Five Golds at COMPUTEX TAIPEI Design & Innovation Awards 2011

Ralph Wiegmann praises the fourth staging of the awards for innovation and design

By QUINCY LIANG

On the opening day of the 2011 COMPUTEX TAIPEI (Taipei International Information Technology Show held May 31-June 4), a jury selected 34 products among the 179 entries from six countries for the COMPUTEX TAIPEI Design & Innovation Awards 2011, honoring five winners with the Gold Award, the top prize. Computex is an annual, major information and communication technology (ICT) trade fair held in Taiwan.

The panel of expert judges brimmed with praise: "We are convinced that all the award-winning products are successfully getting their own specific message across to the users. The designs are also becoming stronger and developing to meet the expectations of 3C (computer, communication, and consumer electronics) and the IT industry."

The design & innovation awards are part of the “organized by iF” projects jointly held by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), organizer of many trade shows in Taiwan, and iF International Forum Design.

Ralph Wiegmann, director of iF International Forum Design and organizer of the iF-series design competitions, said: "This is the fourth time that the COMPUTEX TAIPEI design & innovation award has been held. As Asia's largest specialist IT trade fair, COMPUTEX TAIPEI offers an excellent platform to present outstanding design achievements and technical innovations. The show occupies a central position as an international IT trade fair, promoting technological thinking and design in the world market."

Wiegmann also lauded the awards for focusing on the interplay between innovation and design regardless of device, as well as praising Computex for showcasing the latest IT devices that enhance online security.

Seven Major Fields

The design competition is open to all COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2011 exhibitors, as well as all registered IT firms in Taiwan, with prizes given to products in seven major fields: communication products, components and parts, computer systems, peripherals, data storage device/media, optoelectronic display and digital audio/video, and gaming and entertainment, of which the jury evaluates according to degree of innovation, design quality, workmanship, choice of material, environmental friendliness, functionality, utility value, safety, ergonomics, universal design, and brand value/branding.

The award-winners from Taiwan are also entitled to carry the “Taiwan Good Design” label, as well as the GD-mark certification after registering with the Taiwan Design Center (TDC), a national body.

Winners

Prize: Gold Award

Product: Slide | iPad Stand

Category: 06. Peripherals + Accessories

Company: Just Mobile Ltd., Taiwan

Design: Claus Jensen, Henrik Holbaek, Tools Design, Denmark

The Just Mobile Slide is the take-anywhere, do-anything iPad/ iPad 2 stand. The innovative Slide is of mono-block high-grade aluminum with the secret weapon being the high-friction rubber cylinder inside the tubular support. Place the cylinder at the top of the Slide, lay an iPad on top, lift it to the desired angle, and the cylinder will roll down to hold the iPad firmly in both portrait or landscape mode, enabling convenient support for typing, swiping and gaming at any angle.

Jury's comment: Natural and simple, functional and esthetic: it's excellent that the designer has dared to use a simple structure for the iPad stand to make usage far more ergonomic and easy.

Prize: Gold Award

Product: LM4-55A - Wow MOUNT | Low Profile TV Mounts

Category: 02. Components + Parts

Company: U.S. Brown Bear Inc., Taiwan

Design: U.S. Brown Bear Inc., Taiwan

The Wow MOUNT is an innovative low profile TV mount. Its two supporting points belie its feather weight of 0.4kg that actually holds 40kg. The design quality and eco-friendliness brim throughout the item, as well as meeting ISO, UL and RoHS standards. Offering a few mounting options (studs, no studs, or concrete), the Wow MOUNT is very versatile. With hardware for screen sizes from 13- to 50-inches and the VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association) design standard, universal compatibility is virtually guaranteed. Of high strength aluminum alloy with shockproof nylon, ISO 898/1 Class 8.8 fasteners and a safety hook, the Wow MOUNT ensures secure TV mounting in four, easy steps: screw to screen, mark with template, mount on wall, and hang screen.

Jury's comment: You can see the designer's capacity for putting oneself in the user’s shoes, and more importantly design a product that is truly user-friendly.

Prize: Gold Award

Product: Caparo | Flat Panel Monitor Arm

Category: 06. Peripherals + Accessories

Company: Vlaar International Taiwan Ltd., Taiwan

Design: Vlaar Manufacturing B.V., Netherlands

Uncomplicated and sleek. The Caparo uses a mechanical spring in an ultra-thin design. This item enables users to get the most out of a flat panel monitor investment, as well as maximum enjoyment from effortless adjustment, great ergonomics. Most innovative: the Caparo turns into a twin for Dual Screen working by simply adding another on top – achieving the designer’s “Be Prepared, Upgrade Later philosophy.”

Jury's comment: It's the era of the ultra-thin panel monitor! We truly admire the design approach to achieve so much beauty in this type of product, to the extent that the combination of details and overall balance underpins functionality.

Prize: Gold Award

Product: ViMO 1801 | Video Memo

Category: 05. Displays + Digital Audio / Video Products

Company: Gajah International (HK) Co., Ltd., Hong Kong

Design: Shi Ya Xing, Cedric Ng, Gajah International Pte Ltd, Singapore

ViMO is a digital video recorder that optimizes the otherwise mundane fridge magnet to add amusement to casual communication, also upgrading messaging to the video level. Instead of being limited to only text messages, this device enables users to record video messages, with a one-touch button for recording and playback. The heavy-duty magnet is also strong enough to hold a couple of notes and photos.

Jury's comment: What can design do to bring new technology into daily life? We feel that design helps to sharpen the optimization, realization of ideas and products. This is an appealing digital gadget that, besides enabling routine messaging, may also enhance communication fun.

Prize: Gold Award

Product: New AVerPen | Interactive Pen

Category: 06. Peripherals + Accessories

Company: AVerMedia Information, Inc., Taiwan

Design: AVerMedia Information, Inc., Taiwan

The New AVerPen (Teacher and Student Pens) revolutionizes learning collaboration for use on any surface. Combining the best of interactive whiteboards (IWBs) and wireless slates/presenters, this device is easily held by right and left-handers and has an index-finger rest to enable optimal ergonomics. The Teacher Pen is wireless and a presentation tool, as well as giving teachers control over Student Pens. A teacher and up to six students can work at once with the device, enabling individuals or groups to solve problems, share ideas and interact with a teacher.

Jury's comment: Novel yet familiar: this interactive pen combines digital technology with an intuitively direct way of writing for kids, the perfect marriage of technology, convenience and esthetics. The design faithfully captures the way people draw and write.