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

To: Naggrachi who wrote (37425)	11/25/1997 4:03:00 PM
From: Brendan2012	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 58324

Close:32 1/4 Nice little jump at the end. Brendan

To: Naggrachi who wrote (37425)	11/25/1997 4:06:00 PM
From: Trakker	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 58324

Zead, Great points. Just a couple of quick thoughts: 1. The Sony product is currently vapor. As is clik! 2. Do you feel that zip is critical to the success of clik!? 3. Do you feel that clik is critical to the success of zip? While the battle of features will definitely occur if Sony delivers this product, the value of a personal storage solution and its ability to truly be a standard will be won by Iomega if they deliver clik! - not deliver just from a product standpoint but also from how innovative design engineers are with clik!'s technology and their ability to tie zip/clik together as a storage standard for digital communications.

To: Naggrachi who wrote (37425)	11/25/1997 4:13:00 PM
From: D.J.Smyth	Respond to of 58324

yes, well iom had good action today. looks like buy is at $32.431 tomorrow all things being equal (i.e., asia cooperates). some day traders popping in the last fifteen minutes or covering 207.183.153.201

To: Naggrachi who wrote (37425)	11/25/1997 4:16:00 PM
From: Cogito	Respond to of 58324

>>I'm really surprised how so many people are taking the Sony drive so lightly. With the LS120 there were many negatives including speed, management, procduction, etc. However, with the Sony drive there hasn't been many negatives, not to mention IOM is not dealing with a company of Syquest or Imation caliber. Sony is a consumer electronics powerhouse whose been around the block for how many years now? I mean when was the last time Sony had to issue more stock to raise capital. Many people's reaction to the above argument is that IOM has a 10 million drive base. Well that's fine and dandy, however, it didn't take Gateway 2000 too long to drop the Zip and include the LS120 as optional in some computers. BTW, does Gateway include Zip as optional in any computer line?<< Zead - First, Gateway did not drop Zip, and they do still include it as optional in all their computers. I'm not complacent about the Sony/Fuji/Teac drive, but I don't see any reason to worry too much about it yet. I believe Sony's introduction of this device says that the high-capacity floppy market is very large and growing. Sony doesn't stand to profit hugely if Zip becomes the standard which replaces the floppy. Neither does Teac. So they are motivated to come up with a standard of their own. The announcement that Teac will support the HiFD doesn't please me, but I'd be a lot more upset if major computer companies were supporting on it. So far, that hasn't been the case. It may happen, but it hasn't yet. As to HiFD having advantages over LS-120, well, LS-120 has been shipping for quite some time, and HiFD is still in the prototype stage. Until it ships it has no advantage over anything. BTW, Imation was spun off from 3M, which is certainly not a lightweight company, and the LS-120 was originally backed by a consortium which included Compaq. So it hasn't failed because of a lack of muscle. Yes, there are many competitors chipping away at Iomega's market share. But don't forget that this is a very rapidly growing market. If Iomega can just retain more than half the market that will be a lot of revenue going forward. At this stage, I believe there are good reasons to believe that Iomega will maintain its position as the industry leader. - Allen

To: Naggrachi who wrote (37425)	11/25/1997 4:22:00 PM
From: jwk	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 58324

RE: Sony and TEAC ON TOPIC >> I'm really surprised how so many people are taking the Sony drive so lightly.<< I'm all for watching it closely and hope the range of research available to us here will keep us up to date on all developments. >> ... with the Sony drive there hasn't been many negatives, ...Sony is a consumer electronics powerhouse << All the more reason to watch it closely. >> it didn't take Gateway 2000 too long to drop the Zip and include the LS120 as optional in some computers.<< I think you're stretching the facts here. >>BTW, does Gateway include Zip as optional in any computer line?<< yes. >>Another argument bulls use is that the market is not ready for a 200MB drive and when the time comes IOM will introduce their own version. My response to this is, that when Zip came out there was hardly any compatition of Sony's caliber, therefore, IOM had the playing field to themselves. All IOM had to do is execute their plan and the product would catch on.<< Now you're getting way off base. Remember, IOM's business/marketing plan is based on substatial market research. KE always held the engineers in check and made them produce a product that fit the performance and price points that market research dictated. The Zip is what it is because of what IOM learned about consumer demands. This same approach will serve them well in deciding when, how, and if to counter various forms of competition as it comes along. Also your view that IOM just strolled into it's present position of dominance in the removeables mark really stretches the reality of what they acomplished. >> However, if IOM does introduce the Zip 200 they'll be going head to head with Sony's deep pocket, ... The last thing I want to see is IOM getting in a price war with a consumer giant like Sony.<< Well, we'll just have to wait and see. So far KE and his crew of "battle hardened veterans" (his description) has shown an excellent ability to compete. >>If IOM does win the battle, I'm not sure it will be worth it, because it will be bloodied and bruised and cash straped.<< So, why not sell now and avoid the autopsy? >> To make things worst, competition is tightening on all fronts.... the point is that all these competitors are chipping away at IOM's market share. << Any possibility that IOM's market share is somewhat secure and these others are fighting amongst themselves for what's left? >>All these factors are taking place simoultaneously which IOM's managment has to address one by one and at the same time grow the business. The success of IOM has attracted many new entrants and the storage industry will never be the same.<< It never ever was or has "been the same" ... especially since IOM showed up with its paradigm smashing attitude. >> I still don't understand why the stock split.<< Read the 10Q employee options are a big part of compensation and management feels that they need to restructure/maintain a certain level of performance with option incentives. The real and only value of a tech company is the brains and commitment of the human resources that are the company. I want the companies I invest in to have the best, the brightest, the most driven, fun loving, and highly compensated people available. Ultimatley, that is what will make a company succel for years to come. >> Zead Long and haven't sold a single share << cool.

To: Naggrachi who wrote (37425)	11/25/1997 4:33:00 PM
From: Zakrosian	Respond to of 58324

Zead - You bring up some very good points. On balance, I think IOM's rather dramatic head start on their competition will prove an insurmountable obstacle. However, I also think that the compatibility issue could be more important than a lot of people think. Some of us, myself included, still struggle with programming a VCR and learn as little about how a pc functions as we need. Nevertheless, we upgrade our computers every 3 or 4 years to take advantage of new applications, and we may view backward compatible removable storage as necessary to transfer all of our spreadsheets and other files to the new machine. I would have no idea how to do that if the Zip were to replace the floppy. That said, to drag up an old analogy once again, Sony is the company that fought the VHS vs Beta battle, and they lost that without having to come from behind.

To: Naggrachi who wrote (37425)	11/25/1997 4:58:00 PM
From: AreWeThereYet	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 58324

RE: Sony and TEAC ON TOPIC > I'm really surprised how so many people are taking the Sony drive so lightly. probably because the failure of LS120 which is backed by 3M, Compaq, Mitsushita (they are not small potatoes in the industry.) HiFD's spec looks promising because it is much faster than zip, twice the capacity and backward compatible with 1.44MB and comparable or better reliablity. If it is priced properly (check my previous post 207.183.153.206 it will kill Zip 100MB easily. The 10M installed base is not a problem at all when all new PC makers (Compaq, Dell, GW2k) sell each PC with a HiFD instead of 1.44FD. In addition with the pressure from SyQuest SparQ. This is very certain that the profit margin of IOM will lower. For IOM to continue enjoy the previous high profit, IOM must 1) release a new Zip which offer at least twice the capcity and backward compatible to Zip 100. Also must price it agressively. This is pretty hard due to the limitation of floppy media. 2) ready to fight back SyQuest SparQ. If SparQ selling good (it should be), SyQuest's financial problem will be ease somewhat and have more ingots to compete with IOM. 3) continue on other innovative marketing idea like Clik. 4) make a New year wish that HiFD will fail <g> > I still don't understand why the stock split. No idea. None of my business since I do not own any share of Iomega, SyQuest, Sony... Good Luck aC

To: Naggrachi who wrote (37425)	11/25/1997 6:51:00 PM
From: Eve Edelson	Respond to of 58324

I still don't see the point of a 200MB disk. Someone enlighten me? The next magic number for me after 100MB is 1GB, and after 1GB, 4GB. The needs being: backing up a few fat programs and then, backing up the whole disk. So after 1GB I'm looking at tape (which I don't much like). Eve

To: Naggrachi who wrote (37425)	11/26/1997 8:42:00 AM
From: Philip J. Davis	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 58324

niggerochi, >>I'm really surprised how so many people are taking the Sony drive so lightly.<< Who's taking it lightly? >>it didn't take Gateway 2000 too long to drop the Zip and include the LS120 as optional in some computers.<< Zip drives are offered as optional on most Gateway systems....yes, internal too. IRQ difficulties have been worked out. We're all well aware of Sony's pre-eminence in consumer electronics, their deep pockets, etc. but I'll wait on making a judgement as to the threat posed by Sony's drive when I see it for sale and at what price. Think they'll be able to get that Sony drive to $100? It sure is a magical price point. <<Granted that these are companies the have been around a while and have not succeeded in overthrowing the Zip, but the point is that all these competitors are chipping away at IOM's market share.<< How do you know this? >>I still don't understand why the stock split.<< The stock split is immaterial. It shouldn't matter to investors. Philip