Business Info - issue 139

businessinfomag.uk magazine 12 TECHNOLOGY Panasonic has opened an immersive Customer Experience Centre in its new Bracknell HQ to showcase its diverse range of B2B solutions and to spark conversations around how they can be used to solve business challenges. The centre includes a 270-degree interactive presentation space and a separate demonstration area where customers can get hands-on with the latest Panasonic technology. With information on more than 100 products, the Centre highlights eight key vertical environments (education, retail, museum, banking, logistics, live events, hotels, transportation) and five main technology areas (retail technology, rugged computing, audio-visual solutions, communications solutions and next generation surveillance Android on the march The use of Android tablets and handhelds is on the rise in business, but security remains a concern, reveals new research by Panasonic Business. According to its survey of 250 UK buyers of notebooks, tablets and handheld devices for mobile workforces, 72% of tablets and handheld devices in businesses (excluding smartphones) are based on the Android operating system. Android is valued for its flexibility (cited by 59%), security (58%) and affordability (52%). However, users feel they ought to be doing more to secure their devices, including deploying security patches four times more often than they currently do. Two thirds (66%) rely on their IT departments to do this, with just over one third (38%) using a Mobile Device Management solution for the purpose. Almost one third (30%) take equipment manufacturer updates via firmware over the air, 23% rely on the user, 22% use an IT support company and 16% use a reseller. When asked what management capabilities they looked for in an Android device used for business, respondents highlighted the following: A customisable OS to meet the business's unique requirements 50% Android for Work 47% Policy Management Tool/Console for firmware updates 41% Enhanced Android Security support 37% Incorporation of certified 3rd party security solution 35% Free of charge, out of the box productivity and manageability apps 35% Staging, EMM certifications, licences and customised MDM apps 33% SCOMO (Software Component Management Object) 30% Compatibility across different devices from the same manufacturer 30% FOTA (Firmware Over The Air) 29% Optional modular-based developer package 23% business.panasonic.co.uk/computer-product/android-on-the-march Bringing Panasonic to life technology). All visitors are handed a 5-inch, Android-based Panasonic TOUGHBOOK rugged handheld running a dedicated app that interacts with NFC tags throughout the centre and enables users to request further information, such as white papers, brochures and videos.  Technology highlights include: n Retail technology – digital signage displays, electronic price tags and automatic stock monitoring, which uses CCTV analytics to detect stock levels on shelves; n Rugged computing – Panasonic TOUGHBOOK rugged notebooks and tablets, plus a rugged resistance test station, which allows water ingress and drop and impact testing of the range; n Audio Visual solutions – these include a fully demonstrable lecture capture system that automatically tracks a presenter, giving universities the ability to automate the recording of teaching sessions; n Communications Solutions and n Next generation surveillance technology – including a range of indoor and outdoor surveillance cameras equipped with an upgraded facial recognition platform with a ‘deep learning’ core engine that has been ranked as the industry’s most accurate in independent testing by NIST. The Face Server can identify faces that are difficult to recognise using conventional technology, including ones that are partially hidden by sunglasses or face masks.  The Customer Experience Centre is built around Panasonic’s newly launched B2B brand proposition, Freedom through innovation , which articulates the belief that the future is about better connected technology – that businesses will succeed if they can focus on their customers, knowing that the technology solutions they use will work and work together seamlessly. Panasonic UK Managing Director Simon Grantham said: “We are showing the latest technology for retail, transport, logistics and entertainment in one place. We hope to immerse visitors into our Panasonic world, inspire their creativity and ultimately prove our solutions can strengthen their business in an increasingly competitive landscape.” Panasonic designed the Centre with the help of AB Creative, which developed the concept; Hart Wilcox, which provided the content and physical build; and Sysco Productions, which specified and integrated the AV technology, including two media servers and nine laser projectors in just 50m 2 of space for a fully immersive experience.  Customer Experience Centre gives visitors virtual and hands-on experience of Panasonic products Panasonic Customer Experience Centre ISSUE 139