Basic HTML Version
Print.IT Reseller
www.printit
reseller
.co.uk
23
...early
adopters
use them to
share all their
digital content
stored on
smartphones,
laptops, games
consoles,
cameras and
memory sticks.
A recent review of the Philips PicoPix
range in
Business Info
magazine
positively reflected the following:
“Meetings supported with visual
collaboration positively reinforce the
communication. The concept is further
strengthened because of the ‘cool
factor’ when using a more innovative AV
equipment.” The same could be said of the
Philips PicoPix LED pocket projector range.
This range of tiny projectors aren’t suitable
for huge conference venues but they are
perfect to carry in your pocket or laptop
bag. They mean that you are self-sufficient
and don’t have to rely on equipment being
compatible, working or in the room when
you need it. The Philips PicoPix range
certainly does have the ‘cool factor’. They’ll
impress during the working week but they
are just as good for holidays, weekends
away, camping, etc. Pocket pico projectors
have been around for some time but the
latest models include many enhancements
over previous models – and in the last 12
months the Philips range has become the
most popular choice in the UK, as early
adopters use them to share all their digital
content stored on smartphones, laptops,
games consoles, cameras and memory sticks.
The PPX 2450 has some very useful
features for such a small device, including
a two-hour battery life; 2GB of on-board
memory for PC-free/wireless presentations;
and an impressive range of connectivity
options. These include a direct link to
video devices, such as an iPhone or iPad,
a laptop, camcorder or games console; an
integrated MP4 media player that allows
content to be played directly from the
built-in memory, USB stick or SD card;
for connecting a camera, smartphone or
removable storage device.
The PPX2450 is affordable as well
as eye-catching. It’s perfect for informal
presentations to small groups or to
bring something extra to meetings with
customers with a love of gadgetry, it’s
great value for money.
Resellers can order from DMC, Spicers
or Vow.
Award Winning
Review…
PicoPix 2450
For more info on the full range
of Philips PicoPix pocket
projectors simply visit
www.picopix.philips.com
multiple suppliers, as an alternative to
relying on systems developed by an OEM
or an independent MPS provider like M2.
It has spent more than £1 million on its
Intelligence MPS infrastructure and now
has 16,000 devices under contract and
agreements to deliver MPS on behalf of
nine partners including RR Donnelly. CEO
John Taylor said that 20-25% of M2’s MPS
business now comes from UK partnerships
rising to 50% for new business.
Ed Crowley, CEO of Photizo Group, said
that it was important for resellers to act now
because polarisation of the print market
between low margin, ultra high volume box
shifters with national coverage and high
value-add players offering some form of
MPS was creating difficulties for businesses
in the middle: “There is a set in between
and that gap is getting squeezed because
they can’t compete on price with the box
shifters and they can’t provide the value-add
of the second group. What we've seen is a
large fall-out in that gap. My prediction is
over the next 5-6 years you will see half the
channel drop out,” he said.
Darren Cassidy of Xerox also advised
channel partners to get off the fence
whether or not they have in-house expertise:
“It doesn’t matter where the channel has
come from: the ones that succeed are the
ones who say this needs to be the business
we do. We have new engagements where
partners have tried to do it themselves and
have failed and are coming back around
now,” he said.
“It's critical channels have access to
professional services for MPS but it doesn’t
have to be in-house. Having access to
expertise is a must: channel partners get
this but aren’t able to make the investment
quickly enough to drive the business forward
so we have packaged it up to give resellers
pre-sales activity and post-sales activity
support.”
In a separate conversation with
Print.IT Reseller
, he added: “If you piece it
all together and decide not to stick with
one vendor, there is a danger that the tools
won't communicate with each other e.g.
the data collection agent may not set up
in service management, which may not
feed the billing system. If you try to piece it
together you can do it, but it can be hard to
scale. We are investing millions in this area
and partners who do it on their own can’t
outrun us.”
Independents, too, are continuing to
develop their offerings, giving both channel
partners and end users an alternative source
of expertise: according to M2’s John Taylor,
54% of mid-market companies want to
buy from an independent MPS provider. To
further its capabilities, M2 has just created
a pan-European alliance of independent
MPS providers from six countries (one per
country) that will enable members to share
best practice, combine purchasing power
and participate in pan-European MPS
engagements.
The early stages of MPS have become
commoditised. This is encouraging OEMs to
advocate a move to more service-oriented,
differentiated implementations with a focus
on document processes. For resellers serving
the still largely untapped SME market, this
need not be a bad thing: the infrastructure
needed to deliver MPS is in place and the
channel is being encouraged to join in. All
that’s needed is the will to win.
... it is
important for
resellers to
do something
because the
print market
is becoming
polarised...
review