technology

Making an impact on health, science and digital

There is a light at the end of the tunnel,
even it happens a little bit longer sometimes…

As the year is coming to an end, time for a year-end review and end of the year reflections to think and learn. Looking back this year, no doubt it’s been a very special year for everyone, so much happened and so many challenges: coronavirus, pandemic, lockdown, social distancing, quarantine, stay at home orders, face mask…what a year for people, businesses and the world! 

For most people, this year started off with normal sense, soon the pandemic hit and getting harder over the course of the year, then we are suddenly facing an unprecedented situation and new realities. For some, this past year may be rough and difficult to survival and live healthy…For some, it may be a year filled with tears and hardship for many endings and farewells…For some, it’s full of uncertainty and changes both professionally and personally…and for all of us, it’s certainly a year unlike any other. Whatever the year has been good or bad for you, stay healthy and upbeat to finish it strong and well with some meaningful thoughts and gestures.  

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.
— Charles Dickens

Health for all

In reviewing this challenging year with the ongoing pandemic, we all have experienced and learned a lot, health and science are much more important than never in our everyday life. There are frontline healthcare professionals who keep working hard to fight for public health, many scientists who put great efforts on making and developing vaccines…Selflessness, compassion and courage, all the dedicated healthcare workers step up to protect as much as they could around the world.

From public service to business community, from World Health Organization(WHO) to local healthcare provider, there are essential service workers like everyday heroes to keep daily life running with basic needs for our health and safety. Doctors, nurses and medical staff are called as fighters in white on the frontlines, they have kept working day and night for public health and safety, provided medical care to the patients with high risks of being infected with coronavirus…Remind that, they also have a whole family and loved ones behind each of them, but they have stayed at work to help more people in the communities just being health heroes. 

We say that nurses are smiling angels with loving hearts and invisible wings, and we mean that they’ve been saving lives, caring for others, making relentless contribution to the community everyday. In honoring of their dedication and contribution to our communities, WHO designated this year as International year of the Nurses & the Midwife.

Nursing is a work of heart and nurses are angels in white among us. Amid the pandemic and in everyday life, they deserve our deep gratitude for their caring work and sacrifice to take risks and beat the coronavirus, keep people safe and improve the public health. Health is wealth, more and more people including many big performers and entertainers who have sincerely valued and supported their hard work by paying tribute and spreading the love in global community. 

No science no health, no health no life. Science improves greatly public health in many ways, let’s respect science more and show our appreciation to scientists and healthcare workers.

Science for good

Living in the challenging times from coronavirus recovery to vaccine research and development, what are your reflections on public health and science for everyday life? As we pray for the vaccines in the coming new year, we rely on the scientific research so much for this health crisis recovery across the globe. 

In this past October Nobel Prize season, total 8 scientists and medical professionals were awarded the Nobel Prizes among 12 laureates. Also a historic winning with 2 women scientific researchers as the first time in Nobel Prize history, were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their scientific discovery. 

This November and December, total 175 nationwide recipients were appointed to receive the Order of Canada as one of the country’s highest civilian honors. They’ve made up with 9 Companions, 34 Officers, 1 Honorary Member and 131 Members to be honored for their accomplishments and success to build a better country. Among them, about 30 significant figures are scientists and medical professionals in a diverse fields of pediatric and obstetrics, cardiology and neuroscience, geriatric medicine and cancer research, chemistry and pharmacology, crop science, computer and planetary science. 

No two snowflakes are alike. There are women clinician-scientist, pharmaceutical researcher, scholars and many more. With outstanding achievement and dedication to the community, they’ve been honored for their service to the nation and innovations to shape the future. In the spirit of northern heritage and diversity, the Order of Canada recognize their contributions are varied and enriched the lives of others in different ways and for a better life.

https://www.gg.ca/en/activities/2020/governor-general-announces-61-new-appointments-order-canada

Order of Canada

Digital for life

This year is almost over, whatever we’ve been through are part of experience and lessons to look back and also look ahead. Knowing of digital age and power, how to go above and beyond our virtual life in the coming year with digital impact?

In the midst of every crisis, lies great opportunity.
— Albert Einstein

The pandemic has changed our life and the world radically in unpredictable ways. Many of us have experienced the quarantine and stay at home by following the public health and safety guidelines, the restrictions for social activities and gathering have forced us to stay apart with people even with families, there are also the limitations of traveling from local to international. We are socialized human beings, how we keep up with human interaction and connection with remote work environment and social distancing everyday?

Going up like a rocket, it seems a virtual network and space happened overnight without delay, everything goes digital from study, work to social. Facing with the big changes and happenings in life and world, we need to adapt a new environment and start to redefine our life and work with digital technology. Love it or not, a virtual world has arrived and we are part of it no matter what…

Digital used to be an online solution in pre-pandemic and now becomes an essential activity in our daily life. We’ve seen digital shows and exhibits, digital theaters and operas, we’ve worked at home, attended virtual meetings almost everyday, we’ve known more and more business are going digital also many types of festivals are held online as well, thousands and millions of people stay online to meet, chat and learn through webinars and cloud video meeting platforms…all digital, all virtual, all good, so what’s not online now?

The rise of digital technology is soaring and most digital service providers see a massive success amid the pandemic. With about 300 million daily active users, Zoom has risen to the top of the market on a fast track due to the COVID. This December, Zoom CEO Eric Yuan named as Time’s businessperson of the year. Zoom meeting and Zoom social are the ones among the popular digital strategies to connect people and the world.

Today is the last day of the year, it’s hard to believe that this year has come and is almost gone enough quickly. As the pandemic continues to hammer the world without stopping point yet, it is vital that we stay well and keep mental health while isolating and dealing with loneliness. From foresight to insight and hindsight, from motivation to creativity and inspiration, what are on the top of your list of New Year’s resolutions? Being healthy, staying safe and well with digital tech could be top 3 for many people to keep going forward. 

Going digital, going global…With the pandemic challenges and physical distancing restrictions, digitalization is underway coming faster than we expected, remote work, streaming services, virtual activities and online communities are all over the place and all around the world. The year’s end means the beginning of a new one with new possibilities, jump into the coming new year with best wishes, keep calm and carry on for a digital and green life: 

*Go digital to be a game changer from local to global

*Embrace our virtual life to stay social and connected

*Dive into online world to keep up with what matters for you

*Live healthy and well with nature and animals for a safer and sustainable future

*Go above and beyond to make an impact on the global community

Think big, build smart and create for change

We create, we build, we innovate, we change, and we are women.

Starting and growing your own business are never easy, especially for women. Female entrepreneurs usually face much more challenges from business skills to financial resources and industry opportunities. The reasons and levels can be varies by countries and regions, such as male domination and gender gap, lack of gender equality and equal rights at workplace about business skills training and professional opportunities…building smart solutions are necessary to make the world a balancer and better place, and all deserves to be treated equal regardless of gender, ethnicity or race.

Today is International Women’s Day – March 8, the UN theme for IWD this year focuses on innovative ways to advance gender equality and the empowerment of women:
Think equal,
Build smart,
Innovate for change.
So what’s the meaningful way to celebrate Women’s Day? Do our effort to care women more and treat them one day for anything, or make a call to action for everyone’s participation and contribution to build a balancer and better future with innovative spirit and mindset…

Empowering women is definitely good for unleashing success. Women’s empowerment means a business woman can access resources and grow her business based on equal footing and competing with business men. Working women, professional women, business women, all women are great and deserve for the equal rights and opportunities across the industries.IWD 2019_EN_InFocus 960x450

Women who tech

This past January, the annual showcase of consumer technology innovation CES kicked off the new year 2019 as usual. As the largest influential technology event, the Consumer Electronics Show drew a big crowd all over the world including business leaders and thinkers, industry professionals and innovators, creative players and women in tech.

From smart cities to 5G, from drones to self-driving technology, from AI to robotics…this is truly a global stage to connect, learn and be inspired about disruptive technology and innovation. I experienced AI powered playground and smart home, visited innovation awards showcase, talked to virtual assistants and robots, met some great entrepreneurs at networking events, connected with multiple startups for further discussion…What I learned from CES? Get ready for a smart future and 5G revolution.

Technology is changing business and female-owned tech companies become a fast growing force in the Americas and the world. So how we can embrace disruption for good? Supporting women empowerment in this growing industry opens up a new business and develops a prosperous path of cooperation between North America and Asia Pacific in different sectors and ecosystems. This is indeed an opportunity to be part of this very energetic and empowered female workforce with the power of learning and networking.

Among many world-class speakers and panels at conferences, some women brought their innovative ideas on some mind-blowing topics, such as be your own boss in sports technology, a keynote discussion on data, blockchain, AI and computing, create content to connect with audiences and branding strategy…when women get together and learn from each other, to share best practices and conduct discussions about the latest trends, all women can benefit from it. We all play different professional roles like Emmy Award winning journalist, CEO and CMO, founder and entrepreneur…and we are also women in tech as innovators and disruptors shaping the future of technology.

Women who create

Creativity is power, it’s truly original and inspiring.

Last month at the 91st Academy Awards, Domee Shi, who’s Chinese-Canadian, won the Oscar for best animated short film “Bao”, she is also the first female director of a Pixar original short.

“Bao” is an allegorical tale about an aging and lonely mother who receives an unexpected second chance at motherhood when she makes a dumpling (baozi), and an adorable Chinese dumpling that comes to life as a boy. Eventually the child grows up as a young adult, he increasingly wants independence, while his mother wishes for more attention from him, feeling ignored. One day, when the dumpling introduces his new fiancée and wants to move out, his mother tries to stop him from leaving and finally eats him…Later, her real son enters the room, revealing that the whole sequence was an allegorical dream. Then the whole family sits at the table and makes dumplings together…

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Through this short film, the audience can get a taste of the great Chinese food, culture, and people that she grew up with in Canada. Shi said she used to take her Mom’s dumplings for granted, making “Bao” helped her better understand her mother. Shi shared that the journey to making this film come to life. Seven years before becoming the director of an Oscar-winning film, Shi began her journey at Pixar as an intern and contributed to multiple films as storyboard artist. Now being one of the first female writers and directors for a major studio, she said it’s been challenging to make the film: “One of the most challenging things is when you’re walking into the room and feeling like one of the only females in this room, it took me a while to build my own confidence, but I kind of use that as a way to motivate myself.”

Cinematography, photography, design, screenwriting, video editing, copywriting, content strategy and digital media production, creative minds come from our own stories, imagination, dreams, brainstorm and inspiration by others. As an artist and filmmaker, Domee shi won an Oscar, created value for her industry, and showed the creativity and innovation that comes from diversity and women’s empowerment.

To all the nerdy girls out there who hide behind their sketchbooks, don’t be afraid to tell your stories to the world. – Domee Shi, filmmaker

Women who change

Women are everywhere: tech startup and entrepreneurship, filmmaking and creative arts, innovative business and science, journalism and healthcare professionals…female leaders are shaping the future of innovation and making the world to a better place with their insistence for good and persistence in the face of adversity.

Today to honor Women’s History Month and IWD, it’s really important that we see examples of successful women and powerful women doing things that are outside the box, so people can have role models and be inspired. By celebrating women leadership around the world, let’s look at women in the fields of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and design (STEMD) , and their outstanding inspiration to others including the next generation of female professionals.

Let’s check out this series of numbers from the Nobel Prize Organization. Over 100 years, 51 women have been awarded the Nobel Prize between 1901 and 2018 with 52 awards in total. There are
1 woman in Economic Sciences,
3 women in Physics including Marie Curie in 1903,
5 women in Chemistry including Marie Curie in 1911,
12 women in Physiology/Medicine including Tu Youyou in 2015,
14 women in Literature,
17 women in Peace including Mother Teresa in 1979.

They are women who changed the world with their inventions, medical research, writing novels, analysis of economic governance, thought thinking in new and creative ways, engagement in social issues and the peace movement…what they achieved are the greatest benefit to humankind. In 2018, 3 women among 12 new laureates of the Nobel Prize were awarded for their work and discoveries range from cancer therapy and laser physics to developing proteins that can solve humankind’s chemical problems, as well as combating war crimes. They are

  1. Donna Strickland, a Canadian optical physicist and pioneer int he field of pulsed lasers, who was awarded in Physics for “for groundbreaking inventions in the field of laser physics” and with Gerard Mourou “for their method of generating high-intensity, ultra-short optical pulses.”
  2. Frances H. Arnold, an American chemical engineer, who was awarded in Chemistry “for the directed evolution of enzymes”.
  3. Nadia Murad, a Yazidi human rights activist from Iraq, who was awarded in Peace with Denis Mukwege “for their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict”.

Among these 51 remarkable women of the Nobel Prize,19 women who changed science with their unique contributions. From the early 1900s to now, they are scientists represented in this experience include biochemists, X-ray crystallographers, pharmacologists, neuro-embryologists and nuclear physicists. Some are the children of teachers, grocers, scientists and artists, some rarely left their labs, some travelled the world to collaborate with other scientists or to advocate for a cause. Each of them is as unique as her contribution to scientific knowledge, but all possess common traits: creativity, vision, passion and – perhaps most importantly – persistence.

With a new and more scientific approach to drug development, Gertrude Elion altered and accelerated medical research by creating the drugs and alleviating human suffering. Tu Youyou is the first mainland Chinese scientist to have received a Nobel Prize in a scientific category for her discoveries concerning a novel therapy against Malaria. And she did so without a doctorate, a medical degree, or training abroad. She turned to Chinese medical texts from the Zhou, Qing, and Han Dynasties to find a traditional cure for malaria, ultimately extracting a compound—artemisinin—that has saved millions of lives…

The world cannot afford the loss of the talents of half of its people if we are to solve the many problems which beset us.
— Rosalyn Yalow, Nobel Laureate

Celebrating and exploring the careers and lives of them aim to transform not only how we experience the powerful stories and perseverance behind their scientific achievements but also empower the next generation of young women to change our world.

Women are power

Innovation and technology disrupt business and impact our lives.

Women hold up half of the sky according to a Chinese saying. Actually women could hold up entire industries from tech and science to media and creative business by affecting the future of business. A growing number of women are business owners and decision-makers to bring innovation to the market and changing the way we work.

With education and hard working, women are not only tech users also digital creators. Social media is playing a pivotal role in their business decisions, with many popular short video platforms out there, and blogs expanding their influence in marketing sector and beyond. They build local business community and solar-power projects, connect with customers, and grow business with enhanced digital tools like mobile technology, cloud-based open source system, big data driven platform, online marketing and eCommerce etc.

Around the world, women are making an impact with this type of social media influence every day. Women’s fresh, relevant thinking also brings transformative change to the businesses and services that benefit our lives. Women and girls, who are not only consumers of innovation, but also become kind of innovators to engage, design and execute practical solutions from creative work and tech business to green energy and renewable industry. With a greater balance of men and women at some places, women have increasing opportunities to realize their potential and achieve their dreams in a stable and inclusive environment.

…as industries prepare to adapt to disruptive change, tackling gender gap could also unlock new opportunities for growth. – World Economic Forum

Who run the world?

Balance for better is the global campaign theme of International Women’s Day 2019. On this global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, it marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity and creating balance for better. The first IWD gathering in 1911 was supported by over a million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. Over a century, many international groups from grassroots activism to worldwide action campaigned for women’s equality.

Gender equality is basically a question of power. According to the UN, women still face major obstacles in accessing and exercising power. As the world bank found, just 6 economies give women and men equal legal rights in areas that affect their work. Living in a male-dominated world with a male-dominated culture, gender equality and women’s rights are fundamental to global progress on peace and security, human rights and sustainable development. In recent decades, we have seen remarkable progress on women’s rights and leadership in some areas, such as increasing the number of women decision-makers and women in senior management, more efforts to protect and promote women’s rights, dignity and leadership…

When women rise, we all do

Innovation and technology have shaped the lives of women worldwide, also provide opportunities for women and girls to play an active role in building more inclusive systems, efficient services and sustainable economic growth to accelerate the achievement of the gender equality.

Innovation and technology reflect their designers and makers. From mobile technology to artificial intelligence (AI) and the internet of things (IoT), it is vital that women’s ideas and experiences equally influence the design and implementation of the innovations that shape our digital future. From UN Women to IWD community, from STEM education to global innovation for change, more and more initiatives and community projects are helping women and girls to develop coding skills and train the tech leaders of tomorrow. All of the work is not only to challenge stereotypes that limit girls’ ambitions and dreams, but also to empower them to play the decisive role in emerging industries by unleashing their limitless imagination and boundless strength.

Balance drives a better working world. Building our world so that it works for everyone with innovative ways and smart solutions are upon us. To create long-term sustained global community and sustainable economic growth, everyone’s contribution counts. Industry leaders, game changers, social entrepreneurs and women innovators… on one is left behind, everyone has a part to play – all the time, everywhere.

We are women

We are women, do proud every day for embracing our strength, drive, dreams, femininity, sense and sensibility, take the lead and be our own hero everyday.

Being professional women, we usually wears many different hats in family and at work, wife, mother, daughter, business owner, entrepreneur, founder and CEO…from household role to leadership role, women can do anything. When reflecting on our journeys that led us to where we are today as a successful woman, whoever your are a talented woman, a strong woman, a powerful woman, an inspirational woman, an independent woman or an influential woman…no matter whoever inspires you or you inspire whomever as role models, no matter whatever like community and connection motivates you or you value whatever like challenges and opportunities…be yourself and believe in yourself, we are women, we can do anything!

Going for green in digital way

April is earth month, and earth day happens again this weekend. Celebrating earth, participating in nature’s rebirth in springtime are all about green life and green environment. Ocean, water, trees, animals and nature…the earth laughs in flowers with feelings of hope and joy, spring is certainly a good time to go outside and enjoy everything in green!

Nearly last 5 decades, earth day ( “jour de la terre” in French) along with environment issues are getting more and more attention in global business and community, now more than 1 billion individuals, families and industries take part in this world’s largest environmental movement every year.

Spring has returned, the earth is like a child that knows poems.
–Rainer Maria Rilke

Doing business with a sense of green

Today the environment is as important as the economy. Facing the bad effects of waste and pollution to nature and human, no doubt that environmental problems are really pressing concerns in the US and around the world, such as smog pollution, climate change, global warming, declined biodiversity, tree loss and deforestation, extinction of species and endangered wildlife etc. Our green earth and blue planet are calling the social responsibilities and participation of the business community.

To plant a tree is to believe in tomorrow. As the global ecological awareness and green community are growing, more businesses and organizations are responding quickly with a variety of green solutions: sustainable design, zero waste, eco art, low carbon economy, water for life, food security and clean water projects…Environmental programs and sustainable developments need to be worked on the schedule.

In springtime, the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love!  –Sitting Bull

Go green, go digital

If spring brings the sun to earth, then digital brings green to the business. Innovative green projects become a good strategical development across the industries: electric car, green building, solar and renewable energy, reuse and recycle of wastes, clean tech and digital media…taking care of the planet and maintaining business ecosystem are now or never.

Spring is the time of plans and projects, taking social responsibility of environmental sustainability is getting critical in doing business. Saving trees, consuming less, going paperless and protecting environment….how to take action in green business development and what’s the digital strategy for business growing?

Recently Apple has announced the entire company including every Apple store, data center and corporate office are now powered by 100% renewable energy. Meanwhile it’s also launched a new GiveBack program with introduction of a new robot to recover and reuse materials. For all trade-in and recycled devices during this month, it says to make a donation to the non-profit organization – Conservation International. Like Apple, many businesses started working toward smart solutions to address climate change and conserve resources on earth, do something good for the planet through environment-related programs with high tech and green innovation.

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April prepares her green traffic light and the world thinks go.
–Christopher Morley

The natural world that people rely on for food, fresh water and livelihood, the business world that people expect on sustainable development and green future for our planet. Keep a good balance between business development and green environment is big issue for companies, more and more digital technology and green solutions have been used as business strategy to meet both of innovation and conservation:
1. Reduce its carbon footprint by using renewable materials and driving energy efficiency in company’s products, services and facilities
2. Focus on mobilizing the reusable resources and green technology
3. Support green community associated with digital media and strategy
4. Create green impact through the beneficial partnership along with business growth
5. Reduce consumption with the mindset of sustainability and green environment
6. Promote green business with cost-effective ways, paperless and digital solutions

 Everyday green tips

Mother earth is giving us energy, food, water and ecology. It is our only home so make it a better place to live well. We heard that buying things and acquiring wealth don’t really make us happy, connecting to others and our natural environment are rather the keys to happiness. Spring is here, time to go out and playing in the nature. Playing is our truest form of connection and happy life, how to play for good and play for fun at our earth home?

The beautiful spring came, and when nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also. –Harriet Ann Jacobs

Consume Less and play more…by keeping green life in our mind, let’s follow some simple and easy tips to go digital, save trees, protect the earth and make a difference in green community:

Be digital:
1. Plant a tree, use cloth towels instead of paper ones
2. Save trees with paperless, use online billing and documents without printing
3. When you need to use paper, make sure it’s 100% post-consumer recycled paper, and print paper in two-sided not one side only

Food security:
1. Buy organic food to keep your body and the environment free of toxic pesticides, and support farmers and companies who use organic ingredients
2. Grow your own organic garden, or join a farm-share group
3. Compost kitchen scraps to use in your garden — turning waste into fertilizer

Save water and energy:
1. Install solar panels on your roof
2. Contact your utility company and find out about renewable energy options
3. Use energy-efficient appliances and electronics
4. Turn off lights, and unplug electronics you’re not using including computers
5. Take the stairs instead of the elevator to save energy (and get exercise!) if possible
6. Take a shorter shower and use a water-saving shower head
7. Fix leaky faucets and shower-heads
8. Wash your clothes only when necessary with cold water and line dry

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Consume less with reusable items:
1. Reduce your carbon footprint: use environmentally-friendly, non-toxic cleaning products
2. Collect used printer, fax, and copier cartridges to recycle
3. Use reusable bags, mugs and bottles as much as possible
4. End plastic pollution: stop using disposable plastics, especially single-use plastics like bottles, bags and straws
5. Recycle paper, plastic and glass: reduce your garbage by 10% and your carbon footprint by 1,200 pounds a year
6. Donate your old clothes and home goods instead of throwing them out, and consider buying used items if you need something

Play more and wisely:
1. Get dirty, play outside and do gardening in your backyard to have outdoor fun
2. Visit the forest and parks, be careful with fire to prevent wildfires and conserve wilderness areas for future
3. Bike more, drive less…take public transportation or drive an electric or hybrid car, and reduce your carbon footprint by one pound for every mile when you do not drive
4. Take Earth Day Challenge to go outside and exercise for at least 30 minutes
5. Volunteer for a local environmental group and/or make a donation

See the future, be the change

Being entrepreneur is never easy, and the business world never stops changing. We say once you step into the entrepreneurial world, you can only go forward to follow your dream and constantly stay competitive in the changing global environment. It’s the lifelong learning and never-ending journey for entrepreneurs to pursue the goals and success.

Today we’re in digital age, and the digital economy has transformed the world with many growing tech companies. China-based ecommerce giant Alibaba hosted its biggest ever US event in Detroit last week. Including Jack Ma, Charlie Rose, David Abney, Lisa Ling and more featured speakers, about total 60 presenters and panelists from inside and outside of Alibaba talked about the China opportunity in front of a big crowd over 3000 entrepreneurs and SME owners across the North America. All is about how to source from China and sell to China with digital technologies and power.

The Internet, big data and mobile innovation….the fast-changing technology offers so much opportunities for the business to grow rapidly and globally. In the era of digital transformation, digitalization can be a powerful tool to win the world. We have so-called Big 5 of digital economy – Apple, Alphabet, Microsoft, Amazon and Facebook, and we also have so-called Big 7 tech companies that really control big data – Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, Alibaba, Tencent and Baidu. Digital is everything, and tech companies are literally leading the world.

Looking at now and the future, some businesses that master digital technologies are getting a big piece of cake in the market. As one of top tech companies in China, Alibaba manages multiple businesses and platforms for different markets, such as the consumer-to-consumer marketplace Taobao, the business-to-consumer T-mall, and the business-to-business Alibaba.com, plus digital media and entertainment, online banking and a cloud computing service, it’s all in one. Having been called as China’s Amazon, Alibaba identifies itself more like an ecosystem to be different from the Amazon model. Alibaba’s CMO Chris Tung said that unlike Amazon as shopping channel to make the profit margin, Alibaba services as a marketplace, a bridge between the seller and the buyer through consumer data. The chairman of Alibaba Jack Ma also differences the 2 companies: “Amazon is an ecommerce company, we are not. We help other companies become ecommerce companies.”

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“Thinking of Alibaba as a combination of Google, Facebook and Amazon…” Tung made a point about Alibaba’s global popularity in many countries like Russia and Southeast Asia with a presence in some countries in Europe and South America. Recently a report was published about Chinese consumers and their online shopping habits. Some very interesting data is shown the online shopping differences between the west and China. In the west, people are more likely searching online sources and going different platforms for buying experience. And in China, people are more dominated with online exploring and discovering on 1 or 2 large platforms for shopping experience. With digital power and platforms, people go online for everything: education, trendy content, entertainment, shopping and sharing on social media. From the west to the east, living in digital environment with a digital-oriented lifestyle is now and future.

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Digital makes life easy, and also raises the challenges to be able to succeed in everyday life. To win or to lose, to succeed or to fail…the stories about entrepreneurship keep going around in the business world:

Today will be terrible, tomorrow even worse;
but the day after will be beautiful.
Most companies die tomorrow night.
~Jack Ma

The struggling business can be real, entrepreneurs need a digital strategy to empower their businesses, and keep up with technology for the future. Be digital, be the change, it’s now or never, just like the famous abstract of “A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens:

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only. 

From Amazon to Alibaba, from big companies to small business, digital is powerful and disrupting everything, digital transformation is now and future. On the past Gateway’17 event,Jack Ma presented the Chinese dream to US sellers about cross-border business opportunities in China, and closed his an hour long keynote talk with a compelling message:

Small companies will be the future…
Embrace the change, see the future,
change yourself, don’t miss the chance!

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What design means to you

Design worth doing, ideas worth spreading.

TED annual conference kicks off today April 24 2017 in Vancouver Canada. Hundreds and thousands of artists, designers and storytellers gather again for a week of great talks about technology, entertainment and design.

People look at TED as a vast and mighty creative and design community. From the logo branding to stage designing, from the speaker lineup to global TED community, we have experienced a creative boom of all things designing and inspiring over the years. Checking out the programs and topics like future, mind, meaning and planet……reminds you that design has become everyday life, now it’s time to celebrate creativity and get inspiration by connecting to the community.

Design is thinking made visual. — Saul Bass

What’s design?

It’s a graphic image, a trendy concept car or a green building…In one word, design is a visual creation. In design world, color, shape, image…everything is combined differently and freely with creative concept and practice. It can be one of a kind object, a unique creation or a practical making. Visually speaking, design is all about creating and making things in style and originality.

Architecture, technology and automobile……design is everything everywhere. We say design is about making nice things, and people like pretty stuff and beautiful look. Creating something beautiful for viewing pleasure is primary idea of design concept. Many popular brands have a creative design for their innovative products and remarkable images, such as Google, Tesla cars, TED talks, Apple computers and iPhones etc. , so what does the process of the creation look like with design thinking?

As an art of creative thinking and visual making, design in business means innovative solution. For instance, good architecture is for a safe and comfort living by saving cost and making most of space, eco-fashion design is not only for dressing to kill and also for dressing to save the world with environmental purpose, as well as good branding design is easy to stand out with quality creation and original content. Making things easier and nicer, good design changes the way of our thinking and viewing the world.

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Design matters

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. — Leonardo da Vinci

Less is more, color, culture, style and environment……ain’t we seen so much more in design? Kenya Hara, the Japanese graphic designer shows the notable design concept of tranquility and emptiness in his book Designing Design. Another great design is toilet paper by architect Shigeru Ban. He simply redesigned the round roll to a square core which becomes a nice package with the purpose of saving space and reducing the consumption.

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Create, make, solve and change…design is a solution, creativity and innovation. In the world of business and technology, there is boundless inspiration to be capable of creative thinking and visually speaking with the design thinking. If design mind is more about creative beauty and life, then design thinking is more about spirit and strategy of innovation for business.

Being a part of creative community, it’s like keeping up with constantly changing technology, looking for the solutions with curious minds, and being design thinker with a passion for research, making and solution. Whatever is green tech or digital media, the way of doing business can be very different with design thinking. Keep short and sweet:design for less, design for all, design for change. 

Think big, think global. Open your mind, visualize the future with design thinking… Insights, outlook and impact, how much more we can do with design thinking for the global environment and a better future? Contributing to the solutions, presenting best practices and visions to the world , that’s the power of design!

Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist. — Pablo Picasso

Design for change

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TED2017 is taking place this week. Every spring, the global TED community unites thousands of creative people all over the world for a week of conference filled with imagination, invention and inspiration. During 5 days, total 50+ stage talks and 11 sessions bring the spotlight on curious minds and inspirational content including The Future us, Tales of Tomorrow, robotic and AI challenge, genomics and sustainable energy…The full program guide can be found here.

Speaking design, the TED experience offers much more than talks with eye-catching visual design. The famous TED stage is designed with multi-functional platform for a custom theatre experience, ever noticed the big red logo on the stage along with huge screen in background to bring a visual impact of interactive talks. On the stage, color and light are everything. The overall visual look is made with the contrast between bright logo and dark stage, the balance of different levels of audience areas around the stage, and the spectacular impression of light and color for a theatrical image. All is to create and design a stylish environment for sharing ideas freely and visually to the world.

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TED talk on VR. Photo by Marla Aufmuth / TED

The week-long TED2017 experience includes main stage program of ted talks, art exhibits and tech demos, dinners and parties in the city, and much more. As usual, the speaker lineup is impressive with researchers, business leaders and designers of different creative industries including some big names: tech giant Elon Musk, tennis icon Serena Williams, roboticist Marc Railbert and acclaimed healthcare reformer Atul Gawande.

Last year, the theme of TED conference was Dream, this year is The Future You. And the topics look quite exciting with futuristic artworks, sustainable designs, microsculpture series photography and ironman style flight system…..literally the future is now!

So inspiration comes with a big question, how do we thrive in a world full of change? Well, the world is full of surprises and possibilities. Our answer is to keep calm and be part of change, see the future coming and design it for a better place.

Make it happen via technology 

Spring has just arrived, looking for some big ideas and events around for new inspiration, see what’s happening in the world of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Apple turns 40 this year, time to celebrate the company’s many tech innovations and popular design over last four decades. Apple Spring event on Monday kicked off the celebration at its HQ, launched new iPhone SE and iPad Pro along with some updates of Apple TV and Watch. Meantime a new series of videos was published by Apple to show a powerful image of technology, a good start of new season…

 

Go big or go small

From small to extra-large screen, then from super plus size down to 4 inch only, Apple announced new iPhone SE and iPad Pro to catch plenty of eyes on small devices. When they were expected to make bigger and larger phones, Apple’s hardware is getting smaller with a change in high-end style. Good news for small phone lovers, iPhone SE comes with a cheaper price ever in the full iPhone lineup.

Apparently iPhone SE is not the next big thing, it’s the most notable downsized device at Apple family, or more looks like time-traveling budget model, what do you actually get with this smaller package? Apple debuted iPhone SE as the most powerful 4‑inch phone ever, unveiled it’s created and reinvented from the inside out such as A9 chip, M9 motion coprocessor, 12mp camera and photos. With their idea of a big step to small, it’s not only a small edition, also a powerful edition packed with latest technology.

Small is big, technology matters. Like it or hate it, guess what’s on the top of trending list again?

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Design small to be powerful

Back to 5 years ago I got my first iPhone, since then I have been obsessed with many features of smartphone for videos, games and all kinds of apps. Once a friend said look why I carry around an oversized phone with giant screen everywhere, I actually use my phone more for calling, texting and pictures, don’t really do much on the phone, I’d rather go for iPad or computer with much better display.

A good point or not? Remember when iPhone 6 Plus just came out, people made fun of its huge size would reach the size of iPad mini one day. Speaking this game of size, I agree smart phone is still a phone in whatever fancy look. Not everyone loves big phone, I do like a phone small and light weight to fit in every pocket, good to be used by one hand comfortably, particularly it’s completely modern and powerful above standard.

Powerful tech fits all design. Small and tiny wearable devices are more and more on the trending list from smart watch to 3D virtual reality, these hand-held electronic technologies are worn on the body without taking any space in your bags, truly easy to carry on as part of body accessories. Making hand-sized phone with the very latest technology to fit in your pockets, it sounds an excellent tech solution to go back the basic and original idea:

Bigger is better, small is powerful.

What to expect in tech world

Everyday technologies are transforming business, our life and the global community enormously and surprisingly. Making this world a better place, that somehow it’s our big expectation in technology and science.

Apple’s special event also featured corporate social messages as part of the keynote by releasing its policy in different areas including privacy and environment. Whether it’s a strategy or a vision, taking social and environmental responsibilities was never so expected for tech companies.

Technology drives the world moving fast, shapes our social life and culture thriving in a digital community. No doubt social media and digital technologies are playing huge impact in many different ways. Twitter just celebrated its 10 years anniversary. Ever imagined a small role of 140-character tweet makes huge influences in our world.

Make the history, change the world, sustain the environment,
it’s all about technologies.