The Shelf Issue 01 by Redington

Issue 01 November 2013

A Quarterly publication from Redington Volume Division

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Contents

From the Director’s Desk Dear Partners,

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Redington recommends From laptops to accessories, the latest products in the market.

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Microsoft

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Lenovo

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Welcome to the very first edition of our new quarterly magazine, The Shelf, a title designed to inform resellers about the dynamic market of devices, software, peripherals and accessories.

We at Redington Gulf are always on the lookout for new avenues through which we can provide additional insights about your business from our perspective. And this is why have decided to launch The Shelf, which will, over the coming year, provide you with all the analysis and information you need to make informed decisions while playing this important market.

Chris Waldie, Cloud Business Manager, Microsoft Gulf discusses how the adoption of Microsoft 365 and other Microsoft Cloud services have grown in the region.

The Shelf will be published by the Volume Division of Redington Gulf, which distributes most of the leading brands within categories such as Mobility, Desktops, Printers, Accessories, and Software, to name a few.

The magazine will also provide insights on selected vendors’ channel strategies and product portfolios. Again, this will help you to make informed decisions about the vendors you want to work with, and the segments that you want to involve yourself in. In addition, the publication will focus on certain products under different categories, as well as strong products and categories that Redington would recommend for its channel.

Lenovo Gulf’s GM, Mohammed Hilili on the company’s growth strategy and the way ahead.

Belkin Youssef El-Arif, Country Manager, Belkin gives an insight into the company’s market differentiators and why the Middle East and Africa regions are strategic markets and its future plans.

The Shelf comes alongside the Value Plus Quarterly magazine, which has been published by Redington’s Value Division for value-added resellers across Middle East and Africa since 2008. As always, we welcome feedback of any kind, so if you have any questions about the contents of these pages, please don’t hesitate to contact a member of our team.

Symantec Endpoint security is no longer enough for businesses, with cybercrimes increasing in the region, says Tamim Taufiq from Symantec.

Redington updates

Most importantly, we hope that you enjoy reading this first issue of The Shelf. We’ll see you again next quarter.

Regards Raj Shankar Managing Director, Redington Gulf

The latest news from the channel.

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Redington recommends

Computing

Lenovo ThinkPad with windows 8 os

Dell Latitude 10 with windows 8 os

Slim and lightweight in design, Lenovo’s Windows 8 ThinkPad Tablet 2 comes with the 1.8 GHz Intel Atom Z2760 processor with a 2GB, 800MHz DDR2 memory. With a 10.1” display of 1366x768 resolution, it sports a 64GB SSD, digitizer and pen. It supports 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth, 2MP front facing camera with an 8MP rear camera. The tablet includes a full size USB 2.0 and micro HDMI and SD card. It also comes with an optional keyboard dock.

Powered with Windows 8 Pro, the latest tablet from Dell boasts features that are ideal for the corporate environment, such as TPM, a productivity dock; a Wacom-active stylus and a Bluetooth keyboard.

The Latitude 10 sports 1.8GHz Intel Atom Z2760 processor and 2GB of RAM with a 64GB Mobility Solid State Drive. It also comes with an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (533MHz) and works on Wireless 1536C with Bluetooth 4.0.

The magnesium-alloy frame gives it a sturdy feel and it also supports a headphone/mic jack, full-size SD card slot, USB 2.0 and a mini-HDMI connection. The 10.1” screen has 1,366x768 resolution with a multi-touch LED backlit display.

It features an 8MP rear camera with LED flash and an integrated 2MP, 720p, front-facing camera for video chats.

IdeaPad Yoga 13 with windows 8 os The Yoga 13 stands out mainly due to its 360-degree flip-and-fold design through the Lenovo Transition, which automatically switches system settings and locks the keyboard in place. Installed with the Windows 8 Pro operating system, the Ultrabook uses the webcam as an input device and flips pages, changes music and volume and can gesture other simple commands with the flick of a hand. It comes with HDMI output easy connection to a television set or monitor.

The Cloud storage enables a user to protect important data while also making content sharing quick and easy. Data can also be transferred to other devices faster by using USO 3.0 SuperSpeed.

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Dell Inspiron 11 with windows 8 os Dell’s recent launch, Inspiron 11 Touch is highly portable and features a large touchpad with a sturdy design. Weighing just 1.4 kg and beginning at 21.2mm (1”) thin, it is convenient to carry around. It is designed with a strong composite frame and has a large palm rest.

Its 4th Gen Intel processor enables tasks such as video streaming and web surfing function smoothly. Equipped with Windows 8, it makes using a touch screen fun and even easier. The USB 3.0 and Ethernet allows the user to move data to other devices quickly. And the built-in media card reader imports files from the camera in a matter of seconds. www.redingtonmea.com

acer Iconia B1 711

Lenovo Idea Tab A1000

Acer’s Iconia B1 711 tablet is targeted at those customers who are looking at a compactly designed tablet that is large enough for good media viewing, says the company. At 7” and 1024x600 pixels resolution, the tablet is ideal for reading e-books, magazines, watching videos or playing games.

The LED backlit display also enhances the overall experience. It comes powered with a 1.2GHz processor and 1GB RAM with a 16GB internal storage. Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system comes installed in it.

The tablet is equipped with a built-in speaker, webcam and is Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled.

This allows the user to connect with other devices and share media content effortlessly. It also has a microSD memory card slot, further expanding the memory capacity.

Lenovo’s Idea tablet A1000 has a dual core processor with jelly bean 4.1.2 as the operating system, which is upgradable to 4.2 version with a 1.2 GHz processor and 1GB RAM. The 7” LED glare screen is apt for a good viewing experience.

It has a large storage capacity with 4GB internally that can be extended to 32GB through a microSD card. The front facing camera is ideal for video chat and features Dolby Digital Plus audio, which offers distortion-free sound. Also, it has a long time backup for battery, up to 8 hours, which also depends on usage. The tablet comes installed with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 making sharing of media content easy.

Lenovo A10 Laptop

HP SlateBook x2 H001SE

The A10 is designed for versatile functions, one can keep it in the laptop mode for maximum productivity or flip the screen 300 degree to enter stand mode when watching a video or touch applications. Weighing just 1kg and 17.33mm thick, the laptop is convenient to carry around as you go.

With access to all Google apps thanks to the Android based operating system, Lenovo has customised it to be even more intuitive, convenient and user friendly. The hinge prevents the 10” screen from moving when touched and it is easy to use simple gestures directly on the 10-point multitouch display. For those who are constantly on the move, A10 is ideal, with long battery life and 39 hours of audio playback with the display off. The AccuType board is ergonomically designed making typing easier and reduces errors. It comes with an integrated webcam, WiFi, Bluetooth and EDR connectivity. www.redingtonmea.com

The SlateBook combines the tablet portability feature with notebook’s productivity through an advanced hinge design and full-size keyboard, resulting in a two in one product. Powered with the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system, users will find it familiar and easy to remain connected with their digital content.

The 25.7 cm (10.1”) diagonal WUXGA Anti-glare LEDbacklit FHD (1920x1200) UltraslimSlim (2.5mm) IPS UWVA display delivers sharp images in accurate colours and also reduces glare.

It supports NVIDIA Tegra processor and a 2GB DDR3L SD RAM. Supporting 802.11a/b/g/n WLAN and Bluetooth 4.0, it also has a front-facing HP TrueVision HD webcam with integrated digital microphone and a rear facing full HD 2MP camera. Users will enjoy the video viewing experience with the DTS sound and dual speakers.

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Redington recommends

Lifestyle

EDifier E30

Targus iPad case

The Edifier Spinnaker is a 40cm tall, 2.0 powered speaker system that is Bluetooth enabled and comes with a wireless remote control. Its unique design adds to its edge over other speakers in the market. It features six separate amplifiers, which drive two silk domed tweeters, two 2 3/4” mid-range and 2 downward firing 4” bass drivers. It also supports within a 10m radius.

The wireless remote controls track navigation, play-mute and volume adjustment within a 30’ radius. To add to it, it also has an optical/auxiliary input port, which is available for connectivity to other multimedia devices. And its output port allows an external subwoofer to be connected for additional bass performance.

It is available in burgundy and black colours.

Targus has introduced three new models of cases for the iPad 5—Simple, Click In and Flipview. They have a soft touch interior protecting the screen from any damage and can be transformed into a stand with different viewing and typing positions.

The Simple iPad case is lightweight and protects the iPad from bumps and scratches.

The tablet slides into the snug fit iPad pocket and is secure inside with the envelope tuck.

The Click In case has a discreet cord closure system, which guarantees screen protection at all times. While the Click In case ensures you are able to access all ports, features and functions of your iPad from inside the case, the Flipview case transforms into a solid stand with a quick-flip ease.

TDK SSD 128GB

WireSlim

The external Solid State Drive portable storage device from TDK is apt for storing large media files such as photos and videos and can transfer files within no time at all. It is designed to withstand shock and vibrations and is simple to handle with its Plug and Play technology.

Compact in design, the SSD comes with Lock Software for password protection, which helps to keep data secure. USB 3.0 cable is included and it doesn’t require any external power supply.

WireSlim offers a patented ultra-flat wire solutions which can hide any visible wires or cables. By creating an extremely thin and adjustable wire, it provides flexibility to stick it, bend it, cut it, paint it or simply hide it.

Now, the TV, computer or even a light fixture can be hung without any wires being visible. All the user needs to do is cut and fold the wire to the required length and paint over it when done. The product is easy to install and available in audio, video, RCA, RJ-45 and HDMI cable types.

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Components

WD My Cloud

Peripherals Western Digital’s personal cloud storage solution—My Cloud— allows you to keep content safe at home and get abundant storage with fast performance. The customer can store, organise and back up photos, videos, music and important documents all in one place. What’s more, you can use the company’s free apps to upload and access and share content from anywhere with any device. It also allows you to transfer files between personal cloud, Dropbox and even other public cloud accounts using the company’s free My Cloud mobile app.

The capacity of your personal cloud can also be increased by attaching a compatible USB 3.0 directly to the USB expansion port on the My Cloud drive.

Asus Led Montior VS197DE The latest monitor from Asus improves the display’s contrast by adjusting the light of the backlight to bring about quality images. The 1366x768 resolution, 5ms quick response time and the non-glare display makes viewing of movies or any videos an enjoyable experience. It is also designed with versatile viewing positions with Smart View Technology, which can adjust colour parameters too. The Video Intelligence Technology optimises video performance and image fidelity by enriching colour, brightness, contrast and sharpness. Through a hotkey, six preset video modes can be chosen —scenery, theatre, game, night view, sRGB and standard. Weighing 2.6 kg, it is available in black colour and even has a security lock slot.

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SanDisk

Epson Expression Premium XP-600

SanDisk helps companies to capture, share, preserve and access the growing digital content from the data center right up to the digital camera. SanDisk is known for its expertise in four distinct areas such as data center, computing, mobile and consumer electronics. The company’s flash technology allows reliable access to mission critical data. Its solid state drives offer energy-efficient, compact, and durable alternatives and additions to traditional hard-disk drives for desktops, laptops and ultra-thin PCs. Flash memory, a necessary feature in all smartphones, tablets and other devices today, the company delivers predictable supply of any flash memory form factor or capacity to almost every major mobile device manufacturer.

From cameras to USB drives to MP3 players, the company offers its expertise technology.

Epson’s XP-600, which operates on inkjet technology, has fast duplex printing with dual paper trays and Epson Connect for versatile and user-friendly printing. What makes this different is that it can print wirelessly from devices within home and otherwise documents can also be send directly to the printer’s email address. Scan-to-cloud allows the customer to store scanned documents in cloud services. Apart from supporting Airprint and Google Cloud Print, its Wi-Fi connection is easy to set up. It automatically finds the relevant connection settings in order to configure itself.

The 6.3cm colour LCD screen with smart-navigation touch-panel makes the process user friendly and the PictBridge and memory card slots offer flexibility for PC-free photo printing. Furthermore the multifunctional printer can enhance photos with features such as Red eye removal.

HP Officejet Pro X476dw Multifunction Printer The latest next generation printer from HP prints up to twice the speed and half the cost per page of color lasers using HP PageWide Technology. It has a scan resolution up to 1200 dpi enhanced and a copy resolution up to 600 dpi black and color. It also features a 4.3” CGD touchscreen display and has a 500-sheet input tray, 50-sheet multi-purpose tray, an optional 500 sheet tray and a 300 sheet face down output bin. It is designed to meet high demand printing needs with a duty cycle up to 50,000 pages.

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Issue 01

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Microsoft

Going the cloud way Chris Waldie, Cloud Business Manager, Microsoft Gulf, discusses with The Shelf the impact of Microsoft 365 and cloud in the region

How has enterprise adoption of Office 365 grown in the Middle East during 2013?

We have seen strong customer adoption of Office 365 and other Microsoft Cloud Services across all segments during 2013 which is really accelerating our business transition to the Cloud. Globally we have already seen a significant number of our enterprise customers take advantage of the power of Microsoft Cloud Services and a significant percentage of the Fortune 500 have moved to Office 365 already. We’ve seen that trend too in the Middle East as our enterprise customers evaluate which workloads to move to the Public Cloud and where they can take advantage of Microsoft’s Private Cloud solutions. Additionally, Office 365 in Education has seen tremendous uptake with over 1 Million students and teachers across the Gulf currently using Office 365 for Education.

Chris Waldie, Cloud Business Manager, Microsoft Gulf

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Do you think that this reflects a growing acceptance of cloud-based services in the region?

Yes – Cloud storage is an IT trend that has been wellreceived across the Gulf region. Our latest statistics www.redingtonmea.com

show that over 80% of Microsoft’s Enterprise Customers in Gulf have a Cloud project.

What are some of the advantages (for Microsoft partners) of Office 365 over the previous Office licensing options?

For Microsoft partners Cloud offers tremendous opportunities. Customers are really seeing the value of Office as a subscription through Office 365; accessing documents from virtually anywhere on virtually any device, always updated Office software, lower acquisition costs and a set of communication and collaboration services with business class email, document sharing and HD video conferencing. This means customers are moving away from the multi-year upgrade cycle which in turn drives higher revenue for our partners. More important though is we see our partner’s relationship with Cloud customers transforming to more of a trusted advisor. The opportunity to provide migration and integration services is only the beginning and partners are looking to offer managed services and packaged apps delivered through Office 365. All of that adds up to a significant opportunity for partners. But that’s just Office 365. Add Windows Azure and Windows Intune in to the mix and the potential to build a highly successful Microsoft Cloud practice is very exciting.

How have partners responded to Office 365 in general?

Microsoft is going through a transformation to becoming the industry leading Devices and Services company. Cloud Services is a huge part of that transformation and that does mean partners have to look at their Microsoft strategy and how to best take advantage of the opportunity and align their sales, marketing and services teams. Microsoft provides www.redingtonmea.com

Microsoft is going through a transformation to becoming the industry leading Devices and Services company.

comprehensive product training and guidance on business transformation to help partners make the transition smoothly and quickly. Overall the response to Office 365 has been very positive.

High customer acceptance and the introduction of Office 365 SKU’s across almost all of Microsoft channel models allows partners to sell Cloud Services in the way that works best for them.

Is Office 365 part of a broader cloud strategy for Microsoft?

Microsoft approaches cloud services as a way to help customers take a key step toward better business agility, economics, and experiences both inside and outside their company walls. We also know that for today’s CIOs and business leaders, the cloud presents an opportunity to redefine the role that the IT and non-IT business functions play in implementing a business’ strategy. Because of its power to fundamentally change how businesses operate and compete, the cloud is a game changer for many companies. The value of the cloud in addressing the trends of mobile, social, and data is in delivering experiences that appeal directly to your employees and partners, allowing them to drive maximum productivity. The cloud enables this regardless of location or device— leading to higher user adoption and improved productivity with lower training costs. As we focus on people, we know that no business service you create today lives on an island. You need apps, communication, and collaboration to connect together in an agile way. To achieve this, we believe you need a comprehensive cloud—from platform, to productivity, to business solutions. It doesn’t make business sense to make a one-off software decision in today’s world. Microsoft offers an integrated portfolio of cloud services across platforms, apps, and devices, along

with one of world’s largest developer base and partner ecosystems.

How should Microsoft’s partners be looking at the cloud?

One of the first activities a partner can look at is becoming a Microsoft Cloud partner. When you become a Microsoft Cloud Partner, you receive a set of core benefits—including internal-use software rights, tailored training, and prioritized exposure in Microsoft marketing and product directories. Use these benefits to help you start and build your cloud practice. More than that, I would just encourage partners whatever their progress in transitioning to the Cloud to have a conversation with their customers, understand their business and where Cloud Services could be part of the solution.

What is Microsoft’s outlook for cloud computing in the Middle East?

Cloud computing is on the rise with customers across the region, especially with statistics indicating that over 80% of Microsoft’s Enterprise Customers in Gulf have a Cloud project.

What will be the impact of cloud on the existing channel structure, especially resellers and retailers?

Microsoft is committed to a multi-channel strategy meaning partners aren’t forced to a specific business model in order to benefit from offering Cloud Services to their customers. We recently added Office 365 into our FPP and Open licensing programmes so partners are able to sell in a way that is familiar and we’ve seen a very positive response to that. For partners who want to offer Cloud Services with little set up or infrastructure requirements, the Advisor model offers partners an easy way to benefit from offering Cloud services.

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Microsoft

Microsoft Office 365 The latest version of Microsoft Office 365 includes offerings such as Skype world minutes and online storage with SkyDrive. Now you can easily sign in to your Office at home or away, on PC, Mac and other select devices. It is ideal for those of you on-the-go as now your settings and documents roam with you.

Office 365 Home Premium and Office 365 University subscribers can stream full versions of Office applications to any Internet-connected PC running Windows 7 or Windows 8 using Office on Demand. It lets you use your Office applications on PCs that don’t have Office installed on them.

You can easily switch between devices and with the extra 20GB SkyDrive storage, users have ample space to store notes, photos and files on the cloud and it is easily accessible.

Sharing content has never been simpler with shared calendars, real-time document editing and calls around the world. Never forget a birthday of a family member or friend because Outlook can sync your calendars and task-list tools help you to keep everything organized and updated. Notebooks and files can be shared by sending a link or by using free Office Web Apps to view and edit them. To add to it all, it also offers 60 minutes of Skype calls each month to call in 60 plus countries.

Users can capture their ideas by using the keyboard, pen or even touchscreen. It is now even easier to drag and drop images, videos and online media into files and pull content from PDFs directly into Word.

With the Office 365, the user will always have the latest versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher and Access for your PC and for Mac users, the version numbers for these applications may differ.

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Lenovo

The Shelf speaks to Mohammed Hilili, GM, Lenovo Gulf, to understand the company’s market expansion plans

g n i s i Ra e h t r a b

smartphone supplier and the fastest growing supplier, with growth of 132%.

Top line and bottom line grew significantly, but more importantly, profits outgrew revenues and margin expanded: Q1 revenue was $8.8 billion, up 10% YoY, while profit was $174 million, up 23%.

Lenovo outgrew the overall market for the 17th quarter in a row in Q1 FY13/14 in a market that declined 11%YoY. And for the 15th quarter in a row, Lenovo realized growth in sales and profit.

Further demonstrating balance, Lenovo’s MIDH revenues – which include smartphone, tablet and smart TV products – accounted for 14% of revenue in Q1 FY13/14, up from 7% year over year.

Raising the bar aising the bar aising the bar aising the

mmed Moha ovo Gulf en Hilili, L l Manager ra e Gen

In a fledging PC industry, Lenovo is bucking the trend with soaring sales and a leapfrog to number one in the world for PC shipments. How are you achieving this?

Our Protect & Attack strategy is proving to be the right strategy for the mobile and consumer focused PC Plus era. Lenovo has strong business momentum with record market share, improved profitability and a more balanced business. It is our long-term formula for success.

We continue to protect PCs as a stronghold, while we rapidly scale innovation to attack smartphone and tablet markets to become a PC Plus leader. Current market trends play to Lenovo’s strengths including the shift from premium to mainstream products and from mature to emerging markets, while Lenovo is expanding the focus beyond market share to driving innovation and PC Plus leadership.

For the first time ever, Lenovo was named the number 1 PC supplier in the world by IDC and Gartner recording its highest-ever quarterly market share of 16.7% in Q1 FY13/14.

In another first, Lenovo’s combined shipments of smartphones and tablets surpassed PCs during Q1 FY13/14 according to IDC, which ranked Lenovo the world’s 4th largest

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Indeed, many eyebrows were raised when your CEO said he still believes PCs are still relevant, but if the above is anything to go by, he was right. Tell us more about this ‘PC plus era’, and how it is influencing your strategy?

Becoming a PC Plus leader is the most critical challenge for Lenovo since we became a global company with the IBM PCD acquisition in 2005 and we are well positioned to succeed. First, we have the innovation and in-house manufacturing capability to bring new exciting products to market quickly and efficiently. Second, the market is shifting from premium to mainstream products.

According to IDC data, mainstream categories are seeing rapid growth (SP more than 75% year-onyear, Tablet 181%) that far outstrips premium (SP 9.8% year-on-year; Tablet -11.6%).

While the PC market still represents a $200B opportunity and offers substantial opportunity for

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Microsoft

profitable growth, most of the new growth will be in the PC Plus market, which includes tablets, smartphones, smart TVs, other “smart connected devices” and the broader portfolio of cloud, services and infrastructure hardware – such as storage and servers - that are critical to powering the PC Plus era. For the first time in Q1 FY13/14, we sold more smartphones and tablets than PCs and increased Mobile device revenues to 14% of overall revenue.

PC leadership is just one milestone in a longer journey that sees Lenovo becoming a true leader in the PC Plus era. Our ultimate goal is to use innovation to differentiate Lenovo and become not only a leading PC Plus brand, but also one of the most respected technology companies in the world.

processes. It helps us continuously improve and perfect our business.

For example, we continue to invest in our global-local business model, which includes continuing to enhance and execute our vertical integration. This end-to-end integration enables us to better push innovation while delivering optimal efficiency.

How do you see the Middle East market responding to both the PC market in general right now, as well as your PC+ strategy?

Positively. In a market which declined 18.7% YTY, Lenovo Middle East & Africa had record 10% market share, adding 3.4% of share YTY and 1.4% QTQ. We have achieved No.1 position in Lebanon and Qatar and No.2 in Egypt and Oman.

In addition, in Q1 Fiscal, Lenovo achieved a 9% market share in Tablets in UAE; 15% market share in KSA. We launched our smartphones in UAE and KSA in July, including the K900 for tech-savvy power users; Lenovo P780 for the professional who demands long-lasting battery, USB on-thego and business applications; the stylish S920 and S820 for heavy multimedia users; and the affordable yet fully loaded A706 and A390. While we are still new in the Smartphone space, we have seen tremendous interest and adoption of our smartphones from consumers.

Raising the bar aising the bar aising the bar aising the bar

Lenovo has led in the innovation stakes with new PC designs like the Yoga and Flex series.

How do these designs reflect the trends Lenovo has noted amongst consumers and enterprises?

In the PC Plus era, we cannot win by being a quick follower; we must be the trend-setter. To be a truly innovative company, we must create new product categories that enhance the customer experience and differentiate us from the competition, for example, we are leading the way in multi-mode computing with our most recent launch of nextgeneration Yoga and flex dual-mode devices, including the Yoga 2 Pro, ThinkPad Yoga, and Flex 14 and 15 laptops. These new multi-mode devices, along with our Twist, Helix and Lynx products, are changing the future of personal and business computing, and redefining the way people use PCs, with the ability to flip, fold, twist, turn and separate.

We also recently announced our pioneer product, the IdeaCentre Horizon: the company’s first “interpersonal PC,” a multi-user, multi-touch, multi-mode device for the home that allows users

to turn their personal computing experience into a shared computing experience.

One key to Lenovo’s smartphone success in China has been the breadth of offerings giving the consumer the choice to select the product that best suits their needs, features and price point. Lenovo is also known for our time to market, getting the most advanced technologies into consumer’s hands before our competitors.

Innovation is in our DNA. Our commitment to innovation continues to deliver the best products in the industry and is at the heart of our business as a PC Plus company. Building on Lenovo’s rich history of technological breakthroughs, Lenovo is investing more than ever in innovation that differentiates our products and that sets the standard for quality, reliability, style and speed.

Our leadership in innovation was recognized by a record 50 awards at CES 2013. Our robust portfolio of innovative products (e.g. Horizon, Helix, K900, Vibe X, Yoga) is differentiating the company and ensuring the next stage of profitable growth.

An important proof point on innovation is our strong portfolio of intellectual property. Lenovo now has 6,500 globally recognized patents, nearly 5,000 of which are patents for invention. Last year alone, the company registered 500 new patents.

In addition, Lenovo is perhaps one of the few Chinese rooted companies that makes money from its patents. Last year, patents contributed significantly to our revenue.

The balance between innovation and efficiency is another key to success. Efficiency gives us more resources for innovation, and innovation drives higher margins and better efficiency.

Innovation is not only about products and technology. Innovation is everywhere at Lenovo, present in everything from our strategy and execution to our business model, organization and

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What role does Redington Gulf play in your regional go-to-market strategy?

Redington is one of our key strategic partners in the region and with their vast expertise in the industry and their distribution network, we are confident they will play a key role in Lenovo achieving higher PC Plus market share and new milestones in the Middle East.

www.redingtonmea.com

Lenovo Distributor Catalogue FP OL.indd 1 www.redingtonmea.com

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11/14/13 10:45 AM

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Lenovo

IdeaCentre A730 from Lenovo meets high performance through its various features. The 27” all-in-one sports a 10-point multitouch display, adjustable screen angle from -5 to 90 degrees and is equipped with quad HD display.

Powered with Windows 8, it has the option of hybrid storage, SSHD, where the user gets the best of both the capacity of a hard drive with the speed of a solid state drive. A TV tuner card further allows the user to transform A730 into a television set and its stereo speakers with Dolby Home Theatre v4, graphics card options and optical disk drive options makes it ideal device for home entertainment as well. The computer also comes with the AccuType wireless keyboard with an integrated 720p HD webcam, enhancing online conferences and video calling. Its added features such as eye-protecting software, protecting your eyes from strain; rescue system, where it recovers system files keeping the system ready against viruses or data loss; and cloud storage further makes this product worth the buy.

Raising the bar aising the bar aising the bar aising the bar

IdeaCentre A730

IdeaPad Yoga 11S Ultrabook

With a 60-degree flip-and-fold design, Lenovo’s IdeaPad Yoga ultrabook maximises productivity in laptop mode, play games in tablet mode, video chat in tent mode and go through images and listen to music in stand mode. The 10-point multitouch feature on the 11.6” display further allows customers to easily use Windows 8. The motion control feature sets the ultrabook apart from the crowd. Using the webcam as an input device, users can now effortlessly flip pages, play music, change volume and other simple commands with the flick of a hand, says the company.

Some of its other features are Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled, stereo speakers with Dolby Home Theater v4, voice control, integrated webcam and Lenovo cloud storage. Files can be easily and quickly transferred with USB 3.0 and its AccuType keyboard helps in reducing errors. Also it is easy to maintain with its OneKey Rescue System, which backs up the system and scans and eliminates viruses.

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IdeaTab S6000

being Bluetooth enabled, it also has Accelerometer, light sensor, e-compass and GPS (only for 3G). Bluetooth keyboard, which is easy to carry comes as an

accessory with the tablet and applications such as Rara.com, FilmOn, Kingsoft office, Mobile Security and skype comes installed in it.

Raising the bar aising the bar aising the bar aising the

The S6000 comes with a powerful quad-core processor installed with Android jelly bean 4.2. The IPS 10.1� screen offers better viewing angles and also has expandable storage up to 32 GB microSD, on the whole, delivering an enhanced tablet experience.

The dual camera comes in handy for video conferencing and the micro HDMI connects to external displays. Besides

Flex 14

Flex 14 is a thin and light dual-mode notebook PC with a touchscreen that flips to 300 degrees. Powered with 4th generation intel core i7 processor, users can now have enhanced viewing with the 14� HD display with 10-point multitouch technology. With memory expandable to 8GB, it is equipped up to 1TB HD with integrated 16GB SSD or 1TB SSHD with integrated 16GB NAND flash or up to 256GB SSD. The notebook is designed to be responsive and easy to use and is optimised for Windows 8. Flex 14 can even perform simple commands through the voice control feature and the AccuType keyboard with individual rounded keys makes typing more comfortable and accurate, says the company. The energy manage feature enables the battery to last longer by using energy-saving technology. The notebook is also integrated with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi connectivity and has a 720p HD webcam.

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Z410

Slender and sleek in design, the Z410 is not only easy to handle but also offers a commendable performance for HD videos, photo editing, 3D gaming and interrupted movie playback with the help of NVIDIA GeForce GT740M 2GB graphics supporting DirectX 11. The dual JBL designed speakers with Dolby Home Theater v4 increases audio clarity and maximises volume output without distortion. Through the HDMI port, the Z410 can be ported on to a large TV screen easily has up to 1TB HDD. Optimised for Windows 8, its intelligent touchpad enables easy scroll, zoom and rotate functions for comfortable control of the laptop.

Some of its other features include backlit AccuType keyboard, integrated 720p HD webcam and dual digital array microphones, one key recovery.

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Belkin

Youssef El-Arif, Country Manager, MEA, Belkin International

Full steam ahead The Shelf catches up with Youssef El-Arif, Country Manager, MEA Belkin International to get an insight into the company’s future plans

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What are your expectations for the Belkin and Linksys brands as the Country Manager?

Both Belkin and Linksys brands have been in the market for many years. We are perceived as valuable brands by consumers as well as our channel partners. The channel and consumers trust our brands and we have a wide range of products to offer to them. This is a great advantage for both the brands, I am working very closely with the Linksys team to make sure that we are present everywhere in the region; we both have skilled teams and experience people in the field. We are joining our efforts by sharing experiences and best practises and make sure that we expand our presence across the region.

How important is the Middle East and Africa to the larger Belkin family and where do you, realistically, want to see the region vis-à-vis other areas within the Belkin global network?

MEA is a very important region to the Belkin international. We have been growing our business year on year across all categories and the most important thing is that we have been profitable in such a competitive market. Despite the challenges in the international region, we are still aiming to grow not only our business but also our investment in new product innovation and differentiation. And that for sure will help us differentiate ourselves in MEA where there are many players in the market that don’t have the chance to do that.

Africa also falls within your sphere of operations. Discuss your operations within the continent and your growth projections there.

In the coming year Africa will be a major focus for us. We have a strong presence in South Africa

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Belkin has successfully established its presence in this region for the past many years and is perceived not only as a multi category brand, but also as a superior and trusted brand in this industry.

where our partners are serving the market with the full Belkin portfolio. Our aim this year is to expand our presence in Nigeria, Kenya and North Africa.

We can see the smartphone, tablets and ultrabook business growing very fast in that region and there is a very high demand on our products.

One key difference to do business in Africa is to bring in solutions. And this is where Belkin make people-inspired products and provide solutions to enhance the use of technology.

With literally dozens of options for customers for computer accessories and networking equipment now, how do you see Belkin navigating through this maze of competing brands and non-brands?

The reality is that industry never stands still, it continuously evolves. The market expands and players come and go. Belkin’s commitment to innovation, research and design has inspired more than 2000 products and 200 patents design. We have lots of advantages which put us ahead of everyone else. Price alone, is not the main reason for a brand to be successful,. There is a need for innovation, fashion, design, solution, good quality, peace of mind and this is where Belkin has a competitive advantage. Recently we have partnered with Lego, Vans and Orla Kiely, where we will offer a variety of iPhone and iPad cases in collaboration with these big brands. Such partnership opens up a whole new audience for Belkin and we are extremely excited to work with these brands that will inspire creativity and promote individuality in people of all ages.

Discuss new areas that you would like to focus more in the near future.

Heading a powerful brand in this promising region

will bring forth new opportunities for Belkin, and I am very happy about this exciting role. Belkin has successfully established its presence in this region for the past many years and is perceived not only as a multi category brand, but also as a superior and trusted brand in this industry. I now look forward to working closely with my team and our partners in this region to take the Belkin business to another level.

What is your roadmap for the home automation and security markets under the WeMo brand?

Right now, Belkin have a nice home automation platform called WeMo, under which we have devices such as Wi-Fi connected wall outlets, motion sensors, baby monitors, and webcams.

The platform also has smartphone apps for Android and iOS so you can connect your home on your phone or tablet from anywhere in the world and switch your appliances on/off, listen in on your baby, and even check the webcam to make sure your children/elderly parents are doing ok.

WeMo even connects to IFTT so you can set rules for your devices (turn on lights when sun sets, alert me if there’s movement in my house, alert me if there’s no motion in my parent’s home, etc.).

So far, the WEMO family is very successful and accepted by our consumers, and Belkin is investing a lot in resources and time to develop this platform and taking it to another level. There will be a lot of new products joining this family such as the echo water and echo electricity, these devices are still under development and testing and will be released in the market once is ready.

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Products from Belkin

THUNDERBOLT EXPRESS DOCK

N600 DB wireless dual-band n+ router

Thunderbolt Express Dock allows users to use a single connection to transfer content from a laptop to eight other devices such as FireWire, Ethernet, USB and daisy chaining multiple Thunderbolt devices, reliably and quickly. With eight ports, the Belkin Thunderbolt Express dock enhances the capable speed of USB 3.0 and FireWire, among others.

As it moves data on two bidirectional 10Gbps, a whole HD movie can transfer in just 30 seconds. Designed in a minimalistic theme, it makes all transfers faster and easier. For example, it provides 20 times faster than USB 2.0, 12 times faster than FireWire 800 and is capable of syncing a year’s worth of continuous music in ten minutes.

Created for high performance such as video streaming and gaming, the N600 DB has dual-plane antennas and MIMO technology, which provides 3D whole home coverage for uninterrupted signal.

Its dual-band N technology doubles up the performance and bandwidth. With speeds of up to 300 Mbps, it also eliminates interference and makes the best possible use of media intensive applications such as gaming and videos.

Sporting a glossy and sleek design, the wireless router is easy to set up and offers good range and hard drive sharing features. Photos and important files can be easily backed up with its memory safe app, to an external hard disk, which is attached to the router. It also ensures a clear wireless channel through its selfhealing app, where it automatically identifies and solves network problems. A notification will appear on the screen, if personal attention is required.

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keyboard case (F5L159EAC00)

mobile headset (G2H2000CWBLK)

Slim and stylish in appearance, the keyboard case-designed for Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 from Belkin has large TruType keys that are well spaced to enable better speed and accuracy than the onscreen keyboard. Though it is lightweight, it is also strong to provide a stable work surface.

Also, the keyboard case’s shortcut keys allows the user to copy and paste text, adjust volume and control music easily to save time.

The stand allows the user to enjoy various viewing angles and create a functional, multipurpose workstation. What’s more, the keyboard can be folded flat when there is no typing to be done, providing handheld comfort for reading and watching media content.

All the user has to do to connect the keyboard to the Tablet, is switch on the keyboard and pair it with the tablet and it connects automatically via Bluetooth.

The binaural, wired mobile headset from Belkin is designed with extra bass for listening to movies and games. It comes with a built-in microphone and a multifunctional remote that is quite handy. Customers can now watch mobile videos with a superior audio quality. Some of its other features include a 50mm driver unit, supraaural ear coupling and a Icecat.biz source data sheet.

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Symantec

Building defence The Shelf meets up with Tamim Taufiq, Head of Sales, Consumer Business Unit, MENA Symantec to understand the threat landscape in the region

How do you see the threat landscape changing in the region?

It has become increasingly apparent that endpoint security is no longer enough for businesses in the Middle East. A number of high-profile attacks on organisations in the Middle East have made headlines and underscored the importance for businesses to employ an in-depth security strategy that includes a mix of aware, educated end users; strict policies and procedures around testing security vulnerabilities, securing information and responding to issues that may arise; and having up to date technologies.

According to Symantec’s 18th annual Internet Security Threat Report, there has been a surge in targeted attacks, rising by 42 percent in 2012 compared to 2011. In addition, large organisations aren’t the only target for attacks; SMBs comprise 31% of targeted attacks, which is a threefold increase over the previous year.

The UAE ranks 40th in the globe for overall security threat profile (46th in 2011) according to the ISTR. Within the Middle East, the UAE ranks 4th for malicious code, 2nd for phishing hosts, 4th for spam

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Are the threats getting more targeted and sophisticated?

Symantec’s ISTR predicts that malware will become increasingly vicious, and attacks will be more aggressive and professional over time. While mobile threats still represent only a fraction of all malware, Symantec expects that in the next year there will be targeted attacks that are predominately mobile based. Finally, cyber-espionage has moved down the supply chain, so business will not only care about their defences, but also take an interest in the security of their business partners

Tamim Taufiq, Head of Sales, Consumer Business Unit, MENA, Symantec

With increasing cybercrimes, are companies ready to invest in protecting their systems in the region? Are companies concerned about ROI on security solutions?

Cybercrime is one of the largest illegal industries in the world. Symantec is

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Symantec

deeply committed to stopping cybercrime and raising greater public awareness of the steps every person, family, organization, and business can take to stay safe online. Cybercrime can range from spam, phishing, targeted attacks, online scams, etc. The 2013 Norton Report on cybercrime found that 71 percent of adults in the UAE have experienced cybercrime in their lifetime. Within the past 12 months, the total cost of cybercrime in the UAE was US$285m and US$215 per victim.

Following a number of high-profile targeted attacks across the region, Symantec witnessed a growth in the security business as customers became more aware of their security needs.

With this being the case, Symantec is investing more in local resources in terms of sales and delivery in order to address customers on a more personal level, form relationships and address needs as quickly as possible.

Symantec predicts this trend to continue over the next few years.

As the lines between personal and work are getting blurred with more employees using one device for both, what kind of securities need to be in place?

BYOD lends itself to more productivity and freedom for employees. However, IT departments are challenged with the need to protect and control corporate information regardless of the device it is on and without hindering the efficiency BYOD enables.

Concerns are wide-ranging, from lost and stolen devices, data leakage, unauthorized access to corporate resources and the spread

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of malware infections from mobile devices to the company network. With mobile devices now delivering critical business processes and data, the cost of security incidents can be significant.

As more employees connect their personal devices to the corporate network, organizations should modify their acceptable usage policies to accommodate both corporate-owned and personally-owned devices. Management and security levels will need to differ based on ownership of the device and the associated controls that the organization requires.

Employees will continue to add devices to the corporate network to make their jobs more efficient and enjoyable so organizations must plan for this legally, operationally and culturally.

Having a BYOD-ready network doesn’t require a complete redesign of IT infrastructure, but businesses should prioritize educating employees about mobile threats and protecting business-critical information that employees are accessing remotely. Businesses can use mobile device management (MDM) and mobile application management (MAM) tools to help maintain an inventory of the devices connecting to company resources and also make sure employees are adhering to policies. Reputable MDM tools also allow businesses to ensure both personal and company-owned mobile devices are wiped of business information if an employee leaves the company or a device is lost or stolen.

What is the level of awareness for cyber security here? How can it be increased?

The 2013 Norton Report, 56 percent of mobile device users in the UAE are unaware that

For more information, please write to sales.volume@redingtongulf.com

Symantec is deeply committed to stopping cybercrime and raising greater public awareness of the steps every person, family, organization, and business can take to stay safe online.

security solutions for mobile devices exist. In addition, 55 percent of users in the UAE use their personal device for both work and play.

Small businesses are also impacted by cybercrime. The ISTR revealed that 31 percent of all targeted attacks are directed at businesses with fewer than 250 employees.

In 2011 this was just 18 percent, showing the shift in focus of attackers as they recognize the potential gains of getting a foot in the door of companies with less robust security.

Education is a key element to increase awareness about cyber security in the region.

Below are Symantec’s recommendations for businesses and users to help defend against attacks: Defend Your Data: A comprehensive security suite provides a strong defense against online threats.

Think of Mobile Devices as Mini-Computers: Make sure your mobile device requires a password, and take precautions to ensure your device is protected against theft, loss and cybercrime.

Be Cautious in the Cloud: While cloud storage solutions make it easy to save and share files, they also open other avenues for attack.

Save Sensitive Transactions for Secure Connections: Free or unsecured Wi-Fi networks can make it easy for thieves to eavesdrop on your activity.

After You Connect, Double Check: Check credit card and bank statements regularly for fraudulent transactions, and report any suspicious activity to your provider and/or law enforcement

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Products from Symantec

Norton Mobile Security Symantec’s Norton Mobile Security helps to protect the user’s entire mobile world. It protects multiple mobile devices with one web-based service which is easy to use. This means, the user can control protection for all devices from a single website. Protecting both, Android smartphones and tablets, it can also remotely locate and back up contacts from iPhone and iPad. It also helps recover a lost or stolen device by locating it on a map. The built-in webcam takes a photo of anyone using the missing device once it is listed as stolen or lost. And, the user also has the option to set off a ‘scream’ alarm and set a customisable message so that anyone who finds the device can make arrangements to send it back.

What is most attractive about the solution is that it stops access of any private information and can remotely lock lost or stolen smartphones through a secure website. This way strangers cannot use or access personal information stored in the phone. If necessary, the solution also allows you to erase any private information. And the software helps you to block phishing websites designed to trick you to reveal personal information and can instantly lock your phone if SIM card is removed so that it does not function on any other SIM card.

The software also allows you to back up all your contacts on any of your devices so that in case it is deleted accidentally, it can be easily restored.

Also contacts can be shared across iPhones, iPads and Androids. The solution is also designed to protect the phone against digital threats such as viruses, spam calls and texts and also automatically scans downloaded apps and app updates for threats and helps the user to get rid of them.

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Products from Symantec

Norton Internet Security This security solution offers you advanced protection for the PC. It provides not only antivirus but also internet protection that allows you to safely go anywhere online. Norton Internet Security intercepts viruses, email spam and dangerous downloads. It also repels identity thieves and keeps your passwords and personal information private. The solution is designed to raise the red flag on phishing sites and dubious social media content, links and scams. This keeps the user protected at all times. It scours and disinfects the worst infections and even removes unnecessary files and also fine-tunes startup settings to restore PC horsepower. Some of its other features include network mapping and monitoring, built-in intelligence, parental control and SONAR behavioral protection. It also has an intelligent two-way firewall and protects your entire internet system. It is compatible with Windows 8 and monitors threats and provides live 24/7 support for the user.

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Redington updates

HIGHLIGHTS

Redington Gulf’s Volume Division was recently awarded Outstanding Distributor KSA and Outstanding Consumer Distributor Gulf by Lenovo.

Audience enjoying an informative session at the Microsoft Office 365 end customer event held in UAE.

Redington’s Volume Division was recognised as the New Partner Of The Year 2013 at the Microsoft World Partner Conference (WPC) 2013, held earlier this year, in July, at Houston, USA.

The Windows 8 Tablet end customer events held in Qatar and Bahrain were a resounding success as it saw participants from across the region. www.redingtonmea.com

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Parting shot

Primed for growth

Ashish Bharti President, Redington Gulf- Volume Division

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Hope you have enjoyed the first issue of The Shelf. At Redington, we currently find ourselves in a very interesting position within the channel ecosystem, which means we can enjoy an up-to-date view of most of the vendors and resellers in the market. Naturally, we want to use some of this knowledge to build our go-to-market model and decide on our priorities.

And through this magazine and column, we intend to share some of the insights that we have gained, hopefully helping our partners on making better decisions regarding different product categories, vendors, and new opportunities.

The year 2012 to 2013 saw a declining trend in most traditional hardware categories whereas there was an upward trend for mobility products. A similar trend is expected to carry in 2014, considering a range of new mobility devices expected to hit the market next year from different platform providers. These devices will run on operating systems such as Google’s Android, Apple’s iOS and Microsoft’s Windows 8.1, and they could potentially lead the change in revenue from traditional hardware categories. Because of this, it is imperative for the channel to prepare itself for this new opportunity.

Happily, the channel does seem like it’s reasonably well prepared to address this new opportunity. The region has been consistent in the year 2013 in regards to sales-in, sales-out, profitability. From what we have seen, the KSA market is increasingly gravitating towards mobility products with Gulf not very far behind. A similar trend is expected in Egypt and Iraq.

As we move forward into the next financial year, we aim to bring you more insights from what’s happening in the market, and how best to prepare for it.

Please enjoy this first issue and do feel free to give us any feedback on what you’ve read here.

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Redington recommends Microsoft Software

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