Hi everyone! I bought IMOT on 2/18 because of their PR on their search engine. The web site looked great, but there was almost no mention of it on SI. As I'm down a bit from my purchase price, I hope interest picks up and IMOT becomes better known. I did spend quite a bit of time on their site, and I found it to be full of content and very professionally presented.
I came across an interesting article on web usage in China from yesterday .. I'll cut and paste below (from newsalert):
March 01, 1999 08:22
Internet Usage in Chinese Households Almost Doubles in 1998; New
Report Shows Netscape Browser Most Popular
CUPERTINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 1, 1999--Internet access by Home-PC owners in China almost doubled in 1998 over 1997 and Chinese households appear to have strong preference for Netscape to help them browse the World Wide Web.
The growth in Chinese Internet access is outlined in a report focusing on Home-PC sales that was recently published by Advanced Forecasting-HuiCong (AFHC).
The new report reveals that 30% percent of Chinese households that have PCs now have access to the Internet. As for the browser of choice, 60% of on-line households in China have installed Netscape on their PC.
"There is no doubt that Internet usage is increasing significantly among Home-PC owners," said Patrick Driscoll, vice president of AFHC, a firm that specializes in high tech market research in China. "Still, the installed base in China per capita is small when compared to the U.S."
The report indicates that despite the fact that Internet access in China is expensive, many Chinese households are now more willing to undertake the expense and forego other expenses.
The research is based on face-to-face interviews of 3,000 Home-PC owners, and additional information from more than 300 PC resellers and nearly 30 PC product vendors. The two samples are distributed over
30 cities in Mainland China.
Dr. Peng Fu, chief analyst for AFHC, maintains, "the Internet will become an increasingly important driver for the Chinese Home-PC market. More and more Chinese families will utilize Internet for education and entertainment." Dr. Fu further forecasts, "by the end of 1999, more than 50% of the Home-PC owners will have access to the Internet."
"AFHC's Channel & Consumer Survey and Industry Report: Home-PC Market in China (1998)" is one of a series of reports from AFHC. The current report, updated twice yearly, includes primary data from the channel and consumers on sales volume, hardware and software configuration, purchase behavior, advertising, channels, pricing, and analysis of vendors' popularity.
In addition to historical data and forecasts through the year 2000, the comprehensive report includes insight on features of the Chinese market and key strategies to penetrate it. PC brands include: Acer,
Compaq, Founder, Great Wall, Hisense, HP, IBM, Legend, Start, and Tontru.
Advanced Forecasting-HuiCong is a joint venture of Advanced Forecasting, a leading forecasting Silicon Valley company, and China's largest High-Tech Market Research and Advertising Group of approximately 2,500 employees.
AFHC's data collection capabilities in China provides its clients direct access to the Chinese market for a broad selection of several industries and over 100 product categories. It also delivers quantitative and qualitative information on market trends via subscription services, reports, and a variety of customized
consulting services. Industries include automobile, broadcasting & TV equipment, chemical, office automation, personal computer, and telecommunication.
CONTACT: Advanced Forecasting-HuiCong
Dr. Peng Fu or Patrick Driscoll, 408/725-2964
www.adv-forecast.com
Email: driscoll@adv-forecast.com
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