www.kogan.com.au feed

Kogan Supercross with Super X: Win Free Tickets with us...

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:05:03 +1100

It’s an exciting week here at Kogan – we have signed a sponsorship agreement partnering with Super X, Australasian Supercross Championship for the 2009 and 2010 series. This is our first major sponsorship agreement and we’re really proud to part of it!

The series will feature some of the most exciting teams and riders on the scene, representing Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Suzuki and Yamaha – the ultimate showdown when it comes to the best dirt bikes on the market!

All the action from the event days around Australia and New Zealand will be captured and screened on SUPERXTV - like YouTube, it lets you catch the highlights from anywhere at anytime.

We have tickets to give away to Facebook fans, Twitter followers and lucky customers (selected at random) as the event tours Australia – so keep your eye out to win!

What do you guys think of Supercross as a sport? It’s one of Australia’s fastest growing past times and our local teams are world class when it comes to stacking up against the best from around the globe.

Has anyone out there been to one of these events? What did you think?

The current event schedule visits major centres in Australia and New Zealand on the following dates:

Skilled Stadium, Geelong – Saturday October 24th
Burswood Dome, Perth - Saturday October 31st
Canberra Stadium, Canberra – Saturday November 7th
Parramatta Stadium, Sydney – Saturday November 14th
Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, New Zealand – Saturday November 21st
QSAC Stadium, Brisbane – Saturday December 5th

Thanks,

Ruslan

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE KOGAN PVR?

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:22:03 +1100

Hard Drives, HDMI inputs and more...

Personal Video Recorders (PVRs) have a history that spans a decade, but only recently appear to be increasing in popularity. These are sometimes also known as Digital Video Recorders (DVRs).

Much like Foxtel IQ and TiVo, a PVR allows people to record digital television and play back their favourite TV shows. Most PVRs also enable users to record programs while they watch another.

We’ve had a lot of people ask if Kogan is going to launch a PVR. It’s something we are considering and we would like to hear your thoughts on the features you want in such a device.

There are currently a lot of new products being released that are Freeview compliant. Freeview promises new features such as enhanced Electronic Program Guide, but most of these come with Digital TV as standard. Also, Freeview compliant units often cost several hundred dollars more than their Non-Freeview counterparts.

There are many other things that make up a PVR and we’re very keen to hear your thoughts on these:

• Would you rather a PVR with a Single Tuner or Twin Tuner?

Personally, I will be connecting my PVR to a Kogan LCD TV with a built-in HD Tuner. I would therefore have no need for a twin tuner.

• What outputs do you really need on the PVR?

When it comes to quality I think HDMI is the best option. All our devices now come with HDMI inputs. Would you be happy with a PVR that only has an HDMI output?

• Would you rather a built-in hard drive or prefer to attach an external hard drive?

My view is that, as hard drives get smaller, cheaper and can hold higher levels of data, having an external drive compatible PVR would allow you to take your video collection anywhere! This also lets you use several different hard drives with your PVR and upgrade when newer hard drives become available.

• Would a USB input be an advantage? A USB input lets you playback movies and view photos on your TV via any portable device from iPods to modern Sony Walkmans.

• Have you used TiVo or a PVR before? What have your experiences been?

• Would you prefer your next PVR to be integrated into an LCD HD TV or as a separate unit?

• What would your budget for a PVR be? Keep in mind that the more features we provide in such a unit, the higher the price will be.

Thanks,
Ruslan

Kogan to Sell 100,000th Item: Purchase and win BIG in September

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:28:20 +1100

After just three years Kogan Technologies is excited to announce that we are fast approaching our 100,000th item sold via Kogan.com.au. We were also recently featured in the BRW Fast Starters list ranked as the 37th fastest growing start-up in Australia.

This is an amazing achievement for the team here at Kogan and we would like to thank all our customers for supporting us as we take on the giants of the technology world.

To show our appreciation to you (our customers) we’re giving a lucky customer who purchases an item in September a Kogan 32-inch Full HD 1080p 120Hz TV and Blu ray player. The prize TV is one of the new additions to the Kogan 1080P 120Hz LCD range.

We’ve also slashed the price of the Kogan Wi-Fi Digital Radio to $169. This has to be one of Australia’s best value Wi-Fi capable digital radios with iPod and USB ports!

We hope value like this is the reason you have offered great feedback in our latest newsletter customer survey. Over 4500 Kogan customers responded – some of the results listed below.

- 99% of customers found Kogan.com.au easy to navigate.

- 97% of customers would purchase from us again and would not hesitate recommending us to a friend.

- More than 90% of customers thought it was fairly easy to place an order with Kogan.

So, do these results reflect your experiences with Kogan? What can we do to help make these figures even better? What new products would you like to see us explore for the Kogan range?

We would like to thank everyone that has taken part in the survey and encourage those who haven’t to have their say in the next one by signing up to the Kogan newsletter. We will also be announcing special deals for Kogan customers on our newsletter list – so sign up and save!

Best wishes,
Ruslan

Rudd ‘Education Revolution’: Is it happening?

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:46:01 +1100

Kevin Rudd’s key election promise (in 2007) that every Australian student in years 9 - 12 should have access to their own computer remains in limbo almost two years after the government was elected. I want EVERY Australian student from prep to Yr 12 to have a netbook.

The ‘Education Revolution’ is attracting increasingly harsh criticism as the weeks roll by with debate focused on how technology can enable students to reach their full potential.

I firmly believe technology can play a major role in helping Australia offset a shrinking pool of teachers and education resources by giving students access to a multitude of quality online learning tools with faster broadband and better technology.

In the age of Google and open source, never has access to information been freer or easier. This empowers people to take greater control over how they equip and educate themselves for life. Personally, the most valuable lessons I’ve learned were through using Google to research my own interests, develop my understanding of business and build Kogan.

A simple Google search can help anyone tap in to the millions of free resources that allow people to download books, videos and journals. The education sector could save millions every year, as well as help cut down on greenhouse gas emissions by making more use of the internet as a platform to share information. Students could do their homework in a 100% digital format and cut our nation’s waste dramatically.

I believe every Australian student should have their own netbook. More affordable and accessible technology will result in a smarter and more productive nation and help students maximise their potential.

When I was at school, I would have much preferred to carry all my educational needs on a 1kg netbook than lug around a 20kg backpack filled with books.

With access to their own netbook and the internet, the current generation of school children would enter a new era of education that will give them a greater role in guiding their future.

How do you think Mr. Rudd’s ‘Education Revolution’ is going? With the national broadband and internet filter issues sparking passions, I am also curious about people’s views on the state of the nation’s technology.

I think Australia is far behind from being a ‘world leader’ in access to technology and needs to do more. It’s interesting to see that the organisation behind One Laptop per Child (OLPC) has even taken to supplying needy communities in Australia – work in developing nations. Other major brands have also started aggressively marketing their IT equipment to school kids in an effort to meet Australia’s growing appetite for technology.

For the those with kids or any teachers out there, what impact do you think accessible technology can have on a child’s education?

Ruslan

What to get Dad?

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:00:36 +1100

With Father’s Day approaching fast – September 6th – it’s time to think about how you’re going to outdo what you got him last year.

Dads love gadgets and technology, so we’ve prepared some of Australia’s lowest prices to help your big ‘thank you’ to Dad this year.

To kick our sale off, we have slashed the price of the Kogan Digital Camcorder to an all time low of $299.00 – SAVE $70. This is a FULL HD 1080P camcorder with all the latest specs – a 3” LCD display screen, HDMI output and a free 8GB SDHC memory card.

If your Dad is always getting lost and refuses to take directions, why not surprise him with a Kogan Ezinav G3 GPS at an impressive $199.00 – SAVE $50.

Memories are best shared, and what better way to share your family experiences than with one of the many digital photo frames we have on special this year:

8” Wi-Fi LCD Digital Photo Frame: $129 – SAVE $40

10.4” Digital Photo Frame and media player: $139 – SAVE $20

12.1” Digital Photo Frame: $169 – SAVE $30

15” Digital Photo Frame: $199 – SAVE AN INCREDIBLE $60

If you’re a Dad and reading this, ask your children to glance over your shoulder so they can check out what you really want!

Remember to check the media section of our website if you want to hear about what Australia’s leading media think about our products.

Sale must end 5pm Thursday 27th August (or while stocks last!)

Digital Radio is Here: So what do you think?

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 12:17:01 +1100

Today marks the official launch day for Digital Radio in Australia and the media airwaves have been running hot with news of people tuning in to the best sound quality radio frequencies Aussies have ever experienced.

Rivalries have been reported as being put aside as radio stations and DJs come together to celebrate out in public across Australia’s major cities. Leading Radio stations like Triple J, ABC Radio National, Nova 969 and 2GB took part in events this morning to mark the occasion – many DJs and listeners discussed the power of radio and their most memorable radio moments.

In our previous blog on Digital Radio in Australia, we heard from people about what they wanted from Digital Radios. Since then, the Kogan Wi-Fi Digital Radio has pulled in some reviews in press and blogs.

While digital radio will serve up far better quality sound, I was interested to hear about what people really think of it? Will you go out and buy a digital radio now?

What do you guys think of the quality of Digital Radio so far? Will you be more inclined to flick off the iPod more often in favour of radio due to the improved sound quality?

The Kogan Wi-Fi Digital Radio offers users a raft of the latest specs and capabilities for an all round audio experience – these include DAB / DAB+ Radio, iPod connectivity, a USB slot to play music from USB drives and the ability to connect to over 10,000 radio stations through a Wi-Fi connection.

Many of us already listen to live radio streams online; do you think Digital Radio will have as big as an influence as people say? Personally, I think the internet offers more choice when you can log in to over 10,000 stations from anywhere in the world – which is why we decided to combine the best of both worlds with the Kogan Wi-Fi Digital Radio.

I also want to hear about your radio habits and how you will use Digital Radio. I personally like the local morning shows before work and then switch between my favourite radio stations from overseas (online) throughout the day. When I want to listen to the old originals, I put an iPod in the dock.

Are these Australia’s best prices? This week only...

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 18:06:47 +1100

Nearly 4 years ago we set out on a mission to “make technology more affordable for all Australians” – we’ve never looked back! We are always looking for ways to improve our business and make the latest technology more affordable!

Kogan is becoming a household name in Australia and we are in the process of expanding to the USA. Kogan keeps growing and so does our buying power - This means we can keep dropping our prices. For example, we’ve just dropped the price of the 10” Kogan Agora Netbook to $399 – that’s gonna send shockwaves through the marketplace!.

Other prices we've smashed include:

12" Photo Frame - $129

15" Photo Frame - $179

Agora Netbook - $399

Kogan 1080P22 Full HD LCD TV - $399

- How are our prices? Are these the best prices you can find in Australia?

- As a consumer of electronics, what do you think of sales and the current prices in the electronics market?

- If there were three products out there you would like to see come down in price, what would they be?

This sale will run from (AEST) 12.01pm 28th July to 3pm Friday 31 July 2009 (or while stocks last).

Cheers,
Ruslan

Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for Southern Region...

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 14:02:25 +1100

Back from the States this week, I was lucky enough to attend the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards last night. I also had the honour of being chosen as a winner in the Southern Region section – with the national finals being next step.

The night was an absolute blast. I had a great time rubbing shoulders and sharing ideas with some of Australia’s leading business people who have carved out a place in their respective markets in new and exciting ways. Included in the list was a fellow tech-head and online business success story Greg Roebuck (founder of CarSales.com.au) who I had a good chat with.

The event was hosted by Peter Thompson (ABC Talking Heads) who led a discussion on all things innovation, small business and entrepreneurship. This got me thinking...

The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Award site is a great gauge on a range of issues and factors around innovation and entrepreneurial success. There are numerous links to discussions and interviews with some of the leaders of the global version on the award – the crème de la crème of global business leaders. I have taken great interest in their views; some of which include talks on Opportunities in a Recession and Regulation vs. innovation.

As always, I am very interested in hear from you about what you think of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the year winners (Southern Region), the factors involved in developing business in Australia and the views of the previous round of international winners.

I’d also like to recommend any budding entrepreneurs out there to take a look at the Ernst & Young site and share their thoughts with us on how Australians can become even more innovative in business.

What a week: New products and global expansion...

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:42:59 +1100

It’s been a massive week for the team here at Kogan. We kicked it off with a media event on Tuesday to launch seven new products and have seen dozens of media articles come through with views and opinions on all of them. On Wednesday morning, Ruslan also flew to the United States to secure a warehousing deal that will assist with plans to launch Kogan in the North American market by the end of 2009.

We’re also planning to enter the European market by opening operations in the United Kingdom.

Perhaps the most exciting product launch this week was the announcement of a Wi-Fi capable digital photo frame that has attracted interest from as far away as the UK with a story in The Mirror. The Wi-Fi photo frame is a great tool to share photos with people from anywhere in the world – it can link to Flickr, Facebook photos and other social networking sites like Twitter and display these on the frame. This product is on pre-sale now for a mid-July dispatch.

Other products launched this week include:

- Kogan Wi-Fi Digital Radio
- Kogan Blu-ray player 2.0
- Kogan 1080p-22 –22” Full HD LCD TV
- Kogan Full HD 1080p Camcorder with HDMI-out
- Kogan EVINAVG3 GPS
- Kogan Multi-function Digital Photo Frames

Before week’s end, Ruslan also landed a spot in the Business Review Weekly (BRW) Fast Starters for 2009 – at number 37 out of 100. BRW Fast Starters profiles the top 100 fastest growing start-ups in Australia.

There is a lot happening at the moment and we are - as always - interested to hear what you guys think of the new products. We also want to know what you think about Kogan launching in America and the UK?

Kogan @ Twitter: A quick-fire way to score free Kogan products...

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:21:41 +1100

Kogan Technologies has clicked on to Twitter with KoganTech and we’re inviting you to join us for an opportunity to win some of the latest LCD TVs, Blu-rays and Kogan products launching this year.

Twitter seems to be attracting mass media attention and we thought we would get in on all the online action by sharing Kogan news, views and products with you.

I've seen some breaking news posted through Twitter before it even hits the official newswires - it's great. From what I've seen, it's the only service capable of challenging Google as a leading information portal. The great thing about Twitter is it gives you live information and views about any topic - it's the only tool in the world to do that… so far!

We’ve already given away a couple of Blu-ray players and 32” LCD TVs through @KoganTech and plan to offer you regular freebies when you retweet our messages – so be quick!

If you’re not signed up with a Twitter account, it’s very easy to get started and follow us. All you need to do is follow this link and log your email address with a password and you’re away!

Another part of Twitter I’m are beginning to explore is all the useful apps available through Twitter Downloads for your Google desktop, Linux system, iPod, iPhone and more.

We wanted to ask, how you use Twitter and if you think it’s here to stay? I personally think it’s a great news feed to gather useful info on consumer electronics.

Keep an eye out for the most up to date insights on product we’re working on @KoganTech.

Happy Tweeting!