Xiaomi and Leica Camera announce long-term strategic cooperation: A new era of mobile imaging begins in July

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Xiaomi and Leica share the same ideas regarding mobile imaging. Both companies are eager to continuously explore the optical performance and photographic experience in the mobile imaging era through extreme technological breakthroughs and aesthetic pursuits.

Beijing, CHINA - On 23 May, Xiaomi, the world's leading consumer electronics and smart manufacturing company, and Leica Camera, whose legendary reputation is based on a long tradition of excellent quality, innovative technologies and German craftsmanship, officially announce their strategic cooperation in terms of mobile imaging. 

The first imaging flagship smartphone jointly developed by the two companies will be officially launched in July this year.

Founded in 2010, Xiaomi is currently the world's third-largest smartphone manufacturer. Since its establishment 12 years ago, Xiaomi has always practiced the mission of 'relentlessly building amazing products with honest prices to let everyone in the world enjoy a better life through innovative technology', its smartphones and other products are sold in more than 100 countries and regions around the world. With strong R&D strength and continuous long-term investment in technology, Xiaomi has become an important leader in technological innovation in the fields of consumer electronics and smart manufacturing. And in the field of imaging, based on its long-term technical accumulation in lens optics, chips, algorithms, etc., as well as its deep understanding of mobile photography, Xiaomi provides extraordinary photography experiences including portraits, night scenes, and snapshots.

For over 100 years, Leica Camera has been creating lightweight cameras favored by street photographer pioneers and world-class optical lenses, fulfilling the passions of its community. With ingenious optical engineering and formidable craftsmanship, Leica cameras, recognizable by their ‘red dot’ branding, are German engineering at its best, and continue to attract new generations of consumers who aspire to achieve “the Leica image look” and own these masterpieces of design. In addition to making precision-crafted masterpieces, Leica attracts well-known photographers and emerging new talents around the world.

Xiaomi and Leica share the same ideas regarding mobile imaging. Both companies are eager to continuously explore the optical performance and photographic experience in the mobile imaging era through extreme technological breakthroughs and aesthetic pursuits.

"Xiaomi focuses on creating the ultimate user experience, and has always hoped to explore the capabilities of smartphone photography to the extreme. Xiaomi and Leica agree with each other's pursuits and ideas and appreciate each other's advantages and industry. This cooperation will provide a strong boost to Xiaomi's imaging strategy. During the cooperation, from optical design to tuning aesthetic orientations, the innovative technologies, product philosophies and imaging preferences of both parties have experienced unprecedented in-depth collision and fusion." says Lei Jun, founder, chairman and CEO of Xiaomi Group.

"It is an honor to announce the long-term strategic cooperation with Xiaomi today. Leica and Xiaomi are both global premium brands and during this unprecedented deep cooperation process, both parties have successively worked on the goal of providing customers a new era of mobile photography. We are convinced that the first jointly developed imaging flagship smartphone makes the pioneering progress of both companies visible. We will provide consumers in the field of mobile photography exceptional image quality, classic Leica aesthetics, unrestricted creativity, and will open a new era of mobile imaging." adds Matthias Harsch, CEO of Leica Camera AG.

Kumu and Wattpad Partner to Adapt Filipino Hit Kiss Master as a Fan-Driven Streaming Series

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• Kiss Master fans will have a chance to guide the 8-part series adaptation of Jamille Fumah’s Wattpad hit

• The branded entertainment partnership follows a series of successful collaborations between Wattpad and Kumu

Kumu and Wattpad are tapping into the power of fandom! Kumu, the leading social entertainment platform in the Philippines, and Wattpad, the global entertainment company and leading web novel platform, today announced a partnership to adapt Jamille Fumah’s (@JFStories) Wattpad hit Kiss Master as an 8-episode series for multi-platform distribution. What’s even more exciting is that through the power of real-time engagement via Kumu’s interactive livestreams, fans will have the ability to influence the project’s casting, storyline, and more.

With 7.7 million reads (and counting), Kiss Master follows young heroine Sussie five years after Arkanghel Wolfgang broke her heart. The playful bad boy, once head over heels for Sussie, has since turned into a cold and arrogant billionaire CEO. Now separated not only by their social status but also personal issues that could separate them for good, their worlds seem even further apart. But when Arkanghel reappears in her life and attempts to mend their broken ties, will Sussie ever be able to forgive her first kiss?

Jamille Fumah (@JFStories) is one Wattpad writer to watch out for, with 1.5 million followers and more than 30 stories published on the platform. Fumah has also published five books with Bliss Books, Wattpad’s joint imprint with Anvil Publishing in the Philippines. Her latest release, When I First Met You, was a National Book Store bestseller.

The Philippines is one of Wattpad’s largest markets with six million members and counting. The country is also a home to some of the platform’s most influential authors and fandoms, where writers like Abigail De Silva (@CeCeLib), Gwy Saludes (@4reuminct), Tina Lata (@blue_maiden), Maxine Lat Calibuso (@maxinejiji) have amassed millions of reads and followers.

Modern Methods for Modern Stories

Making this vision a reality is the team behind Black Sheep Productions, known for local cinema hits such as Exes Baggage, Alone/Together, Fan Girl, and Whether the Weather Is Fine. Their work, both mainstream and independent, has audiences enraptured with engaging, relatable stories—made even more so now, with the reader-first, fan-driven nature of the endeavor. “We believe in Black Sheep’s capacity to adapt this story,” says Angelo Mendez, Kumu’s Chief Content Officer and co-founder of Kumu. “Listening primarily to the fans isn’t easy, but it’s what drives Kumu, and we’re confident we can work together to stay true to that principle.”

 Kaori Oinuma

Kyle Echarri

Joao Constancia

It seems only appropriate to bring in more local talent for the project; Chad Vidanes leads the way as the director while also working on the hit rom-com series, He’s Into Her. Bringing the character of Sussie to life is Kaori Oinuma, whose face may be especially familiar to Kumu users through Love at First Stream; Kyle Echarri, who rose to stardom on ABS-CBN’s On the Wings of Love, takes on the role of main love interest, Arkanghel. Throwing a wrench in this romance is Hugo, played by Joao Constancia, who has worked with Vidanes before and is known for his role in Four Sisters Before the Wedding.

An Enduring Partnership

“We here at Kumu are proud to find capable partners in Wattpad and Black Sheep, both tastemaking powerhouses that value Filipino creativity as we do,” Mendez adds. “Our expanded partnership with Wattpad is the next project in a series of fan-influenced adaptations. We’re excited to work with them to innovate the future of storytelling through this web series, encourage aspiring writers, and give the fans the best, heart-warming experience possible."

“Like Wattpad, Kumu has built a massive, passionate, and engaged community,” says Dexter Ong, Managing Director, International, Wattpad WEBTOON Studios. “Working with Kumu, we’ve already seen incredible engagement in the past year, connecting Wattpad authors with their fandoms on Kumu. Together, we’re creating a new frontier of the Creator Economy, developing new ways for Wattpad’s biggest influencers to monetize their work, and activating built-in fandoms to create on-screen hits.”

The partnership was developed between Wattpad Brand Partnerships and Kumu, along with marketing agency Culture Group supporting strategy and commercial negotiation. This is Wattpad's first Philippines-based Branded Entertainment project, after launching the new offering in 2021. Wattpad WEBTOON Studios will produce the new series alongside Kumu.

The collaboration follows a number of successful campaigns from Wattpad and Kumu in 2021, designed to bring Wattpad’s Filipino fandom closer to the authors and stories they love. In 2021, the companies launched exclusive Wattpad livestreams from the official @WattpadPH account on Kumu. The weekly Friday “Write With Me” livestream series brought together fans and aspiring writers to discuss all things storytelling. The successful livestream series generated more than 200k views on Kumu, and was followed by the very first Wattpad Fan Fest in October. The multi-day virtual event gave fans, readers, and authors a chance to celebrate the Filipino Wattpad Community, complete with writing tips and tricks, appearances from Wattpad authors, and information about writer programs at Wattpad. Fifty local Filipino Wattpad influencers have taken part in the partnership to date.

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About Wattpad

Wattpad’s vision is to entertain and connect the world through stories. A leading social storytelling platform and home to a community of more than 94 million people who spend over 23 billion minutes a month engaged in original stories, Wattpad has democratized storytelling for a new generation of diverse Gen Z writers and their fans. Alongside Wattpad WEBTOON Studios, the company’s TV, film, and publishing counterparts, Wattpad combines art and science to unearth incredible stories and cultivate the fandoms driving the future of entertainment. The company is proudly based in Toronto, Canada.

About Kumu

Kumu is a powerful social media platform that brings the voices of Filipinos from all over the globe at the forefront. Aside from presenting users with real-time earning opportunities as a live streamer, chances to win cash in various game shows, and engagement in campaigns, Kumu also fosters communities that ignite relevant discussions among Filipinos. According to mobile-app performance company App Annie, Kumu is not only the first Filipino app to be the #1 top grossing social app in the Philippines, but one of the highest grossing social apps in the world, ranking in the top 10 in multiple markets’ app stores, including in Canada, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

Bayad and Cebuana Lhuillier Intensifies Partnership By Offering Real-Time Bills Payment Services

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Bayad, the trusted multi-channel payment platform provider in the Philippines and Meralco’s full service fintech subsidiary has intensified its partnership with Cebuana Lhuillier, one of the leading micro financial service provider companies in the Philippines. Through its proactive alliance, Bayad enables Meralco bills payment in over 3,000 Cebuana Lhuillier branches across the country.

Apart from Meralco, Cebuana Lhuillier targets to onboard more biller brands through Bayad’s extensive network of biller partners that will eventually extend across Cebuana Lhuillier’s digital platform, enabling an easier, more efficient, more convenient, and seamless one-stop shop solution for its clients.

Bayad President and CEO, Lawrence Y. Ferrer shared “Bayad’s partnership with Cebuana Lhuillier ultimately amplifies our vision of elevating the quality of living of Filipinos as we usher in more real time bills payment services. We are committed to empower businesses like Cebuana Lhuillier by sharing our vision and strategy in advocating for digital financial inclusion”.

Cebuana Lhuillier President and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier also stressed. “Cebuana Lhuillier has always been committed to offer convenient micro financial solutions to our clients, and partnering with the biggest and widest multi-channel payment platform in the country will surely optimize one of our essential services. As we continue to expand our network and improve our digital payment facilities, we will provide our clients more convenient options for their bills payment needs.”

For fintech institutions that are interested to be part of Bayad’s extensive channel network, you may send an email to partnerships@bayad.com or call at +63 998 963 7880. Bayad enables partners to attain a nationwide presence and provides end-to-end support services for efficient payment and collection processing.

Join Paws de Mayo, in partnership with Siklesa, at Tiendesitas

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Love dressing up your pets? 

Join Paws de Mayo, in partnership with Siklesa, at Tiendesitas Level 1 Building B on May 28, 2022 at 3:00 PM! Pre-register through this link: https://bit.ly/PawsDeMayo

Get glammed up with your pet for our Santa Cruzan themed parade and celebration for a chance to become this year’s titleholders for Reyna EmPAWratriz, Reyna EsPAWranza, and Reyna PAW (People’s Choice Award).

Make sure to download the Ortigas Malls app and register for the Elite Pet Society to join our festivities! Your pet’s updated vaccination records are required to ensure the safety of all attendees.

Visit the Tiendesitas Facebook page for more details! 

#OrtigasMallsElitePetSociety #EnjoyEveryday #OrtigasMalls

Single mom is foodpanda’s solo walker in Dagupan

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A 43-year old Ka-Panda partner walker and single mother, Sheila Macabenta has been delivering food on foot for almost a year now to foodpanda customers in Dagupan City.

It’s been said that anything that a man can do, a woman can do as well. That certainly holds true for the fast-growing quick-commerce industry, where women delivery workers make up a significant chunk of the workforce, thanks to food delivery apps like foodpanda. One of the industry’s leading names and known for their eye-catching brand, foodpanda is also known for giving opportunities to Filipinos regardless of gender to become “Ka Panda” delivery partners.

While we are more familiar with the sight of them on a motorcycle or a bicycle, you might be surprised that others also deliver food on foot– and in foodpanda’s case, these workers are affectionately called ‘Ka-Panda walkers’. For the leading quick-commerce digital platform, having walkers opens up opportunities for those who are non-drivers or do not own a vehicle to still make a living – like 43-year-old Sheila Macabenta, who holds the distinction of being foodpanda’s lone walker in the Dagupan area.

Always jumping from one job to another before becoming a Ka-Panda walker, Sheila is no stranger to hardships. As a single mother and sole provider to her 3 kids, she did not mind these setbacks in the past.

Like any mother, what kept her going is the desire to take care of her children. Her resilience prevailed when one day, while browsing through social media, she saw a job posting on the foodpanda riders' Facebook Page. “Na-amaze at na-curious ako sa trabaho ng isang Ka-Panda walker kaya nag-decide ako mag-apply,” she recounts.

For Sheila, being a Ka-Panda walker is rewarding, but the job also comes with its fair share of challenges – from the unpredictable weather she faces every day to the long walks to deliver her orders. But none of them compares to the fulfillment of being able to support the needs of her family.

“Malaking tulong si foodpanda sa financial needs namin. Nakakaya ko nang tustusan yung mga basic expenses namin katulad ng pagkain, pambayad ng renta sa bahay, at iba pang bills. Mahalaga yun sa mga nanay na tulad ko na mag-isa lang nagtataguyod ng pamilya.”

One thing she also learned from her experience is that respect and determination in her line of work are important. “Pag nagtatrabaho, kailangan ng tiyaga at respeto. Walang trabahong pang-babae o pang-lalaki lang. Basta’t kaya, magpatuloy lang dahil walang madali sa umpisa.”

As we celebrate our ilaw ng tahanan this month, we also honor single parents like her who act as both mother and father, working tirelessly to provide for their families.

No matter what obstacles or hurdles she faced – whether as a single mother or a woman Ka-Panda walker – Sheila has proven that with eagerness and dedication, nothing is impossible. Mothers like her who are able to juggle working and taking care of their families are always an inspiration, and there’s no better gift than making them feel both our love and respect.

So will Sheila keep on “walking” for foodpanda and their customers? “Kahit ilang kilometro man ang kailangang lakarin, hindi ako magsasawang maghatid ng orders sa mga customers namin,” she says.

“Kahit ano mang pagsubok, basta’t andyan ang pamilya ko at mga customers na patuloy na sumasaludo sa ginagawa ko, kakayanin ko. Tuloy lang sa lakad ng buhay.”

 

About foodpanda:

foodpanda is dedicated to bringing food lovers their favorite meals from curated local restaurants in the Philippines. Since its creation, the on-demand food delivery service has grown to more than 170,000 partner restaurants in more than 325 cities across 13 Asian and Central Europe markets. foodpanda Philippines currently operates in 150 cities and municipalities across the Philippines and continuously expanding. foodpanda is a subsidiary under Delivery Hero, a worldwide leader of the food delivery industry. For more information, visit www.foodpanda.ph.

How it works:

Through the foodpanda website or via the new iOS and Android apps, customers can enter their address and view a curated list of restaurants and shops serving their neighborhood. Once they have found their choice, they can place an order in the comfort of their home or office, paying online through foodpanda’s secure platform or via cash-on-delivery The order is then carefully prepared by the restaurant or shop, picked up by the foodpanda rider and delivered straight to their doorstep.

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Twitter: foodpanda_ph

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