Hyundai-Kia Ties With Microsoft For “In-Vehicle Entertainment” 8 May 2008
Posted by Michael in Branding, Innovation, Korea, News, Products, Services.add a comment
Bill Gates, after meeting with Korean President Lee, announced Microsoft will invest $100M+ in setting up the “Automotive IT Innovation Center” jointly with Hyundai-Kia Motors, the nation’s premier auto company. According to Reuters, the first product under the partnership would be a voice-controlled system linking mobile devices to car stereo systems; Later versions are expected to include multimedia and navigation-related features. In plain English: the US-bound Hyundai and Kia vehicles will soon have Microsoft-powered gadgets and interfaces inside the cars. As evidenced by Ray Ozzie’s “Mesh” plan, Microsoft is working hard on its new corporate vision to provide ubiquitous connected experience across all devices and environments, including the driver’s seat. Meanwhile, BMW has begun offering on-board internet access. Other companies like Nissan and Apple should also be looking at similar opportunities.
[From Web 2.0 Asia]
Get A Hip Replaced And See The Taj! 18 April 2008
Posted by Michael in India, Innovation, Observation, Services.add a comment
In another angle on Asia as a lower-cost medical destination for Westerners, India is capitalizing on its plethora of tourist sights like the Taj Mahal and Rajistan to offer an innovative combination of medical services and tourism.
“India is a perfect destination for medical tourism that combines health treatment with visits to some of the most alluring and awe-inspiring places of the world. A growing number of foreign tourists are flocking in large numbers because of the superlative medical care, equipment and facilities that are in India.
India excels in providing quality and cheap health care services to overseas tourists. The field has such lucrative potential that it can become a $2.3 billion business by 2012, states a study by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). In 2004, some 150,000 foreigners visited India for treatment, and the numbers have been rising by 15 per cent each year. India is in the process of becoming the “Global Health Destination” owing to the following advantages:
- The cost of medical services in India is almost 30% lower to that in Western countries and the cheapest in South-east Asia.
- Language is a major comfort factor that invites so many foreign tourists to visit India for medical and health tourism. India has a large populace of good English speaking doctors, guides and medical staff. This makes it easier for foreigners to relate well to Indian doctors.
- Indian hospitals excel in cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery, joint replacements, transplants, cosmetic treatments, dental care, orthopaedic surgery and more.”
[From TravelVideo.tv]
Taiwan Wants To Build Their Own Brands 15 April 2008
Posted by Michael in Branding, Innovation, Observation, Opinion, Products, Services, Taiwan.add a comment
Huang Der-Ray, director general of the Hsinchu Science Park Administration, said companies in the park had steadily increased spending on research and development from 4 percent of total revenue in previous years to 7 percent in the past three years.
Companies have also begun to focus on innovation and building their own brands. Mediatek, a chip design company that initially focused on optical storage drivers’ chips, has ventured into other areas, including designing chips for wireless communications and high-definition digital televisions. The company is one of the most profitable in the science park and is considered a pioneer in its designs.
Several companies in the science park have focused on research into new technologies, including solar energy. Just in the past two years, more than 15 companies in Hsinchu have invested in solar research, Huang said. One, Gintech Energy, has been successful in designing solar panels, which it sells to power companies around the world.
More companies are also moving toward design instead of just manufacturing. A decade ago, only about 20 or 30 companies in the Hsinchu Science Park were chip design companies, with most being contract manufacturers. Now, there are 80 companies whose focus is IC design, Huang said.
“This is Taiwan’s Silicon Valley,” Huang said. “This park is not just a manufacturing base. It wants to design new products. We are now going toward this direction, creating Taiwan’s own brands.”
Analysts said one of the biggest challenges Taiwan companies faced in developing a global brand is overcoming the label-consciousness of consumers here, who prefer internationally recognized brands rather than domestically designed products. Other than Acer and ASUS, which are laptop brands of Taiwan, few homegrown Taiwan high-tech products are known around the world, unlike in South Korea.
[From the IHT]
Malaysia Gets First Asian Neuroscience Center 15 April 2008
Posted by Michael in Innovation, Malaysia, Services.1 comment so far
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) will become the first public institution of higher learning in Asia to have a neuroscience research centre, equipped with the latest technology and tools capable of producing high resolution images of the brain.
Siemens Malaysia Sdn Bhd deputy president Tobias Seyfarth said the latest technology known as Ultra High Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging 7 Tesla (MRI 7T), reputed and recognised as among the best in the world, would be introduced for the first time in Asia at the centre.
“The neuroscience research centre equipped with MRI 7T will overshadow the MRI 3T used in most Asian countries,” he told reporters after the signing of a memorandum of understanding between USM and Siemens Malaysia Sdn Bhd.
[From Bernama]
Singapore Air launches first Asian all-biz class flights 22 March 2008
Posted by Michael in Innovation, News, Services, Singapore.add a comment
Singapore Airlines will begin operating all-business-class services to Los Angeles and New York in May, in a move it says will create an airline-industry first. The initiative will represent the first time any airline has operated an all-business-class service between Asia and the United States, Singapore Airlines (SIA) said. SIA plans to convert the five Airbus A340-500 jets it currently operates on nonstop flights to both U.S. cities into all-business-class configuration. At present each A340-500 seats 181 passengers in two classes — business class and SIA’s ‘Executive Economy’ class — but will replace this configuration with a single-class interior that contains 100 of the airline’s new business-class seats.
[From World of airline news]
Toshiba innovates ‘invitation-only’ mobile phone 22 March 2008
Posted by Michael in Branding, Innovation, Japan, News, Products, Services.add a comment
This set of handsets from Toshiba targets the ultra-luxury segment who want to be seen with the rarest of personal devices. Although Toshiba brought some interesting things together, none are terrifically unique. A high-profile designer, a long wait for exclusivity factor, some concierge services and a hunt-for-it availability. The ‘invitation-only’ is a bit misleading as it is available to people who seek out a special code in a magazine. What could have been more interesting, and perhaps even more lucrative, is to make it truly invitation only.
[From InventorSpot]
Thai hospital strengthens international brand 16 March 2008
Posted by Michael in Branding, Services, Thailand.add a comment
Thailand’s Bumrungrad International Hospital has been in the news a couple of times this week and has got a “first”. Already known throughout Asia as a first choice for medical services ranging from dental services to breast implants to sex changes, the hospital is further building the brand to international markets.
The hospital will operate a complete packaging, storage and dispensing system that barcodes unit-dose medications onsite. This state-of-the-art, fully-automated drug management system by Swisslog — often called a ‘Pharmacy Robot’ — is the first of its kind in Asia. Bumrungrad International will use it to improve care and safety for its patients. [From PRWeb]
Secondly, the hospital increasingly receives international patients, including from the US, as insurance companies there resort to “patient outsourcing” in the face of the stratospheric cost of surgical procedures. A heart by-pass in the US goes for around $125,000 while at Bumrungrad it can be a reasonable $16,000. [From Businessweek]
Tata going big and wide with WiMax 15 March 2008
Posted by Michael in India, Innovation, News, Services, Telecom.add a comment
Tata Communications announced it plans to deploy the world’s largest WiMax network. This has analysts, suppliers and consumers plenty excited. There will be enormous opportunity for innovative applications such as steaming video of worship from famous Hindu temples around the country. It gives India the opportunity to leapfrog other Asian countries and become a clear leader.
[From Businessweek]
Nokia innovates culture with Feng Shui app 14 March 2008
Posted by Michael in China, Culture, News, Products, Services, Telecom.add a comment
Gang Lu points out that Nokia has done a great job innovating a new software set especially for China and Hong Kong. The app helps predict and recommend your feng shui “situation.” Says Lu, “For the unfamiliar, feng shui is the ancient Chinese art of arranging objects and space in an environment in order to achieve balance, harmony and good energy. The software is designed for the Hong Kong market, which is one of the areas where the adherents to feng shui principles are the strongest.” A good example of localizing to make better, more engaging connections.
[From PSFK]
