Vinpower Digital recently traveled to the U.A.E for a trade show in Dubai and made a strong impact on the local news. Below are scanned images of press clippings from the AL-Jazirah Newspaper dated Thursday, October 22, 2009:

Below are images of the production of our duplication controller boards.

As I mentioned in the previous blog, we design and program our own controller boards. Every circuit, ic chip, solenoid, connection, etc plays an important role in the proper operation for our controllers and gives them the edge over the competition.

When most customers purchase a duplicator, they probably assume they’re all the same and that the operating system behind the standalone duplicator is generally the same as well. That’s where I want to correct this misconception. The standalone duplicator is unique in that it requires a special dedicated controller device that is small enough to fit within the confines of a duplicator casing, yet is inexpensive enough to allow the duplicator to be priced affordably for the general public. With these limitations, one cannot take a standard computer motherboard and just adapt it to the duplicators needs. Firstly it’s not a dedicated device, secondly it’s too large for most of the medium to smaller systems and lastly the cost of the components and software is prohibitive given the pricing constraints.

So every controller on the market has to be specially programmed by engineers to achieve perfect burning capabilities without errors. In itself this is not difficult if you’re a skilled computer programmer, but the difficult part lies in programming these many functions and applications within a very limited capacity. I won’t get into the specifics, but just know that our programmers are constantly working to squeeze the maximum capabilities within the confines of their space limitations.

Programming is only one part of the controller development. The second major development hurdle is the board layout design and component configurations. You can have the best programmers in the world, but if the board layout and circuit components are not designed and utilized correctly, the controller will not be worth the code written on it. Being the only controller manufacturer that is also a system builder and designer, we have unique insight that helps us produce a stronger and more reliable controller both in software and hardware.

Recently we held a training seminar over 2 days for a couple of our international distributors at our USA corporate office. This seminar was intended to train the technical support staff from these companies so that they can be better prepared to handle any and all tech support calls they receive in their region. It was an overwhelming success and everyone involved was pleased with the schedule and outcome. Due to the positive feedback we have decided to make the training seminars regular occurrence, so whether a company is foreign or domestic, we will provide training so that everyone can provide top notch technical support.

The above photos show how involved the training seminar was as the participants participated in building up our equipment from a bare system. That way they will gain more intimate knowledge with the product and how to support them.

Of course we didn’t want our guests getting bored focusing only on duplicators, so we added in some social events. That way we can balance the body, mind and spirit so that each participant will have a better understanding of our products and of who the people are that support them from our side.

The iPhone sold over 1 million units in a matter of days and all the so called experts were amazed because they didn’t think a 3rd generation product in a depressed economy could create this kind of demand. But when you live in a consumer culture, everyone should realize that when you offer a desirably or necessary product at a reasonable price, there will always be a market for it.

Apple knows they will never have the sales volumes of the PC, so they don’t try and compete on price in those arenas. Instead they focus on greater feature sets that reaches a loyal and more finicky clientele at a slightly higher price to offset volume through greater margin. Yet in the mobile phone sector, they have combined a rich feature set with a lower cost to appeal to an even broader consumer base which has obviously worked based on the sales.

At Vinpower Digital, we have taken similar steps in our sales and development process. As a true manufacturer as apposed to just a system integrator, with our fingers on the pulse of the industry, we focus on a greater array of features which better resonate with the end users as apposed to just trying to undercut others through lower pricing. Don’t get me wrong, we understand the hard times we’re facing and the value of the dollar, so our products are competitively priced, but we aren’t satisfied with being a me too product.

So when someone says the market is dead and sales have dried up, maybe they should review what it is they are offering and determine if it’s the market or the product. Vinpower Digital is not unscathed by the economic crisis that has adversely affected the whole world, but I do think we have faired better than many in this industry because we offer the consumer a better choice in a variety of products. When someone needs a duplicator or accessory product, they have many choices, but in the end they will choose the products that best fit their needs and can grow with them, that’s what Vinpower Digital offers and why we have been successful in our industry.

Below are two press release that were circulated throughout Japan. The releases are in Japanese, but follow the same information as the English versions released in the USA a few weeks earlier. For the English version, you can go to our “News & Events” section at www.vinpowerdigital.com.

The first release is related to our introduction of the Industry’s first Network Capable Standalone manual tower duplicators:

Vinpower Digitalは産業用の最初のネット・ワーク機能付きスタンド-アロンコピータワーを発表しました。

本日、Vinpower Digitalは最新の革新的商品を発表致しました。

これはSharkNet.ネット・ワーク接続機能付きスタンド-アロンコピー機シリーズです。

ユーザはこのシリーズを利用して、自分のパソコンで作成したイメージファイルまたはライトスクライブのプリンターファイルをＰＣからネット・ワーク(LAN/Ethernet)を経由しSharkNetコピー機まで転送することが出来ます。SharkNetコピー機でそのイメージファイルまたはライトスクライブのプリンターファイルをCD,DVD,Blu-rayメディアへ容易にコピーされます。

The second release is related to the introduction of the Vinpower Digital series of 8X Pioneer Blu-ray capable duplicators:

Vinpower DigitalはManual Towerとオートローダシリーズコピー機のBlu-rayディスクコピー速度を８倍速に向上させました。

これはパイオニアのエレクトロニクス（ＵＳＡ）商品開発部の副社長Andy Parsonsの言葉です。”パイオニアは長い間にずっとBlu-rayディスクフォーマットの進展をサポートしてきました。従って、Vinpower Digitalは、彼らの新製品ラインに重要なパーツとしてパイオニアの最新のBlu-rayディスクドライブを選択したことは大きな喜びです。”

As a California resident, one may consider it odd that they would meet the Governor of their state nearly 7,000 miles away in an obscure town in Germany. But that’s what exhibiting at one of the largest consumer electronics IT trade shows in the world brings about. Of course it’s also noteworthy to mention that the Governor of California is one of the most recognizable movie stars of all time, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The fact that California was a partner state of CeBIT made sense that the Governor would take time out of his busy schedule to attend this trade show. In addition, California is one of the largest developers and exporters of CE/IT products in the world. Plus with Governor Schwarzenegger’s immense popularity around the globe, his presence certainly elevated the presence of Californian exhibitors like ourselves. With our headquarters in Los Angeles county, we are directly aware of the benefits California has to offer when it comes to it’s large pool of skilled engineers and labor, close proximity to major shipping ports, and large concentration of component suppliers, not to mention the excellent weather.

It is for these reasons that I had to travel nearly half way around the world to meet the Governor whose official residence is only 300 miles from our factory. With that said, it was an exciting day to meet such a popular figure that I have watched since my childhood as well as a strong statement for the technological prowess of the “Sunshine” state.

The Plextor PX-DM300 was a joint venture developed by Vinpower Digital on behalf of Plextor of a compact 3 slim CD/DVD standalone duplicator which was first introduced nearly 2 years ago in Japan. Initially, we were chosen to work on this project because of our strong engineering background and the fact that we currently have the most reliable and functional standalone duplication controller on the market. Plus Plextor knew that we could meet their lengthy list of stringent requirements essential in order to brand this unit with the Plextor name.

These kinds of products often have short life spans, especially in the IT/CE product realm. So the fact that Plextor not only continues to offer the PX-DM300 but also is still actively promoting the product is a strong testament to its durability and demand in the marketplace.

We are proud of our association with Plextor as they have a strong reputation for quality and longevity in the optical disc duplication field. Seeing the unit as the only duplicator displayed amongst a bevy of Plextor products, which are wholly unrelated to disc duplication, is a coup de gras for Vinpower Digital in our efforts to become the leading global CD, DVD, Blu-ray duplicator manufacturer.

Recently I read a book about interior design which brought up some new ideas for me. With the changes of modern society, art and design have bonded in our lives. Nowadays, people have different standards and requirements for many items in life, such as dinnerware, furniture, and kitchen utensils. Originally, we only cared about the basic function of these tools. Gradually we added some modern designs and fashion elements to kitchenware and furniture for a more aesthetically pleasing look. For example, the first TV sets were very large bulky items which took up a lot of space in our living rooms. Now they have been redesigned as slim wall hanging units with flat screen displays that look more like art hung on the wall. With its new design, our living room has become more spacious and attractive, yet retaining its intended functionality of displaying televised programming.

In addition, a kitchen is no longer a small and individual area that only mom goes in and out of to prepare the family’s meals. Now, the kitchen takes on many more roles as a conversation room, party room, workroom, day care center, living room and a place with laughter and the (hopefully) pleasant aroma of food. We’ve come to expect our furniture and life equipment to not only be designed for utility but also for beauty and greater functionality.

The same is true for duplication equipment. In the past, we defined optical disc duplication towers as an industrial machine, more suitable for a small niche market. Now the duplicator market has grown and stepped out of the industrial facilities and into offices and homes. In order to capitalize on the growing popularization of duplication equipment and be in line with other CE products evolution to fit in to more visible environments, Vinpower Duplicator spent a lot of time and effort on the overall design and appearance. Our duplicator line is not only a machine for you to make copies of optical discs like CD’s, DVD’s or Blu-ray, but also a beautifully designed and crafted piece of art that can be proudly displayed and greater utilization.

This transformation started with our line of manual tower SharkCopier duplicators and has transitioned to our line of autoloaders as well. In August, we released our new product-THE CUBE. It is designed as a compact light weight robotic autoloader that is easy to transport and is attractive enough to display on a desk in an office. Plus at an incredibly low price point, The Cube fits nearly every budget. The Cube is a small but mighty addition to a growing line of aesthetically pleasing functional office duplication equipment.

Click the link below to see The Cube in action:

http://www.vinpowerdigital.com/NewsAndEvents/Video/Video.asp

Just looking at the clothes we wear and the food we eat and its easy to recognize that the “Brand” is one of the most important elements of marketing. Most customers would rather purchase the product with a strong brand name rather than a lesser known or generic alternative, because they think the quality is better than the unknown brand. That’s why it’s so critical to build strong branding through effective marketing activities to create a loyal following of customers. Because they all know branding could affect purchasing behavior.

If you pay attention to the everyday conversation of people at your work, your local coffee shop, etc., you would hear how effective “Branding” really is. You’ll notice how branded products just become part of our everyday speech when we mention particular things. For example, we often say,”I’ll MSN you”, and we don’t have to explain what msn is, it’s just understood by both parties. How’s that? That’s because Microsoft effectively marketed their instant messaging service to not only become popular and widely used, but that their brand can become part of our common lexicon. Furthermore, we a brand can become so strong that it will even become the verbiage used for an entire industry. Take Google for instance. Every one knows who Google is and the main focus of their business. So, when someone says, “Let’s Google it,” everyone knows what it means. The phrase “Let’s Google it” has all but replaced “Let’s search it on the internet.”
This is a strong indication that if we want to assess how strong a brand is or identify which brand is a leader in the industry, we could find out through the everyday conversation of people. This is the most direct and obvious way to observe brand loyalty and a brand’s impact on society.

Vinpower Digital is making a lot of headway at establishing itself as a strong brand in the standalone duplication market. In developing many new and unique functions for our duplicators and cooperating with large technology companies Vinpower Digital is becoming more broadly recognized globally. Some day we may even hear people say “Let’s Vinpower it!!” instead of “Let’s duplicate the discs” as part of their common speech. I think that would be very cool and I think it’s not a matter of can it happen but when it will happen!!