We've already featured bike-sharing schemes in Paris and other cities in Europe and North America, and recently we spotted a few like-minded efforts popping up in Asia.

First, at the start of this month Taiwan's Kaohsiung City launched its first self-service bicycle rental system, with 1,500 bikes available for rent at 20 transit points around the city. Operated by Tung Li Development Co., the service is accessible via membership—members pay a lump-sum fee in advance and use their membership cards to rent bikes—as well as to nonmembers, who can pay via credit card. Bikes are free to members for the first 30 minutes and TWD 10 for each subsequent 30 minutes, with a maximum of TWD 230 for 12 hours or more; for nonmembers, renting a bike costs TWD 30 for the first 30 minutes and TWD 15 for each half-hour thereafter, with a maximum of TWD 375. Ultimately, the service will be expanded to 50 rental sites along Kaohsiung City's mass-transit route, offering 4,500 bicycles for rent.

In Taipei, meanwhile, the city's YouBike effort kicked off just a week or so ago with a fleet of Giant-manufactured bicycles available at bicycle parking meters in five areas around the city. Six more rental spots will be added beginning next month, the China Post reported. Sponsored in part by Cardif Assurance Vie and its parent company, BNP Paribas Group, the YouBike Public Bicycle System uses the city's EasyCard as its membership card. Users simply place their EasyCard on the sensor zone of the bicycle parking meter; a green 'Take Bicycle' light then switches on, allowing the user to pull the RFID-equipped bike from the rack. The first 30 minutes of each rental session is free; after that, each additional 15 minutes costs TWD 10. Google Maps technology on the official YouBike website allows users to check availability in advance.

Similar programs have also recently launched in Changwon, Korea, and in Hangzhou, China, according to reports in The Daily Transit and the Bike-Sharing Blog. And no wonder, given the respite they offer from urban congestion, rising fuel costs and environmental concerns. There's no end in sight to the continuing spread of bike-sharing programs—or to the opportunities for potential sponsors. One to support in a two-wheeling city near you?

Websites: www.tinyurl.com/kaohsiungbikes — www.youbike.com.tw — www.hzzxc.com.cn

Mass customization is more than a choice of skins for an iPod or a personalized logo for a Toyota Scion. In a bid to create an active community around OpenMoko, the mobile phone’s Taiwanese manufacturer first published its software. This allowed developers to tweak it as they wished. Releasing open-source software is fairly common these days. However, OpenMoko broke new ground when it published the 3D drafting files for the phone’s case. The latter move lets anyone who knows how to work with CAD alter the case’s design.

By releasing the software and case design files, OpenMoko hopes to generate a passionate community of developers who will create a lengthy list of add-on applications for the phone, as well as innovative designs for its housing. The result will be features and design options that no phone manufacturer could hope to create on its own. By going well beyond the norms of mass customization, the company will also jump start a cottage industry of independent customizers for its phones.

The takeaway here is threefold. Firstly, if you’re so inclined, here’s a ripe opportunity to enter the mobile phone manufacturing business on the cheap. Secondly, OpenMoko’s business model—namely open-sourcing software and hardware files—is one that other start-ups and established manufacturers might well emulate. The products might just as easily be alarm clocks or toaster ovens. And, finally, the ease with which phone cases can be created using 3D printers heralds a day when many products will be produced on the spot, tailored inside and out to a customer’s preferences. Someday a printer vending machine might even let consumers choose a product design and have it built within minutes. When that happens, we’ll be sure to let you know ;-) (Related: Build your own mobile phone — New phone company, made in Silicon Valley — Affordable phones, made to order.)

Website: www.openmoko.com
Contact: contact@openmoko.com

Spotted by RK

Social shopping is a trend we’ve written about before, with sites like Stylehive, Crowdstorm and ThisNext giving users a way to make product recommendations and discuss things they’d like to have, sharing their desires and buying intentions. Now TeethYou gives shopping fans a place for showing off what they’ve actually purchased.

Taiwan-based TeethYou, launched in July, aims to help shoppers around the globe share the details of what they’ve just bought. To list a purchase, users enter a short description of the item along with its price and any post-purchase thoughts about it; photos can be uploaded as well. Registering on TeethYou is free, and all entries are broadcast instantly on MSN. TeethYou also functions as a social network, allowing users to make friends and track their purchases. Wish lists can be created as well.

TeethYou is clearly still in its very early days, with few users, language challenges and a website that’s still rough around the edges. But the concept is a good one: Sharing the details of actual purchases could appeal to shopping addicts and ‘casual voyeurs’ alike, tapping into a common interest in things like What’s in my bag photos on Flickr. Savvy marketers should be interested, too—what better way to get the pulse of your customers? Could be a good one to bring to a market near you....

Website: www.teethyou.com
Contact: service@teethyou.com

Spotted by: Ozgur Alaz

Taiwanese Timestudio (Hua Shi Dai) offers studio recording sessions for everyone. Located in the busiest pedestrian areas in Taipei, Timestudio's two mini-recording studios let consumers record a professional cd for around USD 30.

The studio features a sound booth and a control room manned by a professional audio engineer. A glass wall facing the street means that the 'artists' can be seen by passing shoppers, adding an element of momentary fame. With speakers installed outside the studio, performances can also be heard by passersby, luring both audiences and more customers (singing being a wide-spread passion in Taiwan).

When they've finished recording, the artists have their picture taken for the cd's cover art, the cd is burned, and that's it!

Timestudio is a fun concept that could take off in shopping malls around the world, and is yet another example of professional grade services becoming available to mass audiences. For more examples of how companies are enabling consumer-generated content, check out trendwatching.com's generation c.

It's been almost two years since we alerted you to a brewing tea revolution! And sure enough, many 'Teabucks' chains have expanded around the world, creating Starbucks-like lifestyle services with tea replacing coffee as the beverage of choice, from traditional teas to increasingly popular bubble/boba teas (tea served with chewy tapioca pearls, a craze that started in Taiwan in the early '80s).

At the same time, new tea-infused beverages and premium teas for home use mean big bucks for brands like Tazo (owned by Starbucks), the Republic of Tea, Bigelow, Premier Tea, Mighty Leaf Tea (whose tea comes in silk sewn pouches!), Honest Tea and Adagio.

Luckily for you, this 'trend' has not gone totally global yet, so many tasty opportunities remain. Here are some random though tealicious updates to keep you in the know and get you going:

Bubble tea chains

In the US, major chains offering pearl milk tea include Tapioca Express and Cha for Tea; the latter being a subsidiary of Ten Ren Tea Company, a Taiwanese tea grower and distributor which has more than 400 Ten Ren tea stores throughout Taiwan, China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Canada and the US. The Cha for Tea outlets offer various kinds of tea-based drinks: traditional tea (Oolong, Jasmine, etc.), or cold and hot milk tea, fruit tea, frappe ice, health tea, plum tea and even oil tea.

Another hot import from the land of the Rising Sun has made it to US shores, and tuners couldn't be happier. Super Autobacs is a veritable theme park for auto enthusiasts, and it's positioned to become the defining brand for the full car experience.

When the first Super Autobacs Creative CarLife store opened in the Metro Tokyo area, Japanese car culture aficionados rejoiced. Fueled by Japanese race queen culture and the country's love of driving as a hobby activity, Super Autobacs fast became THE auto experience destination and the most successful auto parts chain in the country. From customization, maintenance services, and (of course) auto parts to the latest hot rims, electronics, music, and tuner fashion, the superstores provide a full one-stop-shopping experience in a hip-yet-functional environment designed to appeal to the aesthetics of tuner culture. Super Autobacs quickly expanded to Taiwan, France, Thailand and China, and with the recent opening of its first US superstore in Orange County, stateside tuners can now indulge in Autobacs-bliss.

The 35,000 square-foot Orange County store will carry over 20,000 separate products including the newest and hottest brands, but the product selection is just the tip of the Super Autobacs iceberg. Central attractions include the autobay-as-art, where customers can watch hot customizations being installed by Autobacs mechanics (also known as "automotive Iron Chefs") while reclining in comfort in the custom-designed waiting rooms.

A Starbucks for tea-lovers

Now that Starbucks and dozens of similar coffee bar chains are spreading the smell of roasted coffee beans in cities all over the world, it shouldn't come as a surprise that a small but growing number of companies is eyeing the market for coffee's alternative (or nemesis, depending on your beverage cravings): TEA!

So far, Springwise has spotted three aspiring 'Teabucks' chains: Boston based 'Tealuxe', Taiwan/US based 'Cha for Tea' (which is owned by 'Ten Ren Tea Co.'), and Thai/Indian 'Tea Concepts'.

Tealuxe currently runs three outlets in Massachusetts and one in New York (near Columbia University). They are backed by VC firm Halpern, Denny & Co and hope to open three more units in New York this year, and ten more in 2004. (Source: Wall Street Journal).

Taiwanese Cha for Tea has nine outlets: five in Taiwan, two in the US, one in Japan and one in Australia. In addition to dozens of tea varieties, Cha for Tea is also big on bubble/boba tea: tea served with chewy tapioca pearls, a craze that started in Taiwan in the early '80s.

And last but not least, Calcutta-based Premier's Tea India Co. and its local Thai distributor, Tea Concepts, will open two concept shops in Bangkok next month (March 2003). Anticipating success, the firm is negotiating to open three additional outlets next year, one each at Central Lat Phrao, Siam Square and Sukhumvit, with expansion through franchises on the cards. (Source: Bangkok Post).