The bad economy was the topic of conversation at many a press conference during the Yacht & Brokerage Show last week. Not in a “woe is me” way, however, more like “we’ll make it through this.” Lazzara Yachts’ cofounder Dick Lazzara was among the people addressing it, invoking the word challenge to describe what his team and the yacht industry as a whole is facing right now. Though, it’s probably safe to say no other company does it quite the way Lazzara apparently does: In Dick’s words, “The way to face challenge is to roll up your sleeves… and have a good bottle of Chianti.”
It probably didn’t take too many bottles of Chianti to convince the Lazzara team to become the first boatbuilder to employ Microsoft Surface technology. Developed in conjunction with Infusion Development, a Microsoft partner, Microsoft Surface is a 30-inch, interactive tabletop display that allows either one person or multiple people at once to use their hands to select images and documents the way they would with a computer mouse or keyboard. Lazzara will have a Surface display in its showroom, allowing visitors to explore the various megayacht models but also to see, literally, what the rooms would look like with different woods, simply by placing a sample of the wood on the display. Take a look at this video to get a better idea of what it’s all about, but then read on for even more details on how Lazzara plans to incorporate Microsoft Surface:
Now, as helpful as the showroom display is, imagine having Microsoft Surface on your yacht. Lazzara will include the tabletop on all of its yachts starting this fall, when the new 76 Motor Cruiser will debut. I’ll have a separate story about the 76 in a few days, but for now, suffice it to say that Microsoft Surface will improve the ownership experience, the guest experience, and even the crew’s experience dramatically. The display can be used as a media center for cruising photos and videos, but also as a center for the owner’s manuals and tutorial videos on maintenance items. It can also be used as a destination guide, so that when the yacht pulls into Nassau in the Bahamas, for example, everyone onboard can look up restaurants and tourism info related to the area. They can even use it for social networking, with other Lazzara owners, and call up information about Lazzara in general, since it will come loaded with brochures and images.
Even with this “challenging” (to say the least) economy, Lazzara is forging ahead with new developments. Let these serve as inspiration to owners and other boatbuilders alike.
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