Enterprise

China blacklists the Houston Rockets because of a tweet

Chinese companies have canceled support

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Image source: Keith Allison

As we know now, a tweet can cause utter chaos in the real world. It’s far easier to take a short tweet out of context than a long-form piece. You should always be careful with what you tweet. That said, the world’s biggest basketball organization just caused a Twitter boo-boo.

More specifically, Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey recently tweeted a pro-Hong Kong tweet on his personal account. The tweet contained an image and the statement “Fight for Freedom. Stand with Hong Kong.” Hong Kong’s current pro-democracy protests are a focal point for international personalities. Morey’s support adds to the millions already supporting the country’s predicament.

Unfortunately, Morey’s tweet immediately sparked a wave of hatred especially from the Chinese Twitter population. Many accounts called for his firing. Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta posted a reply, saying Morey’s opinions are his own and not the Rocket’s as an organization. Instead of calming the seas, Fertitta’s tweet added fuel to the fire. Twitter was divided between people calling for Morey’s firing and people criticizing Fertitta for silencing Morey’s opinion.

Morey has since deleted the tweet and issued an apology tweet, further hammering the disclaimer that his opinions are not representative of the entire NBA. The damage, however, has already been done. China is angry.

Yao Ming, one of the team’s most popular players in history, has revoked support for the team. Yao is currently the president of the Chinese Basketball Association, which previously worked with the Rockets.

Additionally, Tencent Sports, China’s biggest streaming provider for the NBA in the country, has suspended its new five-year deal specifically for the Houston Rockets. As such, the service will not stream games featuring the Houston Rockets. A Chinese sports apparel brand, Li-Ning, has also canceled partnerships with the team and its players.

Currently, there is no plan to punish Morey. During Morey’s tenure as general manager, the Houston Rockets has enjoyed considerable postseason success in the NBA, headlined by superstar guard James Harden.

SEE ALSO: NBA 2K20 Review: A Worrisome Upgrade

Enterprise

Tim Cook might soon step down as Apple’s CEO

He’s turning 65 next month.

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Did you know that it’s been almost 15 years since Tim Cook took the reins of Apple? The brand’s stalwart fans can definitely thank Cook for Apple’s impressive success today. That said, nothing lasts forever, especially as one reaches the age of 65. Tim Cook, after bringing Apple to almost US$ 4 trillion in valuation, might soon step down as the company’s CEO.

When he took over as CEO, Cook had the unfortunate challenge of following Steve Jobs. But, as we can see now, the CEO was more than up for the task, leading the company to new heights. Cook, however, will soon enter his twilight years. This November, the CEO turns 65. Cook’s retirement now becomes a question of “when” and “who’s next.”

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the transition might come soon. A few of the company’s executives have started to leave the company. This year, COO Jeff Williams stepped down and will soon leave the company. Importantly, Williams was once seen as next in line for the throne.

Others are expected to follow Williams, eventually leading to Cook’s own retirement. Cook’s 65th birthday isn’t a sure deadline, but the talks should start. When Cook does retire from his CEO duties, it’s expected that he’ll transition instead into a new role as chairman, similar to Amazon’s Jeff Bezos.

Gurman also notes that the current heir, after Williams’s departure, is now the company’s hardware engineering boss, John Ternus. Importantly, this means that Apple might finally enter a new era outside of smartphones. As popular as the iPhone is, the company has struggled entering new facets of technology, including the middling Vision Pro. Ternus, as opposed to a more business-oriented leader, might steer Apple into those new frontiers.

SEE ALSO: Apple iPhone Air Review

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Enterprise

CMF will separate from Nothing soon

Its headquarters will be in India.

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It didn’t take long for Nothing to establish itself in the smartphone industry. The brand even felt confident to launch a more affordable sub-brand called CMF by Nothing. Now, Nothing is ready to let its baby boy grow up. CMF by Nothing is branching off into its own independent brand soon.

As reported by TechCrunch, Nothing has confirmed that CMF will become an independent subsidiary soon. The brand is partnering with an Indian company called Optiemus to establish a headquarters for manufacturing and research in India.

The choice of market isn’t surprising. Compared to the original brand, CMF by Nothing caters more to the budget-conscious crowd while upholding Nothing’s penchant for quirky designs. The affordable segment continues to be a big hit in India. Nothing, as a brand, is also popular in the country.

It’s an impressive story for CMF. The small brand started only around two years ago in 2023. Since then, it launched earbuds, smartwatches, and smartphones — all of which appeal to the budget-conscious. By branching off on its own, the brand has a chance to establish its own identity apart from its parent company.

Though CMF’s independence is certainly a quick one, the phenomenon isn’t uncommon. Various companies have also done the same with their own sub-brands. For example, HONOR, POCO, and realme have spun off from Huawei, Xiaomi, and OPPO, respectively.

SEE ALSO: CMF Phone 2 Pro review: Only a small step from its predecessor

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Enterprise

DITO wants you to stop worrying about data, WiFi, and dropped calls

Here’s how DITO is changing the way we connect

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DITO Telecommunity is pushing forward with a bold message: fast, reliable, and accessible connectivity should already be the norm.

At its recent Kaya DITO campaign launch in BGC, the country’s fastest-growing telco showed how its ecosystem of services is built to meet the digital aspirations of every Filipino.

Prepaid that doesn’t waste your data

DITO’s Level-Up Packs were designed to take the stress out of prepaid.

With ViLTE tech, subscribers get unlimited HD video calls between DITO users, plus unli mobile calls, bundled Viber, Prime Video, and flexible data that lasts longer.

Postpaid that actually makes sense

With DITO FlexPlan 888, postpaid is made practical. For less than a thousand pesos a month, subscribers can choose SIM-only or device-bundled plans with generous data inclusions.

It proves that having a premium postpaid experience doesn’t have to break the bank.

WiFi that keeps the whole household connected

DITO WoWFi Pro 365 makes home internet simple. Think of it as a worry-free, year-long unlimited connection with no complicated installations and constant top-ups.

Just reliable WiFi for work, study, and streaming when you need it.

Everything you need in one app

The DITO App is one of the most complete telco apps available, giving subscribers full control of their digital life.

From buying SIMs and load to managing accounts, rewards, and even OTT apps, the experience is built around convenience. Add 24/7 support and exclusive perks, and the app becomes a one-stop hub for all things DITO.

True 5G built differently

Unlike other networks built on old systems, DITO made the call early to go all-in on 5G Standalone.

That means faster speeds, lower latency, and a network that can keep up with how Filipinos live today.

Opensignal has already recognized DITO as the Philippines’ fastest network, proving that the foundation they built is paying off.

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