Mar 31 - HP Introduces New Compaq Presario Desktop
and Notebook PC Lineup. HP (NYSE:HPQ) today introduced a full
line of Compaq Presario PCs, including the newly designed Compaq Presario
S3000 series desktops and the Compaq Presario 2500 and 2100 series
notebooks with integrated 54g wireless LAN technology.
The new notebooks provide higher data transfer speeds over longer
distances than other wireless LAN technologies while providing backward
compatibility to existing 802.11 standards, thus enabling mobile customers
to significantly enhance their productivity from work, home or on
the go.
The redesigned Compaq Presario S3000 series desktop PCs feature high-capacity
hard drives and DVD or rewritable CD drives at affordable prices --
making them perfect for work, school or play.
"Our continued investment in the Compaq Presario brand --including
advanced wireless connectivity for Compaq Presario notebooks and digital
recording capabilities in all Compaq Presario desktops --reaffirms
HP's commitment to providing consumers the latest technologies at
great values," said Sam Szteinbaum, vice president and general
manager, HP North America Consumer Computing.
New Compaq Presario Notebook PCs
Designed to work with new wireless networks based on the draft 802.11g
specification as well as existing 802.11b wireless networks, the Compaq
Presario 2500 series notebook PCs let customers take advantage of
speeds up to almost five times faster (54 Mbps) than current 802.11b
wireless networks.
Faster file sharing, a richer digital media experience or a more
advanced head-to-head gaming experience are only a few of the benefits
users can experience when operating in an 802.11g environment. This
next-generation wireless technology is also more secure, supporting
various security features including 128-bit WEP (wired equivalent
privacy) encryption.
Delivering desktop-class performance, the Compaq Presario 2500 notebook
PC features fast Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 processors up to 2.8 GHz. The
notebook is an ideal portable system for the home and home office
user that requires exceptional performance with its up to 15-inch
high-resolution TFT display, ATI Mobility Radeon integrated graphics,
IEEE 1394 input and wireless connectivity.
The Compaq Presario 2100 series notebook PCs offer advantages customers
need for work, school or home use with a high level of performance
for productivity or digital entertainment purposes. Sporting a sleek,
attractive design in two-tone graphite and silver, the mobile notebook
is 1.5-inches thin and weighs as light as 6.7 pounds.
The notebook includes up to a 15-inch display, ATI Mobility Radeon
graphics and a full range of Intel Celeron(R) and Mobile Pentium 4-m
processors. The notebook also offers double data rate (DDR) system
memory configurations up to 1 GB and a Type I/II/III PC card slot
that ensures expandability. Selected models also include an IEEE-1394
high-speed digital video port.
Estimated U.S. pricing starts at $1,094 after $100 mail-in rebate
for the Compaq Presario 2500 series with 54g and at $819 after $100
mail-in rebate for the Compaq Presario 2100 series with 54g.
Compaq Presario S3000 Series Desktop PCs
The Compaq Presario S3000 series -- which includes the S3000NX, S3100NX,
S3200NX and S3300NX -- features a sleek new design that makes these
PCs a stylish addition to any home, home office or den.
The Compaq Presario S3000NX is an affordable PC that gives consumers
the power and speed to enhance productivity, conveniently burn their
own music CD collection or quickly and easily surf the Web. At an
estimated street price of $449 after a $50 mail-in rebate,(2) the
Compaq Presario S3000NX features an AMD Athlon XP 2000+ processor
to support daily computing tasks, 256-MB DDR memory, a 40-GB hard
drive, a 48x CD-RW drive, 32-MB integrated graphics and an open AGP
slot.
The S3000NX desktop PC is expected to be available in retail stores
and on hpshopping.com beginning April 6.
The perfect tool to handle everything from music and games to school
work and the household budget, the Compaq Presario S3100NX features
an AMD Athlon XP 2200+ processor, 256-MB DDR memory, 32-MB integrated
graphics, an 80-GB hard drive, open AGP slot, a CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo
drive for recording digital music, watching DVD movies or backup and
storage of home office or creative projects.
At an estimated U.S. street price of $539 after a $50 mail-in rebate,
the S3100NX desktop PC is available today in retail stores and on
hpshopping.com.
For consumers demanding a powerful machine and fast performance at
a competitive price, the Compaq Presario S3200NX features an AMD Athlon
XP 2400+ processor, 256-MB DDR memory, a 48x CD-RW drive, a 16x DVD-ROM
drive, 32-MB integrated graphics and an open AGP slot.
With a high-capacity 120-GB hard drive, this PC has ample room to
download, create and save digital music, photo and video collections.
At an estimated U.S. street price of $619 after a $50 mail-in rebate,
the S3200NX desktop PC is now available in retail stores and on hpshopping.com.
With a 128-MB NVIDIA GeForce4 MX440 graphics card, the Compaq Presario
S3300NX provides advanced graphics performance for complex gaming
and home office projects. The system features an AMD Athlon XP 2600+
processor, 512-MB DDR memory, ample storage with a 120-GB hard drive,
a 48x CD-RW drive and a 16x DVD-ROM drive to replicate data CDs or
listen to music, watch favorite DVD movies and for data backup and
additional storage.
At an estimated U.S. street price of $769 after a $50 mail-in rebate,
the S3300NX desktop PC is expected to be available in retail stores
and on hpshopping.com beginning April 6.
Both series can be customized with a full range of options. The products
can be purchased through HP's "Built for You" kiosks located
in participating retailers, through the Web at www.hpshopping.com.
Mar 31 - ATI's ALL-IN-WONDER
9000 PRO Available In North America. ATI Technologies Inc. (TSX:ATY,
NASDAQ:ATYT) today announced the North American availability of ALL-IN-WONDER(R)
9000 PRO, a cost-effective multimedia video card that combines great
game graphics with intelligent TV-on-the-PC PVR (personal video recording)
functionality.
In addition to availability in major computer retail outlets and on
ATI.com, ALL-IN-WONDER 9000 PRO is also an option for purchase from
Dell Computers.
Available for (US)$199, ALL-IN-WONDER 9000 PRO provides incredible
3D games graphics performance. Users can benefit from the free interactive
program guide and ATI's TV-ON-DEMAND(TM) to record and timeshift their
favorite TV programs.
"ATI's ALL-IN-WONDER 9000 PRO enables desktop PC users to keep
current with late-breaking TV news or with their favorite TV programs,"
said Rick Bergman, Senior Vice President, Marketing and General Manager,
Desktop, ATI Technologies Inc. "Favorite TV shows and home movies,
recorded by the ALL-IN-WONDER 9000 PRO, can be archived to DVD. In
addition, ALL-IN-WONDER 9000 PRO provides a great multimedia computer
experience by combining eye-popping game graphics including support
for Microsoft(R) DirectX(R) 8.1, with high quality video editing and
enhanced TV viewing."
ALL-IN-WONDER 9000 PRO offers the following features:
-- ATI's MULTIMEDIA CENTER 8.1 offers a full range of critically-acclaimed
multimedia functions including:
-- Enhanced TV-ON-DEMAND(TM) PVR for instant replays, pausing
live TV or recording live broadcasts for later viewing;
-- mulTView(TM) - Enables dual TV tuner capabilities such as
Picture-in-Picture when combined with ATI-TV WONDER(TM) or
TV WONDER(TM) VE;
-- THRUVIEW(TM) - Allows for translucent viewing of TV, DVD
(digital versatile disk) and video file playback;
-- VIDEOSOAP(TM) - Delivers advanced filtering to reduce
noise, improve sharpness and soften focus as desired to
provide the highest quality video compression for PVR and
personal video editing functions;
-- FULLSTREAM(TM) - Uses pixel shaders, based on innovative
technology in RADEON(TM) 9000 PRO, to remove blocky
artifacts from streaming video and provides sharper image
quality and greater scalability; and,
-- Closed Caption Search within TV-ON-DEMAND complements the
popular "Hotwords" functionality with the PVR allowing the
computer to search for content of interest whether it
happens in the future or the recent past;
-- REMOTE WONDER(TM) offers remote control via RF (radio
frequency) for instant easy access to all the multimedia
features (TV, video, DVD - and more) from another room in the
house or office (requires USB - universal serial bus) - thus
providing a 30-foot User Interface in the palm of your hand;
-- ATI's THEATER(TM) 200 - Provides exceptional video and stereo
audio quality viewing during live TV and video input and
capture - all based on technologies from ATI's digital
television research and development;
-- Gemstar's GuidePlus+ provides an intelligent free integrated
program guide (North America only) allowing user to view and
search TV listing by category, actor/performer, or date.
Schedule and record programs at the click of a mouse - all the
benefits of a PVR without the monthly fees;
-- RADEON(TM) 9000 PRO (video processor unit) and 64MB (megabyte)
DDR memory - Designed for exciting 3D graphics and gaming;
-- VIDEOSHADERS(TM) - Uses programmable pixel shader technology
to accelerate video processing and provide better-looking
visuals;
-- Security/monitoring camera functionality (using attached
separate camera);
-- Stereo TV-tuner with 125 channels;
-- Analog video capture and editing in MPEG-2 format at up to
720x480x30 fps NTSC and 720x576x25 fps PAL/Secam;
-- Support for DirectX(R) 8.1 pixel shaders and OpenGL(R) and,
-- Backed by quality ATI customer support and a 3-year limited warranty,
ALL-IN-WONDER 9000 PRO supports Windows(R) XP,
Windows(R) 2000, Windows(R) Me, and Windows(R) 98/98 SE
(Windows Me driver can be installed on Windows 98/98SE).
Visit their Web site at www.ati.com.
Mar 31 - Evergreen Introduces
New Low Cost TeraByte HotDrive. Evergreen Technologies, Inc.,
a leader in PC performance upgrades since 1989, today announced the
latest additions to its portable, external HotDrive(TM) storage products.
The new TeraByte HotDrive(TM) delivers a full 1000GB of high-speed
external data storage in a compact, portable enclosure. Customers
can also take advantage of a user expandable 250GB HotDrive(TM) which
provides an initial 250GB and can be field upgraded to terabyte capacity.
The TeraByte HotDrive(TM) can easily be connected to any PC with an
available PCI slot and Windows 9x/ME/NT4.0/2000/XP Red Hat, Turbo,
SuSE, Caldera Linux or FreeBSD operating system.
The TeraByte HotDrive(TM) is compact, measuring 10" H x 7"
W x 15" D, for convenient addition to any office or workspace
and allowing transport between PC systems. Integrated Serial ATA RAID
technology facilitates speedy back-up of extremely large amounts of
data, support for small home and office networks and data-intensive
applications such as audio and video production and editing, CAD design,
database management and more. The HotDrive(TM)'s four drive bays are
fully removable for simple interchange or addition of hard drives
as desired.
The TeraByte HotDrive(TM) is supported by a complete range of operating
systems, requires only an available PCI slot and installs in minutes.
Both new HotDrive(TM) options come with a complete step-by-step installation
guide, PCI connectivity card, all necessary cabling and a one-year
warranty.
Pricing of HotDrives(TM) :
TeraByte Capacity $2499.99(list) $1999.99 (direct web purchase)
250GB Capacity $1499.99(list) $999.99 (direct web purchase)
"With today's operating systems, software applications and small
area networks demanding more and more system storage, external hard
drives have become a common PC accessory. Storage demands vary from
user to user, however," said Mike Magee, president and CEO of
Evergreen. "Our line of high speed, external HotDrives(TM) attempts
to deliver a solution for every need, whether it be data transfer
flexibility, large capacity, ease of portability or low cost. The
TeraByte HotDrive(TM) and 250GB Expandable HotDrive(TM) are the perfect
products to round out Evergreen's present offerings by affordably
meeting high-capacity user needs."
Besides the new TeraByte HotDrive(TM) HotDrive and the 250GB Expandable
HotDrive(TM), Evergreen continues to offer its complete line of USB
2.0 Pocket HotDrives(TM). Users can obtain up to 60GB of additional
storage capacity with USB 2.0 only connectivity in a compact 3"
Wide x 3/4" High x 5.5" Deep enclosure.
For more information, visit www.evergreennow.com.
Mar 31 - Toshiba Introduces New TLP-T720/T721
Series Wireless Projectors. Toshiba's TLP-T720/T721 Series projectors
provide mobile professionals with a powerful tool to deliver high-impact
presentations.
With its integrated Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11b) functionality and networking
capabilities, the TLP-T720/T721 Series offers users the freedom of
"cable-free" presentations, as well as the flexibility for
multiple presenters to connect to the projector wirelessly.
The T720/T721 Series also offers an on-the-go professional the option
to deliver a"PC-free" presentation by simply adding a flash
memory card. Toshiba's T720/T721 Series projectors boast an impressive
2,400 ANSI lumens at a very competitive price.
FEATURES: TLP-T720/T721 Series
-- 2,400 ANSI lumens
-- Integrated document camera (TLP-T721 model only)
-- Resolution: XGA 1024 x 768
-- Device technology: LCD 0.9" XGA panel x 3
-- Contrast Ratio: 400:1
-- Input Signals: NTSC, PAL, SECAM, HDTV/DTV/DVD, VGA,
SVGA, XGA, SXGA(a) and UXGA(a) ((a) compressed)
-- External Monitor Loop-Through
-- Automatic Keystone Correction
-- Digital Zoom: Computer video (RGB) up to 10x.
Component video up to 3x.
-- Noise Level: 32dBA
-- Speaker: 1.0 Watt Monaural
-- Size: 11.7" x 9.8" x 3.8"
-- Weight: 7.5 lbs. (TLP-T720) and 9.1 lbs. (TLP-T721)
AVAILABILITY: Toshiba's new projectors are available April 2003 at
www.shoptoshiba.com or through Toshiba
enterprise sales team and authorized Toshiba distributors, dealers,
retailers or mail-order partners.
PRICING: TLP-T720: $3,199 Estimated Street Price (ESP)(b) TLP-T721:
$3,999 (ESP).
Mar 30 - Sunday Shopping Watch
Best Sunday Deals - See our Best
Sunday Ad Deals Table below for specific system prices.
Weekly Comparison. Retailers advertised their
high-end systems, as no Celeron desktops or low-priced laptops are
advertised this Sunday. All retailers are advertising the faster IDE
7200 hard drives with 8 MB cache for about the same price as non-cache
drives.
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 6 months of MSN with any desktop or laptop
purchase. They are also offering $100 mail-in rebates on all desktop
packages and Intel processor laptops and, $50 rebate on LCD monitor
desktop packages. In addition, they have 12 month no-interest financing
on laptops.
Circuit City is offering
12 months no-interest financing and $100 gift cards on all Pentium
4 processor desktop packages and laptops.
Office
Depot
has no interest, no payment, 6 month financing for purchases over
$298.
CompUSA has an Unadvertised
Specials flyer that you can print and bring into the store for
discounts.
Staples has no flyer, but does have
a few in-store specials which you can view online.
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, and laptops.
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
|
|
|
|
|
1. Best Low-cost Pentium 4 System
|
Compaq 2.4 GHz with 17" monitor
and DVD/CD-RW
|
$899
|
-
|
Staples
|
|
2. Best Low-cost Pentium 4 System
|
HP 2.53 GHz complete system with 15"
flat panel
|
$1129
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
1. Best High-end Pentium 4 System
|
HP 2.53 GHz Media Center with 15"
flat panel
|
$1699
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
2. Best High-end Pentium 4 System
|
Compaq 2.66 GHz complete system with
15" flat panel
|
$1399
|
-
|
Circuit City
|
|
3. Best High-end Pentium 4 System
|
Sony 2.66 GHz complete system with 15"
flat panel and DVD-RW
|
$2049
|
+$100
|
Best Buy
|
|
1. Best Low-cost Athlon XP System
|
Compaq 2200+ complete system
|
$619
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
2. Best Low-cost Athlon XP System
|
Compaq 2400+ complete system
|
$699
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
Best Low-cost Notebook
|
None Advertised
|
|
|
|
|
1. Best High-end Notebook
|
Sony 2.4 GHz Pentium 4-M with DVD/CD-RW
|
$1599
|
-
|
Circuit City
|
|
2. Best High-end Notebook
|
Toshiba 2.4 GHz Pentium 4-M with DVD-RW
|
$1799
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
|
|
Peripherals
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Western Digital 7200 RPM 40 GB hard drive
|
$45
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Western Digital 7200 RPM 200 GB hard
drive with 8 MB buffer
|
$179
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
TDK 52X CD-RW
|
$69
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Circuit City
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Sound Blaster Audigy 2
|
$99
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Verto GeForce4 Ti4200 64 MB
|
$89
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Maxtor 7200 RPM 120 GB hard drive with
8 MB cache
|
$128
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Office Depot
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Windows XP Professional
|
$159
(after rebates)
|
-$10
|
Office Depot
|
|
|
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.
Mar 28 - ViewSonic Announces
Shipment of NextVision M2000 Digital Media Center. ViewSonic(R)
Corp., a worldwide Visual Technologies(TM) leader, today announced
that it is shipping its first digital entertainment product with digital
video recording capability. The ViewSonic NextVision(TM) M2000 Digital
Media Center, which uses the Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition
operating system, is now on store shelves in select retail outlets,
mail order and PC reseller channels.
Using the NextVision M2000, consumers can save space by consolidating
a Digital Video Recorder, CD/DVD player/writer, MP3 Music library
and digital or video photography albums into one centralized home
entertainment system with the power of a fully functional high-end
PC with a 160GB hard drive, 2.8 GHz Pentium 4 processor, multiple
in and outputs and USB and Firewire ports. Its versatile form factor
enables the product to be placed horizontally as a component in an
entertainment system or in a traditional tower orientation.
"Combining video, audio and computer features makes our NextVision
M2000 Digital Media Center the ultimate home entertainment hub,"
said Donna Ogilvie, director of business development, Advanced Technology
Group, ViewSonic Corp. "By including the Sonic MyDVD Media Suite,
we have made it easier for users to create their own DVDs to share
with family and friends and to take advantage of the full range of
the M2000's capabilities."
Sonic MyDVD Media Suite software provides users more freedom when
burning DVDs through motion-video menus, animated buttons, and True
DVD Slideshows with transitions and soundtracks. The suite also offers
optimized Direct-to-DVD(TM) recording, allowing users to record their
content directly to DVD from a video source connected to the computer's
video input. In addition, it is OpenDVD(TM) compliant, enabling previously
burned DVDs to be opened, re-edited, updated with new video and photo
content and re-burned to DVD and CD recordable/re-writable media.
"The NextVision M2000's sleek, flexible design affirms the evolving
role of the home PC -- beyond the den to the living room, media room
or any other room where people enjoy digital media," said Kevin
Eagan, general manager for the Windows eHome Division at Microsoft
Corp. "Our relationship with ViewSonic, a leader in the display
industry, helps bring us closer to our goal of delivering the ultimate
home entertainment experience to consumers."
Backed by a one-year limited warranty on parts and labor and available
for an estimated street price of $1895 after a $100 mail-in rebate,
the NextVision M2000 is a great choice for consumers seeking to streamline
their digital entertainment systems. An optional extended warranty
is also available. ViewSonic offers 24-hour, toll-free technical support,
seven days a week.
For further information, visit ViewSonic Corp. at www.ViewSonic.com.
Mar 28 - I/OMagic Corporation Introduces
CD Duplicator. I/OMagic Corporation (OTCBB:IOMG), a leading developer
and marketer of optical storage and digital entertainment devices,
recently launched the latest addition to its stellar optical storage
line-up -- the CD Duplicator. The CD Duplicator is unique in that
it allows users to copy a disc with a touch of a button, yet it is
a stand-alone device that does not require a connection to a PC or
notebook computer.
"The CD Duplicator can quickly and efficiently back-up or copy
files," said Paul T. McCauley, vice president of Marketing for
I/OMagic Corporation. "Users can duplicate a full 650MB CD in
as little as 2.5 minutes."
The CD Duplicator includes a 52X CD-ROM source drive and a 40X12X48X
CD-RW target drive and will support CD-R, CD-RW, Audio CD, Video CD,
Photo CD, Data CD, Mixed-mode CD, CD Extra, Hybrid CD, mini CD and
Biz-Card CDs. The CD Duplicator also supports both a USB 1.1 and USB
2.0 PC link.
I/OMagic began shipping the CD Duplicator in Q1 2003 to retailers
nationwide with an MSRP of $229.00.
For more information, visit the I/OMagic Web site at www.iomagic.com.
Mar 28 - T-Mobile Announces Full Motion
Video with Audio from a Wireless Phone. Wireless communications
takes on a new visual dimension today as T-Mobile USA, Inc., a wholly-owned
subsidiary of T-Mobile International, the mobile arm of Deutsche Telekom
AG (NYSE:DT), introduces video messaging services for T-Mobile customers
to record and send full motion color video messages, including sound,
from a wireless phone.
For less than $200 after rebate, consumers can now purchase the Nokia
3650 color videophone via T-Mobile's Web site.
With the built-in video and audio recorder functionality of the Nokia
3650, consumers GET MORE(R) fun by capturing spontaneous moments with
short videos and sharing them with friends and family. To use the
fun feature, customers just record 10 seconds of action with the Nokia
3650, tap in an email address and hit send. Friends and family simply
open the email attachment to watch and hear the sights and sounds
of the situation unfold -- as if they were there.
T-Mobile first introduced customers to the benefits of visual, wireless
communications late last year, unveiling a full line up of color camera
phones. In the last three months, over one million "you-had-to-be-there"
moments have been sent over T-Mobile's nationwide network by enthusiastic
customers.
In addition to video messaging functionality, the Nokia 3650 can
take and send photos to any email address. Consumers can preview their
video message or photos on the Nokia 3650's large 4,000 color display,
measuring nearly two inches square.
For more information, visit the company web site at www.t-mobile.com.
Mar 28 - Frequent Users of Wireless LANs
Will Total 4.2 Million in 2003. The mobile industry will benefit
from the rapid adoption of wireless LANs (WLANs), with the number
of frequent WLAN users in North America growing from 4.2 million in
2003 to more than 31 million in 2007, according to Gartner, Inc. (NYSE:
IT and ITB).
"As more and more applications are built requiring broadband
connections, the possibility of more than 100,000 'hot spots' within
the next five years is an innovation that cannot come too soon,"
said Ken Dulaney, vice president and research director for Gartner.
"However, due to the need to wait until a large enough population
is equipped with WLAN capability, profitability for hot spot providers
will be stalled for three or four years."
Gartner analysts said businesses should deploy 802.11b now. In most
cases, businesses will be satisfied with performance over the long
term, and 802.11b will be the technology of choice for hot spot frequenters.
However 802.11a, in combination with 802.11g, will begin to replace
802.11b purchases in early 2004. The additional bandwidth will be
used for new applications such as voice over IP and streaming video.
"When they mature in 2004, 802.11a WLANs will offer significant
technological advantages over 802.11b networks," said Dulaney.
"Some of the advantages include link rates of up to 54 Mbps,
lack of interference from Bluetooth and consumer devices operating
in the crowded 2.4 GHz band, and the availability of up to 13 channels
in North America and more in European markets."
According to Gartner, more than 50 percent of all WLAN implementations
will take place within the vertical markets through 2004.
"Wireless use in high schools and higher education is helping
to evolve teaching methods with more Web-based use in class, with
online testing as a result," Dulaney said. "The use of wireless
in healthcare is decreasing costs for network systems, adding mobility
for recuperating patients, decreasing patient stays and increasing
healthcare benefits. It is also adding to accuracy of medications
and is used for real-time patient tracking."
Dulaney added, "In warehouses and manufacturing, a WLAN decreases
the number of inventory specialists required, making warehousing systems
more efficient, less costly and more accurate, with analysis of real-time
inventory levels."
For more information about Gartner, visit www.gartner.com.
Mar 28 - Computer Tax Preparation to Top
Pen and Paper Preparation for the First Time. More and more Americans
are turning to the computer to prepare their taxes. In fact, this
is expected to be the first year more self-prepared tax forms are
completed with software and online applications rather than with pen
and paper.
The IRS predicts 26 million Americans will use tax software and online
applications this year -- a 10 percent increase from last year. Meanwhile,
pen-and-paper returns are expected to drop by 14 percent to an estimated
21 million.
The IRS estimates that 20 percent of pen and paper returns have costly
errors. Last year, taxpayers overpaid by nearly a billion dollars.
If a taxpayer has a more complex return, digital solutions enable
them to contact a tax professional with a simple click of their mouse.
Mar 27 - NVIDIA Awards Next-Generation
GeForce GPU Manufacturing Design to IBM. IBM and NVIDIA (Nasdaq:NVDA)
today announced the two companies have formed a multi-year strategic
alliance under which IBM will manufacture NVIDIA's next-generation
GeForce graphics processor units (GPUs).
State-of-the-art GPUs, like NVIDIA's Geforce FX, have become process
and manufacturing drivers. To deliver the immense computational power
needed to create cinematic images in real-time, NVIDIA's GPUs require
the most sophisticated process technologies.
As part of the agreement, NVIDIA will gain access to IBM's comprehensive
suite of foundry services and leading-edge manufacturing technologies,
including power-efficient copper wiring, and a roadmap that leads
to 65nm (nanometer; a billionth of a meter) in the next several years,
giving the company the necessary tools to advance its state-of-the-art
GPUs.
"IBM is bringing a new foundry business model by combining advanced
technology coupled with close customer integration," stated Jen-Hsun
Huang, president and CEO at NVIDIA. "Our strategic alliance with
IBM gives NVIDIA unprecedented opportunity to bring groundbreaking
GPU products to the market. The combination of NVIDIA and IBM's capabilities
will be powerful."
IBM plans to begin manufacturing the next-generation GeForce graphics
processor this summer at IBM's state-of-the-art 300mm plant in East
Fishkill, N.Y. The new IBM $2.5 billion chip-making facility combines,
for the first time anywhere, IBM chip-making breakthroughs such as
copper interconnects, silicon-on-insulator (SOI) transistors and low-k
dielectric insulation on 300mm wafers. The new facility began operation
last year, and will ramp up in capacity throughout 2003.
"We have a deep customer collaboration with NVIDIA, the kind
of support normally reserved for IBM's Server group and very select
large OEM partners," said Michel Mayer, general manager, IBM
Microelectronics Division. "We understand that leading fabless
semiconductor companies, like NVIDIA, need to get to market as quick
as possible, with the latest technologies, yet need to keep their
focus on their customers and products, not on manufacturing."
More information about IBM Microelectronics can be found at: www.ibm.com/chips.
More information about NVidia can be found at www.nvidia.com.
Mar 27 - Xerox Researchers Bring Benefits
of Fiber Optics to Small Businesses, Homes. Although the information
superhighway is here, the "off-ramps" are more like one-lane
dirt roads because of the high cost of routing fiber optic networks
that last mile. However, a new technology from Xerox Corporation (NYSE:
XRX) could help change that, by assisting the effort to bring affordable,
high-capacity fiber optics directly to businesses and even homes for
the first time.
The technology breaks the bandwidth barrier that exists today by
integrating an Optical MEMS (Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems) photonic
switch with planar light circuits on a single silicon chip small enough
to fit on a fingertip - a first ever achievement.
The
new switch promises to provide rapid delivery of optical services
by providing the functionality of a Reconfigurable Optical Add/Drop
Multiplexer (R-OADM), a routing device that's commonly used today
but is 10 to 100 times as large and costly.
"Optical networks based on our technology could go way beyond
delivering on-demand DVD-quality videos in homes," said Joel
Kubby, a technical manager at Xerox's Wilson Center for Research and
Technology in Webster, N.Y. "Our switch could help usher in a
new era of undreamed-of Internet applications, changing the way we
do business, seek information and find entertainment."
Today's optical networking equipment must switch from the optical
to the electronic domain. Xerox's technology enables switching in
the all-optical domain. Because it controls the flow of light rather
than the flow of electrons, it is ultimately faster, smaller and cheaper.
"Global consumption of OADMs was $101 million in 2001 and will
surge to $1.03 billion in 2006," according to Jeff D. Montgomery,
chairman and founder of market research firm ElectroniCast Corp. "The
most rapid growth is expected in fully reconfigurable devices."
For more information, visit www.xerox.com/innovation.
Mar 27 - ScanSoft Introduces Dragon
NaturallySpeaking 7 Professional. ScanSoft, Inc. (Nasdaq: SSFT),
a leading supplier of imaging, speech and language solutions, today
announced the immediate availability of Dragon NaturallySpeaking(R)
7 Professional, a new release of the world's best-selling speech recognition
solution for Microsoft Windows.
The new product is specifically designed to increase the productivity
of office professionals in all organizations, and includes new features
that make personal computing more accessible to everyone, including
persons with disabilities. Dragon NaturallySpeaking 7 also provides
integration tools that facilitate the speech-enablement of both commercial
and in-house PC and Web applications.
Dragon NaturallySpeaking 7 Professional is the most accurate version
of the product ever, boasting a 15 percent improvement over the previous
release, resulting in accuracy levels as high as 99 percent. Its high
accuracy provides professionals with the ability to convert speech
into text at up to 160 words-per-minute, over three times faster than
the average typing speed.
New in this release is support for array and wireless microphones,
which eliminates the need for traditional headset microphones that
tether the user to a PC or laptop with a wire. Now, people can use
Dragon NaturallySpeaking to speak to their applications more comfortably
and naturally, with an array microphone mounted on their desk, monitor
or nearby wall. Also new is expanded support for mobile dictation
capabilities, with users now able to dictate into standard Microsoft
Pocket PC devices and have their recordings automatically transcribed
by Dragon NaturallySpeaking when they sync with their PC.
"Dragon NaturallySpeaking 7 Professional is an impressive product,
with enhancements that will be eagerly received by existing users,"
said Eric Fishman of 1450, Inc., a speech recognition technology reseller
and system integrator. "For new users, the release really focuses
on what was needed to make speech recognition a mainstream office
productivity application - accuracy, flexibility and ease-of-use.
There is no question that professionals everywhere will be able to
transform the way that they work by using Dragon NaturallySpeaking
7."
ScanSoft Dragon NaturallySpeaking 7 Professional is available immediately
through ScanSoft's professional sales organization and global network
of reseller partners. For additional information on features, pricing
and volume licensing programs, please visit www.ScanSoft.com.
Mar 27 - America Online Announces Launch
of AOL Voicemail. America Online, Inc., the world's leading interactive
services company, today announced the launch of AOL(R) Voicemail,
a new premium service that enables AOL members to listen to their
home voice messages online and their AOL e-mails over the telephone,
so that all their messages can be accessed together at any time, in
one place, from any phone or computer.
Highlights of the service for AOL members include:
-- Fully Integrated Experience: Receive home voicemail messages
as easy-to-play sound files in the AOL Mailbox along with
e-mails when online; hear a "You've Got Voicemail(TM)"
notification when new voice messages arrive; and listen to
them without disconnecting from the AOL service;
-- E-mail and Voicemail by phone: Retrieve home voicemail
messages and e-mail messages by phone. Voicemail messages are
deposited when the telephone line is busy or no one is home to
answer the call; hear AOL e-mail over the telephone and send
reply e-mails via voice using simple spoken commands;
-- Caller Log: Track incoming calls and callers' phone numbers
through a running log of the last 100 calls received;
-- Real-time Notification of an Incoming Call: Learn instantly
when someone is calling while online on a dial-up connection,
and address caller using several response options, including,
"Try my cell", "I'll call you back" or "Please
leave a
message";
-- Never Miss Important Calls: Members can be online when they
want and for as long as they want without worrying about
missing important calls from family and friends;
-- Treat Voice Messages like E-mail: Forward home voicemails as
sound files while online, sharing voice messages with others
who may need to hear them; and,
-- Separate Voicemail Box for Family Members: Save messages in up
to seven separate boxes for each member of a family or small
business using a single AOL and AOL Voicemail account.
Availability
AOL Voicemail does not require any special equipment or at-home installation.
It is available for AOL 7.0 or higher for Windows users, and AOL for
Mac OS X and AOL for the Macintosh 5.0.
There is a monthly AOL Voicemail premium service fee of $5.95 per
month. Additionally, members' local phone companies may charge a small
fee, which covers the price of call forwarding that the service uses
and may appear on their phone bill or as an itemized charge on their
AOL bill, depending on their area. Members' phone companies may also
charge a one-time setup fee.
To sign up or to learn more, AOL members can visit AOL Keyword: AOL
Voicemail. AOL can be found online at www.aol.com.
Mar 27 - Cirrus Logic Targets First
Affordable DivX-Certified DVD Players by Year-End 2003. Seeking
to dramatically expand the opportunities available to consumers for
accessing and enjoying digital video content, Cirrus Logic Inc. (Nasdaq:CRUS)
today announced that it will incorporate the popular MPEG-4-compatible
DivX(R) video technology into its new DVD processors.
Through a licensing agreement with DivXNetworks, Cirrus plans to
incorporate DivXNetworks' highly successful DivX technology into upcoming
semiconductors for DVD-based digital entertainment products.
The DivX series of codecs is the most popular MPEG-4-compatible compression
format in use today, with more than 80 million downloads. As an official
DivX Certification partner, Cirrus expects to enable the first sub-$149
DVD player that supports DivX-enabled content by late 2003.
"MPEG-4 technology has the potential to revolutionize digital
video much like MP3 technology revolutionized digital audio,"
said Terry Ritchie, vice president of Video Marketing, Cirrus. "This
DivX licensing agreement capitalizes on the world's most popular MPEG-4-compatible
video compression standard and will enable consumers to take DivX-based
content off their PCs on CD media and enjoy it through DVD devices
in the living room. With Cirrus DivX-ready silicon planned for later
this year, we intend to help DVD manufacturers rapidly deliver this
capability to consumers at very affordable price points."
Ritchie noted three particular factors that will drive a robust market
for the direct-to-consumer digital video distribution market. "First,
consumer broadband penetration particularly in the U.S. and Europe
continues to grow at great rates, and, second, DivX technology affords
dramatically-reduced download or streaming time over broadband networks
versus current popular MPEG-2 standards, while still retaining near
DVD video and audio quality," Ritchie said.
"Lastly, through a single-board DVD player strategy and cost
reductions, Cirrus intends to enable affordable DVD players that utilize
broadband and DivX-based content to harness the power of the Internet
to deliver to consumers a new era in access and enjoyment of digital
entertainment."
DivX video compression technology enables large digital files to
be compressed to relatively small sizes, typically between 7-10 times
greater compression than DVD-standard MPEG-2 technology. The DivX
Certification program was created by DivXNetworks to ensure that consumer
electronics products created by certification partner companies play
back all versions of DivX video with the highest possible visual quality
and performance.
More information about Cirrus Logic is available at www.cirrus.com.
For more information about DivXNetworks visit, www.divxnetworks.com.
Mar 27 - Take-Two Interactive Software,
Inc. Ships Vietcong for The PC. Take-Two Interactive Software,
Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO) today announced that its Gathering division has
shipped Vietcong (TM) for the PC. Published by Gathering and developed
by Illusion Softworks in association with development team Pterodon,
Vietcong is an intense first-person shooter which is now available
in North America and will be available in Europe on April 11th.
"Vietcong transports players to the Southeast Asia battleground
through stunning graphics, intense sound effects and complex missions,"
said Kelly Sumner, President of Gathering. "This action-packed
title will have players riveted as they navigate the varied terrain
and constant threat of the jungle war zone."
Additional information about Vietcong is available at www.vietcong-game.com.
Mar 26 - Samsung Announces Mass Production
of DDR2 DIMMs. Samsung Semiconductor, Inc., the world's leader
in advanced semiconductor memory technology, today moved to make DDR2
technology a reality for designers of next generation chipsets with
the announcement that Samsung has begun mass production of the industry's
first 1GigaByte (GB) DDR2 Dual in-Line Memory Module (DIMM), which
is based on 512Mb DDR2 components.
"DDR2 is a viable technology and will play an important role
in enabling the development of a new generation of feature-rich, high-speed
gaming PCs, servers and network computers," said Tom Quinn, Samsung's
US Vice President of Memory Sales and Marketing. "Samsung is
ready to meet the requirements of high-speed, low-power memory solutions
for tomorrow's chipsets."
The availability of a DDR2 memory solution in production volume,
which features a 4-bit pre-fetch delivering twice the external bandwidth
of DDR solution for the same internal frequency, will speed the industry's
transition from DDR. The 1.8-volt device features a high-speed data
transfer rate of 533Mbps that can be extended to 667Mbps for networks
and special system environments.
Samsung first shipped engineering samples of a JEDEC standard compliant
512Mb DDR2 SDRAM to major chipset developers last May.
The SDRAM incorporates JEDEC's DDR2 specifications by adding core
functions that include off-chip driver calibration (OCD) to maintain
optimum driver strength; on-die termination (ODT) to ensure optimum
signal waveform; and posted CAS, a command control method to enhance
bus efficiency.
In 2001, JEDEC presented Samsung with an award recognizing the company's
leadership and pioneering role in the development of DDR technology
as well as its contribution to the standardization of DDR-SDRAM. Samsung
currently has more industry-validated DDR SDRAM devices than any other
manufacturer.
More information can be found at www.usa.samsungsemi.com.
Mar 26 - Dell Enters Printer Market.
Dell (Nasdaq:DELL) today introduced four new printers for customers
ranging from individual consumers to corporations, bringing a new
level of value and convenience to those who purchase printers and
associated ink and toner cartridges.
The printers feature the Dell Ink Management System(tm) or Dell Toner
Management System(tm), which simplify the purchasing process by displaying
ink or toner levels on the status window during every print job and
proactively prompting users to order replacement cartridges.
When cartridges begin to get low, the status window will deliver
a message alerting users that it is time to order a replacement cartridge
from Dell. One click of a mouse leads to Dell's online imaging supply
store (www.dell.com/supplies),
which recognizes each user's printer model and offers the appropriate
replacement ink or toner cartridge, greatly reducing the risk of buying
the wrong cartridge. New cartridges can be delivered as quickly as
the next business day.
Along with the printer launch, Dell has established a program to
recycle outdated printers at no additional charge for anyone who purchases
a new Dell printer(a). This is the first offer of its kind among major
electronics companies. Customers -- without ever having to leave their
home or office -- can easily ship their older printers, regardless
of the manufacturer, to approved recycling centers. Dell provides
a pre-paid postage label and simple instructions to arrange for pick-up.
More information can be found online at www.dell4me.com/recycling.
"We plan to improve the customer experience of purchasing printers
and replacement ink or toner by delivering the same value, attention
to service and industry-leading products as Dell has over the past
18 years," said Tim Peters, vice president and general manager,
Dell Imaging and Printing. "These four printers are just the
first models in what will be a broad line of products that meet the
needs of all customers, from individuals to large corporations."
The Dell printers announced today are:
-- The Dell Personal All-in-One Printer A940, an all-in-one
printer, scanner and standalone copier, with fax software(b).
The A940 features up to 4800 x 1200 dots per inch (dpi) print
resolution, enabling high-quality photographic printing, and
up to 600 x 2400 dpi resolution when scanning. It prints black
text at speeds of up to 17 pages per minute (ppm) and color up
to 12 ppm. It sells for $139.
-- The Dell Personal Laser Printer P1500, a personal laser
printer designed for business or home use featuring speeds of
up to 19 ppm, 1200 image quality (IQ) and 600 dpi. The P1500
is available for $289.
-- The Dell Workgroup Laser Printer S2500 and S2500n, a
high-volume laser printer series available in networked (n)
and non-networked versions, delivering speeds of up to 22 ppm.
The S2500 and S2500n print at 1200 IQ, 600 dpi and sell for
$499 and $839, respectively.
Information on Dell and its products can be obtained at www.dell.com.
Mar 26 - New RoboDemo 4.0 Accelerates the
Creation of Flash-Based Tutorials and Demos. eHelp Corp.(R), the
makers of RoboHelp(R), today announced the availability of RoboDemo(R)
4.0, the best-selling tutorial software for creating Flash-based "movies"
of any software or Web-based application. With RoboDemo 4.0, sales
and marketing professionals can create online product demos, and training,
IS and technical support professionals can create instructional online
tutorials to train and support their users.
Simulations created with RoboDemo 4.0 can be easily viewed on a Web
site or intranet, burned on CD, emailed to an end user or integrated
into a Help system.
RoboDemo records the use of any application, or on-screen activity,
and instantly creates a movie in Macromedia's Flash format with visible
and audible mouse clicks. Flash movies created with RoboDemo can be
easily enhanced by adding rollover and transparent captions and images,
audio, interactive text entry and click boxes, hyperlinks, special
effects and additional enhancements. New RoboDemo 4.0 gives users
an unparalleled advantage to creating tutorials and demos with revolutionary
features that decrease development time and boost productivity.
"RoboDemo 4.0 is the most effective tool for creating dynamic
Flash-based tutorials and demos for sales and marketing, training,
IS, technical support and more," said Jorgen Lien, CEO of eHelp
Corp. "The new features in RoboDemo 4.0 enables anyone, regardless
of their technical experience, to easily create robust online tutorials
that lower training and support costs, and create compelling online
product demos that can help boost product sales."
About RoboDemo 4.0
RoboDemo 4.0 is also available in an eLearning Edition for people
who need to create online simulations for eLearning programs. The
RoboDemo eLearning Edition is the first eLearning-specific tutorial
software based on Flash. This edition of RoboDemo includes all of
the compelling features in RoboDemo 4.0, with the addition of eLearning-specific
features, such as SCORM and AICC compliance for integration with any
learning management system (LMS); quizzing with scoring; branching;
and integration with popular eLearning tools, including Macromedia's
Authorware and Questionmark's Perception product.
Platforms Supported by RoboDemo
The software tutorials and demos created with eHelp's RoboDemo run
on Windows from Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq:MSFT) and MAC OS X from Apple
Computer Inc. (Nasdaq:AAPL). In addition, RoboDemo tutorials run on
handheld devices supporting Flash from Macromedia Inc. (Nasdaq:MACR),
such as Nokia (NYSE:NOK).
Pricing and Availability
RoboDemo 4.0 list price is $349. RoboDemo eLearning Edition list
price is $449. RoboDemo 4.0 and the RoboDemo eLearning Edition are
now available through eHelp Corp.'s Web site, in addition to being
sold through eHelp's international partners. For more information
visit www.eHelp.com.
Mar 26 - Crime Scene Investigation PC
Game Ships to Stores Nationwide. Ubi Soft(R) Entertainment, one
of the world's largest video game publishers, announced today that
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation(TM) is now available for the PC. Based
on the hit television series from CBS, the CSI game challenges players
to solve a series of crimes, acting as a new member of the Las Vegas
CSI team. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is rated "M-Mature"
and is available for a retail price of $29.99.
In the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation game, you become a CSI agent
working alongside Gil Grissom, Catherine Willows and the rest of the
CSI team. A classic, first-person adventure, the CSI game will test
players' nerves and intellect as they question witnesses, examine
crime scenes, and analyze evidence utilizing the latest in forensic
equipment.
"We are pleased to offer an authentic game that features all
the voices and likenesses of the entire CSI cast," said Tony
Kee, vice president of marketing for Ubi Soft Entertainment. "CSI
fans will appreciate the attention to detail we put into developing
this game."
The group is dedicated to delivering high-quality, cutting-edge video
game titles to consumers around the world. To learn more, visit www.ubi.com.
Mar 25 - Intel Extends Power
and Performance for PDAs With Three New Processors. Intel Corporation
today announced three new processors for personal digital assistants
(PDAs). The new processors incorporate the latest microprocessor packaging
and stacking techniques, and deliver higher performance and longer
battery life in less space than previous versions.
PDA capabilities have increased significantly over the last year
to include integrated Wi-Fi* (802.11) high-speed wireless Internet
access, color screens, integrated cameras, and more. This has resulted
in the need for greater processing and memory capabilities, all delivered
by smaller chips.
"The PDA segment has had a number of exciting developments,
aided by the performance and power of the Intel(R) PXA250 processor
introduced a year ago," said Hans Geyer, Intel vice president
and general manager of the Intel PCA Components Group. "With
today's announcement, Intel enables even more features and functionality
by continuing to take advantage of Intel's industry-leading design
and manufacturing expertise."
Today's announcement includes two additions to the smaller, Intel
PXA26x family, including the Intel(R) PXA263 processor, Intel's first
stacked processor for PDAs and the Intel(R) PXA260 processor, a "pin
compatible" product that makes upgrading a PDA design easy and
cost-effective for OEMs. The third product, the Intel(R) PXA255 processor,
is a replacement to the popular Intel PXA250 processor that extends
the overall system performance and battery-life of PDAs.
Intel will also continue to extend the value of the new Intel(R)
XScale(TM) technology based processors to wireless smart display and
portable media player (PMP) market segments. BenQ, Philips, Trigem,
Wyse and ViewSonic are shipping smart displays today using Intel XScale
technology based processors, and will adopt the new processors in
upcoming versions. PMP makers also plan to take advantage of the high
performance, low power benefits of the upcoming Intel PXA processor
family in their devices.
New Processor Package Helps PDA Makers Save Development Time, Cost
The Intel PXA260 processor (available in 200 MHz, 300 MHz, 400 MHz
versions) is a standalone device that is nearly 53 percent smaller
(13 mm by 13 mm by 1.4 mm) than prior standalone processors (17 mm
by 17 mm by 1.75 mm). It is "pin-compatible" with the Intel
PXA26x processor family, enabling the designer to build a single board
that can easily stack flash memory and computing products without
changing the design. This saves manufacturers significant time and
cost associated with designing a family of PDAs ranging from thin
and light to high-end, full-featured devices.
New "Stacked" Processor for PDAs
Extending the industry's first family of innovative "stacked"
processors, the Intel PXA263 processor brings memory and processor
chips together for powerful computing and memory capabilities in a
smaller, single system package. The Intel PXA263 processor (available
in 200 MHz, 300 MHz, 400 MHz versions) stacks 32 MB of 32-bit Intel
StrataFlash(R) memory with an Intel XScale technology based processor
for up to 72 percent space savings over stand-alone products.
Stacking advanced computing and memory capabilities in a "system-in-a-package"
design reduces the number of components in a PDA and enables manufacturers
to create new and different capabilities and functionality, including
a better ability to execute performance-intensive applications such
as MPEG4 video decode, speech and handwriting recognition, and games.
Extending the Power and Performance of Intel XScale Technology
The Intel PXA255 processor extends the overall balance of system
performance and power consumption of its predecessor, the Intel PXA250
processor. Intel has doubled the internal system bus speed to improve
application performance. In addition, Intel has lowered the voltage
of the technology to 1.3 volts at 400 MHz through a variety of manufacturing
techniques, resulting in more than 30 percent lower power consumption
in run mode and more than 60 percent lower in idle mode. Acer, Casio,
Dell, Intermec, Symbol and Toshiba are among the customers using the
new processors.
Pricing and Availability
The Intel PXA263 and Intel PXA260 processors are sampling today with
production volumes expected in the second quarter of 2003. Products
using the new processors will be available later this year. The Intel
PXA263 processor (200 MHz) has a suggested list price of $42.35 (US)
in 10,000 unit quantities, and the Intel PXA260 processor (200 MHz)
is being sold at a list price of $22.85 (US) in 10,000 unit quantities.
The Intel PXA255 processor is available in products now from leading
OEMs. More information on the new processors can be found at www.intel.com/design/pca/applicationsprocessors/index.htm.
Mar 25 - Micron Demonstrates PC3200 Platform
Featuring 512Mb DDR400 Components. Micron Technology, Inc. (NYSE:MU),
is introducing industry leading, high-density 512Mb DDR400 components
and is demonstrating them in a PC3200 platform this week at JEDEX
San Jose. JEDEX San Jose is March 24-25, 2003 at the Silicon Valley
Conference Center in San Jose, California.
Micron's 512Mb DDR400 devices are produced on 0.11 micron process
technology and are fully compliant with the industry-standard JEDEC
DDR400 specification.
"Micron continues to show our leadership in developing and demonstrating
high-density DDR SDRAM," said Bob Donnelly, Vice President of
Micron's Computing and Consumer Group. "Not only did we deliver
the industry's first 4GB DDR DIMM last week, we are now showcasing
our high-density DDR400 device. The 512Mb DDR400 device raises the
ceiling for system memory densities in dual channel systems. This
will be the first look the industry will have at a high-density DDR400
platform. We expect to validate this component and module by mid-2003."
The platform uses Micron components and modules, as well as internally-developed
memory controllers and signal analysis software. Micron is the only
memory supplier to internally develop DDR system development solutions
and provide customers with the tools for high-speed system design.
"We are focusing not only on developing advanced memory technology,
but also on ways to help our customers implement our new high-performance
memory products," added Donnelly.
To learn more about Micron Technology, Inc., visit its Web site at
www.micron.com.
Mar 25 - NETGEAR XE102 Wall-Plugged Ethernet
Bridge Extends Network Access. NETGEAR, Inc., a worldwide provider
of easy-to-use, high performance networking products at prices affordable
to homes and small businesses, today announced the launch of its next-generation
high-speed, compact networking adapter, the XE102 Wall-Plugged Ethernet
Bridge.
Housed in an attractive new portable wall-plug casing, the XE102
allows users to access the Internet through ordinary electrical outlets
at speeds of up to 14 Mbps, eliminating the need to install new wires
for networking while providing a compliment to wireless networks that
may not provide the necessary coverage.
NETGEAR has improved this next-generation product so that it doesn't
require any software configuration, and is simply plug-and-play. In
addition to extending existing networks, the XE102 is ideal for providing
reliable Internet connectivity to emerging Internet enabled entertainment
devices including gaming consoles, digital video recorders, and radios.
The XE102 is especially suited for console based online gaming applications
where adding connectivity must be fast and seamless for the user.
"We believe that NETGEAR's wall-plugged Ethernet bridge is an
innovative solution for extending high-performance, reliable Internet-connections
anywhere in the home among multiple PCs and other Internet enabled
entertainment devices like gaming consoles, digital video recorders,
and radios," stated Patrick Lo, CEO and Chairman of the Board
of Directors of NETGEAR. "By utilizing existing wires and eliminating
the need to install software drivers, NETGEAR's next-generation Wall-Plugged
Ethernet Bridge is a plug and play solution that further simplifies
home networking."
The NETGEAR XE102 Wall-Plugged Ethernet Bridge, certified by the
HomePlug Powerline Alliance, provides reliable network connectivity
at data transfer speeds of up to 14 Mbps. When combined with a cable/DSL
router, the XE102 allows plug-and-play access to the high-speed cable
or DSL connection through electrical outlets in an up to 5000 square
foot home.
Backed by a two-year warranty and 24/7 technical support, the NETGEAR
XE102 Wall-Plugged Ethernet Bridge is available now at an estimated
street price of $79.95 via systems integrators, retailers, catalogues,
and e-commerce sites.
For more information visit the company's Web site at www.netgear.com.
Mar 25 - APC Announces Broadband Power
Protection For Home Networks. American Power Conversion (APC)
today announced the Back-UPS ES 725, a complete broadband power protection
solution for home networking equipment.
The unit offers high-level surge protection for high-speed Internet
lines including cable modem, DSL (Digital Subscriber Line), telephone,
Ethernet, single line phone/fax, modem and DSS (Digital Subscriber
Service) systems and provides battery backup for your desktop PC,
monitor, hubs/routers and other electronic equipment in case of a
power failure. According to IDC, 49.2 million online U.S. households
are projected to have broadband (cable modem or DSL) access by 2006.
"This newly designed unit offers users great value with up to
60 minutes of runtime and eight outlets to accommodate several peripherals,
all for under a hundred dollars," said Joe Loberti, general manager,
APC Consumer Network Solutions Group. "Users have been looking
for a cost-effective solution not only to protect their networking
investments, but to provide them with availability and data protection
as they use their home systems for more critical functions including
family planning, home banking and investing."
The Back-UPS ES 725 comes equipped with USB (Universal Serial Bus)
connectivity and includes APC's PowerChute® Personal Edition software,
an easy-to-use, safe, system shutdown software with sophisticated
power management functions for use with Windows (XP, ME and 98) and
Macintosh OS X operating systems.
Eight high-powered outlets (four "battery plus surge" and
four "surge only" outlets) provide protection for additional
desktop peripherals and can accommodate two transformer block shaped
plugs. The UPS has a space saving, strip-shaped form factor, user
replaceable batteries, and incorporates an intelligent battery management
system that maximizes battery performance and reliability. The Back-UPS
ES has an Equipment Protection Policy of $50,000 (see policy for details)
and ships with a Data Recovery Warranty and a free trial of firewall
software.
APC's new Back-UPS ES 725 is currently available in North America
and carries a suggested retail price of $99.99 USD. For more information
about APC, visit APC's website at www.apc.com.
Mar 25 - Web Crossing, Inc. Offers New
Free Web Crossing Express Server . Web Crossing, Inc. today announced
Web Crossing Express, a free integrated Web Crossing Web/Mail/FTP
server platform. Web Crossing Express runs on Windows, Macintosh,
Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris and other Unix operating systems providing
Web, FTP and Email (POP/SMTP/IMAP) servers in Web Crossing's integrated
environment.
"Web Crossing Express is a single integrated server platform
for core site functionality," explained Tim Lundeen, president
and CEO of Web Crossing, Inc. "Web Crossing Express is a free
server platform designed to replace administration-heavy Apache/sendmail/IIS/Exchange,
and offers superb server functionality for Web, email, and FTP services.
We're also excited to provide a way to experience our new, easier
customization features."
Built on the core Web Crossing engine, Web Crossing Express has all
the robust user access controls available in Web Crossing, plus the
ability to wrap HTML pages in Themes. With the ability to administer
from any modern browser, Web Crossing Express is easy to install and
manage. Web Crossing Express requires no operating-system-level user
accounts, making it ultra-secure and less prone to attack. Web Crossing
Express includes its own user database and essential HTTP, HTTPS,
POP/IMAP/SMTP and FTP, plus HTTP digest and basic authentication for
private areas, allow/deny connection control, and high-performance
full indexed search.
Built-in and administrator-created themes make it easy to customize
the look of any Web Crossing Express site. Web Crossing Express includes
the new WebFiles mirroring system -- a breakthrough paradigm for managing
server files by mirroring into the file system directly from a Web
browser.
When used with the new built-in Web publishing feature, users can
create and edit entire home page directories via most modern browsers.
All files that are added or modified via WebFiles or FTP are automatically
synchronized in real-time. Web Crossing Express can be upgraded as
needed to Web Crossing, priced on a traffic-based sliding scale model,
without reinstalling.
Pricing and Availability
Web Crossing Express is available immediately for free as a software
license only, directly from www.webcrossing.com/home/products/expressfeatures.
Mar 25 - New WebEditor 5.5 Challenges
Dreamweaver On Features and Price. Namo's Award Winning All-In-One
Solution For Creating Web Sites Adds WebCanvas Vector-Based Web Graphics:
Priced for Beginners and Powered for Professionals
Taking direct aim at Macromedia Dreamweaver and Microsoft FrontPage,
Namo Interactive Inc. today released WebEditor 5.5, a full-featured,
visual HTML authoring tool for designing, managing, and deploying
high-impact Web sites. With a suggested retail price of $99, the WebEditor
package costs considerably less than other, better-known but less-capable
Web authoring applications.
Comparing their new offering to Dreamweaver MX, Namo said WebEditor
delivers a competitive mix of features, ease-of-use, and price for
experienced Web professionals and first-time users alike. WebEditor's
built-in scripts, templates, elements and design tools empower site
designers for maximum creativity in the minimum time.
WebEditor 5.5's advanced page-creation tools include full WYSIWYG
editing, automatic creation of table layouts, JavaScript actions and
events, and a flexible database wizard. It also features a JavaScript
Wizard, a Site Wizard (for beginners), a photo album creator, and
comprehensive online help -- all while keeping the underlying code
readily available at the click of an "HTML" tab.
A new built-in feature is WebCanvas 1.0, a professional-level vector-based
Web graphic drawing tool for creating attractive, fast-downloading
graphic images, as well as creating "smart-buttons." It
enables in-browser preview of SVG files and image export to SVG and
leading bitmap formats. It helps users create and manage all site
resources from within a unified environment.
The most recent edition of WebEditor has received numerous awards
and citations in industry publication, including a CNet Editor's Choice
designation.
"We challenge developers to compare WebEditor against Dreamweaver
MX or FrontPage," said Taewong Park, Vice President of Marketing,
Namo Interactive Inc. "It matches up well feature-for-feature
at a price that appeals to users who are looking for best value."
WebEditor 5.5's advanced page-creation tools include a full WYSIWYG
editing environment, automatic creation of layout tables, JavaScript
actions and events, and a flexible database wizard. Namo WebEditor
also features a JavaScript Wizard, a Site Wizard for beginners, a
photo album creator, and comprehensive online help.
WebEditor 5.5 is available online at www.namo.com,
and at leading retailers including CompUSA, Fry's Electronics, and
J&R Computer World.
Mar 24 - ATI Reports Second Quarter Loss.
ATI Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATYT)(TSX:ATY), a world leader in the
design and manufacture of innovative 3D graphics and digital media
silicon solutions, today announced its financial results for the second
quarter of its 2003 fiscal year, which ended February 28, 2003.
Revenues for the second quarter were $318.5 million compared to $322.0
million in the first quarter of fiscal 2003. Gross margin was 28.9
per cent, rising 1.6 percentage points from 27.3 per cent in the first
quarter. Operating expenses, excluding amortization of intangible
assets and other charges, increased $0.7 million to $80.3 million
compared to the first quarter.
The net loss for the second quarter was $8.3 million or $0.04 per
share compared to net income of $5.0 million or $0.02 per share for
the first quarter of 2003 and a net loss of $3.0 million or $0.01
per share for the same period a year ago.
"Customer demand for ATI's new products continued to build during
the second quarter - a quarter that typically sees a seasonal pullback
in the marketplace," said K.Y. Ho, Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer, ATI Technologies Inc. "Our RADEON(TM) 9700 and RADEON(TM)
IGP families of products continued to capture design wins and gain
broad customer acceptance during the quarter. With ATI shipping its
one millionth RADEON(TM) 9700-based chip in the second quarter, this
has unquestionably been the best new product in our industry - ever."
"With the release of our RADEON(TM) 9800 PRO, RADEON(TM) 9600
and RADEON(TM) 9200 for the desktop, MOBILITY(TM) RADEON(TM) 9600
for the notebook and MOBILITY(TM) RADEON(TM) 7000 IGP for the value
segment, in time for the Spring refresh, ATI again delivers true top-to-bottom
leadership in our core PC market," said David Orton, President
and Chief Operating Officer, ATI Technologies Inc.
Outlook
ATI expects revenues in the third quarter in the $300 million range.
Gross margin, as a percentage of revenues, for the third quarter is
expected to improve slightly. Operating expenses, excluding intangibles
and other charges, for the third quarter are expected to be slightly
higher than the second quarter of this year. As the year progresses,
ATI's Consumer products are expected to begin to show a positive and
increasing contribution relative to the first half of the year. As
a result of the above, overall net income should continue to improve
in the third and fourth quarters of fiscal 2003.
For more information, visit www.ati.com.
Mar 24 - Mailblocks Debuts New Spam-Free
Personal Email Service. Mailblocks, Inc. today introduced a new
class of email service designed from the ground up to give consumers
the powerful features they want in their personal email service --
without the annoyance of spam.
The Mailblocks service, available today, uses its patented technology
to eliminate spam -- the unsolicited and often offensive computer-generated
email that clogs people's email inboxes. In addition, the Mailblocks
service gives users the key features they want in their personal email
service, including plentiful storage and attachment allowances, integration
of several existing email accounts into a universal inbox and a super-fast,
application-like user experience.
Phil Goldman, a founder of WebTV and former Microsoft Vice President
started Mailblocks to address the underserved consumer email market.
According to Goldman, current Web-based email services are loss leaders
for their parent companies and have not seen serious innovation for
years. While email services provided for business are continually
improved, consumer services have languished.
The Mailblocks service gives users the following capabilities:
Mailblocks eliminates spam. Industry studies indicate that the percentage
of spam in each inbox has risen from 8% in 2001 to more than 36% in
2002 and could surpass 50% of all messages in the next year.
Mailblocks' service was architected around its patented Challenge/Response
technology -- an effective blend of automated technology and human
involvement that thwarts spam. Emails sent from new people who are
not in the user's Addresses are put in a Pending folder and automatically
sent a request to authenticate (called a Challenge). Machine-generated
email cannot reply to the Challenge email so the original email is
never put into the consumer's Inbox. New users need respond only once
to a Challenge in order to be recognized in the future. The only email
users see is from recognized correspondents or new contacts who respond
to the Challenge email.
Mailblocks was built on the features consumers said they
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