The Beijinger Blog - Technology

Will China’s Group Buying Fad Survive 2012?

thebeijinger — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +0800

A few weeks ago we posted about yet another Groupon China (a.k.a. Gaopeng) scandal involving a bogus McDonald’s meal deal and pointed out how the company’s problems reflect the deteriorating condition of China’s flailing group buying (tuangou) industry as a whole.

Read more about the fate of group buying on Agendabeijing.com.

Apple's iPhone 4S Launch To Bring Crowds and Scalpers to Sanlitun Soon

thebeijinger — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +0800

Apple’s iPhone 4S arrives in China next week. Before you head down to join the feverish masses, think about whether this latest smartphone version is worth the inevitable pain and suffering. Given the chaos and catastrophes that have befallen previous Apple releases, I’d stay clear of Sanlitun on Friday the 13th. (But Apple has a special shopping deal of some sort available today only, both in-store and online. Wonder what that's all about?)

News You Might Have Missed: A Match Made in Space and Dodgy Language Claims

thebeijinger — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 10:00:00 +0800

If China is going to become a serious space contender, referring to incredibly advanced space maneuvers in affectionate terms needs to stop. This isn’t China’s only remarkable technical feat of late – they’re also marking microchip milestones, Internet profits and swipe card successes. Meanwhile, Chinese real estate developers and a prominent American are both facing scrutiny over some not-so-subtle language fibs.

Insider’s Tour of “Culture Chanel” Exhibition

thebeijinger — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0800

Following in the footsteps of Louis Vuitton and Bulgari – which launched retrospective exhibitions at Beijing's National Museum of China in June and September, respectively – Chanel is hosting "Culture Chanel" at the National Art Museum of China (NAMOC) from November 5 to December 13.

For China’s growing nouveau-riche population, the House of Chanel hits the mark in many ways. It’s French (read: highbrow), longstanding (read: reliable) and bears an iconic (read: easily recognizable) logo. No wonder it is currently ranked as the second most-desired brand in China after Louis Vuitton, according to research firm Bain & Co.

Paper, Gunpowder, the Compass and … Angry Birds?

thebeijinger — Sun, 08 May 2011 10:00:00 +0800

Rovio head Peter Vesterbacka was among the marquis speakers at the recent Global Mobile Internet Conference in Beijing, where he announced his intentions for over 100 million downloads of their smash hit Angry Birds in China by year’s end (they now claim over 140 million downloads worldwide) and added that theirs is now the “number three most copied brand in China.”

China is now fighting back with claims that the origin of Angry Birds in fact rests in a Shanxi museum. Go to Agenda's website for more on the story, and likelihood, of China's claim on Angry Birds.

iPhone 4 "Readily Available in Apple Stores"

thebeijinger — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 10:00:00 +0800

Almost since the day it was launched in mainland China in September 2010, the iPhone 4 has been virtually impossible to buy directly from the official Apple stores in Sanlitun Village and Xidan. I know this. Having destroyed my previous mobile in a "water" accident in early September, I'd purchased a cheap Nokia to tide me by until the iPhone 4 came out. RMB 5,000 was definitely a lot of money, but - I told myself - it was an "investment."

Burberry + Keane + Technology = Biggest Tartan Event Ever

twang — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 18:00:00 +0800

Just in case you haven’t heard yet, Burberry is hosting a mega-party next Wednesday, April 13, 2011. Digital media and fashion blogs alike have been exploding with anticipation. According to their press release, this will be the biggest event that Burberry – and any other label, for that matter – has ever thrown in the world in terms of scale of production and technology used.

Just a few months ago in December 2010, the esteemed British fashion house opened its “most technologically advanced flagship store” at Sparkle Roll Plaza in Beijing. The 12,500-square-foot space was designed by Burberry’s chief creative director Christopher Bailey himself. Now, they want to finally celebrate the store launch and put its 9x5 flatscreen LED video walls to good use.

Google, Google, Gone

thebeijinger — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 10:00:00 +0800

Google is steadily losing its grasp on China. Last year it was the search engine and this summer Google Maps may be moving out as well.

Street Finder: A Guide to Buying Portable Gaming

thebeijinger — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 12:00:00 +0800

The rise of the iPhone and Android has all but forced portable gaming in to the dark forgotten corner next to the Dreamcast. However, as great as a touch screen and a few angry birds are, nothing beats analog gaming. If you still want to play Street Fighter 2 as Ryu then read on...

Cures for iPhone Fatigue: Eight ways to break your Apple-a-day habit

thebeijinger — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 15:00:00 +0800

Looking for a new cell phone? Before you hit the stores, it’s helpful to know what the latest options are—other than the ubiquitous iPhone, of course. This way, you won’t end up wishing that you’d waited a few weeks for that next-generation model the salesperson conveniently forgot to mention. Agenda has done the leg-work which you can check out on their website or in the new issue out now….