https://www.scmp.com/rss/314411/feed Keep yourself up to speed with the latest interior designs, furniture and gadgets, while exploring technologies and trends. You could find all this quite inspiring when building your dream home. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com [Sponsored article] Imagine coming home after a stressful day and opening the door to discover the lighting and temperature are perfect and your favourite album is starting up. Welcome to the world of smart living. A home can be described as “smart” when home interior design incorporates connected elements – either a central system or a mix of the Internet of Things (IoT) devices – using technology customised to address the homeowner’s particular needs and preferences. For advocates of smart... https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/interiors-living/topics/hkt-smart-living-awards/article/3034225/how-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/interiors-living/topics/hkt-smart-living-awards/article/3034225/how-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Oct 2019 09:36:51 +0000 Government schemes and policies in many places around the world, including Hong Kong, are encouraging car owners to switch to electric vehicles (EVs). Although these types of cars cannot be classed as “popular” across the Asian region, recent figures show that there are an estimated 11,857 EVs on Hong Kong roads – almost 2 per cent of the city’s more than 621,000 registered vehicles. Electric vehicles are here to stay in Hong Kong – and on the charge As a part of the city’s long-term plan to... https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/3024072/improved-charging-technology-ensures-electric-car?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/3024072/improved-charging-technology-ensures-electric-car?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Aug 2019 07:27:57 +0000 [Sponsored article] There’s no doubt technology is the driving force of the 21st century. But all devices, be they smartphones, tablets, laptops, smartwatches or the new generation of cars, require electricity: charging stations have become critical to maintaining connectivity. As the uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) in the city continues apace, Smart Charge (a joint venture formed by HKT and CLP) is bringing EV-charging solutions right to customers’ doorsteps. Charging your car at home will be... https://www.scmp.com/presented/tech/topics/premier-living/article/3023426/smart-charge-service-provides-electric-vehicle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/tech/topics/premier-living/article/3023426/smart-charge-service-provides-electric-vehicle?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Aug 2019 02:59:24 +0000 The designer and architect duo of Ed Ng and Terence Ngan has just moved into a new office in Victoria Dockside, a waterfront development in Tsim Sha Tsui in Hong Kong. It’s markedly different from the company’s previous space in Lai Chi Kok, and the change could not have come at a more fitting time. This year, the luxury design firm AB Concept, which was co-founded by the duo, celebrates its 20th anniversary: two decades of designing homes, hotels such as Rosewood Sanya and W Xi’an in mainland... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/3019606/why-evolutionary-change-became-constant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/3019606/why-evolutionary-change-became-constant?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Jul 2019 09:33:16 +0000 Hong Kong designer Tommy Wong likens himself to a mixologist. “It’s about mixing and combining different elements to create something with its own unique trademark and characteristics,” he says. “It’s similar to a good cocktail.” Wong, managing director of the Hong Kong and Taipei offices of LI&Co., works in tandem with Johnny Li, managing director of the New York head office, to deliver high-end projects across residential, commercial, retail and hotels, as well as its own furniture... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/interiors-living/topics/premier-living/article/3018670/why-hong-kong-designer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/interiors-living/topics/premier-living/article/3018670/why-hong-kong-designer?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Jul 2019 09:28:24 +0000 For architect, interior and product designer Steve Leung, design is far from formulaic. “Every project is tailor-made to meet the client’s needs,” says Leung, who is the founder of Steve Leung Designers. He founded the company in 1997; since then, it has grown into a 500-person design firm, with offices across Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Even if you do not know the name of the practice, you have probably visited one of its spaces. As the world advances and with... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/interiors-living/topics/premier-living/article/3017659/why-designer-steve-leung?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/interiors-living/topics/premier-living/article/3017659/why-designer-steve-leung?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Jul 2019 04:45:05 +0000 Global environmental challenges and increased pressure on motoring manufacturers to help create cleaner living conditions are gradually helping to increase the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). Electric vehicles are here to stay in Hong Kong – and on the charge On an international scale, China is leading the charge in EV sales to date. Figures gathered in 2018 show Chinese buyers together bought more than 2.2 million EVs – about 7.6 per cent of all estimated commercial and passenger vehicles... https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/3017064/switch-electric-vehicles-your-z-what-bev-hev-nev?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/3017064/switch-electric-vehicles-your-z-what-bev-hev-nev?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jul 2019 06:20:27 +0000 [Sponsored article] Inadequate charging facilities have been troubling current and potential electric vehicle (EV) owners in Hong Kong since the introduction of EVs to the city about a decade ago. According to the Environmental Protection Department, more than 11,700 EVs were on the roads of Hong Kong up to the end of April this year. However, there were only 2,242 public charging stations available, 40 per cent of which were equipped with chargers of relatively slow charging speeds. There are... https://www.scmp.com/presented/tech/topics/premier-living/article/3016143/smart-charge-driving-force-making-life-simpler?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/tech/topics/premier-living/article/3016143/smart-charge-driving-force-making-life-simpler?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Jun 2019 07:35:50 +0000 For Frank Leung, 2019 is a significant year. It marks the 10th anniversary of via architecture, the Hong Kong multidisciplinary design studio that the University of Texas graduate founded with his wife, Irene Lai, in 2009. “It’s come full circle,” says Leung, who is also principal of the design studio, while Lai is director of development. [Working at Sun Hung Kai] it boiled down to how I could satisfy my customers better than the competition. My time there gave me an insight into what the... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/interiors-living/topics/premier-living/article/3014775/how-2001-space-odyssey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/interiors-living/topics/premier-living/article/3014775/how-2001-space-odyssey?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Jun 2019 03:54:23 +0000 Even before starting her design studio in Hong Kong in 2011, interior designer Joyce Wang was already a global citizen. Born in Hawaii, she went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, the Royal College of Art in London and Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, and has worked for Foster + Partners. A mother of three, she has gained a reputation for beautifully thought-out design and layered narratives over the years and won international hotel, wellness, restaurant... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/3013977/why-interior-designer-joyce-wangs-flair?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/3013977/why-interior-designer-joyce-wangs-flair?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Jun 2019 04:26:00 +0000 Society has become so concerned about achieving peak personal wellness that millions of us rely on technology to record the minutiae of our daily habits. Money management apps can be the financial equivalent of fitness trackers. Beyond budget planning and setting savings goals – handy as such functions are for many people – these intuitive, artificial-intelligence (AI) -enabled apps can be a digital financial adviser helping the user to build their wealth. Planto, an app developed by a Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/start-ups/topics/premier-living/article/3011972/4-smart-money-management-apps-help-you?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/start-ups/topics/premier-living/article/3011972/4-smart-money-management-apps-help-you?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 May 2019 10:17:43 +0000 “Not again” might have been the first thought of millions of people around the world last week when WhatsApp was compromised. It wasn’t the first time that software vulnerabilities have been exposed but, more to the point, WhatsApp is known for its high-level security and privacy. If even that app can be hacked, who, or what, can users trust? Security experts have played down the threat. Only a small number of people were affected and WhatsApp, owned by Facebook, quickly issued a patch that... https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/3010998/if-whatsapp-can-be-hacked-what-hope-privacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/3010998/if-whatsapp-can-be-hacked-what-hope-privacy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 May 2019 11:14:21 +0000 Building on the school of thought that films and imagery can improve the quality of life, recent test studies have shown that playing virtual reality (VR) games can help with relaxation, too. It all depends on the type of game you’re playing, and perhaps, how you play it. In terms of the technology’s relaxation capabilities, academic interest in this field is currently running high. Already, in 2019, a search on Google Scholar – the web search engine that indexes the full text of scholarly... https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/3010174/virtual-reality-golf-and-4-other-video-games-ease?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/3010174/virtual-reality-golf-and-4-other-video-games-ease?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 May 2019 09:35:19 +0000 Consumers have become so internet-dependent that it’s hard to imagine it won’t always be there. However, the radio spectrum that covers 3G, 4G, 5G, Wi-fi, Bluetooth, digital radio and 4K television is finite. Even the best connections struggle to cope with heavy demand and it’s only going to get worse as more people, devices and services connect and compete for the limited bandwidth. Imagine a world where high-speed connectivity is as pervasive as the lights in our ceilings ... imagine billions... https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/3009022/light-bulb-moment-how-led-could-provide-faster?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/3009022/light-bulb-moment-how-led-could-provide-faster?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 May 2019 08:48:42 +0000 Hi-tech wearables have exploded on the market in recent years, promising consumers ever more functionality that supposedly helps monitor their health and productivity. Alongside the smartwatch, smart rings are a growing trend for those people seeking technology that is as useful as it is fashionable. Many of these rings have an accompanying app that syncs with the ring, making it easy to read and compare the metrics being tracked. Tomorrow’s world: innovations that promise to improve your life... https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/3008154/5-hi-tech-rings-will-help-you-keep-your-finger?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/3008154/5-hi-tech-rings-will-help-you-keep-your-finger?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Apr 2019 10:41:25 +0000 Beyond handy smart home gadgets and phones that put a computer in our pockets, technology is set to enhance everyday lives in ways unimaginable even a decade ago. A symposium held in Hong Kong this month provided a peek at what’s going on behind the scenes to make these innovations happen – and showed how close some breakthroughs are to coming to market. The Tech Trends Symposium 2019 – Roadmap to the Future, held at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, in Wan Chai, on April 13, was... https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/innovation/topics/premier-living/article/3007323/tomorrows-world-innovations-promise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/innovation/topics/premier-living/article/3007323/tomorrows-world-innovations-promise?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Apr 2019 09:17:09 +0000 Smart locks are gradually finding their way into people’s homes but the most recent versions of these wirelessly connected security devices may accelerate the rate of adoption by consumers. A recent report from Allied Market Research predicts significant adoption on a global scale, especially among the working population for whom the safety of aged parents and children remains a major concern. With their enhanced safety features, “smart locks address these issues with highly sophisticated remote... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/3006243/are-smart-locks-safe-hear-what-security?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/3006243/are-smart-locks-safe-hear-what-security?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Apr 2019 09:41:08 +0000 Few people can avoid using “smart” technology at home in one form or another, but as the gadget count piles up, some of these additions can look out of place. Thankfully, hi-tech companies are starting to take notice. Some of the most prestigious accolades, such as the annual Consumer Technology Association Innovation Awards, presented at the annual trade show held in Las Vegas, in the US, recognise products that easily integrate without compromising on home design. Cool running: hi-tech ideas... https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/3005241/video-doorbell-and-4-other-invisible-smart-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/3005241/video-doorbell-and-4-other-invisible-smart-home?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Apr 2019 10:01:09 +0000 If they’re not already switched on, air conditioners will soon be cranking up across the city. Hongkongers might be borderline addicted to cooling the indoor air temperature, but it’s an environmentally indulgent habit. A report by Rocky Mountain Institute, a United States sustainability think tank, says comfort cooling represents one of the largest end-use risks to our climate, with the residential sector alone set to account for an increase in global temperatures of more than 0.5 degrees... https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/3004157/cool-running-hi-tech-ideas-pull-plug-air?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/3004157/cool-running-hi-tech-ideas-pull-plug-air?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Apr 2019 09:28:10 +0000 Mark Webb-Johnson well-remembers the day the love affair began. There was “nothing quite like experiencing Hong Kong streets in a convertible electric car”, he says of his first outing, eight years ago to the day, in a Tesla Roadster. Why hi-tech, interactive fitness workouts in the home and office are next big trend “Leaving the city and heading up into the hills of Clear Water Bay, the car came into its element,” he says. “With no power steering, and an all-electric drivetrain, you could feel... https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/3003073/electric-vehicles-are-here-stay-hong-kong-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/3003073/electric-vehicles-are-here-stay-hong-kong-and?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Mar 2019 03:45:00 +0000 [Sponsored article] The Hong Kong E-Prix delivered thrills, controversy – and a slice of history for Darryl O’Young. The 38-year-old was handed the opportunity of a lifetime to race in the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY and became one of the very few Hong Kong drivers lucky enough to actually race in the city he calls home. It’s always nice to drive something new and electric is the future of racing Darryl O’Young, Hong Kong racing driver In another memorable moment, the event around the streets of... https://www.scmp.com/presented/sport/motorsport/topics/premier-living/article/3002768/smart-charge-and-racing-driver?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/sport/motorsport/topics/premier-living/article/3002768/smart-charge-and-racing-driver?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Mar 2019 02:31:41 +0000 No matter how well organised one’s life is – Marie Kondo, the-Japanese-organising-consultant-turned-Netflix-reality-television-star, being the possible exception – not everything seems to stay just where you left it. Wallets, glasses and car keys have a habit of disappearing, and why is it that an important document you’d filed away so diligently is now proving stubbornly elusive? Looking for lost things is not only frustrating, it’s also extremely time-consuming – a chore that, according to one... https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/3002217/how-technology-can-ensure-you-never-lose-your?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/3002217/how-technology-can-ensure-you-never-lose-your?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Mar 2019 12:12:57 +0000 It’s already March and, if you’ve stuck to your new year’s fitness resolutions, you’re doing better than most. Various studies suggest that about 80 per cent of people fail to keep to their stated goals, with many falling off the wagon by mid-February. Instead of saying I’m going to lose 30 pounds this year, set the goal to exercise for 15 minutes every day. Each time you do, you win and succeed at that goal Alex McMillan, Hong Kong personal trainer If you’re one of them, then Hong Kong personal... https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/2189452/why-hi-tech-interactive-fitness-workouts-home-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/2189452/why-hi-tech-interactive-fitness-workouts-home-and?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Mar 2019 03:23:49 +0000 You’ve deadlines to meet, a presentation to give and a colleague is proving difficult. There’s no hope of skiving off to recalibrate the body back into calm mode. Hi-tech trends for 2019: the year of 5G, AI, self-driving cars – and a real ‘RoboCop’ Yet might that device on your wrist just have the answer? Or those voices in your head … courtesy of Bluetooth earbuds and a meditation app? Few people may argue with American neuropsychologist Dr Amy Serin, co-founder and chief science officer of... https://www.scmp.com/presented/tech/topics/premier-living/article/2188501/how-new-wellness-technology-will-help-us-lead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/tech/topics/premier-living/article/2188501/how-new-wellness-technology-will-help-us-lead?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Mar 2019 08:16:58 +0000 Renovating or redecorating an apartment is a process, and it begins with planning your space properly. If you zone your spaces cleverly, your home will feel balanced, it will function well, and it will flow beautifully. Planning space can be daunting, though – which is why we have compiled the advice of various interiors experts into nine handy tips and tricks. 1. Getting started For Jason Caroline Design, each project begins with a brief. “I’ll start by finding out about a client’s lifestyle,”... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/interiors-living/topics/premier-living/article/2187580/designers-share-tips?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/interiors-living/topics/premier-living/article/2187580/designers-share-tips?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Feb 2019 08:36:10 +0000 Although online and/or concierge grocery shopping is convenient, sometimes you just want to select the produce yourself. So, in 2019, consumers will be able to simply tap a button to summon the closest robotic grocery store on wheels. Will super-fast 5G internet really change the world? Once the Robomart arrives, people can head outside, unlock the doors and pick the products they want. When they are finished, they just close the doors and send it on its way. Robomart tracks what customers... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2180114/hi-tech-trends-2019-year-5g-ai-self-driving?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2180114/hi-tech-trends-2019-year-5g-ai-self-driving?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Dec 2018 06:45:45 +0000 Christmas Day is over and you’ve feasted until you cannot eat another thing. However, you still have leftovers – and you don’t want to waste them. It’s a conundrum that we have all found ourselves in, but, according to three Hong Kong chefs, these leftovers can be a blessing. All that is needed is a little creativity. Hi-tech Christmas party tricks: karaoke that keeps ‘tone-deaf’ singers in tune and holographic games are shape of things to come “It’s always possible to label and freeze fresh... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/food-drink/topics/premier-living/article/2179325/what-do-christmas-leftovers-3?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/food-drink/topics/premier-living/article/2179325/what-do-christmas-leftovers-3?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Dec 2018 03:14:50 +0000 It’s party season, so you want to wow your guests … but how do you impress them with something that has not been done before? 5 ways virtual reality is going to change your life From a hi-tech take on parlour games, to a personal robotic bartender, here are some ideas to put on a show-stopping party everyone will be talking about. Goggle-eyed games Australian computer software company Euclideon promises you and your guests a sensory experience like no other with its custom-made holographic... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2178230/hi-tech-christmas-party-tricks-karaoke-keeps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2178230/hi-tech-christmas-party-tricks-karaoke-keeps?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Dec 2018 02:04:02 +0000 Virtual reality (VR) may seem to have been created by the e-gaming industry, but it is set to change the daily lives of everyone – not just gamers – in mind-blowing ways. The computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional image or environment – either similar to the real world or fantastical – with which people can interact by using electronic equipment, such as helmets with screens and gloves with sensors, certainly makes it easy for things such as killing zombies in haunted houses. How... https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/2177191/forget-gaming-how-virtual-reality-set-transform?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/2177191/forget-gaming-how-virtual-reality-set-transform?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Dec 2018 04:08:50 +0000 Choosing a paint colour is a decorating decision people agonise over. Yet soon householders may be pondering further: what can my paint choice do for me? Turning a plain wall smart, or capturing energy from the atmosphere, are two of the possibilities that have already been discovered as scientists rethink uses for paint. Walls have ears Researchers have found a low-cost way to transform ordinary walls into smart infrastructure – simply by rolling on a hi-tech coat of paint. As the Internet of... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/interiors-living/topics/premier-living/article/2176139/smart-paints-colour-our?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/interiors-living/topics/premier-living/article/2176139/smart-paints-colour-our?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Dec 2018 08:32:08 +0000 How many thoughts cross your mind each day? According to preliminary research from the Laboratory of Neuro Imaging at the University of Southern California, in the United States, for the average person it’s anything up to 70,000 in 24 hours – or 48.6 thoughts per minute, even while sleeping. Let it go! Time to de-clutter your life and ‘delete’ old technology With so much crowding the brain space, some bright ideas that you’d like to hang on to may be gone before you know it. Scribbling something... https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/2174938/write-stuff-paperless-and-hi-tech-ways-make-note?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/2174938/write-stuff-paperless-and-hi-tech-ways-make-note?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Nov 2018 02:45:45 +0000 The “boutique hotel” came to life in a New York nightclub, Studio 54. Watching and mingling with the crowd that frequented the famed establishment in the 1970s, co-founders Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager realised their clientele wanted hospitality with personality – something different from the offerings of the homogenous, mass-market hotels of the time. Let it go! Time to de-clutter your life and ‘delete’ old technology So, in 1984 the duo launched the first Morgans Hotel in the city. With just... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/interiors-living/topics/premier-living/article/2173859/how-create-boutique-hotel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/interiors-living/topics/premier-living/article/2173859/how-create-boutique-hotel?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Nov 2018 03:20:09 +0000 Leading up to that one day of the year, you can feel the excitement building. Advertising pop-ups mark the countdown and calendar reminders are set. Some people even organise taking the day off work. How to get rid of the millions of harmful ‘house guests’ – you can’t see Finally, it is here: the annual launch of the latest smartphone model. And with it, last year’s shiny new handset, which had been unboxed with such reverence at the time, is suddenly yesterday’s “hero”. Things have no value if... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2172758/let-it-go-time-de-clutter-your-life-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2172758/let-it-go-time-de-clutter-your-life-and?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Nov 2018 06:40:49 +0000 You might not care to think about the hidden health hazards in your home. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Unless itching, scratching, lethargy and headaches remind you that all might not be well. When Dyson, the British household appliance company, decided to commission a random check of dust samples collected using its V6 cordless vacuum cleaners, the results were quite alarming. To filter or not to filter? Hi-tech devices tap into clean water debate Analysis of dust taken from mattresses,... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/health-wellness/topics/premier-living/article/2171651/how-get-rid-millions-harmful?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/health-wellness/topics/premier-living/article/2171651/how-get-rid-millions-harmful?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Nov 2018 02:00:15 +0000 “Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink,” bemoaned the becalmed sailor in Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. So what is the deal with our water? Can we drink it, straight from the tap – or not? The truth about robot cats and dogs: can they replace real pets? Some people will not even bathe in tap water without intervention. However, there are now new technologies that claim to improve water, with one even purporting to improve the water we use for mopping the... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/health-wellness/topics/premier-living/article/2170657/filter-or-not-filter-hi-tech?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/health-wellness/topics/premier-living/article/2170657/filter-or-not-filter-hi-tech?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Oct 2018 07:13:53 +0000 Tail wagging excitedly, little aibo follows its owner with cute, puppy dog eyes. He loves to be patted, has learnt to “high five”, and even knows when you have had a good – or bad – day. This latest incarnation from Sony robotics is not, of course, a real dog, but the most realistic version yet. Self-taught musicians hit the high notes on app-connected digital keyboards and string instruments “Born” with deep learning artificial intelligence (AI), pups in the aibo First Litter Edition can detect... https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/2169625/truth-about-robot-cats-and-dogs-can-they-replace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/2169625/truth-about-robot-cats-and-dogs-can-they-replace?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Oct 2018 06:02:39 +0000 The prolific Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – a child prodigy as a harpsichordist and pianist – could pick out chords at the age of three and was writing his own music by the time he was five. For most of us, though, mastering a musical instrument will take many years of dedicated practice. Ultimate relaxation: how to de-stress by floating inside a pod However, help is at hand, thanks to the latest digital technology, for those people who lack the time and patience – and funds to pay... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2168688/self-taught-musicians-hit-high-notes-app?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2168688/self-taught-musicians-hit-high-notes-app?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Oct 2018 13:54:20 +0000 In a world where everyone and everything seems to be permanently connected, it is increasingly difficult to completely “switch off”. Smart technology means we can be contacted anywhere at any time, but it is seen by many people as being at the root of the problem. However, it might also provide a solution. 3D printers can create human tissue, a house and smart ‘skin devices’, so what will future bring? The use of hi-tech relaxation pods, originally called isolation or sensory deprivation tanks –... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/health-wellness/topics/premier-living/article/2167529/ultimate-relaxation-how-you?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/health-wellness/topics/premier-living/article/2167529/ultimate-relaxation-how-you?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Oct 2018 11:59:19 +0000 Much of the hype around three-dimensional (3D) printing is materialising before our eyes. The World Economic Forum predicted in 2015 that the process of making a physical object from a three-dimensional digital model, typically by laying down many thin layers of a material in succession would “change the world”. Never-fading memories are made of ... digitalised photo albums The potential uses of 3D printing are limitless. Body parts, such as corneas … The latest breakthroughs include news in May... https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/innovation/topics/premier-living/article/2166639/3d-printers-create-human-tissue-house?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/innovation/topics/premier-living/article/2166639/3d-printers-create-human-tissue-house?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Oct 2018 08:05:22 +0000 “Gosh I miss the days of buying rolls of film, going somewhere to have them developed and then throwing out all the bad pictures that didn’t work out.” Certainly, no one ever said that ... and how times have changed. Digital photography on our smartphones enables our memories to be easily captured – instantly checked and, if necessary, retaken – every day, not just on special occasions. How you can protect your smart devices from cyberattack Yet thousands of images randomly stored are as... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2165445/never-fading-memories-are-made-digitalised?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2165445/never-fading-memories-are-made-digitalised?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Sep 2018 03:05:37 +0000 Digital home assistants do offer a lot of convenience. You do not need to get off the sofa to adjust the lighting and can live greener by commanding appliances to activate only when you need them. Yet what happens if your products using the Internet of Things (IoT) – the network of physical devices, vehicles, home appliances, and other items that are embedded with electronics, software and sensors which enables them to connect and exchange data – go rogue? Get smart by using hi-tech to turn... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2164469/how-you-can-protect-your-smart-devices-cyberattack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2164469/how-you-can-protect-your-smart-devices-cyberattack?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Sep 2018 02:46:29 +0000 Qualifications such as a master’s degree in business administration (MBA) can be a gold pass to career progression. However, not everyone has the time to pursue a course around their existing commitments, or the chance to pause their professional/working life to study full-time. Studying online is really convenient. It gives you the flexibility to combine study with work and other things Andrew Lancaster director, UniCurve What, then, if that coveted testamur – a certificate that proves an... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2163481/get-smart-using-hi-tech-turn-your-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2163481/get-smart-using-hi-tech-turn-your-home?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Sep 2018 03:11:49 +0000 “Sunflower, play my music and Hue, light the lamps.” You are sitting outside as day turns to dusk and do not have to lift a finger: the smart home Internet of Things (IoT) – the network of physical devices home appliances, vehicles and other items embedded with electronics, software and sensors which enables these things to connect and exchange data – which has recently moved outdoors, has done it all for you. Architect uses IoT to explore spatial design based on experience as fencer Bright idea... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2162404/bright-hi-tech-ideas-make-most-great-outdoors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2162404/bright-hi-tech-ideas-make-most-great-outdoors?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Sep 2018 02:06:43 +0000 When you buy a piece of designer furniture, you also bring a bit of the designer’s life experience into your home. In the case of Florence Kong, founder of Hong Kong-based architecture and design studio Fab-A-Matter, the experience is fencing. “Fencing is about movement through space between you and your opponent,” says Kong, who took up the sport when she was 10, and has represented Hong Kong. “You need to keep that distance to be safe, yet you also need to break that safety distance to hit and... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2161528/local-architect-uses-iot-explore-spatial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2161528/local-architect-uses-iot-explore-spatial?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Aug 2018 01:30:30 +0000 “Do I look fat in this?” There it is, the question dreaded by many on the receiving end. But worry not: you can now defer to a higher authority – a machine. AI (artificial intelligence) is reshaping the fashion industry, and in a crossover to retail, it’s set to change the shopping experience soon. Hongkongers were privy to what this will mean in the fitting room when Alibaba Group – the owner of South China Morning Post – and US fashion brand Guess launched a pilot FashionAI concept shop at... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2160038/which-outfit-looks-best-ai-set-give-shoppers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2160038/which-outfit-looks-best-ai-set-give-shoppers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Aug 2018 01:30:14 +0000 Promises, promises. 5G – the super-fast fifth-generation mobile internet – will be not only “game-changing”, but also life-changing, or so we are told. In keeping with the Smart City Blueprint for Hong Kong – a plan to make the city into a world-class smart environment and improve residents’ quality of life – Hong Kong hopes to be one of the first places in the world to roll it out. (The government projects it can be achieved in 2020.) How video gaming technologies are reshaping our homes Yet... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2159205/will-super-fast-5g-internet-really-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2159205/will-super-fast-5g-internet-really-change?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Aug 2018 01:30:49 +0000 When the Atari 2600 was released in 1977, video games – which up until then (and for the cost of a few coins) could only be played on large stand-up console units in amusement arcades – found their way into people’s homes. Families began to shape their living rooms into a space where they could “power up” into the digital world, and play popular games like Pac-Man to their hearts’ content. 6 smart gadgets to make your workout more hi-tech Gaming has come a long way since then, which got me... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2158204/how-video-gaming-technologies-are-reshaping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2158204/how-video-gaming-technologies-are-reshaping?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Aug 2018 01:30:00 +0000 Hong Kong’s recently announced green energy incentives for householders aren’t just about saving money: with an estimated 70 per cent of the local greenhouse gases coming from electricity generation, smarter solutions are needed. Here are some home-grown inventions that are helping to save Hong Kong – and the wider world – from pollutants produced on a daily basis. On the grill – Computime There are some domestic chores that smart home hubs are yet to master, like cooking the perfect steak. This... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2157098/5-hong-kong-tech-companies-are-powering?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2157098/5-hong-kong-tech-companies-are-powering?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Jul 2018 01:30:38 +0000 Its design should fit like a tailored suit – matching perfectly with those who use it. Style-wise, there “are no rights and wrongs”, says André Backemeier, director of marketing and design at Poggenpohl. But for a dream kitchen to sate even the most discerning domestic master chefs, it “must fulfil all of the functional criteria in addition to its attractive visuals”. According to Ingo Sigler, interior designer at Leicht, timelessly elegant and durable kitchen systems can form the heart of... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2156010/smart-kitchens-are-removing-separation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2156010/smart-kitchens-are-removing-separation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Jul 2018 01:32:47 +0000 Visitors to the Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang in February found out what it’s like being ferried in a vehicle without anyone at the wheel – courtesy of a fleet of driverless buses launched for the event by South Korean manufacturer Hyundai. For the rest of us, an autonomous driving future might be closer than we think. Luxury car brand Daimler affirmed that last week, in announcing a tie-up with artificial intelligence (AI) computing company Nvidia to develop systems architecture for fully... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2154990/car-makers-race-towards-driverless-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/topics/premier-living/article/2154990/car-makers-race-towards-driverless-future?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Jul 2018 01:32:39 +0000