The Japanese electronics company Sony Corp plans to introduce a liquid-crystal-display television capable of playing 3-D programming by the end of next year,The Wall Street Journal reported recently.
Sony announced its plans for the new TV recent at the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin, an unnamed source familiar with the plans told the Journal.
Movie studios and electronics producers see 3-D video for the home as a big money maker, and Sony's rivals, including South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co and LG Electronics Inc and Japan's Panasonic Corp, have said they plan to introduce 3-D products as well.
At the moment, however,3-D films in theatres are just getting off the ground,so the initial choice of such movies on video would be limited.
The 3-D plans come as Sony has lost money in its television division for five years in a row.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Greedy gadgetry
Electricity use from power-hungry devices is rising fast all over the world, report Jad Mouawad and Kate Galbraith in New York
With two laptop-loving children and a Jack Russell terrier hemmed in by an electric fence, Peter Troast figured his household used a lot of power. Just how much power did not really hit him until the night the family turned off the overhead lights at their home in Maine and began hunting gadgets that glowed in the dark.
"It was amazing to see all these lights blinking," Troast said.
As goes the Troast household, so goes the planet.
Electricity use from power-hungry gadgets is rising fast all over the world.The fancy new flat-panel televisions everyone has been buying in recent years have turned out to be bigger power hogs than some refrigerators.
The proliferation of personal computers, iPods, cell phones, game consoles and all the rest amounts to the fastestgrowing source of power demand in the world. Americans now have about 25 consumer electronic products in every household, compared with just three in 1980.
Worldwide, consumer electronics now represent 15 percent of household power demand, and that is expected to triple over the next two decades, according to the International Energy Agency, making it more difficult to tackle the greenhouse gas emissions responsible for global warming.
To satisfy the demand from gadgets will require building the equivalent of 560 coal-fired power plants, or 230 nuclear plants, according to the agency.
Most energy experts see only one solution: mandatory efficiency rules specifying how much power devices may use.
Appliances like refrigerators are covered by such rules in the United States. But efforts to cover consumer electronics like televisions and game consoles have been repeatedly derailed by manufacturers worried about the higher cost of meeting the standards.That has become a problem as the spread of such gadgets counters efficiency gains made in recent years in appliances.
In 1990, refrigerator efficiency standards went into effect in the United States.Today, new refrigerators are fancier than ever, but their power consumption has been slashed by about 45 percent since the standards took effect. Likewise,thanks in part to standards, the average power consumption of a new washer is nearly 70 percent lower than a new unit in 1990.
"Standards are one of the few ways to cheaply go after big chunks of energy savings," said Chris Calwell, a founder and senior researcher at Ecos, a consulting firm that specialises in energy efficiency.
Part of the problem is that many modern gadgets cannot entirely be turned off; even when not in use, they draw electricity while they await a signal from a remote control or wait to record a television program.
"We have entered this new era where essentially everything is on all the time,"said Alan Meier, a senior scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and a leading expert on energy efficiency.
People can, of course, reduce this waste - but to do so takes a singleminded person.
Troast, of South Freeport, Maine, is just the kind of motivated homeowner willing to tackle such a project. His day job is selling energy efficiency equipment through an online business. He was not put off by the idea of hunting behind cabinets to locate every power supply and gadget, like those cable boxes, Web routers or computers that glowed in the dark.
The Troasts cut their monthly energy use by around 16 percent, partly by plugging their computers and entertainment devices into smart power strips.The strips turn off when the electronics are not in use, cutting power consumption to zero.
While Troast's experience demonstrates that consumers can limit the power wasted by inactive devices, another problem is not as easily solved:Many products now require large amounts of power to run.
The biggest offender is the flat-screen television. As liquid crystal displays and plasma technologies replace the old cathode ray tubes, and as screen sizes increase, the new televisions need more power than older models do. And with all those gorgeous new televisions in their living rooms, Americans are spending more time than ever watching TV,averaging five hours a day.
The result is a surge in electricity use by TVs, which can draw more power in a year than some refrigerators now on the market. Energy experts say that manufacturers have paid too little attention to the power consumption of televisions,in part because of the absence of federal regulation.
Another power drain is the video game console, which is found in 40 percent of American households. Energy experts - and many frustrated parents - say that since saving games is difficult, children often keep the consoles switched on so they can pick up where they left off.
Noah Horowitz, at the Natural Resources Defense Council, calculated that the nation's gaming consoles, like the Xbox 360 from Microsoft and the Sony PlayStation 3, use about the same amount of electricity each year as San Diego, the ninth-largest city in country.
Mandatory efficiency standards for electronic devices would force manufacturers to redesign their products, or spend money adding components that better control power use. Many manufacturers fight such mandates because they would increase costs, and they also claim the mandates would stifle innovation in a fast-changing industry.
The government has never aggressively tackled the television issue because of opposition from the consumer electronics lobby in Washington, experts say. In 1987, before televisions had swelled into such power hogs, Congress gave the Energy Department - which generally carries out the standards the option of setting efficiency rules for TVs.
But industry opposition derailed an effort in the 1990s to use that authority,according to Steve Nadel of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. A more recent attempt to require home electronics to use no more than 1 watt of power in standby mode met the same fate.
The federal government has moved forward on only two standards for electronics, covering battery chargers and external power supplies.
In the absence of federal action, a few states have moved on their own.The California Energy Commission just proposed new standards for televisions that would cut their power consumption in half by 2013. But that effort has set off a storm of protest from manufacturers and their trade group, the Consumer Electronics Association.(It is still expected to pass, in November.)
A spokesman for the industry said that government regulations could not keep up with the pace of technological change.
"Mandates ignore the fundamental nature of the industry that innovates due to consumer demand and technological developments, not regulations,"said Douglas Johnson, the senior director of technology policy at the association.
Johnson said that California's limits on manufacturers, which he called arbitrary, might delay or even prohibit some features of new devices. Instead,he praised the government's voluntary Energy Star program, which he says encourages efficiency without sacrificing innovation.
"Mandatory limits, such as we see in California, threaten to raise prices for consumers and reduce consumer choice," he said.
Estimates vary regarding how much a mandatory efficiency program for gadgets would cost consumers. For some changes, like making sure devices draw minimal power in standby mode, experts say the cost may be only a few extra cents.
At the other extreme, the most energyefficient of today's televisions can cost $100 more than the least energy-efficient.
With two laptop-loving children and a Jack Russell terrier hemmed in by an electric fence, Peter Troast figured his household used a lot of power. Just how much power did not really hit him until the night the family turned off the overhead lights at their home in Maine and began hunting gadgets that glowed in the dark.
"It was amazing to see all these lights blinking," Troast said.
As goes the Troast household, so goes the planet.
Electricity use from power-hungry gadgets is rising fast all over the world.The fancy new flat-panel televisions everyone has been buying in recent years have turned out to be bigger power hogs than some refrigerators.
The proliferation of personal computers, iPods, cell phones, game consoles and all the rest amounts to the fastestgrowing source of power demand in the world. Americans now have about 25 consumer electronic products in every household, compared with just three in 1980.
Worldwide, consumer electronics now represent 15 percent of household power demand, and that is expected to triple over the next two decades, according to the International Energy Agency, making it more difficult to tackle the greenhouse gas emissions responsible for global warming.
To satisfy the demand from gadgets will require building the equivalent of 560 coal-fired power plants, or 230 nuclear plants, according to the agency.
Most energy experts see only one solution: mandatory efficiency rules specifying how much power devices may use.
Appliances like refrigerators are covered by such rules in the United States. But efforts to cover consumer electronics like televisions and game consoles have been repeatedly derailed by manufacturers worried about the higher cost of meeting the standards.That has become a problem as the spread of such gadgets counters efficiency gains made in recent years in appliances.
In 1990, refrigerator efficiency standards went into effect in the United States.Today, new refrigerators are fancier than ever, but their power consumption has been slashed by about 45 percent since the standards took effect. Likewise,thanks in part to standards, the average power consumption of a new washer is nearly 70 percent lower than a new unit in 1990.
"Standards are one of the few ways to cheaply go after big chunks of energy savings," said Chris Calwell, a founder and senior researcher at Ecos, a consulting firm that specialises in energy efficiency.
Part of the problem is that many modern gadgets cannot entirely be turned off; even when not in use, they draw electricity while they await a signal from a remote control or wait to record a television program.
"We have entered this new era where essentially everything is on all the time,"said Alan Meier, a senior scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and a leading expert on energy efficiency.
People can, of course, reduce this waste - but to do so takes a singleminded person.
Troast, of South Freeport, Maine, is just the kind of motivated homeowner willing to tackle such a project. His day job is selling energy efficiency equipment through an online business. He was not put off by the idea of hunting behind cabinets to locate every power supply and gadget, like those cable boxes, Web routers or computers that glowed in the dark.
The Troasts cut their monthly energy use by around 16 percent, partly by plugging their computers and entertainment devices into smart power strips.The strips turn off when the electronics are not in use, cutting power consumption to zero.
While Troast's experience demonstrates that consumers can limit the power wasted by inactive devices, another problem is not as easily solved:Many products now require large amounts of power to run.
The biggest offender is the flat-screen television. As liquid crystal displays and plasma technologies replace the old cathode ray tubes, and as screen sizes increase, the new televisions need more power than older models do. And with all those gorgeous new televisions in their living rooms, Americans are spending more time than ever watching TV,averaging five hours a day.
The result is a surge in electricity use by TVs, which can draw more power in a year than some refrigerators now on the market. Energy experts say that manufacturers have paid too little attention to the power consumption of televisions,in part because of the absence of federal regulation.
Another power drain is the video game console, which is found in 40 percent of American households. Energy experts - and many frustrated parents - say that since saving games is difficult, children often keep the consoles switched on so they can pick up where they left off.
Noah Horowitz, at the Natural Resources Defense Council, calculated that the nation's gaming consoles, like the Xbox 360 from Microsoft and the Sony PlayStation 3, use about the same amount of electricity each year as San Diego, the ninth-largest city in country.
Mandatory efficiency standards for electronic devices would force manufacturers to redesign their products, or spend money adding components that better control power use. Many manufacturers fight such mandates because they would increase costs, and they also claim the mandates would stifle innovation in a fast-changing industry.
The government has never aggressively tackled the television issue because of opposition from the consumer electronics lobby in Washington, experts say. In 1987, before televisions had swelled into such power hogs, Congress gave the Energy Department - which generally carries out the standards the option of setting efficiency rules for TVs.
But industry opposition derailed an effort in the 1990s to use that authority,according to Steve Nadel of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. A more recent attempt to require home electronics to use no more than 1 watt of power in standby mode met the same fate.
The federal government has moved forward on only two standards for electronics, covering battery chargers and external power supplies.
In the absence of federal action, a few states have moved on their own.The California Energy Commission just proposed new standards for televisions that would cut their power consumption in half by 2013. But that effort has set off a storm of protest from manufacturers and their trade group, the Consumer Electronics Association.(It is still expected to pass, in November.)
A spokesman for the industry said that government regulations could not keep up with the pace of technological change.
"Mandates ignore the fundamental nature of the industry that innovates due to consumer demand and technological developments, not regulations,"said Douglas Johnson, the senior director of technology policy at the association.
Johnson said that California's limits on manufacturers, which he called arbitrary, might delay or even prohibit some features of new devices. Instead,he praised the government's voluntary Energy Star program, which he says encourages efficiency without sacrificing innovation.
"Mandatory limits, such as we see in California, threaten to raise prices for consumers and reduce consumer choice," he said.
Estimates vary regarding how much a mandatory efficiency program for gadgets would cost consumers. For some changes, like making sure devices draw minimal power in standby mode, experts say the cost may be only a few extra cents.
At the other extreme, the most energyefficient of today's televisions can cost $100 more than the least energy-efficient.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
ELECTRICAL-APPLIANCE SALES DOWN AS CONSUMERS TIGHTEN THEIR BELTS
Sales of electrical appliances are expected to decline this year, another victim of the eonomic downturn that has made Thai Consumers more cautious in their spending habits, according to a report by Gfk Retail and Technology (Thailand).
Gfk based its report on sample panel stores' over-the-counter sales.
It estimates that the value of the consumer-electronics market, which includes audio-visual products such as televisions, DVD players and digital portable multimedia players, will be Bt37.7 billion this year, a 7.8-per-cent decrease from 2008.
The visual product market is expected to decline by 5.57 per cent, with products such as flat-screen TVs seeing the biggest drop. Manufactures have turned their focus to more profitable products such as slim TVs, LCD TVs and plasma TVs.
LCD TV sales in the second quarter increased by a significant 167 per cent to 200, 400 units from the first quarter, while those of plassma TVs rose by 30.38 per cent to 20,600 units.
Despite the skyrocketing unit sales of those products, it is estimated that the total demand for colour televisions in 2009 will reach 3 million units, a decrease of 4.4 per cent from last year, with flat-screen TVs declining the furthest.
DVD players have become a mass-market product, Gfk said in its report, with many manufacturers now offering products with different functions at various price levels.
The product is entering the mature stage, the report said, as marketing of new disc-player technologies such as Blu-ray becomes more sidespread.
It is estimated that total market demand for DVD players and Bluray disc palyers thsi year will be 3,190,000 and 7,000 units, respectively.
Gfk believed that portable media players such as MP3 and MP4 players have reached market maturity, with many substitution products such as mobile phones ans smart phones appearing.
The firm estimates the market for portable media players will reach about 316,000 units, worth Bt945 million, by the end of this year.
The MP3-player market is slowly declining as the number of brands devreases, unit sales stabilise and prices fall, according to the report.
The degital camera market this year is expected to drop by 10 per cent from last year in terms of units and 6 per cent in terms of value, mainly due to a decline in consumers' spending power.
However, while the market for digital single-lens reflex cameras grew about 10 per cent in terms of units from 70,000 last year to 77,000 this year, the market value is forecast to fall by 6 percent.
For the home-appliances segment, the largest among electrical appliances, Gfk estimates market value will reach Bt42 billion.
The number of units sold in the first half of this year was slightly higher than last year but market value was flat.
There are two home-appliace segments-major domestic home appliances (MDAs) and small domestic home appliances (SDAs).
The first comprises refrigerators, washing machines, air -conditioners and microwave ovens, while the latter consists of rice cookers, irons, food-preparation devices, vacuum leaners, hair dryers, hair stylers, shavers and electronic fans.
MDA market value is expected to exceed Bt33.2 billion.
SDAs are expected to achieve a higher growth rate in unit terms than MDAs because of pricing and the economic situation. Price-cutting is still the main strategy for pushing sales in the MDA market.
Broken down by type of product,1,195,000 refrigerators are expected to be sold this year (maintaining the 2008 level), with a value of Bt9.874 billion, or zero growth compared with last year.
Refrigerators have a high penetration rate-roughly 84 per cent.
Because of tight competition among South Korean, Japanese and Chinese brands, demand for washing machines this year is forecasted at 1,225,000 units worth Bt9.85 billion, for a decrease of 1 per cent in unit terms and flat growth in value.
For air conditioners, the total market is expected to stay flat from last year at roughly 584,000 units worth about Bt12.47 billion.
Gfk based its report on sample panel stores' over-the-counter sales.
It estimates that the value of the consumer-electronics market, which includes audio-visual products such as televisions, DVD players and digital portable multimedia players, will be Bt37.7 billion this year, a 7.8-per-cent decrease from 2008.
The visual product market is expected to decline by 5.57 per cent, with products such as flat-screen TVs seeing the biggest drop. Manufactures have turned their focus to more profitable products such as slim TVs, LCD TVs and plasma TVs.
LCD TV sales in the second quarter increased by a significant 167 per cent to 200, 400 units from the first quarter, while those of plassma TVs rose by 30.38 per cent to 20,600 units.
Despite the skyrocketing unit sales of those products, it is estimated that the total demand for colour televisions in 2009 will reach 3 million units, a decrease of 4.4 per cent from last year, with flat-screen TVs declining the furthest.
DVD players have become a mass-market product, Gfk said in its report, with many manufacturers now offering products with different functions at various price levels.
The product is entering the mature stage, the report said, as marketing of new disc-player technologies such as Blu-ray becomes more sidespread.
It is estimated that total market demand for DVD players and Bluray disc palyers thsi year will be 3,190,000 and 7,000 units, respectively.
Gfk believed that portable media players such as MP3 and MP4 players have reached market maturity, with many substitution products such as mobile phones ans smart phones appearing.
The firm estimates the market for portable media players will reach about 316,000 units, worth Bt945 million, by the end of this year.
The MP3-player market is slowly declining as the number of brands devreases, unit sales stabilise and prices fall, according to the report.
The degital camera market this year is expected to drop by 10 per cent from last year in terms of units and 6 per cent in terms of value, mainly due to a decline in consumers' spending power.
However, while the market for digital single-lens reflex cameras grew about 10 per cent in terms of units from 70,000 last year to 77,000 this year, the market value is forecast to fall by 6 percent.
For the home-appliances segment, the largest among electrical appliances, Gfk estimates market value will reach Bt42 billion.
The number of units sold in the first half of this year was slightly higher than last year but market value was flat.
There are two home-appliace segments-major domestic home appliances (MDAs) and small domestic home appliances (SDAs).
The first comprises refrigerators, washing machines, air -conditioners and microwave ovens, while the latter consists of rice cookers, irons, food-preparation devices, vacuum leaners, hair dryers, hair stylers, shavers and electronic fans.
MDA market value is expected to exceed Bt33.2 billion.
SDAs are expected to achieve a higher growth rate in unit terms than MDAs because of pricing and the economic situation. Price-cutting is still the main strategy for pushing sales in the MDA market.
Broken down by type of product,1,195,000 refrigerators are expected to be sold this year (maintaining the 2008 level), with a value of Bt9.874 billion, or zero growth compared with last year.
Refrigerators have a high penetration rate-roughly 84 per cent.
Because of tight competition among South Korean, Japanese and Chinese brands, demand for washing machines this year is forecasted at 1,225,000 units worth Bt9.85 billion, for a decrease of 1 per cent in unit terms and flat growth in value.
For air conditioners, the total market is expected to stay flat from last year at roughly 584,000 units worth about Bt12.47 billion.
Italian from A to Z
The very best in tableware from Rome and beyond arrives at the Emporium
Stylish kitchen and glassware by a weath of well-known Italian brands go on show this week at the Emporium in "Eataly Private Sale 2009", with importer Italasia offering plenty of crative ideas for brightening up your dining table.
Shoppers can check the latest designs from Alessi, Alfi, Janaer Glas, Smart Candle, Scott Zwiesel and Zwiesel 1872 along with the latest coffee makers from llly. For the gourmets, there's a chance to stock up on pastas, sauces and olive oil plus Barbera, Amarone and Prosecco wines and mineral water.
Those who love funky tableware or who are searching for a neat gift won't be albe to resist the Lilliput salt-pepper set designed by Stefano Giovannoni for Alessi. For a special dinner, opt for Peter Zumthor's candlesticks and Scott Zwiesel's elegant wineglasses.
Lovers will adore the heart-shaped Champagne Cooler by Martin Hauenstein while tea-dirnkers will find it hard to pass up Jenaer Glas' teapot complete with stainless steel strainer.
Can't get going without a cup of extra-strong java juice? Then check out IIIly's collection of Espresso cups with saucers from Taiwanese designer Michael Lin for the ulitmate caffeine kick.
AT A GLANCE
The fair runs from tomorrow through October 4 at Fashion Hall of the Emporium Shopping Complex and is open from 10 to 10. Shoppers can enjoy discouts of between 40 to 50 per cent. Call (02)261 7990-9.
Stylish kitchen and glassware by a weath of well-known Italian brands go on show this week at the Emporium in "Eataly Private Sale 2009", with importer Italasia offering plenty of crative ideas for brightening up your dining table.
Shoppers can check the latest designs from Alessi, Alfi, Janaer Glas, Smart Candle, Scott Zwiesel and Zwiesel 1872 along with the latest coffee makers from llly. For the gourmets, there's a chance to stock up on pastas, sauces and olive oil plus Barbera, Amarone and Prosecco wines and mineral water.
Those who love funky tableware or who are searching for a neat gift won't be albe to resist the Lilliput salt-pepper set designed by Stefano Giovannoni for Alessi. For a special dinner, opt for Peter Zumthor's candlesticks and Scott Zwiesel's elegant wineglasses.
Lovers will adore the heart-shaped Champagne Cooler by Martin Hauenstein while tea-dirnkers will find it hard to pass up Jenaer Glas' teapot complete with stainless steel strainer.
Can't get going without a cup of extra-strong java juice? Then check out IIIly's collection of Espresso cups with saucers from Taiwanese designer Michael Lin for the ulitmate caffeine kick.
AT A GLANCE
The fair runs from tomorrow through October 4 at Fashion Hall of the Emporium Shopping Complex and is open from 10 to 10. Shoppers can enjoy discouts of between 40 to 50 per cent. Call (02)261 7990-9.
PLAYSTATION OUTSELLS WII
Sony's Playstation 3 video game console outsold Nintendo's Wii nearly five-fold in the three weeks to September 20, helped by the launch of a new cheaper, slim version, a survey said at the weekend.
Sony sold 257,254 PS3s in the three-week period, while Nintenso sold 52,229 Wii consoles, the research by video game publisher Ascii Media Works showed.
The new PS3 went on sale on September 1 in North America, Europe and Asia, except for Japan, where it debuted two days later.
It is priced at 29,980 yen (Bt11,000) in Japan and at US$299 dollars in North America.
Like its predecessors, it allows users to play games and movies on Blu-ray discs, but is slimmer and uses less power.
Soon after Sony slashed the prices of its PS3, Microsoft cut the price of its Xbox 360 console, followed by Nintendo, which on Thursday reduced the price of its Wii for the first time since its 2006 launch.
Nintendo has trounced Sony and Microsoft in recent years with the Wii, which aims to appeal to people who do not normally play video games. But the console's worldwide appeal has faded recently: Wii sales more than halved to 2.23 million units in April-June from 5.17 million a year earlier.
Sony sold 257,254 PS3s in the three-week period, while Nintenso sold 52,229 Wii consoles, the research by video game publisher Ascii Media Works showed.
The new PS3 went on sale on September 1 in North America, Europe and Asia, except for Japan, where it debuted two days later.
It is priced at 29,980 yen (Bt11,000) in Japan and at US$299 dollars in North America.
Like its predecessors, it allows users to play games and movies on Blu-ray discs, but is slimmer and uses less power.
Soon after Sony slashed the prices of its PS3, Microsoft cut the price of its Xbox 360 console, followed by Nintendo, which on Thursday reduced the price of its Wii for the first time since its 2006 launch.
Nintendo has trounced Sony and Microsoft in recent years with the Wii, which aims to appeal to people who do not normally play video games. But the console's worldwide appeal has faded recently: Wii sales more than halved to 2.23 million units in April-June from 5.17 million a year earlier.
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES LOOK SET FOR BETTER TIMES
The Thai electrical-appliance market is believed to have passed through the worst of the economic crisis and, with the government's second-phase economic stimulus measures, is now forecast to pick up in the final quarter.
This is a finding following research conducted by Gfk Retail and Technology (Thailand), a market research firm specialising in retail audits for consumer durables.
Country manager Chaiyarit Piyabootr yesterday said the positive signs of recovery in the industry in the fourth quarter included the world economic situation - many business figures believe the economic crisis has bottomed out - advance export orders and the bright outlook of the Thai stock market.
Besides, unemployment has shown signs of easing as many companies resume recruiting.
Moreover, the government's stimulus package will inject money into the system, create jobs and eventually increase consumer spending, said Chaiyarit.
The only potential negative factor he is keeping an eye on is whether export markets have genuinely recovered. Seventy per cent of the Kingdom's gross domestic product comes from exports.
Gfk has tracked five segments of electrical appliances - consumer electronics, home appliances, photographic, telecoms and information technology.
The total sales value of these segments during January to July dropped by 7.7 per cent from the same period last year, while unit sales fell by 2.4 per cent.
The photographic segment, comprising digital cameras and accessories, showed the highest drop in sales value and unit terms at 32.9 per cent and 23.2 per cent, respectively.
Sales value and unit sales of consumer electronics declined by 3.8 per cent and 5 per cent from the same period last year, respectively.
Despite dramatic unit-sales growth of 81.7 per cent in flat LCD TVs from the same period of 2008, other categories fell sharply. Flat-TV sales recorded the deepest plunge at 98.4 per cent.
For the home-appliance segment, small products such as microwave ovens, food-preparation items, vacuum cleaners and hair dryers showed growth, in line with more people tending to live in condominiums.
Air-conditioner unit sales and value during the first and second quarters increased from last year, but the numbers have dropped in the last few months due to an unclear picture after the government approved a tax cut.
Despite many positive signs, Chaiyarit did not provide a forecast of whether the sales value and volume figures would swing into positive territory in the next quarter.
However, he said one indicator of recovery was the increase in export value from appliance-manufacturing countries such as South Korea and Taiwan, as well as trading territories and countries such as Hong Kong and Singapore. The electrical-appliance sector in these markets is improving, he added.
But Manuele Kautzsch, regional account manager, Asia home appliance, Gfk Asia, forecast that the Thai electrical-appliance industry would pick up in the final quarter thanks to the global economic recovery.
She also believes the sales value of all categories of the home-appliance segment in Thailand will swing into positive territory next year.
Gfk Retail and Technology (Thailand) is the Asian subsidiary of Germany's Gfk Group, which has operations in more than 40 countries worldwide.
This is a finding following research conducted by Gfk Retail and Technology (Thailand), a market research firm specialising in retail audits for consumer durables.
Country manager Chaiyarit Piyabootr yesterday said the positive signs of recovery in the industry in the fourth quarter included the world economic situation - many business figures believe the economic crisis has bottomed out - advance export orders and the bright outlook of the Thai stock market.
Besides, unemployment has shown signs of easing as many companies resume recruiting.
Moreover, the government's stimulus package will inject money into the system, create jobs and eventually increase consumer spending, said Chaiyarit.
The only potential negative factor he is keeping an eye on is whether export markets have genuinely recovered. Seventy per cent of the Kingdom's gross domestic product comes from exports.
Gfk has tracked five segments of electrical appliances - consumer electronics, home appliances, photographic, telecoms and information technology.
The total sales value of these segments during January to July dropped by 7.7 per cent from the same period last year, while unit sales fell by 2.4 per cent.
The photographic segment, comprising digital cameras and accessories, showed the highest drop in sales value and unit terms at 32.9 per cent and 23.2 per cent, respectively.
Sales value and unit sales of consumer electronics declined by 3.8 per cent and 5 per cent from the same period last year, respectively.
Despite dramatic unit-sales growth of 81.7 per cent in flat LCD TVs from the same period of 2008, other categories fell sharply. Flat-TV sales recorded the deepest plunge at 98.4 per cent.
For the home-appliance segment, small products such as microwave ovens, food-preparation items, vacuum cleaners and hair dryers showed growth, in line with more people tending to live in condominiums.
Air-conditioner unit sales and value during the first and second quarters increased from last year, but the numbers have dropped in the last few months due to an unclear picture after the government approved a tax cut.
Despite many positive signs, Chaiyarit did not provide a forecast of whether the sales value and volume figures would swing into positive territory in the next quarter.
However, he said one indicator of recovery was the increase in export value from appliance-manufacturing countries such as South Korea and Taiwan, as well as trading territories and countries such as Hong Kong and Singapore. The electrical-appliance sector in these markets is improving, he added.
But Manuele Kautzsch, regional account manager, Asia home appliance, Gfk Asia, forecast that the Thai electrical-appliance industry would pick up in the final quarter thanks to the global economic recovery.
She also believes the sales value of all categories of the home-appliance segment in Thailand will swing into positive territory next year.
Gfk Retail and Technology (Thailand) is the Asian subsidiary of Germany's Gfk Group, which has operations in more than 40 countries worldwide.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Sony sale
Sony Thailand will hold a three-day "Warehouse Sale" during September 25-27 at Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.
TVs, home theatre systems, CyberShot cameras, handy cams, digital frames,Vio notebooks, MP3 players and Sony Ericsson mobile phones are offered at up to 80% discounts.
TVs, home theatre systems, CyberShot cameras, handy cams, digital frames,Vio notebooks, MP3 players and Sony Ericsson mobile phones are offered at up to 80% discounts.
ORGANISATIONS WANT NEW PI TECHNOLOGY
Sharp Thai's latest innovation - Plasmacluster Ion - seems to have opened a brand new door of opportunity as big building operators are putting in orders to help quell fears of another type-A (H1N1) influenza outbreak.
Managing director Tatsuya Miyagi said yesterday that several large organisations wanted Sharp to install air conditioners or air purifiers with this technology in their premises. Airports of Thailand (AOT), the operator of six airports in Thailand including Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi, consulted the company a few months ago about installing an air-conditioning system equipped with Plasmacluster Ion in the terminals. Other organisations showing interest in the technology include hospitals, schools, hotels, the Government Pharmaceutical Office as well as a leading cement manufacturer.
However, Sharp Thai is concerned about the effectiveness of the technology in large buildings, such as the Suvarnabhumi airport terminals. It is also considering the pricing of the product.
"We're studying how to install Plasmacluster Ion products in those buildings and how to make the system most effective in buildings that have a large number of people passing through. We hope to serve all these corporations in the near future," Miyagi said.
He noted that the local unit would need to consult with its parent firm, which has already installed air-purification systems in railcars in Japan. The technology has also been installed in the new fleet of E3-200 series trains for the Yamagata Shinkansen Tsubasa service of the East Japan Railway.
Miyagi added that Sharp Thai was also interested in installing the system in public transportation networks in the Kingdom.
The technology has proved to be a success in the Thai market because it helped boost Sharp Thai's revenue in the health and environment segment in this year's first eight months by 35 per cent compared to the same period last year. The company's total revenue in that period increased only by 5 per cent, while the total electrical appliances market in Thailand from January to August dropped from the same period last year, Miyagi said.
The technology has been deployed across product lines, particularly in the health and environment segment, which includes air purifiers, air conditioners and front-loading washing machines.
The segment has contributed the most - 40 per cent - of Sharp's total sales. The sales proportion of this segment is expected to increase to 50 per cent next year. Within the health and environmental products segment, in the first eight months of this year air-conditioners showed the highest sales growth at 60 per cent from the same period last year. Sharp Thai faced a stock shortage for its air purifiers over the past few months.
Managing director Tatsuya Miyagi said yesterday that several large organisations wanted Sharp to install air conditioners or air purifiers with this technology in their premises. Airports of Thailand (AOT), the operator of six airports in Thailand including Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi, consulted the company a few months ago about installing an air-conditioning system equipped with Plasmacluster Ion in the terminals. Other organisations showing interest in the technology include hospitals, schools, hotels, the Government Pharmaceutical Office as well as a leading cement manufacturer.
However, Sharp Thai is concerned about the effectiveness of the technology in large buildings, such as the Suvarnabhumi airport terminals. It is also considering the pricing of the product.
"We're studying how to install Plasmacluster Ion products in those buildings and how to make the system most effective in buildings that have a large number of people passing through. We hope to serve all these corporations in the near future," Miyagi said.
He noted that the local unit would need to consult with its parent firm, which has already installed air-purification systems in railcars in Japan. The technology has also been installed in the new fleet of E3-200 series trains for the Yamagata Shinkansen Tsubasa service of the East Japan Railway.
Miyagi added that Sharp Thai was also interested in installing the system in public transportation networks in the Kingdom.
The technology has proved to be a success in the Thai market because it helped boost Sharp Thai's revenue in the health and environment segment in this year's first eight months by 35 per cent compared to the same period last year. The company's total revenue in that period increased only by 5 per cent, while the total electrical appliances market in Thailand from January to August dropped from the same period last year, Miyagi said.
The technology has been deployed across product lines, particularly in the health and environment segment, which includes air purifiers, air conditioners and front-loading washing machines.
The segment has contributed the most - 40 per cent - of Sharp's total sales. The sales proportion of this segment is expected to increase to 50 per cent next year. Within the health and environmental products segment, in the first eight months of this year air-conditioners showed the highest sales growth at 60 per cent from the same period last year. Sharp Thai faced a stock shortage for its air purifiers over the past few months.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
ROBOT CAN SWITCH BED TO WHEELCHAIR
Japan's Panasonic Corp has developed a "Robotic Bed" that can transform into a wheelchair to make life easier for elderly and disabled people, it announced yesterday.
The invention in designed to help people with limited mobility maintain an independent lifestyle, the firm said in a statement.
"Now, the user can join the family meal by converting the bed into a wheelchair and moving to the dining table without the need of assistance from other people," it said.
Panasoinc will exhibit the Robotic Bed at a home care and rehabilitation exhibition in Tokyo from September 29 to October 1, it said.
"It is still a concept model and we will not be selling it soon," said Panasonic spokeswoman Yuka Arii. "We plan to bring it to markets in or after 2015. But we don't know the price yet."
Japan has one of the owrld's oldest populations and faces a constant shortage of care workers.
The invention in designed to help people with limited mobility maintain an independent lifestyle, the firm said in a statement.
"Now, the user can join the family meal by converting the bed into a wheelchair and moving to the dining table without the need of assistance from other people," it said.
Panasoinc will exhibit the Robotic Bed at a home care and rehabilitation exhibition in Tokyo from September 29 to October 1, it said.
"It is still a concept model and we will not be selling it soon," said Panasonic spokeswoman Yuka Arii. "We plan to bring it to markets in or after 2015. But we don't know the price yet."
Japan has one of the owrld's oldest populations and faces a constant shortage of care workers.
TNT EXPANDS ITS FLEET, OFFERS MORE TRANSPORTATION CHOICE TO EXPORTERS
The inauguration of TNT's new dedicated aircraft yesterday will give Thai exporters more choice in cargo transportation.
"We can offer our clients, especially those relying on exports of automotive, electronics and electronics parts, to have more choice through the combination of our road network in Asia and air network", said Alan Miu, managing director of TNT Express Worldwide (Thailand).
As TNT yesterday kicked off a new dedicated B747-400ER freighter service between Hong Kong and Europe, it reflected its commitment to investing and growing in Asia.
James McCormac, regional managing director of TNT Asia Pacific, said that it was well-placed to capitalise on strong trading links between the two regions with its integrated air and road delivery network in Asia and Europe.
The new aircraft will not only serve customers in South China, but also in neighbouring countries like Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and Taiwan. TNT will now be operating two dedicated freighter aircraft, providing freight and express delivery services between Europe and Asia.
The B747-400ER, which provides non-stop flights, operates between Hong Kong and TNT's European air hub in Liege, Belgium. The existing one - B747-400ERF - will travel between Europe and Shanghai via Hong Kong. The two aircraft are capable of carrying up to 110 tonnes with the lowest tonne/mile cost offering. Currently, TNT has a fleet of about 40 aircraft.
"The freighter from Hong Kong would ensure our customers, especially those in hi-tech communications, electronics and fashion industries, can become more competitive due to faster factory-to-market lead times and increasing inventory management efficiency," said McCormac.
He added: "Our continuous investment in Asia clearly demonstrates TNT's long-term confidence in the region."
TNT Asia Road Network recently expanded into Cambodia. The network now links 127 cities across six countries - from Singapore to China - and stretches across more than 7,500 kilometres.
"We can offer our clients, especially those relying on exports of automotive, electronics and electronics parts, to have more choice through the combination of our road network in Asia and air network", said Alan Miu, managing director of TNT Express Worldwide (Thailand).
As TNT yesterday kicked off a new dedicated B747-400ER freighter service between Hong Kong and Europe, it reflected its commitment to investing and growing in Asia.
James McCormac, regional managing director of TNT Asia Pacific, said that it was well-placed to capitalise on strong trading links between the two regions with its integrated air and road delivery network in Asia and Europe.
The new aircraft will not only serve customers in South China, but also in neighbouring countries like Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and Taiwan. TNT will now be operating two dedicated freighter aircraft, providing freight and express delivery services between Europe and Asia.
The B747-400ER, which provides non-stop flights, operates between Hong Kong and TNT's European air hub in Liege, Belgium. The existing one - B747-400ERF - will travel between Europe and Shanghai via Hong Kong. The two aircraft are capable of carrying up to 110 tonnes with the lowest tonne/mile cost offering. Currently, TNT has a fleet of about 40 aircraft.
"The freighter from Hong Kong would ensure our customers, especially those in hi-tech communications, electronics and fashion industries, can become more competitive due to faster factory-to-market lead times and increasing inventory management efficiency," said McCormac.
He added: "Our continuous investment in Asia clearly demonstrates TNT's long-term confidence in the region."
TNT Asia Road Network recently expanded into Cambodia. The network now links 127 cities across six countries - from Singapore to China - and stretches across more than 7,500 kilometres.
Goldman unloads stake in Sanyo to Panasonic
The Wall Street giant Goldman Sachs said yesterday that it had agreed to sell a 15.7% stake in troubled Sanyo Electric to Panasonic Corp for about 126 billion yen ($1.4 billion).
Goldman said its Oceans Holdings Co investment fund had signed an agreement to sell slightly more than half of its shares in Sanyo for 131 yen each as part of Panasonic's takeover of the struggling electronics maker.
It will retain a stake of 13.3% which it "may sell in the near future," Goldman spokeswoman Hiroko Matsumoto said.
Panasonic announced in December that it had struck a deal to acquire a 70.5% stake in Sanyo for up to 800 billion yen, buying shares from Goldman as well as Japan's Daiwa Securities and Sumitomo Mitsui.
Sanyo shares have risen sharply since then. They fell 3.2% to close at 246 yen ($2.7) yesterday.
Panasonic had aimed to announce the launch of the tender offer by late February but it has been delayed due to regulatory issues.
Sanyo, which started out making bicycle lamps after World War II, issued several billion dollars' worth of stock to the clutch of financial heavyweights in 2006 to shore up its capital base.
The company reported a net loss of 18.4 billion yen for the April-June quarter due to a slump in the electronic component business.
Recently Sanyo has tried to focus on environmental technologies - areas coveted by Panasonic, which is cutting 15,000 jobs and closing dozens of plants as it struggles to recover from its first annual loss for six years.
Goldman said its Oceans Holdings Co investment fund had signed an agreement to sell slightly more than half of its shares in Sanyo for 131 yen each as part of Panasonic's takeover of the struggling electronics maker.
It will retain a stake of 13.3% which it "may sell in the near future," Goldman spokeswoman Hiroko Matsumoto said.
Panasonic announced in December that it had struck a deal to acquire a 70.5% stake in Sanyo for up to 800 billion yen, buying shares from Goldman as well as Japan's Daiwa Securities and Sumitomo Mitsui.
Sanyo shares have risen sharply since then. They fell 3.2% to close at 246 yen ($2.7) yesterday.
Panasonic had aimed to announce the launch of the tender offer by late February but it has been delayed due to regulatory issues.
Sanyo, which started out making bicycle lamps after World War II, issued several billion dollars' worth of stock to the clutch of financial heavyweights in 2006 to shore up its capital base.
The company reported a net loss of 18.4 billion yen for the April-June quarter due to a slump in the electronic component business.
Recently Sanyo has tried to focus on environmental technologies - areas coveted by Panasonic, which is cutting 15,000 jobs and closing dozens of plants as it struggles to recover from its first annual loss for six years.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Daikin touts virus-fighting air purifier
Japan's Daikin Industries Ltd,the world's No.2 air conditioner maker,said yesterday its air purifier could stop the H1N1 flu virus from spreading.
But a Japanese Health Ministry official said there were uncertainties about the machine, such as whether it could be effective in large public rooms.
Daikin said a joint study with Vietnam's National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology had shown that the virus,spreading around the world in a flu pandemic, was no longer contagious after being exposed to its air purifier for four hours.
Shares in Daikin jumped 5% on news of the flu-fighting technology in a flat Tokyo market.
"High-speed plasma electrons generated in the air purifier break down H1N1, other viruses and bacteria to nitrogen, oxygen and water," said Daikin,which developed the technology in 2004.
Daikin this month launched its latest air purifier using the technology, a model which it said was 1.5 times more powerful than its previous versions.
The new H1N1 strain of flu, declared a pandemic in June, could eventually infect one-third of the world's population,or two billion people, according to the World Health Organisation.
The Health Ministry official said:"Such a machine may function appropriately under certain conditions like in a small room, but may not in places like large gymnasiums, where hundreds of people gather."
The official asked not to be identified because he was not in a position to talk publicly.
Rival Sharp Corp uses similar technology for its air purifiers but has yet to verify its effectiveness on the virus, according to a Sharp spokesman.
But a Japanese Health Ministry official said there were uncertainties about the machine, such as whether it could be effective in large public rooms.
Daikin said a joint study with Vietnam's National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology had shown that the virus,spreading around the world in a flu pandemic, was no longer contagious after being exposed to its air purifier for four hours.
Shares in Daikin jumped 5% on news of the flu-fighting technology in a flat Tokyo market.
"High-speed plasma electrons generated in the air purifier break down H1N1, other viruses and bacteria to nitrogen, oxygen and water," said Daikin,which developed the technology in 2004.
Daikin this month launched its latest air purifier using the technology, a model which it said was 1.5 times more powerful than its previous versions.
The new H1N1 strain of flu, declared a pandemic in June, could eventually infect one-third of the world's population,or two billion people, according to the World Health Organisation.
The Health Ministry official said:"Such a machine may function appropriately under certain conditions like in a small room, but may not in places like large gymnasiums, where hundreds of people gather."
The official asked not to be identified because he was not in a position to talk publicly.
Rival Sharp Corp uses similar technology for its air purifiers but has yet to verify its effectiveness on the virus, according to a Sharp spokesman.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Siam Temp shifts focus to bigger air conditioners
Siam Temp, a major air-conditioner manufacturer, has shifted its focus to large systems for commercial buildings and factories as the household market is becoming saturated, according to executive director Aroon Eamsureya.
He said the household air-conditioner market was now characterised by mature technology and surplus capacity in the world's largest exporting countries, Thailand and China.
"We can see the signs of the market maturing," said Mr Aroon."All brands
offer the same technology and design.Once there is nothing to make them different from each other, we have no gimmicks to push growth, they are becoming commodity products."
Siam Temp is a sales agent for Hitachi of Japan and also makes its own brand,Airtemp.
In response to changing trends, the company has changed its marketing approach, by focusing on research and development for other markets, large buildings and factories, as well as specialpurpose air-conditioners.
"Air-conditioners for the large building market still have room to grow," he said.
Household air-conditioners accommodate small spaces, ranging from 9,000-60,000 BTU (British thermal units).Every 1,000 BTU can cool 10-12 square metres of utilised space.
Spaces of 500 sq m or more require commercial-scale units that have differing technological requirements.
The company is also planning to build its Airtemp brand image as a specialist in large spaces and special purposes.
Siam Temp holds a patent for special purpose air-conditioners for buildings such as clean-air systems for hospitals,air-vacuum system for integrated circuit (IC) factories, hygienic systems for restaurant kitchens, and other units for restaurants where strong food odours are a challenge.
Mr Aroon said the new approach has come at a good time given growing concern about health and hygiene since the outbreak of H1N1 influenza.
The company also has a new technology that can control the climate in small areas, such as high-temperature machinery working spaces, even when there is no wall or ceiling to separate that area from the whole space. Workers'comfort and health is therefore enhanced.
The company expects its revenue from household air-conditioners will shrink to 30% from 70% of its total by 2011,while large units will become its major source of revenue at 70%.
As a consequence of the new focus, it expects its sales volume to double to 1.2 billion BTU from 660 million estimated this year.
The company also plans to expand from manufacturing and sales to become a total solution provider for commercial air-conditioner systems, with more aftersales service and consultancy.
He said the household air-conditioner market was now characterised by mature technology and surplus capacity in the world's largest exporting countries, Thailand and China.
"We can see the signs of the market maturing," said Mr Aroon."All brands
offer the same technology and design.Once there is nothing to make them different from each other, we have no gimmicks to push growth, they are becoming commodity products."
Siam Temp is a sales agent for Hitachi of Japan and also makes its own brand,Airtemp.
In response to changing trends, the company has changed its marketing approach, by focusing on research and development for other markets, large buildings and factories, as well as specialpurpose air-conditioners.
"Air-conditioners for the large building market still have room to grow," he said.
Household air-conditioners accommodate small spaces, ranging from 9,000-60,000 BTU (British thermal units).Every 1,000 BTU can cool 10-12 square metres of utilised space.
Spaces of 500 sq m or more require commercial-scale units that have differing technological requirements.
The company is also planning to build its Airtemp brand image as a specialist in large spaces and special purposes.
Siam Temp holds a patent for special purpose air-conditioners for buildings such as clean-air systems for hospitals,air-vacuum system for integrated circuit (IC) factories, hygienic systems for restaurant kitchens, and other units for restaurants where strong food odours are a challenge.
Mr Aroon said the new approach has come at a good time given growing concern about health and hygiene since the outbreak of H1N1 influenza.
The company also has a new technology that can control the climate in small areas, such as high-temperature machinery working spaces, even when there is no wall or ceiling to separate that area from the whole space. Workers'comfort and health is therefore enhanced.
The company expects its revenue from household air-conditioners will shrink to 30% from 70% of its total by 2011,while large units will become its major source of revenue at 70%.
As a consequence of the new focus, it expects its sales volume to double to 1.2 billion BTU from 660 million estimated this year.
The company also plans to expand from manufacturing and sales to become a total solution provider for commercial air-conditioner systems, with more aftersales service and consultancy.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Utterly lame plan
Your TOT admitted that its plan to build a third-generation (3G) yuppiephone network was so lame that not even the government wanted to look at it; board spokesman Ratian Srimongkol said his colleagues had optimistically submitted a plan to spend 29 billion baht on 3G, but the government wasn't even bothering to look at it; because it is vital to start 3G service by Dec 5, your TOT will now withdraw the current plan and re-submit an earlier plan, which calls for upgrading 533 base stations used by its teensy little cute mobile phone company Thai Mobile ,aka SuthepNet; it would allow people along the Airport Link route to use the 3G service, assuming that the Airport Link ever opens.
Ranongruk Suwanchawee, high on the list for consideration as one of the best Ministers of Information and Communications Technology Minister of Thailand this entire year, also found time to defend the nation's security;rushing from her already frantic schedule of bringing the very highest technology to her country, she demanded that the court block all those horrid and wicked websites with copies of "that audio clip" of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva; the file is an obvious, immediate threat to Thai national security,she pointed out, even worse than the other 17,000-plus websites she has personally banned since March, and thus demanding her personal attention; in keeping with the modesty of them minister, almost the entire country managed to withhold its gratitude.
True Corp said it was just kidding about selling 100,000 Apple iPhone 3G handsets this year; if early demand for the Wi-Fi-outfitted phone holds up, it now expects to sell at least 150,000;deputy chief commercial officer Papon Ratanachaikanont said early demand was "surprisingly positive" and "beyond our expectations" and,"We are now facing a supply shortage," even though Apple has agreed to direct some shipments from other countries to Thailand, and even though there is no 3G service on which to use the phones to their potential.Nokia Thailand said it was certain the sales of yuppiephone handsets would pick up soon, although the company was managing to weather the economic storm; general manager Shumit Kapoor estimated he would increase sales by maybe one percent this,after earlier predictions the market would shrink by five per cent.
Sorayud Petchtrakul, adviser to Industry Minister Charnchai Chairungrueng, explained that Thailand was as far behind in auto planning than in phones; the whole concept of eco-cars,which is still in the planning stages like 3G phones, is already outdated.
Electronics makers in Southeast Asia got way out in front of their governments,predicting that the recession is basically over and just watch their dust as they quickly recover between now and New Year's Eve; Anusorn Muttaraid, director of Thailand's Delta Electronics , told the Reuters business agency that his new orders are steadily increasing, and "I think the weakness in electronic component demand has hit bottom in the second quarter;" Taiwan laptop makers are revising forecasts for PC shipments between now and the holidays, while orders for semiconductor materials from Japan outpaced sales for the fourth quarter in a row; the disconnect between the technology businessmen and the rest of the world was illustrated beautifully by the timidity of Adithep Vanabriksha of Aberdeen Asset Management in Bangkok, who said:"We have to monitor whether demand is growing through next year or it's just only because their clients want to replenish their inventories;" electronics makers have no such doubt.
The Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry sent a business delegation to Thailand; OCCI vice-chairman Makoto Kato said that Japanese investment threatens to flood out Thailand with high-tech companies and life-science labs - once the recession ends in both countries; the end of economic problems will encourage a whole new wave of Japanese investment, he said, in hightechnology and value-added industries.
Mitsubishi Motors of Japan told the Industry Ministry that in support for a little investment help, it would love to product lithium-battery cars in Thailand,where "a little help" means investment privileges, help with supply lines and free import of motors and batteries from Japan; the planned car would travel 160 kilometres before being plugged into the mains for a recharge.Robert Bosch Thailand began selling a fully sealed auto battery, designed to last more than 18 months without maintenance including top-ups; general manager Yingyuad Whangprayoat said the battery uses "calcium production technology."
Young US-born businessman Peter Austin Onruang opened up an office in the main Phloenchit Road area to market the Magicjack telephone gizmo, which provides a US telephone in any Thailand location for $20 a year, or less than 700 baht in real money; Mr Peter has produced a series of Thai-language adverts and infomercials as part of what he says is a tough job in getting full acceptance by major vendors in Thailand.
Ranongruk Suwanchawee, high on the list for consideration as one of the best Ministers of Information and Communications Technology Minister of Thailand this entire year, also found time to defend the nation's security;rushing from her already frantic schedule of bringing the very highest technology to her country, she demanded that the court block all those horrid and wicked websites with copies of "that audio clip" of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva; the file is an obvious, immediate threat to Thai national security,she pointed out, even worse than the other 17,000-plus websites she has personally banned since March, and thus demanding her personal attention; in keeping with the modesty of them minister, almost the entire country managed to withhold its gratitude.
True Corp said it was just kidding about selling 100,000 Apple iPhone 3G handsets this year; if early demand for the Wi-Fi-outfitted phone holds up, it now expects to sell at least 150,000;deputy chief commercial officer Papon Ratanachaikanont said early demand was "surprisingly positive" and "beyond our expectations" and,"We are now facing a supply shortage," even though Apple has agreed to direct some shipments from other countries to Thailand, and even though there is no 3G service on which to use the phones to their potential.Nokia Thailand said it was certain the sales of yuppiephone handsets would pick up soon, although the company was managing to weather the economic storm; general manager Shumit Kapoor estimated he would increase sales by maybe one percent this,after earlier predictions the market would shrink by five per cent.
Sorayud Petchtrakul, adviser to Industry Minister Charnchai Chairungrueng, explained that Thailand was as far behind in auto planning than in phones; the whole concept of eco-cars,which is still in the planning stages like 3G phones, is already outdated.
Electronics makers in Southeast Asia got way out in front of their governments,predicting that the recession is basically over and just watch their dust as they quickly recover between now and New Year's Eve; Anusorn Muttaraid, director of Thailand's Delta Electronics , told the Reuters business agency that his new orders are steadily increasing, and "I think the weakness in electronic component demand has hit bottom in the second quarter;" Taiwan laptop makers are revising forecasts for PC shipments between now and the holidays, while orders for semiconductor materials from Japan outpaced sales for the fourth quarter in a row; the disconnect between the technology businessmen and the rest of the world was illustrated beautifully by the timidity of Adithep Vanabriksha of Aberdeen Asset Management in Bangkok, who said:"We have to monitor whether demand is growing through next year or it's just only because their clients want to replenish their inventories;" electronics makers have no such doubt.
The Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry sent a business delegation to Thailand; OCCI vice-chairman Makoto Kato said that Japanese investment threatens to flood out Thailand with high-tech companies and life-science labs - once the recession ends in both countries; the end of economic problems will encourage a whole new wave of Japanese investment, he said, in hightechnology and value-added industries.
Mitsubishi Motors of Japan told the Industry Ministry that in support for a little investment help, it would love to product lithium-battery cars in Thailand,where "a little help" means investment privileges, help with supply lines and free import of motors and batteries from Japan; the planned car would travel 160 kilometres before being plugged into the mains for a recharge.Robert Bosch Thailand began selling a fully sealed auto battery, designed to last more than 18 months without maintenance including top-ups; general manager Yingyuad Whangprayoat said the battery uses "calcium production technology."
Young US-born businessman Peter Austin Onruang opened up an office in the main Phloenchit Road area to market the Magicjack telephone gizmo, which provides a US telephone in any Thailand location for $20 a year, or less than 700 baht in real money; Mr Peter has produced a series of Thai-language adverts and infomercials as part of what he says is a tough job in getting full acceptance by major vendors in Thailand.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Havells Sylvania sheds light on bartering
Havells Sylvania(Thailand) has turned to barter exchange to buid consumer awareness of its Sylvania brand of lamps and lighting solutions.
"This has become a key marketing strategy this year. This also creates our project references to contribute sales in the near future," general manager Poomthep Malakul said yesterday.
Barter exchange as considered a marketing tool for expanding the customer base after Sylvania asked it subsidiaries in many countries, including Thailand, to cut their marketing budgets in line with the economic slowdown.
The company then offered to install lighting solutions for its partners.
Havells yesterday struck a deal with Mc Thai to replace 36-watt T8 lamps with T5 energy-saving lamps at 61 McDonald's restaurants in prime Bangkok and upcountry locations.
"This will help McDonald's save 25-40 per cent on energy costs. The energy savings of McDonal's will be used to approach other firms to save energy like McDonalds," he said.
Havells also distributes batteries and LED flashlights to McDonald's restaurants, which are a new channel to reach young generation consumers who follow a modern lifestyle and appreciate opportunities to try new things.
The company also plans to sell batteries and LED flashlights at McDonald's in Vietnam, Malaysia and vietnam, its main overseas markets.
"This has become a key marketing strategy this year. This also creates our project references to contribute sales in the near future," general manager Poomthep Malakul said yesterday.
Barter exchange as considered a marketing tool for expanding the customer base after Sylvania asked it subsidiaries in many countries, including Thailand, to cut their marketing budgets in line with the economic slowdown.
The company then offered to install lighting solutions for its partners.
Havells yesterday struck a deal with Mc Thai to replace 36-watt T8 lamps with T5 energy-saving lamps at 61 McDonald's restaurants in prime Bangkok and upcountry locations.
"This will help McDonald's save 25-40 per cent on energy costs. The energy savings of McDonal's will be used to approach other firms to save energy like McDonalds," he said.
Havells also distributes batteries and LED flashlights to McDonald's restaurants, which are a new channel to reach young generation consumers who follow a modern lifestyle and appreciate opportunities to try new things.
The company also plans to sell batteries and LED flashlights at McDonald's in Vietnam, Malaysia and vietnam, its main overseas markets.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
HITACHI DATA SYSTEMS TURNS ITS SPOTLIGHT ON ASEAN
Hitachi Data Systems (HDS) plans focus more on the Asean region, because it has the highest growth markets in the Asia-Pacific.
Kevin Eggleston, senior vice president and general manager for the Asia-Pacific, said Asean countries were important markets for HDS. By the end of the first quarter of this year, Asean was the No-1 growth market in the Asia-Pacific, surpassing India, which was the highest growth market last year.
Focusing on Asean is part of the company's strategy of consentrating on high-growth markets, which still include India and China. As well, its three main business strategies are expanding to vertical markets, focusing on its flagship solutions - storage virtualisation, dynamic provisioning, and tier storage and archiving-and concentrating more on partnerships and channels.
"Asean was our No-2 market last year, following India. But at the end of the first quarter - the end of our fiscal year - Asean was No 1. The Asean market has had amazing growth for us," Eggleston said.
He said HDS's unique solutions - storage virtualisation, dynamic provisioning and tier storage and archiving-were widely accepted by many more enterprise customers because the company had been marketing them for five years, and this had helped the company achieve growth that contrasted markedly with the storage market, which had declined.
"This year, we expect double-digit growth even though the market is expected to decline. We will grow while the market shrinks because of our right technology and solutions. Our customers see the huge benefits of our virtualisation technologies," he said.
Eggleston said storage virtualisation was really hard to achieve because it was very complicated. To develop the best solutions for its customers, Hitachi Data Systems had about 2,000 staff with doctoral qualifications working on research and development in storage virtualisation technologies. The company spends about US$2 billion (Bt 68.12 billion) on research and development each year.
HDS also plans in the coming year to focus on vertical markets that have high demands for data, including government, financial services, healthcare, media and security.
Eggleston said high-growth markets across the Asia-Pacific included telecommunications and media (and social networking), financial services, the government sector and manufacturing. When combined, these represented 60-80 per cent of the storage market in the Asia-Pacific.
"Telecommunications and media are the No-1 growth market, because many countries in the region have implemented 3G networks, and that means huge demands for data. Social networking is also a very high growth area for storage, but the market is not yet huge."
He said cloud computing would be the next revolution for the storage industry, and HDS aimed to be the leading infrastructure enabler for cloud computing. Its 13,000 platforms support cloud computing while its nearest competitor has only 500 platforms.
"In every quarter, we gain 100 new customers in the Asia-Pacific region. We are No 1 in enerprise storage globally, and we want to maintain our leading position in the market," Eggleston said.
Meanwhile, the country manager of Hitachi Data Systems (Thailand), Taveesak Saengthong, said his company had achieved growth of between 8 and 10 per cent last year, while the storage market in Thailand had shrunk by 6 per cent. The top five markets in Thailand include banking and financial services, telecommunications, government, media and content and healthcare.
Kevin Eggleston, senior vice president and general manager for the Asia-Pacific, said Asean countries were important markets for HDS. By the end of the first quarter of this year, Asean was the No-1 growth market in the Asia-Pacific, surpassing India, which was the highest growth market last year.
Focusing on Asean is part of the company's strategy of consentrating on high-growth markets, which still include India and China. As well, its three main business strategies are expanding to vertical markets, focusing on its flagship solutions - storage virtualisation, dynamic provisioning, and tier storage and archiving-and concentrating more on partnerships and channels.
"Asean was our No-2 market last year, following India. But at the end of the first quarter - the end of our fiscal year - Asean was No 1. The Asean market has had amazing growth for us," Eggleston said.
He said HDS's unique solutions - storage virtualisation, dynamic provisioning and tier storage and archiving-were widely accepted by many more enterprise customers because the company had been marketing them for five years, and this had helped the company achieve growth that contrasted markedly with the storage market, which had declined.
"This year, we expect double-digit growth even though the market is expected to decline. We will grow while the market shrinks because of our right technology and solutions. Our customers see the huge benefits of our virtualisation technologies," he said.
Eggleston said storage virtualisation was really hard to achieve because it was very complicated. To develop the best solutions for its customers, Hitachi Data Systems had about 2,000 staff with doctoral qualifications working on research and development in storage virtualisation technologies. The company spends about US$2 billion (Bt 68.12 billion) on research and development each year.
HDS also plans in the coming year to focus on vertical markets that have high demands for data, including government, financial services, healthcare, media and security.
Eggleston said high-growth markets across the Asia-Pacific included telecommunications and media (and social networking), financial services, the government sector and manufacturing. When combined, these represented 60-80 per cent of the storage market in the Asia-Pacific.
"Telecommunications and media are the No-1 growth market, because many countries in the region have implemented 3G networks, and that means huge demands for data. Social networking is also a very high growth area for storage, but the market is not yet huge."
He said cloud computing would be the next revolution for the storage industry, and HDS aimed to be the leading infrastructure enabler for cloud computing. Its 13,000 platforms support cloud computing while its nearest competitor has only 500 platforms.
"In every quarter, we gain 100 new customers in the Asia-Pacific region. We are No 1 in enerprise storage globally, and we want to maintain our leading position in the market," Eggleston said.
Meanwhile, the country manager of Hitachi Data Systems (Thailand), Taveesak Saengthong, said his company had achieved growth of between 8 and 10 per cent last year, while the storage market in Thailand had shrunk by 6 per cent. The top five markets in Thailand include banking and financial services, telecommunications, government, media and content and healthcare.
Monday, September 7, 2009
LG aims to lead in microwave oven sales
LG Electronics (Thailand) Co, the marketer of LG home-appliance products,aims to become the market leader of microwave ovens in the Thai market next year.
Hyun Woo Lee, the company's managing director, said LG currently ranked third in the 1-billion-baht microwave oven market in Thailand, with a market share of about 24% last year. It expects its market share to climb to 30% by the end of this year or early next year, positioning it as the segment leader.
But Mr Lee said the penetration rate per household of microwave ovens in Thailand is under 10% at present, compared more than 50% in many countries.
Market demand for microwave ovens is 430,000 units per year. The market is divided into three segments - microwave only, microwave and grill and a combination of microwave, grill and steam. Of the total, microwave-only ovens make up 89%.
Mr Lee said that the company had sold 500-600 units of LG SolarDom, a premium microwave line, and expects the number to double next year.
Yesterday, the company organised the LG Life Tastes Good Championship 2009,the second microwave-cooking contest.
Sales of LG's home appliance business in the first eight months of this year grew 14% on par with its earlier projection. It is on course to achieve 6 billion baht in sales by the end of this year including those of air-conditioners.
Hyun Woo Lee, the company's managing director, said LG currently ranked third in the 1-billion-baht microwave oven market in Thailand, with a market share of about 24% last year. It expects its market share to climb to 30% by the end of this year or early next year, positioning it as the segment leader.
But Mr Lee said the penetration rate per household of microwave ovens in Thailand is under 10% at present, compared more than 50% in many countries.
Market demand for microwave ovens is 430,000 units per year. The market is divided into three segments - microwave only, microwave and grill and a combination of microwave, grill and steam. Of the total, microwave-only ovens make up 89%.
Mr Lee said that the company had sold 500-600 units of LG SolarDom, a premium microwave line, and expects the number to double next year.
Yesterday, the company organised the LG Life Tastes Good Championship 2009,the second microwave-cooking contest.
Sales of LG's home appliance business in the first eight months of this year grew 14% on par with its earlier projection. It is on course to achieve 6 billion baht in sales by the end of this year including those of air-conditioners.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
KOREAN TV GIANTS TOUT DIFFERING TECHNOLOGIES
The world's top two makers of flatpanel televisions are stressing the energy-saving virtues of different display technologies in their race to dominate a huge global market.
With liquid crystal display (LCD) modelds storming the world market, attention is focusing on developing a greener version that needs less power.
South Korea's Samsung Electronics is talking up its LED (light emitting diode) - backlit model.
Korean rival LG Electronics hails what it calls next-generation technology using AM OLEDs (activematrix organic light emitting diodes).
LCD televisions captured 67.3 per cent of the world market in the second quarter to June, plasma display panels 6.9 per cent and conventional cathode ray tube models 25.7 per cent, acording to US-based market researcher displaySerchy.
Samsung launched its new LED-backlit models in mid-March and says it solf 600,000 of then by June.
Yoon Boo-keun, president of its television business, said the multinational aims to sell more than two million Led-backlit units this years.
Yoon said LED televisions reduce energy consumption by up to 40 per cent over traditional LCD screens.
"The Samsung Eletronics LED-backlit models in mid-March and says it sold 600,000 of them by June.
Yoon Boo-keun, president of its television business, said the multinational aims to sell more than two million LED-backlit units this year.
Yoon said LED televisions reduce energy consumption by up to 40 per cent over traditional LCD screens.
"The Samsung Electronics LED-backlit model is just another type of LCD TV," an LG Electronics official said on condition of anonymity.
"Theyy don't deserve to be called LED TVs. It's misleading."
Britain's Advertising Standards Authority agreed, telling Samsung last month to change its advert for the new model.
"We considered that the ad implied the TV displays were comprised totally of LEDs, similar to some outdoor displays, when that was n ot the case," it said.
With liquid crystal display (LCD) modelds storming the world market, attention is focusing on developing a greener version that needs less power.
South Korea's Samsung Electronics is talking up its LED (light emitting diode) - backlit model.
Korean rival LG Electronics hails what it calls next-generation technology using AM OLEDs (activematrix organic light emitting diodes).
LCD televisions captured 67.3 per cent of the world market in the second quarter to June, plasma display panels 6.9 per cent and conventional cathode ray tube models 25.7 per cent, acording to US-based market researcher displaySerchy.
Samsung launched its new LED-backlit models in mid-March and says it solf 600,000 of then by June.
Yoon Boo-keun, president of its television business, said the multinational aims to sell more than two million Led-backlit units this years.
Yoon said LED televisions reduce energy consumption by up to 40 per cent over traditional LCD screens.
"The Samsung Eletronics LED-backlit models in mid-March and says it sold 600,000 of them by June.
Yoon Boo-keun, president of its television business, said the multinational aims to sell more than two million LED-backlit units this year.
Yoon said LED televisions reduce energy consumption by up to 40 per cent over traditional LCD screens.
"The Samsung Electronics LED-backlit model is just another type of LCD TV," an LG Electronics official said on condition of anonymity.
"Theyy don't deserve to be called LED TVs. It's misleading."
Britain's Advertising Standards Authority agreed, telling Samsung last month to change its advert for the new model.
"We considered that the ad implied the TV displays were comprised totally of LEDs, similar to some outdoor displays, when that was n ot the case," it said.
SONY'S NEW ERA OF 3-D ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE
Sony set the stage for a new battle this wek with the unveiling of a 3-D-television, hoping to get a technology currently confined to a few cinermas into living rooms next year.
The Bravia LCD TV, presented at the IFA consumer electionics fair, will not only enable people to watch programmes in three dimensions, it will be the "centrepiece of Sony's 3-D entertainment experience", Sony promises.
Users will also be able to plug in their PlayStation games consoles, allowing them to play games in 3-D, as well as Blue-Ray disc players and computers, the Japanese firm says.
To back up what it hopes whtat will soon become a major cash cow, Sony also makes the equipement needed to make movies and television programmes to play on the TV, which can also be used for regular, two-dimensional viewing.
"It is the perfect moment for an announcement like this, even if its plans are ambitious," said RalfTanger, an expert on 3-D technology at the Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz research institute.
3-D movies have been around for several decades, with the Lamiere broters' "L'arrivee dud train" filmed back in 1903, according to sensio, one of the many firms looking to get a piece of the future 3-D pie.
In 1946, the Soviet Union made "Robinzon Cruzo", the world's first talkie in colour and
3-D, and in the 1950s there were more than 60 others ncluding Alfred Hitchcock's "Dial M for Murder" before studios put 3-D on the back burner.
In the 1970s and early 1980s studios tried with offerings like "Jaws 3D" and "Friday the 13th, Part3," with cinemas issuing cardboard glasses, but it was not until the 1986 invention of the IMAX format that 3-D came into its own. The Cannes film festival kicked off this year with a gala opening ceremony that saw goofy spectacles foisted on tuxedo-clad celebrities for Disney-Pixar's 3-D cartoon comedy "UP".
This year sees the eagerly awaited release in December of "Avatar" by James Cameron, the director of "Titanic". German director Wim Wenders is working on a film about choreographer Pina Bausch, who died earlier this year.
It is in the cinema that 3-D has stayed, but Sony and its rival are hoping that it will soon break out and one day replace 2-D as a new standard.
"Now the target is the living room," Tanger said.
This is helped by the fact that some firms are considering launching channels that will show 3-D programmes.
"At the moment the big handicapis that we are lacking in material," said Joern Ostermann, head of the Laboratory at Leipniz University in the northern German city of Hanover.
The Bravia LCD TV, presented at the IFA consumer electionics fair, will not only enable people to watch programmes in three dimensions, it will be the "centrepiece of Sony's 3-D entertainment experience", Sony promises.
Users will also be able to plug in their PlayStation games consoles, allowing them to play games in 3-D, as well as Blue-Ray disc players and computers, the Japanese firm says.
To back up what it hopes whtat will soon become a major cash cow, Sony also makes the equipement needed to make movies and television programmes to play on the TV, which can also be used for regular, two-dimensional viewing.
"It is the perfect moment for an announcement like this, even if its plans are ambitious," said RalfTanger, an expert on 3-D technology at the Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz research institute.
3-D movies have been around for several decades, with the Lamiere broters' "L'arrivee dud train" filmed back in 1903, according to sensio, one of the many firms looking to get a piece of the future 3-D pie.
In 1946, the Soviet Union made "Robinzon Cruzo", the world's first talkie in colour and
3-D, and in the 1950s there were more than 60 others ncluding Alfred Hitchcock's "Dial M for Murder" before studios put 3-D on the back burner.
In the 1970s and early 1980s studios tried with offerings like "Jaws 3D" and "Friday the 13th, Part3," with cinemas issuing cardboard glasses, but it was not until the 1986 invention of the IMAX format that 3-D came into its own. The Cannes film festival kicked off this year with a gala opening ceremony that saw goofy spectacles foisted on tuxedo-clad celebrities for Disney-Pixar's 3-D cartoon comedy "UP".
This year sees the eagerly awaited release in December of "Avatar" by James Cameron, the director of "Titanic". German director Wim Wenders is working on a film about choreographer Pina Bausch, who died earlier this year.
It is in the cinema that 3-D has stayed, but Sony and its rival are hoping that it will soon break out and one day replace 2-D as a new standard.
"Now the target is the living room," Tanger said.
This is helped by the fact that some firms are considering launching channels that will show 3-D programmes.
"At the moment the big handicapis that we are lacking in material," said Joern Ostermann, head of the Laboratory at Leipniz University in the northern German city of Hanover.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
SONY'S KINDLE RIVAL OFFERS WIRELESS DOWNLOADS
Sony is planning to offer an e-book reader later this year with the ability to wirelessly download books, injecting more competition into a small but fast-growing market by adopting a key feature of rival Kindle, from Amazon.com.
Sony's US$399 (Bt13,608) Reader Daily Edition will go on sale by December, the compaby's executives said this week. The device has a 7-inch touch screen and will be able to get books, daily newspapers and other reading material over AT&T's cellular network.
Sony has sold e-book reading devices with "electronic ink" displays in the United States since 2006, but has seen most of the attention stolen by Amazon.com, which launched the Kindle, with similar e-ink technology, a year later. The latest version of the Kindle - which is not controlled by touching the screen - costs $299 and uses Sprint Nextel's wireless network for downloads.
On Tuesday, Sony also began selling a Pocket Edition e-book reader with a 5-inch screen for $199, and a larger $299 touch-screen model. Neither has wireless capability, so both have to be connected to a computer to acquire books.
Although Sony is following in Amazon's footsteps by adding wireless capability, its e-book strategy differs in crucial respects.
The only copyright-protected books the Kindle can display are from Amazon's store, and the only devices the store supports are the Kindle, the iPhone and the iPod Touch.
Sony, on the other hand, has committed to an open e-book standard, meaning its Readers can show copyright-protected books can be moved to and read on a variety of devices, including cell phones.
Sony also announced this week that the Readers will be able to load e-books "loaned" from local libraries. A library card will provide access to free books that expire after 21 days.
The library connection "would seem to be something Amazon would never embrace, so that could be a key differentiator", said Richard Doherty, director of research firm The Envisioneering Group.
The alliance with AT&T will helps the Dallas-based carrier to further expand the use of its wireless network beyond cellphones. Like other carriers, AT&T is looking for new avenues of growth, now that almost every adult has a cellphone. In July, it announced that it woild provide the connection to another upcoming e-book reader from Plastic Logic, which will use the e-book store of Barnes & Noble.
Reader owners will not be charged a subscription fee for wireless access, said Steve Haber, head of Sony's US reading division.
Instead, the bookseller will likely have to pay AT&T for the wireless access, out of money it charges for the books, similar to the way Amazon pats Sprint. Sony's multi-store strategy makes that challenging. The Daily Edition will intially have wireless access only to Sony's e-book store, Haber said.
Sony said the names of the newspapers that will be available on the device will be announced later. The Kindle already offers 46 newspapers, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today.
Sony's US$399 (Bt13,608) Reader Daily Edition will go on sale by December, the compaby's executives said this week. The device has a 7-inch touch screen and will be able to get books, daily newspapers and other reading material over AT&T's cellular network.
Sony has sold e-book reading devices with "electronic ink" displays in the United States since 2006, but has seen most of the attention stolen by Amazon.com, which launched the Kindle, with similar e-ink technology, a year later. The latest version of the Kindle - which is not controlled by touching the screen - costs $299 and uses Sprint Nextel's wireless network for downloads.
On Tuesday, Sony also began selling a Pocket Edition e-book reader with a 5-inch screen for $199, and a larger $299 touch-screen model. Neither has wireless capability, so both have to be connected to a computer to acquire books.
Although Sony is following in Amazon's footsteps by adding wireless capability, its e-book strategy differs in crucial respects.
The only copyright-protected books the Kindle can display are from Amazon's store, and the only devices the store supports are the Kindle, the iPhone and the iPod Touch.
Sony, on the other hand, has committed to an open e-book standard, meaning its Readers can show copyright-protected books can be moved to and read on a variety of devices, including cell phones.
Sony also announced this week that the Readers will be able to load e-books "loaned" from local libraries. A library card will provide access to free books that expire after 21 days.
The library connection "would seem to be something Amazon would never embrace, so that could be a key differentiator", said Richard Doherty, director of research firm The Envisioneering Group.
The alliance with AT&T will helps the Dallas-based carrier to further expand the use of its wireless network beyond cellphones. Like other carriers, AT&T is looking for new avenues of growth, now that almost every adult has a cellphone. In July, it announced that it woild provide the connection to another upcoming e-book reader from Plastic Logic, which will use the e-book store of Barnes & Noble.
Reader owners will not be charged a subscription fee for wireless access, said Steve Haber, head of Sony's US reading division.
Instead, the bookseller will likely have to pay AT&T for the wireless access, out of money it charges for the books, similar to the way Amazon pats Sprint. Sony's multi-store strategy makes that challenging. The Daily Edition will intially have wireless access only to Sony's e-book store, Haber said.
Sony said the names of the newspapers that will be available on the device will be announced later. The Kindle already offers 46 newspapers, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Sony sells Mexican TV plant to Hon Hai
Sony Corp said yesterday it would sell a controlling stake in a key television manufacturing business in Mexico to Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision Industry as part of efforts to streamline its global operations.
Sony, which is bracing for a second straight year in the red, would sell 90%of its shares in Sony Baja California to Hon Hai Precision Industry Co for an undisclosed sum, a company statement said.
The Japanese giant will retain a 10%stake in the Tijuana-based business,which employs 3,300 people and will continue to produce Sony TVs for the Americas region under a strategic alliance with Hon Hai.
Like other Japanese high-tech giants,Sony has been badly hurt by the global economic downturn, which has depressed demand for televisions and other electronic gadgets.
The maker of Bravia televisions, PlayStation game consoles and Cyber-shot cameras announced in May its first annual loss in 14 years and is on course to stay in the red for a second year for the first time in half a century.
Chief executive Howard Stringer is slashing 16,000 jobs and axing about 10% of the manufacturing plants in a bid to return to profit in the face of tough competition from rival products such as Apple's iPod and Nintendo's Wii.
Hon Hai Precision Industry, the world's largest contract manufacturer in the electronics sector, makes mobile phones, personal computers and consumer gadgets for companies such as Dell, Nokia and Sony.
Sony, which is bracing for a second straight year in the red, would sell 90%of its shares in Sony Baja California to Hon Hai Precision Industry Co for an undisclosed sum, a company statement said.
The Japanese giant will retain a 10%stake in the Tijuana-based business,which employs 3,300 people and will continue to produce Sony TVs for the Americas region under a strategic alliance with Hon Hai.
Like other Japanese high-tech giants,Sony has been badly hurt by the global economic downturn, which has depressed demand for televisions and other electronic gadgets.
The maker of Bravia televisions, PlayStation game consoles and Cyber-shot cameras announced in May its first annual loss in 14 years and is on course to stay in the red for a second year for the first time in half a century.
Chief executive Howard Stringer is slashing 16,000 jobs and axing about 10% of the manufacturing plants in a bid to return to profit in the face of tough competition from rival products such as Apple's iPod and Nintendo's Wii.
Hon Hai Precision Industry, the world's largest contract manufacturer in the electronics sector, makes mobile phones, personal computers and consumer gadgets for companies such as Dell, Nokia and Sony.
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