Reborn in Hong Kong: The Tycoon Grows Up

Jenny found that Bao Zixuan was very cooperative and answered questions very clearly. This is a dream interviewee. Meeting such an interviewee can save a reporter a lot of trouble.

Fortune Magazine has done a lot of preparation work this time, and has a very clear investigation into Bao Zixuan and Heiyun Group. However, some issues still need to be confirmed by myself. At the same time, the unknown side of Mr. Bao is presented to the public. So far, the effect seems to be very good.

Jenny: "Can you tell us about the Walkman? I heard it was also your idea."

Bao Zixuan: "The Walkman came about because it was inconvenient for people to play music with tape recorders, so I thought I could make the tape recorders smaller. This is how the concept of the Walkman came about, and the name came from the fact that it can be carried around. "

Although Heiyun is no longer as good as Sony in terms of Walkman sales, even Panasonic has greater sales than Heiyun. However, Heiyun still gets the lion's share of the Walkman's profits; after all, all the patents on the Walkman are in Heiyun's hands.

Jenny: "Now that the sales of Black Cloud Walkman have been surpassed by Sony, what do you think about this?"

Bao Zixuan: "This depends on several aspects. The first is the degree of emphasis. The Walkman business is not the most important project in Heiyun Group, resulting in resource investment that cannot keep up. At the same time, objectively speaking, Sony is indeed in the field of audio and video products. With technical advantages, Sony is increasing investment in Walkman every year, and sales will naturally increase. We cannot belittle others just because we are competitors. If others are good, they are good; Heiyun Group must find the reasons within itself."

"Secondly, I always think that the Walkman is an excessive product, especially after the popularity of computers; as memory chips continue to be upgraded, smaller music playing devices will be put into use in the future."

Jenny was very excited when she heard it. It seemed that she could gain a lot today. Bao Zixuan said that there must be a direction for smaller playback equipment, otherwise he would not say it easily due to his status.

Jenny: "So Heiyun Group has already done relevant research. I don't know when smaller music playback devices will be available to consumers."

Bao Zixuan thought that since he said it, there was no need to hide it, and it could also warm up the market. Most importantly, it would make consumers think more about it when buying a Walkman. After all, there are better products waiting. Watching them.

Bao Zixuan said with a smile: "Originally, this was a company secret. Fortunately, Heiyun has registered the relevant patent, so I don't have anything to worry about."

"The smaller playback device I am talking about is only one-tenth or even smaller than the current Walkman. This is because the device does not use tape playback, but should play in digital analog format."

"Heiyun has developed software that can play music on computers. Next, as long as the audio is implanted into the memory card, the music can be played. In the future, a memory card, a small electronic screen, a lithium battery, Music playback is possible with just one motherboard.”

"Engineers will assemble these four parts together and then use software to create a new music player. At the same time, songs can be changed unlimited times. Tracks you don't like to listen to can be deleted directly, and then a new music player will be installed. Songs come in. Currently, Heiyun is negotiating for music copyright. As a responsible company, we cannot harm the interests of the original creator."

Bao Zixuan said it so simply, but as a reporter for Fortune magazine, Jenny is also a well-informed person, so of course she understands that there must be a lot of high-tech in it. It's just that she didn't study science and engineering, so it was hard to understand for a while.

Jenny: “It sounds very sci-fi, and at the same time it’s exciting, but I don’t know when I can see you all.

Bao Zixuan: "The laboratory has already carried out relevant research and development, and it can be realized within the next two years. However, the cost will be very high by then, and it will take about five years to reach mass production."

In fact, these are all Bao Zixuan's excuses. They just want to be able to sell the products at a high price when they first go on the market. Otherwise, how can they explain to consumers that the products are too expensive?

Jenny: "It's really an exciting product. I think it will be able to subvert the entire field of music playback in time. No wonder Heiyun Group has invested less and less in the field of walkman. It turns out that it has a new research topic."

"We still have many questions about Black Cloud Computer Company. As a Turing Award winner, what do you think of the future development direction of computers?"

"Heiyun Computer Company only produces large industrial computers and notebook computers. Why has it not entered the small desktop market? This should not be a technical difficulty for Heiyun."

Bao Zixuan: "One person or one company cannot make all the money, because that is not leaving a way for others to survive. If Heiyun Group wants to make products with the highest technical content, it can hand over products without technical difficulties to other companies. . In addition, it is related to the agreement to acquire shares in Apple. At that time, Heiyun signed a clause not to enter the field of personal desktop computers."

"As for computers, they will definitely develop greatly in the future. Now computers are only used as a simple computing tool. This is a huge waste of resources. Computers should be used intensively to form a network to play their role."

"Currently, a local area network has been formed at Yulin Institute of Technology. Any computer within the school can access the central computer cluster. Anyone can apply to the central computer to use the computing power of large industrial computers."

"In the future, this network will be expanded and extended to the entire Heiyun Group. At the same time, several universities have introduced this system, and the current test results are very good. Just imagine that we can connect the central computers of several universities together, and What kind of chemical reaction can be produced will probably only be known after actual testing."

After hearing what Bao Zixuan said, Jenny remembered that this person was the major shareholder of Apple. And it is also the largest shareholder. Apple is a listed company; shareholder information must be disclosed. As a reporter from Fortune magazine, of course, I know the ownership structure of Apple, a company with a bright future.

When computers are popularized in China in the future, Bao Zixuan will invest in several companies, so even Apple will not be able to say much.

But after hearing about the network and the central computer cluster, Jenny really regretted not studying science and engineering. It is really difficult for him, a top student in journalism, to understand this. Especially since there has been no relevant media report yet, these are the sentiments that Bao Zixuan first raised, at least that's what she thinks.

Fortunately, the conversations are all recorded. When you go back, you can find someone to help analyze them and decide how to write the report.

Jenny: "Talking to Dao Yulin Institute of Technology, I heard that this university is named after your mother. And it has not charged any tuition or other fees since the beginning of the semester. The most important thing is that the students' food and clothing are provided by the school for free. . This has attracted a lot of criticism, thinking that you have money to burn; some people also say that you are breaking the rules of the game."

Bao Zixuan: "The purpose of running the school is to teach and educate people, and to make up for the shortage of talents in Hong Kong Polytechnic Institute. In fact, it is not that there are no fees; I have not yet reached the level of helping competitors cultivate talents."

"The tuition fees for foreign students at Yulin Institute of Technology are supported by companies in the students' home countries. For example, Japan's Panasonic and Sony have donated money to the school, so that the children of these two companies can enter the school."

"So Japanese students are mainly grateful to their two companies. The school only plays a teaching role and does not spend much money."

“Students from the Middle East are donated by the Saudi and Jordanian royal families, who provide funds to support students to complete their studies.”

"The remaining Heiyun children are supported by the Heiyun Group. After graduation, these students are required to work in Heiyun for three years, otherwise they will have to compensate for their tuition fees and living expenses."

"However, the compensation is only symbolic. The main funding for the school is funded by my mother; all the pocket money I gave and the money she earned will be invested in it."

"Companies may one day go bankrupt. As long as they fail to keep up with the development situation, they are likely to be eliminated or acquired. But universities do not have this problem. As long as the earth is still functioning, schools will not disappear."

Jenny heard that Bao Zixuan's mother could run a university with pocket money. It seemed that the world of rich people was really confusing. But I also understand that Bao Zixuan does not give unconditionally, so that it will be more real.

The hardware of Yulin Institute of Technology ranks among the top three in the world, and the cost of food and clothing for students has caused a sensation internationally. It turns out that there are so many financial backers behind it, either the royal family or large Japanese companies. Does this seem reasonable?