General
Investing in local resources for Europe’s strategic autonomy
Published
1 week agoon
By
General News
Today’s (14 January) Forum Europe Debate, co-hosted by MEPs García del Blanco (S&D), Eva Maydell (EPP), Alexandra Geese and Anna Cavazzini (Greens/EFA), discussed the practical, technical and political questions that will determine the future of tech and data in Europe.
Huawei Chief Representative to the EU Institutions Abraham Liu outlined the company’s contribution to this objective today during the online debate “Europe in the digital age: global partnerships to foster European leadership”, organized by Forum Europe.

Huawei Chief Representative to the EU Institutions Abraham Liu
"We can boost Europe’s digital sovereignty by helping it develop and protect strategic resources – but openness and common standards will be key to getting there," says Huawei's Abraham Liu. "How can one unlock digital sovereignty for Europe? By safeguarding the leadership role enabling it to set global standards through openness and innovation, and by investing in the assets that protect its strategic interests. "
“Huawei contributes to EU digital sovereignty in three important ways: by acting as a major investor in and partner to European industry; by helping to ensure that data and innovation stay in Europe; and by contributing to an open and secure European digital ecosystem,” Mr Liu stressed during the event. “We want European citizens to have the best technology, the best privacy and the best security, without having to rely on trust or being hampered by lack of choice or cost.”
Mr Liu highlighted the important role for Europe in creating a regulatory framework enabling security based on common standards and facts rather than just trust: “I firmly believe that Europe should set the rules. It should also remain open so every multinational company, like ours, can follow these rules,” he said.
Huawei has been investing heavily in European industrial production, with future priorities including investment in building facilities for 5G production and advanced technical research facilities in cybersecurity and transparency. Over the next five years, the company has committed to investing €100 million in the development of a robust AI ecosystem in Europe, partnering to connect industry leaders with at least 200,000 developers.
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General
Will mobile gaming continue to thrive in 2021?
Published
1 day agoon
January 21, 2021By
General News
(Image via https://twitter.com/thefxtec)
Mobile phone gaming has never been so good. The games now on offer are more advanced than ever before, as are the phones we’re able to play them on. As a result, a large part of the world’s population is putting more energy into gaming on their mobile phone devices than ever before.
Many experts and gaming fans didn’t think mobile gaming would stand the test of time, particularly with the newly released Playstation 5 coming out. Surely the more sophisticated and graphically advanced games that a console of that type can host appeals more than playing a smartphone game with clear and obvious limitations? Apparently not. In fact, mobile gaming looks like it is very much here to not only survive but also thrive in 2021 and beyond.
Of course, for some, mobile gaming is simply incomparable to console gaming of any kind. In contrast, for others, the realisation that mobile phone gaming is here to stay is becoming a very real one. But why is this? Why is mobile gaming expected to kick on further in 2021? Here are a few reasons as to why.
Gaming on the go
Virtually everyone on the planet has a mobile phone these days, therefore opening up an array of entertainment possibilities in the process. Gaming on a phone is one of them as you have access to a comprehensive selection of games within a matter of seconds. The games on offer are diverse too, from the likes of blackjack online at Mansion Casino to brain teaser creations, coupled with more graphically advanced games like Fortnite PUBG Mobile. Then there’s augmented reality releases like Pokemon Go, too. These are the type of games which can be picked up and put down with ease. Console gaming, on the other hand, requires much more of a commitment. The games are generally a lot tougher, which, as a result, could put casual gamers off. Mobile games can be enjoyed on the go, while on the bus or on your lunch break. There’s a mobile phone game for an array of audiences too, opening gaming on a phone up to the masses.
Console-quality titles
Thanks to the continued advancements made with our mobile phone devices, the games we now have at our disposal are better than ever. Gaming options of old used to be with the likes of Tetris and Snake; now we’re inundated with releases on a weekly basis as games developers look to crack what is a humongous market. So much so, in fact, that many games companies make sure they release the mobile version of games simultaneously with the PC and console versions of games, once again highlighting the influence mobile phone gaming has had on the overall gaming landscape. On top of this, the gaming experience on a mobile device has improved dramatically also, with joysticks and VR headsets being used to help get the best out of specific mobile creations.
(Image via https://twitter.com/NinplayUK)
Cheap and free games
Console gaming isn’t cheap. When you factor in the cost of a console before even adding up the cost of purchasing a few games to go with it, it could be argued that it’s extortionate. In fact, many people have strayed away from console gaming for this very reason, especially when they realise they can get their gaming fix from their smartphone. All you need is access to Appstore or Google Play, and you’re good to go, with the option of trying out a whole host of creations without spending any money at all. Most mobile games are either cheap or completely free, therefore making them accessible to all.
General
London businesses call for swift action to safeguard Eurostar's future
Published
3 days agoon
January 19, 2021
London’s business leaders have written to the government asking it to ensure that the green gateway to Europe is safeguarded. A copy of the letter is published below.
Dear Chancellor and Secretary of State,
We are writing to you, as London’s business leaders, concerned about the prospects of Eurostar, and are calling for swift action to safeguard its future. You will, no doubt, have seen reports in the media that on a pre-lockdown trajectory, Eurostar will run out of funds to run services into St Pancras in the coming months. Since then, we have seen a mutation of the virus that has required the Government to introduce a national lockdown. The spread of the virus makes this additional action necessary – but the response must not just be restrictive, it must also be supportive. With international passenger numbers likely to remain low into the spring, our green gateway to Europe is in peril.
If this viable business is allowed to fall between the cracks of support – neither an airline, nor a domestic railway – our recovery could be damaged. London and the UK would lose out both economically and reputationally. Eurostar currently employs 1,200 people in the UK, with a further 1,500 jobs directly provided by the Eurostar supply chain. But the value and impact of this link extends much further. Students from France account for 1 in every 9 of those from the EU currently studying in London, many of whom benefit from the option to travel via rail rather than air. Taking the train not only has important environmental benefits, which should not be underestimated as the UK seeks to lead the world at COP26, but it is how nearly 4 in every 5 passengers choose to make their journeys between London and Paris/Brussels.
Eurostar is not asking for special treatment. We urge you to ensure that they have equal access to financial support as companies in similar positions – at the very least this should include business rates relief and access to Government loans. Maintaining this international high-speed rail connection into the heart of London has never been more important. Having left the European Union, we need to actively set out our stall as an attractive destination for people to live, work and play. Safeguarding the future of this connection to the continent should be a symbol of both our desire to build back better and our new cooperative relationship with our European neighbours.
Yours sincerely,
Tom Athron, Chief Executive, Fortnum and Mason
Nic Beech, Vice Chancellor, Middlesex University
Brian Bickell, Chief Executive, Shaftesbury
Evelyn Bourke, former Chief Executive BUPA
Vincent Clancy, Chief Executive Officer, Turner & Townsend
Michael Conway, Chairman, FM Conway
Dyan Crowther, Chief Executive Officer, HS1
Professor Sir Paul Curran, President, City, University of London
Nic Durston, Chief Executive Officer, South Bank Employers’ Group
Richard Foley, Senior Partner, Pinsent Masons
Ros Goode, Principal, Managing Director – London, Avison Young
Paul Goswell, Managing Director, Delancey
Chris Ireland, UK CEO, JLL
Darren James, Chief Executive Officer, Keltbray
Gerald Kaye, Chief Executive, Helical
Gerald Malton, Executive Chairman, Fairview New Homes Ltd
Ros Morgan, Chief Executive, Heart of London Business Alliance
Geeta Nanda OBE, CEO, Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing
Mark Naysmith, CEO UK MEIA, WSP
Michael Payton QC, Chairman, Clyde & Co LLP
Jeremy Rees, Chief Executive Officer, ExCel
Mark Reynolds, Group Chief Executive, Mace
Basil Scarsella, Chief Executive, UK Power Networks
Inderneel Singh, Managing Director, Edwardian Hotels London
Paul Stephen, Principal and Chief Executive, Newham College London
Jasmine Whitbread, Chief Executive, London First
William Wilson, Chief Executive Officer, Siemens Mobility Limited
Colin Wood, CEO Europe, AECOM

Executives from leading mobile operators have urged consumers to be patient with 5G, explaining more advanced capabilities and use cases will become available as the technology evolves.
Speaking at the recent industry conference CES 2021, Drew Blackard, VP of product management at Samsung Electronics America (SEA), told a panel that many current services including video streaming are merely “better on 5G”.
But he added more advanced “only-on-5G experiences” will become mainstream “more and more as the infrastructure develops” and the technology becomes more widely used.
Blackard noted SEA had “done a lot of development with partners to build out what these can look like”, pointing to a collaboration with AT&T to offer AR experiences for sports fans.
Ice Mobility chairman and co-founder Denise Gibson added “there is an element of patience” to realising 5G’s potential.
She said 5G “is a platform that will evolve”, explaining “it’s not solely about” geographic reach, but also provision of advanced capabilities and services on networks and devices.
Blackard added “partnerships are obviously essential”, noting 5G required “a group, an industry to bring that forward. It’s not a single player that can do that”.
Commenting on the issue Abraham Lui, Huawei's Chief Representative to the EU Institutions, said "In Europe, the best of 5G is yet to come. As 5G deployment gathers pace across the continent, users will appreciate the benefits of this game-changing technology in the near future".

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