Digital-camera makers Sony and Fuji have both been able to boost market share this year despite the slowing economy.
Sony Thai yesterday said its share of the digital-camera market had increased by 5 percentage points from last year to 30 per cent.
Fuji's share has risen slightly to 12 per cent.
Sony is the market leader in Thailand, while Fuji is ranked fourth.
Both companies claim their unit sales in the first eight months of the year were better than the market. Sony's sales dropped by less than the market's decline, while Fuji maintained sales from a year earlier.
Taisuke Nakanishi, managing director of Sony Thai, said Sony had maintained its market leadership in the compact digital-camera market with a share of 30 per cent. This, he said, was because Sony is still recognised by consumers as the strong brand for innovative and hi-tech products.
"Amid the economic slowdown, consumers have to keep more of their money in their pockets. If they want to spend, they have to look for value-for-money products and a strong brand they can trust. Our market share during the first eight months increased from last year, while those of smaller brands shrank," he said.
According to Gfk Retail and Technology (Thailand)'s electrical-appliance market report revealed last week, unit sales in the digital-camera market from January to July dropped by about 10 per cent from the same period last year.
Nakanishi said Sony's unit sales were expected to pick up in the second half of the year.
Sittiwech Sawedpat, manager for electronic imaging products, Fujifilm (Thailand), said the company had been able to maintain its unit sales from last year because most of its digital compact cameras are priced below Bt10,000.
Sony and Fuji yesterday launched new cameras in order to boost sales in the final quarter. Both companies have focused on innovative products so that they can tap tech-loving shoppers that are willing to spend on new-technology products.
Sony has launched two new Cyber-shot cameras - the DSC-TX1 and DSC-WX - while Fuji has introduced the FinePix S200EXR, FinePix F70EXR and the world's first 3-D digital camera.
Cherdpong Tantipoontam, Sony marketing manager, digital imaging II section, consumer marketing division, said the company expected the new models to boost sales this quarter and maintain unit sales from last year.
The new cameras represent Sony's strategic policy of expanding its customer base in the tech-lovers' segment, as this target group has been less impacted by the global economic crisis.
He said the largest portion of clients using Sony's products were tech-lovers, followed by image-conscious shoppers.
Manus Kanokpaipipat, Fujifilm director and general manager, forecast overall Thai camera sales this year at about 900,000, against the 1 million devices estimated by several manufacturers.
Fuji expects to sell 135,000 digital compact cameras this year, 13-14 per cent higher than last year's 110,000 units.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Camera-makers focus on high end, professional segments
Major camera brands are going ahead with development of advanced and innovative products to tap techno-savvy shoppers who are still willing to pay for the latest technology.
Meanwhile, digital cameras focused on the mass market seem to have less attraction for leading brands amid the economic slowdown, as a serious price war continues to be waged in this segment.
Sony Thai last week launched two new models of its Cyber-shot camera equipped with advanced imaging technology. It also introduced the Party-shot, a new digital camera accessory that features an auto-shooting system, for use with the new models.
According to Gfk Retail and Technology (Thailand)'s latest report on the digital camera market, digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras and cameras for professionals show the most potential for growth this year and in the near future. Total camera sales this year are forecast at 1.1 million units. DSLR and professional cameras are expected to account for 6 percent of the total market this year.
Yoji Higashida, senior director, consumer market, Sony Thai, said last week that Sony recently conducted research on roughly 5,000 general consumers. The company identified six groups of IT consumers from the survey. The first three groups are the "Image Conscious", or shoppers who buy IT products for their image, "Connectors", who use IT products to make contact with others, and the "Techno Savvy" group.
Among these groups, the Techno Savvy show the most potential, as they are willing to spend on the latest technology despite the economic slowdown. Therefore, Sony Thai is paying most attention to this group.
The latest Sony Cyber-shot digital cameras are the DSC-TX1 and WX1. The highlight of the two models are the new Exmor R CMOS sensor, which can reduce the "noise" in images by roughly 50 percent, granting users an opportunity to take cleaner photos at higher definition, even in dimly-lit environments, Sony's Sweep Panorama and 10-frames-per-second-burst shooting features are also included.
Another highlight is Party-shot. Users insert the two new Sony digital camera models into the dock of the device. The product is uses Sony's face-detection and smile-detection technologies, intelligent auto-shooting, pans and zooms to enable the cameras to take pictures by themselves.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX1, DSC-WX1 and Party-shot are priced at Bt13,990, Bt12,990 and Bt4,990, respectively.
Sittiwech Sawedpat, manager, electronic imaging products, Fujifilm (Thailand), said Fuji would for the first time seriously focus on products priced at more than Bt10,000 each.
Almost all of Fuji's digital cameras are priced below Bt10,000.
Sittiwech said Fuji would also launch the world's first 3-dimensions camera - FinePix Real 3D W1 - at a photography fair to be held in November this year. Users can view 3D pictures on an LCD screen without 3D eyeglasses.
"We should do well if we focus on techno-savvy consumers. I believe that the 3D camera will be the trend in digital cameras next year. We asked Fuji headquarters in Japan to deliver 300 3D cameras to the market in Thailand this year, but we will get only 30 units this year. We expect to sell the entire lot of 3D cameras at the fair," he said.
Premium camera brand Leica recently introduced several new products, as well. Two are the Leica M9 and Leica S2, which are priced at Bt289,000 and Bt890,000, respectively. The cameras are targeted at professionals, a niche market that still needs new technology.
Jimmy Soo, regional manager, Schmidt Marketing (Singapore), Leica's distributor overseeing the Thai and Singaporean markets, said the company's sales in Thailand were still growing but below projections.
The firm expects the Thai market to grow by 10 percent in terms of sales this fiscal year (ending March 2010).
Chitchai Thienkanjanawong, sales and marketing manager for major digital-camera retail chain Big Camera, said DSLR and digital compact pro consumer cameras would be the two segments with the most growth potential over the next two years.
Big Camera plans to invest Bt15 million to Bt20 million next year to renovate existing shops located in shopping malls. It aims to tap high-end shoppers with potential to spend in tough market situations.
The total digital-camera market this year is expected to be worth about Bt10 billion. DSLR cameras are forecast o account for 20 percent of that market.
Meanwhile, digital cameras focused on the mass market seem to have less attraction for leading brands amid the economic slowdown, as a serious price war continues to be waged in this segment.
Sony Thai last week launched two new models of its Cyber-shot camera equipped with advanced imaging technology. It also introduced the Party-shot, a new digital camera accessory that features an auto-shooting system, for use with the new models.
According to Gfk Retail and Technology (Thailand)'s latest report on the digital camera market, digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras and cameras for professionals show the most potential for growth this year and in the near future. Total camera sales this year are forecast at 1.1 million units. DSLR and professional cameras are expected to account for 6 percent of the total market this year.
Yoji Higashida, senior director, consumer market, Sony Thai, said last week that Sony recently conducted research on roughly 5,000 general consumers. The company identified six groups of IT consumers from the survey. The first three groups are the "Image Conscious", or shoppers who buy IT products for their image, "Connectors", who use IT products to make contact with others, and the "Techno Savvy" group.
Among these groups, the Techno Savvy show the most potential, as they are willing to spend on the latest technology despite the economic slowdown. Therefore, Sony Thai is paying most attention to this group.
The latest Sony Cyber-shot digital cameras are the DSC-TX1 and WX1. The highlight of the two models are the new Exmor R CMOS sensor, which can reduce the "noise" in images by roughly 50 percent, granting users an opportunity to take cleaner photos at higher definition, even in dimly-lit environments, Sony's Sweep Panorama and 10-frames-per-second-burst shooting features are also included.
Another highlight is Party-shot. Users insert the two new Sony digital camera models into the dock of the device. The product is uses Sony's face-detection and smile-detection technologies, intelligent auto-shooting, pans and zooms to enable the cameras to take pictures by themselves.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX1, DSC-WX1 and Party-shot are priced at Bt13,990, Bt12,990 and Bt4,990, respectively.
Sittiwech Sawedpat, manager, electronic imaging products, Fujifilm (Thailand), said Fuji would for the first time seriously focus on products priced at more than Bt10,000 each.
Almost all of Fuji's digital cameras are priced below Bt10,000.
Sittiwech said Fuji would also launch the world's first 3-dimensions camera - FinePix Real 3D W1 - at a photography fair to be held in November this year. Users can view 3D pictures on an LCD screen without 3D eyeglasses.
"We should do well if we focus on techno-savvy consumers. I believe that the 3D camera will be the trend in digital cameras next year. We asked Fuji headquarters in Japan to deliver 300 3D cameras to the market in Thailand this year, but we will get only 30 units this year. We expect to sell the entire lot of 3D cameras at the fair," he said.
Premium camera brand Leica recently introduced several new products, as well. Two are the Leica M9 and Leica S2, which are priced at Bt289,000 and Bt890,000, respectively. The cameras are targeted at professionals, a niche market that still needs new technology.
Jimmy Soo, regional manager, Schmidt Marketing (Singapore), Leica's distributor overseeing the Thai and Singaporean markets, said the company's sales in Thailand were still growing but below projections.
The firm expects the Thai market to grow by 10 percent in terms of sales this fiscal year (ending March 2010).
Chitchai Thienkanjanawong, sales and marketing manager for major digital-camera retail chain Big Camera, said DSLR and digital compact pro consumer cameras would be the two segments with the most growth potential over the next two years.
Big Camera plans to invest Bt15 million to Bt20 million next year to renovate existing shops located in shopping malls. It aims to tap high-end shoppers with potential to spend in tough market situations.
The total digital-camera market this year is expected to be worth about Bt10 billion. DSLR cameras are forecast o account for 20 percent of that market.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Magnificent seven
In the most important, most revered event since the invention of the brontosaurus trap,Microsoft shipped the most incredibly fabulous operating system ever made; the release of Windows 7 also spurred a new generation of personal computers of all sizes at prices well below last month's offers.The top reason Windows 7 does not suck: There is no registered website called Windows7Sucks.com
Kindle e-book reader maker Amazon.com and new Nook e-book reader vendor Barnes and Noble got it on; B&N got great reviews for the "Kindle killer"Nook, with dual screens and touch controls so you can "turn" pages, plays MP3s and allows many non-B&N book formats, although not the Kindle one;Amazon then killed the US version of its Kindle in favour of the international one, reduced its price to $260(8,700 baht), same as the Nook; it's not yet clear what you can get in Thailand with a Nook, but you sure can't (yet) get much, relatively speaking, with a Kindle;but here's the biggest difference so far,which Amazon.com has ignored: the Nook lets you lend e-books to any other Nook owner, just as if they were paper books; the borrowed books expire on the borrower's Nook in two weeks.
Phone maker Nokia of Finland announced it is suing iPhone maker Apple of America for being a copycat; lawyers said they figure Nokia can get at least one, probably two per cent (retail) for every iPhone sold by Steve "President for Life" Jobs and crew via the lawsuit,which sure beats working for it -$6 (200 baht) to $12(400 baht) on 30 million phones sold so far, works out to $400 million or 25 percent of the whole Apple empire profits during the last quarter;there were 10 patent thefts, the Finnish executives said, on everything from moving data to security and encryption.
Nokia of Finland announced that it is one month behind on shipping its new flagship N900 phone, the first to run on Linux software; delay of the $750(25,000 baht) phone had absolutely no part in making Nokia so short that it had to sue Apple, slap yourself for such a thought.
Tim Berners-Lee, who created the World Wide Web, said he had one regret:the double slash that follows the "http:"in standard web addresses; he estimated that 14.2 gazillion users have wasted 48.72 bazillion hours typing those two keystrokes, and he's sorry; of course there's no reason to ever type that, since your browser does it for you when you type "www.bangkokpost.com" but Tim needs to admit he made one error in his lifetime.
The International Telecommunication Union of the United Nations, which doesn't sell any phones or services, announced that there should be a mobile phone charger that will work with any phone; now who would ever have thought of that, without a UN body to wind up a major study on the subject?;the GSM Association estimates that 51,000 tonnes of chargers are made each year in order to keep companies able to have their own unique ones.
The Well, Doh Award of the Week was presented at arm's length to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development; the group's deputy secretary-general Petko Draganov said that developing countries will miss some of the stuff available on the Internet if they don't install more broadband infrastructure; a report that used your tax baht to compile said that quite a few people use mobile phones but companies are more likely to invest in countries with excellent broadband connections; no one ever had thought of this before, right?
Sun Microsystems , as a result of the Oracle takeover, said it will allow 3,000 current workers never to bother coming to work again; Sun referred to the losses as "jobs," not people; now the fourth largest server maker in the world, Sun said it lost $2.2 billion in its last fiscal year; European regulators are holding up approval of the Oracle purchase in the hope of getting some money in exchange for not involving Oracle in court cases.
The multi-gazillionaire and very annoying investor Carl Icahn resigned from the board at Yahoo ; he spun it as a vote of confidence, saying current directors are taking the formerly threatened company seriously; Yahoo reported increased profits but smaller revenues in the third quarter.
The US House of Representatives voted to censure Vietnam for jailing bloggers; the non-binding resolution sponsored by southern California congresswoman Loretta Sanchez said the Internet is "a crucial tool for the citizens of Vietnam to be able to exercise their freedom of expression and association;"Hanoi has recently jailed at least nine activists for up to six years apiece for holding pro-democracy banners. Iran jailed blogger Hossein "Hoder" Derakshan for 10 months - in solitary confinement.
Kindle e-book reader maker Amazon.com and new Nook e-book reader vendor Barnes and Noble got it on; B&N got great reviews for the "Kindle killer"Nook, with dual screens and touch controls so you can "turn" pages, plays MP3s and allows many non-B&N book formats, although not the Kindle one;Amazon then killed the US version of its Kindle in favour of the international one, reduced its price to $260(8,700 baht), same as the Nook; it's not yet clear what you can get in Thailand with a Nook, but you sure can't (yet) get much, relatively speaking, with a Kindle;but here's the biggest difference so far,which Amazon.com has ignored: the Nook lets you lend e-books to any other Nook owner, just as if they were paper books; the borrowed books expire on the borrower's Nook in two weeks.
Phone maker Nokia of Finland announced it is suing iPhone maker Apple of America for being a copycat; lawyers said they figure Nokia can get at least one, probably two per cent (retail) for every iPhone sold by Steve "President for Life" Jobs and crew via the lawsuit,which sure beats working for it -$6 (200 baht) to $12(400 baht) on 30 million phones sold so far, works out to $400 million or 25 percent of the whole Apple empire profits during the last quarter;there were 10 patent thefts, the Finnish executives said, on everything from moving data to security and encryption.
Nokia of Finland announced that it is one month behind on shipping its new flagship N900 phone, the first to run on Linux software; delay of the $750(25,000 baht) phone had absolutely no part in making Nokia so short that it had to sue Apple, slap yourself for such a thought.
Tim Berners-Lee, who created the World Wide Web, said he had one regret:the double slash that follows the "http:"in standard web addresses; he estimated that 14.2 gazillion users have wasted 48.72 bazillion hours typing those two keystrokes, and he's sorry; of course there's no reason to ever type that, since your browser does it for you when you type "www.bangkokpost.com" but Tim needs to admit he made one error in his lifetime.
The International Telecommunication Union of the United Nations, which doesn't sell any phones or services, announced that there should be a mobile phone charger that will work with any phone; now who would ever have thought of that, without a UN body to wind up a major study on the subject?;the GSM Association estimates that 51,000 tonnes of chargers are made each year in order to keep companies able to have their own unique ones.
The Well, Doh Award of the Week was presented at arm's length to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development; the group's deputy secretary-general Petko Draganov said that developing countries will miss some of the stuff available on the Internet if they don't install more broadband infrastructure; a report that used your tax baht to compile said that quite a few people use mobile phones but companies are more likely to invest in countries with excellent broadband connections; no one ever had thought of this before, right?
Sun Microsystems , as a result of the Oracle takeover, said it will allow 3,000 current workers never to bother coming to work again; Sun referred to the losses as "jobs," not people; now the fourth largest server maker in the world, Sun said it lost $2.2 billion in its last fiscal year; European regulators are holding up approval of the Oracle purchase in the hope of getting some money in exchange for not involving Oracle in court cases.
The multi-gazillionaire and very annoying investor Carl Icahn resigned from the board at Yahoo ; he spun it as a vote of confidence, saying current directors are taking the formerly threatened company seriously; Yahoo reported increased profits but smaller revenues in the third quarter.
The US House of Representatives voted to censure Vietnam for jailing bloggers; the non-binding resolution sponsored by southern California congresswoman Loretta Sanchez said the Internet is "a crucial tool for the citizens of Vietnam to be able to exercise their freedom of expression and association;"Hanoi has recently jailed at least nine activists for up to six years apiece for holding pro-democracy banners. Iran jailed blogger Hossein "Hoder" Derakshan for 10 months - in solitary confinement.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
PENTAX OPTIO E70
Digital cameras make life easier: no extra money on film, images viewable seconds after you've snapped, and they work as a great pick-up line:"You look like you're man enough to handle a camera. Could you take our picture?"
But with every perk, comes less than desirable picture-taking situations. To avoid common camera conundrums (CCC) we can look to the Pentax Optio E70. CCC 1: Mode Mix-Ups
"Go stand near that funny-looking woman. I want to get her in the background of the photo! Ready?Wait, why isn't it taking a picture?Oh, it's in video mode!"
While many probably don't know what purpose half the buttons on digital cameras serve, the E70 fixes that with large, spacious icons. You don't need doll's tea set hands to press the knobs, and you'll never "accidentally" make a sex tape by leaving the video function on. CCC 2: Spotting Sexy Singles
"I want to take a picture of that hot girl walking by, but she's moving so fast!"The E70 has a setting that can be used for good (or evil; up to you). With its Pixel Track SR mode, the camera reduces the effects of motion blur by sharpening fuzzy pixels. This works for hyperactive pets and children too. CCC 3: Charging Challenges
"I forgot to charge my camera! Now I don't even have the option of taking pictures of funny-looking or hot people!"
Even with all its digital glory, the E70 uses simple AA batteries. It's a perfect addition for your travels - to take shots to make the rest of us jealous - and with 10 megapixels and simple features, you'll definitely be able to overcome CCC.
But with every perk, comes less than desirable picture-taking situations. To avoid common camera conundrums (CCC) we can look to the Pentax Optio E70. CCC 1: Mode Mix-Ups
"Go stand near that funny-looking woman. I want to get her in the background of the photo! Ready?Wait, why isn't it taking a picture?Oh, it's in video mode!"
While many probably don't know what purpose half the buttons on digital cameras serve, the E70 fixes that with large, spacious icons. You don't need doll's tea set hands to press the knobs, and you'll never "accidentally" make a sex tape by leaving the video function on. CCC 2: Spotting Sexy Singles
"I want to take a picture of that hot girl walking by, but she's moving so fast!"The E70 has a setting that can be used for good (or evil; up to you). With its Pixel Track SR mode, the camera reduces the effects of motion blur by sharpening fuzzy pixels. This works for hyperactive pets and children too. CCC 3: Charging Challenges
"I forgot to charge my camera! Now I don't even have the option of taking pictures of funny-looking or hot people!"
Even with all its digital glory, the E70 uses simple AA batteries. It's a perfect addition for your travels - to take shots to make the rest of us jealous - and with 10 megapixels and simple features, you'll definitely be able to overcome CCC.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Canon to franchise photo-book service
Canon Marketing (Thailand) will franchise its photo book-making service next quarter to tap rising demand from consumers in the near future, while its traditional enterprise market has been throttled by the global crisis.
"The photo book-making service overseas such as in the US is very popular, as the business so far this year has grown by 35 per cent from last year. We expect our revenue from the new business to grow not less than that in the US," Soontorn Pantaramongkon, senior director and general manager for business imakging solutions, said yesterday.
Canon wants to diversify risk from the corporate market, which took the brunt of the economic slump, while the retail market was relatively unscathed.
The company along with its strategic partner in photo book-making - Sib Khon - were preparing a franchise business model under the brand "imageGang by Canon", as well as a marketing plan aimed at whipping up consumer demand.
The companies plan to unveil the new business model next quarter.
Canon Marketing will recognise revenue from the business by selling printing solutions and after-sales services to the franchisees.
Sib Khon has designed photo book-making software to use with Canon's Press C6000 digital image printer. Canon and Sib Khon started the business at the beginning of this year by setting up the first branch in Siam Square.
The photo book-making service is under Canon's print on-demand business unit (POD). Sales of Canon printers have dropped from last year, while sales of products from the POD and the professional and graphic arts business unit (PGA) have increased by 50 per cent.
About 80 per cent of Canon's revenue comes from multifunction photocopiers, and colour and black-and-white digital printers.
The overall market for those products in the first half of the year slid by 15 per cent from the same half in 2008. Although Canon has lost share in that business - from 23 per cent last year to 20 per cent - it is still the market leader.
POD and PGA focus on printing for young entrepreneurs and SMEs, whose printing volumes are smaller than that of a large corporation.
Examples of printing materials are business cards, manuals, brochures, cards, posters, leaflets and coupons.
Canon targets its total revenue rising 18 per cent this year to Bt1.28 billion, with Bt60 million generated by POD and PGA. That forecast excludes revenue from photo book-making service, which is quite difficult to evaluate this year.
"The photo book-making service overseas such as in the US is very popular, as the business so far this year has grown by 35 per cent from last year. We expect our revenue from the new business to grow not less than that in the US," Soontorn Pantaramongkon, senior director and general manager for business imakging solutions, said yesterday.
Canon wants to diversify risk from the corporate market, which took the brunt of the economic slump, while the retail market was relatively unscathed.
The company along with its strategic partner in photo book-making - Sib Khon - were preparing a franchise business model under the brand "imageGang by Canon", as well as a marketing plan aimed at whipping up consumer demand.
The companies plan to unveil the new business model next quarter.
Canon Marketing will recognise revenue from the business by selling printing solutions and after-sales services to the franchisees.
Sib Khon has designed photo book-making software to use with Canon's Press C6000 digital image printer. Canon and Sib Khon started the business at the beginning of this year by setting up the first branch in Siam Square.
The photo book-making service is under Canon's print on-demand business unit (POD). Sales of Canon printers have dropped from last year, while sales of products from the POD and the professional and graphic arts business unit (PGA) have increased by 50 per cent.
About 80 per cent of Canon's revenue comes from multifunction photocopiers, and colour and black-and-white digital printers.
The overall market for those products in the first half of the year slid by 15 per cent from the same half in 2008. Although Canon has lost share in that business - from 23 per cent last year to 20 per cent - it is still the market leader.
POD and PGA focus on printing for young entrepreneurs and SMEs, whose printing volumes are smaller than that of a large corporation.
Examples of printing materials are business cards, manuals, brochures, cards, posters, leaflets and coupons.
Canon targets its total revenue rising 18 per cent this year to Bt1.28 billion, with Bt60 million generated by POD and PGA. That forecast excludes revenue from photo book-making service, which is quite difficult to evaluate this year.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
A CLOSE-UP TALE OF TWO CITIES
How does Berlin compare visually to New York, the epitome of the modern metropolis? German photographer Gerrit Engel has lined the walls of Munich's International Design Museum with nearly 70 images of both, but it's not just a contrast in skylines.
Berline - which next month marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall - can't match Manhattan's array of skyscrapers, but in Engel's survey, its buildings have character to spare.
Engel, 44, is an Essen native who trained in architecture and photography in Munich and New York. His acclainmed 1997 debut as a photographer involved images of grain elevators, a theme that had previously drawn Walter Gropius and Le Corbusier.
In the current exhibition, continuing through Novermber 1, Engel examines his subject buildings like a scientist studying exotic beings.
His "portraits" of houses present individual faces that become a panorama of the city.
Photos from both cities are gathered in groups according to similar characteristics and history. There are massive enlargements of some images mounted in the middle of the gallery, among them such familiar edifices as the Trump Tower, Sony Plaza and Rockefeller Centre.
Anything but postcards, the pictures carry all the realism of broad daylight - no pretty red glow or even a blue aky. The soft, milky grey and white shades of the sky allow the details and nuances of colour to stand out in even greater clarity.
The show is a breath of fresh air, a chance to see these cities as never before. New York is renowned for its magnificent skyline, but it's remarkable to see the components singled out, such as the aptly named Majestic Apartments, built in 1931.
There are many such surprises, such as the fact - little known to outsiders - that Manhattan has white wooden houses. Engel's shots of the Morris-Jumel Mansion and the romantic Engine Company No 31, resembling a little castle, give New York a homier perspective than is usually depicted in the news media.
The exhibition is rather small but lots of fun ride. You can visit two great cities in the space of an hour and see both in a whole new light.
Find out more at www.Die-Neue-Sammlung.de.
Berline - which next month marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall - can't match Manhattan's array of skyscrapers, but in Engel's survey, its buildings have character to spare.
Engel, 44, is an Essen native who trained in architecture and photography in Munich and New York. His acclainmed 1997 debut as a photographer involved images of grain elevators, a theme that had previously drawn Walter Gropius and Le Corbusier.
In the current exhibition, continuing through Novermber 1, Engel examines his subject buildings like a scientist studying exotic beings.
His "portraits" of houses present individual faces that become a panorama of the city.
Photos from both cities are gathered in groups according to similar characteristics and history. There are massive enlargements of some images mounted in the middle of the gallery, among them such familiar edifices as the Trump Tower, Sony Plaza and Rockefeller Centre.
Anything but postcards, the pictures carry all the realism of broad daylight - no pretty red glow or even a blue aky. The soft, milky grey and white shades of the sky allow the details and nuances of colour to stand out in even greater clarity.
The show is a breath of fresh air, a chance to see these cities as never before. New York is renowned for its magnificent skyline, but it's remarkable to see the components singled out, such as the aptly named Majestic Apartments, built in 1931.
There are many such surprises, such as the fact - little known to outsiders - that Manhattan has white wooden houses. Engel's shots of the Morris-Jumel Mansion and the romantic Engine Company No 31, resembling a little castle, give New York a homier perspective than is usually depicted in the news media.
The exhibition is rather small but lots of fun ride. You can visit two great cities in the space of an hour and see both in a whole new light.
Find out more at www.Die-Neue-Sammlung.de.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
GORGEOUS GADGETS GALORE!
The latest line of devices that keep you up to the times without jeopardising your sense of style
Super sleek and slick
Okay fashionistas, your dream phone has just arrived! LG has recently released the spectacular LG BL40 Chocolate, which is included in its Black Label line. The universal remote lookalike houses a stunning 4-inch display with full cinematic screen (21:9). The high-definition real VGA LCD supports a 345x800 pixel resolution and projects a dualscreen UI that can display two different types of content at the same time. Made out of curved,tempered glass and featuringa5megapixel camera with LED flash, the super sleek and slick device retails at $499(17,020 baht).
A headphone case with style
Paul Frank brings you a very fashionable way to protect your iPod touch. Made from super-durable silicone, the Paul Frank Headphones Julius Case for iPod touch (2nd generation) hugs your iPod touch and keeps it safe from accidental damage while you enjoy listening to music on the go. The flexible outerwear also allows functionality with cut-outs providing access to all touch controls,headphone jack and dock connector for easy in-case use. The Headphones Julius Case is definitely a great way to protect and add a Paul Frank style to your sleek iPod touch without extra bulk. The Paul Frank Headphones Julius Case retails at $29.95(1,018 baht).
All-in-one booklet Nokia delivers a brand new breed of portable devices with its Nokia Booklet 3G - a Windows-based mini laptop PC supported by Intel Atom Processor.With a battery life of up to 12 hours, the Booklet comes toting a glass 10.1-inch HD display with HDMI port for HD video out. Packed with 3G/HSPA/Wi-Fi/Ovi/Built-in camera/Bluetooth/Built-in SD card reader and on-board assisted GPS, the Booklet also supports hot-swappable SIM card functionality.
All of which are placed within a smart aluminium shell that measures in at just 2cm thin and tips the scales at just 1kg.
Expect Nokia's new wave sensation soon!
Must-have running gear
Nike recently unveiled its new Nike+ SportBand to make sure that all beloved runners can achieve real time performance feedback on their distance, pace, time and calories burned with just a glance at their wrist. Not only does it come with a new visibility-enhanced screen and a welded seal to improve water resistance,the Nike+ SportBand also allows runners to enjoy their favourite tunes through its Apple iPod nano, iTouch or iPhone systems. And thanks to Nikeplus.com,runners will be able to find the right gear, the latest event details, track progress and even connect with friends. The Nike+ SportBand retails at 2,190 baht.
Heavenly halal!
Let's altogether, people of all religious beliefs, welcome the month of Ramadan with Eat's My World - the new halal restaurant in town. Located at CentralWorld,7th Floor, Eat's My World features international,100 percent halal cuisines so that you can enjoy all of your favourite dishes from around the world.And since the kitchen is ruled by two young chefs - Bilal and Yassin from Paris, France - you can be sure that this will be the most interesting halal food you'll ever experience here in Bangkok. Recommended dishes are: burritos, grilled duck, chicken creole, cheeseburgers, red curry and tom yum kung. Lunch set,149 baht; Steak Set,249 baht; and Dinner Set,299 baht.
All-weather headset
Jawbone boasts that its Jawbone PRIME(TM) is the best Bluetooth headset they have ever created; continuing Aliph's tradition of marrying technology and design to deliver the best Bluetooth headset on the market. With NoiseAssasin 2.0, Acoustic Voice Activity Detector (Avad), Voice Activity Sensor (VAS) and Digital Signal Processing (DAS), means you'll be able to talk in a tsunami storm if you'd like. In short,Jawbone PRIME(TM) brings you even better audio quality,improved comfort and fresh, fun colour choices. What more could you ask for? Jawbone PRIME(TM) retails at $129.99 (4,421 baht). Check out http://us.jawbone.com.
Speakers that rock!
Bowers & Wilkins shows off its sound system mastery, this time with its first iPod speaker named after the legendary rock band,(Led) Zeppelin. Zeppelin is the first integrated iPod speaker system by the design-house, which takes its quest for true sound to a whole new level as Zeppelin provides a level of sound quality usually available only through dedicated hi-fi separates.Compatible with all the latest generations of iPods and connections at the back of the iPod speaker system allows the user to play other sources such as channelling images from the iPod to the television. All hail the new speaker and the band! Zeppelin rocks! Check out www.bowers-wilkins.com.
Super sleek and slick
Okay fashionistas, your dream phone has just arrived! LG has recently released the spectacular LG BL40 Chocolate, which is included in its Black Label line. The universal remote lookalike houses a stunning 4-inch display with full cinematic screen (21:9). The high-definition real VGA LCD supports a 345x800 pixel resolution and projects a dualscreen UI that can display two different types of content at the same time. Made out of curved,tempered glass and featuringa5megapixel camera with LED flash, the super sleek and slick device retails at $499(17,020 baht).
A headphone case with style
Paul Frank brings you a very fashionable way to protect your iPod touch. Made from super-durable silicone, the Paul Frank Headphones Julius Case for iPod touch (2nd generation) hugs your iPod touch and keeps it safe from accidental damage while you enjoy listening to music on the go. The flexible outerwear also allows functionality with cut-outs providing access to all touch controls,headphone jack and dock connector for easy in-case use. The Headphones Julius Case is definitely a great way to protect and add a Paul Frank style to your sleek iPod touch without extra bulk. The Paul Frank Headphones Julius Case retails at $29.95(1,018 baht).
All-in-one booklet Nokia delivers a brand new breed of portable devices with its Nokia Booklet 3G - a Windows-based mini laptop PC supported by Intel Atom Processor.With a battery life of up to 12 hours, the Booklet comes toting a glass 10.1-inch HD display with HDMI port for HD video out. Packed with 3G/HSPA/Wi-Fi/Ovi/Built-in camera/Bluetooth/Built-in SD card reader and on-board assisted GPS, the Booklet also supports hot-swappable SIM card functionality.
All of which are placed within a smart aluminium shell that measures in at just 2cm thin and tips the scales at just 1kg.
Expect Nokia's new wave sensation soon!
Must-have running gear
Nike recently unveiled its new Nike+ SportBand to make sure that all beloved runners can achieve real time performance feedback on their distance, pace, time and calories burned with just a glance at their wrist. Not only does it come with a new visibility-enhanced screen and a welded seal to improve water resistance,the Nike+ SportBand also allows runners to enjoy their favourite tunes through its Apple iPod nano, iTouch or iPhone systems. And thanks to Nikeplus.com,runners will be able to find the right gear, the latest event details, track progress and even connect with friends. The Nike+ SportBand retails at 2,190 baht.
Heavenly halal!
Let's altogether, people of all religious beliefs, welcome the month of Ramadan with Eat's My World - the new halal restaurant in town. Located at CentralWorld,7th Floor, Eat's My World features international,100 percent halal cuisines so that you can enjoy all of your favourite dishes from around the world.And since the kitchen is ruled by two young chefs - Bilal and Yassin from Paris, France - you can be sure that this will be the most interesting halal food you'll ever experience here in Bangkok. Recommended dishes are: burritos, grilled duck, chicken creole, cheeseburgers, red curry and tom yum kung. Lunch set,149 baht; Steak Set,249 baht; and Dinner Set,299 baht.
All-weather headset
Jawbone boasts that its Jawbone PRIME(TM) is the best Bluetooth headset they have ever created; continuing Aliph's tradition of marrying technology and design to deliver the best Bluetooth headset on the market. With NoiseAssasin 2.0, Acoustic Voice Activity Detector (Avad), Voice Activity Sensor (VAS) and Digital Signal Processing (DAS), means you'll be able to talk in a tsunami storm if you'd like. In short,Jawbone PRIME(TM) brings you even better audio quality,improved comfort and fresh, fun colour choices. What more could you ask for? Jawbone PRIME(TM) retails at $129.99 (4,421 baht). Check out http://us.jawbone.com.
Speakers that rock!
Bowers & Wilkins shows off its sound system mastery, this time with its first iPod speaker named after the legendary rock band,(Led) Zeppelin. Zeppelin is the first integrated iPod speaker system by the design-house, which takes its quest for true sound to a whole new level as Zeppelin provides a level of sound quality usually available only through dedicated hi-fi separates.Compatible with all the latest generations of iPods and connections at the back of the iPod speaker system allows the user to play other sources such as channelling images from the iPod to the television. All hail the new speaker and the band! Zeppelin rocks! Check out www.bowers-wilkins.com.
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