The rebranded Windows Phone will be made available in the Thai market, with 16 models from eight global brands on offer as Microsoft attempts to retain its share in the smart phone market.
Lisa Lam, Business & Marketing Organisation Director, Microsoft (Thailand), said the company has rebranded Windows Mobile as Windows Phone to build consistency and common experience in using the world's foremost operating system, whether on PC, server or phone.
Moreover, the company has also launched its handset OS Windows Mobile 6.5 in conjunction with several global brand manufacturers.
By the end of this year, the company expects to have eight mobile phone brands running Windows 6.5, with HTC,Samsung, Acer, Asus, LG, Motorola, Sony Ericsson and Toshiba on board, offering 16 models covering a variety of styles and price ranges to fit customer needs.
Windows Phone has been designed to be interoperable with many device brands and platforms to respond to the different needs and demands of users, for both work and play, and creating experiences through a variety of hardware, applications and services.
"Choice is a big differentiating factor when considering competitors which offer a limited range of models, and this has helped us sell more than 35 million Windows Mobiles from 140 Top OEMs," said Lam.
She continued that Windows Mobile 6.5's key features include a newlydesigned home screen, an improved touch-sensitive user interface and Mobile Internet Explorer with built in Adobe Flash Lite, which enables websites to be displayed on phones in the same way they appear on a PC. Outlook Mo-bile/Exchange sync will be available at no additional charge if users hold an Exchange corporate license.
In addition, Windows Phones will feature two new services: My Phone, to sync text messages, photos, video, contacts and more to the web; and Windows Marketplace for Mobile, which will offer over 30,000 applications. Popular mobile internet applications such as Facebook,MySpace, Netflix, Twikini, WunderRadio and Zagat will be available alongside a selection of games.
According to IDC, the smart phone market in 2009 is estimated at around 197 million units worldwide, and is expected to reach 350 million unit by 2012. This is a growth rate of 77 percent,which is higher than that of feature phones, which have grown around 13 percent year-on-year.
According to Gartner, in the smart phone operating system (OS) market,Symbian held s 51 percent share, down from 57 percent a year ago, while RIM and Apple shares grew year-on-year.
Android's share was just under 2 per cent of the market and more Androidbased devices will come to market in the fourth quarter of 2009, intensifying competition in the smart phone OS market, particularly for Symbian and Windows.
Microsoft's share continued to drop year-on-year to account for 9 per cent of the market in the second quarter of 2009.
Recently, HTC (Thailand) introduced HTC Touch2, the first model built on the Windows Mobile 6.5 platform available in the Thai Market. The phone supports 3.5G, Wi-Fi and GPS, including a 3.2 MP camera at 16,900 baht.
Meanwhile, Research in Motion's BlackBerry Curve 8520 smart phone has a touch-sensitive trackpad and is the first BlackBerry to feature dedicated media keys, giving customers greater control of their music and videos.
Advance Info Service offers the product, which will be available next month,at 13,900 baht.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Amazon takes Kindle global
Amazon.com Inc is introducing Kindle, its wireless electronic reader, for over 100 countries, including China and most of Europe, intensifying a battle for the burgeoning digital book market.
The move, announced on Tuesday,gives the world's largest online retailer the widest global reach among its competitors, including chief rival Sony Corp.
The Kindle will sell for $279 in other countries.
Amazon also said it would cut prices for its US-only Kindle by 13% to $259 from $299, bringing its cost closer to its rivals. The new price is $100 lower than it was a year ago.
Amazon - which regards the Kindle as a pivotal growth driver - said over 200,000 English-language books from a host of publishers as well as more than 85 international and US newspapers and magazines would be available on the international device, which begins shipping October 19.
"Our vision for Kindle is every book ever printed, in print or out of print, in every language, all available within 60 seconds," chief executive Jeff Bezos told Reuters.
"That's a multi-decade vision," he said.
Analysts have pondered the likelihood of Amazon developing the Kindle into a tablet-like device for tasks like e-mailing,texting and surfing the Web, thus competing with devices reportedly being developed by Apple Inc.
But Bezos reiterated his intention to optimise the reading experience, saying the company rejected compromise,whether it be a touchscreen that affects legibility or computer displays that eat up too much power.
At the same time, Amazon is working on making Kindle digital books available on more devices. Besides the Kindle,those books can now be accessed on the iPhone or iPod Touch.
"We want you to read your Kindle books on laptops and smartphones, anything with an installed base," Bezos said.
The Amazon CEO said he was not "in principle" against making the works available on rival devices like Sony's,but was focused on platforms with "large installed bases."
E-readers are expected by some to be the hottest gadget this holiday season and Bezos said he had "a lot of confidence" that it would be a "great holiday quarter for Kindle."
Forrester Research estimated three million e-reader devices would be sold in the United States in 2009, up from an earlier estimate of two million. That could double in 2010, bringing cumulative sales to 10 million by end-2010.
The research group predicts that Amazon will take 60% market share in 2009,followed by Sony at 35%.
Amazon, which introduced the Kindle in 2007, has until now made it only available in the United States, where it sold a basic version for $299 and a larger one geared toward newspapers for $489.The Kindle is only sold on Amazon.com.
The international version includes technology allowing it to operate in each market, but is otherwise identical to the second iteration of the Kindle - which can store up to 1,500 books, has a textto-speech feature, and can read PDF files and allow users to make annotations.
"There is a big demand for English language books all over the world," said Bezos, adding that it would be available in every continent except Antarctica.
"We apologise for that omission. We'll work on that."
The move, announced on Tuesday,gives the world's largest online retailer the widest global reach among its competitors, including chief rival Sony Corp.
The Kindle will sell for $279 in other countries.
Amazon also said it would cut prices for its US-only Kindle by 13% to $259 from $299, bringing its cost closer to its rivals. The new price is $100 lower than it was a year ago.
Amazon - which regards the Kindle as a pivotal growth driver - said over 200,000 English-language books from a host of publishers as well as more than 85 international and US newspapers and magazines would be available on the international device, which begins shipping October 19.
"Our vision for Kindle is every book ever printed, in print or out of print, in every language, all available within 60 seconds," chief executive Jeff Bezos told Reuters.
"That's a multi-decade vision," he said.
Analysts have pondered the likelihood of Amazon developing the Kindle into a tablet-like device for tasks like e-mailing,texting and surfing the Web, thus competing with devices reportedly being developed by Apple Inc.
But Bezos reiterated his intention to optimise the reading experience, saying the company rejected compromise,whether it be a touchscreen that affects legibility or computer displays that eat up too much power.
At the same time, Amazon is working on making Kindle digital books available on more devices. Besides the Kindle,those books can now be accessed on the iPhone or iPod Touch.
"We want you to read your Kindle books on laptops and smartphones, anything with an installed base," Bezos said.
The Amazon CEO said he was not "in principle" against making the works available on rival devices like Sony's,but was focused on platforms with "large installed bases."
E-readers are expected by some to be the hottest gadget this holiday season and Bezos said he had "a lot of confidence" that it would be a "great holiday quarter for Kindle."
Forrester Research estimated three million e-reader devices would be sold in the United States in 2009, up from an earlier estimate of two million. That could double in 2010, bringing cumulative sales to 10 million by end-2010.
The research group predicts that Amazon will take 60% market share in 2009,followed by Sony at 35%.
Amazon, which introduced the Kindle in 2007, has until now made it only available in the United States, where it sold a basic version for $299 and a larger one geared toward newspapers for $489.The Kindle is only sold on Amazon.com.
The international version includes technology allowing it to operate in each market, but is otherwise identical to the second iteration of the Kindle - which can store up to 1,500 books, has a textto-speech feature, and can read PDF files and allow users to make annotations.
"There is a big demand for English language books all over the world," said Bezos, adding that it would be available in every continent except Antarctica.
"We apologise for that omission. We'll work on that."
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Low price notebooks challenge Microsoft
High competition in the low cost notebook market has forced global computer vendors to stop offering notebooks with genuine Microsoft Vista operating systems to reduce prices. Such a move may become the next challenge for Microsoft to gain ground for its new OS.
Prasert Charoonpaisal General Manager, Personal Systems Group (PSG) HP Thailand, said that every Pavilion notebook is preloaded with Microsoft software but the Presario notebook, which is priced below 20,000 baht, may not have preinstalled software.
This segment contributes 25 percent of the overall HP revenue and has fierce competition when combined with software priced around 3,000 baht, which is a significant amount to consumers who have limited budgets.
The sum of 3,000 baht which is equivalent to $100 is not much in the US but in Thailand, which has an average per capita income of 8,000 baht per month,it is significant. If Microsoft would like to address this market when it launches Windows 7 the price should be more attractive and consumers should be educated about the difference between Vista and Windows 7.
Meanwhile senior marketing manager for Acer Thailand, Nitipat Praweenwongwuthia said that Acer will not preinstall Windows in notebook models under 20,000 baht for quite a long time because this segment is price-sensitive. If it offers preinstalled software while other competitors offer it at the same price but add more hardware specifications without preinstalled software, consumers will tend to buy better hardware features.
The answer is to boost the use of genuine software in this segment depending on how well Microsoft can educate consumers about the benefits of Windows 7 and make most vendors preload software.
Another source from the industry said if Microsoft would like to regain the market in the segment below 25,000 baht it should price the Windows 7 Home Basic or Premium at no more 1,500 baht per licence.
Consumers do not prefer Windows Starter Edition and today the under-25,000 baht notebook segment contributes between 30-40 percent of the overall notebook market.
Pairoj Amatamahutana, vice president at IT City, said preloading software in notebooks will help Microsoft to boost its value lost to piracy because big players in the market do not preload software in entry level notebook models to offer more attractive price and make it more price competitive.
Conversion of software costs around 3,000-4,000 baht which is a significant percentage of the total unit cost.
He estimates that currently, in the retail market Microsoft product has a piracy rate of around 80 percent. If the company can reduce this ratio with more attractive pricing which is suitable for the country's per capita income it will help to reduce the problem.
Over the last few days Microsoft and IT City have offered Microsoft Office Home & Student Edition at only 2,690 baht with three license users which has helped to boost sales by three to four times.
"If consumers buy more genuine software this will help us to reduce the problem of maintaining the computer because 80 percent of computer problems come from pirated software which makes it hard for us to handle or fix the problem.Moreover, when users start to buy genuine OS software it will persuade them to buy more antivirus software or others,"he said.
The company will also take part in the official launch of Windows 7 in on October 31, offering Home Premium edition of Windows 7 at 2,777 baht for the first 777 people.
Prasert Charoonpaisal General Manager, Personal Systems Group (PSG) HP Thailand, said that every Pavilion notebook is preloaded with Microsoft software but the Presario notebook, which is priced below 20,000 baht, may not have preinstalled software.
This segment contributes 25 percent of the overall HP revenue and has fierce competition when combined with software priced around 3,000 baht, which is a significant amount to consumers who have limited budgets.
The sum of 3,000 baht which is equivalent to $100 is not much in the US but in Thailand, which has an average per capita income of 8,000 baht per month,it is significant. If Microsoft would like to address this market when it launches Windows 7 the price should be more attractive and consumers should be educated about the difference between Vista and Windows 7.
Meanwhile senior marketing manager for Acer Thailand, Nitipat Praweenwongwuthia said that Acer will not preinstall Windows in notebook models under 20,000 baht for quite a long time because this segment is price-sensitive. If it offers preinstalled software while other competitors offer it at the same price but add more hardware specifications without preinstalled software, consumers will tend to buy better hardware features.
The answer is to boost the use of genuine software in this segment depending on how well Microsoft can educate consumers about the benefits of Windows 7 and make most vendors preload software.
Another source from the industry said if Microsoft would like to regain the market in the segment below 25,000 baht it should price the Windows 7 Home Basic or Premium at no more 1,500 baht per licence.
Consumers do not prefer Windows Starter Edition and today the under-25,000 baht notebook segment contributes between 30-40 percent of the overall notebook market.
Pairoj Amatamahutana, vice president at IT City, said preloading software in notebooks will help Microsoft to boost its value lost to piracy because big players in the market do not preload software in entry level notebook models to offer more attractive price and make it more price competitive.
Conversion of software costs around 3,000-4,000 baht which is a significant percentage of the total unit cost.
He estimates that currently, in the retail market Microsoft product has a piracy rate of around 80 percent. If the company can reduce this ratio with more attractive pricing which is suitable for the country's per capita income it will help to reduce the problem.
Over the last few days Microsoft and IT City have offered Microsoft Office Home & Student Edition at only 2,690 baht with three license users which has helped to boost sales by three to four times.
"If consumers buy more genuine software this will help us to reduce the problem of maintaining the computer because 80 percent of computer problems come from pirated software which makes it hard for us to handle or fix the problem.Moreover, when users start to buy genuine OS software it will persuade them to buy more antivirus software or others,"he said.
The company will also take part in the official launch of Windows 7 in on October 31, offering Home Premium edition of Windows 7 at 2,777 baht for the first 777 people.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Intel profit lifts industry hopes
Intel, the world's largest semiconductor maker, offered further evidence on Tuesday that the global economy was indeed on the mend.
The company reported a third-quarter profit that easily surpassed Wall Street's estimates, and its revenue was well ahead of the projection that Intel offered investors at the end of August.
"The current quarter looks promising as well," Intel said, and the company lifted its revenue forecast to about $500 million above analysts' estimates.
Intel is a bellwether for trends in the technology industry and the economy as a whole. Its computer chips are the logic engines in most personal computers and in larger computers in data centers that power e-mail, electronic commerce and the Internet.
So Intel's performance suggests that economic prospects are brightening,analysts said.
"Technology should benefit first and foremost in a global economic recovery,"said Edward Yardeni, an independent economist and investment strategist.
Intel, based in Santa Clara, California,reported third-quarter revenue of $9.4 billion, well ahead of the analysts' consensus of $9 billion, as compiled by Thomson Reuters. Still, Intel's sales remained 8% below last year.
Yet Intel executives emphasised the unfolding trend. The third quarter's revenue was 17% higher than in the second quarter, the largest rate of improvement over those quarters in more than 30 years.
Net income was nearly $1.9 billion,or 33 cents a share. The Wall Street estimate was 28 cents a share, and that was after analysts had steadily lifted their earnings forecasts in recent months. In July, the consensus estimate was 15 cents a share, according to Thomson Reuters.In the year-earlier quarter, Intel reported earnings of $2 billion, or 35 cents a share.
Intel's recovery has been most robust in fast-growing, developing economies like China. But even the mature economies of the United States and Western Europe are showing signs of real improvement, with America slightly ahead of Europe, Stacy J. Smith, Intel's chief financial officer, said in an interview.
"The personal computer market is decisively recovering, although con-sumers, not companies, are doing most of the buying," Smith noted.
The upbeat third-quarter report is the latest evidence of growing optimism at the big chip maker. In July, Intel reported that its second-quarter results were stronger than it had expected, even though sales were down 15% from the previous year.
Yet the downward trend seemed to be broken, cheering both Wall Street and the technology industry.
Then, at the end of August, Intel pointed to stronger demand for its microprocessors and chipsets and raised its revenue projection for the third quarter by $500 million, to about $9 billion.
Investors anticipate that technology companies, led by Intel, will lead the way out of the recovery. Earnings estimates for all the companies in the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index are projected to be down 25% in the third quarter,compared with a year earlier, according to Thomson Reuters. But technology company profits are expected to be down only 14%.
In July, analysts had expected technology sector profits to be off 20% in the third quarter.
The company reported a third-quarter profit that easily surpassed Wall Street's estimates, and its revenue was well ahead of the projection that Intel offered investors at the end of August.
"The current quarter looks promising as well," Intel said, and the company lifted its revenue forecast to about $500 million above analysts' estimates.
Intel is a bellwether for trends in the technology industry and the economy as a whole. Its computer chips are the logic engines in most personal computers and in larger computers in data centers that power e-mail, electronic commerce and the Internet.
So Intel's performance suggests that economic prospects are brightening,analysts said.
"Technology should benefit first and foremost in a global economic recovery,"said Edward Yardeni, an independent economist and investment strategist.
Intel, based in Santa Clara, California,reported third-quarter revenue of $9.4 billion, well ahead of the analysts' consensus of $9 billion, as compiled by Thomson Reuters. Still, Intel's sales remained 8% below last year.
Yet Intel executives emphasised the unfolding trend. The third quarter's revenue was 17% higher than in the second quarter, the largest rate of improvement over those quarters in more than 30 years.
Net income was nearly $1.9 billion,or 33 cents a share. The Wall Street estimate was 28 cents a share, and that was after analysts had steadily lifted their earnings forecasts in recent months. In July, the consensus estimate was 15 cents a share, according to Thomson Reuters.In the year-earlier quarter, Intel reported earnings of $2 billion, or 35 cents a share.
Intel's recovery has been most robust in fast-growing, developing economies like China. But even the mature economies of the United States and Western Europe are showing signs of real improvement, with America slightly ahead of Europe, Stacy J. Smith, Intel's chief financial officer, said in an interview.
"The personal computer market is decisively recovering, although con-sumers, not companies, are doing most of the buying," Smith noted.
The upbeat third-quarter report is the latest evidence of growing optimism at the big chip maker. In July, Intel reported that its second-quarter results were stronger than it had expected, even though sales were down 15% from the previous year.
Yet the downward trend seemed to be broken, cheering both Wall Street and the technology industry.
Then, at the end of August, Intel pointed to stronger demand for its microprocessors and chipsets and raised its revenue projection for the third quarter by $500 million, to about $9 billion.
Investors anticipate that technology companies, led by Intel, will lead the way out of the recovery. Earnings estimates for all the companies in the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index are projected to be down 25% in the third quarter,compared with a year earlier, according to Thomson Reuters. But technology company profits are expected to be down only 14%.
In July, analysts had expected technology sector profits to be off 20% in the third quarter.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Electronics sector to change strategy
The electric and electronics industry wil use the Bt4-billion budget proposed under the government's second stimulus package to enhance its competitiveness by upgrading from original-equipment to original-design manufacturing.
The three-year model scheme starting next year will concentrate on developing four important areas, which are product design, the supply chain, design-skilled staff and infrastructure, Katiya Greigarn, president of the Thai Association of Electrical and Electronics Industries, said yesterday.
To do original-design manufacturing,the industry needs to adopt advanced technology and improve the skills of its workforce to create high-value and differentiated products.
The industry normally requires 10,000 new workers per year, assuming annual growth of 10 per cent.
"We have to avoid the tough competition in common products because our wages are not cheap anymore. However, the government's support is needed to encourage manufacturers to do their own research and develoment as well as train skillled workers to support leading-edge technology," he said.
The association will collaborate with the National Electronics and Comuter Technology Centre and universitie to help local manufacturers conduct R&D to serve three main functions-user-centre desig n, universal design and eco-design.
Forming a cluster for the industry will help reduce maufacturers' logistics costs and facilitate their developing the necessary infrastructure together including modern laboratories.
Without state support ffor the industry's development, it will be difficult to maintain exports like now because of the tough global competition, he said.
"These steps require time. If we still do notheing, I can't see how we can survive in the futrue," he added.
The three-year model scheme starting next year will concentrate on developing four important areas, which are product design, the supply chain, design-skilled staff and infrastructure, Katiya Greigarn, president of the Thai Association of Electrical and Electronics Industries, said yesterday.
To do original-design manufacturing,the industry needs to adopt advanced technology and improve the skills of its workforce to create high-value and differentiated products.
The industry normally requires 10,000 new workers per year, assuming annual growth of 10 per cent.
"We have to avoid the tough competition in common products because our wages are not cheap anymore. However, the government's support is needed to encourage manufacturers to do their own research and develoment as well as train skillled workers to support leading-edge technology," he said.
The association will collaborate with the National Electronics and Comuter Technology Centre and universitie to help local manufacturers conduct R&D to serve three main functions-user-centre desig n, universal design and eco-design.
Forming a cluster for the industry will help reduce maufacturers' logistics costs and facilitate their developing the necessary infrastructure together including modern laboratories.
Without state support ffor the industry's development, it will be difficult to maintain exports like now because of the tough global competition, he said.
"These steps require time. If we still do notheing, I can't see how we can survive in the futrue," he added.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
STYLE OVER SUBSTANCE
New Asus notebook rouses the tech style council By Richard Mcleish
There has been no shortage of ultra thin notebooks on shop shelves lately, and Asus has joined the action with the release of the UX50V. With its strong emphasis on style, the model shakes up the low-voltage class of notebooks, jostling competitively with Acer's Timelines and Lenovo's ThinkPads. Asus seems to be upping the style ante, but the question remains as to whether this is what consumers want. Let's take a closer look at the new offering.
Visually, the unit seduces on first sight.Its clean piano-black lines taper to a pinch around the edges, making it appear more svelte than its 33mm thickness, and at 2.6kg, it's like a bulkier version of the recently released Asus Eee PC 1005HC netbook. The glossy top screams "fingerprints", even before it is taken out of the box. The matt bottom half might have been a less stylish, but more practical option for the whole case.
Inside, however, the unit is less dazzling.The Intel Core2 Solo mobile SU3500 processor brags low-voltage usage but barely pips the Atom processors found in newer netbooks, and is considerably less powerful than Core2 Duo processors.
The 15.6-inch LCD screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio is very watchable, especially for movies, bettering 15.4-inch models that offer a 16:10 ratio.
The model gains ground with the inclusion of an nVidia Geforce G 105M graphics card that offers smooth 1080p HD playback, but a Blu-ray drive is not included. The benefit of a discrete GPU is that it can be switched off in the system tray to save battery life, but it seems out of place among this model's other more midrange components.
WORKING
There's no denying the slick usability of the model. The full-size "MosaicGlow"keyboard has a nice big Enter key and a full numeric pad, and illuminates in lowlight.
The well-designed hinge holds the screen in position nicely, but the glossy finish can make it hard to read with the reflections it picks up, especially during outdoor daytime usage.
The large touchpad easily facilitates vertical and horizontal scrolling, making web browsing and document editing simple.The good looking button below the touchpad is badly positioned and hard to press,which is disappointing considering the calibre of the design elsewhere on the unit. The drive release button and the WiFi on/off are also a little tacky and detracting.
Connectivity ports are largely housed at the rear of the unit, maintaining the clean tapered lines. A memory card port and USB socket are hidden under a flexible plastic lid on the left for easy access, but a headphone jack would be useful there,or even better still, at the front.
The Altec Lansing SRS speakers offer decent sound in a small room, coping with both the bass of electro and the soaring treble of classical music.
The press kit claims the unit has six hours of battery life on low energy settings,which comes closer to four with more normal usage, below standard netbook battery life. The extended battery life that would justify the choice of the low-voltage CPU is non-existant, tilting the performance to cost ratio out of favour. The unit stays cool, and runs quietly, which is important for users in tropical locations.
CONCLUSION
With an optimistic asking price of just under 40,000 baht, the unit is targeted at standard home users who are willing to pay extra for good design. That said, the clean lines and slick black finish are quite seductive. However, when compared with other models in its class, even the MacBook Air, it wanes in the performance stakes. If aesthetics are your weakness, the UX50V may well entice you, but the rest of us may keep our wallets in our pockets.
The Asus UX50V, priced at 39,900 baht, is available from Hardware House, Pantip Plaza, Phetchaburi Road,call 02-685-8936.
There has been no shortage of ultra thin notebooks on shop shelves lately, and Asus has joined the action with the release of the UX50V. With its strong emphasis on style, the model shakes up the low-voltage class of notebooks, jostling competitively with Acer's Timelines and Lenovo's ThinkPads. Asus seems to be upping the style ante, but the question remains as to whether this is what consumers want. Let's take a closer look at the new offering.
Visually, the unit seduces on first sight.Its clean piano-black lines taper to a pinch around the edges, making it appear more svelte than its 33mm thickness, and at 2.6kg, it's like a bulkier version of the recently released Asus Eee PC 1005HC netbook. The glossy top screams "fingerprints", even before it is taken out of the box. The matt bottom half might have been a less stylish, but more practical option for the whole case.
Inside, however, the unit is less dazzling.The Intel Core2 Solo mobile SU3500 processor brags low-voltage usage but barely pips the Atom processors found in newer netbooks, and is considerably less powerful than Core2 Duo processors.
The 15.6-inch LCD screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio is very watchable, especially for movies, bettering 15.4-inch models that offer a 16:10 ratio.
The model gains ground with the inclusion of an nVidia Geforce G 105M graphics card that offers smooth 1080p HD playback, but a Blu-ray drive is not included. The benefit of a discrete GPU is that it can be switched off in the system tray to save battery life, but it seems out of place among this model's other more midrange components.
WORKING
There's no denying the slick usability of the model. The full-size "MosaicGlow"keyboard has a nice big Enter key and a full numeric pad, and illuminates in lowlight.
The well-designed hinge holds the screen in position nicely, but the glossy finish can make it hard to read with the reflections it picks up, especially during outdoor daytime usage.
The large touchpad easily facilitates vertical and horizontal scrolling, making web browsing and document editing simple.The good looking button below the touchpad is badly positioned and hard to press,which is disappointing considering the calibre of the design elsewhere on the unit. The drive release button and the WiFi on/off are also a little tacky and detracting.
Connectivity ports are largely housed at the rear of the unit, maintaining the clean tapered lines. A memory card port and USB socket are hidden under a flexible plastic lid on the left for easy access, but a headphone jack would be useful there,or even better still, at the front.
The Altec Lansing SRS speakers offer decent sound in a small room, coping with both the bass of electro and the soaring treble of classical music.
The press kit claims the unit has six hours of battery life on low energy settings,which comes closer to four with more normal usage, below standard netbook battery life. The extended battery life that would justify the choice of the low-voltage CPU is non-existant, tilting the performance to cost ratio out of favour. The unit stays cool, and runs quietly, which is important for users in tropical locations.
CONCLUSION
With an optimistic asking price of just under 40,000 baht, the unit is targeted at standard home users who are willing to pay extra for good design. That said, the clean lines and slick black finish are quite seductive. However, when compared with other models in its class, even the MacBook Air, it wanes in the performance stakes. If aesthetics are your weakness, the UX50V may well entice you, but the rest of us may keep our wallets in our pockets.
The Asus UX50V, priced at 39,900 baht, is available from Hardware House, Pantip Plaza, Phetchaburi Road,call 02-685-8936.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
THAI IT SECTOR SLIPS IN COMPLETITIVENESS RANKINGS
Thailand's IT industry slipped to 49th in the 2009 IT Industry Competitiveness Index from 42nd last year, due to declines in both its foreign-investment policy ranking and PC ownership ranking, which are heavily weighted indicators.
Within Asia, Thailand ranked 11th, behind India, 44th in the world, and ahead of the Philippines, 51st, and Vietnam, 56th.
In the study issued by the Economist Intelligence Unit on a BSA sponsorship, Thailand's foreign-investment policy ranking dipped to 35th, from 29th last year. Despite an improvement in personal computer ownership, its relative ranking declined five places, from 47th in 2008 to 52nd this year.
Thailand's overall business environment was ranked 30th in the world, a slight drop from 28th last year. Thailand is ranked 29th in the world on support for IT development. The ranking for IT human capital moved up from 46th to 43rd, while the R&D environment ranking also rose from 59th to 58th.
However, the ranking for legal environment dropped from 56th to 57th.
Australia, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea are among the top 20 countries globally for having the most competitive IT industries, according to the study.
"In today's economic climate, it is critical that governments in Asia-Pacific continue to support the growth of a strong technology sector. The IT sector remains an important engine of economic growth, and economies in the region that are supporting innovation and taking steps to stimulate technology sector output are placing themselves in a strong position to accelerate economic recovery," Carlo Parlade, BSA's director of software policy for Asia-Pacific, said yesterday.
"The study shows that economies that have strong legal frameworks for the protection of intellectual property [IP] are generally the IT leaders and score higher in the index.
"In contrast, economies where IP protection has not been well enforced are not traditionally seen as innovators. Some rely instead on their low-cost labour markets to remain competitive but this is hard to sustain over time.
"By improving on the factors that contribute to IT competitiveness, Asian economies will not only improve their ranking but also generate long-term economic growth."
"The study shows that economies that have strong legal frameworks for the protection of intellectual property [IP] are generally the IT leaders and score higher in the index."
Within Asia, Thailand ranked 11th, behind India, 44th in the world, and ahead of the Philippines, 51st, and Vietnam, 56th.
In the study issued by the Economist Intelligence Unit on a BSA sponsorship, Thailand's foreign-investment policy ranking dipped to 35th, from 29th last year. Despite an improvement in personal computer ownership, its relative ranking declined five places, from 47th in 2008 to 52nd this year.
Thailand's overall business environment was ranked 30th in the world, a slight drop from 28th last year. Thailand is ranked 29th in the world on support for IT development. The ranking for IT human capital moved up from 46th to 43rd, while the R&D environment ranking also rose from 59th to 58th.
However, the ranking for legal environment dropped from 56th to 57th.
Australia, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea are among the top 20 countries globally for having the most competitive IT industries, according to the study.
"In today's economic climate, it is critical that governments in Asia-Pacific continue to support the growth of a strong technology sector. The IT sector remains an important engine of economic growth, and economies in the region that are supporting innovation and taking steps to stimulate technology sector output are placing themselves in a strong position to accelerate economic recovery," Carlo Parlade, BSA's director of software policy for Asia-Pacific, said yesterday.
"The study shows that economies that have strong legal frameworks for the protection of intellectual property [IP] are generally the IT leaders and score higher in the index.
"In contrast, economies where IP protection has not been well enforced are not traditionally seen as innovators. Some rely instead on their low-cost labour markets to remain competitive but this is hard to sustain over time.
"By improving on the factors that contribute to IT competitiveness, Asian economies will not only improve their ranking but also generate long-term economic growth."
"The study shows that economies that have strong legal frameworks for the protection of intellectual property [IP] are generally the IT leaders and score higher in the index."
Friday, October 2, 2009
Consult the sommelier in your pocket
Shopping for wine is a lot like parenting a teenager. You feel stupid when you're in the middle of it,and when you finally emerge, you're desperately ready for a drink.
There is, alas, no app for raising teenagers. But mobile software developers have begun aiming at oenophiles, and in so doing, they have established one of the more useful categories of wireless apps.
Appropriately enough, choosing the right one can be puzzling and tedious.Some of the refined entries in the current vintage include Cor.kz, Wine Enthusiast Guide, Nat Decants Food & Wine Matcher and Pair It!. I'd give them a rating of 85,with an asterisk. They're fairly good now,and they should age nicely.
Before digging into the details, though,consider the overall value of these services for a moment. Let's say you're at your favourite wine shop with about 15 minutes to spare, and you want a bottle that will make your dinner guests coo,without maxing out your credit card.
The shop owner is helping someone near the Mouton Rothschild, and the other employees are 23-year-olds with extensive beer-stocking skills. Rather than choosing a random bottle or asking the beer guys, you can now just reach for the sommelier in your cell phone.
From there you have a couple of options. Some apps, like Wine Enthusiast,let you find the most highly rated wines at specific price levels, so you can quickly browse the store - or, if you're in a restaurant, the wine list - for suitable matches.
If you have Cor.kz or, to a lesser extent,Nat Decants, you can reverse the process,and look through the wine list or shelves until you find a promising label. Then it's a matter of doing a quick check on its rating.
The second approach has limits, simply because it takes too long to type in,say,"2003 Hochheimer Koenigin Victoriaberg Riesling Beerenauslese," to say nothing of the time it might take to click through the ratings and then move onto another bottle.
Smartphone mavens are already wondering why you can't just use the phone's camera to scan the bottle's bar code and have the app display the wine's rating? In the coming weeks, you'll be able to get fairly close to that bit of grape-soaked geekery, thanks to a new feature from Cor.kz.
But first, more about the core features of this app, which will soon be available to BlackBerry users and owners of Android devices like T-Mobile's MyTouch 3G.
Cor.kz stands on the shoulders of an Internet giant, cellartracker.com, which houses more than a million reviews by roughly 82,000 wine aficionados. Cor.kz can also help users manage their wine cellar inventory, but it is perhaps best used by those who just want to buy more intelligently.
Type in the name of the wine you are considering - Del Dotto, say - and Cor.kz retrieves everything in CellarTracker's data base about the wine.
This can be a blessing and a curse.Wines from Del Dotto, a small but muchbeloved vintner in Napa Valley, California, yield 581 tasting notes. If you type something more specific into your iPhone, like "2005 Del Dotto Cabernet,"Cor.kz returns 95 matches.
Some of these results include a numerical rating. To save yourself wasted clicks, choose those listings. The rating represents the average from CellarTracker's reviewers, and those entries will also include detailed reviews and retail prices.
There is, alas, no app for raising teenagers. But mobile software developers have begun aiming at oenophiles, and in so doing, they have established one of the more useful categories of wireless apps.
Appropriately enough, choosing the right one can be puzzling and tedious.Some of the refined entries in the current vintage include Cor.kz, Wine Enthusiast Guide, Nat Decants Food & Wine Matcher and Pair It!. I'd give them a rating of 85,with an asterisk. They're fairly good now,and they should age nicely.
Before digging into the details, though,consider the overall value of these services for a moment. Let's say you're at your favourite wine shop with about 15 minutes to spare, and you want a bottle that will make your dinner guests coo,without maxing out your credit card.
The shop owner is helping someone near the Mouton Rothschild, and the other employees are 23-year-olds with extensive beer-stocking skills. Rather than choosing a random bottle or asking the beer guys, you can now just reach for the sommelier in your cell phone.
From there you have a couple of options. Some apps, like Wine Enthusiast,let you find the most highly rated wines at specific price levels, so you can quickly browse the store - or, if you're in a restaurant, the wine list - for suitable matches.
If you have Cor.kz or, to a lesser extent,Nat Decants, you can reverse the process,and look through the wine list or shelves until you find a promising label. Then it's a matter of doing a quick check on its rating.
The second approach has limits, simply because it takes too long to type in,say,"2003 Hochheimer Koenigin Victoriaberg Riesling Beerenauslese," to say nothing of the time it might take to click through the ratings and then move onto another bottle.
Smartphone mavens are already wondering why you can't just use the phone's camera to scan the bottle's bar code and have the app display the wine's rating? In the coming weeks, you'll be able to get fairly close to that bit of grape-soaked geekery, thanks to a new feature from Cor.kz.
But first, more about the core features of this app, which will soon be available to BlackBerry users and owners of Android devices like T-Mobile's MyTouch 3G.
Cor.kz stands on the shoulders of an Internet giant, cellartracker.com, which houses more than a million reviews by roughly 82,000 wine aficionados. Cor.kz can also help users manage their wine cellar inventory, but it is perhaps best used by those who just want to buy more intelligently.
Type in the name of the wine you are considering - Del Dotto, say - and Cor.kz retrieves everything in CellarTracker's data base about the wine.
This can be a blessing and a curse.Wines from Del Dotto, a small but muchbeloved vintner in Napa Valley, California, yield 581 tasting notes. If you type something more specific into your iPhone, like "2005 Del Dotto Cabernet,"Cor.kz returns 95 matches.
Some of these results include a numerical rating. To save yourself wasted clicks, choose those listings. The rating represents the average from CellarTracker's reviewers, and those entries will also include detailed reviews and retail prices.
CLARIFICATION OF INCONSISTENT INFORMATION ORDERED
The Stock Exchange of Thailand yesterday ordered Solution Corner (1998), or SLC, to provide more information regarding the takeover of its shares by an information-technology business group.
The company initially informed the SET it had not been contacted by any group regarding the takeover but later said its major shareholders had agreed to sell all of their shares, amounting to a 65-per-cent stake, to Derake Vongchinsri on Wednesday. The two major shareholders are Nitat and Wantanee Maneesilasan, who are also managing director and deputy managing director, respectively.
The SET therefore ordered SLC, which is listed with the Market for Alternative Investment, to provide additional details and strictly comply with disclosure guidelines. SLC's stock yesterday was posted with an "Alert" sign, warning investors the company was required to provide sufficient information.
Later, SLC said the shares were sold to three investors instead of a single buyer, details of which were shown in the SET Market Analysis and Reporting Tool on Tuesday, Wednesday and yesterday.
The information disclosed to the SET and investors was inconsistent, with significant details changed in a short period of time. As the information regarding the takeover is considered significant information and can have a significant effect on the share price and investors' decisions, a listed company and its management team have a duty and responsibility to disclose correct, complete and sufficient information to investors.
In order for shareholders and investors to have more information regarding a takeover, the SET is requiring SLC to provide more details by next Thursday, as follows:
First, why SLC informed the SET on Monday that it had not been contacted by any group regarding a takeover but then later informed the SET that Nitat and Wantanee had agreed to sell all of their shares, equal to 65 per cent of paid-up capital, to Derake.
Second, why SLC informed the SET on Wednesday that Derake was the only buyer of SLC shares from the Maneesilasan Group but then yesterday said there were three buyers: Thanapan Vongchinsri, Thanaporn Piyavetvirat and Polasit Pumiwasana.
The SET wants SLC to explain this in case SLC changed material information in a short time and to understand why SLC did not disclose all of the information to the SET at one time.
Third, SLC informed the SET that Thanaporn was a dermatologist at Asoke Skin Hospital and Polasit Pumiwasana was self-employed as a golf-equipment trader. However, the SET has learned Polasit is actually a director and executive at Aqua, a subsidiary of Sunshine.
The SET wants clear information about the occupations, professional experience and job positions of the aforementioned investors.
Fourth, SLC informed the SET that all three buyers were independent and not connected persons. However, the SET has found that Derake and Thanapan, both surnamed Vongchinsri, may be related to Sunshine's major shareholder and executive, who is also a major shareholder in Aqua, where Polasit is a director and executive.
The SET wants SLC to confirm that all three buyers are independent and not connected.
Fifth, SLC informed the SET that after the disposition of shares, the major shareholders would continue with the company in the same positions. However, SLC later disclosed that these shareholders had agreed to continue in their management positions at SLC for not less than three months, for the sake of an orderly transfer of work to the new management.
The SET wants SLC to explain why it disclosed incomplete and inconsistent information and clarify who the new management team will be or which group of shareholders the new management team will represent.
SLC yesterday closed at Bt5.30, up 6 per cent from Wednesday.
The company initially informed the SET it had not been contacted by any group regarding the takeover but later said its major shareholders had agreed to sell all of their shares, amounting to a 65-per-cent stake, to Derake Vongchinsri on Wednesday. The two major shareholders are Nitat and Wantanee Maneesilasan, who are also managing director and deputy managing director, respectively.
The SET therefore ordered SLC, which is listed with the Market for Alternative Investment, to provide additional details and strictly comply with disclosure guidelines. SLC's stock yesterday was posted with an "Alert" sign, warning investors the company was required to provide sufficient information.
Later, SLC said the shares were sold to three investors instead of a single buyer, details of which were shown in the SET Market Analysis and Reporting Tool on Tuesday, Wednesday and yesterday.
The information disclosed to the SET and investors was inconsistent, with significant details changed in a short period of time. As the information regarding the takeover is considered significant information and can have a significant effect on the share price and investors' decisions, a listed company and its management team have a duty and responsibility to disclose correct, complete and sufficient information to investors.
In order for shareholders and investors to have more information regarding a takeover, the SET is requiring SLC to provide more details by next Thursday, as follows:
First, why SLC informed the SET on Monday that it had not been contacted by any group regarding a takeover but then later informed the SET that Nitat and Wantanee had agreed to sell all of their shares, equal to 65 per cent of paid-up capital, to Derake.
Second, why SLC informed the SET on Wednesday that Derake was the only buyer of SLC shares from the Maneesilasan Group but then yesterday said there were three buyers: Thanapan Vongchinsri, Thanaporn Piyavetvirat and Polasit Pumiwasana.
The SET wants SLC to explain this in case SLC changed material information in a short time and to understand why SLC did not disclose all of the information to the SET at one time.
Third, SLC informed the SET that Thanaporn was a dermatologist at Asoke Skin Hospital and Polasit Pumiwasana was self-employed as a golf-equipment trader. However, the SET has learned Polasit is actually a director and executive at Aqua, a subsidiary of Sunshine.
The SET wants clear information about the occupations, professional experience and job positions of the aforementioned investors.
Fourth, SLC informed the SET that all three buyers were independent and not connected persons. However, the SET has found that Derake and Thanapan, both surnamed Vongchinsri, may be related to Sunshine's major shareholder and executive, who is also a major shareholder in Aqua, where Polasit is a director and executive.
The SET wants SLC to confirm that all three buyers are independent and not connected.
Fifth, SLC informed the SET that after the disposition of shares, the major shareholders would continue with the company in the same positions. However, SLC later disclosed that these shareholders had agreed to continue in their management positions at SLC for not less than three months, for the sake of an orderly transfer of work to the new management.
The SET wants SLC to explain why it disclosed incomplete and inconsistent information and clarify who the new management team will be or which group of shareholders the new management team will represent.
SLC yesterday closed at Bt5.30, up 6 per cent from Wednesday.
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