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.

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

To: Rocky Reid who wrote (39733)	12/13/1997 2:57:00 PM
From: Steve Wiz	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 58324

Mr Reid, It must be hard for you to make money in financial markets with such reflexive thinking. Yes Sony is a mulit-billion dollar operation, a pioneer in many technology products, great manufacturing, brand recognition, marketing and personnel. Sony's HiFD being a Zip killer is perception at the current moment. Not to forget that market participants thought the Syquest 230 was a strong contender as well the first Zip killer the LS-120. The fact that the LS-120 drive is backward compatible gives market participants a first hand view of the markets need and or want of a removable storage drive that is backward compatible. The LS-120's backward compatiblity importance has actually uncovered a bias that was current in the marketplace. Consumers have shattered the illusion of backward compatibility importance. It should be obvious by now to participants that consumers could care less about backward compatibility. The LS-120's backward compatibility did little to help it's product launch and sales. By the time Sony comes out with their HiFD it will be important to have backward's compatibility with the Zip. Young savy tech buyers have with their purchases of Zip, voted to evolve the current floppy standard. The marketplace has moved to replace an old regime the 1.44 with a new one ZIP. This is the inherent flaw in both the LS-120 and Sony's HiFD. They are trying to devolve the floppy not take it to a new paradigm. After much research I have learned that their is much more going on here than a commodity disk drive manufacturer. The fact that you here many participants on this board giving away their old Zips and purchasing new Zip Plus is a Wall that I feel is to difficult for any force to climb. Accept maybe systemic shocks and or events. In any new product you have the Technologically superior participants who try and or adopt it. This first wave of users propel its evolution to the masses. This is exactly what has happened to the Zip drive. Should also be noted that this demographic group well educated and technologically sophisticated coupled with a high disposable income has continued to vote in favor of Iomega and it's products. It is eventful that Gateway has offered the LS-120 as an option. This is very positive. What? It is eventful because Gateway will see first hand that the perception that the Zip is the standard platform for removable storage is indeed correct. The fact that Sony could land an OEM would also be welcomed. Theirs nothing to be afraid of when dispelling myths, manias and incorrect perceptions. Reality and concrete reasoning prevail in the end. As dully noted the biggest threat to future profitability to Iomega isn't the HiFD but the theft of intellectual property rights. A company that spends large sums of money for research and development should be able to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Theirs a neat simplistic way of telling if a product is violating intellectual property rights of another product. If lets use IOM, the ZIP drive didn't exist, would Nomai's XHD disks exist? You know the answer. Iomega's clique drive will bring Iomega it's second blockbuster product. But who says a company like Nomai cant dupe the N.hand disks as well. If Nomai wins the legal battle with Iomega all is not lost. It is highly unprobable that Nomai will be allowed to ship the XHD in the U.S. but it does set a damaging precedence. Let's just hope that participants here and in the European Union realize that intellectual property rigths work both ways and that it is critical to the evolution of technology in our society to protect companies no matter what geograhic region they are from- from intellectual property theft. Steve

To: Rocky Reid who wrote (39733)	12/13/1997 3:01:00 PM
From: Frank Drumond	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 58324

cRock! >Wrong. Fuji has the most experience with the Fuji ATOM media, and it is a partnership between Sony and Fuji.< Big difference between producing media and producing drives in mass quantity that use the media. Iomega has the most experience with producing drives for this media. Period! >You can do without having a dedicated 1.44 floppy drive and still be able to re-use the hundreds of AOL floppies that fall out of your mailbox every month using the HiFi.< Sorry I just through them in the trash were they belong. Floppies are just too darn slow and unreliable to put up with. I could care less about compatibility with the floppy and I don't think I'm alone here. >This is not Imation we're talking about. Sony is a multi-billion dollar international conglomerate that can push its way into the market with great force. All it needs is a great product to back up the marketing effort, and Sony HiFi is it. Faster than Zip. 100% more capacity than Zip. Compatible with floppies. Mind you, we are not talking about Sony Minidisk, an inferior product whose specs I have trashed in the past. This new HiFi drive looks to be a winner in every way over Zip.< Actually Sony brings a fair number of still-born products to market. Zip has a huge amount of support and every office I go to I see them in action. The only thing that has really held Iomega back is production and lack of a second source. These problems are fading and more and more machines will have them. >BTW, the Vapor! shipping date has yet to be announced. Iomega has said "second half of 1998." This could mean literally anywhere from July 1 1998 to Dec. 31 1998. Talk about a lame duck product. This has to be a major blow to Vapor! devotees.< Oh cRock!, Clik! will be there and it will be big. Iomega has done their homework on this one cRock!. cRock!, HP is making a big deal about their printers not needing a compter anymore to print graphics and the like. How do you think pictures and the like will get to these printers cRock!? Devices like Clik are what HP is counting on to make their smart printers computer independent. Clik! is coming cRock! Catch ya' later cRock! Frank

To: Rocky Reid who wrote (39733)	12/14/1997 12:22:00 PM
From: Leo J. Capobianco, DO	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 58324

How many Sparks are out there including in PC's? None. How many Syjets, EZ Flyers are included in PC's? None. How many HiFud's are including in PC's? None. How many "Box Makers" has Sony lined up to support HiFud? None. How many laptop Sparks, Syjets, Ez Flyers are sold each month? None. They don't exist. If your still installing software or transferring files with a 3.5" floppy, your in the stone age pal. My prediction. Midway through 98' Iomega will purchase SYQT after it has filed for Chapter 11.

To: Rocky Reid who wrote (39733)	12/14/1997 2:11:00 PM
From: Cogito	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 58324

>>BTW, the Vapor! shipping date has yet to be announced. Iomega has said "second half of 1998."<< Crocky - I must have missed the announcement of the shipping date for HiFD. Could you provide a URL for the press release? - Allen