Computer Trade Shopper articles from December 2005

Computer Trade Shopper archives from December 2005

Amazon brokers customers' time.(editorial)
December 7, 2005... On-line bookseller Amazon.com has figured out a way of marketing the spare time of its customers to businesses that need small tasks performed on-line. If it can be done at a computer screen, then Amazon's service will not only find you the...

Lexmark to reduce distributors' rebate.(news)
December 7, 2005... Lexmark will reduce the rebate to distributors on sales to resellers operating in the SME market from the first quarter 2006 but will make funds available to reward increases in business to the corporate and mail order sectors. The US...

SAM standard slated for 2006.(news)
December 7, 2005... The final draft of the channel-driven international standard for software asset management (SAM) will be complete this month, with the full standard expected by May 2006. In April the Investors in Software (IiS) industry group drafted a...

PDA-laptop hybrid finds corporate success.(news)
December 7, 2005... It is rare to get a high-profile product launch in the current market conditions but the makers of the Flybook are aiming to get resellers interested in its product, which bridges the gap between a PDA and laptop. At a launch in London...

Dell could ditch Intel to develop AMD systems.(news)
December 7, 2005... The last Intel bastion among tier one manufacturers, Dell might be about to succumb to the lure of working with AMD and has notified its three Taiwanese OEMs of its plans. In light of the EC investigation into Intel and Dell's anti...

HP quells supply chain worries.(news)
December 7, 2005... Hewlett-Packard has assured resellers that its change in carrier win not disrupt the supply chain, despite concerns from some distributors that a switch-over could impact shipments in the first quarter of next year. The vendor told its...

Apple direct sales cause concern for resellers.(news)
December 7, 2005... Concerns among Apple's channel partners that their businesses would be hit hard by retail stores the manufacturer opened late last year have proved well-founded for some, with one large reseller claiming sales were half the seasonal level. ...

Clean sweep made of spam problem.(EXCLUSIVE)
December 7, 2005... A couple of years ago getting spam was like some badge of honour which meant that you were the lucky one being offered Viagra and extensions to sensitive parts of your anatomy. Then things started to get a little bit more annoying and then...

Step up to a better viewing experience.
December 7, 2005... One of the most desirable bits of kit this year has been the flat screen television and the sector has exploded to meet the growing demand. The pace of development has been quick and the opportunities for people to establish a brand and build a...

DVD unit dripping with features.
December 7, 2005... Early last year you may have come across the Kiss DP-500, one of the first DVD/DivX players which could stream video over Ethernet. The latest offering from Denmark-based Kiss Technology is the souped-up DP-558 which does everything the DP-550...

Printer that can also take care of burning.
December 7, 2005... At this time of year we are surrounded by advertising trying to get us to part with our cash and splash out on the latest gadgets for Christmas, with one of this year's most popular being the photo printer. The stakes in this market are...

Users encouraged to go a bit larger.
December 7, 2005... One of the great advantages of the shortage a while back of 15in screens was that it provided an ideal opportunity to upsell users into the 17in and 1 gin products and once users were bitten by the large format bug, there should have been no...

Projection backed by a leading reputation.
December 7, 2005... One of the most remarkable stories in recent years has been the transformation of the humble projector from a low unit selling boardroom appliance to a volume player that stretches across numerous target markets. The first signs that...

Another classy laptop arrives.
December 7, 2005... In the last issue of CTS we reviewed an ACi laptop, which it was obviously pleased enough with to trust us with another mobile in its Sonoma range. In a nutshell, the S2 is a 1.6GHz 400GHz CPU, 512MB, 33MHz RAM and 40GB hard drive laptop...

European channel in flux.(round up)
December 7, 2005... The state of the European channel is on the face of it relatively stong and stable but on closer inspection the future for those sticking with traditional resale businesses looks bleaker with numbers declining. According to the latest Europe...

Wireless device finds and connects computer to hot spot.(SHORTS)
December 7, 2005... More and more people are computing on the move but it helps if you can find a hot spot where you can log on to the network. Recognising that, Dynamode UK has introduced a Wireless Hotspot Finder that not only locates the radio emissions from...

Target lands club 3d graphics card deal.(SHORTS)
December 7, 2005... Club 3d has appointed Target Components to handle its graphic cards. James Yates, sales and marketing manager at Target Components, said the products were of a high standard. Gary Jones, channel manager for UK and Ireland at Club 3d, said the...

Laptop has 15.4in widescreen for watching DVDs.(SHORTS)
December 7, 2005... Maxdata has taken the wraps off its latest multimedia laptop, the ECO 4100 IW, which includes a dedicated nVidia GeForce Go 6200 graphics controller paired with a 15.4in wide-screen TFT display. It is being promoted as an ideal platform for...

Wireless router and adapter are RoHS-compliant.(SHORTS)
December 7, 2005... One of the issues the channel is going to have to start facing up to is hazardous waste. Adressing the issue, Gigabyte Technology has introduced a wireless router and adapter complying with the upcoming Restriction of Hazardous Substances...

Can you trust your IT disposal company? Steve Russell, managing director of IT asset management company BTR UK, gives advice on what to look for when appointing an IT disposal company.(market overview)
December 7, 2005... Until recently, disposal of end-of-life technology hadn't been a main priority for business users. What to do with it when it had served its purpose was often an afterthought. However, with the forthcoming Waste Electrical and Electronic...

Ready for a changing world: he has only been in the country for nine months, but Rui Pereira, managing director of Rectron UK, already has some very definite views on the UK market, people and the weather.(talking shop)(Interview)
December 7, 2005... WHAT ARE YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES AT THE COMPANY? I am the managing director for the Rectron UK branch. I am very much involved in sales, marketing and product management. DO YOU HAVE A BUSINESS MAXIM? In order to be successful,...

Contract planners beware: appropriate restrictive covenants in on employee's contract need to be handled carefully to avoid future conflict.(analysis)
December 7, 2005... At this time of year, plenty of people get first hand experience of tough business decisions that leave staff out in the cold. How those departures are handled is one thing, but it is also important to keep an eye on the future and make...

Apple steals up on the CE market: while Microsoft has used aggressive marketing to impose Windows on the CE market, Apple's approach has been subtler--and all the scarier for it.(monitoring trends)
December 7, 2005... For the past few years, conventional wisdom has been that the one company the consumer electronics (CE) industry needs to fear most is Microsoft. Bill Gates and his team have been eyeing the CE market for 15 years, and their overall CE strategy...

Silicon moves on: Intel and AMD are pushing processors with two cores in one, among other new developments. Danny Bradbury finds out what next year has in store.
December 7, 2005... Intel's developer forum back in the summer was one of the most important yet for the company. It's not every year that a chip vendor revamps its entire product line with new technology in a bid to outmanoeuvre its rivals. The biggest story...

The tender spot.(tender invitations)
December 7, 2005... STAR TENDER 217399 UK-Glasgow: research consultancy services Online educational environment for pupils. 212281, TENDER INVITATION UK-London: display screens Display screen technology for news sets. 219311, TENDER...

Manufacturers.(Directory)
December 7, 2005... manufacturers 1st Computer Traders Ltd 01827 55555 www.1ct.com Acer (UK) Ltd 01753 699200 www.aceruk.co.uk ACME Technology Ltd 020 89633300 www.acmetech.co.uk Actebis Computers 01793 890222...

Distributors.(Directory)
December 7, 2005... distributors PHONE FAX a 1st Computer Traders Ltd 01827 55555 01827 66666 A One Distribution 0161 7633633 0161 7633644 Access...

CTS hits its final deadline.(editorial)
December 21, 2005... There are plenty of reasons to be cheerful around this time of the year, with PC-hungry consumers looking for the hottest gaming desktops, beers flowing freely at parties and personally my wife is due to give birth to our first child, indeed...

'Grey' raid on BlueCom leaves brokers worried.(news)
December 21, 2005... Hewlett-Packard has raided Danish distributor BlueCom for suspected involvement in grey marketing leaving many brokers in the UK associated with the company feeling very nervous. The investigation was the result of new measures centred on...

Piracy cripples software profits.(news)
December 21, 2005... The value of the UK software sector would grow by billions of pounds in the next three years if piracy was reduced by 10 per cent, according to a Business Software Alliance-sponsored IDC study. The UK software industry is currently valued...

MTIC sales fraudsters move to hide tracks.(news)
December 21, 2005... Criminals involved in the missing trader intra-community (MTIC) fraud have evolved and are operating more cunningly to evade detection, but HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is also trying to move with the times. As revealed earlier this year,...

Company cloning on the increase.(news)
December 21, 2005... The spectre of company cloning reared its ugly head as the channel moved into a hectic year-end period, after distributor Comstor warned it had seen an increased number of fraudulent transactions over the past few weeks. Despite attempts...

3Com hit by fuel depot blast.(news)
December 21, 2005... Networking vendor 3Com's Hemel Hempstead offices were damaged by last week's fuel depot explosion and while no staff were injured, the damage to its servers has led to delays in its pre-Christmas channel sales incentives. 3Com's Christmas...

Packaging shortage hits AMD supply.(news)
December 21, 2005... Although shortages are not uncommon in the fourth-quarter run-up to Christmas, AMD has blamed a lack of packaging, not silicon, for the problems it is currently facing in meeting demand. The shortfall is expected to continue into January...

Compression is a key function so why not go for quality?(cts EXCLUSIVE)
December 21, 2005... Almost everytime you get sent a large file over e-mail or download a file off of the web it is compressed, and to open it involves owning a little bit of software that can expand the contents of the file. For most people that is as far as...

How Asus ticks a lot of product boxes.
December 21, 2005... The test of a quality vendor is a bit similar to the one used to judge a top Premier football side and it is all about talent and depth. If you are a Chelsea or Arsenal manager and you plan on vying for the league as well as having a successful...

Look back at an innovative 2005: review of the year part one.
December 21, 2005... This year has seen a raft of products all vying to be on the cutting edge and some innovations that have understandably been recognised and awarded by this magazine. On the motherboard front it has been the year of PCI Express and more...

A channel of quality innovation and desire: review of the year part two.
December 21, 2005... THe second half of the year involved some topical products around the issue of internet telephony well as the second platinum award winning product that showed just what is required to deliver a quality flat screen. Starting with the third...

Projectors become handy.(round up)
December 21, 2005... One of the product markets that has evolved quickly this year is the projector space as the products move out of the boardroom ceiling and into the hands of executives looking for portable plug-and-play devices. Added to that there has...

Pledging to make it a green 2006.(SHORTS)
December 21, 2005... Everyone wants to be green and one of the hardware vendors keen to promote its credentials is Acer, which has outlined a commitment to reduce and prevent harmful effects on the environment as well as promoting a healthy place for working and...

Media Center for the technically savvy.(SHORTS)
December 21, 2005... A real must for Christmas is the Evesham Mini from Evesham Technology. The brushed aluminium media center is a PC controlled through a remote control interface that operates the Windows Media Center Edition, making the Mini a hub for all...

New architecture boosts graphics accelerators.(SHORTS)
December 21, 2005... Sapphire Technology is shipping its latest series of graphics accelerators based on a completely new architecture, the new X1600 series has been designed to deliver high efficiency and high performance in the Shader Model 3.0 with enhanced...

Mobile device packs a lot in.(SHORTS)
December 21, 2005... O2 has launched the Xda Mini S, a small and stylish premium mobile device which is one of the smallest PDA-phones in the market offering a full-function PDA with sliding Qwerty keyboard, a stylish mobile phone and a digital camera all rolled...

The price of performance: traditionally, power management has been an area of major concern in the server and mobile space. Why then has power management on the desktop suddenly become a concern to consumers and SMEs.(opinion)
December 21, 2005... One of the reasons is noise. The more powerful a PC, the bigger the fan and the faster it needs to spin to cool it. With the increased adoption of PCs in all markets, acoustic performance not only impacts business users at a perceivable level,...

He's a big lad with etiquette: for Dev Tyagi, general manager at Supermicro, the excitement of doing deals--especially the difficult ones--never fades.(talking shop)(Interview)
December 21, 2005... WHAT ARE YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES AT THE COMPANY? I am ultimately responsible for looking after the channel in the UK and some parts of Europe as well as OEM business. DO YOU HAVE A BUSINESS MAXIM? Win by design. WHAT...

Changing fortunes of PC market.(in focus)
December 21, 2005... Changing fortunes Of PC market Channel analyst Context provides on overview of UKPC sales Type Oct-04 Nov-04 Dec-04 Jan-05 Feb-05 Mar-05 Desktops 239,325 214,964 253,834 218,053 189,349 236,825...

A no-nonsense approach: Microtronica's plain-speaking UK managing director Les Billing explains to Christopher Walton the strategy that has earnt the distributor its reputation for ruthlessness and reveals which areas he expects to drive growth in the future.(profile)
December 21, 2005... Microtronica is a lot more than just "that Yorkshireman" in the computer industry. It is one of the longest running components distribution specialists in the UK and handles some of the largest volumes and stock inventory globally in its field....

It's all about speed: Pete Gamby analyses the data in Meko's product and price databases to try to identify key trends in the specifications of LCD monitors.(monitoring trends)
December 21, 2005... With sales of 19in LCD monitors continuing to grow rapidly, it is no surprise to see that the majority of new products being introduced are in this category. The recent upturn in 17in LCD monitor introductions is mainly due to the release of...

Digital decade: Tim Bajarin looks back on 2005, which was an exciting year for PC and CE industries as the battleground to win the next-generation game of digital technology moved out of the living room and onto the connected consumer.
December 21, 2005... During most of 2004, many companies in both the PC and CE industries spent a great deal of time focusing on the battle for control of the digital living room and the home. Every time I met last fall with Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Sony, and so on,...

The tender spot.(tender invitations)
December 21, 2005... STAR TENDER 229155 UK-Mansfield: Web site development Developing coal/mineral heritage Web site. 219425, TENDER INVITATION UK-Motherwell: networking Telephony and data services. 225212, TENDER INVITATION ...

Manufacturers.(Directory)
December 21, 2005... Manufacturers PHONE WEB a HOME ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM 1st Computer Traders Ltd 01827 55555 www.1ct.com Acer (UK) Ltd 01753 699200 www.aceruk.co.uk ACME...

Distributors.(Directory)
December 21, 2005... Distributors PHONE FAX WEB a 1st Computer Traders 01827 55555 01827 66666 www.1ct.com Ltd A One Distribution 0161 7633633 0161 7633644 www.aone.co.uk Access Keyboards...