Sep 30 - Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 Delivers
New Home Entertainment Experiences. Microsoft Corp. announced
today at a multicity press conference in the United States and Europe
the launch of Windows® XP Media Center Edition 2004, evolving
home PCs with easy-to-use integrated digital entertainment that consumers
can enjoy when and how they want.
Demonstrating the growing industry excitement around
this new class of home PCs, Microsoft unveiled plans by Dell and Sony
to deliver Media Center 2004 PCs. These new manufacturing partners
join existing Media Center PC manufacturers, including Gateway Inc.,
HP and Toshiba Corp., in making a broad range of affordable Media
Center PC designs starting at below $1,000 available to consumers
today.
Microsoft also announced that through working with key
content providers, including CinemaNow, Movielink and Napster, consumers
will be able to enjoy remote control access to exciting new online
digital content such as on-demand music and movie subscription services.
Finally, consumers currently enjoying the benefits of a Media Center
PC will be able to obtain an upgrade to Media Center Edition 2004,
allowing them to experience the latest advances in PC entertainment.
"Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 is a great example of
integrating software, hardware and services to create simple and compelling
experiences that enhance people's lives," said Jim Allchin, group
vice president of the Platforms Group at Microsoft. "We've moved
from designing feature by feature to designing complete scenarios
that influence not just software, but also hardware and services requirements.
We're entering the era of eXPerience Computing -- Media Center Edition
2004, which gives customers easy access to great entertainment experiences,
is the first in a long line of product releases that will benefit
from this holistic approach."
A New Way to Enjoy Music and Movies
Microsoft is enabling key content providers to deliver a new level
in entertainment options for consumers to enjoy on their Media Center
2004 PCs -- all with the convenience of a remote control. For example
Microsoft has worked with CinemaNow, Movielink and Napster to offer
consumers using Media Center 2004 PCs in the United States an easier
way to order and enjoy movies and music downloaded from the Internet
through Web pages specially designed to be viewed from a distance.
These services offer the unmatched audio and video quality of Windows
Media 9 Series and allow consumers to order a movie or a song with
a few touches of the Media Center PC remote control. Consumers can
also use their Media Center PC to easily record their favorite television
show and, using Sonic's PrimeTime Media Center application, burn it
onto DVDs or video CDs with just a few clicks of the remote control.
These new services and others can be found in Online Spotlight, a
new online guide created specifically for Media Center Edition PC
customers that offers a central location for consumers to find the
latest music, movie trailers, news updates and more.
Industry-Leading PC Manufacturers Expand Media Center PCs to New
Markets
This year more than 40 original equipment manufacturers around the
world will begin shipping Media Center Edition 2004 PCs to consumers
in Asia, Canada, Europe and the United States. The following are among
these PC manufacturers:
Dell: United States
Fujitsu Ltd.: Japan
Fujitsu Siemens Computers: Germany
Gateway: United States
Gericom AG: Germany
Hitachi Ltd.: Japan
HP: United States, China, France, Germany, Korea, United Kingdom
NEC: Japan
NEC CI/Packard Bell: France, United Kingdom
Samsung: Korea
Sony: United States, Canada
SOTEC: Japan
Toshiba: United States, Japan, United Kingdom, France and Germany
TriGem: Korea
Enhanced Entertainment Experiences at Your Fingertips
Consumers are demanding more of their home PCs, and, according to
a recent report issued by Jupiter Research ("Consumer PCs and
Digital Entertainment"), entertainment has now evolved to become
a mainstream consumer PC activity: "In the past, consumers bought
PCs for connectivity and productivity applications -- e-mail, Web
browsing, word processing, doing taxes, etc. Microsoft's second-generation
Windows XP Media Center Edition will become the standard OS offering
for midlevel PCs and some desktop replacement notebooks over the next
12 to 18 months."
Microsoft is responding to this demand by providing key feature enhancements
including the following:
Radio (FM). Consumers can listen to their favorite FM radio
stations with one-button access from the remote control. Listening
to NPR and missing an interview with a favorite author is no longer
a problem: Listeners can simply press Replay and jump back seven seconds
in the broadcast or Pause the interview if they need to step away.
CD-copying capability. Consumers can copy CDs to the Media
Library using the remote control: When they insert a music CD, it
will automatically copy and show up in their music library.
Enhanced photo features. Consumers can play slide shows from
their summer vacation from the comfort of the couch by simply inserting
a smart media or CompactFlash card or a CD to access photos. They
can rotate, zoom, print and even remove red-eye with the touch of
one button.
Calibration Wizard. This feature helps consumers customize
the best picture for a variety of monitors, including CRT (standard),
flat panel (LCD, Plasma), rear projection and front projection displays.
Enhanced 16 x 9 support. Users can take full advantage of wide-screen
displays by using more of the screen for Media Center content.
Simple Upgrade Solutions and Broad Selection of New Media Center
PCs
Microsoft has worked with PC manufacturers to provide low-cost upgrade
options for consumers currently using a Media Center PC. For a minimal
cost, customers can order a CD from their Media Center PC computer
manufacturer that will allow them to take advantage of the Media Center
Edition 2004 enhancements. Additional information on upgrading Media
Center PCs can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/upgrade/default.asp.
NOTE: To enjoy all the benefits of Windows XP Media Center Edition,
Internet access is recommended; for some features, such as the Electronic
Program Guide, it is required.
Windows XP Microsoft's Media Center Edition 2004 web site can be
found at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/.
Sep 30 - Sonic Launches PrimeTime Deluxe
for Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004. Sonic Solutions
(NASDAQ: SNIC), the leader in DVD creation software, released today
Sonic PrimeTime Deluxe, the premium version of the PrimeTime line
of DVD creation software for Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition.
Launched in conjunction with Microsoft's release of Windows XP Media
Center Edition 2004, PrimeTime Deluxe expands upon the Media Center
experience by making it easy to archive personal digital media such
as recorded TV shows onto DVDs that can be played on set-top DVD players
and multimedia PCs. With new features including real-time TV preview,
expanded menu style selections, OpenDVD(TM) edit-on-disc capability
and Sonic SmartStyle(TM) technology, PrimeTime Deluxe is a great companion
product for Windows XP Media Center Edition.
"Sonic continues to demonstrate its commitment to Media Center
PCs by releasing a new, more powerful version of Sonic PrimeTime in
conjunction with the release of Media Center Edition 2004," said
Joe Belfiore, general manager for the Windows eHome division at Microsoft.
"With PrimeTime Deluxe, Sonic has designed an extremely elegant
and simple way for consumers to use their Media Center PC to archive
their favorite digital media to DVD."
"Sonic PrimeTime Deluxe enhances the Media Center experience
by seamlessly adding DVD burning into the Media Center environment,"
said Dave Habiger, senior vice president and general manager for Desktop
Products at Sonic. "We are pleased to release PrimeTime Deluxe
concurrently with Microsoft's release of its newest version of Media
Center."
Designed to add DVD creation to the Windows XP Media Center Edition
2004 experience, Sonic PrimeTime Deluxe employs the remote-controlled
Media Center user interface to archive digital media such as TV programs
that you might otherwise miss. Sonic PrimeTime utilizes the same program
information and sorting functionality as Media Center, making it fast
and easy for anyone to browse, select, preview and burn their favorite
recorded TV shows to DVD or Video CD.
Sonic PrimeTime also includes a built-in Bit Budget(TM) which makes
it easy to see how much space is available on each recorded DVD. Once
PrimeTime starts burning a DVD, users can return to watching TV or
listening to music on their Media Center PC. The final disc can then
be played back on standard set-top DVD players and DVD-equipped PCs.
New Sonic PrimeTime Deluxe features include:
-- Edit-on-Disc(TM) - PrimeTime Deluxe is OpenDVD(TM)-compliant,
allowing users to add or remove content on their rewritable DVDs and
VCDs at anytime.
-- Real-time preview - PrimeTime Deluxe integrates TV playback into
its interface, allowing users to play, pause, and navigate through
each show and see the chapter points that will automatically get burned
to disc.
-- Sonic SmartStyles(TM) - PrimeTime Deluxe creates menus that replicate
the Media Center experience, allowing users to sort their TV shows
directly on their DVD during playback.
-- Style chooser - PrimeTime Deluxe gives users the ability to choose
the look and feel of their final DVD disc with a built-in style chooser.
Additional styles will be available on the Sonic estore.
-- Dolby(R) Digital audio - PrimeTime Deluxe includes Dolby Digital
audio encoding, providing crystal clear theater-quality sound and
allowing for up to 50% more video on a disc.
About Sonic PrimeTime
The first application designed exclusively for Media Center PCs,
Sonic PrimeTime puts the power of DVD burning in the palm of users'
hands - literally. Inspired by Media Center's large-screen menus and
TV connectivity, Sonic PrimeTime makes it fast and easy for users
to find, select, and burn their favorite TV shows onto DVDs or Video
CDs with just a few clicks of the Media Center's remote control. Sonic
PrimeTime Deluxe will be available for purchase on the Sonic e-store
at www.estore.sonic.com for $79.99
on October 15, 2003.
Sep 30 - CompUSA Announces
Good Guys Acquisition. CompUSA today reached an agreement to acquire
California-based consumer electronics chain, Good Guys Inc., (Nasdaq:GGUY).
Good Guys currently operates 71 stores throughout California, Nevada,
Oregon and Washington. CompUSA will purchase all outstanding Good
Guys stock for $2.05 per share in cash.
"This deal dovetails perfectly with our long-term
technology convergence strategy," commented CompUSA CEO, Hal
Compton. "At CompUSA, we're currently expanding our merchandise
mix to include the latest entertainment technology. The acquisition
of Good Guys is an exciting piece to our long-term growth game plan.
We want to offer the seamless technology solutions our customers'
lifestyles demand and, with Good Guys' solid reputation in delivering
high-end entertainment technology, our offering just becomes that
much stronger. Good Guys owns a niche that's highly complementary
with our own."
If approved by Good Guys' shareholders and regulatory
authorities, the transaction will be funded by cash available at U.S.
Commercial (USCOMB1.MX), CompUSA's parent company. The resources needed
for the acquisition, along with additional capital, will be infused
into CompUSA by U.S. Commercial.
CompUSA Inc. is one of the nation's leading retailers
and resellers of technology products and services. CompUSA currently
operates 226 CompUSA Superstores in 90 major metropolitan markets
across the United States that serve retail, small-to-medium businesses,
corporate, government and education customers and includes technical
service departments. Many of the stores include classroom-training
facilities. CompUSA also operates a web site that offers an assortment
of over 80,000 items at www.compusa.com.
Sep 30 - IBM Creates New
Transistor That Uses 80 Percent Less Power. IBM today announced
an innovative chip design that can improve performance fourfold or
reduce power consumption fivefold in wireless devices compared to
the state-of-the-art thin-silicon bipolar technology.
This achievement builds on IBM's recent announcement
of clever new design and manufacturing methods that improve the performance
and lower the power consumption of pure computing chips. As the wireless
industry grows, device manufacturers will need better mixed-signal
chips that support both computing applications and high frequency
communications applications. This new chip design uses a revolutionary
wafer thin enough to maximize the performance of both the computing
and communications components.
Today complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS)
chips are the foundation for computing applications; silicon germanium
(SiGe) bipolar chips provide radio frequency communications and analog
functions. To improve the reliability of wireless devices, chip manufacturers
have created SiGe BiCMOS chips that put computing and communications
transistors onto one chip instead of using separate chips for computing
and communications applications.
CMOS computing chips show higher performance when built
atop a thin silicon on insulator (SOI) wafer. However, traditional
SiGe bipolar transistors cannot be built on a thin SOI wafer. Until
now, no one had been able to find a technique to combine CMOS and
SiGe bipolar onto one wafer that would maximize the performance of
both. IBM is the first to build SiGe bipolar using a thin SOI wafer,
thereby paving the way to build SiGe bipolar and CMOS on the same
thin SOI wafer, maximizing the performance of both the computing and
communications functions.
"As the wireless industry continues to grow, new
devices will require greater functionalities, performance, and reliability
from their components," said Dr. T. C. Chen, VP Science and Technology,
IBM Research. "IBM continues to find new methods to improve chips
to ensure that the industry can meet consumer demands. The new chip
design could be implemented within five years, enabling applications
such as video streaming on cell phones."
IBM presented details of this new chip design today
at the 2003 Bipolar/BiCMOS Circuits and Technology Meeting taking
place this week in Toulouse, France. This project was a collaboration
between researchers and developers at the IBM Semiconductor Research
and Development Center, IBM Research and IBM Microelectronics Division.
For more information about IBM, visit www.ibm.com.
Sep 30 - Apricorn Introduces
EZ Bus DT Hard Drive Backup and Storage System. Apricorn, a leader
in innovative easy-to-use portable data storage and transfer products,
today released EZ Bus DT, a USB 2.0 backup and external storage system
for both desktops and laptops.
EZ Bus DT is the ideal hard drive for backing up data
and adding extra storage to any system -- notebook or desktop, PC
or MAC. The plug-n-play and hot swappable features make hard drive
capacity expansion simple. With availability of up to 250GB of additional
storage as well as a transfer rate of up to 480 Mbps, users can backup
their entire systems and safely store large files including digital
photographs, emails, music and video files.
"EZ Bus DT has the storage capacity and design
to be the perfect solution for both desktop and laptop users,"
said Paul Brown, Apricorn president and founder. "The convenient
design makes it portable and stackable."
Hard drive models are available in 80GB, 120GB, 200GB
and 250GB sizes. Additional features include a USB cable, AC adapter,
enclosure stand, an ultra-cool fan and an aluminum enclosure keeping
the hard drive at optimal temperatures improving the longevity of
the hard drive and the stored data.
The EZ Bus DT includes EZ Gig II Backup and Disaster
Recovery Utility for Windows, one of the most powerful and user-friendly
backup packages available. EZ Gig II provides two utilities on one
disk: Clone EZ and Image EZ.
Clone EZ is ideal for users who require an exact bootable
clone of their drive. A cloned copy is great for real-time disaster
recovery or when upgrading a hard drive. Image EZ is perfect for users
who want a compressed image of either their entire hard drive or a
partition. Image EZ compresses its backup image files, leaving users
enough space to backup multiple computers, or maintain multiple backups
made at different times.
System Requirements and Pricing
Software: Windows XP, 2000, ME & 98SE, Mac OS 8.6 and later
Hardware: Pentium CPU, CD or Floppy Drive, 32MBs RAM and USB capabilities.
EZ-BUS-DT-KIT (no hard drive) $79
EZ-BUS-DT -- 80GB: $189
EZ-BUS-DT -- 120GB: $219
EZ-BUS-DT -- 200GB: $359
EZ-BUS-DT -- 250GB: $439
The new EZ Bus DT is available now in the U.S., Canada and online
at www.apricorn.com.
Sep 29 - All-New Adobe Creative
Suite Delivers Platform for The Future. Adobe Systems Incorporated
(Nasdaq:ADBE), the leader in network publishing, today unveiled the
Adobe(R) Creative Suite, a new software product that combines new
full-version upgrades of Adobe Photoshop(R) CS, Adobe Illustrator(R)
CS, Adobe InDesign(R) CS, and Adobe GoLive(R) CS, incorporates Acrobat(R)
6.0 Professional, and introduces the innovative Version Cue(TM) file
version manager. The all-new Adobe Creative Suite is a complete design
environment that gives today's creative professionals everything they
need to create and publish content to print and the Web faster, more
easily, and more efficiently than ever.
"Adobe Creative Suite integrates outstanding new
product releases and unleashes Version Cue -- technology that will
save creative professionals time and revolutionize interaction within
creative teams," said Bruce Chizen, president and CEO, Adobe
Systems Incorporated. "With Adobe Creative Suite we are delivering
a platform for the future of design and publishing, building on 20
years of innovation and partnership with the creative community worldwide."
A New Era Of Adobe Integration
Adobe Creative Suite Premium Edition combines four new full-version
upgrades of essential Adobe applications, relied on by millions of
creative professionals around the world: Photoshop CS with Adobe ImageReady
CS(R), Illustrator CS, InDesign CS and GoLive CS, all brought together
with Version Cue (see separate press releases for component software
details).
With Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) becoming an integral part
of Web and print production workflows, Acrobat 6.0 Professional, released
to industry acclaim earlier this year, is also a component of the
Adobe Creative Suite -- allowing customers to review and comment on
documents, as well as pre-flight and output complex print jobs.
Adobe Creative Suite is anchored by Version Cue, an innovative file
management system that allows designers to increase productivity and
meet tight deadlines. Whether designers, working alone or in teams,
are looking for the most recent iteration of a file or for an older
version, Version Cue enables users to visually scan image thumbnails
in Photoshop CS, Illustrator CS, InDesign CS, and GoLive CS, or search
XMP metadata across version comments, keywords, author, date, and
more.
"Simplification of the creative workflow and tighter integration
of applications into suites is a trend which will benefit designers
collaborating on projects to become more efficient and productive,"
said Joshua Duhl, research director at IDC. "Features that allow
users to easily share files with clients and colleagues, and locate
files visually or through the use of metadata will facilitate the
broader workflow and lifecycle of creative assets."
A Standard Edition of Adobe Creative Suite is available, combining
these same components, except for GoLive CS and Acrobat 6.0 Professional,
to provide an advanced solution for print design and layout.
Adobe Creative Suite also includes two Adobe typeface families.
Warnock Pro, a new Adobe Originals OpenType family, is included with
every copy of Adobe Creative Suite, providing a classic yet contemporary
composition family that performs a wide variety of typographic tasks
with elegance. Brioso Pro, an OpenType family designed in the calligraphic
tradition of the Latin alphabet, is available free of charge to customers
who register their copy of Adobe Creative Suite via the Web.
Get Up and Running Quickly
Both versions of Adobe Creative Suite include Video CDs, developed
by Total Training, and a new Design Guide that offers insights on
working more efficiently across the Adobe Creative Suite workflow,
with advice for users of all experience levels. Adobe Creative Suite
customers will also have access to the new, redesigned Adobe Studio(TM)
(www.studio.adobe.com) a one-stop Web resource for expert tips, tricks,
and guidance.
Customers receive one serial number for Adobe Creative Suite and
one number to call for support and service, greatly simplifying installation
and troubleshooting. Adobe Creative Suite comes with complimentary
warranty support for registered users that provides toll-free and
online support for installation and bug-fix issues. For other types
of technical and workflow support issues, customers can purchase one
of Adobe's Expert Support options (www.adobe.com/expertsupport).
Pricing and Availability
Adobe is making it easy for creative professionals worldwide to
upgrade to Adobe Creative Suite. Any customer that currently has a
copy of Photoshop (purchased as a standalone product or part of an
Adobe Collection) on their system, can upgrade to Adobe Creative Suite
Premium Edition for an estimated street price of US$749, or the Standard
Edition for US$549.
Estimated street price for the Adobe Creative Suite Premium Edition
is US$1229 and US$999 for the Standard Edition. For more detailed
information about the Adobe Creative Suite, please visit: www.adobe.com/creativesuite.
Adobe Creative Suite for Mac OS X 10.2.4, Microsoft(R) Windows(R)
2000 with Service Pack 2, and Windows XP Professional and Home Edition,
will be available in the fourth (calendar) quarter of 2003 to customers
in the United States and Canada through Adobe Authorized Resellers
and the Adobe Store at: www.adobe.com/store.
Sep 29 - Disney-Owned MovieBeam Service
Launches This Week. The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) today announced
the launch of its MovieBeam(SM) on-demand movie rental service. MovieBeam
will give consumers instant access in their homes to recent DVD and
video releases, as well as a wide variety of popular favorites, from
almost all of the major studios.
This week, MovieBeam will launch in Jacksonville, Fla.; Salt Lake
City, Utah; and Spokane, Wash. Consumers in those three markets will
have the ability to rent films from their homes without the inconvenience
of trips to and from the video store and without the possibility of
incurring rental late fees.
The MovieBeam receiver -- manufactured by Samsung Electronics --
is a first-of-its-kind device that automatically receives movies,
stores them on its hard-drive, and gives consumers the opportunity
to view them on their schedule. MovieBeam always offers 100 movies
in full digital quality, and every week, about 10 new movies are transmitted
via a digital wireless signal to the MovieBeam receiver's small indoor
antenna, replacing 10 titles. The data transmissions take the form
of secure data streams and are sent through the broadcast spectrum
of television stations owned by ABC and National Datacast's network
of PBS stations. MovieBeam will work whether or not a consumer has
a cable or satellite television subscription.
The MovieBeam service will offer a broad range of movies, including
popular action, drama, comedy and family titles. MovieBeam currently
has agreements in place with DreamWorks SKG, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios,
Miramax Films, New Line Cinema, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal
Studios, Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox Studios and Walt Disney Studios.
MovieBeam will feature current titles from all of these distributors
in the "video-on-demand (VOD)" window. MovieBeam will also
license library titles from several of these distributors.
Key MovieBeam features and benefits include:
-- An ever-changing collection of 100 New Releases and Popular Favorites,
containing a diverse offering of Action, Comedy, Drama and Family
movies
-- An easy-to-use guide that lets viewers choose movies by Category,
Title, Actor, Director or Rating
-- The ability to start movies whenever consumers want, 24 hours a
day -- with familiar controls like "stop," "pause,"
"fast-forward" and "rewind" -- so consumers can
enjoy the movies on their schedule
-- Free full-length previews, available for all movies on the service
-- Easy installation and use, requiring only a standard electrical
outlet and a phone connection for billing (phone line used only once
per week)
-- Compatibility with existing cable or satellite services - but does
not require either; nor does it require an outdoor antenna
-- Parental controls to set weekly spending limits and to restrict
access to selections based on Motion Picture Association of America
ratings
-- No up-front equipment cost
Strong Retailer Support
Consumers can see a live demonstration, interact with the MovieBeam
receiver, and sign up for the service at electronic retailers, including
Best Buy, Circuit City, Sears, Huppin's Hi-Fi, Magnolia Audio Video,
RC Willey, Sound Advice and Ultimate Electronics.
The service will have dedicated retail displays -- with cutting
edge Samsung LCD monitors -- in each store. The display will include
a working receiver that will enable consumers to experience the MovieBeam
service and watch previews for all 100 movies available. Each retailer
is working closely with MovieBeam to ensure that store employees are
well trained in the features and benefits of the product. Each retailer
will also be able to run a quick coverage check before sign-up to
ensure that the consumer's residence is within the MovieBeam signal
footprint.
"We are excited to bring the MovieBeam service to our customers
because it adds convenience and simplicity to the home entertainment
experience and furthers our commitment to offering new technology
and services to our customers," said Kim Maguire, Executive Vice
President, Chief Merchandising Officer of Circuit City.
"Sears is the third-largest retailer of televisions in the United
States, and this new service from MovieBeam fits very well with our
strategy to provide customers with convenient ways to watch movies,"
said John Schlenner, Divisional Merchandising Manager of Sears.
Easy, Affordable Service
There is no equipment to purchase in order to sign up for the MovieBeam
service. MovieBeam requires only a $6.99 per month equipment service
fee and a per movie viewing fee of $3.99 for New Releases or $2.49
for Popular Favorites. This fee entitles the consumer to unlimited
viewing of the title for 24 hours. There will also be a one-time activation
fee of $29.99 required in certain areas.
Within two days of the consumer sign-up, the MovieBeam receiver,
remote control and small antenna arrive via the FedEx delivery service
with 100 movies ready for viewing. Consumers can also run a quick
coverage check and sign up for the service directly at www.MovieBeam.com.
Sep 29 - Musicmatch Introduces 99 Cent
Downloads for the PC. Musicmatch, Inc., the leader in personalized
music software and services, today announced its new Musicmatch(R)
Downloads service, the first service on the PC that allows consumers
to purchase and download music from a broad catalog of music from
all five major labels and more than 30 independents -- with no complex,
restrictive usage rules.
The new service offers effortless access to high-quality, personalized
music and the ability to purchase while listening to CDs, MP3s and
Musicmatch Radio. Musicmatch downloads can be purchased now at www.musicmatch.com.
Until today, legitimate PC download services forced people to pay
a subscription fee, or required additional payments to burn tracks
or transfer to portable players. All Musicmatch downloads have the
same, simple usage rules, without a subscription. Customers can play
tracks on up to three PCs simultaneously and transfer them to Windows
Media-supported music players. Tracks can be burned to CDs, but the
same playlist may only be burned up to five times. The flexible new
service, combined with high-quality content and effortless music purchasing,
marks a new phase in legitimate downloadable music for consumers.
"By offering consistent and fair ownership rights, breakthrough
music personalization, convenient purchasing and the highest quality
files, our service is better than any free illegal alternative,"
said Dennis Mudd, Musicmatch chairman and chief executive officer.
"The Musicmatch Downloads service is the best way for people
to find, buy and enjoy music that matches their unique tastes."
Find More Music
Using the Musicmatch patent-pending music personalization technology,
the service helps music fans find the artists, albums and tracks that
most closely match their personal music tastes. Musicmatch scours
the music universe to find music that individuals will most likely
enjoy and delivers it to them each time they log into their account.
Fans can also browse the extensive Musicmatch web of inter-related
artists to find new artists and easily sample and purchase the most
popular songs. The service also allows customers to browse through
the most popular music by year from 1960-2003, and through more than
100 distinct music genres.
The Musicmatch Downloads service offers consumers more than 200,000
songs for download from the five major labels and more than 30 independents.
Thousands of tracks will be added each week, with 500,000 tracks available
by the end of the year.
Buy Instantly While Listening
Radio continues to be the number-one driver of music sales, and
only the Musicmatch Downloads service lets consumers easily purchase
tracks while they listen to them on Musicmatch Radio. Customers can
view album reviews and artist bios, and purchase songs or complete
albums while listening to CDs and MP3s. Musicmatch also shows the
most popular tracks for each artist, making it easy to build an extensive
collection of favorite songs.
Enjoy High-Quality Music Anywhere
Musicmatch downloads are provided as 160-kilobits-per-second Windows
Media files and can be played on more digital audio players than any
other service. Devices supporting secure Windows Media Series 9 audio
files play Musicmatch downloads -- including more than 20 devices,
such as all current Creative Multimedia and Rio portable players.
Customers can also burn tracks and playlists to CDs to enjoy in the
car, the living room or portable CD players.
"When it comes to ripping, burning and managing music files,
I've felt Musicmatch is without peer," said Rob Enderle, principle
analyst for the Enderle Group. "Musicmatch Downloads showcases
this continued leadership by providing the closest thing to an acceptable
balance between what users want and the record industry's needs; it
improves on Apple's iTunes and addresses the other 98 percent of the
market."
Pricing and Availability
Available to U.S. residents with a valid credit card, the Musicmatch
Downloads service requires Musicmatch Jukebox 8.1, and offers tracks
at 99 cents each and most albums for $9.99. The service is available
now at www.musicmatch.com for PCs
running Microsoft Windows 98 Special Edition, Millennium Edition,
2000 or XP, with Internet Explorer 5.5 or later.
Sep 29 - Spam Will Account for 60 Percent
of E-Mail by End of 2004. Approximately 50 percent of e-mail traffic
in 2003 is spam, and by mid-2004, it will grow to 60 percent, so marketers
must take immediate steps to differentiate their e-mail marketing
from spam, according to Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT and ITB).
By 2005, content managers, rule-based software and Internet service
providers will effectively blacklist 80 percent of all e-mail marketing
campaigns, including permission-based e-mail.
"Most marketers today find that the pressure to achieve cost
benefits far outweighs consideration for the e-mail's usefulness to
customers," said Adam Sarner, industry analyst for Gartner. "Before
customers ignore this valuable medium, marketers must start again
by clearly identifying their customer base, surveying their customers
as to the types of e-mail they would like to receive, and then deliver
on the feedback and give customers a way to update their preferences
frequently."
When used efficiently, e-mail marketing is an effective communication
tool. According to Gartner analysts, a well-crafted e-mail can receive
as high as a 15 percent response rate, compared with less than 1 percent
for banner ads. Moreover, a company can collect real-time information
about its customers and use the data to anticipate customer needs.
"Because e-mail can be effective and is less expensive than
traditional marketing methods, by the end of 2004 more than 80 percent
of companies engaged in direct marketing will conduct at least one
e-mail marketing campaign," said Sarner. "It is thus imperative
that marketers start now to differentiate their e-mail campaigns from
spam by focusing on communication, personalization and delivery expertise."
Additional information is available in the Gartner Research Note
"Marketers Can Differentiate E-Mail From Spam." The Research
Note provides analysis on how marketers can distribute effective,
targeted e-mail campaigns that customers will be able to read. This
document is available on Gartner's Web site at www.gartner.com/DisplayDocument?id=408290.
Sep 29 - Global Chip Sales Reach $13.42
Billion in August 2003; Revenues up 12.5% Year-over-Year. Worldwide
sales of semiconductors increased 4.0 percent to $13.42 billion in
August 2003, up from the $12.90 billion in revenue reported in July
of 2003 -- the sixth consecutive monthly increase. Year-over-year
sales increased 12.5 percent from August 2002 revenue of $11.93 billion,
the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) reported today.
"August sales confirm the broad-based strength of the semiconductor
market, lead by demand in the consumer, computer and wireless sectors,"
stated SIA President George Scalise. "This rise in end-market
demand is generating stronger third quarter sales than normal seasonal
patterns."
In August, PC related products continued to be the strongest sector
with microprocessors up 7.8 percent and DRAMs up 11.0 percent over
July. Seasonal back-to-school PC buys and the early signs of a business
upgrade cycle contributed to the boost in sales this month. The consumer
sector, which includes DVD players and digital cameras, continued
to strengthen with Consumer Application Specific Standard Products
(ASSP) up 5.3 percent and Flash up 6.9 percent over last month. The
inventory issues in the wireless sector in Asia have been resolved
and demand is once again rising with digital signal processors (DSP)
up 4.7 percent over July.
In the month of August, sales in Japan rose 1.6 percent, Asia Pacific
was up 6.4 percent, Europe up 3.8 percent, and the Americas increased
2.5 percent over July. "With the exception of the peak year of
2000, this is the strongest monthly increase in August since 1990,"
added Scalise.
The SIA is the leading voice for the semiconductor industry and has
represented U.S. semiconductor companies since 1977. SIA member companies
comprise approximately 83% of U.S.-based semiconductor production.
Collectively, the chip industry employs a domestic workforce of 255,000
people. More information about the SIA can be found at www.sia-online.org.
Sep 28 - Sunday Shopping
Watch.
Best Sunday Deals - See our Best Sunday
Ad Deals Table below for specific system prices.
Weekly Comparison. Although advertising of computer
systems was somewhat limited this weekend, there are still some very
good deals to be found.
This Sunday's Special Discounts and Financing.
In addition to sales on specific items, the following store-wide sales
are advertised this week. (Note that these
ads are for the Dayton, Ohio area. Prices or offerings may be different
where you live.)
Best Buy is offering 12 month no-interest financing on all desktop
and laptop purchases, and $150 mail-in rebates on advertised laptops
and up to $100 mail-in rebates on advertised desktop packages.
Circuit City is offering
12 months no interest on advertised desktop packages and notebooks,
and $150 mail-in rebates on advertised laptops and up to $100 mail-in
rebates on advertised desktop packages.
Office
Depot
has no store-wide promotions this Sunday.
CompUSA is offering 6 months
no payment, no interest, financing on purchases over $198. They are
also offering $150 mail-in rebates on advertised laptops.
Staples has no store-wide promotions
this Sunday.
Compare
to Online Prices - Compare the Sunday ad prices to
those being offered at DealTime, it searches over 160 online computer
stores.
InfoHQ Related Shopping Pages
Shopping Alerts
- Our latest shopping advisories on buying digital cameras and camcorders,
desktop computers, laptops, and other computer items.
Windows XP
Upgrade Guide - All about upgrading to Windows XP.
What You Need to Know
About Dial-up Internet Service Rebates - The pros and cons of
'free' Internet service deals. Also see our latest InfoHQ Tech Watch
Newsletter; Free
PC and Free Internet Deals.
Definitions. A complete desktop system/package/complete
package is defined as a computer with monitor and printer
or scanner.
A build-to-order system is customized at the retailer
and then ordered from a computer manufacturer. In addition to the
computer's stated price, you still pay sales tax and shipping charges
(if you order direct from the vendor without going through the chain
store, you may not have to pay sales tax and you could get a better
warranty).
Caution about advertised prices.
When reading advertisements, read the fine print of the ad to make
sure you know what is being advertised and what it cost. For example,
many advertisers will show a complete system with computer, monitor,
and printer but advertise a price for the computer only.
* Prices discussed in this article. We report
prices after rebates and discounts are subtracted.
Items highlighted in Black are good deals.
Items highlighted in Red means prices have
gone up and the system is not a good buy this week.
Items in normal text means prices are about the same as the previous
weeks.
|
Best Sunday Ad Deals
|
|
Category
|
Product Description
|
Price* (see above)
|
Prices up or Down this Week
|
Store
|
|
1. Best Celeron Deal
|
eMachine 2.5 GHz complete system with
17" monitor
|
$389
|
-
|
Circuit City, Best Buy ($439)
|
|
2. Best Celeron Deal
|
Compaq 2.7 GHz complete system with 17"
monitor
|
$669
|
-
|
Circuit City, Best Buy ($709)
|
|
1. Best Pentium 4 System
|
Sony 2.6 GHz Pentium 4 with 15"
flat panel, HT Technology, and DVD-RW
|
$999
|
|
Circuit City
|
|
2. Best Pentium 4 System
|
HP 2.6 GHz Pentium 4 with 15" flat
panel, HT Technology, and DVD-RW
|
$1199
|
|
CompUSA
|
|
3. Best Pentium 4 System
|
Sony 2.8 GHz Pentium 4 with 15"
flat panel, HT Technology, and DVD-RW
|
$1349
|
|
Best Buy
|
|
Best AMD Athlon XP System
|
eMachines 2800+ complete system with
15" flat panel and DVD/CD-RW
|
$849
|
|
Best Buy
|
|
1. Best Low-cost Laptop
|
Toshiba 2 GHz Celeron with DVD/CD-RW
|
$699
|
|
CompUSA
|
|
2. Best Low-cost Laptop
|
Toshiba 2.2 GHz Pentium 4M with DVD/CD-RW
|
$1049
|
|
CompUSA
|
|
1. Best High-end Notebook
|
Sony 2.8 GHz Pentium 4 with DVD /CD-
RW
|
$1349
|
-$150
|
Best Buy, CompUSA, Circuit City
|
|
2. Best High-end Notebook
|
Acer Centrino 1.3 GHz with DVD-RW
|
$1449
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
3. Best High-end Notebook
|
Compaq Centrino widescreen 1.3 GHz with
DVD /CD- RW
|
$1549
|
-
|
Circuit City
|
|
4. Best High-end Notebook
|
Compaq Centrino widescreen 1.5 GHz with
DVD - RW
|
$1999
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
|
|
Peripherals and Software
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Maxtor 7200 RPM 120 GB hard drive with
8 MB buffer
|
$79
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Maxtor 7200 RPM 200 GB hard drive with
8 MB buffer
|
$129
(after rebates)
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Maxtor 7200 RPM 250 GB SATA hard drive
with 8 MB buffer
|
$229
(after rebates)
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
ATI Radeon 9000 All-in-Wonder Pro 64
MB
|
$129
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Circuit City, Best Buy ($139)
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
ATI Radeon 9600 Pro 128 MB DDR
|
$169
(after rebates)
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Sony 52X CD-RW
|
$49
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Circuit City
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Sony 4X multiformat DVD-RW
|
$249
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Circuit City
|
|
|
Additional Information. For additional technical
information, advice on how to buy a laptop or desktop, and vendor
and manufacturer links, please see our Computer
Buying Advice page.
About Sunday Shopping Watch. Sunday Shopping
Watch appears every Sunday (except some holidays like Easter and Christmas)
in our News and Rumors column. It is a review of local (Dayton, Ohio)
computer chain store advertisements. While we can not guarantee your
local chain store has the same items, this article can help you make
informed buying decisions.
Sep 26 - Intel Debuts Hyper-Threading
Technology for Portable Notebook PCs. Intel Corporation today
introduced the Mobile Intel® Pentium® 4 processor supporting
Hyper-Threading (HT) Technology* for portable notebook PCs, commonly
referred to as desktop replacement notebooks. These systems offer
consumers such desktop-like features as large screens, full-size keyboards
and multiple drives.
The Mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor supporting HT Technology offers
frequencies up to 3.20 GHz, and power management features that enable
lower thermals than its desktop counterpart. Notebooks based on the
Mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor supporting HT Technology* allow users
to take better advantage of such multithreaded and processor-intensive
multimedia applications as video encoding, digital media and gaming.
HT Technology allows the portable notebook PC's processor to simultaneously
work on two separate threads, improving performance when multiple
applications are running. For example, a user can play an immersive
game while encoding audio or video, compressing images or compositing
special effects. HT Technology offers better responsiveness and performance
when multitasking with existing applications. Performance also increases
significantly with current "multithreaded" software and
performance headroom for the next wave of multithreaded applications.
The Mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor supporting HT Technology works
with the Intel® 852GME and Intel® 852PM chipsets and is built
on the Intel® NetBurst™ microarchitecture. It features a
533 MHz system bus and supports advanced mobile power management,
including Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology, Deep Sleep and
Deeper Sleep.
Mobile Processor Specifications and Pricing
Mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor supporting HT Technology* (533
MHz PSB) Yes 3.20 GHz / 1.60 GHz Battery Optimized Mode $653 <
3.0 Watts 1.55V Max. Per / 1.20V Battery Optimized 512 KB
Mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor supporting HT Technology* (533 MHz
PSB) Yes 3.06 GHz / 1.60 GHz Battery Optimized Mode $433 < 3.0
Watts 1.55V Max. Per / 1.20V Battery Optimized 512 KB
Mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor supporting HT Technology* (533 MHz
PSB) Yes 2.80 GHz / 1.60 GHz Battery Optimized Mode $294 < 3.0Watts
1.525V Max. Per / 1.20V Battery Optimized 512 KB
Mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor supporting HT Technology* (533 MHz
PSB) Yes 2.66 GHz / 1.60 GHz Battery Optimized Mode $234 3.0 Watts
1.525V Max. Per / 1.20V Battery Optimized 512 KB
* Hyper-Threading Technology requires a computer system with a Mobile
Intel® Pentium® 4 processor supporting Hyper-Threading Technology
and a HT Technology enabled chipset, BIOS and operating system. Performance
will vary depending on the specific hardware and software you use.Visit
www.intel.com/info/hyperthreading
for more information, including details on which processors support
HT Technology.
Intel, the world's largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer
of computer, networking and communications products. Additional information
about Intel is available at www.intel.com.
Sep 26 - Apple Introduces New 15-inch
PowerBook. Apple® introduced the all-new 15-inch PowerBook®
G4, offering an unrivaled mix of power and portability in a sleek
aluminum design weighing just 5.6 pounds.
Featuring a stunning 15.2-inch widescreen display, phenomenal graphics,
Apple’s revolutionary backlit keyboard and advanced connectivity
including AirPort® Extreme, Bluetooth, FireWire® 800, USB
2.0 and Gigabit Ethernet, the new 15-inch PowerBook G4 starts at just
$1,999 (US).
The 15-inch PowerBook G4 joins new models of the groundbreaking 17-
and 12-inch PowerBooks to complete the industry-leading family of
notebooks for mobile professionals. The new 17-inch model features
a significant performance boost with a 1.33 GHz G4 processor that
includes double the amount of on-chip level 2 cache and is now available
for $2,999 (US)—$300 less than before. The new 12-inch model
features a 1 GHz G4 processor and includes a Digital Video Interface
(DVI) port for a pure digital connection to any of Apple’s flat
panel displays.
“Apple continues to lead the industry’s move to portable
computing by delivering the world’s most innovative notebooks,”
said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “The new 15-inch PowerBook
G4 succeeds the legendary Titanium PowerBook G4, the industry’s
first widescreen notebook introduced in January 2001. With its speed,
widescreen display, connectivity and ultra-light aluminum enclosure,
the new 15-inch PowerBook G4 sets the bar for professional notebooks
even higher.”
Designed for creative and business professionals, the new 15-inch
PowerBook G4 offers Apple’s revolutionary backlit keyboard with
ambient light sensors for working in low-light conditions such as
airplanes and design studios—not to mention blackouts.
The new 15-inch PowerBook G4 now includes a fast PowerPC G4 processor
running up to 1.25 GHz with 512KB on-chip level 2 cache, phenomenal
graphics performance from the ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 with 64MB DDR
RAM, support for up to 2GB of DDR 333 MHz SDRAM and a 60 or 80GB Ultra
ATA/100 hard drive.
Delivering the latest in wireless networking, the new 15-inch PowerBook
G4 supports AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth and provides advanced connectivity
with a full complement of I/O ports, including built-in Gigabit Ethernet
(10/100/1000BASE-T), USB 2.0 and high-speed FireWire 800 for fast
transfer of uncompressed digital video to high-capacity storage devices.
The 17-inch PowerBook is the industry’s first notebook with
a stunning 17-inch display and is the thinnest and lightest in its
class.
Ideal for professional graphic design, video editing and music production,
it measures only 1-inch thin and weighs just 6.9 pounds. The new 17-inch
PowerBook G4 now starts at $2,999 (US) and features a blazingly fast
1.33 GHz PowerPC G4 processor; outstanding performance from the ATI
Mobility Radeon 9600 with 64 MB DDR SDRAM; support for up to 2GB of
DDR 333 MHz SDRAM; an 80GB Ultra ATA/100 hard drive; and a full complement
of I/O ports, including built-in Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000BASE-T)
and high-speed FireWire 800 for fast transfer of uncompressed digital
video to high-capacity storage devices.
The new 12-inch PowerBook G4 weighs just 4.6 pounds and features
a 12.1-inch (diagonal) TFT XGA active-matrix display. The ultra-light
and compact full-featured notebook now includes a fast 1 GHz PowerPC
G4 processor; enhanced graphics performance with the NVIDIA GeForce
FX Go 5200 graphics processor and 32MB of DDR SDRAM; support for up
to 1.25GB of DDR 266 MHz SDRAM; and support for digital and analog
video out with DVI, VGA, S-video and composite video.
Pre-installed on every PowerBook G4, Mac® OS X “Jaguar”
version 10.2.7, enhances the mobile experience with unique features
including Instant On, which wakes the PowerBook from sleep in just
one second; Automatic Networking, which automatically switches the
network connections between Ethernet, 802.11 and modem; and advanced
power management for long battery life through Energy Saver Profiles.
Every new PowerBook G4 includes Apple’s iLife™ applications,
an integrated suite of award-winning software, including iTunes®
for managing digital music, iPhoto™ for organizing and sharing
digital photos, iMovie® for digital movie-making, and iDVD™
for creating and burning Hollywood-style DVDs.
Pricing & Availability
The new 15- and 17-inch PowerBook G4 models are available immediately,
and the new 12-inch PowerBook G4 is expected to be available later
this month through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com),
at Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers.
Sep 26 - Marvell® Samples the World’s
First Native Serial ATA II System on Chip. Marvell® (NASDAQ:
MRVL), a technology leader in the development of extreme broadband
communications and storage solutions, today announced that it has
sampled the world’s first single chip system on chip (SOC) device
that supports the Serial ATA II feature set and both 3.0Gb/s and 1.5Gb/s
operation to Fujitsu for use in its 2.5” hard disk drives (HDDs).
The newly introduced 88i6535 Serial ATA SOC enables lower cost and
higher performance storage for a variety of applications including
blade servers, consumer and mobile applications such as laptop computers,
portable music players, personal video recorders, set top boxes, car
navigation systems and digital still/video cameras.
Serial ATA hard disk drives were first introduced in the second half
of 2002, and have begun a significant volume ramp as end users and
system OEMs alike become accustomed to the significant performance
and cost advantages offered by this new storage interface.
The majority of Serial ATA drives in production today use Marvell’s
88i8030 Serial ATA bridge chip, a device that was the result of a
joint collaboration between Fujitsu and Marvell. As Serial ATA gains
in popularity, HDD suppliers and their OEM customers are under increased
pressure to provide Serial ATA storage at price parity with traditional
parallel ATA storage.
Marvell’s 88i6535 single-chip Serial ATA SOC will enable price
parity by eliminating the need for bridge chips. In addition, the
reduced pin count and PCB complexity of Serial ATA SOCs can further
lower cost versus parallel ATA SOCs. Single chip SOCs also significantly
reduce power consumption, a benefit especially critical to mobile
drives used in portable, battery-operated applications. The reduction
in power consumption in turn improves thermal characteristics, easing
system design constraints and further reducing cost.
The large-scale adoption of Serial ATA technology will be fueled
further by the introduction of Serial ATA II technology, which offers
a number of feature enhancements to Serial ATA I, as well as increased
data rate from 1.5Gb/s to 3.0Gb/s. Marvell’s new SATA II SOC
supports SATA II’s new features, which include Native Command
Queuing (NCQ), as well as the increased data rate of 3.0Gb/s.
"IDC predicts the rapid adoption of Serial ATA technology with
shipments increasing at a CAGR of over 300% from 3 million units in
2003 to nearly 225 million units in 2006", said Dave Reinsel,
Research Manager, at industry analyst IDC. "The introduction
of cost-effective native Serial ATA SOCs such as Marvell’s newly
announced product will be a key contributor to this remarkable growth."
MSI may be contacted at www.marvell.com.
Sep 26 - DISH Network First to Sell
1 Million Digital Video Recorders. EchoStar Communications Corporation
(Nasdaq:DISH) today announced that its DISH Network(TM), the fastest
growing subscription television service, has reached another TV industry
first by selling its 1 millionth digital video recorder (DVR). With
this announcement, DISH Network has established the lead as the fastest
growing and largest DVR provider in the nation.
"DISH Network is revolutionizing television and making the VCR
obsolete," said EchoStar President Mike Dugan. "Unlike cable,
DISH Player's exclusive DISH Video-On-Demand service lets customers
watch a 60-minute program in 40 minutes, saving them time to watch
the shows they want."
The DISH Player's DISH Video-On-Demand DVR service allows viewers
to skip recorded TV commercials, record up to 100 hours of programming
without videotape, pause live TV, perform slow-motion instant replays,
and use four speeds of fast forward and fast reverse.
"The DISH Player DVR gives customers the flexibility to attend
their son's or daughter's soccer game while their DVR is at home recording
their favorite shows," said John Scarborough, senior vice president
of Marketing for EchoStar. "Once at home, they can skip the TV
commercials or conduct their own instant replays. With a DVR, you
can live your life, then you watch TV."
DISH Network recently announced that new customers can receive a
free DISH Player-DVR 510, satellite dish, remote control and free
standard professional installation, for a savings of $349. DISH Network's
DVR lets customers arrange their own TV schedule with the touch of
a button, without expensive VHS tape.
For more information on DISH Network and any of its products or
services, visit www.dishnetwork.com
or contact a local DISH Network retailer.
Sep 26 - Logitech QuickCam Zoom Brings
Instant Messages to Life. Logitech (Nasdaq:LOGI)(Switzerland:LOGN),
the leading provider of Web cameras, today announced its new Logitech(R)
QuickCam(R) Zoom webcam, which enables both Mac(R) and PC users to
share a smile with friends, live and in real-time from anywhere in
the world, through free video instant messaging software.
"QuickCam Zoom continues to be one of our most popular webcams,"
said Spencer Johnson, director of product marketing for Logitech's
Video Business Unit. "With its polished titanium look, this camera
is jewelry for the desktop. Now, Mac and PC users can take advantage
of this stylish webcam, which brings family and friends together face-to-face
online."
QuickCam Zoom delivers true VGA (640x480) photos and videos. As
its name suggests, QuickCam Zoom includes digital zoom software, which
offers the option to pan, tilt and zoom up to three times the normal
viewing size. Logitech face-tracking software, included in the package,
takes digital zoom to a new level by automatically enabling the camera
to pan, tilt and zoom-in on a person's face -- keeping it centered
during a video instant messaging session or when recording a video
email. QuickCam Zoom includes a built-in microphone, making it easy
for people to add audio while they are instant messaging or creating
video clips. The camera works with Mac OS X and Windows 98 or higher.
With its new titanium finish, QuickCam Zoom brings a fresh new look
to the desktop. The camera is available in U.S. retail outlets and
online at www.logitech.com for a suggested
retail price of $79.95.
Sep 25 - Intel® Introduces Celeron®
Processor At 2.70 GHz. Intel Corporation today introduced the
Intel® Celeron® processor at 2.70 GHz for desktop and mobile
PCs. The Celeron processor brings Intel technology, quality and reliability
to the value PC consumer market segment.
The Intel Celeron processor at 2.70 GHz delivers the right combination
of features and frequency at an appropriate price point for this market
segment. Based on Intel's 0.13-micron process technology, the processor
utilizes 478-pin packaging and features a 400 MHz system bus. Intel
Celeron processors are engineered to maximize reliability, and are
compatible with virtually every leading hardware and software brand.
In 1,000-unit quantities, the Intel Celeron processor at 2.70 GHz
is priced at $103.
Intel, the world's largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer
of computer, networking and communications products. Additional information
about Intel is available at www.intel.com.
Sep 25 - Intel Makes $450-Million
Equity Investment in Micron Technology. Micron Technology Inc.
and Intel Corporation announced today that Intel Capital invested
$450 million in Micron in exchange for rights to common stock representing
approximately 5.3 percent of Micron's outstanding common stock. Micron
will use the proceeds primarily to support its investments in 300
mm manufacturing technology and increase its DDR2 memory production.
"We look forward to working closely with Intel in their support
of our efforts to provide advanced memory solutions to our customers"
said Steve Appleton, chairman, CEO and president of Micron Technology.
"Micron is committed to the support, development and production
of DDR2 on leading-edge technology and Intel's investment will further
enable these efforts."
"The availability of high-performance memory is critical as
we continue to develop advanced microprocessors and communications
components," said Intel CEO Craig Barrett. "Intel is making
this investment in Micron to help enable such high-end memory capabilities
as DDR2 to meet the requirements of our future-generation products."
The companies also announced plans to collaborate on the design for
future generations of memory technologies.
Micron Technology is one of the world's leading providers of advanced
semiconductor solutions. Through its worldwide operations, Micron
Technology manufactures and markets DRAMs, Flash memory, CMOS image
sensors, other semiconductor components and memory modules for use
in leading-edge computing, consumer, networking and mobile products.
Micron's common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)
under the MU symbol. To learn more about Micron Technology, visit
www.micron.com.
Intel Capital, Intel's strategic investment program, focuses on making
equity investments and acquisitions to grow the Internet economy in
support of Intel's strategic interests. Intel Capital invests in hardware,
software and services companies in several market segments, including
computing, networking, and wireless communications. For more information,
visit www.intel.com/capital.
Sep 25 - Dell Brings Hyper-Threading Technology
to Notebook Computers. Dell (Nasdaq:DELL) today added more desktop
functionality to its Inspiron notebook line with the introduction
of Hyper-Threading Technology (HT) to the Inspiron 5150.
Available with the Inspiron 5150 in the United States, the new Mobile
Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 processor at 3.06GHz with HT can enable customers
to do more tasks in less time. The technology makes efficient use
of processing power by utilizing moments of idle cycles that allow
for the processor to work on more than one processor request simultaneously.
"The addition of Hyper-Threading Technology to the Inspiron
5150 is another example of the closing performance and functionality
gap between notebook and desktop computers," said Jay Parker,
director of notebook marketing at Dell. "It provides the capability
for an additional level of productivity while maintaining portability."
Consumers can expect better overall performance while running multiple
computing tasks when using the HT-enabled Inspiron notebook. For example,
a customer can now convert a video clip from one format to another
while watching a DVD without interruption. Or, users can convert their
CD collection to a digital format while enjoying a CPU-intensive game
without sacrificing frame rate.
Starting at $1,599,an HT-enabled Inspiron 5150 includes Mobile Intel
Pentium 4 at 3.06GHz with Hyper-Threading Technology, 256MB of RAM,
30GB hard drive and 8X DVD optical drive.
Additional technical information
-- Mobile Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 processor at 3.06GHz(a) with Hyper-Threading
Technology with 533 MHz front side bus
-- Up to 2GB DDR SDRAM 333MHz
-- Displays of 15-inch SXGA+ (1400 x 1050) or 15-inch Dell UltraSharp(tm)
UXGA Display (1600 x 1200)
-- NVIDIA GeForce FX Go5200, 32MB or 64MB
-- Integrated 56K(c) capable v. 92 modem, 10/100 Ethernet, optional
integrated Wi-Fi(R) (802.11b/g, 802.11a/b/g) capability
-- Fixed-Optical Drives: 8X DVD, 24X CD-RW/DVD combination drives,
or 4X DVD+RW/+R(d)
-- Hard Drives of 30GB, 40GB or 60GB
-- Ports include two USB 2.0, one S-Video Out, one IEEE 1394
-- One PC Card slot
-- 12-cell 96Watt Hour Lithium Ion battery
-- Microsoft(R) Windows XP Home or Windows XP Professional
-- WordPerfect(R) Productivity Pack, WordPerfect(R) Office 11, Microsoft
Works Suite 2003, Microsoft Office XP Small Business or Microsoft
Office XP Professional
-- Optional External USB Floppy Drive
For more information on Dell Inspiron products, please visit www.dell.com/inspiron.
Sep 25 - Logitech Announces New Cordless
Optical Mouse for Notebooks. Logitech (Nasdaq:LOGI)(Switzerland:LOGN),
the leading provider of cordless peripherals for the PC, today introduced
a cordless mouse designed for people who seek to enhance their mobile
computing experience -- Cordless Optical Mouse for Notebooks. This
stylish new addition to the Logitech family of cordless products connects
with the PC using an ultra-slim, key-sized USB receiver.
Cordless Optical Mouse for Notebooks is the latest in Logitech's
portfolio of products designed for mobility. "Mobility has become
an essential part of the modern lifestyle and Logitech is addressing
this trend with the introduction of products for today's notebook
users," said Ashish Arora, director of product marketing for
retail pointing devices at Logitech. "Logitech is focused on
providing these mobile technology users with reliable cordless products
that make mobile computing and communications simple, easy and fun."
The mouse is loaded with features designed for mobile users ranging
from business travelers to students, who often find themselves in
tight spaces where the tangle of cords adds one more challenge to
using their notebook. The compact, ambidextrous design balances ease
of use, portability, and comfort, and sports an elegant silver finish
to match the latest notebook computers.
The unique USB receiver is slim enough to slip into the crowded connection
area on most laptops without displacing other connectors. With more
than ten years of experience with cordless technology, Logitech delivers
superior cordless performance that can be relied upon. The mouse itself
has been developed to ensure that the cordless connection will not
be lost once established. Therefore, the user can plug and unplug
the receiver, turn the notebook on/off and even exchange the batteries,
without losing the connection between the mouse and the receiver.
With Logitech's best-in-class power management technology and the
convenient on/off switch located on the bottom of the mouse, battery
life can easily exceed six months. Both mouse and receiver pack neatly
into the included carrying case.
"Now, mobile professionals can experience the same cordless
freedom and optical sensing technology that has become so popular
among desktop PC users," said Arora. "With more than 40
million cordless devices sold to date, we have learned what consumers
want as they seek to free their desk from clutter. Logitech Cordless
Optical Mouse for Notebooks is bringing this same level of satisfaction
and convenience to people on the go."
Cordless Optical Mouse for Notebooks employs an optical sensor to
track movement, so there is no ball that can clog up and require cleaning.
An optical sensor tracks the relative location of the mouse by "taking
a picture" of the surface on which the mouse is operating. Each
captured image is then sequentially analyzed by a powerful digital
signal processor, which detects the speed and direction of even the
slightest movement and translates it into smooth cursor movements
and superior precision on the computer screen.
The Cordless Optical Mouse for Notebooks uses Logitech's robust
Fast RF(TM) Cordless technology operating at 27MHz, enabling the mouse
to be used up to six feet away. Three programmable buttons, including
a middle button that also serves as a scroll wheel, and the Logitech(R)
MouseWare(R) software tool complete the feature set. Logitech Cordless
Optical Mouse for Notebooks has a five-year limited warranty.
Cordless Optical Mouse for Notebooks is available in retail outlets
and online at www.logitech.com for
U.S. $39.95.
Sep 24 - AMD Ushers in Era of Cinematic
Computing with the AMD Athlon™ 64 FX Processor. AMD (NYSE:
AMD) today marked the next frontier in computing, introducing the
world’s first and only Windows®-compatible 64-bit PC processor
– the AMD Athlon™ 64 FX processor – and paving the
way for a jaw-dropping PC experience. The AMD Athlon 64 FX processor
delivers what no other PC processor can: the highest overall 32-bit
performance for today’s demanding applications and the power
of 64-bit computing for the next wave of software.
Specifically designed for gamers, PC enthusiasts and digital content
creators, the AMD Athlon 64 FX processor is the most technically advanced
and highest performing 32-bit and 64-bit PC processor in the world.
Systems based on the AMD Athlon 64 FX processor enable a “cinematic
computing” experience that is immersive, interactive and provides
a new level of realism not available today except from DVD-quality
films.
“AMD is taking a lead role in shaping the future of the computing
industry by putting the power of AMD64 technology at the fingertips
of PC users around the world,” said Hector Ruiz, president and
chief executive officer of AMD. “The growing number of people
looking for cinema-quality PC performance that transforms imagination
into reality can now fully realize their dreams.”
Supporting AMD’s announcement, Chris Jones, Microsoft Corporate
Vice President for the Windows Client Group, said, “The AMD Athlon
64 processor, combined with Windows XP 64-Bit Edition, enables our
customers to take full advantage of the superior performance and scalability
of 64-bit computing on the desktop, while preserving their ability
to run 32-bit applications. In addition, the AMD64 architecture is
designed for both 32-bit and 64-bit computing, allowing customers
to migrate to 64-bit computing.”
“Extreme PC enthusiasts and gamers have long been the drivers
of the industry, shaping and influencing what new technology ultimately
reaches mainstream computer users,” said Dirk Meyer, senior vice
president of AMD’s Computation Products Group. “We custom-made
the AMD Athlon 64 FX processor for these power users. Now, they can
spend more time playing, imagining and creating.”
“With 64-bit technology, gamers, enthusiasts, and, ultimately,
even ordinary mortals who yearn for a better computing experience
will be overwhelmed,” said Roger Kay, an industry analyst at
IDC. “This type of performance hardware allows software developers
to unleash their creativity on the next generation of applications.”
Gaming companies are ready to take advantage of the new capabilities
and software performance 64-bit computing makes possible.
“Gamers will be floored by the power of AMD64. We’re already
seeing great performance with 64-bit computing, but what we’re
going to do in the very near future will amaze gamers,” said
Tim Sweeney, founder and president of Epic Games, maker of the popular
Unreal Tournament.
Introducing the AMD Athlon™ 64 Processor for Desktops and Notebooks
For mainstream desktop users, AMD unveiled the long-awaited AMD Athlon
64 processor, bringing the benefits of AMD64 technology to desktop
and notebook users and delivering unprecedented application performance
for consumers and businesses. The AMD Athlon 64 processor provides
extraordinary 32-bit software application performance while allowing
a simplified migration path to 64-bit applications.
For mobile computing, the AMD Athlon 64 processor for notebooks is
designed for high-performance computing and wireless connectivity.
It features advanced power management from the AMD PowerNow!™
technology for reduced power consumption and extended system battery
life.
Industry Embraces 64-Bit Computing Vision
Microsoft, which today announced the release of a beta version of
Windows XP 64-Bit Edition, joined AMD to articulate its vision for
64-bit computing and reiterate its commitment to deliver a 64-bit
operating system for desktop systems.
Computer manufacturer HP plans to ship systems in the fourth quarter
of 2003. Fujitsu, Fujitsu-Siemens and Packard Bell announced system
availability for the AMD Athlon 64 processor, and were joined by more
than 150 manufacturers and infrastructure partners worldwide.
“The AMD Athlon 64 processor brings outstanding performance
and future potential to our compact desktop PC ‘FMV DESKPOWER.’
The AMD Athlon 64 processor delivers the power of 64-bit computing
with incredible performance on today’s 32-bit applications, all
on a Fujitsu compact desktop PC,” said Kuniaki Saito, general
manager, Fujitsu Limited Desktop & Workstation Products and Personal
Computer Peripherals Divisions, Personal Systems Business Group.
"The AMD Athlon 64 processor brings 64-bit power and 32-bit
performance to our consumer customers via our SCALEO PC range,"
said Ricarda Rodatus, director, Product Marketing, Fujitsu-Siemens
Computers.
PC retailer Best Buy will sell AMD Athlon 64 processor-based systems
in addition to the “processor-in-a-box” product.
“We believe that pervasive 64-bit computing will lead to a new
wave of innovation in the technology industry. As one of North America's
leading PC retailers, Best Buy will help bring 64-bit computing into
the mainstream – accessible to one and all,” said Dave Morrish,
senior vice president of Computers, Peripherals and Digital Imaging
for Best Buy. “We are proud to announce that you can pick up
an AMD Athlon 64 processor-in-a-box right now at BestBuy.com. Look
for computer products from HP in the coming months.”
About AMD64 Technology
AMD first unleashed AMD64 technology in April with the launch of
the AMD Opteron™ processor for servers and workstations. The
AMD Athlon 64 processors are the first desktop and notebook processors
based on the AMD64 architecture.
The AMD64 technology follows the evolutionary pat
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