2amtoday-blog

[2amtoday-blog]

Umbrella Buying Guide

Walking in the rain is usually not enjoyable, but a good umbrella can make the experience less miserable by keeping you dry and providing easy storage when not in use. Our top choice is the Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella, which is compact yet sturdy with its nine-rib construction that can withstand strong winds. It is also reasonably priced compared to other umbrellas that are twice the cost. choosing a right umbrella can be a task. Here's a guide to help you make a well-informed decision. - Type: There are several types of umbrellas available, including compact, automatic, stick, golf, and beach umbrellas. Choose the type that suits your needs and preferences. - Size: Consider the size of the umbrella when open and closed. A compact umbrella is easy to carry, but it may not provide as much coverage as a larger umbrella. - Coverage: Ensure that the canopy of the umbrella provides sufficient coverage to keep you dry. Look for umbrellas with a wide coverage area and a deep canopy. - Durability: The durability of an umbrella is important, especially if you live in an area with frequent rain and strong winds. Look for umbrellas with sturdy frames and ribs. - Windproof: A windproof umbrella will not turn inside out during strong gusts of wind. Look for umbrellas with vented canopies or double-layered construction. - Handle: The handle of an umbrella should be comfortable to hold and provide a good grip, even when wet. Wooden and rubber handles are popular choices. - Color and Design: Umbrellas are available in a variety of colors and designs. Choose one that matches your style and personality. - Price: Umbrellas can range in price from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars. Consider your budget and choose an umbrella that provides good value for money. Our selection process focused on the umbrella's ability to provide ample coverage, be of manageable size, wind-proof, and good value. We also have four other picks to suit different preferences, including a budget travel umbrella and a high-end stick-style umbrella that offers more coverage made from premium materials.

Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella

The Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella is compact when folded (11.5 inches long) and expands to a sizable canopy (37 inches in diameter) with a touch of a button to protect you from precipitation, except during the windiest conditions. Its textured handle makes it easy for hands of all sizes to grip, and it comes in various colors to make it easier to spot in a crowded umbrella bucket. Repel also offers a lifetime refund or replacement guarantee, but only if you buy directly from them and register the item under its warranty.

AmazonBasics Automatic Travel Umbrella with Wind Vent

The AmazonBasics Automatic Travel Umbrella with Wind Vent offers a lower cost alternative to our top pick, especially if you choose the black version. Its vented design and sturdy construction allowed it to withstand even the strongest gusts during testing. However, this umbrella has had stock issues in the past, making it difficult to predict availability. As of winter 2023, stock seems to have stabilized, making it a solid option.

Balios Folding Double Canopy Umbrella

The Balios Folding Double Canopy Umbrella has a premium look and feel with its wooden handle and solid build quality, while still being less expensive than our top pick. However, the handle is more slippery than the Repel umbrella's handle, and there's no wrist strap, so you need to be careful not to drop it. This umbrella held up well to strong winds, and its 37-inch-wide canopy bounced back easily after inverting during testing. It deploys quickly.

The Lewis N. Clark Umbrella

The Lewis N. Clark Umbrella, a previous top pick, remains a great value option. It frequently goes on sale for half the price of our other picks, making it suitable for kids or individuals prone to losing umbrellas. Though it's not as sturdy as our other picks, it's about a quarter-pound lighter and offers better coverage and wind resistance than most sub-$20 umbrellas. It's available in nine colors.

Totes Auto Open Wooden Stick Umbrella

If you want more coverage than a compact automatic umbrella, stick umbrellas have a wider canopy, protecting more than just your upper torso. The Totes Auto Open Wooden Stick Umbrella is the most affordable option among the nine we tested. It held up well against strong winds and didn't feel top-heavy, a common issue with this type of umbrella. Though it looks nicer than expected for the price, if you prefer premium materials, consider our other pick, the Davek Elite.

DAVEK ELITE UMBRELLA

The Davek Elite is a more expensive, high-end option with a stitched leather handle, high-quality fiberglass frame, and a 44-inch microfiber canopy. It withstands wind excellently and turns inside out before recovering easily, thanks to its flexible ribs. It's available in three colors and comes with a lifetime guarantee. However, its cane handle measures 5 inches across, which could be difficult for individuals with smaller hands to manage.

Other Umbrellas You Can Consider

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Apple CEO Tim Cook: Very happy to be back in China, gain a lot every time I come to China.

On March 25th, Apple CEO Tim Cook made an appearance at the "China Development High-Level Forum 2023 Annual Meeting" and expressed his pleasure at being able to return to China. He stated that every time he comes to China, he gains a lot of knowledge. During a sub-forum called "Together Towards the Future" on Saturday, Cook said that this year marks Apple's 30th anniversary in the Chinese market. In 1993, Apple set up an office in Beijing. He also mentioned that his relationship with China goes back even before joining Apple. Despite the ongoing tension between China and the US, Cook, along with other American business leaders such as investment guru Dalio and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, attended the China Development High-Level Forum held in Beijing this weekend. According to some foreign media reports, this is also Cook's first visit to China since the pandemic began. On the afternoon of the 24th, a netizen posted a video on Weibo claiming that Cook appeared at the Apple retail store in Sanlitun, Beijing. Cook himself also tweeted that evening expressing his happiness to meet with his team and customers. When asked about his experience returning to China during the pandemic, the head of the American high-tech company said that he feels very good. "Every time I come to China, I learn something and take it back with me. Mainly it's the Chinese culture, which I really like," Cook said at the forum. Read the full article

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Huawei P60 series officially released: supporting 10-level variable aperture and bidirectional Beidou satellite messaging

At the Huawei Spring Flagship Launch this afternoon, the new flagship of Huawei's P60 series was officially unveiled. The company claims that the new phone inherits its aesthetic genes, leads in imaging innovation, and recreates new peaks in the fields of mobile imaging and aesthetic design. In terms of appearance, the Huawei P60 series continues the design philosophy of the P series, using the "Crystal Eye" design to showcase the beauty of order and continuing the classic camera layout. It is equipped with a new and sleek curved screen and has a round and smooth feel. The new phone offers four color options: Feather Sand Purple, Feather Sand Black, Fei Leng Cui, and the unique Loco White that adopts the "crystal mother-of-pearl" process, revealing every texture and color in the pure white, making each one unique. The P60 uses a Linglong Four-Curve Kunlun Glass screen, with all models equipped with a 6.67-inch OLED screen that supports high dynamic display for photos and videos and a 1-120Hz LTPO adaptive refresh rate that achieves a 29% reduction in power consumption. In addition, the P60 is also equipped with the X-True Huawei Ambient Display technology, the first smartphone to receive dual professional color accuracy authentication from TUV Rheinland in Germany. In bright light environments, the P60 has higher contrast and presents more details in dim light environments. The P60 series has a screen-to-body ratio of 93.1% and supports IP68 dust and water resistance. In terms of imaging, the Huawei P60 series features the industry's first ultra-spotlight main camera (48 million pixels), supporting F1.4-F4.0 ten-stage physical aperture intelligent variable, and increasing the light input by 191% compared to the industry's flagship smartphone, the iPhone 14 Pro Max. It is equipped with a new XD Fusion Pro texture engine that can clearly capture low-light scenes. The P60's other two cameras are a 13 million pixel ultra-wide-angle camera (RYYB F2.2) and a 12 million pixel periscope telephoto camera (RYYB, supporting 5x optical zoom and OIS). The Huawei P60 Pro features the same main and ultra-wide-angle cameras as the P60, but the telephoto camera has been upgraded to a 48 million pixel 3.5x optical zoom periscope telephoto camera, with 488% more light input than the iPhone 14 Pro Max. In addition, it is the first smartphone in the industry with a three-axis sensor displacement stabilization system, which enhances the stabilization by 58%. It also features the industry's first ultra-spotlight night vision telephoto lens, with an F2.1 large aperture, the largest aperture periscope telephoto lens in the industry, which can capture super moonlight shots. In terms of video, the Huawei P60 series supports telephoto night scene videos, super macro slow-motion photography, HDR Vivid high dynamic videos, and 4K slow-motion photography. In terms of communication, the Huawei P60 series is the world's first mass-market smartphone to support bidirectional Beidou satellite messages. When there is no ground network signal, it can send and receive messages from the other party. The Huawei P60 series is equipped with the Lingxite Communication Technology solution, which includes three innovative technologies: Lingxite antenna, Lingxite network, and Lingxite algorithm. It uses a new antenna technology and a multi-mode low-radiation antenna, which enhances the low-frequency signal by 2dB+ and the mid-to-high frequency signal by 1.5dB+. The Huawei P60 Pro has a built-in 4810mAh battery, supports 88W wired fast charging, charges halfway in 10 minutes, and supports 50W wireless charging and 7.5W wireless reverse charging. It is worth mentioning that it comes with an 88W charging adapter with A/B dual ports. The Huawei P60 series is equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ 4G chip and is the first to feature the HarmonyOS 3.1 system, which supports direct search from the desktop and intelligent image search. At the launch event, Huawei also released the Huawei P60 Art "Large Cup," which was designed by Huawei Paris Aesthetics Research Institute and features an irregular camera design inspired by the island. It comes in two colors: flowing sand gold and azure blue. Compared to the P60 Pro, the camera has been upgraded to a 40MP f/2.2 ultra-wide-angle camera, while the battery has been upgraded to a 5100mAh silicon-carbon negative electrode battery, and other configurations remain the same as the Pro model. In terms of price, the new Huawei P60 series includes three models: Huawei P60: - 128GB for 4488 yuan - 256GB for 4988 yuan - 512GB for 5988 yuan Huawei P60 Pro: - - 256GB for 6988 yuan - 512GB for 7988 yuan Huawei P60 Art: - 512GB for 8988 yuan - 1TB for 10988 yuan Read the full article

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Tencent's Q4 revenue was 145 billion yuan, and the adjusted net profit was 29.7 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 19%

Today Tencent Holdings Limited (hereinafter referred to as Tencent) released its unaudited fourth-quarter 2022 and audited full-year 2022 comprehensive results as of December 31, 2022. According to the fair value accounting, Tencent's equity investment in listed companies is worth CNY 585.1 billion, and the book value of its��unlisted investments is CNY 333.4 billion. Excluding the impact of certain one-time and/or non-cash items, Tencent's operating profit for Q4 2022 under non-IFRS financial reporting standards was CNY 39.4 billion, a year-on-year increase of 19%. The operating profit margin rose from 23% in the same period last year to 27%. The net profit for the period was CNY 30.6 billion, a year-on-year increase of 19%, and the net profit margin rose from 18% in the same period last year to 21%. The profit attributable to equity holders of the company for the period was CNY 29.7 billion, a year-on-year increase of 19%. The basic earnings per share were CNY 3.124, and the diluted earnings per share were CNY 3.042. In particular, Tencent's total revenue for Q4 2022 was CNY 145 billion, a year-on-year increase of 1%, and the total cash at the end of the period was CNY 319.6 billion. Under IFRS financial reporting standards, Tencent's operating profit for Q4 2022 was CNY 116.8 billion, a year-on-year increase of 6%. The operating profit margin rose from 76% in the same period last year to 81%. The net profit for the period was CNY 106.9 billion, a year-on-year increase of 12%, and the net profit margin rose from 66% in the same period last year to 74%. The profit attributable to equity holders of the company for the period was CNY 106.3 billion, a year-on-year increase of 12%. The basic earnings per share were CNY 11.173, and the diluted earnings per share were CNY 10.977.

Specifically, Tencent's value-added services revenue for Q4 2022 decreased by 2% year-on-year to CNY 70.4 billion; international game revenues increased by 5% to CNY 13.9 billion, excluding the impact of exchange rates and adjustments related to Supercell in Q4 2021, the growth rate was 11%; domestic game revenues decreased by 6% to CNY 27.9 billion; social network revenues decreased by 2% to CNY 28.6 billion. The revenue from online advertising business increased by 15% year-on-year to CNY 24.7 billion; social and other advertising revenue increased by 17% to CNY 21.4 billion; media advertising revenue increased by 4% to CNY 3.3 billion. The revenue from financial technology and enterprise services business decreased by 1% year-on-year to CNY 47.2 billion. For the full year 2022, Tencent's total revenue was CNY 554.6 billion, a year-on-year decrease of 1%.

Excluding the impact of certain one-time and/or non-cash items, Tencent's operating profit for full-year 2022 under non-IFRS financial reporting standards was CNY 153.5 billion, a year-on-year decrease of 4%. The operating profit margin remained flat at 28% compared to the previous year. The net profit for the year was CNY 119.2 billion, a year-on-year decrease of 7%, and the net profit margin decreased from 23% last year to 21%. The profit attributable to equity holders of the company for the year was CNY 115.6 billion, a year-on-year decrease of 7%. The basic earnings per share were CNY 12.138, and the diluted earnings per share were CNY 11.835. Under IFRS financial reporting standards, Tencent's operating profit for full-year 2022 was CNY 235.7 billion, a year-on-year decrease of 13%. The operating profit margin decreased from 48% last year to 43%. The net profit for the year was CNY 188.7 billion, a year-on-year decrease of 17%, and the net profit margin decreased from 41% last year to 34%. The profit attributable to equity holders of the company for the year was CNY 188.2 billion, a year-on-year decrease of 16%. The basic earnings per share were CNY 19.757, and the diluted earnings per share were CNY 19.341. Specifically, in 2022, the total usage time of WeChat, owned by Tencent, continued to increase throughout the year. The transaction volume of mini programs reached several trillions of yuan in 2022. The usage time of mini programs and video accounts was twice and three times that of the same period last year, respectively, surpassing the usage time of WeChat Moments. In addition, in 2022, Tencent's digital content value-added services paid membership numbers decreased by 1% to 234 million compared to the same period last year. The video subscription revenue increased due to a pricing adjustment, but the delay in content broadcasting caused a slight decrease in the number of video paid members to 119 million. It is worth mentioning that as of December 31, 2022, Tencent's net debt was 14.8 billion yuan, the fair value of equity in listed investment companies (excluding subsidiary companies) was 585.1 billion yuan, and the book value of unlisted investments was 333.4 billion yuan. Tencent's Chairman and CEO Ma Huateng said, "In 2022, we improved efficiency, focused on core businesses, and expanded new services and revenue sources including video accounts and games in international markets. The user behavior we observed indicates that China's economic growth is rebounding, and our changes last year allowed us to contribute to and benefit from this trend. We are heavily investing in building artificial intelligence capabilities and cloud infrastructure to embrace the trend of development of basic models. We believe this will help improve our existing products and services, explore and launch new products. Looking ahead, we will continue to create value for users, businesses, and society through technology and innovation." Read the full article

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Huawei Mate X3 is now available: Will it debut with HarmonyOS 3.1?

Huawei Mate X3 foldable screen is now available for pre-order on Huawei's JD self-operated store. Although the price information has not yet been announced, it can be confirmed that this Mate X3 foldable screen will have a significant upgrade. Huawei Mate X3 is now available: Will it debut with HarmonyOS 3.1? Unfortunately, it is estimated that it still cannot support 5G networks, which is a pity for a 5G leading company that cannot produce 5G phones. It is worth mentioning that Huawei hinted in the official poster that Huawei Mate X3 will have a lightweight body design and will be "lighter" again. In the second picture of the poster, a piece of ultra-thin folding glass is striking, which is indestructible and can withstand the impact of gravel. This implies that Huawei Mate X3 will have a very reliable screen durability. In addition, Huawei Mate X3 will also be the first to be equipped with the new HarmonyOS operating system. It will be pre-installed with the HarmonyOS 3.1 system when it leaves the factory. It is reported that HarmonyOS 3.1 has made a lot of improvements in animation and system stability optimization, including significant adjustments in notification panel animation effects, widget layout selection, and many bug fixes. Read the full article

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Xiaomi Automotive Tech can match the autonomous driving level according to the driver

Xiaomi Automotive Technology Co., Ltd.'s patent application for "Vehicle Autonomous Driving Method, Device, Electronic Equipment and Storage Medium" has been authorized. According to the information obtained from the Chinese National Intellectual Property Administration, this patent proposes a vehicle autonomous driving method, device, electronic equipment, and storage medium, which belongs to the field of autonomous driving technology. The method includes: determining that the vehicle is in autonomous driving mode, collecting driver information during driving, determining the driver's target safety driving level based on the collected driver information, obtaining the target autonomous driving mode that matches the target safety driving level from the candidate autonomous driving modes of the vehicle, and authorizing the operation permission of the target autonomous driving mode. This patent can automatically match the autonomous driving mode that meets the driver's current safety driving level, ensuring the driver's driving safety. From this patent information, it can be seen that this patent improves the safety of Xiaomi Automotive's autonomous driving mode. According to previous reports, Xiaomi Automotive is expected to achieve mass production in the first half of next year. It is unknown whether this patent will be applied to Xiaomi Automotive. Read the full article

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Get Brother HL-L3290CDW Wireless Color Laser Printer for $329.99

Get ready to take your home office or small business to the next level with the Brother HL-L3290CDW Wireless Color Laser Printer, now available for an amazing deal on Amazon. For a limited time, you can get this top-rated printer for only $329.99 with free shipping, a discount of $40 off the regular price of $369.99. With wireless connectivity and high-quality color printing capabilities, this printer is the perfect choice for anyone looking to upgrade their home office or small business setup. Don't miss out on this incredible deal, and take advantage of the superior printing quality and convenience of the Brother HL-L3290CDW Wireless Color Laser Printer today. Read the full article

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Maxfox 3-in-1 18W Foldable Charging Station with Wall Adapter for $17

Looking for a reliable charging station for your devices? Look no further than the Maxfox 3-in-1 18W Foldable Charging Station with Wall Adapter, now available for a limited time deal on Amazon. Use coupon code "657SYSAX" at checkout to get the product for only $17.15 with free shipping, a whopping 64% discount off the original price of $48.99. This charging station is a versatile and convenient solution for charging your phone, smartwatch, and earbuds all at once, with its foldable design making it easy to take on the go. Don't miss out on this amazing deal, as the coupon code is set to expire on March 26th. Read the full article

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Red Magic 8 Pro series Officially Launched

Today, the Silver Wing version of the Red Magic 8 Pro series officially went on sale, starting at a price of 4999 yuan. Compared to other color versions of the Red Magic 8 Pro series, the biggest feature of the "Deuterium Transparent Silver Wing version" is the transparent back panel design, as well as the silver-white body. Compared to the "Deuterium Transparent" version that was released in black, the Silver Wing version looks less bulky visually, instead giving off a strong sense of science fiction and industrial design. The excellent quality back panel, combined with the Red Magic 8 Pro's under-screen camera design, makes the whole machine more technological." Read the full article

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iQOO Z7x released: starting at 1299 RMB

Last night, the iQOO Z7x was officially released. In terms of price, the iQOO Z7x 6+128G is priced at 1299 yuan, 8+128G at 1399 yuan, and 8+256G at 1499 yuan. The new product will go on sale on March 24. Like the iQOO Z7, the Z7x uses the same flagship LCD screen with a global eye protection mode, hardware-level low blue light, and global DC dimming. It also adds adaptive brightness strategy, which makes it super eye-protective, making it the best choice for LCD enthusiasts. At the same time, the iQOO Z7x is equipped with a 6000mAh super large battery, which is the ceiling for endurance in the same category. According to the official introduction, the iQOO Z7x can last up to 18.8 hours of video playback, 44 rounds of large-scale games, or 53.1 hours of online music playback when fully charged. More importantly, the iQOO Z7x protects battery health through intelligent long charging strategy, anti-aging charging algorithm, and other measures, pushing the battery to achieve double the lifespan. It also has multiple battery protection technologies, intelligently allocating resources in software management and daily standby, ensuring long-lasting use." Read the full article

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China and Russia are building a new natural gas pipeline, and Northeast China is the biggest winner?

If the "Eastern Alliance" natural gas pipeline is built, the key regions it will connect to will be the northeastern and northern regions of China. Recently, Russian President Putin stated that the "Eastern Alliance" natural gas pipeline will be implemented, which will connect China, Russia, and Mongolia. It is expected to complete the design this year and begin construction next year. Since the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Russia's focus on the East has increased significantly, even becoming actively involved in the transportation of oil and gas that it was previously unwilling to transport. Why has Russia become more actively involved? What will this "Eastern Alliance" pipeline bring to the northeast? The sharp decline in oil and gas revenue has made Russia eager to build new gas pipelines for good reason. Although there was a view that Russia was getting richer as it became more involved in the conflict with Ukraine last year, this view was only partially correct. When the war between Russia and Ukraine broke out, global panic caused oil prices to soar, and Russia did indeed make a fortune. For example, in March 2022, Russia's finance surplus reached 766.2 billion rubles. However, this was all temporary. Starting from the second half of last year, as the U.S. Federal Reserve continued to raise interest rates, it suppressed global demand, the economic outlook became dim, and oil prices continued to fall from a high of $130 per barrel to $80 per barrel. In addition to the important oil and gas consumer market - the EU, which would rather pay triple the price to buy US oil and gas than to rely on Russian oil and gas. Starting from the second half of last year, Russia's oil and gas revenues have been continuously decreasing, and when accounting for the gradually increasing military spending, the annual fiscal deficit was 3.3 trillion rubles, equivalent to 300 billion yuan. By 2023, the situation will become even less optimistic. In January, Russia's oil and gas revenue decreased significantly, with a year-on-year decrease of 46%, reaching only 426 billion rubles. Combined with the increase in military action and a 59% increase in spending, the deficit reached 1.76 trillion rubles in just the first month of 2023, more than half of last year's annual deficit. At this rate, this year's deficit will be several times higher than last year, which is very alarming. Russia has also taken various measures to remedy the situation, including adjusting the tax system for the oil and gas industry and increasing non-oil and gas revenue. Considering that oil and gas revenue accounts for 40% of Russia's fiscal revenue in recent years and is a major source, it cannot be easily replaced in the short term. The best solution is still to stabilize oil and gas revenue, which requires more sales to China. This is why Russia wants to build another natural gas pipeline. Benefits for China: If the "Eastern Alliance" natural gas pipeline is built, the key areas it will connect to will be China's Northeast and North China regions. Currently, the only natural gas pipeline between China and Russia is the "Siberian Power" pipeline, with an annual gas delivery capacity of around 15 billion cubic meters, which will gradually increase to 38 billion cubic meters in the future. However, this number is clearly not enough. In 2021, China's natural gas consumption in only the Northeast and Beijing-Tianjin region reached 50.846 billion cubic meters. Considering that natural gas accounts for less than 10% of China's total energy consumption, natural gas consumption will further increase in the future. In the short term, domestic natural gas production cannot keep up with demand, so imports must be the primary source. Looking around China's neighboring countries, especially for the Northeast region, Russian natural gas is the best choice. Russia has sufficient natural gas reserves, with proven reserves of about 37.4 trillion cubic meters as of the end of 2021, ranking first in the world. Moreover, Russia is right next to China and can be transported directly by land pipelines, which is crucial for China's energy security. Pipeline transportation is much safer than going through the Malacca Strait. Ten years ago, Russia was still hesitant to supply gas to China. Russia has no choice now but to increase its natural gas imports, which is beneficial to our energy security. The input of Russian natural gas is also beneficial to improving the industrial competitiveness of the Northeast region. The Northeast's natural gas imports have always been mainly LNG, which is first transported by LNG ships to Dalian, and then transported to various parts of the Northeast through pipelines from Dalian. Because LNG requires the construction of a liquefied terminal, and the cost and loss of long-distance transportation are not small, the price of LNG is far higher than that of pipeline gas, usually about 30% more expensive. This has also become a factor restricting the expansion of natural gas imports in the Northeast region. The large-scale input of Russian pipeline natural gas can replace LNG. The decrease in energy costs will be beneficial to the reduction of industrial costs in the Northeast and will enhance the region's industrial competitiveness. The reason why the Northeast's industry has been difficult to revive in the past, in addition to the factor of lack of ports, is also the lack of cheap energy. The Northeast has relatively abundant coal resources, but they have gradually been depleted in recent years, and the development of remaining deep coal mines is costly and not easy to mine. The same is true for petroleum, as the production of Daqing Oilfield is decreasing year by year, and costs are becoming increasingly higher. Importing coal from other regions in China is not significantly cheaper. Therefore, the large-scale import of Russian natural gas can to some extent improve this problem. In addition, the widespread use of Russian natural gas is also beneficial to the environment in the Northeast. Both the Northeast and nearby Beijing-Tianjin regions are severely affected by "smog," and PM2.5 values ​​are off the charts in winter. The smog problem is closely related to coal consumption. In contrast, natural gas is much more environmentally friendly. A signal: Russia has been worried about losing the Far East because there are not many people living there (currently about 5 million, and the population is decreasing at a rate of tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands per year). If the Far East opens up to the Northeast and the two regions exchange with each other, the Far East economy is likely to develop. This has been something that Russia has been wary of in the past. It did not want any ties between the Far East and China, so it did not even want to build a bridge connecting the two countries. For example, the Heihe-Blagoveshchensk border river highway bridge was originally signed by both sides in 2014. China had already built it, but Russia kept delaying the construction. However, being heavily sanctioned by the West, Russia has no choice. The road to the West has been blocked, and even if the relationship between the two sides improves in the future, the suspicion in their hearts has already been planted. Looking east and deepening cooperation with China has become a necessary choice. The bridge that was previously delayed for several years was quickly built. To look east, the Far East must connect with Northeast China and activate this large consumer market through cooperation between the two sides in energy and industry. This does not mean that China is taking advantage unilaterally, but rather that both sides can benefit from making the cake bigger together. This is a positive signal for the Northeast. Read the full article

[2amtoday-blog]

Can Xiaopeng Motors bottom out and rebound again?

As expected, Xiaopeng Motors had another "huge loss" year in 2022. On March 17th, Xiaopeng Motors released its financial report for 2022. As the latest among the three major new carmakers to release its financial report, Xiaopeng Motors' report is naturally not very good. Data such as a full-year loss of 9.14 billion yuan, an 88% increase year-on-year, and a gross profit margin of only 9.4% are enough to prove how difficult 2022 was for Xiaopeng Motors. However, although the company's performance was poor, its stock price did not fall but rose after the financial report was released, with an intraday increase of even more than 13%, and a closing increase of 6.12%. The stock price closed at $8.84 per share, which was unexpected. Many media outlets believe that this financial report and the subsequent rise in the stock price may indicate that Xiaopeng Motors, which hit rock bottom in 2022, will rebound in 2023. However, according to financial news reports, Xiaopeng Motors is currently facing multiple challenges, such as a continuous decline in sales volume, sluggish sales of new models, and intensified competition in the new energy vehicle market. It is true that Xiaopeng Motors hit rock bottom in 2022, but whether it can achieve a rebound in 2023 in the face of increasingly fierce competition in the new energy market is uncertain. Falling behind is an undeniable fact for Xiaopeng Motors. As one of the three major new carmakers, it is undeniable that Xiaopeng Motors has had an extremely impressive performance in the past. It was the "sales champion" among the new carmakers in 2021, with a total delivery volume of 98,155 vehicles, surpassing NIO's 91,400 vehicles and Ideal's 90,500 vehicles, with a growth rate of 3.6 times and a very strong momentum. However, Xiaopeng Motors' peak was very short-lived. After winning the "sales champion" in 2021, it quickly fell behind in 2022. According to data released by Xiaopeng Motors, the company's total sales volume in 2022 was 120,757 vehicles, a 23% year-on-year increase, but the growth rate of sales volume declined significantly. Compared with its peers, Xiaopeng Motors ranked fourth behind Nezha Auto with 152,073 vehicles sold, Ideal with 133,246 vehicles sold, and NIO with 122,486 vehicles sold. Of course, being overtaken in sales volume is just one sign of Xiaopeng Motors falling behind, its financial data is even more comprehensive. On March 17th, Xiaopeng Motors released its 2022 financial report, which showed that the company's revenue for the full year was 26.855 billion yuan, an increase of only 27.95% compared to the revenue of 20.988 billion yuan in 2021. It also had a net loss of 9.139 billion yuan, an 88% increase compared to the net loss of 4.863 billion yuan in 2021, and its performance was dismal. Looking at only revenue and net profit, Xiaopeng Motors not only lost its growth rate but also fell into a "black hole" of losses. In comparison with NIO, another one of the three major new carmakers, NIO's revenue in 2022 was 49.269 billion yuan, with a net loss of 14.559 billion yuan. Although its losses were much higher than those of Xiaopeng Motors, its revenue was also more than 20 billion yuan higher, indicating that NIO's scale was much larger than that of Xiaopeng Motors. Looking at Ideal, the best-performing company among the three major new carmakers, its revenue in 2022 was 45.287 billion yuan, with a net loss of 2.012 billion yuan. Although Ideal is still in a loss-making state, it is currently the closest of the three major new carmakers to achieving profitability, with both revenue and net profit far exceeding Xiaopeng Motors. In addition to revenue and net profit, Xiaopeng Motors' single-vehicle gross profit margin in 2021 was only 9.4%, a decrease of two percentage points compared to the previous year, while Ideal's single-vehicle gross profit margin was as high as 19.1%, more than double that of Xiaopeng Motors, indicating a significant gap between the two. Whether looking at sales volume or performance data, Xiaopeng Motors has fallen behind, and how to stop its downward trend is the key for Xiaopeng Motors and its founder, He Xiaopeng. Can the downward trend be stopped? Faced with continuously declining sales, He Xiaopeng personally took up the "scalpel" for Xiaopeng Motors. Going back to September last year, Xiaopeng Motors' flagship model G9 was officially launched. However, due to its complicated selection logic and pricing strategy, G9 encountered a "Waterloo" as it became the only car model in history to drop its price by 30,000 yuan just two days after being launched. In fact, the problem of complicated selection and pricing strategies has always been a "chronic disease" of Xiaopeng Motors. Even in their most successful model, Xiaopeng P7, there are multiple choices of different battery packs, three different versions of E, G, and N models, and two types of lithium batteries, although the number of models has been reduced, there are still nine models to choose from. The failure of Xiaopeng G9 became the trigger, and Xiaopeng Motors subsequently held an internal meeting to make major adjustments to its organizational structure, established five committees including strategy, production, technology, sales, and OTA, and set up three virtual product matrix organizations: the E-platform product matrix, the F-platform product matrix, and the H-platform product matrix. He Xiaopeng personally served as the chairman of the product and strategy committee. In addition to the organizational structure adjustment, there were also significant changes in Xiaopeng Motors' internal management. Xiaopeng Motors' co-founder and president Xia Heng resigned from the position of executive director of the board of directors, and Li Pengcheng, the former vice president and brand public relations general manager of Xiaopeng Motors, also chose to resign. Later, Wang Fengying, known as the "Iron Lady of the Automobile Industry," joined Xiaopeng Motors and held an important position. From the recent actions of Xiaopeng Motors, it is undeniable that He Xiaopeng is indeed reforming boldly. However, in terms of sales, Xiaopeng Motors' reforms have not had much effect yet. According to data disclosed by Xiaopeng Motors, its sales in January and February this year were 5,218 and 6,010 vehicles respectively, and according to Xiaopeng Motors' expectations, its sales in March may be between 6,700 and 7,700 vehicles. Although there has been some recovery, it has still not returned to the level of breaking ten thousand vehicles in a single month. In terms of products, on March 10th, Xiaopeng Motors launched the mid-term modified version of Xiaopeng P7 - the new P7i. However, unlike other car companies that have lowered their prices, the starting price of the new P7i is 249,900 yuan, which is not only unchanged from Xiaopeng P7 but has also increased by 40,000 yuan. This pricing may make Xiaopeng Motors' recovery even more difficult. From the recent actions and sales figures, Xiaopeng Motors has indeed made many changes, but the downward trend has not been stopped yet. How far is the "bottoming out" for Xiaopeng Motors? Although the financial report data is not good, Xiaopeng Motors' stock price has soared after the report was released. According to statistics, Xiaopeng Motors, listed on the US stock market, surged at the opening after the financial report was released, with an intraday increase of more than 13%, and finally closed up 6.12%, with a stock price of $8.84 per share. The performance can be said to be quite eye-catching. On the one hand, there is a continuous decline in performance, and on the other hand, there is a sudden "outbreak" of stock prices. Many media believe that this may mean that Xiaopeng Motors, which fell to the bottom in 2022, is likely to experience a bottoming out in 2023. At the financial report conference call, Xiaopeng Motors Chairman He Xiaopeng expressed confidence in restoring sales growth and market share: "I believe Xiaopeng Motors is about to reach a turning point because we see what our goals are and what our strengths and weaknesses are." However, at present, it is uncertain whether Xiaopeng Motors will bottom out in 2023, although it is true that it fell to the bottom in 2022. On the one hand, the sales of the entire automobile market are currently declining. According to data released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, from January to February this year, automobile production and sales completed 3.626 million and 3.625 million respectively, a year-on-year decrease of 14.5% and 15.2%. Obviously, after experiencing the "big year" of automobile consumption in 2022, the demand for domestic automobiles in 2023 is likely to decline, and it will be difficult for Xiaopeng Motors to achieve a bottoming out in the overall decline. On the other hand, top-tier automakers are currently engaged in a major price war, and it is not easy for Xiaopeng Motors to compete. Earlier this year, Tesla significantly lowered its prices, officially starting a price war. Subsequently, new energy vehicle companies with good sales last year, such as GAC Aion, Leapmotor, and NIO, all lowered their prices, and BYD, the "king of new energy vehicles", even increased the configuration and lowered the price. The starting price of the new Han and Tang champion version is around 210,000 yuan. Faced with such fierce competition, what "trump cards" does Xiaopeng Motors have to achieve a bottoming out? In fact, after several years of rapid development, the dividends of the new energy vehicle market are gradually fading, and the price war between car companies may continue for a longer period of time. For Xiaopeng Motors, which is still in a huge loss state and has many competitors for its models, and with continuous declining sales, it is already quite difficult to hold on and avoid further decline. Of course, judging from Xiaopeng Motors' financial report in 2022, it still has 38.25 billion yuan in funds, which may be the biggest good news. However, although the "ammunition" is sufficient, in such a fiercely competitive environment, Xiaopeng Motors may not have much time left. Read the full article

[2amtoday-blog]

Usb 4.0 Type C Cable Buying Guides

USB 4.0 C cables are the latest standard in USB cables and were introduced in 2019. They offer faster data transfer speeds and charging capabilities compared to previous USB standards. However, USB 4.0 C cables are not yet widely available as the technology is still relatively new. USB 4.0 C cables are backward compatible with USB 3.2, 3.1, and 2.0 devices, making them a versatile option for connecting various devices. They can support data transfer speeds up to 40 Gbps and can provide up to 100W of power delivery for charging devices. While USB 4.0 C cables are not yet mainstream, they are slowly becoming more common as newer devices are released with USB 4.0 C ports. As more devices adopt the new standard, we can expect to see USB 4.0 C cables become more widely available and affordable in the future. If you're in the market for a USB 4.0 C to USB C cable, here are some things to keep in mind when making your purchase: - Cable Length: Consider the length of the cable you need. You want to make sure it's long enough to reach your device comfortably, but not so long that it becomes tangled or cumbersome. Common lengths range from 3 to 6 feet. - Speed and Charging Capability: USB 4.0 C cables are capable of fast data transfer speeds and charging capabilities, but not all cables are kcreated equal. Look for cables that support the USB 3.1 or 3.2 standard for the fastest transfer speeds and charging capabilities. - Durability: A good USB 4.0 C cable should be durable enough to withstand daily use and last for a long time. Look for cables made with high-quality materials, such as nylon braided cords or reinforced connectors. - Compatibility: Make sure the cable you choose is compatible with your device. While USB C is becoming more common, not all devices have a USB C port, so double-check before making your purchase. - Brand and Price: Finally, consider the brand and price of the cable. While it may be tempting to go for the cheapest option, investing in a high-quality cable from a reputable brand can save you money in the long run by lasting longer and providing more reliable performance. USB C ports have become increasingly popular in recent years and are now found in many devices, including: - Smartphones: Many newer smartphone models, including those from Samsung, Google, and Apple, use USB C ports for charging and data transfer. - Laptops and tablets: Many laptops and tablets now come equipped with USB C ports, including models from Apple, Dell, HP, and Lenovo. - External hard drives: USB C ports are becoming more common on external hard drives, providing faster data transfer speeds and charging capabilities. - Monitors and displays: Some monitors and displays now come with USB C ports, allowing for easy connectivity with laptops and other devices. - Cameras: Some cameras, particularly high-end models, use USB C ports for data transfer and charging. - Gaming consoles: The latest gaming consoles, such as the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, use USB C ports for charging their controllers. - Audio devices: Some newer headphones and speakers now use USB C ports for charging and data transfer. - Power banks: Many portable power banks now come equipped with USB C ports, allowing for faster charging of devices. Whether or not you need a USB 4.0 C cable right now depends on your specific needs and devices. Here are some reasons why you might need a USB 4.0 C cable: - Faster data transfer speeds: USB 4.0 C cables offer faster data transfer speeds compared to previous USB standards, which can be beneficial for transferring large files or backing up data. - Higher power delivery: USB 4.0 C cables can provide up to 100W of power delivery, which is useful for charging devices quickly, including laptops and tablets. - Versatility: USB 4.0 C cables are backward compatible with USB 3.2, 3.1, and 2.0 devices, making them a versatile option for connecting various devices. - Future-proofing: As more devices adopt the USB 4.0 C standard, it may become increasingly necessary to have a USB 4.0 C cable for connecting and charging devices. As USB 4.0 is a relatively new standard, there are not as many brands offering these cables as there are for USB 3.0 or 2.0. However, here are some good brands of USB 4.0 cables: - Anker: Anker is a well-known brand that offers a range of USB 4.0 C cables at different lengths and with different features such as braided cords and reinforced connectors. - Belkin: Belkin is another reliable brand that offers USB 4.0 C cables, including cables with fast charging capabilities and durable designs. - AmazonBasics: AmazonBasics is a budget-friendly brand that offers a range of USB 4.0 C cables at affordable prices. - Cable Matters: Cable Matters offers USB 4.0 C cables at different lengths and with different features, including braided cords and angled connectors. When choosing a brand, it's important to look for reputable companies with good customer reviews and warranties. It's also important to choose a cable with the appropriate length and features for your specific needs. Read the full article

[2amtoday-blog]

After restricting chip exports to China, Korean chips have accumulated in large quantities.

Koreans are really anxious this time. Since forming a quadrilateral alliance with the United States, Japan, and the Netherlands, their losses are increasing day by day. As a semiconductor powerhouse, Korea has never imagined that they would face such a dilemma. After all, they have always had various high-end chips and have never had trouble finding buyers. But now, they are facing the problem of inventory backlog and unsold products. It is said that following the United States can bring benefits, but this time Korea has been miserably tricked by the United States. It should be noted that the United States has issued export licenses to Qualcomm and Intel to enter the Chinese market, ensuring income for domestic semiconductor giants. But what about Korean giant Samsung? Since China stopped buying, Samsung and the entire Korean chip industry have suffered losses, and now they can only indirectly seek help from China. As we all know, Korea's position in the semiconductor field is second to none, just like the Netherlands in the lithography field. As a semiconductor giant, Samsung holds a large number of chip design technologies, is not inferior to Qualcomm and Intel in any way, and even has chip manufacturing technology that is not inferior to TSMC. It is a world-renowned top semiconductor company. However, because of a ban by the United States, Samsung has fallen to the point where no one buys their chips. From the quadrilateral alliance to the tripartite agreement, from the US-Japan-Netherlands to the US-Japan, we can see that although Korea has not expressed dissatisfaction openly, they are still deeply resentful. Therefore, they did not participate in the tripartite agreement at all. Data shows that since joining the US-led quadrilateral alliance, Korea's chip export value in February this year was only 5.96 billion US dollars, a decrease of 42.5% from the same period last year. Samsung's profit margin plummeted by 97%, with no profit in the first two months of this year and a loss of 3 trillion won. This data can be called a "avalanche". The reason why Korea's export value has plummeted is because they lost the Chinese market. The Chinese market has always been Korea's largest export market. Now that they have lost China, Korea's inventory rate reached 265.7% in January, nearly tripled, which proves that almost all the chips produced in Korea are sitting unsold. The most serious thing is that Korea's trade deficit with China has reached 47.5 billion US dollars after they were unable to export chips to China. It should be noted that Korea was officially recognized as a developed country by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in 2021. Now in 2023, their most valuable industry has fallen to the bottom, how can Korea accept this? Now, the US ban has stimulated China's self-reliance in chip development. China has already made a determination to achieve a 70% self-sufficiency rate in chips by 2025. They have already achieved about 35%, greatly reducing their dependence on Korean and American chips. In addition, domestic lithography machines are gradually breaking through, and SMIC has been able to mass produce 14nm chips, which has taken a large share of the US chip market. Interestingly, although the US is aware of all this, they remain indifferent and even tighten the restrictions on Chinese chips. It shows how much the US fears China, and even if their own companies suffer, they will try to prevent the rise of Chinese chips. As early as two years ago, Ren Zhengfei stated that when the global chip inventory is severely congested, someone will naturally come to China to buy chips. According to our understanding, Korean officials are already seeking contact with China, hoping to sell chips to China through any channel available. Obviously, Korea cannot sit still in the face of such serious losses. Of course, we cannot be moved by Korea's purchasing behavior. In the words of Ni Guangnan, an academician, we must master core technologies through independent research and development, only then can China truly be unafraid of being strangled. Read the full article

[2amtoday-blog]

Developed completely in-house! GPU giant Muxi officially partners with open-source Kirin OS

Recently, MetaX Integrated Circuit (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. signed the openKylin Community Contributor License Agreement (CLA) and officially joined the openKylin open source community. According to official sources, MetaX is dedicated to providing full-stack GPU chips and solutions for heterogeneous computing, which can be widely applied in advanced fields such as artificial intelligence, smart cities, data centers, cloud computing, autonomous driving, digital twins, and metaverse. Established in Shanghai in September 2020, MetaX has set up wholly-owned subsidiaries and research and development centers in Beijing, Nanjing, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuhan, and other cities, with a team of experienced professionals in technology, design, and industrialization. On average, the core members have nearly 20 years of end-to-end R&D experience in high-performance GPU products and have led the development of more than ten world-leading high-performance GPU products, including GPU architecture definition, GPU IP design, GPU SoC design, and the entire production and delivery process of GPU system solutions. MetaX's product line includes the MXN Xisi series for AI inference, the MXC Xiyun series for AI training and general computing, and the MXG Xicai series for graphics rendering, all of which use self-developed GPU IP with independent instruction sets and architectures. Combined with the complete software stack (MXMACA) compatible with the mainstream GPU ecosystem, MetaX's GPU has a natural advantage of high energy efficiency and universality and can build a comprehensive ecosystem solution of software and hardware integration. After joining openKylin, MetaX will join the GPU SIG working group and promote the sustained and healthy development of the openKylin operating system ecosystem. In addition, MetaX will provide strong support for the development of the community ecosystem, brand building, and domestic software and hardware ecosystem construction in terms of underlying algorithmic support for advanced fields such as artificial intelligence, smart cities, data centers, cloud computing, autonomous driving, digital twins, and metaverse. Established in July 2022, the openKylin community is China's first root community for desktop operating systems, aiming to build the top open source community for desktop operating systems through open and collaborative community cooperation based on open source, voluntary, equality, and collaboration, with the goal of "every line of code is self-innovative." According to official data, the openKylin community currently has 59 SIG groups, 163 community members, 2,405 contributors, and 767,321 community users. Read the full article

[2amtoday-blog]

Get Your Grill On with the Camp Chef SmokePro DLX 24 Pellet Grill (573 sq. in.) for Only $379.99

If you're in the market for a high-quality pellet grill, you'll want to check out the Camp Chef SmokePro DLX 24 Pellet Grill. And right now, Amazon is offering this top-of-the-line grill at an incredible discount. With 573 square inches of cooking space, this grill is perfect for cooking up a feast for family and friends. And thanks to its advanced digital temperature control, you can easily adjust the heat to ensure your food is cooked to perfection. But perhaps the best part of this deal is the price. Normally priced at $599.99, the Camp Chef SmokePro DLX 24 Pellet Grill is currently available for just $379.99 with free shipping after clip coupon. That's a savings of $220 off the regular price, making this an unbeatable deal for anyone looking to upgrade their outdoor cooking game. Don't miss out on this opportunity to get your hands on one of the best pellet grills on the market at a fraction of the cost! Read the full article

[2amtoday-blog]

Hong Kong’s "Talents War"! Graduates from 9 universities in the mainland can settle down, and relax the conditions to introduce high-end talents

Recently, Hong Kong's new "High-End Talent Pass Program" has been the talk of the town due to the large number of applicants in a short period of time. Those accepted into the program are granted a two-year visa and can apply for a permanent identity card after living in Hong Kong for seven years. The program is designed to attract highly educated and high-salary talents. There are three categories of applicants: Category A is for those with an annual income of HK$2.5 million or more in the year before the application; Category B is for those who graduated from the top 100 universities in the world and have accumulated at least three years of work experience in the past five years; and Category C refers to those who have graduated from the top 100 universities in the world within five years before applying, but have less than three years of work experience. Category A and B applicants can be issued a two-year permit to develop in Hong Kong, with no limit on the number of people. Category C has an upper limit of 10,000 people per year. This plan is relatively loose compared to the previous high-end talent introduction plan in Hong Kong. Applicants do not need to be employed by a Hong Kong company before submitting the application. After the talent application is approved, they can stay in Hong Kong for 24 months without any additional conditions and can freely engage in and change jobs during their stay without prior approval from the immigration department. The program has attracted a lot of attention. According to data from Hong Kong, after the program was officially launched at the end of 2022, more than 7,400 applications were received in just one month, and the number of applicants exceeded 10,000 after seven weeks of implementation. At the same time, the approval success rate was as high as 95%. Most of the applicants are young people, with applicants under the age of 30 accounting for about half of the total number of applications. Half of all applicants are graduates from top 100 universities in the world and have at least 3 years of work experience in the past 5 years; 1/6 of the applicants have an annual income of more than 2.5 million Hong Kong dollars. Read the full article