Love in the time of dating apps

Technology and love may seem to make strange bedfellows, but the plethora of dating apps in Hong Kong makes these a match made in heaven!

Suddenly, for SAR singletons, it’s no longer a matter of simply trusting to higher powers – or well-meaning wedding-brokering relatives – suddenly there’s a huge array of potential partners just a click away. But how can you distinguish the digital Don Juans from the cyber soulmates? And just which of the many amorously-oriented dating apps is most likely to help you find your ideal match?

Even a few years ago, the concept of ‘swiping right’ to find your right match may have been viewed skeptically, but now it’s the most common thing to do.

Especially in Hong Kong, where gender imbalance is a real problem – with 852 males per 1000 females in the city* – dating apps may be the easiest way of finding your soul mate. Hong Kong also has its fair share of single people living alone, many of whom are expats who don’t have too many contacts in the city to begin with. These apps not only help to find a date, they also help broaden their networks.

We caught up with a few expats to get their point of view. Deepak, an Indian who has recently moved to Hong Kong with a job, said that for introverts like him, dating apps act like an icebreaker. “You get to know a person first through chatting with them before you meet them. It provides a great starting point.”

Lovely from Philippines agrees. According to her, “It’s best to have as many honest conversations with the other person as you can before meeting them. It is only if I find them interesting in the first place that I will agree to meet them.”

Apps like OkCupid make the task of selection and elimination a lot easier through their inbuilt algorithms. OkCupid generates its own percentage of compatibility and matches people based on this percentage of interest matches.

Another relatively ‘safe’ app is Hinge, which connects you only to ‘friends of friends’ from Facebook, and shows you not just your mutual friends, but also the interests you have in common.

Bumble is particularly safe for women, as it gives them the upper hand by allowing only the woman to message first. She has 24 hours to start a conversation after a ‘match’ happens.

Coffee Meets Bagel, another prominent name in the online dating market, narrows down your search to specifics like religion or ethnicity.

But even with such security measures, it’s not possible to be 100% sure. Some people exchange numbers and WhatsApp details before finding out that the other party is only interested in advertising or selling a product.

It is important to read between the lines when it comes to chatting. Tinder, the most widely popular app in Hong Kong, safeguards against fake profiles by linking the Tinder account to the person’s Facebook account (and optionally Instagram). This way you can scan through your potential date’s Facebook wall and gauge if they are pretending to be someone they are not. Also you are safeguarded against unsolicited messages because no one can message you unless you have shown an interest in them.

On the whole, both the men and the women, with whom we talked, said they felt safe using these apps. Johnny, a local Hong Kong guy in his early 30s, said he met his girlfriend through Tinder. According to him, “It’s best not to rush. You don’t want to be thought of as desperate.”

Alice, another Hong Kong local in her 20s, said, “I would carefully look at the person’s Facebook and Instagram profiles before forming an opinion on them. At the end of the day, these dating apps not only help you find your ideal date, but also help you reach beyond your current friend circle.”

While most youngsters seem to prefer matches made on the Net to ‘match made in heaven’ there are also those who hanker after old-school style of dating. Gigi, a young professional who shifted to Hong Kong from Canada a few years back, says, “There’s only so much you can convey through emojis. In the real world, you get to know so much more from body language, tone, idiosyncrasies, etc. You need to have a real connection above and beyond what an app offers.”

Of course, what is ‘real’ varies from person to person. And matters of the heart cannot be solved by an app’s algorithms. But it seems that this digital Cupid is here to stay. Let’s hope the arrows are pointed in the right direction.

*According to Census and Statistics Department’s 2017 Edition

Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay

New KEF Music Gallery delivers exclusive and intimate retail experience

Premium British sound solutions brand KEF opened its first-ever KEF Music Gallery in Central last year. Don’t expect your run-of-the-mill retail shopping experience here. Every aspect of the custom designed space aims to deliver an exclusive and intimate environment in which to discover KEF’s luxury audio products.

Grace Lo, Managing Director of KEF Audio Group, spoke to us about the inspirations behind this music-meets-art gallery design, as well as the intricate gadgets on display. Watch our exclusive video to find out more!

Phone Security: Is your phone really as protected as you think it is?

You can boost your phone security with a few simple steps — Boost your phone security and stay protected with these simple steps

With the advent of smartphone technology, everyone’s life can literally fit into the palm of one’s hand. Anything you want is right at your fingertips, be it shopping, watching movies, texting friends, or even online banking. But if you’re not careful, you can fall victim to a web of cybercrime like hacking, stolen identities and even outright theft. Boost your phone security with these three simple steps and keep your information safe.

1) Set up a password-protected screen lock

Perhaps the most basic of phone security measures, a screen lock is the first step to dissuade sticky-fingered strangers from walking away with your phone. Set up a 30-second automatic screen lock and put in password protection measures. Don’t go for the 4-digit pin either, as that’s the easiest to crack. Opt for fingerprint scanning or a complex alphanumerical password.

2) Turn off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when not in use

Dangers to phone security aren’t just limited to the physical world. Digital criminals can access your phone remotely through unsecured Wi-Fi and Bluetooth networks. Just think back to last year’s BlueBorne scare, when Internet security firm Armis revealed fatal flaws in Bluetooth coding that could have given attackers backdoor access to almost 5.3 billion devices worldwide. Similar problems have cropped up in Wi-Fi chip designs as well. So remember to switch off all Bluetooth and Wi-Fi functions when you’re not using them.

3) Only download safe, verified apps

At the end of the day, your phone security is only as strong as the least secure app on your phone. Seemingly harmless games or other software could conceal malicious viruses and malware designed to steal your data without your knowledge. As a rule of thumb, only download programmes verified by Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Another good tip is to read user reviews before pressing ‘Install’.

Text: Tenzing Thondup

Shawn Mendes headlines Connected Smartwatch launch in Tokyo

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One look at the hordes of screaming teenage fans standing outside Emporio Armani’s Aoyama, Tokyo boutique last week and one might have assumed that a pop star was inside. And that guess would be absolutely correct. Canadian singer Shawn Mendes was actually on site promoting the Italian label’s newest gadget: the Connected Smartwatch.

Mendes, who was tapped as brand ambassador for the hi-tech gadget, proudly showed off his timepiece at a live press conference in the store before rubbing elbows with local celebrities and mingling with his fans.

Emporio Armani’s Connected Smartwatch doesn’t just blend new technology with the brand’s signature style, it also emphasises flexibility and usability. Compatible with both Android and iOS phones, its Saved Faces app allows wearers to choose from eight different face designs to be matched with one of 11 strap options. The watch is now available at https://www.armani.com/ as well as select stores worldwide.

Gold Phantom: Opéra de Paris and Devialet launch limited-edition speakers

Devialet and the Paris Opera launch limited-edition Gold Phantom speakers — *Limited-edition Gold Phantom Opéra de Paris | Devialet speaker*

Earlier this year, the famed Paris Opera and French sound solutions brand Devialet announced a ten-year partnership and licensing agreement. To celebrate the occasion, the duo have crafted a special limited-release Gold Phantom Opéra de Paris | Devialet speaker.

Inspired by the gilded interiors of Palais Garnier (home to the Paris Opera), the speaker gets its shiny patina thanks to hand-applied leafs of a palladium-yellow gold alloy called moongold. But don’t be fooled by the pretty exterior. This wireless Bluetooth speaker packs a punch, producing up to 4500 watts and reaching up to 108 decibels.

Devialet Gold Phantom speakers showing at the Palais Garnier — *Gold Phantom speakers on display at the Palais Garnier*

Hong Kong will be one of only three international locations outside of a unique Devialet sound discovery area within the Palais Garnier to carry this collectible gadget.

Just 88 pieces of the limited-edition Phantom speaker are up for grabs. Get your own Gold Phantom Opéra de Paris | Devialet speaker (HK$27,800) at Devialet stores in ifc mall and Harbour City from 16 January while stocks last.

Wearable translator from ili means no more lost-in-translation confusion

Instant translation technology was once a flight of sci-fi fancy, but recent developments have narrowed the gap to make it a reality. For those who long for an alternative to Google’s at times garbled translations, the Ili, a wearable translator, is perhaps your best bet for getting hassle-free directions back to your ryokan in Kyoto.

Developed by Logbar Japan and designed with travellers in mind, the Ili has the potential to become the most effective one-way translator to date. The device’s CPU is optimised specifically for the most helpful of travel phrases, covering dining, shopping, transportation and much more.

Operation doesn’t require WiFi or a smartphone connection, and it boasts a hitherto unbeatable translation speed of 0.2 seconds. The device is also light enough to be affixed to a user’s person, similar in usage to a tape recorder – just hold down the front-facing button, speak and release!

The Ili’s optimisation for travel does result in certain limitations. Only one “destination” language may be stored per device – with Spanish, Mandarin and Japanese currently available – but for holidays or business abroad, it’s sure to prove invaluable. Logbar has been quick to assure customers that additional languages will be available for the wearable translator in the coming months.

Chiming Watches: Ring in the New Year with these chiming timepieces

Elizabeth Doerr, co-founder of Quill & Pad, presents seven new chiming watches you’ll want to flaunt in 2018.

Chiming watches evolved from a need to know the time at all hours – even when the sun doesn’t shine. Super-LumiNova wasn’t around in the Middle Ages, so, without any way for townsfolk to see the clock tower at night, the hand struck a bell to signify the hour.

The idea was later adapted to portable timekeepers after the balance spring was invented. More often than not, a slide in the case band is used to wind and activate the repeating mechanism. One such kind, a minute repeater, chimes out the hours, quarter-hours and minutes, with the strikes differentiated by hammers and gongs that ring in unique or even double (ding-dong) tones.

In addition to being among the rarest luxury timepieces, wristwatches with striking complications are among the hardest to manufacture. As Ulysse Nardin’s late owner, Rolf Schnyder, once said, “The real challenge is the sound quality. Despite significant advances in technology today, minute repeaters cannot be industrialised, and a minute repeater is as much a musical instrument as it is a timekeeper.”

He would likely be proud of the Swiss brand’s Hourstriker Pin-Up. The hand-painted dial depicts a burlesque dancer who cheekily reveals glimpses of herself when the hammer strikes the gong on the hour and half-hour. The “hourstriker” was known in the 16th-century as the clock-watch, and it struck the hours with a single blow “in passing” (en passant) without having to activate a slide or push a button. Available in a 43mm pink gold or platinum case, the timepiece is limited to just 28 pieces.

One of the more striking watches to hit the market is Chopard’s L.U.C. Full Strike, which just won the prestigious Aiguille d’Or award from the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. The Chopard oeuvre – created to celebrate 20 years of the L.U.C. line – has an impressive claim to fame: its gongs are made of sapphire crystal. Housed in a 42.5mm 18-carat fair-mined pink gold case, the timepiece is also stamped with the prestigious Seal of Geneva.

Knowledgeable watch connoisseurs, meanwhile, have long dreamt of owning Greubel Forsey’s Grande Sonnerie. The watch is coveted for its sonorous cathedral chimes housed within an 855-piece movement which includes a patented 25-degree inclined 24-second tourbillon.

The Grande Sonnerie boasts a platinum mini rotor for automatically winding the chiming function; serially operating fast-rotating barrels; and a security system for disengaging the strike mechanism if the crown is pulled out during the chime (something that would immediately break any other chiming watch). It is housed in a 43.5mm white gold asymmetrical case that includes a side window to allow a full view of the tourbillon.

For a watch that will get you noticed, Audemars Piguet’s groundbreaking Supersonnerie is the loudest minute repeater on the market right now. Its makers concentrated on improving existing theories and practices, but added one fundamental difference: a soundboard to allow the gong’s sound vibrations to extend beyond the case. This 44mm manually wound titanium timepiece comes with a chronograph function and one-minute tourbillon, and is available only in limited editions, including a new platinum edition with a blue dial.

Hopping across the border from Switzerland to Germany, A. Lange & Söhne’s first repeating wristwatch, the Zeitwerk Minute Repeater, was an instant classic. A far more intuitive system than a normal minute repeater, it chimes the time in units of 10 rather than 15, the same way we read it off on a conventional analogue clock. The gong and hammers placed on the front of the watch allow the wearer (and inevitable admirers) to see something truly rare: the repeater at work.

Another worthy investment, Panerai’s 49mm red or white gold oeuvre not only offers sweet-sounding chimes, but also two special features. For starters, the Radiomir 1940 Minute Repeater Carillon GMT PAM00600 is capable of chiming both local and a second time zone. Like the Zeitwerk, it’s also a decimal repeater – the fifth of its kind in history. Its manually wound Caliber P.2005/MR boasts a one-minute tourbillon and a 96-hour power reserve.

The equally ambitious Traditionnelle Minute Repeater Tourbillon from Vacheron Constantin would be a “simple” traditional minute repeater if it weren’t for the one-minute tourbillon performing gravity-defying revolutions within the manually wound Caliber 2755 TMR. Beautifully understated in 44mm pink gold or platinum, the watch’s musical notes can be activated by the slide on the left side of the case.

Telling time by ear is an underappreciated art, but certainly not a lost one. For the lover of history or the watch aficionado, a minute repeater would make the perfect gift. After all, there’s no time – or chime – like the present.

Text: Elizabeth Doerr

Flower Power: A fresh approach to clean air

The average person spends almost 90 percent of their day indoors. To combat the accompanying indoor air pollution – potentially five times worse than outdoor pollution – manufacturers have proffered all sorts of solutions. From the derivative (wearable filters) to the absurd (bottled clean air), the market is saturated with choice.

Taking a more innovative approach, American start-up Clairy harnessed the power of Mother Nature to create a hybrid product that filters clean air into the household, all while looking fantastic.

Released earlier this year in the form of a highly customisable ceramic flower pot, the eponymous purifier uses a built-in fan to cycle indoor air. The plants effectively act as a bio-filter, removing harmful chemicals like ammonia and benzene from interior spaces. The resulting improvement in air quality can be monitored from the Clairy app (compatible with Android and Apple iOS), which provides real-time analysis of useful metrics including temperature, humidity and pollutant levels.

Certified scientifically accurate by the University of Florence, the Clairy surpassed its original crowdfunding goal in July 2016 by a staggering 260 percent. It was also earmarked for accelerated investment by Plug and Play Ventures during last year’s Consumer Electronics Show. The Clairy is available for preorder now via Indiegogo.

Burmester celebrates 40th anniversary with new music systems equipped with cutting-edge technology

To celebrate its 40th birthday, German high-end audio-systems manufacturer, Burmester, has launched a slew of music systems with cutting-edge technology, along with the company’s first-ever analogue turntable. We caught up with Burmester’s Chief Customer Officer, Harald Feld, to know about the latest offerings.

Max Volume: Unison Research unveils new high-end loudspeakers

Although more widely known for its top-of-the-line sound amplifiers, Unison Research’s forays into the world of loudspeaker production have yielded some choice results. We’re talking about the two-way floor standing reflex-loaded Unison Research Max I and its slightly larger sibling the MAX_2.

The two high-end speakers were unveiled alongside the Italian brand’s signature amplifiers at the Hong Kong High-End Audio Visual Show 2017 earlier this year. We caught up with Unison Research’s Export Manager Bartolomeo Nasta at the event to find out more. See our interview in the video above.