Cult of Mac Plays iSpy in Hong Kong

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Drumming up iBusiness on Nathan Road in Hong Kong.
Drumming up iBusiness on Nathan Road in Hong Kong.

I’m still a little woozy from the 14-hour plane ride from San Francisco, but at first glance this humming tech hub seems like Samsung territory.

For every 10 Galaxy Notes that metro riders are stumbling down the endless escalators watching TV shows or reading comics on, I’ve probably spotted one iPhone.

iCut through Hong Kong traffic. Photo: Nicole Martinelli.
iCut through Hong Kong traffic. Photo: Nicole Martinelli.
Free internet access in metro stations at the iCentre.
Free internet access in metro stations thanks to the iCentre.

That said, I couldn’t help noticing that the lowercase “i” — made iconic with the iMac back in 1998 — can be found all over as a way of denoting businesses that can keep up with the city’s uber-fashionable pace. Or denoting businesses that set the pace, just like Apple.

Some of the names work better than others – iDelivery, OK, but the iSquare Shopping Centre, or the iPoint Bank? Lost in translation, at least for me.

Oh, yeah, we’re looking for correspondents from the region. So if you love Apple, scour Weibo and keep an eye on the local manufacturing pulse and what’s selling in the local electronics markets, email me.

Check out what I’ve iSpied in Hong Kong so far:

IMG_0667
The iSquare Mall in Tsim Sha Tsui. It offers iCoupons.
iBank in an MTR station. Photo: Nicole Martinelli.
iBank in an MTR station. Photo: Nicole Martinelli.

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