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bdcb87fca9ac325c434184804c55fc77 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemckendrick/2019/09/25/not-all-digital-platforms-make-it-to-the-finish-line/ | Not All Digital Platforms Make It To The Finish Line | Not All Digital Platforms Make It To The Finish Line
There’s been an endless stream of advice in recent years urging businesses to shift their models from traditional serial product or service delivery to platform thinking. Unfortunately, it’s easier said than done. When a group of researchers set out to measure the relative success rates of platform-based businesses over the past 20 years, they identified 43 successful platforms – and 209 failed attempts. What goes wrong in the shift to platforms?
The study, conducted by David B. Yoffie of Harvard, Annabelle Gawer of University of Surrey, and Michael A. Cusumano of MIT, calculated the average life of failed platforms at just under five years. “Many gig economy platforms collapsed within two to three years because they did not have enough users or funding.” Yoffie and his colleagues have also outlined their findings in a recent book, The Business of Platforms: Strategy in the Age of Digital Competition.
To get a sense of what a platform means, Irving Wladawsky-Berger, a mover-and-shaker who guided IBM into the Internet era, notes that a “platform strategy differs from a product strategy in that it relies on an external ecosystem to generate complementary innovations and/or business transactions. The effect is much greater potential for innovation and growth than a single product-oriented firm can generate alone.” Wladawsky-Berger adds that it’s the network effects that make platforms so compelling: “The more products or services a platform offers, the more users it will attract, helping it then attract more offerings, which in turn brings in more users, which then makes the platform even more valuable. Moreover, the larger the network, the more data is available to customize offerings to user preferences and better match supply and demand, further increasing the platform’s value.”
Looking at where platforms could go wrong, Yoffie and his team cite the following common misconceptions:
Implementing a platform strategy for the sake of having a platform: “Despite the huge upside opportunities that platforms offered, pursuing a platform strategy does not necessarily improve the odds of success as a business,” Yoffie and his co-authors point out. Customers still decide who will be successful – not a fancy platform.
Unrealistic pricing models: “Since platforms are ultimately driven by network effects, getting the prices right and identifying which sides to subsidize remain the biggest challenges.”
Lack of trust: “It is important to put trust front and center. Asking customers or suppliers to take a leap of faith, without history and without prior connections to the other side of a market, is usually asking too much of any platform business.”
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Timing is off: “Being early is preferable, but no guarantee of success: remember Sidecar. Being late can be deadly. Microsoft’s catastrophic delay in building a competitor to iOS and Android is a case in point.”
In an interview with Martha Lagace, published here at Forbes, Yoffie provides advice to conventional firms (the non-Googles of the world) on adopting a platform strategy: “You can belong to an existing platform, buy a platform if time to market is critical, or build one if you want to control your ecosystem. None of these strategies are without risk.” Perhaps the riskiest and most difficult challenge is to build a new platform. “Very few firms have been successful,” he states. “A lot have tried. It is something large, established firms under the right circumstances need to put on the agenda as an option they might pursue.” Even GE, a multi-billion-dollar enterprise with a huge pool of expertise, has been struggling with its platform efforts.
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fe521cd70f1b1b6e629c3a97688ccee7 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemckendrick/2020/05/10/everyone-seems-okay-with-remote-digital-collaboration-except-maybe-managers/?sh=204502c93d84 | Everyone Seems Okay With Remote Digital Collaboration, Except Maybe Managers | Everyone Seems Okay With Remote Digital Collaboration, Except Maybe Managers
Managers struggle to adapt to all-virtual collaboration from home Getty
Two-thirds of U.S. workers say their quality of worklife has improved amid the recent COVID-19 disruptions. However, managers and executives are having a tougher time with things.
That’s the word from a survey of 1,000 employees and managers, conducted in April by KPMG, based in New York, which finds that 64 percent of workers say their quality of work has actually improved amid the disruptive impact of COVID-19. They report greater collaboration (70 percent) and that their team has effectively adapted to working together (82 percent) during this time.
Fifty-nine percent indicate that they had adequate resources to do their job remotely, and they also reported that their team is effectively using technology to communicate (87 percent).
However, those in management reported having a harder time adapting in comparison to non-management respondents, the KPMG survey shows. Managers are more likely to state their jobs are more demanding now (67 percent of managers versus 50 percent of staff employees), work/life balance is more difficult (63 percent versus 47 percent), and work is overwhelming (55 percent versus 39 percent).
Not every executive is uncomfortable with collaborating virtually, of course. Heinan Landa, CEO and founder of Optimal Networks, based in Rockville, Maryland, and author of The Modern Law Firm: How to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Technological Change, finds "video can be more intimate than face-to-face meetings. If you think about it, video meetings can be one of the most intense and intimate forms of communication. There are no distracting stimuli beyond what happens to be in your home office. It’s just a close-up view of two faces where you’ll catch every subtle expression, and be too engrossed in focused back-and-forth to dare reaching for your phone. After being part of several virtual coffees and lunches over the past few weeks, I’ve found that I’m actually having more substantive conversations in a shorter amount of time."
In today’s situation, it’s urgent that managers become more comfortable with managing remote workforces. "My research on innovation in virtual teams suggests that leaders are the glue that can keep teams together," says Ravi Gajendran, associate professor of global leadership and management at Florida International University College of Business in Miami. "Leaders can foster member inclusion in remote teams through personalized leadership by reaching out to each member. Frequent communication and a personal connection are critical for members feeling part of the team. By creating proactive norms of member inclusion and psychological safety, remote teams can be just as innovative as teams working in-person.”
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Nonetheless, 40 percent of workers in the KPMG survey say they were left to navigate changes with inadequate resources. Among those who transitioned to working remotely, the most commonly cited challenges, after caring for children, are not having a workspace or desk and not having access to shared folders or collaboration tools.
There are clues in the way collaboration platforms are being used. Box, a Redwood City, California-based provider of file-and-data-storage services for more than 100,000 companies as well as millions of individuals, put its data scientists to work analyzing a massive set of completely anonymized data from usage patterns around the platform. In their analysis, the Box team found dramatically stepped-up digital collaboration — growing 19 percent between the last two weeks of February and March of 2020. “We've seen that not only is there more collaboration happening within companies, but also between different companies, and these trends apply to many industries.”
What kinds of files and data are all these companies sharing and collaborating on? “It's obvious that we're seeing increased usage of digital communication tools like Zoom, Slack, Microsoft Teams, and WebEx during these times,” the Box analysts found. “But we're also seeing that people need digital ways to collaborate on their content during these virtual meetings, since we can no longer physically whiteboard ideas or mark up documents.” Leading file types across all industries include PDFs, JPEG, Microsoft Excel, PNG, and Microsoft Word, the Box analysis found. Within specific industries, DICOM images, which include things like X-rays, are increasingly being shared in healthcare for telemedicine. In architecture and engineering firms, large CAD files are also migrating to the cloud.
“Remote work can be isolating, but technology has advanced to the point where it doesn’t have to be,” says Steve Wilson, VP of product for cloud and IoT at Citrix, based in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. “Digital workspaces make it easy for people around the world to access all of the apps and information they need to collaborate and continue to innovate. Video conferencing, chat and instant messaging tools within these platforms enable rich, personal communications that allow teams to engage as if they were together in a room. To test new products as if they were actually in the field. To learn new skills in digitally enhanced classrooms. And emerging technologies like virtual reality and augmented reality will take this to new levels, as we will literally be able to put ourselves in new worlds with our peers, partners and customers.”
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7381187b8765381ccef0bef2f5912748 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemckendrick/2020/11/11/tomorrows-digital-careers-technologists-need-business-skills-businesspeople-need-technology-skills/ | Tomorrow’s Digital Careers: Technologists Need Business Skills, Businesspeople Need Technology Skills | Tomorrow’s Digital Careers: Technologists Need Business Skills, Businesspeople Need Technology Skills
What skills will matter? getty
Every organization wants to build their future on digital technologies, but what does it take to make it all happen? To get a better sense of the skills and talents that will be in demand, I recently reached out to experts and entrepreneurs across the landscape to get their views on what it takes to build a career in this new world. This is the first report in an ongoing series.
Because of the Covid crisis, the year 2025 arrived early, at least as far as digital transformation goes. The contactless enterprise, with its contactless workplace and contactless customer transactions became an overnight necessity. This has had an impact on career prospects, as well — and not all on the technology side. Companies desperately need people with the skills to build and maintain digital environments, but also people who know how to convert these digital capabilities into customer experiences and business growth.
This means career opportunities across the board, with a hard lean to appreciating the power of technology, while understanding that it is not a be-all and end-all in itself. Professionals in all areas may be losing something if they focus too much on technology skills. “’Can you code?’ ‘Do you Slack or Teams?’ ‘Have you developed an app?,’ ‘Can you build a website?’ I hear these questions from the entrepreneurs as they speak to potential employees,” says Dr. Michele Migliuolo, executive director of the Center for Excellence in Entrepreneurship at Duquesne University. “’What have you sold?’ has been replaced with ‘How many followers do you have?’ Similarly, ‘How big is your Rolodex?’ has been made obsolete by ‘How many influencers are in touch with?’ Our tech-enabled society is losing sight of the most important skill necessary to succeed at anything: customer relations. Young professionals unknowingly offend their clients by being too informal, by assuming they know what the client is thinking, and by not knowing what the client needs. In other words, they are not trained to listen to the client.”
Emerging job titles are blending business and technology skills. For instance, one role on the rise is a “head of innovation enablement,” who will “concentrate on identifying the technologies and services prime for innovation and charts the path to achieve those innovations at scale,” observes John Mullen, president of Capgemini North America. Another potential job is “head of AI governance,” who recognizes that “rather than being housed either in IT or business operations, AI becomes its own focus area within an organization – allowing data scientists to maximize their full potential.”
Many emerging jobs also “will likely be deeply integrated with social media, content and the continued acceleration of the use of voice activation and IoT,” predicts Kayla Eggenberg, director of PR and content strategy at Smith Kroeger. “The types of paths that will lead the way for the next generation of digital careers will be able to integrate paid and organic content to drive a more impactful result to the bottom line. Businesses in which the digital team is directly tied to sales teams and customers so they’re able to learn will be the first to notice new trends and be able to adapt as the digital economy expands.”
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In terms of technology skills, the Covid crisis “showed a clear need for businesses to balance agility and resiliency – with the ability to scale operations in a secure and connected way," says Mullen. "As the digital economy expands, I expect to see careers in cloud, cybersecurity services, product engineering, service innovation and digital technology flourish over the next five years. In addition, as businesses enhance their capabilities through technologies like 5G and analytics/AI, those who have careers specializing in these technologies should continue to see enormous growth."
Non-technical careers such as financial, marketing, sales, or HR also “lean on automation, AI, data trending, predictive analytics, and many more digital capabilities,” Mullen points out. “For non-technical professionals, my advice is: don’t hesitate. Take the steps to gain the necessary knowledge and learn the skills to be able to function successfully in a tech-centric world. Understanding how to leverage technology to do your job efficiently and being well-versed in your organization’s own technology capabilities will be essential.”
Even at this moment, “there are jobs out there that we never could have fathomed five years ago, such as AI social media story filter designers and TikTok viral dance choreographers — who are working behind the scenes to keep social media users interested and engaged on social platforms,” says Eggenberg. “Other emerging job titles still relatively unknown are often hybrid roles that combine varied levels of experience with multiple digital capabilities, like SEO, content and social selling. Those who have diversified skills within the digital realm will see more opportunities, as opposed to people who specialize in narrow areas, especially as businesses discover they may not have understood the diversity needed in digital capabilities to the extent that they need today – someone who can build websites isn’t necessarily the same person who is adept at UX or database configuration but can be if you hire right or develop them professionally.”
Still, in the coming months and years, tried-and-true business skills will be just as vital as ever. “We must not lose sight of the basics, and we must teach old-fashioned skills that made the American economy the biggest in the world: hit the bricks, say ‘how may I help you?’ and deliver the right product, right the first time, on time, and on budget,” says Migliuolo. “Yes, when we think about pursuing careers as entrepreneurs, we think of being committed and determined, courageous, obsessed with opportunity, tolerant of risk, creative, self-reliant, adaptive, motivated to excel, quick thinking, endlessly patient, empathetic, and resilient. Let us not forget, as we build our businesses using money from our piggybanks, from our friends, and from our investor shareholders, that our families are supported first by monies coming from our customers.”
Diversify your digital skill set, “speak up and don’t be afraid to lead,” Eggenberg urges. “There are many courses, certifications and webinars that are available to pick up new skills to make ourselves more valuable to our companies and that can expedite career progression.” In addition, “digital technologies like social media management software, influencer databases and CRM tools are also playing a huge role in launching new enterprises and streamlining processes within existing companies, especially in agencies when there are multiple teams touching projects at the same time. Being able to analyze results of your digital strategies and having the freedom to pivot or change course could be the difference between a successful customer interaction and a negative experience.”
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d5b0a1ec2bea7b47a9e86e357ef46536 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemckendrick/2020/11/30/the-next-boom-moving-faster-than-ever-but-in-a-more-human-centered-way/?sh=1d41ecc275b7 | The Next Boom: Moving Faster Than Ever, But In A More Human-Centered Way | The Next Boom: Moving Faster Than Ever, But In A More Human-Centered Way
Nothing is ever completely "contactless" getty
This is the latest installment of my ongoing series of discussions with entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and corporate leaders on what to expect as the world recovers in the post-Covid era in terms of technology and innovation.
Oh the humanity!
The push has been on for a number of years toward a “contactless” enterprise through and through, in which we can buy products and services from companies without ever having to brush past another human being. And inside, things would get done without any human intervention. Such efforts have proceeded with fits and starts, but Covid suddenly put everyone on the same page, all at the same time.
The final ironically, though, is that it’s going to take a lot of human contact to build “contactless” enterprises. We need people to execute on ideas and design and build the systems. We need people behind those systems. And, most of all, we need people to come up with new ideas. We need fresh thinking. As we come out of the other end of the Covid crisis, expect to see a whole new perspective on meeting the challenges and opportunities ahead.
“The coronavirus has been a catalyst for change,” relates Rob Cavallaro, chief investment officer and chief product officer for Robustwealth. “We are seeing incredible innovation in medical technology as the industry rushes to find a vaccine, develop therapeutics and produce personal protective equipment. The energy, creativity, and mobilization of resources is something we haven't seen since World War II. New industries are being born before our very eyes as entrepreneurs rush to fill the void created by the pandemic. It is both scary and exciting at the same time.”
Hands-on entrepreneurial know-how is in great to demand to address the world’s needs and problems. “The biggest takeaway I have from talking to founders right now is there’s a sense that Covid-19 has really accelerated digital transformation and companies that automate business functions are receiving more attention than ever before — resulting in a real hunger from entrepreneurs to get out there and really quickly solve customers’ problems,” says Brian Shortsleeve, co-founder and managing director of M33 Growth. “This is a unique time when entrepreneurs with cloud-based solutions already have the full attention of potential customers.”
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Cloud, for one, is the most crucial technology needed today to support a vastly expanded base of remote or work-from-home employees. “If organizations need an entire team—finance or compliance, for example—to work from home, that’s only made possible if all those internal applications are in the cloud,” says Shortsleeve. “The shift to remote work earlier this year drove organizations to increasingly and rapidly look for ways to move faster, reduce operating expenses and focus on their most important work. Cloud software is the most important technology right now as businesses look to get every internal application they have into the cloud so they can turn their entire workforce remote if needed, without ever missing a beat.”
Imagine the positive, human-centered developments coming out of the next new wave of innovation. “Today’s entrepreneurs and innovators are embracing technology as a way to disrupt oppressive, unethical, dangerous, and unhealthy systems and jobs,” notes James Zhang, CTO of Bright App. “Factory jobs and similar positions may be disappearing, but these jobs are notoriously difficult, dangerous, and exploitative. Entrepreneurs and innovators are embracing technology to dream up and create new jobs that never existed before.”
This includes technology such as robotics and AI “as a means of empowering people with access to safe means of earning an income,” Zhang continues. “We’re also embracing technology like social media as a means of holding corporations to higher standards of social responsibility than ever before.” As an example, the Covid-19 crisis has resulted in “countless entrepreneurs and tech innovators coming up with never-before-thought-of solutions to reduce social contact, kill or prevent the spread of germs and viruses, and improve medical systems worldwide.”
The recent crisis has also spurred new thinking about the resiliency of our systems and economy — and even the practical worth of products and services delivered. “Today’s environment forces businesses to have one thought constantly in mind: what if, tomorrow, nobody was able to get out of their home for the next three months?” asks Sacha Labourey, CEO of CloudBees. “Would I still be able to deliver value? Would my service still be useful? That logically forces organizations to accelerate their digital transformation, and invest where they can truly differentiate. This, in turn, accelerates the adoption of cloud.”
Sorely needed at this time, Labourey emphasizes, are systems that can help people thrive in remote or distributed environments. This extends to customers as well as employees. “Think restaurants and touchless delivery to your home. This is the environment that will likely continue even as we emerge from the coronavirus pandemic.”
And with it, a permanent sea change in the way companies organize themselves — contactless, yet accommodating to the human touch. “The pandemic is a calamity, but at least some of its repercussions will, I believe, come to be regarded as a gift – a necessary wake-up call to organizations to fully live within the work-from-home paradigm,” says Adam Stern, CEO and founder of Infinitely Virtual. “That means recognizing that the cloud can deliver greater efficiencies, more meaningful measurement and incentive systems, lower real estate costs and, most significantly, a new complement of strategies that enable teams to coalesce in different, improved ways.”
Developing technologies to empower employees remotely “is a clarion call for the industry to develop solutions that currently don’t exist,” Stern continues. “Zoom, Salesforce and Microsoft Teams aren’t addressing some of the harder questions, the human questions that, when answered, may help organizations perform at maximum potential. AI may well be part of the mix; in any case, it’s clear that the pandemic has helped rethink the effectiveness agenda for organizations across the economy.”
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3b7eeb0dbb4e382ddf3534d40b6e088a | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemckendrick/2021/02/22/after-a-bruising-year-logistics-and-supply-chains-are-ripe-for-technology-disruption/?sh=25a46e885365 | After A Bruising Year, Logistics And Supply Chains Are Ripe For Technology Disruption | After A Bruising Year, Logistics And Supply Chains Are Ripe For Technology Disruption
Technology is changing the way we deliver goods and services. getty
The Covid-19 crisis opened many eyes across the world to the importance of adding as much intelligence as possible to our supply chain and logistics networks. Supply chains were stretched to their limits and hindered by delays, and logistics providers were overbooked and overworked. Somehow, fortunately, the system held together.
What we’ve learned is this is an area that is begging for disruption. Technology initiatives such as the Internet of Things, mobile apps, artificial intelligence, and potentially blockchain technology promise to remake the logistics sector.
In short, as with everyone else, logistics companies are becoming software and data companies. This means lots of opportunities for technology professionals as well as entrepreneurs seeking to make their own imprints on the way goods and services are delivered.
Scott Sureddin, North America CEO of DHL Supply Chain, has been watching these opportunities unfold firsthand, and agrees this is a sector ripe for major disruption. The industry “has attracted a lot of attention from entrepreneurs, innovators and technology investors who are looking at opportunities to disrupt the industry,” he says. “Logistics is an industry that has huge potential to benefit from technology, due to the fact that many companies still employ a lot of manual processes in their operations,” he says. In addition, “there is a huge amount of data generated — often processed inefficiently — and there is a lot of inefficiency, both in the utilization of capacity and in areas such as the last-mile.”
While disrupting an industry with massive fleets of trucks, trains, planes and ships is not an overnight process — “we do not think that it will be easy to fundamentally disrupt the sector with technology – due to cost pressure and the vast number of variables in any supply chain,” Sureddin says — technology will certainly upend the traditional ways business has been done. “We strongly believe in the power of technology to significantly boost productivity, increase efficiency and give companies better visibility and forecasting ability,” he says.
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DHL itself has made a commitment to invest more than $300 million in emerging technologies in North America alone, Sureddin adds. Technologies such as cloud, AI, digital will help boost businesses in this space. “Artificial Intelligence can impact companies’ supply chains both directly and indirectly,” he says. “Directly, it can enable them to better analyze the vast amounts of data that are generated within any supply chain and provide enhanced forecasting ability, which in turn allows them to optimize inventory levels and reduce exceptions. Indirectly, it can provide the platform on which new technologies – such as collaborative robotics and autonomous vehicles – can operate and continuously improve their performance and effectiveness.”
There isn’t just one particular technology that will be changing logistics and supply chains — there are at least 14, Sureddin adds. Areas with the highest level of productivity improvements for DHL are collaborative robotics, autonomous vehicles and artificial intelligence, he notes. “Collaborative robotics, in particular, has already allowed us to achieve meaningful productivity improvements in our customers’ operations, reducing time spent by associates on routine or physically demanding tasks and moving around warehouses, which also improves safety.” Additional benefits include “decreasing manual errors, increasing pick rates and even bringing onboarding times for new hires down from a few weeks to just two days.”
DHL has also expanded its use of LocusBots, which are autonomous robots capable of heavy lifting, and planned to have more than 1,000 in operation across 12 sites in North America, he continues.
The sector is also seeing new types of business models evolving as well. “One of the biggest drivers of change within our sector is e-commerce, both in terms of retail and also the use of e-commerce in other sectors,” Sureddin says. “For example, in industrial sectors, where some manufacturers are starting to bypass distributors and other intermediaries with direct-to-consumer offerings.”
This is reshaping the supply chain, “with the profile of SKUs changing — usually becoming smaller and more varied — and customers being challenged to implement omnichannel strategies to serve their customers via different channels,” he continues. He also is seeing the rise of digital freight platforms, “which have the potential to increase the efficiency of freight transport by connecting more available capacity with shippers and improving utilization.”
The supply chain and logistics sector is already significantly different from 3-5 years ago,” Sureddin says. “We see higher rates of deployment of technology across all sectors, and this is being accelerated by the fact that various technologies are becoming more advanced, more accessible and better integrated with other technologies. This means that more solutions are becoming interoperable, such as collaborative robotics that can communicate with each other across different activities.”
E-commerce “has also changed the profile of shipments, reduced average batch sizes, and changed transportation networks – by increasing the amount of direct-to-consumer orders and challenging companies to embrace omnichannel,” he adds. “This has made technology even more of an imperative, as companies seek to make their supply chains more flexible, responsive and efficient, while also addressing the challenge of the labor shortage that we have seen in the warehousing and transportation sectors.”
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07ab3e85a483e42b332bad6f80f39171 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemckendrick/2021/04/21/corporate-leaders-grade-work-from-home-one-year-later/ | Corporate Leaders Grade Work From Home, One Year Later | Corporate Leaders Grade Work From Home, One Year Later
Many forward-looking business leaders say work-from-anywhere has been a win-win. getty
What have we been learning from the Great Dispersal, the forced work-from-home/work-from-anywhere experiment that was thrust upon us more than a year ago? Are companies inclined to continue support these arrangements once the Covid crisis lifts?
At least three leading executives say they’re happy with the arrangements. Gadi Shamia, co-founder and CEO of Replicant; Faisal Pandit, president of Panasonic System Solutions of North America; and Chris Port, chief operating officer of Boomi, a Dell Technologies business, provided their experiences with managing a remote workforce over the past year, and what they see in the months and years ahead.
What lessons have organizations learned about working from anywhere/home over the past year? Did this change management thinking about these arrangements?
Gadi Shamia, Replicant: “Before the pandemic, we, like so many other tech companies, had a semi-distributed workforce. We had an office in San Francisco, an office in Toronto, and the rest of the team was distributed globally. In early March 2020, we sent everyone to work from home, and by May, we terminated the leases on both offices.”
“We realized that the pandemic and working from home made it hard to keep a work/life balance, so we made sure not to schedule late meetings and started Slack channels dedicated to personal interests like cooking, pets, and recharge activities. The recharge channel is an important tool that helps to normalize and encourage work/life balance with employees to share the fun activities we do outside of work.”
“Not only do we allow and reimburse things like headphones, good monitors and webcams, we also created the ‘HONOI (Home Office Nonessential Office Improvement) Fund,’ which can be used by employees to make their home office more pleasant. Our employees have used it to buy unique lamps, office plants, desks and other design elements that make their workspace more pleasant.”
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Faisal Pandit, Panasonic: "Like many organizations, we had to quickly shift to a fully-remote base and prioritize digitally transforming existing IT infrastructures to support our workers and customers across a global network. In an all-remote work situation, we were forced to reevaluate business processes to determine where improvements and efficiencies could be made not losing sight of the importance of enhancing our customer connection and engagement.”
Chris Port, Boomi: "I was fortunate to have an easy transition to work-from-home. My children are teenagers and largely self-sustaining. But for a lot of other people working at Boomi, it was much more challenging. Young parents lost childcare. Many young professionals lost a network. It’s paramount that leaders are very flexible. We’re guiding employees through a, hopefully, once in a lifetime situation that’s different for everyone. You need to embrace everyone’s circumstances; ensure everyone is taking care of themselves, mentally and physically; and lead by example."
Will work from anywhere/home still be allowed on a mass scale once Covid is behind us?
Shamia: “We don't plan to have a traditional office again, as we learned for the first time in working remotely that all employees are more equal when it comes to communication flow and meetings. A pre-pandemic meeting often involved five people in a room and one or two people on the large TV which meant that we were more likely to focus on the people near us and less so on remote employees. Today, everyone shares the same office space on a Zoom screen, which means everyone is prioritized equally.”
“It is probably the best way to enable diverse hires. Working remotely is easier on parents, people with disabilities, introverts that may not like noisy offices, and people of color worldwide. There may not be enough diversity in San Francisco, but there is much more if you expand your search to the entire country, which remote work has made possible.”
“Most employees are also happier since they can do things they could never do before. One of our teammates moved temporarily to Joshua Tree to be with his girlfriend while working on an art project. I spent a few months in London with my wife while she was completing her MBA. Because of remote work, people can mix life and work, and not everything has to be placed on hold. “
Port: "What I know of the future is that Boomi is not going to be a 100% office-bound environment. We also aren’t going to be a 100% work-from-anywhere company. We’re going to make a way for everyone to get what they need most from work, in office or outside of it.”
“I believe we’re actually going to see productivity spike in a sustainable way after the pandemic. These past few months, we’ve learned what works best for us and when. Some people need to be in the office, at a desk five-days a week to be productive. Others don’t. Some need it now, but won’t in the future. Certain customers will want you to jump on a plane to help them in-person, others have found they don’t need that. All of this is valid and expected and when Covid is behind us, and daycares and schools reopen, and we regain structure in our lives, I think you will see a productivity spike.”
What technologies have proven to be most effective for these arrangements?
Sharmia: “Almost a year in, I am surprised to discover that the most essential products we used before are still the same we use today. Slack is still our primary way to communicate, we continue using Zoom to have meetings, and we still use wikis, email and calendar to manage our time and internal communication. We have tried using digital whiteboard products, and some team members enjoyed it. We also implemented a virtual office product that allowed us to create rooms and drop in for impromptu conversations. The idea was very promising, but it was not widely adopted.”
“Another tool that didn't stick was an online icebreaker game. People loved it at first, but it quickly became old. The main takeaway is that expanding the way you use the tools you already have is better than adopting a new and narrow tool that can only do one thing. The cost of deciding which tools to use coupled with learning new tools, can become counterproductive.”
Pandit: “We introduced many digital elements, including virtual tradeshow booths and an interactive customer experience center. We also focused on providing the necessary platforms for our sales teams to engage with and for our customer service centers to function remotely, ensuring our customers, especially first responders, experience the same level of support they’re used to.”
“What we learned is that having the skills necessary to navigate this new environment is just as important as having the right technology in place. While existing in this virtual world, we’ve been pushed harder to innovate how we connect with our coworkers and customers. A big part of that has simply been embracing empathy, understanding that everyone has a lot going on both personally and professionally and having the right platforms and digital content hubs to offer an accessible line of communication is critical.”
Port: "We’ve relied on a lot of collaboration and white boarding tools during the pandemic. But what I’ve found important for remote work isn’t whether technology lives up or down to expectations, it’s how we integrate it into our culture and truly connect with one another. Those connections are both at the core of our technology, and it’s at the core of our work culture.”
What has been the impact on corporate culture and hierarchies? Are companies flatter, more network-driven as a result? Or is communication/openness stifled?
Shamia: “Organizations didn't become flatter or more networked; the only thing that changed was the intentionality of workplace communications and relationships. As a CEO, I would have a chat with the intern we hired in the San Francisco office during lunch, but not the one we hired in Toronto. Now, I make sure that I meet every new employee or intern in a planned meeting. Everyone has the same access to information which means not being in the office is no longer a career-limiting move, and it opens up exciting opportunities. If you love to ski, you can live in Tahoe; if your parents are older, you can visit them more regularly. “
Port: "Boomi has become a flatter culture since the pandemic began. A great example is how we put out a call to action to all employees on how we could help customers, each other and our broader community during the pandemic. People from all over Boomi came together, and we created solutions like ‘Answers on Demand.’ We’ve strengthened our entrepreneurial roots at Boomi even more over the last few months. Everyone who has an idea is encouraged to bring it forward. All employees have a say in how we can make the customer more successful and how to make Boomi a better place.”
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6136c4af25bf28e305ed9ece643abbae | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemckendrick/2021/04/21/only-a-handful-of-enterprises-are-ready-for-a-digital-data-driven-future/ | Only A Handful Of Enterprises Are Ready For A Digital, Data-Driven Future | Only A Handful Of Enterprises Are Ready For A Digital, Data-Driven Future
Cloud computing has done more than any other technology initiative to prepare us for a digital ... [+] future getty
What’s ahead in the next few years? Who knows? But it’s nice to know there’s plenty of optimism about the future, much of it made possible by technology. There is no shortage of conferences that look at the future technology is bringing us, and optimistically, some are even going to be in-person events as well as livestreamed. Future Festival is an ongoing series of virtual events that explore the changes on the horizon. The Wall Street Journal just announced a “Future of Everything” Festival with its visionary ideas and promises of flying cars. The Future Technology Conference to be held in Vancouver as well as online later this year that explores the technology trends — from AI to blockchain — that will shape our jobs and lives in the coming era.
It’s well-known that many of the companies working on delivering the visions of a technology-enhanced future — startups come to mind, of course — have seen huge valuations.
But what’s it like on the ground — you know, with the 99.999% of companies that are not techie startups with piles of VC money led by 22-year-old Stanford grads? How prepared are people and their organizations to adopt, adapt and actualize on the promising digital technologies being pitched as the path to the future?
There is a prevailing belief that dropping scads of expensive new technology on top of people will suddenly turn an organization into a profit machine. That’s only part of the story — what is required is inspired, forward-looking management that unleashes its people to pursue ideas, using the best technology tools they choose to get their jobs done.
Alas, not that many enterprises are even prepared to move in this direction in a bold way, a new study involving 1,100 business leaders by Accenture finds. Only a handful — seven percent — are at what they consider a “future-ready level.”
For purposes of the report, the Accenture team defined “future-ready” as engaging in intelligent operations, have greater agility, use advanced technologies, and have learned to effectively combine and coordinate data, analytics and artificial intelligence capabilities. These forward-looking enterprises have lower operating expenses, greater profits, the study finds. “On average, organizations we found to be future-ready showed a 2.8x boost in corporate profitability and 1.7x higher efficiency than at lower maturity levels.”
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Along with very progressive management, that small handful of future-ready businesses can thank the cloud for their good fortunes. “Ninety percent of future-ready organizations use cloud infrastructure at scale today,” the study’s authors, Manish Sharma and Kaushal Mody, report. “In the past, it would have taken organizations at least three years to advance even a single operations maturity level. But now, moving ahead is much easier to accelerate thanks to the cloud and how it enhances data and analytics.”
Looking at the research, Sharma and Mody provide three steps that are essential to becoming more future ready:
Augment human talent with technology: “By fostering a human-and-machine workforce, people will be freed up for more creative and critical thinking—the best way to identify new sources of value,” Sharma and Mody state. “More than one-third (34%) of future-ready organizations have already adopted an agile workforce strategy at scale. They can tap into ecosystem partners to mobilize people with special skills as needed. In three years, that figure is expected to rise to 71%. But only three percent of organizations at the [lagging] level have adopted agile workforce strategies at scale. Just 28% expect to reach this goal in three years.”
Commit to data-driven decision-making— using better, more diverse data: “As business complexities have multiplied, so too has the need for comprehensive, high-quality data to inform decision-making,” the Accenture team states. “By using diverse data (structured and unstructured, internal and external, value chain vs. siloed) and elevating data quality, executives will be able to combine the best of both in a continuous feedback loop. More than half (52%) of the organizations with future-ready operations are already using analytics at scale. Just three percent of [lagging] organizations say the same.
Automate at scale: “By 2023, nearly five times as many company executives expect their operating models to run end-to-end digitized processes compared to today,” the Accenture authors predict. “Among organizations with future-ready operations, 38% are scaling AI, with 63% planning to have scaled AI in three years’ time. In stark contrast, just one percent of [lagging] organizations are currently scaling AI, and 20% expect to have scaled AI in three years’ time.
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f352096b2edae47ee94bd79d8c32f4c1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2018/05/17/is-it-whisky-or-whiskey-and-why-it-matters/ | Is It Whisky Or Whiskey And Why It Matters | Is It Whisky Or Whiskey And Why It Matters
A 19th century advertisement for Cork Distilleries Photo, J Micallef
The Irish spell whiskey with an e between the k and the y while their Scottish counterparts leave out the e. The distinction, in addition to being the bane of proof readers, also offers some important insights into the evolution and history of whisky.
Canada, India and Japan, the three other major whisky producers, also follow the Scottish spelling. Most of the rest of the world has followed suit. The US follows the Irish example and spells whiskey with an e, although there are a number of major exceptions. George Dickel, Makers Mark and Old Forester all follow the Scottish spelling.
There are any number of theories to explain the alternative spelling of whiskies, from differing translations of uisge beatha, the original name for whisky, between Irish and Scotch Gaelic to myopic typesetters or personal taste. The reality, however, is far more complex.
Until the late 19th century, most of the world spelled whisky without an e. Even the major Irish distillers, then the biggest in the world, followed the practice, as did American distillers.
In 1860, the Gladstone government passed the Spirits Act. The act allowed whisky blenders, for the first time, to create blends consisting of grain whisky and single malts. At the time, Ireland was the center of the world’s whisky production.
Irish distillers were producing around 70% of the world’s whisky. Irish whiskey was the most popular in the world, even out selling its Scottish rivals in England and Scotland.
Dublin, Belfast, Derry and Cork were the centers of Irish whiskey production. Royal Irish Distillers in Belfast had a capacity of 2.5 million gallons of whiskey a year. They produced Dunville's, for many years the best-selling Irish whiskey in the US. They also had the largest inventory of aging whiskey in Great Britain. Today Dunville's Whiskey is produced by the Echlinville distillery in Northern Ireland.
A 19th century sign for Dunville's Whisky Photo, J Micallef
Dublin had six distillers, four of which, John Jameson, William Jameson, John Power and George Roe, dominated the trade. The four distillers had a combined capacity of around 5 million gallons of whiskey a year. By the late 19th century, 40% of Dublin’s work force was employed by the distilling and brewing industry and their related suppliers.
Derry and Cork had equally large distillers. Cork’s West Cork Distillers, which owned the North Mall and the Midleton distilleries, the latter the predecessor to Irish Distillers Ltd New Midleton Distillery where Jameson whiskey is produced today, had a capacity of 1.5 million gallons.
Derry’s Watts Distillery, where the Tyrconnell brand of whiskey was produced, had a capacity of 2 million gallons. Today the Tyrconnell brand is owned by Cooley Distillery, a subsidiary of Beam-Suntory.
At the time, the largest Scotch whisky producer, The Glenlivet Distillery, had a capacity of around 200,000 gallons.
According to Alfred Barnard, the late 19th century chronicler of the whisky industry in Great Britain, there were only a handful of Scotch whisky distilleries whose capacity exceeded 100,000 gallons.
Blending grain whisky and single malts allowed Scotch whisky blenders to create a style of whisky that was very similar to Irish whiskeys but cheaper to produce. The Scots also proved to be brilliant marketers and packagers and made steady inroads into Irish whiskey’s global market share.
In response, the big four Irish distillers banded together to produce a book in 1879, denouncing the use of grain whisky in blends; arguing that such blends “cannot be whisky, and it ought not to be sold under that name.” Significantly, the book, titled Truths About Whisky, spelled whisky without an e.
The issue was eventually settled by the 1908 Royal Commission on Whiskey and other Potable Spirits. The commission issued a report the following year where it concluded that blended whisky could still be called whisky. Interestingly, the Commission spelled whiskey in the title of their report with an e but the official report that the British government submitted to parliament spelled whisky without an e.
Over the course of the late 19th century, many of the big Irish distillers began to spell whiskey with an e in order to differentiate their whiskey from its Scottish competitors. The practice, however, was not uniform.
Many Irish distillers, especially the smaller regional producers, continued with the conventional spelling. Paddy, at the time a regional whisky brand in Cork, didn’t switch to the Irish spelling of whiskey until the 1960s. Making things even more complicated, some of the smaller distillers had never abandoned spelling whiskey with an e.
A bottle of Paddy Irish Whisky with historic packaging Photo, courtesy Celtic Whiskey Shop
The American spelling of whisky went through a similar evolution. During the 19th century, most American distillers spelled whisky without an e.
In the late 19th century and the early part of the 20th century, Irish whiskey was second only to Canadian whisky as the best-selling whiskey in the US. It was not until after the repeal of the Volstead Act, which formally ended the American experiment with prohibition, that Scotch whisky surpassed Irish whiskey sales.
Since Irish whiskey was more popular, was considered by many to be of a higher quality than Scotch whisky and sold at a roughly 25% premium, many American distillers, tried to associate their products with Irish whiskey and adopted the Irish spelling. The practice of spelling whiskey with an e stuck, even after Irish whiskey sales declined.
For many years the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) used the historic spelling of whisky, although it now uses the American spelling in public communications. Many existing US laws, however, still preserve the historic, i.e., 19th century spelling of whisky.
The spelling of whisky is an interesting historical footnote in the evolution of the world’s whisky industry. Whether spelled with an e or without, it remains one of the world’s favorite drinks.
Sláinte
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fa63b3bc90c23f2ea28f1872f2beb059 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2018/12/01/whats-in-your-cellar-counterfeit-wines-are-a-multi-billion-dollar-problem/?sh=6483bb651c83 | What's In Your Cellar? Counterfeit Wines Are A Multi-Billion Dollar Problem | What's In Your Cellar? Counterfeit Wines Are A Multi-Billion Dollar Problem
Authentic and Counterfeit bottles of Bienvenues Batard-Montrachet. Can you identify the real one?... [+] Answer at the bottom of the page Photo, courtesy of winefraud.com
Counterfeit wines are a multi-billion dollar issue in the world’s wine industry. The problem takes many different forms – from misattribution of origins and vintages to counterfeiting of rare, collectible wines. If you are a serious wine collector, it is virtually certain that at some point you have been offered or purchased counterfeit wines.
Recently I sat down with Maureen Downey, one of the world’s foremost experts on wine fraud, counterfeit wine and fine wine authentication, to explore how wine fraud has become a billion dollar plus problem around the world. Dubbed “the Sherlock Holmes of Wines,” Maureen Downey is an independent expert on fine and rare wine and wine collection management. Over the last two decades, Ms. Downey has personally inspected hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of authentic and counterfeit wine. She advises the world’s top collectors in purchasing, selling and managing their collections with her firm, Chai Consulting, founded in 2005.
JM: What do you estimate is the current value of collectible wine and spirits collections both in private hands and in restaurants and bars?
MD: If we only consider the amount of wine that’s in professional wine storage all over the world, we can account for billions of dollars. Add in all the wines in private collections, and currently in sales channels in vendor warehouses, and you have billions more.
JM: What percentage of those collections are likely to be made up of counterfeit goods?
MD: This is dependent upon where and when the wines were purchased. If collectors don’t have ancient wines or they have only purchased directly from truly reputable vendors or the actual producer, the likelihood of counterfeit is obviously much lower. However, if collectors have purchased fine and rare wine in the secondary market – at auction or from retailers and brokers who use a secondary market source for the wine – in the last 20 years, they very likely have purchased counterfeit bottles. Especially if they have been purchasing trophy wines in the secondary market, or if they are clients of the worst offenders. The face value of counterfeit wines in circulation easily exceeds several billion dollars.
JM: Is this predominantly a problem with wines or does it include spirits as well?
MD: Spirits are counterfeited even more frequently than wine. The spirits industry had attacked the issues of counterfeiting and anti-fraud protection much more actively than has wine. Part of that reason is that spirits firms are typically larger, corporate firms, and have much better per-bottle revenues to be able to combat the issue. We get news regularly about counterfeit spirits causing illness, even death. We see large spirit brands counterfeited – including illegally refilling bottles – all over Asia and eastern Europe, even in resorts in Mexico.
JM: What form does the counterfeiting of wines take? Is this a case of misdating vintages for example; i.e., substituting popular vintages for less popular ones, out and out fraud where lesser wines are being passed off for collectible wines, or are their other kinds of fraud taking place?
MD: The main forms of counterfeits include refilling authentic bottles and re-creating bottles to look like the authentic version they represent. The other method is making what we call “unicorns,” which are bottles that exist only in the mind of the counterfeiter and the person who is unfortunate enough to fall for the scam and buy the bottle.
JM: How serious a problem is the refilling of genuine bottles with lesser wines and spirits?
MD: Refilling is a very serious problem and one almost all the current anti-fraud measures that producers are employing do nothing to protect against. In fact, some of their efforts will make counterfeiting their products easier in the future. Almost all the anti-fraud techniques currently available are cosmetic. Typically, they involve a bottle’s packaging: invisible ink and micro writing on the labels or placing a small sticker that attaches the capsule to the glass. None of these single layer, cosmetic anti-fraud efforts are effective solutions. They are simply feel-good; Band-Aid responses being applied to the gaping wound that is wine fraud. Cosmetic solutions do very little to protect the consumer against refilling and the reselling of bottles, nor producers against being counterfeited. Selling empty bottles of expensive wine is a huge business on eBay. Sadly, many restaurants and hotels that sell very high-end wine do not ensure the bottles are physically destroyed once consumed. Without this happening, disreputable staff can make a considerable side income selling the empties. Counterfeit large format bottles of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. In 1945 DRC only produced 750ml... [+] bottles. Photo, courtesy of winefraud.com
JM: You have stated previously that producers are reluctant to pursue counterfeiters for fear that it will damage their brand value. Can you elaborate on this?
MD: Many of the producers that are very highly counterfeited are either French or their U.S. brands are managed by French nationals. Unfortunately, many times the French care more about discretion than they do about putting bad guys away and fixing the problem. It’s a very unfortunate reality that we deal with, in fact this “discretion” has led the FBI to decide to stop pursuing wine fraud cases, because even when they found counterfeiters and victims the producers have refused to go after them.
JM: What about consumers? Do you find that many wine collectors are reluctant to publicly admit that they had been duped?
MD: There are definitely different types of consumers. The people who tend to hire me are confident, they want to make sure that what the drinking is the real thing. They do not want to be ripped off or share counterfeits with their friends and family. They know there’s no difference between getting ripped off by a wine merchant, a stock broker or an art dealer. Fraud is fraud – no matter the medium. Far too many consumers, however, are indifferent to buying counterfeit wine because they are “friends” with, or trust, the vendor selling them. These buyers care more about maintaining that friendship and continuing to be part of the “insider network,” than they do about getting ripped off. Or they are too embarrassed to admit they were fooled and are unwilling to publicize the fraud.
JM: What about the use of unauthorized additives? Would you consider such practices as an example of wine fraud or is this an altogether different matter?
MD: There are so many types of fraud involved with wine. While illegal additives, and even adding in improper grapes, be they the wrong varietal or origin, or wine blended in from a wrong vintage, will all result in wine that can be called counterfeit – these are not my focus. We focus on fine wines that have been refilled, recreated, and which are mythological in that they were never made. I also don’t deal much with IP infringement. IP Infringement is huge in Asia where people make something that looks like the real thing but make it intentionally wrong enough that it is not actually a counterfeit product. This is a huge part of the counterfeit wines problem that producers have to combat – but it is not my focus. I deal with telling the real from fake, and protecting consumers trying to buy the real thing.
JM: In the U.S. who is primarily responsible for pursuing and prosecuting cases of wine and spirits fraud? Is it the FBI, local authorities or other agencies?
MD: The local authority is in charge and then (usually for larger cases) the FBI. Unfortunately, the FBI has stopped actively investigating wine fraud cases after years of having a dedicated agent dealing with the issues of wine fraud and counterfeits. Too many times when they have come across a situation where they have identified the counterfeiter and the victim, but neither the producers of the wines nor the victims are willing to come forward to allow prosecution of the crime. The FBI finally concluded that they were wasting their resources on pursuing wine fraud cases. So, in the end the consumer will lose because victims were either too afraid or too embarrassed to stand up against these criminals.
JM: Do you consider wine and spirits that have been damaged in floods or fires part of the problem with wine and spirits fraud?
MD: The fraud that surrounds the reselling of wine and spirits that have been damaged in floods and fires is a huge problem. Typically, many salvage companies and insurance companies want to make sure that they maximize their return on these damaged goods by reselling the wines. Even if they disclose the damage in their primary sale of the damaged goods, it is almost always the case that in the second transaction the broker or the reseller that purchased the damaged goods does not disclose that damage when they resell them. For example, after Hurricane Katrina I witnessed the sale of a lot of very high-end damaged wines from the Emeril Lagasse restaurants. The bottles looked fine cosmetically, but they had been subjected to heat spikes which has stunted and damaged all the bottles. The wine inside had, at best, a very short shelf life in which it could be consumed. Even if drinkable, it would be a mere ghost of the great wine’s potential. These were all valuable, age worthy wines: first growths, top burgundies, new world icons, including Penfolds Grange, Screaming Eagle and Harlan. The day after the salvage sale we saw a flood of offers going out to restaurants and retailers who buy secondary market wines with absolutely no disclosure from the sellers that the bottles were damaged. In my opinion, this is fraud, and it’s unfortunately a rampant type of fraud that we see all over the world. Sadly, profiteers dump damaged wines on the secondary market, especially emerging markets like Asia.
JM: What happens to counterfeit wines and spirits that have been identified as being counterfeit? Are these destroyed?
MD: NO – they are put back into circulation, to be purchased by the next unsuspecting victim. In fact, 99% of the time when we identify a counterfeit bottle of wine, the vendor will only return the money to the buyer if the buyer signs a non-disclosure agreement and returns the bottle to said vendor. Sadly, most often, all that vendor does is turn around and resell the bottle(s) to the next unsuspecting victim. It has become a cottage industry – they take back a bottle that was purchased 10 years ago, for 20% of the current market value – pay back the victim at his purchase price – and then they resell at current market value. They make a second profit. It’s a great business model, if you can sleep at night! At the end of the film “Sour Grapes” a couple hundred bottles of the infamous counterfeiter Rudy Kurniawan’s personal inventory are destroyed. Even though he sold tens of thousands of bottles, the only bottles that have ever been officially destroyed, are these 330 bottles. These bottles, from his private collection of wines, which were not ever sold, are the ones we see being crushed in the film. That leaves the rest out there to be bought and sold. The counterfeit wines Rudy sold, roughly $500 million in value, are still in circulation. In response to this never-ending supply of fakes we’ve developed a solution, the Chai Vault, which we expect will help ameliorate this situation by empowering consumers to purchase only vetted, authentic bottles.
JM: How should the typical consumer protect themselves from purchasing counterfeit wines and spirits? Are there certain signs that they should be looking for?
MD: There are a lot of things the typical consumers can do to protect themselves. First and foremost, get and remain educated. We started Winefraud.com as an online resource to empower consumers and vendors alike. We want wine buyers to know what to look for and what to avoid. Even a little bit of education in this area goes a long way. One of the most important things to remember is to buy only from the most reputable vendor(s), and to steer clear of vendors who are known to have a history of selling counterfeit wine or who have a lackadaisical stance when it comes to authenticity and the vetting of wines they are selling. On Winefraud.com we have list of great vendors you can trust, as well as a blacklist of vendors we suggest consumers be wary of. We want to help consumers distinguish who the good guys are, while letting them know who – in our opinion – they should avoid! Purchasing only direct from producers and their direct agents, or purchasing bottles certified in the Chai Vault will ensure only authentic, vetted bottles will be purchased. We are also hosting one of a kind training courses for consumers around the world on the intricacies of wine authentication. For more information on these courses go here.
JM: What should you do if you suspect some of the wines and spirits in your collection may be counterfeit?
MD: Well of course you should contact the Chai Consulting team to inspect your bottles and allay your fears and concerns. We will certify all authentic bottles in the Chai Vault and create Formal Reports on problematic and counterfeit bottles to help people receive remuneration for bad purchases. For the last two years we have been training authenticators all over the world to be certified and licensed using all my techniques and methods. They have access to my database archives to determine authenticity and provenance, so that no matter where you are in the world there is a Chai Method trained authenticator to help with all your authentication and provenance questions. Maureen Downey examining evidence in the Rudy Kurniawan case, from the film Sour Grapes. Photo, courtesy Maureen Downey/winefraud.com
JM: What should producers do to ensure that their wines and spirits are not being counterfeited or that original bottles are not being filled with lesser liquids?
MD: Adopt Chai Vault certification of their bottles. Have clear vision on, and oversight of their distribution channels. (Chai Vault makes this possible.) Be more forthright with key gatekeepers about the anti-fraud they are using. Stop supporting bad actors (vendors with a bad history of wantonly selling counterfeits and ill-gotten goods). Chai Vault blockchain based solution not only tracks inventory of bottles in warehouses, it can also track a bottle through the distribution chain, giving producers confidence that consumers are only ever enjoying proper bottles of their wines. Managing the supply chain is key to producers conquering counterfeiting. By creating a solid distribution tracking system, Chai Vault certification can document to producers how many of their bottles end up in the gray market, and even how long people are keeping wines (by viewing consumed certificates). Currently, producers employ a lot of cosmetic anti-fraud to make it hard to properly recreate their bottles. For obvious reasons, most of these details are secret. So secret, that they are not known by merchants, vendors and the consumer. Most people, even professionals, have no idea what to look for to authenticate bottles using these anti-fraud solutions. What is very frightening is that we are already seeing counterfeit versions of the antifraud devices – invisible ink and micro writing-printed, for example, on high end counterfeit wines. Since many producers have gone away from the beautiful, but costly, plate press production and have moved to digital printing, their labels are now much easier to counterfeit. Current anti-fraud methods are simply not robust enough, and can lead to counterfeit versions being made to supplement counterfeit refill bottles. It baffles me that some vendors continue to support vendors who have been complicit, or grossly negligent in selling counterfeit wines. Many of these bad actors hide behind ignorance, but you cannot be both an expert vendor of fine and rare wines, and ignorant of basic authentication skills. Those are mutually exclusive options.
JM: Can you insure against wine and spirits counterfeiting/fraud?
MD: There is no insurance policy that covers against purchasing counterfeit, illegally imported or stolen wine. Consumers have generally been unsuccessful in suing insurers because of such purchases. Insurance companies insure the product against damage, not that you have purchased an authentic product. For more information on how to insure a wine collection go here. Therefore, the only intelligent thing to do is to make sure that what you purchase is authentic. The only way to do that is to know your vendor, to have the bottles vetted prior to purchase, or to purchase Chai Vault certified bottles. If you have bottles that you’ve previously purchased, get those bottles authenticated, and if you have problematic bottles – seek recourse and remuneration for bad purchases.
JM: There have been several recent cases of widespread wine fraud. Hardy Rodenstock comes to mind. The Rudy Kurniawan case involved hundreds of millions of dollars. You were heavily involved in uncovering that fraud. Can you tell us a little more about it and your own role?
MD: I worked with the FBI for four years prior to the Kurniawan arrest, as well as with Bill Koch’s investigation team. Once Rudy was arrested, I also worked with the Department of Justice, especially in the sentencing phase of the Kurniawan case. I prepared several reports, which were important to the sentencing. Ultimately, victims received $28.5 million in restitution. Of that $28.5 million, $15.5 million was a direct result of the reports I prepared for the DOJ. Since 2008, I have worked very closely with the FBI toward the successful prosecution of several wine fraudsters, including John Fox of Premier Cru, and a few other crooks. I have even gone undercover for the FBI, wearing a wire and all, assisting in the investigation of fraudsters. The FBI is, however, incredibly frustrated at this point because we have had some very high-profile cases that were perfectly laid out, but never went anywhere.
JM: How many more Rudi Kurniawans are out there in the fine wine market?
MD: Who knows. Rudy was incredibly prolific, and highly funded by Acker Merrall & Condit, as well as by many of their top clients and “best friends” through loans that got to Rudy – oddly – through the auction house. I do not think anyone on Rudy’s scale can happen in the foreseeable future. Too many people are watching, including producers. What we do have, is a whole lot of very sophisticated new counterfeiters, in Europe, cranking out fake versions of recent release of all sorts of wines. We are seeing that counterfeiters are moving away from producing only the highest end wines and are increasingly creating mid-tier price range bottles. The other trend that we are currently seeing, is that counterfeiters are making recent vintages so that they don’t have to worry employing false aging techniques to bottles.
JM: What about counterfeiting of lower priced wines? How big a problem is this kind of fraud?
MD: Crooks either make lots of cheaper fakes, or a few very expensive ones. Recently, French authorities uncovered a few different counterfeit rings that affected a huge amount of wines – from high end to supermarket level. Up to 20% of the Cotes du Rhone production for all of 2016 and 2017 was counterfeit. Another huge scandal hit the biggest bottlers in Bordeaux, as well. In another case, 10 million bottles of Spanish wine were labeled as Provencal rosé. In Asia – lots of entry level wines are counterfeited all the time, and some of the counterfeits found do not even contain grape product. While these affect U.S. companies and brands, in the U.S. the main concern is higher end counterfeits.
JM: Thank you.
Answer
The bottle with the dark blue logo, on the right, is the authentic one. The one with the light blue logo is a counterfeit.
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5a0ff73d38fa3a7056ca625fae911a24 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2018/12/29/exploring-the-world-of-spanish-brandy/ | Exploring The World Of Spanish Brandy | Exploring The World Of Spanish Brandy
Gonzales Byass, Lepanto, Solera Gran Reserva, Brandy de Jerez Photo, courtesy Gonzalez Byass
It’s likely that Spain was the first European country to produce brandy. The practice of distillation was introduced to the Iberian Peninsula by the Moors in the 8th century. It’s not clear when brandy distillation first started. The first written reference to Spanish brandy doesn’t appear until the 16th century, even though circumstantial evidence indicates that distillation was already well established by the 13th century, and likely predates it.
Today, Spain produces about 80 million bottles of brandy. Three-quarters is consumed domestically, the balance is exported around the world. Mexico and the Philippines are the largest foreign consumers of Spanish brandy. The larger brands of Spanish brandy are generally available in the US, but unknown to most consumers. It’s a pity, as Spanish brandy represents exceptional values and quality.
Spanish brandy is primarily produced in Jerez in Andalucía (95%) and Penedès in Catalonia (5%). In Jerez, there are 30 producers, or bodegas, producing brandy in the “sherry triangle” formed by the towns of Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa María and Sanlúcar de Barrameda.
To be called a Brandy de Jerez, the brandy needs to be matured within the sherry triangle in casks that previously held sherry and utilize a solera system for aging. It does not, however, need to be distilled in Jerez or use grapes grown there.
Spanish brandy is mostly based on the Airén grape; a variety that can tolerate heat and drought. It is mostly grown for brandy production in La Mancha and Valdapeñas in central Spain. Palomino, a grape variety used in sherry production, is also used for producing Spanish brandy. In Penedès brandy producers use Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada, the same grape varieties used to produce Spanish Cava. They also use Ugni blanc, the same grape variety used in Cognac.
Distillation utilizes both a traditional pot still as well as column stills. The pot still is called an alembique. It is derived from the “alquitara” stills introduced by the moors in the 8th century. They are the predecessor to the Charentais stills used in Cognac for brandy production.
Pot still produced spirit must have an alcohol content (ABV) of between 40% and 70%. This spirit is known in the brandy trade as “holandas.” It is only distilled once, although there are a few producers who double distill.
Spirit produced from column stills has to be between 70% and 94.8% ABV, and is termed “aguardiente.”
In Penedès the two major producers, Torres and Mascaró, do a double distillation in alembic pot stills and then mature their brandy in a combination of American and French Limousine oak barrels. Torres utilizes a solera system, Mascaró does not. The resulting style is lighter than Brandy de Jerez, but deeper colored and flavored than Cognac.
Brandy de Jerez is classified into three categories: Solera, Solera Reserva and Solera Gran Reserva. Solera is typically a mix of 50% holandas and 50% aguardiente and is aged on average for one year. It must have a three-month minimum aging. Solera Reserva is a mix of 75% holandas and 25% aguardiente and is aged for an average of three years. It has a minimum aging of one year. Solera Gran Reserva is 100% holandas and is aged for an average of 10 years, with a minimum aging of three years.
In Jerez, brandy must be aged in sherry barrels that are at least three years old. This ensures that the wood is largely neutral and has little impact on the maturing spirit. In practice, the sherry casks used are usually much older. At Osborne, for example, one of the major producers in the region, the sherry casks used for maturing Brandy de Jerez have an average age of 60 years.
A Spanish brandy solera in Jerez Photo, courtesy Wikipedia
Brandy bodegas in Jerez are required to utilize a solera system of fractional blending. The solera consists of a series of barrels called criaderas (nurseries in Spanish). Each criadera is numbered. It can consist of one to hundreds of barrels. All the barrels in a criadera hold brandy of the same average age. A bodega may have anywhere from three to as many as 45 different criaderas. The oldest criadera is called the solera. These are the barrels from which the brandy destined for bottling is extracted.
Each extraction from the solera is called a saca. Up to a quarter of a barrel’s contents can be extracted at any one time. The brandy removed is replaced with brandy from the next oldest criadera until all of the criaderas have been filled. The youngest criadera is topped up with new spirit. Extractions can take place as often as every four months or as infrequently as once a year, or even once every two years.
The “date” of the solera is based on the year it was established. The barrels from which the saca is extracted would consist of a blend of brandy from each of the prior years that the solera has been maintained.
In Jerez, the “age” of a bottling refers to the weighted average of the spirit in the solera. A Spanish brandy labeled a 20 YO, for example, would typically incorporate brandies ranging from four to 50 years in age. 20 years is the weighted average of the age of the different brandies in the solera.
Each age statement requires its own unique solera. You cannot produce different age statements from the same solera without dismantling that solera. In a solera system, blending takes place prior to maturation and continues over that maturation process, whereas in many other spirits, at least those that don’t use a solera system, maturation takes place before blending so there is more flexibility with how to utilize warehouse stocks. Once a solera has been established the average age will remain constant, as long as the sacas are extracted on the same schedule.
This is different practice than say the Scotch whisky industry where the stated age on a bottling is the youngest component of the blend. Likewise, with Cognac, the different classifications are based on the youngest component of the blend, even though those blends could incorporate spirits that are far older.
Below are tasting notes from six outstanding Spanish brandies. These are all aged spirits, incredibly well priced, which, with some looking, can be found in the US. All but the Torres brandy are matured in sherry casks, so they all have a common denominator of sherried flavors that come through.
A Torres vineyard in Penedès, Catalonia Photo, courtesy Wikipedia/Beira
Conde de Osborne, Solera Gran Reserva, Brandy de Jerez, 40.5% ABV, 750 ml, $45
This brandy is produced from 100% Airén grapes, which have been matured in sherry casks that previously held sweet Pedro Ximenez sherry. The average age is over 10 years. On the nose, there are notes of beeswax, honey, dried fruit and sweet marzipan. On the palate, this is a thick, viscous brandy, with pronounced flavors of raisins, fig and prune, along with some caramel notes and some surprising meaty notes. The finish is long, featuring sweet dried fruit and a hint of bitterness at the end.
Sanchez Romate, Cardenal Mendoza, Solera Gran Reserva, Brandy de Jerez, 40% ABV, 750 ml, $45
Cardinal Mendoza is aged for an average of 15 years in a combination of Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. The brandy is named for Cardinal Don Pedro Gonzalez de Mendoza. The cardinal was an advisor to Ferdinand II and Isabel I, and was instrumental in persuading the Spanish monarchs to support Christopher Columbus’s first voyage to the new world.
On the nose, there is an intense sherry cask aroma of raisin, prune and sweet almond. The palate features a pronounced weight with dried fruit, along with some coffee notes, orange zest and cinnamon. The finish, which is very rich and satiny smooth, emphasizes sweet almond notes, with a hint of bitterness on the end.
Pedro Domecq, Carlos I Solara Gran Reserva, Brandy de Jerez, 40% ABV, 750 ml, $40
The brandy is aged in casks that previously held Oloroso and Amontillado sherry from a solera that is more than 100 years old. The average age of the brandy, however, is probably around five years. The nose is very pronounced, with Christmas cake notes of cooked pastry and dried fruit, along with vanilla, cinnamon and some oak. On the palate, the brandy is silky smooth, with notes of sweet dried fruit, especially golden raisin and fig, some caramel, with hints of vanilla and licorice and a touch of smoke.
Sanchez Romate, Cardenal Mendoza, Solera Gran Reserva, Brandy de Jerez Photo, courtesy Sanchez Romate
Gonzales Byass, Lepanto, Solera Gran Reserva, Brandy de Jerez, 40% ABV, 750 ml, $54
Lepanto is the only brandy distilled in the city of Jerez from locally grown Palomino grapes, the same variety used to produce sherry. The brandy is double distilled in Charentais pot stills, originally from Cognac, and is aged in solera for an average of 12 years. The first nine years in barrels that previously contained Tío Pepe and a further three years in casks that previously held 30 YO sweet Oloroso Matusalem sherry.
The brandy is very smooth, dry and delicate, offering notes of caramel, almonds and vanilla. There is also a version finished in dry oloroso casks, Lepanto Oloroso Viejo, and a version finished in Pedro Ximenez casks, Lepanto Pedro Ximenez. The latter is sweeter.
Torres 20 Hors D’Age, 40% ABV 750 ml, $58
Torres is based in Penedès, in Catalonia. The Hors D’Age is an ultra-aged brandy, averaging 20+ years. It is based on Parellada and Ugni blanc grapes and is matured in French Limousine oak barrels. This is the most Cognac-like of the Spanish brandies, and far better priced. The brandy has a deep, rich color, offering notes of fresh grapes and ripe pears, along with raisins, dates and figs. There are additional notes of candied citrus, caramel, vanilla, cinnamon and other wood spices. The Torres 20 has won more than 69 awards in international competitions.
Williams & Humbert, Gran Duque D’Alba Brandy Solera Gran Reserva, Brandy de Jerez, 40% ABV, 750 ml, $45
An aromatic brandy that has been aged for 10 to 12 years in butts that previously held Oloroso sherry. It offers notes of prunes, raisins and dates, along with hints of roasted nuts and old leather. The brandy is smooth, with a pronounced palate weight, with flavors of dried fruit, caramel and vanilla. There is also an 18 YO XO expression that is finished in sweet PX sherry cask and a 20 YO Oro expression matured in dry, Palo Cortado sherry casks.
Spanish brandy sales don’t have much traction outside of Spain and a handful of export markets in former Spanish possessions. In the US, it has a small but dedicated following. That’s unfortunate, because it really is an excellent product.
Much of the branding of Spanish brandy revolves around historical Spanish figures, like Philip II or Charles V, or commemorates important Spanish events, like the naval victory of Spain and its allies over the Ottoman fleet at Lepanto in 1571. While this focus underscores its uniquely Spanish character, it also fails to resonate with outsiders.
This is similar to the Scotch whisky industry’s preoccupation a generation ago with kilts and bagpipes in marketing Scotch whisky. Spain’s brandy producers need to market their product to appeal to a more cosmopolitan buyer, while still preserving its essential Spanish character.
For those in the know, however, Spain represents one of the great values in brandy. If you enjoy brandy, then Spanish brandy is definitely a beverage worth exploring further.
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2afb3c04e227c6475138e16e89d384d5 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2019/01/17/the-future-of-ultra-premium-tequila/ | The Future Of Ultra-Premium Tequila | The Future Of Ultra-Premium Tequila
Greg Cohen in Patron's Maturation Warehouse Photo, courtesy Greg Cohen
Over the last several years the premium and ultra-premium tequila market have been among the fastest growing segments of the U.S. spirits industry. Recently we sat down with Greg Cohen (GC) to explore the future of ultra-premium tequila in the American market. Greg Cohen led global brand communications for Patrón Tequila at Patrón Spirits International for 12 years; including the period when it established itself as the leading ultra-premium tequila brand in the American market. He is now a senior advisor in the spirits industry, working with brands to help promote and accelerate their growth. He lives in Dallas Texas
JM: The pricing on premium and ultra-premium tequilas now ranges from under $50 to over $1,000 per bottle. Beyond the criteria of being 100% blue agave, what’s driving that pricing: raw material source, production process, maturation, brand equity?
GC: It wasn’t very long ago that the notion of a $100 tequila was absurd. It’s quite amazing how fast this category has evolved, and how quickly consumers have come to discover and recognize the quality and versatility of this spirit. While there may be some tequilas that command crazy price tags solely because of their fancy packages, truly the reason why you see tequila at these increasing price levels is a result of several factors: the quality of the agave, the production methods to create the product, and the aging process (different types of barrels, different lengths of time in those barrels.) For example, utilizing small capacity brick ovens (hornos) to cook agave slows down the production process and increases cost. Also, tequilas like Patrón that are produced using the tahona method also take longer to produce. The process is so labor intensive that it has a material impact on cost. Most tequilas are aged in ex-bourbon barrels. They’re relatively easy to find and inexpensive. Tequilas that are experimenting with aging in other barrel types such as sherry or cognac are more expensive to procure. A sherry cask will cost 10 times the cost of an ex-bourbon barrel. That’s going to have an impact on price. Overall, the quality of tequila is increasing, and consumer interest in tequila is growing, and with it the price. Of course, don’t forget too that agave prices are still at an all-time high, and are predicted to remain at that level through most of 2019. That has a very direct effect on the bottle’s price.
JM: Premium tequilas, i.e. 100% blue agave, have been around for a long time, but it’s only been in the last 10 years that they have become by revenue the largest component of the US tequila market. What drove that change?
GC: There’s no question that 100% agave tequilas are driving the category growth. This past year, according to data from Mexico’s Tequila Regulatory Commission (CRT), marked the first time that exports of 100% agave tequila overtook exports of 51% agave “mixto” tequilas. Production of 100% agave tequila has outpaced mixto production for many years, but it’s significant to see this in export figures. According to the IWSR, a trusted authority in beverage alcohol data, total ultra-premium tequila was expected to grow by 14.7% in 2018, vs. the year prior. Compare that to value brands, which the IWSR expects to show a decline of -2.4%. Why is this? It’s no different than why we’re seeing growth in ultra-premium spirits across the industry – bourbon, gin, rum, Japanese whiskey, you name it. Spirits drinkers increasingly are interested in new and innovative products and are willing to spend those extra dollars for higher quality. Simply put, better spirits make better drinks.
JM: Patron was one of the first producers of ultra-premium tequila to develop a mass market. Was Patron in the right place at the right time, did the company see a need that wasn’t being satisfied or did their marketing create that demand?
GC: There was some degree of right place right time that contributed to Patrón’s success, but I have to give a lot of credit to Patrón’s founders and everyone who was involved with the brand in the early days, for recognizing the potential of this category, and working hard to convince the trade and consumers to embrace it. Patrón salespeople were laughed out of the room at distributor meetings back then – “nobody is ever going to pay that kind of money for a tequila,” they heard often. Those same people aren’t laughing now. Marketing also played a pivotal role in Patrón’s success. Having held a central position on Patrón’s marketing team for more than a decade, I’m extremely proud of our efforts to promote the brand and elevate the category. But the best marketing in the world isn’t going to be effective if you don't have a quality product in the first place. People might like the ads, they might like the bottle design, but most importantly for any spirit to be successful, people have to enjoy what they’re drinking.
JM: There are now hundreds of premium expressions of tequila in the US market. Half a dozen major brands, however, Patron, Don Julio, Herradura, among others, control over 85% of that market. Is there room in the ultra-premium marketplace for new entrants or is the easy growth behind us?
GC: Yes, unquestionably there’s room for growth in the category, and definitely opportunity for other tequila brands to succeed. In many ways, the big legacy brands have paved the path for some exceptional and innovative new tequilas that are starting to spur some excitement in the market. But don’t forget, for as popular as tequila has become, the category still only represents about 1% of the total global spirits market, so there’s great potential for continued growth, especially outside of the U.S. and Mexico.
JM: Patron is one of only 6 tequila producers that still uses a tahona to crush the agave. What does a tahona give you that you can get with conventional high-speed roll crushers?
GC: It’s all a matter of personal preference. The tahona process imparts a wonderfully earthy, agave-forward taste. You get a little more citrus flavor from the roller mill method. And other production techniques, like the mechanized diffuser process, yield a distinctive candy-like fruit aroma and flavor. There are good tequilas that are produced by all of these processes, and that’s a positive for bartenders and consumers, the many different choices and complex flavors available to meet their individual preferred tastes.
JM: This last year has seen two, billion dollars range acquisitions in the ultra-premium tequila segment, Patron and Casamigos. In both cases, two young, entrepreneurial companies sold out to international beverage giants. Is the smart money getting out of the tequila business?
GC: Not at all. The tequila category is still very much in its infancy, especially outside of North America. As a matter of fact, 2018 was another record setting year – the ninth consecutive record setting year – for tequila exports from Mexico. Over 224 million liters of tequila were exported last year (the majority of that destined to the U.S.), and the industry is predicting those numbers will only continue to grow, particularly as tequila finds its way into more international markets. Tequila only represents about 10% of the US spirits market and 1%of the global spirits market. Premium and ultra-premium tequila only represents about 5% of the US spirits market and an insignificant amount globally, so clearly there’s great opportunity.
JM: Innovative cask finishing has figured prominently in the development of the ultra-premium tequila market. Tequilas finished in casks that held sweet wines like sherry and port are now well-established market niches. What other cask finishes do you see on tequila’s horizon?
GC: I’ve seen, and I’ve experienced it myself with my own taste preferences, the evolution of the consumer palate for tequila. Moving from blanco tequilas to aged expressions has certainly helped propel the añejo and extra añejo categories. I’m excited to see what different brands do next, in terms of their aged portfolios – I’ll be first in line to buy it!
JM: Extended aging of tequilas has also been a prominent aspect of the ultra-premium market. Is there a practical limit to how long a tequila can be aged? What does ultra-aging get you in terms of aroma/flavor?
GC: Unlike other spirits, there really is a limit to how long you can age tequila. With some exceptions, if tequila spends excessive time in the barrel, it can take on too much oak taste and lose that natural agave flavor that defines the spirit. Also, the climate in Mexico contributes significantly to the angel’s share -- that’s a lot of tequila that escapes. In general, five to six years is usually the upper limit of what you’re going to find in an extra añejo tequila (defined as a tequila that’s been aged at least 3 years), but I’ve seen some that have been aged for as much as 10 years that taste quite good.
JM: Other than for distinguishing the different aroma/flavor profile of lowland versus highland agave, terroir has not really been a factor in the marketing of ultra-premium tequilas. Is site specific, “grand cru” tequilas in our future?
GC: Consistency is very important – consumers come to expect a certain flavor profile of the brands they enjoy. Having said that, however, there is definitely growing potential for site specific limited-edition tequilas. Patrón recently released an exceptional estate tequila produced from agave grown on the distillery property. And some brands, such as Tequila Ocho, have been doing this very successfully for quite a while -- I do think we’ll see more in the coming years.
JM: What’s the biggest challenge that the tequila industry must overcome to keep growing the premium and ultra-premium market segments?
GC: It’s an exciting time for spirits. I’ve spoken to numerous companies recently that are developing some exciting and innovative unique products from parts of Asia and South America that could take market share from more traditional brands. Tequilas – and brands in every spirit category – need to find ways to continue to energize and engage bartenders and consumers. The tequila category also needs to continue to focus on education efforts, especially in international markets, to reinforce the differences between ultra-premium and value brands and promote the enormous versatility of the spirit. It would certainly help too to get agave prices better in line!
Thank You
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e4537569a5e7df45475711dd0ad03eb8 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2019/02/14/exploring-the-world-of-cuban-rum/ | Exploring The World of Cuban Rum | Exploring The World of Cuban Rum
A display of Havana Club 7 YO at a Cuban government store in Havana
The is the first of a two-part series on Cuban rum. Part I explores the world of Cuban rum, while Part II, What Cuban Rums To Bring Home: A Short Guide provides tasting notes and recommendations on what rums to buy when visiting Cuba.
Cuba is proving to be a popular destination among American cruise passengers. In 2018 approximately half a million Americans visited Cuba, with 50% of them arriving on cruise ships. Americans now represent the third largest group of tourists visiting Cuba. Canadians form the largest group and Cuban-Americans and Cubans living abroad are second.
Cruises to multiple Cuban port cities, or the inclusion of one or more Cuban stops on Caribbean itineraries, has now become standard for cruise companies operating in the Caribbean.
The interest in visiting Cuba has brought with it a renewed interest in Cuban rums. Although many Cuban rums are readily available in Canada and throughout Europe, and to varying degrees throughout the Caribbean region, their commercial importation into the US has been banned since the imposition of the Cuban Trade Embargo by President Kennedy in 1962.
The production of rum is intertwined with the production of sugar. One of the byproducts of refining sugar is molasses. In turn, molasses is the raw material from which most rums are produced. In the French West Indies, and among a few producers in Central and South America, there is also a long-standing tradition of making rum directly from sugarcane juice.
The cultivation of sugar in Cuba and what was then called Hispaniola, modern day Haiti and the Dominican Republic, began in 1502. These two regions have been growing sugarcane longer than any place in the Caribbean, although it is not clear when these regions started producing rum. Both regions, however, began producing aguardiente, a sugarcane spirit that many consider a precursor to rum, shortly after the beginning of sugarcane cultivation.
Cuban light rums, a lighter style of rum intended for mixing in cocktails, were developed by Facundo Bacardi in 1862 and led to the launch of his namesake company. Today, it is the largest privately owned beverage company in the world.
Rum enthusiasts have long contended that those regions ideally suited for growing sugarcane, a tropical climate with 30 to 50 inches a rain over 8 to 10 months of the year, also make the best rums. Cuba and the Dominican Republic are still major producers of sugar. They also produce enough molasses to satisfy the needs of their rum distillers.
Sugarcane harvest on the field with a combine harvester in Santa Clara Cuba- Serie Cuba Reportage Getty
In many parts of the West Indies, including Barbados, the sugar industry is either now nonexistent or too small to satisfy the demand for molasses from distillers. Most of the molasses used by West Indian distillers is imported from either the Dominican Republic or Guyana.
Today rum is produced in around 80 countries, by hundreds of different producers. There is no definitive count of the number of rum expressions in the world, but they are estimated to be at least several thousand.
Rum production in Cuba has several distinctive features. First, it must be produced from Cuban molasses or sugarcane juice. Secondly, unlike many parts of the Caribbean, all rum is column distilled. Pot stills were common until the mid-19th century, when they began to be replaced by column stills. Spirit is distilled to one of two different alcoholic strengths; either 75% or 95%. The percentages may vary a bit between different distilleries.
The spirit distilled to 75% is called aguardiente. This is typically aged in barrels of white oak, either American ex-bourbon or new casks, for a period of two years. This is referred to as the madre or mother by the distillery’s Maestros de Ron or master rum blenders.
The madre is then blended with cane spirit, and the resulting blend is then recasked for additional maturation. Depending on the proposed maturation scheme, the madre may be blended with cane spirit several times and recasked each time for additional aging.
This process is very similar to how Bacardi produces rum at its distillery in Puerto Rico.
Labels for Havana Club 7 year aged rum are printed at the Havana Club distillery in Havana, Cuba, on... [+] Monday, Jan. 26, 2015. The U.S. has eased export and travel restrictions with Cuba, including allowing Americans to bring home as much as $100 in iconic products like Havana rum, and as much as $400 total in souvenirs from the island. Photographer: Lisette Poole/Bloomberg © 2015 Bloomberg Finance LP
Cuba’s Rum Distillers
Cuba has about a dozen rum distilleries. The better known, more readily found rums, include Havana Club, Santiago de Cuba, Legendario, Cubay, Mulata, Varadero, Santero, Pacto Navio and Perla del Norte. In addition, Isla del Tesoro a rum produced by Santiago de Cuba used to be reserved for official Cuban government gifts but is now available to consumers.
In addition, many European specialty bottlers, especially in Great Britain, bottle Cuban rums under their particular brands. Often times these are specific cask selections.
The largest rum distiller on Cuba is Havana Club. Until the late 1980s, Havana Club was primarily exported to the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. It was a good quality, but otherwise undistinguished, rum.
In 1993, CubaRon, the parent company of Havana Club, entered into a joint venture with French wine and spirits giant Pernod Ricard to distribute it internationally. Since then, the quality of Havana Club has improved considerably and the company has released a range of high end rums that have received extended aging.
The ownership of that brand is at the center of a long running legal dispute between the Cuban government and Pernod Ricard on one side and Bacardi on the other side. The Havana Club produced in Cuba is distributed worldwide, with the exception of the United States, where it is still subject to the embargo. The US version of Havana Club is produced by Bacardi at its distillery complex in Puerto Rico.
Although both firms use similar production processes, Bacardi’s version of Havana Club is lighter and more floral. It is a mix of rums that have been aged from one to three years. The rum has pronounced vanilla and oak wood notes that are comparable to the Cuban version of Havana Club, but is drier and less robust.
The Cuban version of Havana Club, on the other hand, is sweeter and richer, with a more pronounced palate weight and a touch more spiciness. This is particularly true of the expressions that experience longer maturation, like the Havana Club 7 YO Añejo and the 15 YO Gran Reserva. There are also some ultra-aged expressions, but these are difficult to find in Cuba.
The Santiago de Cuba brand is widely considered the best rum brand in Cuba. This rum is produced at what used to be the Bacardi distillery in the city of Santiago de Cuba. This is a robust rum with a notable palate weight that features pronounced tropical fruit notes. It is also very hard to find outside Cuba.
Ron Cubay was founded in 1964, in Santo Dominco, in the province of Villa Clara. It is nicknamed the “taste of the center” because it is located in the center of Cuba, in a region considered ideal for sugarcane production. It has only been exported since 2010, and is characterized by an exceptionally smooth taste.
Legendario produces a range of rums, including a 15 YO Gran Reserva. These rums are based on fermented sugarcane juice rather than molasses.
Mulata de Cuba is another Cuban rum based on sugarcane juice rather than molasses. They also have a 15 YO Gran Reserva Añejo, which is based on barrel selections that have been chosen for additional extended aging.
Ron Varadero is produced at the Nave Don Panco distillery in Santiago de Cuba. It is the oldest functioning distillery on the island and dates back to 1862. It was also the first to release ultra-aged 10 YO and 15 YO rum expressions, back in the late 19th century, long before ultra-aged expressions became standard among Cuban rum producers.
Santero Ron claims that its origins are in the Cuban Santeria cult, that eclectic mixture of Catholicism and Yoruba religious practices from West Africa. This may be a case of marketing trumping fact. Rum, however, has always figured prominently in Santeria rituals. It is a deeply aromatic, rich and intensely flavored rum.
Perla Del Norte is another Cuban rum brand that dates back to the 60s. It is produced at the distillery once owned by the Arechabala family, the founders of the Havana Club brand. It is inexpensive and widely available in Cuba.
Cuban rums are typically aged for three years. Most of the export oriented rum producers are now releasing expressions aged from 5 to 15 years. A handful, led by Santiago de Cuba, have released 20 YO and 25 YO expressions.
In Part II, I will provide tasting notes and recommendations on rums that are readily available for purchase by visitors to Cuba.
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e9ef0c23b7f97cb1f6a3659ce546e655 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2019/03/30/the-american-cocktail-scene-a-conversation-with-ray-jackie-foley/?sh=502384185f1a | The American Cocktail Scene: A Conversation With Ray & Jaclyn Foley | The American Cocktail Scene: A Conversation With Ray & Jaclyn Foley
Ray & Jaclyn Foley, BARTENDER Magazine Photo, courtesy Jacklyn Foley
Recently I sat down with two icons of the American cocktail scene, Ray and Jaclyn Foley. Ray Foley is a former Marine who for decades worked behind the bar and managed one of the largest restaurants in New Jersey before he founded BARTENDER Magazine and Bartender.com, the only trade publication/website of its kind targeted to bartenders and bartending.
Along the way, during his long career chronicling the alcohol and hospitality industries, he has also authored numerous cocktail books, including the popular “Bartending for Dummies,” which has sold nearly one million copies and has been translated into six languages.
Ray has also created thousands of cocktail recipes, including the world-famous “Fuzzy Navel.” A longtime champion for bartenders and hospitality professionals, Ray founded the BARTENDER “Hall of Fame” to honor bartenders for their skill and service to their communities, and he created the non-profit “Bartenders’ Foundation” to raise much-needed scholarship funds for bartenders and their families.
Ray’s wife and business partner, Jaclyn, has worked in the hospitality industry for more than 30 years, as a server, bartender, writer and the editor/publisher of BARTENDER Magazine. The author of “The Pink Drink Book,” “Girls’ Night” and “Skinny Cocktails,” Jaclyn is also a proud graduate of the Absolut Akademi in Sweden, and a Kentucky Colonel. She has also judged numerous drink contests and appeared on several TV shows.
JM: The cocktail industry seems to be playing a far more prominent role in the beverage industry today. Is that the result of liquor companies marketing specifically to mixologists or are the needs of mixologists driving the evolution of the spirits industry?
R & J: It’s both. I give a lot of credit to liquor companies that seek the opinion of bartenders – and actually listen to bartenders – when developing and marketing new products. Think back 40 years ago, that rarely happened. In 1979, when I first started BARTENDER Magazine, I remember executives at liquor companies laughing at the thought of a magazine for bartenders. “What do bartenders know?” they asked me. There was such little regard – and dare I say a great bit of naivety - back then for the important role that bartenders play in building brands. That’s why I started my magazine. So, I’m very glad to see that bartenders are now being offered a seat at the table as drinks companies explore ideas for new innovations. Having said that, it’s still bartenders who have created – and continue to create – the most interesting and enduring cocktails. Spirits companies provide the paint, and bartenders create the art. I like to think that’s what I did back in 1985, when I created the Fuzzy Navel.
JM: Cocktails used to be a beverage you enjoyed before a meal. Today, increasingly, it’s part of the meal. What are the most innovative developments and chefs you are seeing in cocktail-food parings?
R & J: The Aviary in Chicago and New York has become famous for amazing and innovative cocktails that complement their food offerings. But it’s not just restaurants like that – today, you can’t open a good restaurant without having a great cocktail program. The cocktail is integral to the dining experience, it’s essentially the first course of the meal. But it wasn’t always that way – historically the bar and the kitchen were two completely separate areas – and so it’s quite gratifying to see the kitchen has been shifting to behind the bar. Skilled bartenders today are just as talented and revered as chefs, bringing fresh ingredients, like locally sourced vegetables and herbs, and kitchen tools and techniques into their cocktails. There’s a whole new awareness and appreciation nowadays among bartenders about how flavors come together and how drinks can complement food. Books like the “Flavor Bible” have become required reading today for top bartenders. Nothing is off-limits these days in creating drinks, and that’s what makes cocktails so relevant and appealing to the overall meal.
JM: Healthy cocktails are the fastest growing segment of the cocktail market. This category includes sophisticated but alcohol-free drinks, as well as cocktails that incorporate nutritional and vegetable components. Where did this trend start, and will it have legs?
R & J: This is a trend that started years ago. I even included a section about no-alcohol recipes in “Bartending for Dummies,” a book which I wrote more than 30 years ago. I also devoted several pages in my 1990 “The Ultimate Cocktail Book,” and 1998 “The Ultimate Cocktail Book II” to non-alcoholic drinks. I absolutely think this trend will only continue to grow. I just read a report from IWSR Drinks Market Analysis that says 52% of U.S. consumers are trying to reduce their alcohol consumption, but over 70% of people say they have not yet considered drinking low- or no-alcohol beverages. There’s huge potential here for opportunities to expand the market for low-alcohol and no-alcohol drinks. And as more people embrace an active, healthy lifestyle, demand will only increase for more bars and bartenders to create drinks that cater to this changing need. More bartenders will start to experiment with new flavors and devote increased thought and creativity into these types of drinks – it will be exciting to see what the future holds.
JM: Cocktails fashioned from rare and super premium spirits are a growing segment of the cocktail market. Does a 50-year-old whiskey actually make a better cocktail, or is this a case of over the top conspicuous consumption?
R & J: Without a doubt, rare and super premium spirits make delicious cocktails. But only in the right hands! Well-made spirits deserve well-made cocktails, and that’s where the skill and talent of the bartender is so important. Personally, I’d prefer to drink a 50-year-old whiskey neat, to truly cherish the flavor, but it’s not taboo at all to use a rare spirit in a cocktail – if that’s what you like, and if you can afford it!
JM: Sustainability is a popular theme these days, especially among millennials and generation Z members. What can mixologists do to improve sustainability in their craft and reduce waste?
R & J: It’s not a choice, it’s a responsibility to do this better. Sustainable practices behind the bar, or zero-waste cocktails, it’s more a journey than a destination. It’s not a “thing” or a “trend,” rather it’s a complete reorientation about the way that bars and bartenders should be conducting their business, every day. Once an orange or lemon rind is peeled for garnish, the kitchen or bar should commit to using the juice for something else. Don’t throw it out. And everyone should be paying attention, all the time, to recycling, composting, and reducing and eliminating waste (including disposables like straws). Here in Florida, there’s a bar on the beach that has eliminated cocktail napkins and paper napkins, so they won’t blow away and litter the ocean – that’s such a small but important step, and I hope more bars and bartenders continue to adopt similar practices.
JM: Sherry and sparkling wine-based cocktails are becoming popular again. Is this part of a recurring cycle, or is this generation of mixed wine-liquor drinks different than in the past?
R & J: To some degree, the low alcohol cocktail trend is cyclical. But what’s different today, is the complexity and creativity of these drinks. Also, we’re seeing a considerable importance placed on wellness and fitness, and that’s impacting what’s on drink menus. It’s also encouraging to see the increased importance that bartenders are placing on their own health, and creating their own healthy lifestyle, and they’re passing that along to their customers.
JM: Mixologists are increasingly turning to all sorts of obscure spirits, sotol, raicilla, pisco, singani, among others, in crafting new cocktails. What do you think will be the hottest new spirit for mixologists in 2019?
R & J: The popularity of tequila and mezcal has definitely helped generate excitement for other agave spirits like sotol, raicilla and bacanora. The truth is, however, there’s very few undiscovered spirits categories, instead what we’re seeing is incredible and diverse variety on the bar, and talented bartenders who understand how to use those spirits. Bartenders have also rediscovered some of the classic venerable brands, spirits like Malibu, Kahlua, Midori, Chambord – those are products that have been around for generations because they’re tried and true quality spirits. Thanks to bartenders, these brands are seeing a resurgence.
JM: Do you think that social media platforms like Instagram are causing mixologists to make more colorful and visually arresting cocktails?
R & J: Social media, without a doubt, is playing an interesting role in the development of cocktails. Visual appeal has always been important in cocktail development, but in the age of Instagram, it’s crucial. Beautiful images of your cocktails help bring people into the bar, it sells drinks. I hope bartenders don’t get too carried away, focusing too much on appearance, and neglect the more important art of creating well-balanced and flavorful drinks.
JM: Which, do you think, are the top, can’t miss, cocktail bars/mixologists in the world?
R & J: Many of the world’s classic bars are still thriving today, and still attracting new patrons. Why? Because they understand how to treat their customers, how to create exceptional experiences, and how to make a damn good drink. I’m talking about can’t-miss establishments like Harry’s in Paris, Cipriani in New York, Duke’s in London and Raffles in Singapore. I’ll tell you, I sure miss the Four Seasons in the old Seagram’s Building in New York – I spent a lot of years bellying up to that bar! I’m also excited by newer bars like Trick Dog in San Francisco, Black Tail in New York, Sweet Liberty in Miami and Raised by Wolves in San Diego.
JM: What advice would you give a young person considering a career as a mixologist?
R & J: Bartending and mixology is an honorable and fulfilling career, don’t ever let anyone tell you different. Bartenders are members of a community of talented and creative people who work hard and play hard, and many of the top people I know in the business are making substantial incomes, traveling the world and even enjoying near-celebrity status. But like all professions, to reach that top level you have to put in the time and you have to be committed every day to learning and listening. Above all, work hard, know your cocktails and have a good sense of humor!
JM: What bar in the world would you choose to have your last drink?
R & J: No question, if I had to choose where to have my last drink, it would be the place where it all started, where I was fortunate to begin my career – The Manor in West Orange, NJ.
JM: Thank you.
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c2157ce8404e6456c00a2b870bd3c3d4 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2019/05/01/coleburn-single-malt-one-of-the-worlds-rarest-scotch-whiskies/ | Coleburn Single Malt: One Of The World's Rarest Scotch Whiskies | Coleburn Single Malt: One Of The World's Rarest Scotch Whiskies
Gordon & MacPhail 1981 from Coleburn Distillery Photo, courtesy Gordon & MacPhail
Gordon & MacPhail, the specialty bottler and single malt whisky creator, recently unveiled its Spring Collection. Among the highlights of its latest releases is the Gordon & MacPhail 1981 from Coleburn Distillery. This is the latest addition to G & M’s ‘Private Collection’ range. This very rare and exceptional whisky has been maturing for 38 years in a specially selected refill sherry hogshead cask at the G & M warehouse in Elgin.
Nestled in a rich green landscape, Coleburn Distillery was founded in 1897 in Longmorn, five miles south of Elgin in Speyside, by the Dundee based blender John Robertson & Son. It took its name from the fact that the region was a center of charcoal production in Speyside. It was originally fitted with two copper pot stills, which became operational two years later.
Coleburn was born during the phylloxera induced, great distillery boom of the 1890s. It was designed by visionary Victorian architect Charles Doig. He was responsible for designing 56 Scottish distilleries including Highland Park, Talisker, Caol Ila, Laphroaig and Knockando, among others. Doig also designed the Gordon & MacPhail retail shop in Elgin. Doig is best remembered for designing the Doig ventilator. The device, now commonly called a pagoda for its Chinese-like design, was used to draw off peat smoke from the barley kilns. The pagoda has become a ubiquitous feature of Scotch whisky distilleries.
The distillery was closed in 1913. In 1916, Coleburn was sold to the Clynelish Distillery Company; a company jointly owned by John Risk, John Walker & Sons and Distillers Company Ltd (DCL). Production was then restarted at Colburn, with the malt whisky destined for various blends. DCL acquired Risk’s shares in the company in 1926, bringing both Clynelish distillery and Coleburn under the umbrella of the newly formed Scottish Malt Distillers.
The distillery was totally renovated in the 1960s, and it continued to produce malt whisky earmarked for the Johnny Walker Red blend until 1985. Unfortunately, the whisky glut of the 1980s, a difficult period for the Scotch whisky industry, saw many distilleries, including Coleburn, close. Many of them never to reopen. In 1992, Coleburn’s distillery license was revoked.
In 2004, the distillery ground and buildings were sold to brothers Dale and Mark Winchester. The Winchesters unveiled grand plans to transform the distillery grounds into a destination whisky resort complete with a 5-star hotel and other lodging accommodations, a spa, a concert hall and conference facilities. The complex would also have included a working distillery and various hospitality facilities and retail outlets.
Although the redevelopment plans are still in place, little progress has been made. In the meantime, in 2014, Aceo, owner of independent bottler Murray McDavid, leased Coleburn’s dunnage warehouse to mature its own whisky stocks and to use as the company’s headquarters. The specialty bottler has since acquired the Coleburn Distillery Ltd. brand name and has released a blend under the Coleburn name. It has indicated that it may release further blended whisky expressions under the brand, and that it might even restart the distillery’s whisky production.
Historically, Coleburn’s malt whisky was described as sweet and fruity. Hardly any was ever released as a single malt, however. Most of the distillery’s production was used for various blended whiskies. Initially the whisky went into the Yellow Label blend from James Robertson & Sons and the Andrew Usher blend from J & G Stewart. During the DCL years, the malt was earmarked for some of the various Johnny Walker blends, principally Johnny Walker Red Label.
The only official single malt released by the distillery was in 2000, 15 years after the distillery had been closed, when Diageo released an expression as part of the Rare Malt Edition. Additional releases have come from Signatory, Cadenhead’s and Gordon & MacPhail. Very little Coleburn whisky is still left, making it one of the rarest whiskies in the world.
The Coleburn Distillery Photo, cpourtesy WIkipedia/C A Millar
G & M’s most recent release was laid down on 11 March 1981, to mature in cask 476. It was bottled at 55.9% ABV on 14 March 2019. Only 101 bottles will be available for purchase worldwide, representative of the unique nature of all ‘Private Collection’ releases. The recommended retail price in the US is approximately $1,600.
Established in 1895, Gordon & MacPhail has a worldwide reputation for creating exquisitely rare single malts that have featured spirit from over 100 distilleries across Scotland. The company is currently maturing spirit from 26 mothballed or closed distilleries, including Coleburn Distillery, in its fabled warehouse.
Two more notable whiskies from the 2019 Spring Collection include Connoisseurs Choice 1998 from Glenburgie (approximately $200). With just 245 bottles available, this whisky offers a unique opportunity to own a 20 YO that is rarely bottled as a single malt. Connoisseurs Choice 2006 from Ledaig Distillery offers a striking 13 YO whisky that has been carefully crafted using peated new-make spirit, expertly paired with a specially selected first-fill sherry hogshead (approximately $100).
More information on the Spring Collection is available at the company’s website.
Tasting Notes supplied by G & M
Gordon & MacPhail 1981 from Coleburn Distillery (Private Collection), 55.9% ABV, 101 bottles released. Approximately $1,600. Matured in cask no. 476, a refill sherry hogshead.
Colour: Mahogany.
Aroma: Sherry-soaked fruit aromas with a touch of beeswax polish. Juicy black cherries drizzled with rich caramel leads into fresh coffee with a subtle smokiness.
Taste: Dark chocolate, coffee, and ripe plums. Dried fruits and sherry-soaked cherries, reminiscent of rich fruitcake. Subtle flavours of oak and liquorice emerge with a slight nuttiness.
Finish: Long; rich fruitcake, coffee, and toffee notes evolve into leather with a hint of smoke.
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f4cff8414315841c8a5c48922133b9b2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2019/08/01/gordon-macphail-honors-the-lost-distilleries-of-speyside/ | Gordon & MacPhail Honors The Lost Distilleries of Speyside | Gordon & MacPhail Honors The Lost Distilleries of Speyside
Gordon & MacPhail Private Collection, Summer 2019 Releases Photo, courtesy, Gordon & MacPhail
Scotch whisky creator and specialty bottler Gordon & MacPhail has released its Summer Collection. The new release includes some of the oldest ever whisky releases from two “silent distilleries”: Dallas Dhu and St. Magdalene.
Bottled as part of its ‘Private Collection’ range, Gordon & MacPhail 1969 from Dallas Dhu Distillery is joined by Gordon & MacPhail 1982 from St. Magdalene Distillery, a 50 and a 38-year-old single malt.
Single malts in the Private Collection are personally selected by members of the Urquhart family that has owned Gordon & MacPhail for four generations. For over a century, the specialist whisky firm has matured spirit from more than 100 Scottish distilleries in its own casks to create a liquid library found nowhere else in the world.
A third Private Collection release, Gordon & MacPhail 1966 from Longmorn Distillery will also be available as part of the Summer Collection. The Speyside malt has been matured in a first-fill Oloroso sherry butt for 53 years. It presents a rich, dark mahogany color, intense fruitcake notes on the nose and dark fruits on the palate.
These unique and rare releases are bottled in custom crystal decanters housed in beautifully crafted wooden veneer presentation cases.
According to Stephen Rankin, Director of Prestige at Gordon & MacPhail,
Our ‘Private Collection’ whiskies embody the expertise, skill and patience that has been passed down over four generations of my family. My grandfather, George Urquhart, recognised an opportunity to match new make spirit with carefully selected casks at a time when the vast majority of production went into blends. Over the decades he was able to master this art which has become his legacy. He could never be persuaded to bottle a whisky before he believed it had reached its ultimate peak in terms of quality – a tradition we’re proud to continue today.
Gordon & MacPhail 1969 from Dallas Dhu Distillery, 50 YO, 43.1% ABV.
Distilled on June 10, 1969. Matured in cask no. 1656, a refill sherry hogshead, 176 bottles produced.
Less than two miles outside Forres, Dallas Dhu was one of the westernmost Speyside distilleries. Closed in 1983, the distillery was designed by famed architect Charles Doig, who also designed the Gordon & MacPhail retail shop in Elgin.
Color: mahogany.
Nose: aromas of rich fruitcake laden with plump, dark and golden raisins, and orange peel. An elegant sweetness of candied ginger, almond marzipan and sweet caramel. Wisps of wood smoke and tobacco linger upon a backdrop of subtle oak.
Palate: caramel apple with fruit and nut laden dark chocolate flavors accompany mouth-warming cracked peppercorns. Spice sits in the background while wood tannins begin to take hold.
Finish: lingering and warming; roasted coffee beans evolve into a subtle herbal edge. Full of character with a crisp clean edge.
Gordon & MacPhail 1982 from St. Magdalene Distillery, 38 YO, 53.0% ABV.
Matured in cask no. 2092, a refill American hogshead, 161 bottles produced.
The Gordon & MacPhail 1982 from St. Magdalene Distillery is believed to be one of the oldest bottled single malts from the distillery that used to stand in Linlithgow in the Scottish Lowlands. The newmake spirit was laid down the year prior to the distillery closing its doors for the last time.
A distillery with a rich and varied past, St. Magdalene was initially known as Linlithgow Distillery, before a merger with Bonnytoun Farm Distillery in 1826 led to a renaming. The distillery was built on the lands of St. Magdalene’s Cross Convent, although today all that remains is the malting barn and kiln.
Color: golden.
Nose: waxy, with distinctive aromas of lemons entwined with zesty lime and ripe banana. Creamy vanilla custard and almond marzipan aromas are layered with freshly cut grass and floral tones. Aniseed sits in the background.
Palate: sweet; hints of cracked black pepper and candied tropical fruits give a touch of sweetness before rich dark chocolate truffle centred with salted caramel flavors come through.
Finish: light and delicate with subtle hints of toasted malt, aniseed and oak humidor notes.
Gordon & MacPhail 1966 from Longmorn Distillery 53 YO, 46.0% ABV.
Matured in cask no.610, a first fill sherry butt, 398 bottles produced.
Unlike many Scottish distilleries founded during the whisky boom at the end of the 19th century, Longmorn has continued with constant production right up until the present day.
Color: dark mahogany.
Aroma: intense sweet fruitcake aromas align with brown sugar, stewed prunes and candied citrus peel. Spice provides warmth with cinnamon and clove. Hints of vanilla emerge as the whisky opens up, followed by a range of red to black berries. A delicate oak smoke hangs in the background.
Taste: sweet with bursts of pepper. Cooked dark fruits from blackberry to ripe cherries are enveloped by warming spice leading to flavors of licorice with dried tobacco and oak.
Finish: long, featuring cooked fruits and charred oak providing a subtle ash finish.
For more information on the 2019 Summer Collection visit: www.gordonandmacphail.com/our-whiskies/ranges/summer-collection/. The whiskies will be available for purchase from selected specialist whisky retailers internationally.
Gordon & MacPhail Whiskies
Established in 1895, family-owned Gordon & MacPhail is curator of some of the world’s finest and rarest single malt Scotch whiskies from over 100 distilleries. Four generations of the Urquhart family have continued to pursue the perfect partnership between spirit and cask.
Since its foundation, Gordon & MacPhail has carefully matched spirit to the highest quality oak casks, which are sent to distilleries throughout Scotland, filled with new-make spirit, and matured either at the distillery of origin or in the firm’s own bonded warehouse in Elgin.
It is this simple but endlessly complex pairing that creates an intriguing and unique portfolio of expressions – single malts that Scotch whisky lovers will not find anywhere else.
Since April 2018, the company’s bottlings have been organized along five different brands:
‘Discovery’– Utterly dependable, this flavor-led range is the perfect introduction to G & M’s portfolio of quality single malt Scotch whiskies. ‘Distillery Labels’– A range celebrating the firm’s long-standing relationships with Scotland’s preeminent distilleries. ‘Connoisseurs Choice’ – The heart of G & M’s iconic portfolio of rare whiskies – always unique, these non-chill-filtered, natural colored, small batch expressions are genuine one-offs. ‘Private Collection’– Ultra-aged single malts from celebrated, little-known, or closed distilleries specially selected by members of the Urquhart family. ‘Generations’– A prestigious collection of old, rare, and exclusive, one of a kind, masterpieces.
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f2b026be176844380f1e0abf2dfbb46e | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2019/08/01/rose-understanding-the-pink-wine-revolution-a-conversation-with-elizabeth-gabay-mw/ | Rosé, Understanding the Pink Wine Revolution: A Conversation With Elizabeth Gabay, MW | Rosé, Understanding the Pink Wine Revolution: A Conversation With Elizabeth Gabay, MW
Elizabeth Gabay conducting a Slovakian Rose masterclass at The Danube Wine Challenge.
Elizabeth Gabay, MW is one of the world’s foremost authorities on rosé wines. Her recent book, Rosé: Understanding the Pink Wine Revolution has quickly established itself as the definitive guide on the subject. Recently we sat down for a conversation with Ms Gabay on current trends in rosé wine.
JM: Rosé sales are booming worldwide. In France, they now amount to about one-third of wine sales. In the U.S. they have been growing in excess of 40% a year, albeit from a low base. What’s driving the demand for rosé wines?
EG: I am not sure there is any one reason for this growth in popularity. Maybe at the beginning it was because rosé was marketed as a simple fresh drink, which symbolized summer holidays, was not pretentious, etc. The color is also very photogenic in terms of Instagram marketing—think rosé, sunsets, sea, etc. To me, it seems amazing that this can drive a market sector so dramatically—so maybe also it comes down to age—this fun, glamorous image is aimed at a young market? Rosé packaging is also extremely visual. Pricing will make a difference—as classic regions such as Provence go up in price and move into a more serious market, this may change. It is important to recognize that there are two very different rosés—the poolside wine and the more complex rosé. It is the latter that is still a niche product, which is more interesting, and that is also growing, albeit at a slower pace.
JM: What exactly is the definition of a rosé? Most people think rosé is a pink, salmon or light-colored wine. But rosé can be dark red (Cerasuolo) to almost clear (Chiaretto). What determines whether a wine is a rosé: color, aroma and flavor profile, vinification method or a combination of all three? Is any red grape vinified as a white wine technically a rosé?
EG: This is the most exciting question. If color is the definition—are the pale, water pink rosés of Provence—almost blanc de noir—still rosé? Or as you say Cerasuolo—which can look more like a pale red? In the end, I decided to define rosé by vinification. A rosé is a wine that does not finish vinification on the skins. Orange wine is a white wine that does finish vinification on the skins—so even if it looks salmon pink, it is not a rosé. Definition by color—and as mentioned in the previous answer—seems to me to be part of the marketing image. That Chiaretto has felt it necessary to change from darker pink to pale to compete on the market is a little sad. I also included in the book rosés made of white wine with a small percentage of red wine for color both for still and sparkling wine.
JM: Rosé has undergone a quality revolution in the last several decades. What drove that transformation?
EG: In the field harvesting grapes slightly earlier for freshness and harvesting at night. I remember the rosé harvest during the 1980s and being stuck behind tractors full of grapes in the daytime heat! Technology in the cellar—the equipment to handle grapes and vinification at cool temperatures, yeasts that work at cool temperatures, protection against oxygen. When I interviewed early rosé pioneers about making modern rosé, they were talking about heaving in blocks of ice into the cellar to keep the cellars cool, and vast amounts of SO2.
JM: Provence and Languedoc-Roussillon produce more rosé than any other region in the world. Are these regions the trendsetters for rosé today? Is this the legacy of Marcel Ott? Where are Provençal producers taking the category?
EG: I think Provence was a trend setter—Marcel Ott was one of many. I think Languedoc started off making ‘Provence-taste-alikes,’ but is now beginning to forge its own path with some very interesting rosés being produced. Gerard Bertrand with his new 200 euro a bottle rosé is showing the shift in attitude to rosé in Languedoc. I think in terms of trend setting—this is where I get excited—it is like an explosion of creativity smoldering away. For the past 10 years rosé producers have been watching Provence, imitating Provence, learning to make quality rosé and now—there is so much going on. These exciting rosés may not be at the front line of commercial rose, but all around the world there are rosés that are looking so dynamic—there is no one trend setting region. Things I am seeing—playing around with oak, amphora, natural yeast, saignée, maceration times, solera, flor, under water fermentation….no one place is leading the way.
JM; In the US, rosé used to be associated with overly sweet, “blush,” “soda pop wines.” What changed that paradigm? Was that the influence of the Provençal producers?
EG: Possibly the perception that dry wines are lower calorie? Provence rosés are dry, but soft and ripe, so not aggressively dry. However, the anti-sweet trend, plus sweet and pink, has also had an adverse effect on the gorgeous off dry rosés of Anjou.
JM: Your book, Rosé: Understanding the Pink Wine Revolution, has quickly established itself as the definitive book on the subject. What motivated you to write that book, besides your publisher?
EG: I have worked with the wines of Provence since the 1980s, so knew the region well (and love their reds and whites) and I was intrigued by the rise in rosé. I also work a lot in central Europe and often found myself championing unknown regions and varieties. So, I guess the two trends came together in looking at rosé. I knew I did not want to write a consumer guide of best rosés to drink now—I wanted to try and understand where rosé came from, how was it developing, where was it going. I had contemplated a second edition—but the sector has grown so fast it really needs a completely new book.
JM: What was your biggest surprise in researching that book?
EG: How many regions had a long history of making rosé wine. How many different styles there were. I gave every new wine region three days for tasting as some rosés were a bit of a culture shock—dark, fruity, off dry or severely mineral and austere—and I had to re-calibrate my palate when tasting. I also tried to understand where the wine was coming from and how it fitted in to the gastronomic culture of the region. Rosé retsina was a conscious effort to bridge drinking styles. In Greece men drank retsina but not rosé and women often only drank the rosé—so quite a radical innovation to make a pink retsina. How much prejudice there was against rosé—it took a long time to convince producers and other wine writers that I was being serious. And biggest shock of all—neither myself or my husband were big rosé fans before writing the book. I now love them. Especially quite funky rosés.
JM: Rosés typically have not been aged for any great length of time. This seems to be changing with the emergence of more structured, more heavily extracted rosé wines. Where is this category going? Are aged (3 to 5+ years) rosés an anomaly, or are they going to become a significant part of the rosé universe?
EG: Old rosés are an interesting subject. If I ask to taste old rosé from the Provence appellations—nothing 3 to 4 years is presented. In Provence, the quality wines are still considered young for the first 3 to 4 years and get better and better. With a bit of age, secondary fruit characters—depending on varieties and region and vinification—nuts, dried fruit, oranges, start to slowly appear. My oldest sweet rosé was a Cabernet d'Anjou 1959, my oldest dry was a 1976 Negroamaro. Tondonia is just releasing its 2009; so yes, they do age! They are great with food and are appreciated in the on trade and by experienced wine lovers. The mass market isn’t interested however, it remains focused on young wines.
JM: Besides Provence, what are the three-top rosé producing regions in the world today? Which new region do you think shows the best prospects for producing quality rosé?
EG: Difficult…. Austria—as with all their wines—great quality and some seriously interesting innovation. Languedoc—IGP d’Oc has some very innovative styles. Greece—need to taste more—but been very impressed with the rosés made with local varieties. Also, maybe in a few years…. Italy and Spain—there are some interesting and innovative things happening here—no one region—but some interesting things. Australia—slowly—but some interesting rosés appearing—but they can be difficult to get a hold off.
JM: Where are the best rosé values found today?
EG: Italy and Spain—still have very good value—but also worth while looking at central Europe—countries like Romania are making more and more rosé.
JM: If you could only pick one producer, what would be the last bottle of rosé that you would drink?
EG: Only one…I love Lopez de Heredia Tondonia rosé—complex and charming—ticks all the boxes. 2009 current vintage being released.
JM: Thank you.
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22117abac76faa8d5abeea5f9c5da465 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2019/08/08/you-just-bought-a-cask-of-scotch-whisky-now-what/?sh=5be63d341643 | You Just Bought A Cask of Scotch Whisky: Now What? | You Just Bought A Cask of Scotch Whisky: Now What?
A cask of 1995 Laphroaig Single Malt Scotch Whisky Recently Up For Auction Photo, clourtesy Cask 88
Auctions of rare Scotch whiskies have become an increasingly prominent feature of the Scotch whisky market. In 2018, the value of Scotch whiskies sold at auction exceeded $50 million, up more than 60% from the previous year. This year Cask 88, a bottler and specialty retailer of rare whiskies, launched an online auction platform dedicated to casks of maturing Scotch whiskies. The company has dealt in casks of whisky for some time, but this is the first time that it has offered casks via an online auction platform.
The first auction, titled Maritime Malts, featured seven casks from coastal distilleries including: Laphroaig 1995, Aultmore 2013, Ben Nevis 1996 and 2006, Kilchoman 2006, Arran 1996 and one distillery titled Orkney Island (2009). There are only two distilleries in the Orkney’s: Highland Park and Scapa, so presumably the cask came from one of those distilleries.
Buying a cask of maturing whisky is considerably more complicated than buying a bottle, it’s a lot more work and has a lot more risk but it also offers a lot more options for maturation and can result in more appreciation in the whisky’s value.
How much does it cost to buy a cask of maturing whisky? That depends on the whisky, obviously, its age and the volume in the cask. The Maritime Malts featured in Cask 88’s inaugural whisky cask auction sold for approximately $67,000 (Laphroaig 1995), to $5,500 (Ben Nevis 2013).
What do you do if you manage to buy a cask of maturing whisky and what additional costs are incurred before the whisky can be consumed? For answers, we sat down with Ryan McCafferty, UK Sales and Operations Director at Cask 88. For discussion purposes, I assumed that I was the successful bidder on the cask of 1995 Laphroaig.
JM: The Laphroaig auction comes with an additional two years of storage included in the price. Could the buyer store the cask longer and what would that cost?
RM: We offer complimentary storage and insurance for the first two years; this will cost approximately £50 ($65) per year thereafter and that covers the cost of storage and insurance. The cask, by Scottish law, must remain in a government bonded warehouse in Scotland until it is bottled.
JM: Once the whisky is bottled can it be sold commercially, assuming you have the necessary permits, or can it only be consumed privately? Could a buyer with the required permits sell it as a private bottling? What about a retail store?
RM: Yes, the whisky can be bottled and sold commercially (assuming necessary permits). Some of the casks were sold with certain conditions stipulated, though the Laphroaig cask in question was not.
JM: Can the bottles carry the Laphroaig name? Does it make a difference on the use of the name if the whisky is sold commercially or just kept privately?
RM: Yes, all whisky casks can be bottled stating the distillery name, unless stated otherwise. Some distilleries are very protective of their brand and so aim to prevent independent bottlings using their brand name. In these circumstances, the whisky could still be bottled, but should be referred to as ‘Speyside single malt’ or ‘Islay single malt’, for example. In any case the label must follow SWA rules on independent bottling.
JM: At what point is the cask released from bond, when it goes to bottling?
RM: Not necessarily at the point of bottling, as bottles can be stored under bond. They are released from bond when the duty is paid, and this is when the liquid is permitted to be removed from the bonded warehouse. Bottles can also be moved between warehouses under bond.
JM: Does Laphroaig or anyone else have to approve the label on the bottle?
RM: The label doesn’t need direct approval by Laphroaig or anyone other than the warehouse. The warehouse will check (and Cask 88 can help in advance of this) to ensure the label is compliant with SWA (Scotch Whisky Association) regulations. This dictates that the ABV and volume are correct and of a certain minimum size, that the type face of the label doesn’t closely resemble the distilleries’ own brand, and that the independent bottlers’ brand name/individual’s name is much more prominent than that of the distillery of origin’s name. These regulations are in place to ensure that no-one can accidently think they are purchasing (or drinking) a product officially released by the distillery themselves.
JM: What is the cost of bottling?
RM: For a straightforward design in a 700 ml, 40% ABV bottle, we would recommend putting aside £15 ($18) per bottle. That includes tax and duty, bottle, label and packaging. The cost of production for a limited run of bottles is relatively high. However, if you wanted a more elaborate design, then the sky is really the limit in terms of the price. We will be able to provide guidance when clients come to bottle the whisky, and can offer the services of our in-house designer for the creation of labels and packaging. If the bottles need to be exported internationally, this is something we have experience with.
JM: Taxes due (in the UK) are the excise tax on alcohol and the Value Added Tax (VAT). How much are these and are there any more taxes due? How is VAT determined in the event the whisky is not sold commercially?
RM: The duty on alcohol to be consumed in the UK (released out of bond into the UK territory) is currently £28.74 ($35) per liter of pure alcohol plus VAT at 20%. Note the VAT is only applicable to the bottling costs, i.e., dry goods and services like bottles, bottling, labels, boxes/cartons, excise duty etc. and not the hammer price of the cask. VAT is due on all of the above regardless, whether it is to be sold commercially or not. In a commercial setting the VAT can be claimed back, assuming it is recharged to customers at the point of sale, as with all goods.
JM: What taxes are due if the bottles are exported? Are the taxes different if the cask is exported?
RM: If the bottles are to be exported, no UK Duty (+VAT) is due on the bottles, as long as the bottles are exported to another country directly from the bonded warehouse. They will then be taxed at the local rate in their country of destination. The same rules apply to a cask.
JM: Presumably under SWA rules, if the cask is exported it could not be bottled as Scotch malt whisky, correct?
RM: The cask must stay under bond in a warehouse in Scotland, and be bottled in Scotland, if it is to be called Scotch malt whisky. However, if it is exported after bottling, there should be no problem in referring to it as Scotch malt whisky. If it is exported in cask form and then bottled overseas it cannot be called Scotch malt whisky.
JM: So, doing the math, what would be the excise taxes, VAT and bottling cost to bottle the cask of Laphroaig? Let’s assume it’s bottled at cask strength in one liter bottles? Any additional costs involved?
RM: One liter of Laphroaig at 55.4% ABV would be: £28.74 * 0.554 = £15.92 +VAT= £19.10 ($23.30) per liter. Additional costs would be bottles, labels, bottling costs (charged by the bottling hall) and shipment. As you can imagine this can vary extensively in price depending on bottle style, label quality and finishes, and final destination, etc. However, in a basic bottle (supplied by bottling hall) with a basic label, which contains the general legally required information produced by bottling hall, then the cost will be from £3+VAT per bottle. Shipping to an address in Scotland can be around £1-2 per bottle in case quantities. Worldwide shipping will vary by location. Therefore, total cost of bottling (including duty, most basic bottle and label but excluding worldwide shipment and bottling hall charges, which can vary) = £19.10 + £3+VAT = £25.10 ($30.6). If the cask was bottled immediately, we would be left with 235 one liter bottles. The cask sold for £54,850 ($67,000) or $285 per one-liter bottle. Add to that another $30.6 for the cost of bottling and the total cost comes to $315.6 for each one liter bottle of 24 YO cask strength Laphroaig. If the bottles were exported from bond, then most of the $30.6 of additional cost would be saved.
JM: For comparison sake, a 750-ml bottle of 25 YO cask strength Laphroaig costs approximately $500 in the US, on average, although it can be found at a cheaper price from discounters. The impact of excise taxes and VAT on an overseas buyer would depend on whether the whisky was shipped in bond or released into the UK and then shipped, ideally in stages, to the owners.
JM: How often would the cask be gauged once it is purchased?
RM: This (along with samples) is done as often or as little as the owner would like. However, warehouses charge for this work to be done. These costs differ from warehouse to warehouse, but usually cost in the region of £25-£50 ($30-$60). This involves the taking of a sample, with the re-gauge performed at the same time.
JM: What would be the cost of transferring the contents to a new barrel?
RM: The type of cask is the most considerable factor determining price, with costs ranging from a few hundred pounds for the cost of an ex-bourbon or ex-sherry barrel, up to approximately £1000 ($1,250) or more for a Mizunara Japanese oak cask. The number of times the cask has been filled will also affect the price, with first fill barrels commanding a premium, and refill barrels being cheaper. The quality of the cask, a factor that is difficult to assess at a distance, will have a major impact on the resulting whisky. Warehouses charge a small fee for re-racking. Craigton packaging, where the Laphroaig cask is stored, charge £35+VAT ($42)+VAT for a 1-1 rerack (the contents of one cask moved into one other cask; a sherry butt to two hogsheads would be a 1-2), though other warehouses may charge more.
Thank you.
So, does it make sense to buy a cask of whisky? Probably not for a single purchaser, but it certainly could be attractive for a group. Depending on the amount of whisky in a cask, a group of 20 to 30 individuals could each end up with between 8 and 12 bottles. That’s enough to last a while and share with friends, but not enough to overwhelm the purchaser.
Importing and reselling the whisky commercially would be complicated unless you are in the spirits trade and have the necessary permits. Releasing the whisky into the UK , paying the UK taxes and VAT, and then bringing over the stock gradually would be more expensive but ultimately much easier.
Alternatively, a young whisky, 10 years or younger, can be had for $10,000 to $15,000 a cask. Storage and yearly gauging and testing for another 15 to 20 years, assuming you have a good quality cask and the whisky can stand the additional aging, will set you back around $1,500. That may be a long time to wait, but it makes a great gift for children or grandchildren. That’s one way to make sure that grandpa and grandma get remembered!
Sláinte
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4a2327c9131705f60eea8e00cd2da7b7 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2019/08/29/let-bombay-sapphire-gin-reawaken-your-creativity/ | Let Bombay Sapphire Gin Reawaken Your Creativity | Let Bombay Sapphire Gin Reawaken Your Creativity
Bombay Sapphire Gin's Robotics Painter Photo, courtesy Bombay Sapphire Gin
Gin is arguably the most creative sector in the beverage industry. With hundreds of different botanicals to choose from, the range of possible aroma and flavor profiles is virtually unlimited. No surprise then that there are more than 6,000 different gins.
Bombay Sapphire, one of the storied names in the gin industry has embraced gin’s inherent creativity to launch a new marketing campaign called #FindYourCanvas. According to Bombay Sapphire’s Brand Director Tom Spaven, the company is on a mission to reawaken the inner creativity it believes it fans possess but which all to often is overshadowed by the demands of jobs, family and finances.
Per Spaven:
Since Bombay Sapphire was first introduced in 1987, the brand has been embraced by creative communities, in particular, artist communities. We have a track record of championing, supporting and enabling creativity, with long-running programs like the Artisan Series and our annual Most Imaginative Bartender cocktail competition. ‘Find Your Canvas’ is a call-to-action and a reminder for everyone to reconnect with their creative side. Tom Spaven, Brand Director, Bombay Sapphire Gin
In order to spur gin consumers to find their creative talents, on August 28 the brand will unveil “Painted by Everyone” a crowd sourced, robotic art installation in Los Angeles. The installation will allow consumers across the country to express their creative talents by participating in a crowd sourced canvas.
The program will run from August 28 through September 1. During this period consumers, 21 or older, across the country can visit the website in order to select a color and pixel on a 27 foot by 9 foot canvas. The painting is displayed at the ROW Downtown shopping center in Los Angeles.
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Participants will be able to see a live feed as their contribution is painted onto the canvas in real time by two state of the art VTPro robotic arms. Bombay expects that tens of thousands of consumers will participate in the promotion resulting in a unique work of art literally created by crowdsourcing. Anybody can participate by simply going to the web site.
The resulting canvas will be unveiled at The Other Art Fair LA on September 5. The brand will use the Fair to host a series of workshops on creativity in Los Angeles, Dallas and Brooklyn over the year taught by what brand manager Tom Spaven calls their “tribe of creatives”.
The instructors include a distinctive and eclectic group of creative artists: celebrity hair stylist Daniel. Moon, makeup artist Mimi Choi, actor and filmmaker James Bland, NY based DJ and creative consultant DJ Amrit, photographer Ravie B Verona and graphic designers Jessica Walsh and Ramzy Masri. It’s the brand’s intention to demonstrate that “creativity can be expressed on a variety of unique and unexpected canvases”
In addition to the classes, which are designed to provide fair goers the opportunity to explore and discover their own creative talents and to “encourage everyone to find their own canvas”, the brand will also offer participants a free three month subscription to the online learning platform Skillshare. There are nearly 25,000 classes exploring myriad facets of human creativity available on Skillshare’s data base.
According to Spaven:
This idea is inspired by our firm belief that creativity exists within us all – it’s something that we are all born with but often lose over time. We believe it’s important to connect with, and uncover your creative side as a means of keeping communities vibrant, diverse and interesting! Tom Spaven, Brand Director, Bombay Sapphire Gin
Bombay Sapphire gin is noted for its lightness and pronounced floral aromas. It is produced by a triple distillation process using a Carterhead still in which the alcohol vapors are passed through a mesh basket that holds the 10 botanicals used to flavor the gin.
The gin’s name and iconic sapphire colored bottle was inspired by the violet blue Star of Bombay, a 182 carat sapphire that was mined in Sri Lanka in the 19th century and which is now on display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC.
The sapphire was a gift to legendary silent film actress Mary Pickford from her husband Douglas Fairbanks. She subsequently donated the 60 carat ring to the Smithsonian in 1979.
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d564b8829c8d6568c592b7330aa44c7f | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2020/03/07/cristalino-tequila-get-ready-for-a-whole-new-type-of-tequila/ | Cristalino Tequila: Get Ready For A Whole New Type Of Tequila | Cristalino Tequila: Get Ready For A Whole New Type Of Tequila
Shot glass splash of tequila Getty
Tequila is the fastest growing spirits category in the United States. A new type of tequila, cristalino, now being released in the U.S., promises to spur that growth rate even more.
Cristalino is usually an añejo or extra añejo tequila that has been filtered with activated charcoal in order to remove its color and enhance its fruity and floral character. The result is a clear tequila, similar to a blanco, which also retains the taste and aroma profile of a tequila that has been barrel aged.
Cristalino tequila was first developed by tequila producer Don Julio, one of Mexico’s most distinguished tequila producers, in 2011. Called Don Julio 70, it was released to commemorate the producer’s 70th anniversary. Originally it was called “añejo claro.” The name was later changed to cristalino .
According to Don Julio’s Master Distiller Enrique de Colsa, the tequila began as an añejo that had been aged for 18 months in barrels of American white oak. The charcoal filtration process enhanced the aromas and flavors of crisp agave, citrus and fruit notes typically characteristics of a blanco, while retaining the vanilla and caramel notes typical of a añejo.
The goal claims de Colsa, was to add layered complexity to the tequila by enhancing the flavors that are often overwhelmed by wood aging. It was never their intention to produce a clear tequila, that was simply an unintended by product of their filtration process.
Don Julio 70, Anejo Claro Tequila Photo, courtesy Don Julio
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The typical cristalino combines the barrel aged flavors of an añejo or extra añejo, such as caramel, vanilla, and oak, and the fruity and floral elements of a blanco, while also offering a rounded mouth feel with a notable palate weight and smooth texture.
Some cristalinos have a very pronounced aroma of vanilla and caramel. In some cases, these flavors are so pronounced that they seem candy-like or artificial; like a Chardonnay whose vanilla flavors have been overly enhanced with oak chips. Cristalinos can vary from dry to sweet.
Cristalino is the fastest growing tequila category in Mexico, and has had a profound impact on that market. It is responsible for making tequila the largest spirit category in Mexico, and for shifting its consumption to more than 50% female. It has also broadened tequila’s appeal to younger millennials, especially millennial women.
There are currently around 50 brands of cristalino tequila in Mexico, around two dozen of them are available in the U.S.
This is the first of a two-part series exploring the world of cristalino tequila. In part one I will look at the process for making cristalino and how activated charcoal shapes the resulting aroma and taste profile. I will also compare four cristalino tequilas before and after being filtered. In part 2, I will look at some of the top cristalino brands available in the U.S.
Activated Carbon In The Spirits Industry
Charcoal is a form of carbon that is produced by the heating of wood or other organic substances in the absence of oxygen. When the oxidation of carbon is carried out by high temperature steam, millions of pores between the carbon atoms are created and the charcoal is classified as “activated.” The activation process creates a porous, sponge-like structure with a large surface area where many types of organic contaminants in a liquid or gas can bind to the carbon.
One gram of activated carbon has a surface area of 32,000 square feet, roughly one-third of the surface area of a football field.
Charcoal first began to be used as a filtering agent, for the de-colorization of sugar, at the beginning of the 19th century.
Tennessee whiskey makers were the first to use charcoal to filter spirits. The Lincoln Country process, where Tennessee whiskey is filtered through a column of maple wood charcoal, dates back to around 1830. The charring of oak barrels by American whiskey producers, although not quite the same as “activated charcoal filtration,” produces a similar effect.
Facundo Bacardí, the founder of his namesake company, also used activated charcoal to create crystal clear rums, giving birth to what became “Cuban style rums.” Bacardí experimented with a variety of different materials before concluding that activated charcoal made from a combination of tropical woods and coconut shell was ideal for filtering aged rums. The specific combination of material used in the production of Bacardi’s charcoal is still a closely guarded secret. The charcoal not only absorbed contaminants that gave the rum a harsh taste, it also decolorized it, giving it a clear appearance.
Tequila city in Jalisco, Mexico, Pueblo Magico and UNESCO heritage Getty
Bacardí demonstrated that the source material of the charcoal affects its filtration properties by determining the range of pore sizes that are produced. These typically range from micro-pores of less than four nano-meters (nm), (a nano-meter is one billionth of a meter), to macro-pores of 500 to 2,000 nm. The greater the proportion of micro-pores, the more effective the absorption of unwanted compounds by the activated charcoal. Coconut shell activated carbon typically has 85 to 90 percent of is pores in the micro-pore range, so it is particularly effective as a filtering agent.
The microscopic pores in activated charcoal act as a sort of molecular filter or sieve. The density, size and distribution of the pores determines what compounds will be absorbed and which ones will pass through. By using different types of activated charcoal, a distiller can shape the final aroma and taste profile of a spirit.
Activated charcoal is widely used in the production of vodka. The typical process is to introduce finely ground activated charcoal to the spirit, allow it to absorb any impurities or undesirable flavors and aromas and then remove the powder via a filter.
Currently, most tequila producers are using commercial grades of activated charcoal. A few like Jose Aceves at Casa Aceves, a tequila producer in Tepatitlán in the Highlands, are already experimenting with different types of activated charcoal, some which are proprietary, in the quest for new and different cristalino aroma and taste profiles.
Comparing Cristalino And Unfiltered Tequilas
Recently I sat down with Mario Villanueva, General Manager of Casa Maestri, one of Mexico’s largest tequila producers, and tasted both the firm’s line of Tuyo cristalino tequilas and the original Casa Maestri tequilas from which they were made. The range includes cristalinos made from blanco, reposado, añejo and extra añejo tequilas. These tequilas are identical save for the fact that one version was filtered with activated carbon and the original source material was not.
Tuyo Blanco Photo, courtesy Casa Maestri
Casa Maestri, Tequila Blanco, 40% ABV, 750 ml
On the nose, this tequila is fruity and floral, slightly herbaceous, with a hint of minerality. As it opens up notes of pepper, lemon and citrus, along with a hint of cinnamon, emerge. On the palate, the tequila is smooth, with notes of pepper, anise and sweet, tropical fruits. The finish is medium length, sweet, with a lingering vegetative note.
Tuyo No. 1, Tequila Blanco Cristalino, 40% ABV, 750 ml
On the nose, this tequila is fruity, with pronounced tropical notes, especially melon. There is a note of wet stone minerality along with slight milk chocolate aromas. The cristalino is noticeably less herbaceous than the original blanco from which it was made. It’s sweeter on the palate, smoother, with more pronounced tropical fruit flavors. It’s less peppery and has a more pronounced palate weight. The finish is medium length, sweeter and fruitier than the blanco.
Tuyo Reposado Photo, courtesy casa Maestri
Casa Maestri, Tequila Reposado, 40% ABV, 750 ml
On the nose, its clean and fresh, with a very slight herbaceousness, some apple and citrus notes and very light tropical and cinnamon notes. On the palate, it is smooth, viscous, with notes of anise, some slight tropical notes and a pronounced pepperiness. The finish is long, fruity sweet, with lingering pepper notes.
Tuyo, No. 2, Tequila Reposado Cristalino, 40% ABV, 750 ml
This tequila is floral, with pronounced licorice/anise notes. There are tropical notes of melon and some mango, as well as apple notes, along with a noticeable cotton candy sweetness. On the palate, it’s very smooth, sweet, with melon and tropical fruit flavors and a slight pepperiness. The finish is long, sweet, with lingering, apple and pepper notes and a slight bitterness.
Tuyo Anejo Photo, courtesy Casa Maestri
Casa Maestri, Añejo Tequila, 40% ABV, 750 ml
On the nose, this is very fruity with a slight anise note, a hint of wood, along with dried flowers. As it opens up, pronounced spice notes of cinnamon, clove and vanilla emerge, along with some caramel. On the palate, the tequila is smooth, sweet, peppery, more white than black, along with apple flavors, and just a hint of bitterness. The finish is very long, slightly peppery, with a lingering sweet, tropical note.
Tuyo No. 3, Tequila Añejo Cristalino, 40% ABV, 750 ml
On the nose, there are very noticeable licorice/anise notes, more pronounced than in the Añejo, along with notes of cooked, ripe tropical fruit and green fruits and creamy, custard-like and marshmallow aromas. On the palate, it’s sweet, very smooth, custard-like, with notes of tropical fruit, licorice, vanilla and some pepperiness. The finish is very long, with pronounced creamy, vanilla notes, sweet tropical fruit and a lingering pepperiness.
Tuyo Extra Anejo Photo, courtesy Casa Maestri
Casa Maestri, Tequila, Extra Añejo, 40% ABV, 750 ml
This tequila spends from 40 to 44 months in barrels of American white oak. This is a very complex tequila. On the nose, its creamy, offering up notes of floral potpourri, white pepper and tropical fruit, along with aromas of vanilla custard, butterscotch and spice notes of cinnamon, clove and hints of milk chocolate. On the palate, there is sweet, creamy custard, with notes of anise, tropical and dried fruits and pepper. The finish is long, with a lingering sweetness, tropical fruits and a slight, drying tannic note.
Tuyo No. 4, Tequila Extra Añejo Cristalino, 40% ABV, 750 ml
This is an unusual cristalino. On the nose, it has a slightly salty/briny character with a pronounced wood note. It’s clean, fresh, floral and fruity, featuring green and tropical fruits and sweet almond/marzipan notes. There is also the waxy note of a tequila with extended aging. On the palate, its sweet, smooth, slightly peppery and very herbal, with green and tropical fresh and dried fruit flavors. The finish is very complex, sweet, peppery, herbal with a long, lingering fruity note accompanied by some citric and cinnamon flavors.
In general, the Tuyo Cristalinos offer up greater complexity with a more pronounced, smooth creamy texture and a notable palate weight. The filtration process clearly enhances the fruity and floral aromas of the tequila and compliments nicely the wood aging notes.
In the case of the Tuyo cristalinos, it seems the añejo is clearly the most balanced and nuanced of the range. The extra añejo offers more complexity, but seems less balanced then the añejo. If you are a fan of sipping tequilas, then cristalinos are definitely worth exploring and, if you find one you like, adding it to your bar.
Salud!
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06920f83d2405f047126afdea94623d2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2020/04/04/how-the-covid-19-pandemic-is-upending-the-alcoholic-beverage-industry/?sh=7b9c042b4b0b | How The COVID-19 Pandemic Is Upending The Alcoholic Beverage Industry | How The COVID-19 Pandemic Is Upending The Alcoholic Beverage Industry
Unhappy friends protected from coronavirus Getty
Historically, the beverage business was among the most recession resilient businesses in America. According to David Ozgo, Senior Vice President, Economic and Strategic Analysis at the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. (DISCUS), during economic downturns, overall consumption of alcoholic beverages wouldn’t change much: beer and wine sales would rise and liquor sales would decline. Demand for budget and mid-priced (premium) spirits would increase, while demand for high-end super-premium and ultra-premium spirits would diminish. The distribution pattern, however, would change dramatically.
On-premise sales for consumption in an establishment such as bars, restaurants or winery tasting rooms typically would decline. While off-premise “to-go” sales of packaged product for home consumption from grocery and liquor stores or mail order firms would increase. From the standpoint of a producer, they would roughly sell the same amount of spirits, only the distribution channel would change.
In 2018, off-premise sales of liquor in the U.S. represented around $113 billion, about 47% of alcohol sales. On-premise sales represented $147 billion in sales, about 53%.
So far, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on U.S. alcoholic beverage sales has been different from the experiences in past recessions. Alcoholic beverage sales have spiked significantly, but the impact has been uneven. Some producers have seen their sales soar, while others have seen them decimated.
COVID-19 coronavirus in USA, 100 dollar money bill with face mask. Getty
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According to Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC), a major, $20 billion revenue, wine and spirits distribution company, sales of spirits jumped by around 50% for the week ending March 21. Nationally, the overall increase for the week, according to Nielsen data, was a 55% spike in sales.
Significantly, according to RNDC, the rate of increase in sales of spirits declined in the last week of March, even though it continued to increase at a 20%+ rate. Not surprisingly, 1.75 liter sized bottles were showing the largest increase, while 375 ml bottles showed the smallest increase. Sales of economy and premium spirits were outselling sales of luxury, super-premium and ultra-premium by roughly two to one. The latter was consistent with historical trends, even if overall demand was elevated.
Although the RNDC data is anecdotal, it is consistent with what other major beverage distributors are reporting.
Selection of canned wines Photo, J Micallef
Nationally, tequila saw the biggest spike, up more than 75%, underscoring its status as the fastest growing spirits segment in the U.S. It was followed closely by gin. Wine sales were up 66% and beer sales, in a reversal of the usual recession consumption pattern, lagged even though they still rose 42%. Interestingly, sales of canned alcoholic beverages were the top performer. Canned cocktails were up 93% for the week, while canned wines rose by 95%. Overall, sales of alcoholic beverages soared by 58% for the week ending March 21 according to Nielsen.
Ironically, Corona beer, whose name similarity to the Coronavirus many pundits assumed would crater its sales, saw its sales rise instead. According to Constellation Brands (STZ), sales of its flagship Corona beer soared 50%, well above the overall increase in beer sales
Not surprisingly, sales were dominated by off-premise retailers, especially mail order accounts. The anecdotal evidence is compelling. Drizly, an alcohol E-commerce platform operating in over 100 markets across the United States and Canada, saw a 300% rise in sales. Nicknamed the “Amazon of liquor,” Drizly allows consumers to obtain delivery of a variety of alcoholic beverages directly from local retailers. According to Nielsen, online spirits sales were up 243% during that week.
Winc, a direct to consumer wine club, saw a 578% increase in new member sign ups during the week ending March 21. Sales during the same period increased by 49.6%. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Winc has added new members at an average rate of 2,102 a day versus the previous average rate of 207 new members a day.
Vivino, another wine app, saw its highest sales total on March 13, easily beating its previous Black Friday totals. A week later, on March 21, its sales soared even more, by 162%. Vivino’s sales in Italy saw an even larger spike, up 282%. Vinopro, another online vendor, has seen its sales soar 50% since the start of the pandemic.
Moreover, average order sizes among mail order retailers was up by 20% according to Nielsen, and larger pack sizes were up by 53%.
Liquor retailers have been classified as essential accounts in most states. Their sales results are mixed, however, depending on their customer profile. Remedy Liquor and Wine Cellar in Glendale is one of Southern California’s biggest wine and liquor retailers and has a sizable, national mail order operation. Its experiences are indicative of the plight of many liquor retailers.
According to Michael Issakhanian, the owner, overall sales are down considerably even though online sales are booming. Per Issakhanian, about 40% of the store’s revenue was driven by events—weddings, parties, receptions, etc. “That business is gone,” he says, since under the stay at home orders large gatherings of people have been banned. Likewise, purchases of high-end liquor as gifts “have also disappeared,” he notes, since people aren’t socializing like they used to. Internet sales have exploded, on the other hand, resulting in the hiring of four more staff to keep up with demand. According to Issakhanian:
We’ve traded truckload sized orders of multiple pallets of wine and liquor for weddings and parties for individual orders of low and mid-priced Internet orders
On-premise accounts, on the other hand, saw an even more dramatic decline in sales. It’s estimated that 85% to 95% of bars and, excluding fast food restaurants, over 80% of sit-down restaurants have been closed. According to Ozgo:
States accounting for 93 percent of supplier on-premise sales have now either closed or imposed restrictions on bars, restaurants, nightclubs and other on-premise venues
Diner restaurant closed sign for Covid 19 crisis Getty
Since March 1, the restaurant industry has lost more than three million jobs and $25 billion in sales. Despite the aid offered by the Cares Act, Laurent Grandet, an analyst at investment banker Guggenheim, estimates that 20% of bars and restaurants won’t reopen. Overall, Moody has revised its 2020 forecast for restaurant industry sales from a 2% to 4% growth to a 10% decline.
Quick service restaurants (QSRs) are doing better since they are usually already set up for or drive through or in-store pickup. Historically, roughly 65% of QSR sales are drive through. QSRs, however, sells virtually no alcoholic beverages, so their resiliency has little impact on the beverage industry. Allowing a QSR to sell alcoholic beverages, even if it was just wine or beer, would be a boom for the beverage industry. It’s unlikely that state regulators would adopt that change, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask.
Convenience stores are a significant outlet for beverage sales, especially wine and beer. Many of these stores are linked to gasoline outlets. Stay at home orders, now in 33 states covering over 90% of the U.S. population, have sharply limited driving. Additionally, consumer purchases have shifted to destination stores with large selections and bulk purchase options, like warehouse clubs or large grocery stores, and away from convenience stores.
Even though convenience stores were deemed essential outlets, they are still seeing significant declines in revenues. Last week, Casey’s (CASY) for example, the fourth largest convenience store chain with 2,146 outlets, reported significant declines in its store traffic and withdrew its 2020 guidance. Other convenience store chains are doing the same
The changes in the distribution pattern have far-ranging implications for the beverage industry regardless of the overall increases in volumes. Craft beer producers, for example, rely on on-premise sales for around 70% on their revenues. They are seeing significant reductions in revenues, despite the spike in bottled beer purchases. Many craft beer producers do not even offer bottled beer.
Boutique wine producers are facing similar problems. An informal survey of Willamette Valley wine producers, for example, showed that on average the typical winery derived 25% to 35% of its volume from direct to consumer sales and the balance via distributor sales to on-premise and off-premise accounts. Revenue wise, however, the revenue split was 50-50, since direct to consumer sales are more profitable than sales to distributors.
Restaurants represented about 60% to as much as 75% of distributors’ boutique winery sales while retail sales, both brick and mortar and online, were the balance. That means boutique producers have been particularly hard hit by restaurant closures. Although online sales have spiked considerably and wineries are continuing to offer drive up pick up and mail order service to their wine club members/consumers, overall revenues, on average, are down by about 50% or more.
Interestingly, there is some data, albeit anecdotal, indicating that although 55+ consumers are the biggest group of regular wine drinkers, millennials are driving premium wine sales. On balance, they are spending more per bottle than their parents.
Ditto for craft distillers. There are more than 2,000 craft distillers in the U.S. Typically, they rely on distillery tasting room sales for roughly 40% of their revenue. On-premise consumption amounts to about 15% and off-premise about 45%. With tasting rooms closed, like their winery cousins, craft producers are seeing their revenues drop by half or more.
In total, some 47,000 U.S. retail outlets have closed in the month of March. It’s unclear how many of those outlets carried alcoholic beverages.
According to the National Restaurant Association (NRA), there are more than one million restaurants, about one-half of which offer alcoholic beverages, in the U.S. There are roughly 350,000 QSRs, the bulk of which do not offer alcoholic beverages, 300,000 full-service restaurants (FSR) and 350,000 other outlets that serve food. The NRA believes that approximately half of all restaurants are distressed and are anticipating having to lay off more employees in the month of April.
There are approximately 62,500 bars, taverns, pubs and night clubs, collectively bars, in the U.S. Virtually all bars have been closed, although some are partially open and are offering limited pick up food service or sales of packaged alcoholic beverages. The segment represents about 20 billion dollars in revenue and 345,000 jobs. Roughly half of a typical bar’s revenues come from the sale of alcoholic beverages, about 20% liquor, 5% wine and 25% beer.
Trends in Europe are following a similar pattern. Hospitality consulting group CGA, for example, has estimated that UK restaurant sales are down by 75% and bar sales are down 88%. Sales in France and Italy are even more dismal, as central governments there have already ordered all bars and restaurants closed.
Some bars and tasting rooms have responded by trying to recreate the bar experience virtually. The New York State Brewery Association, for example, has launched a virtual happy hour that takes place on a different member’s Facebook page each day.
With bars shuttered and stressed-out workers stuck at home, companies and friend groups across the ... [+] U.S. are holding happy hours over video chat to commiserate and keep spirits high (Jamie Lee Finch via AP) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Through virtual happy hours, some bars are live streaming bartenders offering recipes, mixology demonstrations and group tastings. According to the International Wine and Spirits Review (IWSR), some laid off bartenders are also utilizing social media to offer videos and live demos of recipes, mixology tips and live Q & A sessions in return for virtual tips through services such as PayPal and Venmo.
Gray Whale Gin, is one of several companies trying to help unemployed bartenders. The brand is hiring for a "shift" at their Virtual Bar. It’s calling on bartenders across the U.S. to create an original cocktail that brings Gray Whale Gin’s unique Californian botanicals to life and submit the recipe to info@gsdspirits.com. Selected bartenders will be paid $350 for their “shift,” which includes creating social content for their original cocktail. Over the next 15 weeks, Gray Whale Gin will celebrate each bartender and their creation on Instagram (@GrayWhaleGin).
The question that no one can yet answer yet is whether the spike in demand is being driven by stockpiling in anticipation of a more stringent lockdown or an increase in immediate consumption. It’s likely a combination of both. According to Ozgo, most industry observers attribute the spike to stockpiling, although it will likely also result in a modest increase in consumption. The anecdotal evidence seems to bear this out.
As additional data is compiled from subsequent weeks we will have a better idea of how purchasing and consumption patterns are being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. What is clear, is that the spike in demand is not benefiting all industry participants and that the pandemic will create far reaching, long-term changes in how alcoholic beverages are purchased and consumed in the U.S.
Cheers
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6176f180bb812fbf4d5ed1e024e7c29e | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2020/08/14/the-worlds-top-10-vodkas-according-to-the-international-wine--spirits-competition/?sh=3fa82f827bc0 | The World’s Top 10 Vodkas According To The International Wine & Spirits Competition | The World’s Top 10 Vodkas According To The International Wine & Spirits Competition
odka Cocktails getty
Vodka is the one spirit that is truly international. It is consumed in around 200 countries around the world, and is produced in approximately 100 countries. There are over a 1,000 different vodka brands. Collectively, they sell more than 330 million nine-liter cases, with a value of more than $42 billion. The top 10 brands sell about 100 million cases yearly. The US alone consumes around 75 million cases a year. Vodka is the largest spirits category in the US, and represents roughly one out of every three dollars spent on spirits.
The International Wines & Spirits Competition recently announced the top vodkas from the 2020 judging. Only 10 names out of the hundreds of vodkas submitted to the competition were awarded the IWSC’s highest medal award, IWSC Gold Outstanding. Significantly, none of the global brands that dominate the international vodka market appeared among the IWSC’s top ten vodkas. Nor did any American brands make the list.
Below is a list of the world’s top 10 vodkas along with tasting notes from the IWSC’s judging panel.
Dom Wina, Dwór Sieaków Śliwa z tarniną, ABV 40%
Dom Wina is an artisanal Polish vodka that is flavored with plums and blackthorn and linden honey. The fruit is macerated in the vodka for up to six weeks before it is filtered and bottled.
Aromatic sloes are joined by kirsch and ripe plums on the nose. An interplay between sweet apricot and tea develops on a lovely, dry palate. Festive spices and marzipan evolve into a cooling, herbal finish. Absolutely divine.
Dom Wina, Dwór Sieraków, Superior Vodka, 40% ABV
Full floral nose of freshly perfumed orange blossom, sweet honeysuckle, ripe apple and gingerbread. Clean citrus notes and a touch of orange oil and rosewater on the palate, ripe fecund fruit and flowers, laced with cotton candy. Lovely.
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Bottles of Stolichnaya vodka after bottling and labeling on the production line in Riga, Latvia, ... [+] 'Photographer: Jason Alden/Bloomberg Copyright 2013 Bloomberg Finance LP
Famille Naud French Vodka, 40% ABV
Famille Naud is a French Cognac producer who also produces a pot still, winter wheat-based vodka. The grain is sourced from the agricultural region to the northeast of Paris.
Superbly luxurious expressive vodka, smoky citrus notes, meet vanilla and coconut, ripe stone and tropical fruit. There is a delicious sweet warming quality, almost rum-like and a candied chocolate creaminess to boot
Tayport Distillery, Malt Barley Vodka, 40% ABV
The Tayport distillery is located in Fife, Scotland, northeast of Edinburgh, just across from the Highland line. Tayport’s vodka is based on a mash bill of malted barley.
Comforting cacao nibs enveloped in rich chocolate loaf and laced with malted spiced vanilla. Smooth and luxurious; a gorgeously unctuous textured sweet nectar. Highly accomplished.
Mamont Vodka, 40% ABV
Mamont Vodka is a six-time distilled Russian vodka made at the Itkul distillery in the Altai region of Siberia from locally grown, malted, white winter wheat. The vodka is flavored with the addition of some cedar nut spirit, and is then filtered through silver birch charcoal. The bottle is shaped like a mammoth tusk.
Delicately perfumed on the nose with a touch of almond. Mouth-watering apricot, lime juice, and grapefruit zest tingle on the palate, A sense of savouriness develops with a slightly salted mouthfeel balanced by a gentle sweetness. The overall profile is sublime, the texture rich and delicious. An exceptional vodka.
Polska Fabryka Wódek Old Distillery, Maxus Organic Vodka, 40% ABV
Polska Fabryka Wódek (Polish Vodka Factory) is one of Poland’s leading distillers. They produce a variety of beverages including Paderewski Vodka.
Symphonic equilibrium, a lifted arc on the mid-palate is laced with both luscious and zesty notes, creating a refined, balanced elixir. Peppered yet velvet soft, we journey magnificently towards a long languorous finish. Faultless.
Cyprus is one of around 100 countries that produce vodka. Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg BLOOMBERG NEWS
Hiram Walker and Sons, Polar Ice Arctic Extreme Vodka, 45% ABV
Polar Ice Arctic Extreme vodka is Canada’s fourth best-selling vodka. It’s a quadruple distilled, three-time filtered vodka, and is produced at the Hiram Walker and Sons distillery in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Per the distillery, the vodka is inspired by Canada’s pristine Arctic north and utilizes a unique, 6° C chill filtration process designed to produce an exceptionally smooth vodka.
Supremely clean nose with unctuous liquorice, anise, and the tiniest touch of chocolate and walnut evolving on the palate. Sublimely complex with exquisite texture and balance. Stylish, bold and absolutely superb.
Prodal 94, Stalinskaya Silver Vodka, 40% ABV
No, Stalinskaya is not inspired by Joseph Stalin. Actually, both names were inspired by stal, the Russian word for steel. The term denotes strength. The Romanian vodka is distilled from top grade wheat using a proprietary three step distillation process. According to the company, it is then “filtered through birch charcoal and silver ions for smoothness and exceptional clarity.”
Grand and luxurious, the nose opens with cacao and hazelnut and the palate introduces faint notes of nutmeg and clove before rich chocolate and tonka bean emerge. (Tonka bean is extremely aromatic, offering up aromas of almond, vanilla and sweet pipe tobacco. It has high levels of the chemical coumarin and is illegal to sell in the US for human consumption). Beautifully poised with excellent weight this is decadent and truly outstanding vodka.
Halewood Wines and Spirits, Vestal Vintage 2015 Potato Vodka, 40% ABV
Halewood is a British based artisanal wine and spirits producer that operates 12 distilleries around the world. Their Vestal Vintage 2015 Potato Vodka is sourced in Poland. The use of potatoes as a base gives the vodka an exceptionally smooth, viscous character with a pronounced palate weight.
Sublimely Autumnal; earthy sweet soft clods of steamy cooked vegetal aromas laced with rich velvety asparagus, agave and white pepper. Luxuriously ripe red fruits, crumbled marvelously into Autumnal garden essence. Honeyed, complex and profoundly enjoyable.
Georgian Bay Spirit Vodka, 40% ABV
Georgian Bay Spirit Vodka needs no introduction. It has already been selected as the Best Vodka at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The distillery uses water from Elmvale Ontario, which it considers “the purest water on the planet.”
Elegant, subtle, refined and achingly sophisticated. Seasoned with delicately nuanced notes of cherry, malted vanilla, stone fruit, and even a dusting of chocolate. The palate features a touch of lemon and lime – a transcendental touch! Nothing ordinary here.
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b4c69b33068157f2061837005718e7f8 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2020/11/14/why-you-should-buy-costcos-kirkland-signature-scotch-whisky/?sh=58db2dc261d0 | Why You Should Buy Costco’s Kirkland Signature Scotch Whisky | Why You Should Buy Costco’s Kirkland Signature Scotch Whisky
The Kirkland Signature Scotch Whisky Range Photo, courtesy Alexander Murray
Costco Stores is the world’s third largest retailer. With 785 stores worldwide, 546 of which are in the United States, the chain generated over 163 billion dollars in its fiscal year ending August 30, 2020.
Costco is also one of the world’s largest retailers of alcoholic beverages. In its 2020 fiscal year, Costco sold over four billion dollars of alcoholic beverages, about half of which was wine, and the balance roughly divided evenly between spirits and beer.
The chain has 317 stores that sell spirits, 448 stores that sell wine and 458 that sell beer. The average Costco store carries around 4,000 SKUs, of which about 220 are alcoholic beverages: 45-60 spirits SKUs, 14-18 beer SKUs and 150 wine SKUs. The number of beverage SKUs expands during the fourth quarter. Costco sells spirits in 33 states and the District of Columbia. It does not sell any spirits in the 17 “control” states.
Since the number of featured SKUs is so small, Costco represents a disproportionate amount of sales for the SKUs it does carry. That’s especially true for premium priced beverages; where Costco prices are among the cheapest available. Costco is the world’s largest retailer of The Macallan, Johnnie Walker Blue and Dom Perignon, for example.
A Costco customer shops for champagne at a Costco store (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Getty Images
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Like many other retailers, Costco has its own proprietary brand: Kirkland Signature. The brand is named after the city of Kirkland, Washington, the location of Costco’s head office. Kirkland Signature has 30 wine SKUs and 20 spirit SKUs.
Currently there are four Scotch whisky expressions in the Kirkland Signature Range: blended Scotch whisky, 12 YO blended Scotch whisky and a 2o YO, and a 22 YO Speyside Sherry cask finish, single malt Scotch whisky. A 23 YO is slated for release in December and a No Age Statement Islay single malt Scotch whisky next year. Most stores would typically only carry one expression of the Speyside sherry cask finish whisky.
The Kirkland Signature Scotch whiskies are sourced by independent bottler Alexander Murray. With a name like Alexander Murray you would imagine a historic Scottish bottler tucked away in a back street of Edinburgh or a hamlet in the Highlands. In fact, Alexander Murray is based in Calabasas, California. It was founded in 2004 by Scottish expatriate Steve Lipp. The company sources and bottles Scotch whisky for several different retailers, including Trader Joe’s and Total Wines & More.
The sourcing of Costco’s Kirkland Signature whiskies has been a topic of incessant speculation by consumers, and sometimes even critics. Alexander Murray does not disclose where the whisky is sourced except to indicate broad geographic designations like Speyside or Islay.
According to Cameron Johnston, Brand Manager at Alexander Murray & Company:
The philosophy of our blended products is to produce a layered and complex flavour profile that is similar to that of market leaders in the category, and yes in this case market leaders are those leading in the US market.
If Kirkland Signature Blended Scotch whisky is reminiscent of Dewar’s that’s not because it’s really Dewar’s in Kirkland packaging, but because Alexander Murray’s blenders have deliberately crafted a facsimile of the aroma and flavor profile of Dewar’s, the best-selling blended Scotch whisky in the US.
Cameron Johnston - Alexander Murray Marketing Manager Photo, courtesy Alexander Murray
Currently Costco offers a No Age Statement (NAS) blended Scotch whisky (this is presumed to be approximately three years old) and a 12 YO expression. According to Johnston, the NAS expression is 20% malt whisky and the 12 YO is 25% malt whisky. By comparison, most Scotch whisky blends are between 10% to 15% malt whisky and the balance grain whisky. Chivas, on the other hand, a premium priced blended Scotch, is around 50% single malt.
Costco offers several expressions of single malt Scotch whisky. Each age statement is drawn from a particular distillery and changes from year to year. For example, according to Cameron, the 20 YO, 22 YO, and 23 YO single malt Scotch whiskies were all drawn from different distilleries. The 20 YO was offered in 2019, and some remnant stock may still be in store this year. The 22 YO is currently in store, and the 23 YO will be available in store from December 1.
The names of the distilleries are not disclosed, although all three are located in the Speyside region of the Highlands. To carry the designation single malt, a malt whisky has to come from a single distillery. Per Johnston, the similar but different age statements simply reflect the fact that there was no single distillery that had enough inventory to bottle sufficient stock of that expression to meet Costco’s needs. That’s why the 20 YO, 22 YO and the 23 YO single malt expression were drawn from different distillers.
Moreover, according to Johnston, there’s no guarantee that similar age expressions would continue to be drawn from the same distillery. Future year’s 22 YO single malt might come from a completely different distillery than this year’s expression. In short, as experienced Costco shoppers know well, if you like the product buy extra since there is no assurance that it will ever be available again.
According to Johnston:
The objective is to deliver exceptional and remarkable examples of single malt from a wide range of individual distilleries, whose origin – the best part of the time – remains unnamed. Bottled at 46% in order to give the consumer the choice of strength, i.e. high strength or addition of water to suit individual preferences.
Stylistically, says Johnston, most batches of the Speyside sourced single malts:
… are made up of a mixture of both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks; where the label states sherry cask finish, the whisky in the bottle has gone through an additional round of maturation in fresh, first-fill (sherry) casks.
Below are tasting notes on the core range of Costco’s Kirkland Signature Scotch whiskies.
Kirkland Signature Blended Scotch Whisky Photo, courtesy Alexander Murray
Kirkland Signature, Blended Scotch Whisky, Alexander Murray & Co Ltd, 40% ABV, 1.75 liter, MSRP: $24.99
On the nose, the whisky is honey sweet, with floral aromas and notes of caramel, cooked cereal and a hint of smoke.
On the palate, there is sweetness, almost candy-like, some fruit notes of apple, orange zest and a hint of apricot. The whisky is slightly oily, with a discernible palate weight and a mouth coating quality.
The finish is medium length, with a lingering sweetness, a mild pepperiness and a very slight bitter note.
This is a good blended whisky. Exceptionally well-priced, it can be used straight up, over ice or in cocktails.
Appearance 8/10, Nose 25/30, Palate 26/30, Finish 26/30, Overall Score: 85/100
Kirkland Signature, 12 YO Blended Scotch Whisky Photo, courtesy Alexander Murray
Kirkland Signature, Blended Scotch Whisky, 12 YO, Alexander Murray & Co, 40% BV, 1.75 liter, MSRP: $39.99
On the nose, there are notes of brown sugar, some dried fruit notes especially a hint of prune, along with notes of vanilla, some cinnamon spice, a bit of ginger, as well as a hint of smoke. There are additional light notes of furniture wax and old leather and some well-seasoned wood.
On the palate, the whisky is very smooth, with an oily, mouth coating consistency and an obvious palate weight. The whisky is sweet, although it’s more honey-like than the candied sweetness of its younger sibling.
There are dried fruit notes, especially cooked apple, plum and apricot and a bit of anise, along with a bit of “sherry fruitiness.” There are some slight cooked cereal notes, with vanilla and some caramel, along with some very light peat smoke.
The finish is long, with a honeyed sweetness, some pepperiness and a very slight bitter note.
This is an excellent blended whisky. It’s very smooth and extremely drinkable and for a 12 YO blend exceptionally well-priced. It would certainly rank in the top 10% of blended whiskies. It’s a robust, full-bodied whisky and offers a degree of layered complexity that is typically missing in low priced blends. For the price, it’s an exceptional value.
Appearance 8/10, Nose 27/30, Palate 28/30, Finish: 27/30, Overall Score: 90/100
Kirkland Signature, 20 YO, Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky Photo, courtesy Alexander Murray
Kirkland Signature, Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Sherry Cask Finish, 20 YO, Alexander Murray & Co, 46% ABV, 750 ml, MSRP: $58
The color is a rich, dark amber. On the nose, there is a pronounced sherry cask influence of sweet dried fruits and almond, followed by notes of cask wood, some licorice and just a hint of salinity. The whisky was matured in ex-bourbon casks and then spent six months in a sherry butt. The sherry aromas are quite pronounced, certainly more intense than you would typically expect from six months of finishing in a sherry butt, even if it was a first fill cask.
On the palate, the whisky is oily and viscous, with a pronounced palate weight. It has a slight saline, savory, meaty note that gives way to the dried fruit, Christmas cake flavors typical of sherried whiskies. There are notes of golden raisin and fig, licorice and baked apple, along with some caramel and milk chocolate elements. There are also the old leather notes typical of older sherried whisky and just a hint of furniture wax.
The finish is medium length, with a lingering note of dried fruit, some mild pepperiness and a slight bitter element.
This is an excellent whisky. At a price of around $58 it represents an exceptional value for a sherried whisky. I particularly like the savory, meaty character and how well it pairs with the sherry influenced, dried fruit and nut notes. I don’t know where this whisky was sourced. It reminds me of a sherry cask finished Mortlach or Benrinnes. If you are a fan of either distillery you will definitely like this expression.
Appearance 8/10, Nose 28/30, Palate 28/30, Finish: 27/30, Overall Score: 91/100
Kirkland Signature, 22 YO, Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky Photo, courtesy Alexander Murray
Kirkland Signature, Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Sherry Cask Finish, 22 YO, Alexander Murray & Co, 46% ABV, 750 ml, MSRP: $80
The color is a rich dark amber with a brownish cast. On the nose, this whisky seems very similar to its younger sibling. It has the same sherried dried fruit and nut notes accompanied by similar savory elements. It’s a bit more floral, the licorice seems more pronounced, and it seems sweeter on the nose. It also seems earthier, more herbal, think of the aroma of dried mushrooms. There are also notes of old leather and a hint of waxiness.
On the palate, the whisky seems sweeter. It is equally viscous and oily, and has the pronounced palate weight of the 20 YO expression, perhaps even a tad more. There are notes of dried fig, dates, golden raisin and berry jam, along with almond, marzipan and a slight candied ginger element.
There are cooked cereal/bread-like and dried herbal notes that become more pronounced as the whisky opens up. There are also some of the savory and meaty notes as in the 20 YO expression, but these seem less pronounced.
The finish is long, with dried fruit sweetness and a lingering peppery and slightly woody/bitter note.
This whisky seems very similar to its 20 YO sibling. On the whole, the dried fruit sweetness and flavors are more pronounced. The whisky feels like it might have a bit of Pedro Ximénez (PX) sherry cask maturation. That would explain the extra sweetness and the more pronounced dried fruit notes. The meaty and savory notes seem less evident, and this whisky seems earthier. That may be because the additional dried fruit notes overshadow those notes or it may simply reflect the fact that this whisky was sourced elsewhere.
There clearly is a consistent style that Alexander Murray seems to be striving for, and in tasting both the 20 YO and 22 YO they accomplished this quite effectively. The underlying profile is a throwback to a common style of Speyside whisky half a century ago. Stylistically, it reminds me of an Aberlour or Benrinnes. The sweet, earthy, dried heather notes are reminiscent of Dalwhinnie. That distillery isn’t typically thought of as a Speyside distillery. It’s right on the western edge of the region, and its whiskies can be legally described as either Speyside or Highland.
Appearance 8/10, Nose 28/30, Palate 29/30, Finish: 28/30, Overall Score: 93/100
In the end, where the whisky was sourced doesn’t really matter, although it’s fun to try to figure that out. What really matters is whether you like that particular style. If you do, both of these whiskies represent outstanding values. Buy them!
Sláinte
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6e552d25b4d0921c101d903bf11990ed | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2021/03/25/bowmore-releases-three-ultra-aged-scotch-whisky-expressions/?ss=spirits&sh=8afa4a33f8d7 | Bowmore Releases Three Ultra-Aged Scotch Whisky Expressions | Bowmore Releases Three Ultra-Aged Scotch Whisky Expressions
Bowmore, 30 YO, Single Malt Scotch Whisky Photo, courtesy Bowmore Distillery
The Bowmore distillery dates back to 1779, and was the first Islay distillery to obtain an official government license. It is the oldest distillery on Islay, and the second oldest in Scotland. Claims of antiquity on Islay are always suspect, however, since most distillers had illegal precursors going back many decades.
The distillery has a core range in the US consisting of a 12 YO, 15 YO, 18 YO and a 25 YO, as well as a large array of special bottlings.
Recently, it has added three new expressions: a 30 YO expression, which is part of the core range and will have annual releases. It has also debuted the first two expressions in its new Timeless Series: a 27 YO and a 31 YO. For now, the Timeless Series 31 YO is available exclusively to Global Travel Retail outlets. The 27 YO is slated for general release.
Bowmore has always had a distinctive style that combined pronounced peat smoke with distinctive saline and marine elements. This is particularly true of those whiskies matured in the distillery’s legendary No. 1 vault.
Bowmore's legendary No. 1 Vault Photo, J Micallef
This warehouse is cold and particularly humid, and is where the distillery ages its most prized whiskies. Portions of the No. 1 warehouse, or vault, actually extend below the sea level of Loch Indaal during very high tides.
Because of this unique environment, evaporation is only about one percent a year. The No. 1 vault is the oldest maturation facility in Scotland, and the only part of the distillery that dates to the original 1779 structure.
Over the last several decades, a range of innovative finishing techniques and alternative cask treatments, from rare Japanese Mizunara oak to a variety of sweet wine casks, has produced a broad range of Bowmore expressions, including many in the “smoky and sweet” style that Islay has become increasingly famous for.
Below are tasting notes on Bowmore’s three most recent releases.
Bowmore, Single Malt Whisky, 30 YO, 45.3% ABV, 750 ml, SRP: $2,500
This whisky was originally distilled in 1989, a period during which the Scotch whisky industry was struggling. It was matured over 30 years in the distillery’s legendary No. 1 vault in a combination of Sherry hogsheads and ex-Bourbon barrels.
Sherry hogsheads are 250-liter barrels that have been rebuilt using staves from a 500-liter Sherry butt. Several casks are handpicked each year for bottling as the 30 YO expression. Approximately 2,580 bottles were released.
On the nose, there is the smoke and medicinal notes that Islay whiskies are famous for, although after 30 years of maturation, while immediately noticeable, they lack the intensity you would find in a younger whisky. There are fruit notes of dried apricot and peaches, as well as tropical fruit notes of banana, mango and pineapple. There are also some vanilla and caramel elements, as well as a persistent saline note.
On the palate, there is a honey, almost candied, sweetness and tropical fruit flavors, along with notes of smoke, wood and a slight medicinal note. The whisky is smooth and creamy, but slightly drying on the palate.
The finish is long, smooth and sweet with lingering notes of smoke, tropical fruit, along with a savory/saline note and just a hint of bitterness at the end.
According to the distillery, Bowmore’s Timeless Series is inspired by the “timeless masterpieces crafted on Islay,” and is intended to “feature masterpieces of whisky beautifully crafted and shaped by time.”
“Bowmore has collaborated with independent French film director and artist, Thomas Vanz, to pay homage to the artistic craft of creating Bowmore’s iconic whiskies. Through the medium of film and artwork, Vanz has illustrated the power of time in the evolution of whisky.”
The Bowmore Timeless Series comes beautifully packaged in an iconic, hourglass shaped, black box. The box contains an hourglass that will measure out three minutes, the amount of time the distillery recommends you allow the whisky to open up before tasting it. Each expression is limited to 3,000 bottles.
Bowmore Timeless, 27 YO, Single malt Scotch Whisky Photo, courtesy Bowmore Distillery
Bowmore, Timeless, Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 27 YO, 52.7% ABV, 750 ml, SRP: $1,525
The whisky is matured in Sherry butts and ex-Bourbon casks for 15 years before being transferred into first-fill Oloroso Sherry casks for an additional 12 years of maturation, after which it is bottled at cask strength.
On the nose, the Sherry influence is obvious. There are pronounced aromas of prunes and plum jam, along with notes of golden and dark raisin. There are additional notes of maple syrup and caramel, along with licorice and orange zest.
There are the expected smoky notes as well as the seaweed/marine notes that Bowmore, especially the casks aged in the No. 1 vault, are known for. As the whisky opens up the leather and furniture wax notes that Sherry maturation is known for also emerge.
On the palate, the whisky is honey sweet with notes of fresh ground coffee, dark chocolate and cigar tobacco, along with the leather and waxy notes typical of old, Sherry cask matured whiskies.
The finish is long, with sweet dried fruit notes, a hint of smoke and a touch of fragrant, resinous incense.
Bowmore, Timeless, Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 31 YO, 45.4% ABV, 750 ml, SRP: $2,100
The 31 YO has been matured in ex-Bourbon casks for 20 years and then finished for two years in casks of Spanish oak butts seasoned with Matusalem Sherry.
Matusalem Sherry is a sweetened Oloroso or Oloroso Dulce. Typically, it’s at least 30 years old, on average. And is usually a blend of Oloroso and the sweeter Pedro Ximénez Sherries. It offers up intense concentrated notes of dried fig and raisin, along with candied citrus zest.
The barrels were “seasoned” with Matusalem Sherry, which means that they did not historically hold that Sherry but are brand new barrels that were filled with Matusalem Sherry; usually for a period of one to two years to allow the cask wood to absorb the Sherry.
On the nose, the whisky is very floral with a pronounced scent of lilies of the valley, gardenias, freesias and just a hint of jasmine. There are additional notes of honey, almond and vanilla accompanied by a hint of straw and a bit of peppermint.
On the palate, the whisky is sweet and creamy. There are notes of mint, some cookie dough and seaweed, along with the savory/saline notes typical of Bowmore whiskies aged on Islay.
The finish is long, sweet, with a mint candy like character that ends on a slightly drying, chalky note.
All three of these whiskies are outstanding, and are a terrific representation of the core Bowmore DNA. If you’re a Bowmore fan they are certainly worth a taste.
Sláinte
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65fb9ad938e85b9db35517484b4311da | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2021/03/28/why-you-should-explore-the-world-of-ultra-aged-cognac/ | Why You Should Explore The World Of Ultra-Aged Cognac | Why You Should Explore The World Of Ultra-Aged Cognac
A glass of Cognac on a wooden barrel Photo courtesy BNIC/ Stéphane Charbeau
Cognac is among the world’s oldest alcoholic beverages. Along with rum, it was among the first spirits exported globally. Cognac exports began sometime during the 16th century. By the 17th century it was being sold in London. During the 18th century many of today’s great Cognac Houses were founded: Martell (1715), Remy Martin (1724), Delamain (1725/1762) and Hennessey (1765), among others.
By the 18th century Cognac was being exported to the Americas. Officially, the first documented shipment of Cognac to the United States was by Hennessey in 1794. Cognac, however, was being served at George Washington’s military camp during the Revolutionary War, courtesy of the Marquis of Lafayette. Washington served Cognac at his inauguration in 1779.
More importantly popular drinks, think of them as 18th century cocktails, like Cherry Bounce, had Cognac as a prime ingredient. It’s likely that Cognac was being exported to the 13 colonies long before the Revolutionary War.
Today, America is Cognac’s largest market, accounting for 14.8 million 9-liter cases. In 2019, North America accounted for approximately 40% of Cognac sales.
The dozen or so largest Cognac producers account for over 95% of the Cognac sold in the United States. These are well known brands with outstanding product line ups. There are, however, more than 250 Cognac producers in France.
Many small, family-owned companies, whose production is too small to interest American importers or who find it too expensive to bottle their Cognac in the 750-ml size that the US market has historically required, never manage to export their Cognac to the US.
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The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) has recently revised its acceptable bottle sizes to include 700-ml bottles. That may simplify exporting to the US, but securing distribution is still a major obstacle.
Max and Sophie von Olfers Photo, courtesy Cognac-Expert
Enter Cognac Expert, the brother-sister duo of Max and Sophie von Olfers. They are third generation Charentais with deep roots in the region and the Cognac trade. Cognac Expert functions like a traditional negotiant, an intermediary between producers and consumers, which resells the products of other producers and also acts as a specialty bottler.
The company’s website features more than 1,000 different Cognacs, including rare editions and Cognacs fashioned from historical grape varieties like Colombard and Folle Blanche, in some cases from historic vineyards whose vines predate the 19th century phylloxera epidemic.
Below are tasting notes from a selection of rare Cognacs, including some that are only available directly from Cognac Expert.
L’ESSENTIEL is the brand that Cognac Expert utilizes for its rare Cognac bottlings. The brands motto is ralentir, réfléchir, réunir: slow down, reflect and reconnect. That’s a great inspiration when you are enjoying a rare Cognac. According to the company:
By purchasing L’ESSENTIEL, you’ll be supporting the Cognac producer directly, and helping them to maintain their livelihood.
To date, eight expressions of L’ESSENTIEL have been released. These bottlings are very reasonably priced, typically under $200/bottle and sell out fast, so if you want to explore these rare Cognacs you have to grab them quickly on release.
Some examples of the L'ESSENTIEL Cognac Core range Photo, courtesy Cognac-Expert
L’ESSENTIEL, Tres Vieux Cognac, Bon Bois, 44.5%, 700 ml
Only 70 bottles of this expression were released. That’s typical of most L’ESSENTIEL bottlings. The Cognac was produced by Valleina Tercinier Cognac, a historic producer founded in 1850. It’s based on grapes produced in the Bon Bois region. This region is often under-underrated. Unlike the chalk soils of Grande Champagne and Petit Champagne, this region has heavy clay soils and is subject to a pronounced maritime influence.
The color is a light amber with an orange cast. On the nose, there is a pronounced tropical fruit cocktail aroma, featuring notes of dried apricot, peach, papaya, mango and melon, accompanied by sandalwood and spice notes of cinnamon, with just a hint of pepper and a slight savory note.
On the palate, the peach notes are very intense, accompanied by flavors of fresh figs, melon and mango. There are some dry herbal notes, with a touch of tannic bitterness, chocolate and cinnamon.
The finish is long, sweet, with lingering peach and melon flavors.
Appearance 8/10, Nose 28/30, Palate 28/30, Finish 29/30, Overall Score: 93/100
L’ESSENTIEL, Maxime Trijol, Vieux Cognac Grande Champagne, 40% ABV, 700 ml, 80 bottles released
Maxime Trijol is another historic Cognac producer. It has been producing Cognac from one of the prime terroirs in the region for six generations, and is among the larger family owned companies. Its Cognacs are exported to over 50 countries, including the United States, but they can be hard to find in the US – especially their rarer bottlings.
The color is a dark amber. On the nose, it offers the classic profile of a Grande Champagne Cognac with pronounced floral notes, followed by aromas of prune, dark dried fruit and candied citrus peel, along with hints of vanilla and licorice and a bit of wood.
On the palate, the Cognac is smooth with a pronounced licorice notes, along with dried dark fruit notes, candied orange zest, and expresso and chocolate notes.
The finish is long, sweet, with marmalade, dried fruit, some chocolate, featuring a lingering licorice note and a very slight bitterness at the end.
Appearance: 9/10, Nose 29/30, Palate 29/30, Finish 29/30, Overall Score: 96/100
L’ESSENTIEL, Chateau Montifaud Cognac, Petit Champagne, 40% ABV, 700 ml, 80 bottles released
The Chateau Montifaud has been in the Vallet family since 1837. The family maintains approximately 325 acres of vineyards across the Grande and Petite Champagne appellations. This particular Cognac is produced exclusively from vineyards in Petite Champagne.
The Cognac was matured for more than 30 years in “roux casks” and then in old French Limousin casks in the Chateau’s cellars. Roux casks are old casks, typically five to fifteen years old, that are “neutral” so they don’t impart tannins to the Cognac. They are used to mature Cognacs that are intended for long aging.
The color is a dark amber with a gold sheen. On the nose, the Cognac exhibits dried floral and herbal notes, accompanied by stone fruit aromas of dried apricot and peach, along with tropical fruit notes of melon. There is also a distinctive licorice note and some cinnamon.
On the palate, this is an exceptionally smooth Cognac with a distinctive oily palate weight. It’s sweet, almost candied, with notes of dried apricot, golden raisins and fresh fig, with a very slight woodiness. There is a hint of old leather and the slight waxiness typical of ultra-aged Cognac.
The finish is long, sweet and incredibly smooth with a lingering dried apricot and licorice note. This is an exceptional, meditative Cognac that truly lives up to the brand’s motto of slow down, reflect and reconnect.
Appearance: 9/10, Nose 29/30, Palate 30/30, Finish 30/30, Overall Score: 98/100
The Hine Antique XO 100th Anniversary 1920-2020 Edition Photo, courtesy Hine
Hine, Antique XO, Grande Champagne Cognac, 100th Anniversary 1920-2020, 40% ABV, 750 ml
Hine is a well-known Cognac producer whose core range is widely available in the US. The Cognac House dates back to 1763. Several months ago, the company released the HINE Antique XO 100th Anniversary 1920-2020 Cognac spirit – a rare, limited edition Cognac whose blend includes ultra-rare, 100-year-old spirit (eau-de-vie) – to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Hine XO Cognac.
This expression is Hine’s standard XO blend of 40 different eau-de-vie to which eau-de-vie from the 1920 harvest has been added. That means the blend contains spirit ranging in age from 10 to 100 years. Only 1,920 hand-numbered decanters were produced, with 270 released for sales in the US.
The color is a light amber with a gold sheen. On the nose, there are pronounced floral, potpourri notes, especially the lilac and iris notes that Hine is known for. There are fruit notes of apple, dried apricot and orange zest.
On the palate, the Cognac is very smooth. There are sweet fruit flavors, featuring stone fruit notes of apricot and peach, tropical fruit notes of melon, mango and a hint of pineapple. There are also notes of milk chocolate, freshly baked buttery croissant and some fragrant cigar box.
The finish is exceptionally long, sweet, with lingering dried fruit notes and a slight hint of bitterness at the end.
Note that the label of this particular expression indicates that this is the 100th Anniversary edition. Don’t confuse this with the regular Hine XO. The 100th Anniversary Edition retails for around $350 a bottle versus the regular Hine XO bottling, which retails for around $200 a bottle.
Appearance: 8/10, Nose: 27/30, Palate 28/30, Finish 28/30, Overall Score: 91/100
Ferrand, Legendaire Cognac Photo, courtesy Ferrand Cognac
Ferrand, Legendaire Cognac, Grande Champagne, Hors d’Age, 42.1% ABV, 750 ml, 500 bottles released
Legendaire is an ultra-aged Cognac consisting of a core blend of eau-de-vie ranging from 60 to 100 years old. The term Hors d’Age means ageless. It does not carry a specific age designation but is typically used to describe extremely old Cognacs that are at least 25 years old and typically much older. The Legendaire’s list price is $3,500 but it can often be found for less.
Ferrand is another ancient Cognac House whose roots date back to the 17th century. Its vineyards are located in Segonzac in the heart of the Grande Champagne appellation. Now controlled by Alexandre Gabriel, the company manages approximately 500 acres of vineyards, 200 acres of which it owns outright.
The color is amber with a gold and orange sheen. On the nose, it offers up the traditional rancio profile of an ultra-aged Cognac, with aromas of prune, dried fig and dried orange zest. There are notes of aged leather and furniture wax, accompanied by additional elements of sandalwood, cigar tobacco leaf, chocolate, cinnamon, saffron and nutmeg.
As the Cognac opens up notes of floral potpourri emerge, especially rose petal and jasmine.
On the palate, the Cognac is smooth and creamy. There is a distinctive woody note, accompanied by a slight bitter note. There is a pronounced spiciness, featuring black pepper, clove, cardamon, paprika and a slight, earthy, chili note, accompanied by flavors of vanilla, butterscotch and almond.
There are additional fruity notes of orange zest, dark dried fruits of prune and blackberry with hints of raisin and fig, followed by some milk chocolate.
The finish is extremely long, featuring old leather, cinnamon, walnut and licorice, along with lingering tropical fruit notes. There is a very slight bitterness at the end.
Appearance: 9/10, Nose 29/30, Palate 29/30, Finish 27/30, Overall Score: 94/100
These are all outstanding Cognacs. Pricewise they vary from under two hundred dollars a bottle to several thousand. They all offer layered, complex aroma and flavor profiles that showcase unusual terroirs or the influence of ultra-aging, and are an introduction to the complexity of Cognac that is rarely seen in the US.
Santé
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5eb4385d81a555340470eae015517dc9 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2021/04/15/why-pinot-noir-may-be-the-best-wine-for-your-health/ | Why Pinot Noir May Be The Best Wine For Your Health | Why Pinot Noir May Be The Best Wine For Your Health
Glass of red wine and electrocardiogram getty
The benefits of drinking red wine have long been debated. Numerous studies have suggested that there is a link between moderate red wine consumption and heart health, but the issue has yet to be definitively settled.
According to the Mayo Clinic:
Red wine, in moderation, has long been thought of as heart healthy. The alcohol and certain substances in red wine called antioxidants may help prevent coronary artery disease, the condition that leads to heart attacks. Any links between red wine and fewer heart attacks, (however) aren't completely understood.
The health benefits associated with drinking red wines are mainly associated with a powerful antioxidant called resveratrol. The Mayo Clinic has suggested that:
Resveratrol might help prevent damage to blood vessels, reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) and prevent blood clots.
It also notes, however, that “other studies found no benefits from resveratrol in preventing heart disease” and that “more research is needed.”
Before you rush off to buy another bottle of your favorite red wine, however, you should note that the level of resveratrol in red wines can vary widely.
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According to Jim Bernau, the president of Willamette Valley Vineyards, one of Oregon’s leading Pinot Noir producers, cool climate Pinot Noir, especially whole cluster fermented wines, are more likely to deliver high levels of resveratrol than other varietal red wines.
Jim Bernau, President, Willamette Valley Vineyards Photo courtesy Willamette Valley Vineyards/Andrea Johnson
Bernau notes that resveratrol is a fungicide, “a polyphenolic compound – an antimicrobial deterrent and repellant” that is naturally produced by grape plants to protect grapes from molds. It’s found in the skin of the grapes.
Red grape varieties grown in cool regions that are prone to high levels of humidity during harvest time, and more prone to mold damage, will produce higher levels of resveratrol than red grapes grown in drier regions.
Thin skinned grapes are even more vulnerable to being attacked by molds, so those varieties of grapes, he believes, also tend to produce even higher levels of resveratrol. According to Bernau, “local climatic conditions post veraison, regardless of where the thin-skinned grapes are grown, is the determining factor.”
There are many thin-skinned red grape varietals. Sangiovese, Tuscany’s main grape varietal, is famously thin skinned, although Sangiovese Grosso, the Sangiovese clone used to make Brunello di Montalcino, is much thicker skinned.
In addition to Pinot Noir, other thin skinned red grape varietals include Grenache, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Nebbiolo and Gamay. Grenache and Merlot are typically grown in drier, Mediterranean like climates, Bordeaux being something of an exception, and are less prone to mold outbreaks.
Cabernet Franc, Gamay and Nebbiolo can thrive in cooler climates in regions that can be prone to rainy weather during harvest season. They are good candidates to produce resveratrol rich wines.
Pinot Noir, however, is usually the northernmost planted red grape varietal, and typically reaches its most complex expression when grown in cool climates. Combined with its notoriously thin skins makes it the ideal candidate for producing wines with elevated levels of resveratrol.
That’s why Bernau, believes “the defense response is greatest in the Pinot Noir variety” He notes, however, that the impact of grape varieties on resveratrol levels needs more extensive study.
Resveratrol is a powerful antioxidant. That means it will combine readily with oxygen. In the body antioxidants inhibit oxidation, hence the name, by combining and neutralizing potentially damaging oxidizing agents.
To maximize the level of resveratrol in a wine, Bernau argues, “it’s necessary to minimize the wine’s contact with oxygen.”
As a general rule, winemakers want to limit oxygen contact with grapes, especially the grape must during fermentation.
Whole cluster Pinot noir grapes being emptied from a fermentation tank prior to being crushed. Photo, courtesy Joe Ibrahim/Willamette Valley Vineyards
Oxygen combines with phenolic compounds in wine or fermenting grape must and causes them to oxidize, resulting in a loss of fruity flavors and diminishing aroma. Oxidation can also lead to browning in a wine and the creation of aldehydic, nut like, flavors.
Oxidation is an inevitable consequence of aging wines. That’s why older wines tend to lose the purple and crimson coloration of their youth and become browner, more brick like in color, and often exhibit less intense fruit aromas and flavors. Presumably that means that older wines are likely to contain less resveratrol.
Whole cluster fermentation, a popular technique among Pinot Noir producers and the signature style of Beaujolais, is especially suited, Bernau believes, for maximizing resveratrol levels in wine.
Grapes that are vinified as whole clusters are not destemmed or crushed prior to vinification. Instead, they are placed as whole bunches in a fermenter. Typically, the grapes at the bottom of the fermenter are split open by the weight of the grapes on top of them, and some juice is released, but the majority of the grapes remain whole.
Once the fermenter is filled, carbon dioxide is pumped into the tank to flush out any oxygen; creating an anaerobic environment. The technique is called carbonic maceration. In this wine making process most of the actual fermentation occurs within the grape itself, thus limiting even more the fermenting grape juice’s exposure to oxygen. After the fermentation is over, the grapes are gently crushed to release the juice.
Carbonic maceration is used to produce light bodied, fresh and fruit forward red and rosé wines. One of the characteristics of such wines is that they have a distinctive bubble gum flavor note. If you detect a bubble gum flavor in a wine, then the odds are that at least a portion of that wine was produced using carbonic maceration.
Since contact with oxygen reduces resveratrol levels, Bernau believes that you should not decant a wine if you are looking to preserve the resveratrol level.
He also notes that there is no relationship between a wine’s appearance and the level of resveratrol it contains. Since resveratrol is found in the skins of grapes, extended contact should theoretically increase resveratrol levels.
Deeply hued wines, presumably an indication of extended skin contact, do not, however, necessarily have higher resveratrol levels argues Bernau, “the issue is extraction at lower levels of oxygen … that’s why clusters fermented whole result in more resveratrol content than those macerated through punch downs or pump overs.”
There are still a lot of questions about resveratrol that remain to be answered. Its health benefits have not been definitively settled. How to maximize resveratrol levels in wine production, the impact of vineyard management techniques, the effect of different grape varietals, the consequences of different closures during bottling, all await further study.
For now, however, if you are looking to maximize the health benefits of drinking red wine, reaching for a bottle of whole cluster fermented, cool climate Pinot Noir, like the kind produced in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, would be a good place to start!
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d5b8bdd43c843c0b2e6f938949c289c9 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2021/04/16/a-priceless-collection-of-black-bowmore-slated-for-sothebys--auction/ | A Priceless Collection Of Black Bowmore Slated For Sotheby’s Auction | A Priceless Collection Of Black Bowmore Slated For Sotheby’s Auction
The Five Expressions of Black Bowmore Photo, courtesy Bowmore Distillery
Bowmore, one of Islay’s storied distilleries, is collaborating with Sotheby’s Hong Kong to auction off a rare collection of the entire Black Bowmore range of Scotch whiskies. The collection is housed in a custom built cabinet, a work of art, which reflects both the unique features of Islay and the distillery as well as the four components, water, peat, barley and wood from which the whisky is made. The cabinet is expected to sell for a price exceeding $500,000 USD. Proceeds are earmarked for the Islay Development Initiative.
Black Bowmore is an Oloroso Sherry matured Bowmore. Distilled in 1964, a total of five expressions have been released from that distillation. The whisky was matured in Bowmore’s legendary No. 1 vault, one of Scotland’s oldest maturation warehouses.
The initial release was in 1993, as a 29 YO. This was followed by additional releases as a 30 YO and a 31 YO. Unbelievably, the initial release was priced at approximately $150 per bottle. In 2007 another bottling was released, this one as a 42 YO. In 2016, “the last cask” was released as a 50 YO expression.
The expressions are extremely hard to find. A total of 2,000 bottles were released of the 29 YO and 30 YO expressions. The 31 YO had 1,812 bottles released. Only 827 bottles were available of the 42 YO. The 50 YO expression was limited to just 159 bottles. The 30 YO and 31 YO expressions are still available from The Whisky Exchange (TWE) for around $26,000. The 42 YO, also available from TWE, retails for around $35,000.
The cabinet was crafted by John Galvin. It’s fashioned from what is locally referred to as Oregon pine, actually Douglas fir, from wood used previously in one of the distillery’s washbacks.
The hand made Bowmore Cabinet feature the five Black Bowmore expressions Photo, courtesy Bowmore Distillery
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According to Galvin, “every part of this piece has been meticulously created with Islay and the Bowmore distillery at the forefront of my mind.” For example, notes Galvin, “the former Bowmore spirit safe first used in 1924, has been repurposed as the base of the cabinet, whilst its brass levers have been used as the cabinet’s knobs.”
Inside the cabinet, the “hand patinated copper” reflects the appearance of Bowmore’s copper stills. The washback wood used to make the drawers still shows the iron banding used in the washback and exhales the aroma of the washback’s decades long use to ferment the wort from which the whisky is made.
The black exterior of the cabinet reflects the ancient rocks, at billions of years old they are among the oldest rocks in Europe, from which the island was fashioned, while the charred ripples pay tribute to the wave patterns left on the beaches of Islay’s Machrie Bay by the incessant pounding of the sea.
Below are tasting notes from a tasting sample of the Black Bowmore 50 YO, which was generously supplied by the distillery.
The Black Bowmore 50 YO expression Photo courtesy, Bowmore Distillery
The color is a dark amber, hence the name Black Bowmore. It’s exactly what you would expect from a whisky that had lain in a Sherry cask for half a century.
On the nose, the whisky is intensely aromatic. Fifty years of aging has fashioned a nuanced, complex and layered whisky that is bursting with flavor.
Initially, the whisky offers up aromas of the candied orange zest, roasted walnuts and dark dried fruits that are characteristic of Oloroso Sherry matured whiskies. As it opens up, tropical fruit notes emerge, especially of fresh ripe mango, along with notes of papaya, melon and lychees. There are additional notes of dark chocolate, marzipan, brown sugar and caramel, and more distinctive raisin, prune, date, black cherry and fig flavors, while the tropical fruit notes merge into a sort of tropical fruit cocktail.
The finish is long and smooth, slightly sweet, with a lingering pepperiness and a noticeable cedar wood/cigar box note. There is a hint of smoke and a very slight char on the finish. Although the whisky has a sweet, dried fruit note, it ends on a slightly drying note with just a touch of bitterness and a hint of salinity.
This is one of the great whiskies of all time. If the price tag is too much for you, then consider some of the other sweet wine matured Bowmore whiskies. Bowmore Dark is a 15 YO expression, which retails for around $79.99 and is finished for an extended period of time in Oloroso Sherry Barrels. It reflects the combination of sweet dark fruit, caramel and brown sugar on a smoky peated whisky but, not surprisingly, lacks the complexity or the tropical fruit notes of the Black Bowmore 50 YO.
According to Iain McCallum, Beam-Suntory’s Master of Spirits, the peaty characteristics of smoke and medicinal notes tends to be most distinctive in Bowmore whiskies that are 10 years old and younger. From 10 to 15 years, the medicinal elements give way to smoke notes. After 15 years of maturation, the smoke notes becoming better integrated into the whisky and becomes less overt.
In my experience, the sweet spot for Sherry and Port wine matured/finished Bowmore whiskies seems to be between 15 and 20 years old. These whiskies tend to be reasonably priced and offer up an ideal marriage between the smoky notes of peated whiskies and the sweet, dried fruit notes of sweet wine cask maturation.
Smoky and sweet combinations are a time-tested Islay whisky formula that has worked spectacularly well. Try the Bowmore, “Vintner’s Trilogy”, Manzanilla cask, 18 YO Single Malt Scotch Whisky, about $240. There was also 21 YO, 23 YO and 27 YO Port casks matured or finished Bowmore whiskies that are excellent, but have become very hard to find.
Want to bid on the auction? The Black Bowmore Cabinet is scheduled to be auctioned at approximately 11:30 pm, New York time on Saturday April 17.
Good luck!
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768c4d583f3a416ffaf103ca6fb2c735 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2021/04/17/octomores-latest-peated-whiskies-releases-are-worth-a-taste/ | Octomore’s Latest Peated Whiskies Releases Are Worth A Taste | Octomore’s Latest Peated Whiskies Releases Are Worth A Taste
The latest Octomore releases Photo, courtesy Bruichladdich Distillery
Octomore is a line of super-peated whiskies produced by the Bruichladdich distillery – one of Islay’s most iconic distilleries. Recently, the distillery released its latest batch of Octomore expressions.
Islay is the southernmost of the Inner Hebrides islands, and is located off the west coast of Scotland. About 240 square miles in size, it is 25 miles northeast of the Northern Ireland coast and about 76 miles west of Glasgow.
Islay has always been known for its heavily peated whiskies. These are whiskies whose malted barley has been exposed to peat smoke when the barley was being “kilned,” i.e., dried to arrest germination prior to being ground into grist. The barley absorbs the peat smoke, termed “peat reek,” and passes it on to the resulting whisky.
Its iconic distilleries include peated whisky producers like Ardbeg, Lagavulin and Laphroaig. Octomore, however, is in a class by itself. Indeed, it virtually created the super-heavily peated whisky category.
The brand began almost as a lark. In 2003, Bruichladdich’s management asked Bairds Malt, their malted barley supplier, how high a concentration of phenol they could produce in malted barley. We don’t know they replied, no one has ever asked us that question before.
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Phenol concentration is typically measured in parts per million (ppm). Each ppm represents one milligram of phenol per kilogram of malt.
At the time, heavily peated Scotch whiskies were typically peated to a level of 30 to 40 ppm phenol. Bairds experimented with peat from different locations in Scotland, including Islay, before finally settling on peat sourced from Black Isle, in Scotland’s interior.
Islay's Distilleries. Map, courtesy WIkipedia
The initial Octomore release, in 2008, was rated at an astounding 131 ppm phenol, more than triple the concentration of phenol found in Laphroaig or Ardbeg, then Islay’s most heavily peated whiskies. Octomore 6.2 followed a few years later with a ppm phenol of 258. That record was eclipsed by Octomore 8.3, which had 309 ppm phenol. It continues to hold the record for the most heavily peated whisky ever made.
For an in-depth look at how peated whiskies are made and the factors that shape their unique aroma and taste profile see: Hacking Whisky: Why The Best Peated Scotches Taste The Way They Do.
Octomore has recently released four new expressions: Octomore 11.1, 11.2 and 11.3, all five-year-old and its latest 10 YO bottling. All four whiskies are bottled at cask strength and were matured on Islay.
Octomore 11.1, 5 YO, 59.4% ABV, 750 ml
The 11.1 release is made entirely from Concerto and Propino barley sourced in Scotland. It’s matured in first-fill, ex-Bourbon barrels obtained from Jim Beam, Jack Daniels and Heaven Hill distilleries. It’s peated to 139.6 ppm phenol. 30,000 bottles were released.
On the nose, there is a pronounced aroma of dry peat smoke. The medicinal notes typical of Islay peated whiskies are present, but much subtler. There is also a distinctive sweetness. These traits are typical of Octomore whiskies.
Beneath the smoke are notes of vanilla, followed by butterscotch, dried lemon zest and a bit of dried apple. There is a touch of minerality and a slight green, herbal note reminiscent of cooked green bean, along with hints of beeswax and anise.
On the palate, the whisky has a honeyed sweetness that quickly gives way to a pronounced, lingering pepperiness. It’s oily and creamy with a noticeable palate weight. There are additional notes of lemon zest, fresh apple and pear, some dried herbs, butterscotch and a bit of vanilla buttercream frosting. The smokiness has an earthy quality to it and is ever-present in the background.
The finish is long, sweet with a lingering pepperiness, a slight savory note and the cold smoke character typical of Octomore. Don’t let the ppm concentration deceive you. While this is clearly a super-heavily peated whisky, the peat smoke is refined and well integrated, both distinctive, but also in a way subtle and nothing like the over the top “peat monsters” typical of some other heavily peated whiskies.
TARBERT, UNITED KINGDOM - MARCH 06: A worker at Bruichladdich distillery takes a whisky sample from ... [+] a cask March 6, 2006, Bruichladdich in Islay. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) Getty Images
Octomore, 11.2, 5 YO, 58.6 ABV, 700 ml
The Octomore 11.2 is also peated to 139.6 ppm phenol and is made from the same barley varieties. Unlike its 11.1 sibling, however, it is a blend of two separate whiskies. What the distillery refers to as parcel one, was matured in French oak casks that were previously used to mature red Bordeaux wine from the Pauillac appellation. These wines are typically a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. This portion represents 25% of the final blend.
The second parcel was matured in first-fill, ex-bourbon casks for approximately three years and three months before being finished for roughly 18 months in casks that previously held Bordeaux wine from the Saint-Julien Appellation. The two parcels were then blended and allowed to marry for several more months. A total of 18,000 bottles were released.
Pauillac and St. Julian are adjacent appellations on the left bank of the Gironde. Both feature similar grape varietals. St. Julian wines are typically more robust and aromatic than their counterparts in Pauillac, although the degree of difference will often depend on the individual producers.
Finishing Scotch whisky in casks that previously held dry red wines is extremely tricky. When done poorly it can add a mouth drying tannic and woody note to a whisky. When it works, it can add a palate of red and black fruit flavors that are not typically found in Scotch.
The color is a light amber with a pronounced reddish-orange cast. Exactly the color you expect from whiskies finished in red wine casks. On the nose, there is a pronounced fresh fruit sweetness. The smoke is present but much earthier and subtler. It’s more a lingering note in the background than the in your face of exuberance of the Octomore 11.1.
There is a noticeable anise note and a meaty quality slightly reminiscent of Mortlach. There are red fruit notes present, but these are not individually well delineated – more like a mixed berry cobbler than individual fruits.
On the palate, the whisky is sweet. It has a creamy and oily character with a pronounced mouth weight. There is the same lingering, earthy smoke in the background, along with anise, red fruits, a bit of prune and a mild but lingering pepperiness. There are also some hints of nutmeg and clove.
The finish is sweet, long, smooth and creamy with a pronounced anise note and a lingering pepperiness that ends on a slightly woody and bitter note. There is also a very slight savory note on the finish.
The Octomore 11.2 is a distillery exclusive and is only available at the distillery gift store or online in a 700-ml sized bottle.
Photo taken in Bruichladdich, United Kingdom getty
Octomore, 11.3, 5 YO, 61.7% ABV, 750 ml
The Octomore 11.3 is made from Concerto barley grown on Octomore farm, adjacent to the distillery, by James Brown, a local farmer. This is a single field, single vintage whisky. 18,000 bottles were released.
This expression is peated to 194 ppm and also boasts a slightly higher ABV. On the nose, the smoke is less distinctive and the initial aroma is more earthy than smoky. There are fruit aromas of apple and peach, along with a hint of mint, some new leather and a noticeable, sea breeze-like, savory note.
On the palate, the savoriness is more pronounced as is the anise/licorice note. There are notes of lemon zest, along with some dried/cooked apple and plum notes. The whisky is creamy, but the savoriness gives it more of a yogurt like quality. There is a pronounced lingering pepperiness, but this seems more chili like than black pepper.
The finish is long, sweet, oily with pronounced anise and earthy notes and a lingering, mouth tingling chili-pepper heat.
Octomore, 10 YO, 2009, 54.3% ABV, 750 ml
Octomore has also released a 10 YO. This is the fourth expression of 10 YO Octomore’s released. This version is made from Scottish grown Optic barley, and has been matured in a combination of first fill and second fill, ex-bourbon casks from the same distillers used to produce the 5 YO expressions.
The whisky is peated to 208 ppm phenol. A total of 12,000 bottles were released.
On the nose, the whisky seems less sweet than its younger siblings but equally fruity. The smoke is omnipresent, but very subtle and well-integrated into the background. There are fruit aromas of apple and peach, along with a hint of tropical fruit notes of melon, pineapple and a touch of mango.
On the palate, the whisky is extremely smooth and oily. There is some wood and smoke, along with some anise/licorice and an almost candied sweetness. There is a dried herbal note, along with some pepperiness and fruit notes of peach, orange and a bit of melon.
The finish is long with a candied sweetness, a bit of pepperiness, along with notes of well-seasoned wood and dry, slightly bitter herbs.
Octomore is not just a range of world’s most super-heavily peated whiskies. It’s also an entirely different style of peated whisky, rather than the smoky, medicinal, smoked kippers style that is often typical of Islay peated whisky. Octomore combines distinctive smokiness with a sweet, fruity style.
Think of it as Islay meets Speyside. The characteristic smokiness of Octomore whiskies is both distinctive but also in a sense subtle; well-integrated into the whisky. You can’t miss it but neither does it overpower the whisky to become its defining characteristic. It’s just there, providing a background for the honey sweetness and fruity notes also present in the whisky.
These are all great whiskies and well worth trying. At roughly $250 a bottle, the 5 YO expressions are reasonably priced for cask strength expressions. The 10 YO retails for a slightly higher price.
If you are a fan of peated whiskies you should definitely try the latest Octomore expressions. If you’re not a fan of peated whiskies, give them a try anyway. You’ll find them very approachable and who knows, you might just develop a passion for peated whiskies as a result.
Sláinte
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d143c0c5b146fb21440a1a1086761eb5 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2021/04/18/the-london-spirits-competition-announces-2021-top-medalists/?sh=25f31cfe913c | The London Spirits Competition Announces 2021 Top Medalists | The London Spirits Competition Announces 2021 Top Medalists
Ramsbury Single Estate Vodka was picked as Spirit of the Year at the 2021 London Spirits Competition Photo, courtesy London Spirits Competition
The London Spirit Competition is an annual judging of international spirits organized by the Beverage Trade Network. Now in its fourth year, the competition judges the entries on three primary criteria: quality, value and packaging on a 100-point scale.
Spirits that scored 90 points or more are awarded gold medals. Entrants that scored between 76 and 89 points were awarded silver medals, while those spirits that scored between 65 and 75 were awarded bronze medals.
The initial judging for quality is done blind. Entrants are then evaluated on their packaging. Judges are asked to base a portion of their final score on the utility of “the spirits label, design, and overall packaging.” Contestants are also judged on how well their “quality matches up to the price point,” and whether “it offers the consumer true value for money.”
The Spirit of the Year was the Ramsbury Single Estate Vodka produced by the Ramsbury Brewing and Distilling Co. Ltd. The Ramsbury Vodka was also awarded the Best Spirit by Quality and the Vodka of the Year. The Ramsbury estate is made up of over 19,000 acres of North East Wiltshire, West Berkshire and North Hampshire in the United Kingdom.
The vodka was described as “smooth and rich … crafted from the finest Horatio winter wheat grown on the Ramsbury estate. The wheat imparts “distinctive vanilla tones which round off a sweet and delicate bouquet.” On the palate, it offered “a creamy texture, tones of dried fruit, cocoa, and layers of caramel followed by dark chocolate richness.”
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A judging session at the 2021 London Spirits Competition Photo, courtesy London Spirits Competition
The Best Spirit by Value was the Eau De Vie De Poire Williams.
The Best Spirit by Package was won by Muyu Vetiver Gris produced by the De Kuyper Royal Distillers from the Netherlands. De Kuyper also chosen as The Distillery of the Year.
The Rum of the Year was Rum Nation by Italy’s Rum Nation International.
The Tequila of the Year was the IZO Tequila Extra Añejo Cristalino by Belzmart Group/IZO Mezcal.
The Gin of the Year was Botanic Australia’s Navy Strength Gin by Mt. Uncle Distillery.
The Whisky of the Year was Dingle Distillery Fourth Single Pot Still Release by Ireland’s Dingle Distillery.
The Brandy of the Year was St-Rémy Signature by St-Rémy, part of France’s Rémy Cointreau.
The Liqueur of the Year was the Muyu Vetiver Gris by De Kuyper Royal Distillers.
Cognac of the Year was A. de Fussigny Grande Champagne VSOP by A de Fussigny.
Other notable winners include:
Legent Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey was picked as the Best United States Spirit of the Year. The whiskey is partially finished in wine and Sherry casks, and is described as “pushing the boundaries for how bourbons can be created while remaining true to the core of bourbon’s principles.” The bourbon is a collaboration between two legends of whiskey making: Fred Noe and Shinji Fukuyo.
Ensō Japanese Blended Whisky was chosen as the top Japanese spirit. Ensō is a delicate blended whisky from Kiyokawa in the Kanazawa Prefecture. This expression is its inaugural release. It’s described as a “handcrafted pot still blend aged in American oak barrels with a subtle hint of caramel and vanilla that gives way to fruity and floral aromas.”
A complete list of the 2021 medalists is available on the London Spirits Competition website.
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bb9debcc743c92628722ed1d92af8a52 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2021/04/19/the-london-wine-competition-announces-2021-top-medalists/ | The London Wine Competition Announces 2021 Top Medalists | The London Wine Competition Announces 2021 Top Medalists
Wine Judging at the London Wine Competition Photo, courtesy London Wine Competition
The London Wine Competition is an international wine competition organized by Beverage Trade Network. Recently they announced the top ranked wines selected in the 2021 competition.
Wines are rated with three main criteria in mind: quality, value and package. To be a medal winner, wines must show an overall rating in all the three categories. This year’s competition saw entries from more than 36 countries. 135 different types of grape varietals were entered with the top three being Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.
The top countries to enter were Australia, Italy, Spain, France, Portugal, United States and Moldova. The biggest increase in wines was seen from Moldova.
2015 Anubis Cabernet Sauvignon made by Levrier Wines in Australia won the superlative ‘Wine of the Year’ award.
Wine of the Year – Levrier by Jo Irvine 2015 Anubis Cabernet Sauvignon, Australia
The vineyard sits on the Barossa floor, at an elevation of approximately 850 feet above sea level. According to the official tasting note:
This cabernet is crafted to enhance the rich, dark cherry and cassis fruit, with 40% new French oak, resulting in plush and juicy flavors with an elegant, soft, velvety tannin finish. Extended aging in the bottle before release integrates the unique characters of this premium Cabernet over time. The result is a complex wine that rewards the care and patience invested in creating it.
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Jo Irvine, Winemaker, Levrier Wines Photo, courtesy Levrier Wines
· Winery of the Year – Bodegas HABLA (BODEGAS BH S.L.), Spain
· Best Wine by Quality – Levrier by Jo Irvine 2015 Anubis Cabernet Sauvignon, Australia
· Best Wine by Value – Bodegas HABLA (BODEGAS BH S.L.), Habla Nº22, Spain
· Best Wine by Packaging – Silverado Vineyards 2018, Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon, United States
These wines won the Best Wines by Country Award:
· Australia – Levrier by Jo Irvine 2015 Anubis Cabernet Sauvignon
· United States – Silverado Vineyards 2018 Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon
· France – Champagne Philippe Glavier – 2012 Folie d’Cramant
· Spain – Bodegas HABLA (BODEGAS BH S.L.), 2016, Habla Nº22, Tempranillo
· Italy – Carpenè Malvolti ‘1924’ Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG
· Portugal – Parras Wines, 2019 Quinta do Gradil 1492
· New Zealand – Yealands Wine Group, 2020 Yealands Reserve Sauvignon Blanc
· Greece – Venetsanos Winery, Santorini, 2018 Nykteri
· Austria – Hafner Family Estate, 2016 Hafner Kashmir, Burgenland
· South Africa – Du Toitskloof Wines, 2020 Du Toitskloof Old Vine Sauvignon Blanc
· Moldova, Republic of – Vinaria Purcari, 2019 Rosé de Purcari Sapiens
· Georgia – Château Mukhrani, 2017 Château Mukhrani Qvevri
The top wines for the top seven varietals were:
· Cabernet Sauvignon – Levrier by Jo Irvine, 2015 Anubis Cabernet Sauvignon, Australia
· Shiraz – Mr Riggs Wine Co, 2014, The Chap, Australia
· Tempranillo – Bodegas HABLA (BODEGAS BH S.L.), 2016 Habla Nº22, Spain
· Pinot Noir – Clyde Park Vineyard, 2020 Single Block F College Pinot Noir, Australia
· Zinfandel – CBC BevCo, 2017 Twisted Cedar Zinfandel, United States
· Sauvignon Blanc – Yealands Wine Group, 2020 Yealands Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand
· Riesling – Weingut Karl Schaefer, 2018 Dürkheimer Michelsberg GG Riesling Trocken, Germany
The full list of medal winners can be viewed on the London Wine Competition website. Some of these wines do not have US distribution or will otherwise be hard to find.
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c355b734934901a236cc3e4765ddc006 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2021/04/22/exploring-the-world-of-rare-spirits-with-the-last-drop-distillers/ | Exploring The World Of Rare Spirits With The Last Drop Distillers | Exploring The World Of Rare Spirits With The Last Drop Distillers
The Last Drop, 1976, 37 YO, Jamaica Rum Photo, courtesy The Last Drop
The Last Drop Distillers (TLD) is a specialty bottler of rare, ultra-aged spirits. It was founded in 2008, by two icons of the spirits industry: Tom Jago and James Espey. Their aim was to find rare expressions across different spirit categories and share them. In 2016, Sazerac acquired the company.
Over the last decade they have released just 21 vintage spirits, numbering roughly 9,000 bottles in total. These discoveries range across the worlds of Scotch whisky, bourbon, Cognac, Port and rum. Each bottling has a remarkable story behind its discovery.
Today, the company is run by Tom’s daughter, Rebecca Jago. She estimates that the company rejects around 90 -95% of what they taste, and all of their releases, including whiskies, Cognac, Port and rum, have been aged for at least 40 years.
Under her leadership, the company is evolving from bottling “discovered” spirits to blending and creating new expressions. Recently, I sat down with Rebecca to speak about the business of searching for and bottling rare, ultra-aged spirits.
JM: The term spirit hunter sounds like a cross between Ghost Busters and Indiana Jones. What exactly does a spirit hunter do? What kind of background/training do you need to be a spirit hunter?
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Rebecca Jago, Managing Director, The Last Drop Distillers Photo, courtesy The Last Drop
RJ: We’ve often been referred to as the Indiana Joneses of the spirits industry, but I haven’t heard the Ghostbusters analogy before: I love it, although that’s the wrong type of spirits!
It’s quite difficult to be prescriptive about the type of skills required, as curating remarkable aged spirits can be a long and gradual process.
I suppose the first stage is being able to find liquids which might fit our criteria, in terms of possessing a truly remarkable blend of character, age and vitality.
I was fortunate enough to join The Last Drop (TLD) because of my father, Tom Jago, and his co-founder James Espey. During their 40 years in the drinks business (an extremely convivial industry!) they naturally built up an international network of great friends and contacts who are extremely supportive of TLD.
The next talent lies in identifying and collecting those liquids with genuine potential, which is not always straightforward, given the long maturation/ageing times of our releases: often we’re talking one cask out of hundreds sampled.
JM: You’ve recently added an advisory board to help you source and evaluate rare spirits. Who are they and how do they function?
RJ: My father and James had developed considerable expertise in this area over the years, allowing them to trust their own tastes and instincts. Now that the ‘founding fathers’ have moved on, and we move into new categories such as Bourbon and Rum, we continue to work with a network of top experts.
TLD recently founded The Assembly, a carefully selected panel of experts drawn from across the spirits industry, each a renowned leader in their own category. The founding members of The Assembly include luminaries from across the worlds of Scotch, American, Irish and Indian whiskies, as well as Cognac and Rum:
· Colin Scott, Master Blender for The Last Drop Distillers of London
· Drew Mayville, Master Blender & Director of Quality, Sazerac, USA
· Richard Seale, Master Distiller & Blender, Foursquare Rum, Barbados
· Louise McGuane, Owner & Bonder, JJ Corry Irish Whiskey, Ireland
· Michael d’Souza, Master Distiller & Blender, Paul John Whisky, India
· Denis Lahouratate, Cellar Master, Domaine de Sazerac Cognac, France
JM: How do you get your leads? Are you just following up on offers that you receive from companies with aged stock or can you actually go and “hunt” for these rare spirits?
The Last Drop, Centenario, Duo Tawny Port Collection Photo, courtesy, the Last Drop
RJ: Our leads can come from many different directions. James and Tom were incredibly well-connected in the Scotch and Cognac communities, and these personal contacts remain very dear to us.
We are also fortunate that the values of TLD seem to strike a chord with people, so we do find we receive approaches from around the world that are happy to entrust us with their crown jewels.
Sometimes, the hunt is for what lies within the barrel, rather than the barrel itself being hidden: some of our releases have come from casks which were fully “on-the-record” but where the liquid in one or two particular barrels displayed such remarkable characteristics that they simply had to be given their moment in the spotlight.
One of our favourite stories is the discovery of the single barrel of cognac from a distillery owned by the same family for many generations: distilled in 1925 and then hidden from the approaching Germans before WW2, behind a wall in a barn. There it lay, forgotten, until the current owner (grandson of the distiller back in 1925) undertook some renovation work on the barn and found the barrel, undisturbed for nearly 80 years. We were fortunate enough to taste this extraordinary cognac very soon after it was found, and knew we’d come across one of those “once in a lifetime” moments that we love sharing: both the stories and the spirits.
JM: What kind of spirits are you looking for? Many of your bottlings have been ultra-aged spirits. Is that the primary criteria in the spirits you are hunting or are there other factors you consider?
RJ: Our main criterion for the spirits we curate is that they should be remarkable. What we’re looking for in that respect is a rare but perfect balance of age, character and vitality.
Age is important, as it can give time for true character to evolve: equally, it can’t just be about ultra-ageing, as time can be a fickle mistress.
Additionally, optimum ageing varies hugely depending on the type of spirit: Cognac can show incredibly well at 90 years old, whereas a Bourbon or Rum would have peaked far earlier due to the warmer maturation conditions.
Our objective is to release our spirits when they are at their perfect maturity, which may be 20 years for Bourbon or 50 years for a Scotch Whisky. So, whilst age is an important contributing factor, it’s not the defining factor.
On top of that, at TLD we insist that all our releases, irrespective of category or style, must be unequivocally fresh and delicious. Obviously, these are slightly subjective terms, but what we mean by freshness is a spirit with the character and maturity befitting of its great age, but vibrancy, brightness and joyfulness which bely it.
As for rarity, given all these demanding criteria, it’s not surprising that we tend to find such liquids in very limited quantities – especially after the angels have taken their share over the years!
JM: Ultra-aged whiskies have always been scarce and seem to be growing even scarcer as demand for them continues to skyrocket. Are you at risk that you will run out of the types of spirits you are searching for?
The Last Drop, Hors D'Age, 1925, Single Estate Cognac Photo, courtesy The Last Drop
RJ: There’s no doubt that the increasing interest in older spirits across all categories is driving market demand at the moment – especially for big name Single Malts.
However, as we are ploughing a slightly different furrow and, additionally, are interested in small volume rarities (for example, the 21 bottles of a lovely remnant of a Grande Champagne Cognac distilled in 1959 and all but forgotten during the intervening years), we believe there are plenty of remarkable spirits still out there for discovery.
We’re fortunate to have been curating a collection of aged and younger casks across several categories for over a decade now, so we’re excited about our current library of stock.
Additionally, the arrival of our Master Blender, Colin Scott and the creation of The Assembly, brings wealth of expertise in spotting and nurturing inventory potential, whether that be by steering the maturation process or masterminding new blends to bring the best out of different but complementary liquids.
Having said that, our quest is never over: we’re always interested in hearing about new and exciting leads, so we’ll continue to explore and taste our way across the wide world of spirits. After all, you never lose the thrill of the chase!
JM: You started with rare whiskies. Since then you’ve added rum, Cognac, bourbon and Port. Any other categories of wines and spirits that you’re looking for?
RJ: We’re looking for the Remarkable, so I’d say we use this as our compass rather than being constrained by category. Essentially, we’re interested in any spirits which benefit from ageing – which explains our incredible pair of aged Tawny Ports from 1870 and 1970.
Our Releases to date include Scotch Whisky in all its forms (Blends, Single Malts and Single Grains), four wonderful Cognacs and some exceptional Bourbons.
We’ve been interested in Rum for several years but only found one we felt matched The Last Drop’s philosophy in the last 18 months – hence our recent 1976 Jamaican Rum release: a truly astonishing spirit, full of depth, character and the classic Jamaican “funk”, mellowed by 43 years in wood.
I certainly see us continuing to develop these existing categories, whilst exploring neighbouring territories such as whiskies/whiskeys from around the world, and aged spirits from further afield. Which obviously brings into play a whole raft of exciting possibilities…!
JM: You’ve announced plans to add your own production to your range of bottlings. What are you hoping to offer your customers and how will these bottlings fall into the overall line-up of expressions you offer?
RJ: Using our maturing inventory of barrels, we have seen the opportunity to use some of these casks to create new – but still very old – spirits. So, our next release will be Colin Scott’s first Signature Blend: a 50-year-old Blended Scotch Whisky, blended by Colin Scott from a range of single malts and grains. While the creation of unique blends is a new venture, the spirits will still be old; it’s just that we will have had more of a direct hand in it.
With the formation of The Assembly, we see opportunities for further unique collaborations with other members, creating unique blends in each of their categories to grace TLD. The bottom line is that everything TLD shares with its customers must be remarkable: whether we’re releasing something from our collection untouched or whether we’ve had a hand in finishing it.
The Last Drop, 1976, Limited Bottling, 1976. Overproof Jamaican Rum Photo, courtesy The Last Drop
Our maturing library of stock permits us to follow closely this development curve of our casks. Introducing the blending expertise of The Assembly allows us to identify those liquids with the character and potential for further enhancement via blending and finishing. This is an incredibly exciting prospect: effectively, the belief is that opening up our library of world-class liquids to these world-class ‘artists’ will create some truly remarkable results.
JM: Thank you.
Below are tasting notes on some of The Last Drop’s most memorable releases.
The Last Drop, Centenario, 1870, Old Colheita, Tawny Port, 20% ABV, 750 ml.
The Last Drop, Centenario, 1970, Old Colheita, Tawny Port, 20% ABV, 750 ml.
770 sets released.
The Centenario duo are two tawny Ports from the 1870 and 1970 vintages. They were produced from the same vineyards in the Baixo Corgo, across the river from Quinta Santa Julia, the 18th century family estate of the van Zeller family.
These two tawny Ports remained in wood until bottling in 2016. The 1870 expression is the oldest tawny Port ever bottled.
The color of the 1870 is a dark brown with a dark gold around the rim. On the nose, there is the distinctive aroma of plump dark raisins, cooked fig, dates and prune. There are additional aromas of candied orange zest, coffee and cigar leaf, along with a slight dried herbal note.
The palate features a notable acidity accompanied by sweet flavors of cooked raisins, fig, date, mulberry and prune, additionally there are molasses and some walnut notes. The Port is thick and viscous with a syrupy quality and noticeable palate weight, but it is remarkably fresh for a wine that is almost a century and a half old.
The finish is exceptionally long with a marked acidity, and a long lingering finish of dark dried/cooked fruit.
The 1970 expression is a light brown color and still retains the red-orange cast of the original tawny. On the nose, it is very floral, followed by the dried/cooked dark fruits of its older sibling.
On the palate, it has the same notable, mouth puckering acidity, along with sweet flavors of dark dried/cooked fruit, orange marmalade and walnut. Like its sibling, the wine is thick and viscous, with a mouth coating quality, although less so then the 1870.
The finish is long and sweet, with a brisk acidity and flavors of dark dried fruit and candied orange zest.
Both of these Tawny Ports are remarkable. The wood notes are well integrated. Both wines are well balanced, remarkably fresh, and are extremely flavorful considering their age. An extraordinary achievement and one that, if you are a lower of Tawny Ports, is not to be missed.
The Last Drop, Grande Champagne Cognac, Hors D’Age, 48.4% ABV, 700 ml
182 bottles released.
The term Hors D’Age is used in the Cognac industry to describe extremely old Cognacs. It does not carry a specific age term, but is usually applied to spirits that are at least 25 years old. The term means “beyond time” or “ageless.”
This Cognac was distilled in 1925, and spent over 80 years in wood. Less than one-tenth of one percent of all Cognacs spend more than 50 years in wood.
As described in the interview with Rebecca Jago, the barrel was hidden in an old barn to protect it from German forces invading France in 1940. Promptly forgotten, it slumbered for more than 65 years before it was rediscovered.
According to TLD, the Cognac is probably based on a mix of Folle Balance, Ugni Blanc, Colombard and possibly a little Muscat as well. It’s also possible that the Cognac was aged in ex-Pineau des Charantes casks imparting a distinct sweetness.
On the nose, there is a distinct sweet, orange marmalade aroma. The Cognac is very floral and creamy with tropical fruit notes of mango, overripe papaya and melon, along with prune and fresh walnut. It also exhibits that waxy, furniture polish aroma typical of ultra-aged Cognacs, as well as a slight savoury note.
On the palate, the Cognac is very smooth, there is a distinctive woody oak note with just a touch of bitterness but oak flavor is well integrated into the Cognac. The Cognac features the rancio flavors of ultra-aged Cognacs: prune, date, fig, along with candied orange zest, nuts, and some caramel. It also has the furniture wax aromas found in very old spirits.
The Last Drop, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 1980, 20 YO, 45% ABV, 700 ml
240 bottles released.
The Last Drop, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 20 YO, 1980 Photo, courtesy The Last Drop Distiller
This bourbon bottling was released in November 2020. It was distilled in 1980, and matured in wood cask till 2000. From 2000, until it was bottled, it was kept in a stainless-steel tank. Since only the time spent on wood counts toward aging, this is a 20 YO bourbon.
The bourbon was originally distilled at the George T Stagg distillery, and the final blend was assembled by Drew Mayville, the Master Blender at Sazerac.
On the nose, there are notes of golden raisin, fig, prune, cherry kirsch and a hint of peach, along with aromas of tobacco and leather.
On the palate, the bourbon is smooth and oily with a mouth coating quality. There are notes of charred oak wood, dried dark fruit, especially cherry and prune, along with some dark chocolate and brown sugar/caramel.
The finish is long, sweet and satiny with lingering golden raisin and peach notes, and just a hint of oak bitterness.
The Last Drop, Overproof Jamaican Rum, 1976, 24 YO, 68.5% ABV, 700 ml
183 bottles released.
This is an overproof rum, which has been distilled in a column still, and was bottled at a cask strength of 68.5%. It’s a throwback to an earlier age when many rums destined for the British market would undergo a portion of their maturation in the UK. This rum was distilled in Jamaica, and matured there for a few years before being shipped to the UK where it spent the bulk of its maturation.
The UK is much cooler than Jamaica, so rum will age differently there than it would have on the island. Maturation is slower, the alcohol lost to the angel’s share is far lower, and the rum is capable of being aged far longer than would have been possible in its native Jamaica. The result is a 43-year-old rum that retains the richness of a Jamaican rum, with the mellowness and smoothness of extending aging.
On the nose, the rum has the intense floral and fruity bouquet typically described as Jamaican funk. There are rich notes of apple, pear, orange zest, prune and tropical fruit, especially banana, accompanied by a hint of coconut. There are spice notes of nutmeg, allspice and a hint of clove, and also the unmistakeable nail polish/furniture wax aroma you find in old Jamaican rums.
On the palate, there is a slight smoky charred toast note that gives way to sweet orange marmalade, followed by some salted caramel and notes of dried tropical fruit and spice notes of nutmeg and ginger pepper. The rum is thick and oily with a pronounced palate weight.
The finish is very long and smooth with lingering dried fruit notes, a hint of savoriness and a slight bitter note. If you are a fan of intensely flavored Jamaican rums this one is not to be missed. It’s just possibly the best rum I’ve tasted!
The Last Drop Blended Scotch Whisky, 56 YO, 47.2%, 700 ml
732 bottles released
The Last Drop Blended Scotch Whisky, 56 YO Photo, courtesy The Last Drop Distillers
This whisky is exceptionally old and rare. There are probably no more than a couple of dozen expressions of Scotch whiskies, both single malts and blended, that are more than 50 YO.
The whisky is a blend of different years, the youngest of which is 56 years, hence the age statement, but there are older whiskies in the blend. This bottling won a coveted Gold Outstanding Medal at the 2020 International Wines and Spirits Competition. The blend has an unusually high 60% single malts, drawn from all over Scotland, with the balance comprised of grain whisky. It also benefitted from an initial 20-year sherry cask aging, before being transferred to ex-bourbon casks to finish its maturation.
On the nose, the whisky is sweet, offering up notes of red fruits, peach and hints of tropical fruit. There are additional notes of vanilla, brown sugar and a hint of savoriness.
On the palate, the whisky is sweet, smooth and oily with flavors of candied orange zest caramel apple, tropical and stone fruit and spice notes of cinnamon.
The finish is long, sweet and smooth with lingering fruit and vanilla notes.
These bottlings are all outstanding and live up to TLD’s goal of finding expressions that express the benefits of ultra-aging but also remain “fresh and delicious.” These expressions are rare, which also makes them expensive and hard to find. They are definitely worth a taste, and if you can find the opportunity – don’t hesitate to grab it!
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4353708729fef75b51558bf062b222a0 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2021/04/27/the-san-francisco-world-spirits-competition-announces-the-2021-best-in-show-winners/?sh=1e3fa396b6bd | The San Francisco World Spirits Competition Announces The 2021 Best In Show Winners | The San Francisco World Spirits Competition Announces The 2021 Best In Show Winners
Judging during the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition Photo, courtesy San Francisco World Spirits Competition
The San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) is one of the world’s most prestigious spirits competitions. It’s noted both for the quality of its judges, many of whom are renowned experts in their fields, with decades of industry experience, and the scope of the different spirit categories that it judges.
The competition started in 2000, making it the second oldest spirits competition in the world and the oldest and largest spirits competition in the US. Only the London based International Wines and Spirits Competition (IWSC) is older. It’s part of the Tasting Alliance family of wine and spirits competition that also includes the San Francisco International Wine Competition, New York World Wine and Spirits Competition and the Singapore World Spirits Competition.
The 2021 SFWSC saw a 20% increase in entrants, to 3,800, up 20% over the 2020 competition. Roughly 40% of the entrants are from the US, with the balance of 60% international. 30% of the entrants, half of the international submissions, are from Asia.
According to Amanda Blue, Chief Operating Officer of the Tasting Alliance, the latter has been the fastest growing source of entrants. She noted:
Asian spirits are among the most exciting categories of the modern beverage industry. We’ve made a concerted effort to reach out to these producers. Last year I traveled to Japan to meet with Japanese spirit companies. We’ve also appointed a SFWSC ambassador in China to liaise with Chinese spirit producers. Not surprisingly we’ve seen a significant increase in Asian entrants.
This year saw the SFWSC add new categories for Non-Alcoholic Spirits, Japanese Whisky and Low (under 20%) Alcoholic Spirits. The Gin, Japanese Whisky, Pre-Mixed Cocktails, Baijiu, Shōchū, Rye whisky and Non-Alcoholic Spirits categories all showed significant growth. Gin had 408 entries, while Rye Whisky had 153 entries. Japanese Whisky, a new category, had 73 entrants. Pre-Mixed Cocktails, another new category, had 157 entries.
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The SFWSC identifies the Best in Show, the highest accolade it bestows, for Best White Spirit, Best Whisky, Best Brandy and Best Liqueur. It also awards Best in Category awards across 79 different classes of spirits. Key spirit categories, like whisky or brandy, are broken down into numerous subcategories, each of which has its own Best in Category award.
Whisky, for example, is broken down into 31 different categories. Scotch whisky is covered in nine separate categories, while American whiskeys range over 13 different categories. World whiskies, including Canadian, Japanese and Irish whiskies, are broken down into nine additional categories.
Brandy is broken down into eight different categories, three of which cover Cognac. Rum and Gin both have five separate categories. Agave-based spirits has seven different sub categories, four of which cover Tequila. The SFWSC is one of the few shows that recognizes Best in Category awards for traditional agave-based spirits like Sotol and Bacanora.
Historically, the SFWSC utilizes 56 different judges from around the world. They’re drawn from the international spirits industry, as well as on-premise and off-premise retailers. Traditionally, the group has met over three days in San Francisco each spring to select that year’s medalists. Per Amanda Blue however, the COVID pandemic required a very different judging protocol this year.
Instead of judging over three days, the judging occurred over a three-week period. We used a total of 30 judges, all based in the US, instead of our usual 56 judges. We did three panels each day, using only nine judges at a time and rotated them over the course of the judging. We separated the judges with plexiglass screens to minimize the risk of infection and we asked judges to get vaccinated if at all possible.
Each year’s results are closely followed, both by consumers eager for the expert judgements and more importantly by the trade, especially the distributor community. Many a craft distillery startup has found that recognition by the SFWSC is the golden key to unlocking broad national, and often, international distribution. Even established producers look to the SFWSC for confirmation of their core ranges, as well as validation of new products and new production techniques.
The 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition Medals Photo, courtesy San Francisco World Spirits Competition
The Best in Show winners for the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition are:
Best White Spirit: Mezcal Amaras
The official tasting notes describe this Mezcal as “a superb non-smoky example of the great complexity, elegance and finesse possible from this exciting and newly popular category.”
Best Whisky: Glen Scotia 25 YO Scotch
The official tasting notes described this whisky as a “deeply rich, concentrated and elegant single malt that has matured quietly in American oak barrels for a quarter century.” For additional tasting notes see also The Best Whisky in the World According To San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Best Brandy: Tacama, Demonio de Los Andes Acholado Pisco
Pisco is a grape brandy produced in the Andean foothills along the western edge of South America, principally in Peru and Chile. Historically, it has usually been unaged, although aged varieties are becoming more prevalent. The official tasting notes from the SFWSC describe the brandy as “true to its name and style, it is incredibly aromatic with fresh floral notes and green grape must flavors.”
Best Liqueur: Choya Umeshu
Umeshu is a Japanese liqueur that is made by steeping unripe green plums (ume in Japanese) in Shōchū liquor and sugar. It has a sweet and sour taste, and an ABV of between 10% and 15%. The official tasting notes describe it as “a stunning, sweet-smelling Japanese explosion of racy apricot, plum and peach flavors in a delicious smooth and tangy-fresh liqueur.”
A listing of the Best in Category winners, as well as a complete list of all the medalists will be available on May 5, on the SFWSC website. Circle back then for a complete listing of all of the Best in Category winners as well as a direct link to the listing of all of the medalists!
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f256da9ca238b616ca03fae10f473a9d | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2021/05/02/gordon--macphail-release-67-yo-scotch-whisky-mr-george-legacy-1953-from-glen-grant-distillery/?sh=39c76e4a5376 | Gordon & MacPhail Release 67 YO Scotch Whisky: Mr George Legacy 1953 From Glen Grant Distillery | Gordon & MacPhail Release 67 YO Scotch Whisky: Mr George Legacy 1953 From Glen Grant Distillery
Mr George Legacy 1953 from Glen Grant Distillery, is an ultra-rare bottling of a 67 YO Sherry cask ... [+] matured Glen Grant. Photo, courtesy Gordon & MacPhail
Scotch whisky is on a roll. Demand is soaring, consumer interest is rising and its global market footprint continues to get broader. Prices for rare expressions continue to set records, and investment professionals increasingly tout fine whisky as an investment category all its own.
According to the Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index, for example, rare whiskies were the best performing category of luxury goods investment. Between 2010 and 2020, they soared in price by 564%; easily beating out the increase in Classic Cars, the next best performing category at 194%. By comparison, the S & P 500 had an average annual return of 13.6% from 2010 to 2020.
That’s a fitting backdrop to the latest release of single malt Scotch whisky by Scotland’s iconic whisky producers and specialty bottler Gordon & MacPhail. Mr George Legacy 1953 from Glen Grant Distillery, is an ultra-rare bottling of a 67 YO Sherry cask matured Glen Grant. It pays tribute to George Urquhart, often referred to as simply “Mr George,” the second generation of the family that has managed Gordon & MacPhail for more than a century.
Charlie MacLean, a whisky legend in his own right, dubbed George Urquhart “the father of single malt.” The noted whisky writer Michael Jackson echoed that praise, noting in George’s 2001 eulogy:
I believe that single-malt whisky would simply not be available today were it not for the work of George Urquhart. When others knew nothing of malt whisky, he was one of the handful of people who understood this great Scottish contribution to the pleasures of food and drink.
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Single malt Scotch whisky is the cutting edge of the Scotch whisky juggernaut. Although single malts represent just 20% of the industry’s volume, it represents almost one-third of its revenue. It is also the sector that is driving innovation within the industry: from new types of cask finishing to innovative production techniques and wood management.
George Urquhart attending a Paris Whisky Show Photo, courtesy Gordon & MacPhail
It wasn’t always this way, however. In the 1980s, a generation ago, the industry bemoaned a “whisky loch” of surplus Scotch whisky that it was hard pressed to give away, much less sell. While single malts are the most exciting part of Scotch whisky today, it wasn’t all that long ago that they were considered a marginal curiosity, the domain of eccentrics, and the trainspotter ilk.
Scotch whisky distilleries had been bottling single malts since the 19th century, typically small quantities for their local market. As late as 1980, single malts were only 2% of the Scotch whisky industry’s revenues. That year there were only 27 distillery bottlings of single malts available, and many were hard to find.
Glenlivet has been available in the US since the 1930s, and has historically been America’s best-selling single malt. In 1963, sales only amounted to 800 cases and by 1970, worldwide sales were still only 11,000 cases. In 1968, US sales of single malt were approximately 3,000 cases, of which roughly half was Glenlivet.
Gordon & MacPhail’s release of “Mr George” is both the story of an extraordinary man and a living history of the rise of single malt Scotch whisky.
In the late 1960s, George Urquhart began bottling a range of single malt whiskies under the Connoisseurs Choice brand. The range would steadily grow, featuring whiskies from more than 80 distilleries in 2,000+ unique bottlings during the five decades to date.
According to Stephen Rankin, George’s grandson and the company’s Director of Prestige, during this period G & M was both a specialty bottler of Scotch whisky, as well as an importer and distributor of a range of fine wines and spirits from Europe. During his yearly summer trips to meet suppliers, notes Rankin, his grandfather began to carry samples of his own single malt bottlings to introduce to his suppliers.
Rankin describes fond memories of traveling, as a 12-year-old, with his grandfather in a Lancia Gamma across Europe, its trunk bursting with whisky samples. According to Rankin, G & M was the first whisky bottler to exhibit at European wine trade shows.
George Urquhart Photo, courtesy Gordon & MacPhail
It was George Urquhart, claims Rankin, who was key to the recognition and the growth of single malts in Europe, in particular Italy. Glen Grant single malt was a favourite of Georges and it found an enthusiastic following in Italy. Today Glen Grant is not only the best-selling single malt in Italy, it beats the blended Scotch whiskies to be the best-selling Scotch whisky overall.
Between the 1960s and 1980s, in yearly summer excursions across Europe, George steadily built a following for his single malt Scotch bottlings, in the process laying the foundation for what would become Europe’s fascination with single malt Scotch whisky.
The industry was still very small, notes Rankin. In 1950, the entire Scotch whisky industry only employed 7,000 people, 3,000 of whom worked at the distilleries. Demand, due to wartime restrictions on distilling, exceeded supply. The rationing of barley to distilleries wasn’t lifted till 1954. There was little need for marketing. In 1960, the entire industry’s expenditure for advertising was 500 pounds, less than $3,000.
By 1975, however, the industry’s employment had risen three-fold, to 21,000. Single malts were still little more than an afterthought. With growing international demand for Connoisseur’s Choice however, G & M, under George Urquhart’s direction, steadily expanded, adding warehouses to mature its ever-growing inventory of fillings.
Almost a half century later, G &M is widely considered one of the leading specialty bottlers and whisky creators in Scotland. Thanks to Mr George’s foresight, and succeeding generations of the family who continued to build on George Urquhart’s legacy, it owns an unparalleled collection of Scotland’s liquid history; a fact that has allowed it to release more 50 YO+, ultra-aged expressions, than any other whisky maker in Scotland. The “Mr George” release is a fitting tribute to that legacy.
Gordon & MacPhail, Mr George Legacy 1953 from Glen Grant Distillery Photo, courtesy Gordon & MacPhail
Gordon & MacPhail, Mr George Legacy 1953 from Glen Grant Distillery, 1953, 67 YO, 59.4% ABV, 700 ml, RRSP: $7500/£5000
The Mr George Legacy 1953 from Glen Grant Distillery bottling is the first release in what is slated to become a single yearly offering of new, ultra-aged, single malt Scotch whiskies. It’s dubbed the Legacy Series.
The Mr George expression was distilled on Christmas Eve 1953, according to Rankin, and “spent its whole life in Cask No 4209, a first fill Sherry butt”. It was bottled on Tuesday, 5 January 2021, at a cask strength of 59.4% ABV.
The alcoholic strength is remarkable for a 67 YO whisky, points out Rankin, and is one of the reasons “why the whisky is so powerfully aromatic on the nose with such distinctive floral and fruity notes.” He attributes the high alcoholic strength to optimal conditions in the maturation warehouse and the fact that the whisky was matured in a cask that had previously been used to ship Sherry from Williams & Humbert in Jerez.
Adds Rankin:
During the 1950s, G & M was a bottler of Sherry, which we imported directly from Spain. The casks in which the Sherry was shipped were made from thicker than normal staves in order to better protect the Sherry butt from damage during shipping. The thicker staves and more robust construction meant that these casks exhibited less evaporation of alcohol during maturation.
Below are my tasting notes on the Mr George Legacy 1953 from a small sample that was generously supplied by G & M.
On the nose, there is an intense aroma of sweet dried fruit, as well as floral potpourri. There is a hint of almond, a touch of chili pepperiness, along with some tropical fruit, particularly mango, cinnamon and clove notes and a lingering creamy custard quality. There are also the rancio aromas of old leather and furniture wax typical of ultra-aged, Sherry matured whiskies.
On the palate, the whisky shows a mouth coating oily quality and a pronounced palate weight and creamy character. The high ABV is readily apparent on the palate, remarkable for a whisky that is 67 years old. There are notes of golden raisin, along with some fig, melon and dried mango. There is also some cinnamon and a pronounced pepperiness, along with oak notes, almond and milk chocolate.
The finish is long, with sweet dried fruit notes, accompanied by a lingering pepperiness and just a hint of bitterness at the end.
This is a powerfully aromatic whisky, nuanced and refined, offering up a range of dried fruit flavors while exhibiting a noticeable alcoholic kick. It would have been originally casked at an ABV of around 65%, so it’s extraordinary that over 67 years of maturation it lost less than 6% of its alcoholic strength.
It’s a tribute to an extraordinary man who played a critical role in the development of the single malt Scotch whisky industry and a metaphor of the history of the Scotch whisky industry. It’s also a damn good whisky!
Sláinte
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589da54ac8e64ede9cfb40439be07f7e | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2021/05/03/the-worlds-top-rums-according-to-san-francisco-world-spirits-competition/ | The World’s Top Rums According To San Francisco World Spirits Competition | The World’s Top Rums According To San Francisco World Spirits Competition
Appleton Estate 8 YO Rum Photo, courtesy Appleton Estate
Over 3,000 spirits, including several hundred rums, are judged each year at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC)
The SFWSC is the oldest spirits competition in the US, dating back to 1980, and the second oldest in the world. Its judges include some of the world’s leading experts. The competition has an unrivaled reputation for the quality of its judging, as well as for the scope of the categories of spirits that it judges.
The SFWSC judges rum over five different categories: Best Extra-Aged Rum, Best Flavored Rum, Best Over-Proof Rum, Best White Rum, and Best Dark/Gold Rum
The Best in Category Extra-Aged Rum award was given to Appleton Estate 8 YO Rum. Appleton is one of Jamaica’s famed rum producers. Appleton Estate dates to 1655, and has been producing rum since 1749. It’s located in Jamaica’s Nassau Valley, in one of Jamaica’s prime sugarcane growing areas, and covers over 11,000 acres.
The brand was a favorite of George Washington, who supposedly served at his inaugural celebration, even though as a product of a British colony its importation had been banned by Congress.
The rum is a blend of up to 20 different pot and column still rums. In addition to its column still, the distillery also uses five double-retort pot stills. This type of still used to be called a “thumper” or a “doubler” by American moonshiners for the characteristic sound it made when operating.
Vapor from the pot still is passed through a second, unheated pot, in which vapor from the first distillation had condensed. The hot vapor redistills the “low wine” from the first distillation, mimicking the effects of a second distillation, before proceeding to a condenser.
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The process duplicates the effect of a double distillation using only a single one. This process is cheaper and faster than double distillation, and produces a high proof spirit, hence its appeal to moonshiners.
The rum offers up aromas of dark caramel, along with roasted almond and peach notes, as well as hints of tropical fruits of mango, melon and a hint of banana and coconut.
On the palate, it’s sweet and creamy, showing caramel and molasses flavors, notes of tropical and stone fruits, candied orange zest, some coffee, as well as vanilla, cinnamon and clove spices. There is also a hint of new leather in the background.
The finish is long and sweet, with caramel and molasses, a hint of smokiness and with lingering notes of citrus zest, tropical fruits and tropical spices.
Ron Colón Salvadoreño Coffee Infused Rum Photo, courtesy of Ron Colón Salvadoreño
The Best in Category winner for Best Flavored Rum is Ron Colón Salvadoreño Coffee Infused Rum. It’s produced by Ron Colón Salvadoreño. The name suggests a venerable rum producer somewhere in the Spanish Americas. While the company has deep links to El Salvador, it is in fact a Dutch company and has only been selling its rum for little more than a year.
Ron Colón Salvadoreño began in 2018, and sold its first rum in January 2020. It’s the brainchild of industry experts Pepijn Janssens and Thurman Wise.
The rum is made from a blend of 6-year-old column-distilled Salvadoran rum produced by Licorera Cihuatán distillery, unaged pot-distilled Jamaican rum produced by Worthy Park, Hampden and Clarendon and 3 YO rum from Worthy Park. All rums in the blend are aged at source. Currently, the rum is bottled in the Netherlands.
The current range includes Ron Colón Salvadoreño High Proof Aged Rum and Ron Colón Salvadoreño Cold Coffee Infused Rum. Both expressions are bottled at 55.5% ABV. A 40.5% ABV expression of the coffee infused rum was launched at the end of 2020.
A new expression, RUMRYE, consisting of a blend of 50% American rye whisky and 50% Ron Colón Salvadoreño, 50% ABV, is slated to launch in 2021.
The coffee used to make the rum is produced by Charlotte, North Carolina based, specialty coffee producer Jags Head Coffee. Jags Head sources its coffee beans “from the most prestigious farms in the Apaneca-llamatepec mountain range in El Salvador.”
The company describes the coffee infused rum as having “rich warming coffee and toasted nutmeg spice,” with “fresh vanilla and honey bringing a sweeter note.” On the palate, it offers up “notes of delicately toasted coffee beans and milk chocolate” layered on “the sticky pineapple and fresh banana notes of the rum.”
The winner of the Best in Category Over-Proof Rum is Barrell, Private Release B617. Over-Proof rums are those that are bottled at an ABV greater than 57.5%, although many are typically in the 75.5% range. These rums usually exhibit the numbers 151, their proof, on the label.
In the 18th and early 19th centuries over-proof rums were called Guinea Rums. During the period of the infamous African slave trade, rum was one of the commodities that was traded for slaves along the Gulf of Guinea coast. In order to carry more rum to barter with, slavers would bring overproof rum and then dilute it down to a lower strength once they had reached the African coast. The term was eventually applied to all over-proof rums.
The term proof also has a rum related pedigree. Rum on Royal Navy ships was supposed to be around 55% ABV. To demonstrate to the crew that the rum had not been watered down, the purser, the person in charge of the rum ration, would mix the gunpowder with some rum and ignite it. If the powder failed to burn it meant that the rum had been watered down. If the gunpowder flashed when lit it meant if was overproof. If the gunpowder burned with a steady blue flame, then the purser had “proven” that the rum was the correct strength. Hence the term proof.
According to Barrell:
Every release of our private release rum is a unique blend of rums from Barbados. Jamaica, and Guyana, as well as Rhum Agricole from Martinique. Once created these blends are married in single casks, many of which were previously used for other spirits and/or wines.
The rums are either Barbados or Jamaican dominant blends. Barrell’s B617 blend is a 61% Barbados blend. The final blend is finished in a Petro Ximenez (PX) Sherry barrel. PX is a type of viscous, very sweet, syrupy Sherry made from grapes that have been partially raisinated by being dried in the sun before being crushed.
Hidden Harbor White Rum Photo, courtesy Hidden Harbor
The Best in Category White Rum was awarded to Hidden Harbor, White Rum. The rum is a collaboration between, Hidden Harbor, a Tiki Bar in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood, and Allegheny Distilling Company’s Maggie’s Farm Rum.
White Rum is an unaged rum. Like most white rums it’s typically distilled using a column still. Hidden Harbor was specifically designed to use in Daiquiris, and consists of a blend of 60% white rum from Maggie’s Farm, 20% “Queens Share” white rum also from Maggie’s Farm, 10% from Jamaica and the balance is an assortment of Caribbean white rums from Guyana, Barbados, Martinique and Trinidad.
“Queen’s Share” refers to a distillation method in which a portion of the tails are redistilled. The term is also sometimes used to designate the best rum casks; i.e., the rum casks that would have been reserved for the monarch.
This is a full-flavored white rum. It is rich in aromatic esters, with flavors of ripe and overripe tropical fruit, produced from an exceptionally long fermentation. This aroma and flavor profile is typically described as “Jamaican funk.” There are additional notes of red fruit, along with ginger pepper.
The Best in Category Dark/Gold Rum is Zaya, Gran Riserva Rum, which is produced in Trinidad and Tobago by Trinidad Distillers Ltd for Infinitum Spirits. Dark rums usually obtain their color from contact with barrel wood, although that color can be enhanced or duplicated by using caramel as a coloring agent.
The rum does not carry an age statement. It’s a blend of molasses-based rums that have been distilled using a five-column continuous still and that are at least 12 YO. Infinitum Spirits describes the rum as,
seductive with aromas of pear, baked apple and spiced vanilla. The palate is smooth, with notes of caramel, vanilla, toasted oak and baking spices and finishes profoundly with a hint of smoke.
All five of these rums are outstanding. Most are priced for under $50 per bottle, and represent terrific values. If you are a rum fan, there is much to discover here. If your idea of rum hasn’t evolved beyond rum and coke, then you have a brand-new world of rum to explore.
Cheers
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12856803b2fbb6d144651aa8f559a1b7 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joeparlock/2020/06/26/flood-of-accusations-of-sexual-misconduct-made-against-ubisoft-employees-company-says-it-will-investigate/ | Flood Of Accusations Of Sexual Misconduct Made Against Ubisoft Employees, Company Says It Will Investigate | Flood Of Accusations Of Sexual Misconduct Made Against Ubisoft Employees, Company Says It Will Investigate
The Ubisoft logo, as seen in Rainbow Six Siege. Ubisoft
Correction (June 30, 2020, 8:25AM BST): This originally identified Jason Paradise as a marketing executive at Ubisoft Toronto. He was actually a community manager at a different Ubisoft studio.
Update (June 27, 2020, 12:20PM BST): Two high-ranking Ubisoft executives have been placed on administrative leave, according to Bloomberg.
Maxime Beland, VP of Editorial, and Tommy Francois, VP of Editorial and Creative Services, are both said to be on leave following accusations made against them. Both have been accused by people contacting streamer Denny Von Doom and narrative designer Meghna Jayanth with their stories, who have been lending their platform to those who wish to remain anonymous.
Beland has been alleged, among other things, of choking a woman "after he became drunk and enraged". Francois has been accused of "[pressuring] female juniors into sex in front of his employees", as well as claims he would "frequently try to touch female colleagues" and "kiss people on the lips". It is also claimed that Francois was actually moved away from the Paris studio as a result of alleged predatory behaviour.
In an email on her becoming a way for anonymous people to come forward with their allegations, Jayanth said "this is my way of showing my solidarity with those courageously speaking out. I hope that we will, as an industry, decide it is time to end this cycle of public call-outs, brief attention, and then inaction. I hope for lasting, systemic cultural change."
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While Beland and Francois are said not to be the only two people who have been placed on leave, they are the only two who have yet to be named.
Denny Von Doom, Maxime Beland, Tommy Francois and Ubisoft Paris managing director Marie-Sophie de Waubert have all been contacted for comment, and have not yet responded.
Original story
The creative director of the upcoming, and highly anticipated Ubisoft game Assassin's Creed Valhalla stepped down from his position on Wednesday in the wake of an allegation on Twitter of marital infidelity.
The development came a day after a number of Twitter users accused current and former Ubisoft employees of sexual misconduct—and claimed that, in at least two instances, managers at the Ubisoft studios were made aware of the allegations and declined to investigate further.
Beyond the allegation against the Assassin's Creed creative director, Ashraf Ismail, other Ubisoft employees have been accused of harassment, abuse and even assault. None have been charged with a crime. Responding to some of the earliest accusations, Ubisoft told me it is "deeply concerned by these accusations.”
In a statement made on Thursday on its website, Ubisoft said it has “started by launching investigations into the allegations with the support of specialized external consultants. Based on the outcomes, we are fully committed to taking any and all appropriate disciplinary action.” The publisher said it is “also auditing our existing policies, processes, and systems to understand where these have broken down, and to ensure we can better prevent, detect, and punish inappropriate behavior.”
The Ubisoft studios whose employees were the subject of the allegations—Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft Toronto, Ubisoft San Francisco and Ubisoft Sofia—did not respond to requests for comment.
Allegations surrounding Ismail began on Sunday, when Dani Porter Bridges released images of text messages on Twitter allegedly showing Ismail, a creative director at Ubisoft Montreal who was also the creative lead for Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag and Assassin's Creed Origins, lying about his marital status. Porter Bridges claimed in the tweet that they were in a relationship "on and off" for a year while he was still married without her knowledge and said his marital status had since been “confirmed by 3 people.”
While Ismail didn't confirm or deny the accusations, in now-deleted tweets (from a deleted account), he announced he was "stepping down" to “deal with personal issues in my life.” Ubisoft later released a statement to Eurogamer, saying: “Ashraf Ismail is stepping down from the project to take a leave of absence. The development team is committed to delivering a great game in Assassin's Creed Valhalla.”
Ashraf Ismail's now-deleted announcement he is stepping down from Ubisoft Montreal. Ashraf Ismail, screenshot by Joe Parlock
Over email, Porter Bridges said she has not had any contact with anyone in a position of management since her tweets about Ismail. She also stated that she is "not sure how to feel about his resignation or stepping down," adding: "As far as I know, he’s still employed, and that’s okay. My motive was not to get him fired; I just didn’t want him to be able to lie to or otherwise deceive anyone else."
Ismail did not respond to a request for comment.
Andrien Gbinigie is currently the product marketing manager for the upcoming Watch_Dogs Legion. Ubisoft
Others at Ubisoft have also been accused of abusing their positions of power. Andrien "Escoblades" Gbinigie, who works on product and brand marketing on Watch_Dogs Legion at Ubisoft Toronto, was accused of sexual assault by Kate Johnston, a senior account executive at Kairos Media, who alleged in a Twitlonger post on Monday that Gbinigie had "forced himself" on her during PAX East 2014.
Less than an hour after Johnston's Twitlonger post was published, Gbinigie denied the allegations in a lengthy response on Medium, which has since removed his post pending an investigation into whether it breached the site's rules. (A mirror without what Gbinigie claims are texts from the time can be found here.) In a follow-up tweet, Gbinigie said, "This did not happen and i’m not gonna sit idly by as i get accused of shit i didn’t do."
Former Ubisoft community manager Jason "Paradise" Kuntz wrote on Twitter in support of Johnston's story that he spoke to management at Ubisoft at the time about the alleged incident but that management declined to investigate further.
While Johnston is the only person to have publicly accused Gbinigie of sexual assault, other members of the industry have described negative experiences with Gbinigie. Streamer RadderssGaming alleged on Twitter that Gbinigie "led me on" and "used me for sex" while fellow streamer Mae "The Mermae" Morrison said that Gbinigie "pulled some sketchy s***" that she "recognized … as grooming"; she did not elaborate on Gbinigie’s behavior but wrote that when she reported his behavior to Ubisoft Montreal, where Gbinigie worked between 2013 and 2019, “no actions were taken because ‘nothing happened.’”
In an email, Morrison said she "wanted to keep the events brief, clean and factual and not overshadow the other more horrific cases that were being presented. I just needed to add my voice as corroboration from my own experience for other survivors in solidarity."
Johnston, RadderssGaming, Paradise and Gbinigie did not respond to requests for comment.
Ubisoft San Francisco's South Park: The Fractured But Whole. Ubisoft
On Tuesday, Gregg Baker, a former community development manager at Ubisoft San Francisco, came under scrutiny. A Twitter post by John Lloyd, a former Ubisoft community representative who is now a freelance community manager, described Baker as having "abused his position as Senior Manager at Riot, Head of Community at Giffgaff, and Head of Community Engagement at Jagex." Lloyd did not describe the behavior but wrote that he brought up the issue with Ubisoft management, which declined to investigate further.
In an email to me, Lloyd claimed that Baker was fired from previous positions because of sexual harassment accusations and described the allegations made against Baker and others as a "drop in the ocean." Lloyd did not indicate how he knew about Baker’s employment history but said he wanted "to reaffirm the clear and obvious need that things need to change, not just in the gaming industry but many other industries, too, to improve workplace cultures and practices to reduce the chance of someone being in the position to abuse their position or each other in general."
Others followed Lloyd to criticize Baker’s behavior at previous companies. A Twitter user giving her name only as Kristen and identifying herself as a senior community manager for the game Spellbreak and a former employee at Riot Games implied that Baker’s behavior led her to quit after she had worked with him for just two weeks. Baker has since made his Twitter profile private; he has not publicly responded to these accusations and did not respond to a request for comment.
Lloyd, who is also a mental health advocate, said in his email to me, "We, as an industry, [are] in the powerful position that we are in to influence many generations of people, and it’s high time that we started treating it as such."
He added: "If we do not take the correct actions going forward, I believe that we will continue to see this happen. It's time for people to see and accept that; we cannot ignore it any further."
Ubisoft Sofia primarily works on DLC for other Ubisoft titles and remasters, such as Assassin's ... [+] Creed Rogue Remastered. Ubisoft
In a separate Twitter thread on Tuesday, Fey Vercuiel detailed a toxic working environment at another Ubisoft studio, Ubisoft Sofia in Bulgaria, with her describing instances of racism, homophobia ("On literally a nearly daily basis people would make homophobic jokes on the studio floor") and sexism ("Id hear from managers that they want to hire women just so that they could have something to look at").
Speaking to me, Vercuiel stressed that "there are obviously good people working at Ubisoft Sofia, as there are in every studio. The issue I’m trying to raise is the deeply troubling culture there, and not trying to paint everyone working there with the same brush."
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2d3b5e93200c3264fceb5f9956facaac | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joeparlock/2020/10/30/far-cry-6-and-rainbow-six-quarantine-have-been-delayed-into-the-next-financial-year/ | ‘Far Cry 6’ And ‘Rainbow Six Quarantine’ Have Been Delayed Into The Next Financial Year | ‘Far Cry 6’ And ‘Rainbow Six Quarantine’ Have Been Delayed Into The Next Financial Year
Far Cry 6 Ubisoft
Ubisoft has delayed Far Cry 6, pushing it back by potentially over a year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
In its latest earnings report, the publisher states that Far Cry 6, which was originally scheduled for launch on February 18, has been moved back into the 2021-2022 financial year. While realistically the delay is probably only a few months (I’ll be surprised if it isn’t out by June 2021, though Ubisoft as of yet hasn’t announced a new date), that does mean the absolute latest it could come without any further delays is now March 2022.
The delay has also hit Rainbow Six Quarantine, which was originally scheduled for a vague '2020' release window.
In the report, CFO Frédérick Duguet says that the delay is due to "production challenges caused by COVID-19", which has caused mass lockdowns globally and resulted in a huge increase in the number of people working from home.
This delay has to have been recent, as it was only in July's Ubisoft Forward event that the game was revealed. Set on the island of Yara, Far Cry 6 will feature Breaking Bad's Giancarlo Esposito as the game's villain, tyrant Anton Castillo. It'll launch at some point before March 2022 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC, Stadia and Luna.
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16cb7d0a75d4123dcd62ba44503cc545 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joeparlock/2021/02/10/the-pokemon-trading-card-game-pokmon-promotion-what-are-the-cards-and-how-to-get-them/?sh=5c26c9245883 | The Pokémon Trading Card Game McDonalds Promotion: What Are The Cards, And How To Get Them [Updated] | The Pokémon Trading Card Game McDonalds Promotion: What Are The Cards, And How To Get Them [Updated]
The Pokémon TCG booster pack included with Happy Meals (image courtesy of PokéBeach). PokéBeach
Update [21:32PM GMT, February 11 2021]: McDonalds has released the following statement, confirming it is working on restocking the promotion:
"We love seeing fans’ passion for our limited-time Happy Meal promotion celebrating 25 years of Pokémon. With such significant demand for our promotional Pokémon TCG cards, and some fans even going to extreme lengths to get them, we’re working quickly to address shortages and also strongly encouraging restaurants to set a reasonable limit on Happy Meals sold per customer. We want to offer the full Happy Meal experience to as many families as possible, and help ensure everyone is able to get in on the fun!"
Alongside this, McDonalds has also clarified its policies on selling Happy Meals promotions without buying an actual meal, saying:
"All Happy Meal toys, including our Pokémon trading cards, are intended to be sold with Happy Meals. In some cases, restaurants may accommodate reasonable customer requests for a-la-carte toy purchases. McDonald’s policy is to not sell full cases of Happy Meal toys to customers."
One of the infuriating aspects of this promotion has been the level of food waste caused by people buying dozens of Happy Meals just for the cards. While McDonalds hasn’t said it is necessarily limiting purchases of Happy Meals, it has asked that "customers think twice before placing excessive Happy Meal orders during this promotion", and that "unused food and ingredients are donated to families and communities in need".
Original Story
This month marks Pokémon's 25th Anniversary, and to celebrate, Pokémon and McDonalds have teamed up to give away exclusive Pokémon cards with 'every' (in theory) Happy Meal.
Of course, collectors are already getting all the stock they can, as limited-edition Pokémon cards often skyrocket in value. Therefore, knowing what you're looking for is vital for any hope of getting some before they run out.
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What Are The McDonalds Pokémon Cards?
Each Happy Meal comes with a pack of four cards, each depicting one of the 25 starter Pokémon (including Pikachu) found throughout the series' history and printed with a 25th Anniversary logo. However, as these cards are available in both normal and foil versions, the total number of Pokémon cards needed to collect the entire set is 50.
The full list of cards (with all both available in normal and foil prints) are:
- Bulbasaur
- Squirtle
- Charmander
- Chickorita
- Totodile
- Cyndaquil
- Treecko
- Mudkip
- Torchic
- Tutrwig
- Piplup
- Chimchar
- Snivy
- Oshawott
- Tepig
- Chespin
- Froakie
- Fennekin
- Rowlet
- Popplio
- Litten
- Grookey
- Sobble
- Scorbunny
- Pikachu
It's worth noting that these cards aren't the same as the jumbo-sized First Partners series cards that are also being released to celebrate the 25th Anniversary. Those cards will be released in monthly batches, starting with the Sword and Shield starters in March, and ending with the Red and Blue starters in October.
How To Get The McDonalds Pokémon Cards
This is where it gets a bit tricky. In theory, the pack of four cards should be given away with each Happy Meal, just like the usual free toy. Currently, the promotion is limited to The United States, though a Canadian equivalent is rumored. If you were curious, here in the UK we have delightful wildlife-themed Top Trumps cards as our current promotion, which I suppose is essentially what Pokémon is?
McDonalds nor the Pokémon Company have given an end date for the promotion.
However, with Pokémon cards being so immensely popular, both scalpers and hardcore collectors have already strained the supply, meaning the chances of finding the cards is drastically reduced. You may need to 'shop around' and check multiple McDonalds to see if they have any in stock before buying your Happy Meal.
However, also keep in mind your local COVD restrictions. Phone your local McDonalds up before ordering to enquire about the stock situation, and make sure you follow all social distancing and mask rules for your area. No matter how much they're worth or how in demand they are, Pokémon isn't worth getting COVID over.
Thankfully, some McDonalds have put a maximum purchase policy in place. You'll likely not be able to buy the toys direct as you sometimes can with other promotions, and you'll probably be limited in how many Happy Meals you can buy in one order (though, unfortunately, this isn't a universal rule). This is to both allow a fair distribution of the cards and also to cut down on food wastage.
However, McDonalds has also stated that, while the official policy is to not sell Happy Meals promotions separately from the meal, some restaurants may "accomodate reasonable requests". However, it is against company policy to sell entire cases of the promotion.
To make this absolutely clear: yes, the Pokémon cards are exciting, and they might rise in value in the future. But this is also a children's toy in a child's meal, and buying them all up and wasting the food is an immoral, selfish move that deserves nothing but scorn. It drives up the price of other Pokémon TCG products, makes it more difficult for newcomers to get into the game (which is the entire point of a promotion like this), and it certainly puts the game outside of the price range of its target demographic, actual children.
Will The Cards Be Worth Anything?
Are they going to be worth the price of a Happy Meal? Absolutely. Compared to the sky-high prices of cards like Charizard VMAX from Vivid Voltage, or the Base Set Shadowless Charizards that can single-handedly buy a house? Probably not.
This isn't the first promo McDonalds and Pokémon have done. Sets have been released most years in the last decade, and none of them tend to be worth big amounts on the second hand market. A lot of the hype surrounding this year's set is down to the renewed interest in the Pokémon TCG combined with the 25th anniversary stamp making the cards seem more 'lucrative' than they actually are, and that value won’t last forever.
Once the excitement dies down, expect the prices scalpers are asking for this McDonalds set to fall. They'll probably be higher than previous years' promotions simply due to the demand and supply, but not by much. So, whatever you do, don't justify a scalper by buying these cards off of them at ridiculously inflated prices.
—
Please shop responsibly. Don't go buying out a McDonalds' entire stock just for yourself, as some people have been caught doing, and certainly don't risk COVID just for the sake of some trading cards.
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7298d9a6af4f28114afeca723dba4231 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joeparlock/2021/03/29/pokmon-trading-card-game-shadowless-base-set-charizard-sells-for-over-300000/?sh=25f9ce147e4d | Pokémon: Trading Card Game Shadowless Base Set Charizard Sells For Over $300,000 | Pokémon: Trading Card Game Shadowless Base Set Charizard Sells For Over $300,000
Charizard is the game's most valuable card. The Pokémon Company/Wizards of the Coast
One of the Pokémon: Trading Card Games' most valuable cards has just sold on Ebay for over $300,000.
The card, a first edition shadowless Base Set Charizard, was sold out of Portland, Oregon to an unknown bidder for a whopping $311,800. As a rare PSA 10-graded card, it is essentially in pristine condition, with many cards even straight from a pack struggling to hit the grade. The owner of the card is unknown, but it was sold via PWCC Auctions, a service that appraises and manages auctions of high-value trading cards.
While the legitimacy of big Ebay bids is often called into question, this auction had special rules that required bidders in the last 24 hours to be approved in advance. It doesn't guarantee the winning bid was real, but it certainly does raise the chances of it.
The reason a shadowless Charizard is worth so much is that it signifies the card was one of the first printed, as later print runs added a drop shadow to the art frame. Any base set shadowless card is valuable, but Charizard (and, to a lesser extent, Blastoise) in particular semi-regularly grab thousands in auctions. Charizard is regularly cited as one of the franchise's most popular Pokémon, and so a combination of nostalgia, popularity, and the feedback loop of a card selling for a large amount prompting others to also sell theirs for a lot are to blame for the massive value.
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Shadowless Base Set Charizard has been in the news multiple times in the past year, with the most noteworthy appearance coming after rapper Logic purchased one for around $220,000. That was, at the time, the highest the card had ever sold for. However, the current record is $369,000, sold by Goldin Auctions.
While it's unlikely you have a PSA 10 Base Set Shadowless Charizard in your collection, there are other valuable cards you might own!
Source: NintendoLife
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e5d70a8cf3a8bb3397c040bf3b8178ec | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joeparlock/2021/04/12/magic-the-gathering-strixhavens-mystical-archive-explained-what-are-the-cards-and-how-do-i-get-them/ | ‘Magic The Gathering’ Strixhaven’s Mystical Archive Explained: What Are The Cards, And How Do I Get Them? | ‘Magic The Gathering’ Strixhaven’s Mystical Archive Explained: What Are The Cards, And How Do I Get Them?
Faithless Looting, from the Mystical Archive. Carly Mazur
One of my favorite things about recent Magic the Gathering sets has been Showcase cards. Cards that represent the themes of the set are given unique frames and art that make them really stick out – Throne of Eldraine had Art Nouveu-style Adventures, Theros: Beyond Death rendered its gods as Constellations, and Ikoria had its biggest creatures appear in a comic book art style. While not particularly rare, showcases have been a fantastic addition to the game that made opening booster packs a better experience.
Strixhaven: School of Mages is changing things up slightly, by replacing the usual Showcase cards with an interesting new compilation of cards called the 'Mystical Archive'.
The global version of Teferi's Protection Wizards of the Coast
What Is the Mystical Archive? How Do I Get It?
The Mystical Archive is Strixhaven: School of Mages' own take on the Showcase cards that have defined the last year or so of Magic. Unlike previous sets, which featured their own cards in an alternate art style, Mystical Archive features 63 instants and sorceries from the entirety of Magic's history, outside of the Strixhaven set itself. The flavor of this is that Strixhaven's school contains knowledge of every spell ever cast, forming the Mystical Archive we pull in our booster packs.
An interesting twist on this is that the Mystical Archive has two forms: one with collage-like art, and a rarer Japanese edition with its own design by Japanese artists.
The Japanese edition of Teferi's Protection Wizards of the Coast
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Every single booster pack will contain at least one Mystical Archive card. In Set and Draft boosters, the Archive card you find will always be the global version, unless you're buying a Japanese pack, in which case you'll receive the Japanese art instead. Collectors Boosters, however, will contain a minimum of three, with at least one of those always being one of those rarer Japanese style, regardless of which language the rest of the pack is in.
All the Mystical Archive cards are available in normal and foil, and, for Collector's Boosters, in the etched foil style we last saw in Commander Legends.
Are The Cards Good?
Another Swords to Plowshares without Terese Nielsen's art on it is always a good thing! Wizards of the Coast
Most of them! The Mystical Archive is a bit of a grab bag of cards, with many of them being staples for a variety of formats. Stuff like Approach of the Second Sun, Teferi's Protection, Swords to Plowshares, Counterspell, Opt, Time Warp, Dark Ritual, Demonic Tutor, Tainted Pact, Chaos Warp, Grapeshot, Lightning Bolt, Cultivate, Growth Spiral and Krosan Grip all appear here, meaning players of almost everything from Standard to Commander will have something to find.
On the whole, the selection for the Mystical Archive is fantastic. There are a few odd choices, though, a Divine Gambit (which was widely mocked on its reveal in Kaldheim) and Snakeskin Veil (which, while not bad, is hardly iconic). The good absolutely outweighs the bad, but who'd want to pull a Divine Gambit?
Crux of Fate is now notorious for featuring stolen art, including an Ugin from another Magic card. Wizards of the Coast
For collectors, the Mystical Archive has had a few controversial cards which would be neat bits of game history to own. Cards such as Crux of Fate, the card which artist Jason Felix plagiarized from multiple sources for before being dropped by Wizards of the Coast.
There's also Faithless Looting (pictured up top), whose art triggered a lot of (personally, unfounded) criticism for its out there mix of photorealism and flat colors. There were also more than a few instances of trans- and queer-phobia in some of the criticism I saw, which was disappointing to say the least.
I love the Faithless Looting art and I need the playmat immediately. But the Internet and its awful tendencies has now given it a level of notoriety collectors should enjoy.
What About Arena?
The Mystical Archive is going to be in Arena as well. In the normal Arena boosters, they will replace one of the Common cards, while in draft they will take the 15th card slot usually reserved for lands.
Dark Ritual is banned in Standard and Historic on MTG Arena Wizards of the Coast
However, the Mystical Archive is not considered to be part of the Strixhaven: School of Mages set, meaning card legality is a bit complicated. All the Mystical Archive cards are legal in your Strixhaven limited games, including draft. Cards that were already in Standard before the launch of the Mystical Archive, like Cultivate, will allow you to play their Mystical Archive versions like normal. If it isn't legal in Standard, your Archive card will instead be legal in Historic.
However, there are seven Mystical Archive cards that are banned from both Standard and Historic, meaning the only ways you'll be able to play them in Arena is through limited formats or via direct challenge against a friend. These seven are:
- Channel
- Counterspell
- Dark Ritual
- Demonic Tutor
- Lightning Bolt
- Natural Order
- Swords to Plowshares
Counterspell is too flexible for Historic and Standard. Wizards of the Coast
Fortunately, Wizards has taken care to reduce the chances of you pulling nigh-unplayable cards. For you to pull a banned Mystical Archive card in a normal Arena booster, you'll first need a full playset of every other Archive card of the same rarity. Meaning you'll get every other rare Mystical Archive card four times before you pull a Dark Ritual or Counterspell.
You might want these cards, though, and so every Mystical Archive card will be craftable using Arena wildcards.
When Is the Mystical Archive Launching?
The Mystical Archive is launching alongside Strixhaven: School of Mages on April 23.
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8033cc6c1b8e87c512395aa0dcfc9a9f | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joeparlock/2021/04/13/facebook-will-announce-new-vr-games-at-the-oculus-gaming-showcase-on-april-21/ | Facebook Will Announce New VR Games At The Oculus Gaming Showcase on April 21 | Facebook Will Announce New VR Games At The Oculus Gaming Showcase on April 21
The Oculus Quest 2 was launched last year. Sonny Costin
Facebook has announced its first Oculus Gaming Showcase, where it will unveil its latest VR games.
The event will be held on April 21 at 3PM PT, and will be streamed live through Twitch, Facebook and YouTube. While we don't know for sure what will be announced, developers Cloudhead Games (Pistol Whip), Ready At Dawn (Lone Echo 2) and ILMxLAB (Star Wars: Tal4es from the Galaxy's Edge) are confirmed to be showcasing updates for their game.
This will undoubtedly be our biggest look at new games since the Oculus Quest 2 launched last October. While we've had a few good titles, like Jurassic World Aftermath and The Climb 2, and a few less-good ones, like Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond, getting a whole event dedicated to upcoming content for the headset will be very much appreciated.
Personally, there are a few things I hope to hear more from at the event. We haven't seen anything about Ubisoft and Oculus' Assassin's Creed or Splinter Cell VR games since they were announced in September, and I can't think of a better way of closing out the event than seeing Sam Fisher pull his goggles on in VR for the first time.
The Oculus Gaming Showcase begins at 3PM PT (10PM UTC) on Tuesday, April 21.
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7ec40c5b498797c6baa4d0c3361664a1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joeparlock/2021/04/15/resident-evil-4-is-getting-a-vr-remake-on-the-oculus-quest-2/ | ‘Resident Evil 4’ Is Getting A VR Remake On The Oculus Quest 2 | ‘Resident Evil 4’ Is Getting A VR Remake On The Oculus Quest 2
Resident Evil 4 Capcom
Capcom has announced it is remaking Resident Evil 4 for VR, exclusively for the Oculus Quest 2.
In partnership with Oculus Studios and Armature Studios, the remake will be shift the camera from over Leon Kennedy's shoulder to a more VR-friendly first person view. As someone who has repeatedly tried to get into RE4 and failed, maybe this is what I need to finally persevere with it?
Notably, this will be the first time the Resident Evil series has been available on VR outside of the PlayStation ecosystem. Resident Evil VII had a very well-received VR port, but that unfortunately never made its way to any other platforms, meaning plenty of people have been left out of arguably the best way to experience the game. With any luck, Resident Evil 4 is only the start, and could help convince Capcom to release Resident Evil VII's VR mode on more platforms.
Even if you're not a big Resi fan, it's impossible to deny the influence Resident Evil 4 in particular has had on the entire survival horror genre. Not only did it mark a new direction for the series, taking a more action-packed tone, it also directly inspired other big games from horror classics like Dead Space and The Last of Us to more unexpected titles, like Batman: Arkham Asylum and Gears of War.
Other details about the Resident Evil 4 VR port are thin on the ground, however we can expect to hear more about it on April 21, during the Oculus Gaming Showcase.
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209a61081b1a71dfa56d7a6e6cabb17d | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joevogel/2018/05/06/was-princes-androgyny-about-identity-or-branding/ | Was Prince's Androgyny About Identity Or Branding? | Was Prince's Androgyny About Identity Or Branding?
NETHERLANDS - MAY 29: Photo of PRINCE; Posed portrat of Prince, sunglasses (Photo by Virginia... [+] Turbett/Redferns)
Excerpted from This Thing Called Life: Prince, Race, Sex, Religion, and Music (Bloomsbury Academic, 2018)
In a 1997 interview on VH1, comedian Chris Rock posed a question to Prince no one had really asked before. At least not as bluntly. “The androgynous thing,” he said. “Was that an act, or were you searching for your sexual identity?” “That’s a good question,” Prince responds, a coy smile creeping over his face. He pauses for a moment to gather his thoughts, his eyes hidden behind dark-shaded sunglasses. “I don’t suppose I was searching, really,” he says. “I think I was just -- being who I was. Being the true Gemini that I am. And there’s, um, there’s many sides in that as well.” He pauses again briefly, smiling, before acknowledging. “And there was a little acting going on, too.”
While brief, it was perhaps the best -- and most honest -- explanation he’d given on the topic. His androgynous persona was real (he was “being who [he] was”); but it was also a performance, a calculated branding decision.
This paradox, of course, was not always understood by the American public. In the early stages of his career, people frequently conflated his artistic persona, gender identity, and sexual identity. The operating assumption in the late 1970s and early 1980s was that Prince was gay. In a 1983 interview with Musician magazine, Prince was asked about it:
Musician: Do you think people think that you’re gay? Prince: Well, there’s something about me, I know, that makes people think that. It must stem from the fact that I spent a lot of time around women. Maybe they see things I don’t. Musician: People always speak about a feminine sensibility as if it ’s something negative in a man. But it’s usually very attractive for most women. Like a sensitiveness. Prince: I don’t know. It’s attractive for me. I mean, I would like to be a more loving person, and be able to deal with other people ’s problems a little bit better. Men are really closed and cold together, I think. They don’t like to cry, in other words. And I think that’s wrong, because that ’s not true.
Prince, that is, was not comfortable with the expectations of American masculinity. It didn’t allow for vulnerability, intimacy, or open expression. People thought he was gay, not because of any evidence about his sex life, but because he liked hanging out with women; because he sometimes wore makeup, heels, and flamboyant clothes; because he didn’t signify as a “real man.” Among the more common terms to describe him were the epithets, “freak,” “pervert,” and “faggot.” For his fans, of course, his difference and willingness to transgress boundaries was a large part of his appeal. Mainstream America, however, was not quite as understanding.
NEW YORK - DECEMBER 2: Musician Prince performs onstage at the Palladium on December 2, 1981 in New... [+] York, New York. (Photo by Waring Abbott/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
When Prince and his band, the Revolution, opened for the Rolling Stones in 1981 at the Coliseum in Los Angeles, the artist’s difference was suddenly the target of a burst of intolerant rage. Prince hit the stage in his signature black bikini briefs and trenchcoat expecting a similar enthusiastic reaction to what he was getting in the smaller venues on their tour. It was quickly apparent, however, that the predominantly white, rock-oriented crowd wasn’t feeling it. The music wasn’t the main problem -- although the artist’s new wave-inflected funk may not have made sense to the older crowd. It was Prince’s androgynous appearance.
The crowd began booing and shouting racist and homophobic epithets. Prince tried to adapt, injecting more rock into the performance. But before long, trash, food, and bottles were being hurled onto the stage. The artist remembers looking out at the audience and zeroing in on one man near the front with “hatred all over his face.”
After submitting to the abuse for several songs, Prince had had enough. Mick Jagger and others tried to persuade the artist to give it another try and he reluctantly came back for one more show, but again was met with intense hostility. This time he flew back to Minneapolis and refused to open for the Stones again.
Prince was wounded by the experience. But he also refused to be intimidated or reformed. “People that aren’t hip to it, I hope they do get hip to it,” he said. “Because I’m going to be around for awhile until something freaky happens—like a thunderbolt or something.”
Prince proved prophetic. A brilliant performer and marketer, he recognized that the crowd at the Coliseum represented the past; he -- and his multi-racial, multi-gender band, the Revolution -- represented the future.
Prince and The Revolution perform on stage at Ahoy, Rotterdam, Netherlands, 17th August 1986. (Photo... [+] by Rob Verhorst/Redferns)
Rather than retreat from controversy about his gender and sexuality, he embraced it. His 1981 album, appropriately titled Controversy, fully leaned into the rumors and speculation about his identity. The title track poses provocative questions (“Am I black or white/Am I straight or gay?) but answers none of them. Such blurry lines might incite animosity, as he learned at the Coliseum; but they could also be wielded to his advantage. On “I Would Die 4 U” the artist declares his androgyny as a badge of honor, singing: "I'm not a woman. I'm not a man. I am something that you will never understand." In this way, his gender fluidity accentuates his mystique. It eludes our ability to control or comprehend, allowing him an almost trans-human identity.
Prince continued to play with gender expectations throughout the decade. Amidst the rise of misogynistic-prone heavy metal and hip hop in the late 1980s, Prince released the decidedly alternative album, Lovesexy. The cover shows the artist in the nude, a lithe, petite, androgynous figure against white and lavender flowers -- a contemporary take on Sandro Boticelli’s The Birth of Venus. His pose is feminine, his leg lifted to highlight its form (and conceal other areas); one arm stretched back, the other just beneath his nipple; a mane of black hair. There are masculine features too: the hair on his chest and stomach, the barely-there, pencil mustache; and the not-so subtle erect stamen -- the male fertilizing organ of a flower -- just above his crotch. He stares contemplatively off into the distance, a Percy Shelley-meets-Blakean ethereal figure, too delicate and alien for this world. The imagery could not have been more different than the hyper-masculine posturing of popular acts like N.W.A, Bobby Brown, or LL Cool J.
Perhaps his most controversial move of all was his infamous name transformation in 1993 to the iconic glyph known as the Love Symbol. Once again, the decision had to do with the artist’s identity as well as branding.
On the one hand, the Love Symbol was symbolic. It was a fusion of both gender signs. Male and female are intertwined, fused by alchemy. This is how Prince chose to identify -- not as a man in the traditional sense, but as an androgynous glyph that signified beyond the strictures of gender labels or even language.
Yet it was also a more practical attempt to liberate himself from the contractual bondage of his record company, Warner Bros. They might own the brand, “Prince,” but they couldn’t own him. They could have the name, he determined. He would move on under the new symbol.
The decision was widely criticized at the time. Yet once again, Prince’s branding genius proved salient and forward-looking. The Love Symbol is now internationally recognized and affiliated with Prince. Perhaps no other artist in the history of music created such an iconic logo.
MIAMI GARDENS, FL - FEBRUARY 4: Prince performs during the 'Pepsi Halftime Show' during Super Bowl... [+] XLI between the Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears on February 4, 2007 at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
There were, of course, many other artists before Prince who played with the boundaries of gender, including Little Richard and David Bowie. The 1980s is a decade now heralded for its unprecedented mainstreaming of gender-bending in popular culture, from Michael Jackson to Annie Lennox to Boy George. But no artist subverted the gender binary in as many ways as Prince.
Following his death, hundreds of thousands of fans wrote tributes praising Prince for such trailblazing -- for showing people, regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation, that it was okay to be different. It was okay to resist labels. It was okay to march to the beat of your own drum machine.
Along with his brilliant catalog of music, the artist's reinvention of gender is among his greatest legacies.
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1f8e689deb88f747f13108c13ef3fa2a | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joevogel/2018/10/15/what-music-will-be-featured-in-season-3-of-stranger-things/ | What Music Will Be Featured In Season 3 of 'Stranger Things'? | What Music Will Be Featured In Season 3 of 'Stranger Things'?
Caleb McLaughlin, from left, Noah Schnapp, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo and Finn Wolfhard... [+] arrive at the premiere of "Stranger Things" season two at the Regency Bruin Theatre on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Music played a huge role in the first two seasons of the Netflix sensation, Stranger Things—from the analog synth soundtrack by Michael Stein and Kyle Dixon to the wide assortment of songs from the 1980s.
In my book, Stranger Things and the '80s: The Complete Retro Guide, I dedicate an entire chapter to exploring the show's deft use of songs from the era. Prominent tracks like The Clash's "Should I Stay Or Should I Go" go far beyond background soundtrack — they are woven into the fabric of the story and the identities of the characters.
So what can we expect from Season 3?
According to producer Shawn Levy, the next installment is set to take place in the summer of 1985. While that doesn't confine the show to songs from that year, the Duffer Brothers will certainly have plenty of great mid-decade material from which to choose.
1985 was an epic year for popular music. Michael Jackson remained the biggest star on the planet. Prince was still riding the wave of Purple Rain. And Bruce Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A. was part of just about everybody's cassette tape collection. Meanwhile, Madonna was embarking on her first world tour — The Virgin Tour — as songs like "Crazy For You" and "Into the Groove" soared up the charts.
Madonna on stage for her 1985 Virgin Tour. (Photo by Mark Downey Lucid Images/Corbis via Getty... [+] Images)
No tracks by these '80s icons have been featured in the show to this point (although Jackson's "Thriller" was used for an amazing teaser for Season 2), so it seems probable at least one will be represented in Season 3.
But Stranger Things is also known for culling outside the mainstream box for song choices. Alternative and new wave bands — some well-known, others less so — populated the first two seasons, from David Bowie to Joy Division to Psychedelic Furs.
Perhaps, in that vein, the show will opt for something from the Talking Heads or Kate Bush or The Cure. Maybe even a college band (at the time) like R.E.M.
We might also hear some more hair metal and glam rock, which exploded in the mid-80s with acts like Def Leppard, Mötley Crue, and Billy Idol.
Or we might get more classic synth pop, drawing from two of the most ubiquitous albums of 1985: Phil Collins' No Jacket Required and Tears For Fears' Songs From the Big Chair. One song from the latter album — "Shout" — dominated the airwaves in the summer of '85, holding the #1 spot for three weeks. Also hugely popular that summer was "The Power of Love" by Huey Lewis and the News — featured, of course, in Back to the Future, which hit theaters in July of '85. Given that the Duffer Brothers have already acknowledged that Back to the Future will be referenced in Season 3, that song seems like a strong possibility.
But there will no doubt be many surprises. Perhaps something from The Cars or The Eurythmics. Maybe Whitney Houston's "How Will I Know" or A-Ha's "Take On Me" (both of which were released in 1985). With the recent news that Season 3 has been pushed back to the summer of 2019, there is at least plenty of time to make some killer mid-80s playlists.
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c347f2d916ad0af53d60cdbad79b1cd5 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalleneurope/2018/08/24/meet-the-british-fintech-firm-aiming-to-solve-europes-late-payments-crisis/ | Meet The British Fintech Firm Aiming To Solve Europe's Late Payment Crisis | Meet The British Fintech Firm Aiming To Solve Europe's Late Payment Crisis
The CEO of Previse, Paul Christensen, believes that his company can eradicate the problem of late... [+] invoicing Previse
When the British government contractor Carillion folded in January of this year, politicians were quick to bemoan a ‘story of recklessness, hubris and greed’. A joint inquiry by the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee and the Work and Pensions Committee in the United Kingdom laid the blame at the construction firm’s board as well as auditors and advisers - including KPMG and Deloitte.
The report also expressed alarm about what would happen next for Carillion’s 45,000-strong workforce, 19,500 of whom were based in the United Kingdom. Less credence, however, was given to the impact that Carillion folding might have on the subcontracts it had held with an estimated 30,000 other smaller companies, many of whom were already working on marginal budgets.
Andy Bradley is the Managing Director of a Cambridge-based landscaping company, Flora-tec. Speaking to the Guardian, he said that his company was owed roughly $1.28 million for gritting and snow-clearing work that it had done in a number of schools, hospitals and prisons in the several months leading up to Carillion folding. He commented that he had been forced to make 10% of his workforce redundant after being told by PwC – the company handling Carillion’s liquidation – that he would only be paid for work that Flora-tec had done since the contractor folded, estimating it would lose out on 10% of its annual turnover. “We’ve got a profitable business but we can’t trade out of a black hole of £1 million,” Bradley said.
While the example of Carillion is an extreme one, late invoicing is a serious problem which is crippling the growth rate of businesses, particularly small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs), across the United Kingdom. According to MarketInvoice, 62% of invoices were paid late to SMEs in the United Kingdom in 2017, worth $27 billion and with an average delay of 18 days. This figure earnt the United Kingdom the dubious honor of having the world’s highest proportion of invoices that are paid late.
The culture of late payments in the UK appears to be one that has existed for decades but has rapidly worsened in recent years. The study by MarketInvoice discovered, for example, that in the South-West of England the percentage of invoices paid late had increased from 42.5% to 60% in just the two years from 2015 to 2017.
SAGE also concluded that 50% of the UK’s SMEs currently experienced or expected to experience a ‘negative impact on company investment, their ability to pay their suppliers [in turn] and their ability to pay staff an annual bonus’ due to late invoicing. The firm also found that SMEs spend, on average, 15 days of their working year chasing up late payments.
Perhaps it should come as no surprise, and as a result of this, half of the start-up businesses in the United Kingdom fold within the first five years of operation.
View From The Continent
The problem, however, cannot be limited to businesses in the United Kingdom and is being experienced by SMEs across Europe. According to a study by credit management group Intrum Justitia, businesses in Europe write off roughly $416 million annually in unpaid bills due to late or non-payment.
Firms in continental Europe also receive late payment for a shocking 73% of business transactions. The only reason the situation is considered worse in the United Kingdom is that on average late payments are paid after nine days in mainland Europe, compared to after 18 days in the UK. Yet, protecting the prosperity of SMEs is vital to the well-being of Europe’s economy given that these firms provide two-thirds of private sector jobs in the continent.
“For Europe’s valued SMEs, any disruption to cash-flow can mean the difference between solvency and bankruptcy,” writes the European Commission. “The economic crisis presented numerous difficulties, but for SMEs, the challenges presented by late payment have grown disproportionately as credit lines and bank loans become less available.”
The organization was so concerned that it launched the Late Payment Directive back in 2011, offering automatic entitlement to interest on late payment and roughly $46 in automatic compensation. However, authorities and businesses have up to 60 days to pay their late invoices which for some SMEs can simply be too long to wait. “Each year across Europe thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises go bankrupt waiting for their invoices to be paid,” the European Commission continues. “Jobs are lost and entrepreneurship is stifled.”
An AI Solution?
“The whole concept of slow payments is a huge global issue,” explains Paul Christensen, the Co-founder and CEO of Previse. “Slow payments are a global challenge with massive human and social costs. Using smart technology, we are proud of being the first company able to provide an effective solution. Therefore, it is a huge global opportunity that no-one has cracked yet. Given the problem is so big, why has no-one cracked it yet? Everyone has tried to solve the problem using process, and changing process at large organizations is really hard. Previse is unique because instead of using process, we use data."
Launching as recently as 2016, Previse aims to provide a solution to the pressing issue of late payments that suits the supplier - but also the buyer. The firm uses Artificial Intelligence to enable buyers, whether they are businesses or authorities, to ensure that they pay all their suppliers, often SMEs, instantly.
Simply put, Previse uses millions of data points and algorithms to provide a prediction or score of how likely a buyer is to eventually pay an invoice. If a buyer has shown to be reliable in the past, a third-party funder, often a major bank, will agree to pay the invoice immediately on the buyer’s behalf once it has been billed.
In order that the supplier receives its invoice instantly from the funder, rather than waiting for the buyer, it must pay
1% of the total invoice fee over any month. This fee is then split between Previse, the funder and the buyer so that everyone gains something from the platform. The buyer then transfers the cost of the original invoice to the funder at a later date.
“This is about helping both sides of the trade, it is bad for the little guy because he or she currently has to wait and chase for months and experiences cash flow issues,” Christensen said. “However, it is also bad for the big guy too because the small supplier's pain ends up included into higher purchase prices for the buyer. The current system of large companies with low costs of capital borrowing from their small suppliers with high costs of capital, is tremendously inefficient."
European Expansion
Previse’s data-based solution promises to revolutionize late-payments across Europe and provide security for SMEs and start-ups that are currently absent. Headed by Christensen, formerly a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs, and co-founder David Brown, the Founder of fintech start-ups Remitia and Oxygen Finance, the duo has a wealth of experience in dealing with the very firms that they believe Previse can transform. Their three other co-founders are also highly experienced in data science, technology and working capital.
Despite the firm only being founded in 2016, Previse secured $7 million worth of funding this week from investors including Augmentum Fintech and American venture capital firm Bessemer Venture Partners. Christensen has said that Previse is currently in conversation with 100 companies keen to adopt his software, while eight have already signed up - based in the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States. These include major retail and grocery firms in the UK as well as firms from the financial industry.
Christensen also revealed that a partnership with one of the big four UK banks will be announced over the next month. He hopes that Previse will become a household name for both suppliers and buyers by the end of 2018 and is conducting a geographical expansion into mainland Europe, with France, Germany and Italy all initial target markets. Further growth is then planned for North America and Asia throughout 2019.
“What we are doing is fundamentally different to anything that has been done before,” enthuses Christensen. "We are on a mission to transform global B2B commerce to cash-on-invoice so that all suppliers can get paid instantly rather than having to wait months. "
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47ae7e753b198b47e80575a8837805c6 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalleneurope/2018/09/27/belgian-firm-aims-to-protect-fintechs-against-hackers-with-cyber-security-launch/ | New Belgian Cyber-Security Platform To Protect Start-Ups From Hackers | New Belgian Cyber-Security Platform To Protect Start-Ups From Hackers
Trusted Fintech gives start-ups the opportunity to show investors that they are cyber-secure B-Hive
A collaborative fintech platform in Belgium has launched an innovative new program aiming to improve cyber-security for start-ups. Trusted Fintech, which was launched by B-Hive Europe during the Digital Finance Europe conference in Brussels, will deliver a five-module program focused around people, process and technology. When a start-up successfully completes the program it then obtains the ‘Trusted Fintech’ label – a safety guarantee which B-Hive hopes will encourage further investment.
“I think there is a gap for B-Hive to fill between the consumers in fintech, its users, the big banks who do business with these fintechs and suppliers of technologies that are used by these fintechs,” explains Patrick Coomans, the Program Manager and Business Development Executive at B-Hive. “If you are hacked or breached and it is in the news, that trust is gone and out the door and probably it is going to be very difficult to get it back. So, we want to address it from a number of sides to really bring trust to the industry by giving banks the opportunity to consult us and say give us a number of fintechs that have attained this trust label because that will facilitate them in being quicker in the process of procurement and providing funding.”
Booming Belgium
The fintech sector in Belgium is currently thriving with the country ranked in fifth place across Europe in terms of the number of deals completed. For a country of just 11.35 million people, it has a tech industry that continues to outperform its size. Belgium had 22 companies in Deloitte’s EMEA Fast List in 2016, while it remains home to fintech giants including Clear2Pay - which has a revenue of over $600 million. The Belgian crowdfunding market has also doubled in size in just one year, according to data released by Fintech Belgium.
However, despite this rosy outlook, 2017 also saw the same number of fintech firms in Belgium close down as those that launched. Fintechs in Belgium attributed this to a lack of funding, as much investment over previous years has typically been limited to restrictive seed funding, usually from the domestic market. In 2016, for example, over 60% of the country's 56 funding rounds were for less than $5.8 million.
For both venture capitals and banks alike, particularly those from outside Belgium, investing in an unfamiliar market meant that they operated with caution. Furthermore, Belgium also finished top of a Rapid7 Labs study which aimed to find the most exposed country in the world to hacking.
This report was widely publicized at the time but has acted as a significant catalyst, with Belgium taking action to reverse the trend and instead the country has now established itself as one of the continent's safest jurisdictions in which to invest. The Belgian government has successfully worked closely with fintech start-ups to ensure that appropriate legislation has been introduced to protect firms – The Belgian Start-up Manifesto is one such example, while the Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium has since run a range of safety campaigns.
Label Of Love
B-Hive’s Trusted Fintech label is the latest vital measure to protect fintechs from hackers. The program is interactive and hands-on, with members of B-Hive's 100-plus strong fintech community providing workshops, insight and new technologies to start-ups. Those that successfully obtain the label will have worked upon five core modules - cyber-security fundamentals, secure technology, regulation and certification, incident and data breach management and 360º third-party vendor risk.
For example, cyber-security firm NVISO will provide a half-day role-play exercise for companies where they will go through what happens if a data breach occurs. It will be simulated and is designed to help fintechs understand how to deal with the media during an event that could be potentially damaging to their reputation.
“As a start-up focusing on the internal security of banks, having a secure software solution ourselves is of paramount importance for our customers,” explains Willem De Groef, the Co-Founder of Elimity, an identity analytics company that has signed up to participate. “The program forces us to get both our code and processes at a high cybersecurity standard. By giving our developers state-of-the-art training from the very best in the community, they will become more cyber-resilient. This way, we can show our customers that we are a reliable partner to work with.”
His views were mirrored by the buy-side.
Frank Maene, an investor at Volta Ventures – a venture capital fund for internet and software companies in the Benelux – explained how the label would add weight when they were choosing a fintech to invest in. “Such a trust label can make it easier for start-ups to convince us that they are serious and corporate-ready, we’re definitely in favor of such a trust label,” he said.
B-Hive has been working alongside the Belgian government on the Trusted Fintech label and will initially provide the platform domestically. However, the organization says that they are looking to work alongside similar groups abroad to deliver the platform globally with initial meetings with prospective partners set to be held in the Spring.
“You have to be able to trust the fintech and know that it is doing its job well,” concludes Coomans. “The program leverages know-how and technical capabilities of one part of our eco-system to benefit the other part for the greater good of increased levels of trust in financial services. Bottom line – making it easier for our community to do business.”
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e163501f38c7865608c8d9544d7ff087 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalleneurope/2019/08/02/aximetria-launches-first-neural-voice-authorization-for-mobile-banking/ | Aximetria Launches First Neural Voice Authorization For Mobile Banking | Aximetria Launches First Neural Voice Authorization For Mobile Banking
The number of mobile malware attacks increased by 54% from 2016 to 2017, according to Symantec Getty
The mobile banking revolution truly has swept across the globe.
While Norway has the highest proportion of mobile banking users on the continent – at 42% - users can be found from Paris to Podgorica and Berlin to Belgrade. In China, it is estimated that 47% of phone users have mobile wallets while their popularity in India has also skyrocketed.
According to the Reserve Bank of India , mobile banking services experienced a growth of 92% in volume between 2017 and 2018, while the number of registered customers rose from 163 million to 251 million during the same period. The number of users of the three largest mobile banking platforms; We Chat Pay, AllPay and PayPal, exceeded 1.2 billion in 2017.
The uses of mobile banking are varied and reflect the advantages that the concept brings. Namely, that it allows users to transfer funds from their bank account to another at any time that they have internet connection, regardless of where they are. It is also more cost effective than making a bank-to-bank transfer and usually offers participants a range of other on-the-go services, such as checking their account balance or studying their recent transactions.
Understandably a favorite among businesses, mobile banking has also benefited those on the fringes of society. The Mobile Money for Resilience programme which has been set up in Jordan by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation allows Syrian refugees who do not have access to a physical bank the chance to be financially independent. In Stockholm, Sweden, residents can buy the Situation Sthlm, a magazine sold by its homeless population, via iZettle’s mobile banking platform. The money goes direct to the seller, who also does not need to have set up a bank account to receive the funds.
So, what are the problems?
If a user loses their mobile phone, they can leave themselves at risk of fraud after research from Swiss mobile banking firm Aximetria found that between 30-40% of users do not lock their phones.
If a thief comes across an unlocked mobile, they can usually buy a certain amount of credit without needing to authenticate and then make purchases themselves. In the United States and Canada, this purchase limit can reach up to $100 while in Europe it is typically $55 (€50).
Mobile banking has even been used to assist Syrian refugees Getty Many firms have avoided introducing verification for every transaction over fears that it can make mobile banking too cumbersome and risk losing clients to competitors. This paradox is known as ‘safe convenience.’ “We are witnessing a trend where security is an integral part of the innovation process,” explains Igor Pyatnitsky, the Vice President at Nullgravity, a Ukrainian full-cycle product development company. “Banking product development is not about balancing security and convenience, but making convenience safe and vice versa.” Secondly, while it is rare, cyber-thieves can ‘spoof’ your mobile banking wallet if you add debit or credit cards while using an unsecured public or open Wi-Fi network. Rob Clyde, of the cybersecurity advisory firm Clyde Consulting, found that hackers were able to re-create a fake mobile wallet registration system for which a customer could enter in their card details.
Cybersecurity experts have advised customers to carefully study the logo and spelling of any mobile wallet company before making a transfer to look for fakes.Thirdly, once solely the preserve of the home PC or portable laptop, mobile phones are now becoming increasingly vulnerable to malware themselves.Cyber security firm Symantec produces an annual report into mobile malware. Its 2018 findings discovered that the number of mobile malware attacks had increased by 54% from 2016 to 2017. Mobile hacking is on the rise and consumers are particularly vulnerable if they add sensitive data... [+] while on a public network © 2019 Bloomberg Finance LP “While the attacks continue to evolve and mature, the same can’t always be said of the device user,” it read,“many users continue to make life easy for attackers by continuing to use older operating systems. In particular, on Android, only 20 percent of devices are running the newest major version.” The Kaspersky Lab echoed Symantec ’s findings, concluding that mobile banking trojans – which mimic the existing platforms run by banks and are available for download – are some of the ‘most rapidly developing, flexible and dangerous types of malware.’ Once a customer has downloaded what they wrongly believe to be their banks interface and entered in their financial details, a fraudster can use their information to steal their money. Asacub, which is arguably the world’s most successful mobile banking trojan, has infected over 225,000 mobile phones to date. What software currently exists? The rise in threats to mobile banking platforms has resulted in the emergence of bio-metric identification methods. These use a variety of unique physical characteristics belonging to a user in order to verify identity. Fingerprint scans are probably the most common and well-known example of bio-metric identification. The vast majority of iPhone users incorporate fingerprint scanning when they log into their phones, with the software programmed to only let the print of the user who set up the phone access.
However, the uptake of fingerprint bio-metric technology is still taking time to be implemented across the sector.
Fingerprint scanning is on the rise, although it can be expensive to implement © 2017 Bloomberg Finance LP
"The introduction of new trends such as fingerprinting is slow due to the limited availability of fingerprint sensors on most devices," said Viktor Kochetov, the CEO of Kyrrex, a cryptocurrency trading platform. "Moreover, fingerprints refer to private client information, for which, in some jurisdictions, special permits or hardware can be required for storing. Some platforms also cannot afford it straight away."
Other examples of the technology include iris scanning, which uses more than 200 unique points of data from the eye for security and vein pattern authentication, which correlates the distinctive outlines of a users’ veins to identify them.
Northern Irish firm B-Secur has even secured seed stage investment to develop bio-metric authentication technology that measures an individual’s unique heartbeat pattern before allowing access. While the company wants to implement their software in cars, allowing for warnings if a driver is showing signs of tiredness or being under the influence of drink or drugs, the same software could also allow for secure log-in to mobile banking software.
What Aximetria is introducing?
Set up by Russian entrepreneur Alexey Ermakov, Aximetria is a Swiss-based mobile finance services firm aiming to decentralize personal asset management. The firm has taken a reactive approach to provide solutions to problems that have emerged in both the fintech and crypto space.
"The technology we offer is mainly focused on services related to the financial industry and every financial company is very careful about the choice of security technologies, especially when the technology declares some kind of innovation or a new approach that has not yet been tested on the market," explains Ermakov.
For example, in response to the fluctuating value of cryptocurrency in 2018 the company made it possible for consumers to carry out mobile transactions in the Gemini stablecoin through their mobile platform. It also has plans to launch its stablecoin mobile platform service across Latin America and Africa in nations where currencies are volatile.
Alexey Ermakov, the Founder of Aximetria Aximetria
In order to provide greater security for mobile wallet users, Aximetria has designed a voice authorization software that can be integrated into any solution, as it is SDK by design.
The key advantages of using someone’s voice for bio-metrics is that people cannot forget their voice and they have it readily available for verification at all times. Software is also advanced enough to detect if someone is being impersonated or if they are under duress.
While there is already voice authorization software on the market, Aximetria’s is the first that doesn’t require the storage of pre-recorded voice recordings on a server. This means that if there is a breach of security at a bank where voice recordings are stored, theft cannot occur.
Aximetria runs a two-level neural network to ensure that its voice authorization software can’t be hacked.
Rather than storing individual voice clips that are matched to the user and could potentially be infiltrated, the neural system has the advantage of mimicking the human brain. It listens to several voice samples and it can then identify the correct user from their voice from its 'memory' going forward.
It then generates a private log-in key to the device in question, one-upping any potential cyber-criminal and maximizing the benefits of a mobile wallet, without any of the risks.
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a5b5d9334cea4cd437bd79f12ec02ede | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johanmoreno/2019/09/29/google-is-randomly-giving-away-even-more-free-google-home-mini-speakers/ | Google Is Randomly Giving Away Even More Free Google Home Mini Speakers | Google Is Randomly Giving Away Even More Free Google Home Mini Speakers
Isabelle Olsson, senior industrial designer for Google Inc., speaks about the Google Home Mini voice ... [+] speaker during a product launch event in San Francisco, California, U.S., on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017. Google unveiled the second generation of its own devices along with an array of entirely new gadgets, plowing the company deeper into a competitive consumer hardware market. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg © 2017 Bloomberg Finance LP
If you’re in the market for a Google Home Mini smart speaker, your lucky day may be on its way (if you haven’t received one already).
One YouTube Premium user reported over the weekend, on Reddit, that Google offered him a free Google Home Mini. The user, based in Germany, received the offer when he opened the YouTube app.
One Reddit user reported he received a free Google Home Mini speaker. Reddit
Earlier this week, Android Police reported that the company was once again giving away Google Home Mini speakers to subscribers of its Google One storage service. Users with paid plans of over 2TB said they received an email offering them a free home speaker. Google also offered this perk to Google One subscribers earlier this year.
Google has been pushing the compact home speakers, likely in a move to expand market share in the voice assistant space. The company partnered with Spotify to give away free Google Home Minis to premium family plan members and the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation in a donation to 100,000 patients living with paralysis, along other giveaway promotions. Morgan Stanley analyst Brian Nowak has suggested the company go a step further - offering a free Google Home Mini to every U.S. household. Google has not taken that advice - yet.
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Google Inc. Home Mini 2 and Home Max 2 smart speakers sit on display during the Made By Google 2018 ... [+] launch event in New York, U.S., on Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018. Google showed off a pair of new Pixel phones, a tablet computer and a speaker with a screen in a deluge of new products aimed at competing with the latest gadgets from big technology rivals. Photographer: Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg © 2018 Bloomberg Finance LP
While Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant remains the clear market leader in the smart speaker market - Google Home has made inroads over the past few years, now possessing about 25 percent of the U.S. market.
The speaker retails for about $49 - although interested buyers (who do not receive one for free) may find one at a reduced price through a third-party retailer.
I asked Google for comment, but did not hear back. I will update the article if I receive a statement.
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7c7402a871d9b29cb2d7b155c0ae4eed | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johanmoreno/2020/05/19/downloads-of-googles-zoom-killer-grew-900-since-march/ | Downloads of Google’s “Zoom Killer” Grew 900% Since March | Downloads of Google’s “Zoom Killer” Grew 900% Since March
Google Meet includes live captions powered by Google’s speech recognition technology. Google
Recently published data suggests Google Meet is seeing a surge in downloads after Google started offering free access to the video conferencing service.
Analytics from AppBrain found that Google Play Store app downloads of Meet have grown 900 percent since March, when COVID-19 was declared a pandemic.
Install count benchmarks calculated by DataBrain found Google Meet surpassed the 5 million download benchmark from Google Play Store on March 4. It only took about 20 days (from March 4 to March 24) for the app to double in downloads (from 5 million to 10 million).
On May 17, Meet surpassed the 50 million download benchmark, representing a 900% growth in downloads since March. Meet began offering its video conferencing service for free to all Gmail account holders, with no time limitations, positioning itself against competitor Zoom.
Data from SensorTower also suggests the app has seen an increase in downloads on Apple’s App Store. The app was downloaded about 12 million times in the month of April. Google Meet’s iOS app shot up from #1421 in all free apps available in the App Store on March 7 to #16 on May 17.
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b6e5d346d460794ed97d7e5dd2eea17a | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johanmoreno/2020/08/31/google-trends-show-comfort-food-has-dominated-covid-19-diets/ | Google Trends Show Comfort Food Has Dominated COVID-19 Diets | Google Trends Show Comfort Food Has Dominated COVID-19 Diets
KIEV, UKRAINE - 2020/08/01: In this photo illustration, ice cream (banana, chocolate, creme brulee, ... [+] berry sorbet) at Tell Me About China Restaurant. (Photo Illustration by Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
After learning the news that swimsuit season was going to be postponed (or canceled) for many this year, people decided to drop the salads and make cookie dough, according to a year-over-year comparison of key food search terms through Google Trends.
Google Trends data shows interest in “cookies,” “ice cream” and “burgers” over a period from March 11, 2020 to August 20, 2020 were higher than they were in the same period in 2019. This is while interest for “salads” and “veggies” in 2020 fell lower than the same period in 2019.
To no one’s surprise, search interest in “gyms” fell substantially, receiving only about 10% of 2019’s search interest. Most gyms and fitness facilities have been shut down or temporarily suspended during the pandemic.
Google’s data analysis falls in line with food sales trends during the pandemic. Sales of some comfort foods, including pizza, hot dogs and other processed snacks, have skyrocketed during the pandemic.
Ice cream chain, Bruster’s Real Ice Cream, reported 20% growth in same-store sales in each of the three past months, while Wingstop saw a 32% same-store sales growth in Q2.
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I will be monitoring for diets on Google Trends when news of an approved vaccine comes closer.
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dd8d850c6c23566f8cffc2434c779b24 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johanmoreno/2021/03/31/threatened-by-amazon-albertsons-partners-with-google-to-digitalize-the-grocery-shopping-experience/ | Threatened By Amazon, Albertsons Partners With Google To Digitalize The Grocery Shopping Experience | Threatened By Amazon, Albertsons Partners With Google To Digitalize The Grocery Shopping Experience
Customer makes his way to an Albertsons market in the the Los Feliz area. (Photo by Ken Lubas/Los ... [+] Angeles Times via Getty Images) Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Just as Amazon expands its brick-and-mortar grocery store footprint, Google and grocer Albertsons Companies announced a multi-year partnership that would digitalize the grocery shopping experience for millions of American shoppers.
“Albertsons Cos. is continuing to transform into a modern retailer fit for the future, and we are leading the industry forward by providing the easiest and most exciting shopping experience for our customers,” Chris Rupp, EVP and Chief Customer & Digital Officer of Albertsons Companies said in a statement. “In bringing together Google’s technology expertise with our commitment to customer-centric innovation, we’re providing our customers with a superior shopping experience no matter how they choose to shop with us.”
The deal is significant for Google, as it looks to reach profitability in its growing cloud business, with growth largely driven by high-profile customers. Albertsons Companies is the #2 grocer in the U.S. by store count with 2,253 stores, behind Kroger’s 2,750. Albertsons operates more than 20 different grocery brands, including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons and Jewel-Osco.
According to a release published by the companies, Albertsons and Vons began working together at the height of the pandemic, through a virtually-held joint innovation day. The companies looked for ways to improve services for grocery shoppers. At least one of those initiatives has already rolled out: a new tool that offers helpful information about online ordering from Albertsons’ stores within mobile search.
Google hopes to integrate its Cloud AI technologies, including Vision AI, Recommendations AI and Business Messages, into the grocery chain’s operations, in a big to create “ the world’s most predictive grocery engine.” Albertsons and Google are also working on integrating Google Search and Maps to make it easier for grocery shoppers to find products within the store and integrate Google Pay into payment terminals.
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A cashier works behind a Plexiglas safety divider in the check-out area of an Albertsons Cos. Vons ... [+] grocery store in San Diego, California, U.S. on Monday, June 22, 2020. Existing shareholders of Albertsons Cos., including Cerberus Capital Management, are seeking as much as $1.3 billion in its U.S. initial public offering, as grocery remains of the the few businesses to get a boost from the pandemic. Photographer: Bing Guan/Bloomberg © 2020 Bloomberg Finance LP
Albertsons and Google have heavy competition from Amazon. The e-commerce giant recently started opening its own brick-and-mortar grocery stores under the “Amazon Fresh” banner. At least 28 additional Amazon Fresh stores are in the works, along with the 350 Whole Foods Market locations Amazon continues to operate. While Amazon’s store count is still dwarfed by Albertsons, Amazon’s massive cash reserves and an onslaught of vacant retail space make it a direct threat to the grocery giant.
Amazon has revolutionized the grocery shopping experience for its customers, offering expanded grocery delivery and curbside pickup services. Amazon Fresh stores even offer an Alexa-powered cart, which allows shoppers to skip the checkout line and view their saved grocery list from their Amazon account. Amazon Fresh stores also feature modified Echo Show tablets throughout the store that make it easier for shoppers to find the items they are looking for.
The companies plan to soon roll out the new shoppable maps and predictive grocery list building, but did not offer a timeline when they would be offered at the chain’s 2,253 stores. Albertsons has already rolled out Google’s AI-powered Business Messages in a limited capacity, offering shoppers information about COVID-19 vaccines.
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779c93df7f348bd2d93214a0e4b9473e | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johannaread/2020/07/17/mark-mandela-day-by-planning-a-trip-to-commemorate-human-rights/?sh=71bdbaf848c2 | Mark Mandela Day By Planning A Trip To Commemorate Human Rights | Mark Mandela Day By Planning A Trip To Commemorate Human Rights
COVID-19, the rise of authoritarianism, and misunderstandings of rights, freedoms and privileges make it more important than ever to learn about and protect human rights.
July 18 is Mandela Day, commemorating the 1918 birthday of Nelson Mandela, whose leadership brought democracy and human rights to South Africa. Mandela Day 2020 is the ideal time to give back to your community. Then you’ll feel good rewarding yourself by planning a post-pandemic trip to destinations that commemorate human rights. The world needs to ensure we don’t forget past atrocities so we can stop repeating them.
A sculpture of former South African President Nelson Mandela, is presented on August 4, 2012 in ... [+] Howick, 90 kms South of Durban, commemorating the 50th anniversary of Mandela's capture by the apartheid police. The unique sculpture designed by artist Marco Cianfanelli stands 10 metres tall and is made from 50 steel columns anchored in a concrete base. Mandela, now 94, was arrested as a young liberation fighter on August 5, 1962 near the town of Howick, just months after he founded the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC). AFP PHOTO / RAJESH JANTILAL (Photo credit should read RAJESH JANTILAL/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images
Mandela Day 2020
Mandela Day takes place every year on July 18, Nelson Mandela’s birthday. The organizers of Mandela Day 2020 encourage everyone around the world to be active citizens within their communities to help change the world for the better. It can mean small things—giving blood, cleaning up a park, donating money to a good cause, protecting others from Covid by wearing a mask—or something larger, like organizing a day of action, helping fight poverty and homelessness, combating systemic racism, and helping ensure elections are fair.
Once you’re in the spirit of helping to improve the lives of everyone around you—both near and far—take virtual tours of human rights museums. Then consider planning a future trip to one of these destinations to learn more about human rights and their importance in our world.
Nelson Mandela Voting Line Sculpture, Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Johanna Read, TravelEater.net
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South Africa
South Africa is an obvious choice for a trip to learn more about human rights. The country that abolished apartheid is full of sites about human rights and their history. Everywhere you look there are portraits of Nelson Mandela, reminders of the country’s past, as well as the 100 sites of “Madiba’s Journey,” commemorating Nelson Mandela, affectionately called Madiba.
Visit Johannesburg’s Apartheid Museum and Constitution Hill, where Mandela and Gandhi were imprisoned. Go to Soweto and see the houses were Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu lived, and the Hector Pieterson Museum, which commemorates the 1976 Soweto Uprising. Near Durban is the Freedom Route, including the Mandela Capture Site with its magnificent sculpture of Mandela. Cape Town has Robben Island, where Mandela and other freedom fighters were imprisoned. Art features prominently at all the sites, especially at Route 67 in Port Elizabeth. Start at the top of a hill in the Donkin Reserve, where the life-size Voting Line sculpture overlooks the Indian Ocean. You’ll stroll past 67 works of art commemorating the 67 years Mandela spent helping South Africa achieve democracy and freedom.
The Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Getty
Canada
In the middle of Canada, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, is the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, which is enveloped in 1,335 unique pieces of glass. The museum’s 11 galleries are connected by sloping walkways that evoke Escher’s impossible stairs, taking visitors on a “journey from darkness to light” up towards the 100-meter Tower of Hope.
Exhibits explore human rights in Canada and around the world. They include artifacts, art and stories about Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission— created to address abuses and the cultural genocide caused by the Indian Residential School system, the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms, systemic racism, and inclusion. Check out the virtual tour while travel to Canada is still Covid-curtailed.
NEW YORK, NY - JULY 13: A Black lives Matter mural that was painted on 5th Avenue is seen directly ... [+] in front of Trump Tower on July 13, 2020 in New York City. In a tweet, President Trump called the mural a "symbol of hate" and said that it would be "denigrating this luxury Avenue". (Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) Getty Images
United States
While Washington, D.C. is known for its museums and memorials, including the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, there are sites all over the U.S. which show how far the country has come and how far it still needs to go.
In Atlanta, for example, visit the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site and the Center for Nonviolent Social Change. Memphis, Tennessee has the National Civil Rights Museum. And Selma, Alabama has the National Voting Rights Museum.
Outdoors, new Black Lives Matter street art and murals are popping up on a daily basis. Prominent ones are the huge yellow letters in front of the White House and in front of New York City’s Trump Tower. Others, as the New York Times describes, have more intricate designs, including ones in Lower Manhattan, Harlem and Cincinnati. Look for commissioned and impromptu murals on boarded-up storefronts, windows, and building walls in cities and towns throughout the country.
CHOEUNG EK GENOCIDAL CENTER, PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA - 2016/03/07: A Cambodian monk looks at the ... [+] remains of victims of Pol Pot regime at Choeung Ek Genocidal Center. (Photo by Satoshi Takahashi/LightRocket via Getty Images) LightRocket via Getty Images
Cambodia
In Phnom Penh, the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum provides a harrowing look at the atrocities that took place during the 1975-79 Khmer Rouge regime. Almost a quarter of Cambodia’s population was tortured, executed, or died from overwork, disease or starvation. The systematic genocide began shortly after Pol Pot came to power with promises of peace from civil war, the bleeding of the Vietnam War into Cambodia and secret bombings by the U.S. The museum was first a school but the Khmer Rouge turned it into a political prison. Only seven people are known to have survived it. Touring the museum and the killing fields all over Cambodia is a stark reminder of how political promises can easily become abuses and even genocide.
Every country has a dark history of human rights. By learning more about our history, our mistakes and our successes, we can help ensure a future where every person on the planet has their human rights respected and protected. During the pandemic, travel needs to be virtual, but you can make a plan now to visit these destinations in person post-Covid.
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8110cbb37790b68069a437a3753f5f39 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johannaread/2021/03/24/coral-restoration-and-why-you-should-choose-hotels-that-support-it/?sh=4e3d6b30969c | Coral Restoration And Why You Should Choose Hotels That Support It | Coral Restoration And Why You Should Choose Hotels That Support It
If you were lucky enough to take a tropical beach vacation more than 30 years ago, you were likely amazed at the underwater world you could explore with a snorkel and mask. Since then, underwater enthusiasts often find reefs are a disappointment, with bleached, broken, and dead corals more prominent than live colorful ones.
Coral restoration projects are making a difference. They’re not just for guests of the hotels that sponsor them but make a difference for the entire planet. As you plan a post-pandemic beach vacation, lend the oceans a helping hand by choosing a resort that participates in coral reef restoration programs.
The world’s corals are dying
Dead coral reefs in shallow water which were killed during the mass coral bleaching event, related ... [+] to climate change. Bleaching of coral colonies is caused by warming of sea temperature and most likely combined with other environmental stresses causing coral to expel symbiotic zooxanthellae algae, which could even lead to coral death. getty
Due mainly to climate change, but also to problems like over-fishing and even tourists wearing the wrong sunscreen, the world’s corals are dying at an accelerated rate. Experts say that in the last 30 years, 50 percent of the world’s coral reefs died. They predict that 90 percent of corals will die within the century without interventions, chiefly reducing the temperature of the oceans by controlling global warming.
Snorkelers and scuba divers have a vested interest in the health of the world’s coral reefs. But so does every inhabitant of the planet, regardless of where they live or what they like to do on their vacations.
Why everyone should care about coral health
Healthy coral reefs are essential to humans, both directly and indirectly. In her TEDTalk, biologist and TED senior fellow Kristen Marhaver describes how corals are security guards, chemists, and even artists.
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Ocean waves and coral reef from above, Grand Baie (Pereybere), Indian Ocean, north-west coast, ... [+] Mauritius getty
Corals protect coastlines from erosion and storm damage; keep the ocean’s carbon dioxide levels in check; filter ocean water making it clearer and cleaner; are a source of key components of new antibiotics and cancer drugs; and are nurseries for many of the fish humans eat and for the food chain that sustains them. And, of course, corals are a source of beauty and a key contributor to the tourism industry. In the U.S. alone, it’s estimated that coral reefs are worth $3.4 billion each year and that they prevent $94 billion in damages from flooding annually.
Coral restoration and how it helps
Coral restoration, Viking Bay, Phi Phi Le, Krabi province, Thailand. Sony mirrorless camera in ... [+] underwater housing, Iron Z330 strobe lighting. getty
Slowing climate change and reducing global warming is essential for protecting the planet’s coral reefs. Coral restoration projects—many sponsored and supported by beach hotels—help too.
Basically, corals are grown in nurseries and then transplanted onto reefs at risk. Most corals grow very slowly and scientists are doing much work to determine the ideal conditions to encourage coral reproduction and development to get the world’s reefs back to health.
Do your part by staying at a resort with a coral restoration program
Coral restoration at Kokomo Private Island Kokomo Private Island Fiji
When you choose to stay at a resort that supports coral restoration, you help revitalize reefs. Some resorts welcome you to see the coral nurseries with your own eyes and even help out.
Kokomo Private Island Fiji
At Kokomo Private Island Fiji, marine biologist Cliona O’Flaherty established a coral restoration project in 2018 (here’s more on O’Flaherty and her work). So far, 1,200 corals have been planted in the nursery and 200 transplanted back onto the reef. Stay at one of Kokomo’s 21 villas or five residences and you can swim over the coral garden and get hands-on experience helping with coral selection, fragmentation, and transplantation. Divers can also visit nearby Walker Restoration Reef, the reef Kokomo adopted under PADI’s Project Aware sustainability program.
Kokomo Private Island Fiji's healthy house reef. Kokomo Private Island Fiji
Harbour Village Beach Club, Bonaire
Boutique resort Harbour Village Beach Club—on the island of Bonaire in the Dutch Caribbean—also has a coral restoration program, via the Harbour Village Reef Foundation. Divers can help maintain the underwater coral nursery and get their PADI Reef Renewal Certification. Bonaire created the Caribbean’s first protected marine park and, according to the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, Bonaire has the most pristine reef environment in the Caribbean. This is thanks to its location outside the hurricane zone and conservation actions by the government and resorts like Harbour Village Beach Club.
Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu, Maldives
Baa Atoll, Indian Ocean, Maldives (Photo by Reinhard Dirscherl/ullstein bild via Getty Images) ullstein bild via Getty Images
In the Maldives, the health of the reefs surrounding the country’s 1,192 islands is essential. Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu—one of the Coco Collection resorts in the protected Baa Atoll—was one of the first Maldives resorts to have a resident marine biologist. Coral replanting as well as initiatives to protect manta rays, turtles, and sharks are key elements of Coco Collection’s sustainability work. Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu is another great choice for travelers wanting to help coral reefs while they take a vacation.
The Mnemba atoll on the east coast of Zanzibar getty
Zanzibar, Tanzania
You can even support coral reefs when you take a safari by relaxing on the island of Zanzibar before or after seeing Africa’s land-based wildlife. Zanzibar is well known for its spectacular scuba diving and snorkeling sites, in its warm waters with underwater visibility often exceeding 100 feet. You can snorkel and dive year round (and even watch the gentle giants of the sea, whale sharks, eat tiny plankton off protected Mnemba Atoll from September to December).
Coral Reef Care began its coral restoration work in Zanzibar in 2012 (they’ll happily accept your donations too). Alluring Africa’s The Zanzibar Collection and Zuri Zanzibar are two Zanzibar hotels that support coral restoration.
Wherever you take your ocean-side vacation, choose hotels that support coral restoration projects.
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dc8f211df464a5cc528ad14752d4feec | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johannaread/2021/04/09/the-islands-of-tahiti-are-reopening-on-may-1-2021/?sh=7c4cc7171f11 | The Islands Of Tahiti Are Reopening This May | The Islands Of Tahiti Are Reopening This May
Announced April 7, 2021, the French Polynesian islands will again welcome tourists starting May 1.
Seascape at the beach in Tikehau island in Tahiti. getty
Tahiti reopening official announcement
In an April 7, 2021 press conference, President of French Polynesia Edouard Fritch announced the May 1 reopening date.
The announcement comes after President Fritch met with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss the conditions of the pandemic in French Polynesia.
The islands have fewer than 20 new Covid cases per week and vaccinations are now open to all adults in French Polynesia.
A man is vaccinated against the novel coronavirus Covid-19 in Papeete, French Polynesia, on January ... [+] 12, 2021. (Photo by Suliane FAVENNEC / AFP) (Photo by SULIANE FAVENNEC/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images
Covid border requirements
Details of French Polynesia’s border control measures to protect its citizens and travelers from Covid will be announced shortly.
President Fritch said April 7, “We are going to put in place a protocol at the entry of our borders using virological testing, serological testing, vaccine and [an] ETIS (Electronic Travel Information System).” Consult Tahiti’s Coronavirus Travel Information website for the latest requirements.
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Tahiti’s five archipelagos of 118 islands
Beach at the Intercontinental Resort, Matira, Bora Bora Island, French Polynesia. Photo by ... [+] Jose-Fuste RAGA/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images. Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
The main island of Tahiti is just one of the 118 islands in French Polynesia. Also known as the Islands of Tahiti, the islands are in five different South Pacific archipelagos: the Society Islands including islands like Moorea and Bora Bora, the Tuamotu Islands, the Marquesas Islands, the southern Austral Islands, and the remote and least-populated Gambier Islands.
Two humpback whales swimming in deep blue water near the French Polynesia island of Moorea getty
Beach and water activities are amongst the most popular for tourists, given the stunning South Pacific location. In addition to boating, snorkeling, scuba diving, parasailing, and beachcombing, the Islands of Tahiti are one of the few places in the world where you can swim with marine mammals in the wild. From July to October, it’s possible to swim near humpback whales off the islands of Moorea and Bora Bora, as well as near the Austral Islands’ Rurutu and Raivavae. Off Rangiroa Atoll, in the Tuamotu Islands, scuba divers and dolphins can swim together in the Tiputa Pass. Without getting your feet wet, it’s easy to spot dolphins playing near shore at sunset too.
Bora bora getty
There are plenty of options for luxe stays throughout the Islands of Tahiti. Consider InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa on Motu Piti Aau, known as the “islet of two hearts.” Or, for spectacular cuisine, try the Relais & Chateâx property Le Taha’a by Pearl Resorts between Bora Bora and Taha’a Island. Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora is another excellent private island choice. On Rangiroa, one of the best resorts is Hotel Kia Ora Resort and Spa.
Aerial image from a drone of blue lagoon and Otemanu mountain at Bora Bora island, Tahiti, French ... [+] Polynesia, South Pacific Ocean (Bora Bora Aerial) getty
As you plan your trip to Tahiti
The CDC last updated its international travel advisory on April 2, 2021. It recommends that travelers delay international travel until they are fully vaccinated and provides advice about preventing the further spread of Covid, which is still possible by vaccinated people.
To help you plan your travels, Tahiti’s tourism board provides detailed information on their website. Once you’ve decided which islands you’ll visit, download one of the Tahitian Zoom backgrounds to announce your upcoming travel plans online and toast your upcoming trip with one of Tahiti Tourisme’s recipes for cocktails and mocktails made with Tahitian vanilla.
Cheers to Bora Bora and the Islands of Tahiti getty
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2e00810d8ce5eae93d8af2c8b926fe8f | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johannaread/2021/04/13/vacations-for-kids-on-the-autism-spectrum-this-beach-resort-is-an-advanced-certified-autism-center/?sh=7f1a303bbf28 | Vacations For Kids On The Autism Spectrum: Beaches Resorts Are Advanced Certified Autism Centers | Vacations For Kids On The Autism Spectrum: Beaches Resorts Are Advanced Certified Autism Centers
Beach vacations are meant to be easy, which is why so many people love all-inclusives. The three Beaches Resorts (in Turks and Caicos and Jamaica) are making it easier for everyone to have a vacation, including kids who are on the autism spectrum and their parents.
Aerial view, Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort Beaches Resorts
Beaches Resorts: First to be recognized as Certified Autism Centers and as Advanced Certified Autism Centers
Back in 2017, Beaches Resorts was the first resort company in the world to be recognized as a Certified Autism Center (CAC) by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). IBCCES is the world’s leader in cognitive disorder training and certification and their certification process includes an annual onsite audit and review. Similarly, Beaches Resorts then became the first to achieve IBCCES’ Advanced Certified Autism Center (ACAC) designation.
It’s important and affects more people than you may realize—the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that one in 54 kids in the U.S. is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and that about one in six kids is diagnosed with a developmental disability.
World Autism Awareness Day symbol getty
Myron Pincomb, IBCCES’ board chair and CEO, described how families are looking for companies that are trained and certified in autism in an April 13, 2021 statement. He called Beaches Resorts a leader that goes “above and beyond” and said “the professionalism, dedication, and enthusiasm of the team at Beaches Resorts is second to none, and we are thrilled to continue our partnership to provide long-lasting support and impact.”
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Joel Ryan, Beaches Resorts’ group manager of themed entertainment and children’s activities, said, “we’re proud of the work we’ve accomplished to date and look forward to finding new ways to demonstrate our commitment to autism acceptance and inclusion while creating an autism-friendly environment.”
Sesame Street's Julia, the first muppet known to have autism, participates in Beaches Resorts' ... [+] Amazing Art with Julia program at the Caribbean’s first autism-friendly kids camps Beaches Resorts
Commitment to ACAC certification extended to 2023
Some details were announced April 13, 2021. For example, Beaches Resorts is extending its commitment to its ACAC designation through to at least 2023. The ACAC recertification process is underway now, with more staff at the resorts getting advanced autism training. The focus is not just on staff who interact with children at the kids camps, but also staff who work at the water sports areas where kids like to play, as well as key resort contacts for families including the airport arrivals lounges, front desk, restaurants, and entertainment.
Another new initiative is Beaches Resorts’ new Sensory Stimulation Guide. It provides detailed information on what families can expect at the resorts from the perspective of someone concerned about sensory stimulation. It describes the resort’s Low Sensory Areas and explains the degree of sensory simulation for various locations and events on the property.
One of the many Beaches Resorts pools Beaches Resorts
More autism-friendly measures
Beaches Resorts have several initiatives that contribute to their ACAC certification. For example, staff can get 40 credit hours of in-depth education on autism sensitivity and awareness on issues ranging from motor and social skills to transition to adulthood. Beaches’ certified Special Services Team is accessible via a dedicated toll-free number to explain details of the resorts’ autism programming, including the Caribbean’s first autism-friendly kids camps. That’s where Sesame Street’s Julia, the first Sesame Street character identified as having autism, is featured. She’s also a focus at Beaches Resorts’ Amazing Art with Julia programming.
PACIFIC PALISADES, CA - JULY 15: The first autistic Sesame Street muppet Julia (L) accepts the ... [+] HollyRod Corporate Compassion Award for Sesame Workshop at HollyRod Foundation's DesignCare Gala on July 15, 2017 in Pacific Palisades, California. (Photo by Tiffany Rose/Getty Images for HollyRod Foundation) getty
Kids at Beaches Resorts also have access to sensory toys and can sleep with DreamPad pillows. These special pillows play soothing sounds and music which users can both hear and feel—based on the principle of bone conduction, they trigger the parasympathetic nervous system to relax. Parents at Beaches Resorts can also opt for an autism-certified One-on-One Beaches Buddy who can provide childcare personalized to the needs of their children.
Appreciated by all Beaches guests, but particularly by families with kids who have sensory issues, are the use of low-fragrance cleansers and fragrance-free hand sanitizers throughout the property, as well as Beaches Resorts’ 5-Star Global Gourmet restaurants. The same is at Sandals Resorts, which are geared at adults. Via the 5-Star Global Gourmet dining and the Culinary Concierge Desk, guests can ensure they have a wide-variety of delicious meal options that meet all their special dietary needs and can even create custom menus.
One of the pools at Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort Beaches Resorts
Soon-to-be four Beaches Resorts locations
Families with kids on the autism spectrum currently have three Beaches Resorts to choose from for their post-Covid vacation (the CDC last updated their international travel advisory on April 2, 2021 and is expected to update it further as worldwide Covid vaccinations increase). In Jamaica, there are two Beaches Resorts: one in Ocho Rios and one in Negril on Seven Mile Beach. In Turks and Caicos, the Beaches Resort is on the famous Grace Bay beach on the island of Providenciales. Under development now is a fourth Beaches Resort in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Beaches Negril three-bedroom Beaches Resorts
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aace8746f4668301461388b907b3207c | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johannaread/2021/04/19/grenadas-chocolate-as-fine-as-its-beaches/?sh=300572e65dc5 | Grenada’s Chocolate: As Fine As Its Beaches | Grenada’s Chocolate: As Fine As Its Beaches
The Caribbean island of Grenada, with its sister islands Carriacou and Petite Martinique, is famous for its stunning beaches and for its nutmeg. With ideal conditions for growing the best cacao beans, Grenada’s fame as a fine cocoa and chocolate producer is growing too. You can sample some of the country’s best via this single-estate chocolate at one of Grenada’s top hotels.
Cocoa pods growing in Grenada L'esterre Estate Organics
Grenadian cacao and cocoa
Known as the Spice Isle, Grenada is one of the world’s largest producers of nutmeg. Cinnamon (the real kind), ginger, cloves, allspice, bay, vanilla, and turmeric also grow well on the tropical isle.
Grenada’s volcanic soil, warm sea air, plentiful sunshine, and the hilly, thickly-forested interior are also perfect for growing cacao, particularly that from Criollo and Trinitario trees. They’re the types that—with the right conditions and care—can produce the cacao beans that turn into cocoa classified as “fine or flavor” cocoa. Raw beans are called cacao and, once roasted, are called cocoa beans.
Calabash Grenada's chocolate and nutmeg chocolate chunk cookies Calabash Grenada
And yes, as you were hoping—the magic that produces Grenada’s spices permeates its cocoa too, giving it and the chocolate made from it a distinct aroma and flavor.
L’esterre Estate Organics: Grenada’s largest single-estate cocoa export
One of Grenada’s fine cocoa producers is L'esterre Estate Organics. Owned by the Ramdhanny family since 1949, the estate uses regenerative agriculture practices and was officially certified as organic by CERES in 2017.
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At L’esterre, Grenadian cocoa’s distinct spice flavor is perhaps enhanced because they grow their cacao amongst nutmeg, guava, breadfruit, and banana trees. Each tree takes and returns different nutrients to the soil, which results in healthier crops with higher yields. And maybe a little extra flavor too.
To produce their quality cocoa, L’esterre harvests their cacao pods when they’re perfectly ripe. Then they carefully ferment the beans in sweat boxes, aerating them at specific intervals to perfect the flavor. After that, they dry the beans in the sun, again aerating them regularly. L’esterre Estate Organics’ unique terroir gives their fermented beans a particularly deep red hue, a quality especially appreciated by cocoa aficionados.
Grenadian cacao L'esterre Estate Organics
Taste the chocolate at Calabash Grenada
The cocoa created by L’esterre Estate Organics is so fine that they exported Grenada’s largest-ever shipment of single-estate cocoa in March 2021. The estate shipped two metric tons of cocoa to the fairtrade Crafting Markets wholesaler in Amsterdam which imports and distributes the world’s best cocoa and collaborates with craft chocolate makers.
Chocolate lovers traveling to Grenada won’t be disappointed, there’s still cocoa and chocolate to eat on the island while enjoying its beautiful sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and hospitality.
At one of the country’s top hotels—luxury boutique Relais & Châteaux resort Calabash Grenada—you can sample chocolates created from L’esterre Estate Organics’ cocoa. The resort is owned by the Garbutt family. The two family-run businesses collaborate together to turn prestige cocoa into bespoke chocolate. It probably doesn’t hurt that the Ramdhanny and Garbutt families are connected by marriage.
Calabash Grenada and L'anse aux Epines Beach Calabash Grenada
As with all Relais & Châteaux properties, Calabash Grenada has a commitment to the living expression of the culture of the destination. This, and their attention to detail, are clear in the chocolate creations they provide for their guests. The essence of Grenada is apparent in their chocolates and in everything they do at the property.
Stays at beachfront Calabash Grenada are in one of thirty king suites or in two- to five-bedroom villas. You can indulge in chocolate in their restaurants and in the spa.
Calabash Grenada's Beach Club Restaurant Calabash Grenada
Discern the chocolate’s aromas and flavors via a chocolate tasting—you’ll taste distinctive notes of deep citrus and bright passionfruit. And you can see how the taste changes as the chocolate is paired with spices like nutmeg, mace, and cinnamon from the estate.
At Calabash Grenada’s restaurants, you can try executive chef Ramces Castillo’s signature cacao and maize soup. It has a tomato-corn broth enhanced with ancho chili, queso fresco, and roasted cocoa beans. Sample more chocolate in pasta à la cocoa with cocoa nibs, chocolate banana pudding, and, of course, the nutmeg chocolate chunk cookies depicted above.
Or, go to Calabash Grenada’s spa to have a chocolate facial or a cocoa scrub. Calabash Grenada is also working on adding an onsite chocolate factory and boutique for more chocolate-y goodness to come. And you can take as many handmade chocolate bars home with you as you can fit in your suitcase.
Fun fact: “Fine or flavor” cocoa
There are two types of cocoa beans in the world—those that are designated as “bulk” or “ordinary” (from Forastero trees) and those categorized as “fine or flavor” cocoa. The latter generally comes cacao beans from Criollo or Trinitario trees. Fine or flavor cocoa is particularly aromatic and only 12 percent of the world’s exported beans have this designation.
The International Cocoa Council (ICCO), which aims to help achieve a sustainable cocoa economy, defines “fine and flavor” cocoa so as to move away from more subjective grading criteria. For the Spice Isle, 100 percent of Grenada’s cocoa exports are classified as fine and flavor cocoa. In order to receive the fine or flavor designation, the beans must be harvested at their peak of perfection and precisely fermented and dried, as they are at L’esterre Estate Organics.
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b6e4e0765fc5f904080b860dd078d5db | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johannaread/2021/04/26/beyond-dubai-and-abu-dhabi-uaes-ras-al-khaimah/?sh=120be8142da9 | Beyond Dubai And Abu Dhabi: UAE’s Ras Al Khaimah | Beyond Dubai And Abu Dhabi: UAE’s Ras Al Khaimah
Want a unique vacation destination once the world returns to traveling post-pandemic? You’ll likely be surprised by everything Ras Al Khaimah—called the most pristine of the United Arab Emirates—has to offer.
Where is Ras Al Khaimah?
Ras Al Khaimah city and mountains getty
Ras Al Khaimah, called RAK for short, is one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the last to join the federation. RAK is the northernmost emirate bordering the country of Oman and three other emirates. It’s a 45-minute drive from Dubai’s airport and two and a half hours from Abu Dhabi. You can also fly directly into RAK City.
RAK is an ideal destination for those who want to combine city splendor with lots of outdoor adventures from sea to sky.
RAK outdoor adventures
In this Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018 photo, thrill-seekers descind from the UAE's highest mountain as ... [+] they try out a new zip line, on the peak of Jebel Jais mountain, 25 kms (15.5 miles) north east of Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. The UAE is claiming a new world record with the opening of the world's longest zip line, measuring 2.83 kilometers (1.76 miles) in length. Guinness World Records officials certified the zip line on Thursday, the same day the attraction opened to the public. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Just an hour outside of RAK City is the UAE’s highest mountain, Jebel Jais. Plenty of adventures await including the world’s longest zipline, at 1.76 miles. You’ll reach speeds up to 93 miles per hour zooming superman-like over the scenic wadis (valleys). The areas also has a Sky Maze, a via ferrata, mountain biking, hiking, and more. In RAK’s desert, you can learn about Bedouin traditions while admiring the scenery.
While you’ll certainly find the terracotta hues you’d expect to see in the Middle East, many parts of RAK turn green in the winter and spring and the rains causes flowers like hyacinth, purple lilies, and wild irises to bloom.
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Gemsbok antelope (Oryx gazella) in the dunes getty
Wildlife-wise, you’ll spot free-roaming camel, goat, and donkey, and perhaps even gerbil, the long-legged jerboa “hopping mouse”, and three different types of foxes. Lucky visitors might get to see an Arabian oryx, Arabian sand gazelle, mountain gazelle, sand cat, or Gordon’s wildcat too. RAK’s mangroves are home to flamingos. And within the Gulf itself, there are four turtle species, several types of whales and dolphins, and about 700 different species of fish.
Dhayah Fort fortification in North Ras al Khaimah emirate of the United Arab Emirates getty
RAK culture and archeology
There’s archeological evidence of people living in the area since the Bronze Age, 7,000 years ago. Some ruins remain, but the most intact are at Dhayah Fort, where a 19th-century fortress was built over the foundations of older buildings.
You can visit a traditional town, said to be the last one in existence in the entire UAE. Al Jazirah Al Hamra’s buildings—a fortress, houses and courtyards built for pearl merchants, a school, markets, and mosques—were abandoned after oil was discovered in the region. Once home to 4,000 people, the village is said to be haunted by jinns. Photographers love it during golden hour, but the superstitious won’t stay past dark.
Waterfront promenade at the creek in Ras al Khaimah at dusk, United Arab Emirates getty
In RAK City, visit the National Museum of Ras Al Khaimah. It’s inside an old fort that was once the residence of one of the city’s most prominent families. It features archaeological and ethnological artifacts from the Neolithic to the Islamic era.
RAK relaxation
When you’re ready for a rest, be sure to stop at the Khatt Hot Springs where you can soak in natural spring water (best reserved for the cooler winter months). Any time of year, RAK’s luxury beach and desert resorts make it difficult to find the energy to go out and explore.
Aerial view of beach road and resorts of Marjan Island in the emirate of Ras al Khaimah in United ... [+] Arab Emirates getty
Favorites include two Ritz-Carltons—the beachfront villas at Al Hamra Beach and luxury amongst the sand dunes at Al Wadi Desert. Families enjoy Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Beach Resort, which has a kids and teen club.
Opening in 2022 is Anantara Mina Al Arab Ras Al Khaimah which will feature Maldives-style over-water villas as well as Anantara’s renowned dining and spa.
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06600312e063c00aae3fc8a4504e2380 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johannaread/2021/04/29/new-way-to-explore-rwanda-a-solar-powered-luxury-houseboat/ | New Way To Explore Rwanda: A Solar-Powered Luxury Houseboat | New Way To Explore Rwanda: A Solar-Powered Luxury Houseboat
Debuting in summer 2021, this 10-cabin floating luxury hotel brings you to see a different side of Rwanda.
Float in one of the world’s most biodiverse ecozones
Rwanda is known to most travelers for its mountain gorillas and for the wildlife—including the “big five”—that you can see on safari. For those who want to see a rarer side of Rwanda, try this new luxury houseboating cruise on one of Africa’s biggest lakes.
The green shoreline of Lake Kivu between the countries DR Congo and Rwanda in the heart of Africa. ... [+] Lake Kivu is in the Albertine Rift, the western branch of the East African Rift. Lake Kivu empties into the Ruzizi River, which flows southwards into Lake Tanganyika. getty
Lake Kivu is a Great Rift Valley freshwater lake on Rwanda’s western border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It’s the largest lake in Rwanda and a relaxing way to see the range of what the country has to offer. Hippo- and crocodile-free, Lake Kivu is safe for kayaking and other water sports.
The brand new Mantis Kivu Queen uBuranga offers the first luxury cruise on the lake.
Your voyage begins on the lake’s northern shores, in Rubavu, the former colonial beach resort (once called Gisenyl) with its historic mansions lining its promenade and red sand beaches. In the south of the lake, you’ll visit the Nyungwe National Park, one of Africa’s oldest rainforests and home to chimpanzees and the rare Angolan colobus monkey. You’ll also stop at the DRC island of Idjwi. It’s Africa’s second largest lake island, about the size of Malta.
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On your lake cruise you’ll also go hiking, bird watching, and see how coffee and tea are grown at a lakeside estate (tastings are an essential part of the experience). And you’ll soak up the gorgeous lake views, seeing small villages, picturesque fishing boats, and several of Rwanda’s thousand hills with their eucalyptus and pine forests and terraces of banana trees.
Fishing canoes, Lake Kivu, shared by Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo getty
You’ll want to add other Rwanda experiences on to your cruise since travel in tiny Rwanda is fast and easy. Lake Kivu’s northern edge is just an hour from the home of Rwanda’s mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, for example. Alluring Africa’s luxury 11-day Rwanda’s Hidden Gems itinerary has you visiting Kigali and three national parks—the savannah, hills, and wetlands of Akagera; the mountains of Volcanoes; and the chimpanzee rainforest of Nyungwe.
The Mantis Kivu Queen uBuranga
The Mantis Kivu Queen uBuranga Mantis Collection
This new ship is solar-powered and will be the first motorized yacht to sail Lake Kivu.
The Mantis Kivu Queen uBuranga has three decks and just ten cabins, in addition to a swimming pool, hot tub (ideal for admiring the views), wellness center, restaurant, and bar. Each cabin has an ensuite bathroom, satellite TV, mini-fridge, and air conditioning. You can choose from six luxury cabins, two deluxe cabins, and one VIP and one presidential cabin. Complimentary wifi is available on board. The entire ship can be booked exclusively. The Mantis Kivu Queen uBuranga is expected to launch in late 2021.
The ship’s crew are local to the area so as to provide essential income to local communities and to help you learn more about Rwanda’s cultures and traditions. On board you’ll admire the decor’s local art and sample ingredients grown in Rwanda. Sustainability of the environment and local communities is central to the tailor-made experiences.
Mountain gorilla mother with twins in Rwanda rainforest getty
The ship is operated by Mantis, an international conservation-focused hotel group affiliated with the Accor brand since 2018. Mantis’s collection of luxury boutique hotels, eco-lodges, and luxury eco-houseboats are in Rwanda, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Tanzania, Nigeria, Cape Verde, the island of St. Helena, as well as in Antarctica, Costa Rica, and London, England. The brand aims to take travelers off-the-beaten path and provide unique and sustainable experiences.
Mantis and Accor take responsible tourism seriously and formed the Community Conservation Fund Africa. It’s both a registered non-profit and a grant-giving organization and its projects protect wildlife and their habitats as well as empower local communities. A stay in any Mantis property—on land or on water—supports these initiatives.
Rwanda open to travel
Houses in a small village are dwarfed by the looming presence of a volcanic mountain, Rwanda, getty
Rwanda has had one of Africa’s most successful Covid responses—including vaccinating its most vulnerable citizens—and started reopening its arms to international travelers in August 2020.
For now, Rwanda’s Covid entry requirements include proof of a negative RT-PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure. You’ll receive a second test upon arrival and then stay in a designated hotel until the results are confirmed negative, which usually takes about 24 hours. Additional tests may be needed depending on how long you stay in the country and the national parks you plan to visit. A negative PCR test is also required to fly out of Rwanda.
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9c9f0e8a2d0d51b0ace856b5f5e3729a | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joharper/2018/12/19/three-reasons-polands-ruling-party-could-lose-in-2019/ | Three Reasons Poland's Ruling Party Could Lose In 2019 | Three Reasons Poland's Ruling Party Could Lose In 2019
PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski may need to pray even more in 2019 East News, Warsaw
Poland’s ruling party, Law and Justice (PiS) faces two major challenges after three and half years in power in 2019, the first being European elections in May, the second national elections in the fall. Opposition support is growing, but remains weak, so will PiS be its own worst enemy in 2019?
Three factors might be worth watching out for:
1. Identity strains
PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski is getting old and has been sick. PiS was made in his - and his twin brother's - image and it is far from clear how the party would shape up without him. The consolidation of the party’s hold on power is far from complete and it remains an illiberal work in progress.
The technocratic wing of the party, in the shape of Mateusz Morawiecki, the prime minister, would likely battle it out in the event of a crisis of succession with the more nationalist and the more anti-communist elements in the party and the government. The question is could the technocrats fend off the nationalists and sustain the patriotic message or the nationalists fend off the technocrats and not trash the economy?
Keep an eye on the three main factions:
Ideological praetorians (Antoni Macierewicz) Ideological neophytes (Zbigniew Ziobro) 'The managers' (Mateusz Morawiecki)
2. PiS is human after all
PiS is not immune to scandal, as a recent one in the financial regulator showed.
Its support among some also waned after flirtations with the far-right.
PiS has climbed down over judicial reforms, one of the center pieces of its platform and wider political appeal.
Local elections in 2018 showed PiS is vulnerable, losing the high-profile race for Warsaw.
3. EU funds count
Poland is likely to enter a period of slower economic growth and external monetary and fiscal headwinds.
As the fight with the EU reaches a head and Brussels chews a possible cut in Poland’s rations, the redistributive imaginary of the PiS government could start to unravel.
European funds were a key factor that helped Poland avoid the effects of the financial crisis. Warsaw has been the largest beneficiary of cohesion funds in the EU. The net settlement between Poland and the EU budget is over €100 billion.
The majority of Poles – 87% – think membership of the EU is beneficial, much higher than the EU average of 62%, according to Eurobarometer.
Brexit may also have scared people into thinking it’s better inside than out.
Warsaw's fawning over Donald Trump may also return to bite PiS if and when the US president comes unstuck at home.
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ae748becf26f5694a07772b37fab82a8 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2014/08/13/curved-tvs-6-reasons-you-should-buy-one-and-6-more-why-you-shouldnt/ | Curved TVs: 6 Reasons You Should Buy One--And 6 More Why You Shouldn't | Curved TVs: 6 Reasons You Should Buy One--And 6 More Why You Shouldn't
After spending a couple of years ignominiously tucked away in the ‘concept corners’ of various technology shows, curved TVs suddenly exploded onto the mainstream scene in January when Samsung and LG revealed that their new TV ranges would contain a number of curved-screen ranges.
Sony has now also unveiled new curved 4K/UHD TVs as previously reported, and Samsung has reported that its flagship curved UHD TVs are outselling its flagship flat UHD TVs by a factor of 3:1. In other words, curved TV screens look like they’re here to stay. But should you buy one?
Here I draw on my experience with a number of this year’s curved TV big hitters to outline the key pros and cons of the new TV shape.
(For further TV advice, also see '4K TVs: 9 Reasons You Should Buy One - And 9 More Why You Shouldn't', and '10 Best TVs Of The Year'. For full reviews of two new curved TVs, check out our reviews of the Samsung UN65JS9000 and Samsung UN65JS9500.)
Curved TV Pros
1. You feel more immersed in what you’re watching
When you look at the real world you don’t perceive it as just a flat ‘screen’. The rounded nature of your eyeballs gives you peripheral vision too, so that you’re aware of the world extending around you to your sides. By curving the edges of their pictures toward you, curved TVs try to replicate this sense of a world to the side of as well as in front of you, making you feel more immersed in what you’re watching.
2. You feel like you’re experiencing a wider field of view
By curving the edges of their pictures gently forward, curved TVs appear to fill more of your field of view than flat ones – so long as you’re sat in roughly the right position, at any rate.
3. You see more sharpness at the edges of the image
Because curved screens track the natural shape of your eyes better than flat ones, their images look slightly sharper at their edges. It’s this phenomenon that leads to many commercial cinemas using curved screens, since the bigger the screen the more likely your eyes are to perceive a reduction in clarity at the edges if that screen is flat. With this in mind, though, I’d say this sharpness point only applies to very large TVs of 70 inches and more.
4. You feel like pictures have more depth
The first thing many people say when they first try out a curved TV is that the picture feels 3D. This is because the curved screen makes the image exist on multiple depth planes – with a physical foreground and background - like a 3D image (or the world around us, come to that). So important is this depth attribute that Samsung uses processing on its curved TVs to make images marry up more effectively with the curved nature of the screen.
5. You can enjoy a richer contrast performance
Although I haven’t yet seen a wide enough variety of curved TVs to feel confident about confirming this point, the argument goes that since curved screens focus their light towards your seating position rather than scattering it around a wider area like flat TVs do, they can deliver almost twice as much perceived contrast.
Samsung's 65-inch curved TV uses depth enhancement processing to boost the effect of the curved... [+] screen.
6. You can watch pictures from a wider viewing angle
You probably think I’ve lost the plot with this one. Especially as viewing angle issues also appear in the Cons section of this article! But here’s the thing. As anyone who’s had to watch a normal LCD TV from the down the sides will know, colours lose saturation and contrast reduces massively when you’re not sat directly opposite the screen. Since curved TVs turn the edges of their images towards off-axis viewing positions, though, the usual colour and contrast reductions associated with such viewing positions are greatly reduced.
Curved TV Cons
1. You see geometry issues when watching from the sides
Let’s start with the counter-argument to the sixth 'Pro' point. For if you sit at an angle of more than around 30-35 degrees while watching a curved TV, the picture’s shape starts to look quite unnatural, especially in the way the near side of the picture looks narrower than the far side. Sit at a really wide angle and you could even lose the near side of the picture altogether as the screen’s edge curls round in front of the image.
2. You need to sit in the right place to appreciate curved TVs’ advantages
As noted in a couple of our Pro points, many of the perceived advantages of curved TV screens only make themselves felt if you’re sat in a ‘sweet spot’ directly opposite the screen and closer to the screen than you’d usually sit with an equivalent-sized flat TV. To be fair, the size of the ideal viewing space for a curved TV is directly proportional to the screen size you’ve got, so it’s less of a problem with a very large screen. The potential ideal viewing area is also expanded by using a gentler degree of curvature, like that used on Sony’s new curved TVs. But with most of the curved TVs out there now, trying to fit a whole family into the viewing sweet spot may not always be practical. Or comfortable!
3. You can feel more aware of onscreen reflections with curved TVs
For me this is the single biggest problem with the current crop of curved TVs. If you have any bright light source opposite a curved screen – a window, a light fitting, a bright piece of furniture etc – then you don’t just see this light source reflected on your screen normally like you would on a flat TV. Instead the curve distorts the reflection across a much larger section of the screen, making it much more likely to disrupt your viewing. With this in mind, you should be very careful with where you position a curved TV in your room, and try and use it in as dark a situation as possible when you want to get really engrossed in something.
LG's first curved TV uses OLED technology.
4. You’ll need to spend more to buy a curved screen
At the moment curved screens cost more to make than flat ones. Which means they also cost more to buy. This cost difference may reduce and even disappear eventually as production economies of scale kick in, but for now the price difference could be a reason to stay flat with your next TV unless you’re strongly persuaded by the curve pros.
5. You may feel curved screens look awkward when wall mounted
While curved TVs are attractive when mounted on desktop or floor stands, they don’t make comfortable wall flowers. The way their edges curve away from the flat wall behind looks plain peculiar to me, and ironically reminds you of one of the key reasons flat-panel TVs were invented in the first place.
6. You need to think bigger than you might be comfortable with
Everything I’ve seen so far convinces me that the effectiveness of curved screens is directly proportional to the size of your TV. In fact, the curve cons tend to outweigh the pros routinely with any curved TV smaller than 65 inches in size.
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f444dc76da2574e6b24a1e11ac09b0c3 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2014/11/12/oled-for-everyone-lg-explains-how-its-making-oled-tvs-affordable/ | OLED For Everyone? LG Explains How It's Making OLED TVs Affordable | OLED For Everyone? LG Explains How It's Making OLED TVs Affordable
As I reported last week, now that Samsung has revealed it has no plans to launch any new OLED TVs until at least 2016, the door is wide open for leading OLED supporter LG Electronics to dominate this exciting new TV market.
There’s just one rather large hurdle LG needs to clear: how to make notoriously hard-to-produce OLED TVs affordable enough for ‘normal people’ to buy. Recent revelations from LG, though, suggest that the South Korean brand might actually be on the verge of finally cracking this long-running issue.
LG’s assault on OLED’s pricing is being launched on two fronts: economies of scale and improved manufacturing techniques to boost yield rates.
Where the first of these strategies is concerned, LG has just confirmed a December start date for a huge new ‘M2’ OLED production facility that will ultimately produce 26000 OLED sheets a month, adding to the mere 8000 sheets a month produced by the current M1 factory.
OLED TVs like this new LG model have the potential to revolutionise picture quality. If we can ever... [+] afford to buy one.
First revealed to us at a UK press event in September, these M2 output figures are achieved by increasing the number of panels that can be excised from a single sheet of ‘mother glass’ while simultaneously reducing the amount of time it takes to make these excisions. Particularly important is the M2 facility’s ability to get three 65-inch OLED panels from one sheet of mother glass where the M1 factory can only manage two.
There wouldn’t be much point LG churning out more OLED panels, though, if OLED yield rates – the percentage of produced panels that actually work– were still as low as they infamously used to be. For instance, as recently as the end of 2012 only around 10% of OLED panels produced were actually usable. However, LG believes that its M2 facility will deliver yield rates of around 70% from December.
Graphical explanations of two of LG's key OLED design efficiencies. [Photo by John Archer of an LG... [+] slide]
Also giving LG an OLED production advantage is its maskless WRGB patterning system, which does away with the expensive (and difficult to keep uniform at high resolutions) Fine Metal Mask system other brands have been using.
LG’s final OLED production efficiency comes from its Solid Phase Encapsulation system. This replaces the previous Edge Seal approach, and enables LG to use an easier-to-handle metal rather than glass foundation for the OLED cell structure.
OLED TVs are actually quite simple in their core physical structure compared with LCD TVs. [Photo by... [+] John Archer of an LG Slide]
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fcbc49bb638571de09aa9e5a7096deef | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2015/01/13/hands-on-with-samsungs-110-inch-8k-glasses-free-3d-tv-aka-my-head-hurts/ | Hands On With Samsung's 110-inch 8K Glasses-Free 3D TV (My Head Hurts) | Hands On With Samsung's 110-inch 8K Glasses-Free 3D TV (My Head Hurts)
If there was a CES 2015 award for Craziest TV That Actually Looks Likely To Go On Sale Eventually, it would surely have been won by Samsung for the 110-inch wide, 8K resolution monster posturing away in one corner of the Korean brand’s CES stand.
As well as being larger than most households could ever accommodate, offering four times as many pixels as the 4K/UHD TVs many consumers are only just starting to get their heads round and likely costing as much as a small house, this showboating sociopath rounds out its extreme story by providing a new generation of so-called glassesless 3D playback.
Being able to watch 3D on a TV without needing to wear glasses has long been seen as the latest great hope for 3D after the AV and movie industries have done such an outstanding job of destroying their own 3D dream (see The Great 3D Fiasco: How Hollywood And The AV Industry Slaughtered Their Own Cash Cow). Yet no glassesless 3D screen I've seen to date has delivered anything other than horrible results.
Cue Samsung’s CES 2015 ‘star’. With its 8K native resolution it’s unprecedentedly well equipped to deliver the glasses-free 3D goods, given how such technology can gobble up pixels.
Samsung's new flagship TV in 2D 8K mode.
The vast size of its screen is also, of course, potentially tailor-made for making a compelling case for 8K 2D in a world where some people still don’t think there’s any need for 4K.
With all this in mind, it’s hardly surprising crowds were thronging around Samsung’s 110-inch bad boy at this year’s CES. Which means we also wouldn’t be surprised if the amount of aspirin consumed on the CES show floor was massively up this year. For the bottom line is that for 50 per cent of the running time of its 8K and glassesless 3D demo, the new Samsung 110-inch hero TV looked almost hilariously bad.
This is because Samsung - in one of the greatest errors of judgment I’ve seen in 15 years of attending the CES - had decided to show a demo loop on its hero TV that kept cutting between native 8K 2D and glassesless 3D content. This demo basically had the same effect as an art gallery alternating paintings by Van Gogh with artwork by Suda The Painting Elephant (google it).
The native 8K 2D stuff looked mouthwateringly good on the new ‘SUHD’ screen (see also CES 2015: Hands On With Samsung’s New ‘Super UHD’ Tizen TVs). There was no trace of visible line or pixel structure even if you stuck your face up to the vast screen, there was no jaggedness even around angled or curved lines in the picture, there was no sign of compression noise, detail levels are just incredible, and colours are rendered with such infinite blend and tone precision that you just can’t see the ‘join’ at all. Or to sum it up, the glorious if predictable shots of old cities and the interiors of beautiful buildings enjoy a realism and sense of ‘being there’ that I haven’t seen before in the TV world.
Basically, 8K removes the tech wall between you and what you’re watching on a huge screen every bit as effectively as 4K does on smaller screens. Stunning.
But then glasses-free 3D kicks in, and all that excitement about the future of television built up by the native 8K feeds dissipates in a nanosecond.
Instantly, for instance, the relative lack of detail in the glasses-free 3D image slaps you in the face like a low-resolution fish as the screen goes about the disagreeable business of using reams of its 33 million (and then some) pixels to deliver both the glassesless 3D effect and support for multiple viewing angles. For yes, when it comes to glassesless 3D finding the right place to watch it from is almost as important as sitting stock still while you’re watch - more on this later.
Also making you wince is the way parts of the glassesless (even the word looks horrible!) 3D images look out of focus, forcing your eyes to start straining - in vain - to try and pull things back into clarity. This issue is especially common over moving objects, making such objects look like they’ve been superimposed over the rest of the image using 1970s special effects technology. Hardly the look you expect to see on a cutting edge 2015 TV.
Samsung's new flagship TV running in 3D mode. My camera doesn't do its awfulness justice.
Samsung claims its new flagship TV has been designed to cater for 40 different viewing positions. This is a strikingly high number versus the 2-16 positions we’ve generally come across with previous (usually 4K resolution) glassesless 3D TVs. But even so, during my one to one time with Samsung’s set I still routinely spotted tell-tale ‘seams’ down the image and distracting distortions in the image geometry caused by the set’s attempt to deliver a glassesless 3D experience to multiple viewing angles.
Even after muscling aside enough onlookers to secure what appeared to be a spot perfectly aligned with one of the Samsung TV’s designated 3D viewing angles, I still found that if I moved my head by just a few inches I started to see lines, localised softness and other distortions in parts of the picture.
On top of all this, the sense of depth and space in the 3D frame seems much reduced versus what you’d usually get during a ‘with glasses’ 3D experience.
To be fair to Samsung, its new flagship TV is not likely to launch until the latter stages of 2015, potentially as a replacement for the brand’s current’s S9 series, so the brand has some time to improve the glassesless 3D performance. Even if it does, though, I am entirely confident that the 3D will still look so much worse than 2D 8K playback that hardly anyone will choose to watch it.
In other words, far from being some sort of saviour of 3D, Samsung’s epically-proportioned upcoming glassesless 3D TV continues to raise questions over whether glasses-free 3D can ever work, and as such just hammers another nail into the format’s coffin. And I say this as someone who actually loves 3D when it’s done right - as it's actually starting to be by some of the new breed of 3D-capable 4K UHD TVs we're starting to see.
It's almost painfully ironic that the TV industry now seems interested in pushing flawed glassesless technology just at the point where it's finally achieved a with-glasses version of 3D that's genuinely worth promoting!
While Samsung’s new flag-waving TV does 3D no favours at all, though, it does make a pretty strong case for 8K - at least on truly mammoth screens. Though given the problems the AV industry and broadband network is having coping with 4K content, even if 8K screens become a thing from 2016 I sure as hell wouldn’t expect much native 8K content to appear any time soon.
In the end, despite the apparent likelihood that Samsung’s 110-inch 8K Glassesless 3D model will come to market, it feels far more like a mere exercise in ‘mine’s bigger than yours’ showmanship than something really worth splurging tens of thousands of dollars on. Especially when one of its ‘killer’ features is more likely to give you a headache than a thrill.
WATCH: Meet The Drones At CES 2015
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6ea2e8a19b0ea05c480869f4a84d68cc | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2015/03/05/lg-hits-out-at-oled-critics-promises-hdr-4k-oled-tvs-by-third-quarter/ | LG Hits Out At OLED Critics, Promises HDR 4K OLED TVs By Q3 | LG Hits Out At OLED Critics, Promises HDR 4K OLED TVs By Q3
The last couple of months have been unexpectedly tricky for LG’s TV division. For no sooner had the brand confidently nailed its TV colours to the previously more or less unimpeachable OLED mast at this year’s CES than a few dissenting voices started to creep out of the wood work.
Most of these voices, unsurprisingly, tended to be rival brands currently without any sort of significant OLED proposition of their own. But it wasn’t all just a case of jealous griping; the sudden explosion of interest in high dynamic range (HDR) technology also kicked off a wider discussion of whether OLED is capable of meeting the display challenges raised by the arrival later this year of HDR content.
The problem is a simple one. Namely that while OLED’s self-emissive technology makes it a stellar option for black reproduction and motion clarity, it might not be capable of delivering the same sorts of brightness you can get from LED-driven LCD TVs - quite a problem given how key brightness is to HDR’s ambitions of significantly expanding your pictures’ luminance and colour range.
LG's OLED 'wall' at this year's CES.
Danny Tack, Director of Product Strategy and Planning for TP Vision (owner of the Philips TV brand in Europe), has told me on record why he has concerns about OLED’s usefulness in what he sees as an inevitable HDR future. “With its wide colour gamut and much brighter light output we see LCD as better positioned to meet future standards than OLED”, he told me. “When OLED solves its light output issue I will be its biggest fan. But I don’t see this happening in less than three years.” To underline his point, Tack states that while LCD light outputs went from 500 nits to 800 nits over just 12 months in 2014, OLED has so far only managed to boost its brightness by around 50 nits with each new generation.
Samsung representatives have raised similar OLED issues too, adding that attempting to drive OLED panels brightly enough to handle HDR could significantly impact those panels’ effective lifespan.
So with LG declaring at a product unveiling event in the UK this week that it’s now shifting most of its research and development to OLED from LCD, naturally I had to raise the issue of OLED’s potential compatibility with an HDR future. Especially now that HDR seems to be looking like a more and more definite part of our picture quality future given the wide support (albeit only vocal at this stage!) for it from some of the biggest video streaming, broadcast and upcoming UHD Blu-ray players.
It’s fair to say that LG’s response to my questioning was pretty robust.
First of all, LG UK’s Commercial Director of Consumer Electronics, Andy Mackay, questioned the whole notion of LCD’s seriousness as a picture technology by declaring that because of its self-emissive nature, where every pixel produces its own brightness, LG sees the plasma technology still adored by a large section of the AV enthusiast market place as the benchmark for OLED comparisons, not LCD.
One of LG's new 4K OLED TVs.
Then LG UK’s Product Manager for home entertainment, Robert Taylor, picked up the baton, getting straight to the point. “LG will have an HDR OLED solution available this year. We expect we’ll start to make a bit more noise about this around the time of the IFA technology show in September.” What’s more, Taylor claims that OLED HDR will be the priority for LG, ahead of HDR LCD.
“We know it’s not the case that OLED struggles with HDR,” says Taylor. “In terms of panel limitations it doesn’t seem like there’s any stopping factor; OLED is actually a much more versatile platform thanks to its self-emissive nature. LCD has always aspired to be self-emitting, yet OLED is already there. It always has been. What’s more the chipsets and power boards used for OLED are different to those of LCD, letting us put more computing power into OLED screens so we can process things like HDR quicker.”
If OLED is so HDR capable, why has LG not already factored it into the first wave of its OLED TVs launching in the next couple of months? LG’s answer is that it doesn’t believe HDR is ready yet.
“HDR is a complex thing,” says Taylor. “There’s the colour element. We also have to look at the luminance element. And then there are the processing algorithms you need. But the main point is that all of these elements that go into HDR are part of as yet undefined standards.
“We’re looking forward to delivering new ways of enjoying content like HDR. But we’ve got the easy job; we display it. The broadcasters and the movie studios are the ones who have to figure out how to code it, how to distribute it, how to commercialise it, how to infrastructure it. And they’re just not there yet.”
Samsung's UN65JS9500 LCD TV already offers HDR compatibility.
So he doesn’t see the fact that Samsung has already launched an HDR-capable TV (reviewed by me here) as a problem for LG’s product offering between now and the September launch of its own HDR TVs? “What are you going to do with the Samsung set?!” Taylor exclaims. “We get a hard time still about the lack of 4K content for UHD TVs, but at least there’s some of that around now. Our main strategy is 1) bedding in OLED as a display technology and further supporting the key 4K message for 2015 because that’s where the current market trend is; 2) establishing an HDR display standard; and 3) working with those people who will be creating HDR-based content to define a content standard in a mutual way. Our HDR TVs will then appear when there’s actual HDR content to watch on them.
“In the mean time,” Taylor adds, “we already offer a killer device in the shape of our new UHD OLED TVs. These offer a clearly superior experience right out of the box, right now.”
So why are the rumours that OLED is not a great HDR technology out there? “It seems,” Taylor responds, “as if rivals are trying to use HDR as an argument against OLED just because they don’t have an OLED TV themselves. Which is pretty ironic given that I think OLED is going to become a major development platform for all manufacturers, whether they have it this year or not…”
For more on the current highly confusing state of the TV market, check out TV Tech in 2015: An Unholy HDR, 4K, UHD, 3D, OLED, LED And Quantum Dot Mess!
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dc7a4287d148007fcd3cc48a29016a0a | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2015/06/24/amazon-launches-worlds-first-high-dynamic-range-hdr-video-streaming-service/ | Amazon Grabs Key Tech Advantage Over Netflix With World's First HDR Streaming Service [Updated] | Amazon Grabs Key Tech Advantage Over Netflix With World's First HDR Streaming Service [Updated]
[Update: Since writing the story below, Amazon has informed me that adding HDR (using 10-bit encoding) to its video streams requires no extra broadband bit-rate. It has also confirmed that HDR is available on all streams of its HDR-enabled titles. In other words, it's not just available with the UHD versions of Mozart In The Jungle and Red Oaks, but can also be enjoyed right down to Amazon's lowest 150Kbps video streams.]
Amazon has announced that from today (June 24 2015) Amazon Prime members in the US can watch the whole of the first season of Amazon Original Series ‘Mozart In The Jungle’ plus the pilot episode of ‘Red Oaks’ in the AV world’s new high dynamic range (HDR) image format.
So long as they happen to have one of Samsung’s SUHD TVs, that is.
According to Amazon’s statement about this ground-breaking news, Prime members will be able to stream the series in HDR through the Amazon app on their Samsung SUHD TVs at no extra charge to their membership.
This is great news as it suggests that HDR - which offers an expanded luminance range to improve contrast, colour response and shadow detail - is going to be treated as a selling point for streaming platforms rather than a justification for higher subscription charges.
Given its decision to charge extra for its Ultra HD service, mind you, it will interesting to see if Netflix takes the same approach when it launches its own HDR streams.
The entire first series of 'Mozart In The Jungle' is now available to watch in HDR on Amazon.
In case you’re not sure if your Samsung TV fits the SUHD bill, you’re basically looking at one of the brand’s 2015 JS9500, JS9100, JS9000, JS8600, JS8500 and JS850D series models, plus the soon to be launched 60in JS7000. Samsung SUHD TVs are at the time of writing the only TVs able to play HDR sources.
Michael Paull, VP of Digital Video at Amazon, had this to say about the HDR launch: “We can’t wait for our Prime members to watch and re-watch ‘Mozart In The Jungle' in HDR at no additional cost to their membership, and we look forward to adding more titles and devices that support HDR this year.”
The other devices Paull refers to will likely be the other HDR-capable TVs just coming to market, once those TVs - including some Sony , Panasonic and (OLED) LG models - have received the firmware updates necessary to unlock their HDR potential. VIZIO’s Reference TV series can probably also be expected to support the HDR streams at some point.
Series writer/director Roman Coppola is also, not surprisingly, pretty pleased with the HDR launch of his show. “It's been a great year for ‘Mozart In The Jungle’,” he says. “Now, having the first season available for fans in an upgraded visual experience is exciting — the enhanced quality makes every scene look even better and we hope it's something that our viewers really enjoy.”
The fact that Amazon has beaten Netflix to the high dynamic range punch is striking, and underlines just how keen Amazon is to change the past perception that it usually had to play technology catch-up with its arch streaming rival.
I’ve asked Amazon for more details on the HDR service - such as how much extra broadband speed it might need, and when it might be rolling out beyond the US - and will update this story when I find out more.
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a94cb5cb0d81bf698826875d3111f61c | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2015/07/24/netflixs-4k-future-14-new-shows-and-films-announced/ | Netflix's 4K Future: 14 New Shows And Films Announced | Netflix's 4K Future: 14 New Shows And Films Announced
Netflix has revealed a launch schedule for its upcoming Originals content through to the end of 2016 - and people with 4K UHD TVs will be pleased to hear that a decent number of the new shows are going to be released in the higher-definition format.
It’s interesting to see, too, that Netflix isn’t going to just be focussing on TV shows for its upcoming Originals 4K content; there are a couple of films on the list too.
Looking first at 4K shows with reasonably definite dates, things kick off on July 31st with Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp. Starring Janeane Garofalo and Paul Rudd, this follows the goings on of the campers and counselors on their first day at Camp Firewood in 1981. This show will be followed on August 28th by Narcos, a series focussing on the criminal exploits of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar.
In December (exact date not yet available) we can expect Bill Murray’s A Very Murray Christmas film in 4K, while March 2016 sees the launch of the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend film.
Turning to Netflix Originals with more vague launch dates, we can expect to see Chelsea Handler ‘Docu-Comedy’ Specials in 4K UHD before the end of 2015. There’s also a chance that Marvel’s Jessica Jones series will drop before the end of 2015, though this might slip to 2016.
Also out in 4K in 2016 will be Flaked, an eight-episode comedy series written by and starring Will Arnett, along with Fuller House, a 13-episode family comedy starring Candace Cameron Bure. The Get Down, meanwhile, is another 13-episode series scheduled for a 4K launch in 2016. Created by Baz Luhrmann, it will tell the story of a group of teenagers from the Bronx trying to make it big in the early years of hip hop.
Wrapping up the currently confirmed 4K Netflix Original titles for 2016 will be new drama series The OA (eight hour-long episodes starring Brit Marling) and The Crown (a drama about the Queen of England's dealings with various UK prime ministers during her long reign), along with the film Special Correspondents, directed by and starring Ricky Gervais.
A couple of other confirmed 4K projects on the new Netflix Originals schedule are the second season of Marco Polo, and a new children’s show based on the Dr Seuss Green Eggs And Ham book.
This list of future 4K Netflix Original projects doesn’t appear to be comprehensive. For instance, as well as there likely being many more 4K projects between 2016 and the Green Eggs And Ham show confirmed for 2018, there’s currently no mention of the fourth season of House of Cards or the second seasons of Daredevil or Better Call Saul, all of which have been commissioned for a 2016 launch and will surely join their previous series in being presented in 4K UHD.
While this list of Originals in 4K from Netflix certainly underlines the streaming giant’s commitment to a 4K future, though, it also should be said that the 14 announced 4K UHD shows only account for around 25% of Netflix’s total future Originals output according to the current list. Some pretty high profile shows, such as the second seasons of From Dusk Till Dawn and Fargo, are both only slated for HD launches.
It also remains to be seen how effectively Netflix manages to bolster its third party 4K movie offering in the months to come. At any rate, the idea of an all-4K future still seems to be some years away, at least where the content side of the video industry is concerned.
To see the full Netflix Originals schedule as it stands to date, follow this link.
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b9da0badbc3e206c35fab9ca5b544305 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2015/08/11/netflix-reveals-fastest-and-slowest-video-streaming-isps/ | The Best Internet Providers For Watching Netflix | The Best Internet Providers For Watching Netflix
As most people who’ve ever tried to watch streamed video will know, the experience you get is hugely dependent on the stability and speed of your broadband connection. Nobody appreciates this more than video streaming giant Netflix, of course. So the company routinely monitors the speed performance of ISPs across the globe to see which ones are performing the best with its video streams during peak viewing periods. And handily for anyone into watching streamed video, Netflix makes the results of its research public.
The most recent results have just been revealed for numerous territories across the Globe that receive the Netflix service, and they make for interesting reading.
Topping the list in the US is Cox, with an average speed of 3.62Mbps, closely followed by the Cablevision - Optimum platform at 3.59Mbps, and Verizon FIOS (fiber) at 3.54Mbps. This top three remains unchanged from Netflix’s previous published results, though their dominance is now being challenged by Charter, which rose two places from its previous best position to fourth, with an improved average speed of 3.46Mbps.
Propping the US speed league table up are Clearwire, the Verizon DSL system, and Centurylink. The gulf between the best and worst US performers is strikingly extreme, with Clearwire achieving just 1.19Mbps (though to be fair this is the only wireless platform on the US list) and Verizon DSL hitting just 1.9Mbps. Differences of this magnitude really will have a considerable impact on the quality of picture and sound you get when you’re watching Netflix.
Other points of interest from the global data find Canada outperforming the US, with its best-performing service, Bell Canada (which uses a Fiber Optic network) achieving an average prime time speed of 3.73Mbps.
Switzerland enjoys the fastest service of the countries covered by Netflix’s results thanks to the 4.43Mbps achieved by its Improware ISP, while the highest average speed performance across all ISPs (4.12Mbps) belongs to European minnow Luxembourg.
The most poorly served country on the list is Costa Rica, which manages an average speed across all of its ISPs of 1.654Mbps.
The full lists for the US, Canada and the UK appear below, while at the end of the article you can find links to the ISP Speed league tables for all the other countries covered by Netflix’s latest research.
USA ISP Speed Index
Cox: 3.62Mbps Cablevision - Optimum: 3.59Mbps Verizon - FIOS: 3.54Mbps Charter: 3.46Mbps Comcast: 3.45Mbps Bright House: 3.42Mbps Suddenlink: 3.42Mbps Time Warner Cable: 3.37Mbps Mediacom: 3.32Mbps AT&T U-Verse: 3.2Mbps AT&T DSL: 2.51Mbps Frontier: 2.37Mbps Windstream: 2.34Mbps Centurylink: 2.27Mbps Verizon DSL: 1.9Mbps Clearwire: 1.19Mbps
Canada ISP Speed Index
Bell Canada Fiber optic: 3.73Mbps MTS Fiber Optic: 3.61Mbps Bell Aliant Fiber Optic: 3.6Mbps Videotron: 3.56Mbps Shaw: 3.51Mbps Sasktel Fiber Optic: 3.42Mbps Rogers: 3.41Mbps Eastlink High Speed: 3.4Mbps Telus: 3.28Mbps Cogeco: 3.27Mbps Distributel: 3.23Mbps Teksavvy: 3.19Mbps Bell Canada DSL: 3.05Mbps Sasktel DSL: 2.69Mbps MTS DSL: 2.67Mbps Eastlink DSL: 2.34Mbps Bell Aliant DSL: 2.02Mbps Eastlink Rural Broadband (wireless): 1.35Mbps
UK ISP Speed Index
Virgin: 3.96Mbps BT: 3.63Mbps Talktalk: 3.34Mbps Sky: 3.22Mbps EE: 3.18Mbps
And the rest
Argentina: http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/argentina
Australia: http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/australia
Austria: http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/austria
Belgium: http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/belgium
Brazil: http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/brazil
Chile: http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/chile
Colombia: http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/colombia
Costa Rica: http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/costa-rica
Denmark: http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/denmark
Ecuador: http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/ecuador
Finland: http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/finland
France: http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/france
Germany: http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/germany
Ireland: http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/ireland
Jamaica: http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/jamaica
Luxembourg: http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/luxembourg
Mexico: http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/mexico
The Netherlands: http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/netherlands
New Zealand: http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/new-zealand
Norway: http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/norway
Panama: http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/panama
Peru: http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/peru
Sweden: http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/sweden
Switzerland: http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/switzerland
Uruguay: http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/uruguay
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20cca1f05117caee18bc6b9945cc4a85 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2015/09/14/how-dolby-plans-to-revolutionise-the-sound-on-your-tablet-smartphone-and-tv/ | How Dolby Plans To Revolutionize The Sound On Your Tablet, Smartphone And TV | How Dolby Plans To Revolutionize The Sound On Your Tablet, Smartphone And TV
Dolby Laboratories is in the midst of a real surge of activity right now. Not content with developing the premium Dolby Cinema experience for commercial movie theaters and Dolby Vision for the new generation of 4K UHD HDR TVs, it’s also getting busy promoting a new audio system for the ‘digital age’ that it claims can deliver a premium audio experience to modern connected devices like Smartphones, tablet computers and television sets.
Called Dolby AC-4, the key idea behind Dolby’s latest audio innovation is to provide a much more efficient, flexible audio compression system. Dolby claims AC-4 can deliver compression efficiency improvements of around 50% over current broadcast-standard audio technologies, helping content deliverers to maintain high quality audio even when their delivery systems are under strain from a high quality video signal. In other words, it's potentially perfectly suited to the burgeoning 4K UHD age.
In recognition of the way we now consume video across a range of devices, meanwhile, Dolby AC-4 has been designed to operate across multiple platforms, including traditional broadcast, mobile networks, plus the new hybrid broadcast/broadband approach that’s starting to gain currency in the content delivery world.
Dolby AC-4 should be coming to a Vizio TV like this high-end R-series model soon.
According to Dolby, AC-4 is “easy to implement and enables broadcasters to upgrade and adapt their operations to support next-generation experiences.” It’s designed to offer a complete end to end solution, taking in content creation, distribution, interchange and delivery to consumers, and - particularly usefully for today’s multimedia age - it’s able to carry both channel- and object-based programming. This means that as well as improving sound quality, Dolby AC-4 could be used for offering end users different audio options, such as different commentary tracks on sporting events of multiple language choices.
As well as its high compression efficiency, flexible usage scenarios and support for multiple languages/descriptive services, Dolby AC-4 also includes native support for such potentially useful tricks as dialogue enhancement, intelligent loudness and dynamic range control. Plus, as part of its focus on trying to be as easy - and affordable - to implement as possible, Dolby AC-4 carries built-in self-configuration and automation systems.
Dolby has also designed AC-4 streams to be highly scalable based on the devices different consumers are using in their homes, with the playback options even extending to Dolby Atmos if an end user’s kit can handle it.
Dolby AC-4 is already much more than just a laboratory experiment, too. Vizio , Sony and TP Vision (which makes Philips -branded TVs in Europe) have all signed up to incorporate Dolby AC-4 into future televisions, and the format has been standardised by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and adopted by the Digital Video Broadcast (DVB) group.
Matt McRae, Chief Technology Officer at Vizio, says of Dolby AC-4: “At VIZIO, we are committed to delivering on the full potential of IP delivery of premium entertainment, and the rapid pace of innovation Dolby AC-4 makes possible. The opportunity to innovate with Dolby in both audio and video makes the adoption of Dolby AC-4 a compelling opportunity with extraordinary consumer value.”
Dolby AC-4 has also already been used by Envivio to encode broadcasts of the 2015 UEFA Champions League Final and the 2015 French Open tennis tournament, while in the US San Francisco’s KQED-TV recently conducted successful trials of Dolby AC-4 run by video infrastructure specialist Harmonic. In addition, Axon, Dektec, Interra Systems, Linear Acoustic and ST Micro recently showcased on the Dolby booth at the 2015 IBC in Amsterdam how they’ve integrated Dolby AC-4 into their workflows.
Dolby AC-4 should start to find its way onto TVs and other media devices coming to market over the next few months.
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9953ebd5d14a8169ac41128465c512ac | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2015/09/15/new-apple-tv-vs-old-apple-tv-giant-leap-or-baby-step/ | New Apple TV Vs Old Apple TV: Giant Leap Or Baby Step? | New Apple TV Vs Old Apple TV: Giant Leap Or Baby Step?
Three years is a seriously long time in today’s fast-moving AV world. But give or take a few days that’s how long it’s taken Apple to finally unveil a new version of its popular Apple TV box. The question is, has Apple spent that time wisely in coming up with another category-defining wonder product, or is the lengthy period between Apple TV generations just a result of Apple being too busy with other, more bread and butter parts of its business?
To find out, let’s compare what we know about Apple’s new box of TV tricks with the efforts of its predecessor.
Operating System
There have been countless hints and rumours over the past three years suggesting that Apple might have cracked the problem of how to make a ‘smart TV’ operating system suitable for the modern digital age. So it’s no great surprise to find the new Apple TV box’s most extensive changes appearing in this critical area.
The new Apple TV.
In fact, Apple has created a whole new dedicated ‘tvOS’ interface. Aesthetically this doesn’t look radically different to the interface of the old Apple TV, but under the hood there are a few key innovations.
First and most important, in keeping with Apple’s proclamations that ‘Apps are the future of television’, tvOS integrates the new Apple TV much more closely with other Apple devices than its predecessor by ‘universalising’ its app support. In other words, the new Apple TV apps will also work on Apple’s tablets and phones, making it much easier for the app development community to swell the number of apps Apple TV supports.
Speak easy
Next , Apple has leveraged its Siri know-how to bring voice control to Apple TV for the first time. In fact, it appears to bring voice control to the TV world in general to an extent not seen before.
Others have tried before to make voice control an integral part of a TV control experience, of course - particularly Microsoft with the Xbox One’s Kinect/Live TV combination, and Samsung with the much-maligned voice recognition system on its smart TVs. But even from just the short demos of Siri in action during its launch of the new TV box it seems that Apple has delivered a much more intuitive and thus likely to be used voice control system than anything we’ve seen - or heard - before.
For instance, the voice controls seemingly show a good understanding of the sort of day to day features users most want to access. Just asking ‘What did they say?’, for example, will instigate a 15 second rewind, and it’s even possible to simply request information not related to what you’re watching, such as weather and sports reports. You can also, of course, speak keywords into the Apple TV universal search engine rather than having to laboriously type the keywords in - though this is a feature a number of other voice-recognising smart platforms do quite well too.
Finally it looks as if the Siri engine will let you ‘chat’ much more naturally with the new Apple TV than you can with rival voice control systems, which essentially require you to learn a fairly specific syntax before they (hopefully!) do what you want them to.
Personally I can’t but wonder how many people will really feel comfortable talking to the new Apple TV box given that it will often be used in a communal situation, with other people in the room. But maybe I’m just old fashioned that way.
App attack
One other key introduction for the new Apple TV interface is an app store. This reflects the much wider range of activities - including gaming (more on this later) - that the new Apple TV box makes possible, as well as the likely explosion in app numbers that will result from the shift to cross-device app support. The new Apple TV’s store potential also extends, it seems, to actual product purchases, with support for online product purchases.
Pic Credit: Apple
Again I question - especially after my recent unhappy experience with the latest Android TV interface - whether many users will really want access to potentially hundreds of apps and online stores on their relatively passive TV when they can do the same stuff on a personalised tablet or smartphone. But maybe the slickness of tvOS will change my mind.
Power to the people
Apple’s shift to a more app-centric platform for its new Apple TVs makes their 32GB or 64GB of built-in storage versus the mere 8GB of the previous Apple TV look like a pretty much essential move. The extra complexities of a more populated content environment also make the new Apple TV’s use of a 64-bit A8 chip (the same chip used in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus) versus the 32-bit A5 chip used in the previous model look like a sensible move. After all, few things put users off engaging with smart TV platforms more than sluggish operation.
So far I’ve focussed on the main Apple TV box, but the new Apple TV also differs considerably from the previous model with its remote control.
Handy handset
For starters, while the previous aluminum handset wasn’t by any means ugly, the new all-black one looks much more modern and elegant. The top area now sports a touch surface control area so you can move the cursor around or swipe through menus just by moving your thumb. This should speed the navigation process versus the previous Apple TV remote’s simple set of navigation buttons, though I’ll need to live with the remote for a while before I can say how well Apple has judged the touch pad’s sensitivity and responsiveness.
The new Apple TV remote also introduces motion control. It’s fitted with both a gyroscope and an accelerometer so that you can interact with the Apple TV - or play games if you hold it horizontally - simply by tilting it or moving it. Its use of a Bluetooth connection system rather than an infra-red one means, handily, that you don’t have to point the remote directly at any sensors in the Apple TV box for it to respond to your movements.
The introduction of Siri control to the new Apple TV also means the redesigned remote control is fitted with microphones where its predecessor had none.
The new remote is rechargeable too - though before you start worrying about having to remember to put the remote on charge every night, Apple claims it should be good for a remarkable three months on just a single charge.
Apple’s first games console?
I’ve mentioned gaming a couple of times so far, but Apple was keen when launching the new Apple TV to stress that it sees the new box and motion sensitive remote as a genuine gaming machine. In fact, as reported by Dave Thier in a recent article for Forbes, developers are even seeing it as an Xbox One/PS4 killer given the size of the casual gaming market and the shift to a universal app system where apps work across Apple TV, iPhones and iPads.
I can’t really see much point myself in playing games designed for phones and tablets (Crossy Road was used for Apple’s launch demo) on my TV when I could be playing The Witcher 3 on the big screen instead. Nor am I convinced that the casual gaming market Apple TV seems to be targeting will be bothered to play through Apple TV when they can just use their phones. But maybe the new Apple TV interface will be slick enough and responsive enough to lure players in, or maybe some sort of killer Apple TV gaming app will materialise from somewhere.
Crossy Road on the telly, anyone?
At any rate, gaming is certainly an area where the new Apple TV crushes the previous model - though this ‘strength’ of the new box could become a double-edged sword if the addition of gaming takes too much away from the simplicity of Apple TV’s video delivery elements.
Video playback
Ah, yes - video. With so much else going on in the new Apple TV box you could almost forget that ultimately the business of getting video from all of today’s many sources onto your TV is what Apple TV is really all about. Unfortunately, though, this is the one area where the new Apple TV delivers the smallest advances over its predecessor.
Casting around for ways the new Apple TV might improve in video quality terms on what’s gone before, its support for Multiple Input/Multiple output (MIMO) Wi-Fi connectivity may lead to a more efficient video streaming performance over your wireless network. Also, the HDMI 1.4 port it carries together with its new chipset enable it to support H.264 1080p video at up to 60 frames a second, whereas the previous Apple TV can only deliver full 1080p at 30 frames a second. The new box also supports split screen playback for those times when you just can’t agree on what to watch.
However, as I’ve discussed in a previous article, it’s hugely disappointing that the new Apple TV box doesn’t include any support for 4K UHD streaming. There are clearly still hurdles to the widespread adoption of 4K, but rival platforms are starting to offer it; more and more content is being made available in it; and the vast majority of big-screen TVs now support it.
Not being able to stream 4K from the new Apple TV to 4K TVs like the Sony 75X9400C is a real... [+] disappointment.
Conclusions
So significant is this HD-only limitation that you can’t help but think Apple will launch a 4K-capable Apple TV in much less than another three years time. This in turn raises the possibility that unless money’s no object, it might be better to wait for that potential 4K model to appear rather than investing $149 or $199 (for the 32GB and 64GB versions respectively) now in something that may quickly start to feel like the weakest video link in your home entertainment system’s chain.
If you’re confident you have no interest in 4K UHD video, though, then the new Apple TV really does appear to deliver enough points of difference and, in some areas, progression over the old one to make it an attractive and even ground-breaking device. It will likely only get more interesting, too, as new services - maybe including Apple’s rumoured Netflix -like streaming platform, and developments with Apple’s HomeKit - come on line.
The only last word of caution I’d offer is that given how much extra burden is being placed on the new tvOS platform by all the new apps and features it’s required to support, it may still be worth waiting for formal reviews of the new Apple TV to start appearing rather than getting your pre-order in now.
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bcf317ab719afd9dce9b583eb035db9f | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2015/09/17/amazon-embarrasses-apple-with-new-4k-fire-tv-box/ | Amazon Embarrasses Apple With New 4K Fire TV Box | Amazon Embarrasses Apple With New 4K Fire TV Box
So just a week ago I found myself writing about my disappointment at the new Apple TV box not supporting 4K UHD video. I argued then that with so much 4K content and other 4K hardware around these days, it seemed seriously short-sighted of Apple not to include 4K streaming capabilities in its new TV box. And now Amazon has gleefully proved my point by announcing - with perfect timing - that its second-generation Amazon Fire TV box WILL support 4K UHD streaming. What’s more, it will do so for a price of just $99.99 (£80 in the UK), comfortably undercutting what Apple is asking for its HD-only boxes.
The 4K capabilities of the new Amazon Fire TV will let users access the 4K UHD streams of Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Video, and Netflix . This adds up to hundreds of hours of 4K UHD content by the time you’ve taken into account all the films and TV series these three platforms currently offer in 4K. Plus, of course, the amount of 4K content they offer is going to increase dramatically in the coming months as both Amazon and Netflix are committed to delivering the majority of their own home-grown shows in 4K UHD.
The new Amazon Fire TV box in all its 4K-capable glory.
You will need both a 4K UHD television set with HDCP 2.2 (anti-piracy protocol) support and a broadband connection that delivers a stable speed of at least 15Mbps to make use of the new Amazon Fire TV’s 4K streaming capabilities. But already the majority of big-screen TVs in stores now carry native 4K UHD resolutions; the cost of 4K TVs is plummeting; and the number of people able to access super-fast broadband is finally now growing fast.
While the new Amazon Fire TV’s 4K capabilities are enough in themselves to make it a potential Apple TV killer, it also has a number of other attractions up its sleeve. For instance, it supports High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), which should make it possible to deliver more Amazon Video 1080p HD streams into people’s homes than ever before thanks to the way HEVC’s extra compression efficiencies reduce the burden on broadband connections.
Amazon has also boosted the new Amazon Fire TV’s brain power by a claimed 75% by adding a MediaTek 64-bit quad-core processor and dedicated GPU. This set up rivals the new Apple TV’s 64-bit A8 chip, and Amazon claims it also adds up to five times the processing power of the latest Roku boxes, and eight times the power of Chromecast.
The new Amazon Fire TV box doesn’t match the new Apple TV where built-in storage is concerned; it offers 8GB versus 32GB or 64GB on the two Apple TV options. But you can simply expand the Amazon Fire TV’s memory by adding microSD cards up to 128GB in size.
Amazon has even attempted to steal the new Apple TV’s gaming thunder with its new Fire TV box by offering an Amazon Fire TV Gaming Edition pack. This $139.99 package includes the Amazon Fire TV box, a games controller, a 32GB microSD card and two games: Disney’s Ducktales and Yacht Club’s Shovel Knight.
Amazon believes it has an answer to Apple TV’s introduction of Siri voice support, too, in the form of Alexa: the ‘brain’ behind Amazon’s Echo system. This will be added to Fire TV boxes via a free over-the-air software update next year, allowing you to find TV shows and movies, weather reports, sports scores, apps and most other things that take your fancy just by speaking into the new Fire TV remote.
The new Amazon Fire TV is available as part of a gaming package.
Amazon is also keen to stress in the information released on the new Fire TV that its selection of apps and games is nearly 17 times bigger than it was when the original Fire TV launched in 2014, with more than 3,000 apps now available.
It could well be that Apple’s new tvOS system will trump the OS of the new Amazon Fire TV. Apple’s new remote control also looks more sophisticated than the one you get with the new Amazon Fire TV. Plus the way the new Apple TV is designed to fit much more snugly within a wider Apple product eco system will doubtless be a big attraction to people with other Apple devices.
However, the thing most people will spend the majority of their time doing on their Amazon Fire TV or Apple TV box is simply watching video. And the fact that much of this viewing can be done in glorious 4K on the Fire TV box but only in HD on the Apple TV box surely gives Amazon’s new offering a potentially killer edge for both serious AV fans and the growing millions of people keen to get the best from their shiny new 4K TVs.
The new Amazon TV box will start shipping on October 5th, and you can preorder one from today.
See also:
The New Apple TV Is Already Out Of Date
New Apple TV Vs Old Apple TV: Giant Leap Or Baby Step
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8299056c13f1d3f42b788fe26babd970 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2015/10/16/is-sonys-vpl-vw5000es-the-most-futuristic-home-cinema-projector-ever/ | Is Sony's VPL-VW5000ES The Most Futuristic Home Cinema Projector Ever? | Is Sony's VPL-VW5000ES The Most Futuristic Home Cinema Projector Ever?
The world of AV is changing faster now than it’s arguably ever changed before. The arrival on the AV scene of 4K UHD resolution, high dynamic range playback and expanded colour gamuts is placing ever-increasing burdens on home video devices to try and keep up. But Sony has used the 2015 CEDIA show in Dallas to unveil a new home cinema projector that seems better equipped - on paper, at least - than arguably any other home entertainment product before to handle whatever the brave new AV world might throw at it.
That projector is the VPL-VW5000ES, and its specifications really are extraordinary. For a start, it uses a laser light engine to pump out a huge claimed brightness of 5,000 lumens. Epson’s EH-LS10000 laser projector, by comparison, only delivers 1500 lumens of brightness.
Sony has stolen a march on the rest of the home cinema world by being able to achieve a native 4K UHD resolution from its SXRD projection chipsets - so it’s no surprise to find this advantage being leveraged on the flagship VW5000ES. But that’s just the start of its cutting edge picture compatibility charms.
Fair to say Sony's VW5000ES is prettier on the inside than it is on the outside.
Thanks to its carriage of an HDMI input that’s built to the latest standard it can also handle high dynamic range (HDR) content, 4K at 60 frames a second, colour spaces that include native support for the DCI-P3 colour system used in many commercial cinemas, emulation of the BT.2020 colour system, and colour subsampling at 4:4:4 8-bit or 4:2:2 12 bit. This makes it more than ready to handle the upcoming Ultra HD Blu-ray format.
Sony claims, too, that the combination of a dynamic contrast system and the laser lighting can deliver an infinite contrast ratio - along with an ‘outstanding’ (though not actually numbered in Sony’s specifications) native contrast performance if you’d rather turn the dynamic contrast system off.
The use of a laser light engine has other benefits beyond brightness and colour space. It also allows for reduced warm up/cool down times, and should greatly reduce the colour shifts over the projector’s life span that you get with other projector types. Even if your VW5000ES does shift in colour a little over its lifetime it needn’t be a problem, as Sony has equipped it with a built-in re-calibration system that can be used to adjust the projector’s settings to compensate for any colour drift that may have taken place.
The VW5000ES is designed to fit into high-end dedicated home theater installations, with handy installation features including the facility to tilt it by as much as 30 degrees, a large amount of powered optical zoom, plus lens shifting covering up to +/-80% vertical and +/-31% horizontal.
If you’re thinking after reading all this that you’ll pop a VW5000ES on your Christmas list, though, there’s bad news: the projector isn’t scheduled to launch in the US or Europe until spring 2016. But then to be honest anyone who might want to buy you one could probably do with a few months longer to save up; after all, Sony's forward-thinking beast is expected to retail for $60,000/65,000 euros…
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dfcbac6ef040ec3e98157854d6f008b4 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2016/03/10/amazon-video-to-start-streaming-dolby-vision-hdr/ | Amazon Video To Start Streaming Dolby Vision HDR | Amazon Video To Start Streaming Dolby Vision HDR
Amazon has revealed today that it’s about to launch another technical advance for its Amazon Video streaming service: Dolby Vision HDR .
Amazon began streaming some of its shows in the industry-standard high dynamic range format last summer (as reported here), but now it intends to also make content available in Dolby Vision’s version of HDR, which adds a layer of dynamic metadata to a baseline HDR stream in order to deliver a supposedly more accurate, dynamic and refined HDR visual experience to TVs equipped with Dolby Vision decoders. (For a detailed look at HDR, check out this separate article.)
At present such TVs are pretty thin on the ground. But their numbers are about to be significantly swelled by the launch of LG’s new ‘Super UHD’ range of LCD TVs - all of which are Dolby Vision ready. In fact, it was LG’s announcement of pricing information on these Super UHD TVs today that prompted Amazon to break cover with its Dolby Vision news.
It’s important to stress that the Dolby Vision HDR streams will not replace Amazon’s current HDR streams. They will just co-exist, meaning people with Dolby Vision-enabled TVs can see the Dolby Vision streams, while people without Dolby Vision TVs can still see the ‘standard’ HDR streams.
Which titles?
Amazon has yet to be drawn on which titles from its library will be getting the Dolby Vision HDR treatment, though obviously it’s tempting to imagine that it will be the same titles already available in ‘vanilla’ HDR. These include Bosch , Transparent, and Mozart in The Jungle, with many more ‘Amazon Originals’ allegedly destined to get the HDR treatment in the coming months.
Jim Freeman , Vice President of Digital Video at Amazon, says this of his company’s Dolby Vision move: “Amazon Video provides customers with HDR content today, and we’re thrilled to work with LG to extend our premium offering to include a Dolby Vision enhanced HDR experience on LG SUPER UHD TVs. We can’t wait for our customers to have even more ways to enjoy a premium movie and TV viewing experience.”
It should be said that not everyone in the AV industry is convinced of the usefulness of Dolby Vision’s take on HDR. Some find its preference for mastering to much higher brightness levels than any of today’s TVs can deliver potentially unhelpful, and its method of using metadata to essentially dictate to a TV how each frame of an HDR source should look too restrictive and heavy handed.
LG's new Super UHD LCD TVs will support the Amazon Dolby Vision HDR streams. (PRNewsFoto/LG... [+] Electronics USA)
Personally I can see a point to Dolby Vision HDR, especially with relatively affordable TVs that aren’t as heavily laden with their own processing systems as premium models. But really the most important thing is that Amazon will be offering both HDR streaming options; there’s no ‘either/or’ format war here. And except for where it starts to cause unnecessary confusion among consumers, more choice is nearly always a good thing.
Another step in Dolby's online rise
Amazon's announcement shows that Dolby Vision is really starting to get some traction in the online video world. VUDU started offering Dolby Vision movies last November, while Netflix has publicly confirmed on numerous occasions that it intends to support Dolby Vision HDR when its own HDR streaming services go live at some point this year.
As soon as I hear an exact start date for Amazon’s Dolby Vision service, I’ll update this story accordingly.
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51792d296dea6616bd0b848a9346f015 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2016/05/27/sony-xbr-75x940d-kd-75xd9405-4k-tv-review-big-love/ | Sony XBR-75X940D 4K TV Review: Big Love | Sony XBR-75X940D 4K TV Review: Big Love
So far 2016 has been a disappointing one for TV technology. The high dynamic range (HDR) technology that promised so much has turned out to be a mixed blessing at best and a bit of a disaster at worst thanks to the way it ruthlessly exposes any frailties a TV may have.
The $6,500, 75-inch Sony XBR-75X940D (KD-75XD9405 in the UK), though, offers a much-needed beacon of hope. The thing is, it’s the first 2016 TV I’ve tested that combines lights placed directly behind its screen (rather than around its edges) with local dimming, where different clusters of LEDs can output different levels of light to suit the requirements of the image being shown. This sort of configuration has consistently delivered the most satisfying results with standard dynamic range images, and if anything its ability to deliver more localised lighting than edge LED TVs looks even more important in the new HDR age. Especially when you’re talking about a screen as huge as 75 inches.
The Sony 75X940D. [Pic: Sony]
Design
Considering it uses a direct LED lighting engine the 75X940D is impressively thin - both round the back and across its screen frame. This makes for a stark contrast with its predecessor, the 75X940C, which featured huge wings to left and right and a chunky wedge shaped rear in order to accommodate an array of six extraordinarily powerful speakers.
While I personally had a soft spot for the 75X940C’s monolithic massiveness, I suspect most people will probably consider the shift to a much slimmer look for the 75X940D a good move. Certainly it makes the set much easier for a typically sized living room to accommodate, and actually it also means you feel more focused more on the screen’s pictures.
Obviously the 75X940D’s lack of its predecessor’s ‘hi-fi’ speakers mean it won’t sound as good. But I guess there’s a fair chance that anyone spending $6,500 on a 75-inch TV will also have some sort of separate audio system.
Connections
The 75X940D’s connections are plentiful - as you’d expect of Sony’s flagship TV for 2016. The set’s four HDMIs are equipped for 4K/UHD and HDR playback, three USBs are on hand to play multimedia from USB drives or record from the TV’s tuner to a connected USB HDD, while Wi-Fi and RJ45 network connections enable both streamed media playback from networked DLNA-capable devices and access to Sony’s Smart services.
The Sony XBR-75X940D. [Pic: Sony]
Follow this link for an in-depth, warts and all look at the Android TV platform.
Picture features
The 75X940D’s direct LED lighting and local dimming system are powered by Sony’s latest X1 chipset and 4K X-Reality Pro video processing engine - an engine which also takes care of the set’s upscaling of non-4K sources and a suite of color-enhancing features associated with Sony’s Triluminos wide color spectrum technology.
Triluminos is obviously helpful in dealing with the enhanced color demands of HDR, and Sony claims the 75X940D can deliver comfortably more than the 90% of the ‘DCI-P3’ commercial cinema color spectrum demanded by the industry’s so-called Ultra HD Premium seal of picture quality approval.
Even more important where HDR performance is concerned is the 75X940D’s X-Tended Dynamic Range Pro technology, which boosts contrast and peak white performance by reallocating power from dark areas to bright areas. Sony’s step-down X930D models tried using this technology with their edge LED light systems too, with rather hit and miss results. But experience suggests the technology should work much more effectively in the direct LED lighting domain.
The Sony 75X940D's rear is eye-catchingly slim and hides most connections behind clip-off panels.... [+] [Pic: Sony]
While we’re on the subject of HDR (which I explain in jargon-free terms in this separate article), it’s worth adding that while the 75X940D does not and will never support the Dolby Vision HDR system, it should be able to add compatibility via firmware updates with both the open standard ‘dynamic HDR10’ system the industry is currently exploring and the so-called Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) broadcast HDR system if and when that finally deploys.
Unlike any of Samsung’s 2016 TVs (as reported here), the 75X940D supports 3D too - though none of the necessary active shutter glasses are included for free, which is slightly disappointing for an $6,500 TV.
Picture Quality
With my heart in my mouth I fired a few Ultra HD Blu-rays into the 75X940D. Would it suffer with the same sort of distracting backlight problems other TVs have displayed this year?
Mercifully, while it isn’t totally free of backlight flaws, they’re subdued enough to make Sony’s giant screen instantly the first TV of the year that’s made HDR consistently lovely to behold.
The screen’s contrast range is truly spectacular. Gorgeously deep black colors by LCD standards share screen space with exceptionally punchy whites and bright colours that extend far beyond the luminance range we’ve been stuck with for decades with standard dynamic range content.
Crucially, though, the 75X940D doesn’t only deliver on the extremes of HDR’s potential. Sony’s light handling engine is also good enough to deliver shadow details right down to near-black levels as well as avoiding any hint of clipping/detail ‘flare out’ in the brightest areas. In fact, the 75X940D handles subtle greyscale differentials and light shifts impeccably at seemingly every stage of HDR’s expanded brightness range.
The Sony 75XD9405. [Pic: Sony]
Color prowess
With richly colored HDR material like The Lego Movie and Deadpool on Ultra HD Blu-ray the results are utterly spectacular. But crucially the 75X940D’s color finesse is just as effective in making more subdued, naturalistic-looking movies like The Revenant feel more three dimensional and real.
The exceptional mix of dynamism and color tone finesse in the 75X940D’s HDR pictures also helps it deliver the maximum impact from its screen’s native 4K resolution and Ultra HD Blu-ray discs. Also, while I don’t believe you have to have a massive screen to really enjoy the benefits of 4K, the 75X940D’s 75-inch enormity certainly doesn’t do its 4K charms any harm…
It’s worth adding, too, that Sony’s usually strong Motionflow processing continues to impress on the 75X940D. Even on its gentlest, most natural-looking Clear setting it reduces motion blur enough to ensure pictures still retain 4K levels of clarity even during action scenes.
Not perfect
For the vast majority of the time the 75X940D’s 4K HDR pictures look simply imperious. But as I noted briefly before, even this mighty TV’s local dimming/direct LED light engine isn’t able to avoid all backlight distractions. Really extreme HDR content such as the infamous Chapter 7 of the Exodus: Gods And Kings Ultra HD Blu-ray, which features bright torch and candlelight appearing against almost completely black backdrops, can reveal gentle light ‘halos’ that stretch out for a good couple of inches beyond a bright object’s boundaries.
The Exodus Ultra HD Blu-ray features some extreme HDR shots that can really catch TVs out. [Pic:... [+] 20th Century Fox]
Very occasionally I did see a more distracting issue whereby the appearance of an intensely bright HDR object over a large proportion of the screen could seemingly cause the whole color tone of the image to change momentarily. But such moments only cropped up on a handful of occasions in the course of watching seven or eight Ultra HD Blu-rays.
Brightness versus backlight flaws
One other little issue worth mentioning is that the 75X940D’s HDR pictures aren’t quite as explosively bright and rich in their portrayal of light ‘peaks’ as those of Samsung’s UN55KS9500. But there’s never any question that the Sony is doing HDR justice, and personally I’d sacrifice a touch of brightness peaking every time if the pay off is less blatant backlight flaws.
Much as I’d love to watch nothing but Ultra HD Blu-ray - or, failing that, streamed 4K HDR via the Amazon and Netflix apps - it’s a plain fact that for now we all have to spend much of our time watching lots of standard dynamic range and HD sources. So it’s great to find that the 75X940D is nothing short of stunning with such content.
The reduced intensity of standard dynamic range images means all the slight backlight flaws noted with HDR sources vanish, leaving you with essentially immaculate black levels that still look full of detail and natural color tones. Also, while colors look markedly more subdued than they do with HDR/Wide Color sources, the Triluminos technology and Sony’s exemplary processing ensures that SDR pictures still look vibrant and natural without losing any color balance or finesse.
Sony 75X940D Stand Detail [Pic: Sony]
The 75X940D handles the third dimension well for the most part, too. There’s a marked drop off in sharpness versus the TV’s 2D performance, but its brightness and color intensity work brilliantly in countering the dimming effect of the active shutter 3D glasses, while its beautiful contrast performance works wonders in building a convincing sense of space and scale.
3D ghosting
The only 3D problem, predictably, is that there’s some crosstalk ghosting noise around sharply contrasting objects in the foreground or background. The ghosting is subdued enough in appearance not to routinely prove a distraction, but at the same time you certainly can’t ignore it on a screen as big as this one.
Gaming on the 75X940D is an almost obscene amount of fun given the size and quality of pictures on offer. So it’s pleasing to find that when using the set’s game picture preset it only takes the TV around 30ms to render its images. This is an impressively low figure by 4K TV standards, and shouldn’t lead to too many reaction time deaths on Call Of Duty or Battlefield.
Corner detail of the Sony 75X940D. [Pic: Sony]
Verdict
Sony’s 75X940C was arguably my favorite all-round TV of 2015, and I’m pleased to say that while it’s not completely flawless, the 75X940D stands a chance of seeing off the competition this year (though to be fair, the incoming LG OLED TVs and Samsung KS9800 (KS9500 in the UK) might have other ideas).
So good is the 75X940D, in fact, that I can’t help but feel frustrated that Sony doesn’t broaden the market for it X940D technology by offering it in smaller screen sizes. Maybe next year…
If this review has been of interest to you, you might also be interested in my reviews of the Sony 65X930D, Samsung UN55KS9500 and Panasonic 50DX750 TVs, plus Deadpool and The Revenant on Ultra HD Blu-ray.
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c1ebbe8bbaf9bd68c9604209be1d7f00 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2016/07/19/samsung-un65ks9800-ue65ks9500-ks9800-ks9500-tv-review-lcds-answer-to-oled/ | Samsung UN65KS9800 4K TV Review: LCD's Answer To OLED | Samsung UN65KS9800 4K TV Review: LCD's Answer To OLED
So far in 2016 the now customary annual battle between LG’s OLED TV technology and the LCD screens favored by everyone else has been tipping LG’s way. Although not perfect, the previously reviewed OLED55C6 and OLED65E6 TVs have both brought OLED on in leaps and bounds from LG’s already strong 2015 models.
What’s more, this OLED improvement has happened against a backdrop of LCD TVs consistently struggling to handle the extreme light demands introduced by the AV world’s exciting but challenging new high dynamic range (HDR) technology (explained in layman's terms here).
Here, though, I’m looking at a TV which in terms of specification, reputation and relative affordability has arguably more potential than any LCD rival to put a cat among the OLED pigeons.
The Samsung UN65KS9800. (Pic: Samsung)
After all, the $4,500 Samsung UN65KS9800 (UE65KS9500 in the UK) uses a high-end direct LED backlight system with local dimming; introduces a new upconversion system for turning standard dynamic range content into HDR that actually works; uses a Quantum Dot color system to deliver a huge color range; and is capable of hitting brightness levels the likes of which we’ve never seen before on a television set.
Naturally I’ll be assessing the impact of these features over the course of the review, but let’s start by looking at the UN65KS9800’s design. Which is, as ever with flagship Samsung TVs these days, built round a curved screen.
Design
I’ve covered the pros and cons of curved screens in a separate article (6 Reasons You Should Buy A Curved TV - And 6 More Why You Shouldn’t), so I won’t go over the same ground again here. I will say, though, that Samsung’s curve is fairly severe relative to the shallower designs often now found on the dwindling number of curved TVs still being shipped by other brands, making the TV look quite chunky round the back by today’s standards.
The curve still catches the eye nicely from the front, though, and it’s nice to see Samsung returning to a more slender frame design for this year after the spectacular but large frames wrapped around its premium 2015 models.
As with other flagship Samsung TVs in recent years, connectivity on the UN65KS9800 comes courtesy of an external connection box that attaches tidily to the TV via a single proprietary cable. On this box you get highlights of four HDMIs, three USBs, both satellite and terrestrial TV tuner inputs, and an optical audio output.
The Samsung UN65KS9800's external connections box. (Pic: Samsung)
Please note, though, that unlike previous Samsung TV generations this external box can’t be swapped out for a replacement one in the future containing updated chipsets and features.
This is, of course, a big shame - though if what Samsung says is true and it’s stopped offering upgradability because basically very few people were taking advantage of it then I guess we’ve nobody to blame but ourselves!
While we’re on the subject of past features Samsung has dropped for 2016, there’s no support for 3D on even this flagship set. Samsung has again - bravely or rashly depending on your point of view - decided that there’s not enough interest in the feature to keep supporting it.
Ultra HD Premium Specification
The UN65KS9800’s screen contains a native UHD pixel count as we’d expect these days, and there’s support for HDR playback that meets the AV industry’s ‘Ultra HD Premium’ specification. Full details of this can be found in this separate article, but briefly it means (for LCD TVs) that the screen can deliver more than 90% of the DCI-P3 digital cinema colour range, more than 1000 nits of brightness, black levels of at least 0.05nits, and the ability to accept 10-bit (at least) signals.
In truth the UN65KS9800 actually comfortably exceeds some of these Ultra HD Premium requirements. The Quantum Dot-based color system Samsung has returned to for 2016 after dabbling with Nano Crystals in 2015 serves up around 96% of the DCI-P3 spectrum, while I’ve seen the screen delivering measurable brightness peaks beyond 1400 nits.
Samsung UN65KS9800 stand detail. (Pic: Samsung)
Delivered by a combination of a direct backlight and local dimming over 150 zones, this brightness figure is far higher than anything I’ve seen from any other TV. In fact, it seems on the surface of things to be more than even HDR actually needs considering that most Ultra HD Blu-rays are currently being mastered to around 1000 nits. However, having ‘headroom’ in any picture performance area is the only way to guarantee consistently accurate results. Plus Samsung provides the facility in its settings for you to exploit the extra brightness more if you wish by ‘expanding’ content to more consistently fill the UN65KS9800’s full capabilities.
The HDR+ Difference
This leads me - kind of - into a key new Samsung feature called HDR+. Set to roll out soon via firmware update across all of Samsung’s SUHD TVs, HDR+’s big trick is that it intends to make non-HDR content look like HDR. How? By first remapping the non-HDR image’s saturation and hue color components to representative points in the native DCI-P3 color space, and then analyzing the content using algorithms developed from exhaustive laboratory comparisons between native HDR and native SDR versions of the same content to work out how best to change the gamma curve and boost the image’s dynamics.
It all sounds pretty cool (unless, perhaps, you’re the sort of enthusiast more interested in retaining accuracy to source standards than exploiting the full hardware potential of your TV). There is one problem with it, though: its name.
For starters the industry already uses HDR+ to describe a combination of HDR, wide color gamut and 10-bit sample depth. Worse, the name HDR+ makes you think it’s some next generation of native HDR technology, when that’s not really accurate. Though intriguingly, while HDR+’s main job is SDR conversion, it can also impact native HDR by either introducing mapping to the BT.2020 level if you’ve got the TV’s color space set to Native, or boosting luminance and thus the appearance of saturation if the color space is set to Auto.
One last feature quickly worth covering before getting into the UN65KS9800’s picture quality is Samsung’s Tizen-based smart TV system. This has been hugely improved this year by the addition of a second ‘tier’ of contextual links on the home page that changes based on what you’ve selected in the bottom tier.
The Tizen-based smart TV system used by the Samsung UN65KS9800. (Pic: Samsung)
There’s plenty of content available via Samsung’s online services too - including, of course, the 4K and HDR-capable of versions of Netflix and Amazon Video.
Picture Quality
Last year’s Samsung JS9500 TVs delivered for me the best all-round HDR picture quality of 2015 - and for much of the time the UN65KS9800 continues that theme. In fact, its pictures routinely outgun not only those of its JS9500 predecessor but also those of all its rival TVs in 2016 - including, honestly, LG’s OLED TVs - to deliver quite simply the most spectacular pictures I have ever witnessed on a TV.
It’s just a pity that Samsung’s push to deliver such an outright spectacle occasionally throws up a few distracting flaws as well.
Let’s focus on the good news first. Starting with the fact that the UN65KS9800’s dynamic range is extraordinary. The way the TV is able to combine that huge maximum light output of 1400 nits for stunning luminance peaks with plenty of those inky black levels you only get with LCD TVs that use direct lighting and local dimming results in what I can only clumsily describe as the ‘most HDR’ picture quality seen to date. And HDR done as comprehensively as this really is a thing of beauty.
The charms of HDR
For starters, delivering HDR so effectively makes native HDR sources look much more realistic, lifelike and engaging than SDR ever could. You really can’t take your eyes off what you’re watching. Also, though, the UN65KS9800 opened my eyes to just what artistic power HDR can have, allowing directors to create visuals that enjoy an almost painterly, other-worldly beauty if they want to, or making it possible for filmmakers to use their visuals to deliver more emotion, drama and almost visceral power with particular scenes.
The Samsung UN65KS9800. (Pic: Samsung)
The best - and most surprising actually, given that I’m not a fan of the film - example of the raw dramatic impact HDR can have that I came across during my tests is the crossing the Red Sea sequence in Exodus: Gods & Kings.
From the intensely brooding, stormy, lightning-filled skies to the epic scale of the on-rushing wall of water; the tininess of the humans racing against the vastness of nature; the extreme differences between the opulence of the Egyptian armor and the rags of the Israelites; and the stark, supernatural light tone of light delivered by the unnatural conditions of the sky, HDR enhances both the drama and even the themes of this spectacular set piece, bringing with it a greater appreciation of the filmmaker’s art.
So good is the UN65KS9800’s picture quality here and, actually, for most of its operating time that there’s a genuine danger you’ll be so enraptured by the picture quality you’re witnessing that you actually focus more on that than on the story a film’s telling. It’s possible, too, that the only emotion you’ll be able to feel is smugness about your new TV purchase! But of course, it’s not exactly fair to blame the TV for either of these outrageously shallow responses…
Not just a TV of extremes
It’s important to stress after trying to express a sense of the sheer wonder created by the UN65KS9800’s ultra-dynamic HDR pictures that their pleasures lie not just in their extremes. There is also, for instance, much more resolution of detail and tonal subtleties in the very brightest part of HDR images than you get with any other TV I’ve seen to date - including if not especially LG’s otherwise superb OLED TVs.
The UN65KS9800 also does a startlingly effective job for an LCD screen of picking out subtle shadow details and color information in very dark parts of the picture. OLED still wins here thanks to the way each pixel can deliver its own light, but the UN65KS9800’s mastery of low level details is hugely impressive - especially when you consider the inky black level depths it’s able to reach. Also playing its part here is the new ‘Moth Eye’ screen filter Samsung has applied to the UN65KS9800, which does a strikingly good job of soaking up onscreen reflections to boost your perception of contrast.
Corner detail of the Samsung UN65KS9800. (Pic: Samsung)
It’s important to stress, too, that having such an extreme brightness range at its disposal enables the UN65KS9800 to completely avoid the silhouetting and dark/light balance issues that affect less bright HDR screens. In other words, dark parts of HDR pictures never look uncomfortably dark, or start to look hollow due to a lack of shadow detail resolution.
This, for me, makes a pretty key point about the need for brightness for natural HDR results, and is why I hope LG can continue to keep improving the brightness of its OLEDs (without causing too many issues with the dark end of the light spectrum where they clearly excel) in the coming years.
Color heroics
It’s not just with its brightness that the UN65KS9800 revels in the next generation of picture technology we can now enjoy. Its color performance is also stellar in most ways, embracing the wide color spectrums that accompany pretty much every HDR source we’ve seen to date with an enthusiasm far in advance of the efforts of Samsung’s equivalent 2015 model, the JS9500.
In fact, while other TVs - including the LG OLEDs Samsung is clearly so keen to try and see off - can deliver similar amounts of the DCI-P3 color space associated with HDR feeds, the extra volume the UN65KS9800’s class-leading brightness can inject into the color space for me makes it unprecedentedly good at unlocking the color potential of Ultra HD Blu-ray and the Amazon/Netflix HDR streams.
One more stellar area of the UN65KS9800’s performance is its sharpness. It achieves levels of clarity and detail with native 4K/UHD content that makes images look so pristine they actually make you question if some rival 4K TVs are really delivering the full Ultra HD experience. Even Ultra HD Blu-ray titles that have been created from original 2K masters somehow look emphatically 4K on the UN65KS9800 - aided partly by Samsung’s increasingly outstanding video processing, and partly by the set’s awesome color and contrast efforts.
The Samsung UN65KS9800. (Pic: Samsung)
The TV handles motion within an image very well too, suffering barely any drop in resolution as objects pass across the frame. That’s not to say motion is wholly free of issues, though, as we’ll discover later.
Not just good with native HDR and UHD content
While the UN65KS9800 is clearly at its best with native HDR and UHD content, it’s also remarkably good at dealing with the HD and standard dynamic range content most of us will still find ourselves having to watch for much of our viewing time.
Its HD to UHD upscaling engine improves yet further on the already outstanding efforts of its forebears, managing to add four times more pixels in real time without looking artificial, noisy or losing any of its color or contrast intensity.
The biggest surprise, though, is how effective the UN65KS9800’s new HDR+ system is at giving standard dynamic range content an HDR feel. In fact, however much I might dislike its name, HDR+ is by far the most convincing HDR ‘upscaling’ engine I’ve seen so far.
It’s especially effective at opening up the luminance ‘space’ of SDR content, adding remarkable amounts of extra, HDR-like punch to extreme light sources like sunlight coming through a window or candles and flaming torches flickering against black backdrops. What’s more, this extra light intensity is delivered without leaving the brightened parts of the picture looking excessively clipped (empty of detail/flared out).
The rear of the Samsung UN65KS9800 TV. (Pic: Samsung)
The HDR+ debate
The expanded luminance is so effective it even opens up the sense of space and depth in SDR images. Yet the huge boost in luminance peaks doesn’t look forced, and the processing is clever enough to make sure the extra brightness injected into light areas is balanced out by a lift to accompanying dark areas, so that the silhouetting issue I mentioned earlier continues not to be a problem.
The cleverest bit of HDR+, though, is the way it has a really full-blooded go at expanding the color spectrum of SDR content. There’s none of the half-heartedness seen with other brands’ HDR upscaling attempts to date, which means that as well as colors looking more spectacular and dynamic, there’s far less of the color anaemia witnessed with other attempts at HDR upscaling.
While HDR+ might be a class leader where HDR upscaling is concerned, though, it isn’t perfect. Sometimes the color expansion doesn’t quite get it right; some tones can become a little dominant, and there’s a tendency for ‘warm’ (in color terms) content to look a bit yellow. Skin tones sometimes look ‘peaky’ too.
These issues underline the fact that - ground-breakingly good though it is - HDR+ is unlikely to be a feature video purists will want to avail themselves of. That said, however much content producers and purists may dislike the whole idea of HDR+, simple human nature dictates that many people will want to get the maximum impact from all that brightness and color they’ve paid the big bucks for. And it’s a simple fact that Samsung’s HDR+ mode does a far better job of scratching that ‘turning everything up to 11’ itch than any other similar system I’ve seen. Especially as you actually start to acclimatize to its foibles over time.
Drawing the HDR+ line
While it’s hard not to be impressed (quite possibly against your better judgment!) by what HDR+ does to SDR content, though, I really don’t recommend applying it to native HDR content. For the most part it just boosts the brightness of HDR content to even more extreme levels, and in doing so it makes HDR pictures look unnaturally ‘stretched’ and shorter on subtle shading detail.
Steep angle view of the Samsung UN65KS9800 TV. (Pic: Samsung)
I should now add for purists still feeling nauseous at the very idea of HDR+ that the UN65KS9800 is also fantastic at delivering SDR content in its native form. The extremes of performance the TV has been designed to handle for HDR really make SDR a walk in the park, so that it appears with remarkable contrast, black level response, backlight uniformity, color finesse and clarity. It’s hard to think of any LCD TV that’s ever made SDR content look better, in fact.
Just bear in mind that you should reduce the backlight (to around its 10 level if not even a bit lower) and the contrast (to around 80-85) to get the most immersive and natural SDR results.
So far, so very, very good. As noted earlier, though, the UN65KS9800 is not perfect - even if there are moments when it feels that way. In fact, there are a number of niggles to be aware of.
The negative bit
First up, as you would expect, even using a direct LED lighting system with local dimming can’t completely stop ‘accidental’ light appearing where it shouldn’t when showing HDR content. Moons in the night sky, torchlight, candles, streetlamps, white end credits text against black backdrops… anywhere there’s a very bright object against a dark backdrop you can clearly see a light cloud around the object.
Some of the sockets carried by the Samsung UN65KS9800's external connections box.
You can adjust the intensity of these clouds by tinkering with the dynamic contrast and Smart LED features, but unless you’re willing to turn the local dimming functionality off (which impacts the screen’s contrast significantly, and doesn’t yield a true HDR image anymore) you can’t get rid of them completely.
The size of the clouding/haloing areas actually seems slightly larger than it was on last year’s JS9500 series, and really extreme light/dark contrasts can even cause faint but visible diagonal light jets from the screen’s bottom corners when you’re watching a letter-boxed film.
Sudden extreme changes in the overall light intensity of an HDR film or streamed TV show can also cause a pronounced and thus distracting shift in the overall light intensity of the image on the UN65KS9800’s screen. This is again especially noticeable if you’re watching letter-boxed material (which most films are), as the changes in overall brightness of the image can affect the black bars too - something which seems a little strange considering the light engine has local dimming at its disposal.
It’s important to stress that none of the backlight issues I mention show up often; they’re only apparent with really quite extreme HDR content. But they do appear, and you don’t need a ‘trained eye’ to spot them.
Reasons for the light issues
Two reasons for the UN65KS9800 seemingly having slightly less precise light controls than its predecessor come to mind. One is that the considerable increase in contrast the screen delivers simply makes the defined coverage ‘zones’ of the locally dimmed backlight clusters easier to see. The other is that Samsung may be deliberately leaving more zones slightly active in the vicinity of stand-out bright objects in an attempt to diffuse the blooming effect so that it’s less starkly visible.
Profile view of the Samsung UN65KS9800 TV. (Pic: Samsung)
I could certainly understand it if Samsung had decided to go that way; Sony’s X930D TVs and Panasonic’s DX902 TVs both suffer from very defined backlight ‘halo’ issues that don’t occupy as much screen space as those of the UN65KS9800 but actually look more distractingly stark due to the way their area of effect has been so aggressively limited.
It’s hard to imagine, of course, that any lighting technology in a TV that doesn’t operate to a pixel level of accuracy will ever be completely free of ‘light leakage’ issues. Which is, of course, why LG’s OLED technology is so popular with AV fans.
Another more surprising issue for the UN65KS9800 given its extreme color capabilities is posterization - striping in areas of subtle color tone shifts when watching HDR.
Posterization concerns
This is most clearly visible in shots of the sky - especially but certainly not exclusively in the reddish skies of The Martian - and is potentially infuriatingly for purists as it’s at its most noticeable when using the TV’s Movie preset that’s designed to deliver the most accurate HDR experience.
Samsung initially told me that it could fix this issue via firmware, and I even delayed completing this review while I waited for the fix to arrive. But the most recent communication I’ve received on the subject is that the solution is taking longer to find than expected, and may not be as effective as initially hoped.
In the mean time, the only way to substantially reduce the striping issue is to shift the Dynamic Contrast setting from the Movie mode’s default Off position to medium or, ideally, high. But of course, in doing this you’re raising the brightness intensity of the image and thus no longer seeing a truly accurate HDR image.
In fact, I found the most effective solution to the posterization was to use the ‘Standard’ picture preset for HDR rather than the Movie one, but with the backlight increased to 20 from its lower default (a default value Samsung has to use to comply with industry power regulations!) and motion processing turned off or set to a low level custom value. The Standard setting also, handily, suffers with less light ‘blooming’ artefacts than the Movie one.
Steep rear angle view of the Samsung UN65KS9800. (Pic: Samsung)
While I would argue that a tweaked Standard mode can give you a seriously gorgeous and spectacular HDR image most people will be amazed by, though, I’m duty bound to point out again that it’s not a truly accurate image if that’s something you’re highly motivated by.
Up next on the UN65KS9800’s naughty list is the difficulties it has handling camera pans - especially ‘spinning’ camera pans around a central object, such as when the camera circles around Eddie and his coach as he celebrates his 90m jump in Eddie The Eagle, or where the camera circles around Harry, Hermione and Ron after they emerge from a lake in the final Harry Potter film. The amount of judder visible at such moments seems quite extreme, and the motion processing if you try to use it has to work so hard at these moments that it can start to make the picture look unattractively processed.
One last mercifully extremely rare problem I noticed was a strange flickering effect when the image contains a lot of immensely fine detail - such as one or two shots of the mountainside Ramses attempts to ride his army around in the latter stages of Exodus: Gods And Kings on Ultra HD Blu-ray.
I tried adjusting everything from motion processing to sharpness, dynamic contrast and the local dimming to try and remove this issue, but nothing fully worked. Before anyone gets too stressed out, though, I only found this problem showing up on two or three shots during my entire testing period.
Sound quality
Despite its return to a more slender design after last year’s relatively chunky Samsung TVs, the UN65KS9800 is the best sounding mainstream TV Samsung has made (the UN85S9, with its huge integrated multi-channel speaker system, can’t really be considered mainstream with a price tag of $40,000!!). The sound projects exceptionally well, for instance, belying the TV’s lack of true forward facing speakers, and giving the soundstage a presence that has depth as well as palpable width. The ‘wall of sound’ effect is strong, with no loss of cohesion.
Voices sound excellent too - clear and free of distortion even with deep male tones. There’s no treble harshness even at very high volumes either, and the set even has a genuine stab at providing some real bass without it overwhelming the mid-range or causing the speakers to distort.
Gaming
If your mouth’s watering at the thought of gaming on a screen as cutting edge as the UN65KS9800, I’m happy to report that if you pop it into its Game mode, it suffers with less than 25ms of input lag (the time it takes to render image data received at its inputs). This is an outstanding result for a UHD TV that means it will have minimal impact on your gaming abilities.
Verdict
The UN65KS9800 is not a perfect TV. It continues to prove in some areas just how much of a challenge handling the new era of high dynamic range video is for even the most high-tech TVs, and the solutions for working round a couple of its problems mean you have to lose some of the HDR accuracy Samsung has otherwise strived so hard to achieve.
Having said all that, for the vast majority of the time its problems are either missing in action or so overwhelmed by the UN65KS9800’s numerous and explosive strengths that you no longer notice them, leaving you free to be dazzled by the outright most spectacular HDR/UHD pictures the TV world has delivered to date.
If you find this review useful, you might also want to check out my reviews of the Samsung UN55KS9500, the Sony XBR-75X940D, the Sony XBR-65X930D, and the LG OLED65E6.
Gallery: Amazon Fire TV 8 images View gallery
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8e4d71c6186c2e234c4df74417f21f4b | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2016/11/08/new-sony-tv-update-makes-ps4-ps4-pro-and-xbox-one-s-gamers-die-less/ | New Sony TV Update Makes PS4, PS4 Pro And Xbox One S Gamers Die Less [Updated] | New Sony TV Update Makes PS4, PS4 Pro And Xbox One S Gamers Die Less [Updated]
UPDATE: Since first publishing this story, it's become apparent from communications with Sony TV owners who have installed the latest Sony TV update that contrary to what I was led to believe would happen, it doesn't introduce an actual HDR Game mode. Rather it appears to merely reduce the TV's HDR input lag generally. It also seems that the update is also now available in the US under firmware number PKG3.531.0108NAB. I've approached Sony for absolute clarification on all this, but am still awaiting a response.
An amended version of the original story follows.
Sony has just announced a very timely firmware update for its 2015 and 2016 TVs that should considerably enhance the gaming experience for PS4, Xbox One S and imminent PS4 Pro console owners.
Excitingly called Software Update Version 3.533 in Europe and PKG3.531.0108NAB in the US, the new firmware addresses the problem all 2015 and 2016 Sony TVs bar the awe-inspiring Z9D/ZD9 models had with input lag (the time it takes for a screen to render image data received at its inputs) when gaming in high dynamic range mode.
Sony TVs affected by this new update previously only allowed you to engage their low latency Game picture presets when you were playing standard dynamic range content - a limitation that became a problem following first the launch of the HDR-capable Xbox One S, then the release of an HDR firmware update for Sony’s PS4 consoles, and finally the imminent launch of the HDR-enabled PS4 Pro.
The Sony PS4 Pro will soon be adding to the growing ranks of HDR-capable games consoles. (Pic: Sony... [+] PlayStation)
Now, thanks to the latest firmware update, the amount of input lag gamers have to suffer when gaming in HDR has been greatly reduced on the following Sony TV models: X85C, S85C, X91C, X90C, X93C, X94C, S850D (SD85 in Europe), X850D (XD85 in Europe), X940D (XD94 in Europe) and X930D (XD93 in Europe).
According to rtings.com, the new firmware reduces lag when gaming in HDR from more than 100ms to a much more acceptable (though still not ideal) 58.5ms.
It's puzzling that the latest Sony update only introduces a wholesale HDR lag reduction rather than adding a full HDR Game mode (like the one on the Z9Ds) that might have reduced lag further by deactivating more picture processing features. I've asked Sony for clarification on whether a proper HDR Game mode might be possible, but for now, at least, halving the HDR input lag is a lot better than nothing, I guess!
The 3.533 software update in Europe isn’t limited to the new HDR game mode. It also “improves the stability of the TV” - a reference, I’d guess, to fixing some of the problems with Sony’s notoriously buggy implementation of the Android TV smart platform.
Sony's 65X930D is one of the TV's that will be improved for gaming by Sony's latest TV firmware... [+] update. (Pic: Sony)
Plus it apparently resolves “the juddering issue when using a UHD set-top box” - a reference, surely, to the widely reported problems UK Sony TV owners have been having with the recently launched Sky Q Ultra HD satellite receiver.
The new update puts Sony's 2015/2016 TVs closer as HDR gaming options to 2016 TVs from Samsung and Panasonic, though those rival models still have an edge as they let you activate a proper Game mode while running in HDR mode. LG's TVs do not currently provide an HDR Game mode.
For an idea of just how much of a difference high dynamic range can make to the gaming experience, take a look at Gears Of War 4, Forza Horizon 3 and Deus Ex Mankind Divided HDR Review: Game Changer.
For a general introduction to HDR, try this: HDR Made Easy: A Jargon-Free Guide To The Next Big Thing In TV Technology.
If you want to know more about the impact input lag can have on your gaming experience, check out this: Keep Dying In Call Of Duty And Destiny? It Could Be Your TV's Fault.
Finally, if you want to know more about the problems Sony TVs in the UK are having with the Sky Q box, read Sony TVs Fail With Key New 4K Source.
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53cd29a0a07c6c113a0b75aaed790f7c | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2016/11/11/angry-gamers-start-petition-against-lg-oled-tvs/ | Angry Gamers Start Petition Against LG OLED TVs | Angry Gamers Start Petition Against LG OLED TVs
[Update: LG has just announced that it is going to introduce a firmware update that will improve HDR game lag on its TVs. Details here. The original story continues below.]
With the Xbox One S, PS4 and hot-off-the-press PS4 Pro all now merrily outputting games in high dynamic range, you’d think the gaming world but be a happy place, full of gamers lapping up the wonder of HDR’s enhanced brightness and color on their shiny new 4K/HDR TVs. Unfortunately, however, it seems that for owners of LG’s OLED TVs the HDR gaming experience is causing more frustration than elation.
So upset are some owners of LG’s 2016 OLED TVs, in fact, that they’ve set up a petition designed to put pressure on LG to fix the HDR input lag problem that’s causing them so much trouble.
The LG OLED55B6 is one of the 2016 OLED TVs gamers want LG to improve. (Pic: LG Electronics)
Input lag, if you’re not familiar with it, is the time it takes for a TV to actually render pictures after receiving picture data at its inputs. This is critically important to serious gamers, since any delay in the picture appearing hands a competitive advantage to rival players in online matches.
The problems with LG’s OLED TVs stem from the fact that when they were launched earlier this year, LG (along with most other TV brands, to be fair) apparently hadn't anticipated that HDR-capable games consoles might be coming out before the year was done. So while the OLED TVs can play HDR signals, they won’t let you play HDR and activate the TVs’ low input lag Game mode at the same time.
This means that when playing an HDR-enabled game, gamers on LG’s OLED TVs are having to contend with input lag figures as high as 68ms. That’s more than twice as high as I’d hope to see with a TV, and also nearly twice as high as the input lag you get when using the Game mode LG’s OLED TVs provide for use with non-HDR games.
The Sony PS4 Pro is now available - complete with HDR game support. (Pic: Sony PlayStation)
The exact input lag figures do vary slightly between different 2016 LG OLED TVs, but the bottom line is that their lack of an HDR Game setting means none of them get close to the sort of HDR input lag figures being achieved by, in particular, 2016 Panasonic and Samsung TVs.
Rubbing more salt into LG OLED TV owners’ wounds is the way that Samsung and Sony have both managed to introduce post-launch firmware updates to their 2016 TVs that improve their HDR input lag performances. Samsung’s update introduced a genuine HDR Game mode that reduced HDR input lag to less than 25ms, while just a few days ago - as reported here - Sony rolled out an update that halved the HDR input lag of its 2015 and 2016 HDR TVs.
The Sony update actually hasn’t gone as far as some game-loving Sony TV owners would like, but at least it’s proved that Sony has the will and, more importantly, the means to achieve some sort of retrospective HDR lag improvement.
The wording of the petition to get LG to find a solution to its OLED HDR lag woes actually references the Sony/Samsung situation specifically: “Loyal OLED owners, who have spent thousands of dollars on their top-of-the-line TVs, request that LG address [the HDR lag] issue as other competitors, such as Samsung and Sony, have already addressed it with firmware updates for their TVs.”
The Xbox One S was the first console with HDR support. (Pic: Microsoft)
Currently running on change.org, the petition is seeking to get as many signatures as possible before it’s presented to LG Electronics. At the time of writing it had already racked up nearly 900 names, despite only being established five days ago.
The million dollar question in all this, of course, is whether it’s actually possible for LG to fix its OLED TV HDR input lag problem. I’ve approached LG myself about the issue in recent weeks, and received two determinedly vague responses. The first one went like this:
"HDR gaming is undoubtedly going to become more popular with an increase in console and title sales. LG are fully committed to delivering a wide range of HDR formats and choice throughout its OLED TV & LED TV ranges, and will continue to improve picture quality across all forms of content i.e. OTT, IPTV, Satellite and gaming consoles.”
After receiving this I pushed for something a bit more ‘on point’. But all I got was this: “At current, we are unable to confirm if HDR Game Mode will be coming to 2016 models.”
The only information of potential substance I’ve come across is a message from LG’s customer services to an LG OLED TV owner stating that an HDR Game update to 2016’s OLED TVs is not possible because it would require new hardware rather than just new software.
Experience suggests that replies from customer services operatives of most companies are notoriously unreliable, but this one does chime with my growing feeling that if LG could deliver an HDR Gaming mode to its OLED TVs in any way easily, it would have done so already.
I guess all OLED TV-owning gamers can hope for at this point is that the petition manages to inspire LG’s TV engineers to come up with a solution that they’re maybe not currently seeing. Fingers crossed.
If you want to know more about input lag, read this: Keep Dying In Destiny And Call Of Duty? It Could Be Your TV's Fault.
If you want to know what all the HDR fuss is about, try this: HDR Made Easy: A Jargon-Free Guide To The Next Big Thing In TV Technology. And this: Gears of War 4, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and Forza Horizon 3 HDR Review: Game Changer.
Finally, if you want to know why OLED TVs are such a big deal to AV fans, here’s a review of the LG OLED65E6.
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81a93fb70c187057a96e4493a51674c5 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2016/11/13/ps4-pro-suffering-widespread-tv-connection-failures-and-everyone-is-blaming-everybody-else/ | PS4 Pro Suffering Widespread TV Connection Failures - And Everyone Is Blaming Everybody Else | PS4 Pro Suffering Widespread TV Connection Failures - And Everyone Is Blaming Everybody Else
Sony’s long-awaited and much-debated PS4 Pro console has finally made its way into stores (and seemingly an impressive number of homes). Unfortunately, though, it seems as if Sony might have to keep its champagne on ice, as gaming forums and social media are awash with people reporting that they can’t get their shiny new PS4 Pros to work properly.
I’m not talking here, either, about the already widely reported problem where the ‘breakout box’ you get with Sony’s PSVR system doesn’t support the High Dynamic Range (HDR) signals now output by both the original PS4 and the new PS4 Pro. No; the latest problem is that many PS4 Pro owners are finding themselves staring at blank screens rather than basking in the lovely 4K HDR pictures that are supposed to be the PS4 Pro’s key selling point.
The Sony PS4 Pro is capable of producing 4K HDR visuals. If you're lucky. (Pic: Sony PlayStation)
The issue is being reported with an alarmingly wide range of different TV models from LG, Samsung, Sony, Philips and Vizio, as well as with multiple brands of AV receiver and sound bar. As if this wasn't bad enough, many other PS4 Pro users are reporting that while they are getting an HDR picture, the PS4 Pro is incorrectly recognising their TV as being incapable of handling 4K in HDR and so limiting them to 2K HDR signals. Even with TVs that handle Ultra HD Blu-rays in 4K HDR with no problems.
To make matters worse, it seems that the compatibility issues aren’t consistent across different samples of the same TV model. For instance, one LG OLED65E6 will work seemingly fine with the PS4 Pro while another one won’t.
The problem was already so widespread by the end of Thursday November 10 - the PS4 Pro’s launch date - that it had garnered an official response on Sony’s EU PlayStation Forum. Online Support representative KingGobbo admitted the issue’s existence and suggested a convoluted temporary fix involving switching the console into its Safe mode and changing its digital rights management setting from HDCP 2.2 to 1.4.
Not the perfect solution
As well as being a faff, this ‘fix’ is hardly ideal (even when it works) since, as the Sony statement itself acknowledges, switching to HDCP 1.4 could lead to you not being able to enjoy 4K and HDR pictures with some apps and sources.
The PlayStation Forum response also stated clearly that the problem was “due to some compatibility limitations of some TV models with 4K and HDR content”, and advised PS4 Pro owners to contact the manufacturers of their TVs for further assistance about this “compatibility limitation”.
The Xbox One S had HDR compatibility issues too on launch - though not as widespread as those that... [+] seem to be affecting the PS4 Pro. (Pic: Microsoft)
It seems, though, that the most common response PS4 Pro owners are getting if they do contact their TV manufacturers is to have responsibility for the issue pushed right back in the direction of Sony and the PS4 Pro.
For instance, I’ve seen a screenshot of a live chat between an LG customer support representative and a PS4 Pro owner where the LG representative states the following: ‘We are currently experiencing some configuration issues with the new PS4 Pro and… are currently in talks with Sony to fix the issues. We had similar problems when the Xbox One S was released, and back then it was Microsoft who released an update for their console to fix 4K and HDR issues with our TVs.”
In other words, the TV brands are blaming the PS4 Pro, while the PS4 Pro is blaming the TVs.
So what exactly is the problem here. It’s impossible to say for absolute certain until PlayStation or the TV brands fess up, but from what I can see and have experienced myself, the issues center around a mixture of failed HDCP 2.2 handshaking and strange inconsistencies and fluctuations in the PS4 Pro’s interpretation of your TV’s 4K and HDR capabilities.
My Samsung UN65KS9800 plays the PS4 Pro just fine - despite some quirks at the console end. (Pic:... [+] Samsung)
I’m one of the lucky ones in that I have been able to see HDR and 4K images from my PS4 Pro from the moment I first attached it to my reference Samsung KS9500 (KS9800 in the US) TV. I didn't even need to change any of the console's display settings. However, looking more closely at the details of my TV’s connectivity with the console there are clearly some strange things going on.
First, if I connect the console directly to my TV and check the console's Video Output Information before firing up an HDR game, the console informs me that my TV can handle RGB HDR at 2K or 4K resolution. However, if actually start playing an HDR game, which automatically makes my TV switch into HDR mode, the HDR output changes. With Deus Ex: Mankind Divided it changes to YUV420, while with Uncharted 4 it changes to YUV422 (UPDATE: Following a recent new patch, Deus Ex also now outputs in HDR at YUV422).
This suggests that the exact specifications of the HDR your console is outputting are actually determined by the particular game, rather than just the console’s hardware.
If I loop the PS4 Pro through a Samsung K950 Dolby Atmos sound bar I’m currently testing, then the HDR output always reads YUV420. I couldn’t find any way to reproduce the RGB output reading before starting an HDR game that I get if I connect the PS4 Pro directly to the TV. Yet the K950 sound bar passes through RGB HDR from Samsung's K8500 Ultra HD Blu-ray player without any problems.
Inconsistency equals trouble
As I said, none of these inconsistencies actually prevents me from seeing 4K/HDR images from the PS4 Pro on my TV. But I’ve experienced enough other HDR-related connection problems in the course of testing TVs over the past 18 months to know that whenever you’ve got these sort of HDR/HDMI address fluctuations going on, you’re greatly increasing the chances of things going wrong.
My guess - based on the similar but seemingly more limited issues the Xbox One S had at launch - would be that this blank screen issue and the other sundry problems people are experience end up being things Sony has to fix via the PS4 Pro’s firmware, rather than them being problems for all the affected TV manufacturers to solve individually.
At any rate, I’ve contacted PlayStation and four of the main affected TV brands for their official reactions to the problems PS4 Pro owners are experiencing, and I’ll update you with what they have to say when/if I hear anything concrete.
[Update: LG has now issued an official response to the situation which can be found here.]
I've also put together a guide that might save at least a few of you from having to wait for new firmware to arrive: PS4 Pro Not Working With Your TV? Here Are 8 Things To Try.
Feel free to share your experiences of whether these - or any other solution I've missed! - works for you in the comments section.
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If this article was of interest, you might also like these:
New Sony TV Update Makes PS4, PS4 Pro and Xbox One S Gamers Die Less
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The PS4 Pro's Missing Ultra HD Blu-ray Drive: The Mistake Sony Had To Make
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8721adb2908faa35b3fbabf1a95b243d | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2017/05/11/netflix-gives-the-samsung-galaxy-s8-and-lg-g6-a-great-new-feature/ | Netflix Brings HDR To The LG G6 - And Accidentally Makes Galaxy S8 Owners Think They'd Got It Too | Netflix Brings HDR To The LG G6 - And Accidentally Makes Galaxy S8 Owners Think They'd Got It Too
[UPDATE: When I first wrote this story, I reported - based on evidence provided by Galaxy S8 owners - that Netflix had added HDR streaming support to Samsung's new phones as well as LG's G6. When I asked Netflix for confirmation of this, though, the streaming giant eventually stated that it hadn't actually launched HDR streams on the Galaxy S8, and that it was "looking into why the HDR badging is showing up for some S8 users". It later came back to me with more details, which I reproduce here verbatim: "This [the HDR badging appearing in the Netflix app on Galaxy S8s] is indeed an issue on our side which we are actively working on fixing. While the HDR badge shows in the UI for the S8, the device does NOT stream HDR content."
I'll leave the original story as it stands below as there doesn't seem much point changing it on top of the updated information I've just provided. The bottom line, though, is that while the Netflix error suggests a Netflix HDR update for the S8 may not be far away, it doesn't appear to be here just yet.]
Video streaming giant Netflix has started to roll out support for high dynamic range (HDR) video streaming to Samsung Galaxy S8 and LG G6 mobile phones.
Netflix has yet to issue a formal statement confirming the launch of its new HDR-capable Android app, but Galaxy S8 and G6 users with top-tier Netflix accounts are reporting that they’re starting to find HDR titles available in their phones’ Netflix "browsers."
On the Galaxy S8, these files are appearing in the industry standard HDR10 HDR format (a detailed explanation of HDR can be found here), while LG G6 owners can take advantage of LG and Netflix’s support for the advanced Dolby Vision HDR format. Dolby Vision adds a layer of dynamic data to the core picture signal to provide your phone with scene by scene instructions on how best to render the HDR images its receiving.
[caption photocredit="Photo: Ray Hahn, featuring a Netflix screen."] Photo: Ray Hahn, featuring a Netflix screen.
An image of Netflix HDR in action, taken from a Galaxy S8+.[/caption]
Speculation on when the key streaming services would start to offer HDR support for mobile began as soon as it was announced that the screens of the new Galaxy S8 and G6 phones would be capable of handling the expanded light range and accompanying wider color spectrums associated with HDR content.
Also, Netflix revealed at a joint event with Dolby a few days ago that it was planning to roll out HDR for mobiles "soon." But frankly, few expected "soon" to be quite as fast as this.
While mobile phones have neither the screen size nor the extreme levels of brightness to deliver an HDR experience to rival what you can get from the best HDR-capable TVs, demos I’ve seen of HDR running on the LG G6 clearly reveal a much better picture than you get with normal non-HDR streams. And HDR’s "better pixels" benefits are actually much more obvious and worthwhile on a small mobile screen than any benefits you might see from just trying to cram in more pixels.
It remains to be seen how quickly rival streaming service Amazon will follow up with an HDR mobile app of its own. It’s already been confirmed that support for Amazon 4K HDR streams will appear on Sony’s upcoming Xperia XZ Premium, but it’s not yet clear if this will be available when the phone launches in June or whether it will be added by a later firmware update.
I’ve also asked Sony for confirmation of whether the Netflix HDR service will be available on the Xperia XZ Premium at launch, and will update this story if I hear anything concrete.
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HDR Made Easy: A Jargon-Free Guide To The Next Big Thing In Video Technology
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Samsung QN65Q9FAM 4K HDR TV Review
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168bc94868ff302c2723edaf98289676 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2017/09/19/what-is-qled-and-why-does-it-matter/?sh=24b02d0f7fb3 | What Is QLED, And Why Does It Matter? | What Is QLED, And Why Does It Matter?
For years now Samsung has been at the forefront of LED/LCD TV technology, delivering design and feature innovations that have seen it become the biggest selling TV brand in the world. This pioneering spirit has been especially evident, though, since the arrival of high dynamic range (HDR) picture technology.
Samsung was the first brand to launch an HDR-capable TV back in 2015, and since then it has continued to set the pace when it comes to unlocking the full brightness, contrast and color potential of the HDR format. Its latest and most significant step towards mastering HDR is QLED.
What does QLED stand for?
The LED part of QLED, as most of you will know, stands for light-emitting diode - the lighting system used in the vast majority of LED/LCD TVs for years now. The important bit of QLED is the Q, which stands for Quantum Dot.
Samsung introduced the QLED name for Quantum Dot TVs with its 2017 TV range. Photo: Samsung
Quantum Dots offer a different way for screens to produce color instead of the usual inefficient and limited combination of white LEDs and color filters.
The dots in question range between two and 10 nanometers in diameter, and produce different colors depending on their size. For instance, the smallest dots focus on blue, the larger ones focus on red.
The key point about Quantum Dots is that they’re able to produce more heavily saturated and precisely defined primary colors from blue LEDs than you can get from the relatively broad and thus imprecise light spectrum associated with white LEDs.
This ability to deliver less ‘watered down’ brightness and color intensity is why Quantum Dots are increasingly being adopted as the ‘go to’ color solution for high quality high dynamic range LED/LCD TVs.
Given the potential advantages of Quantum Dot technology, though, it’s important that consumers know when they’re buying a Quantum Dot screen rather than a TV that uses some other type of screen technology. This is where the QLED name comes in.
So far as I know, the need to establish a name that distinguishes Quantum Dot screens from other types of LED/LCD display was first raised in November 2016 by industry analyst and consultant group Insight Media. The concluding line of an Insight Media White Paper called ‘Quantum Dots will power display products to the next level’ stated that ‘We suggest the term “QLED” refer to any LED/LCD TV that uses Quantum Dot technology”.
I mention this because it’s important to realize that the QLED term as it is now used seemingly wasn’t defined by Samsung, and is not owned in any way by Samsung. In fact, there’s now a QLED Alliance that includes Hisense and TCL, as well as Samsung, that’s devoted to furthering the Quantum Dot cause.
Samsung, Hisense and TCL have formed a QLED Alliance, and held an inaugural QLED forum (pictured). Photo: Samsung
What’s more, even within the QLED display world there’s plenty of room for different companies to take different approaches. We’ll look at some of these in the next section - and get to the bottom of why Samsung’s QLED solution crucially differs from anything else that’s out there.
Different QLED strokes for different QLED folks
Quantum Dot technology can be applied to displays in a variety of ways, each with its particular cost, efficiency or performance advantages.
For instance, QDs can be placed in tubes or, more commonly, they can be placed inside a film that’s attached over the emitting surface of a backlight, with blue LEDs - either edge or directly mounted - illuminating the film.
One particularly key Quantum Dot distinction to understand is the difference between photo-luminescent QDs and electroluminescent QDs. The photoluminescent approach used by all current commercially available QLED displays, including Samsung’s new QLED TVs, uses an external light to stimulate the QDs.
The electroluminescent approach applies electricity individually to each QD to deliver a self-emitting image where essentially every pixel creates its own light. Clearly the ability of this approach to combine LCD’s brightness and color advantages with perfect black levels makes it a hugely exciting proposition for the future. However, most industry commentators believe that electroluminescent QD technology is still many years from being ready for commercial release.
Samsung’s take on QLED
While Samsung has used Quantum Dots in its TVs before, the brand has developed new technologies for its 2017 QD models that take potential picture performance to a new level - a fact Samsung decided to mark by adopting the QLED name for its highest level 2017 TVs in place of its previous SUHD sub-brand.
The main innovation is the cladding of the QDs in a new metallic sheath. This matters for a number of reasons.
First, it makes the QDs much less susceptible to oxidation, meaning that their performance will erode much less rapidly over time than normal QDs. Second, the metal sheath means that the QDs can be positioned differently in the TV’s structure, enabling them to deliver their color and light more efficiently.
A diagram showing the unique Quantum Dot design Samsung is using in its 2017 QLED TVs. Photo: Samsung
Finally, the metal sheath means the QDs can be driven harder without fear of damage or rapid performance reduction.
What does Samsung’s QLED approach mean for viewers?
Samsung’s metal-clad QDs deliver three main advantages to the viewing experience. First, they enable Samsung to push for extreme levels of brightness. The flagship Q9F models can hit 2000 nits of peak brightness - an unprecedentedly high figure for a consumer TV. Even the 1500 nits claimed for the step-down Q8C and Q7F QLED models puts them in ground-breaking territory.
This matters because brightness is critical to the high dynamic range experience. HDR is designed to deliver more of the light levels our eyes see in the real world, with research by key HDR innovator Dolby showing that viewers are most satisfied by video systems that cover a 0 to 10,000-nit range. Even though 10,000-nit content and screens for the home are currently years away, some studios already master their HDR movie release to 4,000 nits - and the further below that mastering figure a TV’s brightness lies, the less lifelike its images will look. Plus you will lose more detail in the brightest areas.
The second big HDR-friendly benefit opened up by Samsung’s QLED approach is color volume. This is a relatively new consideration for domestic TVs, and introduces the concept of how different amounts of light can impact the range of color tones a TV can achieve. Being able to replicate more effectively the far greater range of tones you get when you introduce brightness variances to color is a critical element again in how well any HDR TV recreates our interpretation of light and color in the real world.
While the need to use external backlights may limit the potential of Samsung’s QLED TVs to hit the same black level depths and uniformity you get with rival OLED technology, those new metal-clad QDs clearly - in both measurement and ‘real-world viewing’ scenarios - deliver more of HDR’s brightness and color volume strengths than OLED screens can.
The key focus for QLED technology is expanding the color volume (a function of brightness) TVs can... [+] reproduce. Photo: Samsung
Samsung QLED’s third key benefit as a TV technology is that despite its intense brightness and color saturations, it is immune to screen burn. Unlike rival OLED technology, you can leave intense graphical elements such as channel logos and gaming ‘HUD’ readouts in the same place on the screen for extended periods of time without having to worry about them leaving ghostly echoes of themselves behind.
It’s worth adding, too, that the way Samsung’s QLED screens work means that they can deliver their brightness and color intensity remarkably efficiently in power consumption terms.
One other exciting potential advantage of Samsung’s new QD design is support for increased viewing angles. While this year’s QLED models don’t fully realize this benefit yet, I’ve seen a Samsung QLED prototype delivering viewing angles essentially as wide as those you get with rival OLED technology. So if Samsung can develop this QLED advantage in its future screens, it will instantly remove one reason why some people feel attracted to OLED instead of LCD screens.
Other benefits of Samsung’s QLED TVs
While I’ve focused on the specific advantages of Samsung’s Quantum Dot innovations, it’s worth adding that Samsung’s QLED TV series - the Q9, Q8 and Q7s - offer a number of additional benefits not directly connected to their QD color technology. I'll be looking at these in a separate article, but one worth mentioning here because it relates directly to picture quality is the remarkable filtering technology Samsung applies to its QLED screens.
The contrast, brightness and color intensity of their pictures are scarcely affected at all when you’re viewing a Samsung QLED TV even in quite bright ambient light. No other TV technology I’ve seen - not even the Moth Eye technology used on some older Sharp and Philips TVs - gets close to Samsung QLED’s ambient light performance.
Where next for Samsung QLED?
It’s clear from what we’ve already seen of the technology and what we know of what the AV industry has in store that Samsung’s brightness- and color-rich QLED technology is exceptionally well equipped for the future. Especially as Samsung will inevitably continue to refine the technology’s performance, in particular through improved driving systems and backlighting approaches.
It also seems certain that as Samsung refines its metal QD production techniques we will start to see its QLED technology becoming available at ever more affordable price points.
All of which means that the next CES in Las Vegas - where Samsung traditionally unveils its next generation of TVs - can’t come round fast enough!
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6f45981a92935faa368ff7dc693368b6 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2017/11/13/microsoft-responds-to-xbox-one-x-4k-blu-ray-playback-problem-and-its-good-news/ | Microsoft Responds To Xbox One X 4K Blu-ray Problem - And It's Good News | Microsoft Responds To Xbox One X 4K Blu-ray Problem - And It's Good News
[UPDATE: The firmware update referred to in this article has now appeared. Follow this link for details on how to get it, and what it does.]
In an AV world where getting problems fixed tends to take weeks or even months, kudos is due to Microsoft today for responding within 24 hours to the picture quality issues with the Xbox One X’s 4K Blu-ray playback I reported yesterday.
After posting a story about the Xbox One X suffering with clearly raised brightness levels during 4K Blu-ray playback, I started to get some people on the Xbox Insider program suggesting that the problems may be resolved by the latest ‘Beta’ software they’d recently been issued with.
A few of these people who I’ve had contact with before and whose eyes can usually be trusted seemed in no doubt that the latest One X software build they were trialing made 4K Blu-ray playback on the console look not just far better than it looked before the latest ‘patch’, but good by any 4K Blu-ray player standard.
As the story spread further, it seems to eventually have reached the ears of Mike Ybarra, Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President of Xbox and Windows Gaming. This resulted in Ybarra tweeting this at 6.07pm US Pacific Coast time: ‘Xbox One X users - Blu-ray specific fixes coming very soon to correct raised black levels w/HDR movies etc. Few days away.’
Mike Ybarra's tweet promising to fix the Xbox One X's 4K Blu-ray brightness and color issues in mere... [+] 'days'. Photo: Twitter/Mike Ybarra
Provided the fix works as hoped (which as I said, some happy Insider users are saying it does), this is fantastic news for AV fans looking for a potential one-stop 4K/HDR device. After all, 4K Blu-ray represents the current pinnacle of picture quality standards.
Getting this part of the Xbox One X right is important, too, for the console in its battle against the PS4 Pro, given that Sony’s console doesn’t include a 4K Blu-ray drive.
There are still a few Xbox One X hurdles for Microsoft to sort, such as the current problems with Dolby Atmos sound some users are experiencing (reported here), and Netflix’s peculiar ‘permanent HDR’ situation (reported here). But Microsoft’s rapid response to the 4K Blu-ray issue suggests that such teething problems will hopefully not only get sorted, but get sorted fast.
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Gears Of War 4, Forza Horizon 3 and Deus Ex Mankind Divided HDR Review: Game Changer
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e59f83bf8af411dfc051bff36c2f14fa | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2018/05/02/royal-wedding-to-be-broadcast-live-in-4k/ | Royal Wedding To Be Broadcast Live In 4K | Royal Wedding To Be Broadcast Live In 4K
As if the upcoming Royal Wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wasn’t already exciting enough (to some people, anyway), it’s been revealed today that all the pomp and ceremony will be broadcast live in glorious 4K resolution.
The lucky company to bag the world exclusive rights to the 4K Royal Wedding coverage is British satellite broadcaster Sky, which intends to deliver the Ultra HD feed live on its Sky News channel.
Coverage will start at 9.00am on Saturday 19th May, and as a sign of just how seriously Sky is treating the occasion, the 4K filming process will involve around 100 cameras, 160 technical staff, 10 satellite uplinks, 27km of cabling, and 19 separate UHF Radio Comms channels.
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 25: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend the Anzac Day service at... [+] Westminster Abbey on April 25, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)
The catch is that while the Sky News channel has a fairly international presence these days, the live 4K broadcast will apparently only be available to Sky subscribers who have a Sky Q 2TB box and a Sky Q Multiscreen subscription. Both of which are only available in the UK.
Some of the wording of Sky’s press release on its ultra high definition Royal Wedding coup suggests that the event - or highlights of it - may be viewable elsewhere in 4K at some point after the live feed has finished. But if you want to watch it live in four-times-HD detail, the only place you’ll be able to do so is in the UK living room of a Sky Q subscriber with a 4K television.
The live 4K coverage isn’t the only technical innovation Sky is throwing at the Royal Wedding. It’s also revealed that it will be using ‘world-first’ software in its Sky News app to name key wedding guests as they arrive, as well as detailing their relationship to the Royal couple.
Greedy AV fan that I am, I would have loved the Royal Wedding coverage to have also marked Sky’s first HDR broadcast. After all, as revealed in this earlier news story, Sky is promising to introduce HDR at some point in 2018. Fingers crossed the broadcaster will be able to at least capture the Wedding in HDR, so that it can become a demo of what the format can do later in the year.
Being able to see the Wedding live in 4K is still great news for suitably equipped Royal fans, though. And actually, it’s pretty good news for AV fans, too. Certainly, I’m now much more likely to tune in myself to see how Ms. Markle’s dress holds up in 4K than I ever was before!
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'Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle' 4K Blu-ray Review: The Rock In A Hard Place
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1e8a0f77aa4cf1888ad064accc4f2911 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2018/05/16/sony-xbr-55a8f-kd-55af8-a8f-af8-oled-tv-review/ | Sony XBR-55A8F OLED TV Review | Sony XBR-55A8F OLED TV Review
Sony’s debut A1E OLED TVs (reviewed here) were nothing if not distinctive. From their unique ‘lean back’ easel-like design to the way they used the actual surface of their screen to deliver their sound, they exuded high-end sophistication and originality from every pore.
Sony’s follow up OLED TVs, by comparison, seem much keener to fit into the crowd. As represented here by the 55-inch XBR-55A8F (KD-55AF8 in Europe), they appear to be focused on essentially giving us a repeat performance of the A1Es picture and sound quality from a more conventional looking chassis. Why? Actually, that’s a pretty good question…
The Sony A8F OLED TV, as it appears in Sony's latest TV marketing campaign. Photo: Sony
Given that they’re more or less identical in screen specification and features, I’d expected that the A8F series would sell for less than the ‘designer’ A1Es (A1s in Europe). However, at the time of writing, the 55A8F is listed on Sony’s website at $2,800, while the 55A1E is just $2,500. And there’s an even bigger price gap in the A1E’s favor when you move up to the 65-inch screen size.
European pricing is, inexplicably, completely different. The 55-inch A8F and A1E models cost more or less the same as each other, while the 65-inch AF8 is actually £300 cheaper than the 65-inch A1!
In the US at least, though, the current pricing situation means that really the main raison d’etre for the A8F series is that they provide a more straightforward design option for people who don’t like the A1E range’s angled-back screen and/or want to hang their TV on the wall.
Different by design
The 55A8F certainly does look different to the A1Es. Its screen sits very low on a relatively conventional desktop stand, and its rear is a more conventional combination of ultra-thin edges and a chunkier mid section hosting the TV’s connections and processing.
This ‘chunky bit’ covers quite a bit more of the rear than we see with many rival OLED TVs. However, the 55A8F still doesn’t stick out far from your wall if you decide to go the wall-hanging route. It also makes clever use of plastic covers and cable channeling to keep its rear as tidy as possible.
The Sony A8F (AF8) OLED TV. Photo: Sony
The chunky section of the rear also joins the support ‘leg’ of the A1E models in carrying a woofer for adding bass to the stereo sound produced by the A8F’s screen.
The 55A8F also follows the A1E’s lead with its ultra-narrow bezel. Aside from a tiny silver trim, there’s hardly anything to remind you that there’s actually a frame wrapped around the 55A8F’s pictures. In this respect the 55A8F follows Sony’s desire to have you focus on the pictures you’re watching, not the hardware that’s producing them.
Same difference
Aside from its design and marginally different audio configuration, the 55A8F really doesn’t offer any major differences to its predecessor. Connections comprise the same four HDMIs (two ‘enhanced’ for full bandwidth 4K HDR feeds), three USBs and both hard-wired and Ethernet Wi-Fi options. The internal processor is the same (Sony’s X1 Extreme platform). And so far as I can tell, the panel at the 55A8F’s heart is the same, too.
Certainly Sony suggested that this was the case when it launched the A8F models at the CES in January, and my measurements of its brightness and input lag yielded essentially the same results that I got from the A1E. That’s a peak brightness of marginally over 700 nits on a 10% white HDR window when using its Standard HDR picture preset, and closer to 640nits with the other preset options; plus around 48ms of input lag when HD gaming, or around 30ms when 4K gaming (provided you’ve selected the TV’s Game mode).
These numbers do not stack up particularly well against other premium 2018 TVs I’ve looked at so far. Samsung’s Q9FN models (reviewed here) deliver peak brightness on the same white HDR window of around 2000 nits, while LG’s new E8 OLED TVs (reviewed here) deliver around 820 nits. And both the LG and Samsung newcomers suffer less than 20ms of input lag in their Game modes.
Rear view of the Sony A8F OLED TV. Photo: Sony
The potential ace up the 55A8F’s sleeve, though, could be its X1 Extreme processing system. This, together with careful in-factory calibration of all Sony’s OLED TVs, certainly helped the A1Es stand out from the crowd. So there’s no reason to suspect that won’t be the case again with the 55A8F.
Dumb smarts
Before confirming that, though, I need to spare a (harsh) word for the 55A8F’s operating system. For as well as persisting with essentially the same horribly laid out and ‘squishy’ remote control Sony has bizarrely persevered with for generations now, the 55A8F also continues Sony’s relationship with Android TV. Right down to the same overbearing menus, confusing navigation paths, and lack of customization options. Worst of all, having to power Android TV causes both the 55A8F’s smart and basic control menus to run painfully sluggishly at times.
The 55A8F is using Android 7 right now, but Sony is saying it will update the set to Android 8.0 in due course.
The 55A8F’s pictures appear to be more or less dead ringers for those of the A1E models. Which is good news in lots of ways, but bad news in one pretty important one.
The good stuff centers on the frankly stunning control and precision exerted over the image by Sony’s X1 Extreme picture processing system. There’s hardly any element of the picture with any source that doesn’t look beautifully refined.
The Sony A8F OLED TV in a slightly peculiar living room. Photo: Sony
Video noise, for instance, is essentially non-existent. There’s no trace of the slightly grainy look bright, richly colored HDR images can still exhibit on LG’s 2018 OLED TVs. The screen’s near-perfect black levels (this is an OLED TV, after all) appear completely free of the gentle fizzing noise and occasional grey blocking artefacts also still found on LG’s much-improved 2018 OLEDs.
Sony’s motion handling, meanwhile, is so far ahead of all the competition that it’s almost silly. Even without Sony’s MotionFlow processing applied motion looks less billowy than it usually does with OLED technology. But if you do decide to use MotionFlow, its Standard and True Cinema settings can both reduce judder and motion blur without making the picture look unnaturally fluid, or causing many unwanted side effects. It even holds up during exceptionally busy content, such as a mass battle or frantic car chase. Truly outstanding.
There’s a remarkable level of refinement, too, in the 55A8F’s handling of color. Tones across the board look immaculately natural and beautifully balanced, regardless of whether you’re watching a standard dynamic range documentary or a high dynamic range cartoon. There’s also no hint of the distracting striping problem that some HDR TVs suffer with when trying to show subtle color blends.
Stand detail of the Sony A8F OLED TV. Photo: Sony
The 55A8F’s freedom from video noise and deft, ultra-refined color and light management helps it recreate a sense of depth, space and all-round clarity in its images that again I don’t think any rival manufacturer can fully compete with (though the Q9FN gets close). As Moses walks between palace columns on his way to visit a sick pharaoh in Exodus: Gods And Kings, for instance, I was more aware of the full depth of the image and the various layers of detail within it than I’ve ever been before. And this is a test sequence I use a lot.
Not surprisingly, the refinement of Sony’s processing can also help 4K pictures appear packed with fine details and textures - as well as enabling the 55A8F to upscale sub-4K sources upscale to the screen’s native 4K pixel count more successfully and convincingly than arguably any rival brand of TV.
As with the A1E, the 55A8F additionally does a remarkably convincing job of upgrading standard dynamic range content to HDR. The gently expanded color tones still look believable, and the more dynamic light levels always look in perfect balance.
The net result of all the 55A8F’s strengths is a picture that’s generally as superlatively immersive as it is beautiful. And all this is before the A8F series has received its imminent firmware update to deliver support for the superior Dolby Vision HDR format.
At this point you’re probably wondering if I’ve forgotten the ‘bad news’ I mentioned at the start of the performance section of this review. Unfortunately, I haven’t.
The Sony A8F OLED TV. Photo: Sony
The issue is simply that it really isn’t very bright. At all. Which means that it isn’t in a position to deliver the sort of impact with HDR material that we’re now starting to expect - at least from premium products like the 55A8F.
Coming to the 55A8F after being dazzled (in different ways) by HDR on the LG OLED65E8 and Samsung QN65Q9FN, I immediately felt underwhelmed by the subdued look of the Sony’s HDR images. Colors don’t pop off the screen in the same way, daylight skies don’t get as close to that treasured HDR ‘real world’ look, bright highlights feel slightly muted, and the brightest colors lack that intensity and ‘volume’ you can only reach when you’ve got plenty of brightness to play with.
Enlightening head to head
Watching the same content playing simultaneously on the 55A8F and an LG OLED65E8 positioned alongside it really rammed the Sony’s brightness shortfall home. The difference was so stark, in fact - despite there only being around 110 measured nits between the two sets - that it almost felt at first like the LG was doing HDR while the Sony was stuck in SDR mode.
Longer term head to head viewing reveals that this initial impression is rather unfair. The 55A8F’s HDR pictures are, after all, comfortably more dynamic looking than standard definition ones. I also began to suspect, moreover, that Sony might be deliberately reining in the brightness of its OLED HDR images to a) deliver better tone mapping in areas of peak brightness, b) reduce the potential ‘bleaching’ impact on bright colors that OLED’s white sub-pixel can cause, and c) limit the potential for color noise. In other words, the 55A8F may well be trading raw HDR impact for more refinement.
Even if I’m right about this, though, the fact remains that the 55A8F doesn’t have either the peak highlight punch or average brightness levels to deliver the sort of spectacle HDR LG’s latest OLEDs can. Never mind Samsung’s Q9FN LCD sets. And for me that’s a pity.
Corner detail of the Sony A8F OLED TV. Photo: Sony
Another side effect of the relatively subdued brightness of Sony’s HDR pictures is that they don’t tend to look quite as sharp as those of LG’s E8 and Samsung’s Q9FN models, as there’s not the same light range to help delineate subtle pixel-level light differences.
There’s also noticeably less shadow detail in the darkest parts of HDR pictures than you see with LG’s E8 OLED. This can sometimes cause the Sony to suffer a touch of the ‘silhouetting’ issue associated with low brightness HDR TVs, where dark objects that appear against relatively bright backdrops can look flat and devoid of detail.
One other much smaller issue finds the processing Sony uses to avoid color striping during HDR playback slightly reducing detail. For instance, in the 4K Blu-ray of Exodus: Gods And Kings, during the dusk sequence just before Moses throws his sword into the Red Sea, while the 55A8F does a superb job of removing the banding in the background hills and dusk skies seen with alarming regularity on other HDR-capable TVs, the hills tend to blend into the misty skies more than they should.
The 55A8F’s sound quality is pretty similar to that of the A1E - which is a good thing. The ‘screen is the speaker’ approach delivers a pleasingly open, dynamic mid-range that contains plenty of detail and well-rounded vocals. The sound is also more direct than that of most TVs, since it’s coming from the front of the TV rather than its rear.
The rear bass driver manages to underpin the action with a decent amount of bass. Though not as much, it seemed to me, as you got with the A1E.
The sound stage can also start to become a touch boxed in and harsh when the going really gets tough. But for the most part the sound is still well above average - which is quite something considering you’re talking about a TV with no visible speakers.
Top view of the Sony A8F OLED TV. Photo: Sony
Verdict
The 55A8F provides an emphatic reminder of the outstanding quality of Sony’s image processing. The thought of how this might evolve even further when TVs start to appear using Sony's upcoming X1 Ultimate processor is mouthwatering.
For now, though, beautiful though many aspects of the 55A8F’s pictures are, the lack of any improvement in brightness over last year’s A1Es ultimately leaves you feeling like Sony is just treading water with its sophomore OLEDs. Especially in the context of the advances we’ve already seen from other TVs this year.
This lack of progress becomes even more of an issue in the US when you consider that unless you really can’t live with the A1E’s lean-back design, you can currently pick up one of those models for hundreds of dollars less than the equivalent-sized A8F.
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e1e7b736293d1d8373c7ad85dd258e6a | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2018/05/23/sony-x850f-tv-review-fatally-flawed/ | Sony X850F TV Review: Fatally Flawed | Sony X850F TV Review: Fatally Flawed
Sony’s TV division has been on a decent run of form lately. Its X900F series in particular (reviewed here) combined a direct backlight with excellent picture processing to outperform anything else I’ve seen at its price point.
Unfortunately, though, for both Sony and AV fans wanting a slice of Sony’s TV picture talents at a more approachable price, the XBR-X850F series (KD-XF8505 in Europe) under scrutiny here is a pretty serious misstep.
The Sony 65X850F (65XF8505 in Europe). Photo: Sony
Before I go any further, a bit of housekeeping. For this test, I used a 55-inch 55X850F - a size that is only available in Europe (as the 55XF8505). But the results of the test can be considered applicable to the 65-inch and 75-inch models available in the US, too. The only X850F that my findings will not apply to is the 85-inch model, as that switches to direct LED lighting from the edge LED lighting used by the smaller models.
Design
The X850F design is pleasingly minimalistic and straightforward, with channeling in the TVs’ feet and rear doing a good job of hiding your cabling. Build quality is a touch plasticky, but you can’t spot this from a typical viewing distance.
Connections are pretty good, thanks chiefly to four 4K-capable HDMIs, three USBs, and Wi-Fi and Ethernet network support. Only two of the HDMIs support full bandwidth 4K HDR, though - by which I mean 4K with HDR at 60 frames a second and full 4:4:4 chroma resolution. This seems a little cheap in today’s TV world - though I wouldn’t have considered it a deal breaker if the TV was on the money elsewhere.
Things start to go wrong with the X850Fs’ operating system. Initial set up is a faff and suffered a couple of crashes during my review. The TV can typically take as long as a PC to boot up and is also prone to lengthy firmware updates. The picture and sound menus can run ludicrously slowly too, occasionally taking as long as four or five seconds to respond to straightforward remote control button presses.
The Sony 65X850F. Photo: Sony
Not so smart
The Android TV smart menus, meanwhile, are as cluttered and dictatorial as ever, showing little understanding of what most TV users actually want from a smart TV platform.
As if this wasn’t bad enough, the remote control provided with the X850Fs is pretty ropy. It’s plasticky, cluttered, and the circle within a circle design that plays host to many of the TV’s key buttons is a nightmare to use in a dark room. Actually, it’s not much fun to use in a bright room, either.
The Android TV platform does, at least, support Chromecast, along with Alexa and Google Assistant control. It also carries a lot of apps - though, in truth, most people will likely only care about the ones that provide video streaming services. These include 4K HDR versions of Netflix, Android and Google plus, in the UK, the YouView platform, which provides access to the catch-up TV services of the main terrestrial broadcasters.
The cons far outweigh the pros with the X850Fs’ smart features and operating system, though. And the same, sadly, goes for their picture quality.
The picture problems stem from the core screen specifications of all but the 85-inch model. Specifically, Sony’s unfortunate decision to combine edge LED lighting with IPS-type LCD panels.
The Sony 65X850F. Photo: Sony
While IPS panels provide (slightly) wider effective viewing angles than the alternative VA panel types, they have always struggled to deliver good black levels. Especially when partnered with edge-mounted LED lighting, and even more so when, as is the case here, the edge LED lighting system is not supported by any sort of local dimming.
The only light controls the X850F TVs provide is ‘whole frame dimming’, where all the lights are adjusted simultaneously in response to the light content of the image at any given moment.
Black level woes
All too predictably, the (non-85in) X850Fs’ IPS LCD panel and lighting system combination delivers seriously poor black levels. Especially, though not exclusively, when watching high dynamic range images, which require a screen to deliver more brightness.
Anything that should look black or near black actually looks grey - so much so that there are times the greyness becomes pretty much all you see. All dark colors look washed out and unnatural. Shadow details are routinely lost within the overt grey mist that lies across the surface of dark scenes or dark parts of mixed contrast scenes.
Corner detail of the Sony 65X850F. Photo: Sony
So fundamental are these black level related issues, moreover, that nothing you can do via the X850F menus really makes much difference. Tweaking the contrast and brightness settings just makes the picture worse in different ways. Toggling between picture presets really just shifts the tone of the greyness between red and blue tints.
The Active Contrast feature elevates dark HDR scenes from downright unwatchable to poor, I guess. But that’s hardly a ringing endorsement!
These sort of issues with edge-lit IPS panels and HDR playback are so well known and so well documented that I’m frankly surprised that a brand as typically focused on picture quality as Sony has used IPS panels in a TV series that’s not even the cheapest in its 2018 range.
Mitigating factors
The X850F black level problems are a bit less upsetting with standard dynamic range pictures. The far lower brightness requirements of SDR content mean the TVs doesn’t have to try and push so much brightness through its IPS panel during scenes that contain a mix of dark and bright content, enabling the X850Fs to keep a little more greyness out of their pictures. You also notice the black level issues less if you’re watching in a bright room.
The Sony 65X850F. Photo: Sony
However, dark SDR pictures can still only barely be considered average in contrast terms. And I’d have thought there was a decent chance that someone buying a 55-inch or bigger TV might want to watch a film in a darkened room from time to time.
If you make the effort to try and look past the X850Fs’ sub-par black level performance - or, somehow, you manage to watch exclusively bright content! - you’ll find signs that Sony’s usually deft picture quality touch hasn’t entirely deserted it.
For instance, while the X850Fs’ 510 nits of measured peak brightness on a 10% white HDR window isn’t exactly inspiring by HDR standards, they manage to deliver both a high enough perceived average brightness level and enough punch in HDR’s brightness peaks to at least provide an easily discernible difference between SDR and HDR content.
Though before you get too excited about this, the X850Fs’ poor black level performance means that the overall effective operating range of their HDR pictures always looks disappointingly limited.
Good motion
Motion looks unusually natural, clean and crisp for the X850Fs’ price level if you use the Standard or True Cinema settings of Sony’s MotionFlow processing. This is despite the TVs only using Sony’s original X1 chipset rather than the much more powerful X1 Extreme one used by all of Sony’s higher-end TVs. (Note that the non-Extreme X1 processor means the X850Fs cannot be updated to handle Dolby Vision HDR.)
The Sony 65X850F. Photo: Sony
Colors in bright scenes actually look pretty strong, too. Punchy, but also much more subtly defined and smoothly blended than you tend to see on lower mid-range TVs. This bright color precision also helps to unlock plenty of sharpness with native 4K sources.
The X850Fs upscale sub-4K content to their native 4K resolution cleanly and convincingly, despite their X1 chipsets not having the dual database upscaling technology of Sony’s X1 Extreme TVs.
As you would expect with TVs that use IPS panels, the X850F series’ pictures don’t lose their contrast and color as readily when viewed from an angle as you see with VA panels.
Finally, on the positive picture front, the X850Fs only take around 30ms to render their HDR, SDR, HD and 4K pictures when using their Game picture preset. This represents a decent result for video game fans.
The sound quality of Sony’s X850F sets is also surprisingly good. The speakers can go loud without becoming harsh or distorted, and their mid-range is open and expansive enough to deliver well-rounded vocals and retain rich details even during dense movie mix moments.
The soundstage spreads an impressive distance to left and right beyond the TV’s physical edges, too, without losing cohesion. Finally, action scenes are underpinned by a passable amount of bass; enough, at any rate, to stop them sounding thin and harsh.
Verdict
Despite my ongoing dislike of Android TV, Sony’s mostly impressive recent TV efforts had me hoping for great things from the X850F series. Right up to the point where I realized most of them were using edge-lit IPS panels.
I’ve long been convinced that such panel configurations have no place in the HDR TV world - and unfortunately, the 55X850F does nothing to change that view. In fact, if anything it merely underlines it.
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LG OLED E8 Vs Samsung Q9FN - Clash Of The TV Titans
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d4990e4bec450b87f7db3dc342410ebd | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2018/05/24/sony-accidentally-reveals-new-high-end-oled-and-lcd-tvs/ | Sony Accidentally Reveals New High End OLED And LCD TVs | Sony Accidentally Reveals New High End OLED And LCD TVs
Ever since Sony showed off ‘concept’ TVs using a new X1 Ultimate processor at the CES in January, AV fans and journalists have speculated about whether we might see some new high end Sony TVs before 2018 was out. Now an apparent mistake on Sony’s US website seems to have confirmed that the brand does indeed have at least a couple of new premium models waiting in the wings.
While looking at a page on Sony’s esupport website last night (May 23rd), a couple of eagle-eyed members of the AVS Forums noticed that the list of models affected by an issue they were looking into included four model numbers not included in Sony’s current range. These model numbers were the XBR-55A9F, XBR-65A9F, XBR-65Z9F and XBR-75Z9F.
The Sony 65Z9D looks like it's finally going to get a successor later this year. Photo: Sony
Sony updated the page soon afterward to ensure that these model numbers no longer appeared. But by then a screenshot had already been taken where the new model numbers are clearly visible.
Further confirmation of at least one of the models has been found on the Sony Encompass parts site, as shown in the picture below.
From what we know of Sony’s model naming conventions, it’s pretty easy to speculate on at least some basic facts about these accidentally revealed new sets.
The Z9Fs must surely be the long-awaited follow ups to Sony’s (still) outstanding Z9D range (reviewed here). These sets revolutionized LCD picture quality by using a direct LED lighting system with hundreds of dimming zones enhanced by contrast-boosting ‘calibrated beam’ technology.
The tell-tale screen grab of Sony's esupport website yesterday. Photo: Screen grab of Sony Website
We can only speculate at this point about how the the Z9Fs might improve on their illustrious predecessors, but the hope must be that they’ll deliver more brightness, more powerful processing (potentially the X1 Ultimate system shown at the CES), maybe even more dimming zone control and possibly (though probably not) HDMI 2.1 ports.
Given that Sony’s latest range of OLED TVs were called the A8Fs (reviewed here), it seems pretty certain that the A9Fs will be new OLED TVs. And given that the A8Fs were essentially just redesigns of Sony’s A1E debut OLED TVs, the presumption must be that the A9Fs will be true second-generation OLED sets. So hopefully they will bring more brightness (given that this was the main weakness of the A8Fs/A1Es) and, again, even more powerful processing.
The XBR-75Z9F also appears on Sony's OEM parts and accessories 'encompass' site. Photo: Screen grab of Sony's Encompass website.
Assuming that Sony will be persevering with using Android TV for its smart features with these new models, it will also be great if the new sets run the Android platform more effectively than any of Sony’s current models do.
Interestingly, the Sony web page that unwittingly listed these new models did not contain any references to new X930 or X940 models.
If any more details emerge on Sony’s new Z9F and A9F sets, I will of course tell you all about them on my Forbes channel.
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If you liked this story, you might also like these:
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Sony XBR-Z9D Review: TV Of The Year
Sony X850F Review: Fatally Flawed
Sony's 2018 TV Range - With Prices
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ad22b8dcbd6ab94172ac1c6e7c82b10e | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2018/09/05/imax-targets-the-living-room-with-new-video-and-hardware-standard/ | IMAX Targets The Living Room With New Video And Hardware 'Standard' [UPDATED] | IMAX Targets The Living Room With New Video And Hardware 'Standard' [UPDATED]
[UPDATE: Since writing this story, I've heard from an owner of a Marantz AV8805 processor who says it is due to receive an IMAX Enhanced firmware upgrade in October. The feature has even been listed on Marantz's website. This raises hopes that IMAX Enhanced can be rolled out retrospectively to lots of other kit too - including, perhaps, Sony's TVs. I'll provide further updates as I get them. The original story continues below.]
Anyone who’s visited an IMAX cinema knows what a difference the format can make to the movie experience. Its huge format picture and cutting edge sound immerses you in the world of what you’re watching far more than a typical cinema set up. So AV fans will be excited to hear that IMAX is now turning its focus on the home cinema experience too.
The IMAX Corporation has just launched a new IMAX Enhanced Program that it claims ‘gives consumers access to the highest-quality image and sound experience for the home.’
The IMAX Enhanced Program is a new certification and licensing platform designed in conjunction with audio giant DTS that will cover both the hardware and software sides of the home AV world.
Its stated aim is to ‘make it easier for consumers to select the products and content that will deliver the highest-quality, sharpest 4K HDR images and immersive sound at home’ on AV devices that have been optimized to play digital re-mastered content as the filmmaker intended.
Many AV fans wanted Disney to release Avengers: Infinity War on 4K Blu-ray in its IMAX shooting... [+] ratio. But... they didn't. Photo: Avengers: Infiinity War, Disney/Marvel
Given the Program’s scope, it’s reassuring to learn that it already has key signatories from both sides of the home entertainment industry: Sony Pictures and Paramount on the content side, and Sony Electronics and Sound United (owners of the Denon and Marantz brands) on the hardware side.
Any consumer electronics brands which want their TVs, AV receivers, sound systems and so on to be accepted into the IMAX Enhanced Program will need to design them so that they meet a prescribed set of audio and video performance standards, established by a certification committee of IMAX and DTS engineers, and Hollywood’s leading technical specialists.
So far some of this sounds pretty similar to the THX AV product certification program. There are, though, a couple of key differences. First, movies and content that want to be part of the IMAX Enhanced program will be digitally remastered by IMAX itself using its proprietary, ‘cutting edge’ post-production processes.
This could prove very welcome given the inconsistencies in approach and technical prowess that appear to exist across the wider 4K mastering world. Certainly IMAX claims that its IMAX Enhanced titles will boast more vibrant colors, greater contrast and sharper clarity, as well as reducing noise and grain under the filmmaker’s guidance to suit higher-brightness 4K HDR displays. These apparently enhanced visuals will, of course, be accompanied by ‘premium immersive sound’.
The other intriguing and unique point about the IMAX Enhanced Program is that it will work to deliver more of the IMAX movie format’s expanded aspect ratio on home entertainment releases of films shot with IMAX cameras or specially formatted for IMAX theaters.
IMAX Enhanced movies will be remastered using IMAX's proprietary post-production system. Photo: IMAX Enhanced Program
This will be exciting news to anyone who’s witnessed the spectacular picture quality IMAX resources can deliver on the occasional movies that have used them on previous Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray releases. Check out, for instance, the majority of Dunkirk on 4K Blu-ray, some Disney 3D Blu-rays, and small sections of Star Trek and Star Trek: Into Darkness on 4K Blu-ray.
In fact, there’s even a change.org petition asking Disney to start offering IMAX footage on its 4K Blu-rays (as reported in this earlier story) following its failure to do so on its Star Wars and Marvel Studio releases to date.
IMAX Enhanced movies are set to appear on streaming platforms and 4K Blu-rays. It’s unclear at this point if there will be separate IMAX Enhanced and ‘regular’ 4K Blu-rays - though IMAX states that if you play an IMAX Enhanced movie on a non-IMAX TV, ‘you will still get the best possible version of the content, but it will not be optimized to deliver the same level of experience as watching or listening to it on an IMAX Enhanced device.' I can imagine a few film fans, though, liking the idea of a new IMAX Enhanced release for Avengers: Infinity War on 4K Blu-ray if Disney decides to sign up to the Program.
On a similar note, different bits of IMAX Enhanced hardware will be designed to work to a high level independently of each other. But it’s only when running a full IMAX Enhanced eco system that you’ll get the maximum performance the program is designed to achieve.
I have to say that the new IMAX Enhanced Program runs the risk of further dividing and complicating an AV world for consumers who already have to get their heads around Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG and THX. But I guess if the quality really is there, AV enthusiasts will likely buy into it.
There’s currently no word on when the first products (software or hardware) might appear, but as soon as I hear more I’ll provide an update on my Forbes feed.
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Avengers: Infinity War 4K Blu-ray Review: A Galaxy Half Empty Kind Of Guy
Star Trek And Star Trek: Into Darkness 4K Blu-ray Reviews: The Final Disc Frontier?
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b98d1cf12a94043fce42394d4f80d5a6 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2018/09/13/apple-is-deleting-bought-films-from-itunes-accounts-and-dont-expect-a-refund/?sh=5f7a94f5f747 | Apple Is Deleting Bought Films From iTunes Accounts - And Don't Expect A Refund | Apple Is Deleting Bought Films From iTunes Accounts - And Don't Expect A Refund
[UPDATE 1: Apple has issued the following statement on the issues described in the story below: "Any movies you've already downloaded can be enjoyed at any time and will not be deleted unless you've chosen to do so. If you change your country setting, some movies may not be available to re-download from the movie store if the version you purchased isn't also available in the new country. If needed, you can change your country setting back to your prior country to re-download those movies."
The second and third lines of this reply relate to the fact that a specific 'region change' issue seems to have been responsible for the case that originally brought this story into the public eye. I have covered these further developments in this follow up article.]
[UPDATE 2: On September 17, possibly in response to the sorts of issues raised in the story below, Apple updated its Terms of Sale to include a paragraph which might have an impact on the 'no refunds' aspect of this story. You can read more about that here. The original story continues unchanged below. ]
You know how some people like to say that physical media is dead and streaming is the future? Well, Apple is doing a pretty good job right now of proving that theory well and truly wrong.
Reports have started to emerge of Apple completely deleting films from iTunes accounts even when they’ve been bought, not merely rented. And when people complain about this, they’re receiving an astonishing message from Apple telling them that iTunes is just a “store front,” and so Apple isn’t to blame if a film studio decides it no longer wants to make its titles available on iTunes.
Even worse, it seems that if bought film titles are removed from your account you may not even be entitled to get a refund for them. When an iTunes user in Canada complained to Apple that their initial offer of a free $5.99 rental hardly seemed suitable recompense for him having three bought films summarily removed from his account, Apple replied that “our ability to offer refunds diminishes over time. Hence your purchases doesn’t meet the conditions for a refund.”
You know those films you bought on Apple iTunes? You don't really own them at all... Photo: Apple
The Canadian user was offered a further two free rentals as compensation. But, of course, as well as being far less in monetary terms than the films user had bought, having short-term rental rights to a film is very different indeed from owning a film.
While I’m hearing from others who fortunately did get a refund for their deleted films, the bottom line in all this is that Apple appears to be openly saying that if you buy a film on iTunes, you don’t really own it at all. It may only stick around in your iTunes account for as long as the studio who really owns it decides it wants it to stick around in your iTunes account.
The Canadian user suffering this issue was pointed to this page of Apple legalese in the response where he was told that he wasn’t entitled to compensation for his lost purchases.
I’m also starting to receive reports today of the recent return of another major issue with iTunes movies: the downgrading of 4K HDR films to HD. This started happening in 2017, just after the Apple TV 4K launched, as reported here. At that point Apple suggested that there was some sort of labeling issue (where films said they were HD on their header page, but played as 4K) that they managed to (largely) fix. And it seems that the return of this issue may still be responsible for some of the “lost” 4K movies Apple TV 4K users are seeing now.
This doesn’t seem to explain all of the 4K to HD switches, though. It seems that some are down to Apple’s original policy of offering free HD to 4K upgrades of films no longer applying to titles bought in HD outside of iTunes. Say, via the iTunes-compatible Movies Anywhere platform. Though I am recently hearing from people saying that films bought on other iTunes-compatible platforms in 4K are also now only appearing in HD on iTunes.
Call me old fashioned, but I still think there's a lot to be said for buying movies on disc... Photo: The Avengers, Disney/Marvel Studios
In fact, I have even been contacted just today by an iTunes user who tells me that dozens of films he owns in iTunes—many of which were actually bought in iTunes—have stepped back on his Apple TV 4K to HD, having previously being available in 4K. This includes titles that are still available in 4K on VUDU.
It’s worth noting that the specific incident of films being completely deleted I refer to in this article happened in Canada; it’s possible that iTunes users in the U.S. and elsewhere haven’t experienced the same issue (yet…) due to differences in film rights between different territories.
But actually these sorts of regional rights differences merely underline the fundamental point Apple seems to be doing its best to confirm right now: That the only way you can be sure you own anything is if you’re physically holding it in your hand.
I’ve asked Apple for comment on these iTunes issues, and will provide an update if they come back with anything worth sharing. In the meantime, though, if you’ve experienced either films you bought disappearing entirely from iTunes, or films that once appeared in 4K now only appearing in HD, please let me know (with details, if possible, of whether you bought the title from within iTunes or via another compatible platform) via the Twitter account shown at the bottom of this article.
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b3f8d9949ac6154b47f3c6f9115f36e3 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2018/12/04/oled-screen-burn-is-there-a-ticking-time-bomb-inside-your-tv/ | The OLED Screen Burn Debate - Everything You Need To Know | The OLED Screen Burn Debate - Everything You Need To Know
This is an article I’ve considered writing numerous times over the past few years, but have always eventually shied away from. Mostly on the grounds that I just haven’t been persuaded that there was enough cold, hard proof out there that consumer OLED TV screen burn - where persistent exposure to bright, static image elements can ‘wear out’ areas of an OLED screen’s organic materials faster than the rest of the screen, leaving permanent ghostly traces of static image elements behind - was truly that widespread a problem.
A number of recent developments, though, have made me think the time is right to explore this controversial issue. I present all of these recent developments here as, I guess, the evidence for the prosecution.
Before I get into any of that, though, there’s one bit of important ‘housekeeping’ to cover: The difference between image retention and screen burn.
While they always look beautiful, are OLED TVs such as the LG OLED65E8 hiding an ugly screen burn... [+] secret? Photo: LG Electronics
Image retention is the temporary appearance of a ghostly residue of bold static image elements on the screen. This disappears over time when you’re not watching the same content that caused the retention, or when an OLED TV recycles itself when you power it down. Screen burn is permanent (or extremely long term) image retention that never disappears (or that takes weeks or months to disappear).
There is it seems to me a connection between image retention and screen burn, to the extent that image elements that cause image retention can lead eventually to screen burn. You could even see image retention as a warning that something you’re watching a lot could eventually lead to screen burn, and so needs to be handled with extra care (more on this later). But the two are not the same in either their cause or the permanency of their effect.
Having sorted that out, let’s get to why I think OLED’s potential susceptibility to screen burn warrants looking at now more than it has before.
THE PROSECUTION CASE
First, Sony upset owners of its OLED TVs earlier in the year (as reported here) by introducing via firmware a new picture dimming algorithm that kicked in distractingly aggressively if a static image component - such as a gaming HUD - was onscreen for around a minute. Sony confirmed that this was a deliberate move. And while the brand has since tweaked the update to make it less distracting, the point behind it was surely an attempt to minimize the risk of screen burn affecting its OLED TVs.
The Sony A8F recently received a firmware update that introduced extra dimming when static objects... [+] were detected. Much to the annoyance of some of the TV's owners. Photo: Sony
This made me think that either Sony was reacting to actual cases of screen burn in their own test environments or actual consumer reports, or else they were acting on advice from LG Display, the manufacturer responsible for pretty much all the world’s TV-sized OLED panels.
Next, LG also upset buyers of its 2018 OLED TVs recently by releasing a new firmware update to its most recent generation of OLED TVs that increased the extent and speed with which bright images were dimmed down (as covered here). LG has confirmed to me that this ‘intended to reduce consumer discomfort in situations where temporary image retention can occur in certain viewing conditions’.
Also worth noting here is that LG introduced a new feature for its 2018 OLED TVs that can dim the brightness of static picture elements without impacting the rest of the picture.
All of these measures suggest that screen burn is indeed still considered to be an issue by OLED TV makers. In fact, with such new anti-retention/anti-screen burn measures seeming to appear increasingly often in recent times when OLED TVs have been around for years, it’s hard not to think that the flurry of activity has something to do with the growing influence of high dynamic range video (which delivers a much wider brightness range) and the resulting need to make OLED TVs run more brightly.
Another relatively recent development that’s made raised screen burn’s profile of late is the most recent test for the problem by online tech testing site, Rtings.
This is actually Rtings’ second stab at measuring how much of a problem screen burn on OLED TVs is, but I kind of dismissed the first one, as its methodology didn’t feel ‘real world’ enough. The latest test, though, seems more sensible in its approach - and suggests that the latest OLED TVs can suffer with screen burn after as little as 4,000-5,000 hours of use.
The latest shot from Rtings excellent ongoing test for long-term screen burn-in issues on OLED TVs. Photo: Rtings
There are inevitable qualifications to this number, based around how much you watch TV content with static image areas, how brightly you run the TV, and even the colors of the static picture elements (with OLED red seeming to degrade faster than other tones). OLED screens which Rtings is running at a low brightness or without showing content for any extended amount of time that has static image elements are running beyond 5,000 hours without evidence of permanent burn-in issues.
These qualifications, though, really just tie in with the screen burn avoidance advice provided by the OLED TV brands (more on this presently). So what really catches your eye about the Rtings research is how quickly burn-in could occur if you don’t follow that screen burn advice.
The final recent incident that prompted me to put this article together was that I actually experienced myself extended image retention (where ghosts of prominent image elements remained even after I’d powered down the TV) on a 2018 LG OLED77C8 OLED TV.
I used the OLED77C8 in many head to head tests against other TVs over the course of a few months, using many of the same high dynamic range movie sequences. Especially the extremely bright Mad Max: Fury Road 4K Blu-ray. And just before the set was finally due to go back to LG, I noticed a number of areas on the screen that showed ghostly shadows of the 4K Blu-ray’s header image. These ghosts remained visible following a number of power off/on recycles.
The good news is that I managed to remove this ghosting using the TV’s Pixel Refresh feature (explained below the main article). The bad news is that Sony’s advice on its own similar Panel Refresh feature states that ‘The Panel refresh function may affect the panel. As a reference… do not perform it more than once a year, as it may affect the usable life of the panel.”
So after this experience I couldn’t help but wonder a) how much longer the TV would have had to be exposed to the Mad Max imagery before the image retention became permanent burn in, and b) what damage I might have been doing to the screen (permanent aging of all the organic material, perhaps?) if I’d subsequently had to run the Pixel Refresher feature repeatedly in much less than a year.
The header screen on the Mad Max: Fury Road 4K Blu-ray is not something you want to leave playing on... [+] an OLED TV for too long... Photo: John Archer
After all, when the retention became clear, I hadn’t actually put that many hours onto the TV compared with someone who might be using one as their main living room set. Though at the same time, it’s certainly absolutely true that I’d spent an unusual percentage of my time with the set showing the same footage, counter to LG’s usage advice.
Ah yes. Usage advice. This is another key aspect of the any discussion of OLED screen burn, with implications for both sides of the ‘how much should you worry about it’ argument.
The instruction manuals you get with every OLED TV include statements explaining first that image retention is an issue for OLED TVs, and second, what precautions you should take as the TV owner to avoid image retention happening. For instance, there’s this in the manual for Sony’s A1 OLED TV:
“Image retention
OLED TV‘s are susceptible to image retention (burn-in) due to the characteristics of the materials used. Image retention may occur if images are displayed in the same location on the screen repeatedly or over extended periods of time. This is not a malfunction of the TV. Avoid displaying images that may cause image retention.”
This paragraph from Sony actually conflates image retention with burn-in, backing up my sense that while they’re not exactly the same, they’re not entirely unconnected either, at least to the extent that much of the sort of image content that causes image retention has the potential to lead to screen burn. Though I should stress that LG makes a counter argument in the second half of this article.
This Sony warning is followed by a strikingly extensive list of examples of the sort of material that can cause image retention, and an even longer list of steps you should take to reduce the risk of it.
Panasonic also now sells (very good) OLED TVs, such as the FZ950 shown here. Photo: Panasonic
Although it’s a long read, I think it’s worth reproducing this information in full here, as this is public domain information written by an OLED TV brand that arguably shows how concerned OLED manufacturers are about the risks of screen burn. So here goes:
“The following are examples of images that may cause image retention:
• Content with black bars either on the top and bottom and/or the left and right sides of the screen. (for example, Letterboxed,4:3 screen, Standard definition)
• Static images such as photos.
• Video games that might have static content in some part of the
screen.
• On-screen menus, programme guides, channel logos etc.
• Static content from applications.
• On-screen tickers, such as those used for news and headlines.
To reduce the risk of image retention:
• Sony recommends that you turn off the TV normally by pressing the power button on the remote control or the TV.
• Fill the screen by changing [Wide mode] to eliminate the black bars. Select [Wide mode] other than [Normal].
• Turn off the OSD (On Screen Display) by pressing the / button, and turn off the menus from connected equipment. For details, refer to the instruction manuals for the connected equipment.
• Avoid displaying static images with bright colours (including white), clocks or logos on any portion of the screen.
Set the picture settings based on the ambient conditions. The Standard Picture is recommended for home use and when viewing content that often displays the station logos, etc.”
Reading all that, you can easily see why some people - especially video game fans - are worried about OLED burn in.
It should be said that a further section in Sony’s OLED Manual discussing the Panel Refresh and Pixel Shift features the TVs provide to combat burn in defuses things a bit. But the burden of responsibility on the user to minimize potential OLED screen burn nonetheless feels pretty high.
What’s more, all of this user responsibility applies in the context of OLED TV warranties not covering potential damage due to screen burn, since if it occurs, it is considered to have been the TV users’ fault…
THE DEFENSE CASE
In putting together a case for the defense, the first point to raise is that even though OLED TVs have become vastly more popular over the past three years, it doesn’t seem as if technology forums across the globe are awash with complaints of permanent screen burn.
Games with static elements, such as the scores in FIFA, can cause headaches for OLED TV anti screen... [+] burn countermeasures. Photo: FIFA 2018, EA Sports
Perhaps tellingly, there seems much more chatter about the occasionally invasive procedures TV makers introduce to counter screen burn than there is about actual screen burn occurring.
I guess this situation could change given that OLED’s popularity is a relatively recent phenomenon, as this places a limit on the time where screen burn has chance to establish itself. But right now it doesn’t seem to be affecting too many people. Despite how many OLED TVs have been sold over the past two-three years.
Also important to stress is that the sort of varied TV usage associated with most typical household viewing patterns naturally works against permanent screen burn occurring. Most evidence so far suggests that only people who spend a higher than usual amount of time watching channels or playing games with static image elements really need to worry about it.
Also, of course, while the OLED TV makers’ efforts to avoid screen burn by manipulating the picture might not always go down well with OLED TV owners, they’re well intentioned, and show that the OLED TV brands can hardly be accused of ignoring the problem. They’re seemingly constantly engaged in trying to find/improve ways of reducing the risk of OLED TVs falling prey to permanent burn in.
Channeling hope
There’s always the hope, too, that those pesky TV channels that use the sort of bold logos that can cause image retention and ultimately burn in will eventually start to be more considerate to OLED TV owners by toning down their logos or removing them altogether. In fact, just a week ago the European Broadcast Union issued new guidelines specifically designed to help broadcasters make their logos more organic display friendly.
I seem to remember similar guidelines being rolled out back in plasma TV days, though. Yet here we are today, still faced with all manner of obtrusive channel logos.
Perhaps the single most important point the defense side of this debate needs to consider is why OLED TVs are so sought after by many discerning AV fans.
The LG C8 OLED TV range has received rave reviews and become a firm favorite with AV fans. Photo: LG Electronics
The main point is that every pixel in an OLED screen makes its own light, whereas LCD TVs have to share external lights across whole sections of pixels. This means a shot’s brightest pixel right can sit right alongside its darkest one on an OLED screen with no compromise to either the intensity of the bright pixel or the blackness of the dark pixel. As a result, OLED screens can deliver deeper blacks and peerless local contrast, especially in scenes that contain a mix of dark and light content.
OLED’s self emissive nature also means that its pictures hold up from wider viewing angles than those of LCD sets. These advantages have made OLED TVs firm favorites with many movie fans and TV reviewers.
Personally I think OLED and LCD TVs have pros and cons that give each of them specific advantages in different environments and with different sorts of content. There is absolutely no doubt, though, that OLED TVs can and do deliver pictures so glorious that many serious AV fans may well consider the risks of screen burn - and the efforts required to avoid it - a relatively small price to pay.
The rest of the defense case comes from LG. LG is pretty much single-handedly responsible for making OLED TVs mainstream, so I sent a series of questions to it on the subject of burn in. The Korean brand’s laudably extensive replies are published in full below:
“1. A General response about image retention and OLED technology, including lifespan:
OLED is a self-emissive technology which brings many significant benefits to image quality and performance. As with any self-emitting display, OLED TVs may experience temporary image retention under certain conditions, but permanent image retention, or burn-in, is rare under normal viewing conditions.
LG OLED TVs were always designed to meet the same lifespan standard level as other TV categories. In actuality, the topic of OLED TV lifespan and image retention are unrelated because one does not result in the other. Cases of image retention are affected by viewing patterns, not the age of the TV, so it is inaccurate to connect the two.
LG continues to lead the market in large screen OLED products, which undergo rigorous quality control measures to ensure that they offer durability, reliability and extremely high consumer satisfaction. In addition to strict quality control measures, LG continues to develop technologies to prevent image retention such as the Pixel Refresher*.
The onscreen explanation of LG's Pixel Refresher feature. Photo: John Archer, of an LG screen
It is, however, important that consumers are aware of specific situations that can cause image retention, and the owner’s manual includes recommended measures for preventing this. LG is committed to proactively informing customers so they can enjoy the best image quality and performance from their LG OLED TVs.
2. Comment on the recent Rtings screen burn investigation:
Rtings has acknowledged that its 2017 OLED TV tests were conducted using extreme conditions, not at all representative of typical OLED TV viewing or usage habits.
Starting in 2018, Rtings introduced a new criteria for evaluation, which comes closer to actual consumer usage patterns and includes several test programming such as NBC, FIFA Football, CNN, NFL Sports and the Call of Duty video game, with tests for each channel performed repeatedly every day for 20 hours.
LG have noted Rtings’ new testing process which is a step closer to typical real-life viewing patterns. LG is aware of the concerns regarding after image in stress usage and continues to work on developing technologies to prevent image retention in more diverse viewing conditions.
3. Comment on the relationship between today’s increased OLED brightness and ‘after image’ risk:
(i) Increased brightness can affect the likelihood of long-term image retention, and LG is working on improving its algorithm to reduce the correlation between brightness and image retention. This includes reducing the image retention risk, while keeping the optimal brightness as intended. Toward this end, there are already a number of technologies built into LG OLED TVs including:
- Picture quality compensation algorithms which can detect variances in the voltage of each sub-pixel, sense the amount of degradation over time, and compensate electrically.
- Temporal peak luminance control which will gradually lower brightness on a still image after 2 minutes
- Logo Extraction Algorithm which can detect a fixed logo, such as a network logo on a screen and reduce the brightness of the logo.
- Pixel orbiter which will shift the entire image by a few pixels at preset intervals.
Screen Saver which automatically engages if a static image is detected for an extended period of time.
This sort of message is typical of the sort of warnings OLED TVs carry. Photo: John Archer
(ii) There are two ways to increase the brightness of OLED pixel: Increase the amount of current to OLED pixel (increase the brightness of the light source), or improve the aperture ratio (increase the size of the 'window' that passes through the light source).
When the current is driven through the OLED material, which is equivalent to each subpixel, it generates light. In this process, the brightness increases in accordance with the amount of current applied per unit area - which does add to the stress that OLED pixels get. However, thanks to improvements in OLED material technology, the current that OLED pixel can bear has been increased, which means no compromise in life span.
Also recent improvements in the aperture ratio have enabled OLED TVs to increase the brightness without increasing the current passing through the light sources (so again with no compromise in panel life span).”
Verdict
So what can we make of all this wealth of evidence for both sides of the argument? Well, first I don’t think there can be any doubt that OLED TVs are still susceptible to permanent screen burn. It is not just a ‘historical’ problem that has been completely ‘solved’. In fact, LG itself admits in some of its comments that burn-in has at least the potential to be more of a problem now, as the arrival of HDR sees a push towards higher brightness.
It also seems to me, though, that between the ever-increasing efforts of the OLED TV brands to find ways of reducing the chance of screen burn occurring, and the willingness of devoted OLED TV fans to take care with how they use their TV, occurrences of permanent screen burn in the real consumer world are now and will continue to be rare. Despite how many OLED TVs are being sold these days.
What you do need to at least be aware of, though, is the impact on your viewing of the processes involved with ensuring that screen burn doesn’t happen.
On the consumer’s side, this means end users potentially building some compromises into their viewing habits.
On the manufacturers’ side, this means deploying anti-screen burn picture measures that can affect picture quality. Measures which consumers should remember are regularly added to OLED TVs via firmware updates after the sets have been launched and initial reviews have been written.
There is also an upside to this firmware update situation, of course, in that screen burn-related TV features can always be refined and improved over time. And I feel confident given the pedigree of the brands involved that there will indeed be steady, generally upward progress.
Maybe the best way to sum everything up is this: while OLED TVs absolutely deserve the love they get for their picture quality potential, for now, at least, we have to accept that OLED TV love comes with a few trials and tribulations in tow.
* How the Pixel Refresher works, in LG’s own words: “There are two anti-image retention systems incorporated into LG OLED TVs, the short-term Pixel Refresher and the long-term Pixel Refresher.
The short-term Pixel Refresher automatically starts operating when the user turns off the TV, after viewing for more than four hours in total (in one session or across several). For example, if a user watched TV for two hours yesterday and three hours today (total of five hours), the Pixel Refresher would automatically run for 10 minutes when the TV is next switched off. The user won’t even be aware it’s in operation. If the TV is switched on before the 10-minute operation is complete, the short-term Pixel Refresher will attempt to run the next time the TV is turned off.
The long-term Pixel Refresher operates when the TV reaches an accumulated viewing time of more than 2,000 hours. At this point, when the user switches the TV off, a notification appears informing them that the Pixel Refresher will start. This operation runs for an hour while the TV is off. A white horizontal line displays onscreen when the process is almost finished. If users turn on the TV before the 1-hour operation has concluded, the TV will show a message that the Pixel Refresher has not been completed. This notification will display each time the TV is turned off, until the Pixel Refresher has run its full course. Additionally, users can manually activate the Pixel Refresher via the TV’s menu whenever they choose. However, it is not necessary for them to do so as LG OLED TV automatically runs the long-term Pixel Refresher each time 2,000 hours of viewing is reached.”
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641bde005dc06933710195b3007bcd82 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2019/01/07/oled-blocking-and-flashing-problems-lg-responds/ | OLED TV Blocking And Flashing Problems: LG Responds | OLED TV Blocking And Flashing Problems: LG Responds
LG has come back to me today regarding the major blocking and flashing problems that have been plaguing a significant number of owners of its 2018 OLED TVs (and owners of a few rival brand models too). And I’m happy to say that a fix is on its way.
The issues - described in detail in this previous story - have seen some 2018 OLED TV owners suddenly finding their TVs exhibiting distracting flashing and elevated compression artefacts during dark scenes. The way the problems seem to appear on affected TVs overnight seemingly at random and sometimes months after purchase had got some OLED fans concerned that the issues were some sort of hardware rather than software failure, and therefore hard if not impossible to fix.
Blocking and flashing issues with OLED TVs are going to be fixed via firmware update, says LG. Photo: LG Electronics
LG assures me, however, that it has now identified the cause of the problem, and is confident that it will be able to address it for all affected 2018 OLED owners via a firmware update.
This will come as great news to anyone concerned that their once lovely OLED TVs had become permanently damaged in some way. The only catch is that we are going to need to be patient while we wait for the firmware update to arrive.
Since the firmware update relates to the TVs’ picture quality, it will have to go through an especially stringent testing process before rolling out to TVs. LG estimates that this could take as much as three or four months.
This isn’t ideal, I guess, given how much of an impact the issue can have on certain (especially but not exclusively) streamed content. But I suspect most OLED TV owners will just be relieved that a fix is possible at all.
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c208ca10862c0db97e62ac4e80774487 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2019/01/17/netflix-reveals-that-its-biggest-threat-is-fortnite/?sh=4e17431f3763 | Netflix Reveals That Its Biggest Threat Is... 'Fortnite' | Netflix Reveals That Its Biggest Threat Is... 'Fortnite'
Today Netflix revealed its latest earnings statement. And the general feeling is that the video streaming giant just about did OK, growing its subscriber base more than expected, but not quite hitting its revenue targets.
What I’m interested in here, though, is a short but hugely striking line tucked away within the Competition section of Netflix’s new Shareholders report. That line goes as follows: “We compete with (and lose to) Fortnite more than HBO.”
These few words stopped me in my tracks when I first read them, so strange did it seem for Netflix to be talking about a video game as competition for its video streaming service. But the more you think about it, the more sense the statement makes.
Fortnite's astonishing popularity isn't only causing a headache for other video games. Photo: Fortnite, Epic Games
The reason the line stands out so much is that it forces you to abruptly rethink your ideas of competition.
Previously, discussions of Netflix competitors have centered around rival streaming services; Amazon, Apple iTunes, VUDU and so on - plus, of course, HBO, and the soon-to-be-launched Disney+ streaming service. What this line in Netflix’s Shareholder statement suddenly makes you realize, though, is that competition for the biggest entertainment platforms is no longer just about subscriber numbers, technical quality and how good/large their content rosters are. The battle has now shifted to how much of a household or individual’s available screen time an entertainment platform is able to command.
There are, after all, only 24 hours in any given day. And within that 24 hours most people will only have a much smaller time window available for staring at a screen. So once an entertainment platform has overcome the initial battle of becoming internationally recognized and racked up a healthy subscriber base, its next challenge becomes winning as many of those available screen hours as possible.
Most households will, of course, be entirely familiar with the idea of screen time competition between different sources - especially when it comes to the main family TV. The astonishing success of Fortnite, though, and the way the game’s success has spread across every sort of screen in typical modern homes, has brought the idea of competition for screen time between very different forms of entertainment to the fore like never before.
Netflix HQ in Los Gatos, CA. Getty
So it is that the Competition section of Netflix’s shareholder’s report talks about percentages of screen time - for both televisions and mobiles. And those seemingly half a dozen people who haven’t experienced Fortnite’s almost narcotic lure to both adults and children may be surprised to learn that even a streaming platform as massive as Netflix earns only around 10% of TV screen time in the US right now. And less than that when it comes to mobile devices. The percentages are lower, too, outside the US, where Netflix doesn’t enjoy such high market penetration.
It’s possible, of course, that Fortnite’s popularity is a) a one-off, and b) will eventually dwindle away. The concern for Netflix, though, must be that Fortnite has opened a gaming Pandora’s Box, and that the only point where it stops consuming huge amounts of household screen time is when some equally addictive gaming successor comes along.
It’s tempting to see Netflix’s recently released first stab at an interactive TV show, Bandersnatch, as an early attempt by the streaming giant to counter the interactive draw of games like Fortnite. Though if it is, the mind boggles at how much TV shows will start to cost if Netflix regularly has to make them with multiple different narrative streams and branches. Also, even the most sophisticated interactive TV shows can never truly compete with the ‘live’ second by second interactivity of a video game.
Could interactive Netflix shows such as Bandersnatch compete with the interactive thrills of gaming? Photo: Bandersnatch, Netflix
Netflix’s stated response to the new screen time war is a positive one. Namely that it wants to earn more screen time by being more compelling than its growing number and variety of competitors. “Our focus is not on Disney+, Amazon or others,” says the Netflix statement, “but on how we can improve our experience for our members.”
This statement also suggests, though, that the constant growth in the number of entertainment platforms vying for our screen time represents a potentially big problem for both the content providers and, ultimately, us viewers. After all, the more content/entertainment services and experiences there are, the less time each service may be able to command of our available viewing time. And the less viewing time any service can secure from us, the less it will ultimately be able to justify its subscription charges. And the less money it earns from subscriptions or pay per view income, the less money it will have available to invest in quality programming and better user experiences.
In other words, as well as us consumers having to try and cope with a more fractured viewing experience, we may find that after an initial positive surge as each streaming or gaming platform jostles for position, further down the line we might find the quality and quantity of new content dipping as some services start to struggle to make ends meet.
It seems inconceivable at this point, of course, that Netflix could ever become one of these faltering services. If, though, a single game created from a level of investment far lower than that required to create hour after hour of high quality TV and movie content can monopolize as many hours of screen time for as many months as Fortnite has, then startling though it sounds at first, it becomes clear that Netflix is absolutely correct in identifying new ‘social gaming’ experiences as potentially the biggest threat to not just itself, but any of the growing set of video streaming services that consumers already don’t have enough time or money to watch.
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ac9d5de1c9da3797ed7d9a71529edf48 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2019/06/26/why-8k-tvs-matter/?sh=3c6f9f55a216 | Why 8K TVs Matter | Why 8K TVs Matter
As with most new AV technologies, it’s easy to be cynical about 8K TVs. In fact, that was my own feeling when 8K screens - which carry four times as many pixels as 4K ones - first started to sneak into ‘concept corners’ at technology shows a few years ago. Starting to talk about 8K screens before 4K had remotely become mainstream seemed like a recipe for disaster.
It’s hardly surprising, then, that articles or social media posts about 8K, especially if they dare to say anything positive about it, currently tend to attract some pretty ‘robust’ comments.
The more I learn about and, more importantly, experience 8K, though, the more I have to conclude that however easy it might be to join the 8K bashing club, and however many substantial hurdles stand in the way of the technology’s potential being realized on any sort of mainstream level, the bottom line is that 8K can improve the AV experience much more than I’d expected it to.
Samsung introduced the first 8K TVs in second half of 2018. Photo: Samsung
In this article I explore why this is the case, based on a combination of science and dozens of hours of first hand experience of 8K in action.
The Science Bit
Originally I’d intended to open this article with a description of my own experiences of watching 8K TVs. The further I went down this line, though, the more it kept feeling like I was needing to provide some sort of scientific support for what I was experiencing. Especially in an environment where levels of scepticism among people who haven’t actually experienced 8K for themselves seems to be so high. So in the end I’ve decided to look at the science first.
The most basic scientific argument in support of 8K concerns simple dots/pixels per inch. As in, the number of pixels crowded into each inch of any given size of screen, and the effect this has on the viewing experience.
A good way to start thinking about this is to recall that a lot of 4K high dynamic range content these days is mastered on the Sony BVM-X300: An OLED mastering monitor that crams its 4K resolution into a mere 30-inch screen. That means it carries an awful lot of dots per inch; 156, to be precise.
The 30-inch Sony X300 4K mastering monitor delivers a huge number of pixels per inch. Which can only... [+] be matched on larger screens by adding a higher resolution. Photo: Sony
Play the same 4K image created on that 30-inch mastering monitor on a 55-inch 4K TV, however, and that pixel density drops to 81 pixels per inch. On a really king-sized screen of, say, 98 inches, that image ‘density’ plummets to just 45ppi. And this really matters to the picture quality experience.
I first witnessed this for myself at the CES in 2018, during a demonstration that wasn’t actually intended to be about the pixel density issue. A BVM-X300 was running a 4K image right next to a (high quality) 55-inch 4K TV showing the same image. And the difference in apparent sharpness and detail between the two images was immediately obvious. So much so that suddenly the 55-inch 4K TV’s picture no longer really looked like 4K. Chiefly (though naturally other image factors were in play too) because of the difference between the two screens’ ppi.
As Head of Technology Strategy for Sony Visual Products Toshiyuki Ogura put it while introducing the brand’s new 8K TVs recently, while you can reproduce the hue, color and brightness of an image mastered on an X300 on a much larger 4K TV, you can’t reproduce the texture. Unless you up the ppi of the bigger screen by making its resolution 8K.
So, for instance, following up on the 98-inch TV example I gave earlier, with 8K you would get 90ppi. Still not as high as the 30-inch 4K monitor’s 156ppi (16K TVs, anyone?), but much closer. So it provides much more of the texture and density of the original mastered image.
Sony's 98-inch 8K TV delivers a PPI of 90. Which is still much lower than the PPI of a 30-inch 4K... [+] mastering monitor. Photo: Sony
While this all ppi talk makes sense on paper, though, some will try to tell you that there’s a problem. Namely that we’re merrily chatting away here about pixel resolutions that our eyes aren’t actually capable of resolving the difference between.
It’s hardly surprising that this ‘you can’t see the difference’ argument against 8K has come up given that the early days of 4K were also plagued by the same sorts of stuff. Some pixel deniers even rolled out charts supposedly proving how our eyes can’t resolve the differences between HD and 4K from anything like normal TV viewing distances.
As most 4K TV owners will attest, though, provided a 4K TV doesn’t fail in other picture areas (particularly colour resolution and motion clarity), you really can see the difference between HD and 4K. What’s more, while the impact of all 4K’s extra pixels may indeed be higher on very big screens or from closer viewing distances, it can still have an impact on smaller screens, or from typical living room viewing distances.
The reasons why this is so also, it turns out, apply to 8K versus 4K.
The first of these reasons is that our real visual capabilities are much more complex - and much more impressive - than the classic Snellen visual acuity measurement system would suggest.
Japan’s national broadcaster NHK did some research in the run up to launching an 8K broadcast channel in 2018 in which it asked viewers to compare onscreen pictures at a range of different cycles per degree (number of pixels for each degree of an image’s field of view) with real objects. The idea being to try and define the point at which viewers felt that the onscreen picture of the object became as real to their eyes as the actual object.
Japanese broadcaster NHK is already running an 8K channel, which will really come into its own with... [+] the upcoming Tokyo Olympics next year. Photo: NHK
This research found that images started to resemble reality at 150CPD. Which is pretty striking given that Snellen’s visual acuity measure only corresponds to a CPD of 30 - even for people with 20/20 vision.
How can this be? Optical scientists put it down a combination of two things: So-called Vernier acuity, and that often underestimated thing inside our heads known as our brain.
Vernier acuity describes the way our eyes in conjunction with our brains can spot much tinier misalignments between lines - even from distant viewing positions - than the Snellen measurement of simple retinal ‘resolution’ theories suggest should be possible.
Complicated though this sounds, it was demonstrated very simply during a presentation I witnessed on the subject by Dr Kyoung-Min Lee, from the Department of Neurology at Seoul National University.
Lee simply showed two images: one containing a pair of absolutely parallel black lines on a light background, the other showing the black lines out of parallel by just one pixel. Everyone witnessing the demonstration could see that the second pair of lines appeared misaligned despite how small the misalignment was, even from a considerable distance away.
How? The thinking is that the way your brain interprets the raw data being fed to it by your eyes amplifies the “stepping effect” angled lines exhibit when they appear on pixel-based screens, since it always tries to compile the information from your eyes into the sort of analogue, non-pixel based viewing experience we all see as we look at the real world.
The eyes aren't just the window to your soul. They also provide raw data to your brain, which then... [+] does some pretty amazing things with it... Photo: Blade Runner, Warner Bros
From this it follows that the sense of realness you feel when watching a pixel-based display will be increased if stepping effects in the picture are reduced. Which is precisely what happens when you step up to 8K from 4K.
What’s more, because the way your brain interprets what your eyes feed to it so strongly amplifies even quite tiny ‘stepping’ issues, this sense of extra realness will still be visible from a substantially greater viewing distance than you’d be talking about if you were making calculations based on just the Snellen visual acuity approach.
If you’re struggling to follow this, it might help to think about what happens when you feed a high resolution TV a lower resolution signal. The TV has to process the lower resolution image to try and make it compatible with its own native resolution. The lower the resolution of the source image, the more processing the TV has to apply to it - and the less convincing the results will look.
The cognitive part of your brain, essentially, is working in the same way when it takes in pictures being produced on a TV screen. It tries to ‘upscale’ the pixel-based images the screen is showing to the essentially infinitely high resolution imagery it’s used to dealing with in the real world. And so the less resolution your brain has to go on from a TV image, the harder its upscaling processor will have to work - and the less satisfying and real the final results will feel.
A simple illustration of the impact on images of the stepping effect you get with pixel-based... [+] screens. Photo: Florian Friedrich, FF Pictures GmbH
Dr Lee’s findings that higher resolution displays increase a picture’s dynamic signal to noise ratio (reducing the amount of work your brain has to do and thereby making the viewing experience feel more immediate and immersive) opens a discussion about the need for high frame rates to really maximize 8K’s potential. Even at 24 frames a second, though, 8K undeniably substantially reduces data loss in the images your brain has to work with.
Lee concludes, too, that reducing the impact of stepping around edges in 8K screens makes it easier for your eyes/brain to define separate objects within the image. And that having a much greater density of pixels in an image makes it possible to resolve much finer tonal shifts in areas of subtle color blends.
This reduces the color banding effect you can see in pixel-based displays, and joins forces with the enhanced object definition in making it easier for your brain to create/perceive a sense of depth in a TV picture.
This explains why many viewers feel that higher resolution images look more three-dimensional - and it’s another resolution-related picture benefit that you can appreciate even from perfectly typical viewing distances.
These scientific explanations of 8K’s importance take on even greater value in today’s high dynamic range age. After all, HDR’s expanded brightness range makes edges and, therefore, any resolution-related stepping in those edges, more pronounced.
The LG OLED65C9's combination of HDR technology and pixel-level lighting help it do a great job of... [+] bringing out the small bright light peaks that join resolution in making pictures feel more realistic and three-dimensional. Photo: LG
Although this is not something Lee mentions in his research, it’s worth noting that HDR also introduces the potential for images to contain small, intense light peaks that you don’t get in SDR, and here again, provided a screen’s light management is good enough, the extra fineness in an 8K image has the potential to render these highlights - and the tiniest differences in them - more effectively than lower resolution screens.
Further research out of South Korea sums up all this perceptual science in more human terms. Dr YungKyong Park of Ewha Womans University in Seoul set up two 65-inch (so not especially huge) 4K and 8K TVs side by side, both delivering 500 nits of peak brightness in a dark room environment. Then 120 different viewers who had all been tested for 20/20 vision and normal color perception were placed nine feet from each screen and asked to rate the performance of each screen with 16 identical images and three videos containing a wide variety of subject matter.
The test subjects rated the 8K screen’s performance 35% higher than the 4K one, with the sense of depth in the picture increasing by a huge 60%. And remember, this was from nine feet on a 65-inch screen. Definitely not a ‘nose up against an 85-inch screen’ scenario.
Perhaps the most telling thing about this experiment, though, was the use of words like ‘heavier’, ‘warmer’, ‘cooler and even ‘more delicious’ the test subjects used to describe their 8K experiences. This is how people tend to describe things in the real world, using their senses, rather than how people normally talk about TV pictures.
An illustration of how increasing the fineness of luminance gradation enhances your appreciation of... [+] depth. Photo: Presentation by Professor Yungkyong Park of Ewha Womans University
“Having more resolution means more realness, and having a bigger size of screen means more reality. So for 8K we focus on realness” Park said at a recent 8K Summit in New York. “With 4K it was all about details. With 8K, we’re talking about mass and volumetrics.”
“This is not something you can measure, but it is something you can see,” Park added. “With 8K, you’re moving on to a better optical illusion.”
The Content Bit
The fact that there’s currently pretty much zero 8K content out there (certainly outside Japan) is for me a more valid argument against 8K TVs than anything relating to its picture quality. But again, it doesn’t ultimately hold up strongly enough under scrutiny to render today’s 8K TV’s pointless.
For starters, let’s not forget that there was hardly any native 4K content around when 4K TVs first appeared. Yet now, while there are still frustrating barriers to overcome, especially in the broadcasting world, you can find hundreds if not thousands of hours of 4K content on various streaming platforms, as well as on 4K Blu-ray discs. Even a few satellite and cable 4K broadcasts are now starting to appear.
The same thing is likely to happen - albeit on a likely less widespread scale - with 8K content, as more 8K TVs find their way into more and more living rooms. It’s the old "chicken and egg"/"if you build it, they will come" scenario all over again.
In fact, there are already moves in the 8K content arena. As noted earlier, NHK in Japan has already launched an 8K TV satellite broadcast channel, which runs for 12 hours a day. This kicked off at 10am on Saturday December 1 2018 with a new 8K remaster of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, and also carries native 8K footage of museums, nature shows, and significant sporting and cultural occasions. Though as you might expect, the schedule is pretty heavy on repeats right now!
2001: A Space Odyssey was the first thing shown on Japan's 8K TV channel. Photo: 2001: A Spacy Odyssey, Warner Bros/MGM
In Europe, streaming platform Rakuten TV announced a few months ago that it was intending to start offering 8K streams later this year (though it’s yet to back this up with any firm information on stuff like the compression format it might use, or the 8K titles that might be available).
There’s also an 8K channel on YouTube - though frustratingly this isn’t compatible with the first 8K TVs we’re seeing.
This brings us to the biggest hurdle currently facing 8K delivery to the home: compression. Currently NHK’s 8K service in Japan is using the HEVC codec - which requires a 100Mbps data rate to deliver 10-bit, 4:2:0 8K at 60 frames a second. Realistically for 8K content delivery to “take off”, we’re going to need a substantially more efficient (30-50%) real time encoder than that - most likely a new AV1 or VVC system.
This new 8K-friendly compression system may not be as far away from readiness as you might think, though. Sony’s Toshiyuki Ogura thinks it could be ready for consumer roll out in as little as two years. Though it remains to be seen, I guess, if current 8K TVs will be compatible with any future compression format.
There are a few 8K moves taking place in the content creation world, too. Multiple cameras are now available that can capture video in 8K. Netflix’s Lost In Space was apparently largely shot in the resolution, as was the Peter Jackson-produced Mortal Engines movie. The ‘IMAX’ sequences in Mission: Impossible - Fallout (such as the helicopter chase) were also shot on 8K Panavision digital cameras.
Some sequences in Mission: Impossible - Fallout were shot in 8K. And these sections look stunning... [+] even on a 4K Blu-ray. Photo: Mission: Impossible - Fallout, Paramount Pictures
Phil Holland, director and cinematographer at PHFX, told attendees at the recent 8K Summit I mentioned earlier that 90% of the work he’s done since 2015/2016 has been shot in 8K, then delivered in 4K or 8K. Partly because he’s found that 8K is “a whole new ball game when it comes to revealing the subtle textures and colors found with nature and wildlife”, but also because in the work he does with the fashion industry, he’s been able to lift still frames from 8K video that retain enough resolution to appear in print magazines.
He also loves shooting live events in 8K because at that resolution “there’s nothing between you and the experience of people who actually attended the event”.
Also at the recent 8K Summit in New York, Dan Duran, Post Production and Workflow Specialist with RED (which made its first 8K camera in 2015), discussed how shooting in 8K allows directors to ‘zoom in’ in post production on the images they captured, to guide exactly where they want the viewers’ eye to go.
Duran pointed out, too, that there’s more noise in native full HD or 4K video than there is with video that’s been shot in high-bandwidth 8K but down-converted to lower resolutions for distribution.
Also fascinating from the perspective of an 8K future for home video is the fact that already some studios have started making 8K rather than 4K digital remasters of movies originally shot on film, as they’re finding that you need a huge number of pixels to fully capture digitally every nuance of an analogue format like film. Indeed, movie industry insider Jon Thompson tweeted recently that 70mm film is now being scanned at 12K to completely capture the feel of film digitally.
RED’s Duran expanded on this point in his 8K Summit presentation by stressing the importance of resolution to film or TV show’s shelf life. Things made in 8K now will still hold up on whatever displays we have decades down the line. Just as I Love Lucy is still watched now because it was filmed on 35mm film at a time when most, now long-forgotten TV shows were only shot on 8mm.
It's been suggested that the next PlayStation will (somehow) support 8K. Photo: Sony PlayStation
More big news for 8K TVs came recently from Sony PlayStation and Xbox, which both revealed that their successors to the PS4 and Xbox One will support 8K when they launch next year. It’s not clear at this point exactly how the consoles’ engines will generate that 8K gaming output, but any sort of PlayStation/Xbox involvement should certainly put 8K TVs much more on consumer radars than they are right now.
One 8K source that likely won’t happen, though, is 8K Blu-ray. The required data capacities of 8K discs would have to be huge, representing a substantial technical challenge. Also, even if 8K discs were possible, I’m not convinced (sadly, given that I personally remain a fan of physical media) that studios will see sufficient return on any 8K disc investment as more and more people turn to streaming for their movie needs.
For all the early stirring of 8K support in the content world, though, there’s no denying that anyone who buys an 8K TV won’t be able to watch native 8K content on it for months if not years to come. Which is where 8K upscaling comes in.
Upscaling has had a pretty spotted history over the years. Some (usually relatively affordable) 4K and even HD screens still do a pretty unimpressive job of it, in fact.
So it’s easy to imagine 8K upscaling systems coming a major cropper given the colossal amounts of pixels involved. For instance, if you’re converting a full HD image to 8K, your processor is going to have to figure out in real time how 31 million extra pixels should look - a truly staggering challenge.
Samsung's second generation 8K TVs, the Q900RB range (Q950R in Europe) used an enhanced AI... [+] processing system to deliver excellent upscaling. Photo: Samsung
Remarkably, though, the 8K upscaling systems I’ve seen so far on the first 8K TVs from Samsung and Sony have been remarkably effective. So much so that rather than being ‘necessary evils’ that make sub-8K sources look worse than they would if watched on a screen that matched their resolutions, they’ve actually made all sources look at least as good, and in some cases, better.
There’s a very good reason for this. Namely that the leading 8K brands have moved to a whole new type of upscaling to cope with the latest massive resolution jump.
The old approach of simply looking at neighboring pixels and trying to calculate what extra pixels between the originals might look like just doesn’t produce adequate results when you’re dealing with the number of pixels associated with 8K pictures. So that approach has been supplanted by a much superior AI “machine learning” system, where comparative analysis of different resolutions of the same content has been used to build huge databases of different picture sources and picture types. 8K TVs can call on these (regularly updated) databases in real time when figuring out how best to deal with sub-8K content.
Samsung video expert Seungho Park suggested at the recent 8K Summit that research is also being done into a Deep Learning approach to upscaling, since the complexity this provides has the potential to deliver another sea-change in upscaling performance. Apparently, though, this exciting prospect for the future is currently proving too difficult to control to deliver consistently reliable results.
Good quality 4K Blu-rays can look awesome when upscaled for 8K TVs. Photo: Blade Runner 2049, Warner Bros
I’ll talk more about the impact of the new AI approach to upscaling in real world experience terms later. The bottom line, though, is that even the first generations of 8K upscaling processing are good enough to give sub-8K sources at least some of the big-screen benefits of 8K described in ‘The Science Bit’ of this article without generating nearly as many unwanted problems as you might expect.
The Hardware Bit
All this talk of a bold 8K TV future is pretty moot if there aren’t 8K TVs to buy. Already, though, two brands have started to sell 8K sets: Samsung and Sony.
Samsung introduced the first range of 8K TVs in September 2018, in the shape of the Q900R series. This was followed up this year with a second series of 8K models (the Q900RBs in the US, or the Q950Rs elsewhere) that add improved processing and wide viewing angle technology. These sets are available in sizes ranging from 65 to 98 inches.
Sony’s debut 8K TVs, the Z9G/ZG9 series are just coming out now, in 85 and 98-inch sizes.
Sharp has also launched a range of 8K monitors that have been available for a few months to consumers who don’t need built-in tuners (though they’re aimed more at the commercial display market), and LG is going to launch the first 8K OLED TV this year in the shape of the OLED88Z9PUA.
Sony's 85Z9G (85ZG9) debut 8K TV has just launched. Photo: Sony
Some Chinese brands have also announced plans to launch 8K TVs in 2019 - including most notably (given that they have truly international reach) TCL and Hisense.
The arrival of Chinese brands on the 8K scene might contribute to cracking that other tricky 8K TV problem: their relative expense versus 4K sets.
Sony’s cheapest 8K TV, the 85Z9G, is $13,000, while its 98-inch model is an eye-popping $70,000. Samsung’s entry-level 8K model, the 65-inch QN65Q900RB (QE65Q950R in Europe) is actually surprisingly affordable at $3999 (or £4,999). But while this isn’t as expensive as you might have expected for a new technology, it’s still more than the the vast majority of 4K TVs - and more than most consumers will be willing or able to pay for a TV.
This ‘new tech costs more’ situation, though, is hardly new. The first plasma and OLED TVs, for instance, cost five figures, and the first 4K TVs were hardly bargains, either. And actually, given that it’s apparently not especially difficult to build 8K TVs, we can likely expect prices to drop reasonably quickly. Especially, as I said earlier, now the Chinese brands are poised to get seriously involved.
It’s worth adding, though, that getting the best from an 8K TV’s resolution will mean getting a TV that’s also strong in other performance areas, such as color, contrast and motion clarity. And this sort of all-round premium performance always comes at a price. Nonetheless, price erosion across the 8K board is bound to happen - and likely quite quickly.
Sharp's LV-70X500E 8K monitor. Photo: Sharp
Seeing Is Believing
The main reason I don’t think 8K TVs deserve the bad press they often get right now - and the thing that most compelled me to write this article in their defense - is the most important: how good they look when you watch them.
I’ve now spent many dozens of hours watching 8K TVs from both Samsung and Sony, using a wide range of content in a variety of environments. I’ve lived with 8K TVs as my main living room sets, and assessed them in direct head to head situations against similarly sized and (resolution aside) similarly featured 4K sets. And 8K has made a positive impression for pretty much the entire time.
Three things in particular have struck me about my 8K experience to date. First, just how obvious 8K’s benefits can be. Second, the way 8K makes a difference even without having to sit absurdly close to the screen. And third, the quality of the first 8K upscaling systems.
The native 8K demo footage provided by both Samsung and Sony has looked out of this world. Clearly cleaner and more detailed than native 4K footage. But as other test subjects have found when presented with 8K, it somehow goes beyond that. It feels like watching reality, basically. Especially with the 8K content I’ve seen that’s been available in HDR, such as an 8K render of Gran Turismo (even though that’s a game!), and mind-blowing 8K footage of the Rio carnival provided by Sony.
Sony's 8K footage from the Rio Carnival is an incredible demonstration of what 8K can do. Photo: John Archer
In the past I described the shift from HD to 4K as like looking through a window rather than watching a screen. But 8K takes the feeling to another level again. Maybe like looking out of an open window?!
It is true that the impact of 8K is greater on bigger TVs. Think 75 inches or more. But that’s not to say that I don’t think 8K can make some difference (for the reasons discussed in the science part of this article) on smaller screens. Certainly 65 inches, and possibly even 55 inches.
Similarly, while there may be a ‘sweet spot’ in terms of 8K viewing distance of around 1.5x screen height, you don’t HAVE to sit that close to enjoy a compelling 8K picture boost.
It’s worth adding here that the benefits 8K brings to larger screens tally handily with the way the TV market is moving now - especially in North America. At the recent 8K Summit, Samsung America Marketing Director Sonia Chen presented data from research group IHS showing that by 2021 it’s estimated that 42% of North American households will have moved to TVs with screens of 65 inches or more.
Chen’s presentation also interestingly discussed how transitions in resolution in the display world happen on a seven year cycle - a pattern which reveals that the transition from 4K to 8K is due to start this year…
I’d honestly expected 8K upscaling to be a mess given the colossal workloads it puts on TV video processors. But both of the first 8K TV brands to hit the market have done a remarkably good job of it, for reasons discussed earlier.
Resolution's 7-year cycle. Photo: Presentation by Samsung US Marketing Director Sonia Chen
Straight side by side comparisons of high-end Samsung 4K and Samsung 8K TVs have made the quality of their upscaling abundantly clear - especially when it comes to Samsung’s newest Q900RB/Q950R sets, which use improved upscaling chips.
Inevitably the success of the 8K upscaling is dependent to some extent on the quality of the source. In other words, it’s at its most impressive with high quality 4K. Even with heavily compressed standard definition broadcasts or web streams, though, while you don’t tend to still get a sense of much extra resolution, both Samsung and Sony’s 8K sets do a strikingly good job of at least suppressing MPEG and other noise in such low-grade sources.
I’m not suggesting here that even upscaled 4K Blu-rays deliver pictures on 8K TVs that look as immaculate and ‘real’ as native 8K content. What I am saying, though, is that the 8K TVs I’ve seen so far can make sub-4K content look better - denser, and cleaner - than they generally look on 4K TVs. Which means that the argument that 8K TVs are pointless until native 8K content is widely available doesn’t hold up. At least when you’re talking about 8K TVs from brands with strong backgrounds in video processing.
Conclusion
I get the hostility from some quarters to 8K, honestly I do. I know that it feels from a cash-strapped consumer perspective as if 8K is just another cynical ploy by the AV grands to try and tempt us all to keep upgrading our TVs. I understand why enthusiasts used to years of witnessing sub-standard upscaling systems think 8K must be a waste of time until native 8K content turns up. And I understand why some question the level of difference 8K can make, especially given the extent of simplistic ‘science’ that was rolled out to try and discredit 4K.
There can be no doubt, either, that 8K has hurdles to overcome. Yet 4K faced almost exactly the same hurdles - and initial consumer hostility - when it first appeared, and look how far we’ve come with that.
In the end, seeing is believing. And having now had extensive experience of what 8K can do on multiple brands of different sized 8K TVs with both native and upscaled 8K content, I, for one, am now a believer in the 8K experience. To someone who’s always looking for ways of making watching TV shows and films better, the arrival of 8K as a progressive addition to the AV landscape (it’s not something anyone HAS to buy, after all!) seems to be something to celebrate, not hate.
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09a0745e2ceea8b1fa1d3e4ba7321eb2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2020/05/12/netflix-starts-to-lift-its-coronavirus-streaming-restrictions/ | Netflix Starts To Lift Its Coronavirus Streaming Restrictions | Netflix Starts To Lift Its Coronavirus Streaming Restrictions
Back in March, Netflix revealed that it was throttling its streaming speeds across Europe in response to a request from an EU commissioner who was (unnecessarily) concerned about the Coronavirus lockdown putting strain on broadband delivery systems.
Inevitably all the other big video streaming platforms swiftly followed suit, leaving European households with clearly reduced streaming picture quality as they tried to fill the hours stuck in their homes.
Happily, Netflix, at least, appears to have started reversing its streaming bandwidth limitations. I’ve heard from multiple contacts in Germany that they are now seeing streaming speeds for 4K Netflix content routinely hitting 15.25Mbps - the same maximum rate they used to hit before the Coronavirus limits were imposed. Previously, Netflix’s throttling process had seen these streams limited to 7.62Mbps - the bare minimum speed required to provide a (compressed-looking) 4K stream.
Netflix has started to lift the Coronavirus-related bandwidth limitations it initiated in Europe. SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
This is great news for German AV fans - especially as some European Netflix users had been concerned that Netflix and the other streaming services might never return streaming bandwidths to their pre-Coronavirus levels.
It seems, though, that the situation in Germany is an isolated case. Certainly here in the UK where I live, Netflix continues to be limited to 7.62Mbps tops.
This suggests that Netflix is going to be lifting its bandwidth cap on a country by country basis, raising questions of what criteria it is using to make its decisions.
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If it’s based around some criteria associated with how well a particular country is dealing with the virus, especially the extent to which a country is able to lift lockdown conditions, then Netflix streaming rates could start to become an interesting extra measure of how well different Coronavirus approaches are working across different countries!
More likely, though, the clue to what’s going on lies in the update paragraph Netflix recently added to its original blog about its bandwidth limiting approach. Posted on April 21, this update says: “Please note, we are working with ISPs to help increase capacity. In the last month alone we have added four times the normal capacity. As conditions improve, we will lift these limitations.”
Will Disney+ join Netflix in starting to lift its broadband limitations? Photo: The Disney+ home screen (Disney+)
While rather cryptic in some of its terminology, the two main things it seems we can definitely take from this update are that Netflix really does intend to eventually return streaming bandwidths to pre-virus levels for everyone, but that its decisions are likely being made based on discussions with individual ISPs in different countries. So presumably German ISPs have provided enough evidence that their systems are now easily able to cope with a return to full streaming bandwidths.
Whether German ISPs actually lobbied Netflix to return broadband capacities to their normal levels or the change came as a result of normal regular ‘check in’ discussions, I guess we’ll never know. But if any ISP companies in other currently affected European countries are reading this article and are confident - as I strongly suspect they are - that they have no ongoing capacity issues, maybe they could do their customers a solid by contacting Netflix to see if they can get the limitations lifted in their countries too?!
Netflix’s initial response to questions from me about its approach to lifting bandwidth restrictions was merely to point me to Netflix’s blog on the subject. I’ve asked for more specific information, though, and will provide an update if I hear anything more. I’ve also approached Disney+ and Amazon for their thoughts on the subject in light of Netflix’s move, and again, I’ll provide an update if they have anything interesting to say.
In the meantime, I’m dreaming of moving to Germany.
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6b8d36bdaeb9807f648c8bcba4028e69 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2020/06/01/lg-oled65cx-oled-tv-review-home-cinema-hero/ | LG OLED65CX OLED TV Review: Home Cinema Hero | LG OLED65CX OLED TV Review: Home Cinema Hero
It’s pretty well established now, I think, that we’re entering a phase with OLED TVs where for the most part, annual range refreshes are more about adding new features than they are about radical improvements in picture quality.
While this seems disappointing to some, though, and increasingly raises questions about whether new OLED TVs are really significantly better than their predecessors, I think such complaints ignore one important fact. Namely that the best OLED TVs have so much quality in them already - provided, anyway, that your room conditions and picture tastes align with OLEDs strengths - that what might appear small performance improvements actually matter a disproportionately large amount. Especially when, as in the LG OLED65CX’s case, there are a lot of them, all working in perfect harmony.
The LG OLED65CX is an outstanding TV. Photo: LG OLED65CX (LG Electronics)
After all, small improvements at the premium end of the TV market can actually subtly shift the balance when trying to pick between an OLED or LCD TV. Also, when you’re already running at such a high performance level as many OLED and premium LCD TVs are, incremental improvements can actually be seen as nudges towards perfection - perfection as defined, anyway, by the TV technologies we’ve seen come to market so far.
So it is that while the LG OLED65CX could certainly be described on one hand as more of an upgrade to last year’s excellent OLED65C9 than something that rewrites the OLED rulebook, its suite of subtle tweaks improves things sufficiently in enough areas of previous weakness to make it truly something special.
Design
The 65OLEDCX’s design is pretty familiar by now. Essentially an incredibly thin, metal-backed OLED ‘sheet’ is attached to a chunkier section bearing speakers, processing and connections that fills out around the bottom third of the screen’s otherwise glamorous rear. This chunkier section then attaches to a combination of an extremely heavy rear counter-weight stand and a fairly pretty curved, angled, separately attached front stand section, finished in an attractive dark grey metal.
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While the finished look is extremely cute, especially when it comes to the physics-defying slimness of most of the 65CX’s rear, the process of attaching such a skinny screen to such a heavy stand is pretty terrifying. The screen’s metal rear makes the screen more rigid than you think it is, I guess, but still. Setting the OLED65CX up is definitely not a job you should try and do by yourself.
You can wall mount it too - though if you’re keen on that and money’s no object, you might prefer the 65GX ‘Gallery’ design LG has introduced this year. Or even, if you don’t mind facilitating a large external connections/speaker/processor box, the ‘paper-thin’ 65WX.
Corner detail of the LG OLED65CX. Photo: LG OLED65CX (LG Electronics)
Connectivity on the OLED65CX is very good. The highlight is its four HDMI 2.1 ports, all capable of handling 4K feeds at refresh rates of up to 120Hz in 4:4:4 10-bit color - something that may become especially important with the launch of the next generation of games consoles.
Unlike the HDMIs on the OLED65C9, which supported the full 48Gbps data rate that HDMI 2.1 ports are capable of, those on the OLED65CX ‘only’ support around 40Gbps. More background on this change can find in this earlier article. The bottom line, though, is that the ‘full’ 48Gbps data rate only really adds 12-bit support to picture signals. Which is arguably not necessary given that no TVs are currently any higher than 10-bit.
Connections
The vast majority of other 2020 4K TVs also only support at best 40Gbps HDMIs - and typically even the most premium rival sets only have one or two connections capable of handling 4K/120 4:4:4 10-bit HDR. So having all four hitting that level on the OLED65CX is a bonus.
One important connection quirk for US readers is that the OLED65CX doesn’t have an ATSC 3.0 tuner capable of handling the 4K broadcasts some US broadcasters are set to launch in the coming months. You need to step up to LG’s GX series to get ATSC 3.0 support.
In terms of new features, four main things stand out: a new generation (the third) of LG’s Alpha 9 processor; the addition of a Dolby Vision IQ picture mode; the addition of a Filmmaker Mode; and new Gaming enhancements.
Rear view of the LG OLED65CX. Photo: LG OLED65CX (LG Electronics)
The most significant of these new features (so far as I’m concerned, anyway), is the new Alpha 9 processor. Given that hardware changes between different generations of OLED TVs are typically minimal now (except for the proprietary high-brightness panels Panasonic introduced on its flagship OLED TVs last year), it falls to processing to deliver most annual OLED performance enhancements.
Processing features
In Alpha 9 Gen 3’s case, the main listed steps forward are as follows: A new Face Enhancement algorithm; new AI-based upscaling of sub-4K sources; a new Text Upscaler that focuses on removing the jagged edges low-resolution text can exhibit when upscaled to 4K; and a new Auto Genre Selection feature for SDR, HDR and Dolby HDR content, so that the TV can adapt its pictures better to the different sorts of content we all watch.
On the audio side, meanwhile, the third generation of the Alpha 9 processor introduces a virtual 5.1 up-mix system that LG says delivers twice as much sound stage width as the Gen 2 processor. Extra genres have been added to LG’s audio genre recognition system too, to improve how well the TV can automatically adapt its audio profile to suit what you’re watching. Finally, the new processing can separate voices out better from the rest of the soundstage, to keep them clearer.
The LG OLED65CX Photo: LG OLED65CX (LG Electronics)
These new tweaks come on top of features introduced on previous Alpha 9 versions, such as source quality management, four-step noise reduction, a frequency based sharpness enhancer, colour and contrast enhancement, and True Color Accuracy Pro (which operates on a 33x33x33 LUT system with 35,937 color points versus the 17x17x17, 4,913 color points of the Alpha 7 chipset found in the cheaper BX OLED range).
The new listed processor specific tweaks are joined by improved picture tuning and motion reproduction.
New picture modes
Dolby Vision IQ is a system for adjusting pictures based on the amount of light in your room, so that they retain the same overall look and impact that they would in a dark room. Note that while this feature uses the TV’s built-in light sensor, it’s much more intelligent - not least because it works with Dolby’s proprietary picture optimisation technologies - in the variety of picture elements it adjusts than the old, basic light-compensation systems TVs have carried for years.
Filmmaker mode is a bit more complicated. As briefly as possible, though, it’s a mode designed through the Ultra HD Alliance in conjunction with film creatives that’s supposed to make your TV settings resemble those that were used by professional mastering monitors. For the most part, this means matching up frame rates and turning off the majority of a TV’s picture processing features.
Turning, finally, to gaming, as well as supporting the likely maximum useful output either of the next-gen games consoles will be offering across all four HDMIs, LG has got its input lag in Game mode down to only just over 13ms for 2020’s Alpha 9 OLEDs. This is a superb result for a TV set (as opposed to a dedicated gaming monitor).
The LG OLED65CX. Photo: LG OLED65CX (LG Electronics)
There’s also support for the NVidia G-Sync and Freesync variable refresh rate systems, automatic low latency mode switching when game sources are detected, and even an HGiG mode that’s designed to take HDR tone-mapping instructions from connected HGiG-capable consoles - such as the PS4 and, hopefully, both next-gen consoles. This is so that the TV doesn’t end up applying its own HDR tone mapping to game images that have already had their output optimised for your TV by settings at the console side.
It’s worth noting here, too, that activating the Game picture mode on the LG OLED65CX doesn’t lead to the sort of picture compromises seen with some rival LCD models that have to reduce the quality of their backlight controls to deliver their fast response times.
Also worth a quick mention before getting into the LG OLED65CX’s picture quality is its smart system. As ever this is based around LG’s webOS platform, and changes in terms of presentation and features over 2019’s LG TVs are pretty limited. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, since webOS remains one of the easiest to use and customise smart platforms around - even if the amount of content sources now has started to make the horizontally scrolling home ‘bar’ look a bit long and straggly.
WebOS
The only substantial changes to webOS are as follows. First, a new Sports mode lets you track your favourite sports team (provided it’s big enough to be one of those that appears on a fairly limited list). You will get score and news updates, as well as reminders when your team is about to appear in a televised match.
There’s a new (welcome) notifications set up screen that lets you adjust the sort of ‘tips’ and advice webOS gives you. You can also look for stuff to watch in a new Recommended Content section that picks out content from those streaming services that are willing to let webOS interlink with them (which, sadly, is not all of them).
Apple Airplay 2 and Home Kit support are present and correct, and so in most countries will be all the key streaming apps you’d expect to find these days. Including Disney+ and Apple TV.
The LG OLED65CX Photo: LG OLED65CX (LG Electronics)
British readers should note, though, that due to an unexpected pause in LG’s long-running relationship with Freeview Play, there is at the time of writing no support for any of the UK’s usual terrestrial broadcaster catch up apps (BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub and so on). LG is working to bring all these catch up apps to 2020 TVs on a one by one basis, but no timescale has been given for this process.
One other feature the OLED65CX is notably missing is support for the HDR10+ HDR format. This is not as commonly used as the rival Dolby Vision ‘dynamic’ HDR format. There are, though, TVs from a growing number of brands - including Panasonic, Philips (in Europe), TCL and Hisense - that support both HDR10+ and Dolby Vision.
So we get to the main event: the LG OLED65CX’s outstanding picture quality.
Picture Quality
As usual with an OLED TV, the most instant attraction of the OLED65CX’s images is their combination of deep black levels and immaculate local contrast. Thanks to the way every pixel in an OLED TV makes it own light (rather than huge groups of pixels having to share external backlights, as happens with even the best current LCD TVs), dark scenes containing bright highlights look fantastically precise and rich in contrast.
The brightest point in a picture can sit right next to the darkest without either the bright part causing light to ‘bleed’ into the surrounding dark pixels, or the bright part having to be dimmed heavily to stop light creeping into the dark part.
The OLED65CX gets even more punch and intensity out of this OLED strength than the OLED65C9, holding onto slightly deeper blacks more consistently, but also keeping track of plenty of subtle light and color detail in the darkest areas. In this respect, the LG OLED65CX kind of brings together the best of 2019’s C9 and B9 TVs, the latter of which actually went deeper with its black levels, while the C9 revealed more shadow detail.
Stand detail of the LG OLED65CX. Photo: LG OLED65CX (LG Electronics)
The OLED technology the OLED65CX uses also means that very dark sequences typically look extremely stable, with none of the distracting backlight brightness ‘jumps’ you can get with LCD TVs.
Measuring the OLED65CX’s brightness doesn’t deliver significantly different results to those obtained from the C9. You’re looking at more than 800 nits in the (best avoided) Vivid mode, 784 nits in the Standard mode, around 760 nits in Cinema Home and 700 nits in the Cinema and Filmmaker modes. (All these figures were measured, by the way, using a white HDR window covering 10% of an otherwise black screen.)
Dynamic Pictures
While the OLED65CX’s pictures don’t measure much brighter than those of previous LG OLED TVs, though, they look it. Presumably because of the gently improved black levels and even more refinements in LG’s dynamic tone mapping system (which I strongly recommend you always leave active, except for when you’re using an HGiG-capable console).
What’s more, the slight improvement in perceived brightness applies both to the peak highlights of HDR content (sunlight reflecting on metal, streetlights etc) and to the full-screen brightness levels the screen can produce with sun-drenched HDR shots. It’s surprising just what a difference processing can make to the dynamism of HDR pictures even when there’s no measurable hardware brightness increase.
It’s worth stressing at this point that my findings here, along with others to come, were made in a direct side by side comparison with a C9.
Profile view of the LG OLED65CX Photo: LG OLED65CX (LG Electronics)
As well as being appealing in its own right for the way it elicits more impact from HDR content, the extra brightness the OLED65CX ekes out of real-world content improves its color performance, too. Bright blue skies, for instance, look a more natural shade, as they don’t ‘top out’ with the slightly cyan tone seen with previous LG OLED generations. Rich green forests look more realistically lush, too, without that slightly ‘radioactive’ tone sometimes seen previously.
This sort of improvement with the perceived volume and naturalism of colors with relatively extreme image content further enhances the HDR impact LG OLED screens can deliver.
The sort of small improvements in perceived brightness and color I’m talking about really matter when you’re competing with a rival technology, LCD, which boasts HDR brightness and color volume (in premium sets, at least) as its biggest advantages.
As well as being slightly richer and more natural, the OLED65CX’s colors achieve more uniformity across the screen. In other words, where a fairly monotone color - especially a muted background wall - runs right across the screen, there’s practically no panel-related tonal drift in different areas of the screen as there has been with previous LG OLED generations.
Sharpness and detail
The OLED65CX’s native 4K pictures look slightly sharper than they did on last year’s models, perhaps mostly because of the new model’s slightly enhanced contrast. And its upscaled pictures look much better than they did last year. In fact, thanks to the new AI-boosted upscaling engine, HD images on the OLED65CX are in many ways now a match for the best rival brands. Especially when it comes to handling areas of particularly dense texture without succumbing to over-sharpening or noise. Outstanding.
The sharpness with both upscaled HD and native 4K is retained better than it has been before when there’s motion to contend with, too. The Cinema Clear motion preset is easily LG’s most effective TruMotion option to date, taking out ‘panel’ judder without leaving the picture looking like a victim of the over-smooth soap opera effect film fans hate so much.
Top down view of the LG OLED65CX Photo: LG OLED65CX (LG Electronics)
Improved though this motion preset is, though, it can still be caught out by very complex content with lots of different motion speeds and parallax layers. During the shots at 12:48-12:54 in Blade Runner 2049, for instance, where K’s Spinner travels back into LA, even the relatively mild Cinema Clear mode can cause some very noticeable glitching around the Spinner. Switching to Custom and keeping the judder and blur reduction elements to around three a piece reduces this issue while still taking the edge off judder. But even this very gentle setting is still not flawless.
The residual motion processing issues will doubtless see many movie fans simply turning the TruMotion system off altogether. Which is fine, as motion does look better on the CX than it has on previous LG OLED generations even without motion processing in play. Though at the same time, I must say that simply toggling through the TV’s various picture preset options while watching a motion packed sequence did cause a bit of a judder-induced shock when I got to the Filmmaker Mode (which turns all motion processing off by default).
There’s quite a lot of other stuff to discuss about the Filmmaker Mode. Too much, I think, to take on in this review; look out for a separate article in the next week or two.
The same goes for the Dolby Vision IQ mode - even though, surprisingly, this hasn’t ended up actually being called Dolby Vision IQ mode in the OLED65CX’s menus. Instead you effectively get the Dolby Vision IQ mode if you choose the Dolby Vision Cinema Home setting while watching Dolby Vision content and having the AI Brightness feature enabled.
The OLED65CX improves on its predecessors too, when it comes to compression blocking and ‘fizzing’ noise with streamed sources. Even the notoriously tricky Vikings Season 5, Part 2 Episode 12 sequence (35:27 and 36:33) on Amazon Prime looks cleaner. And crucially this has been achieved without the heavy ‘black crush’ issue that came along with LG’s original fix for this issue.
Some of the connections of the LG OLED65CX Photo: LG OLED65CX (LG Electronics)
I guess that again you could argue this is a subtle improvement. But it’s still another contributing factor to my over-riding feeling that by the time all of its small improvements have been added together, the OLED65CX delivers a much more consistently immersive and satisfying picture than I’ve ever experienced from an LG OLED before.
There are still, of course, a few issues. The perfect TV hasn’t arrived yet, and quite possibly never will. So, for starters, while the latest image processing manages to deliver a more dynamic looking HDR picture than we’ve seen from an LG OLED before, peak brightness still is not (and likely never will be with current OLED technology) as bright as that you can get from premium LCD TVs. Though I repeat the point I stressed earlier, that the actual perception of contrast and intensity you can get, especially with relatively small brightness highlights, from OLED’s self-emissive nature can be seriously spectacular.
Dark side
During one or two extremely dark sequences, such as the Patrick Hockstetter sewer sequence in It, the film’s typically beautiful black levels could take on a faint yellowish hue that actually left the black levels at such moments looking deeper - or, at least, more neutral - on a Samsung Q95T running alongside the OLED65CX. (Though of course, the aggressive backlight dimming of the Samsung generates different distractions the OLED65CX doesn’t exhibit.)
A strange quirk also crops up with the OLED65CX’s VRR mode. When this kicks in, it raises black levels considerably, and clearly changes the image’s gamma. There’s some debate over whether the VRR setting is simply disabling the settings LG introduced to combat the exaggerated noise with streamed sources that its sets used to suffer with. In which case the VRR settings may actually be considered more correct!
The LG OLED65CX Photo: LG OLED65CX (LG Electronics)
I’m not sure this argument entirely holds up, though, given that the CX handles the streaming noise issue pretty decently without the same degree of black crush that we’ve seen in the past. Also, even if the VRR gamma actually is more correct on some levels, I think most people who see it would feel that it doesn’t look subjectively as pleasing.
I’ve asked LG for its thoughts on this, and will add a response to this review if I hear anything useful back.
The OLED65CX’s screen is very reflective of bright elements in your room, and can exhibit lightly elevated noise levels in very dark shots. Though actually, in this latter respect the CX is again better than the C9 to an extent that it’s now seldom a significant distraction.
I also have to mention image retention in any review of an OLED TV. My sense is that the problem of bright repetitive image elements eventually leaving permanent shadows on your screen becomes less of an issue with every passing OLED generation. It’s still something, though, that all OLED TV manufacturers provide warnings about in their manuals, as well as features on their TVs designed to combat it.
I’ve covered the issues around image retention in depth in this previous article, so I’ll say no more here than that it’s probably best to heed the usage advice LG provides, and that you actually use the anti-retention features the TV carries.
Sound Quality
There are a couple of issues with the OLED65CX’s audio, too. First and worst, its speakers give way to quite noticeable break up and distortion when asked to handle seriously heavy bass. The huge score as K arrives back in LA after his first visit to Sapper Morton’s place in Blade Runner 2049, for instance. Or some of the biggest moments in 1917.
To be clear, this bass break down really does only happen with extreme sound moments. But given how well the CX’s audio works in other ways, and how good LG’s AI Sound processor typically is at understanding the limitations of and getting the best from LG’s TV speaker systems, it’s a surprising problem to find. It’s a much more distracting problem when it occurs, too, than restraining the bass to a level that doesn’t ‘crash’ the speakers would have been.
The LG OLED65CX 'Home Dashboard', from where you can keep an eye on or even control all the ... [+] equipment you have connected to your TV. Photo: LG OLED65CX (LG Electronics)
The other audio issue is that, as with last year’s premium LG TVs, the OLED65CX doesn’t sound as powerful or expressive with Dolby Atmos soundtracks when running in its default Dolby Atmos audio mode than it does if you switch to the AI Sound Pro mode.
The mostly brilliant OLED65CX very much deserves for me to wrap up this review on a high note, though. So let me be clear that if you’ve activated the set’s AI Sound Pro mode, it sounds fantastic for most of the time. The sound projects a huge distance from the screen without losing coherence. The created soundstage has a vertical as well as horizontal presence to it, and even seems to project forward towards your seating position rather than everything sounding trapped behind the screen as happens if you stick with the Dolby Atmos mode.
The sound’s dynamic range is actually outstanding by TV speaker standards, despite the issues with the most extreme bass. The shrillest trebles don’t sound harsh or thin, even at high volumes. The mid-range is open, well rounded and powerful enough to shift through a few gears as action scenes build up, and bass is actually pretty solid when it doesn’t push past the low frequency ‘point of no return’. For instance, the explosions, truck rumbles and throaty car roars of Mad Max: Fury Road are typically handled cleanly and effectively - which underlines perfectly just how extreme a soundtrack has to get before the OLED65CX starts to struggle.
Finally, the OLED65CX does a notably better job of handling vocals than last year’s LG OLEDs did. Voices remain clearer, more locked to the screen and just generally more convincing, no matter how dense the rest of the mix might get.
VERDICT
As regular readers of my articles over the years will know, for better or worse I’m not one of those reviewers who thinks that OLED is the only TV technology that matters. Both OLED and LCD have distinct pros and cons, which appeal to different tastes and apply to different room conditions.
The OLED65CX doesn’t completely change my views on this. Not least because I’ve already also seen a few excellent 2020 LCD TVs, too.
That said, the picture refinements the OLED65CX brings make it not only comfortably the best TV LG has ever made, but provided you can watch it in the conditions it deserves, and treat it with the respect it deserves, one of the all-round most consistent and therefore immersive TVs I’ve ever reviewed, period. Which becomes even more impressive given how cheap the OLED65CX is relative (by launch price standards, anyway) to any previous 65-inch C series OLED.
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9f226006e387b44faa71ec22d6432bf8 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2021/01/06/samsung-unveils-ground-breaking-neo-qled-quantum-mini-led-tvs/?sh=1e1d35016937 | Samsung Unveils Ground-Breaking Neo QLED ‘Quantum Mini LED’ TVs | Samsung Unveils Ground-Breaking Neo QLED ‘Quantum Mini LED’ TVs
In normal times, Samsung would be opening the 2021 CES in Las Vegas round about now with its traditional showcase of TV and display highlights. Not being able to show off its wares in the flesh this year, though, hasn’t stopped the brand from coming up with plenty of impressive-looking TV innovations for the year ahead.
I’ve already talked about its new, more manageable Micro LED solutions in a previous story. So here I can focus on the seemingly pretty substantial innovations that have gone into its ‘mainstream’ TVs for 2021. Particularly the new so-called Quantum Mini LED and Quantum Matrix technologies that look like they may have a transformative effect on the top tier models in Samsung’s next generation of QLED TVs.
Samsung's Neo QLED TVs for 2021 use new Quantum Mini LED technology to transform contrast ... [+] performance. Photo: Samsung
Quantum Mini LED is claimed by Samsung to be a completely new display type based around an all-new light source, with its chief focus being on greatly enhancing black levels and contrast. Samsung is so keen to stress that this is more than just an upgrade to its existing QLED TV technology that it’s calling its 2021 range ‘Neo QLED’.
Conventional LEDs consists of bulky packaging and lenses that are used to protect the LEDs and guide the light they produce. Samsung’s new Neo QLED technology, however, removes the packaging and lens, leaving just the LED chip. This enables the LEDs to be extremely small (microscopic, in fact), while Samsung applies an ultra-thin micro layer in the new panel design to accurately guide the LEDs’ light to where it needs to go.
The combination of Quantum mini LEDs and the micro layer allows the Neo QLED TVs to deliver much more accurate light control, preventing light from leaking into areas of the picture where it isn’t supposed to be (minimize traditional LED blooming issues). It also enables the picture to be even brighter than it can be with current QLED technology, as well as making it possible to display more detail in both dark and bright areas of the picture and provide punchier, more impressive HDR highlights.
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Samsung's new premium QLED TVs will feature viewing angle and anti-reflection technologies. Photo: Samsung
Providing a much denser array of tiny LEDs, though, only gets you so far. You also need to provide a powerful processor to drive all those tiny LEDs. This is where the Quantum Matrix technology comes in, promising to deliver precise dimming, enhanced local power distribution, and a new Black Detail Boost feature that uses multi-bit data to bring out more detailing in dark areas.
A new Neo Quantum Processor, meanwhile, takes the Neural Network ‘learning’ technology first introduced in 2020 to a much higher level. This time it has enough power to make use of numerous deep learning modules to deliver what Samsung calls ‘Multi-Intelligence’. So whereas sub 4K or sub-8K images last year passed through a single neural network to help Samsung’s TVs improve their upscaling performance, for 2021 lower resolution files will be looked at by a massive 16 neural networks, with the combined results being assessed by a new Neural Analyzer that chooses which of the Neural Networks’ results is the best one to use for a particular image the TV is being asked to upscale.
Samsung’s 8K and QN90A 4K models will get both the brand’s Ultra Wide Viewing angle technology and Anti-Reflection technologies, while a slightly stripped back version of the ultra wide viewing angle technology will also appear on the QN85A, QN80A and Q70A models.
There’s some promising news for gamers in the early information on Samsung’s 2021 Neo QLED TVs, too. For starters, the previous Freesync Premium support is being upgraded to Freesync Premium Pro, while the QN90A and above will be getting G-Sync support too.
The Samsung Neo QLED TVs feature an ultra-slim 'Infinity 1' screen frame. Photo: Samsung
Samsung’s Multiview feature will continue to make it possible to watch YouTube guide videos at the same time as you’re actually playing a game, and there’s a new Gameplay ‘bar’ interface that makes it easier to access and adjust the Game mode’s settings - as well as providing monitoring refresh rate monitoring.
Samsung says, too, that its Game Motion Plus feature has been tweaked to provide better judder-free playback while only mildly increasing input lag, while the Dynamic Black Equaliser (for raising the brightness of dark areas without impacting the rest of the picture) and Gaming Sound mode have also apparently both been improved.
By far the most unexpected new gaming feature of Samsung’s latest TVs, though, is support for Super Ultra-Wide GameView gaming. This lets you play 16:9, 21:9 or even 32:9 gaming ratios on your TV - a feature that’s previously only been available on high-end specialist gaming monitors.
The shift to microscopic LEDs in Samsung’s Neo QLED screens doesn’t just impact picture quality. It also makes it possible for Samsung to deliver much more slender TV designs than we’ve seen with any previous QLED TVs.
To put some numbers on this, both the new QN900A and QN800A 8K models this year are going to be just 15mm deep, versus the 25mm depth of last year’s Q800. While last year’s Q90T was 35mm deep, this year’s QN90A is just 25mm deep. And while the Q80 and Q85 last year were 54mm deep, the QN80A and QN85A will be just 25mm this year. This trimming down of the 80/85 series is particularly striking.
New significantly slimmer designs and an improved flush wall mount make Samsung's Neo QLED TVs ... [+] excellent wall mounting options. Photo: Samsung
The flagship 8K models also feature the almost non-existent ‘Infinity’ frames Samsung introduced last year, while Samsung has mercifully not only managed to greatly reduce the size of the external ‘One Connect’ connection boxes for its premium QLED models, but has also designed them so that they can slot ‘invisibly’ onto the back of the TVs’ desktop stands rather than having to sit to the side of or below the screen.
Samsung hasn’t just improved its (Neo) QLED TV picture offering for 2021. It’s also introducing a few new audio features. In particular, the flagship models will be getting a new Pro version of the Object Tracking Sound system introduced in 2020, where speakers ranged around the TV frame enable sounds to be placed in the correct place on the screen. The Pro version will add two extra tweeters to the speaker array, to provide more detail and clearer dialogue.
A new Adaptive Sound feature, meanwhile, can adjust the sound in response to the TV’s surroundings.
The full range of Neo QLED models maps out like this: for 8K you have the QN900A, QN800A and QN700A, while the 4K models are the QN90A, QN85A, QN80A, Q70A, and Q60A. Note that I have assumed here (with full range details still to come) that only models from the QN80A will likely get the Neo QLED mini LED technology, while the cheaper models in the QLED range will take a more traditional lighting approach.
There will also be a trio of ‘Crystal UHD’ ranges sitting below the new Neo and normal QLED ones. These AU9000, AU8000 and AU7000 models, as with similar more affordable Samsung models in previous years, will use the brand’s so-called Dynamic Crystal Color technology rather than Quantum Dots to deliver their color.
The 2021 Samsung Neo QLED TV. Photo: Samsung
They will benefit from a number of improvements over 2020’s equivalent models, though, including new motion processing, much slimmer designs, ‘Lite’ versions of Samsung’s OTS sound technology that will create ‘virtual’ speakers at the top as well as bottom of the image, and new support for Samsung’s Q Symphony system, which lets the TV speakers partner up with Samsung soundbars to deliver a larger soundstage.
There’s more good news for gamers with the Crystal UHD range, too, in the form of both a new Motion Xcelerator Turbo feature that claims to let you enjoy 120Hz and Freesync content on a 60Hz panel. This feature also alerts us to the fact that the 2021 Crystal UHD range are the first 60Hz TVs (so far as I’m aware) to receive Freesync certification.
Samsung has not yet provided specific screen size or pricing information. I’ll do a separate range overview article once that level of detail becomes available (likely in February).
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69db85fee70c75496539705230f9cfd7 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2021/01/24/new-samsung-diy-tv-calibration-app-promises-perfect-pictures-for-all/?sh=420c1c355585 | New Samsung DIY TV Calibration App Promises Perfect Pictures For All | New Samsung DIY TV Calibration App Promises Perfect Pictures For All
Tucked away amid the deluge of news Samsung dropped at the recent ‘virtual’ CES was a little nugget about something called EZCal that didn’t get much attention at the time - including, I must admit, from me. Having now had the chance to chat with the Samsung team behind EZCal, though, and having witnessed a demo (albeit only via live laptop video) of it in action, I really think it has the potential to be a genuine TV market game changer.
As its name kind of suggests, EZCal is all about making it easier to calibrate your television so that it delivers pictures that match established picture standards - and in doing so resemble as closely as possible the look filmmakers wanted you to see when they created their masterpieces in professional mastering suites.
At the moment, calibrating a TV in this way is a complicated and expensive process involving a raft of expensive equipment and software, as well as depths of know-how that will in the vast majority of cases require a TV owner to spend hundreds of dollars hiring the services of a qualified calibration engineer. EZCal, though, makes it possible for you to achieve automatically what appears to be a startlingly accurate calibration by yourself using nothing more than your smartphone.
EZCal's DIY calibration system promises to bring accurate pictures to the masses. Photo: Samsung
Here’s how it works. First, you need to install the EZCal app on a compatible Samsung Galaxy Phone, or Apple iPhone. Then you need to make sure that the mobile phone you’re using is on the same Wi-Fi network as the Samsung TV you’re wanting to calibrate.
At this point you will be presented with an onscreen display on the TV showing you where to hold your phone up to the screen.
Next, your TV and phone will analyse the ambient light conditions, before running optical measurements of your TV’s output using the smartphone’s camera. The EZCal software will then use the ambient light and image output information it’s gathered (having converted the RGB smartphone camera data to the XYZ coordinates the TV needs via a proprietary algorithm) to adjust the TV’s picture settings so that they hit the target values specified by the industry standards.
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The EZCal software covers both HDR and SDR, and will allow you to input certain outcome criteria of your own if you wish - based on, for instance, the known luminance properties of your TV. It also, crucially, allows you to choose between three levels of calibration, depending on where you want to strike a balance between ease of use and accuracy of results.
EZCal gives you three different calibration options. Photo: Samsung
The Quick Mode takes less than 30 seconds to complete all of its measurements and TV adjustments. The exact time for each Quick Mode calibration will vary according to the capabilities of your phone and Samsung TV - though during the demo I saw, the Quick Mode process actually took only 15 seconds. This is pretty amazing when you consider that professional calibrators usually allow at least half a day for a full calibration visit.
The Quick Mode only works at the 2pt white balance level, so there are limits to its results. The Samsung representative I spoke with suggested that the Quick Mode delivers around 70% of the accuracy you might get with a full calibration. Obviously there was no way for me to confirm this via a laptop presentation - but even on the laptop feed it was easy to see how the ‘after’ EZCal Quick Mode calibration image looked noticeably closer to a professionally calibrated image sitting alongside it than it did before the 15-second calibration had been run.
If you want much more accurate results, the EZCal app provides a Basic Mode. This calibrates 20 points of white balance, and also analyses greyscale linearity and gamma. It takes a maximum of three minutes to run (again, it could be less depending on the capabilities of your phone and TV), but crucially Samsung claims it can deliver around 90% of the accuracy you would expect to achieve with a professional calibration.
In fact, Samsung claims that the results of the Basic Mode calibration achieve a Delta E 2000 value of less than one. Which means that the level of ‘error’ in the calibration process is below the threshold of human perception.
The EZCal system can take into account the lighting conditions of your room when making its ... [+] calibration calculations. Photo: Samsung
If this isn’t enough for you, though, then EZCal also provides a Professional mode. This can take up to 15 minutes to complete, but covers white balance, greyscale linearity, gamma and chromaticity. Given the time this mode takes and the accuracy of the results, you need to darken your room for the process and, ideally, place your smartphone on a tripod. Samsung claims that the reward for your extra effort and time is a calibrated picture that achieves around 97-98% of the accuracy your might get with a full professional calibration.
I repeat that there was no way to verify these accuracy percentage claims during the ‘remote’ demo I was given. Also, because of how long it takes, I wasn’t shown a live run-through of the Professional mode. But part of calibration, of course, is being able to measure the results, so there doesn’t seem any reason to doubt Samsung’s claims.
In fact, Samsung stated that it is targeting a Delta E 2000 error of just 0.5 before it wraps up its development work on EZCal in February.
Samsung hasn’t yet finalized a list of the Samsung Galaxy and iPhone models EZCal will work with. The quality of the camera in any given phone is clearly critical to how effectively the system works, after all, and Samsung claims that this is why it currently only feels confident so far about recommending EZCal for recent Samsung and Apple phones.
The phone is, of course, just one half of the EZCal process. EZCal support also needs to be designed into a TV’s firmware. Full details of the TV side of things have yet to be ironed out, but the EZCal team did say that the expectation is that the EZCal-calibrated image would replace a Samsung TV’s out-of-the-box Movie mode setting.
It's not yet confirmed whether EZCal will be available on Samsung's 2021 Neo QLED TV range. Photo: Samsung
Currently, EZCal compatibility is only available on Samsung TVs featuring custom software builds. And since it has been created through an internal scheme for developing ideas suggested by Samsung staff, rather than originating inside Samsung’s core TV engineering department, formal discussions with Samsung’s TV division about using it will only begin in earnest in February when EZCal’s development process is complete. It’s therefore not clear yet whether EZCal might be added to Samsung’s 2021 range by a firmware update, or whether we’ll have to wait until 2022. In fact, it’s not yet definite that EZCal will appear on any TV at all.
Given the potential EZCal has in winning AV enthusiasts to Samsung’s premium TV cause, though, you’ve got to imagine that the brand’s TV engineers will look at finding a way to implement it sooner rather than later.
Don’t hold your breath about it being supported by other TV brands, though. The EZCal team very much see it as a potentially new feature for Samsung TVs, rather than a fully standalone system that might be licensed to other TV brands.
Given that Samsung TV picture presets typically prioritize spectacle over accuracy more than any other brand (and my personal love of TV hardware means that I don’t say that in a negative tone!), I was sceptical before seeing EZCal in action about whether it was really something that fitted in with Samsung’s wider TV philosophy. Now that I’ve seen how straightforward it is to use, though, and had at least a glimpse of the sort of results it can achieve, it seems to me that it really could be a significant feather in Samsung’s TV cap. After all, it both adds a crucial new picture outcome that would previously have cost hundreds of dollars to achieve, and forcefully makes the point that Samsung’s TVs are more than capable of delivering accurate pictures if that’s what you want from them.
Great news though EZCal might be for accuracy-loving TV consumers, the traditional calibration business will presumably be rather less pleased to see it. Personally, though, I don’t think it would necessarily mean instant devastation for calibrators and makers of high-end calibration equipment.
For starters, as noted previously, it’s currently expected that EZCal will only work with Samsung TVs, which would still leave a lot of other high-end TVs for calibrators to work on.
Some enthusiasts (and industry professionals) will also likely still want that extra 2-3% margin of precision a specialist calibrator and specialist calibration equipment may deliver - as well as the separate day and night modes associated with TVs that support the ISF calibration system. Samsung also says that it thinks EZCal could actually assist the calibration business by increasing general awareness of calibration among the TV-buying population.
In the end, though, Samsung’s concern with EZCal isn’t really the effect it might have on the professional calibration business. It’s partly focused, of course, on trying to sell more Samsung TVs. Having now seen how straightforwardly it works, though, it also seems to me that EZCal is a genuine attempt to democratize the calibration process to the point where literally anyone can do it. And I’m struggling to find anything not to like about that.
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During an online ‘unboxing’ event this afternoon where it unveiled more details on some of its 2021 designer and MicroLED TVs, Samsung revealed that it is has done a deal with Microsoft to become the official TV partner for the Xbox Series X console for the US and Canada.
The partnership, which marks a renewal of a multi-year agreement between the two brands, covers Samsung’s 2021 Neo QLED models with their new Mini LED lighting systems (the QN65QN90A is reviewed here), as well as its more affordable standard QLED sets.
In making the announcement, Samsung is able point to a number of gaming features on its 2021 TVs designed to get the most from the Xbox Series X’s formidable new graphics capabilities. The new Game Bar, for instance, provides a useful at-a-glance guide to settings and source information that can be critical to the gaming experience.
Samsung has become the Official TV partner for the Xbox Series X in the US and Canada. Photo: Samsung/Microsoft
A number of Samsung’s new TV models can support 4K graphics at 120Hz refresh rates, too, at frame rates as low as 5.8ms. Even 1080p 60Hz sources only take 9.2ms to render if you use Samsung’s latest Game picture preset.
The new Neo QLED sets are also the first TVs to support Super Ultrawide Gameview modes, enabling gamers to play compatible PC games in 21:9 or 32:9 aspect ratios for a key wider field of view advantage.
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Samsung has also further developed its long-running relationship with AMD to produce the first TVs equipped with Freesync Premium Pro technology - though as I discuss in my recent QN65QN90A review, while this is great when it comes to variable refresh rates and general panning and motion, it’s not an unmitigated success in other picture areas when using the out-of-the-box settings that AMD has insisted Samsung applies when a Freesync source like the Xbox Series X is detected.
Giving the newly announced Samsung/Xbox US deal a little extra spice is the fact that back in November 2020, Microsoft announced an official Xbox Series X TV partnership for the Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions with Samsung’s arch rival LG (for its OLED TVs).
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The arrival of any new LG OLED TV is always a big deal for AV and, increasingly, gaming fans. The excitement levels for LG’s 2021 G1 series, though, hit a whole new level when the brand revealed in January that this premium OLED range would be getting a serious hardware as well as software upgrade.
The G1’s so-called ‘evo’ panel upgrade was promised to deliver a potentially massive improvement to the area of OLED performance that’s often (not necessarily fairly/accurately) cited as the self-emissive screen technology’s biggest weakness: brightness. What’s more, it’s become clear in recent weeks that the way the evo panels are made should also deliver a marked color enhancement.
You wouldn’t know from the $TBC/£2,999 OLED65G1’s outward appearance, though, that it’s a potential OLED game changer. It’s attractive enough; its slim, wall hanging-friendly Gallery design is elegantly understated and futuristic. The Gallery design has been refined for 2021, too, with a clever new inset wall mount fitting. The G1s are not, though, a radical aesthetic departure from 2020’s GX models.
The OLED65G1 uses new panel technology to deliver LG's best OLED performance yet. Photo: LG
Let’s move swiftly on, then, to looking more closely at the new evo panel. It’s based around a new, more efficient ‘luminous element’ that enhances brightness, reduces the wavelength of its blue and red colors by almost half and a third respectively, improving peak performance for both; and introduces a new green layer that properly puts the G in RGB in a way LG’s previous OLED technology has not.
The evo hardware upgrade is partnered with a new Alpha 9 Gen 4 processor, some handy new gaming-related features/adjustments, and the most radical redesign of LG’s webOS system since it debuted back in 2014.
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Special sauce?
With Panasonic having deployed premium, high brightness OLED panels for a couple of years now, and Sony also joining the brighter OLED hardware party this year with its A90J range, LG is keen to claim that the OLED65G1’s Alpha 9 Gen 4 processor has been specially designed to make sure that content is always optimised to take advantage of the new hardware’s capabilities. Though unsurprisingly, Panasonic and Sony make the same sort of claims for the processing systems in their own ‘next-gen’ OLED TVs.
The OLED65G1 does, though, undeniably have a pretty healthy roster of processing improvements to boast about - especially within LG’s AI Picture Pro automatic image optimization system.
A new Scene Analysis feature, for instance, is able to identify and apply specific rules to three different types of image content: scenery, buildings, and night views. So where a shot of scenery is detected, for instance, the processing can enhance colors while also applying local detail improvements in areas of the image that contain particularly heavily textured elements such as trees or pebbly beaches.
The LG OLED65G1 on the brand's new Gallery stand. Photo: LG
With a night scene, the processing can locally enhance the brightness and clarity of areas of shadow detail in parts of the picture that might otherwise look murky. And with cityscape shots, the processing can enhance detail and edges to deliver a sharper finish along with a better sense of depth and scale.
Continuing the theme of being able to identify and apply different processing rules to particular parts of the picture is a new Body and Object system. This is able to pick out and identify different image content such as skin tones, clothing and other highlight elements, and then manipulate local detail levels and brightness to give such ‘focal points’ more clarity, definition and emphasis.
We’ve come across similar features before - both AI and object-based processing are well established in premium TV circles these days. It’s not just having such features that counts, though; it’s how well your processing and AI implements them. And as we’ll see, the OLED65G1 implements them outstandingly well.
All about AI
The AI Picture Pro system is joined by a couple of other automatic picture options that can add further refinements to the AI-based system: Auto Genre selection, which utilizes a deep learning neural network algorithm ‘trained’ to spot the difference between animations, movies, news and sports, and an AI Brightness Control system that optimizes brightness with SDR and tone mapping with HDR to compensate for room light conditions.
LG has also thankfully greatly improved the ability of its motion processing algorithms to distinguish between moving and static image elements in dark scenes - so K’s spinner should no longer glitch in and out of the picture as he flies behind tower blocks on his way back to LAPD HQ near the start of Blade Runner 2049.
The LG OLED65G1. Photo: LG
Most of the OLED65G1’s picture presets also default to a new Natural motion processing setting that reduces judder substantially. This has apparently been developed in response to consumer demand, confirming my suspicion that many consumers, even of high-end TVs, don’t necessarily agree with film industry luminaries that all motion processing is the work of the devil.
That said, serious home cinema fans will likely be more drawn to a new Cinematic Movement option. This increases the ratio of real to interpolated image frames as it goes about its ‘frame merging’ business, resulting in reduced judder without the so-called ‘soap opera effect’ of too much fluidity. You can also still go for a Custom motion setting, as usual with LG TVs, with blur and judder reduction levels set to suit your tastes.
Upmix advance
It’s not just the OLED65G1’s pictures that LG claims will benefit from it’s AI-related improvements. The latest AI Sound Pro system has a couple of new tricks up its sleeve too. One is a 5.1.2 upmix system that adds a pair of height channels to the Virtual Surround 5.1 upmix system found on 2020’s TVs. The other is a new automatic volume levelling feature that doesn’t just work across different channels on the TV tuner, but also across every content source, including different apps and external devices.
Aside from the new evo panel, the most interesting feature of the OLED65G1 for many will be its new Game Optimizer system. This automatically fires up as soon as the TV detects a game source, and provides a handy mixture of simple picture option information and useful new image tweaks. I think the best way to explain the sort of flexibility the Game Optimizer offers is to look at each feature’s impact and success in a dedicated section on the 65G1’s gaming abilities later.
The LG OLED65G1. Photo: LG
This leaves the revamped webOS 6.0 operating system as the last big new feature to talk about on the OLED65G1.
The first thing that strikes you about the new webOS is that hitting the remote’s Home menu now brings up a full screen interface in place of the previous ‘strip’ of content icons along the bottom of the screen. Initially I found this disappointing, as I’ve always liked the way the previous overlaid menu approach let you continue to watch TV as you browsed for other content.
It doesn’t take too long using the new menus, though, to reflect that the sheer quantity of potential content sources out there these days probably makes a full screen approach more flat-out usable, if less slick, than the previous menu bar approach. In fact, I have raised the issue myself in previous LG TV reviews of just how long and unwieldy the old scrolling menu bar was becoming, so I can hardly complain now that LG has taken such a substantial step to address that problem!
WebOS moves home
I am not currently convinced about some aspects of the new home screen, though. For instance, while I appreciated the efforts of the box in the middle of the top row to introduce links to snart features you might want to explore, dedicating the sizeable top left box to just service notifications and weather reports seems like a questionable use of so much prime screen real estate.
I initially thought the big Search graphic to top right was rather a waste of space too. However, the new search results page it takes you to is so impressive in its presentation and scope that it’s ultimately only right that webOS 6.0 layout shouts about it.
Rear of the LG OLED65G1 Photo: LG
The Personalised for you/Trending Now section in the center of the new home screen is really the heart of LG’s latest smart interface. This gives you a dynamic selection of content tailored to your proven viewing habits that effectively creates a curated ‘sit back’ viewing experience every time you switch the TV is switched on.
The only catch, as ever with these sorts of system, is that the recommended content feels a bit random when you first get your TV, as it hasn’t initially got any significant viewing data to work with in trying to give you a bespoke service. It’s worth noting, though, that if you have previously owned a recent LG TV and signed up for an LG Account, then the G1 will be able to use the viewing profile information built up in that account.
If like me you initially find yourself pining for the old LG app strip, you’ll be pleased to see that it still appears at the bottom of the new home screen. It remains, too, a tidy, eminently customisable way of quickly getting to your most used apps, so I’m glad LG hasn’t done away with it completely.
Scrolling down from these initial home screen options brings you to a selection of further content ‘shelves’. Starting with a synopsis of LG’s Home Dashboard, which tells you what AV devices you’ve connected to the TV both wirelessly and via the TV’s inputs.
The LG OLED65G1 Photo: LG
Below that are a ‘frequently viewed’ tuner programme shelf, and further shelves offering direct links to content from various key streaming services. The exact nature of these lower shelves will vary from territory to territory, but as an example, in the UK I get shelves for the BBC iPlayer (the promised Freeview Play app doesn’t seem to be up and running yet), Rakuten TV, YouTube, Apple TV, and Amazon Prime Video. Netflix, strangely, does not currently get its own shelf.
Surprisingly you can’t rearrange the running order of the home screen’s scroll-down content shelves, and overall I couldn’t help but feel that while the new interface is probably travelling in the right direction, it hasn’t yet arrived at its final destination.
It does score strongly, though, for its connectivity with mobile devices - including a cool new feature allowing you to share the TV’s pictures on your phone, and the TV’s audio with up to three mobile devices at once.
Some territories get a fun new Magic Search feature, where long-pressing the select button on LG’s Magic Remote can bring up detailed and interactive supplemental information on the film or TV show you’re watching.
Talking of the Magic Remote, this has been redesigned for 2021. It now features a slimmer design that’s more comfortable to hold, and a roster of direct app open buttons for Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Rakuten, and the Google Assistant and Alexa voice recognition/control systems (if you prefer those to the default (and very good) LG ThinQ platform).
Corner detail of the LG OLED65G1. Photo: LG
LG has even changed its TV settings menus for its 2021 TVs. Hitting the Settings button now initially gives you the familiar (now editable) row of adjustment shortcuts down the screen’s left side. Choose the Advanced Settings option at the bottom, though, and the old black and white, text-heavy menus are replaced by much more streamlined, white on see-through grey menus. While the ambition here of making the menus feel less overwhelming is good, again it feels more like a step towards a better future rather than the finished deal. Not least because the organisation of the picture adjustments currently feels rather confusing.
One final niggle is that despite carrying much less text, the new menu graphics occupy a large chunk of the screen. This can be pretty unhelpful when you’re trying to make some picture adjustments.
Well connected
The OLED65G1 carries four HDMI connections, all capable of handling data rates of up to 40Gbps and the 4K at 120Hz, HDR and variable refresh rate features the latest gaming platforms can deliver. While other brands are looking set to do improve their gaming support for 2021, LG still looks set to be the most consistent brand in this increasingly key TV feature area.
Xbox Series X gamers might also be attracted by the OLED65G1’s support for the Dolby Vision HDR system, which Microsoft has said it will be delivering on Xbox Series X games at some point this year. Samsung’s TVs, by comparison, support the HDR10+ ‘dynamic’ HDR format, which is not currently on any gaming roadmap.
Picture quality
There are three key elements of the OLED65G1’s picture quality I want to focus on: general picture quality, taking into account the ‘evo’ panel; gaming performance including the new Game Optimizer feature; and LG’s latest AI Picture Pro system.
First things first: the all-important extra brightness and colour performance promised by the G1’s new panel does make a difference for the better. But it’s maybe not quite as dramatic a difference as I’d hoped for.
The LG OLED65G1 Photo: LG
Brightness on a white HDR window covering 10% of an otherwise black image measures around 778 nits in the Standard preset, around 767 nits in the Cinema Home preset, and around 760 nits each for the Cinema and Filmmaker Mode presets. The Vivid mode does get to a pretty impressive 872 nits, but the overall aggression this preset is way too strong to deliver a natural, engaging picture.
The 77GX from 2020, by comparison, produced 754 nits in Vivid mode, 744 nits in standard, 741 nits in Cinema Home, plus 683 nits in both Cinema and Filmmaker Mode presets.
Cross referencing these measurements suggests that LG has only explored the outer reaches of the new panel’s brightness for the Vivid mode (colours in this mode, too, are extremely intense versus previous LG OLEDs, especially when it comes to reds and greens). It’s only delivered quite modest brightness increases for the Standard and Cinema Home presets, but ramped it up reasonably handily again for the more accuracy based Cinema and Filmmaker Mode presets.
In search of brightness
Nothing I could do with its settings got the OLED65G1 closer to the 1000 nits or more figures I’d hoped we might see from this new LG OLED hardware. Though that’s not to say that the relatively small increases don’t still make a difference.
The Cinema and Filmmaker Mode presets certainly look brighter and more intense than they have on previous LG OLEDs, making them for me much more satisfying options with HDR content. The color gamut appears gently improved in these modes too, with a little more presence and richness present in relatively pure red, green and blue image elements - such as the red, white and blue balloons and garish costumes on show during the Derry carnival sequence in ‘It’.
LG OLED65G1 Photo: LG
As with the extra brightness, the enhanced color is perhaps not the massive step-change improvement we may have dreamed of. But again, especially in conjunction with the mild brightness boost, the enhancements to color do make enough of a difference to make the two most accurate picture presets feel like a more dramatic HDR experience than we’ve seen before from LG OLED TVs.
Even the popular default Standard preset gets more benefit from the evo panel than the minor step-up in measurable brightness might lead you to expect. Small highlights, such as the light in the projector lens in Chapter 8 of ‘It’, look phenomenally potent, giving the HDR effect a boost that feels beyond the 30 nits or so of measured luminance difference between the G1 and GX.
Full-screen bright HDR images also look more luminous and intense than they have on previous LG OLED screens, further boosting the sense that actually, once all the various improvements of the evo panel and LG’s latest Alpha 9 Gen 4 processor are working hand in hand, the OLED65G1 can deliver net picture results that perform beyond mere ‘measurables’.
And just to be clear, aside from the gaudy Vivid mode, none of the enhancements introduced by the OLED65G1’s evo panel do any harm to the picture. Nothing feels over-cooked or out of balance. It just looks better.
The LG OLED65G1 Photo: LG
Crucially, too, none of the evo panel improvements do any damage to the black level and local contrast strengths we’ve long associated with LG OLED TVs. There’s no need, therefore, to worry about hues losing their purity or naturalism in dark scenes, since there’s literally no greyness hanging over dark tones that might erode their richness. Nor is there any need as there is with LCD TVs that use local dimming backlighting for the brightness of dark colors to be reduced dramatically in a bid to avoid backlight haloing effects.
Maybe the best news of all about the OLED65G1’s brightness and colour enhancements, though, is that LG has managed to accomplish them without damaging the stability of its near-black handling. So very dark scenes still benefit from those impeccably deep, greyness-free black levels we’ve come to expect from LG OLEDs without an increase in the likelihood of such scenes falling prey to distracting brightness shifts or flickers.
In fact, far from being made worse by the panel’s extra brightness, near-black instability with video content has become pretty much non-existent on the OLED65G1. Especially when the image has been calibrated, or you’re using the Cinema or Filmmaker Mode presets.
Nor has the new evo imaging system had a negative impact on shadow detail. Subtle shades and details remain abundantly evident in even the shadiest corners.
Covering all the angles
The way OLED technology works also means you can watch the OLED65G1 from essentially any angle without the picture losing either color saturation or black level/contrast. Though I did notice a slightly magenta tone creeping into bright picture areas from really severe angles - around 70 degrees off axis.
The glassy screen’s a bit reflective compared with some LCD models, too, but I suspect that many people willing to pay as much as the 65G1 costs to own a 65-inch TV probably won’t mind doing it the honor of making their room as dark as possible when watching the TV in ‘earnest’.
That said, the OLED65G1’s brighter picture arguably makes it LG’s most living room-friendly model yet.
The LG OLED65G1 Photo: LG
The extra dynamism of the OLED65G1’s pictures is given slightly more rein if you can feed it a Dolby Vision source. The only exception to this, oddly, is the Dolby Vision Cinema setting, which looks too dark for comfort, and loses some shadow detail in the process.
If outside of Dolby Vision viewing you feel the image is getting too dark when watching it in a dark room, you might also want to make sure the TV’s AI Brightness feature is turned off in the AI Service menu. Though with non Dolby Vision sources - be they HDR or SDR - I’d suggest you at least give a proper try out to another AI option: the AI Picture Pro processor.
AI Picture Pro
I realise that automatic picture optimisation systems like AI Picture Pro can raise the hackles of some AV enthusiasts. Including, in particular, the sort of AV enthusiasts most likely to be considering splashing out on a premium TV such as the OLED65G1. I realise, too, that I was none too complimentary about the first generation of LG’s AI Picture technology a couple of years ago. Thanks to its latest AI-driven enhancements, though, AI Picture Pro is now, for me, an invaluable tool in LG’s picture quality arsenal. A setting that can genuinely but sensitively enhance pretty much every aspect of the OLED65G1’s picture quality while generating practically none of the distracting picture quality nasties that made it more or less a non-starter just a couple of generations ago.
With HDR10 content, activating AI Picture Pro clearly introduces more dynamism and brightness to ‘lift’ the image. There’s more punch, more emphasis on key picture elements, more life-like skin tones (aside from rare occasions where a little too much red creeps into them), richer and more vibrant colours, less black crush, and more sharpness (though this helpfully appears to be applied locally, to specific objects and areas, rather than uniformly to the whole image).
The OLED65G1's Gallery design means it can look like a painting when not being watched. Photo: LG
The combination of all these factors helps AI Picture Pro make HDR10 look more three-dimensional and immersive, too.
LG’s latest AI picture application yields improved upscaling of sub 4K sources, too. The upscaling adds genuine detail and texture, rather than just making the pixel count look denser. The extra detail is added intelligently enough, moreover, to ensure that different areas and objects in the picture benefit from different amounts of noise reduction and detail enhancement. The result is a more natural upscale, again with enhanced depth and three-dimensionality.
There is a limit to the quality of sources the OLED65G1’s upscaling handles well. Heavily compressed standard definition digital broadcasts aren’t very pleasant to watch, and there remains clear evidence of grey blocking noise and posterisation during the infamously tricky for OLED TVs to handle Peeping Tom sequence at 35.35 in Vikings Season 5 Part 2 Episode 2 on Amazon Prime.
It’s likely, though, that most people buying a TV like the OLED65G1 will be well armed with decent quality HD and, hopefully, native 4K sources.
Well adapted
Another impressive aspect of the new AI Picture Pro system is how well it adapts itself to different types of shot and content. Dark scenes, high contrast scenes, bright daylight exteriors, muted interiors, night footage, town and cityscapes… All are enhanced differently and, as a result, more effectively. And crucially the enhancement is delivered without causing really any negative side effects.
In some ways, the AI Picture Pro feature now feels more like a further refinement of dynamic tone mapping, with added extra refinements to color and sharpness as a bonus.
Some will argue that the enhancements AI Picture Pro introduces are all steps away from the idea of recreating images ‘as the director intended’. I personally don’t really buy into that, though. For starters, nothing the AI Picture Pro system does feels out of control, random or unbalanced. In fact, it works so intelligently and organically that I’d say it delivers the best all-round non-Dolby Vision presentation of ‘It’ (a very difficult 4K Blu-ray in many ways) that I’ve ever seen.
In fact, for me AI Picture Pro could even be argued to bring the OLED65G1’s picture closer to the look of a pro grade OLED panel, rather than further from it.
In any case, the simple fact is that AI Picture Pro frequently produced pictures that truly took my breath away on a level that the OLED65G1’s ‘regular’ pictures did not. Even though, to be clear, the G1’s pictures without AI Picture Pro active are also never short of outstanding.
Of course, AI Picture Pro is just a choice. You can turn it off if you really don’t want it to ‘interfere’ with the TV’s picture quality. But by working so well, and generating so few unwanted distractions and side effects in the process, it’s a system I think genuinely expands on what LG OLED TVs have to offer.
Gaming
For the most part the 65G1 is a sensational gaming display. Not least because the brightness and color enhancements the evo panel provides suit HDR gaming graphics to a tee.
The LG OLED65G1's Game Optimizer. Photo: LG
The typically sunny, outdoor environments of COD Cold War, for instance, look much more lifelike, while the extra dynamic range and highlight intensity make everything from your weapon to the characters and objects in the environment feel more three dimensional and immediate.
Especially since, as with video, the OLED screen’s black levels have not been damaged at all by the injection of a little extra light.
Games that support 120Hz frame rates look and feel fantastically smooth and responsive, with no hint of judder, blurring, dithering or any other artefacts. Especially if the game you’re playing supports VRR.
The gaming experience also gains the most from the 65G1 evo panel’s gentle colour enhancement, making game environments feel stunningly vibrant, exciting and, where that’s the intention of the game makers, realistic.
Gaming pro
I’m not saying LG’s C1 range when it appears won’t likely also deliver a mesmerising gaming performance, enhanced by the new Game Optimizer features I’m about to run through. I’m sure it will. My expectation, though, is that great though the C1 will likely be, gaming will be the area where the 65G1’s advantages most clearly shine through.
Let’s run through the Game Optimizer tweaks one by one.
First up, you can simply turn the whole feature off if you wish, and play in one of the OLED65G1’s regular picture modes. So good do pictures look in Game Optimizer mode, though, that I don’t honestly see much argument for turning it off.
Below the toggle for turning the Optimizer on or off is a box informing you which game genre you’ve got the image management switched to, and whether you’ve got variable refresh rate support active.
The OLED65G1 supports all variants of variable refresh rate technology. Photo: LG
Then comes the option to choose which Game Genre you want the graphics set-up to favor. Alongside a Standard mode are presets designed to suit first person shooters; RPGs; and RTS games. The FPS mode clearly increases the visibility of shadow details in dark areas without ruining overall black levels, to help you spot lurking (or camping) enemies. It does also increase the intensity of bright images too, though, which can result in a little clipping with very aggressive HDR games. I still found I liked to use it, though - at least when gaming in online multiplayer modes.
Let’s focus on you
The RPG mode is designed to focus on enhancing contrast and putting the image focus on characters and your presence within the wider world. It’s actually quite uncanny how bringing the image emphasis a bit closer to your character makes you feel more connected with that character while also making the game world feel larger.
The RTS setting makes sense too, as the extra emphasis it places on object edges and HDR highlights helps you pick out individual units and enemies on the battlefield.
All in all, the Game Genre picture feature that I’d anticipated would likely be merely a gimmick ends up being a feature I used routinely.
The next Game Optimizer options are so-called Black and White stabilizers. Of these the black stabiliser has much more impact, and lets you substantially alter how dark or light/grey dark parts of the image look. This is done, too, while impacting bright parts of the picture less than the FPS Genre setting does - so you may prefer to set the Game Genre to Standard and tinker with the Black Stabilizer rather than choosing the FPS Genre mode.
The White Stabilizer’s effect, meanwhile, seems so subtle that I didn’t really see a great deal of point in it.
OLED Motion Pro is next on the list (though it’s greyed out if you’re gaming in 120Hz), and is provided for people who want to introduce a more cinematic look to motion in the game you’re playing. It inserts black frames into the images to create a 24p movie effect - though in doing so it noticeably dims pictures down. Couple this fact with the ultra-high frame rates becoming commonplace in today’s gaming world and I can’t really imagine many gamers feeling the urge to use the OLED Motion Pro feature.
The OLED65G1 gets LG's new Alpha 9 Gen 4 processor. Photo: LG
A bit more interesting is the Game Optimizer’s Reduce Blue Light option. This increases the warmth of the picture to reduce the eye strain that can be caused by cool/blue image tones. Personally I felt games typically looked their best with Reduce Blue Light off. Its Level 1 setting, though, is at least quite mild regarding the color temperature change it introduces, so if your eyes do start to feel a bit tired after your 24th consecutive hour of Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, it’s a worthwhile option to have at your disposal.
[UPDATE: The following paragraph has been altered since initial publication of this article, as it’s been pointed out that the Boost mode lag measurements drops from the 12.9ms I originally measured if you have the Just Scan mode active]
The next ‘Prevent Input Delay (input lag)’ option unusually provides two choices: Standard and Boost. The Standard mode delivers an input lag measurement with 1080p 50/60Hz feeds of just 12.4ms, while the Boost option (which ‘matches the frame rate of the game console’, according to LG) clocks in even faster, at 9.4ms! These are both outstanding results, of course - though you should note that in order to achieve them, you need to make sure that you have Just Scan selected within the TV’s 16:9 settings menu).
Sound decisions
LG’s latest AI Game Sound feature is up next, which, as its name suggests, uses AI analysis to calculate the optimal use of its 5.1.2-capable audio processing to suit the sound of the game you’re playing. This typically opens up the soundstage, casting the sound further to the left, right and above the screen, and placing sound details such as distant shooting enemies more precisely relative to your onscreen view. While this is handy, especially for FPS games, the soundstage expansion does cause bass and impact sounds to take a hit.
Last but certainly not least among the Game Optimiser’s features, we get to the 65G1’s variable refresh rate support. This includes support for Nvidia G-Sync, the standard HDMI 2.1 VRR system, and AMD FreeSync Premium. All of these options can be turned on or off in the Optimiser menu.
Note that as with last year’s LG OLED models, activating AMD FreeSync Premium oddly causes the image to lose its native 3840x2160, pixel by pixel ‘lock’, resulting in it expanding slightly so that its edges are pushed off the screen. To fix this, you have to manually choose the ‘Just’ option instead of Auto option in the G1’s aspect ratio menu.
As you may know if you’ve owned a recent LG OLED or you follow my articles on Forbes, LG’s 2020 and 2019 models have suffered with a couple of issues related to variable refresh rates. One is that the image’s gamma profile shifts slightly when you activate VRR, resulting in dark areas looking brighter/slightly greyer than they did before. The other is potential flickering/instability in dark scenes.
While the flickering issue is still present on the OLED65G1 (though it didn’t seem to show up on my review screen quite as often as it did on last year’s X series), LG has come up with a solution of sorts to the gamma shift issue. Basically a new Fine Tune Dark Areas option that’s only available when VRR is active lets you adjust with impressive granularity the brightness of dark areas in gaming images. This really does only significantly impact dark parts of the picture, leaving the rest of the content looking exactly as it should, and so is a realistic way of at least trying to counter the innate VRR gamma shift.
Sound quality
The first thing to say here is that the new AI Sound Pro feature is surprisingly effective at adding a sense of verticality to sub 5.1.2 sound sources.
The second thing to say, though, is that while the OLED65G1 sounds pretty good overall, it’s not without its problems.
The OLED65G1 gets a brand new version of LG's webOS operating system. Photo: LG
One of these problems is that Dolby Atmos playback is seriously disappointing. It works well enough with relatively restrained soundtracks, delivering lots of detail and convincing dialogue, as well as a fairly widespread sound stage. However, whenever a Dolby Atmos soundtrack builds up a serious head of steam, such as during the amazingly mixed sequence with the projector in Chapter 8 of It on 4K Blu-ray, the sound actually becomes smaller, more swallowed and less impactful on the OLED65G1 as the crescendo builds. The exact opposite of what you’d expect to hear. This completely robs climactic moments of their impact in a most unAtmos-like way.
Fortunately, if you counter-intuitively turn off the Dolby Atmos support and activate the AI Sound Pro setting instead, the OLED65G1 becomes a vastly more satisfying performer.
LG has designed this mode to get the optimal performance in terms of volume and dynamic range from the TV’s speakers, and the result is a much more forceful, forward, impactful and dynamic sound that has plenty of room for expansion to meet even the ‘It’ projector scene’s truly extreme demands.
The OLED65G1’s AI Sound Pro system usually achieves this, moreover, without succumbing to significant speaker distortion or drop out. Unfortunately, though, it does have another Achilles Heel in the shape of deep and sustained bass lines, such as the one that underpins the soundtrack in Chapter 5 of 1917 on 4K Blu-ray. In these situations the OLED65G1’s bass/mid-range drivers can start to buzz quite distractingly.
The buzzy bass is much less likely to happen with Dolby Atmos mode switched back on - but of course, then you’ve got the relatively muted nature of the Atmos sound profile to worry about.
Basically it would have been better if LG had been a little more realistic about the capabilities of its bass drivers, and not tried to push them to places they can’t comfortably go.
Verdict
LG’s first big OLED hardware evolution for generations hasn’t perhaps yielded quite as much of a quantum leap in performance as I’d optimistically hoped it might. Panasonic’s 2020 HZ2000 and 2019 GZ2000 OLED TVs both produce slightly more brightness than the OLED65G1, in fact.
The G1’s color and brightness hardware improvements over previous LG OLED models do nonetheless go beyond the scope of LG’s usual, chiefly software annual tweaks. And they’re joined, crucially, by a much improved processing system, and some genuinely thoughtful and helpful new gaming features.
At £2,999 the LG OLED65G1 is also much more affordable than that of any of Panasonic’s high-brightness 65-inch OLED panels to date. And from what we’ve heard so far it seems possible that Panasonic’s JZ2000 high brightness model for 2021 may not support the latest premium gaming features. Plus, of course, there’s the small matter of Panasonic TVs no longer being readily available in the US.
So what we’re left with is not only comfortably LG’s finest OLED TV yet, but one that I anticipate will also deliver a noticeable picture performance bonus over LG’s upcoming C1 range for those who demand - and can afford - nothing but the best.
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797bf4cc30242aab7a1762032d7fe104 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2021/04/15/sony-unveils-two-new-4k-projectors-with-key-dynamic-hdr-enhancer-technology/ | Sony Unveils Two New 4K Projectors With Key Dynamic HDR Enhancer Technology | Sony Unveils Two New 4K Projectors With Key Dynamic HDR Enhancer Technology
Sony has a long tradition of releasing its new projector ranges in two stages. So when the brand launched a trio of new native 4K models back in September it seemed likely we could expect at least a couple more to arrive later - and that’s exactly what’s happened today, with the unveiling of the entry level VPL-VW325ES (VPL-VW290ES in the UK/Europe) and premium VPL-VW1025ES (VPL-VW890ES).
These two models sit respectively below and above the September-launched VW715ES (VW590ES) and VW915ES (VW790ES) models, with the cheaper model offering a traditional lamp-based lighting system for $5,499/£5,499, while the premium model will cost $39,999/£24,999 and offer a high-end laser lighting system.
The VPL-VW1025ES (VW890ES in the UK and Europe) adds a high-end lens and more brightness to Sony's ... [+] latest 4K projector proposition. Photo: Sony
The great news about the VW325ES is that despite its entry-level status in Sony’s new 4K SXRD projector range, it still carries the brand’s new X1 For Projectors video processor. This means it still gets Sony’s excellent new Dynamic HDR Enhancer feature, which manages to increase the brightness of the lightest parts of HDR pictures without compromising the dark parts, resulting in the sort of HDR-friendly contrast range projector’s just aren’t supposed to be capable of.
It’s important to stress that the VW325ES only has 1500 lumens of peak light output to play with - by far the least in Sony’s latest 4K projector range. So the Dynamic HDR Enhancer will only have so much room for maneuver. Experience of the VW715ES and VW915ES in action, though, gives me no reason to expect that the VW325ES won’t still enjoy a substantial HDR improvement over the already good VW295ES (VW270ES in the UK/Europe).
Carrying the X1 For Projector processor means the VW325ES will also get Sony’s revamped Reality Creation system, which delivers exceptionally refined (in both detail and colour refinement terms) upscaled HD images, along with new support for separate HDR and SDR calibrations.
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Available in black or white versions, the new VPL-VW325ES (VW290ES in Europe) still gets Sony's new ... [+] X1 For Projectors processor despite being the new entry-level 4K model. Photo: Sony
These new improvements come on top of all the resolution, colour and contrast benefits we’ve come to associate with Sony’s 4K SXRD models over the years.
The laser-driven VW1025ES also improves on its predecessor, of course, with the all-important X1 For Projectors processor. So it, too, gets the new Reality Creation and Dynamic HDR Enhancer features. The prospect of what the Dynamic HDR Enhancer might be able to do with the VW1025ES’s 2,200 lumens of peak brightness (versus 2,000 on the already spectacular VW915ES) is pretty mouthwatering.
The biggest justification, though, for the VW1025ES costing not far off double what the VW915ES does is its lens. This is an all-glass affair comprising 18 elements in 15 groups, some of which ‘float’ at the front of the lens array to handle adjustments, while the rest focus on, well, focus.
Why go to so much trouble with this so-called All Range Crisp Focus lens? Because it’s the only way to ensure that none of the detail and clarity generated by the VW1025ES’s native 4K optics and cutting edge processing is lost as the image passes out of the projector on its way to your screen.
COVID-19 restrictions have prevented me from being able to have a hands-on experience with the VW325ES and VW1025ES ahead of their launch in May. I describe my experience with the VW715ES and VW915ES models on this link, though, to give you at least an idea of what you might expect from Sony’s latest projector additions.
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9f954d25053bddd3fe82de04a9158246 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2021/12/29/sony-ps5s-best-graphics-mode-hit-by-bug-with-premium-samsung-tvs/?sh=8d7934b75b7d | Sony PS5’s Best Graphics Mode Hit By Bug With Premium Samsung TVs | Sony PS5’s Best Graphics Mode Hit By Bug With Premium Samsung TVs
[UPDATE: Samsung has stated (on January 19 2021) that it believes the issue described here will be resolved by a PS5 firmware update Sony is planning to roll out in March. Full details of Samsung’s response can be found in this separate story, so I will leave the original story below unchanged both for reference and as a published reminder of the issue, should the PS5 update not actually fix the problem as promised!). ]
All too predictably given the complications associated with the latest generation of HDMI connections, the arrival of the new generation of gaming PCs and consoles hasn’t gone entirely smoothly.
First LG had to rush out some quick firmware updates to get its 2020 OLED TVs to work correctly with the highest graphical settings of latest NVidia RTX 30 graphics cards. There’s also an ongoing bug with the PS5 where it won’t pass HDR through a number of third party devices - especially soundbars. A number of new AV Receivers have been found to be using ‘bugged’ HDMI chipsets that can’t pass 4K at 120Hz from the Xbox Series X.
And that’s before we even consider the fact that most 2020 TVs - even some high end models - don’t even provide any HDMI ports capable of handling the most cutting edge features the latest gaming devices have introduced.
Samsung's current high-end LCD TVs can't seemingly play 4K 120Hz in HDR from the PS5, even though ... [+] they're supposed to be able to. Photo: Samsung
Unfortunately there’s now another HDMI hiccup to add to the list. For as reported on numerous forums (including Samsung’s own Community websites) and now confirmed by my own experience with a PS5 and a Samsung Q90T, neither Samsung’s premium 2020 4K TVs - the Q70T, Q80T, Q85T, Q90T or Q95T - nor the brand’s Q900R and Q950T 8K TVs, appear to be able to live up to their promise of playing 4K resolution at 120Hz frame rates from a PS5 while also delivering HDR. Even though the same TVs CAN, as expected, play 4K 120Hz HDR from the Xbox Series X.
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Basically with a PS5 and one of these TVs, you have to choose whether you want 4K at 120Hz in SDR, or 4K at 60Hz in HDR. This occurs even when the console is correctly attached to the single HDMI (HDMI 4) on the Samsung TVs that’s designed to deliver 4K 120Hz in HDR, with that HDMI input’s Input Signal Plus setting activated, and using the HDMI cable Sony supplies with the PS5. I seem to be running the latest version of the TV’s firmware (Version 1460 in the UK), too.
Let’s look at Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, for example. This game supports 4K in HDR at either 60Hz or 120Hz, and if I select the Resolution mode in the Game Presets section of the PS5’s Saved Data and Game/App Settings Menu (yes, it’s that hard to find…), then the game plays in 4K 60Hz with HDR. As I can confirm by pressing the Enter key on the Samsung TV remote while the game is playing.
Currently the PS5 can't output 4K at 120Hz in HDR to a number of current premium Samsung TVs that ... [+] should on paper be capable of handling it. Photo: Sony PlayStation
If, however, I choose the Performance setting in the PS5’s Game Presets menu, which prioritises frame rate, and I reboot the game, it now plays in 4K 120Hz on the Q90T, but without HDR. As I can again confirm by pressing the Samsung TV remote’s Select button.
If you go to the PS5 Home menu from a Cold War 120Hz play session and switch straight over to Astro’s Playroom with the Samsung’s input information display onscreen, you can actually see the output switch from 4K 120Hz with no HDR to 4K 60Hz with HDR as Astro boots up.
Switching between the PS5’s Resolution and Performance priority options for Call Of Duty: Cold War also causes a change in the PS5’s Video Output Information screen. In Resolution mode, the Video Output Information screen says the TV is able to send 4K 60Hz to the Samsung TV in the ‘best’ RGB color format. In Performance mode, though, while the resolution changes as you’d expect, to 3840x2160 at 120Hz, the colour format also changes from RGB to the less pristine, less data intensive YUV422 format.
Play Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War with the PS5 set to Performance mode, to prioritise frame rate ... [+] and unlock the game's 120Hz mode, and HDR is no longer available on my Samsung Q90T. Photo: John Archer
This RGB/YUV422 switch shouldn’t in truth make much visible difference to the picture (though you might want to check out my earlier article on a related problem with the Xbox Series X’s current output settings). What’s more, the frequencies (HDR) section of the PS5 Video Output Information screen still clearly states that you should be able to enjoy 120Hz in HDR. But it just doesn’t appear to work on these Samsung TVs.
With Dirt 5, another PS5 game that supports 120Hz and HDR, the situation is even weirder. This game uses its own internal performance switching/HDR calibration system, rather than depending on the ‘external’, console-instigated Performance/Resolution mode deployed by Cold War. All looks fine initially, with 4K and HDR shown to be in play on the Samsung input info display. As soon as you choose Dirt 5’s High Frame Rate Mode option, though, the HDR logo disappears from the TV’s info box, and the picture goes completely wrong. Blacks become massively crushed, bright peaks completely bleach out, and color refinement is massively compromised.
The only way to get this mode to deliver a correct-looking image is to turn HDR output off on the PS5.
In other words, what seems to be happening is that Dirt 5 is still using HDR ‘values’ for its graphics output when you switch to High Frame Rate Mode, but the Samsung screen is no longer functioning in HDR mode because the console is no longer outputting HDR. It’s a mess, honestly.
As with all things HDMI 2.1-related, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what the cause of the PS5’s issues with Samsung’s Q70T, Q80T, Q85T, Q90T and Q95T TVs might be. The HDMI 4 port on these TVs has been tested and shown to support bandwidths up to 40Gbps - enough to handle 4K 120Hz in HDR. LG’s latest X series of OLED TVs (which also have 40Gbps HDMIs) have also proven themselves capable of playing 4K 120Hz in HDR from the PS5, and as noted previously, the Xbox Series X does work in 4K 120Hz HDR on the Q90T. Even with variable refresh rate technology also engaged (VRR isn’t currently available on the PS5).
Left: Dirt 5's messed up graphics when you switch to its 120Hz High Frame Rate Mode on a Samsung ... [+] Q90T. Right: PS5 HDR working correctly at 60Hz on a Q90T when you switch away from the Frame Rate Mode Photo: John Archer
It may be worth adding that the Xbox Series X 4K 120Hz VRR implementation is a bit flaky on the Q90T I’m using. If you toggle VRR on in the console’s menus with Cold War already booted in with the console in 120Hz mode, HDR does actually drop out. You have to quit the game and reboot it for the 4K 120Hz HDR VRR combi to all activate properly.
Even then, the addition of VRR to the 4K HDR 120Hz setting noticeably reduces overall picture quality, as if the set is having to reduce the quality of its backlight and color controls to handle the changing refresh rates. There’s also a noticeable flickering effect at times with relatively dark content - though fortunately this seems to mostly restrict itself to Cold War’s menus rather than much of the in-game action.
My best guess as to why the PS5 can’t play 4K 120Hz in HDR on Samsung’s current premium TVs is that it has something to do with HDMI 2.1’s DSC (Display Stream Compression) technology for fitting more image data into smaller data bandwidth pipes. The Xbox Series X uses this, but the Playstation 5 apparently does not. Having suggested this as a possible cause of the issues, though, the 40Gbps capability of the Samsung TVs’ HDMI 4 port should be enough to support 4K 120Hz with HDR even without any compression.
I’m surprised, finally, that the issues described in this story haven’t raised more debate before now, which makes me wonder if possibly they only affect certain Q70T-Q90T sets rather than every single model across those ranges (remembering that the 49-inch models in these ranges do not, I think, support 4K at 120Hz at all). So if there’s anyone out there reading this who owns one of the affected Samsung TVs and can confirm to me via the Twitter account linked to at the bottom of this article that they are indeed able to play 4K at 120Hz with HDR functioning normally from a PS5, ideally with a confirmatory screen shot showing the TV’s information box (as per the images I’ve included in this article), that would be much appreciated.
Similarly, if you’re able to confirm that you’re suffering the same issues that I and others are, I’d also welcome the feedback.
I’ve raised this issue with Samsung and Sony PlayStation, and will report back when I hear anything useful from either or both of them.
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86f26f90f7f29ec26982fbb2ef790d57 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnbaldoni/2012/12/26/new-years-resolution-for-leaders-take-better-care-of-you/ | New Year's Resolution for Leaders: Take Better Care of You! | New Year's Resolution for Leaders: Take Better Care of You!
Benjamin Spock, 1989 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
What’s one area in which you think leaders need to improve?
That’s a question I hear a lot lately, chiefly because I am giving interviews related to the launch of my newest book, The Leader’s Pocket Guide. It focuses on a leader’s relationship to self, team and the organization. My reply stems from the first part of the book: take better care of yourself!
My reason is simple: if you don’t take care of you, then how can you take care of your team or organization? The answer is not simply about health and fitness, though that is part of the equation. It is more about taking time to know yourself.
I have had the privilege of working with some exceptional women and men as an executive coach and to a person one aspect of their leadership they have shorted is their own development. No, I am not referring to education or job rotation, but rather taking time to explore what they want to achieve as leaders and how they want to lead others more effectively.
The reason for this oversight is because as good leaders they are directed more toward others than themselves; they are looking out for the interests of the group as well as the organization. They are more concerned about getting things done right and ensuring that others follow through accordingly they do not have time for themselves.
Again and again in coaching sessions I hear executives tell me that they simply have not thought about themselves, and as a result have not taken the time to reflect on where they are now and where they want to go next. They know where they want to take their team, but perhaps not themselves.
While I would not call this a problem, it can be an issue if they are feeling less than satisfied in their jobs. This may be the result of any number of different factors, including not feeling they are right for the job, or enjoy it like they used to. Or they simply are pushing forward without taking time to think about anything but the work at hand.
The reason leaders need to focus more – at times – on themselves is that only through self-awareness will they unlock their own potential but more importantly use that self-knowledge to surround themselves with the right people, those who complement their strengths as well as their shortcomings.
Part of self-knowledge stems from taking stock of the situation now and what you want to accomplish near and short term. Here are some questions to get you started.
What do you do well? This question will get you to explore your competencies, chiefly what has enabled you to succeed. It is a combination of talent and skills, and likely the ability to work well with others.
What do you need to do better? None of us is perfect. The easy answer may to acquire a new skill, but for leaders the answer is less about what you will do but more about you will enable others to do it. That is, you may need to become a better delegator as well as a stronger advocate for your team and the resources they may need.
What is holding you back from making changes necessary to improve? Consider this the no-excuses questions. Answering that you don’t have time is not a good reply. Leaders need to make time for what is important and shunt aside non-value add tasks.
As with many self-questions, they are easy to formulate but not so easy to answer. Very often the answers will affirm the direction that you are headed but at times they will prompt you to do a course correction, that is, adopt a new way of maximizing the talents and resources around you.
As noted above, this may mean doing less yourself and delegating more. This is not a recipe for slacking; it is a prescription for making more time to ask big questions, acting more strategically, and undertaking problems and challenges that only the leader of the organization can handle.
Focusing more on yourself in the quest for self-knowledge is not easy, but most leaders can take comfort in the words of the great Dr. Benjamin Spock, “Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.”
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20bd773b69d2defd754a3aba50569042 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnbaldoni/2013/03/13/pope-francis-jesuit-to-the-rescue/ | Pope Francis: Jesuit to the Rescue | Pope Francis: Jesuit to the Rescue
If you have a tough job to do, hire a Jesuit.
Is that what the College of Cardinals were thinking when they selected Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina to be the next pope? Probably not, but they might have. Bergoglio, who will go by the name Francis I, is the first Jesuit to be selected as Pontiff.
Good move. As one who was educated by the Jesuits – high school and university (Georgetown) – I am partial to this decision. Right now the Catholic Church is reeling from a multitude of destructive forces (mainly of its own doing), and so right now it needs two things desperately: management and leadership. Jesuits, by tradition, are schooled in both so Pope Francis will be up to the job.
Managers know how to get the trains to run on time; leaders know how to get people to want to ride those trains. Jesuits priests true to their heritage of their founder, Ignatius Loyola who was an officer in the Spanish army prior to founding his order know how to leverage authority by bringing people together for common purpose. Jesuits know how to tap into the powers that be for financial and political support for their endeavors but use that access to money and power to serve the needs of the poor, the disadvantaged, and the world at large.
Jesuits, unlike other priestly orders, are not simply members of the order. They are first and foremost teachers. They founded many of the free universities of Europe centuries ago mainly as a means of creating educated men for Jesuits. Chris Lowney, a former Jesuit turned investment banker notes four attributes of Jesuit leadership in his authoritative book, Heroic Leadership: Best Practices from a 450 Company that Changed the World. Each is applicable to the here and now.
Self-awareness. A leader must know his capabilities. That means he also knows his limitations. A leader steeped in self-knowledge surrounds himself with people who complement his abilities and compensates for his strengths.
Ingenuity. Good leaders are curious; they also look beyond the ordinary to see what is possible, rather than what is impossible. They like challenges and embrace them.
Love. Legendary football coach Vince Lombardi, himself Jesuit educated, used to opine about how his players needed to love one another. What he meant by that was you have to care about others. When you do, you want to do your best for them… as well as yourself.
Heroism. Think big. Make things happen. Great leaders are driven by a higher purpose. In the case of Jesuits, it is service to God as well as to man. But, as I was taught, you can only appreciate God if you work for and with men. That is, you need to make things happen. Jesuits are entrepreneurial; they refuse to accept the first no and instead strive to make a positive difference.
All of these Pope Francis will need to bring to bear on a Catholic Church that is resistant to change but one that must certainly adapt (and rather radically) if it is going to continue to attract well-intentioned men and women who adhere to its faith but also are willing to devote themselves to its perpetuation.
Pope Francis is also starting out on the right foot with the selection of his name – Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, a nobleman turned pilgrim priest. The name, as CNN Vatican observer John Allen noted, connotes “poverty, humility, simplicity and rebuilding the Catholic Church.” In other words, as Allen affirms, no more "business as usual."
In this regard the Jesuits can excel. They were, and to a degree still are, a missionary order. But unlike some that sought to save souls for Christ, the Jesuits, as we know from Lowney and other historians, sought to make the world a better place for people now. Not only did they baptize into the faith, Jesuits educated people, took care of the sick, managed businesses, and performed a myriad of other tasks required to keep a faith-centered enterprise running.
Pope Francis has a big task ahead of him, but if he is anything like the Jesuits who taught me, he will do a great job of it.
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a66b22656865f2384a38ae06c576108b | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnbaldoni/2016/08/02/what-donald-trumps-infatuation-with-vladimir-putin-says-about-leadership/ | What Donald Trump's Infatuation With Vladimir Putin Says About Leadership | What Donald Trump's Infatuation With Vladimir Putin Says About Leadership
Russian President Vladimir Putin (NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA/AFP/Getty Images)
If you want to get things done, you hire a dictator.
That sums up the appeal that Vladimir Putin exudes to people like Donald Trump. While Trump may waffle on his recent comments over Putin’s actions in Ukraine, he has been positively effusive over what Putin has accomplished. "He's running his country and at least he's a leader, unlike what we have in this country.”
Trump is not the only American to praise the Russian dictator. Speaking on Fox News with Neil Cavuto, Rudy Giuliani said, Putin “makes a decision and he executes it, quickly. And then everybody reacts. That’s what you call a leader.”
What Trump and others see in Putin is not rule by intimidation and violence but rather Putin’s ability to consolidate power and get things done. Putin has revived Soviet (and yes Czarist) tendencies toward authoritarianism as he seeks to improve Russia’s standing on the global stage. While Putin is supported within Russia, outside of Russia he is viewed as a bully, a menace and a threat to world peace.
Putin’s heavy-handedness is not what appeals to Trump and his followers. They see a man in charge who knows how to get things done. And to be fair to this concept, there is a role for take-charge leader, someone who can enter a crisis and turn things around. In the U.S. we call them “turnaround artists.”
To be honest is something to be envied about authoritarianism. After all, that was the preferred method of leadership for that past millennia. Only within the last few centuries have Western cultures embraced other kinds of leadership. We call it democracy.
Democracy is messy. It is not the kind of rule to employ when you need to get things done in a hurry. I remember an executive with whom I worked extolling the virtues of doing business in China over doing so India. He said, as I recall, that things in India – such as building a plant – took forever to happen. Bureaucratic snafus delayed projects by years. In China, no problem! Once the local authority approved a project. Done deal. The buildings went up quickly.
And let’s face it, most American businesses are not democratic. They are ruled from the top. Yes, there are limits to what a CEO can do, but what the CEO wants, the CEO gets. At least on the surface. In a book of mine, I labeled this concept the “myth of the hierarchy.”
In truth, companies -- other than family owned businesses like Trump’s -- require the buy-in of legions of people. You can order them what to do, but in time this kind of management wears thin. You get compliance but never commitment. Successful organizations require the support of men and women of good intention who want to accomplish good things because they believe in what they do and why they do it. And they believe in those who lead them.
The presidency – emerging as it does from the will of the people -- is not for those who simply like to give orders. Harry Truman -- reflecting on the possibility of the general becoming president -- said, “He’ll sit here, and he’ll say, ‘Do this! Do that!’ And nothing will happen. Poor Ike—it won’t be a bit like the Army. He’ll find it very frustrating.” Truman knew – what all good leaders know – that if you want to accomplish great things, you need to surround yourself with great people who are committed to carrying out the same great things you want to accomplish. You give those individuals room to operate and you watch them soar.
Another president – William Henry Harrison -- summed up the dangers of authoritarianism. “There is nothing more corrupting, nothing more destructive of the noblest and finest feelings of our nature, than the exercise of unlimited power.”
While Harrison died after a few short weeks in office, he knew from his experience as a general what it took to bring men together for common cause and hold them together for a higher purpose.
Such is leadership, not dictatorship.
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62302687550cd5fd4d1a538fbf7e48d7 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnbaldoni/2016/11/14/gwen-ifill-remembered-journalist-colleague-inspiration/ | Gwen Ifill Remembered: Journalist, Colleague, Inspiration | Gwen Ifill Remembered: Journalist, Colleague, Inspiration
Gwen Ifill (Photo Courtesy: Associated Press)
Why are all these people smiling? I thought to myself. Don’t they know the woman about whom they are speaking has just died?
Of course they do and that is exactly the point. Gwen Ifill, the host of PBS NewsHour, had passed away hours before that evening’s broadcast. NewsHour devoted the program to Ifill’s memory. The program was a kind of eulogy for Ifill as colleagues and friends shared their reflections. In essence the program was a tribute to a woman deeply respected and joyfully remembered.
From what I observed it was easy to smile about Gwen Ifill. First of all there was her presence. She possessed a broad smile that was frequent; she drew viewers to her as easily as she did her colleagues.
Gwen Ifill was a reporter’s reporter. She cut her teeth out of college with a paper in Boston later moving to Baltimore and eventually to the New York Times. She covered national politics and particularly enjoyed presidential conventions and campaigns. Richard Berke, a newspaper reporter colleague, noted she resisted initially moving to television news thinking it would weaken her credibility and ability to cover the news in depth. Pete Williams of NBC News recalled Ifill moved to television deftly, This was a point that Ifill cheerfully disputed in a 2015 interview with colleague Michele Norris. Moving to television was more difficult for her than it looked.
This gets to the heart of Ifill’s special appeal. She was not someone who drew attention to herself. She sought to report the news, not make it. At the same time, as a television presence she was instantly recognized wherever she went. The fame did not faze her; she embraced it, less from ego but more from the sense that she was connecting to people. In particular she wore her heritage as an African American woman proudly and saw her job as to provide hope and inspiration for young people.
Her pastor, Reverend William H. Lamar IV, recalled Ifill as a vibrant member of his church. Gwen herself was a PK, preacher’s kid. But unlike many children of pastors, she did not run from her faith. She embraced it. And as Rev. Lamar recalled she was a role model to many girls and young women in the parish.
What I take from the recollections of her colleagues is how much Ifill mattered to others. Ultimately it does not matter that she was a television host, award winning reporter and successful author. What others talked about was her commitment to her work, yes, but more remembered how she made them feel. She could be tough on herself as well as tough with fellow reporters pushing them to tell the story behind the story. That is, don’t be superficial; be real.
President Obama remembered Ifill this way: “Gwen was a friend of ours. She was an extraordinary journalist. She always kept faith with the fundamental responsibilities of her profession, asking tough questions, holding people in power accountable, and defending a strong and free press that makes our democracy work.” Obama added, “She was an especially powerful role model for young women and girls, who admired her integrity, her tenacity and her intellect, and for whom she blazed a trail as one-half of the first all-female anchor team on network news.”
There was sadness too in this remembrance. Charlayne Hunter-Gault, a long-time friend and colleague, choked up as she recalled the grace that Ifill exhibited as she fought her ultimately fatal battle with cancer. The tears flowed and it was clear that while people will remember Gwen Ifill fondly but also with great sadness. She will be deeply missed as a human being, someone who did much for her craft but also much for others.
Gwen Ifill made a positive difference in our world and for that she will be well remembered.
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11030e6e68a273ff0851c903513b56f7 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnbaldoni/2019/03/07/what-daniel-kahneman-knows-about-your-gut-decisions/?sh=23e35e272fec | What Daniel Kahneman Knows About Your Gut (Decisions) | What Daniel Kahneman Knows About Your Gut (Decisions)
Trust your gut!
That’s a mantra that many an executive likes to tout. Instinct is essential to survival, and when a person becomes a senior boss, he believes his instinct—namely, his gut—has served him well.
Not so fast says psychologist and author Daniel Kahneman. In a recent speech that echoes the themes of his book, Thinking, Fast and Slow, Kahneman argues that acting on your gut can be risky. Kahneman won his Nobel Prize in 2002 for his ground-breaking research into risk. (His research was a collaboration with long-time colleague and fellow Israeli Amos Tversky, who died before the prize was awarded.)
Kahneman says that “intuition is thinking that you know without knowing why you do.” It gives us confidence in our decision making; trouble is confidence is no predictor of accuracy.
According to Kahneman, intuition – or gut instinct – works when three conditions occur: one, regular order, as in a game like chess; two, “lots of practice”; and three, “immediate feedback” that is, “you have to know almost immediately whether you got it right or got it wrong.”
“Unless those three conditions are satisfied,” says Kahneman, “the mere fact that you have an idea and nothing else comes to mind, and you feel a great deal of confidence — absolutely does not guarantee accuracy.”
There is much to unpack in Kahneman’s comments. First, they reveal why so many decisions prove wrong in the first place. The conditions for regularity do not exist in business; it is why stock picking, as Kahneman says, is so risky. While an executive may have a good experience making decisions about an aspect of business, the vagaries of a global market have too many moving parts to be predictable. You have only to look at the automobile business.
Once producing cars that people liked was a good predictor of success. Consider now that people no longer want small cars—preferring trucks and SUVs—auto executives are scrambling to off-load production. Autonomous-driving vehicles are now on the horizon. At the same time, millennials, laden with student debt, are not so interested in making big purchases. Public transit is available but so too are ride-share services. And don’t forget electric scooters. None of these will displace privately owned vehicles immediately, but in time the demand is predicted to go downward. Who could have predicted this?
Immediate feedback is essential to intuition, but again the implications of business decisions unfold over time, not in hours. Effects of a decision to open a factory, build a new product, or refine a new service occur over months and years. And something else. Many senior executives do not like to be second-guessed by direct-reports. People closest to them are sometimes intimidated to speak up if they disagree with the boss.
All is not lost. Experience is vital to decision making. The challenge is to assume that such experience is not infallible. Therefore, when big decisions are being made, it is good to be deliberative. Test assumptions. Adopt a “red team” (aka devil’s advocate) approach to second-guessing the results of a decision. Assume the worst and plan accordingly.
Such decision making requires courage in two ways. One, it takes guts to roll the dice on a decision that will affect the outcome of a company. Two, it also takes guts to know that you could be wrong. And therefore, it is essential to invite honest feedback.
NOTE: For more on the Kahneman and Tversky’ collaborative friendship and partnership, read Michael Lewis’s book, The Undoing Project: A Friendship That Changed Our Minds.
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