I’m in love with Beoplay A1

I’m always impressed with B&O products. The sound, the quality and the overall experience are something that are irreplaceable. Did you know that Brunei has a physical Bang & Olufsen store and it’s located at Kiarong.

Last evening, B&O Brunei officially launched the latest speakers, the Beoplay A1 and it’s the smallest speakers to date from the B&O Play. Designed for life on the go by award-winning designer Cecilie Manz, it fits comfortably in the palm of your hand and packs a punch well beyond its size. Yes, from the demo last night, the A1 packs a punch indeed.

I congratulate Howard Leong, General Manager of Sejalin Enterprise, and his team on the introduction of the Beoplay A1 and also the B35 speakers. I truly love the B&O showroom and it’s something I want my work station to be like one day. Enough about that. Let’s focus more on the Beoplay A1 speakers.

I love them, A1 😀 It can act as a speakerphone for taking calls out loud and up to 24 hours of battery life (awesome) and you can show off to others who used other brands in terms of battery life performance.

Check out the Beoplay A1 ultra-portable Bluetooth speaker

So Ewa, are you getting one?

Passing around the Beoplay A1 for the invited guests to feel the quality of the A1 speakers

I wonder if Stuart will purchase one after the 30th of May :p

The Beoplay A1 is dome shaped and is akin to an oversized hockey puck with its 132mm diameter. The top of the A1 is covered in a perforated, thick layer of aluminium which certainly contributes to its premium and elegant look. Meeting the aluminium roughly half way down the body is a base made of rubber material that houses all the control buttons. The soft-push controls provide some tactile feedback.

The circle button, for now, is used to reconnect to your last playback device and start playing music. As a contrast to the hard industrial design, B&O throws in a full-grain leather strap.

The A1 can be used for business and pleasure – you can take calls and it also has a microphone to provide uniform 360 speech sensitivity. Now that’s amazing. It might be ideal for my podcasting.

In conclusion, you will definitely be seduced by the sound and its sleek design. I’ve always trust in B&O products and I would highly recommend the Beoplay A1 speakers whether be it indoor and outdoor. For a price of BND 399, this is a great buy. Pre-orders can be made at B&O showroom (follow them on Facebook Page) and the stock will be available in two weeks’ time. I’m still thinking if I should invest in one. My conscience is siding more owning one. We shall wait and see.

Mr. Howard Leong (centre), General Manager of Sejalin Enterprise, with his team.

The Beoplay A1 is suitable both indoor and outdoor

The invited guests who came but Shawn forgot to read the memo

Also introducing the B35 speakers from B&O

The price is retailed at BND 4,000

B&O is located near Kiarong Complex. Do check them out

 

Baiduri Prestige and Smart Executive members being toured by representatives from Sejalin Enterprise

Baiduri Bank, in collaboration with Sejalin Enterprise, organised an exclusive preview of Bang & Olufsen’s design-centric electronic sound systems at the Bang & Olufsen showroom in Kiarong last week for their Prestige and Smart Executive members.

During the cocktail style event, a representative from Sejalin Enterprise gave a briefing on Bang & Olufsen products.

According to Hjh Maripaz Abdullah, Head of Business Development and Special Programmes in Baiduri Bank, “We understand our members’ refined tastes and affinity for luxury, and Bang & Olufsen is a brand which not only caters to that but also embodies sophistication as well as quality.”

Baiduri Prestige and Smart Executive members present during the night were also treated to discounted prices on Bang & Olufsen product bundles. Bundle 1, consisting of the Beoplay A2 Bluetooth Speaker with the Beoplay H3 Earphones, was available at discounted price of BND776 (usual price is BND876). Bundle 2, which consists of the Beolit 15 Bluetooth Speaker and Beoplay H6 Headphones, was available for only BND1,296 (usual price BND1,396). Finally, guests can also purchase any Duba Height Adjustable Table and SBS Ergonomic Chair combination, with BND100 off.

On top of this, the first 20 Prestige or Smart Executive members to purchase these exclusive bundles were treated to another BND100 cash rebate when they purchase using their Prestige or Smart Executive cards.

Present at the event were Ms Dorothy Newn, Head of Group Communications Department, Ms Ng Yick Wei, Head of Group Marketing Department, as well as staff of Baiduri Bank.

 

The KB Sentral building located before entering Kuala Belait area

It was Batman and Superman fever last week

The Brunei District YoYo Contest 2016

Only officially opened last November, KB Sentral Shopping Centre (@kbsentral) has been picking its pace for the past month or so with many activities line up for the benefit of the public. It’s more like a one stop shopping place for the residents of Kuala Belait, Seria and also our neighbouring state of Miri. Just look as it as the KB version of Times Square Shopping Centre in Berakas. It may take time to get more traffic but it has been gradually on the rise after many awarenesses of newspapers and social media.

Below are some of the events that have been ongoing for the month alone in March 2016. Good job on the management on creating activities at KB Sentral as it certainly helps a lot of publicity around the area. Surprisingly not many people know of its existence, thinking perhaps it’s just a place for accommodation.

Anyway, I will be running some competition on IG so do stay tune. Below are some of the pictures taken from KB Sentral Facebook Page. Keep it up, guys!!

It was good to see the Anti-Drug roadshow organised by the Narcotics Control Bureau (@nodrugsatall) earlier this week

The youth enjoying the card games as part of the Vanguard Tournament

Ah, something for the public to be aware. You can win a bungalow or a car as part of the KB Sentral’s promotion.

There’s also a monthly draw for shoppers at KB Sentral

Photo competition and you can win awesome Canon cameras from Interhouse Company

Deadpool at KB Sentral Cube Enterprise which was officially launched last weekend

One of the Ultraman visiting KB Sentral for the residents of KB

The strongest kid, Aiman Mujibur, pulling two stationery cars

 

Late post: A special dinner was held at Parkview Hotel’s Al-Barakah Ballroom on last Wednesday, featuring an appearance by none other than the heroes from the ‘Ultraman Live in Brunei’ show.

The guests for the dinner consisted of in-house guests and ticket holders of the show, who had the opportunity to dine and meet four of the Japanese pop icons.

Ultraman Zero, Ultraman Ginga, Ultraman Tiga and Ultraman Mebius shook hands and took photos with the diners.

Executive Director of Parkview Hotel Hambali Pehin Orang Kaya Shahbandar Dato Seri Paduka Hj Mohd Salleh said they were lucky to be able to house team Ultraman, who came all the way from Japan.

Marketing Manager Dk Sabrina Pg Hj Abdullah also expressed she was delighted with how they were able to etch smiles across their guests, be it adults or children.
The Ultraman Live in Brunei 2016 has been an instant hit among Bruneians and it was such a timely manner that it was held during the school holidays.

The final show of the Ultraman show ended on Monday, 28th March. I myself was impressed with the show and I do hope to see more of this kind of entertainment in Brunei. Oh yea, this probably was an improvement from last year’s entertainment (for kids) by a different organiser who showcased some dinosaurs.

 

Bang & Olufsen now official opening its door to the public, located at Kiarong

A representative from Bang & Olufsen (right) talking to a guest during the private viewing a few days ago at the Bang & Olufsen showroom

The consumer electronics company, Bang & Olufsen (B&O), opens their doors officially today. Known for their distinctive range of audio, video and multimedia products with stylish designs, their showroom in Kiarong brings their high-end products a step closer to Bruneian customers.

Howard Leong, General Manager of Sejalin Enterprises Sdn Bhd, the company that brought in B&O, said that the brand had been looking for a distributor in Brunei, and it fit in line with the vision of his company, which is “smart living”, or products that improved their customer’s lifestyle.

According to Soren Kokholm, Director of Sales, South East Asia, that opening a showroom in Brunei was the progression of being able to further serve their customers. “We have seen over the last few years a development in the market, and there’s a demand for it, especially for the BeoPlay product range. Being here means that we can offer more technical support and service.”

One of the big features of the B&O showroom, is the experience room, where customers are able to not only see the products in action, but get a feel for it in a homelike setting. An 80 inch screen smart TV that swivels and pivots to best serve you, despite what corner of the room you’re sitting in, while sound is powerfully projected and amplified by the aesthetically beautiful BeoLab 90 speakers, make watching TV or even just listening to music, feel like a dream you don’t want to wake up from.

I believe the big hit will be the BeoPlay items from B&O, targeting to a much younger appeal (like myself). The price range is same with Singapore so regular B&O customers who frequent to Singapore won’t need to worry about that. B&O Brunei has the best, if not one of the best, consumer electronics showroom in Brunei.

The B&O showroom is open from from 10am – 8pm daily, except on Fridays between 12pm – 2pm and on Sundays, which they close at 4pm.

The range of speakers at B&O showroom

I prefer the ambience of the showroom in the evenings. Different contrast.

The BeoPlay portable speakers. Highly recommended and pretty handy.

Check out the awesome BeoPlay headsets

Trying out the BeoPlay H7

Maria Grace Koh, the first customer of B&O Brunei (center) with Howard Leong, General Manager of Sejalin Enterprises Sdn Bhd and Soren Kokholm, Director of Sales, South East Asia, Bang & Olufsen.

The Lau brothers trying out the BeoPlay range

These are the popular items from the shelves

The Experience Room – Poweeerrrrr yoooo… So articulate, so precise and the best cinematic experience at the convenience of your home

I used to own this gadget back in the 90s. B&O has discontinued this range in the hi-fi systems a long time ago.

Henrik Meltesen, Regional Sales Manager of Scandinavian Business Seating Asia Pte Ltd, with Howard during the private viewing of B&O. Henrik was excited with the collaboration between B&O and HAG (chair) products which blend and compliment both brands from Scandinavian.

 

A new travel agent in town

 

Woohoo… It’s Mooonndaayyyyyy…. Well, I’m more burdened with workload and deadlines. I will be flying off again for Toastmasters meeting this weekend. Hence I will have to kickstart my week with a minor bang. I’m also immersed with refining my script for my finale project speech in the Competent Communicator manual (CC10) and I will be delivering it by tomorrow evening at the Brunei Speakers’ Club meeting at Seameo Voctech. All are welcome to witness (guest fees at $5 and student at $3) my finale speech for the CC manual and I do hope to get pinned by tomorrow evening. All this depends on my speech evaluator Lai Ling Ling if I met the objective of “being inspirational”. Regardless, I’m happy and blessed to be member of Brunei Speakers’ Club and thank you to my friends who have supported and play a part in my growth as a leader.

The moment when toastmasters members get recognized for their efforts in Brunei

I’m proud of them two – Liyana Sidek and Salih (Happy belated dude) as both of them finished their CC project manual on the same day

Movies galore. I have yet to do the Top 10 films of 2015 for both my blog and my podcast [The Popcorn Panel]. My co-host Del Goh is still away on vacation so I will firstly do my blog entry of the Top movies of 2015. It is such a pity that I didn’t manage to catch some of the highly recommended movies such as Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight or Leo DiCaprio’s Golden Globe winning performance in “The Revenant” and not forgetting Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip *eeerr.. I take that back*

2015 has given me a wonderful experience as a cinema goer. There are even some movies that I have caught multiple times because I purely love the cinematic experience and the movie wasn’t just a popcorn movie but has high replay value. Here some of the movies that fell in that category (and also a spoiler for my Top 10 movies) – Creed, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Mad Max: Fury Road and Ant-Man. Stay tune for more updates on this.

One of my best experience was watching Marvel’s Ant-Man on IMAX 3D at Siam Paragon last year and I love the movie too.

Bang & Olufsen. Yes, it’s almost close to its opening date. They have shifted their opening day earlier than the slated date. Now fans of Bang & Olufsen can visit their official store located at Kiarong (near Kiarong Complex), Shop No.1, Ground Floor, Lot No. 47322, Simpang 41-1-12. You can give them a buzz at 266 0111. Ok, for those who are not aware of Bang & Olufsen, it’s a Danish consumer electronics company that designs and manufacture audio products, television sets and telephones and the brand is in the luxury category. I used to own a CD Hi-Fi stereo from B&O which has already been discontinued but man, that is one lean machine. This was back in the early 90s.

So I’m happy to announce that B&O is opening its store in Brunei physically. According to Howard Leong, General Manger of Sejalin Enterprise, the authorized distributor of B&O in Brunei Darussalam, there is a market in Brunei because there are many Bruneian customers who shop and repair their B&O products in Singapore (located at Grand Hyatt). Now with the physical store’s presence, customers can purchase the products at the same price as Singapore. Further more, they can send their products for repairs instead of flying to Singapore.

I had the privilege to experience their newly launched speakers – B&O BeoLab 90 Speakers and humungous TV, BeoVision Avant. What an awesome combo!! Watching my blu-ray collections will give me a cinematic experience. You will get to experience both these wonderful gadgets once B&O opens its doors this weekend. Congratulations to B&O for making your mark in Brunei. You can visit their Facebook Page for updates.

The opening date will be on Saturday, 16th January 2016. Ignore the print on the banner.

Finally B&O will open its store in Brunei this weekend. Image courtesy of B&O Brunei Facebook Page.

Wow, wow, wow!!! Simply the best experience to listen and watch on the BeoVision Avant and the BeoLab 90 Speakers..

Prepping for Consumer Fair. Just almost two weeks away and the locals can experience another Consumer Fair, the 17th edition. Wow, it has been a long time coming and I was involved in the first Consumer Fair back many years back. This event is a bi-annual event and it will take place on the final weekend of January (just nice, after payday). It will be a five day event as usual. Last weekend, they have exhibitors’ briefing for the purpose of logistics and regulations for the benefit of the exhibitors and consumers.

The theme for the 17th Consumer Fair will be “Life is sweet. Indulge!” organised by D’Sunlit (formerly known as Sunlit Advertising) and there will be 400 booths, offering products and services. It will be interesting to note especially for Doraemon fans that there will be a first-ever merchandise showcase in Brunei. Other activities will be “Did you c Sairol?” (one of the DPMM FC players) and of course, the most talked manhunt, the search for Mr. Brown as the winner will win a pair of tickets to visit Mr. Brown castles in Taiwan. There is also a charitable drive where there will be blood donation organised by the Laboratory Department of RIPAS on the final day of Consumer Fair.

Exhibitors prepping for the actual day of the Consumer Fair. Image courtesy of D’Sunlit.

Last December, @mrbrownbrunei awarded the lady a one year supply of Mr. Brown. Who will be another consolation winner come this Consumer Fair?

Lifestream Organic store. I paid a quick visit last week before its official opening. Apparently my friend Jordan Yau’s family runs the new organic shop. Recently there has been a demand for healthier options when it comes to food consumption. I quite like the presentation display (thumbs up) and if you are looking for eco-friendly products and organic food, this is the place to visit. If you are also concern about weight, they will provide consultations to make you achieve your goals. Where it is located? Just head to the Setia Kenangan II (near Regent Square) and it’s open daily from 10am to 8pm except on Friday (12pm to 2pm). You can call 223 1178 for details and you can visit their Facebook Page for updates.

Jacinta Yau, General Manager of Lifestream Organic (left) with her mother during the official opening yesterday. Image courtesy of Azli Azney of The Brunei Times.

I want to try this bread which can be chilled for quite sometime and the quality will still be there. Apparently, one of the most popular items at the store.

Some of the healthy ingredients for your consumption. Yea, Why not? 😀