General Forum

Re: First pictures Serenata

Claaronet — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 19:47:05 GMT

David:
I just know this phone is going to be quirky and cool when it comes out. I'm expecting the slide to be motorised for instance, and i hope it has no dial pad, because it would be so very funky if the wheel was used to dial between 1 and 9, similar to an old rotary phone!! Wishful thinking, but a completely original idea, and those design ideas are what i am hoping to see here. Either that, or the dial pad is on the touchscreen similar to the iPhone... i just can't wait, it looks very classy.

Wow! someone predicted the rotary function on Serenata! Is the slide motorised?

I'm wondering if these pages were read before the launch and the idea were written into the user interface? Or just a coincidence that most suggestions here have been presented in the new phone.

Re: First pictures Serenata

PD — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 05:09:02 GMT

Hmmm, well I prefer it to the Serene. I'm just a little put off by the fact that my first electric shaver didn't look all that dissimilar...

To the dude who did the fantastic whipping smiley graphic - where did you find that?!?!?!

Re: First pictures Serenata

Beofan2 — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 04:20:06 GMT

I agree with most of what you have written Greg but I will wait to make my final judgement. Instead of the rebadged Samsung I think they should make a MP3 player from the same ideas as Serene and Serenata. A MP3 that will set new standards in terms of design and using the products.

Re: First pictures Serenata

Greg — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 03:33:26 GMT

I don't get why the China discussion?? This phone (like Serene) will be made in Korea (the label says "made in korea" which should be a clue) by Samsung. I'm not aware of any B&O products being made in China - just Denmark, Czech Republic, and (in the case of Samsung co-productions) Korea.

FWIW, Korean manufacturing is for the most part a lot better than Chinese right now, IMHO.

Finally, I'm bound to say that Serenata does look pretty dull and Nokia-like, unlike Serene which though made by Samsung was a genuinely interesting and unique David Lewis design!

And don't get me started on BeoSound 6 which is just a rebadged Samsung MP3 player (nothing wrong with the Samsung though, at the Samsung price).

Re: First pictures Serenata

Dave — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 00:03:03 GMT

I just know this phone is going to be quirky and cool when it comes out. I'm expecting the slide to be motorised for instance, and i hope it has no dial pad, because it would be so very funky if the wheel was used to dial between 1 and 9, similar to an old rotary phone!! Wishful thinking, but a completely original idea, and those design ideas are what i am hoping to see here. Either that, or the dial pad is on the touchscreen similar to the iPhone... i just can't wait, it looks very classy.

Re: First pictures Serenata

soundproof — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 23:23:45 GMT

Beofan2:
The China discussion is interesting and I agree Beo are not the only company to outsource. But don´t you agree this discussion to be taken in another posting. This posting is about Serenata, remember.

I agree and disagree, since the issue was whether Chinese manufacture would be negative for the product and turn off customers. It doesn't have to be - but as the_Stig points out there are also issues involved that could be very negative to a brand when it loses direct control over its manufacture.

I'm personally looking forward to the Serenata. Will be an interesting product - wish it also was a remote control for B&O products!

Re: First pictures Serenata

SWISS_2 — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 18:54:27 GMT

Good description: I like it already.

Tri-Band too. Simple, elegant, curved, compatible with the rest of my TV & Stereo system, easy on the pocket or in the attache, and less tonnage than my Nokia Communicator. Very nice.

OK Lee, the Gold membership makes perfect sense now. I'm in . . .

Re: First pictures Serenata

The Stig - ver. 1.7 — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 16:49:10 GMT

Judy:
Nowt wrong with Chinese manufacturers, ask Mattel

Yes and nokias 47.000.000 battery's that can over heat, (bl-5c)

*Edit*

only 46.000.000

Re: First pictures Serenata

355f — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 16:19:16 GMT

Puncher:

We shouldn't get hung up on the "China" thing - many companies design elsewhere but manufacture in China. There are high quality manufacturers in China as well as those most people think of when asked. The significant number of high quality consumer electronics are manufactured in this region whether you like/know it or not. China have access to or can build automatic electronic component pick and place machines as well as most European and Japanese companies.
Those that may hand solder small, low quality assemblies are right at the bottom of the chain and are not representative of the best.

The issue is not what parts are manufactured in China. The issue relates to the complete transition of the manufacturing process to China for a complete product - as in the BV8. There would not be much objection from many if it resulted in lower pricing but in fact it isnt lower!

The FOB buying price of the bv8 must be about $500 and the concern is that this trend will continue to other products.

It is true that many brands make now in China but this is becuase the market demands very low pricing and therefore the brands accept the somewhat compromised manufacturing techniques used- the factories have little high tech expertise compared to the japanese or koreans and use the technology of the brands themselves . China is no japanese supermanufacturing capability!! ive vistsed all the factories making for jvc, sony ect and the products that come out of China are not leading edge and thats a fact.

My point is that if B&O keep putting prices up for technology that merely average and its all made in China its a bad sign!

Re: First pictures Serenata

Jandyt — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 16:18:02 GMT

Nowt wrong with Chinese manufacturers, ask Mattel

Re: First pictures Serenata

Beofan2 — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 16:16:49 GMT

The China discussion is interesting and I agree Beo are not the only company to outsource. But don´t you agree this discussion to be taken in another posting. This posting is about Serenata, remember.

Re: First pictures Serenata

soundproof — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 15:49:13 GMT

Some of the world's best hifi elements are being manufactured in China - and most electronics these days contain parts from a multitude of countries, as do automobiles, exclusive white goods and whatnot.

Even the brands we think are strongly localized, such as Porsche and BMW, have outsourced and de-centralized manufacture, often in ways they wouldn't want you to think about.
There's a 92% platform overlap between the Touareg and the Cayenne, for instance. For all practical purposes they're sibling cars - it's just that one of them costs a bit more.

Still - place of origin and place of manufacture are often strong carriers of brand values, and we like to think that our favourite brands are pure as virgin snow in that respect. There is very little Apple production taking place in Cupertino, though ... "Designed by Apple, manufactured in XXX" seems to work for them.

ADDING: There are quite a lot of Chinese who are completely mad about audiophile reproduction of music. They call it 發燒 or "fever outbreak" -- having a super high-end audio system is considered an important status symbol. Goldmund Audio has built a strong, emerging business on developing this fever in China. Goldmund is only now appearing on the radar in the West, as the company has dedicated itself to Asian customers.
So - there's little reason to disparage Chinese savoir faire when it comes to high-end electronics.

Re: First pictures Serenata

The Stig - ver. 1.7 — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 15:40:16 GMT

the print plates look danish/EU made, the power supply I'm not sure about

Re: First pictures Serenata

355f — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 15:35:19 GMT

The Stig - ver. 1.27:
The socket unit is made in struer any thing thats has a pin code is made by BnO

and the modules inside it???

Re: First pictures Serenata

Puncher — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 15:19:28 GMT

We shouldn't get hung up on the "China" thing - many companies design elsewhere but manufacture in China. There are high quality manufacturers in China as well as those most people think of when asked. The significant number of high quality consumer electronics are manufactured in this region whether you like/know it or not. China have access to or can build automatic electronic component pick and place machines as well as most European and Japanese companies.

Those that may hand solder small, low quality assemblies are right at the bottom of the chain and are not representative of the best.