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AR NEWS: HONG KONG POWERING INTO A SMART FUTURE
Hong Kong powering into a smart future
Smart was the word for the biggest tech event in Asia – the Hong Kong Electronics Fair and InnoEX held in April. The Electronics Hall was a showcase of smart home, health technology, small appliances and wearable devices. Held alongside was InnoEx with the low-altitude economy taking centre stage, and futuristic developments in AI, robotics and cybersecurity among other emerging technologies.
Every small kitchen appliance and gadget you could think of was on show but what stood out was portability and colour, particularly for benchtop products. One company Ningbo Beuhuexu had a large display of express grills, sandwich and waffle makers including a Pokemon cutie for the kids. There were sandwich makers with detachable plates for waffle and grill, with cool touch handles and upright storage in an array of colours and possibly the world’s smallest fridge.
With sustainability and waste management on just about everyone’s mind, eco-friendly kitchen waste disposal units were also dotted around the Electronics Hall. A composting bucket from Heyi Future Technology in a range of pastel colours, featured high temperature + UV sterilisation, a one-click start, memory function, atmosphere lamp, AI, low energy and a Bluetooth speaker. Low-tech but useful to a point. Another trash can had a lid function with Wi-Fi that turned the can into a basketball hoop.
A media breakfast with selected exhibitors was a hands-on opportunity to get a glimpse of some of the latest tech. WorldPlug showed what was claimed to be the world’s smallest travel adapter, smaller than a credit card with the highest output-power and 2AC sockets. The Intelligent Baby Stroller has arrived with an advanced feature – ‘follow me’. “No need to follow it because it will follow you,” according to Dr Meikei Ieong, founder of Simbury InnoTek that provided the UWB (ultra-wide bend chip) for the stroller that is found in iPhones, BMW and Tesla cars for giving precise location information. The stroller brakes automatically, has assisted power for helping to push uphill, folds up and comes in a range of colours. Pricing is between $US1,000 and $US2,000.
At a media briefing, Hong Kong Trade Development Council executive director Sophia Chong said Hong Kong is a service economy with 93% of GDP generated from services. And Hong Kong is a good location for start-up companies to set up their business and make use of the extensive platform of services on offer, with no VAT, GST or sales tax, with the fair attracting buyer delegations from around the world.
INNOEX – EXPLORING FUTURE PATHWAYS
The focus at the InnoEX pavilion was on six smart areas: Smart Living, Smart Mobility, Smart Environment, Smart People, Smart Government and Smart Economy, with over 100 innovations and technology (I&T) benefitting consumer’s daily lives. AI was everywhere from the smallest gadget to the biggest machines. And when it comes to smart mobility it was aerial solutions and drones that caught the eye.
THE ELECTRONICS HALL WAS A SHOWCASE OF SMART HOME, HEALTH TECHNOLOGY, SMALL APPLIANCES AND WEARABLE DEVICES.”
Visitors to the shows would not have missed seeing the Vertaxi eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft with its vision of ‘air travel for everyone’. Also flying was the Air White Whale speeding right up into the trend for green and intelligent technology in the unmanned large autonomous cargo aircraft industry. Pop one of these into your local shopping centre and watch the crowds roll up.
Amongst the drones spotted by AR was the HOVERAir X1 PRO and X1 PRO MAX 8K Action Flying Camera. Features common to both were a 60 km/h tracking speed, up to 16 minutes flight time, a maximum 500m transmission range, a 1km beacon and rear-side active collision detection. And they fold up too, so transportable.
CYBERSECURITY – PREDICTING THE UNPREDICTABLE
IKEA hosted several conference sessions including one on cyber security with Jussi Aittola, a risk advisor based in Singapore who said criminal cases around crypto has exploded.
“It’s an epidemic but security is more than just security of a company. It’s a way of thinking, and the whole company needs to play a part and be mindful you are protecting something and without it you lose your value,” he told AR.
“Scammers have different levels of operation and attack the weakest link, and humans are always the weakest link.
“We do not have a comprehensive answer to the threats of AI driven scams but there are several things a company should be doing to counter the risks.”
He said every company is different and one shoe does not fit all. “It is never an urgency to send money anywhere so always make time to validate the transaction. Also, ask the person “what is behind you? AI is not good at generating movement outside the head which is usually a giveaway.”
The Hong Kong Electronics Fair & InnoEX (Autumn Edition) will be held from October 13-16, 2025, at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre.
ARSK – THE LATEST IN COMPACT SPEAKERS FROM FRANCE
“ARSK is a fusion of Haute Couture and Ready-to-Wear – the beauty and essence of sound. It is not just a tribute to sound but the world’s most powerful ultracompact nomadic speaker,” co-founder Anthony Ribout said. “Portable speakers are among the top-selling electronics, just behind smartphones and earphones and growing at over 5% to 20% annually.”
He said when choosing a speaker, people typically compromise between sound power, battery life and portability. “Our goal with ARSK was to eliminate these trade-offs.”
Designed for indoor and outdoor use it features a patented smart-cooling system, comes with 40 hours playtime with integrated rechargeable battery, is shock, water and dust resistant, IP67 with high fidelity stereo sound (108 dB SPL/240W RMS). It incorporates the latest in sound technologies including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Air Play 2 and Spotify. Accessories include a wireless charging pedestal with four hours charging time for 100% capacity. It has also collected a slew of international design awards.
He told AR ARSK 001 marks the beginning of a long-term product roadmap, with a pipeline of innovative audio products scheduled to launch every 12 months, covering multiple audio categories. “This strategic approach positions our brand as a key player in the rapidly growing wireless audio market is projected to reach $100 billion by 2030.
“While we are still in launch phase, we are also in discussions with our Iconic Showcase Partnerships, including private jets, duty-free boutiques and exclusive lounges,” he said.
Pricing for ARSK 001 is $US990 and ARSK 001 + Modular Pedestal Wireless Charger + Remote Control is $US1,199.
