WITH JUST a few months to go until the hi-tech spending bonanza of the Christmas season, Berlin’s IFA trade fair is the place to spot the trends that will mark high streets this year. Here are a few of them.

A passage of OLED (organic lightemitting diode) screens at the Internationale Funkaustellung (IFA) consumerelectronics fair in Berlin is utterly photogenic. /EPA-EFE

ULTRA-HD TV SETS

The IFA aisles are wallpapered with OLED screens this year. The technology dispenses with a backlight as each pixel illuminates itself – making for a very sharp image with strong contrasts, even in moving images. And the ultra-thin displays can be made transparent or even flexible.

The images buyers will be screening are also getting an upgrade, as the ultra-high-definition 4K standard becomes more widespread with sets starting at around 2,000 euros (Bt79,000).

More video is being filmed in the high-resolution format that makes owning such a display worthwhile, with manufacturers betting public interest will follow.

And more and more TVs boast connections to internet video-on-demand services or applications, like Sharp’s latest models with an Android interface.

The LG V30 mobile phone boosts the display size to 5.7 inches. /EPA-EFE

CHATTY PHONES

Manufacturers are still vying |to cram as much screen as possible into their smartphones, like LG’s LGV30 with its “borderless” 5.7-inch display.

But the action can be found in the guts of the devices, where firms are racing to offer the most intelligent voice-activated digital assistants alongside typical upgrades to storage space or cameras.

This chatty artificial intelligence looks set to implant phones even more deeply into daily life, controlling connected gadgets around the home.

Samsung said it would strengthen its work with the Open Connectivity Foundation, aiming to help its voice assistant Bixby to talk more easily to other manufacturers’ products. And Chinese giant Huawei said it would join the vocal race with a chip known as Kirin to be built into upcoming phones.

VR glasses from Philips can be used as part of babymonitoring systems. /AFP

WATCH LIST

Could 2017 be smartwatches’ turn to be a hit with the general public after years being seen as a gimmick? Consultancy Gartner expects more the 67 million of them to be sold this year, more than doubling the 30 million shifted in 2015.

At IFA, makers of hi-tech “wearables” are vaunting their water resistance to appeal to fitness |fanatics.

Fitbit is offering a large-faced watch with a plastic strap that’s waterproof down to 50 metres, while Samsung tempts potential buyers of its Gear Fit Pro 2 with an offline version of Spotify aimed at runners. The business version can be used to control Powerpoint presentations.

Not neglecting accessories to the accessories, the Korean firm also has colourful ear-bud headphones with simple touch controls.

A tablet is sued to operate an “IQ800” tumble dryer during a demonstration of Siemens’ smartcontrolled household appliances. /AFP

BOT BUTLER DID IT

This year has seen tech titans Google and Amazon join the battle over intelligent personal assistants – voice-controlled AI helpers built into speakers that sit in the user’s home, organising online shopping or domestic chores.

And the IFA is a showcase for connected home devices that allow people to control appliances and manage energy usage via a smartphone or tablet.

Tying in to Amazon’s Alexa assistant, Siemens’ “home connect” offers interior views of the fridge at home, one-hour delivery of needed groceries, or the ability to turn on the oven from afar – all from the driver’s seat of the user’s car.

Once dinner guests are gone and the crockery is cleared away, a scanner can judge how dirty the tablecloth is and programme a custom wash into the washing machine.

“Robots are arriving in your house, and they’re going to know a lot about you,” jokes IFA co-organiser Roland Stehle.

RESTROOMS WITH sophisticated interior designs and functionality have been introduced in Narita Airport. These “design restrooms” for both men and women provide users with enough space to store their suitcases in each stall and a wider space for doing makeup. And the interior designs of the existing restrooms have been given a brighter look.

In time for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, Narita International Airport Corp, the operator of the airport, plans to introduce electronic warm-water bidet toilets with heated seats in 147 restrooms for travellers. They will also include flashing lights for emergencies and voice guidance devices.

NAA plans to renovate 11 especially busy restrooms into design restrooms.

Two of the design restrooms opened in Terminal 2 on August 9, in the international arrival lobby and the duty free and shopping area in the departure lobby.

The design restroom in the arrival lobby has stalls that are large enough for travellers to bring their baggage carts in. Some of the stalls are especially designed for children.

Japan’s Narita Airport will have rennovated restrooms for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. /Japan News-Yomiuri 

The stalls in the departure lobby have space for people to bring in products they bought there.

According to NAA, the renovation of the restrooms in Terminal 2 is expected to be completed by September 2018, while work in Terminal 1 and 3 building is to be finished by March 2020.

Airports are not the only places where toilet facilities are being improved.

At some construction sites in Chiba Prefecture, the prefectural government has decided to cover the costs of installing temporary toilets with Western-style seats or flushing functions in order attract women and young people to work in the construction industry. The targets of the assistance system are construction projects ordered by the prefecture whose planned costs exceed 20 million yen (Bt6.09 million). The system applies to construction projects for which bidding is held from August 21.

According to the prefectural government, Japanese-style box-type temporary toilets without a flushing function have normally been used. They are shared by men and women and have a bad smell.

The comfortable temporary toilets were required by the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry to meet 11 conditions, including having Western-style seats and flush function, a function preventing back-flow of smell, and a sink with a mirror and a lighting device. The ministry has introduced such toilets in principle at the sites of construction projects that the ministry ordered since October last year.

The prefectural government plans to pay up to 45,000 yen toward each comfortable temporary toilet when a contractor who has accepted an order installs them. If the contractor installs them separately for men and women, the prefectural government covers the costs for up to two toilets at a construction site.

DESPITE THE werewolf growling in a cage while a wizard casts spells to try to calm the beast down, today is just a normal day at Brazil’s magic school.

The werewolf is an actor in costume and the spells presumably wouldn’t work in the face of a real mythical beast. But anyone entering the Magic and Witchcraft School near Sao Paulo must leave disbelief at the castle gate.

Although inspired by the world of the “Harry Potter” books and films created by JK Rowling, where lucky children go to study at the magical school Hogwarts, the Brazilian version says its curriculum has a definite local flavour.

From its founding in 2015, “the idea was to adapt, not to copy exactly, the feel of Hogwarts”, says Vanessa Godoy, 27, who is behind the idea for the school in Campos do Jordao, about 180 kilometres from Sao Paulo.

The magic school brings Harry Potter’s world to life in a parallel reality for fans of the wizarding world. /AFP

Clients at the school – which operates for occasional four-day sessions – are all fans of the Harry Potter series.

But since copyright laws limit what Godoy and her fellow wizards can do, they wave the creative magic wand and use Brazilian folklore to fill the gaps.

“We have our own stories. We get into a lot of the mythology because Brazil is a very magical country,” she says.

Hogwarts-style classes are offered in Potions and Elixirs, Witchcraft and History of Magic, and of course there are dances, contests and a tournament based on quidditch, the high-paced game played on flying broomsticks in Rowling’s novels.

Students of the School of Magic and Witchcraft have tea in a castle in the mountain city of Campos do Jordao, some 180 km from Sao Paulo, Brazil. /AFP

But there are also things you’d only learn in Brazil, like the use of hairs from an indigenous mythical character known for protecting forests and scales from a siren if you want to activate a magic wand.

Learning these supposed secrets is not cheap: the four-day session at the castle – a real castle which normally is used as a hotel – costs 2,650 reais (Bt28,200)

Clients range in age from five to 65 years old, though the majority is around 25. They’re judges, models, teachers, nurses and students, but all sharing a passion for the Potter phenomenon.

“When we enter the castle, it’s as if the world outside no longer exists,” says Zerzil Ferreira, a 29-year-old doctor.

“We abandon the ‘Muggle’ world and immerse ourselves in the magical world and it’s all real,” he says, referring to the people in the books who are not part of the wizarding world.

Going to the course fulfilled “a childhood dream to become part of the magical universe,” he adds.

About 100 people took part in the most recent course, all divided into Hogwarts-style houses named Tigers, Serpents, Squirrels and Eagles, with points kept during the various contests and a champion house crowned at the end.

Students of the School of Magic and Witchcraft prepare for an exam in the castle’s great hall./AFP

The Quidditch-type game is the most popular.

The sport in theory requires real flying broomsticks, but the terrestrial version developed by fans in the United States instead has competitors running around chasing several balls while holding a broomstick between their legs.

Staff at the school – all of them actors – really seem spellbound, since they must stay in their roles 24 hours a day, but students take it seriously too.

“To be here, you need to enter into the character. You are a student and you are learning to be a wizard. You need to respect the teachers and rules. This makes the experience more real,” says Renie Santos, 22, who created the popular YouTube channel Expresso de Hogwarts.

“The students give a lot. A big part of the sense of immersion is thanks to them,” Godoy agrees.

That dedication becomes clear during the module on dealing with sirens, which the professor for Care of Magical Creatures warns are apt to seduce – and then devour – the over-curious.

Students then meet Nyx, who swims in the castle swimming pool, and are enchanted. Despite the warnings, one wants to invite her to a dance, the other wants to swim with her and one woman asks for a kiss.

Luckily no one actually gets devoured. But the four days are over and it’s time for the temporary magicians to re-enter the real world.

As always, the proceeds will go to the foundation, which has been the fund-raising centre of the Faculty of Medicine for 48 years. The hospital provides healthcare to more than two million patients each year.

This year, the foundation has worked with ML Chirathorn “Kru Toh” Chiraprawat, Somnuek “Kru Parn” Klangnok, Pattreeda “Pang” and Nualtong “Nual” Prasarnthong, who pass on the concept of Giving by putting their own signature drawings on cute LINE Stickers and souvenir sets for the Giving and Happiness collection.

Punsiree Kunakornpaiboonsiri, managing director of Ramathibodi Foundation, reveals that apart from generous support from the artists who have a large number of fans throughout the country, the foundation wants to communicate with LINE users and the new generation through the app by launching four sticker sets based on their drawings. By sending the stickers, which are priced at Bt60 a set, everyone can pass on the concept of ‘Endless Giving’. The proceeds from sales will go to support the building of Chakri Naruebodindra Medical Institute (CNMI), Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital Mahidol University in Samut Prakan.

Other souvenirs in the collection include t-shirts, caps, scarves, bags, and umbrellas.

For more information visit www.ramafoundation.or.th. The LINE stickers can be downloaded today on both iOS and Android platforms. Donations can also be made to Siam Commercial Bank, Ramathibodi branch, current account no. 026-3-05216-3 and Bangkok Bank, Her Majesty’s Medical Center branch (Ramathibodi hospital), current account no. 090-2-50015-5.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 smartphone has a bigger display at 6.3 inches and it’s Super Amoled with 2,960×1,440-pixel resolution. You also get an S Pen stylus, dual-lens camera with dual OIS and 2x optical zoom, a 64bit octacore 10nm processor, six gigabytes of RAM and 64GB of storage. Count on a superfast LTE Cat 19 4G connection. The suggested retail price is Bt33,900.

How’s this for a TV set?

The 77-inch 77G7T from LG is the latest OLED 4K TV. The OLED panel is perfect black and the set looks sleek with its Picture on Glass design, the back cover made of crystal glass. The soundbar stand puts out 80 watts of power. You can enjoy the Dolby Atmos theatresound system featured in some Netflix movies, as well as Dolby Vision, HDR 10 and HLG HDR for sharper display. The going rate is Bt599,990.

Latest iMac looking good

With the new 27-inch iMac computer, you get gorgeous 27-inch Retina 5K resolution with 5,120×2,880 pixels and high brightness of 500 nits. An Intel Core i5 quad core processor running at 3.5GHZ is backed up by 8GB of 2400MHz DDR 4 memory and two terabytes on the hard drive. A Radeon Pro 580 GPU provides the graphics horsepower with 8GB of VRAM memory. There are four USB 3.0 ports and two Thunderbolt 3 ports (USBC), plus a Gigabit Ethernet port. It’s in shops for Bt82,900.

Speaker does it all

Sony’s powerful MHCV50D Bluetooth speaker has Bass Boost, as if being part of the Extra Bass series weren’t enough. High-Resolution Bluetooth connection in LDAC protocol is doable. You’ll freak at the DJ effects and karaoke sounds, and there’s a guitar input too. It can play DVD movies and CD audio. You’ll need a mere Bt9,990.

Take this on a trip

Panasonic’s 20.3-megapixel Lumix DCTZ90 camera is ideal for travellers with 30x optical zoom (24720mmequivalent focal length). You can shoot 4k video and rotate the display 180 degrees for selfies. Ultra-high-speed focusing allows for crisp fast-action photos at five frames per second. With Wi-Fi built in, it costs Bt16,990.

Retirement communities have been part and parcel of life in the West for decades, with facilities varying from the modest to the super luxurious depending on the means of the elderly residents. Thailand, like many other parts of Asia, has traditionally cared for its old as part of the extended family but with that protective social fabric now so stretched that it has worn thin, similar facilities have started to pop up in Thailand, though they remain few and far between.

With the number of elderly Thais set to jump to 13 million – or one fifth of the population – in four years time, healthcare groups are urging senior citizens to use their golden years to live life to the fullest.

“Thailand will shift into a fully-fledged ageing society by 2020 as the number of people older than 60 reaches more than 20 per cent,” says Dr Boon Vanasin, chairman of the Thonburi Healthcare Group, which manages the upmarket condominium complex for retirees Jin Wellbeing County in Pathum Thani.

“Elderly people need special care: 70 per cent experience depression. Some of them may perceive their lives to be less valuable, putting them at risk of depression and social isolation. Where they live with family members, they are often left alone in the house as the younger generation goes out to work. The luckier ones have hobbies such as playing music or reading books and that helps to pass the time. But most of all they need someone to talk to. That’s why Jin Wellbeing County aims to answer both physical and mental needs.

“In planning Jin Wellbeing County, we asked potential resi¬dents what they would do if they lived in the community. The answers were received varied. One person said he would take up music again after more than 20 years. Another welcomed the opportunity to read more books. And yet another was interested in seeing movies.

Jin Wellbeing County is the first residential project in Thailand to offer a full range of lifestyle and healthcare services for elderly people through a full range of facilities and services designed to meet specific needs of seniors wanting to live a dynamic life.

To illustrate the success of such an approach, the healthcare group has selected eight iconic figures – all of them over 60 – and asked them to serve as role models in its newly launched “Golden Spirit Gallery” campaign.

The campaign is being implemented in two parts. The first is an exclusive photo exhibition that shows the eight icons – Chek Thanasiri, Wanida Puangsunthorn, Suchao Pongwilai, Patravadi Mejudhon, Paothong Thongchua, Panarat Bunnag, Pusit “Pa Tuek” Pattanaprakarn and Paula Westerfield – demonstrating how they live their lives with golden spirit.

The exhibition, which has as its theme “The pursuit of golden spirit in retirement”, aims to inspire other retirees to realise that there are so many opportunities open to them after turning 60.

Panarat Bunnag enjoys a self-sufficient life.

Panarat, 67, the first runnerup in the 1970 Miss Thailand pageant and winner of the Miss Photogenic and Thai Chitralada Costume titles, is happy with her selfsufficient life.

“I’ve discovered real happiness. At my age I don’t feel like I should be labelled by society as a childminder for my grandchildren. I have three children aged 46, 44 and 24. The youngest, despite graduating from Chulalongkorn University’s fine and applied arts faculty, has turned her attention to agriculture, specifically organic farming. Today I work as a chef at our restaurant, Farm to Table, preparing dishes from the vegetables we grow. When you reach 60, you have every right to find happiness in your life. I told my daughter that she had to let me retire from being a mother so I could be selfsufficient and share my happiness with others.

Paula Westerfield enjoys every moment spent with her seven grandchildren.

Westerfield, 64, agrees. “My mother is Japanese and my father was American. He died of cancer at the age of 41 and never had the chance to see his grandchildren. I worked hard all my life and paid for it with my health. I wanted to live long enough to see my own grandchildren. In fact, I have never retired. Working keeps me energetic and happy. And by leading a healthy lifestyle, my biggest dream has come true and we now have seven beautiful grandchildren,” she says.

Suchao Pongwilai makes his childhood dream of long-distance cycling come true.

Suchao, 72, quit his acting career and hasn’t regretted it for a moment. He now has time to pursue his favourite hobby: cycling.

“As a child I always wanted to ride a bike. I started cycling seriously seven years ago and have worked up to 50 kilometres a day. On September 17, I’ll join other cyclists in riding from Chiang Mai to Lamphun to visit my friend, Inson Wongsam, a national artist in visual arts (sculpture). And I’d like to fulfil another childhood dream early next year – cycling 700 kilometres from Bangkok to Chiang Mai.”

Pusit Pattanaprakarn still works to a tight schedule.

Pusit beams with pride at being the oldest fashion icon in Thailand. Now 65, he maintains a busy schedule, modelling and serving as a presenter at several events.

“I would like to inspire other elderly people to dress up in order to look smart,” he says.

Chek Thanasin keeps healthy with a vegan diet and exercise.

Dr Chek Thanasiri, the first doctor in Thailand to focus on naturopathy, expects to live until he’s 120.

“I’m now 92 and sickness free because I exercise regularly. I have been a member of sport clubs for 61 years. Scientists believe that the limit to the human life span is 110 years but an elderly woman in Chiang Mai reached 122 years and an old Muslim man in Pattani didn’t die until he has 120. Everybody should take care of their health. It’s easy enough to do – don’t eat meat, only vegetables, and in small amounts. To those who disagree with me, I say look at Major General Chamlong Srimuang. He’s well over 70 and has eaten just one meal a day of vegetables and nuts for most of his life. General Saiyud Kerdphol eats only fruit. And both are still healthy.”

Paothong Thongchua intends working until the day he dies.

Paothong Thongchua, 61, is a lecturer at Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy and has been teaching at Chitralada School for 27 years.

“I am happy to work. I once told HRH Princess Sirindhorn of my intention to retire but changed my mind. Now I intend to work until I die.”

Wanida Puangsunthorn still works with passion.

National artist Wanida Puangsunthorn also feels that teaching keeps her young.

“I’ll turn 81 on December 5 and am still teaching at Silpakorn University’s architecture faculty despite being more than 20 years past retirement age. I love my career and work with passion. I also do design work for several temples and check on the construction. When I am doing what I love, I’m not stressed. It’s stress that causes health problems,” she says.

Patravadi Mejudhon dedicates her time to her school.

Another national artist Patravadi Mejudhon, 69, is known and admired for her role in performing arts and today runs the Patravadi School Hua Hin, which she set up when she was 60 aiming to use performance arts to help students develop self-responsibility, creativity and confidence.

“I have always had a very good life. My father was a clever scholar and honest civil servant, as my mother, who graduated in law, was a fighter who made a good living. I studied with good teachers throughout my whole life. I lived my life to the fullest when I was young. When I was getting old, I had good teachers to teach me the way to think. As we age, I think we should be useful to society rather than waiting aimlessly for death. All Thai people have good teachers such as the Buddha and His Majesty the late King. We should follow their example and be good teachers to others.”

The second part of the campaign is a photo contest for which members of the public are invited to submit photos of seniors living their lives with golden spirit. The images, along with the story behind them, must be uploaded to Facebook.com/jinwellbeing before October 15. The best entries will be rewarded with prizes totalling Bt300,000.

Founded by rapper and producer Dr Dre and now firmly under the control of Apple Inc, Beat Electronics has come up with a new set on wireless on-ear headphones that pump out good quality sounds and powerful bass and boast special connectivity technology for iPhone and iPad users.

And for music lovers on the go, the Solo 3 Wireless from Beats has a battery that can last up to 40 hours as well as a builtin microphone that allows you to use it as a premium headset for your iPhone or other smartphones.

For iPhone or iPad users, the Solo 3 Wireless comes with Apple W1 chip that brings seamless setup and switching for your Apple devices. The chip allows the headphones to be easily set up with your iPhone or iPad. You simply hold the phones near your iOS device, and a screen will pop up to prompt you to connect it.

Once it is connected, the Solo 3 Wireless can be seamlessly switched between your iOS devices and Mac computers using the same Apple ID. Do note though that your iOS devices must run on iOS 10 and your Mac computers must use macOS Sierra The Solo 3 Wireless can also be used with an Apple watch that runs on watch OS 3.

The Apple W1 chip also helps the headphones save battery life and in fast charging with just five minutes of charge allowing the phones to be used for up to three hours.

Beats Solo 3 Wireless comes in a sleek design and are available in Gloss Black, Gloss White, Rose Gold, Back, Gold, Silver, Ultra Violet and Red so you can choose the colour option that matches your iPhone or other smartphone.

The phones are foldable and the package comes with a carrying case for easy transport. I found them pleasant to wear thanks to comfortable cushion ear cups and cushion head band.

The Solo 3 Wireless has a power button on the right ear cup while the volume buttons and multifunction button are located on the left. The multifunction button can be used to play or pause music or skip to the next track. It can also be used to receive or hang up a phone call.

There’s an LED fuel gauge on the right side to tell you the level of battery and if you let it run out, you can use the Solo 3 Wireless as a wired pair of headphones with a provided headphone cable. The cable also has an inline remote control for adjusting volume and playing and pausing music as well as receiving and hanging up a call.

The headphones deliver premium playback with fine-tuned acoustics that maximise clarity, breadth, and balance. The comfort-cushion ear cups buffer outside noise for immersive sound so you can experience music the way it was meant to be heard.

I tested the earphones with new iPad 9inch and the Samsung Galaxy S8+ Android phone, using both wireless and wired functions. I found that the music was of excellent quality with impressive clarity and powerful bass, I enjoyed listening to my favourite testing tool –AC/DC’s “Rock or Bust” album.

Beats Solo 3 Wireless is available at Apple Thailand’s online store (www.Apple.com/th/shop/) for Bt11,500.

KEY SPECS

Form factor: On ear

Height: 19.8 cm

Weight: 215 g

Battery: Rechargeable LithiumIon with 40 hours of battery life

Connections: Bluetooth, audio cable

Bluetooth: Class 1

Microphone: BeamForming Mic for optimal call

Package include: Carrying case, 3.5mm remote talk cable, USB charging cable, quick start guide

An affordable 4G smartphone with premium build, a large display, and the ability to function as a power bank thanks to its large 5,000 mAH battery, the ZenFone 4 Max Pro from Asus will delight shutterbugs with its 16-megapixel front and dual-lens rear camera. It’s powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 octacore processor 1.40 GHz and it runs on Android Version 7.1 operating system.

The smartphone is equipped with 3 gigabytes of working memory or RAM and has 32 GB of internal memory, which is expandable with a microSD card up to 256 GB. Unlike in other brands where they share the same slot, the microSD expansion and second nano SIM slots are separate, meaning you can expand the storage and use two SIM cards at the same time.

The ZenFone 4 Max Pro has 5.5-inch IPS display with 720×1280 pixel resolution so it’s easy to read. And even though the Snapdragon 430 is not a flagship processor, it is fast enough to enjoy all the smartphone functions. I found both the touch screen and menus responsive during the test.

Moreover, the ZenFore 4 Max Pro supports playing High-Resolution Audio in FLAC 24bit/192 kHz format very well. I tested it with Sony’s MDR1ADB Hi-Res Audio headphones and was pleased to find that the smartphone played Hi-Res Audio files with good sound quality, good details and powerful bass.

ZenFone 4 Max Pro comes with fast Internet connection. I tested it on TrueMove H’s LTE 4G and was pleased to find that apps were downloaded fast and my snapshots were backed up to my Google Photos in no time. I measured the data connection speed with Ookla Speedtest app and here again the ZenFone 4 did well, downloading at 67.11 Mbps and uploading at 31.07 Mbps.

I also used the TrueVisions Anywhere app to watch streaming channels from TrueVisions and was able to enjoy several popular channels, including True Sports, National Geographic Channel, CNN, True Asian Series HD, Paramount, and Sony Channel, smoothly.

ZenFone 4 Max Pro’s rear dual camera system is great for landscape shots because it uses a dual-lens system to achieve 120-degree wide angle camera, allowing you to fit more scenery and people in the frame. And with a design that gives it a 200-per-cent wider view than most smartphones, it’s also good for shooting group photos in confined indoor spaces. The rear camera’s lens is bright with f/2.0 aperture and has very fast phase detection auto focus of 0.03 second. It uses PixelMaster camera technology, with eight photography features.

The auto mode integrates high dynamic range (HDR) with low light technology, extending the range by four times and enhancing brightness by up to 400 per cent for evenly exposed daytime photos with detailed shadows and highlights.

Its Super Resolution mode captures multiple shots simultaneously and combines them into a single, stunningly detailed 64MP photo. Its GIF Animation adds an entertaining twist to shooting movies, and Panorama and Selfie Panorama mode lets you capture stunning 270degree landscape photos.

During the test, I could easily capture great shots using the auto mode. The camera system did not have shutter lag and was responsive.

The ZenFone 4 Max Pro can also capture great selfies with Softlight LED flash and live beautification features. The Softlight LED flash delivers the perfect amount of fill light, giving your selfies a softer look with true skin tones. You can use beautification mode to retouch your selfies with skin softening mode, skin brightening mode, eyes enhancement mode and cheeks thinning mode.

ZenFone 4 Max Pro can serve as a power bank thanks to its large 5,000 mAh battery. The package comes with a micro USB-to-USB Type A adapter that lets you plug your USB charge cable into it. It monitors charge levels and will not allow its own battery to drain below 30percent capacity.

The 5,000 mAh battery provides 3G talk time up to 40 hours or video playback up to 22 hours and Wi-Fi browsing up to 26 hours.

The fast-charging technology allows the battery to be recharged for three-hour use in just 15 minutes. Asus PowerMaster ensures safety through temperature monitoring and overvoltage protection.

ZenFone 4 Max Pro has a premium metal body and is available in three colours – Deepsea Black, Sunlight Gold and Rose Pink.

You’ll find it in stores for Bt7,990.

KEY SPECS

– Networks: LTE Cat4, HSPA+, EDGE, GPRS, GSM

– OS: Android 7.1

– CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 Octacore processor 1.4 GHz, GPU: Adreno 505

– Memory: 3GB

– Storage: eMCP 32 GB, expandable with microSD card up to 256 GB

– SIM: dual nano SIM slots

– Display: 5.5-inch IPS display with 720×1280 pixels

– Main camera: 16 MP f/2.0 dual-lens system with PixelMaster 4.0

– Front camera: 16MP f/2.0 with PixelMaster 4.0

– Wireless technology: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi direct

– Navigation: GPS, AGPS, GLONASS, BDS

– Sensors: Fingerprint, Accelerator, ECompass, Gyroscope, Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor

– Battery: 5,000 mAh, 2x faster reverse charging

– Dimensions: 154×76.9×8.9mm

– Weight: 181 g

As ever the organisers are encouraging runners to share their running goals via the social networks to drums up support from friends and raise funds online for this worthy cause.

The mini-marathon will take place on Sunday, December 24, 2017 in three adjacent public parks: Chatuchak Park, Vachirabenjatas Park and Queen Sirikit Park. There are race categories to suit everyone ranging from a 2.7 kilometre walk and fun run through a 5.5km run to a 10.5km minimarathon.

All runners who reach the finish line will receive a Make THE Difference medals. The winner and two runners up in the 5.5km and 10.5km distance in three different age groups (under 20, 2049 years and 50 and above) will receive a trophy and a cash prize of Bt5,000, Bt3,000 and Bt1,000, respectively.

Tickets costing Bt500 are now available online at http://www.makeTHEdifference.org/parkrun. Running shirts made from environmentally friendly materials, a RFID device and a bib will be send by post to the purchaser.

The TMB Foundation will issue receipts for income tax deduction purposes upon request. All ticket proceeds, funds raised by runners and topup donations from TMB will go to the Cardiac Children Foundation under the Patronage of HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana for its Cardiac Children Operations Project.

Find out more by calling the TMB Contact Centre at (02) 242 3603.

Project director and co-founder Muanfun Sirikorn Kunawong, CMO Group chief executive Sermkhun Kunawong, Benjaporn Tuntasood of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Sitamon Pholdee were in attendance.

Located on the third floor of the Emporium in Bangkok, Imaginia is Thailand’s first play space for children using the EF Life Skills Enhancement approach.

There will be two new play zones and a fresh project for the third year of operations, “Imaginia with Guru”, a series of creativity-building workshops to broaden the learning experience and let kids discover their individual talents.

The workshops will be held weekly across the country with renowned teachers and experts.

Imaginia is open Monday through Thursday from 10 to 7 and Friday through Sunday from 10 to 8.

Find out more at http://www.ImaginiaPlayland.com.