JVC 2007: Liveblogging the keynote speech direct from Athens
We’re here in a hot conference room at the Intercontinental hotel in Athens, waiting for the highly-anticipated keynote speech to begin. All around us sit fellow journalists, from both the UK as well as Europe. There are many Japanese dealers here for this product launch trip as well, intent on purchasing the latest high-tech gizmos from JVC.
Bart Somsen, a representative of JVC, introduces several worthwhile notables, we all clap duly, and various Japanese and European bigwigs stand up and bow. Adolf Lassner takes place on stage and says many great things have been accomplished in the last 80 years since they’ve been in operation, shortly after he says this the stage is handed over to Masanori Katami, who begins by dispelling several ‘myths’ about JVC: first, that they only produce audio products – he says they offer much more now. JVC wants to reproduce ‘reality, meaning original sound reproduction, as well as original colour reproduction.’
When JVC launched their HD camcorders, the rest of the market were concentrating on producing DVD recorders instead. JVC knew they wouldn’t last forever, so concentrated on the future; they wanted to move forward, and forward they have moved.
Mr. Katami, after a longish discussion of HD-DVD and projectors etc, introduces his next topic, eco-friendly technology. The 110″ HD-ILA television is JVC’s latest attack on global warming, as it uses less energy than most other televisions.
JVC expects that the HD camcorder market is set to increase and increase, with the figure of 3,000,000 units being sold in 2009 being bandied around.
Actually, to be honest, this is a far cry from the Steve Jobs keynote and even the Bill Gates one – many people are chatting amongst themselves, playing solitaire on their mobile phones, checking emails etc – compared with the iPhone furore, it’s easy to feel that not much has been announced. For a clearer image of what JVC is offering, why not check out some of our earlier posts on the products announced, such as the Sophisti DD-8 Wireless Living Entertainment System, the Micro System, or even the Everio camcorder, definitely our product pick for the whole of this press trip.
