Sony Sweeps German Design Awards
By Scott Wilkinson July 14, 2005 — At the award-presentation ceremony for its annual international design competition on July 4 at the Essen Aalto Theatre in Essen, Germany, the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen bestowed its prestigious "red dot label for high design quality" on six Sony products. Among a record number of 1857 entries in 12 product categories, the international jury selected the following Sony products: HDR-FX1E HDV1080i camcorder, Qualia 001 Creation Box (a video processor/upconverter that is not available in the US), Qualia 004 SXRD front projector, Qualia 005 LCD flat-panel television, Qualia 006 RPTV, and DAV-SR4W wireless home theater in a box.

From all the red dot products in this year's competition, the HDR-FX1E HDV1080i camcorder was awarded the accolade of the "Best of the Best for Highest Design Quality." According to Sony, it represents the world's first HDV1080i camcorder.

Shin Miyashita, art director at the Sony Creative Center and designer of the HDR-FX1E, comments: "When a product such as the HDR-FX1E introduces new technology, it is the job of the designer to make the new functions clear, easy to understand, and simple to use. The bottom line is to create a design that looks attractive, feels good to use, and avoids unnecessary frills."

"We are proud and honored that Sony's efforts to communicate globally through refined design have been recognized in this way," says Kaz Ichikawa, director of the Sony Design Center Europe. "At Sony, we foster a culture that encourages innovation and solutions that look beyond the conventional. These Product Design Awards are a matter of great pride within Sony, since they signify creativity in design that goes beyond products themselves to embrace future concepts and visions."

All of this year's red dot winners will be on display at an exhibition at the Essen red dot Design Museum from July 5. The museum, a work of art in itself, houses the largest permanent exhibition of contemporary design in the world.