United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh has made big strides in the past few years and Walton is a showcase of such progress, said German Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Fahrenholtz after visiting Walton Hi-Tech Park in Gazipur's Chandra Thursday. He also hoped that Walton would become a global market player. "Today, I witnessed that Walton invested good enough in advanced technologies' machinery – mostly from Germany – to produce quality products," the envoy said. Also read: Walton opening branches in 6 countries Earlier, the ambassador and the Deputy Head of Mission Constanza Zahringer visited the refrigerator, compressor, LGP and LDP, motherboard and TV manufacturing units and the product display centre at Walton Hi-Tech Park. On Thursday morning, Walton Hi-Tech Industries Managing Director Engineer Golam Murshed welcomed the German envoy and the deputy head of mission. Also read: Walton to release Snapdragon-equipped gaming smartphone Golam Murshed said, "We have set up our global business expansion plans in Europe, pivoting on Germany. I hope that today's visit of the German ambassador and the deputy head of mission will further strengthen Bangladesh's bilateral trade relations with the country."

Chinese technology company realme is planning to put 100 million 5G phones in the hands of young consumers around the world by 2024. realme partnered with Qualcomm, GSMA and Counterpoint Research to host the inaugural "Making 5G Global: Accessibility for All" virtual summit Thursday.  At the summit, realme reiterated its commitment to work towards the advancement of 5G adoption globally. Also, the company revealed that the realme GT 5G performance flagship and the realme GT camera flagship are set for release in June and July. Also read: Realme to bring Snapdragon 778G 5G, Android 12 Beta 1-equipped smartphone In 2020, realme launched 14 5G devices in 21 markets. The company also expects to establish seven research and development centres around the world and invest $300 million globally in 5G technology research and product development in 2021 to expedite the adoption of 5G products.  Speaking at the summit, Madhav Sheth, VP and CEO of India and Europe, realme, said: "Starting with our first 5G model, the realme X50, we have been exploring new design concepts and technical innovations to bring users more slimline and design-rich 5G phones that have a powerful performance." Also read: realme to host 5G summit with GSMA, Counterpoint, Qualcomm "While the growth of 5G coverage is encouraging, a survey by GSMA shows that other barriers remain for widespread adoption of the new technology amongst consumers, such as affordability of the devices, lack of digital literacy and skills, and costs of mobile data. Nevertheless, the transition to 5G is inevitable across the world, and 5G is expected to bring $600 billion to the global economy over the next decade," said Kalvin Bahia, principal economist of GSMA Intelligence.  Realme Bangladesh Managing Director Tim Shao said: "As we can see there are many barriers to adopting 5G technology all around the world, this is where realme will be putting its efforts. We want to live up to the expectations of the youths and the youths need smart technology like 5G. We will introduce affordable 5G phones to empower the youths and help the country embrace 5G." Read Robi deploys 4.5G technology in all its network sites

Smartphone brand realme has recently announced that it is working on new fronts to equip its smartphones with a top-notch processor and operating system – Snapdragon 778G 5G and Android 12 Beta 1. The new phones will hit the global market soon. The company has been working with Qualcomm to incorporate the latest technologies into its phones so that the users can enjoy excellent performance and advanced gaming features. Also read: Realme to host 5G summit with GSMA, Counterpoint, Qualcomm The result is the Snapdragon 778G 5G mobile platform which is a 6nm chip with Qualcomm Kryo 670 CPU and capable of leveraging a 40% performance improvement; its Adreno 642L GPU graphics rendering speed is about 40% faster than the previous generation.  Realme GT, facilitated with Android 12 Beta 1, will enhance the user experience. The company has worked closely with Google to develop its UI 2.0 supported by Android 11 Beta 1 and based on users' feedback. Also read: realme 8 Pro Illuminating Yellow Review: Price, Features, Camera, Performances The phone is the brand's first flagship to be launched in 2021, which is packed with SDM888, a new-gen cooling system, 120Hz AMOLED display, 65W SuperDart Charge and 4500mAh battery, read a press release. 

Bangladesh has been an agrarian state since time immemorial. Whether it's the suitable six seasons or the fertile land bounded by the mighty rivers, the production of crops in this region has always been on the higher side. However, over time, the existing processes of cultivation and agrarian techniques became redundant. With the huge development in the sector, one of the key challenges was to disseminate this knowledge and technology to rural farmers. The Department of Agricultural Extension has taken up that solemn task and has taken several app-based initiatives to better penetrate the rural areas. Here are the top mobile apps that the DAE has developed for the farmers. Best Mobile Apps for Farming and Agricultural Extension Services in Bangladesh Crop Production This app was developed by the joint venture of BTRC and Asia Pacific Telecommunication under the HRD project. APT also acted as the financier of the project to digitize and bring technological ease to rural farmers. The crop production app was one of the first of its kind in the country. The diversity of seasons as well as soil texture means different regions of Bangladesh are good for different types of crops. However, there is no empirical data to suggest which crop is best suited for which region. With that in mind, the crop production app is designed to be a storehouse of data of all the agricultural production in a single year. From the application, farmers can access the crop data to find out which crop is best suited for their regions and plan their crops accordingly. This not only brings a better crop production but also ensures a better profit margin for the farmers as well. Read Top health apps for online doctor consultation services in Bangladesh DAE Office Directory Most of the farmers in the rural areas of Bangladesh are illiterate and they are dependent on the age-old tradition of crop cultivation. To initiate technological development and put them into effect, the Department of Agricultural Extension appoints Agricultural Extension officers in different regions of Bangladesh. these officers act as a mentor to the farmers to teach and educate them in various new process and innovation that helps in a better yield of the crop. The DAE office directory app was developed to make communication with the officers easier and more personalized. A user can directly locate the name and contact o the relevant officer in their region. Moreover, they can make direct calls from the app itself which makes the process even more hassle-free. The app is free to download from the play store of android devices. Concurrently, you can also download the app from the DAE website. Read Online apps reshaping cattle markets ahead of Eid, thanks to local admins DigiCow Digicow is part of the farming tech solutions limited base in Kenya. The company was founded in 2014 to make farming digitalized as well as more efficient. In Bangladesh, DigiCow operates in collaboration with Grameenphone’s initiative – the smart farm. The platform operates to provide all the crucial health and reproduction data of an individual cow on a farm. For this, a farmer needs to install a smart tag on each of their cows and receive all the health-related data of individual cows directly into their app. Every year, there is production loss due to sudden illness and a lack of protective measures for the cow's health. The DigiCow platform effectively eliminates those threats and allows for a continuous monitor of health. This helps to ensure that the cow is healthy and also get information about their reproduction period. Read Best Food Delivery Apps in Bangladesh in 2021 Weather Forecasting App This is also another app developed by the joint venture of BTRC and APT under the HRD project. This is one of the five applications that were developed to facilitate rural farmers through the DAE. The DAE works closely with the farmers and tries to educate on the basics of the application and how to use them. granted that most of the farmers of Bangladesh do not have access to smartphones and the internet, some of the services of this app can be availed through text messaging service as well. Weather plays a vital factor in crop production and it is important to know about the macro as well as micro-changes to plan crop plantation as well as harvesting. The weather forecasting app displays the relevant information of a region on a micro-scale so that it is possible to deduce the changes and plan crop plantation and harvesting accordingly. Read Best Ride-Sharing Apps in Bangladesh Fosholi App Fosholi is by far the most comprehensive application when it comes to everything related to agriculture. The application was developed by a joint venture between Danish Company G4AW and the ACI Agrobusiness. As an abundantly agriculture-based country, there is a lot of agricultural production of different crops. With different crops, comes different issues as well as better harvest prospects with the use of proper fertilizer as well as taking appropriate measures. All of this information can be hard to get by for a rural farmer and sometimes access to DAE officials is also not available. The Fosholi comes in aid for this exact reason. It is an all-in-one app that will give you the desired information based on your location, season, and crop. You can get all kinds of information about the growth, plantation, nurturing as well as harvesting of your crops. There is also information regarding the use of fertilizer as well as reports of the previous harvest in the area to better understand the expected harvest scale. The app has been quite popular among the DEA officers as well as they can use it as a one-stop solution for all types of queries of the farmers. The application is available on both Android and iOS platforms as well as their website. Bottom Line The DEA including the private sector recognized the need for an overhaul in the existing process of agricultural development and as a result, took initiatives to develop various applications which specialize in a certain area to better help the farmers. These Bangladeshi Agricultural apps are having a tremendous impact on the overall alleviation of the harvesting as well as reducing crop damage.  Read Top Job Searching apps in Bangladesh

The leading global smart device brand Oppo kicked off an exchange offer for smartphone enthusiasts Wednesday through which they can exchange specific models of the brand's handsets.  Users can exchange their phone with three models – F19 Pro, F19 and Reno5. They can avail of this opportunity through SWAP apps, all Oppo shops across the country, Livewire chain shops and Pickaboo shops. Also read: PMCC: Oppo brings 'Guess & Win' offer for gaming fans Along with the exchange facility, the customers will also enjoy up to Tk2,500 extra cashback and a buyback offer for three months.  They will have to first visit SWAP apps to evaluate the value of their old smartphones. Next, the customers can choose their preferred channel for exchange. Also read: Oppo F19 hits the sweet spot between powerful hardware, stylish appearance After checking the handset and matching the final price with the apps, the showroom manager will process the request. If the customer agrees with the final price, they can exchange the phone and get a new Oppo smartphone.  Any customer interested in claiming this offer will have to submit a filled-in customer form along with their NID copy, a passport-size photo, and the screenshot of the SWAP apps evaluation report, read a press release. Read Samsung Galaxy A32 Review with Price in Bangladesh

Chinese telecom giant Huawei has recently joined Responsible Business 2021, which serves as a platform for providing business-critical and actionable insights. Speakers from governments, international organisations and businesses shared their views about the international agreements, commitments and measures towards the global sustainability transition at the virtual event organised by Reuters Events. Read: Huawei gets bKash's Partner Recognition Award They acknowledged that industries like ICT have been at the forefront, providing enabling technology for a greener world.

Bangladeshi brand Walton has extended its replacement guarantee for LED television panels up to five from the earlier four years. On Tuesday, Walton declared the extension in a program held at the conference hall of Walton Corporate Office. According to the declaration, customers buying Walton LED or Smart TV from 32-inch and above sizes will get free replacement of the panel if any problem is found within five years of purchase. Moreover, all Walton TVs have up to 5 years of free after-sales service with a 1-year replacement guarantee. READ: Walton to reward students total at least Tk 1 crore for laptop purchase Walton television division CEO Mostafa Nahid Hossain said that the confidence of quality excellence in production is behind the extended replacement guarantee. Customers would be benefitted by the guarantee given on panels as panels cost over 60 percent of the total TV price. Walton incorporates technology panels with ISO Class Seven Dust Free Clean Room which provide viewers large viewing angles and high contrast pictures experience with great energy efficiency. READ: Walton named Dhaka Premier League title sponsor Walton had been manufacturing a wide range of android 4k resolution smart, Bangla Voice Control Smart, Full HD, HD Smart and Basic LED Televisions for customers of all classes, professions and income. Walton as a local brand reached global standard as it now exports ‘Made in Bangladesh’ labeled TVs in over 35 countries. Walton’s Deputy Managing Directors Eva Rezwana Nilu, Amdadul Haque Sarker and Humayun Kabir, Walton Plaza Trades’ Chief Executive Officer Mohammad Rayhan, Executive Director Uday Hakim, Walton TV’s Product Manager Tanvir Mahmud Shuvo and were also present at the program. Read Walton Primo RX8 Review with Price in Bangladesh

Facebook says it will no longer remove claims that COVID-19 is human-made or manufactured “in light of ongoing investigations into the origin of COVID-19 and in consultation with public health experts.” There is rising pressure worldwide to investigate the origins of the pandemic, including the possibility that it came from a lab. Since the pandemic began, Facebook has been changing what it allows on the topic and what it bans. In February, it announced a host of new claims it would be prohibiting -- including that COVID-19 was created in a Chinese lab. Other claims it added at the time included the false notion that vaccines are not effective or that they are toxic. Lisa Fazio, a professor of psychology at Vanderbilt University, said the reversal shows the difficulty of fact-checking in general, particularly with something unprecedented like the coronavirus, when experts can disagree and change their minds with new evidence. Read: Muslim civil rights group sues Facebook over hate speech “It’s one reason that content moderation shouldn’t be static, scientific consensus changes over time,” Fazio said. “It’s also a reminder to be humble and that for some questions the best current answer is “we don’t know yet” or “it’s possible, but experts think it’s unlikely.” Facebook’s reversal comes as President Joe Biden ordered U.S. intelligence officials to “redouble” their efforts to investigate the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, including any possibility the trail might lead to a Chinese laboratory. After months of minimizing these claims as a fringe theory, the Biden administration is joining worldwide pressure for China to be more open about the outbreak. It aims to head off GOP complaints that Biden has not been tough enough and to use the opportunity to press China on alleged obstruction. “We’re continuing to work with health experts to keep pace with the evolving nature of the pandemic and regularly update our policies as new facts and trends emerge,” said Guy Rosen, Facebook’s vice president of integrity, in a statement Wednesday. Facebook does not usually ban misinformation outright on its platform, instead adding fact-checks by outside parties, which includes The Associated Press, to debunked claims. The two exceptions have been around elections and COVID-19.

Chinese telecom giant Huawei has received the "Partner Recognition Award" from mobile financial service (MFS) provider bKash. The award was declared at the virtual "Partner Recognition Program" organised by bKash recently.  Over the last few years, bKash, a subsidiary of Brac Bank, has popularised mobile financial services in Bangladesh. Huawei has been a strategic partner of bKash since 2017 and helped it on many fronts. Read Fintech MFS: Best Mobile Financial Services in Bangladesh Huawei has provided fintech mobile money core solution and E2E solution, including high-reliability hardware as well as large-scale capacity software to bKash, which has enabled the MFS to integrate the system with other ecosystems and catalyse its financial services. Azmal Huda, chief product and technology officer at bKash, said: "Huawei has been a trusted and very dedicated partner in our growth journey as they have always offered timely support and cutting-edge technology for us." Huawei Technologies Bangladesh CTO Dongjian Xu said: "As a strategic partner of bKash, we have always strived to provide not only the best software solutions and technology but also services to bring greater value to our society."  Read Digital Currency: Benefits and Risks of the Cashless Economy in Bangladesh The extensive research and development capabilities of Huawei enables MFS providers to deliver enhanced user experience and superior manageability, read a press release.

Chinese electronics company Realme is hosting a global 5G summit with Qualcomm, GSMA, and Counterpoint on June 3 to shed light on the growth opportunities of 5G worldwide, its impact on consumers, and as an enabler of smart living. At the global 5G summit "Making 5G Global: Accessibility for All," these 5G ecosystem players will also discuss 5G's role as an agent of change, its transformational impact on society, barriers to 5G adoption, how it can boost growth in a post-pandemic world and specific applications that are important in providing the whole 5G experience. Read ZTE implements SuperDSS for 5G transition in S Africa Realme Bangladesh Managing Director Tim Shao said: "This summit is of paramount significance as realme will be taking cues from the opinions shared in this event. It is mentionable that the 5G-supported handsets to be introduced by realme in the Bangladeshi market in future will be available at affordable prices and will come with maximised 5G benefits." The summit will be live-streamed on the GSMA channel and realme's official social media channels. Read Robi deploys 4.5G technology in all its network sites