Apr 15 - Intel Advances Pentium® 4 Processor
Platform With Faster System Bus And New Chipset. Intel Corporation
today announced a significant improvement in overall PC performance
by introducing a new Pentium® 4 processor with a faster system
bus and a new chipset platform. The new platform provides more balanced
system performance, resulting in smoother operation and less time
waiting for data.
The new chipset contains two technical innovations that accelerate
the speed at which data flows between the computer's processor and
system memory and also doubles the computer's networking bandwidth.
A chipset consists of one or more chips that act as a computer's nervous
system, transmitting signals from the computer's brain, the microprocessor,
to the rest of the system. These new products support Intel's Hyper-Threading
Technology and are targeted for high performance and feature-rich
workstations and desktop computers.
"Working together, Intel's new processor and chipset deliver
uncompromising capabilities and performance to PC users who demand
the richest digital media, gaming and broadband experience,"
said Louis Burns, vice president and general manager of Intel's Desktop
Platforms Group. "For the high end of computing, data access
has become one of the biggest performance bottlenecks. Performance
seekers will benefit from the extremely fast bus and memory technologies
of this new compute platform, as well as Pentium 4 processor's Hyper-Threading
Technology when multitasking or using threaded applications."
The Pentium 4 processor with Hyper-Threading Technology operating
at 3 GHz can now have an 800 MHz system bus instead of 533 MHz, the
previous highest speed bus. The new 800 MHz bus can transmit information
within the PC up to 50 percent faster than the previous version. With
Hyper-Threading (HT) Technology, users can perform multiple complex
tasks with greater responsiveness from their PCs. For desktop applications,
these tasks include accessing instant messaging while playing a favorite
online game or downloading music while manipulating digital photos.
Advanced digital content creation tasks such as 3-D modeling, rendering
and video editing are some of the workstation applications that benefit
from these new features.
Designed specifically to support the Intel Pentium 4 processor with
HT Technology, the Intel 875P chipset, formerly codenamed Canterwood,
supports dual-channel DDR400 MHz system memory, providing exceptional
performance across a full range of multimedia and 3-D intensive applications.
The chipset introduces two significant platform innovations: Intel
Performance Acceleration Technology (PAT) and Communications Streaming
Architecture (CSA). PAT speeds data flow between the processor and
system memory to increase performance. The 875P chipset also offers
a dedicated networking bus based on Intel's new Communications Streaming
Architecture. CSA, in conjunction with the new Intel® PRO/1000
CT Desktop Connection gigabit Ethernet controller, doubles the networking
bandwidth possible with today's PCI bus based solutions.
Additionally, the 875P chipset includes a high-performance AGP8X
graphics interface for an advanced graphics experience, integrated
Hi-Speed USB 2.0 and Serial ATA, and dual independent DMA audio engines
enabling a user to make a PC phone call while playing digital music
streams. The new 875P chipset offers built-in RAID capabilities utilizing
the latest Serial ATA interface for accelerated disk I/O. Error Correction
Code is supported for users that demand memory data reliability and
integrity. Additional technical information on these chipsets is available
at http://developer.intel.com/design/chipsets.
For computer makers and system integrators, Intel also announced
availability of an ATX form factor desktop motherboard, the D875PBZ
featuring Intel Precision Cooling Technology and Intel Rapid BIOS
Boot. Additional technical information on this desktop board is available
at: http://developer.intel.com/design/motherbd/index.htm.
Pricing and Availability
In 1,000-unit quantities, the 3 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor with
HT Technology and an 800MHz system bus is priced at $417 and will
be available shortly. The Intel 875P chipset is priced at $53 with
integrated software RAID, $50 without RAID. The chipset is currently
shipping in volume to a variety of computer and motherboard manufacturers
worldwide.
Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com.
Apr 15 - eMachines Announces
Full-Featured Spring PC Line-Up. eMachines Inc., the fastest-growing
PC company in the United States according to IDC, today announced
its new spring line-up of affordable, high-performance PCs featuring
upgraded Intel(R)-based processors starting at $399.
In addition to increasing the processing speeds and adding Ethernet
networking capability throughout its new products, the Irvine-based
PC provider has doubled the memory of its $499 and $599 models, the
T2245 and T2385, for faster, more efficient use.
In addition, T2385 offers a larger hard drive for greater storage
capability. For multimedia aficionados, these two models also include
DVD and CD-RW drives for movie and music playback and CD recording.
eMachines' new array of PCs also incorporate Microsoft(R) Windows(R)
XP Home Edition to enhance users' digital photography, music and video
experience, while augmenting reliability and security.
"With the introduction of our new spring line-up, we offer consumers
and businesses best-in-value PCs for virtually any computing application
for home or office use," said eMachines' President and CEO Wayne
Inouye. "We also continue to vigorously support our products
by offering one of the most innovative and comprehensive Customer
Care programs in the industry."
eMachines' 2003 spring line-up includes:
T2240
eMachines' entry-level model, the T2240, comes standard with Ethernet
and six USB 2.0 ports. The PC is ideal for users seeking a reliable
product for everyday computing needs and features an Intel Celeron(R)
2.20 GHz processor. Other features include 128 MB DDR, 40 GB hard
drive, Intel Extreme Graphics 3D video card, 56K V.92 ready fax/modem,
a 48x CD-ROM drive, multimedia keyboard, wheel mouse and stereo speakers
for $399.
T2245
By offering dual optical drives, the T2245 is tailored toward multimedia
enthusiasts seeking an affordable PC for "burning" CDs,
as well as playing digital music and movies. The PC, powered by an
Intel Celeron 2.20 GHz processor, comes complete with Ethernet, 256
MB DDR, 40 GB hard drive, Intel Extreme Graphics 3D video card, 56K
V.92 ready fax/modem, 40x CD-RW, 16x DVD drives, six USB 2.0 ports,
multimedia keyboard, wheel mouse and stereo speakers for $499.
T2385
eMachines' T2385 combines multimedia functionality throughout with
Ethernet for networking. The PC features an Intel Celeron 2.30 GHz
processor, Ethernet, 512 MB DDR, 80 GB hard drive, Intel Extreme Graphics
3D video card, 56K V.92 ready fax/modem, 48x CD-RW and 16x DVD drives,
six USB 2.0 ports, premium multimedia keyboard, wheel mouse and stereo
speakers for $599.
Every new eMachines PC features Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition,
Microsoft Works 6.0, Microsoft Money 2002, Encarta Online, a 90-day
AOL 8.0 membership, as well as a 90-day trial of Norton AntiVirus(TM)
2003, the world's most trusted anti-virus solution, according to PC
market analyst firm NPDTechworld.
eMachines supports all of its PCs and monitors through a comprehensive
Customer Care program comprised of one-year free parts, labor and
technical support with several service options, including an End-User
Replaceable Parts Program, five-day depot repair and nationwide authorized
service centers.
eMachines' new PCs are currently available at major consumer electronics
retail outlets nationwide, as well as direct from eMachines' Web site
at www.emachines.com or by calling 800/362-2446.
About eMachines Inc.
Founded in September 1998, eMachines currently sells the second-highest
number of PCs through retailers in the United States, according to
leading market research organizations. Since inception, eMachines
has shipped more than 5 million PCs through leading national and international
retailers, catalog and online merchandisers and via its Web site at
www.emachines.com.
Apr 15 - HP Introduces Entry-level Workstation
with Good Price to Performance Ratio. HP (NYSE:HPQ) today announced
its latest entry-level workstation, the Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4-based
HP Workstation xw4100, which is designed to provide customers with
computational and visualization performance, reliability and support
with an affordable manufacturer's suggested retail price of $799.
The HP Workstation xw4100 uses the new Intel 875P high-performance
chipset and it includes Intel Performance Acceleration Technology
for enhanced system performance due to reduced memory access latencies.
The workstation also is optimized for Intel Hyper-Threading Technology
to efficiently run multiple applications simultaneously and to speed
processor-intensive tasks.
The device's innovative convertible mini-tower and tool-less chassis
are designed to provide mechanical computer-aided engineering (MCAD/CAE),
digital content creation (DCC), geographic information systems (GIS)
and finance customers with the flexibility they need for their work
environments. The versatile chassis allows the HP xw4100 to go easily
from deskside to desktop and improves serviceability and heat management.
The workstation also features a convenient front-access input/output
panel and two USB v2.0 ports.
The affordably priced HP Workstation xw4100 delivers optimized performance
and reliability with professional OpenGL and multi-display 2D graphics
and application certifications for entry-level 2D and 3D MCAD and
2D animation, video editing and publishing users.
"HP workstations are intelligently engineered for high reliability,
which should allow for excellent application performance while providing
exceptional return on investment," said Jim Zafarana, worldwide
marketing manager, HP Workstation Global Business Unit. "The
HP xw4100 delivers on that promise by offering customers unprecedented
value and performance without compromising reliability."
The HP Workstation xw4100 builds on HP's industry lead in workstation
performance set by the HP Workstation xw5000. The HP xw4100 takes
uniprocessor compute power to the next level with faster processor
front side bus speeds, greater memory bandwidth and Intel's Performance
Acceleration Technology.
The HP xw4100 supports Microsoft(R) Windows(R) 2000 Professional
and Windows XP Professional, while support for the Red Hat Linux operating
system is expected to be available in June.
The HP Workstation xw4100 has a manufacturer's suggested retail price
of $799. This model and the entire HP workstation product line are
available directly from HP or through authorized HP resellers. Further
details are available at www.hp.com/go/workstations.
Apr 15 - ASUS Standardizes on Analog Devices'
SoundMAX Digital Audio System. Analog Devices, Inc. (NYSE: ADI)
today announced that ASUSTeK Computer, Inc. (ASUS), the world's leading
provider of motherboards to PC OEMs, system integrators and retail
outlets, has selected its SoundMAX(R) Digital Audio System (SoundMAX)
as its new standard PC audio solution.
Available with PCs and motherboards from major PC OEM and motherboard
manufacturers, SoundMAX is now shipping with 25 new ASUS desktop and
notebook motherboards. With today's launch of its spring 2003 motherboards,
ASUS becomes the first motherboard manufacturer to ship SoundMAX 4
XL, on two of its featured products: the ASUS P4C800 and ASUS P4P800.
Offering intelligent jack sensing for connecting audio peripherals
and a new user interface for managing system performance, SoundMAX
4 XL is a premium-performance PC audio system that is especially attractive
to PC OEMs concerned about the growing cost of audio-related technical
support issues.
SoundMAX 4 XL minimizes the complexity of getting a new PC's audio
system up and running. The AudioESP(TM) feature of SoundMAX 4 XL notifies
users of erroneously connected audio peripherals, guiding them through
the process of connecting microphones, PC speakers and other audio
devices to the correct jacks in the system.
SoundMAX 4 XL also offers a 'virtual dashboard' that allows users
to easily manage audio-related controls for optimal performance, as
well as an enhanced audio wizard that enables users to quickly set
up their audio peripherals. In addition to empowering users to manage
their audio system's functionality, SoundMAX meets the needs of ASUS'
diverse customer base--offering best-in-class audio quality and state-of-the-art
technologies for playback of music CDs, MP3/WMA files, DVD movie soundtracks,
MIDI music, Internet audio and enhanced game audio.
About SoundMAX from Analog Devices
The SoundMAX-class of audio CODECs are available in both 2- and 6-channel
configurations and offer variable sample rate conversion (SRC), professional
quality 103 dB output with 94 dB SNR, software-configurable speaker
EQ, stereo microphone input, digital S/PDIF output and analog enumeration
capability. The SoundMAX feature set includes a state-of-the-art DLS2
MIDI synthesizer with the popular Yamaha DLSbyXG sound set, the award-winning
Sensaura 5.1 Virtual Theater(TM) surround sound and support for all
major game audio technologies.
Availability
SoundMAX 4 XL will begin shipping in the channel with the ASUS P4C800
motherboard that supports the Intel Canterwood chipset as of April
14, 2003. For more information about SoundMAX, please visit: www.soundmax.com.
ASUSTeK Computer, Inc. can be found online at www.asus.com.tw.
Apr 15 - Yankee Group Forecast Predicts 32 Million
Networked Homes by 2007. Yankee Group research shows that by the
end of 2002, the market of consumers with the necessary infrastructure
for home networking expanded--with 15 percent of U.S. households subscribing
to broadband and 22 percent owning more than one PC. In turn, consumer
adoption of home networks increased 60 percent during the year, driven
by continued broadband growth, declining prices for connectivity hardware,
expansion of the service provider channel, and the entry of well-branded
productivity device and consumer electronics manufacturers.
The Yankee Group forecasts there will be 32.3 million networked homes
in the United States by the end of 2007. Driving this projected growth
will be the increasing adoption of broadband and multiple PCs, accelerated
deployment of connectivity hardware by broadband providers in both
standalone equipment and embedded CPE, and continued advancements
in wireless networking performance.
"Wireless solutions are driving the home networking market and
are the preferred means of connectivity among consumers establishing
a home network," says Dominic Ainscough, Yankee Group Consumer
Technologies & Services senior analyst. "Home networking
technology is progressing to support a greater breadth of multimedia
network applications such as concurrent streaming of multiple video
feeds and multiplayer gaming. With this development, networking will
extend beyond the home office to the living room, and spur increased
interest in connectivity among secondary adopters."
THE YANKEE GROUP can be found online at www.yankeegroup.com.
APr 15 - Enterprises List Budget Restrictions
As the Largest Barrier to Adopting e-Support. Budget restrictions
are the biggest barrier to widespread use of e-support in enterprises,
according to a survey by Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT and ITB).
Nearly 60 percent of IT support solution users surveyed listed budget
restrictions as the reason they are not using e-support solutions.
More notably, 52 percent of the respondents indicated that the solutions
they used did not effectively resolve hardware or software support
incidents.
In September 2002, Gartner Dataquest conducted an Internet survey
of 223 North American users of e-support and support automation solutions
for their organizations' hardware and software systems. The respondents
were end-user organizations that reflected a representation of every
major industry and company size.
"The issue of the budget is understandable, given the economy,
but it translates to a reluctance to make the investment if the payback
is in question," said Robert Igou, principal analyst for Gartner's
IT Services group. "The most alarming concern for support providers
is that e-support solutions are not generally seen as effectively
solving support incidents. If this perception is not remedied with
the evolution of improvements, it could have a retarding effect on
the demand for this technology."
While the availability of e-support solutions on the Internet should
be a strength, 54 percent of those surveyed picked availability and
reliability of Web-based e-support solutions as the No.1 factor that
needed improvement. Nearly half of all users had about equal concern
related to e-support content, and another concern was about the expertise
and response time associated with e-support and wanted it to be the
equivalent of phone-based support.
"Support providers must consider these concerns and provide
metrics for establishing benchmarks as a priority," said Igou.
"None of these improvements really relate to the solution or
technology itself, so solution vendors should be pleased. However,
if the solution vendor is associated with a poorly performing Web
site via a brand designation, they will suffer brand contamination
as a result."
According to the survey, nearly half of all support incidents are
addressed by two solutions - manual diagnostic tools and remote control
solutions. Less than one quarter of all support incidents were addressed
by an automated tool or solution. Gartner analysts said that the devotion
to the two solutions is incurring a big expense related to the IT
resources required to affect a solution, even though some, such as
remote control solutions, do help reduce the human effort required
to help a user.
"This is not to say that automated solutions can resolve all
incidents, or that they can always save money, but that inserting
automation into the support process can reduce the amount of human
assistance that needs to be applied in the end," said Igou.
Even with these concerns, the Gartner survey found that almost 75
percent of respondents acknowledged an expected increase in the use
of e-support solutions. Vendors should take this to mean that people
inside these organizations that have a favorable view could be leveraged
to convince the budgetary authorities that e-support is a worthwhile
investment.
For more information, visit www.gartner.com.
Apr 14 - New Dell Dimension Desktop Speeds
Use of Most Demanding Applications. Dell (Nasdaq:DELL) today introduced
the Dimension(tm) 8300, a desktop equipped with high-performance technology
to help consumers and small business owners run demanding multimedia
applications, such as editing video or high-resolution photographs,
creating Web content or playing 3-D games.
The Dimension 8300 uses a new Intel(R) chipset that supports processors
featuring an 800MHz front side bus and dual-channel DDR (double data
rate) memory to enhance the system's overall performance. Additionally,
it also features an 8x Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) graphics cards
to run demanding 3-D applications.
"The Dimension 8300 delivers great desktop performance for consumers
and small business customers who need more horsepower," said
Mark Vena, director of Dimension product marketing. "It comes
with a wide variety of performance-oriented options that can be individually
customized, underscoring our commitment to provide customers with
the latest technology at an unbeatable value."
To meet varying customer needs, the 8300 supports a range of video
options. Gaming enthusiasts who want fast performance on the most
advanced computer games can opt for the industry-leading ATI Radeon(tm)
9800 PRO or the Radeon 9800 graphics card. Customers who do not require
as much 3-D horsepower can opt for the NVIDIA(R) GeForce(tm) 4 MX
graphics card.
The Dimension 8300 features an expandable minitower chassis, which
provides up to two 5.25-inch external optical drives and up to two
internal hard drives. It also features eight USB 2.0 ports, two of
which are front-accessible ports for connecting devices like USB memory
keys or MP3 players. All Dimension 8300 customers can order a system
with or without a floppy drive, or with a Dell USB memory key.
For $1,689, the Dimension 8300 features a 3.0GHz Intel(R) Pentium(R)
4 processor, 128MB DDR 400 SDRAM memory, a 60GB hard drive, a 16x
DVD drive, a 17-inch (16-inch viewable) monitor and Windows(R) XP
Home.
For more information about this product, go to
www.dell.com/dimension.
Apr 14 - Speedwires CEO Says the Future
of Broadband is Hybrid Powerline Technology. Are you ready for
interactive entertainment, thousands of cable channels and broadband
Internet services over any power plug in your home or office? According
to Powerline communications guru William "Luke" Stewart,
a recent demonstration of power line communications (PLC) technology
in front of FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell is more proof that broadband
over powerlines has matured and is ready for business.
However, Stewart says that any economical rollout of PLC-based broadband
Internet or video services will require developing hybrid systems
that integrates PLC technology with an Internet backbone that is seriously
underutilized. Stewart, who is president of Speedwires.com, says that
the company will focus its efforts on developing HybridPLC(TM) solutions
that can integrate PLC technology to alternative transmission platforms.
In a teleconference at Speedwires' Dallas office, Stewart laid out
the company's vision and his plan to position Speedwires as a HybridPLC
service provider.
PLC works, but more is needed to make it a business
Stewart said, "Recent tests of local PLC systems have proven
what we said two years ago. Powerline communications can deliver broadband
video services, high speed Internet and other next generation telecommunication
services to the home and office. However, powerline communications
by themselves aren't enough to create a competitive global communications
network today."
According to Stewart, "PLC is critical to building any competitive
communications system. As a physical platform, PLC is cheaper to set
up and easier to maintain than traditional cable, wireless or telecom
networks. However, PLC technology isn't the entire solution, at least
not yet."
Stewart stated, "Speedwires has run the numbers. Today, the
most economical platform is a mixture of PLC broadband to the home,
connected to all the unused capacity out in the Internet backbone.
There are literally thousands of miles of dark fiber out there today.
Speedwires will marry PLC to that underutilized capacity."
Focus On Integrated HybridPLC(TM)
According to the Speedwires president, the company will focus its
business on developing solutions and technology to integrate PLC communications
to legacy technologies. According to Stewart, "Much of this technology
is ready, now. However, no one has been putting the pieces together
and focusing on the integration that is necessary. By concentrating
on hybrid communications and PLC solutions we can support current
PLC developers, the electric power industry, and content developers
alike with a platform that can be rolled out today and which can serve
as the launching pad for an array of new communications services."
Customers Responding to a Hybrid Solution
Stewart said the company has been gratified by the response to HybridPLC.
He said, "Our response from the energy companies, content providers,
and technology developers has been nearly overwhelming. The market
has been ready for a long time. So has the technology. Everyone has
been waiting for someone to step up and provide an integrated solution
that works today. We're going to do that."
For more information, visit www.speedwires.com.
Apr 14 - VIA Announces UniChrome KM400
Chipset. The VIA UniChrome KM400 Chipset is the next generation
integrated graphics chipset for the AMD Athlon™ XP processor.
An ultra fast HyperTransport™ link to the CPU, integrated UniChrome™
2D/3D graphics, AGP 8X port, 8X V-Link, Serial ATA/RAID, ATA-133 and
USB 2.0 combine to make the KM400 a feature rich and scalable chipset
for mainstream corporate and consumer desktop systems.
The VIA UniChrome KM400 chipset features the S3 Graphics integrated
UniChrome™ 2D/3D graphics core with MPEG-2 acceleration and DuoView™
technology for excellent multimedia performance and complete flexibility
on the desktop.
The chipset North Bridge exchanges data with the CPU through a flexible
and ultra fast Front Side Bus at speeds of up to 333MHz, and features
an AGP 8X controller for graphics upgrades. The KM400 also supports
a complete range of DDR memory speeds, including DDR200/266/333/400,
enabling OEMs and system integrators the opportunity to attack different
price points based on the same mainboard platform.
The VIA UniChrome KM400 North Bridge is connected to the new VIA
VT8237 South Bridge through a fast 8X V-Link connection. With native
support for Serial ATA in the VT8237, supplying 150MB/s of bandwidth
to your hard drive, as well as support for up to eight USB 2.0 ports,
the VT8237 offers the highest possible peripheral performance for
professional and home users. In SATA mode, the VIA VT8237 also provides
multi level RAID support including RAID level 0 for maximum performance,
RAID Level 1 for maximum security, RAID level 0+1 and JBOD.
The VIA VT8237 also features support for up to two Parallel ATA-133
devices, extending flexibility to the system integrator by allowing
for mainstream or value configurations leveraging the existing technology
standard. Additional features include a VIA MAC for 10/100Mbps Fast
Ethernet connectivity, integrated PCI support, 6-channel surround
sound AC'97 audio and an MC'97 modem. The VIA UniChrome KM400 also
benefits from the advanced unified VIA Hyperion 4-in-1 driver set,
delivering seamless compatibility with the latest software and hardware.
For more information, visit VIA at www.via.com.tw.
Apr 14 - Gartner Says Next-Generation
Network to Begin to Evolve in Next Two Years. As consumers look
for ways to simplify their communications to better meet the needs
of their daily lives, through PDAs, mobile phones and the Internet,
the next-generation network (NGN) will be the underlying infrastructure
that will be able to support those communications needs, according
to Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT and ITB).
The NGN combines three networks (public switched telephone network,
Internet and wireless) into a unification of communications networks.
This unification focuses on the customization of communications services
purchased at the individual subscriber level on the enterprise and/or
the consumer side.
"These customized communications services will radically change
the definition of what constitutes a call, " said David Fraley,
principal analyst for Gartner's worldwide telecommunications and networking
group. "In the future, calls will include voice, video, data,
TV broadcasts and multimedia collaboration. In many cases, these will
be combined into a single communications session."
Gartner analysts said the networking trend toward VoIP and NGN is
continuing. However, recent telecommunications sector troubles have
converted the IP revolution into a convergence path of TDM and packet
architectures. The biggest problem facing NGN vendors is tremendously
limited service provider CAPEX budgets. The business environment,
complete with numerous service providers' filed and forthcoming bankruptcies,
has forced CAPEX spending below the network maintenance level.
"Deferring maintenance expense can occur for a while, but not
forever. Delaying those investments might bring carriers into the
unfortunate situation, that at a later point, their spending requirements
not only have to catch up, but have to exceed previous levels to accommodate
the excessive and complex traffic demands, operational expenditure
reduction targets, and the necessity to quickly generate sources of
additional service revenue," said Bettina Tratz-Ryan, principal
analyst for Gartner's worldwide telecommunications and networking
group
Gartner said that starting in 2005, the market for the deployment
of NGN equipment will show recovery. By 2005, CAPEX budgets will increase
to catch up as a result of previous spending restrictions. During
the next few years, VoIP and NGN will mature further and carriers
will regard them as carrier grade. The equipment will be capable of
supporting the highest quality of service-based traffic in most any
network and service providers will change their deployment strategies
that involve the replacement or upgrade of selective network elements
toward a broad deployment for NGN and VoIP solutions.
"By 2005, three different trends will converge," said Tim
Smith, managing vice president. for Gartner's worldwide telecommunications
and networking group. "These converging trends - technology maturity,
service provider readiness and robust CAPEX budgets - will start the
eventual unification of the communications revolution which will give
consumers ultimate control."
Visit Gartner's web site at www.gartner.com.
Apr 13 - Sunday Shopping Watch
Best Sunday Deals - See our Best
Sunday Ad Deals Table below for specific system prices.
Weekly Comparison. Good computer deals can be
found in all price categories. Noteworthy this Sunday is the first
appearance of Athlon XP-M based laptops.
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 has switched back to offering 6 months of MSN with any
desktop or laptop purchase. They are also offering $100-$150 mail-in
rebates on all desktop packages and laptops and 12 month no-interest
financing.
Circuit City is offering
12 months no-interest financing and $100 gift cards on all Pentium
4 desktop packages.
Office
Depot
has no store-wide promotions this Sunday.
CompUSA has 12 month no interest
financing for laptop purchases over $798. Plus they are throwing in
a free HP printer with any Athlon XP-M processor laptop purchase.
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 related 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.
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
|
|
Best Celeron Deal
|
None Advertised
|
|
|
|
|
Best Low-cost Pentium 4 System
|
Compaq 2.4 GHz with 17" monitor
and DVD/CD-RW
|
$799
|
-
|
Staples
|
|
1. Best High-end Pentium 4 System
|
Sony 2.53 GHz with 15" flat panel
and DVD-RW
|
$1229
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
2. Best High-end Pentium 4 System
|
HP 2.53 GHz complete system with 15"
flat panel and DVD-RW
|
$1599
|
-
|
Circuit City
|
|
2. Best High-end Pentium 4 System
|
HP 2.66 GHz Media Center with 15"
flat panel and HP printer
|
$2099
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
1. Best Low-cost Athlon XP System
|
HP 2400+ complete system
|
$829
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
1. Best Low-cost Notebook
|
Compaq 1.8 GHz Celeron with DVD/CD-RW
|
$849
|
-$50
|
Best Buy
|
|
2. Best Low-cost Notebook
|
Toshiba 2.0 GHz Celeron with DVD/CD-RW
|
$1099
|
-
|
Office Depot
|
|
3. Best Low-cost Notebook
|
HP Athlon XP-M 1800+ with DVD/CD-RW
|
$899
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
4. Best Low-cost Notebook
|
Sony Athlon XP-M 2000+ with DVD/CD-RW
|
$1149
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
1. Best High-end Notebook
|
HP 2.66 GHz Pentium 4-M with DVD/CD-RW
|
$1299
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
2. Best High-end Notebook
|
Toshiba 2.53 GHz Pentium 4-M with DVD-RW
|
$2199
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
|
|
Peripherals
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Western Digital 7200 RPM 120 GB hard
drive
|
$69
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Circuit City
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
WarCraft III
|
$29
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Circuit City
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Western Digital 7200 RPM 250 GB hard
drive with 8 MB buffer
|
$229
(after rebates)
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Maxtor 7200 RPM 200 GB hard drive with
8 MB buffer
|
$199
(after rebates)
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Maxtor 7200 RPM 120 GB hard drive with
8 MB buffer
|
$109
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Verbatim 4X DVD-RW
|
$229
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Radeon 9500 Pro 128 MB
|
$199
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Radeon 9700 Pro 128 MB All-in-Wonder
|
$399
(after rebates)
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
|
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.
APR 11 - Dell Expands
Thin & Light Notebook Offerings with Value-Priced Notebooks.
Dell (Nasdaq:DELL) today announced two thin & light notebook computers
that are easy to carry, easy to use, and easy on the budget.
Both the Latitude(TM) D500 and the Inspiron(TM) 500m feature the
new Intel(R) Pentium(R) M processor and start at prices of less than
$1,200.
About the Inspiron 500m
Featuring a sleek moonlight silver design, the Inspiron 500m notebook
computer is designed for small businesses, students and consumers
who demand powerful mobile computing and connectivity.
The Inspiron 500m supports Intel's Centrino(R) Mobile Technology
capability, and features impressive battery life -- up to four hours
-- in an easy-to-carry form factor that delivers seamless wireless
connectivity options. Customers can choose Intel's Pro/Wireless 2100
(802.11b) for $49, Dell's TrueMobile(TM) 1300 (802.11b/g) for $69
or TrueMobile 1400 (802.11a/b/g) for $89 as wireless solutions, as
well as integrated Bluetooth capability at the time of purchase for
$49.
Weighing less than 5.5 pounds, the Inspiron 500m is a powerful notebook
that can handle photo editing, music management, productivity applications
or DVD viewing. Optional integrated wireless solutions enable users
to stay connected in public wireless hotspots such as coffee shops,
student unions and airports. In addition, two USB 2.0 ports make transferring
bulky music files and digital picture files quick and efficient.
The notebook, with Venice blue accents, also includes Dell's QuickSnap(TM)
personalization color kits that snap on and cover the entire LCD back
of the notebook. Available for $39.99, colors include Venice Blue,
Red Lava, Bamboo, Graphite Swirl and Burlwood.
Starting at $1,199, the Inspiron 500m includes an Intel Pentium M
processor at 1.3 GHz, 128 MB DDR shared SDRAM, 14.1-inch XGA display,
a 20 GB hard drive and one-year limited warranty. A configuration
with Intel's Centrino Mobile Technology including an Intel Pentium
M processor at 1.4 GHz and Intel Pro/Wireless 2100 wireless (802.11b)
card, as well as 256 MB DDR shared SDRAM, 14.1-inch XGA home display,
30GB hard dive, and 24X CD-RW/DVD combination drive is priced at $1,629.
More information on Inspiron notebooks is available at www.dell.com/inspiron.
Apr 11 - Agilent Technologies and Intel
Collaborate on PCI Express. Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A)
and Intel Corporation (NYSE:INTC) today announced a collaboration
to develop the Agilent protocol test card that coincides with the
Intel product development solution for the PCI Express market.
The resulting protocol test card for PCI Express is expected to allow
R&D, quality assurance and design engineers to develop next-generation
communication platforms, computers, add-in cards and components based
on PCI Express technology.
The protocol test card will be an electrical PCI-Express x1 width
implementation with a connector to fit host platform slots of any
lane width. It will prove to be a valuable tool for every engineer
designing PCI Express solutions and will play a vital role in the
development environment. The test card provides comprehensive test
functions to ensure compliance with the PCI Express specification
and, in addition, interoperability with other PCI Express devices.
The features will make it affordable for efficient broad industry
usage as well as providing sufficient functionality for most protocol-oriented
validation environments.
"Agilent supports the adoption of PCI Express technology with
its development of a wide range of exercisers and protocol analyzers,"
said Siegfried Gross, vice president and general manager for Agilent's
Digital Verification Solutions Division. "Our collaboration with
Intel is a key step in accelerating the development of PCI Express-based
products for next-generation computing and communication platforms
through compliance tools."
"The joint PCI-Express enabling activity is an important milestone
in facilitating the validation of silicon design for PCI Express technology,"
said Jim Pappas, director of initiative marketing for Intel's Enterprise
Platform Group. "We look forward to working with Agilent on the
development of the protocol test card."
Further details on the Agilent PCI Express tool portfolio are available
at www.agilent.com/find/pci_Express.
Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com.
Apr 11 - Internet Home Alliance Launches
Mealtime Pilot. Internet Home Alliance, a network of leading companies
advancing the home technology market, announced today the launch of
its Mealtime Pilot -- a real-world test of a connected kitchen solution
that enables consumers to use network-enabled appliances to simplify
kitchen and meal preparation tasks.
A cross-industry collaboration involving Internet Home Alliance members
Whirlpool Corporation, Sears, Icebox, IBM and Hewlett-Packard Company,
the pilot, which will be launched at the 2003 Kitchen and Bath Industry
Show & Conference (K/BIS) in Orlando, will test consumer attitudes
about remote access and control of kitchen appliances and devices.
Mealtime is the latest pilot in Internet Home Alliance's Pilot Program,
which brings companies from various industries together to test how
their products and services will work collectively in connected home
solutions. Results of the pilot, which will be conducted for six months
in 20 homes in the Boston area, will help the participating companies
and other Alliance members develop and launch new technology products
and services. Results of the pilot will be available to Alliance members
in fall 2003 and the public in early 2004.
"This is the most ambitious test of networked kitchen-based
appliances and devices ever conducted," said Tim Woods, vice
president of pilot programs for Internet Home Alliance. "Even
more exciting is the fact that Mealtime is the first technology solution
ever tested to simplify life for on-the-go, time-crunched families
who struggle to find time to prepare and put on the table nutritious
home-cooked family meals."
Henry Marcy V, Whirlpool Corporation's vice president for corporate
technology and electronics, concurs, "Our research shows that
our busy consumers still blame themselves when they cannot provide
their families with home-cooked meals. Solving the food preparation
dilemma would dramatically open up the market possibilities for us,
especially since the kitchen is the command center of the home."
In the pilot, consumers will manage kitchen and meal preparation
tasks from an oven, Web-enabled refrigerator tablet, Web-based entertainment/command
center and WAP (wireless application protocol) cell phone, enabling
them to:
-- Put a dish in the oven before going to bed and program the
oven to refrigerate, cook and cool the dish for a set mealtime
the next day.
-- Adjust (if the soccer game goes into overtime) or cancel (if
the family decides to head out to dinner) the oven from their
cell phone, mobile tablet or Web-enabled entertainment/command
center.
-- Receive text messages on their cell phone from the oven
confirming that evening's cooking instructions ("Do you still
want me to have this dish ready at 7?")
-- Call their oven from their cell phone to see if they forgot to
turn off the oven and turn it off from their cell phone.
-- Surf the Internet for recipes and coupons, create shopping
lists and print those items or email them to an online grocer
for home delivery of groceries.
Following are the contributions each participating Alliance member
is making to the pilot:
-- Whirlpool Corporation, the world's leading marketer and
manufacturer of major home appliances, is providing its new
Internet-enabled Whirlpool(R) Polara(TM) range, Whirlpool(R)
Conquest (TM) side-by-side refrigerator and Web tablet.
-- Sears, Roebuck & Co., the multi-line retailer providing a
wide
array of merchandise and services in the US, Puerto Rico and
Canada, is supplying installation and customer interaction
services.
-- Icebox, which designs and develops next generation kitchen
products and e-commerce solutions, is supplying its
Web-enabled entertainment/command centers.
-- IBM, the world's largest technology company and the global
leader in e-Business, was the chief technical architect for
the pilot. IBM led the team in integrating appliances,
software as well as hardware from the various participating
companies to build the solution, which is based on IBM
WebSphere Internet Infrastructure software.
-- HP, the leading global provider of products, technologies,
solutions and services to consumers and businesses, is
providing printers.
"What we learn from the Mealtime pilot will drive much of what
we do in terms of future product development," says Marcy of
Whirlpool Corporation. "When it comes to home technology products
and services, consumers are going to buy solutions so collaborative
testing, like the Mealtime pilot, which includes companies from across
the value chain, is becoming one of the most critical parts of today's
consumer research equation."
For more information, visit www.internethomealliance.com.
Apr 11 - IBM Launches Initiative
to Help Customers Untangle Decades-Old `Spaghetti Code'. IBM today
launched a major initiative, including new services and software,
to help customers deal with the skyrocketing costs and complexity
of maintaining decades-old software applications that run 70 percent
of the world's major business operations, including most major credit
card transactions and stock trades.
Called "spaghetti code" by the computer industry because
the software code has been altered so often, some applications date
back 20 years, and in some cases, as far back as 1964, before many
of today's software programmers were born. Even so, such applications
handle about 30 billion basic business transactions every day, including
manufacturing processes and payroll systems, for companies around
the world.
"Businesses can't afford to 'rip and replace' older applications
that run their daily operations, even though it costs 80 cents of
every dollar of the average software budget to maintain older 'legacy
systems,'" said Kerrie Holley, distinguished engineer, IBM Global
Services. "IBM is helping customers integrate 'proprietary' systems
that grew over the past two decades with the latest applications based
upon open standards, such as Web services. In the process, we're helping
companies transform their businesses."
IBM is announcing the new services, software and solution centers
at IBM's developerWorks Live, taking place in New Orleans through
April 11. IBM's initiative combines the efforts of several organizations.
Services "unlock" business value in older applications
IBM Global Services is announcing two new services offerings based
upon its expertise in consulting and application management developed
over a decade of customer engagements. The new IBM Business Consulting
Services has developed a tool that can estimate an organization's
potential costs savings and benefits from the two new services offerings,
which are:
Application Portfolio Management Services enable IBM consultants
to evaluate all of an organization's applications, which could number
in the thousands for larger companies, and make recommendations on
which applications to keep, abandon or change, based upon each company's
individual business strategy. As part of the management system, IBM
Global Services advises customers about the "pay as you go"
model, which allows companies to pay for updating applications with
the money saved from lower maintenance costs.
Legacy Transformation Services include several modular services that
can be used individually or in combination to renovate, integrate,
migrate and place applications on the Web, which enables companies
to share business data within their organization, with suppliers and
with customers. IBM technical professionals make the changes to an
organization's legacy applications, which helps customers to realize
costs savings, while positioning them to take advantage of new initiatives,
such as e-business on demand software applications.
"By helping companies develop and execute a long-term plan for
their software applications that includes all the advantages of Web-enabled
applications and Web services, IBM is helping customers place themselves
in a position to take advantage of e-business on demand computing
environments, including self-managing applications, grid computing
and other open standards-based technologies," continued Holley.
"We take the fear out of dealing with software applications that
have grown along with companies, and along with the information technology
(IT) industry over the past 40 years."
More information about IBM can be found on the web at www.ibm.com.
Apr 10 - Intel Predicted
to Stay Ahead in Value PC Processor Market. Even though the value
PC processor segment is relatively crowded, Intel's plans for clock
speed superiority should keep it well ahead of its competitors in
this market. According to In-Stat/MDR, Intel's mobile value processors
will breeze to 2.7GHz at the end of 2004 as it balances challenges
from competitors AMD, VIA and Transmeta and maintains power dissipation
within desired mobile limits but without the benefit of the power
management capabilities of the performance segment.
Mobile value would appear to be Intel's weakest position, given the
competition of AMD's Athlon XP-M, VIA's C3, and Transmeta's Crusoe.
"AMD, Transmeta and VIA will offer different combinations of
performance, power and price, but Intel's dominant market share in
the value market is not in any danger," said Kevin Krewell, with
In-Stat/MDR, "Intel should be more concerned that the rise of
`good-enough' computing increases the appeal of the low-cost Celeron
processors and puts further pressure on Intel's already decreasing
ASPs."
In-Stat/MDR has also found that:
-- Intel's value-processor ASP will be relatively stable from
2Q03 to 2Q04 and the notebook ASP will actually increase
slightly as competition weakens and the P7 microarchitecture
ratchets up clock speeds. Desktop value processors should
still be under some price pressure, owing to slow desktop
demand.
-- Despite the present economic slowdown, a slight cyclical
recovery in 4Q03 and the continued popularity of notebook
computers will allow Intel's mobile unit volume to show some
growth for 2003.
-- The 0.13-micron Northwood-derived core should prove a stable
platform for both desktop and mobile Celeron processors well
into 2004.
For more information, visit: www.instat.com/catalog/cat-semi-intel.htm.
Apr 10 - Yahoo! Reports First Quarter
2003 Earnings of $0.08 Per Share. Yahoo! Inc. (Nasdaq:YHOO) today
reported results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2003. Net revenues
for the first quarter totaled $282.9 million, a 47 percent increase
over the $192.7 million reported in the same period in 2002. Net income
for the first quarter of 2003 was $0.08 per diluted share, compared
to a net loss of $0.09 per diluted share for same period of 2002.
"The path of steady execution and growth we established last
year continues into 2003 with particular emphasis on product quality,
innovation and client service," said Terry Semel, chairman and
CEO, Yahoo! Inc.
"Our results this quarter reflect the strong performance of our
marketing services businesses, as well as continued success in providing
fee-based services to both individual consumers and businesses. We
intend to maintain our focus on providing the best experience on the
Web, which we believe will lead to increased user engagement and ultimately
greater success for our company."
A live Webcast, together with supplemental financial information
can be accessed through the company's Investor Relations Web site
at http://yhoo.client.shareholder.com/earnings.cfm.
Apr 10 - Fabless Semiconductor Association
Announces First Quarter Fabless Fundings Results. The Fabless
Semiconductor Association (FSA), a premier semiconductor trade organization,
today announced the results of its 1Q 2003 fabless fundings research.
According to the FSA's "Fabless Fundings Report," funding
in 1Q 2003 experienced quarter-over-quarter growth for the second
straight quarter, growing 23% to $423.4 million from the $344 million
raised in 4Q 2002.
The last time there were two consecutive quarters of growth in funding
was 3Q 2000 when the dollar amount raised grew to $927 million from
$767.7 million in 2Q 2000, and up from $154.1 in 1Q 2000.
Thirty-five fabless companies raised $423.4 million in the quarter,
the largest total dollar amount raised since 2Q 2002 when fabless
companies closed $429.5 million in funding. In addition, the 35 fundings
in 1Q 2003 represented the most deals closed since 4Q 2001 when 37
companies received funding.
"The venture capital community is continuing to invest in the
fabless space, albeit at lower levels than the past three years,"
said Mark Stevens, a partner at Sequoia Capital and a member of the
FSA VC Advisory Board. "Companies that are developing and marketing
devices for existing standards and have high-volume prospects are
favored in the current climate."
Fabless deals began slowly in 2003, with 10 companies raising $59.2
million in January. Investors more than tripled their contributions
to fabless companies in February, with nine companies raising $182
million and maintained that pace through March, as 16 fabless companies
closed $182.2 million. This represented 43% of all funding raised
in the quarter, and was the most raised in one month since June 2002
when 13 companies raised $190 million.
Investors also demonstrated a renewed interest in first-round funding
during the quarter. In 1Q 2003, 29% of all funding went to companies
seeking their first round, compared to 21% in 2002 and 33% in 2001.
However, the average amount raised in first-round deals continued
to drop, reaching $5.1 million, compared to an average of $8.3 million
in 2002, $8.8 million in 2001 and $15.8 million in 2000.
In 1994, industry leaders incorporated the FSA (www.fsa.org)
to achieve a more optimal balance between wafer demand and capacity.
FSA members represent fabless companies, integrated device manufacturers,
foundry providers, packaging/assembly houses, electronic design automation
companies, investment bankers, venture capitalists, intellectual property
providers and other companies.
Apr 10 - Global Graphics
upgrades Jaws PDF Editor™ to Version 2.0. The latest version
of Jaws PDF Editor™, an affordable application for the business
and small/home office user to change and mark-up Portable Document
Format (PDF) files, is announced today by Global Graphics Software,
a subsidiary of Global Graphics SA (Nasdaq Europe: GLGR, Euronext:
GLOG) and a leading developer and supplier of high-performance solutions
for document creation, management and printing.
Jaws PDF Editor is an intuitive application priced
at only US$39 and designed specifically for business users familiar
with Microsoft® Office and similar applications. The software
provides users with flexible editing and comment/mark-up capabilities
plus the ability to view, search, manipulate, merge and print PDF
documents. It can be used as a stand-alone tool or as a fully compatible
companion to Jaws PDF Creator™ 3.0, the latest version of Global
Graphics' popular PDF creation package.
Compatible with PDF 1.4 and PDF 1.3 specifications,
Jaws PDF Editor 2.0 now supports the still widely-used Windows 98
and Windows Me operating systems, in addition to Windows NT, 2000
and XP.
Jaws PDF Editor 2.0 introduces web browser integration
and deepens its functionality with improved bookmark, comment and
page manipulation features to meet the majority of business and user
requirements. In addition to standard PDF viewing and print options,
new features in Jaws PDF Editor 2.0 include:
- Web browser integration: allows PDF documents on the
Internet to be opened directly in Internet Explorer without the need
to save and open off line. Jaws PDF Editor retains all its functions
when viewing the files.
- Finish Document Wizard: a unique feature which gives
users a clear step-by-step guide toproducing a final PDF file, defining,
for example, general file information, open actions,security and linearization,
before publishing the file or making it available to others.
- Improved Bookmark editing: enables users to add,
edit, format, reposition and deletebookmarks. New formatting features
include customizable ‘styles’ specifying font, color, and
bold and italic preferences. The destination zoom level of all bookmarks
in a document can be set to the same level, especially useful after
combining several documents with bookmarks into one document.
- Enhanced comments handling: now all comments in a
PDF document can be listed and sorted by caption, type, date or page
enabling users to check and change properties of comments, as well
as hide, import and export comments. A formatting toolbar within pop-up
notes allows users to directly format text as needed in bold and italic
to add emphasis.
- Improved security: Jaws PDF Editor 2.0 now offers
both 40- and 128-bit encryption forhigher document security when required.
Jaws PDF Editor 2.0 is priced at US$39 and will be
available for purchase and direct download in Q2 2003 from www.jawspdf.com.
Jaws PDF Editor 1.0 users will be able to upgrade to version 2.0 for
free.
The software can also be purchased from Global Graphics Software’s
worldwide network of Jaws PDF Technology distributors including Positive
Focus (UK); Seiner Informatique (France); Actino Software (Germany);
Lifeboat Distribution (US); and EMJ Data Systems (Canada) and their
resellers. Full details are given on www.jawspdf.com.
Apr 10 - RealTime Rapid
Data-Server Recovery Software Launched. Vyant Technologies launched
RealTime(TM), its rapid data-recovery software for enterprises, today
at Storage Management 2003. A new approach to data protection, RealTime
can recover and verify a terabyte of data in less than 20 minutes.
"RealTime is a major breakthrough in storage technology for
data recovery," said Paul Parent, Vyant CEO. "Other backup
and restore software takes hours or even days to restore data. This
downtime can be devastating in terms of internal costs and lost business
for banks, hospitals, insurance companies and other enterprises that
rely heavily on their systems. RealTime eliminates business downtime,
and it eliminates the risk of data loss between backups or snapshots.
No other software can approach our speed and reliability."
RealTime is easy to implement and easy to use as it can be added
on top of existing backup software. It runs across two systems: an
application server and a backup server. RealTime captures data continuously
without impacting the application or network - and time-stamps and
logs each write to disk on the backup server. In the event of a system
failure or data corruption, RealTime's "Time Slider" screen
can be used to roll back data to any point in time.
This allows users to simply back out corruption by undoing the data
writes in reverse order until they have moved past the crash or corruption
point. In turn, this capability eliminates the need for time-consuming
data rebuilds using snapshots and archive logs.
A data sheet and a white paper that describes RealTime's technology
and how it works are available at www.VyantTech.com.
Apr 09 - Intel and VIA
Technologies, Inc. Settle Patent Infringement Cases. Intel Corporation
and VIA Technologies, Inc. have reached a settlement agreement in
a series of pending patent lawsuits related to chipsets and microprocessors.
The agreement encompasses 11 pending cases in five countries involving
27 patents.
Under terms of the settlement both companies will dismiss all pending
legal claims in all jurisdictions. The companies also entered into
a ten-year patent cross license agreement covering each company's
products. As part of the agreement Intel granted VIA a license to
sell microprocessors that are compatible with the x86 instruction
set but not pin compatible or bus compatible with Intel microprocessors.
Intel further agreed for a period of three years, not to assert its
patents on VIA bus or pin compatible microprocessors. Intel also granted
VIA a four year license to design and sell chip sets that are compatible
with the Intel microprocessor bus and agreed not to assert its patents
on VIA or its customers or distributors on such chip sets for a fifth
year. The agreement will be royalty bearing to Intel for some products.
The license agreements do not apply to S3 Graphics, a company partially
owned by VIA.
Each company is responsible for its own attorney's fees. Specific
financial and other terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Intel initiated the litigations in September 2001, claiming that
VIA's microprocessor and chipset products infringed Intel patents.
VIA counter sued, claiming that Intel microprocessors infringed three
patents VIA acquired in connection with its acquisition of IDT's Centaur
subsidiary.
Additional information about the companies can be found at www.via.com.tw
and at www.intel.com.
Apr 09 - ViewSonic Introduces ThinEdge
Displays. ViewSonic(R) Corp., a worldwide Visual Technologies(TM)
leader, today introduced the VP ThinEdge(TM) Series, a full line of
LCDs that combine ultra-slim bezel design and high-definition screen
performance with progressive features such as digital/analog connectivity,
pivot/height adjustability and multiple-mounting configurability.
Starting at an estimated street price (ESP) of $599, the ThinEdge
Series sets a new standard in performance-to-price ratio for professional-class
displays and provides an enhanced viewing experience for applications,
such as financial trading, graphic design, video editing or power
gaming, where image quality and productivity are critical.
ClearMotiv(TM) video response times as fast as 16 milliseconds and
direct compatibility with HDTV high-scan 720p format enable the displays
to deliver high-definition, full-motion images, while OptiSync(TM)
dual analog and DVI inputs support multi-platform data display and
high definition video formats.
With bezels as narrow as one-half inch and the ability to support
extensive tiling and stacking combinations, the ThinEdge Series solves
the problem of limited desk space with its multiple display configuration
options. Multiple display use increases user productivity and reduces
stress on hands and wrists by doubling the user's screen work area,
limiting the need for scrolling. Additional features, such as integrated
power supplies and height, tilt, swivel and portrait functions satisfy
the ergonomic preferences of users in any environment.
"ViewSonic is ushering people into the next major technology
transformation -- the display-centric era," said Young Bae, senior
product manager, ViewSonic Corp. "The VP ThinEdge Series supports
innovative desktop computing methods with its superior screen performance,
versatile multi-channel inputs and multiple display configuration
capabilities."
ThinEdge Series displays are available in five models. The 17-inch
VP171b and 19-inch VP191b include two VGA and one DVI-I inputs, while
the 18.1-inch VP181b, 20.1-inch VP201b and 21.3-inch VP211b offer
one VGA input, one DVI-I input and an integrated USB 2.0 hub.
Availability and pricing are as follows:
-- VP171b, April 2003, ESP $599
-- VP181b, May 2003, ESP $699
-- VP191b, April 2003, ESP $849
-- VP201b, May 2003, ESP $1399
-- VP211b, May 2003, ESP $1599
For more information and images of the ThinEdge series, go to www.viewsonic.com/thinedge.
Apr 09 - New Intel Software Tool Speeds
Development of Applications for Hyper-Threading Technology. Intel
Corporation announced today Intel(R) Thread Checker 1.0, a new software
tool to help developers locate hard-to-find bugs in applications designed
for Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 and Intel(R) Xeon(TM) processor-based systems
that include Hyper-Threading Technology.
Intel Thread Checker uses an advanced error detection engine that
monitors program execution and pinpoints the location of threading
bugs in hours rather than days or weeks using traditional tools and
methods. Traditional tools require a developer to guess where to place
traps in source code. Intel Thread Checker eliminates this guesswork
and locates the exact lines of code that are causing threading errors.
The tool classifies issues into categories ranging from errors to
warnings, and shows variable, source line, and call stack information
for easy developer analysis.
"Our goal is to make it easier for developers to take advantage
of the latest Intel processor features by offering advanced software
development tools," said Jonathan Khazam, general manager, Software
Products Division, Intel. "During beta tests, Intel Thread Checker
found elusive bugs that developers had been unable to find or did
not even know existed. That's real value for developers who write
threaded software."
"Using Intel Thread Checker we discovered two elusive bugs on
the very first day, as well as numerous inconsistencies and opportunities
for performance improvement," said Farzin Shakib, president,
ACUSIM Software, Inc. "We were pleasantly surprised because our
product, AcuSolve*, has been running successfully on multiple platforms
for many years. We have now incorporated it in our basic development
and release process."
In addition to the Intel Thread Checker, Intel offers a suite of
software development products that includes Intel(R) C++ and Intel(R)
Fortran compilers, Intel(R) VTune(TM) analyzers and the Intel(R) Integrated
Performance Primitives software library.
Pricing and Availability
Intel Thread Checker 1.0 is priced at $1,198 for a single user commercial
license and includes Intel VTune Performance Analyzer. Intel Thread
Checker is available at www.intel.com/software/products
and will also be available from resellers in the second quarter
of 2003. The tool is available for Intel Pentium 4 processor- and
Intel Xeon processor-based systems running Microsoft* Windows* XP
Professional and Windows 2000.
Apr 09 - GamePro Magazine Announces Readers'
Choice Awards Winners. IDG Games Media Group, the world's largest
interactive entertainment information provider and publisher of GamePro
magazine, the world's largest independent multiplatform gaming magazine,
today announced its 13th Annual Readers' Choice Awards Winners.
Thousands of GamePro's readers participated in the 2002 Readers'
Choice Awards that ran in GamePro magazine and on GamePro.com. Winning
games are announced in GamePro's May 2003 issue, on sale now on newsstands
nationwide.
GamePro readers are the ultimate early adopters of video gaming products
and collectively account for $1.9 billion in purchasing power on the
gaming sector alone!(1). GamePro's audience of over 3 million readers(2)
are the leading opinion-makers and spenders on many consumer products
-- including video gaming, personal electronics, music, fashion and
much more -- and greatly influence their peers' purchasing habits.
As multiplatform enthusiasts, over 80 percent of the publication's
readers own more than one gaming console(3).
Following are the winners by category for GamePro's 2002 Readers'
Choice Awards:
Best Action Game: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (By EA Games
-- PS2/GameCube/Xbox)
Best Combat Game: Metroid Prime (By Nintendo -- GameCube)
Best Adventure Game: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (By Rockstar --PS2)
Best Platform Game: Super Mario Sunshine (By Nintendo -- GameCube)
Best Role-Playing Game: Kingdom Hearts (By Square EA -- PS2)
Best Racing Game: Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 (By EA Games -- PS2/GameCube/Xbox)
Best Fighting Game: Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (By Midway --
PS2/GameCube/Xbox)
Best Brain/Reflex Game: Mario Party 4 (By Nintendo -- GameCube)
Best Sports Game -- Football: Madden NFL 2003 (By EA Sports -- PS2/GameCube/Xbox)
Best Sports Game -- Basketball: NBA 2K3 (By Sega Sports -- PS2/GameCube/Xbox)
Best Sports Game -- Other: Hot Shots Golf 3 (By Sony -- PS2)
Best Action Sports Game: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 (By Activision
-- PS2/GameCube/Xbox/PlayStation)
Best PC Game: WarCraft III: Reign of Chaos (By Blizzard)
Best Handheld Game: Metroid Fusion (By Nintendo -- Game Boy Advance)
Console of the Year: PlayStation 2
Game of the Year: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (By Rockstar -- PS2)
"Every year, GamePro readers look forward to voicing their opinion
by participating in the Readers' Choice Awards. These selections represent
some of their favorite games, and they are eagerly awaiting all the
blockbuster games launching this year," said Wes Nihei, Vice
President, IDG Games Media Group and Editor-in-Chief, GamePro magazine.
"The 2002 Readers' Choice Award winners are especially significant
because many of the games are sequels or based on an established franchise,
mirroring the trend across video game publishers' titles."
For a detailed list of winners and runners-up, look in the May 2003
issue of GamePro on newsstands now. GamePro can be found online at
www.gamepro.com.
Apr 08 - ATI's New ALL-IN-WONDER 9800
PRO Delivers Improved Display and Graphics Performance. ATI Technologies
Inc. (TSX:ATY) (NASDAQ:ATYT) today announced the ALL-IN-WONDER(R)
9800 PRO. Available this spring, ATI's newest multimedia video card
combines the world's fastest graphics engine featuring full precision
cinematic rendering with the best in intelligent TV-on-the-PC and
video editing features. The ALL-IN-WONDER 9800 PRO is ideal for home
theater applications thanks to EAZYLOOK(TM), an on-screen display
for home theater settings, which is included in the product with a
new version of ATI's MULTIMEDIA CENTER software.
The ALL-IN-WONDER 9800 PRO includes ATI's newest powerhouse graphics
chip, the RADEON(TM) 9800 PRO, for outstanding performance with incredible
image quality. A 256-bit memory interface and eight powerful pixel
pipelines provide real-time, Hollywood-caliber graphics - even for
the most demanding next-generation games.
"ATI redefines home entertainment with the ALL-IN-WONDER 9800
PRO," said Godfrey Cheng, Director of Marketing, Multimedia Products,
ATI Technologies Inc. "ATI's newest multimedia video card sensation,
ALL-IN-WONDER 9800 PRO, combines the advantages of the world's best
graphics in the RADEON(TM) 9800 PRO, with ATI's THEATER(TM) 200 video
and audio processing chip and our new MULTIMEDIA CENTER 8.5 software
suite. The result is a truly entertaining home theater experience."
ATI is also introducing EAZYLOOK, an on-screen information display
for home theater settings, designed for easy use with ATI's REMOTE
WONDER(TM). EAZYLOOK has been added as a component of MULTIMEDIA CENTER
8.5, in response to ATI's large and loyal fan base in the home theater
segment.
ATI's new flagship multimedia video card, the ALL-IN-WONDER 9800
PRO, will be available this spring for USD$449 (MSRP) and complements
the ALL-IN-WONDER(R) 9700 PRO at USD$399 (MSRP), the ALL-IN-WONDER(R)
9000 PRO at USD$199 (MSRP), the value-priced ALL-IN-WONDER(R) 7500
at USD$149 (MSRP) and the ALL-IN-WONDER(R) VE at USD$129 (MSRP).
Visit ATI at www.ati.com.
Apr 08 - Adobe Advances Electronic Workflows
for Creative Professionals with Acrobat 6.0. Adobe Systems Incorporated
(Nasdaq:ADBE), the leader in network publishing, today introduced
Adobe(R) Acrobat(R) 6.0 Professional software, an extension of the
new Acrobat 6.0 product line that enables creative professionals to
confidently drive electronic processes using the Adobe Portable Document
Format (PDF).
The product provides designers, production artists, service providers,
and printers a host of enhanced tools that increase efficiencies across
the creative process, from document creation and client reviews to
preflight and final output.
Adobe PDF has made significant inroads across creative professions,
with designers looking towards PDF as the format that can incorporate
sophisticated work from applications such as Adobe InDesign, Photoshop
and Illustrator. New and enhanced tools in Acrobat 6.0 Professional
enable users to quickly and reliably create high-quality Adobe PDF
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