Sony CMTSX7 is a multifunction Hi-Fi system with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technology that has powerful and good-quality sounds and gives you networked speakers.

The SX7 is a CD player, FM tuner, DAB digital radio receiver, Bluetooth speaker system, Wi-Fi speaker system, USB music player, USB DAC speaker system for your computer, and a Chromecast speaker system with Chromecast built in.

Best of all, the SX7 supports High-Resolution Audio files that have about five times the detail of CD-quality music, so you can enjoy music just as the artists and producers intended.

The SX7 has powerful music with 50×2 watts of music output. It comes with two high-quality speakers, each 14.5×24.5×22.5cm, so the system can easily fill your living room with stereo music.

The SX7 is powered by an SMaster HX digital amplifier, which is 100-per-cent digital for more power without distortion, improving efficiency and reducing size.

The SMaster HX amp is also enhanced for High-Resolution Audio, so it reduces noise levels for the precision needed with high-frequency ranges (above 40kHz).

You can enjoy Hi-Res Audio files stored on a USB drive or by connecting the SX7 to your desktop or notebook computer, using a USB cable and a Sony Hi-Res player.

Or you can stream Hi-Res Audio from a music player to the SX7, which supports the LDAC codec. LDAC is audio technology from Sony that allows you to enjoy high-quality wireless audio via Bluetooth. With three times the data transmitted, LDAC provides an enhanced wireless listening experience for all your music.

Although you can’t play non-Hi-Res Audio files on the SX7, you can still enjoy the music with Sony’s Digital Sound Enhancement Engine HX (DSEE HX). The DSEE HX upscales your compressed digital music files (MP3, ACC, ATRAC and WMA) and takes it closer to the quality of High-Resolution Audio.

By restoring the high-range sound lost in the compression process, DSEE HX produces your digital music files in rich, natural sound, closer to the quality of the original recording.

What makes using the SX7 more fun is its Wi-Fi and builtin Chromecast functions.

With Wi-Fi built in, the SX7 can be enjoyed in several wireless functions. It supports AirPlay, allowing you to play music stored on your Apple products, such as an iPad and Macbook computer, with ease.

And when the SX7 is used with Sony’s Music Center (formerly SongPal), the SX7 supports multiroom audio settings, meaning you can use your smartphone or tablet to group several SX7 units in separate rooms as your audio network.

You can then use the Music Center app to play the same songs or different songs to the SX7 or other speaker models that support this technology. You can also stream music from different music services, a PC or your DLNA network to these group speakers.

You can set up your own music server, using either Apple’s iTune or Sony’s Media Go, and use the Music Center to play music from your server to the SX7.

With the builtin Chromecast, you can stream music, podcasts and Internet radio stations with over 100 audio apps to your phone or tablet to the SX7. The apps include Tunein Radio, Google Play Music, 7-digital Music and Deezer.

Using the Chromecast function has several benefits. It can save the battery of your phone or tablet because it makes a direct connection to the music streaming service. And using Chromecast, you can enjoy music while playing a game or taking a call and your game sounds or your conversation will not interfere with the music being played.

To link the SX7 to your home Wi-Fi router, there are three ways to do it. The easiest way is to use the remote to activate the WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) and then press the WPS button of your router, and the Wi-Fi connection will be established.

Once the Wi-Fi connection is done, you can enjoy the AirPlay function, Chromecast function, and DLNA music streaming and multiroom music function.

During the test, I enjoyed playing Hi-Res Audio format of FLAC 24bit/192kHz stored on a thumb drive. The music had clarity, good detail and powerful bass.

Streaming Hi-Res Audio songs from Sony NWA25 Walkman, using LDAC Bluetooth connection also resulted in good-quality music.

I also used the Chromecast function by casting from Sony’s Music app on a Sony Xperia XZ Premium to the SX7 without any problem. The music sounded good.

I tried streaming from an iPad and Macbook Pro using iTune and AirPlay. The music control was easy and the music quality sounded great as well. I could also play music on my notebook computer using the Windows Media Player to stream the music to the SX7 and the sound quality was great.

The Sony CMTSX7 has a suggested retail price of Bt15,990.

KEY SPECS

– Speaker size: 14.5 x 24.5 x 22.5 cm

– Output: 100 watts

– Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi, NFC, AirPlay, Chormecast builtin, Spotify connect

– Functions: USB, USB DAC, CD, tuner,

input, output terminals: Analog Audio Input, Digital Audio Input, Ethernet Portm FM/AM Antenna, Headphone Output, Speaker Output(s) Front, USBA Port, USBB Port

– Dimensions: 22.5 x 11.5 x 26.3 cm

– Weight: 2.7 kgs

And the studio will be partnering with Physique 57, the barre-workout specialists from New York.

“We’re excited about the direction that Bangkok and the region’s fitness industry is taking and can’t wait to offer at our training concept to Sathorn,” says Base founder and chief executive Jack Thomas.

“Our original goal was to bring a truly international-standard fitness operation to Bangkok, so expanding within a year of our opening is a big step. It’s an exciting time for us.”

All the Base elements that are popular at its Sukhumvit studio will be available at the second branch, including its signature approach to high-intensity interval training and strength training.

Whether in group classes or a tailored personal-training programme, Base’s mix of cardiovascular and strength training is a hit because of its proven effectiveness in burning fat, improving fitness and building muscle.

The data-driven Baseline concept allows members to track their fitness levels and percentage of body fat versus muscle mass. The highly qualified coaching team then analyses the data to ensure the member’s training and nutrition regimen is optimised.

Base and Physique 57 are offering an eight-week “transformation package” that combines two proven training systems for maximum results.

All Base packages can be used at both branches. Group training classes start at Bt400 per session and personal training at Bt1,850. Unlimited class membership starts at Bt4,900 per month.

For the Sathorn launch, a 10-per-cent discount is being offered on all packages, and the eight-week transformation package with Physique 57 will be offered to the first 25 members for Bt15,000.

Keep up to date at http://www.Facebook.com/BASE Bangkok.

The National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT), Thailand Research Fund (TRF) and Agricultural Research Development Agency Public Organization will be hosting activities through Sunday (August 27) in central Bangkok.

These include the fourth International Rice Bran Oil Conference at the Pathumwan Princess Hotel on August 24 and 25, co-organised with Naresuan University.

It will bring together experts from 22 organisations as far away as India and Japan. The use of rice-bran oil in food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics will be one focus in an event designed to put Thailand at the forefront of the field.

The exhibition “25 Years of the TRF: Promote Human Development, Create Knowledge and Create Future” will be in Siam Paragon’s Royal Paragon Hall on August 25 and 26.

Each TRF unit will outline its outstanding research projects amid discussions on public health, agriculture and support for TRF scholarship and products.

The NRCT’s Thailand Research Expo at Centara Grand at CentralWorld from August 23 to 27 has as its theme “Research for developing the country to stability, prosperity, and sustainability”.

Plans include exhibitions honouring His Majesty the late King Bhumibol, regarded as “the Father of Thai Research”, and His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn.

Now in its 12th year, the exposition highlights research projects around the country, and this year more than 1,000 undertakings will be examined. Among them is the “LeO-Trap” mosquito-fighting device invented by Drs Usawadee Tawara and Apiwat Thawatsin of the Department of Medical Sciences.

It takes the form of a small jar made of black plastic. Mosquitoes are chemically lured into the tall gap between top and bottom and lay their eggs, but the liquid inside kills the larvae – 500 mosquitoes dead in the space of a week, studies found, and the dangers of dengue fever avoided.

Professor Alisa Soontornwat of Huachiew Chalermprakiet University’s Faculty of Science and Technology has concocted a healthy jelly drink that’s beneficial to elderly people and promises to add value to Thai-grown mulberry and namdokmai mango, which are high in antioxidants and other nutrients.

Professor Sitthichai Samanchai of Ubon Ratchathani University’s Faculty of Applied Arts and Architecture demonstrates that research doesn’t just apply to science.

He and his community assistants in Korat have come up with a way to weave and dye fabric so it matches the look and texture of a lotus blossom – the bloom of the pink Ubon lotus, to be exact. Sitthichai calls it “Pagleebbua”.

The innovation is expected to both help preserve Ubon weaving traditions and carry the local textile trade into the future. Pagleebbua looks like it will be popular, promising weavers a good income – it currently sells for Bt8,000 per two metres.

The week holds many other surprises –amphibious houses for use in emergency situations, a miniature sausage cutter, a mobile museum, a “life lamp” and a “bird’s nest light detector”.

Find out more at http://www.ReseachExpo.nrct.go.th.

Pilates is an exercise that anyone can enjoy. The class involves performing slow and precise movements in repetition with an emphasis on developing the overall balance of the body through improving core strength, flexibility and awareness in order to support efficient and graceful movement. This exercise develops pelvic strength, scapula stability and abdominal control, using focused breathing patterns as well as improved posture by strengthening core muscles, stretching out tight areas and helping to reduce back pain.

The classes are held every Friday from 6.30 to 7.30pm and Saturday from 2.30pm to 3.30pm.

For those wanting to try the class before committing, the fitness centre provides a special offer for non-members at only Bt400 per session. You can also save money by purchasing 10 sessions for Bt3,500 or 20 sessions for Bt6,000.

For more information and advance bookings, call (02) 100 6299.

THERE’S NOTHING better than a story to inspire young minds and in today’s global village, learning about other cultures from an early age can only help kids grow up with a better understanding of the world around them.

That way of thinking is the premise behind the new publication “25 Folktales from Around the World”, a book put together by the Spouses of the Heads of Mission – Shom for short – launched recently at the Portuguese ambassador’s residence in Bangkok.

Initiated by Shom almost a year ago in collaboration with the Bangkok Bank, Thai Beverage, and Plan Publishing, the book has 25 stories in both English and Thai. All have been contributed by members of Shom and reflect the morals, cultures and traditions of their countries of origin. The print run of 5,000 copies will be donated to under-resourced schools and libraries around the kingdom though the book will not be for sale.

The stories come from Australia, Austria, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mongolia, New Zealand, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Slovakia, Switzerland, Uganda, the UK and US and Vietnam.

“Our objectives were to present folk and fairytales that represent each of our country’s traditions so that Thai children who might not otherwise have the opportunity get to experience these stories and have an introduction to our unique cultures,” says Kevin Colleary spouse of the Portuguese Ambassador.

“The stories reflect many important messages about love, family, responsibility, loyalty, honesty, trust, courage and other positive ideas. Even though we all live in a modern society, folktales are still key communicators of cultural messages. As today’s world gets smaller through transportation and communication, folktales are even more important as they help us better understand traditions that might seem very different from our own.”

Juri Sekiguchi-Drofenik, spouse of the Austrian ambassador, adds that folktales reflect the moral values, beliefs, customs and traditions of the society where the stories originated.

“I think folktales will help develop children’s insights and appreciation of the cultures of other people, and ultimately help them to become competent global citizens,” she says.

“The Black and White Stones” is an Austrian folktale about family love. It tells the story of a young girl who decides to look for her missing brothers. The boys have carelessly climbed up a mysterious mountain out of curiosity despite a hermit’s warning not to do so. When she reaches the summit, she finds an empty castle and strangely shaped black-and-white rocks. At the bidding of a golden bird, she pours the water in a jar over the rocks, and the black stones become people, including her brothers, and the white stones become horses. One of the black stones with a pair of keys on top becomes a prince who lived arrogantly and mercilessly. As punishment, his people and horses were turned into black-and-white stones and whoever touched them turned into stones. The prince thanks the girl, giving her the key to the castle and the two marry. The story depicts the mountainous

Austrian landscape, which is dotted with old castles, and conveys several messages: curiosity kills the cat (the elder brother who did not listen to hermit’s advice), siblings love and care, courage, punishment for malicious acts, mercy, redemption, and happiness.

Portugal’s “The Rooster of Barcelos” is a very old story that has been passed down through the centuries. It tells of a foreigner who is falsely accused of a crime but maintains his innocence. A miracle occurs where a cooked rooster comes to life and proves that the man is innocent. The image of this rooster is one of the most important symbols found even today in Portugal.

Japan’s Momotaro (“The Peach Boy”) is about justice, courage, and friendship while the South Korea folktale “The Pumpkin Seeds” has been around for hundreds of years.

“It’s about honesty, how people should live their lives, family love and how lying will eventually earn you a punishment. However, it also teaches about forgiveness and reconciliation. Children in Korea hear the story from a very young age from their parents and grandparents,” says Chung Wha, spouse of the Korean ambassador.

“Each story has a specific moral whether it deals with honesty, family or love. It’s good for children to be exposed to such elements and because this book has stories from different countries, it will expose Thai children to different cultures from a very young age. South Korea is not just about K-pop, we also have a traditional culture.”

From the United Kingdom comes a long-time favourite “The Magpie’s Nest”.

“The magpie is the cleverest bird at building a nest. So she gathers all the birds around her and begins to show them how to do it. But none of the birds waits until the end of the lesson and in the end she refuses to continue. That’s why birds build their nests differently. It’s a very nice story that teaches children about diversity, about people taking what they need,” says Scott Chang, spouse of the British ambassador.

Irish folktale “The Children of Lir” is about a king who loses his children to a spell cast by a jealous woman who turns them into swans. The spell was only broken when children heard the ringing of a bell symbolising St Patrick’s arrival. “The key message is about love and making decisions by listening to the people that truly love

you and give the right advice. Irish people always give their kids this story to read and it represents St Patrick’s National Day as well,” says Kevin Doris Ejon, spouse of Ireland’s ambassador to Thailand.

Columbia’s “Baby Bottles for the Sun and the Moon” conveys the key message is that with collaboration anything is possible. “In our culture we always include the sun and the moon in a different context for children’s stories. Folktales are very important in passing along our culture to different countries,” says Astrid Amaya, spouse of Colombia ambassador.

“While we are not diplomats ourselves, we have a very important role in helping our spouse and our Missions here communicate the best of our country and our culture to Thais at all levels of society. In addition, at Shom, we try to support projects that ‘give back’ something to Thai society,” Colleary adds.

The new Victoria Beckham Estee Lauder Makeup Collection will be available from the beginning of September at select retailers globally, as well as online at victoriabeckham.com, esteelauder.com and Victoria Beckham’s flagship 36 Dover Street London store.

Beckham fronts the digital and print campaign, with imagery shot by photographer Lachlan Bailey in New York City.

“I am so excited to be expanding my makeup collection with Estee Lauder and launching a second capsule. To work with Lachlan and Estee Lauder on the campaign was very special and a real honour,” she said.

“Inspired by my favourite cities in the world, this makeup collection reflects my personal beauty vision. I hope it will make women everywhere feel beautiful and confident,” she added

“Building on the enormous success of our first joint makeup collection last year, we are thrilled to continue our partnership with Victoria for a second, expanded makeup collection,” said Stephane de La Faverie, Global Brand President of Estee Lauder. “Like our founder, Estee, Victoria has a real understanding of what women want and has applied this to beauty in a very passionate and personal way. With this collection, Estee Lauder and Victoria will further amplify the aspirational beauty conversation with deeper product innovation, newly curated beauty looks and dynamic digital beauty content to inspire women around the world.”

For more information, visit @victoriabeckham and @esteelauder on Instagram and Twitter.

“Sri Krishna” takes the audience on a mystic journey to ancient India by depicting the life of Lord Krishna, through exotic classical dance, music and vivid traditional costumes. The performance is a pre-event of the upcoming International Dance Festival 2017 in November and part of the ongoing of the Festival of India in Thailand 2017 marking 70 years of India-Thailand relations. The festival presents a variety of activities throughout the year including screenings of Bollywood films, food festivals, an ayurveda talk and exhibition on September 23-24 as well as other exhibitions and seminars. It wraps with a series of Bollywood screenings and and yoga workshops which will be held from November to January.

Tickets for the show at Sala Chalermkrung are priced at Bt700, 1,000 and Bt1,500 at www.TicketMelon.com. The show in Kanchanaburi is free. Find out more at (085) 100 3050 or visit  www.FOTAF.org.

PATHUM MEANS “lotus” in Thai, and the new skywalk at Bangkok’s Pathumwan intersection is designed to resemble a vast lotus pond, a peaceful heaven above the clouds of exhaust fumes rising from the traffic sweeping along the road.

The elevated walkway – it still needs a name – encompasses 3,000 square metres and connects Siam Discovery, Siam Square, MBK, the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre and the National Stadium.

Siam Synergy – an alliance of entrepreneurs in the downtown Siam area – funded the Bt350-million project, which replaces a much narrower pedestrian bridge that people found less than “user-friendly”.

Seen from above, the new skywalk resembles a lotus pond, a deliberate allusion to the placename Pathumwan – pathum means “lotus”.

The new skywalk, which the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration now owns, emerged from the concept of “universal design”, meaning it’s handy and helpful for everyone, not just shoppers. The needs of the elderly and disabled are attended to with ramps and stair lifts.

“This is a friendly-design skywalk, the first of its kind in Bangkok,” Nation TV host Krisana Lalai, who’s been using a wheelchair for 20 years, said on a recent broadcast of his show “Khui Kan Yam Chao”.

“The old pedestrian overpass was not designed for the disabled, the elderly or tourists hauling large pieces of luggage,” said Krisana, who’s also president of the Friendly Design for All Foundation.

“This one has the sloped ramps and lifts. The drain covers are aesthetically pleasing as well as functional and safe – no wide gaps to swallow my wheels.”

The floor tiles and drain covers, also mimicking lotus leaves, are designed for help rather than hinder pedestrians.

Chadatip Chutrakul, chief executive at Siam Piwat, a partner in Siam Synergy, told Krisana on the show that he was the main inspiration for the skywalk.

“Three years ago I saw you struggling to cross the intersection from the side where Siam Paragon, Siam Centre and Siam Discovery are. You were doing a survey of friendly-design construction and found the stairs too narrow. That’s when I decided to build a new walkway that would be accessible to all.”

Extra width, ramps and special lifts make the walkway fully accommodating for the elderly and disabled. 

Siam business has been booming and the area is always crowded. A joint BMA-Bangkok Mass Transit System study found that the old walkway at the intersection was too narrow to handle an expected 5-per-cent-per-year jump in pedestrian traffic, let alone an annual rise in visitor volume of nearly 10 per cent.

“More than 100,000 pedestrians are in the area every day,” Chadatip pointed out.

“The new skywalk not only improves safety and convenience for everyone, it’s intended as a large public area and an art space and was designed with aesthetics in mind. Seen from above, it looks like lotus leaves floating on a pond. The Pathumwan area used to have the largest lotus pond in Bangkok.”

The bustling commercial intersection was once a vast lake of lotuses.

Urban Architects Co took its cues from elevated walkways elsewhere in the world that double as public leisure areas and have become tourist attractions in their own right. The High Line in New York City, Seoul’s Skygarden and the Promenade Plantee in Paris served as examples.

The Bangkok skywalk is carpeted with green, non-slip rubber tiles imported from Spain, each one shaped like a lotus leaf. They’re water-resistant, durable, easy to maintain and attractive.

The drain covers are just as beautifully designed and also mimic lotus leaves.

Then there are around 90 structures of anti-corrosion stainless steel in the shape of lotus pads – art installations that happen to provide shade too.

Peerapong “P7” Limthamrong paid tribute to city lights in his decoration for an aesthetic shady structure on the walkway. 

The Bangkok Art and Culture Centre invited 13 street artists to paint some of them. One of the best known of these, Peerapong “P7” Limthamrong, sprayed a structure in vivid abstract forms reminiscent of the city’s colourful nightlights.

“I improvised on the spot, without any prior sketching, just based on the colours in Siam Square,” said P7, who lives nearby. “I brought a load of different colours and let my imagination loose.”

Artist/designer Channarong Klugiadis adds his own creative flair.

Channarong Klugiad, the designer at clothing-brand Dee Sweet Drug, decorated two of the structures with cartoon-type pictures and text with a black marking pen. The results bring to mind the clean lines and simple imagery of Keith Haring.

“I painted at night with no particular plan,” he said. “I tried to depict what comes to mind when you think about the Siam area – pop, fashion and shopping. There’s also an eye inside a triangle, which signifies all the inspiration that Siam has given me in art, fashion and design.

“It’s a great idea to use public places like this, which aren’t usually given over to art, to share artistic messages with a diverse audience.”

You’re going to need a selfie when you see street artist Jeck BKK’s selfportrait as swimmer.

A street artist who sticks to the name Jeck BKK has rendered a cartoon-ish graffiti self-portrait. He’s seen swimming in a lotus pond.

“I’m a predator hunting down my dreams and happiness,” he explained. “And you can see a temple silhouette reflected on the surface of the water, suggesting tranquillity and calm at the end of the journey.”

Maythee Noijinda added a frog with a gold coin in its mouth, symbolic of the area’s prosperity.

Maythee Noijinda from the alt-pop band Monderndog has done a cute frog in reflective spray paint, also swimming in a lotus pond.

“I like bringing glimpses of greenery and freshness to this chaotic society, so this is supposed to represent an oasis within the metropolis,” he said. “The Pathumwan intersection is a business hub, and the frog holding a gold coin in its mouth symbolises prosperity, according to Chinese belief.”

TRK melds graffiti and classical Thai motifs in his piece.

A stylised graffiti tiger incorporating traditional Thai motifs is the signature image of artist TRK, and here he’s abstractly merged the tiger with an elephant and a bird.

“My mother’s side of the family is skilled at painting murals,” he said, “but I’m into rap.

“I don’t know why I’m so obsessed with tigers, but every time I paint, a tiger forms subconsciously. In this work, the tiger represents me, and the elephant symbolises Bangkok, so you have a story about living in peace with other animal species in the big city.”

WHAT TO CALL IT?

The skywalk needs a name. If you’ve got an idea, Siam Synergy is hosting a contest with the winner to receive Bt100,000.

Get your suggestions in by September 4 to http://www.Siam-Synergy.com.

TECHNIQUE, passion and a musical soul are all important to the budding pianist. But perhaps even more important is a piano that’s affordable and available around the clock in a city known for its limited living space.

Coming to the rescue is Leo Hu, co-founder of Piano Fong (fong is the Cantonese transliteration for “room”), who provides a comfortable, cheap and convenient piano-room rental service in Kwun Tong. What sets Piano Fong apart is that services proceed entirely on the Internet. Simply click a few buttons on the phone and the piano is yours.

Hu says he started the piano-room rental services because he saw music centres asking for commission fees from piano teachers.

“Because the music centres often provide piano teachers for their students, they don’t want to introduce competition,” he explains. “Sometimes they do not provide rental services to others because of this.”

A musician practises at Piano Fong (Photo/China Daily)

He believes most Hong Kong people, because of their living conditions and the price of a piano, struggle with the decision over buying one. Piano Fong offers another option.

Hu did think of starting shared office space but decided the competition in this sector would be too strong. Instead, he identified another niche market targeting piano learners and tutors. “We see more and more children start learning piano and there are an increasing number of piano teachers.”

Piano Fong is convenient, six minutes away from Kwun Tong MTR station. The area is home to several factory outlets and is crowded, especially on weekends.

And with rental of its former factory space very reasonable, Hu expects to earn his money back within eight months.

“The major investments are in the piano and the networking system. The system for coordinating the website, the amenities inside the rooms and the software for the mobile phones accounts for the major proportion of our investment,” he says.

Accessing Piano Fong is straightforward. Simply set up an account, which only requires your email and a password and select your preferred time-slot and piano room. The transaction will be conducted through PayPal. Then, you will receive a QR code. Scan the QR code on the scanner installed on the door and everything is ready.

After checking-in, lights and air-conditioning will be switched on automatically.

When time is up, lights and the conditioning will be switched off. However, a small torch will be lit to let customers pack their belongings.

Sensors in the corridor sense when people are present and turn on lights.

“It’s 24-7. This is something traditional piano rooms cannot provide,” Hu says, adding that his main competitors are traditional music centres.

“There pianists often get interrupted by a knock on the door telling them their time is up,” he notes.

Renters scan a QR code to gain entry to a Piano Fong stall. (Photo/China Daily)

Musicians strongly believe in their own value so conflicts are sometimes inevitable. Piano Fong has installed CCTV to protect everyone’s interests though there will be no staff working at the practice venue on a regular basis.

“We have regular cleaning services in order to ensure a satisfactory and comfortable experience for our customers,” Hu says

If clients exceed their booking period and illegally occupy the piano room, they receive a a report about violating of the terms and conditions.

“That doesn’t happen very often,” says Hu. “In the end it’s all about trust.

Piano Fong is planning to expand its business to different locations and Hu is also hoping to bring the idea of automated processes to other business modes.

“Piano Fong is a shared business between me and a friend so we do not have enough capital to move things forward. Therefore, we are looking for investors and other cooperative opportunities,” he says.

The new flagship smartphone from Taiwanese maker HTC, the U11 boasts an excellent camera, fast Internet connection and fast performance as well as the new Edge Sense interface.

The U11, which is sold in Thailand, comes in two colours  Sapphire Blue and Amazing Silver – and both are stunning. The Sapphire Blue I was given to review had a mirrorlike bright blue back cover, which HTC says is a liquid glass surface crafted with Optical Spectrum Hybrid Deposition, meaning layering of highly reflective minerals.

The appeal was further enhanced by a seamless curved look that harmonises well with the screen that protects its 5.5-inch display. And the phone is much better protected than the average smartphone with 3D Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on the back.

The Super LCD5 display has 2560×1440-pixel resolution, which is great for looking at photos and watching HD video clips.

And the U11 comes with new Edge Sense interface that allows you to launch the camera or another application simply by squeezing the edges of the phone. By default, Edge Sense will launch U11’ s main camera quickly so that you won’t miss a shot.

You can also configure Edge Sense to access a wide range of functions and applications, such as Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

The U11  is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 64bit octacore process with clock speed of up to 2.4G GHz. Moreover, it comes with a generous 6 gigabytes of working memory and huge storage of 128 GB. The storage can be further expanded by up to 2 terabytes with a microSD, using the second SIM slot. Internal storage is the UFS 2.1 type, further enhancing the phone’s performance.

I used the AnTuTu Benchmark v6.2.7 app to measure the U11’s performance and it achieved an impressive score of 179,589.

Video clips and graphics games ran fast and smooth on the phone during the test.

The U11 can process graphics about 25 per cent faster than the HTC 10. The 10-nanometer mobile processor allows the U11 to save on battery, giving it 35 per cent or 3 hours more video playback time and 30 per cent or eight hours more music playback time than its predecessor.

LTE 4G connection is fast too thanks to the Qualcomm chipset’s Gigabit-class X16 LTE modem.

I tested the data connection on TrueMove H’s LTE network and was amazed at the download speed. My snapshots were backed up to my Google Photos cloud storage in a snap.

I used Ookla Speedtest app to measure the connection speed and here again, the U11 came up trumps, achieving a download speed of 94.35 Mbps and upload speed of 42.87 Mbps.

The U11 has a very good main camera, featuring 12-megapixel UltraPixel Generation 3 BSI image sensor measuring 1/2.5-inch with a large 1.4-micron pixel. The camera has f/1.7 aperture lens.

The U11 was attaining the highest DxOMark Mobile score of 90 this month, making it the highestrated smartphone in DxOMark history to date.

During the test, I found the U11 captured beautiful, sharp and clean photos in most lightning environments – even in low light conditions.

The U11 comes with Auto HDR Boost to give you all the benefits of HDR without the lag. This technology ensures clearer, more balanced pictures by taking multiple shots that measure the darkest shadows and brightest highlights.

The main camera has fast autofocus and it comes with optical image stabiliser so can capture fastaction shots such as sports. It’s also capable of shooting 4K video and 1080p slowmotion video at the rate of 120 fps.

The front camera has 16 MP resolution and comes with f/2.0 aperture lens. It’s fun to use for selfies, especially if you use the Live makeup function.

The U11 runs on Android 7.1 with HTC Sense interface. This includes an AI companion designed to get to know you and your daily patterns over time to offer you more convenience.

Among other things, the HTC Sense Companion can recommend points of interest and alert you of nearby restaurants as well as updating you on what the weather is doing.

The U11 has good sound quality and it supports playback of High-Resolution Audio files. The phone does not provide a 3.5mm headphone jack but it comes with the latest version of HTC USonic earphones and the lead to connect to the USB Type-C port.

HTC USonic now combines active noise cancellation with the ability to tune audio to your unique hearing. The USonic earbuds map your inner ear with an advanced sonarlike technology and then adapt the sound profile to your unique biology. This creates an incredibly personal and optimised listening experience with vibrant audio shaped specifically for you.

Active Noise Cancellation helps reduce disruptions and distractions around you, so you can stay focused on your music by continuously monitoring environmental sound levels, and quickly adjusting to any new noises or disturbances.

I tested and found that the earbuds reproduced sounds from Hi-Res Audio music files with clarity, good detail and good bass.

The package also provides a USBC Digital to 3.55mm audio jack adapter, which I used it with Sony’s MDR1ABT Hi-Res Audio headphones and the music even better.

The U11 has an IP67 rating, meaning it is dust, splash and water-resistant up to 1 metre of freshwater for up to 30 minutes and tested under controlled laboratory conditions.

The U11 has 3,000 mAh battery with both power saving and extreme power saving modes and supports Quick Charge 3.0 technology.

HTC U11 has a suggested retail price of Bt25,990.

KEY SPECS

– OS: Android 7.1 with HTC Sense

– Networks: 2G/2.5G  GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, 3G UMTS: 800/900/1900/2100 , HSDPA 42, HSUPA 5.76, 4G LTE Cat 15 LTE

– CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, 64 bit octacore, up to 2.45 Ghz

– Memory: 6 GB

– Storage: 128 GB UFS 2.1, expandable with microSD up to 2TB

– SIM: 2 nano SIM slots

– Display: 5.5-inch Super LCD 5 with 2560×1440 pixels, protected by 3D Corning Gorilla Glass 5

– Cameras: Main: 12MP HTC UltraPixel 3 with 1.4micron pixel , f/1.7 aperture lens; Front: 16 MP BSI sensor with f/2.0 aperture lens

– Location technologies: GPS, AGPS, GLONASS, Beidou

– Sensors: Ambient light sensor, Proximity sensor, Motion Gsensor, Compass sensor, Gyro sensor, Magnetic sensor, Fingerprint sensor, Sensor Hub, Edge Sensor

– Wireless connectivity: NFC, Bluetooth 4.2, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Chromecast, DLNA, AirPlay, Miracast

– Port: USB 3.1 Gen 1, TypeC

– Battery: 3,000 mAh, supports Quick Charge 3.0