Bill, Good morning,
Dorine
What do you think of this? I thought I read something about this regarding DELL.
10/23/99 - Compaq Touts Wireless Network
Device
Oct. 23 (Houston Chronicle/KRTBN)--Compaq
Computer Corp. on Monday will introduce a line
of wireless networking devices that let
employees" portable PCs stay connected to a
corporate network as they move around the
workplace.
Compaq also will announce new portable
computers that use a mobile version of Intel
Corp."s Pentium III chip, as well as two new
lines of laptops.
The wireless products include network cards
with antennas designed to fit into desktop and
notebook PCs for $199, and a wireless base
station -- dubbed an access point -- that can
handle up to 256 users for $899.
Shannon White, product marketing manager for
Compaq"s connectivity products, said the
company also is offering a software-based
version of the access point for $125. Users can
install the software on a PC and use one of the
desktop wireless networking cards as a
transmitter, cutting down on the cost.
The wireless setup can transmit data at 11
megabits a second -- slightly faster than standard
Ethernet speeds -- but that rate declines the
further a receiver is from the base station.
It is an expansion of Compaq"s wireless
networking products, which previously worked
at just 2 megabits a second. It makes the
Houston-based PC maker a more aggressive
competitor in a rapidly growing field that includes
Lucent Technologies, 3Com, Dell, Nokia and
Apple.
Although these products are aimed at businesses,
Compaq has said it plans to offer wireless
networks aimed at home users starting in the first
quarter of next year. Those products will use a
standard that allows for 1.5-megabit data
transfers.
Compaq"s portables division will introduce a
new line of low-end notebooks, as well another
line of low-cost, all-in-one machines.
Eric Brennan, director of product marketing for
Compaq"s portable group, said the Armada
V300 is a replacement for the Armada 1500c,
Compaq"s so-called "value" line. It starts at
$1,499 and features Intel"s Celeron processors,
both passive- and active-matrix screens and 32
megabytes of memory in the starting
configuration.
The new Armada E500 is being touted as the
convenience line, capable of holding as many as
three batteries at once, Brennan said. The line
replaces the Armada 1750 family and starts at
$2,099. It uses mobile Pentium II and Pentium
III processors up to 500 megahertz and
active-matrix screens up to 15 inches in size.
Compaq also will add Pentium III chips to its
existing Armada E700 and M700 lines.
On Monday, Intel Corp. will announce new
desktop Pentium III chips that had been delayed
because of technical problems with supporting
chipsets. Compaq is expected to offer systems
that use the chips, which are expected to be as
fast as 733 MHz.
That would make the Intel chips faster than the
new Athlon processors recently launched by rival
Advanced Micro Devices.
Compaq is expected to offer desktop PCs with
the new chips in all its lines, including Deskpro,
Prosignia and Presario.
By Dwight Silverman
-0-
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(c) 1999, Houston Chronicle. Distributed by
Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. CPQ,
INTC, LU, COMS, DELL, NOK.A, AAPL,
END!A3?HO-COMPAQ |
