THE PRODUCT

2.1   The Product Background

The CSL Spice Droidpad has 3 models which are Mi700- 10 inch model and the other two are 7 inch and 9 inch model. CSL Spice came up with a new product line to tap into 3G and Android based Smartphone's and tablets. This was  meaningful  for CSL as previously it used MTK Platform for their products . The latest series of 3G and Android phones was created and powered by Qualcomm Incorporated and among them the model that was prominent to consumers eye was Spice Mi 300 Smartphone. An HD- mini tablet  Mi 410 was launched afterwards followed by the ultimate Mi700 tab to consolidate the tech savvy and mobile internet user market. Mi-series provides the market with more choices, faster connectivity, music entertainment with more improved quality, video calling, able to run many application, keep widgets right at your figure tips without having to launch any application, Download application from the application store, Gives you better notifications, you can install custom ROM’s, Google and social integration and more options to fit your budget.

2.2   Product Classification

Market	Rate of Consumption	Purchasing Habit
Consumer	Durable	convenient

  

2.3   The Product Range

The Spice Mobile maker created 3 new Android devices which are the Android based phone and 2 Android Tablets. The models include Android 2.1  Spice Mi310,CSL Spice Mi 300, Android 2.2 CSL Spice Mi410 and Mi 700. Mi 310 is a spice Smartphone that looks like a smaller version of the I phone but different because of several additional buttons. Mi410 has the largest touch screen from the spice mobiles and it can be upgraded to 2.3 Os. It has high definition of  video record which makes it the highest spec model to ever be made in CSL

2.3.1          CSL  Spice Mi300

Connectivity	GPRS  (3.5G ) GPS/Wi-fi
Web Browser	WAP 2.0/xHTML/HTML
Camera	5 Megapixel EDOF camera
Multimedia Capabilities	Games , Media Player, Blueberry Messenger
Interface	Touchscreen
Expansion Slot	MicroSD expansion slot, up to 16GB
Screen	3.2-inch  TFT capacitive touchscreen, 256K colors

 

Product Packaging 

CSL Spice Mi300 is the first android and 3G  Smartphone to be made. This was a big step by CSL to penetrate the Android market  and offer many more attributes at a cheaper price. The selling preposition for the Mi300 is 5 mega pixel camera that is the highest quality ever achieved in all the CSL mobile phone.

  

        CSL SPICE Mi410

Connectivity	GPRS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth , TV-out (720p video) via HDMI port
Web Browser	WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML
Camera	5 Mega Pixel, 2592х1944 pixels, autofocus,              Digital Zoom ,Video 720p@30fps
Multimedia	Stereo FM radio with RDS, Games, MP3/WMA/WAV/eAAC+ player MP4/WMV/H.263/H.264/DivX player, Adobe Flash 10.1
Interface	Bar | Touchscreen
Expansion Slot	MicroSD (TransFlash) up to 32GB
Screen	4.1" Capacitive Touchscreen,16M Colors,480X800

Product Packaging

This is the best Android Smartphone CSL  Spice has ever made as it has the highest spec of all the CSL Smartphone's. Its more portable and much better than Mi700  priced at RM999.

2.3.3          CSL SPICE Mi700 DROIDPAD

Connectivity	GPRS (2G-GSM Quadband, 3G HSDPA) Bluetooth v2.0 Micro USB
Web Browser	WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML
Camera	3 Megapixel camera
Multimedia	Games,Webcam, , MP4/WMV/H.263 player MP3/WAV/AAC+ player
Interface	capacitive touchscreen
Expansion Slot	microSD, up to 16GB
Screen	7-inch TFT capacitive touchscreen, 256K colors

Product Packaging

  

CSL Spice Mi700 Droidpad is a tablet running on the latest android 2.2 which is also known as OS Froyo , that enables you to work, play and webcam. This super budget device was released in September 2010 announcing its entry into the android tablet market with its own version called Droidpad priced at RM 1599. Its price kept on going down and now in 2011 its going for RM 999 in lowyart and its selling fast because of the price. The tablet is under the new series called  Mi-series  that consist of  Mi300, Mi410 and Mi700. This series has indeed taken CSL to new heights because of the technology it offers and the product that’s selling fast and is the customers most favourite is Mi410.

  

2.3.4          CSL SPICE Mi 310

 

Connectivity	GPRS, (3G) Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Web Browser	WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML
Camera	2 Mega Pixel , 1600x1200 pixels
Multimedia	FM radio, Games, MP4/WMV/H.263 player MP3/WAV/AAC+ player
Interface	Touchscreen, Optical trackpad
Expansion Slot	MicroSD, up to 16GB
Screen	3.15- inches TFT capacitive touchscreen, 256K colors

Spice Mi 310 is owned by the Spice company, it was launched in India and it's not so popular in Malaysia because it's not a CSL product. Mi310 can be found in  CSL sales outlets .

2.4   Product Characteristics

Product

• Android Smartphone and Android Tablet
  

Packaging

• Rectangular white box with segregated compartments inside
   
• Size of the box depends on the model
   
• Hologram sticker on the box to assure the consumer that its original
  
• Barcode on the side of the box
  
• Less graphic on the box just a picture of the product
  
• Comes with accessories like charger, user guide, memory card, 1 year warranty card, CSL Fun Club form, and casing
  
• All the packaging shows no effort and concept in design except for Ds700 which has the transformer concept therefore is attention grabbing.
  
• Label on the side showing IMEI pin number and model code for security reasons.
  

Price

• The price for the Smartphone and tablet ranges from 1000-1500 before promotion
  

Distribution 

• Selective distribution
  
• From Headquarters Shah Alam to all authorized CSL dealers, direct stores and phone retailers

2.5   Product Life Cycle

The Smartphone and Android tablets are still in the introductory stage as they were launched  from May 2010 and having competing against established brands they cannot obtain bigger market share. Most Malaysians are loyal to established brands and don’t want to try new brands because of trust issues and flawed branding. The CSL tablet was supposed to stir the market and capture a larger market segment but failed because its a bit overpriced for its consumers . Even if CSL monopolizes the local mobile phones their phones are still not bought because of poor advertisement.

2.6   Brand Image and Implication

Even though CSL Smartphone's and tablets may flood the market because of their competitive price , consumers still associate them with cheap imitation Smartphone made from China and that’s how they are always going to recall brand. In a consumer led world people define themselves by their possessions and buy not only the product but the image association of the product such as power, wealth, sophistication, and originality which are powerful purchase influencers .However CSL does not have these attributes but rather have non-image attributes such as cost which is an indicator of weak brand image. On the other side CSL is the most established enterprise in the telecom sector having sales network of more than 2600  gearing toward capturing the market of lower income groups by offering  super budget products that perform as well as  established brands and using the same technology yet affordable. CSL brand implication is well thought as it archived to monopolize its market selling 3000 units per month having good after sales service which I personally experienced during my research at the service centers.

2.7   Strength and Weakness

Strengths

• Both Smartphone's and Tablets use Android 2.2 and can be upgraded to 2.3
  
• GMS enabled device (The tablet can make calls)
  
• Dual camera 3 Mega Pixels front and back for Droidpad
  
• User can connect to USB device to transfer files
  
• Can install custom recovery to ensure that the device will not be bricked
  

Weakness

• It’s a bit overpriced price ranging from 1000-1500
  
• CSL Spice Mi700 Video audio not syncing correctly to the video by a few milliseconds
  
• Mi 700 tab video recording frame per second is slow  8 frames per second which is bad for recording moving objects
  
• Inconsistent Wi-Fi connection especially when you unlock the tablet  to use it after being on stand-by
  
• The product is not sold within the control of CSL because there are subsidiaries involved in the development of the Droidpad.
  
• Google said Android 2.2 is  incompatible with tablets yet CSL uses it.
  
• Bulky ,giving the feeling of being heavy not slim
  
• CSL has so many complaints already, every time I went to the CSL  service points there had to be someone returning the phone because of malfunction.
  
• Slower CPU will be detrimental to your experience in the tablet usage. If Samsung galaxy tab is slower than Ipad2 then where does it put CSL
  

Opportunities

• Credit crunch favors CSL because consumers will resort to buying CSL mobie phone than the overpriced  established brands
  
• Malaysian economy has undergone enormous growth which has led to huge demand for mobile phone and CSL has been major player in capturing the untouched market
  
• 3G and Android platforms make CSL to penetrate into the metropolitan and internet mobile phone users
  
• Mergers, joint ventures like Spice CSL resulted in giving the consumers  the 3G and android technology value added services

Threats

• CSL  can't provide support any kind to Mi700 device because they don’t have developers in charge of kernel updates
  
• CSL may face competition from other local brands as they are also having 3G technologies and android platform. So as the phone market matures it becomes  more price competitive and this can make their average revenue to fall
  
• Malaysia government can plan to allow more operators in to the market that offer innovative value added services better than CSL because what's most important to them is tax to develop the country 
       

                 Distinctive Features

The 3G and android technologies Mi-series has made CSL to step a notch higher aligning its self with  established  brands by producing  a Tablet running on Android platform and having a 3G Mega Pixel camera better  than Ipad. Localizing the device by incorporating Islamic features which include Azoa times, kiblat compass and mobile Al Quaran.

This series allows fast access to internet , the transfer of data and many application from Google which makes it a power package wonder. The tablet is GSM enable device and plug USB without having any intermediary devices and has rated talk time up to  six hours and stand by up to 22 days.

2.9     Unique Selling Proposition

1. 3G megapixels auto focus camera: 2 cameras front and back 
 

2. Islamic features

3. GSM enabled device

4. Runs on android 2.2

2.10    Positioning Statement

CSL Mi-series is a 3G Android Smartphone and Tablets that offer a value added service and great functionality suitable for teenagers and young adults who are socially active and tech savvy.