Presentations in blue period
Bluetooth Irma device allows users to send compressed PowerPoint slides from hand-helds
Wireless presentation specialist Infrablue is looking to establish a UK channel following the launch of its latest product, the Irma presentation system.
The product, which is made up of specially designed compression software and a pocket-sized device, uses Bluetooth technology that allows end-users to deliver PowerPoint presentations without the need for a laptop.
Users simply download Irma software onto their PC and hand-held device, which allows them to compress and transfer the chosen slides.
During a presentation, the Irma device is then connected to the back of the meeting room projector, allowing the user's hand-held to send compressed PowerPoint slides directly to the projector. The product stores presentations of up to 20MB after compression.
The software runs on Windows 98/ME/NT4/2000 and XP operating systems. It is compatible with Office PowerPoint 2000/ XP/2003 software. Irma supports Pocket PC, Palm, Nokia Series 60 and 9500 Series, and Sony Ericsson Symbian platforms.
"Wireless presentations using Irma represent a huge opportunity for the UK channel because the European hand-held device market is still growing, as is the data projector market," claimed Mitchell Johnson, managing director of Infrablue.
"Margins are being squeezed in the AV [audiovisual] sector all the time, but our product can be sold as part of a bundle. The channel can increase margin opportunities by offering PDAs or projectors as well as our product."
He added that the firm is looking to recruit both distributors and resellers.
Darren Lewitt, divisional director for AV at distributor Midwich, expressed an interest in the product. "The wireless market is not really setting the world alight. Although the opportunity is there, people are not prepared to pay a premium for it," he said.
"Instead of introducing the latest product at an even lower price point, vendors should concentrate on bringing out a wireless product at the same price, because once firms get into the technology and start using it, they wonder how they managed without it.
"In theory, this seems like a good product, and we would definitely be interested in taking a look at it. But it all depends on the price point."