30 September 2016

Beautiful.me invites Singapore shoppers to donate rice to the needy

Source: Beautiful.me.  Beautiful.me signs the memorandum of understanding with Community Chest. From left: Elise Wong, CRM Executive, Beautiful.me; Mae Kng, Senior Associate Director, Community Chest; Olive Tai, MD, Beautiful.me; Wileen Chen, Manager of Relations & Engagement, Community Chest.
Source: Beautiful.me.  Beautiful.me signs the memorandum of understanding with Community Chest. From left: Elise Wong, CRM Executive, Beautiful.me; Mae Kng, Senior Associate Director, Community Chest; Olive Tai, MD, Beautiful.me; Wileen Chen, Manager of Relations & Engagement, Community Chest.

Beautiful.me has launched the Giving Is Beautiful campaign in collaboration with Hak Yong Company, a rice importer and distributor, and the Singapore Community Chest. The initiative aims to inspire Singaporean online shoppers to donate money that will be used to purchase rice for the needy.

According to the Singapore-based members-only online shopping platform, which offers high-quality beauty, health, personal care and baby products, some 12% to 14% of Singapore residents live in poverty. As part of Beautiful.me's corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative, every S$1 donated will be used to purchase 1kg of rice, which will then be distributed to 10 local beneficiaries:

AWWA 
Viriya Community Services 
The Singapore Cheshire Home 
Whispering Hearts Family Service Centre 
Fei Yue Family Service Centre 
Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities 
Young Women Christian Association of Singapore (YWCA) 
Food From the Heart 

In addition, Beautiful.me will reward each donor with 'beauty coins' which can be used to purchase items on the Beautiful.me website. All proceeds from the Giving Is Beautiful campaign go directly to the participating beneficiaries. 

“CSR is always one of the focuses for Beautiful.me, as we believe that ecommerce sites are not only for shopping but a platform to do good. Many would like to donate items such as rice but are deterred by its bulkiness. Beautiful.me serves as a medium to enable the public to do good, and deliver rice to the beneficiaries,” said Olive Tai, MD, Beautiful.me. 

Chairman of the Singapore General Rice Importers Association Andrew Tan, said, “Compared to toys, clothes and other items commonly donated to the less fortunate, rice is one of the most essential items when comes to a meal for the needy families It is also one of the most bulky items to be delivered and donated by individuals public. That is why Beautiful.me and Hak Yong decided to step in and fill up the gap.” 

Ng Lingling, MD, Community Chest and Group Director Fundraising & Engagement of the National Council of Social Service said, “We are heartened by Beautiful.me's efforts in encouraging their online buyers to donate rice to the less fortunate through the charities supported by Community Chest, with their commitment to match a dollar to each kilogram of donated rice. This initiative will bring joy to those in need and demonstrate the collective impact of giving in building a caring Singapore.” 

Interested?

From now till 31 December 2016, donate as little as S$1 to donate an equivalent number of rice in kilograms. A confirmation notice and invoice will be sent by email. Donors need to sign up for a free account at www.beautiful.me to track the amount donated, trace invoices, and receive updates on CSR activities.

View the video about the Giving Is Beautiful campaign

Take your pick of MICE packages in Southeast Asia

Three travel companies and properties, Chōsen, The Slate and Samujana, have put together productivity programmes for businesses and workgroups that offer a choice of environments to get the best out of a team.

For adventure junkies

Source: Chosen website. A view of Bali.
Source: Chosen website. A view of Bali.

Chōsen offer experiences that are ideal for teams seeking new adventures and challenges:
  •  Jump off of cliffs, go canyoning, surfing, or try a cooking class
  • Check into their estate in Bali or other locations including in New Zealand
  • Olympic athletes, life coaches and nutritional therapists are some of the experts available to teach and guide guests throughout the week
  • Healthy menus created by a private chef
Chōsen experiences are premium adventure and wellness holidays, adventure getaways, and fitness programmes edited into seven-day packages. Derived from the Japanese characters 挑戦, (sho-zen: to challenge), Chōsen combines physical, social, intellectual and emotional elements in each package. 

Chōsen has been available for select participants since 2013 and can now be experienced by curious and open-minded adventure enthusiasts in new destinations across the world. The locations include a luxury Balinese villa and a stunning mountainside location in Queenstown, New Zealand. 
 
“We have carefully researched, curated and finetuned every aspect of the Chōsen experience; from the adventure activities, nutrition and workouts, to yoga, mindfulness and even the selection process of participants.  The programme aims to challenge, change and rejuvenate each individual by pushing their boundaries both physically and mentally,” says Chōsen co-founder, John Stanton. According to Chōsen, all participants strive for excellence personally or professionally, looking to unlock their full potential or realise it once again. 
 
For wellness aficionados

The Slate, Phuket in Thailand offers a venue for meetings and inspiring incentives:

  •  Dishes prepared by The Slate’s in-house nutritionist focus on the benefits of superfoods to increase productivity
  •  Daily team activities like group jogs, yoga and archery

Source: The Slate. In the grounds of the hotel.
Source: The Slate. In the grounds of the hotel.

Relaunched in August 2016, the Bill Bensley-designed hotel has opened its doors for corporate meetings and incentive offerings for the modern, health-conscious business executive.

The Slate has a specially curated wellness-focused meetings and incentives package to ensure the body, mind and soul are at their optimum for collaborative meetings, creative brainstorming, and team building.

Daily menus are created by The Slate’s in-house nutritionist to include meals and snacks that are not only nourishing but encourage energy and productivity. A variety of team-bonding activities such as group yoga classes, cooking classes, and archery lessons can also be included within the experience.

A short drive from Phuket Airport, the property features multiple pools, an array of restaurants and bars, a fitness studio, tennis courts, on-site dive centre, the Coqoon Spa, conference facilities and Thai cooking classes. Core features of the three night MICE wellness package include:

• Three nights accommodation
• Airport transfers
• Three healthful and energising meals daily designed by The Slate’s head nutritionist
• One daily snack that features super foods for the brain: walnuts, green tea, acai, spinach, beets, etc.
• One daily energising cold-pressed juice
• One active team building activity

The three-day itinerary can be tailored to suit the needs of individual
requirements. Rooms start from US $200 per night, inclusive of core itinerary inclusions. A minimum of 10 rooms must be booked.

For culture seekers

Rejuvenate at Samujana’s luxury villa estate in Koh Samui, Thailand:

o Intersperse meetings and workshops with Muay Thai boxing classes, morning beach yoga sessions, a private exploration of Koh Samui's coves and beaches
o Reward the team with a Thai spa treatment, scenic golf experiences, or a day trip to neighbouring islands on a luxury yacht
o Immerse in Thai culture with an Amazing Race-style competition around the island while solving clues for prizes

Source: Samujana. View of a villa.
Source: Samujana. View of a villa.

Surrounded by sea, sky and infinity swimming pools, Koh Samui’s hilltop location, Samujana has launched three new Executive Retreat offerings to meet the goals of any company trip.

Be it a boardroom, banquet, or cocktail party setting, Samujana boasts a mix of 25 luxury villas and outdoor spaces that can host up to 400 guests. The villas can accommodate 40 to 120 guests while the outdoor lawns can accommodate up to 400 guests for a sit-down dinner. All the lawns feature views of the sea and can be configured to fit stages or other unique spaces.

Itineraries can be created that will not only meet business objectives but also foster team bonding and lasting memories. Team-building activities can include racing around Koh Samui in teams, solving a series of clues and instructions that will lead them to a final prize, or a private cooking class. Activities to challenge employees to step out of their comfort zone to achieve new goals include Muay Thai boxing classes, morning yoga and pilates sessions as well as a pop-up circus school.

Incentives can include pampering spa treatments, a golf day, or day trips by luxury speed boat to visit the islands of Ang Tong National Park, an group of 42 islands in the Central Gulf Coast of Southern Thailand.

Samujana amenities include private villa hosts, local and international cuisine from top, private chefs, an all-weather tennis court (floodlit) and access to nearby water sports. VIP transportation can be provided to all of the hot spots on the island, including the famous walking street at Fishermans Village.

Beauty and relaxation programmes can be experienced in the privacy of the villa, while exclusive charters can be made with a choice of various sailing and motorboats to water-ski, picnic on hidden beaches, snorkel, sightsee or just for pure sailing pleasure.

posted from Bloggeroid

World noticing Suu Balm's skin-soothing properties

Singapore’s first clinically-proven rapid itch-relieving moisturising cream, Suu Balm, developed by the National Skin Centre (NSC), is the world’s first non-prescription, dual-solution cream to be made available in the consumer healthcare market.

The demand for rapid relief from dry, sensitive and irritated skin has made Suu Balm the recommended product of choice for over 40% of local dermatologists, its makers Good Pharma Dermatology say.

Source: Good Pharma Dermatology. Suu Balm.
Source: Good Pharma Dermatology. Suu Balm.
With the support of International Enterprise Singapore (IE), and Intellectual Property Intermediary (IPI) Singapore, Suu Balm is making waves globally. Export sales are expected to reach 100,000 units in its first year.

Already available in Ireland, mainland China, Thailand, Mongolia and the Philippines, further expansion is planned for new markets including Australia, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Vietnam by the end of 2016. In Singapore alone, the brand has sold over 50,000 units and has seen 130% sales uplift in nine months.

“People have an appetite for innovation that cuts across all industries, and the healthcare industry is no exception. Suu Balm has been formulated as a very light, non-greasy moisturiser, suitable for those with dry, itchy sensitive skin in tropical Asian climates,” said Good Pharma Dermatology Co-Founder, Dr John O’Shea.

“It was developed to address an unmet treatment need, and Suu Balm’s very rapid itch-relieving properties encourage people with dry skin conditions to moisturise more frequently. Suu Balm has become the go-to choice for doctors and dermatologists in Singapore, and we’re thrilled to see a similar uptake elsewhere in other markets whereSuu Balm is now available thanks to the incredible support we’ve received as a small and medium sized enterprise (SME) from IPI, Spring and IE.”

Suu Balm was formulated by a National Skin Centre consultant, Dr Tey Hong Liang, in partnership with Good Pharma Dermatology.

Interested?

Suu Balm is currently available in a 75ml tube at S$19.90, and in a 350ml tube at S$49.90 in pharmacies located in eight of Singapore’s largest hospitals, Watsons and NTUC FairPrice outlets. It can also be purchased online at the Suu Balm website

A photo posted by Suu Balm (@suubalmsg) on

Hashtags: #suubalm, #rapiditchrelief

posted from Bloggeroid

Singapore’s workforce is the unhappiest in Asia

+Singapore’s workforce ranks the unhappiest amongst her Asian counterparts
+Office location, good colleagues and company reputation are important drivers of job happiness
+Fresh graduates are happiest at work and C-suites the unhappiest
+Poor leadership and lack of training and development opportunities are main causes of unhappiness

Singapore ranks last when compared with her six neighbours, a survey by JobStreet.com has found. The Philippines comes in first place, with Indonesia in second and Thailand in third. Hong Kong, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore take the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh places respectively.

A 10-point scale rating, the Job Happiness Index, reveals candidates’ sentiment ratings and future outlooks as to how happy and satisfied they are and will be with their jobs. Singaporeans averaged a score of 5.09.

These are some of the key findings from JobStreet.com’s 2016 Job Happiness Index that was conducted in June 2016 with 67,764 participants across seven countries. Respondents are a mix of position levels ranging from fresh graduates to supervisorial and managerial positions plus top management from all around the country. They have stayed in their current jobs for varying lengths of time, and represent various specialisations and industries. The survey clues in companies on the factors that make employees leave or stay in a company and the programmes and systems they can create to establish a better working environment.

Vietnamese were found to be among the most optimistic with the nation’s Job Happiness Index expecting to increase 15% from the score of 5.48 to 6.30 in the next six months. Prominent regional financial centres such as Hong Kong and Singapore are expecting a 5% and 3% drop respectively in the next six months.

According to the survey, a convenient work location, having good colleagues and company reputation are three key factors underpinning job happiness. This points to the importance of building a strong company culture and assembling the right team of talents who work well with one another.

Other reasons for employee happiness are salary, benefits, leadership, career development, job security, culture, corporate values, trainings, work schedule, and their immediate superior.

Conversely, a lack of training and career development and poor leadership were identified as the causes of unhappiness. For top management, this underscores the need to invest in employees and their long-term career advancement. It is also necessary to place competent and well-respected employees in leadership positions —and further groom them so they can undertake their new responsibilities.

To increase job happiness, Singaporean respondents recommend getting a new job (30%), desire a higher salary (19%), and receiving recognition from the company (9%).

Among the Singaporean respondents, fresh graduates (5.3) are found to be the happiest employees in the Singapore workforce. This is in contrast to the lowest-scoring C-suites, who averaged a 4.4. Personnel working in the sciences, hotels and restaurants as well as admin/human resources sectors are the happiest.

Singapore’s Job Happiness Index is expected to drop further in the next six months, as evident by the score of 4.93. In view of these findings, employers are encouraged to take stock of their HR practices and address the factors causing employee dissatisfaction.

“Good leadership can be manifested by keeping employees informed on company directions, strategies and even challenges that the company may be facing particularly during an economy slowdown like currently,” said Chook Yuh Yng, Country Manager of JobStreet.com Singapore.

“Leaders who place facilitating employee development as a focus will tend to enjoy better employee satisfaction. Learning can be facilitated all the time and not just in the classroom. Dissatisfaction with employee-development efforts usually stem from employees feeling that they are not getting much of what they value highly, such as the ability to grow in their jobs.”

/pic

posted from Bloggeroid

27 September 2016

Qatar revises transit visa scheme

Source: Qatar Airways. Doha skyline.
Source: Qatar Airways. Doha skyline.

Qatar Airways, Qatar Tourism Authority and Qatar’s Ministry of Interior have introduced a revised tourism visa scheme available to passengers transiting through Doha in a move to promote Qatar as a world-class stopover destination.

The new transit visa structure now allows passengers with a minimum transit time of five hours in Hamad International Airport, Doha, to stay in Qatar for up to 96 hours (four days) without the requirement to apply ahead of time for an entry visa.

This is a significant increase from the previous transit visa scheme, which allowed travellers with a minimum layover of eight hours to spend a maximum of 48 hours (two days) in Qatar. This increase is designed to make stopovers easier and more attractive to Qatar Airways’ global passengers, and aims to deliver additional value to the local economy while strengthening Qatar’s position as an attractive tourist destination.

The Qatar transit visa is free of charge and available on arrival at Hamad International Airport to passengers of all nationalities, upon confirmation of the onward journey and completion of passport control procedures. All visas are approved and issued at the sole discretion of the Ministry of Interior.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, HE Akbar Al Baker, said: “Qatar Airways serves millions of people from around the world as they journey across our network of more than 150 destinations. Whether travelling for business or leisure, we want to enrich the journey of all of our passengers and we are restructuring our fares to reflect this initiative and to promote stopovers to travellers. We are excited to offer our passengers the opportunity to taste the cultural highlights that the city of Doha and the state of Qatar have to offer. We are thankful to the Ministry of Interior and the Qatar Tourism Authority for helping us to create a journey that includes discovering Qatar, an experience that will stay in our visitors hearts and minds forever.”

The development, shared on the eve of World Tourism Day, is the third in a series of enhancements that Qatar has made to facilitate entry into the country for visitors. A new process to quicken the entry of tourists arriving on board cruise ships and an agreement with VFS Global, which will see the development of a new, faster and more transparent tourist visa application mechanism, were earlier announced.

The World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Secretary-General Taleb Rifai commended Qatar on its rapid advancement in this area. “Promoting visa facilitation is a priority for tourism development worldwide and a key element in the competitiveness of tourism destinations. We congratulate Qatar for announcing, very auspiciously on the occasion of the World Tourism Day, a new milestone change in the country’s transit visa scheme,” he said. “This is the third significant travel facilitation announcement from Qatar in the space of just one month. We are very pleased to see that the work conducted by UNWTO with Qatar on visa facilitation is yielding results and trust that these will certainly result in an increase of visitors to Qatar.”

The Director General of the General Directorate of Nationality, Borders and Expatriates Affairs in the Ministry of Interior, Brigadier Abdullah Salim Al-Ali, said: “The Ministry of Interior strives to support the country’s growth and development, while maintaining security for all visitors and residents. We are pleased to further facilitate the movement of the 30 million passengers who pass through Hamad International Airport every year. We welcome them to spend time in Doha and discover Qatari hospitality.”

Qatar Tourism Authority’s Chief Tourism Development Officer, Hassan Al Ibrahim, said: “By offering an enhanced transit visa to passengers travelling through Hamad International Airport, Qatar is providing its visitors a welcoming experience from the moment their planes touch down in Doha until they begin their onward journeys to their final destinations. And, as we celebrate World Tourism Day’s Tourism for All theme, we are delighted to make Qatar more accessible to people from around the world and invite them to discover our country, our cultural heritage and our natural treasures.”

The introduction of a new transit visa scheme is also a step towards positioning Doha as a turn-around port for cruise ships, Al Ibrahim added, noting that in the near future international cruise passengers could fly to Qatar, enter using a transit visa, and begin and end their cruise in Doha. “This will increase the length of stay in Qatar of a growing segment of visitors, and allow them to further explore our country’s tourism offering, while increasing the economic impact of cruise tourism,” he commented.

To maximise on their transit through Qatar, visitors can explore Discover Qatar stopover packages offered by Qatar Airways Holidays. These include, desert safaris, city tours, visits to Katara Cultural Village, Souq Waqif, and The Pearl-Qatar island, plus museum and art gallery visits, architectural tours, and hotel bookings.

Interested?

Read the WorkSmart Asia blog post about the collaboration between Qatar and VFS Global

Qatar Airways will be first in the world to know where its planes are, minute by minute

Qatar Airways will be the global launch customer of GlobalBeacon, a technology solution by Aireon and FlightAware that is designed to provide up-to-the minute global tracking of all aircraft equipped with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) in 2018, approximately three years before the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) recommendation for compliance by 2021.

Source: Qatar Airways. Plane in Qatar Airways livery in action.
Source: Qatar Airways. Plane in Qatar Airways livery in action.

GlobalBeacon combines FlightAware’s worldwide flight tracking information, including origin, destination, flight plan route, position, and estimated time of arrival with data from Aireon’s space-based ADS-B aircraft surveillance system, due to be operational in 2018. The solution will provide Qatar Airways with state-of-the-art technology to meet and exceed Global Aeronautical Distress Safety System (GADSS) requirements and recommendations.

In addition to aircraft tracking and location reporting requirements, GADSS requires aircraft to provide immediate notification of abnormal events, regardless of air traffic unit boundaries and without a degradation of baseline search and rescue services. Further, distressed aircraft status tracking under GADSS can be activated by the pilot, automatically by the aircraft and remotely by the operations control centre.

Announced by ICAO in March of 2016, the GADSS was created to help improve the ability to detect commercial aircraft in remote locations. The key components of GADSS recommend that aircraft report their position to the airline’s operations centre at a minimum of once every 15 minutes under normal flight circumstances. However, if an aircraft should become in distress, position reports are then to be provided every minute. GlobalBeacon will provide a permanent minute-by-minute reporting capability, exceeding the ICAO recommendation.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, HE Akbar Al Baker, said: “As one of the fastest growing airlines in the world, both our needs, and our drive to deliver the very best services for our global passengers, are continually evolving. GlobalBeacon will seamlessly integrate with our existing ICAO 2018 compliant flight watch technology (Total Operations System), and further enhance our fleet management by providing updates every minute.

“I am proud of Qatar Airways’ leadership in this vital area of aviation safety and awareness. We will be the first airline in the world to have the capability to use worldwide satellite air surveillance to support our airline operations and to achieve the highest level of flight tracking standards ahead of the ICAO 2021 mandate.”

“Qatar Airways is a leader in the aviation industry, and their proactive approach to implementing the GADSS recommendations reinforces that point,” said Aireon CEO, Don Thoma. “With a modern fleet of 190 aircraft flying all over the world, across remote and oceanic airspace, Qatar Airways and GlobalBeacon are an ideal match and no new avionics will be required. We’re excited to welcome them as a partner.”

“With GlobalBeacon, Qatar Airways is getting the most state-of-the-art solution to meet GADSS recommendations in the industry,” said FlightAware CEO, Daniel Baker. “The adoption of this solution shows their commitment to their customers, employees and international community to help improve airlines and aviation stakeholder’s ability to locate aircraft in distress and improve search and rescue capabilities.”

26 September 2016

Food service trends in Australia include limited edition experiences

Australians’ expectations regarding the dining experience continued to evolve in 2015, with consumers becoming increasingly enthusiastic foodies and demanding new culinary experiences. As a response to this trend food service operators continued to innovate and experiment with formats, menus and concepts, says Euromonitor in a blog post.

The research firm describes Hotel Marriott in Melbourne's launch of the “Table for 12” dining concept in in October 2015, which offered customers the opportunity to enjoy a four-course degustation menu for only 12 people. The menu is available only one evening a week, thus reinforcing the uniqueness of the experience.

Demand for novelty gastronomic experiences has also supported the emergence of popup restaurants. Although popup stores are not new to Australia, these gained relevance in the food service industry in 2015, with names like US burger chain In-N-Out Burger and Copenhagen’s Noma participating. Other industry players such as The Keystone Group and Merivale Group, owners of multiple restaurants, have also created spaces that allow them to have temporary restaurants throughout the year, Euromonitor noted. For example, Merivale’s Work in Progress location hosted a number of popup restaurants during the year, including Chef Patrick Friesen’s fried chicken and noodle bar and Chef Eric Koh’s dim-sum restaurant. Similarly, Keystone Group's popup space with Barbarello’s Pizza & Arcade concept was open from June to September 2015.
 
Euromonitor International expects to see additional investment in food menus and outlet formats as well as further experimentation of food concepts that can support demand for unique and adventurous food experiences. With popup restaurants representing a great opportunity for operators to test products and business concepts while promoting their businesses, the concept is expected to continue in Australia. The company also forecasts that chains will also offer innovation, with more chain operators expected to follow initiatives such as “Create your Taste” and The Corner café by McDonalds.

Uber Scheduled Rides now available in Malaysia

In June, Uber announced the global rollout of Scheduled Rides. The rides are now available in Malaysia from 27 September in Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, Penang, Johor Bahru and Kota Kinabalu.

"Scheduled Rides is the top-requested feature from riders, especially for times like early morning trips to the airport. And even though we pride ourselves on providing on-demand rides, we totally get it. When you've got somewhere to be at a very specific time, it’s nice to have extra assurance that a ride will be available when you need it," says Uber in a blog post at https://newsroom.uber.com/scheduledrides/

With just a few taps to the app, riders are able to schedule an uberX ride for as little as 15 minutes to 30 days in advance.

How it works:

Select uberX and tap “Schedule a Ride.”
Set your pickup date, time, location, and destination.

Confirm the details of your upcoming trip and tap “Schedule uberX.” You can cancel at anytime before your ride is on the way.

Uber will send reminders both 24 hours and 30 minutes in advance of the pickup. You’ll be notified after your ride is on the way, as well as whether surge pricing applies.

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posted from Bloggeroid

The Shopee Malaysia MyCyberSale offers discounts of up to 90%

Source: Shopee. Part of a banner for MyCyberSale.
Source: Shopee. Part of a banner for MyCyberSale.
Shop on Shopee Malaysia during the MyCyberSale period - ending September 30 - and stand to win* an iPhone 7 and other prizes. Shipping is free*.

Some of the items on sale include:

. Jabra SPORT CORDED Stereo Headset

This waterproof headset in black is targeted at sports lovers. From Jabra Malaysia, there is two years' warranty.
Shopee offer: 69% off*.

2. April Skin Magic Cushion

Part of the 'Hallyu' phenomenon, this magic cushion now costs RM57.9, down from RM100*.
Limit: maximum of three per customer.

3.  Xiaomi Piston Earphones

Available in several pastel colours plus white or black to complete fashion statements.
Shopee offer: RM18, was RM40*.

4. Shake and Take Juice Blender

Make a juice and take it with you. Available in four colours,
Shopee's MyCyberSale price is RM49, down from RM98*.

5. DVR Vehicle Camera Video Recorder

This recorder features a 2.7" 16:9 TFT LCD and a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080. The view angle is 170°.
Shopee offer: RM20, was RM54*.



Interested?

Shop the e-mall at or download the Shopee app. There are additional discount codes for individual shops as well as an overall sale discount on the website*

Hashtag: #MyCyberSale


*Terms and conditions apply

25 September 2016

Inside the mind of an award-winning designer

Dr Cingoli spoke at the National Design Centre, Singapore.
Dr Cingoli spoke at the National Design Centre.
Dr Andrea Cingoli, founder, ConceptIcon, has been building up a name for his team with Zo_loft architecture & design and more recently for himself with ConceptIcon through awards, which he believes is a good yardstick of the quality of a design. "If we stay everything in our box we won't go anywhere," he said. "We have to make design social, show others and give inspiration to others."

"Inspiration is something that is strongly linked with context, in my life, and my experiences," he continued. "I try to think in a lateral way, to add significance to things, to make things that will stimulate our minds.

"It is what you feel in your heart or your mind, most of these objects are for my needs, to fulfil my happiness. Design is strictly linked with your life and each life is extraordinary, so design has to give you extraordinary things."

The perfect design, Dr Cingoli said, has the "best usability with the best simplicity". "If a design can be popular, (across) cultures, liked by people of (different) ages, it will be a very good design," he said.

A good design can combine structural concerns and marketing concerns, he noted. His Twist embodies this concept - the spiral lampshade can be packaged in flattened form, and then pulled apart into the the spiral form when it is to be used.

Designs also have to enable people to make it their own, he added. His Plan shelf, for instance, has a hole at one end which can be used in different ways - to hold a ball, or be fitted with a basketball net, he said.

Last but not least, multiple functions can be combined in a good design. The C-Glass is a drinking glass with a removable ashtray below it. When integrated together, a cigar placed in the ashtray can warm a beverage in the glass, Dr Cingoli said.

The Red Dot design award in particular is one of the best tools for design professionals to understand the essence of design, he said. He has three Red Dot awards in 2016 to his name, for the Qwerty Sofa, CrickIT and BALAMP. All three use technology in innovative ways.

QWERTYsofa won a Red Dot design award in 2016 in the Furniture category.
QWERTYsofa won a Red Dot design award in 2016 in the Furniture category. 

Inspired by the act of falling asleep on a sofa, the QWERTYsofa is a sofa bed that uses the 'QWERTY' computer keyboard as imagery. The exact sitting or lying position required can be micro-customised as each key is attached to a micro-motor that can be remotely controlled. Measuring 310cm in length, 110cm in width and 100cm in height, QWERTYsofa is made from stainless steel, multi density polymer, and waterproof and flame-resistant faux leather. It operates on both electrical and software equipment, and the latest generation of gel batteries. The remote control stores 10 position combinations. 

Cingoli is looking for partners with which to commercialise the sofa bed, and said that the letters 'Q' and 'W' were not included as part of the sofa as they did not contribute to the overall aesthetic.

In trolley mode, the user places an object on the platform and  stands outside of the vehicle to drive. A maximum of 250kg  can be transported.
In trolley mode, the user places an object on the platform and
stands outside of the vehicle to drive. A maximum of 250kg
can be transported.
CrickIT won a Red Dot design award 2016 in the Mobility category. It is an electrical vehicle that can be packed flat and envisioned as an alternative mode of long-distance transportation, especially where roads are narrow or pedestrianised.

According to ConceptIcon, this is the first portable scooter that allows the user to lean back in a semi-sitting position with the ischial tuberosity (Editor's note: the part of the skeleton which takes most of the pressure when sitting down) supported. The handle and the seat are both ergonomically designed and adjustable to allow people of different heights and sizes to drive in the most comfortable position possible.

In the vehicular configuration, the user leans against the seat 

and drives by holding on the handlebars, leaning left and right 

to steer, much like a skier does. In this mode, CrickIT can 

achieve a maximum speed of 15kmh, but the driving speed 

usually averages from 8kmh and 10kmh.
The shell is made of polycarbonate and carbon materials to provide strength and lightness. It runs on modern gel battery that can last about two hours per charge. Other functions include signal lights; battery charge and vehicle status indicators; and location-based software that guards against theft or tracks the location of goods.

"It (gives) you another way to move," Dr Cingoli commented. "It can be folded, it is portable, it can be placed in the back of a car."
BALAMP, which won a Red Dot design award 2016 in the Illumination category, combines the functions of a nightstand light, an alarm clock and a wireless battery charger. A mobile app provides customisation controls for colour of the light, the alarm tones and to set the clock.

Balamp is customised with a mobile app.
Balamp is customised with a mobile app.
BALAMP is weight activated. The light is switched off when an object is placed onto it, providing a dim light when the object is removed. "It works like a scale but it has an (inverted) way of working," he said.

In designing BALAMP Dr Cingoli's challenge was finding a lamp manufacturer which could create what he had in mind. "Many enterprises are specialised in covers of lamps, and not in putting together electronic software and the shape," he said.

A designer's home must be a treasure trove of unique pieces, but Dr Cingoli shared that he actually buys furniture off-the-shelf. What he does do is customise what he buys, to make it completely his own. While each of his designs is like a child to him and he says he has no favourites, he revealed that he does have some of his own designs at home, namely the Flamp lamp and the Glass Pop-Corn lamps.

Interested?

Visit the Red Dot online exhibition pages for QWERTYsofa, CrickIT and Balamp

posted from Bloggeroid

*All pictures of products are from the Red Dot online exhibition.

22 September 2016

All-day versatility with Plantronics BackBeat 100 Series Wireless Headphones

Plantronics, an audio and wearable technology provider, has unveiled the BackBeat 100 Series, the first hybrid neckband wireless headphones for calls and music in the BackBeat stereo product family.

Source: Plantronics. The BackBeat 100 Series fits around the neck.
With an ultra-light design for easy all-day wear, BackBeat 100 and BackBeat 105 delivers full-range sound with solid bass for listening to music and watching videos on the go. With a built-in microphone, clear, hands-free calls can be conducted at the touch of a button.

Source: Plantronics. The BackBeat 100 Series fits around the neck."For many people a great pair of headphones is a constant companion, whether they're at work, school or on the move," said Lori Langona, Director of consumer marketing at Plantronics. "The BackBeat 100 Series is designed for high-quality audio and quick access to phone calls when you need it, with a discreet wearing style that fades into the background when you don't."

Weighing less than 30g, BackBeat 100 Series has a flexible neckband design that conforms to the size and shape of the wearer's neck, with magnetic earbuds that make tangled wires a thing of the past. Additional BackBeat 100 Series features include:

* Up to eight hours of listening and talk time
* Simple three-button interface for operation of music and calls
* Full-range sound with a solid bass audio profile
* Built-in microphone with echo reduction, digital signal processing (DSP) and HD Voice clarity
* Vibration alerts for incoming calls

Other BackBeat stereo Bluetooth headphones include BackBeat FIT, sweatproof wireless sport headphones featuring a safety-oriented design and a stable fit regardless of activity level; BackBeat GO 3, wireless stereo earbuds designed to provide stunning audio quality and sound performance; the BackBeat SENSE, smart on-ear wireless headphones with sensor technology; and BackBeat PRO, over-the-ear wireless headphones, featuring active noise cancellation, and listening time of up to 24 hours.

Interested?

The BackBeat 100 series will be available in black at authorised Plantronics retailers beginning end-October 2016 at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of S$119

*Images from Plantronics.

Free USB devices could be vectors for malware, Check Point warns

Source: Victoria Police. The unmarked USB drives used are similar to these.
Source: Victoria Police. The unmarked USB drives used are similar to these.
On 21 September the police in Victoria, advised residents of Melbourne suburb Pakenham to be wary of USB flash drives left in their mailboxes.

"Members of the public are allegedly finding unmarked USB drives in their letterboxes. Upon inserting the USB drives into their computers victims have experienced fraudulent media streaming service offers, as well as other serious issues. The USB drives are believed to be extremely harmful and members of the public are urged to avoid plugging them into their computers or other devices," Victoria police said in a statement.

Check Point Software has commented on the phenomenon. "Hacking by USB devices are not new, and can wreck serious or fatal damage to computers (including holding users' data at ransom), or embed malware to infect the computers as zombie/attack hosts, potentially even landing users in legal trouble. While this form of attack has not been seen blatantly in Singapore yet, it would make sense to educate the public on how to avoid such risks, especially since some may succumb to the temptation of getting a 'free' USB device. What's worse, such attacks can also target business mailboxes, putting businesses at jeopardy should unsuspecting corporate users plug in such devices," a Check Point spokesperson said.

Interested?

Anyone with information about those behind the scam is urged to contact Crime Stoppers in Australia on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online

Creative positions rise in corporate pecking orders

The rise of design-led thinking and the incorporation of design approaches into business and strategic problem-solving is having a positive impact on the careers of creatives everywhere.

Adobe’s 2016 Creative Pulse survey of more than 1,700 creatives – including graphic designers, Web designers, artists, Web designers and more – discovered that respondents are creating a bigger impact within their organisations.

More than half (56%) of respondents in Asia Pacific (APAC) feel they are having more impact compared to two years ago, with 89% saying that their businesses are placing more importance on creativity and design thinking.

While this is great news, creatives cannot rest on their laurels. The opportunity to drive greater business value means creatives need to learn new tools and techniques – a statement that 93% of APAC respondents agree to. In fact, creatives now need to be “full stack” in their skillset (Editor's note: to have a comprehensive set of skills). Over the next year, Asia Pacific (APAC) creatives believe the most important skills to acquire will be user experience/user interface (UX/UI) design (27%), app development (16%) and digital storytelling (11%). Looking at just these three alone, the creatives of the future will need to combine skills from the realms of design, user experience, programming and communications.

Despite their increasing importance to business, creatives in APAC still stay up at night with uncertainties, just like the rest of the workforce. One of their main worries is the fear they will lose inspiration and motivation (47%) while increasing their creative skills. Employers need to take note of this, especially since most creatives cited that they are very reliant on desktops (74%) for work. This suggests many creatives are still deskbound, despite the link between creativity and fresh experiences that typically come from mobility and change.

At the same time, the increased speed of business is putting pressure on creatives to deliver more ideas and content faster than ever (43%), but 42% of creatives simultaneously feel that they aren’t being sufficiently trained in all the new skills they need.

Results in Southeast Asia echoed the APAC findings – out of the 220 creatives surveyed, 94% felt that businesses are beginning to place more importance on creativity and design thinking.

 
APAC
Southeast Asia
How creatives view the industry
Creativity and design thinking are more important to businesses
89%
94%
Creatives are increasingly working across multiple mediums and disciplines
94%
93%
Creatives are expected to learn new tools and techniques
93%
92%
Technology is enabling creatives to be more in control of their professional destiny
85%
85%
What keeps them up at night
Losing inspiration and motivation
47%
54%
Pressure to deliver more creative ideas and content faster than ever
43%
49%
Not being trained sufficiently in new skills
42%
38%
The top three driving forces behind the changing role of creatives
New technologies that change how creatives do work
63%
67%
The impact of social media on the creative industry
41%
45%
New platforms for reaching the audience
39%
36%
How have mobile devices changed the creative process
They can capture inspiration in the moment and on the go
52%
65%
Work is now accessible to a broader audience
53%
57%
They can create content anywhere
35%
40%
Main motivators at work
Desire to learn new things
72%
81%
Seeing their ideas brought to life in the real world
59%
70%
Doing great work
53%
66%


"We’re an organisation that started out with a mission of enabling creativity, so it is really encouraging for us to see the value of the creative profession really being strongly recognised,” said VR Srivatsan, Managing Director, Adobe Southeast Asia. “Over the last few years, we’ve seen businesses recognize the value of creativity in driving business results. The success of firms like IDEO, which take a design-led approach to problem solving, has shown that creatives deserve a seat in the boardroom. In the coming years, we could expect to see creative drivers taking an even stronger lead in the business conversations.”

“We’ve seen the role of design and creative professionals change rapidly in recent years, and Adobe is at the forefront of this changing creative environment. With the proliferation of mobile devices and new technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), creatives are being challenged to create content more rapidly than ever before. Not only does this mean they need to adapt quickly to the new demands of creating for more platforms and a broader set of customers, it also means that they need to be able to create on-the-go, collaborate with team members across different devices and geographies, and measure the impact of their work on business results. It’s a challenging environment, but also one that empowers creatives of today to make a real difference to the business,” said Janie Lim, Marketing Director, Digital Media, Adobe Asia Pacific.

It seems the best days are yet to come for the creative industry in APAC. Nearly nine in 10 (87%) of respondents believe that there is a bright future for creatives, and equipped with the right tools and skillsets, along with the proliferation of technology, there has never been a better time to be a creative.

“Design used to be the icing on the cake, but today it is the bridge between business, technology and users. It has an essential role in the success of a product, and the world is starting to acknowledge that. Designers are in more demand today than ever before. At the same time, design tools are very accessible and powerful, and the Internet is full of free education. Today, there’s no excuse not to do what you want to do,” said Nina Georgieva, Design Lead, Grab.

Interested?

Download survey report at http://www.adobe.com/content/dam/acom/au/about-adobe/newsroom/2016/Adobe-Creativity-Survey-2016.pdf (PDF)
posted from Bloggeroid

Olympus unveils new cameras, lenses

Olympus has announced the development of the flagship OM-D E-M1 Mark II camera. The successor to the OM-D E-M1 flagship series which was launched in 2013, the Mark II is designed to surpass digital SLRs while bringing portability and image quality into the next level.

Source: Olympus. The OM-D E-M1 Mark II camera.
Source: Olympus.
Some of the new features include:

+ A maximum of 18 fps sequential shooting performance in AF/AE tracking,
+ Advanced DUAL FAST AF with 121-point all cross-type sensor and
+ A 20.4 megapixel Live MOS sensor with a new High-speed TruePic VIII image processor.

The camera features high speed sequential shooting with the newly-developed high-speed TruePic VIII image processor. The double quad core system - four CPU cores and four image processing cores - is approximately 3.5 times faster than the preceding TruePic VII version. Combined with the high pixel count of the 20.4 Megapixel Live MOS sensor and the 121-point all cross-type On-Chip Phase Detection sensor, the system achieves enhanced image capture plus a transfer speed that is approximately three times faster than the OM-DE-M1. This new Pro Capture Mode is also included for time lag-free shooting of full pixel images of split-second moments. The release time lag has been reduced to approximately 30% of the OM-DE-M1, achieving high-speed and excellent image quality.

The OM-DE-M1 Mark II also sports a new advanced DUAL FAST AF with 121-point all cross-type sensor which enables accurate detection of subjects and significantly improved focusing performance. By using both contrast AF and On-Chip Phase Detection AF together, fast and precise AF performance is enabled for previously challenging scenes where the depth of field is shallow and using the widest aperture settings for a large-diameter single-focal lens. Users can control the AF functions with the AF Target Mode*, AF Target Position, Face/Eye Priority AF which can easily be set with a single action. With an added 0.74x (35mm equivalent) high-magnification, high-definition electronic viewfinder, the OM-DE-M1 Mark II is set to rival that of high-end full-frame interchangeable lens cameras.

Source: Olympus. New colours for the PEN E-PL8.
Source: Olympus.
The Olympus selfie-ready camera series welcomes the PEN E-PL8 in a sleek new look and an enhanced Touch Selfie Mode. The latest addition to the PEN series sees the camera presented in three new colours, white, black, and brown.

The rounded edges and compact body modernise the camera, which also features a flip-down Selfie screen and an enhanced Touch Selfies mode. The revamped Touch Selfie Mode has an additional Movie Clips function that allows users to record selfie movies and edit them via the Movie Effect button. A dedicated Art Filter mode helps to eliminate editing time.

This camera is built for instant social sharing. Smartphone integration is seamless with the Olympus Image Share (OI.Share) app (compatible with all iOS and Android devices). OI.Share enables LiveView touch, making the phone a seamless extension of the camera. Tap the LiveView screen on the phone and the PEN E-PL8 instantly focuses and shoots. The PEN can even be controlled from up to 10m away for remote shooting. The zoom setting of the M.Zuiko 14-42mm electronic zoom lens can also be controlled from the phone.

Source: Olympus. The M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4.0 IS PRO zoom lens.
Source: Olympus.
The new M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4.0 IS PRO is the first high-magnification zoom lens with advanced image stabilisation (IS) in the M.Zuiko PRO category.

This compact, lightweight, high-performance, high-magnification professional zoom lens features a dustproof, splashproof and freezeproof (-10°) construction along with an image stabilisation mechanism. When combined with a compatible camera body, the in-body 5-axis sync IS is enhanced.

The new M.Zuiko Digital ED 25mm F1.2 PRO (35mm equivalent: 50mm) is a large-diameter single-focal-length lens, which conforms to the Micro Four Thirds System standard. The dustproof, splashproof and freezeproof lens achieves enhanced resolution performance from the widest aperture setting of f1.2 by using 19 lenses including eight special lenses in an effective arrangement.

The new M.Zuiko Digital ED 30mm F3.5 premium macro lens, which conforms to the Micro Four Thirds System standard, features a maximum image magnification of 2.5x (35mm equivalent) making it the highest in its class. The high powered magnification allows users the ability to approach subjects up to 1.4cm away from the end of the lens for new macro capabilities.

The FL-900R high-intensity flash also features a maximum guide number of 58 with the fastest sequential shooting tracking speed in its class at 10 fps. The Micro Four Thirds System-compliant flash is dustproof, splashproof and freezeproof (-10°C). The compact, lightweight structure also ensures portability.

*There are now four modes in AF Target, including the new five-point cross group pattern, All Targets, Single Target, and nine-point cross group pattern.

posted from Bloggeroid