BANGKOK, Thailand ? Journalists from all over Asia and Australia invaded Bangkok?s Grand Palace in a mad dash against other teams, time and the rain, which was threatening to fall.
The energy was high, the competition fierce. It felt like ?The Amazing Race? ? but it wasn?t.
It was part of the launch of Samsung?s new smart dual-LCD camera, the first dual-LCD camera in the world ? the Samsung 2 View ST550.
Sleek new cameras
Armed with sleek new cameras, the teams were all set to fulfill the tasks that were given to them, while using the ST550?s many features.
One, shoot creative self-portraits with the help of the ST550?s 1.5? front LCD. Two, capture your team members? best smiles with the Smile Shot technology. Three, take a group shot of your team using the self-timer. And four, maximize the use of the camera?s 27mm wide-angle lens to take a panoramic shot of the Grand Palace.
Team Philippines faced the challenges head-on, determined to emerge victorious. The minutes spent at the Grand Palace passed by in a blur ? it was as if the afternoon was set on fast-forward mode. Soon, we were back on the bus, exhausted and exhilarated, not minding that some of us had been drenched by the rain.
The previous night, at the Centara Grand at Central World, Samsung executives including Samsung Asia president and CEO Yoon-Ho Ha and Jeon-Wook Kim, vice president of Samsung Digital Imaging Co.?s marketing communications strategic marketing team, unveiled the ST550 to the regional press with the help of event host Utt Panichkul and Thai actress Chompoo Araya, who has been a Samsung brand ambassador for two years now.
Samsung believes the ST550, a camera that?s perfect for taking self-portraits and for social networking, will answer a lot of users? needs.
?We listen to our customers and develop products when and where they want them,? said Kim. ?Our new cameras allow them to create more and share more simply and effectively. This is a benchmark in the evolution of digital camera technology.?
Many functions
Chompoo demonstrated the camera?s many functions to Utt, including the front LCD which she used to take a self-portrait with the former VJ.
?See, nobody falls off the frame,? she said.
San Jin Park, CEO of Samsung Digital Imaging said, ?These cameras are the very first of their kind. It has become more common for the photographer to switch roles and become the subject of his or her photo, given the rise in popularity of self-portraits or profile pictures for use in today?s popular social networking sites. The Dual LCD allows consumers to become part of the picture in a way they were unable to do so before.?
At the ballroom, curtains parted, revealing a showroom that showcased Samsung?s different cameras. The different stations allowed guests to play with the cameras and explore their different functions. Other cameras unveiled that night included the ST1000 and the ST500.
The ST1000 stole our attention for a while with its Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0 and GPS capabilities.
Another set of curtains parted, revealing the dining area where the celebration of Samsung?s newest cameras continued. Executives and journalists enjoyed a seven-course meal which included Truffle Shooters, Lobsters in Layers, Snow Fish in White Chocolate Sauce and Rack of Lamb with Orange Compote, while watching traditional Thai performances.
Fashion-oriented
The next morning at Grand Hyatt Erawan?s The Campus, members of the media had the chance to talk to Kim about the new cameras, which he says are ideal for stylish individuals. ?These cameras are for style- and fashion-oriented customers.?
During the experiential tour at Bangkok?s Grand Palace, we got to see exactly how easy it is to use the Samsung ST550.
The camera?s 3.5?-wide, 1,152-resolution touch-screen LCD made navigation and changing the camera settings simple. Although we only had a few minutes on the bus to get acquainted with the camera functions, we had no problems using them when we reached our destination.
Best smiles
That evening, we boarded The Grand Chaophraya Cruise and found that the photos we had taken earlier were on exhibit inside the boat. The shots that had made the final cut had been enlarged, framed and displayed on easels, ready for voting.
Gold and silver star stickers were handed out and all the guests were encouraged to vote for our favorite shots.
After dinner and fireworks, the winners were announced. Team Philippines had won the Best Smile Shot category. Mission accomplished.
Next thing on the agenda? Uploading the shots I took with the ST550 to my Facebook page.
I?m sure Mr. Kim will be proud.
The Samsung ST550, ST500 and ST1000 were introduced to the world during a series of events in Bangkok, Beijing, London, New York and Seoul. The ST550 and ST500 will be available in the country in September, and the ST1000 in October 2009.
