Tech Mahindra  x IBM Synergy Lounge in Singapore 

The best practices gained here in Singapore will be shared with Tech Mahindra’s existing Synergy Lounge in Bengaluru and other Centres of Excellence to co-innovate and co-develop unique enterprise offerings and solutions.  This is built on the Hex-I concept, consisting of six stages: Ignite, Inspire, Ideate, Innovate, Infuse and Implement. The Synergy Lounge will feature different experience zones focusing on various technologies that will help enterprises solve complex business problems, improving customer experiences, reducing operational costs, and enhancing workforce efficiency.

Kunal Purohit, Chief Digital Services Officer, Tech Mahindra, said, “We believe in infusing AI and GenAI into every aspect of businesses and democratizing it responsibly. In our continuous endeavour to help customers embrace a digital-first future, the Synergy Lounge will function as a co-innovation and co-development center specifically focusing on AI, GenAI and next-gen technologies.”

The Synergy Lounge will be open to enterprises and businesses worldwide to explore joint solutions, testing out prototypes and proof of value (PoV) designed to drive innovation in various industries, such as communication, media and entertainment, automotive, manufacturing, transportation, banking and financial services and utilities, and healthcare, among others.

Chetan Krishnamurthy, Vice President, Ecosystem and Digital Sales, Asia Pacific, IBM, said, “Building on the success of the Synergy Lounge in Bengaluru and driven by our common vision to bring advanced technology like watsonx AI and data platform to solve complex business challenges, the opening of the new Synergy Lounge in Singapore will continue to help companies  improve productivity and competitiveness while bringing together the right talent, technology, and best practices for clients in Asia Pacific.”

There will be a dedicated team working out of the Synergy Lounge to maximise synergies between Tech Mahindra and IBM. They will be developing unique solutions based on both organisations’ strengths to drive technological innovation in APAC. The Synergy Lounge aligns with Tech Mahindra’s continuous endeavour to transform enterprises with advanced next-generation led offerings and solutions.

* Information and picture courtesy of Tech Mahindra and IBM Singapore *

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Impact of Cybersecurity and AI on the 2024 election season

A survey “Impact of Cybersecurity and AI on the 2024 election season”, were recently announced by Yubico, the leading provider of hardware authentication security keys, and Defending Digital Campaigns (DDC), a nonprofit and nonpartisan organisation committed to bringing free cybersecurity tools and resources to federal election campaigns.

This survey is conducted by OnePoll, a leading provider of international market research and data communication solutions, this survey polled 2,000 registered voters in the U.S. to better understand how voters perceive cybersecurity ahead of the 2024 U.S. elections, the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the concerns they have about the cybersecurity of political campaigns, regardless of party affiliations.

“Given the sudden advancement and uncertainty of AI technology, it’s not surprising that over 78 percent of respondents are concerned about AI-generated content being used to impersonate a political candidate or create inauthentic content, with Democrats at 79 percent and Republicans at 80 percent,” said David Treece, vice president of solutions architecture at Yubico. “Perhaps even more telling is that they believe AI will have a negative effect on this year’s election outcomes (42 percent Democrats and 49 percent Republicans).”  

Key Findings from Impact of Cybersecurity and AI on the 2024 election season

What are some of the key findings from the survey of “Impact of Cybersecurity and AI on the 2024 election season”? What roles could AI play in this 2024 election season?

The threat of AI and deep fakes spreading misinformation is present, 85% of respondents don’t have a high level of confidence that political campaigns effectively protect their personal information.

Cybersecurity is now a top focus, if not campaigns run the risk of being breached, exposing personal data, experiencing a financial impact and more, all of which could have a negative effect on the entirety of the election campaign.

42% of those who have donated to a campaign said their likelihood of donating again would change if the campaign was hacked and 30% report his would even change the likelihood of a candidate receiving their vote.

“Campaigns are the heart of our democracy and every campaign must adopt basic cybersecurity protections. This year’s election is particularly risky for cyber attacks directed at candidates, staffers, and anyone associated with a campaign,” said Michael Kaiser, president and CEO of Defending Digital Campaigns. “Having the right cybersecurity in place is not an option — it’s essential for anyone running a political operation. Otherwise, campaigns risk not only losing valuable data, but losing voters.”

Additional key findings

• 43 percent of respondents believe that AI-generated content will negatively affect the outcome of the 2024 elections.
  • When an audio clip with an AI voice was played, 41 percent believed the AI voice was authentically human.
• 52 percent of respondents have received an email and/or text message appearing to be from a campaign that they suspected was actually a phishing attempt.
• From a data security perspective, 85 percent of respondents don’t have a high level of confidence that political campaigns effectively protect the personal information they collect.
• Registered voters would like to see campaigns and candidates:
  • Take precautions to prevent their websites from being hacked (42 percent)
  • Use strong security measures like multi-factor authentication (MFA) on their accounts (41 percent)
  • Have policies in place and train staffers and key volunteers on cybersecurity for the campaign and protecting personal information (38 percent)
• Over a quarter of respondents (26 percent) indicated they have not completed a transaction making a campaign donation because of concerns about the security of the transaction or how their personal information would be handled.

Importance of cybersecurity and authentication security

“Because campaigns are built on trust, potential hacks like fraudulent emails or messages sent out impersonating them via their social media accounts, where they are directly interacting with their audience, could be detrimental to campaigns,” added Treece. “It’s imperative that candidates take proper steps to protect their campaigns and more importantly, to build trust with voters by adopting modern cybersecurity practices like phishing-resistant authentication. Adding a layer of protection with a physical hardware security key, like a YubiKey, to online accounts is a crucial component to ensuring that campaigns remain secure.” 

Since 2020, Yubico has donated tens of thousands of security keys to DDC on behalf of its philanthropic initiative–Secure it Forward–where the company donates YubiKeys to journalists, human rights activists and organisations that work to preserve democratic integrity, further diversity in tech and protect human rights.

“Collaboration is one of the most important ways to strengthen cybersecurity,” said Kaiser. “At DDC we are extremely grateful for our partnership with Yubico, whose generosity allows us to provide free security keys to campaigns, enabling them with the strongest account protection possible. The keys allow a computer user to protect cloud, social, and financial accounts on the campaign, as well as personal accounts and all primary targets of bad actors.”  

What can election campaigns do to protect themselves and build trust with voters?

2024 election season is underway, what can election campaigns do to protect themselves and build trust with their voters?

Even though cybersecurity attacks are becoming more sophisticated with tools like AI, there are simple ways to help mitigate these risks, including using strong, unique passwords and storing them in a password manager, along with enabling multi-factor authentication whenever possible using physical security keys like those available from Yubico and the DDC.

DDC, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organisation, is committed to bringing free cybersecurity products, services, training, and information to federal political campaigns and committees and down-ballot candidates in a growing number of states. It has an extensive network of partners and resources to prepare political campaigns with the tools they need to stay secure. In partnership with Yubico, they provide YubiKeys at no cost to political campaigns regardless of party affiliation.

What would be the impacts and changes that AI is going to bring in 2024 and beyond?

Part of my ongoing TGH Technology Research/Learning Series on Artificial Intelligence (AI) that I started in 2023, I am have recently kickstarted my AI research/learning series for 2024. From the technology side of things, to the hardware powering AI, I am now entering into how AI comes into play into our society and daily life, beyond Generative AI powered apps/software answering your queries.

Although the AI threat to election is a U.S context, other countries holding elections this year 2024 and beyond 2024 will definitely study and observe how the power and impacts of AI could be on elections in their home country. There are still a lot of lessons and experiences that need to be learn, understand, review, tweak and improved for the future of AI technology, whether it’s in elections, or machines, devices, software and in our daily work and living.

As more AI related technology is launched, more hardware and gadgets using AI technology, the world might just be starting on a new journey ahead on utilising the full potentials and impacts of AI.

In my personal opinion, we still have a lot to learn about using and implementing AI. This elections season in 2024 is just one of the many real life scenarios to come that we can and must learn on implementing and using AI, as well as the good and bad of using AI technology.

* Information courtesy of Yubico *

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TGH Technology Research/Learning Series on Artificial Intelligence (AI)

My TGH Technology Research/Learning Series on Artificial Intelligence was launched in 2023 when I started going deeper into the world of AI, mainly from the technology writer and everyday user perspectives. From Q&A interviews to AI technology news coverage, it was a learning and enlightening journey, from both as a technology writer, as well as a photographer/creative perspective.

What do I feel and think about AI? Here are my personal thoughts and views on AI – This technology has huge potential and impacts that can help us better in our work/profession and daily life, yet this AI technology can (and already have) take away some of our work/jobs, on top of disruptions and changes.

Key AI articles published in 2023

Here are some of my in-depth articles that I published till date on the subject of AI

• Q&A on the impacts of AI, the human side of AI and fear of AI
• Q&A on the impacts of AI on photography and creative industries
• Fireside Chat with Temus and Qlik on 8th May 2023 – Key Takeaways on AI

In 2024, I would be working to expand on those two areas further, along with other AI research interests as I engage and work with major technology companies on AI discussion topics.

Other AI articles coverage include:

• IBM-SMU AI-based Supply Chain Risk Optimisation Models Saves Millions of Dollars
• Acronis launch first ever AI-powered Cyber Protection Software
• Temus and AI Singapore sign MOU to accelerate AI innovation and adoption
• Hive 2.0 – High Tech Retail Innovation Hub by Stellar Lifestyle

ChatGPT 3.5 – Can you do a bio write up for Tan Geng Hui?

Before I begin on this, have a look at what ChatGPT 3.0 wrote my bio write up for my TGH Photography and Travel portal/blog inside my About page. As I am began to kickstart, relaunch and continue on my in-depth learning, understanding, analysis, coverage and documentation of AI in year 2024, I decided to mark this start by asking ChatGPT 3.5 to do a bio write up for me.

Here’s the conversation between ChatGPT 3.5 and what they wrote about me:

You

Can you do a bio write up for Tan Geng Hui?

ChapGPT

Sure, here’s a bio write-up for Tan Geng Hui:

Tan Geng Hui is a multifaceted individual with a passion for photography, technology, and business. Based in Singapore, Tan Geng Hui has established himself as a prominent figure in these fields through his diverse interests and expertise.

With a keen eye for detail and a creative vision, Tan Geng Hui has made significant contributions to the world of photography. As a skilled photographer, he has captured the beauty of various subjects, including landscapes, architecture, and portraits. His work reflects a deep appreciation for aesthetics and storytelling, earning him recognition and acclaim within the photography community.

In addition to his artistic pursuits, Tan Geng Hui is deeply involved in the realm of technology. With a strong background in tech-related fields, he stays abreast of the latest developments and trends in areas such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and consumer electronics. His insights and analyses are valued by professionals and enthusiasts alike, and he often shares his thoughts through his writings and online platforms.

Furthermore, Tan Geng Hui is an entrepreneur and business enthusiast. He has demonstrated a knack for identifying opportunities and navigating the complexities of the business world. Through his ventures and initiatives, he seeks to drive innovation, create value, and make a positive impact on society.

Overall, Tan Geng Hui is a dynamic individual who thrives at the intersection of photography, technology, and business. His passion, expertise, and entrepreneurial spirit continue to inspire others and contribute to the advancement of these fields.

Note: Non-edited or proof read by any of my human friends trained in communications and public relations. I would leave it as it is for now, as my TGH Technology and Business portal/blog About Me page.

Kickstarting TGH Technology Research/Learning Series on AI for 2024

Kickstarting my TGH Technology Research/Learning Series on AI for 2024, I would work on my earlier AI conferences/webinars that I attended online or in-person, with IBM and Dell Technologies.

As I pick up my pace, writing and coverage on AI, I reckon that would be more topics of more in-depth learning and understanding for myself and for my readers as well. I am planning to work closer with technology companies that I have engagements with over the years, to write and publish more insights and learning articles on AI, its impacts and potential.

The world of AI technology has tremendous potential, giving both positive and negative impacts along with disruptions to the world. All parties have to play a role to play, from the supply side of technology providers, to the demand side of companies/industries and last but not least, the everyday person on the streets.

Come along with me as I continue to navigate the world of AI from various hats, as a technology writer, as a visual storyteller/creative and as a daily user, sharing my knowledge, learning and experiences with you, through my TGH Technology Research/Learning Series on AI for 2024.

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While Singapore is a small island state that many people won’t think too much about her manufacturing sector, this is Singapore’s most significant driver of nominal GDP (21.6%) [1]. The topic of sustainability is getting even more important and significant. Companies in the manufacturing sector need to start reporting emission numbers or risk losing out to competitors, as many of them are suppliers for international partners who will soon need to submit reports about their carbon footprint fo their supply chain.

The topic of sustainability has been on my key topics of interest that I am working to write and cover more in-depth over the past few years. Some of the sectors that I have been looking at are the travel and tourism sectors. My previous local SME working experiences (and in some parts related to the manufacturing sector) came in handy as I was listening to the launch of CSOaaS with great interest. The topics of sustainability, SME solutions and technology coming together during this media launch announcement of the CSOaaS programme.

SMF is the largest national organisation representing the interests of manufacturing organisations, they are working closely with their members to address the challenges that SME manufacturers face on their sustainability journey. Costs are a major concern for local SMEs, they cannot afford to hire dedicated staff to plan and oversee sustainability initiatives due to limited resources and, as a result, the local SMEs are unsure about where to begin.

CSOaaS programme

The CSOaaS programme will adapt from the Green CompassTM for the local manufacturing sector. This programme will handhold SMEs through their sustainability transformation, assessing their sustainability gaps and prioritising improvements based on financial and strategic impacts.   

The Green CompassTM was first developed by A*STAR’s Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech), TÜV SÜD and JTC, and has been highly subscribed to date. SMF-appointed Sustainability Consultants attached to the companies will translate the findings into actionable decarbonisation roadmaps to reduce carbon emissions.

Upon implementation of Green CompassTM programme, the Sustainability Consultants will also help companies submit the relevant data, that includes greenhouse gas emissions (GHG Scope 1 and 2) [2], to Gprnt.ai.

The CSOaaS programme uses Gprnt.ai, the Gprnt.ai environmental, social and governance (ESG) data platform [3] to simplify the sustainability reporting process. Importantly, Gprnt.ai aligns with international reporting standards like the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) and Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), ensuring global compliance and recognition.

Mr Lennon Tan, President of the Singapore Manufacturing Federation, said, “SMF is at the forefront of leading local manufacturers into the next industrial era — Industry 5.0. We work with partners to keep a pulse on shifting trends so that we can help our members navigate a fast-paced global market. CSOaaS, the AMTA Playbook, and the APAC Green Alliance (APAC-GA) are key initiatives driving this larger vision. With CSOaaS, our goal is to help strengthen the resilience of Singapore’s manufacturing industry, which will, in turn, drive tomorrow’s innovations.”

SMF is also proud to be a founding member of the APAC-GA alongside the Singapore Business Federation (SBF), the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA), Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACCI), and the China Council for Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT).

SMF will play an active role in advocating and promoting Green Excellence for both Manufacturing (GEM) and Non-manufacturing SMEs (Green Excellence in Business, GEB), future-proofing small businesses through capability development, standards development, tools such as carbon accounting, sustainability reporting etc. Other roles include advisory support and forging industry recognition. SMF’s objective is to collectively strive towards a net-zero goal and be ready for Industry 5.0.

APAC-GA will also assess the the post-implementation progress of the companies that undergo the CSOaaS programme and confer a Green Excellence for Manufacturing (GEM) Mark [4] according to their progress. The APAC-GA is also joined by Knowledge Partner, A*Star to support standards development and share industry best practices.

Why was CSOaaS developed?

The CSOaaS programme was developed and launched to meet the looming deadlines for sustainability compliance worldwide, as well as the need to support local manufacturing companies needing help to do so.

In Singapore, listed companies start reporting from 2025, as for large non-listed companies, they start from 2027. These companies must also report their supply chain’s carbon footprint, including emissions from SMEs.

Although non-listed SMEs are not required to report their carbon footprint, if they are suppliers to companies, local or international, they are obligated to comply, or they risk losing that business. Therefore, SMEs are particularly vulnerable.

According to a 2023 survey [5] of 115 manufacturing companies, of which 82% are SMEs, only 21% report on sustainability, while 45% have no plans to do so within the next 1 to 3 years.

Another study [6] of primarily SMEs indicates that the lack of expertise is a sizeable problem, with 34% of companies finding it challenging without an ESG specialist, 31% struggling to understand reporting standards, and 29% lacking technical know-how to plan and execute. Only 37% have a clear roadmap, and 72% need to hire skilled talents to run ESG projects.

Companies with well-documented ESG metrics makes them working with MNCs and other large corporations easier and will open doors to green loans and grants, that can be instrumental in spurring growth.

A spokesperson for XCEL said, “SMF CSOaaS helps us to develop new methodologies and framework with collective data for analysis, which strengthen our business strategy and continuity plans towards a more sustainable entity.”

Information on APAC-GA and CSOaaS

The Trade Association and Chamber (TAC) members of the APAC-GA are responsible for

1. promoting the GEM / GEB Mark along with its associated tasks
2. advisory support / consultancy to help companies embark on sustainability information
3. training of certified consultants and auditors

The CSOaaS programme fee is between S$10,000 to $30,000 depending on the scope, and companies may tap into the following funding support:

1) Mentorship Support Grant (70-90%), through:

• Singapore Polytechnic – Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Energy Efficiency

2) Career Conversion Programme (CCP), a company who applies for CSOaaS may also tap on the CCP to have an existing or new staff undergo the on-the-job training to become a Sustainability Lead / Facilitator in the future for their company, through:

• SMF-CCL
• Nanyang Polytechnic

Notes:

1. [1]  https://www.singstat.gov.sg/modules/infographics/economy 
2. [2] SMEs are not required to report GHG emissions (Scope 1 and 2). However, the companies SMEs supply to (who need to comply with reporting) require this information to fulfil Scope 3.
3. [3] https://www.mas.gov.sg/news/media-releases/2023/mas-launches-digital-platform-for-seamless-esg-data-collection-and-access 
4. [4] Companies that underwent CSOaaS and implemented their strategies will be evaluated and awarded a GEM Mark Gold, Silver or Bronze according to their progress.
5. [5] https://isca.org.sg/resource-library/sustainability/sustainability-transformation 
6. [6] https://sponsored.bloomberg.com/immersive/dbs/catalysts-of-sustainability 

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Singtel CNY Film Series

Singtel CNY film series are heartwarming and fun to watch, starting back in 2020 with “His Grandfather’s Road“, “My Grandmother’s House” in 2021, “The Hunt For the Lucky Tiger” in 2022, “Don’t Worry, Be Hoppy” in 2023. Now in 2024, the next Singtel CNY film, “A Date With Spring”, is here for everyone to watch, reminisce, gather and bond together as we gather for our extended family gatherings during Chinese New Year 2024.

A Date With Spring

When Uncle is watching the younger skaters at East Coast Park one day, he is inspired to look for his old roller skates and take up the sport again. When his initial attempt to skate proves unsuccessful, he turns to the smartphone to video and review his own performance as well as renew his skills by watching videos of young skaters executing their last moves.

Technology has the Power to Inspire and Empower

This film “A Date With Spring” is a testimonial to how technology has the power to inspire and empower – not just the younger generation, the older generation like Uncle as well. With Uncle’s newfound skating prowess, he can be seen exploring modern Singapore and revisiting old haunts. Very soon, Uncle’s skating antics at various iconic landmarks such as Marina Barrage and Chinatown go viral, with onlookers recording and sharing his extraordinary moves. Even his family is surprised by his newly acquired abilities.

“This film isn’t just aspirational,” said Mr Yuen Kuan Moon, Singtel Group CEO. “We drew inspiration from the real life of 70-year-old mechanic Tan Teck Hung who stars in the film as he had indeed gone viral due to his amazing skating skills. Stirred by his personal story, we decided to turn it into a tale of empowerment for the new year which is what Singtel’s purpose is all about – to empower every generation. Technology is not just the purview of the young. It is inclusive and enabling. People of all ages can use it and we’ve made it our mission to help everyone reap its benefits.”

From Real to Reel

“Uncle Heng”, who plays Uncle in the film, was played by Mr Tan Teck Hung. He himself was once an avid skater in his youth, starting at age 16! It was not until he was 59 years old that he chanced upon a pair of roller skates at a second-hand store in Toa Payoh, found that it fits and picked up the sport again. The rest as they say, is history!

He has become a regular at the East Coast Park skating ring near Carpark 3, where he likes to skate while blasting Canto pop music on loudspeakers. Uncle Heng mastered difficult moves that can rival skaters decades younger than him – like skating on one leg or executing what’s known as the Arabesque spin, both of which are featured in “A Date With Spring”.

All this made him something of an online celebrity with a Facebook community called the Lion City Roller Skaters, posting videos of him which has attracted the adulation of many netizens who have become his fans. Uncle Heng has also formed close friendships with other regular skaters, some of whom are above 60 years old. He is now attempting to choreograph skating sequences of his own.

“The power of this film lies in the fact that it is not fiction,” said Ms Lian Pek, Singtel’s Vice President of Group Strategic Communications and Brand. “Uncle Heng is the real thing. In real life, he’s adept at using the handphone and other technology. He’s 70 years old and skates like a dream – a classic example of ‘age is just a number.’ He’s pursued his passion and it doesn’t look like he’s going to stop.  We think this is a worthy message to spread this festive season, whether its skating or technology – it is never too late to try.”

Brand Building through Stories 

“A Date With Spring” is the latest addition to Singtel’s lineup of brand stories that seek to express what they stands for.

Ms Pek added, “We find that storytelling helps create that central narrative around our brand and evokes emotional responses from customers, which helps them make personal connections to us. We hope that this film, loosely based on Uncle Heng’s skating journey, has allowed us to communicate our core values in an authentic and engaging way.”

This short film is conceived in-house, Singtel worked with Akanga Films to produce the film which airs on Singtel TV and various social media channels from 25th January to 24th February 2024.

Having watched and shared Singtel’s previous Chinese New Year’s offerings over the years, revolving around heart-warming antics of two Singaporean families – the Angs and the Huangs, who went from fierce rivals to fast friends over the years. In case you missed it, do check out and watch “Don’t Worry, Be Hoppy!”, “His Grandfather’s Road”, “My Grandmother’s House”, and “The Hunt For The Lucky Tiger” garnered over 50 million views as the theme of strengthening family bonds resonated strongly with viewers.

In 2023, Singtel was named Singapore’s strongest brand across all sectors for the second year running, according to Brand Finance’s ranking of the country’s top 100 brands. Brand Finance also named Singtel the world’s 6th strongest brand in the telecoms sector that same year.

Happy Chinese New Year 2024!

Here’s wishing all my readers a Happy Chinese New Year 2024! May the Year of the Dragon be a year of good health, wealth and prosperity in the Year 2024!

* Information and pictures courtesy of Singtel *

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Reflecting Year 2023

How was my Year 2023 like? If you like to read about year in review, you can visit the two articles that I wrote – Reflecting Year 2023 (Technology | Business | Personal) and Reflecting Year 2023 (Photography | Travel | Creative | Heritage). The Year 2023 is a mixed bag of results and outcomes, some worthy points to note, as well as challenging, volatile and difficult economic conditions for running a business. Although 2023 is like the first full year of recovery from the global pandemic (2020 to 2022), it’s anything but a bed of roses for many of us in my personal opinion. Year 2023 is not my best year, however I learned a lot.

Yearly Theme 2024

My approach to using a yearly theme is slightly different from the old school style of goal setting and objectives. This approach gives and sets the directions for my year 2024, I might share a bit more on some aspects of my goals and objectives inside my articles.

Here are my Yearly Themes 2024 below, I would like to share them with you, in case you have missed them.

• Yearly Theme 2024 (Technology | Business | Personal) – “Transcend”
• Yearly Theme 2024 (Photography | Travel | Creative | Heritage) – “Ignite”

Key areas

At the start of a fresh new year 2024, first up are working on my key areas. My TGH Photography commercial photography services packages and suite of services are currently reviewed and updated for year 2024, that would be completed by end January 2024. Curation of portfolio is currently underway, uploading and adding new photography works into my portfolio.

Partnerships and Collaborations

I am also establishing new partnerships and collaborations, and I hope to add more of them into my lineup in this year 2024.

Media Kits 2024

This is also time to review my media kits for both my TGH Photography and Travel, as well as my TGH Technology and Business, in my content creation, digital marketing and writing suite of services.

Scheduling (Backlogs and Current News)

As I am preparing to embark on covering and writing in those areas that I am interested in (heritage projects, visual storytelling, sustainability and AI) for this new Year 2024, I am also going to strike a balance and clear my key backlogs.

Ready for Year 2024? Let’s kickstart!

A new set of different challenges, uncertainties, fears and economic difficulties are looming around us in this new Year 2024, from economic challenges of the world economy, to local Singapore economy, international and regional geo-politics, adding in technological advancements and disruptions.

Just like this cover photo, the AI image was generated by Microsoft Designer, merged onto a explorer template and edited into this cover photo on Canvas. How would AI, content creation , social media marketing and visual storytelling play their different roles and functions for me In Year 2024?

Are you ready for Year 2024? Let’s kickstart! Join me on my adventures in 2024!

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Why use a Yearly Theme? How to Choose a Yearly Theme?

I am inspired by Fernando Gros “How to choose a Yearly Theme”, this is my 5th year writing and announcing a Yearly Theme, an approach that I personally feel that it’s more forward looking for a new future, a new era of working, thinking and how we connect as an individual, as a collective, society and the world. It’s not that goal settings or setting resolutions are no longer popular or useful, they still have a purpose and it still works for some people or industries.

Recap of previous Yearly Themes

Before I announce my Yearly Theme 2023 for my technology, business and personal, let me bring you back in time, looking at my previous Yearly Themes through a recap below:

Year 2020: Striving to Excel

Year 2021: Recovery and Rejuvenation

Year 2022: Onward

Year 2023: Transform

Yearly Theme 2024 (Technology | Business | Personal) – “Transcend”

Now, announcing my Yearly Theme 2024 (Technology | Business | Personal) – “Transcend”

Why Transcend?

Via Google Bard – “Transcend: This word implies going beyond the ordinary and creating something truly special and meaningful. A good storyteller transcends facts and figures to touch the listener’s heart and mind.”

I want to be a better storyteller in the Year 2024 for both my two key areas of business and  key interest areas. For this year, I decided to try something different, I asked Google Bard to recommend a word to summarise “be a better storyteller”, and the chat based AI tool from Google gave me a few to choose from.

Transcend beyond my years of technology writing and coverage

Transcend beyond my years of technology writing and coverage, to change beyond my previous styles of technology writing and coverage, creating something different, meaningful and hopefully truly special and unique in my own ways and styles, especially in the enterprise technology and deep technology sectors.

How can I transcend my social media marketing and bring it to another level?

As I am working over the past few years to diversify into other business interests, how can I bring my social media marketing and content creation together, and bring it to another level? How do I transcend beyond marketing in both traditional and digital formats that would serve me well in a modern digital and social media driven world?

Startups sector

I am also making strategic business plans and directions to transcend into the startups sector, bringing my technology writing knowledge and experiences, together with my visual storytelling, photography, content creation and social media marketing into delivering a holistic package that is more necessary and crucial in an increasing digital and social media world driving the world economy.

Should an opportunity arises to work/collaborate with a startup, I would strategise, plan, diversify and adjust my photography business commitments into this new setup.

Yearly Theme 2024 (Photography | Travel | Creative | Heritage) – “Ignite”

As for my core/main focus of business interest, TGH Photography business, together with my TGH Photography and Travel portal/blog, I have chosen my Yearly Theme 2024 (Photography | Travel | Creative | Heritage) to be “Ignite”. I would like to invite you to hop over to my other website and have a read!

Join me in my “Transcend” journeys in 2024

To my networks in the technology, business and social media marketing sectors, I would like to invite you to join me in my “Transcend” journeys in 2024, let’s work closer together for more in-depth, meaningful and powerful stories, on both visual storytelling and social media.

Thank you for your support and encouragement!

To my family, relatives, friends, followers and supporters who supported me through my visual storytelling, photography, technology writing, social media marketing, especially those that make the effort to read, not assuming thinking you know everything about me, or my business model operations, and making the effort to know more and understand, without judgement or putting me down, I sincerely thank you for your support and encouragement!

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Technology

First and foremost, kickstarting off on one of my key sectors, technology writing and coverage, under two main categories of consumer technology and enterprise/business technology. Before I go share more on those two technology sectors, I would like to apologise for those articles coverage that I promised to complete in Q4 2023. I am going to work on them in January 2024 as I kickstart my technology writing and media news coverage for Year 2024.

Consumer Technology

This sector has been pretty much stable and consistent, I will always remind myself not to be complacent, continuously keep in touch and be relevant to consumer technology trends, growth and changes (although they can be quite a handful to take in at times).

Whether I would expand, it would be depending on new media engagements with new brands or reconnecting with previous brands that had somehow dropped me off the radar. As I finally enter into the database of some agencies, there might be new areas of expansion and interests such startups or fin-tech related industries.

Enterprise/Business Technology

This sector has been growing and expanding at a comfortable pace, due to the complexities and technical expertise required for some of those enterprise technology sectors. I have to be selective as some enterprise technology areas are beyond my technology expertise and knowledge.

Year 2023 was significant for me conducting In-depth interviews and discussions on the topic of AI and technological impacts. Therefore, I am going to do more in-depth interviews and discussions for this new Year 2024.

Business

Digital Marketing / Social Media Marketing

I have yet to fully diversify this sector fully into other business interests or industries. While I am working on my own content creation side of things and photography, I have been and still looking out for new opportunities in other business that I can bring this into play.

Startups industry 

I have a keen interest in this sector for a few years, in Q3 and Q4, I had chats with some startups and followed developments in the startups industry. The startups industry is an industry of greater interest, I do not mind working or partnering with startups through my content creation, social media marketing, photography, videography and writing.

Media Relations

In the field of media relations with brands and agencies, the status quo is usually pretty good for those agencies and brands that I work closely with, some brands and agencies have been engaging for a period of time. As for the agencies that I recently engaged and worked with in the past 1-2 years, they would take a bit more time to build up the working relationship.

Personal

On a personal note and observations from a personal basis and perspective, there were a few recurring frustrating things that had been bugging me over the years. They seemed to have escalated in recent times. Here are a brief summary of them without going too deep into details and explanations:

• People don’t read
• People don’t want to understand you, they want you to understand them instead
• Passing judgement is getting more common, uncalled for at times
• People assume things
• Sometimes you are more on social on social media than me and you say I am very busy on social media
• Human communications are getting worse
• Communications and friendships are strained by social media, egos and narcissism
• Human memory is like becoming more like goldfish and they blame it on brain fog arising from the global pandemic period
• FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is getting stronger and worse

Yearly Theme 2023 – Transform

My Yearly Theme 2023 (Technology | Business | Personal) was “Transform”, looking back at year 2023 in review and reflection, I did manage to transform my enterprise/business technology sector. This was growing and expanding at a comfortable pace, something that I expected since this sector is not the easiest to cover and write about. My in-depth interviews and discussions on key technology topics gave me an area that I would expand further in 2024, more interviews and in-depth discussions.

I have yet to fully transform my digital marketing/social media marketing into my business services along with my content creation and commercial photography. On entering into the startups scene, there were some small headways, I am planning to make more in-route into this field in 2024, part of diversification of my business, and where I can bring my content creation, writing, photography services and technology experiences into startups field.

Reflecting Year 2023 (Photography | Travel | Creative | Heritage)

My year 2023 in reflection and review for my photography, travel, creative and heritage sectors are  written and published separately on my TGH Photography and Travel website. Since the two websites are operating in distinct fields, there are quite a fair bit of review and reflections written inside them too.

Looking ahead in 2024 (Technology | Business | Personal)

Looking ahead in 2024 (Technology | Business | Personal), I would be sharing more information and details in my Yearly Theme 2024 (Technology | Business | Personal), this approach is unique and can be very different as compared to the goals and objectives approach that I learnt previously.

Wishing all a Happy New Year 2024! Thank you for your support and encouragement!

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myFirst Circle 2.0

Since the introduction of myFirst Circle in January 2023, myFirst Circle has rapidly connected nearly 30,000 users across 100 countries. There is a new smart location tracking and classification offers parents real-time insights into their children’s activities, providing parents with peace of mind throughout the day.

G-Jay Yong, Founder and CEO of myFirst, said: “In January this year, we created myFirst Circle because there is no platform that allows children to have authentic social engagements in a safe and controlled environment. We wanted to let children explore the world of social media, while ensuring we are there to guide them along the way. Today, we are proud to introduce myFirst 2.0, along with two new devices – a new smartphone myFirst Fone R2 and a new myFirst Frame. myFirst Fone R2 offers an incredibly lightweight design paired with a stunning display while myFirst Frame is an addition that not only enhances children’s digital experiences but also empowers grandparents to effortlessly connect with their grandchildren’s world, fostering meaningful family connections.”

Momojis for Expressive Communication

Introducing Momojis for expressive communication, this is central to myFirst Circle 2.0, adding a layer of expressiveness to children’s communication. These vibrant Momojis pop up on the screen with accompanying sounds, providing a lively and interactive way for kids to share their emotions with friends and family. With more friends on board, children can unlock a greater variety of Momojis, creating a delightful incentive for social interaction.

Knock-Knock Feature for Real-Time Moments

Introducing Knock-Knock feature for Real-Time moments, this would be a playful touch to communication, allowing users to share real-time moments through 60s videos or photos, creating a captivating and interactive exchange within myFirst Circle.

The sender initiates the interaction, prompting the recipient to respond with their own video or photo to update on what they’re doing. It’s a unique way to connect and share moments, inspired by the founder’s desire to stay connected with his daughter’s daily activities when he is busy at work.

G-Jay said: “I frequently check in on my daughter to stay connected with her daily activities, whether it’s during lunch, before bedtime, or while I’m working long hours or on overseas business trips. The inspiration behind the Knock-Knock feature comes from my desire to share these moments effortlessly. Now, I can check in, and she responds with delightful updates, like enjoying a bowl of strawberries at home. It’s a simple yet powerful way for us to bridge the distance and feel close, no matter where we are.”

Improved Location Scanning with Smart Classification

The topics of safety and peace of mind with their children are always in the minds of parents. The myFirst Circle 2.0 app addresses those concerns with enhanced location tracking. This update introduces improved location scanning with smart classification.

Unlike traditional methods, myFirst Circle 2.0 intelligently suggests and classifies frequent locations, providing parents with more context about their child’s whereabouts. By detecting motion and checking WI-FI SSIDs, the system ensures accurate tracking without the need for GPS data, offering parents real-time insights into their children’s activities, whether it’s at their best friend’s house, or in school or other places. This enhancement will provide parents with even greater peace of mind.

Unveiling myFirst Fone R2

Introducing the latest smartphone for kids – myFirst Fone R2, it was launched together with myFirst Circle 2.0. The myFirst Fone R2 now comes with a slimmer and lighter outlook, boasting a super-bright AMOLED screen, powered by a new processor for faster performance and reduced power consumption.

The auto ambience light sensor and low-powered AMOLED display work together to reduce power consumption by 20% by automatically adjusting the screen brightness based on the surrounding light and only consuming power when pixels are lit.

With a 16% reduction in thickness and 7g lighter than its predecessor, myFirst Fone R2 sets a new standard for sleekness and portability. The design team achieved a significant reduction in thickness, slimming down the device from its previous 16.5mm to an impressive 13.6mm, resulting in a sleek profile. The R2 is also 7 grams lighter than the R1s, and also adjusted to account for a more snug, comfortable fit around the wrist.

The newly introduced Magic Button on top of the watch lets you access custom functions with single, double, or long presses. For instance, a prolonged press enables the sending of a voice message to your mom, a double click opens the camera, and a triple click initiates music playback—tailored to your individual preferences.

Connecting Generations with myFirst Frame

Two more new gadgets are added into the myFirst Circle Ecosystem, the myFirst Frame Doodle and myFirst Frame Live. They are both unique additions designed to connect kids to their grandparents and extended family.

myFirst Frame syncs seamlessly with myFirst Circle app across all supporting devices. It displays personalised feeds of content shared by loved ones on myFirst Circle app, fostering a unique and customised experience. Developed to empower grandparents, myFirst Frame effortlessly connects them to their grandchildren’s digital world, offering more than just a digital frame. Grandparents can not only see but also interact with the posts their family shares on myFirst Circle.

Operating on FrameOS, myFirst Frame extends its functionality beyond traditional frames. It doesn’t just showcase photos and videos; it showcases the latest updates from your family and friends immediately upon their posting. This creates a more engaging connection with their grandchildren’s digital world.

G-Jay Yong concludes, “With myFirst Circle 2.0, myFirst Fone R2, and myFirst Frame, we’re not just introducing products; we’re creating a connected social ecosystem that brings families closer together in the digital age.”

Pricing and Availability

myFirst Circle is free, the app is available for download on Apple AppStore, Google Play and Huawei App Gallery.

The pricing for the following new myFirst products are as follows:

• myFirst Fone R2 – SGD$299
• myFirst Frame Doodle – SGD$139
• myFirst Frame Live – SGD$149

For more information on myFirst, please visit https://myfirst.tech/.

* Information courtesy of myFirst and Gloo *

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As I managed to break free from my writer’s block, I worked on getting as many things written out here below. First and foremost, let’s start with – Consolidations.

Consolidations

In my technology (consumer and enterprise) sectors, it is all about consolidations. My backlogs had already piled up, therefore I need to put priority in clearing them, from enterprise technology events, followed by consumer technology news and social media marketing news. I have to clear off my technology enterprise media events/conferences that I attended in the Q3 2023.

On the digital/social media marketing segments, I had been discussing about those two areas for a period of time. Progress wasn’t exactly as I planned and envisioned, therefore it’s a consolidation first, next up would be reorganising and re-strategising for YR2024.

As a writer, I have recently added more books from various genres to read, enrich and constantly improve myself. On top of my newly added books, I still have my collection of books that I haven’t finish reading as well. Hopefully, I can learn and improve myself further as a writer in YR2024.

On a personal front, there were always a lot of “fighting daily battles” and facing constant challenges of various magnitudes. Hearing real life stories from friends themselves or shared by friends, everyone of us have their own battles to fight and conquer. We cannot and we should not just pass judgement, we need to know what is the story behind the situations.

From a deeper personal note, I am still facing and receiving judgements and criticisms. While all these are part and parcel of running a small business and presence on social media, even though I am keeping a low profile, not pushed by FOMO (fear of missing out) and at times JOMO (joy of missing out). Social media and cultural dynamics are changing fast and furious, algorithms are manipulative and very difficult to understand and know what they are doing.

Beyond the balancing my consolidations and clearing of backlogs on my technology, business, marketing and personal sectors, there are also consolidations in my other areas on my photography, heritage, arts and travel sectors. You can read them here on my TGH Photography and Travel website.

Updates

Moving to updates, in the area of digital marketing/content creation that I had been building up. Once I consolidated and regrouped, I would work on my strategic plans and directions for YR2024.

As I mentioned earlier in my TGH Photography and Travel website, I am planning to diversify part of my photography business into other industries whereby I can put my content creation, social media marketing, writing, photography and videography into the start-ups industry that I am looking at.

Some of the start-ups industries that I am looking/considering are in the fin-tech, sustainability, travel and tourism industry. Where would this new venture direction takes me? Let’s see how I venture in this field.

Wrap Up

While some people might be slowing down in the month of December, going for family holiday trips, I find myself unable to be like them. For me, I initially wanted to plan a short trip away from Singapore. However, prices weren’t exactly favourable, accompanied by quite a lot of people travelling for holidays overseas, and I haven’t finish clearing up my loose ends and backlogs, I decided to postpone it.

December 2023 is firstly consolidations, clearing backlogs and wrapping up my YR2023. The year  2023 in review would come later in Q1 2024, let me wrap up my December 2023 with bits and pieces of writing my review for YR2023. Not to forget, I am also looking for my Yearly Theme for YR2024.

Final Sprint 2024

Now is the final sprint to end of YR2023, no matter the ups and downs that I went through in my earlier 11 months or 48 weeks prior to this, I want to finish YR2023 on a high, on a good note and to start off YR2024 on a correct footing. What lies ahead in YR2024 is still unknown for all of us, we do expect a more difficult and challenging economy, on top of geo-politics and climate change  issues.

May you also have a good run to the finishing line of YR2023!

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