Sal--
I find it strange that Sood wouldn't have addressed the AOL question when he did what I assume was a conference call. Stranger still that apparently no one asked him about it. The guy from Oppenheimer has--and rightly so, I think--made a big deal of this, and so the question begs to be asked, and answered.
I agree that many people may have postponed modem purchases: why buy an old model that needs to be upgraded when you can wait a month and get one that'll start right out of the gate? (Answer, I think: because actually it's cheaper, but I doubt whether this is clearly understood or would even be considered convincing. Have to admit I don't like fooling with installations--I'm always sure I'll screw it up irremediably--and so I, too, would wait.) But let's face it: if you really needed a modem last quarter, the only sensible way to go was USRX. Whether salespeople succeeded (or had any interest) in explaining this to uninformed customers remains to be seen. (If, on the other hand, I'd been determined on buying a new computer with internal modem before Christmas, I'd have made damned sure I got one with a USRX inside.) Say what you will: maybe people didn't buy as many Robot externals in the last quarter as they might otherwise have done, but they probably bought even fewer modems produced by the competition: look at BOCI. I want a new laptop, and I'd like a Micron, but...if I wait a few more months will they drop their Motorolas in favor of Robots? Hope so.
Straying from the point here. I'll commit, eat crow later. Don't think they'll miss. And if they don't, Voodoo Doll for Sood. Do you have his email address?
Janice |
