Shanzhai: Hi-phone, Sumsung, Nckia

I was confused when my co-workers mentioned the "Shanzai" model of various technology. They explained it as local (pirated) versions of popular brands. And then New York Times wrote this article and it all makes sense.




http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/28/technology/28cell.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

So what's the solution to piracy here? Region lock? That gets broken really quickly, but there doesn't seem to be any other way for foreign brands to compete here. The market is obviously huge, but they're not even getting a scrap of their share with the prices they propose. I haven't seen one place that sells legitimate dvds, games, or comic books. Textbooks? The school buys one copy and everyone pays for the beautifully bound xerox copy.

Online games survive because there are hourly fees to be paid. Note: hourly, not monthly. No one believes in credit card prepayment here. You simply can't squeeze out a deposit from them. So unfortunately, if Blizzard hopes to make a dime in China, Battle.net will have to charge.

What it comes down to is that no one is willing to pay premium foreign prices here. Companies that recognize this and find optimal localization strategies will gain much deeper market penetration in the future.

Next topic: How Yum! Brands (KFC, Pizza Hut) is pulverizing all competitors in China.

Kitiara

Well, hello there!

Here, we have a collection of kitty...caught in various positions.  Mostly napping.  She's precious when she naps right in front of me.

So she's in this curious position where her legs are very wide open.  I was wondering what it was all about...

And then she fell asleep in that position.  Is she catching fish in her dream?  We'll never know.  But it's pretty amazing to be able to sleep with your leg in the air.

Another shot of her napping in the afternoon...

Then she got a new bed and sleeps easily once again...

Of course, I'm also a perfect bed substitute whenever she feels like it.  My leg has fallen asleep quite a few times now...

I have yet to take a picture of her cutest image yet.  She has a habit of sticking out her little tongue right when she wakes up.

Oh, kit.

Homeland Security

I feel so much safer knowing that my cat shares my sentiments.

Oh yeah, she went at that thing for a good 30 mins.  I eventually took it away...but I think she can go at it indefinitely.

I'd be so scared if I was smaller than her.

A thousand words

23:53 update: She knows what the litterbox is for!!!  Wooray!

Solanum mammosum

Please, please make a rap song out of this. Sol-anum mammo-sum. Otherwise known as Nipplefruit, Titty fruit, Cow's Udder, or "apple of Sodom."

Oh wikipedia. I love you for adding, "it is imported to Taiwan for use as a religious offering." And then offer no explanation. What are we? Titty worshippers? Oh wait, that's not a bad summary of pervy Taiwanese teenagers...

I'm at work so I can't upload the picture I took on my phone. But titty fruit looks absolutely awesome as an Ox year decoration. Please google or wait until I upload some pics.

Shiver, fireworks, and heartache

Joanna Wang.  Just give her a try.  She sent shivers, the good kind, down my back.  Like the first time you heard Norah Jones, Amos Lee, or Lisa Ono, her voice is here to stay.  

It is officially Chinese New Year and fireworks are going off everywhere.  I remember buying illegal fireworks from ancient, tiny, chinese toy stores.  And then the middle school across the street became our playground.  On their soccer field, we blew a million dragon bazookas to welcome the new year.  

This year, I miss my brother.  After all these years of traveling and visiting him sporadically, I find that, more than anything, I want him to relieve himself of the artificial burden and stress of being the eldest male offspring.  It's so subtle, but it drives you insane.  If my life is characterized by desperate measures driven by irresponsibility, then his life is nothing but inevitable decisions forced by responsibility.  My parents have told me that he thinks I have better luck.  I want to tell him, it's not luck.  But if you can't measure the forces that shape us, then call it luck.  I just don't ever want him to think "and that was the story of my life" with nothing but regret in his thoughts.  

My parents claim that they know how proud he is and what drives him.  What if that's not the way to goad him?  What if it is?  You can count the number of crossroads that we have to face, but we don't need someone acting as the countdown timer.  It's informative, yes, but if he wants to cross on a red light, SHUT THE FUCK UP.

My life for...

Reading the news in Asia is very entertaining. Today, the headline read: "Mr. Chu has direct clandestine connection to Obama." Mr. Chu is Taiwan's treasury secretary and the article mentioned Larry Summers, President Obama's top economic advisor. Then, the reporter built the story on how Mr. Summers once visited Taiwan, thirteen years ago, and played tennis with Mr. Chu.

And guess what the article said about Mr. Summer's impression of Taiwan? He thought that we're inconsistent at playing tennis. All because Mr. Chu had sent Taiwan's top tennis player to coddle him. Mr. Summers said, "He kept missing my easy serves and saving my impossible shots."

Yes, this is how the reporter in Taiwan thinks we have a direct connection to the Obama administration. Mr. Chu's ever so brilliant decision to manage Mr. Summer's love for tennis paved the path to a beautiful economic relationship with Taiwan and the US.

Mr. Maa, please start practice missing your jump shot. Or at least get someone in the NBA. China already has Yao and Yi...and I'm sure if they play Obama, they're ready to lose for the greater good.