What we've been reading this week: APAC edition

Finally, it’s the end of the week. But what have we been reading and sharing around the office? Here’s a quick round up of the content that grabbed our attention. 

Pop back later to see what our UK and US offices have being checking out as well. 

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Aussies spending lavishly online, as overseas retailers draw ahead

Australians are buying up big online, spending more than $2000 each per year, but continue to lavish much of their spend on overseas retailers who are drawing further ahead with more sophisticated online stores.

Originally published 17-Apr-12

Internet giants Tencent and 360 begin legal battle

Court proceedings have begun between Qihoo 360 and Tencent, two Chinese internet giants, with Qihoo 360 suing Tencent over alleged abuse of market dominance and unfair competitive practices.

Originally published 19-Apr-12

Smart kitchen features touchscreen kitchen-island and tablet-controlled stoves 

Italian company Toncelli Kitchens has created a high-tech kitchen benchtop with a sleek design and high level functionality, including a touchscreen glass panel that allows users to watch a video or browse the web

Originally published 13-Apr-12

Market leaders emerging in China’s group-buying space

We’ve seen a lot happen in China’s group buy space over the past few months. What was a much tighter pack six months ago, has seen a number of competitors drop off and others jump to the fore.

Originally published 12-Apr-12

Word of mouth and consumer reviews 'most trusted' by consumers

Consumers in the Asia-Pacific rank 'earned' media like word-of-mouth recommendations and online consumer reviews as the most trusted form of advertising, according to Nielsen.

Originally published 18-Apr-12

Using Origami to mock-up ingenious gestural interfaces

Gestural user interfaces may be the future, but we’re not quite comfortable with them yet--as users or designers. Their tactile simplicity makes them efficient once you get the hang of them, but their affordance-less, "pictures under glass" nature can make them inscrutable to first-time users.

Originally published 17-Apr-12

China critic Ai Weiwei on how the web will bring freedom and why China can’t design an iPhone

It’s easy to forget that Ai Weiwei is an artist, at times. The man who is so often (and rightly) described as ‘outspoken’ and a ‘dissident’ is one of the most vocal critics of the Chinese regime, particularly on the subject of Internet censorship, to the point that it tends to overshadow his work.

Originally published 16-Apr-12

Study: Young consumers switch media 27 times an hour

It's every advertiser's worst nightmare: consumers so distracted by a dizzying array of media choices that they no longer notice the commercials supporting them. And its time might be closer than you think.

Originally published 09-Apr-12

Gmarket Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, and Indonesia to rebrand to Qoo10

Most users in Southeast Asia know Gmarket, but this familiar name may soon be gone in Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, and Indonesia, with the  e-commerce giant looking likely to be rebranded to Qoo10

Originally published 17-Apr-12

Mobile ad impressions grow 656% in Hong Kong

The number of mobile advertising impressions grew 656% quarter-on-quarter in 2011 as mobile usage surpassed TV viewership in Hong Kong, according to a new study by independent mobile advertising network InMobi.

Originally published 19-Apr-12