FOR THE UK’S PC & TECH COMMUNITY • No. 159 • DECEMBER 2016
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28 Reseller profile Inspired Technology Services’ director Ian Burns talks to PCR
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PCR speaks to BullGuard CEO Paul Lipman about the future of security and IOT goes on. These devices bring real value into our lives, but unfortunately they typically come with nothing in the way of security protection.” Read the full interview on page 24
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CONTENTS & COMMENT
Follow us @pcr_online
MEET THE TEAM Jonathan Easton Deputy Editor
CONTENTS
COMMENT
REGULARS
So that was 2016
06 Analysis: Tesco Bank 07 Analysis: Trump’s tech
jeaston@nbmedia.com @jonman247
world 08 PCR Awards 10 Number Crunching 13 Appointments
Sophia Murray Staff Writer
13 Events
smurray@nbmedia.com
14 Opinion 23 Retailer of the Month: Retail IT 28 Reseller profile: Inspired
Gurpreet Purewal Group Sales Manager gpurewal@nbmedia.com
Technology Services
ANOTHER YEAR has come and gone in the blink of an eye. I joined the PCR team back in July and it just feels like yesterday. And it’s certainly been an interesting year to say the least… Obviously the big standout story of the year has been Brexit. I know that it’s something that we’ve covered to within an inch of its confusing and convoluted political life, but it is one of those things that’s constantly evolving and changing. Take the events of last month (that will probably be changed up again too by the time we go to print) that saw the UK’s high court say that the decision for the country to leave the EU must be voted on by Parliament. PCR will always be linked to Brexit for me. In fact, the day of my job interview was June 24th – the infamous day of the results.
28 Apple leaves out gamers again
FEATURES
“Thanks for being with PCR for the year that’s just been and we look forward to being with you for many more to come!”
19 PCR Boot Camp North
Sarah Goldhawk Account Manager
review
sgoldhawk@nbmedia.com @sarzgoldhawk
24 The big interview: BullGuard 26 2016 in review 30 CES Preview 34 2017’s tech trends
Dan Bennett Designer
37 VPAs – making sens of the
dbennett@nbmedia.com
smart home 38 Mystery Shopper – Secret Santa shopping online Jason Dowie Production Executive jdowie@nbmedia.com
PRODUCTS 42 Recommended products 47 Stocking fillers 50 Smartphones & accesories
Andrew Wooden Interactive Entertainment Content Director awooden@nbmedia.com @pcr_online
OUT OF OFFICE 52 In The Hot Seat: Zaboura Communications’ Maggie Zaboura
The effect of the referendum has been felt across the entire continent and across all areas of business, especially in tech and IT. One of the first major examples of Brexit in action in the channel was HTC’s announcement that, because of ‘recent currency valuation changes’, the Vive virtual reality (VR) headset was upped in price by £70. Speaking of VR, that is one area that has been an overall more positive story. This year saw the launch of the three big players in the high-end VR space: PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift (we’re not even going to talk about the PR meltdown that company went through) and HTC Vive. We here at PCR have in no way hidden our excitement for virtual reality and its potential in not just gaming, but in accessibility tools and retail. While those are a couple of my own thoughts on the year that’s been, make sure you head over to page 26 to see what the channel has to say about 2016, and then read the channel’s predictions for 2017 on page 34. Elsewhere we also look ahead to CES 2017, discuss the growth of voice controlled speakers and speak to BullGuard CEO Paul Lipman. Thanks for being with PCR for the year that’s just been and we look forward to being with you for many more to come!
53 Industry Tweets Editorial: 0207 354 6002 Advertising: 0207 354 6000
Incorporating
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Jonathan Easton, Deputy Editor jeaston@nbmedia.com
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PCR-ONLINE.BIZ ANALYSIS
Trump or triumph The United States of America has voted for its new president. PCR takes a look at what tech under president Trump will look like and the way it will affect the UK’s IT channel… THE US PRESIDENTIAL election finally came to a head last month and after the most embittered and personal campaign of recent memory, Donald Trump is to take office in the new year. Much speculation has gone on as to how the presidentelect will approach the controversial topics that featured in the build up to the election, but one area that was not featured heavily was tech. And, of course, there will be a ripple effect felt right across the pond that will spill into the UK IT channel. “His campaign statements about stopping immigration of certain parts of humanity would wipe out approximately half of the contributing workforce in the whole IT sector. But there is a world of IT outside of the USA,” says Platinum Components partner Jon Harrison. “In reality so many tech companies have production on a global basis I think it
6 | PCR December 2016
would be tough to really affect progress unless he did instigate restrictions on trade, but that would be counter intuitive to business and not in America or his own personal interests.” To that point it would seem that the first shots have already been fired. Shortly after the election, the Beijing-based Chinese government mouthpiece, Global Times, threatened to cut iPhone sales after Trump had previously said he would impose a 45 per cent tax on imports from the country. It said that “the new president will be condemned for his recklessness, ignorance and incompetence”, and called him “naive”. One thing for certain is that Trump has been consistently anti-regulation. An area that has been the tech focus of deregulation since the election has been the FCC’s net neutrality regulations. As he is want to do, the
president-elect even tweeted back in 2014 that “Obama’s attack on the internet is another top down power grab. Net neutrality is the Fairness Doctrine. Will target conservative media”.
“If we can count on what Trump said before the election, it could be an opportunity for business to flourish.” Nick Beer, Dynamode
The GOP has largely been against net neutrality, and with the keys to the kingdom being given to the Republicans across the
Presidency, the House and the Senate, it would seem like it’s open season for regulations to be ripped up. Across the Atlantic, Britain’s departure from the EU (should it actually ever emerge) would leave open the possibility to follow suit and go against the EU’s net neutrality guidelines which were introduced in August. With the UK’s Conservative Government passing the ‘Snoopers Charter 2’ into law last month, there may be a link between the two governments who want a tighter grip on the internet. A unity between the two governments might not necessarily be a bad thing though, says Dynamode’s Nick Beer: “If we can count on what Trump said before the election, in that he wants the UK to be at the top of the trade relationship with the US and the fact that the EU is less fond of the Trump success, it could be an opportunity for
business to flourish.” The ramifications of a Trump presidency however will be felt far outside of the core business side of the channel. Trump’s rhetoric has emboldened a darker side of people that many have been fighting against, explains Context’s UK and Ireland country manager Jonathan Wagstaff: “Traditionally the ICT industry (like many technical sectors) has tended to be male-dominated. Over the past few decades things have changed. The election of a major world leader who has been criticised by the press for both public and private responses towards women is not going to help.” It is impossible to say what will happen during Trump’s time in office and predict whether business will boom or bust. The world will watch on – perhaps through its fingers – as the 45th president of the United States is sworn in on January 20th.
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PCR-ONLINE.BIZ ANALYSIS
The great Tesco Bank heist Tesco Bank’s customers found themselves as victims of a well-organised cyber attack last month. Sophia Murray rounds up what happened and asks what lessons can be learnt from this massive attack…
IT EMERGED ON the morning of November 7 that 9,000 Tesco Bank’s current account holders had fallen foul of a £2.5 million online hack over the weekend. The bank froze transactions as the company came away from one of the UK’s largest online bank heists. Tesco Bank declined to officially comment on the incident while a criminal investigation into the hack is underway, which did little to stop widespread speculation about how the huge cybercrime happened, and who was responsible for it. The nature of the attack forced the bank to suspend all of its customers’ online transactions, and the bank updated its website with the following statement: “Normal service resumed at Tesco Bank on Wednesday 9th November 2016 following the temporary suspension of online debit transactions from current accounts on Monday 7th November 2016.
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“We have refunded all customer accounts that were affected by fraud on 5th and 6th November, and are taking every step to compensate anyone who is out of pocket as a result of the incident.” The Sunday Times published a report claiming the the hackers used data stolen from Tesco Bank’s customers to set up contactless payments on smartphones, before spending the stolen money in countries such as Brazil and the US. This however only indicates where the cyber criminals are, not who they might be. Tesco Bank however was only dimly aware of the possibility that a hack on this scale could happen and did little to prevent it. Elad BenMeir, vice president at Cyberint, told the BBC: “It was a cat and mouse game. We saw indicators, starting from September – so two months before the actual attack – of quite a few threat actors saying, ‘We’ve been
successfully getting into accounts and cashing out through various means.’ “This was on the AlphaBay forum, Hacking Forum, and some lesser known places. There was plenty of proof.
“We over-value the convenience of mobile apps, and don’t think enough about their vulnerabilities”. Russ McKenzie, nTrust Systems One of the guys said, ‘I used to cash out £1,000 every week without anyone ever noticing’.” The attack has highlighted issues surrounding the management of online financial accounts in general. The likes of PayPal,
WorldRemit, and TransferWise could also be prime targets for hacking groups. If these remittance and peer-to-peer payment service were to be compromised the same way Tesco Bank was, the attack would be on a global scale, not a native one. Questions continue to go unanswered as to how Tesco Bank’s security was bypassed, but some in the channel have their theories. Russ McKenzie, managing director of nTrust Systems, speculated that the flaw came from the bank’s mobile app: “Tesco has not made any announcements on the case as it is an ongoing criminal investigation. There is speculation that the mobile application was not secure, which is worrying. “Another possibility is an inside job with a disgruntled or coerced employee. That suggests a problem with internal processes not being strong enough. “There is always a business decision to make on
convenience, cost and security. At Tesco, that appears to have been too far from security. As customers, we re-use passwords, use weak passwords, and don’t change passwords often enough. We over-value the convenience of mobile apps, and don’t think enough about their vulnerabilities”. As more details of the Tesco Bank controversy surface, it is already clear that banks will need to take steps to reinforce their security measures in order to maintain the trust of their customers, McKenzie added: “Banks will continue to be high value targets. There needs to be open exchanges between banking IT professionals. That information needs to be shared and acted upon with immediate effect.” Should it emerge that the theft stemmed from insider espionage it will lead to more drama and controversy but for now Tesco Bank will have to mend its sinking ship.
PCR December 2016| 7
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PCR-ONLINE.BIZ PCR AWARDS
PCR Awards cate The award categories for the 2017 PCR Awards have been revealed. Find out what’s new, what’s changed and how to get involved with a night that will see the entire channel come together under one roof…
LAST YEAR saw Intel walk away with the biggest prize of the night, but who will walk out of the PCR Awards 2017 as the PCR Company of the Year? The awards are split up into five separate categories: Retailer, Reseller, Channel Services, Distribution and Vendor. In addition to the big prize, we have 21 other categories including eight awards which have been introduced for 2017. 8 | PCR December 2016
In an effort to further widen our net to encompass all elements of the channel, 2017 sees the introduction of the brand new Reseller category. Within that, we have awards for SMB Reseller, Corporate VAR, Cloud Specialist and MSP Specialist. Elsewhere, we have two new awards in the Distribution category: Software, Services and Support Distributor and Cloud Distributor. In the
“The night will pose a perfect chance to celebrate the past 12 months’ achievements.”
Vendor category, awards for Software, Services and Support and Mobile Device and Wearables have been introduced in order to ensure that all bases are covered in this ever-changing industry. The PCR Awards 2017 are taking place on Wednesday March 8th 2017 at The Brewery in Central London. The night itself will pose a perfect chance to celebrate the past 12 months’ achievements with peers
from all across the channel. For a full breakdown of the categories have a look over at the opposite page. Nominations are open now and close on January 3rd. For more information, head over to pcr-awards.com. If you’re interested in getting involved as a sponsor for this channel-wide event, contact Gurpreet Purewal (gpurewal@nbmedia.com) or Sarah Goldhawk (sgoldhawk@nbmedia.com). www.pcr-online.biz
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PCR-ONLINE.BIZ PCR AWARDS
gories revealed THE CATEGORIES RETAILER CATEGORY
DISTRIBUTION CATEGORY
1. System Builder This award is open to any national system builder that makes custom PCs/laptops, whether channel- focused or shipping direct to consumer.
11. Software, Services & Support –Distributor NEW FOR 2017! The Software, Services and Support Distributor Award is open to any distributor that specialises in or has an extensive software offering. This can include straight software product distribution, Software as a Service, and the support structures to assist resellers and retailers in selling these.
2.Independent Retailer This award is open to any bricks and mortar computer retailer, or organisation involved in the support and repair of PCs, with five stores or fewer. If the organisation builds its ownbrand systems and sells them nationally or internationally, it should enter the System Builder category. 3. National Retailer This award is open to any bricks and mortar computer or technology retailer with more than five stores nationwide. 4. Online Retailer This award is for any computer or technology retailer who conducts their business online.
RESELLER CATEGORY 5. SMB Reseller NEW FOR 2017! This award is open to any UK Reseller focused upon selling to small to medium sized businesses (under 250 employees).
12. Hardware Distributor The Hardware Distributor Award is open to any distributor that specialises in or has a large hardware offering – this includes components (graphics cards, processors, motherboards) full PCs (desktops, laptops) or peripherals (mice, keyboards and headsets). 13. Cloud Distributor NEW FOR 2017! The Cloud Distributor Award is open to any distributor that specialises in or has a large cloud offering – this organisation will be able to demonstrate not only the ability to facilitate resellers who are looking to sell more cloud based services, but also successfully communicate the benefits of the products vendor partners are looking to push to the market. 14. Consumer Electronics Distributor The Consumer Electronics Distributor Award is open to any distributor that specialises in or has a large consumer electronics offering – for example mobile phones, wearables or satellite navigation devices.
6. Corporate VAR NEW FOR 2017! The Corporate VAR Award is open any UK based Value Added Reseller selling into medium to enterprise sized businesses (defined as over 250 employees).
15. Marketing & PR The Marketing and PR Award is open to the communications arm of any IT distributor.
7. Cloud Specialist NEW FOR 2017! The Cloud Specialist award is open to any UK reseller specialising in selling cloud based services to its clients.
VENDOR CATEGORY
8. MSP Specialist NEW FOR 2017! The MSP Specialist Award is open to any UK reseller specialising in providing Managed Services to its clients.
CHANNEL SERVICES CATEGORY 9. Dealer Services Provider The Dealer Services Provider award is open to any IT dealer services provider who operates within the UK and provides services to retailers and retailers. 10. Marketing/PR Agency The Marketing/PR Agency award is for any marketing or PR agency that provides services to clients operating in the UK IT Channel.
16. Software, Services & Support – Vendor NEW FOR 2017! The Software, Service and Support Award is open to any organisation that publishes software – this can include operating systems, accounting tools and other professional software, utility software such as security programs, or cloud based products and services. 17. Peripherals Vendor The Peripherals Vendor Award is open to any organisation that produces peripherals, such as mice, keyboards and headsets. 18. Components Vendor The Components Vendor award is open to any vendor that makes components, for example hard drives, GPUs or CPUs. 19. Desktop PC Vendor The Desktop PC Vendor Award is open to any organisation that produces desktop computers, such as traditional towers or small form factor PCs. 20. Mobile Device & Wearables Vendor NEW FOR 2017! The Mobile Device and Wearables award is open to any organisation that produces mobile computing devices – this can include tablets and smartphones as well as wearables like smart watches and VR products. 21. Networking Vendor The Networking Vendor category is open to any organisation that produces networking hardware, such as NAS drives and routers. 22. PCR Company of the Year 2017 The PCR Company of the Year award is the most prestigious award of the evening. It honours a company or brand that has had an outstanding past 12 months with an exceptional contribution to the channel. This award is chosen by the PCR editorial team.
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PCR December 2016 | 9
PEOPLE & EVENTS
Brother UK reinforces system delivery to channel partners BROTHER UK: Information, communications, and technology services provider Brother UK has appointed Ged Cairns as head of its AutoID solutions. Cairns said of his new role: “Brother and its partners are in a perfect position to capitalise on the growing AutoID services market.”
Cairns joins Brother UK from his previous role at Honeywell, where he acted as EMEA sales manager. With over 30 years experience in the AutoID industry, he will work alongside the mobile print and mobile teams to deliver mobile Point of Sale (m-POS) and barcode printing.
EFFICIENTIP: Managed DDI solution provider EfficientIP has made Martin Wellsted its regional manager. Wellsted joins the company after departing from his previous role at IBM, where he worked as the company’s global trade services sales manager. Wellsted said: “I believe the EfficientIP platform
compliments today’s security architecture. I’m looking forward to working with our customers to help them on their DDI journey.” CEO David Williamson, said: “How we grow the company is very much top of our agenda and we’re delighted to have Martin on board to help us achieve that.”
MIDWICH: Diss-based distributor Midwich has reinforced its security sales team with the appointment of Pete Webb as he moves into the team as an external area account manager. Webb has been with the company since 2000 where he has worked in various areas including ProAV,
Custom Install, Print and Retail and Etail. Webb said: “Security is seeing a massive convergence of technologies, with features like analytics offering business intelligence tools helping maximise return on investment. I believe that my previous experience gives me a unique perspective.”
DIMENSION DATA: Global solutions and services provider Dimension Data has appointed Maria Grant as its UK and Ireland services director. Grant will be tasked with boosting the company’s consumer-base and serviceled initiatives. Dimension Data managing director Barney Taylor, said:
“Her extensive market knowledge and experience in managed services means that she is a very important addition to our growing UK & Ireland leadership team.” Grant moves from her role within Dimension Data as head of service design. She was previously its head of remote service operations.
COVATA: The data and cyber security company has made Dana Danieli its vice president of marketing, communications, and investor relations. Danieli has 18 years of experience from across the IT and consultancy sectors. She comes from Bravura Solutions where she was head of marketing and communications.
Covata founder and chief exec Trent Telford said of the appointment: “We are excited to have Dana join our growing team. “Her strategic and process oriented approach will be important to our marketing and communications for both our Safe Share and Key-as-aService (KaaS) products around the world.”
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EVENTS The UK’s channel calendar is full of important events. Here are some highlights for upcoming dates…
SUPPORTING DIGITAL ADOPTION AND GROWTH IN SMES THE ROYAL HORSEGUARDS, LONDON DECEMBER 1ST This year’s Digital Leaders Conference will bring together experienced leaders from Government, Business, Local Enterprise partnerships, Growth hubs and Academia to share thoughts on how the small business sector is adapting to digital technologies.
TECHCRUNCH DISRUPT The Copper Box Arena, London DECEMBER 5-6TH TechCrunch Disrupt is the world’s leading authority in debuting startups, introducing new technologies, and discussing hot topics for the tech industry’s key innovators. Key speakers include BenevolentBio’s CEO Jackie Hunter, who will discuss the partnership of biometric technology and artificial intelligence.
INNOVATION IN EDUCATION Liverpool Football Club, Liverpool DECEMBER 6TH Innovation in Eduction presents a unique opportunity to hear presentations by leading experts in the field, quiz keynote speakers in exciting panel discussions, see technology that could revolutionise classroom engagement and network with others who are specialists in education.
IOT SECURITY FOUNDATION CONFERENCE The IET Savoy Place, London DECEMBER 6TH The second annual IoT Security Foundation event will look at what it takes to build an Internet of Trusted Things, what is currently underway, what we can learn from the past to predict the future and the duties of care providers and adopters need to ensure.
VIRTUAL REALITY AND AUGMENTED REALITY ARCADE 2 WeWork, London DECEMBER 13TH This is part of a series of Meetups dedicated to exploring the amazing experiences and products created through Virtual and Augmented Reality. It will focus focused on how VR/AR will impact the world of shopping and commerce.
PCR December 2016 | 13
OPINION
Displaying signs of convergence Steve Kilroy, UK sales manager for iiyama International discusses how the growing collision of IT and AV is affecting the UK displays market
both channels to make our products MUCH HAS been written about the better for the future. convergence of the AV and IT Interestingly, the display market is markets. It’s true that this coming currently fairly static for anything together is particularly evident within the corporate sector, as the traditional under 32 inches, while there’s good growth for bigger screens – the corporate demands on IT business traditional feeding ground of the AV working practices become more integrator. Large format displays important to AV businesses. (LFDs) are definitely where the market Many corporate-facing integrated is most ripe, whether you consider AV solutions now require support yourself an IT or AV integrator. from IT, mainly due to an increasing But most of our success is via the number of video conferencing mainstream IT channels. What they systems being integrated into IPhave that the AV channel doesn’t is a based platforms as part of newness and drive towards AV mainstream IT networks. solutions, and a realisation that they At the same time, the growth in the digital signage and display market has can deliver these solutions, install them and have the meant that more AV knowledge in house. tech is being entwined We’re starting to see in IT networks. Finally, some doing more the big IT and telecoms “Large format around AV solutions, vendors are expanding displays (LFDs) bringing in AV teams their offerings to to help spec-up as include meeting space are definitely they recognise that it demands, further where the market is very much a bringing AV and IT growing market. together. is most ripe.” As AV adopts more Steve Kilroy, IT habits and IT finds iiyama Procedural mindsets Scalability and itself working closer reliability are crucial to with AV products and companies, with IT departments projects, the traditional lines of within corporates preferring demarcation are likely to blur until standardised solutions that they trust they are no longer visible. will work. This continues to be the case as IT and AV converge, but it is Traditional priorities one area where the AV sector We at iiyama consider the AV and IT sometimes comes unstuck, with AV market to already be one and the integrators more used to installing same. We don’t really distinguish – unique, one-off systems struggling to the traditional market for consumer adopt IT-esque mindsets. desktop PC sales tends to be an AVMost of our business is generated free zone, of course. That said, we do via the IT channel. However, it’s clear tend to prioritise IT organisations. With both sectors working in unison, that AV needs to get more IT-savvy if it is to reap the benefits of more the display market as a whole is a lot audio-video technology adoption. easier for us. We take feedback from Steve Kilroy is the UK sales manager for iiyama International www.iiyama.com
14 | PCR December 2016
Will 2017 be the year of the smart home? The smart home is still a new concept to a lot of people, but it is a market ripe to be exploited as TP-Link UK VAR account manager Andy Woolhead explains… million a year and research shows NEARLY HALF (47 per cent) of all that once a smart product is homeowners would like to control purchased, up to five soon follow. their houses from a tablet or phone, In post austerity, cost conscious according to a recent study by Honeywell. This is because of energy Brexit Britain, people are curious to see in real time what their home bills, convenience and flexibility. In costs to run. That sort of knowledge spite of this, the argument for smart can lead people to wanting the tech in the home hasn’t yet become power and the ability to remotely mainstream, and some resellers are control heat, light and other unsure it will. appliances. Utility companies that Current numbers are modest, but promote energy or other metering, significant growth is predicted. for example, should be at the top of Around four million – around 14 per the list for smart home resellers to cent – UK households already have approach to build long-term some form of smart home partnerships and get their tech into technology. By 2020 the number of more homes. connected devices worldwide is The current market for smart expected to be 26 billion. We are at home gadgets is still the bleeding edge with early adopters of a technology and IT enthusiasts, about to go “We are at the but the next everywhere. bleeding edge of generation is close Smart home behind as availability technology is in its a technology grows, media interest infancy, but peaks and prices fall. demand is growing. about to go Soon, owners and According to everywhere.” renters of new-build Ofcom, nearly three Andy Woolhead, homes will come to quarters (71 per TP-Link UK expect smart home cent) of adults own technology as a mobile device, standard, while renovators will look and are looking for ways to to future proof their investment. maximise their usage. Resellers want signs of a market Figures from June this year show tipping point. Consumers are a year-on-year increase of 41 per already engaged behind closed cent more data used by fixed doors. Resellers looking for solid broadband lines. Homeowners are future profit streams should engage happy to experiment with smart now with housebuilding companies home technology, and are willing to about the supply of smart home spend time and money on it. This technology such as light bulbs and was underscored recently by one energy meters. man’s 11-hour quest to make a cup If the trend continues, this of tea using a smart kettle. Amusing, demand will increase and 2017 yes, but also a look at the future. could well be the tipping point as The potential for smart home the year of the smart home. technology is estimated at £30 Andy Woolhead is the senior VAR account manager at TP-Link UK www.tp-link.com
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OPINION
Christmas 2016: Keep Storage for Calm and Plan Ahead Security Decarations are starting to come earlier and earlier with each year. Hama senior product manager Ben Jones explains the importance of planning ahead and being ready for the holidays… have to be. Our account managers FOR MOST retailers and distributors spend a lot of time liaising with Christmas has never been just a onecustomers and putting together month event. In light of the surging detailed forecasts to try and best popularity of online shopping and early sales events such as Black Friday, estimate their needs. Orders are the importance of planning ahead has placed and then reviewed again late summer/early autumn to top up if never been more apparent. necessary and ensure stock levels are Dubbed the ‘Christmas Creep’ in adjusted to keep up with demand. the US, retailers are beginning to The fourth quarter undoubtedly introduce Christmas themed continues to be one of the busiest merchandise and marketing earlier times in terms of sales activity. In and earlier in order to cash in on the anticipation of this ‘golden quarter’ demands of savvy early-bird shoppers our Belgium logistics team often take seeking a pre-season bargain. While on a number of additional staff to some of us may be complaining when ensure that orders are picked and we see Christmas cards and gifts packed without delay, allowing our appearing on the shelves before the retailers to get the summer is out, stock on the shelves in consumers often plenty of time to profit appear quite happy to get ahead to spread “Some of us may from that peak festive shopping period. In the cost and beat the be complaining, the past we have also winter rush. seen an increase in As a distributor, we but consumers staff at our UK offices need to ensure that appear quite in order to help list we are prepared not only to meet the happy to beat the products and provide content support to demands of our own winter rush.” etailers to ensure online and bricks and Ben Jones, everything keeps mortar retail Hama running smoothly. customers, but also to From stock forecasts to purchase help support them in meeting the orders, sales support and marketing demands of their own customers, the to processing orders, dispatch and consumer. Considering the dynamic constant monitoring of stock levels nature of the consumer electronics throughout the festive period, all industry and the constantly evolving require months of discussions and needs of the market, this is no mean planning involving not just the top feat. A significant amount of level of management, but every single intelligence gathering and advanced member of the team. Everyone comes preparation is required. together suggesting ideas and, more For example, at Hama we begin importantly, communicating with ordering some of our Christmas stock each other to establish clear seasonal as far back as May and June. Trying to intentions and bring them into being. predict the buying trends of Remember: Sales success doesn’t just consumers this far in advance can be happen. It’s planned for. seen as risky business, but it doesn’t Ben Jones is a senior product manager at Hama www.hama.com
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It may not be considered by many unimportant by some, but the type of storage used with a surveillance system can make or break it. Jermaine Campbell gives his tips for picking the best kind… disks to create a safety net for failed WITH OUR obsession over video and hardware by ensuring that the corresponding camera capabilities image is still being captured even if such as HD and 4K, it’s easy to miss one drive isn’t working. an equally crucial component that Q Low power consumption: can make or break an entire Having a drive that calculates the surveillance system: storage. optimum seek speeds won’t Many surveillance professionals generate as much heat, even in are using the wrong drive. Rather passively-cooled storage enclosures, than being designed for continuous making it more reliable and friendlier capture of HD or FHD video from to your customer’s wallet. multiple cameras, a drive that is not Q High camera count support: A optimised for surveillance systems high number of cameras, an NVR can drop frames, or even consume system or a longer retention period more power and generate more will require higher storage use and heat. This could drastically reduce the life of a drive, adversely affecting an even greater need to ensure you have chosen a drive that will meet the read and write operations in a the customer’s needs. Look for one surveillance system. These solutions with up to 6 TB of may cost the capacity on one drive. customer less High system bay upfront, but could “These solutions Qcount support: The affect their business may cost less, but right drive will include performance, vibration reliability and even they could affect hardware sensors to enable their reputation. a customer’s higher drive-count as well as What to Look for business, and even systems higher system and in Surveillance their reputation.” hard drive workloads. Storage Jermaine Campbell, Q Rugged exterior: There are several specific things to Western Digital In some cases the drive may need to live, and perform look for when evaluating whether a continuously in harsh environments. drive has been designed with You’ll want one with tarnishsurveillance in mind: resistant PCBA protection. Q Always on: A surveillance system works 24/7. If the storage drive Considering the importance of hasn’t been designed for constant, storage, you may also find it helpful never-ending read/write operations, to use a capacity calculator to help it won’t be able to keep up. determine how much storage is Q Performance Reliability: Some needed for the length of time data is drives include special technology to be maintained for a system. Some that improves playback performance vendors offer calculators and and works with ATA streaming to selection tools to help find the right reduce errors and frame loss. drive and capacity that best suits Q RAID-enabled: A drive with this your needs. capability can use two or more hard Jermaine Campbell is the North Europe manager for Western Digital www.wdc.com
PCR December 2016 | 15
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ANALYSIS
PCR BOOT CAMP NORTH Experts from across the channel gather in Central Manchester for PCR’s revamped Boot Camp North event…
P
CR Boot Camp North returned last month, taking place at the Renaissance Hotel in Manchester. Delegates attending the event were presented with an opportunity to come faceface with representatives from a range of vendors and distributors including HP, Tech Data and Target Components. The day was made up of talks from expert speakers, live demonstrations, and an engaging, content-rich experience which ensured that everyone in attendance is now truly ‘fit for business’. The focus of the event this year was to give attendees an informed insight into emerging and disruptive technologies, with a selection of new devices, hardware and components from across different parts of the channel. The conference also examined ways in which the
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channel is expected to shift over the next few years and how retailers can take make the most of it. 2016’s Boot Camp North was a bit different from previous years with the following new features: Q Expo Demo Zone Q Retail Masterclass Theatre Q Future Hub: Tech & Biz Innovation Q Speed Networking Q Networking Café Attendees were invited to explore subjects such as storage, security, gaming, home automation and even 4k monitors. Event partners – Synology, ESET, Context, and Tech Data – also hosted the EXPO Demo Zone. These partners gave live demonstrations of their products and the technologies set to be the next big thing in the channel.
““The event today has been great. Normally these events can be London or Southeast centric, so it has been good to see the North getting some love. We have had some very interesting feedback.” Jonathan Wagstaff, Context
Delegates were able to see and hear about some of the most innovative, technologies during these EXPO Demo Zone sessions. One particular highlight came from Synology who were showing off home automation solutions. The vendor exhibited hardware and software solutions including the Surveillance Station 8.0. Synology sales administrator Jeremie Francois explained why the company was excited to appear at the event: “We came to Boot Camp North to introduce our storage for home solutions. We’ve had a major update to our OS and we wanted to display it to our partners and any resellers who might be interested in us and our products. “One of the key aspects of the Synology platform is the simplicity of the interface. We
want people to remember that you don’t need IT expertise – everyone can do. And that is something we want to emphasise to visitors at the event today.” ESET gave a detailed presentation on issues surrounding security. The session addressed where sophisticated threats are coming from and how they should be handled. Securing unencrypted devices was also a big topic of interest for ESET. Delegates also heard from Ovum’s principal analyst Paul Jackson about how virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR) will be used in retail going forward. He discussed what he called “virtual walkthroughs” in retail stores, emphasising that these walkthroughs will be the future of shopping experiences for consumers. Jackson also talked about the possibility of AR having a big role in retail. PCR December 2016 | 19
ANALYSIS
PCR BOOT CAMP NORTH EVENT & MEDIA PARTNERS…
Phylip Morgan of the Network Group gave delegates an insight into the Internet of Things (IoT) and how connectivity is set to be the next big disruptive tech. Another new addition to PCR Boot Camp North 2016 was the Retail Masterclass Theatre. Speakers included Laura Rennie of Arena HR who talked to visitors at the event about staff retention and keeping employees happy. Social Media Makes Sense’s Joanna Booth meanwhile talked about how retailers can utilise social platforms. Tech Data and Context united to treat visitors to a live demo of the Oculus Rift headset, with Context’s UK and Ireland country manager Jonathan Wagstaff speaking about his favourite games for the platform and applications of VR across other verticals. Wagstaff was pleased with the event and said: “The event today has been great. Normally these events can be London or Southeast centric, so it has been good to see the North getting some love. We have had some very interesting feedback from people attending Boot Camp today. It always amazes me, 20 | PCR December 2016
the number of people who work in the industry, and talk about VR without trying the technology. I think because the Oculus is still in the early days of adoption, it’s very important to get hands on experience with it. Events like this are a great opportunity for people to get that. “Its been wonderful to talk to the channel today too, particularly independent retailers. With my job, I spend most of my time talking to vendors, distributors, and large retail chains, so its been really nice talking to smaller businesses to get the message through to them that VR is an opportunity they can also capitalise on. “It’s not just about the headsets, it is about the graphics cards, the accessories, the upgrades, and CPUs.” Target Components showed off its in-store PC builder and its E-Blue gaming selection along with security cameras, and lights from NightWatcher. Specialist reseller TERRA, another one of the event’s partners, brought its range of servers, workstation, monitors, and computers to
“The event has been a really good way to get a feel for the industry, and seeing that it is a very relationship driven, reactive market.” Patrick Mitchell, M2M Direct
the event. Caseking UK showcased its range of PC gaming equipment, tuning and cooling systems. The south London-based specialist distributor for memory and storage, M2M Direct, showed off its range of SSDs, computing accessories and storage devices along to the event. Patrick Mitchell of M2M Direct said: “It has been really good today. It’s nice to put some faces to names. The event has been a really good way to get a feel for the industry, and seeing that it is so much more than a channel market. It’s a very relationship driven, reactive market.” Not only did the event this year focus on giving distributors a chance to connect with resellers, PC and IT retailers were also given the perfect backdrop to win new suppliers and entice clients. The Demo Zone sessions were received well among attendees on the day. Speakers who are experts in their respective fields brought along their knowledge to share it with delegates attending the conference. Attendees left knowing a little more about the subjects that were discussed in the
different talks and workshops, and learnt more about some of the fantastic products that are on offer from some of the event’s partners. The IT channel might face its fair share of trials and tribulations within the next few years, but it is an industry made up of experts and trailblazers of technology. PCR Boot Camp North showed that the channel is an exciting, if unpredictable, place to be. Overall, the event was a very successful one. It was wonderful to see a few new people, along with a whole host of familar faces . PCR Boot Camp North gathered a wide asortment of delegates, ranging from independent retailers to leading distributors into one space, for one day. Visitors were provided an enjoyable and informative day that was dedicated to inspiring and informing them about what’s going on all around the UK’s IT channel. They were also given an exciting and educated insight into where tech is headed and the best ways that they can make sure they are ‘fit for business’ for years to come. www.pcr-online.biz
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James Rodger, Retail IT’s MD talks to Sophia Murray about what a contemporary retailer, selling and repairing its own software solutions, is truly like…
Website: www.retailit.com
Tell us about Retail IT’s background We started Retail IT in 2001 because we saw a gap in the market for shops that needed systems that were not ‘out of the box’. Most retailers are different in their approach and this is what makes the industry exciting. This does present challenges in that software systems generally cannot do everything a customer wants, so we put our focus in finding out the gaps and then making sure we address them with our portfolio of support services and products. We celebrated our 15 year anniversary this summer and to mark this milestone, we opened a new shop in our Wimbledon office. The store, which we affectionately dubbed ‘the concept boutique’, allows customers to sample our own software
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and technology offerings in a live working shop environment. We cater to the traditional shopping market which means our customers are not your typical consumers or enterprises in need of just a PC repair. We pride ourselves on having all the skills necessary to deliver highly tailored systems that we have developed ourselves. Our goal has always been to provide the same advanced systems to all our clients who typically are shops – from single stores to multi-national chains – and our diverse consumer-base reflects this. This means we have fantastic retail software solutions as a base, then making sure we use our skilled team to understand different requirements and then deliver them in a cost effective manner.
Email: info@retailit.com
Retail IT recently held an event to address some of the issues facing your clients. What types of issues were raised, and how does Retail IT plan to respond to them? I think clients who were there would have left with ideas about how they can utilise
“We put our focus in finding out the gaps and then making sure we address them.” James Rodger, Retail IT
technology to grow their business, especially the technology we deliver and repair. Obviously, we are on
hand to help any client with their technology needs, because we do repair the software they purchase from us, but the event covered much more than just the typical retailer and technology relationship. Our panel session covered closing the gender gap in the tech sector, payment by bitcoins, customer privacy, virtual reality etc. We had Sir Clive Woodward as a keynote speaker, talking about the importance of interpreting data and the importance of IT. He cited a number of examples from his sporting background. “Whoever wins in IT, tends to win” was the focus of his presentation. I think attendees would have gone away full of ideas and inspiration from what he had to say – and can apply these to their own operations.
What are your most popular support services and solutions? Our solutions such as click and collect, loyalty schemes and – more recently – e-receipts, are increasingly requested by our clients. We are also busy with finance package integrations, and the desire to be known as not only a retailer in the traditional sense within the channel, but as an almost omni-channel retailer, because of what we deliver through a raft of services and repairs. We offer repair services for our own ecommerce devoted software packages that we exclusively provide to our customers. Our team of specialist analysts are trained to be able to help our customers with their queries, and because we supply the software, we know exactly how to resolve any repair issues if and when they occur.
PCR December 2016 | 23
THE BIG INTERVIEW These are devices like baby monitors that are inside our homes so the risk and the challenge for vulnerability is really massive. This is going far beyond just the security of your personal data to questions of personal privacy and physical security. How vulnerable are non-PC devices such as smartphones, tablets and connected devices? Attacks against smartphones and tablets have been well documented and we certainly continue to see significant growth in this area. Even the iPhone has now proven to be vulnerable to attack.
play but that’s going to take years to figure out. At BullGuard we’ve taken the initiative to get out ahead of this. Earlier this year we acquired a really exciting Israeli consumer cyber security company called Dojo Labs. Dojo has built the world’s first, true network security solution for the home. It’s a smart security service that monitors your network, continually learning about device vulnerabilities and behaviour to keep the bad stuff from coming in and the things that you care about from getting out. We’re going to be releasing this service in
“About 5 per cent of the networks have some form of vulnerability. That’s over 200 million devices that are vulnerable to being hacked.” Paul Lipman, BullGuard CEO
The security of things Connected devices might be a relatively new concept, but the potential threats to them should not be overlooked. BullGuard CEO Paul Lipman speaks to Jonathan Easton about security and what is being done to ensure that the Internet of Things is safe…
W
hat are the biggest threats currently facing users? One of the most immediate and significant threats we see today is ransomware. We’ve seen over 500 per cent growth in ransomware over the past 12 months and a doubling of the size of the individual ransom amounts. This is now a billion dollar a year business and the reason that growth has been so significant is that it’s very
24 | PCR December 2016
easy, very cheap and very lowrisk for the cyber criminals. One of the more interesting threats we see on the horizon is all to do with the connected home. This is an exploding market. Devices like connected thermostats, security cameras, baby monitors, the list goes on. These devices bring real value into our lives, but unfortunately they typically come with nothing in the way of security protection.
At BullGuard we created an online scanner that scans your network and looks to see whether it is publicly accessible over the internet. You can go to iotscanner. bullguard.com to check it out. We’re doing over 100,000 scans on a weekly basis and we’re finding out that about 5 per cent of the networks we scan have some form of vulnerability. That’s over 200 million devices that are vulnerable to being hacked.
The real issue is with this fast growing new category of new connected home devices; what’s also referred to as the Internet of Things (IoT). The device manufacturers themselves don’t have much of an expertise in security and frankly don’t have much motivation to do anything meaningful in this area. They’re in the consumer electronics segment that moves very fast and they don’t have to focus on security. Their real focus is time to market and cost which unfortunately doesn’t leave much room for thinking about – much less investing in – fundamental security. Who is responsible for keeping consumers safe in this new world of IoT and connected devices? I think the question of responsibility is interesting, but ultimately we should be focused on who’s actually going to take action to do something about this. It’s not going to be the device manufacturers. Possibly the platform providers – companies like Amazon, Google, Samsung and Apple – will have a part to
early 2017 and it’s going to be a really compelling way for retailers and resellers to educate and advise their customers about the security aspects of the connected home and IoT. What are your future plans to deal with new and emerging threats? One of the things that makes this such an exciting and stimulating business is the fact that threats are continually evolving and increasing in sophistication. We have some of the best cyber researchers in the world on our team and they’re continually working to determine what the bad guys are up to and ensure that our protection stays several steps ahead of them. This comes from years of experience in the field. We have also developed machine learning technologies – basically a form of artificial intelligence – that takes in vast amounts of data from across our customer base and from across the internet at large to detect these attacks in real time and ensure that our customers are protected from being compromised.
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2016 REVIEW
The channel 2016 saw a host of news from Brexit and virtual reality to exploding smartphones and Pokémon Go, but what stories, events and technologies defined the year in IT and tech? Jonathan Easton gathers the channel together to reflect on the year that was…
T
HE YEAR THAT we are now leaving was, safe to say, a rather odd one. It was a year that saw a luminous reality tv star become the most powerful man on earth, and a year that saw one of the most influential artists on the planet leave it. Closer to home, 2016 saw lots of exciting movements within the channel with several areas of big growth. “While artificial intelligence, machine learning, and virtual reality (VR) received most of the attention for 2016, wearable technology gets my vote for biggest trend in 2016,” says Lifesize senior director of product manager Josh Duncan. “Adoption has moved from the early adopter to the mainstream market. Everywhere you look, people now have wearables.” Connected devices saw a big boom in 2016, perhaps
26 | PCR December 2016
even bigger than the media had expected, as Will Lui, country manager at TP-Link says: “Smart home technology is gaining significant traction as a retail category. This is one instance where we feel the general consumer as ‘got’ the technology far in advance of mainstream press. I would actually go as far as to say the consumer appetite for smart home technology has been totally underestimated.“ The popularity and potential of devices like the Amazon Echo and Google Home would suggest that Lui’s assertion is correct, but the internet of things (IoT) doesn’t just exist for consumers, as Maximity director Tracy Pound points out: “IoT from a business perspective was certainly a big trend this year, while Big Data is becoming more mainstream. Big Data has been talked about for a long
time and this year businesses seem to be grasping it a lot more and harnessing the data they have.” With all this gushing over smart tech, wearables and the IoT, iiyama’s Lewis Clifford
“Consumer appetite for smart home technology has been totally underestimated.” Will Lui, TP-Link
says that gaming is still dominating the channel and should not be ignored: “The Gaming market continued to pique the interest of many vendors due to the fast paced
and enthusiastic consumer wanting more options.” Outside of the realm of connected devices, it could be argued that it was something that has been around for over a decade that saw its biggest year in 2016. “Bluetooth technology continued its ‘boom’ over the past 12 months, with increasing demand for devices and accessories to become progressively more portable and eliminate the limitations of cables,” says Ben Jones, senior product manager at Hama. This demand was brought to a head with the new iPhone 7 in September that saw the complete exclusion of a headphone jack. After murmurings last year, Apple’s decision to remove the 3.5mm headphone jack from the iPhone was no surprise. Neither was the announcement of the
redesigned MacBook Pro that comes lacking the traditional USB 2.0 in light of 2015’s portlite MacBook. What was something of a surprise was the creative leap taken by Microsoft says Duncan. “Microsoft’s announcement of their new Surface Studio all-in-one computer was extremely wellreceived by the industry and received worthily praise from the press, usually reserved only for Apple.” It could certainly be argued that Microsoft’s current strategy harkens back to the heyday of the Cupertino computer company, where Steve Jobs presented Garageband on stage as a transformative tool for users. Showing off the design capabilities of its HoloLens augmented reality (AR) headset and its debut desktop has the potential to spur an otherwise staggering market www.pcr-online.biz
2016 REVIEW
in 2016 on agrees Duncan. “Microsoft’s focus on innovative PCs and input devices, like the new Surface Dial, can help drive a renewed interest in this form factor.” Microsoft also surprised many by entering into the the VR fray, creating headsets with some of its partners including HP, Dell and Asus. These array of devices are come especially as a surprise when considering the proposed extremely low entry price point of $300 for some of the devices. This is in stark contrast to the other major headsets that saw release in 2016: the £349 Playstation VR, the £549 Oculus Rift and the £759 HTC Vive. The latter of those saw a drastic price increase in the UK thanks to currency valuation changes caused by the fallout of Brexit. Until this point Brexit has been something of an www.pcr-online.biz
elephant in the room for this article. It was one of the, if not the biggest story in the UK this year. Its ramifications have sent ripples across all markets and industries – none more so than tech. The aforementioned Vive saw a £70 increase in cost, the OnePlus 3 was upped in price by £20 and Apple in October increased the prices of its computers across the board, including a £500 increase for a Mac Pro from 2013. This is, according to Jones “the most immediate, and probably the most significant, effect of Brexist. “As a result, many manufacturers or distributors importing materials and goods from overseas would have seen a sudden increase in costs, with many forced either to absorb the additional outlay themselves or risk the wrath of their own customers by subsequently
increasing their own prices further along the chain.” As is already apparent from price increases, “the harsh reality of Brexit is that consumers will begin to feel the impact on the pound in
“The whole process of Brexit has been a complete mess that’s damaged our economy.” Tracy Pound, Maximity their pockets,” says Gekko MD Dan Todaro. “Recent events such as the battle between Tesco and Unilever may be the benchmark for future price struggles between
brands and retailers. This still rings true six months on from the vote.” From the perspective of a vendor, Gigabyte Notebook UK country manager Steve Clark says that the repercussions of the UK’s decision to leave the EU have made life tough and has forced companies to rethink their strategies. “Obviously Brexit and the pound’s weakness, has applied big pressure to all our margins, and will probably continue to do so.” However, there is a universal belief that, in spite of the the potential headaches presented by Brexit, the channel will be okay. “The market remains resilient,” say Clifford. “Of course it has presented challenges, but both consumer and channel partner awareness of those challenges seems to have
improved significantly.” It is perhaps the uncertainty surrounding Brexit that has been the most damaging on the channel, claims Pound. “There is a lot of talk and arguments but no decisions. I still don’t know if Brexit is actually going to happen and if Article 50 will be triggered or ratified. The whole process has been a complete mess that’s damaged our economy.” Brexit was perhaps the largest defining feature of the past year, but the successes in tech and IT should not be overlooked. Exponential growth in wearables, the force of nature that is the IoT and the long-awaited mainstream arrival of virtual reality are all areas that should be looked upon as defining features for the year. The UK’s departure from the EU has dominated the conversation in 2016, but the the channel goes on. PCR December 2016 | 27
RESELLER PROFILE / OPINION
RESELLER PROFILE: INSPIRED TECHNOLOGY SERVICES As the business grew, our efficient and proactive approach to supply chain management led to our customers requesting more services from us. Moving on from supply chain management to fully managed services, Inspired Technology now offers a 360-degree philosophy as a technology partner and resource for our customers.
Inspired Technology Services’ director Ian Burns talks to Sophia Murray about the reseller’s responsible business philosophy and what it takes to deal with partners such as Dell, Acer, and Microsoft…
How did Inspired Technology Services begin? Inspired Technology Services was started in 2002 by a team of IT experts who knew that they could save businesses considerably on their purchase of technology hardware. The business began in a disused, dilapidated old people’s home with a few dedicated individuals, a small database of prospects, and a couple of phones.
What can you tell us about the types of businesses Inspired Technology Services works with? All the businesses we work with are different. We have customers from education, oil, gas, manufacturing, and insurance. Some of our business partners have huge – some worth billions of pounds – and are listed on the stock market. By contrast,
we also work with small charities and small-tomedium sized businesses (SMBs), which have a small turnover, but have a keen desire to work with us. Tell us about Inspired Technology Services’ values, and how they shape your relationships in the marketplace? As a business, we value building long-term relationships that benefits each party equally. The result of helping our customers grow their business is reflected in our aspirations to always be growing. Having an open understanding means that we can focus our help in areas that bring the most benefit to our clients. We want to work with businesses that want to challenge us to
continue delivering the best service in the marketplace and build win-win relationships. What trends do you think have shaped the IT channel this year, and how has Inspired Technology Services responded to those challenges? The transition to cloud services has been a major disrupter because of the realisation by both businesses and legislators of just how important securing networks are. We’ve been working closely with Microsoft and our distributors to get support and training so we understand the benefits and disadvantages. We’re doing this so we can stay true to our business ethos of getting the right fit for our customers.
Inspired Technology Services is a Kent-based reseller. www.inspiredtech.co.uk
Apple leaves gamers out in the cold once again With a sparkly new range of MacBook Pros revealed last month, Apple has once again created a premium product that ignores a big portion of PC users. PCR deputy editor Jonathan Easton thinks there’s no excuse for leaving gamers out in 2016… THE PC IS the world’s biggest gaming platform. This isn’t me talking from some kind of ivory tower, this is literally the statistical fact. In 2015, PC gaming revenues (and this is just software we’re talking about) reached a staggering £22.5 billion, compared with the £17.5 billion made by mobile gaming and £17.6 billion made by consoles. Why then, in a time where PC gaming is at the height of its pulling power, has Apple neglected it in the makeup of the latest MacBook Pro? When I bought my first Mac, my friends joked at me
28 | PCR December 2016
and asked which game I was going to play: World of Warcraft or Half-Life. As the platform has risen in popularity in the years since, and with the launch of Steam on Mac in 2010, owners of Apple desktops and notebooks have seen their OS of choice competently handle games, albeit not at the level of similarly priced Windows machines. However, the new MacBook Pro has one standout point of derision that is a sideways step: its graphics card options. The Pro features the debut of a new range of AMD cards:
“When comparing these AMD cards with the Nvidia 10-Series for notebooks, the startling difference is laughable.” Jonathan Easton, PCR
Pro 450, Pro 455, and Pro 460. They’re all available in different configurations of the 15-inch MacBook Pro, all use AMD’s new Polaris architecture, and all run on 35W or less. On its website, AMD says that the cards “are designed specifically for today’s makers – the artists, designers, photographers, filmmakers, visualizers and engineers that shape the modern content creation era”. In other words, they’re not powerful enough for gaming. To give them their dues, these cards prove competent enough when it comes to photo editing, playback of 4k
video and gaming at average settings with a 1080p resolution. However, when comparing these AMD cards with the Nvidia GeForce GTX 10-Series for notebooks (which are housed in similarly priced Windows PCs), the startling difference is laughable. I love the design of a Mac, the simple functionality of MacOS, the seamless integration with my iPhone and the way that everything seems to just work, but I can’t help the feeling that the gaming performance of this premium product will leave Apple as the butt of the joke once again.
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CES PREVIEW
30 | PCR December 2016
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CES PREVIEW
Get ready for CES 2017 The worlds of electronics and entertainment will descend on Las Vegas in January for four days of frenzied product launches and previews – Here’s what you need to know…
A
H, THE Consumer Electronics Show. Nothing says ‘welcome to the new year’ better if you work in or around the tech and entertainment industries. It’s the annual bell weather for the consumer electronics trade and has been since 1967, when the first CES was held in New York. Clearly, some things (but not all) have changed a bit since then. What will be on the agenda for 2017? Well, the conference keynote speakers are often a good place to start in terms of agenda-setting. This year we have Nvidia president
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& CEO Jen-Hsun Huang, Nissan’s Carlos Ghosn and Under Armour’s Kevin Plank. So right there we have GPUs and processors, automotive and wearable tech. You’d be hard-pressed to find more newsworthy or hotter topics in the field of tech right now. Each of these themes will be fleshed out in the extended conference sessions, which this year are covering lifestyle and sports technology, content and entertainment, wireless, automotive, robotics, smart home, the internet of things, enterprise solutions, printed
“CES is about the glitz and glamour of the show floor and the opportunity to get hands on with the latest and greatest products from the world’s leading manufacturers”
electronics and data privacy among others. There’s something for everyone there and if you’re travelling over from the UK, do make the time to jump in on some of the sessions. General attendees can purchase individual conference tracks or select from two pass options. Socalled SuperSessions, Keynotes, and free conference sessions are complimentary and accessible to all registered CES attendees. Seating in these free programs is first come, first served, so make sure you get in there quick!
But for all the conference activity, CES is really about the glitz and glamour of the show floor and the opportunity to get hands on with the latest and greatest products from most of the world’s leading manufacturers. And here’s where some things haven’t changed in the last 50 years – The TV (or perhaps more accurately, displays) are still the main attraction. You’ll have a raft of 4k product announcements from manufacturers big and small, but keep an eye out for something a little special in the form of a few more Ks on the pixel count. PCR December 2016 | 31
CES PREVIEW
7,545
53,808
177,393
The number of media that attended in 2016
Number of 2016 delegates from outside the US
Total number of delegates that came through the CES doors in 2016
81
32,939
68,331
2,500,000,000
The number of countries expected to be represented at CES this year
Attending representatives from buying organisations in 2016
‘Senior level’ executives who attended the last CES
The number of ‘media impressions’ generated from 2016 show coverage
IN NUMBERS* *2016 independent CES audit
Sticking with visual experiences, you probably won’t be able to turn a corner without bumping into someone wearing a VR headset. With Sony having just launched its PlayStation VR, there will be plenty of buzz around its supporting content, plus what’s on offer from rival platforms Oculus Rift and HTC Vive and any new devices. Mobile technology will be front and centre too. While many vendors will save their goodies for the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona at the end of February, no opportunity will be missed to capitalise on
32 | PCR December 2016
“ASUS, Acer, Dell, HP, Lenovo et al will be in the room with product announcements to shout about.”
Apple’s latest headphone-less iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. In fact, echoes of the iPhone 7 reveal will probably be heard in rival product announcements waxing lyrical about waterproofing and the ability to take pictures in low light environments. Of course, computing always has a big presence at CES. It’s hard to predict exactly what we’ll see beyond iterative upgrades in processing power and form factor, but ASUS, Acer, Dell (which is set to have its own take on Microsoft’s Surface Studio in tow), HP, Lenovo et al will be in the room with
product announcements to shout about. In addition, Microsoft will have its aforementioned desktop machine on show, plus the Creators Edition of Windows 10, which is due for a spring 2017 release. And drones. Drones as far as the eye can see. As always, we’ll be covering all the CES product
announcements relevant to the UK tech channel as they happen over on the PCR website, so get your bookmarks at the ready! It’s also worth noting that the CES has extended its tendrils into Europe, with its one-day Unveiled events having just taken place in Paris and Prague in October – keep an eye out for 2017 dates.
The ‘Need To Know’ CES 2017 January 5th-8th Las Vegas Convention Center www.ces.tech
Twittter: #CES2017 @CES www.pcr-online.biz
2017 PREVIEW
Future tech
2016 saw a stellar year for emerging tech, but will 2017 follow suit? Jonathan Easton asks the channel where it thinks IT and tech are going to go over the next 12 months…
S
PECULATION IS, in many ways, the bread and butter of our industry. Whether it is attempting to predict the evolving wants and needs of users, or preempting the moves of the big names in tech, much of the channel’s job is, all things considered, guesswork. Hopefully then, with an informed array of voices, we can try to put together a patchwork of what the channel – and wider tech – will look like at this time in the coming year. EMERGING TECH 2016 was the year that saw a lot of what had, for many, only ever been a sci-fi pipedream, come true in houses around the country. Virtual reality (VR) made its mainstream bow through a multi-million pound PlayStation VR ad campaign and with the retail releases of the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive headsets. Similarly, smart home tech that had threatened to break through into the mainstream for some time, finally reached
34 | PCR December 2016
an affordability for retailers to consider it as more than just a niche and for consumers to consider propelling their houses headfirst into the bright future. So what does the channel think will be the big thing for the next year? “One of the most exciting technology solutions that is poised to emerge in 2017 is Wi-Fi powered devices,” says Lifesize senior director of product management Josh Duncan. “This technology will allow the deployment of smart sensors that do not need power adaptors or batteries. The benefits will not only result in implementations that are easier to manage, but will also provide considerable cost savings. This breakthrough will help drive pervasive deployments of building management, security, and logistic tracking sensors.” On more of a consumer level, Hama’s Ben Jones thinks that the wearables industry will continue to grow. “With many of us leading busy, onthe-go lifestyles, there is likely
“I expect AI to take the tech world by storm in 2017.” Dan Todaro, Gekko
to be a number of developments in the wearable tech industry throughout 2017, with the area remaining a significant point of focus for research and development departments.” Daniel Todaro, Gekko MD, has a similar prediction that we will see pre-existing tech improved upon and increase its public awareness. “With the recent release of Amazon Echo in the UK, and Google’s reveal of the Google Home smart speaker, I expect AI to take the tech world by storm in 2017. “Brands have only scratched the surface of this technology, which could quickly become mainstream if given enough support.” Smart tech for homes is certainly an area that the channel thinks will expand. Will Lui, country manager at TP-Link says: “Smart home technology is gaining traction as a retail category, and we expect this trend to grow yet again in 2017.” Smart home technology, such as the Amazon Echo and
the Google Home, have brought artificial intelligence into the living room. Vanti CEO and CompTIA executive council member Mike Brooman believes that AI will boom in the new year, and not just in smart home applications. “I think we’re going see AI taking a more central role in the industry. We’ve already started to see glimpses of it coming through this year but what we’ll see in 2017 is it becoming more mainstream. I was at an event this year and spoke to a Managing Director at a law firm who had hired a Chief Innovation Officer to look at AI’s impact on their business. This highlights how even people outside of the technology industry are looking at this area – people are taking notice of the exponential change occurring.” In the business world, iiyama senior account manager Lewis Clifford thinks that audio visual solutions for business will see continued development in 2017: “The continued emergence of www.pcr-online.biz
2017 PREVIEW
meeting room and corporate AV solutions to harness collaborative interactivity both “in-room” and remotely will step up a gear for 2017.” So those are some of the aspects of tech that the channel thinks are going to emerge over the next 12 months, but what markets are going to grow? “Security will only continue to grow next year as concerns about data safety remain and we’re going to continue to see some high-profile security breaches, which will only drive this,” Brooman says. It’s not only the security software market that will see growth in 2017, but hardware as well, says Synology marketing manager Joanne Plummer: “Surveillance will always grow, there will always be the need for it wherever you are. Sad as that may be.” As mentioned earlier, VR really entered into the mainstream consciousness in 2016 and it shows no sign of slowing down. With Microsoft’s public push of augmented reality (AR) however, will 2017 see www.pcr-online.biz
one overtake the other or will both VR and AR co-exist? “I think AR will be a bigger focus this year than VR,” says Maximity director and CompTIA executive council member Tracy Pound. “That is not to say VR will stagnate, it certainly has a role to play in areas such as gaming and leisure activities, however from a business perspective AR can be much more easily incorporated.” Todaro however believes that the two will expand and develop simultaneously: “VR and AR will both grow together, offering different things to different consumers. “AR will have a massive impact, but the immersive experiences created by VR in gaming and cinema can’t be matched in the ‘real world’. Expect both to be big players in 2017.” Entatech MD Dave Stevinson holds a similar belief: “VR and AR are complementary. Both will grow. In the end, the two technologies will be on a single chipset.” While VR and AR were very much at the front of the
“The desktop will definitely continue its decline in 2017.” Mike Brooman, Vanti
cutting-edge tech conversation, what was not new for 2016 was the decline of the PC with sales continuing to fall year-on-year. “The desktop will definitely continue its decline in 2017,” says Brooman. “There is so much focus in organisations on flexibility and mobile working. Mobility is such a priority now, even if your job isn’t inherently mobile people are increasingly looking at flexible working, meaning more mobile working models will become paramount.“ In a similar vein, Jones says: “Gone are the days of chunky monitors and computer towers dominating our offices and homes. As modern living spaces becomes smaller, people are demanding more space conscious, portable alternatives that are easy to transfer between rooms or take with them on the go.” Making an assertion that the entire PC space is set on an inescapable path of failure however would be an overstatement. “Technology goes in cycles,” says Pound.
“When I first started 32 years ago, PCs were just coming into businesses and they boomed, then once they got power behind them the industry went back to centralised processing and control, then the PC rose again and once again its use is being questioned. “I don’t think the PC is dead, but it is just in the downward stage of the technology cycle – they are being used less right now but they will come back when people want more localised static control.” Nobody knows for certain what the next 12 months will bring or what exciting an unforeseen developments will happen. There is no way of predicting the emergence of radical disruptive technology. Equally, the predictions made by the channel, as informed as they are, have the possibility of being disproven. There’s only one thing that we can say is an absolute certainty right now: with VR, AR, AI and lots of other techy acronyms being developed on, 2017 won’t be boring. PCR December 2016 | 35
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ANALYSIS
How VPAs are helping to make sense of the smart home With Amazon and Google setting their sights on the smart home market, Sophia Murray looks at VPA-enabled devices and the brands behind them…
T
he rise of virtual personal assistant (VPA)-enabled wireless speakers has been meteoric. Amazon’s Echo and Google Home are the two big names in the space right now, but with rumours that the likes of Microsoft and Apple are will enter into the fray within the next year or so, who will be the victor in this battle for the smart home? The smart home is still an incredibly new concept to most consumers, but the positive reception of Amazon’s Alexa-equipped Echo and the simplified nature of voice control look set to ensure that more consumers will latch onto and engage with the concept. Exertis head of Smart Tech and IoT at Exertis Rod Slater thinks that this is the case and finds it difficult to predict which will dominate. “Early demonstrations of Google Home look as exciting as Amazon’s Alexa. “Both will be vying for market share and for manufacturers to enable
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compatibility with their respective voice assistant. “Big players like Amazon, Google and Apple recognise that voice activation will help drive adoption of smart tech products in the home. Connectivity is still a big challenge for consumers and voice offers a new solution.” As Slater states, the competition is only going to get more intense with additional vendors entering the market. Gartner predicts the market will be worth $2 billion by 2020, and 3.3 per cent of households will be have VPA-enabled gear. These VPAs don’t just provide users with an easy way to pick songs or set reminders though. They are introducing more people to the idea of connected devices and making them as simple to use as possible, according to Netamo CEO and Founder of Fred Potter: “Our Connected Thermostat is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Apple HomeKit. The user can ask Siri or Alexa to change the temperature of the house.
“The danger for consumers is with products from the not-so-major brands, the low cost products that may not be so security conscious.” Rod Slater, Exertis
We strongly believe in voice-controlled IoT. We think this new possibility is great for users as it offers them a seamless experience of the smart home. These features are new, but we already received very good feedback from our users.” Amazon’s Echo has dominated the conversation thus far and the company has already seen a great deal of success with the device both critically and commercially. Potter said: “The smart home market is going to grow even stronger in the next few years. We conceive our smart home products for our customers to better understand their environment and enhance their lifestyle. With objects being connected, users can access more information, improve their habits, and better protect their family.” However, consumers might be left vulnerable by lesserknown brands and products which don’t have as much of a reputation, as Slater explains: “Leading brands are fully aware of the importance of
security in their products, and have taken considerable steps to make security a key element in their products. The danger for consumers is with products from the notso-major brands, the low cost products that may not be so security conscious.“ The sudden boom in the Echo and similar products is no surprise. People have become well versed in speaking to their devices. Apple launched Siri with the iPhone 4S in 2011 and this introduced most people to the concept of VPAs. Since then, users have become wellversed in speaking to their smartphones about the weather and even getting a film suggestion from their digital media players like Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV. Ultimately, this means the adoption of wireless speakers with them in is the next step in the evolution of VPAs. VPAs are no longer a novelty. They are here and making a difference in how we use tech. What happens next is sure to be exciting. PCR December 2016 | 37
MYSTERY SHOPPER
Mystery Santa The holidays are fast approaching and with them comes the joys of spending time with family and gorging yourself on too much food along with the nightmare of the office’s inevitable Secret Santa. To help you out, we gave our Mystery Shopper the important task of finding a ridiculous bit of tech online (that’s suitable to be printed) for under £20…
STAR STORE
5/10 AMAZON AMAZON PRIDES itself on giving users a tailored experience, but in the situation of gift shopping that can prove more of a hinderance than a help. Presenting me with a variety of suggestions on the homepage based on my previous purchase history, I’m left at a loss for finding things to buy as a present. The only thing that looks vaguely present-like is a Kindle Fire Kids Edition for £79.99, but that’s both out of my price range and it isn’t nearly silly enough for a Secret Santa gift. 38 | PCR December 2016
Thankfully however a search for ‘Secret Santa’ presents me with an overhwelming amount of entirely outrageous gifts. Refining the search to just contain items categorised as Electronics & Photo, I settle on the Invero USB Muti-Coloured Illuminated Fountain Style Dancing Water Stereo Speakers priced at a handy £20.00. Not exactly the best experience for shoping for someone that isn’t yourself, but Amazon can’t be rivalled for the sheer amount of stuff it stocks.
“The best thing I can say about John Lewis‘ online store is that it presents what you want without you really having to think about it.”
9/10 JOHN LEWIS CLICKING ON a big ‘for a Christmas that everyone will love’ banner at the top of the John Lewis homepage takes me to pretty much every Christmas related thing that I can hope for. On that page, subcategories are clearly defined under various headers and I head to the ‘Techie Gifts’. There are 63 items tagged as ‘Techie Gifts’ but with an easy to use filter system on the side of the page, I narrow the items down to £0 - £15. Immediately, I can see the sort of gifts that would be a great option for a Secret
Santa and I decide on the RED5 Mini Cooper Remote Controlled Car. With standard delivery within 5 working days for £3.50 or a click and collect option from any John Lewis or Waitrose store tomorrow afternoon for £2.00, this sits neatly within my budget. The best thing I can say about John Lewis’ online store is that it presents what you want without you really having to think about it. A great range that is clearly labelled and perfectly set up for Christmas shopping. www.pcr-online.biz
MYSTERY SHOPPER
8/10 URBAN OUTFITTERS A SLIGHTLY OUT of left-field choice, but with a reputation for hipster fashion and odd knick-knacks, I suspect that Urban Outfitters might prove a successful hunting ground for cheap tat. Clicking on the gifts section on the menu bar at the top of the page, I am presented with several options including Stocking Fillers and gifts for £25 and under. Browsing the latter category, I see several quirky gift ideas, before settling on the Case-Mate Virtual Reality Viewer. At £15, it’s a glorified Google
Cardboard VR viewer, but it would no doubt prove a hit at an office Christmas party. With options to click and collect in 3-5 working days from my closest store or standard delivery for £3.99 this sits comfortably in my budget of £20. A good variety of gift ideas clearly labelled and categorised for the holiday season. While it’s primarily filled with fashionable clothing, Urban Outfitters actually also hosts a surprisingly impressive array of techy gift ideas and is great for a Secret Santa.
SUMMARY
7/10
4/10 MAPLIN WITHOUT A clearly defined gift area, Maplin’s site might seem unfriendly for shopping for a Secret Santa, but looking in the ‘Gadgets, Toys and Hobbies’ section there are lots of different options that might work as presents. Immediately, however, a roadblock appears: price. The majority of the things shown off by Maplin – while being reduced and on offer – are far in excess of my budget. With no way of whittling down to more budget items, I am left fumbling through options ranging from 3D www.pcr-online.biz
VERY printers and soldering tools to cameras and toys. I eventually settle upon a suitably weird present for a Secret Santa: OEM Beginner’s Metal Detector with Analogue Display. Priced at £14.96 with free delivery, my mystery recipient will be fishing for coins in the middle of a field come Christmas day. While it has a great in store experience, Maplin online leaves a lot to be desired especially when it comes to gift buying. Free delivery and click and collect on some items is a welcome addition.
THE FIRST hurdle I hit with Very comes down to the hypothetical person I’m shopping for. A clearly labelled Christmas section at the top of the page is a good start, but subsections of gifts for him and her make buying an all-purpose fits Secret Santa gift a bit of a bother. Nevertheless, seeking out a gender neutral gift from both sections’ stocking filler parts is a good experience. Having a preset limit of £20, an easy to use ‘shop by product’ sidebar allows me to filter down my options.
With a wide range of gadgets and gizmos on offer, I settle on a Retro Plug-andPlay Games Controller. A PlayStation 4 Pro it might not be, but for £12.99 and £3.99 in shipping, I’m sure that the recipient of this Secret Santa gift will have at least a couple of hours worth of fun. Tech might not be Very’s forte, but in the search for a Secret Santa gift, the site’s clear layout and signposting ensures a relatively stress-free gift shopping experience. Very has enough variety to make gift shopping mostly painless.
GIFT SHOPPING is never going to be the most exhilarating experience in the world, but a good website can turn what would otherwise be a dreary time into, at best, swift and painless. Going in with absolutely no knowledge of what to buy for my lucky gift recipient, the guidance (or lack thereof) towards gift ideas and suggestions were key in this exercise. In spite of being the biggest name in the online retail space, Amazon presented a surprisingly poor affair. The dearth of products on offer makes an unknowledgable shopper feel like a tadpole in the middle of an ocean. By contrast, the more tailor-made Christmas gift sections of Urban Outfitters, John Lewis and (to a lesser extent) Very, made them stand out. Maplin, however, is a stand out for the opposite reason. While John Lewis and Urban Outfitters have websites that match and in many surpass their physical counterparts, Maplin’s site seems a bit thrown together and lacks the assistance that makes the brick and mortar stores stand out from the pack.
PCR December 2016 | 39
Recommended Dedicated monthly product coverage
The latest tech Editorial planner
Microsoft claims that, at 12.5 mm thick, the Surface Studio has the world’s thinnest LCD screen
The device’s hinge allows the touchscreen to be tilted down to a 20 degree angle
The high-end Surface Studio comes with an Nvidia GTX 980M and a 6th generation Intel i5 processor
Microsoft Surface Studio PC cretes waves MICROSOFT HAS announced details of its new Surface Studio PC, with what the company claims to be the world’s thinnest LCD monitor, at 12.5mm. The touchscreen display measures 28 inches across and is contained within a forged aluminium enclosure. Output for the display comes in at 13.5 million pixels, which is claimed to be 63 per cent more than a 4K TV.
Designed with the creative industries in mind, the Surface Studio supports expanded colour output, which is a necessity for photographers, designers and videographers, in what Microsoft calls ‘True Colour’. Powered by Intel’s 6th generation i5 processor, the display also benefits from a 3:2 aspect ratio with 192 pixels per inch, combined with an Nvidia GTX 980M
GPU to handle graphics in the premium models and 965M in lower-cost units. The big selling point for the Surface Studio is the addition of a hinge that allows the display to be adjusted to a 20-degree orientation, giving users the ability to draw on the touchscreen. A variety of peripherals are also available, including the Surface Pen and the Surface Dial, the latter being a brand
new product that can be placed directly on the screen to trigger menus and alter features such as volumes, scrolling through documents or altering screen brightness. A neat feature included with the Surface Studio is built-in palm rejection for the touchscreen, which was developed to stop false inputs and help user comfort. As expected, there’s also audio input, with an SD
card slot, Mini DisplayPort, ethernet and USB 3.0 ports, and a built-in microphone. However, the big aim from Microsoft with the Surface Studio is to make creating 3D content as easy as possible for the millions of Windows 10 users, helped by an update to the Paint app – now called Paint 3D – and more updates which will integrate 3D across popular Microsoft applications.
Contact: Microsoft | http://microsoft.com | Price: £3,000 | Out: TBC
42 | PCR December 2016
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RECOMMENDED
Apple’s MacBook Pro refresh THE LONG-awaited updated to the popular MacBook Pro was announced by Apple at the end of October, with three new versions hitting the shelves imminently.
“The new MacBook Pro will appeal to the legions of Mac users.” The 13inch and 15inch laptops both feature USB-C ports and a retina display, plus the addition of a multitouch ‘Touch Bar’ that replaces the ESC button, function and power keys found on regular QWERTY
keyboards. Processing power comes from a sixth-gen Intel Skylake processor. All models are housed in a slim new design with the Touch Bar included on two of the three models, and a cheaper version without.
It also comes as no surprise to find that Apple has removed the traditional USB ports and the MagSafe charging port, replacing them with USB-C/ Thunderbolt ports, four on all Touch Bar models and two
on the 13-inch model minus Touch Bar. The 3.5mm headphone jack is still included on all three models. The USP on the updated Macbook Pro is the Touch Bar, effectively a slim touchscreen display that sits
across the top of the keyboard and gives access to a variety of functions. The Touch Bar also supports multitouch, which allows the user to access applications whereby swiping or using two fingers to interact is a necessity. It also supports and includes a Touch ID fingerprint scanner allowing Apple Pay payments. There’s also the addition of a larger trackpad than on previous models, which include Apple’s Force Touch tech, sensitive to varying degrees of touch pressure. All things considered, the new MacBook Pro will appeal to the legions of Mac users that already own older models, while the new Touch Bar will certainly get the attention of gadget/tech heads looking for something to new to play with.
Contact: Apple | http://apple.com | Price: £1,449 (13-inch without Touch Bar), £1,749 (256GB 13-inch model with Touch Bar), £1,949 (512GB 13-inch model with Touch Bar), £2,349 (2.6GHz, 256GB 15-inch with Touch Bar), £2,699 (2.7GHz, 12GB 15-inch with Touch Bar)
New range of gaming New Tritton ARK series mice from Mad Catz gaming headsets
MAD CATZ, has begun shipping its upgraded line of RAT mice – The RAT1, RAT4, RAT8, RAT PRO S+ and RAT PRO X+ all include newly-installed sensors that help to improve the overall performance of user commands, including faster reaction times, new button configurations to help engage with gameplay. These new sensors also help the comfort and feel of each particular mouse. Other features include various adjustments to each mouse in order to accommodate different hand
shapes. Also featured is integrated intelligent lighting, enabling users to select up to 16.8 million colour variations and apply various illumination effects, plus ‘Flux Software Interface’ (integrated software that allows users to quickly tune all aspects of the sensor), macro buttons and RGB LEDs to meet specific wants and needs. All mice come wired with a 1.8m lcable, with main button life ranging from 5 million clicks (RAT1) to 50 million (RAT PROX+).
Contact: Mad Catz | http://madcatz.com | Price: £15.99 - £160 | Out: Now
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ALSO RECENTLY announced by Mad Catz are the newly-designed Tritton ARK series of gaming headsets. Designed after extensive research and development by the team behind the award-winning Tritton gaming headset line, the ARK series has been developed to deliver exceptional audio quality, with a comfortable fit. Built on three factors, the headsets consist of Audionomics, a mono-curve
design that unifies audio fidelity and ergonomics to help with sound and comfort. R:Drive delivers speakers capable of multiple frequencies, similar to hi-fi, in what the company claims to be a first in gaming headsets. Finally, Kameleon provides motiondynamic RGB lighting, allowing users the ability to customise each headset. ARK will be available in PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions.
Contact: Mad Catz | http://madcatz.com | Price: £59.99 - £245 | Out: Now
PCR December 2016 | 43
RECOMMENDED
Zotac celebrates 10 years with new mini PC
ASUS makes portable VR a reality ASUS ROG have announced the G701VI gaming laptop, designed with immersive VR gaming in mind. It comes with a plethora of onboard features, including over-clockable NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 graphics providing high-end visuals and VR ready performance, a super-fast 120Hz wide-viewing-angle panel and NVIDIA G-Sync for fast moving gaming visuals. It also hosts an anti-ghosting keyboard with 30-key rollover tech providing ‘total gaming control’.
Powered by an Intel Core i7 (Skylake) with 64GB of 2400MHz DDR4 memory delivering over 20 per cent more performance and 30 per cent more energy efficient over 1600MHz DDR3 RAM, the processor aims to give users desktop-grade gaming performance with portability. In addition, the unit comes with an HD, two speakers, SonicMaster Sonic Studio, 1, HDMI, mini Displayport, Thunderbolt 3, Gigabit Ethernet, 1x USB 3.1 Type-C and x 3 USB 3.0.
Contact: ASUS | http://asus.com | Price: £3,099 | Out: TBC
COMPUTER HARDWARE manufacturer Zotac International has announced details of the new 10-year Anniversary Edition Magnus EN1080. The unit is a very neat full-on gaming machine, measuring just 225 x 203 x 128mm. Graphics are handled with a GeForce GTX 1080, alongside an Intel Core i7-6700 processor, which is liquid cooled. There are two DDR4-SODIMM slots, a 2.5inch SATA tray and an M.2 slot supporting both SARA and PCIe solid
state drives (the idea is that you supply your own memory and storage). One of the system’s biggest selling points is that it is VR ready (HDMI port and two USB 3.1 ports on the front). It also sports an SD card slot and HD audio connections. Powered by two power bricks, the Magnus EN1080 also benefits from 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.2 and a specially designed case with Spectra lighting system on three sides. It all just goes to show that good things do come in small packages.
Contact: Zotac | http://zotac.com | Price: TBC | Out: TBC
Samsung wants to take back the galaxy with the S8
Micro Bit goes massive LAUNCHED BACK in May this year, the Micro Bit compact computer board is set to become a global phenomenon, with sales of the unit expected in excess of tens of millions and a goal to reach over 100 million people worldwide. Formally led by the BBC, the project has now been handed over to a new non-profit organisation, the Micro Bit Educational Foundation, headed up by CEO Zach Shelby, with the unit available throughout Europe in the coming months and plans to arrive in
the US, Canada and China sometime in 2017. The expansion to North America and China coincides with a planned upgrade of the Micro Bit, including new sensors, boost in computing power and extra LED lights to cope with Chinese language detectors. Big plans indeed, in what the BBC have claimed is its most ambitious education project since the launch of the BBC Micro home computer almost three decades ago.
Contact: Micro Bit Educational Foundation | http://www.microbit. co.uk | Price: £15 | Out: Now
44 | PCR December 2016
WITH AN increase in sales of 10 per cent in 2016, and an estimated 1.5 billion smartphones sold, South Korean hardware giant Samsung is looking to capitalise on its market position with the launch of its most powerful mobile device yet – the S8. Samsung has been hard at work developing the S8, with unconfirmed reports that first units will start hitting the shelves in April 2017. After the Note 7 battery issues that dented customer confidence , Samsung knows it needs to get the S8 right in order to win back consumer trust.
Specs include a 5.1” QHD screen, a 90 screen-to-body ratio and iris scanner. It also includes hardware that will make it capable of mobile VR. Other rumours suggest that the Home button will be replaced with a fingerprint scanner built directly into the screen which will curved from left and right edges and top to bottom. There’s also the addition of 12MP and 13MP sensors, with more news on how they’ll work to be set to be announced over the coming months. There’s also meant to be a new battery that only needs charging once a week.
Contact: Samsung | http://samsung.com | Price: TBA | Out: TBA
www.pcr-online.biz
RECOMMENDED
BOSE cuts the cord with wireless QC30
Huawei Mate 9 makes a big impact CHINESE SMARTPHONE manufacturer Huawei has announced its most powerful Android device yet, with the hope of converting Apple and Samsung users along the way. Mate 9 comes with a Kirin 960 octcore processor, with the company claiming it is Huawei’s most powerful device yet. There’s also a 4000mAh battery connecting via USB-C giving two days’ full use before recharging, according to Huawei at least. There’s also a 5.9-inch HD display and a Leica-
made main dual lens on the rear of the unit suitable for capturing 4K video. The device will be made available on the Three network in the UK, with a choice of six colour schemes to choose from – including the ever so trendy rose gold pictured above. Pre-orders of the Mate 9 are set to begin with 12 countries, including China, France and Germany, although there is no news as to when UK consumers will be able to purchase the device just yet.
Contact: Huawei | http://huawei.com | Price: TBA | Out: TBA
WITH HEADPHONES (and their connecting jacks) seemingly all the rage of discussion at the moment, BOSE has fired a shot in the wireless segment with its QC30 noisecancelling in-earphones. The company has been here before, trumping the big and bulky noise-cancelling offerings of its rivals with the wire-free QuietComfort 20i back in 2013. BOSE has sought to up the ante with its latest QC30 range – the biggest change is the wireless functionality, but the users also now have the ability to control just how much noisecancellation they want or need (QC now stands for ‘QuietControl’).
The look and feel of the headphones has also been given a once over, as you’d expect. But perhaps the most noticeable feature is the rather large battery pack that hangs around the user’s neck. Early reviews have been mixed as to whether this is too intrusive/heavy, or whether the extra-long 10 hour battery life available as a result more than makes up for any ergonomic deficiency. Regardless, these headphones pack a punch.
Contact: BOSE | www.bose.com | Price: £229.95 | Out: Available now
Editorial Planner
A look at the biggest features coming up in PCR over the next few months...
January 2017
February 2017
March 2017
THE CLOUD
RETAIL
VR
This month we look into the possibilites of the cloud and the way it is affecting how business is done in the UK IT channel.
PCR casts an eye on the retail space, examining everything from the high-street to the indies.
March’s edition of PCR will look at one of the most successful emerging technologies of the past few years, reflecting on the VR market.
Elsewhere in this issue, PCR makes its predictions for the coming year and discusses storage solutiuons.
Also featured are a review of CES 2017, our retail buyers guide, and retail survey.
There will also be a preview of the 2017 PCR Awards, and a focus on business software, speakers, docks and headphones in our sector guides.
Advertising Deadline
Advertising Deadline
Advertising Deadline
December 8th
January 13th
February 14th
www.pcr-online.biz
PCR December 2016 | 45
TravelMate P238
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Call our specialist sales teams North 01282 776776 South 01256 707070 store.exertis.co.uk
SECTOR GUIDE
Holiday gifts in the (saint) nick of time For as long as we’ve had Christmasses, we have seen people rushing to buy gifts at the last minute. Make sure that your Christmas gift shopping goes as smoothly as possible with PCR’s guide for last-minute stocking fillers …
BILLOW SMART FITNESS BAND
CREATIVE NUNO MICRO
Distributor: Spire Technology
Distributor: Exertis
A fitness tracker that doubles as a sleep-monitoring device, and has a OLED screen makes it the ideal gift this festive season. Users can track their calorie intake, as well as logging their movements on GetFit 2.0.
The Nuno Micro is a compact, portable, and wireless speaker with a one-piece system configuration. The speaker has a nice design with a fabric exterior and can connect to pretty much any device through either Bluetooth or a 3.5mm AUX input.
Specs: Bluetooth 4.0, OLED screen, 70mAh battery
Specs: Bluetooth 2.1, 0.6 m USB cable, 180g, stylish fabric exterior
SRP: £19.99
SRP: £24.99
BILLOW SMART TV ANDROID STICK
FITBIT BLAZE SMART FITNESS WATCH
FRESH ‘N REBEL ROUND FABRIQ BLUETOOTH SPEAKER
Distributor: Spire Technology
Distributor: CMS Distribution
Distributor: Hama
This USB stick enables standard TVs to be used as smart ones. With built-in Android TV operating system, numerous applications are available. Functions like web browsing and internet phone calls are also possible with this device.
Smart fitness watch with bespoke faces and frames, high-resolution touchscreen, FitStar workout and Connected GPS. This is a high-end fitness tracker with a difference. Users can receive calls, and text notifications directly to the device whist they monitor their heart performance with PurePulse.
Water proof Rockbox Round Fabriq Edition fabric speaker for music enthusiasts who want sound quality and style. Speakers connect wirelessly to smartphones, notebooks, or tablets for up to eight hours of music. Available in five different colours with a tanned leather label.
Specs: Quad Core, 1GB, 8GB storage, Bluetooth, HDMI
Specs: 1.66-inch, 240 x 180 pixel, colour touchscreen LCD, five day battery life
Specs: Bluetooth 4.0, 800 mAh rechargeable battery, 3.5 mm audio cable, micro-USB charging cable
SRP: £49.99
SRP: £159.99
SRP: £34.99
www.pcr-online.biz
PCR December 2016 | 47
SECTOR GUIDE
SAVE2DATA LIGHTNING FLASHPEN
NOKE SMART PADLOCK
TANGRAM SMART ROPE
Distributor: Hama
Distributor: CMS Distribution
Distributor: CMS Distribution
Increases memory capacity for Apple devices, the Save2Data FlashPen has USB 3.0 connectors that quickly transfer files between the flash storage device, smartphone, or PC. Users can back up their photos, videos, or any high memory files. Data can be downloaded or safely stored with the help of the flashpen’s secure 32GB storage capacity.
This smart padlock connects to a smartphone with Bluetooth 4.0 and uses an app to lock and secure whatever you want to keep safe. Users can manage multiple locks from the app, name them and create their own custom settings for individual Noke locks.
LED-embedded skipping rope that displays fitness data whilst users workout. The smart rope syncs with the Smart Gym mobile fitness platform to track workout times, jump count, and how many calories have been burned. Users can also compete with their friends via a Facebook app.
Specs: 90 MB/s data transfer rate, 32 GB, iPhone and iPad compatible
Specs: Bluetooth: 4.0, 2032-coin cell battery, PKI technology, and cryptographic key exchange protocol.
Specs: Available in gold, chrome, or black, 314g, Bluetooth 4.0 LE, two hour charge time with micro USB cable, lithium polymer battery.
SRP: £59.99
SRP: £59.99
SRP: £69.99
TILE MATE
SPHERO BB-8 DROID
AV1200 GIGABIT PASSTHROUGH POWERLINE AC WI-FI KIT
Distributor: CMS Distribution
Distributor: CMS Distribution
Distributor: Entatech, Exertis, Spire Technology, CMS Distribution
The tile mate is a neat little device that can be attached to most things, from phones to keys. Users can locate their Tiled items by sound. If the item cannot be found, the Tile app shows users the last known location of the item they are looking for on a map. The Tile community can also be called upon to help users locate their missing item or items. Tile Mate can locate missing phones by calling the device despite the handsets being set on silent, and users receive notification when it’s time to replace a Tile.
Straight out of the Star Wars universe comes the remote controlled BB-8. It’s no normal remote controlled toy though, BB-8 is an app-enabled droid that responds to users based upon their actions and voice commands. Users can create or view holographic recordings and guide their droid with their smartphone or tablet.
The AV1200 Gigabit Passthrough Powerline ac Wi-Fi Kit provides transfer speeds of up to 1200Mbps, and has dual band Wi-Fi. There is an additional power socket for other devices. A Wi-Fi clone button enables the name of the network and its password to be duplicated, the auto-sync function means extenders can be added to a powerline network easily.
Specs: Bluetooth LE, water resistant, 6.1 g, 34 x 34 x 4.65 mm, Android, iOS.
Specs: Voice command, holographic recording and videos, smartphone or tablet guidance
Specs: 1200Mbps transfer speeds, 2x2 MIMO, and dual band Wi-Fi, SSID settings
SRP: £22.99
SRP: £129.99
SRP: £124.99
48 | PCR December 2016
www.pcr-online.biz
SECTOR GUIDE
PROPEL STAR WARS DRONE T-65 X-WING STARFIGHTER
UE10003 ENERGIZER 1000MAH PORTABLE CHARGER
PULSE SOLO
Distributor: Exertis
Distributor: CMS Distribution
Distributor: CMS Distribution
This drone can reach speeds of over 35mph with its reverse propulsion blade system. Charges using a USB cable, capable of 360-degree in-air stunts. Three speed settings and Bluetooth communication with iPhone and Android app.
This power bank has a 10000mAh battery that is ideal for tablets, smartphones, and other devices. Dual USB output ports make charging two devices at the same time possible, and the UE10003 ‘s compact design makes it easy to charge devices while on the move.
Pulse Solo is an LED lightbulb with a built-in speaker. Wirelessly stream music from a smartphone or tablet via a free app download for iOS and Android.
Specs: Bluetooth communication with iPhone and Android, requires charge and 4 x AA batteries to operate.
Specs: 10000mAh, dual USB output ports, metallic finish, protection against over-heating and charging.
Specs: 105-degree beam angle, 550 lumen, six watts.
SRP: £229.99
SRP: £12.99
SRP: £49.99
COOL MASTERPULSE PRO HEADSET
BILLOW ALLCAST DONGLE
FITBIT CHARGE 2
Distributor: Entatech, Exertis
Distributor: Spire Technology
Distributor: CMS Distribution
For gaming or entertainment purposes, these over ear-headphones are a USB upgrade of the MasterPulse headset. Other additional features include virtual 7.1. channel surround sound, and RGB LEDs.
This dongle makes viewing content on a PC from a smartphone or tablet with DLNA, Airplay or Miracast easy. Thanks to the dongle’s high resolution and fast playback, video can be streamed quickly and in HD.
Cardio and fitness wristband that keeps track of sleep and all movement activity. The band features multisport tracking that displays real-time stats. There also is GPS for logging pace and distance. Users can also keep track of their heart fitness scores using the Fitbit app for smartphones.
Specs: RGB LEDs, 7.1. channel surround sound, USB.
Specs: 1080p resolution, 128 MB, micro USB, Windows, Mac, Android ,IOS.
Specs: OLED screen, up to five days battery life, interchangeable accessory bands, multi-sport tracking and Connected GPS.
SRP: £84.99
SRP: £84.99
SRP: £129.99
CONTACT
www.pcr-online.biz
CMS Distribution: ....... 020 8962 2500
Exertis: ..........................01282 776776
Spire:.............................01202 828444
Entatech: ..................... 0333 101 1000
Hama:.........................(0333) 123 4262
Tech Data: ................... 0871 880 3000
PCR December 2016 | 49
SECTOR GUIDE
IT phone home Everyone has a smartphone in their pocket, but in 2016 the accessories are almost as important as the devices themselves. PCR takes a look at some of the top accesories available for iOS and Android devices…
POWERBANK (TL-PB5200)
FRESH ‘N REBEL LACE BLUETOOTH
HAMA COLOUR LINE CABLES
PICTUREKEEPER CONNECT
Distributor: CMS Distribution, Entatech, Exertis, and Spire Technology
Distributor: Hama
Distributor: Hama
Distributor: Simplified I.T. Products LLC
This charger can keep a smarphone or tablet with a 5V input going whilst users are on the move.
High-end, Bluetooth sports headphones with up to eight hours playback. Three different silicone tip sizes and silicone earhooks ensure the best fit.
Choose from this selection of colourful USB 2.0, audio, or 12 V in car-charger. Each cable is set in durable aluminium nylon making them exceptionally resistant to every day wear and tear.
An app based backup solution for iOS and android devices, and PCs. Users can transfer images from one device to another and use the 8GB storage to back up files.
Specs: 1 USB 2.0 port, charges iPhone, Android smartphones, iPad, and devices with a 5V input
Specs: Bluetooth 4.1, silicone ear hooks, built-in remote & microphone.
Specs: USB 2.0, in-car charger: output 1: 1 A/output 2:2.4 A
Specs: 8GB flash storage, USB 2.0, Micro USB, Lightning
SRP: £16.99
SRP: £39.99
SRP: £7.99 - £19.99
SRP: £49.31
APPROX VIRTUAL REALITY HEADSET
KURIO SMARTPHONE
MOTO Z
SPEEDLINK PIVOT LUME LASER TOUCHSCREEN PEN Distributor: Meroncourt
Distributor: Spire Technology
Distributor: Meroncourt
Distributor: Tech Data
This secure smartphone is ideal for children this festive season. The handset comes fully loaded with 25 free games, as well as call, text, and parental controls for internet limitations.
The Moto Z is unique for its customisable capabilities, with the ability to attach and detach Moto Mods. The phone is nippy with 4GB of RAM and a Snapdragon 820 chipset.
Specs: Android, Windows or iOS, 360 degree, 3D, SBS and VR viewing experiences, 360g.
Specs: SIM free, internet, calls and text message limitations. 4-inch touch screen with five-point touch
Specs: 5.5 inch screen, 13MP rear facing camera, 4GB RAM, 2,600 mAh battery
Specs: 12cm, aluminium pen, PC and smartphone compatible, integrated laser pointer.
SRP: £14.99
SRP: £129.99
SRP: £499
SRP: £9.99
Experience immersive VR with the Approx virtual reality headset. Compatible with smartphones, it is available in white or black and supports 360 degree, 3D, side-by-side, and VR.
50 | PCR December 2016
A pen that is compatible with any device with a touchscreen. The pen’s smooth silicone rubber tip makes tapping and swiping touchscreen surfaces accurately simple. The Pivot Lume also has an integrated laser pointer for presentations.
www.pcr-online.biz
SECTOR GUIDE
MOTO G4
SAMSUNG GEAR VR GEN 2
MIKEY DIGITAL USB MICROPHONE
OLLOCLIP ACTIVE LENS
Distributor: Tech Data
Distributor: Tech Data
Distributor: CMS Distribution
Distributor: CMS Distribution
The Moto G4 has a 5 MP front facing camera and a 13 MP rear facing camera that will make capturing those special images this festive season, fast and simple.
This second-generation virtual reality (VR) headset is much lighter than its predecessor, making it user-friendly for first-time VR consumers as well as seasoned VR fans who are accustomed to VR designs.
This compact stereo condenser microphone that transforms an iPhone or iPad into a mobile recording device. Record live music, audio for video, podcasts, musical instruments, voice interviews, or personal notes.
The Active Lens can be attached to the front or back of facing cameras and is specifically designed for Apple phones. The Olloclip Ultra-Wide lens fits snugly between between Fisheye and WideAngle lenses.
Specs: 5.5 inch touchscreen, 13MP rear facing camera, 2GB RAM, 3,000 mAh battery
Specs: 20.78 cm x 12.25 cm x 9.86 cm, 345g, Galaxy S7 and S7 edge
Specs: 2.88oz, USB, live recordings, Lightning connector
Specs: Ultra-Wide and telephoto lenses, no additional parts required, works with most photo and video apps.
SRP: £169
SRP: xx
SRP: £89.99
SRP: £89.99
ZEISS EXOLENS WITH OPTICS
INFAPOWER LEATHERSTYLE PHONE CHARGER
BLUE LOLA HEADPHONES
Distributor: Zeiss UK
Distributor: Meroncourt
Distributor: CMS Distribution
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 handset is a robust and popular water resistant handset. The android phone sports dual-pixel technology and gives users the option to wirelessly charge the device.
This wide-angle telephoto lens uses an aluminium bracket to attach to iPhone. The lens lets users take high quality resolution images making it a musthave iPhone lens this season.
Charge smartphones and tablets by shaking or tapping to charge or check power levels. Protection against over charging with circuit protection is guaranteed with this integrated USB key ring cable.
These visually striking headphones present great style without compromising on sound. Over-ear design headphones for high quality sound which results in a great listening experience.
Specs: 5.1 inch screen, 12 MP rear facing camera, 4GB RAM, 3,000 mAh battery
Specs: Tripod mount, 0.6x wide-angle lens (18mm equivalent) with antireflective coating
Spec: 2 X 1A ports, 4000mAh battery
Specs: 18 x 29 x 12cm, 397g, 15Hz20kHz frequency.
SRP: £569
SRP: £199.99
SRP: : £17.99
SRP: £199
SAMSUNG GALAXY S7 Distributor: Tech Data
CONTACT
www.pcr-online.biz
CMS Distribution: .442020 8962 2500
HAMA:.......................... 0333 123 4262
Entatech: ..................... 0333 101 1000
Meroncourt: .................01462 680060
Exertis: ..........................01282 776776
Spire:.............................01202 828444
Tech Data: ................... 01256 788 010 Zeiss UK: ............. +44 (0)845 3007788
PCR December 2016 | 51
OUT OF OFFICE
IN THE
HOT SEAT Maggie Zaboura, Founder and CEO of Zaboura Communications as well as the recipient of the PR Powerhouse award at PCR’s Women of the Year awards, jumps in the hotseat to talk triathalons, future tech and bad jokes. What was your first job? Working at a home insurance company – I ran the household renewal department. It was So boring! What’s your favourite TV show? It was The Great British Bake off but sadly I don’t get much time for telly. Do you have any hobbies? Triathlons are a recent hobby. Zaboura is proud to say that we have a team – the Zaboura Tristars! We completed two triathlon sprints and countless cycling rides in 2016. We are now ramping up for a full calendar of events in 2017. Summer was a bit of distraction from our usual training schedules! I got fat!
PUT A PIN IN IT COMMUTERS IN central London were greeted with a surprise new landmark last month as EE, exclusive direct network partner, dropped a giant Google location pin at London’s iconic Marble Arch. The move was designed to promote the UK launch of the
Pixel and Pixel XL phones by Google going on sale. The pin was nearly 700 times bigger than a Google map pin and taller than a double decker London bus. Unfortunately when users visited the pin, the streetview was a bit rubbish.
If you could go back in time what would you do? I would have completed a business degree while I was working. Learnt to code and learnt mandarin. What is your biggest pet peeve? People who are miserable and rude. Tell us something that not many people know I paint to relax but I can’t imagine that would be interesting to anyone. What’s the funniest or most memorable experience you’ve had in your career? My life provides a lot of material for this question, but I guess the most embarrassing would be splitting my skirt while at a press briefing in a west end hotel and having to borrow a skirt from a waitress to continue in for the rest of the meetings that day! What’s going to be the next big thing in tech? AI is in everything and is most exciting thing, has the potential to have a huge impact in the home with face recognition security cameras like Netatmo. Almost everything that is being released into the market now is intelligent and constantly learning. Location marketing is also an interesting trend in retail and consumer behaviour. This makes life a lot more interesting and relevant for consumers and voice search products like Alexa. I would really like to see more relevant technology that can be adopted by the elderly and the vulnerable to enable independent and safe living. Tell us your favourite cheesy joke Two aerials get married – the ceremony was terrible, but the reception was amazing!
52 | PCR December 2016
WATCH THIS SPACE A HUGE number of people were getting excited over the past few weeks because of ‘live’ broadcast videos from – get this – space. What a time to be alive. What a world we live in, eh? Only, don’t get too excited. While I hate to burst your interstellar bubble, these weren’t live videos from NASA or ISS. They were instead old clips from the past few year’s worth of spacewalks. Facebook pages such as Viral USA and
Unilad took videos from US astronauts and Russian cosmonauts and attempted to pass them off as live video from out of this world. And they had people convinced – one video had 26 million ‘live’ viewers. While you might be a bit disappointed by this revelation, fear not. The International Space Station has fitted four different high definition cameras to its outside, allowing anybody who is interested the ability to have a live look at Earth below.
www.pcr-online.biz
OUT OF OFFICE
140 CHARACTERS OF NEWS AND VIEWS What the industry’s been tweeting about this month… M2M Direct @M2M_Direct The M2M team at @pcr_online Boot Camp North in Manchester yesterday. A fantastic event as always! Brigantia Partners @brigantia1996 Fantastic day had at @pcr_online North as always. Some great conversations on all our wholesale offering. Today particularly @ Bitdefender GZ
TIME TO SPLIT WHAT YOU’RE looking at above might seem like a snazzy watch, but it is not a timepiece at all. It’s not even some sort of clever smartwatch that will beam the time directly into your brain. No, this prototype is simply a strap with the phrase ‘when you’re dedicated to what you love, time becomes irrelevant’ on the face. The not-a-watch is called the Infinity Piece and it hast (at the time of writing) made over $6,000 on kickstarter and is looking for $40,000. Levi Maestro (because of course that’s his name),
the man behind this weird bit of jewlery, has described himself as a ‘storyteller’ and said: Time is irrelevant when you’re dedicated to what you love, that’s what I believe, and that’s why I’ve created the Infinity Piece. “A watch with no clock, it’s art, and for those who have heart. Back our campaign if you believe that the best moments in life happen when you lose track of time and dedicate yourself to the things you love.” I think that Mr Maestro might have a little too much time on his hands. Not that he’d know.
Carl West @Carl_GB My update on market then onto the important stuff called #IOT and there is no under estimating the opportunity when done right @pcr_online Jason Girardier @Jason_Girardier Thanks to @pcr_online for givng me the opportunity to present at their bootcamp in Manchester today. @CEDIA_EMEA #liveinstall ArenaHR @ArenaHR1 Thanks @pcr_online for the opportunity to speak to some cracking people! Look forward to next time Great interactive session #doingHRright Carl Swann @Orthopaw_Swanne Great conference by @Carl_GB Some very interesting thinking points #pcrbootcampnorth Synology UK & Nordic @SynologyUK We’re enjoying our day here @pcr_online Bootcamp in Manchester
“SIX SECONDS IS MORE THAN ENOUGH” THERE WAS a public outcry last month when Twitter made the announcement that it has started the process of shutting down the six-second video site Vine. In spite of having a loyal membership of dedicated content makers, Twitter’s current financial ails have lead to the company cutting its losses. This might not be the end of the site however as a beacon of hope has emerged: Pornhub. Yes, you read that right. The purveyors of salacious video content have reached out to Twitter in an attempt to take Vine ‘back to its NSFW glory’.
www.pcr-online.biz
Pornhub CEO Corey Price wrote an open letter to the social network, jokingly justifying the attempted acquisition by saying: “We figure since Twitter has dropped it and is having significant layoffs that you and your stakeholders could benefit from a cash infusion from the sale of Vine.” This isn’t the first time that the site has been in the news for an outrageous move after it was blocked from being the shirt sponsors of the Rutherford Raiders football team at the University of Kent back in 2014.
Ben Bagg @benbagg Amazing job by Nvidia - #pcmasterrace RT @ pcr_online Record quarterly results for @nvidia Craig Hume @CraigHume_ Pulling together data for @UtopiaComputers 2017’s @pcr_online Awards entry! Exciting times, we are going to smash it this year :) Jonathan Wagstaff @jonathancontext bloody love #VR. Best. Industry. Ever. haptic.al/ virtual-realit… PCR December 2016 | 53
OUT OF OFFICE
In our Team of the Month section, we highlight some of the important faces from across the industry who perhaps aren’t always in the public eye. This month, we speak to the Sennheiser Communications team…
Sennheiser Communications A
C
E
B
D
F
G
H
I
The Team
E: Paul Turner
A: Nigel Holland
F: Jane Craven
B: Jane Wheeler
G: Chris Jacob
C: Steve Bailey
H: Charlotte Waterworth
D: Caroline Chappell
I: Graham Meloy
What’s the hardest part of working in the tech industry? For Sennheiser its educating businesses to only purchase headsets from reputable channel partners. That’s why we have introduced a Selective Distribution System. It allows us to provide complete peace of mind to both authorised Partners and end consumers.
Who’s in your team? Jane Craven, sales director, Steve Bailey, national sales manager Chris Jacob and Paul Turner, corporate sales managers, Jane Wheeler and Graham Meloy, channel sales managers, Nigel Holland, product manager, Caroline Chappell, account manager, David Morris, marketing manager (currently covering for Charlotte Waterworth who is on maternity leave). Due to increased demand for our headsets we are currently recruiting to expand the team
What have been your biggest successes of the past 12 months? Pleasingly, there have been quite a lot! We’ve dramatically increased our run rate. Prior to 2016 70% of our business came from projects we were directly involved in. Since then, and having proved ourselves to be a competitive brand with excellent support for the channel, our partners have really got behind us as a brand, which is really important as these relationships are crucial to our future success.
What’s the funniest or most memorable memory of working in your team? I think we would all be sacked if I disclosed that! What’s the best part of working in your team? I’m fortunate enough to work in a great team where I completely trust everyone and we’re all committed to reaching our goals. Being able to see this drive to achieve echoed by everyone is a great way to stay motivated!
What is the team working on at the moment? We’ve got lots of exciting projects in the works but our ultimate aim is to achieve 35% year on year growth like we saw last year. Who makes the best cuppa? Sue makes the best coffee – but I should confess she doesn’t work in the office but the coffee van outside! There’s nothing quite like a well made cup of coffee, and there’s a reason why nobody in the office is given this responsibility! So in order to be nice and hurt nobody’s feelings let’s just say it’s because we’re all too busy!
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54 | PCR December 2016
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