National / Media | Japan Pulse Feb 19, 2021
Why is Japan so intrigued by the audio app Clubhouse?
by Patrick St. Michel
Invitation-only app offers exclusivity while also making conversations available for a limited time.
Business Feb 17, 2021
Twitter’s clash with India government gives boost to local rival
by Saritha Rai
The Koo app shot to prominence after the San Francisco company got into a weekslong standoff with the Indian government over blocking certain content.
Business / Tech | FOCUS Feb 16, 2021
Advertisers on U.S. TikTok flock back as Trump's threats recede
by Sheila Dang
Accused by the Trump administration of being a front for the Chinese government, TikTok's ad business looked bleak last July. Big brands backed off on spending even as TikTok executives offered refunds to advertisers in the event the hot social media platform were to be ...
Business / Tech Feb 16, 2021
Clubhouse, a tiny audio chat app, breaks through
by Erin Griffith and Taylor Lorenz
Robert Van Winkle, who is better known as the rapper Vanilla Ice, held court online last week with more than 1,000 fans. In a rambling conversation, Van Winkle praised the poses of the 1990s band Bell Biv DeVoe and demurred when asked about his relationship ...
Business / Tech Feb 15, 2021
Need an app? This Japanese startup has a platform for that
by Ayaka Maki and Gearoid Reidy
The glaring need for creators has fueled investor expectations for local startup Yappli Inc., which designs off-the-shelf apps.
Business Feb 11, 2021
Facebook said to be building a product to compete with Clubhouse
by Mike Isaac
Facebook has a history of breaking into new technologies and chasing different mediums that have attracted users, especially if those audiences are young.
World Feb 11, 2021
TikTok sale on hold as Biden’s team reviews U.S.-China policies
The developments show that the forced sale of TikTok — a drama that unfolded through Trump’s final year in office — is far down Biden’s list of priorities.
Business / Corporate Feb 10, 2021
Clubhouse tops Japan chart as CEOs and celebrities embrace chat app
by Vlad Savov and Marika Katanuma
The invite-only drop-in conversation app, currently only on iPhones, topped the country’s download charts with more than 440,000 new installs last week.
Asia Pacific Feb 10, 2021
The Great Firewall cracked, briefly. A people shined through.
by Li Yuan
For years, the Chinese government has prevented its 1.4 billion people from speaking freely online. Then, for a precious few days, that wall was breached.
Asia Pacific Feb 8, 2021
Clubhouse app offers Chinese rare glimpse of censor-free debate
The U.S. app Clubhouse erupted among Chinese social-media users over the weekend, with thousands joining discussions on contentious subjects such as Taiwan and Xinjiang undisturbed by Beijing’s censors. On the invite-only, audio-based social app where users host informal conversations, Chinese-speaking communities from around the world ...
National / Science & Health Feb 1, 2021
Glitches and design flaws limit value of Japan's COVID-19 tracing app
by Tomohiro Osaki
As a third wave of infections overwhelms contact tracers at public health centers, many are leaning more heavily on the state-developed COCOA app. But is it up to the task?
Asia Pacific Feb 1, 2021
Governments exploit COVID-19 tracing data for other uses, risking backlash
by Jamie Tarabay
In Singapore, public support for a contact tracing app took a hit after authorities disclosed in January that police had used the app’s data in a murder investigation.