Exertis Future Gaming by ExertisMarketing

Great opportunities to make more margin

Must have IT for students of all ages

Summer issue 5.

THE BEST TECH FOR BACK TO SCHOOL!

GAMING AND ENTERTAINMENT

WHY VR IS DRIVING PC GAMING UPGRADES

FUTURE

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To buy online: store.exertis.co.uk

BACK TO SCHOOL

FUTURE

VR FOR UNDER £50

PROTECT YOUR TECH

CONTENTS 05 EXERTIS COMMENT

27 HOW TO ENSURE YOUR MOBILE MARKETING STRATEGY DOES NOT LOSE VALUABLE SALES

Alex Croft welcomes readers to the Summer issue of Future Gaming and Entertainment

06 NEWS IN BRIEF

New research reveals why mobile optimised websites are now essential for retailers

We gather together the latest news and product releases that have been making the headlines this month

31 VR FOR UNDER £50

08 MARKET STATUS UPDATE

Budget friendly devices that open up new virtual worlds to customers

We take a look at the latest consumer trends that are set to unfold in 2016 and beyond

33 PROTECT YOUR TECH

09 RETAIL TRENDS We look at the most notable trends in the retail space at the moment

Safeguard mobile devices with the best security software on the market

16 HOW MICROSOFT IS BRINGING PC AND XBOX GAMERS TOGETHER Xbox Play Anywhere ushers in the age of true cross-platform gaming

18 RECORE GAME REVIEW We take a look at the next generation sci-fi adventure

12 HOW VR WILL DRIVE THE ALREADY BOOMING PC GAMING MARKET Why the graphical demands of VR will encourage sales of upgrades and accessories

20 BACK TO SCHOOL WITH THE BEST EDUCATIONAL TECH AND LEARNING TOYS The finest gadgets and gifts for students of all ages

24 HOT PICKS A range of best-selling products designed to make you more margin

34 TOP 10 ATTACH See our top 10 recommended range of attach products here from Exertis

CONQUER NEW WORLDS

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Part Code: ACENXQ0SEK005 Other models are available.

Contact your Exertis account manager for more information Ask for Intel Inside®

The best Windows ever for gaming.

Screens simulated, subject to change. Windows Store apps sold separately. App availability and experience may vary by market.

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FUTURE

Publisher Exertis Editor Nerissa Tong Design Sophie Hammond

Harlow Reception: 01279 822 822

WELCOME FROM EXERTIS

Address: St George House Parkway Harlow Business Park Harlow Essex CM19 5QF To place an order please call 01279 822 822 between 9am – 5.30pm Monday to Friday we explore the best products you can recommend to customers who want to keep their data (and identities) safe. The VR revolution continues apace, and we look at how this exciting market is now beginning to drive the PC upgrade market. There’s also a guide to VR products under £50 for those who just want to dip their toes in the new technological waters.

Welcome to the summer issue of The Future. Here at Exertis our team has been hard at work preparing the latest news, buying advice, features, and practical tips, all with the aim of ensuring that your business can make hay while the sun shines. With the release of the Windows 10 Anniversary update, Xbox and PC gamers will now have access to the Xbox Play Anywhere feature that allows them to buy a game on one platform and play it on the other. We explain why this is a good thing and how retail can benefit. Mobile security is an area of growing concern, with several high profile hacks in recent months, so

With research revealing that retailers who don’t have mobile optimised websites could be losing out on a huge number of sales opportunities, we examine ways that this can be avoided and provide techniques for you to ‘up’ your omni-channel experience. Finally, as the new school year fast approaches, the team has gathered together a fantastic collection of the best educational tech currently available. I hope you enjoy the issue.

Basingstoke Sales: 01256 707 070 Address: Ashwood Chineham Business Park Chineham Basingstoke Hampshire RG24 8EH To place an order please call 01256 707 070 between 9am – 6pm Monday to Friday To buy online visit store.exertis.co.uk

Alex Croft Commercial Director

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With smartwatches growing in popularity and virtual reality headsets expected to make an impact in the coming months, market analyst CCS Insights is forecasting sales of over 4m units across the UK by the end of 2016. Fitness Trackers remain the biggest area of the market with 1.7m devices expected to sell this year. Rapidly gaining on them are smartwatches, as Android Wear matures and Apple releases the new Watch 2.0 update for its Apple Watch.

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These smartphone companion devices are set to gain a solid position in the marketplace that should see sales top 1.5m units in the next twelve months with a value of £300m. This growth will only continue to rise and by 2020 figures are predicted to reach 3.6m units and account for over a third of the entire wearables market in the UK.

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Since its release at the start of July 2016 Pokémon Go has quickly become the biggest mobile game in US history and amassed over 10m downloads on the UK Google Play Store. The augmented reality title has players use their smartphones to find virtual Pokémon in real-life locations and capture them on their devices. It’s now so popular that crowds have been seen rushing to find the rare creatures, causing Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire police to advise players not to creep around people’s gardens or properties at night as they’re scaring the occupants. Gloucestershire Police even received a 999 call from an angry player who claimed that someone had stolen their Pokémon.

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This incredible success has caused Nintendo’s stock valuation to rise by £7.5bn, and analysts expect the game to make over £750m in the next year. This is good news for retail as older Nintendo 3DS titles such as Pokémon Alpha Sapphire and Pokémon Omega Ruby have seen sales rise by nearly 150%. With a new 20th anniversary title expected to be released before Christmas there is also potential for huge sales to existing customers and upselling Nintendo 3DS hardware to new converts. Until then stores would be wise to stock up on powerbanks for the hordes of smartphone users who are draining their batteries much faster than usual.

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The Smart Home market is predicted to grow from a worth of £35bn in 2015 to an impressive £93bn by 2022 according to analyst MarketsandMarkets. With so many products coming into the channel to meet this demand the assurance of cross platform compatibility is a growing concern for customers wary of being locked into a single system or brand. Exertis, already recognised as the leading distributor for smart technology products, is tackling this issue by helping retailers stock products that work with one another.

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‘Interoperability is a key selling point’ states Rod Slater, Exertis head of Smart Tech. ‘Retailers will gain increased customer satisfaction and sales by helping customers understand and overcome this issue. Consumers need to be made aware of products that are compatible, so they can make the most of the smart technology that adds security, saves on energy costs, and enhances the comfort of a home’.

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In response to this opportunity Exertis has added a number of complementary products to its already impressive range. These include the Drayton range of Smart Thermostats, Allie’s 360-degree home security cameras, and the Smanos Wi-Fi alarm systems. Rod Slater will also be a roundtable speaker at the 2nd annual Smart Home Summit conference and exhibition at Olympia (21/22 September 2016) where he will explore the opportunities and innovations that technology is bringing to the home.

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For more information on Exertis market leading Smart Tech portfolio please speak to your Account Manager today.

Home Entertainment Marketing Lighting Supplies Storage Harlow: 01279 822 822 | Basingstoke: 01256 707 070 | store.exertis.co.uk

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LucidSound, the premium gaming accessory manufacturer, has announced that it is partnering exclusively with Exertis to distribute the new LS30 wireless gaming headset. Designed for use with both consoles and mobile devices the LS30 has aesthetics and sound quality that will not only appeal to gamers but audiophiles as well. The headset features both built-in and boom microphones, the latter of which can be detached if players want to use the LS30 while on the go. Independent game and chat control volumes allow gamers to blend the acoustics to match their liking, while the memory foam ear cushions ensure comfort for long gaming sessions, which is easily possible thanks to the 15-hour battery life.

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AAA franchises dominate the rest of the calendar, with a number of key platform exclusives catching the eye. Premium driving simulator Forza returns at the end of September with Horizon 3, set in Australia and offering players over 350 customisable cars. Gears of War 4 marks the beginning of a new saga this October, with legendary protagonist Marcus Fenix making way for JD Fenix. Of course the franchise still boasts brutal combat for single players and highly addictive co-op and multiplayer options.

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The end of October sees two heavyweights go toe-to-toe but with very different approaches. Battlefield 1 departs from the usual modern-day setting of most FPS titles and instead takes players back to the trenches of World War 1. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare on the other hand jumps into the future with a story that spans the solar system and has the future of mankind at stake. Two other notable releases appearing in the run up to Christmas are Xbox/PC exclusive Dead Rising 4, and Watchdogs 2.

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Interest and engagement remained high though, with 75% of etail ublicRetail Sector Services customers aware of the main VR product brands, and 51% keen to experience new adventures through VR. Perhaps the most surprising aspect was that rather than gaming the biggest draw for 60% of people was sport, where customers expressed excitement at the idea of viewing events through VR rather than traditional media.

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The LS30 also features an EQ button to switch between its three modes, a power button, charging port, standard headphone socket, and a socket for an inline mic. Compatible with PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, and most mobile devices, the LS30 is available in Black or White.

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When using icons in style designs, the The graphic for the third party branded software, IT hardware and CE products to over 2,000 customers in the UK and Continental Europe. Now, after the completion of legal formalities, CU has rebranded as Exertis Unlimited and takes its place within the Exertis family.

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All templates are available do When using icons to in des Marketing Microsoft Mobile ‘By retaining the Unlimited name,’ announced Tony Taylor, chief operating officer of Exertis Unlimited, ‘we’re recognising the unique culture, values and skills that have been built over the last 30 years. It’s also a strong statement to our vendors and customers that we will continue to offer the services and support that they have enjoyed, only now enhanced by the reach and resources of Exertis.’

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Those retailers that offer personalised rewards, great products and a seamless shopping experience will come out on top. Jon Worley, CEO of proximity marketing division, Proxama said “We are fast approaching a place where mobile technology will offer retailers a channel that will create a perfect synergy between payments, loyalty, marketing and advertising”. Bridget Johns, head of customer services at RetailNext believes that “With today’s shopper and their new shopping journeys, it’s becoming more important than ever to optimise a shopper’s visit to store or site. This can be through an understanding of what they’re shopping for and ensuring there’s available inventory on site, or at least a very convenient option – to the shopper – to deliver products to them.”

RETAIL TRENDS TRENDS: IMPORTANCE OF SMARTPHONES IN RETAIL CONTEXT According to a report from Business Intelligence, consumers are spending more time interacting with retailers via their smartphone and apps, and they’re playing a bigger role in shopping: • • •

60% of US consumers’ time spent interacting with retailers online, now occurs on mobile devices - up from 53% two years ago. Interaction with retailers on smartphones increased by 98% between 2013 and 2015, by 55% on tablets and 38% on desktops. 44% of e-commerce time spent occurs in mobile apps. (Source comScore)

Moreover, according to Deloitte, store sales continue to be eroded by online with an 8% growth last December. The growth of e-commerce continues to be driven by consumers shopping on mobile devices, with sales through mobile up by 40% YOY. 8 out of 10 consumers now use a computer, smartphone, tablet or in-store technology while shopping (Mastercard). Whatever stats you go by, the trend is clearly visible. Vend University also expects mobile to play a bigger part in click-and-collect initiatives where consumers order online and pick up in store.

IN-STORE FOR HIGH VALUE AND IMPULSE. ONLINE DRIVING RETURNS Interestingly, KPMG reported that more impulse purchases are made in-store as opposed to online. 35% bought impulse products in-store compared to 21% when shopping online and the average value of items purchased was 43% more on the high street than online highlighting that consumers prefer to purchase more expensive items in-store. Unfortunately, online shopping is also driving an unwanted growth in returns. Free returns, expected by consumers, are driving extra online purchases. With fashion products, consumers expect to return 1 or 2 items. However, they often prefer to return in-store for faster reimbursement of their costs.

OMNICHANNEL TO DRIVE HARMONY OF SYSTEMS Retailers, whether they started in brick & mortar or e-commerce, will need to harmonise their physical and digital systems to understand the needs of the omnishoppers. Having a single view system across multiple channels is essential and those retailers with complex legacy systems will need to compete with the smaller or newer retailers that have been able to opt for a single-view system and cloud based solution. To find out how to improve your retail mobile strategy, please read more on page 27. Sources: Deloitte, KMPG, Business Insider, Vend University

DELOITTE’S FOUR PS OF RETAIL 1.

INCREASING THE IN-STORE EXPERIENCE THROUGH TECHNOLOGY The need to make in-store shopping experience more beneficial is key for retailers with the continued growth of online sales. Loyalty and discount programmes play a part but these need to be even more personalised to the needs of the shopper. The use of Beacons, small wireless devices that enable brands to push specific promotions to shoppers’ smartphones based on physical store location, need to marry with the preferences of the consumer. Simply providing rewards won’t be enough to stay competitive say Vend University.

2. 3. 4.

Profitability: the traditional model of retail has been challenged and as sales increasingly migrate online, the economics of retail are shifting. Productivity: rising costs, particularly staff costs, are placing a greater focus on productivity – of people, stores and retail space. Payment: the growing consumer uptake of mobile payment and digital wallets is challenging retailers to rethink the in-store experience and the way in which checkout is managed. Personalisation: consumers increasingly demand personalised products and services that are relevant to them.

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HOW VR WILL DRIVE THE ALREADY BOOMING PC GAMING MARKET The PC gaming market is enjoying a very successful period at the moment and shows absolutely no signs of slowing down. In fact, industry experts are predicting it’s about to get much bigger thanks to the arrival of Virtual Reality. 2016 is a landmark year as it finally ushers in the era of VR for the masses. Up until recently, dedicated gamers who wanted to be on the cutting edge had to pay a hefty premium to acquire developer versions of VR headsets, on which they played beta versions of software. Now, with the release of the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, this long anticipated technology moves out of the lab and onto the high street, which could be very good news for retail. Market analysts GFK have estimated that by 2020 the VR hardware market will be worth nearly £2bn, and Futuresource predict earnings of around £4bn for the software side. This might not seem on quite the scale of the existing PC gaming market, which in 2015 was worth

£24bn, but it’s only the beginning. As the technology becomes readily available to the public, and more people are afforded the opportunity to experience VR gameplay for themselves, the potential for earnings starts to increase massively. Goldman Sachs is so convinced of the impact VR will have on the gaming industry, that it predicts the value of the market to reach a staggering £62bn by the end of 2025, with a split of £35bn for hardware and £27bn for software. Unsurprisingly, this potential revenue stream has drawn the attention of some of the biggest companies in the world. Facebook took the bold step of purchasing Oculus Rift for around £1.5bn back in 2014, Google has been experimenting publically with mobile VR via its inexpensive Cardboard headset, while Samsung, HTC, and Microsoft have all been working on their own creations.

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users that have these cards at the moment, which presents plenty of opportunities for retail to highlight the value of this incredible technology to new customers, alongside ways in which existing owners can further enhance their setup. As VR is something best experienced first hand, having demonstration areas on the shop floor is definitely the best way to illustrate the depth and excitement of the new game worlds, while proving a compelling argument for upgrading to the new graphic cards in the run up to Christmas.

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built on the new Pascal architecture, which the company says does much to improve performance and energy efficiency over previous generations. Customers on a lower budget can be introduced to the mid-range offerings such as the PNY GeForce GTX 970 XLR8 OC which is available for around £270. To avoid confusion on the shop floor, compatible cards in the GeForce range now helpfully come with the ‘GeForce GTX VR Ready’ legend on the box so that customers can be assured that they will have a premium experience. AMD has also updated its Radeon range to the new Polaris architecture, with the Radeon RX 480 providing a very attractive low-cost entry point to VR with its £215 price tag.

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The impending VR revolution was plain to see at this year’s E3 show (the video game industry’s premier trade event held each year in Los Angeles) where the technology was everywhere. Long lines of people could be regularly found waiting for over an hour to get their chance to try out the new VR games.

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With so much media attention focused on the release of the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and the arrival of PlayStation VR later this year, we expect customer interest to be very high indeed. This creates a wide range of sales opportunities for retailers who want to get a step ahead in this exciting new technology.

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Obviously the headsets themselves are lead items, with the Oculus Rift now available for £549 and the HTC Vive for £689, but the computational demands of VR means that users hoping to use either of the PC variants will need to upgrade various parts of their systems.

DVDs and Audio Automation Business Table Digital Consumables Consumer Sound is another crucial part when it comes to creating Entertainment the ultimate immersive environment. After all, there’s little point enjoying an amazing visual spectacle if it sounds like you’re in an old tin shed. Having the room filled with rich acoustic layers is a sure way to extend the game world that players explore in VR. To achieve this, customers would be wise to opt for Creative’s BlasterX series, which includes the SB Zx (£119) and SB ZxR (£199) internal cards, with both offering excellent performance and value. Another option is the powerful Sound Blaster X7 (£329.99), which is an external unit that looks as amazing as it sounds.

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Aside from audio/visual devices, there are also multiple upgrades that will grant gamers noticeable gains in performance. Replacing hard drives with new SSDs eliminates a common bottleneck on PCs, while increasing the amount of RAM is a particularly good, costeffective, easy-to-do improvement. There are also a number of VR controllers now becoming available which will only widen the ingame possibilities.

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With AAA titles such as Battlefield 1, Elite Dangerous, and Eve: Valkyrie being joined by VR adaptations, for huge platforms such as Fallout 4 and Doom, the coming months should prove a very exciting launch for VR in PC gaming. Just be sure to create some room on the shop floor where customers can experience these new worlds for themselves, as they might turn out to be the best sales staff you could ever wish to have.

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RIG® 500E SURROUND SOUND PC HEADSET: E-SPORTS EDITION As a highly competitive gamer demanding outstanding audio and flexibility, the Plantronics® RIG® 500E headset is the premium choice for you. The durable and lightweight frame lets you configure the acoustic profile to suit your needs. Choose vented acoustics for long training sessions or deep isolating audio, perfect for Dolby 7.1 surround sound. FEATURES • Components easily snap into headset frame • Self-adjusting headband for stable comfort • Includes both vented and isolating earcup sets • 7.1 Dolby technology (PC software) • 24-bit audio renders studio sound • 40mm drivers matched with low frequency resonators • Removable, noise-canceling boom mic flips up to mute • Easy-swap cables for USB and analog connections

RIG® 500HS STEREO HEADSET FOR PS4™

Designed for PS4, the Plantronics® RIG® 500HS headset delivers performance audio you can count on with durable, lightweight comfort for competitive challenges. Focus on the game with sound-isolating ear cups and 40mm drivers matched with low frequency resonators to boost bass without destroying crucial mids and highs. Designed for a comfortable fit, the self-adjusting headband, ear cups, and noise-cancelling boom mic all connect to the flexible, yet nearly indestructible, headset frame. FEATURES • Works with PS4™ and PS VITA™ • Flexible, noise-cancelling mic boom flips up to mute and easily detaches when you want to listen to music or videos between games • Memory-foam, acoustic-isolating ear cups block noise and keep you focused

RIG® 500HX

STEREO HEADSET FOR XBOX ONE™

Designed for Xbox One, the Plantronics® RIG® 500HX headset delivers performance audio you can count on for competitive challenges. The durable yet lightweight frame lets you configure components for endurance or focus. The memory-foam, acoustic-isolating ear cups immerse you in the game, blocking out distracting background noise and keeping you focussed. FEATURES • Works with Xbox One controllers that have a 3.5mm stereo headset jack • Dynamic, 40mm drivers matched with low-frequency resonators boost the bass response • Flexible, noise-cancelling mic boom flips up to mute and easily detaches when you want to listen to music or videos between games

Call your Exertis Account Manager today to learn more about the Plantronics product range!

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HOW MICROSOFT IS BRINGING PC AND XBOX GAMERS TOGETHER

At E3 2016, Microsoft stole the show with a number of key announcements. Rumours had already been circulating about new hardware that was due to appear, and these were borne out through the unveiling of the Xbox One S and Project Scorpio console platforms. But perhaps the most important development, certainly from a retail perspective, was that of the Xbox Play Anywhere initiative, which will see PC and Xbox gaming become closely linked in the year ahead.

XBOX PLAY ANYWHERE Since PCs and Xbox consoles now share the same underlying Windows 10 operating system, Microsoft has already enabled features such as Game Streaming. This allows PC users to play Xbox titles they own, by streaming them from the console to their laptop or desktop, whilst on the same network. This also works for Windows tablets such as the Linx 1020. Now the company has taken things to the next level with Xbox Play Anywhere. The new idea is that whenever customers buy a compatible PC title they’ll also receive a digital copy of the Xbox One version, and vice versa. That’s not all though. Game saves are also cross-platform, so a player can be careering around a track in Forza Horizon 3 on the Xbox One, then take a laptop out to the park and carry on their adventures without missing a beat. DLC and achievements also work between the PC and Xbox One, plus there’s the ability to play selected multiplayer titles no matter which platform gamers are using. Obviously the choice of games that work with Play Anywhere is hugely important. Customers will be excited to hear then that many of the AAA franchises on Xbox have already been confirmed by Microsoft. These include Gears of War 4, Halo Wars 2, Forza Horizon 3, Dead Rising 4, Recore, Sea of Thieves, and Minecraft, of which several are also cross-platform multiplayer compatible.

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HOW RETAIL WILL BENEFIT The selling point to customers is that they get to play their games on any device, anywhere, and with anyone. This opens up great avenues for retailers, as rather than just offering accessories and hardware for one system they can instead present the bigger picture of what Play Anywhere truly represents. Game sales now offer added value to customers as they essentially receive two for the price of one thanks to the multiple formats. This is also true for hardware, where buying a mid-range or high-end laptop now has the benefit of the device automatically being a gaming machine if they already own an Xbox One. PC gamers looking for a cheap secondary machine can be guided to the Xbox One, as the cross compatibility means they can still play multiplayer games with their friends even though they’re on a different platform. This of course presents the opportunity to upsell pro-level gaming accessories like the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller (£119) which features additional paddles and button mapping capabilities, so that PC gamers lose none of the control and complexity that a keyboard and mouse setup offers them.

XBOX ONE S Alongside announcing Xbox Play Anywhere, Microsoft also unveiled two new consoles at E3. The Xbox One S is a diminutive successor to the standard Xbox One, featuring a 40% smaller chassis. This isn’t just a slimmed down model though, as internal tweaks make the Xbox One S capable of 4K Ultra HD playback for Blu-Ray discs and streamed content, with HDR bringing games and media content vividly to life. The new console also comes equipped with a 2TB hard drive that can store plenty of movies, TV, music, and games, all for £349.99. This switch to 4K is good news for retailers, as not only will gamers have the chance to upgrade their console to a new, more powerful version, but those who haven’t yet made the leap to the Ultra HD TVs can be encouraged to do so in order to get the best out of the new games. Units like the LG 55UH950V, 55-inch HDR Super 4K display, or the Samsung UE40K6300AKXXU, with its 40-inch full HD Curved display, both offer excellent value for money and luscious visuals

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that make the perfect canvas for the new 4K environments. With the increased detail on the screen, customers would be advised to upgrade their sound systems. This could take the form of a sound bar, like the LG SH3B which boasts 300watts of output and a wireless subwoofer, or for those who play long into the night, there’s the Turtle Beach range of gaming headsets that offer immersive audio and crystal clear microphone response for multiplayer escapades.

THE FUTURE The other new system unveiled at E3 was the mysteriously named Project Scorpio. Microsoft claims this will be the most advanced console ever released, with high-end specifications that will allow the device to run games at full 4K resolutions. Scorpio also heralds the arrival of true VR capable Xbox consoles, with its raw power ensuring that graphics remain smooth and spectacular. There was some concern early on that this might cannibalize sales of the other consoles, but it seems clear from the pricing of the Xbox One and Xbox One S that each will occupy its own strata in the range. Expect the Scorpio to be a premium level product for customers who want the very best in terms of specifications and power, while the Xbox One S offers advanced features like 4K compatibility for a more modest outlay, and the standard Xbox One acts as the gateway product to the platform. The best part for customers and retail alike is that the Xbox Play Anywhere feature is available to all devices and games will run on any version of the console without the need for separate editions. With such a fantastic selection of games coming out in the next few months, and the freedom to play them on any platform, there’s never been a better time to buy an Xbox, a PC, or indeed both. To find out more about the new features of the Windows 10 Gaming PC’s or Consoles, please speak to your Account Manager today.

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Survival Starts in the Core

+ PROVISIONAL

Pre-order RECORE at participating retailers and receive Banjo-Kazooie® Nuts and Bolts for Xbox 360 playable on Xbox One.

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RECORE PRE-ORDER NOW! PUBLISHER: MICROSOFT FORMAT: XBOX ONE RELEASE DATE: 16TH SEPTEMBER 2016 NEXT GENERATION SCI-FI ADVENTURE Joule’s quest to revive humanity takes place on the desert planet of Far Eden. Her adventure will take her through the desolate wastes, into underground chambers, sealed and forgotten for centuries, and bring her face to face with intractable robot foes.

SUMMARY From the legendary creator Keiji Inafune and the makers of Metroid Prime comes “ReCore”, an action-adventure masterfully crafted for a new generation.

REASONS TO STOCK BUILD THE PERFECT BATTLE PARTY Each Corebot companion, whether humanoid, animal, or utterly alien in design, offers unique powers and abilities. By mixing, matching, and upgrading party members you’ll find creative solutions to overcome any challenge. As one of the last remaining humans on a planet controlled by robotic foes bent on your destruction, you must forge friendships with a courageous group of robot companions. Lead this band of unlikely heroes on an epic adventure through a mysterious, dynamic world. You can’t save mankind alone.

• • • • •

At E3 2016, ReCore won 17 global awards ReCore was named Hardcore Gamers Best Xbox One Game in 2016 Launching 16th September, it’s the perfect time to stock up for the Christmas period A visual creation from the makers of Metroid prime; one of the best-selling games on the GameCube Available on Xbox Play Anywhere, so can be played on both Xbox One and Windows 10 devices at no additional cost

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BACK TO SCHOOL WITH THE BEST EDUCATIONAL TECH AND LEARNING TOYS

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Marketing Retail Services Lighting As September looms students of all ages prepare for their next Revenue /andFinance Microsoft utomation siness Channel year of learning, many parents will be heading to the shops in search of devices to help their progeny get the best from their studies. To aid them in this quest, we’ve prepared a guide to some of the finest educational technology available. Whether the young ones are just starting out, or spreading their wings and heading off to university, there’s something here for everyone.

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Educational toys have come a long way from Speak & Spell and Magna Doodle. Today’s learning tools embrace the power of smartphones and tablets to create interactive experiences that promote both fun and knowledge. One of the best examples of this is the Osmo range of products. This innovative new system combines real-life elements such as letter tiles, shapes, and numbers, with iPad accessories that allow the device to see what tasks children are doing correctly, and then rewards them for their endeavour. The real magic is how the two mediums are brought together.

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In a physics-based game called Newton, the child has to redirect an electronic drip that falls down the screen. To divert its path they can draw lines on a piece of paper in front of the iPad and the app will then portray the lines in the app itself, hopefully guiding the drip into a virtual bucket on-screen. This mixture of software and simple everyday items like pens and paper really brings the games alive, and helps children see real-world solutions rather than virtual ones. Other games focus on word puzzles, maths, and art. All of these teach children to think about how words are constructed, the basic building blocks of arithmetic, and generally engage them in activities that stimulate their curiosity and problem solving skills. For parents wanting to give their children a bright start in education, Osmo’s line of products is a fantastic choice. The Starter Kit (£69) and Genius Kit (£89) both include the iPad accessories and a range of games. Retailers can also increase additional sales opportunities by stocking the booster packs that focus on Numbers (£29) or Coding (£39).

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is also waterproof and features a modular design that allows users to open up the case and replace parts easily, therefore prolonging the life of the machine. Those who prefer Windows to ChromeOS can opt for the Acer B117 (£299), which boasts similar specs to the C202 - Intel Celeron CPU, 4GB RAM, 11.6” display, waterproof keyboard - but you’ll also find a 500GB HD inside. This means the user can store large media collections on board, perfect for the kind of music libraries that students value so highly. If the subjects being studied require the use of a larger screen, the Dell Latitude 3350 makes an excellent choice. Its 13.3” HD display means it’s still a highly portable device, and with the base model (£556) sporting an Intel Core i3 CPU, 4GB RAM, and a 500GB hard drive, it’s a very capable machine for everyday use and perhaps older students.

OFFICE ESSENTIALS

SMALL SCIENTISTS For children over the age of eight, the Littlebits Gizmo & Gadgets kit (£199) is a treasure trove of imagination. Inside the large box they’ll find a mixture of wheels, motors, lights, switches, servos, and buzzers that can be snapped together to create a variety of inventions. The kit comes with guides that allow budding engineers to build an automatic bubble blowing device, wireless doorbell, or even a remote control car. One of the best features of the kit is that the various components are designed to be put together without the need for soldering or wiring. They can then just as easily be disassembled and used on other projects, meaning the children get the opportunity to make as many devices as they want. The Littlebits Gizmo & Gadget Kit has already been awarded the accolade of Best Tech Gift of 2015 by the Wall Street Journal, and garnered huge praise from a wide variety of media reviewers. For kids who are interested in how things work, it really is something special.

UPWARDLY MOBILE With so much of the work in secondary school, college, and university involving researching and writing about subjects, a good laptop is a great gift for any student. Obviously most parents won’t want to lavish a premium device on their young charges, as there’s a good chance they’ll find drinks spilled over it in no time, or a cracked screen where the laptop was left lying on a bedroom floor. With this in mind manufacturers have been building student-class machines for a while now that feature rugged cases and various protective features. One of the most budget conscious is the Asus C202 Chromebook (£199). This offers an 11.6” display, superb keyboard, Intel Celeron processor, 16GB eMMC storage, and 4GB of RAM to make sure that the work always gets done without delay. The exterior edges of the C202 have a rubber coating to protect against drops, the device

To complement laptops, retailers can recommend a number of useful additional items to their customers. These include the Microsoft Office 365 University package (£59.99), which gives students access to the full version of Office (including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) on two devices for four years. The Linx 1020 tablet (£159) is another superb, lightweight device that easily slips into a backpack. This Windows 10-based 10.1” tablet makes an ideal companion for taking quick notes or looking up information on the go. Running a full version of Windows 10 means users can connect a standard keyboard and mouse to the Linx 1020 through its two USB ports and create a diminutive laptop for only a few pounds more. Of course students can do something similar with traditional laptops, as the addition of a wireless keyboard and mouse, such as the Logitech MK520 combo (£49.99), can make the device more akin to a desktop machine. This added comfort would be very welcome when working on long projects like dissertations. Those who have an iPad Air or Air 2 can also make the tablet more of a productivity workhorse through the addition of a Logitech Type+ keyboard case (£89.99), which turns the device into a mini laptop whilst also acting as a case to protect the precious item once the work is over. There are so many exciting products currently available for the education and back to school market, all of which present excellent sales opportunities for retail this Autumn. The team at Exertis has a wealth of ideas on how you can maximise this period and ensure that you have everything your customers will be looking for as the school term begins. So be sure to contact your Exertis Account Manager who will be only too happy to help you plan this important part of the retail calendar. You can also view our latest Technology for Education guide at http://bit.ly/29J2g84 for the latest in essential education products for students of all ages.

SELLING HIGH-END PLATFORMS TO ENTHUSIAST GAMERS PC GAMING FORECAST STRONG Unlike the broader PC market, which continues to shrink, gaming PC sales show promising growth: The PC gaming market produced $21.5 billion in hardware sales last year, 1 more than double the revenues derived from console sales. By the end of 2016, PC game sales are expected to reach $29 billion around the world compared with $28 billion in sales for the console market.2 “The PC won’t just be the technology on which players spend the most money playing games, but it will soon become one of the key battlegrounds of new technologies as well.”1

TARGETING THE GAMING ENTHUSIAST Today’s gamers make up a very diverse audience – both male and female, and a variety of age ranges. But a recent study3 identifies two distinct gamer types and key characteristics on how they like to play on and purchase technology.

Spec-literate gamers*:

Spec-unaware gamers*:

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS IN THE GAMING MARKET Building your enthusiast gaming business means offering a platform based on Intel’s high-end processor families. Here’s how selling enthusiast PCs can help grow your business: Sell more configuration options to provide a broader set of gaming and entertainment platforms. Offer extreme gamers up to 10 cores and 20 threads of mega-tasking processing power. Expand revenue streams with peripherals to support a new era in VR and 4K gaming experience

GAMING PC PERFORMANCE WITH INTEL® TECHNOLOGY Unleash your Gaming Experience now with an Intel® Core™ i7 processor

Both play an average of 14 hours a week Want to play games on highest settings

Not concerned with playing games at highest settings

Very knowledgeable about computer components like graphics cards, processors, and performance spec

Know little about components or specs

Strongly prefer gaming on DESKTOPS

Satisfied gaming on DESKTOPS or LAPTOPS

Strongly prefer to build their own computers

Prefer to buy pre-packaged and branded computers

Gaming today extends beyond gameplay. It’s about you and the community. Share your experience by live-streaming, recording, editing and uploading your greatest highlights online. To be at your best, you need the best performance PC, powered by the Intel® Core™ i7 processor that lets you live the ultimate gaming experience. Performance Leadership - You play your best. Demand high-performance from your PC. Get it with an Intel® Core™i7 processor for the ultimate gaming experience PCs deliver better gaming performance than ever with the latest Intel® Core™ i7 processors. Unlocked processors provide higher frequency on demand to maximize performance.

* Note: These are general characteristics, not rigid rules. There is individual variation across groups 1 Source: Jon Peddie Research, http://www.theverge.com/2015/9/7/9271463/lenovo-asus-acer-intel-pc-industry-ifa-2015 2 Playing games on the PC is making a comeback, 6/2015, http://www.cnet.com/news/playing-games-on-the-pc-is-making-a-comeback/ 3 Intel Insights, Market Research and Analytics, Enthusiast Gamer Study, June 2015. © 2016 Intel Corporation. Intel, Intel Core, the Intel logo, Intel. Experience What’s Inside, Intel. Experience What’s Inside logo, Intel Inside, and the Intel Inside logo are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.

Mega-Tasking - Immerse yourself in the action and mega-task fast with a powerful [unlocked] Intel® Core™ i7 processor Intel® Core™ i7 (quad core) delivers smoother frame rates during gameplay when multiple real-time workloads are stacked. Gameplay + Intel® Core™ i7 (quad core) takes advantage of multithreaded DCC (digital content creation) apps for faster/smoother editing and converting to smaller file size for easier uploading. Future of Gaming is Now - Revolutionize your gaming experience with the Intel® Core™ i7 processor Optimize Oculus Rift & HTC Vive with a PC powered by the Intel® Core™ i7 processor. Get fully immersed into virtual reality fast with an unlocked Intel® Core™ i7 where another world awaits you. Surround yourself with three 4K monitors for full immersive action and live the game with an unlocked Intel® Core™ i7 processors.

UNLOCKED AND OVERCLOCKED INTEL® CORE™ PROCESSORS FOR GAMING Find the sweet spot for optimal gaming potential by overclocking your processor, RAM, and motherboard beyond their rated specifications.2 Unlocked Intel® Core™ processors offer an overclocking toolkit for tuning your system the way you want with a powerful feature that - together with other settings - changes the multiplier of the processor core. For ultimate, flexible overclocking, the sky is now the limit.

INTEL® SOLID-STATE DRIVE 750 SERIES UNCOMPROMISED PERFORMANCE Maximize your computing experience with the Intel® Solid-State Drive 750 Series. By combining four lanes of PCIe* 3.0 with state-of-the-art NVMe* interface, the Intel® Solid-State Drive 750 series delivers exceptional throughput performance and latency. Add-In-Card (AIC) and 2.5-inch form factors enable performance not currently possible in form factors restricted by size or power. NVM Express™ Industry Leading Storage Interface Introducing Intel’s first client-focused NVMe SSD. NVM Express is a standard specification architected from the ground up for Non-Volatile Memory (NVM). NVMe significantly improves both random and sequential performance over SATA-based drives by reducing latency, enabling high levels of parallelism, and streamlining the storage command set. NVMe provides a standards-based approach, enabling broad ecosystem adoption for PCIe SSD interoperability.

WHY VR MATTERS TO INTEL® • CPU is integral to the VR experience – significant compute required for game physics processing and simulation, sensor imaging, spatial audio, real-time haptics, and more • The Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, two premium VR headsets that require a powerful PC to run, will be released in 2016, bringing with it significant PC upsell and refresh opportunities • In addition to taking the c. $30Bn PC gaming industry by storm, VR technology has tremendous potential to disrupt or be integrated into numerous other industries including live events, video entertainment, real estate, healthcare, and military, creating a potential $40Bn market by 2020.

INTEL’S FIRST 10 CORE DESKTOP PROCESSOR! With the new Intel® Core™ i7 processor Extreme Edition for the X-series platform, Intel delivers the power of 10! This family of processors enables simultaneous, compute intensive, multi-threaded workloads, powered by up to 10 cores and 20 threads. They deliver platform scalability to meet exacting demands with up to 40 PCIe 3.0 lanes and support for high speed storage, up to 4 discrete graphics cards, and Thunderbolt™ technology. These Intel® Core™ i7 processors support quad channel DDR4 memory, boast up to 25MB of Intel® Smart Cache, and are fully unlocked for unleashed performance. Finally, this processor family is the first to feature the NEW Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 which delivers more than 15% better single-threaded performance. Mega-Tasking - Immerse yourself in the action and mega-task fast with a powerful overclocked Intel® Core™ i7 processor Extreme Edition The Intel® Core™ i7-69xx/68xx processor family with 10, 8, or 6 cores deliver uninterrupted gaming when multiple real-time workloads are stacked. (gameplay + broadcasting + background removal). Without a Core i7 frame rates in game could vary wildly causing slowdowns in the most crucial parts of the game. For gamers who record gameplay and want to share via VOD sites like You Tube* the Intel Core i7-69xx/68xx processor family (10, 8, or 6 cores) takes advantage of multithreaded DCC apps for faster/smoother editing and uploading. Ultimate Platform – In order to live the ultimate gaming experience you need an Intel® Core™ i7 processor Extreme Edition for the ultimate gaming platform The Intel® Core™ i7-69xx/68xx processor family has 40 PCIe lanes and supports up to 4 discrete GFX cards delivering smoother gameplay at 4K. Add the Intel® RealSense™ camera to your gaming rig and remove your background so you are fully immersed in the scene for a customized live streaming or YouTube* video experience. Get plenty of high speed ports and I/O to attach all your gaming peripherals, including the latest VR head mounted displays.

INTEL® INSIDE. AMAZING VIRTUAL REALITY OUTSIDE. Intel technology powers some of the most exciting developments in virtual reality, and enables your PC to deliver amazing experiences to you. Today's virtual reality technology allows you to experience vivid interactivity like never before. Immerse yourself in a 360-degree cinematic experience, take control in an expansive virtual gaming world, or marvel at amazing live performances and sporting events as if you were there.

“VR is a very intense visual experience and having the most powerful PC is the only way to deliver certain experiences” – Mark Zuckerberg, Founder of Facebook.”

PC system meets “VR Ready” recommended technical specifications: VR Ready Desktop Notebook CPU Intel® Core™ i5-4590 or greater Intel® Core™ i7-6700HQ or greater GPU NVIDIA GTX 970 / AMD R9 290 equivalent or greater NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 or greater RAM At least 8GB OS Windows 7 SP1 (64-bit) or higher Ports 3x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0, 1x HDMI 1.3 www.intel.com/VR. *Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

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TOP 5 SOFTWARE 1

FORZA HORIZON 3

MAFIA III

Publisher Microsoft Studios Format Xbox One Release date 27th September 2016

Publisher 2K Format Xbox One, PS4 & PC Release date 7th October 2016

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It’s 1968 and after years of combat in Vietnam, Lincoln Clay knows this truth: family isn’t who you’re born with, it’s who you die for. Intense gun fights, visceral hand-to-hand combat, white knuckle driving and street smarts will all be needed. But with the right crew, tough decisions and some dirty hands, it’s possible to make it to the top of the city’s underworld.

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ARE YOU STOCKING?

WWE 2K17 Publisher 2K Format Xbox One, PS3 & PS4 Release date 11th October 2016

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L33T PLAYSEAT

XBOX ONE WIRELESS CONTROLLER WHITE

Publisher PlaySeat Format Universal

Publisher Microsoft Format Xbox One

SOUND BLASTERX P5 PERFORMANCE IN-EAR GAMING HEADSET

Experience the enhanced comfort and feel of the new Xbox Wireless Controller, featuring a streamlined design, textured grip, and Bluetooth® technology for gaming on Windows 10 devices.

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Publisher Creative Format Universal 3.5 MM

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TOP 5 ACCESSORIES 1

TMX FORCE FEEDBACK RACING WHEEL

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Publisher Thrustmaster Format Xbox One 900 Degree Force Feedback racing wheel. Realistic 11”/28 cm wheel. Large pedal set included. The drive system with adjustable Force Feedback lets you feel every detail while you’re racing (the road or track’s relief, loss of tyre grip, braking, bumps and impacts, and more). Rotation angle is adjustable from 270 to 900 degrees. A mixed belt-pulley and gears system is smoother, more fluid and less noisy than helical gears, with a metal ball-bearing axle for enhanced sturdiness.

WATCHDOGS 2

K65 RGB GAMING KEYBOARD

Publisher Ubisoft Format Xbox One & PS4 Release date 15th November 2016

Publisher Corsair Format PC

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Publisher Microsoft Studios Format Xbox One Release date 16th September 2016

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Publisher Turtle Beach Format Xbox One

HOTAS T FLIGHT X LEAPMOTION FOR VR

Publisher Thrustmaster Format PS4 & PC

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LS40 Publisher Lucid Sound Format Universal

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D-Link has announced a new line of EXO Routers with high speeds guaranteed from Wireless AC technology, high-power amplifiers optimise wireless range, and gigabit ports offer the option of wired connectivity, ensuring that people can get whole-home coverage for multiple connected devices.

DIR-869 EXO AC1750 WI-FI ROUTER

DIR-879 EXO AC1900 WI-FI ROUTER

The EXO DIR-869 AC1750 Wi-Fi Router brings a host of new technologies to create the best wireless networking experience to date. Gigabit wireless connectivity of up to 1750 Mbps allowing you to create a fast home network that connects all of your computers, game consoles, 3D/4K video capable set top boxes, smart TVs and mobile devices to your broadband Internet connection.

The EXO DIR-879 AC1900 Wi-Fi Router brings Gigabit wireless connectivity of up to 1900 Mbps allowing you to create a fast home network that connects all of your computers, game consoles, 3D/4K video capable set top boxes, smart TVs and mobile devices to your broadband Internet connection. Plus, with AC SmartBeam technology you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to worry about your existing devices limiting performance.

Dual Band

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Gigabit Ethernet

Dual Core

Latest Antenna Technology

Smart Connect

Gigabit Ethernet

Dual Core

Advanced AC SmartBeam

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE D-LINK EXO WI-FI ROUTERS, CONTACT YOUR ACCOUNT MANAGER TODAY Harlow: 01279 822 822 | Basingstoke: 01256 707 070 | store.exertis.co.uk

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Over the past few years, as smartphones and tablets have increasingly become permanent fixtures in society, shopping habits and customer expectations have begun to change. In fact, a report by the Centre for Retail Research (CCR) has stated that the industry could be sacrificing £6.6bn per year in sales due to a lack of investment in its mobile offering. Simply having a website is no longer considered an advantage, it now needs to also be optimised for mobile devices, and quickly, as the trend is only moving in one direction.

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There are currently two main ways to hone the mobile customer experience. The first, and most popular among retailers at the moment, is that of Responsive Design. This approach adapts the layout of a site to match the device used by the customer, ensuring it’s optimised for the relative screen sizes. Not only does this improve the customer experience, but with Google now boosting the ratings of mobile friendly sites when searches are conducted on a mobile device, it could gain you a direct advantage over your competitors.

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Professional Services Cloud Clearance Marketing Home Entertainment Components Components omputing nsumables Lighting Peripherals Specialis Stora The second route is that of a dedicated app. While this might have CONSUMERS MOVINGPrint TO MOBILE been seen as a luxury in the past, research by Barclays has shown (VAD) that apps now account for a third of all mobile sales, despite only

ub at www.exertisbrandguide.com Iconography pale Professional Services Due to the convenience offered by smartphones, it’s no surprise that customers are beginning to favour this mode of shopping over laptops or desktop PCs. According to research, 15% of consumers now use mobiles as their primary shopping device, and it’s easy to see why: The device is always with them, meaning they can shop on the train, sitting on the sofa, or waiting in line for a coffee. This easy access has seen a rapid adoption of the platform, as shown by market analysis released from IMRG and Capgemini which revealed that mobile now accounts for 40% of all online sales.

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10% of retailers offering one. This suggests that investing in the technology could now give brands access to a significant section of consumers who remain as yet unreached by rivals.

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With UK consumers expected to spend £53.6bn via mobile sales by 2024, and 42% of all retail sales expected to involve a mobile device, a coherent mobile strategy is more important than ever. Thankfully the solutions are there for those who are wise enough to get on-board early.

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If you need any help, or to discuss the above, please speak to the Exertis Marketing team today.

This is borne out by the CCR report which showed that almost half of shoppers (40%) said that the mobile retail experience could be improved. The dissatisfaction becomes something of a concern when 48% of UK millennials state that a poor mobile experience would make them less likely to use a business’s other products, while 31% said that it would make them less likely to recommend a company’s products. A mobile solution is no longer an added extra, it’s an absolute necessity if brands want to compete in the changing marketplace.

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Using Smart Switch and iTunes data can be moved from an old iOS device to a new Samsung Galaxy. **

*Please note that the Micro USB connector is only supported on select Samsung mobile devices. **The setup is simple, with easy to follow steps.

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VR FOR UNDER £50 2016 will undoubtedly be the year of VR. Excitement is already building as the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and Playstation VR units make their debut, and analysts fully expect these premium headsets to account for 77% of revenue for the entire market. But not everybody has the funds to spend hundreds of pounds on the latest gadgets, so we’ve gathered together three excellent devices that offer a stepping stone into the world of VR for less than £50. Plus, a more premium experience for those looking to up their game.

TRUST EXOS 3D Unlike the premium headsets that need high-end PCs or games consoles to create their environments, the entry-level examples, such as the Trust Exos 3D, use a customer’s smartphone as the VR engine. The sturdy casing opens at the front to allow users to place their smartphone inside. Then, once they’ve downloaded the free Google VR app, they can look through the padded viewfinder and see 3D landscapes displayed on the screen. A wheel on the top of the chassis allows users to adjust the distance between the two internal lenses, so that they match the pupillary distance of the wearer. The focal distance can also be fine-tuned through two wheels on the sides of the headset, which means that each person using the device is assured of a clear and immersive experience, tailored to their vision. RRP £36.99.

HOMIDO MINI This clever little device eschews the need for large goggle-like casings and instead offers the ultimate in portable VR capabilities. The Homido Mini is a foldable pair of glasses with an extendable arm that gently fastens around the centre of a smartphone. Once attached, the viewer can look through the lenses without the need for any other apparatus, and explore the 100s of compatible VR apps on offer. The Homido Mini is a brilliant pocket-sized product at pocket money prices, and could be an excellent impulse buy when positioned on shop counters. RRP £14.99.

KAISER BAAS VR-X Much like the Trust Exos 3D, the VR-X is a headset that customers use to hold their smartphones in place while they run VR apps. The attractive red and black livery of the chassis makes the VR-X a fun and premium looking product, while the slide out smartphone drawer ensures that there won’t be any drops while users are enjoying their VR adventures. The device also features a magnetic button for selecting in-game options, alongside a slot for headphones and a phone charger so players can spend as long as they want in the virtual world. RRP £34.99.

STEPPING UP THE VR EXPERIENCE WITH ZEISS ONE VR Zeiss is one of the most respected brands in the field of optics. It comes as no surprise then that the Zeiss One VR features some of the finest lenses found in this sector of the market. A specially designed eye-box included in the One VR means that there is no need to adjust the distances or angles of the included lenses, as they have an optimised setting to suit a wide range of visual standards. One feature that should be pointed out to customers is that glasses can be worn while using the headset, so everyone, no matter what their prescription, can experience VR first hand. This premium device has an RRP of around £112.

GATEWAY DEVICES Market analysts predict high-end VR headsets to sell around 1.7m units in the next year, with lower budget variants expected to top 10m. As VR is still a new category for many customers, these great value headsets provide a gateway to this brave new world, and one that could well lead to them upgrading to the premium experience further down the line. Please speak to your Account Manager today to discuss our current VR portfolio, products and opportunities.

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PROTECT YOUR TECH WITH SECURE SOFTWARE HAPPY FAMILIES

With so much of modern life now revolving around technology devices, it’s very important to ensure the data stored on them remains safe and secure. Increasingly the media is reporting on a range of high profile hacks and exploits, such as Cryptolocker and Heartbleed, that shows how vulnerable devices can be to the unsuspecting user. This danger is exacerbated by the growing trend of people using their personal devices at work, which presents cybercriminals with even more incentive to gain access. Awareness of these issues is rising steadily among users, with recent GFK research revealing that 16% of the global population see data falling into the wrong hands as one of the three things that worries them the most. To allay these fears, you can help guide your customers to a range of antivirus and security software designed specifically to protect their data and ward off the constant barrage of nasty attacks.

SAFE AND SECURE One of the most trusted names in security software is that of Norton, so much so that the respected independent IT-Security institute AVTest recently named the company the winner of its Best Protection Award 2015. There’s every chance that it could repeat this success in 2016 with the Norton Security Standard suite (£39.99). This offers one PC or Mac protection from viruses, malware, spyware, and a range of other threats, while ensuring that the user’s identity and online transactions remain secure. As many people now regularly use more than one device, there is also Norton Security Deluxe (£49.99) which offers the same features but for up to five laptops, desktops, or mobile devices running on Windows, OS X, Android and iOS.

Keeping children safe online is hugely important, now more than ever, as statistics show that in the UK one in three children under fifteen years old have their own tablet computer. To combat the kinds of pitfalls that younger users are more likely to encounter, Kaspersky has included its Safe Kids software in the new Kaspersky Total Security Suite (£39.99). This allows parents to manage their children’s online usage by filtering harmful sites and restricting the kind of apps that can be downloaded or run on the device. The suite also provides the ability to monitor messages and calls so that children can be protected from aggressive or inappropriate exchanges. All of this is in addition to Kaspersky’s Total Security software, which recently won awards from AV-Test for its low impact on the performance of Windows machines, and most user-friendly interface. The suite runs on Windows, OS X, and Android devices, using a granular system that allows customers to decide how many devices they wish to protect - with one costing £39.99 and going up to ten which carries an annual fee of £79.99.

DATA ENCRYPTION Encrypting data is an excellent way to prevent criminals from getting their hands on anything sensitive, such as banking details or passwords. McAfee offers a built-in encryption feature in its Total Protection software (£79.99), which is bolstered by the ability to permanently delete information if a user intends to sell or pass on the device to someone else. Total Protection also offers parental controls, Anti-spam blockers, Anti-Theft protection for mobile phones, and a number of other useful benefits, all of which are available for every device a user owns, at no extra cost. It’s been said that security is the enemy of convenience, but with these new software packages customers can be assured that their photos, documents, identities and children all remain safe online, with almost no effort at all. Please speak to your Account Manager today to find out more about these and other security software packages.

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Pictures are for illustration only. Colour and design details may vary. Linx Vision Tablet and Controller System sold separately. Internet connectivity required to download drone App from the Windows Store or use online features. Always check compatibility of games and software before purchasing from the Windows Store or digital content stores. Intel, Intel Logo, Intel Atom, Intel Atom Inside, Intel Inside, Intel Inside Logo are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries. Linx, Linx Vision, Linx Logo, Linx Vision Logo are trademarks of Exertis (UK) Ltd. All rights reserved.