AC Ryan appoints Brinkmann as new CEO

One of the fastest growing sectors in recent times has centred around the media streaming device. Whenever the market experiences a sharp change in direction, there is always a window of opportunity for a new company to win customers but out-innovating and out-marketing the competition. AC Ryan is just such a success story, but who does the board blame for its new found fortune?

Having originally run marketing for online retailer, Komplett, starting way back in 2001 – Tobias Brinkmann has had an exceptional career. In 2006, he took over marketing for memory specialist OCZ and in 2010 he joined AC Ryan as Commercial Director.

The commercials seem to have gone well enough, because he has just been handed the role of CEO.

While we're certain that Tobias is able to bring the magic when it comes to sales, he has been fortunate to have been backed by a very strong engineering team. Unlike a lot of products we see from the Far East, which try too hard to hit a price-point, the AC Ryan kit is solidly built with excellent software.

If you're not certain, have a look at Zardon's in-depth review of the Playon! HD Essential from back in December. More recently, the Playon! HD 2 Network Media Player was reviewed in the KitGuru Lab, with special mention being made of improvements to both the interface software and the remote control – both of which will be crucial in helping move into the mainstream.

We wish Tobias well in his new role, for while serious progress has already been made, the biggest challenge for the company's future must be a complete lack of understanding of media streaming by the person in the high street. Anyone who realised that streaming is possible and evaluated the options, could well short-list AC Ryan. The task becomes ‘How can you raise awareness in a massive audience, without running Superbowl-ad-spots every way?'

Get it right, and your sales will take off like a rocket, but it's far from easy.

KitGuru says: It could be that within 5 years, every home will be automatically ‘full stream ahead', because the technology will be embedded everywhere.  But, right now, that isn't the case. We look forward to seeing streaming awareness grow – it's a genuinely useful technology when executed correctly.

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