HONG KONG'S largest producer of electronic dictionaries and organisers, Group Sense, has won two Certificates of Merit in the Consumer Design Category for products that complement each other - Instant-Dict EC4900H pen-based electronic dictionary and Instant-Dict TA600 10A children's computer.
The electronic dictionary is aimed at Chinese people worldwide from the age of 12 years upwards but, until they reach that age, the children's computer can be a sophisticated learning toy. At the same time, it can catch the future market for electronic dictionaries and organisers by imprinting the Instant-Dict brand name on the minds of young customers.
'To strengthen our product line, we produce toys for children between two and 12,' said Thomas Tam, the managing director.
'Parents want their children to learn to use a computer, so the TA 600 is aimed at seven-year-olds until they reach the age of 12 at which time they can progress to a real computer.' The computer allows children to play games, learn English and practise mathematics. It has two advantages over its rivals, which Mr Tam believes enabled it to be awarded a Certificate of Merit. 'Although at a young age Chinese children do not get the full benefit from an English-language toy, most speaking toys use English because the research an development effort to produce a Chinese version is not worthwhile owing to the limited market.' The computer uses Cantonese and, with an eye on the company's future market, it claims to be the first such computer to include an organiser.
Among other things, budding executives can list telephone numbers, produce a schedule and even keep track of their money.
The electronic dictionary is not much larger than a spectacle case, yet it contains about 100,000 English words and the corresponding Chinese characters.