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Technology Stocks : All About Sun Microsystems -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: JDN who wrote (34430)	8/16/2000 7:25:10 AM
From: Lynn	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 64865

Dear JDN: Michael Dell is doing a lot of posturing (unseat SUNW) while throwing a temper tantrum (bash of MSFT). While the posturing is probably in response to their last quarter results, I think the temper tantrum might be related to CPQ's Internet appliance announcement yesterday. There were a few articles, but here is the last one posted: Tuesday August 15 7:35 PM ET Compaq presents a little computer that's nothing but Net, confirms RIM deal NEW YORK (AP) - Two stalwarts of the personal computer, Compaq Computer Corp. (NYSE:CPQ - news) and Microsoft Corp. (NasdaqNM:MSFT - news), joined Tuesday to launch a simple, stripped-down "Internet appliance" they hope will woo people who find PCs daunting. [snip] ... The iPaq Home Internet Appliance, the size of a small VCR, comes with a built-in screen and a wireless keyboard. It runs a Microsoft operating system and can access the Web only through Microsoft's Internet service provider, MSN. [snip to end] ca.dailynews.yahoo.com A MSFT representative states in the article that this is not intended to replace the PC, but this will definitely cut into consumer PC sales. DELL has nothing to compete against this new CPQ product. My opinion on this new CPQ iPaq Internet Appliance? I would like it if the consumer had the choice of various ISPs. The way it is, it looks like nothing more than a marketing device for MSFT's MSN. CPQ makes a few bucks selling the iPaq then MSFT collects money on a monthly basis as long as the machine is used. Personally, I think CPQ has gotten a little too cozy with MSFT. Last month when I had modem problems, I was asked by CPQ's technical support [enterprise, not consumer line, tech support] what ISP I used. I told them it was about 50:50 my university account:Prodigy [when the modem pool for the other is busy]. Each time I was told that CPQ recommends it's customers use the MSN. Back to the iPAQ: I will not buy one, only because I refuse to switch to the MSN. If another company comes up with an iPaq Internet clone, that does enable to buyer to decide which ISP to use, I would buy one. Regards, Lynn