Tech
Legendary Nokia 3310 might be coming back this month
Quick: What’s the best phone you’ve ever used? For many, the answer is Nokia 3310, a nearly indestructible phone that predates the smartphone era by nearly a decade.
Launched in 2000 by then-gigantic Finnish phone maker Nokia, the 3310 was compact, sturdy, reliable and its battery lasted forever. Now, according to a report by reliable leaker of all things mobile, Evan Blass, the Nokia 3310 is poised for a triumphant return.
OK, we’re not sure about the “triumphant” bit, as the report, posted over on VentureBeat, is scarce on details. It appears the HMD Global Oy, the Finnish manufacturer that bought the rights to market phones under the Nokia brand from Microsoft, will launch a “modern version” of 3310 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this month.
More precisely, the phone will be launched Feb. 26, when HMD has scheduled an event in Barcelona, and the new Nokia 3310 will cost a mere €59 ($63). Other than that, we know nothing — but we definitely hope this 3310 reboot will include the legendary game from the original phone, Snake.
HMD will launch a couple of smartphones as well, Blass claims: Nokia 5 and Nokia 3. The 5.2-inch Nokia 5 will have 2GB of RAM and a 12-megapixel camera, and it will retail for €199 ($211). There are no details about the entry-level Nokia 3 except that it will cost €149 ($158), and both…
Myanmar
Digital Revolution and Repression in Myanmar and Thailand
Activists have also proactively published social media content in multiple languages using the hashtags #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar and #WhatsHappeningInThailand to boost coverage of events on the ground.
By Karen Lee
Following the February 1 coup, Myanmar’s netizens became the latest to join the #MilkTeaAlliance, an online collective of pro-democracy youth across Asia.
(more…)
– The rise has been driven by OPEC+ production cuts and an improving economic climate
– Higher prices are likely to support a rebound in oil-producing emerging markets
– Further virus outbreaks or increased production would pose challenges to price stability
A combination of continued production cuts and an increase in economic activity has prompted oil prices to return to pre-pandemic levels – a factor that will be crucial to the recovery of major oil-producing countries in the Middle East and Africa.
Brent crude prices rose above $60 a barrel in early February, the first time they had exceeded pre-Covid-19 values. They have since continued to rise, going above $66 a barrel on February 24.
The ongoing increase in oil prices, which have soared by 75% since November and around 26% since the beginning of the year, marks a dramatic change from last year.
Following the closure of many national borders and the implementation of travel-related restrictions to stop the spread of the virus, demand for oil slumped globally.
In the wake of the Saudi-Russia price war in early 2020, Brent crude prices fell from around $60 a barrel in February that year to two-decade lows of $20 a barrel in late April, as supply increased and demand plummeted. The value of WTI crude – the main benchmark for oil in the US – fell to record lows of around $40 a barrel last year on the back of a lack of storage space.
While global demand for oil remains low, one factor credited with reversing the trend is the decision to make significant cuts to oil production, which subsequently tightened global supplies.
Tech
How the Rural-Urban Divide Plays Out on Digital Platforms
It is one thing for entrepreneurs, whether urban or rural, to create and operate an online store, as some digital platforms have made it relatively easy to manage an e-store – even by using just a smartphone.
In the West, villages are emptying out due to the lack of economic opportunities. Consider Italy where, in a bid to attract newcomers, a handful of municipalities have turned to selling houses for €1.
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Digital Revolution and Repression in Myanmar and Thailand
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