All smiles from Vincent Pao, General Manager of Concepts Computer and Jacky Chang, President of D-Link International as Concepts Computer was handed the certification of Authorised Distributor of D-Link products at Brilliance Hall, Concepts Computer yesterday.

William Lin, a representative of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Darussalam, Jacky Chang, Vincent Pao and Alice Chan during the exchange of document

Yesterday marked a new milestone for Concepts Computer. Though we have seen D-Link products before in the local market, it never had an authorised distributor in the country.

Hence it was the first time for Brunei to recognized as a distributor and partnered with Concepts Computer as their distributor. Brunei became the last country in the ASEAN to have a local distributor. It was the hard work of Vincent Pao, General Manager of Concepts Computer, to make this journey possible and he was very thankful to Mr. Jacky Chang, the President of D-Link International for believing in Concepts Computer to be the authorized distributor for Brunei market.

The signing ceremony between Concepts Computer and D-Link International took place at the conference room at Concepts Computer. It was signed between Vincent Pao and Jacky Chang. Also present to witness the signing ceremony were William Lin, a representative of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Darussalam and Alice Chan, the Financial Controller for Concepts Group of Companies.

This event was followed by speeches from Vincent Pao, William Lin and Jack Chang.

Did you know that D-Link is one of the top brands in Taiwan? It was founded back in 1986 and their core segment is more into networking solutions and it’s no surprise that they have worldwide recognition as leading networking company in SMB segment and Wi-Fi product shipment over the years.

Jacky Chang believed that there is a potential market in Brunei Darussalam as there is a generally high standard of telecommunications infrastructure and services. Let’s not forget that the mobile subscribers has increased to 111% in 2016 from 2015 and this means internet penetration also increased.

Hence, the products that D-Link offer are relatable to our local market. They have various of consumer products such as 3G/4G routers, wired and wireless routers, IP cameras, range extenders, powerline, smart home solutions to name a few.

Now if you are looking for SMB products, then there are devices such as managed and smart switches, surveillance solutions, unified service routers and structured cabling solutions and accessories.

The partnership between Concepts Computer and D-Link will create opportunities to grow in the Brunei market and sees Concepts Computer as one-stop-shop for networking solutions. Jacky Chang praised Concepts Computer with the confidence that they will be able to deliver the service to their customers.

Jacky Chang praised highly of Concepts Computer during his welcoming remarks and trusts that D-Link will grow with the support of Concepts Computer

Vincent Pao is always up to date with the technological trends. He ended with someone’s quote “if opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door”

Representatives from Concepts Computer and D-Link International (Singapore)

Darren Ng demo-ing the products to the invited guests yesterday

What products to look out when it comes to D-Link.

D-Link’s DCS-5030L. A peace of mind with 24/7 monitoring of any environment. It provides a good range of features to help you monitor large areas of your home or small office anytime, anywhere effectively. Of course it can be linked to your mobile through an app and this makes it easy for users to easily set up the D-Link IP camera in no time.

This camera is a standalone surveillance camera that requires no special hardware or software, and can run independently even without a computer. You can even select areas of the video image to monitor for motion, allowing you to effectively monitor areas such as entryways.

The smart thing is that you can set volume thresholds to determine the sound level required to trigger a notification. An example could be a sound of a vehicle or even a crying baby. It also powered by infrared LEDs which allow for night time viewing up to 5 metres. Awesome!!

This is a highly recommended camera and it’s only BND 148 at Concepts Computer.

Darren highlighting the D-Link IP Cameras which come in handy

D-Links AC1200 Wi-Fi Range Extender. If you have a problem of poor connection in your room or home because your router is not strong enough, then the AC1200 Wi-Fi Range Extender might be your life saver. It is a portable plug-in repeater that lets you extend your existing wireless network. The good thing is the device is quite small but it packs a punch when it comes to wireless strength.

The AC technology can give you a blazing fast WIF Speed that’s up to 12000MBps and with the dual band, it helps to reduce interference from nearby wireless transmitters at home. Another plus point is that it provides backward compatibility with older wireless devices in your network and makes the wireless connection more reliable.

There is also a built-in Gigabit Ethernet port should you want to connect with a cable. This device is easy to use and it’s more like plug and play. The AC1200 Wi-Fi Range Extender is only BND 75 at Concepts Computer.

Check out the Wi-Fi Extender Ranger.

They are small but provides excellent coverage

D-Link’s DIR-895L AC5300 Tri-Band MU_MIMO Wireless Router. This was the most eye catching device at the display area during the launch. It’s red and it’s huge too. This router delivers premium performance and it is to cater to today’s most demanding tasks such as HD Streaming, gaming and multiple device usage. With speed up to 5.3Gbps, tri-band connectivity, AC SmartBean technology, eight high performance external antennas for maximum range and a new user interface, now your home network coverage will be upgraded to the next level.

The in-built SmartConnect technology ensures that wireless clients are connecting to the nest wireless signal automatically so that you can experience the most stable connection. It’s also built based on the latest AC WAVE II standard, let users enjoy lag-free time and seamless internet experience.

Just imagine you want to stream youtube or your latest favourite show, Game of Thrones, or perhaps you want play a multiplayer game online, the DIR-895L is the best choice. The tri-band connectivity makes multi-tasking seamless.

It’s easy to set up as we’ll and they even have an app for this device. It’s so straight forward that you can set up a secure network with the touch of a button using Wi-Fi Protected Setup. With its clear interface and easy navigation and configuration, end users will truly appreciate its user friendliness.

The DIR-895L is available at Concepts Computer for BND 448.

D-Link’s DIR-895L

Wu Chun spending time with his overseas fans

A customized and personalized cake for Wu Chun from the pastry chef during the launch of the Bake Culture at Serusop branch

During the launch of the third outlet of Bake Culture at Serusop, Wu Chun announced expansion in China and USA by 2017 for Bake Culture. Interesting to know that Wu Chun has bigger plans for the successful bakery that is popular in Brunei and Taiwan.

He hinted that by November, Bake Culture will be opened at Chongqing, China and followed by another outlet in New York, USA. Both outlets are in the process of renovation.

One of the local signature item, Roti Satay, will be introduced in the said outlets and the idea is to spread and share the culture of different countries.

He also highlighted that the pastry chefs have been trained for the past twelve months inclusive of food tasting for the customers’ needs.

It was also good to see Wu Chun fans flying in from China to support the launch and Wu Chun humbly enough spent time with them and took photos.

The other question that was put forward to Wu Chun was on the upcoming movie where he is being featured, “My Other Home”, an upcoming Chinese-American sports biographical film directed by Yang Zi and produced by Huang Jianxin, starring American basketball player Stephon Marbury as himself. Awesome. It’s not sure when the movie will be out in Brunei but it is slated for a China release on 4th August and yes, China is a huge market for sure.

Congratulations Wu Chun on the expansion of Bake Culture (oh ya, he loves banana muffin from Bake Culture) and I hope to see your movie in Brunei hopefully 🙂

The design of the new outlet in Serusop

Photo opportunity with Baiduri Bank associates

Wu Chun with invited guests

Wu Chun with his Bake Culture team

Wu Chun speaking to Progresif team

The cakes section

These look delicious

Fans waiting to enter the bakery

They flew in just for Wu Chun 😀

Check out his new movie – “The Other Home” to released in China this August

Now, how I wish we can have more of this in Brunei.. I’ve attended many sessions in terms of grooming presenters and pitchers when it comes to presenting business ideas. It’s never an easy feat if you are new but once you get the hang of it or master it, you will enjoy it even more.

The event known as Startup Weekend Brunei was organised by young, vibrant bunch from the Creative Core BN and the event was held at the Progresif Headquarters Event Hall. Basically Startup Weekend is a 54-hour entrepreneur workshop and the goal is to create an an environment where passionate people can come together and have an experiential education on all things startup from networking, collaborating and exposing potentials to see real results from idea to action.

Sometimes I wish I can still be part of it as my mind is still boiling with ideas and I also realised how I love the business side of things and always open to opportunities if given. Hence this platform given by Startup Weekend is an excellent platform and only given in a space of 3 days in translating your ideas into a business pitch.

The responses were pretty good as they had commendable sign ups for the said event. Last Sunday was the final day of the 54-hour entrepreneur week where six teams had to deliver their ideas and its lucrativeness to entice the judges to buy their ideas.

The panel of 3 judges were Radi El-Fassed the Head of Product Development Progresif Cellular Sdn Bhd, Rahimah Yussof thr Co-Manager and WTM Lead, Google Developer Group Brunei and lastly Hamdi Matussin (NJ) Creative Director, Mixmediaworx.

The winner of the Startup Weekend Brunei was team Living Nest. They were awarded with a return flight to Kuala Lumpur and also attend the ASEAN Rice Bowl Startup Awards.

Second place went to team Do Good which was my favourite of the lot while team Nakhoda came third place.

I love this see more of this and I hope other stakeholders can take note on conducting a successful event like how the Creative Core BN has done for the Startup Weekend Brunei. This is also a good awareness program to urge the youth that entrepreneurship shouldn’t be taken lightly or even as a last resort.

The inaugural weekend long workshop was made possible by support mainly from Progresif Cellular, Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam and Darussalam Enterprise. Keep up the good work.

I have missing all these prestigious events and finally I had a taste of Bersama Rakyat with His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalamn conjunction with His Majesty’s 71st birthday celebration at Taman SOAS. It was not as crowded as previous years but the spirit remains high. The people of Brunei Darussalam got up close and personal to greet His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and other members of the Royal Family.

Also attending the ceremony were His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office; His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah; His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah; His Royal Highness Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiah; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik; and His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen.

I missed the performances but judging from the pictures, it looked pretty colourful and vibrant. I can’t imagine the stamina and the willingness of His Majesty the Sultan, even at the age of 71, to spend at least 2 hours in the humid conditions to meet and greet. I truly salute His Majesty for his dedication and time to spend time with the people and may Allah bless him for his generousity and kindness.

Friends I made during my 5 day trip in Seoul, Korea. Taken late June 2017.

My group mates – Ogia (Papa New Guinea), Ulzii (Mongolia), Mark (Korea), Andrea (Indonesia), Daniel (Korea), Deva (Indonesia), Ron (Indonesia) and Khulan (Mongolia). A huge thanks to Daniel for taking care of our group since Day 1.

I’m still reminiscing my day in Seoul, Korea during my short visit for the Asian Cultural Young Leaders’ Camp 2017 (25th June to 30th June). It seemed like yesterday but it has been almost a month since that experience. I made the conscious choice to accept the offer even though it was during the first few days of Eid Mubarak celebration. My deepest gratitude to the Korean Embassy to Brunei and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Korea for giving me this opportunity in the first place.

The hospitality was top notch and MOFA (Korea) knew how to take care of all the representatives from Asia Pacific during their stay in Seoul, Korea. We bonded on the first night with the youth from different walks of life. From Japan to Australia to Mongolia to Afghanistan, you name it. It was an emotional farewell on the final dinner before we departed back to our own countries. This is my biggest highlight of the Asian Cultural Young Leaders’ Camp 2017 #ACYLC2017 #2017ACYLC – the diplomacy and friendship among different nationalities and cultures. This is a sign of world peace where all of us can get along and make a difference in the world. I just wish for longer days and freer time to further strengthen the bonds and friendship among my newly acquainted friends.

I previously shared my story on PyeongChang, the upcoming Winter Games in February 2018. Now let allow me to share my other interesting trips at Korea. First up was the visit to the Ojukheon House at Gangneung near PyeonChang, a few hours ride from Seoul. If you really keen to understand the culture of Korea, this is a must visit territory.

Ojukheon House. According to history, Ojukheon House was where Shin Saimdang (1504-1551) lived and where her son Yi I (penname Yulgok; scholar and politician of the Joseon Period) was born. It was built during the early Joseon Dynasty and remains one of the oldest wooden residential buildings in Korea. It was designated as Treasure No. 165 in 1963 and has been maintained by the descendants throughout the generations.The house is made of black bamboo trees and still holding up. The interesting fact is that Shin Saimdang is featured on the Korean Won 50,000 note and still is. Her contribution as a artist and poet back in the 16th century and she’s the only lady being featured on Korean currency. If you are heading for the Winter Olympics at PyeongChang, then do visit Ojukheon House.

Seongyojang House. Another place I found interesting was Seongyojang House which was built back in the 1750s. Now why this is a unique place is because it reminds me of Air BnB. Let me share you a bit of history. It was created in 1703 by Yi Naebeon, an 11th generation descendant of Prince Hyoryeondaegun, part of the Hyoryeong royal family during the Joseon Dynasty. The idea behind Seongyojang House was to promote happiness and joy among relatives living there. Now I was told that back then, the owner of the residence would welcome guests and visitors to stay and they won’t accept any form of monetary in exchange. The guests were also well fed by the host and in return, they would shower the host with gifts instead as a sign of gratitude.

I’m still surprised that the Seongyojang House is very well maintained after 300 years and has past 10 generations. The structures are still intact and well preserved and it was even selected by Korean Broadcasting System as the top 10 well preserved original dwellings in Korea. A must visit destination if you are around PyeongChang area. I’m glad that such historical places do still exist and well maintained.

Lunch around PyeongChang while being briefed on the Winter Olympics

The view outside Seongyojang House. An interesting and historical place to visit.

Samsung Innovation Museum. According to Visit Korea, Samsung Innovation Museum (SIM) is a business hall as well as the largest sized industrial electronics museum in Korea, displaying the growing steps of Samsung Electronics Corporation at a glance. It is located inside of Suwon Digital City where Samsung Electronics Corporation was initially established 47 year ago. Starting from the time when electronics were first produced to the current trend of cutting-edge smart devices, the electronic industry has become more and more innovative. This history of innovation and the future of electronics are reflected in the museum while looking at the various exhibition halls, comprised of History of Samsung, Seeds of Innovation, Core of Innovation and Inspiring Innovation. The halls of Samsung Innovation Museum give a meaningful experience to figure out what innovation really means.

Ok, here goes my version – WWWOWWWW!!!! It’s like a city of its own and I could see associates of Samsung just cycling around to get to the other building. It’s also very heavily guarded so no one can simply just enter the Suwon Digital City. I seriously don’t mind working in this environment and it does feel quite futuristic (like in the movies). Too bad our group only tasted 5% of the Suwon Digital City. I wanted more but I guess there are restricted area.

In the museum, you will get to learn of the history of Samsung and also other inventions by inventors and also recognizing other brands that made an impact on our daily lives through time. For instance, the birth of washing machine or vacuum cleaner which helped to cut down longer hours of house chores. We were being educated on the existence of not just phones and TVs but also on other electrical appliances that play a part in our lives.

The admission is free and you will be guided by a museum presenter. It’s open from Monday to Friday but there won’t be any guided tour on a Saturday. You can take pictures but no filming recording is allowed. If you are not even a Samsung fan, this place is still worth a visit. I began to appreciate all these innovations after the tour. Thank you to all the inventors for making all these technological advances possible.

At the Suwon Digital City where Samsung Innovation Museum is located. This is one of the signs on the street. So be mindful when you walk 😉

You’re not allowed to take close up shots in the SIM or even video recording. But this kind of shots or selfies are welcomed 😀

Viewing the gallery while learning the important inventions which lead to our current technology

The 105” inch Samsung Curve UHD TV. The price for this is valued at USD 110,000 *Gullllpp*

Arirang’s Heart to Heart show. It’s not as easy as 1-2-3 to be selected to be featured on Arirang News, one of Korea’s leading broadcasting news that has global reach of 138 million households. A big thank you to MOFA Korea for making this possible as I was one of the special guests for Heart to Heart show in Arirang TV. The other special guest was Ashani Yusron, a big Hallyu fan from Indonesia. The recorded show for our session will up in one or two weeks’ time. Thank you to Manu (the producer) and Jennifer, the host for Heart to Heart and not forgetting our special friend, Mary.

This particular episode talks about our take of Korean culture and how it has been well received in our respective countries and also a bit of background of what we do professionally in the line of being social influencers. I shall keep you posted when the show will be set for release. Thank you once again to Arirang TV for having us on your show. This is definitely a milestone for 2017.

Thank you, Jennifer (right) for being such a sporting host

With the producer of Heart to Heart, Manu 😀

An awesome session with Jennifer. Can’t wait to see the actual show

Making bimbibap. Yes, this is the real deal. I normally being served at Korean Restaurants in Brunei but this one .. this one is the real deal. You get to see the traditional way of making bimbibap. For your info, bibimbap means mixed rice and in Korea, bimbibap is served as a bowl of warm white rice and topped with namul (sauteed and seasoned veggies, gochujang (chilli paste), soy sauce or doenjang (fermented soybean paste). Other additions are such as fried egg and slice beef. Then you stir the contents inside the bowl before you eat.

That day we visited a Korean restaurant (can’t remember the name) and we were given the experience to mix the bimbibap in a humungous bowl that is enough to feed at least a hundred people. I love the authentic taste of it too and the hospitality from the restaurant owners. Now being back in Brunei, I have more appreciation of how bimbibap is being served and maybe, just maybe, my expectations in terms of presentation and taste have slightly increased.

I had the privilege to stir this around. One massive bowl for bimbibap. This is how authentic it gets 😀

The customary selfie pose, of course, with bimbibap

One of the best lunches during our trip

Having fun after an awesome bimbibap lunch

Farewell dinner. The awesome about this program was that we were fed very well and also on time. The program was so structured that they made meal times a priority and also on time. I don’t know how they did it but they pulled it off consistently for 5 straight days. Amazing!! Our final dinner was Seoul Marina which was like an hour away from our hotel, Koreana and we hoped for a variety of choices as we had too much of kimchi during our previous meals. And yes we did!! The food was great and it was also an emotional farewell session as a few representatives from each group shared their learning and experiences from the #ACYLC2017.

We have our own Facebook group page and it’s flooded with pictures and memories. You were right, this is not a good bye but merely a transitional period where we will have newer opportunities to meet once again. It has been three weeks and it’s still fresh in my memory. Thank you once again, MOFA Korea and The Korea Foundation for hosting us and this has been one of the best experiences in a long time. I hope to see more of this in the near future.

One of our cute volunteers from Korea. Thank you for helping us out.

The volunteers from Korea Foundation

She’s one awesome emcee and is a TV presenter for Arirang TV.

Nice shot with the Samsung 360 camera. Taken at Anmok Beach.

I had a nice bingsu at GongCha by Anmok Beach

Strolling by the beach

Thank you, Daniel, for picking me up at the Incheon Airport upon my arrival last weekend

Our first Open Talk session where each country given an opportunity to share about their latest trends of social media and internet of things in their respective countries

So how have your Hari Raya (Eid Mubarak) celebration been? It has been almost a week and I can’t wait to get back home after spending almost a week in Republic of Korea. A big thanks to the Republic of Korea Embassy in Brunei Darussalam for selecting me to be part of the recent Asian Cultural Youth Leaders’ Camp 2017 in Seoul, Korea.

The ACYLC 2017 was organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Korean Foundation. The 5 day program was attended by other representatives from 20 other countries in Asia Pacific. I even made acquaintance with a friend from Papa New Guinea and Fiji. The most important outcome were the friendship and the diplomacy that was created (or re-created) among other different nationalities. I just don’t know where to begin. All I can say for now is that #2017ACYLC program has achieved its objective in forming strategic cultural diplomacy among other nationalities. Even in a short period of time, the hardest part was the goodbyes and the see-you-next-time gestures.

The event started with an orientation or what we call the ice-breaker session with all the delegates. Each of us were given a min or two to introduce ourselves and I was selected to be in Group B (with Indonesia, Korea, Papa New Guinea, Mongolia) during the first evening. We weren’t warm up until the next day when we started to do our presentation during the “Open Talk” session. It was the most interesting part as we learnt the culture of how internet and technology play a part in their respective countries.

While Brunei has a higher internet penetration which also equates to higher social media penetration, other countries have different levels of penetration and social media presence. Did you know that Brunei has more than 100% of mobile penetration in the region? This means at least one of us have dual sim cards. As for Brunei, Instagram and Facebook have been the main source of updating statuses while Youtube remains the most popular for pleasure viewing.

In Korea, Facebook is widely popular with Instagram on the rise. Around 70% of the Koreans I met recently own an IG account while all of them have a Facebook account. Kakao Talk is Korea’s leading messaging app and not many of them communicate like how Bruneians do – WhatsApp. I downloaded the app to give a shot since I have more than two Korean friends. I would say that it’s similar to Line but cleaner and efficient. I like it but I won’t be using it as much since it’s not a frequent app being used in Brunei.

Around 20 representatives from different countries in the Asian Cultural Youth Leaders’ Camp 2017. Thank you, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Korea and Korean Foundation.

Shooting with a fish eye lens

We had a brief appearance at Arirang TV news. Awesome!!!

Seung-Hye Sun, Director of Cultural Cooperation Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, sharing an interesting insight on Korea’s Digital Diplomacy and New Media. It really gave me a different perspective on MOFA’s initiative and I wish other countries can do the same to strengthen the diplomacy between countries.

I shared the trends in Brunei and how internet penetration is quite high in Brunei Darussalam

With the beautiful ladies from Mongolia, Uzi and Khulan

We spent one and a half day in Seoul before heading of the PyeongChang, the official city for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Republic of Korea. We have a small preview at one of the sporting venues at PyeongChang, the Alpensia where the ski jump will be held. Now it’s the summer period so basically there isn’t any snow or ice for the matter. All we could see was a massive long slide for ski jump and a football size field and I believe the surface looks like artificial grass. It’s like seeing the ski jump venue but butt naked *lol*

Now here comes to the awesome thing – there were doing practice ski drills literally on the carpeted grass surface. It was as if I was watching a defying stunt in real life. I was worried that one of them would miscue a move and start rolling down the steep slope. However, all the attempts they performed were successful. Watching them practice was definitely some cheap thrill to watch them practice. The Ski Jumping event at Alpensia will be one of the biggest draw for the PyeongChang Games 2018.

I learnt something interesting about PyeongChang. Did you know that they lost first two bids for 2010 and 2014? And Pyeongchang ain’t giving up the fight to win the bid for 2018. According to one of the spokesperson of the PyeongChang Games Organizing Committee, it’s their facilities and capabilities that stood out and they are well prepared with contingency plans should there be unseen circumstances related to the weather conditions. In this case, it could be the lack of snow or ice due to the climate change. But not to worry as PyeongChang is ready for contingency plans.

PyeongChang Games will also introduce the first ever 5G telecommunications services. I was told that the 5G network is 20 times faster than our current 4G. Wow!! That’s simply fast… I can’t wait for that technology to come to Brunei but Korea will be the first to test its 5G capabilities during the Winter Games. You will be able to experience things such as 5G bus connection, 360 Virtual Reality and get this, an omni view from the athlete’s point of view (Awesome!!) in real-time and also holograms. Other than that, the area will be wifi ready around PyeongChang and you will be updated with traffic information and even parking information. The organisers have planned this ahead to make it more convenient for Olympic fans/goers. Kudos to them 😀

All these bits and pieces are just the attractions that I myself am keen to fly and check out the Winter Games at PyeongChang. It’s a wonderful city in Gangwon Province, South Korea. A mountainous area and also place home to several Buddhist temples including Woljeongsa Temple.

In the latest news, South Korean President Moon Jae-In on Monday urged the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to help North Korea participate in next year’s Winter Games, saying it would contribute to regional and world peace. We could see that Moon renewed his push for “sports diplomacy,” urging IOC’s help to enable the North to take part. We shall see how this will unfold in the coming weeks or months.

Nonetheless, PyeongChang will be the biggest attraction for Korea in 2018. I have faith that the Winter Olympics will be a huge success and help to boost the economy of the country.

I shall share my other visits of my trip in Korea in my latter posts. Images taken by delegates of the #2017AYCLC

Posing with the official mascots for PyeongChang Games 2018

Taken at the Alpensia Ski Jump Centre. Behind the beautiful ladies is the actual ski jump hill. It looks weird without the snow/ice. And the athletes were still practising their jumps.. Amazing but risky!!

The view from the top of the Alpensia Ski Jump Centre. Can you see the inclination of the slope for the ski jump? Scary… I can feel the magnet pulling from my groin area HAHA

Group photo with the delegates at Alpensia Ski Jump Centre.

The latest Audi Q2 now available at the Audi Showroom at Kiarong

The latest Audi Q2 now available at the Audi Showroom at Kiarong

Leading a new premium vehicle segment with an unmatched entry level pricing!

The new Audi Q2 is an urban-type vehicle for everyday driving and recreation, bundling a progressive design and great driving pleasure with a high level of functionality. Connectivity, infotainment and assistance systems are on par with the full-size category vehicles.

Design character
At the front, a strong image is created by the unique Singleframe grill in octagonal design that is positioned up high as well as by the large air inlets. Especially eye-catching is the low roof that descends and merges into the C-pillars with colour offset blades (optional)-this contrast accentuates the sportiness of the Audi Q2. The rear body terminates in a dynamic way with a long roof edge spoiler and a diffuser that has an underbody-protection look. In a side view, the high shoulder line is especially eye-catching as are the concave flanks in the door area. The vehicle measures 1.51 meters (5.0 ft) tall and 1.79 meters (5.9 ft) wide. The overhangs are short with a vehicle length of 4.19 meters (13.7 ft) and a wheelbase of 2.60 meters (8.5 ft).

Interior
The new Audi Q2 is as individualistic as its drivers. A variety of equipment packages as well as expressive colours for interior trim and seat upholstery allow plenty of creative space for personal configuration. One premium standard is the LED lighting package, in which the interior is staged in a particularly attractive way with illuminated trim elements available in 10 different colours.

The Q2 resembles a typical SUV, with high door sills, good visibility and a large luggage compartment (355 to 1,050 liters (12.5 – 37.1 cu ft) of capacity). The highlight is that the driver’s seat position is sporty and low in relation to the steering wheel, like in an Audi sedan.

Drive system
The Brunei launch of the Q2 comes with a brand new TFSI powerplant which outputs 116hp and a healthy 200Nm of torque. 7-speed S tronic dual clutch transmission and progressive steering (standard) makes tough cornering a thing of the past. It varies the steering gear ratio as a function of the steering input; the ratio is made more direct with large steering movements.

The chassis with damper control is optionally available, as is the Audi drive select system (for high spec only) with which the driver can set an individual characteristic for their Q2. Installed at the rear on the Brunei front-wheel drive spec is a semi-independent suspension.

Infotainment and Audi connect
Standard in the Q2 is a 5.8-inch MMI screen that is positioned high up on the instrument panel. The infotainment system can be operated by a rotary/push-button control and two buttons on the center tunnel. In addition, the system can be conveniently controlled by natural language operation and the integrated MMI search.

High spec additional equipment
• 4-mode Audi Drive Select
• Comfort key including auto luggage door
• Parking system plus including rear-view camera
• B&O sound system
• Alcantara leather
• 5-spoke Y-design 18” wheels (17” wheels on standard spec model)
• S line sports package (including Sports suspension 10mm lowered)

The Audi Q2 is already available in the market and you can have closer view of the car at the Audi Showroom in Kiarong. You can have a look at their website for more details.

The rear view of the Audi Q2

The interior feel of the Audi Q2

My take for the Audi Q2: The first look already caught my eye when I was it on @audibrunei’s Instagram account. As I saw it with my own eyes, I was even more impressed with its design. It’s like a SUB but it’s not. All I can sense is that it looks pretty slick and rugged. I love the edgy feel and look and it stands out as its own character.

I took the Audi Q2 for a spin and it’s a pretty good ride and I was used to it even after a few minutes of driving. It has good acceleration and power, not forgetting the smooth ride on the highway as we headed to Roasted Sip for a cup of nice latte.

The one test drove was the standard model of the Audi Q2 which is still good enough for me. The interesting part is if you just fork out a few thousands, you will get so much more benefits in the high spec version of the Q2.

Now two things that I was amazed by what Audi Q2 offers – 1) it’s powered by 1 litre engine but when I drove it, it felt more than just a 1 litre engine. Impressive!!! Which means any owner will enjoy the economical value of driving the Audi Q2. The thing is the value in price. Just imagine for the high spec (refer above) of the Audi Q2, you can get for less than BND 50,000. Now isn’t that very affordable, considering it’s a Q version of the Audi series.

An hour of test drive has given me more reasons for potential buyers to give the Audi Q2 a shot. Do test drive it and you will get what I mean. The Audi Q2 could be just the best deal of the season with the price and the quality that Audi has to offer. A big two thumbs up for me.

Audi Brunei Facebook page is also running the #untaggable contest relating to the Audi Q2 and it will end Tuesday, 4th July 4pm tomorrow. Have fun!!

Mr. Ngieng Chew Yong was the grand winner of the ‘Wash ‘N Win’ Lucky as he was won the Volkswagen Vento. Passing him the mock key was Madam Jarol, representative of Southern Lion Sdn Bhd, Malaysia.

Second place winner won herself a 65” inch TV..

Last Sunday marked the Grand Lucky Draw Event of the ‘Wash ‘N Win’ Lucky Draw organized by Bahagia Distributors Sdn Bhd, where the grand draw was held at The Mall, Gadong. During the draw, the participants registered and participated in a fun activity to stand a chance to win the sought for prizes. Out of the 115 lucky shortlisted participants for this weekly draw, Mr. Ngieng Chew Yong successfully won the grand prize, a Volkswagen Vento, which was presented by Mdm Jarol, the Representative of Southern Lion Sdn Bhd, Malaysia.

With registration having started since the beginning of April, the “Wash ‘N Win” Lucky Draw, four weekly draws have been held throughout May to June, with the Grand Draw being held on the 18th of June 2017, Sunday. Each of these draw events have been be premiering several fabulous prizes to be won by the shortlisted participants.
All shortlisted candidates registered for this Lucky Draw event by simply purchasing any product from Biozip, Senang and Dobi at specific department stores and outlets.

With a Volkswagen Vento as a grand prize and other more fabulous prizes to be won including Matrix 65”/55”/50”/32” LED TV, Apple iPad Mini 4 and Mini Bar Fridges, The ‘Wash ‘N Win’ Lucky Draw Event will definitely be an event to watch out for in the future.

100 shortlisted participants carried out their puzzle games

Loads of freebies 😀

There were 110 envelopes inside and outside the Vento. One of the envelopes is the hidden lucky prize.

Few of the top ten prizes

Some of the consolation winners

The management and associates of AV Mobile relaunching their new flagship store at Times Square Shopping Centre

Benny Tan welcoming customers and members of the media to the relaunch last Friday

AV Group is proud to present the grand opening of its Newly Relaunch AV Mobile, Digital Life Store in Times Square Mall on Friday, 16th June 2017. The new AV Digital Life Store is the first open concept lifestyle store in Brunei, bringing different aspects of your digital life together, offering dedicated spaces for great variety of phones, accessories, laptops, travel, storage, eyewear, cases and lifestyle Over 40 brands available in one store! Expect to find the full range of Apple and Samsung products as well as new and exciting categories and brands such as our Certified Premium Selection of Certified phones, Sonic Gear, Razer, Supershades, Console Games, Aztech, Agva, Steelseries, Alcatroz, and many more!

So what to expect for the special promotion at AV Mobile, Digital Life Store in Times Square Mall?

– The best value and prices on mobile phones!
– Up to 50% off Steelseries products
– 20% off all Accessories with any purchase!
– $2 and $3 Mobile phone bundles only at the Digital Life Store
– Up to 50% off Steelseries products

Benny sharing the history of AV Mobile and its transition during the period

Celebrity Aziz Harun was in the house too

Interesting facts about AV Group that brought you AV Mobile. AV Group is one of the oldest and most established retailers and mobile phone chain stores in Brunei with its founding in 1985. AV Mobile offers the largest range of Certified Phones Available in Brunei with worry free 1-1 exchange Warranty. In 2016, they opened a dedicated, fully equipped 1200 sq ft Service, Training and Experience Center at The Airport Mall (Level 2). This cements their commitment of quality after sales service to all AV Mobile customers.

For your info, AV Mobile is the Official and Exclusive Huawei Retailer for mobile devices in Brunei. Hence, only official phones are covered by the manufacturer’s warranty.

AV Mobile has 9 stores across Brunei at Mall, Times Square, Airport Mall, Yayasan, KB, Tutong, Muara, Sungai Liang, Sengkurong.

The management and team would like to take this opportunity to thank all friends, customers, partners and media for their constant support over the past 33 years. They will continue to bring you new and exciting products and experiences at all our AV Group companies and stores! You can follow on their instagram @avmobilebn

Brothers showing support during the relaunch

Some of the accessories on discount

Check out the timeline of AV Mobile. Click to enlarge.

Hj Omar Abdul Aziz and Siti Rashidah Hassan, co-owners of ZA Barakah with their children during the launch of the pop up event at The Mall

Siti Rashidah Hassan officially launching the pop up sale event

It has been three years since the company has been in fashion/lifestyle industry. ZA Barakah boutique started since 1st February 2014, managed by Hj Omar Abdul Aziz and Siti Rashidah Hassan. Due to their success, the entrepreneurs have also ventured into tailoring under ZA Tailor (hint, hint for those who wants to do their Baju Melayu or Baju Kurung for Raya).

Yesterday they launched a pop-up event leading into Hari Raya, having a concept of a modern Muslimah, showcasing some local and international brands. Do expect items such as Hijab, Jubbah and kids versions from Malaysia (Shazzmin, Dezahra and Julia Betty).

Perhaps the two major brands that are being showcased and sold are MochaFashion and LilyPetuna. Do check them out as they do look quite elegant and affordable.

Lily Petuna brand has a Pario concept, design that suits the modern era and ZA Barakah has made it easier for the locals to have access to their products. The same could be said for Mocha Fashion that has different range for ladies, kids and also men (top). Do expect great quality from both popular brands.

ZA Barakah is also the sole distributor for Capster (Hijab Sport) from the Netherlands. The brand has sold over 1,000 pieces alone in Brunei and that shows how popular Capster is.

Apart from that, ZA Barakah is also a distributor for Nashata Sports ranging from tops and pants for the ladies. The brand hails from Malaysia.

The pop up event is located on the 1st floor of The Mall, Gadong (near the escalator above Chang Ein Hong) and it will be there for the week. Do follow them on instagram @za_barakah for updates.

Some of the ranges from Lily Petuna

Mocha Fashion also have range for the men

Some of the children lines from Julia Betty