PCR #138 March 2015 by Future PLC

FOR THE UK’S PC & TECH COMMUNITY MARCH 2015

28 John Lewis on top PCR speaks to tablet and computing buyer William Jones

32 Tech retail guide We list all the key PC buyers from the UK’s biggest retailers

54 Windows reaction Our Retail Advisory Board on the new OS being free for a year

1 : MARCH 2015 COMPUTER & IT RESELLERS z RETAILERS z SYSTEM BUILDERS z DISTRIBUTORS z VENDORS

WWW.PCR-ONLINE.BIZ

RETAIL REVOLUTION

PC stores turn to managed services as High Street evolves, finds PCR’s annual retail survey ALMOST HALF of independent tech retailers now offer managed services to their customers. PCR found that 41 per cent offer some kind of subscription-based IT

41% OF RETAILERS NOW OFFER MANAGED SERVICES

LAPTOPS NAMED TOP-SELLING CATEGORY OF 2014

service or cloud offering after questioning 100 store owners and etailers in its annual survey. Check out the full results from the survey on page 23.

89%

CONFIDENT OF THEIR BUSINESS THIS YEAR

HALF

OF RETAILERS SELL CLOUD PRODUCTS

37%

HOPEFUL OF WINDOWS 10 OPPORTUNITIES

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CONTENTS & COMMENT

MEET THE TEAM

CONTENTS

COMMENT

REGULARS Dominic Sacco Editor dsacco@nbmedia.com @Dom_Sacco

Analysis: Managed services

Analysis: Micro-PCs

15 Number crunching 16 Appointments 18 Events

Laura Barnes Deputy Editor

19 Opinion

lbarnes@nbmedia.com @roradrum

FEATURES 10 Boot Camp’s new home

Jade Burke Staff Writer

21 PCR Retail Survey 2015

jburke@nbmedia.com

28 John Lewis interview

@JadeBurke77

31 Cherry: Behind the scenes 32 Tech retail buyers guide Phil Tottman Staff Writer

41 Samsung SSD interview

ptottman@nbmedia.com

45 Managed services

@phil_t707

Changing the channel RETAIL is undergoing some huge changes right now. From fresh in-store tech to the impending Internet of Things, bricks and mortar stores are becoming more digitised – the line between High Street and online retail is blurring. But there’s arguably an even bigger change going on specifically within independent tech retail right now. For years break/fix and boxed product sales have been a staple part of the indie PC retailer’s repertoire. The customer needs a computer repair or part, you provide it and bill them for a one-off payment. Simple. However, this kind of service means you may have particularly strong sales some months but much less when business goes quiet. In a tough market where online retailers are extremely competitive on price and upkeep costs can be difficult to manage, not all retailers can afford to rely on a good month here and a bad month there.

48 Battle of the micro-PCs Andrew Wooden Publisher

RETAIL

awooden@nbmedia.com

51 In-store tech

@pcr_online

“Not all retailers can afford to rely on a good month here and a bad month there, so many are turning to managed services.”

53 Store of the Month: The Laptop Fixers Jennie Lane Senior Account Manager jlane@nbmedia.com @jennielane1

54 PCR Retail Advisory Board reacts to free Windows 10 59 Counter Insurgent 59 Synaxon Member Proﬁle: Resolve Information Technology

Sarah Goldhawk Account Manager

61 Mystery Shopper:

sgoldhawk@nbmedia.com @sarzgoldhawk

Tablet keyboards in KingstonUpon-Thames

Elizabeth PArker Production Executive eparker@nbmedia.com

PRODUCTS 65 Keyboards, mice and mats 70 Wearable tech 72 Outdoor/rugged tech

Dan Bennett Designer

75 Raspberry Pi 2

dbennett@nbmedia.com

76 Recommended products

OUT OF OFFICE Editorial: 01992 535646 Advertising: 01992 535647 NewBay Media is a member of the Periodical Publishers Associations

Incorporating

81 In the Hot Seat: Wacom’s Mark Hoole 81 Industry Tweets 82 The Last Word: Bill Grimsey, retail expert ISSN: 1742-8440

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To handle this, many are turning to managed services (charging customers a monthly fee for repairs and other solutions) to pull in steady recurring revenues. In fact, 41 per cent of the retailers we spoke to in our survey this month already offer managed services, and of those who don’t, a quarter are planning on offering it this year. You can read the full survey on page 25 and take a more in-depth look at managed services on pages seven and 45. We had so much input and content from the industry on this topic, we literally didn’t have enough room in the magazine to cover it all. So be sure to check out www.pcr-online.biz during the ﬁrst week of March where we’ll be hosting a special managed services week full of opinion, analysis and essential info on the growing business model. Elsewhere in our retail issue this month, we interview John Lewis computing buyer William Jones about the retailer’s seemingly never-ending success (page 28), before running through UK tech retail’s key buyers in our annual guide (page 32) and retail expert Bill Grimsey shares his views with PCR on the future of the High Street (page 82). What do you think of managed services? Send me an email and we’ll include the best comments on our website. Dominic Sacco, editor dsacco@nbmedia.com

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ANALYSIS

‘2015 is the year MPS will take off’ Vendors and resellers report ‘huge growth’ in managed services as the traditional IT business model evolves, but some say distributors can be doing more to support it going forwards, report Dominic Sacco and Phil Tottman… TABLET SALES boomed in 2013, desktops, laptops and the cloud were more popular in 2014 – but 2015 is the year of managed services, say industry experts. Suppliers, manufacturers and resellers expect the business model – charging customers a monthly subscription for IT services and products – to come to fruition this year. The model allows retailers and resellers to generate recurring revenues more easily rather than rely on oneoff product or breakfix sales. “We see managed print services (MPS) as a huge growth engine,” Jamie Brothwell, print general manager at distributor and retail services provider Exertis, told PCR. “With an improving economy, ongoing investment in UK businesses from overseas and the relentless pace and progress of digital and connected services, we believe that 2015 is the year MPS will take off.” Aside from the print sector, Microsoft is also reporting strong growth within managed cloud services. “High demand has meant that our commercial cloud

Managed print services is a huge growth area for Exertis right now

services have now delivered triple-digit revenue growth for the sixth consecutive quarter,” a Microsoft spokesperson said. “Office 365 continues to be priority for CIOs as both existing and new customers move to the cloud. We are also seeing great growth in revenue from premium Azure Services driven by both the increasing customer base and an expansion in the number of services that those customers deploy. Within Dynamics CRM Online, customer growth accelerated and revenue nearly doubled. We expect this trend to continue.”

“The opportunity managed print services presents resellers and distributors is clear.” Andrew Hall, Oki Systems

But some say that tech distributors can do more to push the lucrative business model and better support their customers. Joey Hemingbrough, AAG Systems director of business development and Network Group B2B director, commented: “In terms of managed print, if it wasn’t for someone like David [Tulip, Network Group’s MPS programme manager], I think there would be a lot of members who wouldn’t offer managed services and wouldn’t see the value because it isn’t being driven at a distribution level.”

Oki Systems’ marketing manager Andrew Hall added: “The opportunity managed print services presents resellers and distributors is clear. The trouble is too many dealers are continuing to let themselves down by failing to deliver the most effective and consultative pitch into target organisations. Distributors can play their part here in ensuring their resellers fully explain the service when required and offer a range of resources to cater for clients.” Read PCR’s full report on page 45 to find out what is making the managed services market tick.

More retail buyers flock to Distree THE EMEA Distree channel trade event drew a higher amount of buyers this year, with a bigger focus on wearables and smart home products. “One of the main changes was the increasing number of retail buyers and executives that chose to attend the event,” said Farouk Hemraj (pictured), Distree Events director and co-founder. “We saw companies like Euronics,

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Amazon and Darty all attending, as well as new players such as Lick from France. Hundreds of brands attended Distree EMEA, all keen to expand their routesto-market across the region.” Hemraj also spoke of the shifting tech market and the challenges retailers, disties and vendors are facing. “In categories such as wearables, smart home products and connected devices, all distributors,

retailers and etailers need to stay ahead of the curve and up to speed with the latest technology developments. Product lifecycles are getting faster and new brands – some with the capability of becoming category killers – can emerge very quickly,” he added. “We’re also seeing true product innovation becoming democratised by the use of crowdfunding platforms such as Indiegogo

or Kickstarter. This is a whole new way of financing the costs of innovation and it is a challenge that major brands will need to respond to. “The use of multichannel models is also now a given in EMEA. I’ve seen one firm recently that uses its retail stores as showrooms to drive wider demand for products that its distribution business holds the rights for.” Distree EMEA 2015 took place in Monaco in February.

PCR March 2015 | 7

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ANALYSIS

News Bytes US TECH FIRMS MOVE TO UK The Government is trying to convince US tech companies to set up their global hubs in the UK. It has launched HQ-UK which offers them a number of incentives to jump ship.

£3 BILLION BROADBAND Virgin Media is aiming to extend its fibre-rich network, creating 6,000 new jobs as part of a £3 billion plan. Dubbed ‘Project Lightning’, it has become the single largest investment in broadband infrastructure in the UK for more than a decade.

EXERTIS SIGNS SAMSUNG DEAL Distributor Exertis has teamed up with Samsung’s managed print services (MPS) programme, delivering a suite of tools to resellers, helping them to optimise and manage their customers’ print needs. The offering includes remote monitoring and asset inventory management, 24/7 support, plus tools for infrastructure improvement.

NEW SUBSCRIPTION MODEL FOR ICT A subscription-based pilot scheme has launched that pays resellers a full invoice upfront then collects a monthly fee from them. The HP Subscription programme is available now in the UK exclusively through Westcoast as well as HP Financial Services.

HP ACQUIRES VOLTAGE HP has bought US-based online security firm Voltage to boost its cloud platform efforts. This will put HP in a position to further push into the cloud-based security product market, offering a suite that protects information across mobile and web devices.

RECORD REVENUES FOR NVIDIA Nvidia has posted record revenues for its fiscal Q4 and full year 2015, hitting $4.68 billion, up 13 per cent yearon-year. Jen-Hsun Huang, president and CEO of Nvidia, commented: “Momentum is accelerating in each of our market-specialised platforms, driving record revenue in the quarter and full year.”

8 | PCR March 2015

All good things come in small packages… Micro-PC market hots up as vendors fight for market share in emerging tech category… THE POCKET-sized gap in the PC market is being fiercely contested as more players enter the space. Hannspree, Dell, Intel, Stone, Ironkey and more are going head-to-head with their own USB-sized micro computers – or PCs-on-a-stick. These little computers offer an alternative to the bulky desktop with a smaller price and lower power consumption. “There are many different USB-sized PC alternative devices available in the marketplace, however, very few have the behind the scenes management capabilities that Dell Wyse Cloud Connect can offer,” said Dell Cloud Client Computing’s channel marketing director David Angwin. “Its client manager offers organisations a comprehensive view of all Cloud Connects in use across the network, providing visibility to, where devices are located, which applications are being used by the device and also determine other user rights are applied to each device on an individual basis.”

The Micro-PC features 2GB RAM and 32GB storage

“The Micro-PC segment is still at the early stage but thus far the market has responded very well.” Martin Kent, Hannspree

Hannspree’s Windows 8.1-powered Micro-PC – exclusive to distributor Entatech – features 2GB RAM and 32GB storage, a Quad Core Intel Processor up to 1.83GHz, HDMI monitor connectivity, as well as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. “The Micro-PC segment is still at the early stage but thus far the market has responded very well and we have a positive view about its future growth,” added Hannspree UK territory manager Martin Kent. “We already have further devices in the pipeline, which we are

developing to offer consumers more choice as demand increases, such as a “micro-fan” built-in solution and a version with Linux OS.” Stone Group’s marketing director Daley Robinson is unfazed by the competition: “Stone is one of the only value-added resellers to be launching the USB-sized device. We first showed the PC-on-a-stick at the BETT show in January and we were the only vendor to be doing so. This form factor is still very new.” Read PCR’s full report on page 48.

Last chance to attend PCR Awards THERE ARE now just a few tickets remaining for this year’s PCR Awards. The event – hosted by comedian Ian Moore – will take place at Kensington’s Royal Garden Hotel, London, on Thursday March 12th. A complete sell out last year, the PCR Awards is a spectacular evening and the biggest night of the year celebrating excellence in the UK PC and tech industry. As well as showing off their corporate prowess at the PCR Awards ceremony itself, when the channel stars strut their

stuff down the red carpet this year, paparazzi will be filming the procession for the opening video – so get your winning smiles ready. The price of tickets include: pre-dinner drinks reception, three course dinner with

wine, coffee and petits fours, awards ceremony and an after party. Sponsors include distributors Entatech as Platinum Partner, VIP Computers as Drinks Reception Host and Exertis as

After-Party Host. Gold Partners include chip maker Intel, distributor Northamber, PR agency The PR Room, PXS Distribution and monitor specialists AOC, while Acer is Photobooth Partner. BullGuard is the Frontline category partner and Symantec is the Vendor category partner. Don’t miss out – book your tickets today. Visit www.pcrawards.com or contact Jessica Farnan by emailing jfarnan@nbmedia.com or calling 01992 535646 to get yours this year.

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SHOW PREVIEW

Boot Camp’s As PCR Boot Camp enters its fifth year, we are introducing an exciting new format and location for the ever-growing trade

Get fit for business PCR BOOT CAMP 2015 takes place at Whittlebury Hall in Northamptonshire, NN12 8QH, on Thursday, May 14th. The venue – close to the Silverstone racing circuit – offers delegates first class facilities in a centralised, easily accessible, countryside setting with free onsite parking and affordable overnight accommodation. It’s a full day of conferences, networking and getting your hands on

new product, as well as free lunch and dinner, free parking and reduced rates for overnight accommodation. And each attendee will be given a Philips OST690 10 Bluetooth Boombox to take home. To exhibit, contact Jennie Lane on 01992 535647 or email jlane@nbmedia. com for more information. Retailers, resellers and system builders can register for free now at www.pcrbootcamp.com

ITINERARY 10:00 – 10:30 - Registration & Coffee 10:30 – 13:00 - Conference 13:00 – 14:00 - Buffet Lunch 13:00 – 18:00 - Expo 18:00 – Late - After Party

Network at the bar THERE is no better opportunity to talk with other PC dealers, share ideas, share concerns and get together over a drink at the hotel bar. The larger area provides more room to set up a great networking evening event, with dinner cooked by the resident chefs and free drinks for all delegates. As well as the privately booked after party area, Boot Camp attendees also have access to the large outdoor seating of the country venue to enjoy the spring weather, as well as the hotel bar. Once again, the event will be followed by an After-Show Drinks Reception, which provides those present with networking opportunities to round off the day’s proceedings.

10 | PCR March 2015

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SHOW PREVIEW

s new home event. This year the conference and expo takes place at Whittlebury Hall on May 14th – here are the full details…

Check out the expo THE MORNING conference format remains the same, providing a mix of speaker and panel sessions, all designed to help dealers improve sales and ‘get fit for business’ in 2015. In addition, there will be a series of ‘Break-Out Sessions’ during the afternoon, giving distributors and vendors the opportunity to present technical or service sessions with smaller groups of dealers. The structure of Whittlebury Hall allows us to offer more bespoke exhibition options for partners in the afternoon – you can book a large room and fill it with product for a more complete demonstration, a smaller private room for meeting delegates in smaller numbers, or a more traditional stand. All the rooms are in one centralised location, with easy access between each, as well coffee and seating areas and outside gardens available.

Relax at the spa WHITTLEBURY Hall boasts a pool and Day Spa, with heat and ice experiences, soothing therapies and ancient bathing rituals. The Day Spa offers treatments from the houses of Elemis, ESPA, Jessica and Clarins, with a team of specialist therapists on hand to help. Spa treatments are charged as an extra, but PCR Boot Camp delegates get hugely reduced accommodation – and free parking – at the historical spa and hotel, meaning you can stay over and treat yourself to the spa the next day.

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PCR March 2015 | 11

STATS

Number

crunching

A round-up of the most important stats and facts in the tech channelâ&#x20AC;Ś

70%

770m More than 770 million apps will be downloaded per annum by 2019. (Juniper Research)

70 per cent of US and EMEA IT professionals say they trust open source software. (Zimbra)

56% 24%

32%

32 per cent of Brits believe that 3D printing will be the one piece of tech thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s significantly influential in 2015. (YouGov)

$14.6bn PC sales in the UK grew by 24.8 per cent in the final three months of 2014. (Context)

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56 per cent of British women prefer a man who is tech-savvy. (Crucial)

IT spending in the healthcare sector throughout Western Europe is expected to grow from $13.2 billion in 2013 to $14.6 billion in 2018. (IDC Health Insights)

PCR March 2015 | 15

RECRUITMENT

Changes at GfK see Carl West and Megan Moore promoted Vaughan Shayler departs from trade association CompTIA z NEC gains new sales director z Kaspersky Lab bolsters sales team GFK: CARL WEST has been promoted to GfK’s supply chain director, after his previous role as business group director. MEGAN MOORE replaces West as business group director for telecoms, IT and office and stationery. Moore has also lead the telecoms retail sales tracking panel for two years. COMPTIA: VAUGHAN SHAYLER has departed from IT trade association CompTIA. He worked as channel strategy director for the company for two and a half years, after joining the company in October 2012. A CompTIA spokesperson has revealed that the organisation is currently hiring someone to replace

NEC DISPLAY SOLUTIONS: NEC has announced the appointment of RUSSELL DAVIS as corporate sales director for the UK and Benelux. In his new role, Davis will lead and drive strategic sales activities to help strengthen the company’s sales operations. SIMON JACKSON, VP at NEC Display Solutions, said: “I KASPERSKY LAB: The software company has strengthened its sales team with the appointment of CHARLOTTE SHONE. In her new role as retail sales manager, Shone will support the consumer business unit, driving sales growth for Kaspersky. LEE SHARROCKS, consumer sales director at

Carl West and Megan Moore

With over 16 years of experience in software and hardware sales in distribution and vendor categories, West brings a great deal of understanding of the channel to his new role. Prior to GfK, West also worked for Datrontech Retail, SimpleTech and Mediagrids, whilst also being the GfK representative for CompTIA.

Vaughan Shayler

Shayler. It is not clear whether Shayler will continue to work within the IT channel. Prior to his role at CompTIA, Shayler was also managing director for Habit Consulting and Accredit UK. He has also held various roles within Birmingham City Council, Hinckley and Bosworth council and the West Midlands fire service.

Russell Davis

am delighted to welcome Russell, who, with a wealth of experience from industry heavyweights such as Cisco and Orange, will without doubt be a great asset to the NEC team.” Davis added: “I am very excited to have joined NEC and look forward to working with a highly professional and focused sales team.”

Charlotte Shone

Kaspersky Lab, said: “Charlotte will be a great asset to our growing team. She has an excellent reputation in the UK channel and is highly professional.” Shone added: “It’s a really exciting time to be joining Kaspersky Lab.” Prior to her new role, Shone worked at Panda Security for almost two years.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF… JEN ANDERSSON, PR MANAGER NORTHERN EUROPE, NVIDIA STARTING OFF with what might sound like a cliché; no day is ever the same in the life of PR. Nor is there ever a dull moment. It’s a hugely rewarding job and I love what I do. One thing that stays the same is the point when my alarm clock goes off; I reach for my phone and start checking emails. Working for a US company, there’s rarely a quiet hour and you can bet your bottom dollar that your inbox will be ﬂooded with emails from your colleagues across the pond. After a quick browse through, I can use my journey to work to prioritise what needs responding to and what actions need taking straight from the off. Enter ofﬁce and after making a strong coffee, I can start skimming the web to make sure I’m aware of any relevant news or comment of relevance that has been published overnight. My role as PR manager spans the entire Nvidia business, which includes gaming, mobility, enterprise and automotive, so there’s always something going on. A new product may have launched and I need to be sure it’s in

“Working for a US company, there’s rarely a quiet hour and you can bet your bottom dollar that your inbox will be flooded with emails.” the hands of the right press for reviews. An event might also be happening at the end of the week so I need to be sure I have the hardware and game developer support to pull it off, and of course the media attendance. Internal meetings crop up sporadically where I sit down with sales and marketing colleagues and work out a proposed PR strategy to support their overall business focus for an upcoming campaign. Developing a comms strategy for each of our many exciting areas of business goes way beyond simple media liaison and social media forms a large part of it. Creating a social link is key as today’s generation (especially young gamers) may not read traditional news outlets but spend most of their time on YouTube. Is it only 1pm?

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EVENT PLANNER

Diary Dates

The UK’s channel calendar is full of important events. Here are some highlights for upcoming dates…

MARCH 2015

APRIL 2015

PCR AWARDS

GADGET SHOW LIVE

MARCH 12TH – ROYAL GARDEN HOTEL, KENSINGTON The PCR Awards returns this year where distributors, vendors and retailers are recognised for their achievements within the UK PC and tech industry. The ceremony will take place at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington, where guests will get the chance to network, enjoy a party, as well as an evening dinner. Awards include Distributor of the Year, Software Publisher, Independent Retailer, System Builder, National Retailer and more.

APRIL 8TH-12TH – NEC, BIRMINGHAM Back for its seventh year, Gadget Show Live will showcase the latest products to hit the High Street as well as the best of British innovation and technology of the future. The Super Theatre, Game Zone, Future Tech Zone and Innovation Theatre will all return this year. New for 2015 will be an area dedicated to building your own gadgets.

MAY 2015 PCR BOOT CAMP

CEBIT 2015 MARCH 16TH–20TH, HANNOVER EXHIBITION GROUNDS CeBIT is back for another year. Boasting an IT show and a conference programme for professionals, CeBIT aims to deﬁne the latest IT trends. There will be talks by high-calibre speakers as well as forwardlooking panel discussions and product innovations from all over the world.

MAY 14TH – WHITTLEBURY HALL, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE Free for retailers and resellers to attend, PCR Boot Camp will provide a day of conference sessions, as well as an exhibition where retailers can see the new product lines on offer from vendors. There will also be networking opportunities throughout the day and during the after party, giving dealers the chance to discuss with other like-minded individuals.

The PCR Awards (top) will recognise exceptional companies in the UK tech industry, while CeBIT (above) boasts talks from experts

NO ROOM FOR SMART FRIDGES… CEBIT’S PRESS preview for the 2015 show took place in Hannover, Germany in January, where Oliver Frese, member of the Deutsche Messe Board, made some pretty bold statements. Not only did he mock smart fridges, stating that he will ‘never use one’, but he also stressed that there is so much more to the Internet of Things (IoT) than the end product. He also described this year’s trade show as being ‘inspiration in its purest form’. CeBit 2015 is set to be bigger than previous shows, with over 600 exhibitors due to attend in March. The preview showed a few of these exhibitors offering an insight into what they will be demonstrating at the main event, including ZXY Printing’s 3D printers, Relayr’s IoT toolset, ZTE and Huawei’s plans for mobile devices, as well as ESET’s security offerings.

18 | PCR March 2015

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OPINION

BYOD and the public sector Jeremy Nash, systems integrators business manager for Centerprise International, believes the public sector can embrace BYOD services and make the workforce more connected… security, which enable personal and BY DEFINITION, Bring Your Own work activities to be Device (BYOD) is the use of a personal compartmentalised on a single device in the work environment and device. Such technologies, together particularly its use to access the with the development of Enterprise enterprise. The concept becomes Mobile Management capabilities, blurred when personal devices do not enable governance, whilst affording form part of the enterprise but are access to enterprise commodities, used for work related tasks. such as office automation tools. Consumers of technology are So is it possible to introduce BYOD becoming increasingly reliant on in the public sector to the same mobile devices to assist them in their extent as has been embraced within daily lives and are seeking to the private sector? The answer is yes, introduce their ‘highly connected’ but the route for doing so is likely to state into their working lives. The be progressive, starting with Choose challenge of maintaining security Your Own Device (CYOD). This is when creating access for personal where the enterprise devices is now being supports a limited addressed by device selection. This commercial “The level of would enable a organisations, as the degree of consequence of not personal convergence by doing so is a dilution interaction with offering controlled of a company’s ability to maintain control mobile devices is access to a range of enterprise services. over its information. only set to Both user experience The increasing level and choice could be of personal interaction continue.” with ever-present Jeremy Nash, expanded over time mobile devices is only Centerprise by extending the operating systems and set to continue with range of devices supported. The the proliferation of context aware applications and the expanding range transition from CYOD to BYOD would probably be the function of a risk of device types and form factors. The balance decision that considers the inconvenience of carrying and business and operational drivers managing multiple devices of a against (and the appetite to embrace similar type will enhance the desire of advances in) technology that could employees to converge work and mitigate the perceived security risks. personal devices. Centerprise’s Cloud-based iOS BYOD implementations within the solution offers an extensible solution private sector vary from the basic use that can be deployed rapidly across of personal phones through to full an organisation’s Apple estate, integration of a suite of devices with ensuring its employee’s benefit from wide ranging access to the enterprise. the efficiencies of mobility whilst The latter has been made possible suitably protecting the through the evolving technologies of organisation’s information. virtualisation and multi-tiered Jeremy Nash is the systems integrators business manager for distributor Centerprise International. www.centerprise.co.uk

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Support ends for Server 2003 With support for Windows Server ending, Angela Cross, HP’s UK and Ireland country manager for servers and software, explains why the crossover doesn’t need to be disruptive for businesses… customer experience and service MICROSOFT’S decision to end levels of older applications. support for Windows Server 2003 Businesses that migrate will have a has been widely reported in the chance to revisit their organisational news. However, it’s important to processes and identify gaps, or even note that Microsoft has been re-skill staff. gradually halting support for this At HP, we understand that server since 2010 – a fact that hasn’t Windows Server 2003 migration is a been a focal point of the recent compelling event, and that’s why media coverage. we offer customers the right With July’s final cut-off fast solution at the right price, with our approaching, businesses must act most complete compute and fast as automatic fixes and updates services portfolio as well as the will soon be a thing of the past. largest partner network in the There is no avoiding the need for industry. Together with Microsoft, change, but it does not have to be we have launched a joint program disruptive. Businesses need to act to help both Enterprise customers now in order to mitigate the and SMBs migrate inherent risk of from Windows Server running legacy 2003 to Windows infrastructures and unsupported, “Enterprises that Server 2012R2. HP’s initial unsecure, noninvestigation helps compliant software. fall foul at this define the five Rs This warning is stage risk during the application especially pertinent assessment– replace/ for enterprises that spending huge retire, revise, refactor, are still operating amounts on IT rebuild or rehost. on old systems. support.” From this you can Serious Angela Cross, assess your business consideration HP risk, design the next needs to be given generation of your solution and in order to plan, design, implement, execute a managed migration to a manage and support the transition suitable new environment. quickly and cost-effectively. To conclude, businesses need to Enterprises that fall foul at this stage transition promptly and they need risk spending huge amounts on IT to do it with confidence, using the support for out-dated systems that right solution in order to drive can’t be supported long-term. infrastructure modernisation. HP has For forward-looking IT been partnering with Microsoft for departments, the upgrade date can 30 years now – this means that we be viewed as an opportunity to have a great knowledge when it modernise infrastructure, reduce comes to Microsoft’s services and expenses and improve the IT offerings and can provide reliability, environment. As a matter of fact, warranty, support and services for through this process businesses can all Microsoft solutions. increase flexibility and improve Angela Cross is HP’s UK and Ireland country manager for the company’s servers and software category. www.hp.com/uk

PCR March 2015 | 19

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RETAIL SURVEY

2014:

How was it for you?

How well did tablets sell last year? Did tech retailers’ revenues rise? What about cloud services? PCR asks 100 store owners and etailers for their thoughts on the market…

HOW WAS BUSINESS OVERALL IN 2014? It looks like last year was a successful one for retailers, with the majority revealing that revenues were up. Almost a quarter say their business was down year-on-year, while 15 per cent state that business

in 2014 was roughly the same as it was the year prior. One retailer says: “We couldn’t have asked for any better, 2015 has also seen our reseller programme working very well.”

SAME AS 2013: 15%

WHAT WAS YOU TOP SELLING PRODUCT CATEGORY LAST YEAR? Repairs and services were the top selling product last year for retailers, with 24 per cent, while laptops followed with 18 per cent and components with 14 per cent.

14 per cent of retailers said other products including speakers, CCTV equipment, projectors and printing paper were some of the top selling products for 2014.

OTHER: 14%

REPAIRS & SERVICES: 24%

UP: 62%

SOFTWARE: 7% NETWORKING: 5% PERIPHERALS: 9% DOWN: 23% PCs: 9% COMPONENTS: 14%

www.pcr-online.biz

LAPTOPS: 18%

PCR March 2015 | 21

RETAIL SURVEY

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR REVENUE WAS GENERATED BY CONSUMER SALES? Some indicated that consumer sales made up 100 per cent of their revenue sales, while 16 per cent said that they didn’t sell any products at all and wouldn’t consider doing so in the future.

Sales to consumers were responsible for the majority of retailers’ revenue last year, with 16 per cent stating that between 80 and 90 per cent made up their revenue sales. 90-100: 12%

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR REVENUE WAS GENERATED BY B2B SALES? It is clear many retailers are now delving into the B2B market, with 49 per cent revealing that most of their sales are generated from B2B sales.The results indicated that quite

a few retailers rely solely on B2B sales to make a healthy turnover, with around 10 per cent of retailers selling next to no products to consumers and home users.

0-10: 17%

0-10: 10%

90-100: 19%

10-20: 17%

10-20: 7%

80-90: 17%

20-30: 11%

80-90: 13% 20-30: 10%

30-40: 5%

70-80: 12%

30-40: 4% 70-80: 6%

40-50: 6% 60-70: 6%

40-50: 8%

60-70: 5%

50-60: 7%

50-60: 8%

DO YOU FEEL CONFIDENT ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS IN 2015? It was a positive outlook for the majority of retailers, with 89 per cent revealing that they are confident about their business in 2015. Considering the tough economic climate, the outlook has improved for retailers – last year 87 per cent said that they were confident. “I think it’s going to be very exciting for us, the way the business is moving we’re still learning and will make changes,” says one retailer. Another store owner adds: “We have already embarked on the route of new services, and part of that is bringing in cloud services.” Of course, some were less positive, with three per cent revealing they were not confident and eight per cent saying they were not sure.

NOT SURE: 8% NO: 3% YES: 89%

“I think it’s going to be very exciting for us, the way the business is moving we’re still learning and will make changes.”

www.pcr-online.biz

PCR March 2015 | 23

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RETAIL SURVEY

DO YOU OFFER MANAGED SERVICES? 41 per cent of retailers say they are now using managed services as a part of their business. Many praised the additional revenue stream a subscription service can bring to their business,

while others believe it helps to take the burden away from customers. Some retailers, however, are yet to incorporate it into their business, with 59 per cent revealing they do not offer managed services.

YES: 41%

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF OFFERING THIS SERVICE? Many retailers see the beneﬁts of offering managed services to their customers, with a common answer being the recurring revenues it generates for businesses. Others have seen competitors introduce managed services and followed suit. Here are our picks of quotes from retailers offering managed services:

“It gives us a full overview of all our computer systems and financially it’s good because we can predict our financial income every month.” “It opens new revenue streams such as subscriptions for my business.”

“Managed services take the burden away from the business owner.” “It compliments products and gives us more services and more opportunities to help customers.”

NO: 59%

IF NO, IS IT SOMETHING YOU’D CONSIDER INTRODUCING THIS YEAR? Almost a quarter of retailers (23 per cent) say they will offer managed services this year, while two ﬁfths (41 per cent) say they might introduce a subscription service at some point, as some retailers

believe that the service can help to differentiate their business. However, one third of retailers who don’t offer managed services say they have no plans to introduce it (36 per cent).

“It’s an interesting growth area and I envisaged that if we were to project forwards, in five years the majority of our business will be billed by subscriptions and hourly work rather than individual products.”

YES: 23%

“It gives us higher margins and longer client protection.” “Managed services helps us to give a better service to customers.” “Managed services provides continuity for all of our customers.” MAYBE: 41%

NO: 36%

www.pcr-online.biz

“Our competitors offer the service, so now we do too and it keeps customers returning.”

PCR March 2015 | 25

RETAIL SURVEY

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT WINDOWS 10 BEING FREE IN ITS FIRST YEAR? Windows 10 will be a free upgrade to Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 users within its ﬁrst year. 45 per cent of retailers say that this will have no impact on their business as many customers are

still using Windows 7 and 8. On the other hand, many see the new OS from Microsoft as a great addition to the market. 37 per cent are positive towards Windows 10 and 18 per cent are negative.

UNAFFECTED: 45% POSITIVE: 37%

NEGATIVE: 18%

“It will be fantastic, it’s the incentive my clients will need to migrate from Windows 7.” “I think it will dent sales as it doesn’t give anyone an incentive to buy a new laptop.” “I can’t remember the last time I sold a Windows OS so it won’t affect us. But the amount of reinstalls I do is good, so the labour will benefit us massively.” “I think people will be encouraged to take the update and we will benefit from hardware upgrades to make the most of it.” “I think Microsoft has made a mistake.”

26 | PCR March 2015

Cloud survey PCR conducted a separate survey asking 50 retailers about their thoughts on the cloud. Here’s what we found… HAVE YOU SOLD ANY CLOUD PRODUCTS? Cloud products are certainly becoming a popular addition for many retailers, as results reveal that 53 per cent have sold some cloud products over the past year. However, some are reluctant to get on board, with 47 per cent of retailers stating they did not sell any cloud products. Ofﬁce 365 was the most popular cloud product sold by retailers last year, while other products such as Livedrive, GFI and AVG were too. Some retailers say they sold NO: 47% Google Apps for business and One Drive products last year.

YES: 53%

IF YOU ARE NOT SELLING CLOUD, ARE YOU CONSIDERING DOING SO IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS? Trust and privacy issues are some of the main reasons why retailers aren’t selling cloud products, however, 69 per cent reveal that they might consider introducing cloud products into their business over the next 12 months. Others claim they do not know enough about the service, with 31 per cent stating they would not introduce it in the future. One retailer says: “I don’t know enough about it yet and whether there is a market for the consumer through selling at retail.”

NO: 31%

YES: 69%

DO YOU THINK SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES CAN BE PROFITABLE? The majority of retailers feel that subscription services are a profitable source of revenue, and could indeed benefit their business. One retailer says: “The right software will tie in customers indefinitely, which will provide a regular recurring revenue for us.” Others feel the flexibility of the service is an advantage, while some feel a little less optimistic. One retailer expresses his concerns: “Some vendors may undercut you on the renewal price.”

NO: 14%

YES: 86%

www.pcr-online.biz

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THE BIG INTERVIEW

William Jones says John Lewis is seeing growth in wearables and smart home devices

28 | PCR March 2015

www.pcr-online.biz

THE BIG INTERVIEW

‘We want to continue to outpace the market’ Having beaten the desktop decline in 2013, John Lewis now hopes to deliver another blockbuster year. Dominic Sacco asks tablet and computing buyer William Jones how…

ow big is John Lewis’ tech business? Electricals and Home Technology (EHT) make up a third of the John Lewis business so naturally it’s of huge importance. Over the last few years we have seen explosive growth of EHT at John Lewis and 2014 has been another stellar year, with new records being set. What are your aims and ambitions within the tech market in the next 12 year? We want to continue to outpace the market and deliver another blockbuster year. To do that we need to do the right things for our customers – deliver on quality, price and service. Just over a year ago John Lewis had a ten per cent share of the computing market in the UK – is that still growing? We are 12 per cent of the UK Tablets and Computing Market on a MAT (Moving Annual Total) basis today and we still see plenty of opportunities for us to grow. You have some own brand white goods including a smart TV. How successful is this range, and would you consider launching own label computing products, for example tablets? Our own brand electrical proposition is well established now, with fantastic success in white goods and audio over the last few years. We introduced our first John Lewis Smart TV last year and have been thrilled by the response to it – so watch this space to see where we take our own brand products in 2015. The key inspiration for us is that the range is ‘thoughtfully designed for our

www.pcr-online.biz

customers’ so we are very discerning on the products that carry our brand. Black Friday was very successful for John Lewis. Did you envisage how popular it would be in 2014? Do you expect even more demand from customers this November? We knew it was going to be huge and began our planning in the spring of 2014. The key was being able to give the service and experience our customers expect from us in the face of unprecedented

“We have seen explosive growth at John Lewis and 2014 has been another stellar year.” William Jones, John Lewis demand – it was this operational excellence at that time that was our biggest success. Black Friday for electricals is certainly in the retail calendar so we expect more of the same this year. Some retailers have said that Black Friday was challenging in a way as it prompted slower sales in the weeks before and after. Is this something you saw on the tech side? It has changed the shape of the Christmas shopping period undoubtedly, especially for electricals, but it is something that we prepared for. Late last year, Asus announced the availability of its MeMo Pad 7

exclusively for sale in John Lewis. Do you plan to secure more exclusives? It’s important to us, as we love bringing great new products to our customers and it’s a way of differentiating us from other retailers. The Asus tablet and the 4K laptop from 2014 are great examples. We are always looking for potential exclusives when it’s right for us and our customers, particularly new breakthrough technology.

customers want to upgrade their device for a thinner, lighter device with a better screen. The Samsung Tab S was a big hit with our customers this Christmas. Laptops and desktops have evolved a lot recently – the rise of two-in-one devices and mini desktops means these traditional computing solutions are more flexible than ever before. Two-in-one devices are up 300 per cent this year at John Lewis.

Click and Collect is becoming more prevalent – how popular is that with computing products? Between 30 and 40 per cent of our sales are online, with around a third of those being clicked and collected. It’s grown over 50 per cent this year at John Lewis.

Microsoft recently announced that Windows 10 will be free within its first year. What do you think of this – will it drive sales of new computers? It’s good for customers, so we are supportive of this, it will be a great way of generating more interest.

Tablets were the top-selling product in John Lewis’ 2013-14 financial year – how are they faring this year? Tablets have performed well at John Lewis once again, but not with the same explosive growth we have seen in the last few years. The big growth has come through wearables such as the Motorola 360 and smart home devices like the Nest Thermostat.

How is in-store technology changing the way tech is being sold at retail? Technology is blurring with fashion faster than ever, smart watches as a prime example. Customers want it to look good and work well in equal measure – compromising on either of those is not an option any more.

Analysts are reporting a dip in tablet sales and a rise in laptops and desktops – is that something you’ve seen at John Lewis? The tablet market is maturing, we’ve seen the demand for eight-inch tablets soar as with increased popularity of larger screen phones. The seveninch tablet is becoming less popular – why have any extra device for not much more screen real estate? The other trend we see is for premium Android tablets,

How do you expect the PC and tech retail market to develop this year? What kind of trends do you expect to emerge? It’s an exciting year ahead. We expect wearables to really resonate with consumers this year, we have Windows 10 coming and some novel new products like HP’s Sprout. The challenge and opportunity for us will be about delivering these stories to customers in an engaging way and continuing to deliver the best computing and tablet proposition available. PCR March 2015 | 29

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BUYERS GUIDE

Tech retail

Buyers guide 2015 From laptops to tablets, desktops and everything else, there’s a strong market for tech goods in the UK. But who are the key buyers in the biggest retailers, supermarkets and etailers? PCR lists the up-to-date details in this guide…

SPECIALISTS CURRYS/PC WORLD Stores: 947 in the UK, 92 in Ireland Websites: www.currys.co.uk, www. pcworld.co.uk Contact: 0344 800 2030 MEET THE SENIOR DIRECTORS: Phil Samuels – Computing Heidi Woodhouse – Electricals Michelle Gorringe-Smith – White Goods

CARPHONE WAREHOUSE

MAPLIN UK stores: 218 Contact: 0844 557 6000 Website: www.maplin.co.uk KEY BUYERS: Peter Heath – Buying Director Lisa Pool – Head of Buying David Chorlton – Product Manager

STAPLES UK stores: 112 Website: www.staples.co.uk

UK stores: Around 800 Website: www.carphonewarehouse.com Contact: 0870 111 6565 KEY BUYERS: Daniel Hastings – Buying Director, Mobiles Andy Webb – Head of Buying Alex Bradshaw – Tablets Category Manager

MEET THE TEAM: Nick Budd – Head of Merchandising Nikhil Gohil – PC, Laptop & Tablet Trade Manager Reena Patel – Software, Peripherals & Tablet Acc Trade Manager Manish Goenka – Business Machines Trade Manager

HMV/FOPP GAME UK stores: Around 320 Website: www.game.co.uk Contact: 01256 784 000

MEET THE TEAM: Rob Mason – Technology & Accessory Manager Gareth Newman – Licensing & Impulse Category Manager

32 | PCR March 2015

UK stores: 126 Websites: www.hmv.com, www.fopp.com Contact: 020 7432 2000

MEET THE TEAM: Phil Browes – Head of Games & Technology Gavin Howes – Senior Category Buyer: Games James Elsey – Buyer: Games Co-ordinator Dean Millward – Senior Category Buyer: Technology Nathan Allen – Assistant Buyer: Technology Dawn Hancock – Marketing Manager: Games & Technology Amy Dunne – Marketing Planner: Games & Technology Anne Ravet – Supply Chain Manager Helen Speakman – Supply Chain Assistant

www.pcr-online.biz

BUYERS GUIDE

ONLINE AMAZON.CO.UK Matthew Finn – Senior Vendor Manager, Software Matt Merrett – In Stock Manager, Software Mike Bembridge – Vendor Manager, Software Zeynep Yagci –Vendor Manager Rochelle Williams – Vendor Manager, Consumer Electronics Andy Jones – Category Manager, Electricals Jean-Francois Bessiron – Director, Computing & Wireless Communications James French – Senior Vendor Manager, Wireless Amirul Islam – Vendor Manager, Hardlines Ben Sargent – Associate Vendor Manager, Consumer Electronics – Camera & Camera Accessories

SHOP DIRECT Websites: www.very.co.uk, www.isme. com, www.littlewoods.com, www. kandco.com, www.woolworths.co.uk Contact: 0844 292 1000 MEET THE TEAM: Gary Hearns – Head of Buying, Technology Martin Knight – Buyer, Laptop, PCs & Print Joshua Hetherington – Buyer, Gaming & Telecoms Joseph Danson – Buyer, Tablets, Storage, Networking & Software Sophie Thistlewood – Buyer, Wearable Tech, Smart Home, Imaging/Essentials John Miller – Head of Buying, Consumer Electronics & Accessories

DABS.COM

Contact: 0871 521 33 00 (consumer), 0871 528 5180 (business) KEY BUYERS: Lee Weymouth – General Manager, Consumer Jonpaul Warren – General Manager, Components Purchasing Team Andy Holdsworth – Head of Business Team Amy Major – Software, Enterprise Servers & Storage, UPS

Dave Jones – Printers, Consumables & Projectors Toni Meehan – Ofﬁce Supplies & Furniture Paul McGovern – Product Manager, Memory, Power & Cables Charles Floyd – Product Manager, Computer Peripherals, Keyboards, Mice & Headphones Dan Hirst – Product Manager, Networking, CCTV & DJ Paul Nolan – Senior Product Manager, Graphics Cards, Motherboards, Processors, Cooling, SSD

THE HUT GROUP Websites: www.thehut.com, www. zavvi.com, www.iwoot.com Contact: 07557 109608 (Matt Sweatman) MEET THE TEAM: Sam Phillips – Tech Buyer Matt Sweatman – Product Director, Homeware & Tech

Websites: www.dabs.com, www.dabs. ie. www.dabs4work.ie, www.bt.com/ shop, www.bt.com/businessdirect, www.bt.com/publicsectorstore Contact: 0870 429 3825 KEY BUYERS: Vivienne Kennedy – Purchasing Manager (recently appointed) Debra Hooton – Components, Memory, SSD, HDD, NAS, Storage, Headsets & Servers Fletcher Kusaloka – PCs, Laptops, Tablets, Monitors, Smartphones & Cables Ann Robinson – Printers, AV, Consumables, Whiteboards & Telephony Darren Welding – Networking, Software, Services, Peripherals, Cameras, TV & MP3/Audio

“Having worked at Dabs/BT Business for almost 10 years in the commercial and purchasing team, I am delighted to take up my next challenge as Purchasing Manager. I am looking forward to getting things right first time and having the benefit of an experienced buying team.” Vivienne Kennedy, Dabs.com

34 | PCR March 2015

EBUYER.COM

“We are planning to expand our supply base and are looking for full price and deal stock primarily for tablets, audio and vision products.” Matt Sweatman, The Hut Group

OVERCLOCKERS UK Website: www.overclockers.co.uk Contact: 01782 898066 KEY BUYERS: Andrew Gibson – Graphics Cards, Memory, Processors, Laptops & Monitors Scott Bentley – Motherboards Rich O’Neill – Peripherals & Cooling Antony Barrass – Storage & Networking Glen Rhodes – Cases & PSUs

www.pcr-online.biz

GOOD LUCK TO ALL FINALISTS AT THE PCR AWARDS 2015 A WORD FROM OUR OWN PCR AWARDS FINALISTS

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“ Enthusiastic, professional and hard-working – The PR Room are a pleasure to work with, and we consider them an important part of our team ” Victoria Chernih, Public Relations Manager at Sennheiser Communications

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BUYERS GUIDE

ONLINE (CONTINUED) SCAN COMPUTERS Website: www.scan.co.uk Contact: 0871 472 4747 KEY BUYERS: Chris Ward – Purchasing Manager, GPU & CPU Peter Bassett – Purchaser, Networking, SSD, Flash, HDD Controllers, I/O, Gaming Consoles, Media

Stuart Davies – Purchaser, Monitors, Projectors, Soundcards, PC Speakers/Headphones/Mics, PC Gaming, Gaming Keyboards & Mice Keith Williams – Purchaser, Laptops, Tablets, Mobile Phones, All-in-One/Barebone PCs, Portable Power/ Batteries/UPS Adam Bithell – Purchaser, HDD, Cases, PSU, Coolers David Lomax – Purchaser, Motherboards, Memory, Servers, Software, Keyboards, Mice & Accessories

GENERAL RETAILERS & SUPERMARKETS JOHN LEWIS UK stores: 43 Website: www.johnlewis.com Contact: 020 7828 1000 MEET THE TEAM: Johnathan Marsh – Buying Director, Electrical & Home Technology Matt Leeser – Head of Buying, Communications Technology William Jones – Tablet & Computing Buyer Harry Boughton – Junior Buyer, Tablets & Telecoms En-Ni Charlton – Accessories Buyer John Kempner – Vision Buyer Katrina Mills – Audio & Gaming Buyer Vic Sinclair – Large Electricals Buyer Robert Hennessy – Small Electricals Buyer Lisa Bailey – Junior Buyer, Photo & Print

DEBENHAMS UK stores: 172 Website: www.debenhams.com Contact: Fiona.Wood@debenhams.com (PA for home division) MEET THE TEAM: Peter Brooks – Senior Buyer, Electricals Jonathan Priestley – Assistant Buyer, Electricals

ARGOS

TESCO

UK stores: 700+ Website: www.argos.co.uk Contact number: 0845 124 0044

UK stores: 3,378 Websites: www.tesco.com, www.tescoplc.com, www.direct.tesco.com Contact: 01992 632222

MEET THE TEAM: Juliet Ward – Technology Trading Manager Hasmita Patel – Buying Manager – Computing Kayleigh Meacham – Buyer, PC Aaron Culhane – Buyer, Tablets Nick Hill – Consumer Electronics Trading Manager Elan Elton – Buying Manager, Tech Accessories

MEET THE TEAM: René Wright – Category Manager, Technology Kasia Kowalska – Buying Manager, Computing Matt Clayden – Buyer, Laptops & Home Ofﬁce Adam Eldrett – Assistant Buyer Tablets Adam Davies – Assistant Buyer, Home Ofﬁce Rupal Gadhvi – Category Planner, Computing

“I lead a large team responsible for buying computers, tablets, mobiles and wearable technology at Argos, and play a pivotal role in developing Argos’ growing technology business. I also spend time unlocking key branded relationships to ensure that customers are able to shop big brands, the latest ‘must have’ technology, or something affordable for the kids.”

“We’re lucky to work in such an exciting sector. My team spend a lot of time working with suppliers to make sure that we bring the most innovative and appealing technology to consumers. So we are always on the lookout for new and exciting products that we think our customers will love, either in our stores or via our website.”

Juliet Ward, Argos

René Wright, Tesco

36 | PCR March 2015

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BUYERS GUIDE

GENERAL RETAILERS & SUPERMARKETS (CONTINUED) ASDA UK stores: 500+ Websites: www.asda.com, www.direct.asda.com, www. your.asda.com Contact: 0113 243 5435

KEY BUYERS: Andrew Thompson – Senior Buying Manager, Computing & Camera Dan Carroll – Senior Buying Manager, Audio/Vision Ryan Longstaff – Buying Manager, Tablet & Portables Usman Bashir – Buying Manager, PC, Print & Ink Cara Gavin – Buying Manager, Camera Lucy Bridge – Buyer, PC Accessories

SAINSBURY’S KEY BUYERS: Lindsay Evans – Buying Manager, Electricals Carly Pearson, Senior Buyer – New Technology

UK stores: 1,200+ Websites: www.sainsburys.co.uk, www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/suppliers Contact: 020 7695 6000

OTHER RETAILERS TOYS “R” US UK stores: 80+ Website: www.toysrus.co.uk Contact: 01628 414141

Meet the team: Neil Sutton – Divisional Merchandise Manager (Electronics & Video Games)

Andrew Brocklehurst – Divisional Director of Merchandise Toys & Pre-School Educational Electronics)

Will Fletcher – Technology Buyer (Tablets, Computing, Vision, Audio & Gadgets)

Chris Ashton – Pre-School Buyer (Educational Electronics, Pre-School & Infant)

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PCR March 2015 | 39

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INTERVIEW

Solid start for new SSDs With the lowest return rate in the market and 15 million unit sales, it’s no wonder Samsung’s launching new SSDs. Jade Burke speaks to Samsung SSD’s Stefanie Sears-Black to find out more about the firm’s new 3D V-NAND tech… Stefanie Sears-Black believes the SSD market has more room to grow

ince Samsung launched its first solid state drive (SSD) it has sold 15 million SSD units globally. Today, the South Korean firm has expanded its reach, covering 90 per cent of all global markets. Samsung’s head of business development and memory, Stefanie Sears-Black, believes that this is just the start for the SSD: “That is a huge number of SSDs, but when you actually look at what’s happening in the world today with regards to the consumption of data, we expect that to be just the start of the SSD journey.” Samsung has just showcased the latest additions to its portfolio of SSDs, featuring 3D Vertical NAND (V-NAND) technology, a new vertical memory design. Its vertical architecture stacks 32 cell layers on top of one another, helping to provide higher www.pcr-online.biz

density as well as higher performance. Overlooking London’s impressive skyline in a smart hotel, Sears-Black explains why Samsung is now using the new technology: “Vertical NAND technology was really something that was developed for the OEM space first and then we were starting to develop a range of channel products from it for consumers and businesses.” The 850 PRO and the 850 EVO were among some of the products showcased, alongside Samsung’s new portable T1 SSD (which is the size of a business card), all featuring the new technology. Sears-Black says: “The T1 is a brand new product for us, it’s really the start of a new category in our first to market portable SSD.” The 850 EVO also joins Samsung’s current EVO range, which the company says can deliver 30 per cent more

“I think we’re very much still in a growth phase. So we’re not at mass market yet.” Stefanie Sears-Black, Samsung

reliability and performance compared to the previous 840 EVO model. Sears-Black believes that the range has been so successful thanks to its reliability: “Because everything is manufactured in-house it’s 100 per cent a Samsung product, so customers do get a very reliable product. “We get very few returns, and we have the lowest return rate in the market.” Other devices unveiled include the 845DC EVO and 845DC PRO for data centres. With the competition heating up from the likes of Kingston and Crucial SSDs, Samsung remains positive about its current position in the SSD marketplace, with strong interest from retailers. “I think there’s a lot of excitement around the products because it’s something brand new. It’s a new category, it’s a new range of products,” Sears-

Black comments. “There’s been a huge response from every retailer we’ve had meetings with.” There is still a long way to go in the SSD market according to Sears-Black, with many more opportunities on the horizon for manufacturers. She explains: “I think we’re very much still in a growth phase. It is still a relatively new market and there are an awful lot of products on the market that use hard drive technology. So we’re not at mass market yet.” With 3D Vertical-NAND tech forming the basis for the next generation SSDs Samsung launches, there will no doubt be a few more to come, providing customers with faster download and performance speeds. Sears-Black concludes: “It’s an exciting time – Samsung is bringing a lot of new products to market this year, so watch this space.” PCR March 2015 | 41

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FEATURE

Service with a

smile?

Managed services are altering the way IT providers sell to businesses – from traditional break-fix and product sales to a subscription model that provides resellers with a recurring revenue stream. Dominic Sacco and Phil Tottman talk to key players to explore the opportunities and find out exactly how the market is evolving…

HE CHANNEL is changing – the rise of the cloud and monthly subscriptions are making resellers rethink their services. Managed services – charging for IT support or maintenance on a subscription basis – are traditionally offered to enterprises, but smaller local businesses are beginning to pay monthly for their IT support, whether it’s their network, email, servicing, printer repairs or more. Having experts (based either in-house or as a call-out service) who can offer support and maintenance for a set monthly cost is a strong alternative to the age-old break-fix method, which sees a business contact a service provider to carry out the work for a one-off payment. Even independent PC retailers are starting to embrace the cloud and new business models, with 41 per cent now offering managed

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services and a quarter thinking of doing so this year (see our full retail survey on page 23). Firms that opt for managed services can cut costs and have access to a more reliable source of support. Managed print services can also increase workplace efficiency, reduce downtime and improve a firm’s security. Research from Epson found that 72 per cent of companies currently own their printers, with 70 per cent managing and maintaining them internally, however 60 per cent said that they are already looking to move over to managed print services. Peter Silcock, Epson’s business manager for business imaging in the UK, said: “We are seeing a large increase in managed print service requests to reduce consumable spend and overall running costs.” Oki Systems’ marketing manager Andrew Hall shared

“There’s a good opportunity for retailers to become experts in this area – there’s a big appetite for it on the consumer side.” Joey Hemingbrough, AAG Systems

his expectations of the coming year in managed print services market: “We expect demand for managed print services to continue to accelerate, driven by increasing awareness businesses have of the benefits. While the UK economy is slowly improving, caution is still the watchword for most businesses and cost control a critical focus. In such an environment, we’d expect an approach like managed print services to thrive.” Jamie Brothwell, print general manager at distributor and retail services provider Exertis, says: “We see MPS (managed print services) as a huge growth engine. With ongoing investment in UK businesses from overseas and the relentless pace and progress of digital and connected services, we believe that 2015 is the year that MPS will take off.” Big retailers can also be customers of managed

services, too. MSP (managed services provider) Claranet found that 93 per cent of organisations in the retail sector are outsourcing at least part of their IT estate to managed services, which is more than any other sector. The research predicts that the amount of IT estates managed by MSPs in retail is expected to grow to 22 per cent by 2020, with each organisation consuming an average of four managed IT services. IT provider AAG Systems made managed services its primary focus around 18 months ago, and hired an entire team at the start of 2015 to solely manage that area of the business. It plans to shift its revenue income over the next three years so at least 75 per cent of it comes from managed services. AAG’s director of business development and Network Group’s B2B director Joey Hemingbrough discusses the challenges faced: “It was PCR March 2015 | 45

FEATURE

From left to right: Synaxon UK’s Derek Jones, Exertis’ Jamie Brothwell, Epson’s Peter Silcock, Claranet’s Simon Bearne and AAG Systems’ Joey Hemingbrough

challenging for us as we’ve come from traditional breakfix. There are a couple of lingerers and older clients who are unwilling to let go of their break-fix and make the move, because it’s a massive shift for them. I think it’s down to perception – there’s a belief, certainly in smaller businesses, that managed services is only something that would benefit larger companies. That’s not the case but the mindset in the wider market is changing.” Annodata, another provider of communications, managed print and IT services, has seen operating profits rise by a record 781 per cent to £5.2 million for the year ending June 30th 2014, which it says is due to transformational work the business has undergone in providing enterprise-grade managed print and ICT solutions over the past 18 months. WHAT’S THE COST? Firms are making more money from managed services, but what if a customer breaks their printer or other IT equipment regularly? It is understandably a worry that the set payments may not cover all the work needed in some cases. But there are ways of combatting this situation. AAG’s Hemingbrough explains: “What we always do before on-boarding any client is a full audit, because you don’t want to take on a can of worms without knowing it. If then a system becomes problematic once you’ve taken a contract on, in the terms and conditions you reserve the right within 12 months to review that. 46 | PCR March 2015

“There are different ways of pricing a managed service. We’re trying to move towards IT as a service and effectively a monthly tickbox. I know it sounds basic but it works really well. It’s like one model fits all and lets the company pick and choose exactly what they need.” Another concern is that although the money-saving benefits are great for businesses, could managed services impact suppliers if for example cartridges are lasting longer, meaning less stock is sold in the long run? “Yes, but the reality is, if we look at the way the market is going, it is becoming incredibly niche and paradigm-driven so although most of us consume content on a display, the requirement to print still exists and the cost to serve the customer is increasingly competitive,” says Mark Ash, general manager for Samsung UK’s print division. Simon Bearne, sales director at Claranet, adds: “An important consideration is to find an MSP that can be flexible to customer needs. Many organisations are increasing their use of outsourcing providers in bitesized chunks, service-byservice, meaning their requirements could change significantly in a short time.” Westcoast’s solutions director Paul Harman comments: “Cloud, mobility, security and big data are key growth areas, and ‘as a service’ demands from the end user has resulted in more of a consultative approach to selling IT. Many resellers are having to change the way they do business and grow

their sales into more of a consultative role, replacing products with services.”

“There are way too many options at the moment for managed print – and everybody wants a slice of the profit.” Derek Jones, Synaxon UK

BOX CLEVER? Several execs we say that distributors could be doing more to make it easier for their customers to sell managed services. “There are way too many options at the moment for managed print: you have the actual vendor’s programme, distribution programmes, third party options, and everybody wants a slice of the profit,” says Synaxon’s UK MD Derek Jones. “The distribution partners Synaxon works with who offer MPS seem to be getting it right for our members – PrintSense via Ingram’s is great example. It is important to choose the right partner from billing platforms to remote management tools.” Oki’s Andrew Hall adds: “The opportunity managed print services presents resellers and distributors is clear. The trouble is too many dealers are continuing to let themselves down by failing to deliver the most effective and consultative pitch into target organisations. Distributors can play their part here in ensuring their resellers fully explain the service when required and offer a range of resources to cater for all client needs.” Distributor Westcoast is partnered with HP, Lexmark and Samsung in the managed print service market and has its own MPS programme called Document Flow, which passes manual labour to the vendor, allowing the reseller to focus on its core offerings. Supplier Exertis also works with Samsung, Lexmark and

Oki as vendor partners in the MPS space. Jamie Brothwell from Exertis says: “By virtue of us working with so many print brands, the biggest challenge we face is taking multiple concepts to market from our vendor portfolio. Our print specialists’ expert knowledge enables them to find the right solution for the reseller and, ultimately, the end user. We’re always happy to chat to new and existing reseller partners to help them fine-tune an MPS strategy that meets their end-users’ needs.” So do subscriptions mean the days of selling boxed product could be numbered? “It depends entirely on the content of the box – software as a boxed product is possibly going to disappear whilst shifting tin or tech accessories will always be relevant,” says Synaxon UK MD Derek Jones. “Provided the ‘boxed product’ reseller stays close to market trends and his offerings remain relevant, then of course his day will never be over.” One thing is for certain: managed services is growing fast and it’s not going away any time soon. Whether it’s right for your business and your customers or not is another matter, but it’s now a more viable sales avenue for retailers and smaller resellers. Hemingbrough concludes: “If you look at PC World which offered the Knowhow service, they didn’t do a great job, but everything is becoming about people-centric value add. “There’s a good opportunity for retailers to become real experts in this area – there’s a big appetite for it on the consumer side.”

www.pcr-online.biz

FEATURE

The battle of the mini PCs With USB-sized PCs rapidly gaining in popularity, Laura Barnes and Phil Tottman quiz a number of developers of these tiny devices to find out why this category is exploding and what the PCs have to offer…

Dell’s Wyse Cloud Connect (left) and Hannspree’s Micro-PC (right) are just two of the mini PC devices

hen thinking of an old traditional PC you tend to picture a bulky grey tower that takes up all of the leg space under your desk, buzzing away like a swarm of bees. This no longer has to be the case – a new breed of USB-sized PCs is surfacing to shake things up. From Stone’s PC on a Stick, Dell’s Wyse Cloud Connect and Hannsprees’s Micro-PC to the Intel Compute Stick and the Ironkey Workspace, there are plenty of options for consumers wanting to downsize their tech set-up. But why are these devices becoming so popular? Well, the smaller alternative to the desktop not only boasts a full PC experience but it is also cheaper, has lower power consumption, is portable and converts any HDMI display into a remote PC. “Users can bring computing capability to a TV enabling smart multimedia functionality on the big

48 | PCR March 2015

screen and can enjoy the full audio system of their TV for their portable device,” says Hannspree’s UK and Ireland territory manager Martin Kent. These devices could be a godsend for people who work on the go, or regularly work from home. They’re also a great option for those who store all their data on the cloud, have small budgets or simply like their space. Could the Micro-PC go the way of the tablet and become a hugely popular category in its own right? Possibly. But the big question is: Will these gadgets signal the end of the road for traditional desktop computers? Dell’s director of global field and channel marketing, David Angwin, thinks not. “We believe that the day of the computer will not go away – there will always be a demand for a physical desktop or laptop in both the corporate and consumer space,” he tells PCR.

“The devices will just keep getting smaller, offer better productivity and performance – all whilst consuming less energy.” Daley Robinson, Stone Group

Kent points out that each device, whether it’s a desktop or mini PC, has its own use depending on the individual’s specific requirements. He adds: “The main differentiator is computing power. Users with high computing requirements will stick to the traditional desktop concept. Only those with modest usage might consider a more portable and often cheaper device, but sooner or later most will revert back to using a desktop solution, ensuring its survival for more years to come.” Stone’s group marketing director Daley Robinson comments: “The desktop will continue to evolve in parallel with technology, far from going away the desktop will continue to get better, smaller and greener.” So what does the future hold for mini PCs? Robinson says: “We envisage the small or tiny PC will play a huge part

in keeping users connected to their personal files and applications on the move as we become more mobile within enterprise, education, health and local government “The devices will just keep getting smaller, offer better productivity and performance – all whilst consuming less energy.” Mini PCs are coming at a time when wearables are set to take over the consumer tech shopping list and holograph technology is being introduced by the likes of Microsoft. But what really sets these little gems aside is their affordability. Time will tell if they are to be the next game changer, but they do fill a gap in the market. Maybe it is not so much the case that mini PCs will replace rivals such as desktops and laptops, but could instead become essential companion devices to a business or home user’s main computer.

www.pcr-online.biz

Retail Only

Mystery Shopper Retail Advisory Board Store of the Month Counter Insurgent

TECH STORES’ IN-STORE TECH THERE ARE so many press releases that flood my inbox every month about so-called in-store, mobile and e-commerce ‘solutions’. I have considered setting up some spam filters so they all land in my junk inbox, but that would a) give me fewer things to write about and b) of course be highly unprofessional of me. A lot of the services mentioned in the releases are usually only relevant to big retail chains or enterprises, but I’m hearing of more technologies that are suitable for smaller PC retailers to adopt. While decent EPOS till systems are a given, there are plenty of other technologies that can help boost your store, from free Wi-Fi to gadget charging points, mobile payment devices from the likes of Apple Pay, electronic software distribution (ESD) download codes that can be

“It’s easier for indie PC retailers to get their businesses online and sell goods on e-commerce platforms.”

THE FUTURE HIGH STREET BRICKS AND mortar retail is having to deal with some tough challenges right now – low internet prices, expensive rent and overheads to name a few. But some UK firms aiming to help the indie retailer embrace the digital age by integrating new technology into their stores. O2 Business and Leeds Ventures have previously worked with large retailers to help them ‘digitise’ their stores – now they’re helping smaller retailers. Incentives like loyalty cards and smartphone apps can also help drive customers to local stores. Rewarding Visits is one firm using them to give consumers rewards for visiting their local High Street.

Then there’s MallCommerce – a sales channel designed to increase footfall by using 3D navigation (via iBeacons or Wi-Fi) and more. These technologies will be showcased at the Future High Street Summit on March 25th and 26th at the Nottingham Conference Centre. Additionally, Cisco’s UK&I CEO Phil Smith believes that the Internet of Things (connected devices) can also benefit retail. “The Internet of Everything presents an opportunity to level the playing field and fend off competition from competitors,” he said. Cisco research found shoppers want convenient retail experiences, and those offering digital/connected experiences could capture a 15.6 per cent profit improvement.

printed onto a receipt, and the tech mentioned elsewhere on this page (see ‘The Future High Street’). It’s also becoming easier for indie PC retailers to get their businesses online and sell their goods on e-commerce platforms, from their own websites to social networks and third-party marketplaces like Amazon and eBay, as well as aggregators like Google Shopping (if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em). There are services like eSellerPro that help you sell in bulk on these sites and minimise time spent uploading product descriptions. You could argue it’s never been harder to be a small indie retailer today, but in this age of technology there are many more innovative ways to get your store noticed and set yourself apart from the big boys. Dominic Sacco, Editor dsacco@nbmedia.com

PCR takes soundings from its Retail Advisory Board on the biggest issues in the industry. The current members are: RETAIL ADVISORY BOARD

Craig Hume, Utopia Computers

Jason Eccles, SimplyFixIT

Mike Barron, Synaxon

Iain Shaw, Brigantia

Duncan Rutherford, Dabs.com

Steve Ling, Overclockers UK

Jonpaul Warren, Ebuyer.com

David Chorlton, Maplin

CK, YoYoTech

Jat Mann, PC Pal

Ben Miles, Chillblast

Phil Browes, HMV

Phylip Morgan, Network Group

Juliet Ward, Argos

Gavin Holder, GHI Computers

Chris Innes, Micro Plus

James Gorbold, Scan Computers

John Church, Shop Direct

Will Fletcher, Toys “R” Us

William Jones, John Lewis

Vladimir Kuznetsov, DinoPC

Steven Lightfoot, Pudsey Computers

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PCR March 2015 | 51

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The Laptop Fixers

Email: enquiries@thelaptopfixers.com Website: thelaptopfixers.com

After being endorsed by Which? and receiving a nomination for a PCR award, The Laptop Fixers is going from strengthto-strength. Jade Burke speaks with owner Paul Betteridge about his plans to bring robots into his tech store… How and when did the company begin? I used to be a software developer and I was doing a lot of repairs part time, and then my part time job became more of a full time job. During the recession, I decided to make or break, so I decided to quit my programming job and open up my first shop. What services do you offer in store? In our Ringwood Road branch we have got more facilities to do almost any repair, from TVs to tablets to any computers including Apple and Windows based ones. We even fix things like hair straighteners and audio equipment. We try to keep the repairs consistent in both stores, but if we can’t fix it in the Penn Hill branch then we’ll transport it over to Ringwood. I know we’re called

The Laptop Fixers but that’s probably one of the smaller things we fix now. How do you feel about being nominated for a PCR Award this year? It’s the first time we’ve been up for an award so I’m quite excited really. I’m not quite sure what to expect, so I’m sure we’ll find out. We have also recently been officially endorsed by Which? magazine. What do you think about Windows 10? Hopefully it’s not going to put off customers buying Windows 7 or 8 machines, especially now they’re offering the upgrade for free. We’ve been previewing it in our store and we’ve shown it to a few customers as well, and it has generally got quite good feedback.

Have you noticed an increase in laptop sales and a decline in tablets? We have, in fact last year we did really well with tablets

“We’re not competing to be the cheapest; we’re just competing to be the best.” Paul Betteridge, The Laptop Fixers selling, but this year we didn’t make anywhere near as many sales. I think it’s probably because last year everybody got their tablets, this year nobody really wants to replace them because they’re still performing how they

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would expect. I’ve got a funny feeling maybe next year you might see another peak again where it’s been two years and it’s time to upgrade. Are there any new products you will incorporate into your business? I just came back from a trip to CES, and one area I think we could push on is the robotics side. We’re looking at the unmanned drones and some of the smaller robotic vehicles, which can be controlled using a smartphone or PC. In my background I used to be a programmer for a company that designed remote vehicles, so I’ve always been quite interested in it anyway. What advice would you give other indie stores? It’s a tough business. I would

say it’s very easy just to think ‘I’m going to start competing on price’, but as long as you provide an excellent service you won’t need to lower that price, your customers will keep coming back to you. We have seen a lot of these businesses come and go, but we’re still around. We’re not competing to be the cheapest; we’re just competing to be the best. What do you have planned for the company over the next few years? Possibly a rebrand, but that’s not quite decided yet, because when I started out there was no such thing as tablets. We want to expand our stores and also expand our product services: the robotic side is one side. We want to work with more small and medium sized businesses.

Delivering Value in Distribution Sales Hotline 0871 622 7500 www.vip-computers.co.uk © Copyright VIP Computer Centre Limited. 2015. Information correct at time of publication E&OE.

RETAIL ADVISORY BOARD

Is a free Windows 10 good for the channel? Microsoft has announced that Windows 10 will be free for users of Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 for one year from launch. While it’s great news for consumers, what does it mean for retailers who may miss out on selling licences in that ﬁrst year? Key buyers and members of the PCR Retail Advisory Board share their views…

“After the nightmare Microsoft has had with Windows 8, they had to do something special. “By offering a free upgrade from Windows 7 and Windows 8, it’s going to extend the life of

”My worry as a retailer is that software companies are starting to deal with customers direct, with little intention on supporting customers. Adobe has done this over the last few years, and I guess Apple

54 | PCR March 2015

machines, which will have an effect on the channel. “That said, it doesn’t apply to enterprise editions so there are still sales to be had. “It will also pull people into the whole Microsoft ecosystem and make better use of its app store.” MIKE BARRON, UK Channel Director, Synaxon

has done this for a long time, leaving retailers little opportunity to make margin. “Although, with change comes opportunity, and I’m sure there will be the opportunity to create further support for end users, particularly small business and schools. I hope hardware vendors don’t follow suit, and restrict the sale of products through independent retail, like we have seen with the Microsoft Surface tablet.” STEVEN LIGHTFOOT JNR, Pudsey Computers

“I love it. I think it’s great. We’re already telling our customers that if you get a Windows 8 laptop from us, don’t worry, you’ll get Windows 10 for free. We normally see a dip in PC sales before an operating system comes out because people want to wait and see what the new OS is like, but with this we can tell our customers not to worry about that. Initially we thought we’d make less money without the sales of the software itself, but actually we can

get the upgrade labour. So we can advertise to say ‘we’ll make sure all your pictures and documents move across to Windows 10, but there will be a charge for that’. So retailers have got quite a good opportunity with Windows 10. “It seems it will be a licence that will live or die with an upgrade, and you’ll have 12 months to do that. We still get some customers who have bought a Windows 8 system and don’t like it, but we try and teach them how to use it. And come later in the year they will be able to upgrade it anyway.” CRAIG HUME, Director, Utopia Computers

“I think it’s a very exciting, interesting announcement from Microsoft. What we don’t know yet is what the long term implications may be. There is speculation that there may be some sort of subscription for Windows; Microsoft is making Windows free but they’re changing the funding model. Time will tell. You know Microsoft is sort of slowly teasing information about Windows 10 and I think we’ll probably get greater transparency closer to launch.

“Windows 8 wasn’t exactly controversial but it was a less popular OS than windows 7. And in terms of the user interface, Windows 10 looks to be much more promising. It’s integrating parts of 7 and 8 very well, and the business model of having it free for that first year will certainly convince a lot of existing customers to take the plunge. “I think typically when there’s a new version of Windows there’s also a new version of DirectX. I would imagine that DirectX 12 will probably be Windows 10 only. So by making Windows 10 free, Microsoft will potentially massively open up how many people have DirectX 12, which, given that PC gaming is booming at the moment, is probably a good way for Microsoft to sort of try and keep that momentum going.” JAMES GORBOLD, Technical Marketing, Scan Computers

www.pcr-online.biz

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RETAIL ADVISORY BOARD

“We don’t have a big upgrade market per se, so for us it’s mostly about selling licences with systems. So if people are going to think, ‘Oh I really don’t want Windows 8, I’ll wait until Windows 10

“Any release of a new Windows product is exciting news for Dabs. com and BT as a reseller. In this instance where it’s free for one year for existing users, it does pose

comes out then I’ll buy a PC’, then brilliant. If you can offer people that free upgrade promise from Microsoft, then it doesn’t stop the market from buying anything. “We still include Windows 7 with quite a few systems. I think Windows 8 is probably more popular than 7 now; driving adoption of 10 is not a bad thing.” STEVE LING, Executive Director, Overclockers UK

“It’s about time Microsoft started doing something for free! But is it really for free? Nobody knows. I think we learnt more about it reading PCR’s article than we did from a Microsoft rep! There’s no concrete evidence around how it will work yet, and how SIs will work with it. “But I think if Microsoft wants to stay with the consumer market they will need to do things like this really, because they’re going to have further

challenges next year with Google Android and Amazon. “With it being free, I also think it will help get rid of pirated copies. If you build yourself a basic £200 to £300 system, around 30 per cent of that goes towards Microsoft, so they need to do something [to help drive computer sales going forwards]. Bing also needs to be encouraged more and taught more to the end user. They should really call it Windows Search rather than Bing – Bing has confused people. So Microsoft do needs to do something to remain the number one choice for the consumer.” CK, MD, YoYoTech

a challenge for operating system sales, however it gives us the chance to sell hardware now that will be eligible for upgrade – while still having the chance to sell Windows 10 systems complete to customers upon release. “Thankfully there is a real buzz about Windows 10, thanks to the customer perception of it being the hybrid of the best of Windows 7 and Windows 8.” DUNCAN RUTHERFORD, Product Manager, Dabs.com

“We think Windows 10 being free to users of Windows 7 and 8.1 is a great move from Microsoft. This means there will not be such a major dip in system sales as they ready the launch of the new OS towards the end of this year. For system integrators like Chillblast, an OS launch creates a major lull in the market followed by a boom in sales, which can be tricky to prepare for in terms of production. “It will be interesting to see by which method Microsoft decides eligibility and upgrade mechanic for the upgrade – at the moment the precise

details of how the upgrade will be delivered is quite patchy. Will it be for business as well as end users? Will eligible customers receive a licence that can be installed from scratch or is it strictly ‘upgrade’ only? We have requested details from Microsoft regarding this but at the moment Microsoft account managers don’t have access to the information. “One thing is for sure: Windows 10 is a fantastic product. If Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 were to come together and have a beautiful child, that progeny would be Windows 10. It’s certainly an exciting time to be a PC owner.” BEN MILES, Buyer, Chillblast

PCR RETAIL ADVISORY BOARD PCR asks its Retail Advisory Panel – formed of buyers and experts – about the biggest industry trends and issues each month. To join, email dsacco@nbmedia.com

56 | PCR March 2015

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Become an ITP member and earn up to 30 points on this device. Sign up now: inteltechnologyprovider.com

©2015 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. Dell, the Dell Logo, Vostro and Dell ProSupport are trademarks of Dell Inc. Celeron, Celeron Inside, Core Inside, Intel, Intel Logo, Intel Atom, Intel Atom Inside, Intel Core, Intel Inside, Intel Inside Logo, Pentium, Pentium Inside, Xeon, and Xeon Inside are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.

COUNTER INSURGENT

INDIES CAN’T COMPETE WITH NEGATIVE MARGINS This month, our anonymous retailer urges more distributors to offer smaller stores better value, and looks at the evolving supply chain… IN MY experience there are still some distributors that don’t have much to offer independent retailers in terms of value. They are only interested in shifting stock to larger traders who may have already negotiated deals with the manufacturer. Some distributors lack product knowledge and can’t offer anything more than what can be Googled. Some have no experience with the products they are selling and leave it to the retailer to figure it out – but indies don’t have those kind of resources to waste.

Online, social media, blogs and review sites have ultimately empowered the customer, making it easier for them to make an informed decision. And this is great. But, by then you can only compete on price. So if some of these disties can’t offer indies value, even on price, then what is the point of them being around? If you think it’s for authorised stock and RMAs, think again. All online retailers offer a returns service – it’s the law. Grey/unofficial stock is not illegal, consumers don’t care and the online retailers will take the hit. They even have

trade sections and account managers that have in-depth product knowledge and tight links to manufacturers. With economies of scale to their advantage, there is no way indies can compete, especially on magical negative margins. What also adds salt to the wound is the complacency of some distributors and their terrible treatment towards smaller indies, just due to their lack of buying power. With the mentality of ‘everything coming down to price’, this decline was inevitable. Worse still, it has been accelerated by the

recession and the fate of most indies will soon go the way of the once local greengrocer. However, I believe it’s even worse for distributors as this downfall is of their own making. The whole supply chain is evolving and consumers are leading the march – there is no room for noise and complacency in the marketplace. Just look at the recent success that Apple had.

However, with all this doom and gloom there is hope for a lot of good indies to evolve, and in my opinion this does not require too much investment. If disties as a majority can show that there is real value in what they do, then I am happy to change my mind. But as it stands today I only see room for a few good disties, and online retailers as brokers to small indie tech businesses.

Got a gripe you’d like to share with the industry? Contact jburke@nbmedia.com

SYNAXON MEMBER PROFILE

Resolve Information Technology MD Tim Winstanley tells us about the massive growth his firm is seeing in wireless and hosted email services, as well as the challenges that bad connections and BYOD present… What’s been your biggest growth area recently? Cisco Meraki and Purple Wifi. We set up a new brand – “GrowWireless” – as a result. Also, and without huge effort on our part, hosted email/ services such as AVG. The growth here has really surprised us. What are the biggest issues your business faces with today’s market? Apart from the usual (wanting more customers and better margins), I think the transition to cloud is challenging, especially in those areas with really poor broadband. We’re www.pcr-online.biz

still regularly dealing with customers with dreadful connections (less than 2MB). This can be a disaster if not setup properly. The growth in BYOD is also proving tricky to manage for the bigger clients. What products and services does your company offer? IT support, business computing products and workshop services and more. How important is social media to the business? We make heavy use of it and can see the impact on our website in terms of hits. We just

“The transition to cloud is challenging. We’re still dealing with customers with dreadful connections.” Tim Winstanley, Resolve Information Technology

need to get better at converting these to leads. We utilise a combination of automated tools and real human tweeting – it can take up a lot of time without some planning and forethought. I think it’s tricky to know when each tool is best – Facebook or Twitter etc… What do you have planned for 2015? Much more Purple Wifi, along with our own stats add-on for this, and in light of our growth

with AVG/hosted mailboxes, we’ll push for more of this. What are the benefits of working with Synaxon? Access to technology (Meraki and Purple Wifi for example). Having a central point of contact has always been useful – and there are so many things we’ve seen through Synaxon over the last five years that we’re now using and wouldn’t want to be without.

Contact: timw@resolvetech.co.uk www.resolvetech.co.uk

PCR March 2015 | 59

MYSTERY SHOPPER

Kingston Upon Thames This is an up and coming town centre for shopping, packed full of unique boutiques including small independent computer repair shops and larger tech stores. This month our Mystery Shopper goes in search of a keyboard for different tablets – here’s how they got on in six different stores…

Image source: “Kingston Market Square” by Kreepin Deth - own work.

8/10 JOHN LEWIS

MAPLIN THIS IS the first techie shop I walked past on my way into the town centre, so I ducked in, hopeful that trusty old Maplin wouldn’t let me down. I was greeted at the door and promptly followed around the shop floor. I’m never sure whether this is to make sure that help is close by if needed, or if I just look suspicious. Either way, I continued around the store with my pursuer hot on my tail, ensuring I looked well and truly lost in the hope that it would encourage some form of customer service. www.pcr-online.biz

5/10

It took a few minutes of awkward glances before my observer offered his help. Once he did, though, he was packed full of knowledge about the different types of keyboards available. Sadly, there weren’t many tablet keyboards available in Maplin’s store. But the Bluetooth keyboard portfolio case for iPad 2 priced at £19.99 and the keyboard dock for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 priced at £44.99 were a good enough selection, considering both are popular amongst users.

THIS IS a rather large John Lewis outlet: one of those stores that’s really easy to get lost in. I followed the signs to the ‘Audio and TV’ section. I was half expecting a John Lewis version of Hogwarts to appear as I made my way. I couldn’t immediately see where the electronics were, so I milled about near a group of employees, looking lost, in the hope that one of them might offer some assistance. They didn’t, so I did a lap of the floor and attempted for a second time to coax one from the pack. After a few minutes

of looking like a lone child in a supermarket, the lady at the cashier called over to ask if I was okay. After finally finding my way to the tech section and asking for assistance, I was taken to the selection of keyboards. The keyboard/case combo for iPad Air was priced at £89.95, and the other (which was just a keyboard mount) didn’t have a price on it at all. I asked if either one would work with any other iOS or Android device, however the shop assistant didn’t know… he then wandered off. PCR March 2015 | 61

MYSTERY SHOPPER

STAR STORE

SUMMARY

9/10

7/10

COMPUTER EXCHANGE

BARKMAN COMPUTERS

EVEN THOUGH Computer Exchange (CeX) is a largely gaming focused retailer, it regularly has many secondhand tech devices and accessories dotted about the place at bargain prices. The majority of items are stacked up behind large windows in-store for perusal, so before bugging any of the staff I thought I’d have a look. I noticed a number of wireless keyboards and case combos tucked away amongst boot sale-style arrangement, so I headed over to the counter in search of assistance.

WALKING through the door of Barkman Computers was like stepping into an Aladdin’s cave of computer parts, consoles and piles of labelled boxes. I could hear muffled voices coming from the back of the store, so I sheepishly called out. A heavily bearded face (games retail veteran Nick Elliott) appeared in-between two mountains of dissected computers, smiled and greeted me. After a quick chat and declaring my admiration for the store’s lifesize Legend of Zelda statue in the

The young chap I spoke to was super helpful and appeared to know exactly what was available. They had a couple of Bluetooth keyboards that work with Android or iOS devices, and even had some other keyboards that weren’t built especially for tablets, and tried them out. Due to these devices being second-hand, they naturally looked a bit worn, but the prices reflected the condition, with one Bluetooth Apple keyboard priced at just under £30 – a steal.

window, he asked if there was anything in particular I was looking for. Aside from a few Logitech keyboard docks for iPad, they didn’t have much else on offer, but my bearded friend was a hub of knowledge and asked which OS I was buying for. He recommended a number of shops in the area, giving me directions and told me his preferred devices. After lingering a while longer to stare longingly at the Zelda statue, I bid him farewell and navigated my way back out of the store.

I BELIEVE I only scratched the surface of what was on offer in Kingston, however the retailers gave me a good idea of the most popular tablet keyboards on the market. It looks as though Logitech is a favourite amongst many users, but after a bit of research on its website, I saw that there is a considerably larger range of options for different uses, styles and budgets that simply wasn’t available in the High Street stores I visited. Most of the people I met throughout my Kingston adventure were more than helpful, had good knowledge of these products and were a credit to their store. The lad in Computer Exchange (CeX) was such a good salesman that I ended up buying something completely different from him to make his time worthwhile.

“The lad in CeX was such a good salesman that I ended up buying something completely different.”

5/10 CURRYS/PC WORLD UNSURPRISINGLY there was a large selection of keyboards in here, which ended up being a bit overwhelming. It became a blur of shapes, sizes and brands of keyboards priced at anything from £20 to in excess of £50. The shop assistant came over and asked what I was looking for. My request for a keyboard that works with both iOS and Android was met with looks of uncertainty. I was handed a Bluetooth Advent keyboard that was priced at £19.99 and told that it might work on both, but he 62 | PCR March 2015

5/10 ANALOGIC COMPUTERS

wasn’t entirely sure. He then brought me over a Logitech keyboard/case combo for the iPad Air 2. I asked if this would be okay with any iOS or Android device and was told that it would, but not all tablets would fit in the case. I felt this defeated the point of the device, especially since it was priced at more than £70. What first seemed like a good selection turned out to be of little help to me, as many were PC-only, made just for iPads or after inspection didn’t have any immediately obvious use.

THIS STORE is tucked away in an industrial park just outside of Kingston town centre. These guys are more of a PC repair service, but they do offer products of varied descriptions for consumer and business use. The main part of the store is a small waiting area with glass displays containing computer parts and devices for sale. No one appeared immediately, however after I made a few polite coughing noises, a lady walked through. She guided me through all that Analogic had to offer

including repair services for PC and Mac, plus a number of PC fans that were on display. This was before I had informed her of what I was actually looking for – but I was happy to listen as she appeared enthusiastic about the business. When I did enquire about tablet keyboards, however, all previous enthusiasm seemed to disappear as I was told that they didn’t stock them. I asked if she knew of any other stores that might, but all I got was a slight shake of the head and a half-hearted apology.

It appears that there isn’t much on the market designed to work across multiple operating systems, but with many being priced as low as £19, it wouldn’t be completely unjustified to purchase multiple keyboards for multiple devices. CeX’s strong selection of second-hand goods also raises the question: Should more independent PC and tech retailers be buying and selling used products? The margin opportunities are certainly there.

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SECTOR GUIDE

Keyboards, mice and mats The PC mouse has come a long way over the years, with a multitude of sophisticated accessories available on the market today. Here Jade Burke rounds up the latest offerings to stock…

KENSINGTON ADVANCED FIT FULL SIZE KEYBOARD

GENIUS GX DEATHTAKER MOUSE

CHERRY MW 2100

COUGAR SPEED LARGE MOUSE PAD

Distributor: Westcoast

Distributor: Northamber

Distributor: Exertis

Distributor: Spire Technology

Dedicated media keys help to control volume, mute and sleep features on this keyboard, while the internet key launches the browser. Plug and Play operation with a USB connection is also available along with one-touch controls.

DeathTaker has a built-in overclocking SG Core ii engine for a DPI range of 100 to 5,700 for precision. It comes with a 16 million RGB backlight system, as well as onboard memory to help prevent game block and an adjustable metal weight.

Cherry’s MW 2100 is a three-button mouse that comes with an infrared sensor and adjustable resolution of up to 2,000 DPI. It comes with an 18-month battery lifespan and features 2.4GHz technology for use of up to 10 metres.

A high definition textured surface provides users with faster and smoother mouse sliding. The 4mm pad cushion helps to relieve pressure from the user’s wrist, while the anti-slip base helps to keep the mat in place.

Specs: One-touch controls, tilt stands, scissor keys, Plug and Play, compatible with Windows, 8, 7, XP, Vista and Mac.

Specs: SG Core ii engine, DPI range from 100 to 5,700, Scorpion gaming UI shortcuts, onboard memory.

Specs: 18-month battery lifespan, lefthanded and right-handed operation, Nano USB receiver.

Specs: 4mm thickness, anti-slip rubberised back, HD texture design, three size options.

SRP: £24.99

SRP: £39

SRP: £14.99

SRP: £7.29 – £9.99

MICROSOFT ARC TOUCH BLUETOOTH MOUSE

ZALMAN ZM-M500WL WIRELESS MOUSE

TRUST EVO ADVANCED COMPACT LASER MOUSE

MICROSOFT WIRELESS DESKTOP 800 (BUSINESS)

Distributor: Ingram Micro

Distributor: VIP Computers

Distributor: Entatech

Distributor: Westcoast

This mouse comes with Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology that allows the mouse to work from up to 30 feet away. When the mouse is turned on, the form factor curves to fit the shape of a hand, and when turned off, it flattens.

An adjustable DPI setting comes with this mouse with a maximum resolution of 3,000 DPI. An Avago A3000 sensor is included, which helps to provide accuracy and a faster reaction, and has a lifetime of up to five million clicks.

One-year’s battery life is offered with this mouse from Trust, plus users can pick between 800, 1,600 or 2,400 DPI settings. A storable micro-USB receiver comes with the mouse along with two thumb buttons.

Users can avoid a dead battery thanks to the status indicator on this keyboard, while the 2.4GHz wireless technology can ensure connection from up to 15 feet. A range of shortcut keys are also included.

Specs: BlueTrack technology, Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, portable, power on and off, flexible design.

Specs: 1,000, 1,500 and 3,000 DPI range, five million clicks, ergonomic design, low battery consumption.

Specs: 800, 1,600, 2,400 DPI settings, storable micro-USB receiver, rubber coated surface, one-year battery life.

Specs: Battery life indicator, compatible with Windows 8.1, 8 and 7, 2.4GHz wireless technology.

SRP: TBC

SRP: £12.99

SRP: £31.99

SRP: £18.29

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PCR March 2015 | 65

SECTOR GUIDE

TARGUS WIRELESS COMPACT LASER MOUSE

ZOWIE EC1-A HIGH PERFORMANCE MOUSE

V7 BLUETOOTH 3.0 PORTABLE KEYBOARD

ZALMAN ZM-K350M MULTIMEDIA KEYBOARD

Distributor: Westcoast

Distributor: Caseking

Distributor: Ingram Micro

Distributor: VIP Computers

Targus’ wireless mouse comes with a 2.4GHz micro USB receiver that can either be plugged into a computer or stored inside the mouse when travelling. The mouse comes with a 1,000 DPI laser sensor and a low power light indication that shows users when it is time for new batteries.

The new EC1-A keeps the same shape as the original EC series, but comes equipped instead with the Avago 3310 sensor. It features a 24-step scroll wheel; five buttons and a DPI range of up to 3,200. The ergonomic design has been created for right-handed users only and is Plug and Play ready.

V7’s keyboard has the ability to pair with Bluetooth enabled devices including smartphones, tablets and laptops with a range of up to 30 feet. Users can also switch between Windows, Android and iOS operating systems, whilst the form factor can protect it against spillages and dust. It features five multimedia keys and has a 78-key layout.

Laser carved key caps come with this keyboard, as well as eight hot keys along the left and right side for easy access. Each key has a life of 10 million presses, plus the keyboard has two adjustable height options. The comfortable keys help relieve users’ finger fatigue.

Specs: Six month battery life, 1,000 DPI laser, 2.4GHz micro USB receiver, low power light indication.

Specs: Ergonomic design, 24-step scroll wheel, five buttons, USB connector.

Specs: Bluetooth 3.0 wireless connectivity, five multimedia buttons, spill and dust resistant.

Specs: Eight hot keys, adjustable height, 10 million presses key life, laser carved keys.

SRP: £19.99

SRP: £49.99

SRP: £23.99

SRP: £7.99

COUGAR 700M GAMING MOUSE

V7 WIRELESS KEYBOARD AND MOUSE COMBO

MICROSOFT DESKTOP 800 KEYBOARD AND MOUSE

KMG9000-W KEYBOARD AND MOUSE BUNDLE

Distributor: Spire Technology

Distributor: Ingram Micro

Distributor: Exertis

Distributor: Dynamode

Designed specifically for gamers, this mouse comes with adjustable settings including an interchangeable palm rest module. It has been built on a ‘Framing Structure’, where the parts and components are built on a folded alluminium chassis, while the arched frame helps to support the palm.

This duo from V7 features a full-size keyboard and an optical mouse that comes with a single wireless receiver, which connects both devices to a user’s computer. The mouse comes with a DPI setting of 1,200, as well as motion wake-up while in sleep mode for extended battery life.

Users can control their computer wirelessly with this mouse and keyboard from Microsoft. Thanks to the technology, users can roam from up to 30 feet with a strong signal, or take the portable mouse separately on the go, thanks to the mouse’s transceiver that snaps into the bottom of it.

With the supplied 2.4GHz nano adapter, users can type wirelessly on this gaming keyboard. There is also a range of colour-coded keys for the most popular games or apps, as well as multimedia shortcuts. The mouse comes with a DPI range of 800 to 1,600 and has a variety of controls, while the plug and go feature allows users to work wirelessly.

Specs: 8,200 DPI setting, multi-colour backlight, anti-slip design, 32-bit ARM processor, 512KB on-board memory.

Specs: Spill resistant, 2.4GHz transmission, 1,200 DPI optical mouse.

Specs: Wireless technology, roaming range of 30 feet, portable mouse and keyboard bundle.

Specs: Mouse and keyboard bundle, DPI setting from 800 1,600, 2.4GHz wireless USB nano adapter.

SRP: £51.76 – £69.99

SRP: £23.99

SRP: £29.99

SRP: £19.99 (excluding VAT)

66 | PCR March 2015

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cherry.de

CHERRY RK THE WORLD‘S BEST SAMPLING TECHNOLOGY The CHERRY RealKey Technology replaces the digital sampling with a highly sensitive analog linking between the controller and every single keyswitch. With RealKey Technology, CHERRY Keyboards readout every key-signal exactly at the moment of typing. Without any delay. The reason for Full-N-Key-Rollover, 100 % Anti-Ghosting and a thrilling speed, never seen before …

Realtime signal processing for any keystroke.

Innovating the world‘s best keyboards …

YOUR SUPPLY SOURCES:

reaction time

1.0 ms

SECTOR GUIDE

ZOWIE FK1 HIGH PERFORMANCE MOUSE

TRUST SENTO SMART TV KEYBOARD FOR SAMSUNG

TURTLE BEACH TRACTION

PROPER BLUETOOTH KEYBOARD (PB054/55)

Distributor: Caseking

Distributor: Entatech

Distributor: Exertis

Distributor: DirekTek

Developed for claw grip usage, this mouse features an ambidextrous design. It features a low-lift distance of 1.5-1.8mm, comes equipped with Plug and Play and a DPI adjustment setting of 400 to 3,200.

Users can browse the web, post social media updates and send mail through their TV with this keyboard. It comes equipped with a touchpad and will allow users to roam from up to 10 metres wirelessly.

This control surface mousepad features a textured weave surface for added control, while the anti-slip rubber base helps to keep it in place. Four size options are available, which feature anti-fraying stitched edges.

Compatible with most Bluetooth devices, this keyboard allows users to take it with them on the go. It can work on most operating services, including iOS, Android and Windows, plus it can be charged via USB.

Specs: DPI range of 400 to 3,200, ambidextrous design, Plug and Play.

Specs: Micro USB receiver, touchpad, USB extension cable, 10-metre wireless connection.

Specs: Textured weave surface, four size options, anti-slip rubber base, antifraying edges.

Specs: Black and white colour options, protective case, Bluetooth connectivity.

SRP: £49.99

SRP: £47.99

SRP: TBA

SRP: £29.99

V7 BLUETOOTH 3.0 OPTICAL MOUSE

COUGAR 200K SCISSOR SWITCH KEYBOARD

TURTLE BEACH GRIP 500

CHERRY KEYBOARD AND MOUSE SET

Distributor: Ingram Micro

Distributor: Spire Technology

Distributor: Exertis

Distributor: Northamber

This four-button mouse includes a built-in scroll wheel with a tactile button and tracking feedback. The optical sensor helps to deliver precise cursor movement and users can select from an 800, 1,200 or 1,600 DPI setting.

A scissor mechanism has been embedded into this keyboard that links the keycap, which helps to offer a quieter and faster key response. Seven backlit colours, as well as 19 antighosting keys, are also included.

An illuminated seven-button scrollwheel is included with this mouse from Turtle Beach. It uses components such as the Avago 9800 laser sensor and Omron switches to help deliver precise gaming control.

Five Hot Keys come with this Cherry DW 8000 keyboard, as well as 10 programmable keys. The symmetrical three-button mouse has an infrared sensor with an adjustable DPI resolution of 1,000 or 2,000.

Specs: Bluetooth 3.0 technology, ambidextrous design, 800, 1,200 and 1,600 DPI setting.

Specs: 19 anti-ghosting keys, seven backlit colour keys, scissor switch, embedded steel plates.

Specs: Illuminated seven-button scrollwheel, up to 50 macros, Avago 9800 sensor, Omron swtiches.

Specs: USB connection, 2.4GHz radio frequency, 10 programmable keyboard keys, DPI range of 1,000 to 2,000.

SRP: £19.99

SRP: £21.18 – 29.99

SRP: £54.99

SRP: £60

CONTACT

www.pcr-online.biz

Caseking .......................01782 444488

Exertis (Basingstoke) ...01256 707070

Spire Technology.........01202 828 444

DirekTek .......................01494 471100

Exertis (Harlow) .......... 01279 822 822

VIP Computers..............0871 622 7500

Dynamode ................... 0845 375 2023

Ingram Micro............... 0871 973 3000

Westcoast.....................0118 912 6000

Entatech ..................... 0333 101 1000

Northamber ................ 020 8296 7000

PCR March 2015 | 69

SECTOR GUIDE

Wearable tech As wearables start to make their mark within the tech market, more customers are starting to show interest in the new devices. Jade Burke highlights some of the newest products from smart bands to activity trackers…

ACER LIQUID LEAP

GARMIN VIVOFIT ACTIVITY TRACKER

HANNSPREE SPORTS WATCH

Distributor: Exertis

Distributor: DirekTek

Distributor: Entatech

Users can wear the Liquid Leap during the day to track their exercise or keep it on whilst sleeping to track sleeping patterns. It features a waterproof design and can be paired with a smartphone, so users can read text messages. Its battery life can last for up to one week and is available in a variety of colours.

Vivofit learns a user’s current activity level and then assigns daily attainable goals. It comes with a year’s battery life and also displays steps, calories, distance and monitors sleep. Users can also wirelessly sync the Vivofit with the Garmin Connect mobile app to see their exercise progress.

This new sports watch from Hannspree features an OLED display and offers functions such as weight loss tracking, sleep monitoring, an alarm and a pedometer. It can also be synced with a smartphone, which can display message notifications on screen. It is available in either blue or black and offers a long battery life.

Specs: Bluetooth 4.0 technology, waterproof, touchscreen, 128x32 screen resolution.

Specs: One year’s battery life, connects to Garmin Connect mobile app, counts calories, monitors sleep.

Specs: Blue or black colour options, OLED display, smartphone syncing.

SRP: £79.99

SRP: £70

SRP: £29.99

MISFIT SHINE ACTIVITY TRACKER

SOLEUS GO! ACTIVITY TRACKER

RAZER NABU X

Distributor: Westcoast

Distributor: DirekTek

Distributor: VIP Computers

No charging is required with the Misfit Shine activity tracker, since it runs on a coin battery for four to six months. A sports band and clasp is included plus it is water resistant by up to 50 metres. It works with the Misfit app and tracks activities including walking, cycling and swimming.

The Soleus counts steps, features a dedicated exercise mode and keeps track of how well the wearer sleeps. Using Bluetooth 4.0, the tracker can sync with a smartphone and display message notifications and incoming calls. It also features a silent wake-up alarm, as well as an auto and manual sleep timer.

Razer’s Nabu X features no screen, instead a vibration indicates when an incoming alert comes through the wearer’s phone, while the LEDs light up in customisable colours. It can track steps walked, hours slept and calories burnt, plus data can be exchanged via a high-five when another user is wearing the Nabu.

Specs: Coin battery, 50 metres water resistant, tracks calories, sleep and distance.

Specs: Three colour options, sleep pattern tracking, silent wake-up alarm, Bluetooth 4.0 technology.

Specs: Five to seven days’ battery life, one metre water resistant, LED light display, activity tracking.

SRP: £79.99

SRP: £60

SRP: £49.99

CONTACT 70 | PCR March 2015

DirekTek .......................01494 471100

Exertis (Basingstoke) ...01256 707070

VIP Computers ........... 0871 622 7500

Entatech ...................... 0333 101 1000

Exertis (Harlow) ......... 01279 822 822

Westcoast .................... 0118 912 6000

www.pcr-online.biz

SECTOR GUIDE

Outdoor and Rugged Tech From super protective tablet cases to action cameras and waterproof devices, there is a new breed of tech products emerging targeting outdoor adventurers and travellers. Phil Tottman and Jade Burke check out the goods…

RICOH WG-M1 ACTION CAMERA (PEN452/53)

LMS DATA TEMPERED SCREEN PROTECTOR

KENSINGTON BLACKBELT IPAD AIR CASE

SONY ACTION CAM MINI HDR-AZ1

Distributor: DirekTek

Distributor: Dynamode UK

Distributor: Westcoast

Distributor: Peak Development

The outdoor lovers’ camera boasts full HD recording and 14 MP images. It is also shock, water and freeze-proof, has a colour LCD monitor, Wi-Fi connectivity for smartphones, plus it has an underwater lens protector.

This features Nanotechnology HighImpact Polymer Fingerprint rejection with HD crystal viewing. It protects the display at critical angles, is scratch resistant and boasts ‘ballistic’ protection from drops.

The iPad is being used more and more in schools, but its sleek look and feel isn’t ideal for the classroom. This iPad Air case is designed to withstand knocks and heavy handling from pupils.

This Sony Action Cam features advanced SteadyShot, Full HD video, stereo sound and the ability to capture high bit-rate recording at 50mbps.

SRP: £130

SRP: TBC

SRP: £24.99

SRP: £359

DASHDRIVE WATERPROOF EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE

SWANN OUTBACKCAM PORTABLE VIDEO CAMERA

PROPER WATERPROOF TABLET CASE

SANDISK MICROSD FOR ACTION CAMERAS

Distributor: Entatech

Distributor: DirekTek

Distributor: Peak Development

The DashDrive Durable HD710 external hard drive provides mobile data access in a rugged and sporty package. It promises shockproof and waterproof construction with a USB 3.0 interface. It’s available in 500GB, 1TB and 2B sizes.

Swann’s day or night camera with DVR allows users to record clear photos with the 5camera or videos at 30 frames per second, with night vision up to 32ft/10m. Recording time can be tracked with day, time and moon phase stamping.

Proper’s waterproof case protects a smartphone or tablet from water, sand or dirt. On-screen technology allows full use of all the device’s functions whilst in the case, and a clear back allows the user to access the camera.

The fast Extreme microSD card from SanDisk delivers the recording and playback needed to capture Full HD (1920x1080p) and 4K Ultra HD (3840x2160p) video, making it ideal for use in action cameras.

SRP: £49.99, £64.99, £106.99

SRP: £65.00

SRP: £18.99

SRP: £34.99

CONTACT

72 | PCR March 2015

DirekTek ...................... 01494 471 100

Entatech ...................... 0333 101 1000

Dynamode UK ............. 0845 375 2023

Peak Development ..... 01489 796 979

Westcoast .................... 0118 912 6000

www.pcr-online.biz

good luck we hope you hit the jackpot!

GOOD LUCK TO ALL THE NOMINEES ON THE NIGHT VIP Computers Nominated for: - Components Distributor - PC Gaming & Hardware - Marketing & PR

- Distributor of the Year - Service & Support

Sales: 0871 622 7500 www.vip-computers.co.uk ÂŠ Copyright VIP Computer Centre Limited. 2015. Information correct at time of publication E&OE.

Delivering Value in Distribution

Recommended Dedicated monthly product coverage

40 GPIO pins feature on the new model

The latest tech Editorial planner

Four USB ports come with the new mini PC

The Pi comes equipped with a range of ports including HDMI and Ethernet

A combined 3.5mm audio jack and composite video come with the Pi

Raspberry’s second slice of Pi RASPBERRY PI has unveiled the latest edition to its line-up of mini PCs. The Raspberry Pi 2 Model B is a second-generation model from the company, and replaces the Raspberry Pi Model B+. It features a 900MHz quadcore ARM Cortex-A7 CPU and 1GB of RAM, unlike its predecessor which featured neither functions. Thanks to its ARMv7 processor, the Pi

can run the full range of ARM GNU/Linux distributions, including Snappy Ubuntu Core and its makers have also promised it will be able to support Microsoft’s Windows 10 operating system at a later date. Raspberry Pi also revealed that the version compatible with Windows 10 will be available free of charge to makers. Eben Upton, founder of Raspberry Pi, said: “We think it’s

about six times more powerful for most applications.” It still features many of the same functionalities as the Model B+, as it has four USB ports, 40 GPIO pins, a full HDMI port, as well as an Ethernet port. Other specifications include a combined 3.5mm audio jack and composite video, a camera interface and display interface and a micro SD card slot.

Kevin Dallas, general manager of Windows Internet of Things (IoT) Group, added: “Raspberry Pi has quickly become one of the maker community’s favourite platforms because the highlycapable, low-cost boards and compute modules enable developers to bring their vision to life.” The new device will cost users £22.85, while its new CPU will also help to save

power consumption when it is in use. “You can surf the web, you can watch videos, you can play games including Minecraft. But we also bundle it with the tools that children need in order to learn how to program. “The great thing – apart from those two changes – is that we’ve managed to keep everything else the same,” Upton commented.

Contact: Farnell Element 14 | 08447 11 11 13 | Price: £22.85 excluding VAT

www.pcr-online.biz

PCR March 2015 | 75

RECOMMENDED

Dell’s Precision gets new polished update DELL HAS updated its Precision M3800 mobile workstation, the company’s thinnest and lightest model. Dell has added a 4K ultra HD touch display option to its flagship mobile workstation, incorporating Thunderbolt technology.

“The Precision M3800 delivers the ideal blend of form and function.” Andy Rhodes, Dell Its screen display comes in a resolution of 3840x2160 and features IGZO2 technology across its 15.6-inch UltraSharp touch display, which has been

made with Corning Gorilla Glass NBT. The display also comes equipped with ten-finger multi-touch and more than eight million pixels. Andy Rhodes, global executive director for Dell workstations, said: “Whether it’s editing video while on location, presenting CAD ideas to customers, or doing 3D modelling, the Dell Precision M3800 delivers the ideal blend of form and function to meet rising demands for performance onthe-go.” Dell has also expanded the form factor by adding a Thunderbolt 2 port to the Precision M3800, providing users with transfer speeds of up to 20Gbps. A range of additional storage options also come with the updated version, with up to 2TB of storage.

The display comes with 10-finger multi-touch

It comes packed with a 4th generation Intel Core i7 quadcore processor, Nvidia Quadro K1100M graphics and up to 16GB of memory. This edition also boats similar features to its predecessor, as Dell has

maintained its portability with a starting weight of 1.88kg and a form factor that is less than 18mm thick. “Intel’s 4th generation processor, Intel Thunderbolt 2 technology and Intel SSDs in

the latest Dell Precision M3800 provide professionals with a great balance between performance and power,” added Frank Sogui, general manager of Intel’s technical compute cloud and client.

Contact: Dell | www.dell.com | £1,349

Samsung’s fresh SSD stock TECH FIRM Samsung has added a new line-up of products to its SSD portfolio. The new 850 EVO and 850 PRO join the range, which unlike their predecessors are powered by 3D Vertical NAND technology rather than 2D Planner NAND memory. The new technology aims to provide users with faster processor speeds thanks to its vertical design. The vertical architecture stacks 32 cell layers on top of one another, which results in a higher density and higher performance whilst using a smaller footprint. Stefanie Sears-Black, head of business development and memory at Samsung, said: “3D Vertical NAND is the basis for all of the next generation of SSDs that we have been launching, and nothing is sourced externally, they are all

Other differences include the capacity sizes, as the PRO is available in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB (1,024GB), while the EVO comes in 120GB, 250GB, 500GB and 1TB (1,000GB) variants.

The 850 PRO comes with sequential read speeds of 550MB/s

“3D V-NAND is the basis for all of the next generation of SSDs.” 100 per Samsung manufactured.” Both SSDs also feature SelfEncrypting-Drive (SED) technology, which will help to keep a user’s laptop safe even if it is lost. The drive includes an AES-256-bit hardware-based full disk

encryption engine that secures data without degrading its performance. A Dynamic Thermal Guard is also embedded within each drive, ensuring it does not overheat when in use. The throttle feature automatically drops the SSD’s temperature

when necessary, helping to protect data. The 850 PRO offers sequential read speeds of up to 550MB/s and write speeds of up to 520MB/s, while the 850 EVO offers sequential read speeds of 540MB/s and write speeds of 520MB/s.

Stefanie Sears-Black, Samsung Sears-Black added: “We try to make and provide very easy data migration software and obviously management tools that actually look after the drive.”

Contact: Exerts Basingstoke (01256 707070), Exertis Harlow (01279 822822), M2M (0208 676 6067), Smithie (01256 844 028) | Price: 850 EVO from £71.76, 850 PRO from £89.61 76 | PCR March 2015

www.pcr-online.biz

RECOMMENDED

Samsung bolsters monitor and printer range SAMSUNG HAS unveiled a string of new monitors, combining a curved design and Ultra High Definition. The range is led by the SD590C, SE510C and the 34inch SE790C, which features a 21:9 aspect ratio. The SD590C and SE510C curved monitors feature an advanced eye mode for a better experience for viewers. The company has also introduced other curved monitors including the SE360 and SE390. Both are available in 23.6-inch and 27-inch sizes and feature a slim bezel, 178 degree viewing angle, eye saver mode as well as flickerfree tech. For business customers, Samsung has uveiled its SD850 business monitor for professionals looking for improved content creation and work productivity. Offering Wide Quad HD resolution, the monitor also

sided images per minute. The MX7 supports faster in-office connections with an 802.11ac-capable network chip, whilst being able to print a black and white page in three seconds and a colour page in 4.5 seconds.

The SE360 features a curved design

“Our world-class technology and innovation continues to push boundaries.” Robert King, Samsung comes in 27-inch and 32-inch display sizes. The tech firm has also targeted the enterprise category releasing a new A3 multi-function printer (MFP). The MultiXpress 7 is the only

MFP that is powered by a Quadcore CPU, allowing the printer to power through documents and faxes. It also features a Smart UX 2.0, which lets users preview and edit files directly from the

printer before printing, plus it takes 18 seconds to boot and 12 seconds to wake up from sleep mode . It provides image quality with 1,200 DPI printing and can scan up to 120 single-

Robert King, VP of consumer electronics at Samsung UK and Ireland, said: “Our world-class technology and innovation continues to push boundaries, unlocking huge potential for the future of home entertainment.”

Contact: Samsung | 0330 726 7864 | Price: TBA

Hannspree’s pocket-sized PC AFTER receiving the CeBIT Preview Innovation Award, the Micro-PC from Hannspree is starting to take hold of the tech market. Known also as the ‘PC on a Stick’, the device is 10cm long and weighs under 40g. It features a Quad-Core Intel Atom processor with a bandwidth of up to 1.83Hz. The mini PC can also transform any HDMI display into a computer and can connect to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Its built-in hi-speed Wi-Fi module connects it to 8.2.11b/g/n wireless

Intel HD graphics have been embedded

networks, providing users with faster internet speeds. It features a Micro SD expansion slot support for an additional 128GB of storage, plus it comes packed with 2GB of RAM. The ‘PC on a Stick‘ can also be used to upgrade a large screen TV (HDMI) into a smart home media PC so users can watch full resolution HD movies as well as TV shows, play games or view a photo slide show. Intel HD Graphics are also included with the GPU, clocked to 311MHz or 646MHz for multimedia entertainment and ‘fast’ gaming. Thanks to the

optimised 22nm low-power design process with Tri-Gate transistors, performance and energy efficiency have been improved compared to earlier models. The Hannspree Micro-PC comes equipped with a 32Gb of eMMC internal memory, allowing users to store music videos, applications and any other data content. It comes pre-installed with Windows 8.1 and features one Micro USB port and another Micro USB 2.0. Hannspree’s device will also be available as an all-in-one PC bundle package with a number of HannsG’s Touch Screen displays.

Contact: Entatech | 0333 101 1000 | Price: £169

Dual Fan Eﬀiciency for Great Cooling Performance VTX3D Radeon™ R9 270X X-Edition Dual-Fan Graphics Card • 2GB GDDR5 memory

www.pcr-online.biz

• DVI-D, DVI-I, HDMI & DisplayPort connectors

• Engine clock 1030MHz • DirectX support 11.2

VIP ORDER CODE:

109412

CALL FOR PRICING

Delivering Value in Distribution Sales Hotline 0871 622 7500 PCR Xxxxxx 2015 | xx www.vip-computers.co.uk © Copyright VIP Computer Centre Limited. 2015. Information correct at time of publication E&OE.

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RECOMMENDED

Great graphics from Nvidia NVIDIA HAS launched the GeForce GTX 960 graphics card, a cheaper and less powerful version of the company’s previous 970 and 980 GPUs. It features Voxel Global Illumination to help accelerate dynamic lighting effects and Dynamic Super Resolution technology that can deliver 4K-quality images in 1080p displays. The 960 also runs on Nvidia’s Maxwell architecture, to help deliver faster performance speeds and better power efficiency. An Nvidia spokesperson said: “A TDP of just 120W ensures it’s not only superfast but also super-cool and super-quiet, to the point that in some of the most

Dynamic Super Resolution delivers 4K images

“A TDP of just 120W ensures it’s not only superfast but also super-cool.” Nvidia

widely played games the fan will actually switch off and the card can run silently.” A memory bandwidth of 112BB/s comes with the new GPU, as well as a memory clock of 7.0Gbps and a standard memory config of 2GB.

Contact: VIP Computers (0871 622 7500), Exertis Basingstoke (01256 707070), Exertis Harlow (01279 822822), Entatech (0333 101 1000), Spire Technology (01202 828 444) | Price: Starts at £159.99

Editorial Planner

Get to work with The Sims THE VERY first expansion pack for The Sims 4 is on the way. It has been dubbed Get To Work and features three new active careers, complete with a new playable career venue. Players can create their Sims’ own retail business, including bakeries, clothing boutiques, art galleries and book stores. Players can then select every feature within the business such as which products to stock, how to manage customers and the design of

the building. New careers are also available within the expansion pack including a doctor, a scientist and a police officer. Considering The Sims PC game series has sold hundreds of millions of units worldwide to date, there’s no doubt this will also be another top-seller. There is also a whole alien conspiracy theory Sims will have to uncover, including a trip to a new parallel dimension. The Sims 4 Get to Work will be available from April 2015.

Contact: CentreSoft | 0121 625 3388 | Price: £29.99

A look at the biggest features coming up in PCR over the next few months…

APRIL 2015

MAY 2015

JUNE 2015

AWARDS SPECIAL

BOOT CAMP SPECIAL

BUSINESS SPECIAL

This month we cover some of the highlights from the 2015 PCR Awards, where retailers, distributors and vendors are recognised for their contribution to the tech industry.

We preview the next PCR Boot Camp, where those attending will be able to take a look around the exhibition, sit in on the conference sessions and network with other members of the industry.

PCR underlines some of the best ways retailers and resellers can start to sell to SMBs and the public sector. We also take a look back at Boot Camp South with some of the highlights.

Sector Guides: Laptops and accessories, tablets and accessories.

Sector Guides: Speakers, docks and headphones, music software, memory.

Sector Guides: Printers and accessories, scanners and photocopiers, business software.

Advertising Deadline

March 12th

April 13th

May 11th

www.pcr-online.biz

PCR March 2015 | 79

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OUT OF OFFICE

IN THE HOT SEAT

140 CHARACTERS

Wacom’s eDocs UK Key Account Manager Mark Hoole tells PCR his hopes for a transportation device and how dabbling in robotics could result in an I, Robot situation…

What the industry’s been tweeting about this month…

Robots – friend or foe to the industry? Robots are great for the industry and do amazing things in surgery these days, so I think they are really cool. Let’s just hope we don’t get too far ahead of ourselves and end up with a Terminator or I, Robot situation. What gadget/device do you wish existed? A teleportation device then I wouldn’t need to spend eight hours on a Friday negotiating the M6 Northern trek home. Just at the press of a button, dematerialise and a few Star

It came from…

Trek moments later I’m back in my living room. What would you like to see more of in the industry? My product J Signature tablets have come a long way from the inferior delivery devices everyone knows, we can now capture a signature with full biometric data providing a fully legally binding signature. Paper based signatures and signature fraud are about to become a thing of the past. Show us your age – what’s your earliest tech memory? My Commodor V20 PC, this

was even before the Commodor 64 (I feel old now). I remember teaching myself programming and creating my first game on one of these, it was so basic but cool. What gadget couldn’t you live without? My Macbook Air, it goes everywhere with me. Do you use any accessories for your tech devices? I have a Kensington keyboard case for my iPad and wireless chargers for my Samsung S5. My latest investment was a Bose Mini Bluetooth speaker.

JAPAN SOON customers will be served by robots in a Japanese hotel. The Henn-na hotel will open in the Huis Ten Bosch amusement park in Nagasaki, Japan, where robots will be able to check in guests and clean rooms.

The humanoid robots will even speak a variety of languages including English, Korean and Japanese. For now, the hotel will be staffed by humans, but come summer time, robots will be the ones greeting each guest.

FROM THE ARCHIVE PC Retail March 2007 BullGuard teams up with gaming peripheral specialist Steel Series… Entatech signs up networking and telecommunications vendor Funkwerk Enterprise Communications… Acer celebrates a successful 2006 in which it climbed to third place in the UK PC market… Logitech launches the Logitech Alto with a portable laptop stand… Distributor Interface Solutions signs a deal with LCD monitor vendor HannsG… Plus: DLink’s Neil Hill, Paul Atherton and Stuart Dick try their hand at ‘extreme ice rallying’ as a reward for overachieving DLink sales targets in Q4 2006… Realtime Distribution’s sales manager Richard Marsden wins an award for being the highest overall achieving salesman for ATI products in 2006…

www.pcr-online.biz

OF NEWS AND VIEWS Cisco UK & Ireland @CiscoUKI Congrats to our CEO @phsmithuk who has been named on PCR’s Brit List of top tech execs Peter Jones, Jessops @dragonjones 2yrs ago lots of people lost their jobs. Now 100’s of amazing people work for @jessops & made it great again! #proud Centerprise International @CenterpriseInt Our very own Rafi Razzak has made it onto the PCR Brit List 2015 @CenterpriseInt @pcr_ online Dixons Carphone plc @DixonsCarphone We’re delighted to have been selected as a partner in @DECCgovuk ‘s pilot energy-saving scheme Tim LeRoy, DirtMeetsTheWater @Timleroyis Slightly strange to be the news for once. But nice too. RT @pcr_online: Tim LeRoy departs from @NovatechLtd Joanna Shields, Tech City UK @joannashields Government woos US tech giants to set up shop in UK Target Components @TargetCompUK Ofcom have given the go-ahead to operators to use existing white space spectrum for the use with the IoT Peter Hannah, Netgear @peter_hannah Everyone loves a geek! RT @pcr_online: ‘Techsavvy’ males now more desirable according to research @CrucialMemory Samsung Business UK @samsungbusiness Our @dickndom coding lesson made it into the @PCR_online’s 7 highlights from #BETT2015 #SamsungBETT Satya Nadella, Microsoft @satyanadella Proud to welcome @sunrise to @Microsoft… to help people make the most of their time in the mobile & cloud first world

PCR March 2015 | 81

THE LAST WORD

High Streets need tech vision Free Wi-Fi on our High Streets, shops without any stock in them and voice recognition technology – these are just some of the ways bricks and mortar stores will change over the next five to 10 years, says retail expert Bill Grimsey… THE HIGH Street is quite clearly going to be reliant on adopting technology in the future. I want to see more High Streets wired by local authorities, no black spots. So you will be able to get free Wi-Fi as soon as you visit the High Street and I want to see all the local businesses using this. I think town centres will then have a chance of thriving as community hubs, provided that the empty shops are converted into other usages like housing, education or health. Technology and providers are going to unquestionably

Any retailer that’s not looking to the future at how technology might produce better customer experiences and lower cost supply chains is mad. Mobile technology and wearable technology are coming and I think once they take hold, with voice recognition the whole question of how you shop and how you seek out advice and services will change. That’s why town centres need to be wired up and using them. Local authorities need to adopt the attitude that they produce a plan that looks out

“Any retailer not looking at how tech can produce better experiences is mad.” Bill Grimsey influence retailers. I wrote a piece that said ‘tomorrow’s next generation of retailers are actually going to be nerds’. I meant that in the nicest possible way – and we’re seeing that transition now. I think the old guard and the retail industry is doing a valiant job in keeping up with technology that you will get a breakthrough of new companies. And I’m sure the young entrepreneurs are going to be right on the leading edge of technology, providing customers with an experience for what they’re looking for. The future of retail is going to change dramatically in the next five to 10 years. I think technology is going to influence the way in which lots of sectors operate, and you’ll see virtual stores and stores without any stock in them.

20 or 25 years, with a vision for those towns and embrace technology at the heart of it. Then they can migrate to it and the smart city is part of that. We are just not moving fast enough in the UK for that. Retailers must broaden the experience for customers and give them what they need, and I think managed services is something they must do, otherwise they may fall behind. As a nation we are sleepwalking into the 21st century, and we have got to stop it. It starts with our politicians at the centre, and at the local level they need to understand that the UK does not yet have forward thinking plans that embrace technology. Politicians need to ask what they can do for High Streets and their communities.

Editorial: 01992 535646 Advertising: 01992 535647 Website: www.pcr-online.biz Twitter: @pcr_online PCR is published 12 times a year by NewBay Media - Saxon House, 6a St. Andrew Street, Hertford, Hertfordshire SG14 1JA. Fax: +44 (0)1992 535648. © NewBay Media 2015 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without the express prior written consent of the publisher. The contents of PCR are subject to reproduction in information storage and retrieval systems. Printed by Pensord.

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