Views
6 years ago

Day 4 - IFA International

  • Text
  • Products
  • Global
  • September
  • Digital
  • Consumer
  • Berlin
  • Panel
  • Consumers
  • Consumption
  • Electronics
  • Www.cleverdis.com

PRODUCT TRENDS

PRODUCT TRENDS MITSUBISHI ADDS FORM TO FUNCTION WITH THE HC 7000 PROJECTOR By Gary Smith a spare room, which is where the projector will typically be installed," Usui said. "But in the UK, where people do not generally have a spare room or a cellar, uptake is less. And then there’s the fact that a lot of people in the UK tend to watch sporting events on large screens in the pub. Consequently, even the uptake of the larger flatscreen models is lower in the UK.” Mitsubishi, known in some quarters as "the hidden giant", is a company that revels in its low profile, preferring instead to concentrate on the serious business of producing high-quality products. This year, Mitsubishi is back at IFA with a mini-cinema and a mocked-up house on its main stand, both of which are there in order to demonstrate the company’s latest projector, the HC 7000. Under the banner Bold Is Beautiful – The Shape Of Things To Come, Mitsubishi has, for the first time in its history, invested in the design aspect of a new product. “If you look at the history of our products, they have generally been square-shaped, because Mitsubishi has Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman and CEO Sony Corporation always prided itself on focusing on the quality of its components rather than their shape," said Seigo Usui, Marketing Manager of Visual Information Systems for Mitsubishi Electric. "But the HC 7000 marks a departure from that philosophy. This time, we have invested a considerable amount of time and effort in producing a sleek and sensual package for the new projector, while applying the same rigorous approach to the underlying technology.” Although high-end projectors remain a niche product, Mitsubishi is hoping the HC 7000 will help to consolidate its position as a leading player in the full-HD category. “Given the nature of the design, we are hoping that the HC 7000 will appeal to women," said Hans-Joerg Winkel, Mitsubishi Electric's Manager of Strategic Planning and Corporate Communications. “We also hope it will help us to maintain our position as a leading full-HD brand in Europe. We were recently number one in France and Germany, and we would like to build on that.” The company may well be taking design more seriously, but its core belief remains unchanged: technological superiority is paramount. “Our goal has always been to create a projector that can really compete with the best flat-screen TVs on the market, even though we accept that projectors are a secondary consideration and are not a replacement for the TV,” said Lars Dörholt, Mitsubishi Electric's Marketing Manager of Electronic Visual Systems. “What we are focusing on here at IFA is the flexibility of the HC 7000," Dörholt added. "You can use the projector outside at night on a white wall; there’s a games mode that optimises the colour quality for gamers; it’s a great way to experience a concert by your favourite artists or to watch sport; and, of course, it delivers a top-quality fullimmersion cinema experience. Our ultimate goal is to be able to offer truly perfect pictures.” Cultural differences can play an important part in the uptake — or lack of it — of projectors. “Germany is currently our best market and that’s partly because most German households include However, the bottom line with visual technology is the availability of quality content. “The truth is that content drives uptake," Dörholt said. "Equally relevant is the fact that everyone has a TV and everyone would like to have a projector. However, growing the market significantly is all about the price/quality ratio. Our demonstration cinema here is a great marketing tool, simply because absolutely everybody who experiences it is totally engaged and seriously impressed.” The Mitsubishi stand also features the Resolia LED screen. “Visitors to London’s O2 arena or Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium will have seen our LED screens, and it’s a product that we’re very proud of," Dörholt said. "But bringing it here to IFA is not about shifting more units — it’s more a way of reinforcing the Mitsubishi brand image and demonstrating unequivocally what we are capable of building.” Mitsubishi used to be a market leader in TVs and VCRs. However, when the price war erupted 10 years ago, the company pulled out. “Since we closed down the TV and VCR operations, the company’s share price has tripled, so I think it’s fair to say that Mitsubishi will not be re-entering that market,” Usui said. “We were very flattered recently when Mitsubishi was voted the number-one brand by Germany’s DVD Magazine. It means a lot that our brand is so well respected in such an important market.” Hall 26 / 101 22 www.ifa-international.org IFA International • Monday, 1 st September 2008

PRODUCT TRENDS TIVOLI AUDIO NETWORKS RADIO, THE FUTURE NOW By Gary Smith The Tivoli Audio Net- Works radio not only allows listeners to tune in to radio stations from any location in the world in real time but that it is able to access music stored on PCs from any room in the house through a wireless or Ethernet connection. “The greatest challenge in designing the NetWorks Global radio was in making it simple to use,” Tivoli Audio CEO Tom DeVesto, said. “It combines function and design with the ability to deliver the world of radio broadcasts to home radio listeners, offering audio networking that sounds as good as it looks.” Accessing radio stations via a Wi-Fi or Ethernet broadband connection, NetWorks connects to thousands of free radio stations worldwide. It searches for stations by country, genre, or a station’s call letters. It is also one of the first audio products to be user-upgradeable, so your advanced radio can keep pace with rapidly changing technology. Net- Works comes with five presets, but through its exclusive Global Portal can add an unlimited number of Internet stations that are stored to a “Favourites” list. Hall 1.2 / 128 SONOS DELIVERS MORE MUSIC ON ENHANCED WIRELESS ZONEPLAYERS By Emmanuel Poidevin The leading developer of wireless multi-room music systems for the home, Sonos presents two new ZonePlayers at IFA: amplified and non-amplified. The ZP90 can be connected to an existing stereo or home theatre receiver to instantly make it part of a multi-room music system. It is available at retail for €349. The ZP120 has a powerful high quality amplifier for audiophiles that can be connected to speakers and placed in any room and retails at €499. The BU150 bundle includes the previous two-zone players and the CR100 hand held controller, which enables users to find and play the music they want from anywhere in the house. The BU150 is the simple and cost-effective way to start a multi-room music system, retailing at € 999, representing a discount of almost 20% less than the sum of the individual products. A bundle with Sonos loudspeakers is also available. Sonos also introduced a new Software 2.6 release to all its customers. The new feature update includes DRM-free music offers and support for music collections with up to 65,000 tracks. Hall 1.2 / 130 IFA International • Monday, 1 st September 2008 www.ifa-international.org 23

IFA International