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Product Magazines: Product Trends |
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COST consumers do their household shopping in supermarkets. With time at a premium in today's fast-moving society, "one-stop shopping" is convenient, quick and straightforward. But mistakes are easily made when calculating prices. These mistakes may be made in error or they may be made deliberately - either way it is usually the customer who is out of pocket at the end of the transaction.
Obviously, the best way to avoid this problem is for the consumer to calculate the running total of prices at the same time as the cashier does. If the two calculations arrive at the same total, fine. If the totals are different, then one of the calculations is incorrect and both must be repeated to find out where the error has occurred.
Conventional calculators can be used for this "double entry" checking system, but they have a number of disadvantages. They can be difficult to handle in a shop because they are designed for use at a desk. The sequence of functions which must be entered can also lead to confusion. In some countries, the tax is added to the total bill after the adding of individual items has taken place; with a conventional calculator this means that a series of calculations needs to take place before arriving at the final figure.Finally, if a shopper makes a mistake in the input, then the whole list needs to be re-entered.
It was with this situation in mind that Angelfit Investments Ltd introduced its shopping calculator model B-107. Marketing manager Patrick Yu says that he thinks of the B-107 as an adding machine rather than a calculator. "When entering prices, all the customer needs to do is press the appropriate digits. For example, if a chicken cost $10, all he needs to enter is a 1 and a 0. After six seconds that $10 will be added to the running total," he explains.
"If a figure is entered incorrectly or by mistake the entry can be canceled simply by pressing the 'corr.' button."
Other advantages include the B-107's compact size (90x73x22 millimetres), its light weight (70 grams), and a rubber strap that allows the customer to attach the adding machine to a shopping trolley or basket. The protective lid of the calculator is spring-loaded so it stays open during use.
When it comes to calculating tax, "the B-107 has a built-in tax function which can be programmed [by the consumer] at the rate of tax in the relevant economy. All the customer needs to do is press the 'tax' button on the keyboard and the calculation will be made automatically," Yu points out.
The product is manufactured at the company's 100,000-square-foot factory in Panyu, Guangdong, in mainland China, which employs 2,000 workers. An AG13 battery is inserted during production, which will provide power for about one year.
Yu is concentrating Angelfit's marketing campaign on the European market where he believes there is more opportunity. That market absorbs 90% of Angelfit's sales. However, he says "about 5% of our sales are made in the US and another 5% in developing markets worldwide. We welcome orders from any part of the world".
The minimum quantity is 1,000 pieces at a unit price of US$4.80. Delivery is within 45 days after receipt of an L/C.
Written by Roger Cave
IN some parts of the world, safety and security for family and property are hard to come by, so people are increasingly taking it upon themselves to protect their homes. This often means purchasing an expensive security system that is difficult to comprehend, and which almost inevitably goes off when it should not. What the market requires, according to Countkey Ltd, is a portable alarm that is relatively easy to understand, does its job well and will not cost a small fortune.
The Alastor CK500 Home Security System is a sophisticated and compact method of enhancing domestic security. The system operates by scanning a room for infrared and ultrasonic changes. It covers a field of 10 metres at an angle of 80. If the alarm is set off, a loud, 105dB tone blasts through a loudspeaker.
The unit also contains a light attached to a daylight sensor, which can be programmed to turn on and off at random, giving the impression that the house is occupied. The matt black cylinder which houses the alarm and the sensors is portable, requires no special fittings and is designed to be placed on a table or a chest of drawers.
Users turn the alarm on and off through a battery-powered handset. The whole unit is switched on by using a special security key which comes in the package.
The CK500 provides security for a single room, but, as Countkey's senior marketing executive Jenny Mo points out, "Three extensions can be plugged into the alarm system, which will provide additional protection, For example, the CK500 can be plugged into an auto-dialler which will place a call to the police as soon as the alarm is triggered."
A current of 230V AC powers the alarm, but it has to pass through an AC/DC adaptor, which feeds 25V DC power to the CK500 itself. If the power source is disconnected or fails, an internal, rechargeable nicad battery ensures that the alarm operates for another 16 hours. The remote control handset runs on 2V lithium batteries.
An easy-to-understand, comprehensive manual comes with the alarm. The product is guaranteed for 12 months and spare keys and remote controls can be obtained by sending a form to a service office in Hamburg or to Countkey's office in Hong Kong.
Countkey was formed in 1988 to produce quality electronic products for the international market. Initial products include databanks and translators, The CK500, which has been in production for a year, is a joint project with German company Global Mind, which designed the system in Hamburg. Countkey manufactures the alarms at its 75,000-square-foot factory in Panyu, Guangdong, in mainland China. A quality-control division ensures that Countkey's 600 workers maintain high standards.
Monthly production at the Panyu factory ranges between 25,000 and 35,000 units. The minimum order for the CK500 is 500 pieces. Delivery takes between 60 and 75 days and prices are available on request.
Major markets include the US, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Israel. The CK500 complies with VDS guidelines, set by The Assn of German Property Insurance Companies. The alarm has also passed the CE European safety standard.
Written by Roger Cave
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