Also, iflix launches in Bangladesh and Grab crosses 1 billion rides

Uber suspends surge pricing in aftermath of Penang flooding

The flash-flood that hit Penang over the weekend has killed at least 7 people and left thousands of people uprooted from their homes.

Two tech giants had notable reactions to the event: Facebook triggered its ‘safety check’ feature and Uber suspended its surge pricing in the city. In a statement, an Uber spokesperson said the following:

“In light of the ongoing flood situation in Penang which has inundated many Malaysians and visitors there, Uber Malaysia will temporarily suspend surge pricing and cancellation fees to aid riders needing transportation out of affected flood areas.

We’re also reminding riders that there will be limited driver-partners on the app, as they too are among those affected by the floods.

Kindly continue to stay updated with government announcements and stay safe during this time.

Thank you.”

Rescue operations continued today in the city.

HCash, a technology for connection different blockchains, breaks Aussie record in US$40.5 million ICO

HCash, an Australian company that has built a product to connect different blockchains with one another, and thus facilitate the flow of cryptocurrencies, announced today it raised AUD52.90 million (US$40.5 million) in a token sale.

The ICO marks an Australian record and amounted to 21,000 bitcoins sold at the time of the ICO.

The company believes it is on the cutting edge of blockchain technology because its product will allow isolated blockchains to communicate with one another. Ideally, this would help flatten the cryptocurrency market and make it less important as to which specific coin a person owns.

Also Read: Ensure balance between building your product and building the venture: Snapcart CEO

HCash not only should help speed up transaction times, it also may further bolster anonymity within cryptocurrency.

iflix launches in Bangladesh

The Southeast Asian OTT entertainment company, iflix, announced today it has launched in Bangladesh. As part of the deal, iflix inked a partnership with Robi Axiata Limited (a mobile telco) to give Robi and Airtel customers three months of free unlimited access.

At launch, many of the shows will include Bengali subtitles, and iflix hopes to subtitle the entire library in the coming months.

iflix now operates in 24 countries and it specifically targets developing countries. It has a presence across South and Southeast Asia, the Middle East and into Africa.

Each subscription (which comes with a one-month free trial for all users) allows 5 devices to use the service.

Grab crosses the 1 billion ride mark

The Southeast Asian ride-hailing unicorn, Grab, announced today it has served its 1 billionth ride across Southeast Asia.

Lucky number 1 billion was a Singaporean swimmer who competed at the SEA games in Malaysia this year (No, it was not Joseph Schooling). The Grab data team put together a neat infographic about how exactly it figured out who was the lucky rider. It turns out, there were 66 active rides during the one second that the company crossed the billion mark.

Last week, Grab marked another significant milestone in the company’s history when it announced its GrabPay technology could now be used as a mobile wallet.

Check out this Samsung ad that goes after Apple

An ad from Samsung is making waves for its direct shot at its constant rival Apple. The premise is people waiting in line for the next iPhone are misguided because the Galaxy is clearly a better phone. Netizens have pointed out that the ad unintentionally reminds people that people don’t line up for the latest Samsung device.

Also Read: Singapore’s Horangi Cybersecurity bags US$3.1M Series A round led by Monk’s Hill Ventures

Watch the ad below and decide for yourself.

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The post Captain’s Log, November 6: Uber suspends surge pricing in Penang, Oz sees its largest ever ICO appeared first on e27.