Ricavision International Inc.
Newport Beach, California, USA (www.ricavision.com)
Analysis by Ken Dulaney
Why Cool: Ricavision manufactures a number of consumer products, but it is their novel media center PC remote control unit that brings it to to our
attention as a Gartner cool vendor. The device, to be offered in April 2007, is similar to a TV remote but the top half incorporates a
cellphone-like full colour 2.5" LCD QVGA display, into an elongated candybar form-factor. The device is one of the first to employ Windows
SideShow technology for Vista, so it is able to display applications from an associated Vista PC. Two aspects of this device are intriguing.
The screen can display information from a variety of sources, such as the direct band network, the PC (including applications like IM, file control,
and via Bluetooth class 1 (enables other wireless devices as well)to applications such as Skype No Skype, phone to be included in next release Q3,
allowing the device to used as a phone). Content that can be displayed includes RSS feeds, e-mail alerts, calendar, news and stock quotes.
Users can even browse TV listings and schedule recordings directly on the remote. Secondly, the device illustrates the company's strong industrial
design capabilities.
This device represents several key trends seen at CES: convergence, the increased proliferation of screens around the home capable of displaying
varied content, home entertainment integration with Vista and SideShow, and the ability for a variety of appliances to be directly connected to the
Internet to display more than just the time. This area is interesting because it underscores the enabling of peripheral devices from a variety of
sources; the future home will have many screens connecting external and internal content.
Competitors include SideShow Remote ?(all the devices are SideShow) We are manufacturing for Microsoft and Exceptional Innovation, among others.
Each shows unique capability, but Microsoft chose Ricavision to feature in its literature. Ricavision's remote control reflects the core theme
of convergence by virtue of the many functions this small device can perform. Its industrial design is outstanding in a market where compromised
designs -- with many small buttons -- are the norm.
Challenges: The market is very crowded, and the remote control hasn't shipped yet. The consumer market strategy is paramount, so it will be
interesting to see how Ricavision handles this.
Who should care: Consumers who are using media center PCs as part of their home entertainment system will be intrigued by Ricavision's device.
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What You Need to Know Ricavision makes a remote control for media center PCs that exploits Microsoft Vista 'sideshow'
technology to wirelessly drive a remote PDA-like display on the device.
Mark Raskino - Research VP & Gartner Fellow
Office: +44(0)1784 268256 Mobile & text :+44(0)7740 896851 |
