WHAT’S IT FOR? Ask Ting Ting, a device you can rent from selected hotels, is named such because its creator Matthias Hendrichs felt it was an easy Chinese name for visitors to remember. It is a smartphone loaded with an interactive city guide, map and directory that help tourists and business travellers to explore Hong Kong.
FEATURES More than 40 videos containing information on different points of interest in Hong Kong, scripted by a Hollywood-based writer and filmed by an international crew. Ask Ting Ting uses global positioning system (GPS) and cell tower triangulation to detect where you are and recommends dining options, malls, bars and clubs and attractions accordingly.
FIELD TEST Ting Ting led me on a 25-minute Mong Kok markets walking tour. Ting Ting showed me the route on its map, but I found myself having to rely on my own map-reading skills as the GPS was unable to catch a signal, a common issue in urban jungles. Nevertheless, I managed to find my way there and Ting Ting brought me to see the Flower and Goldfish markets and the Yuen Po Bird Garden. The “Show Map’”feature on Ask Ting Ting
then guided me to other points of interest in the vicinity and I used the device to find the Ladies’ Market and Tim Ho Wan, a Michelin-starred dim sum restaurant.
VALUE POINTS The videos offer informative but concise looks at attractions. The Dim Sum Guide feature is a compendium of dim sum favourites with their traditional Chinese names listed to help non-Cantonese speakers order.
POINTS TO IMPROVE ON While I loved the definition and clarity of the images I took using the Virtual Postcard feature on the device, I was disappointed at how small the image size became when it was sent to my email. Perhaps, the creators might consider offering options for users to transfer their images to their own personal devices. I would have also liked to see a Geotagging feature for images, which would help the user remember where the photos have been taken.
Natasha Hong
WHERE TO GET ONE? Selected hotels, including Le Méridien Cyberport
PRICE Varies from hotel to hotel.
FOR MORE INFORMATION Visit www.asktingting.com
