HTC launched the new Tattoo phone in Hong Kong today (full coverage tomorrow), and Neonpunch.com had a chance to sit down with HTC Country Manager Mr. Terry Chung to talk to him about the Tattoo, what’s coming up for HTC and Android 2.0:

Why a new HTC Android phone so soon after the launch of the Hero?

The Hero has been in the market for 2 months and we think the Android platform is very popular and accepted by the Hong Kong market so that is why we have launched a new handset into the market, which is centered at a different market and the price point is different as well. Tattoo is the first Android phone that is under HK$3,000.

What market are you going after with the Tattoo?

I think the young and stylish people. As you can see it has a user-define casing, and for the young generation who likes the social network device for using Facebook, Twitter and YouTube its a great device for them. The Hero has more business functions while the Tattoo is designed and priced purely with the new generation in mind.

I understand you can re-skin the Tattoo anyway you like?

We have a promotion with Garskin.com in Singapore, you can upload your personal design and within 1 month they will send that new skin to you. It’s free in Hong Kong to the first group of people who buy the Tattoo but you can use their service anytime.

With so much hype and buzz, how is the uptake of the Hero so far in Hong Kong?

Since we launched for 2 months, every week we are facing a supply shortage. Its really out of our plan and expectation that it can be so popular. So there are a few key reasons that it can be so popular in HK market: HTC Sense is more friendly and also the Android Market can also provide all kinds of applications.

Do you have a favorite app for your HTC Hero phone?

I use a Chinese RSS application for real time news update so I can read Chinese Engadget and local newspapers. Every morning I read highlights from the 3 major local newspapers. Even Smartone has its own application on Android Market. I also track my stocks from a widget that gets updates from Yahoo Hong Kong. Another one of my favorites is Funny Jokes (an English application) from the US. When I am alone or travelling I like to pull up this app and read a few of these jokes too. Its really funny. (laughter) I even use my Android handset to find a gas stations and coffee shops in Hong Kong.

How do you differentiate HTC smartphones and something like the Apple iPhone?

The iPhone segment is diferent than HTC’s. We have 10 years experience working with leading technologies with different companies. We let the customers choose which platform they want to use, if its Android of Windows Mobile. And right now we find lots of customers really like Android especially with all the free apps.

The big news at Neonpunch.com and around the web is the amazing Android 2.0. Is the Tattoo upgradeable to Android 2.0? This is a question from one of our Twitter followers:

I won’t say its upgradeable. The Tattoo has the newest version of Android which is called Donut. And there is a plan for a new handset that will feature 2.0.

Will there be any new HTC releases before Christmas?

Our target is to release 2-4 new handsets every quarter.

So, with the Tattoo and the Touch2 that makes 2 this quarter? So we may see another 2 still before the holiday season?

Maybe. (laughter)

We ask everyone this – besides the HTC Hero I see you carrying, what are some of your favorite tech gadgets?

I am very tech savvy and like new gadgets like Netbook’s – and ones with proper chipset so that it can work with a HDTV. At home I have the Samsung 55″ LED HDTV and I like it very much. I am a movie buff so I love watching Blu-ray movies on the big screen.

Thank you Mr. Chung.

Reload the Neonpunch.com homepage tomorrow for images and more on the HTC Tattoo.

Leon Ho is one of the leading digital entrepreneurs in Hong Kong. As the CEO and Founder of Stepcase.com he runs a very popular productivity blog called Lifehack.org, he is also an iPhone application developer who has recently launched an updated version of what is probably the most successful iPhone app created by a Hong Kong developer: Darkroom. We sat down with Leon to give him the Neonpunch Punch-Up:

Why did you create Darkroom?

When iPhone came out with the iPhone 2G, I started taking pictures with the camera and noticed that many of my shots, usually in low light, came out blurry. As a result, I sought a solution, Darkroom was created out of iPhone’s camera inability to take pictures in low light. In addition, the iPhone is a light mobile device, hence a problem exists with the camera moving when you press the shutter button, often times resulting in blurry pictures.

How does Darkroom work?

Darkroom uses iPhone’s accelerometer feature for our steady mode. Darkroom has two versions, Standard (free) and Premium ($0.99). The difference between the two are features included in them. Darkroom Standard is offered with only the standard pre-set steady mode. Darkroom Premium includes a customizable steady mode that allows you to increase/decrease the sensitivity of the accelerometer, full-screen shutter mode and timer mode.

The standard version of Darkroom received over 800,000 unique downloads worldwide.

What kind of enhancements did you add in this new updated version?

The enhancement for the released version v2.3 was minimal. Our goal was to update it to be compatible with the current iPhone OS 3.1. We also optimized the memory. Do note that OS 3.0 is not supported. There’s a short history of the issue we had with Apple’s approval team documented in our Stepcase blog, if you are interested.

We have rewritten Darkroom completely in v3.0, with a new attractive interfaces, performance gains, and ability to upload your files to the Internet. The new version has been submitted to Apple for review.

As a HK iPhone developer. What are some things you learned that you can share with other HK developers?

1. Care about the user experience. iPhone users are spoiled by the Apple’s usability standard and they are really looking for top-notch applications with great user experiences, including a high level of usability and attractive interfaces.

2. Tackle the market outside of Hong Kong. There are many unsolved problems that need solutions for general iPhone users and of course the market size is bigger.

3. Promote your application outside of App Store. With that many iPhone applications in the app store, you need to promote your application through external channels. There are review blogs, Twitter, and Facebook where you can promote your application for free. Word of mouth was also an important channel for Darkroom’s adoption. Try to support your users as much as possible and they will tell their friends about your product.

What are your 3-5 most essential gadgets you use everyday to make your life more productive or more entertaining.

1. iPhone. The ultimate gadget. It does all the communication stuff I need – phone, SMS, email, Twitter and Facebook, plus camera, web browser, game device, and music player.
2. 13″ MacBook Pro. When I hit the road or at the office, I use this well-built laptop for my work.
3. Kindle. I can pack all those books into a light and thin device.

With web video being the way to watch TV these days, it’s not too long when shows and movies get launched online to reach the largest audience. Hong Kong’s Jennifer Thyme of RockGinger.com has started the charge with her bi-lingual web series Lumina. We were able to catch the writer/director/producer and gave her the Neonpunch Punch-Up.

You can also see Jennifer and the cast of Lumina in person tomorrow night at the monthly Web 2.0 social mixer meet-up Web Wednesday.

What is Lumina?

LUMINA is a nine part fantasy thriller web series starring JuJu Chan, Michael Chan and Vince Matthew Chung, and is free to view on www.luminaseries.com. The story centers around a lonely young Hong Kong woman who meets a mysterious prince in a mirror – it’s a modern twist on a classic fairytale, and with any good fable, nothing is as it seems. I am the writer, director and producer of LUMINA – and as with any small business, the one who handles everything that comes our way! It’s been a fantastic learning process, and I’ve met so many great people over the last year. As a result of my work on LUMINA, I’m working on another three feature films in the upcoming year (producing two, directing one.) And I’m hoping to secure funding for LUMINA season two while I’m at it!

I have a background in finance and law, but last year, I decided to revitalise a childhood dream – filmmaking. I wanted to apply my unique work experience to create a sensible small business approach to film finance, which traditionally is rather murky, to say the least. I also was an avid MMORPG player (Final Fantasy XI) and I wanted to blend some element of that into my work as well.

What are some of your personal favorite webshows?

• Wong Fu Productions: Wong Fu is an endearing trio of “nice” Asian American guys who make touching, heartfelt videos. They take cuteness to the next level. My all-time favorite from Wong Fu is “The Spare” which was shot in one day in Hong Kong.

• condition:human: I’m a big cyberpunk fan, so seeing this micro-budget Bladerunner-esque series was a real treat.

• Karma Kula: I love action, and this live action martial arts series was made by the Ninjai Gang, a group of stuntpeople, on their free time; they also made the animated series The Little Ninjai. Amazing stuff!

What is the trend for web shows going? Will it replace TV? Will they be easier to watch on our iPhones?

Original content created for the web will keep getting better and broader in range, and it will supplement and eventually become indistinguishable from TV as opposed to outright replace it. There’s a trend towards creating technology that will allow viewers to watch online content on TV (for instance TiVo will show KoldCast web series and Adobe is working on bringing Flash to TV’s), and at the same time there is also a trend to show TV content online (Hulu, which sadly doesn’t work in HK, but has done swimmingly well in the US). At some point, it’ll be more about what content you want to watch instead of where you watch it.

And web series are ideal for watching on the iPhone because they tend to be short! When I went to the recent BarCamp HK and told people about LUMINA, I saw so many people just getting out their iPhones and watching it right away on YouTube. It was incredible – how easy is that? You don’t even have to go home to look it up on your computer, you can immediately check it out as soon as you hear about it.

What are the top 3 gadgets you use daily to live your life in Hong Kong?

• iPhone 3G: It’s easy to use and it is not heavy. I don’t carry a laptop so I check emails and carry sample film footage around on the iPhone.

• Cloud computing: This is not really a gadget but it’s indispensable to the way I work. I use alot of web based services like Squarespace, Basecamp and Highrise, so I can do my work from pretty much any computer (basically I can use everyone else’s gadgets! haha).

• Canon EOS 20D with prime lenses: I adore taking photos and prime lenses are lighter than zooms and make really gorgeous pictures. I have been so tempted to replace this camera with a Mark II though.

Where do you go shopping for gadgets for yourself?

• Hong Kong: Wan Chai computer center, but I usually go when I need something specific as opposed to going to browse.

• USA: Best Buy, CompUSA, the Apple Store… this is when I do alot of browsing and playing.

• Online: www.red.com – I’m definitely getting the Scarlet when it comes out (expected end of 2009/early 2010). The Scarlet is going to raise the bar of web video and micro-budget independent film – the technology needed to make beautiful film-like footage has become almost ludicrously cheap compared to even 5 years ago.

You might know about Hong Kong e-retailer 100milligrams.com, but you’ve definitely seen the tech products that parent company Street Value distribute all over Hong Kong. We had a chance to catch up with Managing Director Justin Sandery for the first installment of our newest weekly feature: 5 Question Punch-Out – fast and furious questions about 100milligrams.com and Justin’s Hong Kong gadget life:

What is 100milligrams.com?

100milligrams is HK’s only on-line store for the coolest new fashion and lifestyle youth consumer electronics brands including Skullcandy, Zumreed, X-mini and many more.

How did you start it up and why

As a marketing/distribution company we wanted to understand consumers and global trends better and so we decided to create a retail environment to showcase our great brands. We thought about a physical shop but the rents are so high in HK we decided to go online first and give the HK consumers a fun retail space for browsing and purchasing our exclusive brands.

We started by asking a friend to build our first site on the cheap. We went live in a couple of months with a handful of products. As we had no experience online, nothing worked and the graphics were ugly. It was very amateur but we learned very quickly and 18 months later things are rockin’ along.

What is your best selling product in Hong Kong?

X-mini II – these babies rock.

What are some of the gadgets you use daily?

• New X-mini Max II Portable Speaker: Phenomenal sound, 12hours battery life.
• Skullcandy: New FMJ (yellow) best sounding and looking iPhone earphone on the market.
• Stylophone Beatbox: Rockin beats and record loop sampler makes me feel musically gifted and everyone around me irritated.
• iPhone: I hate mine, maybe if I get a Blackberry for Christmas that might be my favourite.

Where do you personally shop for gadgets and gear in HK?

DG lifestyle store, Ultimate, JC shop

These shops have sophistication and quality products so they stand out over the plethora of cheap electronics shops in HK. A gadget has to perform its function intuitively without complicating the task and the simpler it makes the task the better.