Taipei, June 2008
There's a great new way to get your product known fast, very fast! Just have
it win one of the four Gold Awards presented at the first-ever COMPUTEX
TAIPEI design & innovation award 2008. Each four gold-winners will be
honored with trophies (custom designed for this contest by Proud Design) and
have the glory of taking the stage at the special press conference on June
2nd, just one day before COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2008. Best of all, each of the 17
prize winning entries (including the four Gold Award winners) are displayed
to tens of thousands of visitors at the NANGANG Exhibition Hall during
COMPUTEX TAIPEI.
The problem is that taking home Gold isn't that easy! For starters, there
were 139 products entries vying for just four prizes. And each had to be
critically reviewed by international experts in the following product
categories:
1. Communication Products
2. Components & Parts
3. Computer systems
4. Peripherals
5. Data Storage Device/Media
6. Optoelectronic Display Product and Digital Audio /Video
With COMPUTEX TAIPEI being an international platform for demonstrating
technological innovations and outstanding design this competition is a
natural addition to the show.
"We are happy to support COMPUTEX TAIPEI with our 'organized by iF'
services," states Ralph Wiegmann, managing director of iF, which is the key
backer of this contest. "We have set high standards for this design &
innovation award. Thanks to the hard work of the panels of judges, and their
critical and professional judgment, the overall conclusion is very positive
and convincible."
One of the international panelists, Christoph Böninger states that this
competition reflects the current state of the art in Taiwan. "The standard
of design-excellence has risen in the last years to an international level,"
stated Böninger. "Taiwanese companies are now competing well with
international companies in the IT sector."
"Having participated as a judge in several Taiwan awards, I was pleasantly
surprised with the overall quality of the COMPUTEX TAIPEI design &
innovation award 2008 entries," stated Kris Verstockt of Cre8 design studio
who is one of the panel. "Several companies sent in multiple entries and it
was evident that these organizations are focusing more than ever on brand
expression through consistent product quality and uniform brand imaging.
Equally interesting was the fact that not only the big players but also
smaller companies are placing more emphasis on product quality, innovation
and product design."
JURY CRITERIA
Key factors considered in products included the degree of innovation, design
quality, workmanship, choice of materials, environmental friendliness,
functionality, ergonomics, utility value, safety, universal design and brand
value/branding.
Meet the Panel
Each submitted item was fully inspected by each panelist who chose 17
winning entries. After that four of these short-listed winners were chosen
for Gold Awards. The panel of judges comprise of Christoph Böninger
(brains4design GmbH), Duck Hsieh (Duck Image Corporation), James Irvine
(James Irvine S.r.l.), Kris Verstockt (Cre8 design studio) and Roger Pin-Si
Lin (Nova Design Co., Ltd.).
The 4 "Gold award" prizewinners of the COMPUTEX TAIPEI design & innovation
award 2008.
(Sorted by the category and the name of the of prizewinning entries)
Entry: OpenBook
Category: 03 Computer systems
Company/manufacturer: VIA Technologies, Inc.
Design: VIA Technologies, Inc.
OpenBook uses a classical design approach by taking special care of all
mechanical parts like the hinge which has wonderful details, thus gives the
laptop a strong and robust sense. The design shows that even in the fast
turning IT industry, not everything must be styled in a short living
"fashion-way"
The OpenBook is recognized the well thought-off, design-driven forms and use
of materials. The device stands out not just on its innovative values, but
also because of its execution of a universally accepted design standards.
There is a nice balance between the hinge part and main housing that is
further accentuated with the right choice of materials and colors. It also
helps that the open device creates an equally clean visual experience.
Entry: Asus UF735
Category: 04 Peripherals
Company/manufacturer: AsusTek Computer Inc.
Design: AsusTek Computer Inc.
In the saturated picture-frame market it is difficult to stand out from the
crowd without taking away from the main function of the product, i.e.
picture viewing.
The UF735 Digital Picture Frame manages to do this by keeping the front of
the product clean and simple while strongly accentuating the back of the
device.
The front bezel uses an aluminum plate with speaker-web so no attention is
drawn away from picture viewing. The back uses a swivel and button
combination that generates a high-tech and high end feeling.
The Asus UF735 is a wonderful, almost poetic picture frame for showing
digital photos with music. The simple and easy to operate interface is self
explanatory and needs no manuals.
Entry: Dino-Lite
Category: 04 Peripherals
Company/manufacturer: AnMo Electronics Corp.
Design: AnMo Electronics Corp.
Dino Lite combines a minimalistic, no-nonsense design approach with exciting
technological innovation. Great human factors make this product a self
explanatory "tool" that shows it's technology and robustness very well.
The Dino-Lite Digital Microscope was awarded as the product portrays a nice
balance between innovation, ergonomics and use of materials.
A metal plated housing is complimented with a large metal scroll wheel,
positioned in the right area, which is as feasible as is accessible.
Combine a well thought-off device layout with multiple application
possibilities in educational, medical and several other fields of industry
and you have a winner.
Entry: Swing Duo
Category: 05 Data Storage Device/Media
Company/manufacturer: Starline International Group Ltd.
Design: Mindsailors, Starline Polska Sp. z o.o.
"Minimize to the Max" is the concept of the "Swing Duo" by combining
the
precision of minimal design with the touch of utilitarian ideology. The
design shows the exciting capacity of this flash drive by using the minimal
amount of plastic material.
The Swing Duo USB Flash Drive received extra recognition because the device
manages to be innovative while staying minimalist. The flash drive housing
is also its cover, the hinge provides tactile feedback and can accommodate a
strap. The unit has no loose parts that can be easily misplaced.
For further information, including a list of the winners and image material,
please contact:
Lily Chu / Laura Fan
TAITRA
Phone: 886.2.2725.5200 Ext.2648
Fax: 886.2.2725.5301
lilychu(a)taitra.org.tw / peifei(a)taitra.org.tw
Joan Wu / Sean Lee
iF, Taiwan Branch
Phone: +886.2.26559007
Fax: +886.2.26559077
joan.wu(a)ifdesign.tw / sean.lee(a)ifdesign.tw