The New HiDef
The XBR 4K LED TV is the largest high-resolution TV ever made by Sony. Also known as the XBR-84X900, it has a diagonal measurement of 84 inches – that’s seven feet. The “4K” in the name comes from the horizontal…
Lifestyle
High Adventure
Joan Bennet loves mountain climbing, even when the journey bumps up against the maxim that “It’s only an adventure if something goes wrong.” The president of Bennet Group was part of a climb in October to an advanced base camp…
Sweet Heaven
Science and artistry may seem like an odd marriage, but when you taste the chocolates that spring from this union, you will call Ricard Chocolat a marriage made in heaven. The science of tempering must be done precisely to make…
Navatek's CEPAS technology makes more efficient wind turbines
What is C.E.P.A.S.? Navatek, the R&D subsidiary of shipyard operator Pacific Marine, specializes in developing advanced hull forms and flow-control technology. Its new Catalyst Enhanced Plasma Actuation System is designed to improve the efficiency of large, commercial wind turbines by…
Talk Story with Bill Spencer
Spencer is a serial entrepreneur who has served as president of HVCA since 1999. He talks about venture capital in Hawaii following the death of Act 221 and his plans for offshore fish farming using his patented 200-foot wide “Oceansphere.”…
The State of Hawaii's Plan to Modernize its Medieval Tech Systems
Sonny Bhagowalia has a plan to fix the state’s archaic IT system in June 2011, Bhagowalia became the state of Hawaii’s first chief information officer and the point man in Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s ambitious plan to “reinvent government.” Bhagowalia and…
Professional Addicts
For lawyer Ken Lawson, it began with a sports injury and a prescribed painkiller. It ended in disbarment and prison. In between were years of escalating dependence on prescription opiates, alcohol and cocaine, plus abuse of clients’ trust funds, missed…
Pau Hana With Bill Riddle
Bill Riddle doesn’t sleep much. That’s how the president and CEO of Visitor Video Hawaii, which produces in-room videos for more than 30,000 hotel rooms across the state, is able to write a book, make wooden ship models, invent a…
Calming and fragrant
Waikiki chef James Aptakin has taken an enticing, sweet fragrance commonly used in perfumes and added it to flan, shortbread cookies, savory cornbread, mojitos and pineapple cobbler. The secret ingredient: sugar infused with oil from vetiver, a grass grown in…
Innovation: iRun Earphones
Three Styles: iRun Performance is a short-wired earphone for iPod Shuffle users who wear hats or shirts while they train. iRun Advantage is for those who strap smart phones to their arms or attach iPods to their sports bras. iRun…
Dozens of online job boards give job seekers and recruiters plenty of options
Only a few years ago, job seekers anxiously awaited the Sunday newspaper because it was the best way to find a new position. In good economic times, there were as many as 20 pages, filled with hundreds of opportunities. Those…
Assistance Dogs
Brian Kajiyama’s assistance dog, Zeus, is a Labrador retriever that has learned sign language to help Brian, who has cerebral palsy. Beside the usual skills of retrieving items, turning on lights and opening doors, Zeus can even take the jump…
Pau Hana with Jan Harada
Jan Harada knows there’s nothing like kung fu to get the blood flowing after a hard day and to stave off burnout. “My work is very rewarding, but it’s also very stressful,” says Harada, president and CEO of the nonprofit…
Lessons Learned: Finding Partners
Volta Industries has established a network of free-to-use charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) across Oahu. Scott Mercer, Volta’s co-founder and CEO, talks about finding partners and expanding the business. Who are your partners? Mercer: We provide our stations to shopping…
14 percent: Why are women under represented in the C-suites of corporate America?
In the C-suites of America’s biggest corporations, just 14.1 percent of the executive officers are women, according to the 2011 Catalyst survey of Fortune 500 leadership. That’s one woman for every six men, and Catalyst says that basic ratio hasn’t…
Pau Hana with David Miller
When David Miller moved to Hawaii from Boston more than 40 years ago, he figured he should take advantage of the Islands’ active, outdoor lifestyle. Since he grew up in New York City playing handball – there’s not much of…
Pau Hana With Lea Hong
As the state director of the Trust for Public Land, Lea Hong spends most of the workweek poring over tax maps, talking with attorneys and raising money for land acquisitions. No wonder she likes to detach on weekends. For Hong,…
Innovation: Healthcare Alert app Reminds You of Your Checkup
The App: HealthCare Alert is a free app created by a Hawaii physician, Dr. Alfonso Jimenez, who has an Ewa Beach practice. The app has iPhone, Android and Mobile Web versions that are all designed to alert users of preventive…
Ride in Style
“You know, it’s a massage seat, too.” The chauffeur, Philippe Deprez, pointed to the control panel on the door of the custom-built 2012 Rolls-Royce Ghost EWB, the only one in Hawaii. “Go ahead,” he says, “press that button.” Talk about…
5 Steps to a successful business meeting
Your next business meeting will go more smoothly with proper planning. Plaza Club GM Dan Bower offers five ways to ensure that you succeed and everyone who attends is impressed. 1. Have a clear vision. Before you start planning your meeting, it is…
Innovation: Electronic Shark Defense System repels sharks
Creator: Wilson Vinano Jr., avid surfer and owner of Z to A Innovations, has been inventing things for years and wanted to make the ocean safer for people. With the help of two local engineering and development companies, Vinano says,…
Ekso Pro at Rehab Hospital enables wheelchair users to rise and walk
Problem: About 6 million Americans live with some form of paralysis. At Honolulu’sRehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific, the staff works each year with 5,500 patients recovering from strokes or injuries, including brain, spinal cord, orthopedic and sports injuries. New Device: A robotic,…
The Business of Sports in Hawaii
When the University of Central Florida’s football team lost its last scheduled game in 2005 to Tulsa, its consolation prize was a berth in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. “Let me get this right,” coach George O’Leary quipped. “We lost and…
Pau Hana with Evan Fujimoto
Favorite spots: Blue Hole, Snipes, Paikos and Toes. Main boards: His favorite is a 6-foot Superbrand “Toy” squash tail, but he also likes his Erik Arakawa 6-foot, 3-inch rounded pin. When it comes to surfing, Evan Fujimoto’s mantra is, “No…