2
Will Cyber
Contra project
take shape
under NLD-led
government?
AUNG KYAW NYUNT
I
N Myanmar attempts to create
new technological products and
create new jobs, special places
are necessary where technicians
from all sectors can get together to
be able to work for the benefit of
these kinds of projects.
Therefore, it is interesting to
know whether the present NLD-
led government which is carrying
out transformations in all spheres,
will be able to create these kinds
of places as it will benefit the
development of the information and
technology sector.
At the moment, for technicians
to be able to create these kinds
of technologies in a single place,
Yangon Heartz Media, a local
technological company has
created a project by the name of
Cyber Contra which is leading the
advancement in this field.
When this Cyber Contra project
becomes distinct, it will not only
benefit the government which is
giving special consideration to
the technology sector but also the
creation of local and international
products. Furthermore will be able
to create about thirty thousand
jobs within a period of five years
and benefit students, who yearly
graduate from technical and
technological institutions.
Presently, Yangon Heartz Media
is creating its Cyber Contra project
in a building installed with smart
technology on a piece of land of
about 15 acres and is also planning
to create three zones in Thaketa
Township.
In this zone there will mainly
be a combination of economics,
technology, education and energy
sectors and will also include
entertainments supported by high
level technology, which intends
to become a landmark of Yangon
City, U Zaw Zaw Myo Lwin, Chief
Executive Officer of Yangon Heartz
Media told The Myanmar Times.
Although Yangon Heartz
Media had a plan to create this
project since 2011, it could only
begin in 2016 after change of the
government.
Yangon Heartz Media planned to
create this project since 2011 and
thought about whether it would
be good to encompass the whole
city with this technology from
here. Especially it was intended
for Yangon and Mandalay which
are the two biggest cities in the
country. However it was only in
Crystal City, in Hangzhou, China houses a theme park, shopping centre, apartments and entertainment facilities.
Photo: Supplied
the imagination stage and after the
change of government in 2016, we
were able to implement this project.
We have great hope for our project,
said U Zaw Zaw Myo Lwin.
U Zaw Zaw Myo Lwin told The
Myanmar Times that the government
will not need to invest or provide full
electricity required for the project
as it will use its own-produced
renewable energy. However, he
only hopes that government will
support other necessities for the
achievement of the project.
Although in the early stage
we planned to name our project
as Yangon Smart City Project,
there was already a project by the
government named as Smart City so
we decided to name this project as
Cyber Contra, he explained about
the change of name to The Myanmar
Times.
Concerning to establish the
project U Zaw Zaw Myo Lwin
continued to explain that the plan
of this project was submitted to the
Yangon Region Government back in
May 2016. The Chief Minister was
interested and provided necessary
assistance in receiving land for the
project.
Much as our intention was to
seek the governments policy on the
project, it was misunderstood and
became all-inclusive. Then again,
after meeting with the Ministry of
Transport and Communications,
they said the name of ours was the
same as the government project
which was Smart City and although
our project was Yangon Smart
City, their view was to include,
not only the Ministry of Transport
and Communications but also
all concerned associations. That
is why when we submitted the
project to the government just for
the policy, the reply was that it
supported the project but nothing
else was mentioned. Therefore
at last we decided to change the
name of the project from Yangon
Smart City to Cyber Contra, he
explained.
We will try our best for the
establishment of this project and
although we have plans to submit
it to the higher level it is very
difficult to reach the level of the
Union Government. These kinds
of projects are front runners in
foreign investment and as being the
basic foundation for Information
and Telecommunications, we wish
that the government will be able to
support us in our endeavour,
According to U Zaw Zaw Myo
Lwin, at the initial stage, for the
development of the projects basic
infrastructure, US$250 million
will be invested and from there
research in sectors relating to
the project such as Incubation,
Business Development and for
other technical products, more
investment will be added.
It is learnt that whichever
organization interested in this
project are invited to participate.
Telecommunications & Technology
Deputy Editor-in-Chief:
Myo Lwin
Editor:
Win Aung
Staff writers:
Aung Kyaw Nyunt, Kyi Tha Maung,
Chan Mya Htwe
Photography:
Kaung Htet, Aung Htay Hlaing, Thiri Lu
U Zaw Zaw Myo Lwin, CEO of Yangon
Heartz Media explains about Cyber
Contra Project. Photo: Supplied
Regarding the architecture,
British based companies, for the
technology sector companies from
Singapore and Taiwan, for clean
energy companies from Japan and
some from Europe and companies
from China and South Korea are
earmarked and talks are underway
for investment. There are also plans
to invite local companies to increase
their investment and cooperation
said U Zaw Zaw Myo Lwin.
The process of selecting partners
is still underway. We would like to
have as many as local companies to
be involved as our main intention
is to raise the level of the national
economy and therefore we are
interested to work with local
companies. We also hope that there
will be local investors who have the
same intention as us, said U Zaw
Zaw Myo Lwin.
Translation by Win Thaw Tar and
Khine Thazin Han
Cover design:
Tin Zaw Htway
Cover Photos:
Shutterstock
Layout design:
Khin Zaw
For feedback and enquiries,please contact
winaung247@gmail.com
 4

Services provided by operators after

expansion of 4G network
2017 could be regarded as a year of competition between operators in expanding 4G networks

Mr. Toshitake Amamiya,Chief Executive Officer (CEO) speaking at New Ooredoo CEO Mr. Rene Meza explaining about Ooredoos Mr. Joslin E Myrthong, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Telenor
MPT launching of LTE+ network. Photos: Aung Kyaw Nyunt commercial strategy in Myanmar market Myanmar explains about 4G network

AUNG KYAW NYUNT and leading government-owned service by applying the 4X4 MIMO (OFDMA), is a wireless high speed using this service will also be much
Telecommunications Company in technology to upgrade the LTE telecommunication system different higher as the quality of the network

4
G is the fourth generation of
mobile telecommunications
technology, succeeding 3G and
since 2014 all kinds of interesting
services have entered the Myanmar
market and till to date is a liking to
operators.
This year the Ministry of Transport
and Communications approved for
telecom operators to utilize 1800MHz
network so mobile operators who at
present are offering 2G, 3G networks
will be able to compete in expanding
their networks to the highly limited
4G networks.
Therefore, 2017 could be regarded
as a year of competition between
operators in expanding the 4G
networks. It has become undeniable
that mobile phone users are
experimenting and using the 4G
networks provided by operators.
Hence, it is interesting to know
what kind of technology these
operators are using to provide
this advanced 4G network.
Therefore, responsible personnel
from MPT, the first and leading
telecommunications company in
Myanmar, Telenor Myanmar and
Ooredoo Myanmar explained about
this new technology which local
operators are using in providing 4G
network service.
MPT
MPT, also known as Myanmar Posts
and Telecommunications is the first
Myanmar, providing both fixed and
mobile telecommunication services
to the public, enterprises and has
the most users. It is placing every
effort to expand the 4G network.
Since July, for LTE+ network to
be able to support the 4X4 MIMO
technology, MPT has upgraded
the mobile towers and networks.
When LTE+ network was introduced
in June, service was provided in
Yangon, Mandalay, Nay Pyi Taw
and in 47 townships. At present 22
towns in 72 townships of Regions
and States can use this LTE+
network. In August this network
will expand to 78 townships
including 27 towns.
4X4 MIMO technology which is
currently being applied by MPT is
twice the speed of 4G/LTE 2X2MIMO
in receiving data and the internet
speed will be from 75Mbps to
150Mbps said U Thein Hoke, Deputy
Chief Commercial Officer of the
Economic Department of MPT-KSGM
Joint Operation at the introduction
ceremony of MPT 4G/LTE, which was
held on 19 June at the Park Royale
Hotel in Yangon.
Ooredoo
Since entering the local market,
Qatar-based Ooredoo has provided
the 3G network.
We have not only provided the
1800MHz frequency band to 10 MHz
frequency band but also providing
network. Since May 2016 we have
applied 2100MHz frequency band
to 5 MHz and began to provide 4G
LTE service. During that time, the
Department of Telecommunications
had not yet approved the use of
1800MHz frequency band. However
as soon as we received the approval
in April 2017 we began working
to upgrade 2100MHz frequency to
1800MHz frequency to be able to
use the LTE network,
This 4X4 MIMO technology will
twice enhance the speed of the
internet. As for downloading, the
speed will approximately be 75Mbps
to 150Mbps. Till the first week of
July 2017; Ooredoos 4G network
has covered up to five million
users in 52 townships within Nay
Pyi Taw, Yangon, Mandalay and
Magwe Divisions. Furthermore,
Nyaung Shwe, Monywa and other
townships will soon be connected
to this 4G network, Mr. Rene Meza,
CEO of Oordedoo Myanmar told The
Myanmar Times.
Telenor
Telenor, a Norwegian
telecommunications company
which offered 2G network
coverage since it first entered the
Myanmar market said the 4G
network is known as LTE (Long
Term Evolution) which uses a
different radio interface, Orthogonal
frequency-division multiple access
from the current 2G and 3G
networks.
Due to the advanced network
architecture of LTE, users would
not have any interruption in the
internet system that they are using.
The speed of this new technology
is five to ten times faster than the
previous 3G network and will be
able to download up to 40 megabyte.
Then again even in times when
internet lines are congested 4G
networks will not affect the data
traffic.
During the past ten months
except for Kayah and Chin States,
all remaining States and Regions
including Nay Pyi Taw together
with twenty five big cities around
the whole country have already
been installed with this 4G network.
However, what 4G network users
should bear in mind is they should be
in the area covered by the 4G network
and also their handsets should be
installed with a 4G SIM card.
If it is a Telenor SIM card it should
be replaced with USIM card which
can use the 4G network. The USIM
card must be inserted in Slot-1 of
the handset. If the handset owner
would like to inquire whether his or
her phone and SIM card is can use
4G network by dialing *444# will be
able to check the situation.
However there are always pros
and cons. The 4G network provides
a much faster service so the rate for
is excellent and downloading data
is much faster than other networks.
So it would be advisable for smart
phone users to shut down all
other active applications and use
Data Parcel which prices are more
reasonable says U Alex Nyi Nyi
Aung, Senior Expert (Corporate
and Communications) of Telenor
Myanmar.
Translation by Kyaw Soe Htet and
Khine Thazin Han
Ministry of Transport and
Communications grants
permission for the use of
1800MHz frequency band
According the publication in the
official website of the Ministry of
Transport and Communications,
it has granted permission for
the use of 2X10MHz within
the 1800MHz frequency band
for a period of 12 years to
mobile operators who have
received the Nationwide
Telecommunications licence
such as MPT, Telenor Myanmar
and to Ooredoo Myanmar.
It is learnt that from the side
of mobile companies , they will
have to pay US$80 million for
the use of the frequency band.
Translation by Kyaw Soe Htet
and Khine Thazin Han

Eco-friendly telecom towers of the future

AUNG KYAW NYUNT metal and even towers made of positioned on the tower and other Country Managing Director of address our clients concern over
bamboo. operators are also likely to follow edotco Myanmar, said: This a metal structure that would ruin

E
stablished in 2012, edotco,
the first regional and
integrated telecommunications
infrastructure services company
in Asia is providing end-to-end
solutions in the tower services
sector which has installed wind
turbine towers and solar towers in
countries of the region. It is also
planning to introduce towers made
up of bamboo and wood.
The new mobile towers created by
ecotco have many shapes including
chimney-shape towers made of
The chimney-shape tower is six
metre tall and is in a triangle shape.
This tower is able to withstand
winds up to 195 knots. To protect
the poles of the tower, plastic-fibre
poles are also used. The exterior of
the poles are made in Malaysia and
designed in such a way where iron
or metal are not include, so it does
not affect the radio frequency said
edotco Myanmar.
At present, mobile operators MPT
and Ooredoo Myanmar which are
operating in Myanmar are already
their footsteps, edotco told The
Myanmar Times.
edotco Myanmar Limited has
announced that it has installed the
first innovative tower that blends
with the environment to meet its
customers needs. The camouflage
chimney telecom tower, built atop
one of the buildings in Thanlyins
Star City residential complex, will
potentially service more than 10,000
homes and cover 1.7 million sq. meters
of commercial space in the area.
Mr. Vijendran (Vijay) Watson,
telecom tower is another
example of edotco working with
our customers to come up with
innovative solutions to meet
their needs. We were limited
and under strict guidelines on
where and how towers could be
erected. Star Citys management
team initially suggested several
temporary tower locations but
edotco wanted to provide a
permanent solution. Having agreed
on a rooftop position, we proposed
a camouflage tower solution to
the aesthetics of surrounding
buildings.
Similarly, the first-ever
bamboo telecom tower built
with homegrown technology was
installed on the rooftop of a house
in the Uttara, a district of Dhaka,
the capital city of Bangladesh. The
innovation is the outcome of a joint
collaboration between Bangladesh
University of Engineering and
Technology (BUET) and mobile
Continued on page 5
 5

Local banks still lacking in

digital banking solutions
In the past outdated accounting practices, poor information-
technology infrastructure and lack of clarity in banks were a
First-ever bamboo telecom tower built
with homegrown technology installed
burden for citizens
on the rooftop in Uttara, a district of
Dhaka Photo: Supplied

Continued from page 4

phone tower company edotco.

In place of the traditional steel
structures mostly used in the
telecommunications sector, this
bamboo tower is a eco-friendly tower
and the tower focuses on the design
and viability.
Studies indicate that the new cell
tower invented by edotco which is
made by bamboo has the ability to
bear the weight of concrete while
possessing the rigidity and tensile
strength to support its own weight.
It can withstand gusts of up to
210km/h, with an expected lifespan
of approximately 10 years with proper
maintenance. A bamboo tower takes
around 12 days to construct and
consumes less energy to manufacture
compared to traditional steel towers.
The structure has a capacity to house
up to 8 antennas at a time, enabling
co-location said edotco.
As an added bonus, bamboo being A customer drawing cash from an ATM machine in downtown A technician performs regular checks and maintenance at an ATM machine
inherently light, allows for easy Yangon. Photos: Kaung Htet in Yangon.
transportation and installation of
structures on rooftops without adding
any additional stress on the building. CHAN MYA HTWE these systems. Myanmar.
The deployed structure underwent In the past due to poor information- Therefore, for Myanmar banking system to

chemical treatment as a measure to
protect it from termite and mould
attacks as well as adverse climate
conditions.
Therefore, on the evaluation
on a variety of actual market
performances which included
revenue growth, growth in market
share, leadership in production
innovations, breadth of products
and solutions, major customer
acquisitions and business and
market strategy, 2016 Southeast Asia
Telecoms Tower Company of the Year
Award was conferred to edotco Group
by Frost and Sullivan.
Since December 2015, edotco Co. as
Myanmar Tower Company entered
the Myanmar market and has been
working in the telecommunication
sector. Later the name was
changed to edotco Myanmar Limited
and at present, edotco Myanmar is
operating 1345 tower sites in the
whole country.
Translation by Kyaw Soe Htet
D
igital Transformation is far beyond just
moving from traditional banking to a
digital world. It is a vital change in how
banks and other financial institutions learn,
interact and provide service for the satisfaction
of customers.
Therefore, all local banks in Myanmar, which
at present performing the traditional banking
system, will need to carry out transformative
changes. In this process they will need service
providers who are internationally recognized
and have the ability, both operationally and
financially to transform the banking system
of Myanmar says Daw Yin Min Aye, General
Manager of ACE Data Systems Ltd, which is a
local software company.
As the world is experiencing a rapid and
increasing use of digital payment methods
in many countries, with examples including
intermediaries such as PayPal and digital wallet
systems, Myanmar has now begun to transform
into a cashless society. The introduction of
payments by electronic card and mobile wallet
are a way to carry credit card or debit card
information in a digital form on the mobile
device and is looking for better ways to improve
technology infrastructure, outdated accounting
practices and lack of clarity in banking
systems were a burden for the citizens of the
country. Nevertheless, due to reforms being
undertaken at a quick pace, the banking
sector is developing rapidly and as things have
changed, anyone can carry out online banking
through mobile phones or by internet whether
it may be from home or where there is internet
connection.
At present there are about 12 banks which
have introduced Digital Banking Solutions
and more banks are following the trend to
introduce that system, says Daw Yin Min Aye.
As it has become necessary to transform the
Myanmar local banking sector into a digital
transformation, ACE Data Systems Ltd and
Infosys Limited, a software company from
India jointly hosted the Myanmar Digital
Banking Summit during 2017 and shared
their experiences received from Myanmar
and foreign banking sectors and provided
advice for the improvement of this sector. It
was also to introduce the products of new
software which would be essential for the
digital transformation of the banking sector of
be in line with the banking systems from other
countries, ACE Data Systems Ltd signed up
with Infosys Limited of India, which has a vast
experience in the software used in banking
systems and the research and development
(R&D) of these software in an attempt to for
local banks to provide better banking services.
As a result, Infosys Limited and ACE Data
Systems Ltd have provided a software system
for Digital Transformation of AGD Bank, which
is a local bank. Due to the support of these two
companies the banking system of AGD Bank
is operating in a flowing and effective manner
without difficulties of obstructions.
These two companies have also followed up
work to install Digital Transformation Systems
in local banks such as Global Treasure Bank,
United Amara Bank and Myawaddy Bank.
At present, only about 20 percent of the total
population in Myanmar have bank accounts.
Therefore, banks are doing their best to provide
good services with digital solution to be able
to fulfill the needs and satisfaction of the
customers and to persuade more people to use
their bank services.
Translation by Kyaw Soe Htet
 6

Is Online piracy killing the

entertainment world?
Although concerned
authorities are
working to get rid
of this menace,
which is harming
the entertainment
industry, new
and advanced
technologies are
giving upper hand to
the dealers
A technician browsing through The Pirate Bay server. Photo: Aung Htay Hlaing

Kyi Tha Maung entertainment world face the same example, if someone uplodes movies with are able to download my songs from other
problem: they are not collecting enough subtitles in your own language and shares it, sources. But for the real fans who like my

T
HE entertainment world such as movie
and music will never end as long as the
human race exists.
However, their market will change in
accordance with time. In the past, we had to
rely on cinemas when we want to see movies.
But when the television was invented, people
could view movies from their homes. But the
movies which were shown on television were
movies selected and aired by the television
stations and viewers were unable to choose
movie to their preference.
Later on video tape players, VCDs, DVDs and
Blue ray machines appeared and people were
able to view movies and entertainment shows
to their liking. All these changes took place in
a very short span.
Times have changed and become to such
a state that anyone can view a variety of
entertainment programmes online or on
internet and even download these programmes
to view them later. So we can now watch movies
through the internet by downloading them
which is an unofficial act or by streamlining
or streaming movies, which are shown with
license.
Nowadays, whether it may be official or
unofficial, everybody can watch movies
by uploading the video files. Although
the public hasnt lost its appetite for
television, journalism or film; shows,
articles and movies which are online, the
problem is that the internet has expanded
the media to the audience and has all but
destroyed the market for it. Distributing
songs, movies and books free of charge
on line may be good for the users but
gives no profit for the original producers.
Due to this piracy all companies of the
revenue being generated by their work.
This kind of situation is no exception in
Myanmar. Although the concerned authorities
are working hard to get rid of this menace,
harming the entertainment industry, new and
advanced technologies appear that give upper
hand to the dealers.
Today, everybody in Myanmar can view
a foreign film, whether it may be English,
Chinese, Japanese or Indian, you name it
and it is readily available in the market
with subtitles in Myanmar language which
are on vcd, dvds and even online such as
social media pages, which could easily be
downloaded. These kind of people who
upload movies on the internet are people
who dont consider about the damage
that they are doing to the entertainment
industry but just to get as many as Likes
and comments for their work.
Without appreciating copyright on
creating arts, we cannot afford to do
anything but just have to think that my art
products have reached the public, said Ko
Suu Khet Min, artist and scriptwriter.
Local producers find it very difficult
to find people who are misusing their
creations on social media and even if they
know that it is an act of piracy there is
nothing they can do to fight these kinds
of people. Although finding these kinds of
people who are misusing your creation, the
creator must have solid evidence that it is
his creation and systemically report and
only then can be removed from the social
media.
Taking a creation of another person
illegally is regarded as theft and distributing
online is known as piracy. However, for
it is known as freebooting.
There are some countries that allow
downloading which are not for economy
but just for personal use. Canada, Poland
and Netherlands are countries that allow
downloading legally only for personal use.
Sweden, once in 2009 and then again in
2014 raided the famous server, The Pirate
Bay that shared Soft copy of art products
and shut down the server and imprisoned
those who were involved in the illegal act.
Movie and music industry suffer most in the
danger of piracy and regarding finance, IT
software is the most that suffers.
According to Gabe Newell leader of Valve
(game company), online piracy is popular
due to five reasons which are (1) cannot
afford to purchase the materials, (2) unable
to purchase due to difficult locality, (3)
useful instantly, (4) have no experiences for
buying and (5) nobody can trace by getting it
from online.
According to statistics published in early
2014, lost in the pirate music industry was
unable to trace but for the movie industry
the movie companies of Hollywood were
losing about 20 billion dollars a year from
this piracy.
In Myanmar, current cinemas were
upgraded and new cinemas were opened all
around the country since 2010. But as every
town does not have a cinema hall, people
still have to rely on online entertainment.
The new artists share their music online to
make the younger generation get familiar
with their songs and by that way so as to
gain fame. Famous singer Lin Nit shares
his songs on his facebook page. Although
I do not officially give my songs, the people
music buy the cds or dvds of my songs
legally but some are unable to buy so they
just download it through online, he said. His
famous song is December Night. People are
still not familiar with payment of purchasing
songs from online, he continued.
It is said that Myanmar MusicNet
(MMusicNet) is now creating a new system
where songs can be bought with the prepaid
cards as phone bill cards. If this system
succeeds, everything will be fine.
However if all art products such as movies,
music and books are downloaded without any
payment, the owners who have to invest will
suffer the most.
There are ways to entirely stop this illegal
trade. If markets can be created where the
public could easily purchase these products,
although this trade will not be demolished
entirely it will be able to control it to a certain
extent. As for now there are many mobile
operators in the country, so it has become
extremely easy to use the internet and bad
affects of the internet have also spread among
the users.
Dut to this now people are able to upload
the arts which are created by others and share
among themselves on line just to attract
many followers. Then again reselling these
arts to gain profit is a matter which is not
conformity with human etiquettes.
As internet users are increasing day by day,
education programs should also be carried
out in every sector to educate the public to be
aware of using the internet illegally. However
if the products downloaded become legal
there will be no more fear about the Online
Piracy.
Translation : Khine Thazin Han

Camera quality becomes important part in
purchasing a smartphone
Aung Kyaw Nyunt
The qualities of cameras in smart
phones play an important role so at
present time when somebody thinks
of purchasing a smartphone, the
first thing that comes into his or her
mind is the quality of the camera
installed in the smart phone.
Nowadays, when people go, may
be to a concert, a wedding, a picnic,
an even, a gathering with friends
or with family members, taking
photos have become something
like a fashion. Then again when
these photos are taken, nobody uses
cameras like in the old days but
instead with their smart phones
which are installed with high
quality cameras. So it has become
essential for phone manufacturers
to install high quality cameras in
their smartphones.
Then there is selfie which is a
self-portriat photograph taken with
a digital camera or a smartphone
camera. Selfie has become so
popular, and smartphones also
need to have a function where selfie
photos can also be taken.
So has the smartphone killed
the compact camera? This doesnt
mean people have stopped taking
photos with compact cameras.
Many are just using smartphones
instead. However, till to date, while
smartphones with high quality
cameras are manufactured the
camera market is still very active.
As much as new smartphones with
various functions are manufactured
every day, the compact camera is
working to raise their quality to
compete with smartphones to be
able to compete in the market.
As popularity of these smartphoes
are rising day by day, lets check
out the quality of these high-end
smartphone camera spes.
Huawei
The Chinese telecommunications
company has been manufacturing
mobile phones since 1997. It is also
the largest telecom infrastructure
maker in the world. The company
also makes Android smartphones
and tablets. Recently it has stepped
into the smartwatch market with an
Android Wear based device.
Huawei has manufactured many
kinds of smartphones which are
the Mate Series, P Series, G and GR
Series, Y Series. Since 2013, it has
manufactured the P6, P7, P8, P9
series and in 2017 manufactured
the P10 series. The stunning
manufacture of Huawei smartphone
was the P9 Series.
This series was manufactured
by HUAWEI in combination with
Leica, a German company which
has a dual-lens camera in the
smartphone, with more light and
better clarity, for amazing photos
andvideos. With the success of the
P9 series, Huawei manufactured
and introduced the P10 and P10Plus
series in 2017. Both in these two
series Huawei P10 is a culmination
of everything the company has been
doing right, with a few minor tweaks
from the P9. The fingerprint scanner
on the Huawei P10 is a big highlight
of this phone. This is the first time
Huawei has put its security scanner
on the front of the phone for a few
iterations. Huawei says this is to
try and create a more streamlined
design something it calls organic
minimalism.
Oppo
China-based Oppo Company mainly
produces mobile phones for taking
selfies. Selfie is popular as Selfie
King in the local market. In 2011, it
created Beautify 4.0, which included
advanced processing algorithms and
7 levels of intelligent beautification
in U701 smart phone. In 2012,
the company introduced Ulike2
smart phone with an 80 degrees
field of view. In 2013, it created the
first rotating camera in N1 smart
phone. Then it introduced the R7
smartphone with screen flash
technology in 2015. In 2016, the F1
Plus with a powerful 16MP model
with a front camera was introduced.
In 2017, Oppo launched the Oppo
F3 and Oppo F3 plus smartphones
installed with Double View group
Selfie technology.
Samsung
Within the flagship S series
smartphone produced by Samsung
Company based in South Korea, the
Galaxy S7 Edge, first introduced in
2016, was one of the favourite phone
among consumers. The points that
attracted customers was that the
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge camera
was a dual pixel camera, and came
with waterproof technology where
the phone can be submerged
underwater for up to 30 minutes. In
April 2017, Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus
were introduced in the local market.
The new phones included improved
and latest security systems, and
the display Invisible Home Pattern
which was the highlight of this
smartphone. The cameras included
in the S8 and S8 Plus are a front-
facing 8MP camera with autofocus
and an aperture of F1.7, and a rear-
facing 12MP camera with Dual Pixel
and F1.7 aperture.
Motorola
The American Motorola brand is
not something familiar with local
7
mobile users. In December 2016, the
Moto Z smartphone that included
the Magnetic Device technology
magnetic connectors at the
back of the phone which allows
adding on extra modular devices
was introduced to the Myanmar
market. The 5.5 phone is made
with aircraft-grade aluminium
and stainless steel with a Quad
HD AMOLED display. Additionally,
the Moto Z has a water-repellent
coating which protects any liquid
penetrating the phone. For the
camera, the main camera is 13MP
and the rear camera is 5MP; which
includes wide angle lens so good
quality shots can be taken during
night time. The phone uses a
powerful Qualcomn Snapdragon
820 processor and 4GB RAM. As
mentioned above, the unique thing
about the Moto Z is that there are
magnetic connectors at the back
of the phone which can be used
to add modular devices such as;
Power Pack Mods, JBL Speaker Mods,
Moto Insta-Share Projector and
HASSELBLAD True Zoom camera.
The improvements and
innovations made in smartphones
can be said to be focused on the
camera quality and other features
that the majority of the smartphone
users seem to be using.
Translation by Zaw Nyunt
 8
Game Cast Network Myanmar:
a simple hobby which has transformed
into massive success
DOTA 2
has many
competitions
yearly with
massive prize
pool reaching
up to millions of
dollars
Kyi Tha Maung
N
owadays, live streaming on social media sites,
especially on Facebook, is becoming popular. Due to
improved technologies of smartphone cameras, it is
immensely encouraging live streaming of an individual user,
and other users have increase in taking part in these live
streams.
But, broadcasting something live is not just a thing for
social media purpose because in 2016, Steam, a software
distribution platform under Valve Corporation, collaborated
with social networks and live streaming of video games
became available.
The digital platform, Steam, has over a million registrations
of video gamers monthly, and one of the most popular game is
DOTA 2 under the videogame genre called multiplayer online
battle arena (MOBA). DOTA 2 is also a game that is played by a
lot of gamers in local cyber cafs, and there are various DOTA
2 competitions monthly held by enthusiasts.
Even in the international scenes, DOTA 2 has many
competitions yearly with massive prize pool reaching up to
millions of dollars, and so the game falls under the Electronic
Sports (eSports) category. Just like how regular sports such as
football and baseball it has caster or commentator and many
casters are emerging for this MOBA game.
These DOTA 2 casters, either at the competition arena
or online, would familiarize or explain in real-time to new
viewers about the players skills from both opposing teams,
and the game strategies. This is similar to the responsibility of
the sports commentator in regular sports too.
Social networking became familiar among the majority of
Myanmar people since the latter part of 2014, and most of
them can proficiently use Facebook. Therefore, just like how
football matches are streamed live online by the Football
Federation to attract potential viewers, there are also a rise in
the number of casters for DOTA 2 matches in Myanmar with
Myanmar commentary.
Since September 2016, like in foreign countries, a service
which provided live stream DOTA 2 matches, on Facebook was
established in Myanmar, which was created by Game Cast
Network Myanmar (GCN).
GCN was a spark of an idea by MGF during the Myanmar
Game Festival (MGF) which was held in Thuwunna Youth
Stadium in 2014 said Ko Thet Zaw Win, founder of GCN and
MGF.
A three-day cyber city game competition held at Hledan Centre. Photo: Supplied
In Myanmar, DOTA 2 was a videogame which could be
recorded as one of the highest amount of cash awarded to
the winning team, with an amount of K50 million; it was also
the biggest eSports event held. The event was hosted by MGF
on September 5 and 6, 2014 and was successfully held at the
Thuwunna Stadium.
During that time, there were many international DOTA 2
competitions, and Valve Corporation which owned Steam had
also hosted the biggest and annual DOTA 2 competition known
as, The Internationals, for the fourth time. But, in Myanmar, it
was the first successful DOTA 2 match to be held.
There were many necessary requirements for this first
event, and the important sector was the lack of live streaming.
Therefore, Ko Thet Zaw Win said this was how the idea came
into him to establish the GCN. Moreover, as he wanted to host
more competitions in the future, he had a desire to make sure
that there were proficient DOTA 2 casters.
And just as he wished, his dream came true in December
2016. A three-day cyber city game competition was held
at Hledan Centre in Yangon, and the final matches were
successfully broadcasted live on Facebook. If I have to talk
about something that left a good mark, then it will be the GCN
Cyber City Competition. said GCN main-caster Htet Shine
GCN was a spark of an idea by
MGF during the Myanmar Game
Festival (MGF) which was held in
Thuwunna Youth Stadium in 2014
said Ko Thet Zaw Win, founder of
GCN and MGF.
Aung. Although his responsibility was to talk about the match
online, he could never forget the experience of the loud cheers
and roars of fans at the real location.
Although GCN has been streaming international DOTA 2
competitions daily, that is not their endgame. Their goal is to
improve and upgrade the local eSports sector. For that reason,
GCN is doing their best to stream local final matches of DOTA
2, and local professional DOTA 2 players are also lending their
hands to GCN, said Ko Htet Shine Aung.
It has been the seventh time now that the worlds best DOTA
2 teams have gathered at The Internationals. However, as
for Myanmar teams which have been competing in Regional
qualification matches in order to be able to participate in the
big game are still unable to secure any top spots.
If possible, we want to be able to legally stream The
Internationals match in Myanmar language. remarked Htet
Shine Aung, However, for people to be aware of the Myanmar
DOTA 2 scene, the Myanmar teams must first have a chance to
compete in The Internationals.
Even though the dreams for Myanmar teams are shattered,
GCN is working out a plan so that The Internationals match
can be viewed on mobile phones. For regular DOTA 2 matches,
GCN is planning so that there will be two to four matches
being streamed live, and viewers can choose to watch what
they like, said Ko Thet Zaw Win.
Another step that GCN is targeting is to have an official
channel with a Myanmar caster, who will be casting amongst
other international casters. At Manila Master competition, held
last May in the Philippines, a Myanmar representative was able to
cast the game from an official channel, noted Ko Htet Shine Aung.
The majority in Myanmar has come to recognized
eSports, and Ko Htet Shine Aung wants to see this form of
entertainment transformed into a business, similar to how
it progressed in other countries such as, China, Philippines
and America etc. Hes doing what he can right now so that,
other eSports games, such as, Counter Strike; Fifa can also be
streamed live.
Electronic sports, or competitive video gaming is a new form
of entertainment to emerge and it utilizes the online sector
to reach out to the fans. And, having a local and systematic
caster channel, like GCN, is a good sign. The Internationals
2017 will start in August, and Myanmar fans can rejoice as the
matches will be streamed live on Facebook due to the effort of
this one group.
Translation by Kyaw Soe Htet
9
 10
Lets solve traffic
disputes with black box
Black Box is a technological gadget that will
definitely solve traffic disputes
Black Box camera installed within a car. Photo: Internat
AUNG KYAW NYUNT
T
raffic disputes have become a
common sight on Myanmars busy
roads due to reckless driving and daily
accidents. It has been thought that how good
it would be if there was some kind of device
which could record the images of the accident
so as to decide which car is right or which is
wrong in this never ending traffic disputes.
However, as in the age where technology
is progressing faster than ever and all kinds
of technological gadgets are invented daily, a
device known as a Black Box has emerged in
the market which is able to decide definitely
in solving traffic disputes.
This Black Box can be said to be a video
camera. If it is installed in a car, it can record
every image on the road while the car is
moving. Thus if any dispute arises, it can be
settled by playing back the recorded video
installed in the Black Box.
A Black Box can also help you in an age
when some may want to make fake claims
for compensation. Therefore, a Black Box
is an important device for drivers on daily-
congested roads. It is easily available at local
car accessories shops as well as from online
shopping.
U Win Maung, who drives his own car,
explains about the benefits by installing a
black box in a car. Today, we are driving
where your car is just within a very close
range with other cars so sometimes cars
brush or hit each other intentionally or
unintentionally. Therefore possibility of car
accidents is generally high. When accidents
appear, there are always arguments of who
is right and who is wrong. As for me, I dont
worry about this kind of situation because I
have installed a Black Box camera in my car.
In case of accidents, video from the Black
Box can be replayed and the problem can be
solved within a short period. It is a very useful
device for drivers. he told the Myanmar
Times.
As for the price of a Black Box, it varies
depending on the functions and quality.
It is very simple to use the Black Box in a
car. It is just needed to be plugged into the
cigarette lighter receptacle and is ready for
action. A memory card in the Black Box can
store images and voices and can even clearly
record actions during night times. A Black Box
with a single function with a resolution of
1280-960 or 720-480 or 640-480 will cost around
K18000 in the market.
The Black Box which I use in my car doesnt
have many functions but it is very convenient
to use. I can choose the resolution. This device
is plugged into cigarette lighter receptacle and
then the Black Box is connected via USB cable.
When you start driving, just press the record
button. All drivers should install and use this
Black Box in todays congested roads. a Honda
fit driver in Yangon U Aung Aung Ko told the
Myanmar Times.
The Yi car Black Box camera,
manufactured by a Chinese-brand Xiao cover a wide scope. The night vision system
Mis has wifi system and thus the video can can record clear images during night-times. It
be played in both by LCD or by phone. As also has motion detection and G-sensor, and
resolution ranges from 1080 P HD to 1296 specific recording time which can be set for
P, the images are crystal clear. It contains a shocks or shaking.
vibration sensor and if the camera is strongly So lets choose and use one among various
vibrated, it automatically records a video for Black Boxes with different functions and
10 seconds. Then again as it is also installed quality to be able to settle traffic disputes
with a night vision system, it can capture the and fake claims on the congested roads of
images well during night times. Myanmar.
Yi brand Black Box can be connected Translation by Zaw Nyunt
both by the car lighter receptacle and by the
car wiring system. A 6-month warranty Yi
Black Box is available in the market at around
K65000.
Another black box is a dual camera Black
Box which can record not only the front but
also the rear side of the car when your car
hits or is hit by something. The price tag
of this Black Box ranges from K49000 to
K78000.
Dual camera Black Box begins functioning
when it is hooked to the rear view mirror
after connecting it to the lighter receptacle.
As it has a rear camera, the driver need not
worry about the rear side of the car. It also
has a wide screen, a 32GB SD card slot and
a1080P (Full HD) so the resolution is good.
In order to avoid damage to the recorded
files by the lighter receptacle and to keep
on recording while the car is stopped, it
can also be connected via power bank
like a battery. Dual camera Black Box uses Black Box camera recording a speeding vehicle
120-degree wide-angle lens and thus it can on the road. Photo: Internet

Lifespan of a smart phone
When purchasing a new smartphone, it is advisable not only to be
obsessed on the brand but also on the applications
Kyi Tha Maung
I
T is undeniable that the human society has
become so dependent of the mobile phones.
Since the years after 2010, mobile phone
technology exploded in such speed and due to
the advancement of this technology at present
mostly everybody owns a mobile phone which
has become part of their daily life.
Not only for communicating with each
other, mobile phones have also become an
apparatus for taking photos as there is a camera
installed and then again internet, e-mails
are also available on this apparatus so it has
become an important part of a human life.
Year after year mobile phones with new
and advanced technology have emerged in
the market at reasonable prices so everybody
can afford to have a mobile phone and have
become so dependent on it; they feel helpless
without their mobile phones when they move
about. However, what comes to our mind is
how long will this phone that you own will
last? What is the lifespan of your phone?
Today there are so many companies that
manufacture smart phones and how long a
mobile phone should be used has become
a question and there are always some
misunderstanding between the producers and
users of these mobile phones.
Regarding mobile phones, there are two
types of people. The first type are the ones
who can afford and they purchase high
quality branded mobile phones which are
expensive just to brag about their taste and
the second type are the ordinary class who
Now as smartphones have
also penetrated the camera
market people who favour
Instagram or Snapchat will
definitely need a smartphone
installed with a high quality
camera.
11
purchase mobile phones which are at a
reasonable price, according to Ko Aye Nyein
Kyaw, a mobile phone service provider.
Although, the privileged class who
purchase expensive mobile phones just use
them for a certain period and as soon as a
new model is out in the market, they purchase
that new model and compete among
themselves of who owns the latest phone with
more functions, which has become something
like a fashion in Myanmar. However for the
ordinary class, after they purchase a mobile
phone it becomes their life-long partner until
it stops functioning said Ko Aye Nyein Kyaw.
Normally the average lifespan of a mobile
phone is probably 3 years but if the surface
of the phone is damaged it can shorten
the lifespan. One can check the functions
of the phone by observing the run out of
battery power in a short period and the
touch functions of the phone begin to
stop functioning. If such signs appear, it is
advisable to purchase a new mobile phone.
As mentioned, the ordinary class who are
unable to purchase every type of new mobile
phone that regularly comes into the market;
there are two options for them. The first
option is by taking their phone to a mobile
phone technician who is able to fix it or the
second option is to purchase a new phone Applications play a vital role in selecting a smartphone. Photo: Aung Htay Hlaing
with a reasonable price tag. There are some
people who still use the Android, OS phones the operating systems of the smartphone because the device just wont hold a charge.
which entered the Myanmar market several is outdated, it will not be able to install But the battery life is also something that
years back says Ko Aye Nyein Kyaw. the mobile phone games applications in can be controlled. Just avoid running down
Although smartphones first entered the the phone. Most of the big companies that the battery to zero, avoid overcharging the
international market round about 2007-2008, manufacture smartphones usually update battery and by keeping the battery away
the level of the actual competition began their operation systems but if the phone is an from excessive heat will be ways to help the
in 2010. During that year the first iPhone outdated model these kinds of phones will not lifespan of the smartphone.
was introduced in the market and Apple be able to install new features to update the Those who intend to purchase a new
introduced its first touch-screen Android functions. smartphone, it is advisable not to be obsessed
phones. That is why; whoever is interested to install on the brand but on the applications and the
Samsung, the South Korean manufacturer the new applications or play mobile games it price. Sometimes, second hand phones also
of mobile phones was the first to introduce
the seven-inch Galaxy Tablet and soon after
is advisable for them to change their phones.
Now as smartphones have also penetrated
have the similar type of applications as the
new one and the prices might be resasoable so
Microsoft introduced the first window-phones the camera market people who favour rather think in purchasing the latter.
in the smartphone market. That is why 2010 Instagram or Snapchat will definitely need There is no universal rule for how long
was regarded as the year that opened up the a smartphone installed with a high quality a smartphone is going to last. It varies
smartphone market. camera. If the camera lens and the functions depending on the manufacturer make and
However as in the case of Myanmar, only are just mid level or mid range, they should model, among numerous other factors. So if
in 2014 the operators were allowed to sell
SIM cards freely so there was a big gap within
think of changing their smartphone.
Battery life is another major limitation
the user takes care and regularly checks the
performance of the phone it can last for the
the prices of the smartphones with new
technology and normal mobile phones.
factor in a smartphones longevity. A
significant number of users end up ditching
full of its lifespan but if the functions begin to
slow down it is advisable to think of changing
Then again, the operating systems in the
phones also play an important part so if
their smartphones not because the platform
is unstable or the screen is broken but simply
to a new one.
Translation by: Zaw Nyunt
 12

Latest gadgets popular in the market

KYI THA MAUNG
Neolution Atlas Pro Gaming Bag
Price: K49,000

Where ever you may go together with your laptop and all it accessories, it
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a product of Neolution, the company that manufactured all kinds of
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Article 5 Gaming Headset

Price: K182,000

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Unlike most office chairs on the
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