News Releases
Konica Minolta Wins Good Design Award 2019
for Four Products
Tokyo (October 2, 2019) – Konica Minolta, Inc. (Konica Minolta) is pleased to announce that the company has been awarded the Good Design Award 2019 by the Japan Institute of Design Promotion (JDP) for the following four products.
Award-winning products
- bizhub C360i/C300i/C250i, A3 color MFP series
- bizhub C4050i/C3350i/C3320i/C4000i/C3300i, A4 color MFP series
- CM-26dG, a spectrophotometer
- Konica Minolta Planetaria Tokyo
Reasons for winning the award
bizhub C360i/C300i/C250i, A3 color MFP series
Next-generation MFPs that help to enhance the creativity of office workers
Feature of the design
This MFP series features a sophisticated design that blends advanced functionality with operability to cater to next-generation needs.
Comments from Screening Committee of JDP
In renewing the entire range of its MFPs, Konica Minolta has adhered to its design identity of INFO-Palette and succeeded in further refining the concept. The operation panel with a minimum set of keys makes the series more compatible with mobile devices, while improving operability through the user experience, user interface and universal design. As a result, the company has made this series more efficient and easier to use, while reinforcing its design identity. In addition, the neat arrangement of the LED indicator lamp and authentication section, and the improvements made to every detail of the exterior appearance, also earned high scores from the jury.
bizhub C4050i/C3350i/C3320i/C4000i/C3300i, A4 color MFP series
Next-generation MFPs for workstyles of the future
Feature of the design
To launch this next-generation MFP series, Konica Minolta redesigned the functionality and other details of its predecessor series to incorporate the same operability as the higher-end A3 MFP series in a compact body.
Comments from Screening Committee of JDP
Characteristically, this series builds on and further refines the design identity of INFO-Palette that underlies the entire range of Konica Minolta’s MFPs. While each model of the series has a large operation panel of the same size as that of the A3 MFP, its beautiful slim body allows installation in limited spaces for diverse workstyles, which has gained high marks from the jury. Like its A3 version, the operation panel with a minimum set of keys makes the series more compatible with mobile devices, while improving operability through the user experience, user interface and universal design, thus increasing the reliability of this series.
CM-26dG, a spectrophotometer
A flagship model of portable spectrophotometer that can simultaneously measure color and gloss
Feature of the design
The product is designed to minimize user stress and maximize operability and ease of handling.
Comments from Screening Committee of JDP
The CM-26dG can measure color and gloss at the same time. The built-in integrating sphere of 54mm in diameter and finder, as well as the forward-sloping shape, allow users to measure in spaces inaccessible with conventional products, such as the gap between the front window and dashboard of a car. Its center-of-gravity position and grip’s shape enable users, both male and female, to hold the product effortlessly, which, coupled with the sleek user interface design, have been highly praised by the jury.
Konica Minolta Planetaria Tokyo
A planetarium to explore the wonders of the universe and make precious discoveries
Feature of the design
Planetaria is designed to break the stereotypical image of a planetarium by offering a future-oriented brand-new planetarium experience.
Comments from Screening Committee of JDP
Planetariums, if used merely for projecting the starry skies, will not be able to survive. To break the stereotypical image of a planetarium, Konica Minolta has opened Planetaria, which offers a more engaging experience to visitors through events, such as live concerts and interactive shows, which encourage visitor participation. While the first Planetaria was opened in Yurakucho (Tokyo), the Planetaria program can be applied to planetariums in rural areas that are at risk of closing. If such rural planetariums are renovated as Planetaria-type facilities each with its own distinctive local characteristics, they may be able to help solve local problems.
Features of the award-winning products
bizhub C360i/C300i/C250i, A3 color MFP series
This next-generation A3 color MFP series was launched as the bizhub i-series to help corporate customers digitally transform the workplace and support IT services in the office. With its intuitive and ease-of-use operation panel, and the ability to support more advanced IT security, the series helps customers change their work style and enhance the efficiency of IT environment.
bizhub C4050i/C3350i/C3320i/C4000i/C3300i, A4 color MFP series
This A4 color MFP series was developed as the bizhub i-series by changing the entire range of predecessor MFP models. The series features an intuitive and ease-of-use operation panel, and enhanced cloud connectivity that facilitates access to advanced IT services.
CM-26dG, a spectrophotometer
Despite its light weight of only 660g and compact body, the CM-26dG can measure color and gloss at the same time. It is used mainly at production sites that manufacture interior parts for automobiles and exterior parts for smartphones and tablets, helping to increase efficiency and reduce manpower in measuring huge numbers of samples, thereby enabling corporate customers to drastically streamline the inspection process.
For more information (news release):
https://www.konicaminolta.com/global-en/newsroom/2019/0219-01-01.html
Konica Minolta Planetaria Tokyo
Konica Minolta Planetaria Tokyo has Japan’s first twin domed permanent facilities, Planetarium Dome Theater and Multipurpose Digital Dome Theater, where visitors can enjoy a brand-new experience of viewing the starry skies. There are also a virtual reality attraction, café and gift shop, which together constitute an exciting entertainment space.
For more information:
Konica Minolta planetariums
About Good Design Award
The Good Design Award is a comprehensive design commendation program implemented by the JDP with a view to highlighting and commending outstanding designs around us in the pursuit of prosperous lives and industrial and social development. This program has a history spanning approximately 60 years since its implementation in 1957 by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (present-day Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) under the name, Good Design Selection System, which was more widely known as the G Mark System.