Vision - September/October 2007 - (Page 32) CEAnewsline The first application to take advantage of the information repository is a product called Virtuoso, piloted by Best Buy and Nebraska Furniture Mart. Virtuoso is a Web-based software application that helps users simplify, enhance and optimize their home theater experience. Virtuoso utilizes two core components that power the application’s various modules. The first is the Product Attribute Database, and the second is the Virtuoso Logic Engine, a complex set of algorithms that analyze the various attributes of CE devices and determine the optimal solution for connecting these devices. The Logic Engine not only considers a product’s attributes but also takes into consideration component type, connection flexibility and switching sources. A user creates a system profile by entering the various model numbers he/she wants to set-up and manage. There is no limit to the amount of components a user can enter. This information is stored in a System Locker, and the user may take advantage of Virtuoso’s Cable Finder and Setup Wizard modules to determine how best to set up the home theater. Another feature is Virtuoso’s Product Manual database, which downloads and displays a PDF version of the device’s product manual, indexed to provide quick operational assistance. CEA is working closely with CEI to obtain manufacturer product data and OEM support. “This is a solution that will benefit the entire CE industry,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of CEA. Shapiro adds, “We’re working with CEI and the manufacturers to develop an industry standard data repository to more efficiently collect the data necessary for the Virtuoso application.” Will the day come when standards evolve to the point where complex cabling is no longer required, and CE devices are simple to understand, set-up and operate? Summers says, “That’s still far off, but I believe the industry will eventually get there. There will be a lot of hurdles to overcome as a wired world migrates to wireless, as more CE products become IPenabled, and as standards continue to evolve. However our data collection efforts allow us to continue to develop products and services that help simplify the CE experience.” • www.ce.org Taking the Complexity out of CE Among those challenges are an increase in “no fault found” product returns, a lack of education on the sales floor to convey and demonstrate complex product features, uncertainty around necessary cables and peripherals, confusion in the set-up and operation of CE devices, inadequate post-sale support, high help-desk costs and unnecessary service-related truck rolls due to consumer error or inadequate product troubleshooting. This all impacts the customer experience and affects brand loyalty. Several of CEA’s key initiatives center on improving education, simplifying connectivity and reducing product returns. So when CEA heard about CE Interactive (CEI), a New York-based technology company whose mission is to simplify the CE experience, a strategic partnership seemed imminent. CE Interactive is the latest venture by Dean Summers, founder and former president of Partsearch Technologies. Summers said the idea for CEI came to him a few years ago at a CEA CEO Summit discussion. “The topic was simplifying CE, and I didn’t hear any compelling solutions,” Summers said. Thus began a six-month crusade of extensive interviews with manufacturers, retailers, service providers and consumers to help determine how best to address these problems on the retail floor, in the home and at the help desk to provide effective solutions. AdvAnCEs in ConsumEr ElECtroniCs technology have given birth to today’s digital lifestyle, but not without a price. The level of complexity surrounding the sale, set-up, operation, maintenance and support of CE products has escalated dramatically, creating significant challenges for retailers, manufacturers, service providers and consumers. Making CE Easy Similar to the way he approached the problem of accessory and parts fulfillment with Partsearch, he created a massive crossbrand Master Parts Database by going to every manufacturer and collecting their parts and accessory data to help retailers and consumers easily find and acquire parts and accessories. With the help of CEA, CEI is in the process of creating a cross-brand Product Attribute Database, a collection of product information and deep product attributes across all CE brands and models. 32 September/October 2007 Image Source Pink/Jupiter Images http://www.ce.org
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