A return, and new ways to journey
Three advancements in the tech industry
FLASH ESPORTS RETURNS AS TEAM FLASH
One of Singapore's most prolific e-sports teams is back but with a difference.
Team Flash, previously known as Flash eSports, is now an influencer and new media agency based here and in Indonesia.
As an e-sports team, Flash eSports had won several accolades between 2011 and 2014, including gold in the Singapore legs of the World Cyber Games and top spot in the Blizzard's World Championship Series.
Team Flash moved fast to clinch the signing of Chiang "hibidi" Wen Jun - who captained the local team that won the bronze at the FIFA Online 3 EA Champions Cup Winter tournament in Bangkok last month - from Team Impunity.
Garena's vice-president of group game operations Jason Ng said: "We are very happy to see organisations such as Team Flash stepping up to invest in Singapore's e-sports infrastructure.
"Garena has always been a strong advocate for e-sports in South-east Asia, and the return of Team Flash bodes well for continued development of e-sports in Singapore."
BOOK A SPOT ON A CONTAINER SHIP WITH ALIBABA
Shippers can now use Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba to book space on board container vessels leaving China.
Alibaba is now allowing its business customers to reserve space for goods on Maersk vessels via its OneTouch service, further illustrating the growing cooperation between e-commerce and logistics firms, reported Reuters.
Maersk, however, said the service is not about bypassing the industry's traditional middleman freight forwarders - the OneTouch platform still uses such firms to provide services such as haulage.
Acquired by Alibaba in 2010, OneTouch targets small and medium-sized Chinese exporters with online services such as customs clearance and logistics.
It also allows them to book air freight and delivery services, and supports its parent's business-to-business marketplace.
OneTouch is the fastest growing unit in Alibaba's business-to-business division, and has serviced 20,000 merchants, according to trade publication Internet Retailer, reported Quartz.
BEELINE APP GETS BUSIER
Government-backed local app Beeline, which allows users to book direct bus routes from private bus operators, has expanded to allow users to crowdstart routes that are not in operation. Earlier this week, the app rolled out a new feature that allows the establishment of new bus routes when there is a minimum number of users who pledge to the route. Previously, route suggestions from commuters were only taken up based on the private operators' determination of the route's commercial viability.
When we checked out the suggested routes yesterday, the most likely one to be set up next was the one going between Tampines East and Simei, and Kent Ridge. It needed two more people to start.
The service, launched in 2015 by the then Infocomm Development Authority and the Land Transport Authority,is available on iOS and Android platforms. Beeline allows users to book trips from $4 to $6.
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