May 07 - AMD Introduces Athlon MP Processor 2800+.
AMD (NYSE:AMD) today announced the AMD Athlon(TM) MP processor 2800+,
designed for one- and two-way servers and workstations running demanding
32-bit applications for enterprises.
The AMD Athlon MP 2800+ is based on a new core that features more
L2 cache than previous AMD Athlon MP processors, and allows additional
information to be stored closer to the processor for improved performance.
Designed for entry-level servers and workstations, the AMD Athlon
MP processor 2800+ complements AMD's multiprocessing lineup. All AMD
Athlon MP processors take advantage of AMD's stable Socket A infrastructure,
which provides an easy upgrade path for IT managers and delivers the
compatibility that can help lower a company's total cost of ownership.
"AMD works closely with computer manufacturers to bring the
right technology and performance levels to enterprises," said
Marty Seyer, vice president and general manager of AMD's Microprocessor
Business Unit. "With the AMD Athlon MP processor 2800+, we are
helping to ensure that companies currently standardized on 32-bit
applications receive the reliability and price/performance they need
from their servers and workstations for mission-critical applications."
Many of the world's most prestigious universities, research laboratories
and leading corporations use AMD Athlon MP processors for compute-intensive
applications.
Aventis, a world leader in the discovery, development and marketing
of innovative pharmaceutical products, relies on AMD Athlon MP processor-based
systems to help reduce time-to-market for potentially life-saving
drugs. "Our 34-node cluster computer powered by AMD Athlon MP
processors gives us the floating-point advantage we need to screen
the vast amounts of data our research requires," said Anil Nair,
senior associate scientist, Aventis. "It's making a substantial
difference in the way we do research, and our goal is to double our
parallel processing capability in the coming year to increase our
researchers' productivity."
Availability
Systems featuring the AMD Athlon MP processor 2800+ are expected
to be available immediately from system builders worldwide. For information
on where to buy an AMD Athlon MP processor 2800+ based system see
www.amd.com.
May 07 - eMachines Delivers High-Value
Widescreen Notebook PC. eMachines, Inc., the fastest-growing PC
company in the United States according to industry analysts IDC, today
announced the introduction of the M5305, a sleek, lightweight, widescreen
notebook PC. With the most affordable price tag within its class at
under $1,300, eMachines' latest notebook offers users optimum DVD
viewing with premium multimedia features throughout.
Touting a 15.4-inch LCD display (16:10 aspect ratio), similar to
a widescreen television format, the M5305 displays up to 30 percent
more viewing area than a standard 15-inch notebook screen. The notebook's
widescreen format also permits users to view dual Web pages or documents,
eliminating the need to scroll or switch between windows.
"With the introduction of the M5305, eMachines offers consumers
the 'best-in-value' widescreen notebook PC available," said Wayne
Inouye, president and CEO of Irvine, Calif.-based eMachines. "In
addition to providing consumers with the latest viewing capability
within the notebook industry, we provide notebook users a full-featured,
mobile PC for most business, academic and consumer computing applications."
Within its streamlined (under 1.4-inch) profile and slender (6.5-pound)
form factor -- the thinnest and lightest widescreen notebook available
-- eMachines' M5305 includes all of the high-performance functionality
necessary for everyday "computing on the run." Moreover,
its unique form factor allows air travelers to comfortably place the
M5305 on most airplane service trays.
Mobile computer users may appreciate the notebook's three USB 2.0
ports for high-speed transfer rates (480 Mbps) that allow users to
maximize USB-based peripheral devices such as digital cameras or external
hard drives for secure storage back up. To accentuate its multimedia
functionality, the M5305 also includes a CD-RW/DVD combo drive for
personalized CD recording and playback.
Backed by eMachines' premier Customer Care support, the M5305 comes
standard with a one-year technical support, parts and labor program.
M5305 Specifications
Processor Mobile AMD Athlon(TM) XP-M 2200+
Hard Drive 40 GB
RAM 512 DDR
Optical Drives CD-RW/DVD Combo Drive
24x10x24x CD-RW
8x max. DVD
Video ATi Radeon(TM) IGP 320M
Display Size 15.4 inch WXGA TFT
Weight 6.5 Lbs.
Dimensions 1.36 x 14 x 10 inches
Interfaces 3 USB 2.0 ports
1 VGA external connector
1 Parallel port
1 S-Video out
1 Type II PC Card Slot
Microphone & Headphone
Built-in 10/100 Mbps Ethernet
Modem 56K V.92 ready
Battery 8-cell Lithium-ion
Operating System Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP Home Edition
Price Under $1,300
Visit eMachines at its Web site at www.emachines.com.
May 07 - IBM Introduces New High-End eServer
Systems. IBM today introduced its most powerful UNIX server ever,
an ultra-fast IBM eServer p690 system that provides a 65 percent performance
boost over its game-changing predecessor.
IBM also announced new on demand features that allow customers unmatched
flexibility in turning capacity on and off as well as test-driving
additional capacity before paying to use it.
In addition to the new high-end eServer p690, IBM introduced the
new mid-range eServer p670 system that provides 90 percent better
performance than the previous version of the p670. Also, IBM introduced
a new ultra-dense high performance eServer p655 that delivers performance
increases of as much as 83 percent.
"Customers are making IBM eServer pSeries the system of choice
as indicated by its consistently gaining share at the expense of competitors,"
said Adalio Sanchez, general manager of IBM eServer pSeries. "Integrating
POWER4+ technology into the high-end of eServer pSeries systems reinforces
our commitment to UNIX in offering customers on demand systems that
have uncompromising price/performance and reliability."
On Demand features include:
On/Off Capacity on Demand -- Offered on the eServer p690, p670 and
p650, this new technology allows customers to activate processors
when they need them, and turn them off when they don't. Customers
will now be able to choose from temporary or permanent capacity on
demand options, offering the ultimate flexibility to meet the changing
needs of their businesses.
Memory on Demand -- Capacity Upgrade on Demand for Memory allows
customers to activate memory in 4GB increments as needed.
Try and Buy -- IBM offers a 30-day trial at no additional charge
of capacity upgrades for both memory and processors. Customers can
test the capacity they will actually need and activate it, permanently
or temporarily, only when they need it.
Software on Demand -- IBM plans to price select software for pSeries
by the day when temporary capacity is turned on by the customer.
"Customers want the capacity they need when they need it instead
of paying for systems that sit idle or cannot scale at times of peak
demand," Sanchez added.
New eServer Systems
The new eServer p690 has been completely refreshed, adding the fastest
POWER4+ processor ever at 1.7 GHz, twice the high-performance memory
with 567 MHz, Level 3 cache and a new I/O subsystem with nearly triple
the I/O bandwidth. The eServer p690 also doubles LPAR support to the
processor level. The new IBM eServer p670 features 1.5 GHz POWER4+
processors and benefits from the same innovations incorporated in
the p690. The p690 is also available with 1.5 GHz POWER4+ processors.
The IBM eServer p690 offers enterprises a highly efficient platform
for both server consolidation and large, single-system applications.
When tackling the most complex problems, multiple p690 servers can
be linked together to create supercomputers powered by more than 1,000
processors.
IBM also announced today that the ultra-dense, cluster-optimized
IBM eServer p655 is now offered with either the new 1.7 or 1.5 GHz
POWER4+ processors and upgraded L3 cache, I/O and memory. The redesign
of the eServer p655 has resulted in performance increases of as much
as 83 percent . A single eServer p655 frame can exceed .75 teraflops
of peak performance while tackling the most complex Deep Computing
problems.
POWER4+
The new IBM eServer systems are fueled by IBM's newest 64-bit microprocessor,
POWER4+(TM), which takes advantage of the most advanced 0.13 micron
fabrication process and contains over 180 million transistors. The
POWER4+ chip is available in the 1.2, 1.45, 1.5 and 1.7 gigahertz.
POWER4+ is a "server on a chip" containing two processors,
a high-bandwidth system switch, a large memory cache and I/O interface.
Linux on IBM pSeries servers leverages many of the competitive advantages
of eServer pSeries hardware while allowing organizations to utilize
open, standards-based applications in a cost-effective Linux environment.
The new IBM eServer pSeries models p690 and p670 will be available
on May 30, 2003. The p690 is competitively priced, starting at $493,386
for a 8-way configuration . The p670 starts at $190,411 for a 4-way
and the p655 starts at $50,000 for a 4-way. The new 1.5 and 1.7 GHz
processors will be available on the p655 beginning in late July, 2003.
For more information, visit www.ibm.com.
May 07 - Transmeta Named as a Microsoft
Smart Display Reference Design Partner. Transmeta Corporation
(Nasdaq:TMTA), the leader in efficient computing, today announced
that the company has been designated by Microsoft Corp. as a reference
design partner for the next generation of Smart Displays. This designation
reflects the value of Transmeta's energy efficient processor technology
for Smart Displays running Microsoft(R) Windows(R) CE .NET and reinforces
the very high performance capabilities of these processors for demanding
applications.
Smart Displays are wireless, touch screen monitors that allow users
to access Microsoft Windows XP-based PCs from remote locations in
the home or office. In so doing, Smart Displays enable convenient,
extended access to the information, applications and services of the
main PC. These devices interface with PCs from up to approximately
100 feet away via an 802.11b wireless connection.
"Smart Displays can serve as a productive business tool by offering
the corporate environment an innovative means of remotely accessing
the full capabilities of the PC," said Bob O'Donnell, analyst,
IDC. "Bringing higher performance processors into Smart Displays,
as with PCs, is an important step in driving this market forward."
The high performance of Transmeta's processors is a key benefit for
demanding requirements such as DVD quality multimedia playback and
cool running Transmeta processors enable thin-and-light designs. Transmeta's
unique capability to accomplish software MPEG-2/4 and Windows Media
Video 8/9 decode provides significant efficient computing benefits
to system designers, eliminating the need for a separate component
for decode, saving board space and cost.
"Smart Displays represent an important evolution in personal
computing and Microsoft, Transmeta and many other industry leading
companies are backing the proliferation of this emerging category,"
said Aubrey Edwards, director of marketing, Embedded and Appliance
Platform Group, Microsoft Corp. "Transmeta's energy efficient
processors provide a solid platform with high performance and good
power management enabling original equipment manufacturers to build
innovative Smart Displays."
"Transmeta's processors offer the best available performance
for Smart Displays, with about twice the megahertz of current competitive
offerings," said Arthur L. Swift, senior vice president of marketing,
Transmeta Corporation. "Our LongRun power management technology
is instrumental in providing very high performance on-demand, while
efficiently managing processor power to maximize battery life for
wireless devices like Smart Displays."
Microsoft designated Transmeta a Smart Displays reference platform
partner after original equipment manufacturer customers expressed
interest in developing for the Transmeta processor architecture. This
resulted in collaboration between Transmeta and Microsoft and testing
of Transmeta's processors for use in Smart Displays.
Smart Displays are already available from display and computer manufacturers
and more are in development for release in 2003 and beyond.
To learn more about Transmeta, visit www.transmeta.com.
May 07 - E3Expo Launches Web Site for Consumers.
For the first time ever, consumers and game enthusiasts will get a
first-hand virtual look inside the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3Expo),
the world's preeminent interactive entertainment trade show, the Interactive
Digital Software Association (IDSA) announced today.
The Web site, E3Insider (www.e3insider.com),
will launch on May 14th at 10am when E3Expo's doors open to thousands
of industry professionals at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
"With the launch of E3Insider, we've opened E3Expo's `virtual
doors' so that consumers and game enthusiasts from around the globe
can experience the excitement of E3Expo," said Douglas Lowenstein,
president of the IDSA, the trade association that represents U.S.
computer and video game publishers and the owner of E3Expo.
"E3Expo is a trade-only event, established specifically as
a venue for the worldwide interactive entertainment community to showcase
new products and take care of business. With that said, we felt it
was important to be able to offer the millions of gamers out there
who support this industry a way to see what's going on at the show,
and E3Insider will do just that."
E3Insider will give consumers the ability to experience the excitement
of this exclusive trade-only event and get a feel for the trends being
seen and the products being showcased. The new site will capture the
show's action and excitement through interactive coverage, news from
exhibitor booths, interviews with industry professionals, video clips,
photo galleries and stories about the show.
In addition, E3Insider will feature daily sweepstakes, giving site
visitors a chance to win prizes including game consoles. Visitors
to the Web site will be given a look at some of the more than 1,350
never-before-seen computer and video game titles and related products
that will debut during the show's three days.
E3Expo is a trade event, not open to the general public. Only working
journalists with qualified media outlets will be eligible to register
for media badges. No one under the age of 18 will be admitted, including
infants. This policy is strictly enforced.
May 07 - Study Shows Tech Job Outlook
to Remain Soft in 2003. Research released today by the Information
Technology Association of America (ITAA) suggests that, failing a
dramatic turnaround in the national economy, a recovery in the tech
sector in 2003 will most likely continue to be a "jobless"
one.
The telephone survey of 400 hiring managers from IT and non-IT companies
nationwide found that predicted demand for hiring IT workers has reached
an historic low of only 493,000 positions over the next 12 months
- down from 1.6 million at the start of 2000 and less than one-half
of the predicted 1.1 million positions needed at the start of 2002.
Sixty-seven percent of those interviewed said they thought hiring
demand would stay the same or decline over the next twelve months.
Companies are also moving more positions overseas, with 12% of IT
companies and 3% of non-IT companies saying they have already opened
up overseas operations. Large IT companies were most likely to say
they've made this move - 22% have already moved work offshore. Additionally,
15% of IT firms say they will, or are undecided about, moving jobs
overseas in the next twelve months, while 4% of non-IT firms say the
same.
Sixty-seven percent of respondents already outsourcing IT work overseas
say that jobs most likely to be moved offshore are programming or
software engineering positions, followed by 37% moving network design,
and 30% moving web development jobs.
The ITAA annual survey placed the size of the U.S. IT workforce at
10.3 million, with hiring and terminations amounting to less-than-one-percent
growth during first quarter of 2003, with the IT workforce growing
by 86,000. While that is good news, it is below fourth quarter 2002
growth, which added 97,000 jobs, the slowest quarterly growth in 2002.
"If the demand for IT workers is an indicator of business growth,
our survey results are not encouraging," commented ITAA President
Harris N. Miller. "The fact that firms have dramatically scaled
back force reductions may indicate that they are properly staffed
to handle existing and new business. There are several bright points,
such as companies adding technical support workers at the highest
levels and the fact that most workers are not seeing pay cuts."
"We will closely monitor increased offshore activity to see
its impact on U.S. IT workers. This new phenomenon is a factor of
cost and the relative portability of IT products, and the increased
usage of broadband connections worldwide," Miller added.
Other key findings:
-- IT companies in the Midwest and West are most likely to send
jobs overseas.
-- Seventy four percent of companies say they have not changed
compensation for IT workers in the past twelve months. Of
companies taking action, only 8% lowered pay.
-- 91% of companies were able to meet or exceed their hiring
plans in 2002.
-- For non-IT companies, both hiring and terminations were down
roughly 25% in the last twelve months.
-- IT companies appear to be more likely to cute wages than
non-IT companies.
-- Reductions by IT companies were down almost 50% in the last
twelve months, while hiring was static.
For more information visit www.itaa.org.
May 07 - Millions of Workers Don't have
Access to Email. A study commissioned by Sendmail Inc., HP and
Intel has revealed that approximately 60% of employees are distanced
from headquarters, co-workers and customers because they do not have
access to email.
These "email exiles" include nurses, sales staff and warehouse
managers; workers that are "deskless" because of their job
function. They receive job-critical information (such as safety notices,
customer requests, schedules or policy guidelines) much later than
their "wired" counterparts. They have to communicate personal
Human Resources details by fax or mail. Many have no means of interacting
with headquarters or contributing to the corporate culture, other
than old-fashioned suggestion boxes or bulletin boards.
While a small number of companies surveyed (16%) use email, accessed
from mobile devices or kiosks, to communicate with deskless workers,
the vast majority (84%) still use more traditional methods such as
postal mail and inter-office memos. Of this group, even the most technologically
advanced only use one-way channels such as pagers or static Intranet
pages.
The study, conducted by King Research, involved in-depth interviews
with 44 companies in sectors having deskless workers, such as healthcare,
manufacturing, retail and hospitality. Interviewees included C-level
executives from enterprises with an average headcount of 25,000 employees.
"Everyone's heard of the digital divide, but what's surprising
is that it has widened so dramatically within enterprises that are
otherwise technologically advanced," said John Stormer, vice
president of marketing at Sendmail. "This study clearly shows
that while some corporate departments are using the latest enterprise
technologies, those on the front-line are reliant on nothing more
high-tech than water-cooler chats and notice boards in the corridor.
This is despite the fact that almost half of the interviewees (45%)
admitted that existing methods of communicating with deskless workers
are slow, inefficient and expensive."
A further 38% felt their communication was satisfactory but could
be improved. In fact, one company had five people dedicated purely
to posting hard copies of information to deskless employees.
"Email doesn't need to be universal but firms do need to ensure
they're not hindering their staff's productivity and performance by
excluding them," added Stormer. "According to the study,
some of these email exiles are highly trained, well paid staff who
are an untapped resource because they've been ex-communicated from
the rest of their organization."
For more information on Sendmail, Inc., visit its Web site at www.sendmail.com.
May 06 - Panasonic Ships Single-Pass
Color Laser Printers. Panasonic announces that it is shipping
its long-awaited WORKiO(R) Series of color laser printers. And this
is very good news for the small to mid-sized business (SMB) market,
where there has been a void of single-pass, color laser printers with
networking capability at a middle price point.
Series features four model configurations The new series, boasting
nearly 500 patent applications for its core technologies, comprises
four configurations - the KX-CL500, KX-CL500D, KX-CL510 and KX-CL510D
- each producing crisp output up to 1200x1200 dpi(1) true resolution.
While the base model KX-CL500 is a PCL(R)-based machine, the KX-CL510
also includes Adobe(R) PostScript(R) 3 with automatic emulation sensing
and switching, plus 128MB RAM. The KX-CL500D offers the same features
as the KX-CL500, plus 128MB RAM and auto duplex; the KX-CL510D has
the same features as the KX-CL510, plus auto duplex.
These units, which take up just 5,396 cubic inches of space and weigh
only 65.7 lbs., can be summed up in five words: affordable, fast,
high-performance, compact and reliable.
ARS, Inc. views KX-CL500 as "ideal replacement"
Born of Panasonic's marketing strategy to remove the barriers that
have kept small and mid-sized businesses from entering the color laser
market, these 17ppm(2), network-ready color laser printers (which
also print up to 21ppm monochrome) caught the attention of Chris Barnes,
director of research at ARS, Inc. ARS specializes in worldwide competitive
market intelligence and analysis.
According to Barnes, Panasonic's color laser printers address a major
barrier to color page printer adoption, i.e., b/w page cost. "At
an advertised 1.54 cents per page, the KX-CL500 Series equals the
operating cost of other leading monochrome-only workgroup solutions,"
Barnes said. "Extremely competitive operating costs make the
KX-CL500 an ideal replacement for existing monochrome workgroup devices."
Middle price point targets SMB
Pricing for the KX-CL500 Series (which in some cases may cost less
than the network monochrome printer it replaces) starts at $1,599
estimated retail price(3). Gary Bailer, Panasonic Digital Document
Company's strategic planning manager, said the KX-CL500 Series fills
a longstanding price void.
"The average retail price of a color laser printer ranges from
$700 for single-user, four-pass printing up to $2,500 for network-user,
single-pass printing," Bailer said. "Until now, there were
no one-pass color laser printers available at the middle price point.
The KX-CL500 Series fills that price gap, while offering performance
comparable to that of higher priced offerings."
According to Bailer, the total cost of ownership for the KX-CL500
Series represents a significant saving over comparable color printers,
making it an overall price-performance leader.
For more information, visit www.panasonic.com/office.
May 06 - Canon Announces
New Digital Camera and Photo Printers. Canon U.S.A., Inc., a subsidiary
of Canon Inc. (NYSE: CAJ), is announcing the world's smallest and
lightest digital ELPH camera.
The new PowerShot SD100, with its ultra-compact size and new white-platinum
finish crafted in stainless steel, represents the ultimate in portability,
durability and elegance. Now, more than ever, consumers can easily
and securely carry their ELPH digital camera everywhere they go, and
with 3.2 megapixels they are assured the highest quality images for
making prints as large as 8.5x11-inches.
The size of the PowerShot SD100 was made possible through the process
of miniaturization, beginning with its new optical lens design so
small it can literally hide under a U.S. dime, to the extremely small
built-in flash unit and new condensed battery. In addition, the PowerShot
SD100 is the first Canon digital camera to exclusively record all
images to a Secure Digital (SD) Memory card, allowing even further
miniaturization of the camera for greater portability.
And a new waterproof housing for the PowerShot SD100 even allows photographs
to be taken up to 130 feet underwater.
Canon is also announcing two new dye-sublimation printers which are
approximately 40 percent smaller and 13 percent lighter than current
models in the line. The Canon Card Photo Printer CP-200 / CP-300 dye-sub
printers allow users to create extremely high quality color prints
directly from any current model PowerShot camera with the use of a
USB cable.
Three different sized prints from miniature stickers to wallets to
4x6-inch are possible with the new printers. The CP-300, with its
optional battery pack and compact size, makes creating beautiful color
prints fast and simple from wherever the photographs themselves are
created. The combination of PowerShot SD100 and CP-300 takes the entire
photographic process and puts it in your suitcase, or briefcase.
PowerShot SD100 Digital ELPH
The PowerShot SD100 Digital ELPH is approximately 15% smaller in
volume and 8% lighter than the current PowerShot S230 model. The new
SD100 offers the same high quality features and functions as the S230
including Canon's exclusive DIGIC Image Processor which helps achieve
higher picture quality and improves existing camera features, most
notably its ability to capture up to 3 minutes of video at resolutions
up to 640 x 480 pixels.
In addition, the new camera uses Canon's exclusive iSAPS technology
to enhance the speed and performance of the camera's autofocus, auto
exposure and auto white balance functions while a 9-point AiAF autofocus
system makes focusing quick and easy, even with off-center subjects.
Card Photo Printers CP-200 / CP-300
Canon's two new printers which are smaller and lighter than any dye-sub
models previously available allows users to create color prints up
to postcard size (approx. 4 x 6 inches) directly from select Canon
digital cameras, including the new PowerShot SD100 Digital ELPH, and
the recently introduced EOS 10D digital SLR.
Using the CP-300 printer's optional battery pack, prints can be
made literally anywhere without the need for AC power, making it truly
portable and lots of fun at any gathering. In addition, users have
a choice of bordered or borderless prints in three print sizes: wallet,
4x6-inch and mini-stickers. Both printers are compatible with DPOF
(Digital Print Order Format) to facilitate batch printing, e-mail
transfers, and print ordering through online photo labs.
Underwater Housing Certified to 130 Feet
Canon is adding a new underwater housing to its existing line for
use with the PowerShot SD100 and has been tested and certified to
depths of up to 130 feet. The new housing is equipped with a flash
diffusion plate for softer, more evenly illuminated light and the
front lens glass is constructed in two separate layers to prevent
fogging when submerged under water.
Pricing and availability of the PowerShot SD100, CP-200 and CP-300
printers will be announced at a later date.
For more information, visit www.usa.canon.com.
May 06 - IBM Scientists
Create World's Smallest Solid-state Light Emitter. IBM today announced
it created the world's smallest solid-state light emitter. This research
breakthrough - the first, electrically-controlled, single-molecule
light emitter - demonstrates the rapidly improving understanding of
molecular devices.
The results also suggest that the unique attributes of carbon nanotubes
may be applicable to optoelectronics, which is the basis for the high-speed
communications industry.
IBM's previous work on the electrical properties of carbon nanotubes
has helped establish carbon nanotubes as a top candidate to replace
silicon when current chip features can't be made any smaller. Carbon
nanotubes are tube-shaped molecules that are 50,000 times thinner
than an average human hair. IBM scientists expect today's achievement
to spark additional research and interest in the use of carbon nanotubes
in nanoscale electronic and photonic (light-based) devices.
"By further understanding the electrical properties of carbon
nanotubes through their light emission, IBM is accelerating the development
path for their electronic applications, as well as possible optical
applications," said Dr. Phaedon Avouris, manager of nanoscale
science, IBM Research. "Nanotube light emitters have the potential
to be built in arrays or integrated with carbon nanotube or silicon
electronic components, opening new possibilities in electronics and
optoelectronics."
IBM's research team detected light with a wavelength of 1.5 micrometers,
which is particularly valuable because it is the wavelength widely
used in optical communications. Nanotubes with different diameters
could generate light with different wavelengths used in other applications.
For more information about IBM's nanotechnology research projects:
www.research.ibm.com/pics/nanotech.
May 06 - DISH Network to Add HDNet, HDNet
Movies. EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) and
its DISH Network(TM), a leading provider of satellite television entertainment
services, announced today an agreement to offer customers this summer
two new high definition TV networks, HDNet and HDNet Movies.
EchoStar Chairman and CEO Charles Ergen and HDNet Co-founder and
President Mark Cuban are making the announcement at DISH Network's
annual Team Summit satellite TV retailer conference here where more
than 3,000 attendees gathered for seminars and workshops about new
DISH Network products and services.
HDNet and HDNet Movies will be available to customers using DISH
Network's new SuperDish, unveiled to satellite TV retailers today.
The SuperDish, an elliptical 66-centimeter dish, is capable of offering
customers access to hundreds of popular DISH Network channels, local
channels in new markets, HDTV channels and international programming.
The SuperDish is capable of receiving satellite signals from three
orbital locations.
"DISH Network is enriching the home theater experience everywhere
by delivering more HD sports, movies and special events like those
offered by HDNet," said Ergen. "By developing the capability
for SuperDish to provide up to 50 HD channels, DISH Network will offer
consumers a more superior alternative to the dominant cable companies."
DISH Network will announce pricing and packaging for HDNet and HDNet
Movies when they are made available to DISH Network customers this
summer.
"With HDNet and HDNet Movies, DISH Network customers will be
able to enjoy great original programming, sports, award-winning movies,
timely news, features and documentaries, all in 1080i -- the highest
possible resolution," said Cuban. "HDNet offers more original
programming produced in 1080i HD than any other network, and we are
pleased to be working with EchoStar and its new SuperDish to bring
a new level of entertainment to DISH Network subscribers 24 hours
a day, seven days a week."
HDNet features a variety of HDTV programming, including live sports,
sitcoms, dramas, action series, documentaries, travel programs, music
concerts and shows, special events, and news features including the
popular HDNet World Report.
HDNet Movies delivers full-length feature films transferred from
35mm to high-definition, including titles from an extensive library
of Warner Bros. films and more than 250 blockbuster theatrical hits
from Sony Pictures Television. HDNet Movies features a mix of theatrical
releases, made-for-TV movies, independent films and shorts.
HDNet and HDNet Movies will be added to DISH Network's existing HDTV
lineup of Discovery Theater HD, HBO, Showtime, CBS and a pay-per-view
movie channel.
For more information on DISH Network, visit www.dishnetwork.com.
May 06 - Pinkerton Releases 2003 US Top
Security Threats Results. Workplace violence continues to be a
leading concern for American businesses, according to Pinkerton Consulting
& Investigations' tenth annual survey of Fortune 1000 corporate
security professionals.
"The survey was conducted during a period of heightened security
awareness and increasing threats of terrorism and violence. It is
not surprising that workplace violence, business interruption, internet
security and terrorism are the leading threats," commented Don
Walker, CPP, Pinkerton's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "World
events and economic conditions have had a dramatic influence on their
security concerns."
The study, "Top Security Threats and Management Issues Facing
Corporate America," was made possible by the participation of
Fortune 1000 security professionals and their responses to a detailed
questionnaire. The following top 10 security threats were identified
in rank order:
1.Workplace Violence
2. Business Interruption/Continuity Planning
3. Internet/Intranet Security
4. Terrorism (Global and Domestic)
5. Employee Selection/Screening Concerns
6. Fraud/White-Collar Crime
7. General Employee Theft
8. Unethical Business Conduct
9. Drugs/Alcohol in the Workplace
10. Identity Theft
Workplace Violence has held first place for the last five years and
has ranked first or near the top of the list in each of Pinkerton's
previous surveys. The total costs associated with workplace violence
are estimated at $36 billion annually and effects over two million
Americans every year.
"The economy has had a major impact on corporations and their
workforce this past year," said Ray O'Hara, CPP, Vice President
Western Region for Pinkerton Consulting & Investigations and an
expert on workplace violence. "Many industries have been hit
hard with public scandals, bankruptcies, closures and layoffs. These
factors can contribute to poor attitudes or potential hostilities
among the workforce. The best prevention is through education and
training to help recognize the signs of workplace violence early."
"Some of the operational challenges of the greatest concern
to management identified in the survey include, tight or reduced budgets,
justifying the effectiveness of security programs, and keeping up
with technological advances," stated Nazzareno Paciotti, President
of Pinkerton Consulting & Investigations. "Security professionals
are looking to implement the most cost effective solutions to help
mitigate their risks."
For more information, please visit www.ci-pinkerton.com.
May 06 - Archos Ships Video AV120 Handheld
Digital Recording Solution. Archos, the leading innovator of personal
handheld entertainment solutions and data storage peripherals, today
announced the immediate availability of the Archos Video AV120 at
major retailers throughout North America and Archos.com.
Smaller than most PDA devices, the Video AV120 makes it a snap to
record and play up to 40 hours of digital MPEG-4 video on the fly.
With its user-friendly interface and sleek design, the Video AV120
stands alone as the first no-compromise portable digital recording
device of its kind. Like its predecessor, the award-winning Jukebox
Multimedia 20, the AV120 combines popular entertainment features such
as complete MP4 and MP3 capabilities, a color display for viewing
digital video and pictures, and a voice recorder with the added benefit
of a whopping 20GB USB 2.0 hard drive and ingenious accessories.
"We've leveraged years of technological expertise to develop
this remarkable product and nothing on the market today comes close
to offering the awesome features of our Video AV120," said Albert
Hakim, president, Archos Inc.
"We expect this product to be a big hit with anyone looking
to fuse their portable entertainment needs with the most advanced
technology available. Offering a variety of accessories, the Video
AV120 has all the bells and whistles you could need -- camcorder,
digital camera, MP3 player, FM tuner and recorder, storage media and
for the first time direct digital video recording capabilities --
all in a svelte package that fits in the palm of your hand."
Innovative accessories increase functionality of Video AV120
So customers can affordably extend the capabilities of the Video
AV120, Archos has developed an array of add-on modules.
-- Digital Video Recorder -- Record up to 40 hours of video
directly from a TV, Video player or camcorder in VHS quality
and MP3 stereo sound. Once the MP4 video files are stored in
the unit, users can play and view this video anywhere they
want via the built-in color LCD, or just as easily through any
TV or PC.
-- Camera 100 (1.3 Megapixal) -- Unique combination of MP4
camcorder and digital still camera: within seconds users can
change the functionality of the Camera 100 from camcorder to a
still camera to record up to 40 hours of video or 200,000
photos.
-- FM Tuner & Remote Control -- Handy remote easily clips onto
shirt pockets and offers an FM tuner with complete recording
capabilities and an LCD screen for quick access to song lists.
-- Memory Card Readers -- Downloading pictures from a digital
camera and creating a portable photo album has never been
easier than with these memory card readers available in the
following formats: CompactFlash (type I and II), SmartMedia,
MultimediaCard and Memory Stick.
Pricing, Availability & Warranty
The Archos Video AV120 is currently available at leading retailers
and Archos.com for $399.95. The optional accessories will be available
at www.archos.com at the following prices:
Digital Video Recorder $59.95, Camera 100 $99.95, FM Tuner $49.95,
and Memory Card Readers, Compact Flash $29.95, Memory Stick &
MultimediaCard-in-one $29.95, and SmartMedia $29.95.
May 06 - AT&T Wireless Launches Trade-Up
Program for BlackBerry Handheld Users. AT&T Wireless (NYSE:AWE)
announced today that it has launched a flexible buy-back and leasing
program designed to encourage individuals with older Blackberry Handhelds(TM),
operating on networks other than AT&T Wireless, to upgrade to
newer models running on AT&T Wireless' next-generation GSM(TM)/GPRS
network.
Designed to help customers protect their investment, this program
affords businesses the opportunity to trade-in their older device
and purchase, or lease, a BlackBerry 6210 or 6710 from AT&T Wireless,
facilitated by an aggressive trade-in credit. The company said that
its BlackBerry portfolio offers a number of significant advantages
over older models running on proprietary networks, including integrated
voice and data services, international roaming capabilities, text
messaging, web browsing, increased memory, and high-speed wireless
connectivity.
This program is now available for individuals or corporations using
BlackBerry Handheld models 850, 857, 950, or 957. These users are
eligible to receive between $40 and $200 in credit toward the purchase,
or lease, of a BlackBerry 6710 or 6210 from AT&T Wireless when
coupled with a service plan.
"By providing customers with the flexibility of purchasing or
leasing, coupled with a trade-in credit for their older devices, customers
can now easily migrate from their less robust, proprietary BlackBerry
service to GSM/GPRS -- the global, gold standard in wireless technology
and service," said Andre Dahan, president of AT&T Wireless
Mobile Multimedia Services.
"Customers benefit from our high-speed wireless voice and data
network, and can stay connected to their information on one, simple
device that can be used domestically and internationally. This program
is specifically designed to provide a clear path for customers looking
to upgrade to the most current technology platform and the best-in-class
wireless voice and data services in the U.S."
Additional details about AT&T Wireless' BlackBerry solutions
can be found at www.attwireless.com/blackberry.
May 06 - EA's Command & Conquer Generals
No. 1 PC Game. Command & Conquer(TM) Generals, from Electronic
Arts (Nasdaq:ERTS), has taken the market by storm claiming victory
at retail outlets nationwide for two consecutive months. The modern
warfare-based game has been ranked the No. 1 selling PC game for February
and March, according to NPD Group/NPD TechWorld.
Command & Conquer Generals drops players in the center of global
warfare where they are challenged to become a powerful general and
control massive armies with cutting-edge military weaponry. The game
features three unique sides -- the mighty U.S. Forces, the Chinese
war machine and the resourceful Global Liberation Army - each with
customizable high-tech arsenals ready to deliver unprecedented firepower
on land or in the skies. Battles unfold in a graphically rich 3D environment
where players can engage online with up to eight friends, jump into
intense head-to-head multiplayer mayhem or go it alone against the
computer.
"We're thrilled to see Command & Conquer Generals still
flying off store shelves two months into the launch of the game,"
said Chip Lange, vice president of marketing at Electronic Arts. "Based
on the game's No. 1 sales ranking, Command & Conquer Generals
definitely has earned itself 'must buy' status for real-time strategy
enthusiasts."
"The Command & Conquer Generals development team created
a graphically stunning modern warfare experience with deep, challenging
gameplay that clearly resonated with consumers," said Mark Skaggs,
executive producer at Electronic Arts. "We're excited at how
well the product has been received and are inspired to outdo ourselves
in developing the next chapter in the Command & Conquer series."
The Command & Conquer(TM) game series has sold more than 21 million
units worldwide over the life of the franchise. More information on
Command & Conquer Generals including the online features of the
product can be found at http://generals.ea.com.
May 05 - HP Delivers Reliable,
Affordable Wireless Notebook. HP (NYSE:HPQ) today announced the
HP Compaq Business Notebook nx9010, a notebook PC that incorporates
proven, reliable technologies and optional wireless connectivity to
allow mobile professionals at small- and medium-sized businesses to
increase productivity at an affordable price.
The new notebook PC offers the latest in wireless connectivity through
optional integrated 54g wireless LAN (local area network) technology.
It is designed to work with new wireless networks based on the draft
802.11g specification as well as existing 802.11b wireless networks.
By choosing to integrate 54g integrated wireless into the nx9010
notebook, users can benefit from higher data transfer speeds with
broader coverage than current wireless specifications provide. Integrated
54g wireless makes the notebook ideal for business environments with
only one access point, enabling mobile customers to significantly
enhance their productivity from the office or while on the go.
The 54g wireless technology is also more secure since it was designed
to support the Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) standard, which provides
significant improvements in data protection on wireless networks.
The nx9010 notebook is planned to support the WPA standard through
a software update soon.
The HP Compaq Business Notebook nx9010 includes:
-- Intel Pentium(R) 4 and Intel Celeron processors
-- Large capacity 30-, 40-, 60- or 80-GB hard drives
-- Up to 1-GB 266-MHz DDR system memory
-- Choice of 14.1-inch XGA or 15-inch XGA and SXGA+ displays
-- Integrated 10/100 LAN, 56K V.92 Mini PCI modem and optional
802.11b or 54g
-- Eight cell lithium-ion battery
-- Fixed optical drive with CD, DVD, CD-RW or DVD/CD-RW
-- One Type II PC Card slot
-- User programmable instant launch keys, intuitive scroll pad,
touch pad with on/off button
-- One IEEE 1394 port, three USB 2.0 ports, S-Video connector,
port replicator connector
-- ATI Mobility Radeon graphics controller with 64-MB of DDR
SDRAM (shared with system memory)
Available immediately through authorized resellers, the HP Compaq
nx9010 with integrated 54g wireless LAN technology starts at an estimated
U.S. street price of $1,549.
More information about HP is available at www.hp.com.
May 05 - Addonics Announces
Serial ATA RAID Solution. Addonics Technologies today announced
a new Serial ATA RAID solution that brings high-availability and mirroring
to mainstream computers with support for Serial ATA's 150-Mbps transfer
rate.
The Addonics Combo RAID System is the most innovative RAID solution
for building a high availability or a high performance storage system
with the latest Serial ATA technology. It combines the flexibility
of the Addonics Combo Hard Drive and the built in RAID Level 0/1 function
of the new Serial ATA interface.
The Combo RAID System includes: two IDE-Serial ATA converters; one
Serial ATA PCI host controller with on-board RAID Level 0/1 support;
two Combo Hard Drive enclosures; and two Combo Hard Drive Desktop
Drive Cradles. The Combo RAID System (AERAID35SA) has a list price
of $169. Earlier this month Addonics announced a complete family of
high-speed Serial ATA storage solutions, which included SATA host
controllers, IDE/ATAPI conversion boards, and the first external hard
drive kits.
The Combo RAID System fits into two standard 5 1/4" drive bays
of any system and takes minutes to install. Because it's based on
the Addonics' Combo Hard Drive platform, users can use either hard
drive as an external hard drive when it is removed from the computer.
Users just need to attach to the back of the Combo Hard Drive enclosure
the optional Addonics USB 2.0, Firewire, External Serial ATA or CardBus/PCMCIA
interface cable, and they are now ready to transfer data to and from
the hard drives mounted in the Combo RAID System.
The Combo RAID System requires two free Serial ATA ports; two free
5 1/4" drive bays; minimum 32MB RAM; 10MB minimum free hard disk
space; and one of the following operating systems -- DOS, Windows
3.1, 95, NT 4.0, 98SE, Me, 2000 or XP. The Combo RAID System is immediately
available.
Visit Addonics at www.addonics.com.
May 05 - Kodak Introduces Kodak PLUSDigital
One-Time-Use Camera System. Eastman Kodak Company today announced
nationwide availability of its new Kodak PLUSDigital 35 mm one-time-use
camera system that gives consumers many of the benefits of digital
photography.
The Kodak PLUSDigital camera system offers consumers an easy and
inexpensive way to get digital pictures without a digital camera.
By providing consumers with their traditional prints plus their digital
pictures on a Kodak Picture CD, it allows an easy entry into digital
photography that offers the flexibility, convenience and quality of
Kodak's premium one-time-use camera.
"We know consumers want to share their pictures digitally but
they also want their prints. It is our goal to make digital easier
for every consumer, whether they want the ease-of-use of a single-use
camera or the sharing benefits associated with digital pictures,"
said Marc Gibeley, Vice President, New Products and Services, Consumer
Imaging, Kodak. "With PLUSDigital, consumers can enjoy the benefits
of both film and digital at the same time."
Consumers using the Kodak PLUSDigital one-time-use camera do not
have to change their photo behavior. They simply take the camera to
any retailer that offers Kodak premium processing and check the box
for "Prints Plus a CD." Each Kodak PLUSDigital camera is
processed using new Kodak Perfect Touch processing (where available),
which individually scans and corrects each picture to reveal more
vibrant colors, richer detail and fewer dark shadows--before the photos
are printed. Consumers then pick up their pictures and automatically
receive a Kodak Picture CD containing their digital images at no additional
charge. Now, they can easily share these memories with family and
friends, zoom and crop their pictures, and make additional prints.
According to the Photo Marketing Association, the popularity of digital
photography continues to grow - nearly 20 percent of American households
now own digital cameras. At the same time, a low percentage of these
households are using only digital suggesting that consumers are using
both film and digital to capture their memories. Consumers who enjoy
the benefits of digital technology incorporated in products like the
Kodak EasyShare system, still enjoy the ease and flexibility of one-time-use
cameras. In fact, another Photo Marketing Association study found
that more than 10 percent of consumers use one-time-use cameras exclusively.
Kodak PLUSDigital is available nationally and will retail for $9.99-$11.99
which includes the price of the Kodak Picture CD. There will be significant
marketing efforts to launch Kodak PLUSDigital, including a major national
television advertising campaign targeting adults beginning May 5th,
as well as a different advertising campaign and promotion targeting
teens around the back to school timeframe.
For additional information about Kodak, visit www.kodak.com.
May 05 - New Survey Unveils Email Users'
Perceptions and Behaviors Regarding Spam. Bigfoot Interactive,
the leading provider of strategic, ROI-focused email communication
solutions and marketing automation technologies, today announced the
results of its first nationwide survey on email.
The Bigfoot Interactive OmniTel telephone survey, conducted across
users with home Internet access by RoperASW, explores consumer perceptions,
behaviors and interests in regard to receiving, unsubscribing and
using email communications in the face of the escalating national
debate on "spam" - unsolicited bulk email.
According to the Bigfoot Interactive survey, the majority of email
users turned to the delete key as their preferred method of eliminating
all types of unwanted email, including both unsolicited and solicited.
However, the survey did uncover a greater percentage of consumers
using the block feature, setting a filter or clicking on "Report
Spam" or "This is Spam" buttons/links as their preferred
way of eliminating unwanted, unsolicited email sent without an existing
business relationship in comparison to that of other types of email
communications.
In addition, email users expressed clear email and inbox preferences
to further distinguish critical requested email communications from
other types of emails received.
Survey highlights include:
Email Users Take More Aggressive Actions To Stop Unwanted, Unsolicited
Email
-- While in all instances "Delete" is the most preferred
method for eliminating all types of unwanted email, a
significantly greater percentage of email users indicated
the use of the block feature, setting a filter or using
the "Report Spam" or "This is Spam" button/link
for
unsolicited email without an existing business
relationship compared to other types of emails.
-- The highest use of new spam reporting tools like the
"Report Spam" or "This is Spam" button/link as
a preferred
method to eliminate unwanted email occurred with
unsolicited pornography (4.8%). In addition, women were
nearly twice as likely to use the "Report Spam" or "This
is Spam" button/link (6.2% women vs. 3.4% men) or set a
filter against pornography (6.1% women vs. 3.1% men). The
lowest preferred use for such tools was for unwanted
marketing or promotional messaging that was originally
requested (permission-based) (0.8%).
-- 79% of email users agreed that their ISP or email service
provider should treat unsolicited email containing
pornography differently than other types of unsolicited
email.
Email Users Distrust Unsubscribe Process
-- 57.7% of respondents agreed that attempting to unsubscribe
from unwanted emails has resulted in receiving additional
unwanted email.
-- 89.7% of respondents agreed that they would prefer that
their ISP or email service provider include an unsubscribe
option that would safely remove them from email lists.
"False Positive" Concerns Persist
-- 38.2% of respondents agreed that they recently have not
received a requested email sent to them by a trusted
source (such as a friend, family member or company with
which they have a business relationship).
-- 28.6% of respondents agreed that a requested communication
from a trusted source was delivered to a junk mail folder.
High Interest In Separate Folders and Guaranteed Delivery
-- 52.3% of respondents agreed that they would prefer to have
billing alerts and critical service-oriented emails sent
to a separate folder.
-- 50.4% of respondents agreed that they would subscribe to a
free service that guaranteed the delivery of critical
communications such as billing alerts.
"The continued growth of spam is a serious concern for the entire
interactive community," said Al DiGuido, CEO of Bigfoot Interactive.
"This survey reinforces the call for ISPs, email account providers,
marketers, legislators and also consumers to band together in a concerted,
cohesive effort to eliminate spam and improve the overall email user
experience. In addition, the survey also demonstrates an enormous
need for consumer education in the marketplace so that consumers can
better distinguish and appropriately respond to different types of
unwanted email communications."
DiGuido continued: "In revealing consumers' overwhelming demand
that unsolicited email containing pornography should be treated differently
by ISPs compared to other types of email, the survey points to a clear
need for the federal government to include provisions in legislation
specific to unsolicited email containing pornography. Proposed legislation
under consideration on Capital Hill falls short of consumers' expectations
in this case."
Bigfoot Interactive (www.bigfootinteractive.com)
is the leading provider of strategic, ROI-focused email communication
solutions and marketing automation technologies.
May 05 - Port Magic Eliminates Complexity
of Home Networking for Online Gamers. Pure Networks, Inc., a Seattle-based
company dedicated to creating software and services that make home
networking easy, useful and secure for everyone, today announced the
worldwide availability of Port Magic 1.0.
Port Magic takes the complexity out of playing Internet multiplayer
games like Counter-Strike, Battlefield(TM) 1942, Warcraft(R) III,
and Everquest(R) by automatically configuring a user's Internet gateway
to enable them to connect with friends and fellow players.
"Most gamers spend hours trying to make their games work with
their home network," said Steve Bush, President and CEO of Pure
Networks. "With the release of Port Magic, it's never been easier
to play your favorite games online -- with no worries about your network
configuration and security."
Key features of Port Magic include:
-- Automatically manages port forwarding settings on the most
popular Internet gateways so gamers can spend more time gaming
-- Notifies users when applications are trying to access the
Internet through a simple, "instant messaging" style interface
-- Ensures the security of the home network by automatically
closing ports when the user is done playing a game
-- Works with existing games -- nothing special required!
Pricing, Availability and Support
Port Magic 1.0 is available for users of Microsoft(R) Windows(R)
98, Windows 98 SE, Windows ME, Windows 2000, and Windows XP. For a
limited time, customers can purchase Port Magic 1.0 for $39.99 from
www.purenetworks.com/portmagic/
(connect time charges may apply). Customers can also download a fully
functional 14-day free trial version of Port Magic 1.0 for evaluation.
For more information, visit the company's website at www.purenetworks.com.
May 04 - Sunday Shopping
Watch.
Best Sunday Deals - See our Best Sunday
Ad Deals Table below for specific system prices.
Weekly Comparison. This is another very good
week to go out and buy computers and peripherals e.g. you can get;
an emachines 2.2 Celeron system for under $400, new NVidia GeForce
FX video cards for $99, and AMD Athlon XP desktops at significant
discounts.
All stores are heavily advertising and there are many items on sale.
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 now offering 3 months of AOL with any desktop or laptop
purchase. They are also offering $100 mail-in rebates on all desktop
packages, $150 mail-in rebates on all laptops; and 18 month no-interest
financing.
Circuit City is offering
12 months no-interest financing and $100-$200 mail-in rebates on all
laptops and desktop packages.
Office
Depot
has 6 months no payment, no interest financing on purchases of $299
and higher.
CompUSA has 12 months no payment,
no interest financing on desktop computer purchases of $599 and higher,
and $100 mail-in rebate on all Intel Celeron processor laptops.
Staples has no store-wide promotions
this Sunday.
Compare
to Online Prices - Compare the Sunday ad prices to
those being offered at DealTime, it searches over 160 online computer
stores.
InfoHQ Related Shopping Pages
Shopping Alerts
- Our latest shopping advisories on buying digital cameras and camcorders,
desktop computers, laptops, and other computer items.
Windows XP
Upgrade Guide - All about upgrading to Windows XP.
What You Need to Know
About Dial-up Internet Service Rebates - The pros and cons of
'free' Internet service deals.
Definitions. A complete desktop system/package/complete
package is defined as a computer with monitor and printer
or scanner.
A build-to-order system is customized at the retailer
and then ordered from a computer manufacturer. In addition to the
computer's stated price, you still pay sales tax and shipping charges
(if you order direct from the vendor without going through the chain
store, you may not have to pay sales tax and you could get a better
warranty).
Caution about advertised prices.
When reading advertisements, read the fine print of the ad to make
sure you know what is being advertised and what it cost. For example,
many advertisers will show a complete system with computer, monitor,
and printer but advertise a price for the computer only.
* Prices discussed in this article. We report
prices after rebates and discounts are subtracted.
Items highlighted in Black are good deals.
Items highlighted in Red means prices have
gone up and the system is not a good buy this week.
Items in normal text means prices are about the same as the previous
weeks.
|
Best Sunday Ad Deals
|
|
Category
|
Product Description
|
Price* (see above)
|
Prices up or Down this Week
|
Store
|
|
1. Best Celeron
Deal
|
emachines 2.2 GHz complete system
|
$369
|
-$130
|
Circuit City
|
|
2. Best Celeron
Deal
|
HP 2.3 GHz complete system
|
$629
|
|
Circuit City
|
|
1. Best High-end Pentium 4 System
|
Sony 2.53 GHz complete system with 15"
flat panel and DVD-RW
|
$1229
|
-
|
Circuit City
|
|
2. Best High-end Pentium 4 System
|
HP 2.66 GHz Media Center PC complete
system
|
$1949
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
3. Best High-end Pentium 4 System
|
HP 3.06 GHz with Hyper-Threading Technology
and 15" flat panel
|
$2149
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
1. Best AMD Athlon XP System
|
Compaq 2200+ complete system (build-to-order)
|
$545
|
|
Office Depot
|
|
2. Best AMD Athlon XP System
|
Compaq 2400+ complete system
|
$699
|
-$200
|
Best Buy
|
|
3. Best AMD Athlon XP System
|
HP 2600+ complete system
|
$799
|
-$300
|
Best Buy
|
|
1. Best Low-cost Laptop
|
Compaq Celeron 1.8 GHz with DVD/CD-RW
|
$749
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
2. Best Low-cost Laptop
|
Toshiba Celeron 1.8 GHz with DVD/CD-RW
|
$899
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
3. Best Low-cost Laptop
|
Toshiba Celeron 2 GHz with DVD/CD-RW
|
$1049
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
1. Best High-end Laptop
|
Toshiba 2.4 GHz Pentium 4-M with DVD/CD-RW
|
$1249
|
-$50
|
Best Buy
|
|
2. Best High-end Laptop
|
Toshiba 1.4 GHz Centrino with DVD/CD-RW
|
$1899
|
|
CompUSA
|
|
4. Best High-end Notebook
|
Toshiba 2.4 GHz Pentium 4-M with DVD-RW
|
$1799
|
+$150
|
CompUSA
|
|
|
|
Peripherals
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Maxtor 7200 RPM 80 GB hard drive with
8 MB buffer
|
$69
(after rebates)
|
|
CompUSA
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
PNY Verto GeForce FX 5200 128 MB
|
$99
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Best Buy, CompUSA
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
PNY Verto GeForce FX 5200 Ultra 128 MB
|
$159
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Circuit City
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Asylum GeForce FX 5200 Ultra 128 MB
|
$179
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Maxtor 7200 RPM 250 GB hard drive with
8 MB buffer
|
$229
(after rebates)
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Western Digital 7200 RPM 120 GB hard
drive with 8 MB buffer
|
$99
(after rebates)
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
TDK 4X DVD-RW
|
$219
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Circuit City
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Sony 52X CD-RW
|
$69
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Circuit City
|
|
|
Additional Information. For additional technical
information, advice on how to buy a laptop or desktop, and vendor
and manufacturer links, please see our Computer
Buying Advice page.
About Sunday Shopping Watch. Sunday Shopping
Watch appears every Sunday (except some holidays like Easter and Christmas)
in our News and Rumors column. It is a review of local (Dayton, Ohio)
computer chain store advertisements. While we can not guarantee your
local chain store has the same items, this article can help you make
informed buying decisions.
May 02 - NVIDIA Extends NVIDIA
nForce Platform into Professional Workstation Market. NVIDIA Corporation
(Nasdaq: NVDA), the worldwide leader in visual processing solutions,
today introduced NVIDIA nForce™3 Professional, the Company’s
first single-chip, core-logic solution for professional computing
environments.
Optimized for the new 64-bit AMD Opteron™ processor,
NVIDIA nForce3 Professional platform processors provide a compatible,
stable, and reliable computing platform for professional workstation
users who wish to exploit the benefits of both 32-bit and 64-bit computing
environments. In addition, all NVIDIA platform processors take advantage
of the NVIDIA Unified Driver Architecture—NVIDIA’s “one
driver for all platforms” design philosophy—which greatly
simplifies IT deployment and enhance low-cost product life cycle management.
“Professional users demand compatibility, stability and reliability
from their workstation platforms—features that NVIDIA has been
providing for years with their NVIDIA Quadro® family of professional
graphics solutions,” said Dr. Jon Peddie, president of Jon Peddie
Research, the leading multimedia market research firm.
“The launch today of the NVIDIA nForce3 Professional workstation
solution is an important milestone in transitioning professional users
to more efficient and faster computing platforms and should extend
the company’s leadership position in the professional computing
market, which we forecast to be over 2 million units in 2003.”
Designed for professional computing environments, the NVIDIA nForce3
Professional platform processors incorporate advanced technology solutions,
including enterprise-class networking, fault tolerant storage designs,
and optimizations for NVIDIA Quadro workstation graphics solutions—which
are currently supported by an industry-leading selection of certified
software applications.
All NVIDIA nForce3 Professional-based systems and motherboards utilize
the NVIDIA Unified Driver Architecture (UDA), a single stable system
image for simplified deployment and upgrades in the enterprise environment.
The NVIDIA commitment to product longevity further ensures IT investment
protection. NVIDIA is partnering with ASUSTek Computer Inc, a world
leader in motherboard engineering and design, to bring NVIDIA nForce3
Professional-based motherboards to the market.
“Workstations based on AMD Opteron processors will provide the
performance and scalability required by customers with even the most
demanding applications. NVIDIA’s expertise in platform design
and HyperTransport(TM) technology will help ensure AMD Opteron processors
are adopted rapidly in a variety of industries, including design,
engineering and animation,” said Rich Heye, vice president and
general manager of AMD’s Microprocessor Business Unit.
“The features, performance and software support provided by
NVIDIA’s new NVIDIA nForce3 Professional platform processors
will help provide optimized 32-bit application performance, and spur
the migration to the power of 64-bit computing.”
NVIDIA nForce3 Professional-based motherboards are currently sampling
to workstation system integrators worldwide. For more information,
visit the Company’s Web site at www.nvidia.com.
May 02 - America Online Launchs
New Premium Virus Protection Service. America Online, Inc., the
world's leading interactive services company, and McAfee(R) Security
Consumer, a business unit of Network Associates(R), Inc. (NYSE: NET),
today announced a new, comprehensive premium virus protection service
to help AOL members guard against thousands of known viruses, trojans,
and worms, as well as new threats that may arise.
Available now, McAfee VirusScan Online - Brought to you by AOL offers
easy-to-use virus protection that enables AOL members to have an even
safer and more secure online experience. Always on guard and always
up to date, the McAfee Security premium service provides AOL members
with comprehensive, PC-based protection that guards files against
infection or corruption whether the member is online or not.
A recent online survey shows that three-quarters (75%) of respondents
are open to Internet threats because they either do not have or do
not update anti-virus software on a weekly basis. In addition, while
over 100 million American adults have computers hooked up to the Internet
at home, only half of computer-equipped households use anti-virus
software, according to recent studies.
The new premium anti-virus service provides users with a desktop
solution that goes beyond email protection and helps to guard against
infection from peer-to-peer file sharing, Web site downloads, infected
CD-ROMs and disks, multi-media files, and more.
Jeff Kimball, Vice President of Product Marketing at America Online,
Inc., said: "Every month, about 250 new computer viruses are
created, so up-to-date virus protection is critical. This is especially
true for broadband users, who spend even more time online. We're delighted
to be working with McAfee, the most trusted name in virus protection,
to offer AOL members this always on, always up to date premium offering.
" This comprehensive new service can help protect a member's
PC whether they're surfing the Net and download a song with a virus,
a family member sends a photograph that's corrupted, or a small-office
user is given a CD-ROM with an infected file. In keeping with AOL's
hallmark ease-of-use, AOL members will also receive regular and automatic
updates every time they sign onto AOL - providing the peace-of-mind
of knowing they're always protected, while freeing them from the burden
of manually downloading anti-virus upgrades themselves."
At launch, McAfee VirusScan Online - Brought to you by AOL is available
to AOL members for $2.95 a month. For a limited time, new and existing
AOL members can try the premium virus protection service for a no-cost,
one-month introductory period. To sign up or to learn more, AOL members
can visit AOL Keyword: VirusScan Online.
May 02 - Belkin Announces New Powerline
Adapter Products. Belkin Corporation, the leading manufacturer
of connectivity solutions, today presents two new additions to its
growing line of networking products-the Powerline USB Adapter and
Powerline Ethernet Adapter. The Powerline USB Adapter (F5D4050 - ESP
$79.99) and Powerline Ethernet Adapter (F5D4070 - ESP $79.99) both
offer easy ways to set up all computers in the home for sharing resources
by utilizing existing 110-volt electrical wiring. Both will begin
shipping in North America on June 1, 2003.
The Belkin Powerline USB Adapter adds networking capability to any
USB-equipped laptop or desktop by connecting from a laptop or desktop
to a powerline network with a simple, Plug-and-Play connection. The
Belkin Powerline Ethernet Adapter installs with a simple connection
through the computer's Ethernet port to give you all the benefits
of networking. To avoid network disruption and powerline noise, both
Adapters use PowerPacket-hopping frequencies that maintain network
connections.
In utilizing the 110-volt electrical wiring to connect all computers
to create a network, both Adapters eliminate the need to run cabling
between computers. Simply plug the Adapter into an available wall
outlet and connect it using the included cable to an available port
on the computer. Using eithe
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