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To: Dan3 who wrote (49389)7/30/2001 2:54:18 PM
From: Paul EngelRead Replies (1) | Respond to of 275872
 
The notebooks feature Intel's new Mobile Pentium® III processor 1.13 GHz-M, which John Medica, vice president of Dell's client product group, says is an important step in the evolution of mobile computing.

biz.yahoo.com

Monday July 30, 11:45 am Eastern Time
Press Release

Dell Adds More Muscle, New Colors to Its Notebook Computer Lines

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 30, 2001--Dell (Nasdaq:DELL - news) today announced the worldwide availability of two new wireless-ready notebook computers, the Inspiron(tm) 8100 and the Latitude(tm) C810, that offer customers significantly improved performance and lower power usage.

The notebooks feature Intel's new Mobile Pentium® III processor 1.13 GHz-M, which John Medica, vice president of Dell's client product group, says is an important step in the evolution of mobile computing.

``When you add these new processors to notebooks with large, ultra-sharp 15-inch displays and multiple optical drives, both the Inspiron 8100 and the Latitude C810 become true desktop replacements. They deliver the mobility and flexibility of a high-performance system that customers can use anywhere, anytime,'' Medica said.

The new Intel® Mobile Pentium III 1.13-M processor can offer more that 25 percent higher performance on productivity applications and 45 percent better performance on gaming applications compared to the Intel Pentium III at 1GHz processor.

In addition to higher processing performance, the Latitude C810 will feature the NVIDIA GeForce2Go chipset, which offers increased graphics capacity, up to 32MB, and performance. The NVIDIA graphics solutions includes Twinview® technology, which allows customers to use dual monitors on the same notebook system, a common configuration in the financial industry.

Dell also announced today the availability in the United States of 12 new optional Inspiron color kits that allow users to creatively customize the look of their systems. Several of the new colors are based on textures and feature a ``soft touch'' surface, including Black Leather and Fishskin, while others offer more unique looks, such as Burled Wood, Spring Palette and Champagne. The color kits for the Inspiron 8100 and the Inspiron 2500 have inserts that snap easily into the palm rests. The kits for the Inspiron 4000 have inserts for the palm rests and LCD back panel. They are available for $29.99 and $49.99 per set respectively.

The price of a typical Inspiron 8100 starts at $2,049(a). It features a Mobile Intel Pentium III processor 1.13 GHz-M, 128 MB SDRAM, 15-inch SXGA+ display, 24X max CD-ROM, 10GB(b) ATA-100 hard drive, integrated 56k v.90 modem(c), 16MB Nvidia GeForce2Go graphics chipset, Microsoft® Windows® Millennium, Microsoft Works Suite and 1-year limited warranty(d). More information on Inspiron notebooks is available at www.dell.com/inspiron.

The price of a wireless-ready Latitude C810 starts at $2,459. It features a Mobile Intel Pentium III processor 1.13GHz-M, 128 MB SDRAM, 15-inch UXGA display, 16 MB Nvidia GeForce2Go graphics chipset, 10 GB hard disk drive, integrated 56k v.90 modem, Dell's DualPoint technology, fixed 24X maximum CD-ROM drive, floppy diskette drive, Microsoft Windows 2000, and 3-year next-business-day onsite service(e). More information on Latitude notebooks is available at www.dell.com/latitude.

The Inspiron and Latitude product lines are supported by Dell Services, which can help lower a customers' cost of computing with a full suite of award-winning computing services, including deployment and after-sale support. Complete information on Dell Services is available at www.dell.com/services.

About Dell

Dell Computer Corporation (Nasdaq:DELL - news) is the world's No. 1 computer systems company and is a premier provider of products and services required for customers to build their information-technology and Internet infrastructures. The company's revenue for the past four quarters totaled $32.6 billion. Dell ranks No. 48 on the Fortune 500, No. 154 on the Fortune Global 500 and No. 7 on the Fortune Global ``most admired'' lists of companies. Dell, through its direct business model, designs, manufactures and customizes products and services to customer requirements, and offers an extensive selection of software and peripherals. Information on Dell and its products can be obtained on the World Wide Web at www.dell.com.

Dell is a trademark of Dell Computer Corporation.

Fortune and Fortune 500 are registered trademarks, and Fortune Global 500 is a trademark, of Time Inc.

Dell disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others.

(a) Pricing, specifications, and availability may change without

notice. Taxes and shipping charges extra, and vary. Cannot be

combined with other offers or discounts. U.S. only.

(b) For hard drives, GB means 1 billion bytes; accessible capacity

varies with operating environment.

(c) Download speeds limited to 53 Kbps. Upload speeds are less (about

30Kbps.) and vary by modem manufacturer and line conditions.

Analog phone line and compatible server required.

(d) For a copy of our guarantees or limited warranties, please write

Dell USA L.P., Attn: Warranties, One Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas

78682.

(e) Service may be provided by third-party. Technician will be

dispatched if necessary following phone-based troubleshooting. To

receive next business day service, Dell must notify the service

provider before 5 p.m. (depending on service contract) customer

time. Availability varies.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:

Dell Computer Corporation, Austin
Media Contacts:
Anne Camden, 512/723-7689
anne_camden@dell.com
or
Cody Pinkston, 512/723-3593
cody_pinkston@dell.com
or
Investor Contacts:
Lynn Tyson, 512/723-1130
lynn_tyson@dell.com
or
Robert Williams, 512/728-7570
robert_williams@dell.com

E



To: Dan3 who wrote (49389)7/30/2001 3:00:24 PM
From: Paul EngelRespond to of 275872
 
The highlight of this new notebook PC line is the GR170K unit, which houses a mobile Intel® Pentium® III processor 1GHz-M supporting Enhanced Intel® SpeedStep(TM) technology.

biz.yahoo.com

Monday July 30, 8:01 am Eastern Time
Press Release

Just What the Business User Ordered: New Two-Spindle Sony VAIO GR Notebook PC Series That is Versatile, Light and Powerful

San DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 30, 2001--Sony Electronics is taking the audiovisual convergence features VAIO® users love and placing them in a powerful and practical tool designed specifically for the business professional with the introduction of the VAIO GR170K and GR150K notebook PCs -- its first two-spindle notebooks created especially for the corporate market.

``VAIO has a reputation as a stylish consumer entertainment device,'' said Mark Hanson, vice president and general manager for VAIO PC marketing for Sony Electronics. ``With powerhouse multimedia capabilities, the GR notebook PC series offers the power and audiovisual capabilities business professionals need to push the envelope in creativity and productivity.''

GR170K: The True Business Partner

The highlight of this new notebook PC line is the GR170K unit, which houses a mobile Intel® Pentium® III processor 1GHz-M supporting Enhanced Intel® SpeedStep(TM) technology. As one of the first PC manufacturers incorporating this new processor in a notebook PC, Sony VAIO GR users will experience seamless application transition and significantly higher performance for enhanced productivity. Both the GR170K and the GR150K weigh 5.6 pounds with the weight saver and only 6.3 pounds with the removable CD-RW/DVD combo drive.

Designed to be highly functional, yet thin and light, the new GR170K model has a 14.1-inch SXGA+ TFT display for 87 percent higher pixel count than a regular XGA TFT screen. This impressive screen provides brilliant playback for business presentations and DVD viewing. It also sports a modular design that allows users to run two batteries, an easily removable hard drive and an optional port replicator for full office peripheral connectivity.

The GR summer lineup offers one additional configuration, the GR150K. It features a mobile Intel® Pentium® III processor 866MHz-M and a 14.1-inch XGA TFT screen.

Along with the GR series' great features, Sony will offer a three-year limited warranty on both notebook PC models, providing security and convenience for the business user.

Powerhouse Multimedia Capabilities For The Road Warrior

All VAIO notebooks PCs, including the GR series, come equipped with an i.LINK® (IEEE 1394) digital interface, allowing for digital video and data exchange between VAIO notebook PCs and Sony Digital Handycam® camcorders, Sony Cyber-shot® digital still cameras and other compatible devices.

Also included in the new VAIO GR PC line's software mix are: Sony's original MovieShaker(TM) software, a simple application for producing digital movies; Sony's PictureGear(TM) software, designed to help manage digital content; and Dvgate(TM) software, which captures full motion digital video and still photography.

The GR series also house a CD-RW/DVD combination drive and a MagicGate(TM) Memory Stick® media slot for quick, high capacity storage of music, video, digital images and convenient sharing of files among colleagues. They also feature Sony's JogDial(TM) control for easy application selection. The quick and simple integration of all these products allows users who work on the road and in the car to create and share photos, videos and information immediately.

In addition to the GR170K and the GR150K, the GR series can be custom configured on our web site at www.sonystyle.com/vaio. The GR170K and GR150K ship with a Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Professional operating system for about $2,999 and $2,599, respectively. Both systems arrive on store shelves in early August.

Editor's Note: Sony Electronics' Information Technology Products Division (ITPD) is based in San Diego and markets VAIO notebook and desktop computers, CLIE(TM) handhelds and Memory Stick® media. For additional information about Sony computer products, consumers can call (888) 315-SONY, or visit Sony's web site at: www.SonyStyle.com/vaio. For digital images and more press information, please visit Sony Electronics' news and information Web site at www.sony.com/news.

Key Specifications, GR Series VAIO(R) Notebook PC:

PCG-GR170K PCG-GR150K

CPU Mobile Intel(R) Pentium(R) Mobile Intel(R) Pentium(R)
III processor 1 GHz-M III processor 866 MHz-M
supports Enhanced Intel(R) supports Enhanced Intel(R)
SpeedStep(TM) technology SpeedStep(TM) technology

LCD Display 14.1" SXGA+ TFT screen 14.1" XGA TFT

Operating
System Microsoft(R) Windows(R) Microsoft(R) Windows(R)
2000 Professional 2000 Professional

Dimensions Height -- 1.4" Height -- 1.4"
Width -- 12.3" Width -- 12.3"
Depth -- 10.3" Depth -- 10.3"
5.6 lbs. (with weight 5.6 lbs. (with weight
saver)/6.3 lbs.(with saver)/6.3 lbs. (with
optical drive) optical drive)

Among
Included
Software
Applications Adaptec Easy CD Adaptec Easy CD
Creator(TM) Creator(TM)
Microsoft(R) Word 2002 Microsoft(R) Word 2002
Norton AntiVirus(TM) Norton AntiVirus(TM)
Quicken(R) 2001 Quicken(R) 2001
QuickTime(TM) QuickTime(TM)
RealNetworks(R) Real RealNetworks(R) Real
Jukebox(R) 2 Basic Jukebox(R) 2 Basic
RealNetworks(R) RealNetworks(R)
RealPlayer(R) 8 Basic RealPlayer(R) 8 Basic
Sony DVgate(TM) Sony DVgate(TM)
Sony MovieShaker(TM) Sony MovieShaker(TM)
Sony PictureGear(TM) Sony PictureGear(TM)
Sony Smart Capture Sony Smart Capture
VAIO(R) Support Agent VAIO(R) Support Agent
WinDVD(R) 2000 WinDVD(R) 2000

Interfaces MagicGate(TM) Memory MagicGate(TM) Memory
Stick(R) media slot Stick(R) media slot
Center Jog Dial(TM) Center Jog Dial(TM)
control control
i.LINK(R) (IEEE 1394) S400 i.LINK(R) (IEEE 1394) S400
interface supports interface supports
high-speed digital video, high-speed digital video,
audio, and data transfer audio, and data transfer
capabilities among capabilities among
equipped Sony products equipped Sony products
3 USB ports, RJ-11 modem 3 USB ports, RJ-11 modem
jack, RJ-45 Ethernet, VGA jack, RJ-45 Ethernet, VGA
output, parallel, output, parallel,
headphone, microphone-in, headphone, microphone-in,
AV line out, TV out, port AV line out, TV out, port
replicator replicator

Standard RAM 256 MB SDRAM, expandable 128 MB SDRAM, expandable
to 512 MB to 512 MB

Hard Disk Removable 20.0 GB hard Removable 20.0 GB hard
drive drive

Battery High-capacity lithium-ion High-capacity lithium-ion
battery supports dual battery supports dual
battery operation battery operation
2.0-3.0 hours with 2.0-3.0 hours with
standard battery standard battery
4.0-6.0 hours with 4.0-6.0 hours with
double-capacity battery double-capacity battery

Digital Video AGP-enabled ATI Rage(TM) AGP-enabled ATI Rage(TM)
Mobility Mobility
RADEON(TM) -- M graphics RADEON(TM) -- M graphics
chip with 3D acceleration chip with 3D acceleration
support support
8 MB DDRAM SDRAM 8 MB DDRAM SDRAM
MPEG 1 and MPEG2 digital MPEG 1 and MPEG2 digital
video supports full screen video supports full screen
playback playback

Digital Audio Windows(R) sound system Windows(R) sound system
compatible with 3D compatible with 3D
surround surround

Modem Integrated V.90 modem Integrated V.90 modem

Optional
Accessories -- PCGA-BP2E/Additional -- PCGA-BP2E/Additional
Battery -- $249.99 Battery -- $249.99
-- PCGA-UMS1/A USB mouse -- PCGA-UMS1/A USB mouse
-- $49.99 -- $49.99
-- PCGA-AC16V Additional -- PCGA-AC16V Additional
AC adapter -- $99.99 AC adapter -- $99.99
-- PCGA-UFD5/External USB -- PCGA-UFD5/External USB
floppy drive -- $79.99 floppy drive -- $79.99
-- PCGA-PRGR1/Port -- PCGA-PRGR1/Port
Replicator -- $199.99 Replicator -- $199.99
-- PCWA-A100/Wireless LAN -- PCWA-A100/Wireless LAN
Access Point and PC Access Point and PC
Card -- $549.99 Card -- $549.99
-- PCWA-C100/Wirelss LAN -- PCWA-C100/Wirelss LAN
PC Card -- $149.99 PC Card -- $149.99
-- PCGA-CCF/Carrying Case -- PCGA-CCF/Carrying Case
-- $99.99 -- $99.99

Availability Beginning mid-August 2001 Beginning mid-August 2001

Rebates -- --

Estimated
Selling
Price: PCG-GR170K, $2,999 PCG-GR150K, $2,599

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Sony Electronics Inc.
Gretchen Griswold, 858/942-7732
gretchen.griswold@am.sony.com
or
Burson-Marsteller
Taylor Kiland, 858/646-3078
taylor_kiland@sdg.bm.com

Email this story - Most-emailed articles - Most-viewed articles

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Related News Categories: computer hardware, computers, entertainment, internet, networking, publishing, software, telecom

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To: Dan3 who wrote (49389)7/31/2001 12:43:54 AM
From: Paul EngelRead Replies (2) | Respond to of 275872
 
<font colour = Disappearing DRBES Green>Rival chipmakers Intel and Advanced Micro Devices each had designs that could do the trick, with AMD's HyperTransport further along than Intel's. But now, after the industry group in charge of PCI met Friday, the question of succession has been largely decided in favor of Intel's technology, code-named Arapahoe and sometimes called 3GIO. The political maneuvering was first reported by CNET News.com on Wednesday.

Approval near on Intel PC-overhaul plan

By Stephen Shankland

Staff Writer, CNET News.com
July 30, 2001, 6:15 p.m. PT

news.cnet.com

A key industry group has all but approved an Intel technology to overhaul the innards of PCs, with full consent expected Friday.

Currently, everything from modems to network cards plugs into computers using the widespread PCI (Peripheral Components Interconnect) standard. But increasing the speed of PCI will become prohibitively expensive, and engineers have been searching for an alternative that will let computers keep pace with ever-faster CPUs

Rival chipmakers Intel and Advanced Micro Devices each had designs that could do the trick, with AMD's HyperTransport further along than Intel's. But now, after the industry group in charge of PCI met Friday, the question of succession has been largely decided in favor of Intel's technology, code-named Arapahoe and sometimes called 3GIO. The political maneuvering was first reported by CNET News.com on Wednesday.

A final vote by PCI-SIG is scheduled for Friday, after lawyers from member companies have had a week to review Arapahoe, but the group is expected to adopt the technology, PCI-SIG President Roger Tipley said in an interview.

"The intent of Arapahoe is to be the one unifying input-output technology of the future," Tipley said. "There wasn't anything negative said about adopting the technology. The extra week of due diligence may not have been warranted, but it helps all the board members feel better."

Arapahoe could be used to speed the transfer of data to not only network cards but graphics systems as well, and to the subsystems that must funnel the huge amounts of data associated with digital images or video, said Bala Cadambi, third-generation interconnect program manager at Intel's Desktop Platform Group.

A computer overhaul this deep, though, involves more than just a routine adjustment to support a faster new CPU--something Intel has done every few months for years.

"Ultimately, the goal is to make sure we have a specification ready where products are ready by the second half of 2003," said Michelle Leyden Li, platform initiatives manager in Intel's Desktop Platform Group. Intel plans to describe Arapahoe details at its Intel Developer Forum beginning Aug. 28.

The latest version of PCI, called PCI-X, satisfies current data-transfer needs, said Instat/MDR analyst Cary Snyder, but that will change. "In the next couple years...PCI-X no longer has the bandwidth. That's when Arapahoe would be ready to come into its own," he said.

Built for speed

Though Intel and PCI-SIG executives declined to give details on Arapahoe, Tipley said the standard will offer speed, cost and longevity benefits over the current PCI while using the same control commands. That means today's PCI software won't have to be rewritten to support Arapahoe hardware.

Whereas today's PCI transfers data across 32 or 64 parallel wires, Arapahoe will use fewer, higher-speed lines, and data won't have to be synchronized across the collection.

Current PCI-X has a total bandwidth of 1.1 gigabytes per second, with each wire carrying about 138 megabits per second. When Arapahoe is ready, that may increase by a factor of four to eight, but Arapahoe will be even faster than that, Tipley said.

AMD's opportunity

AMD positions its HyperTransport technology as a way for one chip to communicate with another--for example, a CPU to communicate with a memory controller or a PCI subsystem. Companies such as API NetWorks are interested in using HyperTransport as a successor to PCI, but AMD apparently is not.

"The opportunity has been available" for AMD to propose HyperTransport as a PCI successor, but they didn't approach PCI-SIG, "despite my entreaties," Tipley said.


AMD, which could not immediately be reached for comment, is a member of the PCI-SIG board of directors, as are Intel, Compaq, IBM, Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Texas Instruments, Phoenix Technologies and Broadcom's ServerWorks division.

But HyperTransport, now governed by the more neutral HyperTransport Technology Consortium, will live on, if not as a PCI successor. It will be used as the "front-side bus" data pathway that connects AMD's future Hammer line of CPUs to the rest of the computer. Several networking chipmakers such as MIPS and PMC-Sierra also plan to use it.

"I do believe there is a lot of momentum for HyperTransport in the communications market," Insight 64 analyst Nathan Brookwood said.

Because HyperTransport and Arapahoe/3GIO are technologically similar, political maneuvering becomes more important, Brookwood said. "There's little doubt in my mind that 3GIO is at least as good a solution as HyperTransport," he said. But, "the fact that it's positioned better in terms of the PCI-SIG would help 3GIO become a de facto standard."

Learning from the past
Wrangling a herd of competing computing giants into the same direction is tough, though, as recent experience has shown. Even extending PCI to PCI-X--a technology originally backed by IBM, HP and Compaq, with Intel only adding support later--was tough going.

Intel was given short shrift in the PCI-X development process, despite having useful expertise from creating the Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) technology for plugging in graphics cards, Snyder said.

"Their input wasn't taken seriously by the technology working group," he said. "Intel had a lot of knowledge they learned from AGP. The result was a specification that required a lot of rework. That's what delayed PCI-X entering into the mainstream."

Tipley acknowledges PCI-X didn't arrive as smoothly as hoped.

"One thing we learned from that is we needed to bring it to the SIG a little bit earlier, and we're definitely doing that with Arapahoe," Tipley said. "There was a bit of electrical work that remained to be done after it was brought into the SIG. That's extended its definition a little longer than expected."

Or a lot longer. Compaq initially expected PCI-X to arrive in 1999, but it only began selling servers with PCI-X in recent months. Chips from ServerWorks, coming near the end of 2001, are expected to boost its mainstream use, while Intel plans its own support of PCI-X at that time or in early 2002, Snyder said.

"We're expecting the Arapahoe Working Group will have learned the lessons of AGP and PCI-X," Tipley said. "They'll just make new errors."

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