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Presentations
to annotate plans and documents for the
whole meeting to see.”
Price points out that the proliferation
of laptops in meetings can make it hard
for presenters to hold the attention
of the audience, adding that an Eco
AV mute function on the EH320USTi
projector can be helpful in this regard
by blanking the screen and making the
presenter the focus of attention.
Sharp’s Wood also sees interactivity
as the key to more engaging
presentations. “With our BIG PAD range
of interactive flat panel displays we’re
helping to make presentations more
collaborative and engaging, with a
selection of easy to use displays that
give users the reliability, support and
flexibility they need to give a stand-out
presentation,” he said.
What’s stopping you?
The problems outlined above will be
familiar to all presenters and their
audiences. So what’s stopping businesses
from upgrading their equipment?
Cost is an obvious barrier. However,
as modern technologies, such as LED
and laser, are built to last longer, Ivens
points out that you could benefit in the
long run. “Many presenters will have
been hit with the cost of an expensive
replacement bulb for their projector.
PicoPix projectors all use LED technology
so don’t need replacement bulbs and the
light source should last 30,000 hours,”
he said.
Wood says that Sharp tries to make
cost less of an obstacle for decision-
makers by offering leasing options that
remove the need for a large up-front
sum. He added: “All of the BIG PADs
also have a good cost of ownership,
with efficient energy usage and less
maintenance requirements.”
Sharp also provides units on loan
for trial periods so that potential
customers can familiarise themselves
with the technology. This approach could
be successful in combating another
potential barrier identified by David
Zrihen, Vivitek sales director, EMEA, viz.
people’s preference for the status quo.
“Some people prefer using the same
things because that’s the way they’ve
always done it and they’re comfortable
with it. For example, people are more
inclined to trust a cable-based product
than a wireless solution and the many
efficiency benefits that offers.We
need to ensure we have a solution
Philips PicoPix ticks all the boxes for Smart Works Reading
Smart Works helps women on low incomes
to re-enter the job market by providing them
with interview coaching, styling advice and
smart clothes for interviews.
The charity has five centres, in London,
Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham and
Reading. Set up in October 2015, Smart Works
Reading has already helped more than 200
people look for work, with a success rate of 73%.
A big part of its working day is taken up with
training, both of volunteers and of the women it
assists, so the ability to display and share visual
material quickly and easily is essential.
Sarah Burns, Co-chair & Founder of Smart
Works Reading, found what she was looking
for in the diminutive form of a Philips PicoPix
PPX4010 projector.
“What we needed was a small, portable,
efficient projector that we could use in the
office and out and about.We have little
storage at Smart Works, so it had to be small
and portable.We also wanted to ensure we
presented ourselves in a professional light. The
Philips PicoPix projector ticked all the boxes,”
she said.
About the size of a computer mouse and
weighing just 83g, the PPX4010 slips easily into
a laptop bag, handbag or coat pocket, yet can
still deliver bright 100 lumens images up to 120
inches in size.
Set-up is quick and easy, using an HDMI
cable to connect to a range of devices from
laptops and notebooks to DVD players, TVs and
games consoles. Using different HDMI adapters,
Smart Works can also connect the projector to
tablets and smartphones.
“We’ve just had our Volunteer training day
when we managed to use both a laptop and an
iPad to project different presentations easily
and effectively onto our limited wall space,”
explained Burns. “There was great excitement at
the mini size of projector and how easy it was
to set up and use.”
The nation’s favourite
Smart Works Reading is not the only fan of
PicoPix projectors. According to GFK Reports
2016, four out of five pico projectors purchased
in the UK are Philips PicoPix models. Its analysis
shows that in Q2 2016, Philips’ market share
within the pico projector market rose to an
all-time high of 81%, with the Philips PicoPix
PPX3414 a clear best seller.
In 2016, XGEM strengthened its range with
three new models, the PPX3417W, PPX4835 and
PPX4935, offering higher resolution (720HD),
brighter images and wireless connectivity with
smartphones or tablets.
The smart choice
that’s simple to use out of the box, as
sometimes typing in a server name or
an IP address could be seen as difficult,”
he said.
Panasonic’s Meredith adds that some
businesses simply fear change. “They feel
investing in new technology is going to
mean they have to change the way they
work, or there are going to be issues
switching over to or installing new
equipment.”
Changing this mindset is not easy, but
it might be what’s required if you are to
present your business in the best light.
...continued
Panasonic Visual System Solutions
Chris Wood,
Visual Solutions
Business Unit
Director,
Sharp Business
Systems UK
