Elon Musk rebrands Twitter to X, Tweets are now called x’s
Elon Musk has begun the rebranding of social media app Twitter to “X” today (July 24). As of writing, the app’s iconic blue bird logo has been replaced with its new logo, which features a white X against a black background.
“X is here! Let’s do this,” tweeted Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino, posting a photo of the new logo on the social media platform.
As part of the rebranding, Musk shared that posts shared on the social media platform will now be called “x’s” instead of “Tweets”.
The billionaire has also changed his profile photo to the new logo, and has added the site X.com to his bio, which now redirects to the Twitter app.
Musk first unveiled his plans to rebrand Twitter on Sunday through the social media platform. “And soon we shall bid adieu to the Twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds,” he wrote.
He reportedly sent an email last night to Twitter employees to inform them that the company would become X, and that it was the last time he would email from a Twitter address.
With the rebranding, Musk aims to create a “super app” that can compete with the likes of WeChat, extending its functions beyond a mere social media app.
Featured Image Credit: Twitter/ Getty
Also Read: xAI: Elon Musk launches new AI company – unites powerhouses from OpenAI, Google, Microsoft
Good Vibes was cancelled. Here’s how local vendors were affected & how they’re recovering.
The news of Good Vibes Festival’s cancellation has gone global over the weekend, but in case you’re one of the few who haven’t heard, here’s what happened.
During The 1975’s set, the band’s frontman Matty Healy had made controversial remarks about Malaysia’s anti-LGBTQ laws. He was also said to be drunk and had broken a drone whilst on stage.
The following day, the Ministry of Communications and Digital issued an immediate cancellation directive.
Many parties from organisers to festivalgoers have been deeply affected by the cancellation, but one particular group that has been scrambling to cut their losses is the vendors.
Here’s a list of the affected businesses in alphabetical order:
- #NACHOSLAH (Nachos)
- A Pie Thing (Pies)
- Beard Brothers’ BBQ (Barbeque)
- Big Boss HSP (Hot snack packs, shawarmas)
- cheese station (Pasta)
- cheezuto Cheese Toast (Cheese toast)
- chez will.i.am (Currywurst wings)
- Dream Burger (Burgers)
- FIFBITES (Churros)
- flaaah (Coffee, pastries)
- Hijau (Vegan Indo-Malay food)
- Joshijosh Catering
- Kickin Prawns (Prawn rolls)
- Kingu Kongu (Japanese street food)
- mor’mantau (Sweet & savoury mantau)
- myBurgerLab (Burgers)
- Nestlé Harvest Gourmet (Plant-protein food)
- NOMMS Fried Chicken (Fried chicken)
- Pizza Mansion (Pizza)
- Sausage Sizzle HQ (Hot dogs)
- Superfine.kl (Sandwiches)
- Wok It Malaysia (Rice bowls)
- yoohoofries (Fries)
A big majority of the above businesses are small, local businesses, with some teams not even having an online presence prior to GVF 2023, and only starting a page for the festival.
Kickin Prawns, for example, was specially formed to be a vendor at the festival. The owners are two couples from Penang—Sam and Adeline who run a restaurant called Abbey Road Bistro, as well as Gee and Lyn who run a speakeasy called Locker & Loft.
“Over the past few months, we’ve put in a lot of effort, conducting R&D, travelling between states for multiple food tastings, and brainstorming sessions to create a hassle-free menu for festival-goers to enjoy,” they wrote on their Instagram, which only made its first post on June 25.
Everything they prepared and set up was specially for the festival, meaning they had no usual customers or operations. With that, the team had to figure out how to handle perishables and ingredients.
To understand more about these vendors’ situations, we reached out to some of the vendors to understand how everything has been going.
Preparations gone to waste
Sausage Sizzle’s founder, Nazri, posted a video to social media shortly after news of the cancellation broke. The video has garnered hundreds of thousands of views across various social media sites.
Sharing that all the micro-businesses there were just hoping to boost sales and revenue during a tough time, Nazri asked officials, namely Communications and Digital Minister Fadmi Fahzil, to take into consideration the effect the decision to cancel has taken on them.
Nazri also said that the team spent over RM15,000 on food stocks for the event, and that did not take into account the cost of rental, accommodation, staffing, logistics, and of course, the time and effort spent.
Comments have been largely positive and sympathetic towards the displaced vendors.
But in a message to Vulcan Post later that evening, Nazri shared that it was “too late” and that there was no way to “U-turn” from the situation.
Another business that has been leading the charge in supporting all the vendors is myBurgerLab, which was one of the bigger brands there.
“We’ve all spent no small amount of money to ensure that we’re bringing the very best we have to GVF and make this event a success,” myBurgerLab posted on Instagram. “Not to mention the time, effort, collaboration, and lost sleep we had to go through.”
NOMMS Fried Chicken (NOMMS) also shared its story on social media, stating that they initially had to beg suppliers to reserve more chicken in preparation for the festival.
In a press statement shared with Vulcan Post, #NACHOSLAH shared that this was the business’ fourth year participating in GVF.
The team shared that they understand and respect the decision and profession, and hopes the feeling is “mutual towards all foodpreneurs” as well.
“Yes, we are disappointed about the cancellation, but we are also blessed by the overwhelming support from the Goodvibers, medias, friends, and families,” they said.
“With all the negativities out there, we believe positivity needs to be louder in order for everyone to build a better Malaysia. Let this be one of the stepping stone for that.”
Business goes on for the #NACHOSLAH team at Tapak Urban Street Dining Ampang and Cheras from 5PM till 1AM daily.
Giving back to the people
With a surplus of ingredients on their hands, Dream Burger and Flaaah teamed up to sell off the leftovers at Flaaah’s store. Local burger purveyors myBurgerLab also showed up at the pop-up sale.
Some other businesses that have done the same are Pizza Mansion, which announced that all its outlets would be serving Personal Pizzas and Truffle Mac & Cheese, both at RM20.
Vegan restaurant Hijau’s approach was to offer a free meal to festivalgoers who have the wristbands, as well as a price drop for its Indomee Burger applicable for everyone.
NOMMS did a stock clearance as well, selling 1,300 portions of food at RM10. Providing balance updates to its followers, NOMMS shared at 4:45PM yesterday that its Kota Kemuning outlet’s stocks have sold out. Its SS15 outlet sold out later in the evening.
Meanwhile, Nazri shared that Sausage Sizzle will be bringing the party over to the next RIUH event in Kuala Kubu Bharu, Selangor, set to take place on July 28 to 30.
Thankfully, the Malaysian public has seemed to be very supportive during this time, with the turnout at many of these events appearing to be quite positive.
Waiting for more support
On Saturday evening (July 22), Fahmi Fadzil shared that the ministry is looking for ways to help the food vendors.
The businesses we spoke to said the government has reached out but nothing has been confirmed yet.
So far, the vendors shared that the GVF’s organiser, Future Sound Asia, has not provided any relief yet. Given, the organiser likely has many other issues to handle, too. The cops will also be questioning Future Sound Asia regarding the matters that transpired over the weekend.
Not all vendors are in a dire situation, though. myBurgerLab shared on Instagram that the team is doing okay and that “whatever that needs to be donated is donated” and “whatever that can be saved is safely repurposed”.
“We are also seeing an overwhelming turn up in our stores since yesterday. What else can we say other than that we love you all so much and we are ever so grateful,” the brand wrote. “Thank you.”
As heartwarming as it is to see Malaysians supporting the local vendors, and said local vendors supporting each other, we hope more steps will be taken to help not just the vendors but ticketholders too.
We have reached out to more vendors to hear their side of the story and are awaiting responses. Once we get those responses, we’ll be updating this article accordingly.
Editor’s Update: Parts of this article have been edited to reflect greater accuracy of statement.
- Read other articles we’ve written about Malaysian startups here.
Also Read: Early-stage startups, here’s how you can get a cut of RM36K from Sidec’s 2023 accelerator
Featured Image Credit: Sausage Sizzle / NOMMS Fried Chicken
Charge+ to deploy 30K EV charging points across Southeast Asia, including 16K in S’pore alone
Singapore-based EV charging solution provider Charge+ announced today (July 24) an ambitious target to deploy 30,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging points across Southeast Asia by 2030, including 16,000 charging points in Singapore alone.
The announcement comes on the back of the inauguration of two new Charge+ EV charging stations, one at the HDB carpark at Block 153, Jalan Teck Whye, and the other at the Rainforest condominium in Choa Chu Kang. The opening ceremonies were graced by Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry, Gan Kim Yong, on July 23 and July 22, respectively.
In alignment with the government’s vision to deploy 60,000 EV charging points across Singapore by 2030, Charge+ is aiming to making a substantial contribution to catalyse EV adoption and support Singapore’s move to phase out the purchase of new conventional vehicles through this target.
A key component of this initiative is the ongoing execution of Charge+’s tender award by the government to install over 4,000 charging points in HDB carparks.
Singapore and Southeast Asia are unquestionably experiencing robust growth in EV adoption. As a leading EV charging operator, we are committed to the proliferation of EV charging stations which will help to accelerate EV adoption.
Our comprehensive presence across residential, commercial and industrial buildings will provide EV drivers with the much needed confidence that finding charging infrastructure will be a seamless experience.
– Goh Chee Kiong, CEO, Charge+
Additionally, the uptake of EVs continues to be strongly influenced by the availability of charging infrastructure.
Hence, Charge+’s rollout plan will provide EV drivers with the peace of mind in conveniently locating a nearby EV charging station, which will in turn boost the overall confidence in the transition to EVs as the eventual primary mode of land transport in Singapore and the region.
Charge+ has positioned itself as Singapore’s largest EV charging operator
Having achieved a milestone of 1,000 charging points in Singapore alone, Charge+ has positioned itself as the largest EV charging operator in the country in terms of public or shared chargers. Charge+’s charging stations are installed across a wide range of landlord premises, including HDB estates, condominiums, shopping malls, commercial, and industrial buildings.
Beyond Singapore, Charge+ is operating in five other Southeast Asian countries, namely Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Cambodia. Central to this regional growth is Charge+’s initiative to develop a 5,000km EV charging highway across these countries, which is slated to be the longest in Southeast Asia and among the longest of its kind in the world.
Since the founding of Charge+ in 2018, our vision is to catalyse electric mobility across Southeast Asia. We are pleased that Charge+ has grown by leaps and bounds, and now surpassed the key milestone of 1,000 charging points in Singapore alone.
We aim to build on this momentum to become a truly impactful EV charging provider for Singapore and the region.
– Ong Tze Boon, Chairman, Charge+
Featured Image Credit: Charge+
Also Read: S’pore startup Charge+ to build 5,000km EV charging highway in SEA – will be ready by end 2024
From nasi lemak to bak kut teh, these 7 artists create miniature clay charms of M’sian food
Malaysia is undoubtedly a food haven with a seemingly endless list of culinary offerings across various cuisines and cultures.
With that in mind, what better way to celebrate our heritage than through food? Miniature, polymer clay food, that is.
Whether you’re looking for gifts for your foodie friends, accessories for your Barbie dolls, or souvenirs celebrating our local foods, here are seven Malaysians who create just that for you.
1. 1/12 Space
This local artist’s miniature creations include local favourites such as nasi lemak and roti canai, as well as teh O ais limau. Ikat tepi, of course.
You can now relive your childhood memories through snacks such as ice gems biscuits and keropok roda. The mini kuih kapit looks particularly realistic and flaky. These snacks come in the familiar plastic container with the red lid, or encased in a plastic baggie.
Other than keychains, 1/12 Space also sells their clay art in the form of earrings and magnets.
Based on their social media, they seem to have other unique Malaysian treats such as ice cream potong, but these haven’t graced their online shop yet.
Price: RM15 to RM45
Ships from: Kuala Lumpur
2. TinyPinc
Previously featured on Vulcan Post, the woman behind TinyPinc Miniatures, Ling Hooi Yin, has been moulding polymer clay into various delightful trinkets since 2010.
Her expertise and creativity have landed her work in Mcdonald’s ads and collaborations with Milo, AirAsia, and Malaysia Airlines.
A master of her craft, TinyPinc creates very intricate pieces of Malaysian dishes. Some may recognise her Nyonya kuih and chendol miniatures, but she also makes some more unique items such as yam cake, golden pomfret, and cold tofu with shallots to boot.
Another thing about TinyPinc is that some creations come in the form of unique items such as cufflinks, brooches, and even rings, other than the usual keychain and magnet options.
Price: RM30 to RM150
Where to buy: Website
Ships from: Petaling Jaya
3. Tin’s Craft
Scrolling through Tin’s Craft’s social media, it appears that their specialty lies in creations that involve lots of different items to result in a robust platter.
For example, there’s the Nyonya kuih platter and the dim sum ones, as well as bak kut teh sets.
Perhaps one of the most heartwarming meals Tin’s Craft has made is its homecooked set that includes steamed fish, sweet and sour meat, bak choy, and ABC soup.
Other unique items from Tin’s Craft are yong tau fu, pasar malam foods, rojak, and herbal chicken, amongst others. Most of their clay art come in the form of décor, magnets, or keychains.
Price: RM10 to RM280
Where to buy: Shopee
Ships from: Perak
4. Doreminiatures
While Doreminiatures focuses more on cute designs from animals to cupcakes, they also have a line of keychains resembling Malaysian foods.
“Dishes” they offer include nasi lemak, karipap, roti peanut, kuih lapis, kuih seri muka, and kuih sagu. Only the nasi lemak one comes as a magnet, while the others are charms.
Doreminiatures also ships worldwide, but sadly Malaysian foods aren’t in the international shop.
Price: RM9.90 to RM15.90
Where to buy: Shopee
Ships from: Negeri Sembilan
5. Honey Melon
Described as a local artist who loves to create art from clay, Honey Melon’s polished creations include nasi lemak, potato buns, and biskut “Mama Carey”, which is a popular kuih Raya.
While their clay keychains look very well-made, more interesting is arguably Honey Melon’s nasi lemak hair clips. Featuring a fried egg, spicy-looking sambal, rice, cucumbers, and nuts, this hair clip is certainly what we would call a statement piece.
Honey Melon also takes commissions for custom clay earrings. While the most expensive product in the store at RM210 isn’t related to local food, we felt it was worth highlighting.
Called Cannibal, it’s a one-of-a-kind wall clock that has different clay miniatures instead of numbers, resembling, erm, human parts plated as food.
Price: RM20 to RM30
Where to buy: Shopee
Socials: Instagram
Ships from: Terengganu
6. Miniaturesworld
Created by an artist named Selina, Miniaturesworld’s uniqueness comes through in the offering of less mainstream foods.
This includes things like kuih bahulu, roasted pork, lok lok, nasi kandar, sweet and sour pork, porridge, pan mee, and so much more. Just looking at the creations would make you hungry for some local delights.
Beyond these individual dishes, though, Miniaturesworld actually creates full-on shops such as Ramly burger or yong tau fu stalls, but you’ll have to part with upwards of RM500 to get these caringly handmade sets.
Miniaturesworld’s Shopee listings are ready-stock products, so orders can be dispatched the very next day.
Price: RM28 to RM580
Where to buy: Shopee
Socials: Facebook
Ships from: Kuala Lumpur
7. Donato d’miniature
Created by Fercy Lee, Donato d’miniature seems to be less active nowadays, but her clay creations are still worth sharing.
Unique to Donato are the “dabao” miniatures, whereby dishes such as nasi lemak and char kuey teow are packed in familiar plastic containers to add some realism. And guess what? You can actually open and close the lid of the container.
Price: RM18 to RM55
Where to buy: Shopee
Ships from: Negeri Sembilan
- Read other articles we’ve written about Malaysian startups here.
Also Read: 3 M’sian founders share their biggest business mistakes that made them better entrepreneurs
Featured Image Credit: Honey Melon / Tinypinc / Tin’s Craft
