Sony Launches World’s Slimmest, Lightest & Smallest Camcorder

Sony Malaysia has introduced the latest High Definition (HD) Handycam HDR-TG1 to its magnificent line-up of Handycams at KL Hilton recently. The new Handycam HDR-TG1(measuring at 32 x 119 x 63mm and weighing just 300g) is claimed to be the lightest, slimmest, smallest and most compact AVCHD camcorder, by delivering Full HD 1920 x 1080i video recording and captures still images of up to 4 megapixel resolution in various Memory Stick Duo media (that includes 16GB Memory Stick PRO Duo media that can accommodate 2 hours of high-definition recording in Full HD 1920×1080i mode and 7700 still images).

In line with Sony’s “My HD to Go” design concept, the HDR-TG1 is a pocket-sized, Full HD camcorder is created to capture high definition video. Pure titanium is incorporated for the first time in a camcorder chassis for a lightweight yet robust construction. Premium Hard Coating, is used on the Handycam body surface to enhance its scratch-resistance and minimise wear and tear.

Meanwhile, Mr. Taku Taguchi, General Manager of Product Marketing Division, Sony Malaysia said, Sony will continue its effort to expand and enhance Sony’srange of innovative camcorders to give consumers maximum choice and functionality.

The HDR-TG1 integrates Sony’s original ClearVid CMOS sensor with Exmor derived technology and BIONZ image processing engine, delivering vivid, crisp movies and photos with high sensitivity and low noise. Face Detection technology has been featured for both video and photos, that enables the HDR-TG1 to identify up to 8 faces in camcorder’s LCD frame. This unique Face Detection technology ables to automatically allocates more pixels to the detected face during the AVCHD encoding process, by optimizing focus, exposure and colours for natural-looking skin tones, while the D-Range Optimizer suppresses “blackout” in subjects and “whiteout” in brightly lit environments, ensuring more natural, evenly-exposed pictures, when shooting high contrast and strong backlit scenes. The built-in zoom microphone allows the HDR-TG1 to focus on targeted sound on any specific subject that the camcorder zooms in on, by ensuring a clear audio recording in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound.

The HDR-TG1 camcorder is also a user friendly camcorder, by providing users a multiple options like BRAVIA Sync enables viewing of video and images from HDR-TG1 to connect to BRAVIA TV with an optional HDMI cable, and the Photo TV HD feature allows photos to be displayed on any BRAVIA TV in Full HD quality. The HD Handycam features a One Touch Disc Burn button on the Handycam Station which enables transfer of videos to be directed to a AVCHD or DVD format disc and the Easy PC Backup feature creates a backup copy of new videos on a PC automatically.

In conjunction with the launch of HDR-TG1 camcorder, Sony also unveiled the latest TV programme entitled “MyView MyStory”, a reality travel show produced in collaboration with Astro, which features Malaysia’s very own talents- Jojo and Kamal. The objective of “MyView MyStory” is to cultivate the usage of HandyCam amongst the viewer. Mr Taku Taguchi said, this show is very relevant to the usage of HDR-TG1 camcorder, because the camcorder is light, is equipped with a safety strap and easy-to-use, is a perfect travelling companion. Mr. Taguchi also added the pocket-sized HDR-TG1 camcorder enables users to capture any moments in their journey. The one-hour “MyView MyStory” reality show will be broadcasted on the weekend for a total of 8 episodes at Astro Ria and Astro Wah Lai Toi beginning July 2008.

For more information about Sony Handycam, log on to www.sony.com.my or contact Connie Goh at 603 2295 0307

Express Rail Link, LG Electronics and Emirates Airlines Announce “RIDE & WIN” Contest Grand Prize Winners

In rewarding KLIA Ekspress loyal passengers, a 3-month long campaign which is run by Express Rail Link (ERL), LG Electronics and Emirates Airlines has provided 100 lucky ERL patrons to become proud owners of LG Shine mobile phones, LG 42-inch Pearl Black LCD TVs, and Emirates’ flights to London, Paris, Venice and Jakarta at the recently concluded “Ride & Win” campaign.

At the joint prize presentation event, CEO of Express Rail Link, Dr. Aminuddin Adnan, said the 3-month well received “Ride & Win” campaign has generated almost 100,000 entries or approximately 20% of KLIA Ekspress ridership, in which inadvertently increased the number of first-time travellers on the KLIA Ekspres to 5 percentage points, further proof that the campaign and the fabulous prizes enticed many new travellers to patronage and try ERL service.

Speaking on plans to increase ridership, Dr. Aminuddin said, “Within next few months, ERL is expected to be the first Malaysian rail transporter to offer its products worldwide through the travel industry’s Global Distribution System (GDS) and by signing-up with Amadeus GDS under their unique “Airport Express” co-branding, KLIA Ekspres train tickets will be available at over 380,000 Amadeus’ point-of-sales worldwide. Other air-rail operators that will be under the Amadeus “Airport Express” product include London’s Heathrow Express and Stockholm’s Arlanda Express“.

The monthly grand prize winners of LG 42-inch Pearl Black LCD TVs went to Miss Emmelia Md Nasir, Mr. Ahmad Firdaus Tan Sri Datuk Abdul Rahim Din and Mr. Ahmad Faizal Sulaiman and lucky Grand Prize winners of Emirates flight to European countries were Mr. Azlul Shuib Arslan, Miss Carly Shere S George and Mr. Kalaiselvam A/L Karuppiah.

EON BANK Group’s Grand Draw, ‘Win-A-Jaguar’ With The Pavilion Card

EON Bank Pavilion Card “Win A Jaguar X-Type” is a contest jointly introduced by EON Bank Group with Pavilion Kuala Lumpur and MasterCard Worldwide. The well received contest(ran from 1 October 2007 to 31 March 2008, has attracted close to a total of 330,000 entries and a total of 166 monthly prizes have been given away to lucky winners over the past 6 months) was launched in line with the introduction of The Pavilion Card at the soft opening of Pavilion Kuala Lumpur in September 2007.

The contest which has proven to be a success with total retail spendings with The Pavilion Cards reaching more than RM30 million, has provided The Pavilion Card holders opportunities to win monthly exciting prizes and a chance to drive away a sleek and luxurious Jaguar X-Type worth RM288,888 in the Grand Prize. From the entries received, 10 finalists were short-listed and invited to attend the final challenge( which have 2 elimination rounds- Q&A session and a slogan composition) organised by EON Bank Group at Bintang Circle, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.

EON Bank’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr Albert Lau said “The simple and easy approach in all contests organised by EON Bank Group is one of the many activities organised to reward their customers for their loyal and continuous support”.

Bridging the Digital Divide: ‘Projek’ M.A.IN. PC

The Association of Computer and Multimedia Industry of Malaysia (PIKOM) has officially launched Projek Menguasai Aplikasi INternet dan PC ( Projek M.A.IN. PC), a joint collaboration between PIKOM and seven supporting partners to set up serviced Community PC Centres nationwide. This project is a part of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project participated by 7 companies to serve the under-privilege communities, by enabling and equipped them with ICT capabilities to realise the country’s goal of building an ICT-enabled knowledge society.

Projek M.A.IN. PC will aim to provide a platform to support PC centres nationwide via a Facilitator-Partner-Host (F-P-H) model. PIKOM as facilitator has engaged 7 different partners to provide the necessary equipment and supporting related-services to accommodate ‘host’ PC centres. This project is targeted at the middle to lower income groups.

Led by PIKOM, the project includes Microsoft, LIONS CLUB, CyberCare, Hewlett-Packard (HP), INTEL, TELEKOM MALAYSIA (TM) and CUSCAPI with the support of the Malaysia’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development.

PIKOM is aiming to establish 20 to 30 Community PC centres, equipped with instructors by year end, and currently, through the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development, the project will start with the conversion of 10 Economy Planning Unit (EPU) telecentres into Community PC Centres. As a result of this conversion, the lower income group which do not own personal computer will benefit this CSR project.

According to Mr. Wong Nan Fay, Chairman of PIKOM, ” PROJEK M.A.IN. PC’s long term goal is to create 150 new PC centres as well as intergrate 1945 existing EPU telecentres by 2010, whereby this project aims to enhance duration of PC usage and to recruit new PC users by 2010″.

The M.A.IN. PC project will commence in May 2008 and each participating partner has a role to play, like, Microsoft will conduct software applications through its current curriculum ICT project, while hardware and network support will come from Hewlett-Packard, CyberCare will provide life coaches, with volunteer human resource from LIONS CLUB, Telekom Malaysia will provide broadband facilities and the set up of toll-free call centre and Cuscapi will be carrying out installation, maintenance services plus technical support. Curriculum development will be overseen by Microsoft, CyberCare Centre and Intel. Contribution towards the M.A.IN. PC project via funding will be shared by Microsoft, HP and INTEL.

Meanwhile, Yasmin Mahmood, Managing Director of Microsoft, expressed confidently that PIKOM has come out with a meaningful project by bridging digital divide for community by enabling IT learners to apply computer knowledge as a lifelong skills, in order to create new leaders by using this holistic approach.