Acer announced that it has expanded its antimicrobial product portfolio to multiple product lines, covering both consumer and commercial audiences. From TravelMate laptops for those in the office to Enduro Urban devices for outdoor lovers, plus a host of accessories like a Works With Chromebook certified keyboard and mouse set, antimicrobial devices are now available to a significantly wider range of users. 

“Acer has been implementing antimicrobial technology across a range of products to reduce risk. Last year, we launched a series of products with antimicrobial technology including our Chromebook enterprise and education series, swift 5, and more…” said Robin Wu, Acer’s Planning Manager

Acer TravelMate Spin P4 Antimicrobial Convertible Laptop

The Acer TravelMate Spin P4 (TMP414RNA-51) is a business-grade convertible laptop that features Acer’s Antimicrobial 360 Design[ ], [ ] — a silver ion antimicrobial agent covering high-touch surfaces such as the chassis, keyboard, touchpad, and more. Silver ions are highly reactive particles that dramatically reduce the growth rate of microbes upon contact. The laptop also offers powerful performance with up to an 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7 vPro processor, more than sufficient to run several programs, webpages and spreadsheets at once, while up to 1 TB of M.2 SSD storage offers plenty of space for all of a user’s files and assets. The device features a spill-resistant keyboard, offering peace of mind during coffee-powered crunch periods, and its shock absorbent corners have been certified by an independent party as meeting MIL-STD 810H[ ] impact resistance standards. 

The laptop’s scratch-resistant 14-inch FHD (1920x1080) Antimicrobial Corning® Gorilla® Glass display supports touch and can be rotated 360 degrees into laptop, stand, tent or tablet modes, making it easy to share content or take notes, and at just 1.53 kg (3.37 lbs) light and 17.9 mm (0.7 in) thin, it’s the perfect size for those working on the go. For days particularly full with meetings, the laptop boasts up to 13.5[ ] hours of battery life and can be fast-charged[ ] to 80% in just an hour, offering users all-day reliability. 

Additionally, the laptop offers a suite of connectivity options, including an RJ45 ethernet connector, optional LTE support (eSIM & DSSA), a smart card reader, plus multiple USB Type-C and Thunderbolt™ 4 ports. It also includes the security capabilities to be expected of a business PC, such as Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0, a fingerprint login and Windows Hello.

Acer Enduro Urban N3 Antimicrobial Laptop 

The Acer Enduro Urban N3 (EUN314A-51W(G)) is a durable 14-inch laptop that was designed for adventure. Just 1.85 kg (4.08 lbs) light and 21.95 mm (0.86 in) thin, the device has been certified with military-grade (MIL-STD 810H[3]) durability and industrial-grade (IP53[ ]) resistance against dust and water, enabling it to hold its own in a wide range of situations. Four reinforced corners help the device to survive drops (up to 4 ft/122 cm), while the waterproof design of its I/O ports, speakers and buttons, plus a unique drainage system and Acer’s water-proof Aquafan™ mean that users can venture anywhere without needing to worry about the weather.

This generation of the Enduro Urban N3 takes protection one step further with Acer’s Antimicrobial 360 Design and Antimicrobial Corning® Gorilla® Glass[ ], serving to keep the screen clean while out and about. The rest of the device is covered in an ionic silver coating that extends this antimicrobial capability to the chassis, touchpad, buttons, and more. Of course, up to a 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7 processor[ ], NVIDIA® GeForce® MX330[8] GPU, and 32 GB[ ] of DDR4 memory provide plenty of power for any task, while 13 hours[4] of battery life and an FHD display with 450 nits of brightness provide users with the freedom to work wherever they please.

Acer Enduro Urban T3 Antimicrobial Tablet 

The Acer Enduro Urban T3 (EUT310A-11A) is a durable 10-inch tablet that’s perfect for families who love to explore and learn, whether on a camping trip or taking online classes in the living room. Its four corner bumpers contributed to a MIL-STD-810H certification, which includes surviving 26 drops from 122 cm (4 ft)[3], while waterproofed I/O doors, speakers and buttons earned the tablet an IP53 certification against dust and water. The tablet has been further enhanced with Acer’s Antimicrobial 360 Design, featuring antimicrobial[1] solution on almost all of its touchable surfaces, including the screen, cover, frame, bumpers and buttons. As such, the Enduro Urban T3 is more than capable of handling whatever comes up in a day — all at an impressive 9.92 mm (0.39 in) thin and 595 g (1.31 lbs) light.

The antimicrobial tablet features an FHD (1920x1200) display supporting 10-point touch and offers 600 nits of brightness to provide an intuitive and clear experience even when outside. Above the screen sits a front 5 MP wide-angle camera, while the addition of a microphone with AI noise reduction and dual-band WiFi makes the Enduro Urban T3 great for video calls and remote learning. Finally, a MediaTek Octa-core processor and 4 GB of RAM offer enough power to give users a smooth experience.

Acer VE246Q Antimicrobial Monitor 

The Acer VE246Q features a 23.6-inch FHD VA panel that is both earth-friendly and eye-friendly, supporting wide 178-degree viewing angles and offering a 100,000,000:1 contrast ratio for incredibly sharp images. Featuring Acer’s Antimicrobial 360 Design, the monitor’s housing and cover glass is made with recycled plastic that has been coated with a silver-ion antimicrobial agent, offering a 99% reduction rate against a host of bacteria under the JIS Z 2801 & ISO 22196 test protocols. It also boasts a number of green certifications such as ENERGY STAR®, TCO and EPEAT, speaking to the power-saving design of its LED backlight and the responsible management of materials in its manufacturing. 

As final touches, Acer ComfyView contributes to a more comfortable viewing experience by reducing glare and ambient light, while Acer BlueLightShield reduces the emission of potentially harmful blue light.

Works With Chromebook Certified Accessories 

Acer brought antimicrobial capabilities to some of its Works With Chromebook certified accessories, devices that have been tested and approved to meet Google’s compatibility standards[ ]. They are certified to work seamlessly with Chromebooks and have updateable firmware, offering users compatibility with the peripherals of today and tomorrow. 

The Acer Bluetooth Keyboard and Mouse KM501 is a Works With Chromebook certified keyboard and mouse set. The compact keyboard features the Acer Antimicrobial 360 Design, which includes an antimicrobial[1] silver-ion solution[2], [7] on the majority[ ] of its surfaces and a special layout designed to complement all of the features of Chrome OS. Additionally, the keyboard and mouse are very energy efficient, capable of lasting up to a full year before needing a change of batteries.

The Acer Bluetooth Mouse B501 is a 1,000 DPI mouse that also features the Acer Antimicrobial 360 Design, consisting of an antimicrobial[1] silver-ion solution[2], [7] on the majority[11] of its surfaces and an ambidextrous design which allows it to be comfortably used by both right- and left-handed users. It is available as part of the KM501 combo package or separately as an individual product.  

Acer Eco-Shell Protective Jackets

A new travel essential, Acer’s eco-shell protective jacket[ ] is breathable but water-resistant and includes a transparent PET hoodie cover that, when inserted, helps prevent aerosol droplets from coming in contact with the wearer’s face. It includes two front pockets large enough to comfortably fit a smartphone or passport, and the jacket has a comfortable leather-like texture that is soft to the touch. The inside of the jacket is lined with silver fabric, made from yarn that has had silver adhered to it, granting it antimicrobial capabilities[1].

More than just a piece of apparel, however, the eco-shell jacket is partially (26%) made from the extracts of spent coffee grounds. This material was created by extracting coffee oil from spent coffee grounds, turning it into a coffee oil polyol, then synthesizing the polyol into a PU film for use as fabric. 

Pricing and Availability

Exact specifications, prices, and availability will vary by region. To learn more about availability, product specifications and prices in specific markets, please contact your nearest Acer office via www.acer.com.

Visit Acer’s press kit for product images and specifications, or visit the next@acer press room to see all announcements. 

Huawei's 12th annual Global Mobile Broadband Forum (MBBF) kicked off in Dubai with a keynote from the company's Rotating Chairman, Ken Hu.

Ken Hu speaking on 5G development at MBBF 2021

He spoke on the current state of 5G development and new opportunities moving forward. "In just five years of commercial deployment, 5G has provided a considerable upgrade in mobile experience for consumers, and it's already starting to empower different industries around the globe. Progress was much faster than we expected, especially in terms of the subscriber base, network coverage, and the sheer number of 5G terminals on the market."

Hu outlined three areas of opportunity that will drive the next stage of 5G's growth, including XR services, the B2B market, and low-carbon development.

The current state of global 5G development

There are currently 176 commercial 5G networks around the globe, serving more than 500 million subscribers. In the consumer space, average 5G download speeds are roughly 10 times greater than 4G, which has fueled broader adoption of applications like VR and 360º broadcasting. In the enterprise space, there are already 10,000 projects exploring B2B applications of 5G (5GtoB) around the world. 5G applications in industries like manufacturing, mining, and ports have already passed trial and are being replicated at scale.

While progress has been steady, Hu noted that there are still some areas for improvement. "Right now more than half of these 10,000 5GtoB projects are in China. We have a huge number of use cases already, but we need to build more sustainable business cases."

He went on to speak of broader changes that will have a long-term impact on the ICT industry, including accelerated digital transformation caused by the pandemic, how cloud and AI have become must-haves for all organizations, and how the world is taking climate change more seriously. "These trends provide many opportunities for our industry," he said. "But they also create some challenges. There are a few things we can do to get ready."

First, the industry needs to get networks, devices, and content ready for explosive growth in Extended Reality (XR). To support a smooth cloud-based XR experience, networks need to provide download speeds faster than 4.6 Gbit/s with latency no greater than 10 milliseconds. "Last year," noted Hu, "we released our goals for 5.5G. And we believe they will help address this challenge."

On the device side, lowering barriers to headset adoption is critical to reaching a tipping point in virtual reality, one of the key technologies in the Extended Reality repertoire of AR, VR, and MR. "To reach [this tipping point], we have to make improvements to both headsets and content. For headsets, people want devices that are smaller, lighter, and more affordable." To enrich the content ecosystem, Hu called on the industry to provide cloud platforms and tools that simplify content development, which is notoriously difficult and expensive.

Second, telecom operators need to enhance their networks and develop new capabilities to get ready for 5GtoB. A strong network is key to 5G applications for industrial use, so operators need to keep making improvements to network capabilities such as uplink, positioning, and sensing. As industrial scenarios are much more complex than consumer scenarios, O&M can be a real challenge. To help, Huawei is developing autonomous networks that bring intelligence to all aspects of 5G networks, from planning and construction to maintenance and optimization.

Digital transformation also requires different roles. In addition to providing connectivity, operators can also serve as cloud service providers, systems integrators, and more, and develop the requisite capabilities. To drive broader adoption of 5G in industries, developing industry-specific telecoms standards is also important. In China, operators, together with their industry partners, have begun working on standards for applying 5G in industries like coal mining, steel, and electric power, and this has helped to fuel greater adoption within these sectors.

"Beyond technology," concluded Hu, "these are some of the intangible strengths that won't provide immediate profit, but will be key to long-term competitiveness in the 5GtoB market."

Third, the industry needs to get ready to go green. According to the World Economic Forum, by 2030, digital technology can help reduce global carbon emissions by at least 15%. "On one hand," said Hu, "we have a great opportunity to help all industries cut emissions and improve power efficiency with digital technology. On the other hand, we have to recognize that our industry has a growing carbon footprint, and we have to take steps to improve that. Right now Huawei is using new materials and algorithms to lower the power consumption of our products, and we're remodeling sites, and optimizing power management in our data centers for greater efficiency."

"We have seen so many changes in the past two years – with the pandemic, technology, business and the economy," Hu concluded. "Moving forward, as the world begins to recover, we need to recognize the opportunities in front of us and get ready for them. Get our technology ready, get our businesses ready, and get our capabilities ready."

The Global Mobile Broadband Forum 2021 is hosted by Huawei, together with its industry partners GSMA and the SAMENA Telecommunications Council. The forum gathers mobile network operators, vertical industry leaders, and ecosystem partners from around the world to discuss how to maximize the potential of 5G and push the mobile industry forward.

For more information, please visit: https://www.huawei.com/en/events/mbbf2021

The compact WF-C500 truly wireless headphones combine high-quality sound with unique sound customization, ease of use, long battery life and water resistance for on-the-go music entertainment

Sony is making it even easier to listen to music your way, with the announcement of its new wireless headphones – WF-C500. 

Sony’s newest WF-C500, is ideal if you want to make the switch to truly wireless headphones and enjoy all your favorite music, in even better quality. With unique sound customization, a compact design, easy to use Bluetooth® pairing, long lasting battery life and a water-resistant design, you can now take your music anywhere.

 

WF-C500 - Small size, uncompromising sound 

The WF-C500 truly wireless headphones has a compact design so they fit snugly in your ear. But don’t let their size fool you. The WF-C500 delivers high quality sound thanks to DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine). This restores high frequency sound and fine fade-out sound to the track you’re listening to and create a more authentic listening experience.

Whether you’re listening to electrifying pop or bassy rap, the WF-C500 allows you to tailor your sound using the Equalizer setting in the “Sony | Headphones Connect” app. You can choose from a variety of settings to match sound quality with the music genre you’re listening to or even create and save your own settings.

Comfort is key

Designed to be small and light, the WF-C500 fits securely in your ears, making them the perfect companion wherever you go. Their rounded shape makes them a pleasure to wear, leaving you free to focus on what matters – your music. The headphones’ new ergonomic surface design helps to create a more stable fit.

Compact and Stylish Case

The WF-C500’s cylindrical charging case is small and easy to carry around in a pocket or bag so you can take the earbuds anywhere you go. Its translucent lid with a texture like frosted glass gives the case a stylish, luxurious look and feel . 

Enjoy an effortless listening experience 

The WF-C500 has been specially designed to make every day listening trouble-free. The easy operation buttons not only let you play, stop or skip through tracks and adjust the volume – they also offer an easy way to access your preferred voice assistant, Google Assistant or Siri to make and receive calls hands-free.

At the click of a button you can connect to your preferred voice assistant to get directions, play music and send messages . Plus conversations flow freely with hands-free calling, now clearer than ever with a high-quality built-in microphone. 

Great for on the go

The headphones will provide you with 10 hours of battery life, and thanks to the handy charging case you can enjoy up to 20 hours in total. The WF-C500 are perfect for on the go listening and if you’re in a rush you can easily top up the battery life with a 10-minute quick charge that gives you up to an hour of extra playtime .  

With an IPX4 water resistance rating , splashes and sweat are no problem for the WF-C500, meaning you can keep moving to the music no matter what. 

The WF-C500 is ideal for multitasking too. If you want to listen to your music while still being able to have a conversation, remove one earbud only from the charging case and use as normal . 

A stable and reliable Bluetooth® connection creates a seamless and uninterrupted listening experience that ensures it’s just you and the music. The WF-C500’s Bluetooth® chip transmits sound to left and right ears simultaneously, along with optimized antenna design ensuring outstanding listening. And with low audio latency, your favorite movies just got better too.

Find it with Fast Pair

The WF-C500 supports Google’s Fast Pair feature which means you can pair the headphones with your Android device quickly and easily. Plus Swift Pair also makes it quick and easy to pair your headphones with your Windows 10 computer via Bluetooth®.

Fully immerse yourself with 360 Reality Audio

The WF-C500 allows playback of 360 Reality Audio tracks, personalized to the specific shape & size of the user’s ears. With 360 Reality Audio you can bring the concert to you or listen to music as if you’re with the artist in the recording studio . 

Sustainability matters

Sony has not only designed the WF-C500 to be stylish but also with sustainability in mind. Zero plastic is included in the packaging material of this model, reflecting Sony’s commitment to reducing the environmental impacts of their products and practices .

Pricing and Availability

The WF-C500 comes in black, white, green and orange and is now available for P4,999 at Sony Centres and Authorized Dealers stores nationwide. You may also shop for the WF-C500 at Lazada and Shopee

For a full list of specs and information, please click here.

Get better health and device protection with PayMaya Protect powered by bolttech 

One thing we have learned during this pandemic is to value what's important in our life – from our health and livelihood to our loved ones. That's why it doesn't hurt to take measures to future-proof our lives by securing insurance and protection coverage relevant to our needs.    

If you're seeking insurance and protection, PayMaya has got you covered. The country's leading FinServ (financial services) platform has teamed up with insurtech unicorn bolttech to bring innovative insurance and service products to Filipinos. With the new PayMaya Protect feature inside the PayMaya app, you can now easily access affordable health insurance coverage and mobile service plans within a few taps on your phone.    

Personal Protect  

With the current public health risks, one can't take chances when it comes to health matters. While we strictly follow standard safety protocols, having insurance coverage for COVID-19 will give that added layer of safety for our peace of mind.    

Accessible via the Protect button in your PayMaya app, Personal Protect offers flexible and affordable health insurance that can cover dengue & COVID-19 medical expenses as well as Permanent Total Disability caused by accidents, dengue or COVID-19. Pioneer Insurance, a trusted name in the insurance industry that has been serving Filipinos since 1954, is the insurance provider for Personal Protect.  

PayMaya offers flexible and affordable insurance products that suit any budget. For as low as Php 85 per month or less than the cost of a cup of coffee, you can already enjoy up to over Php 500,000 worth of coverage. PayMaya Personal Protect comes in three different plan options:   

Basic Protect Plan for Php 85 per month includes:  

• Diagnosis benefit for COVID-19 or Dengue   
• Daily Hospital Confinement benefit due to COVID-19 or Dengue   
• Permanent Total Disability benefit due to COVID-19, Dengue, or Accident   
• Total coverage amount: Php 523,000   

Advanced Protect Plan for Php 95 per month includes:  

• Diagnosis benefit for COVID-19 or Dengue   
• Daily Hospital Confinement benefit due to COVID-19 or Dengue   
• Permanent Total Disability benefit due to COVID-19, Dengue, or Accident   
• Intensive Care Unit benefit for confinement in an ICU due to COVID-19 or Dengue   
• Total coverage amount: Php 543,000   

Holistic Protect Plan for Php 105 per month includes:   

• Diagnosis benefit for COVID-19 or Dengue   
• Daily Hospital Confinement benefit due to COVID-19 or Dengue   
• Permanent and Total Disability benefit due to COVID-19, Dengue, or Accident   
• Intensive Care Unit benefit for confinement in an ICU due to COVID-19 or Dengue   
• Burial/Cremation Cash Assistance benefit for death due to COVID-19 or Dengue   
• Total coverage amount: Php 553,000 

Mobile Protect  

Smartphones are an essential part of our lives, and for many, these are essential for livelihood – allowing us to work remotely or manage our online business. These devices don't come cheap, and sometimes, it even takes months to save up for that dream phone.    

With PayMaya's Mobile Protect offered by bolttech, users can purchase mobile phone repair services for Cracked Screen and Accidental and Liquid Damage for as low as Php 21/month.   

In case of liquid damage, instead of burying your phone in rice for 48 hours, you can simply send it for a 24-hour repair without breaking the bank! You have two Mobile Protect packages to choose from:   

Cracked Screen package starting from Php 21 per month includes:  

• Protection package for screen only    
• Up to 2 repairs within 12 months   
• Repair within 24 hours   
• Free pick-up and delivery  

Accidental & Liquid Breakage package starting from Php 31 per month includes:  

• Protection package for your phone   
• Up to 2 repairs OR 1 repair + 1 replacement within 12 months   
• Repair within 24 hours   
• Free pick-up and delivery   

Accessing these flexible and affordable insurance offers is easy. All you have to do is tap the Protect button on your PayMaya app, choose Mobile or Personal Protect and your desired package, input the requested details, and proceed to pay using your e-wallet.    

On top of affordability and ease of access, PayMaya Protect also offers more flexibility to customers, giving them better control over their finances. Consumers can choose to subscribe to Mobile Protect monthly, while they can avail of health coverage bundles via Personal Protect for three months and choose to renew their coverage plans based on their budget.    

With the most flexible and affordable protection offers conveniently available on the e-wallet, PayMaya and bolttech are widening access to insurance products. The two fintech companies are working on introducing other consumer and enterprise insurance offers to meet Filipinos’ evolving needs.  

Expect more exciting insurance and service offers from PayMaya as it expands into financial services after making its mark in the digital payments space! It is the only financial technology company in the Philippines that operates an end-to-end FinServ (financial services) ecosystem with its widely used leading e-wallet, the most extensive on-ground digital remittance network through Smart Padala, and the largest non-bank merchant payments processing business.   

Technology offers solutions that provide cleaner and fresher air for quality air for life

(Fr. Left to Right) Dr. Jonas del Rosario, PGH Spokesperson, Dr. Regina Berba, Hospital Infection Control Unit Head, Dr. Stella Manalo, PGH Deputy Director for Hospital Operations Dr. Gerardo D. Legaspi, PGH Director, Mr. Masaru Toyota, Panasonic Air-Conditioning Philippines President and CEO, Yosuke Tanaka, Life Solutions Group Country Head Manager

Panasonic, as part of its global campaign to spread advocacy for cleaner and fresher air for life, recently donated to the Philippine General Hospital - nanoeTM air purifiers, nanoeTM X generators, and air conditioners equipped with nanoeTM X that have been verified to have inhibitory effects on the novel coronavirus*0.

The turn-over was attended by Panasonic Air-Conditioning Philippines CEO Masaru Toyota, Life Solutions Group Country Head Yosuke Tanaka, PGH Director Dr. Gerardo Legaspi,  PGH Spokesperson Dr. Jonas del Rosario, Deputy Director for Hospital Operations Dr. Stella Manalo, and the Hospital Infection Control Unit Head Dr. Regina Berba.

In his statement, the Panasonic Air-Conditioning Philippines CEO Masaru Toyota explained that it has always been the intention of Panasonic, with the introduction of the nanoeTM in 1997 and nanoeTM X in 2016, to provide cleaner and fresher air to improve the quality of life for everyone.

Mr. Toyota further explained, “In 2009, with the help of an independent testing organization, Panasonic verified the effect of hydroxyl radicals contained in water against bird flu and new strains of influenza, and in 2012, in collaboration with an independent testing organization in Germany, we conducted virus clearance testing that showed effectiveness of the technology against highly-resistant viruses and unknown viruses.” *1

 Mr. Masaru Toyota, Panasonic Air-Conditioning Philippines President and CEO

“Just last year, again using an independent testing organization, Texcell*2 – France, we have further verified the inhibitory effect of Panasonic’s patented nanoeTM X technology on the novel coronavirus that causes Covid-19,” he added.

The PGH activity is part of a bigger program of Panasonic in the Philippines to provide air purifying and anti-covid technology of nanoeTM X in selected sites in the National Capital Region to protect medical front liners and Filipinos in vaccination areas and to make them and the public feel safer with the theme “Bring Back the Filipino Smile” in partnership with selected local governments. 

The Panasonic Philippines CEO said, “It is our aim for our medical front liners to feel they are in safer environment, and for patients to also have a sense of additional protection apart from current mandated hygiene practices like the wearing of masks, the use of face shields, and the use of hand sanitizers.”

The PGH Director Dr. Legaspi expressed his appreciation for the Panasonic efforts, “It’s turning out to be a very auspicious morning for the Philippine General Hospital, being granted this support, which improves our ability to give comfort to our healthcare workers as well as improve protection from aerosolized transmission of the virus.”

 Dr. Gerardo D. Legaspi, PGH Director

He added “As a research and training hospital, we in PGH welcome technologies such as these, that we will be able to test and validate as far as their effectiveness in helping us control the transmission of this virus and other infections as well.”

Masaru Toyota of Panasonic ended by lauding the efforts of everyone who have tirelessly worked hard and have been affected in the time of the pandemic, “We in Panasonic wish to begin to bring back the smiles of our heroes of the pandemic, those in the front lines against COVID-19 --- all of you here at the Philippine General Hospital have been at the forefront against the pandemic since 2019. We appreciate your gallant efforts! Again, it is not just you, our front liners who will benefit from this, but also your patients who are recovering from this disease. You all deserve to feel safer and more secure to smile again.”

For more information on Panasonic and its patented technologies, please visit https://www.panasonic.com/ph/nanoe

At the Huawei TECH4ALL Summit, Huawei called for global partners to join the TECH4ALL digital inclusion initiative, which aims to build a more inclusive and intelligent world that leaves no one behind. 

Huawei's TECH4ALL initiative focuses on four areas: driving equity and quality in education, conserving nature with technology, driving inclusion and accessibility in health, and using ICT to boost rural development. It focuses on digital technologies, application enablement, and digital skills, and works with global partners to promote and expand digital inclusion to help achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

At present, more than 60,000 teachers and students benefit from TECH4ALL projects in over 200 schools worldwide. Digital technologies have been deployed to improve resource management and biodiversity conservation efficiency in 22 natural reserves around the world. Huawei smartphones provide 15 accessibility features and are used by about 10 million users each month. Huawei's RuralStar solution provides mobile Internet services for more than 60 countries and regions, covering more than 50 million people in remote areas.

Inclusion and equity were major talking points in the education track of the summit. In her opening remarks, Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-General for Education at UNESCO, discussed technology-enabled Open Schools, a three-year partnership program with Huawei that is rolling out in Ethiopia, Egypt, and Ghana.

"UNESCO and Huawei jointly launched this project in July 2020," said Stefania Giannini. "The project explores future schooling models, thereby contributing to UNESCO's global initiative on the future of education."

To build a more crisis-resilient Open School system, all countries have to consider the three pillars of new infrastructure for a learning system: technology, digital content, and the digital competencies of teachers and human facilitators. UNESCO's Dr. Fengchun Miao, Chief of Unit for Technology and Artificial Intelligence in Education, looked at how to leverage the power of technology in the education field.

Vodafone Foundation discussed its Instant Network Schools program, which aims to bring high-quality education to refugees and host communities, with plans to connect 500,000 refugee students and their communities by 2025. Huawei is one of the partners for expanding connectivity to more schools in Africa.

Vodafone Instant Network Schools Program Manager Oisín Walton said, "We believe that every boy and girl should have access to quality education, no matter where they are and whatever their nationality."

Close the Gap's DigiTruck Program Lead Bram Over gave an update on the DigiTruck program. DigiTrucks are green, solar-powered mobile classrooms converted from shipping containers. They are equipped with recycled ICT devices and provide training for young people in digital skills. Huawei has supported this program in Kenya and France. Later this year, Huawei and Close the Gap will implement the project in Ethiopia.

Ling Hui from the YouChange China Social Entrepreneur Foundation introduced the Green Pepper program for young teachers in rural villages in China. The program delivers a year of online training to teachers and has reached nearly 80,000 young rural teachers and 17,000 schools so far.

In her opening remarks introducing the environment track, IUCN Director General Dr. Grethel Aguilar addressed a range of environmental issues, pointing out that technology can be used to mitigate humanity's growing impact on the planet.

Dr. Aguilar said, "Digital technology can be an important part of the solution and help us solve global challenges if used correctly and smartly."

As facilitator of the panel discussion, Associate Director of the IUCN Protected Areas Programme James Hardcastle, pointed out that we must empower more people to use technologies for nature conservation and referenced the Tech4Nature initiative – an IUCN-Huawei partnership that aims to develop scenario-specific technologies to safeguard natural ecosystems in 300 protected sites by 2023.

Currently, the project is running in Thailand, Spain, Mauritius, Switzerland, and China. Ecomode President Nadeem Nazurally elaborated on the Mauritius project, which aims to protect and restore the African island nation's rapidly vanishing coral reef using AI-powered real-time video monitoring, which can be transmitted to experts, both local and worldwide.

Continuing the environmental track, Rainforest Connection Director of International Expansion Chrissy Durkin introduced the Nature Guardian system, which uses acoustics technologies to monitor endangered species and alert rangers to threats like illegal logging and gunshots. Bernardo Reyes Ortíz, President of Forest Ethics in Chile, explained how the Guardian platform supported by Huawei cloud is providing a lifeline for the nation's endangered Darwin's fox, fewer than 1,000 of which are thought to remain in existence.

Smart and networked monitoring technologies are a crucial tool for nature conservation. Dr. Steph Wray, Chair of The Mammal Society in the UK, how acoustics solutions have been deployed in England to protect the increasingly rare red squirrel, which is threatened by the invasive and vastly more populous grey squirrel.

Tang Yanfei, Executive Director at Hainan National Park Research Institute, explained how acoustics monitoring is key to improving conservation of China's critically endangered Hainan gibbon, with a view to doubling its population in 15 years. 

Partnerships are the fuel that powers progress in TECH4ALL's environment and education domains, as well as in the initiative's other two domains – health and development.

"If you want to walk fast, walk alone. If you want to walk far, walk together," said Tao Jingwen in his opening remarks. "We believe that more partners will work with us to advance the TECH4ALL action plan in the future. Join us for a more inclusive, intelligent world where no one is left behind."

Watch the full recording of the summit at https://www.huawei.com/en/tech4all/news-and-events/events/hc2021-t4a-summit

Read more about TECH4ALL projects and stories at https://www.huawei.com/en/tech4all