Creative achieves next breakthrough with Super X-Fi by investing USD 100M and 20 years into R&D

Falling sales, reduced production and loss of investors’ interests – for the last decades, these are some of the negative stuff you’ve heard about our homegrown Creative Technology (“Creative”). However, this has not deterred Mr Sim Wong Hoo, founder of Creative, from continuing his fight in the struggling audio business and this year, they are coming back with their latest technology that aims to change the way how consumer experience audio entertainment – Super X-Fi. The Neo Dimension is fortunate to be invited to Creative headquarters to hear first-hand from Mr Sim on this technology.

 

Announced in the CES 2018, Super X-Fi received positive reviews from the media and audio experts at the event. This latest technology has also been named “Best of CES 2018”. Back in Singapore, this technology has sparked investors’ interests in the company. The stock (stock quote: C76.SI) has jumped more than 300% within a week and the rally does not show any signs of slowing down!

 

So what exactly is Super X-Fi?

To put it simply, it is a new audio technology designed specifically for headphones to produce an immersive surround audio experience to users. Mr Sim further explains that every person is unique and perception of “good audio” varies person-to-person. This perception of “good audio” is what he called individual’s custom sound map. The beauty of Super X-Fi is that it matches the audio output to the individual’s custom sound map by analysing anthropological features of one’s head and ears.

Creative has invested USD 100M in research on a perfect sound profile. For the past 20 years, they have run countless trials on rooms, sound systems, headphones and test subjects. With the help of an artificial intelligence (AI) engine, the anthropological features of a person’s head are extracted along with the dynamics of the targeted headphones, and the AI engine synthesizes them to create a multi-dimensional map of the desired room acoustics.

 

Using this synthesized SXFI map, Super X-Fi recreates the audio holography to create a magical listening experience for headphones, custom-made to each individual’s unique physique.

 

Despite the level of sophistication in the technology, the end-user experience is extremely simple. All users need to do is take pictures of their head with their phone, select their headphone type, and they can start playing.

 

Technology – Good or Bad?

Before the presentation started, they took images of my head and ears using a mobile phone. Then the technology analyzed the data and mapped a sound profile that is customized to me. I listened to the demo and it was mind-blowing! The surround sound I heard from the headphone was amazing and I even took the headphones off just to confirm that I wasn’t hearing the sound from the physical surround speakers. Judging from the guests’ reactions, they were equally or almost as impressed as I am.

 

As part of the demo, we get to hear other guests’ sound profiles and indeed, those sounded horrible to me.

 

We all know that everybody has their own perception on what is considered a “good sound” but no one in the industry could solve this decades-long problem. Creative’s Super X-Fi could be the game changer.

 

Mr Sim Wong Hoo analogize Creative’s Super X-Fi to a Color TV. He further elaborated, “Before TV you are watching black and white, then the switch of black and white TV to color TV; so we are now witnessing the switch right now!”

 

 

A Good Technology = A Good Business?

A good technology is an asset to the company but how much return you could squeeze from this technology depends on the strategies and business models.

 

For the past decades, Creative has been making losses. In recent years, it has been increasingly more difficult to compete with new and upcoming entrants in the market. The key success factor for Creative’s Super X-Fi would be to gain adoption in the market speedily by licensing this technology to headphones or smartphone markers. Speed is crucial, especially in the technology space.

 

 

As part of the plan, Creative will be launching a free Super X-Fi app where users could play downloaded content without purchasing any Creative headphones. Creative hopes to acquire 50 million users.

 

To get the full experience of Super X-Fi, users can purchase the dongle which Creative plans to sell at a competitive price point of USD 150 to attract consumers.

 

The free Super X-Fi app and the dongle will be available by mid-2018.

 

Creative, A Growth Stock Again?

 

Investors seem to be convinced that Super X-Fi is going to turn Creative around. It makes perfect sense for the company to focus on the headphones market given the projected high growth in the global market.  Quoting Mr Sachin Mittal, a DBS analyst in a Bloomberg report, “If the product gains just 0.5 percent share of the global headset market in 2020, Creative would gain revenues of $232 million”

 

I believe that the growth of the global headset market is inflated in the Bloomberg report. Based on their statement, this puts the value of the global headset market at USD 46B. Several research papers suggest that the global market could be worth USD 11B to USD 20B by 2020 to 2025. Suppose we take a more conservative yet optimistic estimate of USD 20B, that would be approx. USD 100m of revenue by 2023 (more than 100% jump from Creative’s revenue in 2017!).

 

Without a doubt, Creative is a growth stock. However, high growth essentially means high-risk. The challenge for Creative is to sign their first purchase order to start the first mass-production of the chip.  Now, it is hard to predict which headphone maker is going to give them the business. On the flip side, they are competitors as well.  The strategies of launching app and dongle are sound but is it good enough for Creative to turn their enemy into Frienemy?

 

How about licensing their technology to smartphone makers? Smartphone leaders like Apple and Samsung have already started the battle in the audio space. Apple has acquired celebrity headphone brand Beats Audio in 2014 and has started to manufacture their own audio headsets. Samsung, on the other hand, has acquired a US-based audio specialist Harmon in 2016. Ever since then, they have been bundling AKG earphones, Harmon’s subsidiary, with Samsung Galaxy S’s series of phones. Now, the question is, “If not Apple nor Samsung, who else can Creative offer their technology to in the smartphone market?”

 

To the investors, is the risk worth taking?

Fundamentally, Creative is holding approx. USD 100M of cash and more importantly, it is debt-free as of now. They should have sufficient financial capacity to market this technology for the next couple of years (They should be able to weather through if this new technology fails).

 

However, this stock is likely to be volatile in the short term which could be an opportunity for speculative traders.

 

For long term investors, this stock is a high-risk-high-return play. As I have mentioned earlier on, the extreme scenario is unlikely to bankrupt the company, but the high volatility may be of concern to some investors. Based solely on the potential of this technology, this stock could be undervalued but sign of market acceptance has yet to be seen.

 

Important! Please Read: All comments and suggestions here are purely my opinions. Investors should exercise their own discretions before taking up any positions on this stock.     

Poisonvine.com’s review on Sudio Regent Wireless Headphones

Sudio has released their latest product – Sudio Regent Wireless Headphones. We managed to get hold of a unit for review. Instead of writing about how we feel about the product, we’ve decided to do something different this time and get a female blogger  (poisonvine.com) to share with us her experience after using this product.

 

Q1. Have you heard of Sudio? What’s your first impression when you first got hold of the Sudio Regent?

I first got to know about Sudio until they launched the Sudio Vasa Blå. It left a very strong impression on me because the earphones looked stunning!

Sudio Regent exemplifies the Sudio’s design philosophy – minimalist, elegant and timeless. It’s definitely a beautiful headphone that you would want to show off to your friends.

Q2. Which genre do you usually listen to? And does the sound profile meet your expectations?  

I listen to a rather wide variety of genres so it’s a bit difficult to say. For instrumentals, I prefer artists like Kenny G, Keiko Matsui, Kaori Kobayashi and Jessy J. For vocals, I like Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, Michael Bublé, Il Divo, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige and Toni Braxton.

Anyway, I find that the Sudio Regent generally performs well for instrumentals, there is good clarity and balance. Unfortunately, the bass is a little weaker than I would like. For vocals, I find that the sound quality tends to be a bit airy.

#sudioregent #wirelesss #headphones

A post shared by Neo Wee Wu 梁威武 (@weewu) on

Q3. What’s the best (or worst) experience you had while using this product?

I like that the Sudio Regent offers both Bluetooth and wired option, which makes it very versatile and is ideal for travelling. The headphone is light and foldable, making it very portable. In addition, you can change the caps on the headphone and match the headphones to your OOTD.

The headphones sits on the ear and is generally quite comfortable. However, after prolonged usage, the headphone will start to feel a bit too tight for my head (maybe because I have a big head?) But for commuting I would not expect to wear this continuously for over an hour so it’s not a big issue.

 

Q4. Considering all factors: Design, features, sound quality and price, how do you rate the product?

I would give it a 6.5/10. It is definitely worthy of a consideration if you are in the market for portable headphones.

Availability

The Sudio Regent is available in two colors, black and white and retails for S$229.

If you are in Singapore, you will get a 20% off that price because of tax rebates. After the 20%, it becomes S$183.20.

Using my promo code “neodimension” at their site, it will give you an additional 15% discount. So in total, you pay just S$155.72 for the Sudio Regent.

 

On top of that, you will receive a free express shipping and a phone case.

 

Who is poisonvine.com?

Typical working class Singaporean who is a caffeine addict and an aspiring home barista. Like most Singaporeans, she loves food and travel. She believes that Google will eventually rule the world (“hail Google!”) and is waiting for the day when language is no longer a barrier because Google translate attained perfection. Also a die-hard Blackberry fan.

Ultimate Ears’ MEGABOOM App Now Can Connect More Than 50 UE Speakers (Almost) Instantaneously

The New Enhancement (called “PartyUp”) in the app allows users to connect to more than 50 Ultimate Ears (UE) speakers almost instantaneously. The new enhancement works well with the recenly announced UE Boom 2  as well as older generation of wireless speakers namely UE Boom (1st Gen) and UE MEGABOOM.

UE BOOM Speakers

When asked about the rationale of the features, Charlotte Johs, General Manager of UE, explains,”Music connects people in extraordinary ways”. She further elaborates,””Now, friends come together, they can easily connect their speakers without worrying about limitations. Whether you are  your crews are on a rooftop without a power outlet, or 50 of your closest pals are floating down a river without a dry spot in sight, PartyUp lets the party grow within seconds.”

Waterproofed UE BOOM Speakers

PartyUp is now available through iOS and Android app stores.

 

 

Press Release – STINGRAY OPENS REGIONAL HEADQUARTER IN SINGAPORE

Stingray launches new office to serve growing demand in the Asia-Pacific region


Singapore, July 7, 2016 – Stingray Digital Group Inc. (TSX: RAY.A; RAY.B.), a leading business-to-business multiplatform music solutions provider, continues to expand its activities in the Asia-Pacific market. Stingray strenghtens its presence in this pivotal region with the opening of a regional headquarter in Singapore. This launch follows the recent acquisitions of iConcerts, a television channel that reaches more than 250 million households, and Digital Music Distribution PTY in Australia.

Stingray’s Singapore office will be headed by Mathieu Sibille who, in addition to his current position as CEO of iConcerts, will also act as managing director for Asia-Pacific. Mathieu Sibille will spearhead local operations, develop the company’s growth through strategic partnerships, and liaise with music industry stakeholders from Tokyo to Sydney.

“I cannot overstate the importance of the Asia-Pacific region to our global development plan,” said Eric Boyko, President, Co-founder and CEO of Stingray. “By 2020, Pay-TV subscriptions in the region will experience double-digit growth, making a permanent Stingray presence essential to propelling our current momentum. I am thrilled to count on the experience and expertise of Mathieu Sibille to expand our client network, and look forward to bringing our portfolio of curated products and services to even more music lovers.”

“We could not have selected a better location than Singapore, a hub of creativy and technology, to grow Stingray’s operations in the region,” said Mathieu Sibille, General Manager, Asia-Pacific for Stingray. “Singapore’s strategic location will allow us to respond in a flexible and reactive way to our current and future clients’ needs. The new Stingray office will serve as a major centre for our clients and will serve a key role in customer support, sales, and development.”

About Stingray

Stingray (TSX: RAY.A; RAY.B) is a leading business-to-business multi-platform music and in-store media solutions provider operating on a global scale, reaching an estimated 400 million Pay-TV subscribers (or households) in 152 countries. Geared towards individuals and businesses alike, Stingray’s products include the following leading digital music and video services: Stingray Music, Stingray Concerts, Stingray Brava, Stingray Djazz, Stingray Music Videos, Stingray Lite TV, Stingray Ambiance and Stingray Karaoke. Stingray also offers various business solutions, including music and digital display-based solutions through its Stingray Business division. Stingray is headquartered in Montreal and currently has over 300 employees across the world, including in Toronto, Miami, London, Amsterdam and Tel Aviv. Stingray was recognized in 2013 and 2014 as a finalist in the Top 50 of Deloitte’s Technology Fast 50TM list, and figures amongst PROFIT magazine’s fastest-growing Canadian companies. In 2016, Stingray was awarded best IR for an IPO at the IR Magazine Awards – Canada.


Press Release (pdf attached) – B&O PLAY Announces the Company’s first wireless earphones – Beoplay H5


B&O PLAY announced the company’s first wireless earphones – Beoplay H5. The product is designed by one of Scandinavia’s foremost designers, Jakob Wagner. Users can choose one of the preset sound profiles in Beoplay App on their smartphone or Apple Watch, such as working out, commuting, listening to podcasts or relaxing, or they can adjust the tonality and staging with the playful and intuitive B&O PLAY ToneTouch interface. 

Beoplay H5 comes complete with a charger and a carrying pouch in Black and Dusty Rose. Both colours will be available from 31 July 2016 onwards at Airport Duty Free, Apple Premium Resellers, Bang & Olufsen Grand Hyatt, Challenger, Newstead and leading independent retailers for a suggested retail price of SG$379.

See Specs below

[pdf-embedder url=”https://theneodimension.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/BEOPLAY-H5-Specifications.pdf”]

See below for the full press release

[pdf-embedder url=”https://theneodimension.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Press-Release-BangNOlufsen-Launches-Beoplay-H5.pdf”]

Press Release – Ultimate Ears Now Lets You Say It to Play It

UE Speakers with Siri and Google Now Voice Integration Let Music Fans Easily Access Music Faster

SINGAPORE — 22 June 2016 — Today, Ultimate Ears wants you to speak up and use your voice by introducing Siri® and Google Now™ voice integration on UE BOOM 2 and UE MEGABOOM. Now, music fans can simply say it to play it, allowing them to stay connected in the moment by providing faster, easier access to their music using Siri and Google Now voice directly from their Ultimate Ears speakers. The new push-to-talk feature brings even more convenience to UE’s award winning on-the-go Bluetooth® speakers.

From cliff to cave, Ultimate Ears’ speakers are meant to be with you, wherever, whenever. They’re waterproof (IPX7), rugged and blast incredible 360-degree sound. This latest integration amps up the possibilities of where you can take your music and how easily you can access it all.

“Music lovers can now truly stay in the moment, playing their favorite song from the middle of the pool or even while diving off a cliff with their UE speaker in hand,” said Charlotte Johs, general manager of Ultimate Ears. “No matter how wet, muddy or wild the situation, with Siri and Google Now voice integration on UE BOOM 2 and UE MEGABOOM, fans no longer need to pick up their phone to play DJ. Now, they can just say it to play it.”

Gone are the days of hunting down your favorite song on your phone as this new voice integration provides access to tunes in just a couple of seconds. Through a quick push of the Bluetooth button and a simple voice request, you can quickly get the party started and never miss a beat.

Pricing and Availability

Siri and Google Now voice integration is available on UE BOOM 2 ($319.00) and UE

MEGABOOM ($399.00) through the free UE BOOM and UE MEGABOOM apps. The app enhancement is available through the iOS® and Android™ app stores on June 22. Speakers are sold separately. For more information, please visit www.ultimateears.com.

Press Release – Let Your Vinyl Sing with Sony’s New Premium Turntable

Uncompromising features for an exceptional High-Resolution Audio experience at home or on the move

  • Audiophile Turntable with High-Resolution Audio ripping capability for high quality music on the move
  • Outstanding sound quality through enhanced sound tuning and newly developed arm and plinth design
  • New and incredibly easy to use software to record and edit vinyl recordings

Sony PS-HX500 Turntable. Source: Sony Singapore

(SINGAPORE, 6 June 2016) – As the global resurgence in vinyl continues, Sony has announced a new premium turntable that enables vinyl owners to enjoy their favourite tracks in outstanding quality, even when on the move. In a world first, the Sony PS-HX500 allows you to convert your vinyl collection into High-Resolution Audio quality digital files (equivalent to DSD quality) so that you can enjoy their unique sound wherever you may be.

High quality sound detail

Made for music lovers, every area of the PS-HX500 is designed to deliver the best possible sound quality and treat your vinyl with the respect it deserves. From a newly developed tone arm to the die-cast platter and the plinth itself; every component has been carefully considered to deliver a great musical performance.

The straight tone arm, designed with the stylus tip located in the central axis of the arm, ensures excellent stereo balance. The arm also features an integrated round head shell that minimises resonance, for pure sound reproduction. An anti-skating device is incorporated into the arm assembly, along with an arm cueing system. A moving magnet cartridge is supplied with tracking force and balance easily adjustable.

The PS-HX500 has an aluminium die-cast platter and is belt driven by a two speed motor. A high density 30mm acoustic plinth is featured, along with a newly designed, 5mm rubber mat and four insulator feet. A classical approach to turntable design, from years of past experience has produced a model which can satisfy the music enthusiast.

Vinyl becomes portable

Record enthusiasts can sometimes be faced with the prospect of inferior digital files of their analogue records for listening on the move. The PS-HX500 comes with a high quality DSD native converter, which gives the user the option to copy their favourite analogue tracks to a PC as a digital file, up to High-Resolution Audio quality. This allows the user to take their favourite music from their vinyl collection and play it on a compatible PC, mobile, portable music-player, or even in their car. The record player also comes with an integrated phono preamp, allowing direct connection to an external amplifier for high-fidelity home audio playback.

The PS-HX500 is the world’s first turntable to support Double-rate and Single-rate DSD (5.6MHz/1bit, 2.8MHz/1bit), a powerful audio format that will reproduce your music with both accuracy and natural musicality. Furthermore, the AD conversion process can offer a choice of file quality from WAV, to High-Resolution Audio with higher bit rate and sampling frequencies, through to double-rate DSD. Users can therefore not only enjoy their records wherever they go but also appreciate them in superior sound quality.

Easy recording and editing software

Using the PS-HX500 PC application software, a vinyl can easily be converted to High-Resolution Audio files on the user’s PC and edited in post-production.

The compatible software app is simply downloaded and after connecting the computer to the turntable, the recording process is quite simple. Tracks can later be edited, titled, cut, or combined together, allowing users to be truly creative with their music.

The PS-HX500 will be available at all Sony Stores, Sony Centres and selected Sony authorised dealers from July 2016.


Review (With 15% Discount Code) – Sudio Vasa Blå, A Classy Device for the Busy Professionals

For those audiophile out there, Sudio is certainly not a foreign brand. Their Sudio Vasa is one of their popular range of wired earphones. Now, this premium model is available in wireless version – Sudio VASA Blå.

If you have not heard the product, I hope my review will be a good research material. If you have already decided to buy the product, you can get the earphones from their online store  at SGD 165. Point to note, shipping to Singapore is free via DHL Express and it will take about 3 to 4 days to reach you. If you need it urgently, you can top up S$7.99 for express shipping and you will get it between 2 to 3 days.

All products shipped to Singapore will get a 20% tax rebate, so essentially it is 20% off the retail price listed on the online store.

If you need an additional 15% discount for your Sudio earphones, you can use the promo code: NEODIMENSION

Appearance

sudio Vasa Bla_1

Arrived in a beautiful white box. The visually appealing design of the package gives a premium impression on the level of details that Sudio has placed in delivering supreme audio experience to the users. Looking inside, it is extremely clean and organized with clear wordings on what are included in the package. No complicated compartment in the box and that makes it easy to store your device and accessories back into the box (maybe this is relevant to some of you). See below for what’s inside the box.

  • Sudio VASA Blå.
  • Micro-USB Charging Cable
  • Leather case
  • Rose Gold-coated cable clip
  • 4 different size of earphone cushions (excluding the one on the earphones)
  • Owner’s manual/Guarantee card/Quick start

sudio Vasa Bla_2

Unable to hide my excitement, let’s take a closer look on the product. The wire connecting the ear speakers are toughened with flat thin rubber instead of the conventional rounded coated insulating wires. I suspect such design is to make it easier for the carbon clip to better secure the wire on the cloth. In addition, I feel that the length of the wire is shorter than the other Bluetooth earpieces i.e. measured approx. 52 cm.

sudio Vasa Bla_3
Battery attached on the wire

Similar to the Sudio VASA (non-wireless version), the VASA Blå is elegantly designed with Rose gold wrapped around the ear speakers.

3-buttons control
3-buttons control

On the wire, you’ll find a sweat-proof 3-button control that also serves as a microphone and a battery on the other end of the wire that is able to last for 8 hours of continuous-play.

Experience

Getting started is extremely easy. Hold the middle button on the control until the red light blinking (approx. 7 seconds). The device is now on pairing mode. Next, locate “Sudio VASA BLA” on your phone and connect. Ta-Da! You are done!

Weighting only 14g. This device is extremely light to carry around. However, what really surprise me is the weight distribution of the product. The perfect balance between the left and right makes it hassle-free when you wear it over your neck and shoulder. Although a clip is bundled for the user to secure the wire, it is really not needed. Nonetheless, the rose gold clip is indeed a pretty accessory to bring it out.

The high battery capacity of 8-hours continuous playback is a huge plus point. It is not often to find a light wireless earpiece like Sudio VASA Blå in the market that, at the same time, offers long hours of usage.

Note: I have not done a single charging on this device since unboxing but I have been bringing it out for a 20 min run daily for the past 1.5 week and it is still functioning.

Audio

Personally, I think the bass and treble are pretty balanced. As objective as I want to, I source for reviews all over the internet and the conclusion I could gather from there – People just like the bass! Likely, it is due to its powerful 10.2 mm driver. Nonetheless, audio is always subjective and it differs from person to person. To eliminate any potential biases, l will rather focus on the call quality.

As a freelancer, I am always on the move and often, I speak to clients over my mobile phone. As such, I would need to be contacted almost 24/7. I even bring my phone when I am out for a run. A good wireless earpiece that offers good call quality is very important to me. To do a proper test, I use the Sudio VASA Blå during a 30-min conference call and I must say that there isn’t much distortion and the voice is clear. The entire conference was done over Blackberry’s BBM via a home Wi-Fi network.

Sudio Vasa Bla and BlackBerry Classic
Sudio Vasa Bla and Blackberry Classic

Verdict

A perfect blend between fashion and technology. The VASA Blå is designed for the busy professionals. Lightweight and elegantly-designed but do not be deceived by the look, the device is also constructed with powerful audio technology for greater music experience. Entertainment aside, this product still delivers commercial-grade call quality for the busy professionals who need to be on-the-call anytime of the day.

 

Event – Sony Showcases Hi-End Projector – VPL-VW5000ES

Announced at Sound Decisions, the Sony VPL-VW5000ES is the first projector designed specifically for home cinema use that features 4K resolution powered by a laser light engine that provides 5,000 lumens of brightness, is compatible with High Dynamic Range (HDR), emulates the new BT.2020 color gamut, and covers the full DCI colour space.

Source: Instagram user @weewu

Sony continues to be the only manufacturer designing projectors specifically for the home theatre market that provides full 4K resolution imagers. Sony’s advanced SXRD panels are designed to produce outstanding native device contrast and when coupled with the laser light engine, the VPL-VW5000ES provides an infinite dynamic contrast ratio and 5,000 lumens of color light output.

The VPL-VW5000ES covers the full DCI-P3 color gamut. By taking advantage of its professional calibration tools the VPL-VW5000ES allows the user to choose to emulate the BT.2020 color space, as well. This ensures compatibility with upcoming home video formats. And by bringing together high brightness, infinite dynamic contrast and the latest signal processing technology, the VPL-VW5000ES provides compatibility with High Dynamic Range (HDR), enabling the viewer to see wider ranges of contrast and colors than ever before.


Sony’s Advanced Motionflow feature reduces blur and maintains brightness and VPL-VW5000ES’ extremely fast imagers allow viewing of fast action content – especially sporting events – with great smoothness, even with 4K signals. Along with HDR and BT.2020 capabilities, the VPL-VW5000ES also includes an HDMI input that is HDCP 2.2 compatible. That same input has enough bandwidth to accept 4K 60p signals up to YCbCr 4:4:4 8bit or YCbCr 4:2:2 12bit, thus helping to ensure that the VPL-VW5000ES is prepared to handle all types of video content now and in the future.

The VPL-VW5000ES can be tilted as much as 30 degrees, allowing for flexible installations that take advantage of mirrors to place larger screens in smaller spaces, such as rear projection. Thanks to a newly developed liquid cooling system with low noise operation, the projector can also be located near viewers without impacting the enjoyment of a program’s audio. The unit ships with a standard powered lens with a zoom ratio from 1.27 to 2.73:1 and lens shift capability of +/- 80% vertical and +/- 31% horizontal.

Benefits of the VPL-VW5000ES’ laser light engine include fast on/off times with no waiting for the projector to cool down – which means you can immediately turn it back on to resume binge-watching your favorite show. The light engine delivers a long operational life with a linear decrease in brightness, so the color shifts seen with traditional lamp wear are not expected. But if the color settings do shift over time the VPL-VW5000ES includes a built-in re-calibration function that can be used to test how much the projector has drifted from its original factory calibration and reset it.

The VPL-VW5000ES is available for pre-order now at a recommended retail price of $84,000. For more information, visit http://pro.sony-asia.com/projector.

Press Release – Golden Village Implements Visa Checkout®

Movie fans can now purchase tickets using the efficient and reliable online process

Singapore, February 2016– Golden Village has made the cinema experience even more convenient for patrons. The local cinema giant is the first cinema operator in Singapore to successfully implement Visa Checkout®, a seamless and user-friendly online purchasing method. With Visa Checkout®, patrons just need to input their existing username, password and a computer generated One Time Password (OTP) to purchase Golden Village and Gold Class® tickets. At present, Visa Checkout® has been used in approximately 12% of the transactions done via Golden Village’s website.

Visa Checkout® eliminates the need to enter credit card numbers, CVV numbers and credit card expiry dates. It can be accessed on all mobile devices, whether Androids or iPhones. Thanks to the use of advanced security features, cardholders are assured that their card details are safe from external threats. To enroll, users just need to log on to https://secure.checkout.visa.com/createAccount?channel=destination&niflow=destination&nicmp= destination&locale=enSG&country=SG.

“Golden Village is always at the forefront of improving our patrons’ viewing experience,” says Chia Chong Hai, Chief Information Officer, Golden Village Multiplex. “The unveiling of Visa Checkout® is another initiative to ensure that Golden Village remains the leading cinema operator in Singapore. Patrons can now look forward to enjoying our services at the click of a button.”

“Visa is pleased to have Golden Village as one of our first key merchants to implement Visa Checkout. Visa Checkout addresses some of the problems faced by online shoppers by reducing the number of steps required for them to complete their online purchases, thus enhancing the entire shopping experience. Based on Visanet data, eCommerce is growing three times faster than traditional face-toface shopping in Singapore. Given that Singaporeans shop most online for movie tickets, we believe that there will be an increase in the number of transactions on Golden Village with the introduction of Visa Checkout,” said Ms. Ooi Huey Tyng, Visa Country Manager for Singapore and Brunei.