Funky Kit is proud to present an exclusive interview with Antec, makers of chassis, power supplies and cooling solutions for PCs. In this Q&A session, we ask Frank Lee about Antec’s plans for 2013 and 2014, the future of the company and what new products we can expect going forward. Let’s find out more …
Winston: Q1. Tell our readers more about yourself, the company and a little bit about its history.
Frank: My name is Frank Lee, Director of Antec Mobile Products and Director of Global Marketing for Antec. Being in business for over 27yrs, Antec has always been in the forefront of the computer DYI industry. Over the past two decades, we’ve developed many technologies along with many aesthetic influences that shaped the industry to become what it is today. For example, Antec was the first to introduce black computer cases back in the early 90’s. Because of the lack of matching components, Antec also offered a full integrated solution that included black monitors, keyboards and mice. Quiet Computing ™ is also a term coined by Antec with it’s introduction of ultra quiet components such as the True Power Power Supply and the Performance Series computer case. These are just a few examples of the influence that Antec has mad on the computer industry.
Winston: Q2. Over the past few years, your company have grown from strength to strength. What plans does the company have in place for the second half of 2013?
Frank: With the introduction of Antec Mobile Products, A.M.P, Antec hopes to maintain it’s competitive edge over our competitors in diversifying into the mobile market. We understand that many of our customers incorporate mobile devices into their lives. This growing segment is an area in which we feel we’re able to provide our current customer base with quality products and at the same time reach out to new customers. However, we are still very focused on providing the best products and growing our core business. Antec is known for providing excellent computer components and we plan on contributing to the DIY community by continuing to innovate and find new ways to help users express their individualism and passion.
Winston: Q3. Can we expect some new an exciting products? If so … can you spill the beans?
Frank: The competitive nature of this business makes giving out information very sensitive. But I can say that many of our new A.M.P products, which were shown at Computex 2013 in June, will be available, specifically the SP1+ (Plus), SPzero, SP3 and PULSE wireless bluetooth headphones. With the Antec core products, we have plans to target specialized media cases and expand on our Quite Computing ™ products.
Winston: Q4. I’ve noticed over the past 12 months, a lot of manufacturers have shifted their focus to cater for the mobile and notebook markets. Is this something that your company will be expanding on?
Frank: Portable solutions are the future of computing. We’ve seen a shift in how people access their media and understand that we need to change and evolve in this market. We hope to provide more products that will help make the lives of our customers more enjoyable.
Winston: Q5. The popularity of PC gaming, eSports, mobile gaming are on the rise, especially in Europe and Asia. Has your company taken advantage of this rising niche market?
Frank: Antec has always been highly involved in the gaming market. However, unlike many of our competitors, we’ve chosen to stay out of the peripheral business. We wanted to keep our focus in providing high end gaming cases and power supplies. In the end, we feel that is where our expertise lies.
Winston: Q6. The Asian market is a tough one, especially with so many manufacturers/brands… will your company look to expand in that area?
Frank: Antec has been active in the Asia market for sometime. Since 2006, we’ve had a branch office in Beijing that manages the Greater China area. Other ares in which Antec has a large presence are Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, India, Japan, and much of South East Asia.
Winston: Q7. Now for something different. What do you think of Funky Kit?
Frank: Personally, I love how there’s a variety of products that the website covers. For me, it’s a one-stop-shop of information. From cameras to smartphones, Funky Kit covers a lot of products that I would purchase.
Winston: Q8. And finally your personal thoughts (feel free to express yourself) ….
Frank: I’ll leave you with a few words of wisdom, I love cheese. =D
