Oct 24 -Apple Unveils New Generation G4 iBooks Starting
at Just $1,099. Apple® today unveiled its new iBooks featuring
PowerPC G4 processors, with the 12-inch display model starting at
just $1,099 (US) and the 14-inch display model starting at just $1,299
(US).
The new iBook® line offers advanced connectivity with AirPort®
Extreme and Bluetooth, and all models include 256MB of Double Data
Rate (DDR) memory and slot-load Combo drives for burning CDs and watching
DVDs. The new iBooks also include Apple’s latest operating system,
Mac OS® X version 10.3 “Panther,” pre-installed with
over 150 breakthrough new features, including FileVault to secure
data for iBook users on the go.
“2003 is the ‘year of the notebook’ and Apple has
the industry’s best notebook lineup, which has resulted in Apple's
mix of notebooks growing to double the industry average,” said
Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product
Marketing. “The new iBooks bring powerful G4 processors and slot-load
Combo drives into the most affordably priced G4 notebooks ever, just
in time for the holiday season.”
The new 12- and 14-inch iBooks have been completely re-engineered
based on the high performance PowerPC G4 processor and DDR memory
architecture providing improved speed, efficiency and overall system
performance. Each iBook provides incredible graphics performance with
ATI Mobility Radeon 9200 graphics with 32MB of dedicated DDR memory
and AGP 4X for gaming and watching DVD movies at the highest quality.
Outfitted with its hallmark durable, sleek polycarbonate plastic enclosure
and weighing as little as 4.9 pounds, iBook notebooks are the ideal
mixture of form and function designed with consumers and education
customers in mind. The new iBook G4 provides up to six hours of battery
life for all-day mobile use in the classroom or on the road.
Each iBook now features the latest in wireless connectivity with
support for AirPort Extreme that is Wi-Fi Certified and based on the
ultra-fast 802.11g standard, offering data rates five times faster
than 802.11b while maintaining compatibility with millions of 802.11b
products.* Options include an internal Bluetooth module for wirelessly
connecting peripherals such as Apple’s new Wireless Keyboard
and Wireless Mouse, as well as a full complement of I/O ports, including
FireWire® 400, USB 2.0 and a built-in 56K v.92 modem and Ethernet
(10/100BASE-T) that enable connectivity to all of today’s popular
peripherals.
Every iBook comes with Panther pre-installed. Panther delivers more
than 150 breakthrough new features including a completely new Finder™
that provides one-click access to a user’s favorite files and
folders; Exposé, a revolutionary new way to instantly see all
open windows at once; and iChat AV, a complete desktop video conferencing
solution.
Panther enhances the mobile experience with automatic networking that
intelligently detects and switches the network connections between
Ethernet, 802.11 and modem for easily connecting to the Internet.
Panther also features Fast User Switching to elegantly switch between
active users without having to quit applications or log out; FileVault,
which uses the latest security standards and 128-bit encryption technology
to ensure that data in the home directory is kept secure and private
at all times; and enhanced Windows compatibility that ensures files,
printers and network services can easily be shared with Windows users.
Perfect for today’s digital lifestyle, every new iBook also
includes iLife™, Apple’s integrated suite of award-winning
digital lifestyle applications that features the latest versions of
iPhoto™, iMovie® and iDVD™ and iTunes®. iLife is
the only integrated suite to include all of the four applications
required for today’s “digital lifestyle”—digital
music, photography, moviemaking and DVD creation—and is the first
product to offer the benefits of seamlessly integrating them.
Pricing & Availability
The new iBook with a 12-inch display is available immediately, and
the new iBook models with a 14-inch display are expected to be available
next week through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com),
Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers in three
standard configurations.
Oct 24 - Apple Lowers Prices
for eMac Line. Apple® today announced lower prices for its
popular eMac™ desktop computer for home and schools, making the
eMac the most affordable SuperDrive™-equipped Mac® ever,
starting at just $1,099 (US). Featuring a stunning 17-inch flat CRT
in a compact all-in-one design, eMac includes Mac OS® X version
10.3 “Panther” pre-installed with over 150 breakthrough
new features, including Fast User Switching making the eMac easy to
share among users in the home and schools. eMac also offers Apple’s
iLife™, the industry’s only integrated suite of award-winning
applications for digital music, photography, moviemaking and DVD creation.
“Complete and ready to use right out of the box, eMac is the
most affordable SuperDrive-equipped Mac ever offered,” said Greg
Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of Hardware Product Marketing.
“A brilliant combination of performance and value, eMac makes
it easy and affordable for everyone to make DVDs from their movies,
music and photos—it’s the ultimate computer for home and
schools.”
Housed in a remarkably compact all-in-one design that is even less
deep than the original iMac®, eMac offers a crisp 17-inch flat
CRT display supporting screen resolutions of up to 1280-by-960 pixels
in 24-bit color. Offering a fast 1 GHz PowerPC G4 processor, eMac
comes with either a Combo (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) drive for watching DVD movies
and burning CDs or Apple’s revolutionary SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW),
which adds the ability to burn DVDs that play in most consumer DVD
players. eMac comes with high-performance ATI Radeon 7500 graphics
with 32MB of dedicated DDR SDRAM and hard drives up to 80GB.
Offering the latest in wireless communications, eMac includes a built-in
antenna and card slot to support AirPort® Extreme 802.11g wireless
networking. eMac also includes built-in 10/100BASE-T Ethernet and
56K V.92 modem allowing customers to connect to the Internet any way
they like. With five USB ports, and two FireWire® ports conveniently
located on the side of the system, eMac desktops offer easy plug-and-play
connections to popular peripherals such as digital video camcorders,
iPod™, digital still cameras, printers and scanners.
Every eMac comes with Panther pre-installed. Panther delivers more
than 150 breakthrough new features including a completely new Finder™
that provides one-click access to a user’s favorite files and
folders; Exposé, a revolutionary new way to instantly see all
open windows at once; and iChat AV, a complete desktop video conferencing
solution for business, education and consumers. Panther also features
Fast User Switching to elegantly switch between active users without
having to quit applications or log out; FileVault, which uses the
latest security standards and 128 bit encryption technology to ensure
that data in the home directory is kept secure and private at all
times; and enhanced Windows compatibility that ensures files, printers
and network services can easily be shared with Windows users.
Perfect for today’s digital lifestyle, every new eMac also includes
iLife, Apple’s integrated suite of award-winning digital lifestyle
applications that features the latest versions of iPhoto™, iMovie®
and iDVD™ and iTunes®. iLife is the only integrated suite
to include all of the four applications required for today’s
“digital lifestyle”—digital music, photography, moviemaking
and DVD creation—and is the first product to offer the benefits
of seamlessly integrating them. In addition to Panther, eMac also
includes AppleWorks®, Quicken 2004 Deluxe, WorldBook Encyclopedia
2003 Edition and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4.
Pricing & Availability
The eMac line is available immediately through the Apple Store®
(www.apple.com), at Apple’s retail
stores and Apple Authorized Resellers in two standard configurations.
Oct 24 - I/OMagic Set to Ship 8X DVD Dual-Format
Rewritable Drive. I/OMagic Corporation (OTCBB:IOMG), a leading
developer and marketer of optical data storage solutions and digital
entertainment devices, announced today that it will begin shipping
the next generation of high-speed dual drives into the North American
marketplace in late October 2003.
The new internal DVD+/-RW/+/-R Dual Format 8X DVD Rewritable drive
burns all standard media discs, including DVD+R/+RW, DVD-R/-RW and
CD-R/-RW and is compatible with a broad variety of DVD players. As
of the distribution date of this announcement, I/OMagic will be one
of just two companies to ship an 8X Dual drive.
"Demand for DVD rewritable drives is being driven by the growing
popularity of digital photography, digital video and digital music
-- all of which feed consumers' need for fast, flexible optical storage
solutions. We're excited to bring this versatile new drive to market
so soon," said Tony Andrews, Vice President of Engineering and
Product Development for I/OMagic Corporation.
"Consumers will no longer have to worry about what type of media
to buy or the differences between plus and minus rewritable technologies.
Our DVD+/-RW/+/-R Dual Format 8X DVD Rewritable drive combines the
best of the best technologies into one flexible product."
The DVD+/-RW/+/-R Dual Format 8X DVD Rewritable drive is an 8x4x12x
DVD Rewritable drive and a 40x24x40x CD Rewritable drive. It includes
Pinnacle software and new CD burning technology that increases storage
capacity, giving users up to 1.4 GB of storage space on standard CD-R
(double the normal storage capacity of an average CD-R).
The 8X DVD Rewritable drive includes Pinnacle's award-winning Studio
8 SE video editing software, Instant CD/DVD SE disc burning suite
and Pinnacle Expression software. These Pinnacle products empower
users to create and edit home movies, burn DVDs and CDs in all popular
formats, as well as watch and store home movies, photos and MP3s on
either DVD or CD discs. Operating systems supported are Windows XP/2000/Me/98SE.
The new I/OMagic DVD+/-RW/+/-R Dual Format 8X DVD Rewritable drive
is set to begin shipping in late October 2003 to Best Buy, CompUSA,
Fred Meyer, Staples stores and Dell.com, with an introductory price
of $199.99.
The Company sells its many products under three brand names -- I/OMagic,
Hi-Val & Digital Research Technologies -- through nationally and
internationally recognized retail outlets, such as Best Buy, Circuit
City, CompUSA, Office Depot, OfficeMax, Radio Shack, Staples and Target
stores. For more information, visit the I/OMagic Web site at www.iomagic.com.
Oct 24 - Epson Unveils Stylus Photo Printers
R300 and R300M. Epson America Inc. has added two new photo printers
to its product line -- the EPSON Stylus(R) Photo R300 and R300M.
The EPSON Stylus Photo R300 and R300M are perfect for digital camera
owners who want a flexible and easy to use photo solution. Both printers
offer the same convenient and innovative features such as printing
directly onto the surface of ink jet printable CDs and DVDs, and being
able to print photos with or without a computer. The EPSON Stylus
Photo R300M includes a 2.5" color preview monitor for viewing
and selecting images before printing them. The preview monitor is
not available on the EPSON Stylus Photo R300.
These printer models are perfect for the digital photographer who
uses a digital camera and wants to share photos with friends and family.
"People are sharing memories now more than ever, and with a
printer like the Epson Stylus Photo R300/R300M, anyone can pop in
their digital memory card and print out amazing looking photos even
without a computer," said Steve Semos, product manager, consumer
ink jet printers, Epson. "These printer models not only make
it easy and convenient to print photographs, but customers can even
personalize CD layouts and print directly onto ink jet-printable CDs
and DVDs."
Convenient Photo Printing -- With or Without a Computer
The EPSON Stylus Photo R300 and R300M are designed for digital camera
owners and offer up to 5760 x 1440 optimized dpi for creating images
with incredible detail, beautiful skin tones, sharper contrast and
an ultra-wide color range and are designed specifically for photography
customers. Customers can print beautiful, frame-ready, BorderFree
images in all of the popular sizes, including 4" x 6", 5"
x 7", 8" x 10", 8.5" x 11", and panoramic
size photos.
These printer models make it easy for anyone to crop, resize, save
and print photos directly from memory cards or picture CDs without
having to use a computer. Customers can also save images from their
memory cards directly onto a CD-R or a Zip Disk without using a computer
by utilizing the printer's front access host USB port. This port makes
it simple to connect the printers to a CD-R drive, Zip drive or PictBridge-enabled
digital camera.
Additionally, both models are equipped with built-in memory card slots
that support CompactFlash(R) Type I and II, MultiMediaCard, IBM Microdrive(TM),
xD-Picture Card, Sony Memory Stick(R), Memory Stick PRO, Memory Stick
Duo, MagicGate(TM) Memory Stick, SmartMedia(R), and Secure Digital
memory formats.
The printers each have a convenient control panel, which provides
customers with the flexibility to make selections such as paper type,
paper size and number of copies without having to use a computer.
The panel gives users the ability to choose from nine paper types
and eight different photo layouts, plus manual adjustments, filters
and frames. The control panel also gives users the ability to save
their favorite print settings with a simple "one touch"
button.
The EPSON Stylus Photo R300 and R300M are available now for estimated
street prices of $179 and $229, respectively, and can be purchased
through Epson authorized dealers, mail order, computer superstores,
photo specialty stores and on the Epson retail Web site (www.epsonstore.com).
For more information on Epson and its products, visit www.epson.com.
Oct 23 - Addonics Launches 16-in-1 Multi
Function Recorder. Addonics Technologies today announced a multi
function digital media solution that does it all, whether you're a
digital media professional or consumer electronics enthusiast.
The Addonics MFR (Multi Function Recorder) is one of
the most versatile data storage appliances on the market. The USB
2.0-compatible device merges the functions of a stand alone Home Theater
DVD Player, a USB 2.0 DVD/CDRW; an 8-in-1 format flash memory reader/writer,
and MP3 music player into one powerful portable peripheral that can
be used for a wide range of digital media applications.
With the Addonics MFR users have a single device that
can read/write to all popular flash media as well as convert flash
media with one touch recording to less expensive CDRW format. Two
flash media slots accommodate eight types of flash media. The combined
flash/DVD/CDRW/MP3 functions support more than 25 digital media types.
The Addonics MFR is also an external, portable DVD
(8X)/ CDRW (24x10x24) for any computer with up to USB 2.0 data speeds;
a stand alone MP3 player; and a DVD player with direct S-Video or
A/V cable connections to TV sets. The device also provides direct
playback of digital images in flash memory or CDRW over TV sets or
digital projectors.
Together with remote control, 2.5-hour rechargeable
battery pack, and carrying case the Addonics MFR can be used anywhere.
The complete package (Model # AEMFR824) includes the Addonics MFR
unit, remote control unit, rechargeable battery, 110/220 power adapter,
three-foot USB cable, combo A/V cable, S-video cable, driver CD, Power
DVD and Nero Express software, user guide, and carrying bag. The MSRP
is $249.
The unit measures 6.6x5.4x1.3 inches and weighs just
1.4 pounds with the battery installed.
System requirements for PC use include PC/AT or compatible
system; USB 2.0/1.1; Pentium II 350 MHz or greater; minimum hard disk
space of 50 MB; minimum 64 MB RAM; and one of the following operating
systems, Windows 98SE, Me, 2000, or XP.
Addonics products are available through the company
online store www.shopaddonics.com,
major catalog companies, resellers, VARs and distributors, including
StorageUSA.com, Amazon.com, PC Connection, CDW, Buy.com, Provantage.com,
Insight, Ingram Micro, and Ma Lab.
Visit Addonics at www.addonics.com.
Oct 23 - AOpen Unveils XC
Cube Small Form Factor Bare System Entertainment PC. AOpen(R)
Inc., an award-winning leader in PC motherboard and component design
and manufacturing, today announced its new small form factor (SFF)
product line, the XC Cube Series of bare system PCs.
Available in both Intel(R) and AMD(R) versions, these exciting new
entertainment PCs are as well-suited for desktops as they are for
coffee tables.
"We recognized that the market is ripe for a small
box equipped with a lot of options that would appeal to everyday PC
users and make a real fashion statement," said Dale Tsai, director,
XC Cube product line, AOpen Inc. "We've included all the powerful
computing essentials in a stylish, tight little package, enabling
users to accomplish their day-to-day PC tasks, yet empowering them
to freely enjoy the entertainment features that the XC Cube has to
offer."
The AOpen XC Cubes feature ultra-silent operation with
noise levels below 30dB; highly-efficient thermal solutions to keep
temperatures low for optimal performance; a comprehensive roundup
of I/O ports; and a power rating of 220 watts.
The XC Cubes will initially be available in two models,
with shipping in North America beginning late November, 2003:
The XC Cube PC EZ65 - Socket 478 Intel Pentium 4 (Celeron(R)) CPU,
400/533/800MHz FSB with the Intel 865G+ICH-5 chipset, with an MSRP
of $330.
The XC Cube PC EZ18 - Socket A AMD Duron, Athlon and
Athlon XP CPUs, 200/266/333MHz FSB with the nVidia nForce2-GT + MCP-T
chipset, with an MSRP of $310.
Initial models of the XC Cube will come in brilliant
white, with matching drive bay covers, and soon thereafter will be
available in black as well. Future models of the AOpen XC Cube are
slated to be available in various designer colors adaptive to most
interior environments. The XC Cubes come with a 1-year limited warranty.
For more information about the XC-Cube Series from AOpen,
please visit the AOpen web site at: http://solution.aopen.com.tw/xc/.
Oct 23 - Consumer Electronics
Association Releases Latest Issue of Five Technologies to Watch.
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) released the most recent
edition of Five Technologies to Watch. The annual publication explores
five technology trends poised to shape the consumer electronics industry
in the year ahead. This edition examines home operating systems, Wi-Fi/ultra
wideband, recordable digital video, mobile gaming and hi-res audio.
"With so many promising digital technologies on
the horizon, it is increasingly difficult to select only five,"
said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of CEA. "But through extensive
market research and analysis, we have selected the technologies that
will bring the most value to consumer's lives and have the greatest
impact on our industry during the coming year."
Geared toward industry professionals, Five Technologies
to Watch provides a comprehensive analysis of all five trends and
their impact on the consumer electronics market. Each of the five
technology sections details the strategic issues, market forecasts,
consumer perspectives, key players, partnerships, business models,
and public policy changes for that particular technology.
Home operating systems have been around for decades,
but Five Technologies to Watch reveals that future versions offer
capabilities that reach far beyond automated lighting. The over-riding
notion is for a PC or central server to act as a gateway, funneling
content into and out of the home and connecting all devices and users
inside and outside the home environment. The publication discusses
several possible applications including, controlling temperature in
distinct zones throughout the house, accessing centrally stored content
such as music, TV shows and digital photos from any room in the house;
and being alerted to any security problems while on the go.
Wi-Fi, short for wireless fidelity, is a short-range
wireless radio technology that frees PCs, laptops, notebook computers
and other electronics devices from physical links to the Internet.
According to Five Technologies To Watch, currently there are more
than 70,000 wireless hot spots worldwide and 795 Wi-Fi certified products
on the market. The publication also forecasts ultra wideband, another
new wireless innovation, to make a splash in the market in the not-so-distant
future. Ultra wideband transmits a flat signal over a wide array of
frequencies, making it faster and more efficient than Wi-Fi. Research
shows that speeds of one Gigabyte per second may be achievable, which
is fast enough to download entire theatrical films in a matter of
minutes.
Digital video recording allows consumers to record
up to 300 hours of programming without a videotape, skip commercials
and pause live TV. According to a CEA study, 72 percent of consumers
are very or somewhat interested in buying a digital video recorder
(DVR), and believe that the technology will edge out the VCR in the
near future. Five Technologies to Watch notes that HDTV camcorders,
which allow consumers to film and playback their own HD content, and
Blu-Ray discs that can store more than two hours of HDTV programming
on a single disc also are in the works for digital recording.
The publication further reports that mobile gaming
continues to grow in the United States, especially over wireless devices
such as cell phones and PDAs. The number of wireless gamers in the
U.S. could reach 19.6 million by the end of this year and 112.4 million
by 2007. Faster processors, more vivid displays, expanding capacity
and easier connectivity are improving the performance of mobile gaming
devices. According to Five Technologies to Watch, new mobile gaming
systems such as wireless gaming decks and in-vehicle entertainment
solutions also are on tap to provide additional wireless gaming solutions.
The final technology to watch, hi-res audio, short
for high resolution audio, is seeing growth similar to that of the
compact disc, and is likely to grow even faster as the technology
becomes more innovative in the coming years. Both formats of hi-res
audio, super audio CD (SACD) and DVD-Audio have a capacity more than
seven times that of a standard CD, provide superior quality output
and offer 5.1-channel surround sound. In the future expect to see
hi-res audio that can be downloaded and played over the main home
audio system, reports Five Technologies to Watch.
New to the publication this year is a special section
dedicated to new and emerging consumer electronics technologies coming
down the pipe, including software-defined radios that can accommodate
calls from anywhere on the globe, flexible display screens and three-dimensional
TVs.
CEA's resources are available online at www.CE.org,
the definitive source for information about the consumer electronics
industry.
Oct 23 - Gartner Says 45 Percent of U.S.
Workforce is Using Some Form of Mobile Device. Mobile technology
and services are continuing to grow at a rapid pace, with 45 percent
of the U.S. workforce already mobile in some manner, according to
Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT and ITB). Mobile devices ranging from portable
PCs and PDAs to new technologies such as sensor networks, are the
biggest revolution in corporate data collection and distribution in
a decade.
Gartner analysts presented these findings today during Gartner Symposium/ITxpo
2003, which is taking place October 19 through October 24 in Lake
Buena Vista, Florida.
"The availability of a wide range of mobile technology is highly
supportive of new trends, such as the real-time enterprise (RTE),
which must be responsive, connected, collaborative and informed,"
said Ken Dulaney, vice president and distinguished analyst for Gartner.
"Mobility will be essential to support RTE goals."
Gartner analysts said that the mobile revolution has been enabled
by the simultaneous evolution of a set of key technologies in areas
such as phone networks, wireless LANs (WLANs), personal-area networks
(PANs) and software infrastructure. Core technologies are evolving
quickly with little prospect of significant stability before 2005,
and new developments in areas such as screens, fuel cells and software
for tasks such as speech recognition will continue to drive evolution
in the long term.
Gartner analysts said that wireless networking will become ubiquitous
with several different technologies and protocols coexisting in the
home and office. By 2007, more than 50 percent of enterprises with
more than 1,000 employees will make use of at least five wireless
networking technologies.
"All organizations should develop a strategy to support multiple
wireless networking technologies. Organizations developing consumer
products for mobile networks should look for ways to add value by
interacting with other home devices that might become networked, such
as televisions, set-top boxes, game consoles and remote-control light
switches," said Nick Jones, research vice president for Gartner.
Key mobile technologies in 2003 have included radio frequency identification
(RFID) tags, WLAN (802.11 variants), PANs, such as Bluetooth, and
some proprietary network protocols. During the next five years, new
networking technologies and protocols will include 802.165.4 (low
power, low data rate wireless), ultrawideband (UWB), and Multiple
Input/Multiple Output (MIMO), which exploits multipath transmission
to increase bandwidth, and various mesh networking systems. Proprietary
networking technologies may gain market traction in specialized areas,
such as game consoles, factory automation or medical applications.
Although these new technologies will be developed, short-range wireless
technology will not be suitable for all applications in enterprises
because each provides different trade-offs in terms of bandwidth,
range and cost. Consequently, several types of wireless networks will
coexist in most organizations.
For more information, visit www.gartner.com.
Oct 22 - Microsoft Office
System Launches With Record Number of Programs, Servers and Services.
Microsoft Corp. today announced the general availability of the new
Microsoft® Office System, along with research that shows how leading
companies are already gaining a competitive advantage from Microsoft
Office System productivity solutions.
The research, conducted for Microsoft by Navigant Consulting Inc.
(NYSE "NCI"), showed that information workers using the
solutions gained an average of two hours in productive time each week
without working longer hours, that the companies realized a median
net present value of $4,000 per worker, and that the solutions paid
for themselves in an average of just eight months.
With six suites, 11 products, four servers, one service and Solution
Accelerators, the new Microsoft Office System is evidence of Microsoft’s
focus on helping information workers, the teams they work on, and
the companies they work for become more productive and achieve their
goals.
The Microsoft Office System consists of the 2003 versions of the core
Office suites and programs; updates to other information work programs
such as Visio®, FrontPage®, Publisher and Project; two completely
new programs, Microsoft Office OneNote™ and Microsoft Office
InfoPath™; and four servers, including the new Office Live Communications
Server 2003 and Exchange Server 2003. Added to that are additional
services, such as Microsoft Office Live Meeting, and solutions that
help people and their organizations make greater use of information,
collaborate more effectively, and easily integrate business processes
to increase individual, team and organizational productivity.
"The new Office System is a major leap forward for information
workers," said Bill Gates, chairman and chief software architect
at Microsoft. "It makes information work more productive —
and more profitable — by offering innovative new ways to communicate,
to find and share information, and to manage complex projects."
Business Customers Cite Tangible Improvements
The study conducted by Navigant Consulting examined common business
processes at 14 companies, large and small. Among the companies Navigant
looked at was Siemens AG, a global diversified manufacturing, information
and communications leader. According to the review, information workers
at Siemens using the Microsoft Office System have cut by 20 percent
the amount of time it takes to insert contact information and standard
legal text into company documents. Using the built-in Extensible Markup
Language (XML) capabilities of the new Office Professional Edition
and contact information of Microsoft Office Outlook® 2003, Siemens
says its employees not only save time but have reduced the document
error rate by 20 percent.
Managers at Nordea, one of the largest financial services companies
in Scandinavia, told Navigant researchers that information workers
in their e-banking group often spent as much as 50 percent of their
time in travel and a variety of nonproductive project activities.
"In certain phases of our IT projects, re-creating information
and documents resulted in significant reworks and project delays,"
said Marita Wires, a project manager at Nordea. "Now our team
members make great use of their time by accessing best-practice information
via Microsoft Office and SharePoint™ that was previously hidden
in the file-share server or on someone’s hard drive."
Nordea anticipates that just by using its new Microsoft Office Professional
Edition 2003, Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003 and Windows®
SharePoint Services solution, it will cut project time almost in half
and pay for the solution with time and travel cost savings in just
seven months.
Other customers such as HP and Guidant Corp. are already gaining
value by producing materials using the new Microsoft Office System.
For instance, HP is now using Office Professional Edition 2003, InfoPath
2003 and Windows SharePoint Services to speed the creation and distribution
of sales guides to its marketing teams. The combination is expected
to cut the time it takes to produce the guides by 46 percent and lower
the cost of technical support by 66 percent.
"Sales guides are critical to our corporate sales effort,"
said Jim Fulkerson, manager for online field communications at HP.
"Microsoft delivered a solution that could automate the drafting
and publishing processes, significantly reducing costs and speeding
creation of our product. With the implementation of this new system,
we estimate HP will save approximately $150,000 per month in costs,
increase quality of our product and reduce our content submission
from four hours to 15 minutes."
Guidant is a fast-growing medical device company that found its growth
had outpaced its reporting processes. More than 5,000 reports are
available through its Cognos financial system, and company analysts
were often forced to run several reports to get the data they needed.
The time to create financial reports has been reduced by an estimated
78 percent by using the new Microsoft Office Professional Edition
2003, which takes advantage of industry-standard XML, the lingua franca
of the Web, to collect information from a back-end data store.
To compete in today’s business environment, small businesses
rely on the ability to get things done quickly and efficiently. Franklins
Solicitors LLP, a small but growing U.K. law firm, needed a way to
simplify the process of searching and retrieving key information to
speed case resolution. It found a solution in the new Microsoft Office
Professional Edition 2003 and InfoPath 2003.
"With the smart document deployment capabilities of the new
Office 2003, we managed to complete many deployment tasks that used
to take a half-day in just 10 minutes," said Mike Walker, development
director at FWBS Ltd, the consulting firm with which Franklins Solicitors
worked to implement its Microsoft Office System solution. "With
this kind of efficiency, the firm’s IT staff will be able to
concentrate on projects that are ultimately more lucrative, such as
revamping workflow design."
Other companies are finding similar value in deployments of other
new Microsoft Office System products and servers launching today,
including Microsoft Office Project and Project Server 2003, Microsoft
Exchange Server 2003, Microsoft Office Live Communications Server
2003, Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003, Microsoft Office OneNote 2003,
Microsoft Office Publisher 2003 and Microsoft Office Visio 2003. Additional
information about the worldwide release of the new Office System and
the results of the Navigant research study can be viewed at www.microsoft.com/presspass/events/officesystemlaunch/.
"The new Microsoft Office System presents a clear opportunity
for organizations — both small and large — to increase employee
productivity and the value of business information, as well as realize
a higher return on investment," said Jeff Raikes, group vice
president of Productivity and Business Services at Microsoft. "The
integrated products and services within the Microsoft Office System
are designed to help companies more completely address their business
problems."
Oct 22 - New Industry Data Shows Dell
Continues to Lead in Serving Customers. Dell (Nasdaq:DELL) continues
to lead the computer industry in direct, Internet-based shipments
of x86 servers and notebook and desktop computers to customers, a
new report from an analyst firm showed.
Sales through dell.com accounted for 48 percent of
the 22 million computers sold last year via the Internet, a report
from IDC said. The nearest competitor was 28 percentage points behind
Dell.
"The purest, most efficient form of direct relationships
with customers is through the Internet," Mike George, Dell's
chief marketing officer, said. "No matter how efficient you make
serving a distribution channel, it's still an inefficient way to reach
your customers."
Mr. George said comfort with ordering through dell.com
is gaining momentum, particularly among small businesses and consumers.
In just two years traffic to the small business pages of dell.com
increased by 300 percent, and small business online unit sales and
revenue increased 305 and 270 percent, respectively, he said.
Commonly cited as a leading Internet retailer, dell.com
is the top computer-hardware site on the Internet and the eighth-most-visited
retail Web site. Dell's U.S. Home & Home Office division alone
generated more than $2.8 billion, or roughly 50 percent of its revenues,
online in fiscal year 2003.
The IDC data showed that in North America and Western
Europe in 2002:
-- More than 40 percent of the nearly 15 million personal computers
and x86 servers sold through public Internet sites were bought at
dell.com. Small businesses and consumers are the primary users of
public Internet sites, according to IDC;
-- Sales via dell.com were more than double the public Internet sales
of its nearest competitor, and
-- Dell's customized private extranet site, PremierDell.com, represented
65 percent of the total extranet business-to-business market.
Dell expects those numbers will continue to grow with a redesigned
version of dell.com, launched this month. The new site makes room
for Dell's growth into new product categories and makes it easier
for customers to find products and information that suit their specific
needs.
"For nearly a decade, our objective has been to provide customers
with one of the easiest and most helpful sites on the Internet,"
Mr. George said. "Simpler and more robust, the new site allows
us to achieve that objective while complementing our direct sales
force."
Dell.com launched in 1994 as a customer-service and support tool.
In 1996, the company piloted e-commerce on the site, selling desktops,
notebooks and servers directly to customers. In December of 1996,
dell.com became the first Web site to generate $1 million per day
in online sales.
Dell.com runs entirely on industry-standards-based Dell PowerEdge
servers, backed-up by Dell/EMC Fibre Channel storage. Dell.com also
is among the most responsive Web sites on the Internet, with an average
per-page download time of 1.05 seconds, according to company internal
metrics.
About Dell
Dell Inc. (Nasdaq:DELL) is a premier provider of products and services
required for customers worldwide to build their information-technology
and Internet infrastructures. Company revenue for the past four quarters
totaled $38.2 billion. Dell, through its direct business model, designs,
manufactures and customizes products and services to customer requirements,
and offers an extensive selection of software and peripherals. Information
on Dell and its products can be obtained at www.dell.com.
Oct 22 - Sony Ericsson unveils
the T630 camera phone for stylish mobile imaging. At simultaneous
events in Beijing and Las Vegas today, Sony Ericsson is unveiling
a new mobile phone for easy, stylish mobile imaging, the T630.
Putting an end to phones having a standard front and
back side, the T630 has two fully functional sides. On one side, the
newest mobile phone features a digital camera and small mirror for
simple self-portraits. The other side features a bright 65K TFT color
screen and easy access to telephony, connectivity, imaging and gaming
options. Packaged in a sleek and sophisticated design, the T630's
fun-to-use features and effortless navigation position it to be a
best seller.
The triple-band GSM/GPRS T630 features QuickShare(TM),
a key ease-of-use principle behind all new camera phones from Sony
Ericsson. First introduced in the T610/T616, QuickShare(TM) has won
consumer praise for being the most intuitive mobile imaging approach
on the market. Not only can a picture be taken with just two clicks,
but Sony Ericsson has also reduced the number of steps in order to
share pictures between the phone, a PC and other consumer devices
- either locally over Bluetooth, Infrared or cable, or across the
service carrier networks with MMS or e-mail.
The high color contrasts of the bright 65K TFT-screen
provides a responsive viewfinder for the camera, plus crisp image
viewing and a great gaming experience. The popular racing game, V-Rally2,
comes pre-loaded in the T630, offering an enhanced gaming experience
with sharp graphics, 32-tone polyphonic sound, vibrating force feedback
and joystick control. The T630 supports both Java and MophunTM platforms
for graphic-rich, real time downloads with access to more than 100
games which are available from the Fun & Downloads section of
Sony Ericsson's Web site as well as operator portals.
Budding record producers can express their originality
with the innovative Music DJ function in the T630. It is a four-track
sequencer with which bass lines, drumbeats and chords can be mixed
in just a few seconds to create original and personalized ring tones.
A new Sony Ericsson application titled "My friends"
makes its debut in the T630. Based on a Wireless Village instant messaging
concept, My Friends is an enhanced messaging function that allows
users to quickly access a list of contacts and easily choose the mode
of communication such as SMS, MMS, e-mail, or chat.
The T630 will come in an attractive "Frosty Silver"
color scheme, which combines frosted transparency with a metallic
feel. The T630 will be available in the Americas and EMEA starting
Q1 2004 and the T628 for the Chinese market will launch in Q4 2003.
For further information, please visit: www.SonyEricsson.com.
Oct 22 - Yahoo! Advances Anti-Spam
Strategy. Yahoo! Inc. (Nasdaq:YHOO) today advanced its anti-spam
strategy with a suite of unique tools to address spam and improve
its users' online experience. Yahoo! Mail's (http://mail.yahoo.com)
new suite of anti-spam tools, including AddressGuard(TM), SpamGuard
Plus and the Anti-Spam Resource Center, give consumers more power
when it comes to protecting their inboxes.
"Yahoo! Mail works tirelessly to ensure a high
quality e-mail experience," said Brad Garlinghouse, vice president
of Yahoo!'s Communications Products. "Our new personalized tools
continue to not only improve our overall ability to cut back on spam,
they also empower users to take direct action, according to their
personal needs and habits."
"Caller ID" for E-mail
In order to protect primary e-mail addresses from spam, Yahoo! Mail
created AddressGuard, the first "caller ID" for e-mail among
leading providers. With AddressGuard, users will have insight into
who is contacting them as well as more information about the context
of the message. AddressGuard allows users to establish substitute
e-mail addresses that are easily managed from their primary Yahoo!
Mail account, for different life situations (e.g. one for family,
one for fantasy football league, one for dating, etc.). If at any
time that address is sold or harvested by spammers, the e-mail user
can delete the address without affecting their primary e-mail address.
These substitute e-mail addresses are available to Yahoo! Mail Plus
customers and give people the control to receive e-mail from various
sources without exposing their primary e-mail account to spam. This
is particularly important, given that 45 percent of survey respondents
are not comfortable giving out their primary e-mail address when purchasing
products online, and 72 percent are not comfortable giving out their
primary e-mail address when joining an online community through a
news group, message board or chat room (For complete survey results,
go to http://antispam.yahoo.com/funfacts).
Personalized "E-mail Watchdog"
With SpamGuard Plus, Yahoo! Mail Plus users can now take advantage
of a personalized filter that sorts unsolicited bulk mail from their
inbox based on individual preferences. Like a personal "e-mail
watchdog" that continually adjusts its behavior when learning
whom the owner trusts and distrusts, the filter learns the personal
needs of the user. The user trains the filter by simply reporting
messages via the "This is spam" or "This is not spam"
buttons. This new capability, combined with the continuing improvements
that Yahoo! makes at the system level to its SpamGuard technology,
means that Yahoo! Mail Plus users will have more powerful spam protection
than ever before.
The Anti-Spam Resource Center
Based on a Yahoo! Mail survey of 28,000 people, it's clear that
consumer education around spam is still needed. For example, 48 percent
of e-mail users still think that they can unsubscribe from spam by
responding to spammers.(2) While the burden is primarily on e-mail
inbox providers to combat spam, users can gain greater control through
increased awareness. To meet this need for consumer education, Yahoo!
has launched a new Anti-Spam Resource Center (http://antispam.yahoo.com)
where consumers can learn everything they need to know about spam
and how Yahoo! Mail's tools enable their own consumer power.
Additional Powerful Tools
Yahoo! Mail's new suite of anti-spam tools increase the choice and
control users have in fighting spam. To date, Yahoo! Mail users have
benefited from:
-- Block Addresses: Stops the receipt of spam from selected e-mail
addresses or domains
-- Block HTML graphics: Prevents html images from loading until the
user deems them safe to view
-- Filters: Automatically sorts incoming messages into chosen folders
-- SpamGuard: Automatically filters unsolicited commercial e-mail
to the Bulk Mail folder
Continuing efforts to protect all its e-mail users against spam,
Yahoo! Mail constantly enhances its proprietary filtering technology,
SpamGuard. Through the "This is spam" or "This is not
spam" link on every Yahoo! Mail message, Yahoo! leverages the
power of its tens of millions of users to improve the overall system.
Pricing and Availability
Available today, the new AddressGuard and SpamGuard features will
be bundled into the Yahoo! Mail Plus premium service at no additional
cost for current subscribers. Yahoo! Mail Plus is available starting
at $29.99 a year.
About Yahoo! Mail
Launched in October 1997, Yahoo! Mail (http://mail.yahoo.com)
is one of the Web's largest, most popular free e-mail providers.
Oct 21 - New Dell Projector
Delivers Big Performance for the Home, Office at a Small Price.
Customers can now display wall-sized images of everything from sporting
events to presentations to video games and DVDs on a Dell 2200MP projector,
introduced today for $899.
"We designed the 2200MP to meet the demands of
customers that want a projector that can be easily used in the office
and at home, as projectors become a more common component in the home
digital entertainment center," said Scott O'Hare, vice-president
and general manager, Dell Software and Peripherals. "For an attractive
price, this projector provides an outstanding image and high-quality
features."
The 2200MP projector uses the latest Digital Light
Processing (DLP)(tm) DDR(a) projection technology to generate high
resolution images at a 1700:1 contrast ratio with a maximum brightness
of 1200 ANSI lumens(b) for crisp video and graphics. For true plug-and-play
operation, an auto-sync feature adjusts the output resolution to match
that of the input device up to SXGA+ (1400x1050 dpi).
At 4.7 lbs, the projector weighs less than many notebook
computers but still provides advanced features such as motion-adaptive
hardware de-interlacing -- which digitally smoothes out pixilated
images, a power-saving auto shutdown mode, and preset and user-programmable
video modes for easy custom-configuration.
Accessories that ship standard with each 2200MP projector
include a sturdy, hard foam carrying case; all video cables, including
S-Video, composite video, component video/HDTV, audio, VGA and USB;
a quick start guide; and a remote control. Also standard is a 1-year
limited warranty and Advance Exchange Service.
Initial availability will be in North America, with
other countries to follow in the coming months. Additional information
and specifications can be found at www.dell.com/projectors.
Oct 21 - New Epson Stylus
Pro 4000 Offers 17-Inch-Wide Professional-Level Photographic Printing.
Epson's newest and most advanced professional-level photographic printer
to date is taking the form of a desktop design.
The new Epson Stylus(R) Pro 4000 creates exhibit-quality
images up to 17 inches in width at speeds that nearly double that
of previous Epson Stylus Pro printers. The printer features a new
eight-channel printhead and seven-color Epson UltraChrome(TM) pigmented
ink system that automatically switches between Matte Black and Photo
Black inks for optimum print quality on different media surfaces.
It's also packed with several other advanced features designed specifically
around the needs of today's professional photographers, graphic designers,
commercial printers, GIS mapping, CAD users and more.
"We're confident the Epson Stylus Pro 4000 will
be the most popular and best selling Stylus Pro printer yet,"
said Mark Radogna, senior product manager, professional graphics,
Epson. "The combination of this printer's amazing image quality,
dramatically faster performance and unique 17-inch-wide media handling,
will make it a must-have product for any digital imaging professional
-- especially with an estimated street price of only $1,795."
The Epson Stylus Pro 4000 is capable of printing at 2,880 x 1,440
dpi resolution -- resulting in finer blends and smoother photographic
transitions. It also uses variable droplets as small as 3.5 picoliters
to greatly decrease print time while optimizing photographic quality.
Furthermore, Epson's advanced Micro Piezo(R) DX3(TM) ASIC technology
controls the printing process to produce consistent image quality
and color output from print to print.
The Epson Stylus Pro 4000 prints up to 1.9 times faster than any
previous Stylus Pro printer with the help of a new one-inch-wide print
head packed with 180 nozzles per channel. Depending on the print mode,
users can create an 8" x 10" photo-quality image as fast
as one minute, seven seconds -- or create an 8" x 10" at
a quality level that surpasses traditional photo labs in approximately
seven minutes, eight seconds.
The Epson Stylus Pro 4000 is priced at $1,795 (estimated street price)
and will begin shipping in January 2004 through authorized Epson dealers.
An optional printer stand/cabinet will also be available for approximately
$399. For more information visit theirr Web site at www.epson.com.
Oct 21 - Logitech Introduces New Pocket
Digital 130 Camera. Logitech (Nasdaq:LOGI)(Switzerland:LOGN) today
announced a new ultra-portable digital camera, the Logitech(R) Pocket
Digital(TM) 130.
This camera features a simple, polished design that fits easily in
any pocket with its credit card like design, so people will never
have to miss a photo opportunity. It includes true 1.3-megapixel resolution
and a strobe flash -- so pictures taken day or night can easily be
shared with family and friends using either a Mac(R) or PC. The camera
is available in U.S. retail outlets and online at www.logitech.com
for a suggested retail price of $149.95.
"We saw overwhelming interest in the first Pocket Digital camera,
and listened to the feedback our customers provided. With the added
features built into Pocket Digital 130, we expect this camera to be
a hit for the holiday season," said Spencer Johnson, director
of product marketing for Logitech's Video Business Unit. "People
want a camera that they can take with them everywhere -- the Pocket
Digital 130 lets you capture any moment, because it's conveniently
tucked into a shirt pocket or purse."
The Logitech Pocket Digital 130 offers true 1.3-megapixel resolution,
a strobe flash, and 16 MB of internal memory, which holds more than
40 1.3-megapixel images or more than 130 VGA-quality images. It has
a built-in lithium-ion battery that automatically recharges through
the USB cable each time the camera connects to the PC during picture
download, for less hassle and less clutter during battery recharge.
The battery lasts for hundreds of pictures, even when using the flash.
Pocket Digital 130 features a protective sliding lens and viewfinder
cover. It is compatible with either Windows(R) 98 and higher or Mac(R)
OS X and higher.
Logitech's new Pocket Digital 8.0 software is bundled with Pocket
Digital 130. This software enables single-click download for easy
and instant image transfer, photo album management, online photo printing,
and one-click email, so pictures can quickly be sent to family and
friends.
In addition to downloading images at home, Windows XP or Mac OS
X users can easily view pictures anywhere there is a PC -- a USB mass
storage driver embedded in the camera allows plug-and-play operation
with other Windows XP or Mac OS X systems, even without installing
the Logitech software.
For more information on Logitech and its products, visit the company's
web site at www.logitech.com.
Oct 21 - Vast Majority of
U.S. Operating Chiefs Expect Sunny 2004 Economy. A Deloitte global
survey of chief operating officers finds that three-out-of-five (62
percent) expect their companies to record improved business results
in 2004. And, compared with other regions of the world, U.S. COOs
are most optimistic, with four-out-of-five (79 percent) anticipating
the overall economy to advance over the next year.
The largest of its kind, the survey of more than 600
chief operating officers in 16 countries worldwide also reveals another
important sign that business fortunes are perking up: the COO - the
No. 2 post in most corporations - considers generating revenues to
be as critical to success as trimming costs has been for the past
four years.
Additionally, less than 10 percent expect their companies'
results to worsen next year, and 30 percent foresee little change
in performance. And when asked about their country's economy, COOs
in the U.S. and the United Kingdom generally are much more optimistic
about the business outlook in 2004 than the state of the economy when
they were surveyed.
"The survey certainly suggests that most COOs are
confident about the future," says James H. Quigley, U.S. CEO
of Deloitte. "It looks as if the days of persistent layoffs may
be ebbing as revenue expansion again becomes a top priority in Corporate
America."
Surprisingly, the executives list shareholder return
lowest as a key objective, while customer loyalty ranks highest. And
from a business perspective, mergers and acquisitions ranks lowest
as the best means of increasing revenues.
"However, our analysis shows that better performing
companies in the U.S. and the UK are more likely to rate shareholder
returns as an important objective for their firm," notes Mr.
Quigley. "We at Deloitte have observed often that the diversity
and complexity of operational initiatives has led some companies to
lose focus on the ultimate goal of generating shareholder value."
Among other significant findings, the survey shows:
Governance and Management Strong in the Wake of Scandals and Legislation:
Two-thirds of COOs think that corporate governance has changed for
the better in the past year as U.S. lawmakers and regulators have
moved to deal with the recent global business scandals. Only 26 percent
of the COOs think it has been more difficult to manage their business
post-Enron.
Outsourcing Remains Crucial: By a 2-to-1 margin, COOs will continue
to outsource, and more than half report that outsourcing has played
a major role in helping their organizations achieve their goals. Meanwhile,
nearly half of executives say that a significant portion of their
firm's outsourcing represents market-facing activities in addition
to the more traditional back-office activities.
Despite Geopolitical Concerns, Globalization Advances: Entering
new geographic markets remains a major source of revenue growth as
companies continue their globalization efforts. When asked if they
see "entry into new geographic markets" as a great source
of revenue growth in the next two years, 46 percent of U.S. executives
answered positive, compared to 60% of COOs in Europe.
The survey respondents represent a broad range of industries, including
financial services, retail, manufacturing, health care/pharmaceutical,
energy/utilities and telecommunications. Thirty percent of the executives
represent companies with annual revenues of more than $1 billion.
Research International conducted the survey this summer on behalf
of Deloitte.
Interesting industry differences emerged from the survey:
-- Within the various industries, telecom industry COOs are the
most optimistic about the future, expecting their sector and their
companies to be in better shape a year from now.
-- Financial-services COOs worry more about the economy than do their
counterparts in other industries.
-- Telecom COOs most believe that developing new products provides
a major source of revenue growth.
-- Health care/pharma and telecom COOs think that government policies
create the greatest source of uncertainty in their business.
For more information, please visit Deloitte's web site at www.deloitte.com/us.
Oct 21 - Network Media Nodes
Next Killer Networking App. More than one-third of U.S. households
have audio and photo content libraries on their PCs. A die-hard 7
million households have feature-length Internet movie libraries. These
behaviors correlate with rapid broadband growth and the maturation
of home networking. Although consumers are flocking toward Internet
technologies and content, few have found a way to manage and consume
this content at home.
Consumer electronics (CE) manufacturers, PC OEMs, and
other digital media stakeholders are about to change this. Connected
media adapters or media nodes will enter the market beginning in late
2003. These devices will enable consumers to play back PC-based content
through their televisions and stereo systems.
"Consumer digital media libraries will continue
to swell, driving demand for media nodes, particularly among networked
homes and consumers over age 25," says Dominic Ainscough, senior
analyst for the Yankee Group's Media & Entertainment Strategies
research and consulting practice. "During the next 18 months,
PC and home networking hardware manufacturers will capitalize on faster
product cycles to drive the market, but traditional consumer electronics
manufacturers will challenge them by integrating network functionality
into established entertainment device categories."
These vendors will fill a void in the Internet media
and consumer electronics marketplace. This new product category will
stabilize declining revenue in volatile sectors such as home theater.
This is the killer app home networking stakeholders have been waiting
for to drive use of home networks. Market growth will follow home
network penetration, ultimately reaching 18.5 million homes by 2007.
The Yankee Group can be found online at www.yankeegroup.com.
Oct 16 - Apple Launches iTunes
for Windows. Apple® today launched the second generation of
its revolutionary iTunes® Music Store for both Mac® and Windows
users. The new iTunes Music Store offers Windows users the same online
music store that Mac users love—with the same music catalog,
the same personal use rights and the same 99 cents-per-song pricing.
Since its launch six months ago, music fans have purchased and downloaded
more than 13 million songs from the iTunes Music Store, making it
the number one download music service in the world. With music from
all five major music companies and over 200 independent music labels,
the iTunes Music Store catalog is growing every day and will offer
more than 400,000 songs by the end of October.
“The iTunes Music Store has revolutionized the way people legally
buy music online, and now it’s available to tens of millions
more music lovers with iTunes for Windows,” said Steve Jobs,
Apple’s CEO. “While our competitors haven't even come close
to matching our first generation, we’re already releasing the
second generation of the iTunes Music Store for Mac and Windows.”
Apple offers the unbeatable combination of the award-winning iTunes
digital jukebox software, the pioneering iTunes Music Store and the
market-leading iPod™ digital music player, providing music lovers
with a seamless experience for buying, managing and listening to their
digital music collections anywhere.
Windows iPod users can now use their iPod with the award-winning iTunes
digital jukebox software and enjoy the best digital music experience
on any platform. iTunes for Windows includes all the same great features
that made it the best digital jukebox software for the Mac—a
free download with no hidden charges for extra features, MP3 and pristine
quality AAC encoding from audio CDs, Smart Playlists, over 250 free
Internet radio stations, and the ability to burn custom playlists
to CDs and MP3 CDs, burn content to DVDs to back-up an entire music
collection and share music between computers via Rendezvous™
over any network, cross-platform.
Apple today also announced an online music alliance with America
Online to provide instant, one-click registration to the iTunes Music
Store for AOL’s more than 25 million U.S. members starting later
this quarter. America Online will integrate links to iTunes artists,
albums and songs throughout its leading music site, AOL Music, which
will give AOL members the option to link directly to the specific
iTunes Music Store page to preview and buy music as they browse and
read music news and reviews. Apple will offer selections of AOL’s
popular, original content such as Sessions@AOL and BroadBAND Rocks!
through the iTunes Music Store.
The new iTunes Music Store features exclusive tracks from more than
60 artists, including new exclusive tracks announced today from Black
Eyed Peas, Mary J. Blige, Coldplay, The Eagles, The Grateful Dead,
Ben Harper, Yo-Yo Ma, Sarah McLachlan, R.E.M., The Rolling Stones,
Sting and Luther Vandross.
The iTunes Music Store also debuted today a new Celebrity Playlist
feature with personal playlists created by several popular featured
artists including Michelle Branch, Dave Brubeck, Billy Corgan, Counting
Crows, Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, Ben Folds, Herbie Hancock, Jack
Johnson, Kenna, Wynton Marsalis, Moby, Mark Ronson, Seal, Sting and
Michael Stipe. In addition, the new iTunes Music Store features album
reviews, artist biographies and essentials lists of must-have albums
for artists.
The new iTunes Music Store offers another industry first—Apple’s
innovative and patent-pending online “Allowance” feature
which allows parents to automatically deposit funds into their kids’
iTunes Music Store account every month. This is the first time that
parents can provide an alternative to illegal file sharing to their
children. The new iTunes Music Store also offers online gift certificates
that can be sent to friends and family via e-mail to give the gift
of music to anyone.
In another pioneering move, the new iTunes Music Store now offers
more than 5,000 audiobooks which can be purchased with one click and
listened to on any Mac or Windows computer as well as on iPods. iTunes
is the only digital jukebox that allows users to seamlessly purchase
audiobooks in the same easy way that they purchase music. iTunes audiobooks
are encoded with superior audio quality and feature New York Times
bestsellers and popular public radio programs from NPR and PRI. In
addition, the iTunes Music Store offers exclusive content not found
digitally anywhere else, including “Whipping Mek,” an original
story by Brian Herbert and bestselling novelist Kevin J. Anderson
that bridges the Legends of Dune trilogy novels “The Butlerian
Jihad” and “The Machine Crusade.”
The iTunes Music Store continues to offer Apple’s legendary
ease of use, making it the easiest way to discover, purchase and download
music online for both Mac and Windows. Users can easily search the
entire music store to instantly locate any song by title, artist or
album, or browse the entire collection of songs by genre, artist and
album. Users can listen to free 30-second previews of any song in
the store, then purchase and download their favorite songs or complete
albums in pristine digital quality. Songs can be burned at no extra
cost onto an unlimited number of CDs for personal use, played on up
to any combination of three Mac or Windows computers, and listened
to on an unlimited number of iPods.
Pricing & Availability
iTunes for Mac and Windows includes the iTunes Music Store and is
available as a free download immediately from www.apple.com/itunes.
Purchase and download of songs from the iTunes Music Store for Mac
or Windows requires a valid credit card with a U.S. billing address.
The iTunes Music Store requires a Mac equipped with iTunes 4.1 and
Mac OS® X version 10.1.5 or later or a PC equipped with iTunes
4.1 and Windows XP or Windows 2000. Further information about Apple’s
digital music products can be found at www.apple.com/ipod
and www.apple.com/itunes.
Oct 16 - Apple Updates iPod.
Apple® today announced a free software update for iPod™,
the world’s most popular portable digital music player. The iPod
software update adds support for new Belkin voice recording and photo
storage accessories for dockable iPods, allowing users to record hundreds
of hours of audio and store thousands of digital photos on their iPod.
Available for both Mac® and Windows, the iPod software update
also includes faster browsing and accessing of large music libraries,
the ability to sync On-The-Go playlists back to iTunes® and a
new Music Quiz game which tests a player’s knowledge of their
own iTunes music library.
“Apple’s latest iPods have been a huge hit, becoming the
most successful digital music players ever. With these new added features
there are even more great reasons to get one,” said Philip Schiller,
Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing.
“We have worked together with Belkin to provide a simple and
elegant solution to iPod users’ two most requested features,
digital voice recording and photo storage.”
With the new voice recording features, iPod users can use a Belkin
Voice Recorder to record and instantly review over 600 hours of lectures,
interviews or notes on a 40GB iPod. Once the iPod is connected to
a Mac or Windows PC, the voice notes are automatically synced with
the computer just like songs and playlists are synced in the iTunes
library. These audio recordings are stored in WAV file format and
can be easily edited or even sent to others via email.
The Belkin Voice Recorder for iPod is the first third-party voice
recording accessory to take advantage of these new capabilities in
iPod. Belkin’s ultra-compact Voice Recorder for iPod is equipped
with a high-quality, omnidirectional microphone and 16mm speaker,
works with all dockable iPods through the headphone connector and
indicates recording status through iPod’s LCD screen.
iPod’s new photo storage feature allows users to use a Belkin
Media Reader to import, store and backup over 20,000 digital photos
from a 3 megapixel camera onto a 40GB iPod and take them anywhere.
This frees up valuable camera and memory card storage space so users
can continue to take pictures without the hassle and expense of buying
and carrying multiple memory cards.
Once the iPod is connected to a Mac or Windows PC, the digital photos
are easily transferred to a user’s computer and photo editing
software. With Mac OS® X, iPhoto™ will automatically recognize
the iPod as a media storage device and prompt users to transfer their
photos into the iPhoto library—just as if it were a camera, allowing
users to erase the photos after transfer if desired.
The ideal tool for professional photographers and people on vacation,
Belkin’s new Media Reader for iPod is the first third party iPod
photo storage accessory. The Belkin Media Reader for iPod connects
easily though iPod’s dock connector and supports the five most
common memory card formats—CompactFlash, SmartMedia, Memory Stick,
SD and MMC.
Pricing & Availability
The new iPod software update, Version 2.1, is available today as
a free download from www.apple.com/ipod.
iPods for Mac and Windows PCs are available for a suggested retail
price of $299 (US) for the 10GB iPod, $399 (US) for the 20GB iPod
and $499 (US) for the 40GB iPod through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com),
Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers.
iPod requires a Mac with FireWire® port, Mac OS X version 10.1.5
or later (Mac OS X v10.2 or later recommended) or a Windows PC with
FireWire or USB 2.0 port, or Windows-certified FireWire or USB 2.0
card, Windows 2000, or Windows XP Home or Professional.
The new Belkin iPod accessories are also available starting today
at www.belkin.com and www.apple.com
for a suggested retail price of $49.99 (US) for the Belkin Voice Recorder
and $99.99 (US) for the Belkin Media Reader.
Oct 16 - Intel And Sony Music Collaborate
To Bring Advanced Music And Entertainment To Intel-Based Cell Phones.
Intel Corporation and Sony Music Entertainment today announced they
will work together to enable users to access music, images, videos
and other Sony Music Entertainment content on powerful, Intel-based
cellular phones and PDAs.
Together, the companies will optimize Sony Music Entertainment's
mobile applications, services and content for mobile devices running
the Intel® Personal Internet Client Architecture (Intel PCA) -
providing users with PC-quality digital music and video on their cell
phones. The two companies also plan to co-develop future applications
and services for Intel-based phones, including applications that will
enable consumers to use PC-based multimedia content on their cell
phones.
"Music, and music videos in particular, promise to be among
the most exciting applications for mobile devices," said Ron
Smith, senior vice president and general manager of Intel's Wireless
Communications and Computing Group. "Through this collaboration,
users will be able to take Sony Music's premium entertainment content
with them anywhere and be able to enjoy a quality experience."
"Sony Music Entertainment's work with Intel promises to deliver
the rich, multimedia applications that consumers expect on their phones,"
said Philip Wiser, chief technology officer, Sony Music Entertainment.
"We're excited about working together to create products and
services that take advantage of the advanced video, audio and 3D animation
capabilities supported by the Intel PCA architecture. By optimizing
our products for this powerful platform, we expect to enable a very
compelling end user experience for Sony Music's mobile applications,
services and content."
Intel and Sony Music Entertainment will work with cell phone makers
and wireless carriers to make Sony Music's mobile applications and
services available on Intel PCA-based phones on advanced wireless
networks around the world.
The Sony Music portfolio of mobile products and services enables wireless
carriers to offer subscribers a variety of personalized services including
the ability to download and experience images, ring tones, music videos
and other music entertainment services. For phone makers, collaborations
such as this enable exciting device and content bundles and provide
an opportunity to showcase new and improved phone capabilities to
customers.
The initial products from the collaboration are expected to be available
through carriers and handset makers in 2004.
Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com.
Oct 14 - Transmeta Introduces
the Efficeon TM8000 Family. Transmeta Corporation (NASDAQ:TMTA),
the leader in efficient computing, today introduced the Efficeon TM8000
microprocessor family, establishing a new standard for high-performance,
highly integrated, low-power x86- compatible computing.
The Efficeon processors take efficient computing to
a new level, with major innovations in Transmeta’s revolutionary
but proven hardware and software
architecture, increased on-chip integration and new high performance
interfaces.
Aimed at ultra-portable and mainstream notebook computers, as well
as innovative
news classes of devices such as tablet PCs, ultra-personal computers,
silent desktop
computers, blade servers, thin clients and embedded systems, the Efficeon
processor family will be competitive with, or outperform competing
microprocessors operating within critical thermal limits such as the
7W limit for typical fanless notebook designs.
Systems based on the processor are expected to begin
shipping in the fourth quarter.
“The Efficeon processor gives system builders worldwide the capacity
to design in
added value, functionality, security, comfort, reliability and cost
savings,” said Dr. Matthew R. Perry, president and CEO, Transmeta
Corporation. “At the same time, it delivers exceptional performance
for a wide variety of demanding applications, from business productivity
to multimedia.”
High Performance Engine and Interfaces
Efficeon is a high-performance, low-power x86-compatible
processor, based upon a new silicon microarchitecture and also a redesigned
version of Transmeta’s Code Morphing® Software. The microarchitecture
is based on a 256-bit VLIW (Very Long Instruction Word) processor
that can issue up to 8 internal instructions per clock cycle. When
combined with the new Efficeon Code Morphing Software, it provides
full compatibility with modern x86 software, including MMX, SSE and
SSE2 multimedia instructions.
Efficeon features a number of new high performance interfaces
integrated into the same chip as the processor, eliminating the need
for a separate Northbridge chip. Efficeon includes a high speed AGP-4X
graphics interface that enables the use of industry standard high
performance AGP graphics solutions. Efficeon includes a high speed
DDR-400 (Double Data Rate SDRAM at 400 Megatransfers/second) memory
interface, with ECC (Error Correcting Code) as an option. Efficeon
includes a high performance HyperTransport interconnect for connecting
to the rest of the system.
Efficeon’s HyperTransport interface can send data
at up to 1.6 GBytes/second aggregate, which is up to 12 times faster
than the I/O throughput of Crusoe’s PCI interface. Efficeon also
includes a high speed LPC (Low Pin Count) bus interface for communicating
with the latest generation of FLASH memory.
With integrated on-chip Northbridge core logic, the
Efficeon TM8000 family reduces chip count and decreases the size and
cost of the PC board, enabling innovative, smaller form factor designs.
Transmeta and NVIDIA have been working jointly together on small package
solutions. The Efficeon TM8620 21x21mm small package combined with
NVIDIA’s 22x22mm nForce3 Go 120 Southbridge will allow the combination
of CPU, Northbridge and Southbridge to fit in a space nearly four
times smaller than that of its nearest competitor.
Initially, Efficeon silicon will be manufactured for
Transmeta by TSMC in Taiwan, in TMSC’s 0.13 micron (130 nanometer)
CMOS technology at clock speeds starting at 1 GHz and above. Starting
in the second half of 2004, Efficeon silicon will also be manufactured
for Transmeta at Fujitsu’s Akiruno Technology Center near Tokyo,
Japan, at speeds up to 2 GHz, using Fujitsu’s 90 nm CMOS process.
“Efficeon represents a major leap forward in CPU
performance for Transmeta,” said David R. Ditzel, co-founder,
vice-chairman and chief technology officer of Transmeta.“Efficeon’s
256-bit VLIW engine and new Code Morphing Software represents a major
step forward in computer architecture, and will help bring Transmeta
into new markets.”
To learn more about Transmeta, visit www.transmeta.com.
Oct 12 - Sunday Shopping
Watch.
Best Sunday Deals - See our Best Sunday
Ad Deals Table below for specific system prices.
Weekly Comparison. There are some very good deals
to be found on this Columbus Day weekend.
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 18 month no-interest financing on all desktop
and laptop purchases, and $100 mail-in rebates on advertised laptops
and up to $150 mail-in rebates on advertised desktop packages. They
are also offering 3 free months of AOL with all new computers.
Circuit City is offering
12 months no interest on advertised desktop packages and notebooks,
and $100 mail-in rebates on advertised laptops and up to $150 mail-in
rebates on advertised desktop packages.
Office
Depot
has no store-wide promotions this Sunday.
CompUSA is offering 18 months
no payment, no interest, financing on all HP and Compaq computers.
They are also offering $150 mail-in rebates on advertised laptops
and desktop 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
|
|
1. Best Celeron Deal
|
eMachine 2.5 GHz complete system with
17" monitor
|
$439
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
2. Best Celeron Deal
|
HP 2.6 GHz complete system with 17"
monitor
|
$569
|
-
|
Circuit City
|
|
1. Best Pentium 4 System
|
Sony 2.8 GHz Pentium 4 with 15"
flat panel, HT Technology, and DVD-RW
|
$1279
|
|
Circuit City, CompUSA ($1299)
|
|
2. Best Pentium 4 System
|
HP Media Center, 2.8 GHz Pentium 4 complete
system with 17" flat panel, HT Technology, and DVD-RW
|
$1949
|
|
CompUSA
|
|
1. Best AMD Athlon XP System
|
HP 2800+ complete system with 17"monitor
and DVD-RW
|
$769
|
|
Circuit City
|
|
2. Best AMD Athlon XP System
|
HP 3000+ complete system with 17"monitor
and DVD-RW
|
$949
|
|
Best Buy
|
|
1. Best Low-cost Laptop
|
Toshiba 2.4 GHz Celeron with DVD/CD-RW
drive
|
$849
|
|
CompUSA
|
|
2. Best Low-cost Laptop
|
Compaq 2.4 GHz Celeron with DVD/CD-RW
|
$849
|
|
Circuit City, Best Buy ($899)
|
|
3. Best Low-cost Laptop
|
Compaq AMD Athlon XP 2500+ with DVD/CD-RW
|
$1099
|
|
Best Buy
|
|
4. Best Low-cost Laptop
|
Toshiba 2.3 GHz Pentium 4M with DVD/CD-RW
|
$1199
|
|
Circuit City
|
|
1. Best High-end Notebook
|
Compaq Centrino widescreen 1.4 GHz with
DVD /CD- RW
|
$1499
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
2. Best High-end Notebook
|
Compaq widescreen Pentium 4 2.66 GHz
with DVD /CD- RW
|
$1649
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
|
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