DUBAI, UAE, March 7, 2005 - Philips' innovative design approach has been recognized with three G-Mark Awards (Good Design Awards), the prestigious design awards from Japan and Taiwan.

The Philips TFT LCD monitor X-Line 170X5 and 190X5, designed for home use, have received two Good Design Awards - one from the Japanese Industrial Design Promotion Organization and one from the Taiwan Design Centre (TDC). The TDC also gave a Good Design Award to the 19-inch Philips TFT LCD SXGA monitor 190B5, developed for business use.

The G-Mark Awards celebrate products that embody good design. The awards carefully evaluate products for their innovative approach regarding aesthetics, materials, production modes, capacity to meet user needs and usability. The awards also assess products for their potential longevity, sustainable approach to product development and ability to respond to social and cultural values.

"We are delighted with the results acknowledging the importance of design and performance," said Khalid Tuer, Consumer Electronics General Manager for Philips Electronics Middle East & Africa. "The savvy and demanding consumers of the Middle East look for these qualities when making their purchasing decisions, whether for home or office. Being recognized in Japan and Taiwan is a great honour for a European company and confirms, once again, the success of our innovative global approach to design work and user focus."

The Philips X-Line was designed with people and the home environment in mind. Classic modern furniture design elements were used as inspiration in creating an integral and clean look for consumers seeking a lifestyle companion rather than a performance tool. The monitor is extremely sleek, more like a smooth surface than a piece of hardware. The monitor's position can be adjusted using the full tilt base to meet ergonomic requirements. The colour designation of the back and cable cover creates a visually integrated, fresh and furniture-like aesthetic - enriched by the presence of a built-in CableGuide that helps the user keep cables in order and the space surrounding the monitor neat and tidy. The monitor's aluminium die cast pedestal neatly folds for transportation and the overall profile of the product is kept to a minimum through a clever hinge placement.

"Philips designers recognize the importance of ensuring ease of use when transforming a product normally associated with the office to one for the home," Khalid Tuer added. As such, the X-Line control buttons were simplified by separating the frequently used controls from those not used as often.  The controls of the featured SmartTouch technology are positioned on the monitor's front panel and glow when activated by the lightest touch, making it both intuitive and easy to use.

Responding to people's concerns about responsible energy use and ensuring electronics are off when not in use, the power button is placed in a very accessible position, so everyone in the family can easily use it without upsetting any settings.

The 19-inch TFT LCD SXGA monitor 190B5 is a performance monitor for business environments. Its outstanding front screen performance allows a wide viewing angle for extra efficiency and information sharing, as well as a rapid response time for handling fast moving images. Clutter is minimized thanks to the built-in audio speakers and the embedded power supply. Ergonomics and usability are enhanced by the extreme flexibility of the screen that allows height, tilt and swivel adjustment to ensure the best viewing angle.

Further information on the G-Mark Awards, the Taiwan Design Centre and the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization can be found at: www.g-mark.org and on www.taiwandesign.net.

Further information on Philips Design is available at: www.design.philips.com.

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About Royal Philips Electronics
Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) is one of the world's biggest electronics companies and Europe's largest, with sales of EUR 30,3 billion in 2004. With activities in the three interlocking domains of healthcare, lifestyle and technology and 161,500 employees in more than 60 countries, it has market leadership positions in medical diagnostic imaging and patient monitoring, color television sets, electric shavers, lighting and silicon system solutions. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter

For more information please contact:
Reem Saleh
Public Relations Executive
Philips Electronics Middle East & Africa
reem.saleh@philips.com
Tel: +971 4 3353 666
Fax: +971 4 3353 999

© Press Release 2005