March 27, 2009
TAG Heuer Explores Luxury with The Aquaracer 500m Series and Offers a Glimpse Into The Future of Watchmaking with Its Monaco 24 Chronograph
Photo: TAG Heuer's Aquaracer 500M with blue dial and stainless steel bracelet.
Answering the call of diving enthusiasts who demand an exacting timepiece that is robust as well as refined, Swiss watch Brand TAG Heuer unveiled its new Aquaracer 500M series. Whether worn while swimming along the Great Barrier Reef or exploring the underwater caves of Turks & Caicos, these watches take serious sports-inspired functionality to a new extreme.
Water resistant to 500 meters, each model in the Aquaracer 500M collection is equipped with the definitive attributes of a high-performance diving watch, including a unidirectional turning bezel that ensures precise elapsed dive-time measurement. Highly luminescent markers on the hands and indexes, as well as an orange-tipped second hand, provide at-a-glance readability under water or in dim light. Additionally, the sapphire crystal and caseback are scratch-resistant and anti-reflection treated for optimum visibility.
To prevent damage to the watch and its movements, the Aquaracer 500M features an automatic helium valve that releases, upon decompression, any gases that infiltrate the watch during a deep dive. A fine-brushed, screw-in crown with double safety gaskets further protects the timepiece from water or dust penetration.
Photo: TAG Heuer's Monaco Twenty Four Concept Chronograph.
TAG Heuer also announced that it is continuing to push the boundaries of watchmaking with its Monaco Twenty Four Concept Chronograph, invoking the electrifying spirit of the world's most arduous sports car race. Introduced today at BASEL, Switzerland, this timepiece, in TAG Heuer's own words, features the same state-of-the-art engineering as the powerful GT cars that take to the 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit.
The Monaco Twenty Four Concept Chronograph's race car-inspired functionality is found in every aspect of the piece's design, most notably in the energy manifold that houses the Calibre 36 movement. Comparable to a GT car's cockpit cage, this proprietary steel-tube structure safeguards the mechanism, ensuring that the watch can better withstand shock.
The movement gains additional protection from a shock-absorbing composite filter material. Used in the racing and aerospace industry, this material insulates the Calibre 36 movement by directing vibrations into the composite filter, which absorbs and dissipates their energy. According to TAG Heuer, unlike a conventional timepiece's Incabloc system, which protects the mechanism only from external shocks, TAG Heuer's Dynamic Absorber insulates the movement entirely and the Monaco Twenty Four Concept Chronograph is able to withstand an impact of 24,000 G, the equivalent of a 65-foot fall, compared with the industry standard of 2,000 - 5,000 G, or a three-foot fall. These additional safeguards ensure the Monaco and its components will remain unscathed whether the wearer is skydiving from 15,000 feet or attending a very enthusiastic business meeting, explains the watchmaker.
Source: TAG Heuer
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 7:05 AM | Link to this Post
February 27, 2009
Consumer Reports: Who Makes the Best Cars?
Automaker Report Cards: Honda Leads Again, Mercedes-Benz Improves, Chrysler Lags.
For the third consecutive year, Honda has earned class leader status for building the best all-around vehicles for American drivers, according to the Automaker Report Cards published in Consumer Reports' Annual Auto Issue. At the opposite end of the annual ranking is Chrysler, which fared even worse than last year. The company's poor performing products and sinking reliability results have kept all Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep badged vehicles off CR's Recommended list.
With an overall score of 78 out of 100 points, Honda was followed closely by Subaru (75), and Toyota (74) in the overall score. Subaru is also the only automaker with 100% of its tested vehicles Recommended, although it has a relatively small model lineup. Mazda (73), came in 4th, followed by Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Volkswagen, and BMW, all tied at 72.
While the top four overall scores belong to Japanese automakers, a Japanese nameplate is no guarantee that every car in a model range will be a reliable and good performer. For example, the Honda Element and Toyota Yaris scored too low in Consumer Reports' tests to be recommended. Conversely, despite overall scores of 63 and 57 respectively, that placed Ford and GM toward the bottom of the results, new models like the Ford Flex, F-150, Chevrolet Malibu, and Cadillac CTS have done well in CR's tests and rank near the top of their classes in its ratings.
The overall score for each automaker is based on the average of its vehicles' overall scores in Consumer Reports' road tests and their average predicted-reliability ratings from Consumer Reports' Annual Auto Survey. Manufacturers received a report card only if five or more of its vehicles were tested.
Of the Asian automakers, Subaru, Nissan, Mazda, and Hyundai improved their overall scores. Nissan and Hyundai also improved their reliability rating. Of the four, Hyundai showed the most improvement, increasing its overall score from 66 to 70.
European automakers, traditionally great performers overall, have lagged in reliability but there have been notable improvements with several models from Audi, BMW, Saab, Volkswagen, Volvo, and Mercedes-Benz. Mercedes-Benz showed the most significant improvement, moving up in the overall ranking (72) to tie with BMW and Volkswagen.
"All three Detroit automakers continued to be at the back of the class, although General Motors and Ford improved their overall scores. Chrysler disappointed the most -- it had the lowest overall test score and none of its vehicles are Recommended," says Consumer Reports.
There was some positive news for the struggling U.S. domestic automakers. The latest models from General Motors now rank among the best in testing, and models like the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, Saturn Outlook, Cadillac CTS, Chevrolet Corvette, and Chevrolet Malibu all scored well. Some Ford models now rival their competition from Honda and Toyota in reliability, perhaps a promising sign for new models now coming out of the product pipeline. For Chrysler, the sole glimmer of hope in the model-year is the new Dodge Ram, which is now very competitive with the other full size trucks.
"While Japanese automakers continue to set the standard for the industry in terms of real-world performance and reliability, many domestic, European, and Korean manufacturers are narrowing the gap by building better and more reliable cars," said David Champion, senior director of automotive testing, Consumer Reports. "While some automakers are still dragged down by old product investments, we expect the race for the front of the class to become even more competitive which may lead to some excellent values for consumers in the near future."
In the end, the companies that make the best vehicles are those that excel in performance, interior craftsmanship, safety, comfort, and reliability. The best continue to set a higher and higher standard, a competition in which consumers are the ultimate winners.
Consumer Reports is one of the trusted sources for information and advice on consumer products and services, and according to it, its findings may not be used for commercial or promotional purposes.
Source: Consumer Reports
|GlobalGiants.com|
"Can advertising foist an inferior product on the consumer? Bitter experience has taught me that it cannot. On those rare occasions when I have advertised products which consumer tests have found inferior to other products in the same field, the results have been disastrous."
-- David Ogilvy
Edited & Posted by Editor | 11:04 PM | Link to this Post
February 26, 2009
Even as Vehicle Sales Decline, Exceptional Service Satisfaction Enhances Dealer and Manufacturer Profitability Through Improved Customer Retention -- J.D. Power
Lexus Ranks Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Dealer Service.
In today's tough automotive market, providing consumers with superior service experiences translates into increased profitability for dealers and automakers, with the highest-performing brands retaining more than 80 percent of their customer maintenance and repair dollars within their dealer network, compared with retention rates of less than 60 percent for lower-performing brands, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Customer Service Index (CSI) Study released today.
The study, now in its 29th year, examines satisfaction among vehicle owners who visit a service department for maintenance or repair work. The CSI rankings are based on dealer performance during the first three years of ownership, which typically represent the majority of the vehicle warranty period. Five measures are examined to determine overall customer satisfaction with dealer service (listed in order of importance):
(1) Service Quality
(2) Service Initiation
(3) Service Advisor
(4) Service Facility
(5) Vehicle Pickup
The study finds that although satisfaction with dealer service tends to decline as vehicles age--particularly during the fourth and fifth years of ownership--those automakers whose dealers provide the highest levels of satisfaction during the warranty period retain a greater share of future service visits at the dealership, even after the warranty period expires. Brands with dealers that achieve particularly high CSI scores (800 or higher) during the first three years of vehicle ownership retained 79 percent of dollars spent on maintenance and repairs during the first five years of ownership. In contrast, brands that attained CSI scores below 800 retained only 69 percent of customer maintenance and repair dollars.
"Since dealer service is the last touch point in the vehicle ownership cycle that auto manufacturers have with customers, providing superior levels of service can leave owners with a lasting favorable impression of the brand," said Jon Osborn, research director at J.D. Power and Associates. "Providing excellent service is not only good for customers, but it also benefits dealers and automakers in terms of income from future service visits and sales. The significant decline in new-vehicle sales means that dealers are relying even more heavily on the service-operations side of their business for much-needed revenue. In many cases, this income is keeping the dealerships open. With the stakes so high, it is imperative for dealers to focus heavily on maximizing satisfaction levels."
Lexus ranks highest in customer satisfaction with dealer service in 2009--improving from fourth rank position in 2008. Lexus achieves an overall CSI score of 835 on a 1,000-point scale and performs particularly well in four of the five measures: service quality; service initiation; service advisor and service facility. Rounding out the top five nameplates are Jaguar (810), BMW (808), Cadillac (806) and Acura (805).
"The highest-performing brands differentiate themselves particularly in the service quality and service facility measures," said Osborn. "There are several practices that the highest-ranked brands consistently perform that help elevate customer service satisfaction levels, including providing prompt service appointments; greeting the customer immediately on arrival; knowing the vehicle's service history; returning vehicles to customers in a clean condition; and offering alternative transportation to customers leaving their cars for service. These courtesies may seem intuitive, but many dealers do not provide them consistently. We find that they are very effective in raising customer satisfaction, provided that the service work performed on the vehicle is also satisfactory."
The 2009 CSI Study is based on responses from 106,059 owners and lessees of 2004 to 2008 model-year vehicles. The study was fielded between October and December 2008. J.D. Power and Associates measures dealer service in various countries around the world, including Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand and the UK.
Customer Satisfaction Index Ranking
(Based on a 1,000-point scale)
Lexus ---------- 835
Jaguar ---------- 810
BMW ---------- 808
Cadillac ---------- 806
Acura ---------- 805
HUMMER ---------- 804
Land Rover ---------- 803
Buick ---------- 802
Saturn ---------- 800
Lincoln ---------- 798
Porsche ---------- 792
Audi ---------- 789
Mercedes-Benz ---------- 789
Infiniti ---------- 786
SAAB ---------- 785
GMC ---------- 781
MINI ---------- 781
Pontiac ---------- 779
Chevrolet ---------- 777
Mercury ---------- 776
Mitsubishi ---------- 767
Volvo ---------- 767
Hyundai ---------- 763
Honda ---------- 762
Industry Average ---------- 761
Ford ---------- 757
Chrysler ---------- 746
Scion ---------- 739
Toyota ---------- 736
Dodge ---------- 734
Subaru ---------- 729
Jeep ---------- 727
Volkswagen ---------- 725
Kia ---------- 724
Nissan ---------- 723
Mazda ---------- 716
Suzuki ---------- 702
Source: J.D. Power and Associates
|GlobalGiants.com|
"It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently."
-- Warren Buffett
Edited & Posted by Editor | 11:42 AM | Link to this Post
February 20, 2009
U.S. Automotive Dealerships Suffer Largest Decline on Record, Says Urban Science
A record number of automotive dealerships closed in the United States during 2008. This was revealed today by Urban Science.
(From its headquarters in Detroit, and from its offices in the United States, Spain, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, Australia, China, Mexico and Japan, Urban Science serves global clientele by helping them identify where they should allocate resources to increase marketshare and profitability. Urban Science maintains a list of current new vehicle dealership and franchise information for all car and light truck brands in the United States. Compiled on a monthly basis, the census, according to it, is a reliable source of dealership statistics.)
The company's Franchise Activity Report, which, according to it, is the USA's most accurate data on dealers, showed the nationwide dealership count for the year fell by 881, or 4.2 percent, to 20,084. The decline was the largest since 1991 when data was first collected, with the bulk of closures occurring in the fourth quarter.
According to John Frith, vice president at Urban Science, the decline in automotive franchises was less than brick-and-mortar dealerships, implying consolidation. "There has been a loss of franchises across all the manufacturers, but the Detroit Three have been hit the hardest, accounting for 80 percent of the loss," Frith said. "We'll see even more contraction in the next several years as the Detroit Three strategically rethink their retail counts and locations."
Proactive consolidation, a process in which an automaker closes a dealership or consolidates it with other nearby franchises, can be complex and expensive. To close down a retailer, state franchise laws and individual sales-and-service agreements must be honored. Automakers must provide compensation for dealer investments, such as new-vehicle inventory, special tools and resalable parts.
"When closing a dealer, the main focus for the automaker is to minimize the negative impact on the dealer and ensure customers can still be conveniently serviced," Frith added.
According to Randy Berlin, global practice director for Urban Science, proactive consolidation is the preferred method, but the market itself will force some dealers to shut their doors.
"The credit crunch is a two-pronged attack on dealers -- they can't get credit lines to secure new-vehicle inventory, and customers can't get credit to buy those vehicles," said Berlin. "However, most dealers will be able to weather the storm by reducing variable expenses and focusing on service and parts."
Urban Science's Franchise Activity Report, a subset of Urban Science's monthly Automotive Dealer Census, analyzes dealership data on national, state and market levels.
Other findings include:
• Colorado, Alaska, Hawaii, North Dakota and Montana were the only states that did not suffer declines in their dealership count.
• Rhode Island, California and Massachusetts experienced the largest percentage declines.
• Denver; Colorado Springs, Colo.; Raleigh, N.C.; and Greensboro, N.C. either added dealerships or had no declines.
• Five of the top 10 cities with the highest percentage declines were in California.
"We will continue to see proactive dealer closures in metro markets," said Berlin. "Rural markets, however, will likely withstand consolidation efforts. When people talk about the number of Detroit Three dealerships versus import brands, the Detroit Three do have more. Actually, more than 90 percent of brands in non-metro areas are from the Detroit Three. Ford, Chrysler and GM serve the rural areas well, and don't have much competition from foreign automakers."
Source: Urban Science
|GlobalGiants.com|
"We are encouraged by Chrysler's restructuring plan. It's comprehensive and realistic and viable. What's most important, however, is that Chrysler recognizes that availability of credit for automotive consumers and dealers is the single most important element of Chrysler's viability."
-- National Automobile Dealers Association
"General Motors has submitted a strong plan. It's comprehensive and aggressive and achievable. We are, of course, exceedingly disappointed that a viable solution has not yet been found for Saturn, Saab and Hummer. When considering the future viability of these brands, GM should continue to aggressively pursue all options. We are pleased that GM recognizes the 'great dealer network' that supports these brands. Should it become necessary to phase out these brands, it is imperative that GM treat the affected dealers fairly and that they be properly compensated. It is equally important to take care of the Saturn, Saab and Hummer owners. On the positive front, we are encouraged that GM recognizes that the availability of credit for automotive consumers and dealers is central to GM's survival."
-- National Automobile Dealers Association
"Respect your Dealers. Work for your Dealers.
And the God of Marketing & Sales will Respect You and Work for You."
© GlobalGiants.Com
Edited & Posted by Editor | 12:21 PM | Link to this Post
February 10, 2009
Cole Haan Debuts Spring 2009 Ad Campaign Featuring Maria Sharapova
Cole Haan recently announced Maria Sharapova as a lead collaborator and the face of Cole Haan Sporting, a new collection for Spring 2009, rooted in sport and remixed with fashion. Today, February 10, 2009 in New York, Cole Haan unveils international tennis sensation Maria Sharapova as the face of its 2009 Spring advertising campaign.
Shot with simplicity in Malibu, California by lifestyle photographer Martyn Thompson, the campaign reflects the interplay of style and sport, passion and play, that Cole Haan says it shares with Sharapova.
Photo: Cole Haan ad featuring Maria Sharapova.
"The campaign marks the first time Cole Haan has collaborated with a Nike athlete to serve as the face of a new collection," notes Cole Haan Chief Marketing Officer Michael Capiraso. "We are able to leverage her interest in fashion and sport, while connecting with our consumer in a new and unique way."
Mixing Media Initiatives:
• Digital media to play an important role in the campaign - rich media presence on top sites.
• Debuting in March issue of Vanity Fair.
• Print Campaign to appear in top Women's Core titles.
The Spring 2009 global launch of Cole Haan Sporting includes men's and women's footwear and accessories.
Cole Haan, headquartered in Yarmouth, Maine, USA, designs and distributes dress and casual footwear, apparel and accessories for men and women under the brand names Cole Haan and Bragano. Cole Haan is a wholly-owned subsidiary of NIKE, Inc. and operates more than 100 retail locations throughout the United States, Canada and Japan.
Source: Cole Haan
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 5:23 AM | Link to this Post
December 10, 2008
DuPont Automotive Color Popularity Report: White is Most Popular Color
Photo: The 56th annual DuPont Color Popularity report show white and white pearl coat remain the top color choice for North American consumers for the second year in a row.
The just published 2008 DuPont Automotive Color Popularity Report says white is the top vehicle color choice in North America for the second straight year, and is a strong player globally, with "white effects" allowing consumers to differentiate cars subtly to express their individuality. Black and silver with effects also turned in a strong performance globally. The term "effects" refers to special pigments that lend a pearl or iridescent appearance to coatings.
White and white pearl scored 16 and 4 percent, respectively, black and black effect scored 11 percent and 6 percent, while silver, which led the pack for six consecutive years, garnered a 17 percent share of the North American market.
Photo: Blue hues, such as seen in the Saturn Aura, are increasingly popular according to the 2008 DuPont Automotive Color Popularity Report
A leading supplier of coatings to the global automotive market both for new cars and in the collision repair industry, DuPont this year broadened the global scope of the authoritative Automotive Color Popularity Report to include specific data from emerging markets India and Russia. The automotive industry is expanding rapidly in both countries.
North American color choice highlights several trends. First, there is a continuing convergence of color choice globally with color preferences becoming more homogeneous across the globe. Additionally, DuPont continues to report white as a "palette cleansing" color signaling a pause after a long running trend and in advance of a new trend. The 2007 DuPont Automotive Color Popularity Report announced the end of silver's seven year reign.
Photo: Blue hues, such as seen in the Kia Sportage, are increasingly popular according to the 2008 DuPont Automotive Color Popularity Report
"We're seeing basic colors like black, white and silver continuing in the lead but consumers are looking for differentiation with tri-coat and other effects," said Karen Surcina, color marketing manager -- DuPont Performance Coatings. "These colors and effects provide a higher degree of customization and luxury-effect which allow consumers a conservative differentiation from the traditional color palette." A tri-coat paint system consists of a basecoat, a midlayer which contains the color and specialized "effect" pigments followed by a clear coat.
"While black, white and silver continue to remain strong, we are seeing interesting trends developing," Surcina continued. "The popularity of true chromatic colors such as blue and red are on the rise, with blue growing worldwide as consumers look to more environmental themes and lifestyles."
Photo: The 2008 DuPont Automotive Color Popularity Report shows a strong preference across the globe for black effect colors, like the Black Magic on the 2009 Volkswagen GTI, which provides a unique customized appearance.
"Blue is being utilized as the 'new green' because it is well understood by people all over the world that blue can also represent the preservation of nature," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute and author of Color: Messages and Meanings. "Imagine a clear blue sky mirrored in a pristine blue lake and you will get the picture. It is a universal favorite."
Global Convergence and Regional Differentiation
The global review of color popularity reveals that preferences are converging around the world, but within the convergence there is subtle differentiation between markets. As DuPont reported in June 2008, blue is becoming more popular, and currently ranks among consumers in North America with 13 percent of the overall market. Blue has garnered 12 to 13 percent of the market for the past few years and is a top five color choice in every market with the exception of Brazil.
"Neutral colors like silver and light gray shades capture a high volume, but long term they show a decreasing tendency in almost all regions," said Nancy Lockhart, DuPont color designer for North America. "Moving forward, it will be imperative to refresh styling of these popular colors with different effects that can restore their popularity."
Europe
Europe is dominated by the popularity of black vehicles in all segments. Black with effect, white/white pearl and silver are most popular across the board with a rise in bright reds in this year's report. The rankings remain consistent for black/black effect with 26 percent of the market, silver with 20 percent and gray with 18 percent.
White/white pearl saw a slight increase in popularity, rising from 8 percent last year to 10 percent in 2008. The warm neutral tones of beige and brown regained popularity in 2008, reaching 4 percent -- up from 2 percent last year.
"Current preferences are strongly influenced by ecological concepts, with demand growing for light, pure and sophisticated looks and the strength of blue showing optimism for the future," said Elke Dirks, DuPont color designer for Europe. "In the long term, we believe that European consumers will ask for a more colorful and individualistic palette from car makers."
Russia
Russian color preference shows an overwhelming use of silver at 30 percent, black and red at 14 percent and slight differences between green (13 percent), blue (12 percent) and white (10 percent). Though Russia leans toward the silver and black color spaces, red and green are more popular there than in any other region, demonstrating the diversity of color trends.
Asia
India's market shows a strong preference toward white and white pearl with 17 and 11 percent respectively, followed by silver with 27 percent. As in Russia, strong chroma colors made a good showing with red at 12 percent and blue at 8 percent. Black and black effect with 6 percent and 1 percent, respectively, was even with yellow and gold at 7 percent.
Silver remains exceptionally strong in the Asian countries of China, South Korea, Japan and India. In South Korea silver represents 50 percent of the market, up from 39 percent last year. Silver is the top color with strong growth shown in China as well at 32 percent for 2008, up from 23 percent in 2007. Japan and India report white/white pearl in the top color position (8 and 24 percent and 17 and 11 percent, respectively) with silver making a strong showing with 28 percent in Japan and 27 percent in India.
"Candy white and tri-coat pearl are extremely popular in most of the Asia Pacific area," said Emily Hung, DuPont color designer for the Asia Pacific region. "In Japan we see an overwhelming preference for white pearl or white with effect.
"In India and China we see a wide range of colors offered to attract young buyers to compact cars," Hung said. "Additionally, dark blue metallic is popular and we're fine-tuning a variety of shades for the region."
Mexico and Brazil
White and black are tied for the most popular color in Mexico at 20 percent each, with silver at 17 percent and gray at 13 percent. Following these cool-neutral shades, blue shows strength with 12 percent and red follows at 11 percent. Neutral spaces dominate Brazil with silver (31 percent), black (25 percent), gray (16 percent) and white (11 percent). Red is the most popular chroma color with 8 percent of the market.
DuPont "Time for Color" Trend Show
"Time for Color" is the theme of this year's DuPont global color trend forecast for the auto industry. Time is an important factor in the evolution of color. Consumers are increasingly focused on individuality, expressive car designs, small vehicles and fuel economy. These elements require innovative shades for a futuristic view of technology as it evolves. DuPont presents its annual trend show to automotive designers globally to showcase new trends, color availability and the new coatings technologies available to the market.
Source: DuPont
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 11:29 AM | Link to this Post
November 30, 2008
MOTOROLA MOTOZINE CAMERA PHONE
Photo: At the T-Mobile store in Rockefeller Center in New York, celebrity photographer Steve Vaccariello snaps free holiday family portraits using the new 5 megapixel camera phone MOTOZINE ZN5 that uses Kodak Imaging Technology for shots that are "picture-perfect".
Motorola has brought mobile imaging device MOTOZINE ZN5 to North America. It is available exclusively for T-Mobile USA customers. Created in collaboration with Kodak, MOTOZINE ZN5 combines a high-quality phone and camera experience to help users click together and share the memories they capture.
Photo taken with the ZN5 : Yulia Borodina - Moscow
ZN5 puts image capture first with a high-resolution screen and one of the fastest click-to-click times available. To launch the camera, simply slide open the lens cover to transform the phone into an ultra-fast, natural-feeling 5 megapixel imaging device. Unlike most "camera phones" on the market, the ZN5 has the feel of a digital camera with the shutter button, flash and viewer in the standard placement consumers expect. Plus, with auto focus for sharp, vivid pictures, a Xenon flash, an included 1 GB memory card (with 4GB of optional external memory support) to store favorite images, optimized settings for low-light environments and red-eye reduction, there is no longer a need to carry two devices. ZN5 is both a phone and a digital camera.
Photo taken with the ZN5 : Jonathan Leijonhufvud - Beijing
"The arrival of the MOTOZINE ZN5 at T-Mobile provides a new opportunity for customers to instantly capture and share each special moment in their lives," says Dennis Burke, vice president, Sales, Motorola Mobile Devices. "The MOTOZINE ZN5 simplifies mobile imaging while empowering users with the tools they traditionally rely on in a digital camera."
"The MOTOZINE ZN5 is a terrific phone for T-Mobile customers who value instant connections with loved ones," says Travis Warren, Director of Device Marketing at T-Mobile. "Who wants to lug around several tech devices during the holidays when one - the ZN5 - will suffice, making it easier than ever to snap and share photos with family and friends."
Photo taken with the ZN5 : Daniel Arantagy - Sao Paulo
In phone mode, ZN5 features Motorola's patented CrystalTalk™ technology to help callers hear and be heard, even in noisy environments. With dual compatibility for GSM and Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), users can connect in more areas around the world3 and enjoy high-speed wireless connections to surf the Web1 via a full HTML browser. To complete the communications experience, ZN5 also supports SMS, MMS, IM and personal e-mail1.
T-Mobile USA, Inc. is the U.S. operation of Deutsche Telekom AG's Mobile Communications Business, and a wholly owned subsidiary of T-Mobile International, one of the world's leading companies in mobile communications. T-Mobile is a federally registered trademark of Deutsche Telekom AG.
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 8:54 AM | Link to this Post
September 10, 2008
New 'iPod touch' from Apple
Photo: Apple's iPod touch for movies, music and games.
iPod touch with new features is being introduced by Apple.
New features include a thin contoured metal design, a 3.5-inch widescreen glass display, 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi wireless networking, integrated volume control buttons, a built-in speaker for casual listening, a built-in accelerometer and other advanced sensors, and Apple's Multi-Touch(TM) user interface.
"iPod touch is the funnest iPod we've ever created," says Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "Users can listen to millions of songs, watch thousands of Hollywood movies and now, thanks to the App Store, download and play hundreds of great games on their iPod touch."
Photo: Apple's App Store downloads thousands of games, movies and music.
"iPod touch works seamlessly with iTunes so you can import, manage, and then easily auto-sync your favorite content. With up to 36 hours of music playback or six hours of video playback on a single charge, the new iPod touch is the ultra-portable way to enjoy your favorite music, TV shows, movies and games on the go. The 32GB model holds up to 7,000 songs, 25,000 photos or 40 hours of video; the 16GB model holds up to 3,500 songs, 20,000 photos or 20 hours of video, and the 8GB model holds up to 1,750 songs, 10,000 photos and 10 hours of video," Apple explains.
Photo: Apple's new iPod lineup: the iPod touch for music, movies and games; the iPod classic; the iPod nano in nine colors; and iPod shuffle.
The new iPod touch is smaller and lighter than the original. With its rounded edges, flush display and curved, more compact design, the new iPod touch is more comfortable to hold and more portable.
Source: Apple
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 7:25 AM | Link to this Post
August 24, 2008
PANASONIC enhances its Global Brand Value through Beijing 2008 Olympics
Photo: Beijing 2008 Olympics -- Panasonic LED ASTROVISION large display system at the National Stadium (Bird's Nest).
Photo: Beijing 2008 Olympics -- Panasonic LED ASTROVISION large display system at the National Stadium (Bird's Nest).
Japanese multinational brand PANASONIC (Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.) is the Official Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Video and Audio Equipment category. It provided the largest ever delivery of equipment at all 37 venues in Beijing. A total of 25 ASTROVISION large-screen display systems were installed in 18 venues. The large display system at Workers' Stadium, which can rotate 270 degrees, has been delivering live footage of the Games. A total of 284 RAMSA (Research for Advanced Music Sound and Acoustics) professional audio systems were installed at 41 venues.
Photo: Panasonic Olympic Exhibition at CHITEC 2008 (China Beijing International High-tech Expo).
Panasonic has been sharing the passion of the world's top athletes through the state-of-the-art audio and visual technology from the field and track into the living rooms of millions of people around the globe. The whole world has been watching the Beijing 2008 Olympics with all the action and excitement recorded and delivered entirely in high definition (HD) format, a first in the history of the Olympic Games.
Photo: Panasonic 2008 Olympics Advertisement for USA.
"Panasonic fully supports the ideals of the Olympic Movement, which strives to promote world peace through its various activities. Through state-of-the-art audio and visual technology, Panasonic brings the passion and performance of top athletes to homes around the world.
The sponsorship of one of the world's most celebrated sport events helps to enhance our brand value and provides us with tremendous opportunities to demonstrate the performance of our products on a global basis." - PANASONIC
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 2:08 PM | Link to this Post
August 21, 2008
PUMA Celebrates as 'Lightning' Bolt Strikes Twice With Historic Sprint Double for Jamaica
Sprint Sensation breaks 100m and 200m world records in Beijing.
Photo: Usain Bolt celebrates after his 200m win.
"PUMA's" Usain 'Lightning' Bolt of Jamaica made history Wednesday night in Beijing when he became the first man in history to break world records in the 100m and 200m at the same Games. Bolt again demolished the field with a winning time of 19.30 seconds, beating the previous time of 19.32 seconds set by Michael Johnson in Atlanta in 1996.
Bolt, who won 100m gold in a world record time of 9.69 seconds last Saturday, also became the first athlete since Carl Lewis in 1984 to win Olympic gold in both disciplines. According to PUMA, the Jamaican sprinter ran to victory in his personalized PUMA Theseus II golden spikes inscribed with his nickname and the night's event -- 'UGO 200m Beijing'.
Photo: PUMA Headquarters, Herzogenaurach, Germany.
The company explains that Bolt worked with PUMA to develop the optimum running shoe. Running both the 100m and 200m, he needed a versatile shoe that provided support for power, as well as firmness to hold his foot in place around the turn. Following this collaborative process, the complete Theseus II was born. Made from synthetic leather with an airmesh upper construction for maximum breathability, it enhances sprinting efficiency due to its stiffness of material. Bolt was wearing the Theseus II shoe when he broke both the 100m and 200m world records in Beijing, the company adds.
Source: PUMA
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 5:07 AM | Link to this Post
August 18, 2008
adidas brand shines at Beijing 2008 Olympics
Photo: "adidas by Stella McCartney" Spring / Summer 08 Golf
Headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany, the adidas Group is one of the global leaders within the sporting goods industry and the adidas brand is one of the leading sports brands in the world. The brand attitude "Impossible is Nothing" drives all brand communication initiatives.
• As the Official Sportswear Partner of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, adidas has been outfitting more than 100,000 volunteers, technical officials and staff. adidas has also been providing products for more than 3,000 athletes, 214 federations and 16 National Olympic Committees. In total, adidas is providing more than 3 million pieces of products for the Olympic Games including 43 different athletic shoes for 27 out of 28 sports.
adidas will be the Official Sportswear Partner again for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
adidas's Beijing Olympics operation is an extraordinary piece of sponsorship advertising and is the elite launching pad from where it can successfully strike any country, region or sports market it wishes to target worldwide. ©GlobalGiants.Com
Photo: The adidas Brand Center in Beijing.
adidas has opened its largest adidas Brand Center worldwide in Beijing, China, the host city of the 2008 Olympic Games. This adidas Brand Center store is the biggest adidas store worldwide occupying four floors inside the new Sanlitun Village Shopping Center.
"The opening of the world's first adidas Brand Center is another milestone in securing market leadership in China, one of the world's most important markets for the adidas brand," said Erich Stamminger, President of the adidas brand. "The Beijing adidas Brand Center will serve as a role model for our concept stores in key metropolitan cities around the world."
One of the highlights of the new adidas Brand Center is miCoach Core Skills, an interactive zone where customers can utilize innovative adidas technologies that are normally only available in professional level sports facilities. Visitors to the store can test their skills in balance, speed and jump, compare their results to their sporting heroes and get personalized training recommendations based on scientific research, using a number of interactive devices.
The 'Urban' area on the top floor of the adidas Brand Center is a new creative space dedicated to exploring and showcasing exciting trends and ideas in art, music and culture. This area will play host to a series of events, including concerts, art exhibitions, and consumer forums and meetings.
At the center's Olympic Brand Launch Area, consumers can get close and personal with the special products, designs and technologies that adidas has developed for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
View the "Made for Beijing" Footwear from adidas:
• Archery
• Boxing
• Cycling
• Discus
• Fencing
• Handball
• Hockey
• Javelin
• Rowing
• Sailing
• Shooting
• Tennis
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 10:31 AM | Link to this Post
August 6, 2008
Haier's 'Making the World a Home' Experience Center Opens in Beijing Ahead of the Beijing Games
Haier, the world's fourth largest white goods manufacturer and the official white goods sponsor of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, today opens the Haier "Making the World a Home" Experience Center in Chaoyang Park, Beijing. The Experience Center will be open to the public for the duration of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, where visitors will experience Haier's vision of the future of home appliances and its "U-Home" technology.
Photo: Haier's "Making the World a Home" Experience Center in Chaoyang Park, Beijing will be open to the public for the duration of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
The Experience Center, located at the south entrance of Chaoyang Park, Beijing, will allow visitors to experience 16 hours of a person's life in the future showcasing Haier's solutions to ease the life of the user from morning to evening. At home in the morning, while the consumer is exercising, his jogging machine will monitor his pulse rate or energy consumed. When leaving home, "U-Home" technology will automatically shut down lights to save energy and start the security system. In the office, Haier brings wireless interactive devices, making the office environment more clear and efficient. On the way home after work, the user can check the content of his refrigerator on his mobile phone and make a detour to the store accordingly. Finally, at home in the evening, the intelligent bed will recognize when the user has finished his day, and will shut down the lights, the television and close the curtains.
The bubble shaped building also serves as a giant screen where evening light shows will introduce Haier's history, Olympic sponsorship, and efforts for environmental protection. The entertainment area of the Experience Center will offer virtual sport games that will allow visitors to test Haier's technology while playing.
Haier's technology, named "U-Home" for "Ubiquitous Home", will accompany users in every step of their day-to-day life, keep them connected to the world when at home and to home when outside. Haier "U-Home" equipped home appliances such as refrigerators, air conditioners or washing machines use the internet, mobile communication and fixed telephone networks to allow users to communicate with their home appliances anytime anywhere to control them and retrieve information remotely.
Photo: Haier service staff make a daily check on Haier washing machines installed in the Olympic Village laundry, Beijing China.
"Haier's Experience Center matches the excellence of Haier's products and services offered to athletes, journalists, visitors and staff in the Olympic venues. Haier has provided the Beijing Olympic Games with state of the art appliances in terms of energy efficiency and environmental protection. At the Experience Center, visitors from around the world will enjoy a taste of the future imagined by Haier," said Mr. WU Shouzhang, Vice President of the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC).
"The Olympic Spirit advocates mutual understanding, friendship, unity and the spirit of fair competition, and stands for harmonious, free, healthy and active lifestyles. By means of household appliances in line with the Olympic spirit, Haier 'Making the World a Home' Experience Center endows the visitor with a harmonious and joyful 16 hours life experience," said Haier Group SVP Mr. ZHOU Yunjie.
Founded in Qingdao, Shandong province, China, in 1984, Haier Group is the world's fourth largest white goods manufacturer. Haier is one of the best known Chinese brands in the world, with distribution in over 160 countries.
Source: Haier Group
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 11:48 AM | Link to this Post
July 25, 2008
Mobile map usage growing much faster than online map usage: comScore
comScore M:Metrics Reports Mobile Map Use Grows 82 Percent in United States, 49 Percent in Europe.
As families hit the road this summer, more will be turning to the mobile device for turn-by-turn directions.
Photo: Nokia 6110 Navigator
The use of mobile maps is increasingly popular in the United States and Europe, with 8 percent of American mobile subscribers and 3 percent of European subscribers accessing maps from the mobile phone in the three-month period ending May 2008, this was reported today by comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ:SCOR) , a leader in measuring the digital world. This represents a growth rate of 82 percent and 49 percent in the number of users, respectively. According to the comScore M:Metrics Benchmark Study, the iPhone is the leading device used to access maps in the United States, and in Europe, the device trails the Nokia N95 and N70.
"The mobile phone as a personal navigation device makes tremendous sense," observed Mark Donovan, senior analyst, comScore. "With the influx of devices, such as the iPhone with GPS, entering the market, Nokia's purchase of NAVTEQ and the growing popularity of downloadable navigation applications, you don't need a map to see where this sector is going."
According to comScore, 73 percent of mobile subscribers accessing maps are doing so via the browser in the U.S., and in Europe, 57 percent. Less than a third of Americans and Europeans are using a downloaded application, which allows even feature phones, with less computing power and often smaller screens, to better render graphic-rich maps and directions. Despite the ubiquity of SMS usage in Europe, the penetration of consumers accessing maps and directions via SMS is 24 percent; only one percentage point higher than it is in the United States.
Photo: Nokia N95 with GPS
The vast majority of mobile map users are seeking driving directions, even in Europe, where public transportation and non-vehicular options are more popular.
While mobile access to maps has surged, online access to maps using the PC shows more modest gains in the United States and Western Europe. In the United Kingdom, which posted the highest growth in mobile access to maps at 72 percent, online access via the PC dipped from 45 percent penetration in May 2007 to 41 percent in May 2008. In the U.S., the increase in the number of users accessing maps from a mobile device far outpaced the increase in the number of people who accessed maps via the PC.
Acquired by comScore, Inc. in May 2008, M:Metrics is an authoritative source of data on mobile usage. Using its proprietary on-device metering technology and one of the world's largest monthly surveys of mobile users, M:Metrics provides data on actual mobile content consumption by applying trusted media measurement methodologies to the mobile market. According to comScore, M:Metrics services are used by more than 180 clients, including global leaders in the mobile, advertising, technology and consumer goods industries such as Verizon, Vodafone, Microsoft, RIM, FOX, CBS, BBC, BMW, Samsung, Palm, Qualcomm, Ericsson, O&M, and JWT.
Source: comScore, Inc.
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 1:46 AM | Link to this Post
July 10, 2008
Apple iPhone 3G on Sale Friday, July 11
Over 500 Native Applications for iPhone & iPod touch Available at Launch.
Apple today announced that more than 500 native applications will be available on the iPhone's App Store when Apple's iPhone™ 3G goes on sale tomorrow. These applications will be available on Apple's new App Store, enabling customers to wirelessly download them directly onto their iPhones and start using them immediately. More than 125 applications are being offered to iPhone customers for free.
The new iPhone 3G combines all the features of iPhone with 3G networking that is twice as fast*, built-in GPS for expanded location-based mobile services, and iPhone 2.0 software which includes support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync and runs hundreds of third party applications available through the new App Store which is a built-in application on every iPhone running iPhone 2.0 software.
The App Store on iPhone works over cellular networks and Wi-Fi, which means it is accessible from just about anywhere, so users can purchase and download applications wirelessly and start using them instantly. Applications are free or charged to the user's iTunes account and the App Store notifies the user when updates are available for their apps. The App Store is also available in iTunes (www.itunes.com) running on a Mac or PC, which syncs applications to the iPhone or iPod touch using a USB cable.
The App Store will offer over 500 native applications from hundreds of companies around the world in a variety of categories including games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel.
In addition to the App Store, the iPhone 2.0 software update includes enterprise support, contact search, complete iWork and MS Office document viewing support, the ability to delete or move emails in bulk, saving images from emails, a scientific calculator, parental controls and support for 16 additional languages.
iPhone 3G will be available in more than 70 countries later this year, beginning with customer availability in 22 countries--Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and the US--on July 11.
"Just one year after launching the iPhone, we're launching the new iPhone 3G that is twice as fast at half the price," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO.
According to Apple, iPhone 3G gives users ever faster access to the Internet and email over their cellular network with quad-band GSM and tri-band HSDPA for voice and data connectivity around the world. iPhone 3G supports Wi-Fi, 3G and EDGE networks and automatically switches between them to ensure the fastest possible download speeds. The new iPhone 3G also makes it easier to multi-task with simultaneous voice and data communications, so with iPhone 3G you can browse the web, get map directions, or check your email while you are on a call.
Additional features available with the iPhone 2.0 software include the ability to do real-time mapping and track your progress with GPS technology, mass move and delete multiple email messages, search for contacts, access a new scientific calculator, turn on parental control restrictions for specified content, save images directly from a web page or email them to your iPhone and easily transfer them back to your photo library on your Mac or PC. According to Apple, iPhone 3G delivers a 10 hours of talk time on 2G networks and 5 hours using 3G, with up to 5 to 6 hours of web browsing, up to 7 hours for video playback and up to 24 hours for audio playback.
iPhone 3G takes advantage of MobileMe™, a new Internet service that pushes email, contacts, and calendars from an online "cloud" to native applications on iPhone, iPod touch, Macs and PCs. With MobileMe email, messages are pushed instantly to iPhone, removing the need to manually check email and wait for downloads, and push keeps contacts and calendars continuously up-to-date so changes made on one device are automatically updated on other devices.
Source: Apple
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 2:08 PM | Link to this Post
June 30, 2008
World Mobile Leaders to create one Open Mobile Software Platform
Foundation to be established to provide royalty-free open platform and accelerate innovation.
Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola and NTT DOCOMO have just announced in London their intent to unite Symbian OSTM, S60, UIQ and MOAP(S) to create one open mobile software platform. Together with AT&T, LG Electronics, Samsung Electronics, STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments and Vodafone they plan to establish the Symbian Foundation to extend the appeal of this unified software platform. Membership of this non-profit Foundation will be open to all organizations. This initiative is supported by current shareholders and management of Symbian Limited, who have been actively involved in its development. Plans for the Foundation have already received wide support from other industry leaders.
To enable the Foundation, Nokia announced plans to acquire the remaining shares of Symbian Limited that Nokia does not already own and then contribute the Symbian and S60 software to the Foundation. Sony Ericsson and Motorola announced their intention to contribute technology from UIQ and DOCOMO has also indicated its willingness to contribute its MOAP(S) assets. From these contributions, the Foundation will provide a unified platform with common UI framework. A full platform will be available for all Foundation members under a royalty-free license, from the Foundation's first day of operations.
Contributions from Foundation members through open collaboration will be integrated to further enhance the platform. The Foundation will make selected components available as open source at launch. It will then work to establish the most complete mobile software offering available in open source. This will be made available over the next two years and is intended to be released under Eclipse Public License (EPL) 1.0.
The Foundation's platform will build on the leading open mobile software platform, with more than 200 million phones, across 235 models, already shipped by multiple vendors and tens of thousands of third- party applications already available for Symbian OS-based devices.
"Ten years ago, Symbian was established by far sighted players to offer an advanced open operating system and software skills to the whole mobile industry", said Nigel Clifford, CEO of Symbian. "Our vision is to become the most widely used software platform on the planet and indeed today Symbian OS leads its market by any measure. Today's announcement is a bold new step to achieve that vision by embracing a complete and proven platform, offered in an open way, designed to stimulate innovation which is at the heart of everything we do."
"Establishing the Foundation is one of the biggest contributions to an open community ever made," said Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, CEO of Nokia. "Nokia is a strong supporter of open platforms and technologies as they give the freedom to build, maintain and evolve applications and services across device segments and offer by far the largest ecosystem, enabling rapid innovation. Today's announcement is a major milestone in our devices software strategy."
"The complete, consistent platform that the Foundation plans to provide will allow manufacturers to focus on their unique differentiation at a device level" said Dick Komiyama, President of Sony Ericsson. "Sony Ericsson believes that the unified Symbian Foundation platform will greatly simplify the world for handset manufacturers, operators and developers, enabling greater innovation in services and applications to the benefit of consumers everywhere."
"Motorola has long been a leader and advocate of open software for mobile platforms. We're excited to be joining Nokia, Sony Ericsson, NTT DOCOMO and others in leading this open source effort to form the new Symbian Foundation and unite the Symbian ecosystem," said Alain Mutricy, Senior Vice President, Platforms & Technology Office, Motorola Mobile Devices. "Also, Motorola, together with Sony Ericsson, will be contributing UIQ technology to the Foundation and will work with UIQ as they are refocusing as an important supplier in the new Symbian ecosystem. This will be a great addition, as the Foundation will be able to leverage UIQ's unique experience, which includes expertise in touch technology."
"DOCOMO welcomes this development and we look forward to moving our Symbian based devices and service onto the Foundation platform. We are also willing to contribute our MOAP(S) assets to the Foundation. This is a very positive step in further increasing the adoption of the Symbian software and creating an even more open, consistent and complete platform. The Foundation software will enable us to enjoy the benefits of a global platform in bringing new, leading-edge services to the Japanese market. It will increase efficiency and help us provide our wide customer base with the most advanced mobile experiences." said Toshio Miki, Associate Senior Vice President, Managing Director of Communication Device Development Department of NTT DOCOMO.
"Mobile phones have turned into sophisticated multimedia computers and smart phones continue to grow in popularity," said Kris Rinne, Senior Vice President of Architecture and Planning at AT&T. "The Symbian Foundation will reduce fragmentation in the industry and holds the promise of incorporating leading technology and the most mature software into a unified platform for the entire industry. This will create an environment that will encourage and enable developers to build compelling applications that will positively affect our customers' lives and support AT&T in offering its differentiated services to consumers."
"Joining the Symbian Foundation is an ideal opportunity for LG to broaden our commitment to providing our customers with the best possible mobile experience" said Dr. Skott Ahn, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. "We believe that open mobile platforms will contribute to advance the mobile industry. At LG we will play a leading role in creating a better mobile environment, working with the Symbian Foundation to provide our customers with smart new features based on this open platform."
"Samsung Electronics is committed to Symbian as one of the future platforms for our mobile devices and believes that establishing the Foundation is a visionary move in positioning the platform as a proven open platform for future development. We are delighted to be playing a significant role in that future by joining the Foundation board. We have already used Symbian and S60 software successfully to deliver appealing devices and see these steps making the platform even more attractive for bringing the latest technologies and services to the market" said Dr. Do Hun Kwon, VP & Managing Director, Samsung Electronics Research Institute.
"ST sees strong consumer demand, across all segments, for a richer multimedia experience," said Monica de Virgiliis, General Manager of the Wireless Multimedia Division, STMicroelectronics. "This new foundation synchronizes and harmonizes the mainstream software approach to address this need and makes the software widely available. We anticipate this will fuel the growth of multimedia-capable devices and we are excited about being able to leverage our long-standing leadership in consumer digital multimedia to satisfy more and more consumers."
"TI has long supported open platforms, and we are excited about the formation of the Symbian Foundation. We believe the new structure will remove barriers to innovation in the mobile industry by providing a common platform on which exciting next-generation applications and services can be built," said Greg Delagi, senior vice president of TI's Wireless Business Unit. "Manufacturers can get a head-start on development with TI's proven OMAP-based Symbian S60 software development platform. Combined with the Foundation's open collaboration model, this will allow more developers to harness the performance and multimedia capabilities of the OMAP family to accelerate improvements in the mobile user experience."
"Vodafone believes this is a significant step in driving mobile innovation for the Internet as well as creating a richer mobile experience for our customers" said Jens Schulte-Bockum, Vodafone's Global Director of Terminals. "We have been challenging the industry to reduce complexity and focus on fewer operating systems. This step will help to drive even faster innovation, as well as enable operators to accelerate time-to-market for compelling and varied new services."
"Fujitsu is pleased to be one of the first supporters of plans for the Symbian Foundation," said Hideyuki Saso, president of the Mobile Phones Unit at Fujitsu Limited. "Fujitsu has long been an innovator in the development of handsets based on the Symbian OS, launching our development efforts in 2001 and commercializing the world's first Symbian OS-based 3G smartphone in 2003. Over the past seven years, we've brought a broad range of innovative, high-performance Symbian smartphones to market while collaborating with NTT DOCOMO on the development of MOAP(S). As a handset vendor, Fujitsu looks forward to supporting the development of the unified Foundation platform, and to developing future products based on the platform."
"This new initiative brings together the rare combination of a proven software operating system and an open source model, creating a unique platform to drive innovation in the mobile handset," said Scott Bibaud, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Mobile Platforms Group, Broadcom. "Broadcom's participation in the Symbian Foundation is consistent with our goals of enabling differentiated software solutions while providing a time-to-market advantage with our advanced mobile platform products."
Foundation members share the vision that the Foundation will unify the software platform, supercharge innovation and accelerate the availability of new services and compelling experiences for consumers and business users around the world. The combined platform is already one of the most advanced and widely used mobile platforms, making it highly attractive for all ecosystem partners, including developers, mobile operators, content and service providers and device manufacturers.
The Foundation is expected to start operating during the first half of 2009, subject to the closing of the acquisition of Symbian Ltd by Nokia.
Symbian is a software licensing company that develops and licenses Symbian OS, the market-leading open operating system for mobile phones. Symbian licenses Symbian OS to the world's leading handset manufacturers. Symbian has its headquarters in London, United Kingdom, with offices in the United States, United Kingdom, India, China, Korea, and Japan.
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 2:00 AM | Link to this Post
June 14, 2008
Paris Beach Volleyball Grand Slam: Henkel is the Main Sponsor
The Henkel Beach Volleyball Grand Slam Tournament 2008 will be held in Paris from June 16-22. This year is the fourth time the Beach Volleyball Grand Slam Tournament will be held in the French capital. And for the third time, Henkel is the main sponsor of the event, and will present its corporate brand name and seven product brands: Fa, Mir, Le Chat, Pattex, SuperGlue, Loctite and Schwarzkopf.
More than 200 matches will take place on the grounds of the "Champs de Mars," against the fantastic backdrop of the Eiffel Tower. The arena has a capacity exceeding 6,500 spectators, who will be able to experience world-class beach volleyball free of charge. The best 130 teams from 40 countries will travel to Paris to pit their skills against each other. For the athletes, the tournament is important in terms of the qualification for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in August. The winners will not only qualify for the Summer Olympics, but also earn 600,000 euros in prize money. Accordingly, the Beach Volleyball Grand Slam Tournament in Paris ranks among the most lucrative beach volleyball competitions worldwide.
As the main sponsor, Henkel also offers fans a diverse range of fringe events. These include instructions given by Le Chat on maintaining health at the same level as top athletes, the opportunity to relax in the wellness zone hosted by Fa, or a visit to the Henkel Cafe.
Beach volleyball attained the status of an Olympic sport in 1996. Since the 1980s, the game has emerged as a highly popular sporting event, which appeals to a large audience. In addition to the playing surface, the main difference compared to indoor volleyball is the number of players on the team. In beach volleyball, each team consists of two players, not six as is the case with its indoor counterpart.
Henkel has been sponsoring national and international sports events for many years. Besides the Beach Volleyball Grand Slam tournaments in Paris and Klagenfurt, Austria, Henkel has also been involved with the Ice Hockey World Championship in Canada and the World Handball Championship in Germany last year.
Henkel, headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany, has about 55,000 employees worldwide and counts among the most internationally recognized German-based companies in the global marketplace. People in approximately 125 countries around the world use the brands and technologies from Henkel. Henkel is organized into three globally operating business sectors: Laundry & Home Care, Cosmetics & Toiletries, and Adhesive Technologies.
Source: Henkel AG & Co. KGaA
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 7:19 AM | Link to this Post
June 12, 2008
DuPont Car Color Update: White is Still Tops but Blue is Gaining in Popularity
Consumer Feedback Alerts Auto Designers to Possible Color Trends.
Photo: Suzuki XL7 -- White.
Photo: 2008 Honda Accord EX-L V-6 Sedan. White cars, such as this, remain the top color choice for consumers.
Although white, silver and black dominate the global mass auto market, car enthusiasts around the world are leaning toward various treatments of blue, according to leading auto industry designers and a global team of DuPont (NYSE:DD) color designers.
Photo: Ford Fusion 2008 -- Black.
"This year, we thought it would be interesting to ask car and color designers in mid year about automobile buyers' color preferences," said Karen Surcina, color marketing and technology manager -- DuPont Automotive Systems. For the last 55 years, the DuPont Global Automotive Color Popularity Report has provided a year-end, data-based snapshot of mass market car color preferences. DuPont is one of the world's largest global suppliers of paints and coatings to new car manufacturers and the automobile collision repair industry.
Asia Pacific: Emily Hung, DuPont color designer for the Asia Pacific region, says dark blue metallic is popular and is being fine-tuned for that region. Candy whites and tri-coat pearl finishes also are extremely popular, confirming the 2007 DuPont Global survey finding that white had overtaken silver as the most popular color in Asia and North America. Luxury car buyers in Asia-Pacific countries continue to favor black and mid-tone metallic grays while champagne is favored over light silver in medium-size cars.
"In India and China, the booming economies are reflected in the wide range of colors offered to attract young buyers to compact cars," Hung said.
Europe: Blue is the most important chromatic color in Europe, with 12 percent of the market, reports Elke Dirks, DuPont color designer for Europe. Chromatic colors are those with hue, unlike white, grey and black.
"Black, which overtook silver in popularity in Europe last year, is seen as a trendy newcomer there and could double in volume," Dirks said. Long-term, she predicts, European consumers will ask for a more colorful and individualistic palette from car makers. At the moment, though, preferences are highly influenced by ecological concepts, with demand growing for light, pure and sophisticated looks.
Photo: 2007 Chevrolet Aveo Hatchback (Venezuela) -- Yellow.
Latin America: Wolstano Marin, DuPont color designer for Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador, says the "achromatic range," including white, silver, gray and black, dominates consumer preference in that area of Latin America. While green led the chromatic colors for several years, "blue now seems to be the most popular in that family," he said. Personal preference, fashion and resale value seem to be the major factors contributing to car color choice in the region.
Photo: Chrysler Aspen 2008 -- Blue.
North America: Blue also plays a role in American tastes, says Nancy Lockhart, DuPont color designer for North America. She sees lighter blues emerging with a reddish accent representing a clean, fresh trend. Medium and dark shades of blue are more greenish, evoking a modern feel.
White tri-coats such as pearls are chosen by buyers for their luxurious, yet unpretentious presentation. Oranges and golds are also important and reddish gold is an emerging influence, she said.
"While current economic conditions in North America are not being felt in car color choices, people are clearly being influenced by the 'green' movement, with natural versions of bold colors taking hold," Lockhart said. "For example, copper seems to be replacing flashier gold finishes and royal blues will give way to lighter, cleaner and more water-like blues. Even white will change, with ultra whites and yellowish whites giving way to cleaner versions."
"White seems to be the most prominent color on the road and on everyone's mind in design," said Mollie Engel, senior color designer for Kia Design Center America. "It is the new luxury color and it is also ecological. The lighter the colors we use, the less 'solar gain' is encouraged, and that means less gas we use to cool our cars."
Photo: 2009 SATURN ASTRA XR 3-DOOR -- Red.
Economic uncertainty in North America seems to be influencing people to return to basics such as white and red, according to Engel, "but they are new versions of these common color spaces." While Engel doesn't see car buyers moving toward blue, she sees a growing importance of "olive greens" as well as earth tones such as dark grey, bronze and dark browns as "part of this new, classically modern palette."
Auto Manufacturer Perspectives: Christopher Webb, General Motors lead color and trend designer, interior and exterior, says "customers are embracing color again," with brown, orange and blue selling well. Webb seeks first-hand color preference information from consumers by interacting with car enthusiasts at auto shows around the United States. He has also done several GM blogs on color.
GM takes consumer input seriously. Several years ago, Webb polled Corvette Car Club members to find out which color they would most like to see on their vehicles. Their request for orange came at a time when an "orange trend" was developing in other areas of product design. The result was a color, developed with DuPont, called "Atomic Orange."
"Blue will continue to be strong in the marketplace along with a growing trend in natural and authentic colors," said Jim Parker, senior manager, color and trim design, Chrysler LLC. "The 2009 Dodge Ram will be offered in several new colors like Deep Water Blue Pearl and Austin Tan Pearl, which will accentuate its distinctive, bold design and reflect these color trends."
Photo: Jeep Wrangler 2008 -- Green.
Although he has not yet seen any economy-related trends in consumer color choices, consumer buying tends to lean toward more conservative choices during economic downturns. Regardless of the economy, says Parker, Chrysler(R), Dodge(R) and Jeep(R) offer a wide variety of color choices, allowing consumers to express their own personalities.
Aftermarket Color Choices: Aftermarket color choices, such as those selected for custom cars and high-end restorations, are also highly individualistic, but don't conform to color trends seen in the new car market, according to Janine Little, marketing manager for the DuPont(TM) Hot Hues(TM) line of automotive finishes.
Some colors are more expensive than others because of the pigments needed to produce the right color - mostly in the red and silver ranges, Little said. "But to these enthusiasts, spending more on the perfect color for your car is a sacrifice worth enduring. They are also willing to pay for the newest coatings technologies, such as special metallic flakes and candy colors, to differentiate their vehicles and give them personality."
The 2007 DuPont Global Color Popularity Report, released in December, tracked color across vehicle segment, and also reported by geographic region, the only report of its kind to do so. The report remains the industry's authoritative standard for analyzing and predicting vehicle color trends based on consumer choices. The annual DuPont study is a benchmark for the automotive industry. Its influence reaches beyond the automotive segment to other industries including home furnishings, consumer electronics and fashion. The 2008 DuPont Global Color Popularity Report will be issued later this year.
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 8:49 AM | Link to this Post
May 9, 2008
Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW) Honors Best Beauty Products of the Year
The beauty industry came out to celebrate its finest as Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW) honored the most innovative beauty products of the year. The CEW Beauty Awards are determined by those in the know -- over 4,000 beauty professionals. Cosmetic Executive Women, Inc. (CEW) is a nonprofit professional organization with over 4,000 executives in the beauty, cosmetics, fragrance, and related industries. CEW is based in NYC, and has associated organizations in France and the United Kingdom.
For manufacturers, an "Insider's Choice Award," is the industry's highest honor. For consumers, it's a foolproof way of knowing the best new products on the market today. "When shoppers see a product with the CEW Winner's seal they know it's been vetted by a professional. It's like having a friend in the industry give you their honest opinion," noted CEW President Carlotta Jacobson. "These are the products people are talking about -- and the ones we all want to own."
This year's list of Winners were announced at a Gala Luncheon at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City.
• Nearly 600 products nominated
• 280 brands represented
• 27 categories
• Industry celebrities and TV personalities were on-hand, including Star
of HBO's Sex and the City Mario Cantone who hosted the event, Star of
NBC's Lipstick Jungle Lindsay Price, Supermodel Marcus Schenkenberg,
Co-star of the upcoming Coen brothers movie, "Burn After Reading" Matt
Walton, Actress on Emmy Award-Winning show 30 Rock on NBC Katrina
Bowden, Supermodel Kylie Bax, and Winner of "America's Next Top Model"
CariDee English.
Photo: L-R: Matt Walton, Katrina Bowden, Marcus Schenkenberg, CariDee English, Mario Cantone, CEW President Carlotta Jacobson, Allure Editor-in-Chief Linda Wells, Lindsay Price, Kylie Bax.
BATH & BODY
Body Treatment - Mass
Olay Thermal Pedicure
Body Treatment - Prestige
Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins (TM) The Way of the Bath(TM) Matcha Tea Body Scrub
Scented Bath and Body - Mass
JOHNSONS(R) Softoil(TM) Melt Away Stress Massaging Moisturizer
Scented Bath and Body - Prestige
Tom Ford Beauty Black Orchid Finishing Oil Spray
FACIAL SKINCARE
Acne Treatment
Bare Escentuals RareMinerals Blemish Therapy
Anti-Aging - Mass
Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream
Anti-Aging - Prestige
Shiseido Cosmetics (America) Ltd. Bio-Performance Intensive Skin Corrective Program
Cleanser and Scrub - Mass
Dove SkinVitalizer
Cleanser and Scrub - Prestige
philosophy The Microdelivery Micro-massage Exfoliating Wash
Eye Treatment - Mass
Olay Regenerist Eye Derma-Pod Anti-Aging Triple Response System
Eye Treatment - Prestige
Estee Lauder Future Perfect Anti-Wrinkle Radiance Eye Creme
Moisturizer - Mass
L'Oreal Paris Revitalift UV Daily Moisturizing Cream with Mexoryl SX
Moisturizer - Prestige
Estee Lauder Hydra Bright Skin-Tone Perfecting Moisturizer
HAIR CARE & COLORING
Hair Care and Coloring Product - Mass
Garnier Fructis Style Sleek & Shine Anti-Humidity Hairspray
Hair Care and Coloring Product - Prestige
Frederic Fekkai Coiff Controle Ironless Straightening Balm
MAKEUP
Eye Product - Mass
CoverGirl LashBlast Mascara
Eye Product - Prestige
Dior DiorShow Blackout Mascara
Face Product - Mass
Almay Smart Shade(R) Blush and Bronzer
Face Product - Prestige
Estee Lauder Resilience Lift Extreme Ultra Firming Makeup SPF 15
Lip Product - Mass
L'Oreal Paris Infallible Never Fail Lipcolour
Lip Product - Prestige
YSL Beaute Lip Twins
MEN'S SKINCARE
Men's Grooming
Clinique Skin Supplies for Men M Cover
SCENT
Men's Scent
Bond No. 9 New York Andy Warhol Silver Factory
Women's Scent - Prestige
Marc Jacobs Fragrances Daisy Marc Jacobs
SUN
Sun Product - Mass
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 70
Sun Product - Prestige
Estee Lauder Multi-Protection Sun Towelettes for Body SPF 15
INDIE BEAUTY AWARD
bettybeauty, inc (tie)
Clark's Botanicals (tie)
The 2008 CEW Beauty Awards are sponsored by Allure, Givaudan, CVS/pharmacy, Crest Whitestrips Daily Whitening + Tartar Protection, ACUVUE(R) Brand Contact Lenses, WWD Beauty Biz, The Royal Promotion Group, Restylane, KraftWorks, Arcade Marketing, MaCher, HBA Global Expo, Beilis Development, VEET, Vidicom, NeoStrata, Rpr Marketing Communications, Suite K, Digital Plus, and Raw Media. Categories defined by NPD Group. Ballots tabulated by Ernst & Young.
Source: Cosmetic Executive Women, Inc.
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 3:00 AM | Link to this Post
April 28, 2008
Longines adds Conquest Ceramic to its Sport Collection
The Longines Conquest is the quintessential expression of the brand's sporting elegance. Special attention has been paid to the aesthetics of the bezel, the cabochon crown and the links, all made of ceramic. As a subtle marriage of steel with ceramic, performance with elegance, the Longines Conquest includes technical characteristics that meet the requirements of the most demanding sportsmen and women.
The Longines Conquest has a fixed bezel and a cabochon crown made of black, grey or white ceramic. Some models come with black or grey ceramic links that make up the bracelet. This material is a combination of beauty and exceptional technical features. Scratch-proof and non-allergenic, ceramic is impervious to all chemicals as well as being almost totally resistant to friction, abrasion and high temperatures. Its sheen contrasts with the brushed finish of the steel used for the case and the bracelet. The black, grey or white of the dial with its sleek design is a subtle reminder of the quality of the ceramic.
The characteristics of the models in the Conquest line meet the requirements of the most demanding sports: water-resistance to 300 m, screw-in crown and case-back, and lateral protection for the crown. The 41 mm diameter stainless steel case houses a choice of a self-winding, chronograph or three-hand movement. These models are also available with a leather or rubber strap or with a stainless steel bracelet.
Source: Longines
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 4:30 AM | Link to this Post
April 10, 2008
Lord and Taylor Re-Launches Its Legendary Rose
The department store Lord and Taylor has re-launched its iconic Rose, first introduced in the 1940s and now re-created and re-colored in "sunrise," (a mixture of yellow and orange the store has adopted as its own). The exuberant new Lord and Taylor Rose is showcased on shopping bags, boxes, gift cards and in-store visuals in all 47 Lord and Taylor stores in the Northeast USA. In Manhattan, collages of the Rose are displayed in awnings and windows across the Fifth Avenue facade of the landmarked flagship store and wrap buses that carry New Yorkers and visitors to and from metro area locations.
Lord and Taylor is an upscale specialty department store with 47 stores in nine states and the District of Columbia. Founded in 1826, Lord and Taylor is America's oldest department store and one of the premier retailers.
The store is also conducting its first annual contest to re-create the Lord and Taylor Rose from submissions of original art work by artists from around the world. "We are planning to bring back the Lord and Taylor Rose each Spring, each time a different version created by a different artist," says Jane Elfers, President and Chief Executive Officer. Artists, graphic designers and photographers can get details and contest rules by visiting www.lordandtaylor.com/rosecontest. Registration and submissions will take place online through May 26. Industry experts will select 60 entries and their images posted on the website on June 9. The public will have the opportunity to vote for their favorites, one vote per e-mail. The first round of the vote will close at midnight, June 22. Thirty top entries will be posted on the website, June 25, and the second round of voting will begin, ending at midnight, June 30. The winner will be announced on July 2. Besides having his or her Lord and Taylor Rose showcased in the store flagship's Fifth Avenue awnings and windows as well as in shopping bags, boxes, gift cards and in- store visuals in all Lord and Taylor stores next Spring, the winner will receive a $10,000 cash award and multiple mentions in national and international press.
Photo: At Lord and Taylor -- display for the brand CLINIQUE, under the section BEAUTY & FRAGRANCE. (Photo Credit: Lord and Taylor)
The re-launch of the Rose is part of the Lord and Taylor rebranding campaign. The campaign, created by David Lipman, Chairman of LIPMAN, a leading branding and integrated advertising agency, aims to modernize the store's image. The campaign is showcasing the results of Lord and Taylor CEO Elfers' commitment to upgrading merchandise assortments, in-store services, amenities, and brand packaging, while upholding Lord and Taylor's 182 year history.
Source: Lord and Taylor
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 2:06 PM | Link to this Post
