May 07 -AMD Athlon 64 Processor Powers Cinema-Quality Entertainment
for the Living Room. At WinHEC this week, AMD (NYSE:AMD) is
showcasing media center PCs built by Shuttle, ZT Group International,
and First International Computer, Inc. (FIC) featuring the AMD
Athlon(TM) 64 processor.
The media center PCs offer consumers a breadth of features to
manage audio and video home entertainment, and are quiet and sized
to integrate into the living room. With Cool'n'Quiet(TM) technology,
the AMD Athlon 64 processor enables computers to run cooler and
quieter so consumers can enjoy a cinema-quality entertainment
experience.
"AMD continues to drive innovative technologies like Cool'n'Quiet
technology, which provide consumers a better home entertainment
experience," said Marty Seyer, vice president and general
manager, Microprocessor Business Unit, AMD. "The AMD Athlon
64 processor packs high performance for multimedia applications,
enabling consumers to enjoy their favorite movies or music from
a central, PC-based media center housed in their living rooms."
AMD's Cool'n'Quiet technology is a system-level feature of the
AMD Athlon 64 processor that is designed to automatically lower
system power consumption when maximum processor performance is
not needed. When a system consumes less power, it can run cooler
and require less work from the fan, resulting in a quieter system
for the user.
"FIC has designed innovative PC-based consumer devices powered
by the AMD Athlon 64 processor and we have created a range of
products to effectively manage all multimedia in your home,"
said Alex Mei, global marketing manager, FIC. "These systems
integrate radio and MP3 players, a DVD player and a personal digital
video recorder into a very small, appealing design."
"Shuttle XPCs have always been incredibly popular for do-it-yourself
media center systems," said Cameron Rogers, director of marketing,
Shuttle. "With the launch of Shuttle System Solutions, media
center solutions like the powerful AMD Athlon 64 processor-based
G4 8500 are available for the first time as a complete system
directly from Shuttle."
"ZT Group is one of the pioneers in delivering media center
systems based on the AMD Athlon 64 FX-53 processor. ZT's new generation
of media center will provide customers the ability to have 'Instant
On' capabilities on Wifi Stereo and DVD playback for the best
experience in video editing and TV recording," said Frank
Chang, president, ZT Group International. "The system gives
consumers all of the power they need without the noise, making
it a perfect device for the living room."
Systems demonstrated at WinHEC are available for purchase from
the manufacturers.
May 07 - Micron Technology, Inc., Responds
to Antitrust Lawsuit. Micron Technology, Inc., (NYSE:MU) responded
to a lawsuit announced today by Rambus against various DRAM manufacturers,
including Infineon Technologies, Hynix Semiconductor, Siemens
AG and Micron Technology. Micron said it had not seen the suit
but stated it would defend any lawsuit vigorously.
"Micron builds products to meet the demands of its customers,"
noted Dave Parker, Micron's Director of Corporate Communications.
"Rambus failed in the marketplace because of excessive manufacturing
costs and minimal RDRAM demand. Several memory manufacturers,
including the world's largest, continue to produce RDRAM products
sufficient to meet its limited, worldwide market demand. It is
unfortunate that Rambus is trying to blame the market failure
of its RDRAM technology on others, like Micron, who ultimately
responded to marketplace demands."
"We believe Rambus is attempting to deflect attention away
from the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) ongoing suit against
Rambus for alleged antitrust violations," added Parker. In
its lawsuit against Rambus, the FTC has alleged that Rambus intentionally
deceived others in the DRAM industry, including Micron, to subvert
an open-industry standard-setting organization known as JEDEC.
The FTC has alleged that Rambus, as part of its anticompetitive
scheme, deliberately failed to disclose critical information to
the standards group in an attempt to gain a monopoly over the
DRAM industry and extort exorbitant royalties from DRAM manufacturers
and consumers.
Micron Technology, Inc., is one of the world's leading providers
of advanced semiconductor solutions. Through its worldwide operations,
Micron manufactures and markets DRAMs, Flash memory, CMOS image
sensors, other semiconductor components and memory modules for
use in leading-edge computing, consumer, networking, and mobile
products. Micron's common stock is traded on the New York Stock
Exchange (NYSE) under the MU symbol. To learn more about Micron
Technology, Inc., visit its web site at www.micron.com.
May 07 - NetOp Remote Control First
Application to Enable Users to Access Distant PCs From a USB Drive.
CrossTec Corporation announced today that NetOp Remote Control
is the first remote control product to enable users to launch
their application from a USB Thumb Drive. Now, users can launch
a NetOp Guest session from their desktop, an Internet Explorer
browser window via an Active X plug in and any PC via a USB key.
NetOp, developed by Danware Data A/S, enables a fully configured
Guest Module to be installed to a removable media device such
as a USB flash key (16MB or larger). Once the Guest has been configured
it can be inserted in a Windows PC's USB port and used as if it
were installed on that machine without requiring any installation,
scripts, settings or files be placed onto the temporary Guest
PC. The USB Guest can securely take control of one or more NetOp
Hosts running on any Windows platform, Linux, Solaris, Mac OS
X and more. Since the Guest installed on a USB device is the same
as a normal Guest on a desktop computer, it contains all of NetOp's
state-of-the-art security to ensure protected remote sessions
from outside company PCs.
The USB Guest is ideal for traveling employees, Help Desk professionals
and Network Administrators who are constantly on the move. They
can even include personal NetOp settings such as phonebook entries,
important files for transfer, and more. Now, with NetOp on your
keychain, you can ensure that a company has your expertise available
to them, whenever and wherever it's needed.
NetOp is the first remote control application to offer USB capabilities
with remote sessions however, NetOp doesn't stop there. NetOp
Remote Control v7.65 extended its platform support to include
Windows CE 4.x allowing for further remote monitoring and management
capabilities from inside or outside the office. NetOp is the only
remote control product that enables Pocket PC users to control
desktops and provide desktop control and support of CE based users
and applications.
Those wishing to test NetOp may download a free fully functional
evaluation copy of all NetOp products including Remote Control
v7.65 from the company's website at www.CrossTecCorp.com/tryit.
A single Guest/Host package of NetOp Remote Control retails for
$189, while the retail price of additional Host modules range
from $45 - $145.
May 07 - The WiMedia Alliance Announces
Support for the MultiBand OFDM Alliance UWB Specifications.
The WiMedia Alliance (www.wimedia.org)
today announced its endorsement of the MultiBand OFDM Alliance
(MBOA) ultrawideband specifications for use with the WiMedia Convergence
Platform. This will pave the way for wireless connectivity between
electronics products in consumer electronics, PC, and mobile segments.
The endorsement pairs the MBOA's (www.multibandofdm.org)
efforts to deliver a high data-rate, short-range wireless UWB
radio with the convergence architecture being developed by the
WiMedia Alliance. The combination provides a foundation for the
implementation of wireless versions of 1394, USB, and Internet-Protocol-based
application protocols. The WiMedia Convergence Platform allows
these diverse protocols to coexist in the same physical location
with efficient and fair access to the UWB radio channel.
The WiMedia Alliance's mission is to promote wireless connectivity
and interoperability among multimedia devices. The initial focus
was based on the IEEE 802.15.3 standard and in anticipation of
its UWB physical layer extension. The leading contender in this
IEEE process is the proposal from the MBOA. However, during the
past year, the IEEE has not confirmed the new physical layer prompting
WiMedia to take the direct action of endorsing this technical
direction.
"The overwhelming industry support for the MBOA, now with
more than 100 members, simplified our decision to move forward
with this endorsement," said Jim Meyer, WiMedia Board Member.
"To provide value to our members, and their customers, the
WiMedia Alliance maintains alignment with the companies developing
silicon and the end products."
"We are delighted to receive this acknowledgement of the
specifications we are developing," said Stephen Wood of the
MBOA Steering Committee. "WiMedia is the recognized entity
establishing the policies and specifications necessary to support
a healthy ecosystem for UWB-based application protocols."
The WiMedia Alliance expects the wireless versions of USB and
1394 (FireWire) will be key early market drivers for ultrawideband.
The USB-IF (www.usb.org) recently
recognized the WiMedia Convergence Platform as the foundation
for the wireless counterpart for its physical cables, and efforts
are moving forward with the 1394TA.
"The 1394 Trade Association (www.1394ta.org)
has entered into a liaison relationship with the WiMedia Alliance
that enables collaboration among members of both organizations
as future wireless multimedia standards are designed and as products
are eventually brought to the market. Each group provides world
class expertise and technical leadership, which will ensure the
development of robust, reliable, consumer electronics and mobile
devices for many applications," said James Snider, executive
director of the 1394 Trade Association. "Consumers will benefit
as we bring together the convenience of wireless technology with
the high-speed and high-quality real-time performance of FireWire."
May 07 - Study Reveals That 80% of
Moms Use the Internet to Free up Time in Their Overbooked Days.
Call them empresses of organization, multi-tasking maestros, or
just plain family managers. Whatever the title, today's moms are
overwhelmingly overworked, and they are tapping into the time-saving
power of the Internet to make their busy lives easier, according
to a national Mother's Day survey conducted by Opinion Research
Corporation for America Online. Fully 89% of those surveyed say
they don't have enough time in the day to get everything done,
and 80% save time doing some of their chores or activities online,
freeing up an average two hours a week.
According to the survey, moms are so busy they must squeeze their
personal online time in during the evenings and at odd hours.
Sixty-eight percent of moms surveyed are most likely to go online
between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. while 20% of moms go online in the early
morning between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. Among the nation's 10 largest
cities, moms in Atlanta and Los Angeles have the least time while
moms in Boston have the most time.
"Whether they're at home or in the workplace, today's moms
play many roles - homework helper, meal planner, chauffeur, family
publicist and overall family manager - and are increasingly using
the Internet for time-saving tools that provide real solutions
for managing their daily lives," said Tina Sharkey, Senior
Vice President of Life Management and Community, America Online.
"In fact, our survey uncovered that 80% of respondents are
using the Internet to free up time in their busy schedules by
paying bills and doing research online. Even the busiest moms
can now carve out 'me' time."
Key findings from the survey include:
-- Fully 80% of those surveyed say they save time doing some of
their chores or activities online that they would typically do
offline; moreover 95% agree that the Internet saves them time
on various ongoing activities like paying bills, research and
staying in touch with family and friends.
-- Nine in ten mothers feel pressed-for-time and wish they had
more time in the day to accomplish everything they need to do.
-- More than half of moms (54%) say the Internet helps them
get
or stay organized; the most common way is through email alerts
and reminders (67%), online calendars (37%) and online filing
systems or folders (32%).
-- 48% say they stay in touch with loved ones by sending each
other photos, while 10% use a Web cam. Almost 20% of moms use
the Internet to connect with others by visiting chat rooms and
posting on message boards.
May 06 - Rambus Files Anti-Trust Lawsuit.
Rambus Inc. (Nasdaq:RMBS), a leading developer of chip interface
products and services, today announced that it has filed an anti-trust
suit in the Superior Court of the State of California. In the
suit, Rambus charges that defendants Hynix Semiconductor, Infineon
Technologies, Micron Technology and Siemens AG engaged in a concerted
and unlawful effort to eliminate competition and stifle innovation
in the market for computer memory technology and computer memory
chips.
"From substantial written evidence already in the public
record, we believe that these memory manufacturers colluded illegally,
thereby limiting consumer choice and depriving our RDRAM products
of the opportunity to compete fairly in the marketplace,"
said John Danforth, senior vice president and general counsel
for Rambus. "While we cannot change the past, we have a duty
to our stockholders to respond appropriately to this evidence,
which we are doing today."
The 36-page complaint filed today relies in substantial part
on evidence obtained through a Federal Trade Commission proceeding
and asserts four causes of action:
-- Conspiracy to restrict output and fix prices in violation
of the Cartwright Act;
-- Conspiracy to monopolize in violation of the Cartwright Act;
-- Intentional interference with prospective economic advantage;
and
-- Unfair competition in violation of California Business and
Professions Code Section 17200
The complaint is available on Rambus's website at www.rambus.com/inv/
(under Litigation Update section).
May 06 - Dell Offers Zero-Percent
Thirty-Month Lease for Small Businesses. Dell, through Dell
Financial Services (DFS), is offering small and medium businesses
the opportunity to obtain the technology they need today with
a zero-percent 30-month lease through July 31, 2004.
This special lease offer is part of Dell's commitment to support
small and medium businesses with products and services that make
technology investment easy. By choosing to lease, customers can
improve their bottom line with a disciplined technology rotation.
"This promotion reflects our strategy to provide aggressive
offers that best fit the needs of our customers," said Suneet
Paul, vice president and general manager of DFS Transaction Group.
"Our goal is to provide flexible financing options and serve
as a total financial solution provider."
Orders of more than $500 placed between now and July 31 may be
eligible for this special promotional offer of a zero-percent
30-month Fair Market Value lease. Complete offer details can be
found at www.dell.com/smb/leasing.
May 06 - Samsung's High Density 4Gbyte
Memory Modules Verified for AMD Opteron Processor-Based Servers.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the world leader in advanced semiconductor
memory technology, today announced that its four gigabyte (GB)
Registered Dual In-Line Memory Modules (RDIMMS) are supported
by Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) 64-bit Opteron(TM) processor-based
platforms.
The 4GB modules, which use one gigabit (Gb) DDR1 SDRAM as base
components, optimize the performance of servers and workstations
based on the AMD Opteron processor, the industry's first 64-bit
processor compatible with the industry-standard x86 architecture.
"Samsung has worked with AMD to support AMD64 technology,
helping us deliver one of the industry's highest density memory
solutions optimized to support server and workstation makers in
this fast growing market," said Jon Kang, Samsung's San Jose,
Calif.-based senior vice president of technical marketing. "Our
ability to provide AMD64-compatible memory modules based on the
latest 1Gb device technology ensures that our customers can realize
the full power of 64-bit processor-based platforms."
"The AMD Opteron processor delivers outstanding 32- and
64-bit performance for servers and workstations, offering designers
high memory density and ultimate performance for server systems,"
said Ben Williams, director of AMD's Server/Workstation Business
Segment. "AMD is committed to offering customers a highly
flexible platform that can handle some of the most compute-intensive
demands."
Samsung's 4GB modules are built using 1Gb DDR1 SDRAMs, with each
4GB module encompassing 36, 1Gb components. Server manufacturers
will benefit from the high-capacity modules, made available by
Samsung's 1Gb technology, allowing for a maximum capacity of 128GB
in a 4-way AMD Opteron processor-based server and up to 256GB
in an 8-way AMD Opteron processor-based servers.
For more information, visit www.samsung.com.
May 06 - Yahoo! and AT&T Wireless
Announce Launch of Yahoo! Mobile Photos. Yahoo! Inc. (Nasdaq:YHOO),
a leading global Internet company, and AT&T Wireless (NYSE:AWE)
today announced the launch of Yahoo! Mobile Photos for AT&T
Wireless mMode(TM) subscribers nationwide.
AT&T Wireless mMode customers can use the downloadable Yahoo!
Mobile Photos client application to view and share the pictures
in their Yahoo! Photos account while on the go. This new service
is an extension of the longstanding Yahoo! and AT&T Wireless
relationship and demonstrates the companies' continuing commitment
to develop leading mobile services for consumers nationwide.
The new Yahoo! Mobile Photos application is a full color, graphical
service that gives consumers a new, easy way to connect to their
online photos over the AT&T Wireless network. Consumers can
now access their Yahoo! Photos account, view saved pictures and
create custom wallpapers while on the go. The application is available
across a variety of AT&T Wireless Next Generation (GMS(TM)/GPRS)
devices.
The Java version of the service also lets consumers save images
locally on their phones and create a personalized album and slideshow
that can be accessed without connecting to the Internet. The Yahoo!
Mobile Photos service is available from AT&T Wireless for
$2.99 a month, plus standard usage fees.
May 06 - MX Logic Sees Unsolicited
Commercial Email Senders Making Some Efforts to Comply With CAN-SPAM
Act. MX Logic, Inc., a leading provider of innovative email
defense solutions that ensure email protection and security for
enterprises, service providers, government organizations, resellers
and their customers, today announced that it has observed that
12 percent of senders of unsolicited commercial email are making
efforts to comply with components of The Controlling the Assault
of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing (CAN-SPAM) Act.
Unsolicited commercial email that is wholly compliant with the
law remains at 3 percent, representing no change in month-to-month
compliance since the law went into effect on Jan. 1. Seventy-seven
percent of all email traffic that passed through the MX Logic
Threat Center in April was spam.
"Monitoring by our Threat Center reveals that 12 percent
of unsolicited commercial email complies with every facet of the
law -- except making the subject line consistent with the body
of the email. So, while there is some tip-toeing toward compliance,
we continue to see spammers failing to include content consistent
with the subject line," said Scott Chasin, chief technology
officer, MX Logic.
Chasin noted, however, that recent movement on the enforcement
front -- including the six lawsuits filed by ISPs in March and
last week's arrest of four inveterate spammers under the CAN-SPAM
Act -- will eventually nudge compliance upward.
"As the government continues to flex its full CAN-SPAM Act
enforcement muscle, we remain confident that there will be an
increase in compliance," he said.
The CAN-SPAM Act requires that unsolicited commercial email senders:
-- Ensure that the "FROM" line clearly reflects the
sender's identity
-- Include subject line text consistent with message content
-- Include the advertiser's valid postal address
-- Contain a working opt-out mechanism as a way for the consumer
to decline to receive further commercial email from the sender
MX Logic monitors compliance with the CAN-SPAM Act by examining
a random sample of up to 10,000 unsolicited commercial emails
each week. The email defense company releases CAN-SPAM compliance
data each month.
For more information, visit www.mxlogic.com.
May 05 - St. Bernard Software Tech
Advisory: Sasser Worm. St. Bernard Software Inc., a global
provider of security solutions that protect against data loss,
system threats, Internet abuse and unsolicited email, today advised
users of its UpdateEXPERT(R) patch management and remediation
solution to verify that they have installed the appropriate Microsoft(R)
patches to counter the effects of the "Sasser" worm.
"Sasser" is a fast-spreading computer worm that launched
last Friday, and has already infected hundreds of thousands of
PCs globally. The worm exploits the Local Security Authority Subsystem
Service (LSASS) issue that was addressed by the security update
released on April 13 in conjunction with Microsoft Security Bulletin
MS04-011. Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP systems
that do not have all relevant Microsoft patches installed are
vulnerable to attack.
The Sasser worm spreads from an infected computer to vulnerable
computer with no user intervention required, and scans for vulnerable
systems, creates a remote connection to the system, installs a
file transfer protocol (FTP) server and then downloads itself
to the new host. The worm does not require the user to double-click
an attachment for activation -- Sasser can strike even without
anyone using the PC. An infected machine may display error messages
and reboot repeatedly.
Information about this and other Microsoft patches was made available
to subscribers of St. Bernard Software's free, global opt-in email
service, which alerts the public to the very latest Microsoft(R)
security patches and critical updates as they become available.
Instructions for the free subscription to the opt-in "Patch
Update" email are available at http://www.stbernard.com.
St. Bernard Software also provides a Web page that allows subscribers
to view the status of the most recently announced patches added
to its UpdateEXPERT patch management solution database. The Patch
Update Web page can be accessed at www.stbernard.com/uepatches/.
May 05 - Alereon Demonstrates Ultra
Wideband High-Speed Wireless USB Connectivity. Alereon, a
leading Ultra Wideband (UWB) semiconductor company producing chipsets
for the personal area networking (PAN) market, today announced
it will demonstrate the first entirely in-house designed high-speed
wireless USB platform at the 8th annual CONNECTIONS(tm) Digital
Home Conference, in Dallas. With all Alereon developed MAC, PHY
and Antenna technologies, the company is the first to show a complete
end-to-end solution.
Alereon has turned its conference booth, number 303, into the
next generation family room. CONNECTIONS(tm) attendees will have
the opportunity to view full-motion video transmitted from a camcorder
to a digital television, utilizing the Alereon UWB platform.
"Offering a comprehensive solution, as opposed to trying
to piece together products from multiple vendors, allows us to
optimize performance as we tailor solutions for the specific needs
of the PC, consumer electronics and mobile markets," said
Eric Broockman, chief executive officer of Alereon. "We see
tremendous market potential for wireless USB products. Having
full control of the MAC, baseband, AFE and antenna provides the
agility necessary to more quickly meet the needs of our customers."
"Shipments of ultra wideband chipsets will grow at a compound
annual growth rate of 260 percent between 2005 and 2008 following
the introduction of commercial products in approximately 18 months,"
said Kurt Scherf, vice president and principal analyst for Parks
Associates. "The companies poised to successfully capture
significant share of this anticipated $1.2 billion market will
be those that combine both PHY and MAC expertise to provide the
computing, consumer electronics, and mobile communications industries
with a low-power, robust, and low-cost solution. Alereon is one
company poised to do just that."
As a key contributor to the Wireless USB Promoter Group formed
by Intel, Agere Systems, HP, Microsoft Corporation, NEC, Philips
Semiconductors and Samsung Electronics, Alereon will bring its
UWB and MAC expertise to help drive the completion of the specification
expected later this year. Alereon, Philips and Sony recently completed
the initial draft of the MBOA MAC specification which will provide
the foundation for wireless USB.
"By capitalizing on the substantial industry-wide investment
we've made with wired USB, we are enabling the rapid adoption
of wireless USB in existing and new applications," said Jeff
Ravencraft, Intel technology strategist and USB-IF chairman. "Wireless
USB will extend the ease-of-use of existing USB products by cutting
the cord while maintaining the familiar look and feel users expect.
We look forward to working with Alereon to bring the benefits
of USB and Ultra-Wideband to market."
Alereon plans to make its wireless USB developer's platform available
later this year. This should significantly decrease wireless USB
development time by providing the controller-specific software
stacks and drivers, so that developers can quickly and easily
develop their embedded applications with minimal risk.
Further information is available on the company's Web site: www.alereon.com.
May 05 - Nearly 1,000 Never-Before-Seen
Interactive Games and Products to Debut at E3Expo 2004. Approximately
1,000 of the nearly 5,000 computer and video game products to
be displayed at the 2004 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3Expo)
have never been seen before, according to data released today
from the E3Expo 2004 Exhibitor Survey by the show's owner, the
Entertainment Software Association (ESA). Exhibitors also report
that nearly three-quarters (72 percent) of all products at the
tenth anniversary show will be in stores in time for the 2004
holiday season.
"The interactive entertainment industry and its products
have made tremendous advances since the launch of E3Expo ten years
ago -- whether it be technologically, economically, artistically
or in terms of just plain fun -- and the popularity of games has
increased along with those achievements," said Douglas Lowenstein,
president of the ESA, the trade association that represents U.S.
computer and video game publishers and owns E3Expo. "One
thing that hasn't changed over the past decade is that E3Expo
is the best place in the world to 'see what's next' for the industry
and to get a first look at the game products that consumers will
soon be buying, playing and talking about."
Ninety-four percent of all exhibitors responded to the survey,
which asked participants to detail the products they will be showing
at E3Expo 2004. The survey results indicate that about 40% of
products displayed will be for video game consoles, while about
one-third will be for personal computers. Specifically, of all
products, including software, hardware and accessories, that will
be showing at E3Expo 2004:
-- 40.3 percent will be for video game consoles;
-- 30.7 percent will be for personal computers;
-- 18.4 percent will be for PDAs, wireless phones and other;
-- 6.8 percent will be for handheld game devices;
-- 3.8 percent will be for online/internet games.
Exhibitors also reported that they will be showing games of all
types, with the most titles falling into the action and adventure,
educational and edutainment, and sports and driving genres. According
to survey respondents, titles showing at E3Expo 2004 will fall
into these categories:
-- Action/Adventure games (26.6 percent);
-- Educational/Edutainment games (15.8 percent);
-- Sports/Driving/Racing games (12.5 percent);
-- Role Playing games (7.3 percent);
-- Child/Family games (7.1 percent);
-- Strategy games (6.3 percent);
-- Arcade games (4.9 percent);
-- Simulation games (3.7 percent);
-- Other games (15.8 percent).
E3Expo's "First Looks" program will specifically spotlight
those products that are being shown for the first time ever at
E3Expo. Participating "First Looks" exhibitors will
be designated in the E3Expo exhibit guide, the E3Expo Show Daily,
the official E3Expo website (www.e3expo.com)
and on the exhibit floor beginning May 12. Though the show is
open only to industry professionals, consumers can get a look
at these and other products through E3Expo's "virtual gateway,"
www.e3insider.com.
May 05 - TDK Semiconductor Unveils World's
Lowest Cost Modem. TDK Semiconductor Corp., a leader in the
design and manufacture of mixed-signal communication semiconductors
for world markets, today unveiled the latest member of its family
of embedded modems. The new 73M2901CE V.22bis modem integrates
on-chip intrusion and ring detection without additional components,
resulting in 25% cost and 35% footprint reduction compared to
other transformer or silicon DAA solutions in the market.
"The new 73M2901CE embedded modem is ideal for cost-sensitive
applications such as satellite set-top boxes," according
to Kourosh Boutorabi, product line manager for embedded modems.
"This innovative product provides the lowest cost hardware
modem solution available on the market, and it is pin-for-pin
compatible with TDK's 73M1903 soft modem AFE, offering designers
an easy migration path to a software modem solution on the same
circuit board."
Extending TDK's highly successful 2901 modem series, the 73M2901CE
is offered in a 5mm x 5mm QFN package, making it the smallest
V.22bis solution. It offers SMS messaging support, enhanced CID-II
and FSK modes, and features a new low cost transformer DAA architecture
that can be easily configured for various international standards,
including CTR-21 and FCC.
More than 80 million TDK modems have shipped worldwide for embedded
applications, including set-top boxes, point-of-sale terminals,
payphones, remote monitoring and metering.
Availability
Pricing for the new 73M2901CE embedded modem starts at $4.88
in 10,000 unit quantities.
Additional company and product information can be found at www.tdksemiconductor.com.
May 05 - Photofinishers Find Digital
Camera Customers Generating More Revenue Than Film Customers.
InfoTrends' latest study of photofinishers shows that approximately
80% of consumer photofinishers offer at least one digital print
service, be it through a digital minilab, photo kiosk, digital
printer, or overnight through a central lab.
Most consumer photofinishers realize they must offer digital
camera users at least some level of digital print service to remain
competitive in this industry. Digital camera sales are expected
to nearly replace film camera sales by 2008 and photofinishers
are preparing themselves to service these customers.
In fact, 71% of photofinishers have plans to purchase or replace
a photo kiosk in the next few years, and 85% of photofinishers
expect to install or replace a digital minilab at some point in
the future.
"The industry is still evolving as digital cameras enter
the mass market, memory cards become less expensive, and camera
phones augment the number of digital photos taken," says
Kerry Flatley, a Senior Research Analyst at InfoTrends. "All
of these factors could potentially increase the likelihood that
digital camera users will print more of their photos. Increasing
education among consumers about their ability to print digital
camera photos in retail stores could also bring digital camera
users into stores for prints."
Additional information is available on the Web at www.infotrends-rgi.com.
May 04 - Intel Unveils New Network
Adapter for 10GbE Server Deployments. Intel(R) Corporation
today introduced a 10-Gbps Ethernet (10GbE) adapter for servers
that helps overcome for the first time the cost and technical
barriers that have previously made 10GbE server connectivity impractical
for the data center.
"In the higher layers of the enterprise network, 10 GbE
has proven its value in the aggregation of traffic among switches
and in high-performance computing applications," said Hans
Geyer, Intel vice president and general manager, Intel Networking
and Storage Group. "With a substantial reduction in cost
and an adapter in a form factor that fits standard servers, it
now promises to fill a similar rapidly growing need in the data
center because the proliferation of GbE to the desktop and evermore
network intensive applications are demanding more bandwidth."
According to analysts, making 10GbE server connectivity viable
in the data center requires an adapter that is priced at less
than $5,000 and operates on standard multimode fiber, which represents
90 percent of the optical cabling in data center networks.
The new Intel(R) PRO/10GbE SR Server Adapter is the first to
meet both of these requirements. The server adapter utilizes XPAK
optical technology to reduce the price over previous adapters
by 40 percent, making it ideal for server bandwidth-intensive
applications such as server clusers, network storage, medical
imaging and graphic design.
The adapter is designed for server deployments, which, in data
centers, involve distances of fewer than 300 meters. The XPAK
optics enable 10 GbE connectivity over multimode fiber and their
small-form-factor makes the adapter compatible with standard server
slots, enabling denser server environments.
Intel has been working with equipment makers to provide interoperability
with leading switches. In particular, the company has collaborated
with Cisco Systems to offer 10GbE interoperability with Cisco
Catalyst(3) 6500 Series Switches which offer industry leading
10GbE price/performance capabilities to facilitate broad deployment
of secure and scaleable 10GbE solutions. Additionally, Cisco and
Intel have joined efforts to foster 10 GbE in the data center.
Together, Cisco and Intel are collaborating on educational seminars,
and product sampling programs to assist IT managers in deploying
10-GbE networks.
"As customers evolve to a networked data center, where resources
are aggregated, shared and accessed over a scalable intelligent
network foundation, the need for cost-effective 10GbE server connectivity
will rise," said Christine Falsetti, director, Enterprise
Solutions Marketing, Cisco Systems. "The Cisco Business Ready
Data Center architecture further enhances IT's ability to lower
costs and improve agility by supporting 10GbE over existing cabling."
The Intel(R) PRO/10GbE SR Server Adapter is available now and
costs $4,770. Later this summer, Intel will introduce a version
for single-mode fiber, the Intel(R) PRO/10GbE LR Server Adapter,
for applications involving distances up to 10 kilometers, such
as communications among regional data centers.
Intel, the world's largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer
of computer, networking and communications products. Additional
information about Intel is available at www.intel.com.
May 04 - PC Graphics Shipments Seasonally
Down. Jon Peddie Research (JPR), a leading research and consulting
firm for graphics and multimedia, today announced estimated graphics
shipments and supplier market share for the first calendar quarter
of 2004. Detailed first-quarter results are available in the Q1'04
edition of Jon Peddie's Market Watch, the firm's quarterly graphics
survey. Market Watch provides an in-depth look at the PC graphics
market and includes unit shipment and segment market share data,
trend analysis, shipment forecasts, and profiles of major suppliers.
Jon Peddie Research estimates that approximately 57.5 million
PC graphics devices shipped from eight suppliers in Q1'04, a 7.4%
decline from the previous quarter and a 12.9% increase over the
same period the previous year.
The mobile graphics segment saw a 12.7% quarterly decline in shipments
but achieved 29.1% growth year-over-year, outpacing a 9.9% annual
growth rate in the desktop segment. Approximately 10.5 million
mobile graphics processors shipped from six suppliers in Q1'04,
an industry record in a first calendar quarter.
As in Q4'03, shipments of integrated graphics chipsets for notebook
platforms surpassed those of discrete (stand-alone) mobile graphics
processors to claim a greater than 50% share of the mobile graphics
market.
"Quarterly shipment declines were fairly typical in the
first quarter with the exception of desktop GPUs, which were approximately
flat as compared to Q4'03," said Lisa Epstein, a senior analyst
at Jon Peddie Research. "The discrete desktop segment exhibited
surprising resilience during the period with shipments of discrete
vs. IGC desktop graphics about numerically even. Intel will not
offer its new Grantsdale IGC until the second quarter and a small
window has opened for discrete graphics as a result," Epstein
concluded.
The discrete desktop segment performed well in Q1'04, with shipments
declining just 1.3% compared to Q4'03. In contrast, IGCs declined
10.3% compared sequentially. During a period in which shipments
typically decline on a quarterly basis due to seasonality, Nvidia
buoyed the segment with a 4.0% increase in shipments of its desktop
GPUs. The discrete mobile segment declined by a more substantial
14.9%. Shipments of mobile IGC parts declined by 10.5% in Q1'04
with all suppliers seeing shipments fall by more than 10% on a
quarterly basis, with the exception of Intel, which increased
its mobile IGC shipments by 9.1%.
Intel saw a moderate 3.8% quarterly decline in graphics shipments
in Q1'04, was the largest supplier of PC graphics devices worldwide,
and claimed an increased share of the total graphics market.
Nvidia was the second largest supplier in Q1'04 with a 2.0% increase
in graphics shipments and an increased share of the total graphics
market. Nvidia was the only supplier to the graphics market to
increase its overall unit shipments in Q1'04 as compared to Q4'03.
ATI was the third largest supplier in Q1'04, with an 11.5% decline
in graphics shipments and a reduced share of the total graphics
market. The following table lists the ranking and relative market
share, based on unit shipments in Q4'03 and Q1'04, of the eight
major graphics suppliers to the PC industry.
Q4'03 Q1'04
Rank Graphics Supplier Market Share Market Share
1 Intel 31.7% 33.0%
2 Nvidia 24.7% 27.2%
3 ATI Technologies 25.2% 24.0%
4 VIA Technologies 9.02% 7.8%
5 Silicon Integrated Systems (SiS) 8.3% 6.9%
6 Matrox Graphics 0.48% 0.52%
7 XGI 0.5% 0.44%
8 3Dlabs (Creative Technology) 0.03% 0.04%
Visit the Jon Peddie Research Web site at www.jonpeddie.com.
May 04 - 1394 Trade Association to
Show New FireWire Audio, Storage Applications at Annual WinHEC.
The 1394 Trade Association will bring a new set of FireWire technology
demonstrations to this year's Windows Hardware Engineering Conference
May 4-7 at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in
Seattle. Developed and managed by Oxford Semiconductor, a leader
in 1394 product design, the demonstrations will be part of the
Windows Community Pavilion on the WinHEC floor.
The first will feature 1394-based multi-channel audio and will
show how DVD content is easily transmitted over 1394, with up
to eight digital audio output channels. The FireWire 800 solution
removes the need to install separate sound cards and does not
require an external power supply for the speaker configuration.
In the second demo, Oxford Semiconductor also will provide a
demonstration of a 1394b RAID system showing the ability to stripe
at 80 MBytes/second speeds, almost three times as fast as USB
2.0, which completes the same striping tasks at only 30 MBytes/second.
The 1394b version of the standard, which also is known as FireWire
800, delivers speeds up to 800 Megabits/second and distances up
to 100 meters, making it ideal for long-range home entertainment
network backbones and other applications.
A third demonstration will feature isochronous (real-time) delivery
of camcorder content to a peer-peer external hard disk drive featuring
a portable viewer, which will connect to a PC using SBP-2. The
video images travelling from the camcorder for storage on the
HDD will be converted on-the-fly to asynchronous content.
"Our efforts at this year's WinHEC will highlight the speed,
versatility and reliability of the FireWire standard, with the
audio demonstration designed to show the excellent performance
that 1394 can deliver in these applications," said Jalil
Oraee, chief technical officer at Oxford Semiconductor and the
financial officer for the 1394 Trade Association. "The RAID
demonstration exhibits the speed and efficiency of 1394b, while
the camcorder-to-drive connection displays the versatility of
the standard."
About the 1394 TA and Oxford Semiconductor
The 1394 Trade Association is a worldwide organization dedicated
to the enhancement and proliferation of the IEEE 1394 multimedia
standard, known commercially as FireWire and i.LINK. For more
information, please visit www.1394ta.org.
May 04 - 123 Copy DVD Ideal for Novice
Computer Users. "Burn, baby burn!" is the way 123
Copy DVD(TM) describes how easy it is to make high quality backup
copies of movies. The new software package is available online
at www.123copydvd.com or at most major retailers, starting at
$19.99.
The software makes perfect, top-quality copies of any DVD-to-DVD-R(W)(R)
discs and is ideal for backing up any DVD movie. For novice computer
users, 123 COPY DVD avoids the complications, confusion and frustration
of searching the Internet to download encryption software, then
finding additional programs to do the copying. The software obtained
at retail will not copy encrypted DVD's on its own. By simply
buying 123 COPY DVD in a box at retail, movies can be copied at
the consumer's sole option.
"Even the newest computer users can easily make backup copies
of their DVD collection," said Zachary Van Doren, founder
of San Francisco-based ZVD Media and recognized new media industry
expert. "It couldn't be any simpler. The user inserts a DVD,
clicks 'copy on DVD' then sits back to enjoy the movie. It really
is as easy as 1-2-3!"
123 Copy DVD at-a-glance
-- The software uses revolutionary technology to fit any film
(up to 9GB) onto a blank, single 4.7GB DVD; no splitting is necessary;
-- Copies episodic movies and TV shows;
-- Copies all special features of original material;
-- Allows users to copy complete DVD or customize, including
trailers, audio tracks, subtitles and languages;
-- Copies audio in full spectrum Stereo 5.1 surround with DTS
or Digital Dolby.
123 Copy DVD is available now at most major retail outlets or
online at www.123copydvd.com.
May 03 - China Hosts 71% of Websites
That Send Unsolicited Email in April. Commtouch (Nasdaq:CTCH),
the innovator of anti-spam solutions featuring Recurrent Pattern
Detection (RPD)(TM) technology, today reported that the Commtouch
Spam Detection Center and Lab found in the month of April that
71 percent of the URLs which appear in spam email are hosted in
China.
Most of the unsolicited messages sent over the Internet have
one or more link (URL) in the message; spammers are setting those
links to provide more information regarding the products/services
they are trying to promote, or to allow users to buy the promoted
products online. Commtouch found that in April, 71 percent of
those URLs are hosted in China, and the United States was second,
hosting just 22% of the spammer websites.
While China is hosting the most spammer websites, the United
States continues to be the point of origin for the dissemination
of spam, sending 60.5% of spam. The fact that 71% of spammers
websites are hosted in China and 60.5% of the global spam is sent
from the United States demonstrates that spam is a global problem
and that spam is being sent from one country while another country
is used as a hosted website to 'close the loop' of the spam transaction.
"The fact that most of the spammer websites are hosted in
China adds layers of challenge and complexity to the enforcement
of the U.S. CAN-SPAM law and other spam legislation," commented
Avner Amram, executive vice president at Commtouch. "Legislators
in the United States and in other countries will have to consider
the global nature of spam when looking at how to deter or punish
those involved in making the business of spam profitable -- be
it the spammer or the companies whose products/services the spammers
promote."
Commtouch reports that the top 10 countries in global distribution
of spam websites in the month of April are:
China- 71%
U.S. - 22%
Brazil - 2.3%
South Korea - 1.8%
Russian Federation -1.5%
Canada - 0.6%
Pakistan - 0.24%
U.K. - 0.07%
Romania - 0.03%
Germany - 0.03%
France - 0.06%
"In the month of April, 88 countries hosted spammer websites,
including countries such as: Iran, Zimbabwe, Bermuda, Liechtenstein,
Azerbaijan," said Amram.
In regard to the global origin of spam in the month of April,
Commtouch identified spam being sent from Internet Protocol (IP)
addresses in 155 countries, with Hong Kong (separately from China)
breaking in to the top 10 list of countries that send the most
volume of spam email:
U.S. - 60.5%
China - 6.2%
South Korea - 4.9%
Canada - 4.3%
Brazil - 2.9%
France - 2%
Hong Kong - 1.7%
Spain - 1.7%
Japan - 1.2%
Netherlands - 1.2%
While Commtouch reports that it saw a record number of spam outbreaks
in the month of April, the company also reports an increasing
number of email messages complying with CAN-SPAM. Amram said that
about 5% of all spam messages in April complied with CAN-SPAM
requirements, an increase from 3% in March.
To learn more about Commtouch visit www.commtouch.com.
May 03 - ATI Extends Industry Lead in
Integrated Graphics with RADEON'TM' 9100 PRO IGP. ATI Technologies
Inc. (NASDAQ:ATYT) (TSX:ATY), today announced the introduction
of RADEON(TM) 9100 PRO IGP, a high performance platform product
for both Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 and Celeron(R) Processors. The
official launch of the RADEON 9100 PRO IGP will take place at
Gartner's System Builder Summit in Barcelona, Spain on May 5,
2004. Launch partners for the event include such industry leaders
as Gigabyte, MSI, Sapphire, Shuttle PC, FIC, Jetway and Soyo.
In addition to industry leading graphics, RADEON 9100 PRO IGP
provides users with a range of platform performance enhancements
such as serial ATA, dual DDR400 memory channels, RAID, enhanced
USB support, plus expanded memory and peripheral compatibility.
SURROUNDVIEW(TM), a feature unique to ATI, enables users to combine
the power of discrete and integrated graphics for multi-monitor
support. Users benefit from simplified management of multiple
windows and an immersive environment for gaming and multimedia.
In addition to the launch of RADEON 9100 PRO IGP, ATI will also
introduce a value-oriented, single memory channel integrated graphics
platform, RADEON(TM) 9000 PRO IGP.
"With the introduction of these new platform products we
broaden our portfolio footprint by offering customers a range
of solutions to meet their needs," said Phil Eisler, Vice
President & General Manager, Mobile & Integrated, ATI
Technologies. "The market for integrated graphics continues
to grow, and ATI is committed to delivering solutions that strike
the balance between high performance and cost effectiveness."
"The market for integrated graphics continues to grow and
currently represents more than half of the PC graphics market,"
said Dean McCarron, Principal Analyst, Mercury Research. "By
offering integrated PC graphics solutions, ATI continues to compete
in a marketplace twice the size of the discrete graphics market
alone."
By supporting a rich feature set, RADEON 9100 PRO IGP provides
the perfect foundation for a cost effective multimedia PC or entry
level gaming platform. For the enterprise user, RADEON 9100 PRO
IGP provides rock-solid system stability and investment protection
as the industry moves toward next-generation 3D operating systems.
Visit their Web site at www.ati.com.
May 03 - Global Semiconductor Sales
Up 32.3% Year-over-Year. Worldwide sales of semiconductors
rose to $16.28 billion in March, a sequential increase of 4.4
percent from the $15.58 billion reported in February and a 32.3
percent increase from March of 2003, the Semiconductor Industry
Association (SIA) reported today. Global sales grew to $48.8 billion
in the first quarter of 2004 compared to $36.4 billion in the
first quarter of 2003 and $48.1 billion in the fourth quarter
of 2003.
The SIA noted that the first quarter is normally a seasonally
weak quarter for semiconductor sales while the fourth quarter
is normally a strong quarter. Coupled with the 4.2 percent first-quarter
growth in the U.S. GDP, the sequential sales growth in the first
quarter is a further indication of the strength of the economic
recovery that is driving demand for a broad range of semiconductor
products.
"The strong sales in the first quarter are very encouraging,"
stated SIA President George Scalise. "Based on the strong
first-quarter results, it now appears likely that growth for 2004
will exceed 20 percent. One of the leading drivers of sales growth
was continued growth in corporate spending on information technology
(IT) products. Corporate spending on IT software and hardware
increased by 11.5 percent in the first quarter, the fourth successive
quarter of strong growth and the third straight quarter of double-digit
growth. The fundamentals are in place for continued robust growth
in chip sales through the end of the year."
Reflecting the continuing high level of corporate spending on
Information Technology, sales of microprocessors and DRAMs --
circuits that are primarily used in personal computers -- showed
solid sequential growth in March of 5.3 percent and 5.9 percent
respectively. March sales of programmable logic devices, widely
used in networking and telecommunications applications, were up
12.9 percent from February. ASSPs (application-specific standard
products) for automotive applications grew by 8.4 percent in March.
Sales were up sequentially for all geographic regions in March.
More information about the SIA can be found online at www.sia-online.org.
May 03 - Free, Downloadable Tool Helps
Consumers Get Pictures out of Their Digital Cameras. PhotoWorks(R)
Inc. (OTCBB:FOTO), a leading provider of digital and film photography
services, today unveiled PhotoWorks Digital Partner(TM) free software
to complement its easy-to-use and premier online photo service.
Using PhotoWorks Digital Partner, digital photographers can now
effortlessly organize, enhance, share and print their growing
collection of digital photo memories without having to be a computer
wiz. This new, simple tool is available for download on the PhotoWorks
Web site (www.digitalpartner.com).
"PhotoWorks is leveraging its experience with more than
25 years in the business to create a premier online digital photo
service," said Ed Lee, director, Digital Photography Advisory
Service, and senior analyst at Lyra Research. "PhotoWorks
Digital Partner benefits from the company's customer-centric insight.
It offers a fresh approach to tackling some of the biggest challenges
digital photographers face today with its clean and easy-to-use
interface."
PhotoWorks conducted extensive usability studies and surveys
to design this intuitive, task-oriented tool for even the most
novice users of digital cameras. From the moment users connect
their digital camera or memory card to their PC, PhotoWorks Digital
Partner automatically takes over -- making it easy for users to
show off and preserve their favorite memories. As an introductory
offer, the company also is offering PhotoWorks Digital Partner
users up to 15 free professional-quality 4x6" prints on their
first order.
"Customers have embraced our service as the easiest way
to order professional-quality prints, and now with PhotoWorks
Digital Partner, we're making it even easier to approach photo
projects," said Philippe Sanchez, CEO of PhotoWorks. "As
a premium online photography brand, PhotoWorks is deeply committed
to delivering the most intuitive and innovative service and, most
importantly, just making it simple to transfer pictures from a
digital camera to enjoy."
A Great New Tool for Managing Digital Pictures
Customers who tested a pre-release version have responded enthusiastically
about its usefulness. According to Joan Snyder, "It's just
what I need to get rid of the frustration of having zillions of
digital photos I have never sorted or sent to be printed."
Another user, Bryan Malik explains, "I am very pleased with
the quality and ease of the program. The editing tools are very
effective, efficient and easy to use. I wish I had this program
earlier -- before I printed many of my pictures!"
This quick and easy-to-install downloadable tool from PhotoWorks:
-- Instantly recognizes a camera connection
-- Locates photos on your hard drive
-- Removes red eye
-- Improves photos with Instant Fix -- Colour Science i2e color
enhancement technology
-- Provides an easy-to-use cropping tool
-- Organizes photos with collections, captions and online albums
-- Provides 1-3 star rating system to help quickly pull up your
best shots
-- Emails photo links to friends instead of large attachments
-- Finds and sorts photos by date, name, star-rating or collection
-- Creates slide shows
-- Schedules uploads when your computer is not in use
-- Remembers where you left off if you get interrupted
-- Makes it easy to burn photo CDs to mail in for professional
quality prints
-- Offers easy ordering of professional-quality prints from PhotoWorks
on Kodak(R) paper.
May 02 - Sunday Shopping Watch.
Best Sunday Deals - See our Best
Sunday Ad Deals Table below for specific system prices.
Weekly Comparison. All stores are having
very good sales this week.
This Sunday's Special Discounts and Financing.
In addition to sales on specific items, the following store-wide
sales are advertised this week. (Note
that these ads are for the Dayton, Ohio area. Prices or offerings
may be different where you live.)
Best Buy is offering 12 month no-interest financing on all
advertised desktop packages and laptops, and $150 mail-in rebate
on advertised laptops and desktop packages.
Circuit City is offering
12 months no interest financing, and up to $150 mail-in rebates
on advertised desktop packages and notebooks.
Office
Depot
is offering 6 months no payment, no interest financing on purchases
over $298, and rebates on advertised systems.
CompUSA is offering 6 months
no payment, no interest financing on purchases over $198, and
rebates on advertised systems.
Staples has no store-wide promotions
this Sunday.
Compare
to Online Prices - Compare the Sunday ad prices
to those being offered at DealTime, it searches over 160 online
computer stores.
InfoHQ Related Shopping Pages
Shopping
Alerts - Our latest shopping advisories on buying digital
cameras and camcorders, desktop computers, laptops, and other
computer items.
Windows
XP Upgrade Guide - All about upgrading to Windows XP.
What You Need to
Know About Dial-up Internet Service Rebates - The pros and
cons of 'free' Internet service deals. Also see our latest InfoHQ
Tech Watch Newsletter; Free
PC and Free Internet Deals.
Definitions. A complete desktop system/package/complete
package is defined as a computer with monitor and printer
or scanner.
A build-to-order system is customized at the retailer
and then ordered from a computer manufacturer. In addition to
the computer's stated price, you still pay sales tax and shipping
charges (if you order direct from the vendor without going through
the chain store, you may not have to pay sales tax and you could
get a better warranty).
Caution about advertised
prices. When reading advertisements, read the fine
print of the ad to make sure you know what is being advertised
and what it cost. For example, many advertisers will show a complete
system with computer, monitor, and printer but advertise a price
for the computer only.
* Prices discussed in this article. We report
prices after rebates and discounts are subtracted.
Items highlighted in Black are good deals.
Items highlighted in Red means prices
have gone up and the system is not a good buy this week.
Items in normal text means prices are about the same as the previous
weeks.
|
Best Sunday Ad Deals
|
|
Category
|
Product Description
|
Price* (see above)
|
Prices up or Down this Week
|
Store
|
|
Best Celeron Deal
|
eMachines 2.7 GHz complete system
with 17" monitor
|
$389
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
Best Celeron Deal
|
Compaq 2.7 GHz complete system with
17" monitor
|
$419
|
-
|
Circuit City, CompUSA, Office Depot
|
|
1. Best Pentium 4 System
|
Compaq Pentium 4 3.0E GHz complete
system with HT Technology, 15 inch flat panel, and DVD-RW
|
$1099
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
2. Best Pentium 4 System
|
HP Pentium 4 3.0E GHz complete system
with HT Technology,15 inch flat panel, and DVD-RW
|
$1299
|
-
|
Circuit City, Best Buy
|
|
Best AMD Athlon XP System
|
eMachines Athlon 3000+ complete system
with 17 inch monitor and DVD-RW drive
|
$609
|
-
|
Circuit City
|
|
Best AMD Athlon 64 System
|
HP Athlon 3200+ complete system with
15 inch flat panel and DVD-RW drive
|
$1199
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
1. Best Low-cost Laptop
|
Toshiba 2.8 GHz Celeron with DVD/CD-RW
|
$799
|
-
|
Circuit City
|
|
2. Best Low-cost Laptop
|
HP 2.8 GHz Celeron with DVD/CD-RW
|
$849
|
-
|
CompUSA, Office Depot
|
|
3. Best Low-cost Laptop
|
HP Athlon 3000 + with DVD/CD-RW
|
$1049
|
-
|
Circuit City
|
|
1. Best High-end Notebook
|
Compaq Athlon 64 3000+ widescreen
with DVD-RW
|
$1299
|
-
|
Circuit City
|
|
2. Best High-end Notebook
|
Compaq widescreen Centrino 1.4 GHz
with DVD/CD-RW
|
$1349
|
-
|
Office Depot
|
|
3. Best High-end Notebook
|
Sony Pentium 4 2.8 GHz with DVD-RW
|
$1549
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
4. Best High-end Notebook
|
HP widescreen Pentium 4 3.0 GHz
with HT Technology and DVD-RW
|
$1549
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
5. Best High-end Notebook
|
Compaq widescreen Pentium 4 3.0
GHz with HT Technology and DVD-RW
|
$1549
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
|
|
Peripherals and Software
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Western Digital 200 GB 7200 RPM
Hard Drive with 8 MB buffer
|
$139
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Circuit City
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Maxtor 250 GB 7200 RPM Hard Drive
with 8 MB buffer
|
$159
(after rebates)
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
ATI 9600 XT 128 MB
|
$149
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Circuit City
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
ATI 9800 Pro 128 MB
|
$199
(after rebates)
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Sony 8X DVD-RW
|
$149
(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.
