Archives: July 2014

Attention All Fashionistas! WeChat and YOOX are Teaming Up

July 25, 2014NewsChina, Fashion, Italy, USA, WeChat and BrandsWeChat

What do you get when you combine WeChat, friends and fashion? The world is about to find out. We’re announcing a global partnership with online clothing retailer YOOX. What does this mean for WeChatters? In short, a boatload. To kick things off, yoox.com is launching an official WeChat account where you can shop the latest styles, ask for fashion advice and get access to tons of exclusive features.

360 Degrees Shopping Experience

Discover an interactive look book with pieces from yoox.com selected by Robert Rabensteiner, fashion editor of L’Uomo Vogue. Then shop the “New Arrivals” section to buy your favorite styles on your smartphone.

Real-Time Style Advice

If you’re still on the fence about how something looks, just chat with a personal stylist in real-time for a fashion tip or two. Yep, it’s good to be in the 21st century.

On-Demand Customer Care

Speak to one of our dedicated Customer Care representatives and get immediate answers to all your questions.

San Francisco Students Get Their Game on with WeChat and Mission Bit

July 22, 2014Inside WeChatGames, USA, WeChat Gives BackWeChat

High school students present their final mobile games at Mission Bit's Demo Day. — High school students present their final mobile games at Mission Bit’s Demo Day.

The beauty of programming is that you start with nothing, but with a few lines of code you can create just about anything.

Understanding the power of programing and technology to give back to the community, we partnered with Mission Bit, a San Francisco non-profit organization to empower public high school students with the skills and confidence to build software that aligns with their passions.

In just six weeks, 12 students with little to no programming experience showcased three fully functional games at their demo day on July 10, 2014 – including two RPG-style games and one platformer. Students presented their games to press and industry panelists, including members from Google Play and WeChat.

The Art of Posting WeChat Moments

July 18, 2014Fun, Product / FeaturesFeatures, Moments, TipsWeChat

Since the advent of smartphones, the quest for the perfect pic has changed. From the classic skinny-arm pose and oh-so obnoxious duck face, to the omnipresent #selfie and the mouth-watering albums of food porn, cell phone snapshots have become an art form unto themselves. So when you’re using the WeChat Moments feature, how can you take photos that capture moments in all their knee-slapping, tear-jerking glory? Here are our top tips for transforming your moments into masterpieces.

First Thing’s First: Snap a Mobile Masterpiece

Start by cleaning your phone’s camera lense. It sounds basic, but your lense attracts a lot of dust, dirt and smudges, so wiping it clean can be a great way to boost photo quality. Plus it gives your t-shirt another purpose in life.

Next is a secret from the pros called the “Rule of Thirds.” Just visualize a 3X3 grid over your screen, dividing it into nine equal parts. To masterfully compose a shot, make sure important elements are placed along these lines or at their intersection.

Also, try not to use your flash. Instead, find an alternate light source or try adjusting your camera’s brightness settings. Just don’t touch that lightning icon because no one looks attractive after a flash. NO ONE.

Booking a Cab Just Got Easier – WeChat and Easy Taxi Announce Singapore Partnership

July 18, 2014Inside WeChatService Accounts, Singapore, WeChat and BrandsWeChat

WeChat is excited to partner with taxi booking service, Easy Taxi, so no one has to endure the hardships of hailing a cab again. Users can instead book taxis directly in the WeChat mobile app with just a few taps. WeChatters simply follow the official account, “EasyTaxiSGP,” and then click the button “Call Taxi.” The service will be available first in Singapore and will then roll out in other countries where Easy Taxi and WeChat are used.

How are the mobile and taxi industries a perfect fit? We caught up with Jianggan Li, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Easy Taxi Singapore, for his perspective on the partnership.

WeChat: Why is the taxi industry looking to innovate with mobile? Why are taxis and mobile suited?

Li: Taxis enable people to move around and to be mobile. So being mobile is part of our DNA. We want people to be able to book a taxi easily while carrying on with whatever they’re doing. They can see the driver’s details and location, as well as communicate with the driver via mobile messaging. And at the end of the trip, they can easily pay for the ride through their smartphones.

See What All the Chatter is About

July 14, 2014NewsWeChat TeamWeChat

The WeChat offices have been buzzing for months with excitement. And no, it’s not the World Cup or J.K. Rowling’s new Harry Potter story (although we’ve talked our fair share about those too). It’s the re-launch of Chatterbox, now WeChat’s global blog!

Chatterbox will be the go-to destination for everything new, fun and exciting about WeChat worldwide. From the latest product updates and exclusive breaking news to awesome WeChat activities in your local markets, we are thrilled to offer it all first on Chatterbox. Not to mention we’ll post write-ups, photos and videos for your every day life.

Our core mission is simple, offer “Chat Worthy” content you’ll enjoy. So get ready for an inside look into the world of WeChat and have fun exploring.

Happy Chatting!

WeChat Team

Race Across the #WeChatWorld – On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!

July 14, 2014Inside WeChatGlobal, Stickers, Video, WeChat WorldWeChat

WeChat is bringing four beloved stickers to life in an epic 3D race around the world – #WeChatWorld Challenge. The race begins in vibrant Tokyo, then takes the characters across different cities in Asia, until it finally ends in the “fragrant harbor” – Hong Kong. The entire race is captured through a series of fun animated videos that will be released throughout the month. See how these delightful stickers best one another with their physical prowess, and intelligent scheming. The first leg of the race is now available to watch on Chatterbox today.

Which character do you think will finish first?

Read about each sticker below to root for your favorite!

Vivienne Tam Designer Q&A – How to be the Next International Supermodel

July 14, 2014Inside WeChatCelebrities, Contests, Events, Fashion, Global, VideoWeChat

Picture yourself walking the catwalk at New York Fashion Week in September with lights shining and photographers clicking pictures of you wearing the most coveted styles. For one lucky super girl, WeChat and world re-known fashion designer, Vivienne Tam, are turning this dream into a reality. Aspiring models can simply apply for this once-in-a-life-time opportunity by downloading WeChat and visiting the Next International Supermodel Contest site.

To launch the contest, we chatted with Vivienne about her world of high-fashion and what she’s looking for in the next “It” girl. Check out the interview below.

Getting Fast and Furious at the WeChat Speed All-Star Race Finals

July 14, 2014Inside WeChatCelebrities, Contests, Events, Games, MalaysiaWeChat

(From left to right) Vincent Fang, Assistant General Manager of International Business Group, Tencent Holdings, Leong YE, Business Development Director of WeChat Malaysia, JJ, Yumi Wong, Adam C, Adrian Tan and Louis Song, Country Manager of WeChat Malaysia and Singapore. — (From left to right) Vincent Wang, Assistant General Manager of International Business Group, Tencent Holdings, Y E Leong, Business Development Director of WeChat Malaysia, local celebrities – JJ, Yumi Wong, Adam C, Adrian Tan; and Louis Song, Country Manager of WeChat Malaysia and Singapore.

There are some of us who have an undeniable need for speed. But you don’t always need to ground the gas pedal and hit law-breaking speeds to feel adrenaline cursing through your body. That’s why WeChat has launched WeChat Speed.

To celebrate this exciting game in Malaysia, we pitted the nation’s speed demons against celebrities to find the fastest racers.

WeChat invited everyone across Malaysia to compete and post their highest WeChat Speed scores for a chance to race with the country’s hottest celebrities in the grand finale.

Sticker Story – Meet Grandma Eul-nyoun

July 14, 2014FunSticker Story, StickersWeChat

Our WeChat Sticker Gallery is constantly growing with new characters to love and share. To give you a glimpse into the lives of some of our newest fun and quirky stickers, we introduce to you Sticker Stories, exclusively for Chatterbox! Get to know the wide range of characters that make you smile, laugh and help you express your emotions.

Now gather around, it’s time for a sticker story featuring the sassy Grandma Eul-nyoun!

Sitting in her rocking chair in her cozy Seoul, Korea apartment, Grandma Eul-nyoun may seem like an ordinary cookie baking grandma. But that is where you would be mistaken! Ever since her son and his family grew up, she has ditched her usual hobbies of cooking, knitting and passing down words of wisdom to start anew. Now with an uncovered foul-mouth and crazy personality, nobody can stop this nana from doing what she wants, not even her husband, Grandpa Eul-nyoun.

On Fridays and Saturdays, it’s off to the bars they go…

…where Grandma Eul-nyoun will drink shot after shot until there is nothing left but a headache and fuzzy memory. Her favorite is soju, so watch out if she has that drink in hand!

6 Summertime Smartphone Travel Hacks

July 14, 2014FunFeatures, Free Voice-Call, Group Chat, Life Hacks, Location Sharing, Message Translation, Moments, Video CallWeChat

Ah, summer, the perfect time to pack your bags and get your travel on. But sometimes, trips don’t go as planned. Group vacations and traveling abroad can be stressful, plus there’s the added pressure of digitally documenting your adventures for friends back home. The good news is there’s an app for all of that – WeChat! Just follow these six easy travel hacks to turn your smartphone into the ultimate travel buddy.

Avoid Overseas Overages

Traveling far and wide shouldn’t require going over on minutes. Instead, use WeChat’s free calling feature to dial anyone on your contact list, free of charge. This also includes video calling. Free is better, simple as that.

WeChat Blog: Chatterbox

The Official WeChat Blog