In keeping consistent with the articles (about Thermaltake and i57) co-founder Kalvin “KalKal” Chung is writing, I’d very much like to become more transparent about the goings on of our organisation. As you may know I’ll be visiting Taiwan in a few days time to see the guys and gals at Thermaltake HQ as well as giving MnM a presence at Computex 2016. The idea was quite a spur of the moment kind of thing since I live in Hong Kong it’d be convenient added with the fact Kalvin thought it would be a good idea to put faces to our names and help reinforce our relationship with Thermaltake.

Why Am I Going to Computex?

Our Relationship with Tt eSPORTS

When we started our partnership Kalvin entered with the goal of not making our relationship one sided where we’d take Tt eSPORTS for a ride. No, that sort of behaviour is highly detrimental to the scene, instead we looked for opportunities where we could serve to help Tt eSPORTS and improve the outlook that Global Companies have towards UK eSports. As a result we had the pleasure of announcing an extension of our partnership which we hope will signal to other companies that UK organisations are worth partnering with. I feel that in general organisations have a moral responsibility to building the scene and not just take from it, it’s only through co-operation, dedication and upholding integrity that the scene can truly expand its potential.

Thermaltake HQ

With Thermaltake’s headquarters being located in Taipei City, it only made sense to essentially kill two birds with one stone. As mentioned it’d be nice for both MnM and Thermaltake to put faces to names since so far we’ve only communicated in an online capacity. We’re currently in the process of arranging a tour around the HQ so perhaps if I have permission it’d be a great experience to share with fellow you Marshmallows.

Utilising an Uncommon Circumstance

As previously mentioned I currently live in Hong Kong a bustling city that truly never sleeps. Being here comes with both advantages and disadvantages some of which are obvious. Not being in the UK means that it’s difficult for me to attend LANs; first failing to reduce the physical workload on management, second a physical absence from the scene and third living in a different time zones reduces available hours to talk to players. On the flip side being in Hong Kong allows for MnM to essentially have a member of staff available for contact 24/7 and secondly allowing for potential opportunities in Asia. This latter advantage creates one of the main reasons I’ll be going to Computex. Why? Being here gives the opportunity to create a competitive edge that many UK based organisations may not have, a physical presence in Asia.

About Computex

Computex is an annual exhibition centred around all things related to technology subdivided into different sections. During this trip I’ll mainly be visiting the Nangang Exhibition Hall where Thermaltake is situated amongst the mainstay of othger exhibitions related to gaming .

Thermaltake’s Booth At Computex for anyone that might be going is in Nangang Exhibition Hall 1 booth M0110. I’m hoping to see all the latest gear, such as the Level 10M Advanced gaming mouse, that they’re offering. With many other exhibitors there maybe I’ll be able to show you sneak peeks of many other things if I’m able to!

Photo credit: taipeiphotography

Thoughts Before the Trip to Taipei City.

Anxious about my first time to Taiwan, the main language spoken language Mandarin which is a more formal dialect of Chinese. I speak Cantonese which is more tonal and based on slang from the Guandong Province in China so language will be an obvious barrier. I hear that street food there is excellent and definitely a must try. I think that size wise Taiwan is comparable to Swizterland in terms of land mass and length wise is about the equivalent of travelling from Manchester to Birmingham, so it’s not exactly a big country but then again it does help to manufacture many of the worlds computer components as a centre for technology in Asia.

I’ll dedicate this page with daily updates from my trip to Taiwan featuring my thoughts and experiences of the exhibition and of course Taiwan itself. I’ll do my best to fit the stereotype and take many pictures with that infamous DSLR hanging from my neck.