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Non-Tech : Any info about Iomega (IOM)? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Cameron Dorey who wrote (36140)	11/17/1997 6:17:00 PM
From: AreWeThereYet	Respond to of 58324

Cameron, when EZ-135, EZ230, Syjet came out, I never believe it will have any significant effect on Zip because they are not comparable to Zip disk which based on floppy disk technology. Zip is much more durable then a winchester platter. If you compare it to Jaz, then they don't offer significant advantage in both price and perfomance. SparQ and Orb will be the same, it will probably not affect Zip but it will greatly affect the Jaz because it offer significant price advantage than Jaz. Iomega will eventually lower the price of its Jaz product line or it will losing market share. Lotus 123 originall has more than 80% market share but now it is almostly totaly replaced by Excel. (Netsacpe is encounter similar situation.) For the zip, LS120 is its direct competitor. Too bad, Mitsushita did not market the product properly so I believe it will phrased out very soon. Recently we finally see LS120 around for a comparable price to Zip but it is too little too late. The real potential competitor is HiFD which should be availabe early next year. It offers much more technical advantages than Zip but whether it will success, we have to see its retail price of the drive and media. If it is the same or lower price than Zip in both the drive and the media then it will likely to be success because it is backward compatible with 1.44 floppy (it has a inherit $25 to $35 price advantage to the end-user). If it is priced slightly above zip then it is very questionable. If it is price much higher than Zip then it will just another LS120, bye. I always believe IOM is a excellent marketing company, so it may have some nice idea to keep the profit high, Clik is an excellent example! I will buy the idea of Clik but not Buzz. imo Zip and Jaz (two major sources of IOM's revenue) will have some difficulty in the near future for the first time. BTW: I am NOT saying that people should jump out and short IOM immediately, I am just suggesting that if IOM does not have any good plan to fight the SparQ, ORB and HiFD, it maybe time to short IOM "soon". aC

To: Cameron Dorey who wrote (36140)	11/18/1997 3:46:00 AM
From: w sun	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 58324

iom's success is mostly due to its excellent execution of zip. but the mistakes in ls-120, ezflyer, syjet contributed mightly. the issue is technology which no one can claim ownership. The other companies will keep trying, like syqt, avatar, swan, nomai, like sparq, rocket, orb, and HiFD. Someday and someone will get it right. granted that iom will have the market for zip(although HiFD is a real threat if priced right) but seems giving up on middle to high-end removable storage as it doesn't have any new products out in the Fall Comdex. Is this right? Unlike PC, digital camera is a very young product and full of unknowns for Clik! In addition, Clik! won't be out till 2H98 and it may take a couple of years to establish. What is IOM's strategy? What position IOM will be in in 2-3years? Short term, maybe. Long term, it is not clear to me at all.(ws)