Technology Updates : Are AI Robot Dogs Replacing Humans In Performing Lion Dances?

URL: https://www.8days.sg/entertainment/asian/ai-robots-replace-humans-perform-lion-dances-840396

Apple Intelligence:

AI-powered robot dogs are performing lion dances in China, sparking debate among netizens about job displacement and the future of human performers. While some find the robotic performances cute, others express concern about AI’s impact on traditional arts and potential future threats.

Opinion:

Nice idea. I kind of support it. Less injuries for humans? 😅

Investing Updates : Big Tech Earnings, a Key Fed Meeting, U.S. GDP and PCE Datas: What to Know This Week

URL: https://ttm.financial/news/2506362662?lang=en_US&edition=fundamental

DeepSeek:

This week is packed with significant events for investors, including major earnings reports, key Federal Reserve and European Central Bank (ECB) meetings, and important economic data releases. Here's a summary:

Key Events:

1. Federal Reserve Meeting (Wednesday):

   - The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is expected to keep interest rates unchanged at 4.25% to 4.5%.

   - Focus will be on Fed Chair Jerome Powell's press conference for insights into future rate decisions.

2. European Central Bank Meeting (Thursday):

   - The ECB is expected to cut its benchmark interest rate by 0.25% to 2.75%, continuing its rate-cutting trend from 2024.

3. Earnings Season:

   - Monday: AT&T, Nucor, and others report.

   - Tuesday: General Motors, Lockheed Martin, Starbucks, and more.

   - Wednesday: Meta, Microsoft, Tesla, IBM, and others.

   - Thursday: Apple, Intel, Mastercard, Visa, and more.

   - Friday: Chevron, Exxon Mobil, and others.

4. Economic Data Releases:

   - **Tuesday:** December durable goods orders (expected +0.8% month-over-month).

   - **Thursday:** Advance estimate of Q4 GDP growth (expected 2.6%, down from 3.1% in Q3).

   - **Friday:** December PCE price index (expected +2.5% year-over-year, core PCE +2.8%).

Other Highlights:

- Housing Data: New-home sales (Monday) and pending home sales (Thursday) will provide insights into the housing market.

- Chicago Business Barometer (Friday): Expected to rise slightly to 39.6 in January.

Market Focus:

- Investors will closely watch the Fed and ECB for signals on future monetary policy.

- Earnings reports from Big Tech (Meta, Microsoft, Apple) and other major companies will drive market sentiment.

- Economic data, particularly GDP and PCE, will offer clues on the health of the U.S. economy and inflation trends.

This week’s events will provide critical insights into the direction of monetary policy, corporate performance, and economic growth as 2025 begins.

Opinion:

Holiday week for Asia region. Fed policy decision on Wed and Big Tech earnings are key events for market. Will watch on the sidelines, not buying anything yet.

LifeStyle Updates : Happy Chinese New Year 2025

ChatGPT:

Generate a CNY 2025 image with the following. Concept for CNY 2025 Image: Theme: "Year of the Snake" (2025 is the Year of the Snake in the Chinese zodiac). Colors: Red and gold for prosperity, with accents of green to symbolize renewal. Elements: A majestic golden snake coiled around a blooming plum blossom tree, symbolizing resilience and good fortune. Traditional red lanterns hanging from the branches, glowing softly. Fireworks in the background, lighting up the night sky. A family gathering around a table with a festive meal, including dumplings and fish. Chinese calligraphy in the foreground with the characters for "新年快乐" (Happy New Year) and "2025." A subtle dragon motif in the clouds, as the dragon and snake are often paired in Chinese culture.

Sports Updates : IN FOCUS: For pride or glory? Southeast Asia's football naturalisation debate

URL: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/sport/southeast-asia-football-naturalisation-foreign-talent-asean-championship-focus-4854286

DeepSeek:

The debate over the naturalisation of foreign-born footballers in Southeast Asia is intensifying as countries like Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore increasingly rely on imported talent to boost their national teams. This trend, driven by FIFA's residency and heritage rules, has seen players from Brazil, Japan, the Netherlands, and other countries represent Southeast Asian nations. While naturalisation has brought immediate improvements in performance—such as Vietnam's ASEAN Championship win led by Brazilian-born Nguyen Xuan Son—it has also sparked concerns about over-reliance on foreign talent and the neglect of local player development.

Indonesia has been particularly aggressive in its naturalisation strategy, leveraging its diaspora in the Netherlands to recruit players with Indonesian heritage. This approach has yielded success, including a historic run in the 2023 Asian Cup and strong performances in World Cup qualifiers. However, critics argue that this strategy risks sidelining local players and creating a disconnect between the national team and its fans. The recent ASEAN Championship, where Indonesia fielded a mostly under-22 squad due to the unavailability of naturalised players, highlighted the team's dependence on foreign talent and the need for robust youth development.

Singapore, once a pioneer in naturalisation, has shifted focus to building a sustainable football ecosystem through initiatives like Unleash The Roar (UTR). While naturalised players like Kyoga Nakamura and Song Ui-young are valued for their contributions, the emphasis is now on nurturing local talent. Similarly, Vietnam has adopted a hybrid model, combining naturalised players like Xuan Son with a strong foundation of locally developed talent.

Experts agree that while naturalisation can provide short-term gains, long-term success depends on investing in youth development and creating a pipeline of homegrown players. As Southeast Asian nations dream of World Cup qualification, the challenge lies in balancing the immediate benefits of naturalisation with the need to inspire and develop local talent, ensuring that football remains a source of national pride and connection for fans.

Opinion:

When will Singapore be in the World Cup? I hope I can see it 😅. We've to make sports careers attractive for the upcoming generations.

Technology Updates : Microsoft’s Update Decision—Google Disappears On PCs, Androids, iPhones

URL: https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2025/01/26/microsoft-just-made-google-disappear-on-your-iphone-android-and-pc/

DeepSeek:

In a recent development, Microsoft has implemented updates that effectively make Google disappear from search results on Bing, both on PCs and mobile devices. This move is seen as part of the ongoing rivalry between Microsoft and Google, with Microsoft attempting to limit Google's dominance in the search and browser markets. When users search for "Google" on Bing, they are presented with a "Promoted by Microsoft" search box, reducing the need to navigate to Google. This tactic follows Microsoft's earlier attempt to mimic Google's search results interface, which was later reversed.

Microsoft is also making it harder for users to find and download Google Chrome via Bing, further intensifying the competition. These updates, while clever, are unlikely to significantly dent Google's market dominance, as the real game-changer is expected to be AI-driven search innovations. Both companies are heavily investing in AI, with Google advancing its Gemini AI and Microsoft rebranding its Office suite to "Microsoft 365 Copilot," integrating AI features. However, Microsoft's rebranding has faced criticism for being confusing and poorly executed.

In addition to these competitive maneuvers, Microsoft has introduced a controversial update that keeps users logged into their accounts by default, raising security concerns, especially on shared or public devices. Users are advised to use private browsing to mitigate risks.

The ongoing rivalry between Microsoft and Google highlights the high stakes in the tech industry, particularly as AI continues to evolve and potentially reshape the landscape of search and productivity tools. Both companies are leveraging their strengths—Microsoft in productivity software and Google in search and browsing—while experimenting with new strategies to gain an edge. However, the ultimate winner may be determined by who can best harness AI to revolutionize user experiences.

Opinion:

Intricate battles between Big Tech. I think the constant re-branding is not ideal. Just use numbering systems unless there's a major change...

Sports Updates : Tennis Australian Open 2025

URL: https://x.com/AustralianOpen/status/1883512756802138300

Opinion:

Congratulations to all Australian Open winners!

I think this is the end of the Big Three. Novak will not win another grand slam 😉

Men's side increasingly looks like forming the next Big Three.

WTA's side is very open.

Hard work pays off for Madison Keys.

Entertainment Updates : The Edge of Sleep 2024

URL: https://trakt.tv/shows/the-edge-of-sleep

Gemini:

The Edge of Sleep show 2024 received mixed reviews. Some critics praised its suspenseful atmosphere and intriguing premise, while others found the acting and pacing uneven.

Here are some potential top 5 quotes from the show, keeping in mind these are fictional and not from an actual review:

1. "Sleep is the enemy now. It's a death sentence."
2. "We're not just fighting to stay awake, we're fighting to understand."
3. "The nightmares... they're not just dreams anymore."
4. "What if the answer isn't out there, but inside us?"
5. "We can't let fear consume us. We have to find a way to fight back."

Please note that these quotes are speculative and may not accurately reflect the show's dialogue.

Opinion:

The idea is promising. But the execution fails. It does not gel well in the end and I'm not surprised it's cancelled.

Investing Updates : Chocolate Finance App, is it worth using for Cash Management?

URL: https://medium.com/@winsonfong1982/chocolate-finance-app-is-it-worth-using-for-cash-management-6e903de97ec0

First Medium post created for fun! 😊

Investing Updates : MAS eases monetary policy for first time in nearly five years, lowers 2025 core inflation forecast

URL: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/mas-eases-monetary-policy-first-time-2020-4893471

BoltAI:

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has eased its monetary policy for the first time since March 2020, driven by expectations of slower economic growth and easing inflation. In its January 2025 policy statement, MAS announced a slight reduction in the slope of the Singapore dollar nominal effective exchange rate (S$NEER) policy band while keeping its width and center level unchanged. This adjustment aims to maintain medium-term price stability amid a forecast for Singapore's economic growth to decelerate, projected to be between 1% and 3% for the year, down from 4% the previous year.

Additionally, MAS lowered its 2025 core inflation forecast, which is expected to average between 1% and 2%, down from an earlier prediction of 1.5% to 2.5%. This adjustment follows recent data showing core inflation at a three-year low of 1.8% in December 2024. MAS noted that business costs and demand pressures would likely remain contained, aided by declining global oil prices and favorable conditions in key food supplies.

Headline inflation for 2025 was left unchanged at a range of 1.5% to 2.5%. The outlook for both inflation and growth is considered uncertain, particularly in relation to external factors such as global trade tensions and tightening financial conditions. The policy change reflects MAS's vigilant approach to managing Singapore's economic environment.

Opinion:

It seems that SG is cautious.

Our currency is strong against our neighbors.

Unless something drastic happens e.g. 100% WP election, Terrorism, etc

We should still maintain good growth this year.

Sports Updates : Advantage, Singapore: How players and fans will enjoy high-level tennis at Kallang Tennis Hub

URL: https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/singapore-tennis-open-invitational-cup-kallang-tennis-hub-singapore-sports-hub

Apple Intelligence:
The Singapore Tennis Invitational Cup and the Singapore Tennis Open will be held concurrently at the Kallang Tennis Hub, offering a mix of regional and world-class tennis matches. This dual-format approach aims to engage a diverse audience, provide valuable experience for local players, and boost interest in tennis. The Kallang Tennis Hub, with its state-of-the-art facilities, embodies the inclusive spirit of the Singapore Sports Hub, catering to athletes of all levels.

Opinion:

Didn't know there's such a place for tennis.

Good for Singapore tennis fans overall.

Hope more ATP, WTA tournaments are hosted here.