Sharp Swings To 1H Profit On Screen Sales

Japan's Sharp said Friday it swung to a first-half profit as it upgraded iys full-year outlook, crediting strong LCD screen sales and cost cuts under a new Taiwanese owner.
The electronics giant booked a net profit of 34.7 billion yen (US$305 million) for the April-September period, reversing a 45.4 billion yen net loss a year ago, while sales jumped about 21 percent to 1.12 trillion yen.
For the fiscal year to March, Osaka-base Sharp now expects a net profit of 69 billion yen, up from a previous forecast of 59 billion yen.
The recovery was mainly due to brisk sales of small- and mid-sized liquid crystal display (LCD) panels and of LCD television sets, as well as cost-cutting, the company said.
"Sales of small- and mid-sized LCD panels and of LCD televisions surpassed the previous forecasts significantly," it said.
The results mark a big improvement for the Aquos-brand maker, which had been pummeled by huge losses and mounting debts.
Sharp was formally acquired in August last year by Taiwan's Hon Hai, better known as Foxconn, which took a 66 percent stake in the hard-hit firm for $3.7 billion.
It was the first foreign acquisition of a major Japanese electronics company and marked a watershed for the once-mighty home electronics sector, which nurtured global brands including Sony and Panasonic but has struggled in the face of foreign competition.
Over the past decade Sharp bet heavily on LCD's, boasting the most advanced technology in the world.
But that turned into a weakness when the market became more competitive after the 2008 global financial crisis and lower-cost rivals dug into its profits.
While the firm still produces cutting-edge LCD screens, it has lacked the huge research and development funds necessary to keep ahead of the competition.

AFP/Tokyo

iPhone X Wait Times Rise By Five Weeks

Apple Inc. began accepting early orders for its iPhone X and shipping times quickly lengthened to as much as five weeks in the United States, signaling supplies will likely remain tight as the new device goes on sale Nov. 3.
Hong Kong appeared to run out less than half an hour after purchasea commenced in the mid-afternoon, as the online store for the city of seven million showed both models of the gadget to be "currently unavailable."
Those who ordered the phone in the first few minutes after the clock struck midnight in California will get their phones next Friday. And Apple also sets inventory aside for those buying at their physical stores.
But its online stores from Europe to Asia showed waits of several weeks. In markets including Japan, Australia, and China, shipping times extended to as much as five or six weeks, while they reached three to four weeks in the hours after becoming available to pre-order.
Apple typically takes a few weeks or months to reach a balance of supply and demand for major new iPhone launches, and the 8's availability just weeks after its introduction may be a result of users waiting for the higher-end iPhone X.
The iPhone X has an OLED screen with slimmer bezels, matching recent designs from Samsung Electronica Co., in addition to a more unique facial recognition scanner for unlocking the phone in lieu of a fingerprint. Apple introduced the device alongside the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus in September.

Bloomberg/San Francisco/Beijing

Baidu Asks Investors To Keep The Faith After Outlook Disappoints

Baidu Inc. is asking investors for patience, after forecasting lower-than-expected revenue and warning that its driverless car platform will not yield earnings in the near future.
China's biggest search giant predicted sales of 22.23 billion yuan to 23.41 billion yuan  (US$3.34 to $3.52 billion) in the December quarter, failing short of the 24.8 billion yuan projected.
That stemmed in part from self-imposed ad and content curbs around a politically-sensitive gathering of China's Communist Party leadership in October. Shares tumbled as much as 15 percent.
The miss comes at a critical time for Baidu, which is attempting to turn around its business after a difficult 2016. Profits fell for the first time since the company listed thanks to heavy spending on services like food deliveries, rising competition from the likes of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., and a healthcare ad scandal that slashed its pool of advertisers.
Rivals Tencent Holdings Lyd. and Sohu.com Inc.'s Sogou are also angling for a greater share of search advertising.
While Baidu's been telling investors that the worst is behind it, the total number of active online marketing customers fell 7 percent to 486,000 in the third quarter.
"We are seeing a secular change in the market where revenue is going from search engines to social media," said Kirk Boodry, an analyst with New Street Reaearch.
"Leadership in AI isn't really driving revenue improvements. We're hearing on one hand there's really stong capability in AI and it's just amazing, and on the other hand the financial results just don't support it."
Baidu Group president Qi Lu called on investors to look beyond short-term pain as the search giant streamlines its business to focus on artificial intelligence.
The company has recently sold several revenue-generating units like food delivery and gaming, dumping loss-makers with few prospects of being improved with AI.
"We're probably in the second of third innings," he told analysts on a conference call, referring to Baidu's progress in using AI to boost and monetize the business. "There's a long trajectory ahead of us."
Baidu's fourth quarter forecast comes days after the wrap of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, a tightly managed affair held in Beijing every five years.
Chinese political gatherings can cause ripples throughout the economy from factory closures to dampened spending with adverrtising restrictions encompassing both the number and types that can be displayed.
Chief financial officer Herman Yu said both Baidu and its video streaming subsidiary cut certain types of ads and content "to show our respect" for the event.
Since former Microsoft Corp. executive Lu took the helm in January, Baidu has sold its food delivery unit Waimai to Alibaba backed rival Ele.me, and opened up its driverless car technology to dozens of industry partners.
IQiyi, its Netflix-like streaming video service, is targeting a United States listing, people familiar with the matter have said.
Baidu is now fighting to convince disillusioned shareholders to back its costly long-term investment in AI and autonomous vehicles.
Spending on research and development rose 24 percent to 3.2 billion yuan from a year earlier. Content' costs also sky-rocketed in the quarter, rising 76 percent to 3.9 billion yuan thanks mostly to iQiyi.
But Yu told investors not to expect gains from its Apollo autonomous car platform or voice assistant DuerOS in the near future.
Baidu reported net income of 7.9 billion yuan during the three months that ended September, compared with the 3.88 billion yuan projected. Sales hit 23.5 billion yuan, matching analysts' estimates. Its US shares slid to as low as $221 in extended trading, after closing at $260.62 in New York.

David Ramli
Bloomberg/Beijing

Japanese Movie 'The Lowlife' Tackles Porn Taboo

The director of a controversial new Japanese movie depicting the plight of three conflicted porn actresses is hoping his film will help eliminate what he calls "prejudice" against the industry.
Takahisa Zeze's The Lowlife, an adaptation of a novel by erotic actress Mana Sakura, which brings a hearty dollop of kitchen-sink realism to the porn business as it documents the trio's day-to-day struggles, premiered at the Tokyo International Film Festival this week.
"The movie is about people searching for their place in the world, for their identity," Zeze told AFP in an interview.
"I don't think there was an urgent sense of wanting to destroy taboos when we set out to make the film. But hopefully it can go some way to helping break down the prejudices that still exist towards porn.
"When we were auditioning for the film, for example, some actresses turned down the roles," he added. "They were okay with just taking their clothes off but they didn't feel comfortable about playing a porn star."
While Zeze's touching work tugs at the heart-strings, viewers expecting a moral twist will be disappointed - the movie studiously avoids criticizing the adult video (AV) industry, leaving it open to accusations it whitewashes the issue of exploitation.
The action sticks largely to the human drama, never really sliding into darker territory.
Even when frustated housewife Miho (Ayano Moriguchi) awkwardly makes her debut as a porn actress, there is no hint of the conventional wisdom that the industry preys on such women.
"In my heart maybe I didn't want to focus on the murkier side of the business," said the book's author Sakura.
"Obviously not everyone is happy, like in most jobs," added the 24-year-old former bikini model.
"But not everyone is unhappy either. I feel that people too often want to draw the conclusion that all AV actresses are unhappy. Well, I'm not unhappy and I wanted to concentrate more on daily life, more on daily life, more on the light than the dark."
Zeze's minimalist approach and use of hand-held cameras lends an almost voyeuristic feel  to a movie heavy on raw emotion.
"I was looking to create a documentary effect," said Zeze, best known for his work in 'pink eiga' (softcore porn).
"I didn't want it to look like a work of fiction. The point was to show the regular side of life, rather than just the salacious part of the business," he added.
"Sexuality used to be taboo, but that's no longer the case - we're trying to show that porn is a common form of sexual desire. It's part of our daily lives."
While ambitious in its attempt to try and normalize Japan's US$20 billion AV industry, The Lowlife arguably succeeds in adding some perspective.
Ayano (Kokone Sasaki) throws herself into a swimming pool in a suicide attempt after being confronted by her angry mother, but survives and in the movie's final scene resolves to continue her career.
"The way I see that final scene on the roof is that it's her choice to carry on doing porn," said Sasaki.
"It ends with her arriving at a point where she can stand up tall and rather than feel guilty anymore, her heart has found a home."
Sakura makes no apology for taking the path of least resistance.
"There have been all sorts of tell-all books about the world of AV," she said. "But porn actresses are also just normal women who lead normal daily lives.
"Every year thousands of women make their debut in porn," added Sakura.
"The girl next door could be a porn actress, or young friends could be. And while you can't avoid stereotypes, hopefully this movie can help change perceptions a little bit."

Alastair Himmer
Agence France-Presse/Tokyo

Secret Superstar The Internet Idol

Indian producer Aamir Khan's latest movie, Secret Superstar, brings a fresh touch to the Bollywood film industry.
Amir has made a name for himself with his approach to various social issues in his movies. Aside from producing movies, he also hosts a well-known talk show, Satyamev Jayate, which discusses public problems.
Secret Superstar is the story of a teenager called Insia Malik, who dreams of becoming a famous singer.
Her mother, Najma Malik (Meher Vij), supports her passion for singing but lives in fear because of her abusive husband Farookh Malik's (Raj Arjun) horrific conservatism.
Farookh insists that Insia focus on her school education, so that she can marry a man he chooses.
The movie begins with Najma buying a laptop for Insia, a gadget that cause a big change in their lives after it reaches the hands of her daughter.
Insia showcases her singing talent online, covering herself with a burka to disguise herself from her father. She becomes an instant superstar without the knowledge of her father. In the process, mother and daughter bond more closely because of their collective objective.
Written and directed by Advait Chandan, the movie touches on numerous social problems still very much alive in villages of India.
Physical violence, forced marriage and abortion of baby girls are some of those issues.
The first half of the movie may be on the slow side, as Advait introduces his characters and their problems, but he makes it up in the secong half, culminating in a unique ending.
He also succeeds in opening layers of issues subtly, as in how Insia realizes the many sacrifices her mother has made for her.
He does not point it out all at once, so the viewers have something to look forward to after the intermission. This is Advait's debut film, but he has already showcased his talent by keeping the audience engaged in the story.
While some of the cast are not well known, Aamir's presence as a blunt singing contest judge is appealing and entertaining.
Aamir's character is the highlight of the movie, which not only helps Insia realize her dream, but also helps her resolve the domestic issues at home.
Newcomer Zaira Wasim plays her role as a 15-year-old emotional teenager up to the mark of an acclomplished actress.
She portrays sense of maturity - which was highly required by her character - and shows off her natural temper.
Meher Vij, who grew to fame in the movie Bajarangi Bhajaan playing the role of a Pakistani mother who lost her deaf daughter, hypnotizes the audience with her performance as a naive, succumbing wife and mother.
She manages to balance her character as a weak natured woman who turna stronger in the latter part of the movie.
More amazing is Raj Arun, who maintains the same cruel face throughout the movie. His character serves as a convincing villain who hates his wife and finds an excuse every now and then to beat her up.
Secret Superstar is not your usual Bollywood movie with awesome picturesque scenery and Bollywood musical grandeur, but the social message are enough to fill your eyes with tears.
Bring a handkerchief to the movie theater.

Directed by Advait Chandan
Written by Advait Chandan
Screenplay by Advait Chandan
Starring: Zaira Wasim, Meher Vij, Raj Arjun and Aamir Khan
Running time: 150 minutes

Aruna Harjani
Contributor/Jakarta

Green Trail of Ansan Embracing Seoulites Seeking Quick Getaway

Ancient wisdom of Korea suggest that an area facing the waters with a mountain on its back is the perfect place to reside.
As such, Seoul is surrounded by mountains and has the Han River running in front of its centuries-old capital region.
Mount Ansan's Jarak-gil, located in the western part of the metropolis, provides easy-access to mother nature for city-dwellers.
Jarak-gil refers to the mountainside roads located at the foot of mountains. Walking alongside them is comparable to somewhere between hiking and a stroll, as the slopes are not steep but offer some challenges for those looking for light exercise.
AnsanJarak-gil spans acros several districts of Seoul, and extends to halfway up the 295-meter mountain. The most accessible entry point is the bus stop near Seodaemun-gu Public Health Center or Seodaemun-gu Office in Yeonhee-dong.
Or one could access it via Dongnimmum Station (Line No.3), Exit No.5. One of the nearest parking areas is across the Hongjye-stream, which costs 20,000 won for all-day parking.
The trail spans across seven kilometers but there are several access points along the way, meaning visitors can decide to walk only parts of the trail. The whole trail takes about 150 minutes.
Most of the trail consist of a wooden pathway, which park officials say allows visitors to easily carry wheelchairs or baby strollers. But one should note that while there are no steep slopes, the hike up the trail can be physically taxing for those visitors.
Observatories stationed every now and then give a spectacular view of Seoul; you can spot landmarks like Gwanghwamun, Cheong WaDae, Han River and the 63 building on Yeouido glittering to the sunset.
There are also seasonal events, such as Autumn Maple Road Walk that will take place this Saturday. The event kicka off at 8 p.m. behind Seodaemun-gu office and invites participants to enjoy the nature along the Jarak-gil.
The trail transforms with seasons, as the Jarak-gil blushes scarlet with maple leaves in autumn and pink with cherry blossoms in spring.
Among several attractions of the trail includes Cherry Blossom Library, which is not far off from the entrance point. It has benches, books and some shade for visitors.
Along the way other surprises like the herb garden and Metasequoia trees reaching straight for the sky greet strollers.
If you are looking for a quiet place to take a break, you can visit Bongwon-sa Temple.
The historic landmark of Seodaemun Prison is also near the entrance point near Dongnimmun Station (Line No. 3).

Yoon Minsik/ANN/The Korea Herald

Barca Reserves Cruise Towards Cup Last 16

A much-changed Barcelona made light work of third-tier Real Murcia to take a commanding 3-0 lead into the second leg of their Copa del Rey last 32 tie on Tuesday.
With the likes of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Andres Iniesta handed the night off, Paco Alcacer, Gerard Deulofeu and Jose Manuel Arnaiz, on his debut, took their chance to grab the goals for the holders.
"I'm happy because today we played with people from the B team and those that haven't played as much and it was a good test for them," Barca coach Ernesto Valverde told beIN Sports Spain.
Barca have now won 12 and drawn one of their last 13 games in all competitions, but took their time to break down their humble hosts.
Indeed, Murcia should have gone in front when Fernando Llorente blasted over from inside the area midway through the first half.
Alcacer headed home his first goal since netting in last season's Cup final a minute before half-time from Deulofeu's looping cross.
The former Everton winger scored his first Barca goal against Malaga at the weekend and quickly added a second with a fine individual run and finish seven minutes after the break.
Arnaiz was the only one of Barca's youngstera who have shone for Barca B this season in the second division, a tier above Murcia, to be handed a debut by Valverde from the start.
And the 22-year-old showed why when he cut inside to fire into the far corner from outside the area four minutes later.
"He's a confident player," added Valverde.
With the second leg at the Camp Nou in just over a month's time now a formality, Barca can concentrate on maintaining their four-point La Liga lead and securing a place in the last 16 of the Champions League before the Cup continues in January.
Valencia, Barca's closest  challengers in La Liga, continued their fine form as Rodrigo and Dani Parejo, from the penalty spot, struck in the final nine minutes to secure a 2-0 first-leg lead at Real Zaragoza.
Sevilla shrugged off three straight defeats to cruise towards the last 16 with a 3-0 win at Cartagena. Eduardo Berizzo's men had shipped nine goals in being trashed at Spartak Moscow and Valencia in the past week.
However, first-half goals from Pablo Sarabia and Joaquin Correa settled their nerves before Luis Muriel rounded off the scoring six minutes into the second period.
Malaga's search for a win this season continues, however, as they conceded twice in stoppage time to lose 2-1 at second-division Numancia.
Recio's free-kick had put the top-flight side, who have just one point from their first nine league games, in front.
Numancia didn't level until the 93rd minute through Nacho Sanchez, but there was still time for Alberto Escassi to hand them a lead to defend at La Rosaleda in five week's time.
Another late goal from Christian Santos handed Alaves a 1-0 win at Getafe.

Kieran Canning
Agence France-Presse/Madrid