IBM introduces NetVista brand name for new line of network 'appliances'
NEW YORK (AP) - IBM Corp. has introduced a brand name for the new line of simplified, space-saving computers and Internet "appliances" it plans to begin selling soon. The NetVista line, the company's first new brand of desktop machines since the Aptiva was introduced in 1994, is geared toward the growing interest in computers designed for easy connections to the Web and other networks.
IBM said it plans to spend $100 million US on marketing and advertising for the NetVista All-in-One desktop computer, the NetVista Internet Appliance, the NetVista Legacy-Free PC and the NetVista Zero-Footprint Thin Client.
The company also disclosed Monday some of the power, speed and size specifications that will be featured on the new machines, first unveiled without a brand name about a month ago.
The NetVista All-in-One, which will compete with Compaq computer's new IPaq machines, will come in seven models with prices starting under $2,000 US.
The machines, about 75 per cent smaller than a typical PC, will have 64 megabytes of instant memory and a choice of Intel Celeron or Pentium III chips with processing speeds ranging from about 500 to 600 megahertz.
Most of the space savings with the All-in-One are accomplished by stashing a compact hard drive behind the machine's 15-inch (38-centimetre) flat-panel screen.
The hard drives can have 10, 15 or 20 gigahertz of memory capacity. The machines also feature a floppy disk drive, a choice of CD-ROM or DVD drive and an optional wireless connection to a local area network.
The NetVista Internet Appliance, a stripped-down computer like the Sun Ray recently introduced by Sun Microsystems, is designed to provide instant access to the Internet over the high-speed phone connection known as digital subscriber line, or DSL, or to an internal network.
The machines are equipped with 25-centimetre flat panel screens and processors running at speeds above 200 megahertz, but no hard drive. They are designed to display information from a network rather than download the information and process it on the desktop.
The Internet Appliance will be sold through service providers such as telephone companies and financial Companies, rather than directly to consumers or businesses.
In the past two weeks, IBM has announced plans with AT&T, Fidelity Investments, Lycos, SBC Communications and Bell Atlantic to test the Internet Appliance, linking users directly to customized content and services.
The other two NetVistas are designed primarily for corporate networks. The Legacy-Free PC features a compact tower with a docking cradle for synchronization with handheld devices. Possible uses for the Thin Client include airline check-in counters and retail checkouts. ¸ The Canadian Press, 2000
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