-time SMS verification

(OTP) codes to get access to internet

accounts

You are aware of your login and

password

You’ve got your phone

● International journeys

You’ve got your passport

You are who you say you are, as

evidenced by facial recognition,

fingerprints, or retina scans

These examples demonstrate why

utilizing two-factor authentication is

essential for increasing your security.

With 2FA, a hacker can install a

keylogger to steal your password,

but they can’t hack you until they

have access to your phone, which is

where the one-time verification code

is received.

The fact that two-factor

authentication requirements are

consistent across contexts is

what makes them so effective.

The fundamental 2FA qualities of

knowing, having and remaining

constant, and it’s difficult to have

access to more than one at a

moment – unless, of course, you are

who you claim you are.

How to Configure 2FA

Many apps and services support

two-factor authentication, although

it may not be activated by default.

Check the security settings of your

account to determine if 2FA is

enabled. Google has its own Google

Authenticator software, which

automatically produces 2FA codes.

You can also enable 2FA through your

Google Account or Gmail account.

Is 2FA truly secure?

Yes, two-factor authentication is

quite safe. No login technique is 100%

secure, but 2FA protects you against

data leaks and hacking attempts. If

hackers discover that you have 2FA

activated, they will most likely go on,

leaving your account secure.

Of course, hackers are constantly

learning, and they may one day crack

2FA. Message mirroring programs

that can read your texts are already

available. Voice bots that steal 2FA

codes have also developed. When

everything else fails, hackers will

continue to utilize social engineering

to fool victims into giving over their

2FA codes.

Are my passwords no longer safe

enough?

Single passwords are no longer

as secure as they once were.

Hackers can use techniques such

as password spraying, keylogging,

and brute force attacks to crack your

credentials. Although you should

always use strong, complicated

passwords or passphrases, this may

not be enough to keep your accounts

secure indefinitely.

If you don’t want to enable 2FA for

every account, you can use a random

password generator to make it more

difficult for hackers. Furthermore,

keeping all of your strong passwords

in one of the top password managers

makes it much easier to keep track

of them. However, you should use

two-factor authentication for all of

your most frequently used accounts,

as well as those you need to keep the

safest.



CYBERSECURITY

$1.5BN IN FRAUDULENT TRANSACTIONS

STOPPED ON APP STORE IN 2021

Apple said it stopped

fraudulent transactions

worth about $1.5 billion

on its App Store in 2021,

as it continues to rein in

potential illicit activity on its platform.

More than 1.6 million apps deemed

risky and untrustworthy were

prevented from defrauding users and

more than 3.3 million stolen credit

cards were blocked from making

purchases last year, the iPhonemaker

said in its annual fraud

analysis on.

Apple attributed the detection

and prevention of malicious apps

to its App Review programme,

a multilayered approach that

combines computer automation with

manual human review, which is the

“distinguishing component” of the

process.

“Bad actors continue to evolve

their methods of online fraud,

often making their schemes

harder to recognise,” the iPhonemaker

said in the report released

before its Worldwide Developers

Conference.

“That is why Apple has continued

to refine its processes, create new

ones and engineer solutions to take

on these threats.”

Apple’s fraud prevention study

for 2021 shows that the value of

fraudulent transactions is more or

less at par with the inaugural 2020

report, which pegged it at more than

$1.5bn.

Still, the study shows the

persistent problem of bad actors

trying to take advantage of increased

consumer dependence on the app

ecosystem in general.

Dating app fraud, for instance,

resulted in users losing a record

$547m in 2021, an 80 per cent surge

from the previous year, the US

Federal Trade Commission reported

in February.

That is higher than even gift

cards — described by the FTC as the

“No 1 payment method of choice of

scammers” — that siphoned more

34

/ JUNE 2022


MEANWHILE, THE GLOBAL FRAUD

DETECTION AND PREVENTION MARKET

IS EXPECTED TO GROW TO ABOUT

$129.2BN BY 2029, FROM $30.7BN IN

2022, AT A COMPOUND ANNUAL RATE

OF 22.8 PER CENT, SAID FORTUNE

BUSINESS INSIGHTS.

than $148m from victims through the

first three quarters of 2021, it said.

Meanwhile, the global fraud

detection and prevention market is

expected to grow to about $129.2bn

by 2029, from $30.7bn in 2022, at a

compound annual rate of 22.8 per

cent, said Fortune Business Insights.

While Apple’s App Review helped

more than 107,000 new developers

to add their apps to the store in

2021, more than 835,000 problematic

new apps and 805,000 app updates

were either rejected or removed

because they were either unfinished

or contained bugs that had to be

addressed.

More than 34,500 apps were

rejected because they contained

hidden or undocumented features

while more than 157,000 apps were

refused because they were found to

be “spam, copycats or misleading to

users, such as manipulating them

into making a purchase”, the report

said.

The Apple review process does

not end with apps as it also takes

action against suspicious customer

accounts.

The company deactivated more

than 170 million accounts associated

with fraudulent activity last year, with

an additional 118 million attempted

account creations rejected due to

illicit patterns.

“If an account exhibits similar

behaviours to those that have

engaged in previous abuse, they are

deactivated before they can be used

at all,” it said.

Developer accounts that are

detected to be fraudulent are

terminated immediately. Apple shut

down more than 802,000 of these

last year, with an additional 153,000

enrolments dismissed over fraud

concerns, preventing them from

submitting their app to the system.

Furthermore, during the past

12 months, Apple discovered and

blocked more than 63,500 illegitimate

apps on pirate storefronts, which

distribute malicious software often

designed to mimic popular apps

or modify them without developer

authorisation.

In the past month alone, Apple

prevented more than 3.3 million

instances of apps distributed illicitly

through its Enterprise Developer

Programme, which is designed to

help large organisations to develop

and privately distribute their own

apps for internal use.

Apple said developers can appeal

to its review board over any app that

may have been incorrectly flagged

as fraudulent. Concerned developers

will receive a 14-day appeal process

notice before termination.

The technology company does

not specify how much the App Store

makes in its financial reports, even

though it is part of its strong services

segment.

Revenue from Apple’s iOS app

surged almost threefold to about $85

billion in 2021, from $28.6bn in 2016,

estimates from app data platform

Sensor Tower show.

Rival Google Play, the world’s

largest app marketplace, recorded

revenue of about $48bn last year.

Developers, in turn, have earned

more than $260bn — $60bn in 2021

alone — through the sale of digital

goods and services on the App

Store since its launch, Apple said in

January.



NEWS

IN FOCUS

CYBER

AI SECURITY & ML

Bored Ape Yacht Club hacked

The Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC)

NFT was hacked, resulting in the loss

of up to 200 ETH (about $360,000)

in NFTs. One BAYC and two Mutant

Apes tokens were taken in the fraud,

according to data from blockchain

security firm PeckShield.

Ransomware attacks on the

healthcare sector

Ransomware attacks on the

healthcare sector have increased

by 94 percent within organisation

surveyed in the sector, according

to a report published by Sophos, a

global leader in next-generation

cybersecurity.

$1.5bn in fraudulent transactions stopped on App Store in 2021

Apple said it stopped fraudulent transactions worth about $1.5 billion on

its App Store in 2021, as it continues to rein in potential illicit activity on its

platform.

Arcserve Partners with Ampconnect

to accelerate business growth in the

GCC

It is true that Regional valueadded-distributor

Ampconnect has

announced a strategic partnership

with Arcserve, the world’s most

experienced ransomware protection,

and unified data resilience platform

provider. The partnership is designed

to accelerate regional growth and

meet the rising demand for Unified

Data Resilience solutions from

customers in the region.

GCC banks mitigate chances of cyber

attacks through robust investment in

cyber security

GCC banks are managing their

exposure to cyber risks effectively

through investment in digital security,

according to S&P Global Ratings.

36

/ JUNE 2022


Twitter penalized for selling user data in the US

Twitter in the United States has been fined $150 million

(£119 million) after law enforcement authorities accused

it of improperly utilizing user data to sell tailored

adverts. According to court records, the Federal Trade

Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice claim

that Twitter broke an agreement with regulators.

New study suggests Middle East and Africa region is least

targeted by ransomware attacks last year

The Middle East and Africa was the least targeted region

by ransomware attacks in the past year, but the average

ransom demanded by bad actors globally surged by

almost half in 2021, according to a new report by cyber

security company Group-IB.

Google introduces Assured OSS to

help fight cybercrimes

At a time when cyberattacks

happen with increasing frequency,

Google announced a new security

tool with the aim of increasing the

safety of open-source software.

Assured Open Source Software (OSS)

will enable users to incorporate

Google’s own security packages into

their own workflows.

Mysterious hacker got key to Verizon

employee database

Verizon is grappling with an

occurrence in which a hacker

obtained a database holding

business employee data, including

complete names, ID numbers, email

addresses, and phone numbers. The

information is authentic, according to

Motherboard, since the mysterious

hacker reached them last week and

they were able to confirm the data by

contacting several of the numbers.

UK faced higher cybercrime rates

than other advanced countries last

year

Internet users in the UK were the

victims of more cyber crimes last

year than in any other developed

country.


SOFTWARE

EVOLUTION OF ONLINE TEAM COORDINATION

PLATFORMS FOR WORKING REMOTELY

With lockdowns lifting and countries slowly trying to return to normalcy, remote work has persisted post-pandemic. Online

collaboration platforms which remote working is dependent on have grown more robust to usher this new norm into the

mainstream industry. Much has changed since the launch of groupware in the 1980s.

The main concern for remote work is the effect on productivity, however, modern groupware platforms have

adopted explicit and implicit team coordination tactics to not only facilitate productivity but to promote proactivity

amongst workers. Team coordination platforms have also become more flexible and accessible with

many being available for both mobile and desktop devices. Ensuring that work can be done anywhere and on

the move. The platforms listed below do just that:

MIRO

Miro is a visual

collaboration platform

that allows teams to work

by creating and “pinning”

charts, documents, notes

and comments across a

single workspace much

like a whiteboard. The

simulated whiteboard is

perfect for brainstorming

sessions with your team,

and with many crossplatform

integrations,

plug-ins and apps, workers

can seamlessly sync

operations across multiple

niche platforms.

ZOOM

Video conferencing

has become increasingly

relevant, if not essential,

with many teams choosing

to centralize their

communication with this

software. Zoom has been

shown to do it the best

having been used remotely

by millions across different

industries during The

pandemic. Hosting up to

100 participants at a time

with some of the lowest

latency rates in the game,

the platform is adept for

scheduling as well as

moderating long and largescale

meetings.

ASANA

Project management

is the focus with Asana,

allowing teams to monitor,

oversee and plan ongoing

and upcoming projects.

Unlike other project

management software,

team members can

customise their charts

using the different display

types available on the

platform, optimizing

the individualised user

experience.

SLACK

Slack puts

communication at the

forefront, emphasising the

importance of effective

correspondence within

teams. As inclusivity

becomes a staple in work

practices, more features

advance to ensure the

inclusion of differentlyabled

workers. This can be

seen with Slack’s “Huddle”

audio chat feature, which

could allow workers with

hearing impairments to

follow along with the live

captioning attribute.

With remote working growing increasingly popular, online team coordination platforms are set to continue to evolve

to cater to the newfound needs of users. The demand for platforms to replicate the internal working structures of the

workplace has pushed for the development of dynamic and effective advancements for the online team coordination

sphere. The shift from generic functionality to customizability has created a surge in demand that has fueled the development

of a host of features and systems. Thus creating the desired personalized work experiences, as opposed to just

utilitarian software.


38

/ JUNE 2022


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INVENTORS & DEVELOPERS

He was one of 43 people to be

awarded the Medal of Top Emiratis by

the Vice President of the UAE in 2014.

Also in 2015, his inventions won a

total of fourteen awards at the British

Invention Show (British Inventors

Society) in London.

Notable inventions

Smart saddle

The Smart Saddle by Ahmed

Majan was invented for racehorse

training, where the solar-powered

electronic device measures the heart

rate of the animal.

(one who’s been trained), the

rider’s weight, a compass, a location

tracker, with a device responsible

for cooling down the animal’s body

temperature during exercise in warm

climates, along with a hidden camera.

AHMED MAJAN

EDISON OF THE UAE

The prominent Emirati inventor,

Ahmed Majan, titled “Edison

of the UAE”, inherits this

nickname from a pioneer, the

late Thomas Edison, and has

been felicitated as “Person

of the Month” by the largest

information institutions like hub

Emarat Alyoum Arabic language

daily, which presented the

award at the start of 2012. His

other achievements include:

The award-winning inventor

made an entry to the

Guinness Book of World

Records for inventions that

exceeded 1000 patents.

In addition, he has been enlisted in

the Guinness Book of World Records

as the inventor of the world’s largest

bike, where his inventions have been

funded through local firms, which he

had set up to market his products.

He also created “the beach of

fiction”, where the invention is an

environmentally friendly vehicle

drawn by electronic horses, along

with the technology of a “drowning

resistant” swimming pool, dealing

with the increase or decrease in the

water level.

The Smart Sport Helmet

The Smart Sport Helmet is

invented using a smart application,

assembled or attached to the helmet

of cyclists, bikers, and athletes,

ensuring safety with the necessary

protection. Surprisingly, such an

invention allows injured cyclists to

send alerts to seek help, and the

respective person can be tracked

down using the solar-powered

navigation system.

The Smart Elderly Crutch

The Smart Elderly Crutch was

developed for the elderly to caution

their families or ambulance in case

of any serious emergency, with a

solar-powered tracking system

device attached to the crutch along

with a voice alarm and reporting

system. Such a device transmits the

message to the ambulance if a crisis

occurs, and even the device includes

saved contact details of the family

and can communicate in case of

an accident.


40

/ JUNE 2022


CYBERCRIME

HYDRA DARK WEB

MARKETPLACE BUSTED

These past months have seen the voluntary take-downs of many major dark net websites as police

surveillance on the Dark web has increased. Cybersecurity Departments have been growing increasingly

concerned with the operations of Dark web marketplaces and have sought out to tear down these syndicates.

Hydra had been under investigation by German Police authorities since August 2021. Yet living up to the

heritage of its namesake, Hydra proved itself to be a formidable foe.

However, much like the

Lernaean monstrosity,

the mammoth darknet

website was seemingly

slain, this time by German

police authorities in partnership

with the U.S. Law Enforcement. As

a show of solidarity in the pursuit of

dismantling dark web marketplaces,

the US treasury issued sanctions

against Hydra. Furthermore, the

U.S. Department of Justice issued

charges of conspiracy to distribute

narcotics and conspiracy to commit

money laundering to an alleged

operator of the marketplace.

German Police Authorities

received a tip-off, informing them

that the website servers of the

marketplace may have been hosted

in Germany. Months of investigation

led authorities to a ‘bullet-proof’

hosting company. Armed with a

court order, authorities were able

to seize the servers of the site, as

well as what was valued at €23m

in Bitcoin at that time. According to

Germany’s Federal Criminal Police

Office, and the Frankfurt Public

Prosecutor’s office for combating

cybercrime, the site launched in 2015

and had sales totalling in €1.23b in

2020 alone. It was a host to a bevy

of illicit activities, including the trade

of drugs, hacked materials, forged

documents, illegal digital services,

and suspected money laundering.

While there is definitely cause

for celebration, authorities are still

concerned as the operators and

administrators of the website still

remain at large, as of 6th April 2022.

The anonymity of the dark web

presents a host of repercussions,

some positive and some not. While

the dark web can act as a gateway

to freedom of expression for those

in strict regimes, it also acts as

a shroud for those who wish to

pursue unlawful endeavours. It

brings to question the inevitability

of the uprising of more dark web

marketplaces. Is this take-down

indeed a pivotal moment towards a

more regulated dark web? Or is this

simply a single bust in a series of

many to come?



MANUFACTURING

NANOTECHNOLOGY IMPLEMENTATION

IN MANUFACTURING

UNVEILING THE IDEA OF “NANOTECHNOLOGY” IN MANUFACTURING

The concept of Nanotechnology primarily means the manipulation or manufacture of nanoscopic materials in

technology. In light of this, the idea of nanotechnology has made it to the realms of manufacturing currently,

which gives a competitive definition of what is meant by nano?

Nonetheless, one

popular definition for

nanomaterials, which

make up the chunk of

nanotechnology presently

in use, was established by the

European Commission. It defines

nano as any material made up of at

least 50% of particles between one

and 100 nanometers in size— or,

about one-hundredth to one-tenth

the size of the average germ.

In addition, nanotechnology

has grown over some time and the

contributing factors to this large

scale growth focus on empirical

observations and minute studies

developed by observers. For instance,

microscopic scales talk about flexible

circuit boards, etc. On the contrary,

nanomaterials are highly specialized

in offering innumerable advantages.

Such kinds of materials are prone

to behaving differently because of

their rare properties and remarkable

structure.

For instance, one of the most

popular types of nanomaterials is

nanotubes, which are lightweight,

tough, with a near-limit tip surface

area, chemically stable, and

thermally conductive than diamond.

Not only does nanotechnology

incorporate the use of nanomaterials,

but it also includes other spheres

of interest like nanoelectronics,

nanomedicine, and nanorobotics.

Such are the subdomains regulating

the nanoscale. Also, besides

nanomaterials, nanoelectronics and

nanorobotics are related to the area

of manufacturing.

How is nanotechnology adopted in m

anufacturing?

It is undeniable that there are

different types of nanomaterials

along with a variety of potential

42

/ JUNE 2022


NANOTECHNOLOGY IS INDEED

CAPABLE OF ESTABLISHING

OR MANUFACTURING

LUBRICANTS, USEFUL TO THE

CREATION OF INDUSTRIAL

APPLICATIONS. IN ADDITION,

NANOTECHNOLOGY

IS ALSO USED IN CAR

MANUFACTURING.

applications used.

Carbon nanotubes are highly

popular and prominent forms of

nanomaterials as they stand out

from the rest in terms of their

unique properties. In addition, they

are already put to use when the

manufacturer is looking for high

wear resistance or break strength in

a lightweight package. For example,

bulletproof vests, bike frames, etc.

The distinctive properties of

nanotubes also make them suitable

for water purification, drug delivery,

etc. The coils of carbon as seen in

the nanotubes are capable enough to

filter out the chemical, physical and

biological pollutants from the water.

Also, their shape can be coated

around the inner items, protecting

them from drug delivery.

Carbon nanofibers can be used

in manufacturing or producing

safety wear like biotextiles, which

offer multiple advantages like

antimicrobial properties, stain

resistance, etc.

Carbon nanoparticles can be

adopted with the concoction of heavy,

non-nano materials just like steel.

Whenever they are dispersed through

steel, nanoparticles come with the

amazing quality of increasing their

strength. With this, it can create

lighter materials as well, without

directly utilising the nanomaterial.

Application of nanotechnology in

manufacturing

Nanotechnology is indeed capable

of establishing or manufacturing

lubricants, useful to the creation

of industrial applications. In

addition, nanotechnology is also

used in car manufacturing, as

tire manufacturers are adopting

polymer nanocomposites in the

tires to increase their durability or

resistance. Also, nanotechnology can

be applied to the production of car

products such as motor oil.

In terms of electronics,

nanotechnology promotes the

manufacturing of electronic devices

like nanoscale transistors born out

of carbon nanotubes. In light of this,

within a small scale, you can print out

flexible items such as plastic solar

panels, flexible glass sensors, etc.

How is nanotechnology going to

change the realms of manufacturing?

It is very much true that

nanotechnology is a new concept,

whereas the high prevalence of

technology promotes its growth

at an exponential rate, making it

possible to see how effective these

technologies can be.

With the introduction of

nanomaterials, it is very much

understood how carbon nanotubes

are applied in the manufacturing

of various goods. However,

nanotechnology in electronics will

surely revolutionise the production

of flexible devices and circuit

boards. Hence, the adoption and

application of nanotechnology

continue to grow.



INTERVIEW

of measuring the impact of every HR intervention

on business outcomes, a certified facilitator and

instructional designer who enjoys delivering training

programs for clients as well as teams across the

region. The Technology Express had a chance to

interview Puneet, at the Digital Talent Ecosystem

Dialogue that took place in Dubai which was held

on 23rd May, the event was organized by Crafting

Dialogue where he shared his futuristic views about

business transformation.

PUNEET SWANI,

SENIOR PARTNER, CAREER

BUSINESS LEADER – MERCER

For over twenty years, Puneet Swani has been advising

organizations in over twenty countries across Asia, the

Middle East, and Africa on people and HR issues. Having

begun his professional journey as a consultant from the very

onset, he has acquired deep expertise in every aspect of

talent management, transformation, and rewards across a

broad spectrum of industries.

Puneet considers himself to be passionate about

helping clients develop a compelling talent strategy

and a sustainable employee value proposition to

enable them to be ready for the Future of Work

ensuring they win the war for talent in emerging or

growth markets. Puneet is a person who loves the challenge

Previously you talked about how digital

transformation is turning technical skills into

personal skills, can you elaborate more on that

idea?

“So as organizations are evolving, a lot of work

is becoming automated, and a lot of work is being

done through AI. I previously gave an example

of a surgeon who would perform the surgery

themselves, back then that was a technical skill, like

heart surgery or any other type of surgery.

Now robots are doing that, you do not need

that expertise or technical skill. you need to either

operate the robot or have the skill to communicate

with the patient’s family. If you look at the oil rigging

industry, many people were rig heads who would be

specialists in drilling. And how do you drill now? all

of the machines use AI, sensing where the oil could

be and how deep to go. So, that specialist skill of

being a driller goes away. But now you would need

to operate, program, or even create the algorithms

that the sensors use to detect it. So that is what

we mean when we say that you are starting to

interact with technology rather than possessing the

technical skills of the technology”.

The pandemic caused a big shift from working in the

office to working from home, what do you think the

future holds?

Organizations are all trying different models. if

you look globally some organizations have decided

not to have offices at all, saying workers can always

work from home, 100 % of the time. Some go on to

say that they will have common networking places.

This is the new definition of an office. We still need

culture to be created, we still need collaboration,

and we still need people to work with each other

and know each other. Hence, we create these

common places that will be called an office but not

to deliver work, but for all these other areas.

And then there are other organizations who say

that we had a disruption, and that disruption is over.

I really want people to come together because it is

important to their mental wellness. It is especially

important to their social wellbeing and their physical

well-being. The issues that arise from working

44

/ JUNE 2022


“SO AS ORGANIZATIONS ARE

EVOLVING, A LOT OF WORK

IS BECOMING AUTOMATED,

AND A LOT OF WORK IS

BEING DONE THROUGH AI.

I PREVIOUSLY GAVE AN

EXAMPLE OF A SURGEON

WHO WOULD PERFORM THE

SURGERY THEMSELVES,

BACK THEN THAT WAS A

TECHNICAL SKILL, LIKE

HEART SURGERY OR ANY

OTHER TYPE OF SURGERY.

from home are surrounding mental

wellness and physical wellness and

no work-life balance. People are

working till midnight. Earlier there

was a 9 to 5 working structure.

And then you have the

organisations in the middle that will

say come back twice a week. So, I

guess there is no right answer for it. I

think organisations will be across the

whole valuation, depending on what

works for them. But I think they need

to be very clear on why they want

employees back in the office. During

the pandemic we said we were more

profitable, we could deliver all the

work from home, so why do they

need people to come back? Every

organization needs to answer that

“why?” for themselves and once they

do that, then that right answer will

come whether it is 2 days, 5 days or

zero days.

What message do you have for

SMEs?

You know from an SME

perspective, the key is going to be

how fast they start using technology

in their organizations, whether it is

to interact with customers, whether

it is to deliver work, whether it is to

produce or automate anything. Now

I know there are cost barriers to

it, and SMEs cannot afford some of

these expensive technologies. The

examples I gave about whole-sharing

costs can connect a network of five

companies in similar industries, in

my case I say we will all co-fund one

technology project and that would

give you 20% of the cost rather than

100%. So, I think they would have to

start doing a lot of crowdsourcing

and partnering, rather than trying to

buy and sell everything on their own.

So that the whole partnership model,

the ecosystem that I was talking

about in the marketplace, is going to

be important.

Do you think talent mobility will

be a major pillar in the future of

businesses?

Mr. Swani: so, if we look 5 or 7

years back the whole discussion on

globalization, that companies would

be moving people around because

different cultures and different

backgrounds bring about new ideas

and innovation. All of that was always

especially important. Even If we

had a break for two years because

of the pandemic with lockdowns

and people not being able to move

around. Absolutely, talent mobility

will play a very critical role in doing

that. however, the definition of talent

mobility is going to change from just

cross-country assignments to within

the country as well. So, if you look at

the high-tech firms in the US, they

are all based in Silicon Valley. They

always want their talent to be there,

but the pandemic has changed that

whole outlook allowing us to say I

can now work from Atlanta, I can

now work from Seattle, for Google

or for Facebook. Which prior wanted

me there. I think that mobility within

the country or within smaller cities is

going to increase, which will also be

good from a profitability perspective.

Because now firms do not need to

pay Silicon Valley salaries, they can

pay local salaries there. From an

individual with a high cost of living in

Silicon Valley, they can stay in their

own home and city with their parents.

It’s going to be a win-win for both.



BIOTECH

PROS AND CONS OF GENETICALLY

MODIFIED ORGANISM (GMO) FOODS

Researchers adopt genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, to create plants that are more

resistant, healthier, or have a superior taste. People, on the other hand, are concerned about their

safety, and there is great disagreement regarding the benefits and drawbacks of using GMOs.

GMOs are produced via

gene modification, which

involves injecting genetic

material, or DNA, from

another organism.

Plants, such as fruits and

vegetables, make up the majority of

commercially accessible GMO foods.

There is some controversy over

the benefits and risks of GMO foods.

In this article, we discuss the pros

and cons of GMO crops, taking into

account their potential effects on

human health and the environment.

The advantages and hazards of

genetically modified foods are hotly

debated. We look at the benefits and

drawbacks of genetically modified

crops, as well as their possible

consequences for human health and

the environment.

PROS

Genetic modification is used to give

foods better qualities. For example,

they have designed two new varieties

of apples that turn less brown when

cut or bruised.

Making crops more resistant to

diseases and infestations which

result in higher yields for farmers

and a more attractive product.

Increasing nutritional value or

improving taste.

All of these factors contribute to

lower costs for the consumer. They

can also ensure that more people

have access to quality food.

CONS

Because genetically engineering

foods is a relatively new practice,

little is known about the long-term

effects and safety.

There are many purported

downsides, but the evidence

varies, and the main health issues

associated with GMO foods are hotly

46

/ JUNE 2022


THERE IS CONCERN THAT GENETIC MODIFICATION,

WHICH CAN BOOST A CROP’S RESISTANCE

TO DISEASE OR MAKE IT MORE TOLERANT TO

HERBICIDES, COULD AFFECT THE ABILITY OF

PEOPLE TO DEFEND AGAINST ILLNESS.

debated while research is ongoing.

This section discusses the evidence

for a range of drawbacks that people

often associate with GMO foods.

Allergic reactions

Some people believe that GMO

foods have more potential to trigger

allergic reactions. This is because

they may contain genes from an

allergen — a food that prompts an

allergic reaction. The World Health

Organization (WHO) discourages

genetic engineers from using DNA

from allergens unless they can prove

that the gene itself does not cause

the problem. It is worth noting that

there have been no reports of allergic

effects of any GMO foods currently on

the market.

Cancer

Some researchers believe that

eating GMO foods can contribute

to the development of cancer. They

argue that because the disease is

caused by mutations in DNA, it is

dangerous to introduce new genes

into the body. The American Cancer

Society (ACS) has said that there is

no evidence for this. However, they

note that no evidence of harm is not

the same as proof of safety and that

reaching a conclusion will require

more research.

Antibacterial resistance

There is concern that genetic

modification, which can boost a

crop’s resistance to disease or

make it more tolerant to herbicides,

could affect the ability of people to

defend against illness. Some GMO

plants contain genes that make

them resistant to certain antibiotics.

This resistance could pass on to

humans. There is a growing concern

globally that people are becoming

increasingly resistant to antibiotics.

There is a chance that GMO foods

could be contributing to this crisis.

The WHO has said that the risk of

gene transfer is low. As a precaution,

however, it has set guidelines for the

manufacturers of GMO foods.

Outcrossing

Outcrossing refers to the risk

of genes from certain GMO plants

mixing with those of conventional

crops. There have been reports of

low levels of GMO crops approved

as animal feed or for industrial use

being found in food meant for human

consumption.



BIOTECH

MUBADALA, G42 TO SET UP BIOPHARMA

MANUFACTURING CAMPUS IN ABU DHABI

Mubadala Investment

Company PJSC

(Mubadala) and G42,

the leading UAEbased

AI and cloud

computing company, signed an

agreement to establish a world-class

biopharmaceutical manufacturing

campus (Biopharma Campus) in

Abu Dhabi that will tap into the

global state-of-the-art vaccine and

therapeutic products to strengthen

regional supply chains, and drive

forward the nation’s diversification

and economic growth agenda.

The Biopharma Campus will

invest in and establish multiple

biopharma initiatives, leveraging the

expertise of Mubadala’s advanced

manufacturing companies as well as

G42’s leading capabilities in artificial

intelligence and cloud computing.

The agreement reflects Mubadala’s

ambition of developing sustainable

and resilient healthcare and life

science ecosystem within Abu Dhabi,

further advancing the UAE’s socioeconomic

growth and diversification

while also improving health

outcomes across the nation and the

wider Middle East region.

Global supply shortages and

the limited amount of advanced

manufacturing activity within

the region has resulted in

biopharmaceuticals becoming a

high growth market (with 10 percent

CAGR over the past five years) and a

priority investment area for Mubadala

within the life sciences sector. The

ability of biopharmaceutical products

to address previously untreatable

conditions has also inspired

confidence in the market’s long-term

and future growth potential.

Commenting on the agreement,

Musabbeh Al Kaabi, Chief Executive

Officer of UAE Investments at

Mubadala, said, “Through the

establishment of this campus

in partnership with G42 and our

group companies, we are investing

in innovation and reinforcing Abu

Dhabi’s rapidly developing life

sciences ecosystem. Bringing

cutting-edge manufacturing

technologies to the UAE will not only

strengthen our nation’s biopharma

supply chain and pandemic response

but provide opportunities for local

talent development and long-term,

sustainable economic growth.”

Peng Xiao, Group CEO, G42,

said, “Over the years, AI and cloud

computing technologies have come

of age. From their humble origins in

the tech sector a decade ago, today

these technologies are leveraged

across a wide array of industries

that value speed, scalability,

innovation, and resilience. There is a

massive opportunity for pharma and

healthcare companies to leverage AI

and cloud technologies to improve

their processes and we at G42 are

very pleased to be partnering with

Mubadala to build on the respective

strengths and further accelerate

the development of the UAE’s life

sciences ecosystem.”

The world-class Biopharma

Campus will focus on end-to-end

manufacturing of state-of-theart

biologics and host anchor

partnerships with Contract

Manufacturing and Development

Organisations (CDMOs).

A CDMO model enables

manufacturers to work with multiple

innovators, reducing product risk and

enabling economies of scale.


48

/ JUNE 2022


NEWS

IN FOCUS

BIOTECH

Rezolute banks $130M to take

treatment for rare disease into

pivotal trial

Rezolute has made its pitch to

challenge Zealand Pharma for

the congenital hyperinsulinism

(CHI) space. The biotech linked its

candidate to a 75% reduction in

severe low blood sugar events in

children, emboldening it to raise

$130 million to support a push

into phase 3.

Bad news from FDA prompts Spero

to lay off 75% of staff, drop UTI drug

A tough call from the FDA has led

Spero Therapeutics to become the

latest in an ever-growing line of

biotechs taking evasive action to

stay afloat. The company will halt the

commercialization of its late-stage

urinary tract infection drug and lay off

three-quarters of its staff.

Gilead follows Big Pharma peers to

Dragonfly’s pond in $300M deal for

natural killer cell engagers

Dragonfly Therapeutics’ TriNKET

platform seems to be turning out

more than simple tchotchkes, if

buy-ins from Merck & Co., AbbVie

and Bristol Myers Squibb are any

indication. Gilead has become the

latest Big Pharma to find a gem

from the small biotech, entering a

$300 million upfront deal to work

together on cancer and inflammatory

diseases.

Seeing green: Breakthrough

Properties raises $3B to build in

biotech

Dollar signs aren’t the only green

thing at Breakthrough Properties. A

joint venture of biotech investment

firm Bellco Capital and real estate

developer and investor Tishman

Speyer, Breakthrough’s $3 billion fund

will go to buying and building biotech

facilities in the U.S. and Europe, with

a focus on sustainability.

Record-breaking 2021 revenue shows

there’s more to Swiss biotech sector

than Roche, Novartis

Swiss biotechs saw record-breaking

revenue and R&D investment in

2021, which the industry hopes

will lead people to look beyond

homegrown giants like Roche and

Novartis.

50

/ JUNE 2022


Orion aims to challenge Vertex with new pain management licensing deal

After announcing staff layoffs and an R&D pivot in March, the first evidence of

Orion’s increased focus on pain management has materialized in the form of a

licensing deal that will put it up against Vertex Pharmaceuticals.

Scientists have stumbled upon a

potential dementia treatment

The scientists—hailing from the U.S.,

U.K. and Portugal—hypothesized

that stress could be a trigger of

poor cellular function and ultimately

hinder the ability of proteins to be

synthesized and correctly “fold.” Over

time, misfolded proteins can build up,

creating “aggregates,” which impact

neuron function.

Moderna co-founder, researchers

near ‘Holy Grail’ for heart

regeneration

Healing a broken heart has taken

on new meaning—researchers led

by Moderna’s co-founder have a

new approach that may repair heart

function after damage, closing in

on the long-awaited “Holy Grail” for

patients awaiting heart transplant.

AstraZeneca bags pan-variant

COVID-19 antibodies from stealthy

biotech in $157M deal

AstraZeneca is keeping its foot on the

gas on COVID-19 R&D, striking a deal

to license RQ Biotechnology’s earlystage

monoclonal antibodies against

SARS-CoV-2 in a deal worth up to

$157 million plus royalties.

Investors take root in Aspen

Neuroscience’s customized cell

therapy as $147.5M round closes

Aspen Neuroscience, a biotech

developing the first autologous

neuron replacement for Parkinson’s

disease, is seeing double, as investors

have flooded the company’s series B

with $147.5 million following an initial

$70 million round two years ago.

Moderna tunes vaccine platform to

next potential viral threat: monkeypox

As cases of monkeypox continue

to creep up worldwide, Moderna is

turning its vaccine platform towards

finding a jab to defend against the

disease.


COVER STORY

52

/ JUNE 2022


ELON MUSK

Who Is Elon Musk?

Admired for his business acumen and thirst for scientific discovery, Elon Musk has cemented himself as one of

the greatest minds of the 21st century. The tech-mogul is uniquely famous in his field, not necessarily for his

accolades, but more so for his multifarious character. Much like a chameleon, Musk represents many things to

different people. To some, he is a pioneer and a hero, to others, a strategic businessman, and to the young, he

is a socialite. In fact, by creating a presence of relatability via his affiliation with pop culture, Musk is not only

prominent for his academic prowess but as a public persona. This is demonstrated by the incident surrounding

Dogecoin, in which a single tweet from him impelled its market value by 1500%. Extrapolating the advantage of

the pervasive culture of proximity, Musk, or shall I say SNL’s newest recruit, has secured his role as a constant

fixture in the media.

The Tesla chairman is no stranger to

controversy. Why?

His financial power and bravado,

to a large extent, shield him from

the consequences of public scrutiny.

At least enough so that he is not

hindered from pursuing his goals.

One such goal is his recent quest for

the acquisition of the social media

app, Twitter. Aside from the platform

being an environment for leisure and

entertainment, Twitter has grown to

become a key breeding ground to

propel and popularise a variety of

agents’ socio-political and economic

positions. A quality that Musk intends

to uphold with his “ownership.” An

avid user of Twitter himself, Musk

has decided to take on the proverbial

mantle of “saving” the app by making

it private. According to Forbes,

Twitter has seen a steady decline

in terms of users, a fact that some

say has encouraged the company to

accept Elon Musk’s proposal.

Elon Musk King Takes Over Twitter

Despite Musk putting in his offer

to buy Twitter on the 14th of April,

his involvement in the app, in terms

of equity, is somewhat of a saga

beginning a few months prior.

On January 31st…

Musk began buying Twitter stock

and by March 14th, he had up to 5%

in shares. He continued to buy stock,

without disclosing his stake to the

SEC. This allowed him to purchase

stock at a much lower price than they

would have been valued for had his

stock been disclosed.

On March 24th…

Musk tweets, “Worried about de

facto bias in the Twitter algorithm

having a major effect on the public;

Twitter algorithm should be open

source,” followed by “Free speech is

essential to a functioning democracy.”

Do you believe Twitter rigorously

adheres to this principle? “ on

the 25th in a poll created for his

followers. His critiques had several

of his followers suggest that he buy

Twitter, unbeknownst to them that

Musk had already acquired shares.

On April 4th…

Musk’s stake in Twitter is revealed

to the public, and he begins tweeting

about ideas to implement on Twitter,

going as far as to create a poll for

his followers to vote. Later that day,

Musk was invited to join the board of

directors and to sign an agreement

that mandated that he would not

be able to own more than 14.9% of

shares.

On April 5th…

Musk refiled his disclosure of


COVER STORY

MUSK TWEETS, “WORRIED

ABOUT DE FACTO BIAS IN THE

TWITTER ALGORITHM HAVING

A MAJOR EFFECT ON THE

PUBLIC; TWITTER ALGORITHM

SHOULD BE OPEN SOURCE,”

FOLLOWED BY “FREE

SPEECH IS ESSENTIAL TO A

FUNCTIONING DEMOCRACY.”

DO YOU BELIEVE TWITTER

RIGOROUSLY ADHERES TO

THIS PRINCIPLE? “ ON THE

25TH IN A POLL CREATED FOR

HIS FOLLOWERS.

stake. In his initial file he was listed

as a passive investor, however with

the invitation to join the board, he

refiled as an active investor. On the

9th of April, he later rescinded his

agreement to join the board, and it

was made public on the 10th. This is

after a tirade of suggestions from

Musk, such as converting Twitter’s

San Francisco headquarters into

a homeless shelter and having a

subscription-based system called

Twitter Blue. By refusing the offer to

join the board, Musk is free to buy as

many shares as he wants.

On April 14th…

Musk offers to buy Twitter at a

valuation of $43 billion. Akin to his

playful nature, the valuation of $54.20

a share is a reference to his bid for a

failed attempt to take Twitter.

On April 15th…

Twitter tries to ward off Musk’s

takeover by enacting a “poison pill”,

which would allow shareholders

to purchase stock at a lower price,

should a shareholder exceed 15% of

ownership.

On April 21st…

Musk has lined up $46.5 billion in

funding, with 21 billion being funded

from his own equity and $25.5 billion

from various financial institutions.

On April 24th…

Twitter’s Board began to take the

offer more seriously after talks with

Musk took place, wherein he showed

them the details of his financing.

On April 25th…

Twitter concedes and agrees

to Musk’s original offer of $54.20 a

share, valuing at around $44 billion.

On April 29th…

Musk sells additional Tesla stock,

bringing the total amount of stocks

sold in the six months to about $25

billion.

On May 4th…

Musk secures an additional

$7.1 billion from various backers,

including

Larry Ellison, founder of Oracle

Corp., Vy Capital, Sequoia Capital,

Binance, and more. Saudi Arabia’s

Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, agreed to

roll over his Twitter shares, worth

about $1.9 Billion at $54.20 per share.

On May 6th…

Musk’s grand plans for Twitter

are revealed. According to The New

York Times, a pitch deck presented to

investors details plans to reduce the

company’s reliance on advertising,

as well as introduce a subscriptionbased

product or system. The

deck also presented Musk’s plans

to increase Twitter’s revenue to

$26.4 billion by 2028. He goes on

to forecast growth in users of $217

million to $931 million. This will be

done by expanding the company’s

negligible payments business.

On May 13th…

Musk tweets,

“Twitter deal temporarily on

hold pending details supporting

calculation that spam/fake accounts

do indeed represent less than 5% of

users,”

This was followed up by a tweet

some hours later in which he said he

was still committed to the acquisition.

54

/ JUNE 2022


MUSK TWEETS,

“TWITTER DEAL TEMPORARILY

ON HOLD PENDING DETAILS

SUPPORTING CALCULATION

THAT SPAM/FAKE ACCOUNTS

DO INDEED REPRESENT LESS

THAN 5% OF USERS,”

In a follow-up tweet, he said that

his team would conduct its own

random sampling test to find out if

fake accounts on the social media

platform indeed contributed less than

5%.

On May 16th…

Musk and Agrawal, The current

CEO of Twitter, come to loggerheads

over the measuring of spam

accounts. Agrawal explains how

measuring spam accounts is tricky

as some of them are actual humans

and bots are allowed on Twitter.

Musk’s, now notorious, response was

a poop emoji.

On May 17th…

Musk threatened that unless

Twitter could prove that spam

accounts made up less than 5% he

would rescind the takeover. However,

after unanimously agreeing to the

takeover, Twitter’s board intends to

execute the agreement. And thanks

to a performance provision in the

merger agreement, Musk might be

forced to complete the deal, even if it

is taken to court.

What now?

As of the time of publishing,

the deal hangs in the balance. If

we infer from his work in his other

companies, the takeover would mean

that Twitter would be in for some big

developments.

SpaceX alone has many projects

underway, such as the Starship,

which is a fully reusable super

heavy-lift rocket that will be used

to send satellites to orbit, resupply

the International Space Station, land

on the Moon, and ferry crews to

Mars, and travel between locations

on Earth. SpaceX made history in

2008 with the Falcon 1 being the first

privately developed liquid-fuel rocket

to reach orbit, and in 2017 by re-flying

both a Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon

spacecraft.

As the product architect at Tesla,

Musk has pioneered the EV industry

with the Model S and X, blazing a trail

for other car brands to follow suit.

The model S is the highest rated car

ever, having got 16,000 reservations

before even reaching the market. The

model X is rated as the safest car

tested by the National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration. The Model X

was rated higher than any vehicle,

electric or otherwise. Keeping

sustainability at the centre of all its

production, Tesla has diversified their

offerings to supply both commercialscale

energy storage products and

solar roofs. While there aren’t any

new car models for 2022, Tesla plans

to get the Cybertruck, Roadster, and

Tesla Semi into production in 2023.

The Boring Company aims to

build what it calls the Hyperloop. The

hyperloop was an idea conceived

by Musk in 2012. It is an ultra-highspeed

transportation system for

both commuters and cargo. The

Tesla and SpaceX CEO envisioned

the Hyperloop to be twice as quick

as a plane. The idea was spurned

by Musk’s frustration about being

stuck in traffic. What started out

as a tweet ended up becoming his

next entrepreneurial venture. The

company began selling merchandise,

including their infamous “not a

flamethrower”, earning them millions

in funding. The Boring Company

has already built an R&D tunnel in

Hawthorne, and is currently working

on the Vegas Loop. Additionally,

Neuralink is drawing closer to

bringing its ultra-high bandwidth

brain-machine interface chips to the

human trial stage.

This leaves spectators wondering

how Musk will manage to balance

and keep up with his roles in all

his companies. It is evident that

Musk has his hands full and with

this purchase, it is expected that

he would have an active role in the

running of Twitter, much like his

other companies. Although Musk has

a knack for turning his fanciful ideas

into reality, this feat might be one that

is highly ambitious for just one man.

He is no stranger to working long

hours or sleeping on the factory floor,

and with another company added to

his portfolio, there are more days like

that to come.

Needless to say, there will come

a time when we reach a bypass.

To what degree are we willing to

withstand Musk’s ambitions through

the exertion of his economic power to

capture what he wants, whenever he

wants, and however he wants it?



EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

AR VS. VR IN EDUCATION

A

fter COVID-19, the

education system shifted

from physical mode to

online mode. As our

world is becoming digital,

the education system is also getting

developed digitally. Now, classes are

going on through Zoom and Google

Meet, and slowly it will get shifted to

AR and VR technology. The education

through AR and VR technology will

be more effective. Students will learn

practically. Everything is not possible

to be shown and experimented

theoretically only. But, through AR

and VR technology it is possible. They

help to bring the computer-generated

image into real life. Through AR and

VR technology, students will learn

things with more concentration and

fun. Now, let us understand what AR

and VR are and which one is good for

education.

AR Vs VR: The Missing Reality in

Education

Augmented Reality (AR) is

the technology that brings a

computer-generated image to live

view, by using the camera of your

smartphone. Examples on which

you can experience AR are Snapchat

lenses and Pokémon Go.

Virtual Reality (VR) is the use of

technology that creates stimulation of

a 3D image or environment that can

be interacted with in a physical way

by a person using special equipment

like a helmet with a screen inside,

glasses, or gloves with sensors.

VR technology requires ownership

of the hardware. These devices

are very costly, especially for the

parents who would need to invest

in the devices for their 12-year-old.

These devices can be used in higher

education. For example, in medical

fields, VR technologies can be used

to practice surgical procedures

or to get any other knowledge. VR

technologies are great tools for

educational purposes, but it needs

huge investments.

AR technology only requires a

smartphone or a tablet. Through AR

technology, it is easy for the teachers

to make students understand

the concept by visualizing and

understanding the challenging

subjects. In higher education, AR

technology can help in science,

engineering, and maths. Students can

learn to operate a chemical plant and

can have experiments with different

chemical reactions through AR

technology.

AR Vs VR: Conclusion

AR cannot provide the same

level of concentration as VR does,

but for certain subjects it is good.

It can increase engagement and

concentration levels.

Both technologies are superb

and are great tools for educational

purposes. Since we are now

living in a digital world, everything

is becoming digital, AR and VR

technologies are becoming more

accessible and widely understood.


56

/ JUNE 2022


CLOUD COMPUTING

THE RISE OF SERVERLESS

COMPUTING

Serverless figuring has been acquiring consideration nowadays. Its improvement began in 2014 when AWS sent off. AWS

Lambda, one of the primary serverless figuring administrations to arrive at the market. With its prevalence demonstrated,

AWS Lambda was then trailed by Azure Functions by Microsoft and Cloud Functions by Google. Be that as it may, what is

serverless registering? Why is it so notable?

What is serverless

processing?

It’s actually the

thing the name

proposes, without

servers, your designers or heads are

not generally expected to oversee

foundation assets presented by cloud

suppliers - permitting you to develop

and answer change at a lot quicker

pace.

Suppliers offer their own

administrations that will robotize

limit provisioning and fixing, so you

can zero in on composing code. AWS

offers this through their Lambda

administration, and Azure offers it

through Functions - the two of which

dispose of foundation the board and

are accordingly simpler to scale.

What’s next for serverless figuring?

Persuaded by the presentation

and cost decrease benefits, a

developing number of endeavors are

changing their way of life to oblige

serverless. 56% of organizations have

proactively wandered into serverless

registering, or are hoping to do as

such throughout 2022. Reception is

supposed to increment by 311%.

What are the upsides of serverless

registering?

Serverless offers engineers/

developers, three principle benefits.

1. Better time

As referenced, serverless

liberates engineers from the issue

of overseeing foundation. It gives

them significantly more chance to

zero in on things like undertaking

enhancement, development, abilities

improvement, and the business side

of their work.

2. Diminished costs

Customary backend

administrations presented by cloud

suppliers frequently bring about the

client paying for unused space or

inactive CPU time. With serverless

figuring, designers just pay for what

they use, permitting them to set aside

the additional cash.

3. Worked on liabilities

Serverless design works on

engineers’ positions in different

ways. For instance, with serverless,

engineers/developers don’t need

to stress over their arrangements

to increase their code. The cloud

supplier handles all of the scaling

on request. Serverless additionally

improves backend code. With FaaS,

Engineers can make straight forward

capacities that freely play out a

solitary reason, for example, settling

on an API decision.



NEWS

IN FOCUS

CLOUD

AI COMPUTING & ML

Saudi SCCC launches new services in

the region

Saudi Cloud Computing Company

(“SCCC”), a new joint venture formed

by Alibaba Cloud, Saudi Telecom

Company (stc) Group, eWTP Arabia

Capital, the Saudi Company for

Artificial Intelligence (SCAI), and

the Saudi Information Technology

Company (SITE), has announced the

launch of its services in Saudi Arabia.

Cloudflare is the latest high-tech firm

to make DIC its home

More than 20 years since its

establishment in 2000, Dubai Internet

City (DIC) continues to be among

the world’s preferred hubs for new

economy companies, with several

high-growth, high value-added,

technology-enabled global firms

recently choosing DIC to establish

their regional operations.

Abu Dhabi-based G42 Cloud teams

up with Kyndryl

G42 Cloud, a leading UAE-based

cloud computing company, has

established a strategic partnership

with Kyndryl, one of the world’s

major IT infrastructure services

suppliers, focused at speeding up

cloud adoption in the UAE and the

Middle East.

Tech companies and banks losing

skilled staff to FinTech start-ups

According to new research,

employees at major banks and some

of the world’s largest technology

businesses are progressively

departing for FinTech start-ups.

Bankers, engineers, data scientists

and sales staff from Wall Street, the

City of London and Silicon Valley

are among those joining a mass

departure that picked up speed

during the Covid-19 pandemic,

according to data compiled by Revelio

Labs, a workplace intelligence

company.

Aldar awards pilot projects to five

technology start-ups through its

accelerator programme

Aldar Properties, Abu Dhabi’s biggest

listed developer, has awarded pilot

projects to five technology start-ups

as part of the second cycle of its

ScaleUp accelerator programme that

was unveiled last year in partnership

with Majid Al Futtaim Communities.

58

/ JUNE 2022


Instabug platform raises $46m in Series B funding round

Instabug, a software start-up founded in Egypt and based in the US that provides bug and crash reporting for mobile

applications, has raised $46 million to further develop its platform and expand its customer base.

UAE’s NorthLadder raises $10m in

funding to support growth

NorthLadder, a UAE-based digital

trading platform for pre-owned

electronics, raised $10 million through

a convertible note and supporting

venture capital funding to boost

growth.

UAE startup Ogram raises $3m in

Series A funding

Ogram, a UAE-based digital staffing

platform, has raised Dh11 million

($3m) in a Series A funding round

as economies in the region continue

to recover from the coronavirus

pandemic and investors allocate

more cash to promising start-ups.

EdTech start-up Manara raises $3

million in new funding round

The US-based educational

technology start-up Manara, which

helps engineers from the Middle

East and North Africa region get

jobs at top tech companies such as

Google, Meta and Amazon, raised $3

million in a pre-seed funding round.


DATA & DATA INTELLIGENCE

CONSUMER PREFERENCES:

TOP TRENDS IN 2022

Market research has never been more important than it is right now because consumer tastes are

continuously changing, companies want a reliable method of determining what their customers want

and why. This may appear to be a monumental effort, but there is a method for marketers to gain a

better understanding of their customers’ preferences using real-world data.

Marketers may gain a

holistic understanding

of their customers

by leveraging data

intelligence rather

than relying just on survey data.

This solution eliminates the need

for a “short survey” pop-up at the

conclusion of the checkout process,

and it doesn’t interfere with the

customer’s shopping experience

in any way. Marketers may have

a better knowledge of what their

consumers will respond to with a

data intelligence product.

Top 5 Consumer Trends in 2022:

Finding Alternatives

When faced with difficulties

obtaining their preferred or typical

products and services, people search

for ways to get the same items or

come up with new ways to obtain

alternatives. Businesses are being

forced to pivot and create new ways

for customers to obtain products

and services as a result of supply

chain limitations. Data should be

used by companies and distributors

to increase supply chain visibility,

fine-tune processes, and reconsider

expenditures.

Climate Change

Sustainable movements and ecofriendly

lifestyles aren’t going away

anytime soon. As worries about the

climate change grow, consumers

want companies to stand up and

are taking action through the items

they buy. To stay up with the rising

conversion, businesses must commit

to decreasing their carbon impact

and connect their offers with these

expectations.

Using bots

Customers want a unique

experience, but they also want

it to happen quickly. Chatbots

are increasingly being used by

businesses to answer quickly,

whether through an app, website,

social media, or text messaging.

It would be fantastic if your

company could have a real person

react to each question right away.

However, for the vast majority of

sectors, this is just not practical.

Chatbots are capable of handling

simple and commonly asked

inquiries and providing personalized

responses.

More personalization

Personalization is becoming

increasingly important to consumers.

Customers are seeking for

businesses that understand their

specific requirements.

One of the most significant

benefits of salesforce customer

relationship management is the

ability to treat each client as an

individual. The automation is

added to improve, not diminish

personalization.

Brand transparency and purpose

Customers want to support

companies that not just look

after their own employees and

contractors, but also contribute to

a better world. Consumers are up

to six times more inclined to buy

from organizations with a strong

purpose, according to a survey by

Zeno Group. By building a transparent

supply chain and highlighting how

they strive to help people and the

environment, businesses may attract

new consumers and increase loyalty

among existing ones.


60

/ JUNE 2022


DATA AND DATA INTELLIGENCE

ASPENTECH

AND EMERSON

ESTABLISH

PARTNERSHIP

Emerson and AspenTech have

entered into an enhanced

commercial partnership that

will enable AspenTech to

penetrate new and existing

markets. The Company now employs

more than 3,700 people located in 62

offices across 41 countries.

Aspen Technology, a global leader

in industrial software, has completed

its transaction with Emerson Electric,

including the addition of Emerson’s

OSI and Geological Simulation

Software (GSS) businesses to

AspenTech.

As part of the close of the

transaction, Emerson has contributed

$6 billion in cash to AspenTech,

which will be received by AspenTech

shareholders, in exchange for a 55%

stake in AspenTech.

In addition, Emerson and

AspenTech have entered into an

enhanced commercial partnership

that will enable AspenTech to

penetrate new and existing markets.

The Company now employs more

than 3,700 people located in 62

offices across 41 countries.

Industrial software portfolio

AspenTech offers customers

a highly differentiated industrial

software portfolio with the

capabilities to optimise the entire

asset lifecycle across a wide range of

industry verticals.

With this new set of solutions,

AspenTech is now increasingly

well positioned to help customers

solve for the complexity of the dual

challenge: meeting the increasing

demand for resources from a rapidly

growing population in a profitable and

sustainable manner.

“Industrial leaders are at the

forefront of addressing the dual

challenge, and we are excited to

apply our newly combined expertise

and innovation to help them achieve

their sustainability and profitability

objectives,” said Antonio Pietri,

President and CEO of AspenTech.

“Today, we are the ‘new’

AspenTech, offering our customers

even greater scale, capabilities and

innovation, across a diverse range

of industries with the addition of OSI

and GSS.”

Combined company

Since its founding in the early

1990s, OSI has been focused on

optimising transmission and

distribution systems for utility

companies in the power industry,

which places the company in the

middle of the global electrification

imperative, including managing the

complexity created from a broader

set of renewables and other power

sources.

The utilities and power market

represents a new opportunity for

AspenTech to cross-sell our existing

solutions into our industrial customer

base.

The GSS business, which will now

be known as Subsurface Science and

Engineering (SSE), allows AspenTech

to provide an end-to-end solution for

the oil and gas supply chain with an

extension to the chemicals supply

chain, ensuring a complete interlock

from reservoir to the gas station and

into chemicals production.

There is also a long-term

sustainability growth opportunity

as companies continue to leverage

subsurface technologies for carbon

sequestration, geothermal and hydro

energy, and mining of rare earth

metals for applications such as

electric vehicle batteries.

“We have received

overwhelmingly supportive feedback

from customers who are excited

about our new innovations and

the addition of leading technology

unlocked through this transaction,”

added Pietri.

“They already understand the

benefits that this combination will

bring in helping them achieve higher

levels of efficiency and innovation to

enhance business performance and

meet sustainability goals.

Significant value

“We believe OSI and GSS

customers will realise significant

value in partnering with AspenTech

and benefit from our 40-year history

of innovation and software leadership

in capital-intensive industries.

Particularly for those companies in

the early phases of digitalisation,

AspenTech can guide them through

their journey, leveraging our

expertise from helping revolutionise

the oil and gas and chemical

industries.”



NEWS

IN FOCUS

DATA & DATA

INTELLIGENCE

Researchers set a new world record

for petabit data transmission per

second in Japan

Researchers at the National Institute

of Information and Communications

Technology (NICT) in Japan have

demonstrated data transmission

of more than one petabit per

second using a standard 0.125

mm diameter multi-core fiber

(MCF), TechXplore reported.

Internet users’ data

shared at a very high

volume; study suggests

Data about every

internet user is shared

hundreds of times each

day as companies bid

for online advertising

slots, a report

suggests.

SAFE and Obvious

Technologies sign strategic

partnership agreement

SAFE will now be able to

utilize cutting edge 3D Data

Visualization and Big Data

technologies enhancing

their unique one-stopshop

managed security

services portfolio, to be

offered to strategic and

critical facilities, venues,

assets and infrastructure

in the MENA region.

Match Group files lawsuit against

Google over in-app payment dispute

Match Group, the company behind

popular dating apps such as Tinder,

Match, and OkCupid, is suing Google

over its restrictive billing policies

on the Play Store. In its complaint,

Match Group claims Google

“illegally monopolized the market

for distributing apps” on Android by

forcing apps to use Google’s own

billing system and then taking a cut

of the payments.

Data security and privacy laws

develop across Africa

Reportedly, numerous countries

in Africa have developed or

implemented data privacy and

security laws in their countries in the

last few years.

62

/ JUNE 2022


AVIATION

THE USE OF IOT IN-FLIGHT

IoT or Internet of Things is a system of web-enabled smart devices that use input devices and processors to collect, send

and act on data recorded from their environment. As our devices become smarter, the applications of IoT expand. This helps

to improve the efficiency and performance of technology, internal business operations, and by extension our quality of life.

IoT has numerous real-world

applications, as seen in home

appliances and wearable

technology. The use of IoT finds

its way into aviation in two main

areas: customer experience and

flight performance.

IoT could also work to improve

flight operations as well as aircraft

performance. IoT is able to record

and collect vast amounts of data

on all the parts of a plane during

flight, allowing for more effective

maintenance and engineering of

the aircraft. Using IoT systems will

enable engineers to pinpoint areas

that need maintenance, as well as

extrapolate data to predict future

occurrences or problems, thus

improving flight performance.

The use of IoT in-flight has the

potential to elevate the passenger

experience by either detecting

and maintaining optimal in-flight

conditions or collecting and recording

data on passengers in order to

keep track of all their preferences.

One such application is cabin

climate control. The use of smart

sensors could be used to record

and regulate the cabin climate to

improve passenger comfortability.

Temperature-detecting sensors

can record and, if outfitted to

do so, automatically regulate

the aircraft temperature to stay

within the stipulated level. In-flight

entertainment is another avenue

that IoT could find its place in, as

seen with the Qantas and Samsung

collaboration that brought about VR

and AR in-flight entertainment gear.

While passengers use the devices,

data is collected and recorded for

future use, allowing airlines to

better tailor their services to their

customers.

Wearables are some of the

earliest applications of IoT in-flight.

This is seen with EasyJet, which, as

early as 2015, started developing

uniforms with IoT wearables fitted

with LED lights and mics. The LEDs

work to display flight information to

passengers, and the mics streamline

communication, allowing cabin crew

to communicate directly with pilots,

passengers and other cabin crew

members. Another wearable in use

is the Air New Zealand Airband worn

by unaccompanied minors. The bands

allow guardians to keep track of the

minors throughout their journey,

providing them with comfort and

peace of mind.

IoT in aviation is a highly valuable

investment due to its potential to

improve customer retention and

long-term profitability for airlines.



ENTERPRISE IT

OPTIMIZING CASH WITH A

TREASURY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

A treasury management system refers to enterprise software that is responsible for

overseeing or automating the repetitive or manual treasury processes. In light of this,

treasures or chief financial officers (CFOs) are exposed to the catapulting greater

visibility in terms of liquidity or cash, while keeping an eye on the bank accounts,

supervising important tasks like; keeping a check on financial transactions, managing

in-house banking, etc.

The Art of Optimizing Cash with a Treasury Management System

In this regard, several healthcare

firms and organisations are

prone to retaining short-term

liquidity balances for innumerable

purposes. For instance, the

basis includes factors like capital

expenditures, interest payments,

working capital needs, and principal.

Therefore, it seems viable for

the finance teams to optimize

the targeted balance in terms of

working capital in a broader way.

Nonetheless, as per Kaufman

Hall’s experience, teams frequently

“overshoot” the optimal amount

of cash and short-term securities

held on their organization’s balance

sheets, often without the benefits of

quantitative determination and for the

sake of conservatism.

Thus, it remains highly advisable

to operate these cash balances

through a series of measures

like;- forecasting, and daily cash

management with a risk framework,

which will help them access the

cash whenever needed or required.

Hence, such a strategy pushes the

finance teams one step ahead in

generating funds for the operations

or investment portfolios where the

capital is likely to generate great

returns.

Forecast liquidity needs

Forecast liquidity incorporates the

key factors that are: current levels of

liquidity, cash flow from operations,

payrolls, and receivables along with

other factors requiring liquidity.

The metrics which are adopted

in the forecast should address the

levels of liquidity based on the three

main financial statements along with

the working capital.

Now, once the analysis is fully

conducted, an extra liquidity buffer

can be added. And yet, such a

strategy might help the treasurers

and CFOs with one of the quantitative

methods, where one can readjust

the levels of liquidity up to tens of

millions of dollars.

Boosting Treasury Data

Infrastructure

Indeed, it is true that the

optimization of cash management

demands elaborated data from

various systems, which incorporate

plenty of formats. Examples

like bank credit capacity, debt

activity, accounting systems

with electronic medical records,

capital budgeting, etc. Yet, some

organisations use other software

or treasury workstations to look at

the positioning of cash as well as

forecasting.

The influence of bank assistance

Within this, some respective

inputs in liquidity do not have an

overpowering effect on over timing.

However, with the inclusion of the

treasury team, one can control

the supervision in areas such

as disbursements. In addition,

the factors that can help you

in controlling the visibility and

liquidity timing are; bank services

like controlled disbursements,

commercial card products etc.

Furthermore, many leading

commercial banks have been offering

a range of services that can oversee

the task of targeting or managing the

liquidity levels.

Also, a culmination of banking

services along with the technology

is better at ensuring how the

treasurer is capable of confirming

the monitoring of liquidity inflows or

outflows, which in turn can surely

automate various aspects of the

management process.

Integrated Projected liquidity

needs with financial and capital plans

Such a thing should ensure

strategic planning, involving

favourable communication between

the treasury and financial planning

staff such that the latter can plan

out budget-based projects and the

former is not viewed as jumping

over for a large sum of money. It is

also undeniable how financial needs

evolve within planning, while the

treasury has to look at ways to resize

its liquidity needs.


64

/ JUNE 2022


ENTERPRISE IT

SHEIKH HAMDAN ISSUES EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

RESOLUTION TO ENHANCE DUBAI’S DIGITAL

TRANSFORMATION

The Crown Prince of Dubai

and Chairman of the

Executive Council of Dubai,

Sheikh Hamdan, has issued

the Executive Council

Resolution No. 15 of 2022 in regards

to information and communication

technology (ICT) policies of the

emirate’s government entities.

The move seeks to align the ICT

strategies of government entities

with the emirate’s strategic objectives

towards digital transformation, as

well as mitigate the risks associated

with digitalisation initiatives launched

by the government.

The Resolution also seeks to

ensure the optimal use of existing

infrastructure, data and services.

It also aims to develop procedures

that will ensure ICT compatibility and

integration at the government level.

According to the Resolution,

Digital Dubai Authority (DDA)

in collaboration with relevant

government entities, will develop

policies across all areas concerned

with achieving the government’s

plans for digital transformation,

including the ICT annual budget of

government entities; shared digital

services of government entities;

data centres and the Government of

Dubai’s cloud services, among other

areas.

The Director-General of DDA is

authorised to approve the policies

introduced pursuant to the Resolution

and their amendments.

Policies that have been approved

must be published on the Authority’s

website.

According to the Resolution,

DDA is tasked with overseeing the

implementation of the policies across

various stages. The Authority is

also tasked with preparing regular

reports to be shared with The

Executive Council on the adherence

of government entities to these

policies.

The Director-General of Digital

Dubai Authority will issue a

decision specifying the timeframe

for implementing the policies for

government entities.

Government entities are required

to implement the policies as per the

timeline set by the Director-General

of DDA and fully adhere to them. They

must also provide the Authority with

specific data and reports on a regular

basis, among other requirements.

Furthermore, the Resolution

annuls any other legislation that may

contradict it. Also, the resolution is

effective from its date of issuance

that will be published in the Official

Gazette.


ENTERPRISE IT

UAE CONTINUES TO LEAD THE WAY

IN FTTH GLOBALLY

UAE is ranked number one

for the highest Fiber to the

Home (FTTH) penetration

among all its counterparts,

maintaining consistent

leadership since 2016, according

to the leading industry body FTTH

Council.

The council published its annual

report that showcases the countries

with the highest fibre optic network

penetration globally. The report

highlighted UAE as the number

one country with its fibre network

coverage surpassing Singapore,

China, South Korea and Hongkong.

The data from the report

showcases 20 countries that have

achieved penetration rates higher

than 50 percent. The global top 5

ranking is led by UAE with 97 percent,

followed by Singapore (95.8%), China

(94.9%), South Korea (91.1%) and Hong

Kong(86.2%).

Etisalat UAE, the telecoms

pillar of e&, has always led with

its network as a backbone to its

long-term strategy to enable and

drive digital transformation. Today’s

announcement is a testament

to the fact that it has maintained

consistent leadership in FTTH

penetration setting a benchmark

in the global telecom industry. This

achievement was only possible

due to the continuous support and

vision of the UAE leadership in the

development and modernisation of

the infrastructure.

Etisalat UAE has continuously

invested in digital transformation,

the mobile and fibre network. This

has led to the launch of innovative

services meeting the growing

demand and changing requirements

of Etisalat UAE’s customers.

Masood M. Sharif Mahmood, CEO,

Etisalat UAE, said, “Our commitment

to staying aligned with the UAE

leadership’s digitalisation ambitions

has empowered us to provide

best-in-class innovative solutions,

harness advanced technologies such

as 5G, and maintain our cutting-edge

66

/ JUNE 2022


ETISALAT GROUP HAS CHANGED ITS

BRAND IDENTITY TO E&, EFFECTIVE

FROM 23 FEBRUARY 2022. ITS

STRATEGY AIMS TO ACCELERATE

GROWTH THROUGH THE CREATION

OF A RESILIENT BUSINESS MODEL

REPRESENTING THE GROUP’S MAIN

BUSINESS PILLARS.

telecom infrastructure offerings.

“We are in the era of the

‘connectivity renaissance’ – the

prime time to take advantage of the

limitless possibilities ahead of us

so that we can imagine, innovate

and implement ideas that will drive

smart connectivity and maximise

value creation for our customers in

all segments. The network forms a

significant component of this digital

transformation journey. Etisalat UAE

has also continuously focused on

investing in innovation and nextgeneration

technologies and services

to expand its infrastructure.”

In today’s connected world, with

the greater need for computing and

connectivity capabilities, such an

advanced network is required as

it also enables the implementation

of futuristic technologies like

augmented reality, robotics and

artificial intelligence. Consumers are

able to experience high performance

and capabilities required in advanced

gaming, streaming, applications and

entertainment with a high-speed

network.

For enterprises, digital

transformation will play a pivotal

role in enabling the support of

advanced use cases, applications

and technologies. This will be key

to bring success and next level of

development leading Etisalat UAE

to play a greater role in digital lives

of consumers and enterprises. This

forms the backbone of a robust and

one of the most advanced networks

in the region and the world.

Etisalat Group has changed its

brand identity to e&, effective from

23 February 2022. Its strategy aims

to accelerate growth through the

creation of a resilient business

model representing the Group’s main

business pillars.

The Telecoms business currently

continues to operate led by Etisalat

UAE in e&’s home market and by

existing subsidiaries for international

operations, upholding the Group’s

rich telecoms heritage, bolstering

the strong telecoms network and

maximising value for the Group’s

various customer segments.

Ramping up the digital services

for individual customers to elevate

their digital-first lifestyle, e& life

brings next-generation technologies

through smart connectivity platforms

in entertainment, retail and financial

technology. To enable the digital

transformation of governments,

large-scale enterprises and

corporates, e& enterprise focuses on

maximising value through its end-toend

solutions in cybersecurity, cloud,

Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial

Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying

mega projects. e& capital allows the

Group to focus its efforts on driving

new mergers and acquisitions while

maximising shareholder value and

strengthening global presence.



HEALTHCARE

HOW AI IS MAKING

A BIG IMPACT ON

HEALTHCARE

AI is revolutionizing the healthcare industry, performing tasks faster,

efficiently, and at a lower cost. AI is continuously being developed and used

in the healthcare industry from early cancer prediction to virtual nurses,

where there is human participation there is a potential for AI application.

Most AI applications within

the healthcare industry

fall under the category

of “artificial narrow

intelligence”, which

refers to a computer performing a

single task really well, whether that

pertains to large-scale or smallscale

operations.

Here are some examples

highlighting the areas in which AI is

impacting the healthcare industry.

Diagnostics

If you are familiar with the

old 2000s show House, you will

know that the role of a diagnostic

management team in a hospital

is no joke. It requires a group of

experts with the ability, to not only

recall a vast amount of knowledge

but to apply and adapt that same

knowledge to the current symptoms

the patient is presenting and their

medical history. AI, such as IBM’s

Watson: a question-answering

computer system, has the ability to

store and review much more data

than a human could. Coupled with

machine-learning algorithms, AI can

analyze patterns and help to identify

and predict ailments. Using AI is also

comparatively less expensive than

having a large diagnostics team, thus

it is more accessible to smaller-scale

hospitals.

Patient Records Databases

One of the simpler ways AI has

impacted the healthcare industry is

its robust ability to store, retrieve,

and reformat medical records. With

wearable tracking technology such

as Fitbit and Apple watch, patient

data can easily be collected and sent

to doctors and medical facilities,

allowing for more detailed patient

record databases.

Biopharmaceutical Research &

Development

According to PhRMA, the

Pharmaceutical Research and

Manufacturers of America, the

development and introduction of a

new drug to the market takes around

10 years on average, with less than

12% reaching clinical success. The

use and advancement of AI can only

help to increase these odds and

reduce the time it takes for a new

drug to reach the market, especially

in the initial R&D stages that involve

screening thousands or sometimes

millions of compounds.

Consultation

Telemedicine Apps like Babylon

health allows patients to enter their

medical history as well as current

symptoms to be crosschecked on

the database of the app. This allows

the user to be presented with a

recommended actionable plan. This

enables patients to access expert

advice without being misled through

self-diagnosis or having to go to a

medical facility. It also aids in fielding

work for medical practitioners

when it comes to minor ailments,

allowing them to focus on more

critical patients. AI is taking the

healthcare industry to new heights,

setting practitioners further ahead

than they would have been, had

they been simply relying on their

own capabilities. With hospitals and

pharmaceutical companies investing

millions in AI integrations annually,

the application opportunities are

infinite.


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/ JUNE 2022


DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

ZERO-TRUST

SECURITY

On January 20th, Crypto.com released a security

report detailing the cyberattack they experienced

on the 17th of the same month. According to Forbes,

the hack led to a heist worth $35 million in unlawful

Bitcoin and Ether withdrawals.

Although they managed

to reimburse customers

and prevent some

unauthorized withdrawals

on other customers’

accounts, it highlights the need for

more robust security frameworks

within an organization. The Zero-

Trust Security framework has

been around for years, but has

recently become more relevant. The

system takes a turn from the “trust,

but verify” methodology used in

cybersecurity frameworks.

As the name suggests, “Zero-

Trust Security” is a framework in

which all users and tools, outside

or within an organization’s network,

need to be authenticated, authorized

and validated before they can access

applications and data. A key measure

used in Zero-Trust frameworks that

you are most likely to be familiar

with is multifactor authentication.

Zero-Trust security systems require

the continuous verification and

monitoring of users, applications and

endpoints within an organisation’s

network. By tracking the behaviours

of all users and service accounts,

organisations are able to detect

unusual movements within the

network and adjust user permissions

and access as a way to mitigate

potential breaches. One of the most

important steps to achieving a

sound zero-trust system is to have

a thorough understanding of all the

resources and endpoints on the

network. This allows for visualisation

and preparation for potential weak

points and attacks.

This is especially pertinent as IoT

ecosystems become commonplace

in private and public establishments.

Zero-Trust architectures are

being propelled towards becoming

standard security frameworks. This

is seen with the Biden administration

releasing a new cyber-security

order that federal agencies have to

implement by 2024.

This comes in response to

the SolarWinds scandal, in which

Russian hackers infiltrated multiple

government systems. While

government bodies are able to create

their own Zero-Trust architectures,

there are numerous providers that

offer Zero-Trust solutions to private

enterprises and bodies.

Noteworthy vendors include:

Twingate

Twingate’s Zero-Trust approach

highlights its use of authorisation

from second and third party

components before a single

component can make a decision,

whether this is user access or

data flow.

Okta

Okta’s ZNTA emphasises the

protection and management of

identities and access on a network.

CrowdStrike Falcon

Manages endpoints in any

location, network or user, by

providing continuous security posture

checks.

Netskope

Using their SSE platform,

Netskope’s zero trust engine

analyses transactions and applies

adaptive-access permissions based

on factors such as but not limited to

user trust and identity.

The application of Zero-Trust

Security systems is being more

widely considered with the rise of

cyberthreats, cloud and remote

working in the wake of the pandemic.

With more sensitive information

being uploaded and held by

organisations on digital or cloud

networks, maintaining a healthy

security framework is obligatory.

Zero-Trust Security Architectures

seem to be the way forward to

limiting and mitigating

cyberattacks.



APP EXPRESS

CALM

Whether you are trying to

take priority of your mental

health, go on a spiritual

journey or simply fall asleep,

Calm is the app for you. The app has a

lot to offer, including masterclasses for

self-improvement, more than a hundred

guided meditations, ambient sounds,

music, yoga flows and sleep stories, some

of which are narrated by Celebrities. The

app comes with many subscription plans

for individual or group use. The app can

also be used on your desktop browser,

where there are many nature-themed idle

screens to choose from. The interface is

easy to use for both adults and children,

with content for all ages. Calm is your

one-stop app for all things mental

wellness.

YOUPER

Keeping in the vein

of mental health,

Youper is an online

platform that aims to

make therapy accessible to

everyone. At present, Youper

is only available in the US, in

California and Texas. Users are

connected to therapists and

mental health professionals,

allowing them access to digital

therapeutics, therapy sessions

and medicine delivery. Youper

makes use of AI for different

activities such as journaling

and meditations. Youper has

affordable monthly plans that

can be covered by selected

insurance providers.

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/ JUNE 2022


WHAT THEY SAID?

ON TECHNOLOGY

At Facebook, we’re inspired by

technologies that have revolutionized

how people spread and consume

information. We often talk about

inventions like the printing press and

the television - by simply making

communication more efficient, they

led to a complete transformation

of many important parts of society.

They gave more people a voice. They

encouraged progress. They changed

the way society was organized. They

brought us closer together.

There is a huge need and a huge

opportunity to get everyone in the

world connected, to give everyone a

voice, and to help transform society

for the future. The scale of the

technology and infrastructure that

must be built is unprecedented, and

MARK ZUCKERBERG

we believe this is the most important

problem we can focus on.

“I literally coded Facebook in my

dorm room and launched it from my

dorm room. I rented a server for $85

a month, and I funded it by putting

ON VIRTUAL REALITY

Virtual Reality is going to be an

important technology. I am pretty

confident about this.

“In the coming years, I expect

people will transition from seeing

us primarily as a social media

company to seeing us as a metaverse

company,” the Facebook CEO said.

“In many ways the metaverse is

the ultimate expression of social

technology.”

Think of the metaverse as an

immersive virtual world where

people can spend time together and

hang out, much like you can do today

with virtual reality, dialed up to 11.

You’ll be able to “teleport” between

different experiences, Zuckerberg

explained.

We believe that the future can be

a lot better. Optimism is good. It’s true

that nothing is ever going to replace

being with someone in person or

doing something physical but when

we can’t experience those things,

when we run up against the limits

of reality, VR is going to make our

reality that much better.”

ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

During an interview at the 2018

Viva Technology conference in Paris,

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg talked

about his company’s practices and his

personal take on the future of AI.

“I think that AI is going to unlock

a huge amount of positive things,

whether that’s helping to identify and

cure diseases, to help cars drive more

safely, to help keep our communities

safe,” he said.

“I do think that if you want to be

out there, saying that we need to slow

down progress on this, then... you

need to own some of the responsibility

[for] every day that goes by that we

don’t have a cure for those diseases

or safer self-driving cars. I don’t know

that that’s necessarily doing the world

a service.”

ON META

The kinds of experiences you’ll have

in the metaverse are beyond what’s

possible today,” said Zuckerberg.

“That’s going to require advances

across a whole range of areas, from

new hardware devices to software

for building and exploring worlds.

And the key to unlocking a lot of

these advances is AI.”

“When we have glasses on our

faces, that will be the first time an AI

system will be able to really see the

world from our perspective — see

what we see, hear what we hear,

and more,” said Zuckerberg. “So the

ability and expectations we have for

AI systems will be much higher.”

“We believe the metaverse will be

the successor to the mobile internet.

We’ll be able to feel present – like

we’re right there with people no

matter how far apart we actually are,”


WHAT THEY SAID?

BILL GATES

ON TECHNOLOGY

“These days I spend a lot of my time

thinking about how technology can

help the poorest people in the world

improve their lives. It’s been a big

focus for me since before Melinda and

I launched our foundation,” Gates said

in a Gates Notes blog post Tuesday.

“But looking back, I think I could have

started down this path even sooner

than I did.”

“I want to encourage software

developers, inventors, and scientists to consider how they can use their skills

to fight inequity,” Gates says. “It’s deeply rewarding. You get the chance to learn

from super-capable people — health care workers, farmers, political leaders

— and work with them on tools that will empower them.”

ON TESLA

ELON MUSK

“I would be shocked if we do not

achieve full self-driving safer than

human this year. I would be shocked,”

Musk said, predicting full self-driving

would become “the most important

source of profitability for Tesla.”

Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk

launched the company with the

mission, “to accelerate the advent

of sustainable transport by bringing

compelling mass-market electric

cars to market as soon as possible

Sometimes all it takes to make a difference is the willingness to learn about a

problem and use your talents to help solve it,” he wrote.

ON BITCOIN

In an interview with Bloomberg

Television, Gates commented that

“Elon has tons of money and he’s

very sophisticated, so I don’t worry

that his Bitcoin will sort of randomly

go up or down.” However, while the

Microsoft founder made clear that

he wasn’t concerned that Musk’s

fortunes would rise or fall with the

cryptocurrency, he did warn others

who might be considering a large

investment in the virtual coin.

“I do think people get bought into

these manias who may not have as

much money to spare,” Gates said.

“My general thought would be that if

you have less money than Elon, you

should probably watch out.

“Bitcoin uses more electricity per

transaction than any other method

known to mankind, and so it’s not

a great climate thing,” Gates told

CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin.

“The value of crypto is just what

some other person decides someone

else will pay for it, so not adding to

society like other investments,” he

added.

ON ANDROID

“I actually use an Android phone,”

Gates said. “Because I want to keep

track of everything, I’ll often play

around with iPhones, but the one I

carry around happens to be Android.”

“So Android vs Apple – is this a

religious thing?” asked Sorkin.

“Some of the Android manufacturers

pre-install Microsoft software in a

way that makes it easy for me,” Gates

replied. “They’re more flexible about

how the software connects up with

the operating system. So that’s what

I ended up getting used to. You know,

a lot of my friends have iPhone, so

there’s no purity.”

In a post on Tesla’s website, CEO Elon

Musk said this about the company’s

mission, “If we could have [mass

marketed] our first product, we

would have, but that was simply

impossible to achieve for a startup

company that had never built a car

and that had one technology iteration

and no economies of scale. Our first

product was going to be expensive

no matter what it looked like, so we

decided to build a sports car, as that

seemed like it had the best chance

of being competitive with its gasoline

alternatives.”

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/ JUNE 2022


NINE TECH EXPERTS SHARE

THEIR PREDICTIONS FOR THE

FUTURE OF SMARTPHONES

1. The Return of the Flip Phone

While many people want bigger

smartphones with full screens, there

are a lot of people looking for smaller

smartphones and a bit of nostalgia

too. So, in the next few years, expect

the return of the flip phone. There

are rumors that Motorola has a

new flip phone in the works and

other companies could follow suit. –

Thomas Griffin, OptinMonster

2. More Diverse

Interfaces

With more non-screen

devices coming on the

market, like AirPods, we’ll see

people move away from always

using a touchscreen. Instead,

users will use the interface that

feels most natural, which could be

voice, motion or even another IoT

device. The smartphone will exist

as the brain and connection but will

combine with other devices around it

to create something larger than the

component parts. – Luke Wallace,

Bottle Rocket

3. 5G-Enabled Hardware

New smartphones will come with

hardware that fully supports 5G.

This will unlock the potential of tech

that the future promised us. You’ll be

able to stream videos with no lag.

Integrated automation technology

will sync your smartphone with your

home and office to optimize daily

experiences like driving to work and

heating your house on a cold night.

We’ll wonder how we ever lived

without 5G. – Marc Fischer, Dogtown

Media LLC

4. Integrated SIM

In 2019, embedded SIM (eSIM)

gained further momentum in

flagship smartphones like iPhone 11,

Samsung Galaxy Fold, Google Pixel

4 and Motorola Razr. But eSIM is

expected to be included in every new

smartphone by default as it evolves

into an “iSIM,” or an integrated SIM

built into the device processor by

chipmakers. – Ahmad (Al) Fares,

Celitech Inc.

5. 3D Face Mapping

Artificial

intelligence

(AI) is

going

to be able

to improve 3D

face mapping to

predict what you would

look like if you made changes

to your appearance. – Elaine

Montilla, The Graduate Center, CUNY

6.Thin, Stretchable Screens

Almost everybody wants a big screen

on their phones. But nobody wants

to put a tablet-sized phone in their

pockets. This ever-growing want is

not going to stop at foldable phones,

which in some sense fulfill both of

these requirements. However, to

bridge the gap between phones and

laptops, we need even bigger phone

screens. A stretchable thin screen

would fix this issue. – Vikram Joshi,

pulsd

7. Increased Interactions With

Voice Assistants

As NLP and AI improve digital

assistants and voice interactions

WHAT THEY SAID?

with our technology, we will see

greater integration into smartphone

controls and applications. We will

see more uses of Alexa, Cortana,

Siri and similar AIs in our dayto-day

lives, both personally and

professionally. There will be greater

interactions with our devices as true

digital assistants of the present and

the future. – José Morey, Liberty

BioSecurity

8. All-In-One Personal Devices

Cell phones started being our

communication methodology

by offering text and voice. We

progressed from there and

added email, apps and

cameras. The next

stage would

be to create

an all-in-one,

health diagnosis,

communications, risk

analysis, mood detector,

personal assistant and

an AI-driven interaction

platform that reflects who we

are—a personal device that manages

all of our activities. – Afshin Doust,

Advanced Intelligent Systems Inc.

9. A True Hands-Free

Experience

The new phone won’t be a phone

that we know anymore. Rather, it

will be an augmented reality device

that you perceive the world through.

The screen time of our phones will

grow exponentially. But it’s 5G that

will make our hands free again and

make our eyes and ears see and feel

the world that we never experienced

before—an augmented world. – Ivan

Guzenko, SmartyAds Inc


WHEELS

BMW 7 SERIES

2023

The 2023 BMW 7 Series Sedan takes

a luxurious leap from the previous

model in the series. Expertise in

opulent design is at the forefront with

Swarovski crystal in the front lights

and the new front-end kidney grill.

Although the new front-end design

has been met with mixed reviews,

it adds to the overall presence of

the car. The new series comes in 3

models, the base model being the I6

740i, the top-of-the-line V8 760i, the

fully electric i7, and the yet-to-bereleased

750e plug-in hybrid. Both

of the gas engines are fitted with

48-volt hybrid systems. The sybaritic

design is not limited to the exterior,

with merino leather interiors and the

option of cashmere trims.

The sedan is certainly not lacking

when it comes to tech, featuring:

● An optional 31-Inch screen that

descends for the roof

● Display screens and tablet

control in the front and rear ends

● Ambient lighting

● A touch-sensitive control panel

along the crystal trim,

laden with different controls

● Two 5g-compatible mobile chips

● 8.0mp cameras and hands-free

driving assistance,

● The latest gesture and

voice-controlled idrive 8

infotainment software

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/ JUNE 2022


SPECIFICATIONS

MODEL: 760I

PRICE: $114,595

DIMENSIONS: 521.9 CM X 190.2 CM X 148.1 CM (WHEELBASE: 321CM)

ENGINE TYPE: 4.4 V8 536HP

ASPIRATION: TWIN TC

TORQUE: 553LB-FT @ 1800-5000 RPM

TRANSMISSION: STREPTRONIC

0-60: APPROX. 4.2 S

FUEL ECONOMY: 21 MPG

(COMBINED)

DRIVETRAIN: XDRIVE/AWD


LISTED TECH COMPANIES

REASONS BEHIND

TESLA’S EXCLUSION FROM

S&P 500 ESG INDEX

Elon Musk’s electric carmaker Tesla was removed from the S&P 500 ESG Index in a move which, on

face value, may seem surprising. The updated list features global heavyweights such as Apple, Microsoft,

Amazon and Alphabet, but the world’s biggest EV manufacturer, whose self-declared mission

is to “accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy” is absent.

76

/ JUNE 2022


Tesla’s share price closed

about 7 per cent lower on

Wednesday to $709.81 and

the company’s stock price

has declined 41 per cent

year-to-date.

Its market value now is $735.4

billion, well below its $1 trillion

market cap reached on October

25. The company is still the most

valuable automaker in the world and

eclipses the combined value of five of

its biggest rivals: Toyota, Volkswagen,

Daimler, Ford and General Motors.

In a blog post S&P explained its

reasoning for excluding Tesla from

the list, which measures the

performance of securities based

on environmental, social and

governance criteria.

So, why was Tesla left out?

There are a number of reasons,

according to Margaret Horn, head of

ESG Indices, North America, for S&P

Down Jones Indices.

First, Tesla was ineligible for

index inclusion due to its low S&P DJI

ESG score, which fell in the bottom

25 per cent of its Global Industry

Classification Standard (GICS)

industry group peers, she said.

The company wasn’t the only bigname

to not make it - Warren Buffet’s

Berkshire Hathaway, healthcare

product manufacturer Johnson &

Johnson and Facebook owner Meta

were also excluded.

Ms Horn explained that the

GICS industry group in which

Tesla is assessed (Automobiles &

Components), experienced an overall

increase in its average S&P DJI

ESG Score. So, while Tesla’s score

remained “fairly stable”, it moved

down relative to its peers.

Factors contributing to its score

include “a decline in criteria level

related to Tesla’s (lack of) low carbon

strategy and codes of business

conduct”, she said.

The low carbon strategy criteria

focuses on companies’ strategies to

reduce the carbon intensity of its car

portfolio (efficient technologies), but

also assesses its current portfolio

exposure to regulatory risks.

“In addition, a Media and

Stakeholder Analysis, a process

that seeks to identify a company’s

current and potential future

exposure to risks stemming from

its involvement in a controversial

incident, identified two separate

events centered around claims

of racial discrimination and poor

working conditions at Tesla’s Fremont

factory, as well as its handling of the

NHTSA investigation after multiple

deaths and injuries were linked to its

autopilot vehicles,” she said.

“While Tesla may be playing its

part in taking fuel-powered cars off

the road, it has fallen behind its peers

when examined through a wider ESG

lens.”

How did Elon Musk respond to this?

Mr Musk isn’t one to hold back

his opinions and naturally voiced

them on Twitter, the social-media

microblogging company he’s agreed

to buy for $44bn.

He said the index is a “scam”,

and that it has been “weaponised by

phony social justice warriors”.

To qualify his assertion, he said

“Exxon is rated top ten best in world

for environment, social & governance

(ESG) by S&P 500, while Tesla didn’t

make the list!”

Tesla has previously called ESG

methodologies “fundamentally

flawed”.

Ms Dorn said the index aims to

keep industries weighted the same

as they are in the regular S&P 500

index “while enhancing the overall

sustainability profile of the index.”

In practice that means it can keep

oil companies while leaving out big

players like Facebook parent Meta

Platforms and Wells Fargo & Co..




BENTLEY TEASES ITS FIRST-EVER EV

Bentley might not have produced a single EV yet, but it sure aims to make the front page with its first one. In a

recent interview with Automotive News Europe, the brand’s CEO Adrian Hallmark teased some jaw-dropping specs

we can expect to see in the electric car.

Planned for 2025, the Bentley

EV will be able to deliver

up to 1,400 horsepower and

accelerate from zero to

60mph (9km/h) in just 1.5

seconds.

If these numbers come true

in real action, the Bentley would

destroy in a race both the Tesla

Model S Plaid (1,020hp) and the Lucid

Air Dream Edition Performance

(1,111hp). And mind you, these are

two of the fastest passenger EVs

on the road, delivering 0-60mph

in under two seconds. What’s even

more impressive is that the Bentley

EV promises to accelerate even

0.35 seconds faster than the Rimac

Nevera, the breathtaking 1,914hp

electric hypercar.

For those who feel uncomfortable

with a hypercal-level acceleration

though, there will be the option to

reach 0-60mph in 2.7 seconds

But according to Hallmark, this

mind-blowing speed isn’t going to be

the EV’s main selling point. Instead,

it’s going to be the car’s “effortless

overtaking performance” thanks to

its instant torque. Naturally, these

specs will come with a ridonculous

price tag. The CEO didn’t disclose

official pricing, but said that at least

one variation will cost over $262,000

(€250,000).

Before you despair, there is some

good news. If Bentley is anticipating

this kind of performance by 2025, we

could expect sportier luxury brands

like Porsche or Audi to also deliver

the same numbers — if not better.

Their vehicles are usually within

the $100,000 price range, so this

would require selling fewer internal

organs.

78

/ JUNE 2022


APR 22 I I 119


APPLE IS TESTING USB-C

Apple is testing iPhones that swap the Lightning port for USB-C, according to a new report from

Apple whisperer Mark Gurman. But you shouldn’t expect to see it in this year’s iPhone lineup, as the

changeover wouldn’t happen until 2023 “at the earliest,” Gurman says.

The report follows reliable

Apple analyst Ming-Chi

Kuo’s tweets indicating

Apple would swap to USB-C

in the second half of 2023,

which is presumably when that year’s

iPhone lineup will be released.

The switch would be a big one,

though it’s not a complete surprise.

Apple has already moved the iPad

Pro, iPad Air, and iPad Mini to USB-C.

And the EU revealed a proposal in

September that would require many

devices, including smartphones,

to include USB-C ports — Gurman

says that this legislation was “a key

reason” for Apple’s move to consider

the change. There are also technical

benefits to moving to USB-C, which

is capable of faster transfer speeds

than Lightning.

Rumors have also swirled about

Apple developing a portless iPhone,

and Gurman says that Apple has

“worked on iPhones without any

charging port” in “recent years.” But

the report doesn’t suggest a portless

iPhone will be available anytime

soon. The company first introduced

the Lightning port with the iPhone 5

in 2012.

80

/ JUNE 2022


UAE TELECOMS COMPANY E& PARTNERS

WITH MICROSOFT TO BOOST INNOVATIVE

TECH-DRIVEN PRODUCTS

The UAE’s biggest telecom operator e& has

joined forces with the US technology company

Microsoft to boost innovation and offer

more tech-driven products to customers.


The partnership is aimed at

accelerating value creation,

innovation, and achieving

more for the benefit of

customers, the entities said

in a joint.

“Our partnership with Microsoft is

an example of synergy in action,” said

e&’s chief executive Hatem Dowidar,

who was part of the delegation

that signed the deal at Microsoft’s

headquarters in Redmond, US.

“e& is combining one of the

world’s fastest 5G networks with

Microsoft’s cloud, AI [artificial

intelligence], edge and data services

… addressing a regional market

hungry for digital transformation,” Mr.

Dowidar said.

Formerly known as Etisalat, the

company rebranded and changed its

identity to e& last month as it aims

to transform into a global technology

investment conglomerate.

Based in Abu Dhabi, the operator

was founded in 1976 and is the UAE’s

oldest telecoms company. It has

operations in 16 countries across the

Middle East, Asia, and Africa, serving

more than 156 million customers.

As part of the agreement, e& and

Microsoft will create a long-term

strategic collaboration that will

enable the Abu Dhabi company to

go “beyond the realms of traditional

telecommunications to transform

the lives of its customers and

advance the digitalization journey of

enterprises”, the statement said.

It will also help e& harness the

versatility of the Microsoft cloud and

partner ecosystem to create new

solutions.

The partnership will be structured

on three strategic pillars: focusing on

business-to-business engagement,

reinventing the consumer experience,

and setting the foundations to power

e&’s transformation journey.

“We are confident that this

collaboration will continue to support

the ever-growing demands of this

market and our digital journey of

transformation and innovation,” Mr.

Dowidar said.

In 2019, Microsoft launched its

UAE data centres in collaboration

with e&.

“e& has made a commitment to

continuously innovate, and we are

proud of the role Microsoft is playing

as part of this journey,” said Judson

Althoff, executive vice president, and

chief commercial officer of Microsoft.

“Our strategic partnership

emphasizes the role that Microsoft’s

trusted cloud plays in our customers’

digital transformation, bringing

together the unique capability of

networks, hyper-scale infrastructure,

and partner solutions to drive

economic growth, sustainability, and

societal well-being.”

The company reported a 3 percent

rise in 2021 net profit to Dh9.3

billion ($2.5bn) and its sales grew

3 percent in the year to Dh53.3bn

during the period.

The operator is also exploring

the development of 6G, the nextgeneration

mobile network that will

allow for much faster and more

sophisticated technology use.

The Microsoft partnership is the

latest in a string of deals e& has

forged to boost its portfolio.

Last week, the company made

an offer to increase its stake in

Saudi telecoms company Etihad

Etisalat, better known as Mobily, to

50 percent. It currently owns a 28

percent stake in Mobily.

Its entertainment arm, E-Vision,

and Abu Dhabi holding company

ADQ also signed a deal to acquire

a majority stake in video streaming

service Starzplay Arabia.

In January, the company

completed the acquisition of elGrocer,

an online marketplace for groceries

that operates across the Emirates.

In October, it signed a binding

agreement with Abu Dhabi-based

artificial intelligence services

provider G42 to create the UAE’s

largest data centre provider.

In August, Etisalat acquired an

additional stake in Maroc Telecom

Group, increasing its effective

ownership from 48.4 percent to 53

percent.



APPLE, GOOGLE, AND MICROSOFT COMMIT TO

FIDO’S PASSWORD-FREE SIGN-IN STANDARDS

Technology firms Apple, Google, and Microsoft have committed to support the password-free sign-in

standards created by the US-based Fido Alliance and World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

The new capabilities will

allow websites and apps to

offer “consistent, secure and

passwordless sign-ins” to

consumers across devices

and platforms, It will also make the

web “more secure and usable” for all,

Fido Alliance said in a statement.

Password-only authentication

is currently one of the biggest

security problems on the web. With

consumers struggling to remember

different passwords, they tend to

reuse the same ones across different

services and devices. This practice

can lead to costly account takeovers,

data breaches and even stolen

identities, Fido Alliance said.

“Working with the industry to

establish new, more secure sign-in

methods that offer better protection

and eliminate the vulnerabilities

of passwords is central to our

commitment to building products

that offer maximum security and a

transparent user experience,” said

Kurt Knight, Apple’s senior director

of platform product marketing.

Apple, Google, and Microsoft are now

building support for these capabilities

into their platforms.

“For Google, it represents

nearly a decade of work we have

done alongside Fido, as part of our

continued innovation towards a

passwordless future,” Mark Risher,

Google’s senior director of product

management, said.

While Apple, Microsoft and

Google already support Fido Alliance

standards on billions of devices, the

previous implementation required

users to sign in to each website

or app with each device before

they could use the passwordless

functionality.

These new capabilities are

expected to become available

across Apple, Google, and Microsoft

platforms over the coming months.

“Any viable solution must be

safer, easier, and faster than the

passwords and legacy multi-factor

authentication methods used

today.”


82

/ JUNE 2022


Join us in taking

smart technology

to the streets.

qualcomm.com/automotive

Snapdragon is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.

WHEELS

The conception of the Corvette ZO6

that began in 1963, is finally coming

to fruition, with production beginning

this summer. Taking inspiration from

its predecessors, the 2023 Chevrolet

Corvette is designed for the track.

The exterior design of the new

coupe was key to the aerodynamic,

handling, and cooling functions of

the car, demonstrating how function

meets elegance. This is seen with

the front fascias that channel air

to a centre heat exchanger and a

reconfigurable rear spoiler, that

works to improve the stability and

cornering capabilities. The driver can

really make the ZO6 feel like their

own with numerous bespoke interior

design offerings including:

● Brake calliper colours

● Carbon fibre and stealth

aluminium trim options

● Seat and seatbelt choices

● Seven interior colours

● Wheel packages

● Twelve available exterior colours

84

/ JUNE 2022


CHEVROLET CORVETTE

2023

SPECIFICATIONS

MODEL: ZO6

PRICE: $87,000*

DIMENSIONS: 468.8 CM X 202.5 CM X 123.5 CM (WHEELBASE: 272.2CM)

ENGINE TYPE: 5.5 V8 670HP

ASPIRATION: NA

TORQUE: 459.5LB-FT @ 6300RPM

TRANSMISSION: M1L DCT

0-60: APPROX. 2.6 S


(COMBINED)

DRIVETRAIN: RWD


GADGET

REVIEWS

SONY SRS-NS7 WEARABLE

SPEAKER

$250

Create your own personal

theatre or immersive gaming

experience with the Sony SRS-

NS7 Wearable Speaker. The wireless

speaker sits around your neck and

delivers impressive 360 spatial

audio with 12 hours of play. Use the

app to capture your ear shape to

personalize your audio haven. The

speaker has a non-slip silicone

neckband and an IPX4 rating, making

it the perfect companion whilst

going about your chores or cooking

a meal. The speaker also supports

hands-free calling with its built-in

microphone and echo canceling

functions.

Features

● Hands-free function

● Bluetooth enabled

● 12-hour battery life

● Wireless transmitter

● USB-A to USB-C charging cable

● Optical cable

MCLEAR SMART-RING

£89.99

The use of contactless payments is

commonplace, and McLear is innovating this

technology with their Smartpay rings. The

ceramic rings, supported by Visa, come in two colors

and 20 sizes. Conveniently, the ring does not require

charging, thanks to it being a passive NFC device.

The ring acts as an isolated bank account or wallet

between the retail outlet and your bank account. The

rings are made from hypoallergenic, waterproof,

and scratch-proof materials, coupling aesthetic

appeal with functionality. The rings require the

accompanying app for setup, which has a myriad of

features to facilitate the use of up to 4 rings.

Features

Accessed through app

● Auto top-up transfer

from bank account

● Transfer between

rings

● Expenditure tracking

and reports

● Security protection

(PIN/ Fingerprint/

Face-ID access)

● Ring suspension in

case of loss or theft

86

/ JUNE 2022


GADGET

REVIEWS

TEMPO STUDIO

$2495-$3995

Tempo Studio takes home

workouts to a new level,

with its high-tech armoire,

fitted with a 42” HD touchscreen

display. It makes use of a camera

and 3D motion sensor to capture

and track your workouts, providing

guidance and form correction

instantly. It keeps track of your reps

and progress, curating and making

adjustments to your workouts to fit

your goals and performance ability.

You do not have to worry when it

comes to equipment because Tempo

Studio comes stocked with all the

equipment you need. The equipment

is neatly stored in the compartment

below the display. Users can join

in on various kinds of live or ondemand

classes for a flat-rate

subscription fee.

Features

● Display42” HD

Touchscreen

● Motion Sensor 3D

● 10th Gen i5 Processor

● 60w stereo speakers

● Bluetooth Enabled

● Ethernet port

● Workout equipment

including weights,

collars, workout mat,

and recovery roller

● On-Demand and Live

Classes

● Supporting App

● Apple Watch

compatibility

RAZER ANZU SMART GLASSES

$199.99

While Razer is popular for its gaming

laptops and peripherals, it is slowly

creating a market for itself in lifestyle

gadgetry. Their Anzu Smart Glasses are a muchneeded

device, as we increasingly interact with

technology. The Anzu Smart glasses come with

two sets of lenses that offer up to 35% blue light

filtering and 99% UVA/UVB protection. Prescription

lenses can also be fitted in the frames, should

wearers require them. The glasses are also fitted

with open audio speakers and a microphone for

calls, gaming and even listening to music. The

speakers automatically connect to devices through

Bluetooth when the frame is open, and power down

when the frame is closed. They have a 5-hour use

with a single charge and 14 hours of standby. The

frames come in two frame styles in varying sizes.

Features

● 16 mm speaker drivers

● 60 ms latency

● Bluetooth 5.1

● Compatible with voice

assistant

● Touch control audio

playback

● IPX4 rating

● Cleaning cloth and

case

● Magnetized charging

cable

(fits in standard USB

port)


WHEELS

CHRYSLER 300

2022

The 2020 Chrysler 300 is a ghost

from the past, while this old soul

has its faults it still maintains its

undeniable class and charm. Where

it lacks in fuel economy it makes up

for it in space and luxury. The fullsize

sedan comes in 6 rich colours

dubbed: Granite Crystal Metallic

Clearcoat, Silver Mist Clearcoat,

Velvet Red Pearlcoat, Frostbite,

Bright White Clearcoat, and Gloss

Black. The 2022 300 Chrysler is

available in 4 trims, the top of the

line being the 300S V8 which boasts

a V8 Hemi engine. The top trims

are also equipped with Dual-pane

panoramic power sunroofs, perfect

for long drives in the summer. The

interior features leather upholstery,

windshield wipers that can sense

rain, seat memory systems for the

driver, and adaptive cruise control.

88

/ JUNE 2022


SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS:

MODEL: 300SRT

PRICE: $42,155

DIMENSIONS: 504.4 CM X 190.2 CM X 149.2 CM (WHEELBASE: 304.8 CM)

ENGINE TYPE: 3.6 V6 300HP /5.7 V8 HEMI 363HP

ASPIRATION: NA

TORQUE: 264LB-FT @ 4800RPM

TRANSMISSION: 8 SPEED AUTOMATIC

0-60: APPROX. 5 S


(COMBINED)

DRIVETRAIN: RWD/AWD


LAUNCH

EXPRESS

LOGITECH

LITRA GLOW

Logitech’s Litra Glow is a content creator’s

solution to perfect lighting. The advanced

diffusion capabilities and colour accuracy

improve the quality of visual media, whether

that be live-streamed content or edited &

curated content. The light is also compact and

is USB 3.0 compatible, making it perfect for

use on the go.

FEATURES

● Price: $59.99

● G HUB desktop app to control &

adjust lighting preferences

● High colour rendering index

● Compatible with standard

camera tripod

● Adjustable monitor mount

SONY

LINKBUDS

Stay present yet immersed in your own

world with Sony’s Linkbuds. The earbuds’

most notable feature is their hollow ring

design, allowing the user to hear what is

going on around them whilst still being able to

listen to their music.

FEATURES

● Price: $179.99

● Voice control enabled

● IPX4 rating

● Adaptive volume control

● Touch controlled playback

● Sony DSEE to enhance sound quality

90

/ JUNE 2022


LAUNCH

EXPRESS

TAG HEUER

CALIBRE E4, CONNECTED WATCH

The Swiss luxury watchmaker released

the 4th generation of its watch series, the

Connected Calibre E4. The watch features

new designs of the crown and push buttons.

Tailored to the ultimate sportsman, the watch

features guided workouts, running and swimming

performance tracking as well as a new altimeter

for more accurate cycling metrics.

FEATURES

● Price: $2500

● Wellness monitoring

● Improved battery life (440mAh)

● Water-resistant

● Bluetooth enabled

● GPS and Accelerometer

OPAL

CAMERA

The Opal C1 is a cutting-edge highperformance

webcam. The camera delivers

DSLR quality, boasting more than 5 times

the resolution, and brings in 2.4 times more

light compared to other webcams. The camera

comes fitted with MicMesh, which works to

find and focus on the direction from which your

voice is coming. To top it all off, the camera is

recyclable. For an additional $4 customers have

access to supplementary software features, free

device replacement in case of damage as well as

exclusive accessories and feature releases.

FEATURES

● Price: $300

● Gesture enabled

● 7.8 mm 4k Sony sensor

● ƒ1.8 six-element glass lens

● Opal app to control and

adjust preferences


WHEELS

AUDI A6 E-TRON

2023

The 2023 Audi A6 E-Tron remains

a mystery, with only exterior views

released and anticipation building for

interior visuals and specifications.

The A6 E-Tron boasts an impressive

469hp electric engine and charging

times of 5-80% in 25 minutes. The

Aerodynamics are enhanced through

the streamlined shape, optimising

energy consumption. Although

the specifics aren’t known yet, the

interior is predicted to be laden with

state-of-the-art technology.

92

/ JUNE 2022


SPECIFICATIONS

MODEL: A6 E-TRON

PRICE: TBC

DIMENSIONS: 485.1 CM X 217.7 CM X 197.6 CM (WHEELBASE: 295.9 CM)

ENGINE TYPE: 100 KWH ELECTRIC 469HP

ASPIRATION: -

TORQUE: 590LB-FT

TRANSMISSION: SINGLE-SPEED AUTOMATIC

0-60: APPROX. 4 S ENERGY

CONSUMPTION: 400 MILES PER CHARGE

DRIVETRAIN: AWD/RWD


TECH

MY

Valve’s Steam Deck

MONEY

The Valve Steam Deck is a PC gamer’s dream. The

portable gaming device uses a compatibility layer

called Proton that emulates Windows DirectX calls,

allowing games to run on the Steam Deck without

the need for developers to do any porting. If you are

short on space or want to play with potentially higher

performance, you can remote play from your PC, granted

that you are logged in to your steam account on both

devices and have a good Wi-Fi network. The Deck can be

booted into desktop mode, where you can install software

such as emulators and as well as copy game files into the

storage. The Deck boasts 8 hours of play for games that

require low processing power and 2 hours for games that

take up more processing power. The deck is Bluetooth

compatible, allowing you to pair with any Bluetooth

enabled peripheral device. The Deck can also be used like

any other PC by connecting it to a monitor. The best part

about the Steam deck is its access to the Steam Library,

and with the cloud-saving function, seamless gaming is

possible between your Deck and PC.

SPECS:

PROCESSOR :

AMD APU

CPU: Zen 2 4c/8t, 2.4-

3.5GHz

(up to 448 GFlops FP32)

GPU: 8 RDNA 2 CUs, 1.0-

1.6GHz

(up to 1.6 TFlops FP32)

APU power: 4-15W

RAM:

16 GB LPDDR5 on-board

RAM (5500 MT/s quad 32-

bit channels)

SOFTWARE:

SteamOS 3.0 (Archbased)

Operating System

KDE Plasma Desktop

POWER:

45W USB Type-C PD3.0

power supply

BATTERY

40Whr battery. 2 - 8

hours of gameplay

DISPLAY:

1280 x 800px (16:10 aspect

ratio) Resolution

Optically bonded IPS LCD

7” diagonal

60Hz Refresh Rate

Touch Enabled

94

/ JUNE 2022


TECH

MY

MONEY

iOS 16

The release of iOS 16 has iPhone

users around the world waiting in

anticipation. This will be the 16th

generation of the operating system,

and it is chock-full of updates, much

like previous releases. Bloomberg

journalist, Mark Gurman, predicted

that the visuals are likely to remain

the same but that there may be new

or refreshed apps, an update to

notifications and new health tracking

features. Apple released a newsletter

announcing and detailing some new

accessibility features coming with

iOS 16. The new features are centered

around helping users with disabilities

get more use out of their iPhones

and apple watches. Updates have

also been made to existing apps and

functions in the way of customisation,

to make them more suited to their

preferences. This is the list of things

to come so far:

DOOR DETECTION MODE IN

MAGNIFIER APP

(limited to iPhone and iPad models

with LiDAR scanners)

APPLE WATCH MIRRORING

Double Pinch Gesture for Apple

Watch

Answer/end phone call

Dismiss a notification

Take a photo

Resume a workout

play/pause media

Live captioning on audio from:

Social media

Video conferencing

Entertainment Media

20 NEW LANGUAGES IN VOICE-OVER

SCREEN READER, INCLUDING:

Bengali

Catalan

Ukrainian

Bulgarian

Text Checker on Mac

Helps correct grammatical errors

CUSTOMISATION OPTIONS IN APPLE

BOOKS

Themes

Line character spacing

Word spacing

Can Bolden text

CUSTOM SOUND RECOGNITION

Adds feature to add sounds based on

your environment

SIRI PAUSE TIME

Can adjust how long Siri waits before

responding to a question

VOICE CONTROL SPELLING MODE

Big interactive widgets (Rumoured)

Redesigned icons


TECH

MY

MONEY

Samsung AirDresser

The Samsung AirDresser is a

luxury home appliance that

serves as an at-home drycleaning

cabinet. The dresser makes

use of a jet steamer to sterilise

the clothing, followed by jetted air

to remove dust from within and

outside the hanging garments. The

clothing is dried using hot air at low

temperatures to reduce damage

and shrinkage. The deodorising

filter kicks in next, using a UV LED

to capture and remove odourcausing

particles. The dresser

can be controlled from both its

touch interface screen and on the

SmartThings app. The app keeps

track of how many cycles you have

done, the energy consumption and

well as setting specifications for each

session. After your cycle is done,

you can flip to dehumidifying mode

to reduce the humidity created from

use of the dresser. As expected, the

AirDresser is a great looking device.

The design is sleek, minimal with a

mirror-finish, ensuring that it can fit

into any room in your home.

SPECS:

Capacity:

3 Jackets & 3 Pants

DESIGN:

Crystal Mirror Door

Touch + LCD Panel Display

FEATURES:

JetSteam

Deodorising Filter

Heatpump Drying

Wrinkle Care

Soft Closing

Smart Control

Quiet Mode

96

/ JUNE 2022


TECH

MY

MONEY

Odyssey Neo G9 Gaming DQHD

Quantum Mini-LED Monitor

Revered by gamers and tech enthusiasts

alike, the Odyssey Neo G9 delivers

breathtaking visual quality. The monitor

has height, swivel and tilt adjustments allowing

users to optimise ergonomic use. The Monitor

provides exceptional image depth and contrast,

heightening your visual experience. The

Odyssey Neo G9 boasts a 1ms response time

and 240hz refresh rate, as well as Quantum

HDR2000, ensuring that it will not hinder

gaming performance. The shape of the monitor

matches the curve of the human eye, reducing

eye strain, making it suitable for designers

and developers who spend hours in front of

their screens. The 49” monitor wraps around

you, pulling you in, and keeping you immersed,

whether you are gaming, creating content, or

simply watching a film.

SPECS:

Dynamic Contrast Ratio Mega

DCR

Brightness (Typical) 420

Refresh Rate 240Hz

Response Time (ms) 1(GTG)

Screen Size (Class) 49”

Curvature 1000R

Resolution 5,120 x 1,440

Aspect Ratio 32:9

FEATURES

HAS (Height Adjustable Stand)

100 x 100 Wall-Mount (Size

mm)

Windows 10 Certification

Picture-In-Picture

Eye Saver Mode

FreeSync Premium Pro

Flicker Free

Off Timer Plus

Screen Size Optimizer

ACCESSORIES

1.5 m Power Cable

HDMI Cable

DP Cable

USB 3.0 Cable

INPUTS

USB Hub - 2

Display Port Version -1.4

HDMI Version- 2.1

USB Hub Version- 3


GAMING

HOW ESPORTS HAS

BECOME A PATHWAY TO

COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS

In the typical sense of the finance world, wealth management has been considered a domain for the small

category of the wealthy for quite a while, for the remaining segments, the only “investing” option has been

to hand over their money to a savings bank account, which currently pays very little interest rates in many

countries across the world.

How has Esports impacted

gaming enthusiasts?

A hypothetical

situation- Imagine a

19-year-old teenager,

fascinated by gamers in the realms

of virtual play. Upon his discovery of

this sort, he aspires to be one, while

imbibing core qualities of a gamer

like; Strategic move, training of

thought and mastermind tricks, and

all the needed tactics for a gamer. As

leverage, he even wins tournaments

and other events, securing a good

game rank. Sooner, did he realise

that gaming can be a long-term

prospect too and now he wishes to

pursue his interests but does not

know where to begin?

Let us read to know more-

It is undeniable how Esports,

also called electronic sports,

revolutionised online gaming into a

competitive sport, allowing gamers

to delve deeper into their game

and fight against each other in a

virtual setting while outshining their

opponents. While esports aims to

catapult massive revenue, the idea

of gaming has indeed skyrocketed,

amassing a large global audience.

Moreover, the prestige of gaming in

the eyes of the gamers or students

remains spellbound and continues

to flourish. According to Newzoo -

2019 Global Esports Market Report,

In 2019, Esports viewership reached

about 458.8 million people globally, a

15% increase year over year.

Not only does sport represent an

invincible idea but aims to shape the

coming years for gaming enthusiasts.

And yet, With unquestionable ferocity,

concentration and enthusiasm,

gamers aim to embark on a new

journey of gaming, relevant to the

present times.

How does recruiting happen in

Esports?

As an esports gaming enthusiast,

98

/ JUNE 2022


MAKE SURE YOUR GAME CLIPS ARE NOT OVERCROWDED

WITH LONG CLIPS BUT KEEP THEM LIMITED YET MEANINGFUL.

NONETHELESS, THE COMPILATION SHOULD START IN A

SMOOTH WAY FOLLOWED BY THE CLIMAX AND THEN THE

DEPICTION OF THE HIGHLIGHT TOWARDS THE END.

you can apply for innumerable games

offering scholarships like-Multiplayer

online little battle arena(MOBA):

League of Legends(LOL), Defense

of the Ancients (DOTA) 2, Heroes of

the Storm, Smite, etc. Nonetheless,

to get enrolled for the same, college

coaches begin the recruiting process,

by evaluating the gamers based

on an initial assessment, based on

the recruitment form. Following

this, they oversee or monitor your

performance in the events, and

tournaments and if they are delighted

with your twitch stream or video

on demand, they would want you to

undergo a live trial gaming session,

to examine your abilities in a teambased

setting. And once you ace

this one-last step, your coach will

wholeheartedly invite you to join the

team, with potential benefits like full

tuition or scholarship.

In light of this, students get to

earn and learn a fantastic opportunity

in securing their prospects in the

gaming industry. Moreover, from

schools to colleges, all are interested

in recruiting potential talents or

competitive gamers, who are

passionate about their game and

invest in all their efforts to reach

a higher level in this cut-throat

competition.

How to make an impact with a

highlighting video?

Gaming enthusiasts are real

wizards, who can direct a spell

and turn the prospects in their

favour. To simplify, to be able to

make an invincible impact on the

gaming coaches, you can create

a highlighting video, augmenting

clips/snapshots of your best game,

capturing its impression and

compiling it. Now, not only will it

create a long-lasting influence on the

coaches, but will bring you one step

closer to earning the scholarships.

Tips and tricks to keep in mind are-

● Reclaim your streaming videos via

video On Demand- Being a Gamer,

you often play tournaments with

your potential opponents in virtual

settings, and in such a case, you go

through a series of ‘wow’ moments

during the play. Now, to linger on

those highlighting seconds, enable

Video on demand to save your

footage. The following are how you

can do so-

Step 1- Go on the Twitch dashboard.

Step 2- Click on the Settings tab.

Step 3- Look for the option: Store

past broadcasts.

Step 4- Now, use the producer tab

to hunt down broadcasts into short

videos.

● Impress your college coach

by Highlighting Videos - As a

gaming enthusiast, you can lure

your recruiter’s attention, just by

introducing the first four clips of

your game, that demonstrate your

strategic move, abilities and striking

shot, which can surely hook your

coach to your sense of enthusiastic

gameplay with logical strategizing.

Make sure your game clips are not

overcrowded with long clips but

Keep them limited yet meaningful.

Nonetheless, the compilation should

start in a smooth way followed by the

climax and then the depiction of the

highlight towards the end.

● Add necessary information to the

videos- Add a short clip of a video

introducing necessary information

like your Gamertag, ranking, and

high school GPA followed by the

graduation year. And with this, you

should also add your details like

email, phone number, etc, so that the

required authority can reach you in

the light of the final decision.

Final Thoughts

Hence, from introducing virtual

games to amassing an exponential

growth in the rise of gamers, we

have come a long way. Not only

does gaming provide you with an

immersive experience, but allows

you to dive deep and catapult the

necessary prospects associated with

this field. For instance, who knew

if Esports could help youth gain

scholarships and other privileges of

this sort?

Indeed, gaming has shaped and

continues to overpower its influence

over the generations to come.



HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MONTH

THE WORLD OF

TECHNOLOGY

HAS SEEN

MANY EXCITING

RELEASES AND

DEVELOPMENTS

THIS MONTH,

HERE ARE THE

HIGHLIGHTS

FOR MAY

THE MUSEUM OF THE FUTURE

collaborates with Binance to release

a collection of NFTs, titled “The Most

Beautiful NFTs in the Metaverse.”. This

release serves as a first step towards

Dubai establishing a place

in the growing digital ecosystem.

DYSON announces its goals in

robotics development and teases the

development of autonomous devices

capable of household chores and other

tasks at the International Conference

on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) in

Philadelphia.

GUCCI stores begin accepting

cryptocurrency as payment, pioneering

the way for the luxury fashion industry.

MICROSOFT and ADOBE team up

to make hybrid working easier by

updating and improving their platform

integrations, such as Microsoft Teams,

Power Automate, Frame.io, and Adobe’s

own PDF editors.

An IOS 16 leak released, followed by

an Apple press release, details new

accessibility features coming with

the release of the next generation of

software. Keeping with its usual MO,

Apple is set to officially announce it at

WWDC 2022.

GOOGLE surprises viewers at IO, by

announcing the launch of the upcoming

Pixel tablet. Pictures of the tablet, set

to be released in late 2023, were teased

at the event, yet not a lot of details have

been disclosed regarding price, specs,

etc. Google has not launched a tablet

in a while, so speculation based on

previous models is likely not to reflect

the new Pixel tablet.

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/ JUNE 2022


LIFESTYLE, FITNESS & FASHION TECHNOLOGY

THE USE OF BLOCKCHAIN IN THE FASHION

INDUSTRY SUPPLY-CHAIN

With fashion houses like Balenciaga collaborating with Fortnite and Gucci starting to accept cryptocurrencies

as payment, it is evident that the fashion industry is embracing the technological zeitgeist. One such technology

that could revolutionise the fashion industry is blockchain.

Blockchain is defined as

a shared, immutable

ledger that facilitates

the process of recording

transactions and tracking

tangible and intangible assets in a

business network. This is valuable

to the industry when it comes to

issues concerning transparency, and

copyright.

Transparency in the operations

of the fashion industry is growing

increasingly important. Consumers

want to know where their products

come from, who made them, in what

conditions, and what effects their

production has on the environment.

By adopting blockchain into their

supply chains, consumers can access

all the information about what they

are buying at every stage. Brands

are held accountable to a standard

to which they need to uphold, and

success in doing so will lead to

long-term returns such as increased

brand loyalty.

Blockchain could also help to

sort out the conundrum surrounding

copyright and counterfeiting.

The fashion industry runs like a

symbiotic network. Large fashion

houses create collections for the

upcoming seasons; these develop

into trends that trickle down to the

mass market, which adopts said

trends and modifies them for their

respective markets. While it is well

accepted that this is how the industry

operates, often times situations arise

when designs, prints, or methods

are replicated that can not be

protected under copyright laws. The

use of blockchain could be used to

circumvent this, allowing designers

to “own” and maintain the rights of

their creations. Counterfeiting is also

rife within the industry, and using

blockchain along the supply chain

will allow users to track and verify

whether their items are legitimate.

This helps to reduce the circulation

of counterfeits in the market as well

as uphold the heritage of the original

brand. Although operating mainly

in a tangible market, the fashion

industry is building up and solidifying

its position in the digital sphere. The

use of blockchain in fashion is still in

its genesis, but it has the potential to

become standard practice, leading to

a more honest industry.



SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY

QATAR PLOTS A

CARBON-NEUTRAL

2022 WORLD CUP

When Qatar was awarded the opportunity to host the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East

and the Arab world, it committed not only to staging an incredible tournament – but also to

sustainably delivering a mega-event.

The FIFA World Cup Qatar

2022 Sustainability Strategy

was announced in January

2020 by the Supreme

Committee for Delivery and

Legacy (SC), FIFA, and the FIFA World

Cup Qatar 2022 LLC (Q22). It was the

first time FIFA, the host country, and

local organizers worked together to

create and execute such a strategy.

As part of the approach, the first

carbon-neutral FIFA World Cup in

the event’s history will be held. To do

this, all infrastructure developments,

including the eight stadiums used

for Qatar 2022, must meet high

sustainability requirements.

“Our preparation efforts for Qatar

2022 have been undertaken from

the start to produce a sustainable

and lasting legacy,” stated Engineer

Abdulrahman Al Muftah, the SC’s

Sustainability & Environment

Expert. “The sustainability efforts we

introduced in our projects contribute

to Qatar National Vision 2030 and

will have a significant impact on how

future World Cups and other largescale

athletic events are conducted

throughout the world.”

Several major areas were mentioned

in their preparation when the SC, Q22,

and FIFA set out their carbon-neutral

aims. One significant highlight was

the staging of the World Cup in its

smallest format in modern history.

“Achieving carbon neutrality is a

process comprised of four critical

components,” Al Muftah continued.

“First and foremost, it was necessary

to raise awareness among key

stakeholders, particularly the general

public.” This was followed by us

developing a detailed estimate of our

carbon impact. The third step is the

one that most people will hear about:

the steps taken to reduce carbon

emissions, which will lead us to the

last stage of the process, which is

investing in green initiatives to offset

any remaining emissions.

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/ JUNE 2022


Many of the steps intended to reduce

carbon emissions are based on the

tournament’s compact structure.

During the competition, fans, players,

and officials will fly into a single

airport and stay in a single hotel.

Because five of the stadiums are

connected to the Doha Metro and

the other three are accessible by

connecting bus services, spectators

will be able to attend at least two

matches in a single day during

the group stage, with the largest

distance between venues being

only 75 kilometers. The SC has

also collaborated with Qatar’s hotel

industry to promote green practices

that reduce carbon emissions from

lodging.

The compact nature of Qatar 2022

not only provides convenience for

fans and an optimal performance

environment for participating teams,

but it also removes the carbon

footprint of domestic air travel that

fans, players, and officials were

needed to do in previous World Cups

to attend matches. Given that air

travel is one of the world’s greatest

sources of carbon emissions, this

will surely have a significant impact

on lowering the tournament’s carbon

footprint.

“Because of the accessibility of our

venues, many people will utilize our

public transportation infrastructure

during Qatar 2022, particularly the

outstanding Doha Metro system,” Al

Muftah added. “Our light rail trams

and fuel-efficient bus fleet, as well

as several electric buses, will play

a vital role in decreasing carbon

emissions.”

Reducing carbon emissions was also

a consideration in the construction of

Qatar 2022 venues, particularly the

eight World Cup stadiums. During the

stadium’s design and construction,

careful consideration was given to

lower energy and water consumption,

reusing and recycling of water and

materials wherever possible, highly

efficient cooling systems, the use

of renewable energy for lighting in

some stadiums, creative designs that

allow for natural light, native trees

and plants in-stadium parklands,

and efficient waste management

strategies.

The eight stadiums that will be

utilized in Qatar 2022 have all been

designed to be water and energyefficient.

Many of the stadiums have

outperformed industry standards

by implementing non-mandated

sustainability measures. Ras Abu

Aboud Stadium is one such example.

The 40,000-capacity stadium will

be the first in FIFA World CupTM

history to be dismountable, with

its components utilized to develop

additional athletic ventures during

the legacy mode. This innovative

approach will set new standards for

trash reduction.

Another important step toward

carbon neutrality will be the

utilization of solar energy to power

Qatar during the event. Qatar is

now building a large-scale 800MW

solar energy facility on a 10-squarekilometer

area. Following the

conclusion of the tournament, the

plant will continue to produce clean

renewable energy for decades,

leaving a significant legacy as a

carbon reduction project.

These projects will leave a significant

sustainability legacy for Qatar and the

region, as well as a helpful roadmap

for the adoption of sustainable

techniques in future athletic events

around the world.


THE EIGHT STADIUMS THAT

WILL BE UTILIZED IN QATAR

2022 HAVE ALL BEEN

DESIGNED TO BE WATER

AND ENERGY-EFFICIENT.

MANY OF THE STADIUMS

HAVE OUTPERFORMED

INDUSTRY STANDARDS

BY IMPLEMENTING NON-

MANDATED SUSTAINABILITY

MEASURES.



HONDA SETS SIGHTS ON

SELLING TWO MILLION ELECTRIC

VEHICLES ANNUALLY BY 2030

“Electrification nut is a difficult one to crack due to technical, pricing, and regulatory issues”

Honda says, but the Japanese automaker promises that a slew of Honda and Acura all-electric

vehicles are on the way.

Honda, in particular, intends

to debut 30 EV models

globally by 2030, with an

annual production volume

of more than 2 million

units. Honda plans to invest $5 trillion

($3.89 billion) in electrification and

software technologies over the next

decade, with an additional $8 trillion

($6.22 billion) allocated for total R&D.

The first to arrive will be gaselectric

hybrids. Honda claims a new

CR-V hybrid will be available this

year, followed by hybrid versions

of the Accord and Civic. The Civic

might be viewed as a successor

for the Insight hybrid, which will

cease manufacturing in June after

selling 70,000 units since the thirdgeneration

model was introduced

in 2018. The business sees hybrids

as an effective first step toward full

electrification, and its objective is to

market hybrid versions of the CR-V,

Accord, and Civic that are 50% hybrid.

“Hybrid-electric vehicles are

effective in reducing greenhouse gas

emissions and are an important step

toward Honda’s aim of 100 percent

zero-emission vehicle sales in North

America by 2040,” said Mamadou

Diallo, vice president of auto sales at

American Honda Motor Co. “Making

the volume leader of our core models

hybrid-electric will drastically

enhance electrified sales in the

Honda range, a strategy that will be

supplemented in the future by the

introduction of a Civic Hybrid.”

Following that will be all-electric

vehicles, a significant step for a

carmaker that presently does not

offer BEVs in the United States.

“In April 2021, Honda global

CEO Toshihiro Mibe unveiled the

company’s vision for global sales of

electric vehicles as part of Honda’s

objective to achieve carbon neutrality

for its products and corporate

activities by 2050,” Honda stated in

an April 14 statement. “By 2030, this

strategy aims for battery-electric and

fuel-cell electric vehicles to account

for 40% of North American sales,

rising to 80% by 2035 and 100%

by 2040.”

While it sells the Honda e electric

subcompact in areas outside of

North America, the Prologue SUV, the

company’s first BEV, will be available

in the United States by 2024. An

Acura version will follow, although

the name has not yet been revealed.

Both will be co-developed with GM,

with Honda putting its own body on

the same GM Ultium skateboard,

batteries, and motors that power

the enormous GMC Hummer, albeit

the scale of the Honda and Acura

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/ JUNE 2022


HONDA ANNOUNCED A COLLABORATION WITH SONY TO

DEVELOP ELECTRIC VEHICLES UNDER A NEW BRAND. THERE

ARE NO PRECISE MODEL PLANS FOR THAT PARTNERSHIP,

BUT THE CONCEPT IS THAT HONDA WILL UNDERTAKE THE

MANUFACTURING AND SONY WILL PROVIDE THE ELECTRONICS.

versions has not been specified.

So, while those two are likely to be

shared, just as Honda and Acura’s

initial SUVs were shared with or

purchased from Isuzu, it’s a start.

Honda says the Prologue’s first sales

target is 70,000 units per year.

Honda says it will next introduce

a series of electric cars based

on its own Honda e:Architecture

beginning in 2026, including global

mass-market small crossovers

co-developed with GM, with BEVs

manufactured at Honda plants in

North America. Following that,

specifics become scarce and

numbers skyrocket. “By 2030, Honda

plans to launch 30 EV vehicles, with

more than two-thirds of them sold

in China and North America.” Among

the 20 will be two “sporty” entries,

maybe a replacement for the NSX,

and something else.

Honda’s ambition is to achieve

carbon neutrality by 2050.

“This is a unique problem for

Honda since we manufacture

not just cars and trucks, but also

motorcycles, a range of power

equipment goods, and aircraft for our

customers here and throughout the

world,” said Rick Schostek, executive

vice president of Corporate Services

at American Honda.

“At the same time, as we stated

last year, Honda is already developing

and testing electric vehicles based

on our own Honda e:Architecture.”

As a result, we won’t get into

specifics about where the Honda

derivative from the new inexpensive

EV series will go into the Honda

lineup. What I can tell you is that our

offers will meet the expectations

of our consumers and dealers in

North America and other markets

where they will be offered. And

we’ll integrate it with the models

we’re developing based on our own

e:Architecture.”

Honda announced a collaboration

with Sony to develop electric

vehicles under a new brand. There

are no precise model plans for

that partnership, but the concept

is that Honda will undertake the

manufacturing and Sony will provide

the electronics.

Honda has not ruled out hydrogen

fuel-cell vehicles and may include

them in its lineup because a

hydrogen fuel cell is still an electric

vehicle. Its Clarity fuel-cell vehicle

did not exactly light up the sales

charts. Nonetheless, Honda and GM

are continuing to collaborate on a

next-generation fuel-cell system..




UAE REPORTS HIGHEST SURGE IN RENEWABLE

ENERGY VOLUME GLOBALLY IN THE LAST DECADE

The UAE recorded the largest

increase in renewable

energy capacity worldwide

over the past decade, a

new index has revealed,

reflecting the government’s key focus

on enacting initiatives to achieve its

net-zero ambitions.

Capacity in the Emirates surged

to 2,540 megawatts in 2020 from

a modest 13MW in 2011, Australiabased

aggregator Compare the

Market said in its “Green Fuel Index”

report.

“Countries are increasingly relying

more on renewable sources, such as

wind and solar, for their energy as

they attempt to go green,” the report

said.

“The UAE — where renewable

capacity has grown by almost 20,000

per cent over the last decade — has

traditionally relied on its plentiful

supplies of oil but has recently made

a big effort to shift away from fossil

fuels.”

The UAE is expanding efforts to

shift to greener technologies under

its Net Zero 2050 Strategic Initiative,

which calls for Dh600 billion ($163bn)

to be invested in clean and renewable

energy sources in the next three

decades.

The plan was announced in the

run-up to the Glasgow Cop26 summit

in November. The UAE won the bid to

host Cop28 in 2023.

The plan is a follow-up to the

Energy Strategy 2050 programme

introduced in 2017 — the first unified

energy strategy in the country to

be based on supply and demand

— which aims to increase the

contribution of clean energy in the

total energy mix from 25 per cent to

50 per cent by 2050.

It also seeks to reduce the carbon

footprint of power generation by

70 per cent, thus saving Dh700bn

by 2050, as well as increase

consumption efficiency of individuals

and corporates by 40 per cent.

The strategy is aiming for an

energy mix of 44 per cent clean

energy, 38 per cent gas, 12 per

cent clean coal and 6 per cent

nuclear to meet the UAE’s economic

requirements and environmental

goals.

Aside from harnessing solar

energy, the UAE made history with

the opening of the Barakah Nuclear

Energy Plant in April 2021, becoming

the Arab world’s first country to run a

nuclear programme.

In its first year, Barakah’s Unit

1 prevented the release of more

than five million tonnes of carbon

emissions, equivalent to more

than one million cars driven for a

year.

The UAE’s efforts are being

spearheaded by Dr Sultan Al

Jaber, Minister of Industry and

Advanced Technology and the

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/ JUNE 2022


Emirates’ special envoy for climate

change, who has continuously

championed the benefits of

renewable energy and encouraged

an inclusive approach that will serve

as the foundation for the future

economy.

Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s clean

energy company which Dr Al Jaber

is chairman of, has advanced clean

energy, sustainable real estate

and green technology initiatives

and projects in the Emirates and

throughout the world. Masdar is

active in more than 35 countries

globally, and has invested over $20

billion in renewable energy projects

with its partners.

Saudi Arabia has also invested

heavily in boosting its renewable

energy capacity and was ranked

second after the UAE in the Compare

the Market study. The kingdom’s

renewable energy capacity surged

to 413MW from 3MW over the past

decade, it found.

“Like the UAE, Saudi Arabia is

another country that has had a

strong reliance on oil for its energy

needs but has been pushing towards

more renewable alternatives with an

increase of over 13,000 per cent in the

last 10 years,” the report said.

Barbados, Malta and Bahrain

ranked in the top five countries

that reported the largest increases

in renewable energy capacity and

are the only ones that recorded a

capacity growth of at least 10-fold

since 2011.

In terms of producing the highest

amount of renewable energy capacity

per person, Iceland ranked first

globally, generating 7,830MW for

every one million people. The majority

ASIDE FROM HARNESSING

SOLAR ENERGY,

THE UAE MADE HISTORY

WITH THE OPENING OF

THE BARAKAH NUCLEAR

ENERGY PLANT IN APRIL

2021, BECOMING THE ARAB

WORLD’S FIRST COUNTRY

TO RUN A NUCLEAR

PROGRAMME.

of this comes from hydropower, with

a significant amount also coming

from geothermal, the report said.

Norway, Sweden, Canada and

Austria rounded out the top five in the

list dominated by European countries,

with EU member states sourcing an

average of 22 per cent of their energy

from renewables — two percentage

points ahead of the goal they set

in 2009 — according to the World

Economic Forum.

Norway, meanwhile, is the country

that relies the most on green energy

at 97.4 %, followed closely by Iceland

(97.3 %), Andorra (96.9 %), Costa Rica

(86.8 %) and Switzerland (81.6 %).

When ranked by renewable

energy segments, Norway was the

top producer of hydropower during

the 10-year period, while South Korea

topped the list in terms of marine

power. Denmark produced the most

wind power, Australia generated the

most solar power and Iceland topped

the rankings globally for geothermal

energy.



WEB3

WEB3;

EMPOWERING NEW

DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM

In the realms of techno-optimists, the entrance of web3 is indeed a boon to the latest internet

technology, giving rise to an internet ecosystem founded on blockchain technology. Not only will

it monopolise the present mega-platforms but overpower the changes in the internet of today

while reawakening democracy.

The In addition, Web 3.0

is going to revolutionise

today’s online ecosystem

by leveraging machine

learning, artificial

intelligence, and blockchain to reach

a point where real-world human

communication seems attainable.

As a cherry on top, Web 3 will allow

netizens to safeguard their (own)

data while compensating for their

time on the web as well. In today’s

time, techno-savvy enthusiasts are

hooked on two prominent internet

ecosystems, involving Meta and

Amazon. In plenty of ways, they are

serving as mediators when it comes

to overruling people’s lives on digital

platforms. Because of the network

effect of these platforms, people

find it incredibly difficult to compete

against them, even if someone

were to advertise their product.

Individuals who wish to be a part

of this camaraderie are somehow

propelled to join such platforms.

Nonetheless, these domains that

portray the product features and

recommendation systems or

community guidelines are fashioning

the type of content people are on

the verge of consuming, while the

creators develop an urge to use this

data in a way that seems effective,

but it ends up involving them under

an unreasonable influence.

Data issues with centralized

ecosystem

It is undeniable how centralized

ecosystems are capable enough to

gather or accumulate individual data

in ways users have limited authority

over. Now, Such ecosystems are

nothing but defenseless against

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/ JUNE 2022


digital scandals like data leaks, which

in turn do not happily align with the

democratic values or the public good.

Why will Web 3.0 be an asset to the

digital world?

● Technology addicts believe Web

3 comes with exceptional benefits,

which will nullify the value of the

present ecosystem while making

it largely outdated. Nevertheless,

with the departure of the old and

the coming of the new, I.e Web

3, apps and platforms would not

involve intermediaries but users

as the central gatekeepers. This

is designed around the blockchain

infrastructure, the same one that

bears cryptocurrencies.

● In Web 3, data will most likely be

stored and secured across many

devices. Surprisingly, anyone who is

a techno-geek can surely make their

gadgets act as a watchful eye under

DEFENDERS OF WEB 3.0

MANIFEST HOW IT CAN GRASP

THE DEMOCRATIC ETHOS

ON BOTH A DIGITAL AND A

SOCIETAL LEVEL. IT IS SAID

THAT WEB 3, BEING THE NEXT

ITERATION OF THE INTERNET,

WILL BE MORE FLEXIBLE AND

EGALITARIAN COMPARED TO

THE EARLIER ECOSYSTEMS. IT

IS NOTHING BUT A GATEWAY,

SERVING

this framework. Such a model is

likely to reduce data theft and leaks

because the data would not be stored

anywhere centrally.

How will Web 3 recreate the idea of

democracy and defeat the gridlock?

Defenders of Web 3.0 manifest

how it can grasp the democratic

ethos on both a digital and a societal

level. It is said that Web 3, being the

next iteration of the internet, will

be more flexible and egalitarian

compared to the earlier ecosystems.

It is nothing but a gateway, serving

privileges to the people or clients

by giving them an opportunity of

exposure to choose how they wish

to associate themselves on the

web. Surprisingly, the idea of “one

person, one vote” in terms of equal

representation will lie at the very

heart of the democratic ecosystem of

Web 3. In light of this, the idea will be

constructed with a token model used

to power its applications. Besides

this, the following are some of the

eye-opening features Web 3 will

serve its audience on a silver platter

● Decentralised autonomous

organisations

Web 3 will be likely to shape

our disorganized lives and revamp

the social orders to overrule

political deadlock. Such a model is

termed “decentralised autonomous

organisations (DAOs).” It is defined

as democratized or part-possessed,

without demanding the intervention

of the mediator. For example,

whenever people are discussing

an authoritative choice, every party

has an equal right to contribute

to the offer, which can afterward

be used by them by voting using

administration tokens, to arrive at

a consensus. When a larger part

of the administration demands

a choice, it can be implemented

naturally, without involving the need

for any special design or mediator, at

any phase of interaction. Isn’t that

exceptional?!

● Ownership of Data

Unlike other internet platforms,

where the breach of data is

common with no assurance of

protection or privacy over it, it turns

out that it is a recurring problem

in the decentralised ecosystem.

Regardless, in Web 3, it is expected

that end-to-end users will have

supreme control over their data

along with the security of encryption.

In the case of the former, data leaks

happen because this part of the

information is sold to advertisers,

who pay billions of dollars,

which leads to greater misuse or

exploitation of data. On the flip side,

Web 3 will guarantee complete

ownership of data for the users,

without sharing it with others.

● Uninterrupted services

With the arrival of Web 3,

the suspension of accounts

or denial of services will be

reduced automatically. No point

of failure will be detected, and the

service disturbance will be the bare

minimum. Most importantly, the data

will be secured within the distributed

nodes to ensure sameness, and

multiple backups will be able to

prevent failures.



STARTUPS

● Year Founded: 2021

● HQ: Dubai, UAE

● Size: 1-10

● Founders: Luca Lamberti

99STARZ

99Starz is a UAE firm that was created in 2021 and is based in Dubai, UAE. The company works in

the blockchain industry, allowing gamers to play blockchain video games and earn money for their

efforts. This makes gaming more viable and incentivized for gamers all across the world. This is

accomplished through their efforts to generate NFT yields.

Since the company’s

inception last year, it has

already shown success in

raising funds to push the

99Starz team to the next

level. This was accomplished with

two investment rounds in November

and December 2021. Two investors

invested in the company during these

rounds.

99Starz will create a game based

on the source code of the popular

play-to-earn game F1 Delta Time,

which was closed down in March. The

popular P2E game’s “time trial” feature,

pioneered by Animoca Brands,

will be accessible under a new brand.

There are approximately 2,000 players

who still own the game’s NFTs,

some of which were purchased for

$100,000 each. The REVV token will

no longer be the primary in-game

currency but will be replaced by

STZ, the native 99Starz utility token.

The initial technical plan for the new

game includes several modifications

that will allow the game to handle at

least twice the number of players,

as well as a unique analytics tool

that will estimate the performance of

each NFT asset. There will be significant

changes in the new game.

99Starz is introducing millions

of gamers to the play-to-earn game

paradigm. The platform maximizes

player benefits through cooperation

by establishing the largest NFT yield

environment through guild formations

and NFT renting. Using the

$STZ token, 99Starz enables anyone

to participate in the metaverse’s gig

economy and earn money through

blockchain games.

The 99Starz ecosystem features

a multi-million dollar NFT vault

containing assets from popular P2E

games such as Axie Infinity, Sorare,

and REVV Racing, to which users

have access via the STZ token. Players

can establish guilds and receive

cooperative benefits to enhance their

in-game earnings.

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/ JUNE 2022


STARTUPS

● Year Founded: 2021

● HQ: Dubai, UAE

● Size: 1-10

● Founders: Manfred Meyer,

Philip Johnston

Opontia is a UAE startup that was created

in 2021 and is currently headquartered in

Dubai, UAE. The company offers a quick

and simple way for business owners

to sell their small e-commerce firms.

Depending on the circumstances of the

sale, the procedure could take as short as

six weeks.

Opontia is a UAE startup that

was created in 2021 and is

currently headquartered in

Dubai, UAE. The company

offers a quick and simple

way for business owners to sell their

small e-commerce firms. Depending

on the circumstances of the sale,

the procedure could take as short

as six weeks. Opontia has been

quite successful in obtaining startup

capital to advance to the next level.

The company secured $62 million in

investment from fourteen investors

and will take over Novimed in July

2021. Opontia, an e-commerce roll-up

play, debuted in June, raising $20

million in debt and equity to acquire

older, small e-commerce brands in

the Middle East and Africa.

The company confirmed to

TechCrunch that it has closed a

subsequent round, a $42 million

Series A, nine months after its

founding. When roll-up plays raise

mega-round deals, they are known to

secure more financing than stock.

Opontia’s seed round was the

case, but the equity and venture debt

shares for its Series A investment

are roughly 50 percent each.

Partners for Growth, a venture

debt firm based in San Francisco,

provided funding for Opontia’s debt.

According to TechCrunch, Opontia

has shifted its focus on its target

market. Though it began with a focus

on the Middle East and Africa, the

company has only made inroads

into the former (the UAE and Saudi

Arabia), while making major inroads

into the latter (especially Turkey and

Poland).

When questioned why Opontia

wasn’t in Africa yet, co-founder and

co-CEO Philip Johnston responded,

“There is possibility there; it’s just

not the biggest markets.” In terms

of e-commerce spending, Poland,

for example, is six times the size of

Egypt. We’re definitely heading to

Africa; we’re just starting with the

biggest markets. Poland, Turkey,

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab

Emirates, and Nigeria are our top

markets, followed by Egypt and

Pakistan.

Amazon is a pervasive

marketplace in the places where

these enterprises operate. Amazon

is a ubiquitous marketplace that sells

goods and uses its fulfilment arm and

Prime service as the infrastructure

to fulfil orders in the locations where

these companies operate.

While Thrasio, Berlin Brands,

and Branded are mostly focused

on Western Europe, the founders

of Opontia believe there is an

opportunity to target brands in East

and Central Europe. Furthermore,

with the exception of Opontia, none

of these players are active in the

Middle East. Opontia, unlike the more

important companies, pursues an

omnichannel model rather than a

single model aimed solely at “FBA” —

Fulfillment by Amazon — enterprises.

“I believe that one of our distinct

values is that we are constructing a

house of brands on our omnichannel

setup.” So, unlike Thrasio, which

focuses solely on FBA, we focus on

three separate sales channels —

marketplaces, websites, Shopify, and

social commerce,” co-founder and

co-CEO Manfred Meyer explained.

“So our purchases are now

roughly 50% marketplace, but 50%

marketplace and Shopify.”

“What we’re doing is similar to

developing a system in which you can

service all clients directly, not just on

the Amazon marketplace.”

In an interview with TechCrunch,

the founders stated that Opontia was

in talks with “more than 100 small

e-commerce firms” and claimed to

have signed multiple term sheets.

Since then, it has acquired four

businesses, including Novimed, a

direct-to-consumer company based

in the UAE that distributes medical

equipment and therapeutic items.

Opontia further claimed that since

acquiring Novimed in August, it has

quadrupled the brand’s revenue and

doubled its profit. “Opontia exists

because we discovered that there are

many e-commerce entrepreneurs

in CEEMEA who have grown their

brands to a certain degree but now

need help to take it to the next level,”

the founders explained in an email

answer to why brands consider

Opontia acquisition as a realistic

option. “We give the founder an

appealing exit while also giving them

a piece of the brand’s future earnings

development as we scale them

rapidly,” Across the next six months,

the company plans to buy 20 more

trademarks in Eastern and Central

Europe, as well as the Middle East.

According to Johnston, at

least two-thirds of the Series A

investment, or around $30 million,

will be spent to complete these

purchases.



STARTUPS

ALDAR AWARDS

PILOT PROJECTS TO

FIVE TECHNOLOGY

START-UPS

THROUGH ITS

ACCELERATOR

PROGRAMME

Reportedly, Aldar Properties,

Abu Dhabi’s biggest listed

developer, has awarded

pilot projects to five

technology start-ups

as part of the second cycle of its

ScaleUp accelerator programme that

was unveiled last year in partnership

with Majid Al Futtaim Communities.

The five selected businesses

specialise in spatial and artificial

intelligence, blockchain, non-fungible

token (NFT) applications and data

analytics, Aldar said on Monday.

The selected companies include

spatial business intelligence platform

LlamaZoo, augmented realityfocused

media company Darabase

and Geotwin, an advanced computing

and research start-up that offers a

low-risk and cost-efficient way for

organisations to test and evaluate

strategies and investments.

Metaverse Architects, an advisory

company in the Metaverse sector,

and Sook Space were also selected

as part of the programme.

“The real estate technology

start-up landscape has grown over

300 per cent in the past decade,

with an estimated 8,000 PropTech

[property technology] companies

identified, said Maan Al Awlaqi,

executive director of strategy and

transformation at Aldar Properties.

He said there was significant

demand for PropTech platforms in the

UAE, particularly with the global shift

towards Web3.

“Selected start-ups have

demonstrated that their solutions can

add real value to Aldar’s business

model, whether through spatial

intelligence platforms, monetising

our real estate in the metaverse or

by connecting our communities with

experiential spaces,” Mr Al Awlaqi

said. “We see great potential in these

pilot projects and look forward to

working with them.”

The initiative is part of Aldar’s

equity-free programme that provides

a gateway for global technology

start-ups to gain access to the UAE

market. It was launched in February

last year in association with startAD

— an accelerator based at New York

University Abu Dhabi.

The five start-ups were selected

after a rigorous process in which

more than 300 applications from 69

countries were assessed, Aldar said.

The metaverse is the emerging

digital space in which people,

represented by avatars or threedimensional

likenesses, can interact

in virtual worlds.

It is part of Web3, which is being

touted as the next iteration of the

World Wide Web, with blockchain,

decentralisation, openness and

greater user utility among its core

components.

The move comes at a time

when the UAE’s property market

is continuing to recover from the

coronavirus pandemic on the back

of the government initiatives such

as residency permits for retirees

and remote workers, as well as the

expansion of the 10-year golden

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visa programme and the economic

boost generated by Expo 2020 Dubai.

The market has also benefitted

from the country’s widespread

Covid-19 vaccination programme,

which has kept cases relatively low.

The global metaverse industry

is projected to grow to about $829

billion in 2028, from about $48bn

in 2020, according to Emergen

Research.

Web3, meanwhile, is expected to

be valued at about $6.2bn in 2023 and

is projected to grow at a compound

annual rate of 44.6 per cent from

2023 to 2030, according to Market

Research Future.

Aldar Properties is also teaming

up with US venture capital company

Fifth Wall to invest in a fund focused

on supporting property technology

start-ups in Europe, it said last year.

Abu Dhabi’s aggregate

valuation of Hub71 startups

soared to Dh5.87 billion since

its 2019 inception

Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s global tech

ecosystem, today announced that

its startup community ramped

up approximately Dh1.5 billion

of investments since inception

and secured Dh30 million in 2021

through over 20 corporate deals

during the year. The aggregate

valuation of Hub71 startups soared

to Dh5.87 billion, with close to 1,000

jobs created since its inception in

2019, demonstrating the impact of a

thriving technology community in the

UAE’s capital city.

Backed by Mubadala, Hub71

is accelerating Abu Dhabi’s

digital transformation and the

UAE’s progress to becoming an

Entrepreneurial Nation by 2031.

The tech ecosystem has expanded

its strategic partnerships and

value-creation programs to

enable disruptive startups to grow

and accelerate their journeys

to becoming multibillion-dollar

companies. Hub71 published its 2021

Impact Report, highlighting growth

and success stories emerging from

its community of more than 100

startups over the past year.

Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa Al

Hammadi, chairman of Hub71,

said: “Following Hub71’s 191 per

cent startup growth in 2020, Abu

Dhabi has emerged stronger as

a technological and innovative

economy characterized by

progress. Entrepreneurship will be

a key cornerstone of a sustainable

economy and if the quality of Hub71’s

founders is anything to go by, we

have every confidence the tech

ecosystem will continue to attract

long-term investment, international

partnerships and companies

exceeding the one-billion-dollar

valuation mark.

“As we work toward achieving

the UAE’s ambition of becoming

an entrepreneurial nation by 2031,

Hub71’s strong performance in 2021

exemplifies the enabling business

environment we have established

in Abu Dhabi. We aim to position

technology companies for growth,

and our priority remains to enable

a flexible and favourable business

environment that supports creative

ideas and scales solutions to address

society’s most pressing challenges.”

New impact report findings

For the period from January

to December 2021, Hub71’s Impact

Report provides insights into Abu

Dhabi’s technology ecosystem and

its impact on the wider community,

economy and society. Hub71’s vibrant

community boasts startups from 25

nations across 18 diverse sectors,

ranging from fintech, robotics, AI and

big data to health tech, agtech and

cybersecurity.

As part of its mission to build a

community of globally enduring tech

companies and position Abu Dhabi

as a leading tech hub, Hub71 has

connected founders with investors

and funds and contributed Dh36

million through its various initiatives

to ease the startup journey in Abu

Dhabi. Startups at Hub71 closed 32

funding rounds in which companies

such as Trella closed a Dh154

million Series-A funding round,

and BitOasis, the cryptocurrency

platform, along with Securrency,

the blockchain-based financial

infrastructure company, both raised

Dh110 million in Series-B rounds

to fund their expansion across the

UAE and the region. Seven Proof

of Concepts (POCs) have been

successfully implemented and threemultimillion-dirham

deals have been

signed through Hub71’s The Outliers

program, which seeks innovative

solutions to challenges set by

corporate and government partners.

Badr Al Olama, the acting CEO

of Hub71, said: “Our Impact Report

demonstrates how much progress

Hub71 startups have achieved

over the past year. Founders play

an immense role in Abu Dhabi by

defining the future of technology that

is capturing the imagination of a city

full of ambition. At Hub71, we partner

with founders who are scaling the

leading businesses of tomorrow that

are inspiring new ways to advance

sectors and influence how we do

things. The impact has been our

number one aim, and we are firmly

committed to it as our community

contributes to the UAE’s next 50

years as a catalyst for growth,

transformation and disruption.”

To solidify its impact in 2022,

Hub71 will intensify its efforts to

strengthen Abu Dhabi’s position

globally as an attractive innovation

hub for entrepreneurial talent. The

tech ecosystem aims to reinforce

its capital community of VC funds

and continue growing its strategic

partnerships that facilitate crossborder

market access, funding and

knowledge exchange to help fulfil

the growth aspirations of founders in

its community. Through a concerted

effort to enhance value creation,

Hub71 will continue supporting

entrepreneurs and investors with a

series of new initiatives, programs

and partnerships that will foster the

tech innovation ecosystem in Abu

Dhabi.



EVENTS

DIGITAL TALENT ECOSYSTEM

DIALOGUE

It is undeniable how the prestige of digital transformation has indeed skyrocketed, bringing together the

storehouse of talent to brainstorm, discuss, and pave the way for the upcoming digital workforce while obliging

the significance of competitive skills in today’s job market. For instance, in-demand skills like cloud computing,

artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cybersecurity, are highly needed or required as per the region’s digital

economy vision.

In light of this, the Digital Talent

Ecosystem dialogue was

organized on May 23rd, 2022 in

Dubai, United Arab Emirates to

address the ICT talent shortage

& closing the digital skills gap

to drive Middle East’s economic

transformation, to prepare the digital

marketers for not just today, but

for the upcoming era of digitization.

Nonetheless, it would be no less

than a challenge to navigate the

workforce, where you fit in the right

ways.

Key takeaways

Expanding your network- Digital

Talent Ecosystem Dialogue created a

holistic abode for the individuals, who

met, learned, and joined exceptional

innovators with the groundbreaking

work alongside like-minded

people, who encouraged real-time

conversation on adapting to the everchanging

digital landscape and the

years to come.

Technology and Innovation- In

this summit, aspirants encountered

pioneers of technology and

innovation, wherein they had the

privilege to exchange dialogues

with them on niches like; challenges

& need for the right workforce to

drive digital transformation & future

innovation.

Prominent speakers - The event

was headed by global innovators,

change-makers, thought leaders,

technologists, and industry veterans,

who talked about the importance of

long-term digital strategy and how

it can give the techno-enthusiasts

a breakthrough from existing

challenges or impediments in leading

their digital journey.

Venue

Habtoor Grand Resort Autograph

Collection Dubai UAE, Al Falea St –

Jumeirah Beach Residence – Dubai

– United Arab Emirates

Date: 23 May ‘22

Number of attendees: 150 visitors

Speakers: +30

Categories

Information Technology

Business

Banking and finance

H.R Jobs and Career

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CABSAT 2022

An overview of the event

CABSAT 2022 took

place from the 17th of May

to the 19th of May 2022,

as one of the leading

shows for innovation or engaging

experiences in the domains of

satellite, broadcast, content, etc. It

stood to be a perfect hub that helped

people foster their businesses

and assisted them with innovative

solutions rendered by global leaders

and so forth. In addition, it gave the

attendees a competitive advantage

to get the latest deep dives into

international best practices, and

lessons learned as witnessed by a

large audience.

Key Takeaways

CABSAT turned out to be an

ultimate event for the satellite,

media, and entertainment industry

that showcased exceptional

innovation and powerful solutions

for professionals looking to create,

deliver and monetize content on any

platform.

It focused on the need for

sustainability in broadcast, media,

and satellite industries.

With the global broadcast and

media technology market expected

to grow from $41.4 billion in 2021 to

$62 billion in 2027, it’s never been

more important to ensure the right

strategies are in place to capitalise

on these emerging opportunities.”

Venue: Dubai World Trade Centre,

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Dates: 17th- 19th May,2022

Exhibitors- 280 global exhibitors

Attendees- 10,000 visitors from 120

countries

Categories

Information Technology

Advertising

Entertainment & media



EVENTS

GLOBAL CRYPTOCURRENCY SUMMIT 2022

A

quick glance at the Global

Cryptocurrency Summit

2022

With the ever-growing

demand for blockchain

cryptocurrency, Dubai served as

a bridge and hosted the Global

cryptocurrency summit on the 24th-

26th May 2022 to bring together some

of the world’s leading blockchain

and FinTech thought leaders, crypto

influencers, policymakers, key

government delegates, HNIs and

other curated investors to foster the

crypto and blockchain community

across the globe.

Why Dubai?

Undeniably, Dubai is the

fastest-growing global platform for

entrepreneurs, innovators, investors,

venture capitalists, governments,

IT directors, developers, industry

enthusiasts, and global media for

unmatched networking and exclusive

blockchain adaptations.

Also, The BSV Global Blockchain

Convention is the only event in the

world that focused solely on the

massively scaling public blockchain

ecosystem. It showcased the

capabilities and wide range of

applications that are possible on the

BSV Blockchain.

Besides this, the World

Cryptocurrency summit of 2022

directed its vigilance toward

expanding the influence of blockchain

technology, while contributing to its

exponential growth and helping it

reach a larger audience.

Key takeaways

Astounding Exhibitors: The event

facilitated engagement with products

and services from global blockchain

companies, from start-ups to global

enterprises. Tremendous Networking:

Individuals were able to build

connections with the most influential

senior decision-makers, developers,

and investors in the blockchain

space. Incredible Innovations: They

could Discover new applications that

are changing industries on a global

scale.

Venue

Grand Hyatt Dubai, the BSV Global

Blockchain Convention

Date: 23- 24th May 2022

Number of attendees - 2000+ from

100+countries

Number of exhibitors- 100

Categories

Blockchain

Cryptocurrency

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SPACE TECHNOLOGY

STARLINK: SPACEX’S SATELLITE

INTERNET PROJECT

Starring the “Starlink”

The space geeks have

opened their eyes to the

eye-popping developments

and advancements running

through today’s space technology,

named Starlink: SpaceX’s Satellite

Internet Project. To introduce, Starlink

is crowned as a satellite network

assembled by the private spaceflight

company SpaceX to render low-cost

internet to remote locations. It aims

and strives to introduce as many as

42,000 satellites in this realm of the

mega constellation. Furthermore,

the scope and scale of this project

confuse astronomers, who have a

fear that the bright, orbiting objects

will meddle in the matters of the

Universe, which in turn raises

concern for spaceflight safety

experts about how Starlink can

become a menace, or can become a

reason for the collision hazard in the

earth’s orbit.

In addition, scientists have

expressed their skepticism about

how metal can boil up in the earth’s

atmosphere as long as old satellites

are deorbited, which can surely

trigger unprecedented changes to the

planet’s condition.

How do Starlink satellites work?

According to Sky & Telescope

magazine, the current version of each

Starlink satellite weighs 573 Ibs

(260 kilograms) and is roughly

the size of the table. Besides this,

nowadays, instead of transmitting

internet signals via electric cables,

satellite internet operates via

beaming information through the

vacuum of space, which travels 47%

faster than on a fibre-optic cable.

Furthermore, the intriguing facts

about this satellite network are as

follows:

Starlink offers a new form of internet.

Unlike conventional satellites,

Starlink is designed to communicate

via laser technology. In light of this,

lasers can travel at a light speed

(186,282 miles per second), which

allows for superfast communication

while considering the other methods

of telecommunication invalid.

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/ JUNE 2022


Starlink Beta is available for trial

Starlink has indeed decided to

release a beta version for people to

try. And upon its usage, surprisingly,

this version of Starlink was able to

fulfill its promise of providing high

internet speed. Nevertheless, Starlink

has signaled to users that there will

be a time when customers will have

no internet connectivity, and in that

case, one has to remain cautious

even if one signs up for the beta.

Beta versions aren’t available

globally as of yet, but one can sign

up for the same if one manages to

live in specific locations like the

United States. To simplify or to know

whether your location is eligible for

a beta trial or not, go to Starlink’s

official website and enter your home

address.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX assists internet

services in Bahrain, Israel being the

next destination

American Billionaire Elon Musk’s

SpaceX has indeed earned the

license to operate Starlink internet

services in Bahrain. In addition,

The Kingdom Telecommunications

Regulatory Authority is the first entity

in the Gulf to approve the provision

of Starlink’s services. The question

that occurs in our mind is, why does

it matter?

Let us read the following to drill

our minds with its importance and

know-how.

● SpaceX had an existing partnership

with Bahrain before the Starlink deal.

In December of last year, a SpaceX

rocket launched a Bahraini-Emirati

satellite to the International space

station. And as a result, this was

considered to be Bahrain’s first space

satellite.

● The agreement with Starlink would

surely help them boost their internet

sector, where surprisingly, more

than 99% of the Bahraini population

has had internet access, which

contributes to among the highest

percentages in the region.

Starlink services might be

available in other Middle East

countries too in 2022.



FUTURE TECHNOLOGY

WILL SPACE BE THE

NEXT DESTINATION

FOR TOURISM?

In 1967, Barron Hilton’s dream of a Lunar Hilton Hotel may have seemed bizarre, but in 2022, that dream is becoming closer to

reality than fantasy. Today, the final frontier may be more accessible than ever as the space industry continues to grow. A new space

race is afoot, but instead of being led by nations and leading aeronautical institutions, it is being fueled by the aspirations and pockets

of the world’s billionaires.

Blue Origin, SpaceX, Virgin

Galactic, Boeing, and

others are pioneering the

space tourism industry,

offering suborbital flights

as of now. Interestingly, the notion

of space tourism has been met with,

understandably, polarised views.

Space has been a fascination of

many for millennia, with thousands

of books and media depicting

adventures and life in space. Some

view space tourism as a huge

opportunity to expand global tourism

GDP and thus boost the global

economy.

The launch of Blue Origin’s

New Shepard saw the auction of a

ticket worth $28m for the 11-minute

suborbital flight. Despite this, official

prices are still undisclosed but are

speculated to be in the range of

$200,000 to $300,000 per person.

Virgin Atlantic previously offered

suborbital flights at the cost of

$250,000 but has since raised them

to a whopping $450,000 per person

for 2 hours at 80 km.

While SpaceX aims to focus

on lunar missions and orbital

trips, it allowed their Crew Dragon

spacecraft to be chartered for an

orbital flight. A seat on said flight

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/ JUNE 2022


cost an astonishing $55,000,000 per

person for a stay, lasting little over

a week, at the International Space

Station.

Space Perspective, which

is only expected to launch in

late 2024, comes in with the lowest

price. They are asking for $125,000

per ticket, with a $1000 refundable

deposit.

At this stage, space tourism is

in its infancy, meaning it remains

primarily an elitist pastime due to

the costs it takes for a launch, which

are dependent on the company, the

distance of the trip and whether it is

orbital or sub-orbital.

This being said, the endeavour

is met with disdain and touted as

an egocentric display by the elite.

Some also view space tourism as

a waste of resources, albeit being

funded mainly by private enterprises.

An article on Earth.org goes into

some detail about the humanitarian

efforts that could have been solved

by the amount Jeff Bezos spent

on a single flight. This sentiment

is a part of a bigger conversation

involving the world’s wealthiest

and how they choose to spend said

wealth. While people continue to

suffer from the repercussions of

the pandemic, natural disasters and

consequences of the activities of

major corporations (some even run

by said billionaires) the investment

into space tourism efforts seems

frivolous in comparison. Especially,

when there is still a lot to be

done on Earth. Qualms about the

environmental impacts of space

tourism are at the forefront. With

companies like SpaceX aiming to

have launches bi-weekly, concerns

about carbon emissions and

atmospheric pollution are rising. An

hour and a half flight is said to have

the same carbon footprint as a 10-

hour transatlantic flight. Although

there are alternatives, such as Blue

Origin’s liquid hydrogen and liquid

oxygen propellant, to the commonlyused

fuel, they require a lot of

electrical energy to produce. A survey

conducted by the Morning Consult

saw that monitoring the earth’s

climate system ranked much higher

than sending civilians into space. As

the issue of climate change is more

prioritised in the eyes of the public,

the less important space exploration,

let alone tourism, seems.

Writer and journalist, Richard

Harding, once said, “I began to

understand why young men with

apparently everything to make them

happy on earth persist in leaving it by

means of airplanes.” What lures them

is the call of a new world waiting to

be conquered; the sense of power,

of detachment from everything

humdrum, or even human, the thrill

that makes all the other sensations

stale and vapid, the exhilaration

that for the moment makes each

one of them a king.” The answer

to whether space will be the next

tourist destination, will hinge upon

whether the common man can come

to this epiphany, despite every other

concern that surrounds him..



DID YOU KNOW?

THE METAVERSE

You won’t believe it, but the total valuation of

the Metaverse could reach a trillion dollars in the

coming years.

Bill Gates predicts that workers will use the

Metaverse for virtual meetings.

The new age conference platform; Goodbye

Zoom, Hello Metaverse

Experts predict that the Metaverse space will be

used for work shortly

TWITTER

Roughly half of U.S. adults who use Twitter (49%)

post fewer than five tweets per month.

Twitter lurkers are more likely to use the

platform to hear other points of view than more

frequent tweeters.

Do you know Replies make up the largest share

of lurkers’ tweets?

Lurkers report visiting Twitter’s site less

frequently than more active tweeters.

INTERESTING FACTS

ABOUT ARTIFICIAL

INTELLIGENCE

Did you know that Google CEO Sundar Pichai

claimed that artificial intelligence (AI) will be more

transformative to humanity than electricity?

A McKinsey survey has found that out of

2,395 participants, 1,151 people said that their

companies have adopted AI in at least one

function within the organization.

Did you know that a supercomputer has

identified 77 chemicals that could prevent the

coronavirus from spreading, which could help

doctors mitigate infection and develop effective

treatment plans.

FACEBOOK

Mark Zuckerberg’s First Idea Was a Site Called

Facemash, When Zuckerberg was at Harvard, he

had the idea of creating a site that allowed users to

compare people’s faces.

Facebook Is the Third Most Popular Site in the

World, It’s next only to Google and Youtube.

Facebook Users Have Uploaded 250 Billion

Photos

This means 350 million photos are uploaded to

Facebook every single day!

The Asia Pacific accounts for 38% of Facebook’s

Active Users

Indonesia, India, and the Philippines are the

countries seeing the biggest growth in Facebook

user accounts.

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APPLE

First Digital Camera

Ever wondered if Apple was the

one to make the mass-produced

digital camera. It could take

8 photographs and connect

to a Mac via a serial port.

Battery Of An Apple

Surprisingly, Apple products use such robust batteries that they can be called bulletproof.

Your MacBook might just save you from a gunshot!

Macintosh

Do you know The Apple Lisa was

named after the daughter of

Steve Jobs? However, the name

Macintosh is derived from the

variety of Apple. It ties in the

entire fruit theme together and is

considered ingenious.

Sir Isaac Newton

According to sources, the first logo

of Apple was Isaac Newton with an

Apple about to fall on his head. Due

to the level of detail that would have

gone into making that logo small, it

was scrubbed.

FUN FACTS ABOUT TECHNOLOGY

Over 6,000 new

computer viruses are

created and released

every month. 90% of

emails contain some

form of malware!

The Firefox logo

isn’t a fox… it’s a red

panda!

Samsung is 38 years

and 1 month older

than Apple.

Do you know that One

Petabyte (PB) = 1024

(TB). To put this in

perspective, a 50PB

hard drive could hold

the entire written

works of mankind

from the beginning of

recorded history in

all languages.

You wouldn’t believe

it but Alexa is always

listening to your

conversations. Alexa

stores all of your

dialogue history in the

cloud to improve the

Alexa experience.

It is quite fascinating

to know how surgeons

who grew up playing

video games more

than three hours per

week make 37% fewer

errors and have a

42% faster completion

rate when performing

laparoscopic surgery

and suturing.

Do you know until

2010, carrier pigeons

were faster than the

internet.

NASA’s internet speed

is 91 GB per second.

It is unbelievable but

there are approx.

3.5 billion Google

searches per day and

7.2 percent of this

traffic come from

people searching the

term ‘Google’.

Over 90% of the

world’s currency

is digital- between

credit cards, debit

cards, online

purchases, and

cryptocurrency, only

8% of global currency

is physical money.

Do you know that

Mark Zuckerberg

is red-green colour

blind?

Mark Zuckerberg

is red-green

colourblind, which

means the colour he

can see best is blue.

This is why the colour

blue dominates the

Facebook website

and mobile app.


126

/ JUNE 2022


The Technology Express Magazine | Edition: June 2022

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