sony at the iF design awards night 2012

philip rose, takuya kawagoi, and daisuke ishii represent the sony team, winning 6 iF gold awards
image © designboom

the iF product design award is one of the most important product design awards in the world. award winning entries
are recognized in 16 different categories and are allowed to carry the iF label – a label that signals outstanding products
to target groups everywhere in the world.

the sony team was the clear star of the competition, winning six iF gold awards out of the 100 given.
almost unheard of in a competition that involves so many thousands of participants, sony’s achievement
is double the number of awards won by the second-most successful nominee, apple.

the 6 iF gold awards were given for sony’s digital still cameras cyber-shot DSC-TX55 and NEX-C3,
digital camera recorder NXCAM NEX-FS100EK, the sony tablet S series, the ‘Xperia’ TM active mobile phone and the 
LCD HD TV ‘bravia’ NX720 series.

sony won 212 iF awards since 1983. 

receiving an award for ‘Xperia’ (from left to right) takuya kawagoi, philip rose, daisuke ishii
image © designboom

the iF product design gold award recognizes the very best designs in the telecommunications industry.
‘Xperia’ active boasts a scratch resistant touch display that can be used even when fingers are wet and boasts technology that enables
the display to be seen in bright sunshine.

‘we warmly congratulate sony ericsson for its first iF gold award.  ‘Xperia active’ is a very functional smartphone with a highly elegant design.
especially for sport users,  it is the number one choice and the water and dust-resistance make it a very special product – a symbiosis of
functionality and elegance,’ said  ralph wiegmann, managing director of iF international forum design.

sony ‘Xperia’ – iF gold award winner

from the iF presentation:
the Xperia™ active is a new android smartphone from sony ericsson, able to endure your active lifestyle.
it keeps track of your performance along the way and is water- and dust-resistant, taking whatever gets in its way.
Xperia™ active has a beautiful scratch-resistant touch display that can be used even when your fingers are wet. the materials are
carefully chosen to ensure the best esthetics as well as being durable, sustainable and functional.
a sturdy aluminum frame surrounds and protects the display and embodies the essence of Xperia™ active – utilitarian elegance.

the sony team plays with their iF trophies
images © designboom

clockwise from top left: takuya kawagoi receiving the iF award on behalf of SONY; gold iF award trophies waiting to be distributed; ralf wiegmann, iF managing director addressing guests of the gala;
ralph wiegmann and fritz frenkler, jury chair at the gala reception.

sony’s six iF award winning products
top row:NEX-C3 digital still camera; NXCAM NEX-FS100EK digital camera recorder; NEX-7 digital still camera
bottom row: bravia NX720 series LCD HD TV; sony tablet S series: Xperia

NEX-C3 digital still camera
with the use of interchangeable lenses, the design took seriously the features of a sophisticated camera enabling the user to take finer
photographs and video images than previously possible. on the other hand, beginners and the female market who were target users
were also considered. and the incorporation of a grip form that undulates in flowing surfaces as part of the body creates a sense of
advancement that distinguishes the design from camera design in the age of film.

α NEX-7 digital still camera
the multiple functions of a user interface enabling three-axis control of effects etc. are allocated to two dials on the top panel,
unique but with a restrained style, and a wheel on the back panel. users experience an unprecedented level of intuitive operation
and sense of directness. the advanced UI keeps the display of functions on the body to a minimum, highlighting the flat and
simple structure, successfully dispelling the equation ‘advanced functions = complex exterior characteristics’ of standard cameras.
this next-generation, mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera has such a simple design that it seemingly could not be all-in-one.

NXCAM NEX-FS100EK digital camera recorder
against the background of predicted increasing demand for ‘video advertising’ in a variety of advertising media that have been supplemented
by the genre of digital signage, sony combined its twin assets, the high-resolution still image ‘α (alpha)’series and the pro video NXCAM series,
to offer the ideal modular design camcorder capable of use in the field by pros, including for vertical shooting.
BRAVIA NX720 series LCD HD TV
the BRAVIA NX720 is a wide-screen hi-vision television fitted with sony’s unique opticontrast panel and an LED backlight. the design,
featuring 0.7 mm hardened glass and a black lustrous frame, makes the image appear to float from a single black sheet.
the aluminum stand with built-in speakers, now even more thin and compact, realizes both an appearance of lightness and excellent
sound quality. no compromises have been made in terms of performance, while all elements that might impede viewing have been
removed, in an attempt to pursue timeless next-generation television design.

sony tablet S series
the sony tablet S is an android tablet terminal with a 9.4” display.
the large screen enables the enjoyable use of an abundant range of services, to browse the web and view content. the use of ‘eccentric center of gravity’
design, in which the center of gravity is shifted to one side, sought to offer a feeling of lightness and stability when the unit is held in the hand,
making it comfortable for long-term use. positioning the screen on a gentle diagonal when the unit is sitting on a desk adds to operation comfort.
elimination of all inessential elements produces a simple screen that encourages the user to fully focus on content.

sony being awarded for their α NEX-7 digital still camera
image © designboom

the gala, of the iF design awards presentation held on friday, february 10, was open to general public, and saw a total of 1,700 guests

designboom editor in front of the BMW museum (designed by coop himmelb(l)au), attending the iF award ceremony

for the first time, munich creative business week (MCBW) provided the backdrop for the glamorous iF design awards night.
the new MCBW design platform, which was held from 7 to 12 february, presented a wealth of exciting themes and
made it possible that local design-interested members of the public were able to experience the iF design awards night.
in addition to the presentation of the winners of the 100 iF gold awards, the winning entries are also on show at the iF gold award
exhibition at the BMW museum (until 26 february 2012).

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about the iF design award (organized by iF – international forum design gmbH in hannover)
some 60,000 products have benefitted from being awarded the iF label: at the point of sale, in advertising or in the press.
over the last six decades, many companies have received many iF awards. these companies are narrating their success stories here.
this year’s iF design award winners will also be presented at the iF design exhibitions in germany,
including shows at CeBIT in hannover (6 to 10 march 2012) and at hamburg’s harborcity (second half of 2012),
in haikou (hainan island, china, from may 2012 onwards).
P.S.
the product design category is the largest of the four categories, comprising ca. two-thirds of the total number of entries and proportionally
as many gold awards (60 out of the 100 total). the entire shortlist  (863 in all) is viewable in the iF online exhibition.

about sony
the sony name was created by combining SONUS, the original latin for SONIC, meaning sound, with SONNY, denoting small size,
or a youthful boy. it was chosen for its simple pronunciation that is the same in any language.

about sony ericsson
sony ericsson is a 50:50 joint venture between sony corporation (sony) and telefonaktiebolaget LM ericsson.
with its global corporate functions in london, sony ericsson has sales and marketing operations in all major regions of the world,
as well as manufacturing in china, and product development sites in china, japan, sweden and silicon valley, california.