In the most important, most revered event since the invention of the brontosaurus trap,Microsoft shipped the most incredibly fabulous operating system ever made; the release of Windows 7 also spurred a new generation of personal computers of all sizes at prices well below last month's offers.The top reason Windows 7 does not suck: There is no registered website called Windows7Sucks.com
Kindle e-book reader maker Amazon.com and new Nook e-book reader vendor Barnes and Noble got it on; B&N got great reviews for the "Kindle killer"Nook, with dual screens and touch controls so you can "turn" pages, plays MP3s and allows many non-B&N book formats, although not the Kindle one;Amazon then killed the US version of its Kindle in favour of the international one, reduced its price to $260(8,700 baht), same as the Nook; it's not yet clear what you can get in Thailand with a Nook, but you sure can't (yet) get much, relatively speaking, with a Kindle;but here's the biggest difference so far,which Amazon.com has ignored: the Nook lets you lend e-books to any other Nook owner, just as if they were paper books; the borrowed books expire on the borrower's Nook in two weeks.
Phone maker Nokia of Finland announced it is suing iPhone maker Apple of America for being a copycat; lawyers said they figure Nokia can get at least one, probably two per cent (retail) for every iPhone sold by Steve "President for Life" Jobs and crew via the lawsuit,which sure beats working for it -$6 (200 baht) to $12(400 baht) on 30 million phones sold so far, works out to $400 million or 25 percent of the whole Apple empire profits during the last quarter;there were 10 patent thefts, the Finnish executives said, on everything from moving data to security and encryption.
Nokia of Finland announced that it is one month behind on shipping its new flagship N900 phone, the first to run on Linux software; delay of the $750(25,000 baht) phone had absolutely no part in making Nokia so short that it had to sue Apple, slap yourself for such a thought.
Tim Berners-Lee, who created the World Wide Web, said he had one regret:the double slash that follows the "http:"in standard web addresses; he estimated that 14.2 gazillion users have wasted 48.72 bazillion hours typing those two keystrokes, and he's sorry; of course there's no reason to ever type that, since your browser does it for you when you type "www.bangkokpost.com" but Tim needs to admit he made one error in his lifetime.
The International Telecommunication Union of the United Nations, which doesn't sell any phones or services, announced that there should be a mobile phone charger that will work with any phone; now who would ever have thought of that, without a UN body to wind up a major study on the subject?;the GSM Association estimates that 51,000 tonnes of chargers are made each year in order to keep companies able to have their own unique ones.
The Well, Doh Award of the Week was presented at arm's length to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development; the group's deputy secretary-general Petko Draganov said that developing countries will miss some of the stuff available on the Internet if they don't install more broadband infrastructure; a report that used your tax baht to compile said that quite a few people use mobile phones but companies are more likely to invest in countries with excellent broadband connections; no one ever had thought of this before, right?
Sun Microsystems , as a result of the Oracle takeover, said it will allow 3,000 current workers never to bother coming to work again; Sun referred to the losses as "jobs," not people; now the fourth largest server maker in the world, Sun said it lost $2.2 billion in its last fiscal year; European regulators are holding up approval of the Oracle purchase in the hope of getting some money in exchange for not involving Oracle in court cases.
The multi-gazillionaire and very annoying investor Carl Icahn resigned from the board at Yahoo ; he spun it as a vote of confidence, saying current directors are taking the formerly threatened company seriously; Yahoo reported increased profits but smaller revenues in the third quarter.
The US House of Representatives voted to censure Vietnam for jailing bloggers; the non-binding resolution sponsored by southern California congresswoman Loretta Sanchez said the Internet is "a crucial tool for the citizens of Vietnam to be able to exercise their freedom of expression and association;"Hanoi has recently jailed at least nine activists for up to six years apiece for holding pro-democracy banners. Iran jailed blogger Hossein "Hoder" Derakshan for 10 months - in solitary confinement.
Friday, October 30, 2009
FURNISHING GIANT IKEA SET TO BOOST GREEN PUSH
The iconic Swedish home furnishing conglomerate Ikea has stepped up its green policy from making its products 100% recyclable to ordering raw material from well-managed forest plantations.
"We are working with our suppliers to make sure that our social and environmental measures are on high standard," said Thomas Bergmark, sustainability manager of Ikea Group.
"Currently,72% of our products are renewable or recyclable. Our mission is to have a complete range of renewable or recyclable products in the future,"he said of the global company.
These green efforts follow the company's code of conduct, issued in 2000,which focuses on social and environmental issues.
Ikea has also cooperated with the World Wildlife Fund to implement a forest action plan to ensure that Ikea will reach its goal of sourcing all wood from verified, well-managed forest plantations.
The company is also improving production processes to be in line with its environmental scheme. Such measures will not only enhance its environmental credentials but also lower cost and improve sustainable performance, Mr Bergmark said.
Ikea also plans to increase its orders from Thai suppliers by between 25%and 30% next year, he said.
Currently, the company purchases products from 20 Thai suppliers worth 4 to 5 billion baht a year.
Ikea's largest supplier is China, which represents 20% of total orders while Thailand contributes only 2% of the total purchasing orders for export markets worldwide.
However, Thai-made products will go on sale to domestic consumers in November 2011 once it opens its first store in Thailand with a massive 40,000 square metres of space in the Bang Na area.
"We are working with our suppliers to make sure that our social and environmental measures are on high standard," said Thomas Bergmark, sustainability manager of Ikea Group.
"Currently,72% of our products are renewable or recyclable. Our mission is to have a complete range of renewable or recyclable products in the future,"he said of the global company.
These green efforts follow the company's code of conduct, issued in 2000,which focuses on social and environmental issues.
Ikea has also cooperated with the World Wildlife Fund to implement a forest action plan to ensure that Ikea will reach its goal of sourcing all wood from verified, well-managed forest plantations.
The company is also improving production processes to be in line with its environmental scheme. Such measures will not only enhance its environmental credentials but also lower cost and improve sustainable performance, Mr Bergmark said.
Ikea also plans to increase its orders from Thai suppliers by between 25%and 30% next year, he said.
Currently, the company purchases products from 20 Thai suppliers worth 4 to 5 billion baht a year.
Ikea's largest supplier is China, which represents 20% of total orders while Thailand contributes only 2% of the total purchasing orders for export markets worldwide.
However, Thai-made products will go on sale to domestic consumers in November 2011 once it opens its first store in Thailand with a massive 40,000 square metres of space in the Bang Na area.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
SIAM SANITARYWARE BANKS ON PREMIUM TOTO COLLECTION FOR SALES BOOST IN Q4
Toto has spent Bt5 million to introduce a super-luxury sanitary-ware collection called Toto Neorest a, which will drive fourth-quarter sales to the target of 30 per cent of full year sales.
Sarawut Samransub, managing director of Siam Sanitaryware Industry, the manufacturer and distributor of Toto sanitary-ware, said yesterday that the total market this year would exceed Bt3.9 billion, which is down on last year by 10 per cent.
The high-end segment covers 20 per cent of the total market. Its customers and divided into 48-per-cent business-to-business (B2B) and 52-per-cent business-to-customer (B2C).
The B2B group involves premimum and medium project owners. The B2C group includes and individuals who want to have new homes in a modern stylle using different technologies and designs.
Due to the shrinking of the economy early this year, Toto's sales have expanded by only 2 per cent over last year. However, improvement has been seen in the overall economy and the real-estate industry, which bodes well for the sanitary-ware market.
For next year, Toto plans to retain its top rank in the high-end segment via the differentiation of group sof products by innovation, technology, function, shape and design.
The group of high-end customers will also be enlarged, either in the public or private sector, through marketing activities, he added.
For next year, Toto plans to retain its top rank in the high-end segment via the differentiation of groups of products by innovation, technology, function shape and design.
Sarawut Samransub, managing director of Siam Sanitaryware Industry, the manufacturer and distributor of Toto sanitary-ware, said yesterday that the total market this year would exceed Bt3.9 billion, which is down on last year by 10 per cent.
The high-end segment covers 20 per cent of the total market. Its customers and divided into 48-per-cent business-to-business (B2B) and 52-per-cent business-to-customer (B2C).
The B2B group involves premimum and medium project owners. The B2C group includes and individuals who want to have new homes in a modern stylle using different technologies and designs.
Due to the shrinking of the economy early this year, Toto's sales have expanded by only 2 per cent over last year. However, improvement has been seen in the overall economy and the real-estate industry, which bodes well for the sanitary-ware market.
For next year, Toto plans to retain its top rank in the high-end segment via the differentiation of group sof products by innovation, technology, function, shape and design.
The group of high-end customers will also be enlarged, either in the public or private sector, through marketing activities, he added.
For next year, Toto plans to retain its top rank in the high-end segment via the differentiation of groups of products by innovation, technology, function shape and design.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Starmark expanding
Starmark will open three kitchen furniture outlets in Bangkok and upcountry next year as part of its plan to boost sales 15 per cent.
Managing director Nantana Srisakulpinyo yesterday said one branch would be in the Crystal Design Centre on Pradit Manutham Road in Bangkok and the next two in new HomePro stores upcountry. The expansion will require more than Bt30 million next year.
"We cannot estimate the cost exactly for next year, because we're negotiating branch size with the Crystal Design Centre, and that may cost more than Bt10 million, the normal budget for opening a branch," she said.
The company expects sales to grow nearly 10 per cent this year, but the property market is showing signs of recovering this quarter, so demand for kitchen furniture for both low- and high-rise residences will likely increase next year.
More than 60 per cent of Starmark's business comes from property projects, which deal with developers, and the rest from retail sales.
Some 70 per cent of sales are from new residential projects and the rest from the replacement market.
The company wants to increase the proportion of retail sales to 45 per cent next year, so it must increase its network to 48 branches, from 45 now.
The company will launch its latest kitchen design: the New Hygienic Thai Kitchen 2010 series, offering three models starting at Bt25,000 a square meter.
Starmark expects these models to drive sales until next year, Nantana added.
Managing director Nantana Srisakulpinyo yesterday said one branch would be in the Crystal Design Centre on Pradit Manutham Road in Bangkok and the next two in new HomePro stores upcountry. The expansion will require more than Bt30 million next year.
"We cannot estimate the cost exactly for next year, because we're negotiating branch size with the Crystal Design Centre, and that may cost more than Bt10 million, the normal budget for opening a branch," she said.
The company expects sales to grow nearly 10 per cent this year, but the property market is showing signs of recovering this quarter, so demand for kitchen furniture for both low- and high-rise residences will likely increase next year.
More than 60 per cent of Starmark's business comes from property projects, which deal with developers, and the rest from retail sales.
Some 70 per cent of sales are from new residential projects and the rest from the replacement market.
The company wants to increase the proportion of retail sales to 45 per cent next year, so it must increase its network to 48 branches, from 45 now.
The company will launch its latest kitchen design: the New Hygienic Thai Kitchen 2010 series, offering three models starting at Bt25,000 a square meter.
Starmark expects these models to drive sales until next year, Nantana added.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
FURNISHING GIANT IKEA SET TO BOOST GREEN PUSH
The iconic Swedish home furnishing conglomerate Ikea has stepped up its green policy from making its products 100% recyclable to ordering raw material from well-managed forest plantations.
"We are working with our suppliers to make sure that our social and environmental measures are on high standard," said Thomas Bergmark, sustainability manager of Ikea Group.
"Currently,72% of our products are renewable or recyclable. Our mission is to have a complete range of renewable or recyclable products in the future,"he said of the global company.
These green efforts follow the company's code of conduct, issued in 2000,which focuses on social and environmental issues.
Ikea has also cooperated with the World Wildlife Fund to implement a forest action plan to ensure that Ikea will reach its goal of sourcing all wood from verified, well-managed forest plantations.
The company is also improving production processes to be in line with its environmental scheme. Such measures will not only enhance its environmental credentials but also lower cost and improve sustainable performance, Mr Bergmark said.
Ikea also plans to increase its orders from Thai suppliers by between 25%and 30% next year, he said.
Currently, the company purchases products from 20 Thai suppliers worth 4 to 5 billion baht a year.
Ikea's largest supplier is China, which represents 20% of total orders while Thailand contributes only 2% of the total purchasing orders for export markets worldwide.
However, Thai-made products will go on sale to domestic consumers in November 2011 once it opens its first store in Thailand with a massive 40,000 square metres of space in the Bang Na area.
"We are working with our suppliers to make sure that our social and environmental measures are on high standard," said Thomas Bergmark, sustainability manager of Ikea Group.
"Currently,72% of our products are renewable or recyclable. Our mission is to have a complete range of renewable or recyclable products in the future,"he said of the global company.
These green efforts follow the company's code of conduct, issued in 2000,which focuses on social and environmental issues.
Ikea has also cooperated with the World Wildlife Fund to implement a forest action plan to ensure that Ikea will reach its goal of sourcing all wood from verified, well-managed forest plantations.
The company is also improving production processes to be in line with its environmental scheme. Such measures will not only enhance its environmental credentials but also lower cost and improve sustainable performance, Mr Bergmark said.
Ikea also plans to increase its orders from Thai suppliers by between 25%and 30% next year, he said.
Currently, the company purchases products from 20 Thai suppliers worth 4 to 5 billion baht a year.
Ikea's largest supplier is China, which represents 20% of total orders while Thailand contributes only 2% of the total purchasing orders for export markets worldwide.
However, Thai-made products will go on sale to domestic consumers in November 2011 once it opens its first store in Thailand with a massive 40,000 square metres of space in the Bang Na area.
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