Fifty inches of Ryan Gosling and other big screen joys

MANILA, Philippines - I watched Drive on my friend’s big screen TV some time after it was released. It was movie night, a bi-weekly habit that brings a bunch of us together in one house to watch a series of films. Our poison? Horror, action, sci-fi thrillers, and usually, romantic comedy to “water down the fear.” That particular evening was special because it was Ryan Gosling night, much to the delight of the boys. (“Man-crushes are okay if it’s Ryan Gosling,” they said.) So, Drive it was.

Imagine yourself sitting in a dark, small-ish room, only a few feet away from the big screen, and then that elevator scene comes on. It’s one scene that’s as intense as seeing 50 inches of Gosling’s poreless, pretty face –– sans mask — and there was no way we could look away. I guess this answers the question, “Why do we need a TV so big, hon?” For moments like this, hon. For moments like this.

We always hold movie nights at this friend’s house because he has the biggest TV.

Imagine what it would have been like if he had a Devant TV?

Big screen TVs have become the new norm, a taste of the next wave of home entertainment equipment.

James Ng, general manager of Devant, a Singaporean brand under Techpoint Enterprise, which just celebrated its 10th anniversary in the Philippines, says the market started embracing bigger TVs around a year and a half ago. “This was when our market share for sizes like 40, 42 inches increased. Our best selling right now is our 50-inch LEDTech TV. Our biggest LEDTech TV is at 55 inches,” he says. Ng credits this growth to Devant’s willingness to experiment and give the market more options. “The 50-inch size is not common. We’re one of the few brands offering that size at an affordable price,” he says.

Devant ranks in the top five brands of consumer electronics and is known for offering affordable alternatives without shortchanging the market features — and quality-wise. One of its newest products, the Smart 3D TV, was launched about six months after all the other brands launched theirs. This is part of Devant’s strategy of studying the market, what it wants, what it is looking for, and then fine-tuning their product line to address their requirements. For example, Devant has excluded unnecessary apps that Smart TVs of other brands come with.

“Our market consists of smart buyers who don’t like to spend for things that they don’t need, like a yoga app. Not everyone uses that, but this adds to the cost of the TV. So we equipped our Smart TVs with the basics like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. This is why our Smart TVs are more affordable. Then we waited for the right time to sell it at the right price,” says Ng.

Going back to my friend, he’s a good host and an excellent cook, but his TV is what brings us there. Every time I would see a television over 30 inches in a store, I would stop and wonder why I don’t already have one. It’s one of those things we don’t think we need until we just do. Technology always has better plans for us and it’s somewhat reassuring that what we once only imagined, like say a television that can also update your Facebook status or play The Karaoke Channel on YouTube while you watch another pop star murder your favorite song, is already being manufactured especially for consumers.

Up until the late 20th century, for example, big screen TVs were pricey, unattainable trophies displayed only in very select homes. Before then, owning one was like laughing in the face of our third-world problems.

Now why would you need a 3D TV? It’s really not about needing it. Think of 3D as added value to an already good TV.

As Devant marketing manager Lara Lua puts it, “The technology is already there. Even before 3D technology was made available to consumers, it was already being supplied to government agencies and private companies. We want to give the consumer the option of having 3D. It’s a good device with already excellent features as it is.” It’s an experience, previously only available at theaters, brought to the consumer’s home.

Very soon, Devant is coming out with another innovation: tablets. “Aside from bringing in big screen surprises, this year, we are expanding our product line-up with the launch of our android tablet, the Devant D-Tab. It comes in three sizes: seven, eight and 10 inches,” says marketing manager Lara Lua.

From little screens to carry along with us everywhere to big screens to punctuate our homes with (and make the film viewing experience that much more enthralling), Devant has sneaked up on us with products that are sleek enough to belong in a penthouse suite and affordable enough for the average consumer. Technology is, indeed the new great equalizer. Sitting in our living rooms, with all those channels and nothing to watch, we are all the same.

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Devant is available at leading appliance stores. Like Devant.tv on Facebook for product information or visit www.devanttv.com.