Ibexx, Article...Pentium II portables on tap...
By John G. Spooner, PC Week Online
02.20.98 4:33 pm ET
Intel Corp.'s mobile Pentium II processor will be the next big boost for notebook PCs. But pricing, service and support - not technology - are the factors now driving IT managers' buying decisions.
Several notebook makers are expected to announce Pentium II-based notebooks on or within a month of Intel's April launch of the new 233MHz and 266MHz mobile processors. Announcements will include the following:
IBM will introduce the ThinkPad 600, a Pentium II notebook with a 13.3-inch screen. It will weigh less than 5 pounds, measure less than 1.5 inches thick, and cost between $3,000 and $5,000, sources said.
Toshiba America Information Systems Inc. will announce a slimmer Tecra 700 series based on the new processor, sources said.
NEC Computer Systems, a Boxboro, Mass., division of Packard Bell NEC Inc., will launch a Versa notebook that will weigh about 4 pounds and measure 1.3 inches thick, with a choice of 13.3- or 14.1-inch screens. Pricing will start between $3,000 and $4,000, sources said.
Dell Computer Corp. will add Pentium IIs to its Latitude CP and Inspiron notebook families. It will offer an Inspiron configured with a 233MHz Pentium II chip, starting at about $3,000, sources said.
The Pentium II's increased power and performance, however, may not be enough to spur sales at corporations.
"The Pentium II is not a gimme. [It] is no longer the differentiator. This year it is price," said Mike McGuire, an analyst at Dataquest Inc., in San Jose, Calif.
"It comes down to price and then parts availability," said Paul Maier, technical manager at Aga Gas Inc., in Cleveland. "Everybody's performance is pretty much the same. We were on Compaq [Computer Corp.] notebooks; we're now on Toshiba notebooks. Toshiba's price points are a little better."
Service is another decisive factor. For Harley-Davidson Motor Co., for example, service and support prompted a change from Toshiba to Compaq.
"We switched because we couldn't get spare parts, and in my estimation, the service wasn't reliable," said Eric Martin, lead LAN/WAN engineer for Harley-Davidson, in York, Pa.
Answering the demand for support, companies such as IBM have been rolling out new programs. The Armonk, N.Y., company will offer its latest manageability technology, Alert on LAN, on notebooks later this year.
Dell will introduce enhanced manageability features for Latitude notebooks, including a new version of its network management tool called Dell Inspector, sources close to the Round Rock, Texas, company said.
Toshiba will launch Web sites to give corporate customers customized technical support, sources close to the Irvine, Calif., company said.
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Intel just seems to be everywhere lately, I guess that's what happens when you have 10 billion dollars to work with. :-)
Michael
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