Aiptek v10 pocket cinema projector -preorder.

Aiptek v10

Taiwan-based digital image products maker Aiptek International has introduced its first pico projector with built-in media player and 1GB memory. Peter Chen, chairman of the company, believes that such products combining portable devices and projectors will be the next hit in the market.

According to Chen, Aiptek is formed with a vision to bring technology into everyday life, so everyone can benefit from the convenience of advance technology. In order to do so, the technologies have to be user friendly and humanity designed. Digitimes recently had the opportunity to talk to Chen about the new product and its market prospects.

buy aiptek v10

Q: With so many new technologies and products out in the market, why has Aiptek targeted pico projector for development and what’s the future of the market?

A: To create a new product we must develop from the company’s basic technologies. Aiptek has been developing products for the input and output of static and dynamic images, so naturally the next step is to go further in this area. And after studying the current consumer electronics market, Aiptek has realized a trend in the market that as soon as a product goes portable, the sales of the product will increase dramatically. Therefore Aiptek decided to combine these two ideas and a portable mini-projector came into the picture.

While prices for handsets with built-in pico projectors remain expensive, Aiptek came up with the idea of combining pico projectors with media players, and we developed the PocketCinema V10.

Aiptek V10 PocketCinema Ultra Mini Projector at IFA 2008

With the idea of combining portable devices and image/data sharing, we know for sure that the market will increase in the future, since I have seen estimations of the market size, where shipments range from 1.5-6 million units in 2009 and 3-10 million units in 2010. As the first comer in the market, Aiptek will continue to lead in the market with the advantage in both technologies and innovations.

Q: Who will be the target customers for PocketCinema and how will Aiptek reach those customers? For example, will mobile service providers offer subsidies on this type of product to drive sales of content?

A: While Aiptek’s PocketCinema is still at the beginning of a product life cycle, we will first target the so-called early adopters for our PocketCinema. It is very easy to reach this group as they pay attention to the latest IT information updates. Whenever a new product is released, this group of people will be the first to know. And we expect this group of IT product lovers will help to introduce the product into the mass market.

Eventually, Aiptek’s goal is to introduce PocketCinema to everybody. In line with Aiptek’s vision of bringing technology to everyday life, PocketCinema is design for everybody. For example, a sales person can present his or her product/case with no limitation of locations; students can present homework without having to bring their notebooks to school art designers can showcase their work anywhere; or you can simply share images or videos with friends whenever and wherever you please.

Q: Many Taiwan companies focus on OEM/ODM. But Aiptek is choosing to sell its own-brand products. Can you tell us why you are choosing to sell own-brand products and what will be your recipe for success in the market?

A: Aiptek started with a vision to bring technology to everyday life, and branding is the only way for Aiptek to achieve this vision. As an OEM/ODM company, you don’t get to decide what you do; you do what others tell you to do. But with our own brand, we can realize our ideas and turn them into actual products. Therefore, branding may be a harder road to take, but I have had no doubt since the beginning that I want to create my own brand and to bring my ideas into actual life.

Q: What is Aiptek’s strategy to successfully compete with major global brands in this market?

A: It is hard to compete with the current major vendors, as they have the advantage of being the first comer in many products or technologies. In order to compete with them you′ll face the restrictions of patents, and you also need more funding and a bigger development and research team and good timing. So, Aiptek is not going to compete with those major global vendors but to go beyond them.

To go beyond these competitors, we need to highlight the deferences between Aiptek and these major vendors. And creativity and destructive innovation are another weapon Aiptek has against major vendors. We need destructive innovation in not just product development, but also in operations, channels, marketing strategies and thinking.

Aiptek’s PocketCinema uses 3M’s mobile projection technology based on LCoS. Aiptek had watched the industry for over three years before, under the considerations of cost and time, choosing 3M over DLP and laser technologies. It would have taken longer to begin mass production had we adopted DLP. And issues with sourcing components for DLP projectors would have left us with smaller room for cost down. And laser technology is simply too expensive at this moment.

Aiptek’s next step is to add wireless features into our products, creating wireless multi-media communication applications with access to the Internet.

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The Aiptek PocketCinema V10 mini projector can read MP4 and JPEG files, and features a 3-in-1 input jack and 1GB of storage with support for SD/MMC/MS Pro cards. But those specs are not what make this device notable. According to DigiTimes, the V10 can project 50-inch images.

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