Trade Shows & Events

The Man Who Didn’t Know He Had a Brand

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In my DISTREE XXL keynote in Monaco, I share several entertaining stories about retail and brand experience.

Bob Distree

Without ruining the surprises in the talk, here are some of the topics included...

First, the man who invented the STOP sign has a lesson for all of us. Next, off to the Middle East where you'll meet THE MAN WHO DIDN'T KNOW HE HAD A BRAND. Then a discussion of B8TA's significant new retail approach and the beginning of their international expansion.

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GSMA Cancels MWC 2020 Due to Coronavirus!

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Global worries involving the coronavirus-- aka Covid 19-- not to mention travel concerns and "other circumstances" lead to the cancellation of MWC 2020, the largest mobile trade show in the world.

MWC Barcelona

Originally taking place on 24-27 February 2020, the show attracts over 100000 attendees from 200 countries to Barcelona. Previously the organisers sent a lengthy coronavirus-related email to registered attendees stating it was going to ban travelers from China's Hubei province. It also had plans for temperature screenings, while visitors who have been in China would have to demonstrate proof they have been outside of China for 14 days.

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Sharp Shows Pocket-Sized Robot/Phone Combo

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Robohon

Trying to get a foot into the global mobile phone market, Sharp took a different route: they developed a pocket-sized robot which features a full smart phone. 

Baptized as RoboHon (combining the Japanese words for "robot" and "phone"), this robot/phone combo companion had its world premiere at CEATEC 2015 in Japan. 

This 20cm high robot walks, dances, talks, responds to questions, has a built in camera and a projector to beam images onto surfaces, speaks out when e-mails or text messages arrive. With incoming calls it is a phone but can also respond, or use built-in speakers. 

RoboHon can be carried in the breast pocket or in carrying cases already available. In a car, he sits on the dashboard. 

Sharp intends to market RoboHon in Japan first from February 2016 and plans a global roll-out in future. RoboHon first has to learn other languages than Japanese.

First reactions during the CEATEC show were quite impressive: despite a bulky form when compared to typical smartphones, Robohon created an uproar. Everybody seemed to fall in love with the little guy. From the land of the Tamagotchi, Wacky Wall Walkers, anime, karaoke, manga, RoboHon could be just the smartphone hit that Sharp is looking for...

[Reportage by Peter Weber, direct from CEATEC 2015]

Go RoboHon

Watch the product video

RoBoHoN in display

SanDisk Gets Type-C Ready

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SanDisk launches a first product featuring an integrated USB Type-C connector, making it ideal for future laptops and PCs, together with a 128GB iXpand Flash Drive designed for iPad and iPhone.

SanDisk Type CAs the name suggests, the Dual USB Drive with Type-C connector includes a regular USB 3.0 connector for data transfer between next- and current-gen devices and PCs. It is initially available in 32GB capacity and is compatible with the SanDisk Memory Zone Android device app.

Meanwhile the iXpand Flash Drive is ideal for cable- and internet connection-free data transfers between iDevices and Macs or PCs. Now available in 128GB capacity, it uses the companion iXpand Sync app to automatically sync, backup and transfer photos and videos, and also enables playback of videos in non-native AVI, MKV and WMV6 formats.

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CES Heads to Asia

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The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) announces an Asian event-- International CES Asia, with an inaugural 2015 edition to take place on 25-27 May in Shanghai, China.

CES AsiaThe event is expected to draw business from all over the world showcasing products and technologies entering the Asian market. It will be held at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) in cooperation with Chinese tradeshow producer Intex Shanghai.

It is also the first CES-sponsored tradeshow in China since SINOCES in 2012.

“China is a critical driver of the global tech industry with an incredible opportunity to accelerate its innovation output," CEA CEO Gary Shapiro says. "At CES Asia, attendees will experience the innovation that defines the CE industry, with exclusive access to some of the top brands from China and around the world.”

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