This is an on going discussion on the AOL MF thred about alternative uses for Zip.....beyond the PC......now this....
From Monday's IBD...copied it from AOL:
Iomega Corp. is branching out.
As rivals target the Roy, Utah-based company's market for high-capacity computer diskettes, Iomega is seeking new uses for its popular Zip drive and 100-megabyte diskettes. The company hopes people will use Zip products to store digital photos and images, audio and video files, and medical images.
Iomega has made pacts to put Zip drives in products other than personal computers. The products include printers from Lexmark International Inc. and NEC Corp., scanners from Microtek International Inc., music and video gear from Roland Corp. and 360 Systems, and medical devices from Stryker Corp.
The company also is eyeing interactive set-top TV boxes and video game consoles. Ted Briscoe, president of Iomega's personal storage division, recently spoke with IBD about the company's strategy.
IBD: Is Iomega moving away from its goal of replacing the 1.44-megabyte floppy diskette?
Briscoe: We want to continue to build on that and expand into some new markets. We do not want to dilute our focus on the personal computer market. That is the core of our business and will remain the core of our business for the foreseeable future. But we do want to have an incubation-type business to focus on beyond-PC products.
IBD: How much of a threat to Zip are Sony's HiFD and Imation's SuperDisk products?
Briscoe: There's been a series of Zip killers over the past few years. We have been careful not to minimize any of those. But at the same time, we want to stay focused on our business proposition. Our discipline to stick with that -as opposed to reacting any time a new competitive threat enters the market - has allowed us to become the market leader. Sony is a strong brand, but we have built a sizable lead.
IBD: Why is Iomega moving into these new markets?
Briscoe: We see opportunities for Zip in places a lot of people haven't considered. There's a shift in information from the analog to the digital format. As this occurs, we see a blurring of the lines that differentiate computing, telecommunications and entertainment. As these lines blur, there are new opportunities. One thing that's consistent across these digital applications is that they have large file sizes. And individuals have a need to access, store and share these digital files.
IBD: What is Iomega doing to include Zip in game consoles and set-top boxes?
Briscoe: We have a group we've formed that allows us to break away from traditional personal computing applications. (The group is) working with the respective market leaders in each of the categories. You can expect that we will have a series of announcements in the near term.
IBD: What products might result from Iomega's Aug. 21 acquisition of France's Nomai SA?
Briscoe: With Nomai, we got a company that has some interesting development capabilities that we can integrate into Iomega. There also are manufacturing capabilities we are leveraging. They also have (recordable CD) products. As we look at broadening Iomega's portfolio, you might expect to see some stuff at Nomai make its way into Iomega products down the road.
IBD: Is Iomega looking at other products, such as recordable compact discs or digital video discs?
Briscoe: We have no new announcements, but we are listening to our customers and watching technology advancements. We are intrigued by the possibilities offered by optical products (such as recordable CDs and DVD). This is an area where you might expect some announcements from Iomega down the road.
IBD: How does Iomega plan to compete with other storage products, such as memory cards or compact discs?
Briscoe: With our installed base, individuals have chosen Zip as the market leader. We are seeing the same thing from PC manufacturers and their inclusion of our technology. Users desire a proven solution for sharing and saving their information. This information is important to individuals, so they want something they're comfortable with.
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Copyright (c) 1998 Investors Business Daily, All rights reserved.
Investor's Business Daily - Computers & Technology (11/02/98)
Iomega Thinks About A Life Beyond PCs
By Michael Lyster
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