PCR August 2010 - Issue 83

DIXONS INTERVIEW We talk to the recently renamed international retail giant P17

COMPUTER & IT RESELLERS • RETAILERS • SYSTEM BUILDERS • DISTRIBUTORS • VENDORS

AUGUST 2010 ISSUE 83

COMMENT

Issue 83 August 2010 Incorporating

PCR CONTACTS Editor

Andrew Wooden andrew.wooden@intentmedia.co.uk

“It’s no surprise that retailers more established in tech sales are joining the chorus in calling for more simplified language.”

Staff Writer

LANGUAGE BARRIER

Matt Grainger matt.grainger@intentmedia.co.uk

LAST MONTH we covered the rising success of mainstream

Staff Writer

sector, asserting that these businesses are reaping the rewards

Nicky Trup nicky.trup@intentmedia.co.uk Editorial Production Manager

retail brands like Tesco, BHS and the Co op in the technology of mass market sales as they don’t bamboozle customers with a volley of specifications and techno babble.

We’ve brought the point up before, and I don t want to

Helen French helen.french@intentmedia.co.uk

seem like we’re in some way attacking traditional tech

Sub Editor

retailers – the type that call a spade a spade, a router a router,

Gemma Messina gemma.messina@intentmedia.co.uk

or a GTX triple SLI P55 chipset a… you get the idea. Of course

Managing Editor

customers that don’t need a dumbed down sales pitch, but

Lisa Foster lisa.foster@intentmedia.co.uk

there’s room for specialised, knowledgeable stores serving not so long a go it seemed like that was all there was – and it could be a minefield if you thought your bus speed had

Executive Advertising Manager

Katie Rawlings katie.rawlings@intentmedia.co.uk

anything to do with how quickly you were getting home.

It’s no surprise then that retailers more established in tech sales are joining the chorus in calling for more simplified

Sales Executive

Carly Bailey carly.bailey@intentmedia.co.uk

language. It makes sense if you’re trying to hit the mainstream.

Production Executive

tablets, mobile PCs and 3D technology – essentially where all

Rosie McKeown rosie.mckeown@intentmedia.co.uk

the high end funding in the tech industry appears to be heading.

Designer

Kelly Styles kelly.styles@intentmedia.co.uk

And if you’re not, you can’t expect to be making the most of

PCR FOOTBALL CHALLENGE FOR THOSE who sneered as the England team shuffled out of South Africa after a dismal World Cup performance, who

Publisher

Stuart Dinsey stuart.dinsey@intentmedia.co.uk

scream advice to players from the sidelines every Saturday afternoon, who concisely explain to their pals exactly what they would do with the back four were they calling the shots – it’s time to make good on your big talk.

Editorial: 01992 535646 Advertising: 01992 535647 www.pcr-online.biz

The PCR Football Challenge, a five a side tournament for the UK IT and PC channel, hits the Power League in Barnet, north London, on Friday October 15th, and it’s shaping up to be a great event. We’re expecting around 32 teams from all sectors of the business – if you want to be one of them get in contact with us (full details on page 13).

It's always good to do a bit of networking with the industry, but realistically this is a relatively low cost

member

PCR - Total average monthly net circulation for January 1st to December 31st 2009: 11,443 Intent Media is a member of the Periodical Publishers Associations PCR is published 12 times a year by Intent Media - Saxon House, 6a St.Andrew Street, Hertford, Hertfordshire SG14 1JA Fax: +44 (0)1992 535648. © Intent Media 2010 No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior permission of the copyright owners. Printed by Pensord.

teambuilding event that’s sure to be a of fun – and who wouldn't want to be the hero that bangs a 10 yard screamer past a rival firm’s dumbstruck goalie?

Now, where did I hang up my football boots…

Andrew Wooden, Editor andrew.wooden@intentmedia.co.uk

SUBSCRIPTIONS UK £50 Europe: £60 Rest of World: £90. The international cost applies per subscription and covers airmail dispatch of 12 issues. To order your subscription via Visa, MasterCard, Amex Switch or Delta contact: pcr.subscriptions@c-cms.com or call 01580 883848.

Alternatively visit our website www.pcr-online.biz Subscriptions Manager: Hannah Short, Hannah.Short@intentmedia.co.uk

August PCR 3

17-inch energy efficient monitor

17-INCH

This monitor has an energy star rating for energy efficiency and low power consumption, dual inputs and a tilting screen for optimised viewing angles. It is ideal for all education environments.

PHITFT17S1SB05 Now only

£83

AGU17 Now only

Add the B-Tech BTEBT7372 single arm desk mount for only £60 trade

This monitor produces bright colour, dark blacks and crystal clear images with maximum versatility. The screen can be used in either portrait or landscape mode, making it ideal for media or IT rooms.

LGL1942PK Now only

£107

19-INCH

trade

17-inch feature rich LCD monitor is monitor is designed with a narrow bezel and sleek neck and is packed with high performance features including 5ms response time, 50,000:1 contrast ratio and MagicAngle to enable users to see images from any angle.

SME1720NR Now only

Add the B-Tech BTEBT7372 single arm desk mount for only £60 trade

This 19-inch monitor is ideal for demanding education applications. Its protected LCD screen makes it suitable for IT rooms and multi user environments.

£100

Add the B-Tech BTEBT7372 single arm desk mount for only £60 trade

trade

19-inch hard glass monitor

17-INCH

is bright 17-inch monitor has built in stereo speakers, USB port and power saving technology, which will reduce power by up to 50% compared to standard LCD models. It is an affordable choice when price is your customer’s primary concern.

trade

19-inch height adjustable monitor

17-inch hard glass monitor

£81

17-INCH

trade

Add the B-Tech BTEBT7372 single arm desk mount for only £60 trade

19-INCH The quick and easy way to find your mounting solutions.

The new Whichmounts online mountfinder tool will help you to find the right mounting solution for your customers in 3 easy steps. Save both time and money whilst offering your customers the right mount, by price, type or manufacturer. Try it for yourself at www.midwich.com/whichmounts

IIYPLP1905SB Now only

£132

trade

Add the B-Tech BTEBT7372 single arm desk mount for only £60 trade

For more information about these products call our sales team on

01379 649200

Award winning Midwich – the UK’s leading specialist AV distributor

or visit www.midwich.com

Terms & Conditions. Prices are trade and exclude carriage & VAT. Prices are correct at time of publication, please confirm at time of ordering. E&OE. All transactions are in accordance with our full terms and conditions, a copy of which is available on request. All trademarks are the property of their respective manufacturers. Your calls may be recorded for training purposes. Copyright © Midwich Limited 2010. Midwich Limited, Vinces Road, Diss, Norfolk, IP22 4YT NM637-Q3-2010

audio visual • barcode solutions • consumables • consumer electronics • copy/print/scan/fax • digital imaging • digital signage • displays • hi-technology • interactive solutions • video conferencing • whichlamps • whichmounts

The latest monitors ideal for the next generation.

PCR Contents REGULARS

ISSUE 83 AUGUST 2010

History of the TCA President of the Technology Channels Association Keith Warburton tells us all about the trade body, a year after it was rebranded ........................................23

News ......................7 Appointments ..96 TCA ........................104 Brigantia ............101

Dixons Retail

IIYAMA COMPETITION

28-29

We talk to head of media relations Mark Webb about the retail giant’s recent re branding, financial results, and how consumers are responding to the latest technologies

FRONTLINE

Emergency budget

17

We ask IT industry figures what the Government’s fiscal plan means for the channel......................................33

RETAIL FOCUS 38 | MYSTERY SHOPPER 42 | INDIE PROFILE 41

Hardware

Software

Consumer Electronics

Pages 47 - 68

Pages 69 - 82

Pages 83 - 92

49

73

85

Back to school hardware

Back to school software

Speakers and headphones

The experts tell PCR what’s hot and what’s not in the world of gadgets aimed at schools and students

We take a look at a selection of the latest games and programmes targeted at the lucrative education market

Some of the industry’s key players tell us why audio accessories are one of the best add-on sales for PCs, and how the sector is changing with the times

KMS Components ..................59 Sales manager Steve Bland talks to us about the upsides of the recession and how the distributor plans to keep driving growth over the coming years

GfK analysis..................................63 Account executive Chris Kennedy-Sloane looks at why new PC shipments are dropping, while components are on the up

MARKETPLACE www.pcr-online.biz

Exspect ....................................90 Games ..............................................80 A rundown of the best-selling PC titles of the moment, along with a guide to the most promising games on the radar

General manager Michael Sanderson tells us about the firm’s recent deal with Joystick Junkies and what the firm has planned for the rest of the year

MP NEWS 94 | PCR RECOMMENDED 117 | OUT OF OFFICE 118 August PCR 5

SIGN UP FOR THE PCR NEWSFLASH SERVICE AT WWW.PCR-ONLINE.BIZ

NEWS

We’re still confusing customers with ‘geek speak’, claims the trade

Cut the techno-babble, says IT retail as it woos the mainstream Leading stores claim that the industry needs more plain talking or it will continue to alienate consumers

By Andrew Wooden

AS THE tech industry looks to capitalise on the burgeoning tablet and 3D sectors, leading retailers say the market needs to simplify the way in which it communicates to customers or risk losing them.

The argument of whether the industry should abandon ‘geek-speak’ in favour of more clear and accessible language often divides opinion, but this month some of the UK’s biggest retailers have spoken out against a culture of techno-babble, asserting that the industry should move away from this sometimes confusing practice.

“While it’s still important to provide this information to the people that want it and we do it’s also vital that customers can see clearly what it means in plain English,” said Rene Wright, Best Buy UK’s head of computing. “For example, in Best Buy stores we have always had educational signage in the computing section, as well as other areas of the store like

www.pcr-online.biz

cameras and MP3 players, that explain what 16GB actually means like 4,000 songs or up to 16 hours of video, or how many images it will store. It’s not just about listing specs.”

Ed Connolly, head of buying for consumer electronics at John Lewis, a firm which has gained praise for making its tech offering appealing to a

Smaller independent shops usually associated with niche, hardcore tech sales, have also noticed the need for change. “I now see more people than ever that need help choosing the correct PC for them,” said Craig Hume, of PCR Award Winner Utopia Computers. “PCs are now part of everyone’s daily lives, like many other

"Intel’s CPU model numbers are a bit of a minefield.

I’m sure most of us in the industry have a bit of a headache keeping up with them, never mind the end user.”

Craig Hume, Utopia Computers wide audience, added: “The complexity of the industry has grown faster than most people can keep up with. People now fall into different levels, from expert to beginner, so as a retailer John Lewis has to cater for them all. If my mum comes in to John Lewis I want her to receive a different level of information than someone with more technology knowledge.”

modern conveniences. How many people could tell you how much horsepower their car has, or what wattage their stereo system is? It’s important that we don’t alienate customers who don’t understand this language. Manufacturers like Intel could do a lot more to help the market become more open to less informed customers. Currently Intel’s CPU

model numbers are a bit of a minefield.

I’m sure most of us in the industry have a bit of a headache keeping up with them, never mind the end user.”

Last month, Tesco told PCR it was attempting to cater to the mass market and leverage its considerable brand trust to snap up less tech savvy consumers. Dixons Retail, the firm that would have the most to lose from increasing incursions by supermarkets, insists it is best to cater to both.

“They can sell as they want, but clearly when you’re a specialist retailer you’re going to have some clear competitive advantages. We can range an awful lot more than any nonspecialist can,” said head of media relations Mark Webb. “We can explain the benefits of each product so much better, and of course because we’ve got the Tech Guys, our after-sales work is always going to be far superior. I would say our competitive advantages are value, choice and service and that's where your supermarkets or whoever else can’t compete.”

August PCR 7

NEWS

NewsBytes APPLE SEES ‘PHENOMENAL’ SECOND QUARTER Apple has revealed its financial figures for the last quarter, having sold a record number of Macs and 3.27 million iPads so far. The vendor posted gross revenue of $15.7 billion for the period ending June 26th, with net profits standing at $3.25 billion. Mac sales increased by 33 per cent year-on-year, iPhones sales grew by 61 per cent and although iPod sales fell by eight per cent, the shortfall was taken up by the iPad. “It was a phenomenal quarter that exceeded our expectations all around,” said CEO Steve Jobs.

STONE SETS DEVICES TO SELF DESTRUCT Hardware manufacturer Stone is beginning to pre-install ‘selfdestruction’ data erasure software across its entire hardware portfolio, as part of a deal with Blancco. The move will allow suitably-authorised individuals to perform their own CESG-approved data erasures when equipment is decommissioned, without the need for a special engineer, thereby eliminating data security risks. Stone’s own desktops and laptops will carry the software, as will branded products such as

CYBER SECURITY CHALLENGE The UK’s first national competition to find future cyber security experts was launched last month by Baroness Neville-Jones, Minister for Security. Cyber Security Challenge UK involves a series of online and face-to-face challenges designed by leading security, education and government organisations and aims to identify people suited to a career in cyber security.

There are more than 30 prizes on offer including bursaries for university courses, places on top private-sector training courses, access to professional expertise and resources and memberships of professional bodies.

8 PCR August

Samsung. Stone expects this to cover over 125,000 units by the end of the year.

Exspect believes its cases, left, will still have a market despite the move

AMAZON REPORTS SALES BOOST FOR Q2 Amazon has announced its financial results for the second quarter of 2010, having seen net sales growth of 41 per cent. Net sales totalled $6.57 billion in the quarter, compared to $4.65 billion in the same period in the previous year.

The e-tailer is attributing much of this growth to a tripling in sales of its Kindle e-reader, which have in turn boosted sales of e-books to record highs. “We’re seeing rapid growth in Kindle, Amazon Web Services, third-party sales, and retail,” said Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos.

PC REVENUE OUTLOOK Analysts are predicting that worldwide PC revenues will drop from a peak of $333 billion in 2007 to $300 billion in 2010 – the year the industry celebrates its 35th birthday. According to Research and Markets, revenues will remain in this range for the next five years. In 1975 fewer than 50,000 PCs were sold with a value of about $60 million. The analysts claim the declining phase is due to continued price declines and a shift to lowcost products such as netbooks.

UNOTRON SIGNS WITH CENTERPRISE Washable IT technology manufacturer Unotron has signed a deal with Centerprise, which will see the Hampshire-based distributor stocking its medical-grade washable keyboards, mice and smartcard readers. Peter Roost, Unotron’s EMEA CEO, said: “We are delighted to work closely with Centerprise International as a major distributor of our products. We believe our SpillSeal and Scroll Seal patented technology offers a unique and highly cost-effective proposition to a range of markets including healthcare and education.”

Apple’s free iPhone case offer to damage retail?

Vendor provides free cases to alleviate antenna issues Could eat in to retail sales of third party cases Industry opinion divided on possible effects

By Andrew Wooden

THE INDUSTRY is split on the potentially damaging effects of Apple’s free iPhone case giveaway on the third party accessory sector.

At an impromptu press conference last month Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced the firm would be giving away free cases, which can solve the signal dropping issue blighting many of its smartphones.

Since many accessory firms make much of their money on cases of this type, the news has caused alarm in some sectors of the UK market.

“The news that Apple is offering free cases as a way of glossing over the iPhone 4 signal loss fiasco is potentially disastrous for the third party case manufacturers,” said Glen Rhodes, product manager at Target

Components. “These cases normally retail at the Apple Store at £25, and with the legions of Apple customers preferring official merchandise over third party offerings as a rule, the third party sales of iPhone 4 cases will surely plummet. The only way that these companies will be able to compete is by offering innovative and unique case solutions for the iPhone 4 which will mean going back to the drawing board I expect.”

Mike Sanderson, general manager of Exspect added: “The decision to add a case for the iPhone 4 is a blow, I have to admit. However I can’t believe that this is a long term solution or fix for the problem.”

But others claim users will still want to buy higher priced third party cases despite Apple’s free alternatives. “I think it will have an effect on those

www.pcr-online.biz

NEWS

Government says ‘Race Online’ will boost IT trade Ten million Britons remain unconnected Manifesto aims to unite industry in drive for broadband uptake 600 partners signed so far AFTER PRESENTING her ‘Networked Nation’ manifesto to Parliament last month, the Government’s ‘digital champion’ Martha Lane Fox is looking to woo more businesses over to the ‘Race Online 2012’ scheme, which she claims will provide a boost to the industry.

Networked Nation lays out a clear economic case for getting everyone in the UK online, with research showing that if everyone in the country was online, total benefits to the UK will be in excess of £22bn. By getting more people online, everyone wins.

Businesses are competing for more online customers. Government needs

“So far over 600 partners have signed up, promising to get over 1.5 million new people online by the end of 2012. These include businesses from every sector; from Sainsbury’s to Google.”

Martha Lane Fox

“iPhone users who are looking for individual, stylish and protective cases will seek the wider choice provided by other Apple accessory manufacturers.”

Jon Atherton, Enta

potential customers who just want a basic protector skin for their iPhone, but for those who want something more custom or in different colours then they will still purchase accessories,” said Steve Walsh, sales director at Meroncourt.

www.pcr-online.biz

Jon Atherton, EntaTech’s commercial vice president added: “The iPhone cases that will be provided directly from Apple are designed to perform a single function the elimination of the antenna issues so iPhone users who are looking for individual, stylish and protective cases will seek the wider choice provided by other Apple accessory manufacturers.”

Meanwhile, some believe the move could actually be an advantage for third party vendors.

“Now that the ‘cat is out of the bag’ about the advantage of having a case, there is actually more chance of there being a surge of extra sales for third party cases, with third party case manufacturers being encouraged to take advantage of this situation,” noted Andrew Miles, marketing manager at Interactive Ideas.

The report states that around ten million Britons do not have access to the internet. Amending this, Lane Fox asserts, will provide tangible benefits to the economy as well as the individuals themselves.

The Government wants vendors and retailers to create tailored packages for people on low incomes and the elderly, with low up-front costs, affordable monthly payments, and ongoing support.

“So far over 600 partners have signed up, promising to get over 1.5 million new people online by the end of 2012,” Lane Fox told PCR. “These include businesses from every sector; from Sainsbury’s to Google. We are welcoming every business in the UK either large or small to get involved and become a partner organisation.”

When asked if getting involved could boost the trade, she added: “Yes. Our Manifesto for a

to deliver better for less. Charities want to support the people they serve better. So we are calling on them to tackle digital exclusion.”

Martha Lane Fox

August PCR 9

NEWS

Dixons considers further discount stores New unbranded outlet is not competing with Best Buy, insists the retail group

Mark Webb, Dixons Retail

By Nicky Trup

DIXONS RETAIL could be set to open more cut-price electrical stores, after the first opened in the West Midlands last month.

The debut Electrical Clearance Store opened its doors in Merry Hill on July 1st just six days after Best Buy launched its third UK store in the same retail park.

And the retail group has not ruled out the possibility of further openings. “We're focused on this store at present, and it’s working exceptionally well, with customers responding very positively. There may be space for one or two more similar stores in the longer term,” Mark Webb, head of media

Pic © www.planetretail.net

“We're focused on this store at present, but there may be space for one or two more similar stores in the longer term.”

relations for Dixons Retail, told PCR. Despite the location of the debut store, Dixons claims that the move had nothing to do with its rivalry with Best Buy. “It is simply part of our transformation programme, which is rolling out refitted stores all over the country every week,” Webb added.

The Electrical Clearance Store is aimed at helping the retail group clear stock more efficiently, allowing its other chains to focus on newer ranges. Products carried by the Merry Hill shop include “saleable damaged, end-ofrange and customer returns mainly laptops, PCs, TVs and white goods”, Webb said.

The store is located in a former PC World unit, with PC World having been incorporated with Currys into a new two-in-one megastore next door. It is likely to put further pressure on local independent electronics retailers, who now have heavy competition from both Dixons and Best Buy.

Intel will continue spec arms race CHIP GIANT Intel will continue to keep performance as a lynchpin of its hardware designs and marketing, despite rival AMD shifting production towards a homogenous model and moving away from specification-based marketing.

Talking to PCR, Intel’s UK and Ireland channel manager Christine Harrison said that although the vendor was aware of the possibilities offered by parallel and homogenous processing, customer demand was still leaning towards the performance of individual components.

“I think collectively as a group of vendors not just Intel and AMD, the whole infrastructure in general the aim is to make accounts

10 PCR August

profitable by driving technology,” Harrison said.

“For us, performance is still very important because we have so many customers who demand that increased level.”

Harrison was also quick to point out that Intel is in a position where it is able to meet the demand of a range of consumers, from entry level to high-end.

“I don’t think we can walk away from the performance arena. That wouldn’t be a decision we’d make. Having the ability to offer extremely high-performance for enthusiasts or business, and still having the ability to offer Atom-based netbooks to education, for example, puts us in a good position to

“Performance is still very important because we have so many customers who demand that increased level.

I don’t think we can walk away from the performance arena.”

Christine Harrison, Intel offer the whole stack,” she commented.

Although Intel does not produce discrete graphic processors, Harrison hinted that the firm could work with homogenous processing if necessary. “Our focus is always going to be on

performance as we’re always going to have accounts and businesses that demand the fastest and most efficient desktop or notebook. And whether or not that comes on the CPU or GPU will vary depending on the business model,” she said.

www.pcr-online.biz

t CPUs t Displays t Flash Memory t Hard Drives t Networking t Notebooks t Peripherals t Software t Video Cards

Contact the VIP Sales team on 0871 622 7500 or buy online at www.vip-computers.com/uk Š Copyright VIP Computer Centre Limited. 2010. Information correct at time of publication E&OE

NEWS

Microsoft: ‘Join us in the Cloud’ Software giant pushes web based business models 90 per cent of R&D to focus on cloud

By Matt Grainger

MICROSOFT IS urging UK businesses to take up more cloudbased business models, following its recent Worldwide Partner Conference in Washington DC, in which it outlined its new cloud computing business strategy.

With a record audience of over 10,000 partners and a further 2,000 staff, Microsoft’s top executives laid out a plan that will virtually transform the way the company operates, essentially turning it into the world’s largest cloud services provider.

“The main message that has come from the event is really about the opportunity that’s ahead of us in the

cloud and the transformation that we’re driving with our partners,” Microsoft UK’s director of partner programmes and strategies, Clare Barclay, told PCR. “We believe that it presents a phenomenal opportunity for the channel and for Microsoft. The theme of the conference is that MS is making a very significant commitment and strategic direction with the cloud and we want our partners to come with us on that journey.”

Microsoft has already invested 70 per cent of its product development and engineering resources into creating its cloud offering, and that proportion is expected to rise to 90 per cent, or $9.5 billion, over the next twelve months. It has developed two

“We’re evolving ourselves to become a cloud services company. It’s a change for us and our partners, and we want to ensure that we’re here to support them."

Clare Barclay, Microsoft partner programmes Cloud Essentials, which is the cloud version of its Action Packs, and the more indepth version, Cloud Accelerate to

give its partners the support they need to make the change.

“We’re evolving ourselves to become a cloud services company.

That’s the strategic direction,” said Barclay. “This is a change for us and it’s going to be a change for them and we want to ensure that we’re here to support them. We’re a partner led company, and we’re only successful because our partners are successful, so we’ve got to make sure that as we make this change we’re supporting our partners all the way.”

Register now for PCR Football Challenge As well as bragging rights, a trophy, medals and PR, the winner of this year's first ever PCR Football Challenge will gain free entry into the Top Corner Champions' Cup 2011

YOU CAN now register online for the IT and PC industry’s very own football tournament, which will take place on Friday October 15th at Power League, Barnet, North London.

Head over to the events page on www.pcr-online.biz for details on how to enter, or simply email Andy.Harding@topcorner.co.uk.

Up to 32 teams from distributors, dealerships, manufacturers, publishers and service companies are expected at the event, and there will be extensive media coverage throughout PCR in print and online.

Qualified officials

32 teams

Entry fee is £495 + VAT per squad of 10 players. All teams get to compete within high quality facilities inclusive of professional organisation, officials, trophies, lunch and refreshments.

As well as bragging rights, a trophy, medals and PR, the winner of this year's first ever PCR Football Challenge will gain free entry into the Top Corner Champions' Cup 2011, which features the top teams from a wide variety of UK industries.

For sponsorship opportunities please contact Katie Rawlings on Katie.Rawlings@intentmedia.co.uk

GET YOUR KIT ON

★ AT LEAST SIX GAMES PER TEAM Register online at www.topcorner.co.uk/PCR Sponsorship opportunities available via Katie.Rawlings@intentmedia.co.uk

now

★

NEWS

The TCA looks to boost its events portfolio as body eyes expansion New regional forums are on the horizon as the trade association prepares for its annual conference "We're constantly working to help resellers specifically improve their business, gain more customers, make more money and save more money. I’ve been a reseller, so I've been on the coal face of it and I know exactly what the pressures are.”

Adam Harris, TCA

By Andrew Wooden

THE TECHNOLOGY Channels Association is expanding the number of industry events it hosts to include regional forums, as it looks to further boost its influence and membership within the UK trade.

The trade body is currently gearing up for its annual conference, to be

held on Wednesday October 20th at the Radisson Edwardian hotel in Heathrow. The event will open with a reseller forum, and will be followed by a plenary conference and the TCA Expo. Afterwards all delegates are invited to take part in a reception hosted by CompTIA. TCA CEO Adam Harris said that launching more of these types of

events and working closer with international trade body CompTIA is key to the organisation’s strategy to expand its impact on the channel.

“We’re glad to be working with CompTIA to push the industry forward it’s going to be a great event,” he said.

“The reseller forum is open to any business, so we’re always looking for new people to come along. The forums are something we’re expanding all the time. Within six months the reseller forum is going to splinter off into a B2B reseller forum and a consumer forum. We’ll be looking at running those on a regional basis as well.

“We’re constantly working to improve and get more benefits for our members. Anything that is going to help resellers specifically improve their business, gain more customers, make more money and save more money.

I’ve been a reseller, so I've been on the coal face of it and I know exactly what the pressures are,” he added.

Blizzard: We’re not giving up on PC gaming GAMES PUBLISHING powerhouse Blizzard has insisted that while the PC format faces many challenges as a games platform, it will not turn its back on the platform following the launch of the highly anticipated StarCraft II late last month.

Mike Ryder, VP and managing director of international operations, told PCR: “It’s certainly not written off by us. PC development has a number of unique challenges that console

"PC development has a number of unique challenges that console developers don’t face, but we are making great PC games."

Mike Ryder, Blizzard

developers don’t face, but Blizzard is one of the few companies that is here making great PC games. We’ve spent a lot of time in development focusing on scalability, on new PC hardware and old. If you were just designing for a console it would be a much easier task.”

The PC gaming sector is becoming increasingly reliant on digital downloads, with platforms like Steam attracting more and more users.

However, Blizzard insists retail is still a

vital part of its business. “We focus on the players and what they want and in some cases they want digital, and in others they want a retail box. Retail is a vital part of our business we built World of Warcraft largely around the retail channel. And we continue to have quite a bit of focus on retail we think its really important.”

StarCraft II was launched on July 27th on the PC and Mac to huge public demand across the globe.

7KH )XOO 1HWZRUNLQJ 6HFXULW\ 6ROXWLRQ IURP (QWD7HFK :LWK VXFK D YDVW UDQJH RI QHWZRUNLQJ SURGXFWV ZLWKLQ RXU SRUWIROLR (QWD7HFK LV DEOH WR RIIHU \RX WKH IXOO VROXWLRQ WR PHHW WKH H[DFW QHHGV RI \RXU FXVWRPHUV :H KDYH D GHGLFDWHG LQ KRXVH 1HWZRUNLQJ &RPPXQLFDWLRQV 6HFXULW\ WHDP RQ KDQG WR JXLGH \RX WKURXJK \RXU SXUFKDVH DQG WDLORU WKH VROXWLRQ VSHFLÀFDOO\ WR \RX

7KH UHFHQW DGGLWLRQ RI ,3 6XUYHLOODQFH SURGXFWV WR RXU UDQJH IXUWKHU HQKDQFHV WKH SRUWIROLR DQG DOORZV UHVHOOHUV WR DGG PRUH WR WKHLU FXVWRPHUV ,7 ,QIUDVWUXFWXUH ZKLFK LQFUHDVHV WKH PDUJLQ RSSRUWXQLWLHV DYDLODEOH $ VPDOO VHOHFWLRQ RI WKH 1HWZRUNLQJ YHQGRUV DYDLODEOH DW (QWD7HFK DUH VKRZQ EHORZ RU FRQWDFW QHWZRUNLQJ#HQWDWHFK FRP IRU D WDLORUHG VROXWLRQ

' /LQN '*6 3 3RUW :HE 6PDUW 6ZLWFK ZLWK 3R( (QWD &RGH '/ '*6 3

1HWJHDU '* * 9HUVLRQ :LUHOHVV * 5RXWHU

' /LQN '*6 3RUW *LJDELW 6PDUW 6ZLWFK ZLWK &RPER 6)3 3RUWV

(QWD &RGH 1* '* * 8.6

(QWD &RGH '/ '*6

6+23 $7

ZZZ HQWDRQOLQH FRP

7HO QHWZRUNLQJ#HQWDWHFK FRP ZZZ HQWDWHFK FRP

HOW TO EARN ADDITIONAL REVENUE FROM EXISTING CUSTOMERS...

ARE YOU LOOKING TO INCREASE YOUR REVENUE PROFIT? THEN WHY NOT LOOK AT OFFERING A COMPLETE PACKAGE FOR BLACKBERRY® SMARTPHONES TO YOUR EXISTING CUSTOMERS? FROM INSTALLATION TO CONNECTION, ANGLIA TELECOM CENTRES ARE ON HAND TO ASSIST YOU WITH THIS. WITH 25 YEARS EXPERIENCE WITHIN THE MOBILE INDUSTRY, ANGLIA TELECOM CENTRES HAS ENHANCED THEIR REPUTATION FOR DELIVERING HIGH QUALITY, ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS WITHIN THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY. OUR INHOUSE DATA SPECIALIST, COMPETITIVE COMMERCIAL PACKAGE AND DEVICE PRICING, COUPLED WITH A GREAT BACK OFFICE SUPPORT AND EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF O2'S PRODUCTS AND SERVICES, MEANS WE HAVE WHAT YOU NEED TO MOVE YOUR BUSINESS FORWARD.

WITH ALL OF THE ABOVE THERE'S NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO CONNECT THE BLACKBERRY® SOLUTION THROUGH ANGLIA TELECOM CENTRES. BlackBerry® Curve® 8520 smartphone

BlackBerry®, RIM®, Research In Motion®, SureType®, SurePress™ and related trademarks, names and logos are the property of Research In Motion Limited and are registered and/or used in the U.S. and countries around the world. Used under license from Research In Motion Limited.

16 PCR August

CALL 01473 382075 OR CONTACT marketing@angliatelecom.co.uk www.pcr-online.biz

INTERVIEW DGSI

Size matters With a change of name, a storming set of financials, and a fast moving store revamp plan, Dixons Retail is looking to ride the new waves of technology provided by tablet and 3D products to cement its market leading position. Andrew Wooden talks to the firm’s head of media relations Mark Webb...

“Everyone still refers to us as Dixons, because of the strength it’s got. It’s iconic, it’s a market leader, and because of peoples long memories.”

Mark Webb, Dixons Retail

www.pcr-online.biz

DIXONS RETAIL is in the contradictory position of being the most dominant player in the UK IT retail game without a rival anywhere near its size while simultaneously being considered the underdog against a retailer whose stores don’t even get close to double digits.

From a myopic UK perspective, Best Buy’s operation can barely be said to be on the same level as the hundreds of PC World’s, Currys and Dixons stores spread across the nation. But the hegemony the US retailer has, globally

casts a long shadow across arenas it has even a minimal presence in.

High command at PC World and Currys wouldn’t thank us for starting a feature on its brands with immediate reference to its most talked about competitor, but to discuss the two in isolation is increasingly difficult. Most of its activities to date can in some way be seen as counter moves to each other’s strategies. It’s often the way in the tech market whether sitting on the sidelines observing Intel and AMD, Apple and Microsoft, or ATI and

Nvidia, the competition is such that to not mention the competitive landscape wouldn’t be telling the whole story.

DON’T MENTION THE WAR In this context, it’s easy to see the decision to change the group’s name from DSGi to Dixons Retail. Dixons was the primary retail brand during the eighties and early nineties, playing a huge part on the personal computer revolution in this country. The name had such an impact that, in our experience, many still

>>>

August PCR 17

www.netgear.co.uk

Connect with Innovation™

Surf, email, stream HD video, online game, make Internet phone calls–simultaneously

For more information on Netgear products available from Gem contact your account manager on 01279 822822 or go online at ww.gem.co.uk/netgear

Dual Band Wireless-N DSL Gateway

Dual Band Wireless-N Router

• Dual band wireless networks deliver better connections with less interference • Greater bandwidth for high-quality media streaming and better online gaming • 8 internal smart antennas, to optimise signal strength and range • Push ‘N’ Connect using Wi-Fi Protected Setup™ (WPS) allows you to add computers to the network quickly and securely • Convenient one touch on/off switch and Wi-Fi button conserve energy • Automatically upgrades to the latest router firmware • Easy setup with Smart Wizard® installation CD

• New Wireless-N technology delivers exceptional range and speed • “Dual Band” has more channels, less interference and better connections • Wirelessly connect new devices easily and securely with Push ‘N’ Connect • Works with older Wireless-G and newest Wireless-N devices at the same time • No need to remember your security password • For use with other Push ‘N’ Connect supported devices • Easy setup with Smart Wizard® installation CD

Webcode DGND3300-100UKS SRP £109.99

Webcode WNDR3300-100UKS SRP £99.99

INTERVIEW DGSI

>>>

refer to PC World as Dixons to this day. It’s this resonance, this association with its own place in the history of UK computing that the firm is hoping to tap into.

“It’s because of the strength it’s got it’s iconic, it’s a market leader, and because of people’s long memories, everyone still refers to us as Dixons anyway,” says Mark Webb, head of media relations at the firm. “John (Browett, CEO) has cited many times where he’d been off in the Far East, and people would ask him how Dixons is. That’s how we’re known.”

The name change is the latest and most superficial move of the renewal and transformation plan a long-term strategy designed to modernise and

“We’re really proud of the new stores, the new Currys and PC Worlds, the two-in-ones, the megastores. All the different formats we’re doing are all great, as is the improving customer service and all the training that goes behind that.”

Mark Webb, Dixons Retail

increase the profitability of the firm’s huge portfolio. So far, the signs are that it’s certainly achieving a significant streamlining effect profits were up by 61 per cent for the last financial year, though sales in the UK and Ireland were down for a portion of that.

Much of this can be attributed to a dramatic, and successful, tightening of operational costs.

“Yes, that would be one of the major contributors, absolutely. We’re really proud of the new stores, the new Currys and PC Worlds, the two-inones, the megastores, all the different formats we’re doing are all great, as is the improving customer service and all the training that goes behind that,” continues Webb. “But just as important in terms of strategy, and one of the five core elements of the renewal and transformation plan, is to reduce costs. We’ve done it in such a way that it always leads to a better deal for the customer anyway. Externally we talk about value, choice and service an awful lot. That’s what matters to us because that’s what matters to customers. Internally, what we talk

about is better, easier, cheaper. Sort your processes out, sort your operations out, and by doing that you’ll be able to reduce costs and we can reinvest in the customer. We’ve always had a very large operation, but now we’ve got a very efficient and improving one.”

THE NEW BREED As well as a tightening of costs behind the scenes, more visibly Dixons has been reformatting a great many of its stores. In terms of revenue, the firm claims a third of its portfolio was transformed by last Christmas, and two thirds will be done by this Christmas.

“We’ve reformatted over 200 stores across the globe,” adds Webb. “Each of those stores gives an average gross profit uplift of 20 per cent, and more.

Particularly the megastores and the twoin-one stores they can deliver up to 50 per cent average gross profits uplifts. So, essentially, the ‘renewal and transformation’ plan is delivering.

“While reduced costs are key, so is the new estate. Most of our store openings are from existing estates. So when you’ve got a

>>>

The new Currys megastore is located near its rival Best Buy in Thurrock and measures a massive 70,000 square feet

www.pcr-online.biz

August PCR 19

INTERVIEW DSGI

>>>

Currys and PC world next to each other, often we’ll take the wall down, refit it, and that becomes one store. But it very much feels like a new one. Every so often there will be a new store, like in Thurrock. We had an existing Currys store there, but we re-sited into a much larger space, and that’s the Currys megastore which is now 70,000 square foot.”

That very behemoth in Thurrock represents the frontline of the war between it and Best Buy, since that’s where the US firm’s first store landed this year. On the subject of its rival, Dixons’ point remains the same as it always has they are still a long, long way ahead in the UK. “I think the results speak for themselves. When you’re specifically talking about those locations, those stores and we can only talk about two as they’ve only just opened the third in those areas the stores are two of the best performing stores of the group and they’ve seen a profit uplift since launch. So, customers are voting with their feet. While I know those guys have things that they’re shouting about, we’re very happy about our customers and certainly about the range. We’ve got the biggest and best range in the country. As you’d expect when you’ve got the biggest stores as well. Soon you’ll be able to compare three [sites where Dixons and Best Buy directly compete], but

20 PCR August

right now the only place you can compare is two sites, and there we are benefiting.”

NEW FRONTIERS While hardware sales are having less and less to do with independent retail, the new technology sectors solidifying themselves in the UK market are having an invigorating effect on Dixon’s armada of stores. The main reason appears to be that while in the past new technology was often first marketed to enthusiasts at a very high cost, which would then drip feed down until the mass market appeal was high enough to warrant a price drop and a more holistic approach, the architects of the tablet and 3D revolutions appear to be targeting the mass market immediately for their new products.

“In that sense, 3D is a slightly different launch to some things you’ve seen in the past,” adds Webb. “It’s already accessible, and we’re seeing that in the sales of 3D. It’s on a relatively low number, but already what we’re seeing makes us so confident, particularly when we’re waiting for the high-end levels of content to come through. Customers can have it demonstrated in store, which is great. I don’t know about you, but as a consumer I watched it in the cinema, enjoyed it, but didn’t regard myself as somebody that would buy a 3D TV. Then I went and saw it in store and thought ‘oh hold on, this is a great looking TV that shows everything in HD and has

STRATEGIC ALLIANCE COMMENTATORS and analysts have been pointing out the convergence between the mobile phone and PC industries for some time now, however at retail this trend is usually more defined by mobile phone retailers getting into laptops sales, or the phones themselves increasingly resembling mini PCs. Last month, however, Dixons Group announced it would roll out the ‘phones 4U at Currys’ scheme across 50 more stores throughout the year. Staffed by fully trained Phones 4U employees, the areas go further than a concession for mobile phones and actually point towards a fully-fledged alliance between the two firms. Many will see the move as a counter to Best Buy’s partnership with The Carphone Warehouse.

all the normal benefits anyway I’m interested.’ There’s a great level of interest already, and high levels of sales on a relatively low number of units that we were first to market with, and we’re excited about Christmas for 3D,” continued Webb.

Tablet PCs, a

market that is at this stage overwhelmingly dominated by the iPad, have also provided a significant boost recently.

“We were the major national retailer for iPads at launch everyone has been asking us for figures, but I’m afraid all we can say is that we are delighted with sales. Not just in sales, essentially we’ll sell as many as we can get hold of, but also because they’re not so techy. Put it in people’s hand and they love it because it’s so easy to use and so exciting. So what we love about it is the vibe in store. We have them operating in store because that’s a play table concept that we have in place anyway, and there’s always people playing around with iPads. There’s a lovely buzz in-store and it’s been fantastic for us, and it makes us very confident that this will be a new category.”

Overall, through a combination of a tighter operation, new stores, new technology to sell, and grabbing the convergence with the mobile industry with both hands (see ‘Strategic Alliance’), Dixon Group’s position looks as strong as it has ever been in recent times and most would agree that it will take more than three stores from Best Buy to topple it market leading position anytime soon.

www.pcr-online.biz

:aďra injΡ ϲϮ0 US

:aďra 'Eϵϯϯ0e

salƵe CŽrĚeĚ ,eaĚƐet WerĨeĐt &Žr StƵĚeŶtƐ

StLJliƐŚ ŶtrLJ Leǀel tireleƐƐ ,eaĚƐet

ͻ PlugͲandͲplay with DicrosoŌΠ Kĸce Communicator Ϯ00ϳ ͻ so/P in full wideďand Ƌuality for clearer sound Ƌuality

:aďra / ϲϮ0 US Mono DS KC

ͻ džcepƟonal ease of setup and use͕ for increase producƟvity ͻ Up to ϵ hours talŬͲƟme with opƟonal spare ďaƩery Ŭit for Ϯ4 hour talŬ Ɵme

:aďra / ϲϮ0 US Duo DS KC

£Ϯϯ

ϵϯϯϳͲ50ϴͲ40Ϯ 'Nϵϯϯ0e

£Ϯϲ

SKU: Yϳϭ04Ϯϳ

£ϭϭϲ.50

SKU: Yϳϭ04ϯ0

ĂŶŽŶ /yUS ϭ0ϱ Digital Camera

SKU: Yϳϭ0ϯϮϲ

ϵϯϯϳͲ50ϵͲ40Ϯ 'Nϵϯϯ0e US

£ϭϭϲ.50

SKU: Yϳϭ0ϯϮϳ

dŽƐŚiďa Satellite WrŽ L4ϱ0ͲϭϳL

StLJliƐŚ Digital Camera titŚ &ree SŽĐŬ aŶĚ Ϯ' SD CarĚ

ͻ Face DetecƟon͕ FaceSelfͲdimer͕ uto ZedͲ ye CorrecƟon ͻ DoƟon DetecƟon dechnology ͻ CreaƟve ShooƟng Dodes

£ϭϭϮ.Ϯϵ

Zeliaďle EŽͲŶŽŶƐeŶƐe LaƉtŽƉ

/ntel Celeron ϵ00 Processor ϭ5͘ϲΗ dru rite wide display Ϯ' Z D and Ϯ50' ,DD DsDͲZt tindows ϳ ,ome Premium xϲ4

ͻ &ullͲsinjed ergonomic Ŭeyďoard ͻ dvanced powerͲmanagement and ďaƩery management soŌware ͻ Dolďy sound soŌware ͻ /ntel Celeron dϯϭ00 with Ϯ' Z D ͻ ϯϮ0' ,DD and tindows ϳ ,ome Premium

£ϯ05

Free Sock and 2GB SD Card

SKU: 404Kϵϲϴ

£ϯϯϵ.ϭ0

dŽƐŚŝďĂ LJŶĂĚŽĐŬ άϲϲ Ğdž s d

SKU: Ϯ4ϮY4ϳ4

SKU: Sϲ00' ϵ

SKU: 404L044

LeŶŽǀŽ /ĚeaWaĚ EetͲdaďlet SiŶgle dŽƵĐŚ ĐĐeƐƐ KŶ dŚiƐ dŽƵĐŚ SĐreeŶ daďlet WC

Eetgear ϱ WŽrt ϭ0ͬϭ00 ƐǁitĐŚ ͻ 5x ϭ0ͬϭ00 Dďps ports uto Speed Sensing ͻ Simple to use ͻ sersaƟle and Compatďle ͻ Yuiet Ͳ No Fan

£ϭϵ.ϵϵ

15% Public Sector discount available until end Aug 2010 ͻ ͻ ͻ ͻ ͻ

SKU: 0ϳϭ0ϭϳϳ

tireleƐƐͲE ϭϱ0 ZoƵter ͻ ͻ ͻ ͻ ͻ ͻ

ά4Ϯ͘ϭϲ

SKU: 0ϳϭϮϭϳϳ

ϭ͘ϯϲŬg and ϭ͘ϱ͟ thin douchͲsensiƟve panel rotates ϭϴ0 degrees /nstantͲon YuicŬ Start technology PS protecƟon against accidental drops tin ϳ Starter with Lenovo /deadouch

£ϯϯϳ.ϭ0

Live Parental Controls – Free!

Push 'N' Connect tiͲFi onͬoī ďuƩon Power onͬoī ďuƩon Compact and elegant design asy mulƟͲlanguage installaƟon

SKU: Sϲ00' 5

5% Public Sector discount available

£ϭϭϲ.50

SKU: Yϳϭ0ϯϲϯ

LeŶŽǀŽ /ĚeaWaĚ ϱϱ0 ϭϱ͘ϲΗ LaƉtŽƉ

/Ŷtel WŽǁereĚ ϭϱ͘ϲΗ LaƉtŽƉ Ͳ džĐeƉƟŽŶal salƵe &Žr DŽŶeLJ

ͻ ͻ ͻ ͻ ͻ

ϵϯϯϳͲ50ϵͲ50Ϯ 'Nϵϯϯ0e US DSKC

Upgrade tindows ,ome Premium ϳ nglish DsD

Kĸce ,ome and Student Ϯ0ϭ0

ChecŬ Kut dhe tonders Kf tindows ϳ

e Dore͕ Do Dore͕ 'et Dore tith DicrosoŌ Kĸce Ϯ0ϭ0

O

ͻ ZeadyͲtoͲuse templates in tord and PowerPoint Ϯ0ϭ0 ͻ ccess͕ edit͕ and share from virtually anywhere with Kĸce teď pps ͻ Krganise all of your informaƟon in a single place in KneNote

ͻ asiest tindows to use ever ͻ Simplify your PC with new navigaƟon features liŬe ero ShaŬe͕ :ump Lists͕ and Snap ͻ Seƫng up a home networŬ and connecƟng to printers and devices is easier than ever

£ϳ0.ϵϵ

£ϲϲ.Ϯϵ

SKU: ϴ0ϯϲULϲ

SKU: ϴ0ϯϲ z0

Logitech ,D teďcam C5ϭ0 For portaďle ,D video calling and recording

Logitech ,D teďcam Cϯϭ0

Logitech ,D teďcam CϮϳ0

For ,D video calling and connecƟng online

,D ϳϮ0p video calling that͛s simple

ͻ ,D ϳϮ0p video calling on most maũor /D applicaƟons and Logitech sidΡ ,D ͻ ϴ megapixels photos ;soŌware enhancedͿ ͻ ϭͲclicŬ FaceďooŬΡ and zouduďeΠ uploading

£44.ϵϵ

SKU: ϮϮϮϳϮ5ϳ

Logitech ,D teďcam Cϵϭ0

ͻ ,D ϳϮ0p video calling on most maũor /D applicaƟons and Logitech sidΡ ,D ͻ ϯ megapixels photos ;soŌware enhancedͿ ͻ est possiďle image with Logitech ZightLightΡ technology

ͻ ,D ϳϮ0p video calling on most maũor /D applicaƟons and Logitech sidΡ ,D ͻ 5 megapixels photos ;soŌware enhancedͿ ͻ ϭͲclicŬ FaceďooŬΡ and zouduďeΠ uploading

£Ϯ4.ϵϵ

Zecord video at ďreathtaŬing widescreen Full ϭ0ϴ0p ,D ͻ Full ϭ0ϴ0p ,D recording ͻ ϭ0 megapixels photos ;soŌware enhancedͿ

£ϯ4.ϵϵ

£ϴϵ.ϵϵ

SKU: ϮϮϮϳϮ5ϲ

SKU: ϮϮϮϳϮ5ϴ

SKU: ϮϮϮϳϮ55

Dessenger Case For NoteďooŬs Up do ϭ5.ϲΗ

'reat NoteďooŬ ProtecƟon From elŬin ͻ lacŬ ͬ 'rey design ͻ 'reat protecƟon for students on the move

£ϴ.ϳϭ

SKU: 0ϴϲϴϭ5ϭ

Surf tireless Dodem Zouter

asy do Use tireless Zouter From elŬin ͻ 'reat simple installaƟon Ͳ ƋuicŬ and easy ͻ ϴ0Ϯ.ϭϭn wireless ͻ ϯ easy setup steps

£5ϵ.ϵϳ

SKU: 0ϴϲϴϭϯϵ

mm r et ng co. k

c tosc oo

feast your pupils on the Class of /ngram Dicro ďrings you the greatest acŬ to School deals for Ϯ0ϭ0. thy not checŬ out our dedicated acŬ to School site featuring a selecƟon of enƟcing deals from some of our top vendors partners – all designed to appeal to students and educaƟon ďuyers.

Canon Pixma DP4ϵ0 sersaƟle ll-/n-Kne

The P/yD DP4ϵ0 is versaƟle, easy-to-use ll-/n-Kne designed for photolaď-quality prinƟng.

Comes with a free F-ϳϭϴSG ScienƟĮc Calculator - Zecycled, nƟ acterial, Ϯϲ4 FuncƟons Θ features – exam friendly!

Free Canon F-718SGA Calculator

ͻ ϭ0xϭ5cm Photographic prints in only 4ϯ seconds ͻ DulƟ-Demory card slots ͻ 4.5cm TFT Displays ͻ asy-teďPrint y ͻ Self-opening out tray

£50.50

SKU: Ϯ4ϮY4ϳϮ

Toshiďa Satellite Pro L450D-ϭ4F

DD Powered ϭ5.ϲΗ Laptop Kīering Great veryday salue Great quality, great value. The Satellite Pro L450D is among our most popular models. Perfect for students and educaƟon ďodies looŬing for a wellͲďalanced and goodͲvalue laptop. dedicated 4ͲinͲϭ media card reader enaďles quicŬ and convenient document, photo and other Įle transfers directly from the most-popular storage media, such as SD cards. ͻ ͻ ͻ ͻ ͻ

£ϯϵ0

DD thlon yϮ YL-ϲ5 Processor ϭ5.ϲΗ Tru rite wide display 4G Z D and ϯϮ0G ,DD DsD-Zt tindows ϳ Professional ͬ yP Pro Downgrade

Toshiďa DynadocŬ

£ϲϲ ex s T SKU: 404L044

SKU: 404L500

www

m r t ng co uk/backtoschool

ll prices are suggested dealer price ;not incl. s TͿ. ll prices correct at Ɵme of print.

Price and availaďility is suďũect to change without noƟce

cer spire 55ϯϴ

cer spire 554Ϯ

Great salue Ultra Doďile NoteďooŬ! ͻ ͻ ͻ ͻ ͻ ͻ ͻ

,D NoteďooŬ that PacŬs a Punch!

DD Turion-yϮ Lϭ0 Processor ϯϮ0,DD and 4G Z D ϭ5.ϲΗ ϭϲ:ϵ ,D LCD Display DsD-Super DulƟ DL drive tindows ϳ ,ome Premium tiFi cer Crystal Eye weďcam

ͻ ͻ ͻ ͻ

DD thlon Dϯ00 ϯϮ0G ,DD and 4G Z D ϭ5.ϲΗ ,D Display lu-ray Disc and SuperDulƟ DL comďo drive ͻ tindows ϳ ,ome Premium ͻ tiFi ͻ cer Crystal Eye weďcam

£ϯϳϵ

SKU: ϴϲ5T0ϳϯ

£405

SKU: ϴϲ5T0ϲ5

doďe CreaƟve Suite 5 Design Premium Student and Teacher EdiƟon

Photoshop CS5 Extended Student and Teacher EdiƟon

Deliver /nnovaƟve /deas in Print, teď, /nteracƟve, and Doďile Design

Discover New Dimensions in Digital /maging

ͻ Design Premium comďines: doďe PhotoshopΠ CS5 Extended, /llustratorΠ CS5, /nDesignΠ CS5, FlashΠ CatalystΡ CS5, Flash Professional CS5, DreamweaverΠ CS5, FireworŬsΠ CS5, and croďatΠ ϵ Pro

£Ϯ40

ͻ Enũoy all the state-of-the-art ediƟng, composiƟng, and painƟng capaďiliƟes in industry-standard Photoshop CS5, and experience fast performance thanŬs to cross-plaƞorm ϲ4-ďit support

SKU: ϮϮϲϭϵU0

£ϭϯϲ.ϴ4 SKU: ϮϮϲϭϵPϳ

Exclusive undle Kīering Great salue

elŬin Surf tireless Dodem Zouter Θ NortonΡ /nternet Security Ϯ0ϭ0 ͻ NortonΡ /nternet Security Ϯ0ϭ0 stops online idenƟty theŌ, idenƟĮed viruses, spyware, ďots, and more ͻ Fast, light security for comprehensive protecƟon that won͛t slow you down or get in your way ͻ Safe Search idenƟĮes unsafe and dangerous weď sites right in your search results ͻ Surf the weď, email and instant message from anywhere in your home with the elŬin Surf tireless Dodem Zouter ͻ Easily and quicŬly connect your wireless networŬ with elŬin Easy Start

£ϲϴ.ϵϯ

SKU: ϴϲϴϯ00

sus K5ϭ E - Sy040s NoteďooŬ

sus K50/: - SyϮ4ϵs NoteďooŬ

DD Powered salue NoteďooŬ

Great salue ϭ5.ϲΗ NoteďooŬ

ͻ ͻ ͻ ͻ ͻ

/ntel PenƟum T4400 Ϯ.Ϯ0G,nj ϭ5.ϲΗ Display 4G Z D and 500G ,DD DsD-Zt tindows ϳ ,ome Premium xϲ4

£ϯϲϵ

ͻ ͻ ͻ ͻ ͻ

SKU: ϵϵϴϵ05

w imma e g

s

DD Turion // D5Ϯ0 ϭ5.ϲΗ Display ϯG Z D and ϯϮ0G ,DD DsD-Zt tindows ϳ ,ome Premium xϲ4

£ϯϴϵ

SKU: ϵϵϵ0ϵ0

INTERVIEW TCA

Adam Harris

Keith Warburton

Robert French

John Harris

Above and below: The TCA’s Board

Industrial action On the anniversary of the rebranding of the Technology Channels Association, Andrew Wooden sits down with its president Keith Warburton to discuss the organisation’s heritage as the PCA in the eighties, its rebirth and alliance with the Mac Technology Association, plus its plans for the future…

John Carter

“We didn’t have a mission statement as such. However we did use, and still use, a strapline that defined things pretty well: ‘Keeping the industry as strong as possible for as long as possible’.”

Keith Warburton, TCA

www.pcr-online.biz

Robert Peckham

The TCA, and formerly the PCA, has a long history in the PC IT trade. How did it come into being?

The forerunner of the TCA was the Personal Computer Direct Marketer’s Association, which was set up in 1993.

At that time I was a sales and marketing consultant and had worked with quite a few of the notable individuals and businesses of the period, including Alan Sugar and Clive Sinclair. But it was when I was working for a motherboard company (ECS) and doing business with some of the leading off-the-page system builders that it was driven home to me there was something missing in the market. I would do business with these people and after our commercial discussions the talk would inevitably turn to ‘issues’. I could see that they were all facing some common challenges, but they had no means of sharing the work needed to meet them at that time they really didn’t communicate with

Simon Hallworth

each other, seeing themselves as simply competitors.

Ever since I had come into the computer business ten years earlier I had been struck by the awful lack of sales professionalism I was seeing in all parts of the market. In my opinion this is responsible for many otherwise avoidable customer support and satisfaction issues.

These two threads started to come together and I invited some of my contacts to come for a cup of coffee and a chat.

So were all the founders completely integrated in to the PC industry, or was it new ground for some?

The leading system builders of the day turned up to our meetings and were the original founder members of the PCDMA. They included Centerprise, Evesham Micros, Kamco, Dan Technology, Granville Technology (Time), Mesh, Viglen and Hi-Grade.

Mike Scott

We also had Dabs Direct and Simply Computers, the leading off-the-page resellers. The majority have now gone without a trace, but that is the nature of emerging markets.

All these businesses were run by entrepreneurs. I think only one of them had a notable background in computers and that was Rafi Razzak of Centerprise who had been with IBM. The rest had simply seen an opportunity and filled the need.

Evesham’s Richard Austin originally set up his business to sell BBC Micro addons and peripherals. Time started out selling specialist paediatric solutions based, again, on the BBC Micro.

What was the original mission statement of the organisation?

We didn’t have a mission statement as such. However we did use, and still use, a strapline that defined things pretty well: “Keeping the industry as strong as

>>>

August PCR 23

INTERVIEW TCA

“As the years have progressed, it has become increasingly obvious that the things we do are for the benefit of the whole supply channel; we are a channel trade association.”

Keith Warburton, TCA

>>>

possible for as long as possible”. It encapsulates many things.

One thing the original founders wanted to do was to try to find some way of highlighting the companies they knew to be very risky that were dangerously over-trading. This was at a time when once you’d had a fiveminute record in business you could get incredible amounts of supplier credit.

Coming together as a trade association with membership rules and a structure that would allow us to refuse membership most at-risk compan whilst stating that o members conformed to a Code of Practice, was one way for members to differentiate themselves. We also set up a pre-paymen protection scheme; a system of bank guar

The former PCA’s board of directors at a focus group in 2005

climate in the industry very different then?

Perhaps the biggest difference was the margin that could be made. The market was growing at a phenomenal rate and the rule that ‘all boats float on a rising tide’ applied. You didn’t have to be particularly good in order to make money. However as time went on and margins started to drop, so we saw lots of companies fall by the wayside.

UK direct-selling system builders dominated the market, selling from the pages of the computer magazines such as PCW, PC Direct and Computer Shopper. These ended up as massively thick publications, so large that it was difficult to find the editorial!

How did the organisation’s role change over the years?

We soon identified that the meetings between members were of major benefit.

Then we found that the vendors, distributors and publishers wanted to be in among this group of key people. So we changed our rules and our name to the Personal Computer Association.

We also found that there were other things to be done. We needed to have a voice in certain items of legislation, so we started to lobby on behalf of our members and brief them on the issues.

24 PCR August

We also acted to challenge some upplier activities, resulting in Microsoft having to answer to the uropean Commission regarding its ricing policy on MS Office.

We later introduced our Confidence ssured membership, specifically to erve the needs of the independent esellers. Our role hasn’t changed massively, but our membership has.

What were the reasons for the merger with the MTA, and the name change?

There isn’t really much future for any organisation that looks to be solely concentrating on PCs, we are a lot more than that; we are a channel trade association. Add to that the fact that it had been difficult for the Mac Technology Association to gain critical mass and it seemed obvious that we should move decisively into the 21st Century and formally recognise that we are the Technology Channels Association.

Do you think retailers and resellers have it harder or better now than when you started?

I believe we are seeing an increasing gap between the amateur ‘lifestyle’ businesses and the professional enterprises, and indeed the TCA is helping to underline the differences by promoting professionalism. However the well-organised companies who keep their fingers on the pulse of the market are, in many ways, finding things easier.

The current economic climate is impacting most businesses, but sometimes it is in a positive way!

www.pcr-online.biz

PCR AWARD WINNERS UTOPIA COMPUTERS

Utopian vision We’ve been catching up with the winners of this year’s PCR Awards to see how business has been since the grand ceremony earlier this year. This month, director of Kilmarnock based Utopia Computers Craig Hume tells PCR about life since winning the Independent Retailer award…

"Our customers have been so proud of our award. Having received many cards and emails of congratulations, we are keen to impress them over the coming months.”

Craig Hume, Utopia Computers

26 PCR August

EVERYONE AT Utopia has always known that our service and product choice offering to our customers is something special. Being voted the best Independent Retailer at the PCR Awards is a humbling, but gratifying feeling. To know that our peers hold us in high esteem really does inspire us to try bigger and better ideas.

The exposure that winning the award has given us has also been phenomenal. We are probably one of the smallest firms to collect a PCR Award and we are keen to maximise the potential benefits this distinction can give us.

Our hometown of Kilmarnock has been hit hard by the recession and the local press has happily run stories

following us before and after the PCR Awards. Another thing that has struck me is how proud our customers have been of our award. Having received many cards and emails of congratulations, we are keen to show our customers that we will continue to impress them over the coming months.

Our computer repairs and sales of own-brand systems have seen a dramatic increase recently. We now stock more laptops and systems than ever before and we are currently working on a new range of PCs that will hopefully be reviewed in the consumer press over the coming months. Further to this we are also investing money in a new, improved workshop to allow us to keep up with

the rising number of computer repairs we receive.

Our reputation is growing and this is opening new doors for Utopia, allowing us to look towards new and varied options for our future as a company. Everyone at Utopia not only has a passion for technology and retail, but our close-knit team has the drive to see the firm succeed and grow to be better than the competition.

This is what got us noticed in the first place and is what will power us onward as we grow.

I would like to finish by thanking everyone who has supported us over the years and I am looking forward to what should be an exciting run up to the all-important Christmas season.

www.pcr-online.biz

INTERVIEW INTEL

Flexible

Friend The 2009 recession forced many companies in the IT industry to re evaluate their channel strategy and the way they deal with partners – and Intel was no exception. Matt Grainger talks to the firm’s UK and Ireland channel manager, Christine Harrison, about how Intel has changed its strategy…

“We've had some challenges with the changes in Government, particularly with our partner accounts. We’d usually have the second half of the year planned

by February or March but we’ve been delayed by the level of investment changes.”

Christine Harrison, Intel

30 PCR August

LIKE MANY companies in the IT industry, as the global recession caused a record low in consumer and business spending, Intel was pushed to take a consolidatory posture during 2009.

Unlike small and medium businesses, the global giant was unable to adopt the flexible business model that proved to be a boon during those hard times, but nonetheless it felt the tide of change as its extensive and varied partner network did so.

The effects of the economic crisis, coupled with the recent election which is likely to result in fewer Government contracts out for tender, has lead to a period of relative instability in the UK something that the vendor is happy to see the back of.

“Generally, we’ve had a good six months,” says Intel’s UK and Ireland channel manager, Christine Harrison.

“I think we definitely had some challenges, especially with the changes in Government. It’s caused a lot of instability for a lot of the guys who are predominantly selling into Government or education.

“For us, the impact was with our partner accounts. Obviously it changes the way we deal with our accounts from a planning perspective. We’d usually have the second half of the year planned by February or March but we’ve been delayed by the level of investment changes some of the agencies inside the Government have been canned and the partners we’d work with have either been disbanded or changed the way they allocate budget.”

It is these kinds of changes within the partner ecosystem that have caused Intel to take a step back and re-

examine the way the market does business. The recession saw a number of businesses diversify their portfolios, choosing to either offer full support infrastructures as well as products, or services such as remote storage and data management.

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE “I think that because of the number of changes, companies are looking at who they’re speaking to and who they’re targeting, and I think that’ll happen more in future,” notes Harrison. “So they may be in a position where they themselves are offering storage or hosting solutions as well as the hardware that they’d previously just bought and sold. What that means is that because these types of technologies come from the industrial side of the business, we’re really pulling our own

www.pcr-online.biz

INTERVIEW INTEL

internal divisions together to be able to offer that solution out to a broader channel group. It’s a work in progress, it’s the first step in trying to offer the two different types of technology coming together to support a converged solution.”

Intel has been watching the growing convergence in the channel with some interest, not least because such practices have enabled a number of its partners to become significant in their own right, going on to invest in other businesses and form their own partnerships. This has meant that many partners are now approaching Intel with the expectation that it must flexibly meet their needs a challenge that the vendor is keen to rise to.

CUSTOMER SUPPORT “Traditionally, we work with embedded business and the channel business typically PC companies,” says Harrison.

“What we’ve found over the last three or four years, but definitely more so in 2009, as the customers have evolved to look into more business areas there’s much more crossover.

“It is a work in progress and we get a lot of feedback

from accounts on how to manage this from our side but what we’ve found is that the embedded and industrial side of the business and the typical channel business is starting to come together.”

As a multi-national company with a number of separate divisions, the process of enabling flexible support is not as smooth as it would be for a small business. However, Intel is increasingly converging its own internal structure and communication mirroring the developments in the wider market to offer the kind of support that its partners now demand.

“I think we’re just in a position now where we look at the market. Our customer base is so diverse, they're asking for different things and different types of support from us,” observes Harrison. “More and more, as we’ve seen consolidation in the channel, some of our partner accounts are becoming really large players.

“In the past, they may have just been a hardware builder and now they may be investing in other players who have retail outlets, or have a consumer focus or a B2B focus. I think the model of the industry has changed so much that we have to have some level of proactivity in offering support out.”

“As we’ve seen consolidation in the channel, some of our partner accounts are becoming really large players. The model of the industry has changed so much that we have to have some level of pro-activity in offering support out.”

Christine Harrison, Intel

NEED TO KNOW Intel was founded in 1968 and has since become the world's largest computer chip maker.

The firm recently posted its second quarter financial results, which it said were its best ever.

Company revenue hit $10.8 billion – a rise of 34 percent yearover-year – while operating income stood at $4 billion and net income at $2.9 billion.

"Strong demand from corporate customers for our most advanced microprocessors helped Intel achieve the best quarter in the company's 42-year history," said Intel president and CEO Paul Otellini.

The vendor sees the second half of 2010 as critical for the success of the wider market, as well as its own partners, so as well as offering flexible and pro-active support for its partner network, it is also looking to have a new range of products in place for the latter half of this year.

FORWARD PLANNING “We’ve got some things coming that I cant discuss now, but in terms of marketing and support not just for the channel but for all our accounts too there should be some exciting products coming to the consumer market just in time for Christmas,” states Harrison.

“So you’ll see a lot of product focus from us and a lot of programme focus from us too, trying to get the right events in place for our customers and trying to grow and adapt the choice we’ve got to give them the outlet they require to provide feedback and communication to us.

“There’s definitely a lot going on in the next six to twelve months and there’ll be some product launches in early 2011 that some of the accounts are already working with us on.

There’s still a lot to look forward to,” she concludes.

ANALYSIS THE EMERGENCY BUDGET

Budgetary

concerns Matt Grainger talks to some industry figures about the VAT rise, the emergency budget and the implictions for the IT trade…

“I don’t think the VAT rise will make a huge direct difference to most companies as this cost is passed on to the consumer. In my experience, consumer spending is based on needs rather than price, so I don’t think a relatively small change to VAT will make a huge difference to buying habits” Keith Warburton, TCA

www.pcr-online.biz

AT THE END of June, the Chancellor George Osborne detailed the Coalition Government’s emergency budget proposals in Parliament, outlining a range of solutions that he said were designed to reinforce the message that Britain is ‘open for business’ and to rebalance the economic model ‘away from household debt and Government spending.’

The main talking point has been the proposed rise in value added tax from 17.5 per cent to 20 per cent from January 4th 2011. Labour called the proposals ‘reckless’ and that it would put people out of work, but there has been a more mixed response from the IT industry.

“Personally, I don’t think that the VAT rise will make a huge direct difference to most companies as this cost is passed on to the consumer,” says the president of the TCA, Keith Warburton. “This may make a difference to some purchases, but in my experience, consumer spending is based on needs rather than price, so I

don’t think a relatively small change to VAT will make a huge difference to people’s buying habits.”

Independent retailer Paul Rambridge of Sweethaven Computers in Reigate, shares this point of view: “What’s been most upsetting is all the changes in VAT three in the last eighteen months. In terms of effect, I didn’t see any real benefit when the rate was at 15 per cent, so hopefully there won’t be any negative effects at 20 per cent.”

KNOCK-ON EFFECTS The TCA’s chief executive Adam Harris feels that the rise could actually have a positive effect for fourth quarter sales: “I think that we’ll see quite a big influx of consumer and business spending in the weeks preceding Christmas as people look to make purchases while they’re still relatively cheap. On the flip-side though, I think that January 2011 will be non-existent in terms of business.”

The National Buying Group’s managing director Phylip Morgan

holds some concerns for the retail sector: “This is a necessary evil, but I’m fearful for some retailers as it compounds other problems brought on during the recession.”

The main issue with VAT rises from the possibility of reduced customer spending, since a 2.5 per cent sales tax rise ultimately translates to 2.5 per cent less money in the consumer’s pocket.

But as Keith Warburton points out, many purchases on IT both by businesses and consumers are increasingly regarded as a necessity. No one is going to abandon email to revert back to paper mail.

Nonetheless, consumer spending will be squeezed and it is a fact that some companies will have to re-evaluate their own business models.

“The Conservatives have done exactly what they said they would do,” notes Danielle McCormick, solicitor at financial and legal services provider Thomas Eggar LLP. “The VAT rise was always on the cards, and it has been deferred until

>>>

August PCR 33

ANALYSIS THE EMERGENCY BUDGET

>>>

next year, so there is room for some manoeuvre.

“We’ve been telling our retail clients that there’s time to plan for this. I’d advise businesses to look at their structural costs and finances, as well as evaluate and renegotiate contractual obligations to suppliers and financiers.”

In some ways the emergency budget could be summed up as a warning of hard times ahead, giving a six month warning for the industry to take preemptive action. However, the news hasn’t all been about tax rises; other aspects of the budget received a warmer reception.

“Whenever the Government has stated it’s raising funds to pay for one of it’s projects, it’s never worked.

Particularly with the old Government, the money was never kept for its intended purpose, instead it was rolled up into the wider budget” Phylip Morgan, The National Buying Group

From April next year, corporation tax will be reduced by one per cent year-on-year for the next three years, while the small business tax rate will also see a reduction to 20 per cent, offering valuable breathing space for those companies that have seen their margins squeezed almost to not-forprofit levels.

Also, in an attempt to stimulate growth outside of the capital, small and start-up businesses outside of London will receive a National Insurance exemption for their first ten employees.

“Some London companies might complain that they’re missing out, but there’s definite benefits for regional businesses,” enthuses Morgan.

“Personally, I think it’s a great move that means savings for many businesses.”

“This is a cracking idea,” concurs Warburton. “In terms of industry and jobs, the UK is far too South-heavy at the moment. On its own, I don’t think it’ll do too much but it does help provide an air of confidence, and it does provide opportunities.”

However, independent repair specialist Jim Chambers of Digital Business Support in Elgin is a little more cautious: “This sounds good in principle, but there are still some difficulties. It’s a big decision to take on new staff and to start a new company. I don’t think this country is focusing on small businesses, who need more help if we are to retain the face of the High Street.

“Personally, I wouldn’t advise anyone to start up in retail at the moment. You need to have some other services on offer, like repairs. The margins are better and you can build up a good reputation with customers and get more repeat trade.”

Another well-received move was the decision to remove the phone tariff that was designed to raise funds to expand broadband networks across the country. The Chancellor dismissed the measures as ‘archaic’ and stated that future development would be funded by private enterprise with Government sponsorship where necessary.

Even before the election, several ISPs raised concerns about what the phone tariff was expected to achieve, with many describing it as just another tax.

“It’s fantastic that this has been abandoned,” states Morgan. “Whenever the Government has stated it’s raising funds to pay for one of its projects, it’s never worked. Particularly with the old Government, the money was never kept for its intended purpose, instead it was rolled up into the wider budget.”

So, for business on the whole, many of the pre-budget fears were ultimately disproved the rise in VAT is really the only choking point of George Osborne’s plan. Nonetheless, this does represent a gamble for the Coalition Government; while the industry can breathe a sigh of relief, the retail trade could face hard times if consumer spending is drastically reduced.

The key theme throughout all of this has been the ability to meet the challenge of a changing financial climate.

While the budget has raised worrying issues, it has also sought to create opportunities and it is the ability to spot and exploit them that marks out the ‘smart entrepreneur’.

“The discerning factor should always be service,” concludes Rambridge. “The small retailers’ strength is the way they sell.

If you display, demonstrate, advise and sell the product properly, then the hard work does itself.”

$1<7+,1* $1<7,0( ZZZ SDUWQHU SQ\ HX

19,',$ 48$'52 *5$3+,&6 &$5'6 %< 31< )25 7+( 352)(66,21$/

31< RIIHUV D FRPSOHWH HFR V\VWHP RI SURIHVVLRQDO XVHU RSWLPL]HG JUDSKLFV VROXWLRQV LQFOXGHV ' FDUGV ZLWK XSWR RXWSXWV RQ D VLQJOH FDUG DQG ' FDUGV WKDW UDQJH IURP WDLORUHG VROXWLRQV IRU VSHFLÃ&#x20AC;F DSSOLFDWLRQV VXFK DV $XWR&$' WR SURGXFWV WKDW XWLOLVH *38 $FFHOHUDWLRQ $GREH 3UHPLHU WR HQKDQFH WKH ZD\ \RX ZD\ ZRUN HQDEOLQJ \RX WR LPSURYH \RXU SURGXFWLYLW\ DQG FUHDWLYLW\ VXSSRUWHG ZLWK D \HDU ZDUUDQW\

19,',$ *()25&( *5$3+,&6 &$5'6 %< 31< )25 7+( *$0(5

31< SURYLGHV D IXOO UDQJH RI JHIRUFH VROXWLRQV LQFOXGLQJ OHJDF\ VROXWLRQV RI 3&, DQG $*3 WHFKQRORJ\ ZLWK SURGXFWV UDQJLQJ IURP WKH YHU\ HQWU\ OHYHO WR WKH YHU\ KLJK HQG 31< FDQ SURYLGH \RX ZLWK WKH JUDSKLFV FDUG RI \RXU FKRLFH ZKLFK LV EDFNHG XS E\ D \HDU ZDUUDQW\

6+23 $7

ZZZ HQWDRQOLQH FRP

7HO VDOHV#HQWDWHFK FRP ZZZ HQWDWHFK FRP

www.netbit.biz - Start Saving Today!

25% Discount

Register ONLINE now & become a 'Netbit Trader' - GET 25% OFF all Trade prices!

THIS MONTHS

HOT

DEALS

WL-700N-ART

WL-700N-MRT

The new Dynamode WL 700N ART is an ultra compact and stylish 11n USB2.0 Wireless Adapter bringing the latest 802.11n (150Mbps) Speeds

Small in Design. Big on Speed. Introduc ing one of the world’s most com pact 802.11n Wireless USB adapters

CABLE ACCESSORIES

WALL MOUNT NETWORKING CABINETS 6U 450mm deep 19" Wall Mount Networking Cabinet 9U 450mm deep 19" Wall Mount Networking Cabinet 12U 450mm deep 19" Wall Mount Networking Cabinet 15U 550mm deep 19" Wall Mount Networking Cabinet

£33.25 £46.88 £58.13 £71.36

FLOOR STANDING NETWORKING CABINETS (FREE Delivery + FREE Accessories) 18U 600x600mm 19" Floor Standing Networking Cabinet 18U 600x800mm 19" Floor Standing Networking Cabinet 27U 600x800mm 19" Floor Standing Networking Cabinet 27U 800x800mm 19" Floor Standing Networking Cabinet 42U 600x800mm 19" Floor Standing Networking Cabinet 42U 800x800mm 19" Floor Standing Networking Cabinet 42U 600x1000mm 19" Floor Standing Server Cabinet 42U 800x1000mm 19" Floor Standing Server Cabinet

£217.50 £233.75 £297.50 £367.50 £351.25 £443.75 £406.25 £506.25

RJ45 coupler - Plastic RJ45 UTP Inline Coupler - Cat5e Punchdown / Krone CAT5e Coupler (Black) Punchdown / Krone CAT6 Coupler (Black) 100 X RJ45 UTP PLUGS (1 bag, qty 100) RJ45 plugs - Cat6 (2-part) RJ45 Cable Boots in red, grey, blue & green

£0.31 £1.29 £1.24 £1.49 £6.25 £0.18 £0.05

CAT 5E PATCH LEADS Enhanced Cat 5E Max Lead - 0.3M Enhanced Cat 5E Max Lead - 0.5M Enhanced Cat 5E Max Lead - 1.0M Enhanced Cat 5E Max Lead - 1.5M Enhanced Cat 5E Max Lead - 2 0M Enhanced Cat 5E Max Lead - 3 0M Enhanced Cat 5E Max Lead - 4 0M

Floor Cabinets supplied with: Roof Fan Tray, Fixed Shelf, Casters & Front Cable Management (on 800mm wide)

36 PCR August

£6.75

£0.23 £0.25 £0.38 £0.45 £0.56 £0.81 £1.03

BR411NT Are you looking for the latest Wireless 11n Router with advanced and easy to use features without the hefty price tag?

£5.50

*CAT5E* 19'' RACKMOUNT PATCH PANELS

19'' UTP CAT6 PATCH LEADS - GREY (*** Other Colours Avaialble - Please Call ***) Enhanced Cat 6 Max Lead - 0.5M - GREY Enhanced Cat 6 Max Lead - 1.0M - GREY Enhanced Cat 6 Max Lead - 2.0M - GREY Enhanced Cat 6 Max Lead - 3.0M - GREY Enhanced Cat 6 Max Lead - 5.0M - GREY Enhanced Cat 6 Max Lead - 10.0M - GREY

£13.99

£0.60 £0 75 £0.99 £1.36 £1.86 £3.59

LMS Data 16 Port – STP Cat5e - Sheilded HORIZONTAL PUNCH DOWN LMS Data 24 - UTP Cat5e Generic 24 Port - UTP Cat5e LMS Data Cat5e – 24 Port UTP w/ rear cable management VERTICAL PUNCH DOWN LMS Data Cat5e – 24 Port STP (Shielded) w/ rear cover VERTICAL PUNCHDOWN Generic 48 Port – UTP Cat5e

£12.50 £12.49 £9.88 £22.26 £21.94 £27.38

NETWORKING TOOLS Cat5e cable tester – tests RJ45, RJ11, USB etc .

Crimping tool - RJ45 Crimping tool - RJ45 & RJ11 Punch down Tool CABLE TIDIES - 8" (BAG OF 100) BLACK OR WHITE CABLE TIDIES - 12" (BAG OF 100) BLACK OR WHITE

£3.50 £2.25 £4.90 £1.50 £0.98 £1.39

*CAT 6* 19'' RACKMOUNT PATCH PANELS LMS Data Cat6 – 24 Port UTP Generic Cat6 – 24 Port UTP LMS Data Cat6 – 24 Port UTP with Back Bar LMS Data Cat6 – 24 Port UTP - VERTICAL PUNCH DOWN LMS Data Cat6 – 24 Port UTP w/rear cover & management

£16 13 £11.86 £13.63 £26.36 £40.25

Call our sales team on 0845 375 21 28 www.pcr-online.biz

Retail

Focus P 38

FRONTLINE Statistics and analysis about the monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best selling products and wider retail trends P 41

INDIE PROFILE We have a chat with Richard Cleave of Devon based Moortek P 42

MYSTERY SHOPPER PCR heads to Birmingham looking for an iPad or something similar

www.pcr-online.biz

August PCR 37

RETAIL FOCUS FRONTLINE

From the Frontline This month Infinite Field Marketing has visited 250 stores across the country to gather real ‘grass roots’ feedback and opinion on the best selling products in store and the issues affecting the industry...

STRONG PERFORMANCE FROM ALL-IN-ONE UNITS IN A REFRESHING turn of events, allin-one PCs feature heavily in this month’s chart, with four out of five machines taking this form the Acer Aspire Z5610, Packard Bell’s one two M, Acer’s All-In-One and the Dell Inspiron One and of those four, two feature a multi-touch interface. In my opinion, this indicates that the winds of change are blowing through what has become a very stale format.

In months past, the specifications and capabilities of the top-selling desktops have borne a remarkable likeness to those of the top selling laptops. Despite the fact that an all-inone PC doesn’t have the kind of customisation options of a tower case, as the mass market increasingly embraces the PC, such options are seen as niche concerns. The all-in-one offers a relatively cost and space efficient option for everyday consumers, and the growing popularity of multi-touch interface suggests that the desktop may be in for a new lease of life.

The laptop chart shows a familiar pattern of strong sales for low-cost, low performance devices. Top of the chart is the Advent Modena. The brand is essentially a white label for some of the multiple retailers, and the range can be somewhat varied. Reviewers say that the Modena offers negligible performance but excellent storage, thus meeting the needs of most light computer users.

Samsung’s E352 is a similar machine to the Modena, but at a higher price, while Apple’s MacBook MC-51 offers the dubious distinction of being the only sub-$1,000 laptop on Apple’s US website. No wonder they made $3.5 billion pure profit this quarter... matt.grainger@intentmedia.co.uk

38 PCR August

LAPTOPS 1

MICE

ADVENT Modena

1

2 IT WORKS

2 SAMSUNG E352 3 APPLE MACBOOK MC

LOGITECH M505

51

MW01

3 MICROSOFT MOUSE 3000

4 ACER AS5732Z

4 PC LINE WIRED BALL

5 ACER AS4820T

5 HP KU916

DESKTOPS

INTERNET SECURITY

1

ACER ASPIRE Z5610

1

NORTON 360 GOLD V4

2 PACKARD BELL ONE TWO M

2 NORTON

3 PACKARD BELL IMEDIA

3 NORTON ANTI VIRUS 2010

4 ACER

ASPIRE ALL IN ONE

4 MCAFEE

5 DELL

INSPIRON ONE

5 KASPERSKY INTERNET SECURITY 2010

KEYBOARDS 1

MICROSOFT COMFORT CURVE 2000

INTERNET SECURITY 2010 PERFORMANCE

TOTAL PROTECTION 2010

GRAPHICS CARDS 1

PNY NVIDIA GEFORCE GTS250

2 LOGITECH 920

2 PNY NVIDIA GEFORCE GT220

3 IT WORKS SLIMLINE KC03

3 SAPPHIRE

ATI RADEON HD 3650 AGP

4 PC LINE MED2

4 SAPPHIRE

ATI RADEON HD 5570

5 MICROSOFT DIGITAL MEDIA 3000

5 PNY

NVIDIA GEFORCE 210

www.pcr-online.biz

RETAIL FOCUS FRONTLINE

Infinite FMS is a specialist field marketing provider delivering bespoke solutions purely for the technology sector. With over ten years experience, we understand how to support manufacturers with the execution of their below the line campaigns, ensuring brands are reinforced, product messages are effectively delivered and sales objectives are achieved.

Our services include product training, compliance & data capture, promotion & demonstration activity, Mystery Shopping & Roadshows. To learn more about how we can support you, please contact us on 01793 686504 or visit our website at www.infinitefms.com

Would you consider expanding more into the video games market, as in stocking consoles or game software?

Perhaps it’s the prospect of competing with digital download models, or maybe it’s the damning piracy figures, or even the booming second hand market. Whatever the reason, most respondents would choose to avoid gaming products.

Yes 19% No 61% Don't Know 20%

NEWS BYTES AMAZON SELLS MORE E-BOOKS THAN HARDBACKS Online retailer Amazon has revealed that it sold a greater number of digital books than traditional hardbacks for the first time. The e-tailer recently cut the price of its Kindle e-reader, which it claims has led to a tripling in hardware sales. The resultant demand for digital content saw a boom in e-book sales. “Amazon.com customers now purchase more Kindle books than hardcover books – astonishing when you consider that we’ve been selling hardcover books for 15 years, and Kindle books for 33 months,” said Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos.

FLAT SALES FOR LCD MONITORS A report by Taiwanese trade website Digitimes suggests that shipments of LCD monitors in 2010 will be lower than previously expected. The publication cites the depreciation of the Euro as the key motivator for the decline, as vendors look to increase prices by seven to ten per cent to compensate for the currency changes. Despite this, the report forecast growth of ten per cent in sales of LCD monitors in to the enterprise market.

KEY RETAILER COMMENTS “The iPad is a brilliant concept” “The Apple iPad has had great success but due to lack of stock we have been unable to meet demand” “PC gaming is helping desktop sales” “PC games are selling well; there appears to be an increase in online competition” “Video gaming is big and will keep getting bigger”

www.pcr-online.biz

SUNNY JUNE BOOSTS SALES London has experienced sales growth of 14.4 per cent in June, its highest rate of growth since 2006, while Northern firms fared less well. According to Retail Week, TV sales saw the strongest growth, boosted by the World Cup, while the weak pound attracted a glut of foreign shoppers. However, these results stand in contrast with Scotland, which saw a rising proportion of business failures throughout June, with insolvencies rising from a total of 73 to 98.

OVER 60% OF CONSUMERS RESEARCH PURCHASES ONLINE

“3D TV could boost the gaming market” “We are seeing better and more competitive deals to encourage more customers into store”

A study by e-consultancy has found that 61 per cent of UK consumers research products online prior to purchase. Their How We Shop report also found that 57 per cent of consumers appreciate advertising messages, as long as they offer a discount or special offer, while 36 per cent said that an email could prompt them to make an online purchase. The study also found that the category most likely to be studied online was electronics and computers.

August PCR 39

RETAIL FOCUS MOORTEK

Indie Profile

FACT BOX

This month Roger Humm talks to Richard Cleave from Moortek of South Brent in Devon, one of the only Acer Experience Centres in the country…

MOORTEK WAS formed in 2003 as a partnership between husband and wife team Richard and Tracey Cleave. Located in South Brent on the edge of Dartmoor National Park, Moortek is centrally located between Exeter and Plymouth.

After only two years of trading, the Cleaves had to move to bigger premises due to the demand on the service department and a need for more sales room. The new shop increased floor space fourfold.

The Cleaves are supported in the workshop by Tracey’s brother, Neil Edlin, who started one day a week but soon had to become full-time. Demand for the PC and notebook repairs business is high, resulting in the store taking on a local engineer to work with Edlin on a casual basis.

www.pcr online.biz

Moortek are currently one of only four Acer Experience Centres in the whole of the UK. “We stock and can source a wide range of laptops and desktops in most major brands, not just Acer,” says Richard Cleave. “We will

find a machine that meets each customer’s needs and ensure that the computers are inspected, configured and set up to the customer requirements. This makes the buying and set-up process easy and stress-free

for the end user, meaning all they have to do is switch the machine on.”

Moortek also trades in the biggest and best brands across audio-visual, print, digital imaging and consumer electronics, priding itself on a highquality installation and aftercare service, which keeps their customers coming back time and time again.

Today Moortek is at the forefront of technology and supported in providing the latest technology by distributors such as EntaTech, which provides broadband and VOIP services through sister company Entanet. Where broadband via a landline is not an option, Moortek can arrange installation of satellite broadband, which is proving popular due to the rural location of some of its customers.

Year established: 2003 Number of outlets: 1 Regular vendor lines: Acer, Brother, BullGuard, Devolo, Entanet, Fujitsu, Microsoft, Netgear, Toshiba and Vivanco Contact name and address: Richard Cleave, Moortek, 3 Fore Street, South Brent, Devon TQ10 9BQ Telephone: 08450 580345 Email: sales@moortek.co.uk Website: www.moortek.co.uk Roger Humm is Head of Membership Relations at Brigantia Computer Experts – roger.humm@brigantia.com

August PCR 41

RETAIL FOCUS MYSTERY SHOPPER

Birmingham This month Mystery Shopper is on the hunt for an iPad, but will happily settle for something similar. If only the staff would take the hint...

CURRYS MY EXPECTATIONS were high as I entered the store. The PC section was well stocked with numerous aisles and displays, and Apple had its own dedicated area clearly marked with POS and out-of-the-box products, all demo ready.

The iPads were at the front of the section, laid out for customers to play with. I wasn’t left alone for long before I was approached by a sales assistant, who politely asked if I needed any further help.

I informed him I was looking for an iPad or something similar, to which he began to explain how the iPad worked. He highlighted the main screen, which had several icons displayed. “If you

42 PCR August

buy an iPad, some programmes would come preinstalled. These include iTunes, Maps, Photos, Calendar and Contacts,” he told me. “There are many more applications available from the App Store, which you reach by pressing this icon.”

Moving on to the prices, a wi-fi only 16GB device would cost £429, a 32GB £499 and a 64GB £599. If I wanted the 3G version I would need to add £100 to each of the prices given.

“Due to very high demand I couldn’t sell you a 3G iPad today as we have no stock; all we have is the 64GB wi-fi only model,” the staff member told me. I asked about pre-ordering, to which I was told: “I’m afraid not, as we are unsure when our

www.pcr online.biz

RETAIL FOCUS MYSTERY SHOPPER

Turn the page for more Mystery Shopper results

>>>

SELFRIDGES

PC WORLD

WHEN I ASKED staff in the consumer electronics department about the iPad, they were unable to show me one, or even to suggest an alternative.

The sales assistant I spoke to sounded somewhat frustrated when he informed me that he was not able to supply the device, and went on to comment that he and his colleagues were getting at least six requests for it every day, including three already that morning.

THE LARGE store was full of specific manufacturer branded areas and I quickly located the Apple section. The iPads were displayed in a similar fashion to Currys, with live products available for customers to try.

As soon as I started to play with the tablet, a sales person approached me. After telling him I was interested in Apple’s device, or something similar, he thought for a second before asking: “Have you seen the Archos tablets? They’re not exactly the same though, and would only really be suitable for video, photo and music storage and have a smaller screen.”

After that small diversion the member of staff launched into a very good demonstration of the iPad, asking plenty of questions and tailoring his presentation to my needs.

He then went to on to tell me that they were all out of stock of the 3G range and had no idea when they would be getting more in. “The best thing to do is keep checking the website to see when stock becomes available and perhaps use ‘Reserve and Collect’,” he said. He apologised for not being able to complete a sale and put it down to Apple’s tight control of stock availability.

The sales assistant also pointed out that the iPhone 4 would be even better than the iPad because it operates in the same way but can fit in your pocket.

Rather than blitz through all the ‘wow’ features of the iPad, the member of staff took the time to ask me what I might want to do with it, which made the demonstration much more relevant. I was surprised that, given the lack of available iPads, we never SCORE returned to the Archos alternative as there was potential for a sale there.

“He mentioned the iPhone 4 would be a good alternative if I wasn’t concerned about the screen size, but acknowledged that was probably exactly why someone would buy the iPad.”

stock will be available.” Reaching the end of our iPad conversation I asked if any alternatives existed, he looked a little puzzled for a second before saying: “There is nothing else we stock that I could recommend like the iPad.” The popularity of the iPad was clear from this visit. The sales assistant was extremely competent in demonstrating the product and looked like he had a real interest in it. However, it seemed strange that no alternative was recommended, SCORE especially given the lack of iPad stock and the potential for other sales.

7/10

www.pcr online.biz

The staff member put these enquiries down to the exceptional demand for Apple and the hype it creates around its products. “I’m a bit sad at the missed business,” he confessed, making a number of positive comments about the iPad’s features.

He went on to mention Apple’s new iPhone 4.

“That would be a good alternative if you aren’t concerned about the screen size,” he suggested, but did acknowledge that the screen size was probably exactly why someone would want the iPad. Obviously frustrated and disappointed by the availability and requests for the tablet, the sales assistant failed to take the opportunity to make a sale with an alternative, despite prompting for his thoughts. There were Sony, Samsung, HP and Toshiba SCORE products on display, but he didn’t even bother to mention them.

3/10

8/10

August PCR 43

RETAIL FOCUS MYSTERY SHOPPER

This Mystery Shop was conducted by infinite Field Marketing Solutions, a leading provider of field marketing services to the technology sector.

The solutions provided include Training, Market Research, Mystery Shopping, Demonstration Days, Roadshows, Merchandising and Compliance & Data Capture.

Visit our website for details and to request a Case Study.

COMET

HOUSE OF FRASER - TEC7

T C HAYES

UPON ARRIVING at the store I saw there was already a group of customers in the PC section, but no sign of a sales assistant, so I went in search of one.

I told a member of staff what I was after, to which he replied: “Funny you should ask that, because I noticed today that on our system we are showing iPad covers. This doesn’t mean we are going to stock the iPad, but I do think it’s a little strange.”

Despite not having the product in store, the member of staff didn’t take the opportunity to recommend an alternative, so I asked directly. He immediately took me to the laptop area and began to point out new notebooks from HP and Acer. He favoured the HP model because of the brand and reliability. “I think the HP is built better and would last longer as a portable PC. These notebooks are smaller screened laptops with all the benefits of regular size units,” the sales assistant said. There was no DVD drive built in to the HP model but it was supplied with an external one, whereas the Acer wasn’t. I was told I could save £55 on the HP device.

This was an average visit overall. The member of staff I spoke to had good PC knowledge, but it needed prising from him and SCORE meant that I felt I was leading the conversation, rather than being sold a product.

"DO YOU REQUIRE any assistance?” I was asked as I entered the store. It looked like the member of staff had already had a number of queries about the iPad as, sounding disappointed, he told me the store was not stocking the device. He added that he had even gone so far as to phone head office that morning to ask whether they would be getting any in, to which the answer was “not at present”.

The sales assistant told me that while the iPad was clearly in demand, he personally thought it was just an iPhone with a big screen. I asked him what else I should go for if not the iPad, and he immediately took me over the netbooks.

The staff member described some of the benefits to using a netbook over an iPad, such as easier editing and attaching external products such as a DVD drive. He recommended the Toshiba NB305106 for its reliability, battery life, processor power and memory.

The customer service was polite and conversational, offering a sound recommendation over an iPad purchase. I think a customer looking for an iPad-style product may have needed a bit more convincing SCORE to take a netbook instead but the benefits highlighted did make me think.

AFTER ASKING if I needed help, the sales assistant I spoke to passed me over to a colleague, stating: “He’s got more expertise about those kinds of products than I have.”

The second member of staff immediately welcomed me to the store and then promptly apologised for not being able to sell the iPad. “It’s just the way Apple does things,” he said.

Moving on, he asked me why I wanted an iPad and suggested I might consider a netbook. “The iPad is an iPhone with a big screen; netbooks are more functional for practical things like editing and creating documents, rather than just playing with them,” he suggested, adding that his preferred brands were Asus, Toshiba, and a newer brand MSI Wind.

Although I was not in the store long, the member of staff I spoke to gave me confidence with his positive approach about what he could do rather, than being put off by what he couldn’t. He had some strong arguments that showed weaknesses in Apple’s latest product and how a netbook could be a viable alternative. He certainly made me think about the product in SCORE more detail, which would have been great for a customer actually looking to buy an iPad.

5/10

7/10

7/10

[SUMMARY] The Dixons Retail stores with ‘out of box’ displays had a distinct advantage, as well as staff that genuinely seemed interested inthe products. The popular iPad alternative seemed to be the netbook, which offers a real keyboard and good value for money.

Interestingly, the iPhone 4 was also mentioned by several retailers as a replacement for the iPad,

44 PCR August

which I’m sure Apple didn’t intend and probably wouldn’t be happy to hear; although this could have been a convenient switch sale opportunity.

In an environment where limited stock was available, I was surprised that the staff I spoke to were not more eager to line up alternative products. The majority of the stores commented

that they receive multiple enquiries each day, in some cases up to six, but only a few took the opportunity to show me something different. I can’t help but think the retailers were missing a sales opportunity here – surely it would have been worth the effort, even if they resulted in just one sale.

www.pcr online.biz

t CPUs t Displays t Flash Memory t Hard Drives t Networking t Notebooks t Peripherals t Software t Video Cards

The Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best Selling & Most Award Winning Motherboards

Introducing the New AMD 8 Series Chipset Motherboards from

â&#x20AC;¦

ASUS M4A89TD Pro Motherboard r ".% '9 4# 4PDLFU ". r 4VQQPSUT VQ UP (# %%3 0$

r Y 1$* &YQSFTT Y r Y 4 "5" Y 64# r $SPTT'JSF9 TVQQPSU r "464 )ZCSJE 4XJUDI XJUI $PSF 6OMPDLFS 5VSCP ,FZ ** r 5VSCP 6OMPDLFS GPS SFBM UJNF TZTUFN UVOJOH VIP Order Code: 102643

CALL FOR PRICING

ASUS M4A87TD Evo t ".% 4# 4PDLFU ". t 4VQQPSUT VQ UP (# %%3 0$

t Y 1$* &YQSFTT Y

ASUS M4A88TD-M EVO/USB3 Motherboard

t Y 4 "5" Y 64#

t ".% ( 4# 4PDLFU ".

t ".% 8 $16 TVQQPSU

t 4VQQPSUT VQ UP (# %%3 0$

t 5VSCP 6OMPDLFS GPS SFBM UJNF TZTUFN UVOJOH

t Y 1$* &YQSFTT Y t Y 4 "5" Y 64#

t $PSF 6OMPDLFS *OUFMMJHFOUMZ 6OMPDLT 5SVF $PSF 1FSGPSNBODF

t "464 )ZCSJE 4XJUDI XJUI $PSF 6OMPDLFS 5VSCP ,FZ **

VIP Order Code: 102574

t 5VSCP 6OMPDLFS 0O %FNBOE 3FBM 5JNF 4ZTUFN 5VOJOH

CALL FOR PRICING

t (16 #PPTU *OTUBOU J(16 -FWFM 6Q VIP Order Code: 102579

CALL FOR PRICING

Contact the VIP Sales team on 0871 622 7500 or buy online at www.vip-computers.com/uk © Copyright VIP Computer Centre Limited. 2010. Information correct at time of publication E&OE

Hardware P 49

BACK TO SCHOOL We take a look at the Back to School hardware market and examine some of the devices and accessories designed to help a student excel in education

P 59

P 63

KMS

GFK

PCR talks to KMS Components about its 16 year history and the reasons why a resurgent market is the best climate for an ambitious IT company

Account executive Chris Kennedy Sloane takes a look at the decline in shipments of new PCs and examines the possible link with the component markets return to growth in May

HARDWARE BACK TO SCHOOL

[

CONTACTS

ZOOSTORM FIZZBOOK SPIN 10.1-INCH

CMS Peripherals: 020 8960 6000

]

SRP: From £349 Distributor: Steljes

Computer 2000: 0871 880 3000

They say: An educational, fully functioning laptop PC designed especially for six to 14-year-olds

EntaTech: 0333 101 1000

Specs: 10.1-inch screen, Intel Atom processor, 1GB memory, 160GB RAM, Windows 7 Starter or Professional, screen swivels 180°, curved edges, integrated webcam

Gem Distribution: 01279 822 822 Interactive Ideas: 020 8805 1000 Maverick: 0871 880 3733 Meroncourt: 01462 680060 Micro-P: 01282 776 776 Midwich: 01379 649200 Realtime Distribution: 01480 435 881 Steljes: 08450 747 001 VIP Computers: 0871 622 7500

[

LIVESCRIBE PULSE SMARTPEN 4GB SRP: £173.69 Distributor: Gem Distribution

]

They say: Records and links audio to what you write, so you never miss a word Specs: Records and syncs audio with written notes, plays back audio when particular words or drawings are tapped, recordings and notes can be shared online, USB connection, holds up to 200 hours of audio

Teaching assistance Books? Check. Pencil case? Check. Netbook, USB stick and laptop case? Check, check and check.

Nicky Trup talks to the experts about what is driving tech’s rise up the ‘back to school’ shopping list…

“Learning is becoming much more personalised; students have access to a wide variety of technology within a learning environment.”

Richard Bovingdon, Micro-P

www.pcr-online.biz

AUGUST IS a busy month for retail; students start kitting themselves out for university and college, while parents rush around making last minute purchases for their children ahead of the start of term. And, of course, schools themselves start preparing their classrooms for the year ahead.

In terms of technology, schools have moved on from the days when a simple whiteboard and overhead projector

sufficed; pupils are now benefiting from more sophisticated facilities than ever before. And while some schools might be cutting their spending, many more are set to take control of their finances by becoming academies opening out the potential market for technology products.

Micro-P’s head of education Richard Bovingdon tells PCR that the education sector is a growing market for the

industry. “Learning is becoming much more personalised; students will have access to a wide variety of technology within a learning environment, which may not be a conventional classroom as we know it,” he says.

“We are all aware that public sector belts are tightening, but as schools continue to see the benefits of these technologies and how they can support teachers

>>>

August PCR 49

HARDWARE BACK TO SCHOOL

[

PROMETHEAN ACTIVOTE SRP: £848 for 32 handset kit Distributor: Maverick

]

They say: It takes courage to speak up, and nearly psychic abilities to know who understands the lesson – ActiVote offers teachers and students a clearer answer Specs: Allows teachers to conduct class polls, A-F voting capability, can download results into spreadsheets and lesson plans, compatible with thirdparty whiteboards

[

SAMSUNG NB30 10.1-INCH DURABLE NETBOOK

]

[

]

HANNSG HP222DGB HARD GLASS MONITOR

SRP: From £257 Distributor: Micro-P

SRP: £155 Distributor: Micro-P, EntaTech

They say: With a fashionably durable exterior and an HDD-protecting free fall sensor, the Samsung NB30 is always on guard to keep its contents safe

They say: In education establishments accidental knocks and constant prodding with fingers and stationery can cause irreparable damage. These new tough screen solutions reduce the cost of monitor ownership

Specs: 10.1-inch screen, rubber coating with ‘S’ pattern to prevent finger marks and scratches, HDD free fall sensor protects data by parking the hard drive if the netbook is dropped, Intel Atom processor, eight hour battery life, also available with touchscreen

[

Specs: 22-inch widescreen, tough acrylic screen surface, active matrix TFT, anti-glare coating, adjustable angle

CASIO XJ-A130 PROJECTOR SRP: £764 Distributor: Midwich

]

They say: The laser and LED hybrid light source creates high brightness without a mercury lamp Specs: Long-life mercury-free hybrid light source, 1024 x 768 resolution, 2000 ANSI lumens brightness, 2x optical zoom, wireless capability, USB 2.0 port and HDMI port, slim and lightweight design

>>>

in improving learning outcomes there will always be the need for technology,” adds Maverick business development manager Ian Neale.

One increasingly popular product in school hardware is the projector, with top name vendors such as Samsung, Epson and Casio all turning their attention to the sector. Ultra short throw solutions (shorter range) have become popular in recent years, as they mount directly above the whiteboard,

50 PCR August

making them particularly practical for smaller classrooms.

“We will see significant growth in ultra short throw projectors, new greener LED/laser projectors, e-boards, large format interactive displays and other interactive devices,” says Darren Lewitt, divisional director at Midwich.

“Epson’s new interactive projectors are flying out the door in their hundreds as a cheaper alternative to an interactive whiteboard and ultra short throw option.”

>>>

www.pcr-online.biz

Great

Back To School offers from PORT Designs Bundle includes a bag, mouse and 2-for-1 Music Voucher*

Bundle available in a variety of bag sizes, 10-12”, 15-16” and the 16’ backpack**

While stocks last.

Available from Gem! Contact your Gem account manager for more information on 01279 822822 or visit Gem online at www.gem.co.uk * 2 for 1 music offer is with music download site Starzik, the voucher enclosed in the bundle entitles the customer to buy 2 albums or tracks for the price of 1 and 1 voucher is valid for 1 year with multiple uses allowed

HARDWARE BACK TO SCHOOL

[

ASUS EEE PC DISNEY MK90

]

SRP: £259 Distributor: Computer 2000, VIP Computers, Micro-P They say: Durable, with a reinforced mechanical design and a unique Disney user interface Specs: 8.9-inch LCD display, child-friendly software featuring Disney characters, parental control options, wi-fi capability

[

SAMSUNG SM650TS 65-INCH INTERACTIVE EBOARD

[

CORSAIR 4GB FLASH VOYAGER

]

SRP: £10.99 Distributor: Realtime Distribution, EntaTech They say: The Corsair Flash Voyager family of USB drives is rugged, stylish, compact, and reliable Specs: Protective rubberised casing, durable shockproof design, 4GB storage, chip-on-board technology

[

SOYNTEC TRAVELLER 100 PURPLE SRP: £19.99 Distributor: Meroncourt

]

They say: A messenger bag with a fashion design and multiple compartments for pens, mobiles, MP4/MP5 players and accessories Specs: Fits screen size up to 12.1 inches, made from hard-wearing material, adjustable shoulder strap, multiple compartments

]

SRP: £7,152.23 Distributor: Midwich They say: Combining the simplicity of a whiteboard and the power of a computer, the Samsung 650TS eBoard will enhance almost any learning environment. Increased student participation, better visual presentation and more efficient lessons Specs: 65-inch touchscreen with anti-reflective coating, can be used with fingers or a pen, low power consumption, shares content with students’ PCs, wide viewing angles, package contains basic software

>>>

As well as the projectors themselves, there is also money to be made from add-on accessories such as tablets and other gadgets that allow pupils to interact with the lesson. “The sale of complementary products for the interactive whiteboard have grown in recent years as teachers have become more comfortable with the technology in front of them and learnt that these products can not only increase student engagement but integrate

www.pcr-online.biz

“We will see significant growth in ultra short throw projectors, new greener LED/laser projectors, e-boards, large format interactive displays and other interactive devices.”

Darren Lewitt, Midwich

seamlessly with their existing technology,” Neale comments.

Of course, any device handled by children needs to be resistant to the spills, drops and the general rough treatment that will inevitably occur.

Rugged laptops in particular have been a growing category over the past few years, with every major vendor now offering a notebook or netbook with enhanced damage protection. Special features on these devices include shock absorbers, a solid-state drive, sensors

which back up data if the laptop is dropped, and rubber casing for a better grip.

“Durability will become increasingly important as school budgets are squeezed and equipment lifespan must prove a key USP. It is key that resellers selling into schools understand how the technology is going to be used,” observes Bovingdon, adding that connectivity, mobility, battery life and weight are also important factors.

>>>

August PCR 53

HARDWARE BACK TO SCHOOL

[

PORT DESIGNS MALIBU LAPTOP SKIN

]

[

SRP: £14.99 Distributor: Gem Distribution

Specs: Neoprene fabric, interior lip to keep the laptop in place, fits ten to 12-inch screens, toploading design, zip fastening

PROMETHEAN ACTIVEXPRESSION SRP: £1,899 for 32 handset kit

]

SRP: £15 Distributor: Interactive Ideas, EntaTech

]

[

BUFFALO TECHNOLOGY 500GB MINISTATION WITH HARDWARE ENCRYPTION SRP: £84.99 Distributor: Meroncourt, EntaTech

They say: Allows teachers to assign full quizzes of varying difficulty and gives students the opportunity to register answers at their own pace

They say: Securely protects your data from prying eyes through encryption and has excellent shock protection against those accidental knocks

Specs: Full text capability, allows question customisation, wireless radio connectivity, works with third-party interactive whiteboards

Specs: Shock resistant body, 500GB storage, available in three colours, wraparound cable management system, disk encryption, PC and Mac compatible

But for products aimed at the students and pupils themselves, rather than educational establishments, practicality is not the only consideration. “It’s a mixture of function, design, price and also how ‘cool’ the products are for students,” suggests Steve Walsh, Meroncourt’s sales director.

It would appear that, for many children, the start of a new school year after the long summer break is no longer marked by a new pair of shoes

54 PCR August

AGFA APLP-200 HANDHELD LED PROJECTOR

]

SRP: £229.99 Distributor: CMS Peripherals Specs: Five to 65-inch projection size, 18 Lumens brightness, VGA output, manual focus, 4:3 aspect ratio, free travel speaker

Specs: Symmetrical design, long two metre cable, eight stickers included for decoration, red light on the rear of the mouse, customisable mouse mat, USB connection, contamination-proof

Distributor: Maverick

>>>

[

They say: Designed by parents with advice from kids. Developed in conjunction with nurseries and schools

They say: High protection against shocks and scratches

[

CHERRY KIDS MOUSE

“The educational environment is much more PC-orientated, which makes carrying a USB flash drive in your pencil case a part of everyday life.”

Hannah Horne, Realtime Distribution

][

SWEEX NOTEBOOK SECURITY LOCK SRP: £5.99 Distributor: Realtime Distribution

]

They say: Aimed at schools to secure the computers in their IT suites Specs: Cut-resistant steel cable with key lock, vinyl-coated steel cable, 1.5 metre length

and a pencil case, but a new set of laptop accessories and peripherals.

“For us, the best sellers are notebook accessories: mice, headsets, speakers, cameras and external hard drives have always been especially popular,” Walsh says.

Hannah Horne, product manager at Realtime, adds: “The educational environment is much more PCorientated, which makes carrying a USB flash drive in your pencil case a part of everyday life.”

Whether it’s peripherals or projectors, the ‘back to school’ period can provide a welcome boost to sales after what for many is a particularly quiet time of year. According to Horne, while Christmas is the peak period for most, summer is also the season to be jolly. “Notoriously the PC component and peripheral business drops off in this period, so the idea of back to school bundles and specials can result in extra sales for distributors and retailers alike,” she concludes.

www.pcr-online.biz

HARDWARE COMPANY PROFILE KMS

KMS moved to its current HQ nine years ago after outgrowing its previous office

Onwards and upwards Now in its 16th year, KMS Components is preparing to move into a number of new product areas as the technology sector emerges from the recession – an economic climate which the firm believes will galvanise the market. Andrew Wooden talks to sales manager Steve Bland…

“Our ethos is ‘offer more’. Every time we take on a new brand or product we always look to see how we can improve customer service levels, delivery lead times and offer a competitive price.”

Steve Bland, KMS Components

Can you tell us a bit about the history of KMS? KMS Components started out in 1994 and has always been based in Cardiff, although the head office has changed on a number of occasions to allow for the long-term growth of the company.

Founded by Gary Munz, the company has gone from strength to strength under his guidance and was moved to our current purpose built premises nine years ago because we rapidly outgrew our previous building.

Is the company very different now to when it was formed?

www.pcr-online.biz

It has evolved somewhat since our first trading days, purely selling memory modules and processors to the UK market. KMS started out with around five staff doing various roles from buying, selling, picking and even delivering orders all over the country.

Today we have a large number of brands that we distribute and we also have many own brand products to offer the market. With around a thousand customers, over 15 different product categories and more than 30 brands, we are still seeing continued growth in the market, even in these interesting times.

What would you say your main product focus is?

KMS obviously will always be known as a computer component supplier.

We have one of the best proactive sales teams in the business and are very strong in storage, graphics, displays, memory and CPUs. But we also have other business sectors which have seen rapid growth, with our CnM branded consumer electronics and security products being the pick of the bunch.

What areas are you looking to expand into?

There are many key areas

>>>

August PCR 59

HARDWARE COMPANY PROFILE KMS

>>>

that we are looking to move into. We are also very open to any new brands looking to enter the UK market that need a distributor. Our customers are always keen to expand their business so we tend to listen to what they want when we create new business areas.

How would you describe your company ethos?

‘Offer more’ is our ethos. Every time we look to take on a new brand or product we always look to the market to see how we can improve customer service levels, delivery lead times and, of course, offer a competitive price.

Consumers will always have an appetite and need for newer technology as long as certain price points can be met.

What do you think will be the key drivers of growth over the next couple of years?

Unfortunately I left my crystal ball at home today, so I can’t really answer that one accurately! Technology has a wonderful way of enabling people to do things more easily, more efficiently or even things they never thought possible, and the next breakthrough is only just around the corner.

The KMS accounts team

“I think the hard times have been good for most industries in the long run. The recession has made a lot of companies get back to basics, which can only be only a good thing. It means everyone has to step up their game to be better than before so they can further grow their business.”

Steve Bland says consumers will always have an appetite for new technology

Steve Bland, KMS Components

We already offer exclusive warranty support and service levels to our customers over and above the competition to help improve the offering they can provide their end users. We want our customers to be long-term partners and we will continue to offer more to them.

Do you think the UK IT industry is in a better state than other industries at the moment?

Many markets are suffering at the moment and in a way I think the hard times have been good for most industries in the long run. The recession has made a lot of companies get back to basics, which can only be only a good thing. It means everyone has to step up their game to be better than before so they can further grow their business.

The IT industry is always a leader in the UK and although budgets were cut during the recession, IT seems to be one of the first industries to show signs of recovery. Businesses realise that neglecting this area is not tenable in the long term, as that constrains a business’ ability to grow and compete affecting it’s long term viability.

60 PCR August

Where do you see KMS in five years’ time?

We have some big plans in place to grow our business in many different product areas; we’re aiming to increase our product line-up and we will also enter into new markets. We will continue to follow the same basic rules we apply today by offering our customers large stocks of products for next day delivery at the very best prices possible.

We will continue to grow our own brand line-up of products to offer better margins for our customers, as well as partnering with more ‘A’ brands to give a complete offering of products from entry level to the high-end.

www.pcr-online.biz

HARDWARE GFK ANALYSIS

Components go from strength to strength The business IT channel underwent a surprising return to growth in May, despite shipments of new machines dropping. So what is driving the boom? GfK account executive Chris Kennedy-Sloane takes a look...

“The rise of components could highlight a tendency for companies to upgrade their existing hardware, rather than buy a new machine.”

Chris Kennedy-Sloane

www.pcr online.biz

MAY SAW an interesting trend in the business channels a startling return to growth, with overall IT categories up 12 per cent in volume and eight per cent in value. This is in contrast to the retail channels, where volume is currently struggling to catch up with value.

When we drill down further into the reasons for this, we see one key trend pushing the business IT market into growth the rise of components.

This could highlight a tendency for companies to continue to upgrade their existing hardware, rather than buy a new machine. Both monitors and memory modules showed the largest unit growths, over 24 per cent and 22 per cent respectively.

The memory module’s growth can be partly attributed to the increase in average specifications for PCs now 4096MB of RAM has become the norm over and above 2048MB. It makes sense that consumers and businesses would upgrade to keep upto-date.

We also saw significant value growth for a few other key component categories. Housings grew an astounding 77 per cent this year, and strong growth was also logged for power management devices and communication cards.

Interestingly, despite large gains for monitors within system houses, consumers are backing up against the wall when it comes to monitor purchases. We are seeing a ten per cent decline in units and a 9.3 per cent year-on-year decline in value in retail channels as a whole, with the biggest loser being mass merchandisers, with 24 per cent volume and 18 per cent value declines in the same period.

Prices across the board showed a general decline, but notebooks were responsible for the majority of the fall, dropping from an average of £631 to £583. The total business decline was a mere 2.7 per cent, and this was despite a rise of over 30 per cent for desktops, a similar rise for storage and a slight rise for software.

Netbooks, long the golden boy of the retail channel, appear to have outstayed their welcome in business posting a 41 per cent unit decline and a 40 per cent value decline year on year. Even notebooks, having gained significantly in recent years, have lost three per cent in units and ten per cent in value.

While Desktop computers did show a decline in units of over eight per cent, they gained 20 per cent in value, almost entirely down to the provisioning of some higher-end servers.

In fact, servers in business channels were up 122 per cent in volume and 134 per cent in value year on year. We also saw good growth for some of the newer desktop form factors, with all-inones up 30 per cent in volume, and micro PCs maintaining their exponential growth 725 per cent in volume and an even larger 880 per cent in value. The value growth is due to a significant price increase of 18 per cent, up to £362, and perhaps showing that the business channels take micro PCs even more seriously than consumers.

With the business channels maintaining their affection for the desktop form factors, can we anticipate a return to growth for many of the component categories? Only time will tell.

For further information please contact Chris Kennedy-Sloane in the UK on 0870 603 8136.

August PCR 63

Back to School PCR DPS Ad - Left hand page

Storage

Call or log-in f o latest r pricing !

Freecom Mobile Drive Classic II 500GB USB2 Freecom Mobile Classic II 500GB Hard Drive Compact storage on the go! Ultra compact, easy to use and secure, this USB 2.0 powered portable hard drive makes transporting and sharing data easier than ever!

• Fast, low noise external mobile USB 2.0 hard drive • Ultra-compact size, ideal for use with a netbook or a notebook • USB powered • Turbo USB 2.0 driver for even faster data transfer speed (for Windows) CCI part no. 33577 Freecom part no. 33577

Audio/Visual

LG 19" LED Monitor 16:9 The new range of LED monitors from LG offer the very best crystal clear images, the deepest, truest blacks and the most realistic colours available today. This new technology also offers an ultra-slim form factor (20mm) and up to 40% power saving compared to LCD technology.

• Resolution - 1366 x 768 • Dynamic Contrast Ratio - 5000000:1 • Response Time - 5ms • Interface - D-Sub • Viewing Angle - 170/160 degrees

Storage

Toshiba 120GB 1.8" External Black Steel HDD

Elegant looking SWISSGEAR case designed to fit notebooks with screen sizes up to 17".

• Made by Wenger, makers of the genuine Swiss Army knife • Padded Computer Compartment & Business Organizer.

• Zip-Down Computer Access • Tear-Resistant Shoulder Strap

A stainless steel, anti-scratch and anti-fingermark enclosure for a new generation of solid and reliable hard disk drives.

Elegance meets technology -a slick, modern and minimalist design for one of the most elegant products in its category; At under 10 cm in length, the 1.8 version is so discrete you could forget you even have it in your pocket!

• Bus Powered • Finger proof, anti scratch, stainless steel enclosure • Pre Installed with award winning McAffee Internet Security (Trial Version) • Under 10cm in Length • Single Cable power/data connection

CCI part no. 28963 Wenger Swissgear part no. GA-7421-14F00

CCI part no. 33487 Toshiba part no. PA4137E-1HA2

CCI part no. 50434 LG part no. E1940S-PN

Peripherals & Accessories

Swissgear Sierra computer case 17"

Visit ccidistribution.co.uk for real time stock availability and pricing.

Optical • Storage • Back-up, Archive & Media • Audio/Visual Connectivity • Peripherals & Accessories and much more...

Back to School PCR DPS Ad - Right hand page

Storage

Network attached storage from LG Users can access their data wherever they are via the internet, whether connected by the same network or connecting remotely. With a built-in DVD Re-Writer for additional data backup and protection - providing 1TB of space this is the complete home storage solution!

• DLNA Certified • Can be used as NAS / USB HDD / USB DVD via convenient switch • Multiple User Access, User Management with Security • Compatible with Windows, Linux & Mac Platforms CCI part no. 51000 LG part no. N1T1DD1.AUAR01I

Optical

LiteOn 8x Slim Top Load External DVDRW LiteOn top loading slimline DVDRW drive the ideal travel accessory for archiving Movies, Photos, and Music anytime.

• External Top Loader Design • USB bus-powered • Super AllWrite • USB 2.0 connectivity CCI part no. 34259 LiteOn part no. ETAU108-02

Backup, Archive & Media

Connectivity

Edimax 11N 150 Hi-Gain 3dBi USB Adapter Edimax Wireless nLite USB Adaptor. One of the World's smallest wireless adaptors, and yet able to increase your coverage compared to standard 802.11g products!

• Also compatible with 802.11b/g products • Supports data transfer rates of up to 150Mbps • Supports WEP, WPA and WPA2 • Supports Windows 2000/xp/vista, MAC 10.4x and above and Linux • Complete with desk stand CCI part no. 31819 Edimax part no. EW-7711UAN

Verbatim 2GB PinStripe USB Drive Verbatim Store 'n' Go PinStripe 2GB USB Flash Drive (Black) The new "Pin Stripe" utilises a pull-mechanism which protects the USB connector without requiring a separate cap.

• Push and pull sliding feature • Enhanced for Windows ReadyBoost • Includes EasyLock Password Protection Software Trial • Compatible with Windows 2000, XP, Vista & Windows 7 • Compatible with Mac OS 9 or higher & Linux 2.4.0 or higher s CCI part no. 34357 Verbatim part no. 49060

Peripherals & Accessories

TDK 2.1 channel iPod/iPhone Dock Peripherals & Accessories

Sweex Vici MP4 Player 8GB Sweex Vici MP4 Player Black 8G with built-in camera, FM Radio, microphone and tilt sensor!

• Audio: MP3, M4A, WMA (without DRM), OGG, AAC, MP2, MP1, WAV, FLAC, APE • Video: AVI, FLV, 3GP • Pictures: JPG, BMP, GIF • 2.0" TFT display, 220x176, 260k colours • FM radio with recording presets

The TDK TiSD100 system for iPhone and iPod delivers a high-fidelity listening experience in any space. Two full range speakers, two tweeters and a subwoofer have been designed and tuned to provide a powerful, lifelike performance!

• Precision tuned for unprecedented audio performance • Control iPod and radio with advanced remote • Auxiliary in jack allows connection to other devices CCI part no. 51008 TDK part no. TISD100P

CCI part no. 51276 Sweex part no. MP520

Call 01423 704700 or visit

LG LED Monitors DPS Ad PC Retail - LEFT HAND PAGE

The World’s slimmest design and superb picture quality

LG 23" LED Monitor 16:9 HDMI DVI 5ms Black

LG 22" LED Monitor 16:9 HDMI DVI 5ms Black

• Resolution - 1920 x 1080 (Full HD)

• Resolution - 1920 x 1080 (Full HD)

• Dynamic Contrast Ratio - 5000000:1

• Dynamic Contrast Ratio - 5000000:1

• Response Time - 5ms

• Response Time - 5ms

• Interface - D-Sub, DVI & HDMI

• Interface - D-Sub, DVI & HDMI

• Viewing Angle - 170/160 degrees

• Viewing Angle - 170/160 degrees

CCI part no. 50442 LG part no. E2350V-PN

CCI part no. 50441 LG part no. E2250V-PN

Visit ccidistribution.co.uk for real time stock availability and pricing. *All pricing shown is per unit, ex. VAT and based on volume. Pricing is correct at the time of print and is subject to change at any time without notice.

LG LED Monitors DPS Ad PC Retail - RIGHT HAND PAGE

The new range of LED monitors from LG offer the very best crystal-clear images, the deepest, truest blacks and the most realistic colours available today. This new exciting technology provides an ultra-slim profile (20mm) and up to 40% power saving compared to LCD technology.

LG 22" LED Monitor 16:9 HD 5ms Black

LG 19" LED Monitor 16:9 5ms Black

• Resolution - 1920 x 1080

• Resolution - 1366 x 768

• Dynamic Contrast Ratio - 5000000:1

• Dynamic Contrast Ratio - 5000000:1

• Response Time - 5ms

• Response Time - 5ms

• Interface - D-Sub

• Interface - D-Sub

• Viewing Angle - 170/160 degrees

• Viewing Angle - 170/160 degrees

CCI part no. 50435 LG part no. E2240S-PN

CCI part no. 50434 LG part no. E1940S-PN

Optical • Storage • Back-up, Archive & Media • Audio/Visual Connectivity • Peripherals & Accessories and much more...

Call 01423 704700 or visit

Audio/Visual

e with LG widescreen LED monitors. They balance eye-catching design with optimum performance, rendering colour and motion with incredible realism. They deliver true-to-life graphics and picture quality every time you turn one on.

Great Back tos School Savingft! from Micnrewoscshoool year

the Get ready for -quality, vings on high with great sa icrosoft easy-to-use M peripherals

UP TO

33% OFF

UP TO

UP TO

25% OFF

Microsoft Wireless Desktop 700 v2 • Wireless Freedom • Compact Design • Scroll Wheel • Longer Battery Life • Optical Technology

UP TO

20% OFF

33% OFF

UP TO

23% OFF

Microsoft Comfort Curve Keyboard 2000

Microsoft Wired Desktop 600

Microsoft Basic Optical Mouse v2

• Spill-Resistant Design • Ultra-Thin Profile Keys • Comfort Curve Keyboard Layout

• Quiet-Touch Keys • Spill Resistant Design • Comfort For Either Hand

Microsoft Compact Optical Mouse 500 v2

• Optical Technology • Comfort In Either Hand • Customisable Buttons

• Easy To Set Up And Use • Comfortable In Either Hand

Available in Black or White

Available in Black, White, Aloe Green, Pomegranate Red, Créme Brulée, Strawberry Sorbet Pink or Milk Chocolate

Offers available throughout August.

For more information on these hardware products and how much you could save, contact your preferred distributor now!

0871 880 3333

01279 822822

0871 9733000

01189 126 000

Software PCR’s monthly look at recent developments in the software market

p 73

BACK TO SCHOOL Offering a variety of add on sales opportunities as well as high end targeted sales, the Back to School software market can be a lucrative sector. PCR examines and showcases some key produc

p 70

p 80

WEBROOT

GAMES

Webroot’s director for EMEA consumer business development David Bennett talks about his company’s plans for Irish expansion

Our monthly round up of the top selling full price and budget titles of the month, as well as a shortlist of the biggest future releases

www.pcretailmag.com

August PCR 69

SOFTWARE COMPANY PROFILE WEBROOT

Root access Security software vendor Webroot has been going from strength to strength of late, growing its business across both the corporate and consumer sectors. Nicky Trup talks to director of EMEA consumer business development David Bennett about the secret behind the firm’s success, and how it intends to keep it up…

David Bennett says the firm has hired over 50 new employees over the last few months

70 PCR August

WEBROOT HAS had a busy old year, and we’re only eight months in. The first half of 2010 has seen the security software firm set up a new

international office, made strategic acquisitions and expanded its upper management team with several new appointments.

Since its foundation in 1997, when it focused predominantly on the antispyware market, the privately held company has grown to employ over 450 members of staff worldwide, with plans

www.pcr-online.biz

SOFTWARE COMPANY PROFILE WEBROOT

Email Systems Scandinavia earlier this year, and is part of the firm’s “bid to drive innovation in cloud-based protection.

“The acquisition will allow Webroot to deliver cloud-based web security offerings for both business and consumers alike,” says Bennett. The firm now plans to integrate BrightCloud’s technology with its own malware detection and security-as-aservice technologies.

As well as the acquisitions, Webroot also recently established a new international headquarters in Dublin, adding to its numerous offices in the UK, the US, Sweden, Japan and Australia. The new base in the Irish capital houses Webroot’s EMEA and Asia Pacific teams across areas including sales, marketing, engineering and customer support.

“The move into Ireland is a strategic one that will enable us to develop a strong foothold within the Irish IT security market and establish Webroot as a leader in Ireland,” comments Bennett. “Ireland is a key growth territory for Webroot; currently there's no clearly established leader in securityas-a-service in the region. Webroot’s security-as-a-service solutions have already proven themselves to bring benefits of function, protection and reduced operating cost to businesses across the UK.”

to add many more in the coming months.

The firm appears to be flourishing in an environment that has caused many to struggle over the past couple of years. “Webroot has fared extremely well, our SaaS business has seen double digit growth and our consumer business is seeing a similar ramp.

Webroot has also added over 50 employees over the last six months and just announced the purchase of BrightCloud, extending our IP ownership,” David Bennett, Webroot’s director of EMEA consumer business development, tells PCR. The buy-out of web content classification and security services provider BrightCloud follows a deal to acquire leading corporate security firm

www.pcr-online.biz

PARTNER EXPANSION The new office has been complemented by an expansion of the company’s partner programme, which it hopes will attract a number of new enterprise cloud security resellers.

“Webroot’s partner programme brings a whole host of opportunities and benefits to the Irish channel. It provides partners with the opportunity to increase revenue quickly and benefit from comprehensive training tools. In addition, our partners can leverage award-winning services from Webroot backed up by 24/7 technical and sales support,” claims Bennett.

Webroot has also bolstered its position in global market by making a number of executive appointments, including a new vice president of worldwide service and support, a vice president of corporate development and a vice president of North

American retail sales the latter being former Symantec retail sales director Lee Allen.

Of course, all this investment in expansion would mean nothing if the firm didn’t keep up-to-date with the changing security landscape, which Bennett says has moved on hugely since the firm was set up. “Security challenges have exploded from what was a virus-centric business to a market where it’s the person and the hardware, rather than just the hardware, that’s under attack,” Bennett says. “Attacks are driven now by monetary generation rather than a set of hackers looking to prove a point by accessing secure systems; the fastest growing business is now cyber crime.

We are an increasingly connected world securing that is now more than just securing your device.”

But devices themselves are also providing real opportunities for security software vendors to provide additional solutions. The rise of smartphones and, more recently, tablets, means consumers are risking cyber attacks on their mobile devices as well as their home PCs. “Tablets are great as they increase our ease of connecting to the web. The challenge is, as with the mobile phone market, that there are a number of operating systems. The real challenge is not just protecting the hardware by moving what was ‘PC security’ towards ‘personal web security’. Protecting users as they surf the web from malicious code is the real opportunity,” suggests Bennett.

As for the future, the firm intends to hire 50 new staff for the Dublin office over the next two years, helping it to grow even further.

“Webroot will continue on our global expansion, extending our business as a leader in security-as-aservice for consumers and SMBs,” concludes Bennett.

“The move into Ireland is a strategic one that will enable us to develop a strong foothold within the Irish IT security market and establish Webroot as a leader in Ireland.”

David Bennett, Webroot

NEED TO KNOW: Employs over 450 staff worldwide Recently opened a new international office in Dublin, Ireland Acquired web content classification and security services provider BrightCloud last month Is currently expanding its partner programme in Ireland

August PCR 71

Consumer and Business ^ŽŌǁĂƌĞ

Preparing for the new school year with

Version 2 of the award winning software collection designed for children and aligned with their school’s curriculum For more information on this range visit

www.pcindie.com/publisher/EdAlive or call Veronica at PC Indie on 01256 385 219

ǁǁǁ͘PCindie͘ĐŽŵ © Pathold No 167 Pty Ltd 2010 EdAlive® registered by Pathold No 167 Pty Ltd and licensed to Erinzan Pty Ltd. ABN 29 003 829 570. Pub ished under licence by Erinzan Pty Ltd trading as EdAlive. Country of Origin Australia

SOFTWARE BACK TO SCHOOL

[

CONTACTS CentreSoft: 0121 625 3399 Gem Distribution: 01279 822 822

Sesame Street Preschool Pack SRP: £14.99 Distributor: Interactive Ideas, Gem Distribution, Centresoft, Ideal Software

]

They say: Developed by trusted experts in childhood education, these educational Sesame Street titles help children learn fundamental skills essential for every preschooler’s growth and progress. Activities are specially designed for two to five-year-olds and automatically adjust to allow children to play at their own pace and appropriate skill level, providing individualised feedback and support

Koch Media: 0870 027 8700 Ideal Software: 01767 689 720

Features: Includes Learn, Play and Grow, Let’s Go To Preschool and Elmo’s World software; addresses fundamental skills, early learning, language development, social development and self-esteem

Interactive Ideas: 020 8805 1000

e-ducation As September approaches, parents will be looking to ensure that their children are fully equipped for the academic year ahead. The back to school season can offer some of the best sales opportunities for the IT sector outside of the Christmas period. Matt Grainger investigates…

“The back to school period offers retailers a fantastic opportunity to maximise sales of education software, and we’ve certainly seen more interest this year, on the back of some very strong PC sales in the first two quarters.”

Steve Powell, Avanquest

www.pcr-online.biz

THE BACK to school period is upon us again. The frantic rush to ensure that the kids are ready and prepared for another year at school is an annual tradition for most families, and one that the smart retailer will be quick to take advantage of.

This period of the year offers an excellent sales opportunity for the IT sector. An awareness of technology is increasingly seen as an essential bulwark of a well-rounded education and many hardware and software products are seen as a useful tool for school children and students, with more education-focused items on the market than ever before.

“The back to school period offers retailers a fantastic opportunity to maximise sales of education software, and we’ve certainly seen more interest in BTS this year, on the back of some very strong PC sales in the first two quarters of 2010,” says Avanquest’s sales director Steve Powell.

“The overall category is huge, covering everything from essentials like pens, pencils and clothing to books, toys, games and software. With massive in-store promotional activity across multiple categories, store traffic increases dramatically along with a parent’s propensity to spend money on their children.”

Interactive Ideas’ PR and marketing executive Yen Tru has also observed the growth of the educational software market. “I anticipate sales to be as strong as always, especially as the back to school market no longer focuses on traditional core subjects, but an array of topics. Also, with growing ownership of home PCs, the variety of high-value software at cut prices remains a major attraction. This, coupled with economic concerns, may encourage parents to invest more in educational software.”

The increasingly diverse portfolio of learning and educational titles available has seen a proliferation in products, each tailored to

>>>

August PCR 73

SOFTWARE BACK TO SCHOOL

[

Learning Ladder KS2 Pack SRP: £19.99 Distributor: Interactive Ideas, Gem Distribution, CentreSoft, Ideal Software

]

They say: Highly motivating and devised to support the teaching of literacy and numeracy in schools, Learning Ladder forms a complete learning system for your child. Each disc is a separate ‘rung’ on the ladder – starting at age seven, taking children through to age 11 Features: Teaches phonetics, spelling, writing words and building sentences, addition and subtraction, division and multiplication; monitors progress and assesses the child’s strengths and weaknesses

[

Words Rock V2 SRP: £16.99 Distributor: Koch Media

]

[

Ultimate Maths Invaders SRP: £16.99 Distributor: Koch Media

] [

They say: Words Rock uses a carefully crafted progression of activities to develop word power, spelling skills and punctuation knowhow, and delves into the nitty-gritty of how to grow word-smart kids.

New concepts are introduced gradually, extending students at their own pace

They say: Use rapid-fire tables and number facts to defend the planet from waves of invading maths problems. Get started straight out of the box, or take advantage of the powerful diagnostic and reporting capabilities to zero in on each child’s learning needs.

Features: 3,200 activities over 16 progressive levels, develops spelling skills, improves grammar and punctuation awareness, optimised for group work or individual learning

Features: Covers essential numeracy skills, rapid-fire questions, progress monitoring, varied speed of gameplay, identifies a child’s needs and develops a revision programme

>>>

a specific market. The beauty of the back to school period is that parents can purchase software without worrying about the content or that it will cut into homework time concerns that might arise if they are buying a game, for example.

“Curriculum-based learning always does well as parents see it as a great way to support their children’s classroom studies,” observes Powell.

“For younger children, fun characterbased learning is increasingly popular and it’s the high-profile educational

74 PCR August

brands that seem to perform best, such as Sesame Street, Dorling Kindersley, Letts and so on. We’ve also seen an increase in the demand for quality language learning software and as a result will soon be launching new versions of our Berlitz products.”

As well as meeting a genuine need for educational and engaging software titles aimed at children, parents might often be tempted to purchase other software for themselves. Language and professional development packages can fill this niche perfectly, serving as a ‘guilt-free’ impulse buy.

Braintastic Word Skills One SRP: £16.99 Distributor: Koch Media

] [

They say: Give your child a positive and empowering language experience with Braintastic Word Skills. You can customise the work/play ratio to maximise your child’s learning.

Features: 1,100 sequenced learning activities, letter tracking, matching, sorting and recognition, spelling patterns and rules, vocabulary development, correlates with key stage one

“Consumers are always attracted to products that offer value for money, so bundling high-value software with PC hardware is a good way to entice customers.”

Yen Tru, Interactive Ideas

Braintastic Reading Success Two SRP: £16.99 Distributor: Koch Media

]

They say: Integrated speech ensures reading success. Build essential reading skills to unlock life’s treasures. Reading Success uniquely combines sight and sound for maximum learning potential.

Features: 390 activities covering three years of schooling, integrated speech and sound support, phonetic and text based approach, expanded controlled vocabulary

“As e-learning and interactive media become an accepted part of the learning process, language learning software, training DVDs and media related software, such as movie-editing and music-making are performing well,” notes Tru. Powell has also noticed an increase in sales for products covering noncurriculum subjects: “We’ve seen great success with our educational compendium packs the Letts GCSE companions, the Reader Rabbit and Learning Ladder Key Stage titles, and Sesame Street

>>>

www.pcr-online.biz

Microsoft® product images reprinted with permission from Microsoft® Corporation

VIP Computers recommends genuine Microsoft® software

Spot the difference

...before it’s too late Last year saw 55 businesses fined through software piracy. That’s more than one per week!

Piracy cost us all.

In 2008 £1.49bn revenue was lost by the UK IT industry to software piracy

Help stamp out piracy. Buy genuine Microsoft® software from VIP. Register now for our Free Microsoft events at Villa Park (11th August) or Wembley Stadium (18th August) and get some great free giveaways. As an added bonus we’re giving the first 40 registrations for each of the events a FREE Sanyo Digital Camcorder RRP £180* For more information and to register please visit: www.vip-computers.com/uk/microsoft/EventRegister.aspx (*Attendance to the event required)

Contact the VIP Sales team on 0871 622 7500 or buy online at www.vip-computers.com/uk © Copyright VIP Computer Centre Limited. 2010. Information correct at time of publication E&OE

SOFTWARE BACK TO SCHOOL

[

Reader Rabbit KS1 Pack SRP: £19.99 Distributor: Interactive Ideas, Gem Distribution, CentreSoft, Ideal Software

]

They say: The Reader Rabbit programs are designed to cover and support the core subjects your child will learn at school. Skill levels can be adjusted manually and the Parent’s Report keeps track of your child’s progress.

Features: Covers and supports core subjects, adjustable skill levels, parental progress reports, activities cover maths, language, art, vocabulary and science.

[

Transparent Premium Latin SRP: £49.99 Distributor: Interactive Ideas

][

They say: Whether at home, in the car or on your portable device, learn languages from the usual French, German and Spanish to Hebrew, Arabic and Latin Features: Easy to use immersion course, covers 15,000 words and phrases, native speaker audio, interactive conversations and games, online proficiency tests and progress tracking

OUR EXPERTS Steve Powell Avanquest

Yen Tru Interactive Ideas

www.pcr-online.biz

][

] [

Transparent Complete French SRP: £99.99 Distributor: Interactive Ideas

Volcanic Panic SRP: £16.99 Distributor: Koch Media

They say: The complete language learning solution, taking you from beginner level all the way to advanced

They say: Master the world of numbers as you race against time and outwit your competitors. Get started straight out of the box, or take advantage of the powerful diagnostic and reporting capabilities to zero in on each child’s learning needs

Features: Lessons covering 20,000 words and phrases, easy-to-use translation dictionary of over 65,000 words, rapidly builds a large vocabulary, four learning products in one package

have delivered strong sales due to the quality of the educational content and the increased awareness of the brand in the UK. Driving Test has also performed consistently well, along with the Berlitz language learning series.”

As an evergreen category, the only real challenge for the retailer is to give the software enough emphasis to ensure it sells. Due to the low cost, such items can offer an invaluable source of add-on sales, as well as driving purchases on their own and making parents aware of the proximity of the school term.

Features: Ages five to 15+, 7,300 maths activities with 52 difficulty levels, covers over 90 per cent of maths curriculum, detailed printable progress reports, customisable content for revision and extension

“Consumers are always attracted to products that offer value for money, so bundling high-value software with PC hardware is a good way to entice customers,” says Tru. “For example, putting together an educational pack of software to go with a netbook.

Retailers could even offer discounts for different age groups.”

Powell observes that placement can go a long way towards generating sales: “We find the most successful retailers are those that run back to school promotions as part of their key activity, particularly stores where their

Braintastic Maths Bundle SRP: £39.99 Distributor: Koch Media

]

They say: All four Braintastic Maths titles bundled on one disk.

Build your child’s mathematical understanding and skills and go beyond number crunching Features: 11,000 sequenced learning activities, covers 11 years of schooling, builds core skills, fully correlated with foundation to key stage three, bonus key stage four content, detailed user statistics

promotions cover several different product categories. Retailers can use higher priced compendium packs as revenue drivers and single products for impulse purchases.

“Multi-buy promotions also work well as they encourage customers to increase their spend. Many parents have more than one child at school so it’s a great way for them to buy a few items at a discount. We would also suggest dedicated in-store space using endcaps or display stands to promote a broad range of titles that cover all the key stages and core subjects.”

>>>

August PCR 77

SOFTWARE BACK TO SCHOOL

[

]

Letts GCSE Mega Pack SRP: £39.99 Distributor: Interactive Ideas, Gem Distribution, CentreSoft, Ideal Software

[

Encyclopedia Britannica SRP: £39.99 Distributor: Interactive Ideas

] [

They say: Ideal for research, homework or everyday fact-finding, Encyclopaedia Britannica is an essential purchase, including free online updates and crammed with a wealth of trusted information

They say: Designed to make revising enjoyable and effective, these CD-ROMs are simple and quick to use, packed full of progress checks to test your knowledge and also contain really useful exam tips and advice. Written and tested by GCSE examiners Features: Helps study for core GCSE subjects, covers WJEC, CCEA and Scottish Standard Grade, includes revision planner, mock exam papers, progress checks, grade A* to C guarantee

Features: Includes Encyclopedia Britannica Library, Britannica Student Library and Britannica Children’s Library; over 100,000 articles and over 11,200 book of the year articles; interactive features; free monthly updates

“SoThin saves organisations time and money, increases their security and reduces their carbon footprint”

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing SRP: £25.52 Distributor: Interactive Ideas

They say: With a complete redesign, Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing may not look familiar, but we promise that Mavis Beacon continues to deliver the same level of excellence when it comes to typing instruction and practice Features: Personal instruction, practice areas, custom lesson designer, typing games, progress tracking and reporting, practice lessons in foreign languages

'SoThin greatly assisted us with reducing our costs and gave us more control and management within our system.'' DN, Open Road Motoring Do you have an IT wish list? Can you see any of your wishes below?

Let SoThin grant you your three wishes today! > Would you like to save money on your IT Support costs? > Would you like to save money on energy usage consumed by your IT Systems? > Would you like to reduce your carbon foot print? > Would you like a remote/home worker solution that is simple and easy to deploy? > Would you like to save money on a PC hardware refresh? > Would you like to save money on a software refresh? > Or would you just like to simplify your IT, save time, money, improve security and reduce your carbon footprint?

All products in the SoThin Suite are designed to reduce the need to individually attend devices for installations, updates and support providing true centralised computing.

Tel: 0845 299 4 199 email: sales@sothin.net Website: www.sothin.net 78 PCR August

[

Teaching-You Music Theory SRP: £9.99 Distributor: Interactive Ideas

][

They say: With Teaching-You Music Theory Skills, the rules and reasons behind musical theory are no longer a mystery. Whether you play a string, woodwind, brass or percussion instrument, you need to understand music theory to be able to effectively play and write music Features: Ideal for GCSE music students, helpful tips and clear explanations, covers material up to grade five, video clips and music samples, printable manuscripts, interactive tests

]

Oxford Reference Suite SRP: £19.99 Distributor: Interactive Ideas

]

They say: Complete with Dictionary, Thesaurus and Dictionary of Quotations, this is a reference tool that should be in every student’s collection Features: Covers current English from around the world, plus rare, historical and archaic terms, as well as scientific and technical vocabulary, thousands of brand new words and sentences, full text and advanced search features, detailed appendices

www.pcr-online.biz

SOFTWARE PC GAMES

Game On PCR looks at the best selling PC games and those due for release over the coming months...

GAME OF THE MONTH KANE AND LYNCH 2: DOG DAYS Publisher: Eidos Distributor: Square Enix Released: August 27 2010

DEVELOPER IO Interactive has reinvigorated gaming's most violent odd couple, promising a fresh slice of explosive co op action. Lynch is a self medicating psychopath prone to bouts of in game hallucinations, while Kane is a surly ex mercenary. Unsurprisingly, the two don't always get on and

routinely rub each other the wrong way as they hurtle through the game's gritty Shanghai setting.

Players control either Kane or Lynch as they try to escape the criminal gangs trying to kill them. The game works best with two players, but the computer can take on the second character.

Multiplayer wise, a Fragile Alliance mode, where players have to choose the right moment to betray their buddies and make off with stolen loot, is an interesting twist on the standard shooter format.

NEW RELEASES TITLE

ON THE RADAR GENRE

PUBLISHER

TELEPHONE

DISTRIBUTOR

DATE

Toy Story 3: The Video Game

Adventure

Disney Interactive

0121 625 3388

Centresoft

Out Now

Need For Speed World

Racing

EA

0121 625 3388

Centresoft

Out Now

Free Running

Action

Funbox Media

01279 822800

Gem

Out Now

Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty

Strategy

Activision Blizzard

0121 625 3388

Centresoft

Out Now

Ascension to the Throne

Adventure

Funbox Media

01279 822800

Gem

August 6

D.W.A.R.F.S.

Adventure

Funbox Media

01279 822800

Gem

August 6

Fly To Africa

Flying

Funbox Media

01279 822800

Gem

August 6

Fly To France

Flying

Funbox Media

01279 822800

Gem

August 6

Fly To New York

Flying

Funbox Media

01279 822800

Gem

August 6

Fly To Singapore

Flying

Funbox Media

01279 822800

Gem

August 6

Fly To UK & Eire

Flying

Funbox Media

01279 822800

Gem

August 6

Hazen

Action

Funbox Media

01279 822800

Gem

August 6

MD 81/82 Jetliner

Simulation

Just Flight

0845 234 4242

Mastertronic

August 6

A320 Jetliner

Simulation

Just Flight

0845 234 4242

Mastertronic

August 13

Tropico 3 Gold Edition

Strategy

Kalypso Media

0121 506 9585

Advantage

August 20

Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days

Action

Eidos

020 7324 5200

Square Enix

August 27

Mafia 2

Action

2K Games

01279 822 800

Gem

August 27

Need For Speed World Publisher: EA Distributor: Centresoft

Toy Story 3: The Video Game Publisher: Disney Interactive Distributor: Centresoft

FULL PRICE TOP 5

BUDGET TOP 5

1

THE SIMS 3: AMBITIONS

1

FOOTBALL MANAGER 2010

2

THE SIMS 3

2

THE SIMS 3: DESIGN & HIGH-TECH STUFF

3

THE SIMS 3: WORLD ADVENTURES

3

NAPOLEON: TOTAL WAR

4

BATTLEFIELD: BAD COMPANY 2

4

WORLD OF WARCRAFT: BATTLE CHEST

5

COMMAND & CONQUER 4

5

HIDDEN MYSTERIES TRIPLE PACK

The top five charts are based on monthly sales figures supplied by Chart Track, charts are for April 2010

*ABC-certified distribution 102,010 Jan-Dec 05

IZgbh VcY 8dcY^i^dch 6eean# EaZVhZ k^h^i lll#k^e"XdbejiZgh#Xdb [dg [jaa I 8h

K>E 8dbejiZgh gZXdbbZcY \Zcj^cZ B^Xgdhd[iÂ&#x153; hd[ilVgZ#

EjgX]VhZ Vcn L^cYdlhÂ&#x153; , egdYjXi ^c 6j\jhi [gdb K>E 8dbejiZgh! VcY ndjĂ&#x2030;aa WZ VjidbVi^XVaan ZciZgZY ^cid V <H;; fh_p[ ZhWm je M?D W fW_h e\ j_Ya[ji je j^[ L?F Bknkho HWY[ :Wo id WZ ]ZaY Vi i]Z Hi AZY\Zg bZZi^c\ dc i]Z &&i] HZeiZbWZg Vi 9dcXVhiZg GVXZXdjghZ LZ ]VkZ h^m eV^gh d[ i^X`Zih id WZ ldc! hd i]ZgZ VgZ eaZcin d[ X]VcXZh d[ l^cc^c\

4HE LUCKY WINNERS WILL RECEIVE FULL HOSPITALITY INCLUDING Â&#x2122; :cigVcXZ i^X`Zi 8djghZ 6Yb^hh^dc 7VY\Z Â&#x2122; GZhZgkZY XVg eVg`^c\ Â&#x2122; Eg^kViZ K>E l^ccZgh Wdm Â&#x2122; Bdgc^c\ Xd[[ZZ VcY W^hXj^ih Â&#x2122; 8]VbeV\cZ VcY 8VcVeÂ&#x201A;h

Â&#x2122; Ajmjgn [djg"XdjghZ ajcX] Â&#x2122; ;jaa V[iZgcddc iZV Â&#x2122; GVXZXVgY [dg ZVX] \jZhi Â&#x2122; GVX^c\ cZlheVeZgh Â&#x2122; ;jaa Xdbea^bZciVgn WVg ZmXajY^c\ 8]VbeV\cZ

/RDER TODAY AND YOU COULD BE A WINNER dY[ =[j j^[ X[ij [dj[hjW_dc[dj [nf[h_[ Â? c$ c_k Fh[ [ m_j^ M_dZemi - >ec

^i ZVhn id XgZViZ L^cYdlhÂ&#x153; , =dbZ EgZb^jb bV`Zh [Vkdjg^iZ e]didh! ndjg V ]dbZ cZildg` VcY h]VgZ Vaa d[ ZkZc lViX]!

XVc k^YZdh! VcY bjh^X# Ndjg XjhidbZgh ]Zae Yg^kZ ndjg eVjhZ! gZl^cY! VcY gZXdgY IK# AZi K>E g gZaVi^dch]^eh# hVaZh bVg\^ch VcY ]Zae Wj^aY XjhidbZ

hVaZh/ %-,& +'' ,*%%

lll#k^e"XdbejiZgh#Xdb

te ora b a ll Co

• Innovate • A cce ler at e

Talk is cheap Conversation is be Collaboration is b Collaborate with the industry l and join NBG today.

Join NBG and keep on growing Find out more at www.nbg.co.uk/join email: info@nbg.co.uk * Comparison of NBG members' growth in comparison with industry channel. In Q2 of 2010 the Independant SMB Channel in the UK grew 18% whilst NBG Members grew 29%. Source ITG.

82 PCR August

NBG Ltd, 31-33 Chapel Hill, Huddersfield. HD1 3ED Tel: 0844 880 3170

www.pcr online.biz

Consumer

Electronics p 85

SPEAKERS AND HEADPHONES As growing numbers of consumers use their PCs as a media centre, we explore the audio equipment market and talk to some of its key figures

P 90

EXSPECT General manager Michael Sanderson talks about forging links between fashion and gaming and outlines his plans for Q4

www.pcr-online.biz

August PCR 83

0208 805 1000 www.interactiveideas.com

ideas forâ&#x20AC;Ś

Back To School Are you pay ing atte ntio n?

Inte ract ive Idea s can help stud ents of all age s! We offe r e eve ryth ing from pat ente d lang uag es that mm gra lear ning cou rses to fun pro sâ&#x20AC;Ś ABC r thei give kids a hea d star t with ce ren refe We â&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got wor ld ren own ed iem akin g libra ries , pro fess iona l hom e mov a ate cre for all, soft war e to help you s phic gra st late web site in mom ents , the for d igne tab lets , and eve n mic e des ily, chil dre n. For lear ning for all the fam ive. the bes t idea s are Inte ract

kk

Languages General Knowledge

Creativity

Training Tutorials

Educational Tools Spring 2010

!UTHORISED DISTRIBUTOR FOR

RET IL MAGA IN

s

PC Gam ng

P o uc i ty & Ho

www nte act ve deas com

208 805 1000

Kidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fun and Learning

DOWNLOAD our latest magazine FREE Find out more about our award-winning range of products

ÂŤ www.interactiveideas.com/corporate/ Interactive_Ideas_Retail_Magazine For a full list of publishers and manufacturers that Interactive Ideas represent, visit WWW INTERACTIVEIDEAS COM

CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SPEAKERS & HEADPHONES

[

CONTACTS Centerprise 01256 378 000 Computer 2000 0871 880 3000

Soyntec Voizze 220 Orange SRP: £22.99 Distributor: Meroncourt

]

They say: Soyntec introduces a 2.1 multimedia speaker system for the computer, with an exquisite and exclusive design, with volume and bass control and a wooden body. Fit your PC with the most unbelievable sound

EntaTech 0333 101 1000 Euro-tech 0870 458 0011 Gem Distribution 01279 822 822 Ingram Micro 0871 973 3000 Interactive Ideas 020 8805 1000 Meroncourt 01462 680 060 Realtime Distribution 01480 435 881 Target Components 01977 739 300 VIP Computers 0871 622 7500

Make yourself heard With more and more people using computers to consume their media – in some cases using a PC as their primary music or movie hub – it should be easier than ever to sell additional speakers or headphones. Andrew Wooden takes a look at some of the latest developments in the sector…

“The rise of digital music consumption has naturally driven users towards their PCs and laptops, where they often discover that the internal sound reproduction isn’t of sufficient quality, and they then look to external speakers to improve this.”

Emma Loveless, Centerprise

www.pcr-online.biz

THESE DAYS the PC is often the primary hub for media consumption, whether it’s for watching TV and films, or listening to music. The chief benefit of using a PC over a dedicated audio device is the convenience of digital files, with the sharp decline in physical CD sales and exploding popularity of MP3 download services providing plenty of proof of this.

Because in-built or bundled speakers can sometimes be very low quality, if you seriously want to watch movies or listen to music through a PC, you’re going to want some halfdecent additional speakers to back them up. This is especially relevant with regard to the evolution of the PC’s form factor. As mobility has become the defining factor in the development of PCs, room for internal

speakers is reduced as a necessity. On netbooks in particular, this often leads to sound quality that few but the most evangelical product managers could call high. All this makes speakers one of the easiest and most logical add-on sales for a PC. “The rise of iTunes and digital music consumption has naturally driven users towards their PCs and laptops and away from more traditional systems. Users then very often discover that the internal sound reproduction isn’t of sufficient quality and they look to external speakers to improve this,” says Emma Loveless, business unit operations supervisor at Centerprise International. “Very often the upgrade is incremental, with the consumer going through a number of speakers following a good/better/best

path as they become more and more reliant on digital media.”

Gary Read, a senior account manager at Logitech, adds: “The sound quality on notebooks and laptops is very quiet and can sound tinny, which is why people prefer a decent set of headphones or speakers to enhance the sound, especially when watching TV programmes, a movie or the football.”

As well as PC speakers, MP3 player accessories have for some years been one of the best add-on sales in consumer electronics. The problem is essentially the same as with PCs if the devices have internal speakers at all, they are unlikely to be of a satisfactory quality. With electronic giants whipping up demand for MP3 players with well-funded

>>>

August PCR 85

CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SPEAKERS & HEADPHONES

[

]

Energy Sistems E510 DJ Ruby Red SRP: £11.99 Distributor: Meroncourt They say: DJ-style headphones which contribute flexibility and a perfect fit. Extremely comfortable thanks to its earpads with ergonomic materials which allow prolonged use. They offer an excellent sound with enhanced bass

[

[

[

Logitech USB Headset H530 SRP: £39.99 Distributor: Gem Distribution, Computer 2000, Ingram Micro

]

>>>

advertising campaigns, third-party manufacturers of docks and speakers have half the job done for them.

The ever-growing popularity of smartphones also looks set to boost the audio accessories market considerably. “The technological advancements in smartphones in recent years has rapidly enhanced the growth for speakers,” claims Leanne Smith, Target Components’ hardware buyer. “Smartphones have now almost become an essential accessory in everyday life; we have seen them

86 PCR August

They say: Developed through Asus’ expertise in high-performance audio cards, the stylish Cine5 is the first PC speaker in the world to offer pinpoint surround sound with the new ‘Embracing Sound Theatre HD’ technology

Sweex SP130 SRP: £18.95 Distributor: Centerprise

]

They say: The SP310 has volume control, headphone jack, dynamic range control, sample rates of 44.1 and 48KHZ, is magnetically shielded and has a 70CM USB cable

They say: This headset makes it easy for you to hear finer details – laser-tuned drivers and a pure digital USB connection provide clear audio for voice and video calls, as well as music, movies, and games. Onear audio control allows you to optimise your audio and a padded headband and cushioned ear cups give you a comfortable fit

develop into a much more portable and modern device. They now allow the consumer to download films, TV and music direct from the internet, making them much more mediafriendly. An essential requirement to all these activities is the speaker.

Individuals could just use earphones, but a docking station would be more practical, particularly when enjoying music with friends and family.”

Steve Walsh, sales director at Meroncourt, adds: “Media Centre PCs have certainly taken some market from home audio, so there is a requirement

]

ASUS Cine5 PC Speaker SRP: £130.00 Distributor: VIP Computers

[

a-JAYS Three In Ear Noise Isolating Earphones SRP: £39.99 Distributor: Gem

]

They say: There has never been a more affordable way to get yourself immersed in the world of in-ear headphones; the new a-JAYS Series gives you a listening experience that is far superior to that of the standard earbuds packaged with your MP3 player or phone

for good quality surround speaker systems, but for us the growth has been more on 2.1 and stereo sets. The demand has been most dramatic in USB speakers for use with notebooks.”

Advances in wireless technology have also opened up more avenues.

“Smartphones, laptops, netbooks and MP3 players all come with one standard audio standard: bluetooth,” says Mark Holdich, product manager at Realtime Distribution.

“Creative has just released a new range of Bluetooth wireless speakers which allow consumers to listen to

"Smartphones allow consumers to download films, TV and music direct from the internet, making them much more media-friendly.

An essential requirement to all these activities is the speaker."

Leanne Smith, Target

>>> www.pcr-online.biz

CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SPEAKERS & HEADPHONES

[

Trust Indy In-Ear Headset SRP: £8.99 Distributor: Interactive Ideas

]

They say: Small and lightweight in-ear headset with in-line microphone for quality sound on your notebook, netbook or MP3 player. Includes soft rubber ear plugs in three different sizes to guarantee a perfect fit

[

[

EVO Labs SP-E901 SRP: £5.99 Distributor: Target Components

]

They say: These speakers have inbuilt volume, power, and LED controls, 20Hz-20KHz frequency response, 40dB separation and 45dB S/N ratio

Coloud Star Wars headphones SRP: £34.99 Distributor: Euro-tech

]

They say: These headphones come with 40mm power drivers, a frequency range of 20 Hz – 20001 Hz, 32 ohms impedance and a maximum input powerspan of 100mW

[

Creative HS-1100 Sound Blaster Arena USB Headset SRP: £89.99 Distributor: Realtime Distribution

]

They say: Digital USB connection delivers hassle-free, crystal clear audio, the built-in Sound Blaster X-Fi technology with EAX support gives you 3D positional surround sound. The light, flexible headband and soft earpads ensure maximum comfort for extended gaming sessions

“Earphone price points are as varied as you can possibly imagine. There is a perceived best price point of around the £20 mark for reasonable replacements for the basic sets that come with most players.”

Andrew Miles, Interactive Ideas

88 PCR August

>>>

music wirelessly without sacrificing sound quality.”

Headphones represent a different type of up-sell to speakers as they are essentially an upgrade to those that come with the MP3 players, phones and other mobile devices. The quality of headphones varies considerably, as do their corresponding price tags.

“Earphone price points are similar to speakers and are as varied as you can possibly imagine. There is a perceived best price point of around the £20 mark for reasonable replacements for the basic sets that come with most players,” states Andrew Miles, marketing manager at

[

Trust SoundForce Pro SRP: £12.99 Distributor: EntaTech

]

They say: Stereo 2.0 speaker set with a total RMS power output of eight watts. The device has a compact, space saving design with bass reflex port for full and rich sound

Interactive Ideas. “The bigger the audiophile the person is, the more they are willing to pay obviously all within their budget. It also depends on their usage; whether they need wireless gaming headphones with a microphone, or a set to use with a home recording studio.

“You can pay £1 or £1,000, and there is so much choice it must leave the consumer very confused. Luckily, there are so many online stores full of customer reviews to help narrow down the choice, so it usually comes down to how much the customer will pay.”

As well as head phones for mobile devices while on the move, with more

gadgets around the house now allowing users to consumer media, the chances are you’ll be having more people watching different things in the same room at the same time. This leaves an opportunity to sell larger headsets that provide enhanced quality, but would perhaps be a bit too much for taking on the move.

Overall, speakers and headphones are sectors that should not require too much trouble to sell. The benefits are obvious to consumers, and can provide a decent bit of margin to retailers. And with a little nudge customers could be convinced to spend a little more.

www.pcr-online.biz

CONSUMER ELECTRONICS EXSPECT

Exspecting big things Having signed a key alliance with the Joystick Junkies and boosted its sales and marketing teams during the last year, accessory vendor Exspect is looking to grow both in the UK and internationally over the next quarter. Andrew Wooden talks to general manager Michael Sanderson…

“Exspect’s experience, passion for quality and design combined with Joystick Junkies’ range of lifestyle design-led t-shirts has been the perfect combination for both parties.”

Michael Sanderson, Exspect

90 PCR August

You have some ambitious plans for Q4, what are they?

Exspect is now in year five of the Gem Distribution partnership, and we have seen consistent growth year on year.

Since the acquisition, we have built on our strong iPod and iPhone ranges, and Apple’s annual updates have helped us to enjoy the ride, developing new and unique ways of protecting, powering and

enhancing the hardware. The introduction of the iPad, the new iPhone 4, as well as the updates to the iPod family, will be keeping us busy for most of Q3, and we are expecting big things going into Q4.

The success of the Exspect brand in this sector has given us the ability to give something back to a few selected charities. Our range of accessories which provide money to the Breast Cancer Charity is something that we all feel strongly about, and we will be ramping up our range across all sectors of the Exspect portfolio for October’s Breast Cancer Month.

The Whatever It Takes license is also into its third year, and the ability to use the artwork and signature of some of the world’s biggest celebrities, combined with the feel-good factor that comes with helping third world poverty is proving to be a great success.

Meanwhile, The Joystick Junkies fashion brand is getting a great deal of interest from the trade, after launching at E3 in June. Exspect’s experience, passion for quality and design combined with Joysticks Junkies’ range of lifestyle design-led t-shirts has been the perfect combination for both parties. Fashion is definitely finding its way into consumer electronics, and our products are being requested by fashion retail outlets too. Being able to use the talented designers at Joystick Junkies has given us the opportunity to not only utilise the great artwork available, but also pick their brains regarding the fashion aspects of the products we produce.

Has Exspect seen a lift in the last year or so?

I think it’s fair to say that no one is having a brilliant time of it in the

www.pcr-online.biz

CONSUMER ELECTRONICS EXSPECT

Exspect’s partnership with Joystick Junkies, have enabled it to create some striking designs

current climate, but we are working our way around that by developing and producing unique products that set us apart from others. We have invested a lot in our design departments to ensure that our development into new lines and categories are well thought through, well researched and well sourced. This ensures that we are developing consumer friendly products, at the right price that are unique and bespoke to the Exspect brand.

What have been the main drivers of success in the UK? One of the challenges of growing a business rapidly is to manage its success internally, and we have worked hard to ensure we have the right foundations within to push forward in all areas of the business. We have spent a lot of time and resources on our Hong Kong office to ensure we are getting product through in a timely and efficient manner. The growth of production has resulted in a dramatic increase to UK sales manager Danny Coe’s team, enabling us as a business to provide retail with a strong, rounded, knowledgeable and experienced sales team with passion and good understanding of the features and benefits that we bring to all of our products.

The boost in sales has also resulted in an increase within our marketing team, headed up by Karen Hughes.

We are always challenging ourselves on updating packaging, sales literature and our new website, which was launched on July 1st.

www.pcr-online.biz

“International growth has been and continues to be one of our main focuses, and we are starting to see the fruits of our labour.”

Michael Sanderson, Exspect

What plans do you have for international growth in Q4?

International growth has been and continues to be one of our main focuses, and we are starting to see the

NEED TO KNOW SINCE ITS acquisition by Gem in 2006, the Exspect brand has gone from strength to strength. The company has expanded its employee base and now holds offices in the UK and Hong Kong, and distributes its products across the EMEA region. It has built up a strong reputation, and a broad portfolio of solidly designed and well positioned technology accessories.

Working with designers Joystick Junkies has enabled Exspect to offer a full range of iPod, iPhone, gaming, laptop and digital camera accessories that feature a fashionable twist as well as full functionality.

fruits of our labour. We have consistently attended trade shows and built working relationships for the past three years, and with Tracey Brown (head of export) and Neil Meredith (international sales consultant) heading up this area, we are expecting big things in many new territories worldwide.

How will you be building on the relationship with Joystick Junkies?

Joystick Junkies is a great brand to be working with, in many ways. The JJ team has great knowledge and experience in the fashion trade, and is continually developing its ranges to fit in with the seasonal trends of colour, design and textures. This is great to feed back to all aspects of our business.

They have an international list of talented designers working on new gaming and fashion related artwork, which we will be using to evolve our range of laptop, iPod, iPhone, iPad accessories and headphones. This will ensure that we can offer limited edition products in all sectors.

Are you planning to expand into other product areas?

Exspect has built its reputation on high quality, well-produced products with an element of unique design. We add well-researched features to ensure the end result is an enjoyable one that not only protects, but enhances the hardware. We have taken these core values and added it to our extended range on MP3 and mobile phone

devices, including MFI + WWI (Made for iPod, and Works with iPhone and iPad) FM transmitters and speakers.

We are also heavily developing our range of other mobile phone accessories including Blackberry, Nokia, Samsung and Dell.

We have sharply expanded our video games range too, introducing new innovative technologies to our already successful range of accessories.

The licensing working relationship between ourselves and Sony is also going from strength to strength, and its support is enabling us to break through new boundaries in our design and manufacturing of new accessories for later in the year.

Where do you plan to be in five year’s time?

The plan or the company motto hasn’t really changed since the brand was started over seven years ago by myself and Neil Meredith and that is to develop stuff that adds value to consumer electronics and to have a passion and a belief in every product we develop, design and manufacture.

Five years ago the iPod was the number one product, and we had never heard of the Shuffle, the Nano, the Touch, the iPhone or the iPad. Five years ago we had never heard of the Wii, Sony PS3, Move or Xbox Kinect. We don’t know what impact the iPad will have on the laptop market, but what we do have is the commitment by Gem to grow the brand and to develop new and cool accessories for new technologies, and that’s the buzz about this business.

UK sales manager Danny Coe has significantly expanded the sales team

August PCR 91

MARKETPLACE

92 PCR August

www.pcr online.biz

>>> THE PLACE FOR BUSINESS

MARKETPLACE

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

ADVERTISER CONTACTS All 4 Mats 01484 659 500

sales@all4mats.com

Bluepoint 0870 121 8001

www.bluepoint.net

Brigantia 01765 603 300

www.brigantia.com

Cartridge Expert 01489 795 668

cartridgeexpert.co.uk

CD Writer 0208 293 0777

www.cd writer.com

Certify IT Training 0870 755 2388

certifyittraining.com

Computer gear 0121 503 0666

computergear.co.uk

Data Haven 020 32861148

datahavenltd.co.uk

Discovery Computer Services 01621 786 860

buy it back.com

DSL 01604 924 516

dslplus.co.uk

Expodata 0870 077 0077

pctestpro.com

GEM 01279 822 822

gem.co.uk

Ideal Software 01767 689720

idealsoftware.net

Interactive Ideas 0208 805 1000

interactiveideas.com

Kaspersky 0871 789 1632

kaspersky.co.uk

Keyboard Co 0845 205 5555

keyboardco.com

KMS 029 20 713714

kmscomponents.com

OP3 02921 328 083

OP3.CO.UK

SDA 0161 819 1515

sdatrading.com

SJ Software 01282 865 500

sjsoftware.co.uk

Sweex

www.sweex.com

Synology 01423 704700

ccidistribution.co.uk

To advertise on these pages please call

tadlassist.com

Carly Bailey 01992 535647

TADL 0845 370 8668 VIP 0871 622 7500

vip computers.com/uk

Carly.Bailey@intentmedia.co.uk www.pcr-online.biz

August PCR 93

MARKETPLACE NEWS

NewsBytes HAMA SIGNS WITH IOGEAR Hama has formed a UK distribution agreement with California-based Iogear as part of its aim to develop new relationships and increase market awareness in the region.

Primarily a manufacturer, Hama also distributes a small number of other brands alongside its own range.

Nick Grey, MD of Hama, said: “We feel working with Iogear provides a fresh and exciting opportunity.

Iogear offers a coherent range of high quality connectivity solutions suitable for the small office home office, while remaining committed to the preservation of resources with their unique green initiative.”

TCA LAUNCHES NEW MEMBER BENEFIT DEAL The TCA has signed a deal with Scancom.co.uk, giving members benefits on Blackberry purchases and mobile broadband. The offer provides unlimited data for just £15 per month, plus a £60 cash-back allowance. TCA CEO Adam Harris said: “With so much complexity in the market, we know Scancom.co.uk will present the correct products at a special price and at the same time deliver its obligation through first class customer service and support. The technology solutions covered by this agreement are available to all of our members and their staff.”

TECH DATA BUYS PORTUGUESE DISTRIBUTOR Tech Data has entered into an agreement to acquire certain assets of Portuguese distributor DLI, including inventory, certain receivables, key personnel and its customer list. The transaction is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2010, subject to regulatory approval. “The acquisition of DLI is yet another example of our strategy to extend our product portfolio to a broader base of customers, while capitalizing on the excellent opportunities that exist in today’s market environment,” said Tech Data CEO Robert Dutkowsky.

DATATRADE UNDERGOES MANAGEMENT BUYOUT Datatrade, a UK-based printing solutions reseller and service provider, has undergone a management buyout. The firm’s existing shareholders Mark James, Sue James and Clive Lacey led the management buyout to create a new holding company, Datatrade Holdings. The move involves adding new shareholders and directors to the firm’s board. Kevin Mansworth is to become non-executive chairman, Pete Laplanche remains as sales

94 PCR August

Prince of Persia and Far Cry 2 are just two of the key titles that Focus will be offering to consumers at low cost

director, while Justin Clubb will become the company’s financial director. Enterprise printing solutions manufacturer Dascom GB has welcomed the move.

EPOS SNAPS UP POSIFLEX York-based EPOS Distributor has expanded its product portfolio with the addition of Posiflex’s point-ofsale retail hardware products. The UK distribution deal sees the distributor stocking Posiflex’s core POS products including EPOS terminals, customer displays, cash drawers, magnetic stripe readers, thermal receipt printers, touchscreen monitors and programmable keyboards. Michelle Spencer, business development manager for EPOS Distributor, said: “We are confident that the Posiflex brand will deliver high quality and reliable products, as well as a reasonable price tag to help our resellers deal with challenging end user budgets.”

SHORETEL REPORTS STRONG QUARTERLY RESULTS IP phone systems provider ShoreTel has said it expects revenues for the quarter ended June 30 to be higher than previously predicted. ShoreTel now projects revenues for its fourth quarter to be between $41 and $42 million, compared to its previously announced estimate of $35 to $38 million. The firm also expects its nonGAAP gross margins to hit an all-time high. Meanwhile, John Combs will be stepping down from his position as CEO of the firm, but will continue to lead it while the board of directors searches for a replacement.

NIMANS SEES SALES ZOOM Communications distributor Nimans has reported increased sales of products such as routers and dongles, thanks in part to its partnership with manufacturer Zoom Telephonics. Nimans data and installation specialist Geoff Wilde said: “Over the last few years we have built up a flourishing business relationship with Zoom, with sales increasing month-on-month. Its innovative product range continues to unlock new areas of business for ourselves and our customers on many different levels.”

Serif expands into Aussie market Ellie Dyke, Serif’s head of business development

DESIGN AND CREATIVE software developer Serif is looking to boost its presence Down Under, through a new partnership with Australian distributor Manacomm.

The deal will bring Serif titles such as PhotoPlus X4, Digital Scrapbook Artist 2, MoviePlus X3 and WebPlus Essentials to Australia and New Zealand for the very first time.

Serif’s head of business development for EMEA, Ellie Dyke, told PCR that expanding its presence in the region is extremely important to the firm.

“We consider our software to be the best in the market and likewise want to work with the best distribution set up in any territory we release in. Manacomm allows us unrivalled market penetration and presence in Australia and New Zealand.

It’s a really important market for us, and like the rest of the world there are many businesses and consumers that are crying out for creative software that is cost effective, easy to use and delivers professional results.”

www.pcr-online.biz

NEWS MARKETPLACE

Focus signs new deal with Ubisoft UK games publisher to offer consumers premium titles at a low price point

By Nicky Trup

UK-based PC games and software publisher Focus Multimedia has signed a new republishing deal with Ubisoft, which will see the British firm release a number of popular titles under its Essential Games label.

Under the agreement, Focus will offer key Ubisoft titles such as Prince of Persia, Far Cry 2 and the Tom Clancy series.

Alan Wild, PR and marketing manager at Focus, said: “These ‘triple A’ releases from Ubisoft further strengthen Focus Multimedia’s value

“Alongside our existing portfolio of casual and core games, these Ubisoft titles provide customers with the opportunity to buy recent, high quality titles at new, low prices.”

Alan Wild, Focus Multimedia

games offering for PC gamers. We know that most gamers can’t afford to buy all the games they would like to at full price, and some truly amazing games can pass them by.

“Our Essential range is the perfect route to market to revitalise such games. The new £9.99 price point is also ideal for younger gamers, as well as for newcomers to the world of PC gaming. Alongside our existing portfolio of casual and core games, these Ubisoft titles provide customers with the opportunity to buy recent, high quality titles at new, low prices.”

Alan Wild, marketing and PR manager at Focus

Prince of Persia is the first of the newly agreed games to be released, which the publishers claim offers ‘an experience rivalling the best blockbuster Hollywood movies’.

TP-Link unveils plans to boost UK presence New HQ and distie deal support vendor’s plans for growth in the region “The UK is an important market for TP-Link and the opening of our first office here is part of our drive for increased market share in Europe.”

Jeffrey Chao, TP-Link

www.pcr-online.biz

NETWORKING VENDOR TP-Link has begun a major drive to increase its presence in the UK market, opening its first office in the country and signing a new distribution deal.

The firm’s new British headquarters is located in Bracknell, Berkshire, and boasts 5,000 square feet of space, which will house sales, marketing and logistics staff. It will also include a dedicated support line.

According to TP-Link, the move demonstrates the firm’s long-term commitment to the UK networking market. The vendor has also signed a distribution agreement with EntaTech, who will now be stocking TP-Link products including routers, IP cameras, powerline adaptors and media converters.

“The UK is an important market for TP-Link and the opening of our first office here is part of our drive for increased market share in Europe,”

commented Jeffrey Chao, TP-Link’s international director. “The new office will support our growth plans and be a hub for customer service and product distribution for all our awardwinning networking products.

It’s an exciting time for TPLink and our reach in the UK will undoubtedly be boosted by our new partnership with EntaTech.”

“We expect to see strong demand for TPLink products in the IT channel and we’re pleased to be partnering with the firm at this exciting time with the launch of its first UK office,” added Jon Atherton, commercial group vice president of EntaTech.

Jeffrey Chao, international director at TP Link

August PCR 95

MARKETPLACE APPOINTMENTS

Best Buy Europe appoints new COO PCR launch editor rejoins leading trade brand Furfie to head up Arabian Computer News Asus hires Baldwin

Andrew Harrison

Mat Bettinson

BEST BUY Best Buy Europe has appointed Carphone Warehouse CEO ANDREW HARRISON as its new chief operating officer.

Harrison will assume responsibility for driving Best Buy Europe’s ‘connected world’ strategy and customer offerings, while continuing to

Ben Furfie

lead the Carphone Warehouse and the Phone House across nine European countries.

Scott Wheway, CEO of Best Buy Europe, said: “This organisational change ensures that the talent we have across the business is aligned to deliver a common approach across our multiple brands.”

Meanwhile, Paul Antoniadis, CEO of Best Buy branded operations, has left the firm to explore new opportunities.

INTENT MEDIA PCR has hired MAT BETTINSON as online news editor. Bettinson was the launch editor of the magazine in 2003 when publisher Intent Media identified a gap in the market for a B2B publication servicing this sector.

After leaving Intent Media in 2004, Bettinson became UK country manager for Alienware, before heading back to his home territory of Australia in 2008 to work in video games development.

“We’re delighted to have Mat back on board at PCR,” said managing editor Lisa Foster. “The PCR website is already acknowledged as a valuable resource for the industry, offering breaking news, interviews, analysis and daily digests. But with Mat as our dedicated news editor, it gives us the opportunity to really spread our wings when it comes to serving the market.

We have exciting plans for the site and Mat’s experience in this fast-moving business will help us to achieve those.”

ITP PUBLISHING Former deputy editor of PCR BEN FURFIE has become editor of Dubai based ACN (Arabian Computer News) a monthly trade magazine aimed at professionals responsible for purchasing and managing IT infrastructure in SMEs and enterprises in the region.

“I’m very excited about the opportunity to shape the direction of a magazine with the heritage and history of ACN,” said Furfie. “CIOs and IT directors, not to mention CEOs and

96 PCR August

Guy Berruyer

Gary Baldwin

CFOs, rely on it to help keep up to date with the busy IT market in the Middle East, so I’m honoured to be given the chance to help continue that tradition. My time on PCR gave me a great understanding of the pressures the channel faces when selling to CIOs and their counterparts, so hopefully I’ll be able to provide a balanced view of both sides of the market.”

ASUS GARY BALDWIN has joined Asus as wireless networking product manager.

He joins from Upgrade Options, where he spent three and a half years supplying corporate companies and the public sector with high-end virtualisation and storage solutions.

Prior to that, Baldwin worked for five years at distributor Computer 2000 as a corporate account manager.

“I am very pleased to have joined Asus. This opportunity to work with one of the largest vendors in the IT industry is a privilege and I’m looking forward to the challenges ahead,” said Baldwin.

SAGE Business software vendor Sage has appointed a new group CEO, effective from October 1st this year. GUY BERRUYER, currently CEO of Sage’s Mainland Europe and Asia operations, will succeed present group chief executive Paul Walker, who will remain with the firm until December 1st.

Berruyer joined Sage in 1997 to run its French operations, and was appointed to the board of directors in January 2000. Prior to joining Sage he held the position of European director for US software firm Intuit.

www.pcr-online.biz

Spire Technology T 01202 828444 sweex@spire.co.uk www.spire.co.uk

MARKETPLACE COMPANY PROFILE KELL SYSTEMS

Servers with a smile With businesses looking to cut energy usage in these cash strapped times – for the sake of both their own bottom line and the environment – anything that offers significant reductions is going to be popular.

Kell Systems says server cabinets are on the rise for this very reason, and present decent margin opportunities for resellers. Andrew Wooden talks to joint MD David O'Coimin…

CONTACT Phone: 01628 474 757 Web: www.kellsystems.co.uk

98 PCR August

Where, when and by whom was Kell set up?

Kell Systems was founded in 2004 in Marlow, Buckinghamshire by Tim Walsh, Sara Jones and David O'Coimin.

Is the company very different now to how it was then?

The company philosophy today is very similar to those early days small enough to care, big enough to be able; bold enough to try, good enough to succeed but the structure and sophistication of the company has changed immeasurably.

What was once a back room operation serving the UK is now an 11,000 square foot factory selling to the UK, USA, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, France and soon Poland and Scandinavia. It’s a revolutionary IT solution which potentially has a place in every office, and has already found its way into some of the world’s top organisations such as Google, Boeing, Rolls Royce, NATO, Hertz and the White House. Yes, that White House!

Can you explain the importance of server cabinets?

Kell Systems server cabinets are hugely important to the future of a sustainable IT strategy for any size company. They are primarily a replacement for a dedicated server room, preventing the costly build of these power-hungry static structures. Alternatively Kell server cabinets allow companies to phase out or supplement existing server rooms for a greener, cheaper, more flexible and more reliable solution. They also offer an IT solution for listed buildings, dusty environments and locations where noise is an important factor and typical metal racks just aren’t appropriate.

Take, for example, a typical SME office of 60 people. The computing power to service it would demand a dedicated, purpose-built server room of approximately nine square metres with an air-con system consuming around three KW, requiring constant maintenance and offering no flexibility for moving premises or expanding. An equivalent Kell server cabinet costs ten per cent of the build cost of a server

room, will save a company 99 per cent of its cooling energy bill, reduce its carbon footprint significantly, deploy almost immediately and offer all sorts of flexibility. These quiet IT cabinets are a real game-changer.

So is it an area of growth?

It has taken a global recession, hereand-now concern about climate change and an oil crisis to bring it about, but there is a real sea-change in UK business in terms of seeking out responsible ‘green’ products and services that deliver quantifiable savings and short ‘total cost of ownership’ turnarounds, while contributing to helping the planet.

What was once seen as a niche product is now being recognised as an innovative and proven solution to the problems of space, energy, environment and noise.

www.pcr-online.biz

MARKETPLACE COMPANY PROFILE KELL SYSTEMS

studies with some fantastic customers, creating new white papers on office IT deployment and IT energy usage, making the most of its collaboration with PR partner TechnoPR and establishing exciting relationships with top quality channel partners and integrators.

Kell claims its ‘game changing’ server cabinets can save a company 99 per cent of its energy cooling bill

"There has been a real sea-change in UK business in terms of seeking out responsible ‘green’ products and services that deliver quantifiable savings, while contributing to helping the planet."

David O’Coimin, Kell Systems

www.pcr-online.biz

Whereas Kell Systems used to spend the majority of its marketing bandwidth on education, now, as the markets awaken and opportunity knocks, our focus moves to partnership and collaboration, channel strategy and growing relationships.

What plans do you have for future expansion, domestically and internationally?

Kell’s selling modus operandi is changing. Our very successful general marketing campaign will remain in place, but the pull model we currently operate will in future be supported by a small network of select resellers operating in specific sectors, and with the appropriate drive and credentials to introduce and support our server cabinets to the markets where they are most needed. The Kell factory in Somerset is expanding rapidly. The

core product, the ComputerVault Pro, is mature and proven, while new products, like an acoustic case for an HP C3000 Blade Server, are constantly being developed. Kell Systems sits atop the crest of a wave of rare opportunity, positioned as the global leader in a burgeoning field of office IT. And what are your plans for the UK specifically?

In the UK Kell has recently developed new marketing strategies, recruited additional key personel, increased factory capacity, diversified its marketing message, and attended trade shows such as SmartGov and Channel Expo to meet new and existing partners and customers.

The coming months will see Kell focus intently on the UK market, appearing at more events, in new publications, generating new case

Why should retailers get into server cabinets? Is there much of a margin?

The arguments for retailers to get involved with these new kinds of server cabinets are many-fold. They can be sold to your entire portfolio of existing customers ones with server rooms, ones in restricted rental situations, ones with a data centre and no desire to build network closets all over a building, ones moving premises, ones with noise issues, ones with dusty environments, ones who are energy conscious, ones who want to reduce running costs, ones in need of flexibility and ones with green requirements.

Then there are the new opportunities over a thousand new businesses are started in the UK every week. A retailer with Kell server cabinets in its portfolio will find itself not only making margin on them, but will be able to use the revolutionary rack enclosures to sell entire office-in-a-box equipment packages to new and existing customers, and to offer legitimate and reliable total cost of ownership turnarounds while improving carbon footprints and adding value to its offering across the board.

Where do you plan to be in five years time?

In five years Kell server cabinets will be the defacto name for self-contained office IT enclosures. Space stealing dedicated server rooms, serviced by power and maintenance hungry air-con units, will increasingly be marginalised by smarter greener solutions. Soon building planners and architects will stop specifying them in new buildings.

Already the seeds of these changes can be seen, testifiable by the thousands of Kell server cabinets sold to date across all sectors private and public and into all sizes, shapes and types of company.

August PCR 99

Kaspersky® Internet Security 2011 Wi h

h

al-time proactive protection against all internet threats otection for your digital identity at all times ature-rich and effective Parental Control ique Safe Run mode for applications & websites sy-access Desktop gadget

© 1997-2010 Kaspersky Lab.

f i nds, new schools, new computers or new netbooks and with the increased attacks & teachers Internet experience, it is important to have the best and most up-tosible.

To order your stock of Kaspersky® Internet Security 2011 or Kaspersky® Anti-Virus 2011 today, call the Kaspersky Lab retail team on + 44 (0)871 789 1632, email sales@kasperskylab.co.uk or visit www.kaspersky.co.uk/profitable-partners

+44 (0)333 101 1000 www.entatech.com

+44 (0)1279 822822 www.gem.co.uk

+44 (0)870 1660160 www.ingrammicro.co.uk

+44 (0)870 0270985 www.kochmedia.com

+44 (0)1202 828444 www.spire.co.uk

BRIGANTIA OPINION

Storm on the

horizon Brigantia’s founder Iain Shaw looks at how independent retailers can keep up with the chain stores and supermarkets under the Coalition Government...

“The bigger players will have to replace lost public sector business with more corporate and SME/SMB business, putting even more pressure on independent retailers in terms of hardware and software sales.”

IN MY OPINION, the next six to 12 months are going to be sheer hell in the UK marketplace, as we see the effects of the long overdue reduction in big government.

The much talked about double dip recession seems ever more likely, and as the Conservative/Liberal Democrat Government implements spending cuts there will be increased unemployment and a smaller public sector, not only in employment terms, but also in capital expenditure, including ICT. In the long term, this has to be a good thing; we as a nation cannot go on spending money that we simply don’t have. However, in the short term it means the bigger players in our industry will have to replace lost public sector business with more corporate and SME/SMB business, putting even more pressure on independent retailers in terms of hardware and software sales.

BATTLING ON Indies must focus on repairs and upgrades, together with managed services within their local communities, as these are the sectors the big players cannot reach in a costeffective way. Levels of service will be paramount if indies are to see off further incursions into the four million small businesses they look after throughout the UK. Indies lost the battle for hardware sales long ago to the supermarkets, sheds and e-tailers, and anyone who argues otherwise is wrong. The indie can, however, still win in niche, lower volume product areas that require a level of technical sales expertise. This is an area Brigantia intends to concentrate on.

Given the prevailing economic conditions, we have spent the last 12 months developing frontline

www.pcr online.biz

schemes to help our members capitalise on opportunities and protect local consumer, SOHO and SMB market share.

CONTACT IAIN SHAW info@brigantia.com 0870 160 3215 www.brigantia.com Iain invites opinions from PCR readers and will respond though this column

SERVICE WITH A SMILE Retailers now fix more notebooks, netbooks and games consoles than ever before, in addition to their traditional PC, server and printer repair and upgrade businesses. Notebook repair training, spare-parts sourcing and more complicated third-party repair services are now well-established.

Remote support has also proved very popular, with many of our members currently rolling out services to their end users through our various discount schemes. Remote back-up and business continuity have also proved growth areas, along with internet services.

VoIP also looks to be an area of massive potential for indies.

Next month I am going to look at how best to remove the capital cost objection if a larger project presents itself, either by way of a refresh for failing ICT infrastructure or for a new start-up firm. We can expect to see more of the latter as many of the new unemployed look to start their own small businesses.

August PCR 101

All Sage Products In Stock

Sage Instant Range V16 (now with 24/7 support)

RRP

SJ

£100 £115 £160 £170 £213 £40

£75 £79 £115 £199 £149 £32

£550 £795 £1075 £250 £250 £265

£365 £529 £739 £199 £199 £199

£265 £510 £370 £625 £550 £925

£199 £369 £279 £449 £439 £749

£180 £360 £540 £720 £810

£115 £230 £345 £460 £549

Sage Instant Payroll V12 Sage Instant Accounts V16 Sage Instant Financial Suite V16 (Accounts and Payroll) Sage Instant Accounts Plus V16 Sage Instant Business Suite V16 (Accounts / Payroll / ACT!) Sage Instant Accounts Training CD-Rom Sage 50 Accounts 2010 Range Sage 50 Accounts 2010 Sage 50 Accounts Plus 2010 Sage 50 Accounts Professional 2010 Sage 50 Accounts - Additional Company Upgrade Sage 50 Accounts - Additional User Upgrade Sage 50 Accounts CIS Module Sage 50 Payroll 2010 Range Sage Payroll (50) Employees 2010 Sage Payroll (50) Employees 2010 with Sage Cover Sage Payroll (100) Employees 2010 Sage Payroll (100) Employees 2010 with Sage Cover Sage Payroll Unlimited Employees 2010 Sage Payroll Unlimited Employees 2010 with Sage Cover Sage 50 ACT! 2010 Range ACT! 2010 Single User Pack ACT! 2010 Two User Pack ACT! 2010 Three User Pack ACT! 2010 Four User Pack ACT! 2010 Five User Pack Available upto 10 users on an individual user basis.

The above are a sample of the products we carry. For a quote, or to order any Sage Product, please call our Sage Trade Sales Team on 01282 865 500 or Simply Order Online!

Also available - Sage Upgrades, Sage Cover, Sage Stationery, and much more.

Please check the website for special offers. Prices are exclusive of VAT.

Tel No: 01282 865 500 Web: www.SJsoftware.co.uk/PCRetail

All Sage Products In Stock

Introducing SJS Secure Sage Data Centre and New Products SJS Hosted Platform - outright purchase hosting and monthly rental model SJS Online Sage Daily Backup - expandable to cover all files SJS Web Services for Sage 50 and Sage Instant for Remote Sage Access Downloadable Sage 50 and Sage Instant Software Tradebox - provides seamless link between Websites/E-Bay, other on-line sales channels and Sage 50 and Sage Instant Introducing Sage Training Products

(with Online Exam and Certification)

Sage Instant Accounts with Sage Certification Sage 50 Accounts Stage 1 with Sage Certification Sage 50 Accounts Stage 2 with Sage Certification Sage 50 Accounts Stage 3 with Sage Certification Sage 50 Accounts Stages 1, 2, and 3 with Sage Certification Sage 50 Accounts Professional Classroom Licence (Not for Profit) Sage 50 Payroll Classroom Licence (Not for Profit) Sage 50 Classroom Courses

RRP

SJ

£100 £145 £145 £145 £310 £310 £265 £250

£75 £99 £99 £99 £229 £235 £199 £150

The Benefits of Dealing with Expert Sales and Technical Advice on all Sage Products, including: Sage 50 Accounts Range (including CIS) - Sage Instant Range - Sage Payroll - Sage Upgrades Sage Cover - Sage Training - On-Site and Classroom - ACT! 2010 - Secure Sage Hosting Centre Extensive stocks of all Sage products are held, a 1-2 working day delivery service is provided.

Competitive Trade Pricing across the Sage Product Range.

SJ will help you keep your product knowledge up to date on Sage Software, by providing you with the latest Sage Product Information, utilising PDF Documents and Evaluation CD’s, making it easier for you to sell Sage Accounting Software.

We are totally dedicated to assisting you in selling Sage Software.

Tel No: 01282 865 500 Web: www.SJsoftware.co.uk/PCRetail

OPINION TCA

PC

Keith Warburton is the president of The Technology Channels Association.

CONTACT keith.warburton@tcauk.org

Digital inclusion This month, Keith Warburton looks at Digital Champion Martha Lane Fox’s plan to get the whole country online and discusses how independent retailers can benefit from getting behind the initiative...

MARTHA LANE FOX is an impressive person. Not only was she one of the dot-com era’s early millionaires, she has gone on to launch Lucky Voice karaoke bars and is the founder of Antigone, a foundation that gives small grants to start up or early stage charities in healthcare, education and criminal justice.

Not only that, but the new government has seen fit to ask her to continue her role as the UK’s Digital Champion, attempting to get online the ten million people in the UK who have never used the internet. She also has an impressive collection of nonexec board positions to keep her out of mischief. And if that wasn’t enough, she is still on crutches, recovering from a near fatal accident in 2004.

RACE ONLINE Lane Fox addressed last month’s Parliamentary Information Technology Commission (PITCOM) meeting, delighted that she had had her position confirmed under the new Government. PITCOM includes parliamentarians, some of the major vendors and government contractors, academics and representatives from trade bodies, and is an ideas exchange, aiming to inform the country’s decision makers about issues to do with IT in it broadest sense. There are some deeply committed ‘technologists’

104 PCR August

in parliament, and I have over many years taken the opportunity to inform them of the abilities and needs of our channel indeed of the very existence of the technology channel (“not all computers come from Dell or HP”).

Meanwhile, the somewhat loose catchall of ‘Digital Inclusion’ has developed into Race Online 2012, which aims to bring people and organisations together to improve the life chances of that

“We all know that the internet can be of great value to the housebound and elderly; but if someone is old, set in their ways and somewhat technophobic, how can we break through to them?” disenfranchised ten million, particularly the four million who are also socially and economically excluded.

Lane Fox is passionate about digital inclusion, and following her PITCOM presentation the Q&A session came up with some interesting ideas. We all know that the internet can be of great value to the housebound and elderly, allowing them contact with distant friends and relatives, and letting them

make purchases from the comfort of their own home; but if someone is old, set in their ways and somewhat technophobic, how can we break through to them?

GREAT ASPIRATIONS One innovative thought put forward, only half-jokingly, is that we shouldn’t ‘allow’ people to retire until they can use a connected computer. Perhaps we shouldn’t let them leave school until they can do so either, nor draw benefit.

Lane Fox decried adverts on the sides of buses, “offering broadband for just so much per month”. Such claims are virtually meaningless to many people; isn’t it about time we saw adverts saying: “Speak to all your friends and relatives and do your shopping and have it delivered for less than £10 a month.”

As I have said before, the aspiration behind Race Online 2012, is fantastic.

But it is going to have to be accomplished with virtually no Government investment, despite the massive potential savings in delivering Government services.

I think independent resellers can have a key role to play in this process in fact, many TCA Members are already very active in their local communities.

The thrust behind Race

Online 2012 is about getting individual and corporate commitment.

And on that basis I urge you to research what it is all about and sign up. Find out more at raceonline 2012.org.

www.pcr online.biz

TCA OPINION

MAC

Robert Peckham is a director of The Technology Channels Association.

CONTACT robert.peckham@tcauk.org

Apple's new direction Robert Peckham asks what the iPhone maker will focus on next, after conquering the smartphone, tablet and MP3 player sectors...

“Far from letting the unique Mac Mini simply disappear, Apple has totally upgraded this extraordinary little computer, releasing a new, smaller, slimmer and higherspec version.”

WE ALL know the current situation.

Mac computers continue to gain market share against Windows PCs, the iPod has no serious rivals in the MP3 market, the iPhone is dominating the smart phone sector and now the iPad is devastating sales of high-end netbooks. So the question keeps being asked what will Apple focus on next?

Well, one of the single biggest indicators of the electronics giant’s next target market appeared in June without much of a fanfare. Far from letting the unique Mac Mini simply disappear, as many channel commentators were predicting, Apple has totally upgraded this extraordinary little computer, releasing a new, smaller, slimmer and higher-spec version. Why is this significant? Because the new Mac Mini has an HDMI port. True, it’s not the first Apple device to have HDMI; back in 2007, Apple TV was launched as the first true ‘media streaming’ device for watching media content stored on Apple (and Windows) computers for viewing on large-screen HD TV systems.

DIGITAL HOME But Apple TV isn’t a full Mac computer, and it has always struggled to be recognised for its true advantages in the digital home. Almost three years after its launch, the device hasn’t changed much.

Meanwhile, HDMI has become a common sight

fitted on many, possibly most Windows machines.

But Apple has so far avoided building HDMI into any of its computers except the latest Mac Mini.

You can add HDMI to a MacPro with a BlackMagic PCIe card, but MacBook Pro users have no compatible add-on card available that offers this interface, the iMac has no expansion capabilities.

THE RUMOUR MILL Now that the Mac Mini has HDMI, users can plug it into their HD television instead of using a computer monitor, connect a Bluetooth or other wireless keyboard and mouse to drive it, and Apple TV is redundant. The Mac Mini does everything that Apple TV can do, but also offers all the full-blown computer functionality on the same big screen from the comfort of your sitting room sofa.

And if the growing rumours are true, Apple is working with a couple of the major LCD/LED screen manufacturers on launching a range of Apple-branded large-screen displays, which will no doubt have some very unique Appleesque functions and functionality like direct iTunes Store access from your TV. So it certainly looks like your sitting room home entertainment technology is moving into Apple’s huge marketing sights, and resellers will have a major new market to work with.

The TCA is the not–for–profit trade body with membership made up of businesses from all parts of the channel.

www.pcr online.biz

Visit www.tcauk.org for more information

August PCR 105

MARKETPLACE

Christmas comes early for Sony Global vendor unveils autumn/winter portfolio with 3D cameras, new Walkmans and camcorders

SONY HAS unveiled a new line of consumer products due to hit the UK in the second half of the year, including cameras that shoot in 3D and new MP3 players.

The NEX-5 is the world’s smallest and lightest interchangeable lens digital camera. Along with the NEX-3, the device can capture HD movies and also features Sony’s 3D Sweep Panorama technology. By capturing a high-speed burst of frames, the devices automatically combine information from up to 100 images to create a three dimensional image.

Sony’s new Cyber-shot compact cameras the WX5 and TX9 also feature 3D Sweep Panorama technology.

Both cameras have a 12.2MP Exmor R CMOS Sensor, as well as a full HD movie mode.

106 PCR August

Meanwhile, the vendor claims its Handycam NEX-VG10E is the world’s first consumer HD camcorder with an interchangeable lens. It uses a 14.2 effective MP ExmorTM APS HD CMOS sensor to record HD movies with background de-focus and is

fully compatible with E-mount interchangeable lenses, as well as A-mount DSLR lenses (via an optional adaptor).

The device’s inbuilt microphone combines signals from four separate omni-directional microphone capsules

to create high-quality stereo sound with less background noise. Users also have the option of adding an additional stereo mic, while a headphone jack allows audio monitoring.

Two new Walkman MP3 players have also been unveiled ahead of the Christmas season the A Series and E Series. The latter even has the ability to remove vocals from songs and display lyrics in time to the music, giving it the functionlity of a miniature karaoke machine.

Sony has also launched a number of new iPod and iPhone docks, including the RDH-SK8iP a portable dock which lets the user change its appearance with customisable skins.

The vendor has also refreshed its range of Bravia TVs and Vaio laptops.

www.pcr-online.biz

MARKETPLACE

Gigabyte hikes up the gigahertz Component maker unveils new graphics cards and software to boost motherboard overclocking ability “What makes Hotkey OC and Cloud OC so unique is that they are available on an extensive range of existing Gigabyte motherboards without requiring additional hardware or cost.”

Tim Handley, Gigabyte

www.pcr-online.biz

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY has launched its latest overclocked GeForceTM GTX 460 series of graphics cards, which it claims deliver the ‘ultimate gaming experience’.

The GV-N460OC-1GI and GVN460OC-768I are designed to enhance overclocking ability and features include DirectX 11, Nvidia CUDA, 3D Vision Surround, and PhysX, while new highspeed 32x anti-aliasing offers improved image quality.

According to Gigabyte, its Ultra Durable VGA Technology guarantees better overclocking capability, lower GPU temperature, and improved power efficiency.

The two graphics cards come equipped with the vendor’s newest cooling system, the Windforce 2X. The cooler has an ultra-quiet PWM fan, a pure copper heat pipe and inclined fans, which help reduce excessive heat

and turbulence, driving temperatures lower than a stock heatsink.

Meanwhile, for those who want an easier way to overclock, Gigabyte has also released two free overclocking applications for its motherboards.

Hotkey OC creates real-time overclocking via designated keys on a standard keyboard that allow for different settings to be used during various stages in a benchmark.

Cloud OC allows the user to monitor and tweak their overclocking or system status in real time from any internetcapable device with wireless or bluetooth connectivity.

“What makes Hotkey OC and Cloud OC so unique is that they are available on an extensive range of existing Gigabyte motherboards without requiring additional hardware or cost,” says Tim Handley, Gigabyte’s deputy director of marketing.

August PCR 107

MARKETPLACE

Hannspree unveils SJ series New TVs boast a slew of picture enhancing features HANNSPREE has revealed the new SJ series of HD LCD TVs, available in a range of sizes.

The televisions come in 19-inch, 22inch, 28-inch, 32-inch and 42-inch models and feature a glossy black finish and a silver chrome lower border.

The SJ series allows multiple input leads, with up to three HDMI ports, scart connectivity, component and composite inputs and VGA support, which allows the user to hook up their home computer to the screen.

The ultra slim SJ series is available in 19 inch, 22 inch, 32 inch and 42 inch screen sizes

While the 19-inch and 22-inch TVs are HD-ready, the other models boast a full HD 1080p resolution. The entire series features multiple aspect ratios, as well as Hannspree’s ‘X-Celerate’ technology, designed to improve 3D rendering and minimise unwanted motion blur.

Hannspree has installed further picture enhancement features such as a built-in 3D comb-filter and 3D ‘deinterlace’ technology, which filters out scattered signals to produce more saturated colour and lifelike image

108 PCR August

“The entire series features multiple aspect ratios, as well a Hannspree’s ‘X-Celerate’ technology, designed to improve 3D rendering and minimise unwanted motion blur.”

quality. Meanwhile, digital noise reduction improves the overall clarity and sharpness of the picture, while built-in 3.2:2.2 pull-down processing corrects errors in frame rates to create smooth, flicker-free pictures.

The range is Dolby Digital certified, and also has a ‘hotel mode’, which allows hoteliers or bed and breakfast owners to programme options such as volume control, channel availability or input sources.

www.pcr-online.biz

MARKETPLACE

Best in PC Cabling Your One Stop Shop for all your Needs!

PC Cables USB Cables Firewire Cables Printer Leads Scart Cables Telephone Accessories Modem Cables IDE Cables UTP Patch Cables Crossover Cables Microphones Headsets Mouse Mats USB to Serial

USB to PS/2 USB to Parallel USB to Game Port USB Infrared Adaptor USB Card Readers USB to Ethernet USB to Switch Boxes PCI Cards PCMCIA Cards KVM Switch Boxes Printers Scanners

CD/DVD Media Floppy Disks Storage Cases CD Re-Writers DVD Re-Writers Duplicator Boxes Compatible Ink Matt/Photo Paper CD/DVD Labels Mouse/Keyboard Speakers Webcams & Much More!

MAIL ORDER SERVICE AVAILABLE OPENING TIMES Monday - Friday : 9:30am - 6:30pm Saturday: CLOSED Sunday: 9:30am - 3:30pm

SDA Trading (UK) Ltd, 18 Moulton Street, Manchester, M8 8FQ

Tel: (+44) 0161 819 1515 Fax: (+44) 0870 236 0247 www.sdatrading.com sales@sdatrading.com www.pcr-online.biz

August PCR 109

MARKETPLACE

Sweex boosts peripherals range Notebook mouse and docking station are both Windows and Mac compatible PERIPHERALS vendor Sweex has launched two new products this month a hard drive docking station and a laptop mouse.

The Sweex HDD Dock eSATA + USB connects 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch SATA hard drives to a PC via an eSATA or USB 2.0 port, allowing users to easily save and exchange files.

The Sweex Wireless Mouse, meanwhile, has a matt finish and comes in three different colour combinations: black with silver accents, black with red, or white with orange. It is suitable for both right and left-handed people.

Additional features on the notebook mouse are low power wireless and an on/off switch both of which are aimed at extending battery life. It works within a range of up to ten metres.

The mouse also sports a scroll/click wheel and a DPI button that allows the user to adjust the sensitivity of the optical sensor up to 2000 DPI. It includes a nano USB receiver that can be stored in the base of the mouse.

Both devices are compatible with Windows 7, Vista, XP and Mac OSX.

110 PCR August

The HDD Dock eSATA + USB (above) and the Wireless Mouse from Sweex, are compatible with Vista, XP, Windows 7 and Mac OSX

“Additional features on the notebook mouse are low power wireless and an on/off switch – both of which are aimed at extending battery life.”

www.pcr-online.biz

Qualified officials

GET YOUR KIT ON

32 teams

ET BARBEQUE M R U O G ★ M A E T R ES PE ★ AT LEAST SIX GAM SENTATIONS ★ E R P Y H P O R T L A U ★ TEAM AND INDIVID Sign up now

MARKETPLACE

Speedlink launches protective iPad skin Silicon covering is designed to protect the Apple device from day to day damage

SPEEDLINK has launched its new Topaz silicon skin for the iPad, available in the UK now through distributor Meroncourt.

“It is designed to protect the device from costly damage, with the silicon absorbing knocks and shocks, while also preventing scratching.”

Measuring 9.7 inches diagonally, the skin fits snugly around the Apple tablet.

It is designed to protect the device from costly damage, with the silicon absorbing any knocks and shocks, while also preventing scratches.

The Topaz skin also provides extra grip for a secure hold.

All of the iPad’s connectors and controls, such as the home button and USB port, remain completely accessible

to the user, so they never need to remove the skin.

The Place to Start Learning Sage Introducing SJ Sage 50 On-Line.

Sage Training for the Trade.

Sage Workbooks, Self Study or Full Tutorial leading to the Sage Certificate of Competence.

Official Sage Training Courses at trade prices.

Sage Courses from £

112 PCR August

t

Tel No: 01282 866 300

t

Web: www.SJstartup.co.uk

www.pcr-online.biz

MARKETPLACE

Sanyo reveals wideangle projector New LCD technology produces colour rich images that are ‘easy on the eye’, claims vendor SANYO HAS launched a new wideangle lens LCD projector a short throw, low-maintenance multimedia device aimed at the education and business sectors.

The PLC-WL2500 creates an 80-inch diagonal image from a throw distance of just 86cm, reducing shadows on the wall or on an interactive whiteboard.

According to Sanyo, the device has a lamp life of up to 4,000 hours in economy mode, reducing the cost of ownership. It uses LCD technology to create bright images of 2500 ANSI, which the vendor claims are ‘easy on the eye and colour-rich’, with a contrast ratio of 500:1.

Offering a W-XGA resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels, the device is

www.pcr-online.biz

optimised for images in a widescreen 16:10 format. It has an adjustable image size of 60 to 110 inches.

“The device has a lamp life of up to 4,000 hours in economy mode, reducing the cost of ownership. It uses LCD technology to create bright images.”

Sanyo The projector also features HDMI input, an integrated ten watt speaker and a network control function, which allows the user to operate the device remotely.

August PCR 113

MARKETPLACE

TP-Link debuts super-fast wireless adaptor Vendor claims its device can achieve speeds 15 times faster than equivalent wireless G products NETWORKING vendor TP-Link has launched the TL-WN822N, a USB wireless internet adaptor, featuring two external antennae for increased coverage.

TP-Link claims the TL-WN822N, which complies with the 11N standard, can achieve data transfer rates of up to 300Mbps 15 times the speed and five times the range of equivalent 11G products, making it ideal for web calls and streaming media.

The dual external antennae can be rotated and adjusted in different directions to improve performance.

The adaptor also boasts a quick setup security button, which establishes a highly secured connection and eliminates the need for a password.

The TL-WN822N comes with a 1.5-

114 PCR August

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The adaptor boasts a quick setup security button, which establishes a highly secured connection and eliminates the need for a password.â&#x20AC;?

The TL WN822N's dual antennae can be rotated and adjusted for optimal range

meter extension cable and a utility CD, which aids installation and configure wireless network settings. The device is fully compatible with Windows 7, Vista, XP and 2000.

www.pcr-online.biz

MARKETPLACE

NEC offers 3D intro kit for projectors Glasses and software are designed to help projector users experience the fledgling technology in full

NEC DISPLAY Solutions is stepping up its 3D division by offering a 3D starter kit with compatile projectors.

The kit, which customers are now able to purchase along with the vendor’s NP115, NP210 and NP216 projectors, includes active 3D glasses, a software package and 3D images. NEC has collaborated with a wide range of content providers to create the 3D

www.pcr-online.biz

Starter Kit, which allows users to experience the technology without the need for a special screen or filter.

The full version of the Stereoscopic Player package is included for viewing films and pictures with 3D effects. The universal software supports a range of formats such as AVI, MPEG, WMV ASF or MOV. Other elements of the kit include

“The 3D Starter Kit allows users to experience the technology without the need for a special screen or filter.”

demo versions of Eureka, an educational software program by Designmate which represents scientific concepts in three dimensions, and Amazing Interactives’ Discover Sound and Discover Maths.

Further additions to the NEC 3D Starter Kit include sample pictures and a video with macro and slow motion shots, giving users a selection of content to view.

August PCR 115

MARKETPLACE

DIARY DATES 2010 The UK’s channel calendar is full of important events. Here are some upcoming highlights of the year ahead…

AUGUST

TARGET OPEN DAY

TARGET OPEN DAY AUGUST 6TH TARGET HQ, CASTLEFORD The annual Target Open Day, now in its third year, has an emphasis on training, with leading vendors offering exclusive sessions discussing new trends and demonstrating the latest products.

A buffet lunch is provided and an after show reception will be held at the Whitwood Inn. VIP MICROSOFT EVENTS AUGUST 11TH AND 18TH BIRMINGHAM AND LONDON VIP Computers is holding two Microsoft events, one at Villa Park,

Birmingham and the other at London’s Wembley Stadium. VIP will demonstrate how to grow Microsoft sales, explain the importance of buying genuine Microsoft software and discuss Windows 7 sales. The first 40 people to register for each day will receive a free Sanyo CG20 video camera.

SEPTEMBER RETAIL CONFERENCE 2010 SEPTEMBER 22ND AMERICA SQUARE CONFERENCE CENTRE, LONDON Now in its fourth year, the Retail Conference offers free attendance to retailers. The event, organised by

Retail Acumen, includes seminars, workshops and networking opportunities for senior figures in the retail industry. The flexible agenda allows guests to plan their own time.

OCTOBER PCR FOOTBALL CHALLENGE OCTOBER 15TH POWER LEAGUE, BARNET, LONDON The first ever PCR Football Challenge is a five-a-side tournament dedicated to the UK PC and IT trade. It is expected to attract up to 32 teams from all areas of the channel. Email Katie.Rawlings@intentmedia.co.uk for more information and sponsorship opportunities.

If you would like to promote your event, please contact: andrew.wooden@intentmedia.co.uk VIP MICROSOFT EVENTS

116 PCR August

This information is believed to be correct, but potential visitors should confirm details with show organisers before making arrangements to attend

www.pcr-online.biz

MARKETPLACE RECOMMENDED

PCR Recommended Each month, in association with PC Pro, we check out two of the hottest bits of tech the specialist press are raving about...

SAMSUNG U250 ALL-IN-ONE PC

INTEL CORE I5-655K AND CORE I7-875K

[

]

URL: www.intel.com/uk SRP: i5-655K £220 i7-875K £349

[

URL: www.samsung.com/uk SRP: £900

]

“The Samsung U250 hides its PC components more successfully than any all-in-one we’ve seen yet, and its style is only matched by far more expensive Sony and HP alternatives.”

SAMSUNG HAS long produced beautiful monitors, and from the front the U250 looks to be another gorgeous example. With its glossy black finish, cleat edging and thin glass neck it's as stylish as any SyncMaster TFT we’ve seen, but at 43mm thick, there’s room to hide a full PC on the back.

It's an impressive feat, and the U250 is the first all-in-one PC we’ve seen that you could genuinely mistake for a monitor. It helps that Samsung has stuck closely to its TFT template, tweaking it to pull off the screen and PC combo without impeding on desirability.

The all-black design is broken up by a single blue power light beneath the Samsung logo, a 1.3MP webcam at the

www.pcr-online.biz

top, and a discreet row of touch controls in the bottom-right corner.

Everything else you might need sits at the rear or on the sides, neatly hidden away by the slightly protruding clear bezels.

The Samsung U250 hides its PC components more successfully than any all-in-one we’ve seen yet, and its style is only matched by far more expensive Sony and HP alternatives.

The Acer Z5610 offers the same multitouch screen but with quad-core power and a 1TB hard disk for a similar £740 excluding VAT. If that power is important the Acer is a slightly better deal, however it’s hard not to fall for the Samsung’s delightful design. For many, that will be worth paying a little more for.

TECHNICALLY, Intel’s new Core i5-655K and i7-875K CPUs are a very minor tweak to the existing i5-650 and i7-870 parts. They have the same number of hyper-threaded cores (two and four respectively) and the same

“With a stock Intel heatsink and fan we were able to turn the Turbo Boost multipliers up five ticks before the processors overheated.” basic clock speeds (3.2GHz for the Core i5 and 2.93GHz for the i7).

The difference is, these new models are designed to be overclocked.

Although the basic frequency multiplier is locked, you can adjust the ‘Turbo Mode’ multipliers that kick in when the CPU is under load. It’s a smart way to get the best from these chips; there’s no sense in pumping up the power (and the heat) until there’s work to be done.

When it comes to overclocking, both chips leave their older siblings in the dust. With a stock Intel heatsink and

fan we were able to turn the Turbo Boost multipliers up five ticks before the processors overheated. This let the i5-655k blaze through our benchmarks at speeds up to 4.1GHz for an overall score of 2.16, while the i7-875k hit 4.3GHz and scored a magnificent 2.31.

With a custom heatsink it would probably go even faster.

Although Turbo Mode is designed to be self-managing, we had to engage in extensive trial and error to achieve these optimal scores, which is likely to discourage the typical home user. And the price isn’t exactly low on a strict bang-per-buck calculation you’ll get better value from any of the regular Core i5s, even if you overclock the new models. And AMD’s quad-core Phenom II chips beat anything Intel has to offer.

But there’s always a premium to be paid for gold standard performance, and when you look at the price of a Core i7-900 processor these new models look a stunning bargain. If you’ve chosen the LGA 1156 platform and you’re willing to get your hands a little dirty in the name of performance, the Core i5-655K might be Intel’s best deal ever, with the Core i7-875K a premium cherry on the cake.

August PCR 117

OUT OF OFFICE

THE IT CROWD

THIS MONTH: The channel tees off and StarCraft II launches..

A SWINGING SUCCESS The TCA held its seventh annual Channel Golf Day at Staverton Park in Daventry last month. A total of 14 teams enjoyed the sunshine out on the course, with Team DMSL being declared the winners. They were presented with the Louis Belcuore Memorial Trophy, in honour of Nvidia’s northern European sales manager, who died last year.

Right: THQ ’s Richard St ickler, Sapphire's Shaun Barrett and Steve Morgan, AM D's Neil Spicer

K Carl West of Gf ott Above: Mike Sc ton and Steve Crigh of Medea A’s Below: The TC d Adam Harris an Robert French

Sapphire’s Steve Morgan and THQ’s Richard Stickler on the green

Mark Lambert of Bear IT drives up the fairway

Top: Damien Stevens and Carl West of GfK with the TCA's John Harris and Robert French Above: Bear IT’s Mark Lambert with Medea’s Mike Scott, Russell Pottinger and Steve Crighton

118 PCR August

Oak Teleco m's James Emm, Enta Neil Hill of 's Jon Athe Corsair an rton, d Kingston 's Jim Knee

I hope ebooks usher in a world of ideal book lengths.

I.e., detached from the burden of having to be "book-sized"; less filler, more focus.

Twitter co-founder Evan Williams

If I were HP, I’d make nice with @jeffjarvis pretty quickly.

Causing him tech frustrations didn’t end too well for Dell

@ev

@iRowan

Technology journalist David Rowan

www.pcr-online.biz

OUT OF OFFICE

Send your pictures to: andrew.wooden@intentmedia.co.uk

A day in the life

Fix IT Local’s Conor Mc Donald tries to escape the bunker as Andy Chequer looks on

encer Carter and Sp Above: John nes of Jo k re De , SL Fieldman of DM verwood Sil ck Ni 's DMSL Synaxon and

Darren Lewitt, AV Director, Midwich Group a Harris, Phil Smith, onald Andy Chequer and Conor McD

"No matter how much I like to think of myself as the king of creativity, 90 per cent of my ideas are a load of tosh. But when one does work, it is very fulfilling."

Andy Sayers, Right: Leapfrog's Owen McGuire, k James Stannard and Andy Elcoc

STARCRAFT II LANDS The eagerly anticipated sequel to StarCraft was finally released on July 27th.

As the first StarCraft is still one of the most popular games in South Korea, Korean Air painted two of its jets in honour of last month’s release.

In London, meanwhile, fans spent the evening queuing outside Game’s Oxford Street branch in order to get their hands on a copy of StarCraft II: Wings Of Liberty.

Fans queue for Game’s midnight launch event

Maybe they'd like to bring out a phone that just tuts very loudly each time you even think of using it.

Journalist/TV presenter Charlie Brooker on Apple

@charltonbrooker

www.pcr-online.biz

Feeling guilty as I use the web to help my sister cheat on her NYTIMES crossword puzzles Xbox Live director of programming Larry Hryb

@majornelson

IT’S PRETTY amazing that after working for the same company for 20 years, every day is still completely different.

The reason that it is so amazing is that it always starts out the same.

The alarm clock wakes me up at 6.30am and I head out for a walk with my cocker spaniel. This gives me the chance to contemplate any creative dreams that I have had the night before. Sometimes I can’t remember them, but when I do it really gets me thinking.

I always think that the day is going to pan out the way I hoped, giving me the opportunity to get on with a particular project. However, within 15 minutes the emails are coming through and that special moment usually arrives; the chance to share my thoughts and ideas with colleagues.

The funny thing is that no matter how much I like to think of myself as the king of creativity, 90 per cent of my ideas are a complete load of old tosh. But when one does work and it eventually becomes a multi-million pound business, it is very fulfilling to look back and reflect on a great day, even if it’s many years later.

Today, I’ve just met with a major vendor and hopefully secured a new distribution contract for another group company. It’s been a very tiring day, but before I head home I still need to set up a two day visit to Paris, evaluate some new showroom facilities, proof read an article for the press, check the latest marketing communication, agree to a trade show and sign off the latest purchasing deal.

Tomorrow, I need to look at a new vendor proposal while considering and prioritising all the other requests and opportunities. I may just get round to working on next quarter’s strategy too. I love this job!

August PCR 119

OUT OF OFFICE

PCR Editorial Planner

In the

HOT SEAT Martin Kent, Territory Manager, UK and Northern Europe, HANNspree UK

SEPTEMBER 2010 Advertising deadline: August 18th GAMING ISSUE Graphics cards Peripherals Displays Gaming hardware To advertise call Carly Bailey on +44 (0) 1992 535647 or email Carly.Bailey@intentmedia.co.uk For editorial please contact Andrew Wooden on +44 (0) 1992 535646 or email him at Andrew.Wooden@intentmedia.co.uk

OCTOBER 2010 Advertising deadline: September 15th Security special Security software Digital storage Photography Describe yourself in three words Humble, outrageous, misguided How do you relax away from work?

Meditation, playing and watching football, socialising with friends and family What's your favourite book?

The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield What's your favourite film?

Goodfellas What's your favourite album?

The Stone Roses by The Stone Roses What was your first computer?

Hannspree SN10 netbook!

What's your best memory of working in the industry?

I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t say as this would embarrass far too many people...

Who's the funniest person you've ever met?

Fabio Capello!

What did you want to do when you were younger?

A professional footballer

NOVEMBER 2010 Advertising deadline: October 20th Christmas special Novelty Gadgets Notebooks Laptop bags and accessories

DECEMBER 2010 Advertising deadline: November 17th MP3 players and accessories External hard drives Distributor opening times

JANUARY 2011 Advertising deadline: TBC Printers Smartphones ISPs Speakers and headphones

FEBRUARY 2011 Advertising deadline: TBC GAMING ISSUE Graphics cards Display Games Gaming hardware Consoles

LATEST NEWS STRAIGHT TO YOUR MOBILE bookmark us in your phone:

mobile.pcretailmag.com 120 PCR August

www.pcr-online.biz