Reseller Magzine - August -2012

AUGUST 2012 1 5th Anniversary Special Issue

AUGUST 2012 2 5th Anniversary Special Issue

AUGUST 2012 3 5th Anniversary Special Issue

AUGUST 2012 4 5th Anniversary Special Issue

INFOFRIEND AUGUST 2012 Publisher & Managing Editor Betson Mathai

Chief Editor

Shajan Ponnamattom

Assistant Editor Anjana Rajendran

Sub Editor

Amritha S.M.

Advertisement Bibin Sebastian

09656236170 infofriendadvt@gmail.com

E-mail

Editorial infofriendenglish@gmail.com

Layout & Design

Jeeja N.K., Shadow Solutions

Printing

Geethanjali Offset Prints, Calicut.

Head Office

Infofriend, 2nd Floor, Jose Building, Wayanad Road, East Nadakkavu, Nadakkavu. P.O., Kozhikode - 673 011.

Kerala, S. India.

Tel : 0495 -2366575, 4040906 www.infofriend.com Printed and published by Betson Mathai, Owned by Infofriend Publications, 2nd Floor, Jose building, East Nadakkavu, Kozhikode - 673 011. Kerala, S. India. Printed at Geethanjali Offset Prints, Kozhikode. Place of Publication at Kozhikode and Editor Shajan J.

After making our debut in 2007, we have completed five years of successful stint in the Indian IT channel market. This is an important milestone in our brief but successful publishing history.

We also mark our decade old presence in the Kerala market with the Infofriend Malayalam edition. This year also marked the Second Infofriend IT Awards 2012, which was held on May 11th at Le Meridien, Cochin. The mega event was a grand success taking the legacy of Infofriend Publications forward in the South Indian IT market.

This path of success would not have been possible without the abiding support and co-operation from the vendors and distributors who encouraged us steadfastly. The resellers have also reposed their faith and trust in us.

As we mark this occasion, we take this opportunity to thank all our partners who have encompassed our path towards success. We hope to have your guidance and strength in all our future endeavours.

AUGUST 2012 5 5th Anniversary Special Issue

AUGUST 2012 6 5th Anniversary Special Issue

National Updates

Netgear focuses on SMBs in India

ADATA expands base ADATA has announced its renewed strategy for business in India. With the appointment of Regional Distributors (RDs), ADATA plans to expand its distribution footprint beyond the top 30 cities and B&C class towns.

Mr. Chris Chang, MD, ADATA India Technology said, “ With these appointments we are expecting rapid growth for ADATA brand in the current year.”

Antec expands its partner reach in North India Antec is on an expansion spree in India. The company has decided to expand its reach in the North India region by appointing five new partners in Delhi. These partners will cater not only to the Delhi market but will also look at providing Antec products in the NCR and upcountry regions as well.

Mr. Kevan Li, Regional Sales Manager, India said, “As a leading global brand in PC Components and accessories, we are looking at aggressive expansion opportunities in India since it is a very significant potential market for us in the coming years.

We are glad to join hands with our esteemed partners in Delhi and I am sure, together we can work towards achieving the goal of creating a strong presence in the North India region.”

Netgear has decided to expand its product portfolio and drive a stronger partner strategy, with the prime focus towards SMBs in India.

Addressing at a National Seminar organized by PHDCCI on “Affordable ICT solutions for SMBs” in New Delhi, Subhodeep Bhattacharya, Regional Director, India & SAARC said, “Our focus is on SMBs”. “As per the statistics, India is a home to around 50 million SMBs, of which 10 million are tech-savvy. This number or the addressable market opportunity will upsurge to approximately 11 million by 2015. Also, SMBs in the country will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15 % by 2015, contributing $ 15 billion or over one-third of India’s overall IT spend. Hence we can foresee overall growth for Netgear in coming years by tapping the SMB segment.”

Netgear has been focused on its SMART IT vision which envisages a reli-

able, affordable and simple range of products covering the entire infrastructure needs of small and medium businesses, encompassing switching, storage, wireless and security solutions and it foresees huge growth in this field.

Rashi Peripherals wins the Best Growth Partner 2012 in Asia- Pacific region In recognition to the efforts to promote Targus brand in India, Rashi Peripherals recently won the “Best Growth Award – 2012 in APAC”. The award was recently conferred upon Rashi at Targus annual distributor conference in Kota Kina balu, Malaysia. Manish Aher, Country Manager, Targus said “Many congratulations on winning the Best Growth in 2012 award. In such a short period, Rashi has shown courage and aggression to excel and execute the plan and rising amongst the rest. Targus wishes all the very best, as we continue to be a part of this growth story. This is just the beginning.”

Fortinet appoints Redington as new distributor in India Fortinet has announced that it has appointed Redington to distribute Fortinet’s entire range of network security solutions in the country. This appointment augurs Fortinet’s next phase of growth in the market by driving expansion of the vendor’s channel ecosystem.

Redington will distribute Fortinet’s market-leading FortiGate unified threat management (UTM) solutions and the vendor’s newer security solutions that protect the broader corporate IT infra-

structure “ from the endpoints and databases, to Web applications and the extended network.

“Redington’s broad channel base, value-added distribution model and longstanding experience in selling varied security, storage and software solutions will be a key advantage as we seek to cultivate new geographies and market verticals in India,” said Vishak Raman, Fortinet’s Senior Regional Director for India and SAARC.

AUGUST 2012 7 5th Anniversary Special Issue

AUGUST 2012 8 5th Anniversary Special Issue

National Updates

Kareena Kapoor is brand ambassador for iBall mobile phone range Seagate gains controlling interest in Lacie Seagate has announced the completion of the purchase by Seagate of all of the shares of Philippe Spruch and his affiliate, representing 64.5% of the outstanding shares of LaCie for a provisional price of •4.05 per share. The price payable to Philippe Spruch and his affiliate may be increased by 3%, to •4.17 per share, in the event that within six months, Seagate holds at least 95% of the share capital and voting rights of LaCie. Seagate intends to file in the coming weeks with the French Autorité des marches financiers an all-cash simplified tender offer on the remaining LaCie shares.

Allied Telesis signs up Shani Peripherals as its VAD Allied Telesis has appointed Gujarat headquarteredShani Peripherals Pvt Ltd, as its value added distributor. Shani Peripherals will be distributing the entire range of Allied Telesis products across India. They are having a very strong focus in security and surveillance market which gives Allied Telesis an additional advantage, as Allied Telesis intends to further intensify its focus in the security and surveillance markets.

Shani Peripherals have been a strong player in the date networking market for a decade now.

iBall has announced Bollywood super star Kareena Kapoor as its brand ambassador for mobile phones category. This concludes the company’s search for a fitting face for their mobile phone series, and with the actor regularly riding a high, the association is going to be a mutually beneficial one.

“Kareena is an icon for the youth. Her hard work makes her a performance-powered actor and besides, she has always been associated with style, glamour, vibrancy and all things chic. She is also known for setting trends and doing things differently. There is thus no doubt that she would provide the perfect brand fit for us,” says Sandeep Parasrampuria, Director of iBall, talking about the new announcement.

India has seen a phenomenal growth in the use of mobile phones. And smart

phones market is now growing very fast. iBall has created its smart phone range under iBall Andi series.

Asus commences its 5th exclusive retail store in Maharashtra Asus embodying the strength, mastering technological innovation and design perfection for the ultimate life-enhancing and computing experience is further escalating its presence in Maharashtra with opening of its retail outlet in Pune. Similar to all the accessible outlets, this outlet will also feature the entire range of fully working Notebooks and Netbooks that have been launched in India till date. The retail outlet 2 S _ Square Enterprises is located at Shop No 7, Shivprabhu Apartment, Paud Road, Kothrud, Pune-411038.

With its retail expansion, ASUS is aspiring at providing the opportunity to the customers to have unswerving information on its superior technology and product range.End users can look forward to the latest Gaming notebook G74SW, and experience the thrill of 3D vision.

Fujezone forays into Tablet PC market The brand Fujezone which comes under the umbrella of Nakamichi Techno has expanded its product line in year 2012 by venturing into the Tablet PC market.

The company boasts of a formidable line up of tablets covering all price points and catering to all aspirations. From basic entry level tablets to call enabled tablets Fujezone has them all.

Fujezone is already an established name in Mobile Phones & Consumer Electronics and has been into existence since 1994. Fujezone aims to offer value

products to its customers with no compromise on quality. The brand aspires to grow rapidly with a bouquet of offerings targeting entry, mid & premium segment. The tablets have universal appeal and are special in the key areas of imaging, music, design and applications. The company has launched products while enhancing its offerings to entry-level markets.

AUGUST 2012 9 5th Anniversary Special Issue

AUGUST 2012 10 5th Anniversary Special Issue

Interview

Leader in the

PC space Infofriend spoke with Ashok Nair, Director, Sales (South) Lenovo India on the growing PC market and the market ahead.

Lenovo has managed to become the number one player in the PC space. How would you evaluate the journey so far in the past three years?

Lenovo has seen significant growth in all segments with a successful implementation of the ‘Protect and Attack’ strategy –a 3600 approach, where we protected and grew our traditional stronghold – our Commercial business while gearing up for aggressive growth in the Consumer and SMB segments.

Lenovo has seen significant growth in all segments with a successful implementation of the ‘Protect and Attack’ strategy –a 3600 approach, where we protected and grew our traditional stronghold – our Commercial business while gearing up for aggressive growth in the Consumer and SMB segments.

Over the last one year, we strengthened our brand equity and laid emphasis on increasing our retail footprint; devised successful programs for the channel as well as offered a diverse portfolio of products to consumers with effective post sales and service support.

To sum it up, the following three strategies have worked in our favor: i. Successful implementation of the Protect and Attack strategy helped us gain and sustain double digit market share with a YO-Y growth rate of 63.5%. Lenovo is the No 1 PC vendor in the country according to the IDC Asia Pacific Quarterly PC Tracker Q1 2012 ii. Aggressive expansion on the retail front to become the largest exclusive PC retailer in India with over 1000 exclusive stores in under a year

iii. Renewed focus on the youth with the unveiling of the For Those Who Do marketing campaign, the introduction of several youth focused programmes including the Lenovo DO network, Lenovo and Youtube Space Labs contest, sponsorship of the Sunburn music festival, etc This 3 pronged approach led to the phenomenal growth of our SMB business from 2.8% (Q1 CY2012) to 4.6% (Q1 CY 2012).

Lenovo’s focus on the Consumer segment is also reflected in its strong retail focus with a growing footprint of over 1000 Lenovo Exclusive Stores. Today Lenovo is the largest exclusive PC retailer brand in India.

How is Lenovo’s range of laptops doing in India? What key changes have you witnessed in this segment?

Lenovo offers a wide array of notebooks in India ranging from affordable mainstream notebooks like G series to high-end models. Ultrabooks are a recent addition to Lenovo’s notebook lineage in India that will redefine the personal computing space in a PC+ era by bringing the best of computing, entertainment and mobility in a super-stylish form. Owing to their combination of performance and style, we have received a good response for the product in India.

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Interview Today’s youth are driven by incredibly thin, light and ultra-responsive computing devices, which combine the processing of a mainstream laptop with the portability of a Netbook/Tablet PC. These machines should be highly mobile, have long battery life and help the user to both ‘consume’ and also ‘create’ data effectively – Lenovo ultrabooks have been designed to serve this purpose impeccably and therefore tops the list in terms of consumer preference.

What makes Lenovo the leader in the desktop space?

Constant development and innovation are the key factors for any industry to thrive. We are the first movers in the All in One (AIO) category with a market share of over 50% in India. We are also the No 1 player in AIOs Globally. The All in One range comes with a CPU and monitor rolled into one device. The AIO saves power, is sleek and can be mounted on a wall. Lenovo strives to innovate and launch products in the desktop and All-inOne space, in tandem with the changing market trend.

One of the recently launched AIOs – Lenovo IdeaCentre A720 is the slimmest AIO ever. The sleek 27" Lenovo IdeaCentre® A720 creates a unique multiplayer experience with a 10-finger multi-touch screen that folds down flat for interactive tabletop games, powered by the latest processor and graphics technologies. The IdeaCentre A720 continues Lenovo’s heritage of svelte designs for the AIO by smartly positioning the PC at the base on the unit.

Going forward, we want to sustain our leadership position in India. After consolidating our leadership position in the Enterprise space and attaining overall leadership in the Indian PC market, Lenovo is aiming for leadership in the Consumer segment.

We plan to increase our focus on the youth segment with cutting edge technologies and products. We recently launched a new range of Ultrabooks at a competitive price range, as well as a new range of AIOs to make a mark in the consumer segment. For the consumer segment, the focus will be to ensure the profitability of our 1000 retail stores, train channel partners to provide an improved consumer experience and create better brand awareness through 360-degree marketing activities that will focus primarily on TV. We are also in the process of launching a new range of tablets in India. The industry is growing at a rapid pace and our growth will primarily come from our focus on Notebooks and AIOs. The SMB segment contributes to about 25% of the overall market. Currently, Lenovo’s SMB business is at 10% of the total business. Our aim is to grow as per the industry standards and increase the SMB business from 10% to 25% of our overall business.

What are the key areas of focus for Lenovo in the next quarter?

How would you evaluate the market

Lenovo offers a wide array of notebooks in India ranging from affordable mainstream notebooks like G series to high-end models. Ultrabooks are a recent addition to Lenovo’s notebook lineage in India that will redefine the personal computing space in a PC+ era by bringing the best of computing, entertainment and mobility in a superstylish form.

potential for Lenovo laptops in South India?

A recent study by IDC pointed out that South India in its entirety was the highest consumer in the Indian PC market. South India typically boasts a few big names in the enterprise market, who continue to be top spenders in IT products. While growth numbers are welcome, figures show that consumer sentiment is shifting towards portable PCs. Even semiurban India is waking up to compact devices like laptops, notebooks, tablets and other mobile devices.

Stemming from the potential this market has to offer, we have a strong focus on the South. The recent deal that we bagged from the Tamil Nadu government to supply laptops in bulk testifies our leadership in the South.

How do you ensure technical support and back up services for your products?

Service support is very important for the Indian market. We have multiple service support offerings like the basic warranty support services and retail services for our customers. We have over 300 service partners in India (including commercial and consumer segment) and we conduct regular focused training sessions for select partners. Replacement options are

AUGUST 2012 13 5th Anniversary Special Issue

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Interview also available during warranty period.

We play a major role in two stages: pre and post sales support.

Pre-sales support: Lenovo offers support in terms of suggestions/advice to help customers select the machine best suited as per his needs. Lenovo’s extensive retail presence across country aims to deliver an enhanced retail experience which assist customers in every stage of their purchase.

Post-sales support: Lenovo offers both onsite and carry-in warranty management services to the customers across the country. During the warranty, Lenovo offers telephonic and remote take over services to fix the problems over the phone (FOP).

In the event of unsuccessful FOP, onsite or carry-in case id is created and dispatched to the field to address customers’ problem.

How would you evaluate the present market scenario for tablets in India?

How is the Lenovo range of tablets doing in India?

We entered into the Tablet space less than a year ago and received a good response in the market. During the next five to ten years, Tablets will be the substitute for several consumer electronics that consumers require on the go.

According to Gartner, the worldwide media Tablet sales to end users are forecasted to a total 118.9 million units in 2012, a 98 percent increase from 2011 sales of 60 million units. Overall, Infinite Research expects that 147.2 million Tablet computers will ship in 2015, up from 16.1 million units in 2010, representing a compound annual growth rate of 56%. Demand for Tablets is high in both the consumer and enterprise markets. Mobility, in combination with real-time access to content and services, are the major factors driving adoption.

How has the LES Lite stores helped broaden the market reach for Lenovo in India?

We are bullish on the consumer space and are aiming to become the most preferred PC brand among the youth. To achieve this, Lenovo is bringing in some of the best designed PCs, investing in building a powerful brand and offering robust retail experience with over 1000 exclusive retail stores across 600 cities and towns across India. The launch of Lenovo exclusive stores is in sync with the company’s overall strategy to drive rapid expansion in

Service support is very important for the Indian market. We have multiple service support offerings like the basic warranty support services and retail services for our customers. We have over 300 service partners in India (including commercial and consumer segment) and we conduct regular focused training sessions for select partners. Replacement options are also available during warranty period.

evolution of the Lenovo brand and in line with our brand philosophy ‘For Those Who Do’. Ranbir embodies an exemplary blend of both style and performance, making him the ideal choice for Lenovo. We What is Lenovo’s strategy to entrench also launched a series of new TVC caminto the smaller towns in India? paigns with him which demonstrates our Having established a stronghold in the machine’s key USPs. metros, Lenovo is penetrating the length Lenovo’s focus on channels is driven and breadth of the country to address the by the need to develop a core channel diverse computing needs of its customers. partner ecosystem in India, replicating the The most impressive growth is happening company’s highly successful model in Chiin the tier-2 & 3 cities. We have an extenna. We consider our channel partners as sive footprint in the high potential tier 2 to natural partners in profit and we persistier 5 cities with over 1000 stores. These tently work towards fortifying our channel stores will be Lenovo’s growth engines relationships to nurture a long-lasting, muand will help the company to address the tually beneficial bond. burgeoning PC requirements of consumAre any schemes or promotional ers in these markets. events in the offing for the channel the high potential tier 2-5 cities across India. Having established a stronghold in the metros, Lenovo is penetrating the length and breadth of the country to address the diverse computing needs of its customers.

Elaborate on the marketing strategy partners? and Lenovo’s engagement with We believe in a strong channel engagechannel partners. ment program and conduct regular trainOur product leadership is our strength. We’re investing significantly in innovating the computing space. Globally, we’re driving a Four Screen strategy (Smart TV/Smartphone/PC/Tablets).

We believe the world will need more digital/computing devices and we’re committed to being the best in delivering these devices.

On the brand front, we have a differentiated story. We are a brand for people who use technology as a tool and not as a badge. We are for DOERS and our global positioning’ For Those Who Do’ resonates brilliantly with the youth. They seek to be masters of their own destiny and are drawn to brands which power their accomplishments. We have recently signed on Ranbir Kapoor as a step towards the

ings and promotional schemes/events in this regard. We have the following programs to engage and develop our partners across India· Go-Pro program train and certify customer service representatives · Spartan Program –reward and recognize the efforts of the channel partners, employees and sales personnel

What is Lenovo’s message to channel partners?

As mentioned earlier, Lenovo considers its channel partners as natural partners in profit, and works towards nurturing and fortifying relationships into long lasting and mutually beneficial bonds. Our key message to channel partners is that they will always be the key drivers in helping us sustain the top spot in the PC space.

AUGUST 2012 15 5th Anniversary Special Issue

Coverstory

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IT Consumerism

in 2012

Traditionally, Indian has been slow adaptor of technology. However, adaption to PC is quite different.Initial adaptation of PC in India at enterprise level has been slow due to socio-political reasons like to loss of jobs. However, once benefits are truly understood, people started using not only at large enterprises, but also for small medium businesses and at households. What has also helped to fuel the success story is India’s success at the global IT outsourcing industry. It is truly amazing to note that, customers are less influenced by brand names or price sensitivity and make purchase decisions based features they specifically need. Most of them are not first time buyers, utilizes all available options to make their purchase decision and their usage pattern is very similar to that of a western country. However, it should also be noted that, penetration of computer in India is still very low.

C

onsumer spending can be catego rized into regular spends and life style spends. Regular spending includes the basic necessities of life, while lifestyle spending includes spending on a computer, internet, car, cell phone, etc.

Analysis of consumer spending in the past 10 years reveals that the average consumer has been spending on an increasing number of different goods. There are a number of factors affecting the consumer spending pattern in India; these include growing income levels resulting in more disposable income with individuals, changing attitudes towards consumption, changes in prices, introduction of new products, availability of credit such as loans, mortgages and credit cards, rising aspiration levels, increased literacy, growing brand consciousness and rapid urbanization.

Spending habits are different for people belonging to different sections of society. For instance, people belonging to the middle class consider basic necessities and education and spending toward the future

AUGUST 2012 17 5th Anniversary Special Issue

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Coverstory

Mr. S.Sudhir, Managing Director, Inspan Infotech Pvt Ltd, Chennai

“Of course it has increased in multifold, as consumers are now ready to pay premium for products which carry the above features, naturally it has increased and it will keep increasing, in short consumers are ready to pay extra for additional features and better service at reachable place.” of their children as their top priorities, followed by lifestyle goods. The rich class spends more on luxury goods and international brands. The super rich class spends on ultra luxury goods. It is observed that as disposable income increases, people prefer more of branded goods, shift to processed foods, and the expenditure on food, beverages, tobacco, and transport and communication also increases.

A comparison of consumer spending habits in 2002 with those in 2007 revealed that expenditure on food, clothing and personal care has remained more or less constant, but expenditure on entertainment has increased.

Shopping habits of Indians are changing due to their growing disposable income, relative increase in the younger population, and the change in attitudes towards shopping. The emphasis has changed from price consideration to design, quality and trendiness. The desire to look and feel good is also guiding factor

for customers while making their purchase decisions. Growing disposable income is also propelling demand for consumer durables and eating in restaurants among Indians. Age is also a major factor that affects the spending decisions of an individual.

For instance, people in 20-24 years age group spend more on electronic / home appliances and movies, while people in the 45-48 years age group spend more on vacations.

Consumer spending is an important factor that affects the economic growth and development in a country. In the future, India and China are projected to be the powerhouses of Asia in terms of growth in consumption, wages, and GDP. India’s consumer spending is likely to expand nearly four times to $3.6 trillion by 2020, fuelled by economic growth and rising household incomes, a new study said Thursday.

Consumer expenditure in India is set to increase 3.6 times from $991 billion in 2010, at an annual rate of 14 percent, the Boston Consulting Group and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) report said.

Consumer spending in India will continue to roar, but the firms that try to capture it have to work hard. India is a big, growing consumer market, but not an easy one.

Personal Computers (PC) today are integral part of every household and are treated like any other home appliances today. There are several multi-nationals, Indian and local brands each trying to differentiate in terms of features, styling and trying to entice buyers with attractive offers.

What really compounds the complexity is the fact that technology is advancing (computational power doubling every 18 months) at fast pace.

On the other hand, PC today is facing severe competition from other similar functional products like Laptops, Tablet PC, Smart phones. Interestingly, advent of PC-like devices has turned PCfrom a life style product to a utility product.

Traditionally, Indian has been slow adaptor of technology. However, adaption to PC is quite different.Initial adaptation of PC in India at enterprise level has been slow due to socio-political reasons like to loss of jobs. However, once benefits are truly understood, people started using not only at large enterprises, but also for small medium businesses and at households. What has also helped to fuel

the success story is India’s success at the global IT outsourcing industry. It is truly amazing to note that, customers are less influenced by brand names or price sensitivity and make purchase decisions based features they specifically need. Most of them are not first time buyers, utilizes all available options to make their purchase decision and their usage pattern is very similar to that of a western country.

However, it should also be noted that, penetration of computer in India is still very low. So, while vast majority of population is still to take advantage of this miracle machine, IT and digital lifestyle products are complementing each other. So, the growth of digital lifestyle products is certainly fuelling the growth of IT products.

Lifestyle products are not only increasing revenue for IT, but, at same time, it is also giving advantage of increasing retail presence, which was difficult in the past.

Mr.Susumu Kobayashi Country Head, Buffalo Inc.

“The socio-economic factors always influence the consumers spending pattern, and that happens for IT products as well.

The key factors that consumers consider while buying IT products are the combinations of brand quality, service and price. Consumers are also influenced by brand name and its popularity. Word of mouth also influences the consumer’s decision.”

AUGUST 2012 19 5th Anniversary Special Issue

Coverstory

Mr. M.A Mannan Country Manager, Corsair Memory India

“There has been a drastic change in the IT shifting from last year which has created a slow market. We can see only the increase, depreciation of INR and hike of 2% in excise duty has resulted in drastic increase in IT products which has hit the purchase cycle of the end users as well as corporate. “

This is surely a sign of industry maturing, wherein people are ready to buy products off the shelf instead of through references or even abroad either for better prices or technology. Today, any of the digital lifestyle products are available immediately after their launch in India too. This sector has seen stupendous growth with accessories and gizmos becoming an integral part of the Indian’s everyday life. The market for tablets was expected to do well in the present year but the crunch in the economy is expected to hit the growth in the market.

Analysts are betting on retail and financial services sector growth, as India’s 1.2 billion people move towards a more Western-style consumer economy.

Organized retail is estimated to account for around 16 percent of the overall retail market and is growing rapidly as consumers gain from benefits like better shopping experience, vide array of brand choices, sales offers, easy EMI schemes etc. In addition, organized retail focuses on ‘impulse buy’ especially for connected equipment/accessories, positively impacting the consumer’s spending pattern. On the flip side, many customers have also

been known to use the organized retail outlets as demo stores where they get a first hand feel of the product and then go on to purchase it either from an online retailer or from the neighborhood ‘mom n pop’ store.

The socio-economic factors always influence the consumers spending pattern, and that happens for IT products as well.

The key factors that consumers consider while buying IT products are the combinations of brand quality, service and price.

Consumers are also influenced by brand name and its popularity. Word of mouth also influences the consumer’s decision.

The Indian IT consumer has grown to a large extent from being a price only driven buyer to a more discerning buyer who needs to be convinced about a product’s attributes and the brand quality. The IT sector will witness a challenging time ahead with the end- consumer likely to make some selective choices while pacing through this troubled time. The retailers will have to adopt a communicational approach and innovative retail experience to lure the worried consumer to make smart IT choices.

Coverstory

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Topnotch Bullettin

New webcam introduced

LED Monitor

Lucid

ZEB-A17, 3LED

Pixel Max. resolution Image sensor Lens Interface Plug & Play Snap shot function Manual focus Built-in microphone

: 10MP(interpolated) : 640x480 : CMOS : 2P+1R Filter : USB

Multimedia headphone with Mic

Speaker Dot Pitch Contrast ratio Response time (ms) Brightness (cd/m2) Color depth Vertical frequency Horizontal frequency

: Built-in : 0.238mm : 15000:1 (dynamic) :5 : 500 : 16.7M color : 60-75Hz : 30-80KHz

New 2.1 speaker ZEB-SW2350RUCF

Brio launched in 4 attractive designs

Speaker Dimension Speaker Impedance Frequency response Microphone Sensitivity Rated Power Power Capacity Cable length

: 40mm : 32W+15% : 20-20, 00Hz : Built-in : 105+3dB@1KHz : 20mW : 150mW : 2.2+0.1m

Output Power Woofer driver unit Satellite driver unit Frequency response S/N Distortion

: : : : : :

8W+3W x 2 4" 3" 40Hz-20KHz >80dB <0.3%

AUGUST 2012 23 5th Anniversary Special Issue

Products Explorer

AVerMedia GamePlay Capture Card for Consoles and PC

Amkette EvoTV Amkette has announced the next big thing in consumer digital technology space – EvoTV. The much awaited device is now available, and is designed to make any TV screen interactive, and rich on content.

The EvoTV comes preloaded with basic apps – including those for gaming, music, videos, and functional ones too; more apps can be downloaded from the Android application market – Google Play. In- built features like ‘Evo Views’ provide one click user interface, and ‘Evo Discover’, which is an Internet Content Discovery Software.

AVerMedia has announced the availability of Game Broadcaster HD (C127), a 1080p HD video capture card designed for hardcore console and PC gamers. The Game Broadcaster HD adopts PCI-Express interface to guarantee that the full HD content can be preserved precisely and smoothly. The on-board HDMI and VGA inputs and enclosed Component to VGA Cable increase the flexibility of capturing gameplay.

Besides, the Game Broadcaster HD supports a wide range of graphics card resolutions. This makes it the best choice of gameplay capture tool for Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and even PC gamers. Even better, it can also act as a broadcaster to

stream your live gameplay onto the Internet.

The product is available with the authorized distributors of AVerMedia Technologies, at a price of is INR 9250 with a warranty of 2 years.

Zotac GeForce GT 640 and 630 Zone Edition graphics cards Zotac has ushered in a new era of quiet computing with the Zotac GeForce GT 640 ZONE Edition and GeForce GT 630 ZONE Edition graphics cards.

The Zotac GeForce GT 640 ZONE Edition redefines quiet computing with a new video processing engine and supercharged architecture to create the perfect card for home theater PC and everyday use while the Zotac GeForce GT 630 ZONE Edition delivers an outstanding value to quiet computing users.

The Zotac GeForce GT 640 ZONE Edition takes the home theater PC to the new 4K era with 4K video decoding capabilities for stunning details and smooth playback of high-resolution video up to 4096x2160 resolution.

AUGUST 2012 24 5th Anniversary Special Issue

Rashi News Wire

Asus GT610-SL-2GD3-L graphics card Sony Internal Slim DVD-RW Model No.AD7760H-1 • Internal DVD-RW/Slim – Tray loading & SATA interface • MAX 8X DVD Read/Write • Multi-Format : DVD+/-R, DVD+R/-R DL, DVD+/-RW and DVD-RAM • SATA Interface • Buffer under run protection Slim DVD+/-RW Drive Interface: SATA; Buffer Memory: 2 MB Disc Loading Method: Tray loading mechanism for horizontal and vertical use

The Asus GT610-SL-2GD3-L ships with 0dB silent thermal and low profile design with low profile bracket bundled that could fit end users mini home theater pc and offer the best home theater enjoyment. Especially, its 2GB massive memory size can provide the best gaming experience in great resolution. Furthermore, Asus GT610-SL-2GD3-L built with Super Alloy Power technology for enhanced du-

rability. Besides, Asus GT610-SL-2GD3-L also comes with exclusive GPU Tweak utility, which allows users to modify clock speeds, voltages, and fan performance.

Memory : 2 GB DDR3 EC-810MHz/SC-1620MHz/ MC -1.2GHz DVI/HDMI/Heatsink Low profile bracket and Asus Exclusive super alloy power technology

Asus ROG Tytan gaming desktop – CG8580 Processor :

Netgear – GSM7224 The Netgear ProSafe Intelligent Edge Gigabit L2+ Managed Switch consists of 24 ports Gigabit, and 4 ports dual-speed SFP with fiber connectivity. Intelligent Edge series deliver a secure and flexible access layer in campus environments, warehouses and commercial buildings for convergence.

• Physical Interfaces : 24 Auto-Sensing RJ45 10/100/1000 ports • Processor : BCM53314S@200 MHz • Memory : 64 MB (RAM) • Switching Fabric : 48GBPS • Throughpur : 36 MPPS • L3 Services – DHCP Server (1275 clients) Toll free support No.180004254327

Intel Core i7 3770K processor (8M Cache, 3.4 GHz) 3rd Generation processor OS : Win 7 Home Premium 64 bit Chipset : Intel Z77 Graphics : GTX 680 2GB DDR5 Memory : 8GB DDR3 Storage : 1TB SSD : 128GB Optical Drive : Bluray writer Audio : Realtek/ Asus Xonar DX (7.1 audio card)

Server ECC DDR III ADATA Part No : SU3E1333C4G9-R Description : ADATA DDR3 ECC- DIMM 1333FSB 4GB System : Server . IC : ADATA FSB : 1333 . Capacity : 4GB

For more information contact: Rashi Branch • Bangalore :42480202, • Mangalore : 2225208, • Hubli: 2213777

AUGUST 2012 25 5th Anniversary Special Issue

AUGUST 2012 26 5th Anniversary Special Issue

Interview

Adapting to new technology Infofriend spoke with Ketan B Shah, Director, Kruti Comp on the changing trends in the IT market. then the flow will be in line with the competition. All the products dealt by us are very strongly backed by the OEM’s and we also go a step beyond to meet up with the Customers Expectations.

We are strong and growing steadily in the SMB space, providing end to end solutions to end customers and also growing fast in the distribution to the channel market.

Please share the marketing strategy of Kruti Comp and its engagement with How does Kruti Comp feel on bagging likely to take up any new products in channel partners?

We extend our support and reach to the best Sub-distributor at the 2nd 2012? the Channel as per their expectations. We Infofriend IT Awards?

We are sub distributors for HP range

We feel extremely proud to receive the award. This recognition is the collective effort of Kruti Comp team and all the Channel Partners, Distributors and our principals who have been a constant support to us. We take this opportunity to thank them all.

This moment also gives us immense pleasure of satisfaction that our commitment levels are accepted by all and now we need to do still better as expectation levels will be higher.

As HP’s premium business partner, how would you evaluate the market for HP products?

HP products are the best products in terms of quality as they are developed in house and they strictly follow all the standards and certifications required for the same. The customer gets the best of technology products. Hence you find the acceptance and satisfaction level being very high among the consumers.

Which brands are being represented

by Kruti Comp at present? Are you

of products and company distributor partners for TVSE Products.

We take this opportunity to mention that this year, we have signed up with M/s Matrix Comsec Pvt Ltd, for distribution of their entire range of VOIP products.

We have also signed up with M/s Cubix Micro Systems India Pvt Ltd, for the Sub distribution of ATEN Products and Solutions.

are flexible and supportive, our deliverables are the fastest and we share a lot of technical inputs as required by them.

How do you handle the service issues of resellers?

The OEM’s we represent are always very open to the reseller service issues and they promptly address the same. If there are any issues which are delayed due to various unforeseen reasons then, we proHow does Kruti Comp keep up with vide the same from our end and then we the changing trends in the IT market? take it up with the OEM, thereby the flow Adaptation of the changing technology is smooth. is the key factor in the technology front. As Which specific verticals and segments are being targeted by Kruti Comp? you are aware that the technology is We are focused on the SMB changing at a very fast pace and we at Kruti segment providing complete IT infrastrucComp are in a continuous process of upture, Networking System Integration and grading our team with latest trends.

How do you handle the competition Services.

in the market? Which segment would What is your message to the dealers?

The dealers should take up profitable you consider as the strong base?

Business is competition and it will always be there, once we provide the right quality of products and services which are backed by the OEM who are committed,

business and religiously follow the commitments given. We look forward to extend our SMB base with our best of committed and excel in services and offerings.

AUGUST 2012 27 5th Anniversary Special Issue

AUGUST 2012 28 5th Anniversary Special Issue

Product explorer

Zotac ZBOX with Nvidia GeForce GT 520M Graphics Processing WatchGuard XTM 5 Series UTM

Zotac has introduced a new ZBOX with Nvidia GeForce GT 520M graphics processing. The new Zotac ZBOX with Nvidia GeForce GT 520M graphics incorporates class-leading features and stunning visuals to form a perfect home theater PC. “We’re pleased to inject the power of Nvidia GeForce graphics to our awardwinning Zotac ZBOX for users that demand energy-efficiency with a graphics kick,” said Carsten Berger, marketing di-

rector, Zotac International. “The new Zotac ZBOX with Nvidia GeForce GT 520M graphics delivers phenomenal high-definition video playback capabilities to make it the perfect home theater PC as well.”

The new Zotac ZBOX with Nvidia GeForce GT 520M graphics is available as a barebones or with memory and hard drive preinstalled. It’s time to play with the new Zotac ZBOX with Nvidia GeForce GT 520M graphics.

WatchGuard Technologies has announced a ground-breaking change for the unified threat management (UTM) market with the release of the New WatchGuard XTM 5 Series network security appliances.

As next-generation UTMs, the New WatchGuard XTM 5 Series sports the fastest throughput in its price class without sacrificing security efficacy, manageability and ease of use.

WatchGuard notes that the New XTM 5 Series gains substantive performance improvements compared to the previous XTM 5 series models.

Strontium HAWK Solid State Drives (SSD) Strontium Technology has announced a new series of high-performance solid state drives called HAWK solid state drives. These are Hynix-made solid state drives with Strontium branding and after sales support. They are based on SandForce’s SF2281 controller and SK hynix flash.

The drives are meant to be an upgrade option for consumers who are looking to buy new laptop or desktop. With over 500MB/s of read and white performance, the HAWK SSD will make Mac Books and PCs run faster.

MSI GTX 660 Ti Power Edition Graphics MSI announced the release of the GTX 660 Ti Power Edition (MKT Name: N660Ti PE 2GD5/OC & N660Ti PE 2GD5) graphics card.

The new graphics card incorporates MSI’s exclusive Triple Overvoltage technology an d Enhanced PWM Design architecture to boost overclocking potential by up to 18.2%. The GTX 660 Ti Power Edition also features

Military Class III components, emphasizing on high quality and stability to provide gamers with a smooth and dependable working environment during overclocking or gaming.

Lifestyle products

AUGUST 2012 29 5th Anniversary Special Issue

AUGUST 2012 30 5th Anniversary Special Issue

Products Explorer

Foxconn Ivy Bridge Z77A-S Motherboard Foxconn has introduced Z77A-S motherboard for office PC’s and enthusiastic gamers. Foxconn Z77A-S motherboard is not only improved on process technology for frequency gains or power efficiency, but instead promises a little bit of raw performance with significant reductions in consumption. Most importantly for the home theater PC (HTPC) enthusiast significant improvements to the GPU are also included - offering greater flexibility in playback software selection as well as improvements to the existing media consumption experience.

Z77A-S supports the Intel second/ third generation Core i7 /Core i5 / Core i3 processors with Socket 1155. The motherboard is equipped with four DDR3 DIMM RAM slots which offer a total RAM capacity of 32 GB, 2 * SATA3.0, 3*

SATA2.0,2 *USB 3.0, 4 *USB 2.0 ports, PCI3.0 slots and a fair number of other expansion slots, make it a good option for even the most serious gamers. They are equipped with the latest SATA RAID 0,1,5,10 and Intel Rapid Recover Technology. The Z77 motherboard series begins at a price of Rs.6600/-carrying a warranty period of 3 years.

Microchip expands serial SRAMs Microchip Technology has expanded its serial SRAM portfolio with four new devices that feature the industry’s largest densities and speeds. They are also the industry’s first with 5V operation, which remains prevalent in automotive and industrial applications.

These 512 Kb and 1 Mb SPI devices maintain the portfolio’s low power consumption.

Corsair first India specific Memory Module Corsair has launched their first India specific memory module in XMS series. The memory module is available at a competitive price of Rs 1,800. The 4GB memory module works on both Intel and AMD platforms. This module is designed for all DDR3 motherboards.

Corsair’s long term plan

to introduce India specific Corsair products at a competitive price has started with the launch of CMX4GX3M1A1600C11 (XMS3) is priced at Rs. 1,800 with a warranty of 10 years and is readily available with Corsair partners across the country.

PNY Nifty Multi-Function card PNY Technologies has released the stylish and versatile Multi-function card reader that virtually supports any type of memory card on the market, and also unveils the 4 ports USB 2.0 Hub. The USB Media Hub stores, organizes and presents an accessible route to all the digital files and data from the various devices connected.

The PNY Card reader and

USB Hub works compatibly with all versions of Windows operating system and Mac version and comes with a limited warranty of 2 years form the date of purchase. It is priced at Rs. 500/-.

AUGUST 2012 31 5th Anniversary Special Issue

Products Explorer

HTC Desire VC Android smartphone

Jabra Supreme UC headset Jabra has announced the Jabra Supreme UC. The Jabra Supreme UC comes equipped with a nano Bluetooth USB adapter, which makes it possible to connect to PCs and use the headset for internet calls/softphones, along with traditional mobile phone calls. Users can stay connected to both devices and switch seamlessly between the mobile phone and internet/softphone calls with the simple push of a button.

Stellar Apple Mail Converter Stellar Data Recovery has launched its all new Apple Mail to Outlook 2011 Converter tool that efficiently convertsApple mail to importable ‘RGE’ files; that can be imported in Outlook 2011 with ease. The interface is Simple and user friendly with detailed instructions for performing the conversion. The software converts all messages along with included attachments without disturbing the original folder organization and email formatting.

Stellar Apple Mail to Outlook Converter is an effective tool that converts your Apple mails to importable .RGE files in Outlook 2011.

Stellar Apple Mail to Outlook Converter is available for immediate download at a starting price of Rs. 1950 only.

HTC in partnership with Tata Docomo unveiled its latest addition to the popular HTC Desire family of smartphones – HTC Desire VC. With a brilliant 4 inch screen and the latest HTC Sense 4.0 integrated with Android 4.0, HTC Desire VC (CDMA EVDO and GSM) is one of the most affordable 4 inch smartphones on the market.

This dual-sim smartphone offers one of the best-in-class interfaces that let users switch easily between personal and work mobile phone numbers and accounts, allowing for greater freedom and cost management.

It also enables users to easily switch between networks for better coverage, ensuring that you stay connected no matter where you are.

The HTC Desire VC features a power-

ful, yet rich studioquality sound experience that is enabled through the combination of optimized Beats Audio and amazing hardware.

This integration enables a rich, clear audio experience to customers no matter if they’re listening to music or playing a game.

The HTC Desire VC will be available at an MRP of Rs.23300/ - while the MOP (Best Buy) will be Rs 21999/- Only.

Envent Glide keyboard Envent has introduced its new Keyboard ‘Glide’. This latest keyboard is featured with Chiclet keys and combines new age technology with contemporary design to give you a smooth typing experience.

Envent’s Glide featuring high quality membrane boasts extensive life of the keyboard. Glide is compatible with Windows 2000/XP/ Vista and 7 and can be connected via USB. The X-Leg key cap structure requires less effort in typing and thereby giving better user experience for longer duration. It has a 105 keys layout, 1.5 m cable length and is also compatible with the MAC OS. Envent’ Glide (Wired Chiclet Keyboard) is priced at Rs. 699/- and is available in India through its authorized channel partners.

PNY HP v275w USB Flash Pendrive PNY has released the sleek and sophisticated model HP v275w USB flash pendrive. Incorporating style, durability with functionality, the HP v275w is the ideal choice for storing and transfer of documents and files anywhere with flair and ease.

Decorated with premium scratch proof metallic casing and unique mirror reflective design, it lends a sharp and professional appeal to the drive, perfect for your business work or presentations. The waterproof, dustproof and shockproof features enable protection of precious data and uninterrupted sharing in the long run.

HP v275w works compatibly with all versions of Windows operating system and Mac. The Hp v275 is available in memory storage ranging from 4GB to 64GB and delivers a warranty of 2 years from the date of purchase.

AUGUST 2012 32 5th Anniversary Special Issue

Schemes & Promotions

Emerson Network Power Olympus Offer

Partners on hunt for K7 Big Fish K7 Computing ran an exciting Scheme for all their channel partners for the month of March – May 2012 titled BigFish 2012 scheme, a billing value based offer. The scheme was specially targeted reaching the large resellers through which the major chunk of market share can be gained and also to reward their partners who have been patronizing and promoting K7 Security Products.

neoteric conducts Visit for Demo campaign neoteric infomatique ltd., in association with Promise Technology launched the first-of-its kind ‘Visit for Demo’ campaign for Pegasus R4 /R6 RAID Storage from 10th to 24th August 2012 at Authorised Reseller-stores across the country, covering North, South, East and West zones.

The key objective of the campaign is to familiarise the visitors at these demozones with the ‘Pegasus’ experience characterised by mobility, versatility and highperformance.

Emerson Network Power has announced that it will reward its Network Solution Partners (NSPs) and Value Added Resellers (VARs) in India under the Olympus Offer channel scheme for achieving pre-determined sales targets of UPS systems during the period of 1 July 2012 – 30 September 2012.

The Olympus Offer is a monthly scheme valid through the July-AugustSeptember (JAS) quarter and is valid for all registered NSPs and VARs across India for sales of UPS products (excluding battery) from Ingram Micro. The minimum sales target has been kept as low as Rs. 50,000.

Partners stand to win gadgets like Xbox gaming consoles, LCD TVs, Apple PCs, Tablets, Washing Machines and many other gift options depending on the total sales realized. Partners can also chose from a wider range of gift options available through Emerson’s online gift redemption mechanism, details of which will be shared at the end of the scheme.

Buy Authentic campaign

by Leadtek & Rashi for Partner benefit When you are the leader, there are many followers and sometimes the fake ones also. It is this case with Leadtek wherein fake and at times without warranty Quadro cards are being spuriously brought to India.

To prevent customers not to be manipulated, Leadtek and Rashi in association with Nvidia have launched the Buy Authentic initiative. The core objective of this campaign is to educate consumer and partners on the possible pitfalls and help them procure Quadro cards from the right source. To help partners identify original products, Rashi Peripherals have added a unique hologram sticker to the packaging. This 3D hologram has RPTECH logo on it and additionally there is a bright red sticker with Authentic written on it.

Envent Bangkok Calling offer Envent has announced its Foreign Travel Scheme to Bangkok and Pattaya to make your dreams come true. Now retail partners can win a 3 day 4 night holiday trip on collecting 3000 reward points by 30th September 2012!! These points can be won on purchase of Envent’s IT and Telecom products from Envent Premium Partners.

“Envent’s Foreign Travel Scheme will definitely generate the desired buzz and in turn boost product sales. This will also be a great way to reward our retail partners for their contribution towards increasing business and establishing stronger trade

relations with customers. We believe in long term relationship and this offer is a pre festive gift to our retailer friends. “ said Sandeep Ramani, COO, Envent.

To qualify for the programme, a retailer should accumulate minimum 500 points per month during the scheme period. Certified invoices may be required to validate the claims. What’s more, retailers achieving multiples of 3000 points can win multiple tickets eg. Win 2 tickets on collection of 6000 points.

So gear up to party, shop and relax on the beaches of Pattaya and as Envent would like to put it- Happy Selling!

AUGUST 2012 33 5th Anniversary Special Issue

Products Explorer

Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt Portable HDD in India

Asus Windows 8-Ready AMD Motherboards Asus has refreshed a variety of motherboards, including mainstream channel models, dedicated products from ROG and the TUF Series, plus FM1 socket-compatible and power-efficient APU-based models. Its Red Line technology maintains clear analog/digital signal separation for cleaner sound quality.

MiniStattion Thunderbolt is a portable HDD which offers easy plug and play storage featuring the revolutionary Thunderbolt technology for unparalleled transfer speeds and a USB port for universal connectivity. With speeds up to 10 Gbps, Thunderbolt is 2X FASTER than USB 3.0, giving the fastest portable storage interface ever.

Housed in a sleek aluminum body, MiniStation Thunderbolt is a stylish storage companion for the laptop while on go or at home. It includes a USB 3.0 port for convenience and universal connectivity. It instantly adds capacity to a Mac or a PC and when in use with the Time Machine, the drive backs up and protects all the important data. Compatibility with Mac OS X Time Machine also makes the MiniSta-

tion Thunderbolt / USB Portable Hard Drive an ideal solution for backup with Mac computers. Its bus-powered interface requires no additional cables, so transporting data is hassle-free. MiniStation Thunderbolt is priced atRs. 17500/- & 21990/for 500GB and 1TB respectively.

Edimax BR-6435nD Router Edimax has introduced the high performance and affordable BR-6435nD N600+ Wireless Concurrent Dual-Band Router. The Edimax BR-6435nD is able to provide concurrent dualband Wi-Fi connectivity for iPads and other 2.4GHz or 5GHz devices.

It has a maximum data rate of 300Mbps (2.4GHz) + 300Mbps (5GHz); and it features Edimax iQ Setup, which allows even the most inexperienced user to set up an Edimax router quick and effortlessly.

This router provides super fast Wi-Fi connections on both the 2.4GHz and the 5GHz band.

OCZ Synapse Cache Mercury unveils 27 new designs in Chassis Series Series SSDs OCZ Technology has launched its Synapse Cache Series 2.5" SSDs. The new Synapse SSDs are optimized for caching applications and leverages Dataplex cache software to dynamically manage the Synapse SSD in conjunction with standard hard disk drives (HDDs), to provide users with SSD-level performance across the entire capacity of the HDD. OCZ Synapse Cache SSDs are available now in 2.5" SATA III 64GB and 128GB configurations.

Kobian has announced the launch of the latest designs in the Popular Mercury Cab Series - 27 new unique and attractive designs in multi color options.

The cabinets are designed with high efficiency thermal ventilation, smooth air flow and air guide openings for better CPU & VGA cooling. Innovative & sleek designs give them a stylish look and, the compact design occupies comparatively less space than the traditional cases.

Mercury CAB series are designed with high quality tooling, without sharp edges,

to provide safety during installation. Dual USB & audio slots have been provided on the front panel for easy access and use. These casings are available in bright colors.

The pricing starts from Rs. 1,150/-.

AUGUST 2012 34 5th Anniversary Special Issue

AUGUST 2012 35 5th Anniversary Special Issue

RNI No.2003\14367

Registered No: KL/CT/155/2011-13

AUGUST 2012 36 5th Anniversary Special Issue