Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Compaq -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Yaacov who wrote (11161)	12/13/1997 9:21:00 AM
From: William Hunt	Respond to of 97611

Yaacov --- THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE IS VERY GOOD NEWS--Dow Jones Newswires -- December 12, 1997 Computer Mkt Penetration Up In U.S., Two Researchers Find By Mark Boslet PALO ALTO, Calif. (Dow Jones)--Low-cost "sub-$1,000" computers helped expand the U.S. computer market this year, and the number of households with computers rose significantly for the first time in two years, two research firms have found. Between 42% and 43% of U.S. households now have computers, compared with 39.4% at the end of last year, market researchers International Data Corp. said Friday. In a separate study released earlier this week, Dataquest also found an increase in household penetration. The study found that 43% of homes in the U.S. have PCs, up from 35% last year. Both surveys also found buying intentions were strong for the holiday season, meaning that market penetration could climb even higher by January. Compared with last Christmas, twice as many consumers surveyed said they had plans to buy computers this year, said Bill Ablondi, an analyst at IDC. This means between 1 million and 1.5 million households could purchase machines during the holidays, pushing penetration up to 44% or 45%, he said. Dataquest said its survey, conducted during October and November, found 10.2% of U.S. households plan on purchasing a computer in the next six months. That's an increase of 1.5 million households from last fall's survey, the research firm said. Children's educational use and a desire to use the Internet were top reasons motivating the purchases. But not all consumers were interested in low-priced, sub-$1,000 machines, a category that has shown strong growth this year. Among people planning to buy a machine, 70% expect to pay $1,250 or more, Ablondi said. Nevertheless, "the pricing dynamics in the U.S. consumer PC market have clearly increased purchase intent," said Dataquest analyst Scott Miller. -Mark Boslet; 415 496-1366 BEST WISHES TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY IN 1998 MAY WE MEET AND SHARE SOME VINO BILL