FYI:
Iomega is slowly creeping into all the PCs out there.
NEW YORK, July 9 (Reuter) - Packard Bell Electronics Inc said it introduced a new series of personal computers as part of
its Platinum line, with more communications features, including video conferencing capabilities.
The company, which is merging with NEC Corp's 6701.T PC operations outside Japan, also said it expects its deal with NEC
to close either late Tuesday or Wednesday.
The new products will be sold by Packard Bell Electronics, based in Sacramento, Calif., and targeted to the home. On
Wednesday, the company will be called Packard Bell NEC.
The new systems, which start at about $1,500 and go up to $2,800, all include video conferencing technology , developed by
VDOnet Corp, a privately-held company in Palo Alto, Calif. The lowest cost system has an Intel Corp Pentium 133 megahertz
processor, with minimum memory of 16 megabytes DRAM.
The systems also include a television tuner, to turn them into a TV, and they also have VocalTec Ltd's ( Vocaltech Inc ) Internet
phone software pre-installed.
The systems have approximately 45 software packages, including all the major online services, pre-installed.
"We are offering the most Internet-ready machine with the most capabilities," said Mal Ransom, vice president of marketing for
Packard Bell.
Certain PC models will also include Iomega Corp Zip drive, a 100-megabyte removable disk drive, for increased storage
capacity and easy system backup.
Packard Bell's new PCs will be available in 15,000 retail outlets worldwide, including most major mass retailers. Packard Bell
offers a one-year limited warranty, including one-year hardware technical support. |
